Fall Luncheon

 My favorite time of year is Fall with all it's bright bold colors so since I was hosting a luncheon I had set my table with that in mind. Most of our luncheons tend to be a little more casual but I wanted to do my table a little more of what I call casual/elegance. Besides that the only table I can seat very many people is in my dining room but it works for us. Although I could have seated everyone on our screened porch, I used the screened porch to serve liquid refreshments as we were gathering.

 



I did open up the French doors and served Sangria and wine on the screened porch. It allows for a nice flow with a garden view. It was such a beautiful day that I was able to keep the French doors and windows open to enjoy the fresh Autumn air.

As we were gathering and getting our liquid refreshment we also took a little walk outside to my garden which opens up from the screened porch. My garden is my passion and therapy and I was so glad that my guests wanted to take a look see.

 

 A couple of typical plants blooming in the garden this time of year in N FL are the red Cardinal Guard and to the right of that this Salvia. Both plants hummingbirds are attracted to and in the evening these two plants attract hundreds of hummers. I took down my hummingbird feeders since I don't need them when these two plants are blooming.

 

For my table setting I kept it relatively simple using my everyday white Vilroy & Boch pattern, William Sonoma's Botanical Pumpkin salad plates, hotel silver flatware, and Spode Woodlands stemware.

 

 

 

 I most often like to do a fresh flower arrangement since I love putting together flower arrangements but in the Fall my antique dough bowl comes out to sit on my dining room table and I fill it with pumpkins and gourds. It usually stays there until after Thanksgiving.

 Since I am a collector of antique sterling silver napkin rings, those had to be placed on the table as well.

 These are just a few of my collection but I tend to gravitate to more ornate napkin rings. However, I have collected a few that are more masculine to be set for a male guest.

 I collect French ones, English and a couple of American.

 

 This one is from Czarist Russia with it's red enameling and seed pearls all the way around. This is also sterling silver with a gold overlay. This is my husbands favorite so it is always placed where he will be sitting and it's one of my favorites as well which is why I used it.

 The rattan chargers, pumpkin S&P, Jacquard tablecloth, and the WS salad bowl all added to this Autumn table.

Above each place setting I had a little take home gift for each guest. I had made some homemade vanilla and my most favorite way of making it is with cognac. I have tried making it with vodka, dark rum but I love the flavor the cognac gives. I think my guests liked their little gift especially with the holidays approaching. 

 

An enjoyable Autumn luncheon with friends.

 

I will be linking this post to Tablescape Thursdays hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. You can click HERE to see other inspirational tablescapes. 









Wordless Wedneday

Chicken Cutlets With Herbed Mushroom Sauce

I found this recipe in a February issue of Southern Living,  2015, had torn it out but had never prepared it. While going through all my accumulated recipes recently that I had always intended to prepare this one caught my eye. I am so glad it did because I am always looking for a really good chicken dish and this one is delicious. The beauty of it is that it uses no cream to make the sauce but gets all of it flavor from fresh herbs. Now I do have an herb garden and love to use them whenever called I can.

Let's get started. You begin with halving each chicken breast lengthwise and then pounding the chicken to about a 1/4 inch thickness. I have used my Jacquard for this which has different disks for different tasks. Salt and pepper both sides of each piece. Then you put your flour mixture together which calls for chopped fresh thyme and chopped fresh rosemary. It is a very fragrant mixture and then you dredge the chicken in the mixture.

 

Using canola oil you brown each chicken piece on both sides.

I may have cooked mine a little longer than the recipe called for and the bits on the bottom of the pan only makes the sauce more tasty.

Then on to making the amazing sauce with Dijon mustard, my favorite chicken stock if I don't have my own, red wine vinegar, butter, Baby Portobello mushrooms and of course, three sage leaves.

This sauce was quite simply amazing and I loved the fact that there was no cream involved. Yes, of course, there was butter but I think a little is okay. I placed the chicken back into the pan to simmer just until heated through.

This was a simple, quick night dinner but yet elegant. Absolutely divine!!!!!

Chicken Cutlets With Herbed Mushroom Sauce

2 (8-oz) skinned and boned chicken breast
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup canola oil, divided
1 (8-oz.) package fresh Baby Portobello mushrooms, thickly sliced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock
3 fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons butter
Garnish: fresh thyme sprigs

Halve each chicken breast lengthwise to form 4 cutlets. Place each cutlet between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and flatten to 1/4-inch thickness, using a rolling pin or flat side of a meat mallet. Discard plastic. Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of chicken.

Place flour in a shallow dish, and stir in chopped thyme and rosemary. Dredge chicken in flour mixture; shake off excess. Cook 2 cutlets in 4 1/2 teaspoons hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove cutlets from pan, and repeat procedure with 4 1/2 teaspoons oil and remaining 2 dredged cutlets.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to drippings in skillet; add mushrooms, and sauté' over medium high heat 4 to 6 minutes or until browned and all moisture evaporates. Stir in vinegar, and cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 3 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Stir in broth and sage; bring to a boil. Boil until liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Remove from heat; stir in mustard. Whisk in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Spoon sauce over cutlets.
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Pared with a good glass of white wine made it perfect. A quick, easy and delicious dish and I didn't miss the cream at all that I usually add. The fresh herbs gave this chicken all the flavor it needed. I will definitely prepare this again and my very own Mr. Picky Eater loved it. And he says he doesn't care for chicken????

On Friday I will share this post at Foodie Friday hosted by Michael Lee.

Berry Lemon Bread

This is a delicious little quick bread recipe. A berry bread that is wonderful for a breakfast treat, afternoon tea or simply with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream for a heavenly dessert.

Gathering all ingredients and measuring before beginning makes this process go so much quicker. There is a small bottle right in the middle in the above picture that is Lemon Oil. I substituted this for the lemon extract. Lemon oil is a much more intense flavor and is somewhat difficult to find but it can be found easily online. Worth the effort to get it because it is a definite taste difference and I used the same amount of lemon oil as indicated in the recipe as the lemon extract.

"Berry Lemon Bread"

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup lemon yogurt
1/4 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoons lemon extract or lemon oil
1 cup berries

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl combine eggs, yogurt, sugar, oil, extract, and lemon zest with a wire whisk or hand mixer. Add dry ingredients just until moistened by hand. Fold in berries.

Spray pan with a nonstick baking spray. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

The bread can be topped with a lemon glaze of confectioner sugar and lemon juice or merely sprinkle confectioner sugar on top.
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The batter is thick and you must be very careful when folding in the berries as to not break them up.

 

 I have often said that one should keep an oven thermometer in ones oven at all times. I have never used an oven that is collaborated as it should be and I have fairly new ovens. I have a Wolf and even when pre-heating and the beeper goes off telling you it is pre-heated my thermometer does not indicate that it is up to temperature. This is so important when baking. Having said that, I checked this bread after 45 minutes with a cake tester and it was done and nicely browned on top. Originally this recipe said 60 minutes instead of the 45 minutes.

Such a simple little bread and the yogurt and canola oil make this so moist. It should keep very well covered for several days. It is tart and not too sweet of a bread but if you want something a little sweeter a lemony glaze would be perfect.

I used raspberries but you can use any berry, blueberries, blackberries or a combination. I wouldn't use more than the one cup called for in the recipe though and if you are using blueberries coat them with a little flour to keep them from sinking to the bottom.

This is a favorite of mine and I do hope you will like it as much as I do if you try it.

Linking this post to Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday.

Happy Wednesday, Carolyn

Nashville Farmer's Market Succotash

This past week my cookbook group had their gathering for August. Our hostess chose a book by Matt Moore, "A Southern Gentleman's Kitchen". Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the gathering but had bought the book. I was unfamiliar with the book or the author but it's a book filled with many delicious recipes and I have seen the book in several specialty shops since. I have been told that our group luncheon had another fun filled luncheon and ate some scrumptious food, good ole Southern style cooking.

I had intended to take this recipe, Nashville Farmer's Market Succotash. The author is a resident of Nashville, thus the name of this dish. I had stopped at our own farmer's market to get all of the ingredients, all so very fresh and more importantly local.

It took far longer getting everything prepped than it did to prepare this dish. This particular recipe had a couple of slightly different twists and it was delicious.

"Nashville Farmer's Market Succotash" serves 6

4 ears fresh corn, husks removed
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 Vidalia or sweet onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups fresh lima beans*
3 cups chopped tomatoes
1/2 lb. fresh okra, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup dry white wine**

*Frozen lima beans, thawed, may be substituted
**Reduced-sodium chicken broth may be substituted

Hold each cob upright on a cutting board, and carefully cut downward, cutting corn kernels from cobs into a large bowl to equal 2 1/4 cups. Discard cobs.

Place a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat 1 minute or until hot; melt butter with olive oil in hot skillet. Add onion and next 3 ingredients, and sauté 8 minutes or until onion is tender and translucent. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute or until fragrant.

Stir in corn kernels, lima beans, and next 2 ingredients. Add wine, and cook, stirring to loosen any browned bits from bottom of skillet, 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, 25 minutes or until lima beans and okra are tender. Serve immediately.
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Sautéing the first few veggies made the house so fragrant. I love the smell of Vidalia onions and red bell peppers together. Then when you add in the garlic, well my goodness, it doesn't get any better for flavor.

This dish went together so easily and was an outstanding side dish. Can you just imagine all the fresh veggie, nutritious goodness. And I was able to get fresh lima beans.

The wine made the difference in this dish, a definite flavor boost. If you should try this recipe you won't be disappointed. I will definitely prepare this again as long as I can get all the ingredients fresh, it's a keeper but it also serves more than just six servings. It would make a great side dish for a dinner party.

Thank you for stopping by and I love to see your comments.

Carolyn

Summer Paella Salad, a recipe from Ina Garten

In July my cookbook book club met again and I failed to post about it. If you have never read about this group on my blog, once a month a group of women get together at one of our homes, the hostess chooses the book from which we cook and then we choose a recipe from that book. We then take our dish that we have prepared to our luncheon. It's always so much fun and a great way to try different recipes from the designated book. Next week we will have our August gathering and our food is always amazing.

In July our hostess chose to cook from Ina Garten's "Make It Ahead". Ina is one of my favorite cookbook authors so it was difficult to make a decision as to what I would bring to the table.

I chose to take Ina's "Summer Paella Salad". This is a cold salad version of Paella and an excellent luncheon dish. Easy, easy, easy to prepare and I put it together the day before and that made it such a wonderful dish to just grab out of the fridge just before leaving for the luncheon.

"Summer Paella Salad"

4 cups good chicken stock, preferably homemade, (page 62)
1 teaspoon dried fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped red onion (1 large)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice, such as Carolina
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1-inch-diced
1 pound (16-to 20 -count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup (1/2-inch-diced) celery
1 cup sliced scallions, white and green parts (5 scallions)
1 cup frozen peas, such as Birds Eye Garden Peas
1 Holland red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and 3/4-inch-diced
1 Holland yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and 3/4-inch-diced
8 ounces kielbasa, sliced diagonally 1/4 inch thick
3/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
1/2 pound mussels, scrubbed, and debearded

Combine the chicken stock, fennel seeds, curry powder, saffron, red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a large saucepan, bring to a simmer, remove from the heat and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a medium (10-inch) Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, add the onion, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Stir in the rice and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the stock mixture, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer covered for 10 minutes. Stir in the shrimp, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes, until the shrimp are barely cooked and the rice is almost tender. Turn off the heat, cover, and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a very large bowl, combine the celery, scallions, peas, red peppers, yellow peppers, kielbasa, and olives. Stir in the warm rice mixture and the lemon juice and set aside to cool. Boil 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan, add the mussels, cover, and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, until the mussels open. Add the mussels to the salad, Cover the salad and allow it to sit at room temperature for about an hour to allow the flavors to blend. Taste for seasonings and serve at room temperature.

Make It Ahead: Prepare the salad completely, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
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An excellent dish to prepare for any summer gathering whether it is for a  luncheon or a dinner party. Pared with a fresh crunchy salad topped with a homemade vinaigrette and ending with a fabulous dessert, this would be  excellent dinner party fare. It was delicious and I will make it again and again.

Here are some of the other dishes shared at our Chef's Table Luncheon.

This was an outstanding dish and I am planning to prepare it soon. It's a traditional Jewish dish with the addition of spinach, ricotta, fresh dill, and a nice crunchy panko crust. It can be assembled, covered, and refrigerated for up to a day and then baked before serving. How easy is that? I think it would be an excellent side to any beef or pork dish. Soooooooo yummy.

This was an interesting combination of flavors with shallots, fresh thyme and Taleggio cheese. These too were amazingly delicious.

And for dessert, a Lemon Poppy Seed Cake. An old fashioned bundt cake with the volume turned up, lots of freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest plus a lemon syrup that soaks into the cake. It was fabulous!!!!!

I did fail to get a good pic of one of my favorite recipes brought, Summer Vegetable Couscous. A dish with lots of Middle Eastern flavors: couscous with cinnamon and ginger plus raisins, dates, chickpeas, and toasted almonds. A summer dish that would complement any chicken or fish. This was such a delightful dish.

Our hostess is a very creative person. She took the book cover of Ina's book and made laminated placemats. We were in awe with all of her creativeness.

The theme surrounding the book we were cooking from and our centerpiece was this glass head with a chef's hat on with the name of our group embroidered on it, Chef's Table. The "head" with the name of the cookbook in mind, "Make It Ahead". How cute is that????

Over to the side of where we were sitting was a mannequin dressed in an apron with again the name of our group on it, Chef's Table. I think each of us needs one of those aprons.

A good time was had by all and our dear hostess made us all feel so welcome, relaxed and comfortable. Of course, the main event, our luncheon was beyond description. We never leave hungry.

I am linking this post to Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm hosted by Michael Lee West. Click HERE to see other wonderful recipes shared.

Enjoy your weekend everyone and thanks for visiting my blog.

Carolyn

A Excellent Peach Daiquari

A few weeks ago my husband was traveling through Mississippi and Alabama. Before he left I told him that if he came across any vegetable stands to please stop and ask if they had any Chilton County peaches. Now I have access to Georgia peaches, North Carolina peaches but my most favorite peaches are those from Chilton County in Alabama. I think it must be a difference in the soil in that area and probably a different variety that are grown there but they are the absolute BEST!!!!!

My husband didn't forget and brought home a lovely bowl full. Now, what is the first thing I want to do with these peaches? Why a daiquiri of course.

This wonderfully delightful summer cocktail. A refreshing drink in the middle of the summer. Envision this cocktail while enjoying a good read on a rocking chair front porch. So typically Southern.

When I was a little girl I can remember my daddy making these with most any kind of fresh fruit. Mine of course, was served alcohol free. This is my version of what I remembered him making.

Peach Daiquiri

1-6 oz. can of frozen limeade
6 oz. of your favorite light rum
3-4 fresh peaches, peeled and sliced
Superfine sugar to taste
ice

In a blender mix the limeade, rum, sliced peaches and blend together. Add enough ice to make it the consistency that you would like. Like a slushy. Add a dash or two of superfine sugar to your taste. Pour into a pretty glass and Enjoy. So simple but oh so good.
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I haven't been able to find the frozen Minute Maid limeade in a six ounce container but they do have a twelve ounce. I use that, the unused portion placed in a freezer zip lock bag and placed back in the freezer for use at another time.

These Chilton County peaches in Alabama are more intense in flavor and also they are a deeper color. Amazingly delicious. If you should be traveling in the area don't pass them up, you won't be disappointed. You can also google Chilton County peaches and some growers will ship them, however, their season is almost over. I am hoping to be in the area soon and I do hope I can get some more. They make an amazing cobbler as well.

Have a great day and CHEERS!!!!!