Home At Last! with Patty Gironda

A guest of our Bed and Breakfast asked if I had a garden and I shared "my broken garden" story.  Although small,  we enjoyed a fair amount of goodies!

It was a wonderfully busy day in Coweta and the rest of Georgia. We tried to get out and enjoy all the markets, festivals and even a few garage sales! My main focus was the garage sales! I was anxious to score an item or two made of  wood to finally try my first can of Annie Sloan's French Chalk Paint. I scored in a big way;  paying  a mere $2.25 for three architectural elements perfect for a new coat of Louis Blue chalk paint. And, I couldn't resist a brand new "in the box" set of glass jars and lids! I still got it!  And all for under $10!

This was one of those sandwiches that was on every Florida restaurant menu in the 70's! Yacht clubs, country clubs, department store restaurants . . . it was really that popular! To me, the success of the sandwich depends on great bread! The bread must hold up to the egg -mustard mixture and a slow grilling. I found recipes calling for a deep fried sandwich but I don't remember ever seeing a deep-fried version. For our simple sandwich I used all the tradional ingredients-thinly sliced Black Forest ham, lean turkey breast and a baby swiss cheese. I piled up the meat and cheese on an English toasting bread, pressed it and placed it very carefully in the egg mixture-flipping it to ensure an even coating on both sides. Once the excess drains away the sandwich was placed in a pre-heated pan with Olivio. We served it very traditionally with the strawberry preserves and powdered sugar! For Two Sandwiches 4 pieces of hearty toasting bread 2 thinly-sliced pieces of Bla...

Fresh watermelon, lemonade, a little black raspberry syrup and a swizzle of mint make for a most refreshing spritzer! Made for guests of Casa Bella as a non-alcoholic spritzer topped with soda water. . .I'm tempted to try this refreshing mixture this evening with a little dark rum.

Main Street Newnan merchants prepare to exhibit and sale their wares at the 2010 Powers Festival this Labor Day. Under the direction of Linda Bridges Kee and Tina Darby, our pretty "home away from home" will be decorated by Mainstreet merchants, restaurants and our own Casa Bella Bed and Breakfast!

Freshly-made Pasta Ronald Mac and I have enjoyed a wonderful day in the kitchen together-making everything from a strawberry cordial for apertifs, a peach bourbon conserve for our bed and breakfast guests-and homemade fresh pasta for an upcoming episode of Home At Last! . . . a true "soup to nuts kind of day"! We experimented with several different pasta makers but found that we enjoyed the hand-cranked basic Italian maker the best. Once the pasta was rolled by hand using a flea market wooden rolling pin we cut it with spaghetti and linguine blades. I draped the pasta over my Kitchenaid and dried it in the vicinity of an oscillating fan. Easy breezy . . . The spaghetti recipe included a 1/4 cup of semolina but for the linguine I opted for no semolina. More for the fun of making them different that for any other reason. We took turns churning out the pasta and enjoyed ourselves immensely! For a easy and reliable recipe please visit the Recipe page of Home At La...

As a former interior decorator I adore the vibe of Encore Decor in downtown Newnan, Georgia. Well-displayed vignettes-filled with fun accessories and decorative elements for every room of the house. Consigned pieces keep the supply of great furniture and accessories fresh-while Janet's knack for finding unique pieces and objects d'art is apparent as you step through her inviting front door! Best of all, Janet has the good sense to offer her finds at fabulous prices-making for a fun shopping experience!

Desperate for something hot but too tired to spend an evening in the kitchen I made some quick seafood entrees. For me, Baked Oysters, for Ron, Baked Clams. Ten minutes of preparation and 15 minutes to bake and dinner is on the table. In both dishes it was the same list of ingredients with either the fresh shucked oysters or canned clams! Oyster Bake 6 or 8 medium oysters 7 crackers (crushed) 2 tsps mayonnaise dash of hot sauce 1 tbsp chopped scallions pinch of garlic powder pinch of cajun seasoning 1/4 cup mixed cheese Mix ingredients in a small bowl. Place on top of oysters in a buttered dish. Top with mixed cheese. Broil for five minutes at 500 degrees. Reset oven to Bake at 400 degrees and bake for about ten minutes. Cool and serve.

We've enjoyed the company of young guests this past two days and promised to make all their favorite breakfast foods on this last morning.  The family, (Mom, Grandma, Griffin and Lili) have enjoyed their morning family time and breakfasts have been leisurely and fun. Griffin, an 11-year old "grown-up" wanted a vegetarian breakfast sandwich-an easy request with whole-grain English muffins, sliced cheese and fresh tomato.  Of course we have to serve a sweet course and today's treat took full advantage of this season's sweet, flavorful strawberries!  One of the best seasons I can remember in years.  We made a morning version of a pioneer biscuit shared with me years ago by an aunt living in Colorado. Easy, no fail biscuits that are fluffy and buttery.  I added two tablespoons of powdered sugar for a slightly sweeter biscuit and double-baked them for a little extra crunch!  The strawberries were macerated overnight with my homemade black curran...

What defines the perfect home fries for you? At Casa Bella think we make pretty great home fries with Golden Yukon potatoes, crispy potato bits marbled through-out and a small amount of Mexican cheese blend on top. Subtle layers of green onion, garlic, olive oil and spices slowly cooked in a hot black skillet with our parboiled potates create a crispy side dish perfect for our nestled eggs, sausage strata or creamy omelettes filled with tomatoes and goat cheese!

My wild petunias have finally bloomed-marking the true beginning of Atlanta's summer months. My small garden is alive with activity including this bee who was so busy he didn't mind my camera in his face! I picked my first nastursiums today and have slated them for a refreshing summer drink that I will showcase on Home At Last! this week. I am freezing pretty ice cubes filled with flowers and mint to garnish a refreshing drink of watermelon and lemonade. The versatility of the recipe as a punch or alcoholic drink makes it a natural for summertime entertaining. Equally pleasing to children and adults, the drink is the perfect compliment to a Mexican menu - pairing well with tomatoes, cilantro, cumin and oregano!

I have made it a goal to appreciate every minute of spring in Georgia! Yesterday provided a special treat as a group from our Coweta committee headed to Dunaway Gardens to finalize party plans for this month's Georgia Travel Writers Marketplace-showcasing Coweta and Troup Counties! One can easily imagine actors, directors and celebrities strolling the grounds-revitalized and inspired by the beauty of the gardens and fortified by the delicious food of the Blue Bonnet Tea Room! Last weekend's guests of our Bed and Breakfast, Casa Bella attended a lovely wedding at Dunaway and were appreciative of the beauty and serenity of both facilites! Friend, Susie Berta captured the essence of our beautiful county in her own lovely garden with stunning pale apricot-colored Abraham Darby Roses. Susie and husband, Rick are responsible for Good and Gracious Gourmet Ricotta Cookies . Available at Newnan Market Days or online.

After a hectic winter, I am enjoying a bit of a slow down and the opportunity to get out and reconnect with old friends and make a bunch of new ones! The south metro continues to draw artists, artisan food purveryors and people with spectacular vision! Ron and I talk daily about our vision for Casa Bella Bed and Breakfast in Newnan ! What experience do we create and share with our guests? What do we wish our guests take away from their visit to Newnan and Coweta County ? Articulating our mission with just words can be a bit challenging. Take a moment and think about the most relaxing spot you have enjoyed . . .remember the smell of the air, the beauty of the night sky and the warm feeling of peace that washed over your being as every muscle relaxed. The memories that linger from that perfect getaway are the core of the experience we wish to convey in a visit to Casa Bella Bed and Breakfast ! As experienced innkeepers we pride ourselves on our ability to foresee the needs and wants o...

Making this expensive restaurant-style salad is so easy and inexpensive when prepared at home. This salad is a carefully-constructed live food salad with a small amount of cooked protein-essential to building a strong immune system. Each ingredient chosen to aid in the body's ability to fight disease and provide valuable fiber and essential vitamins to the daily diet! The recipes starts by boiling a small amount of pounded chicken cut into small pieces in a little water flavored with dried cranberries, cumin, dried kale, dried chives, whole garlic and paprika until the chicken pieces are just cooked. The chicken is removed from the water and placed in the refrigerator to chill. Mineola oranges are segmented and chilled. A red bartlett pear and small tomato are each sliced thinly and chilled. The small baby spinach is added to spring mix and then tossed with a small amount of olive oil and fig balsamic. A tablespoon of ranch adds flavor and sheen. Toasted chopped pecans finis...

Casa Bella Bed and Breakfast is finally open and guests are enjoying our spacious, modern rooms. Many of the furnishings were purchased locally but we still had to make semi-frequent trips to Piedmont Street in Atlanta for lamps and other small accessories. We also enjoyed the trip for a nearby Chinese buffet that has really delicious seafood on the menu-including an Asian fried Tilapia that is so crispy and flavorful. Paired with their spicy mussels and sushi I'm a "happy camper". Unfortunately, we've run out of excuses to hit our favorite buffet so I just had to break down and cook the mussels myself. For me, this is an enjoyable process but requires a little extra knowledge to create the deep, rich broth that flavors the meaty mussels. I buy the mussels at my local Asian mart and keep the in the freezer to enjoy when the mood strikes. A box on the half-shell is plenty for two or three people and also yields the pretty green shells which I saved for an upcoming ...

Another stunning star-studded evening unfolded in the back gardens of Something Special Event Center as guests sampled and were invited to offer their opinions of new menu offerings from owner Mike Meyer and Chef Carol, a recent Johnson and Wales graduate. Moroccan Nights was a gathering of old friends coming full circle over the past fourteen years and reconnecting under the stars! Dancing candlelight laced the pretty branches of a large oak that is the remarkable centerpiece of the Mike's pretty courtyard.  A nice sampling of cheeses-complimented by Medjool dates, almonds,olives and moist apricots awaited us as we entered the gardens and reconnected at our jewel-lit tables. A simple course of hummus, yogurt with scallions followed before a dinner course of spicy lamb and Moroccan chicken, beautiful pomegranate-glazed carrots, and couscous studded with golden raisins.  A creamy apricot and toasted almond-laced custard was the pe...