How Did Scarlet Do It?

Summer has finally come to our neck of the woods, in a major way.  Not even June and we are in the middle of our first heatwave.  So you can imagine how upset I was when I released that our upstairs AC unit was not working!  It got even worse when I quickly found out that every HVAC company was booked up until next week.  Thank God our downstairs unit is still working or we would be moving into a hotel for the weekend.

All of the heat without AC got me thinking about Scarlet and "Gone With The Wind".  I mean how did anyone live below the Mason Dixon line during the summer, without AC or even a fan, while wearing a dress with so many layers?  I for one know that I could not be cooled simply by drinking a glass of sweet tea.

No Need To Be Smug Part 2

So do you ever have a great idea that you think will save you time and make you a "fun" mom?  I had one of those "great" ideas before it went down hill so fast that I had no idea what hit!  

This past week I had what seemed like a million errands to run and L had the pleasure of coming along for the ride.  I thought that it might make things better if he could bring a couple of his toy "Army Men" along for the trip.  I was feeling  a little smug about how well things were going.  That was until we got to the bank!

After waiting patiently in line at the bank, we finally made it up to the teller.  And before I could say a single thing, L slaps his army man on the counter and say "put your hands up!"  I just about died right there and then!!! 

Crab Cakes

Hubby's birthday was over the long weekend and I was more than happy to make whatever he wished for dinner.  For, at least, the last five years I have been making Hubby crab cakes for his birthday and this year was no different.  Simply crab cakes that highlight's the crab and Old Bay.  No more...no less!

Crab Cakes

1 pound crab meat
1 egg
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (really mayo, none of that fake stuff!)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijoin mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay (and only Old bay will do!!!)
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
the juice from half a lemon

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except for crab meat.

Gently fold in the crab meat, being careful not to break up the lumps. 

Shape into cakes. I use an ice cream scoop since I think it helps keep them all the same size.

Bake at 375°F degrees for 15-18 minutes or until evenly brown.

I know that there is nothing fancy about these crab cakes but I promise that their simplicity is what makes them special.

You can also find me at Savvy Southern Style and No Minimalist Here

Memorial Day Weekend

I am sure our weekend was like many of your's - super busy!  I don't think that we could have packed more activities into our long weekend even if we tried!!!  The weekend started with B's field hockey team playing in a tournament in Richmond, VA.

Hubby was more than happy to accompany our number 30 to her second tournament.  By both accounts it sounds like they had a wonderful time in Richmond.  Friday night they enjoyed a nice father-daughter date-night at Firebirds.  (B loved her salad, the BLT Chopped Salad, so much she has asked me to try and recreate it.  I will let you now how that goes.)  Luckily for Hubby, B was so filled with energy and excitement that she kept the conversation going all by herself even as she pounded down the steak she ordered.  Then they turned in early since they had to be at the fields by 7:15am the next day.

All day on Saturday I keep my cell phone close by so I could get updates from Hubby.  Hubby totally kept me in the loop with text messaging me the scores and info on the other teams.  B's team played so well all day long.  And I am happy to report that after six games, B's team placed second! (Hubby's note- It was a long day but a lot of fun. It is just awesome to watch your child do something they so clearly love and that makes them so happy.)

And lest you think that boys were neglected....I promise they were spoiled just rotten by my in-laws!  The boys were treated to pizza, ice cream, a visit with cousins and a trip to local street festival filled with games.  

Someday, if I am lucky, I will come back as one of my children!  Do you ever feel that way too?

Memorial Day 2013

 

Thank you to all of those that have served our great Nation;

past, present and future!

Class Meets Crass

While there are not a ton of pictures of me and the clothing I wear, I feel it is safe to say that most of you have guessed that I am a preppy dresser.  I also follow crazy outdated "rules" such as one should never wear diamonds (engagement ring does not count) before 6pm and a lady never needs a watch after 6pm therefore the two should never be wore together. 

I try very hard to wear clothing that is timeless not trending.  I feel that classic clothing is more flattering for me and I am able to wear dresses many years after I first buy it.  I still feel as thought Jackie O is a wonderful fashion role model.

But on the other hand I do love to have a good time with my girlfriends.  Which is why I hope to go see this gal in concert this summer...

Ke$ha is coming to an arena near us this summer and a bunch of us are going to try to get tickets. While her style isn't quite like mine I do enjoy her music. If we go to the concert I might have to finally shop at H&M or Forever 21. I might even go wild and wear glitter eye make-up! Or maybe I will just go as myself and seem ironic? Either way I can only imagine what Jackie O would think of Ke$ha's style! 

Grilling

I don't believe grilling to be a Northern thing or a Southern thing.  Grilling simply is an all-American thing on Memorial Day weekend.  Don't you just love the smell when everyone in your neighborhood is out grilling!?! To me that smell means that summer has finally arrived!

If you are thinking about grilling this weekend but you want to try something other than hot dogs and burgers, I have just the recipe for you!  

Chris Lily's Rubbed and Grilled Pork Lion

1 (4 pound) boneless pork top loin roast (single loin)
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons onion salt
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

Place boneless pork loin on large cutting board or platter; brush oil over all sides. Set aside. Meanwhile, stir together dry rub seasoning. Rub over pork to cover. Prepare charcoal grill to cook over direct and indirect heat. Place pork loin over medium-hot coals (direct heat) or on medium-hot (about 400 degrees F.) gas grill. Cook for 10 minutes on each side to brown. Move pork to area on grill over indirect heat. Cook, covered for 70-90 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). On gas grill, move pork to one side of grill; turn off the gas directly under the pork. Leave the rest of the grill on medium heat. Cook, covered for 70 to 90 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. Serve with your favorite sauce.

Every member of our family loves this recipe which is a big deal.  Let me know how your family rates this one.....(Hubby's note- I've never served it with a sauce but we all LOVE this recipe. I have luck utilizing a meat thermometer to make sure I don't over cook the pork. Using a gas grill it has never taken me close to 70-90 minutes to cook this. Usually more in the neighborhood of 30-40 minutes with a lot depending on the size of the pork loin. Having a beer or some bourbon while grilling seems to speed the cooking process. Or at least make it more enjoyable.)

You can also find me at Savvy Southern Style and No Minimalist Here

Oklahoma

Our thoughts and prayer go out to all those touched by this week's tragic tornado in Moore, Oklahoma.

If you are looking for a way to help you can make a donation here to the Red Cross.

The Beginning Of The End

Can you believe that we are already starting to wrap up another school year!?!  I for one cannot!!!  The more my family grows the busier we get and the faster time seems to go by.  In fact I felt a little caught off guard by L's end of year "Preschool Graduation" last week.  Maybe because we were all so busy with M's First Holy Communion or the fact that my baby now only has one more year left in preschool.  I may or may not be teary as I type this...

Regardless of my mixed emotions  L had a wonderful night.  He happily took a bath and put on his "fancy clothes".  For the record, I tucked his shirt in before we left the house, I tucked in again after he got out of the car and I did it once more when I dropped him off at his classroom.  Perhaps my father is right, I need to get the boy a belt that fits.  Just don't tell my dad that I said he was right!!!

After all the children sang us some sweet songs their names were called out one by one.  Their teachers presented each child with a "Memory Book" filled with all sort of goodies from the past year.  In a way it was like I was a fly on the wall this year.  This book brought me to tears while I went through it the next day.  It is unreal how much L has grown in one year!

He might getting bigger faster than my heart is ready for but at least his father's tickles can still make him laugh in public without be embarrassed.  I think L might have asked for more!

PS...don't tell Hubby but he is right.  The photos in the "Memory Book" clearly shows that L needs more frequent hair cuts!   (Hubby's note- Vindication!)

Former Friar's Foccaccia

This past weekend Hubby and I were invited to one of Former Friar's amazing parties.  I cannot tell you how nice it was to go to a party attended only by adults.  We all got to caught up on daily life and got to chat about upcoming vacation plans and not once did a wee one interrupt us. Along with the socialization Former Friar put out an amazing spread of food! Everything she made was wonderful but the stuffed focaccia was really a standout. Thanks to Former Friar's generosity I have included the recipe below. I highly recommend you give it a try for your next get together!

Former Friar's Stuffed Focaccia

1 (9-ounce) round loaf focaccia bread
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
4 ounces thinly sliced Muenster cheese
1 (6-ounce) package fresh arugula
1/4 cup bottled roasted red bell peppers, drained
2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette*

Preparation

1. Cut bread in half horizontally, using a serrated knife. Top bottom bread half with prosciutto and next 3 ingredients. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette; cover with top bread half. Wrap in aluminum foil; place on a baking sheet.
2. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until warm. Cut focaccia into six wedges. Serve immediately.

*Balsamic Vinaigrette*

¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
1½ tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons nonfat Greek yogurt
½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Mix well and refrigerate.

Another good addition to your next party is a bottle of Effen vodka. No need to actually drink it just giggly at the bottle!

Worth The Wait

This past Christmas I gifted Hubby with a three month subscription to Julibox and one of the last drinks called for fresh strawberries.  While I know that I could get fresh strawberries all year long at the market, I personally am scared by strawberries in the winter.  That is just not right!  God knows what chemicals one needs to grow a bright red strawberry in the dead of winter!!!  So we waited...

But the wait was over today.  Hubby was kind enough to mix up our long awaited drinks today.  Fresh muddled strawberries, Grand Marnier and Prosecco together are a delightful combination!

Re-Invented Leftovers

My children are not the biggest fans of leftovers.  B does not like things to be reheated.  M will not eat anything unless it is the same temperature as it was the first night it was served.  And L is hit or miss most nights of the week. I guess they come by this honestly since my father will not eat leftovers.

However whenever we have a "taco-night" they hope we have enough leftovers for nachos.  I also get excited since it means that I have an easy (and somewhat healthy) dinner at the ready.  And last night I was over the moon that I could make the kids nachos since we had a jam-packed day!!!

Left-over Nachos

Taco Meat (we always use ground turkey)
Black beans
Sweet corn
Salsa
Shredded cheese (whatever kind you like)
Corn chips (we use Tostitos Scoops since they hold the toppings so well)

1. This is a recipe all about "eye-balling"!  First you must find the right baking dish. You want to make sure the dish to not be too big since you want an even layer of fixings.  Small amount of leftovers equals a small baking dish.  Big amount of leftovers equals a big baking dish.  Same goes for the cheese.

2. Combine taco meat, black beans, corn, and salsa in a pan and simply reheat.

3. Form a nice even layer of corn chips in your baking dish.  Evenly sprinkle half of your cheese over the chips.

4. Place baking dish under the boiler until cheese has melted.

5. Evenly spread the combined taco meat, beans, corn and salsa over the chips and cheese.  Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

6. Place baking dish back under the boiler until all the cheese is melted.

Enjoy!!!

Do you have any tip for "re-inventing" leftovers? 

You can also find me at Savvy Southern Style

The Great Outdoors

We live in a newer development which means we have nothing in our backyards but grass and maybe one tree.  This never really bothered me since the kids mostly use the backyard as a play-field.  That was until we had a deck built last spring and I suddenly realized how I was not happy with our lack of trees. 

Not that I don't love my neighbors, because I do!  I just feel that no one should have to witness my children eating dinner.  Everyone know that boys can be messy eaters!!!

So after much research and nagging poor Hubby, we bought two Cryptomeria from a local garden center.   They are considered medium growth trees so each year we should see a difference in their width and height.  The trees might only be 5 feet across now but some day they could be as wide as 20 feet wide and 90 feet tall. (Hubby's note- 90 feet?!!! Pretty sure I didn't realize 90 feet was a possibility. Then again they will be someone else's problem by then.)  No one will be able to see how messy my boys are then!  I fear I might never be able to marry my sweet yet messy boys off!!!

The neighborhood boys loved watching the men plant the trees.  And I love that they tried to re-sod an area of our lawn that was damaged by the unreal rain we have had this Spring.  I just love it when people go above and beyond!!!

So far so good!  Let's pray that I don't develop a sudden case of black thumb!!!

Keeping It Real

Like most bloggers, I try to keep thing positive and highlight the "highs" here at Lobster Meets Peach. But just like everyone else things do not always go as planned. So I thought I would keep things real and let you know how our plans for a nice Mother's Day breakfast did not go the way things were intended to go.

I was so excited that my Mom would be here for Mother's Day because I have not gotten to spend many Mother's Days with her since I became a mother myself.  My family had to get on the road before noon to head back to the other side of the Mason Dixon line so Hubby and the kiddos planned a nice morning for both of us. We were going to enjoy coffee, tea and buttered croissants on our deck while we sat in the morning sun.

Things were going well until L headed back inside for something and the wind caused the door to slam shut on his finger.  Not sure if it is just me but I knew that something was really wrong simply by the way poor L cried.  We all rushed and got his finger out of the door and quickly had his hand elevated with ice on it.  It was decided after Hubby, Mom and I got a good look at his finger that he needed a trip to the urgent care.  After a relatively quick short time at the doc-in-a-box we got word L was basically fine. Thank God his finger was not broken and only need to be "glued"!!!  And since L thought his bandages made him look like a ninja he was ok with the whole ordeal.

While the morning did not go as planned the day did get better once L was home from the urgent care.  And when L asked for a tv show and a cuddle in the basement there was no way this mom could say no!

M's Big Day

Saturday was a very big day for M!  All eyes were on M as he received his First Holy Communion.  M has been working hard in CCD classes all year long just for this day.  He was so excited that his big day finally came and that so many of our family members could be there for his day.

I know that I am biased but he looked just too cute!  Navy blue blazer, bow tie and a big smile all day long.  How could that not melt my heart!!!

Poor M did have to suffer through a "photo shoot" that he felt took forever but there was no way we were not taking family pictures.  My only regret was that we did not try to get a picture of all of the cousins.  Am I the only one that wishes they could have a professional photographer for all "big events"?  

Even and L and his cousin P had a great time! Then again, who doesn't have a great time with a homemade ice cream cookie?!

Oatmeal Goodness

I do not really have a sweet tooth.  I just love a good salty treat.  Most days what I really crave is some cheese and crackers.  And some days I feel like a salt-lick would really hit the spot!  Gross I know but I can't help it.

So you can imagine my surprise when all I wanted this week was a chewy cookie.  Maybe it was all the depressing rain that we have had  Chocolate chip was not going to cut it.  I went old-school and baked oatmeal cookies.  All-Recipes.com had a recipe that looked good so I gave it a whirl.

Soft Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup granulated white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour (I always use unbleached flour)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

3 cups quick cooking oats

1 1/2 cups Craisins

1. In a medium bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats and Craisins. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten each cookie with a large fork dipped in sugar.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. *My cookies needed longer to bake* Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

These cookies were awesome and I will definitely make them again.  They were just what I needed as a little rainy day pick me up! (Hubby's note- Two thumbs up for this recipe. These cookies were excellent.)

You can also find me at Savvy Southern Style

I Should Have Known Better

    

M is making his First Holy Communion this weekend.  A bunch of my family is coming into town to stay with us.  I have to get this house clean from top to bottom!  I have more to do than the day has hours yet.....

I got a text message from ML telling me that I had to read Elin Hilderbrand's last book as soon as possible.  Since ML shares my love of summers in New England and we are both big fans of Elin, I knew that I needed to read "Summerland" right away and boy am I glad I did!  This was one of Elin's best books by my count. It was right up there with "Silver Girl" which is one of my all time favorite beach reads.  I simple could not put it down!!!  

Amazon's Book Description: A warm June evening, a local tradition: the students of Nantucket High have gathered for a bonfire on the beach. What begins as a graduation night celebration ends in tragedy after a horrible car crash leaves the driver, Penny Alistair, dead, and her twin brother in a coma. The other passengers, Penny's boyfriend, Jake, and her friend Demeter, are physically unhurt--but the emotional damage is overwhelming. Questions linger about what happened before Penny took the wheel.As summer unfolds, startling truths are revealed about the survivors and their parents--secrets kept, promises broken, hearts betrayed. Elin Hilderbrand explores the power of community, family, and honesty, and proves that even from the ashes of sorrow new love can take flight.

Thank goodness I finished this book so quickly and I can get back to cleaning!  

Wiped Out

We have been running around like crazy trying to get ready for this weekend and our house guests. This nonstop pace might have been too much for L. Poor boy just need a nap. I only wish I had time for one too!

Whirlwind Weekend

I do not think that we could have packed one more activity into this past weekend.  I mean it was not stop action from the moment the kiddos got off the bus this past Friday!  My in-laws kindly came to our house in time to greet the older two off the school bus while I packed the car for B's first ever field hockey travel tournament.  As soon as the car was all packed, B and I were off to Pennsylvania!

The whole car ride up B was bubbling with nervous energy.  It was too cute how she could not stop chatting!  God-willing she will be this chatty with me for years to come!!!  She might have been so willing to talk since I let her pick all of the music.  I listened to more One Direction than one adult should have to in a lifetime.  Honestly I am a little worried since she thinks that they really are good musicians.  Hopefully she will see the error of her ways before she reaches college.

I have to be honest, I was a nervous wreck about this tournament   You see these girls practice together twice a week as well as play on rec teams but they have yet to play a game together as a team.  It is one thing to pratice together, it is another to play a game together.  But this mom had no need to worry, they were great!  The girls won three out of their four games and came in second place.  The best part for me was that my father got to see Betsy play and we both enjoyed her beaming smile every time she came off the field!

While it was nice to get away for a bit with B and enjoy many girly giggles, there was too much to be done at home.  So after B's last game we headed home.  M has a big event coming up and I needed to make sure that he has the proper outfit for his big day.  We might not be Kennedys but look at these two!  How could you not vote for them!?! (Hubby's note: With the lip biting and thumbs up L looks like he is doing a Bill Clinton impression.)

After spending what I am sure Hubby thought was too much money at the mall (Hubby's note: That is the correct assessment) we headed to Lowes.  Since we will be having so many guests for M's big day I felt like our house needed some new accessories too.  I might not be known for having a green thumb but I do think my planters look pretty good if I do say so myself. Hopefully they will look just as pretty next Saturday!

Love Notes

The other day M walked into our bedroom with his hands behind his back.  When I asked him what he was hiding he replied "nothing" with a cute little smile on his face.  Then he asked when I was going downstairs.  So I decided to play along...

His sweet note just melted me heart! I think the picture is supposed to be the desk I painted for him. Thank goodness there are years before his notes are for someone else!!!

Finally Done!

I am happy to finally announce that M's desk is complete!  What I thought would be a simple sand and paint job turned into a big project but I think all of the work was worth it.  Who knew that I could strip the old paint, sand, paint the legs and stain the top?  It was so nice to do more than I thought I could do and to be please with the outcome! 

When the desk was finally dried we moved it up to M's room but we were missing the right chair for the desk.  I knew the look I was going for, old fashioned school issued chair with a modern feel.  I was able to find chairs that fit that description at a number of stores but those chairs did not fit my budget.  I am a mother of three children, two of whom are high energy boys under the age of ten.  I saw no need to spend over $120 on one chair that I was really not sure would last for real long. So the search continued...

After many searches on the internet I found just what I needed at Overstock.com.  I have never order from Overstock before since the reviews can be all over the place but I had a coupon code and could also get a rebate from Ebate's.  So for less than $120 I got not one but two metal "navy style" chairs.  While I was nervous about how they would look when they got here, I was really happy with the chairs.  I got an awesome deal and the chairs seem indestructible.  Win -win if you ask me!

Now all I have to do is find a desk like M's and refinish it for L.  Lucky for me, L has awhile before he needs a desk for his school work!

You can read all about M's desk "journey" here! And you can also find me at No Minimalist Here andSavvy Southern Style.

Deep Clean

We have a big family event coming up so I have started a "deep clean" this week in order to get my house ready.  I fear poor Hubby will have to deal with me smelling like Murphy's Oil Soap for a little while longer.  Is it just me or does everyone else start one project that leads to another project that leads to another?  And before you know it your home looks even worse for the wear, even thought you have been cleaning for eight hours straight!?!  God, I hope it is not just me!!!

One of the many projects that I started yesterday was moving all of my MIL's mother's linens from the sideboard to my Great Aunt Peggy's hope chest.  (I was hoping that this would make more room for my serving dishes.)  When I opened the hope chest I could not help but notice the "aroma sign".  I had never seen that before since when my mother used this chest it was filled to the top.  The hope chest is at least 60 years old and smells of wonderful cedar but I am still not sure what aroma tightness is!

While carefully moving Granny's linens I found an envelop that had three tags in it and I am not sure why.  Two of tags were for table lines from Ireland and one was for a damask set from Japan.  I would love to know why Granny saved these tags.  Were they wedding gifts?  Maybe gifts from Pop-Pop?  Or were they special for some other reason?  And I would really love to know which linens belong to these tags.  Since they meant so much to Granny I would like to make sure that they are well preserved - meaning not used by my children.

Or maybe it best that I don't know!  I would like to think that Granny is happy every time one of her great grandchildren gets chocolate all over her well loved napkins. (Hubby's note- She would have been especially happy if it was from a Tootsie-Roll, a personal favorite of her's. Miss you Granny and Pop-Pop!)

You can also find me at From My Front Porch and No Minimalist Here