The Mystery Ingredient Challenge~Was it a TRICK or TREAT???

ML WEST proprietor of Rattlebridge Farm, invited some unwary :) bloggers to take part in the October Mystery Challenge.
For some reason I thought it was going to be apples, and started searching for some new recipes.  After all, what ever she sent would go with apples in some way.  Last month it was Lemons, and she sent a lemony treat.
Imagine my surprise when this showed up!

A creepy sprinkles lab!  WAH!  What will I do with that.  I knew it was supposed to be something different, so I couldn’t just do cupcakes, which is the usual thing for sprinkles, or could I?  I just didn’t know!
Sorry to say, no earth shattering ideas came to mind.  I hope that doesn’t get me kicked out of the club!  I have been kicked off  a private blog, and sent to the island of the  not so darlings, and I don’t want that rejection again! ;)
  Kidding, Michael Lee is not like that, she is very welcoming and if you want to take part in the coming months, just let her know. No credentials needed!

A bony hand reaches for a Scary  Jack O Lantern Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie.  I hope it doesn’t taste scary.
Some smaller choc chip cookies dipped in chocolate and sprinkled join an apple covered in bones, and some apple slices .

I recently bought 12 of these little skillets, I thought it would be fun to use them in all different ways for gatherings.

So this will be the first of scads of posts using the skillets.  Scrumptious Skillets, Screaming good skillets, somewhat edible skillets, lol, we shall see!
A Skillet o Rama if you will.  Sounds exciting, right, LOL!


DH got to taste the first try, and he was happy, happy happy!  Warm and  gooey with a little ice cream, and to make it healthy, strawberries.

I hope you will follow along with this new series.  I haven’t done one since I did the 50 ways to use potatoes when I bought the 50 lb bag of chefs potatoes one Fall.  I think I need another of those, now is the season.
Thank you to Michael Lee, one of the most generous bloggers around.  Please stop over to her Foodie Friday and see what became of the sprinkles!
Hope you will join my challenge at Let’s Dish on the 16th.  WHITE FALL TABLE…all white dishes and ONE other color for linens etc.
ML, hope you will take the challenge, and you don’t have to use sprinkles.  Pretty please with SPRINKLES on top?  :)
I am also joining The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sunday if I remember to link up!
Thanks so much for visiting!  Have a great weekend!


The winner of the Apple Challenge give away is Mona   http://hiddenartofhomemaking.blogspot.com/2013/10/historic-america-and-confederate-rose.html, .  Congrats, you won a set of cutters from WS.
You will get the Christmas edition, I'll post a pic on Wed. for Let's Dish.

 Please email me your address!

Reunion Weekend~ Great Fun! Let’s Dish #82

Good evening, Dishers!  Thanks to all of you who bit the apple and took the challenge last week.  Only one didn’t do apples, everyone else embraced the challenge!

The day after the challenge I started preparing for my guests who were coming for the reunion.  They arrived Friday afternoon, an hour early!

I didn’t get to the floral centerpiece I planned, and I iced the cake as they watched, but we made it! 

Trying to get the 47 attendees into the pic was not easy!

One gal created a uniform which we wore with saddle shoes for 4 years!

And a group sang a song that the good Sisters never heard us sing!

This is the table I did for Fri. night’s dinner.

Black and white cotton check cloth from my friend, Kitty.  ;0

Black mat with a few beads via West Elm at PB outlet.

Glass hurricane in lieu of the floral centerpiece.

Royal Stafford dinner plate and soup bowl, via HG.  I’ve had them a few years, but never used them in a post.  White salad from CTS.

Treble clef flatware via BBB, butter domes from CTS, and Waterford crystal.    Black and white petti fours on a white cake pedestal plate from CTS.

Dinner started with Baked stuffed clams, choice of New England Chowder or Butternut Apple Soup, Spinach Salad, warm rolls and butter, baked stuffed potato, carmelized onions and sauteed mushrooms and filet mignon. 

For dessert I made a triple chocolate layer cake with ice cream.

I made a Banana Walnut Cake too, but we didn’t cut it, so I froze it for next weekend.

I gave my guests a loaf of banana chocolate chip to bring back to KY, FL and RI, as well as a tube of MOO cream.

Sat. was the luncheon in the Irish Coffee Pub in East Islip.

I got pots of white mums and wrapped them in silver paper and popped in a big blue bow.  One lucky person at each table got to take it home.

It was a full 4 course lunch, soup, salad, choice of entrée and brownie sundae’s for dessert and coffee.  It was all delicious!

Sunday after Brunch, my guests departed and I started on the laundry and put away duties. 

I so enjoyed seeing everyone, it was a wonderful weekend with sunny blue skies and temps in the 70’s!

I haven’t made it to everyone yet, but I will!  The winner of the give away will be announced in my next post, which is Gollum’s Secret Ingredient Party.  Stay tuned!

Thanks so much for visiting!

Oct. 16th is the WHITE FALL challenge.  Only white dishes, with ONE other color for linens etc.  Your charger can be the one  OTHER color you pick.  I know some of you have it done, I haven’t picked my other color yet, I have been busy entertaining!

Let’s see what you have this week!

***Remember to be a follower to link,BLOG NAME FIRST and leave a comment please.  One table related link per week, and word id must be turned off.

Post must have a link back to this party, and only link if you have time to visit at least 5 other entries.  THANKS!

See you soon!

APPLE CHALLENGE~Are you Biting? Let’s Dish # 81

Good evening, ladies, hope you are well!  Tonight is the APPLE CHALLENGE.  Please link up you tables that are about apples.  If not, please save it for next week!

It has been busy here.  I am hosting 3 HS friends this weekend from out of state.  They are coming for our reunion. 

I have never gone to a reunion, so this will be interesting.  47 are coming from as far away as Canada and CA.  14 are deceased.  There were 140 girls in my class at Queen of the Rosary Academy.

I made all the arrangements at the restaurant, and will do centerpieces etc, so I hope everyone enjoys it.

I am sure we all look exactly the same!  HAHA

On to the challenge!  I have done an apple table every Fall for years.

I was at a loss as to what to do, I didn’t want to use my apple dishes again.  HERE  and  HERE and about 4 other times!  I am donating those dishes soon!

4 PM and still no table.  I decided to go a different direction  and use the PB plaid dishes I got last year on sale at the outlet.

A red charger from PB Outlet from years ago, the red plaid dinner, white pierced edge salad from CTS, and the apple bowl from Cmas Tree Shop also.

The red cotton napkins were from clearance last year at CTS, I think they were .24 each.  The  braided cotton buttoned napkin ring also from CTS, .25 with a little apple hooked on.

The flatware is by Cambridge.

My little apple cart is filled with apples and mums from the garden.

Making their debut are the white butter domes, 1.29 at CTS.

The table cloth is fabric from Duralee Outlet. I used a 90 x156 black cloth underneath.

Red stems from CTS, and green goblets are by Anthropologie via the .99 store.  The lg.apple casserole dishes are from CTS, and were in clearance for .39!  I got apples and pumpkins last year.

At each place is a green leaf with an apple candle, both from CTS.

The apple salt and peppers were from a .99 store.

Little apple core scatters could hold a name card.  See it on the white plate?

It is still quite summery here, and I will enjoy every day of it!  Soon I will have to put the porch to sleep for the winter.  Seems like I just got it scrubbed and set up. 

But I know the calendar says FALL, so I will give in and drag out some of the fall decorations.

Speaking of FALL don’t forget the all white FALL table challenge on Oct. 16th!

The challenge is to use ONLY WHITE dishes, and ONE other color for linens , silverware or whatever.  I go from one color to the next, I have no idea what I am going to do!  HA, I bet you thought I plan the challenges around what I have, but nope, I ponder just like you do, and change my mind a lot!  I think of something , and then remember, nope, only WHITE dishes!  Your charger can be your OTHER color though.

Can’t wait to see how many DARE to join the challenge!  :)

Last week the market had asparagus on sale for $1.49 a lb.  They were pencil thin, so I decided to bundle them and roast them wrapped in prosciutto.  Wash and trim, salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.  Toss around, then wrap with prosciutto and roast till done.

 

Hubs liked them, I don’t eat asparagus.  :(

I am taking part in Rattlebridge Farm’s Secret Ingredient party.

I have to check the date, Oct.1 sticks in my mind.  She really threw us a curve ball!  Hope you will come back and see what I come up with!  I have no idea!

Thanks for stopping by.

If you are linking up tonight, please remember that the apple challenge has to be mentioned in your post, and your table has to be about apples.

Be sure you have no word ID, one did last week.  Just when I thought no one used it anymore!  I know sometimes people don’t realize they have it turned on!  Please check your comment settings.

One table related link per week.

BLOG NAME FIRST  thanks!

Please comment on at least 5 entries if you link up.  If you don’t have time, I understand, but save your link for another time then.

OH!  Be a FOLLOWER to link.  Tonight there is a give away, and if you are the winner, and not a follower, another name will be picked.  Check to make sure. 

I am joining Susan for Tablescape Thursday, Diann for Thrifty Things Friday, Gollum for Foodie Friday

It’s A BLUEtiful Day! Let’s Dish # 80

Good evening, Ladies, hope you had a good week!

The weather was perfect today, sunny and around 75.

I thought I would get a few more tables done outside before the Fall comes!

Blue and white is right for every season, right?

I started with a white to the floor cloth, and topped it with the blue and white .

The dishes are from clearance at TJMaxx a few years ago.

A blue round mat, $1.00 at CTS, the plates, and the 2.00 bowls from the WSonoma Outlet.  Flatware is from HG.

Napkins are very large, and cotton, and were .50 at the fabric outlet I go to.

Alabaster napkin rings from WSonoma  Outlet.

Christian Dior platter and matching bowl hold the centerpiece. I got them years ago for I think 5.00 each at Peter Andrews.

Mikassa candlesticks and stemware by Dansk.

The round white porcelain candle holders have a nice detail, and all for .99!

I hope you are enjoying these last few days of summer!

My friend gave me some not so perfect tomatoes, so I made ROASTED TOMATO SOUP.

I cut them up and roasted them with garlic, onions, salt and pepper and drizzled them with some olive oil.

Roast them for almost an hour, let them get some brown spots

 

Dump it all into a pot, add some chicken broth and simmer for 20 min.

Use your immersion blender to make it smooth.

I made some homemade parm. croutons with leftover baquette, and topped it with shredded cheddar.  Tomato soup and grilled cheese all in one!

It was thick and delicious!

Next week is the APPLE challenge.  Go with it where you will!  :)

Be sure to mention in your post you are taking part in the challenge.  Maybe we will find some new bloggers who enjoy a challenge.  There will be a give away too!

Thanks for stopping by!

Same rules, no word id, be a follower to link, BLOG NAME first, and one DISH related entry.  Please don’t forget to link back to this party, and visit at least 5 entries. Thanks, you are the best!

I am joining Tablescape Thursday, Thrifty Things Friday and Gollum for Foodie Friday.

Always…Let’s Dish #79

Good evening, Ladies.  I know you share the sadness of the anniversary of 9/11.  It is hard to believe it is 12 years since that terrible day.

Today a TV commentator talked about what vivid memory of that day stays with him.

There are so many…first, I remember the feeling of not knowing if my son was on one of the planes, as he was flying from Logan that morning.

The hours of not knowing, and the relief when he was finally heard from.

The sickening feeling for all those who never did get that “I am safe” call.  Or our dear friend getting the I am ok call, after her dh and another officer put the children from the day care center in the WTC in shopping carts and brought them to safety.  He went back in to direct others out, and perished.

Another memory I can never erase … the  train parking lots filled with the cars of those who left for work, and never returned.  It was a close up and personal pictograph for each community around NYC, representing those lost.

The pages and pages of obituaries for weeks stays with me too.  Attending funerals, and then another when the body was found.

Let us always remember the near 3000, the moms, dads, sisters, and  brothers.  The children who died that day, and the children born after , who never knew their dads.

May they rest in peace, and may their families be comforted by our remembering their loved ones.

Tonight I am showing 2 tables that were linked to Let’s Dish that you may have missed.  I thought the theme was just adorable, so if your didn’t see them, take a look at the full post.

The first is from The Welcomed Guest, Katie and Pat.

For those of you who love your doggies, you shouldn’t miss it.  I don’t love doggies, but still thought it was doggone cute.. complete with fire hydrant salt and peppers!

Another with a theme that will make you smile is from Denise at

So Many Tables.

I know Denise from pre blogging when we both frequented the Holidays forum at That Home Site, a Garden web forum.

She goes all out for her theme tables, actually building the table!

The theme was Zoe’s Diner, complete with a table juke box!

She is just so clever, so if you missed it, take a look.

Sharing a bargain I found on line at BBB.com

.99 and free shipping.  Looks like fish bones to me, lol, maybe a good Halloween table, with black ?  They are porcelain, marked 7.99.  Well…,that would be a NO, but for .99 I will have fun with them!

Complaint Department~

My oven broke, 12 year old Thermador double wall oven.  I don’t know if it is worth trying to get it fixed.  It has been a nightmare since we got it, 15 service calls in the first 2 years, they replaced the entire inner workings!

I have been researching, know I don’t want a Thermador, and I had problems with my Bosch dishwashers, so I don’t want that either.  I have to stay with the same dimensions. I have been spending a lot of time trying to figure out what to do.  HD doesn’t install, so I would have to find an electrician to do that, $$$$!

Any of you have electric double convection ovens you love?

Remember the APPLE theme challenge 2 weeks from tonight!  You don’t have to have apple dishes, apples are red, yellow and green, so you have leeway!

We did our annual apple pick with the gkids Sunday, so I have been using my handy dandy apple peeler, thumbs up on this one!

Made a some apple crisp in a Ball jar.  It is reclaimed from a candle!

Thanks for visiting.

Please be a follower to link  up, and leave a comment.

If you don’t have time to visit and comment at at least 5, please don’t link.  It isn’t fun to have others visit you and get no visits in return. Thanks!

Blog name first

No word ID, and one  china, linen etc related post.

A link back to this party is needed too.

Your turn, ladies!

Check Me Out~Late Summer Let’s Dish #78

Hope everyone is well!  After a wild and windy day yesterday that dumped almost 6 inches of rain in a few hours, today was beautiful!

Some schools don’t open till Monday, so they are enjoying an extra week at the beach.

I am boycotting Fall, it is just too soon for me to think about it.  Not a hint of it in the air, the summer annuals are going full steam.

Tonight I did a blue and white check.

At five pm, when I finally got around to doing a table, the clouds moved in, so the pictures aren’t as bright as they should be.  I do not edit my pictures, I know, I should, LOL, but I don’t do this to earn a living, and they are close enough!

Blue and white check to the floor tablecloth, rattan and check mat from CTS clearance last year, .49, white charger, Noritake outlet, blue and white check dinner, CTS, small white plate.  Flatware by Cambridge via CTS.

The navy footed soup bowls are from WSonoma Outlet.  They are marked 10, don’t know who would pay that, I got them for 2.00 on sale.

The centerpiece is a picket fence planter with 3 Ball Jars.  I filled them with white Pee Gee Hydrangea, risking being stung by the MANY bees that were feasting on them!

Anything for you!  :)

Two smaller picket fence votive holders are on each side.

Picket fence napkin holders ,from my friend Gail, hold a checked napkin and a soup spoon.  They are new. 

I like a round soup spoon and they are hard to find at a reasonable  price.  I have some, but not enough for a crowd.  I got them at a Restaurant supply store for less than 1.00 each.

The blue stems are by Dansk.

That’s my table for tonight, uncluttered enough for dh not to ask why there is so much STUFF on the table!

SEPTEMBER CHALLENGE INFO…SEPT. 25

APPLE THEME…  Start thinking about that!

Please make sure you follow the theme, and mention that is what you are doing in the post. This is truly a challenge, I know it is not everyone’s cup of tea!  Or Apple juice!

OCT 16th is the WHITE FALL.  ONLY WHITE dishes, but ONE other accent for linens, glassware etc.

Please remember to turn off your word ID.  One entry had it last week. Thank you for remembering to turn it off if you link up.  People don’t like to leave a comment if you have it on.

BLOG NAME FIRST

Please be a follower to link up, and leave a comment.

One dish related link per week, with a link back to this party.

If you don’t have time to visit at least 5 entries, please wait to link up when you have time.

THANK YOU!

Thanks to all the non bloggers for your sweet email  comments.  They are happy we keep our entries focused on the dishes!  :)

I am joining Susan for Tablescape Thursday and Diann and Linda for Thrifty Things Friday.

Without further blah, blah, that I know some never read, lol,

Let’s Dish!