Kate Collins's Blog, page 144
September 25, 2015
A FRENCH BISTRO and CROQUE MONSIEUR
By Mary Kennedy
When I was in Paris last month, I was faced with some tantalizing decisions. What should I order for lunch in a French bistro?
Of course, there was the classic French sandwich. Brie cheese on a baguette...definitely a contender and one of my favorites.
Or onion soup, topped with melted cheese and a nice slice of French bread.
But the most interesting choice was a Croque Monsieur. You can find these everywhere in Paris and they're delicious for lunch or a snack. Or you can make your own, and I'll tell you how.
Ingredients: 8 slices white bread1/2 stick butter4 slices ham4 slices gruyere cheese2 eggs 1 Tablespooon watersalt and pepper. Directions: Spread the bread with some softened butter and make 4 sandwiches, each with one slice of ham and one slice of cheese (since I'm a vegetarian, I leave out the ham and do double cheese). Beat the eggs with the water, add salt and pepper and dip the sandwiches into the egg mixture. Be sure to coat both sides. Heat the remaining butter in a heavy skillet and fry the sandwiches for about 6 or 7 minutes, turning once. Add a nice green salad with vinaigrette and you can pretend you're lunching in Paris. Okay it won't be exactly the same but you can always play a little Edith Piaf and use your imagination...
And to top it off, a couple of marrons for dessert.
Bon appetit!
Mary Kennedy
When I was in Paris last month, I was faced with some tantalizing decisions. What should I order for lunch in a French bistro?
Of course, there was the classic French sandwich. Brie cheese on a baguette...definitely a contender and one of my favorites.
Or onion soup, topped with melted cheese and a nice slice of French bread. 
But the most interesting choice was a Croque Monsieur. You can find these everywhere in Paris and they're delicious for lunch or a snack. Or you can make your own, and I'll tell you how.
Ingredients: 8 slices white bread1/2 stick butter4 slices ham4 slices gruyere cheese2 eggs 1 Tablespooon watersalt and pepper. Directions: Spread the bread with some softened butter and make 4 sandwiches, each with one slice of ham and one slice of cheese (since I'm a vegetarian, I leave out the ham and do double cheese). Beat the eggs with the water, add salt and pepper and dip the sandwiches into the egg mixture. Be sure to coat both sides. Heat the remaining butter in a heavy skillet and fry the sandwiches for about 6 or 7 minutes, turning once. Add a nice green salad with vinaigrette and you can pretend you're lunching in Paris. Okay it won't be exactly the same but you can always play a little Edith Piaf and use your imagination...
And to top it off, a couple of marrons for dessert.
Bon appetit!Mary Kennedy
Mama's got a brand new bag!
by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett
Sometimes things don't work out the way you want them to. When my Mum died in June, I told the funeral director that I wanted a Thumbie. That's a cast pendant of one of your loved one's fingerprints. He assured me that he had taken her fingerprints and that it wouldn't be a problem.
You see, after my Dad died almost six years ago, I went to the same funeral home with my Mum to make arrangements and learned about Thumbies. I wanted one and my mother bought one for me, saying it would be my Dad's last gift to me, making it that much more special. It came just before Christmas and I've worn it ever since. So when my Mum passed, I REPEATEDLY told the funeral diector that I wanted a matching Thumbie. No problem! Except ... he was new to the job and had never ordered one. And so, he called in an associate who walked him through the process.
And I waited for my Thumbie to arrive.
And I waited. And waited. And waited.
It was supposed to come in 4-6 weeks.
At week 9, I stopped by the funeral home to inquire about my Thumbie. The very nice woman at the reception desk asked me to wait while she tried to find out what happened.
So I waited. And waited. And waited.
Sometime later, the woman (quite sheepishly) approached me and and said, "We can't find a record of the order." Uh-oh! She said, "We'll contact you as soon as we have any information." I took that to mean that the order had never been placed. I wasn't happy but, hey, mistakes happen. So I went home to await a call.
The call came the next morning, and not from the young funeral director I had dealt with, but the Big Guy in charge who apologized profusely. Not only had the order NOT been made, but they could not find my mother's fingerprints--no matter where they looked. There was to be no Thumbie.
I cried.
The New Comer Manager, John, very kindly offered me a replacement piece of jewelry. This was to be a piece of jewelry that would hold a tiny portion of my Mum's cremains.
Mum wouldn't be Mum without her glasses.So a few days later, I grabbed my Mum from off the entertainment center in my living room where her ashes had been residing, packed her off in the passenger seat of my mini van, and she rode shotgun for her second trip to the funeral home this summer. On the way, I told her all about the changes in our little suburb. (Holy cow, there've been a lot of them in just a short span of time.)
John wasn't at the home, but the woman I'd spoken to the week before sat me down in the same room where Mum and I had made my Dad's arrangements and let me pick out a piece of jewelry. It was a toss up between a dragonfly (my Mum had a pretty dragonfly pin that she wore on her favorite sweater) or a hummingbird. (Every summer she hung a hummingbird feeder and delighted in watching those tiny birds have dogfights over who got the nectar.) Since a dragonfly is a bug, and I'm not really a bug fan, I chose the hummingbird.
They took some of Mum's cremains and said the hummingbird would arrive within the week. When they returned Mum to me, they'd put her "temporary" box (my brother is going to make a more permanent box for me for Christmas) inside a purple velveteen bag. I laughed when I saw it, and told the woman, "Hey, Mama's got a brand new bag." (I think she may have been too young to remember the song Papa's Got A Brand New Bag.) So, Mum rode shotgun all the way home, wearing her new "dress." (And I kept singing over and over again that phrase from the song Try A Little Tenderness. "Women do get weary ... wearing the same old shabby dress." (My Dad used to always call out "then buy her a new shabby dress" which always made me laugh.))
Less than a week later, the hummingbird arrived. John called and asked me to bring Mum back because they had more cremains than they needed. So, back in the velveteen bag she went, she rode shotgun again for her third trip in less than three months to the funeral home.
John and the whole staff at New Comer have always been very kind. Not only didn't they charge me for the Thumbie, they credited my brother's credit card, and gave me the hummingbird for free. I'm impressed by their integrity. They could have just lied and said, "Oh, we found her fingerprints" and faked a Thumbie, but they didn't. And they made it right.
The Thumbie is approximately the same size as a dime. Of course ... maybe I should have gone for the dragonfly after all. Sometimes Mr. Hummingbird's wings jab me in the throat. Mum's neighbor, Amy, said, "I'll bet your Mom's trying to get your attention." My Mum would never hurt me, but I laughed at the idea, and now if the wings jab me I said, "Okay, what do you want me to do, Mum?"
So, Mum and Dad are together again on my entertainment center. It would be much better if they were really here, of course, but thanks to my Thumbie and hummingbird charm, they're close to my heart every day.
Dad didn't want to be left out of the story.
Sometimes things don't work out the way you want them to. When my Mum died in June, I told the funeral director that I wanted a Thumbie. That's a cast pendant of one of your loved one's fingerprints. He assured me that he had taken her fingerprints and that it wouldn't be a problem.
You see, after my Dad died almost six years ago, I went to the same funeral home with my Mum to make arrangements and learned about Thumbies. I wanted one and my mother bought one for me, saying it would be my Dad's last gift to me, making it that much more special. It came just before Christmas and I've worn it ever since. So when my Mum passed, I REPEATEDLY told the funeral diector that I wanted a matching Thumbie. No problem! Except ... he was new to the job and had never ordered one. And so, he called in an associate who walked him through the process.
And I waited for my Thumbie to arrive.
And I waited. And waited. And waited.
It was supposed to come in 4-6 weeks.
At week 9, I stopped by the funeral home to inquire about my Thumbie. The very nice woman at the reception desk asked me to wait while she tried to find out what happened.
So I waited. And waited. And waited.
Sometime later, the woman (quite sheepishly) approached me and and said, "We can't find a record of the order." Uh-oh! She said, "We'll contact you as soon as we have any information." I took that to mean that the order had never been placed. I wasn't happy but, hey, mistakes happen. So I went home to await a call.
The call came the next morning, and not from the young funeral director I had dealt with, but the Big Guy in charge who apologized profusely. Not only had the order NOT been made, but they could not find my mother's fingerprints--no matter where they looked. There was to be no Thumbie.
I cried.
The New Comer Manager, John, very kindly offered me a replacement piece of jewelry. This was to be a piece of jewelry that would hold a tiny portion of my Mum's cremains.
Mum wouldn't be Mum without her glasses.So a few days later, I grabbed my Mum from off the entertainment center in my living room where her ashes had been residing, packed her off in the passenger seat of my mini van, and she rode shotgun for her second trip to the funeral home this summer. On the way, I told her all about the changes in our little suburb. (Holy cow, there've been a lot of them in just a short span of time.)
John wasn't at the home, but the woman I'd spoken to the week before sat me down in the same room where Mum and I had made my Dad's arrangements and let me pick out a piece of jewelry. It was a toss up between a dragonfly (my Mum had a pretty dragonfly pin that she wore on her favorite sweater) or a hummingbird. (Every summer she hung a hummingbird feeder and delighted in watching those tiny birds have dogfights over who got the nectar.) Since a dragonfly is a bug, and I'm not really a bug fan, I chose the hummingbird.They took some of Mum's cremains and said the hummingbird would arrive within the week. When they returned Mum to me, they'd put her "temporary" box (my brother is going to make a more permanent box for me for Christmas) inside a purple velveteen bag. I laughed when I saw it, and told the woman, "Hey, Mama's got a brand new bag." (I think she may have been too young to remember the song Papa's Got A Brand New Bag.) So, Mum rode shotgun all the way home, wearing her new "dress." (And I kept singing over and over again that phrase from the song Try A Little Tenderness. "Women do get weary ... wearing the same old shabby dress." (My Dad used to always call out "then buy her a new shabby dress" which always made me laugh.))
Less than a week later, the hummingbird arrived. John called and asked me to bring Mum back because they had more cremains than they needed. So, back in the velveteen bag she went, she rode shotgun again for her third trip in less than three months to the funeral home.John and the whole staff at New Comer have always been very kind. Not only didn't they charge me for the Thumbie, they credited my brother's credit card, and gave me the hummingbird for free. I'm impressed by their integrity. They could have just lied and said, "Oh, we found her fingerprints" and faked a Thumbie, but they didn't. And they made it right.
The Thumbie is approximately the same size as a dime. Of course ... maybe I should have gone for the dragonfly after all. Sometimes Mr. Hummingbird's wings jab me in the throat. Mum's neighbor, Amy, said, "I'll bet your Mom's trying to get your attention." My Mum would never hurt me, but I laughed at the idea, and now if the wings jab me I said, "Okay, what do you want me to do, Mum?"So, Mum and Dad are together again on my entertainment center. It would be much better if they were really here, of course, but thanks to my Thumbie and hummingbird charm, they're close to my heart every day.
Dad didn't want to be left out of the story.September 23, 2015
Welcome to our hat party and a chance to win ...
Hosted by Victoria Abbott aka Victoria and Mary Jane Maffini
Many of you are not on Facebook, so I thought that I’d like to share a little bit of the fun we had last night at our Hat Party on The Cozy Chicks Group. Why shouldn’t you come to the party too? So: Welcome everyone. Pull up a chair and have a cuppa.
The theme was what hat would you wear to a tea party? We encouraged people to post pix of themselves in hats. We (Victoria and Mary Jane) LOVE hats and any opportunity to camp it up in them. What better excuse than our forthcoming Tea With The Cozy Chicks, a book all us are very proud of. We’ve each contributed a combination of special tea menus, tidbits, memories, facts, wardrobe suggestions, dream tea rooms and so much more.
We weren’t sure if anyone would show up, but show up they did, including some of you. It was a very busy spot with some great hats and commentary. Here are a few!
We were thrilled to be joined, not only by ladies in hats and ladies in hats they wished they owned, but also cats in hats, dogs in hats, and ladies without hats. Here's Ransom Oldsmobile's darling little 'Warlock'.
Did I dream there was a rabbit? Or was that just a reference to Leann’s Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in Tea Time? Here's Leann's suggestion!
Our Ellery wondered what hat people might want to wear to a tea at Storiton Hall. Here’s one of her great ideas!
Duffy Brown looked very elfin in her Christmas hat. A Santa Tea perhaps? She’s bringing the tea. You can always count on Duffy to bring fun and energy.
Our friend Karen M. (a regular here at The Cozy Chicks)
posted a shot of herself in New Orleans at the St Catherine’s (patron saint of milliners) party. That woul have been a blast!
The whole thing was tons of fun.
Daisy and Lily tried to sneak in with their gents’ straw Trilbies. They were stylin’ though! Peachy the Pug is always dressed for an event.
Victoria and I had a great time and I even had a chance to sneak in a photo of my mum (and Victoria’s grandmother) who set the tone for hats and teas always. One of the things I loved doing for the book was writing a memory of the afternoon teas my mother used to host back in the dim mists of time. The tea book has been good for us too.
At a mother daughter tea in the dim mists of time! We all wore hat then.
The Kindle is available for pre-order now and the print version PREORDER link will be announced VERY soon with much fanfare (you know how excited we are!) I know you will all love it!Now, how about you? Do you have a hat to wear to the party? Tell us about it!
Leave a comment and your email addy and you may win this wonderful teapot!
Many of you are not on Facebook, so I thought that I’d like to share a little bit of the fun we had last night at our Hat Party on The Cozy Chicks Group. Why shouldn’t you come to the party too? So: Welcome everyone. Pull up a chair and have a cuppa.
The theme was what hat would you wear to a tea party? We encouraged people to post pix of themselves in hats. We (Victoria and Mary Jane) LOVE hats and any opportunity to camp it up in them. What better excuse than our forthcoming Tea With The Cozy Chicks, a book all us are very proud of. We’ve each contributed a combination of special tea menus, tidbits, memories, facts, wardrobe suggestions, dream tea rooms and so much more.
We weren’t sure if anyone would show up, but show up they did, including some of you. It was a very busy spot with some great hats and commentary. Here are a few!
We were thrilled to be joined, not only by ladies in hats and ladies in hats they wished they owned, but also cats in hats, dogs in hats, and ladies without hats. Here's Ransom Oldsmobile's darling little 'Warlock'.
Did I dream there was a rabbit? Or was that just a reference to Leann’s Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in Tea Time? Here's Leann's suggestion!
Our Ellery wondered what hat people might want to wear to a tea at Storiton Hall. Here’s one of her great ideas!
Duffy Brown looked very elfin in her Christmas hat. A Santa Tea perhaps? She’s bringing the tea. You can always count on Duffy to bring fun and energy.
Our friend Karen M. (a regular here at The Cozy Chicks)
posted a shot of herself in New Orleans at the St Catherine’s (patron saint of milliners) party. That woul have been a blast!
The whole thing was tons of fun.
Daisy and Lily tried to sneak in with their gents’ straw Trilbies. They were stylin’ though! Peachy the Pug is always dressed for an event.
Victoria and I had a great time and I even had a chance to sneak in a photo of my mum (and Victoria’s grandmother) who set the tone for hats and teas always. One of the things I loved doing for the book was writing a memory of the afternoon teas my mother used to host back in the dim mists of time. The tea book has been good for us too.
At a mother daughter tea in the dim mists of time! We all wore hat then. The Kindle is available for pre-order now and the print version PREORDER link will be announced VERY soon with much fanfare (you know how excited we are!) I know you will all love it!Now, how about you? Do you have a hat to wear to the party? Tell us about it!
Leave a comment and your email addy and you may win this wonderful teapot!
Scared to Death!
So today I’m talking about the scariest movie you’ve ever seen. I have to admit I am no authority on this at all. I’ve raised four kids and get scared plenty on a regular basis. No kid under forty should be allowed to drive! Now we’re entering the scariest time of year…except for tax time, of course…October and Halloween! I’m talking about the movies. Holy cow. I don’t get why people pay good money to get scared out of their pants. Heck, I have a pile of laundry in my closet and a spider under the porch that will do that for free.
I think the scariest movie I ever ventured out to see was Jurassic Park. The kids and I held hands and screamed for two hours. Every time the water vibrated you knew there was a dinosaur coming to eat someone. Then again I did see Silence of the Lambs. That is enough to make you give up Chianti for the rest of your life.
So, what is the scariest movie you’ve ever seen? The Shining? The Exorcist? Texas Chainsaw? What made you nearly wet your drillies or squeeze your dh’s hand so tight to do permanent damage?
What is the scariest movie out there now? I’ve seen some trailers and those alone are enough to curl my hair forever. And why in blue-blazes do you think we pay and go to a movie theater to get scared to death?
September 21, 2015
Three Women Astronauts
by Maggie SeftonI posted this last Tuesday right when the events were happening, but I completely forgot that Dru's Book Reviews were scheduled for the 15th of each month. So---you're reading the post a week after everything happened, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. And NPR always offers it's broadcasts to be heard at a later date in case you're interested in the interview with the 3 women Astronauts.
On Sunday night I had an email from my daughter Serena. As I've shared in previous posts, Serena is a Doctor of Internal Medicine as well as a NASA Astronaut and lives in Houston, Texas near the Johnson Space Center.
Serena told me that NASA just informed her that she and two other women Astronauts would be sent to Washington, DC for---in her words----a "fast and furious public appearance event and several meetings."
To the left, Serena back in July before she went into the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) for two weeks in the waters off the Florida Keys
Yesterday, Monday, they flew into Washington, DC early and spent the whole day at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Today, Tuesday September 15, all three women Astronauts---Serena Aunon, Cady Coleman, Samantha Cristoforetti---along with Ellen Stofan, Chief Scientist at NASA, will go to the White House in the morning.First on the right, Serena on a 6-week NASA-sponsored excursion in the South Pole with an international team of geologists and other scientists a few years ago
Today, Tuesday afternoon, they'll be at NASA Headquarters. then Tuesday evening they will travel to the NPR studio for a radio event at 5:00pm ET. They will fly back to Houston on Wednesday morning.
Check your local NPR station's website for more information.
September 20, 2015
MUM’S THE WORD – The TV Movie!
by Kate CollinsImagine opening up an email one Sunday afternoon and seeing this: “I’d like to talk to you about turning your delightful mysteries into TV movies. Here’s my cell phone number. Please call me ASAP.”
What would your first reaction be? Shock? Mine was skepticism. Was it a prank? A phishing scheme? A cruel joke?
My assistant, Jason, did some quick research and found out that the person was indeed a well known producer of movies and TV shows. Still a bit leery, I thought, “What the heck? It can’t hurt to talk to him.” So I called, right then on that sunny Sunday afternoon.
And talk we did, for forty-five minutes. What a pleasant man, too, and so enthusiastic. He was in the process of downloading some of my books to read. He had heard about them from his staff. When he’d asked them for a suggestion for a mystery TV movie, they had pointed him toward the Flower Shop Mysteries.
After we ended our conversation, I sat at my desk in a state of disbelief. Had that really happened? After all, I’d been dreaming about seeing my characters come to life since book #5. Had the Universe heard my wishes?
As I walked into the living room, a feeling of immense joy overcame me. I wanted so much for my husband and parents to be there to share in the wonderful news. And then my land line started to chirp, short little rings, for several seconds. No one was there, of course. I know it was my loved ones letting me know how happy they were, too.
But then the doubts started to flood in. Was the man really serious? Was it all talk? I decided to write to my agent and give her the info so she could contact the producer, as I’d promised him, and there in my inbox were two emails from him. Now I had solid evidence, as Abby Knight would say, that I hadn’t imagined the whole thing.Since then, I I’ve signed a contract optioning the first book in the series, MUM’S THE WORD, seen a first draft of the script, and been invited to the set. Production is tentatively set to start in mid-October. And I’m still pinching myself every day.
I am so grateful for this opportunity to bring my words and characters to life. But as with any project made from a book, changes have to be made to fit the plot into the time they have. Not all of my secondary characters will be in the final version but the plot is exactly as I wrote it, with all the twists and turns.
I know how attached readers can be to their favorite characters, so you can imagine how the author feels to have some characters cut or their appearance/age altered. I’m sure Margaret Mitchell had some thoughts about some of the actors who ended up in the movie. To me, the actor who portrayed Ashley never seemed to match the character in the book. But I’ll bet Margaret was still beyond thrilled to see her book come to life on that big screen. Imagine her excitement when she learned that Clark Gable was starring! I can tell you that a well-known actress is attached to my project, but I’ll have to wait to find out who that is. And who, I wonder, will play Marco?
No matter what changes are made to MUM’S THE WORD, the plot is all mine, the characters and ideas are mine – and the thrill is all of ours. I hope you’ll share in the joy with me.
As the deal firms up, I will get more information and will post it on Facebook. So stay tuned!
September 19, 2015
Finally ... TV is BACK!
by Leann
Tomorrow a few new shows debut and slowly my life will get back to normal. I guess the new show I am most looking forward to is Blindspot. Perhaps the advertising worked, but as a storyteller, I always appreciate a great "What if ..." premise. What if a woman shows up folded into a suitcase
covered in tattoos with no memory of how or why any of this happened. Sorry, I simply cannot resist.
After the great disappointment of the summer--True Detective--I need a replacement. Really, it was just a terrible series after a great first season. I figured out after about two episodes that these characters were not talking to each other. The non sequiturs were so huge I could have driven my car through the gaps in what was being said between actors on the screen. Colin Farrell and Rachel Ward couldn't save this despite their decent acting. It reinforced what is most important to
me--the writing. It just wasn't there.
I lean toward crime shows but Life in Pieces, which is a comedy, has piqued my interest. I understand that the show is far from formulaic and heavily depends on expanding characterization. I like that. Think outside a comedy formula that has been around for decades. I took a graduate course for a sociology credit called "A Television Culture" and the professor really deconstructed sit coms. It was a great course but aside from Seinfeld, I haven't been able to enjoy a sit com since!
I am looking forward to returning favorites--which includes every crime show on CBS--as well as the Chicago Fire, Chicago PD and now Chicago Med shows. I'm not immune to looking at some good looking people doing heroic things! And bring me my James Spader on The Blacklist. He's so good!
What about you? What new show are you most looking forward to and what returning show has new episodes you simply cannot miss?
Tomorrow a few new shows debut and slowly my life will get back to normal. I guess the new show I am most looking forward to is Blindspot. Perhaps the advertising worked, but as a storyteller, I always appreciate a great "What if ..." premise. What if a woman shows up folded into a suitcase
covered in tattoos with no memory of how or why any of this happened. Sorry, I simply cannot resist.
After the great disappointment of the summer--True Detective--I need a replacement. Really, it was just a terrible series after a great first season. I figured out after about two episodes that these characters were not talking to each other. The non sequiturs were so huge I could have driven my car through the gaps in what was being said between actors on the screen. Colin Farrell and Rachel Ward couldn't save this despite their decent acting. It reinforced what is most important to me--the writing. It just wasn't there.
I lean toward crime shows but Life in Pieces, which is a comedy, has piqued my interest. I understand that the show is far from formulaic and heavily depends on expanding characterization. I like that. Think outside a comedy formula that has been around for decades. I took a graduate course for a sociology credit called "A Television Culture" and the professor really deconstructed sit coms. It was a great course but aside from Seinfeld, I haven't been able to enjoy a sit com since!
I am looking forward to returning favorites--which includes every crime show on CBS--as well as the Chicago Fire, Chicago PD and now Chicago Med shows. I'm not immune to looking at some good looking people doing heroic things! And bring me my James Spader on The Blacklist. He's so good!
What about you? What new show are you most looking forward to and what returning show has new episodes you simply cannot miss?
September 18, 2015
END OF SUMMER TOMATO PIE
By Mary Kennedy
Yes, it's very hard to say good-bye to summer. But before you bid a fond farewell, why not make a tomato pie (or two) to use up the last of those delicious tomatoes? Here's my favorite tomato pie recipe. If you've tried to make tomato pie before and ended up with a gloppy mess with a soggy crust (speaking from experience here), you'll be pleased to hear that this recipe is different. The trick is that you bake the pie crust for 25 minutes
before
adding the tomatoes and returning it to the oven. It's a whole different experience this way and the bottom crust doesn't turn to slush. There are 4 main ingredients: the best tomatoes you can find.
A big hunk of Gruyere cheese...
Loads of fresh basil (or whatever herbs you have growing in the garden.)
And of course a pie crust.
Here's the recipe: the ingredients are simple.Ingredients: 1 pie dough (you can make your own or buy one of the Pillsbury ready-made ones.)1 and 1/2 pounds large tomatoestouch of salt (go easy on the salt, the cheese is salty)1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard (I used the white wine variety because that's what I had in the fridge.)1 and 1/2 cups coarsely grated Gruyere cheese2 Tablespoon olive oil1 garlic clove finely minced (or just a shake of garlic powder)1/4 cup fresh herbs (basil, thyme, chives, etc). I used basil because I have a ton of it in the garden. Directions: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake pie crust in lower third of the oven for 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Increase the oven heat to 400 degrees. Slice tomatoes 1/3 inch thick, sprinkle with salt and arrange them on a wire rack to drain. Spread the mustard over the bottom of the pie crust and sprinkle the Gruyere over it. Pat the tomatoes dry (this is very important!) and arrange them over the cheese in one overlapping layer. Bake on the oven's middle shelf until the pastry is golden brown and tomatoes are very soft, this takes about 35 to 40 minutes. Stir together olive oil, garlic and herbs in a small bowl. Drizzle this on the pie and spread, as soon as the pie comes out of the oven. Hope you try this, it's delish! This pie freezes well, by the way, so you might want to make one and freeze one. Mary Kennedy
Yes, it's very hard to say good-bye to summer. But before you bid a fond farewell, why not make a tomato pie (or two) to use up the last of those delicious tomatoes? Here's my favorite tomato pie recipe. If you've tried to make tomato pie before and ended up with a gloppy mess with a soggy crust (speaking from experience here), you'll be pleased to hear that this recipe is different. The trick is that you bake the pie crust for 25 minutes
before
adding the tomatoes and returning it to the oven. It's a whole different experience this way and the bottom crust doesn't turn to slush. There are 4 main ingredients: the best tomatoes you can find.
A big hunk of Gruyere cheese...
Loads of fresh basil (or whatever herbs you have growing in the garden.)
And of course a pie crust.
Here's the recipe: the ingredients are simple.Ingredients: 1 pie dough (you can make your own or buy one of the Pillsbury ready-made ones.)1 and 1/2 pounds large tomatoestouch of salt (go easy on the salt, the cheese is salty)1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard (I used the white wine variety because that's what I had in the fridge.)1 and 1/2 cups coarsely grated Gruyere cheese2 Tablespoon olive oil1 garlic clove finely minced (or just a shake of garlic powder)1/4 cup fresh herbs (basil, thyme, chives, etc). I used basil because I have a ton of it in the garden. Directions: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake pie crust in lower third of the oven for 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Increase the oven heat to 400 degrees. Slice tomatoes 1/3 inch thick, sprinkle with salt and arrange them on a wire rack to drain. Spread the mustard over the bottom of the pie crust and sprinkle the Gruyere over it. Pat the tomatoes dry (this is very important!) and arrange them over the cheese in one overlapping layer. Bake on the oven's middle shelf until the pastry is golden brown and tomatoes are very soft, this takes about 35 to 40 minutes. Stir together olive oil, garlic and herbs in a small bowl. Drizzle this on the pie and spread, as soon as the pie comes out of the oven. Hope you try this, it's delish! This pie freezes well, by the way, so you might want to make one and freeze one. Mary Kennedy
What to do with the blooms ...
by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett
It's been a difficult summer. Losing my mother was just the beginning. Clearing out her house has been a monumental task. And what do I do about her plants?
This little guy is blooming again right now.When Mum went to hospice, I asked her if she wanted to take any of her plants. She said no. I took one anyway. A little African violet that was blooming its heart out. Sometimes the volunteers would water it, but usually I'd find it pretty dry and water it. After my mother died, I went to the hospice house to pick up her things and saw the plant sitting outside and looking very unhappy. I took it home with me and it has lived on my kitchen counter next to my cactus.
Early this summer, I gave five or six of Mum's houseplants that could live outside to her neighbor. Amy was very happy to get them, immediately planted them outside, and most of them are doing well. But what do I do with the rest of them?
My Mum had a green thumb. Me? Not so much. But I try. In fact, I've been taking care of the rest of her houseplants and, so far--so good. But what do I do with them? I already have my own houseplants. Mum left behind two more African violets and at least seven orchids. After she died, one of the violets exploded with blooms. Two of the orchids have bloomed (one just last week, and another is going to bloom soon--she had wonderful luck with orchids). They like the eastern sun exposure, I guess. But I already have five orchids of my own. My brother doesn't want them. Mr. L doesn't want to feel like he's living in a conservatory, and I can't bear to throw out a living plant that hasn't every hurt anybody.
So, what should I do with her plants?
It's been a difficult summer. Losing my mother was just the beginning. Clearing out her house has been a monumental task. And what do I do about her plants?
This little guy is blooming again right now.When Mum went to hospice, I asked her if she wanted to take any of her plants. She said no. I took one anyway. A little African violet that was blooming its heart out. Sometimes the volunteers would water it, but usually I'd find it pretty dry and water it. After my mother died, I went to the hospice house to pick up her things and saw the plant sitting outside and looking very unhappy. I took it home with me and it has lived on my kitchen counter next to my cactus.Early this summer, I gave five or six of Mum's houseplants that could live outside to her neighbor. Amy was very happy to get them, immediately planted them outside, and most of them are doing well. But what do I do with the rest of them?
My Mum had a green thumb. Me? Not so much. But I try. In fact, I've been taking care of the rest of her houseplants and, so far--so good. But what do I do with them? I already have my own houseplants. Mum left behind two more African violets and at least seven orchids. After she died, one of the violets exploded with blooms. Two of the orchids have bloomed (one just last week, and another is going to bloom soon--she had wonderful luck with orchids). They like the eastern sun exposure, I guess. But I already have five orchids of my own. My brother doesn't want them. Mr. L doesn't want to feel like he's living in a conservatory, and I can't bear to throw out a living plant that hasn't every hurt anybody.
So, what should I do with her plants?
September 16, 2015
Can you go home again?
BY MARY JANE MAFFINI aka half of Victoria Abbott
One of my dream vacations is to go home to Cape Breton from time to time. I grew up there and I get to make this trip every couple of years. It’s very good for the soul to go to a place that’s so laid back and natural as well as incredibly beautiful. How about joining me for a peek at what we saw on this latest trip? After a few days with my brother in the scenic town of Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, we visited my home town of Sydney and spent some quality time with old friends and my Aunt Marg (still sparkling at ninety-three) and cousin Jean.
Then it was off to the Cabot Trail and Ingonish Beach. My reason for returning was to research some nicely dangerous scenes for my work-in-progress, the seventh Camilla MacPhee book. I felt it would be enhanced by a few mountains, hairpin turns, steep cliffs, falling boulders, and lots and lots and lots of fog. Mmm.
The author in me is thrilled at the thought. I’m not alone: it’s a hugely popular spot for tourists.
My Celtic genes care about the thunder of the waves when the surf’s up and also the soft lap of the same water on a calm morning, the shriek of the gulls and the occasional swooping eagle over head. I react emotionally to the rugged highland mountains with the sheer drops to the sea and the misty and mysterious opposite shores. Perhaps it’s the hint of Scotland.
We had a cabin near the water. It was so relaxing and reviving to take solitary walks on the beach, checking out the amazing rocks.
We napped, read books and enjoyed seafood platters at the local restaurant.
We’re just back and already thinking about a return trip. Next time we will go for The Celtic Colours, a wonderful festival in early October, when the trees are at their most brilliant red, gold and orange and visitors have access to more than 100 (Yes!) concerts of great Celtic and Acadian music. The concerts take place in schools, community halls, churches and homes. Two years ago we managed to get there in time for the ‘the colours’ and loved it. But late spring, summer and fall are all great times to visit the Cabot Trail. Hope our paths will cross there one of these days!
To answer my own question: yes, you can go back again!
BUT WHY DIDN'T WE GO ON THE TRIP?
Maybe the next time, we’ll take the pooches (although that’s a long time in the car). Still, they look fetching in their Nova Scotia Tartan scarves and Peachy the Pug will be stylish in her Cape Breton tartan version.
I love both tartans. That was a tough decision. In the meantime, here’s a picture of Scottish Oatcakes to get you in the mood!
This was part of my menu for a traditional Cape Breton Engagement Tea, put on by characters from my Camilla MacPhee books. Coincidentally, they are also from Cape Breton.
You will find the recipe in our forthcoming Tea Time With The Cozy Chicks, coming soon, and available for pre-order in e-book format already. Ahem.
So that’s my story: what about you? Have you been to the east coast? Do you have a special place you want to return to over and over again? Share your stories! We love to hear them.
One of my dream vacations is to go home to Cape Breton from time to time. I grew up there and I get to make this trip every couple of years. It’s very good for the soul to go to a place that’s so laid back and natural as well as incredibly beautiful. How about joining me for a peek at what we saw on this latest trip? After a few days with my brother in the scenic town of Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, we visited my home town of Sydney and spent some quality time with old friends and my Aunt Marg (still sparkling at ninety-three) and cousin Jean.
Then it was off to the Cabot Trail and Ingonish Beach. My reason for returning was to research some nicely dangerous scenes for my work-in-progress, the seventh Camilla MacPhee book. I felt it would be enhanced by a few mountains, hairpin turns, steep cliffs, falling boulders, and lots and lots and lots of fog. Mmm.
The author in me is thrilled at the thought. I’m not alone: it’s a hugely popular spot for tourists.
My Celtic genes care about the thunder of the waves when the surf’s up and also the soft lap of the same water on a calm morning, the shriek of the gulls and the occasional swooping eagle over head. I react emotionally to the rugged highland mountains with the sheer drops to the sea and the misty and mysterious opposite shores. Perhaps it’s the hint of Scotland.
We had a cabin near the water. It was so relaxing and reviving to take solitary walks on the beach, checking out the amazing rocks.
We napped, read books and enjoyed seafood platters at the local restaurant.
We’re just back and already thinking about a return trip. Next time we will go for The Celtic Colours, a wonderful festival in early October, when the trees are at their most brilliant red, gold and orange and visitors have access to more than 100 (Yes!) concerts of great Celtic and Acadian music. The concerts take place in schools, community halls, churches and homes. Two years ago we managed to get there in time for the ‘the colours’ and loved it. But late spring, summer and fall are all great times to visit the Cabot Trail. Hope our paths will cross there one of these days!
To answer my own question: yes, you can go back again!
BUT WHY DIDN'T WE GO ON THE TRIP?Maybe the next time, we’ll take the pooches (although that’s a long time in the car). Still, they look fetching in their Nova Scotia Tartan scarves and Peachy the Pug will be stylish in her Cape Breton tartan version.
I love both tartans. That was a tough decision. In the meantime, here’s a picture of Scottish Oatcakes to get you in the mood!
This was part of my menu for a traditional Cape Breton Engagement Tea, put on by characters from my Camilla MacPhee books. Coincidentally, they are also from Cape Breton.
You will find the recipe in our forthcoming Tea Time With The Cozy Chicks, coming soon, and available for pre-order in e-book format already. Ahem.
So that’s my story: what about you? Have you been to the east coast? Do you have a special place you want to return to over and over again? Share your stories! We love to hear them.
