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.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Seasonal Recipe and Menu Binders

Okay, I know I'm a little obsessive with organizing things.  Being organized energizes me on several levels.  First and foremost I hate reinventing the wheel.  What I mean by that is if I've found a great recipe or put together a fantastic menu, I want to be able to locate that information easily in the future. 

I know that it's not always easy to re-create a mood or feeling - and sometimes dinner parties and casual get-togethers take on a personality of their own - duplicating a particular menu or cocktail at another time may create an entirely whole new experience. 

Nevertheless, I like to be able to easily find specific menus and recipes - I really hate spending time looking for things like that - the time spent searching always distracts me and I find myself engrossed in looking through new recipes and cookbooks and before I know it an hour or so has gone by!!



This is my "Winter Binder" from Vera Bradley - a little blurry, sorry.

 So, several months ago I started putting together a Winter binder of easy entertaining menus along with the recipes.  Vera Bradley designs have never been a favorite of mine but I do love her  colorful binders. Color motivates me and can also add to the whole feeling of creating and looking at something special.  

The idea of creating this binder was the result of wanting to have simple delicious entertaining menus at my fingertips.  FHFB and I love to cook, but sometimes we are so exhausted after having a dinner party that I had to begin simplifying things, but still keeping our menus special, delicious and fun.  I think that as foodies ourselves we just want to have lots of things to taste and of course, a table full of delicious homemade dishes is always so wonderful to see - we eat first with our eyes 
(my eyes should be 10x their size if that's true!) 

This week I purchased a second Vera Bradley binder for Spring entertaining!




So far I have two vegetarian menus filed away.  
Our son is coming home for a few days at the end of March before heading over to Florence, Italy for the month of April, so I wanted to be ready with some simple but delicious vegetarian meals.  


Menu #1
*upside down mushroom tartlets
*yellow squash with hazelnuts and pecorino
*warm peanut and sesame noodles

Menu #2
*vegetarian lentil soup
*white bean and tomato casserole with broccoli rabe
*whole grain penne pasta with shaved 
 
If you would like any of these recipes please let me know and I'd be happy to send them to you!
 
Here are a some links to a few of the recipes:
 
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/upside-down-mushroom-tartlets
 
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/upside-down-mushroom-tartlets
 
It's snowing here this morning - spring is a little confused.
 
I'm participating in Metamorphosis Monday over at Between Naps on the Porch.
 
Ciao, bella!









7 comments:

  1. I love the binders - so pretty, and such a great way to organize things. Oh, and the menus sound so delicious!

    xo
    Claudia

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  2. Being organized always helps and being organized and colorful makes it fun!

    Come stop by and grab my new Seasonal Sundays button.

    - The Tablescaper

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  3. What a great idea, I'm going to have my wife read this!

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  4. Wonderful your bindres....and Florence too!!!Hugs, Flavia

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  5. MY GRANDDAUGHTERS ALL HAVE VERA BRADLEY BAGS, ALL DIFFEERENT SIZES.....I THINK I AM GOING TO BUY SOME STOCK IN VERA BRADLEY. :)
    WHAT A GREAT IDEA, I LOVE YOUR BINDERS, THEY ARE LOVELY. YOUR RECIPES SOUND DELICIOUS.
    SAY "HI" TO FRANKIE...WHAT A LUCKY GUY....GOING TO ITALY.
    LOVE YA, AUNT RIZ

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  6. Yikes!....you live on a pond and you posted about organizing. I think we may have been separated at birth!
    Thanks for visiting!....I'll be back to see what else you have to say and to wander through your old posts.

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  7. That's a great idea! I've been keeping a journal of all the parties and events we have here at Silly Goose Farm (I include who came, what I served, decor, etc.). We use my husband's old Underwood typewriter for guests to leave notes, and someday we'll have all the pages bound into a "guestbook."

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