Ceramic Place Cards...This Week's Find

This week’s find is this sweet set of place cards. They are ceramic with lovely, delicate porcelain flowers in pink, yellow, and blue. As with so many things I have uncovered, I never remember my mother using these. That’s not to say that she didn’t, it’s just to say that I don’t recall if she did.

What these have me wondering, though, is whether or not people still use place cards?  I can actually envision myself using them, but I’m wondering what type of non-permanent marker would work on ceramic. If any of you have any suggestions or ideas, I would appreciate knowing.

To my great disadvantage, these are rather small, only about 2½ inches wide. To my further disadvantage, my hands are quite large, so I think it would be tricky for me to use these to write a name longer than three or four letters. Still, I will not be deterred! You can expect to see these at a table setting at some point in the future.

To see my previous find, click here.

Coco Loco Rib Rub

I don’t consider barbecue season to be officially open until after Memorial Day, although once the heat sets in you will find me out at the grill no matter the date, even if I’m only cooking a hotdog.

At the beginning of each barbecue season, I mix up a batch of steak, rib, chicken, and hamburger rub to have on hand. This is my special rib rub, and I think you’ll enjoy it a good bit. It adds a lot of flavor to whatever cut of pork that you happen to be cooking. I call it “rib rub” because that’s what I use it on the most, but it also works exceptionally well on the pork steaks and pork chops.

Coco Loco Rib Rub (Also works for chops)

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon espresso powder

1 teaspoon Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Pinch cayenne pepper, optional

Combine all the ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Use approximately 1/4 cup of rub per half rack of ribs. Store the rest in an airtight container. Keeps for up to six months.

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Coffee Rub for Beef is an incredibly luscious rub as well. I use it on everything from burgers to filet mignon.

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Marinated Olives

Not only do I like pizza, but I also like all of the components of pizza. That’s what I like about Abrams’ new release, Genuine Pizza, Better Pizza at Home by Michael Schwartz. It is a book that provides the reader with fabulous recipes for pizza crust, various pizzas, but also recipes for the various components of pizza, along with cocktails and dessert. In short, this book will supply you with incredibly delicious, complete meals.

Because I love olives as much as I do (you all should know this by now, I post a lot of recipes for them), I had to try the Marinated Olives recipe in this book. It is super simple, and so flavorful! Not only will I be making these again, but, next time, I will be making a double batch. I will use half of them on homemade pizza, and the other half just to eat on their own with a glass of hearty red wine, and a loaf of crusty Italian bread for soaking up the marinade. If you like olives like I do, you have to try this recipe.

Marinated Olives
From Genuine Pizza by Michael Schwartz

1¼ cups extra-virgin olive oil

2 sprigs fresh rosemary
¾ teaspoon fennel seeds
¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper*
2 cups mixed olives
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1½ teaspoons finely grated orange zest
1½ teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

In a small pot, combine the oil, rosemary, fennel, and crushed red pepper, and warm the ingredients over low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the oil is infused.

While the oil mixture is warming up, rinse the olives under cold running water. Drain the olives thoroughly and transfer to a one-quart container.

Remove the oil from the heat and let cool slightly. Start in the garlic, orange zest, and lemon zest, and then pour the oil mixture over the olives. Let the olives marinate at room temperature for two hours, then cover and refrigerate until needed and for up to two weeks.

*I used less

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In case you missed it, be sure to check out the recipe for Blistered Olives as well.

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Radish Asparagus Salad

Using fresh asparagus in new and inventive ways is a wonderful way to celebrate spring. Having spotted this recipe on the Taste of Home website, I knew I had to give it a try. I love asparagus, and I love radishes, so how could I possibly go wrong? As it turned out this is very good! It is fresh, and crunchy, with a wonderful sweet-spice dressing. It is pretty on a plate, and makes a wonderful light side salad with a cold supper or sandwich lunch. I couldn’t decide whether to use green or white asparagus, so I used half of each. Next time, for greater contrast, I will use black sesame seeds.

Radish Asparagus Salad

Adapted from Taste of Home

1 lb. Melissa's asparagus*, trimmed, cut into 2” pieces

7 radishes, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

DRESSING:

2 T. olive oil

2 T. thinly sliced green onion

2 T. cider vinegar

1 T. Meyer lemon juice

2 t. sugar

2 t. Dijon mustard

¼ t. garlic salt

¼ t. grated lemon zest

Pinch freshly ground black pepper

In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups water to a boil. Add asparagus; cover and boil for 3 minutes. Drain and immediately place asparagus in ice water. Drain and pat dry. Transfer to a large bowl; add radishes and sesame seeds.

Place dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid; shake well. Pour over salad; toss to coat.

*To be festive, I used both green and white.

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If you like radishes as much as I do, but have yet to have them roasted, you MUST try Roasted Radishes with Green Goddess Dressing.

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A Chicken in Every Pot Tablescape

Losing someone close is not easy, I’m sure that I don’t have to tell any of you that. But there are joys in bringing a part of them home with you, and I am embracing those joys by surrounding myself with things that belonged to my parents.

This table is courtesy of my mother. Everything on it with the exception of the table runner and napkins (from Anthropologie and Pier One, respectively) once belonged to her.

I had no idea that she had, what I like to call, “a chicken on a stick.” It gave me such a smile when I found it, and I knew I had to use it in a centerpiece. As I continued to unearth things, I could feel a table coming on.

My mother was a great appreciator of beautifully set tables, and I know she would have enjoyed dining at this one.

These beautiful green chargers really surprised me was. They are Italian made, and very heavy. I don’t recall her ever using them. Brace yourselves to see them a lot because I plan on using them a great deal. They are such good quality!

The chicken plates each feature a different chicken and color combination. They are so cheery.

My absolute favorite thing on this table might surprise you, it is the little soup pot on a candle stand. I was with my mother when she bought this, so it brought back bittersweet memories.  I’m not sure that she used it as often as I certainly will, but I do know that she loved the idea of being able to keep dinner warm at the table. I like that idea too. And that’s where I got the name for this table setting.

  As it turns out, my centerpiece was an inspiration to one of my neighbors who then got out a number of her mother’s things and used them in a centerpiece on her table. I hope that you will do the same.

Don’t keep your treasures hidden away, get them out, do as I do and rotate them by the season, thoroughly enjoy what you have, and be sure to share it.

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Tablescape Thursday

This Week's Find...Royal Albert Teapot

This week’s find is actually in two parts. First is this adorable Royal Albert Old Country Roses Earthenware “Hutch” One-Cup Teapot containing, you guessed it, a Royal Albert “Old Country Roses” tea set. Second, is this tiny (working!) mantle clock. Both of these were on the hutch in my parent’s breakfast room. I cleaned them up and brought them home. Truth be told, I don’t know where I’m going to go with all of the cute things I’ve been cleaning up and bringing home, but I’m going to enjoy them while I can.

 Come back next week to see what other treasures I have uncovered.

To see my previous find, click here.

Springtime Pasta with Asparagus and Morels

When I get nervous, I cook. Sunday, while listening to the hockey game between the St. Louis Blues and the Dallas Stars, I was very nervous. Baseball is my game, but when a local team advances to the playoffs, I am suddenly an avid fan. The Blues, had they lost the game, would have been eliminated from the playoffs, so I was a bit tense, to put it mildly.

I find cooking during moments like these to be relaxing, and so, with windows and doors open, and balmy spring breezes floating in, I pulled out ingredients suitable for the day and set to work.

Springtime Pasta with Asparagus and Morels

1 lb. Melissa’s asparagus - green, white, or a combination of both

1 ½-oz. pkg. Melissa’s dried morels*, 

hydrated according to pkg. directions
1 T. olive oil

1 T. butter

1 large shallot, minced

2 T. garlic, minced
1½ c. whole milk
1 c. Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1/3 c. minced fresh parsley
Juice of one lemon (about 3 T.)
8 oz. pasta of choice, I used orecchiette

Trim asparagus and cut into 2” diagonal pieces. Bring a large pot of water to a furious boil, and drop in asparagus. Return to a boil, cover, and set a timer for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a large mixing bowl with ice water and grab a spider. When the timer goes off, using the spider**, remove asparagus to the ice water-filled bowl to cool, and add the pasta to the boiling water. Cook according to package directions; drain.

Drain asparagus while pasta is cooking.

Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet.  Add the garlic and shallot, and sauté until translucent, approximately 3-4 minutes. Add whole milk to the skillet and whisk occasionally, bringing to a simmer; whisk in cornstarch. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper.  Simmer until sauce thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add pasta and vegetables, stirring to coat.

Just before serving, drizzle the lemon juice over the whole skillet. Serve with an additional sprinkle of parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Makes 4 main dish servings.

*If you are lucky enough to have fresh morels, by all means, use them!

**If you don’t have one, get one, you will find them invaluable. I have this one.

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If you are the morel fan that I am, you will certainly enjoy this Poached Wild Salmon with Pea and Morels.

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