Roasted Beet and Peach Salad

My son Tyler came out for dinner on Sunday. He had given me an assortment of flavored balsamic vinegars and olive oils from Old Town Oils in Chicago. Having fresh beets, peaches and blackberries from the Lake Bluff Farmers Market, we decided to create a salad using all the ingredients. We measured a cup of the peach balsamic vinegar and poured it into a saucepan and brought it to a simmer. Watching it closely, we reduced the vinegar by a third and it turned into a delightful sweet and tart sauce by whisking in about a half cup of orange flavored olive oil. Over a bed of artisan lettuces from Costco, we tossed sliced roasted beets ( see our post on July 29th for an easy way to do this), peach slices, blackberries and bits of a delicious mild soft blue cheese. Then we drizzled the peach balsamic reduction over the beets and fruit and garnished with nasturtiums and violas from our herb garden. It was delicious! Be sure to visit http://www.designsbygollum.blogspot.com/ for other delicious recipes.

Summer Dinner on the Porch

It's a glorious afternoon, maybe even a little bit nippy. You can feel fall in the air today. But to enjoy the final month of summer, we are having supper on the porch. Over a white ruffled cloth from Romancing the Homel, yellow vintage service plates are topped with majolica bird plates. Green depression glass adds a distinctive border to the majolica plate The bunch of zinnias picks up the colors from the plates. Antique green and turquoise painted glasses are holding tea lights and add an ethereal color to the evening. My mother in laws clear pressed glass goblets will be perfect for lemonade. Silk turquoise napkins are tied with a faux leaf banding and a sprig of parsley is tucked inside. Ceramic green pottery birds add a whimsical touch to the tablescape. The bright colors really make a happy table! Be sure to visit http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ for other inspiring tablescapes.

Christmas Begins in August

Yes, I know it's early-but I have to start making the unique items that makes Christmas at Romancing the Home so special. So yesterday, I composed some "champagne cocktails" of vintage ornaments and these sparkly rhinestone balls. Torn apart metal scouring pads are the filler in the cups. I think these will be great tied in a Christmas tree or garland in someones dining room. We will also be adding rhinestones to vintage flatware to compliment these silver goblet ornaments. Next, purchased Santas were enhanced with crowns, rhinestone buckles, and magic wands! They will be cute riding our silver reindeer. I have been gathering sets of silver goblets, gold rimmed plates, and gold serving platters to add to this festive theme for the holidays. I love these gold platters and silver goblets that were found this weekend at our local flea market. The "champagne cocktails" look wonderful on them. The decadent old candelabra is part of a collection of vintage candlesticks that we are collecting for the holiday season. I am saving all these things for our Christmas Open House in November. Stay tuned for more on that subject!!

Lake Bluff Farmers Market inspires the Menu

Farmer's Markets are plentiful in the Midwest during the summer months. My town, Lake Bluff, has a great one. Local growers bring a huge selection of fresh vegetables and flowers. Honey, fresh baked goods, dips, olive oil, olives, hummus, granola and the best cheeses are all available to purchase. I always determine my weekend menus on what inspires me at the market. Beets are a favorite of my family and the orange beets are the largest I have ever seen. Fresh crookneck squash will be fried with bacon and onions, while the gorgeous large blackberries will make a yummy cobbler. Cheeses with mustard seeds and nettle are available this week. Nettle cheese is a seasonal treat, made with stinging nettles. When the nettles are cooked, the stinging sensation is removed from the herb and it is delicious in cheese. The soft mild blue cheese will be awesome on the center cut beef filets from the local meat market, The Daily Grind. Scones of blackberries and peaches will be delicious served with the fresh peaches from Michigan for breakfast on Sunday. And I couldn't resist the little bouquets of the vivid colors of zinnias- so pretty on my summer porch. S'more brownies and miniature pecan pies are treats to share and look so pretty under the French Pastry server ( they just arrived at Romancing the Home!).

Berry Cobbler Recipe - The simplest ever! Melt 3/4 stick of butter in a 9 inch square pan. Mix together 2/3 cup each of milk, flour and sugar. Whisk in 1 1/2 t. baking powder. Pour into pan of melted butter. Add 2. cups of berries to the top of the batter. Sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake for 25 minutes in a 425 degree oven. Delish. This recipe is from Horsepasture Christian Church cookbook from the year 1977. This church is located in Southwest Virginia and is the home to many good cooks, including my aunts!

Dinner Party Tablescape in Purple and Orange

Love this shade of orange ribbon!

What a beautiful centerpiece - made by Mariterese from flowers from the Farmer's market!

Little tussie mussies of fresh herbs and scented geraniums adorn each napkin.

Vintage crystal and Arte Italica- very pretty glasses to enjoy the wine!


Mariterese's courtyard reminds me of being in New Orleans- very, very lush.

The weather in Chicago is absolutely perfect for an evening of alfresco dining! A dinner of Apricot Chicken, grilled asparagus and pasta salad- yum! The purple chargers from Romancing the Home are the perfect compliment to the vintage yellow and gold dinnerware. The gold and cream tiger motif napkins are the unexpected "pop" on the table. I hope the lucky guests enjoy the evening- Bon Appetit! Be sure to visit www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com for other inspiring tables.

Paris Bistro Inspiration

New velvet pumpkins just arriving for fall- love the new turquoise.

A customer favorite- the basil and lemon olive oils.

New French wicker wine bottles, olive oil jars and cutting boards.
Love the new Rolling Cart with the cutting board.

Notices the old lithography stone --great for serving a cheese board.

Another shot of the lithography stone- dates to the mid 1800's.

We love this new style of plateau. On top are our new candles from New Orleans. My favorite is the Crepe Myrtle scent.

Every time I return from a major buying trip, I am inspired to re-merchandise the store. Since casual entertaining is an American way of life, we decided to expand our casual dining and kitchen accessory area. Because we love the French style of design, our overall theme is Paris Bistro. Anchoring this bistro is a beautiful kitchen with grey distressed knotty alder cabinets and zinc counter tops. A mirror, aged and distressed with a French bakery theme, is in the center of the kitchen. As new merchandise arrives, we are expanding the space to include the large cabinets across the aisle. We are expecting a new shipment this week from Napa Valley that includes some wonderful pastry domes, menu cards, and iron candelabras. As they come in, I'll share pictures with you. We also found some great new foodie treats at market that I can't wait to show you! Stay tuned!