Wine Tasting Party

 

I had the pleasure of hosting a wine tasting party last night for a handful of my favorite ladies. I took a seemingly formal party and made it relaxed and very laid back--just my style :). A formal tablescape of hors d'oeuvres and cheeses(Oh the cheeses!) was balanced out by informal seating of comfy sofas, chairs and ottomans.

I made homemade tomato soup and served them with dried basil in shot glasses.

I finally put to use the fabulous cheese markers I received last Christmas!

 

Votives and candles created ambiance and a Heavenly Fall aroma.

I made cinnamon roll bites for a gooey dessert(recipe to come).

Fall fruit makes the perfect decor. Easy to find and delicious later!

The wine tasting party was a great success! Great food, great company and great wine! What else do you need for a successful party?



Pumpkin Pancakes

Some of my favorite memories growing up are when my dad would make pancakes on Saturday mornings. Last weekend I had my parents over for a twist on the old classic, and it was a hit! I'd venture to say they were the best pancakes I've ever had in my life!

1 1/2 milk or rice milk

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 egg or egg substitute
2 Tbs vegetable oil
2 Tbs apple cider vinegar

2 cups all purpose flour (I used Arrowhead gluten free baking mix)

3 Tbs brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp minced ginger

Mix all ingredients together and ladle them 1/4 cup at a time. Let cook on one side until the bubble on the edges, then flip. Do not flip more than once.

Serve with butter, real maple syrup and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Fall Moss Wreath

My sister-in-law, Lindsay, came to me last weekend with a wreath she loved but didn't know where to find. My solution always: "We can make one better than that!" And we did :)

 Start with an inexpensive wreath form. I found this one at the dollar store. Lindsay also found one made out of scrap straw at the craft store.

Buy a moss table runner at a craft store and cut it wide enough to go around the wreath. Using a table runner is much easier than plain loose moss because it is tighter knit so the wreath form doesn't show through, and you can apply it in larger pieces for faster application.

Hot glue a six inch section of just the outside of the wreath, and wait for glue to dry. Then wrap moss around wreath and hot glue on the inside, keeping the seam toward the inner, back. Cut slits in the moss on the inside of the wreath so it lays flat against the round surface, the moss folding over each other as needed like wrapping a present.

 This is my niece, Charlie, helping me get the bow ready :)

 With a few bite marks, tie the bow and hot glue it to the front, top of the wreath. Also hot glue the hanging part of the bow so it drapes over naturally, and sways less in the wind.  

Stack 3 faux pumpkins and secure with hot glue. (Tip: I put 2 wooden chicken skewers in the back of the wreath sticking up behind the pumpkins and hot glued the pumpkins to them so they were more secure.)   



Current Obsession: Cabernet Vinegar

I have to admit, the first time I saw Cabernet vinegar, I thought it was a marketing scheme. My mom bought a bottle for my birthday, knowing I love Cabernet, and I'm still thanking her months later! It has a sweet tang that is like nothing else! It's fabulous on tomato salad, but I'll be honest: I started making full tomato salads and now I'm just putting this Cabernet vinegar on tomato slices! It's a delicious little snack!

 It also works great in my strawberry salad dressing recipe!

Or try this recipe for

Cabernet Vinaigrette

3 TBS Cabernet vinegar

1 TBS olive oil

1 tsp Dijon mustard

pinch sea salt

dash pepper
1/4 tsp sugar

Whisk all ingredients well and pour desired amount over salad. Enjoy!



Fruitful Arrangements

So I had a few extra pears.... I bought 14 lbs of pears with great intention to make pear cider-Well now I'm just not feelin' it! I'm a moody eater, okay? But what else can I do with 14 lbs of pears? Arrange them of course! I cut some green and white hydrangeas from my yard and got to work. It started off looking a little too summery, so I put it on top of a wicker basket I turned upside-down. This little project got me thinking of all the wonderful Fall arrangements with fruit.

 This apple one is easier than it looks. Take a ready-made topiary and force halved chicken skewers up the base, and the other end in the foam of the topiary!

 Add apples to any arrangement by securing the bases in chicken skewers and the other end into oasis in the arrangement.

 Put any fruit you can think of in the base of an arrangement. It blocks the unattractive stems and adds and unexpected twist to any arrangement. Just try it! I dare you!

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Trend Alert: Outdoor Lighting Comes Inside

Outdoor living spaces have been a focus for entertaining for years, but what happens when the weather turns cold and you need to bring the party inside? Bring the outdoors in with these new lighting trends. These styles are just too fun to pass up!

The images are all products of Restoration Hardware.

These are a Few of My Favorite (Fall) Things

As the leaves start to turn and the air gets that wonderful, crisp fall smell, I start to dream about comfort foods of fall.

Warm fondue with red wine...

Delicious pumpkin-flavored desserts...

Warm and cozy blankets...

Caramel apples...

Pear Cider...

Anything cider!

Happy Fall everyone!