Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Spring Style Inspired by the Garden

In Bloom
Bring the beauty of the season into your home with flowering branches. Shop your yard for forsythias, lilacs, cherry blossoms, honeysuckle and pussy willows, all great choices for forcing branches. 





Cut branches on an angle with sharp, clean pruners and put them in warm water. 


Arrange the branches in a tall, clear vase and place in a spot with good indirect light. 


Remember to change the water every few days to ensure the longest life for your blooms.








Garden Party 


A neutral backdrop of linen, burlap, and white dinnerware sets the stage for a garden party accented with spring green and tones of orange.







Moss covered bunnies are dressed up in linen ribbons and vintage buttons and are ready to graze on a centerpiece of herbs and veggies nestled in a bird’s nest basket. 








Napkin Rings

Give your napkins some “carrot-ture.” Create napkin rings from recycled paper towel tubes, make a vertical cut through the entire length of each tube, then cut the tubes into 1 ½ inch pieces. 


Lay each tube piece on a 6-inch piece of burlap ribbon. 


Bring the sides of the ribbon up and around the tube and secure with hot glue. 


Overlap ends of tubes and glue together. 


To hide the seam, glue on twine-wrapped carrots or other colorful vegetables.








Chic Chandelier


Orange burlap carrots dance around the dining room chandelier. Carefully wrap a wired garland of greenery to create the base. 


Finish the display with a garland made from burlap carrots.








Places, everyone


Egg cups make great place card holders. Tuck in neutral-colored moss to create a nest for the eggs to sit in.


Glue on a tiny tag and embellish with a vintage button.








Mirror Image 

Dress up a mirror or other architectural wall hanging with a small wreath of greenery. 


Feed a wide, patterned ribbon through the center of the wreath and attach the ends to the top or back of the mirror.






Have a blessed and safe spring!


Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Meatless Mexican Meals

Whether you're vegetarian or just looking to add a few more meatless meal options to your weekly dinner rotation, make it a fiesta! Mexican food, with all its fresh ingredients - peppers, tomatoes, beans, potatoes, corn, cheeses - is quite conducive for meatless and vegetarian diets.

Avocado and Black Bean Quesadillas


Here are three recipes that are so hearty and flavorful. You’ll never miss the meat! In Avocado and Black Bean Quesadillas, warmed flour tortillas are folded over melty cheese, sautéed veggies, smashed avocado and beans. These quesadillas make a festive start to any meal, however, they’re also substantial enough to stand on their own as the main course. 

For an alternative to traditional meat-filling, try potatoes, poblano chiles and spinach wrapped up in soft corn tortillas. Mexican Rice and Black Beans makes a great side dish, but with lots of add-ins, it becomes a plentiful and filling one-pot meal.


Avocado and Black Bean Quesadillas
So many delicious ingredients are packed into these quesadillas, but it’s the cheese that binds everything together. Feel free to use any Mexican melting cheese. Try asadero, chihuahua, queso quesadilla or a combination of all of them. If those varieties aren’t available, Monterey Jack is a good option. Serve quesadilla wedges with salsa and sour cream or Mexican crema.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced

1 bell pepper, any color, sliced into strips

1 cup black beans, drained

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
                                                                                 
Salt to taste

2 avocados, halved and pitted

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Juice from 1 lime

1 cup shredded Mexican melting cheese

4 medium flour tortillas


In a frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and pepper until soft. Stir in beans and seasonings and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

In a bowl, mash avocados to desired consistency (I prefer mine somewhat chunky). Sprinkle with lime juice and chopped cilantro.

To one half of each tortilla, add 1/4 of the avocado mixture, beans mixture and then the cheese. Fold tortilla over filling. In a skillet over medium heat, cook each quesadilla until lightly browned or 3-4 minutes, turning once.

Place quesadillas on a baking sheet and keep warm in 300 F oven. Repeat with remaining quesadillas.

(Recipe by Jennifer Ruple)



Potato, Poblano Chile and Spinach Tacos



Potato, Poblano Chile and Spinach Tacos                                                                   
These tacos are a throwback from time spent in New Mexico. My husband and I made these during one of the cooking classes we participated in at the Santa Fe School of Cooking. 

This class featured several types of tacos – and this was the vegetarian version we made. Instead of adding the cheese into the filling mixture, I opted to crumble Queso Fresco (which literally means fresh cheese) over the filling.

1 pound red or white potatoes (about 4 or 5)

1 white onion, diced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

2 bunches fresh spinach, stems trimmed and coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon Mexican oregano

4 poblano chiles, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch strips, about 2 inches long

1 cup heavy cream, sour cream or Mexican crema

1 cup grated cheese such as Monterey Jack, cotija, Parmesan, fontina or a mix

Salt to taste

Corn tortillas


Peel potatoes and dice into 3/8-inch cubes. Cook potatoes in boiling salted water until potatoes are soft but not falling apart, about 10-12 minutes.

In a medium-hot skillet, heat oil. Sauté pepper strips until they begin to soften. Add onion and cook until lightly brown. Add garlic and potatoes and cook for 2 minutes more. Begin adding spinach a handful at a time, stirring with tongs to wilt.

When greens are wilted, add herbs and cream. Cook on a low boil, stirring constantly until liquid is reduced by a third. Stir in cheese and continue cooking until smooth and thick. Adjust salt if needed.

Serve filling with warm, corn tortillas.

(Recipe adapted from the Santa Fe School of Cooking)




Mexican Rice and Black Beans


Mexican Rice and Black Beans
The perfect one-pot meal, this satisfying dish is packed with protein and vegetables. It’s also a great option for meatless meal nights. Serve it with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and a dollop of sour cream. Plus, warm tortilla chips are a great vehicle for scooping it all up.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 red onion, diced

2-4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 bell pepper, any color, diced

1 cup corn kernels

14-ounce can of fire roasted tomatoes

4-ounce can diced green chiles

1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

4 cups cooked brown rice

Juice from 1 lime

8 ounces enchilada sauce

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

Salt to taste

1/4 cup cream cheese, softened

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese

Shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream and tortilla chips for serving


Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the onion, garlic and bell pepper until soft.

Stir in corn, tomatoes, and chiles and cook for 1 minute.

Add beans, rice, lime juice, enchilada sauce, spices, cream cheese and 3/4 cup Mexican cheese.

Sprinkle with additional cheese and cook until cheese is melted. Serve with lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and tortilla chips.

(Recipe by Jennifer Ruple)