Tag Archives: Entertaining

A Fall Table // Trebo Salad Recipe

November 4, 2015

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, Fall tablescapes are on my mind.  I like an approach to a Fall table that doesn’t seem so obvious.  A few fall colors mix in with some brighter colors makes for a beautiful table that doesn’t scream Fall or Thanksgiving and I think is a nice chic approach.
A simple Rosemary sprig can help dress up a place setting, and it doesn’t break the bank.  
Florals always bring a finishing touch to the table.  I picked up this fall floral bouquet from Harmons Grocery, and a table cloth and linens from Home Goods.  Once I knew the colors with the help of my tablecloth, I was able to put the rest together.  I found the perfect little Pellegrino bottle from Harmons and a few little treats to decorate the table from Home Goods.
This salad is one of my favorite salads, but would also be an amazing addition to your Thanksgiving spread.  With brussels sprouts and fresh thyme, it is the perfect fall salad that is always a show stopper.  My friend JaNaan served this at one of her amazing lunches, and I just had to get the recipe. It has a homemade vinaigrette with a lovely fresh lemon flavor mixed with fresh thyme.
Trebo Salad
Adjust amounts to the size of salad you will need:
Fresh Arugula
Shaved fresh brussels sprouts
Toasted sliced almonds (toasted in a skillet for a few minutes until the edges are a little golden)
Hard Boiled Eggs, Sliced
Bacon, cooked and cut into small strips
Pecorino cheese, grated
Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely minced shallots
1 teaspoon fine lemon zest (zest the yellow part of the lemon only with a microplane)
1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme leaves
pinch of freshly ground pepper and sea salt to taste.
Whisk in 1 1/2 cups of regular olive oil (not extra virgin).
Adjust lemon juice to the acidity taste you like.
Add the dressing to the salad just to coat and serve.
Enjoy!
I hope this has helped inspire your fall table.  I don’t know why, but I just love a nicely set table.  It seems to be a rare occurrence these days,  gone are the days that every couple registered for a nice china set for their wedding.  But, I sure hope the art of setting a nice table continues on.  There is something special about sitting around a table with those you love enjoying a nice meal.
Table Sources: (affiliate links included in this post)
Florals: Harmons Grocery
Dishes / Plates:  A lucky thrift store find
Tablecloth/ Cloth Napkins: Home Goods
Treats: Home Goods
Chairs: Scoop Back Chairs West Elm
Stem Glasses: Tai Pan Trading
Silverware- Wayfair
Moroccan Glasses: Wayfair
{all photos by me}

Party // Ghouls Night Out …

October 8, 2015

It’s October, and Halloween is just around the corner!
I don’t know about you, but I just love fall holidays and activities!  Halloween is such a fun time for my family, especially the kids.  Sometimes we let the kids have all the fun, but adult Halloween parties are also a good time!
A fellow group of bloggers and I had a little “Ghouls Night Out,” that was so much fun!  Who says costume parties are only for kids?!  It’s nice to be able to let loose a bit, and get out of your comfort zone! 
We all arrived in style, making it much more fun and festive to have a costume requirement! It was fun to set the theme with colors and see how creative everyone was with what they came up with!
Be sure to check back for a little more on the costumes from the party.  I’m going to share how to throw together a DIY Mary Poppins costume! I will be posting that soon, as well as some of the other ladies! 
We each helped out with different portions of the party, making it really easy for it all to come together rather than putting all the load of the work on the hostess.
Sara of Confetti Sunshine designed this sophisticated yet adorably spooky “Ghouls Night Out” Halloween Party invitation!  It will be available on her blog if you are looking for a free printable invitation for a future party!
I helped come up with some festive food items for the spread.  I made some Halloween Pumpkin Cream Puffs, and some Pumpkin soup with Parmesan “Cobwebs.” (click the links for full recipes, and step by step instructions)
Sandy of Sandy a la Mode put together this spooky Halloween hot chocolate bar with all the fixins. She also is sharing her 10 tips to throwing a Halloween Party on her blog!
With a little help from everyone, the spread looked fabulous, and came together nicely!  A perfect “Ghouls” Night Halloween table!
Chelsey of Housewife 2 Hostess had the perfect house to host us!  She is a Halloween lover, and had all sorts of spooky decorations!  There was even a scary painting in the powder room that talked that took me for surprise!  She posted more about her spooky decor over on her blog!
I loved feeling silly again, and having a spooky “Ghouls Night.”  It’s fun to shake things up a bit now and again from the norm! 
Be sure to check out the other ladies I collaborated with on this fun Halloween Party!
See more of their costumes, crafts, Halloween Decor, DIY’s, and recipes that they prepared for the party on their blogs!  We will all be posting over the next little while!
Housewife 2 Hostess
Sandy A la Mode
Gentri Lee
Confetti Sunshine
All photography by Diana Putnam Photography. If you are in the Salt Lake City area, don’t forget to check out Tai Pan Trading for an abundance of Halloween, Thanskgiving, Christmas decor for your parties. Or you can shop online too!

Recipe // Spiced Pork Tenderloin

June 11, 2015

For part of my Ultimate Guide to Hosting a Dinner Party article for Wayfair’s Emagazine, I shared a simple and easy main dish recipe.  This Pork Tenderloin with Spice Rub is a perfect recipe to serve at a dinner party since you can just quickly sear it with the rub, then finish it off in the oven.  Super easy!
I love this Pork Tenderloin because it comes out SUPER tender, (the trick is having an internal temperature thermometer).  If you can get it to just the right temperature, that sear, then finishing in the oven makes for one juicy tenderloin.
Pork Tenderloin with Spice Rub
Yields: 6-8 servings
2 (1-1.5 pound) pork tenderloins
Extra virgin olive oil (garlic infused olive oil is good too)
For the spice Rub
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dry ground mustard
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Mix together rub spices in a small bowl.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Trim the fat off of the pork tenderloin, and remove the silver skin.
Coat all sides with some olive oil.
Rub with a generous amount of the spice rub.  Shake off any excess rub.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tsp of Olive oil over medium high heat.  Once the pan is hot.  Sear each tenderloin on all sides, about 2 minutes each side.
Remove tenderloins from skillet, and place in a roasting pan, and finish in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 150-160 degrees.
Remove from oven, and allow the tenderloin to rest out of the oven for at least 10 minutes before carving and serving.  This will keep all the juices inside the meat.
Pairs well with some creamy polenta, and steamed green beans.
Sources:
Tablecloth
Moroccan Gold Glasses
Flatware Set
Pink Glass Goblet
Linen Napkins
{all photos by me}