Gingerbread on a Pink Plate

While we were away last weekend, we indulged a bit. Jack and I rarely have a dessert but this was just too good to turn down. This recipe is from my friend's mother. They are both wonderful bakers who excel in traditional New England favorites. The recipe was originally from a Rebekah cookbook.

These community cookbooks are full of wonderful recipes. The directions are not always precise but a little experimenting can soon figure the recipe out!

Mother's Gingerbread

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon each of cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger
1/2 cup oil
1 cup molasses
1 cup very hot water
Beat all together with mixer. Spray 9 x13 pan with baking spray.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until done.

 The lace doily which looks like an heirloom was made on an embroidery machine. Just amazing what these machines can do.

This little plate was made by Carr China from Grafton, W. Virginia. The pattern is Dayton with a Greek Key border. Carr China made restaurant and diner china for years and it is now very collectible. You can read about the company here.

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for another Pink Saturday. I hope you will stop by and say hi!

Happy Pink Saturday!

A weekend away.....

 We spent the weekend with friends in South Portland. I now have "material" for several postings! So I should be right back! We had our "beach" cocktail party last weekend and I served this Baked Brie but it disappeared before I could get a picture. So I made it again for our friends this weekend.

 Baked Brie

3/4 cup apricot jam or preserves(not jelly)
1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup brown sugar

8-inch wheel of Brie, about 2 pounds
3/4 cup slivered almonds

Whisk the jam, honey and brown sugar together and set aside.

Cut off the top portion of the rind. Using a spoon, scoop out the center of the brie round to within 3/4 of an inch of the sides and bottom. Try to do this in one piece. Save this cheese. Spread half the jam mixture over the bottom. Replace the scooped-out cheese, and top with the remaining jam mixture. Sprinkle the almonds over the top. Cover loosely with foil and bake in a preheated 350° oven just until melted, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of baking. Serve with crackers, apple slices or a baguette.

New words to live by......

 

 Someone once said, "There comes a time in your life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh. Forget the bad and focus on the good. Love the people who treat you right and pray for the ones who don't. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living." Being alive is a gift, being happy is by choice.....

As we come to the end of the summer and get ready to head back to Florida, us "beach people" have a gathering at Jack's house in town.

Last summer was the year of the hip for me. This summer others had health issues which were quite serious. We look forward a healthy season next year. We celebrated with some food and drink.

The words were posted on Facebook.

Have a wonderful week!

Pink Saturday

I will repost a Pink Saturday from the past this week. I have fallen so far behind this month. This is most likely because I am trying to do too much. Combine that with the lack of consistent internet at the cabin and you will understand.

I think my favorite color is sort of a peachy, salmony pink - or at least it was today when I saw the whiskey barrels planted with these lantanas in North Conway. We ran errands today and while Jack went to get the car, I raced to snap pictures of the flowers.

They are just the softest color. I love the yellow with them.

We came back and put away groceries and I took my little stroll around my little garden - very little stroll as garden is very little...

This pansy was peeking around a  geranium.

The geraniums are the same lovely color.

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for another Pink Saturday. Please stop by and see all the other participants.

Happy Pink Saturday!

In with the old and out with the new....

 I know that seems backwards but we are loving older items that have been cherished and made in America. I admit to my compulsive behavior regarding dishes so when I saw these at Deb's, I was a goner. I thought they would be perfect for Jack's house. He said no but this is a picture of unpacking dishes at his house.

The dishes below have been packed up and will go to a good home.

My mother had a set of dishes called Brown Drip and these remind me of them but the inside is a lovely teal/aqua/turquoisy color.

So I had to set the table. And take pictures.

The name of the pattern is Country Fare. It was manufactured in the 1950's by Louisville Pottery. Some is stoneware and some is pottery. Redwing Pottery made some of the pieces as well.

Now I have to cook something!

Flora McFlimsey

On a trip last year to our favorite antique shop (Deb's Flowerbed Farm), I came upon 2 little round pictures that reminded me of one of my favorite childhood books. We hung them in the hall and really didn't give them much thought. This summer, however, I took a closer look and, although they are not signed and only prints, they reminded me of Flora McFlimsey. I thought that they might even be some of Flora's friends from other books. Their names were written in the same script used by Mariana throughout her books.

(I had trouble getting good pictures because of the glass.)

Mariana (Marian Foster Curtiss) created Flora McFlimsey.  Life Magazine wrote an article about her and you can read it here. The doll was named after Flora McFlimsey of Madison Square who had nothing to wear! The poem can be read here. This poem was written by William Allen Butler and made fun of society ladies and their need to always have a new outfit.

Flora a had a trunk full of clothes and she lived in an attic with some old broken toys. It had not always been like that. Once upon a time she had been the favorite doll of the "girl with the red top shoes". Now it was Christmas Eve and something wonderful was going to happen. Flora wanted to see the Christmas tree. 

Her arms and legs came to life and she made her way downstairs to the most beautiful tree she had ever seen. Noise in the chimney announced Santa's arrival and Flora hid behind a chair. Santa was missing a doll for one of the girls so you can guess what happened next. The other dolls made fun of Flora and her old clothes but then the "wonderful" happened. Her trunk appeared. Her original blue velvet dress, hat, ermine muff and little gold locket soon replaced the dusty clothes from the attic. The angel from the top of the tree helped her dress and did her hair. A little lace handkerchief and a small bottle of cologne were tucked in the muff and there was pair of white kidskin gloves on her little hands.

Then all the clothes in the trunk were hung on the tree one by one. And then it was Christmas morn and Flora was in the arms of a little girl who loved her - no longer forgotten in the attic.

I found a copy of this book through one of Amazon's sellers. The little girl in me still thinks about a doll with a trunk full of doll clothes in perfect condition. Do you remember Flora?

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for another Pink Saturday! Please be sure to stop in and see all the other wonderful pinks.

Butterflies in the garden.....

I had two photography goals this summer. I wanted to take pictures of hummingbirds and butterflies. The hummingbirds have totally avoided my lens but yesterday the butterflies danced all over Deb's garden. We went to my favorite antique shop and there they were and I even had my camera. And the flowers were pink and perfect for Pink Saturday with Bev at How Sweet the Sound.

I have written before about Deb's Flowerbed Farm in Bridgton. Not only does she have wonderful "stuff", she has beautiful gardens around her lovely home. And she has butterflies. And she has dishes ....but more about the dishes next week!

We have more rain coming this weekend. Hopefully no more hurricane weather. I hope everyone has a safe holiday weekend!

Happy Pink Saturday!