Smoked Salmon Spread

Here's an easy and delicious dip that is Wonderful Hubby's and Precious Daughter's favorite! 

 

 

When Wonderful Hubby worked a late shift, I started making something we could share when he came home from work on Fridays.  It helped us relax together and reconnect after a busy week.  You can read more about that here.

 

 

 

 

This recipe makes about 1 1/2 pints of dip and is so easy, you just mix it all together in an electric mixer.  It can be served with fresh vegetables or crackers.

 

 

 

 

 

Smoked Salmon Spread

from Ina Garten

 

 

• 8 ounces cream cheese, at, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
• 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish, drained
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 ounces smoked salmon, minced

 

Cream the cheese in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until just smooth. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, dill, horseradish, salt and pepper, and mix. Add the smoked salmon and mix well. Chill and serve with fresh vegetables and/or crackers. 

 

Make this spread several hours before serving to let the flavors blend. 

 

 



Source

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

Linking to:

 

Foodie Friday @ Rattlebridge Farm

 

Bunnies, Birds and Eggs

Kathleen challenged us to put a table together containing
Birds, Nests and Eggs. 

I tried to meet that challenge but couldn't help adding

a couple of bunnies to the mix. 

 

 

 

Again, I've mixed old and new dishes to put together an eclectic table full of memories for us. 

 

Don't you love those new HomeGoods' ads that encourage mixing and matching dishes of different patterns and styles?  Of course, they want you to buy their offerings but you really can set a lovely table and one that's quite unique.

 

Using this suggestion, I mixed two different styles of salad plates.  One set has bunnies I found at Kroger and the other set features embossed Easter elements.

I also mixed two different colored mugs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This table includes several panoramic sugar Easter eggs my sister-in-law made for our children years ago.  After each Easter, they are carefully stored in plastic zipper bags in a padded box.  We've been able to enjoy them for many years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

These little lambs, as well as the small white bread plates,

are from my mother-in-law. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easter is just around the corner.

 

Hope you're feeling Spring weather in your 'neck of the woods!'

 

 

 

Linking to:

 

Let's Dish

 

Tablescape Thursday

 

Seasonal Sunday





March 2014

Wow!!!  It's already the second week of April and I realize my March Review is past due!  I'm loving retirement and find most of my days full and exciting.  So, that's a good thing, right?   However, sometimes I'm not good about keeping up with my blogging schedule. 

I'm glad this is just a hobby!  :)

 

 I'll start with a few food photos.  It's a little amazing that Wonderful Hubby now reminds me to take a shot of our meal before we start to eat.  I think he likes the effort I put into our meals and I know he like the fact that I've finally learned to cook!! 

 

 

Chicken Piccata

 

 

East Hampton Clam Chowder

 

 

 

Reuben Sandwiches with potato wedges and green beans

 

 

 

Spring Bruschetta

 

 

Projects included a new look for the front porch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can't wait to spruce the rest of the porch up with flowers!

 

 

I also did a little spring decorating and tablescaping inside.

 

 

I love these green candy dishes.  My mother-in-law gifted me the large one and I found the small one last year at a local resale shop!  I was glad to find it.  They go so well together!

 

 

 

 

Another resale shop "find" I made last year was this cute little snack set.  I just love the violet pattern on the cups and dishes.

 

 

 

The set didn't include a teapot.  After almost a whole year, a friend at another resale shop found one with purple pansies.  It went well enough to put a tea setting together.

 

 

 

 

For St. Patrick's Day, I put together some green glassware with some odds and ends.  They made a pretty little table for lunch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aren't these shamrock plants so cute?!

 

 

Our Garden Club toured a local nursery.  What a wonderful experience that was!!  It was a cold and blustery day outside but absolutely Heaven inside the greenhouses! 

 

 

Sunny View Nursery is located just north of our city.  Even though we can purchase many of their plants at their local outlet, most of their plants end up at other retail stores.  They also supply most of  the plants for the St. Louis Zoo's Landscaping and other parts of Forest Park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our local Master Gardeners group hosted a Spring Into Gardening workshop.  Among other attendees was a troop of Girl Scouts.  We had several activities for them including a experiment and making their own terrarium.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This month, Favorite Son bought me one of those cool air plants from Always Spring!!  Isn't it gorgeous?!

 

 

 

 

  One morning this month, I was up early enough to capture

this glorious sunrise!

   

 

 

 

 

 

On March 31st, I celebrated the first anniversary of my blog!  It's been a fun and challenging first year but I'm proud that I had a dream and went for it!  I've learned a lot about MANY things, met some wonderful people and enjoy keeping a visual log of my retirement!  I hope you all enjoy coming by for a visit now and then!!  Leave me a message, if you have time.  I'd love to hear from you!!

 

Zenda

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunny View Nursery

Last week our garden club visited a local nursery.  It was a cold, blustery afternoon and we were all bundled up in our wool coats with hats and gloves. 

Sunny View Nursery sits on about 17 acres just north of our city and has 22 greenhouses.  It was a completely different world when we stepped into the first house!!!!   The warm and humid air was such a pleasant surprise!  And, oh that smell of fresh soil!!

If you're a gardener, this is just a glorious sight!!!

 

 

The guys at Sunny View grow a lot of their own plants from seed but many of their plants come from garden companies.  These companies send tiny plant starts that can be put in the 4 or 6-cell packs.  They have the neatest contraption to put the starts in!

 

 



(This was an action shot!)

Cool, huh?


We then took a tour of several of the greenhouses.  Most are heated with wood furnaces but some also have propane heaters.  Here is one of the 'nurseries' for the hanging pots.

Here are some that are a bit older and have been moved out of the 'nursery.'

Can you see the water lines for each pot?

SO pretty!!

Sunny View sells locally out of it's seasonal sales spot right off Hwy 47 (in front of Jiffy Lube)

but most of their plants are sold to other plant retailers and professional landscapers.  Some of their plants end up adorning  Forest Park and the St. Louis Zoo!     


Here are a few more photos I took.  Enjoy!!

Strawberries!

These two photos are of Pinstripe Petunias.

Bet you're ready for Spring now!  I know I am!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Linking to:

   Seasonal Sunday

   Oh, The PLACES I've Been