Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Charcuterie Cones!

Creating a charcuterie board for two can be a challenge as sometimes we just need a little nibble of something.


So, I made paper cones from brown craft paper.  


These would be perfect for a small group of people, especially during Covid (less hands on the food):


You can slide almost anything onto a skewer....


....any thin sliced meat, small chunks of cheese, fruits, veggies....


We like these as they are perfect "portion control" snacks....


...and so easy to assemble on little skewers!  You can even tuck a few crackers inside, too!


If you don't want to make paper cones, you can use champagne flutes:


You can pull it out of the glass and then fill it up with some ...


....Prosecco or Champagne for a New Years Eve toast!


Cheers!


Wishing you a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Here's to 2021!


Thursday, December 24, 2020

Almond-Lime Bread....


While browsing through old Christmas books from the 90's, I came across this recipe on a dog-eared page!


Luckily I had all the ingredients on hand!


It'e very simple to make and a perfect afternoon 'pick me up snack' with a cup of tea or coffee!


Almond-Lime Bread
1 3 oz pkg lime jello, divided
3 c buttermilk baking mix
1/2 c sugar
3/4 c sour cream
1/2 c milk
2 eggs
1/4 c sliced almonds, divided
Glaze:
2 T hot water
1 c confectioners sugar
1/4 t almond extract
1t reserved jello

Preheat oven to 350'.  Reserve 1 t jello for glaze.  Combine jello, baking mix and sugar in large bowl, stir.  Add sour cream, milk and eggs and mix until well blended.  Spoon batter into 2 well greased and floured bread pans and bake for 40-45 min.  Cool in pan for 10 min, remove and place on wire rack with wax paper underneath.
Mix water, confectioners sugar and extract with 1t reserved jello in a small bowl to create the glaze.  sprinkle a few almond slices on each loaf, drizzle with glaze and sprinkle the rest of almonds on top of glaze.
Makes 2 loaves.



Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Christmas Table Settings....


Here are a few table settings I have set this month:


Stars are perfect for the holiday season....


...along with icy blue stemware...


...and a stack of blue and white...


...ceramic and enamels....


...and a little plaid...


...which depicts one of my favorite places to visit, the Farmhouse at MacKenzie-Childs in Aurora, NY!


Stars Over Aurora!


Black, red and white is perfect for the season....


...and a red truck is very nostalgic!


We had a little bit of snow this month....





Mercury glass and gold is very festive...


...the gold on the plates and stemware add some sparkle to the table...


...and candle light reflects off the mercury glass trees...


...and gold angel napkin rings shine bright!


Plaids and checks....






A setting with Patience Brewster mini stockings add some cheer to a simple dinner setting:


Paper goods by the Pioneer Woman are perfect for a quick dinner of goulash and crusty bread on a snowy night:


A stack of three is perfect for a Sunday dinner.... 


...and some Butter Trees for our rolls:



And for those cold nights, when the flakes were dancing in the air, a simple setting to reflect the weather:


However you set the table, enjoy the meal you have prepared!
The best memories are made around the dinner table!

Sunday, December 20, 2020

Little Clay Tags....



I made a few little tags with Fimo clay....


....you can make about 12 out of one package!


I poked holes with a wooden skewer and baked them in the oven as directed on the package.


With a Sharpie marker, I added names and trim.


These can be used as a place card at the table....


...or as an ornament...


...or a gift tag!

These cost less than $.25 each to make!

Easy Peasy!


Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Raw Rutes -

Raw Rutes just sent me a few packages of their products to try!


I was thrilled to open the box and find these fun pics and spoons!

You may remember a few photos I posted with their products:


The Tree Bunch Gourmet Cocktail Pick is perfect for a Bloody Mary.  As you can see, they are sturdy enough to hold a chicken wing, as well as a piece of celery, a slice pf pepperoni, a slim beef stick, a grape and a piece of cheese!!!  These hold your Happy Hour snacks, so no need for a tray of nibblers!  Be creative, I can imagine a little hamburg slider, meatballs, bacon, pickled green beans - the ideas are endless!

Wouldn't these also be cute for children in their glass of milk with donut holes?



or cookies....



Raw Rutes is a Buffalo, NY based company, on a mission to help you celebrate the homegrown and homemade in your life. Many of their products are made right in Buffalo, with the remainder being supplied by craftsmen from across the U.S. and countries like Poland, Italy, and Slovenia. Their staff live and breathe the time honored slow-food traditions that were pushed aside for Instant Noodle Cups and TV Dinners. Whether it's harvesting, dehydrating or fermenting foods, they like to be involved in the process and they are there to help you do the same! 


The Cocoa Caribou Hot Chocolate Buddies are so much fun, not only for children, but adults, too!  Who doesn't love a cup of hot cocoa loaded with marshmallows?  The picks also can hold chocolates, soft mints, pastel pillow mints, even a few soft cookies!



What child wouldn't enjoy coming home from school to this snack?


AND
They are also awesome in cocktails.... a few little treats with a Rum and Coke: 


The first gift they sent was a set of Gin-iper Branches.  These will be so much fun to use in the summer with berries and chunks of fruit!  Today I made a cocktail with Blueberry Vodka and Sprite....


...and I filled the branch with blueberries and a sprig of mint!


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This is such a fun way to make a cocktail special and tastier!



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The Dessert Spoons are just adorable and quite unique, They remind me of the Hoodsie Cup spoons from my childhood that were made from wood, but much sturdier and more versatile....


...perfect for ice cream....


...and I can even imagine using these little penguins to serve or spread cream cheese dips, peanut butter onto crackers or encouraging children to try new foods!


The Nifty Lil Narwhal Martini picks are also very versatile.  Perfect for Manhattans and Martinis - OR - simply to add a little lemon flavor to your water: 


The larger Nifty Narwhal Picks are perfect for Mojitos, holding mint and limes OR sinking a lemon in a Gin and Tonic:



They also carry the cutest Garden Tools and I want to order the Kitchen Herb Hanger, which is so reasonably priced!  They have clever Kitchen Tools, and if you make a lot of tomato sauce in the fall, you might need this !

To receive a catalog, click HERE




All opinions and ideas are my own!  Raw Rutes supplied the products.