Tonight's Supper

 Tonight's country supper, Well honestly I did not want to cook I really wanted the hubby to take me to Martie's but he is recuperating after working outside all week in the 90 and above weather so I went to   our all time go to quick supper.
 I buy great breaded chicken tenders at Hulce's market in Greentown. I order them by the case because we have this almost every week( they are much cheaper this way). They are fully cooked white chicken breast so I bake them in the oven. Make a green salad. I was happy to find one little red tomato in my garden. We have plenty of green ones ( I planted them very late), hard boiled egg, cheddar cheese on Steve's.
  On our cruise they served a wonderful Cucumber Mint salad dressing that is very refreshing. I made my own by placing non fat plain yogurt, a bit of cottage cheese, 1/2 peeled chopped cucumber and some fresh mint leaves in the blender. It is yummy.

  15 years ago Pat and I went to Denver and had lunch in a little restaurant that served bread in flower pots ( cute). I had ordered fresh fruit salad and on the cantaloupe and other fruits was just a hint of fresh cilantro!
  It was so delicious it is something I love to do and it always takes me back. :') You could add a squeeze of lemon or lime on your fruit too.
 We are blessed to have fresh sweet corn right out of the yard. Kind of glad we stayed home..

Oh yeah I forgot I also put left over green beans on the table from last night....

Painting, painting, chalk painting..

  At 60 I am learning, learning to blog and learning to paint furniture. Thanks to all you girls who are light years ahead of me and have inspired me.

 Here's a before photo of my first project

It is an old desk of my husbands. I have been admiring the turquoise tables and before I knew about chalk paint I bought a sample jar of this turquoise color at Menards. It is Pittsburg paint, but I will have to find the exact name of the color. Sorry.

 I have to admit It did not adhere to the top as well I as I wanted, ( I forgot I wasn't really using chalk paint) But I am happy w the way it came out. I used Johnson and Johnson paste wax and then added dark furniture stain ( Old English) it toned the color down just a tad. Like I said I am happy w it but from now on it will be CHALK PAINT!

This is my next piece a 'blanket chest" I picked up for a song ( $30.00) at a dear friends auction.`It is a bad photo but it is handmade out of scrap wood, very rough!  I didn't have the paint I wanted and I feel very smart that at this stage in the game I made my own chalk paint w just what I had on hand. 

  I had some creamed colored latex paint, I added a dab of yes that turquoise abuve, I mixed a few tbsps. of plaster of paris w warm water and then added it to my ( around 2-3 cups) of above paint. It came out perfect!!

I gave this baby two coats ( no sanding or prepping last week. I was painting in a dark barn so today when I took it out in daylight I felt it needed another coat. The Inside was dirty and smelly and I want to store blankets in this for my ' Grands' so I sanded the inside and then cleaned w bleach and water and let dry in the noonday sun ( 92 degrees!).

I found this cedar spray at Menard's and sprayed the fresh sanded wood.. I am hoping it will all be good! Voila I am happy w it!

              My hubby loves fresh green beans Sooo much he never minds snapping them for me.
Green beans, sausage and potatoes is not rocket scientist if you come from the country but it is one of the things I had to learn coming from the city.

   Easy? Yes. Delicious? Yes!  #1. Have yur hubby snap a big batch of fresh green beans. I brown a little bit of bacon and add some chopped onion and brown. Add the green beans and cover and heat. Keep a close eye and steam but you will need to add some water so you don't burn them. You are going to simmer them for several hours. ( You could do all of this in a crock pot). After simmering most of the day. ( It's a country thing I like my veggies crisp but hubby wants them like momma makes 'em).

                                            green beans all cooked down

                                          add sausage (I used low fat turkey sausage) and red pototoes

                                       All Done!

                       Now to pick the corn..

                                               and shuck it...

                                      One of the things I will miss most about summer , Melon!

                                      Hey, Phoenix, No it wasn't really 103 but 92was hot enough.

                                           Summer supper ...

Creamy carrot soup..

   Trying to get back on track w my diet. (had lost 5 lbs since we got back from Alaska). Back to veggies.
   I scrub my carrots, don't peel them, that's where all the 'vities' are and there's fiber in that peel!
  Scrub, remove ends, cut in pieces. Cover w chicken stock, and a tad of H2O to cover. Cook w small amount of onion, and parsley preferably fresh. I prefer flat leaf much tastier than curly.
  It is WELL worth picking up some fresh herbs along w shallots, onions (red and sweet), and garlic. Spicing up simple things will taste better and keep us on track,( hopefully).  A bit of salt and pepper and I added a tiny bit of fennel but now I'm thinking a bit of mint would have been lovely.
  I will simmer until carrots are tender, then remove from heat and blend w a blend stick ***
( invaluable) and add a bit of low fat milk to make creamy. Yum, low fat , scrumptious, lunch!

        ***  MAKE SURE BEFORE YOU BLEND YOU COOL, HAVE IN A DEEP BOWL (  so doesn't splatter) or puree in blender.

                                               put a little mint on the watermelon

                                            Steve's lunch above , mine below