Entertaining

How to dress for a tea in California

 in Entertaining / General Fashion  tagged dresses / outfits / summer 2018 by

what to wear to a tea

wearing:  sunglasses / bold rose gold earrings / lipstick / floral dress / black leather and rose gold watch / bold gold and blue ring (old, similar here) / Chanel nail polish / navy Chanel bag (similar Chanel here) (also love this one) / slate Mary Jane heels (avl in nude)/

Over this past weekend, my two daughters and I attended a formal tea. It was so much fun being able to teach them some tea etiquette, and to be able to introduce them to a formal event. They were very excited, and had a ton of fun! Of course before the event, they had a few questions. One of the big questions my girls had was, what do you wear to a tea in California?

Well, in different pockets of the United States, tea attire varies. Here in the beautiful state of California, we take a casual approach to our tea attire, and forego the fabulous hat. I know, <sigh>. So, here are the attire tips I gave to my daughters.

The important things to remember when it comes to formal tea attire in the golden state, is to watch your hemline. Hemlines should be knee or t-length. Dresses are always appropriate, but a modest skirt and blouse will suffice. If a one-piece jumpsuit is worn, it should not be tight or revealing; think modestly when it comes to tea. Rompers and pants are a huge faux-pas. Always keep your cleavage covered; again, think modest. This is a formal tea!

Shoes should balance out your outfit. Look for heels or flats which compliment your look. Boots, flip-flops, and espadrille’s should be avoided.

You won’t need a large handbag at a formal tea. Look for a small or medium shoulder bag, or a small satchel. When it comes to your handbag for a formal tea event, less is more.

It’s pretty easy to dress for a formal tea in California. All you need is a modest dress, heels to match, a small or medium bag; and you’re set! I wish we wore hats like they do in the south, but alas, we are a casual bunch here on the west coast; so our heads are bare. Again, <sigh>. I wish we wore hats, but they are only allowed for outdoor tea events, not indoor. The tea we attended was held at an inside banquet venue.

Well, now that you have your outfit picked out, here are a few tea etiquette rules to know before heading into your first formal tea event! These are the rules to learn first, over time, you can learn more. But for now, these etiquette tips will make you look like a tea pro.

Tea etiquette 101:

  1. If hosting, tea food should be presented on a three-tiered cake stand. Each type of food should have it’s own plate. Scones and bread should be on the top tier since it can be covered with a lid if they need to remain warm. The sandwiches go on the middle plate, with sweet treats on the bottom plate.
  2. The order you eat the food is important. You always start with the sandwiches followed by the scones or bread. The sweets are always last.
  3. Always eat your scones in bite size pieces; just like bread at the dinner table. You never butter and jam the whole thing and take a bite. Only tear off a piece you can eat; butter and jam as you go.
  4. Never dunk your scone or biscuit in the tea. That’s a no-no!
  5. Unlike a formal lunch or dinner, you do not leave your napkin on the chair when you leave the table to indicate your return. At a formal tea, you leave your napkin on the table to the left of your plate.
  6. If you enjoyed the tea and would like to be invited back, be sure to place your napkin to the left of the plate, with a crease showing, when you leave the table for good. This will indicate to your host that you had a fabulous time, and would love to return!
  7. When drinking your tea, always leave the saucer on the table, only lift the cup. I’m not sure why people see the need to lift the saucer, it is a big no-no.
  8. Never stir your tea in a circular motion if you add cream  or sugar. You must stir from top to bottom and back up; in a half-moon motion. Never do this more then three times! Always place your spoon on the saucer, do not leave it in your cup.
  9. Lastly, don’t raise your pinkie. That’s so very last century. You’ll look like a tool. Please keep it down, thank you!

Of course this is only a list of the most common rules for a tea. If you follow these, no-one will raise an eyebrow if you miss a less important etiquette rule.

If you have more tea etiquette rules you think should be on this list, feel free to leave them in the comment section below! Even though formal teas are not as common as formal lunch or dinner events, it is important to know the basic etiquette just in case you find yourself at one! Knowing tea etiquette can help at work functions, social events, and the like.

My daughters had so much fun attending their first formal event; that wasn’t a wedding. They loved the tea event, even if they preferred drinking water and not tea. haha They are definitely looking forward to attending another one next year!

My formal tea outfit:

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

how to dress for tea

Cottage Pie recipe – alternate of Shepard’s Pie with beef

 in Entertaining / Home  tagged cathys original recipes / comfort food / lifestyle / recipes by

cottage pie recipe

Raise your hand if you love comfort food! My hand is way up! This is the time of year when warm, heavy comfort food is perfect for combating the cold weather. One of my family’s favorite recipes in the cold weather months is Cottage Pie; which is also known as Shepard’s Pie with beef.

If you are familiar with Shepard’s Pie, then you know it is a recipe made with ground lamb. I don’t eat lamb, so I created my own Shepard’s Pie with ground beef; which is commonly known as Cottage Pie. I made this Cottage Pie recipe myself over the years through trial and error with ingredients my family enjoys to eat. I hope you love my Cottage Pie recipe, also know as Shepard’s Pie with beef!

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs. grass-fed, 90% lean ground beef (for Shepard’s Pie, substitute ground lamb)

4 Russet Potatoes made into mashed potatoes

1 cup shredded mild cheddar

3/4 cup chicken broth

3 carrots chopped

3/4 lb. green beans OR 1 bag of frozen peas (my family seems to prefer peas)

2 cups sliced mushrooms or 2 cans of sliced mushrooms

4 teaspoons Paprika

2 diced or smashed garlic cloves

1/4 cup chopped onions

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

Yields: 8 servings

cottage pie recipe

How to make Cottage Pie or Shepard’s Pie with beef:

Start by boiling the four potatoes. When they are soft enough, mash up the potatoes, and mix in a half cup of milk, three pats of butter, and 1/4 cup chicken broth to help the mashed potatoes not get dry. The rest of the chicken broth will go into the meat mixture.

While the potatoes are cooking, cook the ground beef with a tablespoon of olive oil. Then, chop the carrots, onions, mushrooms (unless you use cans) and beans (if you use beans instead of peas). Throw all of the ingredients, including the garlic and paprika, into a mixing bowl. Stir until everything is mixed together. Keep the mashed potatoes separate.

cottage pie recipecottage pie recipe

Once everything is mixed together, scoop the mixture into a large casserole dish. Using a wooden spoon, smooth out the mixture so that it lays flat in the casserole dish.

cottage pie recipecottage pie recipe

Once your mashed potatoes are ready, scoop them into the casserole dish, on top of the meat mixture. You will want to smooth out the mashed potatoes on top of the mixture to make a flat top. This can be done with a wooden spoon.

cottage pie recipecottage pie recipe

When the mashed potatoes are nice and flat on top of the beef mixture, sprinkle the shredded cheddar on top of the mashed potatoes. Try to spread the cheese evenly on top of the casserole so that when it bakes, the cheese melts evenly on top.

cottage pie recipe

Cover your casserole dish. My casserole dish has a glass lid, but if you don’t have a lid for your casserole dish you can cover it with tin foil or aluminum foil.

Bake your Cottage Pie for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. After 30 minutes, remove the lid or foil and bake for another five minutes at 400 degrees. The total cooking time for Cottage Pie, from when you start boiling the potatoes, to when the casserole is done in the oven, is about 2 hours. Be sure to allow enough cooking time in your schedule. This is a dish you can always prepare ahead of time too! That is what I love about casserole-style dishes, you can prep them ahead of time, and then just bake them when you are ready!

This is an all-in-one dish, so you don’t need any side dishes. It is a complete meal! Love that! Serve with your favorite beverage, and enjoy!

If you would like to make Shepard’s Pie, you can substitute the ground beef for ground lamb, and this Cottage Pie recipe will instantly transform into a Shepard’s Pie recipe.

Things you might need to cook this Cottage Pie recipe at home:

I hope you love this Cottage Pie recipe, also known as Shepard’s Pie with beef. Enjoy!

XOXO

Cathy

cottage pie recipe

Crab Macaroni and Cheese recipe

 in Entertaining  tagged cathys original recipes / comfort food / lifestyle / main dishes / pasta / pot luck dishes / recipes / seafood by

homemade crab macarani and cheese recipe

pictured: Cathy’s homemade Crab Macaroni and Cheese recipe

Have you ever wondered how to make crab macaroni and cheese? Well, it’s really easy! If you love comfort food, and you love shellfish, and you love mac and cheese, then this is the dish for you!

I love, love, love macaroni and cheese. I also love Crab! Together, they make a grown-up version of every kid’s favorite meal from a box; without the box, and using real cheese.

In order to make my Crab Macaroni and Cheese at home, I use my personal macaroni and cheese recipe, then I add crab. It’s really easy. If you prefer substituting something in lieu of the crab, you can switch out the crab for lobster or shrimp. They both result in really yummy, grown up versions of macaroni and cheese! Yum!

how to make crab macaroni and cheese

How to make Crab Macaroni and Cheese. Start off by making homemade macaroni and cheese. Here is my recipe:

Cathy’s homemade macaroni and cheese recipe:

  • 1 lb. box of Barilla Elbow pasta cooked (you can use any brand-this is my preferred brand)
  • 16 oz. shredded Kraft Extra Sharp Cheddar cheese.
  • 1 teaspoon Paprika

Mix together the cooked pasta, Paprika, and shredded cheese. Place mixture in a large casserole. Cover and bake at 375 degrees, non-convection, for 25 minutes.

While the macaroni and cheese is baking, you can cook your crab mixture. You will need:

  • 1 lb. crab (shelled) (I buy it pre-shelled from the butcher) (Sub: lobster or small shrimp if you prefer)
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup pure virgin olive oil (the real stuff tastes best!)
  • 3 crushed garlic cloves
  • 1/4 cup chopped or diced onion (cut to your preference-I prefer diced)
  • 1 tablespoon Paprika

In a mixing bowl, mix all of these ingredients together until they are blended. Pour mixture into a medium saucepan and cook until the crab is done, and the butter is nicely melted.

crab macaroni and cheese recipe

After 25 minutes in the oven, remove the macaroni and cheese casserole, but leave your oven on, and the door closed. Uncover the macaroni and cheese. Smooth your crab mixture over the top of the macaroni and cheese. I always leave a section bare because my oldest daughter doesn’t like fish, so she only eats the plain macaroni and cheese. You can cover half, like I do, or you can put shrimp on one side, and crab on the other. The mixture is large enough to cover the entire top if you decide to not leave a portion blank.

When the top of the macaroni and cheese is covered by the crab mixture, cover the casserole dish and bake at 375 for another 10 minutes.

Before you serve the Crab Macaroni and Cheese, please let it cool for 5-10 minutes in the covered casserole dish, outside the oven. I leave the casserole on my cooktop. Then, serve it up!

My kids love my homemade Crab Macaroni and Cheese, I hope you do too! It is a delicious comfort food which is perfect for cooler weather. ‘Tis the season for comfort food!

This is also a great dish to make for holiday pot luck parties, or if you are throwing a large party at home. Although I serve it as a main course to my family, for a large party, it can be a hearty side dish in a buffet.

I hope you enjoy it. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

Kitchen tools you might need to make this recipe:

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

crab macaroni and cheese