A Very Beautyfrosting Brandywine Rustic Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving for 15? In a 1000 square foot apartment? What to do, what to do?!

The chalkboard greeting guests on the front door *chalk art by Yumarie Morales

Why, we’re gonna do it al fresco, of course, darlings!

A Brandywine Rustic Thanksgiving with old friends & new friends alike!

And the theme? Wellll…Back in October in Dallas, I fell in love with a turkey. No, I’m being literal here. It was at my fave home furnishings & decor shop, Uptown Country Home, in University Park. I saw her, decided her name was Brandywine and had her shipped to me in LA.

I kissed a turkey…and I liked it

My piece of advice for holiday tablescapes? Let one piece of holiday decor guide the rest of your table. In this case, it was Brandywine and she inspired my Thanksgiving theme, Brandywine RusticI decided to opt for rusty rose and gold as my theme colors, and then proceeded to find the perfect dishes and glassware at HomeGoods.

My Homegoods Happy finds! (With Brandywine, the star of the show, of course)

I let the Brandywine Rustic theme dictate my tablecoverings – and decided to do just a large piece of Burlap (7 yards, thank you very much), topped with Paper Source chalkboard wrapping paper ($34.95) as a table runner.

Burlap fabric table covering (straight from the fabric store, y'all!) and a chalkboard paper table runner

That way, I could write “So grateful for…” and my guests could write their gratitude down as they ate and drank and mingled. BF Tip? Supply gold chalk markers and gold rolling ball pens so everything shows up in the most beautiful of ways! Many of the pieces became such beautiful little works of art that I couldn’t bear to part with them!

So grateful for…the art that this table runner inspired! *succulent ℅ Rolling Greens

Next, flowers. I chose to keep with the rose and gold theme with simple floral arrangements DIY-style from Trader Joe’s. But my real centerpiece showstoppers were succulents from Rolling Greens in beautiful, gold rustic pots.

Beautiful succulents c/o Rolling Greens - the perfect masculine element to my overtly feminine tablescape

After all, when you live in a place that’s called The Cupcake Palace, things can get a little too feminine, when having a coed dinner. Adding succulents brings the perfect harmonious balance of masculine and feminine to the table.

Speaking of harmony, how about a little social lubrication? Well, that’s exactly what my Thansgiving cocktail, Brandywine punch, offered. **and yes, the recipe will be up tomorrow!)

Sipping on my Brandywine punch, thank you very much. *wearing Annabelle dress ℅ Donna Morgan ($196)

As for the food? Oh, the glorious, glorious food!

For appetizers, we had a vegetable tray, my homemade ranch dip, Matt Marr’s legendary deviled eggs, and a  Hickory Farms Signature Party Planner Box ($45). I emptied the box and set them out on a graphite tray, to keep with our rustic theme, and labeled each piece of deliciousness.

Hickory Farms Party Planner Gift Box ($45) made all pretty-like on a graphite, chalkboard tray from World Market

For the main meal, we had Jake’s Famous Turkey (and it’s famous for good reason), a dressing showdown (Matt’s vs. Jake’s!), southern pea salad, my drunk green bean casserole, my Cowboy corn casserole, Nanny’s creamed corn, brussels sprouts and bacon, winter slaw and cranberry sauce. And who could forget the delicious beet and goat cheese terrine that Amy made?

Two turkeys with two turkeys. That's Jake on the right, who crafted that beautiful bird and stuffed it. I'm not talking about the turkey I'm holding here. *wearing Annabelle dress ℅ Donna Morgan ($196)

The al fresco spread...

For dessert? How ’bout my buttermilk lemon chess pie, my pumpkin eggnog bread pudding with spiced rum sauce, fudge pie, pecan pie, coconut cream pie, pumpkin pie and snickerdoodle ice cream sandwiches with homemade cinnamon ice cream?

Dessert!! Reminds me of an old church social!

Snickerdoodle ice cream sandwiches, pumpkin eggnog bread pudding and utter deliciousness.

Yep. That happened.

A special surprise? When my favorite neighborhood squirrel, Pepper, visited. Love that little lady!

Well, Happy Thanksgiving there, little lady! The friendly squirrel, Pepper, makes an appearance! *wearing Annabelle dress ℅ Donna Morgan ($196)

And, don’t you just love when a dreamy day party turns into an enchanted evening?

When daylight turns to candlelight… (photo by Matt Marr)

It’s a Thanksgiving we’ll never forget, and I’d like to think Brandywine the Turkey for that.

Toasting to Brandywine…and other friends! *wearing Annabelle dress ℅ Donna Morgan

xoxo,
BF

*To buy that melting, bronzed gold dress that I love only SO much? Visit Donna Morgan

BF Asks: How did you spend your Thanksgiving this year? Any friendly squirrels visit?

Thirsty Thursday: Castle Rock Pinot Noir 2011

I love my wine. But when it comes to Pinot Noir, I’m not usually the biggest fan. I like my wines heartier, juicier and full-bodied.

So when I was gifted this Castle Rock 2011 California Cuvée Pinot Noir by one of my generous guests at my Easter dinner, I thought to myself, “Awww, that’s so sweet. But bless your heart, I’ll never drink it.”

Castle Rock’s 2011 California Cuvée Pinot Noir

But, lo and behold, when my dear friend Vanessa came over last Friday night for an impromptu girls’ night, my hostessing skills couldn’t rest with just a glass of lemonade. I offered up the Pinot and we had a glass. And then we had another one. And then we had another one. Don’t judge. We’re not lushes. It was just divine. And it may have just changed my mind about Pinots.

My tongue tasted notes of cherry and raspberry while my nose detected a pinch of pepper.

And I’m not alone. Wine & Spirits Magazine’s April 2013 issue awards Castle Rock’s 2011 California Cuvée Pinot Noir in its “Years Best” section awarding it with 86 Points and a “Best Buy” designation. They say: “Brooding and savory, this avoids the dried fruit flavors that mar many value priced California pinot noirs. Its green, fenel-like edges feel refreshing and honest, and set it up for chicken or pork sausages.”

Nice. But I’ll take mine with a side of juicy conversation.

Bless my heart for finallly having an open mind when it comes to Pinot! And bless you, Vanessa, for coming over for a last-minute girls night and giving me the push I needed to taste this fab Pinot Noir for under $15.

xoxo,
BF

BF Asks: Are you a Pinot Noir fan? 

A Tasty Tradition: My Annual Classic Southern Easter Dinner

Easter is my FAAAAAV-OOO-RIIIITE holiday! So every year I have a classic southern Easter dinner for my surrogate family of friends here in Los Angeles. It’s a wonderful way to remember my roots and to honor the legacy of ladylike entertaining that my Nanny and Mother have taught me.

The ultimate multi-tasker: Whipping up some whipped cream & sipping a glass of Primitivo

Friday was a busy day spent making lists, shopping and preparing the kitchen for a weekend of cooking and baking!

Making my list and checking it twice!

As a child, I was fascinated with a Bunny cake that my mother made for my brother years before I was born. I always felt like I missed out on it by being born 7 years later. I used to just stare at that picture. It’s probably one of the reasons I fell in love with baking so much.

I have been wanting to try to make it for years and decided that this was my chance!
I baked it on Saturday and was THRILLED with the results!

The recipe my Mom followed on the left & my cake - Bernie The Bunny - on the right

Easter Sunday started with a Make-it-Work moment! To accommodate seating for 15, my catering & part prep helper from TaskRabbit – Jennifer – and I brought in the table from outside. Once in, we realized that we needed to make the coffee table the same height as the other two garden tables. So improvise we must! And we did! With beautiful results!

Cookbooks, tabletop books and magazines under the legs made the tables equal height. Yay! Seating for 15!!

Make it work!

 

Easter-inspired floral arrangements were put together in a jiffy using the charming candies of Easter. Layering pastel M&Ms with pastel peeps and setting a smaller vase (or glass) inside a larger one created the perfect Easter centerpieces!

 

Peeps & pastel are the focal points!

 

So what was the finger-licking lineup for Easter dinner this year?

The finger-licking lineup!

 

*We had to start with a signature Easter cocktail, of course! This year – in continuing with the Blackberry theme for Easter – was The Blackberry Bunny! It was refreshing with champagne, cream of blackberry liqueur and Trader Joe’s Blackberry Crush juice topped off with a blackberry and sprig of mint!

 

 

I asked my friends to bring vegetables, salads, appetizers and wine since I had the starches and fats covered!

 

The fixins from my friends

So Hope tossed together a cheery Chicken Lentil Salad. Vanessa brought a scrumptious Strawberry & Avocado Kale Salad. Dave manned some beautiful Bacon-wrapped-Goat Cheese-stuffed-Dates. Jennie put together some primo Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus. Jose and Lindsey had us set on vino and Amy and Dave brought champagne. And my sweet friend Rebecca – in town from Chicago shooting a pilot – brought 3 bunches of BEAUTIFUL tulips!

Rebecca brought 3 beautiful bunches of tulips that matched my tulip dress from Anthropologie!

 

Here are the dishes I just had to have because no southern Easter dinner would be complete without ’em!

*Delightful Deviled Eggs (mayo, cream cheese, tabasco, lemon juice, yellow mustard, dijon mustard, sweet relish & cornichons)

Easter dinner, southern fare, southern food, homemade, southern cooking, Easter menu,

Delightful Deviled Eggs

 

*Southern Pea Salad (peas, sour cream, mayo, worcestershire sauce, cheddar and onions)

Southern Pea Salad

 

*Cowboy Creamed Corn (buttermilk, corn, diced chiles and cream cheese)

 

Cowboy Creamed Corn

 

*Cheddar Green Bean Casserole (green beans, cheddar, buttermilk, sour cream, mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup and French’s Fried Cheddar Onion Rings)

 

*Texas Ranch House Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes (buttermilk, Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning, cream cheese and sour cream)

My favorite dish had to be my Nanny’s Lime Green Jello Salad (lime jello, cream cheese, pineapple and pecans). I used her original jello mold to create it. It even still has her “HAYES” label on it from when she used to take it to church functions! I was thrilled when it came out perfectly. The mold has interchangeable designs that imprint into the mold depending on the holiday. Easter’s design is a tulip!

Nanny's Lime Green Jello Salad in her original jello mold!

 

And the Dessert Table reminded me of old church socials at my grandparents’ church in Albany, Oklahoma:

The dessert table!

 

*Chocolate Bunny Cream Pie with Homemade Salted Buttermilk Crust – there wasn’t a crumb left!

Chocolate Bunny Cream Pie - Good to the last bite!

 

*Nanny’s Favorite Pineapple Cream Meringue Pie with Salted Buttermilk Crust – my meringue came out beautifully but the inside was a little runny. Oh well! It still tasted divine!

Nanny's Pineapple Cream Meringue Pie

 

Sour Cream Chocolate Easter Basket Cupcakes with Sweet Cream Cup Frosting  – these are such an easy treat to make for Easter! I love making them for my friends, neighbors and agents!

Sour Cream Chocolate Easter Basket Cupcakes!

 

Bernie The Bunny Cake (coconut cream cake with coconut cream buttercream frosting)

Meet my co-host...Bernie The Bunny!

 

Bernie The Bunny and our little friends, Nora and Lucy!

And no southern affair would be complete without sweet tea!

These are the beautiful faces I got to look at all afternoon!

I went to bed with a belly - and heart - full of sugar, thanks to these sweet faces!

 

This was my favorite Easter yet! I couldn’t have picked a better group of friends to share this precious day with me. And as I gave the toast right before we dug in, I could feel my Nanny there with us! She would’ve been proud…well, except for the Pineapple cream pie.

 

 

 

I’M LOVING…Moll Anderson’s Seductive Tables for Two

I’M LOVING… Seductive Tables For Two by Moll Anderson ($19.95)

I’ll warn you now. This is a love letter of a sort to Gracie Award-winning lifestyle & romance guru, Moll Anderson.

You may have seen her on The Doctors this past Thursday discussing how to brighten your home, brighten your mood and rev up your romantic life. But my Moll mania goes back a few years.

I originally found Moll while I was living in Nashville for 4 years. I was working at Woo Skincare & Cosmetics and every month would look forward to lobster mac & cheese for lunch while I would pore over Moll’s fabulous column in Nashville Lifestyles. Besides gaining a little weight with that indulgent lunch, I also gained some lifelong tips that I’ve never forgotten!

As you all may have gathered by now, I love hosting parties! So when I recently found this beautiful new book, through a fellow Moll fan & friend in Nashville, it quickly became my entertaining bible.

Why have I become such a Moll devotee? Moll delights in the decadent details and encourages her readers to work with what they’ve got – regardless of budget or time – to create magical moments. She even makes a coffee table an exotic escape! Whether you’re financially strapped or free to spend, Moll offers some clever suggestions about how to make the most of where you live and what you have, right now.

Whether you’re single, in a relationship, or married, you will be inspired by the tantalizing tablescapes, recipe rescues, terrific tips, and seductive suggestions.

While I’m a single gal at the moment, I have found her seductive taste, tips & tricks to be utterly lifesaving! And for those of you who are coupled out there, I love how Moll shows you how to make the most mundane Monday turn into a most romantic rendezvous.

 

From cover to cover, this book is filled with seductive tips!

From cover to cover, this book is filled with seductive tips!

 

Some of her top tips?

  • Creating a Decadent Details Guide, to always have on hand, with all of your favorite dishes, platters, table settings, recipes and more. It makes parties pretty in a pinch!
  • Keeping surprisingly fabulous, frozen croissants from Williams Sonoma in the fridge for impromptu breakfasts in bed
  • Her seductive recipes in the back with naughty & nice names!
  • Her Everyday to Gourmet section with some excellent “cheats” on how to take grocery store staples or takeout items and make them irresistibly delicious in no time!
  •  Her formal & casual table setting guides with where to put what when
  • Her super-helpful Stemware guide that shows you what glass is for what!
  • And much, much more…
Great for the graduate or a must-have for the soon-to-be-married, I can’t say enough good things about this go-to guide! I have gifted it thrice now and the recipients have just raved. Thanks for putting this into the world, Moll! You are my entertaining, lifestyle & romance fairy godmother!

 

xoxo,
BF

 

High-Low 9

Happy last few weeks of summer, golden girls!

I had many memorable moments this week but my favorites came from my party this weekend that I hosted for my big brother, David.

Me with the guest of honor, my big brother - David

David, a.k.a. “Sueno”, has been in Los Angeles for the summer. He lives in Dallas normally, where he is a Government professor, but has had a lovely LA summer out here for the past 2 months.

I’ve been a little more like Julie McCoy – on The Love Boat – than Dawn McCoy, acting as a social coordinator and/or camp counselor for him during his stay here.

It has been a busy, busy summer but a magical and memorable one, as well!

So, of course, I had to give him a proper send-off!

I decided to host “A Fiesta for Sueno” replete with homemade margaritas, summer sangria, friends’ dishes, pie, cupcakes, a kiddie pool and more.

Here are the highlights from the fun fiesta!

HIGHS

The Invite:

 

My true calling: Party Hostess

 

The Social Lubrication? Our family’s favorite cocktail. Did somebody say Margarita? I tried to recreate Mi Cocina in Los Angeles. It was good but NOTHING compared to Mi Cocina in Dallas!

Kickin' Cucumber-Jalapeno Margaritas

 

An added bonus? Utilizing my Nanny’s antique relish tray for customizable margaritas. Love it!

Limes, Jalapeños & Sweet Pickles - oh my!

 

Pie time!!!

BF and my Avocado Pie with Toasted Coconut and Tequila Whipped Cream

 

And the food? The food was AMAAAAAAZING!! I made Big Mouth Black Bean Dip, Drunk Pico de Gallo, Zesty Citrus Guacamole, Texas Praline Cupcakes, Avocado Pie with Toasted Coconut & Tequila Whipped Cream and The Devil’s Cupcakes (Mexican Chili Chocolate with Nutella Mascarpone Frosting). And my sweet and culinarily-talented friends brought Bean & Cheese enchiladas, Chicken Enchiladas Suizas, Mexican Lasagna, Mexican Salad and Mexican rice casserole. YUM!!!

The Tex-Mex spread

 

Kickin' Cucumber-Jalapeno Margarita & Avocado Pie

 

Even the cupcakes were Tex-Mex themed!

My good friend, Amy, brought the biggest hit of all — A KIDDIE POOL!!! On this super-hot LA day, this saved the party! Adults, and kids alike, were in summer heaven! It never hurts to have a little slice of nostalgia served up with your margarita!

Around the campfire? Not on this scorching hot day!

 

A few of my favorite girls!!

 

It was one of my all-time favorite days! A beautiful summer day spent with my brother and good friends. Yet again, I am reminded how fortunate I am. To live in this beautiful, beachside city and to have the best friends that make throwing a party an effortless affair.

 

 

I know it’s gonna be hard to say goodbye to my big brother but, at least, we have this fun fiesta as a beautiful memory of his time here. Fiesta, indeed.

LOW

Ouch!!

Ouch!!!!!!! That’s what I said when I reached into the drawer of my vanity, to pull out my hairbrush, and was met with a searing pain instead. I’m applying neosporin, and crossing my fingers, praying it doesn’t scar. But it’s a bummer because it’s on my makeup swatting hand! Just thankful it wasn’t worse!

 

xoxo,

BF

 

BF Asks: What was your High-Low this week?

 

Easter Dinner Recipe: BeautyFrosting’s Coconut Pina Colada Cake

BeautyFrosting's Coconut Pina Colada Cake

This is always a HUUUUGE hit! And I refer to it as Vanessa’s cake as I first came up with the recipe in 2002 for my dear friend (and roommate at the time), Vanessa’s birthday celebration.
I was out of town for a wedding, in Dallas, and this was my attempt to make up for missing her shindig.
p.s. It worked! See below.

BeautyFrosting's Coconut Pina Colada Cake Recipe

Coconut Pina Colada Cake

Preheat oven to 350.
1 pkg Extra Moist White or Yellow Cake Mix
1/4 c Crisco Oil
3 eggs
1 c (8 oz) Sour Cream
1 tsp Almond extract
1 (8 1/2 oz) can Cream of Coconut  (in cocktail mixer aisle) – set aside 2 Tbsp for frosting
1 c Coconut
In a large bowl, combine cream of coconut, oil, sour cream, almond extract and eggs. Mix completely.
Add cake mix and mix until smooth.
Add coconut and mix until distributed evenly.
Pineapple-Rum Filling
1/2 tsp Salt
4 tablespoons Cornstarch
1/2 c Sugar
1 (20 oz) can Crushed Pineapple, packed in juice
3 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1/2 c  Malibu Coconut Rum
In saucepan, Combine salt, 3 tbsp cornstarch and sugar
Add pineapple (with juice) and mix.
Cook over med-high heat until mixture is boiling, constantly stirring
When boil is reached, stir constantly for approx. 5 minutes until mixture is thickened and looks creamy.
Reduce to low heat and add butter.
Add coconut rum.
Dissolve 1 tbsp. cornstarch in a little cold water until dissolved into creamy mixture.
Add to pineapple mixture.
Stir until smooth, dissolved and thickened.
Let mixture cool and store in fridge until ready to use!
(Also, great for pie filling, ice cream topping and more!)
Pina Colada Frosting
1 (8 oz) package Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 c Unsalted Butter, softened
4 c Confectioners Powdered Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Tbsp Cream of Coconut
1-2 Tbsp Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 c Angel Flake Coconut
Combine cream cheese, butter and salt in bowl. Mix well.
Add in vanilla and cream of coconut.
Add confectioners powdered sugar 1 cup at a time.
Add in whipping cream to desired consistency.
Mix in coconut.
More coconut can be used for a thicker, less spreadable frosting.
Garnish with pineapple slices, cherries and umbrellas for a festive Pina Colada cake
OR
with jelly beans for the perfect Easter cake.

Happy Easter and Happy Passover, beauties!

Hi beauties,

Happy Easter and Happy Passover, friends!
Celebrate with those you hold dear: indulge in comfort food, eat delicious treats, drink from the punchbowl of life see the beauty in everything you see, and, most importantly…
Be grateful for everything you have right now. Here. Today.

*BeautyFrosting will be busy preparing for her Classic Southern Easter Dinner so we will be on hiatus until Monday morning (4/9). But rest assured that there will be lots of fun menu items, recipes and fun for Saturday Social Hour next week! And recipes throughout the week!

Classic Southern Easter Dinner Invite by Shindig Shoppe (http://www.etsy.com/shop/ShindigLA) :
 But for now, enjoy some lovely, Spring-loving holiday weekend images:

 

xoxo,

BF

BF Asks: How are you celebrating Easter/Passover?