Off The Counter: Pickled Veggies and Bloody Marys

This week's Off The Counter is inspired by a pickled veggie recipe my husband, Alex, found in Food & Wine Magazine.  We purposely prepared this Fall Vegetable Giardiniera to garnish Bloody Marys, but these assorted veggies also complemented cheesy baguettes and  garnished salads throughout the holiday week.  I loved having them available and we're already planning our next pickling extravaganza.  Take a look:

The Fall Vegetable Giardiniera recipe can be found here: 

Alex's Pickled Veggie Bloody Mary Recipe: 

Add the following to a shaker:

Ice, 30z Vodka, splash of giardiniera, ground pepper, pinch of salt, fresh grated horseradish,  sriracha (if you prefer yours on the spicy side) and a little juice of a lemon and a lime.  Top off with Clamato or Beefamato.

Shake and pour into a tall glass with pickled veggies (serves two--or one if you're a lush).  Cheers!!

A Four Pawed Christmas Present

For some time now, our children have been asking for a dog, so Alex and I decided that this Christmas would be a great time to fulfill their wishes.  With the help of the incredible staff at Arf, a local animal rescue center, we found the perfect canine.  The newest family member is a ten month, ultra chilled, sweet mannered, amazingly soft to the touch canine called LOKI.  Meet him:

Childhood Memories: A Vintage Creche

The holidays provide time to create new family traditions and to revisit old ones.   As a child. I fondly remember playing with my family's own Nativity set.  I loved all the animals and the joyful expressions on Mary, Joseph and the wise men.  Not long ago, I found the same exact creche I grew up with on EBay and now our daughter Zoe is enjoying it as I once did.

It's hard to believe that Christmas is here already.  For so many families the holiday season will never be the same.  This year's natural disasters and human induced tragedies have impacted many lives forever.   Let's all remember that Christmas is meant to bring  "Peace on earth, good will to men" and pray that it is so...

Holiday Table Setting: Tapestries, Sugar Sticks and 3 Tips

We're hosting our West Coast family the day after Christmas and for the table setting, my mother-in-law gave me a beautiful Indian tapestry to use as a table cloth.  Its colors and designs fit right in with our greenish concrete floors and redwood walls.   Evergreen sprigs and sugar sticks will decorate each setting.  The sticks will sweeten our after dinner teas and coffees.  Take a close-up look:

3 Holiday Table Setting Tips***Keep the setting simple, but interesting.  By adding texture, color and natural elements you can transform your everyday dining experience into a holiday event. 

1.  Layer:  Bring texture to your table setting by using different size dishes, adding a tablecloth, napkins and/or placemats.

2. Garnish:  Place an evergreen sprig at each setting.  This eliminates the need for a centerpiece, which in turn, will provide you with more table space.

3.  Celebrate:  Make lots of toasts to family, good friends and all the things in life you're grateful for!

Botanical Inspiration: Pyracantha Berries

 This time of year, the Pyracantha bush that lives next to our Persimmon tree is full of red-berried branches perfectly suited for holiday decorating.  Yesterday, I cut a bunch and combined them with my "big score" evergreens to fill the courtyard planters.   Take a look: