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from a recent article in the Sun newspaper:



   Effort would provide space for Johnson County artists, art

Overland Park artist Nicole Emanuel hopes someday to introduce the local arts community to this building, which she envisions as a center for the arts. If developed as hoped, the three-level building in downtown Overland Park would be home to art studios, exhibits, events and offices. The lower two levels are at the back of the property.

The Johnson County arts community would have a central gathering and exhibition space if Nicole Emanuel can make her dream come true.
The Overland Park artist is working to secure funding to purchase a mostly vacant building in her city’s downtown area that could house art studios; office space for arts organizations; and areas for exhibits, events and perhaps workshops.
Emanuel has been active in arts organizations in Minneapolis, San Francisco and Kansas City. She has worked on building projects that provided both housing and studios for artists.
The idea for this new “art space” was triggered when she attended a recent forum organized by the Arts Council of Johnson County that brought together artists, arts organizations and arts educators.
“It was held to find out what their needs are and ways we can support what they are doing,” said Sarah VanLanduyt, executive director of the Arts Council.

The attendees sounded one theme again and again.
“We heard a desire to create a sense of community so artists can come together and work together and share resources,” VanLanduyt said.
Emanuel heard the same message, and also learned something that surprised her when she visited at the forum with Janet Simpson, executive director of the Kansas City Artists Coalition.
“She said that 50 percent of their members (live) in Johnson County,” Emanuel said. “I realized I’m not the only one (in the county) who’s probably working in their basement and needing (studio) space.”
Kansas City’s Crossroads District is the hub of the metropolitan area’s arts community, and Emanuel said she and other Johnson County-based artists mingle and work there. But for individuals like herself who are trying to balance an arts career and family responsibilities, it is inconvenient and often impossible to make regular treks to and from the Crossroads.
Emanuel’s project could bring many of Johnson County’s far-flung community art elements into their own central location. In fact, it might include individuals and groups from other parts of the metropolitan area.

Emanuel found her preferred site by accident. As she drove her children home from a gymnastics practice one day, she spotted the three-story building at 8100 Newton St. Its size, location and availability all seemed like a logical fit.
“I see the building, and I know from my background what it could be,” Emanuel said.
VanLanduyt and the Arts Council agree that the place and idea have appeal, and they are supporting the effort.
Emanuel said the council as well as the Overland Park Arts and Recreation Foundation and the Overland Park Friends of the Arts have expressed strong interest in placing their offices in the building if the plan comes together.
Even if negotiations with the building’s owner do not work out, Emanuel still plans to pursue the project at another location.
She has assembled the first draft of a financial plan for purchasing and operating an art center and presented it to two prospective lenders. An estimated 70 percent of the necessary funding would come from a loan and the rest from donations by foundations, corporations and individuals.
Rent charged for studios and offices would help pay off the loan. Emanuel much prefers to buy rather than lease whatever space is acquired.
“I know what happens. I’ve seen how that goes. Internationally, it’s a fact that when the arts community comes in and takes a place over its value increases and they price themselves out of it,” she said. “I’m starting a nonprofit and raising funds to buy the building for the community so we can control the rent so it’s affordable and won’t disappear.”
The building’s top two floors have been vacant for about 20 years, Emanuel said. A plumbing company occupies the lower floor and would be expected to stay. Everything still is in its early stages, but the plan is gaining traction and some buzz.

The long-vacant expanse might require an artist’s imagination to see the potential. The council and Emanuel definitely have a vision.
“The building has been gutted, so it essentially is a blank slate, which is wonderful,” VanLanduyt said.
The arts community would be good for the area, and the area would be good for the arts community, supporters believe.

“Downtown Overland Park has a number of locally owned art galleries, restaurants and boutiques, all of which would be attractive to an arts community,” VanLanduyt said.

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As you can see, artists are ready and willing to find a place of  their own. I attended the tour of  the building in May and wasvery impressed with the facility and their plans for it. I can seethis happening! Hooray for Nicole Emanuel and her team....particularly the architect  chosen for the project, Ben Nanson!

Happy 4th of July!

What is on the menu at your house?  Hot Dogs? Hamburgers? Maybe Ribs?  Well if you are in the Midwest, it is going to be hot enough to grill them on the sidewalk!

Do you remember why we celebrate the 4th?  Our INDEPENDENCE!

If you read the Constitution of the United States lately, you will find it by going to http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_transcript.html

A great thing to do before you watch those fireworks!

Miss me?  I didn't realize I hadn't posted a blog since June 21.  I've been busy in the studio, painting like a woman on a mission!  What is driving me on? Simple....and exciting.....first, the Somerset Ridge Painters (Ada Koch, Ana Welch, Audrey Benskin, JoAnne Carlton, Kristin Goering, Maria Johnson, Patsy Brown, Winnie Davis, Vicki Johnston and me) will be the featured artists at the new and exciting Tortoise Gallery on the square in Paola, Kansas in September.   It should be a fun opening celebration! The new owner, Nancy Sims-West, is making some much needed changes in the gallery,  offering work by new and exciting artists,  having openings that are fun events, inviting the public to come and hang out with the artists.  Nancy is not new to the Paola art scene, and has been purchasing art for years. She and her two sons will be making a difference there on the Square.

The Tortoise Gallery will be opening on July 15th (operating as d'Marie Gallery until then). I will keep you posted on the events  planned for the Tortoise!

So, back to my drive to paint many, many paintings.....After September, there are two more shows scheduled.  The Somerset Ridge Painters Mini Art in the Vines will take place, hopefully in early October. We did this last fall for the first time, and it was beautiful. There is not a more gorgeous and peaceful place than Somerset Ridge Vineyard in the fall. Harvest is over and every vine is turning either golden yellow or deep crimson! With the blue sky above and the warmth of the autumn sun, a perfect day is in store for everyone who comes out to stroll among the vines and the paintings! I will start talking about the event when the date is set.  Of course, until then, please come out to the winery. You are in for a treat!

The third show that has me wound up is coming in December. David Gross and I will be featured artists at ARTichokes Gallery at Mission Farms in Leawood, Kansas. This means so much to me! The owners, sisters Rebecca Pashia and Laurie Barling have been instrumental in my return to painting.Then I met David Gross, who has been my teacher and studio partner for the last several years. so, to have the opportunity to share a show with David at ARTichoke's is such an honor for me! ..............So you see why I have to paint, Paint PAINT?

Okay, back to food....here are a few recipes you might want to try this holiday.
What is the 4th without a cookout! What is a cookout without Baked Beans!
Smoky-Spicy-Sweet Barbecue Baked Beans
from The Garden of Eating, one of the blogs I follow   http://gardenofeatingblog.blogspot.com/ 

Serves 8
2 cups dried pinto or kidney beans, soaked overnight and drained
6 cups water
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 1/2 cups (1 15 oz can or jar) strained or pureed tomatoes or unseasoned tomato sauce
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 Tbsps minced chipotle pepper canned in adobo sauce
2 Tbsps soy sauce

Directions
1. Combine the beans with the water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat slightly and boil gently, covered for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the beans are completely tender. Do not undercook; the beans will not soften further once they're combined with the tomatoes.
2. Preheat the oven to 300 F. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to a large oven-safe pot with lid or covered casserole dish. Add the onion, garlic, tomato puree, brown sugar, chipotles and soy sauce and stir to combine evenly.
3. Cover and bake for 2 to 3 hours, until the sauce is a nice thick consistency. If necessary, you can remove the lid during the last 30 minutes to allow more of the liquid to cook off. Serve hot.

Here is a great recipe if you want something you can make ahead, yet have that 4th of July feeling of an All-American Hot Dog....from Cajun Country!

Cajun Style Smoked Sausages and Peppers

Serves: 6 to 12

1/4 cup thinly sliced celery
1 large onion chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1 large red bell pepper(s) cut into strips
1 large yellow bell pepper(s) cut into strips
2 large green bell pepper(s) cut into strips
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
hot pepper sauce to taste
cayenne pepper to taste
2 (1.25-lb.) pkg. Farmland® Louisiana Brand Smoked Sausage Links ( a FABULOUS PRODUCT! kt)
12 hot dog buns

Preparation
1.Combine all ingredients except sausage links and buns in 4- to 5-quart slow cooker; mix well.
2.Add sausage links to slow cooker. Cover and cook on High 30 minutes or until mixture begins to simmer; stir.
3.Reduce heat to Low, cover and cook 2 to 3 hours. Serve sausage links in buns with peppers and sauce spooned over top.

And for dessert?......Ahhhhhh,  Apple Pie!
Apple Pie

Makes 1 double-crust pie
Pie pastry
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water (essential that the water is cold)
Filling
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
12 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (I like to use a mixture of Granny Smith)
3/4 cup sugar, plus additional for pie top
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large egg, beaten

1. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and use a pastry blender (or a fork, but I find it makes a difference to use the proper tool) to blend until mixture resembles coarse meal.
2. Add ice water slowly, while gently stirring with a spatula just until dough holds together without being wet or sticky. Be careful not to over-work the dough. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
3. Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour.
4. Heat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured surface (I like to use a pastry cloth), roll out pastry into two 1/8-inch-thick circles to a diameter slightly larger than that of an 11-inch plate. Press one pastry circle into the pie plate.
5. In a large bowl, combine apples, sugar, lemon zest and juice, spices, and flour. Toss well. Spoon apples into pie pan. Dot with butter, and cover with remaining pastry circle. Trim edges of crust to make neat circle, with top slightly larger than bottom. Seal by gently folding top layer around the edge of the bottom shell and pinching edges with fingers and thumb to make a pretty fluted edge. Cut several steam vents across top. Brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle with additional cinnamon and sugar.
6. Bake until crust is brown and juices are bubbling, about 1 hour. Let cool on wire rack before serving.

Happy Independence Day!

Midnight in Paris

I love a night out with the girls....such a great opportunity for a "girl's movie",  great food eaten to live music by 3 cute  guys with great voices,  conversations about art, painting, painters, paint (all things painting!) Last Wednesday night we had just that....6 of us, all Somerset Ridge Painters. We met at Trezo Mare in Leawood, sat  outside on the Patio, listened to some great music, ate Fish Tacos, Mussels, Crab Cakes and drank some mighty fine beverages. And the chef came out to meet me and made me some  very special treats!
We laughed, we covered many subjects from painting, Art in the Vines, to the cute guys in the band!

But next came the best part.....the movie..... Midnight in Paris.


Now, I know it is not a major contender for an Academy Award, but it was so much fun!  I don't want to spoil it for anyone, so I am not going to write a review of it, but the general idea is, Gil, Owen Wilson's character, moves through Paris, after midnight,  going back in time to the 20s....meeting such notables as Hemmingway,  Gertrude Stein, the Fitzgeralds.....and an array of famous painters. The personalities of these people were so clear, and from what I've read of  them, right on. It was such fun! It was so easy to put yourself right there with them. And, as Gil walked around Paris in the rain, I had to agree with him..."Paris is the most beautiful in the rain."
So, here I have been on a "Paris High" for the last few days. In my searching the internet, I have found a book that I must have....today. Barnes and Noble is holding it for me, I will pick it up tonight! It is by John Baxter....The Most Beautiful Walk in the World: A Pedestrian in Paris [Paperback]. I'll let you know how it is.
I must read more Hemmingway....more Fitzgerald....I must study more Picasso, more Matisse! Oh, and I mustn't forget Cole Porter's music! What a era!
If you want to know more about this Woody Allen movie, go to  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/28/movies/midnight-in-paris-a-historical-view.html
I hope you have a chance to see the film....it is so much fun!

Okay, so now we need something French to eat, right? How about a Bacon Tart? Great for brunch, lunch, light supper and as an appetizer. I found it on www.frenchfood.about.com This bacon tart recipe is for the classic Alsatian specialty, flammekuche, or tarte flamme. Rolling the dough cracker-crisp thin and baking it in a super hot oven is the key to attaining the crunchy texture and caramelized onion topping that makes this tart famous.

French Bacon Tart    
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
8 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/3 cup creme fraiche
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 large onion, thinly sliced
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Using a food processor, pulse the flour, butter, and salt until it has a coarse, sandy texture with a few pea-size bits of butter remaining. Stir the cold water into the flour mixture just until the dough pulls together into a shaggy ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 2 hours, or until it is cold.
Preheat the oven to 425F. Roll the dough into an 8-inch by 12-inch rectangle on a lightly greased baking sheet. Stir the ricotta cheese, creme fraiche, flour, and salt until it is smooth. In a separate bowl, toss the sliced onions in the oil and sugar.
Spread the cheese mixture over the surface of the dough, and then arrange the onions and bacon over the cheese. Bake the bacon tart for 15 to 20 minutes, until the dough is golden brown and the onions caramelize.
This bacon tart recipe makes 4 to 6 servings.
And, of course, a Reisling wine, such as Somerset Ridge's version of the famous Alsatian wine, would be perfect!

What Food Changed Your Life?

I just finished reading my July 2011 issue of Sunset magazine. In the Q &A section, the above question, "What food changed your life?" was asked of 8 people who are, in one way or another, in the food industry. The one I found the most fascinating was the response of Joe Coulombe, the founder of Trader Joe's, the famous grocery store that he started in Pasadena, CA.
When Joe met his future wife, Alice in 1951, her father, Bill Steere, was a professor at Stanford on a professor's salary. It was Bill who introduced Joe to Ruby Hill Winery in Pleasanton, where you could get gallon jugs of Chardonnay for $1.00. Joe said he had always been a beer drinker, so drinking jug wine with his in-laws was a culinary awakening. At the same time, his mother-in-law introduced Joe to olive oil.That is how Joe began to learn about food and wine.

Just think what that awakening has done! We will  have 2 big new Trader Joe's here in Greater Kansas City within a month. They open on July 15th and I am so anxious to wander through the aisles. I've tried so many of Joe's  products in the past. I've been receiving Joe's newsletter for several years now and the anticipation of my first time shopping in a Trader Joe's is building. Am I disappointed that Kansas law forbids Joe to sell wine in the store on the Kansas side of the state line? Not really, I have my connections at a local winery!
Oh....back to the question...What Food Changed Your Life? Have you ever had one of those food moments? One bite and you know your life just changed? If so, I'd love to hear about it. If you look at the bottom of this posting, you will see the word comments. Click on it and a box for you to leave a comment in will pop up. Tell me about your culinary awakening....I look forward to reading each and every one of them!
As for my moment....I still think watching my dear sweet grandmother, Ann Robnett Johnston, making a cherry pie was my moment. I was 4 or 5 years old. Seeing how putting a few ingredients together can bring such pleasure to those lucky people that get to eat it, set my course through life. But what bite of food changed my life? It was most definitely my other grandmother's, Minnie Florence Ogg, homemade biscuits.
How could I be anything other than a chef? Both grandmother's taught me to love cooking! But you already know all of this.....they pop into my blog frequently.

So, Sunset was not the only magazine I read today. The July Bon Appetit also arrived in my mailbox. This recipe really caught my eye! Needless to say, I have not made it yet, but I will. Hope you check it out.

Grilled Lobster Paella
6 servings
Recipe and photograph by Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer
July 2011
Ingredients
•1/2 cup olive oil
•3/4 pound Spanish chorizo, sliced into 1/2"-thick rounds
•6 stalks green garlic, thinly sliced, or 2 finely chopped leeks, white and light-green parts only
•1 tablespoon smoked paprika
•2 1/2 cups short-grain rice
•1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
•7 cups hot seafood or chicken stock
•Kosher salt
•3 1-1 1/4-pound lobsters, halved lengthwise, claws cracked
•2 cups fresh shelled peas or frozen peas, thawed
•1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
•3 lemons, halved
16"-18" paella pan....worth the money if you love paella!

Preparation

•Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill. Let burn down to red-hot coals; rake to edge of grill. (For backup, start a second round of coals in a charcoal chimney on pavement nearby.) Put paella pan on grill grate; heat olive oil. Add chorizo and green garlic or leeks; cook until golden, 3-4 minutes.

•Add smoked paprika and rice; cook, stirring often, until rice is coated, 2 minutes. Add saffron threads to hot stock. Add stock to pan and season to taste with kosher salt; stir to distribute ingredients. Let cook, undisturbed, until stock simmers and rice begins to absorb liquid, about 10 minutes. Rotate pan every 2-3 minutes to cook evenly.

•Arrange lobster halves over the rice. Continue cooking, rotating the pan often, as the rice swells and absorbs the stock. Add more coals from charcoal chimney to maintain even heat under the pan. Cook until the rice is almost tender and the lobster is cooked through, about 10 more minutes.

•Scatter peas on top. (If the liquid evaporates before the rice is tender, add more hot stock.) Cook without stirring, allowing rice to absorb all of the liquid, so that a crust (the socarrat) develops on the bottom and the edges begin to dry out and get crusty, 5-10 minutes, for a total cooking time of about 40 minutes.

•Remove pan from grill. Cover with large clean kitchen towels and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve with lemons, making sure to scrape some of the socarrat from the bottom of the pan onto each plate.

Don't forget to leave me a comment on your culinary awakening!

Barbecue Time!

Photo: Todd Coleman
from Saveur's Blog

Kansas City is the Barbecue Capitol of the World! Oh sure, you Texans will argue with me, so will all of those Memphis BBQ fans. North Carolina will  have a thing or two to say.....but, never fear, Kansas City will come out on top every time.
 Here in Greater Kansas City, on both sides of the state line, you will find numerous barbecue restaurants. Some are nice, attractive, dare I say "lovely" dine-in places?  Others are of the "shack" style, sort of rough and tumble,  smelling smokey and meaty. Just a whiff of the smoke as you pull into the parking lot lets you know you are in for a treat! The smoky aroma is unbelievable!
I was delighted to see an article on Saveur Magazine's blog about one of Kansas City's famous smokin' families, the Fiorellas. Check it out by going to   http://www.saveur.com/article/Travels/Ribs-and-Ritual-Kansas-City. There is also a list of the top 14 barbecue sauces from across America....Kansas City has several in that list!

                                                       Fly Old Glory Today!

Today is Flag Day here in America; a day designed to celebrate Old Glory, our American Flag. Along Main Street USA, in all the cities and towns across our country, the Flag will be displayed with pride and honor. Our National Cemeteries will be resplendent in Red, White and Blue.
"The flag of the United States has not been created by rhetorical sentences in declarations of independence and in bills of rights. It has been created by the experience of a great people, and nothing is written upon it that has not been written by their life. It is the embodiment, not of a sentiment, but of a history.' ~Woodrow Wilson

A Perfect Day for A Perfect Art in the Vines!

What a wonderful day we had! Art in the Vines 2011 was perfect....perfect weather, perfect wine, perfect food, perfect crowds.....but most of all....perfect art and artists!  My friends and fellow painters did an amazing job of hanging their paintings in the vines. Their areas were colorful and inviting. They invited the guest to stop and talk about art, painting, the weather and wine.


Painters Davis, Gross, Goering and Garney  (sounds like a law firm!)
enjoying each other's company before the opening.




Painter Vicki Johnston who shared her space with
her granddaughter, Ana Welch, one of our two junior painters




Kristin Goering talking to some visitors about her beautiful
sunflower paintings

I took a few photographs before the parking lot began to fill up, while I had a few moments to walk around. The best thing about Art in the Vines?  The happiness! Everyone seems to be having such a good time. Happiness is on everyone's face! 
If you didn't make it this year, you missed a great day!

If you did make it, THANK YOU!

The sky will have fluffy white clouds floating about!

The thermometer will read a delightful 78 degrees!

The breeze will be gently dancing among the grape leaves!

And there, in the middle of

Somerset Ridge Vineyard

you will find 25 painters showing their work....

 Cindy and Dennis Reynolds of Somerset

and their entire crew will be making sure

you have a great afternoon!

The wine will be fabulous!

The food will be available and delicious!

and the art?

UNBELIEVABLE!

Join us, tomorrow 11AM to 5PM

go to www.somersetridge.com

for directions and further information.

See you there!

Life, Fresh Peach Ice Cream and Strawberry Shortcake!

We have gone from months of cold, miserable rain to hotter than hell with horrendous humidity! Oh, that's right, this is Kansas! I will say one thing I have enjoyed about our battle of weather fronts....amazing skies! But no matter how amazing they are, I am praying for next weekend's sky to be bright blue, with a few puffy white clouds. Art in the Vines is this Saturday! Please let it be nice! Please, let us have gentle, lovely weather! I am watching the Weather Channel hourly, but still don't know if I should pack up sunscreen and a hat, or water wings and a kayak!

I am preparing to go back into my landscape mode when I face my easel and a stark white canvas a week from now. Art in the Vines will be over, and I have no pressures on me to do anything for a while; all I have to do is paint! My, that sounds wonderful! Of course, I have to bake my fresh rosemary shortbread for the winery and the Tasteful Olive,  but that is it. I am ready for some down time, brand new white canvases, and a palette full of my favorite colors. I think an occasional day trip to take photographs would be fun and very useful. Flint Hills, here I come. Maybe a drive down to the Lake of the Ozarks.

There are a few recipes I've been wanting to try also. I am really into using my ice cream freezer. I saw a table at the market mounded with beautiful peaches and I immediately started remembering the fresh peach ice cream when I was a child. Strawberry Shortcake is wonderful, but Fresh Peach Ice Cream will get me every time! Here are recipes for both, just in case you are a Strawberry Shortcake person......

Fresh Peach Ice Cream
1 cup sugar

2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 large eggs
1 large fresh peach, pitted, skinned and pureed
1/2 cup peach soda, preferably Nehi
pinch salt

MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART

Put sugar, evaporated milk, 1/2 cup of the whole milk, and eggs into a medium saucepan and whisk until well combined. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl and set aside to let cool.
Once mixture has cooled, add puréed peach, peach soda, remaining whole milk, and a pinch of salt and stir well to combine.
Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's directions. Transfer ice cream to a sealable freezer-safe container and freeze.

Strawberry Shortcake
Okay, there has been a battle going on for years concerning what the cake part should be....biscuits, angel food cake, pound cake, or those horrible little packaged cake cups. Being from one of the South's most northern cities, Columbia, Missouri, I grew up knowing only biscuits! I am still a believer...southern biscuit shortcakes are a must!


TOPPING

6 cups sliced strawberries
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream, whipped with 1 tbsp. sugar

SHORTCAKES
2 cups Martha White® Self-Rising Flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup half-and-half

HEAT oven to 475°F. Coat large cookie sheet lightly with no-stick cooking spray. Combine strawberries and 1/3 cup sugar in medium bowl. Mix well. Set aside.

COMBINE flour and 2 tablespoons sugar in large bowl. Mix well. Cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add half-and-half. Stir with fork until mixture is moistened. If necessary, stir in additional half-and-half a tablespoon at a time until moist.
KNEAD dough on lightly floured surface just until smooth. Roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with floured 3-inch round cutter or knife into 9 shortcakes. Place about 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet.
 BAKE 7 to 9 minutes or until golden brown. Split shortcakes; fill with strawberries and top with whipped cream.
 TIP....Shortcakes can be served warm or at room temperature
(photographs are courtesy of Southern Living)Speaking of recipes, do you have a stack of recipes from magazines, newspaper, scraps of paper, etc?  Doesn't everyone? About 10 years ago, I downloaded a MasterCook software that has allowed me to store thousands of them. Then,  after all of the work typing in all of those recipes, I wondered what the chances are of my computer crashing. I could easily lose all of them, PLUS all of my genealogy data and photographs by the hundreds! Years of work! I called my computer tech, Andrew, and he recommended Mozy. So, for $149 per year, I am now backed up, off site. If anything does crash, either laptop or desktop, I can call up and it will be there.  Whew! If you are looking for a backup system, google MozyHome Online Backup.

How is your Palate?


At the vineyard this past weekend, someone asked me what food I’d pair with our very lemony Citron. I had to be honest….I love it with a very plain-jane type cookie, a sugar cookie without much sugar. That cookie softens the citrus blast slightly, and doesn’t throw in any additional strong flavors to the mix. Actually, my shortbread with fresh herbs is an amazing match for Citron. This also leads me to tell you that a chocolate shortbread goes so very well with our Tawny Port. Desserts can be so simple, yet hit your palate with a bang, or end the meal with a mellow caress. The choice is yours!

While we are on the subject of desserts and shortbread, I am about to introduce my
            Somerset Ridge Fresh Rosemary Shortbread
for sale at the vineyard. In the Tasting Room, we have been offering a sample of the shortbread to our visitors for over a month now, and it seems most people want to buy it! So, it will be for sale in the Tasting Room by Art in the Vines, June 11th. We are waiting on packaging, and then we are in business! I have a wonderful commercial kitchen for the baking, thanks to my dear friend, Donna Nagle.

So, here is your plan for June 11th….Art in the Vines, wine, shortbread and paintings!

I want you to meet all of the painters….there are 26 of us. Each one of us has their own style, their own way of seeing things. Chat with them, they would be delighted to tell you why they do what they do!

The Painters of Art in the Vines, 2011 are…..


The 9 Somerset Ridge Painters:
Ada Koch, Audrey Benskin, JoAnne Carlton,
Kristin Goering, Maria Johnson, Patsy Brown,
Vicki Johnston, Winnie Davis, and me

Our list of wonderful, All Local Guest Artists : Becky Pashia, Samantha Buller, Marcia Streepy, Anne Garney, Anita Toby, Claudia True, Nancy Beaver, Rosemary Begley, David Gross, Claud Davis, Peter Brunke, Melanie Nolker, Mimi Taylor, Emily Uhlmann, Jenny Meyer McCall and our 2 junior painters, Ana Welch and Sarah Koster.

Count them! 26! I hope you noticed, we have some pretty big names in that list!


We are so excited to have this opportunity to hang our paintings in the vines! It is such a beautiful place and the paintings add so much fun to the day!

There will be food for sale also, so come and spend some time with us. Stroll through the vines with someone you adore, sharing a bottle of wine! It is going to be an amazing day!

Summertime!

It is summertime! That great old game of baseball is in full swing....but for Bing, my youngest grandchild, age 6,   baseball is just beginning. This proud "Mimi" thinks he looks pretty special there behind homeplate in his catcher's gear. Let's hope it is the best gear available...highly protective! He has moved way beyond the time when Mimi could kiss his boo-boos and make it feel better! Damn, they sure grow up too fast!

Have you ever heard of StumbleUpon.com ? It is a service that lets you sign up for web pages and blogs that feature the things you like most. I registered for Art, Art History, Architecture, Food and Wine.  This  service chooses new sites for me to check out, and I have found some interesting things by following their lead. They send it out once a week, but you can always go to the sitr and request  something anytime. Today I received an interesting food site, Divine Caroline, that was featuring cooking corn on the cob. I have not tried this recipe, but it sounds like it could work! I have always added sugar to my pot of water when cooking corn, but milk and butter with brown sugar instead of granulated? I am anxious to give it a try.  Here is the recipe.
 

Milk Boiled Corn on the Cob                               6–8 ears corn, husks and silk removed
water
1 1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
Directions:
1. Fill a large stock pot half full with water (use a large enough pot to hold all the corn). Add in the milk, sugar and butter.
2. Bring to a boil, then add in the corn cobs. Reduce heat to a simmer and allow corn to cook for 7 to 8 minutes or until just tender, depending on size of corn try not to over cook the corn as it will become tough.
3. Using long tongs remove and place on a plate or in a bowl, then cover with foil until ready to serve. Serve with butter and salt to taste
Via http://www.divinecaroline.com/33615/81970-only-corn-cob-make#ixzz1NqxrW1ZL


If you want to look around the web yourself, searching for something that might interest you, go for it. But I am  a little too cautious for that, I will let stumpleupon do it for me.


Check this one out!
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2Ow3r9/www.flickr.com/photos/38864566%2540N00/2479491895/

On this Memorial Day......

Memorial Day Weekend

Lo and Behold! Today is Sunday and we have sunshine! Is it possible that the Midwest is finally going to have a respite from severe weather? I know there are thousands and thousands of picnics planned, swimming pools opening, and of course, visits to America's cemeteries....beautiful weather would be so welcome. But even more important,  the people of Joplin and all of the other areas hit by tornadoes, need good weather to continue their searches and their cleanup. Their days ahead will not be easy.


                                Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery

If you have never visited a National Cemetery, try to do so this summer. I am a firm believer that two of the places every American should see sometime in their lifetime are the Grand Canyon and one of our beautiful National Cemeteries.  Both are true symbols of the strength of our country. If there is a National Cemetery near you, please take the time to visit. The service these men and women have done for our country should not be forgotten.

Naturally, Arch has been on my mind even more than usual. I thought I would blog today about the recipes Arch loved the most. You know, he was a wonderful cook. When I married him, he had been a wodower for years. He had learned to cook for one, learned to cook healthy. When Arch married me, I had been cooking for the masses, using all of the wonderful foods that aren't so good for you. A match made in heaven? Probably not! Our kitchen wars were interesting, to say the least.
Anyway, the foods Arch loved  the most were bread and steak.....my wild fighter pilot husband was a simple man, until he was strapped into his F-86!
Arch also loved to smoke meats and fish. He made a wonderful smoked salmon. He had a rather simple smoker on the patio and he would  spend the day preparing salmon for our parties.  When he prepared a steak for himself, his favorite cut was a Kansas City Strip steak, always 1 1/2" thick. His grilling was an art, one he had perfected.
I've blogged before about Arch and bread. It made no difference to him where we were, at home, in a restaurant, at a friends dinner table.....before Arch sat down, if the bread was on the table, he had to have a bite! Rude? No, far from it....it was just Arch.
One of the recipes I made for Arch that wasn't very heart healthy (!) was German Potato Salad. Arch was stationed in Germany twice, and he loved  German food. He was very pleased to find I knew how to prepare many German recipes.
Here is my recipe for the potato salad. This recipe is served warm.

German Potato Salad

serves 8

4 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
1 pound thick-cut bacon
1 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2/3 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons minced chives, for garnish

Place the potatoes in a medium-size pot and cover them with enough water to extend 2 inches above the surface of the potatoes. Salt the water and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 to 25 minutes. Drain and slice into 1/4-inch rounds.
Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once crisp, place on a paper towel-lined plate and crumble into small pieces. Pour off the rendered fat, reserving 1/2 cup in the pan. Turn the heat to medium and add the onion. Cook until translucent and just beginning to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Whisk in the vinegar, sugar, mustard, and salt and stir until thick and bubbly. Add the sliced, cooked potatoes and toss to coat. Top with the crumbled bacon and garnish with the chives. Serve warm.

This does not require Bratwursts! It is wonderful with everything....I think it is perfect along side my Dad's Meatloaf and of course, Arch's Strip Steak!

Will I see you at Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery's Art in the Vines on June 11th? I hope so! Here are a few more photos of paintings you will see. Enjoy!

by Audrey Benskin



by Samantha Buller




by Audrey Benskin





ART IN THE VINES 2011! June 11th! Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery



Landscape  by Vicki Johnston



David Gross



An Abstract by Winnie Davis



"Boulders" by Anita Toby





Poppies by Audrey Benskin



by Samantha Buller

Don't miss these paintings and many many more!
27 Artists will be hanging their paintings among
the vines of beautiful Somerset Ridge Vineyard!

It's intervention time!

 I just emailed my fellow Somerset Ridge Painters, urging them to arrange an “intervention”…..for me! I did 2 luncheons at the vineyard this weekend, plus put in 3 and a half hours of painting on my fish painting. When I returned home this evening, I was sort of tired (!) so I sat down in my Lazy Old Woman chair, put my feet up and flipped on the television. There they were, those spoiled rotten, bleached blond, narcissistic, and I might add, aging women, more commonly known as the Real Housewives of Orange County. They absolutely fascinate me!

You know, “Narcissism” is the personality trait of egotism, vanity, conceit, or simple selfishness, and these women are true examples of all of those! Good Grief…. they fight, whine, cry, fight some more, cry some more….and I sat and watched 3 hours of it! As the last episode for the evening ended, I realized what a waste those 3 hours had been….and then checked the schedule to see when they would return to my 42” screen! That was when I figured out I needed an intervention….friends to come and talk me out of such behavior. I emailed them immediately, but no one came to my door…I think they were home watching the Real Housewives of New Jersey.
If you haven't watched these "Ladies",or haven't had enough of them yet, click on the link below and watch one of my favorite parts, Alexis planning a party to introduce her new "clothing line" to her friends. She wants it to be French....don't miss the restaurants manager's face!

http://www.bravotv.com/the-real-housewives-of-orange-county/season-6/videos/planning-alexis-preview

I started this blog last night,  before I turned on the news.....now, I am going a different direction, a serious direction.

Tornado Victims.....
 Today I am trying to find out where to make clothing donations for the Joplin Tornado victims. I do wish I could call in thousands of dollars as my donation, but instead, I can clothe several of the women. I've googled trying to find a charity that will be collecting clothing, but may have to drive my donation down to Joplin. I am sure if I take them to any church in the area, they will find someone who needs them.
I am so amazed and thrilled to hear about all of the volunteers and donations. See, we are a great country inspite of our bad press and our own government telling the world we aren't! Americans help, Americans care, Americans love!.
Unfortunately, we have severe weather forecasts for the next 3 days. Much of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri will be threatened repeatedly by high winds, hail, flooding and yes, tornadoes. But we will go on with our lives, hoping and praying for the safety of those we love, family, friends and neighbors.

My first experience with a tornado was in 1957 here in the Kansas City area. We had never heard of warning sirens, our weathermen were entertainers, not meteorologists.  The tornado hit Ruskin Heights and Hickman Mills, MO on the east side of Greater Kansas City. We were on the west side of town, but information was so sketchy, all we knew was our city was being hit by a tornado. There is a lot of grumbling when our weather person stays on for hours, closely following the movement of severe weather. If the residents of Joplin had had more than a few minutes to take cover,maybe there would have been fewer deaths.
It is times like these that make watching the Real Housewives of Orange County look like a ridiculous waste of time! So, dear Painters, forget the intervention....I am cured!

We're still here, Harold Camping!

Yep, another false alarm! Old Harold was wrong with his prediction of the world ending....thank God!

On the home front,  still working on my paintings for Art in the Vines. Last night's Third Friday in Historic Downtown Overland Park was so much fun! My Glitter Collages were and are on display at the fun Olive Branch Art Gallery at 7915 Santa Fe Drive, Overland Park, KS.  The owner, Diane McCarthy,  and her staff are delightful and had the gallery looking wonderful!  The sidewalks and participating businesses were packed with people enjoying a beautiful evening.  The food and wine were exceptional, the music was delightful! In case you can't tell, I had a marvelous time!
My collages will be hanging in the gallery for 2 more months. However, I will have some new Glitter Collages hanging in the Vines on June 11th, along with my watercolor collages and maybe a few oil paintings....if I keep painting!

Today was the 136th running of the $1 million Preakness Stakes, the 2nd race in the Triple Crown. Shackleford's victory denied Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom a chance to race for the Triple Crown, and denied the Belmont Stakes a shot at a historic race. No horse has won the Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978. Why do I know this? My darling late husband, Arch Tucker, was a horse racing addict!
The three Triple Crown races were like a holiday for Arch.  The day always began with Bloody Marys, followed by Egg Foo Yong. How this tradition began, I haven't a clue. When I married Arch, I married the race day tradition also!


Arch and Kay cooking for the family
Smith Mountain Lake, VA.
2003

 Here is his recipe....hope you enjoy it.

Classic Egg Foo Yong 


Ingredients:
1 cup bean sprouts
1 medium onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped cooked ham (or any other cooked meat; such as chopped sausages or shredded roast chicken)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper, white
6 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons oil, vegetable (canola or any other light-tasting oil)

Sauce Ingredients:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Hua Tiao Chinese wine (or dry sherry)
1 tablespoon cornstarch

 Directions
Rinse bean sprouts in cold water.
Heat oil in a pan (or a wok if you have one) and add scallions, onion & sprouts. Stir fry using medium-high heat for about 45 seconds, or until vegetables are tender.
Add garlic and stir fry for another 15 seconds (don't burn the garlic).
Add cornstarch, soy sauce, cooked ham, salt & pepper. Mix well.
Remove to a dish & allow to cool.
In a pan, heat 2 tbsp oil & ladle in 1/3 of the eggs.
Add 1/3 of the stir-fried ingredients. Fry til golden on both sides.
Add another 1/3 of the eggs and 1/3 ot the stir fried ingredients  Fry til golden on both sides.
Add the last remaining 1/3 of the eggs and 1/3 ot the stir fried ingredients
Fry until golden on both sides.
Make the Sauce:
To make the sauce: combine sauce ingredients in small pan, bring to boil.
Simmer gently until thickened.
Serves: 3-4

So, Harold Camping, the head of a Christian broadcast group called Family Radio, has been predicting for years that the end of the world is on Saturday, May 21, 2011. That is tomorrow, Folks. I think I heard it is to happen around 6 PM. Didn’t say which time zone. I guess we had better keep tabs on Australian news. I don’t know how you feel about it, but I am proceeding with my plans as scheduled………I wonder what Harold has planned?


I am still cooking and baking…..I am still working towards my goal for Art in the Vines. My fish painting, “Catch of the Day” is still a work in progress and I absolutely plan on having it finished in time for the art event on June 11th! I am having a great time painting the scaly boys, but it is rather tedious. I notice my shoulders and neck rebel after several hours of painting little scales! My next fish painting may be a Koi pond with the fish flashing by underwater….I’m pretty sure no one would ever notice their scales.

One of my baking duties today is that wonderful Buttermilk Chocolate Sheet Cake….remember? I think it came out in the 50s, possibly early 1960. It is still one of the best chocolate cakes ever! I think I will be eating a big piece of this cake tomorrow at 6PM! And you know how well Somerset Ridge Tawny Port goes with chocolate! Have to do it!


If you haven’t made it in a while, here is one of the many recipes.

Buttermilk Chocolate Sheet Cake.
2 cups all-purpose flour
 2 cups sugar
 1 teaspoon baking soda
 1/4 teaspoon salt
 1 cup butter
 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
 2 eggs
 1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Chocolate Frosting:
1 stick butter
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
3 tablespoons buttermilk
3 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional

Grease a 15X10X1-inch or jelly roll pan or a 13"x9"x2" baking pan; set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a medium saucepan combine 1 cup butter, 1/3 cup cocoa, and 1 cup of water. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. With an electric hand-held mixer on medium speed, beat chocolate mixture into the dry mixture until thoroughly blended. Add eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Beat for 1 minute (batter will be thin). Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in a 350° oven about 25 minutes for the 15X10-inch pan or 35 minutes for the 13X9-inch pan, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. The top surface will look like a million little bubbles just popped! It is very important that you pour the warm chocolate frosting over the cake while it is still warm also. So, start making you frosting as soon as the cake comes out of the oven. Spread frosting evenly. Place cake in pan on a wire rack; cool thoroughly before cutting.

Frosting:
In a medium saucepan combine 1 stick butter, 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, and 4 tablespoons buttermilk. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat; add 3 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until smooth. If desired, stir in 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans, but I personally do not add nuts; as a chef, I run into too many people allergic to nuts.

If all goes smoothly tomorrow and I am still around, I will let you know how my 6 PM piece of cake tasted!



Grazie! products, now available at Molly's Table!

 Guess what!  I am now producing my own line of snacks! Today I delivered my new Grazie! baked goods to Molly's Table in Paola! I have entered this snack food world with packages of my caramel corn and sugar cookies. Who knows what will happen next!  I'm thinking German Pretzels might be a fun thing to add to my line, but then, so would Brownie Pops.


Grazie! Caramel Corn



Time will tell. 

Donna Nagle of Molly's  Table is one of the nicest people you will ever meet, and a jewel to work with!

Next?.....Off to the Studio!

After Molly's, I continued painting on my fish painting. I started this painting last week, have maybe 6 to 7 hours into it now. I cannot tell you how good it feels to have a paintbrush in my hands, the smell of linseed oil wafting about me! I love it! My decisionn to paint 3 fish laying on a piece of white butcher paper is sort of strange, I suppose, but the subject offered me the opportunity to learn several new things. I am not one to do the same thing over and over, just because I can. Instead, I want to experience new things with each painting.

I will post another photo of  "catch of the day" as the painting progresses. Oh, and yes, David Gross, my studio partner, teacher and friend has been keeping tabs on me and the fish....lurking near by, aware of each and every brush stroke I make! His advice and mentoring is very important to me.



Vicki and her Poppies



Audrey and her Poppy painting



He had two other students at the studio today. My fellow Somerset Ridge Painters,Vicki Johnston and Audrey Benskin, were there.

Audrey took some wonderful photographs of poppie fields while she was vacationing in Canada. She and Vicki are both working on one of those photos. How fun is that! Somehow my fish seem out of place in a studio full of big red, pink and yellow flowers!

All four of us, David, Audrey, Vicki and I are working hard to be ready for the amazing Art in the Vines to be held at the vineyard on June 11th!

For more information, watch this blog and also, go to www.somersetridge.com and sign up to receive their newsletter! That way you won't miss out on anything that is happening at the vineyard.They have an amazing summer full of events planned for you!

A reminder....this Friday is 3rd Friday in historic Downtown Overland Park! I will be showing my Dancers, a series of glittering collages, at The Olive Branch Gallery.  I will be there from 6 to 9pm.Drop by to see me!

And, of course, while you are in the neighborhood you should go several doors south to the other "olive" place, The Tasteful Olive.
Cindy and Dennis Reynolds of Somerset Ridge will be there for their brand new Downtown Overland Park  Tasting Room at the wonderful olive oil shop! Gee!...Wine, Olive Oil.Balsamic Vinegar and Art! All in downtown Overland Park! Friday night!
Cindy and Dennis both grew up in Overland Park, very near the historic part of  Overland Park.  Come and visit with them, let them introduce you to the amazing wines of their beautiful vineyard and winery. They will also let you taste my Fresh Rosemary Shortbread....a brand new product to be available soon at both tasting room locations!
I'm looking forward to seeing you!

Today was one that had my senses in high gear….might even say sensory overload! First of all, I drove to the vineyard with a car full of good smelling food. If that wasn’t enough, there was a big bundle of fresh basil in the seat beside me! I don’t know what fresh basil does for you, but I absolutely love it! Every now and then I would pluck a leaf off and bruise it with my fingertips and the car would be immediately filled with its delicious fragrance! I am 1/8th Italian according to my genealogy.....100% according to my heart!

Moving along with my day….the bachelorette party I was serving went very well; absolutely darling bride. As I left the vineyard, I crossed over my favorite creek in Miami County, "the mighty Wea". I normally go slow so that I can take in the creek from both directions, today was no different. The sun wasn’t dancing along the happy water because today is 50 degrees and cloudy! But I enjoyed the view anyway. Just as I was ready to proceed forward, a very regal looking buck with a multi-pointed rack and 2 gorgeous does came up from having a drink of Wea and slowly crossed the road right in front of me. Each turned their head and glanced my way, then slowly sauntered off towards a field on the far side. Of course I didn’t have my camera with me! No matter how often I see deer, I never fail to have that awe-struck feeling. They are such a beautiful graceful animal….even the big boy with all of his muscles and size. I must say, I think the does really liked him also.

I moved on to leave them to their dinner. Before I even reached highway 68, I was overwhelmed by a huge flock of wild turkeys that flew very low in front of me and landed in a field of Black Angus. The cattle rancher has a beautiful place; rolling hills, ponds….the vista is gorgeous. The turkeys just strolled among the herd of cattle, having a snack of grain here and there.

Hawks on fence posts are always present, a very common sight, waiting to spy their next meal, but what I saw in a tree top was no hawk….There on the west side of the road, right along a big pond/small lake I had the biggest thrill yet…It was a Bald Eagle! Even on a cloudy day, his white feathered head sparkled. Majestic and then some! See what I mean about sensory overload!

Aren’t I lucky? All of this within 2 miles of the vineyard! Is it any wonder that I love the place? Drive to Somerset Ridge Vineyard soon. You never know who or what you are going to see!