Hello! Hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful and relaxing Sunday. I first want to announce the winner of the gift wrap giveaway. Congratulations goes to

 

Please contact [email protected] with your shipping details.

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Hope you are having a wonderful weekend. The weather has been perfection, just cool enough for a sweater or light jacket. We were supposed to go on a boat trip with good friends this weekend, sailing up the Hudson river to take in the fall foliage, but there were commitments we could not get out of.

I was so disappointed but we will surely do it next year! Hope you are having a fun weekend, here we have enjoyed dinner with friends and going to a small dinner party tonight. All in all, a nice and relaxing fall weekend.

OK here we go with my Seven on Sunday…….

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1 MY FIRST FALL TABLE I had bought these fabulous antique plates Melinda Bennett antiques out of Gordonsville, VA. Was having a couple over for a casual dinner and decided to set this small round table in the area between my living room and dining room. Variety is the spice to life and its good to change things up. I just love the way this came out. In case you are wondering what was served, I made sole almondine, rice pilaf and asparagus. Simple and tasty!

Click here to follow her Instagram where you can see all the new arrivals from Mallon & Bennett. I have gotten some wonderful finds from her.

The rich orange in the plates against the blue and white with the rusty colored mums just made me so happy. I love the way it all came together and of course added our porcelain pumpkins! We have a few left (literally a handful) click here to see them.

 

2 BLUE AND WHITE BAND AIDS! OK these are the cutest and almost make me want to get a little boo boo just so I can wear one. A friend sent me a pack and I must say these are by far the prettiest band aids I ever did see! Click here to buy them.

3 INSTAGRAMS OF INTEREST OK we are in full fall mode now. What a glorious season which makes for so many gorgeous instagrams! It was had narrowing them down this weekend!

4 OUR LILY OF THE VALLEY ITEMS The collaboration I did with Carolyne was a huge hit. Definitely one of the highlights of 2021! She was/is an absolute delight to work with and we are both so thrilled these items were such a huge hit.

So much so that we have already reordered both the paper goods and the dinnerware. We have just restocked some of the previously sold out items. The larger plates (dinner service) we hope to have back in stock later Nov. You can check out this spectacular line by clicking here. 

We just restocked all the paper goods, you can click here to see them

What I love about the gift wrap is that it’s perfect for literally every season!

And of course you know I am absolutely smitten with the dinnerware!

Both colors!

It can work as beautifully for a summer table as it can for a fall table. Shown here is our newest linen pattern (click here)

You are getting first glimpse at a potential new scalloped beaded charger, I am loving it! Stay tuned! What do you think?

 

5 FALL MANTLE  I was feeling very behind the eight ball lately. I have been working overtime, where I had little time for anything else. Yes, I have official become a workaholic. Part of it is the mere juggling required just to get everything there, trust me, its crazy out there.

I wanted to add a little fall to my home. So I got out my faux white pumpkin from last year, mixed them in with a few of the little white gourds, added some blue and white then went and clipped some boxwood from the yard. It’s not the end all/be all of mantles but made things feel a little more festive for my favorite season. i am definitely going to add more greenery and possibly some pine cones. So lets call this a work in progress!

 

6 CHICKEN POT PIE Ahh…the ultimate comfort food.  Chicken pot pie, I am sorry but I have zero willpower when it comes to a homemade chicken pot pie I mad this the other day and I almost wish it wasn’t so good, that way I wouldn’t’ be screaming bout making it again:)

But when the comfort food urge calls, I promise you will not be disappointed. Be sure you have others to share it with otherwise you may nto know where to stop. I am not a super baker so used a store bought pie crust, but kudos to all those who do their own. Just whatever you do please use fresh vegetables, I think its a crime to use frozen or canned vegetables for this (as some recipes call for). Fresh is best, always. Period.

So here is what I did along with pictures from start to finish!

 

• 1 store bought pie crust
  
• 4 cups cooked chicken, shredded* (I bought a rotisserie chicken and shredded it)
  
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, (1 cup chopped)
• 2 stalks of celery finely chopped
• 3 medium carrots, (1 cup) thinly sliced
• 3-4 small Yukon gold potatoes
  
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tsp salt, plus kosher salt to garnish
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, plus more to garnish
• 1 cup frozen peas, do not thaw
• 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped, plus more to garnish
• 1 egg, beaten to use as egg wash
  

 

 

• In a dutch oven or pot, melt 6 Tbsp butter. Add diced onions, potatoes and carrots and saute 8 minutes over medium heat until soft.

• Add 1/3 cup flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Add chicken stock, and 1/2 cup heavy cream then bring to a simmer and cook 1 minute or until mixture is a thick gravy consistency. Add 2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, or season to taste. It should be well-seasoned.

• Add shredded cooked chicken, frozen peas, and 1/4 cup parsley. Stir to combine then remove from heat and cool slightly while you roll out the crusts. Roll 1 chilled pie crust disk into a 12” diameter circle. Carefully transfer it into a 9” pie dish. Spoon the pie filling over the bottom crust.

• Roll the second disk of pie dough into a 10” diameter circle and place over the pie filling. Fold the excess dough behind the bottom crust then crimp the pie crusts together to seal. Use a sharp paring knife to cut 5 small slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Brush the top of the crust with the beaten egg and sprinkle lightly with coarse salt and pepper.

• Bake at 425˚F for 30-35 minutes or until top crust is golden brown. If edges are browning too fast, cover with aluminum.  Once out of the oven, rest for 15 minutes to cool slightly before slicing. Bon appetit!

Here is a pictorial how to-

 

 

7  SUNDAY’S SURVEY Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Curious how things will be over on your end? Going out of town? Entertaining? Keeping it purposely low key? Are plans not quite what they normally would be out of precautions due to Covid or are things back to normal in your world? I am curious to see where everyone stands.

I think we may be traveling for the first time, though we are not sure.It would be the first time I have been on a plane in over 2 years, so right now we are figuring things out. Plus the idea of beig on a plane during the busiest travel weekend of the year is not exactly music to my ears:)

 

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And that’s a wrap! For those who have asked, our ornament presale will start on Tuesday! Very excited that our ornaments shipment arrived, as I have been a nervous wreck with all that is going on in the shipping world. It is not for the faint of heart.

My poor porcelain pumpkins have been sitting on a cargo ship off the Jersey shore for almost 3 weeks, yes I have cried many tears over this but trying to make the best of things and recognize I am powerless over this crazy situation. Hoping everyone has a wonderful and relaxing Sunday. Until next time…..