Making Sugar Pecans for Holiday Gifts

Here is a fantastic Recipe for  Sugared Pecans.  Warning.... if you are making them for gifts... package them quickly before everyone eats them on you.

1 pound pecan halves

1 egg white

1 teaspoon cold water

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

  2.Beat egg white with  water until fluffy.

  3. Fold pecans into egg whites until well coated.

  4. Mix cinnamon, sugar and salt together then fold       

       coated pecans into the dry mixture.

Bake on a cookie sheet for 1 hour. Serve warm.  (I wish I used parchment paper and I will be using it this year.  They really stuck to the pan!

For the gifts, I wrapped them in bags, placed my Home Made stickers on the front, then placed them in mugs with the initials of my friends.  These happen to be going to Lisa, Lynde, and Liz

Thanksgiving table settings and Thanksgiving place card ideas

I have compiled some beautiful pictures from other wonderful web sites to share with you some ideas for festive Thanksgiving tables and place cards.  The link under the picture will take you to our web page of photos.   Don't forget to sign up for our newsletter when you visit us.  I send recipes, decorating tips, and New England "things to do" frequently. 

http://www.newenglandfineliving.com/ThanksgivingTablesettingideas.html

Are you hosting Thanksgiving or Christmas Dinner? How about creating a roasted organic turkey dinner?

A Delicious Roasted Organic Turkey Recipe 



Defrost your Turkey at least 2 days ahead of time. This will ensure a very moist cooked bird.

Do what you can ahead of time. This will relieve stress and allow you to enjoy your family and friends the day of.
Prepare your stuffing and Cranberry sauce 3-4 days in advance. These items will hold really well and will reheat perfectly with out sacrificing quality.

Also set your dining room table the weekend before. That way you can take your time creating a beautiful table with place cards and all.

If you are having a large group consider setting your table formally ( as if it were a sit-down) but then set up a buffet perhaps in the kitchen. That way everyone can make a plate and then still sit down together at one table.

Definitely cook your mashed potatoes the day of. The secret ingredients that make mashed potatoes a "Wow"are butter and heavy cream with just the right amount of salt and pepper.  Cook , whip and serve for the best results.

WHILE COOKING YOUR TURKEY MAKE SURE YOU BASTE IT WITH THE NATURAL JUICES EVERY 15-20 MINUTES. Also cook the bird at 350 degrees.

Purchase a thermometer, place in the center of the turkey¹s breast. When it reaches  165-170 degrees it is done.  It is best to cook the turkey in the oven alone earlier in the day and then leave on top of the stove covered.  Then the oven will be free to heat up the other items easily. Do not reheat the bird.

Once then sides are hot , heat up the gravy so it is nice and hot. Then Carve the bird and serve with hot gravy.
 

For More Great Recipes, Visit New England Fine Living.com and visit our food section.

Miniature Strawberry Shortcakes

Wonderful miniature Strawberry Shortcake recipe submitted by Elegant Affairs Catering.http://www.newenglandfineliving.com/miniaturestrawberryshortcakes.html   
I would post the photo, but for some reason they are posting as blue photos.   I will have to figure that one out!

Don"t let this one sit around.

Ok, so here is the deal. I have had a Spa Finder gift certificate for $125 pinned to my bulletin board for over 8 months and I have yet to use it.

True I get offers to review spas for free , but I have not taken advantage of those offers either (I know, I know tough job but someone has to do it.). I made the decision to finally use my gift when school starts. I first said I would use it once I lost a few pounds as an award for my hard work, or that I would use it once I landed that one great job, but since I do much better pampering others, I put myself on the back burner.

I finally got online two nights ago to see what spas were around me. I was surprised there were so many! I really thought I was going to be limited. Well maybe I will take the time to go once school starts. No really I will.

Who doesn't need a little pampering now and then?

Perfume and the Trash Guy

This morning I woke at 5:30 am to track down the tree full of crows that wakes the neighborhood each morning (I will see if I can load a video of their sound soon) and to walk Chloe. I literally rolled out of bed, put on my jeans and t-shirt, put up my hair and walked out the door.

Just a few houses down the trash truck rolled up, and the guy started loading his goods from the neighbor's two week recycling bin. Chloe and I passed and just as we were about 10 steps away from the truck, I heard the guy yell "I just have to tell you your perfume smells great". Now of course first I blushed, but then I couldn't help but wonder....could my perfume still smell after a night of tossing and turning.... was I overpowering the night before? Or was it that I just smelled better than the pizza boxes he was picking up?

I do love the perfume I wear. It is light (you usually have to be pretty darn close to me to smell, but maybe the breeze caught it this morning). I found it many years ago and it is now no longer available. It was a Lacoste Pour Femme, a seasonal special, and I buy three boxes at a time (I am down to my last bottle) when I find them now at overstock stores or in airport perfume shops.

I did find it once, in SOHO, in one of those little shops where you can buy bags and perfume and they close their doors fast if the police are coming. I was lucky enough to open the box right outside the door. I found that my bottle was filled with water! Yes water! (this happened to be me before when I bought vanilla in an outdoor market in the Dominican Geeeeesh) I could hear the women (I have no idea what they were saying since it was not English) start chattering nervously. I was feeling duped and stormed back into the shop and demanded the full sample that was on their counter or I would be calling the police. I know, I know! I should not be shopping in one of those bays with all the beautiful knock offs in the first place, but I could not help it when I found my elusive perfume. Now that I am typing this, I think I will see if I can find it through one of the affiliate sites I work with. That would be so cool! I will post it here if I find it. Don't forget to visit my web site

Yeah! I found it!!!!!!! Ladies I promise this is a beautiful scent that has gotten wonderful comments from both men and women.
Don't forget to visit my web site magazine New England Fine Living.com

Halloween is just around the corner

It might be mid August at the time of this posting, but with parties, some of like to have a little planning time. My thoughts were to post of few of the party decor that I have done over the years to share with you. I just found some Halloween picture files, so I will be posting those first. Enjoy. For more pictures on this table setting visit my web site New England Fine Living.com

Culture Shock

Ok, I admit it, I like nice things and you have heard me say it before. But while going through this divorce, I decided (with a push and a nudge from my soon to be ex-husband) that it was time to sell my BMW x5 and down size.

1. Because the darn thing was too big to fit in the tiny little garage that came with my new/old 100 year old bungalow.

2. The gas price was killing me at $70 a fill

3. I had to sell it to save over $400 a month

I decided to look for something that would allow me to use the equity I had in the vehicle and have no payments at all.(only $5400 waaaaaaa) What a challenge it was. After days and days of searching and test driving all shapes and sizes. I find myself in a little VW Cabrio Convertible. When I was first shown the car, I said there is no way I could drive that! It was a color I don't wear! I was joking of course, but it was a custom "burnt copper" color and I was hoping for silver, black, or white. But once I got behind the wheel I loved zipping around the small streets in my area. Ok so the windows I have to roll vs pushing a button, I don't have a navigation system any more so I will be back to mapquest or asking directions, and I don't know what the temperature is outside while sitting behind the wheel. I can deal right?

I do feel empowered that I made this selection on my own. I love that there are no payments and my excise tax and insurance are going to be cut in half, but I still have my own "status" issue. What will my clients think of me when I roll into their multi-million dollar driveways? I don't judge others, so why do I expect them to judge me? Cough Cough... maybe it is because I hear them judging others. Oh well... I like getting into my little pumpkin mobile. I will be the one with black triangles over the headlights at Halloween time!

Picking Up Dog Poop... It Could Be Worse!

Now that I am newly single, I am living in a house that does not have a large or fenced in yard for my little beagle chloe. I now take her on walks three to four times a day. Not bad, but she was not used to this new experience. The walks took a bit longer than I had hoped. Her constant sniffing of the ground and stopping at every bush we passed took forever I think she was trying to find a spot to go to the bathroom that no other dog had used. But here is my complaint, or was my complaint.

I was a bit spoiled for many years. Chloe had a very large horse paddock to use and I never had to pick up dog poop, so when I moved to my new town, I was forced to walk and carry my little plastic bags and pick up Chloe’s waste after she did her business. I learned some very important things quickly like… don’t swat a fly away with the hand that is carrying a full bag, or make sure the bag you grab does not have a hole in it. Well one day, with full bag in hand, I was lovingly complaining out loud to chloe about my new chore. Then, out of the blue, a woman I have never met before passed me with her two dogs. Instantly my life as a complaining dog walker changed. This woman was walking two large Great Danes and was carrying what looked like two suit case sized bags of poop. As I walked passed her and as we said our quick hellos, I looked down at my teeny little bag of doggie doo doo and smiled with joy. Yeah I know… this was bad of me! I smiled because I saw that someone had it worse than me, yet she was still smiling and the little evil girl in me wanted to say “Na na nana na na!” Now, during our walks, I don’t swoosh the full bag around my head to scoot away flying insects, I make sure the bag does not have a hole in it before leaving the house, and I pick up Chloe’s waste saying “well it could be worse” followed by my praising my little girl for doing her business.

What chores do you hate to do? And how could it be worse? This might help you appreciate what you have to do a little bit more even though it probably sucks just a little bit. Don't forget to visit our web site New England Fine Living.com

Free Background Templates.

I have been wondering how most of the blogs have some beautiful and unique looks. I finally found a site that offers some free templates and the current one I am using is from their site. Just thought you might like to know if you are a blogger too. Click here to see their selection. They also offer custom.

Julie & Julia

I just got back from watching the movie, Julie and Julia, with my daughter and I loved it! My daughter, who is 19, did not really know much about Julia Childs. I told her I used to love sitting in front of our black and white tv and watch her cooking shows. I even remember the show where she poured a little red wine in her stew pot and then took a little sip for herself.

In the past 8 months, I have rekindled my passion for cooking, and this movie has inspired me to not only go out and buy Julia Childs cook book, but to find an old copy at a used book store.

Bon Appetite

Say Anything you want on a M & M

Can you imagine giving a friend a gift with your picture on it? How about a photo of your new grandchild to show off to all of your friends. I went ga ga over this when my daughter showed them to me. We are thinking about decorating wine glasses this year and then filling them with custom M & M's . Wine and Chocolate... Now that is a gift I would like to receive

Save money on your makeup

Who doesn't love to save some money on their makeup? I myself have used e.l.f. cosmetics before, sure I might have borrowed them from my daughter, but taking after her mother, she looks for quality products at money saving prices.

These have to be two of the funniest cake toppers I have seen!

Description Comical Couple with the Groom "Taking the Plunge"
Comical Couple with the Groom "Taking a Plunge" in hand painted porcelain. An avant-garde top to a cake or cup cake tower.>Description Comical Couple with the Bride "Having the Upper Hand"
Comical Couple with the Bride "Having the Upper Hand" in hand painted porcelain. A novel approach to top your cake or cup cake tower.

What does your favorite color say about you?

Did you ever wonder what your favorite color said about you? Do you panic when it comes to choosing a paint color for a room? Many years ago I did a presentation for a garden club on color in the garden, and I thought I would share my notes with you. Click here to be taken to my web site where the whole article is listed.

Classic Deviled Eggs

Classic Deviled Eggs

6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and cut lengthwise

¼ cup Mayonnaise

½ teaspoon dry ground mustard (wet mustard will work in a pinch, but add less mayo)

½ teaspoon white vinegar

1/8 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

small sprigs or parsley or paprika to garnish

Once you have cut the cooled boiled eggs, gently remove the egg yolks. Place all of the yolks into a l bowl and cream/mash with a fork.

Add the remaining ingredients into the bowl and mix thouroghly.

spoon or squeeze the eggs mixture back into the halved egg white, then sprinkle lightly with paprika or parsley to garnish.

Grilled Salmon - A Healthy Summer Meal

Are you looking for a healthy summer meal? How about Grilled Salmon. This recipe was sent to us by Chef Denise Baron of Burton's Grill. Hope you enjoy it!

New England Style Decorating and Design

I love New England and all that it has to share. The style of the shops, the homes, the gardens, the history. Today I just uploaded pictures of New England Style homes on our web site. I hope you enjoy them.

Yummy Lemonade Recipes

I love lemonade out on my porch so I did a little research and found some recipes to share with you.

MINTY GREEN TEA LEMONADE

4 cups boiling water

6 Lipton® Green Tea Bags

2-1/2 cups cold water

1 can (12 oz.) frozen lemonade concentrate

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves

In teapot, pour boiling water over Lipton® Green Tea Bags; cover and brew 2 minutes. Remove tea bags and let cool.In 2-quart pitcher, combine all ingredients; chill at least 2 hours. Strain, if desired. Serve in ice-filled glasses. Garnish, if desired, with lemon wedges.

Makes: 8 (8oz.) servings

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes

Chill Time: 2 Hours

For more recipes click here and you will be taken to our web site New England Fine Living.com for more Lemonade recipes

Sugar Cookies

Photo From Coastal Living

Sugar Cookies

Yield

about 2 dozen
Ingredients

* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 large egg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* Royal Frosting

Preparation

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg and vanilla, beating well.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl; add to butter mixture, beating just until blended. Divide dough into 4 portions. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap, and chill at least 1 hour.

Roll each portion to 1/8-inch thickness between 2 sheets of wax paper. Cut with a 5-inch star-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375° for 7 minutes or until edges lightly brown. Cool 3 minutes on cookie sheets; carefully remove to wire racks, and cool completely. Spread or decoratively pipe cookies with Royal Frosting.
From - Coastal Living, JANUARY 2003


From - CarolyneRoehm.com

2 cups butter, softened
2 eggs
3 cups powered sugar
1 tsp almond extract
2 tsps baking soda
2 tsps cream of tartar
2 tsps vanilla extract
5 cups flour
Cream butter and eggs together and add sugar, beat until creamy. Add the rest of the ingredients, except flour, until well combined.

Slowly add flour and continue beating until all the flour is added and forms dough.

Chill, roll out and cut with cookie cutters.

Bake at 350°F, for approximately 6-8 minutes, or until slightly golden.


Photo from Find.myrecipes.com

For more recipes... NewEnglandFineLiving.com