Tiling a Tub Surround

I have been so busy tiling. I am such an perfectionist when tiling which makes the whole process go rather slowly. I have the drywall knife that I run over each tile while setting them to make sure they are all flush and there is this little problem where the tiles are not the same size. You will find that if you tile NO tiles are shaped exactly the same. This is because they cut them then bake them and depending on where that tile is in the oven they will shrink. some more than others. You can buy tiles that are cut after they are baked and they are all the same size but I assure of this you will pay a whole lot more for them. So in the meantime until they find a better way and fix this little problem that wreakes havoc on my perfectionism I will continue to try and match each one as closely as I can.

Here is what I am accomplishing
very slowly

I just laid this out on the floor and that tile with the crack is not going on the wall. Its just there because It was ridiculously hard to take another marble piece out of the box because the supplier sprays foam all around the tiles. That piece of travertine will go on the edge around the tub.

I want to incorporate some of these somewhere in the area but they are handmade and they do not have a very high water rating so they will have to go up near the ceiling. They are crackled glass and handmade and expensive so they will definitely have to be broken down in some way so I can make they go a long way.

But this weekend I have to Paint a new door and put trim around it so this means no tiling. Looks like this project is going to take longer than I thought.

Shrimp Po Boys

This is such an easy supper. Grab a package of the shrimp poppers (these are really small pieces of shrimp) and some lettuce, tomato, and tarter sauce, mayonnaise or ranch dressing with some Cajun seasoning added in for the sauce and some white bolillios buns. If you are lucky enough to be on the coast look for some Po Boy Bread we used to buy them in Mississippi bought around these parts they are really hard to find since we moved away from the coast. This is the closest to Po Boy Bread you will find.

New Orleans Style Beignets

I have been so busy tiling a tub surround and needed a break so I made a few batches of beignets. Basically they are a like a fried biscuit with powdered sugar usually sprinkled on top. They are the creole doughnut and very simple to make. I served these with sweet frozen cherries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

dump the flour in a bowl along with the shortening and use a fork or pastry blender to mix until crumbly. This is what it will look like after you pour in the hot water sugar mixture. Its rather wet dough

 

 

get your wax paper out and lightly flour it with flour. Kneed the dough about 3-4 times and add enough flour so its not sticky and workable. roll out to about 1/4 inch thick.

 

 

cut about 2 inch squares and fry in batches of oil

 

 

 

add some powdered sugar and if desired serve with fruit. I served these with sweet frozen cherries

 

 

RECIPE

 

2 cups of self rising flour

 

3 TBSP chilled shortening

 

3/4 cup hot water

 

1 TBSP sugar

 

 

 

vegetable oil

wax paper

powdered sugar

 

Place flour in a large bowl. Cut shortening into flour with a pastry blender or flour until crumbly. Combine hot water and sugar in a small bowl stirring until sugar dissolves. Let cool to a room temperature to flour mixture, stirring with a fork just until dry ingredients are moistened. (dough will be sticky). Pour oil to depth of 3 inches in a Dutch oven  heat 375. Turn dough out onto a well floured surface, and knead lightly 3 or 4 times. Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness, cut into 2-inch squares, and let it rest for about 10 minutes Fry beignets, in batches, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and dust with powdered sugar. serve hot.
*You can also add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla if you  like to the hot sugar water

 

 

Now back to tiling its 1/2 finished and I am trying to create something beautiful without the cost.

and it has been rather difficult. The rain just keeps on coming and coming.

 



In the Color Scheme of Things

I have learned a lot about color while remodeling houses.

An incandescent bulb, which is a common household light oure, adds warmth to a room. The simple off-white will appear more golden when it is illuminated by only an incandescent bulb.
A stronger yellow room , bright In daylight will look somewhat softer in the evening when the light bulbs soak up the intensity of the yellow. Deep-red will appear to be brick red: blue will look slightly green ; and cool gray will seem to be warmer taupe.

what colors go together ? Today I am choosing what goes with Carrera marble

 

1. Carrera marble- Traditional and elegant is the best way to describe this marble. The natural stone has veins of soft grays and, sometimes, creamy tans

 

2. Pool Water Blue- his color adds a casual feel to natural palettes and high-end design.

 

3. Chocolate Brown- This is a rich brown that adds warmth and enhances the sense of luxury to a room.

 

 

Rasberry-glazed Chicken Breasts

I have been making this recipe for wow lets see time... flies

gosh 20 years

The reason it has never reached the bottom of the huge pile of recipes I have printed off over this years is

its so easy

and so yummy

and its one of those lower calorie recipes

                                                             

RECIPE

 

6 skinless boneless chicken breasts

 

2/3 cup raspberry jam

 

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

 

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

 

1/2 teaspoon pepper

 

 

 

Mix up raspberry jam, red wine vinegar, cilantro and pepper together. put in a saucepan and set aside

 

Heat coals or gas grill

 

Take out enough raspberry sauce to brush the chicken a few times while it is still cooking

 

Grill the chicken and about 15 minutes before the chicken is done brush with some marinade on both sides

 

Heat remaining raspberry sauce and boil for about 3 minutes stirring and remove from stove.

 

Place the chicken over angel hair noodles or brown rice

 

drizzle the cooked  sauce over the chicken

 

 

*If you brush this on at the beginning it will burn

 

* I usually serve this over noodles but this would be really good if you serve this over brown rice

 

*I have also used dried cilantro just cut back on it since it is stronger than the fresh because it has dried.
*I have also cooked the chicken breasts in the oven ,glazed them the last 15 minutes of cooking time  heated the sauce up and drizzled it over the chicken and pasta or brown rice

Favorite Piece of Furniture

 I remember seeing her in the shop for way more than I wanted to pay . I really wanted to grab her and put her in the car throw a blanket over her, hide the receipt, but when Left Brain opened the back to put the groceries in their I knew she would be discovered. and I really wasn't up for what might happen next so I left her at the store. She was the perfect little provincial color and her finish was unique. I can paint furniture but I can never get the paint to go on and to sand off like the finishes I see at the furniture stores. I try and I tried but it never seems to sand off like this. just like this. yes I am a perfectionist I really try hard not to be but if it doesn't look just like what I was trying to achieve it gets painted over to be tried and tried again.
 A store was running one of those sales where they post pictures of markdowns on Facebook and this picture came up and it was "her" and she was 50 percent off. My heart started beating and I rushed to find my phone and I just knew someone had called before me and their name was already on it. Nope it was all mine. Hopefully someday I can match this finish I think she needs a sister sitting in the room. a twin . I always wanted a twin and that finish well..... we will see if I can pull it off.

 

 



    

Corn and Tomato Salad

This is my favorite corn and tomato salad recipe. I used my fresh tomatoes from the garden that my dad planted. Did I tell you he had over 800 tomato plants that he grew over the summer in a gazillion varieties and gave them all away . on one condition . You have to return the pot they grew in.

 

 

 

 Chop 1 cup of red onion

 

 

 

 chop about 1 cup green pepper

 

 

 

 Mix together 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/3 apple cider vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

  mix it all up and set it aside

 

 mix in the onion and green pepper

 

 

add the sauce you made and stir this up 

 

 

 

slice up your tomatoes and add them in last and give it a stir

 

 serve. this is my favorite. yum

 

 

Recipe

 

 

1/2 cup sour cream

 

1/2 cup mayonnaise

 

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

 

1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

 

1 teaspoon pepper

 

1 teaspoon sugar

 

1 1/2 teaspoon finely ground kosher salt

 

1/2 chopped fresh parsley

 

3 medium sized tomatoes cut in small quarters

 

3 (12 ounce) packages of frozen super sweet corn

 

1 cup red onion chopped

 

1 cup green bell pepper chopped

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the corn in a 9x13 pan and roast it for about 15 minutes and do not add water . stir it up every 5 minutes. let cool.our gonna roast it until its hot. Next,  add the chopped onion and bell pepper.  mix sour cream , mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar dried oregano , pepper , sugar, salt, and chopped fresh parsley in a bowl and add to the corn . gently stir in the tomatoes last. Refrigerate leftovers.

 

*Lower fat recipe

substitute with low- fat sour cream and greek yogurt.