Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town Tablescape


I actually caught Santa coming through our front
doors a couple of years ago.
He was kind enough to stop and pose for a picture
and it is one that we framed and put out at
Christmastime.

This week all of the little elves have been busy
decorating for Christmas here at Purple Chocolat Home
so
 I thought we would begin the holiday 
tablescaping in honor of the big guy and feature him
on our table.


Today's table is set in the formal dining room

with Santa as the center of the table.

Red and white stacked plates
fit perfectly as they are
  Santa's favorite colors.
The larger dinner plate is scalloped and 
has raised holly leaves.

The stack is topped with a modern
Christmas tree on a small red plate.


Even though I caught a peek of Santa that
year,
 his rule is still no peeking!

and no pouting!

Red and white napkin rings are
twisted from a floral pick.


And he means it!

We can't have Santa sitting at ordinary chairs so
the chairs in the formal room are
decked out too with a length of
crinkle decorating fabric and
jewels.  This is such an easy way to
add a fun bit of decorating to your
room.

This inexpensive fabric comes on a roll. 
 Just cut off the desired length and tie it around
the back of your chairs.


A sparkly floral fills the center
of the table and we have to have
a few pieces of candy for Santa to enjoy.




Red flatware is perfect for the holidays
and gets used around here a lot.


I paired my ruby goblets with
bubble goblets that have a ruby stem.


I love how the red and clear 
alternate on these two goblets.
It fits perfectly with the red and 
white theme.

I agree with Santa, red and white
are wonderful.






Red and white napkin rings that 
were made from a floral  pick are
used with bright red napkins.  

 I love the blinged out ruby red chargers too.
I think Mrs. Claus would love this table too.







Santa's table is all set.

He is welcome anytime.
I will be posting this with

Red holly plates - Wal Mart (years ago)
White plates - Tai Pan
Red Christmas tree plate - Home Goods
Red napkins - Home Goods
Red goblets - Costco (years ago)
White and red goblets - Crate and Barrel (years ago)
Red flatware - Horchow
Red chargers - Z Gallerie
Red crinkle fabric - Tai Pan

I just had lunch with my good friend Barb yesterday
and she said she has appreciated me listing my sources -
she has enjoyed getting to know Horchow!  How fun.
I love to hear from friends that they loved things off
my tables and went and purchased them.


Monday, November 28, 2011

Browned Butter Brownies


You know when you have found an amazing
bar when you are stuffed and you can't possibly
take another bite and you try a bite anyway.
Then you find yourself eating a whole bar!

That's the story with these luscious 
Browned Butter Brownies.  My friend
Rachel had them for her son's missionary farewell
and I had already been to a dinner when I stopped
by.  I tried one bite and couldn't stop.  These are
that amazing.

Simply browning butter does something wonderful to
the flavor of butter that makes it so rich and
unbelievably delicious.

The browned butter icing is underscored with
a moist brown sugar brownie.

This is one of those wonderful recipes
that you have all of the ingredients for in
your pantry.  It comes together so easily
and yet everyone will be asking for the
recipe!

Brown the butter gently, just until it turns
a golden color.  Take it off the heat immediately
so that the butter solids don't burn.

Browned Butter Brownies

Preheat oven to 350.

1 C. butter
2 C. brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 C. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
Cream the butter and brown sugar and
then add the eggs and vanilla.  Mix the dry 
ingredients in a small bowl and then beat into 
the butter mixture.

Butter the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan and bake
at 350 for 25-30 minutes.  Remove and let cool.

Browned Butter Frosting

1/2 C. butter
4 C. powdered sugar
2-4 T. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

In frying pan melt the butter and brown on medium
heat just until golden.  Remove from heat and let cool
until lukewarm.  Place butter in mixing bowl and add 
the powdered sugar, vanilla and 2 T. milk.  Add more
if necessary.  As the melted butter mixes with the cold
milk your frosting might be too thick, so be sure to add
enough milk to make a fluffy frosting.  

Frost cooled brownies and garnish with chopped nuts
if desired.


WARNING:  THESE CAN BE VERY
ADDICTIVE!

If you need to take something wonderful to
a holiday party, put these on your list.

I will be posting these with 

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

ALOHA! Thanksgiving in Hawaii

This year we are spending Thanksgiving
in 
Maui, Hawaii
at the Grand Wailea.

We make quite a sight with
16 of us, 
5 children, 3 spouses
and 6 grandchildren, plus my husband and I.

This is our favorite place to stay in Hawaii
and it is so child friendly (but they do have
an exquisite pool and poolside area for
adults only if just the two of you want a getaway.)


This was the perfect year as no one was
pregnant or had just had a new baby 
(we have to plan around these things now
in order to get everyone here.)


Or so we thought, we got an announcement
here that my oldest son's wife is expecting
baby number three once we got here.  What
a joy that news was!

But the week before we went, we
had a birthday girl who was so excited about
going to Hawaii that she wanted a luau for her
7th birthday party.
So a Hawaiian Luau is our tablecape
for this week.


Years ago I had ordered a few grass table skirts
from Oriental Trading.  They have all kinds of wonderful
party supplies and lots of things for a luau.


I just hot glued them to the island to create our
luau tablescape.  (The hot glue just peeled off of the
granite afterwards.)  We created a banner with
her name on it with Hawaiian flowers and hung
it between the crystal chandeliers.


Here is the birthday girl all dressed for
the party.  She was so excited to help
decorate and make the banner.
(Her skirt and shell leis were also purchased
years ago from Oriental Trading.)


Her mom made a seascape cake with cupcakes
to go along with. 
I loved the ocean blue icing with "sand" sprinkled
on everything.  Notice the chocolate shells and crabs
and she even made ones with a life preserver and
a shark fin circling the life preserver.


The beach theme was carried out in fun cake
pops that she also made in ocean blue and
topped with white chocolate shells and sand.


The counter was filled with Hawaiian
items, wooden bowls in the shape of
pineapples, shells,


Tiki gods,


Coconut shell cups,



And a whole counter full of


other beachy items.


All of it was underscored with an aqua
shell-themed runner.


I made kalua pork rubbed with Hawaiian
sea salt and slow roasted for 18 hours.


My son made Spam sushi - a local Hawaiian
favorite (it really was very tasty!)


Mini lava flow shooters (non alcoholic)
were served.  They were the perfect size for
everyone to have a little taste.


And my daughter (the birthday girl's mom)
also made these cute flip flops out of 
Nutter Butters.


Of course we had fresh pineapple served in
a pineapple bowl and others brought sticky rice,
salads and home made rolls.


We had over 50 people at the luau.


It was a great birthday party and a perfect
prelude to a week in Hawaii to
celebrate Thanksgiving.



The thing that I feel most grateful for
this Thanksgiving
 is a wonderful
righteous posterity.  Every time we went out the
door and all 16 of us walked down the hall or
sat together at a huge table, I just felt overwhelming
feelings of gratitude
for these wonderful people
that I have been blessed to have in my life.







There is so much to be grateful for....

Because two people fell in love....


Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Newsflash!  After posting this, while
we were taking family photos at the beach
tonight we saw this on the beach -


So even more to be grateful for - we
will have 2 new grandbabies this summer!
(So isn't it funny that I said we were going this
year because no one was pregnant and no one
had a brand new baby and while here, two 
announced their pregnancies?!!)

I will be posting this with


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