Is it Winter or Spring? (With recipes!)

For just a few hours here and there over the weekend, there was rain, wind, and falling temperatures. Only to be followed by a beautiful, bright sun! It was muddy enough that the kids could not play outside, and boring enough that they didn't want to stay in! Both the air conditioning and the heater ran Saturday!

As for me, I am eager for the brightness of spring, but the chill has put me in the mood for some homemade soup!

This table was an impromptu design bringing in the spring colors and my desire for some yummy soup. I have added a few of my recipes below.  

I really hadn't intended to do a tablescape. However, I was cleaning the kitchen and polishing the silver. First the tureen, then the goblets...I got carried away.

The tureen is a new treasure from eBay. This is the first time I have used it. It was a great find. This was the eBay description:


"This auction is for an antique English silverplate soup tureen by Henry Wilkinson & Co., circa 1850.  This beautifully styled piece measures 10 1/2" tall and 16" wide from handle to handle, and is marked as pictured below.  Structural condition is excellent, with no dents, dings or restorations what so ever.  There is however a small amount of pitting on the lid, visible in the photos, and on the interior of the tureen.  Still, nothing out of the ordinary for a 160 year old piece of silverplate."

This is a picture of the maker's mark:

This is the site where I verified the information:

http://www.silvercollection.it/ENGLISHSILVERMARKSXHDUE3.html#918ING

The goblets are part of a dozen that were purchased on lay-away at an antique show in Savannah while I was in college.  That was before the price of silver soared. :) They were already engraved with the correct letter.

The butter paddles below are one of my favorite pieces of flatware. I am not a huge fan of passing butter around with a master butter knife balancing precariously. It is incredibly awkward, even for adults. I treasure these useful little items!

The dinner pattern that I chose fifteen years ago still goes with everything. I really wanted something with color, but I listened to my mother and selected a timeless pattern first. I will say, though, that not every silver pattern works perfectly with Tuxedo by Lenox. But my silver, Sir Christopher by Wallace does.

The soup bowls were a steal. I found them at a Lenox outlet and purchased the last six. I have eight now. They are the pattern Republic, and there are little red enamel dots around the rim. They blend with many patterns.

Let's see...what else ended up on the table?

The flower vases were another Lenox outlet find. The Jacquard Gold oval vegetable by Lenox was purchased for me by my mother as a gift many years ago in Las Vegas. Once upon a time, there were Lenox outlets everywhere! (Our pre-travel conversations go like this: "What do you want me to bring back as a souvenir for you from _______?" "China, silver, or crystal.")

You may recognize the thumbprint goblets from the Mardi Gras table. They are faux carnival glass and were one of my eBay bargains.

The yellow and rust embroidered placemats and the table runner were purchased at Target on sale a few weeks ago. The napkins are part of a set that were used in our very first post.

The crystal butter dish is an old TJ Maxx find.

The Alvin art deco silver bowl was a birthday present I picked out at an antique show as a teenager. Think of all of the things my friends received when they turned 13, 14, or 15! I wonder what happened to all of the clothes, cassette tapes, and curling irons, etc. I never asked for anything of the sort! I knew then I didn't want to waste money on things that wouldn't be around. :)

Finally, I have used a matching cloth napkin in a silverplate bread basket.

So, if you sat down at the table to join us, this would be your view:

Thank you for coming by! The recipes are below. :)


- Andrea

Fast and Easy Homemade Chili

This is another one of those "I don't measure" recipes that I throw together when short on ingredients.

Ground beef - 1-3 lbs.

1 can of tomato paste and water per pound OR I standard size can of Tomato sauce per pound OR both

(either way, you will may have to add enough water to cover and/or cornstarch to thicken if the sauce is too thin)

At least one can of kidney beans (or not if you don't have one!)

Spices on hand: salt, pepper, cumin, chili pepper, red pepper flakes, onion powder, and garlic salt.

Fry and drain meat. Mix in spices while cooking - in any combination of you have on hand.  (Whatever you end up with will taste great, even if it's not your dream chili.) I usually sprinkle each across the the entire top of the meat as it is cooking. Some I like to "see,", like the peppers. Some I go a little lighter on, like the cumin, until I get to taste-test stage.  I stir in the addition of each spice. I drain the meat and add to a pot, along with whatever tomato base I have and enough water to cover and the kidney beans. I bring the mixture to a boil, and taste test. I add whatever I think it needs - spices, cornstarch, sometimes a little flour, etc. A warning about the cornstarch and the flour: if will lump up if you aren't careful. You can always dissolve it in a small cup of water first and then add.  Or you can make a little roux and add it.

Easy Crock Pot Potato Soup

I found this on at: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/slow-cooker-creamy-potato-soup/Detail.aspx

It is yummy!

• 6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 (10.5 ounce) cans condensed chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 5 large potatoes, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
• 
  

• Place bacon and onion in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until bacon is evenly brown and onions are soft. Drain off excess grease.

• Transfer the bacon and onion to a slow cooker, and stir in chicken broth, water, potatoes, salt, dill weed, and white pepper. Cover, and cook on Low 6 to 7 hours, stirring occasionally.

• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and half-and-half. Stir into the soup along with the evaporated milk. Cover, and cook another 30 minutes before serving.

Serves 6.

Sharing at:
http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/
http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/
http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/
http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/
http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/
http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/
http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/
http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/2011/03/55th-table-top-tuesday.html
http://suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

A Jungle in My Dining Room

This is truly a Tablescape Times Three week. All three generations are setting a table using one china pattern. The china is “Intarsia” by Villeroy and Boch and belongs to me. As with most of my china, it comes with a great story.

In 2003, I had just finished a partial re-do of my kitchen. I had granite countertops installed and the blue and white china that had decorated my kitchen could not stay. It looked terrible with the countertops that I chose. That left me with no china to display in my kitchen.

This is the Giallo Antico that I used in the kitchen re-do.

Soon after the completion of the renovation, my daughter and I traveled to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina for a day trip of outlet shopping. Just for the record, Hilton Head is a three and one half hour drive away, but we used to make the trip often to visit the china outlets.

On this trip, we were in the Villeroy and Boch outlet store (now closed, alas!) and I spotted a china pattern that had an unusual decoration on the rim that I thought would exactly match the granite. I decided to buy almost all of the pieces they had - it was discounted, because it was going to be retired soon. I spent more money on china in one day than I had ever done previously (or since, for that matter). I thought I had gone completely mad. However, I was pretty smart, because the eight mugs that I purchased that day, among the rest of the pieces that I brought home, are worth more on Replacements now, than the entire amount that I spent! Over the years, I have added more pieces to the collection - some from the Villeroy and Boch outlet in Destin, Florida (also, closed!) and from Replacements and Ebay.



Since Villeroy and Boch made only one very large serving bowl for the “Intarsia” pattern, but is too big for most occasions, my husband surprised me with two smaller serving bowls this past Christmas in the “Intarsia II” (also, retired) pattern. They match perfectly.

Now for the best part of the story! After so carefully choosing a china pattern to match my granite, last summer I had a complete renovation done on my kitchen and changed my counter tops! Fortunately, I chose a a new granite that looks fine with "Intarsia". I did not think that my dear husband would understand having to buy all new china, again, to match the recently installed granite!

My new "Ming Gold" granite.



For my tablescape in “Intarsia” times three, I wanted to emphasize the green in the pattern. Despite the fact that fruit is featured prominently on the china, I have always thought that it had a jungle feel to it.

Perhaps, it has something to do with the birds on the mugs. Doesn't this parrot look like he is ready to fly out of the jungle?

I added more birds that were bought at a local gift shop. They usually reside in a bedroom, which is decorated with a bird motif.

The centerpiece of greenery from my garden adds to the illusion of a lush tropical forest.

It is interesting how the black and green look together. The contrast is wonderful!



The balloon wine glasses are Royal Bohemian and were a TJ Maxx find. The ruffled glass bowls are from Mikasa. Crate and Barrel was the source for the green place mats and napkins.

The flatware is "Jasmine" silverplate by Simeon L. & George H. Rogers Company – Oneida Ltd.

Here is a close-up look at my beautiful Jardinière. It is placed on my largest “Intarsia” serving platter. Both were part of the original Hilton Head purchase.

I enjoyed creating the jungle-like feel in my dining room and thinking about how and why I acquired "Intarsia". I cannot wait to see how the other two generations use my china in a new, fresh way!