At The Picket Fence

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

10 Delicious Brunch Recipes

Hello, from melting Michigan! It’s me Julie from redheadcandecorate.com where the snow is finally melting! I have proof because a big chunk of ice just fell off of our roof and scared the heck out of my cats. Okay, to tell you the truth it rattled me as well, but I am so ready for some sun, how about you? With Spring upon us that means Easter is quickly approaching as well, and many of us enjoy celebrating with a nice family brunch. Or, maybe you’re looking for the perfect dish to share at church or at a friend’s house? If so, you’ve come to the perfect spot.

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10 Fabulous New Years Eve Appetizers

Hello friends! How was your Christmas? I hope you all had a joyous time celebrating! Today I’m welcoming Julie from Redhead Can Decorate to the picket fence to share with us some amazing New Year’s Eve Appetizers that will help you say goodbye to 2017 and hello to 2018! 

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Happy New Year, from redheadcandecorate.com! Okay, picture this…it’s 1975 and I’m 5. My older sisters and brother are very much in the middle of their teen years with my oldest sister being 12 years older than me. Our parents are all dressed up (which was rare), and I even remember the long wool plaid skirt with black sweater turtleneck my Mom wore. My Dad had very long sideburns, and a very big buckle on his belt. They were all dressed up so they could go out and ring in the new year with their friends.

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Of Community and Couscous

*You guys! This Israeli Couscous salad is going to become your go-to for the summer (and all year long!) and I will give you the recipe I promise, but there’s a little something I want to share with you first!*

Little House on the Prairie came on everyday at 4pm at my house when I was a little girl. And my dad got home from work at around 5pm. Now, we three ladies of the house (me, my mom and my sister) were glued to the television for that one hour each day. This meant, that as the last credits began to roll, my mom would call out to us, “Girls, hurry and set the table so Daddy will think that dinner is going to be ready sooner than it will actually be ready!” My goal was always to do it so quickly that I would make it back in time to see that very final scene in every episode where Carrie trips and falls as they are running downhill through the field towards Ma and Pa who were waiting in the wagon with grins on their faces.

To this day, I can barely get through an episode of Little House without crying. There is so much truth and wisdom and heart. And in our current cultural climate I find myself craving this.

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How to Make an Appetizer Tree

Good morning, and Merry Christmas from redheadcandecorate.com!

Last year, I tried something new for our annual Christmas appetizer party and I’m so excited to share it with you here today hoping maybe you will try it. Keep in mind, this is an appetizer you can use for any celebration.

We don’t usually have a large party, but we do invite our closest friends over, and everyone brings something to share. Then we all lounge around the fire in our kitchen chatting up a storm and sometimes even playing games. It’s one of my most favorite nights of the year. Here’s a couple of photos of our kitchen all decked out for Christmas…

Merry Christmas

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Creamed Asparagus on Toast

Oh, Gus! Spare me.
Okay, there really isn’t a Gus, or anything to spare, but I’m trying to get your attention because I’m talking about asparagus today. Yep, good ole “green sprig most people run from” asparagus.

Hi, everyone…it’s Julie, from redheadcandecorate.com. I hope you love asparagus as much as I do. I know the ATPF sister’s do. They recently shared “Roasted Asparagus with Goat Cheese” and it sounded so amazing. So much amazing, that it reminded me of my grandmother’s “Creamed of Asparagus on Toast”…
Oh my goodness, doesn’t that look scrumptious.

Yummy-Creamed-of-Asparagus-on-Toast

 

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Roasted Asparagus with Goat Cheese

I was thinking recently about how often I find myself saying something to my children that would sound so  ridiculous to anyone else but makes perfect sense to me.

Things like, “Hey guys, we’re not going to pretend to be cheetahs while we’re at church, OK?”

And then there are those times when you’re having a simple conversation with your child, innocently answering their questions, never realizing that those answers could come back up sometime later.

Usually this involves embarrassment, hilarity or both.

asparagus-with-lemon-goat-cheese-pine-nuts-www.atthpicketfence.com_

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Our Best Holiday Recipes

Does anyone else find themselves feeling so smug as you get everything checked off your grocery list for upcoming holiday meals only to get home and realize that while you may have the ingredients for a grand meal in a few days, somehow you’ve managed to make it home from the store without putting anything in your cart for the dinners you are expected to prepare leading up to that day!

Favorite holiday recipe collection from atthepicketfence.com

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The Best and Easiest Cranberry Sauce Ever!

Do you remember that scene in the movie ‘A Christmas Story’ where the neighbors crazy dogs somehow manage to get into the kitchen and totally destroy the Thanksgiving meal? The family stands there in shock as their turkey dreams are shattered along with all of the visions of leftovers.

“The heavenly aroma still hung in the house. But it was gone, all gone! No turkey! No turkey sandwiches! No turkey salad! No turkey gravy! Turkey Hash! Turkey a la King! Or gallons of turkey soup! Gone, ALL GONE!”

Cranberry Orange Sauce recipe from atthepicketfence.com

 

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Beer Cheese Stuffed Pretzels

Hi there my ATPF friends!  It’s me Claire, from A Little CLAIREification, back again with a delicious recipe just for you!  This month, I decided to make these Beer Cheese Stuffed Pretzels for One. Main. Reason.

Beer-Cheese-Stuffed-Pretzels-7

I know it’s hard to believe we are already into August, but I happen to know that a lot of people are doing a little happy dance.  No, not because school is starting (although there may be some “Summer weary” Moms that might be just a little relieved about that)! 😉

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