A Lovely Salad for Autumn and the Holidays

 
 I am sharing with you a lovely salad for Autumn.

"Autumn" is in the title of recipes containing those

fruits (like the pear) and vegetables found during the

Autumn months. However, this salad is equally great for the

Holidays because of the beauty of the red dried cranberries.

 

This salad uses a fresh pear but any of the pears are okay to use.

The one I choose usually depends on which variety of pear 

is on sale.  I will admit that I do cross my fingers and

hope the Bosc variety is on sale because I like the visual

of the brown-ish skin left on the cubes of pear in the salad.

I wish for the Anjou variety for the holidays for its bright green color.

Keep in mind to buy the pears a few days ahead of time

just in case they will need to ripen.  For the salad, we

want the pears just ripe - not mushy.  Cut them and add them
to the salad just before serving so they won't turn brown.

 

There really isn't a recipe for this salad.

Sometimes I use a Baby Spring lettuce mix

and sometimes I use only chopped Romaine lettuce.

I made this salad recently with the Romaine lettuce along side

a French Onion-Bacon Tart. Sorry, no photos. A flavor tip
when making salads is to make sure you season your lettuces.
Just sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper over lettuces in the
bowl prior to adding whatever add-ins you are going to use.

The "add-ins" to this salad are the pear cubes, pecans,

dried cranberries, crumbled bacon, and feta! Sometimes I
crumble the feta and sometimes I leave them as small cubes. 

For the dressing, a Poppy Seed salad dressing is drizzled over the
salad followed by a drizzle of basic Balsamic Vinaigrette. I make my own
Balsamic Vinaigrette but you can buy a bottled one as well.  The
ratio is approximately 70% Poppy Seed dressing and 30% Balsamic
Vinaigrette. Mix well to combine and then taste a lettuce leaf. 
You will be pleasantly surprised how delicious this is.

I "pear-ed" this salad with a Broccoli Chicken Casserole

which is a great recipe that can be used with leftover

Thanksgiving turkey.  That recipe can be found HERE. 

I thought this little plant of

fresh "Turkey Seasoning" herbs was genius.

"Flavorful herbs grown with your holiday turkey in mind."

"Cut what [we] need for seasoning and the plant continues to grow."

I bought it at the grocery store and it came with the

cute ceramic turkey on a stick.  I will be giving it to

my daughters on Thanksgiving as a hostess gift. 

 

I will be linking this week with

The Tablescaper's Seasonal Sundays

Stone Gable's On The Menu Mondays

Rattlebridge Farm's Foodie Fridays

 

Thank you for stopping by and visiting.

 

Fondly,

~Karen

 

 

 

 

 



Birthday Luncheon Table

My mom turned 73 years young and what better way to celebrate

than with a luncheon for her and a few of her friends!

I set a table for 10

And another table for 8

My mother uses a lot of blue and yellow in her home.

I was thrilled when I found these tablecloths at Home Goods

and knew I wanted to use them with her party.  One was 60x102

and the other 60x120.  The plates, crystal stemware, and "nests"

were from guess where?  Yep! Dollar Tree.  I used the vine

wreaths as chargers which I thought worked beautifully in

keeping with the bird theme.

It was the day before the luncheon and I still did not know

what I was going to use as centerpieces. I headed to Home Depot

and checked out their plants.  I found the cascading white flowers then

looked for flowers in yellow and blue.  Next, I picked up three clay

pots which I knew I could paint blue - and I did.  One coat of

paint dries quickly and I had them planted lickety split!

I placed the little bird on top to help even out the height of the blue

flower.  The birds and ribbon were in my "stash" or "my little bag of tricks"

as I like to call it.   A while back, I bought the little blue birds at Hobby

Lobby and the green burlap ribbon was from Michael's (located

in the DIY floral design section). I knew I could use it somewhere - and I did!

Each guest would leave with a small succulent as a party favor.

A little reminder of the day!  Happy Birthday Mom!

With the tables set, the party favors looking pretty by the front door,

it left me time to make the food.  Check back next week

when I tell you about my inspiration's source along with the menu!

Thanks for visiting!

This week I will joining the following blog parties:

Centerpiece Wednesday

Tablescape Thursday

Fondly,

~ Karen



A Spring Outdoor Table

The weather has been so beautiful that I decided to stay outdoors.

Petunias are abundant in the garden shops right now so why not?
I set the table in front of the flowering Meyer lemon tree and to the right
is a rose tree.  Can't see any roses blooming because I snatch them off the second
they bloom, to enjoy indoors! (Guess I could have left a couple on, huh?)
You can see that the Meyer lemon is loaded with flowering buds which 
means it will be loaded with lemons before too long! But never soon enough!

Along with petunias in the centerpiece, the table is set with individual 
petunia plants planted in peat pots.  The planted pots can be taken home 
by guests and planted - pot and all - right into the ground! 
Wouldn't you love to take one home?  I would!!

On top of the white plate is a pink depression glass plate.  
The pattern is called Sharon Cabbage Rose and was made by the
Federal Glass Company in Columbus Ohio, from 1935 to 1939.
You also see the matching creamer and salt/pepper. 

I found this pretty scalloped-edged, cut-out tablecloth at a local antique
store.  I really enjoy looking through the linens and I just couldn't pass 
this one up.   I bought it, brought it home, washed it in cold water on the gentle
cycle, hung it out to dry (literally!), then ironed it.
Don't you love the way old linens crisp up when ironed?


Thanks for popping in to visit me and I hope you enjoyed my outdoor table. 


In the next week, I will be joining the following linky parties:
Style Sisters' Centerpiece Wednesday
Cuisine Kathleen's Let's Dish
Between Naps on the Porch's Tablescape Thursday


Fondly,
~ Karen

A Bunny and Bees Vignette

Bunnies are everywhere this time of year!

I picked up this bunny at Tuesday Morning the other day

because of its golden-butter color.  I brought it home and planted

some springtime flowers in it:  purple/yellow violas and pink petunias.

The pictures of my children were taken by a dear friend at Kate Session's Park.

I placed the bunny on a dresser draped with burlap along side a pink 

English transferware plate depicting "Gov. Langdon Mansion Where

George Washington Was Entertained.  Portsmouth, N.H."

I collect pink transferware but this one is extra special because "Langdon"

is a family name for my children on their other side.  Who knows? 

Governor Langdon may have been a distant relative of their's.  

You can see the Governor's Mansion a little better here - just above a bee.

I seem to be naturally drawn to things with bees.  This is a beeswax 

candle stuck with a metal bee.  The silk flowers to the left were

leftover from my Easter tablescape here

Just behind the bunny are another two beeswax candles stuck

with two more bees.  I bought these candles and bee sticks

separately and quite possibly both at Home Goods.  

The plants are outdoor plants so I don't expect them to last very long.

I'm hopping my bunny will last and be pretty to look at until Easter. 

Then I will transfer the plants outside to the garden where I'm sure

they will be happier and among their favorite bees!

I will be joining some new (to me!) parties this week.  

I hope you check them out!

Seasonal Sundays over at The Tablescaper

The Bunny Blog Hop beginning April 2 over at French Country Cottage

Tabletop Tuesday over at A Stroll Thru Life

Thanks for visiting me and I wish all of you a

Very Happy Easter!

Fondly,

~ Karen

My Charming Shamrock

This time of the year, I like to seek out a Shamrock plant. They can

be found in gardening centers and even grocery stores.  I like them

because they add some festivity to St. Patty’s Day.  I wonder if

they are available any other time of the year?  I’ve never noticed.

According to legend, the shamrock was a sacred plant to the Druids of Ireland

because its leaves formed a triad, and three was a mystical number in the

Celtic religion, as in many others.  St. Patrick used the shamrock in the 5^th

century to illustrate the doctrine of the Holy Trinity as he introduced

Christianity to Ireland.

Well… I found this little cutie at Home Depot.  I couldn’t help but notice on

my sales receipt that it had rung up as a “Kalanchoe”.  Really?  Hmmm...  

After a little research, I discovered its botanical name is

Oxalis regnellii aka… A False Shamrock Plant with Tiny White Flowers. 

Okay, that title fits and I didn’t let it burst my bubble.  It looks like

a Shamrock plant and even says so.  J  And, it won’t deter me from buying

another in the future.  It is still a charming plant.

To add to my St. Patty’s Day festivities, I teamed my,

okay, “False” Shamrock Plant with White Chocolate Mint Mousse.   

Do give it a try! It is easier than you might think and you 
will find the peppermint taste is subtle and the taste 
of white chocolate shines through.

Recipe:

White Chocolate Mint Mousse

Source:  Nigella Lawson

9 ounces white chocolate, broken into small pieces

1 cup heavy cream

1 egg white

¼ teaspoon peppermint extract (best to use Boyajiain natural peppermint flavor)

Put  the pieces of white chocolate in a bowl, and sit this bowl over a pan over simmering water until it melts, stirring gently with a spatula every now and then.  When it’s melted, stand the bowl on a cold surface to cool down a little.

In another bowl, and using an electric handheld whisk [or mixer], whip the cream, egg white and extract together.  You want soft peaking rather than a stiff mixture.

Put a big dollop of cream onto the slightly cooled chocolate and mix, and then gently fold the chocolate mixture into the cream.

Divide mixture between 6 small but perfectly formed glasses with a capacity of 60ml/1/4-cup each.

Chill in the fridge or give them a fast icy zap by sitting them in the deep freeze for 10 or 15 minutes. 

Enjoy!

Sources:

Shamrock Plant - Home Depot

St. Patty's Day Plate - Home Goods

Green Shot Glasses - Antique Store in Ocean Beach for $1/each!

Wishing all of you a fun and safe St. Patty's Day!

I am joining:

Fondly,

~ Karen