Simple Ways to Make Easter Brunch More Special!

Easter is a special time and if you're celebrating with a gathering of family or friends, I have some simple ways to make your occasion more special!

From food to drinks, to setting a lovely table, make your Easter celebration truly memorable with these simple, and easy additions.

Something to Nibble Before the Main Meal 

There's nothing more annoying to a cook than having your guests camp out in the kitchen and try to sneak bites of food before you are ready to serve them. 

I remedy this by always having something for guests to nibble before the main meal. This way, if people arrive at your house absolutely starving, and things happen to be running a bit behind (hey, it happens to all of us), then they are placated with snacks. 

Charcuterie and cheeses, nuts, olives and other salty snacks make a great option for nibbling. Pickles and popcorn are also good to incorporate. Having a mix of different things means there's something for everybody. 

I try to avoid sweet options since this has a tendency to ruin the meal. 

Simple & Delicious Peach Bellini

Nothing says brunch like a Bellini, and you can make this one with spirits or as a nonalcoholic version, which is friendly for all ages! 

For the nonalcoholic version, all you need is peach nectar and ginger ale. To give it more of a spirited twist, sub the ginger ale for Prosecco or champagne. Simple, light and sweet....perfect for spring!

Semi-Homemade Goodness 

Finally, take some of the pressure off your Easter meal prep by opting to serve some items not made from scratch. Store-bought isn't always my go-to, but when what I can buy is better than what I can make, I always go for store-bought. 

Unless you love to bake homemade bread and have a foolproof recipe, I recommend picking up some Callie's Charleston Biscuits to serve at your Easter meal. Callie's proprietor Carrie Morey is a pal of mine and her biscuits are beloved the world over. Knoxville folks can find them at The Fresh Market, or click here for a store locator in your neck of the woods. 

And if you bury the package in the bottom of the trash, I won't even tell that you didn't make them yourself! Carrie won't either, I'm sure ;) 

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Easter is more than a time for pastel candy and dresses, Peeps and deviled eggs. It's about hope, and love. And new life. So no matter what's on your table, or who is seated around it, I hope you hold the most important things in your heart this season. 

Simple Easter Decorations & Treats

Spring is here and it's a great time to indulge in some fun and simple Easter treats for the entire family. You don't have to spent a lot of money or go to a lot of trouble. There are plenty of great springtime projects to make and do. 

Check out this fun little round-up and maybe you'll be inspired to get creative this season! 

Pear Bunny Salad

Who better than Betty Crocker for a little inspiration...check out this adorable bunny salad made from pear halves. It's healthy and cute...and super simple to make. You might even have all the ingredients on hand. 

Honey Bun-ny Sweet Treats

Check out this cute tutorial from the delightful blog Eighteen25. Using store-bought pre-packaged honey buns, you can add some colorful twine and a cute tag and voila, such a great little Easter goody. Tuck it into a school lunch or pop it in an Easter basket. 

DIY Glittery Easter Eggs 

I don't care how old I get, I'll never tire of good ol' glitter as a go-to for crafting. And those traditional plastic Easter eggs definitely lend a great surface for it. With some simple glue or mod podge, you can turn neon colored plastic eggs into something that looks sophisticated and fun. 

Chocolate Eggs in Tiny Easter Baskets 

Everything is cuter on a miniature scale. I snagged some tiny straw baskets at a discount store and plan to use them as party favors holding small marzipan eggs at Easter. My local Aldi store had some great varieties of Easter candies and treats. 

Some of my other favorite places to shop for seasonal decorations and supplies include thrift shops like Salvation Army, Goodwill, etc as well as Dollar Tree/Dollar General. You can find some great options without spending much money. 

Happy spring & Happy Easter y'all! 

This is not the end.

Last summer, my husband planted a tree in our yard. My birthday had come around in March and when he asked me what I might like to have as a gift, I asked him for some landscaping. Specifically, a tree. We only have a few trees in our yard as it is, and some of them seem to be on their last leg. Last limb?

So after careful consideration, I chose a fig tree. A beautiful, bushy fig tree with big broad leaves.

We did the research about where was the best place to plant such a tree and watched a bunch of YouTube videos on hole digging and soil prep, planting techniques and fig tree care.

Then, on a sunny day at the beginning of last summer, my husband planted our new tree in the front yard. He bought special organic soil and fertilizer. He painstakingly weeded and applied mulch around the tree. We christened it Miss Figgins and began trying to care for our newest addition.

Summer 2016 was a scorcher in East Tennessee. We experienced a drought that stretched on and on, creating the dry conditions that ultimately helped the November wildfires spread quickly through the Smokies.

All summer long and into fall, my husband and I took turns watering Miss Figgins. We saw her droop and drop a few leaves but through it all I held out hope that she'd make it. We never stopped believing that one day, we'd have a ginormous fig tree in our yard that we planted during the first full summer we lived in our first house together.

A few weeks ago, I was walking around our yard taking inventory of different things. Our handful of buttercups along the back fence had already bloomed and withered, but our monkey grass by the basement door was coming in. As I rounded the corner of our backyard to come up the hill toward the front, I spotted the fig tree. From a distance, it looked brown and small. There were no leaves at all and upon closer inspection, I saw no buds forming either. I broke off the end of a small branch and instead of it being springy and green inside, it was brown and brittle.

I knew right away that Miss Figgins had not survived. Later that night, I broke the news to my husband. He said that he already knew, but was trying to figure out a way to tell me. We both said it was a shame, but life goes on.

Today is Good Friday. My husband had the day off so he decided to mow our yard. After he had finished, we were eating some lunch when he mentioned offhandedly that he had gone ahead and mowed down what was left of the fig tree.

This news hit me square in the feels and out of nowhere I burst into tears. I don't know if it was because of the finality of it or the fact that holidays can sometimes bring deeply buried issues bubbling to the surface. But I wept and wept for Miss Figgins.

Even now as I type this a few hours later, I could still just bawl. I know it's just a tree. It's not really the tree I'm sad about.

Easter is a special day for Christians. It's a day that symbolizes a hope we have in the possibility of new life. And as a believer, I hold firmly to that possibility. It's not just a nice idea, but something that has truly become real to me because of my belief.

But not everything gets to live. Not every relationship gets to thrive, no matter how much painstaking effort we might pour into it. All the tending in the world might not have kept our fig tree alive. There were other conditions and factors totally out of our control that played a big part in her demise. It's a helpless feeling though. And if you've ever felt this way about a person you love or a relationship you treasured, you  know that it's leagues beyond how one might feel about a tree.

Sometimes, no matter how hard we try to keep it away, death still comes. The death of an identity you had always clung to. The death of a relationship you thought completely defined you. The death of an idea or a belief system that you had always marched under the banner of.

Letting go is hard. Admitting defeat even more so. There's part of me that would have enjoyed trying to bring Miss Figgins back. But how long could that have gone on? And how frustrating might it have been? Sometimes we just have to admit that a loss has occurred and try to move pas it.

And in the meantime, those of us who want to can keep holding tight to the belief that death is not always the end, but just a new beginning.

Creative Ways to Set a Spring Table

When I was a kid, I used to love setting the table before dinner. Instead of eating in our home's formal dining room, we normally ate around a plain wooden table in the middle of our kitchen. It wasn't fancy china or exquisite linens that I used to adorn our eating surface, but instead my mom's old woven placemats and pottery dishes, beige rimmed in baby blue.

Our meals weren't gourmet, but the act of gathering together was meaningful anyway. Memorable.

“If the home is a body, the table is the heart, the beating center, the sustainer of life and health.” 

― Shauna Niequist, Bread and Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table with Recipes

I hardly ever get to set the table anymore. My husband and I sometimes eat in the den, on trays in our laps. When we do use our dining table, it's still just the two of us and we rarely put down placemats or light candles. But that's okay with me. Meals don't have to be fancy to matter. When you are gathered with those you love, this is what matters most.

Although, sometimes it's still fun to set a lovely table and spring is a great time for this. Whether you are hosting a large gathering of dear friends or just dining with one or two special someones, there's no reason you can't get creative and set a lovely spring table.

Here are some of my best tips for setting a spring table. I hope it inspires you to get creative and think outside the box at the next meal you host for friends and loved ones.

Creative ideas for setting a pretty spring table

1) Choose a color scheme and stick with it - 

Not everyone loves the typical springtime colors of bright yellow, pink and aquamarine. Perhaps you are drawn to more muted hues. For my latest lovely spring table, I opted to use shades of the Pantone 2017 color of the year "greenery." Green is my favorite color and there are so many shades of it to enjoy, from chartreuse to brighter acid-green shades to pale tones of moss, fern and olive. 

2) Shop your home before hitting the home decor store - 

Unless you're a complete minimalist, I bet you have lots of items around your home that can be re-purposed to create a lovely table setting. Just from where I'm sitting in my home, I see baskets and vases, pitches and glass containers, plus plenty of green plants. All of these things can be used to set a lovely table! 

You don't have to hit the home decor store or spend a penny to set a lovely table. Shop your home, including things you may have tucked away. 

3) Mix and match - 

Few of us have the luxury of owning entire sets of matching china, stemware and silver. If you're like me, you've collected odds and ends over the years. Clear off a space on a table or counter and gather up various plates, chargers, table linens, etc. Pretend you are a magazine editor and look for things that complement each other as you're building your table setting. 

And as Tim Gunn likes to say, "make it work!" So what if you only have three brown transferware plates. Mix them into the lineup with all white dishes for a little unexpected surprise. Got several different patterns of floral china? Unify them with gold or silver chargers. 

Something else I like to mix and match is cloth napkins. I have amassed a great collection of odd silk and linen napkins in different shades of green. These are perfect for a spring table, but can also work during the winter holidays too. 

4) Incorporate natural elements - 

I like to do everything on a budget, so I rarely spend a lot of money on floral arrangements. But a sprig of greenery can go a long way. I've been known to take my scissors and walk around the yard, snipping a few pretty pieces to use in my tablescapes. Even a so-called weed can sometimes look really pretty when presented in the right way. 

5) Leave room for the food - 

We've all seen the picture perfect tablescapes in magazines and on blogs. But I often wonder how realistic these are for actual meals. When setting your table, leave some space for the food. Make sure everything has a bit of breathing room. If people are too nervous to move for fear of elbowing a compote, this can cause undue stress. 

And finally, have fun with it! So what if things aren't perfect. Setting a table before sharing a meal you've prepared is a special expression of love for your family. Be grateful for the moment and don't take things too seriously if your end results aren't magazine worthy. This is real life after all. 

Just a Closer Walk with Jesus

I have lived in Knoxville for going on 16 years. For the first five of them I lived on campus while attending the University of Tennessee. Then I moved to a condo just one mile away from campus and stayed there ten more years. Where I used to live, there were lots of trees all around and I hardly ever got a great view of the sky.

Since moving to our house last summer I feel like we have gotten a new taste of our city. This is kind of funny because we only moved about five miles away.

There's a spot where we top a hill as we're driving towards downtown and you can see a wide expanse of the beautiful mountains and the sky. The other morning, my husband and I were headed somewhere pretty early. We came to that spot and were presented with the most beautiful view. The sun was still coming up and the sky was all shades of pink and red and yellow and gold.

And I said to my husband, "This must have been what it looked like on Easter morning because all was right with the world again."

Easter has significance for me for many different reasons. First, because of my faith....believing that we were once without hope, without a future, and knowing that because of Easter our hope is restored. Our peace with God. Our eternal life. Just knowing that everything is going to be okay.

Easter holds other significance for me because it is the day my sweet dog Leon crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. It's really hard to believe that an entire year has passed since he died.

I guess I should give you some back story. My husband is very playful and loves to do all sorts of funny voices. Each dog that we have had has been given its own unique voice that was created by my husband based on what he felt its personality was. My Leon had the sweetest personality, and his "voice" matched him perfectly. I am forever grateful to my husband for bringing that to life.

If this sounds crazy to you, you are not alone. We have started seeing a marriage counselor and when we shared this with him, I immediately sensed that he might have been writing down "whole new level of crazy." 

But the thing about it is, crazy or not, we loved our dog.

And even though a year has passed, sometimes it doesn't feel any easier that he isn't with us. So on those days, when I'm missing him really bad, it helps that my husband can still bring his voice to life.

Okay, so here's where we take things to the next generation level of crazy...in our minds, Leon is in heaven. With Jesus. And we imagine them having all sorts of adventures. Like playing Scrabble, visiting Saturn, and eating pizza together. And in our little wacky world, my husband even does a voice for Jesus that sounds very much like Hank from King of the Hill.

But here's the thing...I thought doing this would help me feel more peace about Leon. But instead, it has helped me feel more peace about Jesus. Not that I ever didn't feel peace about Him, but growing up, seeing him as that long-haired, bearded guy in a robe on the Sunday school lesson, Jesus always seemed like this stranger that I didn't really know.

Picturing him traipsing around heaven with our dog in tow has made him real to me in a new way.

Recently, I thanked my husband for making up this little fantasy because of how it had helped me deal with my grief. He said that it wasn't just a fantasy to him...that he really did believe Leon was with Jesus. And all our other friends and loved ones who have gone on before us.

Heaven is a real place. It's not just something we've created to make ourselves feel better. I know it's real and I know my loved ones are there. And because of Easter, I can one day see them again.

Even though faith is something many of us share, it's also very personal. When I was young, I had a book called "Little Talks Between God & You." It made it seem so easy to talk to God, and now, three decades later, I still see him as someone I can have little talks with.

I don't want God and Jesus to be something I only "experience" in a church building. And I hope you don't think you have to go to a church building to experience them. Sunday, we will celebrate Easter with family at church. And I'm sure I'll be sad because it will mark the anniversary of my boy's passing. But if my husband really believes we'll see him again, playing his trumpet in heaven, I can believe it too.

How to Set a Beautiful Easter Table -

Easter is nearly here and spring is bursting forth in East Tennessee. There's a tree next to my driveway that has looked dead or dying since we moved in last summer. And I'm happy to report that its boughs are now covered with pink blossoms. That's the thing about springtime...sometimes new life pops up in places you least expect it.

Are you hosting your family or friends for Easter this year? Whether you are setting the table for a large group or just yourself, this special season is certainly worth celebrating.

Start with your backdrop - the table cloth

 

Just like a gorgeous painted canvas creates the setting for a play, so does a table cloth create a place for the story of your table to unfold. It's spring and I love color, so I'm opting for a bright blue cotton table cloth to set a dramatic scene for my Easter table. My table cloth, a wedding gift, was woven on a floor loom by a family of weavers in a textile shop in Mexico. You can find a similar one from the same region available to purchase here.

I was also inspired by this gorgeous striped linen option (pictured), which is available to buy on Etsy.

Add some layers for depth - placemats

 

available via

When I was growing up, my mom had a set of place mats that we always used for family dinners. They weren't anything fancy, but the act of setting the table with them was a ritual that I came to be very familiar with. We hardly ever used a table cloth for daily meals, but we always used the place mats. There was something about the way they made our plain wooden table seem more dressed up. 

Place mats are a great addition to your Easter table, but don't worry if you don't have a huge collection. If you have several sets of four, mix and match them to create visual interest. I try to collect place mats in similar tones and shades so they all work together. Maybe you have some round and some rectangular. Setting a table with mats of different shapes can look really great whether they are monochromatic or complimentary shades.

Choose dishes that are simple & elegant - McQueen Pottery

 

I love dishes of all kinds. For several years I collected vintage Johnson Brothers ironstone in a floral pattern (Staffordshire bouquet), but eventually I decided that I'd rather have simple, white dishes. That's why I opted for Wedgwood Intaglio as my wedding china, which we use everyday. 

credit: Heather Anne Thomas (beall + thomas photography)

When I connected with Leanne McQueen of Maryville, Tennessee-based McQueen Pottery, I fell in love with her simple, yet elegant creations. Her hand formed pieces have a rustic elegance that lends itself to everything from a formal seated dinner to a casual family brunch.

McQueen Pottery comes in a wide variety of styles, including bowls, cups, plates and platters as well as pitchers and vases. It is available in two colors, milk white and speckled, a shade that is reminiscent of dove gray. 

There's something about a handmade object that makes you appreciate it even more and these pieces would make a lovely addition to any Easter table. There's also a bridal registry option for those brides-to-be. Stay tuned for an upcoming interview with Leanne McQueen for more of her story!

Accessorize - with napkins, flatware & flowers!

 

via

Napkins are a great way to accessorize your table. I have started collecting vintage napkin rings as I run across them because they can really go a long way toward making a statement with your place settings. This blog has a great round-up of different ideas for napkin rings if you want to DIY. Plus, it has some good examples of how to fold your napkins. 

Flatware is another great way to accessorize your table. When I spotted a 10-piece place setting of gold flatware at a second hand shop, I knew I wanted to add it to my collection. Whether your flatware is old or new, gold or silver, it can give your table a more complete look. 

Need tips for setting your table? Emily Post knows best! Remember "FOKS" (pronounced like fox) for the order things go in (from Left to Right - Fork, O the shape of the plate, Knife w/ blade turned toward plate, Spoon). 

For flowers, I decided to go with some freshly cut forsythia branches. The pop of yellow is nice against the blue of my table cloth and this is a lovely way to bring nature into the house. I've always loved the look of a wild, sprawling arrangement of flowers as opposed to a perfect bouquet. 

These are just a few things you might want to incorporate into your Easter table! Whatever you do, keep in mind that the folks around the table are what matter most. Even if you are just cooking a delicious meal for yourself! 

Happy Easter my friend! 

Easter Treats, a recipe roundup

Happy Saturday friends! I hope you are enjoying the Easter season. I wanted to share a few of my favorite ideas for a lovely Easter, in case you are new to the blog and haven't explored the archives!

One of my favorite recipes for a delicious Easter punch is my Baptist Champagne. We call it that because it's free of alcohol, thus safe for Baptist consumption (I was raised Baptist so I'm not poking fun, honest!). If you ever make it once, be prepared to give out the recipe because I always get requests for it. You'll want to keep the ingredients on hand to make it again and again!

Another tasty Easter dish is my recipe for "Not Your Granny's Green Bean Salad." This is so easy to create and makes a perfect complement to your main dish.

No southern Easter table is complete without a Jell-O salad! Here's a recipe for a good one if you'd like to make a last minute addition to your menu.

For a more casual Easter meal or perhaps as an appetizer, my Homemade Pimento Cheese is a blog favorite. This post was my most popular for many years, until the Ritz Cracker Candy post usurped its popularity! Both are delish and I swear by the recipes.

I hope you have a lovely weekend and a wonderful Easter! Thanks for stopping by! 

How to Set A Southern Table for Spring & Easter

This morning is my regular segment on Knoxville's WTNZ Fox43 and I'm sharing some of my favorite ideas for setting a southern table. Spring has arrived and Easter is just around the corner so there are plenty of occasions that might call for making your meal a little more special.

Y'all know I don't like to spend a lot of money so most of my suggestions can be created on a small budget.

One way to dress up your Easter table is with the good china. My good china is thrifted, mind you, but whether you inherited Grandma's priceless heirloom set or got them as a wedding present, I'm a firm believer that if you have dishes you love you should use them! There's no reason to store or saves them for a special occasion...that special occasion is today. If you're like me and have odd pieces of thrift store china, use them too! Mix and match to create unique combinations. It doesn't have to be perfect...just play around until you find a look you like!

Another way you can add something special to your table is with cloth napkins. There are hundreds of intricate ways to fold and style napkins, but I am sharing a couple of my favorites. One, shown below from the adorable blog Sugar and Charm, is the bow tie fold. It's really easy to re-create and you only need a napkin and a scrap of ribbon to complete it.

via Sugar and Charm blog (so cute!) 

If you'd like to fold your napkin and display it in a drinking glass, the flame fold might be one to try. It's easy to master and this video walks you through the process in no time. 

Another idea of mine is to create a table that incorporates fun things younger folks can do...so the grown-ups can enjoy their meal. Using butcher paper instead of a table cloth and handing out chalk is a way to add some fun for young and old. I found some adorable chalk Easter eggs that I think could be used as place cards as well as something fun for the table. 

Finally, decorate your Easter table with potted plants instead of cut flowers. Flowers are beautiful but they just don't last very long. I got a small pot of miniature daffodils and I think they will make a gorgeous addition to my Easter table...plus I can plant the bulbs and enjoy them year after year! 

Here's a video link to today's segment and all the others I've done on Fox43! 

{image 1 via} 

Hoppy Easter

(sorry for the pun…I just had to say that!)

    It seems like most of the people I’ve been talking to are saying how Easter just snuck up on us this year. I suppose I feel the same way. When the spring issues of magazines come out, they are always filled with such adorable images of fun crafts to try and delicious recipes to impress your family with for Easter Sunday dinner. Since I haven’t really done of any of that, I wanted to share this adorable lamb marshmallow creation that my friend Katie made for her daughter. She posted this picture on Facebook and I demanded she share the recipe at once! Apparently, all you do is attach marshmallows to a Milano cookie with melted white chocolate (or that almond bark) and then stick another Milano on for the face. I love how she has them corralled in a grassy enclosure. Her bowl even looks like a little fence! 

Then I was walking (briskly, just not very far) and saw this Easter tree. My grandma used to do this on the weeping willow in her front yard. Not sure who ever thought of eggs on a tree, but the idea caught on. It made me smile so maybe it will make you smile as well.

   

 

Finally, I saw this fun line of greeting cards available on Etsy (here) which included this one. Besides that cute bunny, it deals with cupcakes (joy!) so I thought I’d share. {Be warned…some of the cards (i.e. most) are not as G-rated as this one}

 

Well, that’s all for my Easter round-up. I hope you and your family/friends/peeps have a blessed holiday weekend, remembering that the real reason for Easter has nothing to do with bunnies or chocolate. Do you have any exciting Easter plans or special traditions in your family? Let the sharing now commence.

Sweet life

I can't help but get drawn into the commercial aspect of Easter. Even though I could never forget or lessen the importance of the real reason for this holiday, I have to say that all the pastel colored sweets speak my name loud and clear. And that doesn't even begin to cover the sweet love in my heart for woodland critter shaped slabs of chocolate...bring on bunnies, squirrels, lambs, gophers, etc. Maybe I should say that this stuff is more a symbol of Spring to me, instead of a symbol of Easter. Either way, I hope that those of you who love Peeps get a basket full of them. I'll give you all of mine too!