May Day Brunch Recipes. . .

Just in time for your upcoming Mother's Day
or Graduation celebrations, 
I'm sharing On Crooked Creek's recipes

from our May Day Brunch (here) with

Yvonne @ StoneGable for On The Menu Monday!

Garden Chowder

Ingredients:

8 slices bacon, coarsely chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium green pepper, chopped

2 (14oz.) cans cream~of~potato soup

1 (13oz.) can chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup milk

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped broccoli

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped cauliflower

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen cut corn

1 tsp. snipped fresh dill

Directions:

In a 5~quart Dutch oven, over medium~high

heat, sauté bacon 3 minutes or until crisp.

With a slotted spoon, remove bacon, set aside.

Remove all but 2 tablespoons fat. Add onion

and pepper; sauté 3 minutes longer.

Stir in potato soup, broth, cream and milk;

bring to boiling. Add frozen vegetables and

return to boiling. Simmer, covered 10~to~12

minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Add ½ tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper, the

bacon and dill.  Serve immediately!

Makes: 8 to 10 servings.

“Mr. Ed’s” Easy Cornbread

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cup all~purpose flour

 ¾ cup corn meal

 ¼ cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

 ½ tsp.  salt (optional)

1 cup milk

 ¼ cup vegetable oil

1 egg, beaten

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees .

Grease an 8 ~9 inch pan or muffin pan.

Combine all the dry ingredients.

Stir in milk, egg and oil, mixing until

The dry ingredients are moistened.

Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes: 8 to 10 servings.

Herb Butter

Ingredients:

Basic Recipe

½ pound ( 2 sticks) unsalted butter

5 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs

   and / or herbal flowers

OR 5 teaspoons dried herbs  or

   2 ½ teaspoons herb seeds

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Chop the herbs very finely or

pulverize the seeds.

Cream the butter and blend in

herbs and seasonings.

Shape as desired and chill OR

freeze up to 6 months.

Strawberries and Cream Pie

Ingredients:

1 cup semi~sweet chocolate chips

3 tsp. shortening

1 Oreo pie crust

  (or graham cracker crust)

1 8 (oz.) pkg. cream cheese

½ cup sugar

½ cup sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla

1 8(oz.) container Cool Whip

2 cups fresh strawberries, halved

Directions:

Combine chocolate chips and shortening

and melt in the microwave. Microwave

30 seconds and then stir. Microwave

15~20 seconds and stir again. Stir until

well combined and then pour about ¾ of

the mixture into the bottom of the crust and

refrigerate until firm.

Beat the cream cheese, sugar, sour cream

and vanilla until smooth.

Fold in the Cool Whip.

Pour or scoop the mixture into the crust

and refrigerate overnight.

Before serving:

Arrange the strawberries on top of the pie.

Microwave the remaining chocolate and

drizzle over the top.

Refrigerate, again, for about an hour

before serving.

Makes: 6 to 8 servings.

Be sure to visit Yvonne @ Stone Gable

for On The Menu Monday! 

www.stonegable.blogspot.com

You’ll come away 

filled with amazing inspirational

menu and recipe ideas for use 

with your own family meals!

May Day Brunch Tablescape (here)

Until next time. . .

Spring Floral Arrangement. . .

Welcoming Spring 
with a new "floral" arrangement!

Like most of you throughout the U.S.,
I'm still waiting and hoping for Springs arrival 
here on the Prairie!

So~o~o. . .
until Mother Nature decides that Spring has officially arrived. . .
I decided to bring a touch of Spring 
to On Crooked Creek's interior!

I removed the huge creamy ivory Dahlias
from my Bormioli Italy Crystal Glass vase
and inserted some faux tree branches, chartreuse branches
and a faux bird's nest with eggs!

I adore the movement 
these gnarly, twisted branches bring to this arrangement!

Continuing the streamlined appeal, 
I returned the vintage relish dish 
filled with intricate silver spoons.

Spring has arrived to the interior decor On Crooked Creek . . .
now we'll sit back and enjoy Mother Nature's handiwork unfold, 
in due time, to the exterior!

* * * * * * * FYI * * * * * * *
I know you fellow bloggers enjoy sharing secrets. . .
so~o~o. . .
I've prepared a special Tea With A View
for my friend to share later in the week!
Be sure to visit soon to see this sweet 
Teascape for Two!     Sh~ h ~ h!!!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Until next time. . .

Streamlined Vintage Tablescape. . .

 

Once the Christmas Roses
and the Christmas decor had been removed,
a much needed streamlined vintage tablescape
to welcome in 2013 
seemed quite fitting On Crooked Creek!




















Soft, creamy ivory blossoms
combined with an icy crystallized Boston fern
in an etched lead crystal vase,
makes a striking centerpiece.




















Placing the vase atop a vintage rose bordered silver tray
allows for easy removal during mealtimes.

























Encircling the base of the vase,
I wound strands of varying hues
of heirloom vintage pearl necklaces.
The insertion of a gold leaf pin
and gold link bracelet help to reflect the soft glow
of the stripe frosted glass votive.

























Rim shot of my everyday white porcelain dinnerware.
A perfect choice for a Winter evening dining experience
On Crooked Creek. Everyday stainless flatware
combine with our rose etched crystal stemware
atop a black and white toile place mat.

























Our vintage rose etched crystal stemware,
with these beaded base detailing,
adds a romantic ambiance to our dining table.




















The features that swayed me to make this choice in dinnerware
are the embossing on the dessert / salad plate
and the huge SNOWflake
embossed into the inner being of the saucer!!!




















On Crooked Creek
an overview of a streamlined vintage tablescape
just in time to welcome 2013!



Until next time. . .

On Crooked Creek will be joining our dear hostess, Susan
@ Between Naps On The Porch for Tablescape Thursday

www.betweennapsontheporch.net

AND. . .













our dear hostess Debra @ Common Ground for
Be Inspired Friday!


Be sure to visit each of these dear ladies
for inspiration in your own home decor!!!

Toasty Warm Tablescape. . .

Welcome to a toasty warm tablescape
to herald in the  2013  New Year!

Frigid temperatures have arrived on the Prairie!
During this time of the year,
"Mr. Ed" and I, often times,
retreat to the lower level Family Room.

 


Having not yet reached double digits this morning,
I decided a warm, toasty tablescape was in order.

I chose a warm, golden palette
to keep our tablescape toasty warm and inviting.

 

My heirloom oak dining table,
passed to me from my beloved Maternal Grandmother,
fills one end of our Family Room.


Normally, I begin with my choice of dinnerware,
linens and stemware,
but today, I began with the centerpiece and candlesticks.

 

I adore the deep burgundy hue
and the rubbed bronze detailing
at the base of both the bowl and the candlesticks
of this set earned through hostess points
years ago at a Party ~Lite party held On Crooked Creek!

Adding nubby dark spice candles
encircled with pip berry rings, evergreen boughs and pine cones
compliments the Lodge theme of our Family Room.

* * Tutorial * *

A Simple Centerpiece ~
Placing a soft evergreen wreath in the base of the bowl,

 
I added 3 large pine cones to the center of the wreath.

 
Filling in the void spaces,
I added 4 medium pine cones.

At the base of the bowl,
I place evergreen and pine cone boughs.

To the left of the candlesticks,
2 over~sized metal acorns snuggle on pine cone boughs.

 

Combined with another acorn
and a set of acorn salt and peppers,
the right side features a pair of quail.

 

 
Sporting stripes in brown, gold, rust and turquoise
river place mats against the copper table topper
needed lighter dinnerware.


I opted for my Chili Pepper dinnerware from Artland.

While the golden hue of the dinner plates
added the lightness to this tablescape,
those dessert / salad plates were a bit too busy!

Folding the napkin in thirds
and placing it atop the dessert plates
was a simple solution.

 

The addition of handles
makes this soup bowl one of my favorites On Crooked Creek!

Wooden handled flatware,

from our travels in Germany,

compliments our Lodge theme quite nicely.

Instead of stemware,
I added our generous sized mugs
for steaming mugs of coffee
or a SNOWMAN Blend.

Bench seating allows for a continuous,
unobstructed view of the entire dining room area.

Although the table has been set for 4 people,
a table for 6  can be easily accommodated.

Linger a while and warm yourself
with my toasty warm tablescape of 2013!

 

 

Homemade soup is simmering gently,
waiting to warm our bodies and souls on this frigid Winter day.

Comfort food,
combined with a toasty warm tablescape,
makes for a great start to  2013!


Until next time. . .

www.betweennapsontheporch.net

On Crooked Creek will be joining
Between Naps On The Porch
for Tabletop Thursday with our dear hostess, Susan.
Be sure to visit for inspiring tablescapes for your own home decor.

www.stonegable.blogspot.com

Also, Stone Gable for Tutorials Tips and Tidbits
with our sweet hostess, Yvonne.
Inspiration, combined with encouragement, abounds
with multiple creative ideas for your home.