by Christi on March 31, 2010
Before we get to the fun tablescape let me announce the winner of the National Association of Junior Auxiliary’s Silver Spoons, Blueberry Afternoons Cookbook give away!
And, the winner is . . . Victoria! Congrats Victoria and thank you to everyone who left comments to win.
Don’t forget, you can still get this fabulous cookbook from the NAJA website.
Now, on to the fun table:
This is probably one of the most fun tables I have done. The placemats don’t match. Some places have china, some, everyday dishes. None of the glasses match and there are a few other things that are kind of strange!
Colorful but crazy!
A centerpiece with Easter eggs, Christmas ornaments and . . . apples!
Hey! Who left the apple core in the centerpiece?
One candle has a Christmas candle ring and the other a spring candle ring.
Let’s take a closer look at those place settings.
Christmas plate with a visiting bird. Is that any way to place the flatware?
Ah, it looks like Spring, except for that turkey!
Pretty pink florals and stipes with a pretty pink . . . pig?
Fall and Mozart - now that makes sense. Way more than where the knife, fork and spoon are placed.
Beautiful china with an elephant crawling on top.
Can't find my knife! Oh, there it is at the bottom of the plate. I need it to fight off that turtle.
April Fool!
That was fun. Now, I can concentrate on Easter. If you would like to see last years Easter Champagne Brunch table, click HERE. To see lots of creative and beautiful tablescapes check out
with Between Naps on the Porch
Today’s Lagniappe: Hot Cross Buns
Something yummy to have on Good Friday morning. In many historically Christian countries, buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, with the cross standing as a symbol of the crucifixion. Take some to your friends and neighbors as a special blessing to them. I’ve found a shortcut method to making them that I hope you will like.
Makes 1 dozen
* 1 loaf frozen bread dough (1 lb.)
* 1/2 cup golden raisins
* 2 tablespoons brandy
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 large egg
* 3/4 cup powdered sugar
* 1 tablespoon milk
Preparation
Thaw frozen bread dough following package directions. Place in a large bowl, cover, and let stand until pliable and no longer cold, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
In a small bowl, soak raisins in brandy for 30 to 40 minutes. Add raisin mixture and nutmeg to dough. In bowl or on a board, knead raisins into dough. With floured hands, divide dough into 12 equal pieces; shape into round rolls. Place about 2 inches apart on a buttered baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 20 minutes. In a bowl, beat egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush buns with egg mixture (discard remainder). Bake rolls in a 350º oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let stand 10 minutes.
In a bowl, mix powdered sugar and milk. With a spoon, drizzle icing over buns in the shape of a large X.
by Christi on March 31, 2010
Wow, I have really been enjoying the sunny spring days! Watching the robins and bluebirds and cardinals is just a pure joy.
Don’t forget to check back tonight to find out who won the cookbook! If you haven’t signed up to win yet, you can do so today (Wednesday, March 31st) through 3:00 p.m. central time at the give away post.
So for today, check out this spring color!
At the Easter egg hunt in the park this past weekend, it was a bit cool and the kids had to bundle up. Loved this pretty red and pink jacket!
A few outdoor pics for Outdoor Wednesday with A Southern Daydreamer and Rednesday! with It’s a Very Cherry.
Today’s Lagniappe: Easter Nests
7 oz of marshmallow creme.
¼ cup of creamy peanut butter.
2 tablespoons of melted butter.
5 oz of chow mein noodles.
1 cup of pastel M&Ms.
Confectioners’ sugar.
Pastel peanut M&Ms.
Beat marshmallow creme, peanut butter and butter in a bowl until the mixture is smooth.
Fold in the chow mein noodles and the M&Ms.
Chill until easy to handle.
On waxed paper, form into suitably sized nests.
Chill for about 40 minutes.
Dust with confectioners’ sugar and put some peanut M&Ms in the nests.
by Christi on March 29, 2010
Easter is such a blessed time of year. It is also a wonderful time to share recipes and baked goodies with our friends and neighbors and those in need.
What could you make for someone?
A Lemon Meringue Pie?
Pound Cake?
Hot Rolls?
So many possibilities! What are you giving this Easter season?
Today’s Lagniappe: Bunny Biscuits
From the Martha White website – something yummy and very giveable!
Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
2 cups Martha White® Self-Rising Flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk, approximately
Directions:
1. HEAT oven to 450°F. Lightly spray large cookie sheet with no-stick cooking spray. Stir together flour and sugar in mixing bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. BEAT egg in measuring cup; add enough milk to make 2/3 cup. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir with fork until dough forms and mixture begins to pull away from sides of bowl.
3. KNEAD dough on lightly floured surface just until smooth. Roll out dough to 1/2–inch thickness.
4. CUT one 2-inch round for body of each bunny, three 1-inch rounds for head and ears (roll two of these between hands to lengthen for ears) and one 1/2-inch round for tail. Assemble bunnies on prepared baking sheet by placing largest round on baking sheet; place medium round just above for head, place lengthened pieces at top of head; and place smallest round on top of largest biscuit near bottom for tail.
5. BAKE 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Balancing Beauty and Bedlam’s Tasty Tuesday
Blessed with Grace’s Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
The Gypsy’s Corner’s Three or More Tuesday
by Christi on March 28, 2010
The Junior Auxiliary Cookbook give away is still going on! You just have to leave a comment on this post for a chance to win!
It is beginning to look like Easter around here.
On the front door
On the dining table
On the shutter
In the plants
Even in the trees outside!
The pastels and bright colors of Spring are a sure sign that Easter is near. Of course, there is a greater metamorphosis that Easter brings:
Therefore if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature:
old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Have a wonderful Holy Week and enjoy all the metamorphosis at:
Metamorphosis Monday with Between Naps on the Porch
Today’s Lagniappe: Turkey Scaloppine
Something lovely for the Easter season.
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 1/4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, divided
* 1 1/2 pounds turkey cutlets
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 cup dry white wine
Preparation
1. Combine flour and 1 tsp. Cajun seasoning in a shallow dish; dredge turkey cutlets in flour mixture, shaking off excess.
2. Cook turkey in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until done. Transfer turkey to a serving platter, and keep warm.
3. Add wine and remaining 1/4 tsp. Cajun seasoning to skillet; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet. Drizzle sauce over turkey. Serve immediately.
by Christi on March 28, 2010
Join Chari at Happy to Design for Sunday favorites and Charlotte and Ginger at Blogger Spirit for Spiritual Sunday and enjoy your Sunday! The cookbook give away is still going on! Check out this post for details.
Happy Palm Sunday! Today, I am posting from April 6th last year. I think it is interesting that I began the post with a comment about the economic downturn. Sadly, things have only gotten worse. Heaven help us!
Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
From April 6th 2009:
Southern Holy Week
Early this year, I wrote a post about my 2009 predictions. One of them was that with the economic down-turn, people would get back to basics. This week is a good opportunity to do just that by enjoying the beauty of Easter.
Just this past weekend, our city held an Easter egg hunt in the park. The kids had a great time and it was free. We enjoyed a Palm Sunday service and remembered how we celebrated this occasion when we were kids and we were reminded of the significance of this week in the life of the church and in our own lives individually. This is the week that led to our Saviour’s death and resurrection on Easter Sunday. How blessed we are.
I hope all of you will join me in getting back to basics during this Holy week and that we will all receive the wonderful blessings of eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Here is a link that I found for how to make a cross out of a palm leaf. My husband told me how they did this when he was growing up.
Today’s Lagniappe: How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
Just in time for decorating for Easter
- Place eggs in single layer in saucepan.
- Cover with at least one inch of cold water over tops of shells.
- Cover pot with lid and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- As soon as the water comes to a full boil, remove from heat and let stand.
- Large soft-cooked eggs: let stand in hot water 1 to 4 minutes, depending on your tastes.
- Large hard-cooked eggs: let stand in hot water 15 to 17 minutes.
- When cooked to desired level, drain off hot water.
- Immediately cover with cold water and add a few ice cubes.
- Soft-cooked eggs: let stand in cold water until cool enough to handle. Serve.
- Hard-cooked eggs: let stand in cold water until completely cooled. Use as needed.
Tips:
- Never boil eggs. It makes them rubbery.
- Use older eggs. Fresh ones won’t peel properly.
- To keep eggs from cracking while cooking (before placing in water), pierce large end with a needle, which will also make them easier to peel.
by Christi on March 27, 2010
Some more pictures from my walks. I love walking this time of year. So many blooms blooming and trees turning green. Just spectacular. As we were walking yesterday, I thought “God really does things right!” What a beautiful world we live in!
So many colors!
This next picture is of a sweet bluebird couple that was flying around. They didn’t really stay still for a good pose, but I wanted to take a picture to show you anyway.
Happy Saturday to all and, of course, Happy
Pink Saturday with Beverly at How Sweet the Sound
Today’s Lagniappe: Dandelion Salad
4 slices bacon, cut in small pieces
approximately 2 c. chopped new dandelion leaves
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced or chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped onion
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. cream or milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
1/4 c. cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. flour
Toss together chopped dandelion, chopped onion and fried bacon pieces. Set aside. In skillet warm butter and cream until butter melts. Beat egg and then add salt, pepper, vinegar, sugar and flour. Blend the egg mixture into the slightly warm cream mixture. Increase heat and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Pour hot dressing over the greens and toss gently. Add eggs before tossing. Serve at once. Gather the dandelion leaves early in the spring before the plants flower or they will be bitter.
by Christi on March 25, 2010
The National Association of Junior Auxiliaries cookbook give away is still going on! Just leave a comment (one comment a day) between now and 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 31st on the give away post!
The ad for the cookbook features a menu for a Mother’s Day Luncheon.
The menu is:
Chicken, Mushroom & Artichoke Bake
Baked Green Beans
Twice-Baked Cottage Style Potatoes
Buttery Herb Cheese Muffins
Cherry berry on a Cloud
Sounds absolutely delicious and all of the recipes are in the cookbook. Check out the give away post for details on how you can purchase the cookbook as well as how you could possibly win one. Also, in the post is the recipe for the Butter Herb Cheese Muffins!
The lovely Miss Christy Case Keirn is traveling to Greenville, Mississippi to pick up the give away cookbook. I don’t have the cookbook yet to share anymore of the great recipes, but after a little searching, I did find a recipe for Chicken, Mushroom & Artichoke Bake. This may not be the same recipe that is in the cookbook, but I thought it sounded just yummy, so it will be my contribution to:
With Designs by Gollum
Today’s Lagniappe: Chicken, Mushroom & Artichoke Bake
* 3 to 4 pounds chicken pieces
* salt and pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon paprika
* 1 to 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules or equivalent base, dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water
* 3 tablespoons dry white wine or sherry
* 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
* 1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch blended with 1 tablespoon cold water
* 1 can (15 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained
Wash chicken and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper and paprika. In a large skillet, brown chicken in about half of the butter. Transfer to slow cooker. Pour broth and wine into skillet. Stir to loosen brown bits. Pour over chicken then season with tarragon. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Just before serving, saute mushrooms in remaining butter until tender and browned. Turn slow cooker to high. When sauce is hot and simmering, stir in cornstarch and water mixture. Cook until thickened. Add sauteed mushrooms and artichoke hearts; heat through and serve.
Serves 4.
