Friday, December 29

Christmas...



We had our first Christmas at home....

not because we planned it that way.

Our younghest woke up with a high fever on

 Christmas Eve.  

She was so sad not to be able to visit family.  

We had to quickly decide options and come up with a 

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day menu!  

The house was all decorated but just needed food 

to enjoy on both days.  

We had only bought a few things for a late 

snack after coming back from visiting family 

on Christmas Eve.  
  
We had a quiet but fun Christmas weekend.  

The kids were happy with their gifts

and staying in their pj's. 

Here are some pics 

from around the house.  























































































Here are some more pics...










Take care, 

Claudia 

Monday, October 23



Some Fall pics from around the house.


Enjoying late Indian Summer for October.


It's especially nice to be able to be outside.

































Take care,
Claudia
 








































Sunday, November 2

Goodbye Mayflower Home!

It's been awhile.
 
We said goodbye to our Mayflower Home. 

We have moved one town over.

It's a beautiful home with a new view. 

We are just settling in, unpacking, and making it our home.   

I'll show pics on the next post.  

Here is our Mayflower Home of 16 years.  

Lots of great memories and hope the next family enjoys it as much as we have. 


Welcome!


Front patio facing the basketball court

Basketball court

Sun Room

Another view of Sun Room

Dining Room

Side View of Kitchen
 


Turn the corner to the wet bar

Great Room

Another view of Great Room leading to sun room

Great Room

Another view of the Great Room open to kitchen and dining room


Bathroom

Living Room

Another view of the living room

Side view of living room leading to dining room

Basement

Crafts and Laundry hiding behind doors


Cedar closets/Mudroom 

Kids study area 






Backyard Patio 










Good Bye Mayflower Home!  








We made beautiful memories here that we will never forget. 


Here's a sneak peak of our new home.

This pic shows why we fell in love before looking inside. 




Take care,

Claudia 



Thursday, November 14

Happy Fall!


Love the color of these roses,  warm scented autumn candle, and white pumpkins. 

Planning Thanksgiving...one of our favorite holidays to cook.   Lots of family participation. 

 We are test running the smoker this weekend so that we can smoke the Turkey again this year.  

 


Have a good weekend!  

Take care,

Claudia

Monday, May 13

Sunny Days Ahead!

 Love bringing flowers indoors.....

 








Enjoy sunny days ahead! 

The dining room is coming along.  

I have been working on this room for the last couple of months. 

 I will post pics soon.   

Take care,

Claudia 

Monday, March 18

St. Patrick's Day Recipe


 

 

Tried a new recipe from  

Rachel's Irish Family Food Cookbook.




Molly Malone's Cockles and Mussels Chowder

 

Image and recipe via Rachel Allen's Irish Family Food Cookbook


Here is the recipe:


Ingredients:

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

4 ounces smoked bacon, diced

2 tablespoons butter

4 ounces leek, trimmed and very finely diced

4 ounces carrot, very finely diced

10 ounces potato (about 1 medium), peeled and finely diced
 
2 1/4 pounds mixed cockles and mussels

1 1/4 cups dry white wine

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup light or heavy cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh parsley


 Directions:

Heat the sunflower oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and saute for about 1 minute, until crisp and golden.

Add the butter in the pan and melt. Then add the leek, carrot and potato. Reduce the heat to low and saute gently for 4 to 5 minutes, until soft but not browned.

Meanwhile, prepare the cockles and mussels. 

Scrub the shells clean and discard any that remain open when you tap them against a hard surface. 
Remove the beard — the little fibrous tuft — from each mussel.

Bring the wine to a boil in a large saucepan and add the cockles and mussels. 

Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the shells have opened.

Remove from the heat, drain the shellfish in a colander (reserving the cooking juices) and discard any shells that remain closed. Return the shellfish to the empty pan to keep warm.

 Place a fine sieve over a measuring cup and strain the cooking liquid. You should have at least 2 1/2 cups; if not, add water to make up that quantity.

Add the pan juices and the milk to the bacon and vegetable mixture and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, until the potato is tender. 

Add the cream and simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the soup is reduced and thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, remove half of the cockles and mussels from their shells and add them, with the remaining cockles and mussels still in their shells, to the chowder. 

Stir in the parsley and serve at once.

Here is my version and it was delish! 

 
Serve with brown bread. 
 
 
 I hope you had a great St. Paddy's Day! 

Take care,
Claudia