Lunch With the Birds

This cardinal-inspired table was a quickly arranged table for an impromptu lunch that was made easier because a) I didn't have a lot of time to think about it, and, b) I had been planning for the opportunity for a while, although not specifically for this day.

Mary, from Home Is Where the Boat Is deserves all the credit for having inspired me, through countless bird posts and incredible creativity, into trying out my very own table.  I do love little birds, and over the years, I've established a little collection of bird ornaments and dishes, without any clear idea of what I would do with them, until now.

The salad plates are Certified International, and the pattern is Holly and Ivy,  The set comes with two variations:  The cardinal . . .

And the chickadee.  The dinner plate is from Williams-Sonoma Woodland Berry collection, which I will use again on Christmas Eve (I've had them for two years, but with Covid, haven't really had a chance to use them.  The twigs and branches make it a perfect place for birds to hang out.

I dug into my stash of napkin rings and found these which put me in mind of a twiggy bird's nest.  I paired them with the Red Caroline Paisley napkins.  I liked the softer red they brought to the table.

The cardinal salt and pepper set came out to play.  Now, I grant you, the female cardinal doesn't have the startling plumage of the male, but she holds the pepper, and keeps things spicy.

The live ivy wreath came from Trader Joe's. TJ's also yielded a small evergreen wreath that I placed around the base of the ivy.

Then I reached into the stash of bird ornaments in my collection.  I like that they seem to be peeking out here and there, and you can't see them fully.  

The chickadee made itself at home under the ivy.

The Pottery Barn placemats came home with me a couple of years ago.  I use them all the time, and really like the rustic charm they bring to the table.

I am having a hard time deciding which of the two plates I like better!  The green water goblets came from Dollar Tree almost a decade ago.  They have served us well!

More forest birdies came out of the woods to join the party . . . 

And a curious deer came to investigate.

So, what did we serve at this lunch?  Well, we started with a Winter Wedge Salad, with crumbled maple bacon, Red Anjou pears, walnuts and Marzetti Blue Cheese dressing.  The lunch came together in a hurry, and I didn't have time to make my own dressing from scratch, but this one was really good!

The salad was followed by a really scrumptious sandwich:  Ham-off-the bone, Provolone, a schmear of Dijon mustard on one side, and strawberry jam on the other, then grilled on a frying pan with creamy butter, and served with a Vlasic zesty dill pickle spear.

And for dessert, Almond Joy Cookies — the most amazing cookies to ever come from a supermarket! — served with grapes (to pretend we were eating healthy).  The cookie was so rich, no one was able to finish more than one (we need to work on our endurance).  I'm going to make these for Christmas.

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season, and fun (but safe) entertainments, big and small!

Treat Bags Ready To Go!

 The number of bags is based on the number of last year's trick-or-treaters.

If we get more, I may have to dig into the secret stash of M&Ms . . .

Or York Peppermint Patties . . . 

Halloweening With Madame Spider

 A book of haunting poems . . .

Some apple cider donuts, and a mug of freshly pressed hot apple cider to ward off the chill in the air.  Madame Spider approves.

Autumn Pasta Concerto

In my opinion, besides fresh apples, there's no better reason to welcome fall than to enjoy this pasta dish, part of Vivaldi's Four Seasons pasta dishes, from the Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook.

Here's L’Autunno:

¾ cup best-quality olive oil
15 cloves garlic, 6 minced and 9 cut into thin slivers
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, or 1½ teaspoons dried
¾ cup dried apricots, cut into slivers
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 pound linguine (I used spaghetti)
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
1-2 tablespoons grated Parmesan (my own addition)

1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced and slivered garlic and sauté until just browned.
2. Stir in the white wine. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add the rosemary and apricots. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes longer.
3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling, salted water until tender but still firm; drain.
4. Place the pasta, sauce and parsley in a serving bowl and toss to coat. Sprinkle cheese. Serve immediately.
4 to 6 portions 

Simple and Fresh, As Summer Ought to Be

This is the second pasta dish of Vivaldi's Four Seasons, from the Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook.  It is easy and light, encouraging us to pluck the cherry tomatoes off the bush in the backyard, and use up some of the basil growing wantonly next to it.

Ladies and Gentlemen, L'Estate:

2 cups fresh basil leaves
5 ounces Parmesan cheese (I used Parmigiano-Reggiano)
¾ cup pine nuts (pignoli), lightly toasted
6 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
2½ cups extra virgin olive oil (I only used ½ cup)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound linguine (I used spaghetti)
Cherry tomato halves, or tomato wedges

1. Combine the basil, Parmesan, pine nuts and garlic in a medium-size bowl. Pour the olive oil over it all. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature for three hours.
2. Cook the linguine (or spaghetti) in boiling salted water until tender but still firm. Drain and toss immediately with the sauce. Place in a large serving platter and arrange the tomatoes around the edge.
4 portions

A Cinco de Mayo Taco Night

The Cinco de Mayo gods were lighting the way when my dear in-laws, Robert and Barb, came to visit.  I roasted a pork shoulder to make carnitas, and bought fixings for tacos.

Then, there was the more serious topic of how to set the table.  I don't own, unfortunately, a lot of Talavera ceramic . . .

 . . . except for a couple of candlesticks that we picked up in Cabo San Lucas ten years ago, so they became the inspiration for the table.

I relied, once again, on my Dollar Tree blue water goblets to rescue me by picking up the blue . . .

And on the Sferra sunflower-colored napkins with that gorgeous, brilliant yellow.

And the crowning glory, the multi-colored rose bouquet that looks like something Frida Kahlo might wear in her hair.

I used my trusted Wedgwood Nantucket Basket dishes, to keep it all casual.  I set out a salad dish that I thought might serve as a nice place to set tortillas, but it turned out that we only used the dinner plate.

Here I am with my brother-in-law, Robert . . .

And sister-in-law, Barb . . . I love these people!  Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Cooking Inspired by Vivaldi

For the Instrumental Solo Festival during my high school years, I chose to play the 1st Movement of Vivaldi's Concerto in A Minor, where, much to my astonishment, I received a “Superior” rating.  Since then, Vivaldi has held a special place in my heart.  So, when I saw the Four Seasons Pasta recipes in the Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook, a book that was published in the 80s, I knew that, sooner or later, I'd have to try making them all.  But, as so frequently happens, life gets in the way, and I never got around to it.  Until now.  This is it.  This is the year!

Here's La Primavera . . .

Here's the recipe:

2 quarts water

1 lemon, cut in half

1 lb. medium-size shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 pound bay scallops (I used sea scallops)

8 oz. Nova Scotia smoked salmon, thinly sliced and shredded into 2-inch pieces

2 cups mild olive oil

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1 cup diced ripe tomatoes

½ cup chopped fresh dill

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Salt, to taste

1 pound linguine

1.  Heat the water and lemon halves in a large saucepan over medium heat to boiling.  Reduce the heat and add the shrimp.  Simmer for 1 minute.  Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon and cool under running water.  Pat dry and place in a large bowl.

2.  Cook the scallops in the simmering water for 1 minute.  Drain and cool under cold running water.  Pat dry and add to the shrimp.

3.  Combine the oil, lemon juice, tomatoes, dill, shallots, and pepper in a separate bowl.  Pour over the seafood and toss gently to combine.  Let stand covered at room temperature for 1 hour, or in the refrigerator up to 12 hours (warm to room temperature before serving).

4.  Cook the linguine in boiling salted water until tender but still firm.  Drain and toss immediately with the seafood sauce,

6 portions

The salmon, lemon and dill made for a not-so-Italian flavor profile, but it was delicious just the same.  I wish I had taken the time to find the bay scallops, they would've provided a more delicate, seasonal touch.  Then again, would Vivaldi have been able to find those tiny scallops while working in Venice?  I've also discovered that my husband doesn't care for linguine, he prefers a thinner pasta, so the next three recipes will be prepared using good ol' spaghetti instead.