Thanksgiving Table-scape: The Muted Browns

Let’s face it, nobody needs any new Thanksgiving recipes. This is one holiday meal that people expect tradition. I can attest to this after years upon years of hosting. We used to serve a variety of different meal offerings that strayed from the traditional since neither Juancarlos nor I are fans of the usual Thanksgiving fare. Our guests enjoyed it all but one year they asked if we could serve a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. In our deep desire to be good hosts we heard their pleas and provided just that: Roasted Turkey & gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry sauce and Candied Yams. And because it’s us, we also served some of the non traditional items too: Sauteéd Garlic Shrimp, Buttered Fettuccini, etc. Guess what? Everyone devoured all the non traditional items and we were left with tons of the traditional Thanksgiving meal. I probably don’t need to tell you that that was the last Thanksgiving we hosted.

So, after a long winded explanation as to why I’m not posting a recipe, the next best offering is table setting ideas. I recently picked up some new linens. And when I say new, I mean new to me as these were thrift store finds, of course. I pride myself at tracking down rare treasures. A perfect example are the three dishes below. Each one found in different thrift stores, in different years, in different towns. And yet, somehow they all work harmoniously together.

Plate of yesteryear gracefully finding a new home.

I decided to lean into the soft browns of Fall to create a quiet, more subtle toned table scape. Maybe it’s how my heart feels these days, soft, peaceful and in need of quiet calm. I had some mix and match ideas in mind, but instead of overwhelming you with too many options I will keep it to a few. Naturally, you can mix and match to your hearts content with the linens and dishes you have on hand. I had two tablecloths with several different napkin options, and one runner.

The above line up… pre-ironing.

When it came time for florals I had been scheming for weeks about creating a whimsical display using only a variety of wild grasses that grow on the side of the road. But every time I passed them, I was scissor-less, and then time just plum ran out. So I did the next best thing… walked around my yard - with scissors. Both centerpieces are made from stems I cut from our garden. Well, and maybe a few from a nearby park. Shhh, no one was looking. The most important thing was not that I clipped someone else’s branches, but that you don’t need to spend a dime to create something impactful. I created two centerpieces. One tall, while the other was long, and low.

Using a brown ceramic vase with 5 hydrangea blooms, several maple leaf branches and few grass sprigs created a burst of Fall.

The long wooden tray is one of my favorite pieces that I inherited from my mom.  My parents brought it back from their honeymoon in Mexico. So besides being old, it’s unique, versatile and has a tray load of meaning.  I placed the center candlestick in the middle, added a bark-less tree limb and then tucked in the tree branches and grasses to create a long, low centerpiece.

Let’s set the tables. That’s to say; one table but with two different looks. I promise I’m not going to drive you crazy with countless options. Sometimes, I even annoy myself.

The first table is truly soft brown tones with a long, low centerpiece. The line up:

  1. Tablecloth of muted brown, soft orange, green tones

  2. Table runner with black, beige and brown stripes

  3. Brown cotton napkins

  4. Plates: Gold trimmed dinner plates, floral salad plates, burgundy floral soup bowls

  5. Glassware: stemless red wine, stemless white wine, green & gold water glasses

  6. Brown iron candlesticks

  7. Burlap wrap (not in below photo): to be used as an organic placemat

The line up of dishes, napkins, tablecloth, glassware and runner.

To start, just layer in the above items. Here’s how I laid out mine with one twist at the end for non conventional silverware placement. Note: after putting the plate down without a charger or placemat I felt the dishes needed a landing spot. So I grabbed some burlap wrap and laid it down in an organic bunch, then placed the dishes on top.

Then the runner, candlesticks, silverware atop a simple napkin fold. Fold it in half lengthwise, and then again. Place to the right of the plates letting the bottom 1/3 hang over the table. Line up your silverware, then fold the bottom 1/3 up to create a pouch. Add a single sprig of grass.

Place the red, white wine glasses with the water glass to the right, and the dessert spoon above the plate.

Add the centerpiece, and call it done.

The centerpiece mimics the tablecloth pattern which is a happy accident because when I was in the park cutting branches I just cut what drew me towards them.

Nature in all its beauty and glory.  This is nothing more than some random leaf branches and grasses.

And now for a few alternates. Push the soup bowl to the left and place the silverware directly on the plate. Place the napkin and grass sprig inside the wine glass. And lastly, you can swap the low centerpiece for the taller one.

Onto table number two. Here is the line up:

  1. Burnt Orange/Brown tablecloth

  2. Taupe Linen napkins with orange border

  3. Gold rimmed plates, bowls

  4. Stemmed red & white wine glasses and gold rimmed water glasses

  5. Wooden board for centerpiece

  6. Silverware

The line up for a table with more orange than brown.

Ok, you know the drill. Start the layering all the elements. The napkin isn’t a fold as much as a natural falling with folds. To achieve this look simply grab the center of the napkin allowing the natural folds to occur. Then place it on the soup plate and adjust as needed to create a natural 3 folded effect. If you need more napkin ideas check out my post 5 Folds - Countless Options

Once you place the florals on the center of the wooden board, fill in with candles and some pine cones. The wooden board not only plays into the brown theme but also makes it easy to remove if you prefer putting your food platters on the table.

Nothing store bought, just some fall foliage in a vase.

Pine cones and candles round out the centerpiece.

As i mentioned, my original centerpiece ideas was natural, beige grasses.  So this pop of color was unintended but ended up working well.

Now for the last swap out. Switch the taupe linen napkins for plaid ones swirled into a rosette. Change out the gold rimmed water glasses for golden yellow goblets, and the stemmed white wine glass replaced with stemless.

Plaid napkin in rosette bundle.  Gold rimmed water glass swapped for golden yellow goblet, and stemmed white wine glass replaced with stemless. To create the rosette effect, check out the video in my blog post about Table Settings - A Multitude of Options

I hope the browns were soothing. And as promised, I didn’t go nutty with variations, but hopeful gave enough for you to create your own festive table-scape. If more options are your jam, then check out a past post that offers variations on the variations! Thanksgiving Table Settings - Casual to Elegant

 

Happy Turkey Table Dressing!

Floral Spring Table Setting

A burst of floral joy spread out on a table.

I’ve noticed that every Easter I feel compelled to create a table setting to share with you. I’m not sure why I’m more motivated to bring you another Springtime way to dress a table versus another recipe for Easter. Maybe I feel you all have traditions and a menu you follow and don’t need another recipe. Or maybe the weather made me do it. I think I get so excited at the thought of longer days and warmer temps. It evokes images of flowers, sun and a bright cheery feeling that I want to spread out onto the table.

Colors are incredibly powerful. So much so that advertisers spend a pretty penny researching their affect on consumers. I love how a color can completely change your mood. When I look at the array on this table scape it’s no wonder it brings such joy. Here’s why.

  • Green makes you feel optimistic and refreshed. It also relaxes you partly due its connection with nature and ease on the eyes.

  • Pink is soft and evokes a sense of romance and sweetness.

  • Magenta is bold and energizing.

  • Yellow, of course, is reminiscent of sunshine, smiley faces and the start of a new day, which makes you feel positive, happy and raring to go.

With all those good vibes it’s clear why I love creating Springtime tables.

You know from previous posts that I have a ton of tablecloths and fabrics, but that doesn’t stop me from getting more. Lately, I have been thrifting at a local church and grabbing some fun and inexpensive finds. If you go back to my last post, Rose-colored Salad, the table had a remnant cloth that I recently bought for $2. I loved it because it was a color combo that I definitely didn’t have in my stash. I know, hard to believe there was a color gap in my linens closet, HA.

I have been wanting to use the ‘floral on top of floral’ theme for a while but could never quite achieve exactly what I was envisioning. So, when I saw the stark white cloth with bursts of Springtime flowers I immediately grabbed it. In my utter excitement, I never fully inspected it; just brought it to the register and paid. Once I got it home and opened it up to wash, I realized it was a sheet. You think that bothered me? Not in the least. Once washed, fabric is fabric, and everything has multiple uses. I also picked up the rose & gold rimmed plates and bowls to add to the floral theme. I got 12 of each for $15 (for those, like me, who use their fingers to count, that’s 62¢ a dish!) A fruitful shop of flora, for sure.

The line up: White Sheer for the base, Floral sheet for the runner, yellow/white napkins, Dinner plate with gold leaf pattern, Rose/gold/floral soup & salad plates, Peach candle sticks, Tiffany wine glasses, vintage green/gold water glasses.

In the past, you have seen me lay the more detailed cloth as the main base and then use a sheer or mono-colored fabric for the center runner. This go around I wanted the placemats and dishes to pop so they could take star billing. To do that I switched it up by placing a white sheer as the base. Then I twisted the floral “sheet'“ and threw it down the center of the table.

Using the white sheer material creates a clean base for the plates to shine.

Then I began to build the floral layers, first by using large leaf mats Instead of the usual placemats, Then the dishes with gold leaf pattern topped with my new rose/gold/floral plate & bowl. The floral motif is fairly evident.

In a previous post where I used the large leaf mats I provided this link in case you wanted to purchase something similar.

Next, I folded the napkins in a way reminiscent of a tulip and used green grosgrain ribbon to emulate a stem. I cut a few small leaves from our rhododendron tree and added them in for more floral flair. I then placed the ‘tulip’ napkins in the cut glass wine goblets which brightened the entire table up another notch.

Then it was time to place the silver and glassware, and candles around the table. To continue tying in the leaf and color scheme, I used my favorite vintage green and gold glasses. If you remember, those were another great find at the Lincoln Road Mall Street Fair in Miami. I am so glad I wrapped those up, stuffed in my suitcase and brought back to NY.

All the colors are working together, and the place settings are the star, popping off the simple white sheer base.

The gold and yellow play nicely together. All the designs of leaves and florals swirl around creating whimsy.

And how can we have a Springtime table without actual florals? I wanted to keep the flowers as close to the colors in the table runner. At Trader Joe’s, I found three that answered the call. All mums, in 3 varieties and colors: Yellow Sundance Chrysanthemum, Magenta Mums & Lilac Mini Poms. My vision was to make the florals feel like wildflowers spread out along the table. To achieve that I used all my mini vintage vases. Arranging and choosing which vase with which flower is a fell thing. Go with your gut and what visually looks appealing to you. Typically, I like monochromatic floral design. In keeping with that the yellow mums needed to stand on their own and be in vases that enhanced their vibrance. The magenta and lilac flowers worked beautifully together.

 

Side note: If you don’t have mini vases, you can achieve the same effect with small juice glasses, or those glass yogurt cups. Look around your own stash to see what works. The goal is to use what you have. Everything has more than one purpose.

Honestly, I am in love with this table. I finally achieved the floral on top of floral design I have been dreaming. It feels so fresh and light and cheerful. And frankly, cheerful is what I know I can use right now. Maybe you can, too.

Happy Springtime. Happy Easter. Happy Passover.

A floral explosion

I think the flowers in the vases mimic the flowers in the cloth.

Happiness running through the length of this table and in my mind.

 

Color your life with brightness & cheer!

Affordable Holiday Table Decor

This holiday season snuck up on me. Can’t say that I’m as prepared as my usual list making self. Maybe you find yourself in the same situation. So, when thinking about what I could offer you for this holiday I looked to see what have been the most frequently viewed posts. It’s no surprise that the various table setting and napkin folding posts take top billing. (I’ve included those links below). If you’ve utilized those you might be in need of a few new table decor ideas. Since my holiday season has been beyond busy for a litany of reasons, I don’t have time for super fussy decor. But does that mean my table should be bare? I think not. These ideas are intended to be simple, elegant and affordable. Time’s a wasting, so I’ll stop my yapping. Here we go.

These first two ideas are a bit more home grown, but add a sense of whimsy to a place setting. Typically I do not assign seats with place cards when I entertain. I let people choose where they want to sit. That said, I’ve always felt that having the host choose where guests sit elevates the dining experience. There is a certain sophistication to it. Plus, if the host is truly thinking about table conversation, careful placement encourages people to interact with other guests. For this holiday season, I subscribe to this thinking and will be telling people where to park themselves.

Wanting to keep it simple and organic, as well as something you all could easily re-create, I pulled out my scissors and scrolled through my garden looking for a hearty, long leaf. I cut Rhododendron leaves which were ideal in color, size and sturdiness. I found some decorative paint in my stash and painted the tips and stems gold . You can also use a Sharpie or one of those gold paint pens from an art store, such as Michaels or Target. Then I scripted the names on the leaf. That’s how simple this is.

The next little DYI project is for those of you who don’t have seasonal napkin rings. This one is right out of the creative crafts bucket. You’ll need:

  • Toilet Paper Rolls

  • Double sided tape, or regular tape rolled to double sided

  • Snipped greens from the garden

  • Scissors

Next:

  • Cut the roll into 3/4” rounds (or whatever thickness you prefer).

  • Wrap the tape all the way around the roll, or you can try glue. I just didn’t want the sticky fingers that often times occurs when using glue.

  • Trim the greens to small, manageable pieces and place them around the taped part. Add tape or glue to tack down the fronds or if you want to cover more of the roll.

Once you’re done playing, slide your holiday themed napkin through the ring. Then lay the leaf place card against white plates set on a gold charger with a deep green velvet placemat and you’re all set.

Cost: $0 since I had the paint, and the leaves and greens were from my garden, and the roll of toilet paper, well…

Now, onto centerpieces. I like when the table decor allows for guests to see across the table. A low profile centerpiece does just that. Bear in mind that this idea is for those who like to have a permanent centerpiece as it is not meant to be removed for dinner.

Simply place a neutral runner or fabric down the center of the table. This could be brown kraft paper, burlap or muslin. I used two rolls of natural burlap I purchased awhile ago at Michael’s Craft Store. The more earthy toned the better for this theme to keep the feeling of nature. I like to add the candles first in order to have a sense where to place the other decorative elements. From there you just start filling in the spaces using the greenery trying to tuck the end stems under other greens. Add some pine cones to fill in the gaps. I bought this whole bunch of greens which included a Quesnelia flower for $8 at Trader Joe’s. I had the pine cones from my garden. A beautiful, warm centerpiece for $8!

This next one is a variation on the above idea but using actual large leaves or large leaf placemats instead of the natural colored runner. I picked up these placemats years ago when I was hosting private events at Despaña in Soho, NY. I used them a multitude of ways back then, and they are still coming in handy. You can find these in various stores, but of course Amazon has everything under the sun. Thus you’ll be able find a fairly prolific selection of leaf types in the link above. Lay them down the center of the table, and as previous, place the candles first. Since the base is green, I suggest leaning into more white florals and pine cones for this version to create more contrast.

And because I’m a sucker for options, if you like the above two ideas but need them to be removable, then build the centerpiece on long wooden boards, or trays. This way the entire centerpiece can be lifted to create space for food platters.

I created all the centerpieces directly on top of my dining room table without a tablecloth. You can either use placemats for your place settings or lay down a neutral tone cloth first. Your choice.

The last, simple but elegant centerpiece is a trio of vases in varying heights of all white flowers. What I love about this design is how the monochromaticity elevates even the most common flower. By utilizing a single color, you create more impact, allowing you to use affordable, inexpensive florals to create something stunning. Sure, red & green are lovely for the holiday season, but they are visually abundant this time of year. Which is why I adore a Winter White theme. For me, it is elegant simplicity. The best part is that you can easily lift these off the table if you need the center space for food platters. Added bonus; when you don’t need them as a centerpiece, you now have three separate floral arrangements to spread throughout your home. I used the large leaf placemats to anchor the entire centerpiece, allowing for the candles to feel more integrated.
I used 4 types of flowers, all purchased at Trader Joe’s for a total of $24. For less than one of those multicolored, mulit-flower bouquets I was able to create a stunning, sophisticated and abundant centerpiece.

  • Roses $10

  • Carnations $5

  • Veronica $5

  • Alstroemeria $5

I hope these give you a few more holiday decor ideas for your table this season. Wishing you the happiest and healthy of holiday seasons. As you know, I love hearing from you in the comments. Let me know what you think and if you used any of these or other ideas. Thank you for your loyal readership.

For more table setting & holiday ideas, check out these posts:

Napkin Folding - 5 Basic Folds - Countless Options

Table Setting - A Multitude of Options

Napkin Folding - A Few Festive Ideas

Thanksgiving Table Settings - Casual to Elegant Although this post has a Thanksgiving/Fall feel there are elements that can inspire any holiday table.

 

Creams & Greens - A Summer Table-scape of Calm

There is something so soothing about cream colors. Just the word puts me at ease. Which is why I choose it as the base palate for our most recent al fresco summer lunch/dinner. Full confession; I have so many tablecloths that sometimes I get overwhelmed with which to choose. The calming thought of cream put my restless mind at ease. My original goal was to go full on with the cream theme, but I do adore contrast and a pop of color. So pop it was in the shape of soft key lime green. So much for completely soothing but it still felt soft and perfect for a summer’s day.

From there it was time to start building. I’m sure I’ve walked you through the process of how I choose all the elements that make up a table setting. Sometimes, it’s an instantaneous knowing. Other times, like this one, I pull out options to see what moves me. Since my first thought was only cream tones I decided that the napkins should fulfill that goal and be soft and subtle in their tones, and not a screaming ‘look at me’ item.

This party was for our yearly gathering with our friends from Princeton. It’s an all day eating affair with lots of food, so the table needs to be simple with space for platters. This is an easy table-scape to replicate using what you have at home.

The Line Up:

  • 1 cream (or white) tablecloth

  • 1 table runner (or tablecloth folded) of an accent color of your choice

  • Cream (or white) napkins

  • Neutral Napkin rings or ties

  • White Dishes

  • Glassware & Silverware

  • Florals of a contrasting color

  • Long strip of an organic material (optional)

For me setting a table is just like cooking. Mise en place is equally important. The art of having everything ready. I pull out all the elements, gather them together, check that it all works and also have them handy to set up on the day of the event. Mise en place = everything in place.

The set up. Gather everything you need in one place and start building. It also helps you to visual the entire table.

Whenever I choose a color palate for the table my mind instantly goes to the color wheel for what the contrast should be for the florals. Once I steered from all creams and introduced the soft key lime color I knew violets/soft pinks were the exact perfect complement. And since my menu required a bit of work (not intentional), I opted out of putzing with a complicated floral design. Plus, know your audience. These were food people. Sure the flowers were nice but not the main attraction. Save time where you can.

Fuchsia, soft pinks and greens create such a pop of beauty.

From there it was just about layering of each elements to finish off the table.

Nothing too complicated here, but as you can see ironing the cloths makes a huge difference for creating a pristine base. I use the word runner, but truth is I didn’t have a green runner. (I know you are probably thinking, how it THAT possible?) When you don’t have but want, you create. So I triple folded a tablecloth to get the same effect. I added a strip of natural jute to provide an organic element and complete that landing strip feel down the center of the table. It’s not necessary but I like how it seemed to ground the look and provide an earthy feel.

Layers elevate a table from a simple table cloth to something a bit more visually interesting.

The flowers were next to help center where each place setting should land. The main vase consisted of fuchsia colored mini Calla Lilies & pink Veronica stems from Trader Joe’s along with Hosta leaves from my garden. Three small vases of mini roses in a pale pink/green hue provided a softer version of the palate. In order to not see all the stems in the main vase I wrapped Hosta leaves inside the vase. This little touch made the florals feel polished and more visually appealing than staring at the cut stems.

Looking at this photo, I wished I had wrapped hosta leaves in the small vases as well. Note to self: complete the look for all vases.

Vibrant colors of stark contrast = visual joy. I love the subtle nod of the petals, the napkin tips and design on the glasses (below).

When it came to the place setting I kept it simple, clean and straightforward with pure white plates, silverware in their traditional positions with napkins in the center on top of the salad plate.

The place setting

This was a garden party so I didn’t need an elaborate napkin fold but wanted to mimic the fleur de lis pattern of the glassware.
I achieved that by folding the napkin in a square, tucking under one corner, then pinching the bottom together and finally securing it with a cloth napkin holder. Not hard, not too fancy but just enough flare to tie in the floral notes.

I like collecting vintage glassware and then pairing them together to create whimsy. I added two types of glasses, one for lemon/mint water and the other for homemade Jasmine iced tea with rosemary simple syrup. Of course, we had wine glasses but those were filled and handed to the guests upon arrival. Keep ‘em smiling from the onset.

 

Floral swirls on the yellow glasses, gold floral swirls on the green glasses with floral napkin to match.

Lastly, I cut some rosemary from my garden and laid a sprig in front of every place setting. I mainly did this to help keep the mosquitos and flies away as they don’t dig the smell. But I also loved how it added another hue of green and played into the florals of the napkins and glassware. Such a simple touch that everyone noticed and commented on.

A sprig of rosemary finishes off the place setting with an added touch of green and natural element.

One final tip in the mise en place category, which I know I have mentioned before but bears repeating. Review the menu, then choose and have at the ready all the serving platters and utensils for each of the dishes. This may seem like an overly obsessive planning piece but I assure you it is a stress reliever. The last thing you want as you are about to serve up the food is to scramble around opening cabinets trying to figure which platter is big enough or deep enough or the right color. Trust me, it’s a small effort prior that pays off on the day of.

This was a simple table setting but I was pleased with how it turned out. It was low key yet still pulled together. And although not fully cream, it was calming just the same.

You can take this same set up and swap out the green runner for any other color and then just spin the color wheel to find your accents. Check out the link below with a major color wheel choices.

Color Wheel Fun

Opposites attract. This wheel gives a wide range of colors and tones that can be used when creating your table scape. If you want complementary colors, go opposite. If you want to stay in the same family go for an ombré effect. So many possibilities. Have fun.

Color Wheel

Keep it simple, keep it pretty. Keep your guests feeling welcome the moment they walk in. Happy al fresco entertaining.

 

Spring & Easter Table Setting

I have long pined over creating a table setting that featured multiple layers of floral patterns on top of each other; from tablecloth to napkins to dishes. However, as I embarked on making my mental vision a reality, I encountered a major issue. My dream was way more fantasy. Believe it or not, after rummaging through my vast linen collection I realized that I didn’t quite have the variety of floral patterns I had envisioned in my noggin. And because I’m the type of person who just can’t give up on an idea, I did the next best thing. I found other patterns with the intended color scheme and worked from there.

This is just the napkin selection and a few tablecloths.

With the floral theme still running through my brain, I selected the closest linen I had to Spring florals. A pinkish toned tablecloth with leaf-like swirls resembling flowers. I remember when I purchased it from an upstate vintage shop and thought it was unlike anything I had. You may think I’m tripping on some hallucinogenic imagining that these swirls look like flowers, but I was desperate.

As I continued my search for napkins among my collection I was dumbfounded not to find a single one with any real floral print or even pink tones. But then again, would I really have bought such a thing? It was at that point when I realized that the table setting would be something different from my original vision.

An intense pattern of swirls that could be flowers, no?

I pulled out a napkin set that had similar but not exact colors. Roosters and checkerboards were as close as I could find.

I used a simple fold and roll method

Given the intense pattern of the tablecloth I felt it might be overwhelming on its own. A table runner would help provide some visual relief. Yet another pattern, not floral, but tones that would complement.

A striped table runner is another pattern. It’s simplicity allows for visual interest without taking away from the tablecloth.

The search for florals continued to be a bust. No floral plates like my little head hoped for. So, instead I pulled out a more ornate plate with gold adornments, followed by soup and salad plates with gold trim.

Dishes with gold accents.

At this point, my only option was to keep building on the new theme, and upped the ante with green and gold trimmed glassware and votives. Now I at least had a pattern on pattern theme working. Florals became swirls. The key to layering different patterns is to find a common thread of complementary colors.

Fancy glasses and votives with some gold trim help to elevate the table.

With my choices laid out it was time to set the table.

All the table setting pieces ready to be placed.

The runner definitely breaks up all that pattern and the stripes down the center act as a landing strip for the candles.

Fold, roll and wrap the napkins with a ‘floral’ themed enhancement.

Typically, I stack all the dishes, but opted to keep the salad plate on the side to hint at the original floral theme allowing the leaf design to be seen. Plus I knew I would be individually plating the salad to ensure my guests ate that course. Having the plate out makes it easy to grab and pile on the salad.

Finished place setting with utensils for each course.

Pre-plating the salad makes serving a breeze. Dressing is served in bowl for guests to add to their liking.

A pretty inviting way to welcome your guests to the table.

Side note; I find that if you plate it and serve it separately before the main meal, everyone eats it. If you place a large bowl of salad with all the rest of the meal, people often times say, “I’ll serve myself later.” And later becomes, “I’m too full.” So get your greens in early.

Ok, with the table set, it was time to move onto the actual florals. Since this was a last minute table setting, and I don’t travel to the city like I used to with my usual floral stop at Dahlia - Grand Central, Trader Joe’s would have to do. They typically have a decent selection at reasonable prices. I have to admit that I got excited about the colors I saw in the store but once I got home I realized I completely missed the mark on the pink tones. However, the purchase was made and I had to push on. I’m starting to feel like the theme went from layered florals to “ just make it happen and make it pretty.” I honestly thought the colors were more fuchsia than red hued but oh well. Pops of yellow and green made it all feel fresh and Spring like. The large yellow jug added more seasonal brightness and helped to tie it back to the napkins.

Definitely a burst of floral color

The key to a well composed arrangement is color blocking and keeping to just a few colors that complement one another.

The colors were a bit off but it still adds a happy feel.

In the end the reds and yellows echo the colors in the napkins.

Happy colors.

As for the meal, this was a Palm Sunday lunch. I told my sister, Alyssa, that it would be simple since all this was a last minute idea. But alas, I made much more than a simple meal for just six of us. It ended up being quite filling, and delicious. So, if you want something a tad different for Easter, this menu could work for an simpler meal than the usual extravagant lamb dinner. Here goes:

Appetizer

  • Roasted Grape Tomatoes in Garlic Oil

  • Whipped Feta
    This is an easy way to elevate a humble chunk of feta. Simply place the desired amount in a mini food processor and buzz it until smooth. One important note: rinse the feta block with cold water first to remove some of the saltiness. For some reason, once blended it brings out even more of the salt flavor.

  • Garlic Bread

Oven roasted grape tomatoes, whipped feta, garlic bread

First Course

  • Cauliflower Soup

  • Mixed Greens with Apple/Orange/Cucumber & Date Dressing: I used my Bibb, Arugula Butternut Squash Salad recipe swapping out the lettuces with mixed greens and the butternut squash with apple, orange and cucumber. All the rest of the ingredients and dressing remained the same.

Individually plated salad of Mixed greens with apple slices, orange segments, sliced cucumber, peptias and dried cranberries.

Main Course

  • Pork Loin basted in Rosemary Garlic Butter
    Sear the pork loin (seasoned with salt & pepper) in a cast iron skillet on both sides. Remove from the pan and add butter, sprigs of rosemary and several whole garlic cloves slightly smashed. Once butter is melted, return the pork to the pan and spoon the butter over the pork to finish cooking and flavor the meat.

Rosemary Garlic Butter basted Pork Loin.

  • Seared Shrimp with garlic & parsley
    Marinate the shrimp with crushed garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes. Sear in a cast iron grill pan. Remove shrimp and add white wine to deglaze the pan and pour over shrimp.

  • Basmati Rice with herb garlic oil
    Make a “chimichurri” sauce of finely chopped parsley, cilantro, scallions, crushed garlic, lemon zest and squeeze of lemon juice, salt, pepper, and olive oil.
    Cook Basmati rice 1 : 1.5 ratio to water. Bring water and rice to a boil, lower heat, cover and cook for 13 minutes. Keep the lid on, remove from heat and let steam for another 5-8 minutes
    Add as much of the herb garlic oil as desired. You can make the rice and oil ahead. Then right before serving warm the rice and add the sauce. I used a cast iron wok to ‘fry up’ the rice and then added the sauce to finish.

Sautéd shrimp and Herb Oil Basmati Rice

  • Oven Roasted Red Onions
    Onions are an overlooked vegetable. When oven roasted they become caramelized, sweet and delicious. Cut them in half, trimming the stem end but still leaving enough of the core to hold the onion pieces together when you cut them into quarters. Place on sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees until browned and caramelized.

  • Broccoli Rabe
    Wash, trim and boil the broccoli rabe until tender. Sauté in oil, garlic slices and season with salt & pepper.

Oven roasted red onions, the humble vegetable turned the star. Broccoli Rabe with garlic oil.

Dessert was a large platter of fruit and a few Saint Joseph Italian pastries. Apologies there are no photos of that course. Even though everyone said they were stuffed, they grabbed the fruit and pastries before I could get a picture. Just image a colorful array of seasonal fruit, along with luscious filled pastry.

I hope this inspires you to pile pattern on top of pattern and let your imagination work with whatever you have on hand. I started with an idea, veered off the flower garden and landed on an array of swirls, roosters, stripes and sparkle that still made me smile. A lesson in forging forward in whatever direction the universe provides and making the best of what life has to offer.