Foodie Friday - Turkeys

Thank you Gollum for hosting Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum!


Today, I want to talk Turkey, but not the kind you are thinking! I not only have lots of ceramic turkeys that I decorate with in the fall, I like to decorate foods to look like turkeys!

Here are two examples:

Turkey Cheese Ball

I got this idea from a magazine decades ago, but made it my own way with port wine cheese and crackers that were easily found.

Here is a picture



and here is my recipe Turkey Cheese Ball.

Here is a very easy Turkey Cake that I also got the idea from a magazine, but completely changed. The key to this cake is finding the Stella D'Oro breakfast cookies. I found them in Rite Aid of all places!!!!

Here is the platter I made the cake on



I used a Triple Chocolate Cake from Sam's Club and added round cookies to fill in the hole in the middle.



Then I added the cookies and candies to make the "turkey."



Here is the recipe No Bake Turkey Cake .

I hope this has inspired you to cook some turkey shaped treats of your own! :D Jewel

Tablescape Thursday - Turkey Time!

t's Tablescape Thursday sponsored by Susan at BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH!



I decided to use my Spode Woodland Turkey China in a different tablesetting this week. I got this green tablecloth at Bed, Bath & Beyond and the bronze napkins on clearace at WalMart. The goblets (which I use for all seasons) were a gift from my girls Christmas 2007. I kept the alligator texture chargers and the turkey flatware holders for my touch of whimsy. Instead of the turkey centerpiece I had used since September, I put out a large cornucopia (thank goodness for spell check or it would have had to be a horn of plenty) filled with gourds and fruit.

Here is my latest fall table:




As you can see I have both the dinner and salad plates.


A close-up of the centerpiece:


Notice the arrangement on the little cabinet. I did this with a grocery store bouquet and leaves from my yard.





Now the tables I have shared with you on this blog have only shown my Spode Woodland Turkey plates. I do have a set of "everyday" turkey dinner plates from Churchill China that we use from September through November.



Then I have these salad plates by Johnson Bros. "Autumn Monarch"



And I have a Johnson Bros. Deviled Egg Plate "His Majesty"



With all these turkey plates, I know you are asking, "Which will she use for the actual Thanksgiving dinner meal?" Well, wouldn't you know, we have a family reunion on Thanksgiving every year, so I don't have an official Thanksgiving meal at my house! It is a wonderful Thanksgiving meal and tradition though. This year, as we have for many Thanksgivings, we are going to my cousin's Celebrity Goat Dairy, which has not only goat and a cheese dairy, but a bed and breakfast and inn. It is absolutely wonderful and all of us can't wait!

So from my old Victorian, I am wishing all of you a Happy Turkey Tablescape Thursday! :D Jewel

Foodie Friday - Fall Feast

Thank you Gollum for hosting Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum!


I am sharing one of my favorite Fall meals. I served this menu at a dinner party last fall.

Here is the Menu:



And here are pictures of the meal:



Of course, I used my Spode Woodland Turkey Plates.

Click Here for the Menu and the Recipes.




Here the Brown Rice Salad is in a Spode Pink Tower Bowl.

Here is a not very good picture of the Pumpkin Bars.



I used a Martha Stewart recipe for a Wild Rice Salad for my recipe and changed it to Brown Rice and added the dried cranberries. In the Cornish Game Hen recipe using Apple Jelly was my own crazy idea that actually worked!

I first had the Zesty Carrots at my friend Rhonda's house, but someone else had posted the same recipe on Recipezaar.

I hope you enjoyed seeing my Fall Feast! Now visit Designs by Gollum!

Tablescape Thursday - Halloween Party

t's Tablescape Thursday sponsored by Susan at BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH!



These are picture of my 18 year old daughter's Halloween Party from last year. She had several friends over for snacks and candy. We set the dining room table up for a buffet.







Used my ornament tree for a centerpiece.


Served Nacho Bean Dip



(spreaders for the bean dip)



and Pumpkin Cupcakes, both of which I have shared with you before.



Had candlelight








Almost everything we used to serve with was from Target and belongs to her, not me! Yes, this dishaholism can be passed to the next generation!!!!

Have a Happy Halloween! :D Jewel

Metamorphosis Monday - Havest Moon Pumpkin

Metamorphosis Monday is sponsored by Susan at BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH . Make sure to visit her blog and see all the wonderful transformations!



Several years ago I admired this Harvest Moon pumpkin in a page I had torn out of Country Living magazine and stored in my Fall idea file. So, eventually I decided to try to copy it. The original is charcoal on a real white pumpkin as you can see below.



I wanted to be able to enjoy my Harvest Moon pumpkin for many years, so I started with a white faux pumpkin from Micheals. I first painted the stem two shade of brown to look more realistic. Then to mimic the charcoal effect I used black, white and great acrylic paints to paint the facial features.

Here is my pumpkin below



and on my mantle -


Just a little paint turned a plain white pumpkin into something I had admired for years!

Enjoy all the other transformations at BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH .

Hooked on Houses Fall Tour

It's Hooked on Houses Fall Tour!

I finally have my house all falled up!

Starting in the Dining Room. I have set the table with Spode Woodland Turkey.



A ceramic turkey as a centerpiece.



Here is my Dining Room mantle. The silk Chinese lantern stems were from Michael's. As you can see I have quite a turkey collection. The copper pumpkins are new from Target.











Now on with the tour - Here is the Foyer



Closeup of the epergne



Now the Parlor mantle



And you thought I had a lot of turkeys!!!

Same shot without flash


The the table in the parlor bay window



Now on to the Billiards Room



On the mantle is a white pumpkin with a Harvest Moon face. I got the idea from Country Living magazine.





We have a lot of pheasants on the bar in the Billiards Room and my stained glass turkey is one of my very favorites.



In our Sunroom, we have a tea set with an Indian corn teapot and a pumpkin painting by my younger daughter.





Last on the tour is my husband's study. As you may remember, he is a reenactor, so there is a military history theme to his study.




Ignore the dust on the Library Ladder - it's not good to overclean antiques. Ha Ha!!!!



Well that's what I have pictures of - believe it or not I have more decorations! And when October gets here the Halloween has to be added!!!!

Tablescape Thursday - Pumpkin Time

It's Tablescape Thursday sponsored by Susan at BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH!



This is an update of my Table from HERE.

I am still using the gold tablecloth and paper runner with the Chinese Lantern plants, but I have changed to my Alligator skin chargers and put pumpkin salad plates on top of the Spode Woodland Turkey dinner plates. The pumpkin plates were $ 1.50 each from Dollar General.











The new green bubble goblets were on clearance from Target. I have added pumpkin place holders and autumn leaf placecards and mini goodie bags (all from Target).



And my favorite new touch is the turkey flatware holders from Cracker Barrel.





Thanks for stopping by and be sure and check out all the wonderful tables at BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH!