Antiquing and Thrifting Along the Way

You all have heard the phrase, "I brake for yard sales"?

Well, I brake for antique stores.  A close second is thrift stores.

Although, I can't say my heart beats quite as fast.

As Mom and I headed up Highway 395, we anxiously 

searched for any and all antique and thrift stores.

I want to share this antique store.  Once again, I

zero in on the garden section and start clicking my camera.

Just a random mix of plants with some
fun stuff mixed in.

I love this turquoise chair.  Look at the flowers stuck in a pail!

This just looks happy to me. 
Look at the flower made
out of dishes! A sunflower perhaps?

I ended up bringing home six milkshake iced tea glasses,
some older special interest cooking magazines (50 cents each!)
and an entertaining book authored by the former butler
to Princess Diana and the royal household.
Mom scored with a depression glass dessert cup (the
Madrid pattern she thinks), mini bottles for her bottle
tree and Corelle dishes in the Blueberry Bouquet pattern.

We were very happy travelers, I'd say!

Thanks for visiting!

Fondly,
~ Karen

Moseying Up Highway 395

Mom and I took a four-day vacay up Highway 395

which put us east of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

Home of Mt. Whitney, California's highest mountain peak

with an elevation at it's summit of 14,505 feet (4,421 m).

We found ourselves visiting quaint towns.

One boasting a courthouse from 1880

(move over trees!)

and one having an upside down house!

You thought I was kidding, didn't you?

This town was home to Schat's Bakkery.  

Home of the original Sheepherder's Bread. Yum!

A lucky stop included this coffeehouse.  How adorable is that name?

As I ordered my Iced Latte and my mom a warm Latte.

I looked out the back window...

To my absolute delight was this amazing garden!

I couldn't grab my camera out of my bag fast enough!

If you look closely, along with sunflowers (they re-seed themselves!), 

hollyhocks, and cone flowers, you will see a peach tree, squash (!!), 

and a row of carrots behind the nasturtiums.  

It was truly a joy to see such beauty!

A beauty that stayed in my head all the way back to So Cal

along with memories of a special vacation spent with Mom.  

Thanks for visiting! 

This week I will be joining:

Fondly,

~ Karen

What's for Dinner? Chicken, Ham, and Asiago Cheese Roulades

Dinner tonight is 

Chicken, Ham, and Asiago Cheese Roulades

It takes about 20 minutes of your time with an additional
10 minutes in the oven - just enough time to throw together 
a salad, set the table, and pour the wine!

Begin by rolling up chicken cutlets with slices of cooked
ham and Asiago cheese slices.  Swiss cheese works well too, but
I had Asiago cheese in the frig leftover from a Soppressata salami and Asiago
cheese appetizer.  You will want to secure each Roulade with a toothpick.
(These can be prepared but not cooked up to a day in advance. 
Keep covered in the frig.)

Then brown all sides.  As I turn the roulades, I move the toothpicks 
around but am sure to keep the chicken secured.
They then go into the oven for 8 to 10 minutes to finish cooking. 

I made a side salad of Boston lettuce, dill and added these
heirloom tomatoes from my whiskey barrel tomato garden.

This is the heirloom tomato called Green Zebra.

This heirloom tomato is called Pineapple.

For a salad dressing, I just used whichever one I had in the
frig.  Tonight it was Trader Joe's Champagne Pear Vinaigrette.

Recipe:

Chicken, Ham, and Asiago Roulades

Source:  Adapted from a recipe in Real Simple: dinner tonight, done!

Serves 4

8 small chicken cutlets

Kosher salt and black pepper

8 thin slices cooked ham

8 thin slices Asiago cheese

4 tablespoons olive oil

whole-grain mustard, to serve along side

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Roll up each cutlet with 1 slice of the ham and 1 slice of the Asiago cheese.  Skewer the roulades closed with toothpicks.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the roulades and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes.  Transfer the skillet to oven and roast the roulades until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

Serve roulades with the whole-grain mustard.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and thank you for visiting!

I will be linking to

Fondly,

~ Karen

Crudité Centerpiece with an Herb Dip

Here we go!  An offering of crudité and centerpiece all-in-one!  
How about that?

For this warm evening, I kept the table light-colored and served Barefoot Contessa's

Herb Dip with vegetable crudités and chilled flavored water.

I just love, love, love this Sangria basket from World Market.  It actually

comes with the glass carafe and six glasses.  Someday, I just may actually serve 

Sangria in it!  I used it previously HERE as a floral centerpiece.

This time, in its glasses I served orange and yellow peppers 
(full of antioxidants and vitamin C!), my picked okra (Yes! I made it!), 

green olives stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes,

and crunchy Italian breadsticks.  All delicious dipped in the Herb Dip.

The chilled water is flavored with cucumber slices, lemon, 

and rosemary.  Very refreshing.

Each guest enjoyed their own arrangement of 
Nasturtiums and rosemary.

I captured the Nasturtiums from this potted plant before they
could fade away as the end of Summer approaches. (sigh....)

Barefoot Contessa's Herb Dip is a cinch to make and a
great addition to anyone's repertoire of recipes.

 You mix cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, scallions, fresh parsley, 
fresh dill, salt and pepper together...

until you have this creamy and delicious herb dip that you
and your guests will love! 

Herb Dip

Source:  Barefoot Contessa, 2004

Ingredients:

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

4 scallions, white and green parts, minced

2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, minced

1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

Place the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, scallions, parsley, dill, salt, and pepper in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and blend.  Serve at room temperature.

This week I will be joining the following linky parties:

Style Sister's Centerpiece Wednesday

Kathleen Cuisine's Let's Dish Wednesday

Between Naps On The Porch's Tabletop Thursday

Rattlebridge Farm's Foodie Friday

The Tablescaper's Seasonal Sundays

I hope all of you are enjoying your Summer.
Thank you for visiting!

Fondly,
~ Karen

50 years! Forever Marilyn!

Off Interstate 10, take Highway 111, and turn left at Marilyn... MARILYN?

The directions are for going to Palm Springs and Marilyn is referring

to this giant 26-foot Forever Marilyn statue of her with her white dress 

billowing and undies showing (Yes! Cute white lace-trimmed undies!), 

by artist Seward Johnson, now resting in Palm Springs until 

June, 2013.  You can find her on the corner of Palm Canyon Drive 

and Tahquitz Canyon. Prior to Palm Springs, Forever Marilyn 

was displayed on Chicago's Michigan Avenue. 

Forever Marilyn commemorates her untimely and most 

unfortunate death 50 years ago TODAY!  

Although there is a lot of speculation surrounding her death,

Marilyn remains iconic, legendary, and FOREVER!

"I used to say to myself", "What the devil have you got to

be proud about, Marilyn Monroe?" And I'd answer,

"Everything, everything."

                                                                                            Marilyn Monroe