Round and Round We Go by Lady of the House

Ok, so I'm a little crazy with the early Christmas shopping, but I think you'll agree that your door does look a bit naked without a wreath this time of year.

Here's a round-up of lovely options for you.

That charming photo above is thanks to West Elm, and rings in at a mere $31 jingle bells.

This paper wreath is a lovely option for anyone whose front door isn't technically a front door, i.e. "I"ll buzz you up!"

For those of us who will only dream of a white Christmas, this succulent square is so beautiful, you'll tend it year-long.

And how pretty would this feather number be draped over the hall mirror? I'm guessing your party guests will giggle while they touch up their lipgloss.

xoxo

{ Lady of the House }

--all photos compliments of their respective sites/sellers--

Creamy Oatmeal

I owe you all an apology; sorry I forgot to post on Friday! I was on vacation in sunny Palm Desert, and I'm afraid I got carried away seeing a real, live desert oasis...

And getting head-butted by pygmy goats (feisty little buggers!)...

That I forgot to write an update! I hope you'll forgive me.

Now, on to the important stuff: food. The husband and I cooked some meals while we were away in order to save a few bucks. But since it's still vacation, we kept it easy. For example, one night we enjoyed a rotisserie chicken purchased from the grocery store, baked potatoes with sour cream, and roasted green beans. We used the leftover rotisserie chicken to make burritos another night.  I just cut up the chicken and heated it through with sauteed onion and some jarred salsa. Then I rolled the filling in a tortilla with plenty of shredded cheese. Easy, delicious, and cheaper than a restaurant. 

For breakfast, we're usually cereal folks, but a few times I made some old fashioned oatmeal as a special treat. (Funny how oatmeal, which is heart-healthy and costs $1.50 for a box, is a "treat." I guess I'm getting old.) I make oatmeal a bit differently than the directions on the box. See, I like my oatmeal very creamy, and cooking it for five minutes just doesn't cut it. 

Now, let me warn you that my oatmeal looks a little bit like gruel, but it tastes delicious. And it smells homey and rich. The first day I made creamy oatmeal on vacation, the husband opted for Corn Pops. But once the oatmeal was cooking and smelling so good, he was totally jealous of my breakfast.  

Give it a try and let me know what you think. Are you a creamy oatmeal fan, too?

Creamy Oatmeal

Serves: 4

3 cups water

2 cups milk

Pinch salt

2 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Brown sugar, to taste

Extra milk for serving, if desired

In a relatively large saucepan, bring water, milk, and a pinch of salt to a boil. Be careful because this mixture tends to go from not-boiling to boiling-out-of-the-pan very quickly. That's why I recommend using a relatively large saucepan. Stir in oats and turn the temperature down to medium-low. 

Allow the oatmeal to simmer, stirring regularly, for about 15 minutes or until the oatmeal is thick and creamy. (If it looks like the picture above, it's not done yet. Keep cookin' until it looks like the picture below.) Stir in cinnamon and brown sugar to taste. Serve with extra milk and more brown sugar for the sweet-tooth at your table.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We are truly grateful for you, our dear readers! Thank you for visiting our virtual happy home every week.

Wishing you and your families a blessed Thanksgiving!

With love,
Erin & The Lady of the House

It'll Be Our Little Secret by Lady of the House

Don't worry, this isn't an attempt at abstract art. These are shots of my blender crammed full of fruit, yogurt, juice and one secret ingredient just before I hit the switch. I've been making smoothies a lot lately. As a Mom I worry about feeding my little one a rainbow of colors each day, and I see no other treat that's as nutritious, portable or downright yummy. Step aside V8 Splash!

I find if I incorporate my daughter in the preparation of meals, she seems to dig in, or in this case, drink up, with a bit more gusto. Cooking becomes a lesson in counting and colors as we select frozen peaches from the bag, and she plops them into the blender. Yes, we sit on the kitchen floor, and yes, it takes triple the amount of time it would if I had done it myself, but it's so worth it.

Here's what you need...

1 banana

3 big spoonfuls of vanilla yogurt (I buy the full fat variety. Oh yes.)

1 generous splash of orange juice (and perhaps more if your blender starts to struggle)

5 frozen strawberries

5 frozen sliced peaches

about 1/4 cup frozen blueberries

and for the SECRET ingredient: frozen spinach!! You'll never taste it, and it's so good for you.

Blend, pour, sip. Now, if only Thanksgiving dinner was this easy...

xoxo

{ Lady of the House }

Pesto Goat Cheese Spread

It's time to whip up some Pesto Goat Cheese Spread. It's the perfect appetizer for a holiday get together, ladies' night, or football party for a number of reasons: 

1. You can make it ahead and bring it to room temperature before your guests arrive.
2. It takes two minutes to throw together. Literally, people. Two minutes.
3. Red and green. Merry Christmas. Put on Nat King Cole and smile with holiday spirit. 
4. It tastes unbelievably fabulous.

You don't have a party coming up, you say? Well, don't let that stop you! The husband and I shoveled this stuff down our gullets for dinner the other night. 

Pesto Goat Cheese Spread

8 ounces goat cheese at room temperature

1/3 cup prepared pesto

4 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes

3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Pita chips, slices of baguette, or crackers for serving

Spread goat cheese onto a pretty plate or platter. The goat cheese should be about 1/4" thick so you can scoop it up with your cracker or a knife. Top with pesto, spreading it towards the edges, but leave a border of goat cheese so you can see the white color peaking out of the bottom. Sprinkle sun-dried tomatoes and then pine nuts over the pesto. Serve at room temperature with your favorite crackers, crusty bread, or pita chips. 

Pesto Chicken

Thanksgiving is next week. Then the whirlwind of December kicks in: holiday concerts at school,  trimming the tree, fighting the crowds to finish your shopping, Christmas pageants... The list goes on and on.

With all this hustle coming up, I thought you'd appreciate a super-simple dinner idea. I know I did.

Pesto Chicken
Serves: 2

2 chicken breasts
2-4 tablespoons prepared pesto

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken in a baking dish and schmear each chicken breast with 1-2 tablespoons pesto, depending on how pesto-y you like things.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165 degrees.

P.S. Pesto Chicken is fabulous served with pasta. Use your favorite alfredo sauce or more of the pesto.

All-Star Thanksgiving

Today I'm revisiting some Hot Dinner favorites to create an all-star Thanksgiving menu.

Drinks: Make a batch of Spiked Cider and allow your guests to serve themselves. As an added bonus, this libation will perfume your home with the scents of the holidays. And these wine picks from the Lady of the House are certain crowd-pleasers.

Appetizers: Have enough nibbles so your guests don't chew their hands off awaiting the main event, but not enough that they spoil their appetite. These make-ahead hors d'oeuvres are the perfect choice.
Spicy Nuts:

Goat Cheese Spread:

First Course: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup is simple, earthy, and delicious with all the flavors of fall. The best part? You can prepare it a few days ahead and warm it up on the stove just before serving.

Main Course: 
Turkey: Brining your bird takes ho-hum poultry to a whole new level.

Mashed Potatoes: Making as many dishes as possible before your guests arrive is key to sanity on Thanksgiving day. Heat these spuds through in the oven before serving.

Roasted Root Vegetables with Honey-Balsamic Glaze: Celebrate the bounty of autumn with gorgeous roasted vegetables.

Stuffing with Sausage, Pecans, and Cranberries: Savory and sweet stuffing pleases every palate.

Cranberry Sauce: This jewel-toned side dish is a compliment to every part of the meal.

Dessert:
Apple Pie: Piled high with fruit and topped with a crisp, flaky, butter crust. This is the pie of your dreams.