Rum Cake with Butter Rum Glaze

November 26, 2012 By 8 Comments

Rum Cake with Butter Rum Glaze

Happy Cyber Monday!

As promised, today I am sharing a recipe from Holiday Thyme!  It was a hard decision to pick just one since I love all the recipes I created for the book but I decided to share with you my Rum Cake with Butter Rum Glaze.  Unlike most rum cake recipes, this one does not come from a box cake mix (not that there is anything wrong with that) and oh my goodness is it amazing. 

Rum is another flavor that reminds me of the holidays so what perfect way to celebrate the season than with a rum cake.  This smells so good when it is baking.  After it has cooled slightly, top it off with a butter rum glaze for a great dessert to serve at your holiday gatherings.  I always like to reserve a little of the glaze to also drizzle on the slices right before serving as well.

Holiday Thyme is filled with recipes like these.  Need dinner ideas?  Try my Maple-Glazed Pork Tenderloin or even an easy recipe for Sicilian Chicken that you can also find in this book and also great for any holiday dinner parties you may be hosting.  And you don’t want to miss my recipe for homemade Eggnog, or one of my favorites Processo and Cranberry Mojitos, great for ringing in the New Year.   

Today is the last day you can purchase the Holiday Thyme e-book for Amazon Kindle at the introductory price of just .99 cents.  If you love print cookbooks like me, be sure to grab the print copy of Holiday Thyme also available on Amazon.

Next up, Spring Thyme coming Spring 2013! 

In the meantime lets enjoy the Holiday Thyme and a warm piece of Rum Cake!

Rum Cake with Butter Rum Glaze

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Rum Cake with Butter Rum Glaze

Moist and delicious rum cake topped with a butter rum glaze is the perfect ending to your holiday dinner.

Ingredients

  • Non-stick cooking spray
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3.4 ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup light rum
    • Butter Rum Glaze
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup light rum
  • 1/4 cup water

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously spray a standard 10-inch bundt pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle walnuts evenly on the bottom of bundt pan and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl stir together flour, pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.
  3. Using an electric mixer cream butter and sugar. Stir in vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract and rum.
  4. Gradually add in flour mixture to wet ingredients until blended. Pour batter into bundt pan on top of nuts.
  5. Bake in preheated oven for 55-60 minutes until cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely before inverting.
    6. Butter Rum Glaze
  6. In a small saucepan combine butter, sugar, rum and water over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 3-4 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
  7. Using a toothpick poke small holes all over cake. Generously brush cake with glaze. Drizzle remaining glaze on top of cake. Reserve a small amount to pour on slices when serving.
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Filed Under: baked good, cakes, entertaining, Holiday Thyme

Ravioli with Prosecco Cream Sauce

April 27, 2012 By 14 Comments


It’s here!  The Prosecco Cream Sauce I raved about having when I featured my recipe for Arugula Pizza.  I know you have been eagerly waiting in anticipation for this recipe, right?  I sure have.  This sauce is inspired by my favorite dish Lobster Ravioli with Prosecco Cream Sauce that I have almost every time we go to our favorite Italian restaurant Mangia.   

This sauce is so incredibly simple to make but the flavor is phenomenal.   This sauce is so good I want to drink it;  but instead I’ll just enjoy the rest of the Prosecco that is left in the bottle while preparing this meal.  This sauce pairs nicely with a pasta like ravioli or if you can find a lobster or seafood ravioli even better.  I wouldn’t suggest it with a meat or italian sausage ravioli; keep it with cheese, spinach or seafood and you’ll be wanting seconds. 

And how perfect would this meal be if you are entertaining a small gathering, like maybe one or two other couples?  Not only is is so simple but it smells amazing when its cooking and your guests will think you took a lot of time to prep this.   All you have to do is make the sauce; toss in some ravioli and serve with a beautiful salad and fresh bread.  Voila!  Dinner is served.  

If you like Prosecco as much as I do;  check out my Meyer Lemon Prosecco with Limoncello or my Drinks Pinterest board where I have many Prosecco cocktails I am eager to try.

Don’t forget to check out the Wilton giveaway.  You can enter HERE until May 2, 2012.  


Ravioli with Prosecco Cream Sauce

Ingredients
1 pound frozen or store bought ravioli  (cheese, spinach or seafood) cooked per package instructions 
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup (half pint) heavy cream 
1/2 cup Prosecco*
1 teaspoon tomato paste
Salt and pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan for garnish
Chopped parsley for garnish (optional)


Directions
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant; about 1 minute.  Stir in heavy cream; Prosecco and tomato paste.  Bring to a low boil, stir and reduce heat to a simmer for about 10-15 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  

Serve sauce over ravioli and top with fresh grated cheese, fresh parsley and cracked pepper.  

*Depending on taste you may want to start with only adding in 1/4 to a 1/3 cup of Processo and increasing a tablespoon at a time until desired.




Filed Under: dinner, entertaining, pasta, sauce

Arugula Pizza

February 10, 2012 By 16 Comments

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There is a local Italian restaurant that we love.   Last Friday Mr. Mother Thyme and I had a much overdue date night.  It seems anytime we get a chance to go out for dinner we always go there.  We just love the ambiance and the food that we go back every chance we get.

We had a lovely dinner.  I ordered my usual Lobster Ravioli that is topped with a delicious prosecco cream sauce (I am working on a recipe for that) which is just fabulous.  As full as I get from ordering an appetizer and salad I seem to always have room to eat this entire dish.

Our first course was a delicious Arugula Pizza which was on the specials menu for the evening.  It was fantastic.  A thin crust pizza with prosciutto and goat cheese and topped with fresh arugula.  I could have just eaten that and been satisfied.

I enjoyed the Arugula Pizza so much I recreated it.  This is so similar to the one we enjoyed at the restaurant;  perfect for a weeknight dinner.  

In my recipe I used a simple store bought pizza dough.  I make my own pizza dough often but for this I wanted to use a thin crust premade dough which really worked well, plus saves a little time.   I topped the crust with a simple arugula pesto, shredded mozzarella, chopped prosciutto, sun dried tomatoes and crumbled goat cheese.  Once the pizza is baked, I sprinkle with fresh baby arugula leaves and drizzle with a balsamic reduction.

Simply delicious.


Arugula Pizza

Ingredients
1 11oz package of Pillsbury Thin Crust Pizza Dough tube 
1 teaspoon cornmeal
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup arugula pesto (recipe below) 
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup prosciutto, chopped (about 2-3 slices)
1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
4oz goat cheese
1 1/2 cup baby arugula leaves
Dash of fresh ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Roll out dough to a 11″x14″ on a greased dark or non-stick baking sheet.  Sprinkle bottom of dough with cornmeal and bake crust in a preheated oven for about 5 minutes.

Add balsamic vinegar to a small saucepan over medium low heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally until liquid reduces in half, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.  

Spread pesto on crust.  Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella, chopped prosciutto, sun dried tomatoes.  Crumble goat cheese on top and sprinkle with a freshly ground black pepper.

Bake in oven for an additional 8-10 minutes until crust is golden brown.  

Let cool slightly.  Top with baby arugula leaves and drizzle with balsamic reduction.  

Arugula Pesto
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups baby arugula leaves
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped or shelled walnuts (or pine nuts)
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (1-2 cloves)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions
In a food processor combined arugula leaves, Parmesan cheese, walnuts and garlic and chop until combined and arugula leaves are chopped.  With food processor running, stream in olive oil until creamy.  

Filed Under: appetizers, dinner, entertaining, main course, pesto, pizza

Black Bean Sliders with Avocado Mayonnaise

February 3, 2012 By 14 Comments

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I love black beans.  I incorporate them into a lot of my cooking.  I enjoy tossing them in soups and salads, in a variety of chicken and rice dishes and even just to snack on.

I also love making dishes into smaller individual size portions.  Not only do individual size dishes look cute when serving but its great for portion control too.  And who doesn’t love getting a dish served to them that is all for themselves?

Same kind of goes with these cute little sliders.  I think sliders are cute and fun.  They serve as great appetizers when entertaining, but also fun for weeknight dinner.  

The term “slider” originated from the fast food restaurant White Castle.  Thanks to Wikipedia I recently learned that myself.  I have to love Wikipedia.  Now only if Wikipedia was around when I was in school.  When I was in school we still went to the library and got our information from encyclopedias and didn’t have little sliders to enjoy after school.  Those were the days. 

These tasty little black bean sliders are packed full of flavor and mighty good.  The twins and Mr. Mother Thyme loved these.  I topped these with a simple avocado mayonnaise.  I love the combination of black beans and guacamole, so I thought making an avocado mayonnaise would be a nice alternative as well.  

Enjoy!


Black Bean Sliders with Avocado Mayonnaise

Makes 12 sliders

Black Bean Sliders
Ingredients
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup white onion, diced
2 15.5oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup corn (frozen and thawed)
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon Sriracha
1 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions
Heat 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and onion and saute until onions are tender.  Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl mash black beans using a potato masher until desired consistency.  Add in corn, ketchup, soy sauce, cumin, Sriracha, cilantro, salt and pepper, onion and garlic and until well combined.  Fold in bread crumbs until mixture holds together.  Form into patties and chill for 10-15 minutes.  

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat.  Cook burgers until crispy, about 5 minutes per side.  

Avocado Mayonnaise
Ingredients
1/2 cup mashed avocado (about 1/2 an avocado)
1/2 cup light mayonnaise (or regular)
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir until combined.  Chill for 15 minutes and serve as desired.  

Black Bean Burgers adapted from:  Bake Your Day


Filed Under: black beans, dinner, entertaining, vegetarian

Baked Shrimp Scampi

January 4, 2012 By 5 Comments

Another inspired recipe I enjoyed cooking over the holidays was Baked Shrimp Scampi.  I stumbled upon this recipe while watching an episode of Barefoot Contessa on Food Network.   When I saw Ina Garten making this delicious dish I knew it would be a perfect addition to our New Year’s Eve menu.

This is a fabulous dish to prepare ahead of time.  I had it all prepped and ready to go and just popped it in the oven for about 15 minutes before it was ready to serve. 

This is definitely a dish I look forward to making again.  This recipe is spot on.  The only thing I changed was I omitted the rosemary only because I didn’t have any on hand and when I went to pick some up at the store they were sold out.  I don’t think this dish needed any rosemary, even though the original recipe only called for about a teaspoon.  I think there are plenty of wonderful flavors in this dish without the addition of rosemary.  

If you love shrimp, shrimp scampi or looking to make a simple dish for entertaining I highly recommend giving this a try!

Enjoy!


Baked Shrimp Scampi
Slightly adapted from Ina Garten-Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds colossal or jumbo shrimp (16-20 shrimp per pound) uncooked, peeled, deveined with tails on.
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons dry white wine
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
  • 1/4 cup minced shallots
  • 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2/3 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)
  • Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Buterfly the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture.
In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko bread crumbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until combined.
Starting from the outer edge of a 13 or 14 inch oval baker or oval gratin dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and towards the center of the dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until hot and bubbly.  Serve with lemon wedges.
Notes- I used frozen colossal shrimp that I thawed before preparing.

   
Filed Under: entertaining, main course, seafood, shrimp

Chocolate Ricotta Tart

January 2, 2012 By 4 Comments
Chocolate Ricotta Tart | www.motherthyme.com
Happy New Year!  Today marks the first recipe for 2012 and what a way to kick off the New Year than with a delicious Chocolate Ricotta Tart.

I had an enjoyable time over the holidays cooking and trying new recipes, several being recipes that I have had been eager to try for some time.

I stumbled upon this recipe a while ago and had it saved as a must try.  I finally got a chance to make this for New Years and it is such a rich and delicious recipe I was excited to share this recipe with you.  

This recipe involves a few steps but the overall cooking and prep times is simple and quick.  There is a bit of inactive time so you need to allot some time to make this but it is so worth it!  

Once you give this recipe a try you’ll definitely want to make this again!
Chocolate Ricotta Tart | www.motherthyme.com

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Chocolate Ricotta Tart

Chocolate Ricotta Tart

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons cornmeal
  • 3/4 cup pine nuts, plus an additional 1/2 a cup for garnishing, toasted
  • 1/4 cup sugar plus 3/4 cup sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 8 ounces (1 1/3 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
  • 3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 large egg yolks

Instructions

  1. In a food processor blend flour, cornmeal, 1/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup toasted pine nuts and salt until finely ground. Add in the butter and pulse just until dough forms. Press the dough on the bottom and up on the sides of a 10-inch diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Refrigerate until the dough is firm, about 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  3. Line the tart dough with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans Bake the tart shell in the lower third of the oven until just set, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and pie weights. Continue to bake the shell until golden about 5 minutes longer. Cool completely.
  4. Combine the remaining 3/4 cup sugar with 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Cool slightly.
  5. In a double boiler, slowly melt the chocolate over simmering water.
  6. In a food processor pulse the ricotta cheese and cream cheese until smooth. Add in the egg and egg yolks one at a time and process until smooth. Add in the melted chocolate and process until combined. While the machine is running, add the sugar syrup in a steady stream and process until smooth.
  7. Pour the filling into the cooled tart shell and bake until the filling is almost set, about 30 minutes. Scatter the remaining toasted pine nuts on top of the filling. Let tart cool completely before serving.
  8. Tart can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated up to 3 days. Let tart come to room temperature before serving.

Slightly adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

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Filed Under: chocolate, desserts, entertaining, pie, tart

Meyer Lemon Prosecco with Limoncello

December 30, 2011 By 5 Comments

Cheers!  Happy New Year!  Well, it’s almost a New Year.  I can’t believe another year has come and gone and we are embarking on another year.  It is time to wipe the slate clean and start fresh with a brand new outlook, goals and resolutions.  

It has been an enjoyable holiday season allowing myself to indulge on holiday treats but with the New Year approaching, time to get back on track and begin eating healthy again.  I look forward to a New Year creating new recipes for everyone to enjoy.  

I thought it would only be fitting for today to share a cocktail to ring in the New Year.  I enjoy wine but I admit I’m bit of a lightweight.  I tend to drink Moscato d’Asti, which is not only my favorite but its also low in alcohol so I can enjoy sipping on wine while entertaining without falling over.  If you haven’t had Moscato d’ Asti before its an sweet Italian sparkling wine that is fragrant and full of flavor.  My favorite brand of Moscato is Natale Verga Moscato d’Asti which is refreshing and bursting with delicious flavors of peaches and apricots.  A must try if you enjoy sweet wines.

This cocktail I am featuring today does not incorporate Moscato d’ Asti but Prosecco, another Italian sparkling wine.  Unlike Moscato d’ Asti which is sweeter, Prosecco is a dry sparkling wine and is very similar to champagne.  

Since I tend to lean towards sweeter drinks, I thought not only adding in Limoncello, an Italian lemon liqueur to this but also Meyer lemons.  This makes for a crisp and refreshing lemon spritzer perfect to enjoy ringing in the New Year!  

Wishing you a very happy and healthy New Year!

Cheers!  


Meyer Lemon Prosecco with Limoncello

For 1 serving

Ingredients
1/2 cup Prosecco, chilled
1 tablespoon Limoncello, chilled
2 tablespoon Meyer lemon juice (about 1 Meyer lemon)
1/2 teaspoon pomegranate juice (optional)
Mint leaves for garnishing (optional)
Pinch of sugar for garnishing (optional)

Directions

In a fluted champagne glass combine prosecco, limoncello and Meyer lemon juice.  Stir and serve chilled.  

Optional- Dip mint leaves in Prosecco then in to sugar.  Place sugared mint leaves in glass.  

Add a splash of pomegranate juice (1/2 teaspoon)  for extra color and flavor.  



Notes-
Mionetto II Prosecco Sparking Wine and Caravella Limoncello was used in this recipe.


Filed Under: beverages, entertaining, wine

Thanksgiving Table Setting

November 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment


Our Thanksgiving was filled with fabulous food and enjoying the company of close family members.  

I am thankful for~

My beautiful children.  They bring so much joy to our lives. 

My loving husband.  He is my rock, my best friend.  He is a wonderful father and husband.

My family.  

Good health.


This year I kept the table setting was simple.  I wanted a relax setting where everyone at the table was enjoying the food and conversation.  In years past I usually use china but this year I just used a simple custard color place setting.  The center piece was adorned with garland filled with leaves and berries.  I placed small pumpkins in between the garland and placed candles on the ends.  

Simply beautiful.

I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving.



Mr. Mother Thymes turkey.  Cooked in cheesecloth and fresh herbs.  Turns out tender and juicy every year.  
Simple, rustic place setting.  


Filed Under: entertaining, Seasonal

Poached Pears in Red Wine

November 9, 2011 By 8 Comments



Are you hosting an intimate gathering or looking for an elegant dessert to serve to your guests?  Poached Pears in Red Wine is an simple and elegant dessert that will sure impress guests and be the perfect dish to end a enjoyable evening of conversation and laughter.  
With the holidays right around the corner, it is time at home entertaining, and enjoying time with family and friends.  If you have several gatherings you will be hosting, you want to make it as stress free as possible.   Here are a few things I do when preparing for a small gathering.


- Plan the menu ahead of time. 
- Know what foods your guests enjoy.   If you know there is a certain food someone loves, find a special recipe for a dish to create for them.  
- Set an intimate table filled with candles and fresh flowers.  Break out the good china and have the table set before guests arrive.  
- Have a little bar set up in an area where you guests can mingle before sitting at the table.  Even if you just pull out a table and tuck it in the corner of the room.  Dress it up with some candles, wine, wine glasses and make a signature cocktail that sets the theme for the evening that is also in line with the menu.  
- Make out the menu on your computer and print it out.  Find a frame and have it set in the bar area so your guests can see what you will be serving.  
- Have one or two appetizers ready to go before your guests arrive.  Serve them before everyone is seated at the table.  While guests are mingling and enjoying a few appetizers, this gives you time to add the final touches to the dinner.  Try the Pesto and Cream Cheese Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes as an appetizer.  Simple and delicious.  You don’t want to serve a lot of heavy appetizers before dinner.  
- Before guests arrive prepare an elegant salad of baby greens and spinach topped with your favorite cheese, pecans or walnuts, grapes or raspberries.  Plate them individually and drizzle with a homemade dressing like a raspberry walnut vinaigrette before serving to your guests.
- Serve a main course that can be made ahead of time or started before your guests arrive and cook in the oven.  Pull the entree from of the oven as guests are enjoying salads to let rest before serving.
- Nothing beats the end of an enjoyable evening than a delicious dessert of Poached Pears in Wine Sauce.  Serve with a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream which is a wonder compliment to the red wine reduction that is infused with lemon, lemon zest, cinnamon and cloves.  


Poached Pears in Red Wine
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups red wine (I used Merlot)
1 cup sugar
2 strips of lemon rind
1 lemon, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
4 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
4 firm pears (I used Bosc)


Directions
Peel the pears and core the bottoms. Remove any flesh off the bottom of the pears if necessary if they won’t stand upright.  Set aside.
Wrap cloves and cinnamon sticks in cheesecloth and tie ends to close.  
In a large saucepan combine wine, sugar, lemon rind, lemon juice and cheesecloth bag and bring to boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat to low until sugar dissolves.
Lay pears in liquid and turn them to coat.  Poach them over low heat for approximately 30-45 minutes until pears are tender, turning occasionally.  Turn off heat and let pears cool in liquid before removing.  
Remove cheesecloth from liquid and turn heat to low.  Cook the remaining liquid until syrupy, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
Pour a portion of the red wine reduction over each pear and serve.  




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Jane Deere (Fusion Fridays)

Filed Under: desserts, entertaining, fall, fruit, holidays, pears

Home Sweet Home

October 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The front entry.
Welcome to our home.


It is nestled in the hills outside of Buffalo, New York.   Everyone says it reminds them of driving up to a chalet in Germany or Switzerland the way it is perched. In the winter with the snow glistening from the roof, it looks like a gingerbread house.  We love our home.

The house was built in 1981 and includes four bedrooms and two and a half baths.  It has a living room, a sitting room (which could also be used for a dining room), kitchen overlooking the beautiful backyard and first floor laundry.

Our “Chateau”.  
The house sits on five and a half acres, most of which is wooded.  A ravine going down to a babbling slate stream runs through the property.

We get a ton of wildlife in the backyard including deer, flocks of turkey, fox and an array of birds to name a few.

The outdoors is our haven.  In the summer months we can enjoy dipping into our in-ground pool, enjoying a glass of wine and star gazing while in the hot tub, relaxing by the fire pit my husband made and enjoying entertaining on our back patio with family and friends.

The fire pit in at the end of the yard before heading in to the woods.  Perfect place to roast marshmallows.

The patio off the back.  Perfect for barbecues and entertaining.  
This is certainly our dream home, and to think we almost didn’t look at this house!  It was the last house we viewed when we were house hunting and I told the realtor I wasn’t interested based on the pictures I saw on the computer.  What I learned was never go by what you see online if you are house hunting!  When we pulled up to this house my husband and I looked at each other and said, this is it!  We didn’t even need to see the inside.  

The inside needed just a little TLC and basically it was just paint.  The previous owners had an eclectic taste in paint color and had pretty much every room decked out with a border.  They were also smokers, so the house had an intense smell of smoke.  Which probably worked in our favor since we looked beyond the smell and the colors on the wall and saw the potential. 

The view from the patio looking towards the back.   

The view from the back looking towards the house.   The pool is enclosed off the patio.  
Within a day after moving in to our home, the smell of smoke went away, thanks to striping the curtains that were hung and washing and painting all the walls.   The house now smells like fresh apple pie baking in the oven.

I look forward to you joining me on Mother Thyme at Home as well as cooking with Mother Thyme as we journey through my home including my decorating, entertaining, family time tips to name a few.  Mother Thyme will be a personal journey of what I create, and time spent with my marvelous family.

The driveway heading down to the road.  
Welcome, come on in!  
Filed Under: Decorating, DiY, entertaining, Family Time, How To, Photography, Seasonal, Shopping