Hello Pumpkin! Fall Is Here Ya’ll!
Well, at least the temps here in Florida dipped to a 69 degrees this early morning, which is cool for us! I noticed there were a few fallen leaves in the foyer and on the drive.
I love my Harvest entry rugs…these doors go into our front courtyard. Last year I used the familiar black and white checked under-rug, but this year I decided to use the orange and white checked rug. They are still available in all sizes if you would like to check them out. (my storefront is linked at the bottom of this post) I have had mine for several years. One of my other Harvest ‘jute’ rugs says “Hello Pumpkin” and I used that one last year.
I also pulled out these two ‘ghost’ pictures from last year and if you are interested, they have them again this year but they sell out fast. They come in all sizes but I have the 8X12 sizes because all my available walls have dedicated decor, so there is no room for additional pictures. However, I do have two small spaces in the hallway by the kitchen I am able to utilize with these adorable ghosts. Many of you know that I do not like scary Halloween, but I do love Casper the friendly ghost and these pictures are that same vibe.
The colors go well with my ‘collected, rustic’ home furnishings.
I have been busy with planning a casual dinner party. The Captain and I will be hosting a dinner party for 14. A couple times a year, I like to invite the Friday Bible Study wives and their husbands for an evening of dinner and fellowship. This is a chance for the husbands to be a part of our group. The Captain will be smoking a pork butt and/or shoulder for BBQ Pulled Pork and I will be making a chocolate sheet cake while the ladies will be bringing the potluck. Which, by the way isn’t really a potluck or surprise, as I asked them to bring a specific dish. I have learned over the years of planning such events that it prevents multiples of one dish while other dishes do not show up. You know, 5 baked beans and no potato salad. I also like to label the food dishes as you see in the photo below. The Dinner is Thursday, so I try to prep early for it as much as I can which makes it less stressful. I have set up two long tables to accommodate everyone. Sometimes, we let people get their food from a buffet like setting and then find a comfortable seat…in the house, in the courtyard or in the Secret Garden. We are fortunate that these three areas are in close proximity to each other as our triple sliders slide back into the walls allowing for walking freely drom one area to the next. For this dinner, we will all sit down at a designated place. It makes for less congestion around the serving bar and keeps everyone within table conversation. I’m still working on both table settings…I may use gold napkin rings on the napkins rather than putting the napkin under the salad plate…I like to live with it for a few days before making changes. I have large centerpieces on each table that will be removed to the serving bar/counter when we sit down to dinner.
Speaking of the serving bar/counter, So many times a hostess gets asked..”What is that?” …and yes, most dishes like Baked Beans are identifiable, but sometimes there is that one dish that could be macaroni salad or potato salad. It should be simple enough, but as I said…We have entertained a lot, both casual and formal…though these days we aim for more casual dinners. I also like to use individual salt & peppers at each place setting and that is simply for convenience. Actually, my preference is to prepare all the dishes myself…however, I have also learned over the years that events such as this one, people like to be involved…to be a part of… and I also realize that these days my energy level is low, so I welcome all the help I can get.
Speaking of convenience, I was digging in my recipe tin and found an old recipe from my grandmother. It was in her writing and it really is not a recipe with exact quantities listed. It was a list of ingredients. I decided to try it in the slow cooker. I knew the Captain would love it so I made it with a few exceptions to her ingredients. She wrote:
Chunks of Sausage, Potatoes, Onions, Carrots, Sauerkraut….(only she wrote ‘sour cabbage’) and Bone Stock. Put in covered pot in oven.
So I lightly browned a whole kielbasa ring that I then cut in 2 inch ‘chunks’, and the same size ‘chunks’ of potatoes, onions and carrots. I didn’t know how much kraut to add so I added a 32 oz jar and about 2 cups of broth and put it all in the crock pot (or slow cooker) on high for about 3-4 hours. It wasn’t really a ‘pretty dish’, but the Captain loved it. Since I have been so busy with planning, I have found sheet pan meals ideal and tasty.
This Teriyaki Chicken and Veggies was so simple using small red, green, and yellow bell peppers, onions, broccoli and asparagus. I used parchment paper for easy clean up and tossed the veggies in teriyaki sauce and placed them in the bottom of the sheet pan. I did lightly brown the chicken thighs, but you don’t have to. Next I brushed both sides of the chicken with teriyaki sauce and placed the chicken on top of the veggies. I set the oven at 400 degrees and baked for about 20-30 minutes. (use a thermometer for chicken doneness). Brush on a little more teriyaki sauce to the chicken. Place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes for extra crispness if desired. (watch carefully as the sauce will burn) I served the veggies and chicken over rice, made a cucumber, tomato and onion salad and dinner was served. YUM!.
I have to share an item the Captain and I both love, not only for it’s aesthetic appearance but also for functionality. About a year ago, a friend of ours couldn’t get his automobile key fob to work and when he took it to the dealer, he was told that he had somehow damaged the system and needed to replace the key. It cost him quite a bit of money and he determined that keeping the key fob in his pocket with coins and pocket knife, etc…ruined his key. The Captain and I researched protective covers for our key fobs and so far they have been working great. The above photo are my key fob covers…The Captain chose black but they come in all colors. Of course you have to be sure and order the fob cover for your particular vehicle….as they are not universal.
I hope you are having a great End of Summer,🌸⚾️🏖️🥤🍧 Beginning of Autumn.🍁🏈🍂🍏🍑
“The Mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.”
Psalm 50:1 ESV
Kari’s storefront link: https://amzn.to/4xNe5na
