Tablescape Thurs..Red and White, Thrifty Thurs and Show Me Your Red

A triple header today!




I finally got to do a little table with the red and white dishes from Neiman Marcus via TJMAXX...I found 2 place settings, and called 10 other stores. Finally in one over 80 miles away I found them. My dear dau in law, who has 4 little ones, was kind enough to run over and pick up 4 more place settings for me...she knew I NEEDED them..:) The 3 year old told her to hurry up and get them before someone else did..this child definitely shares my shopping blood!
So here they are...





The tassels on the napkins are my thrifty Thurs..they are from WSonoma and marked down to .26! The little butter dishes were also on sale , 50% off, so 2.50...
I am showing RED so I think I have hit all the criteria..:)

The wine glasses were my mom's, and it you look, it almost looks like the tassel from the plate in the etching.



This compote set was a gift from an older couple we met on our honeymoon cruise 38 yrs ago. They came to our house for a visit and brought me this. I love the delicate etchings and curves . They always told the story of the look on my face when I saw we were at a table with everyone over 60...I was in my early 20's! But they were wonderful and we stayed in touch for many years.



I used this with flowers for the centerpiece..I wanted to float some roses in it, but didn't have any!





I love the little toile like pattern on the cup....





The silverware is from the very exclusive CTS, (Christmas Tree Shops) :) I have never had any colored silverware..so this is a first. DH never notices anything, but he DID ask where I got it..
I think he fears another addiction coming on! :(

My dear gdau is making her First Communion soon, and I will make 50 breads for the guests to take home. Some will be Banana, and others Lemon. So I tried one of the recipes for Lemon..
I am doing the centerpieces too, so my brain is on overtime thinking about what to do..

Here they are cooling..



And after the glaze and dressed up with a pansy...





Thanks for visiting! I appreciate it..please stop in at Susan's Between Naps on the Porch for more tablescapes,



Nancy at Southern Lady for Show me your Red,

and Leigh at Tales from Bloggeritaville, for Thrifty Thursday...

See you tomorrow for Flashback and Foodie Friday...

Blue Monday

Thank you, Sally for hosting another Blue Monday...Please stop over at
Sally's blog to see the other entries this week..



I love blue..and use it a lot..as you can see here..



and here God used it for a perfect summer day at the beach with the bluest sky.....



and here..



And finally here...



I am hoping to have some pretty blue iris to show you soon..I planted them last year, so I hope they bloom!

Thanks for coming..Happy Monday!

Sunday Favorites..

I have not posted much this week. I missed Tablescape Thurs as I was gone Thurs and Fri.,so no Flashback and Foodie Friday either :(
So when I saw Chari's Happy to Design blog was hosting Sunday Favorites, I decided to join in.
It is very much like my friend Suzy has..Flashback Fridays..but I guess it doesn't have to be about food..it can be any old post..and I mean that literally!

What post to replay?
One which not too many saw except for my little band of old friends. We all started blogging around the same time so we encourage each other and learn from one another...So you dear gals, you have seen this, but since it is salad season, and this is really good, I am replaying my very first post..


I saw this in BHG magazine, Nov 08 issue, and decided to give it a try...

Vertical Pear Salad



It's a keeper...

Vertical Pear Salad
- 4 smooth skinned pears
- 2-3 cups water cress ..I used baby spinach-
1/2 cup toasted pecans.. I used walnuts,
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese ..I used feta
- vinagrette dressing (your choice,I used raspberry vinagrette?)
- honey
- lemon juice
- Cut pears horizontally into four slices each. Use a knife to cut out the cores so the pieces look like donuts. Leave the stem on the top piece. Brush lemon juice on each cut side of the pieces.
- Toss the pecans, blue cheese, water cress, and dressing until coated.
- Reassemble the pear, vertically, with the watercress salad in between each slice. Once assembled, Drizzle with honey.

I did cook tonight, nothing fancy..just the 2 of us..

What's for Dinner??

Tonight I used my Market Place dishes from Pfaltzgraff..how about a head of cabbage for a centerpiece..:) well it IS on the plate!

We had boneless pork chops, done in the oven, carrots glazed with a bit of lite
pancake syrup, and potatoes roasted with a little olive oil, parsley, s & p, and grated Locatelli cheese..put it all in a plastic bag and shake, spread on a sprayed pan, and roast till browned...










My friend Foley at Foley's Follies is hosting her very first event..(I am learning MEME is the word for that, but I have no clue what that means?)
It is a perfect way to honor your mother, grandmother, or the woman in your life who helped form you into the person you are today.

Share a favorite recipe, plate, etc, or memory in their honor for Mother's Day.
Everyone's invited..Mr. Linky will be up for you to join in...
Check out the details at her blog..

Have a wonderful Sunday...and thanks for visiting!

Outdoor Wednesday...Call Noah

April showers, and showers, and showers..3 days of steady rain..
We don't have much in bloom yet...
Forsythia,
Hosta that the deer have already nibbled..drat!
My little garden gnome is wondering how he will cross the "moat".



But things are getting green..



And down the street at the beach, a lone sailboat waits for clearer days..



In the distance you can see a hearty soul braving the weather..



And since it was raining and dh didn't want to go outside to grill, I pulled out the Griddler and made some burgers, salad, and onion rings...



Please visit Susan's blog to see the other Outdoor Wednesday blogs..

Thanks for visiting..see you for Tablescape Thursday, I hope!

Second Time Around Tuesday & WFD

Diane at A Picture is worth a 1000 words sponsors Second Time around Tuesday..
you can post your thrift shop or garage sale finds...stop over and see the other treasures! Thanks, Diane for hosting..this is my first time..:)
In my case I went dumpster diving in my son's drive way. They had moved into a new, (old) house and were replacing things...like the kitchen chandelier..

I have a little 12x12 gazebo on the deck, and it was the perfect size.
All I did was spray it with black rustoleum...it was beige metal..






I put citronella candles in it, and it glows softly on a summer night..

Here it is dressed up with some wisteria for a garden party..





What's For Dinner..
I was in the market and they had pork cutlets on sale for 1.59 a lb. That is a bargain here.
I pounded them out, and made a stuffing of chopped apple, celery, onion and a little bit of bread crumb. I rolled them up dipped in milk then crumbs and put on a sprayed pan.
Drizzled a bit of oil over the top, and baked them..we had the with pierrogi, asparagus, and sliced apples done with cinnamon and a splash of apricot brandy..
A very economical meal...and tasty too!








Thanks for visiting....see you tomorrow for Outdoor Wednesday..if it isn't still pouring..:)

Friday, Friday, Friday...food and flashback...

It is good to be back..due to kitchen construction, I had to disconnect my 'puter..and then, not being a techie wizard, couldn't get my wireless keyboard and mouse to work! I could read, but couldn't "talk". Very frustrating..:)

Gollum graciously hosts Foodie Friday on her Designs by Gollum blog...please go check the other entries..
And Suzy at Kitchen Bouquet has been having Flashback Friday..
Thanks, Ladies!

Tonight we had roast chicken, Hasselback Potatoes and glazed carrots.
This recipe for the potato is a bit different than the one my friend Susan or Foley did, it uses parmesan and panko. They are really good..









I made one with the skin on, one peeled...we liked the peeled better, but both were good!

Here's the recipe.. www.what's cooking america.net

8 long baking potatoes
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup bread crumbs*
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon paprika
Coarse salt, to taste
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, minced

* Learn how to Making Homemade Bread Crumbs.


Preheat oven to 450° degrees F. Oil a large shallow glass baking dish.

Peel the potatoes. Place on a cutting board and cut a narrow slice from the bottom of each potato; discard the slice (this helps the potato lie flat and not roll). Place two long handled wooden chopsticks on each side of the potato lengthwise. Use a sharp knife and slice each potato crosswise, making 1/4-inch apart slices, cutting down vertically. The chopsticks will prevent the knife from cutting entirely through the potato. As you peel the potatoes, drop them into the cold water to prevent discoloring.

NOTE: Potatoes may be prepared in advanced to the above point. Place potatoes in cold water (to prevent discoloring) until ready to bake. To bake, dry potatoes well.

Place the Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon olive oil, paprika, and salt in a food processor; process until blended. Brush potatoes with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and pat the bread crumb mixture on top of each potato. Place potatoes in the oiled baking dish; cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle parsley on the tops and serve.

Makes 8 servings.

I used Panko for the crumbs. They are crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside...The chopsticks tip worked well for the slicing...I microwaved mine a bit before slicing, then baked in the oven.

I guess this is flashback as I made the trifle for Easter and DH made the Babka...I know it was only last Sunday, but it seems like a long time ago after this past week!

He tried this new recipe, it was good, but we liked his old one better..
Babka is a yeast bread, to me it is the Polish version of Irish Soda Bread...
Nancy, if you are reading, we still didn't try the recipe you sent me, due to the renov in the kitchen not much cooking this week! A lot of sawdust salad, :)



For the trifle I made a white cake, cubed it, and layered it with vanilla
pudding, strawberries and whipped cream..











Thanks for visitng, have a great weekend..

Happy Easter...Foodie and Flashback Friday

Suzy, at Kitchen Bouquet, has Flashback Friday every week, and Gollum, at Designs by Gollum hosts Foodie Friday. Be sure to stop in and see what's on the menu..:)

The kitchen smells wonderful..Mike just finished baking the Rugelach...a tutorial and recipe is available on an older post of that name..Dec. 08.



That's my flashback..:)

I just made 4 more Danish...gifts for the neighbors..recipe in yesterday's post..



Here are the cake eggs I made...I used a drop of food coloring in a cream cheese and sugar mixture for the yolks..the pans I have had for years...Wilton..




And after they are dipped in chocolate..





Here's the inside....creamy, not sweet.




Happy Easter to all those celebrating! I will be celebrating with my 4 little bunnies, (grandchildren) and they are still too young to wonder why the BUNNY brings eggs!)





Spud, the errant bunny wishes you a blessed Easter, too!