Monthly Archives: November 2011

{Home and Party} Are you tired of turkey yet?

29 Tuesday Nov 2011

Posted by in Fall Entertaining and Decorations, Food, Holiday/Seasonal cooking, Simple Meals for the Avid Cook

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I hope today finds you fully recovered from Thanksgiving festivities and calories!  I do enjoy a good turkey sandwich and the trimmings once, even twice after the holiday.  But then I hit the wall and crave something flavorful, easy (since I’m still tired from all the cooking) and full filling.  This recipe originates from Country Living magazine and has been a hit with family and friends each time I prepare it.  It’s also easy enough for me to prepare it for just Lyn and myself on a cool, late fall evening.

Enjoy!

image from simply recipesimage via

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Apple Cider Glaze

Ingredients

  • 2 1-pound pork tenderloins, rimmed
  • 6 shallots, quartered
  • ½ cup golden raisins
  • 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (5-6 sprigs)
  • Pinch of ground cloves
  • ¾ cup apple cider, or unfiltered apple juice
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 McIntosh apples, peeled and chopped

Directions

Rinse pork, pat dry, and place in zip top heavy-duty plastic bag, or shallow dish.

Stir together shallots and next 5 ingredients in a medium bowl.  Pour over pork, cover or seal and chill at least 4 hours, turning occasionally.

Preheat oven to 375°.  Remove pork from marinade, reserving marinade.  Sprinkle pork evenly with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.  Cook in hot oil in a large oven proof skillet over medium high heat 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until browned.  Remove pork, and add butter to skillet, stirring until melted.  Add apples and sauté 2 minutes.  Stir in reserved marinade.  Bring to a boil, and boil 2 minutes, stirring often.  Return pork to skillet.

Bake at 375° for 20 to 25 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 155°, basting occasionally.  Remove pork from skillet; tent with aluminum foil, and let stand 5 minutes or until thermometer registers 160°.  Stir remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper into apple cider glaze in skillet.  Slice pork and serve immediately with glaze and apples.

Serves:  6-8 servings

The race is on to begin my Christmas shopping.  The tree and decorations are up and I hope to enjoy a few days of sipping cocoa by the fire enjoying the Christmas tree.  Take time to stop and smell the peppermint and evergreens!

{Garden, Home and Party} Happy Thanksgiving 2011

24 Thursday Nov 2011

Posted by in Family, Holiday/Seasonal cooking, Misc

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Thanksgiving comes to us out of the prehistoric dimness,
universal to all ages and all faiths.
At whatever straws we must grasp,
there is always a time for gratitude and new beginnings.
J. Robert Moskin

I am thankful for family, friends and a warm home to share Thanksgiving dinner with loved ones.  I wish all of you a day of relaxation, football (if that’s your tradition), yummy food and plenty of time to reflect on the things you are most grateful for.

Richmond Park, London

via Miss Mustard Seed

unknown

sorry, unknown

via Nancy’s Daily Dish

via Party Resources

via tumblr

 

Happy Thanksgiving, I consider you my blog friends, but friends all the same, just one more thing to be thankful for!


I’m visiting French Country Cottage for her “Feathered Nest Party” on Friday, November 25, stop by for a visit.

{GHP} Preparing for Thanksgiving…Fall installment #4

22 Tuesday Nov 2011

Posted by in Dessert, Entertaining, Fall Entertaining and Decorations, Family, Food

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Whether you’re here (U.S.A) …

 ~or~

abroad…

Thanksgiving Day is looming and since we have the good fortune to be celebrating with our future in-laws (for more on this story) in our home,  I’m in full turkey day countdown.

I really do enjoy this time of year.  Much like those that love the warmer months of summer and seem to get a boost of energy during “their” favorite season, I have to say, I feel my best in these fall months.  I’m always motivated to clean the yard, clean out my closet and drawers and do a deep cleaning on the house in anticipation of the holidays.

Getting the opportunity to cook Thanksgiving dinner in our home is a treat.  I enjoy entertaining and love the planning process as much as the food prep details.  Our table will be set for 8 and I’ve got the centerpiece already in place…

{Note:  I will probably not use Redfern, our pheasant, due to his size; don’t want him to accidentally end up with gravy on his tail so he’ll be moved to the side buffet and I’ll feature a low spread of fall leaves and pumpkins down the center of the table}

…so it was just a matter of determining the dishes and linens and menu.  I have the table set-up figured out, now I just need to finalize the menu. {Ahem, I’m working on it!}

Meanwhile, I thought I’d post a few pictures of inspiration in case you’re still working on the details of your final menu and table setting.

via Small Stump + Studio Choo

I love Small Stump’s unique floral design style.  They always feature fresh arrangements using A-typical flowers.  They’re in Northern California, wish they were closer to Irvine.

unknown

If you have the good fortune of great weather, maybe you would want to take the meal outdoors.  I’m thankful for nature and this setting would drive that home.

via Stone Gable

Yvonne, of Stone Gable set this table for a high tea…the blue and white in contrast to the orange is staggeringly beautiful to me.  I love her creativity with this table setting.

via Flair by Joe Nye, order here

I’m not sure I’d think to put red and orange together for the fall, but when you think about it Mother Nature does it each and every October/November, and she knows what she’s doing.

via Ralph Lauren

The neutral palate of the Ralph Lauren table is appealing.  His hammered bowl fits the occasion.

via Toby West via Veranda

This table setting is a long time favorite…but then I’m all about the barley twist candlesticks, horn handled mugs and brown and white transferware!

 Something like this would be a fun way to greet guests as they approach the front door, but you could also use an urn with a pumpkin on the table, like this…

~or~

Above 2 images via Vignette Design

I hope you are all enjoying the season and that you aren’t stressing too much about the cooking, planning and cleaning involved if you’re hosting this event.  There’s always dessert…

Happy November!

 

{Home} Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard…

17 Thursday Nov 2011

Posted by in Antiques, Collections & Accessories, Decorating

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There is something a little magical about a chippy, old cupboard that sparks the imagination as to what it might hold.  Even if there’s not a biscuit for Mother Hubbard’s poor old dog.

Same goes for a glass front, antique/reclaimed wood/vintage/ reproduction cupboard, with smartly arranged items, that provides a room with additional eye candy that can peak curiosity.

 

 

 

 

via heirloom philosophy

via Martha Stewart

When it comes to my own home, I have a couple of antique “cupboards” in my dining room (I’m using the term loosely since I believe most would refer to my cupboards as a side board and china cupboard.  I am always excited to see a great cupboard and find myself trying to figure out where I can put one just like it in one of my already amply furnished rooms.  I usually walk away when it dawns on me that the only way there would be room for a new cupboard would be for me to do without some of the essential pieces of furniture, like sofa, bed, chest of drawers.

Sorry, unknown.  I think it was a High Point photo

via the talented Miss Mustard Seed

via Stone Gable

via Brabourne Farm

One of my friends, Gretchen, has a large piece of furniture that almost takes up an entire wall of her dining room.  It is a reproduction but truly mimics a great antique, and the best part…it houses nearly all of her various sets of dishes and serving pieces.  {we share this addiction to dishes}  I am smitten with this piece and would be thrilled to have it in my home, it just wouldn’t fit.  C’est la vie!

The cupboard below reminds me of Gretchen’s cupboard in size…the finish on Gretchen’s is a more refined, furniture finish and each cupboard row has glass front doors.

via beach bungalow8 (Emerson House)


Since I’m a collector of all patterns of dishes I think there is some practicality to this type of cupboard…I could get to my various dish patterns, depending on the season.  This cupboard (left) appears to be built into the wall.  Very space saving.

I like the display in this cupboard, there’s order and artistic appeal.

via House Beautiful

Below, Joan of for the love of a house blog, placed this glass front cupboard in her reading room and filled it with treasures she’s collected through the years.  An interesting display always entices me and I want to know the story behind the collection.

via for the love of a house

via House and Garden

via White Ironstone Cottage

This cupboard is on the end of a kitchen cabinet and makes perfect sense in light of it’s contents, the glass shelves and the glass back that allows the window to shine through the cupboard.  Very clever, Martha!

via Martha Stewart

The cupboard in my kitchen does double duty as our pantry and holds a small display of silver and pewter items as well as a few favorite pieces of pottery.

Do you like cupboards?  What do you use them for in your home.

I’m off to Austin tomorrow to join Kyle (Son #1) and Jamie (daughter-in-law) in celebrating Olivia’s (granddaughter) first birthday!

{Home, Party} Yes, sir! Military ~ Crests ♥

15 Tuesday Nov 2011

Posted by in Antiques, Collections & Accessories, Family

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I’ve always liked antique and/or vintage military memorabilia.  Not guns and such, but metals and ribbons, antique engravings of soldiers, dress uniforms and nutcrackers.

My father was in the Marines and served in Korea.  His uniform always seemed so beautifully detailed and I loved the shiny buttons on it as a child.  While the moths ultimately got the better of his dress uniform, I still have the buttons.

Recently I discovered a blog site that inspired me to write about my interest.  Hollister Hovey, which I found thanks to Jennings & Gates:  Notes from a Virginia Country House (it was on their blog roll that led me to Hollister Hovey).

via Hollister Hovey

via Hollister Hovey blog

Growing up my family went to see most of the popular war-themed movies and Bridge Over the River Kwai, The Great Escape and Patton were favorites.  I still love the theme music from Bridge Over the River Kwai!

photo Bettmann/Corbis  Sir Alec Guinness; Bridge Over the River Kwai, 1957

George C. Scott; Patton

Disney’s Babes in Toyland was another favorite movie with soldiers, albeit “toy” soldiers.  I was/am a huge Disney movie fan and as a young adult I worked at Disneyland, which only served to reinforce my fondness of their movies (and meeting my husband while working there certainly sealed the deal).

via Hollister Hovey

Later the Nutcracker ballet became a favorite story.   As a family we read Nutcracker, E.T.A Hoffman’s 1816 story as translated by Ralph Manheim and illustrated by Maurice Sendak  during the month of December.  I collect nutcrackers.

photo Alliance HB Verlag/Johann Scheibner

I married a special services retired officer and his patriotism and respect for the uniform has perpetuated my fondness for the discipline and decorum associated with the military.

via New York Public Library

High Point, via Velvet & Linenvia Velvet & Linen, Highpoint

Having lived through the Viet Nam era of the draft and having 2 sons I can honestly say, I was happy they had the option of serving (they did not serve).

My first trip abroad was to London with my husband in 1985…who doesn’t love the military uniforms of that country?  For a short time Kevin (son #2) collected British, metal, toy soldiers.  I’ve seen collections of toy soldiers that are impressive and add to the decor of a room.

photo by Duncan Hannah

 

photo by Duncan Hanna

 

There have been some wonderful rooms designed by Charles Faudree with Napoleonic themes and I’ve always liked the Ralph Lauren rooms that reflect a bit of military with the accents or crests.

Elle Decor

via Southern Accents

via Hollister Hovey

There’s even a blog site where the author clearly has a passion for a famous military figure…

My Napoleon Obsession

What do you think?  Do any of your share my interest in military memorabilia or crests?  Does your family have a crest?

 

{Home} The foyer

10 Thursday Nov 2011

Posted by in Decorating

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Wikipedia describes the foyer as follows:  A foyer in a house is usually a small entry area or room by the front door. Other public rooms such as the living room, dining room, and family room typically attach to it, along with any main stairway.

I generally refer to that particular space as the entry.  It probably doesn’t matter but foyer sounds so much nicer, doesn’t it?

This is one side of our foyer (entry). The walls are Dunn & Edwards "Inside Passage" even though in this image the one wall looks lavender!

This is the other side. The front door is to the right of this French shelf.

I’ve seen some beautiful, grand foyers via the blog sites I visit and I’ve also seen some amazing foyers in some of my friend’s homes.  Bottom line, I really find this space to be an important first impression for me when entering a home.  Granted, the exterior front entry and overall curb appeal counts, but once you’re inside the house, I look around and delight in a creative use of space for the foyer.

This lovely foyer is part of a beautiful house my friend's daughter built in Newport Beach

This is an all time favorite foyer by Carol Glasser, Houston

another favorite…via Cote de Texas.  Don’t you love the fishing baskets and the antique piece on the left (not to mention the clock).

Windsor Smith Design

I don’t think you have to have a large space for the room to have the wow factor.  In fact, some of the smallest entry settings are some of the most intriguing and inviting.

Some of the best foyer images I’ve seen have come from talented blogger’s own homes, or those that they’ve designed for…

for the love of a house (below)

Slim Paley

the adventures of tartanscot (below)

Amy Meier Design

This table and mirror was attractive to me, even if this is the wall of what may be a living room rather than a foyer.  The table could certainly do double duty.

via Cath Muscat Interiors

via John Gruen

unknown, but isn’t this a lovely vignette?

I sometimes wish I had a mudroom, I wouldn’t want the relentless rain that causes the mud, but a mud room entry would be nice.

and since I don’t have a mud room, I guess I’ll have to line my boots up like this homeowner…

sorry, unknown source…and this has been one of my favorite images for some time.  {I think I must have been a skilled equestrian in another life}

I love the use of space in the image below.  The little portrait painting and side table creates a welcoming vignette.

via Elle Decor

via Pottery Barn

And for the streamlined, simple lines, uncluttered fan…

via Better Homes and Gardens

via Notebook Magazine

What do you like to see when you enter someone’s home?  Do you utilize this space in a particular way?  I’d love to hear from you!  Happy November.

{GHP} Fall installment #3 and introducing my pheasant

08 Tuesday Nov 2011

Posted by in Dessert, Drink, Entertaining, Fall Entertaining and Decorations, Family, Flowers, Food, Holiday/Seasonal cooking

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So how are we doing?  Is everyone happy with the season so far?  We’ve survived Halloween and now it’s onward and upward to the best holiday of the year, turkey day, otherwise known as Thanksgiving.  I am grateful every day for so much, but I’m especially thankful that  there’s a specific day during the year when we can reflect on the people and things in our lives we feel fortunate to enjoy.

via the little book of secretsvia the little book of secrets

vignette designvia vignette designs

unknown

My friend Carla told me she put pumpkins in her bird bath this year.  I’m going to try the same thing (copy cat? why yes, there are only so many original good ideas out there). 🙂

What I love about Thanksgiving is there are no presents to shop for, just ‘splurge on calories’ food.  Even if you don’t love turkey (I know folks that feel that way), you have to admit, it’s a holiday that easily adapts to whatever “traditions” in menu selections you and yours decides to embrace.  Branch out, try at least one new dish, maybe create a dish that is similar to the annual _________[fill in the blank] …it will make cooking so much more fun.

We’re fortunate enough to be hosting our future daughter-in-law, Sarah  (Kevin’s fiancé {he’s the baby of the family}) and her very fun family.  Kathy, her mom, Tristan, her brother and Charles, her grandfather are delightful, and we’re thrilled to be able to share Thanksgiving in our home, with soon to be family, for the first time in a few years.

via Ralph Lauren

The past few years have found us at a dear friend’s home and one year was spent in Arizona, which turned out to be my mother’s last Thanksgiving, so I’m so happy we made the trek.

So, let’s get going on the planning, shall we?  Oddly, as important as the menu is, and believe me, it is, I think of the table first.  This year I’ll have my early Christmas gift from future DIL…“Redfern”, the pheasant, to decorate the room with.  I have mentioned to anyone who’ll listen that I’ve always wanted a taxidermy pheasant.  (I understand if you’re asking, why?!).  Fortunately, my sweet DIL-t0-be surprised me with this in October, assuming (as only a thoughtful person would) that I would want to use him for the fall decorations.  Note: he’ll be out year round, he just may move from one piece of furniture to another.

It took me a few days of walking past the dining room table and my new friend to not jump (we have all kinds of critters in our neighborhood and it made me think a giant bird had landed, uninvited, on our dining table!

Redfern, the pheasant

 

via Party Resource

I happened upon a Pottery Barn sale on their fall linens (the only silver lining to the stores rushing all of the holidays by starting to sell fall items in August, by September they want to usher in Christmas and you can often find some pretty hefty cuts in pricing for the items  you want/need for Thanksgiving).  I found the table runner in our local store and then a very nice sales person helped me by ordering the 8 napkins to match and having them delivered to my house.  They came from Minnesota (I live in California).

 

I’ve always thought this (above) was a very nice way of using a place card that adds to the seasonal feel of the table.  I really like pears, can you tell?

*Turkey plates were purchased years ago through a Ross-Simons catalog for a song.

I’ll use my white chargers and the PB table runner with Churchill’s Thanksgiving plates.

As far as the menu, it’s still in the works.  I know I’ll prepare Creamy Mashed Potatoes, I salt the turkey (as opposed to brining) and I’ll prepare stuffing.  Kevin has volunteered to prepare a side dish and I’ve given some thought to a gingerbread trifle that my friend, Linda,  introduced me to.  Beyond that I’m still in the planning stages.  I’ll keep you posted.

There’s a truly clever and delicious sounding recipe for a Deconstructed Pear Salad HERE:

via stone gable

Happy fall, I’d love to hear from you regarding some of your favorite sides for the Thanksgiving feast!

I’ve joined Sherry for her Open House at No Minimalist Here…stop by for a visit.

{Home} Adieu Pierre Deux

03 Thursday Nov 2011

Posted by in Decorating, Designer, Misc

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 This past June, Pierre Deux filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy; 22 Pierre Deux stores will ultimately close although some stores remain open to sell all remaining items in the store.

The brand has long been the go-to purveyor of French country style in the States.  From their patterned duffel bag to the classic French provincial printed fabrics for chair cushions, lamp shades, desk accessories, upholstered furniture and wallpaper, they have given us a glimpse of life (as we imagine it) in the South of France.  I was always drawn to their pewter frames and tableware, even though the cost was sometimes a little excessive in my opinion, but it was always the best of quality and beautiful in its simplicity.

A History of Pierre Deux

In 1967, a shop opened in Greenwich Village in New York City that would soon bring the beauty of French Country decor to America. The shop was opened by two men: Pierre Le Vec, an American of French background, and Pierre Moulin, a native Frenchman. Their passion for French art de vivre and the French country way of life drove them to establish Pierre Deux as a name synonymous with French Country décor in America.

Their antique furniture imported from the provinces sold well, but the curtains, pillows and fabrics they used to accent the furniture sold spectacularly. The business evolved to include décor for every room in the house. With guidance from our President and Creative Director, Hedwige Cointreau de Bouteville, and her husband, André Cointreau, the President of Le Cordon Bleu, America has rediscovered that the French Country style is a centuries-old one that is perfectly suited to adding warmth, charm and sophistication; the perfect complement to the American home.

It would appear you can still buy their wallpaper and fabrics from a variety of vendors that sell it.  I’m not sure if they will continue to produce the line of these items, it sounds like they are financially upside down, but it would be nice if one could still get the timeless provincial fabrics.

But with fierce competition in the market place via sources like eBay (for French antiques and decorative accessories), lots of online sources like Etsy, and a host of independent business people selling authentic French accents via their blog site, the end may have been inevitable.

If you’ve never had the good fortune to visit My French Country Home blog site, do so, I guarantee you will enjoy the stories shared by Sharon Santoni of her life in Normandy on a farm with her family.  In addition she has a Brocante where you can purchase wonderful French items, such as these wonderful candelabras, antique confit jars, a French door bell,  and the occasional novelty, an agricultural prize plaque.

~or~

French Garden House, a site that has new and old French items.

~or~

Griege is another wonderful blog site with the added benefit of shopping for beautiful French design just a click away.

That said, I will miss them (Pierre Duex).  Not because I purchased so much from them, I truly thought so many items were overpriced for what they were, but because there was always something appealing about their stores.  They did a wonderful job with the décor of each store.  Once they closed the Orange County store, I only had opportunity to shop when visiting Carmel, California.  The store in Carmel, before it moved to a much larger site, had a little French garden area where they sold an outdoor furniture line (I don’t believe it was their brand, but it was charming and suited a cottage garden).  I never drove into Los Angeles to shop the store located there.

 

So, I’ll miss you Pierre Deux and think fondly of your style when your name comes up.  Au revoir, dear friend.

{Thank you, Linda, for requesting this post, it was fun!}

I’m joining Sherry at No Minimalist Here for her Open House Party.  Be sure to stop by.

{GHP} Engagement Party pics

01 Tuesday Nov 2011

Posted by in Dessert, DIY (do it yourself), Drink, Entertaining, Fall Entertaining and Decorations, Family, Food, Outdoor living

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My friends in Turtle Rock and blog land will know that we hosted an engagement party for *Kevin and Sarah (formerly Son #2 and his darling fiancé).

*I’ve decided to use first names in my posts.  What are your thoughts on this?  Am I crazy? (Please don’t answer that last question) I’ve noticed most bloggers that I read use pseudonyms for their family members and friends.  I’m not sure I like the pseudonym for Lyn, my husband.  I found “Hubby” too cute and decided I’d make the leap and use first names.  I could have created other names for loved ones but decided against that in fear that I’d need a key to keep them all straight.  So as of now, first names will be used unless I hear from people that they really would prefer to stay completely anonymous.

Anyway, I digress, here are some images I took of the party and while I didn’t get nearly as many pictures of the actual event as I’d hoped, it was a success and I’ve been told a good time was had by all.

By hosting this party in late October, decorations were easy for me.  I love fall and everything about it.  In Southern California the season is generally mild, weather-wise.  I was hoping for sunny day-time temps in the high seventies and for nightfall to bring just a slight chill to the air…we were lucky.  That is exactly how the day turned out.

Guests included dear friends and family, Kyle (Son #1) flew in from Austin and Sarah’s family and friends were in attendance along with long time friends of Kevin’s.  It was so much fun celebrating the engagement with everyone.

{pumpkins in the birdbath, thank you for the idea, Carla}

Our home is small but we were able to utilize the yard.  We moved furniture to create  seating areas all around the back yard.  One thing I failed to take a picture of (darn it) was a picture of some Ikea lanterns I hung at different levels out in the trees that border the back yard.  Ikea had little battery operated strands of LCD lights that I bunched into each lantern.  Because the LCD bulbs are so much brighter than regular twinkle lights, the little lanterns illuminated the outer reaches of the yard.

I had 3 of these larger lanterns and hung a couple of them on hooks near the ground with candles.

I made the burlap pillows with burlap from JoAnns Fabrics and some down pillow forms I had saved from old pillows.  I used an acrylic paint and Martha Stewart stencil from Michaels.  I gave the pillows to Sarah and Kevin for their patio after the party.

Meanwhile, the menu for the evening was as follows:

Menu

 

Teriyaki Flank Steak Skewers

Herb-Marinated Chicken Tender Skewers

Roquefort Tartlets

Tapenade & Crostini

Salami Bites

Skewered Italian Salad

Feta w/ Caramelized Onion

Mushroom Turnovers

Brandied Sausages

Humus & Pita Chips

Mixed Nuts ‡ Potato Chips ‡ Pretzels ‡ Cheese Platter

Chardonnay ‡ Cabernet ‡ Beer ‡ Soft Drinks ‡ Water ‡ Pink Margaritas

Dessert (cookies, See’s candy and blueberries, strawberries and raspberries)

{we offered some wonderful cheeses, thank you, Julie; it takes a village to throw a party!}

Deadly, but delicious Pink Margaritas (from Barefoot Contessa’s latest book, “How easy is that?”.

{The dessert table was a hit with everyone, thank you, Glenys}

Email me if you want any recipes or have any questions.  Thanks for joining me at the party.