From Russia with Love...

My sweet mom bought me this beautiful Russian Blue and White Sugar from her latest trip to St. Petersburg. She and my dad are both retired and travel somewhere every year. 

She is always on the look out for something pretty. I love this piece. I have a sugar from Romania too, so I love the beauty of each piece. 

We celebrated my brother's 40th birthday last night.
My parents were in Russia on his birthday, so we waited til they came home, rested, celebrated their grandson and then had Murphy's birthday dinner.
My brother is low key, to say it best...no big parties or balloons, no jokes or pranks...
just a dinner with his family.

 I thought this runner was appropriate to have just enough fall colors for an October birthday and yet has hints of blue to compliment the Blue Willow and Indies Blue dishes. 

 I set the table again this morning with these water goblets, white napkins and candles.

  

  

 

  

   

  Since my boys sat with us, they used Fall melamine plates from Target. I served salsa in this Blue Willow gravy boat. My brother's favorite meal is fajitas!

  I found this Romanian butter dish at Marshall's years ago. I LOVE it!

 Apple Pie with a Strudel Topping (recipe to come)

Rattan Chargers -- Walmart

Churchill Blue Willow 

Johnson Brothers Indies Blue bread plate

Romanian Water Goblets -- Marshall's years ago

Cobalt Wine glasses -- Pottery Barn years ago

Gibraltar Water Goblets -- HEB grocery

Silver dessert forks and teaspoons -- my grandmother's

Flatware -- Target years ago

Blue napkins -- Tuesday Morning

White napkins -- Estate Sale

Napkin rings --BBB wedding gift

Centerpiece bowl --my mom, World Market

Red Hurricane -- World Market clearance years ago

Runner -- World Market clearance years ago
I'm joining these great blogs for their weekly blog parties!
A Stroll thru Life for Tabletop Tuesdays
BNOTP for Tablescape Thursdays

Muffin Tin Monday~~Happy Halloween!

 Today, my boys had salami skewers on a bat pick, pb&j sushi rolls, apple, pumpkin marshmallows with another bat pick, colby jack cheese with a jack-o-lantern pick and chocolate chip cookie acorns!

My HEB had a handful of these cute muffin cups again. These are red bees??? it looks like a stinger on the bottom! and the orange cups are from World Market, last year.

 A bento friend gave me the Halloween picks and the BIG bat came off the cookie...it was a big cookie from the store by mom got free, so we ate some then cut the rest of into acorns for lunches!

I'm joining MTM for Muffin Tin Monday!

Spinach Salad with Bacon Dressing, Goat cheese and Pears

You must try this salad...if you like spinach, bacon, pears, goat cheese...sweet and tangy vinaigrette...

it's for you! This is one way I like to use traditional fall flavors of pears and cranberries.

 The vinaigrette is made in the bacon grease. Take the bacon out, add a squeeze of mustard, a squeeze of honey, a splash of vinegar, and a pinch of salt, pepper, parsley, a little onion and whisk til you like the consistency.

 before the bacon was crumbled on top...

 I layered the spinach, sliced pears (with a squeeze of lime) goat cheese and dried cranberries. The warm dressing wilts the spinach a little...perfection!
I remember seeing a Food Network Christmas special a couple years back...Michael Chiarello made a similar salad, but this is the only recipe I found online.

I'm joining the Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays...
and Stone Gable for On the Menu Mondays

Chicken Chile Verde Soup

A cold front finally hit this week and I was in the mood for some comfort foods. I had a couple chicken breasts and made chicken tacos one night, then the next night I made this...mmm...mmm...good!

 This is a great way to use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken!

Chicken Chile Verde Soup

2 shredded chicken breasts (cooked and seasoned with taco seasoning)

1 onion chopped

1 large can of tomatoes

1 small can of tomatoes (I used Italian seasoned)

1 small can of green chiles

1-2 boxes chicken stock (depending on how you like your soup)

parsley, oregano, onion flake

taco seasoning

salt & pepper

olive oil

1/2 bag of frozen corn

In a dutch oven, saute onion in olive oil. Add tomatoes and chiles. Cook through. Add chicken, herbs and spices. Add chicken stock to cover the soup. Cook on low for a couple hours to marry the flavors. Add corn in the last half hour. Serve with shredded jack and sour cream. Avocado and tortilla chips would have been delicious too...if I had them! Enjoy!

I'm joining these blog parties this week!

Full Plate Thursday

Foodie Friday

Happy Happy 2nd Birthday, Andrew Graham!!! --tablescape

this weekend we celebrated a birthday! Each setting had a rice krispy pumpkin treat!

 

I set up two tables over the weekend, but then decided to just put the card table at the end of our table so everyone would sit together.

My mom took most of these pictures...these two ladies are dear to my heart and my boys' hearts...they fondly call them Mimi and Auntie Jo. They are in my mom's Bible Study and have known my boys since they were born. Since my husband's parents and family still live overseas, they play a huge part in our extended family here!

 cranberry apple punch with nutmeg & Mint Lime Iced Tea

 Chips and Salsa and Queso

Candy Corn Quesadillas...sorry this one is blurry!

Big brother eating candy corn quesadillas (I painted the tortilla with food coloring before I made them)

Ooey Gooey Pumpkin Cake

It was a beautiful fall day so we played outside. 

This silly game shoots 'butterflies' up in the air and you have to catch them!

My brother Murphy (also known as uncle furfy!) helped us play...he's a good sport!

We had to take a turn on the swings!

Happy Birthday, Andrew! You are so special!

I'll be joining these blogs this week!

BNOTP for Tablescape Thursday