Monday

Table Top Tuesday

I'm trying to get back into blogging. The beautiful spring weather here has captured me outside and I'm enjoying that more than being inside!

While captured inside a few weeks ago recuperating in bed, the picture below shows the view I had from the bed - looking straight ahead at the TV armoire and the vignette on top of it.

My childhood doll is probably the centerpiece of this vignette:
I had her restored two years ago and she looks good as new! She had been in six pieces!! I featured her on my blog a while ago, maybe I'll do an encore of the before and after on that post sometime soon.


Left side of armoire top:

Right side of armoire top:

L to R: Framed silhouette picture, doll, hat box with angel on top, crystal clock, iron bird cage, and black candlestick with initial candle.


L to R: I bought the framed silhouette on vacation last year. The little angel was my daughter's. I've had the bird cage so long I've forgotten where it came from. The candlestick and candle are both from Hobby Lobby!


Thanks to Marty for hosting Table Top Tuesday so we can share our vignettes! Click on her name for lots more inspiration.
I hope you enjoyed the view from our bed in the master bedroom!

Katherine

Tuesday

Celebrity Cook Along - Ina Garten

Lynn, at Happier Than a Pig in Mud has started a new monthly meme that I think will be a lot of fun, it's Celebrity Cook-Along and we are to share a recipe we have tried of one of the celebrities. Thanks for hosting, Lynn! This month Ina Garten is the celebrity. She has a wonderful meatless meal that I make often and hope you will try it too.

Lemon Broccoli Bowtie Pasta


This microplane tool is perfect for this recipe!

These are a must for this recipe!

Bad picture, but this lemon squeezer is also great!

Voila!


Broccoli and Bow Ties

Ingredients

  • Kosher salt
  • 8 cups broccoli florets (4 heads)
  • 1/2 pound farfalle (bow tie) pasta
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons good olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup toasted pignoli (pine) nuts
  • Freshly grated Parmesan, optional

Directions

Cook the broccoli for 3 minutes in a large pot of boiling salted water. Remove the broccoli from the water with a slotted spoon or sieve. Place in a large bowl and set aside.

In the same water, cook the bow-tie pasta according to the package directions, about 12 minutes. Drain well and add to the broccoli.

Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, heat the butter and oil and cook the garlic and lemon zest over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Off the heat, add 2 teaspoons salt, the pepper, and lemon juice and pour this over the broccoli and pasta. Toss well. Season to taste, sprinkle with the pignolis and cheese, if using, and serve.

To toast pignolis, place them in a dry saute pan over medium-low heat and cook, tossing often, for about 5 minutes, until light brown.

2002 Barefoot Contessa Family Style
  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Inactive Prep Time:Cook Time 8 min
  • Level: Easy
  • Serves:
  • 6 to 8 servings
  • I made a few minor changes:
    I used frozen broccoli florets, and cooked them in the microwave.
    I use lots more garlic as we love the flavor.
    I use the juice from the whole lemon.
    I toast the pine nuts in the toaster oven, watch carefully as they burn easily!
    We had never had pine nuts until I tried this recipe. We love them! Don't omit
    them, they make a big difference!
    Be sure to use fresh shredded parmesan cheese, and lots of salt and pepper!
    Yum! Now I wish I could have this for supper tonight!!
    For meat lovers you can add chicken strips or shrimp.

    This is the order I prepare this dish:
    While pasta is boiling,
    Toast the nuts
    Zest the lemon
    Chop the garlic
    Microwave the broccoli, drain.
    Melt the butter with the olive oil,
    add the garlic, lemon juice, zest and salt and pepper
    Add the broccoli, stir and heat well.
    Drain pasta, add to broccoli mixture, stir and heat well.
    Place on a platter, sprinkle with parmesan and toasted pine nuts
    Serve!

    Enjoy!

    My St. Patrick's Day Blog Crawl tablescape is also posted here.
    Katherine

    St. Patrick's Day Blog Crawl

    Time for Kathleen's Third St. Patrick's Day Blog Crawl, a fun way to share our Irish displays. Click on her name for lots more fun!
    These cute Irish figurines were the main inspiration for this tablescape. I bought the two outside figurines at Michael's last year. This year they had two new Irish figurines so I had to buy the "cousins" to go with the others! (Of course, I bought all of them with the 40% off coupons!)
    The centerpiece:
    I used this rustic terrarium as the centerpiece. Inside is a tiny Leprechaun, silk shamrocks, and a pot of gold!
    Faux greenery decorates the top outside:
    The figurines are on each side of the centerpiece:



    The white square plates are from Walmart, the round white dinner plates from Dollar Tree.

    Pony tail holders surround the green sherbets on top of the plates. The sherbets will be filled with fluffy green Watergate salad. I make this every St. Patrick's Day!

    The clear acrylic flatware works well with all the green.




    A place for you!

    Have a Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

    Katherine

    Thursday

    Spring Cloche Party


    I'm late for Marty's Spring Cloche Party! I'm still having health issues. Thanks for hosting, Marty, so we can all share our pretty cloche displays! Go here to Marty's for lots more enjoyment!

    I haven't been able to do any decorating in the past three weeks and my creative juices aren't flowing as much, but I do want to share the St. Patrick's Day vignette I just did on the hall tree in the foyer.
    I bought these two cute Irish figurines last year at Michael's and then this year they had two different ones, so I bought them as well.
    She is playing a hand accordion, he is dancing a jig.

    Faux shamrocks are also from Michael's.


    Welcome to our home!

    The display above is a "temporary" vignette I did after Christmas until I could do something else. Well, you guessed it, it's still there
    I used two of my childhood figurines that I treasure. I remember buying them at a Woolworth's when I was about eight years old.

    This is the other one, beside the vintage plate.


    I bought one new cloche type container at Hobby Lobby after Christmas. I hope I can think of something fabulous to store in it, but for now here's something for St. Patrick's Day!

    Isn't he cute?!

    Here are a few spring cloches I shared last year:






    I hope to get these bunnies down soon and display them like this again!
    I found these cuties at Dollar Tree a few years ago.
    You can't help but smile when you see them!
    They will be displayed on the coffee table in the family room.

    I bought this unique little bunny at a craft show a long time ago.
    She is made from a vintage embroidered tea towel.

    Thr little wooden rabbit below is a bit whimsical, but I can also see some seriousness,
    almost as if he is meditating or praying!

    This is why I place the Easter lilies inside the cloche with him.

    This one is pretty in pink!



    It also holds a tea light!

    The little figurine below has a wagon with baby chickens in it

    and baby chicks in their hands!
    A bunny pulls the wagon!

    One of my all time favorite cloche displays
    Seeing all these again has inspired me to get started on my Easter decorating. Now I just need the strength to do it! :-)


    For my last cloche display I leave you with this one using the twig cross, tiny roses (with thorns) pearls, and a baby's pink bible. This represents Jesus dying on the cross for us after leaving His words for us to live by. A bittersweet representation.





    I give thanks and praise to our Lord Jesus Christ for dying on the cross for us so we may have eternal life with Him forever and ever.

    Have a Wonderfully Happy Easter!
    God Bless.

    Katherine
    He has a shamrock for you!