Category: entertaining

I’ll Have Seconds! Summer Succotash Salad

Sufferin’ summer succotash salad!  If you like baby Lima beans, fresh corn, tomatoes, red onion, the Cajun trinity better known as onions, bell pepper and celery, mayonnaise, garlic, fresh parsley, salt and pepper have I got a cold salad recipe for you!  Summer Succotash Salad is fantastic.  I prepared it for our 4th of July celebration last year, and the flavors lit up our culinary celebration like the 4th of July!   With that tasty memory in mind on this first weekend of summer guess what was on the Places In The Home dinner menu?   This salad brings its flavor A game to the table with chilled fresh ingredients and a marriage of flavors that complement the tastes of the summer season.

succotash salad

Succotash Summer Salad

Ingredients

1 12 ounce bag frozen baby Lima beans

6 ears fresh corn, husked

1 ½ cup grape tomatoes, halved

1 large red tomato, chopped

1 red onion, peeled and chopped

3 green onions, chopped

1 medium bell pepper, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

½-1 teaspoon fine black pepper

½ teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Cook baby Lima beans according to package directions; drain and cool.

frozen lima beans

Boil fresh corn until tender.

fresh corn

After allowing corn to cool, cut kernels from the cobs.

boiled fresh corn

Chop the Cajun trinity also known as green onions, bell pepper, and celery to desired thickness.

chopped green onions

chopped bell pepper

chopped celery

Chop the red onion, red tomato and fresh parsley to desired thickness. Halve grape tomatoes.  Place all in large mixing bowl.

corn tomatoes peppers

Add salt, pepper, garlic powder and mayonnaise.  Stir all ingredients together to coat.

Duke's mayonnaise

Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

enjoy

Ready, Prepped, Go! Getting Ready For Outdoor Entertaining Tips

It’s that time of year again to get the summer party started with outdoor entertaining tips.

Outdoor areas dressed out for backyard grilling and chilling take center stage this time of year.

Are you ready for spending quality time in the backyard on the patio, porch, courtyard, or deck entertaining and enjoying the summer?

I know I am!

vintage backyard bbq

Here’s a few outdoor entertaining tips for getting the summer essentials prepped and ready to go.

summer entertaining tips

Butcher Blocks and Cutting Boards

To deter bacteria from finding a home in the cracks and on the cutting surface, wash the block or board with mild dishwashing detergent and warm water.

Allow the butcher block or cutting board to completely dry.

Cover the butcher block or cutting board with a thin layer of coarse salt to draw residual moisture out of the cracks.

Wipe of excess coarse salt and use a clean cloth to apply mineral oil, rubbing with the grain.

Let dry overnight.

grain prep board

Searching for an easy and inexpensive grill degreaser?

Try baking soda and a steel wool pad.

Apply elbow grease and voilà!

Keeping Outdoor Cushions Neat and Clean 

Keep the comfort and color, lose the mold, mildew, and dirt with a solution of 2 teaspoons borax, 2 teaspoons dishwashing liquid, and 2 quarts warm water.

Mix and pour solution in spray bottle.

Liberally spray each cushion down with solution and allow to sit for 15 – 20 minutes.

Hose off cushions with water hose and hang from clothes line or stand up to dry.

outdoor chair cushion

 

Flavored Ice Cubes 

The heat and humidity will melt those ice cubes soon enough, but with flavored ice cubes watered down beverages retain their deliciousness.

This is so simple- fill ice trays 3/4 full with the beverage of choice and freeze.

Take the taste to the next level by adding fresh mint to iced tea or punch cubes, rosemary sprigs to lemonade,  pearl onion or halved seasoned green bean to Clamato for bloody marys, or a blend of cream, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and strong coffee for iced coffees.

fresh mint ice cubes

Grab the blender (or food processor) and purée watermelon slices or fresh strawberries for a summer kick over watermelon or strawberry flavored ice cubes.

Redbook

Weeds No More 

Weeds between patio pavers, bricks, and deck boards are unsightly summer sights.

Let the sun shine in and down on weeds that have been sprayed with a solution of 1 gallon white vinegar, ½ cup of dishwashing liquid, and 2 Tablespoons salt.

Fill a spray bottle with the mixture, set to stream, and spray the mixture on the weeds.

This works best on a warm and sunny day.

The heat from the sun aids in the process.

Mosquitoes and the West Nile Virus They Carry

Talk about buzz kill!

Keeping these pesky uninvited guests away is outdoor priority number one.

Citronella candles, tiki and table top torches, and decorative lanterns come in a wide assortment of styles, sizes and price points.

citronella candle

Is That a Bee in Your Bonnet?  

No, it’s a dryer sheet!

Strategically placed in an apron pocket, under table linens, or pinned to the corners of a tablecloth, dryer sheets help to keep bees at bay.

dryer sheets

Freshen Up With a Twist 

Enjoying the summer good life can get messy, sticky, sweaty, and smelly.

Hand sanitizer and wet wipes work well, but I also like to make individual “freshen up with a twist” packs.

Place two damp paper towels in a Ziploc bag – one with a drop of liquid soap (I love the fresh scent of Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Lemon Verbena Liquid Soap) on it for cleansing, and the other for rinsing.

Include a slice of lemon for an extra twist of fresh.

sliced-lemons

Lemon softens your skin and is a natural odor eliminator.

Place the packs in a gallon Ziploc bag, seal it tight, and place it in a lunch tote or outdoor fridge to keep them nice and cool.

hand wipes

Getting things ready for spending time outdoors entertaining and enjoying the best of summer goes with the backyard territory.

My friends, summer is making its presence known.

Get summer ready, get outdoor entertaining prepped, and go!

love your style

Welcome Holiday Guests Not Holiday Stress

Stress free holiday entertaining ideas put the merry in a holiday good time.

From the planned casual holiday soiree to the not so planned we saw your lights on holiday surprise drop-in, these stock items can cut the stress, welcome guests, ward off the holiday bah humflubug, and make things festive.

wreath on front doorTraditional Home

Let me share with you some of the staples I keep on hand and filed under tried-and-true stress free holiday entertaining ideas.

 

winter-holiday-scented-liquid-foaming-hand-soap

Mingle responsibly.

It’s not only the holidays, but the cold and flu season as well.

Lest we forget Covid-19.

Won’t we all be glad when we can!

alice-cut-glass-votive-cup-o

Votive candles instantly add that cozy and homey feel to the setting.

I don’t know if it’s the warmth they exude or the soft glow, but votive candles create a relaxing atmosphere.

Stock up on these home decor and entertaining staples.

homefortheholidayscoirchristmasdoormatoverheadshotsiloimage

Put out the welcome mat.

Head off mud, slush, and dirt at the door.

alton brown hot cocoa recipeThe Chive

Festive need not be expensive.

The package sells the product, and a festive presentation impresses the harshest holiday critic.

My darling maternal grandmother taught me through her gracious example.

She loved Lady Borden Vanilla ice cream- her signature dessert offering.

She lived alone, and with single serving sizes not yet on the market, the large container ice cream would often fall victim to  freezer burn.

What the ice cream lacked in taste was more than made up in serving presentation.

Halette+Pedestal+Cups+Cake+Stand

Reed and Barton® Francis I spoon

She always served two scoops of Lady Borden Vanilla in a glass sherbet dish accompanied by a sterling silver spoon.

 

hot-chocolate-bar

A simple  coffee or decorative holiday mug from the dollar store filled with hot cocoa and garnished with a peppermint stick and marshmallows or red hot apple cider garnished with a cinnamon stick is holiday comfort in a cup!

cocoa

I recommend preparing this recipe for homemade marshmallows while listening to the ever fitting Christmas classic “A Marshmallow World” performed by the ever cool Dean Martin.

Marshmallows (French Laundry)

Ingredients

3  envelopes of unflavored Knox gelatin

½  cup cold water

2 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cups corn syrup

¼  cup water

¼  teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Confectioners’ sugar for dredging

Directions

In the bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Soak for 10 minutes.

Combine sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil and boil hard for 1 minute.  Pour boiling syrup into gelatin and mix at high speed.  Add the salt and beat for 12 minutes.  Add vanilla and incorporate into mixture.  Scrape into a 9 x 9-inch pan lined with oiled plastic wrap and spread evenly.

(Note: Lightly oil hands and spatula or bowl scraper).

After pouring marshmallow mixture into the pan, take another piece of plastic wrap and press mixture into the pan.

Let mixture sit for a few hours.  Remove from pan, dredge the marshmallow slab with confectioners’ sugar and cut into 12 equal pieces with scissors (the best tool for the job) or a chef’s knife.  Dredge each piece of marshmallow in confectioners’ sugar.

Yield: 12 large marshmallows

fleece-throws

Baby, it’s cold outside.

I pick up inexpensive fleece throws when I find them on holiday special.

This little touch of  homey and cozy is a big hit with our guests as we celebrate the holiday moments of our lives.

raffia

gift-tag

Tie them up with raffia, attach a holiday gift tag, and place them in a basket.

seagrass-basket

The inexpensive fleece throws make a nice holiday “from our home to yours” parting gift.

White-Christmas

Hand them out to your guests to ward off the chill while watching a classic holiday movie or hanging out listening to holiday music.

Let’s not forget that a holiday playlist queued up and ready to shuffle is always a hit.

Holiday get-togethers as well as the unexpected drop in visit often turn out to be a stress free and fun time.

Stock up.

De-stress.

Enjoy!

Love your style!

Chilled Black-Eyed Pea Salad

The Places In The Home summer salad series continues with a chilled salad recipe perfect for summer.  This recipe for Chilled Black-Eyed Pea salad will not disappoint.

Chilled Black-Eyed Pea Salad

Ingredients

2 cups dry black-eyed peas

6 cups water

1 Tablespoon chicken bouillon seasoning

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon fine black pepper

1 medium bell pepper, chopped

1 celery rib, finely chopped

1 green onion, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

½ cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 ½  teaspoon sea salt

Directions

Wash black-eyed peas. Drain black-eyed peas and place in a deep pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil.

Drain off the water, add fresh water and return to burner.  Add powdered chicken bouillon flavor, garlic powder, and pepper.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium high and cover with slight vent.  Cook for 20 minutes, or until tender.  Drain off water and place peas in a large mixing bowl.  Allow to cool.

Chop bell pepper, celery, onion, green onions, tomatoes, and parsley.

In a small bowl, whisk  together mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice.  Season with sea salt and additional pepper to taste.

Pour into the vegetables and gently fold all ingredients together.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

I like a little salad with my pepper.

enjoy