Olive oil from the Bramasole orchards is light and sweet and I only use my treasured supply when I have the best ingredients!
Basil and mint from my yard,
fresh, organic fruits, veggies and meats,
couscous,
and Italian bread from the best local baker
can be easily made into an impressive dinner.
Just add the secret ingredient!
Bramasole olive oil.
I call it
Elixir from Under the Tuscan Sun.
Our table is set and ready for the feast.
Take a seat …
… Mr. Fun is always in charge of filling the glasses.
Choose Chianti
(this was superb–was it the organic grapes?)
or S. Pellegrino
(known in our house as “gaz”).
In Italy we might begin the meal with pasta or fish fresh from the sea which is only an hour or two away,
but bikini season is here (ha!) and we’re going to the Cape soon, so we’ll skip the pasta and just have
antipasta 🙂
Antipasta
We’ll freshen our palates with a
Basil and Mint Sorbet
This was easy to make with
fresh basil, fresh mint, lemon juice and a sugar syrup.
fresh basil, fresh mint, lemon juice and a sugar syrup.
Put into ice cream maker, and
YUM!
Cool and very refreshing!
…
our
ENTREE
…
Basil, lemon juice, olive oil and chicken
…
bake 45 min. @ 350
…
and we have delicious
Basil and Lemon Chicken
Peppers
in more olive oil and balsamic vinegar
soooo good
If we were in Italy we could end our meal
with Grappa, fresh pears and biscotti under the stars.
with Grappa, fresh pears and biscotti under the stars.
But tonight we’ll have our pears baked
with a little sugar, egg and
mascarpone!
You can see that I don’t have
a piece of Tuscan pottery for making a tart.
Where’s my passport??
How can dessert that’s so EASY be so DELICIOUS?
Baked Pears in Mascarpone Custard
~~ the menu ~~
antipasta
basil and mint sorbet
basil and lemon chicken
peppers melted in balsamic vinegar
couscous
italian bread
baked pears in mascarpone custard
chianti
gaz
~~all recipes are in my favorite book~~
Under the Tuscan Sun
by Frances Mayes
(watch for her new cookbook coming soon!)
~~all recipes are in my favorite book~~
Under the Tuscan Sun
by Frances Mayes
(watch for her new cookbook coming soon!)
I’m so glad you could join me
for dinner to help celebrate my
one-year blogaversary !
***Be sure to leave a comment here
and on my last post here
to enter for a chance to win my
giveaway***
(hint: elixir and other goodies)
And to my wonderful family,
THANK YOU for being so patient while I get the hang of this blogging, even though you have had to put up with
late meals and
a shortage of clean undies
(cooking and doing LAUNDRY really cuts into my blogging time!)
We were recently in Disney World at the new Italian restaurant in Epcot, and the mother at the next table was taking pictures of the just arrived food, from every angle. I thought the resigned faces of her two hungry kids and exhausted hubby said more than words could, until one of my bunch piped up in a quiet, flat tone (all three admit it was said but DENY being the speaker),
“She must have a blog.”
OK. I get it!
But I’m not stopping now.
I’m having too much
FUN.
Linda 🙂
xoxoxo
xoxoxo
I’m joining
at Stonegable
Everything looks so good Linda! I’d love to make a meal of the Antipasto, sorbet and tart! Have fun looking for the new tart pan:@)
Linda this meal looks just fabulous and makes me long for a Tuscan vacation – I want that cookbook!!!!!!! xo,
It looks excellent! I hope this works, I have tried 3 times to comment!
Yeah!!!
wow! your menu looks delicious!!!!!
Looks as beautiful as it all looks delicious! Thanks for your very sweet visit.
It looks delicious!!! Deb chedeb5353@hotmail.com
Your platters & food have me salivating…your chicken and your BAKED PEARS…Be still my heart! I’m anxious to try your sorbet, it looks so refreshing! Had to chuckle at “she must have a blog” 🙂
HAHAHA I love that comment. We bloggers are camera obsessed aren’t we.
I love the vibrant colors of all these fresh veggies. The tart looks amazing. YUM
Outstandingly beautiful…both the FOOD & the TABLE! What gorgeous pieces you have to play with, Linda.
Thanks for all the ideas & congratulations on your Blog-aversary!
fondly,
Rett
Oh Linda, what a wonderful meal! Everything looks and sounds delicious!!!! XO, Pinky
Oh I am canning myself laughing. I did the same with taking photos in a restaurant and my son said to the waiter. Don’t worry about her, she has a blog and is snap happy!! Now to food. Tuscan food is what I adore and your platter speaks to me in so many ways. your table looks gorgeous and I can taste Tuscany and Chianti is a yes please! Congrats on your beautiful blog!
Veronica
http://www.tasselsandtwigs.blogspot.com
Linda,
What a beautiful post. Everything looks absolutely beautiful. Happy blogaversary.
Carol
Everything looks so very yummy. Happy Blogiversary!!!
I have made a HUGE mistake reading your blog this morning before I went to work. Now my mascara is running and my blush is smeared. I need to go make repairs! But, oh, Linda! I have laughed so hard! My family is saying the same things! My husband asked this weekend, while I was setting up my Watermelon table: “When did this become MY hobby? The meal has me salivating wishing I had been there. One more reason I have to read this book! When we were in Rome two years ago, we went to a restaurant in which the antipasto was rolled to the table in a cart, and you picked whatever you wanted from its vast selection. It was so fabulous! I think the Italians are really on to something with this antipasto business . . . who knows? It might become a trend . . . LOL!
Linda,
Happy Happy Bloggiversary! The world of blog is so much richer because you are in it! I am thrilled you joined OTMM with this delicious and inspirational post. It is as gorgeous as it is delicious! I must try the sorbet. It will be a great way to use up the basil and mint in my garden.
I am an antipasta girl, and your platter looks scrumptious with all the yummy offerings!
I am so blesssed by you and your beautiful blog! Here’s to another great year!
xo Yvonne
This is the most lovely of posts! I am hungry and so excited about the chance to win such a great giveaway.. I love your table. Every morsel of food looks so wonderful. I will have to read the book to get that dessert recipe! Thanks so much.. crossing my fingers. many blessings, marlis
What a wonderful menu! Wish I had been there. I love chicken and cook it way too much according to hubby! Oh well, congrats! Carol
Congratulations Linda on your one year of blogging! What a beautiful way to celebrate. Thanks for sharing and have a great week!
Miz Helen
That made me hungry!
My Blue Monday.
Gorgeous photos, delicious food, and laughter to go along with it. My family indulges me with my photo snapping before meals, too.
What a beautiful table! I love the colors you’ve used. The food looks amazing! I would be thrilled to sit down to such a feast!
Happy one year blog anniversary Linda! Everything on your menu sounds exquisite, especially that pear marscarpone tart–yum!
My family laughs when I take food photos –thank goodness my husband is very patient and supportive 🙂
Love your pretty give away!
I was whisked away to the Italian countryside. Fabulous pics and food… Happy blogoversary~~
Oooh…Linda! I am still hooting from the child’s comment! And…my own family has learned to sit and wait for pics before we do anything! lol I love your tablescape..so beautiful! And…your food looks so yummy! Count me in on the giveaway….and happy blogaversary! Happy weekend…hugs…Debbie
PS…Thanks for entering MY giveaway! We’ll wish each other luck! 🙂
Wow Linda……..this menu post is over the top and it all looks so delicious. I’ve got to try the chicken and the peppers. What a wonderful meal for dining under the stars in ones own back yard. I love all of your beautiful Italian pottery. I have some pretty pieces I purchased throughout my travels in Italy, I need to get out of storage and use…….Thanks for this sharing this feast both beautiful and delicious.
~Emily
The French Hutch
Came back to look at your fabulous dinner!
Well, on that dish, Instead of olive oil I add vinegar, brown mustard and of course garlic because I likes its test so much. Your sweet little foodie helper is adorable.
psychologist cape town
Everything looks wonderful, especially the pears baked in mascarpone!
Ok, it’s late at night here and I was thinking of going to bed. But NOW I can only think of your beautiful menu and gorgeous photos! I am now starving! I had never heard of a basil and mint sorbet. It looks so refreshing. I must try it. And that tart looks absolutely heavenly. I know for sure I’m going to try that!!! Everything looks so beautiful. I know I said it on your last post but I’ll say it again…
Happy Blogoversary!
Everything looks perfectly delicious, Linda. Would so love some of that antipasta just about now, and today I’ll take the Chianti. Those glasses are so airy and fresh-looking…perfectly bubbly. 😉
Loved visiting as usual.
Linda, thank you so very much for visiting my blog today and becoming my newest follower (following you back!). I can’t tell you how absolutely gorgeous your meal looks. I want that cookbook! Your pics are beautiful too. Happy Blogiversary. Heres to many more years!
By the way, the Disney comment was hilarious, “She must have a blog..” LOL!
Everything looks so wonderful! You did a great job…Now can I eat???lol I love the dessert. I will have to find that book.
Blessings My Friend,
Okay, I want the Antipasta AND the plate that it’s on. Yep…BOTH!
What time is dinner? One of the prettiest tables I’ve ever seen, but looking at it I want to buy a seat on Alitalia and be in Siena right away.
I just took a speed tour back through your blog. I will have to come back again. You have some wonderful table settings, delicious recipes, beautiful house shots, and fun ideas. Thanks!
P.S. My husband once lived in Hartford. I love New England (even though I’ve never been there)!
With a blog title like yours, there’s got to be fun! You have a lovely blog and I hope you’ll be writing some more soon!
Love this post. I think I must be drooling all over my key board! Those recipes look amazing, only to be outdone by your photography.
Congrats on your blogaversary. I’d love to be considered for your giveaway.
– The Tablescaper
Hi lovely lady.
Your Tablescape and food looks great. I love your Beautiful dishes !!! You did a lovely job putting this all together for your dinner party… I need to go back and see your Recipes sooo yummy. Congrats on your blogaverary sweet lady. I hope you come visit me some time.
XXOO Diane
Well, I hope “better late than never” applies here as I want to say a belated HAPPY BLOGAVERSARY!!!!!!!! Now, this meal and table look SOOOO good! I am hungry right now so my mouth is watering and my tummy is growling! The antipasto looks wonderful and the chicken too. The dessert sounds VERY interesting! Thanks for sharing this! XO, Pinky
Hi lovely lady.
Your Tablescape are Beautiful sweet lady. I also love your yummy recipes looks so good. I do miss your Tablescapes are you OK.I hope!!! soooo. I have you on my sidebar.. No post for a long time..
XXOO Diane
I hope you come see my new fall Tablescape.
It all looks yummy and I am going to try some of your recipes! I love Tuscany and the movie and would love to read the book. Thanks for a lovely giveaway!
Linda, I came by to check on you as I’ve been blogging sporadically. That is an amazing meal and tablescape! You are the queen of this. WOW!
Hope you are doing well. You were on my mind today so I thought I would drop by and say, “Hi.” Hope you’re out enjoying glorious fall weather!
Love to you…
XO,
Sheila 🙂
And congratulations on your blogversary! I’m so happy to have met you through blogging! XO
Well if it had been at Disneyland it could have possibly been me! Too funny. What a beautiful, beautiful table and meal. It looks straight out of a magazine. I would love, love, love to win the elixir! I was salivating just reading about it. There are a lot of really nasty tasting olive oils out there and yours sounds fantastic! Happy blogaversary!
Wow!, how about that!!!!! I just took a ‘trip’ (to your blog) and had a most elegant meal. Without having left my home, I’m feeling pampered. This is what an imagination can do to a person, huh. I loved looking through this posting, and the others on your blog. Happy BLOGaversary, for sure! Thanks for the time you spent making everything so pretty for us to ‘soak up’ and ‘taste’.