Thanksgiving Tablescapes - 1 Set of Decor, 2 Ways

While we are still a few weeks away from Thanksgiving, it is never too early to start thinking about your holiday tablescape! The past two years I have been a host/co-host for the big Thanksgiving dinner and figuring out the plan for the table has been one of my primary tasks. Here are two examples of how I took the same basic items and created two very different tablescapes.

Tablescape #1 - Classic Meets Childhood Nostalgia

Items purchased from Michael's:

• Silk Autumn leaves (since in California ACTUAL leaves are difficult to come by)
• Clear votive holders
• Pine cones
• White banner paper
• Crayons

Items purchased from Trader Joe's:

• Assorted mini pumpkins and gourds

Thanksgiving this particular year was a large group that did not know each other well (multiple friend groups) so we wanted to make sure the table was festive but also fun. We also had a lot of table top to cover so we wanted to get the most bang for our buck. We used folding tables which are not as wide as a standard dining table so the best use of space was to do a "runner" of decor down the center of the table. As you can see in the photo below, we alternated the various elements to create variety along the center of the table.

So what about these crayons and the childhood nostalgia? Do you remember back to your early educational years when you made Thanksgiving turkeys by tracing around your hand? Yep, we brought them back! Since we wanted to mix up the group and encourage people to get to know each other we thought this was a fun way to do our placecards! Then once you were done eating (or taking a break) you could use the crayons on the table to decorate your bird. I wish I would have taken some photos of the finished products - this was a very creative group!

 

 

While our group was a mixed bag of ages, this idea could work for the "kids table" even if you plan a more formal tablescape for your Thanksgiving.

 

Tablescape #2 - Eclectic Chic

 

When year number two rolled around and I looked to repurposing our Thanksgiving decor, I was dealing with a very different venue and group size. Dinner was for just six around the dining table at my home. I wanted to go with something a bit more formal but still fun. Items I used from the previous year include:

 

• Silk Autumn leaves
• Clear votive holders (I used some with texture that I picked up at a garage sale for just $.25 each!)
• Pine cones
• Mini pumpkins (Purchased new)

To this I added a printed tablecloth (borrowed from a friend) and a modern white vase (also from a garage sale though originally from CB2) with flowers from Trader Joe's. My original vision was with a white tablecloth and while that would have showcased the decor a bit more, I do think the table came together nicely with the addition of the lime green napkins.

 

 

 

Last year post holiday I picked up these great mini ceramic pumpkins from Crate and Barrel on sale for just a couple dollars each! They are meant to be used as a vase but could just as easily be used as a candle holder or even just on their own! Unfortunately they are no longer sold online but I did see them last month at the Crate & Barrel Outlet in Carlsbad and they ship! I believe they were just $3 a piece.

Crate and Barrel does have a great product that is available this season - dried Gourds. These are perfect if you want stick with reusable products. They come in the two colors in the photo below.

 

 

I hope these ideas have helped inspire your own Thanksgiving tabletop! Please let me know what creative ideas you are incorporating this year.

Coming later this month - Thanksgiving Cocktails!







Happy Halloween on the Cheap

Happy Halloween! This is my favorite time of year - costumes, scary movies, and candy! What's not to love about Halloween?! Next weekend will likely be the big weekend for Halloween parties and I have got some great accessories to share with you that will make your bash chic on the cheap!

We all know what a gem Target is for our regular household needs, inexpensive DVDs, etc. however they are really outdoing themselves at the "Dollar Spot" these days. The following items can all be found there or in the Halloween section for just $1!

Halloween Coasters - The perfect way to keep your furniture safe from the libations you are brewing in your cauldron. At 8 for $1, you can pick up a bunch and not feel guilty about recycling them at the end of the night!

Bottle Labels - Printable bottle labels are all the rage. You can download them online (some are free, others may charge a small fee) or simply pick up these great labels for $1! They come either in a set of 4 wine bottle labels or a set of 8 assorted bottle labels

Favors & Accessories - Target has a great selection of party favors and accessories at that low low price of just $1. My personal favorite is the set of 8 glow in the dark fangs. Let's be honest - this is an item that is fun for all ages. Who DOESN'T want glow in the dark fangs?

Of course everything magical can't cost just $1 but Target doesn't disappoint with a few other great finds for a bit more coin.


Fancy Pumpkin Decorating Kit - Pinterest is full of clever ways to decorate pumpkins beyond the traditional carving. Thankfully Target put this kit together for just $5 that takes the guess work out of fancy pumpkin decorating! You too can fool your friends into thinking you are the next Martha Stewart!

Chris Marsh Big Fun Wigs - Chris Marsh (of Project Runway fame) has designed the crazy foam "wigs" featured below. With each wig priced between $15 and $20, they are very affordable. With a wig like these, you can probably find something simple in your closet to complete the look! My personal favorite is the pink one titled "Pink Afro".

This is obviously just the tip of the iceberg at Target. Please let me know if you pick up any of these great items for your own Halloween bash or find another gem!

Happy Halloween!!!

Product Placement Wednesday - Trader Joe's Carefully Curated Collection Flavored Olive Oil

Yes, Product Placement Wednesday is back! Think of it as a recurring character in the cast that is my blog rather than a series regular. Too many things to blog about and not enough time to do it! For this "PPW" I have a GREAT item. One you will not want to miss!

Trader Joe's Carefully Curated Collection Flavored Olive Oil

Our friends at Trader Joe's are starting to fill their shelves with their fall seasonal items (pumpkin lovers take note!) and one of my favorites from last year is on the shelves ahead of schedule! I was told that this just arrived this week which was perfect timing as I am running dangerously low on all three flavors. So what are these wonderful flavors? Included in this pack you received Basil, Lemon & Hot Pepper. You can see some of Trader Joe's recommendations via the link above but here are some of my favorite uses:

Basil - Toss with whole wheat pasta, fresh tomatoes and your cheese of choice.

Lemon - Drizzle on a salad of butter lettuce, Parmesan cheese, avocado and blueberries.

Hot Pepper - Try this oil with the Jalapeno Chicken Sausage, brown rice, sauteed tomatoes, and feta cheese.

Keep in mind these are finishing oils - not cooking oils. I have experimented with all of them and the combinations are endless. I recommend adding a bit of nice salt to bring your dishes to life.

You can find the Carefully Curated Collection Flavored Olive Oil either in the olive oil section and/or in the new product section depending on your store. These oils have a great date on them (mine is 2015) so if you cook for a crowd you may want to pick up more than one! They would also make a great gift for the chefs in your life.

What are your favorite combinations with the flavored olive oils? I would love to hear from you!

It's Picnic Season!!! - Part 3

Okay, so in many parts of the country "picnic season" might be starting to wind down but if you live in a warm weather state like I do it is basically picnic season year round! This is the third in a series of posts that were originally posted in 2011. You can find the previous posts here and here.

I am excitingly planning a picnic item or two for this coming weekend and wanted to share some great picnic sandwiches I have created since my last picnic post. I hope you enjoy them be it on a picnic, at the beach or in your lunch box! Also, I apologize for the quality of the photos. These are rather old and I have upgraded my camera since then. Future photos will be of much higher quality and even if the food does not look appetizing I promise it is delish! Let me know if you make any of these sammies and what you think!

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
My favorite tea sandwich is always the cucumber one so why not pack it for a picnic?! Makes for a refreshing bite among heavier picnic fare.

1 loaf of dark rye or pumpernickel bread
1 container of boursin cheese
2 large cucumbers, peeled and sliced thin to medium
dried dill

1. Cut the crusts off of your bread for that tea sandwich feel. (You can give your neighborhood birds a treat or turn them into homemade croutons!)

2. Spread boursin cheese on two slices of bread. Top the cheese layer on one piece of bread with a layer of sliced cucumbers and a healthy shake of dried dill. Place second slice on top cheese side down and slice sandwich in half.

3. Repeat until you have made the appropriate amount of sandwiches or are out of ingredients. Please note that when I make these sandwiches I am usually making in "bulk" so I continue until I run out of cheese (usually first) or bread.

Turkey, Apple & Wasabi Sandwiches
Trader Joe's used to carry a wasabi arugula that was used in this sandwich. I found that it didn't give it enough wasabi flavor so you will not miss it. I am recommending a wasabi mayo or aioli as an alternative which you can either purchase or make to taste. This recipe calls for 4 oz of turkey per sandwich - feel free to adjust as needed depending on your preferences.

8 slices of dark rye or whole wheat bread
16 oz deli turkey breast, roasted
2 large avocados
1 large green apple, thinly sliced
2 cups of arugula
2 tablespoons wasabi mayo or aioli

1. Cut the crusts off your bread if you desire.

2. Mash 1/4 an avocado on one slice of bread and top with the following (in this order): 4 oz turkey breast, slices of apple, and 1/2 cup of arugula.

3. Spread wasabi mayo/aioli on a second slice of bread and place on top of the sandwich. Slice sandwich in half. Repeat for remaining ingredients. Makes 4 full or 8 half sandwiches.

Healthy Turkey Club Sandwich
Toasting the bread before assembling the sandwiches helps keep them from getting soggy.

8 slices of whole wheat bread, toasted
16 oz deli turkey breast, low salt
2 large avocados
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
6 slices turkey bacon, cooked
2 cups butter lettuce
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
garlic olive oil
salt

1. Mash 1/4 an avocado on one slice of toasted bread and top with the following (in this order): 4 oz turkey, tomato, turkey bacon, and 1/2 cup butter lettuce.

2. Combine Greek yogurt, garlic olive oil, and salt to taste to create an aioli. Spread aioli on a second slice of bread and place on top of sandwich. Slice sandwich in half. Repeat for remaining ingredients. Makes 4 full or 8 half sandwiches.

Mediterranean Style Chicken Lavosh Wrap

1 large whole wheat lavosh (I purchased mine from Trader Joe's)
8 oz grilled lemon chicken, cut into strips (Again, purchased prepared at Trader Joe's)
1 red pepper, roasted (The kind that come in a jar are fine.)
2 cups butter lettuce
4 tablespoons Trader Joe's Reduced Guilt Spinach and Kale Greek Yogurt Dip

1. Divide lavosh in half. Cover 2/3 of each half in the Spinach & Kale Dip.

2. Top dip with remaining ingredients in this order: lemon chicken, roasted red peppers, and butter lettuce.

3. Roll lavosh starting with side covered with dip. Slice and serve. Makes 2 full or 4 half sandwiches.

Sorry no photo of this sandwich.


Beet & Goat Cheese Sandwich

1 olive roll from Trader Joe's (or your favorite hearty roll)
4 oz chevre with herbs
2-3 baby beets, steamed & peeled (Trader Joe's has these in the refrigerated vegetable case)
2 cups arugula
lemon olive oil
good quality salt, if desired

1. Slice olive roll in half lengthwise. Spread chevre on bottom half of roll.

2. Thinly slice baby beets and place them on top of the chevre. Top with arugula.

3. Drizzle with lemon olive oil and salt if desired. Top with the upper half of the roll, slice and serve. Makes 2 sandwiches.

Sorry no photo of this sandwich.

She's Crafty! - DIY Personalized Name Art

Today I'm sharing a simple, personalized art project that makes a great gift for friends and family. I made my first one about 10 years ago and over the years made them as the "inspiration" struck. About a year ago my friend Joy insisted that you would all love this idea as much as she did and that I should do a blog entry to share. So nearly a year later I'm finally doing it! This project doesn't really have a name so we'll call it "DIY Personalized Name Art."

So the heck is DIY Personalized Name Art you may ask? Here are some samples of some of my past projects.

 

Ben, Whitney & their Wedding Date - I originally created the "Ben" for my brother for Christmas. His fiance (now wife) liked it so much that she had her sister create the other two pieces to match. They displayed them at their wedding reception and now have them hanging in their dining room.

 

 

 

Gina - I created this for Gina's birthday last year. Gina is actually an Emmy nominated hair stylist so the "Gina's Beauty Salon" was a perfect fit! The first "Gina" was actually from another salon called "Gina's of Beverly Hills" which is located on Crenshaw - so very far from Beverly Hills!

 

 

Megan - When Megan saw the "Ben" piece she had to have one too. Megan isn't the easiest name to find naturally. I drove across town to find the "Megan" at the top of the piece - it was on a realtor's sign. "Pic-a-nic" was on the Yogi Bear movie sign and is one of Megan's nicknames so it was a perfect addition to the piece.

How to Make Personalized Name Art

1. Find signage with the names you are looking to use. It's actually quite simple to make these pieces - finding the names themselves is the most difficult part! When I see names of friends or family, I generally take photos of them regardless if I plan to make them a piece in the near future. You never know when the inspiration or occasion will strike! When I traveled to Australia last year, I took a ton of photos "just in case" since some names are more common there than here.

2. Take the photos. I always take photos of each sign from a variety of angles to give me the most options when laying out the piece. As you can see, I favor "Dutch" angles but like to include one that is straight on when I can. Usually the structure of the sign dictates which photos ultimately look best.

3. Choose your frame. All of the frames above are RIBBA frames from IKEA however you can utilize any frame design or size you desire. I like these frames as they are inexpensive but are also clean lined to not distract from the piece itself. Please note that the openings in this frame are not standard 4x6" in size. I usually purchase 5x7" photos with the white border and they fit perfectly.

4. Edit the photos. I usually end up editing multiple photos of each name to find the best combination. While your preferences might be different, I make the photos black & white and generally crop in tight on the person's name. Sometimes I leave more of the sign in the photo but it has to fit properly and add something to the piece. "Gina's Beauty Salon" is a great example of this. I also really liked that there was a Ben Avenue so I left that one too.

5. Print photos & assemble. This part is pretty self explanatory and is the best part because you can see your vision come to life!

I hope this will inspire you to create simple yet impactful personalized art for your friends and family! If you make a piece, please share with me below. I would love to see your interpretations!

Celebrity Wine & My CNN Debut

So I'm sort of a wino and while some people might consider me a wine snob, I would prefer to say that my palate has just matured over the years. Last month I was invited by my local wine store, K&L Wines to participate in a blind taste test of some celebrity wines. Free wine caught my eye but the opportunity to be interviewed by CNN sealed the deal. I did not have any major expectations one way of another - I figured some of the wines would be good, some not so much. I was wrong, so very wrong.

We tasted 10 wines all in paper bags as to conceal the guilty...er I mean winemakers. We were also given a sheet with the list of varietals we were tasting on one side and a list of celebrity winemakers on the other. There were more winemaker options than there were actual wines so the matching game was virtually impossible. My friend Katie joined me for this event and due to her ferocious reality tv watching, she knew that one the of Pinot Grigios was a match with Ramona Singer of the Real Housewives of New York. I thought it was a match for Trader Joe's Two Buck Chuck. The rest were a total mystery though we made some guesses for fun. The only wine that was really palatable was my nemesis (well, nemesis to my ears) Dave Matthews' Cabernet Sauvignon. I'm pretty sure Fergie and Savanna Samson were trying to poison us with their wines.

The video below showcases my strong feelings about Fergie's wine in particular. Katie and I have two sound bites in the video though I would have loved to see the parts that didn't make the cut. There was probably enough footage of us to have a new show called "Wine Chat with Gretchen & Katie".

Have you tried any of the celebrity wines mentioned in this post of the video? Are there some great celebrity wines out there that we should have tasted instead?

If you can't view the video above, please utilize this link.

The Bachlor Pad Dinner - Parts 2, 3, & 4

So I am a crazy recipe hoarder. If you follow me on Pinterest or have seen my collection of cookbooks, this is not new news. However I've been hoarding several recipes from all of you for nearly two years! So cruel as they were all delicious!

They are from back when Amie and I did our Monday night dinners while watching any number of shows from The Bachelor family. These three meals were from Bachelor Pad from 2011. I promise they will be just as delicious this summer as they were then. I apologize in advance if some of the recipes are a little vague - if you have questions I will do my best to recall the missing details! I promise that these were all very simple to assemble while delivering maximum taste!

Unfortunately you won't be able to enjoy them during Bachelor Pad this year as they decided not to have a fourth season. We can only hope that the train wreck is back summer of 2014.

Dinner #1 - Arctic Char with Miso Glaze, Ginger Cilantro Rice & Asian Vegetable Stir-Fry

Arctic Char with Miso Glaze
2 servings of Artic Char
1 tablespoon red miso
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon grain mustard

1. Mix all ingredients together with the exception of the Arctic Char to create the miso glaze.
2. Top Arctic Char with miso glaze and bake. Unfortunately I don't have the temperature or time but I would recommend using a 400 degree oven for 12-15 min. The fish should flake easily with a fork.

Ginger Cilantro Rice
2 cups white rice (brown can be substituted)
2 inches fresh ginger, grated
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup onions (we used a combo of brown & red but any would be fine), chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil (approx)
Trader Joe's Smoked Sea Salt

1. Cook rice according to package instructions.
2. While rice is cooking, you will "sweat" the onions in the olive oil. Place the olive oil in a non-stick pan with a tight fitting lid. Cook the onions in the olive oil (add a turn of the Smoked Sea Salt for added flavor) over low heat until they become translucent and have a soft texture. It's important to stir occasionally and keep the lid on when not stirring.
3. Combine rice, onions, cilantro and ginger.

Asian Vegetable Stir-Fry
Trader Joe's Asian Stir Fry (You can find this in the refrigerated fresh vegetable section. If you do not have access to a Trader Joe's, the ingredients were onion, bamboo, carrot, broccoli, green pepper, red pepper, mushrooms, water chestnuts, and snow peas.)
1/2 - 1 cup edamame, shelled (adjust to your tastes)
juice of 1/2 a lime
2 teaspoons fresh mint, chopped
red pepper flakes, to taste
salt, to taste

1. Stir fry the vegetables until nearly cooked.
2. Add edamame to heat through.
3. Dress with remaining ingredients.

Dinner #2 - Marinated Albacore Steaks, Curried Cauliflower & Broccoli; Garlicky Kale & Tomatoes, & Faux Lemon Tarts with Gold Kiwi

Marinated Albacore Steaks
2 servings albacore steak
1 teaspoon cumin seed, crushed
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil (approx)
juice of 1/2 a lemon
salt & pepper to taste

1. Mix all ingredients together with the exception of the albacore to create marinade.
2. Pour marinate over albacore and set in the refrigerator for 30 min.
3. Unfortunately I don't have the temperature or time but I would recommend using a 350 degree oven for 20 min. The fish should flake easily with a fork.

Curried Cauliflower & Broccoli
(This recipe is one of the most vague I have so you will need to experiment on proportions! It was really delicious though so I had to share!)
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Olive oil
Turmeric
Yellow ginger
Curry
Shallot
salt & pepper

1. Combine all ingredients and bake.

Garlicky Kale & Tomatoes
(This recipe actually appeared in an earlier post served over pasta. I felt like it would also make a great side dish if you left out the pasta! Thanks to Real Simple for this great recipe!)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon jarred crushed garlic
4 large handfuls kale, washed & torn
2 handfuls grape tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped roasted almonds
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Add the kale and cook, tossing frequently, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Add the tomatoes and cook, tossing frequently, until the tomatoes begin to soften, 1 to 2 minutes more.

3. Top the kale mixture with almonds and parmesan.

 

Faux Lemon Tarts with Gold Kiwi

8 Trader Joe's Lemon Cookie Thins

1/2 - 3/4 cup non-fat Greek yogurt

juice of 1/2 - 1 lemon

1 package of Equal (or your favorite artificial sweetener - or you can always use real sugar!)

1 gold kiwi, peeled & sliced

16 raspberries

mint, for garnish

 

1. Mix yogurt and lemon juice. The consistency will thin out but should not be runny. Add sweetener and mix well.

2. Top each cookie with yogurt topping, a slice of the kiwi and a couple of raspberries.

3. Arrange on a plate with mint as the garnish.

 

Very important to note - the cookies get soggy fast so you will want to assemble just before serving.

 

 

Dinner #3 - Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps & Modified Caprese Salad

Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps
Amie found this great recipe on Epicurious and we basically made it as is with only a few minor adjustments. This was a wonderfully refreshing summer meal!

1. Cucumber was added as a garnish afterwards instead of being mixed in with meat. Same for mint.
2. We also added cilantro as a garnish and I think some sweet chili sauce.

Modified Caprese Salad
3 handfuls cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup fat free feta cheese
4 basil leaves, chiffonade
olive oil
fresh ground sea salt

1. Combine tomatoes, feta and basil in a bowl.
2. Dress with a couple splashes of olive oil and dashes of salt.

I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we did! They are all very quick to assemble and perfect for summer!