A Funky Orange Chicken Tablescape

Red has always been my favorite color but a close second is orange. It is just so fun and full of life. Nothing dull about orange!

One of my favorite thing to do is serve individual sized portions, be it desserts, side dishes or casseroles. When I found these individual hen casseroles at TJMaxx a few months back, I knew I had to bring them home.

I tucked them into my dish closet and started picking up other orange elements here and there.

The flatware on clearance at Shopko for $4.99.

The glassware from the clearance asile at TJMaxx.

The napkins made from some fabric I found at Hobby Lobby.

I don't remember where I picked up these candles,

and speaking of Hobby Lobby, the vase came from the clearance asile at HL for $3.24.

The flowers really add to the all the orange funkyness. You just can't be down-in-the-dumps dining at this table....Oh, and WFD?, Individual Chicken Florentine Casseroles, Romaine Salad w/Homemade French-style (actually Nebraska's Dorothy Lynch) dressing and biscuits. My son remarked even the food is orange (the salad dressing), lol!

Posting to the lovely Susan's Tablescape Thursday event!

Raspberries & Clover Blossom Tea

Do you remember me sharing about the vintage Clover Blossom dish sets by Federal that I found still sealed in their orignial boxes? I've been itching to get them out and on a table but I was waiting for something......RASPBERRIES!! The sweet little clover flowers reminded me so much of raspberries that I just had to wait until I could harvest enough.

 

That day has come! Sunday morning breakfast is raspberries & cream, homemade granola, scrambled eggs & bacon and tea!

 

I polished up the King Edward Calvalcade silverplate to go with these sweet dish sets.

I also dug out some coordinating serving pieces from my set of Anchor Hocking Surburbia...the serving bowl, sugar & creamer and salt & pepper shakers.

A little peek at those lucious berries!

The tablecloth today is simply a piece of pretty cotton fabric from my quilting stash. When I bought it (a LONG time ago), it reminded me of raspberries.

The star of the table!

With just a drizzle of heavy cream.

Forget the granola, I'll stick to the berries & cream, thank-you very much!

Does it get better than this?!

Posting to Lady Kathrine's Tea Time Tuesday at Lady Katherine Tea Parlor and Marty's Table Top Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life. Thanks to both these lovely ladies for hosting these Tuesday events each week!

Art in the Park

Today is a perfect summer day...warm, well in the low 90°'s, but not too blistering, a bit breezy without the typical prairie winds we can get this time of year, and ever so slightly cloudy. We're probably in for some thunderstorms later, but for now, it is perfect! To top off the perfect day was a stroll thru the nearby park's annual Art in the Park event.
I have always enjoyed local fairs and festivals and we seek out these types of events...this one takes place within walking distance of our home.

All sorts of artisans were there with their beautiful wares.

This was the henna artist. Very interesting...if I didn't have my parents 50th Anniversary next weekend, I would have been very, very tempted. How long do these last anyway? Wasn't this gal a good sport to allow me to shoot her pix?

This gal made the neatest buttons! Very whimsical!

Sculpture by Sally...Woman of Steel! I loved this booth and don't you just love these bottle trees made from rebar?

This was my FAVORITE piece of art. I just love this painting. So life like and real and the colors were so vibrant. Now the price was a bit out of my league ($3,000) but I did covet it for a bit (although I was not a fan of the frame).

Some beautiful potted bowls.

I love the colors on these.

Hand painted china pins. Oh, the detail in these was gorgeous!

These wooden crosses were really nice....I wish I could remember the name of the company that does these. It was very clever and something about crosses and the carpenter.

Now back to getting ready to leave for vacation on Tuesday. Thanks for the stroll thru the park with me!

Cream Can Suppers

I am still a bit MIA. Sorry! I promise there will be LOTS of new posts coming after I get this party (next weekend) behind me.

I haven't talked much about my weightloss journey. I have lost and regained the same weight a few times in the last 20 years. I am hoping this time to take it off FOREVER. If you've noticed my new picture, my dear daughter insisted my blog needed a new picture to reflect the 45lb loss this year. I still have about the same amount to lose but I am encouraged by the results I'm seeing.

(me at an event I catered in February 2010)

I also noticed some new followers. WELCOME!! I am always thrilled to *meet* new friends.

Today I thought I'd share about a Nebraska thing...The Cream Can Supper! The Cream Can Supper is the Nebraska Farm Country cousin to the New England Boiled Dinner or Low Country Crab Boil. No boiling or crabs involved, in fact, you'll most likely find Kielbasa but the concept is nearly the same except, you are steaming and not boiling the food. You use a cream or milk can and starting at the bottom, layer clean rocks, corn on the cob, in the husks, and whatever wonderful garden veggies you'd like (cabbage, new potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, squashes, etc.,) and end with the meat of your choice (again, here it is likely to be Kielbasa). Pour beer over, cap the can (needs to have a vent hole) and put it on a heat source (propane burner, gas BBQ or camp fire) and cook away for about an hour. When done, carefully uncap and pour the contents out onto a large, paper-lined table. Doesn't that sound like a great party? I am considering adding this to my catering enterprise.

You can read more about Cream can suppers at barbequelovers.com.


Here is an interesting video from the company that will be demonstrating their cans at a local event here in Hastings, NE in August.



Linking up to Michael Lee's Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum!

Vintage Family Pictures

I have been semi-MIA this last couple of weeks. My parents 50 Wedding Anniversary is August 8th and my sisters and I are busy trying to put together the celebration. The challenge in that is that we all live in different parts of the country. We will be coming together in two weeks, with all our joint efforts for this party and I can hardly wait....except there is still LOTS of work to do. I am working on table decorations and the cake plan (I am making the cake) and my sisters have been working on the catered lunch, DJ, photographer and a memory book.

For my Vintage Thingie Thursday, I thought I'd share some vintage ME. These are photos that belong to my Mom that have now been scanned (thanks to sister Glenda)and will be part of our table decor (we are framing 50+ photos in gold frames we've been collecting and painting when need be).


My Mom & Dad & I in 1961, right after moving to San Diego (my Daddy was in the U.S. Navy)


I just love this picture taken at my Grandparents home in 1962. I remember that fence but it was later replaced by a chainlength one and that tree also went away at some point and if you look real closely, you can see that the street is not paved, that was done in 1971.


This is our family in the mid-1970's. I am on the far right and about 16 years old. What a funny picture it is for me to look at!

Thanks for baring with me and my lack of new posts! I have a camera full of pictures and will be taking MANY more during our trip so I'll have lots of new posts coming.

Blue Ribbon Recipes ~ Ranch Rolls

A ribbon winner from my favorite fair….the Minnesota State Fair. This yummy recipe was entered into the 2009 fair by Sharon Johnson of Columbia Heights, MN. For the “Bake for the Cure” Contest, she decked out her bread with messages about breast cancer awareness. This recipe took a 1st place ribbon and has become a family favorite at our house! Congratulations, Sharon!!



Ranch Rolls

4-1/2 cups all purpose flour
2-1/4 tsp Active Dry Yeast
1 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
1/2 tsp salt
2 beaten eggs
2 (1 oz) pkts ranch salad dressing mix
1 tsp dill weed
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup dill weed
1 beaten egg white

In large mixing bowl stir together 2 cups of flour and yeast. In medium saucepan heat and stir milk, sugar, butter, and salt until just warm (120 to 130 degrees F) until butter almost melts. Add milk mixture to dry mixture along with eggs, ranch dressing mix and dill weed. Beat with electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Stir in remaining flour. Turn dough out on lightly floured surface. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball and place in lightly greased bowl. Turn once. Cover and let rise in warm place until double in size (about an hour). Punch dough down. Turn out on lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Shape into rolls and place on greased pan. Brush the beaten egg white on top of rolls. Stir together sesame seeds, parmesan cheese, pecans, and dill weeds and sprinkle on top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (about 30 minutes). Bake in 375 degree oven for 12 – 15 minutes. Remove from pan, cool on wire rack. Makes 24 to 32 larger rolls or about 48 smaller rolls.

Posting to Lisa's Tempt My Tummy Tuesday. Thanks for hosting Lisa!

Adding to Michael Lee's Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.