The Most Wonderful Time

So, here it is…

After weeks of shopping, wrapping, decorating, baking, planning and just plain fluffing - in a little under 24 hours from now, Santa Claus will be making his way down our chimneys and into our hearts.

 

And oh, what fun it has been.  It is in the mist of all of this chaos that I realize how very blessed I am to have...

 

A wonderful husband, an amazing family, great friends, coworkers and a job that I love.

 

And I would be remiss not to mention my fluffy children.  

 

All of this has truly made all of the fussing worth it.

 

 

 

As I write these words of gratitude, I wish for you and your family the very best and brightest Christmas and a very joyful and healthy 2015.

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from my Cowgirl heart to yours.

 

 

 

Celebrating Christmas in a Stately Manor

Our annual tour of The Manor House is one of my favorite holiday traditions.  Touring the area’s most iconic mansion serves as somewhat of a red carpet opening to our region's Christmas season and has grown into one of its most beloved events. 



The glorious 30,000 square foot Georgian Colonial Manor House was built in the 1930’s by Robert and Page Stranahan. 


Once known as Stranleigh Manor to its family, the estate rests upon 750 acres that are now known as Wildwood Preserve Metropark.


Here are some highlights from our tour.


 



Candy cane stripes and elves adorn kitchen shelves.





 

Collections of ceramic teapots and crystal stemware are seen through beautiful open cabinetry. 

 

An Americana theme is carried throughout the dining room.
 

 

 

Equestrian art and ornaments bring handsome warmth to the study.
 

 



Beary special guests enjoy a party all of their own.


 



A wreath with natural elements and woodland creatures dresses a second floor sitting room.




 

An arrangement of twigs and greens adorns an outside urn.



 

Until next year, Stranleigh...

Have a wonderful week!

Very Merry Holiday Gift Giving

Every holiday shopping list has one… that impossible-to-buy-for friend or family member.  But there’s really no need to despair - just think outside of the box.  Spending a few minutes thinking about the person’s interests will help you come up with a very merry and clever gift.

Embellish wine bottles with pretty ribbons and tie on wine-related accessories.

 

For the arts and crafts lover, give tickets to a local museum exhibit, art supplies, or craft idea books and magazines.

For the wine enthusiast, slip a bottle into a wine bag and embellish with wine-related baubles like pretty stoppers, wine charms, cocktail napkins or a fancy corkscrew.  

For the sports fan, choose game-day memorabilia, clothing and accessories in favorite team colors, or tickets to an upcoming sporting event.

For the out-of-town relative, create a gift basket filled with local specialties, make a scrapbook of vintage family photos, or gather beloved family recipes and present them in a festive container or tin. 

  

 

Fill a vintage basket with locally-made soaps, candles or chocolates for a unique presentation.

 

And who says gift cards aren’t personal?  They can be extremely if you keep the recipient in mind – a round of golf, a pedicure at a favorite spa, or dinner at a special restaurant.

Remember, whatever you decide to give your loved one, it’s the thought that counts. 

 

Have a great week!

The Well-Dressed Table

Happy Monday!  I am so elated to share this post with you as it is my first style article to be published in a local newspaper.  Here is how it appeared in print.

And here is a close-up version.
  

Hold on, Santa Claus.  We love you dearly, but there is another holiday to celebrate before your sleigh pulls into town.  With retailers promoting Christmas earlier and earlier, it’s easy to want to skip Thanksgiving decorations altogether. 
  

 

 

 

However, a day in which we set aside time to give thanks for our blessings deserves its own spotlight.  A beautifully decorated dining table will establish the tone of your meal and serve as the backdrop for the event.

When decorating your Thanksgiving table:

 

·        Mix heirloom pieces with your current tableware.  Mom’s china and grandma's flatware evoke memories of loved ones and provide an opportunity to share family stories from years past.

 

 

 

 

·        Pumpkins, gourds and mums can look a little tired by late November, so feel free to incorporate fresh, dried, and even silk elements into your centerpiece.

 

 

 

 

·        Use neutral runners, napkins, and white plates and platters to allow dinner to take center stage. 

 

 

 

 

 

·        Add a touch of turquoise to provide a stunning contrast to autumn’s rusts, golds and reds. Try candleholders or a vase in this rich shade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

·        Place markers add personalization and warmth to your table.

 

 

 

 

 

However you dress your turkey table, be sure to savor the day with your family and enjoy the final days of fall’s glory.

 

 

 

 

 

Have a wonderful week and a very Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

A Twist on Tradition

Everyone knows that you don’t mess with tradition, especially on Thanksgiving.  So slipping in a new dish between the green bean casserole and sweet potatoes can be a tad risky. Albeit traditions are what holidays are made of, but when I found this recipe for Cornbread-Chorizo Dressing in New Mexico Magazine last fall, I knew I had to shakes things up a bit. 

 

 

 

I actually made this dressing three times within six weeks – Cowgirls love corn bread!

 

The first time was the trial run. Then I served it on Thanksgiving.  It was so good that I made it again for Christmas Eve.

 

 

 

 

Below is the recipe; however, if you would like to read the original article which also includes recipes for Pumpkin Soup; Red-Chile Rubbed Turkey; and Cranberry, Fig and Pistachio Relish, here is the article.  

 

 

Have a great week!

Cornbread-Chorizo Dressing

·         ¾ pound French bread, torn in bite-size pieces

·         8 ounces bulk chorizo sausage

·         8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

·         2 heaping cups chopped onions or leeks

·         2 heaping cups thin-sliced celery

·         1 to 1½ tablespoons crumbled dried sage

·         2 teaspoons dried thyme

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         ½ teaspoon freshly milled pepper

·         8-inch-square pan of cornbread (made from a 15-ounce package of cornbread mix, if you wish), crumbled coarsely

·         3 to 4 cups turkey stock (see above) or low-sodium chicken stock

·         4 large eggs

·         ½ teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 375° F. Place French-bread pieces on baking sheet and toast in oven about 10 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Set aside to cool, then dump into large bowl.

Butter 9 by 13-inch baking dish several inches deep. Over medium heat, sauté chorizo in large skillet, breaking it into small bits with spatula as you cook, until well browned. Drain off and discard excess fat. Add butter to chorizo in same skillet, and melt over medium heat. Stir in onions and celery and sauté until very soft, about 7 minutes. Add sage, thyme, salt, and pepper, and scrape into bowl of toasted bread pieces. Add cornbread crumbles. Pour in stock a cup at a time, and mix together until bread is very moist but not soupy. You will probably use 2 to 3 cups of stock. Cover and refrigerate dressing until you are ready to proceed with it. (Up to this point, dressing can be made a day ahead.)

Finish preparing dressing after turkey has roasted about 1hour. Taste and adjust seasoning if you wish, or add a bit more stock if mixture seems dry. Whisk eggs and baking powder together and mix into dressing. Spoon dressing into baking dish, leaving it somewhat uneven on top, so that it will get extra-crunchy in some spots. Cover, place in oven with turkey, and bake 25 minutes. Uncover and continue baking about 20 additional minutes, until lightly browned and crusty on top.

Savoring Autumn

In just a few short weeks, we’ll be decking our halls - stringing lights, trimming the tree and hanging the stockings with care.  After all, our pumpkins are starting to look a little squishy and the mums… they’ve seen better days. 

 

 

 

So, I thought I’d give you one last look at fall decorations in all their glory. 

 

This tour happens to be the home of a fabulous decorator – my Mom.  She just has a way with balance and placement.  And her floral arrangements are some of the best I’ve seen.  How lucky was I to have her to design my wedding flowers?

 

Here are some pictures of her great room and dining table.  Enjoy!

 

Getting up close and personal with the mantle. Lots of textures create a cozy scene.



 

The green globes cast a beautiful light against the fall colors.


 



A rustically simple dining table is ready for a Thanksgiving feast.


 

A touch of turquoise adds an additional layer of depth to the arrangement.



 

Have a great week!

 

 



 

 

Tricked or Treat

We were duped by Mother Nature, big time.  Only in the Midwest do you get 40 mile an hour winds, freezing rain and snow on Halloween.  Needless to say, Trick or Treat was a big flop this weekend.  Anyone need any candy?  Chocolate eyeballs?  Gummy worms?  Plastic spiders?

 

 

 

No need to despair – we still have plenty of time to celebrate the remainder of fall.  We’ve got a few leaves left on the trees and pumpkins and football and Thanksgiving! 


Did I mention pumpkins?  We have plenty of time to enjoy our pumpkins and this Triple-Layer Pumpkin Spice Pie.
 

 

 

 

Triple-Layer Pumpkin Spice Pie
2 cups cold milk*
2 pkg. (4-serving size each) JELL-O Pumpkin Spice Flavor
Instant Pudding
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 8 oz. tub of whipped topping, thawed
1 graham pie crust
Pecan halves, optional

Beat milk, pudding mixes and cinnamon with wire whisk until well blended. Spread 1 ½ cups onto bottom of crust.  Add 1 ½ cups of whipped topping to remaining pudding mixture; stir gently.  Spoon over layer in crust; top with remaining whipped topping.  Refrigerate 1 hour.  Sprinkle with cinnamon or with toasted pecan halves if desired.  *I used skim milk, and it was wonderful.  Here’s the original recipe.

 

 

 

 

Sorry, Father Christmas, you will have to wait a few weeks for the Cowgirl.  She’s holding out for a good old-fashioned Griswold Family Thanksgiving. 

Have a great week!

Ghost Story

Do you believe in ghosts?  

I don’t think artist Georgia O’Keeffe did, or at least she wasn’t bothered by them while spending a good portion of her life at Ghost Ranch.  Located in the north central region of New Mexico, just outside of Abiquiu, Ghost Ranch is where O’Keeffe would travel from New York every year for rejuvenation and transformation as well as to paint many of her famous pieces of the area’s landscape.  


She referred to Ghost Ranch as the “best place in the world.”

 

 

I was able to experience what makes Ghost Ranch so mesmerizing just a couple of weeks ago while on vacation.  

 

My husband and I traveled about an hour from Santa Fe to spend the day at the ranch where we could hike and enjoy the incredible scenery. 

 

 

 

With its vivid red rocks vistas, cliffs and canyons, it was easy to see why Ghost Ranch’s 21,000 acres has served as inspiration for so many artistic endeavors including the photography of Ansel Adams and as the backdrop for many movies...

 

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,

 

City Slickers with Billy Crystal,

 

And the Lone Ranger starring Johnny Depp, just to name a few.

 

     

 

But why the name Ghost Ranch you ask?  Legend has it that long ago the canyon was inhabited by cattle rustlers.  Trying to hide their stolen goods from nosy neighbors, they started rumors that the canyon was haunted by evil spirits. 

 

The area became known as Rancho de los Brujos or Ranch of the Witches, later evolving into Ghost Ranch.

 

 

 

Our day trip to the ranch included a 3-mile round trip hike up to Chimney Rock, supposedly a hike suited for all levels of hikers. 

 

Not being used to the altitude and the heat of the sun, and yes, being a bit out of shape, I was rather overwhelmed for the first half of the trip up. 

 

 

 

Did I see or feel any ghosts along the way?  I did not; however, I did feel an incredible sense of peace and tranquility as we climbed toward the summit. 

 

Perhaps it was the spirituality of the land that I and many others have experienced that empowered me to make it to the top. 

 

 

Have a great week!

A Touch of Turquoise

I'm back, and I really missed you.  I was busy nurturing my inner Cowgirl while on vacation in the great American West.  But now I’m back in the Midwest just in time to celebrate the beginning of my favorite season.  

 

 

 

The leaves are turning, and we have pulled out our sweaters and boots in full force – it was downright chilly this past weekend. 

 

 

Alas, nothing will stop us Midwesterners from pumpkin picking, warm cider, and apple fritters. 

 

 

 

Having come straight from The Turquoise Trail in New Mexico, I wasn’t quite ready to let go of the beautiful hue of turquoise from my mood just yet...

 

 

...so I used it as inspiration for my fall tablescape.

 

 

 

 

I believe that turquoise is a magical color.  It’s strong and bold.  

 

 

It plays nicely with others but can stand on its own.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s a calming color that can soothe your spirits and warm your soul. 

 

 

A Native American artist I know referred to it as “Medicine”.

 

 

 

 

To bring that peaceful feeling into my home, I’ve added a few touches of turquoise to my table.  

 

 

A richly toned vase filled with flowers,

 

 

Some vintage mason jars for candle holders,

 

 

And a ribbon of burlap through each place setting.

 

 

 

 

Ahhh, I’m feeling better already…..must be the medicine.

 

 

 

 

Have a great week!