KITCHEN SHOPPING...

I have been reading a lot lately 

about shopping your house,

 that moving things around

 from room to room 

can make it all seem 

fresh and new.

To be sure,

 I have done that. 

 Most of the Cottage's rooms

 have perpetual "Clearance Sale" signs

 posted and...

...poor Goatzie 

has been moved so many times, 

he needs new tread 

on his wagon tires.

But, 

if I truly believed that and 

if I always practiced what I preach, 

I wouldn't have a full room 

dedicated to the exact opposite 

of that idea.

 But,

 that is neither here nor there, 

so back to the subject

 at hand.

Our kitchen

 is a far cry now 

compared to how it was

 when the Cottage first came 

into our hands

 for safe keeping. 

 I did a post 

about the evolution 

which you can see (here) if you are interested.

  The island, above, 

is known as Cinderella. 

 You can read about her (here). 

 You might call me 

the wicked stepmother,

 but even though

 she was a true labor of love,

at the time, 

she just didn't work out.

She was doomed from the beginning:

1.  We paid too much for the

state she was in.

2.  She was a lot of work.

3.  She didn't fit the space

that she was intended for.

  

The kitchen is fairly large 

when taken as a whole,

but the actual working part

 only takes up a small corner and 

with the addition of two adults and 

two dogs, always underfoot,

 that doesn't leave much room 

for cooking. 

 Cinderella was definitely in the way,

 so began the plan

 of how to make

 the kitchen 

more efficient.

We listed possibilities. 

 A new smaller island, 

removing the table and chairs all together,

 or moving them to another location, 

taking out the stove, etc.

  In other words, 

removing the charm 

that I love in my kitchen.

  Buying anything new

would cost money, and 

if I was going to spend money, 

I would rather put it into

 a new wood floor...

...but that 

is a story for another day.

 So what did we do? 

 We shopped the house.

We moved 

the Ikea cupboard 

across the room

(which if you went back to the older link,

 you might notice that it has  

been here once before - 

 before the face lift)...

...and switched places 

with the stove. 

 (The Captain will be making a back drop

 for the stove

 eventually).

Although the table and chairs 

remained in the same place, 

we did switch out the table

 for a smaller one 

that was behind 

the settee 

in the parlor.

By moving the bowl tower

 and the little chair, 

that opened up space 

for an antique chair...

...that was hidden in the dining room and 

meant that I could still use 

the piggy lamp on the old crock.

 I think it is as important to have 

lamp light in the kitchen 

as well as in 

any other room.

In putting back the counters,

 I tried to de-accessorize

a little. 

( I refuse to use the word clutter!)

...but, to be honest,

 you must know me well enough by now

 to know that even 

if I really do try, 

that probably ain't gonna happen!

I am very pleased

 how it all played out.

  There will most likely be

 a little more tweaking 

here and there

 as time goes on. 

There always is, and I think

 I might be happy with 

a round, braided rug 

under the table and chairs.

 We shall see.

It feels more open 

and the happy feeling 

I get first thing in the morning,

 when the coffee is perking...

...could be 

just the sun shining in 

but I think

 it's a little more

 than that.

This has been an overload 

of photos and words, 

but I promised the recipe 

for the tomato soup 

courtesy of Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa:

CREAM OF FRESH TOMATO SOUP

3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 1/2 cups chopped red onion (2 onions)

2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)

4 pounds tomatoes, coarsely chopped (5 large)

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil leaves, plus julienned leaves for garnish

3 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

3/4 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)

Croutons for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium low heat. 

 Add onions and carrots, saute for about ten minutes, until very tender. 

 Add garlic and cook for one minute more.

  Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, chicken stock, salt and pepper and stir well. 

 Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes,

 until the tomatoes are very tender.

Add the cream to the soup 

and process it through a food mill 

into a bowl,

 discarding only the dry pulp that's left.

  Reheat the soup over low heat 

just until hot and serve.

Enjoy!!

This is the very first day 

that really feels like spring. 

 I'm wishing you all 

more days like this.

...Judy...

I'd like to take this time 
to thank ones who posted photos
 of their trips to France and Notre Dame.

 A tragedy has occurred and 
it is one that is felt around the world. 
 A thing of beauty 
is a joy forever and
 nothing about this magnificent icon 
will be forgotten 
and, through time, 
it will rise again.

  It is a reminder to all of us that, throughout life, 
 our most precious possessions
 can be taken from us 
in an instant. 

Sharing today with:

Dishing It & Digging It

and

Keep In Touch at Let's Add Sprinkles