Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Just Cook Already Photo Shoot
Last week I got an email from Jenna, one of the cute founders of Just Cook Already, asking if i'd be interested in styling a photo-shoot they were doing for an upcoming feature in LDS Women's Magazine.
Of course I said yes! Just Cook Already is one of my favorite places to go for great recipe ideas and beautiful images. The goal for the photo shoot was to create a fall atmosphere since the magazine was coming out in October.
I wanted the table setting to feel rich and at the same time light. I feel like the typical fall table involves lots of leaves and pine-cones and heavy colors. The flowers were a little unexpected and a good contrast against the black table.
I picked up the dishes and glasses at Anthropologie. The place mats were my favorite thing. They are from Pottery Barn and add just the right amount of texture. The flowers, runner and salt and pepper shaker are from Alice Lane Home Collection.
All of the amazing photos were taken by Meikel Reece she did a great job. This was a fun experience for me. I'll make sure to share the magazine article with you when it comes out.
One Sweet Slice
Remember the amazing cake that One Sweet Slice made for Jett's birthday party? Well last week I had a chance to go down to their bakery in South Jordan and take a look around.
It's so cute!
One Sweet Slice has the most amazing and creative cakes. I love the detail that they put into their cakes.
The shop is super cute and it even has cute tables to sit down and enjoy a cake ball or a cupcake.
And speaking of cupcakes. I was drooling over these!
'Jett loved this little play kitchen.
They also host birthday parties and they have the cutest tea set-up for a little party.
They can do pretty much any cake or cupcake that you need. Not only are they beautiful but delicious too!
Check out more of their work here.
Make sure you become a fan on Facebook here.
You totally have to go in for a visit.
1644 W. Towne Center Dr, Suite D6, South Jordan, UT 84095
The Recipe for Shrimp and Grits
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| My Shrimp and Grits |
Shrimp and Grits for a Crowd. (serves 12)
Ingredients
For the sauce
8 links of andouille sausage diced
3 onions small dice
2 shallots small dice
3 cloves of garlic crushed and diced
1 cup of flour
4 cups of good chicken stock
1 cup of cream
1 tbsp. of dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
For the shrimp
3 lbs of shrimp
coating of seasoning (I use emerils)
GRITS
Did you know that in 1976, South Carolina declared grits as the official state food? For those of you that don't like or have never had grits, I am here to tell you it can be delish, IF done right. Throw away the boxes of instant grits, quick grits, and all that yucky stuff. Go for the REAL stone ground grits.
(use the package instructions, but use 1/1 ratio of water and milk example If it calls for 4 cups water use 2 cups water 2 cups milk)
THE SAUCE
Saute the andouille sausage until the fat is rendered, then add the onions and shallots, saute for a couple of minutes unit translucent, add the garlic for 1 minute, then the flour for another minute. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil, the sauce should thicken a bit. Then add the cream, salt, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a simmer. Simmer until ready to serve. Adjust seasoning to taste Or can be made the night before and reheated.
THE SHRIMP
Meanwhile, Season the shrimp, put on baking sheets, and pop in a 350 degree oven. Bake until done. Here you can either add to the sauce, or leave out for your guests to add as many shrimp as they want. Your choice, delish either way!
THE GRITS
The way I get my grits to be super creamy is to use the 1/1 ratio of water and milk example If it calls for 4 cups water use 2 cups water 2 cups milk) Something that adds a delishise touch is to cook a couple ears of corn and take the corn off the cob, and add to the grits, really, really good.
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| I prepped everything the night before |
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| These are the grits |
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| This is what grits looks like when cooking. |
There you have it. Shrimp and grits. Easy and good, and once you taste it you will see what all of the fuss is about.
A Luncheon Success.
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| Isn't the sterling beautiful?? Not mine, borrowed. |
Do we ever grow out of tea parties? I think not:) When I was asked to help host a luncheon for a friend's very special birthday, I said "But of course!", not only to celebrate a milestone in a friend's life, but to have an opportunity to get all girley and bring out the "good stuff", get dressed up, make fun food, and have a cocktail at 10:30 in the morning (something I don't ever indulge in, thank you, especially on a Monday!!!)
I spent all weekend preparing, cleaning, sewing (an opportunity to get those drapes up in the dining room!), preparing linens, ironing, all over frooffing of the house. The the fun kind of preparing, not the drugery of everyday. I HAD GUESTS! This is my element, and I LOVE it! To coin a new friend's word I was was all around Zhushing (even got a new dress for the occasion!) My husband says I am channeling Martha, I just might be, what is so wrong with that!
Anyway, on to the good stuff.
It all started with an invitation to set the color scheme...being a fan of navy and green I thought, what the heck? This is a design I did a while ago, and I thought it oh, appropo.
THE INVITATION
THE TABLESCAPE
I just scored quite a few beautiful linens at an auction ($17.50 for a lot, woot!!) so it was fun to bring them all back to life. (the process on another post). This table is a mix and match of old and new, fine linen and scraps. I had an old piece of navy blue fabric, and I just ironed the ends under, something I have done tons of times to get color to a table without spending $$$. The green is a cloth that has tons of spots on it, but with the overlay, and the plates, no one but me ever knew:) Also, not everyone has full sets of silver, I know I don't. So we mixed and matched, borrowed from mothers and mother-in-laws, and made it work. You will find that friends and family are more than willing to let you use the good stuff. At least it is being used and brought out of closets, and it comes back clean and polished!
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| Photos by moi. |
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| Note to self remember to bring chair down from upstairs bottom right (luckily we had a noshow:) |
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| Bring the party outside too, it didn't hurt that it was beautiful outside too. The doors were opened and the conversation could flow freely, and every one was comfy and felt part of the party. Just as I had imagined it when we added the porch off the dining room. |
THE FLOWERS
I have a local wholesale florist that I like to work with, they have a big cooler and you just pick what you want. (my dream would be to go to the flower markets of chelsea, but Branhams in Columbia, SC works well too. I spent $38 on flowers. I bought 6 stems of mini hydrangeas, and 2 bunches of stock. Keeping it simple and fresh and low. Luncheons or dinners are not the times to bring out HUGE arrangements. No one likes to try to peer thru foliage at the person across the table from them! I used silver juleps (2 borrowed one from moi,) and 3 vases I got for $14 at pier one. It brought the element of blue to the table that was missing. Very simple and pretty if I do say so myself.
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| Notice the drapes in the background...funny how they have green and blue in them. I told you I have been having a green and blue moment lately:) |
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| We used little sterling peppers and salt cellars with the tiny spoons. The tiny details. Borrowed. But who doesn't like to use a salt cellar?? |
THE FOOD and DRINK
You can't have a luncheon without food. There is no need to blow a gasket when it comes to the menu. We broke up the tasks and it was totally doable. A little bit of prep the night before, and 1 hour of cooking before and voila the food is done! I will post these recipes later, really perfect for a luncheon.
Salad with Gorgonzola, pears, and candied pecans
(plated before the guests arrived)
Shrimp and Grits
(a southern favorite, if you haven't tried it you must!)
Cheese Biscuits
(the ones from the side of the bisquik box)
Fruit Salad
(yummy, yummy)
(plated before the guests arrived)
Shrimp and Grits
(a southern favorite, if you haven't tried it you must!)
Cheese Biscuits
(the ones from the side of the bisquik box)
Fruit Salad
(yummy, yummy)
BIRTHDAY CAKE
(made by a guest who makes delish cakes as her gift)
(made by a guest who makes delish cakes as her gift)
Water
(with and without gas)
Mimosa's with Blood orange
Lemonade
(with and without gas)
Mimosa's with Blood orange
Lemonade
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| We plated the salad before guests arrived, and it was already dressed...who wants to mess with dressing? |
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| A little bit for everyone. Having sliced lemons in the lemonade was another detail. Having the mint although not used, made the drink tray really pretty. We had regular water in glasses on the tables. |
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| and coffee of course.! No pictures of the shrimp and grits or cake, I put my camera down and forgot to take pics. Sorry:( |
I have to say the guest of honor was, well, honored. You could tell she felt really special. Every girl likes to be the princess at a tea party, and this was just the grown up kind. The kind you really dream of when you are a little girl. It doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg, I spent a total of $50 a little more than I would have spent on a gift, but the smile on my friend's face when she walked in the door was worth every ounce of effort...and the camaraderie I feel when doing this with friends is awesome, even cleanup is more fun, we chatted up a storm while polishing silver the day before and doing dishes after the party...and NOW our silver is polished and my house is clean, and I couldn't have done any of it without my friends.
THE END.
FLANtastic!
I have to admit, the flowers from yesterday's post were for a reason...I had the flagship meeting of a few friends for our new Supper Club. Here is how it works...The Hostess picks a cookbook, and makes the main course and everyone picks a dish from the book to make and bring. I picked Alice Waters The Simple Art of Food. Such a great cookbook... simple food is the best food. It was so much fun, and all of the Food was Delish.
Not being a real cookbook follower myself (I make things up as I go along, go figure:)) it was fun to go by a recipe...I made a few things I never had before...Pork Carnitas, Homemade Tortillas, and FLAN! You would think the Flan would be where I failed, but it Turned out!!!! It was amazing that this little flan made it thru, when they say take it out when jiggly, they mean jiggly! I made the caramel, did the water bath, and thought I had failed big time when the water bath boiled over into the flan...but I just trudged on, thinking it would be a Huge mess when I turned it out onto the plate....I think I shreaked..."Oh, my gosh!" when all of the sauce fell out on top of the jiggly custard! But, evidently that was how it was supposed to be. Feeling so good about myself, I might try out for Next Food Network Star!
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| The Flan...just removed from the dish....didn't know that there would be so much sauce...THAT was a surprise! |
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| Mmmmm, mmmmm! |
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| Sangria Anyone....this is great because it can be made by the glass instead of a huge vat! |
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| Preparation of the Delicious Rice. |
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| Yummy Guacamole....in my old vintage orange serving pieces. I bring them out for mexican meals! |
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| Is your mouth watering yet....Gazpacho....perfect in this heat! |
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| A Nice big Carnita Burrito with ALL the fixins...and my attempt at Tortillas in the Background.... Made for better dippers than Burrito wraps. Thank goodness I had a back up! |
I love to set a table....going with the theme of simple and in-season, I picked the Black Eyed Susans as my centerpiece. Determined to use what I had, and tired of my same old place mats, I decided to use the cardboard seperators from the tons of paper samples that I have gotten, they were the perfect size....I KNEW they would come in handy some day.
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| I love a good Bird's Eye View |
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| Burlap and Cardboard. and white china...Can you get any more simple?? |
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| My mother-in-law gifted me 5 vintage monogrammed Dinner Napkins with her maiden name initial "B". I think that any monogram is pretty, even if it isn't your own. |
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| Just another view. |
So, I didn't get organized yesterday, but I managed to be a part of a Real Simple meal that was Simply Delicious! AND to top it all off, I made FLAN....it was all just FLANtastic! Ha, ha! Can't wait for our next get together in September.
No wonder....
Me in NYC!
o I just got back from NYC and it is back to the the daily grind (well, since it is the summer I wouldn't necessarily say daily grind, but it is back to reality FOR SURE! Anyhoo, we had an amazing time, there was so much to see and do, we didn't even scratch the surface. All I can say is NO WONDER there is sooo much creativity in the city. I mean, every where you look there is inspiration AND resources to follow thru with what you are inspired by. Little room for excuses, like I can't FIND the perfect fabric, or I wish I could finish this project, but I just can't find the right trim, or fabric, or, or. (I couldn't possibly be talking about moi!) On Thursday, I had the WHOLE day to myself, and I just wandered. I also was without ANY technology so it was REALLY just wandering, no searching on the ol' internet for the next stop, good old fashioned map in hand where will my feet take me. Which was actually really fun, b/c having no plan I just happened upon a few places that otherwise I wouldn't have found. Here are a few high points of the day.
Has anyone ever been to M&J trim? I wanted to come right home and make pillows, and belts, and clothes, and curtains, and, and, and. I was actually restrained and didn't buy anything, b/c once I picked one thing there would have been a snowball effect, and it would have been ALL over!
The next stop was ABC Carpet and Home in the Flatiron District. I REALLY wanted to see the Madeline Weinreb carpets, and the HOME part of the store. I was NOT disappointed. Once I save a little $$$ I will be buying a couple carpets...but at least I got to touch them:) And ALL Of the Eye candy in the Home part of the store....I couldn't stop snapping.
I am in LOVE with this Madeline Weinrib RUG. Destined for my home...someday!
Going Down into the Basement Clearance section....SOOOOO much to see. You see my green rug on the floor.
over at the ABCHome store across the street...
The Pink ottoman and chair and white globes....ABC marketing. THe whole store had Pink for sale signs everywhere and this was part of the whole marketing scheme. The graphic designer in me appreciated this.
This Juxtopostion of green glass and rustic is so gorgeous.
About this time I was HUNGRY so I stopped in for a Fantabulous lunch at ABC Kitchen a Jean George restaurant, all organic, biodegradelble experience. All I could keep saying to myself was 'I die, I die, I die' The pure definition of BLISS:) Sigh:) Here is my lunch. I mean... when they started setting my place setting, I thought, "could I have picked a better place." A cross between modern, vintage, rustic, and refined. 
I just can't get over the rustic tables with the wood tops and metal bottoms, and the white chairs. Look at the photograpy on the wall. And the romanticism of the chandaliers.
Notice my lunch setting.
I just can't get over the rustic tables with the wood tops and metal bottoms, and the white chairs. Look at the photograpy on the wall. And the romanticism of the chandaliers.Notice my lunch setting.
And my lunch menu...all organic.1st Course.
Beet Salad with Yogurt
2nd Course
Portabello Mushroom Sandwich with Fries.
Dessert
Ice Cream with Chocolate Sauce and Caramel Corn. DELISH will try at home.
Oh and VINO....so devine!
All in all an AMAZING experience at the Restaurant would HIGHLY reccommend.
After my tummy was full, I began my trek back to the hotel stopping into a couple Pop Up Stores/Sample sales that were on Madison Ave. I stopped into Wolf Home. Just walked around and touched the fabrics, and dreamed. Only if....
This is a new concept store by Warren Kay a textile Guru formerly of Silk Trading.
Here is more info about it. Awesome!
Here is more info about it. Awesome!
And then, I walked, and walked, and walked, and about the time my feet said 'no more, no more' I was about 5 blocks away from the hotel and I just COULDN'T justify getting a cab so I limped into the hotel and CRASHED on the bed, my mind swimming, me swooning, oh NYC I wish I could have more, and then I fell asleep...a nap, a REAL nap, no interruptions, just sleep. I know NYC is known as the "city that never sleeps" but they are not talking about a Mom who is away from her kids, who just had an LONG inspirational walk downtown, popping into stores of her choice, with a full tummy from an amazing lunch BY HERSELF (with wine I might add:), have I said Bliss before, well BLiss again. Bliss I tell you, OH NYC I LOVE YOU!
Til next time...
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