Rose Chintz Cottage

Wednesday, 12 February 2014

HOME ~ Hot and Spicy Chicken

Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home. ~ Dame Edith Sitwell

Hello friends and welcome to my HOME once again. As most of you know by now, I am no longer hosting the HOME linky party but I am sharing recipes and other home related subjects here each week. So, please come in and make yourself at home.

I want to thank you all for your get well wishes. I am feeling much better now and look forward to Valentine's Day.

Today's recipe is a spicy one. I got it out of an old cook book years ago and changed it up a bit. I call it Hot and Spicy Chicken.

Hot and Spicy Chicken
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 TBSP butter. {I used 1 TBSP coconut oil instead.}
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 TBSP brown sugar
dash of pepper
dash of Cayenne pepper
3 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1/2 TBSP mustard
1/2 cup chopped celery

Cook onion in oil slowly until limp and golden. Add remaining ingredients and simmer covered for 15 minutes.

Pour over cooked chicken pieces{two boneless chicken breasts cooked and cut into bite size pieces} cover, and simmer until heated through.

Serve over hot rice with a veggie on the side. Yield~ about 5-6 servings. Enjoy!

This being Valentine's week, I set a red and white table using my Staffordshire dinner plates on top of red chargers. I am also using my King's Crown goblets for our water. I set a jug of white roses in the center of the table and we're ready for this tasty meal.

A salad on the side is nice too. This meal is actually quite filling.

Thank you for visiting my HOME today and I hope you have a very Happy Valentine's Day!

Lord, this humble house we'd keep
Sweet with play and calm with sleep.
Help us so that we may give
Beauty to the lives we live.
Let Thy beauty and Thy grace
Shine upon our dwelling place. ~ Edgar A. Guest

I am joining these lovely parties this week:

Home and Garden Thursday ~ http://www.adelightsomelife.com/
Share Your Cup Thursday~ http://jannolson.blogspot.com/
Home Sweet Home~ http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Monday, 10 February 2014

Hearts & Flowers Tea

Love is a language spoken by everyone but understood only by the heart. ~ Author unknown

Hello my dear friends and welcome to my Hearts & Flowers Tea!

This week we are celebrating love and romance. Like the song says, "Love is a many splendoured thing."

Love planted a rose and the world turned sweet. ~ Katherine Lee Bates

Roses are a symbol of love and according to statistics, Valentines Day is the busiest day of the year for the flower shops. It's a busy day for Cupid!

But friendship is the breathing rose, with sweets in every fold. ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

No matter the colour of the petals, a rose is a delight to the eye. I do however favour pale pink or white.

Do you have a favourite colour?
I love to have fresh flowers on the tea table; especially roses.

There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea. ~ Henry James - 'Portrait of A Lady'

A creamy white rose with the palest blush of pink snuggles up to my Skye McGhie teacup. This set is called Pierced Lace and I love the creamy white.

I love teacups accompanied by lace and pearls, don't you? The rose and pearls lend a soft romantic touch.

A lovely heart on a string of pearls with a bit of bling.

I am serving tea from my Cream Lace teapot made by Skye McGhie.

Tea and a cookie.

Soft pink is so very feminine and this pink rose makes a sweet presentation next to this teacup which is called Rose of England.

A few nibbles....Egg salad on whole wheat heart sandwiches. Strawberries and chocolate.

Maybe you prefer a pink cupcake?

Valentine shortbread.

Royal icing roses.

Life is a journey, and love is what makes that journey worthwhile.~ Author unknown

I hope your journey is a happy one.

How will you celebrate Valentines Day this week?

"If instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should cast the gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend, that would be giving as the angels give." ~ George MacDonald

I must apologize because my post was not the one I had planned for today. The flu bug hit me on the weekend and rather than cancel my party, I was forced to set a simple table in creamy white and borrow photos from past Valentine teas. I hope you enjoyed your visit in spite of this.

Thank you for visiting today. I just love having you for company! If you have something tea related, a coffee cup/mug, or tablescape, I invite you to link up with me.