Elegant tea

Silver service and pink china harkens to a time past.  

Color coordinated macarons complete the scene.

PEEPS

What to do when you can't eat another?  Make a centerpiece. Charming for Easter or any spring table.

Hard-baked eggs

Hard-baked eggs....that's right.  No need to boil. Just place eggs in muffin tins and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Then drop them in a bowl of ice water to cool.  Peel and prepare your way.

Oven-roasted Asparagus

Spring brings a change in weather, wardrobe, and menus.  You'll find asparagus now at your local grocery and here's an easy and delicious way to prepare it.

• 1 bunch thin asparagus spears, trimmed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
• 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)

• 1 teaspoon sea sal
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
  
  
  
  
  • Cook's Note
  • To remove woody ends, grab stalk of asparagus at either end and bend until it snaps. It will naturally snap where it starts to get tough.

  • Directions

  • Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
  • Place the asparagus into a mixing bowl, and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss to coat the spears, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper. Arrange the asparagus onto a baking sheet in a single layer.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until just tender, 12 to 15 minutes depending on thickness. Sprinkle with lemon juice just before serving.
  •  Recipe from AllRecipes.com

Strawberry heart

The strawberry has a natural heart shape.  Use slices to decorate a cupcake or even in a salad to carry through on a Valentine theme.

Cheese lovers day

    

I enjoy cheese in or on almost everything. And by itself. Here's a favorite way to enjoy it alone as a snack or to accompany a salad.                  FRICOS

Grate a 8 oz.  block of Parmesan-Reggiano

Mix with 2  1/2 Tblsp. flour &               !/2 tsp. black pepper.  Drop by Tablespoons 4 inches apart on a silpat lined baking sheet. Flatten slightly.  Bake 10-12 minutes at   375 degrees.  Cool 2 minutes and remove.

National "Men make dinner" Day

http://www.menmakedinnerday.com/rules/index.php


Truly...there's the website for inspiration.  I, for one, would be just as pleased with takeout

National Donut Day

It's National Doughnut Day (or Donut Day), which falls on the first Friday of June each year.

Whether you like them jelly-filled, powdered or glazed, you now have a good excuse (if you needed one) to enjoy the sweet treats.

National Doughnut Day isn't a ploy by doughnut shops to get you in their doors. Its roots date back to World War I, when hundreds of Salvation Army officers, aiming to comfort U.S. troops serving in Europe, cooked and served doughnuts to the soldiers, according to USA Today.

The first National Doughnut Day was celebrated in 1938.

You can score a free donut at any Dunkin Donuts today.

Presentation

Plain Jane to Fancy Nancy.  The humble cucumber and radish get all dressed up.


 Recipe from madiganmade:
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon zest
2 tbsp chopped pecans (optional)
2 tbsp mint, thinly sliced
2 tsp chopped chives
4 ounces, softened cream cheese
1/8 tsp salt
1 seedless cucumber, sliced into 32 rounds
3-4 med radishes, sliced thinly into 32 rounds



Mix  Combine the first seven ingredients together in a large bowl.
Cut  Use a decorative cookie cutter (i.e. a flower) to cut the cucumber into shapes.

Assemble Layer the cucumber, then the radish slice on top of each other. Then top with about 1/2 tsp of cheese mixture.
Serve  Serve right away and enjoy!

Confetti

Confetti says "PARTY"!       Make your own with a circle punch or shapes such as a heart or butterfly.   Perfect use for scraps of fancy patterned papers from which you created your invitation. This keeps your theme going.  Scatter on tabletops or up the walk leading to the PARTY.

Girl Scouts Day

March 12 - Today is Girl Scouts Day. In 1912, on this day, the Girl Scout organization was founded. The original name was Girl Guides. From the original 18 girls, Girl Scouting has grown to 3.7 million members. Girl Scouts is the largest educational organization for girls in the world and has influenced more than 59 million girls, women and men who have belonged to it. Here's to Thin Mints!

Pass the bar

literally....I'm taking a mixologist course online and hope to 'pass the bar.'
Here's a good tip for quickly chilling a glass:If you have a few minutes, it's best to wet a glass and put it in the freezer. If you're really in a hurry, though, you can fill the glass with ice and water to quickly chill the glass.

     Flat or standing     



a Christmas tree appetizer is visually appealing.

Beaujolais

Wine parties were held the world over last night for the ritual uncorking of Beaujolais Nouveau.  Bottles of 2013 Beaujolais were opened at midnight on November 20th.  Japan is the biggest market and usually the first to uncork but the US consumed more than 2 million bottles in 2012.  A young wine, not suited for storage, it is marketed during the month of November each year.

Tinkerbell Tea Party

Invitations were rolled like a scroll and hand delivered

 

 

 

 

 

Tinkerbell directed guests to their seats and decorated the table

 

    Each guest had a headband to wear

   and began with a fruit salad

 
 
 


  The birthday girl         

   and her cake

  

Guests left with a goodie bag

 

 

that included PIXIE DUST!

National Coffee Day

Wake up and smell the coffee on Sept. 29th.   To make that easier try this free offer:  Starbucks is offering free tastings of its new coffee blend, Ethiopia, described as a medium roast coffee with notes of sweet citrus and peppery spice. Also, anyone who purchases a one-pound bag that day will receive a complimentary Ethiopian-inspired commemorative ceramic cup, while supplies last

Cheddar Bacon Ranch Dip

This dip was referred to as "crack', as it is addictively good.  


Cheddar Bacon Ranch Dip

16 oz sour cream 1 packet Ranch dressing mix 3 oz bacon bits (in the bag not jar) 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese Mix together and refrigerate 24 hours. Serve with chips and/or veggies. www.plainchicken.com

Fancy Nancy party

An invitation to afternoon tea was really a Fancy Nancy party in honor of Nancy Joan's birthday. 

We dined on cucumber, chicken salad and ham sandwiches. Lots of dessert choices followed.
Heart shaped brownies were a big hit.

Spinach and Strawberries Salad

Spinach and Strawberries Salad

  So simple, so delicious, so pretty

Maggie Mae made this to rave reviews and competed in dressage show bringing home 1st and 2nd place ribbons. Congratulations!
Recipe: A bag of baby spinach, 3/4 box of sliced strawberries, and 1/4 cup of poppyseed dressing. 

 

Honey

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial beginning of Summer.  Some are quite happy to say goodbye to Spring with its flowers, sneezing and itchy eyes. Here's a natural remedy: raw honey.  Because it contains bits of pollen,  it can naturally build up your allergy immunity.  A single teaspoon  a day will provide this benefit.