Trash Collector

I have been wanting to get rid of my square kitchen table for a while and replace it with a round one, preferably one with a pedestal base. Like this one...

To my delight I received a call from my mother one day and she told me the following, "I was driving down the street and saw a great table sitting out by the trash. It's in great shape, it's just ugly so I grabbed it for you if you want it." Now my mother is a PRO at trash day shopping. I have a living room chair, a vacuum cleaner, two front porch rocking chairs, a planter and now a kitchen table from the trash heaps she has scavenged.

When I finally got home to see the table it was perfect...and it was UGLY (see picture).

Here is a close-up of the leaves...

I might live in the Magnolia State, but I do not want them on my kitchen table.

Always the seeker for affordable and easy solutions I grabbed dad's electric sander and a few bottles of ivory spray paint and went to work. It took a good while to get the maroon and gold-trimmed magnolias off the table (yes, there were metallic gold "accents" all over it), but it worked and was definitely worth it!

Caramel Dreams

So, I forgot to add the topping for the ice cream mentioned in the previous post!

I had been challenged by my supper club to bring something caramel for dessert. Not being a huge caramel fan and never having cooked it myself I decided to use it as a topping for the ice cream. So I bought the ingredients, found a recipe and headed to the kitchen.

Not to brag, but I am a good cook. I don't recall ever messing up a recipe. This one, however, was not so easily conquered. It took me not one, not two, but THREE tries. I actually switched to another recipe for #3. My first two attempts resulted in the following...

-a great thing to have on hand for fending off wild animals or if you are planning a weapons manufacturing business. The sugar re-crystallized (because the recipe told me to swirl the pot - a big NO NO) and when I poured it out it hardened into this lump of rock.

This is a picture of what is supposed to happen:

And here is the recipe for the desired results - Thank you Food Network!

Caramel Sauce

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream

Combine the sugar and water in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pot around, until the mixture is a deep caramel color and looks like syrup, about 8 minutes. Carefully pour in the cream (it will bubble up) and continue to cook for another minute. Cool to room temperature.

Just Peachy!

"Life is better than death, I believe, if only because it is less boring and because it has fresh peaches in it." - Thomas Walker

I live in a peach-colored house.
I live on Peachtree Street.
My front yard has two small peachtrees in it.
And, thankfully, they have lots of peaches on them!

Here is a pic of one of the trees before the fruit was ripe.

Not much to look at, right? WRONG! This tree is now covered with peaches and they are soooooo good. (Sadly I forgot to take a picture of the trees before I left town.)

If you are in the mood for a peachy summer recipe, try the one below. I made it with peaches from the yard and it turned out great!

Peach Ice Cream

1 can sweetened condensed milk
6 eggs
1 qt 1/2 and 1/2
1 tsp flour
1 qt. peaches
Whole milk
Dash of salt
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 can evaporated milk

Combine sc. Milk, sugar, flour over medium heat. Add small amount of whole milk. Add beaten eggs and cook, stirring constantly till it starts to thicken. DO NOT boil! Remove and cool. Add other ingredients to make 1 ½ gal. Pour in freezer and add whole milk to gallon line.