~Classic Rotisserie Chicken Salad √ ~Cucumber and Chive Tea Sandwiches √ ~Orange Cranberry Scones √ ~Salmon and Dill Bruschetta √ ~Lemon and Cream Trifle√ ~Applewood Smoked Ham and Havarti Ciabatta√ ~High Tea at Home Continuing our Series on Teatime or Anytime Treats, the feature this week is Applewood Smoked Ham and Havarti Ciabatta. These are our family’s all-time favorite sandwiches; we fight over them like cats and dogs! Perhaps it’s the smokiness of the ham with

~Classic Rotisserie Chicken Salad √ ~Cucumber and Chive Tea Sandwiches √ ~Orange Cranberry Scones √ ~Salmon and Dill Bruschetta √ ~Lemon and Cream Trifle√ ~Applewood Smoked Ham and Havarti Ciabatta ~High Tea at Home Continuing our Series on Teatime or Anytime Treats, the feature this week is Lemon and Cream Trifle for this very special Memorial Day to honor and remember men and women of the United States Armed Forces who gave their lives in service to our country. It r

~Classic Rotisserie Chicken Salad √ ~Cucumber and Chive Tea Sandwiches √ ~Salmon and Dill on Crisp Toast Rounds (Crostini) √ ~Orange Cranberry Scones √ ~Lemon and Cream Trifle ~Applewood Smoked Ham and Havarti Ciabatta Continuing our Series on Teatime at Home: Simple Elegance, the feature this week are Smoked Salmon Crostini, which have been made by my family, in one form or another, forever. You can use a baguette and put olive oil and toast it lightly, which is supergood

~Classic Rotisserie Chicken Salad √ ~Cucumber and Chive Tea Sandwiches √ ~Orange Cranberry Scones √ ~Salmon and Dill Bruschetta ~Lemon and Cream Trifle ~Applewood Smoked Ham and Havarti Ciabatta Continuing our Series on Teatime at Home: Simple Elegance, the feature this week are Orange Cranberry Scones for this very special Mother’s Day to honor those that have cared for us, guiding and nurturing us at our very best, and our worst. Through thick and thin, for every seas

~Classic Rotisserie Chicken Salad ~Cucumber and Chive Tea Sandwiches ~Salmon and Dill Bruschetta (Recipe to Come) ~Orange Cranberry Scones (Recipe to Come) ~Lemon and Cream Trifle (Recipe to Come) ~Applewood Smoked Ham and Havarti Ciabatta (Recipe to Come) Continuing our Series on Teatime at Home: Simple Elegance, the feature this week are Cucumber and Chive Tea Sandwiches, which are beautiful as well as incredibly versatile and can be served in far more settings than teatime

Chicken Salad has been as much a part of my life as any seafood that we made frequently from the Gulf Coast, be it shrimp, snapper, crabs, flounder, or catfish. Our chicken salad recipe was made by my mother, her mother before her, and eons back as far as I can remember. And this wasn’t just any chicken salad, mind you. This was a tradition for every holiday, Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas. Then there were the family gatherings-reunions, birthdays, baby and wedding showers

Easter, for as long as I can remember, has been something we anticipated for weeks to arrive with the first hint of spring. Growing up in the South, the air was still cool, but you could feel summer waiting just around the corner. Our home would slowly transform as plans were made, menus discussed, and small traditions carefully carried out. Fresh flowers always found their way to the table, nothing overly fancy, but always arranged beautifully. We usually picked hydrangeas f

Strawberry shortcake has long been one of those desserts that quietly marks the arrival of spring. The first bright red strawberries of the season are piled onto a yummy cake with clouds of whipped cream; the result is simple and satisfying. The sweet smell of berries mixed with cream instantly feels like a celebration of childhood with warmer days and the kind of dessert that brings everyone back to the kitchen for more! For many years in my family, strawberry shortcake was

Beef stroganoff was always a special dish at our house when I was a kid; still is! We salivated when mama started it, searing the meat, onions and fresh garlic sizzling in her big pot. We were a family of seven, so we always made it with hamburger meat, unlike the tenderloin I used in this recipe. No matter what the meat, this was a huge hit, one that always made daddy sit up and take notice. He was such a carnivore. For many years I used hamburger, making it for my family,

SCALLOPS & LIME CREAM SAUCE Description: Delicate scallops are lightly seared to keep them tender, then finished with a soft lime cream sauce that adds brightness without overpowering their sweetness. They have that zing that makes you want to sing! So, dig in and don’t fight, these lovely mollusks are good to the last bite! Ingredients: 2 pounds sea scallops 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 Tablespoons Tony Chacheres Creole Seasoning 1 cup heavy cream Zest of 1 lime 1 tablespoon fr

Key Lime Pie Recipe: Description: A classic, tart, and creamy pie that lets fresh lime shine, she’ll make a pie thief come out of the woodwork, so beware, and guard yours closely! Ingredients for Crust: 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs ⅓ cup sugar 6 tablespoons melted salted butter Directions for Crust: 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 2. Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. 3. Press firmly into a 9-inch pie plate. 4. Bake crust for 8 minutes and let cool slightl

Few treats are as timeless and indulgent as fresh strawberries dipped in rich, glossy chocolate. With their stems left on, these berries are easy to dip, elegant to serve, and perfect for special occasions, celebrations, or sharing with family and friends. The contrast of juicy, slightly tart strawberries and smooth gourmet chocolate creates a dessert that is both luxurious and nostalgic. Our family is wild about these simple berries dipped in milk chocolate or semi-sweet cho

Well hello Paris, Bonjour! You’d think I would’ve slept like a baby, but I couldn’t contain my excitement, yes, you got me, awake again at four AM and sneaking a peek out our Paris Balcony! I’d grown fond of the little store across the street and three stories down, I made up reasons to go in there, in some ways, it was like a 7-11, but it had its own little charm. Part of the reason was out front of the store, there were the most beautiful fresh rosy-red raspberries, plumb b

Well, hello again London! I woke slowly, realizing we were still in London, its pageantry and grace charming us everywhere we looked. Yesterday we explored Paddington Station, its glamour, neighborhood spirit and transportation history stamped in time, opening in 1854 and designed by Isambard Brunel. It was also the home of a most adorable bear, Paddington, featured in numerous books and movies. Our visit to Notting Hill was just as memorable with storybook streets, candy

My mama made Turkey Gravy like she was a pro, and I guess she was, having made it since she was a young girl, taking great pride in it, something we were eternally thankful for. Believe or not, gravy can be one of the trickiest things to pull off, and it plays such a pivotal part of the meal. The stock is glorious, but can be difficult to find turkey necks, legs, or parts before Thanksgiving or Christmas, but once you capture them, run home and start cooking, there’s others l

Deviled eggs have always been part of our holiday table, they’re that irresistible appetizer you can grab on the go with your hands before anyone is the wiser. The bacon topper is that bit of crunch and allure that makes the whole crowd gravitate to that plate of smoky goodness. Be it Easter brunch, a Christmas spread, or a gathering in between, these creamy little bites always seem to bring smiles and familiar comfort. The moment the eggs are halved, and the centers are scoo

The wedge salad is a beauty in a lane all by itself. Our family has eaten it for eons and one of us usually asks for it; they’re having a hankering that nothing else will satisfy. Its distinctive promise is that it isn’t like almost any other salad, it’s unique and one-of-a-kind. After all, lettuce is the main star and is lovely, full of fiber and low in calories, and has the honor of being one of the most consumed vegetables in the world, mostly due to being chock full of vi

Growing up, it seems like the smell of broccoli rice casserole has always been with me. There wasn’t a Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday that it wasn’t on the table and rated high, right up there with the turkey and dressing or ham and dressing. I was never sure if that stupendous smell was any one of those other dishes baking, as I sneaked a quick oven door opening while mama wasn’t looking. A waft of heaven floated out as I shut it fast, not wanting to risk getting caught.

Eating at Gaido’s Restaurant in Galveston reminded me of my mother’s wonderful shrimp and oysters with the best tartar and cocktail sauce that we served at our little restaurant, the Alta Loma Café. We decided to try and replicate it and to adapt Gaido’s Lettuce Wedge to go with it. Heading out for fresh seafood, we went to Hillman’s Seafood, down Highway146. We wanted jumbo shrimp and oysters. Gathering our big daddy shrimp, we bought a gallon oysters and dashed home. Time t

Miss Edna's Lemon Apple Pie My little brother Donnie and I loved to go to the Café our parents owned. It was about half a mile from our house, it was the original Alta Loma Café, along Highway 6 in Alta Loma, Texas. Mama or daddy took us and picked us up from there multiple times a day. As we grew up, we often walked to and from or rode our bikes. A daily hot luncheon was served five days a week, good solid southern dishes were on the menu which was written on a hard plastic