Southern Table

Southern Hotness!

by Christi on August 4, 2010

Yikes! As I write this it is 98 with a heat index of 105! That is actually not as hot as it was supposed to be today. Of course, the day is not over.

When it is this hot, turning on the oven is just not something I want to do. Actually, cooking with any kind of heat is to be avoided if you ask me. I really would prefer not to do laundry or start the dishwasher either. So, I guess, it is really just an excuse to be lazy! LOL!

Okay, so maybe we’ll order take-out but I can still serve it on pretty dishes, can’t I?

Mikasa plates My Mikasa Studio Nova Garden Bloom plates on a clear placemat that is rimmed in gold, with my gold flatware and, of course, a wine glass.

That is a nice place to serve some take-out!

Take-out at home I still have some pink flowers leftover from last week so I just dressed up the table a bit by adding them along.

Cool tablesetting One of the things I like about the placemats is that I don’t have to launder them! I can just wipe them down and they are ready to go again.

green placesetting A great way to beat the heat – don’t cook and eat inside!

Green, pink and purple placesetting.

What is your favorite way to beat the heat?

Today’s Lagniappe: Italian Spinach and Mushroom Salad
From Wishbone.

1 package (10 oz.) fresh spinach leaves, rinsed and patted dry
1 package (8 oz.) sliced mushrooms
1 can (19 oz.) chick peas or garbanzos, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup bacon bits
Seasoned croutons
1/2 cup Wish-Bone® Italian Dressing

1. Combine all ingredients except Dressing in large salad bowl. Drizzle with Wish-Bone® Italian Dressing; toss gently. Serve, if desired, with additional Dressing.

TIP: Make it a main dish salad…just Flash Marinate! Brush meat or poultry repeatedly during grilling or broiling with Wish-Bone® Italian Dressing for that marinated taste; then slice and add to salad.

Go check out some wonderful, inspirational table ideas at

with Between Naps on the Porch

Pink Saturday with Beverly at How Sweet the Sound

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Southern Fiesta Tasting

by Christi on June 16, 2010

Today, I am displaying some wonderful dishes that have been shared with me by wonderful people. JoAnn Butler (aka, Mommy Jo) sent me her wonderful individual sombrero dishes. They are all different and are all so much fun to use in a tablescape! Mommy Jo’s daughter, Donna Butler Douglas sent me the great and colorful appetizer plates that just happen to go very well with the sombrero dishes. I added these adorable little cocktail forks and some colorful flowers and came up with a very fun and very colorful result.

Thanks Mommie Jo and Donna for your contributions to today’s

with Between Naps on the Porch

So on with the fun! Don’t forget to come back and click on the logo above to see a great parade of tablescapes! Click on the first photo to start the show of choose to view with PicLens for an even larger version of the show (not as good quality)!

[Show as slideshow]

Today’s Lagniappe: Chicken Empanadas
This would be a perfect little bite to eat off of the little plates and you wouldn’t even need a fork! From Paula Deen.

3 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1 (8-ounce) package shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheese blend
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie crusts
Water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Lightly grease a baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine the chicken and next 7 ingredients. Unroll 1 piecrust onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 15-inch circle. Cut out rounds, using a 3-inch cookie cutter. Re-roll dough as needed. Repeat procedure with remaining piecrusts, making 12 to 15 circles total. Arrange 1 round on a clean, flat surface. Lightly brush the edges of crust with water. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of chicken mixture in the center of the round. Fold the dough over the filling, pressing the edges with a fork to seal. Repeat with the remaining rounds and chicken mixture. (Up to this point, the recipe can be made ahead and frozen for up to 1 month). Arrange empanadas on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.

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Southern Seashell Memories

by Christi on June 2, 2010

My heart is breaking when I see the destruction caused by the oil leak in the beautiful Gulf of Mexico. It makes me want to return to a better time, gathering seashells along the beach and using them in a tablescape. The shells used in this tablescape were gathered by my friend Darlene.

A lighthouse, seaglass and a few other gems from Darlene’s collection take center stage on this table.

It turns out, I don’t have a tablecloth in the shade of blue I would have liked to use, so, I used this green.

White plates with seashell pink napkins and Darlene’s collection of seashells at each plate.

How about this guy and his delicious load?

A seagull on the rocks, some fish netting and sea glass bouy near the light house.

The top of the lighthouse holds a tea light.

Even the bird feeder got in on the nautical act!

Love the little boat going by. It is actually a napkin holder.

This menu definitely calls for seafood!

Meet you at the dock!

Today’s Lagniappe (lagniappe – pronounced lan-yap=something extra) Crab Dip

1 lb. lump crabmeat
1 package of cream cheese
Approximately 8 Tbsp. seafood cocktail sauce
Crackers (nice ones that won’t crumble easily)

Put the cream cheese block on a serving dish, Let it soften for a few minutes, flatten a bit. Pour the crabmeat over the cream cheese. Pour the cocktail sauce over the crabmeat. Provide crackers and knives for people to scoop the crabmeat, cream cheese & sauce onto crackers.

Be sure to join all the fun with

with Between Naps on the Porch

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Southern Tablescape on the River

by Christi on May 12, 2010

Okay, technically, this is a “rock-scape” because we used the rocks as our table down by the White River. Check out past posts from this week to see the river house and some of the spectacular views. I may even throw in a few extras here. And, don’t forget, if you would like to have the river house as your very own, Visit my friend Ann at www.OzarkHomeTeam.com

Click on the first photo to start the show!

[Show as slideshow]

What a wonderful day on the river it was!

Today’s Lagniappe: Grilled Butterflied Trout with Lemon-Parsley Butter
From Bobby Flay, this recipe sounds like a divine way to enjoy some of that trout from the beautiful White River!

4 (1-pound) trout without head, scaled, gutted, and butterflied (skin on)

Olive oil or canola oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Lemon-Parsley Butter, recipe follows

Parsley sprigs, for garnish

Lemon wedges, for garnish

Heat grill to high. Brush trout on both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill, skin side down, until slightly charred and crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully turn each fish over and continue cooking until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Remove from the grill and top each 2 tablespoons of the Lemon-Parsley Butter. Garnish with parsley sprigs and lemon wedges and serve.

Lemon-Parsley Butter:

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using.

Hope you enjoyed your visit to A Southern Life today. Check out:

with Between Naps on the Porch

and enjoy the lovely tablesettings of some very talented bloggers!

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Southern Table in the Garden

by Christi on April 28, 2010

As I have been working today, I have noticed the pink flowers pouring over the fence in the back. It reminds me of when I put in my garden last year as these flowers were blooming. Alas, I am not putting in my regular garden this year. I am gardening in pots. Too much going on right now for the full blown deal.

Last year, as I was putting in the garden, I enjoyed resting near the pretty pink blooms. Here is that time revisited:

Working in the garden can really tire you out. I think I really need a nice place to take a break. This is my tablescape entry this week in Tablescape Thursday hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. Y’all stay tuned. There are robins building a nest on my porch and I’m taking pics of their progress that I’ll be posting.

A nice place to take a break.

A little lemonade.

A couple of cookies - gotta keep up my strenght!

A couple of cookies - gotta keep up my strength!

A couple of my favorite gardening books.

My garden gloves.

My garden trowel.

Some seeds.

A watering can with flowers.

Hey, there's a bunny in my watering can!

Everything I need . . .

for a nice break from gardening!

Hope you enjoyed this as much as I did! – Christi

Today’s Lagniappe: Garden Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
Something light and easy to enjoy.

Use your favorite salad greens and veggies and dress them with this lovely mustard vinaigrette. Easy!

* 1½ cups salad oil
* ½ cup white wine vinegar
* 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
* 1½ tsp Kosher salt
* ½ tsp ground white pepper (or freshly ground black pepper)

1. Combine the mustard and vinegar in a glass or stainless steel bowl and whisk them together briefly.

2. Place the mustard-vinegar mixture along with the oil and seasonings in a blender and mix for about 10 seconds or until fully combined.

3. Serve right away, as the oil and vinegar will begin to separate as soon as you stop mixing.

Makes 1 pint of dressing.

Don’t miss a lot of wonderful tables at:

with Between Naps on the Porch

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Southern Recap

by Christi on April 10, 2010

What a beautiful week this has been!

It has truly been a beautiful and wonderful week! Filled with sunshine and so many beautiful colors, including PINK!

Happy Pink Saturday!

Pink Saturday with Beverly at How Sweet the Sound

Here me visiting with Margaret Banks on The Margaret Banks Show at Mountain Talk 97 with Audio on Demand. Just click the “Audio on Demand” button and look for The Margaret Banks Show 4-10-10.

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Southern April Fools

by Christi on March 31, 2010

Before we get to the fun tablescape let me announce the winner of the National Association of Junior Auxiliary’s Silver Spoons, Blueberry Afternoons Cookbook give away!

And, the winner is . . . Victoria! Congrats Victoria and thank you to everyone who left comments to win.

Don’t forget, you can still get this fabulous cookbook from the NAJA website.

Now, on to the fun table:

This is probably one of the most fun tables I have done. The placemats don’t match. Some places have china, some, everyday dishes. None of the glasses match and there are a few other things that are kind of strange!

Colorful but crazy!

A centerpiece with Easter eggs, Christmas ornaments and . . . apples!

Hey! Who left the apple core in the centerpiece?

One candle has a Christmas candle ring and the other a spring candle ring.

Let’s take a closer look at those place settings.

Christmas plate with a visiting bird. Is that any way to place the flatware?

Ah, it looks like Spring, except for that turkey!

Pretty pink florals and stips with a pretty pink . . . pig?

Pretty pink florals and stipes with a pretty pink . . . pig?

Fall and Mozart - now that makes sense. Way more than where the knife, fork and spoon are placed.

Beautiful china with an elephant crawling on top.

Can't find my knife! Oh, there it is at the bottom of the plate. I need it to fight off that turtle.

April Fool!

That was fun. Now, I can concentrate on Easter. If you would like to see last years Easter Champagne Brunch table, click HERE. To see lots of creative and beautiful tablescapes check out

with Between Naps on the Porch

Today’s Lagniappe: Hot Cross Buns
Something yummy to have on Good Friday morning. In many historically Christian countries, buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, with the cross standing as a symbol of the crucifixion. Take some to your friends and neighbors as a special blessing to them. I’ve found a shortcut method to making them that I hope you will like.

Makes 1 dozen

* 1 loaf frozen bread dough (1 lb.)
* 1/2 cup golden raisins
* 2 tablespoons brandy
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 large egg
* 3/4 cup powdered sugar
* 1 tablespoon milk

Preparation

Thaw frozen bread dough following package directions. Place in a large bowl, cover, and let stand until pliable and no longer cold, 30 minutes to 1 hour.

In a small bowl, soak raisins in brandy for 30 to 40 minutes. Add raisin mixture and nutmeg to dough. In bowl or on a board, knead raisins into dough. With floured hands, divide dough into 12 equal pieces; shape into round rolls. Place about 2 inches apart on a buttered baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 20 minutes. In a bowl, beat egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush buns with egg mixture (discard remainder). Bake rolls in a 350º oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let stand 10 minutes.

In a bowl, mix powdered sugar and milk. With a spoon, drizzle icing over buns in the shape of a large X.

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Southern Lunch with a Friend

March 17, 2010

Last week, I shared a recipe for Lemon Thyme cookies that I made for lunch with a friend. I told you I would post more about that. My friend is the precious Christy Case Keirn from Macomb, Mississippi. Christy is the president of the National Association of Junior Auxiliaries and the marketing directory of our [...]

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Southern Tea Time

March 10, 2010

Not long ago, my Mother had an overnight guest. One of my nieces, Danielle, had come to visit. My Mother got to have fun being a Grandma. According to her, the story goes like this: After a good nights sleep, Danielle awoke and made her way to the kitchen, In the kitchen she found Grandma [...]

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Southern Respite

March 3, 2010

During the week, breakfast is kind of a hit and miss sort of deal around here. More often than not, I grab something as I am sitting here at my computer with a cup of coffee as I am working. Weekends, though, are another matter. Even though there is plenty to be done on the [...]

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Southern Table

January 20, 2010

It’s Tablescape Thursday with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. Click on the pic to see more tablescapes. Yesterday, I posted pics of my beautiful robins and their eggs. The color of those eggs are what make me love this china so much. The pattern is called Sterling Rose by Royal Tettau. You may [...]

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Southern Memory

January 13, 2010

Meetings, meetings, meetings! This week has been full of meetings and still more to get ready for! So, I’m taking a trip down memory lane to a warmer, slower time. A time when it was hot and sultry instead of cold and frosty (actually, it has started to warm up here and was even in [...]

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Southern Thanksgiving Preview

November 18, 2009

Its’ a Thanksgiving preview for Tablescape Thursday! So, I got everthing out and went for a preview of the Thanksgiving table. Why do a preview? This is a good chance to make sure you have everything. All the butter knives all the salad plates, napkins, candles. I did find a couple of things that I [...]

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Southern Fall Afternoon

November 4, 2009

The weather has been so gorgeous lately. Beautiful sunny days and wonderful moonlit nights. I just had to take some time to enjoy being outside with a cup of hot tea, some gingersnaps and a good book. The perfect fall afternoon with a nice setup for Tablescape Thursday with Between Naps on the Porch. I [...]

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Southern Harvest Table

October 28, 2009

Well, I would call it a Halloween table, except it is not very scary. Maybe, it is just a friendly Halloween table? Whichever, you call it, today’s table is this weeks entry for Tablescape Thursday with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. All Hallow’s Eve is upon us soon. I think we are ready! [...]

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