Pretty in Pink

My sister and I went to a really fun evening last weekend. For the ticket price of $20/person, we went for a night out to our local Arts centre for a painting party. It was a wonderful evening!

The gallery room (where there was a showing of oil paintings on the walls) was set up really beautifully with about 17 large artist's easels in the centre and small round tables with linen, crystal and China surrounding the easels. We were welcomed at the door and given our table number and were ushered in to the bar where we could have wine or beer. All of the supplies were provided; canvas, acrylic paints, paint brushes, water buckets and once we had a few sips of our cocktails, we began to paint whatever inspired us.  While we began painting, hostesses served antipasto/charcuterie to our tables that included; Brie, goat and Gouda cheeses, fresh baguettes and crackers, grapes, strawberries, pate, salamis and a beautiful fig sauce.  It was all truly outstanding. We had a lot of fun and vowed to come again with a few of our friends. What a great way to spend a Saturday night.

I had been thinking a lot about ballerinas lately; pointe shoes, tutus and pink ribbon and decided to paint a picture with this theme in mind.

Here is the picture I painted. I started out thinking the colours were too dark when I first applied them to the canvas, but once the paint dried, the colours became a little washed out. Regardless, I hope you like it. The colours are really a very soft pink, but show up more peachy in this light.

A second painting I painted, showing what is really underneath all that crinolin.

( Please do not use these images for your own use without my permission. These are my own original paintings and as such, are copyrighted under my name.)

I hope you like them.

Rosie

"Hen on Nest"

Hi all:

I was out and around today and dropped into a church thrift store and found this adorable little dish for 25 cents, which I thought would look cute on my kitchen windowsill.  I have always loved these vintage chicken dishes and this one is so cute. It is about 2  1/2" long and I believe, is a salt cellar.

Since I have always loved these, I think I might start collecting them. I just have no idea where I will put them!! Space is tight here. I barely have room for my vintage cups and saucers.  (I love anything vintage.)

How cute!!  Let me know if any of you collect things like this. I would love to hear.

Rosie

Rosie's Bachelor Baked Salmon

Hi all:

I haven't written a post for a while as I am back at school and it has been really busy again after the long summer holidays.  I am enrolled in Music History and Private Lessons for the trumpet and am also having to practice the piano daily, to bring up my skills to where they once were 3 years ago. I also need to take 3 more semesters of Class Piano and after not playing for three years, I have to relearn all the fingerings for the Major scales as well as the Natural, Harmonic and Melodic minor scales.  Let me say, it is really hard trying to remember all those fingerings, especially when it changes with ascending and descending Melodic minor keys. Yikes!! Who came up with that anyways?

The "Cottage" has been closed up for the summer but hopefully we can make one last trip up there in the Fall. It is so beautiful up there during Wine Festival season. Some many wineries, so little time!!

Having said all of that, I wanted to share my latest recipe with you. I just improvised this tonight and let me say, it was very moist and tasty. Here it is for you to make and enjoy.  I really think I should have my own cooking show. That has been a secret wish of mine, since I was 6 or 7 years old.  I used to watch cooking shows on TV and make my own concoctions in a bowl using my mom's spices and water. I would stir it all up and pretend I was explaining how to do it, to a studio audience.  Move over "Galloping Gourmet"!  Does anyone remember that cooking show? He used to drink wine while he cooked on TV; not a bad idea! I do that myself!  Here is the recipe:

Rosie's Bachelor Baked Salmon

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(BTW, I call it "Bachelor Baked" since anyone WITHOUT cooking skills, can make this recipe. Sorry to all the bachelors out there!)

1 large salmon fillet (I used wild sockeye)

1/2 lemon

150 gm of cooked shrimp (about 1/2 pound)

Fresh dill weed

3-4 Tablespoons red pepper jelly

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Spray a large casserole dish with olive oil cooking spray. Rinse and pat dry, the salmon fillet and lay it in the casserole dish.

Sprinkle the salmon with salt and pepper. Sprinkle a few sprigs of dill, ripped up, onto the salmon. Add the cooked shrimp to the top of the salmon. Squeeze lemon juice onto the salmon and also add 3-4 Tablespoons of red pepper jelly. I used  Palmalito brand Jalapeño Pepper Jelly. Simply spoon out the pepper jelly and spread it over the salmon and shrimp. Drizzle the entire salmon with olive oil, cover with aluminum foil and bake at 325 * (degrees) for about 30-40 minutes, until cooked all the way through. The salmon will be very moist and flavourful as it actually poaches in its own juices. 

Add some boiled new potatoes and some baby carrots and you have a great meal. (And the sauce works well on top of the potatoes too)  No fuss, no muss, and so simple, ANYONE can do it. If you want to impress your significant other with your culinary skills, this is the recipe for you!!

Enjoy!

Did you notice the dings in the jar lid? I had to really whack it, to open it.

Bon apetit! (I just said this in my head, like Julia Child)

Rosie