Just a little behind on posting things like this. We ate on the patio! We also used Mom’s china and crystal and my sterling.
Here is the Fancy Friday picture and one from years ago before we started updating/upgrading/cleaning up the back yard. Not quite the same view but you can definitely tell we’ve made progress!
A weird blend of flavors tonight – grilled chicken, roasted sweet potato, and quinoa edamame salad. Can’t say we never shake it up! I even put out the napkin rings!
This week I experimented with the placemat, napkin, and tablecloth combination. Not really liking the outcome but we did use our fine china (Noritake pattern Shenandoah) and sterling silver flatware (International Silver pattern Prelude). I think I need to look for some new placemats or tablecloths.
I am so surprised at how much it would cost to replace the china and flatware – each place setting of the dinnerware is about $75 and we have service for 12 with added bowls (for 12) and 2 extra plates and a bunch of serving pieces (about $1500 to replace). The flatware runs about $170 for each 4 piece place setting with added serving pieces (about $2000 to replace).
So why the rundown on the cost of replacements?
While we were eating this extra yummy flank steak with ginger, onions, and green beans, the spoons just aren’t big enough. When we use our stainless flatware, we use the soup spoons for this dinner. These teaspoons just don’t cut it!
I started looking into purchasing soup spoons in our sterling pattern. They are running about $55 each on ebay and Replacements.com. Buying 12 is out of the question at this time but I might be able to swing 6. I’ll need to ponder this a little more.
I am really enjoying our restful fancy Friday dinners – I don’t even mind washing the good china and silver afterwards.
Tonight’s menu: Grilled chicken, roasted acorn squash, and Pineapple Passion rum punch! I know, not the combination you would find at a fine restaurant but it works for us!
I think the acorn squash is just about out of season but the rum punch never goes out of season! We experienced this punch at the Kilohana Plantation in Lihue, Kauaʻi several years ago and recently found a local distributor. They also have great food here!
I’m just a little behind!
Grandma’s Risotto again! Perfect, easy dinner at the end of the week using the “good” dishes and silver.
Friday dinner: grilled pork loin, roasted acorn squash and garden salad. We are truly enjoying the specialness of these dinners – unwinding after a week of work by candlelight. Great conversation and relaxation!
Roasted turkey breast with raspberry jam on the side (yep, we didn’t have cranberry sauce so we improvised), sautéed green beans, mashed potatoes with turkey drippings gravy. We even ate by candlelight! It is a nice end to the week!
Risotto. This is John’s Croatian grandmother’s recipe – a family favorite!
We actually turned off most lights and had candlelight dinner!! Very relaxing at the end of a week.
Let’s all use the stuff we were lead to believe can only be used for “special” occasions! Every day is a special day! Keep it and use the china, sterling silver, and “fancy” tablecloths and napkins you have boxed up. I only wish I had done this years ago!
I realize that I need some sort of centerpiece for our table. The search is on!
Grilled chicken with roasted brussels sprouts and butternut squash.
I’m going to use the “fine china” at least once a week. We had our first Fancy Friday last night and decided on a few “rules”.
It only took 10 months of pandemic, 2 major holidays without family (other than the 3 of us), and the death of my mom to realize if I love it enough to keep it, I will use it!
Decluttering the Stuff 