Repurposed Buffet

Because we have our booth @Myrtle Jane's, we are always on the look-out for big furniture w/ potential.  This particular buffet was a great bargain ($10.00) w/ a lot of potential! But it needed a lot of work too.  It had water damage on the sides and back.  The inside shelves were warped and falling apart.  The front looked fairly good considering what the rest of it looked like.  AND it was missing 10 knobs/handles.  David took the back off and replaced it and the interior shelves. I think I stared @ this piece of furniture for about 3 weeks. I couldn't bring myself to paint it. Finally,  I realized that I had to paint it b/c it has too much damage to sell "as is".  Next to decide on a color.  I thought white but once it was painted I didn't love it. Then I decided to paint it a light turquoise color, didn't love it either.  I distressed it and let the wood and white show back through the turquoise and then we were getting closer to what I wanted.  But it still needed a brown glaze to make it right. 

I had ordered pulls from Amazon and paid .78 each so that made me happy! I had to drill new holes for the new pulls and plates to cover the existing hole were ordered as well. They cost around $1.15 each.  So now the hardware costs more than the Buffet, but that's okay.

So here is how we found it....

 

 

This photo is of the side after the bubbled veneer was peeled off. The other side looks pretty much the same. Now you see why we had to paint.  This piece was very heavy.  By the end, I LOVED it and actually tried to find a place to fit it into my home.  But no more room and nothing that I am willing to part with right now to make room.   So below is the finished piece placed in the booth.  It stayed for about an hour and sold! It's gone and now I have another big hole in my booth.  But that's a good problem to have and we'll fill it soon w/ something else that has a story.  I often wondered how this piece got sooo much water damage.  I kept thinking about Katrina and all the water damaged furniture that came out, where did all of it go? The Landfill?? Oh I hope some of it got new lives like this one did.  I spent months thinking over this piece. I think David was thinking that I had decided to keep it and was waiting for me to tell him where we were going to make it fit.   It's a great piece of furniture and I hope the person who purchased it will know how special it is. 

http://www.myrtlejanes.com/
https://www.facebook.com/myrtlejanesantiques?rf=157141284320276

Food- Beer Cheese Soup!

   Many years ago I had a date and we went to the 101st Airborne restaurant in Nashville. It was a neat restaurant out by the Airport.  I was curious to know if it still existed and sadly, it does not.  According to what I read online, it closed in 2006.  Anyway,  I don't remember who the date was but I definitely remember the Beer Cheese Soup!!  Unlike my date, I have thought about that Soup for over 25 years.  I have searched for a recipe that would come close .  I think I have finally found it.  

    My "date" now is my husband, David (unforgettable. larger than life and a real Airborne Soldier).  He has been out of town since Sunday morning and came back today (Wednesday).  The first words out of his mouth were "What's for dinner?".  I should expect this, we've been married for 18 years.  Parker and I tease him that everything revolves around FOOD in David's world.  His Facebook posts are 90% about where he's eating :)  He likes his meals and appreciates the effort that goes into a good meal.     If I wanted to change to mood in my house I would say, "whatever you can find!". Talk about a game changer!  I also know that if I add Key Lime Pie, it makes everything better. Smoke & mirrors.

So back to dinner.....My brain says "Beer Cheese Soup" and my mouth repeats it.  I'm hoping my brain is also taking inventory of what's in the fridge and pantry.   I take a physical inventory and realize that I need more cheese and we'll have Beer Cheese Soup! I grab cheese @ the store when I pick Cooper up from school.   I stop and think about the fact that I have to get Cooper to church (Oliver is sick) @ 5:30, pick Parker up from Football practice @ 6;15 get him to Youth and pick them back up @ 7:00.  I  wonder if I'll have time to pull it all together.  I better start asap is my next thought.  That's one of the great things about this recipe is that it is quick!!

  Note: if you are worried about the word BEER, the alcohol evaporates out of the soup :)

    I found this recipe last year on www.allrecipes.com and it is delicious.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon margarine                                   
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped onion                                   
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic                            
2 cups half & half
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce                    
2 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 (12 ounce) can or bottle light beer*

* www.backfortybeer.com  - as local as it gets!

Directions:
1. Melt the butter or margarine in a 4 1/2 quart soup pot over medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic 
    and Worcestershire sauce and stir well.  Add the beer and raise the heat to high and boil for 3
    minutes to evaporate the alcohol.  Add the chicken broth and bring the soup back to a boil.  Lower 
    the heat to medium-low and simmer.

2. Combine the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water and stir until smooth. Set aside.

3. Add the half & half and shredded cheese to the soup.  Stir constantly until the cheese melts.  Then
    stir in the cornstarch mixture.  Stir constantly until the soup is thick, about 2 minutes.  Serve
    garnished w/ shredded cheese.  Optional: top w/ fresh bacon bits.

We made cornbread in our cast iron corn stick pan. The boys
eat the corn shaped cornbread better than pie shaped :)

My favorite beer. Honesty, the soup is better w/ a cheaper beer than it was with this one but it was what was in our fridge.
 
 

Food- Blueberry Banana Bread

  School mornings, no matter how much preparation I do the night before ,are hectic.  I make lunches, lay clothes out, pack backpacks, get the little boys in the tub and sometimes set up the coffee maker at night.  This leaves breakfast and everyone getting themselves dressed for the morning. 

  I firmly believe that Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  I try so hard to get breakfast into all the boys before leaving for school.  It's not too much of a problem to get the younger two boys to eat but getting a teenager to stop and eat a good breakfast is such a hassle.  And cold cereal gets old every morning.  So I've tried to come up w/ other things that the boys will eat for breakfast that is as easy as cereal.  Muffins fit in perfectly.  I have been freezing batches and thawing the amount we need for the next morning.  This is a great recipe.  I have been making these for years and they are always delicious.

This recipe is for bread but easily transfers over to muffins w/o any adjustments. 

 My kitchen taste tester! Hopefully he'll be this agreeable in the morning

 

Blueberry Banana Bread

 

2 lg bananas

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup buttermilk ( I have used regular milk too)

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup regular uncooked oats (or 3 packets of instant oats)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup fresh blueberries ( I have used frozen)

variations: I have used 1/2 wheat flour and 1/2 regular flour

Mash bananas in a large bowl. Add sugar and next 4 ingredients.  Let stand 5 minutes, until oats soften.  Combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda.  Add to banana mixture alternately with oil, stirring just to incorporate.  Fold in blueberries.  Pour into a greased loaf pan or lined muffin cups.
Bake at 350  for 50 to 55 minutes. 
If you want to freeze, allow to cool completely before placing into a freezer container.  Remover muffins as needed and warm in the microwave before enjoying.    You can also add milled flax seed to the dry ingredients. 
 

I hope your family will enjoy the muffins as much as we do!

 

                                                                      We're also trying waffles and  pancakes for easy breakfast

                                                               Pray that this makes my mornings "friendlier".

 

This recipe adapted from Food For Thought, The Junior League of Birmingham, Alabama