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Hi Everyone,

Wow, Mother’s Day is here already. It feels as if I just packed up the Christmas decorations……

Every year when Mother’s Day approaches, I never think of myself as being one of the mom’s to be celebrated with that great honor of being a mom; even though I have been a mother for almost 27 years.

Instead, I think of the other mother’s and strong women in my life. My grandmother, my mother, and my sisters. I wish they were here today, so I could show them how much I love them and tell them what they mean to me.

I am fortunate to come from a long line of strong women who taught me great lessons.

They taught me unconditional love, family traditions, all about my heritage, perseverance, and gave me a strong work ethic to get things done.

Another important lesson I learned from these women, “If you don’t want to fail, then you don’t give up”. This is something that I remind myself of when life gets a little overwhelming.

I told you they were strong women.

So today’s tablescape, honors these women in my life who made a difference along with my mother-in-law who gave me the love of my life.

Bob is an angel on earth and I couldn’t imagine a day without him.

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When I think of a Mother’s Day tablescape, I think it should be very feminine.

The first set of dishes that immediately came to mind were a set of floral dishes from the Kathy Ireland collection.

So let’s get started…

The dishes are the Georgian Estate pattern by Kathy Ireland and they are porcelain with a cream background with various flowers and leaves in shades of pink, lilac and green.

I am starting the tablescape with a dusty rose tablecloth. This color goes so well with the flowers on the dishes and it is also one of my favorite colors.

(It looks a little more coral in the photo due to lighting, but it is a deep rose in person).

Since my mother of pearl charger plate is so detailed and beautiful on it’s own, I am not using a placemat. The charger looks great against the dusty rose tablecloth.

This tablescape gives me a great opportunity to use my new purchase, pearl napkins rings. The pearls add to my very feminine theme and also remind me of my mom and her pearls. They will be used along with blush pink napkins.

Flatware will be off white pearl to match the chargers.

My glassware will be Waterford Marquis goblets. 

The centerpiece can be no other than roses. What mom doesn’t want to receive flowers on Mother’s Day?

You know how much I love candles, so I am using mercury glass votive candle holders and champagne scented candles.

Absolutely wonderful fragrance from Pier 1.

What is more feminine than pearls and diamonds?  So I am mixing pearl and crystal table scatter along with glass pebbles in shades of pink, frosted white and burgundy to decorate the table.

My centerpiece, along with the flowers have little mementos that remind me of my mother, grandmother and mother-in-law.

A strand of pearls for my mother; she wore pearls every day. 

She was such an elegant lady, full of love and a warm heart.

A trinket box for my grandmother and a pair of gloves.

The handbag trinket box was a gift from my grandmother and every time she took me out for a special day to the Plaza Hotel’s Palm Court restaurant in NYC for afternoon tea, she always bought me a new pair of gloves to go with my dress. I see gloves and I think of grandma.

Fruit jelly slices for my mother-in-law.

Jelly slices were her favorite candy in the world. We just bought them for her whenever we saw them- no special occasion necessary. When I see them I think of the smile on her face whenever we gave her a box.

These memories help to make the centerpiece complete.

Now that I spoke of them, I have to take this opportunity to share a few pictures with you of these beloved women…

This is a photo of me (I am the youngest) and my sisters with my mom in 1961.

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Me with my beautiful mom ( and her pearls).

Me and my sisters.

Every year I dressed in the same color as one of my sisters for Easter.

The next two photos are of my grandmother. The first picture when she was 19 years old and the second picture when she was 90 years old with my son. 

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The next picture is of my mother-in-law with my husband Bob (on the left) and his two brothers.

Bob and his mom.

I miss them all dearly, but I am blessed to have had them in my life…

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This year Bob wanted to take me out for Mother’s Day, but I decided to stay home for Mother’s Day dinner instead and Bob will be helping me cook. My son will not be able to come home for a visit, so Bob and I are planning our day driving out east on Long Island to some of the farms to get some new plants for the flower garden as well as my vegetable garden before returning home for dinner.

My menu for Mother’s Day 2017 with be some of my favorite dishes…

(Bob helped prepare and taste test the recipes for me last night so I could take the photos and share the recipes with all of you today).

(recipes at the end of the post)

Starting with a …

Mimosa or Bellini 

1st course: Shrimp and Champagne Bisque soup with Gruyere Cheese

2nd course: Tart with Pancetta and Green Onions

Spinach salad with strawberries, mandarin oranges, goat cheese and sliced almonds.

Dessert: Chocolate cake with chocolate and dulce de leche mousse, served on a pink glass vintage cake stand.

(purchased- no recipe)

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Maybe, if I have room left after dinner, Bob and I will go out for some homemade ice cream and return home to relax on the patio.

Sounds like a perfect Mother’s Day for me.

I wish all of you moms, moms to be, grandmothers, godmothers, stepmoms and pet moms a wonderful, happy and joyous Mother’s Day.

Enjoy your children, grandchildren, family and friends and make great memories.

Until my next post, make every day a celebration!

Stay well.

Diane

Place Setting

Table Details

Kathy Ireland dishes – pattern, Georgian Estate from Dinnerware Depot

Dusty rose tablecloth from Amazon

Blush napkins from Amazon

Pearl napkin rings from Amazon

Mother of Pearl chargers from Pier 1  

Goblets and Champagne flutes from Waterford

Off white Pearl flatware from Amazon

Mercury glass votive candle holders from Michael’s Arts & Crafts

Champagne scented votive candles from Pier 1

Pearl and crystal table scatter from Michael’s Arts & Crafts

Shades of pink glass table scatter from Michael’s Arts & Crafts

Pink vintage cake plate from Pier 1

White cake plate to display centerpiece from Target

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RECIPES

Shrimp and Champagne Bisque with Gruyere Cheese

Makes about 6 cups

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter
½ cup minced shallots
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups clam juice
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 pound Medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup Champagne or other dry sparkling wine
2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh chives
Garnish: Gruyère cheese, chives

Directions:

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots, and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle in flour; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Gradually whisk in clam juice and stock; bring to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes. (At this point, soup can be refrigerated up to 3 days.)

Cut shrimp into ¼-inch pieces. Over medium-low heat, add cream and Champagne. Return soup to a simmer, and slowly whisk in cheese ¼ cup at a time, letting melt between additions. Stir in chives and shrimp, and cook for 3 minutes or until shrimp are opaque. Garnish with shredded Gruyère and chives.

Note: Clam juice can be replaced with chicken stock for a milder flavor.

Recipe courtesy of the Cottage Journal

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Breakfast Tart with Pancetta and Green Onions

Ingredients

• Butter, for the pan
• Flour, for the pan
• 1 — 9-inch unroll-and-bake refrigerated pie crust
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 3 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded gruyere cheese
• 3 scallions, white and pale green parts, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Butter and flour the bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Unroll the pie crust and gently press into the bottom and sides of the pan. Trim any excess from the top.

With the tines of a fork, prick the bottom of the pastry. Using a pastry brush, brush the crust with the beaten egg white. Put the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, until the egg white has set. Let cool 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring frequently, for 6 to 8 minutes, until browned and crispy. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Whisk in the mascarpone, gruyere, scallions, salt, pepper and the pancetta. Pour into the cooled crust and bake for about 18 minutes, until the mixture has set and the top is golden.

Cool the tart for 10 to 15 minutes and then remove from the pan. Cut the tart into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis from “Weeknights with Giada” for Food Network Magazine

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There is no recipe for the salad….I just mixed some fresh spinach with fruit, almonds and poppy seed dressing. 

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