Italian Chicken Sheet Pan Supper and False Spring

Ah Spring is in the air.  There are light green leaves starting to open up on our trees and the grass is almost fully in.  Temperatures are in the high 70's and beautiful sunshine.  I have our patio furniture out and table set for our weekly Sunday night family dinners.

Then this...(no exaggeration either), the next morning we woke up to this!  I did not get to have my dinner with my pretty little pillows, decorative placemats and lanterns!  

I no sooner got everything set and all #@%* broke loose!  Torrential down pouring rain, then wind, then snow.  I'm seriously starting to wonder if I'm ever going to get to enjoy our deck.

Since I am so busy decorating our patio, then bringing everything back in, then setting up outside again, then hauling it all back one more time (I think you get the picture), I need more quick sheet pan dinners like this one!

Italian Chicken Sheet Pan Supper

Courtesy of Pioneer Woman

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tsp dried parsley flakes

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

5 cloves garlic, minced

 1 cup plus 3 Tbl olive oil

8 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs

1 pound green beans

2 cups mixed cherry tomatoes

1 loaf crusty ciabatta bread

2 Tbl minced fresh parsely

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

To a bowl or pitcher, add the vinegar, parsley, basil, salt, pepper, garlic, and 1 cup of the olive oil.  Whisk until well combined.

Put the chicken in a large zipper bag and pour in half of the dressing.  Seal the bag and squish to coat the chicken.

Trim the ends of the green beans and put in a large bowl with the tomatoes.  Pour over the remaining dressing and toss.

Using tongs, arrange the chicken skin-side up on a sheet pan.  Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beans and tomatoes to the sheet pan, leaving the excess marinade behind.  Roast for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, rip the bread into large chunks.  Add to a bowl, drizzle with the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and toss.

After the chicken and vegetables have roasted for 20 minutes, shake the pan to prevent sticking, then add the bread chunks to the pan.  continue to roast until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is golden and crisp, about another 10 minutes.  Sprinkle the sheet pan with parsley and serve.

One Year Ago: Loaded Baked Potato Salad

Two Years Ago: Bundt Pan Chicken

Three Years Ago: Pesto Cheesy Chicken

Four Years Ago: Lemon Orzo Shrimp and Asparagus

Five Years Ago: Cheese Souffles

My poor husband, while I am inside a toasty warm house whining, he is doing all the hard work.

Skirt Steak with Romesco Sauce and Kylo Zen

Having to say good-by to 2 of our family pets in less than a year has been very difficult on us.  It has been many months of healing and learning to cope without seeing our special friends every day.  We talked and contemplated about getting another puppy...but in the end decided that Princess Brinkley, really should have a play friend.

After weeks of searching, I found our new family member in Idaho.  I took a very, very big leap of faith and flew to pick him up.  

We have named him Kylo Zen (Star Wars fans will understand).  Unlike Kylo Ren though, our sweet boy has been Heaven sent to us.  He is a kind, gentle and calm soul that has been the perfect therapy for us.

Skirt Steak with Romesco Sauce
Courtesy of Bon Appetit

Romesco:
1 tomato, quartered
1 Tbl plus 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 sprigs thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 slice 4x4x1/2 crusty white bread, cut into 1/2 cubes
1 red bell pepper
1/2 cup almonds, toasted
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skins rubbed off
4 cloves garlic cloves
2 Tbl red wine vinegar

Steak:
2 Tbl Kosher salt
1 Tbl sugar
2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted, ground
1-1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 (2 lb) skirt steak or flank steak

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place tomato in a small glass baking dish.  Drizzle with 1 Tbsp. oil and scatter thyme sprigs over.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roast, stirring occasionally, until the tomato is completely soft, about 30 minutes.  Scatter bread cubes over tomato.  Roast until the bread is light golden and crisp, about 10 minutes longer.  Let cool slightly; discard thyme sprigs.

Meanwhile, char bell pepper directly over a gas flame or under broiler, turning occasionally with tongs, until blackened all over.  Transfer to a large bowl; cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 15 minutes.  Peel, stem, and core bell pepper.

Pulse remaining 1 cup oil, tomato mixture, bell pepper, and next 4 ingredients in a food processor until smooth.  Add water by tablespoonfuls to thin, if needed.

For the steak, build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grille to high.  Grill steak until charred and cooked to desired doneness, 10-12 minutes for medium-rate.

Transfer steak to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.  Thinly slice against the grain.  Serve with romesco sauce.

One Year Ago: 3rd Annual Masters Champions Dinner - Spanish Style Paella
Two Years Ago: Bundt Pan Chicken
Three Years Ago: Torta Rustica
Four Years Ago: Cambozola Platter
Five Years Ago: Easter "Cheesecake" Baskets

Yes, he is already incredibly spoiled and very loved!

4th Annual Masters Champions Dinner...Sweet Corn Creme Brulee

The Masters Champions dinner finally arrived and we celebrated our 4th year of hosting the traditional event.

I was anxiously awaiting to see what Patrick Reed was going to select for his Champions Dinner.  He definitely went All-American menu and we followed his lead to the "Tee"...no pun intended.

Since our dining room/wine cave/grotto is still under construction, our friends were kind enough to open their home for our annual event and our group gained another new couple this year.

Unbeknownst to me, the customized and personalized printed menu that I did for everyone at last year's Champions Dinner, was quite a hit and people actually kept them this entire year.  So of course, this is now also in our annual event for everyone...so much fun! 

Sweet Corn Creme Brulee
Courtesy of Taste of Home

1-1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
4-1/2 tsp butter
3 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup (2%) milk
8 large egg yolks
1-1/4 cups plus 2 Tbl sugar, divided
2 Tbl vanilla extract

In a large saucepan, saute corn in butter until tender.  Reduce heat.  Add cream and milk; heat until bubbles form around sides of pan.  Cool slightly.  Transfer to a blender; cover and process until smooth.  Strain and discard corn pulp.  Return to pan.

In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks and 1-1/4 cups sugar.  Stir a small amount of hot cream into egg mixture.  Return all to the pan, stirring constantly.  Stir in vanilla.

Transfer to six (6 ounce) ramekins.  Place in a baking pan; add 1 inch of boiling water to pan.  Bake, uncovered at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until centers are just set (mixture will jiggle).  Remove ramekins from water bath; cool for 10 minutes.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Place ramekins on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.  Sprinkle with sugar.  Broil 8 inches from the heat for 4-7 minutes or until sugar is caramelized.  Refrigerate for 1-2 hours until firm.

One Year Ago: 3rd Annual Masters Champions Dinner - Spanish Style Paella
Two Years Ago: Creamy Rosemary Potatoes
Three Years Ago: Torta Rustica
Four Years Ago: Cambozola Platter
Five Years Ago: The Masters Pimiento Cheese Sandwich

Smoked Pimiento Cheese Crostini and The Masters

It's Spring and you know what that means...it's Masters Week once again at our house.  We're all about Egg Salad or Pimiento Cheese Sandwiches and the upcoming Masters Champions Dinner.

I have played around with a few different Pimiento cheese recipes for fun every year during Masters week and found this new one, which we are sure is now our new favorite!

Smoked Pimiento Cheese Crostini

Courtesy of Taste of Home

48 slices French baguette (1/4 inch thick)

Carmelized Onions:

2 Tbl canola oil

2 large onions, chopped

1/2 cup beef broth

2 Tbl balsamic vinegar

1-1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

dash dried rosemary, crushed

dash dried thyme

Pimiento Cheese:

2-1/2 cups shredded smoked Gouda cheese

2-1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 jars (4 ounces each) diced pimientos, drained

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp hot pepper sauce

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 tsp pepper

1 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place bread on baking sheets.  Bake 4-6 minutes or until light brown.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onions; cook and stir 4-6 minutes or until softened.  Stir in broth, vinegar, sugar, and seasonings.  Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 12-15 minutes or until liquid is evaporated, stirring occasionally.

In a large bowl, toss cheeses; beat in mayonnaise, pimientos, Worsestershire sauce, pepper sauce, and seasonings.  Spread 1 Tablespoon mixture over each bagueette slice; top with 2 teaspoons onion mixture.  Sprinkle with bacon.  Bake 3-4 minutes or until cheese is melted.

One Year Ago: 3rd Annual Masters Champions Dinner - Spanish Style Paella

Two Years Ago: Queen Elizabeth's Drop Scones

Three Years Ago: Mike's Marinating Mess

Four Years Ago: Chicken with Gorgonzola Sauce

Five Years Ago: Cheesy French Dippy

Apple Pandowdy and Epic Failures

It is very hard for me (and anyone really) to say I'm sorry, admit I am wrong...but even more so, to succumb to epic failures in the kitchen.

Stay with me on this one...it's a doozy!

Many years ago my husband and I got addicted to the HBO mini series "John Adams" with Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney.  You MUST watch this, it is fantastic.

One of the lines from Abigail Adams is, "To be good, and do good, is the whole duty of man comprised in a few words."   LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this line and advice.  Ever since I heard that, (and my kids will tell you this), that has been my mantra to them, if not every day, than at least once a week..."Be good and do good".

Well one day, I ended up down the cyber rabbit hole (I'm sure you know what I'm referring to), and learned that Abigail Adams was famous for her Apple Pandowdy.  "The word dowdy comes from the Middle English "doude", which means exactly what your're thinking.  Shabby, messy, inelegant."  Who knew?  Abigail's Pandowdy made use of the abundance of apples in the region.

This sounded like a wonderful new recipe to try out...

I got everything together and knocked it out.  As I was putting it in the oven, I realized that I accidentally grabbed the salt and sprinkled it all over the puff pastry, instead of the sugar!

I scraped off as much salt as I could and baked it off to see if it would work...it didn't!  It definitely didn't!  I was so upset I wanted to cry.  My containers for the sugar and salt are not even remotely similar.  My head was obviously somewhere else that morning.

I had one more puff pastry sheet left, so I gave it another try....

I took all the "over salted" puff pastry pieces off the first batch and tossed them away.  I scooped up all the apple filling and placed it in a cast iron skillet.

Then, I cut out larger pieces of the pastry and baked it off, per directions.

I'm happy to report, it was saved and I learned a very valuable lesson(s)!

Apple Pandowdy
Courtesy of Bon Appetit

6 Tbl unsalted butter
4 pounds Pink Lady and/or Granny Smith apples
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 Tbl all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1 Tbl vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 lemon
1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed by covering pastry sheet with plastic and leaving at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Cook 6 Tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling often, until bubbling and golden, about 5 minutes; set aside.

Prepare your apples: Using a vegetable peeler, remove peel from apples.  Stand them upright and slice down along core, working all the way around to remove big loves of flesh.  Cut lobes lengthwise into 1" pieces.  Discard peel and cores.  Transfer apples into a large bowl.

Add 2/3 cup dark brown sugar, 3 Tablespoons flour, 1 Tablespoon vanilla, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to bowl with apples.

Using a microplane or fine rasp grater, grate zest of 1/2 lemon over apples.  Cut lemon in half and squeeze juice from zested half over apples, catching any seeds. 

Toss apple mixture until combined, then transfer to a shallow 3-qt baking dish.  Drizzle all but 2 Tablespoons brown butter over apples.

Dust cutting board with a light coating of flour and unfold puff pastry on floured surface.  Dust top with flour.  Cut puff pastry into irregular 1" pieces.

Arrange pieces of puff pastry over apples, overlapping but spreading to cover almost completely.  Brush pastry with remainng brown butter.  Springkle with granulated sugar.

Bake pandowdy until pastry is puffed and golden around edges, 25-30 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake until juices are thick and bubbling and pastry is brown all over, 30-35 minutes longer.

Using a spoon, press pastry down into warm juices (but don't submerge); let cool slightly.

Serve pandowdy warm with ice cream.

One Year Ago: White Trash Cookies
Two Years Ago: "Clinks" Spinach Salad
Three Years Ago: Mike's Marinating Mess
Four Years Ago: Spicy Sausage Skillet
Five Years Ago: The Masters Champions Dinner

Prosciutto-Wrapped Shrimp with Creamy Garlic Dipping Sauce

When empty nest syndrome set in, I had to decide if I was going to fight it, or let it get the best of me.  So after a few months of feeling sorry for myself, I decided it was time to get out and start doing things again.

When I met my husband, he had never been to a concert...he grew up in Southern California, how is that even possible?!?!  Ever since I took him to his first concert, he has been addicted and loved every one of them.

Now that we have a lot of time (and a little bit more money) doing that empty nesting thing, we are trying to get to more of those concerts.  This past weekend was Michael McDonald!  So much fun!!!

We started our pre-concert festivities with friends over for some appetizers and wine beforehand.  One of our daughters called in the middle of our get together.  I told her I couldn't talk because we had company over and were heading out to a concert...I would call her tomorrow.  Her epic response was, "Well, aren't you two just living it up now that we're out of the house!"   In my head..."and the problem with that is what???"

I was inspired to make these from one of my Sur La Table menus I downloaded awhile ago.  I am completely over the top for these little shrimp bites. Delicious!!!!  Super easy and so good...I could eat an entire platter of these morsels!

Prosciutto-Wrapped Shrimp with Creamy Garlic Dipping Sauce
Adapted from Bon Appetit and Jake's On The Lake, Tahoe City, California

For the Shrimp:
18 large or extra-large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
18 basil leaves
9 slices prosciutto (from 4-ounce pkg.), cut in half, lengthwise
olive oil for brushing

For the Creamy Garlic Dipping Sauce:
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 Tbl Dijon mustard
1/4 cup mayonnaise (I like Best Foods Olive Oil flavor)
2 Tbl sherry vinegar
pinch kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

For the Creamy Garlic Dipping Sauce, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix until smooth.  Cover and refrigerate.

While the sauce is getting happy, make the shrimp...

Arrange the 1/2 slices of prosciutto out on a work surface.  Place a basil leaf at one end of each slice.  Place a shrimp on top of the basil leaf and roll up tightly.  The prosciutto should be stretchy and slightly sticky, helping the shrimp bundle to stay wrapped.  Set onto a platter or baking sheet and repeat until all shrimp are wrapped.

Brush both sides of the shrimp with olive oil.  Heat grill pan to medium-high.  Grill shrimp about 5-7 minutes, turning frequently, until the prosciutto has crisped and the shrimp are pink and opaque.  Transfer to a platter and serve with dipping sauce, or serve on individual plates with a small spoonful of sauce.

One Year Ago: White Trash Cookies
Two Years Ago: Bobotie
Three Years Ago: Mastering The Art of Desserts
Four Years Ago: BBQ Chicken Fiesta Salad
Five Years Ago: Mushroom Soup

Roast Pork Loin with White Bean and Mushroom Ragout

We have enjoyed our brief reprieve from winter.  Our deck has been cleaned and the patio table and two chairs made their way out of storage this week.  The high 60's is making a quick appearance only to see some rain and possible snow showers this weekend and into next week....well, summer was nice for the three days while it lasted.

I have been taking full advantage of the nice weather and enjoying my Traeger Smoker/Grill when possible.  I made this Roast Pork Loin with Caramelized Onions and Sherry Wine sauce on the Traeger, but it's also great and super easy in the oven too.  The great (Sur la Table) inspired accompaniment ragout is also out of this world!  I am seriously loving these two new recipes together.  Enjoy!

Roast Pork Loin with Caramelized Onions and Sherry Wine Sauce

Courtesy of Sur la Table

1 (2-1/2 pound) boneless pork loin roast, well trimmed

salt and black pepper

2 yellow sweet onions, sliced

2 Tbl olive oil

1/4 cup medium dry or cream Sherry

1/3 cup heavy cream

With oven rack in center position, preheat to 400 degrees.

Season both sides of the pork loin with salt and pepper.

Place an oven save 3 quart pan on the stove, and add the olive oil and turn the heat to medium.  Sear the pork loin in the pan until the pork is well caramelized.  Remove the pork from the pan.

Add the sliced onions to the pan and slowly cook until they begin to caramelize and take on color, about 10 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and remove the pan from the heat.

Place the pork loin, fat side up on the onions.  Roast in the preheated oven until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 150 degrees, about 40 minutes.

Take the pan from the oven and remove the pork loin from the pan, let pork rest, covered for 10 minutes before slicing.

While pork rests, remove the onions from the pan, set aside and cover to keep warm.

Add the Sherry to the reserved juices in the pan and bring to boil, scraping up an y browned bits, until reduced by half, about 1 minutes.  Add the heavy cream and any accumulated juices from the resting meat and onions to the sauce in the pan.  Bring to a boil, stirring until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.

Cut pork crosswise into 1/3 inch slices.  Arrange pork slices on a platter with the onions in the center.  Pour Sherry sauce over pork slices and serve.

White Bean and Mushroom Ragout

Courtesy of Martha Stewart

1/2 pound assorted wild mushrooms, such as chanterelles and cremini 

1 Tbl olive oil

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup water

Carefully brush mushrooms with a mushroom brush or towel to remove dirt.  Cut larger mushrooms in half or into 1/2 inch slices;  keep smaller mushrooms whole.

In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add mushrooms, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook for 3 minutes, until mushrooms are lightly browned.  Add wine, beans, and 1/4 cup water; cook for 3 minutes more, until mushrooms are soft and beans are heated through.  Adjust seasonings, and keep warm until ready to serve.

One Year Ago: Cheese and Crack
Two Years Ago: Blueberry-Raspberry French Toast Bake

Three Years Ago: English Pea Salad

Four Years Ago: Blackberry Coffee Cake

Five Years Ago: Peas Bonne Femme

Pecan Crusted Halibut with Peach Beurre Blanc Sauce

This week we broke up our weeknight routine and had an impromptu date night.  I found out our own Colorado based band FACE Vocal Band was in town for the evening at a casual intimate concert venue.

If you ever have an opportunity to see these guys, it is a must.  No instruments, not one!  Every sound, percussion, note is all done by their voices, and they will leave you in awe!  "Blending modern popular tunes with complex harmonies, brilliant beat-box rhythms and superb signing".  There are no words to describe...just listen and see!

After the concert we walked around old town and scoped out some new restaurants that we want to try.  We stumbled on a "chop steak house" that took us back in time.  While we reviewed their menu for a future date night I saw a halibut dish that I couldn't get out of my head.

So, since we are in the Lenten season, fish Friday is was!  I searched out a halibut dish much like the menu I saw...and well, here it is.

Pecan Crusted Halibut with Peach Beurre Blanc Sauce
Adapted from Chaparral Gardens

4 (4 ounce) halibut filets
2/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 tsp black pepper
1 egg
2-1/2 ounces finely chopped pecans
2/3 cup panko crumbs

For the sauce:
1/2 cup mango and peach preserves
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 Tbl white wine vinegar
1 Tbl finely minced shallot
12 Tbl cold, unsalted butter


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, salt, and black pepper in a bowl, set aside.  In another bowl, whisk one egg and 1 Tbl water, set aside.  In third bowl, combine pecans and panko.

Lightly dredge each filet in the flour, dip in egg mixture, and then coat with pecan mix.  Place filets on a baking sheet.

Melt 2 Tbl butter in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Place the filets in the pan and cook for three minutes on each side.

Place the filets on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until cooked thoroughly.

While the halibut is baking, make the sauce.

Using a heavy saucepan, bring the preserves, wine, vinegar, and shallot to a boil.  Lower the heat to medium-low and reduce the mixture to about 1 tablespoon, whisking as needed.  Once the mixture is reduced, lower the temperature to low an whisk in 12 tablespoons of cold butter, (1 tablespoon at a time).  Add each piece of butter just prior to the previous one melting completely and removing the pan from the heat if necessary to keep the sauce from separating.

Serve sauce over halibut filets.

One Year Ago: Cheese and Crack
Two Years Ago: Pesto Chicken Caesar Salad
Three Years Ago: English Pea Salad
Four Years Ago: Pear Salad
Five Years Ago: Spaghetti Squash with Marinara Sauce

Grilled Flank Steak Salad with Strawberries

We have survived our bomb-cyclone blizzard from last week.  The sun has been shining and the grass is already turning green...yes, that's Colorado for you.  High 60's this week and I have been firing up our my Traeger grill! 

I can feel spring shining its beautiful smile on us when we come home every night and it makes me very happy!

We walked our back and side yards last weekend to come up with our landscaping plans and ideas for the next six months.  We are excited to have a vegetable and fruit garden again.  I'm looking forward have veggies again ready to pick right out our back door.

This salad will definitely make another appearance with our soon-to-be harvested lettuce crops!

Grilled Flank Steak Salad with Strawberries

Courtesy of Home and Plate

4 cups baby spring lettuce mix

1 pound grilled steak (recipe below)

1/2 cup sliced strawberries

1/2 cup sweet and spicy pecans

2 ounces crumbled blue cheese

vinaigrette (recipe below)

For the steak:

1 pound flank steak

1/2 cup canola oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 Tbl lemon juice

2 Tbl Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbl Dijon mustard

1 tsp minced garlic

For the vinaigrette:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup aged balsamic vinegar

1 Tbl raw honey

1 Tbl strawberry preserves

1/2 tsp black pepper

For the steak:  Mix together all the ingredients and pour the marinade over the flank steak.  Marinate in the refrigerator for at least four hours or overnight being sure to turn over the steak.

Heat the grill to medium.  Grill the flank steak for 7 minutes per side.  Once done, be sure to let the steak rest for at least five minutes.  Slice the steak into thin pieces across the grain.

In a small jar whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, strawberry preserves and pepper.

Arrange the lettuce mix in a bowl.  Arrange the flank steak on top of the salad.  Next, top with pecans, strawberries and blue cheese.  Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and serve.

One Year Ago: Cheese and Crack

Two Years Ago: Pesto Chicken Caesar Salad

Three Years Ago: Baked Shrimp Scampi

Four Years Ago: Blarney Bark

Five Years Ago: Ultimate Tri-Tip Tacos

Patty's Creamy Pesto Shrimp and Another Project Off The List

I am proud (and so incredibly happy) to report that we have 

yet another project, done, complete and checked off our list!

We started the demolition of our fireplace wall right after Halloween, 

to begin it's transformation of our new makeover fireplace.

We were scheduled to have the slate stone tiles installed the week of Thanksgiving, but due to weather, contractor injuries, conflicting schedules, the holidays and life...

we have lived in "demo" mode since then.  Thank goodness our installer was so patient with us.

 Lesson learned though, good things come to those who wait.

The week came and our tile installer arrived for two days and worked his beautiful magic!  In order to save costs, we let the contractor do the installation of slate we purchased and we took care of the rest.

We schooled ourselves in the proper cleaning, sealing and grouting of our new stone.  There is even a grout piping bag, much like piping frosting on cakes...who knew?!  For a couple of novices, I think we did a great job.

One of our favorite pieces of the new fireplace is our wood mantle.  We purchased it at a silent auction over a year ago!  There is a company near us, Authentic Barnwood that they reclaim wood from old barns all over the country.

This piece we selected is a roof beam from an old dairy farm barn in Wisconsin.  We loved learning the history of it from it's origination.

And of course, Princess Brinkley loves napping in front of her beautiful, new fireplace.

This recipe from my sister-in-law is awesome and been around for years.  She first made it for us about ten years ago (maybe more).  I have tried over and over to copycat it and never quite achieved her recipe.  I don't know why I never asked for it, but last month I got her original version. So, so good !!  My daughters ask for this one over and over again...definitely a family favorite.

Creamy Pesto Shrimp

Compliments of Patty

1 pound linguine pasta

1/2 cup butter

1/2 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup prepared pesto

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (or Langostino lobster), cut into pieces

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add linguine pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.  Saute the onion and garlic.  Stir in cream, and season with pepper.  Cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly.

Stir Parmesan cheese into cream sauce, stirring until thoroughly mixed.  Blend in the pesto, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until thickened.

Stir in the shrimp or lobster, and cook until they turn pink, about 5 minutes.  Mix with the hot linguine and serve on a large platter.

One Year Ago: Cheese and Crack

Two Years Ago: 20-Minute Skillet Tuscan Tortellini

Three Years Ago: Baked Shrimp Scampi

Four Years Ago: Luck Of The Irish Cupcakes

Five Years Ago: Deviled Green Eggs and The Ham

My cabin fevered husband thinks he's hilarious! Seriously ?!?! (I can't wait for golf season to start!)