entertaining - Petite Haus

Angelina September 14, 2018 Desserts

Pumpkin Recipe Round Up

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Today I have rounded up a few of my favorite pumpkin recipes. Most of them are desserts, but there are a few non-dessert recipes too!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread by Sally’s Baking Addiction. Seriously so good, no wonder it has over 100K pins!

One Bowl Greek Yogurt Pumpkin Bread by Running with Spoons – when I want a healthier version of pumpkin bread, I make this one.

Pumpkin Spice Macarons by yours truly, you don’t have to draw Jack-O-Lantern faces on them, this was fun for Halloween!

A copycat version of Starbucks’ Pumpkin Scones, recipe by me, oh man these are good. I need to make them this year!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies – I have made these many times, the recipe is from Sally’s Baking Addiction as well.

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles by Cooking Classy – I could eat these all day long.

Mini Pumpkin Cakes by Marie Matthews at Rosemary and Thyme (two of my IG/blogging friends). Aren’t these soooo adorable??

Pumpkin Bundt Cake from Two Peas in Their Pod

Delicious Pumpkin Soup – recipe by me this is my absolute favorite pumpkin soup recipe!

Roasted pumpkin, caramelized onion and feta tart by Bake, Play, Smile

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Angelina September 10, 2018 entertaining

An Oktoberfest Party

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Oktoberfest is just around the corner so I thought I would share our Oktoberfest party from last year that I never blogged about! Below, a vintage Bavarian hat sits on a wheeled market basket.

One of the centerpieces on one of the tables is this traditional Bavarian nutcracker! He is surrounded by a wreath I made.

Oktoberfest is held in September ( I know, confusing right?). Here’s a little history: It is a celebration that has been held nearly every year since 1810 in Munich, Germany. It is a 16-day festival that runs from late September into the first weekend in October. It was started on October 12, 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen on the Theresienwiese (Theresa’s Meadow). To this day, the celebrations are still held on the Theresienwiese! In Munich, an average of 6 million people visit during this festival.

Each year I pull out a few of my Bavarian nutcrackers and use them as decorations for the party. My mom and I made the placemats.

I had printed off these little hearts a few years ago – they are a little worse for wear now. I’ll have to print off new ones next time. I simply taped strings to them, created a little heart sandwich and hung them from the chandelier.

What’s on the menu?? Do you have to ask? Pretzels of course!! These pretzels are homemade and follow a traditional German recipe complete with a lye bath. Yep, lye, and no I’m not lying. You dip your pretzels in lye to crate the beautiful color and traditional taste and outside crunch on them. A baking soda bath will do, but it’s just not the same.

Some were wonkier than others… that’s okay, they all taste the same!

What else did we have? German sauerkraut and potatoes (basically a German hot potato salad). Cucumber salad. Sausage. German red cabbage. German beer, for those that drink. And a Black Forest Cake, no, not German chocolate cake. German chocolate cake isn’t German… but Black Forest Cake is! We’ve had homemade Apple strudel too, get the recipe here.

And we had loads of marzipan, as displayed below.

You can have your own Oktoberfest party too just by having some themed food and pull out a nutcracker or too. You don’t have to wear your Lederhosen and Dirndl, unless you want to.

Danke für Ihren Besuch. Tschüss!

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Angelina June 12, 2018 antique

Using Your Antique Linen

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Do you have vintage or antique linen? Now, ask yourself, do I use my antique or vintage linen?

If the answer is “no”, my question is… why not??

Antique linen is extremely durable – it was meant to last a lifetime and to be handed down to the next generation.

In the dining room, I’ve just left it on the table for my own enjoyment. No parties here, just me, the husband and the cat. Oh dear, that reminds me of a story what I’m calling, The Great Accident. We’re off on a detour.

There is a problem with using tablecloths when you have an animal at home. See the table below? One morning my cat decided she was going to sit on the chair and bat at the tablecloth that was dangling down. I had taken this photo the day before the Great Accident. However, her claws got caught in the lace, she got spooked, and she took off… yes, the table was set.

I had taken off the goblets and plates, but my tulipiere remained. When she took off, the tablecloth went flying with her. And so did the tulipiere. My husband knew how much I loved this vase and dove across the room trying to save it – however the vase is in three pieces. So he couldn’t decide which one to catch, and all three went crashing down separately and broke. I was sleeping, and all of the banging woke me up.

I climbed out of bed and came out to see what the ruckus was. There were tulipiere shards everywhere, flowers and water scattered on the ground, a tablecloth with a few new holes, and in the middle of this mess was my husband laying on the ground bleeding from somewhere. The cat… nowhere to be found. My husband didn’t respond to me at first so I started panicking. Then the first thing he says “is the cat okay?” Uh, yes. She is busy pretending she didn’t do this. So, we cleaned up the mess. I did a little home laceration repair with old medical school supplies on my husband’s cut hand, but the vase… broken forever. And discontinued.

About a year later, we were able to find a new tulipiere at a local store, they had still had one in stock despite it being discontinued from Juliska… yes it was pricey, frankly that’s probably why they still had it in stock! But alas, I have my tulipiere and THIS time I don’t leave it on my linens unless we are in the room, otherwise up on the counter it goes! When not in use – in the cabinet, away from the cat!

Okay, back to talking about antique linens. Yes, I know I didn’t iron my tablecloths in these pictures – but I just set them up for me so I don’t care… for a party, fine, I’ll iron them for guests.

Laundry tips for napkins: Don’t do a heavy spin, it leaves creases in the napkins! If you happen to have a mangle, run through at the mangle. If not, iron – sometimes if you have a difficult wrinkle, I recommend getting your piece wet again and ironing it when it is wet!

If your textiles have holes that are unrepairable, repurpose them to make sachets or throw pillows. Also, if you gently tug on a piece and it comes apart in your hand, it has dry rot! It needs to be thrown out.

Also wanted to mention, Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture is having a Friends and Family sale that runs until June 18. Receive 20% off your entire order when you enter code SCFF20 at checkout! (affiliate link)

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Angelina June 8, 2018 entertaining

Best Scented Candles for Summer

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Here are the best scented candles for Summer – all in one place!

If you’re a reader of the blog, you’ll remember I have written about the best Spring Candles, best Fall candles and the best Christmas candles. It’s only appropriate I finish up the year with Summer candles!

I am usually burning candles in my house – in fact, as I write this, I’m burning the Figue d’Ete candle.

Capri Blue ‘Volcano’ Candle

Smells of tropical fruits, sugared oranges, lemons and limes, redolent with lightly exotic mountain greens! I actually use the scented reed diffuser in one of my bathrooms.

French Cade Lavender by Voluspa

French cade wood, lavender and verbena combine to indulgent effect in this coconut wax candle.

Tuberose by Diptyque Candle

Features notes of the tuberose, a flower known to deploy its captivating sensuality at dusk.

Figurie by Diptyque Candle

The warmth of fig wood, fresh green leaves, and milky sap under the Mediterranean sun.

Ocean Mist and Sea Salt by Nest

The refreshing essence of a gentle ocean mist is combined with hints of sea salt, white tea, and coconut.

Figue d’Ete

Notes of crisp fig leaf, sweet cassis, fig milk, white cyclamen petals, warm woods and soft musk

Nissho Soleil by Voluspa

Notes of sun-kissed pineapple and tangerine pair with creamy vanilla in this aromatic candle.

Beach Walk by Maison Margiela

Beach Walk combines fresh and radiant notes of bergamot, coconut milk, lemon, pink pepper, and musk to evoke a familiar but forgotten moment—a walk along a sandy beach

Lush Palm Candle

Notes of Tahitian gardenia, dewy banana leaf and wind swept palms. I actually use this one as a reed diffuser.

La Jolie Muse Citronella Candle

It wouldn’t be a Summer candle list without a citronella candle mentioned. Infused with the oil of the citronella plant, this classic scent combines a top note of green citrus with a bottom note of fresh clean camphor.

Lemon Verbena Candle

A wonderfully complex twist on a traditional citrus scent. Invigorating notes of tart lemon, orange and lemongrass mingle with notes of fresh Italian verbena.

Yankee Candle Sun and Sand

Their top rated Summer scent, it smells of a tropical beach breeze of sweet orange flower, lemony citrus, fresh lavender and powdery musk.

Mrs. Meyer’s Verbena Candle

The blend of essential oils of lemon, lemongrass, peppermint, clove and geranium will delight your senses. The cheapest candle on the list – but don’t let the price fool you! It smells good.

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Angelina May 27, 2018 entertaining

5 Tips for Summer Entertaining Outdoors

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Memorial Day Weekend is the unofficial kick-off to Summer and I’ve got 5 tips for Summer entertaining outdoors to use for your next party!

1. Serve what’s in season. I love growing my own fruits and vegetables if I can. There’s just something nice about picking straight from the garden and putting them on my plate. If you don’t have your own garden, a local farmer’s market would be ideal, but even you can’t go there… grocery store is fine too! Either way, what’s in season will taste the best!2. Use mesh food dome/food tents to cover your food. This will help keep the flies and bees away from your food. I found these cute ones at HomeGoods!

3. Use plastic utensils. Say what? For large outdoor parties, I recommend plastic utensils, because I don’t know about you but I hate doing dishes! Can you believe these utensils below are plastic?

4. Have lots of cold drinks on hand. I don’t know about where you live, but here in California it is not uncommon to hit 100 degrees in the Summer. So a cold refreshing drink is a must! I like to purchase a variety of options for guests – and most people will probably drink at least two drinks, if it is hot out and the party is long.

5. Use seasonal flowers for an extra pop. If you want to take your outdoor party to the next level, you can wow your guests with using seasonal flowers on your centerpiece.

I hope that you found these tips useful for Summer entertaining outdoors!

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Angelina May 23, 2018 entertaining

Rose Birthday Party, Blog Hop and a Giveaway

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Today I’m sharing with you a rose birthday party for a vintage rose and tea blog hop and at the end of this post there is a giveaway for a $75 gift card!

If you’re coming over from Laura at Decor to Adore, welcome party people! Also, before we party here, I’d like to say a big thank you to Amber at Follow the Yellow Brick Home for arranging this!

What’s the celebration? My birthday! I had fun creating this birthday table and thought you could steal some ideas for your own parties. Roses freshly picked from the garden garnish the cake and decorate the table!

I used vintage plates with roses for each place setting. You can find them at local antique stores and malls, estate sales, or eBay.

Scalloped edged plates from Williams Sonoma sit below each vintage plate. The runner is actually just a piece of fabric.

Vintage French pink goblets are perfect for this rose themed party.

The David Austin roses are so romantic – my absolute favorite! I wrote about baking my cake here in this post – I had never baked a cake from scratch before!

When I was baking my cake I had enough to make a little mini cake. Isn’t it cute?

For those that don’t like cake, I have a few macarons too. Actually, no, I have macarons because I like them and it was my birthday! Ha! *affiliate link* If you like the scalloped plates, they have them with both a green rimmed and a blue rimmed version!

To get this look of your own… you can make your own cake or buy a plain white store made cake. Then pick some roses from your garden and simply place on top. Use small vases in the center of the table. I actually use a few small lipped plates to display some of the roses as they had very short stems, as pictured below.

The roses are from David Austin – I love the look of these roses as they are old world type roses.

What I love about my dining room is that you can dine with the doors open and hear the fountain going… that is, if you lock the indoor cat away so she doesn’t get out!

Well, the sun is setting and I’m ready to eat my cake! It was delicious, btw.

I’d appreciate it if you pinned a few pics!

And if you missed it, please check out my French Country Spring Home Tour! Lots of beautiful roses in that tour. Don’t miss out on our giveaway, at the bottom of this post! Also on Friday, we are hosting a link party where you can link up your posts!

Get the look (affiliate links)

I may earn a small commission if you purchase with these links

no products

Alright, thank you all for joining me for my birthday party! Next, head on over to Carol at Art and Sand to see her beautiful roses! Here’s the all-star line up, in case you have missed a post!

Tuesday

The Painted Hinge | My Thrift Store Addiction | Everyday Living

Follow The Yellow Brick Home | Poofing The Pillows | Have A Daily Cup Of Mrs. Olson |

Wednesday

Decor To Adore | Petite Haus | Art and Sand

Katherine’s Corner | Lora Bloomquist | White Arrows Home

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Now for the giveaway!!! A $75 Amazon Gift Card! Who doesn’t love a free gift card to the website that has everything (and free 2-day shipping for Prime members!). The giveaway begins on 5/22 at 7am and ends 5/27 at midnight. The winner will be announced Tuesday May 29.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Also, come back on May 26 and May 27 and link up YOUR Spring themed posts! Lots of exposure for your posts as it will be across 12 blogs!

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Angelina May 20, 2018 entertaining

Everything You Need to Know About Cut Peony Care

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Well, peony season has arrived and I am so thrilled!! I thought I would share the best tips and tricks about cut peony care – how to force them to open, how to care for them, and when to cut them from your own garden!

My blog used to be named Peonies and Orange Blossoms, so I think that should indicate to you how much I love peonies. In fact, I got married in May because it is peony season.

Which ones to buy in the store?

Buy the ones that are about golf-ball sized that are still very closed, if you would like them to last their longest.

When do I pick them from my peony plant from my garden?

If you have a new peony plant, it is advised that you do not cut the flowers the first year to let the plant mature.
You will want to cut your buds in the morning while it is still cool. You can cut the bud when it feels like a firm marshmallow, or when the very first petal starts to open. You just gently squeeze the bud in between two fingers to determine if it is ready. If the bud is still rock hard, it is not ready! If you cut it too soon, it will not open!

How do I care for my cut peonies?

Have a vase ready with room temperature water. It is preferred if you have some flower food added to the water. Remember peonies are top heavy so many sure the vase will be able to support them.
Cut them at a sharp angle (45 degrees) and immerse them in room temperature water. Remove all of the leaves that would touch the water.
Check the water level every day because they are heavy water drinkers. Peonies usually open in 2-3 days if you just put them in room temperature water in a place that is receiving normal daylight.
Change the water every other day. Further trimming the stems at a 45 degree angle every other day will also help them last longer.

How to I make them last longer?

Immerse them in cool water. You can add ice cubes to help the water stay cooler.
Store them in a cool, dark place. In fact, if you need them in 2-3 days and not immediately, store them in cool water in the refrigerator.
If you have them in the tight golf-ball stage when you pick them or buy them and aren’t quite ready to use them that day, you can also wrap them in wet newspaper, tie the ends with rubber bands and keep them in the refrigerator. Pull them out when you are ready.

Below, one of my table settings using tree peonies.

How do I make them open quicker?

When you bring them home, cut the stems at 45 degree angle and remove almost all of the foliage (and make sure you have remove all of the foliage that will touch the water).
Place them in warm water that has flower food- not scorching hot, but warm.
Place them in a bright sunny location.
Repeat this process about every 4 hours. Obviously when you first cut the stem you want to make sure if you have some extra stem since you may need to cut them several times!
Now, if you need the peonies right NOW or if they are still refusing to open after the above technique, take a vase of clean, warm water and simply submerge the head/bloom under the water. You may need only a few seconds, sometimes a few minutes. Air bubbles will start to come up and that’s how you know water is making its way into the peony bud and should indicate that it’s time to take it out.

Let’s look at some other posts where I’ve used peonies! I *love* peonies!!!

Below, a patriotic table setting using peonies.

And those are my tips and tricks for cut peony care! Below, a French country Spring table.

One of my favorite pink tables I’ve made! Filled my tulipiere with peonies!

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Angelina May 8, 2018 Desserts

About the Time I Made My Own Birthday Cake

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

Let’s have a talk about baking cakes, specifically this layered Momofuko birthday cake.

So, how did I come about baking this pretty and scrumptious cake? I was recently watching the Netflix show, Chef’s Table. They came out with a new season of just pastry chefs! I was so excited because I love baking (and not so much cooking!).

The first episode was about Christina Tosi who creaked the Milk Bar empire in NYC. In her show, she was making her famous birthday cake.

I have never baked a layered cake. Never from scratch nor from the box. I have always wanted to bake a layered cake but never had the correct supplies. I knew that if I was going to attempt to make a layered cake that this would be the one! Look at it – the perfect birthday cake! A Funfetti inspired, cream cheese frosted, naked layer cake!

Her cakes are naked cakes, which means they are not frosted on the outside. This is perfect for me – one, because I don’t love frosting (and frankly the reason why I never make cakes nor cupcakes) and two, you don’t have to fret over perfecting your frosting until its smooth on the outside because it doesn’t need it!

So I set out to bake this cake. I purchased her cookbook, Milk. Everywhere that I was reading the reviewers were talking about how “difficult” this cake is. I thought, okay, challenge accepted!

Yes, you need some supplies. Such as a quarter sheet pan. And a 6″ cake ring. And acetate strips. Well, I already had acetate. I need a quarter sheet pan for my little steam oven anyway. And so really all I needed was 6″ cake ring.

You also need several ingredients that are harder to find. You need glucose. I actually just substituted 2 tsp corn syrup instead since it is hard to find. You need grapeseed oil – I have seen it in several stores, so not that hard to find. You need citric acid (which can be found in the canning section of your grocery store). Instead of citric acid I used about 1/4 tsp of fresh squeezed Meyer lemon juice. You need clear vanilla extract – which, by the way, is not vanilla extract but instead clear vanilla flavor! Yes, fake vanilla flavor (that seems to be the secret to creating your own funfetti cake!)

Okay, so you need a few specialty items. Well, fine. In reviews I was reading, people were complaining about needing specialty items. Well, do you want to make a cake that tastes really good or not?

Next, I was reading about how difficult it was because it has four parts to the recipe. The cake. The soak. The frosting. The cookie crumble. Well, break it up into parts!

To make it easier, I would recommend splitting it into two days – bake the cake and the cookie crumble on day 1. On day 2 make the frosting and the milk soak. Then you assemble your cake on day 2. Place it in the freezer overnight (or for up two weeks) as recommended. Then on day 3, take it out several hours before your event. Really, it’s not that difficult to make, especially if you spread it out over a few days.

I had a little left over cake so I made a mini 3″ cake too! Isn’t it adorable??

The cake itself is very moist. In between the layers is the cream cheese frosting and cookie crumble. The crumble adds an extra crunch with a hint of salt in this sweet cake. On top of the cake you put the cookie crumble, as pictured below.

I felt like it needed a little extra impact so picked some I put garden roses on the top. (also, note the differences in the pictures between an iPhone and a DSLR!). Doesn’t it look pretty? Well, it tastes as good as it looks!

My final thoughts – this cake was really tasty! I have never had an American-style cake as good as this one – and seriously, I don’t really like “normal cakes” and I don’t like frosting. This cream cheese frosting was the bomb. The cake was really moist. This is traditional funfetti taken to the next level. If you want to impress your party goers at your next birthday party, serve them this cake. If you can’t make it yourself, Milk does ship nationwide.

Get the cookbook and the recipe for yourself below. I’m so excited to try her other recipes too!

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PS – I wasn’t paid to make this cake or review the recipe/cookbook. I just enjoyed it and wanted to share it with you all!

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Angelina April 20, 2018 entertaining

Best Period Drama TV Series to Watch – Friday Favorites

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

Are you missing Downton Abbey like I am? Here’s what you should watch instead – a round up of other great period drama tv series!

Here are all of my favorite historical period dramas that I’ve watched or am currently watching (wow, how have I watched so much tv?). I suppose it shouldn’t come as a surprise that since I love antiques, that of course love period dramas! These tv shows and mini series are currently on air or have just recently finished their mini series.

Downton Abbey

Summary: If you’re reading this, then you probably already know about Downton Abbey. It follows the lives of the rich Crowley Family and the affairs of their estate as they try to adapt to a changing England! Mystery, drama, romance and wonderful costumes!

Where to Watch: Amazon, PBS

Outlander

Summary: A WW2 nurse time travels back to mid 18th century Scotland and is found by a clan of Highlanders. A steamy romance also filled with drama and action! Based off the book series from Diana Gabaldon.

Where to Watch: Starz

Victoria

Summary: Follows the early life of Queen Victoria when she begins her reign in England – romance, politics, and glorious ostumes!

Where to Watch: PBS, Amazon

The Crown

Summary: Following the life of Queen Elizabeth as she begins her reign. The most expensive show Netflix has created to date – the sets and costumes are amazing! A must see!

Where to Watch: Netflix

Best Historical Period TV Dramas

Howard’s End

Summary: A drama between the rich Wilcoxes, the compassionate Schlegels and the working class Bast family. I can’t say much else because I have only just started it! The costumes are wonderful and Mrs. Wilcox reminds me of Lady Cora from Downton Abbey. This show just started April 2018!

Where to Watch: Starz

The White Queen

Summary: This mini series is about the feud between the House of York and the House of Lancaster in 1464 in England. Edward IV is crowned king of England, but he follows in love with a Lancaster, Elizabeth Woodville. This is about the struggle and power plays between the courts of England.

Where to Watch: Starz

The White Princess

Summary: A follow up to the White Queen mini series, this is about the War of Roses in England. “Promised in marriage to the newly crowned King Henry VII in hopes that it will unite the Kingdom, Princess Elizabeth (aka Lizzie) instead resents and plots against him. She matches wits and wills with Lady Margaret Beaufort, King Henry VII’s mother, each maneuvering to gain his trust. Meanwhile, Lizzie’s mother, Dowager Queen Elizabeth Woodville, struggles with rumors that her long-lost son Prince Richard is alive — forcing Elizabeth into choosing between her new Tudor husband and the boy who could be her own blood and the rightful York King.” – from Rotten Tomatoes.

Where to Watch: Starz

Versailles

Summary: A steamy drama that chronicles the life of the Sun King, Louis XIV and his court at Versailles – but this is not a version for children. Costumes are gorgeous!

Where to Watch: Netflix

Mr. Selfridge

Summary: Mr. Selfridge tells the story of American Harry Selfridge, founder of Selfridges & Co. Set in the early 1900s, Mr. Selfridge tries to empower women’s lives by creating a fanstasy store and he is on a mission to create a store that is an entertaining experience!

Where to Watch: Netflix

Poldark

Summary: A captain returns home to England from the Revolutionary War, where he attempts to rebuild his life and faces many changes and an uphill battle to do that!

Where to Watch: Amazon, PBS

Wolf Hall

Summary: This is about the politics and back-stabbing Henry VIII’s court – in addition to his romantic interests- narrated through the eyes Thomas Cromwell.

Where to Watch: Amazon, PBS

War and Peace

Summary: Based off the book from Leo Tolstoy, this mini series follows the lives of three young people against the backdrop of Russia’s war against Napoleon.

Where to Watch: hulu, netflix and amazon

The Best Period Costume Drama TV Shows to Watch!

Now, of course there are many more historical tv dramas – such as North and South, the Pride and Prejudice Mini Series with Colin Firth, The Tudors – but those were released some years ago. I still highly recommend them!

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Angelina April 15, 2018 Desserts

An Easy Berry Lemon Mascarpone Tart

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

This berry lemon mascarpone tart is perfect for hot days and also for entertaining guests! It is so easy to make!

My cousin’s wife found the recipe and introduced me to it – so far to date, only one person has not liked it! I just had to share it with you all because it is THAT good! Oh, did I mention it was easy to make? I know I did. I just wanted to make sure you knew that.

This tart uses a graham cracker crust – which is appealing to many as opposed to the plain pie/tart dough crusts (confession – I don’t like crust normally and usually just eat the filling, but I did eat this crust!)

The recipe is an adapatation of this Nerds with Knives Recipe and this Foodie Crush recipe.

For the Graham Cracker Crust:

1.5 cups (7oz) of crushed graham crackers
6 tbsp (85g) melted unsalted butter
3 tbsp (34g) brown sugar (light or dark)
1/4 tsp salt

For the Filling:

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
4 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
2 tbsp powdered sugar
3/4 cup lemon curd
zest from half a lemon
juice from one lemon (preferably one Meyer lemon)

For the topping:

use whatever berries look good to you! Takes about 1 pint strawberries, 1 pint other berries.
Sprinkle the top with the remaining zest from the other half of the lemon
Garnish with mint leaves

Directions

For the crust: (You can use a rectangular tart pan, square, or round – so long as the bottom is removable!)

Preheat oven to 350F (or 325F convection oven).
Combine crushed graham crackers, salt, sugar and melted butter in a food processor.
Place crumbs into tart pan and evenly spread the crumbs. Press them down to make a compact layer. You want the crust to be about 1/4″ thick – so you may not use all of the crumb mixture.
Bake crust until it’s golden brown and aromatic, approximately 8-10 minutes. Take out from oven and let crust cool completely before filling. You may make it a day ahead of time and keep wrapped up at room temp.

For the filling

Beat the whipping cream and cream cheese together on high speed until soft and creamy, takes a few minutes.
Add the mascarpone cheese and powdered sugar and beat until mixed well.
Add the lemon curd, lemon zest, and lemon juice and mix until just combined.
Scoop the mixture onto the cooled tart crust and level it with a spatula. Hold a little bit back in reserve – that way you can have some to hide some mistakes while spreading (I may have dragged a bunch of graham cracker crumbs onto the filling at one point – but you can’t tell because I saved some filling to I could hide my mistake!)
Chill in refrigerator for about 3 hours (or overnight!).
Place berries and garnish on top just before serving.
Serve chilled (I ate it after it had been out for 1.5 hours – it was still scrumptious! Although I preferred it straight out of the fridge)

This tart can be made a day in advance. Or you can make the crust in advance and the filling the day of your event. It just has to chill a few hours. Add the berries at the last minute – you can do whatever fruit you want. This tart is simply scrumptious! If you want your fruit to look shiny like pastry shops, you can make a simple syrup by taking apricot jam and watering it down- then brush it on the fruit.

This is a great dessert to bring to parties. It is light and refreshing – perfect for the hot Summer months that are coming soon!

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Angelina March 23, 2018 entertaining

Best Scented Candles for Spring

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I love burning candles all year long and today I am sharing the best candles for Spring. I have written about the best Fall candles and the best Christmas candles.

Diptyque Baies

This candle recalls the scent of a rose garden by the water’s edge. The rose gives it an imposing presence that is ideally balanced by the cool note of blackcurrant leaves. This sophisticated perfume is one of Diptyque’s most famous.

Cire Trudon x Giambatista Valli

The bouquet of fresh and lush roses evokes Marie Antoinette’s love of the flower. A hint of Tuscan black pepper at the heart of the rose delivers subtle, unexpected harmony. The special-edition Rose Poivree candle was created by Cire Trudon in partnership with designer Giambattista Valli to celebrate the 2010 opening of his first store on rue Boissy d’Anglas in Paris.

Voluspa Prosecco Rose

Notes of sparkling prosecco rose and rose petals.

Jo Malone Orange Blossom

Inspired by a stay at a hotel in Bel-Air, this pure scent has a heart of orange blossom that blends with clementine leaves and water lily. Infuses any room with an evocative scent that lasts for hours.

Voluspa Pink Citron

A luxury candle with a scent of ripe citron grapefruit with a juicy pink center, layered with tart cassis and a heart of subtle rose.

Cire Trudon Madeleine

An homage to Madeleine de Maupin – horsewoman, fencer and renowned 17th century dissident – Cire Trudon’s scented candle is bursting with top notes of Clove, Castoreum and Lavender that celebrate her audacious spirit. Iris, Jasmine, Rose, Vetiver and Patchouli give this fresh fragrance a warm yet spicy depth, while a base of Leather, Moss and Tabac lingers long after it has extinguished.

Fresh Sugar Lemon Candle

What it is: A scented candle that fills the room with a bright blend of crisp citruses for a scent reminiscent of lemons sprinkled with sugar.

Diptyque Roses

An armful of tender, changing roses that lightly evoke the world’s most universally loved flowers

Diptyque Rosa Geranium

All the freshness of a Mediterranean garden, delicate rosy notes mingle with crushed leaves.

Seda France French Tulip

Seda France French Tulip Mini Pagoda Candle Votive This French Tulip candle will transport you to Paris in the spring and open-air flower markets. Its green, fresh blend includes jasmine, rose, lemon, clove, sage and rosewood for a complex green note.

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Angelina February 6, 2018 entertaining

Vintage Valentine’s Day Tea Party

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

Today I’m so excited to share with you a pretty in pink vintage Valentine’s Day tea party as part of a vintage Valentine’s Day Blog hop!! ! If you are coming over from Adirondack Girl At Heart, welcome!

You can add your Valentine’s Day posts at the end of this post up until Valentine’s Day!! Also, a big thank you to Amber from Follow The Yellow Brick Home for arranging this blog hop!

For this tea party, I used my favorite tea pot – this Mackenzie Childs tea pot! I love the black and white check against the pink and green!

I gathered up my vintage tea cups for this tea party. The tea cup with the wreath is actually a chocolate cup – but I don’t care! Tea, chocolate… we can drink what we want from it! The cup is by Dresden.

The black plate on the bottom left is from Juliska and I love that it appears vintage – but it is microwave and dishwasher safe! (similar one here)

A Valentine’s day tea party would not complete without chocolates! These truffles I purchased solely because I loved the box! haha! The lace runner is antique – keeping with today’s vintage theme!

For the centerpiece I used an antique American brilliant cut glass pitcher. Want to know a secret?? The tulips here are actually faux tulips – great for using in cut glass vases because there are no water lines left over that are difficult to scrub out!

A tea party at Petite Haus would not be complete without macarons and madeleines! When I don’t feel like baking them, I buy the madeleines at Costco and the macarons at Trader Joe’s.

I realized that this little tea party is a great idea for bridal showers. Jordan almonds are in the little pink box below.

Carnations are such a pretty flower with a fresh scent. They last a long time too – great budget option for flowers. I love using vintage tea cups as vases – also a great idea for bridal showers.

One last look at my little tea party. The little pink plate is vintage Limoges. Okay, enough pictures! It’s time to eat!

You can check out my Valentine’s Table from last year here.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog today! Grab your cup of tea and head on over to Debby Goes Shabby. Head on over now to see her creative vintage Valentine’s Day ideas! You can also visit all the blogs on the hop today by clicking their links in the list below.

Have A Daily Cup Of Mrs. Olson

Itsy Bits And Pieces

Common Ground

Decor To Adore

Follow The Yellow Brick Home

Adirondack Girl At Heart

Petite Haus

Debby Goes Shabby

Do you a have any Valentine’s Day themed blog posts to share? We would love for you to come back this evening and join us for the “Share The Love Valentine Link Party!” The party goes live at 5:00 p.m. EST. and will run through Valentine’s Day. See you there!

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An InLinkz Link-up

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Angelina November 19, 2017 entertaining

5 Tips on How to be a Great Thanksgiving Guest – Thanksgiving Etiquette

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I’ve made a list of some great tips for proper Thanksgiving etiquette as a guest – perfect for the big day later this week!

Arrive on time – As you may imagine, your host is going to be running around like a chicken, err, turkey with their head cut off. Don’t add onto the pressure by showing up early and making them entertain you too. I know it is fashionable to show up, well, fashionably late, but this is the one time I would say do not do that! The host has things baking in the oven and with this meal timing is everything!

farmhouse thanksgiving decor

Bring Something – Even if the host says not to bring anything, a small hostess gift is still appropriate. You can bring a little bouquet of flowers, a bottle of wine, a candle, a Starbucks gift card, a little box of chocolates. Something small. If the host didn’t ask for a specific dish, don’t bring one. But everyone loves flowers, and most people like drinks. Whatever you do, do not bring a casserole. If you do decide to bring a dish of yours without asking the host, make sure that you bring all of the ingredients and utensils you need to assemble and serve it. Also assume there is no space in the microwave or oven available for you to heat it up.

Farmhouse thanksgiving

Notify your host of dietary restrictions beforehand – Before the big dinner day, if the host has not asked about dietary restrictions, politely mention if you are pescatarian/vegetarian/vegan/gluten-free/food allergy etc. Do not mention it on the big day and then proceed to sulk about how there’s nothing for you to eat and also be annoying about it. No one wants to hear about your paleo/gluten-free/meat-free/carb-free whatever diet you’re on with every bite that you are having! If they offer you their famous pumpkin cheesecake, just smile and have a bite or take a tiny serving and shove it around your plate… unless you are truly allergic! Catch my drift? There’s a right way to be polite about your dining preferences and a wrong way.

Farmhouse Thanksgiving

Keep Your Phone Tucked Away – You are not invited over for a feast so we can all watch you sit on your phone. One of the major themes about Thanksgiving is sharing and being together – so be with everyone that’s there and keep your phone away! We are there to chat with you in person, not to watch you chat with others online in front of us!

Help out – Ask the host if they need help. This includes before, during, and after the dinner is served! Be astute – if the crackers are running low in the dip tray, say “do you want me to refill the crackers?” or after dinner, offer to rinse some dishes. Assisting with cleaning up the mess is literally the best thing you can do as a guest to help your host! The host will be exhausted and having to clean up the mess can be daunting.

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Angelina September 26, 2017 entertaining

Top 12 Best Scented Candles for Fall

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*Updated September 2019!*

The best scented candles for Fall all in one place! I absolutely love Fall and find that I start this time of year burning candles almost every single night up until Spring!
I thought I would share my favorite Fall candles with you all since I consider myself a candle connoisseur.

Nest Pumpkin Chai Candle – Notes of wild pumpkin, spicy masala chai, cardamom, ginger and cinnamon. I love this candle but it is a bit speedy.

Diptyque Feu de Bois – one of the most unique smelling candles and a favorite! This sophisticated blend of rare woods recalls the crackling of an open fire.

Diptyque Amber – I love this amber candle too! A warm and elegant procession of the woods vetiver and patchouli, enhanced with radiant aniseed, insolent spices, mysterious incense, cistus and Tonka bean.

Yankee Candle Autumn Wreath – there is a large following of Yankee Candle lovers, and with their price point and large selection of scents, it is easy to see how it is favorite. This Autumn wreath candle smells of autumn leaves and cinnamon apples.

Yankee Candle Spiced Pumpkin – a captivating scent of pumpkins baked in simmering spices of clove, nutmeg and cinnamon. I have not personally burned this one because I am not a huge spice pumpkin candle fan, but it does smell really nice if that is your jam!

Bath and Body Works Marshmallow Fireside– Like Yankee Candle, there is a large Bath and Body works following too. I love the Marshmallow Fireside candle and actually burn it until February! It smells of Toasted Marshmallow, Smoldering Woods, Fire Roasted Vanilla, and Crystallized Amber.

Bath and Body Works Leaves – another Fall favorite as it smells of Crisp Red Apple, Golden Nectar, and Warm Clove Spice.

Bath and Body Works Autumn – A nice fresh scent for fall, it smells ofRed Gala Apple, Juicy Fig, Eucalyptus Leaf, Fir Balsam.

Bath and Body Works Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin – Now I mentioned that I don’t usually care for pumpkin spice candles themselves, however this one has a stronger scent of cinnamon and I love it. Smells like pumpkin bread, or per the website: harvest Pumpkin, Spiced Clove, Vanilla Cream, Brown Sugar

Voluspa Baltic Amber – Baltic Amber blends notes of amber resin, sandalwood, cedar and vanilla bloom. It is one of Voluspa’s top sellers, and when you burn it you’ll know why. Great candle, and it’s American made.

Voluspa Bourbon Vanilla – smells of fragrant vanilla beans. Reminiscent of baking.

Jo Malone English Oak and Redcurrant – This candle is new this year. “Heart Note: Rose, as the fragrance unfurls, this opulent floral, with its spicy, honey facets wraps the scent with sumptuous texture. Base Note: Roasted Oak, a warm and compelling woody note that gives the addictive quality of roasted oak. The forest at dawn. The juicy bite of redcurrant. The zest of green mandarin. The freshness of rose softened with white musk.” I have not personally burned it, but I have played around with the cologne in the store and thought – oh, it would be perfect as a candle!

best scented candles for fall

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Angelina September 12, 2017 entertaining

Tips for Fall Entertaining

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

What I love about the change of seasons is also the change of flavors and scents…

Cinnamon and nutmeg now fill the air…

And you can dine inside or outside!

I have a few tips for Fall entertaining.

1. Develop a theme

Developing a theme for your party is fun! It can be… an ingredient (pumpkin!), a color palette, or as simple as being inspired by Fall foliage from your garden.

2. Serve a Fall drink

Apple cider, pumpkin spice latte, Mexican hot chocolate, pumpkin spice tea… to name a few.

3. Dine Outside

You can start serving appetizers outside and when the temperatures drop in the evening, either bring your party inside or bring some blankets!

4. Always have sweets

Bake a pie, or a cake, or macarons.

If you don’t have time to bake from scratch, use a mix. Like I did. I used a pumpkin chocolate chip pumpkin bread mix. Shh! Don’t tell!

This way, when your guests come over, the scent of Fall spices linger in the air…

Pumpkin Recipe Round Up

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Tips for Fall Entertaining

1. Develop a theme

2. Serve a Fall drink

3. Dine Outside

4. Always have sweets

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