Patsy's Place {our vacation rental}

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.  J. Lubbock

When my mom passed suddenly last year, I was left saddened and scared.  I am an only child, whose parents are both gone now.  While I have wonderful immediate and extended family, I felt lost.  Would the boys ever know how much they meant to her and what would her legacy be to them.  My mom was a very hard worker who pulled herself up by the bootstraps and hustled.  When able, she traveled, laughed, wined, dined and enjoyed time with her family and friends.  She created an enviable life for a single mother on a modest income.  I'm so pleased that she was so comfortable in her last years and wanted for nothing.

So when the estate was settled and funds were socked away for us and the boys, we had some leftover.  I like to think of myself as adventurous, but if I am honest, I am not.  I am also not sensible when it comes to money.  Sure, I coupon and bargain shop and have a high FICO score, but that overpriced decor or pair of shoes will always win with me.  

So when deciding on whether to put more money in the stock market, or perhaps renovating our home, both did not feel right to me.  So we decided to flirt with the idea of investing in a vacation/retirement property.  We were sure of the location, near family and friends, in Southwest Florida, but what type (condo, single family, etc..) or how much to spend was a different story.  

I research everything. In every aspect of my life.  I am an avid reader.  I know we wanted the most cost-efficient place possible.  Not near the water (no flood insurance), no pool (high liability), safe neighborhood, low taxes, lots of tropical foliage and in mint condition.  

So a week or two after our decision to pursue this, on June 3rd, I saw our house on Zillow.  My aunt and uncle, who live nearby previewed the home for us on June 6th, we were under contract on June 7th and sold on June 28th.  

Our house is a 2 bed, 2 bath flipped home.  It needs nothing.  It is energy and storm efficient.  In order to save more money on insurance, we upgraded the electrical panel and added an alarm system.  A wind mitigation inspection, eased our minds, as it really is solid.  We added vinyl fencing to one side for complete privacy.  The tropical foliage is lush and beyond amazing around our yard and across the street.

So while we rent it out to sun-seeking snowbirds for the most part, we hope to enjoy it ourselves a few times a year before we retire permanently. (Which is like 15 years away, at least....!)

The best part was setting it up and decorating.  If I didn't have it, it was purchased at or below clearance.  Complete with board games, a crockpot and fake foliage pots (I can't water plants!)  I'm very please with how it turned out and will make a very comfortable and pleasing space for someone to spend their leisure time.

So without further ado...here is our little piece of tropical heaven that we call Patsy's Place in honor of our mother and grandmom.

Vacation rental 
Port Charlotte, Florida
2 beds ~ 2 baths
Close to boating, fishing, beach days, kayaking, swimming, restaurants, numerous parks, etc...
Fully stocked for a stress-free getaway. Grill, 2 patios, quiet neighborhood, abundant palms, tropical foliage and wildlife on property. Free wifi and cable. Bedroom 1 - queen bed. Bedroom 2 - 2 twins. All linens and cooking items available for use. An abundance of family board games. Beach chairs, towels and blankets, screen room and cooler available as well. Beautiful, modern decor.

Thank you for visiting!

Lighter Crabmeat Stuffed Mushrooms {recipe swap}

Lighter Crabmeat Stuffed Mushrooms

1 cup lump meat crab

6.5 ounces light spreadable cheese, garlic and herb

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp minced fresh basil

1/4 tsp garlic salt

3 green onions, minced

8 large white mushrooms

1/4 cup grated reduced fat white sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup freshly grated Reggiano Parmesan cheese

Olive oil to coat the baking dish

Quick rinse your mushrooms, remove stems, and set caps aside. Finely chop about the mushroom stems.

Mix cheeses (reserving a sprinkle for the tops before baking), crab, chopped stems, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, basil, garlic salt and onions. Fill mushroom caps with the crab mixture and place in a large, lightly greased baking dish. Top with the grated cheeses and Bake at 450ºF for 15-20 minutes. Garnish with green onions and serve warm.

Thanks for visiting!

Lighter Chicken Tetrazzini {recipe swap}

Lighter Chicken Tetrazzini

2-3 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded

4 cups chicken broth (to boil chicken in)

1 box of whole grain linguini or spaghetti 

1 stick of unsalted butter, softened 

2 cans fat free cream of chicken soup 

1 1/2cup of light sour cream

1/2 cup white wine

2 cups reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese

Salt + pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and spray casserole dish with cooking spray.

Rinse chicken breasts, pat dry and season with salt and pepper.  Put in pot and cover with 4 cups of chicken broth. Bring to a rapid boil, turn heat to low, cover and cook 20 minutes. Reserve a couple of tablespoons of broth for mixture.

When chicken is cooked, remove from pot and shred.

Cook and drain pasta. I used leftover chicken broth to rinse pasta. Layering flavors is everything.

Combine softened butter, soup, sour cream, chicken, reserved chicken broth and wine. Add cooked pasta and pour into casserole dish. Bake, uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle mozzarella cheese. Bake for 15 more minutes or until brown and bubbly.

My boys went nuts over this, even asking for seconds. Can be made ahead, just bring to room temperature before baking. Serve with salad or sautéed green. So delicious!

Thanks for visiting! 

Marinated Cheese Appetizer {recipe swap}

A unique recipe...perfect for your summer parties!

I found this recipe in an old fire company auxiliary cookbook and decided to give it a try, since I had all of the ingredients on hand...Everyone loved it.

Marinated Cheese

2 blocks cheddar and/or assorted cheeses

1 block of cream cheese

½ Cup of olive oil

½ Cup of white wine vinegar

1-4 oz. jar of diced pimento, drained

2 T flat leaf parsley, chopped

3 T scallions, chopped

2 Cloves of garlic, minced

1 t sugar

2 T dried Italian seasoning (dressing mix)

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Cut hard and cream cheeses into thin 1-inch pieces and decoratively arrange on a plate/platter with a lip.  I used sharp cheddar and Colby jack. 

NOTE:  Freeze cream cheese 10-15 minutes before slicing and it will be much less messy. 

Mix remaining ingredients in a small jar and shake well to combine.  Drizzle the marinade over the cheese.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to no more than 8.  Let the cheese platter come to room temperature before serving.  Serve with crackers, pita chips or thin-sliced baguette.  I used triscuits and baguette slices.  Delicious and different!

Thanks for visiting!

Five on Friday (what I'm pinning, loving lately}

1.)  Perfect Beach Days

2.)  These Wings...

Original Recipe and my adaptation.

3.)  This Wall Color...

I am seriously considering this for our dining room.  Check out Whaling City Cottage for my favorite of the One Room Challenge rooms!

4.)  This French Onion soup.

Check out the recipe here.

5.)  This Bathroom.

Have a great weekend! 

Thanks for visiting!

Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings {recipe swap}

Honey-Sriracha Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

For the wings...

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for the pan

2 pounds chicken wings, split at the joints, tips removed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For the sauce...

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup honey, plus more for drizzling

1/4 cup Sriracha (Asian chile sauce)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Lightly coat a large rimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil. Dry the chicken wings with paper towels and place in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, the melted butter, granulated garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pour the mixture over the wings and toss well to coat. Spread the wings in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the wings until browned and crisp, about 55-60 minutes. Meanwhile, make the sauce: Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Add the honey, Sriracha, soy sauce and lime juice and stir until the mixture bubbles gently. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Carefully remove the wings from the baking sheet and transfer to a large bowl. Pour the warm sauce over the wings and gently toss to coat. Transfer the wings to a serving platter and drizzle with more honey and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and cilantro

Note:  To toast sesame seeds...spread seeds on a baking sheet and place in a 325 degrees for about 10-15 minutes, being careful not to scorch.

Recipe adapted from here.

Thanks for visiting!

One Room Challenge ~ Tween Room {Finale}

Welcome to the finale of the Spring 2015 One Room Challenge!  We redecorated our 10-year old sons room to transition him from child to preteen, aka tween.  I will start by showing you the before photos with flesh-colored walls and questionable carpet.  This refresh was long overdue...

An inspiration board created earlier this year

And without further ado...Collins tween room!!

We are thrilled with how the room turned out and so is the lucky boy!  It's peaceful, warm and laid back.  It is by far my favorite room in our home (right now).  

I didn't finish all of the projects I wanted to; I didn't want to rush ceiling lighting or a proper window seat cushion just to get it done for the challenge.  I will know immediately when I find the perfect fixture and fabric...(and a set of rustic oars for the wall!)

Source List

Paint – Benjamin Moore Van Deusen Blue

Carpet – Stainmaster Essentials Textured from Lowes

Furniture – Repurposed from around the house

Parson Desk – K-Mart

Bedding – Pottery Barn and Macy’s

Pillows – Homegoods, Pottery Barn and Walmart

Accessories – Homegoods, Target and reclaimed from around the house

Large American Flag - eBay

Lamps – K-Mart, Pottery Barn and Walmart

Antique Bed – Gifted to us from a family friend
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Please visit Calling it Home for all of the One Room Challenge designers and linking participants.  Special thanks to Linda for hosting!

Thanks for visiting!