Soup’s On Saturday: Seasonal Produce Week!

Sorry I am a little late posting, in case you were waiting, LOL. I am at a wonderful conference this weekend!)

If you know me very well, you know I LOVE veggies. So I, of course, had to do this soup category.

I enjoy old cookbooks and vintage recipes, so it was with delight that I found the recipe for this soup in a collection of vintage recipes I recently purchased.

I am really enjoying my (purposely still small) collection. There is something so precious about using something as personal as another woman’s recipes from her recipe box! Today’s recipe came from the one with the little kettles and utensils on it. I love it when I can know a little history about the original owner of a recipe. I was told the owner of this one lived where she had a beautiful view of Puget Sound, and she had at least one grandchild.

“Potatoe, Cheese and Pear Soup”

I thought it sounded interesting, but also risky! But I looked up the chef and he is a famous guy. Sweet and savory is a great combo. Usually. And I figured, with 5 cups of cheese, it couldn’t be too bad!

Potatoes are a great seasonal item, and pears are ripe right now, so this was perfect.

First I threw in the potatoes. Yes, I know the recipe says to peel them, but I knew I was going to throw them in the Vita-mix and it would take care of the peels. Why waste all of those vitamins? Not to mention, the extra work it saved me.

Anytime I am making soup, I use the celery heart if I have it. That leaves the easier to eat ribs for the kids. And I always use cast iron.

Again not following the recipe, which said to dice the onion finely. But I am not sure this chef had a powerful Vita-Mix at his disposal back in 1991.

Didn’t peel the pears either…

I had to transfer to a bigger pan. This one is cast iron too, coated with porcelain. I doubled the recipe out of habit, and it made alot!

This is when I threw it all in the Vita-Mix, but I forgot to take a picture. I had to do it in batches. And it just looked like a bunch of veggies whirling around, as you would expect it to.

I like to use only free-range products. If it’s organic, all the better.

When they created a recipe that called for 5 cups, I don’t think they had four cup-sized boxes of broth. Maybe they made their own.

Staying true to form, I added the cream and the cheese by sight, not by measurement.

I did not have fresh, hot, buttered croutons. My store only had flavored ones, and I didn’t have time to make my own. But these worked out just fine. My favorite bites had croutons and chopped pear in them! I tried some cheese crackers in it too, later, and that also added a nice crunch and flavor.

This soup was rich and satisfying. I will definitely make it again. I might even use a nice swiss or another kind of sharper cheese. And, especially with the wine and cheese, I think it would also make a great fondue dip.

It tastes even better served up in my great-grandma’s bowls:)

A couple of my favorites from past years that include seasonal veggies are Lots of Onions Soup, which has been one my favorites for years, and Pumpkin Chili. I remember how surprised I was at how good such an odd sounding stew was. My while family loved it too. Check my sidebar for lots more. And share your favorite link in a comment, or link below if you’d like to add your own! Don't forget you can add my button to your blog too, find it in my sidebar.

Have a sweet yet savory week!

Serving It Up…

Going to estate and garage sales, and also at the GW, I see alot of pretty and/or useful trays. There are so many uses for them that I decided to look into different ideas for how to repurpose or upcycle them, and also how to make my own with objects I like.

I figure I should see if I should take advantage of all of those great deals I find.

And I found alot of inspiration!

You know I like this idea, using chalkboard paint! I am thinking you could also use magnetic paint on a tray and make it into a reminder board. Or use a metal tray as one w/o having to paint it.

Urban Cottage Studio

Using as a bird feeder – great idea!

You can choose your materials depending on your individual tastes too.

Transient Treasures

Repurposed as a jewelry holder/wall decoration

Shabby Vintage Mom

Upcycling a TV tray into a small, foldable, portable ironing board.

I’m totally going to do this!

Oh Fransson

Using an old cabinet door as a serving tray. I’d like to do this with a very old cabinet door. But I wouldn’t want to paint or decorate it.

I’d just want it to look old and chipped.

Hippy Shopper

Repurposed ORANGE PEELS!!!

Urbanecologie

How to make a darling serving tray using an old picture frame

Apartment Therapy (with tutorial)

This person gave new life to a rusty old tray by using spray paint and a rub-on decal. (see before and after pics there)

Valet Tray made from an old record album!

Brinda Kay Design

There are lots of things you can do to make your own tray (use an old cookie sheet or?) or to give a new life to a tired tray, or one you don’t really like. I found lots more all around the web. People are so creative!

I have several trays around my house for various things. When I see a tray, I am also reminded how I should serve others. I need lots of reminders!

I use this one for my Quiet Time items so I can easily have my QT anywhere I want to.

It also helps when my coffee sloshes, so my books and tablecloth don’t get spilled on.

I use this lap tray for my laptop, for writing notes,

or for soup when someone is sick.

Don’t you love the little clips on the sides for holding your paper down?

I have no clue as to why it folds upward like this.

This old mirrored tray is on my dresser and holds a grouping of items

I enjoy or that mean something special to me.

(The lil item in the reflection means quite a bit to me too! Yes, he’s napping.

When else could I blog?!)

Trays come in so handy! What ideas do you have for trays?

What do you use them for?

Serving up some love to all of my bloggy friends,

on a super cute, whimsical tray!

Oh! I almost forgot to remind you to join me tomorrow for Soup's On Saturday! Bring your appetite for comfort food, and your favorite recipe using seasonal produce!

Sweet Little Armoire

I placed a bid on this sweet armoire when I was at an estate sale recently.

The sign said to place a bid and, if the item did not sell during the course of the sale, “any reasonable offer will be accepted”. Weeelll, with a price tag of $300.00, I wasn’t sure my bid of $70.00 would be considered “reasonable”.

But here it sits in our Music Room. She accepted my offer with the contingency that I also purchase the other item I placed a tentative, again not-very-reasonable bid on, which I will tell you about later.

I love the lines and curves, and the carvings old wood furniture often has.

The design at the bottom of this armoire sort of mirrors an old chair I have nearby.

Details always seal the deal! This is the hardware for the cabinet and drawer pulls.

It took some time to spruce it up as I don’t think it had been dusted or really paid attention to at all for at least 30 years, maybe longer.

It had some bumps and bruises I mostly rubbed out, and the dust in the grooves where the carvings are was level with the top of the carvings!

I say it's little because it’s shorter than any of the other armoires we have. But it’s pretty deep, as you can probably tell by how far it stands out from the wall, and very heavy.

I finally have a place to keep my linens that actually makes some sense and keeps most of it in one place. It also has a hanging bar so I can hang up some items that need to be mended, stains removed, etc.

This is the same room where I have the Napoleon Dynamite Chair, where I often have my Quiet Times. I am not sure I have it permanently arranged in here, but I think I will end up putting a basket under the hanging bar where I can keep books, study materials and cookies other items I like to have at hand during quiet times to myself.

I loooove getting a good deal!

If you enjoy vintage items, you can see many more at Colorado Lady's

Vintage Thingie Thursday.

Design-A-Weekend

I believe I mentioned I would be gone backpacking over the weekend.

But I wasn’t. We canceled our trip due to…

Waaaaiiiiit for it----

Ya. Typical. I’m used to it. And I love rain. You just gotta be flexible.

So the plan changed, no biggie.

As for me, I sorta designed my own weekend.

We thought using a pane of glass over tomatoes was a great idea. But even this did not have any tomatoes. Only blooms. It has been a really odd weather summer.

It involved coffee and quiet times, school prep, visiting the GW (several of them) and several antique malls, rummaging through a barn sale and some estate sales, hanging out with lady friends at a ranch in the evenings, then driving home each night and sleeping in my own bed.

This mall is located in an actual barn and is pretty quaint

Except for missing hiking, this was the perfect blend for me. I love digging, so all of the rummaging through things was fun. I love being with gal pals and big old lodges. I have weird sleeping patterns and the idea of waking up and having to lay awake and stare at the ceiling quietly for hours, in the dark of the night, made me feel claustrophobic. So having the ranch within an hour’s drive was perfect so I could hang out, but then sleep in my own bed.

I saw several string holders in one mall. I have seen them before, but not many. So it was funny to see about five in one trip.This one was especially cute, in a 60’s sort of way.

This canister set is so cute. And in really good shape. I was tempted.

But I am holding out for turquoise.

Sorry about the reflection. But it is a mirror after all.

At one sale the guy pointed into his shop where lots of things are stored and said “everything’s for sale --- even up there”, and pointed to the rickety ladder on the right! Turns out he is an artist and has his sculptures in galleries all over the country. It was interesting to talk to him and see his studio and work area.

Here is one of my estate sale finds. It was already a great deal at $300.00.

I placed a bid for $100.00 and, when it didn’t sell, I was the only bid, so my bid won.

(I didn’t buy the doll head!)

Grain storage barn, moody against the rainy night sky

Cozy place for playing games and fireside chats

What would you do if you planned a perfect weekend “off”?

This was a great weekend for me and I feel refreshed. I am looking forward to tying up some loose ends around home and finally taking that camping trip later this week!

Whimsy on Wednesday: A Little Bit Bold!

Have you ever redecorated a room you did not even have on your redecorating radar --just because of one item? Like, you saw something you love and decided to redecorate around that itty bit of inspiration?

Or you got such a great deal, you just couldn’t pass it up and, gee, the only room it works in is that room you hadn’t planned to do much to…?

That happened to me. Both of those scenarios actually.

First I saw a vintage spread for our bed that I am crazy about, and my husband likes it too. It’s a more relaxed feel than the one we have now. I had to shop around for a bargain, but it is on it’s way to our house. I am so excited and watching the driveway for the mail delivery each day! That’s what I planned the new look around.

But I did not anticipate these...

Okay, so I exaggerated this pic a little, but in some light, they do look like that!

Here’s what they look like in the natural light this morning…

It is very hard to get the color accurate, and it changes alot in different lighting.

I got these very lime green chairs for the measly price

of tuh-wen-tee five bucks ($25.00) apiece!

Over 35 years old {probably older} and in immaculate condition. Not even dusty underneath. Purchased from the original owner via an estate sale (oh, and the lady is still living, which made it even better for me:).

I think you have seen our front door before. And we have a touch of lime green in the living room too, as well as in a few places throughout the house.

It sort of draws your eye to the green on green on green outside the windows, which we have chosen to leave uncovered, to take advantage of the beautiful view (since pretty much only the coyotes could be peering in).

So the color of the chairs goes well in our house. I just did not anticipate going quite this, well, BOLD! They have a definite look -- I sure hope they look good with the new bed cover.

Definitely whimsical.

Sorry about the fuzzy pic, but I wanted you to see the whimsy God sent for me to see through the bedroom window this morning too.