EASTER AND ALL IT'S SWEETNESS...LET'S DISH

I'm feeling VERY sweet this week, and happy to be joining Cuisine Kathleen's "Let's Dish". We have sooooo many sweet treats sitting on the kitchen counter right now, that I better plan on exercising ALL of next week. Friends, neighbors, co-workers and students are so kind and generous during Easter week and all throughout the year. I just looked and we have braided Easter bread, cute pastel cookies (picture below), huge peanut butter cookies with white chocolate chips, peanut turtles with Easter sprinkles, and Easter Cassata which I put in the fridge. It's a sweet and happy house, and I'm loving it! 

Wegman's had chocolate hens so they came home with me. Using silicone cupcake molds with a cupcake liner, I made some Easter treats by melting good quality chocolate and peanut butter, and then stirred in some Fiber One cereal to make the nests. Added a few candy eggs for decoration, and let them firm up a bit.

You can barely see the little cutie, but there is a polka dotted chick egg cup holder in the terrarium which is the centerpiece for our table for two. Joe gifted me with the terrarium many years ago, and it makes a versatile centerpiece. I use it like a cloche. 

I know Cuisine Kathleen will notice that I switched out the plates in this photo below. I just couldn't decide.

The moss bunnies at Pier One were begging me to take them home, so I adopted four of them over the weekend.

Fuzzy and cute for vases :-)

Our table for two this week has green striped chargers purchased from the Christmas Tree Shoppe (several years ago), and I haven't seen them since. I added green egg shaped green polka dot plates from Walmart to use for the dessert.

Wishing those that celebrate a very Happy Easter! Thank you for stopping by! If you let me know you were here by leaving a comment, I will hop on over to your blog for a visit. I'm joining Let's Dish, Tablescape Thursday and Foodie Friday with this post. 

Debbie

GRANOLA FROM MY FAVORITE VERY ROMANTIC INN AND A SKI PARTY

My inspiration for this tablescape is from our Ski Party from 2011. We finally have snow, and it is soooo cozy. We are heading to the Adirondack mountains for our annual winter getaway. You are all invited to Mountain Breath's ski party. 

But first, I am sharing my very favorite granola in the whole wide world. Love starting my day with granola from my favorite inn. I had no idea that the inn would give me the recipe, but they went into the kitchen and handed me a copy. I've never heard the word "NO" at this inn. That's why we love it. Anyhoo, here is the recipe.

Mix in large bowl:

2 c. Oats
1 c. Whole Wheat Flour
1 c. Whole Bran Cereal (Special K or Bran Flakes)
1 c. Coconut
1/2 c. Nuts (any kind)

Melt until hot and bubbly:

8 oz. Butter
1 c. Honey

Add to Butter-Honey Mixture:
1/2 tsp. Vanilla

Combine all ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees on a 12" x 9" cookie sheet for 20 - 30 minutes.

For Fine Granola - break apart while still warm.

For Larger Granola - break apart when cool.(This is my favorite way to eat it...I look for the big clumps with lots of nuts)

You're going to need mittens for the ski party, so I've placed a pair at your table setting. Do you remember when blogger Stone Gable taught us how to make the Diamond Napkin Fold  to make our napkins look like this? Very easy. The cozy mittens are napkin rings that I have had forever. 

Fresh baked chocolate chip cookies will warm your heart.  

Our ski party is taking place at the inn where we are guests. The cozy inn puts out a tray of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies so that when you check in, you have something to look forward to.     They are willing to share the recipe, so I am sharing it with you. We'll snowshoe or ski during the day, and head back to the inn around 4:00 when they serve coffee, tea and more cookies. 

Pour yourself some coffee or tea and cozy up to the roaring fire.



A short tour of the inn. Every inch of the inn spells RELAXATION~

And if you want to venture outdoors for a walk Lake Placid, you will be surrounded by Winter's rich evergreens.

The snow is good for keeping beverages chilled for the Ski Party. 

A little box of sweets from the folks at the cozy inn. 

Around the inn, there are "words" that I love.

This blue hour photo has a tropical look until you see the snow on the cars!

Thank you very much for stopping by! I'm joining the Cozy Home Party and Tablescape Thursday, Foodie Friday and Seasonal Sundays. If you'd like to leave me a comment to let me know you were here, I'll stop by your place for a visit! 

Debbie

CHRISTMAS DINING WITH VIETRI

While I am out walking,  I take a short break to admire the Vietri pottery plates on display in the window of a gift shop. I reason with myself that if I can't live in Italy, perhaps I can enjoy beautiful dinnerware from Italy. Joe has heard me talk about Vietri. Recently, he surprised me with four Vietri iridescent glass snakeskin plates. He knows that I like green and says he is still looking for the WHITE ones I want love ;o)

While I was decorating our sun porch for Christmas, I placed a centerpiece on the Mackenzie Childs table and was happy with just that. Too busy this year to fuss! Then the Vietri snakeskin plates popped into my head since they are a few shades of green. We are  loving the beauty of the glam snakeskin plates, using them for appetizers and an occasional dessert. The pictures really don't do the plates justice, but here is my humble attempt of what they look like during the day. 

Here's an evening shot. Since we have only used the dishes for finger foods so far, I didn't include flatware. Besides that, I think they need matching snakeskin forks ;o) Hmmm, I wonder if they make them.

This is what the table looks like when we use it in the evening. Very dark these days.

Here are the white Vietri dishes that I adore.

courtesy of Vietri

These snowflake dishes would look great on a table during the holiday season and even through the winter. 

courtesy of Vietri

I added some sparkly Christmas trees that I bought several years ago.  Look - no snow on the lawn yet! This is the mildest fall we have had in many years. Even the tulips are starting to sprout. As long as they don't bud, they will be fine next spring.

courtesy of Vietri

TODAY I AM VERY MERRY FOR:


*Getting together with mom and my two sisters to make Christmas cookies! I bought a seven pound can of almond paste...yup, we'll use the whole can to make mom's famous almond paste cookies ;o) We give quite a few away to mom's friends at church.

* The beautiful weather we had while visiting family in New York City last week. The Saks Fifth Avenue Snowflake and Bubble projection show is spectacular. I've included a Youtube link to the 3D Projection mapping show if you are interested. 

click here - Saks Fifth Avenue

* For the talented indivuals that bring us joy by creating a 53 foot long Gingerbread Village for the holiday season. It's on display at the Turning Stone Casino and takes months to assemble!  In case you would like to make your own, I've included the recipe for you but you'll have to reduce it ;o)  OMG, 1,200 eggs!!

I am joining:


 No Minimalist here for Holiday Dining

Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday

Gingerbread Party @ Cozy Home Scenes

Thank you for stopping by!
Debbie

SWEET OWLS AND CAKE POPS

The owl plates at Homegoods flew to my table this week, and along with them, came some cute spiders from Hobby Lobby, scary spiders, dirty ole rats, spider venom and vampire blood.  EEK!

I love the eyes on the owl plates. Not scary at all.

Would you care for some spider venom or vampire blood? How about a cup of coffee with a dirty ole rats tail? Eek!

I used rubbery spider webs, rats and spiders from the Dollar Store to embellish the table. I attached spider webs to the canning jar candleholders that I used in my yard all summer. To attach the spider web, I used invisible thread that I bought at Joann Fabrics. Added two orange votive candles, and enjoyed a candlelight dinner.  Well at least I tried to...there were too many rats and spiders for my liking.

Look at that dirty rat hanging on for dear life. He needs to be shooed away before dinner can begin. Eek!

No rats allowed at the Black Widows' Ball!  On the invitation, I asked the ladies to wear their little black dress (no witches allowed) with spidery accessories. After the party next weekend, I'll show you the spider skirt that I made for the party ;o)

I found a recipe for these adorable Cake Pops in Everyday Food, Oct. 2011, and bought the festive sprinkles in small quantity in the bulk section at Wegman's. Some of the pops were decorated with mini M&M's and candy corn. Very easy to make, I assure you.

Store bought pound cake, melted chocolate, sprinkles and lollipop sticks is all you need to make these CAKE POPS. I had to transport the pops 90 miles, so I can tell you they travel well!

Instructions for CAKE POPS:

1)  Cut pound cake into 1-inch slices and cut into rounds with a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter.

2)  Microwave semisweet chocolate chips until melted. (I used chocolate bark since I had it on hand, and it worked very well)

3)  Place one round at a time on the tines of a fork and submerge in chocolate. Transfer to a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet and let excess drip off, 5 minutes.

4) While chocolate is still wet, transfer rounds to a parchment-lined baking sheet with an offset spatula. Carefully insert lollipop sticks. Decorate with sprinkles or small candies. Refrigerate until set, 10 minutes. (I recommend keeping them in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve them so the lollipop stick stays secure)

I will be joining the creative blogger Susan for Tablescape Thursday and fantasic author Michael Lee West for Foodie Friday.

Thank you for stopping by! If you leave a comment, I'll know you were here and will be sure to visit you!

Debbie