Tomato and Bacon Bites

These are one perfect little bite- slow roasted tomatoes wrapped in bacon and sprinkled with a mixture of brown sugar, pepper and sea salt. I made these little goodies several times last week for my grandson Logan. Using the sweet cherry tomatoes ( I like the ones that are called "cherubs") wrap them with 1/4 slice of bacon and put them on a skewer. Place brown sugar in a small bowl and add sea salt and cracked pepper to taste. Sprinkle it on the bacon and tomato skewers. I placed them under a low setting on my broiler, but roasting them in a 350 degree oven would work too! Slow cook them for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp and the tomatoes are soft and plump. They are the perfect accompaniment to scrambled eggs or quiche for an easy winter dinner!

Pink and Chartreuse Table to Cheer Up Dreary Days

There is nothing like a little color to cheer up a gray rainy day. Chartreuse crystal stemware, green voile napkins and brightly colored bird napkin rings bring the hope of early spring to our store windows. Pairing them with our pansy salad plates and tree of life chargers, they look ready for a party. A gorgeous beaded chartreuse topper is placed over a pink taffeta tablecloth. We also mixed in antique floral mirrors to reflect the light and add a little sparkle. Pulling all of our silk hydrangeas into the huge black urn made a grand floral impact to the setting. All of this "taste of spring" merchandise is available at Romancing the Home.

Starting the New Year

The week after Christmas is spent cleaning up the store and condensing Christmas merchandise as it sells down. It is always challenging to create new displays until the spring merchandise arrives. So this year we have brought in some new antiques to spice up the store for January. Using a theme of figural elements, we combined old busts, black and white books, grey and white pillows of women, and the fabulous oversized chair. I love the little vintage compote with the bust and the touch of emerald green. Oversized grey, black and white napkins sit on the tray by the lady statue. Mercury glass votives embellished with gold crowns are a great gift and add a bit of sparkle to the display.

As the new year begins, we look forward to all that it will bring. We are excited for Angela at http://www.parisiennefarmgirl.com/ as she begins her exciting new venture with her online magazine. I am anxiously awaiting the first issue. Hop over to her site and order your online subscription now!

New Year's Eve Tradition

Momma always told us that we had to have our Christmas tree down by New Year's Day, so that we would have good luck during the coming year. So yesterday I began to take the ornaments off of our tree in the living room. As I am removing each of these beautiful ornaments, I am remembering my mom and all of the wonderful traditions that she instilled in me. Now they are part of my children and grandchildren's traditions. As each of the ornaments is removed, I take one more good look at them and gently pack them away for next year. I wonder what the new year will bring. I am looking forward to wonderful times in 2012. Happy New Year everyone from our family to yours.

Concrete and Crystal for Christmas!

This is one of my favorite Christmas displays - the concrete old garden cherub fountain contrasted with the vintage crystal collection and old rhinestone pins. The crystal is a collection of vintage gold trimmed glasses, never an entire set, just what I happen to find and like. The gold leaf designs unify the collection. I use old rhinestone pins as Christmas decor. They look great sitting on little silver toothpick urns. A rhinestone crown sits on top of the head of the cherub adding a little holiday sparkle.

Christmas Ice Cream Cake

For birthdays, we have a favorite ice cream cake made with Sara Lee Pound Cake, coffee ice cream, hot fudge and Heath Bar bits. So for Christmas, I decided to change it up a bit and make the cake with peppermint ice cream, dark and white chocolate ice cream, Milano Mint Cookies, and candy canes. My children were skeptical, as they love the original, but after tasting it, agreed it was a great combination for Christmas. The original recipe is in our cookbook,"Romancing the Home Entertains". It's a frozen treat, made with layers of sliced pound cake, ice cream, Heath Bar bits, and hot fudge, made and assembled in a springform pan. For this version, I crushed 2 candy canes for the topping, Pepperidge Farm Milano Mint cookies, and layered them with a dark chocolate and white chocolate ice cream, peppermint ice cream, hot fudge, thinly sliced Sara Lee Pound Cake (frozen section of grocery store), hot fudge topping and chopped salty peanuts. Looks a little messy but it was Deelish!

Christmas Day Table

Christmas Brunch is the most traditional meal of our family's year. Traditional foods of daddy's fried oysters, Marshall Fields thin roll pancakes, and other family favorites continue to be served every year. Setting the table with a series of John Grossman salad plates, given to my by my old staff at Marshall Fields, brings a sense of nostalgia to the table. Mis-matched gold rimmed dinner plates are set on top of large Anna Weatherley chargers. The crystal is Bayel and was a beautiful pattern that was discontinued in the 1970's. Lot's of candle light, even though its morning , adds to the magic of the festive meal. Merry Christmas to all from our home to yours! Join us at Tablescape Thursdays to view more festive holiday tables at www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com.