The Renovation and What I Ate Part 3

We are making great progress on our renovation...while the cabin will always be a work in progress...
..we are now comfortable inviting guests to come and stay.


One of the tricks we found for enjoying a project of this size, is to take the time to enjoy a meal out, or the company of friends.  We had such an opportunity on Friday night.


Our friends Joe and Monica invited us for a small holiday gathering at their home.  Although the drive was an hour, it was well worth it.  We had a wonderful time visiting and I couldn't believe the spread Monica put out..and Joe's zagat worthy bar!.  


I hope Monica won't mind me sharing this...but she served an appetizer so yummy that I had to remove myself from the actual kitchen area, for fear that I would eat them all.  I am conscious that there is a polite amount of consumption at a  party. And I am pretty sure the entire platter isn't it.  So as a result, I talked about the bits all the way home and well into the night.  I then got up early the next morning and hit the grocery store to get the supplies for said delight.
..and then we had them for lunch...
my oh my oh my....

I didn't get a picture, because well...the hubster and I were burning our fingers plucking them from the dish fresh out of the oven. I completely forgot my senses...
it wasn't until the dogs were "cleaning the pan" that I thought...hmm..i should have taken a photo.


so here's the recipe (gleefully stolen)

Monica's Smokin' Little Smokies
(printable recipe)

1 pkg little smokies

1 pkg bacon

brown sugar

cayenne pepper (my addition)

Cut the bacon pieces in thirds...and wrap a piece around each link.  Place in a casserole dish.  Sprinkle brown sugar over top.  Lightly sprinkle cayenne pepper (if desired).  Place in 375 oven until bacon is cooked and brown sugar is beginning to look like it will ruin your pan.

Now...for the renovation. I have been working on two of the guest rooms.  The loft had been portioned off to 2 rooms and for the time being we are keeping it that way. Our ultimate goal is to knock down the wall and make a nice large loft-slash-den area for music and lounging.  Hubster plays the banjo and the acoustics will be great for bluegrass jammin'.

So...here's what I have done...

rooms before

both rooms looked like this...mirror images of eachother

another angle

and for the after...

green room

and

blue room

to see more of our renovation: see here and here

Now I am off to get more projects done before the crowd arrives on Wednesday...lots of cleaning to do!