Monday, September 28, 2009

My Weekend in a Nutshell




This picture makes you think I just sat in a pretty chair all weekend doesn't it? Au contrare! I wanted to show you these chairs. They used to be dark green, all faded and ready for the trash. Inspired by Jennifer at Farmgirl Follies, I had a can, and I had a plan. Krylon makes spray paint for plastic. This is the Classic Burgundy color. I think it makes a nice pop in the yard. I found those pillows down in my basement stash of 'things I'll do something with someday'.

I'm planning on sewing new covers for them out of this fabric, that was found in the same stash. I think the red stripe will compliment the chairs nicely.


Remember my window dilemma? Well...I've opted to have them open for the better part of the day, closed at night (if I remember to do it!). It's a southern exposure, so I do get the light. Too bad I don't know how to take a decent picture, you could see how pretty the stained glass windows look.


I used old vintage hooks as curtain tie backs. They are a little 'tight' for my liking, so I'll have to be on the lookout for bigger ones. I absolutely love old hardware. I can hear some of your gasps now....'she drilled holes in the woodwork!'. Yep, I did.



This ...this right here is what almost killed me this weekend. I single-handedly put in these clothes poles. I still have to paint them the color they will be. My house colors are cream, tan and olive green. What color should I paint them? I thought of painting them something crazy like electric blue...

I never in my life had so much trouble digging two holes. I got about 4 inches down on one and almost gave up. I filled it with water, and just worked and worked on it. I almost cried...isn't that ridiculous? It was SO HARD! Then I got mad.....and for anyone that really knows me...if you get me MAD, I could possibly do anything, even if it's not humanly possible. I was determined if I had to use a teaspoon I would get this done. The cement work was actually fun to me. I moved in about a half ton of soil in that area yesterday too, in order to even out some spots. I'm hoping I can get a little grass to grow before it's too late this year.

I have great dreams of morning glories climbing up those clothes poles, and me in my apron, flapping in the breeze, hanging clothes in the sunlight. Sigh.



Yesterday, I made this incredible Cheddar Corn Chowder. It's from Ina Garten. I have a bit of a girl crush on that lady. Every recipe I've tried of hers, I love. I got all of her cookbooks from the library, and I'm pouring over them.


I used fresh corn from the farmstand. I don't know what it is, but the last few batches of corn I've bought have been the sweetest I've ever tasted. Oh...and you are right...that is bacon on the top. Be still my heart.

This pic just cracked me up. The steam from the soup fogged up the lens. It reminds me of a dream. Sadly enough, this is the stuff I would dream about.....bacon and potatoes.


Here's the recipe for the soup. If you still have sweet corn available where you live, please give it a go. I'm thinking some frozen corn would be good as well.

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces bacon, chopped
  • 1/4 cup good olive oil
  • 6 cups chopped yellow onions (4 large onions)
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 12 cups chicken stock
  • 6 cups medium-diced white boiling potatoes, unpeeled (2 pounds)
  • 10 cups corn kernels, fresh (10 ears) or frozen (3 pounds)
  • 2 cups half-and-half
  • 8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, cook the bacon and olive oil until the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and butter to the fat, and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent.

Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and turmeric and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and potatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. If using fresh corn, cut the kernels off the cob and blanch them for 3 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain. (If using frozen corn you can skip this step.) Add the corn to the soup, then add the half-and-half and cheddar. Cook for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve hot with a garnish of bacon.


And here is a chicken picture.....just cause.


22 comments:

  1. Great job on those chairs, the color is really pretty. The recipe sounds soooo good, but sadly my youngest doesn't like corn. Who doesn't like corn? But it keeps me from making something that looks so delicious...

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  2. Love this post Jayme! That Chowder looks delish! Try turning your camera flash off when taking pictures! :)

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  3. Hi Anke! Hi Carol! Thanks so much.....who doesn't like corn?? Oh dear.

    Carol, I never ever do use my flash. It's a southern window, and the light was just intense coming through!

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  4. just finished making your recipe for stuffed pepper soup, I can smell it on the stove...I will def be trying the corn chowder everyone in this household loves that non-vegetable CORN. Autumn is here, the days are growing cold and windy.......ahhh soup.

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  5. Hey Donna! So nice to see you in these parts. You WON'T be disappointed with the corn chowder. So good, your tongue will beat a hole in the roof of your mouth!

    Today is a bit TOO windy.

    :-)

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  6. I have to have a pic of the foggy soup and I'll pay for it, I want it to be blown up and go in my new kitchen. What a great pic. I love this post, I don't remember reading about stuffed pepper soup though, I'll have to go back through. The black chicken is so pretty and those clothes poles will be so cute, I love where u put them. Your the best and I can't wait to see u. Ra

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  7. Ra and Ta...you are so funny. Wanting that pic! I bet it would look cool in the kitchen!

    See you Thursday!

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  8. Hey Jayme, those clothes poles look great, they seem to fit right in place. Your vintage home, your vintage camper etc.
    The chowder looks so good, I have to get me some ingredients and then I am going to make me some.
    The chairs look great, sure wish I knew about that spray paint for plastic before I got rid of my 4 chairs, just that style. Hey did you guys happen to pick them up from my garbage pile ?

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  9. Thanks for the tip on the chairs. We have dark green ones too, and I'd love to paint them a rusty red to go better with the house. As for the clothesline poles, I vote for the blue. I know that in most of the world, the Morning Glory plants are quite lovely. However in Western Washington, morning glories are not looked upon that favorably. We have the awful variety that will choke out everything in its path. As for the chowder. I have that recipe and have made that soup. It's positively divine! Now I'm hungry.

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  10. Hey Ladybug! I shant ever take those poles for granted. Wow. A lot of work. Now we didn't take your chairs, but now I'm on the lookout for more in the trash! Spray paint covers a multitude of sins.

    Sharon! Thanks for stopping by. Isn't that soup AWESOME! It makes so much too. I just put the leftovers in the freezer. Blue for the poles huh? It would be fun and unexpected! My morning glories are rather weeds now here, they are everywhere I don't want them to be, but they are pretty. I didn't figure they could do too much damage out there by the poles.........

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  11. Jayme,
    That Corn Chowder looks delish! HMMM I did some spray painting too this weekend. I am still working on it, but I'll share photos when it is done!
    Blessings,
    Lorilee

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  12. I think you should paint those posts an orange cream color. But that is just me.

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  13. Hey there. Looks like a fabulous weekend. Love the clothesline- very country chic. I love mine- but thank goodness it was here when I arrived- that's a lot of work! So excited to see your chairs. I have dirty beige ones and I've been thinking of painting them. So, it was pretty easy to paint the plastic? I see the special paint at the store all the time.

    Chowder looks delish!

    Have a great evening- night, night!
    Kim

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  14. Thank you for posting the chicken picture....I miss 'em when you don't post 'em!
    Hugs, Leslie

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  15. Love the chairs! Hey, what could be better, really, than dreaming about bacon and potatoes?
    Recipe sounds yummy, and we've been having soup weather next door here in Ohio. So I'm going to try this this week.
    Yummy!

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  16. Hi Lorilee! Always nice to see a comment from you!

    Anonymous...I really really love the idea of the creamy orange poles!!

    Leslie~! I've missed you around here. :-)

    Jennifer...you are right....gotta love bacon and potato dreams. It's soup weather here in Indiana too. Tomorrow is Potato Soup.

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  17. Hi Jayme! I'm going to make the soup and I was wondering do you have to use kosher salt? Thanks for the recipe.

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  18. Hi Cynthia! No, I don't believe you HAVE to use Kosher salt, just use what you have. Do let me know how you like it ok??

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  19. Hi Jayme! The corn chowder looks absolutely fabulous! I think I will make it this weekend even though my 15 year old son won't eat corn either. Also your blog looks great. Just an old friend dropping by to say hi! Donna K
    P.S. Rob says hi too!

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  20. Donna and Rob! WOW! What a blast from the past. I often think of you two. So glad that you stopped by. Would love to hear how you are all doing....click on contact me and drop me an email if you'd like.

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  21. And, yet again you have made me laugh.

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  22. Thanks for visiting our booth at Kane and also our blog. On the homefront, I have clothesline poles just like yours....

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