Southern Living

As the thunder rolls and the rain gently falls outside, Callie stays diligently by my side. I am flattered. However, today she's not just a shadow but more often than not, a stumble or a tripper. She hates loud noises; including but not limited to thunder, hair dryers, vacuums, lawn mowers, power washers, etc. Kinda odd for a big dog but hey, we love her anyways and she does provide a chuckle when she hides with her head under the bed.

One of my favorite things about living in the south, or mid-south, are the magnolia trees. The blossoms are so fragrant and gorgeous and the trees vibrant and massive with the large leaves providing steady shade from the sun. Growing up our next door neighbor, Mrs. Heiney, (I know funny name but that lady was all class and oh so nice) had 2 massive magnolia trees, one on either side of her house. She of course had kept them well manicured and trimmed and they were the perfect height to have picnics underneath, bring the dolls out, or just use our imaginations.

At our current home, we have a small one out front which doesn't provide any shade and isn't tall enough for Callie and I to enjoy during a pleasant afternoon. It does however, have the glorious blooms.

The tree has had about half a dozen blooms so far this year and I always make a point of stopping by for a strong inhale of the fragrance every time I am outside. 

They bring back such happy memories of my childhood. 

For instance, these were used as  bombs which we would throw at the neighborhood boys. As I'm sure you can imagine, the big the tree, the bigger the blossom, which only equaled bigger bombs. 

I lead a simple, happy childhood. 

Now, off to protect my 4-legged, black, daughter from the horrendous thunder. 

Cheers!

What's cooking?

Yesterday Callie and I made the Captain a white cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing. It was delicious and the icing bowl was scraped clean before put in the sink. I'm a fan of cream cheese icings. I think they are more creamy and have more flavor than a regular icing. Besides, what else am I supposed to do with that 5 lb block of cream cheese from Costco?

The recipe I used:
8 oz of cream cheese
1/2 stick of butter
1 cup of coco
4 cups of powdered sugar

Tonight we are having Sour Cream and Dill Chicken.

2 Chicken Breast (cut in half)
1 can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp fresh chopped dill
1 tsp onion powder
Pepper to taste

All of the above mixed together and poured over the chicken in a baking dish. Then baked uncovered in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or so, until the chicken is done. I think this will be served with rice because well, the Captain and I love rice.

Cheers!

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Buying stock in the soft tissue

I'm supposed to have this fabulous immune system. I rarely got sick when I was younger and it's the Captain who has twice yearly-knock-him-back-stay-in-bed-for-3-days kind of colds. However, for the past 32 hours I've been the one making best friends with:

chugging 

 at bedtime after working on my sniffing skills with 

.

I'm miserable.  I can't even taste chocolate and daytime medicine doesn't even start to dry up the river of snot flowing out of my nostrils. Pretty picture, eh? 

The Captain is trying. But he doesn't take care of me like I want to be taken care of. I'm stubborn and picky and when I don't feel good I'm worse than the Wicked Witch. God bless his soul. 

I will blame my pitiful immune system on the weather patterns lately and the amount of travel I've done. Honestly, I think the Mid-South springtime weather is worse than the Oklahoma plains. Storms just pop up and pressure changes so quickly. I spent a week in MCI and last weekend at the lake and home with our Mommas. I've eaten out quite a bit and haven't had time to catch up on house work or even the check-paying kinda work work. My tomatoes aren't planted, there are weeds in my flower beds, and my yard needs to be mowed again. Ugh! 

But I went to the library today (to return books way overdue) and pick up some new ones. If my eyes can focus I'm going to read A Brave New World.  It was one of my favorites in High School and introduced me to one of my top 2 favorite word: pining. An intense longing for someone. It's gorgeous, romantic, beautiful, rarely used and when I find the phrase where it is used in the book I'll share. 

And did I mention my face is breaking out?

Cheers!

Cheese Please!

As I mentioned in a previous post, I finished readying The Wedding Machine this past week and one thing the Southern Ladies of the book tended to enjoy quite a bit was Pimento Cheese. They enjoyed it as a snack on crackers while catching up on the porch and it was considered a standard staple in the sandwich department for showers and family get-togethers.

I've actually never been a fan. Hard to believe since cheese is one of my 5 main food groups. So I found this recipe on belleofthekitchen.blogspot.com. If you have a different recipe-please share! But I think I'll be giving this one a try. Let me know what you think.



8 oz Muenster cheese
8 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese
8 oz mozzarella cheese
8 oz Monterrey jack cheese
1/4 cup sugar
7-8 oz jarred pimentos
1 cup Hellmann's or Duke's mayonnaise

Grate the cheeses using a food processor or a box grater.  Put the cheese in a large bowl.  Add the sugar, and toss together.  Add the pimentos with their juice and toss together (until the pimentos are well dispersed).  Stir in the mayonnaise. 

The pimento cheese will be very soft when just prepared, but it will become more stiff after refrigerated for a few hours.  Store pimento cheese in a covered container.  Serve on sandwiches, celery sticks, ginger snaps, or graham crackers.  


Cheers!

Proper Living

I was saddened to receive a pop-up notification of Emily Post's death.  Not that I was a die hard fan, not that I knew she was ill or even that old, or not even that I ever agreed with everything posted in the Post Etiquette Books, I do however love etiquette and proper living. I like baking and keeping a clean, organized home. I like handwritten thank you letters and welcome baskets for new neighbors. I like gentlemen or any male for that matter, holding the door open for me. I do not like them pulling my chair out for me. Maybe if we are at a formal event or I've got a huge dress to work with but not generally.

I have read/browsed through the original Emily Post Etiquette book from the 1920s as well as the latest version by the Emily Post whom  passed away recently-difference abounds! It amazes me how much society has changed over the past 100 years, what is accepted and if anything still, what is shunned. I suppose though, that the etiquette books have to change with the time, they have to address those unpleasant etiquette topics such as divorce, pregnant brides, printed invitations, etc. to keep people interested, to keep people aware that etiquette still exists and should be exercised.

I'm currently reading The Wedding Machine by Beth Webb Hart and it references etiquette in the South. Specifically weddings with showers, china, invitations, titles, etc. It's a delight to read and I'm not yet 1/3 into the book. It reminds me how casual things have become. I of course don't have such gorgeous penmanship to handwrite the calligraphy on invitations and I don't have silver or crystal but the thought of hosting a bridal tea and see with monogrammed napkins, family silver, and all the 3 china patterns from my wedding excites me. Perhaps someday.

Until then I'll strive to have proper etiquette (to some extent!) and be polite, and when The Captain and I have 2-legged children of our own they will write thank you notes. I think that is terribly important.

Cheers!

There's still a lot of cool s*** I want

Even though I'm in the unemployed club there are of course so many cool things out there I want. And I have neglected sharing them with you lately.

To satisfy your inner shopping goddess....

Spanz Swimsuits!!!  You betcha! I'm sorry I love them. And I need to find where to buy them. Or rather try them on before I buy. Shopping directly over the internet never works for me.
A swim dress that flattens that tummy lump I can't seem to get rid of as well as that not so smooth area around the bottoms--sign me up! Ok, so it kinda looks like a nighty but aren't bikinis more revealing than nearly any nightwear you own? And yet, everyone wears them out in public! Even your 13 yr old neice, and people wonder why we have issues with pre-marital sex, STDs, teenage pregnancy..anyhoo, it covers up my problem spots and looks cute. I would go for black though. My skin is not much of a 'flamingo' fan.

I also love the colors on this one. It reminds me of the dress Kate Winslet wore when she won her Oscar. I would like to win an Oscar and wear a pretty dress. But I don't want to break up with the Captain so I'll continue practicing my speech for my Pulitzer Prize into my hairbrush.

I really like this one though. It's such a cut cut with the gathers that add more dimension and cover up. Swimsuits are a tough find for me but maybe these will break the mold.

I also want cute tops to wear out for some Beale Street fun like this one! Free-flowing and loose, it's not all casual but would look way cute with tight jeans and heels and lots of bangles. I love the flower detail and the open neck/arms. Perfect for an evening out!



At a local free concert or the 4th of July Fireworks...where this would come in very handy! I'm not much of a beer drinker. I can pretend to like it but my face gives away my true feelings.

So instead I'll buy a box of wine and look much classier with my astronaut bag stored in this cleaver device!

Bring on the summer-I think I'm ready!




Cheers!