Entertaining Tip of the Week

Design by Kate

Happy Weekending!

RecipEASY: Orange Water

It's time for another non-recipe recipe! This is another ridiculously simple idea that is so refreshing and perfect for a hot afternoon. I first saw this when hubby and I were vacationing in San Diego. We arrived at the hotel after a long day of travel and found a giant water dispenser filled to the brim with ice and orange slices. It was so beautiful and I instantly had to have some! The taste was amazing! Just the right amount of flavor but nothing overpowering. As we left the hotel the next morning, there was that magical water dispenser filled with pineapple slices. YUM! It just kept getting better! So next time you are thirsty and just can't take another glass of water, grab some fruit and add some flavor.

All photos by Kate

Small Kitchen Love

After telling you all of my hopes and dreams for a big open kitchen, the latest issue of House Beautiful showed up at my door. This absolutely gorgeous little kitchen is in a 1,050 square foot bungalow designed by Chris Barrett. Now, if my little kitchen looked like this I probably wouldn't have to spend so much time dreaming of a larger space. I simply adore all the little details in this kitchen. The french doors opening to the garden let in so much light that it doesn't even feel like a small room. The floor to ceiling tile, the open shelving, the dual purpose antique table all add to the charm. Not to mention the fresh flowers and fruit! Nothing brings life and vibrancy to a space better then flowers and juicy fruit. Hmmm, I wonder how my hubby would feel about a kitchen remodel:)

Photos by Victoria Pearson for House Beautiful Magazine

Can-Do Food Presentation

Would you guess that bowl of soup came from a can??

Why is it that so many people feel like they have to cook an entire  meal from scratch in order to entertain their friends? It's no wonder so many people decide NOT to host parties. No one needs that kind of pressure! Especially when it's so easy to fake it! It's all in the presentation. Take my dinner a few nights ago. I wanted tortilla soup but didn't have the stuff to make it from scratch. No problemo! I did have a couple cans of soup in the cupboard. So, I heated the soup in the microwave and then I jazzed it up with some toppings. What I ended up with is a bowl of delicious soup that looks like it came from a restaurant. Check it out!

See! Does this look like it came from a can? I think not!  

Grilled Green Goodness!

Image via PatioDaddioBBQ.com

My hubby and I had our first date night Friday since our little girl was born three weeks ago. We headed out to a local upscale bistro were I was pleasantly surprised by what I ordered. A grilled ceasar salad. Yes, I was impressed by a salad! Pretty incredible considering I also ate a $40 Kobe beef steak. I had seen grilled salads on menus before but to be honest was always turned off by the thought of warm, wimpy lettuce leaves. I mean, that's what you get when you order a burger at a fast food restaurant. Who wants that? But my friends, this grilled salad has completely changed my opinion. It was amazing! The char-grilled leaves added such a wonderful toasty flavor to the salad that I had never experienced before. And the cool part was that the lettuce still had a little chill to it. No wimpy leaves! So, if you have never tried grilled greens before, I encourage you to give it a shot! Not only is it delicious, it will also make an excellent addition to your entertaining recipe repertoire.  

Here's how it's done...

Simply wash a head of romaine lettuce (or other hardy green). Cut the head lengthwise into several smaller sections. Drizzle each section with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over direct, hot heat for about a minute or until slightly charred. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with parmesan cheese or feta. Drizzle the sections with the dressing of your choice and enjoy!

Entertaining Tip of the Week

Nice Glass

Colored glassware is everywhere this summer and I'm absolutely diggin it! The colors, the shapes, the textures oh my!  Each one of these pieces is like a miniature work of art that will take your tablescape from blah to beautiful. They can even double as vases or stand alone as simple center pieces. So go ahead and upgrade your glassware today and all your guests will being talking about your nice glass!

fleur de lys tumbler

salud goblet



helianthus goblet



optic stemware

puccini glassware

novica acapulco margarita glasses

novica lime and salt shot glasses

kasbah lust red

lola highball

dimpled drinkware

10 strawberry street love highball glass

kosta boda mine tumblers

"Sandstone" Double Old Fashioned Glass

deep etched zebra glassware

purple tall cleo tumbler