Weekend Wardrobe: 2021 Outfits of the Week #11

My boldly colorful Easter table, featuring green, turquoise, yellow, white, and black.

I have been very remiss in getting my wardrobe posts up lately, so today I have outfits from the past three weeks.  My big news is that I have received my first COVID vaccine!  I had to go to a supermarket that I had never visited before, so I decided to check out the location the week before my scheduled appointment when I was doing my essentials shopping trip.  Below is the outfit I wore that day, now three weeks ago:

Clockwise from top left: St. John's Bay Cable Women's V Neck Long Sleeve Pullover Sweater in Blackberry Wine; Craghoppers Women's Expolite Hooded Jacket in Black (similar to mine); Great American Leatherworks Braid Flap Crossbody Bag in Dark Tan (color no longer available); Bombas Women's Solids Calf Socks in Black; Dockers Vargas Boat Shoes in Rust; Banana Republic Women's High-Rise Straight Jean in Light Wash; Draper's & Damon's Basic Mock Neck Cotton Poly Long Sleeve Tee in Heather Aubergine (color no longer available; similar to mine - Blackberry Wine color no longer available); Center: Sterling Silver Grey Pearl Pendant Necklace (similar to mine).

Someone in the store actually complemented me on the Blackberry Wine color of my sweater and tee, so I think that this reddish purple shade is actually a good color on me.  I guess I need to rethink my reluctance to wear purple!

For my return trip to the store the following week to receive my shot, I wore one of my loose-sleeved sweaters and a tee with sleeves that rolled up easily.  The whole process was relatively quick and I did not even feel the needle when I was vaccinated (although right now, ten days later, the injection site suddenly became swollen and sore, which my doctor brother tells me is not an unusual side effect).  Below is the complete outfit I wore that day:

Clockwise from top left: Acorn Favorite Cotton Sweater in Turquoise (no longer available); Craghoppers Women's Expolite Hooded Jacket in Black (similar to mine); Great American Leatherworks Braid Flap Crossbody Bag in Dark Tan (color no longer available); Target Women's A New Day Crew Socks in Cream; Dockers Vargas Boat Shoes in Rust; Coldwater Creek Knit Denim Slim-Leg Leggings in Spice (no longer available); Lands' End Women's Relaxed Cotton Long Sleeve Mock Turtleneck in Ivory (similar to mine); Center: Santo Domingo Irene Lovato Four Strand Turquoise and Orange Spiny Oyster Shell Necklace (similar to mine).

The medical professional who administered my vaccine said she loved the color of my sweater, and so do I.  I plan to add more turquoise blue apparel to my wardrobe in the future.  It is a great color for spring - bright but not too dark, and not too pale for my complexion like most pastels.

Finally, for my shopping trip last week I could not decide if the weather was going to be warm or cool, so I chose a recently purchased light cotton sweater with a thin silk top underneath, plus a quilted vest instead of a coat.  I still ended up being too warm and shed the vest layer pretty quickly - spring has definitely arrived, at least for the next week or so:

Clockwise from top left: J. Crew Factory Leopard Jacquard Pullover Sweater in Khaki Black; Calvin Klein Full Zip Puffer Vest in Black (no longer available); Great American Leatherworks Braid Flap Crossbody Bag in Dark Tan (color no longer available);MIRMARU Women's Cotton Crew Socks in Black; Dockers Vargas Boat Shoes in Rust; Banana Republic Women's High-Rise Straight Jean in Light Wash; Terramar Women's Thermasilk Pointelle Scoop Neck Shirt in Natural; Center: Gold Tree of Life Pendant Necklace (similar to mine).

We are enjoying a beautiful and warm Easter Sunday today here in Santa Fe.  You can see the Easter table I set for the day at the top of this post.  Here are a few shots of recently purchased items featured on my table:

I love the new salad plates I purchased recently - the colorful birds and butterflies really stand out on the black background.  The little glass jar contains M&M'S Peanut Butter Chocolate Easter Candy Eggs - they do not taste any different from regular peanut butter M&M'S, but the colors worked for my table.

I bought this cute penguin-shaped egg cooker way back in February but only just used it for the first time to hard-boil eggs for Easter.  I am really impressed with how easy and convenient it is to use - I can cook, cool, store, and serve the eggs in this simple little device!  (Forgive the over-exposed image - the sunlight streaming in from the window was almost more than my iPhone camera could handle.)

I treated myself to a 40-piece floral gift box of 70% dark chocolate Lindt Lindor truffles, which was so pretty I had to add it to my table decor.  The chicken-shaped egg separator is a very recent purchase - it is so cute that it made its way on to my table as well!

🐣🌷🐤🌷🐥🌷🐣🌷🐤🌷🐥🌷 🐣🌷🐤🌷🐥🌷 🐣🌷🐤🌷🐥🌷

I hope to take advantage of our beautiful weather today and get some gardening and yard work done.  I hope you are also experiencing nice spring weather and are planning something fun for the day.  And of course I have to include my favorite short Easter YouTube video - it is my annual tradition, after all!

Wish List Wednesdays: Everly Quinn Makris Appetizer Plates

 

 

Now that spring is here, I want to set an appropriate table, but decided to do something different from the usual pastels and bunnies.  When I searched the Wayfair website and saw the Everly Quinn Makris 7.9" Appetizer Plates ($33.99 for a set of four), I found my tablescape inspiration.  Decorated with colorful birds and butterflies, the pattern is quite spring-like, but I chose to go with the black background for a more dramatic look.  These gold-rimmed porcelain china plates look delicate but are chip-resistant as well as dishwasher, microwave, and even oven safe.  Although they are appetizer plates, they are good-sized and I intend to use them as salad or dessert plates.  I am looking forward to the arrival of my order so I can set my unconventional version of a spring table!

On the Homefront: Buffalo Check and Dalmatians Christmas Brunch Table

Merry the Dalmatian happily shows off her new holiday bow!

Plaid is a popular pattern when decorating for Christmas.  I am not fond of plaid, except for one type, and that is buffalo check!  I like the fact that buffalo check is not too busy - the colors are limited to two, usually red and black, and the intersecting lines of color are simple and the same in size.  I decided my Christmas theme this year would be red and black buffalo check, and I really went all out, buying up as many seasonal items in the pattern as I could find.  This was especially true for tabletop décor, as you can see in the photos below.

I apologize for my poor photo quality.  Our north-facing dining room receives very little natural light at this time of year, and with my limited skill as a photographer and small digital camera I am unable to compensate for this.  Nevertheless, you still get the general idea of what my Christmas table looks like (just imagine it less dark and yellowish!).  The color scheme is red, black, and white, and in addition to the buffalo check Dalmatians are a second theme, in keeping with my year of canine table settings inspired by the fact that 2018 is the Year of the Dog:

Natural wood charger (possibly from Target, ages ago); white dinner plate (Tivoli White by Studio Nova); St. Nicholas Square Buffalo Check Napkin (from Kohl's last year); Dalmatian dessert plate (by Karen Donleavy); white-handled flatware (from Target ages ago); Home Essentials Tuscana Red Stemless Wine Glass for water (from Marshall's a few years ago); black-stemmed wine glass (probably from Target, ages ago); Holidays by Ciroa Buffalo Check Ramekin for chocolates (from HomeGoods this year); ceramic Christmas Dalmatian figurine (from Kroger this year).

A closer look at the cute little Christmas Dalmatian figurine, and the
ramekin holding milk chocolate (red foil) and extra dark chocolate
(black foil) Lindt Lindor truffles (this image is a bit overexposed,
but the colors are more accurate).

Dalmatians Holly and Ivy flank the little artificial tree that dominates
the head of the table.  Dalmatian salt and pepper shakers sit in front
of a festive tin of Walker's Shortbread Scottie Dogs.

In the center of the table is an elongated wooden bowl ready to hold
slices of povitica bread.

A butter dish, a pitcher for orange juice, a charger holding a teapot and
mugs, and a sugar bowl, cream pitcher, and teabags on a small ceramic
tray are  lined up at the foot of the table.

A closer look at the red teapot and Dalmatian mugs.

The Christmas brunch menu is simple and easy to prepare.  The sausage quiche could use a little more seasoning, in my opinion, but the intensely flavored roasted tomatoes served as the side dish add more than enough to compensate.  If you have never tried povitica bread (a type of nut roll), you might want to indulge, because it is one of the best sweet breads I have ever eaten (we like the Reduced Sugar Walnut variety).

Christmas Brunch Menu:

Orange juice

Povitica Bread/Butter

Sausage Quiche*

Roasted Tomatoes

Hot tea or coffee

*Sausage Quiche

1 pkg. (9.6 oz.) Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage Crumbles

4 green onions, sliced

1 C. shredded cheese (I used a cheddar-mozzarella blend)

4 eggs

2 C. light cream or whole milk

1 C. all-purpose baking mix (I used Bisquick)

Lightly grease a 13x9-inch baking pan.  Spread the sausage crumbles evenly on the bottom.  Top with the onions and then the cheese.

Beat the eggs, cream or milk, and baking mix together in a large bowl until well blended.  Pour over the cheese layer in the baking pan.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool 5 minutes.  Cut into 8 squares.  Serves 8.

A bountiful array of holiday treats sits on the credenza.

Santa's cookie plate is surrounded by offerings of cookies and candies,
all part of the Peppermint Bark collection from Williams-Sonoma
(I am not that fond of peppermint, but I am a Dalmatian lover, so I
have to collect these tins!).

🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄

As an added feature, here are a few images of our Christmas décor around the house (I really did go overboard with the buffalo check!):

Red torch ginger is my favorite cut flower, and every year my husband
orders me a tropical bouquet including these flowers as one of my
Christmas gifts.

I hope you and your loved ones are having a delightful holiday season!

On the Homefront: Fall Foxes Thanksgiving Table

Central image from The Siberian Times

Although foxes are not really dogs

I consider them close analogs.

If you asked them I think

They would say with a wink,

"We're like cats wearing canine-like togs!"

Foxes are not dogs, but they are closely related, so I decided to feature them on my Thanksgiving table as part of my Year of the Dog tablescape series.  I used my Daisy the Fox Salad Plates (from Pier 1 last year, no longer available) and chose the pumpkin orange and brown with a touch of green color scheme from them.  I was lucky to find a table runner and napkins at HomeGoods in a paisley pattern of coordinating colors, so of course I used them on my table as well.

Dark brown wooden bead place mat, Orange Distressed Pumpkin Charger Plate (from Pier 1 this year, no longer available), brown speckled dinner plate (purchased ages ago - made in Japan, no manufacturer), Daisy the Fox Salad Plate (from Pier 1 last year), faux wood-handled flatware, Raymond Waites autumn paisley cotton napkin (from HomeGoods recently), clear water glass, pale green wine glass.

A closer look at the salad plate.

A faux pumpkin with "Home Sweet Home" printed beneath the image of a
house sits on a pumpino-filled large plate at the head of the table, flanked
by leaf-shaped candle plates holding leaf-embossed candles and fronted by
fox salt and pepper shakers from Walmart a few years ago.

A closer look at the faux pumpkin and fox salt and pepper shakers.

You are probably tired of seeing my pinecone-filled candle plate by now!

I tried using this turkey-shaped creamer as a gravy boat, but the mouth
opening is too small and the gravy did not pour well!

A cute autumnal pitcher dotted with tiny white pumpkins for serving
 the apple cider.

This recently purchased platter was the perfect size to hold turkey slices.

We celebrated a quiet Thanksgiving at home, and since it was just the two of us I decided to try some new recipes.  I had never brined a turkey before, but a recipe I found for Cider-Brined Turkey Breast sounded intriguing and manageable so I decided to make the attempt.  Green Bean Casserole returned to the menu this year, as it is my husband's favorite and I am afraid it has become our tradition now.  To save time I served canned whole cranberry sauce, mostly because I hope to use the leftovers to try a new cornbread recipe at a later date.

I normally put stuffing inside my turkey as that is the way my mom always did it and traditions are everything at Thanksgiving (and despite what so-called "experts" say, no one I know has ever been sickened by stuffing - even my doctor brother has never seen a case of gastrointestinal upset from turkey stuffing).  However, I was fascinated by an idea I found on the internet of employing my much underused bundt pan to bake a fancy ring of cornbread dressing, so another new recipe was added to our holiday meal.  Unfortunately, my dressing did not come out in a perfect ring.  I think it was not cool enough, there may have been a little too much liquid in the mixture, and perhaps I did not grease the bundt pan thoroughly enough.  However, it was the best-tasting cornbread dressing we have ever had, so I will try this recipe again!

Fall Foxes Thanksgiving Menu:

Apple Cider/Wine
Cider-Brined Turkey Breast*

Pan Gravy

Whole Cranberry Sauce

Sausage Cornbread Bundt Dressing**

Green Bean Casserole

Pumpkin Pie

From Taste of the South

*Cider-Brined Turkey Breast

Try to find a turkey breast that has not been injected with a salt solution if possible, although the one I bought was processed and did not seem to be overly salty when brined.  The original recipe calls for smoked ham hocks, which I omitted due to my allergies, but by all means use them if you like.  A Cider Gravy recipe was also included with the original recipe, which I did not use since my turkey came with a gravy packet (something new to me!), but it does look good so give the Cider Gravy a try if your turkey comes sans gravy packet!

8 C. apple cider
1/2 C. kosher salt
1/3 C. sugar
1 tsp. black pepper (or more to taste if you like)
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 bone-in turkey breast (about 6 lbs.)
7 C. water
1 T. vegetable oil
1 C. chicken broth

Bring the cider, salt, sugar, pepper, ginger, and garlic to a boil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and cool completely.

Combine 4 C. water with the cider mixture.  Rinse the turkey and place in the stock pot.  Carefully add an additional 2 C. water to completely submerge the turkey.  Cover the pot and refrigerate 8-10 hours, turning at least once.

Spray a roasting rack with cooking spray and place in a roasting pan.  Remove the turkey from the brine (discard the brine).  Pat the turkey dry and place it on the prepared rack.  Rub the outside with oil.  Pour the remaining 1 C. water and the chicken broth into the bottom of the roasting pan.

Roast the turkey at 350 degrees until a meat thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the breast reads 165 degrees, about 1 hour and 45 minutes.  Check the bird after one hour and cover with foil if necessary to prevent excess browning.  Add an additional 1/2 C. water to the pan at this time if needed.

Remove the turkey from the oven.  Place on a cutting board and cover loosely with foil.  Let stand for at least 20 minutes before carving.  Serves 6.

In an ideal world, my dressing would have looked like this!
(image from Facebook)

**Sausage Cornbread Bundt Dressing

I found this recipe in a 2017 Taste of the South magazine called "Southern Thanksgiving" but could not find the recipe online.  My husband, who loves cornbread dressing, declared this one to be the best he has ever tasted!

1 lb. breakfast sausage*
1 T. oil (optional)
2 C. diced yellow onion
1 C. diced celery
1/4 C. minced parsley
6 C. crumbled cornbread**
4 C. chicken broth***
4 eggs, lightly beaten
salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, cook the sausage (in the oil if needed) over medium-high heat until browned, about 5 minutes.  Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon onto paper towels to drain.  Add the onion and celery to the drippings in the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.  Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the parsley.

In a large bowl, gently stir together the onion mixture, sausage, cornbread, broth, eggs, and seasonings.  Spoon the dressing into a well-greased 12-cup Bundt pan, pressing gently with the back of a spoon to submerge the cornbread as much as possible (the mixture will be rather soupy).

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the dressing is firm to the touch.  Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes (I would let it cool longer).  Gently loosen the sides of the dressing from the pan if needed.  Carefully invert the pan onto a flat serving platter and slice to serve.  Serves 8.

*I had to use turkey sausage because of my allergies, but I highly recommend pork sausage if you can eat it because I think the flavor is much better (my choice before I became allergic to red meat was always Jimmy Dean Regular Premium Pork Sausage).

**A 15-oz. pan of cornbread from our local Publix bakery yielded exactly 6 C.  I bought mine a week early and refrigerated it until the night before Thanksgiving, when I crumbled the cornbread onto a baking sheet and let it sit out overnight to dry slightly before use.

***I will probably reduce this amount of liquid by about 1/2 C. next time to see if that will help in preventing the dressing from sticking to the pan!

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As usual, Pilgrim the Dalmatian makes his annual appearance for his
favorite holiday!

I hope you had a joyously exuberant Thanksgiving (or at least a happy one)!

I just love this image of frolicking Dalmatians!
(from Thriveworks)

             

On the Homefront: Spooky But Sophisticated Snoopy Halloween Table

Dalmatian One-Eyed Jack never misses a Halloween celebration!

My dog-themed tables continue for Halloween, this time featuring everyone's favorite cartoon beagle - Snoopy (plus his best buddy Woodstock, even though he is a bird and not a dog)!  I just had to use my Charlie Brown Halloween Plates from Pottery Barn Kids, which set the tone for a traditional color scheme of orange and black, with just a touch of ghostly white.  These plates also inspired me to create a table with children in mind, and that includes the menu I selected.  This tablescape works for youngsters and adults because it is sophisticated as well as fun, and just a little bit spooky! Let's take a look:

Orange round woven placemat; matte black dinner plate (from Target decades ago); Charlie Brown Halloween Plate; stainless steel flatware; black cotton napkin; orange drink glass (from The Cupboard in Fort Collins, CO, eons ago).

Here are the other three Halloween plate designs:

Little Dalmatian Witchiepoo guards the pumpkin-shaped soup tureen.

This cartoon is a holiday classic from my childhood - I always enjoy
watching the Halloween antics of the Peanuts gang!

The salt and pepper shaker set is called "Hug", but I think they look
like black and white ghosts.

I found two of these black and white square plates with a swirl
design at HomeGoods years ago - they make perfect dessert
trays for the table.

I used this Grace's Bake Shop fluted pie plate from HomeGoods
this year as a candy bowl.  It has the word "BOO!" printed on the
bottom, which you would see once you got past all of the
Halloween candy!

My new pumpkin platter from Walmart this year will hold the
vegetable sticks.

A matching pumpkin bowl from Walmart will be filled with avocado dip.

This lovely Coco + Lola bowl with a batty design from HomeGoods
this year is ready to be filled with tortilla chips.

The simple menu features a favorite childhood meal of grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup, plus dessert bars which include peanut butter and jam as the main ingredients.  You can use store-bought soup as I did (our local Publix sells a great tomato bisque in their deli section) or make your own (I've included a link below to an easy recipe). The avocado dip will hopefully encourage any kids at the table to indulge in a few vegetables, but if not there are always chips to complement the dip!

Snoopy (and Woodstock) Halloween Menu:

Swamp Slime (Creamy Avocado Dip)*
Brittle Bones and Dried Hide (vegetable sticks and tortilla chips)

Bloody Bisque (Tomato Soup)

Oozing Goo Sandwiches (Grilled Cheese)

Globs of Gore Bars (Vegan PB&J Oatmeal Bars)**

*Creamy Avocado Dip

1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, and cut into chunks
1/4 C. sour cream
3 T. grated Parmesan
juice of 1 lime
pinch of smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. salt

Process, blend, or use a fork to mash all of the ingredients together until smooth and creamy.  Serve immediately.  Makes about 1 cup.

**Vegan PB&J Oatmeal Bars

3/4 C. peanut butter
1/2 C. sugar (I used coconut sugar)
1 T. vanilla
1 C. rolled oats (I used quick-cooking oats)
1 C. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 C. milk (regular or dairy-free both work - I used almond milk)
3/4 C. fruit jam (I used a 10-oz. jar of raspberry jam)

In a large bowl cut the sugar into the peanut butter with a knife until well combined (you can do this with a mixer, but I prefer to mix ingredients by hand).  Stir in the vanilla with a mixing spoon until completely incorporated.

Add the oats, flour, salt, and soda to the bowl.  Stir in with a spoon, and then use your hands to combine the ingredients into a mixture of fine crumbs.  Drizzle in the milk, adding and stirring in several additions, until the mixture forms a cohesive dough.

Roll two-thirds of the dough into a ball with your hands and place in an 8-inch square baking pan that has been lined with two overlapping pieces of parchment paper (leave some overhang at the top).  Pat the dough evenly into the bottom of the pan.

If necessary, warm the jam so that it is spreadable.  Spread the jam evenly over the top of the dough base.  Crumble the remaining dough over the jam as evenly as possible.  Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes until the bars are set and golden.  Cool completely and cut into bars (I put mine in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm them up for cutting).  Serves 16.

Note: My bars were rather soft, so I put individual servings into foil cupcake liners.

🎃👻🎃👻🎃👻🎃👻🎃👻🎃👻🎃👻🎃👻🎃👻🎃

A canine vignette on the credenza.

Woodstock and Snoopy in their jack o' lantern.

Dalmatian Ladybug returns for the Halloween party.

Dalmatian Deputy Dawg also returns to keep an eye on the
Halloween happenings.

Of course Glinda the Good Witch has reappeared, sitting safely
on my tea cart while awaiting the repast!

A fancy Halloween wreath from Pier 1 this year (no longer available)
adorns the dining room window.

For an extra special Halloween treat, you can watch "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (1966) here.

From Town & Country

I hope your Halloween is "spooktacular" this year!