Citrus Spiced Tea...

This is perfect for a cool fall morning....

...a nice hot cup of Citrus Spiced Tea....

...or you can serve it over ice!

Autumn Table Settings....

Just sharing a few photos of my favorite Fall table settings:

It's always fun to set a festive table!

A few people have asked.....

Some have asked me how I use my Mackenzie-Childs Taylor dishes in the Fall....

It's easy....I use softer color fall items as accent pieces and centerpieces, rather than typical vibrant fall colors of pumpkins and leaves.  There are so many different colored artificial pumpkins in the stores this year and many are similar colors as the dishes, pinks, aquas and blues.  

And yes, I USE my dishes, however I do hand wash my M-C ceramics.  They are made to be used and enjoyed, not for sitting in a cabinet!

....this table was set for a lunch with a girlfriend:

Quick and easy, with a touch of fall in the center of my Courtly Check table with a glass top!

Perfect for 'chicken salad croissants' !

They can also be softened for fall by mixing with pastel yellow dishes:

The Taylor pieces also mix and match well with vintage milk glass:

The different patterns in the Taylor line offer a variety of ways to coordinate them with your everyday dishware anytime of the year!

I have also seen people use them at Christmas time and decorating the table with lots of pines, greens and birch twigs.

If you are fortunate enough to own some Taylor pieces I would love to see how you use them year round!

Squash Soup....

The last two days have been cool, so I am anxious to make some soup.

Here's a quick and tasty recipe:

Squash Soup:
Ingredients
1 (2 to 3 pound) butternut squash, peeled and seeded
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cups chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Cut squash into 1-inch chunks. In large pot melt butter. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add squash and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove squash chunks with slotted spoon and place in a blender and puree. Return blended squash to pot. Stir and season with salt, and pepper. Serve.

Happy Fall.....

Have you ever made a Galette? Here are 2 recipes to try:

Tomato Zucchini Galette

I picked up some tomatoes at the local farm stand and made a galette:

These are so simple to make:  

I sliced about 4 Roma tomatoes and set them out to dry for an hour...

...and sautéed 1/2 zucchini in garlic, butter and some red pepper flakes

...then grated some vegetable cheddar cheese, mixed it with Parmesan-Regianno cheese, salt and garlic pepper and some "CNY blend" seasoning from Hey Rose ...

...I set aside about 1/4 c bread crumbs...

...pulled out my Silpat - or you could use parchment paper.

I spread breadcrumbs on a pie crust, saving about 1T, leaving about 1 1/2" of pie crust empty...

...and layered 1/2 the tomatoes on top of crumbs and topped with a little cheese mixture...

...layered the zucchini and the rest of the bread crumbs...

and then added the rest of the tomatoes, topping with the rest of the cheeses.   I wrapped up the pie crust all around the outside edges and brush with a little melted butter.

I  baked it for 1/2 hr at 375',  and cut some fresh basil from the herb garden...

...and sprinkled ribbons of basil on top when it came out of oven!

I used the pizza cutter to cut it into 6 wedges and enjoyed it!!  YUM!

Apple-Pear Galette...

Galettes are so much easier and quicker to make than a pie...

I don't use a recipe, I just wing it!

I gathered 2 different apples, a pear, some sugar and cinnamon, butter, a little flour and a store bought pie crust...

...I sliced the fruit thinly...

...tossed it with sugar, cinnamon and a little flour...

...placed the fruit on the pie crust in a circle...

...pulled up the edges of the pie crust...

...brushed a little melted butter on the crust, and baked it or about 40 min..

...a perfect little dessert for 2!

Hahaha... Only kidding, we got 4 servings!

Can't wait to go apple picking and make another - and applesauce - and apple cake - and apple bread!