Tuesday, May 28, 2013

a Gentleman's "tea"


This sweet social came upon us on the heels of
                                                a "tea party " that I had for our little girls.

We had so much fun that our youngest son, Ford, asked me if he could have a "tea party" too.

His request took me a little by surprise.

And took his daddy ~ alot ~ by surprise.


It didn't take long for me to say "Yes!" (after all, I live for this kind of stuff!) . . .

. . . and after I did, Ford excitedly shared his "sweet" requests!  It was obvious that he had been thinking about it, alot (smile!).

 . . . "I want everything to be blue and green. If you have something
                     that's pink or p
urple, then we have to give it to Charley and Lauren."

                      . . . " I want chocolate too, mama!" . . .

   . . . "and 'those things' that taste so good, with the sprinkles."

"BUBBLE GUM!  Bluegreen! We have to have those! They're great!" . . . 


With those simple &"sweet" requests, I began planning Ford's "tea party."

First, I had to come up a name for our little social . . . 

How about . . . "a Gentleman's tea!" 

Ford is loving, caring, and gentle . . . a little man, so it was perfect.


Now on to the fun stuff!

We ventured to a place that we love to picnic at for our "Gentleman's Tea."

We dressed up . . . Ford wore a bow tie . . . so handsome (smile).
                        We played . . . climbed trees . . . and laughed! 


And we sipped on THE BEST EVER home-made Blackberry Lemonade and enjoyed sweet treats!

~ our menu ~

with fresh lemon & mint



Cake Batter Cookie Crumbles
with sprinkles

Chocolate Cupcakes
with chocolate sprinkles

and 
8-Layer Chocolate Cake
decorated with Sixlets and Gumballs!  



I always have fun with desserts, and this "tea party" was no exception!

Since it was a "tea party," I wanted to dress up Ford's favorite desserts a bit. 

So, I added old-fashioned pocket watch toppers (made from 3D stickers)
                            and chocolate sprinkles to the cupcakes . . . 
  


. . . and instead of a traditional 2 or 4-layer cake, I thought it would be fun to make a TALL 8-layer chocolate cake . . . and then decorate it with some of his favorite candies . . . sixlets and gumballs! He LOVED it!


Our decorations were simple . . . 

A pale blue and cream chevron tablecloth set our backdrop.

And since I knew that we were going to picnic under a tree, I thought a simple pennant garland would be perfect. I sewed one from scrapbook paper and ribbon that I had in my cupboard. It was a simple 15 minute project that added a touch of whimsy. 

Do you recognize the framed chalkboard!?! I thought it would be a fun way to showcase our menu. I had so much fun playing with the design! The kids loved the pictures of the blackberries, lemon, and tall cake!





I didn't want to transport "fine china" to the park, so I served our sweet treats on small chalkboards.

 

They were perfect plates!

I wrote "gentleman" on Ford's . . .

 . . . and when he asked me what it read, I found it was the perfect opportunity to talk about what it means to be a true gentleman. Even the girls participated in the discussion. 

I truly treasure teaching moments like these. 

I've even heard Ford and Charley make references to acting like a "gentleman" and a "lady" since having our "tea parties." 

I must tell you . . . I am one happy Mama!


After a long afternoon of play and pretend, we went home and everyone nappedincluding me . . . 
                      
                      . . . but not without counting my blessings first. 













Wednesday, May 22, 2013

vanilla blueberry lemonade


oh my gosh . . . heaven!
  
I agree, vanilla beans are expensive . . . but I think we all deserve a jar of them in our cupboard for special desserts and drinks! And a vanilla blueberry lemonade is just that . . . special!  

I love drinks that are a twist off an original and leave you desiring another sip. A hint of warm vanilla, paired with sweet lemon syrup . . . it might sound a little strange, but it's wonderful. I highly recommend serving it at your next gathering, and surely for your best girl-friends!  

  

Here's what you need . . . 
4 cups water, divided
2 cups sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped, seeds reserved
Ice
2 cups fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
3 lemons, sliced
Garnish, fresh mint    
  
Preparation
In a medium-size saucepan, combine 2 cups water, sugar, and reserved vanilla seeds.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove vanilla syrup from heat, and cool completely.
Fill pitcher halfway full with ice.
Add vanilla syrup, lemon juice, remaining 2 cups water, blueberries, and lemons, stirring gently to combine. 
Garnish with fresh mint, if desired.
Serve immediately.



















Friday, May 17, 2013

lemon pepper pappardelle with arugula & prosciutto ~ dining al fresco





We've had unusually warm weather the last two weeks.


You know, the kind of warm weather that naturally draws you outside.

Well, this beautiful warm weather not only inspired this light and flavorful dish, but it also inspired us to dine al fresco. 

One of my favorite means to transport our dinners outside is by using bread boards.

They're not only a beautiful back drop upon which to serve a meal, but they're functional and ~ if  large enough ~ can support a whole dinner. Perfect.



Two plates. Check.
Forks. Napkins. Check.
Two glasses of ice water, one with lemon. Salt & pepper. Check.
Fresh lemon and parsley. Check.

So with the dining al fresco basics covered, let's talk pasta . . .

Have you heard of Lemon Pepper Pappardelle? 

Lemon Pepper Pappardelle takes pasta to a whole new level.  
Lemon and pepper are infused into the pasta, making it bright and flavorful. 

The pasta itself already has so much flavor that you can eat it with just a drizzle of olive oil, and be quite pleased. 

I felt inspired, however, to add arugula for an additional peppery bite . . . and prosciutto and shaved Parmesan for an even more flavorful meal.  

And it was that . . . flavorful and delicious. 

A perfect al fresco dinner . . .

Ingredients
8 oz package Lemon Pepper Pappardelle
4 slices of Prosciutto
2 heaping cups fresh arugula
fresh shaved Parmesan
6 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (for those that like heat)
 

 


Preparation 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Place Prosciutto slices onto a baking sheet, and bake for 8 minutes until crispy.
After cooled, break Prosciutto into small pieces.
Boil pasta according to directions on package. Do not over cook.
Drain pasta and pour into a large shallow bowl. Drizzle olive oil on warm pasta. Toss to coat. 
Squeeze 1/2 of a lemon over pasta. Toss to coat. 
Salt and pepper. Toss.
Add arugula, prosciutto, and crushed red pepper flakes, if you like heat (optional). Toss.
The steam from the pasta will wilt the arugula.
Sprinkle fresh Parmesan shavings over the top. Enjoy!





Tuesday, May 14, 2013

bud vases & garden flowers


I love bud vases!  

I've collected several over the years . . . white ones . . . and glass. 



 I love using them in making simple and beautiful floral arrangements.


If you're not familiar with bud vases . . . 

They're are often used to make dainty arrangements of young flowers in the early spring, when there aren't a lot of blooms to choose from. 

They can also be used to display single stems of showy or aromatic flowers, and they have classically been used to showcase roses and other elegant blooms. 


~ iceberg roses from my front yard ~

 

They're not only perfect for 'showcase flowers,' but humble garden flowers as well!

 

Bud vases, in a way, refine flowers . . . 
                        and can even make a humble flower . . . spectacular.


~ a few long stems of lavender ~

Although bud vases can be formal in appearance, they can also be simple, small vessels from around your home. 

Look for all sorts of containers that can be used to hold water and a handful of leaves, flowers, or sprigs, like jam jars, baby food jars, or even small drinking glasses. 


And when they're clustered together, they make quite a beautiful arrangement.

~ cluster of white iceberg roses ~


So take a walk in your garden . . . gather flowers . . . 

                     and then peruse your cupboards for a few bud vases . . . 

and enjoy a little bit of Spring in your home.

Bringing the garden into the house will make
you want to tend a garden.










Monday, May 13, 2013

snap pea salad with mozzarella


  

I saw this Spring salad in the May issue of bon appetit, and fell in love with its beauty and simplicity.
                                   
 



Sweet, crisp snap peas pair wonderfully with peppery arugula, warm basil, and refreshing mint. 

And the creamy mozzarella . . . well, it adds just the right finishing flavor to this clean, fresh salad!



Black mint tastes best in this salad, which you can find in Spring and Summer at farmer's markets.

It's truly a beautiful salad with its leaves of varying shapes and textures, courtesy of the arugula, mint and basil . . . and the sweet peas add a stunning bright lime green to the mix; brightening the salad, as well as adding a subtle sweetness.

Eaten by itself, or with a roasted chicken . . . It's a salad that delivers Spring on a plate . . . as well as a wonderful pairing of flavors.

Light, fresh, and delightful! 

 

Ingredients
Recipe by chef April Bloomfield
8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed, strings removed
4 cups arugula, thick stems trimmed
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves plus more for serving
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves plus more for serving
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons (or more) fresh lemon juice
Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)
1 pound burrata or fresh buffalo mozzarella

Preparation
Cut pea pods in half lengthwise, leaving some peas on each side of pods. 
Combine peas, arugula, 1/4 cup basil, and 1/4 cup mint in a large bowl. 
Add oil and 2 tablespoons lemon juice and toss to coat. Season salad with salt and more lemon juice, if desired.
Tear open balls of burrata (if using buffalo mozzarella, slice 1/2-inch thick) and arrange on a platter. Top with salad and more basil and mint.



bon appetit!

follow Simply Suzannes at Home
on FACEBOOK!










Sharing with . . .



Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...