special date valentine skewer

January 23, 2015

What better way to commemorate a date with significance than to just spell it out…with food! I guess my ‘playing with food’ theme from earlier this week is still going strong! Once I get started with something, it is hard to stop! So, for Friday field trip today, come into my kitchen where I will share an easy and fun idea for Valentine’s Day…or, any day!

I am using fruit (any melon works great) on a skewer for a Valentine meal to evoke memories of a special day. Mini cookie cutters are perfect to cut numbers from fruit! Do you have a date with special significance? Maybe a first meeting? Or, the date you were engaged? Maybe it is a future date – like the due date of your first baby (a great reveal!) or the closing on your first house. Whatever the significance may be, putting it right out there on the plate is a fun way to include past or future memories to your Valentine’s Day table.

Can’t think of any date appropriate to serve up? That is okay…just make x’s and o’s…or, hearts. :) Or, at a family meal, spell out the names of your children (just monitor the sticks!)

The fruit can be served as an appetizer or as a dessert…served with a spiced yogurt dipping sauce, melted chocolate – fondue style, or alongside a scoop of sorbet (you guessed it – I am thinking of my favorite, coconut lemongrass!).

I prefer a simple skewer, but if you want to get fancy, you can simulate an arrow with a few strategically placed pieces of pink paper!

Have you thought of a day you would like to use? Have fun with it!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend, Jackie

Sharing at Nancherrow, Crafts a la Mode, Craftberry Bush, The Shabby Nest and French Country Cottage.

3 comments

homage to squirrels on their day

January 20, 2015

I often wonder why I even like squirrels – they are just rodents, after all. And, in my yard, the pesky things are forever digging up all the bulbs I plant in my garden!

But, admittedly, I do like them…I have fed them nuts by hand from my backdoor, I have been in awe of a white one that hangs out in my yard and, I even have a squirrel feeder in a backyard tree!

Well, tomorrow is National Squirrel Appreciation Day. And, even though I don’t know exactly what it is I appreciate about squirrels, I am paying homage to them on their special day!

In the past, I have used a squirrel cookie cutter to make cookies, pancakes, and toast embellished with a squirrel shape – what I am saying is that my homage is pretty much playing with food! And this year is no different since I have created a squirrel pound cake!

You may have tried this technique before – using a shape baked into a pound cake. If not, it is not too hard to do, but two pound cakes need to be baked. First, I made a pound cake, adding cocoa to get a dark color. (You could use food coloring if you wanted to do a different motif….say green for a Christmas tree shape, for example.) Anyway, after the pound cake was done, I cut out a bunch of shapes – in this case – squirrels. I lined up the squirrels – one after the other – down the middle of a loaf pan – until they stood from one end of the loaf pan to the other, flat against each other. Then, I made a second pound cake and spooned the batter all around and on top of the squirrels standing in the pan. After the second cake is baked and cut – Voila! Squirrels!

If you have never tried to make a pound cake with a shape baked into it, it is a fun way to add a motif to a theme party.

Because the squirrel part of the cake is actually cooked twice, I thought that part of the cake may turn out a little dry…so here is the sauce I came up with to spoon over the cake. (Of course, it had to be a nut sauce!)

Walnut Sauce
1 cup maple syrup
2 Tablespoons honey
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of salt
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, chopped into small pieces
¾ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Lightly toast walnuts (optional) and set walnuts and vanilla aside. Combine remainder of ingredients in a saucepan and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat. Serve warm…when ready to use, stir in walnuts and vanilla before serving with the pound cake.

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

P.S. If you are a squirrel lover, be sure to check out all the cute photos of squirrels in the squirrel photo album on my Facebook page.

Sharing with Elizabeth & Co, Coastal Charm, Cookin’ and Craftin’ and Sand & Sisal.

4 comments

earl grey – lavender hot chocolate

January 13, 2015

Do you have a favorite hot beverage for a cold winter morning? Hot cocoa? Mulled cider? How does Earl Grey-Lavender Hot Chocolate sound? Granted, it is not for the faint of heart…a decadent, chocolaty drink with a wonderfully fragrant lavender and Earl Grey flavor combination.

When I saw a recipe for Earl Grey-Lavender Hot Chocolate in last month’s giveaway book, I knew I needed to give it a try. (Click here for more on Winter Cocktails by Maria Del Mar Sacasa.) I love using the flavor of Earl Grey in desserts and I love the flavor pairing of lavender and hot chocolate.

How do I know this? Because I adore the hot chocolate with lavender foam served at Chocopologie in Norwalk, Connecticut! So, if you like these flavors as much as I do, you need to give this recipe a try! I’m calling it my ‘snow day hot chocolate!’ (Remember the Earl Grey cream puffs? Or, the Earl Grey creme brulee? Click on name to see!)

Yes, it is a little more work than a traditional hot cocoa to make, but creating something wonderful in the kitchen is what snow days are all about, right? This is a wonderfully hot, chocolaty treat to enjoy slowly on one of those days when you are housebound and enjoying the slow pace of a snow day!

Earl Grey-Lavender Hot Chocolate – Serves 4
½ cup dried edible lavender flowers
½ cup loose Earl Grey tea
4 cups whole milk
4 Tab unsalted butter
½ cup natural cocoa powder
3 Tab packed dark brown sugar
6 oz. finely chopped bittersweet chocolate
Pinch salt
1 Tab vanilla extract

Bring lavender, tea and milk to a simmer in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let steep 15 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and discard solids. Wipe out saucepan.

In the same pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and brown sugar and whisk together until a paste forms. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in chocolate and salt and cook, stirring, until chocolate is completely melted.

Notes: If you haven’t used lavender in cooking before, be sure to use culinary-grade lavender. I found containing the Earl Grey and lavender in a spice bag created a smoother drink texture and eliminated the need for a sieve. Don’t plan on accompanying this drink with a pastry or biscuit – it is a dessert all on its own!

Hope you enjoy this cold weather treat! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Remember to find pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing with French Country Cottage, Kim Klassen Friday Finds, Sand & Sisal, Elizabeth & Co., and Coastal Charm.

11 comments

chocolate granola recipe

January 6, 2015

This past holiday, my woodland theme warranted some loosely defined forest food – like ‘nuts and berries’ as appetizers…glazed nuts in both sweet and savory glazes included. But, in addition, every year I make some holiday takeaways – homemade treats wrapped in individual servings to give as gifts or to use as delicious, edible favors.

The rosemary shortbread trees I make every year were perfect for my theme this year, but I also added some dried fruit roll-ups and some granola. What outdoor theme would be complete without granola?

The chocolate granola I chose to make this year came from one of my favorite cookbooks – a la Mast – and it certainly gives granola a whole new meaning! (Click here for more on the cookbook.)

This granola is the perfect treat to package in small servings….I used cellophane bags, baker’s twine, and personalized labels (yes, I did make home made two words intentionally lol…I thought it gave it more emphasis to the fact that it was, indeed, made at home.) I love this granola as a topping on plain yogurt, but it is also great to add some crunch to a pancake – maybe chocolate chip!

I made chocolate granola for the holidays, but it may be the perfect thing to make for a Valentine’s Day brunch (I will use it to make yogurt parfaits – layering yogurt, fruit, and chocolate granola in a pretty stemmed glass.) or to slip into a Valentine’s Day school lunch bag…also makes a nice bite to take on the ski slopes or on a winter hike.

This Chocolate Granola Recipe makes 5 cups. Enjoy!

Chocolate Granola Recipe (makes 5 cups)
1 cup almonds, roughly chopped
1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1 cup rolled oats
½ cup honey
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
½ cup cacao nibs
½ cup dried cranberries
5 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine almonds, pecans, and rolled oats with honey and brown sugar. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Let cool. Melt butter with cocoa in a saucepan. Mix together cacao nibs, cranberries, and the roasted mixture. Stir in the melted butter mixture. Mix in the chopped dark chocolate.

Notes: The cocoa nibs may be hard to find unless you live near the Mast store in Brooklyn, but you can probably find some at your local Whole Foods or gourmet food store. The labels I used for my holiday packaging came from Tiny Prints (click here for the website) and can easily be modified for Valentine’s Day or any other occasion by utilizing one of the many designs available…or make your own!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Remember to find pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at The Shabby Nest, French Country Cottage.

no comments

january book giveaway!

December 30, 2014

Hard to believe – not only is it the end of the month, but also the end of the year! Where has the time gone?!

I am pleased to announce that Manda from Oklahoma is the winner of the December giveaway book Winter Cocktails by Maria Del Mar Sacasa! Congrats Manda! I know you will enjoy the book! The two calendars are going to Ashley from Texas and Mary from Chicago.

For the first giveaway book selection for 2015, I have chosen The Kinfolk Table: Recipes for Small Gatherings by Nathan Williams. This book is definitely a winner! The recipes in this book are a collection of recipes from home cooks from around the world where the author has taken us into the home of each of the contributors. “Here you will find recipes not just for one-pot stews and refreshing salads, but for evenings spent with friends when the hours pass effortlessly, conversation flows naturally, cooking us participatory, and the meal ends with a satisfying sense of accomplishment.”

The book is a great way to set the tone for the start of a new year that includes many wonderful friends and many wonderful meals – demonstrating the joy in casual entertaining. As much a coffee table book as a recipe book, this selection is sure to please! (So much so, I am willing to send all 344 pages of this large, heavy book to the winner via mail!)

Leave a comment here or on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter to be entered to win this great book selection that will help you discover the simple pleasures of a shared meal. Good luck!

For those on Instagram, this month’s challenge is Winter Whites! Whether it be your skinny white cords paired with a white angora sweater or the piles of snow outside your back door, white in winter is special…a visual treat! For the month of January, let’s share photos of winter whites, using hashtag #pleasuregram. I can’t wait to see your photos!!

Thanks so much for stopping by! I am excited to start a new year sharing pleasure in simple things with you! Happy 2015! xo Jackie

8 comments

personalizing homemade party crackers

December 26, 2014

Party crackers are nothing new. But, last year when a family member used them as wedding favors, I started giving them a little more thought. Why not make my own personalized version of a party cracker? So, I had been thinking about them for a while…I even saved all my empty toilet paper rolls (for over a year!) to use in creating some of my own.

For my research, I spoke to my friend from London. Julie filled me in on proper party cracker etiquette. The three required items that must be contained in the cracker – per tradition – are: a toy, a paper crown, and a joke. I planned on following tradition, but for my version, I decided to substitute a treat for the toy.

I had the design aspect in my head and I was pretty sure I could come up with a good looking cracker as well as the right combination of contents…but, what about the noise the cracker makes when it is opened?! That was the part I wasn’t sure about! After looking around online, I found the ‘crack’ was actually a thin strip of paper that contained a little bit of gun powder called a cracker snap. I purchased the cracker snaps from Olde English Crackers and found a video they posted on the assembly steps to create the crackers. Click here for the instructions. (Note: I did not use the rollers shown on the video and had no trouble making the party crackers without them. I did find it was very useful to make a center line with a pencil on both the toilet paper roll and the wrong side of the decorative paper to use as guides. )

Since my first set of party crackers were being created for New Year’s Eve, I decided the outside of the crackers would be black (with an added hint of green for an accent color) to coordinate with a set of black dishes I planned to use for New Year’s Eve dinner. If you decide to make some crackers, think about what color(s)/pattern(s) would look best on your dinner table!

I bought sheets of decorative paper at Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store (on sale) for just pennies a sheet. I chose coordinating black patterns with stripes, stars, and script writing. I personalized some circle gift tag stickers with ‘2015!’ from Tiny Prints (click here for website) in my black and green color theme and I used a green sparkle ribbon to tie the ends of the crackers.

For the inside contents of the crackers, I decided on a neutral color scheme. I printed jokes on my home computer that I found online – adding a little embellishment with a gold marker. I crafted the paper crowns from a pretty taupe and white patterned tissue paper. And, for the treat, I made up little bags of champagne flavored candy that I found at Williams-Sonoma…so elegant and so appropriate! A little handful of homemade confetti added a little extra touch of gold to the contents!

Party crackers are so much fun to create – personalizing them is the best part! The only limitation is keeping your contents within the confines of the inside space of an empty toilet paper roll!

I hope I have inspired you to try your hand at creating some party crackers on today’s Friday field trip! I already have some in mind for my 4th of July party this summer! If you need help with some ideas or have questions, send me an email and I’d be happy to help!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing with The Shabby Nest and Elizabeth & Co.

no comments

snowballs for dessert

December 23, 2014

Do you need a quick and easy, stress free, last minute holiday dessert? Small individual desserts at a meal are especially perfect at the holidays. Since there is so much snacking and treat eating between meals, a small refreshing sweet is ideal. Do you want to know what I think fits the bill perfectly? Snowballs!

Some of the best desserts are the simplest. And. at the holidays, snowballs are perfect! Just 2 easy ingredients – vanilla ice cream and coconut – create a delicious snowball for dessert. This dessert looks so seasonal on a holiday table, and it is sure to be a hit with kids of all ages! There is no better way to bring back memories of creating snowmen or participating in long ago snowball battles!

I love ice cream snowballs. They are such a festive winter dessert. Just make a round of a good quality vanilla bean ice cream and roll it in coconut – voila! A snowball!

For an easy upgrade, a pool of chocolate or raspberry sauce can easily be added to the bottom of the bowl. Or, for those over 21, add a favorite liquor – peppermint or peach are great choices. Myself – I prefer just a garnish of sugared cranberries or raspberries and some mint.

I use red mini latte bowls from Anthropologie to serve – the perfect size for a single snowball! (The dishtowel is also from Anthro.)

If you have little children, you may want to consider stacking the snowballs to make a snowman or serving a ‘snow fort’ on a platter, to be portioned out at the table! Enjoy!

Wishing you and those you love a very blessed holiday. Thank you so very much for sharing pleasure in simple things with me!

See you after the holiday, Jackie xoxo

Sharing with House of Hipsters, The Shabby Nest, Elizabeth & Co., and Sand & Sisal.

6 comments

forest in a jar centerpiece

December 19, 2014

Originally, holiday 2014 in my house was intended to have a sea glass theme using aqua as an accent color. But, as you know if you read my blog, I was so wrapped up in last year’s outdoor theme that I had to continue it for one more year…I just had too many ideas left to use! The sea glass theme is being pushed out to 2015…can’t wait!

You may also know, one of my fascinations this year has been with jars, bottles, (even salt shakers) …any type of glass container. I just can’t seem to get enough! Putting some favorite items in a jar can really elevate them to the status they deserve and it puts a smile on your face in the process!

Case in point – my favorite trees from Terrain this year. The trees are just so beautiful, I wanted to highlight them in some way. I decided to make a very simple forest in a jar! Rather than use the typical snow for the bottom of the jar, I used white beans. I love the simplicity of the design!

The jar? I bought it at Target. In fact, I bought quite a few. They come in 3 sizes and are very reasonably priced – ranging in price from $3.99 to $14.99.

Then, I got so stuck on the forest in a jar idea, I made one out of cookies also! On this one I used sugar ‘snow.’ I made gingerbread cookies and let them sit around for a while so they got really rigid before I used them – better for standing! The cookies can easily be decorated to match your decor!

Happy planting! What will you use to make your forest in a jar?

Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed Friday field trip’s quick and easy way to create a holiday centerpiece! Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at House of Hipsters, The Shabby Nest, Crafts a la Mode, and Craftberry Bush.

2 comments

december book giveaway!

December 2, 2014

December is upon us! Today I am announcing Tracy in Connecticut as the winner of the November giveaway book, Mast Brothers Chocolate. Congrats Tracy! The recipes in this book are super for creating holiday gifts of chocolate! Next Friday I will be sharing the chocolate granola recipe, so be sure to stop back to see how cute it can be wrapped for giving!

The December giveaway selection is a great seasonal choice – Winter Cocktails by Maria Del Mar Sacasa. Leave a comment to be entered to win this great selection and make some wonderful drinks (both with and without alcohol) – from mulled cider and hot toddies to lavender hot cocoa!

Recently, when I was in Anthropologie, I saw these cute 2015 calendar pages that seemed to fit in with this month’s giveaway perfectly! So, I decided to pick up two and I will be giving away the calendars also! Three chances to win this month! Good luck!

Thanks so much for stopping by! As December continues, I am excited to share inspiring ideas for the holiday season! Please join me all month for creative ways to celebrate the season!

For those of you on Instagram, this month’s challenge is to share tree ornaments! Let’s use hashtag #pleasuregram to share some of the wonderful variety of ornaments you may find. I can’t wait to see your favorites!

Remember – especially during this holiday season – to find pleasure in simple things, Jackie

4 comments

rooms with a view in ct

November 21, 2014

Today we are taking a peek at a weekend in design featuring an Opening Night Gala; vignettes of interior design; a marketplace; a holiday fashion show and luncheon; and dinner with event chairman, Thom Filicia. (You know I love Thom…click here for our first meeting!)

Now in its 20th year, Rooms With a View has helped Southport Congregational Church help others by raising well over a million dollars for charitable causes.

The room vignettes are always inspiring…

My favorite room this year was designed by Forehand + Lake – a bright and styling cabin…

Every year I find different takeaways from the event. A couple of the lighting choices were really interesting this year…How cool is the lighting in this “Starry Night” themed room designed by NYSID students and alumni?

And, I found this light fixture, used by Jenny Wolf Interiors, as a unique choice…

Rooms With a View provides a great opportunity to get a jump on holiday shopping by offering a marketplace of vendors. You can see these items fit right in with my holiday theme!

Much like Susan Leggitt’s artwork inspired by the Maine Coast, I found these hand painted stars really awesome!

The meal and fashion show is always the most fun for me. The clothes from Millie Rae’s in Westport were my favorites and it is great the way the event people mix some thrift store finds in with the new fashions from local stores. This year, I loved that Borrowed (a rental company that specializes in bringing unique, mismatched, and whimsical touches to an event) provided an eclectic mix of plates to the luncheon service.

The meal provided by Festivities was delicious…

But, for me, the plates stole the show! How many more plate photos can I add? I just loved them!

The other wonderful design touch to the tables were the wallpaper runners provided by Farrow & Ball (no, those wallpaper scraps aren’t just for book covers)…

Rooms With a View is a great way for friends in Fairfield County, Connecticut to get together and be inspired. I hope some of the photos of the event on today’s Friday field trip have inspired you!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend, Jackie

Sharing with Liz Marie Blog, Crafts a la Mode, and Shabby Nest.

4 comments

« Previous Entries Next Entries »

pleasure in simple things

search

categories

recent posts

archives

my friends & favs

special date valentine skewer

homage to squirrels on their day

earl grey – lavender hot chocolate

chocolate granola recipe

january book giveaway!

personalizing homemade party crackers

snowballs for dessert

forest in a jar centerpiece

december book giveaway!

rooms with a view in ct