Tartan Christmas

My dining room table is all ready for the Christmas season even if the rest of the house has some works still to be done! Here is my table decked out for a Tartan Christmas!

As usual I will be joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday. Make sure you stop by her blog to see all the wonderful tablescapes!

I started this table with a plaid tablecloth I bought on clearance last year. Next I added some square beaded chargers from Target. They are a warm silver. Next goes a gold beaded charger, then a plaid napkin from Bed, Bath & Beyond clearance last year and finally Original Christmas Tree plates by Cuthbertson.

 

I used Colonial Shell flatware by Reed & Barton and Kirk Stieff pewter goblets as well as wine hocks from Ross-Simons from years ago. I placed an ivory napkin in the pewter goblet, because I liked how it looked and who doesn't need more napkins?

For my centerpiece, I used a Santa cookie jar surrounded by a red beaded wreath and flanked by evergreen boughs with pine cones and small plaid bows.

So here is my Tartan Christmas table - I hope I was able to capture both warmth and elegance in this tablescape!

Fall Cakelets

Last week I shared with you my Nordic Cornucopia Pan from Williams Sonoma and this week and I am sharing my Fall Cakelet pan from the same source.



I will be linking this to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum. Be sure and check our all the wonderful links!


Here are two view of my Fall Cakelet Pan:
Concave


Convex


The designs are Pine Cone, Acorn, Pumpkin and Walnut.


I modified the recipe which came with the pan which called for maple sugar and a maple frosting;
I used brown sugar instead and canned whipped cream cheese frosting instead.


Fall Cakelets


1 3/4 c. All Purpose Flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp, salt
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. milk
12 Tbsp. unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. sugar
3 eggs


Have all ingredients at ROOM TEMPURATURE.


Position a rack in the lower third of your oven and Preheat to 350 degrees.


Prepare pan by coating all the nooks and crannies with Wilton's Cake Release. I used Baker's Joy once and it caused bubbles in the finished product. You can also grease and flour the pan.


Sift all the dry ingredients together.


Add the vanilla to the milk.


In a mixer with a paddle blade, cream the butter for a minute on medium speed, then add the sugars and cream for 5 minutes.


Add the eggs one at a time, making sure that each is integrated into the butter mixture before adding the next. Scrape down the bowl often.


Cut the mixer onto low speed and add 1/3 of the flour mixture slowly. Scrape down the bowl. When all the flour is incorporated, add 1/2 the milk slowly and beat until it is incorporated. Scrape down the bowl.


Add the next 1/3 of the flour mixture slowly and scrape when it is incorporated. Then add the other 1/2 of the milk and scrape when it is incorporated. Slowly add the last 1/3 of the flour mixture.


Scrape down the bowl and make sure all ingredients have been incorporated.


Spoon a scant 1 1/2 Tbsp. batter into each cakelet mold. I have a small scooper which is the perfect amount. Don't over-fill the molds. Tap the pan several times to release bubbles and level the batter.


Bake for 12 mins. until center is set on each cakelet.


Let cool on wire rack for 10-15 mins. Then place the wire rack on the top of the pan and invert.


Wash and re-prepare the pan. This is the worst part, but they are so cute it is worth it!
Repeat until all the batter is gone. Makes about 60 cakelets (2 1/2 pans).


Williams Sonoma suggests you trim off the little bit that peaks up before you frost them, but I didn't want to lose any of the cakelet so I just slapped the frosting on and let that "level" things out.


Also, you don't need to frost - the cakelets are good on their own.


If you don't want to buy the pan, you could bake them in a mini-muffin pan. The cakelets are very light and fluffy.


Here is a close-up of some of the finished cakelets.



And here is a whole platter:

Turkey Table!

This week's table is a bit of a presto-chango from last weeks November Blue Table. I kept the tablecloth, napkins, flatware, pewter goblets and added turkeys!



Of course I will be linking to Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday so be sure and check out all the great tables.

Thanksgiving wouldn't be complete without a table featuring Woodland by Spode with Turkeys.

Here is a close-up of the place setting:


I added a red wine hock glass at each place which shows better in the full table pictures.



And I changed out the pumpkin centerpiece to a big turkey.


This picture shows the mantle in the background



and my small buffet




Hope you all have a Great Thanksgiving!

My Cake Runneth Over

 For my Bridge Club dessert I decided to serve Rum Cake and fruit. I made my cake in a new toy, er, necessary cake pan that I just got. I decided to serve the cake and the fruit on the same platter and here it is:





My rum cake is the tried and true Bicardi Cake recipe:

1 box yellow Pudding in the mix cake mix (I can never find the non-pudding kind anymore)
3 eggs
1/2 c. water
1/3 c. oil
1/2 c. rum (I use light - the recipe calls for dark, so use what you like)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Prepare pan with butter and flour, Wilton's Cake Release or Baker's Joy spray
Mix ingredients until combined. Then beat on medium 2 minutes.
Pour into prepared pan and bake 50 mins to 1 hour until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool 15 mins in pan.

Prepare glaze:

1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. water
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. rum

Bring to boil and let boil for 5 mins.

Pour most of glaze over warm cake still in pan and let it absorb. Then turn cake out and pour the rest on the top of the cake.

Here is my new pan:



And here is a closer look at the cake:





I am linking to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum. Be sure and check out all the wonderful ideas on her site!

November Blue Tablescape

I loved this table from last year and wanted to share it with you again! As usual I will be linking to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. Thanks to her for hosting this blog party every week!

"November shadows, shade November change
  November spells sweet memory, the season blue remains"
The Avett Brothers "November Blue"


I was interested in doing a Thanksgiving table without using the usual Thanksgiving colors and china. I thought blue would make a pretty table especially with orange as a complementary color. I felt very original until one of my favorite Avett Brothers songs "November Blue" started playing. I think I was subliminally influenced by their music! So I decided to name the tablescape after their song.
 Here's the table:







I started with a warm white tablecloth and used copper colored chargers. I then used Spode Blue Italian Dinner and side plates. On top of the dinner plates I used pumpkin salad plates from Walmart (last year's clearance).




I used my Colonial Shell stainless and Pewter goblets finished off with orange napkins with a copper colored leaf napkin ring.








For my centerpiece I used a blue and white china compote topped with a ceramic orange pumpkin.








I added some orange berries and smaller pumpkins too and pumpkin place card holders in both orange and white.





So here is my November Blue tablescape!








Watching on the mantle are two pairs of Pilgrims.











And over to the side is my antique wicker tea cart with a cornucopia tea set and pumpkin mugs.





I hope you enjoyed my November Blue table and that it inspires you to try different colors for the holidays!

Step into My Parlor

Step into my parlor for a Pumpkin Tea Party!



I will be joining Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday. Be sure and see all the wonderful ideas on that site!

In the bay window of my parlor I have a tea table and it is decorated for the season!



My pumpkin teaset is from Cracker Barrell many years ago.



And the mugs and plates were from Dollar General last year.



Rounding out the decor are some glass pumpkins which catch the light from the bay window!



Across the room is my mantle, which I call the "Pumpkin Patch" this time of year!







And on the tea table in front of the sofa you could be served either tea or hot chocolate.



The turkey tea pot was from Cracker Barrel and the chocolate set was a gift from my aunt. It was passed down to her from her family.

We could play some Pumpkin Carols on the old organ for a musical tea party!



I hope you have enjoyed my parlor and make sure to visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch!