Holiday Entertaining

Updating Your Bar For Winter + A Studio Ten 25 Giveaway

November 25, 2013
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Holiday Decorating

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Whether you have a bar cart or an actual bar in your home, like most things when the seasons change so too should your bar.  So today I wanted to provide a few helpful tips on making your bar ready for winter, plus we’ve teamed up with Studio Ten 25 to gift one of you lucky Loves a $250 gift card to make these cold weather changes an actual reality.  I mean their gold bar cart and lucite tray would be insane under my Christmas tree.  And well any bar would be winter ready simply by adding this.  Happy Monday!  truly, MKR.

Updating your Bar for Winter…

1.  The main goal for all winter decorating is to bring warmth to a space in any way you can.  An easy way to accomplish this is with the use of metallics.  By adding a gold candle, gold coasters, and a copper pitcher filled with long matches my cart immediately felt more cold weather friendly.

2.  Trade out your summertime libations for more winter appropriate ones.  Think scotch, whiskey, bourbons, and red wines.  Anything that brings warmth to your belly and keeps the frigid temperatures at bay.

3.  Switch out decorative objects to be more in line with the season.  For me that meant moving corks into a stag bowl and flowers into a stag wine holder rather than the blue and white ginger jar patterned bowl and vase they used to be in.

4.  The easiest way to add a cold weather feel is by incorporating animals.  The antelope that adorns my wall from Studio Ten 25 transcends seasons, and during certain festive times I’ll even add a pom pom garland or wreath to his head.

So now that we know how we’re going to update your bar let’s get to the actual giveaway…

P.S. And if you’re looking for a winter cocktail may I suggest THIS.

The legal mumbo jumbo...this giveaway is open to US residents and will run through Sunday the 30th with our winner announced Monday the 1st.  We’ll be running this all through Rafflecopter (below) which allows you to earn points for each item completed with a simple click of the button.  The more points you earn the more likely you are to win (and remember you probably already have entry points if you’re a regular reader of the blog).

This post and giveaway was sponsored by Shop Ten 25 but the opinions, and obvious love of Shop Ten 25 is all my own!  

Images via Jamie Hopper Photography  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Butternut Squash Soup With Apple & Homemade Croutons

November 18, 2013
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Everyday Dinner

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There is no better way to start your Thanksgiving meal than with a warm, cozy bowl of soup.  This year I took the classic butternut squash soup and kicked it up a notch by adding granny smith apples, homemade croutons, and sage leaves.  All easy additions that will have your guests asking for seconds, and possibly even thirds.  Truly, MKR

*Photography, Rustic White

Butternut Squash & Apple Soup with Homemade Croutons
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Ingredients
  1. ...FOR THE SOUP
  2. 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
  3. 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
  4. 1 jar (2 lb.) butternut squash puree (I prefer Williams-Sonoma)
  5. 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
  6. 2 cups vegetable broth
  7. 2 small bay leaves
  8. 3 tsp. kosher salt
  9. Sage leaves for garnish
  10. Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  11. ...FOR THE CROUTONS
  12. crusty bread such as french, sourdough, or you can even use dinner rolls
  13. 2-4 tablespoons olive oil
  14. salt
Instructions
  1. In a Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook until soft but not browned, 12 to 15 minutes.
  2. Add the butternut squash puree, apple, broth, bay leaves and salt and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Partially cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes.
  3. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup directly in the pot until smooth.
  4. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and garnish with sage leaves, croutons and pepper. Serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.
  5. ...FOR THE CROUTONS
  6. Preheat oven to 400F.
  7. Cut bread into large squares and place into a mixing bowl. Add 2-4 tablespoons of olive oil and salt, mix together with your hands. You want just enough olive oil to lightly coat each piece, but not enough where the bread is soggy.
  8. Place bread on to a cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes just until bread is golden brown. Switch oven to broil for 2-3 minutes to properly crust the croutons. Make sure to watch this last step as the croutons can quickly burn.
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A Southern Thanksgiving

November 11, 2013
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Holiday Entertaining

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You may have heard through a little bird, or a very loud bird called Twitter, that I’ve joined SMP Living as one of their newest editors.  Eeek!  And I thought what better way to kick off this new partnership/love affair, than with my Southern Thanksgiving captured by the talented Rustic White.

In the South few things are held as high as tradition and family. And what’s more traditional than gathering around a Thanksgiving table with family and friends to feast on the season’s bounty?  Inspired by my love for a classic Thanksgiving, I combined rich browns and oranges with an unexpected twist of coral and sage greens to create a picturesque Southern table.  Pomegranate’s Aviary patterned linens, pom pom placemats and napkins were the ideal backdrop for my faux bois and gourd patterned plates, rose gold silverware, and feathered napkin rings.  I finished the tablescape with ivory candles along with fresh florals in burgundy, orange, and green.

The centerpiece, a smoked turkey (courtesy of my Big Green Egg), was presented on a monogrammed platter.  I accompanied the star of the show with side dishes like sweet potato au gratin, green bean casserole, and foccacia with chestnut stuffing housed in my fabby Staub pumpkin cocette.  I’ll be sharing all of the recipes this week and next so you can be ready for Thanksgiving Day, but in the mean time I’ve teamed up with SMP and Pomegranate for a little giveaway to help you recreate this entire look.  One lucky winner will receive $460 worth of Pomegranate Linens…

1 Aviary Coral tablecloth (60 x 90)
1 Aviary Coral apron
1 Aviary Coral table runner
1 Aviary Coral set of potholders
6 Aviary Coral napkins
6 Lichen/Coral pom pom napkins
6 Lichen/Coral pom pom placemats
6 Aviary Coral placemats

The legal mumbo jumbo...this giveaway is open to US residents and will run through Sunday the 17th with our winner announced Monday the 18th.  We’ll be running this all through Rafflecopter (below) which allows you to earn points for each item completed with a simple click of the button.  The more points you earn the more likely you are to win (and remember you probably already have entry points if you’re a regular reader of the blog).

This post and giveaway was sponsored by Pomegranate but the opinions, and obvious love of  Pomegranate is all my own!  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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