Making Room for Another ~ Ham and Lentil Soup

In an earlier post, I admitted that I am a sentimental fool.  I tend to hold on to things for the memories they evoke.  Decluttering, organizing and staying organized require great effort on my part.  But now, I have a reason to turn over a new leaf.  Monsieur and I have decided to combine households.  This is a huge step for the both of us as it is something that we have never done before.  I thought that I would feel stressed about making room for another but, as Monsieur said, there is a sense of liberation in purging and decluttering.  And as the kitchen is the heart of the home, it seemed natural to start my organizing efforts there.  As luck would have it, I picked up a couple of vintage Le Parfait mason jars recently.

It has always been a dream of mine to have a pantry with shelves laden with jars of all sorts of foodstuffs.  The kitchen is small with not a lot of cupboard space but it does my heart good to open a cupboard door and see rows of jars filled with staples like lentils and rice.  And it is so much more organized than having open, half used plastic bags stuffed on top of each other, or worse falling out and spilling their contents all over.

I am going to keep my eye out for more of these jars.  I adore the vintage script and the fact that they are French.  Admittedly, I giggle whenever I read the words on the side, "Le Parfait Super (!!!)" Exclamation marks are my own as by no means am I perfect or super in the kitchen. 

Upon decanting all the lentils into one of the jars, I decided to try out the recipe on the back of the packet.  The result, lentil soup, came out surprisingly tasty as, up until now, lentil soup has never been a favourite of mine.

A few slices of crusty ciabatta bread made for a simple, nutritious meal.

Here is the recipe off the back of the packet.  I tweaked it a little as I didn't have any ham on hand.

Ham and Lentil Soup

1 tbsp (15ml) canola oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 ribs celery, diced

1 cup (250ml) diced ham (I used 5 strips of bacon)

1 cup (250ml) rinsed green lentils

6 cups (1.5l) chicken stock

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped (I eliminated the red pepper as I am allergic to it)

2 medium tomatoes, chopped 

chopped parsley for garnish

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat and saute onion, garlic, celery and ham for 5 minutes (I poured off some of the bacon drippings, reserving some of it for sauteing the vegetables).  Add green lentils, chicken stock, bell pepper and tomatoes.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until green lentils are tender.  Makes 8 servings.  I did add ground pepper, a pinch of salt and dried oregano for added flavour.  So here I would add to the original recipe, season to taste.

It was so heartwarmingly satisfying to shop for a meal from a much more organized kitchen cupboard or pantry.  If you have any suggestions to help maintain an orderly kitchen and pantry, please let me know!  There will be many more life changes coming soon and we can't wait to discover and learn new ways of living and being. 

I'm linking up to A Stroll Thru Life, Southern Hospitality, Knick of Time, Ivy and Elephants, Thrifty Groove, My Romantic Home, The Charm of Home, Her Library Adventures.

My First Haeger

I used to love thrifting.  Notice that I employed the past tense.  Thrifting meant retail therapy without the guilt.  But now thrifting seems an endeavour that is not for the faint of heart.  Let me back track a little.  Recently, I decided to indulge in a little "retail therapy" when I saw something on a shelf that made me gasp.  Do you ever see something and time just seems to stop?  I don't really remember walking over (or running to the shelf), just lifting it up and turning it over to check the bottom.  What was it?  It was this.

A Haeger console planter/vase!  Now Haeger pottery may be a commonplace find South of the border but up here in the Great White North, they are a rare find out in the wild.  I'd been keeping an eye out for Haeger pottery but had begun to think that they were an urban legend until now.

 

I think I had 5 seconds of dazed happiness staring at the backstamp when, all of a sudden, a screeching voice bellowed in my ear, "That's mine!  I saw it first!"  My daze of euphoria quickly turned into a daze of stupefaction.  All I could think to say was, "Ummmm....no???"  I'm guessing she saw the look of happy shock on my face, realized I'd scored a great find and decided to try her luck at bullying me into handing it over.  Unfortunately for her, my hands felt like they were now superglued to the planter.  And as you can see, it is now in my home.  Its entry into my life not only nipped off my growing thrifting obsession but precipitated an overhaul of the entry console table.  This is what it used to look like.

I had begun to realize that the various figurines on the bottom shelf had a tendency to draw the eye downwards.  The front entry doesn't have any windows so there is no source of natural light.  So the figurines blended into the shadows.  The bowl was used to hold keys but ended up holding clutter.  The box was used to hold mail but just encouraged more clutter accumulation.  Now the table looks like this.

Much better I think, don't you?  I really like the clean simple lines. 

But now I'm wondering if it's too simple and sparse.  Do you think I should add something to the bottom shelf like a flower arrangement?  Or a pair of lamps flanking the planter?  Any suggestions would be welcome!  Of course, if I decided to add more things, that would mean venturing back out into the now scary world of thrifting.  And I don't think I've recovered just yet...

I'm linking up to Southern Hospitality, A Stroll Thru Life,  Knick of Time, Thrifty Groove, My Romantic Home, Coastal Charm, The Charm of Home, Type A Decorating, Her Library Adventures.

Teddy Bear Love or How My Good Intentions Were Overcome

My last post, "Spring Fever" mentioned that I was on a mission to declutter and become more organized.  With great embarrassment, I have to admit that I fell off the proverbial wagon this weekend.  Let me explain.  I went to a church rummage sale which will give you a hint of how my good intentions began to unravel.  Now I have very fond memories of church rummage sales.  There was a time growing up when money was tight and my mother started shopping at church rummage sales.  I still remember the delight I felt at being able to buy a toy or trinket for only 25 cents.  Fast forward many years and here I was going to a church rummage sale again.  Due to a few wrong turns, I ended up at the sale a little late.  There wasn't much of interest left and on a whim, before leaving, I stopped at the toy table.  My hands seemed to reach out of their own volition and picked up a golden, honey coloured teddy bear.  And then I was lost.

I could tell right away that he was a "quality" bear.  He was made of real wool with jointed arms and legs.  I think he's stuffed with straw or wool as he feels surprisingly firm and is quite weighty.

He hadn't been played with very much as he was really clean with hardly any wear.  Usually I avoid looking at used toys as I can't help thinking of the years of childish spit and vomit that might have accumulated on them.  But, even though the ad for the church sale said that it was on until 2pm, at 12.30 the charity vans were already outside waiting to take away the leftovers and the volunteers were packing up.  I couldn't bear (yes, pun intended) the thought of Honey Bear going off to landfill.

Even worse was the thought that he had been loved and very carefully looked after for many a long year and now was about to be dumped unceremoniously into a garbage bag and thrown into the back of a truck.  So I asked, "How much?"  And I can report that inflation hasn't any meaning on hallowed ground because, even after so many years, the price was still 25 cents!  So you see, I didn't have any choice.

I think he makes a very good model, don't you?  With the recent demise of Kodak, I thought Honey Bear looked especially poignant with a few old Kodak film canisters, another relic of a bygone era.

 Besides, there isn't any doubt that, despite his age, Honey Bear is still extremely photogenic.  I think he's found his forever home with me.

I'm linking up with Apron Thrift Girl, Her Library Adventures, Southern Hospitality, Coastal Charm, Knick of Time, Thrifty Groove, A Stroll Thru Life.

Spring Fever

Do you find that as Spring begins to unfurl, that an irresistible urge to sweep, clean and organize likewise begins to unfurl within you?  I do and, lately, I have been on a mission.  Now, one thing that has long bothered me was the state of my kitchen drawers.  Cooking, a task that requires a great deal of fortitude on my part, meant a mad scramble for a spoon or a spatula.  Now, it came to me that I would very much like a vintage crock to hold my kitchen utensils.  But I have never seen one whilst out thrifting and the ones in Williams-Sonoma just looked too shiny, too bright, too...new.  Then what do I see in a junk shop?  A vintage crock!  And not just any crock but one that actually says, "Kitchen Utensils" on it!

Then, shortly thereafter, in a completely different thrift shop, in a faraway town, what do I come across but a matching tiny little crock for pork drippings.  The little crock has a more recent birthday than it's larger sibling but I don't mind.  I had heard of grease jars but had never come across a crock for pork drippings until now.   Of course, to get the pork drippings or bacon grease there has to be some cooking with said pork or bacon.  Not only was a kitchen utensil crock on my wish list but a cast iron fry pan.  And what do I spot on a shelf?  A cast iron fry pan all nicely seasoned.

I admit that this cast iron fry pan has been a revelation to me.  It has amazing heat retention and its non-stick qualities means I can avoid the dangerous siren call of Teflon.  Here it is with a pork roast surrounded by parsnips courtesy of Monsieur's culinary prowess.  It was all prepared in the one pan.

I admit that whenever I use this fry pan I want to sing "Home On The Range."  Life slows down, quiets down until all I hear is the soothing sizzle of food cooking and the beating of my heart.

I am linking up with Her Library Adventures, Apron Thrift Girl, Knick of Time, A Stroll Thru Life, Coastal Charm, My Romantic Home,  Thrifty Groove,.



Birthday Flowers & Milk Glass Vases

There is something so wonderfully Springtimey about tulips, don't you think?  Perhaps because the bulbs slumber in the cold ground through the winter and then burst forth as the earth begins to warm and awaken from its long sleep.  As yesterday was my birthday, Monsieur presented me with not one but two bunches of tulips. One bouquet was purple as, lately, I have been leaning towards that shade and the other one had orange petals rimmed in yellow as he cannot resist those colours especially when twinned together in a flower.  I do adore being presented with bouquets of flowers.  When I was asked what I wanted for my birthday, I found to my surprise that I couldn't think of a single thing.  All I could think was, "I want to be happy."  Does that sound childishly naive or boringly grownup?  But who can resist opening the door to a smiling face and bouquets of Spring tulips?

For some reason, the orange and the purple worked well together.  And as luck would have it, I had recently thrifted another vintage milk glass vase, this time a fluted one.  I had found my very first milk glass vase a little while ago (the one with the orange tulips) and fallen in love with it.  You can read about my adventure in acquiring it here. 

A milk glass vase is very forgiving as its opacity blocks from view ugly stems and one's laziness in trimming the aforesaid stems or diligently changing the water.  And it's always nice to have a pair.

And these vases are the perfect size and shape for tulips.  No fiddling or arranging or messing with flower frogs.  I am very grateful for tulips' easy beauty as they make me seem arty and clever without really being that at all.

Milk glass bud vases turn up with fair regularity in the thrifts but I was looking for one in a size that would complement the one I already had.  Plus the one vase was beginning to look a little lonely in its solitary glacial splendour.  You can imagine how thrilled I was to come across another one that fit the bill perfectly.

And of course, a birthday isn't a birthday without cake.

 

Tulips in pretty vintage vases and a decadent cake.  What more could a girl want?

I'm liking up with Apron Thrift Girl, A Stroll Thru Life, Knick of Time, My Romantic Home, French Country Cottage, Thrifty Groove. 

Simply Pretty Vintage Tea Towels & Creamware Mixing Bowls

I think I am on my way to a new collection or possibly a new addiction.  Let me explain.  I am the chief dish washer-upper and dish wiper in my household.  Monsieur bought me a pack of black and white tea towels for drying said dishes.  But I found that they left swathes of black lint all over the dishes which necessitated much more wiping to no avail.  It also meant that I had to rinse the dishes again which obviously made them wet again instead of what I wanted them to be which was dry.  As well, the idea began to germinate in my mind that I would like some really pretty tea towels to make the task of washing up and drying dishes more pleasant.  Sadly, nothing in the shops caught my fancy.  They all looked so banal, so prosaic, so....uninspiring much like the act of wiping dishes.  Thus began the search for vintage tea towels.  Then, while I was out thrifting, what do I see on the racks?  Lovely, pretty in pink vintage tea towels.  And not just one but a matching pair!

Not only were they ever so pretty but they were in unused, pristine condition which is a wonder to me as I very much doubted the likelihood of finding nice tea towels that weren't covered in stains.

I do so adore the look of them hanging casually over a chair or over a rack in the kitchen or just spilling out of a dresser drawer. 

Along with the idea of having pretty tea towels to inspire me while washing and drying, I had begun to think that I would very much like to have a vintage whiteware or creamware mixing bowl.  This new obsession began when I saw the modern reproductions at Williams Sonoma.  Sadly the price tag was quite out of reach for this girl.  Then, what do I see on a shelf while out thrifting?  A glorious creamware mixing bowl!  Truly, I think I stopped breathing for a split second.

 

There is something so very soothing and comforting about this bowl.  It's as if it's saying to me, "Yes, I have done my job for many a year and now I'm going to help you make delicious meals."  I am positive that with the help of this mixing bowl, my floating islands will float, my breads will rise, my cakes will not be leaden in the middle.

  
And after I am done cooking something delicious with my mixing bowl I will gladly and, oh so carefully, wash it and dry it.  The only problem is that my new tea towels are so pretty that I do not want to use them.  I just want to admire them. 

I'm linking up to  French Country Cottage, My Romantic Home, Thrifty Groove, Apron Thrift Girl, Knick of Time, A Stroll Thru Life.

Vintage Tablecloth Love

As ever I'm a bit late to the game but I have only recently fallen under the spell of vintage tablecloths.  I have an old hand-me-down table that seats four but, rather cunningly, has a hidden leaf that folds up and out so that the table can, quite magically, seat six.  This being an odd size makes table cloth buying a puzzle as most tablecloths that I find are far too large.  And not being inclined towards a great deal of frilliness and frou-frou, none of the colours and patterns ever really enticed me.  Then, while out thrifting, I saw this tablecloth peeking out at me from the rack.  The understated colours drew me in like a moth to the flame.

I unfolded it in a daze of anticipation and the weightiness of the linen was and is a wonder to me.  Heart in mouth, I inspected it carefully for holes and found none.  I debated buying it, worried that it wouldn't fit my oddly sized table.  But, as you can see, it did come home with me. And, yes, it was a perfect fit.

Many times, I have considered buying a brand new dining table but the thought of jettisoning my old, scratched, worn, vintage table that has served the family for many a long year and seen many a family meal filled me with guilt.  Repainting it and the four matching chairs seemed too arduous a task.  But now, I see that the tiny touches of blue in the flowers of this wondrous tablecloth match perfectly the faded blue of the chairs and table as if they were made for each other.

Afternoon tea and biscuits seem so more graceful and elegant served atop this lovely field of blossoms. There is something so soothing and meditative about sweeping the heavy linen folds over the table with the flick of a wrist and smoothing it down with one's hands.  The very act becomes imbued with thankfulness and gratitude.

At long last, the puzzle of transforming my old table into something a tad more refined has been solved with the help of this tablecloth.  I have only one puzzle left which is what are the blooms scattered across this field of linen?  Are the larger ones daffodils and the smaller little bells, lily of the valley?  If any of you are avid gardeners and recognize the blooms, please let me know!

I'm linking up with A Stroll Thru Life, French Country Cottage, Thrifty Groove, Type A Decorating, My Romantic Home, Knick of Time.