HAM HOUSE & GARDEN - England

After our visit to Petersham Nurseries, we walked down the path to tour the nearby Ham House and Garden. 

                                       This glossy black signpost makes my heart skip a beat.

The most interesting stiles and gates are found along the English countryside footpaths.  This is a stile to climb up and over to continue on your merry way.

                                                 We passed a few riders along the way.

           
                                                       Welcome to Ham House and Garden

      A strange art exhibit was underway which I ignored, focusing on the house and gardens instead.         But no pics taken inside of this 17th-century home.

                                                                 I want this door.

                                  And I want these gates to be the entrance to my backyard.

Ended our tour with a little cafe in the garden treat.  Due to some forward thinking, we had arranged for our taxi driver (the nicest guy) to pick us up at Ham House and return us to the train station.  Clever.

GRANOLA COOKIES

                      Not a chocolate chip in sight and these cookies were still delish.  Enjoy!

Adapted from Pioneer Woman Cooks

Preheat oven at 375 degrees

3 sticks of butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick cook oats
3 cups granola - mine came from the bins at Sprouts (love those bins)
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 cup dried cherries, chopped
1 1/2 cups apricots, chopped

Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, mix well. Next add flour, baking soda, and salt. Add in oatmeal and granola. Fold in pecans, cherries, and apricots.

Use small to medium sized cookie scoop and drop onto cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 12 minutes. Makes 5 dozen yummy cookies.

PETERSHAM NURSERIES - London

Last July, after arriving in London we stashed our bags, and immediately caught a train to Richmond to visit Petersham Nurseries.  What a treat!

There was a bit of a buzz about this place last summer.  Wall Street Journal wrote an article and a few favorite bloggers posted about Petersham so it went on our list.  I always add a few new places to visit whilst in London along with visiting old favorites.

This greeted us at the entrance--it almost feels as if there is an entrance fee but don't worry, there isn't.

                                          First stop: straight back to the Teahouse to grab lunch.

                            Brilliant to place dessert at the beginning of this groaning board.

                            Chicken, salad, bread with a gorgeous slab of butter, and lemon cake for me.

                                                     Onward to the garden shop.

 
                                                   Aren't those terra cotta pots just perfect?

          This summer I am going to tuck those brilliant green sweet potato plants around the garden.

         
                                                            An abundance of Dahlias.

                             Surprisingly comfortable, although a few pillows wouldn't hurt.

                                                           Love galvanized anything.

                            If I lived in anywhere near this place I would be absolutely broke.

                                                           Those chairs, those bowls....

                                               Hope this visit adds a bright spot to your day.

KATHLEEN'S CRAB CAKES with Remoulade

I love crab cakes, don't you?  And these are super easy to make.  Serve atop a bed of greens or on a toasted english muffin--just perfect.  Don't know why you couldn't substitute canned salmon for the crab.  It's on my list to try so I will let you know.  This recipe came from my friend, Kathleen.  Not sure  the origination but knowing Kathleen, I'm sure she tweaked it a bit.

Ingredients

·         Crab cakes:

·         2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

·         1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

·         1 1/2 tablespoons canola-based mayonnaise 

·         1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind

·         1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

·         1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

·         1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

·         1 large egg 

·         1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

·         1 pound lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed – Costco sells a pound of lump crab meat for a great price and it doesn’t have any shell pieces to remove

·         1 tablespoon olive oil

Preparation

1.     1. To prepare crab cakes, combine first 8 ingredients. Add panko and crab, tossing gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. 

2.     2. Fill a 1/3-cup dry measuring cup with crab mixture. Invert onto work surface; gently pat into a 3/4-inch-thick patty. Repeat procedure with remaining crab mixture, forming 8 cakes.

3.     3. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 crab cakes to pan; cook 4 minutes or until bottoms are golden. Carefully turn cakes; cook 4 minutes or until bottoms are golden and crab cakes are thoroughly heated. Remove cakes from pan; keep warm. Wipe pan dry with paper towels. Heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in pan. Repeat procedure with remaining 4 crab cakes.

    Remoulade:

·         1/4 cup canola-based mayonnaise

·         1 tablespoon chopped shallots

·         1 1/2 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped

·         2 teaspoons Creole mustard

·         1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

·         1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

·         1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

To prepare rémoulade, combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Serve with crab cakes.

OR, do what I did and combine a bit of these two ready-made goodies to taste.  Excellent.  

ROUSHAM HOUSE & GARDEN

I adore the grounds of Rousham.  I think it is my favorite English garden.  It's been ages since I've posted anything--shoulder surgery, old job ended, new job started.  So on this beautiful Sunday afternoon, I thought it was time to post something and selfishly, I wanted to take a little walk through Rousham on a cloudy day, because I'm here in Arizona on a sunny 82 degrees day.

The Rousham garden is the work of William Kent.  One of the things famous about Rousham is a letter written by a gardener by the name of Clary who worked with Kent and later wrote to the newest Rousham owner.  The letter is a written guided tour describing the beautiful grounds to the absent owner, in hopes that he would appreciate the beauty and be tempted to visit.

                                          Gorgeously restored bench - six in all

Our tour of Rousham was led by my Oxford tutor, Richard Bisgrove.  He read bits and pieces from Clary's letter as we roamed the grounds and now I am realizing I need to get a copy of that letter.

                                                                   Rousham House

                                                                    The Gladiator

                                                               This urn is perfection

                                                         The Praeneste Terrace

                                         Look at those wall colors! And isn't that bench glorious?

                                                                  A tempting path
                                   

                                              A pretty garden rill winding through the grounds                                                                

                                                Arches and gates make my heart leap

                                                Arches and urns also make my heart leap

                                                       Another refreshing water feature

                                                            A peek at the big house

               Killer combo of mottled walls, cascading roses, purple and white lupine, chartreuse leaves.                        

                                                   Yellow roses climbing up the dovecote

                                           (Never peek or breathe inside an active dovecote)

                                                           Spectacular orange flowers
                           
                                               This little tour was just what I needed today

MINESTRONE with SPINACH

My friend, Jennifer, directed me to Aesthetic Nest a while ago, and although I don't knit, sew, or crochet, I can appreciate the talent of this lovely blogger.  Yesterday morning, I popped over to see what Aesthetic Nest was doing and found this soup recipe.  It has been cold here in the low desert, and I had most of the ingredients including spinach fresh from the garden.  With a slight tweak, I've adapted the recipe to suit what I had in my pantry.  I am so glad that I doubled the recipe--it is delicious!

Minestrone with Spinach - adapted from Aesthetic Nest

• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 T olive oil
• 5 cups (40 oz) chicken stock
• 1 lb diced tomatoes with their juice
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 large carrot sliced about ¼” thick
• 4-5 large handfuls of spinach leaves 
• 1 14.5 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 T Herbs de Provence
• 1/2 T sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 c. macaroni or shells (I used wheat shells)
• 2T balsamic
• Salt and pepper
• 2 T coarsely chopped fresh parsley
• Grated parmesan

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, carrot, zucchini, herbs, sugar and bay leaf.

Cover partially and simmer until the carrots are tender, at least 20 minutes. Add the pasta and cook, uncovered, until al dente, 8-10 minutes more. Add the spinach and stir it until it is wilted.

Add the beans and simmer until they are warmed through. Add the balsamic vinegar. Season to taste with freshly ground salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh parsley and parmesan.

Seven Layer Bars - Again (Improved, if possible)

I've posted about similar bars before but I made them again this time tweaking a different recipe--the classic recipe from Eagle Brand (makers of the delicious sweetened condensed milk).

I made slight changes including doubling the portion of the crust--oh, my.

Ingredients

2 sticks of butter, melted (this is twice the amount in the original recipe)
3 cups of graham cracker crumbs (also twice the amount in the original recipe)
1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
1 cup (6 oz) butterscotch chips
1 cup (6 oz) chocolate chips (I used the 60% cacao chips)
1 1/3 cups shredded coconut (I used unsweetened, flaked coconut)
1 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans)

Directions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9 x 13 baking dish by lining it with foil (leave a bit hanging over the ends) and spraying the foil lightly with non-stick spray (I use Baker's Joy).

Combine the melted butter with the graham cracker crumbs, mixing well.  Press the crumb mixture firmly into bottom of prepared pan.  Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over the crumb mixture.  Layer evenly the remaining ingredients; press down firmly with a fork.

Bake 25-30 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack.  After bars are cooled, lift the foil edges and remove bars from pan. Cut into individual bars.