Entertaining Archives - Page 4 of 6

Easy Cheesy Scallop Potatoe Recipe, Most Requested

Easy Cheesy Scallop Potatoe Recipe, Most requested side dish by my family and friends.

Easy Cheesy Scallop Potatoe Recipe:

4-5 LG potatoes sliced thin

1 can cheese soup

1/2 cup whip cream (unsweetened)

1 cup milk

1 cube of butter sliced

Cup green onions

2teaspoons salt

2teaspoons pepper

2 teaspoons season salt

1 tablespoon garlic

1teaspoon garlic seasoning

2 cup shredded cheese ( I use Mexican cheese)

1 sprayed casserole dish

Add all ingredients ( except potatoes, green onions, 1 cup of shredded cheese, butter)

Into a bowl, mix well.

In an oiled casserole dish

To Make: Easy Cheesy Scallop Potato Recipe:

Add a thin layer of potatoes, then a light layer of a mixture poured over potatoes, covering, add a couple of slices of butter, repeat… adding a layer of potatoes, then add mixture on top… top with the 1 cup of shredded cheeses sprinkles with green onions.

Cover with foil, place on a cookie sheet, and bake 50-60 min. Uncover, cook until the top is golden brown.

Ovens range in heat… adjust heat to your oven and time May very, due to oven.

Make sure potatoes are almost done before uncovering.

*If serving a large crowd, I’ll double or triple batch and use a large disposable tin pan!

These are such a hit at every gathering, from Family dinner, thanksgiving, and Christmas, that I never have leftovers!

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read my blog. You can also find me on Instagram, Pinterest, Liketoknowit, Amazon shops, and Facebook.

Have a beautiful day, pretty ladies,

Baked Potato Bar and Turkey Chili Recipe

Baked Potato Bar and Turkey Chili Recipe:

Baked potato Bar Toppings and Sides:

~Baked potatoes ( I cover in olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt before baking)

~ Chili

~Broccoli Cheese

~Nacho Cheese sauce

~Shredded cheese

~Onions ( yellow or white)

~Green onions

~Tomatoes

~ Bacon (I cook Bacon and chop up into bite-size pieces)

~Butter ( use real)

~Salt & Pepper

~Garlic Salt

~Sour cream

Sides:

-Fritos

-Tortila Chips

(great for people who might want Chili)

: Butter, Sour Cream

: Potatos, Hot Nacho Cheese Sauce

: Diced onions, Tomatoes

Tips: on ways to build a food bar and the items you need HERE

: Turkey Chili

: Potatos, Hot Nacho Cheese Sauce

: Broccoli and Cheese

Turkey chili Recipe:

-1 pound ground Turkey

-1 onion diced (white or yellow)

– olive oil ( enough to coat the pan)

-1. 15.5oz chili beans with sauce

-1 15.5oz kidney beans ( drained/ rinsed)

-1= 15.5oz pinto beans (drained /rinsed)

-1 green pepper diced

-1 red pepper diced

-1 =29oz tomato sauce

-1 chili seasoning pack

-1 tablespoon chili powder (a little less if you don’t like a touch of heat)

-1/2 tablespoon chili pepper flakes

-1/2 teaspoon onion salt

-1 Tablespoon minced garlic

-1 Tablespoon dried onion

-1/2 cup about ( enough to coat all the Turkey) Kitchen bouquet browning sauce (when browning ground Turkey, add to meat)

-Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup water or chicken broth (only if too thick) depending on how you like your Chili, you can add a little water)

How to:

Brown Turkey in olive oil, add kitchen bouquet, brown onion. Set aside

In a crockpot or large pan on the stovetop, add all ingredients above ( except water), stir, and add turkey and onions. Let simmer on low, stirring occasionally.

Crockpot on low if making in, am for dinner… if only a couple of hours can be on a high.

On a stovetop, simmer low.

Add water if needed. (we like our Chili a little thicker)

Enjoy with cornbread, saltines, Frech fries, or Fritos. Great on a baked potato. (as shown on Bar above)

I love to serve with all the toppings on the side.

Onions, tomatoes, cheese, bacon, sour cream, hot sauce, jalapeños

Items to help you build a great food Bar: Shop Below:

Above is a Fall Place setting Idea for a Fall luncheon or even a Thanksgiving table setting.

Shop great table setting pieces below:

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read my blog. You can also find me on Instagram, Pinterest, Liketoknowit, Amazon shops, and Facebook.

Have a beautiful day, pretty ladies,

No Cook Dinner, Perfect for Summer! Charcuterie Board

No-Cook Dinner, Perfect for Summer! Charcuterie Board

“Kitchens are made for bringing families together.” Sunday dinner has always been an important part of our family’s weekly routine. When we lived in California, it was the day that ALL the family, grandparents, aunts, uncles, everyone was welcome, came over to enjoy a meal. A fun time to catch up on the week, spend time together chatting over a good meal: a special time and a special day. When we moved to Utah, our crowd was smaller, but the idea was the same, and over the years, our crowd has grown. Friends that have become family added girlfriends, and occasionally out-of-state family.

The importance of Sunday dinner and sharing recipes has become popular on my Instagram stories that I started sharing “In the Kitchen with D’Arcy” on my Sunday posts. Find HERE. I realized my blog following wanted more recipe content as well. With that being said, Sunday’s blog post will be dedicated to Recipes and sharing an occasional Family meal at our favorite restaurants, and showing our support for supporting local businesses.

Today, over on Instagram, I shared A great, No-cook Dinner…A Charcuterie Board perfect for a large crowd, a great Sunday dinner, with something for everyone. We love to enjoy on the deck🥖🧀🫕🍓🍎 and take in the beauty of Summer. A charcuterie board makes for great conversation, talking about cheeses and crackers, the combinations you like, and the fun of creating combos you’ll enjoy.

Below: I have included a list of everything I have used here, and I also shared some of the yummy combos we love.

What you’ll need to create our Charcuterie board, No-cook Dinner:

-Everything crackers & cracked pepper Triscuit

-Strawberry & Jalapeño crisps

-Wheat thins

-Organic Garlic Naan crackers

-Caramelized onion cheddar cheese

-Beacon Fell Cheese (traditional Lancashire cheese)

-Unexpected cheddar cheese

-Old Amsterdam cheese

-Asiago cheese with Rosemary and olive oil

-Peppered Salami

-The marinated olive duo

-Velvet Bees Honey butter

-Cornichons

-Cucumber

~Mini peppers

—Honey crisp apple

~Strawberries

butter
-baguette
Hummus
-cream cheese
Olive oil

-Dill goat cheese

Tip: I love collecting Items for creating all types of Charcuterie Boards, this helps to create all types and size boards, perfect for any occasion or meal. Here are a few of my must-have items:

SHOP THE POST

Tip: When creating your Charcuterie board, place items next to items that pair well with each other for easy pairing. It helps your guest know flavors that pair well together. See some of our favorites below.

Charcuterie Board combos we loved: going clockwise from the cucumber.

Cucumber and hummus
Strawberry Jalapeno cracker, cheddar cheese, and Honey butter
Strawberry Jalapeno cracker, cream cheese, and Strawberry
Baguette, Beacon Fell cheese, olive oil, and salt
Honey crisp Apple and Cheddar Cheese
Salt & Pepper Triscuit, Old Amsterdam cheese, peppered Salami, and olive
(center) Naan Cracker, Hummus, and pepper

There are several other fabulous combinations. These are just some of our favorites. The Rosemary cheese is fab on the baguette, the goat cheese on the everything crackers.

Tip: When cutting celery stock for a Charcuterie or another meal, cut the end off in one chunk. Save and use as a garnish(it looks like a flower and oh so easy to create. I like to tuck into my veggie trays and use them as decoration on my Charcuterie Board.

* Trader Joe’s was where I purchased most of the Charcuterie Board Items.

Thank you for stopping by. I really appreciate your support. Hoping I inspired you to create an easy and no-cook dinner, Charcuterie Board.

Weekend Getaway to Park City, Utah

: Yotel Pad

: Another Sitting Area

: The Lobby

: The Stunning View

: Hotel Bathrooms

: Hotel Room living room

: Hotel Bedroom

: Workspace rooms

: A spot in the Lobby

: Outdoor Patio

: The View out of our Room

: Gaming Room & Conference Room

NEED A Fresh Start to The Week?

Start to feel new again and prepare for a new week ahead. Take a little break and treat yourself to a couple of nights at Yotel Pad Park City, A new Hotel that opened in December. This resort has it all relaxing modern rooms with amazing views, lounging decks all over the property to enjoy the great mountain air, a fully equipped game room with Free ski ball, Pac man, pool, and every board game. Relax by the pool and spa while taking in beautiful ski slope views and walk to restaurants and plenty of hiking and biking trails.

Need to get a little work done? Yotel Pad Park City has mini Office rooms and a full conference room for your working needs. In addition, a coffee station and a fully stocked refreshment area, including local beers, for a small fee.

The location is centrally located to everything, from the Historic Main street with shopping and dining. In addition, to all of the Hiking and biking Park City offers in the Summer, and Ski in and out for Winter and a quick drive to Kimball Junction for more shopping, dining, movies, and walking paths.

Yotel Pad is extremely family-friendly with bunk beds in the rooms, the free game room I mentioned above, separate areas located around the hotel designed for workspace if one of the parents needs to get work done. A very friendly staff that goes out of their way to make you feel special.

My husband and I enjoyed our relaxing stay and cannot wait until My Girl’s trip in August. View more = Yotel Pad on my Instagram HERE and Instagram Stories Highlights HERE

Hotel Specials this summer:

It’s Electric – https://www.yotel.com/en/hotels/yotelpad-park-city/offers/its-electric.
Blue Tee Golf – https://www.yotel.com/en/hotels/yotelpad-park-city/offers/golf-getaway
Splash & Tan – https://www.yotel.com/en/hotels/yotelpad-park-city/offers/splash-tan

Hearth & Hill Restaurant

: Cheers

: My honey enjoying ALL the food!

: Heart & Hill

: Menu

: Shrimp

: Garlic Parm Fries

: Truffle Mac & Cheese with Bacon

: The Refuel salad with Chicken

: Halibut

: Heart & Hill entry

: Date weekend

Talk about an amazing dining experience in the heart of Kimball Junction Heart & Hill was a foodie’s dream. We had the pleasure of being treated by The Park City Chamber @Visit Park City on Instagram to this amazing Meal. Everything from the appetizers to the main course was delicious. Heart and Hill use top-quality ingredients, the chef has a very creative flair, and my hubby said his Halibut tasted as if it was caught that day in Alaska and prepared to perfection.

The atmosphere was Mountain modern, fresh and casual with a friendly wait staff. With a menu that has a great variety and offers many dishes for the vegetarian and other health restrictions. Serving craft cocktails and a full bar to quench your thirst, you won’t be disappointed. Highly recommend reservations.

Kicking off your Weekend getaway Should be a Massage at Alpen + Hyde Massage & Spa.

A great massage is an hour Vacation….Or in some cases, a 90 minute one.

Massages revive your body and help you prepare for the new week ahead. We had the pleasure of a 90 min Hot stone massage at Alpen + Hyde in Park City for our Little 3 day Summer getaway 🌿 Let me tell you, and it was our delight! Liz was my therapist, seriously the Best massage I’ve ever had. Her technique was amazing. While using the hot stones, she also incorporates cold stones to help relax the muscles. (I never had a cold used as well, amazing!) Ben had equally rave reviews about his therapist Olivia.

-The space is delightfully charming and relaxing,
With lemon water upon arrival and fruit and sparkling water served after massage.

-For those of you that don’t want to leave your home or hotel… they’ll come to you with a Mobile massage. Perfect for that stay in pampered & relaxing vacation.

– Need to recover Fast from that hike, bike ride, or run? A massage should do the trick✔️

-Heading to @visitparkcity, make sure to book a massage, At you won’t be disappointed ✔️🌿❤️ Alpen + Hyde

We had a great weekend getaway, and I highly recommend taking little mini weekend getaways with your spouse. It’s so good for your marriage and your soul. Park City has many things to offer, and I could go on and on. Instead, I will do a blog post-round-up featuring my favorite shops, dining, and activities as I was considering what you, my following said about liking blog posts with not too much reading and not all photos. With that being said, I hope you enjoyed this post. Make sure to put Park City on your travel list.

4th Of July BBQ Side Dish Recipes

Bbq side dishes to celebrate the 4th Of July. Actually, you could use any of these sides for any Dinner side dish, and the Pasta could be a meal in itself. So whether you’re having a bbq or want yummy side dishes, I’ve got you covered, with 4 of my family’s favorites.

Dutch Potato Salad

5 lbs mixed sm potatoes

4 hard-boiled eggs chopped

1 onion white chopped

1 cup green onions chopped

15 oz Mayo

1/2 cup mustard

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

It feeds a large crowd

Boil potatoes. When done, drain and mash but chunky, and mix in all the ingredients. Refrigerate until serving.

Caprice Tortellini pasta salad

Caprice Tortellini pasta salad served as a side with grilled chicken.

Caprice Tortellini salad

12oz bag Barilla tortellini

10.5 oz mixed medley tomatoes (small) cut each tomato into fours

1/2 of one large onion chopped

2 -1/4oz package Organic fresh basil chopped

1/2 of 1 Costco fresh Mozzarella cubed

1 tablespoon garlic minced

1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional garlic salt

Top with balsamic glaze (I use Trader Joe’s)

Boil water, add pasta, cook as directed, Strain. Mix in all the ingredients above and serve warm or cold.

Baked Beans

6 16.5 oz baked beans ( I use Bush)

1/2 pound cooked bacon chopped

1 sm onion chopped

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 large tablespoon Mustard

1 tablespoon kitchen bouquet browning seasoning

2 tsp garlic salt

2 tablespoons chopped onion season

Use a large crockpot, add beans and stir in all the ingredients above. Let simmer, and stir occasionally. Serve when warm. ( I make it in the morning and keep the crockpot on low)

Best Corn Salad (Fresh and tastes like Summer) Photo of this Salad HERE

5 Ears of corn Shucked (or a bag of frozen sweet corn)

1/2 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)

3 Tablespoons Cider Vinegar

3 Tablespoons Good olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup Julienned basil leaves

Corn corn, let cool, Place corn in a bowl make sure it’s separated, then add in all of the above ingredients, mixing as you add. Refrigerate until serving. I could eat as a meal so yummy!

I thought you might like to see or shop some of my favorite decorating pieces and serving pieces for the 4th of July. So here is My Amazon July 4th Shopping Board HERE and a few of my favorite things. View below:

I hope you have an amazing 4th of July with family and friends. We, of course, are having a BBQ, and you better believe I am making the side dishes above as my family looks forward to a big celebration BBQ. Happy 4th of July!

2 Summer Cocktails perfect for 4th of July

2 Summer Cocktails perfect for 4th of July

Do you love a refreshing and lower-calorie cocktail? I have created two perfect for Summer cocktails that I think you’ll enjoy. Easy to create and so refreshing. Perfect for entertaining on your deck.

4th of July Berry Sparkler Cocktail

You’ll Need:

Vodka ( We like Grey Goose)

Berry Sparkling Water (I used Waterloo Summer Berry) HERE

Seattle Cider ( I used Berry Rose)

Simple Syrup ( make with sugar and water) For lower-calorie remit… Recipe HERE

Ice

Strawberries and Blue Berries

Fill a glass with ice, add two shots of Vodka, pour in about 1/2 cup of the Cider (or until the glass is 3/4 full, add 1 teaspoon simple syrup, mix slowly, top off with the berry Sparkling water, stir slowly and add berries. Enjoy.

One of my Hubbies and I’s All-time favorite cocktails is a Mojito, and I created this Watermelon Mojito with that in mind. I adore watermelon in the Summer, and this takes the traditional Mojito to a new level.

Watermelon Mojito

You’ll Need:

Crushed watermelon ( I like to soak mine in rum in the refrigerator overnight in a zippy bag)

Rum ( your favorite)

Mojito Mix

Lime Sparkling water ( We like La Croix )

Mint

Simple Syrup (see above for recipe) For lower-calorie remit

lime

Ice

Muddle mint in a glass, Fill glass with ice, add two shots of rum, Add 1/4 cup watermelon add about 1/2 mojito mix, 1/teaspoon simple syrup, MIX, top off with Sparkling water and squeeze lime. Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy the 2 summer cocktails I have created for you. You’ll have to let me know if you create them and if you enjoyed them.

TIP: The Best watermelon Knife ever…. I Highly recommend HERE :

Build Your Own Pizza Bar for a Fun family Meal

Build Your Pizza Bar for a Fun Family Meal

Build Your Pizza Bar

On pizza night … we were using some leftovers and homemade ingredients.

Use up those leftovers and create a Pizza night your Family will love. They can make their own and get creative to try new things. So if you plan your meals for the week and have a pasta night a few nights before, it works out great. Because I like to space out Italian food a couple of days apart, this helps to use up those little bits of leftovers you may have had.

What you need to build a pizza bar:

Rhodes rolls

Homemade Alfredo sauce recipe here

Homemade marinara or your favorite Jar

Asparagus (leftovers)

Sautés Mushrooms (leftovers)

Ham ( leftover Easter) That I had thrown in the freezer

Fresh sliced tomatoes

Mozzarella, Asiago, Romano, Parmesan cheese (leftover from this week’s Fettuccine night)

Chopped Garlic

Fresh Rosemary

Fresh Basil

Green onions

Olives

Italian seasonings

Garlic powder

Onion salt

Sea Salt

Balsamic glaze or vinegar

Olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 unless you have a pizza oven. We cook them for 10 or 12 minutes, depending on the range! It also depends on how crispy you like your pizza.

Tip using Rhodes Rolls to make the mini Pizzas.

These make individual mini pizzas. Ensure you do enough rolls per person; I did 2-3 per person. (for the rolls, follow the directions on the bag) Then after they’ve risen all day, each person flattens and pulls theirs out to shape and top with desired toppings. Some family members made little calzone instead of a mini pizza.

Building the Pizza Bar

Part of Building Your Own Pizza Bar’s fun is getting as creative as possible and trying different things on your pizza. My Family loves this interactive meal; it’s fun to hear them chat, joke, and talk their way through creating their pizzas.

For fun kitchen Gadgets, check out my Amazon Shop HERE.

Blogger Friends:

This week I joined some of my Blogger girlfriends in a recipe share because It’s always fun in the kitchen. So please check their blogs and see what was cooking or mixing up in their kitchens.

Rosemary = Distinctly Southern Style

Gwen= Gwen Live well

Kim= For a Good Life

Rebecca= R You Ready to Organize

LeNysha= Fifty Fab and Traveling

Sherri= A Woman Thing

Heidi = Simply Our Society

Here are a few more recipes I thought you would like:

Ben’s Heavenly Homemade Fettuccine

Easiest Bruschetta & Toast Recipe

Best Homemade Salsa Recipe

Thank you for stopping by this week. I hope you enjoyed our recipe share!

Have a beautiful day, pretty ladies,

This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I only promote brands that I genuinely love and believe in! Thank you for your support!

June Instagram Recap

June Instagram Recap: Summer dress outfit had all of you in love. Paired with some of my favorites, you guys love Summer dresses, and I am listening. Shop this look HERE

Summer linen is one of my favorite things and yours too. You guys purchased a ton of these pants HERE, and I wasn’t surprised because they are one of my favorite things, easy to style, and were on SALE. SHOP look HERE

Summer dresses Affordable Summer tee shirt dresses perfect for Summer. Comfortable to wear and even easier to style. Wear plain with your favorite flip flops or tennis shoes or wear as I have in the above photo paired with a hat, denim jacket, sandals and, a summer bag. Shop the Look HERE This was a TOP look you loved on Instagram. Below I have featured several affordable and comfortable to wear tee shirt dresses. #teeshirtdresses

This Outfit and Caption from Instagram had you all laughing, and that was my point! We sure needed this lighthearted and funny post. If you missed it, read it HERE and shop it HERE.

June Instagram Recap: Instagram story’s favorite and one of my personnel favorites as well. These Splattered paint cropped lounge pants are so comfy and super soft sweatpant material. I’ve been living in these and you will too. I love that the comfort of these pants could be styled and chic also. Shop the look HERE

Summer linen is a perfect Summer fabric. Nothing say’s Summer like a cute pair of linen shorts. These $13.50 shorts were such a great deal you guys bought them up. They came in several colors, and at these prices, you can grab a couple of pairs. I sure did:) Pair with your favorite tank, denim jacket, and your set. It even looks cute with a concert tee. Shop my look HERE

City Beauty’s Latest Product Launch = Skin-Perfecting Daily Veil is a silky-smooth, broad-spectrum SPF 39 that instantly blurs
imperfections, while supporting firmness, elasticity, and hydration for an entirely more youthful
look. Additionally, this final step product helps protect against the sun’s harmful rays with an innovative blend of all-mineral sunscreen ingredients.
This product is a Summer essential. TRUST ME…. your skin will look amazing. Use code DARCYV for 25% off Shop HERE

My New favorite Beauty tool, and you guys love the tutorial on Instagram View HERE. The Hollywood Browser Dermaplaning kit is a must-have tool for your make up bag and is very affordable. Shop HERE and get 20% off with code DARCYMVANDENBER

MY TOP SELLERS FOR JUNE

Homedecor: Adding a pop of Boho Summer designer pieces to your home. Here I used some high-end designer pieces to decorate for Summer and shared with you the DUPES you could purchase to get the same look at a fraction of the cost. SHOP HERE

Sangria Recipe: I shared this Sangria on my stories, and My DMS were flooded for the recipe. I did say how to make it in the stories and saved to cocktail highlights, but I know a lot of you like a written copy. White Sangria recipe: is a Moscato wine, one bottle of your choice 1/4 jar lemon-lime soda (sprite) 1/4 jar lime La Croix and cup chopped pineapple, cup Strawberries, 1/2 cup blueberries. Add all to a glass pitcher or serving jar… The measurements were based on the jar 1/2 the pitcher was the wine, then 1/4 soda 1/4 sparkling water ( hope that makes sense) I did the same for the Red Sangri, a bottle of sweet red wine, 1/4 soda, 1/4 Sparking water and for the fruit I used one apple chopped, 1 cup of grapes cut up and 1 cup blackberries mixed. The best flavor is to make a day ahead. I hope you guys enjoy it because this #sangriawine is a winner in my book.

Charcuterie Board The Instastory that gave me more DMS then I could handle:) My festive Charcuterie Board that has something for everyone and can feed a large gathering. It’s effortless to put together, and many of you asked for a shopping list. Here is what I used this time:
Grapes
Strawberries
Raspberries
Blackberries
Blueberries
Zucchini bread
Crackers (3) types
Carrots
Cucumbers
Hummus
Verity of cheese
Nuts
Chocolate
Crostini
I like to use little dishes on my board to give hight and keep the fruit from making the crackers soggy. Also great for cheese spreads and Hummus. There are so many ways you can create a great Charcuterie board, really no wrong way to create one. Below are a few of my favorite items to help you create a great board

June Instagram recap: Baked goods June was the first month. We started using Wildgrain bread, pasta, and pastries made fresh than fresh frozen and delivered to your door. Ready for you to bake or cook when you need it. You guys loved my stories and wanted to try the service out for yourself. Some of the best Bread, pasta, and pastries my family has ever had. With this foodie family, that is hard to say. We felt like we were in a bakery in Europe, right in our own home. You won’t be disappointed. Get $10 off with code DARCY_10 Shop

Date-Night. June took us on a much-needed date night out at The Gateway in Salt Lake. We had dinner at Midici’s Neapolitan pizza company than A drive-in Theater experience. If you haven’t been to The Gateway in Salt Lake and live in Utah, you need to make your way down there. The outside dining, beautiful wall art murals, interactive parks, water features, window displays are so pretty and inviting. They have some unique shops and entertainment as well.

I hope you enjoyed my June Instagram Recap, sharing all the things you enjoyed in my stories, top sellers, and items you wanted more info on. I plan to do a recap at the end of every month, as this seems to be something you have been requesting. Please leave a comment below if there is something you would like me to write or share about. Have a Beautiful 4th of July. OX, D’Arcy

Ways to Entertain and Dress Festive for 4th of July

Can you believe the 4th of July is a little over a week away! Seriously Summer just flies by, and I love to soak up every minute of it. This year the 4th is going to look a little different for all of us. Many of the activities we all love and enjoy May be canceled, For instance, parades, festivals, firework displays, and breakfast in the parks. however, this doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate American and this great Country in a little different way. (Did you know Utah is the number 1 most patriotic state?) Family BBQs, Backyard pool parties, or a lake day, little sidewalk fireworks, or even a small neighborhood firework display (if allowed in your city). Family and friends are what makes a Holiday special, So put on that American the great playlist, Plan the grocery shopping list and pull out all the stops on your Home decorating.

Our front porch welcomes & celebrates America, and I hope it gets you excited for what’s beyond the front door. I wanted to share with you a red, white, and blue nautical Bar cart perfect for serving drinks, a festive snack table to keep guests happy and tummies full before dinner, and our Stars and stripe dining table perfect for entertaining a small crowd. I hope they will inspire you to entertain this 4th of July and maybe make some new traditions.

Tip for creating an eclectic and festive tablescape for entertaining is to gather up all the items you have in the colors theme you are using, here, of course, is red, white, and blue. Don’t worry about the patterns. A mix is part of the fun. Place all our items in your workstation, take inventory and see what your missing (plates or glasses, etc.) This act will allow for easier shopping. Another tip would be to collect items that can quickly work for other occasions (think solid colors, patterns not necessarily the Holiday pattern.)

Try to think of other Holidays or events you could use items to decorate with. Say the Red polka dot bowl. The item could be used for Christmas, Valentine’s day, 4th of July, and even a Birthday. Layering is also another tip, layering tablecloths, placemats, ribbon, chargers, etc. Layering adds texture, for instance, if I removed the mesh ribbon from the center of the table below, The centerpiece of the table would look flat and not as interesting. Layering creates texture. Play with the items you’ve collected and remember to group in odd numbers, use dishes as risers to give your display height dimensions, and use some unexpected things. Using denim pockets from old jeans for the silverware holders is unexpected and useful.

My inspiration was all things red, white, and blue, days of Summer from the past. Coke and cherries remind me of hot summer days and add a little nostalgia to the tablescape. I created easy shopping for you below. Some of the items I have used are vintage and some I have been collecting for years. I did find a lot of similar items or pieces that could easily be substituted. Mixing things collected, vintage and new gives it that fun pop. For more Idea’s and products Shop my Amazon shops HERE

Now that we have the entertaining covered, let’s talk dressing festively. You could use the same concept I used for entertaining/ creating a tablescape, Collect all the Red white and blue clothing items and accessories, and create your outfits from the pieces you collected from your closet. You’d be surprised how many festive outfits you could put together from what you already own. Below you will find I created five 4th of July outfits from pieces I have owned for years. White Jeans HERE a Summer staple and my RED Tory Burch Miller sandals HERE are pieces I wear all supper long. Pair them with a Gingham top below and festive jewelry for that perfect Summer night outfit/BBQ. I added an easy shopping bar below to help you find a piece or two that works for all of the Summer season and perfect for the 4th of July. Shop the outfit HERE

4th of July perfection says the dress below, unfortunately, it sold out. Still, I listed some adorable alternatives below. The straw bag is perfect for the Summer season, and I added this cute designer dupe bow pin to make it perfect for the 4th of July. Shop the look HERE or shop the post below

Easy peezy outfit that says 4th of July without having a flag or saying 4th of July. Pulling red white and blue pieces out of your wardrobe that you wear all summer and pairing them together creates a Holiday look without actually purchasing a 4th of July item. Stripes are one of my favorite things, and I love you can mix a bold stripe and small stripe. Shop the look HERE or shop the page below

Chic and festive pulling basics out to create a Holiday look everyone can wear. Navy blazer, classic white button-up shirt, distressed jeans and could also be worn with Bermuda shorts add festive accessories, and you’re ready to celebrate. Show the look HERE or Shop the page below

The easiest dress to wear and style multiple ways for Summer. Here we’re shooting for 4th of July and celebrating America, so I paired this polka dot maxi dress with a denim jacket, a sun hat, and a patriotic star bandana. Easy and festive. You could also swap out the denim jacket and wear a striped sweater over your shoulders. Swap out the sun hat for a festive headband. Shop the look HERE or Shop the page below

Welcome to our Home. Remember, your entryway tells the story of what your guest should expect when they enter your home. Make it as festive as your tablescape. I’ve been collecting items since owning my Home decor store “Pages of tyme” back in California starting almost 24 years ago. Some of these pillows are a treasure from those days. The lady that hand made them from some of the prettiest fabrics. This flag and rose pillow are hand embroidered. Remember to collect things that bring you joy. They’ll always work in your home when you love them.

I hope your Holiday week brings you joy and your ability to make fun memories, although they may look different this year. Happy fourth of July! OX,D’Arcy

I have three blogger girlfriends that are sharing 4th of July inspiration over on their blogs! Please go check out their post:

Rosemary= Distinctly southern style

Gwen= Gwen Lives Well

Heidi=www.simplyoursociety.com

Michele = Sooo Boca

Ben’s Heavenly Homemade Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe

Ben’s Homemade Fettuccine Alfredo! “This is so good it’s dangerous:)” say’s my mom. Thank goodness it’s so filling you can’t eat a full bowl…. Unless you’re a Vandenberg boy! 🙂

Bens Alfredo

For a serving of 4

1 cube of real Butter

1 heaping tablespoon garlic

1 Pint Heavy whipping cream

1 cup Asiago shredded cheese

1 cup shredded Romano

1/2 cup Parmesan

Salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in sauté pan when melted, add garlic, then cream, bring to a slow boil then start to add 1 cup of cheese at a time, first Asiago, the Romano lastly Parmesan cheese, and it gets to thick you can add a little more cream. Salt ad pepper to taste.

1 box Fettuccine noodles cooked per box direction

Dish up and serve with Asparagus or a salad and garlic bread. My garlic bread recipe is coming to the blog soon, it is on my Instagram in the highlights.

From our home to yours, Ben’s Heavenly Homemade Fettuccine Alfredo, You’ve been asking for it, and it’s finally made it to the blog. Rich, and creamy Alfredo, made with the best ingredients. Real Butter, heavy whipping cream, and tasty cheeses. Ben Started making this dish for me when we started dating. He learned how to make it from a friend, his family-owned, an Italian restaurant in Del Mar California that was known for making the Best fettuccine. Ben then started playing with the recipe and found this combination is the winner. This dish is decadent, rich, and oh so good. It’s a BIG request at our home, and if we have family in town, they request it as well.

With Quarantine in place, I know you have all been cooking way more than you usually do, I know I have. Hopefully, this will be a fun new recipe for you to try and maybe a little something different that can become a family favorite at your home. Quarantine has been the perfect time to share some of my favorite recipes with you, and I still have a couple more of your request to post. I promise I’ll get them up in the coming weeks even though it looks like we’re going to be getting relief from our kitchens as we start to see part of the country opening up if you’re like me you’ll still like to cook for your family just not as much. I sure am looking forward to a break.

Please let me know if you plan on trying this recipe below or if you do make this recipe, please come back and let me know how your family liked it.

Love this recipe? Try our oldest sons Bucca de Beppo’s copy of Spicy rigatoni Here.

Mother’s Day is less than two week’s away, and I’ve been sharing gift idea’s over at my LIKE TO KNOW IT, Here

Stay tuned for a Mother’s Day post next week. Have a beautiful day! OX, D’Arcy

Build Your Pizza Bar

On pizza night … we were using some leftovers and homemade ingredients.

What you need to build a pizza bar:

Tip using Rhodes Rolls to make the mini Pizzas.

Building the Pizza Bar

For fun kitchen Gadgets, check out my Amazon Shop HERE.

Blogger Friends:

Here are a few more recipes I thought you would like:

darcyvandenberg