~~~A Seaside Supper~~~

Good Monday morning! On Sat. night  Joe and I hosted our dinner group, so I wanted to share our "seaside" table with you; even though we were in the dining room and NOT seaside:) But, I am hanging onto the last vestiges of summer for a little while longer. Fall is my favorite time of year but I do savor the last of summer. So, here we go. This is a picture heavy post, I wanted to share it all:) This first picture is turned and it won't let me rotate it, SORRY!!!!

 I started with a bright white tablecloth, then added either a blue or turquoise placemat. Then I used a solid blue dinner plate, a fish embossed dessert plate, topped with a turquoise salad plate and a starfish. We had our salad first and then our main course was shrimp creole! I will share that recipe in an upcoming post. It was really delicious. A nice crusty bread was great for sopping up ALL the sauce:)

A wine glass and a water goblet for each place, and a shell votive.

 The pillars matched the blue plates. I added some shells to the candle ring.

 I only have 4 of these fish napkin rings so every other placesetting had a shell napkin ring.

I only have 2 of these shell chargers so they were at the heads of the table.

 The bees were buzzing the table too!

 As you can see, I still don't have window treatments in here but it doesn't bother me yet. I love the brightness of this room, since my old dining room was SO dark!

All the shell napkin rings have a different design.

 I made a little vignette on the server too.

The bubble goblets remind me of the ocean!

Love my shell and driftwood candle holders, new last year from Home Goods.

 Lois brought dessert and it was a birthday cake for Wenda and I!!! We share a birthday later this month!!!!

 These are our VERY best friends, Bill and Wenda. We got married 6 weeks apart, we are coming up on our 46th anniversary and Joe and Bill ahve known each other since HS!!!!

 Our other VERY good friends, Janet and Tom.

 Joe was holding in a laugh here, I think. I am sure Bill said something:):)

 Our dessert plates ready for CAKE!!!!

 We placed the cake on my pretty white cake plate.

 Lois cut the cake for us and I am sorry I missed Al. He is right behind her

 Of course, we had to have some "Barefoot" wine!

 The cake was filled with a DELICIOUS lemon filling. It was wonderful! Perfect after the spicy creole.

 Thanks for your visit, I wish you ALL could have been here. I am linking to these parties, please stop over and see some wonderful inspiration there too!!!!! XOXO, Pinky

Let’s Dish!, Metamorphosis Monday, Inspire Me Tuesday, Tutorials Tips and Tidbits, Wow Us Wednesdays, Tablescape Thursday, Be Inspired Friday, Foodie Friday, Feathered Nest Friday, Seasonal Sundays

The Dedicated House – Make it Pretty Monday

TUESDAYS AT OUR HOME

A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday~

Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday~

Treasure Hunt Thursdays

2805 for Potpourri Friday~

At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday~

Confessions of a Plate Addict - The Scoop

Worthing Court - Home(work) Wednesday

 

~~~Madeira and Peppercorn Sauces~~~

 Hi Everyone! On Sat. night Joe and I treated ourselves to a delicious dinner of filets, asparagus and baked sweet potatoes. We love to add a sauce to our filets ever since having them in restaurants. Joe LOVES the peppercorn sauce. Since it is COLD out and our grill is not outside yet, we did them in the cast iron skillet. Get it SMOKIN HOT before you begin:)

 pictured here,

 and I love the madeira sauce. Oh honey, it makes the filet SOOOOO good!!!!

 Of course you have to have a nice glass of wine to go with this dinner:)

 Here is my plate,

 ready to EAT!!!!!

It was delicious!!!! here are the recipes for the sauces:
Madeira Sauce
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup each of finely diced carrots, onions and celery
1/4 cup finely diced boiled ham
3 cups brown beef stock, or cans We use Campbells beef broth, it has a nice rich flavor.
1 TBSP. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 bay leaf
2 TBSP. powered arrow root
1/4 cup dry Sercial Madeira or dry sherry
S and P to taste
Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the diced vegetables and ham and cover the pan. Cook slowly for about 10 mins, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and slightly browned. Add the stock, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaf;simmer for 30 mins. then remove from the heat.Stir the arrowroot in a small bowl adding enough of the wine to to make a smooth paste. Stir in the rest of the wine, then stir the mixture into the hot liquid. Bring to the simmer for about 2 minutes, until sauce has thickened and cleared.


Joe's Sauce au Poivre
2 TBSP.olive oil
1/3 cup onions
1/4 cup shallots
2 pinches cracked peppercorns
2 tsp. green peppercorns (soaked in cognac)
103/4 ou. beef stock
2 Tbsp. cognac
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. butter
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. When the oil begins to smoke, add the onions. Saute the onions til they are tender, then add the shallots. Add the cracked peppercorns and continue to saute til the onions and shallots are caramelized.Deglaze the pan with the cognac and then add the cream to thicken. Finally, add the butter to enrich and thicken. If necessary add Kitchen Bouquet to corrct the color and thincken with cornstarch and cignac mixture.


Either of these recipes can be doubled or tripled for company.
I hope you try one or both of these. They really enhance a filet!!!.
I will be linking to these parties:

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style for WOW Wednesday

Ivy @ Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday

Kristen @ We Are That Family for Works For Me Wednesday
Lindsay @ Southern Lovely for Show and Share
Roeschel @ DIY Showoff for DIY Fall Festival

Judy @ DIY by Design for Fall Into Fall
Yvonne @ Stonegable for Tutorials - Tips and Tidbits Thursday

Gina @ The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursday
Lindsay @ Southern Lovely for Show and Share Thursday

Sherry @ No Minimalist Here for Open House Party on Thursdays

Katherine @ Katherines Corner for Favorite Things Thursday Hop

Niki @ The Vintage Farmhouse for Creative Things Thursday
Kathy @ A Delightsome Life for Home and Garden Thursday
Richella @ Imparting Grace for Grace at Home
Susan @ Between Naps On The Porch for Tablescape Thursday
Pamela @ From My Front Porch To Yours for Treasure Hunt Thursday

Let's Dish

 

Feathered Nest Friday

Cedar Hill Ranch for Cowgirl Up~

StoneGable for On the Menu Monday~

Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday~

2805 for Potpourri Friday~

 

XO, Pinky