Snow Tablescape

I LOVE snow and I love the month of January when it snows a lot!  I love watching the snowflakes come down!  I am like Gabe, In the Details, who around Christmas wrote that she would like to get snowed in! If I were lucky enough to be snowed in, could I please be staying in Donna's home, Conghaile Cottage; her home is a veritable enchanted snow cottage in the winter. 

Welcome to Tablescape Thursday and to my Snow Tablescape at Red Couch Recipes.  We received a lot of snow right after Christmas, but I would love to have a fresh blanketing of snow so...

"Snow, Snow When Are You Falling?

Snow, Snow

None of your stalling!

Autumn's gone

And Winter's Here,

It's Just About that Time of Year...

 

You Know,

For a Beautiful Snow,

Come on and Snow, Snow Beautiful, Wonderful Snow!

The song was just in my head, from my childhood, when I was putting together this tablescape...and wishing for SNOW!

Tablescape Information

Most of the items on this tablescape were purchased about 10 years ago when the color of snowmen were light blue -- I fell for this in a big way.  How about you -- do you remember this?

Table Runners:  Ross -- several years ago
Silver Chargers:  Wal-Mart or Target -- several years ago
Dinner Plates -- Sakura plated in the Snowflake pattern designed by Debbie Mumm  -- Target about ten years ago
Snowman Salad Plates -- Harmon's Grocery Stores several years ago
Napkin Rings and Napkins:  Wal-Mart -- this past summer
Bubble Glasses -- Tai Pan Trading
Silverware:  Damask Rose Pattern -- wedding present
Snowman Drink Dispenser -- Target, about 10 years ago
Silver Tree -- Wal-Mart about five years ago
Apothecary Jar -- Tai Pan Trading
Snowflake Candleholders -- JoAnne's -- years ago

Thank you for dropping by and wishing for SNOW at Red Couch Recipes!

Maybe I will just have to be content with the snow falling on my blog...

Posted also with the following:
I'm Lov'n It

Nedra's Whole Wheat Chocolate Cake

Welcome to my little niche of the world -- welcome to Red Couch Recipes !  Also welcome to Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday where the letter of the week is "N" for Nedra's Whole Wheat Chocolate Cake.  If you are looking for a substantial, down to earth chocolate cake, this cake fits the bill.  My mother would make it quite often growing up and when she did she would call our family friend Debbie Douglas to tell her that cake was being serving.  Debbie loved mother's chocolate cake -- we all did!

One of the reasons I blog is to leave a "Kitchen History" for my children.  My dear mother Nedra died 21 years ago this month.  She was only 64 when she died.  I was the third daughter and didn't spend a lot of time in the kitchen with her.  I had only been married less than two years before she died and hadn't really begun my own adventures in the kitchen.  We don't have many of her recipes; this recipe for Whole Wheat Chocolate Cake was one of my favorites that she made.  I hope that you like it.

Recipe for Nedra's Whole Wheat Chocolate Cake

1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 -1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
7/8 cup boiling water

Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan or 2 (8-inch round cake pans).  In a  large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar.  Then add 2 eggs and beat well. In a medium, and separate, bowl, add the whole wheat flour and cocoa together.   In a small bowl, add the buttermilk and vanilla together.  Then add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. alternately, starting and ending with the flour mixture.  Add to mixture the baking soda.  Finally, add the 7/8 cup boiling water all at once and mix thoroughly.  Pour immediately into prepared pan(s) and bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes if using a 13 x 9 x 2 pan or 25 to 30 minutes if using the 8-inch round pans.  Frost with Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting  -- see recipe below.

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

Blend together 3/4 cup room temperature butter, 4 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 3-4 tablespoons water. You may need to add extra water, depending on how thick you want it.  You may have extra frosting.  If you were my mother Nedra, you would save the frosting and spread it between graham crackers for a treat.

Thanks for dropping by Red Couch Recipes today!

Posted with the following:

Show and Tell, Foodie Friday, I'm Lov'n It, Fun W/Food Friday

Aztec Chicken

Welcome to my Red Couch!

This is my version of the Aztec Chicken recipe that has been floating around the Internet.  I have made it several times and in several ways and I love it. Aztec Chicken has a fresh taste to it, just perfect for the winter doldrums.  I love the ease of it; it can be baked in a dutch oven,  in the crockpot, or in a 13 x 9 x 2 pan.  You can put it all together in the morning and then throw it in the oven in the evening. 

Around Christmas I was pleased to receive a sample pack, eight (1-pound) packages, of Gold'n Plump's ground chicken.  Gold'n Plump's ground chicken is low-fat and I found the flavor to be very fresh tasting.  It is a nice alternative to ground beef.  I made this Aztec chicken dish with the ground chicken. 

It has no added hormones!

Recipe for Aztec Chicken

1 pound ground chicken or chicken breasts

1 medium onion, diced

2 cans (14.5 ounce) black beans, drained

1 small package of frozen corn, thawed, or 2 cans (14.5 ounce) corn, drained

2-1/2 cups mild or medium salsa -- I prefer mild

1 package of taco seasoning-- low sodium is preferred

1/2 to 3/4 cup fresh cilantro, cut in small pieces

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon pepper

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese -- low-fat is fine

9 corn tortillas, cut in strips

2 cups grated sharp cheddar -- low-fat is fine
Serve over rice -- my picture doesn't show the rice.

In medium skillet, cook chicken with diced onion until browned and done.  If using chicken breasts, but in small pieces before or after cooking.   Set aside.  In large bowl, add black beans, corn, salsa, taco seasoning, cilantro, cumin, and pepper.  Set aside.  In 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan, dutch oven, or crock pot,  begin to layer ingredients, using 1/3 of each of the bean and corn mixture, tortilla strips, chicken, and cream cheese.  Begin and end the layering with the corn tortillas strips.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes.  Take pan out of oven and add grated cheese.  Bake for another 15 minutes.  If using a crock pot, cook on low for about 2-1/2 hours, add cheese and cook for another 15 minutes. Watch to make sure you don't overcook.

I hope you enjoy my version of Aztec Chicken.  My sixteen year-old son went for thirds the night we served this.

 Here's a link for the Gold'n Plump Chicken's website.  At this link you can find coupons, recipes, and more information on the company.

Note:  I was given the sample pack of chicken, but was not paid to do a review.

Posted with the following:

Show and Tell, Foodie Friday, I'm Lov'n It, Fun W/Food Friday