Barn Dancing

We are beginning to have a social life here in our new community thanks to the YMCA. While playing tennis there, Darrell met a woman who invited us to go to Clark's Ole Time Music Center at Clark's saw mill in Raphine. We were game for anything so we put on our best country clothes and joined Renata and her date for a fun evening. We were instructed to being a noni-alcoholic drink and a snack to share. Renata is well known there and she had a table reserved for us at the saw mill.

$5 admission is what they charged for a night of clean fun, country music by a live band, door prize and snacks from the communal table. Well, if you know anything about me, I don't know anything about country music. I grew up in the big city (Boston) and moved to a larger one (metro Washington DC) and just wasn't exposed to it. Darrell and I stumbled along learning the 2 step and a few other dances.

As we are dancing around the dance floor, we look up at the decorations on the wall. There is a large Confederate flag, pictures of General Lee and other Civil War southern generals. A little out of our element but fun nevertheless. We opened ourselves up to try something different and it was fun, clean entertainment. Everyone was very friendly to us.

Last night we went back for our second time. When they announced a Paula Jones dance, I vaguely remembered what it was - women in the inner circle, men in the outer walking in opposite directions. When the whistle blows, the man nearest to you grabs you and takes you for a spin till the whistle blows again.

What fun we had and I am sure that we will go back again to Clark's Saw Mill. Before we do that, Darrell wants to go to a western wear store and get a western shirt to wear. He's even talking about buying me boots! (these boots are made for "dancing").

Stash Sewing Challenge

I belong to an online group over at Delphi Forums comprised of women who love to smock and sew heirloom clothing. If you are a sew you are familiar with your fabric stash. Stash are those pieces of fabric that we buy knowing exactly what we are going to do with it but just don't get around to do that sewing. Then we see another gorgeous piece of fabric and buy that as well. And we keep buying and buying. The purpose of this contest challenged us not to purchase anything. However, if we need something to finish an outfit such as a button, then we are able to purchase it. We get points base how much smocking there is in an outfit, whether it was a new technique, how old the fabric is, etc. I entered this challenged not expecting to win but instead being challenged to finish some UFO's (unfinished objects) and to use some of the fabric that is taking up space in at least one closet and a chest of drawers! Anyway, I wanted to share a few of my favorite outfits that I sewed this past month.

If you are a smocker, let me invite you to our site: http://forums.delphiforums.com/Heirloom/start

The Big Read

Okay, okay...I've been amiss and haven't written in awhile...okay it's been longer than awhile. We have settled into our new home and our community and are constantly finding to new things to see and do.

In February we learned about The Big Read. What the heck is The Big Read you ask. Let me tell you. Here in Staunton we have a Community Foundation that ordered thousands of copies of a book that they had chosen for the community to read. These books were given out free encouraging everyone to read this book together. Last year was the first year that Staunton participated in The Big Read and they read "To Kill a Mockingbird." This year the Community Foundation chose the book "The Maltese Falcon" by Daschiel Hammett. Every day there was at least one activity to participate in. Daily the public library had a community leader come to the library and read a chapter aloud and then discussion followed. One evening the costume designer from The American Shakespeare Center spoke about the fashion during the time of The Maltese Falcon. One Friday evening there was a mystery dinner tied in to the book. When I say that the community participated in it, you have to realize how many did. Senior high students were required to read the book across the county; books were given out at the YMCA, bookstores, banks, etc. Tonight was the culmination of the month long study. It was a free showing of the movie at our local independent theatre. In attendance was Hammettt's granddaughter Julie as well as another individual (and I forgot his name) who has made Hammet a study of his. Every seat in the theatre was filled. Before the movie his granddaughter told us to look for scenes that were added and not in the book as well as scenes that were deleted from the book. It was so exciting to see all these citizens watching the movie and then staying for the question and answer period. Here is the link to the NEA's site about The Big Read across the country: http://www.neabigread.org/ I encourage you all to go to your community leaders as well as your public library and have your community participate in The Big Read next year.

A Delicious New Dip

I recently found a wonderful blog with many different recipes. As I looked over her recipes, my eyes lit up ....a new dip that hadn't made the rounds. The dip was suppose to taste like one of my favorite foods - jalapeno poppers filled with cream cheese. Could it be...could it actually taste like poppers? I quickly gathered all the ingredients, followed her directions and brought it with me as I went to a friend's home. Immediately I was told how delicious it was and had requests for the recipe. I wrote to Robin at http://www.bigredkitchen.com/ and asked her permission to reprint her recipe on my blog. She graciously responded that I could. She wanted me to let you know that her inspiration was a recipe from http://www.allrecipes.com/ Please head on over to Robin's blog and see the rest of her recipes as well as reading what she does with her family's excess Halloween candy. Just a warning --- do not have anything in your mouth when you read her blog abobut the candy or you'll end up losing it.

Jalapeño Popper Dip
2- 8 ounce packages cream cheese, room temp
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1- 4 ounce can chopped green chilies
1- 4 ounce can sliced jalapeños- double if you like heat (I used 1/2 of one can and it was perfect for me)

1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 stick butter, melted
In a food processor add the first 6 ingredients and process until smooth. You do not need to drain either can of peppers. Spread the dip into a greased 2 quart casserole. In a bowl mix bread crumbs and the other 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Pour melted butter over top crumb mixture and mix well. Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over the dip and bake in a 375° oven for about 20 minutes. You want the top to get browned and the dip to be heated through and bubble gently on the edges. Do not over heat this dish or the mayonnaise with separate and you will have a grease puddle in your dip. Serve with Buttery crackers or a sliced French baguette. Serves 8-10.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

I have always loved things that had "Buffalo chicken" in it yet at the same time, I dislike all the heat that some of these items have. Having had a Buffalo Chicken Panini recently and found it absolutely delicious, I thought that I would try my own. I don't have a Panini maker (and if anyone would like to send me one, I would graciously accept it) so I made it in a similar style as a grilled cheese sandwich. First I buttered the outside of a nice hearty white bread. On the inside I spread blue cheese salad dressing and put some hot sauce on top of it. Put a little more than what you think. On top of that dressing, I put a few slices of Havarti cheese. Sliced chicken from the deli followed and then again the Havarti and finally the other slice of bread with blue cheese salad dressing with the hot sauce. I cooked these in an electric skillet with a weight on top. After a few minutes, I flipped them to the other side. Serving these hot, we had a great meal on a Sunday afternoon.

The Tale of a Christening Gown

Towards the end of my time up north, our son's girlfriend Haley asked if would make and smock a christening gown for her sister's baby who was due the end of October. That's an opportunity that any smocker would love to have. I was in a dilemma - the timing wasn't good for me. I was in the process of going back to Virginia, less than a month later our daughter Lisa was getting married and then 2 days after that I was leaving for Atlanta for the smocking convention. After spending some time talking with Haley and thinking about what I could do that would alleviate any stress on me, I proposed a solution. My friend and fellow smocker/sewer Judy from Alabama would sew the gown for me and I would smock it. Haley jumped on it and thought it was a great solution - after all I would STILL be smocking it and it would STILL be handmade and become an heirloom. Judy and I conferred about the design, a basic square yoke dress, and the size, able to fit a newborn. It would be made out of a drapeable silk with insertion laces and entredeux. There would be smocking on the short sleeves and mother of pearl buttons on the back. We ordered the fabric from Jan at http://www.bessiemary.com/ in Texas who was such an immense help with her suggestions for fabric (which we purchased from her) as well as the laces. She shipped it off to Judy and then Judy began sewing. As she was sewing, I was helping to finish up last minute details for the wedding. It was finished and mailed to me just before the wedding. I was able to bring it with me to show Haley and her parents, although still unsmocked at this point. When I returned from Atlanta, the smocking began. The silk was ivory in color and I smocked in tone on tone with a goldish color for accent, very rich looking and gender neutral. Finished it up, mailed it to parents and received the day before she went into labor. Mother, grandmother and aunt were ecstatic and loved it. Can't wait to see pictures of the still unborn baby in the gown. News flash----baby boy born Nov. 2nd at almost 10 pounds!!

Tapas Anyone?

Always looking to expand my culinary skills and new dishes into our household, I thought I would try making a tapa. Darrell and I went to a tapas bar in Frederick, Maryland a year ago (I think it was Isabella's) and we tried a few tapas. One in particular was outstanding. I have been on a hunt for that recipe ever since. Well I found one that came close to it - found it in a cookbook at TJMaxx for just $2.99. I grabbed my prized possession and headed home with it. The recipe I am referring to is an Asparagus with Aioli Sauce.

First you need to make the aioli sauce. I did mine in our blender but you could use an electric beater as well.

1 egg yolk,
2 garlic cloves (less if you don't like garlic because it is very garlicky)
1 tbs lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Blend well. Add in, drop by drop, 5 tablespoons of olive oil while you are blending or beating. Once it starts to thicken you can add in a steady stream. Then add in 5 tablespoon corn oil the same way. The sauce should be thick and smooth. If it is too thick for dipping, you can add in 1 tbs of water so that it forms the consistency of sauce - your call

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put 1 tbs of olive oil on cooking sheet (I put down aluminum foil first - easier clean-up). Snap end of asparagus spears - don't use too thin stalks, they won't hold up. Don't use too thick ones, too tough. Now, you can wrap the spear with half a slice of proscuitto (I didn't). Put the spears in the pan and cook at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

My variation was to bread the spears first. Don't use regular breadcrumbs. See if you can find Panko breadcrumbs, they are not as fine. I use the egg white, beat it up, rolled the spear in it, dipped in crumbs and then repeat it. Then I put the spears on the sheet to bake.

My spears were thin so I couldn't so what I wanted which was to put the sauce in a wine glass and then have the cooked spears sticking out. What I ended up doing was to lay the spears on a plate and then drizzle the sauce over.

These were gone in about 5 minutes. An easy to make yet delicious and different appetizer. Stay tuned while I make more tapas in the coming weeks.