Inspirational Friday

Have a great weekend:@)

~~~It's beginning to look a lot like~~~

Tomato Season:@) For Christmas in July this year my garden gifted me with lots of beautiful red tomatoes!

Actually,

this one kinda looks like one of the guys at work...

Right down to the bad haircut😄

Anyone know why some of them grew with noses this year? 

That's new to me...

🌴🦩🎅Happy Christmas in July,

Have a Great Day:@)

Spiced Olives in Tomato Juice -Appetizer or Charcuterie Board

I've made a few different marinated olive recipes on the blog, but I have to say this is the most robustly flavored one to date... These Spiced Olives in Tomato Juice pack a big garlic punch and the crushed pepper flakes help back that up:@) The olives will drink up the flavors more as the days go by, and some comments really say to give it the full 10 days. I've even seen this recipe referred to as The Christmas Olives. So if it's holiday fare, you know it will be great as we're entertaining and throwing a couple steaks on the grill this summer. I'm even thinking about using it to top some pasta with chicken... My only suggestion, give it a good 30 minutes at room temperature before serving so the olive oil has a chance to loosen back up. Don't hesitate to give this a try folks, if you love garlic, you'll like these olives!

Perfect for charcuterie boards, cocktail parties, and along side a hearty sandwich on game day. My best suggestion: I would eat these within the 10 days, I wouldn't store them longer. And with the Christmas reference above... This will ~loosely~ be my Christmas in July post for this year. But don't wait until the holidays to make them:@)

And a tip: If you don't have tomato juice on-hand, substitute half tomato sauce, half water.

Other olive recipes: Pepperoni, Cheese & Olives in Italian Dressing - Lemon & Herb Marinated Olives - Marinated Almond Stuffed Olives - Garden Tomato & Green Olive Salsa - Marinated Mozzarella Cheese & Olives - Citrus Marinated Olives - Bloody Mary Tomato & Olive Salad

Spiced Olives in Tomato Juice-from Taste of Home

7 oz jar green olives with pimento

1/2 C tomato juice

1 Tblsp olive oil

1/2 - 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1. Drain olives, discarding liquid.
2. Mix everything else in small bowl, pour into jar of olives.
3. Cover and refrigerate 3-10 days, turning jar daily.
4. Drain before serving.

🌴🦩🎅Happy Christmas in July,

Eat well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Barbie's Christmas In July -Arriving at Cocktail Party

Barbie and Ken were invited to a ~very fancy~ Christmas In July cocktail party... Oooh la-la:@) Much like the holidays, the occasion gave folks a chance to get just a little dressed up for an (air conditioned) evening of wine tasting and appetizers. And since nobody likes to show up empty handed... Ken brought a classic summertime favorite, Jersey Shore boardwalk salt water taffy.

And Barbie took a drive to Cousin Rube's farm store for a treat to bring. Rube made sure Peace and Pancakes Farm was ready for Christmas in July fun (and hoped to sell a lot of marked down Christmas trees)... A local bakery provides pastries and candy for the sweets cart. I'm telling you folks, that elf is everywhere...

Barbie came home with...

A gingerbread lighthouse...

Perfect for summertime festivities:@)

Barbie's Cousin Rube is a self proclaimed old hippie, a passionate farmer, and master marketeer who greets every season with childlike enthusiasm. He genuinely hopes ~you~ always look for something to celebrate too:@) And um, stop in if you need a new tree...

Details: I found the $1 lighthouse ornament last year at the thrift store and immediately knew I'd use it for Christmas in July. My door scene is a cardboard foldout from Dollar Tree. There are several room scenes to choose from, they can be fun:@) The barn is from the Sweet Orchard Farm playset. Cousin Rube is a 12" Rubeus Hagrid doll from the Harry Potter series. How to make a Barbie necklace here. Big man doll overalls free pattern here.

Previous Barbie Christmas in July:

2020 -Double Sided Pillow

2021 -Stocking Cap from Sock

2022 -Disco Ball Light from $1 Ornaments

2023 -Resort Vacation-Frozen Hot Chocolate

🌴🦩🎅Happy Christmas in July!

S'Mores Popcorn

I had some leftover graham crackers and ~always~ seem to have a sweet tooth, so I whipped up some S'Mores Popcorn. Good stuff folks:@) You can make this any way you'd like, what more chocolate? Add it. Love marshmallows? Load them up! Is it a holiday, birthday, or sports event? Toss in some color coordinated sprinkles. The key to this idea is working quickly so everything has a chance to stick to the melted chocolate. Then just let the chocolate firm back up and dry, and store in an air tight container. 

Tips for S'Mores Popcorn: 

1. Melt chocolate in a disposable icing bag in the microwave.
2. Add wax paper or parchment paper to the bottom of a cookie sheet for easy clean-up.
3. Use either air popped corn, microwave popcorn, or a store bought bag of already popped.
4. Make this in layers, add some popcorn to cookie sheet, (sprinkle with salt if using air popped corn).
5. Drizzle with melted chocolate, immediately sprinkle on broken bite size graham crackers and mini marshmallows.
6. Add another layer of popcorn and repeat.
7. Let chocolate set-up and store in airtight container.

Enjoy a Snack and Have a Happy Day:@)

Free Shipping on QVC! - 7/21/24

It's Christmas in July Week and to celebrate QVC has free shipping on everything today, Sunday 7/21. So whether there's something you've wanted to order for yourself, or to get a start on holiday shopping, you might want to pop over to qvc.com and take a look. They have a new exclusive line of MacKenzie-Childs items too... I know a lot of folks are collectors:@)

Have a great Sunday and

Happy Shopping:@)

Ham & Peach Kabobs, Lemonade Cucumber Salad & French Beret for Barbie

Peaches are abundant right now and these Ham and Peach Shish-Kabobs make a fun and very tasty meal. I also like that folks don't generally think of ham for the grill. But I promise you, it's seriously a match made in heaven:@) 

How's your garden doing (or neighbor's, or farmers market), got cukes? This Fresh Lemonade Cucumber Salad was truly different, and very refreshing. Every lemon lover will approve:@)

Google tells me that the two months most traveled to France are July and August... Let's send our Barbie off for vacation in style with this Felt Beret free pattern here. I think she'd like it:@)

Have a great weekend:@)

Inspirational Friday

 

Have a great weekend:@)

Summer Tomato, Cucumber, and Pepper Pickled Salad & Best Yellow Tomato Variety

This Summer Tomato, Cucumber, and Pepper Pickled Salad is something I'll throw together for Sunday dinner when the garden is producing. There really isn't a recipe or anything very specific, and it can be more on the vinegar side, or the sweeter side, you know your crowd:@) My family leans more towards vinegar... What makes this different than my normal quick pickled salads for dinner is the addition of oregano and a drizzle of olive oil, giving it a little Italian flavoring. Isn't this gorgeous folks... Summer on a plate!

As a general rule I stay away from terms like the best or the greatest here on the blog, that's all subjective... But just look at the color of those tomatoes... I really wanted a yellow cherry tomato plant this year and honestly, spent more money on it than I normally would... But I have to say, This Bonnie Sun Sugar plant has incredibly over-produced, we've had tomatoes for over two weeks already, and it will be ripening for weeks to come (they say until frost, we will see). Ma calls the tomatoes candy, and I've been very happy with this variety:@) *This pic is from the Bonnie site.

Summer Tomato, Cucumber and Pepper Pickled Salad

Whatever amount you have of the vegetables cut bite size

Whatever amount of vinegar use about 1/4 that amount sugar to start and adjust to taste

Sliced Onion

Light drizzle of olive oil

A few hearty shakes of dried oregano

Light sprinkle of garlic powder

S&P to taste

~Mix everything, let sit on counter for a couple hours stirring occasionally.

Eat Seasonally and Have a Happy Day:@)