Father's Day - A little bit of Chicken Fried... tablescape

 

Welcome!

Father's Day didn't quite sneak up on us, I actually found a present and card for my husband weeks before, but the meal itself did. Was I thinking we would fast that day?

The boys did agree it was high time for some 

Chicken Fried Steak!

From Wikipedia:

Chicken fried steak (also known as pan-fried steak,^[1] CFS or country fried steak) is a breaded cutlet dish consisting of a piece of steak (tenderized cube steak) coated with seasoned flour and pan-fried. It is associated with Southern cuisine. Its name may be due to its similarity in preparation to fried chicken.

Chicken fried steak resembles the Austrian dish Wiener Schnitzel and the Italian-Latin American dish Milanesa, which is a tenderized veal or pork cutlet, coated with flour, eggs, and bread crumbs, and then fried. It is also similar to the recipe for Scottish collops.^[1]

After reading that little tidbit.. nope that is not what ours resemble! We use a nice thin cut top sirloin, pound it within an inch of its life, dip in flour, dip in beer batter, dip in flour, dip in beer batter, deep fry. All this takes place outside. Yes, sweet husband has perfected cooking the chicken fry on the charcoal grill, with mesquite chips over hot coals. Let me just say... Umm, it is soo good!

 

The trusty Sky Ranch dishes came out to play that day. 

I was busily plating salads in the kitchen when I realized I'd better jump to taking some pictures!

Still trying to figure out which flatware speaks Cowboy.

any ideas?

The napkin rings and centerpiece came from a quaint little shop in Weatherford, Texas, Just to the West of Fort Worth, on highway 180.

I have had these rusty ol' cowboys and cowgirls forever! The store at which I purchased them is now a faint memory. They are made by Two's Company and I did not see them on their website this time around.

I love setting the larger ones on the table for display or using them on a buffet with the name of a food item inserted into their lasso.

The rustic bird's nest chargers from World Market worked really well into the theme.,

Somewhere in the lost items from the last move was a box of cd's of embroidery designs. 

In that box was a western font set. 

Until either the box surfaces, which I seriously doubt, or I find the font again, these napkins will have to do.

This really worked pretty well for a guys table, simple, non-frilly and not fussy.

I pulled out the amber Whitehall quilted tumblers and paired them with the Dollar Tree crystal. 

Both pieces are rather chunky and therefore work really well with the heavy Sky Ranch plates.

Cast:

Chargers - World Market

Plates - Sky Ranch

Napkins - not quite vintage but older

Flatware - Gorham

Amber quilted goblets - Whitehall

Wine glasses - Dollar Tree

Napkin rings and centerpiece - Weatherford, Texas

Western placecard holders and decor - Two's Company

Thank you for dropping by! I do so love reading your comments, they inspire me to do better.

I hope I'll be seeing you at both Cuisine Kathleen's Let's Dish

and Susan's Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch!

Mr and Mrs Pumpkinhead's Halloween tablescape

First and foremost, I've been praying for all those on the east coast. For your safety, that needs are being met and that you feel God's comfort in the wake of the disaster that has befallen you.

Halloween has certainly been sneaky this year. Crept upon us without a warning. Boom, she made her entrance loudly and bewildered us with her unexpected arrival. This is how Mr & Mrs Pumpkinhead will be celebrating the evening. I do hope you'll join us, in between sneaking the candy that was meant to go to the little kiddies. Ms. Halloween told on you!

After Ms Halloween arrived with full force, I sneaked out of the house and quickly purchased some napkins, aka bandanas from Hobby Lobby. I think for the holidays, you can't beat their prices nor their darling accessories. A simple orange tablecloth, black felt placemats, my workhorse white dishes, some orange salad plates, a white soup and the fun, almost Gothic looking flatware from Horchow's.
Tip: If you can't find a suitable napkin, check out the bandanas!

I used the cool bead spiders used previously HERE to squish the napkin edges together, so I could sit them on the edge of the plates. Sometimes, Mrs. Pumpkinhead has a thought not muddled by the sheer mass of "stuff" that daily floats through her head.

And while I was out, I picked up some glasses from World Market at 2 for 1! Much was already picked over. But I snagged enough for us.

These amber Whitehall goblets are certainly getting a workout this fall. So glad I picked them up at an estate sale, last day, so half price. Life is good.

Also from World Market, these darling "Eat at your own risk" liners. I can't take any credit for this set up.. no sirree Bob. Mrs Pumpkin head saw these in a flyer or email ad from WM. And she had the wire holders, just needed the liners to honor Ms. Halloween. Cute eh?

Mrs. Pumpkinhead (and everyone else, including Regan, who was caught in flagrante delicto with one in his mouth. Shame! shame!) love Yvonne's Parmesan Puff Pastry Bread Sticks. Oh wow. you will certainly love these. As a matter of fact Mr & Mrs. Pumpkinhead love all of Yvonne's recipes. You can always find a batch of her Ceasar dressing in their freezer!

Hard to see with all the glaring sun, so look carefully. Mrs. Pumpkinhead put the lovely  Fleur de Lis votive holder on the table so that there will be light to ward off the creepiness of a full moon!

Mr. Pumpkinhead wanted to order take-out when he saw this menu!! It's just a disguise to keep the intruders at bay. Even a spirit wouldn't eat this swill! Don't tell, but butternut soup (we don't mention the s word.. keep them thinking there are butter nuts or the rest of the Pumpkin clan won't take a bite!), a Ceasar salad (don't you know he's groaning in his grave, a good remembrance!), and some pork chops with applesauce. Yummy!

Hoping it won't be too cool to enjoy yet one more evening outside.  Well, we will just pull out the heater and the wraps!

 Thanks for dropping in! The Pumpkinheads treasure your visit...

Cast:
Tablecloths - white matelasse coverlet covered with an orange topper
White dinner plates - Wedgewood Windsor
Orange Plates - BIA from Tuesday Morning several years ago
Soups - Williams Sonoma, probably a decade ago
Placemats - TJMaxx a few years ago
Flatware - Horchow's
Amber goblets - Whitehall, antique
Double- Old Fashioneds - World Market
Napkins and Pumpkin place card holders (in bowls) - Hobby Lobby, different vintages
Spiders - United Market Street, a local grocery store
Conical holders - World Market
Votive holder - Mineral Wells, Texas
Sign - Dollar Tree

I hope you'll follow me to
Cuisine Kathleen's Let's Dish,
Yvonne's, Tutorials, tips and tidbits and
Susan's Tablescape Thursday! See you there..

Sunday Sunflowers

Thank you so much for dropping in! You know that were it not for you, I wouldn't be doing this. So I'm honored and say thank you!!

Sunday night dinner. Just family. And sunflowers at the market. Braised pork tenderloins with sage on the stove. Recipe HERE. Gnocchi. English peas. A fresh garden salad. And sopapilla cheesecake for dessert. I'll post that easy-peasy recipe soon. You will love it!!

Tip: Many times a color will unite the whole table. However, don't forget to add a bit of relief to the eyes. I did that with the white dinner plates.

 

I really do not get on a ladder for these shots. Raise my arms and camera up high and capture the shot. My camera has a vari-angle viewer so I can see what I'm doing (most of the time - ha).

 You can't really see the dessert plate between the salad bowl and the dinner plate, but it really added a bit of green to the dishes. Boy. Do. I. Need. Some. Green. Plates! Oh yeah, My name is Marlis and I am a dishaholic and I'm on the 12 step program. Ha.

Tip: Admitting a problem is one step to overcoming your addiction!

Can you believe these placemats are 36 years old? Really. Yes. Somehow, I've lost one or two. Now that is indeed strange. Yellow bowls from TJ's, my workhorse Wedgwood Windsor, and the most precious Granada dishes. History of these dishes HERE. The rosewood handled brass flatware was a gift from my mother when we were still newlyweds. 

I have fallen in love with all the antique amber pieces I keep finding. Is this a throwback to the harvest gold of the 70's? Oh yeah I had a kitchen with some of those 70's colors.. can you guess the color that went with it? I love the bowl, it's a recent find. As are the covered dishes. The amber hurricanes came from Home Goods in Dallas last year. The wine goblets were from Stein Mart and the tumblers are antique Whitehall. Boy do I wish they were Fostoria, but hey, this way the grands can use these without me thinking twice about it.

Silly me, I didn't raise the blinds. I really do not like blinds. However, that window faces west. I live in West Texas. Do the math, blinds or the house is not much cooler than the triple digit outside temperatures!

I just love the fluted edges of these bowls. It's that texture thing. OOh yeah, it was Sunday. Mr. CJ was home. Which means -  the tv was on.

See the undulating edge of the bowl.. plays nicely with the classic dinner plates. More texture from the tumblers and the placemats. 

Mr. CJ shelled out cash for these napkins on a trip to Fort Worth's Pottery Barn last year. Yep, he feeds my obsession some of the time. Napkin rings from Stein Mart a long time ago. The napkin sets had different patterns in them. Loved that.

I just love Sunflowers. One of my favorite memories of my mom was of her having us stop at the side of the road leaving our cabin in New Mexico and cutting arm fulls of wild sunflowers to bring home. Naturally, I think of her with each sunflower.

Cast:

Vintage - placemats, amber covered dishes, amber bowl

Dinner plates - Wedgwood Windsor

Salad/desserts - Granada

Salad bowls - TJMaxx, they just have a B on the underside

Wine hocks - Stein Mart

Tumblers - Whitehall

Flatware - Rosewood handled flatware from Mom

Hurricanes - Home Goods Dallas

Napkins - Pottery Barn

Napkin rings - Stein Mart

Burlap runner - made by me

Thank you again for coming to visit. I'm delighted to see by your comments that you've been here. I'm partying over at Yvonne's Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits and  Susan's Tablescape Thursday.. c y'all there!

Ralph's Roses Tablescape

Roses in November

 The rich colors of the Ralph tablecloth required flowers that were vibrant and spoke volumes. The larger arrangement was on the table when guests arrived.

Amber glassware and salad plates along with aubergine napkins captured in beaded napkin rings play off the colors of the tablecloth.

Creating a bit of drama for your guests is always welcome!

Rosewood handles brassware is perfect for this table.

Special candles with gold lettering heighten the ambiance of the evening.

Lots of wood to repeat the element found in the flatware.

I love how the evening sun brings out the richness of the napkin color.

 A hardwood bowl holds a glass vase, which is partially obscured by the Spanish moss.

These beaded napkin rings in golden hues pick up all the colors used.

Note the smaller centerpiece for when guests actually sit down. Personal additions seem to be great conversation starters.

Old copper develops a lovely patina when left to age naturally.

An antique photo provides instant relatives for the other side of the table.

Fitz and Floyd has the most interesting pieces! Love having a pitcher of water on the table. 

Cast:

Tablecloth - Ralph Lauren

Napkins - World Market

Napkin rings - Pier One

Chargers - Teakwood, very old

Dinner Plate - Wedgwood Windsor

Salad plate -BIA Malibu Curry, Tuesday Morning

Wine hocks - Stein Mart

Water tumblers - Whitehall 

Flatware - gift from mother

I thank you much for your visit. Your comments are a delight to read and help me grow. I'm linking up to Susan's delightful dish party at Between Naps on the Porch - Tablescape Thursday. Hope to see you there!