Tantalizing Takeout

I made these little appetizer salads when our book club read Memoirs of a Geisha (we always theme our menu to the book) but it’s the perfect appetizer for a summer party. Guests always flip out when they see the miniature takeout containers and the recipe is so easy even the most harried hostess can pull it off!

Full of Crunch

Sesame Salad

Pre-made Slaw Mix I like the carrot, broccoli and red cabbage mix, but you can also use fresh cabbage and fresh veggies if you have time to chop

Red Bell Pepper julian cut

Mandarin Oranges

Won Ton Strips

Sesame Salad Dressing

Slivered Almonds

Black Sesame Seeds

Toss all ingredients together in a large salad bowl, then place individual portions in the take-out containers. Garnish with extra sesame seeds and serve with chopsticks. Also, you can add grilled chicken for a heartier salad!

First Impressions

I found KnockKnocking on Etsy this morning and I’m so obsessed wtih artist Agnes Blum’s work.

During almost every holiday season you will find the door of my home (and sometimes my office) decked with a wreath. I love the warmth it ads to greet guests and the statement it gives to passersby THIS HOUSE CELEBRATES HOLIDAYS WITH GUSTO, BE FOREWARNED!

I have feather wreaths and sparkly wreaths, egg wreaths and wreaths of twigs, I even have specialty tupperware containers to store the wreaths and keep them looking perfect between their yearly stint on my door. But it wasn’t until today though that I’d ever seen a yarn wreath or considered using a wreath during the “off season”. Agnes’ work is so precious and whimsical, it seems like the perfect way to deck your door and keep the holiday spirit up year round!

Dahlias are one of my favorite flowers to design with. They come in a million colors and sizes and are really hearty. You’ll see them popping up in my decor over and over again.

Pretty Pastels

Here are some pretty pastels at a wedding. This is a design anyone can create: dahlias mixed with herbs and greenery in various mason jars… so pretty!

Deep and Brooding

These deep maroon beauties were perfect for a birthday party bar piece… the use of deep reds and purples lent it’s self to our whimsical and feminine design.

Hot Pink Lady

This hot pink dahlia with white tips added the perfect bit of texture to our vibrant summery centerpiece at a beach wedding.

These flowers are so easy to use, you have to try them out!! You can place a bunch in a vase, or cut off the blooms and float them in a low dish for an instant centerpiece!!

Summer Salad

We did this set up a couple of years ago for an outdoor wedding, but I continue to use it time and time again whenever I want to serve a light lunch.

We set an 8 ft table and draped it with a vibrant silk table cloth. Two different kinds of salads (spinach and mixed greens) were pre plated for each guest. The end of the table was filled with bowls overflowing with salad toppings: various cheeses, olives, grilled vegetables, beans etc as well as artisanal breads and butters.

It was a beautiful buffet, it was efficient (guests had their salad course in a matter of minutes) and most importantly it was customizable to each guests taste.

This would be so easy for you to pull off at your next baby shower, ladies luncheon or potluck.

Playful Patterns

You may find it funny then, that I LOVE aprons! I know that might seem odd, since many fems still think the apron represents oppression… but you know what I think?? I think it’s just another fabulous accessory in my entertaining arsenal!

And so I began collecting them years ago… the sweet blue one that’s paper thin from the years my Grandma Neeley loved it in the kitchen. The vintage Portuguese apron I found at a little shop years ago. The gingham print Auntie Di made me when I got married. All of them have a story, all of them are precious and colorful and make me happy.

When you put an apron on you’re saying “I belong here. I’m doing the cooking. I’m so devoted to this meal that I plan to make an absolute mess in order to bring you something delicious and I need this apron to protect myself from the food shrapnel” It’s fully committing to your role in the kitchen and I love that!

So many burgeoning cooks I know are so afraid of “messing up” they wont even try for fear of a broken sauce or an overly salted entree. I’m here to tell you that they only way you’ll ever get better is to keep at it, keep experimenting and tasting and trying new ingredients. The only way you’ll ever get better is to make a mess in your kitchen! Just be sure and strap on your apron first, because at least then you’ll look good while your serving that wilted soufflé.

Need to start or add to your apron collection? Whether you want something for yourself or your little one, the Chic Boutique has a ton of adorable options!!

My Saturday Night Special

On a recent un-seasonally warm Saturday night I was faced with a dilemma… drink red wine (we’d run out our weekly stock pile of white) or mix a cocktail (which I typically reserve for nights on the town, or special in-home events). It’s not that I don’t enjoy a cocktail, it’s just that it requires quite a bit more effort than pouring a glass of wine and I’m usually so dead by “happy hour” I can’t muster the energy.

However, when faced with possibly not having a drink at all, I found the strength and here is the concotion I came up with, which shall heretofore be referred to as my “Saturday Night Special”.

What You’ll Need:

Vodka

Triple Sec

Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

Sugar

Sparkling water

Ice

Martini Shaker

How to: juice 3 lemons (yes, I said fresh squeezed, don’t whine!) and mix with a spoonful of sugar (add more to taste) put that mixture in your shaker along with some ice. Add vodka (tolerance determines amount), triple sec (again, do what feels right) and a splash of sparkling water, or club soda (or even 7 up if you want something sweeter). Shake it up, and pour into martini glasses. Add a thin slice of lemon for garnish. Cheers!

Pink Lady

Ladies (and flower loving fellas) it’s that special time of year… spring has sprung, the weather is getting warmer, and Peonies are finally back in season!!

All year long our brides will bring us cut outs of this gorgeous flower and proclaim “THIS is what I want in my bouquet” and we have to break the news that unless their wedding falls in the spring it wont be possible. This little flower is the perfect party girl… she always looks fantastic, and she leaves you wanting more as she’s gone before you know it.

I also love this flower for decorating the house. The large blooms mean you can float them in simple glass bowl or arrange them easily without needing a degree in horticulture.

Last, though certainly not least, these look so stunning pinned in your hair during those first outdoor cocktail parties of the season!

A Little Bubbly

Need  a pick me up before you head out for New Year’s Eve?

Try this little doozy we came up with on Christmas… and be careful, this one sneaks up on you.

Champagne (chilled to perfection)

Fresh Raspberries

Fresh Apricots

Grand Marnier

Macerate a quarter of an apricot and 2 raspberries (this means smash them into oblivion) and put this mixture at the bottom of a champagne flute.

Cover the fruit mixture with Grand Marnier (it’s strong so be careful) then top with champagne. Add another raspberry for garnish.

Yum, enjoy!!

That being said, I’m always looking for new and interesting drinks and now that we’re in the middle of winter I’m leaning to something a little toastier. Below find a few of my new favorites, and let me know if you’ve got a fabulous hot number that I should be trying out.

Mulled Wine

Brown Sugar Mulled Wine

1 bottle dry Cabernet

1 cinnamon stick (broken in pieces)

peel of 1 orange

8 whole cloves

1 whole nutmeg

1/4 cup brown sugar

Dump all that into your slow cooker and simmer on high for 2 hours, yummy!

Hot Toddy

Hot Toddy

Fill your cup 3 quarters up with hot tea of your choice

2 shots of brandy

honey to taste

Garnish with cinnamon stick and lemon slice

Irish Coffee

Luck of the Irish Coffee

1 1/2 oz of Irish whiskey (I like Jameson’s)

1 tsp brown sugar

6 oz hot coffee

1 shot of Bailey’s (a little more liquor never hurt)

Mix it all together and top with a dollop of heavy cream, though in a pinch I’ve been known to use Cool Whip!