entertaining

Loving Lately ❤ Giveaway!

I have been wanting to do a giveaway for a while. Actually before I ever had a blog I was planning the type of things I’d like to giveaway. Now that I have been doing this for a for a little span, I think its time. I just can’t wait any more!! Thankfully my favorite non-familial home cook has put out a really adorable kitchen ware line! Yay! I think it’s befitting that my first giveaway is a piece from her new line, don’t you? I recently visited my local Walmart to check out the new items and basically wanted to take home one of everything. The practical side of me made, um, me limit myself to a few. I have to say my favorite is this beautiful pitcher!

Loving Lately #1: Pioneer Woman Dishes

Here it is again in case you wanted to see it!

I really thought I was going to the store to pick out some of the those cute Pioneer Woman polk-a-dot glass bowls and cups, and maybe one day I will. But when I saw everything in person, I fell in love with the really sweet floral patterns.

To commemorate my 5 month achievement, thank my loyal followers and celebrate these cute dishes; my first giveaway is The Pioneer Woman Pitcher! I am limiting the giveaway to residents of the U.S. and Canada. (To all of my international friends out there, stay tuned for more giveaway opportunities in the future!) The Rules are simple: For entry, answer the posted question in the comment section of this post; Any new “like” or “follow” or “share” of this post via WordPress, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest gets an entry.

For entry leave a comment below answering this question: What is your favorite kitchen apparatus?

(Only 1 comment per person please!)

Thank you for your participation and all of your support!

(Every ‘entry’ is assigned a numerical value. Entries will be allowed until 11:59 pm Saturday, October 10, 2015. Numbers will be randomly selected and the winner will be posted on Monday, October 12, 2015. Winner must provide an address in the U.S. or Canada to be eligible.)

This contest has ended.

Elijah’s Birthday Extravaganza!

Everyone wanted a horse themed party this summer (well two kids anyway). So how do you plan two parties back-to-back with the same theme and keep them completely different? It ended up being a lot easier than I thought. Elijah, who turned three, wasn’t able to take riding lessons this year. For a couple of the lessons he sat and watched enviously as his older siblings and cousins got to ride around on horseback. I know, I feel like a terrible mother. But what are you supposed to do when you have no baby sitter? I’ll tell you what I did. I rented a horse and pony to come to our house for his birthday party so he could have his very own horse ride.

Look at that face, worth every bit of it!

And you have to let the other kids ride too…

The package also came complete with petting zoo,

And face painting!

I got to feed the horse one of our apples!

Aren’t horses beautiful?

And so are little cowgirls!

I honestly was so busy with the party that I almost had forgotten to take pictures of the food!

Beef brisket, scalloped potatoes, rolls, chips,

the family baked beans (I think they make an appearance at almost every gathering),

and corn on the cob grilled in the husk,

Where is one to get something to drink in these parts?

At the waterin’ hole of course! (And there was pop on ice.)

We had “haystacks” at the last party, so this time we had “Barn Muck,” peanut butter and chocolate. Yummy!

And no birthday party is to be without cake!

I missed the whole part with swimming in the pool, but it was there. Then we had what turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the day. (I’ve shared my love of party photo ops before.) I don’t think I’ve laughed that hard in a long time. I never knew one could have so much fun turning dollar store mustaches into all sorts of facial hair… (I’d really like to do a whole post on this, and I would like to apologize in advance for the onslaught of pictures coming your way.)

Overall the party was a huge success because the birthday boy was happy! He told me so! “Me excited about my birthday. Me like my presents!”

Happy Birthday Elijah/Cowboy/Power Ranger/Spiderman! We love you so much!

Loving Lately ❤

Easy apps could easily make a weekly appearance on Loving Lately. For someone who likes to entertain as much as I do, quick and simple appetizers are greatly appreciated. I always want to make my guests feel welcome, and obviously I love to feed anyone who comes through the door. I wish I was one of those people who always had a big pot of something cooking on the stove, but I’m not (yet). I can however offer you a good cup of coffee, and a tasty bite… usually containing cheese. (Have I mentioned my love of cheese?)

Loving Lately #1: Goat Cheese and Dill (pictured above)

This recipe is from The Pioneer Woman, and honestly I don’t think it could get any easier. If you can chop some dill and unwrap some cheese you’re set. I like to pair mine with toasted pita chips (more like crackers). It just seems Mediterranean doesn’t it? But I also like to give my guests some options. I already knew I like goat cheese, but I’m not usually a huge fan of dill. Until now! Something about it just works. You should give it a try.

Loving Lately #2: Cast Iron

I could actually make a whole blog post out of this alone. I can’t say enough about it. I love how it connects me to the past. I love the crust it gives my cornbread. I love the way it makes pineapple upside cake. I love that I can fry up sausage and get it crispy or how I can bake the same pan in the oven and make a giant cookie. I don’t think I would feel like a home cook without a cast iron fry pan. And camping certainly wouldn’t be nearly as fun. (By the way making biscuits over a campfire in a cast iron dutch oven is sheer joy! …for someone who enjoys those things.) If you don’t have any cast iron I urge you to try it. Lodge is a company in Tennessee, USA, They make great reputable products! Click here for more information.

Horsin’ Around for Addi’s Birthday

The kids, my two oldest, my neice and nephew, have been taking riding lessons this summer. Naturally horses are all of the rage to them right now. So when the birthday ideas were rolling around the one and only theme to be had was a horse of course! (I had to.)

The farm, where the lessons are had, rents a pavilion along with a horse riding package for parties. My sister, the chef, is also quite an efficient party planner (she gets that from our mother). She made the giant daisy overhead streamer for an area designated as the dance floor. (She also made the burlap birthday banner from the featured image.)

She covered all of the picnic tables with white cloths and made beautiful arrangements with wildflowers and Mason jars.

The menu included hamburgers (requested by the birthday girl)…

baked beans and watermelon…

slaw salad,

and potato salad.

The weather was absolutely gorgeous for cowboys and cowgirls alike.

As a memento for the birthday girl, everyone attending the party signed a picture…

of Addi with her favorite horse, Morning Star.

I have to admit, when Addi said she wanted a cake with the face of Morning Star, I was nervous it would come across like something from The Godfather, but it turned out pretty cute.

A highlight of the evening for me was the daddy-daughter dance.

Everyone got to take home a little “haystack.” Have you had one of those before with chow mein noodles and butterscotch? Um, delicious.

Thank you Addi! You are turning into such a lovely young lady!

Entertaining the Kids with English Chocolate Crisps

By now we have established that I am a stay at home mom of four. So it fair to presume that most of my entertaining is for my children. Keeping them active in the kitchen is important to me. (Okay, to be completely honest sometimes I want them away from the kitchen). But mostly I want to teach them about food and preparing it. I want them to see ingredients and learn where they come from. I often talk to them about eating organic and try to explain (age appropriate) reasons why. For convenience sake we do buy packaged food (I don’t know the first thing about making chocolate), but we try to make good choices.

The Barefoot Contessa cookbook, Make It Ahead, has a great recipe to try with your children. There is no baking involved (only melting some chocolate on the stove top, done by mom). There are only for ingredients: milk chocolate, bittersweet chocolate (I used semi-sweet, pictured), cornflakes and cranberries, and the whole process is basically stirring and dropping spoonfuls of the mix onto paper. Perfect for my two and four year old!

They like being a part of the creating process and they l-o-v-e taking ownership of the final product! Such an accomplishment! Since there were no eggs involved, eating the batter was an option… and that’s always a good reward along the way.

The result was quality time with mom, happy kids and fun treats to eat. I encourage you to spend some time with the kids in your life, “it’s the best investment you’ll ever make!”

It’s also a rule of mine to try a recipe as it is written for the first time, before I tweak it. And these cookies were delicious. But I think next time we will make them a little more kid-friendly and fun (and subsequently less healthy) by substituting the cranberries with mini-marshmallows!

Mickey Mouse Birthday

Over a beautiful summer Sunday afternoon, we were invited to celebrate a special birthday… Isaac turned two!

And Mickey Mouse was the theme of the day, so you have to come dressed ready for the party!

If you watch Mickey’s Clubhouse you know the “Hot Diggity Dog” song, and what would a party be without a Hot Diggity Dog Bar?

And all of the fixin’s…

What a good dad!

Mickey was everywhere!

On the walls…

At the kids table… (it’s hard to put the work away (and that was not his Dr. Pepper!))

Right down to the bottom of the serving bowls (of really good macaroni salad).

And on the top guest’s heads.

What if you need to blow your nose?

Of course the kids had to jump around and get some ‘Mousekersize!”

And then they needed to eat some birthday cake! (Even the ears, made of Rice Krispie treats!)

M-I-C, See you real soon, K-E-Y, why because we love you! (But don’t leave without taking a cookie…)

We love you Isaac! Happy Birthday!

Peter Rabbit Tea Party

“Thank goodness I was never sent to school; it would have rubbed off some of the originality.”

Beatrix Potter

My mother had been planning a Beatrix Potter tea party for her grandchildren for a while,

long before we knew of Prince George’s first birthday.

The walkway was lined with little reminders of which way to go.

There were snacks awaiting the little guests; like strawberries fallen in a little oreo dirt and white chocolate bunnies.

Costume jewelry to adorn the ladies.

Characters from the story made special appearances everywhere.

Along with other special touches.

Including frogs in the pond.

Lavender hung with care…

Just like the story book. (Mom’s art work, a gift to her grand-daughter from years ago)

Mr. McGregor’s garden was a must. (No need to turn up the grass, just lay a tarp topped with dirt and cabbage leaves!)

Careful Peter!

It was a bounty for little rabbits.

The setting was absolutely lovely, nestled under a shade tree.

Vivid florals strung in the air added ambiance.

Photo ops are some of my favorite party options… They make great gifts to send out with your “thank you’s”!

Refreshments included rabbit and flower shaped sandwiches. (And wrapped chocolates that get eaten first)

Chocolate milk served in a Beatrix Potter china set.

The ladies and gents quite enjoyed themselves.

Every children’s party needs activities! First it was a hunt for Jemima Puddle Duck’s lost eggs.

Which made for a riveting egg toss! (Note: make sure the eggs are hard boiled!)

Are both of her feet behind the hat?

Reading Bench…

Story Time!

And a butterfly hunt! (No butterflies were hurt, in our catch and release.)

Who’s ready for some cake?

Now let’s burn off some sugar with a sack race!

What a special day! Thank you Granny!

A Grad Party for Claire

Do you think that when you have graduated high school, you would no longer want to be called Clair Bear? Well that’s the prerogative, of an older cousin, to think of her always as a little girl. However, I did just attend her graduation party and it was lovely. So lovely in fact, that I had to take a billion pictures to share for entertainment ideas!

I really have talented family members. I mean, really talented. And although I will spare you the long details of the name of every dish and the respective member of my family who created it; you can rest assured I tasted it.

The desserts were ridiculous!!! In the best way of course.

Claire was able to travel to Europe, and Paris was woven throughout the decor…

Clearly you see a pink theme here. Totes adorbs (that’s the Barbie’s Life in the Dream House talking). Pink was everywhere; Balloons poolside, college-to-be-attending letters, picture ribbons…

The fence was lined with bottles and flowers and pictures of the graduate.

The tree house was adorned with pics and memorabilia…

There were tents with refreshments outside.

Dinner included a lovely salad and pasta bar. And yes dessert was outstanding, but I just have to let you know that my Aunt Leann’s pesto was too, and I will be getting you that recipe… But look at these pink marshmallows and more fun things to dip in the chocolate fondue!

Claire, our newest graduate…

Yes, I took a bad picture of a good picture… but it was so cute! (And sorry, I don’t know who to credit for the original!)

Consider this a standing ovation:

Congratulations Claire!

Nora Fleming Ware

I am crazy about Nora Fleming. I think her idea for one dish that is interchangeable for any occasion is brilliant. It’s perfect for entertaining because you just have to store one (or two…) dishes! Then you change your ornament to fit the occasion! And they are so cute. The day I stumbled upon these in a Von Maur department store, I played in their gift department for over an hour. I hadn’t had that much fun playing since Barbie. I think I placed every ornament into every dish. And every time I got equally excited. The platters are great for bringing your dish to a party, you can instantly match the event or ‘label’ your dish so people know what it is. Of course, the Fourth of July is approaching so the flag is perfect. If you are bringing veggies, use the adorable artichoke. What’s your event? Christmas? Just put in the stocking, or Santa cap, or reindeer or holly & berries ornament. Thanksgiving? There is a turkey for that, or the cute pumpkins, which you could use all fall long. Mother’s Day? She made a darling pink flower, which you could also use for a shower or just spring. Or for spring use the bird, or the nest with eggs… or the butterfly!

Birthday Party? They have a really cute colorful party hat.

BBQ? Use the hamburger or the ketchup and mustard.

Strawberry Themed Shower…or Fruit platter?

I have to stop. I could get really carried away.

For more information: http://www.norafleming.com

Flavors of India

Can I just tell you that Dinner Club -India Night was a roaring success! It was a complete dive into another culture without ever having to leave the country. It started by researching recipes and continued at Bombay Grocers getting ingredients my local supermarket didn’t carry, and things I had never even heard of like fenugreek leaves, jaggery and cardomom pods. And can I just add, that the man who greeted me from behind the counter and assisted me throughout the store was absolutely fantastic. Hands down the best service I’ve ever received shopping for groceries.

Between the first Dinner Club and this, we decided it might be fun to incorporate some decor into the assignments. So setting up for the evening was fun too. Although I have to ask you to keep in mind that this is my “Mommy Night,” and doing a ton of dishes is not my idea of indulgence. This experience is about exploring new foods and recipes, getting together with friends and enjoying ourselves. So, remember this was about fun, not perfection in trying to recreate the Taj Majal… and please don’t judge the paper products.

The evening started with the not-so-traditional iced chai latte. From brewing the fragrant tea concentrate to tasting the light notes of almost an egg nog like beverage, the whole thing was delightful. http://www.biggirlssmallkitchen.com/2011/06/working-with-what-you-have-iced-chai-tea-latte.html

Next we partook in an Indian Feast. Oh my goodness, I had no idea I liked Indian food so much! Wow, where have I been hiding? Indian food is great! I dare say, it even changed my perspective on cilantro. I don’t know, somehow it worked.

Cauliflower Fritters with Cilantro-Ginger Sauce, http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alexandra-guarnaschelli/cauliflower-fritters-recipe.html

Indian Quinoa Salad with Golden Raisins

Did you know that by weight saffron is worth more than gold? It also has amazing health benefits like cancer fighting properties, increasing circulation, positive effects on eyesight, anti-aging properties, etc. Crazy, right? We should sprinkle it in our morning coffee! Saffron Rice, http://vegrecipesofindia.com/saffron-rice-or-kesar-rice/

Naan (Indian Flat Bread)

The main course was an assortment of simmered chicken in a variety of six different sauces; Butter Masala, Madras Curry, Tikka Masala, Korma Curry, Mango Curry and Kashmini Curry. Unbelievably good. I couldn’t pick a favorite.

Not pictured, but not to be left out, a delicious fried potato and pea cake called aloo tikki served with a mango chutney. Also a great and flavorful potato dish that I would love to make again in the fall, aloo gobimatar, http://www.sharmispassions.com/2014/12/aloo-gobimatar-recipe-easy-potato.html?=1

We finished up the night with a lovely ice cream, almost sorbet type dessert called Malai Kulfi, yes please!! http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/210541/easy-malai-kulfi/

I think this Dinner Club is the best idea I’ve ever had. And maybe it was the saffron talking but I thought the night was great, and the food was delectable. Next time it’s Israeli food… I’ll let you know what happens!

Sadie's Nest

entertaining

Loving Lately ❤ Giveaway!

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Elijah’s Birthday Extravaganza!

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Loving Lately ❤

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Horsin’ Around for Addi’s Birthday

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Entertaining the Kids with English Chocolate Crisps

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Mickey Mouse Birthday

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Peter Rabbit Tea Party

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A Grad Party for Claire

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Nora Fleming Ware

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Flavors of India

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