Bounty

 

 

It's Friday and time to plan the Saturday visit to the local Farmers Markets!
We have Amish farmers in our area who bring beautiful, organic fruit, veggies and home-baked goods. Yum! Here's a squash recipe I hope you enjoy. This is for three acorn squashes or about 3 1/2 pounds. Preheat oven 400 degrees F.

Ingredients:
3 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. water
1/4 cup fresh orange juice

2 Tbs. finely chopped orange zest

1/4 cup maple syrup
(optional) 2 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries

Cut the ends off squash, then cut crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices. Cut seeds out (can use a biscuit cutter). Place squash rings in a large bowl and season generously with sea salt & pepper. Toss with 2 Tbs. of the melted butter. Arrange the squash rings in a large ovenproof sauté pan.In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/4 cup water, orange juice and zest. Pour over the squash rings. Set the pan over medium-high heat, cover and cook until the squash rings are almost tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk remaining 1 Tbs. melted butter, 1 Tbs. water, maple syrup, (opt) chopped thyme and cranberries. Pour over squash.
Bake uncovered, until squash rings are tender when pierced with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes.
Serves 8. Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.   http://oldsweetwatercottage.blogspot.com/search/label/Autumn?updated-max=2009-10-08T02%3A00%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=20

Front Porch

Is this the quint-essential Autumn front porch?

I want to drink hot apple cider when I walk inside of this home, don't you?

The mix of round pumpkins with square bales of hay, flanked with linear corn stalks is no mistake.

It's good design.

Even the flag helps tell the "story" of this home.

Do you decorate your porch, deck or door? 
http://oldsweetwatercottage.blogspot.com/search/label/Autumn

The Vase

 

A large glass vase is the most versatile decor accessory we can have, in my humble opinion. For autumn, fill it with mixed nuts of filberts, pecans, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts and walnuts, which are abundant in the store right now. Or choose one favorite nut, as shown. Pick up colorful leaves and pine cones on your walk. Crabapples look good with a few leaves tucked in. Pebbles or stones are simple, but elegant.

What do you put in your clear vase?  http://oldsweetwatercottage.blogspot.com/search/label/Autumn
 

I Adore Harvest Tables

 I've always wanted a narrow antique harvest table IN the center of the kitchen as a place to eat and prepare food. It reminds me in history, how servants would serve dinner in the formal dining room to the master of the house, but ate in the kitchen at the *harvest* table. It seems honest, unpretentious and wholesome to me. By definition, a harvest table should be six to eight feet long and usually has hinged drop-leaves and/or drawers. Here are some nice examples. Anyone got one?

 http://oldsweetwatercottage.blogspot.com/2010/11/i-adore-harvest-tables.html 

Сталик Ханкишиев. Басма.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J7Pm0jql1Q&feature=related

Green-Tea Cranberry Spritzer

 

Nothing welcomes guests for an outdoor party like a spritzer. Made with or without wine, they make refreshing, elegant coolers.

• Yield Makes 4  

  Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 4 green tea bags
  • 1/2 cup chilled unsweetened cranberry juice
  • Ice
  • 3 cups chilled seltzer

  Directions

  1. Bring sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Let cool completely. Steep tea bags in 2 cups boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove bags. Let cool completely. Divide tea, cranberry juice, and the simple syrup among 4 ice-filled
     glasses. Top with chilled seltzer.  http://www.marthastewart.com/348506/green-tea-cranberry-spritzer

Homemade Punch Is The Sweetest Drink

If you decide not to serve alcoholic beverages at your wedding, whether it’s due to budget constraints or personal views about alcohol, you might want to serve a variety of other drinks. The best kinds of drinks are homemade punches because they taste great, look beautiful, and take you back to a time when you ran around barefoot in your grandma’s yard every summer.
My grandma would make the best pineapple-strawberry punch. She would always put actual fruit in the punch as well to give a better taste. Sometimes she would put in orange slices or lime slices into the pineapple-strawberry punch to give it more of a tart taste.
I suggest that you serve a few types of punches at your wedding and let your guests choose which one they want. Put the drinks in a nice punch bowl and label each one. This is also a way to make your guests more interactive each other because they will gather at the punch table and chat. Even if you serve alcohol at your wedding, not everyone drinks (especially if you have kids around) and may want to try some of your homemade punch. It’s cheaper than buying it from a store, it’s fun to make, and it’s healthier for you.
   http://www.mydreamwedding.ca/79/homemade-punch-is-the-sweetest-drink/

12 Non-Alcoholic Drinks for Your Wedding Reception

Drinks are just as important as the food in the reception. Most wedding experts would agree with this. Many weddings today often serve alcoholic drinks to get the party started and to liven up the festivities. However, this is not compulsory. If you and your partner feel that you are better off not to serve alcoholic drinks in your big day, then so be it.
Having no alcohol in the menu does not mean that the reception party will be boring. To spice up the event, here are some exciting non-alcoholic drinks that will make your wedding reception a hit.
1. Madras
A popular drink in the Southern United States, the madras is a fruity concoction made of orange and cranberry juices. You can create this without adding vodka. Serve this beverage in a champagne flute with ice and garnish with a spitted cherry.
2. Sparkling Cider
A non-alcoholic version of the champagne cider, the sparkling cider is a lightly carbonated juice from fresh apples. It contains no concentrates, no sweeteners, no preservatives and definitely no alcohol. This is purely apple juice, healthy and delicious!
3. Tom Collins
The Tom Collins, which is an old gin drink that was popular in the early 20^th century, is served in a tall glass with an added lemon juice and carbonated soda water. Garnish with a maraschino cherry or an orange slice.
4. Tequila Sunrise
A tropical drink perfect for beach or outdoor weddings, this one is made with a mix of orange juice, grenadine or cherry syrup. Serve in a tall glass, add some ice and garnish with spitted cherry or orange slice.
5. Wild Berry Mojito
This drink, a mix of some berries, mint, and lime, can surely be a unique drink that would amaze your guests. Do not forget to spritz with soda water to give it a fizz.
6. Cosmopolitan
HBO’s Sex and the City made this drink popular once more. This drink is made of cranberry juice, some orange syrup, and drops of limejuice. This is best served in a rocks glass and garnish with lime.
7. Neon lemonade
Neon lemonade minus the vodka will wow guests with its bright blue color and enticing sour taste. It is lemonade or lemon sour mix added with a dash of blue-tinted fruit punch. Also served in a tall glass with spitted cherry or orange slice.
8. Long Beach Iced Tea
Another drink ideal for beach weddings, the long beach iced tea is a combination of orange, cranberry, and pineapple juices with a dash of grenadine on top. Serve this enticing drink in a slim tall glass with a lemon wedge and cherry.
9. Non-Alcoholic Punch
A punch does not always need to have alcohol, right? Enjoy this merry mix of fruit juices minus the alcohol.
10. Long Island Iced Tea
A refreshing mix of lemonade and brown cola, this can be a hit among friends who love iced tea. Serve this in fun tumblers and garnish with lemon wedge or slice.
11. Lime Rickey
This drink is made of limejuice, dashed with simple syrup, topped with a club soda and garnished with lime peel.
12. Brewed Coffee, Espresso or Mocha Frappe
Juices are not the only non-alcoholic beverage you can serve during your wedding. Delicious coffee and other similar beverage can surely make guests forget that you are not serving alcohol in the party.
Serving non-alcoholic drinks will offer many advantages. For one, it will help you avoid embarrassing moments of having intoxicated guests say or do things they should not do. Also, serving beverage with no alcohol can give you maximum savings on your wedding budget, as alcoholic drinks do not come cheap.  http://www.mydreamwedding.ca/1924/12-non-alcoholic-drinks-for-your-wedding-reception/