by Christi on March 10, 2010
Not long ago, my Mother had an overnight guest. One of my nieces, Danielle, had come to visit. My Mother got to have fun being a Grandma. According to her, the story goes like this:
After a good nights sleep, Danielle awoke and made her way to the kitchen, In the kitchen she found Grandma and Grandpa were already awake. Grandma asked little Danielle if she would like to have a tea party before breakfast? Well, of course, Danielle thought this was a grand idea.
Grandma set up the tea tray:
Tea and cookies and strawberries.
What a yummy sight for tea!
Pretty Blue Danube tray and china.
Grandma and Grandpa showed Danielle how she could hold the stem (or green part) of the strawberry and eat it without getting sugar on her fingers!
What a fun way for a little girl to start the day!
Danielle also learned to put her napkin in her lap before eating.
Yummy
Danielle loves to visit with Grandma and Grandpa.
Pretty teascape
They always have so much fun.
Mama had so much fun putting together this “teascape” for Danielle. She always has a way of making things special!
What other kinds of “scapes” are out there for:
with Between Naps on the Porch
Today’s Lagniappe: Lemon Tea Cookies
The perfect cookie with a spot of tea.
1 2/3 c. all purpose flour
1/3 c. powdered sugar
1 c. butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
FILLING:
1 egg, beaten
2/3 c. sugar
2-3 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. butter
Coconut or powdered sugar
In medium bowl combine first 4 ingredients; blend well. Chill dough. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. With thumb or forefinger make imprint in center of each cookie. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately remove from cookie sheet; cool. In medium saucepan combine filling ingredients except coconut or powdered sugar; cook over low heat stirring constantly until smooth and thickened. Cool, top each cookie with about 1/4 teaspoon filling. Sprinkle with coconut or powdered sugar. 36 cookies.
by Christi on March 3, 2010
During the week, breakfast is kind of a hit and miss sort of deal around here. More often than not, I grab something as I am sitting here at my computer with a cup of coffee as I am working. Weekends, though, are another matter. Even though there is plenty to be done on the weekends, we try to slow down a little and enjoy a weekend breakfast together.
This coming weekend, it is supposed to be in the 60’s and sunny. Perfect for breakfast on the porch. Here are some pics of a previous weekend breakfast on the porch. Look forward for more to come!
We're all set.
Bailey is peeking at us over the table.
Have a seat.
I love the little fruit spoons (far right)
I can see a pretty little flower while I sip my coffee.
Mimosas can be served from the pretty pitcher.
We can keep an eye on the robin's nest.
We can enjoy some good food . . .
some good conversation . . .
At our lovely Southern breakfast!
Thanks for joining me at my Southern Breakfast Tablescape. Check out the other lovely tablescapes at Between Naps on the Porch.
Today’s Lagniappe: Eggs Sardou
Delicious – If you don’t want to make these yourself, just head on down to New Orleans and order it from one of their great restaurants! It was created at Antoine’s and named after French playwright Victorien Sardou
4 Poached Eggs (See below)
1 Recipe Creamed Spinach (see below)
1 Recipe Hollandaise Sauce (see below)
4 Artichoke bottoms
Paprika for sprinkling
Divide the creamed spinach in the center of two heated plates, nest two artichoke bottoms per plate on the spinach. Place a poached egg on each artichoke bottom then top with a generous portion of Hollandaise sauce. Sprinkle with Paprika. Serve.
Serves 2.
Poached Eggs Recipe
Fill a dutch oven with 1? of water, heat until just below a simmer. Add a few dashes of white vinegar. Crack the eggs and gently drop them into the water, keeping the shell as close to the water as possible when dropping them in. With a slotted spoon, gently move the ghost like strands of white back to the yolk. The eggs are done when the whites are no longer transparent, and the yolks are still runny. Remove with a slotted spoon and gently dry off with a towel.
Creamed Spinach Recipe
1 Cup Cooked and chopped Spinach, squeezed in a kitchen towel to remove excess water
1 Pint Heavy Cream, reduced by 3/4 of its volume
A pinch Freshly Grated Nutmeg
A pinch of Cayenne
1 tsp Crystal hot sauce
A few drops of Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt to taste
Hollandaise Sauce Recipe
2 tsp Red Wine Vinegar
2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
3 Egg Yolks
1/2 Cup Clarified Butter, warm
Kosher Salt & Cayenne Pepper
1 Dash Crystal Hot Sauce
A few drops Worcestershire Sauce
Place the vinegar, lemon juice, and egg yolks in the top deck of a double boiler. The water in the lower deck should be hot but not boiling.
Whisk slowly until you see the yolks start to coagulate on the sides. If the pan gets too hot, remove it from the heat for a minute, whisking constantly.
Whisk while cooking, minding the bowl temperature, until the yolks are lighter in color and do not leave yellow streaks when the whisk goes through them. If you see any signs of scrambling, remove the bowl from the heat.
When the yolk/acid mixture is good and thick, remove from the heat and slowly drizzle in the clarified butter, whisking constantly, until incorporated.
Add the hot and Worcestershire sauces, and season to taste with the salt & cayenne.
If the sauce is a little too thick, you can thin it down with a few splashes of hot water.
Makes about 2/3 Cup.
by Christi on February 17, 2010
with Between Naps on the Porch
In Emeril Lagasse’s cookbook, Every Day’s A Party, he tells of a book called Almost Innocent by Sheila Bosworth that is set in New Orleans. In the book, tow characters, Rand and Airey, meet every Ash Wednesday at St. Louis Cathedral to get ashes, then walk to Antoine’s where they have their ” . . . annual White Lunch: vichyssoise, accompanied by vodka martinis, folowed by filet de truite au vin blanc, pommes de terre soufflees, a bottle of Pouilly-Fuisse, and for dessert, Baked Alaska. No green salad, or coffee, or cigars, in keeping with the Tout Blanc dictum.” Emeril liked that so much he devised his own menu for a white lunch.
I love the idea and can envision a Tout Blanc party.
All white decorations.
With touches of silver. Everyone would wear white and eat off of sparkling clean white plates with crisp white linen napkins. What a lovely story and a lovely vision.
You can see how to make the feathered centerpieces and the wine glass lamp shades at SaveOnCrafts. They have great prices and I always find lots of inspiration there.
Today’s Lagniappe: Emeril’s Vichyssiose
4 cups sliced leeks (use ONLY the white part)
4 cups diced potatoes (gold or baking potatoes recommended)
6 to 7 cups chicken stock
One and one-half to 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
One-half cup heavy cream (chilled)
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
Combine the leeks, potatoes and chicken stock in a heavy bottomed 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil. Season lightly with salt, partially cover and simmer until the potatoes and leaks are tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and correct seasoning.
Puree the soup in a blender or food processor and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving. When ready to serve, add the heavy cream and mix well. Top each serving with a bit of minced chives.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
by Christi on February 10, 2010
We have a winner of the Fabulous DonnaDots! The winner is . . . . Sarah at Hyacinths for the Soul! Congrats Sarah! Send me your mailing address and the pattern you would like and I’ll get it to Donna! Hope you all enjoyed Donna’s Fabulous DonnaDots!
The first piece of jewelry my husband ever gave me was a tiny little gold key charm on a chain. He said it was the key to his heart (is that sweet or what?). This year for Valentine’s Day, I set a table with that key in mind.
Valentine Key
A cozy table in front of the fireplace.
A little candlelight.
Our wedding china with cut out hearts.
Romantic layers.
Ready to dine with the love of my heart!
Wishing you all a Happy Valentine’s Day! Check out all the fabulous tablescapes today at
with Between Naps on the Porch
Today’s Lagniappe: Savory Coeur a la Creme
A fabulous recipe by Ina Garten that is perfect for Valentine’s Day!
- 12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bottle chutney (recommended: Cross and Blackwell Major Grey’s)
- Crackers, for serving
Place the cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip until it is firm like whipped cream. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Beat on high speed until the mixture is very thick.
Line a 6-inch coeur a la creme mold or 6-inch sieve with a few layers of cheesecloth, allowing the excess to drape over the sides. Pour the cream mixture into the cheesecloth and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Fold the excess cheesecloth over the top of the cream. Place the mold on a plate or suspend the sieve over a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
When ready to serve, unmold the creme upside down onto a plate and pour the chutney over the top, allowing it to drip down the sides. Serve chilled with crackers.
by Christi on February 3, 2010
It’s Tablescape Thursday and we have a GIVE-AWAY! Oh, happy day!
My very good friend Donna Butler Douglas is one of the most talented people I have ever known. She is a very talented musician and composer and is just one of the most fun people you could ever know. Donna has started a new business called Donnadots. Even the name is fun. And, you know what you can use these dots in soooo many ways. Check out the tablescape that Donna put together using the Donnadots.
Even better, Donna has agreed to GIVE AWAY a set of Donnadots to one of the wonderful readers of A Southern Life! So, how can you win?
- Leave a comment on this post for 1 chance.
- Go to http://www.donnadots.com and choose your favorite Donnadot and then come back and leave a comment telling me what you chose for a second chance.
- Write about this give-away on your blog and then leave another comment telling me you have done that for a third chance to win. (If you don’t have a blog, email your friends with a link to A Southern Life and then let me know that you did that).
Next Thursday, the winner will be announced here at A Southern Life! It is that easy. I hope you enjoy Donnadots and whether you win or not, go get some and “Dot Your Day!”
Okay, check out what Donna did with some of the place card dots.
Perfect for Valentine's Day!
Hey, there are even dots on the plates.
What a lovely napkin fold for a Donnadot.
Love the silver heart holding the Donnadot.
The come in different colors!
Fabulous!
Here are a couple of other ways to use Donnadots:
Aren’t they fun? Good luck to everyone! Don’t forget to leave your comments to win your own set of 48 Donnadots!
with Between Naps on the Porch
Today’s Lagniappe: Donna’s Red Velvet Cake
This is Donna’s own recipe for Red Velvet Cake – one of her family’s favorites and perfect for Valentine’s Day!
| ½ c. shortening1½ c. Sugar
2 Eggs |
Cream together. |
| 2 oz. (2 bottles) Red Food Coloring2 tsp. Cocoa |
Make paste with food coloring and cocoa. Add to creamed mixture. |
| 2 ½ c. Cake Flour1 ts. Salt
1 c. Buttermilk
1 ts. Vanilla |
Sift flour and salt together. Add to mixture alternately with buttermilk. Add vanilla. |
| 1½ ts. Soda1 T. Vinegar |
Add soda to vinegar and blend into batter. DO NOT beat it in. Bake in 3 8-inch round cake pans at 350º for 30 minutes. |
| FROSTING:1 16 oz. pkg. Cream Cheese (soft)
1 sticks Oleo (soft)
1 boxes Powdered Sugar
½ c. Pecans (chopped) (optional) |
Cream the cream cheese and oleo until soft and creamy. Add powdered sugar. Add nuts last. Spread between layers and on top and sides of cake. Sometimes I double the frosting recipe. |
by Christi on January 20, 2010
It’s Tablescape Thursday with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.
Click on the pic to see more tablescapes.
Yesterday, I posted pics of my beautiful robins and their eggs.
Robin's egg blue
The color of those eggs are what make me love this china so much.
The light blue color around the rim reminds me of the robin's eggs. The white rose in the center has a blue tint as well.
The pattern is called Sterling Rose by Royal Tettau.
The centerpiece is a pitcher with forsythia that was just starting to bloom.
You may remember that this is the china that I used for my placesetting that I entered in the County Fair.
With silver charger
Chantilly Silver
Silver Victorian knife rest
Small bouquet and white candle
The same place setting without the silver charger.
I may not have won the best of show ribbon at the fair, but this china certainly wins a best of show in my heart!
Today’s Lagniappe: Shrimp Casserole
I love shrimp just about any way you cook it. Here is one way:
8 oz. spinach egg noodles
3 oz. cream cheese, cubed
Cook noodles, and drain. Place in 13 x 9 casserole. Place cream cheese cubes on hot noodles.
1 1/2 lbs. peeled shrimp
1/2 cup butter
Saute’ shrimp in butter, and place all over noodles and cheese.
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. prepared mustard
1 tbl. chopped chives
Mix all of this, and pour over shrimp.
Sprinkle 3/4 cup grated cheese (your choice) on top. Bake at 325 degrees until cheese melts and all is bubbly.
by Christi on January 13, 2010
Meetings, meetings, meetings! This week has been full of meetings and still more to get ready for! So, I’m taking a trip down memory lane to a warmer, slower time. A time when it was hot and sultry instead of cold and frosty (actually, it has started to warm up here and was even in the 50’s today). A time when the full moon was lighting the sky and the magnolias were in bloom. Forget thinking about meetings, I’m going back . . .
back to last summer:
Magnolia leaves under clear plates with gold edging.
Magnolia leaves under clear plates with gold edging.
A magnolia leaf is tucked in the gold napkin rings.
Here is a closer look at those leathery magnolia leaves under glass.
As usual, my birds got in on the picture.
We got the gold stemmed crystal in New Orleans on our honeymoon.
I think the magnolia in the crystal bowl in the center is stunning.
This one that is not quite open is laying along side.
While I was taking the pics, this dove came and visited.
As the sun went down, the candles were lit.
A romantic, sultry, Southern summer evening.
The sun is sinking over the horizon.
The candles flicker gently.
And, we wait for the moon to rise.
Okay, back to work!
Check out a lot of great tablescapes at
with Between Naps on the Porch
Today’s Lagniappe: Magnolia Milk Punch
Perfect for a Sunday brunch.
Ingredient
1/4 cup Bourbon Whiskey
1 tsp Vanilla
1 cup Vanilla Ice Cream
4 parts Nutmeg
Directions
Combine ice cream, bourbon and vanilla in a blender and process until smooth. Pour into two glasses and sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg.
