Tart sweet

You might not think Key lime pie is retro, but it is! Refrigeration didn't reach the Florida Keys until 1930. So long-lasting, thick and creamy sweetened condensed milk was a key ingredient in this pie. It's still what's used to achieve that creamy texture and balance out the tart twang of lime. Yes, you must use Key Lime juice, so don't worry about squeezing limes. Save that for when you have to strangle pounds of citrus to make lemonade like I do.  I'm not lucky enough to have a neighbor or friend with a Key lime tree.

 

I get my Nellie & Joe's Famous Key West Lime Juice at Publix in the juice aisle. It lasts for a while in the fridge. A good thing since the recipe only calls for 3/4 cup. Luckily, I made two back to back for different guests. My husband was thankful:) When we went to the Keys during a summer trip, I made a point to try the Sunshine-state sweet every place we went. If the pie wasn't on the menu, I didn't want to eat there! (I even had Key lime chocolate truffles, and a frozen slice dipped in chocolate.) I know....I went overboard. 

My go-to recipe is a Martha Stewart version from her Every Day foods magazine/ Web site. I am the first to admit that her recipes can be convoluted and difficult. This is the most simple and no fail recipe ever! I promise!  Click the link below to be taken to Martha's recipe:)

Martha Stewart's Key Lime Pie Tart Recipe

The pie's golden hue also comes from 4 luscious egg yolks. No one said this was fat free!

Pulse graham crackers, melted butter and sugar until you get graham "sand." Press into a pretty tart pan or pie plate and bake for 10 minutes. Try to contain yourself as the smell wafts through your house!

Not my prettiest one, but this was my first attempt. I have since made 2 more....and they just get better! Bake until only slightly jiggly in the middle.

Framing fabric with a vintage twist

When I was a little gal, I dabbled in cross stitching. It was the kind where the x was printed on the fabric for you...so nothing too hard. I used to love to pick out a pattern and put a piece of fabric between an embroidery hoop. I stretched and tightened the cloth until it was tight as a drum. The fabric wasn't about to budge. I used the same concept for decorating my daughter's nursery. With leftover fabric from a fabulous quilt my mother made, I chose little details I wanted to frame. 

The littlest frame was $.49! And I think the biggest was under $2! Where else can you find frames that cheap? You can find embroidery hoops at any craft store in the sewing section! 

They would be perfect for framing a logo on a favorite T-shirt from college. Just cut the fabric slightly larger than the hoop, place in between the hoops and tighten. Then snip the excess so it won't show. The final product is so light, I hung mine with push pins!

Southern inspired skillet corn!

It may look like my family eats corn every day... But when it's available and fresh, I like to use it. I love shucking the ears right in the store to make sure I'm not bringing home a rotten product. And It keeps corn silk out of your kitchen. It gets everywhere! Speaking of getting everywhere... Trying to cut corn off the cob can be a messy process. But thanks to the Food Network, I've learned a few tricks. I like to get a large bowl and find another smaller bowl that will fit snugly inside, but upside down. If it's not a perfect fit, I put a damp paper towel under the small bowl to prevent my bowl from sliding.

First, cut off the end of the cob for a steady surface. Place vertically and prop your fingers at the very top. Mind your fingers and run your knife down the cob. With this bowl method, the kernels won't pop all over the place. I've also used a bunt pan thanks to Paula Deen. It has the perfect spot to hold the corn upright, but I have found I've scarred my pan with too many taps from my knife. And it's a pain to clean in my opinion.

Skillet Corn from Southern Living

This recipe is so savory with the bacon and basil befriending heavy cream and sweet corn.

Just a tip: I make sure to get out every ingredient, utensil and pan I need prior to even preheating the oven when I cook. It makes me feel less scattered.

Ingredients: 

• 6 bacon slices
• 1/2 Vidalia onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 3 cups fresh corn kernels (about 6 ears)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Kitchen items:

• Large bowl and small bowl for corn
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Chopping knife
• Cutting board
• Two pans: I used a heavy cast-iron skillet and a saute pan.

Get started!

• 1. Cut corn kernels off the cob or drain and rinse corn if using canned variety. 
• 2. Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon, and set aside.
• 3. Sauté onion and garlic in hot drippings 5 minutes or until tender. ( I did this over medium heat.) Stir in corn; cook 5  minutes or until golden. Remove from heat.
• 4. Cook flour in a large clean skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or until golden. DO NOT LEAVE UNATTENDED:) Gradually whisk in half-and-half until smooth. Add corn mixture, salt, and pepper; cook 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in butter and basil. Sprinkle each serving with bacon, and garnish, if desired.

Browning the flour-be vigilant!

I served the skillet corn with seasoned, lean pork chops which I quickly broiled. This summer dinner was a snap to put together. 

You can't even see my pork chop under the mountain of corn!

Maureen O' Hara-TCM's Star of the Month!

I am beyond thrilled Maureen O'Hara is Turner Classic Movie's Star of the Month! That means every Tuesday in July, I will be treated to a classic movie with one of my very favorite movie stars. Over the years, I have watched O'Hara as a film-noir femme fatale in "The Fallen Sparrow," a pirate's lady in "The Black Swan," a shy yet scrappy Irish lass in "The Quiet Man" and a wild-west woman in "McClintock!" She never plays the fainting and swooning type. Instead, she swordfights, sprints, dances, argues and charms her way through a picture. She is stunning even in black and white, but her red locks and emereld eyes are so striking in full color. It's not just that she's a familiar face to me now. I truly enjoy her acting. To me, she makes any movie better. Her co-stars aren't too shabby either with the likes of John Wayne, Dean Martin and Henry Fonda. I have yet to see all her movies, and that's why I'm so glad TCM will feature 26 of her movies . Here's a link to the movie line-up and TCM's bio....

http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/1008293%7C0/Maureen-O-Hara-Tuesdays-in-July.html

From the Hunchback of Notre Dame, 1939

I fell in love with O'Hara's acting in the "Parent Trap." I was a little girl when I first watched the movie with my parents in our upstairs loft. I truly think I have most of the lines and moment memorized. The plot is quirky, fun and so fantastic that you almost believe it could happen. But what I remember most was Maureen O'Hara's performance and screen presence. If you haven't seen the movie in a while, O'Hara's character is portrayed as uptight and clenchingly proper in her Boston home. A single mother, she dresses conservatively and never has a hair out of place. Lots of high necklines, dress suits and multi-strand pearls. As the movie progresses and she realizes she wants to re-kindle her romance with her ex-husband, her clothing and persona are more relaxed. Some of my favorite scenes are shot in the a sprawling California ranch home of her ex-husband. At this point in the movie, O'Hara isn't holding her tongue and is playing the fiesty, hot-tempered, quick-witted character she does so well. I still snort with laughter during the scene when she socks her husband in the eye.

 Shot in 1961, the movie's wardrobe for O'Hara would make the Mad Men costume department drool. Below is a photo of my particular favorite dress. Slightly off the shoulder and structured in the waist, the dress also featured a full, swing skirt to the calf. It's hard to see but she is wearing a gorgeous blue brooch of what looks like enamel forget-me-nots. Hmmm.... I don't think the flower choice was an accident now that  I think about the movie's themes... Here is the best photo I could find.

I know I could find many people who have seen more of her movies than I, but I think most would agree the "The Quiet Man" is a must-see. My husband introduced me to the movie as his pick for our wedding-anniversary movie treat. It was such a romantic choice. Set in Ireland, the film transports the viewer to the rolling hills and white-washed stone cottages of the Emerald Isle. A young John Wayne cuts a handsome character as a former American boxer. He comes to Ireland to forget a few things and find his family home. When he, and we, first see O'Hara, she's tending sheep in a field plucked from an Irish proverb. Director John Ford, or the wardrobe department,  knew what they were doing by putting O'Hara in a sky-blue jacket and scarlet-red skirt. How is this gorgeous woman tending sheep in the middle of the country? That's what John Wayne is thinking, too. (The Quiet Man won two Oscars, one for best Cinematography in Color and one for best direcor.) There are a few scenes that are a bit too much for me,  like when Wayne drags O'Hara back to the house kicking and screaming. I get the the time period they are portraying and the movie's 1952 production date. I just look at my husband and give him the, "That would NEVER happen in this house," look.

Tidbit: There is a Quiet Man festival in the town of Cong in Ireland where much of the movie was filmed. There is also a bronze statue near the town abbey of the movie characters:)

The real-life Bo-Peep.

A courtin' they will go. 

Watching movies from decades gone by is a past-time my husband and I share, so he was SHOCKED when I told him I had never seen "Miracle on 34th Street." I calmly explained it was not in my family's Christmas movie repertoire. When I sat down to watch it a few Christmases ago, I think I squealed, "Oh my God Maureen O'Hara is in this I love Maureen O'Hara!?!?!?"  And that's when my husband grinned. He knew I would love it and I do. I always think it's interesting to portray a working, and single, mother in a movie from 1947.

A young Natalie Wood and O'Hara.

Maureen O'Hara is still alive at 94 today. Her career has been storied and successful and I'm so glad she graced the screen for such a long time. Next movie on the docket? "Dance, Girl, Dance" with Lucille Ball!!

A touch of glass

I think I spent 30 minutes sifting through all these beauties at Renninger's Antique, Flea and Farmer's Market in Mt. Dora, Florida. 

I like to think about all the jams, pickled veggies or special trinkets they used to hold. And I'm just drawn to that glinting tint of light blue. Vintage glass jars have become the perfect decor touch for this retro gal. I don't remember where I bought my first, but I've since found them in Tennessee, Kentucky and of course, Florida. I find them everywhere. In fact, I feel kind of strange when I've picked over the dusty shelves of an antique store and don't see one. I love the blue jars, but have fallen in love with clear versions as well, like the one that houses all of my husband's beer caps. I'm not picky about the brand, but Ball seems to be the easiest to find while antiquing with my family. I can pay between $6 and $12 for each...though my father in law, Bill, is always behind me telling me to look for the best deal. He's the one who showed me the numbers on the bottom of the jars. Turn over a Ball jar and you might see a number like the one shown here.

 It's the mold number from when the jars were manufactured, according to a posting from a collection expert in Minnesota. She says the numbers were used so workers could determine which mold was making faulty jars. I like to think of it more like "collect the whole set" or collect your favorite number. I love the number 11. We moved into our home on November 11, 2011 (11/11/11), so I see it as a good luck charm. Unlike the jars with 13 on the bottom. Also according to my father-in-law, jars with the unlucky number were often destroyed so finding one is rare. You should see his jar collection....enviable!

If you'd like to read more from the post I mentioned earlier....click on the link below:)

http://www.minnetrista.net/blog/2013/06/27/ball-family-history/how-to-date-a-ball-jar/

 When I started thinking about it, I have quite the little collection going here at home. But I had to hunt for them because I really do use these vessels! One for soap thanks to a modern soap dispenser Mom found on the Internet, one for corralling pencils and pens.

One for the greeting card I really, really like and will probably never throw away. And a few for my picture frames. It's not a frame of course, but a safe place for special photos.

 In my kitchen I have a bullet-style Mason jar housing a photo of my father. He's on the streets of Brooklyn, his arms slung around some school chums. Sporting slicked-back hair-dos and high-waisted pants, my Dad and his friends showcase a light-hearted moment in a tough neighborhood and time. (He's the one on the far right.) It's like I've captured time in a jar. Old Polaroids would be great in a smaller jar....hmmm. Must.find.Polaroids.

A fun glass jar decorating tip! When I am expecting guests, I find my favorite photo of them and place it in my prettiest jar. It's a personal touch to let them know I am thinking of them even before they arrive. To my friends Amanda and Jeff, you haven't spent the night yet...but if you do, this jar is waiting for you!

So how old is your jar? Date your jar with this incredibly handy chart, also from the Minnesota-based Web-site I mentioned. Most of mine were made between 1923 and 1933! Check it out!

I'd love for you to post pictures of your jars and how you use them!!