No, I don’t oppose the use of dishes.
I love dishes.
Fine china … my favorite. I really should eat off of it more often. Beau & I still don’t have all of our china pieces and we will be married 17 years this December. But, we’re getting there … VERY slowly. By 25 years, maybe we’ll have our full eight sets we had registered for, despite the fact that it’s retired.
Wanna see it? It’s gorgeous. I still love it.
Here’s one cup and saucer. So regal & classic.
Um … just the cup and saucer costs about $65. Yeah … hence the reason we don’t have a full set, but believe it or not, we’re very close with the plates going for about $50.
As I get older, I realize we don’t eat on the china enough … maybe once a year … not enough at all.
I therefore make a decree on this day that I will use my fine china at least two or three times this year. There. Done.
This post is actually where I’m sharing two different recipes (not at all about china):
one totally healthy, one totally not. Both equally good!
Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Marinated Garbanzo Beans, Feta, and Herbs
1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas) rinsed and drained well
1 1/2 cups diced cucumbers
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes
2 T balsamic vinegar
3 T good quality extra virgin olive oil
Chopped fresh basil
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste1/2 cup crumbled FetaAdditional Balsamic Vinaigrette to taste
1 1/2 cups diced cucumbers
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes
2 T balsamic vinegar
3 T good quality extra virgin olive oil
Chopped fresh basil
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste1/2 cup crumbled FetaAdditional Balsamic Vinaigrette to taste
Put garbanzo beans in colander and rinse very well until no more foam appears. Remove any chickpea skins that come off when you’re rinsing the beans. Let beans drain at least 15 minutes. Mix olive oil and balsamic vinegar with a whisk. Place beans in small ziploc bag, pour dressing over and marinate beans in refrigerator 4-6 hours or longer.
When you’re ready to prepare the salad, remove beans from refrigerator and drain them in a colander, reserving the dressing. (I added extra Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing for taste.) Taste dressing for seasoning, and if you don’t have at least 3 T dressing, add a bit more balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Cut cucumbers into fourths lengthwise, and then into pieces about 1/2 inch wide. Wash & chop basil. Combine tomatoes, cucumbers, garbanzo beans and basil and toss with reserved salad dressing. Season salad with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Divide salad among individual serving plates, and top with crumbled Feta just before serving.
Ultimate Chocolate-Chip Cookie & Oreo Fudge Brownie
(adapted from kevinandamanda.com)
1 roll Pillsbury chocolate chip cookie dough
Double-Stuffed Oreos
1 family-size brownie mix, prepared
Vanilla ice cream
Smucker’s hot fudge sauce
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9X13″ pan with cooking spray. Press cookie dough into bottom of pan. Layer Oreos on top. Pour prepared brownie mix over Oreos. Bake approximately 45 minutes or until brownie mix is cooked through. Top each piece with ice cream and drizzle with hot fudge. Enjoy!
Now that’s two dishes that do not get along.
I LOVE your china!! It is so beautiful!
I didn't register for china when we got married. Zip. Zero. None. Mainly for two reasons (or four, depending on how you look at it): 1. We were super poor, just starting out, and needed essentials…like towels, lol!!! 2. I actually am inheriting my mom's china…and my grandmother's china…and my great grandmother's china… =)
In fact, for my birthday, since we have a big(ger) house now, my mom's getting me a china cabinet and giving me my grandmother's china for my birthday. I might tear up. =)
I have a few pieces of china that I have in the rotation to use every day. I didn't realize how happy it would make me to eat off these plates. Of course, I didn't pay $50/plate either. I might have a more difficult time with it if I had.
It's funny you would write about that this week, bc I just realized that my china pattern has been discontinued and I don't have all of my pieces either! So I've been scouring ebay and finding some good deals. The hubs wanted to just SELL it, but I gotta think of my girls. Only one can get my wedding rings. Gotta have something for the other, huh?