The Kitchen Window

The Kitchen Window
Antique Milk Bottles with Herbs and Flowers

Welcome!

Welcome to the Frog Hollow Farm blog! I've been blogging since January 2010 and have switched from Blogger to Word Press, but I'm back to Blogger because, for me, it's easier to use. My husband and I live on a little farm in Northwest New Jersey. We have some chickens and a very large vegetable garden with asparagus and raspberries, and rows and rows of sunflowers, snapdragons and zinnias. Traveling, entertaining, gardening, spending time with family, studying Italian, blogging and reading keep us busy and happy. With all of this going on, moving towards a simpler life seems almost impossible but it's definitely a daily goal.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

The October Conservatory

We are so busy here at Frog Hollow Farm!  Bringing geraniums and hibiscus into the house before the frost, getting the gardens ready for winter, putting the finishing touches on our dining room and living room and also thinking about the holidays and the delicious menus we'll be serving. 


Our conservatory is right off of our dining room, and has become a year-round room.  Besides using it for housing herbs...


and entertaining, we love sitting out there in the winter, reading, and watching the snow fall outside while sipping hot chocolate with home-made Frog Hollow Farm marshmallows or drinking a delicious cocktail.

For October we have our pumpkin pine table set with some seasonal pieces of mixed vintage china picked up in a couple of antique shops on our trip to Vermont several years ago.

The napkins are from April Cornell and the tablecloth is from Marshalls.  I love the colors in these vintage pieces.

Two little bears sit in their adorable Halloween costumes, waiting for someone to take them Trick-or-Treating.  We don't get Trick-or-Treaters at our house - we sit down a long tree-lined lane and there are only a few homes on our street. 


Somewhere in my reading and browsing I came across an interesting way to prepare brussel sprouts, if you're a fan that is. 

Sliced and Sauteed Brussel Sprouts
Clean the sprouts and slice off the end of each one. 
Place in a food processor with the slicing disc and slice the brussel sprouts .
Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a pan with thinly sliced garlic.  We like garlic so I used 3 cloves, but you can use as much or little as you like.  I suppose you could also use shallots or leeks instead.
Saute the brussel sprouts with the olive oil and garlic until soft - about 15 minutes or so.  While they are cooking, sprinkle on some kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. 



We are driving into the city today to check out the new 'Eataly' - Mario Batali's new gourmet Italian grocery store and restaurants (yes, there are several restaurants in this place).  My daughter has been there twice and has warned us that it's a zoo, but definitely a fantastic place for Italian foodies. 

I'm linked in to Seasonal Sundays at The Tablescaper!  Please stop by to check out the wonderful blogs and seasonal ideas. 

Ciao, bella!!

11 comments:

  1. Lovin' the colors in your fall china and I will have to try the Brussels sprouts-yum!

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  2. Hi Ann Marie,
    I love your Conservatory and the little Halloween Bears are so adorable! The china is gorgeous and so special that you brought it back from a trip to lovely Vermont! I love items that have such sweet memories attached to them. Everything is beautiful, we too are transforming the sunroom into our 'Jardin Hiver room' ( the Winter Garden room, it was the name of my first Magdalena chapter, she likes to garden and spends time in that room) Anyway it is a wonderful way to not get the Winter Blues and garden all year long.
    Enjoy your day in the city
    xx

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  3. Oh my gosh... I've been away and have missed so much!! Bella, I just love your blog. Your photopgraphs are always so beautiful- just like being there. It's been wonderful catching up this morning! I promise, I'll not to stay away so long anymore!

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  4. Oh, to have a conservatory! I can just picture you there, surrounded by plants, a good book to read and hot chocolate, as well.

    xo
    Claudia

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  5. You look like you are so ready for fall! How neat that you have a conservatory so you can bring your summer treasures in to weather the winter. I have no such space and must just give up and let them go the way of winter.

    Hope you had a great time at Eataly. I've heard wonderful things about it and can't wait to go.

    - The Tablescaper

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  6. Yes, a conservatory sounds so exotic! A winter day at your house sounds so cozy too.
    Brenda

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  7. I wish I had a place to keep my herbs over the winter! You are so lucky. I have a recipe from brussels sprout hash that I love that came from Bon Appetit and it does call for shallots. It's delicious!

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  8. It is so very great that you have to bring plants into a CONSERVATORY for the winter.....Oh how I wish I HAD A CONSERVATORY....or that I lived in a spot where I would need a conservatory...(O:(O:

    Ahh.....brussel sprouts....I love em' hubby hates em' Alas....we don't have em'.

    Xo

    Jo

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  9. Wonderful blog and gorgeous pictures. Thank you!

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  10. HI FARM GIRL,
    I LOVE BRUSSEL SPROUTS, RECIPE SOUNDS YUMMY. JENN HAS A SUN ROOM, AND IN THE WINTER IT IS NICE SITTING OUT THERE WATCHING THE SNOW, AND THERE IS A TINY STOVE IN THERE TO KEEP IT WARM. YOUR CONSERVATORY SOUNDS LOVELY.
    LOVE, AUNT RIZ

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  11. Beautiful pictures of your home, great collaboration and a well-deserved honor. Loved seeing all of you.

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