dinner set 12 piece image
A K
I am getting married and have received my Great-Grandma's China. I also received a giant China cabinet to store it in. My question is with all three or four sizes of bowls and plates (to which I am not sure there proper names other than big, medium and small!) and teacups and saucers, how should I set it up. I have I groove in the back to stand up the big (dinner?) plates, but that is all!!! Please help, I have like 100 pieces (12 pieces of each) that I just cleaned all over my kitchen that I need to get put up!!!!
Answer
Think mountains, peaks in the middle working in a bell curve downward toward the sides. Optically, the fewer items you display, the less the china chest will look like the inside of another kitchen cupboard with dishes, bowls and serving ware piled up in storage. The plate rate in the back of each shelf usually accomodates platters or chargers that act as a backdrop to whatever is in front of them, usually crystal because you can see through it to the beauty of the platter behind. I generally don't use either the teacups or saucers on display in a china chest because there is just no decorative way to do it. Generally, those are just stacked and stored below behind solid cupboard doors. However, they do make rails that you can install inexpensively on the bottoms of shelves that hold them close together, neatly and in a compact manner. You can find them at Bed Bath & Beyond, Linen N things and even WalMart. Using the bowls in a decorative manner, you can take table linens, like napkins held in a napkin ring, and make almost a flower like arrangement putting the napkins (ring side down) in a stack of bowls for height. The napkin arrangement can also be done inside wine or drinking goblets for drama. The addition of fabric breaks up the sea of china and adds interest. I've even used little wicker baskets opened turned on their sides to store salad plates stacked sideways and then using the top of the wicker basket to give height to display something interesting like a gravy boat. The idea is to create little vignettes behind the glass doors that are creative and visually stimulating. The addition of texture and fabric used intermittently really packs some design punch.
Think mountains, peaks in the middle working in a bell curve downward toward the sides. Optically, the fewer items you display, the less the china chest will look like the inside of another kitchen cupboard with dishes, bowls and serving ware piled up in storage. The plate rate in the back of each shelf usually accomodates platters or chargers that act as a backdrop to whatever is in front of them, usually crystal because you can see through it to the beauty of the platter behind. I generally don't use either the teacups or saucers on display in a china chest because there is just no decorative way to do it. Generally, those are just stacked and stored below behind solid cupboard doors. However, they do make rails that you can install inexpensively on the bottoms of shelves that hold them close together, neatly and in a compact manner. You can find them at Bed Bath & Beyond, Linen N things and even WalMart. Using the bowls in a decorative manner, you can take table linens, like napkins held in a napkin ring, and make almost a flower like arrangement putting the napkins (ring side down) in a stack of bowls for height. The napkin arrangement can also be done inside wine or drinking goblets for drama. The addition of fabric breaks up the sea of china and adds interest. I've even used little wicker baskets opened turned on their sides to store salad plates stacked sideways and then using the top of the wicker basket to give height to display something interesting like a gravy boat. The idea is to create little vignettes behind the glass doors that are creative and visually stimulating. The addition of texture and fabric used intermittently really packs some design punch.
I want to make a romantic dinner tonight for my girlfriend - any ideas or suggestions?
gittilygoo
I want to do something special for my girlfriend tonight. So tonight I want her to come home to a nice, romantic, candlelight dinner. I really haven't cooked much, but I want to try it tonight. Does anyone have any recommendations as to what I should make? Or the presentation or anything? I want to put on a really, really nice dinner for her tonight. Your help is appreciated. Thank you.
Answer
Good luck and I hope that you both enjoy!
Appetizer: Red Pepper and Tapenade Slices
1 (8-ounce) can crescent rolls (recommended: Pillsbury)
1/2 cup marinara sauce (recommended: Prego)
1/2 cup jack cheese, shredded (recommended: Kraft)
3 tablespoons blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup olive tapenade
1/3 cup roasted red bell pepper, cut into strips
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Remove crescent dough from can and unroll. Separate into 8 triangles. Lay pieces of dough on baking sheet. Top each slice with a spoonful of marinara sauce, some shredded jack and blue cheese, a spoonful of olive tapenade, and red bell pepper strips.
Bake in oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until edges are golden.
Pasta: You Won't Be Single For Long Vodka Cream Pasta
This recipe will make enough for 2 couples. If you plan a romantic evening where more than two's a crowd, reserve half the sauce to freeze for another supper before the addition of basil, and only cook 1/2 to 2/3 pound of penne.
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, once around the pan in a slow stream
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 cup vodka
1 cup chicken stock
1 can crushed tomatoes (32 ounces)
Coarse salt and pepper
16 ounces pasta, such as penne rigate
1/2 cup heavy cream
20 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn
Crusty bread, for passing
Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add oil, butter, garlic, and shallots. Gently saute shallots for 3 to 5 minutes to develop their sweetness. Add vodka to the pan, 3 turns around the pan in a steady stream will equal about 1 cup. Reduce vodka by half, this will take 2 or 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, tomatoes. Bring sauce to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
While sauce simmers, cook pasta in salted boiling water until cooked to al dente (with a bite to it). While pasta cooks, prepare your salad or other side dishes.
Stir cream into sauce. When sauce returns to a bubble, remove it from heat. Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with sauce and basil leaves. Pass pasta with crusty bread
Main Course: Garlic Roast Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon
2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into large chunks
6 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves stripped from stems
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tablespoon grill seasoning blend (recommended: Montreal Seasoning) or, coarse salt and black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Arrange chicken in a baking dish, 9 by 13-inch. Add garlic, rosemary, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon zest and grill seasoning or salt and pepper to the dish. Toss and coat the chicken with all ingredients, then place in oven. Roast 20 minutes. Add wine and lemon juice to the dish and combine with pan juices. Return to oven and turn oven off. Let stand 5 minutes longer then remove chicken from the oven. Place baking dish on trivet and serve, spooning pan juices over the chicken pieces.
Salad: Your Basic Tossed Salad
2 hearts romaine lettuce
2 small plum tomatoes, diced
1 Kirby cucumber or 1/4 European seedless cucumber, diced
1 small yellow onion or 1/2 red onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1 /4 cup (a couple of glugs) extra-virgin olive oil,
2 to 3 tablespoons (a couple of splashes) red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
Coarse salt and black pepper
Place salad greens in a salad bowl and top with tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, and carrot. Place oil, vinegar and sugar in a small plastic container. Put the lid on the container and shake dressing until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Pour dressing over salad. Season salad with salt and pepper, to taste, and toss to combine.
Chocolate Cups with Whipped Cream
Make your dessert first for this menu to allow these chocolate cups to set and chill: This recipe is a no bake pot de creme, no kidding.
2/3 cup whole milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons hazelnut liqueur or dark rum
4 demitasse cups
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
Mint sprigs, for garnish, optional
Heat milk in a small pan over moderate heat until it comes to a boil.
In blender or food processor combine egg, sugar, a pinch of salt, semisweet chips, and liqueur. Run processor or turn on blender to low setting. Pour in boiling milk in a slow stream. The hot milk will cook egg and melt chocolate. Process or blend 1 minute, until smooth.
Spoon chocolate into 4 demitasse cups and chill. After dinner, beat cream until soft peaks form. Add a little sugar and beat to combine. Top the chocolate cups with a dollop of cream and garnish each cup with mint sprigs.
Place cups on saucers and serve with demitasse spoons. If you use teacups, this recipe will yield 2 cups, rather than 4.
Good luck and I hope that you both enjoy!
Appetizer: Red Pepper and Tapenade Slices
1 (8-ounce) can crescent rolls (recommended: Pillsbury)
1/2 cup marinara sauce (recommended: Prego)
1/2 cup jack cheese, shredded (recommended: Kraft)
3 tablespoons blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup olive tapenade
1/3 cup roasted red bell pepper, cut into strips
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Remove crescent dough from can and unroll. Separate into 8 triangles. Lay pieces of dough on baking sheet. Top each slice with a spoonful of marinara sauce, some shredded jack and blue cheese, a spoonful of olive tapenade, and red bell pepper strips.
Bake in oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until edges are golden.
Pasta: You Won't Be Single For Long Vodka Cream Pasta
This recipe will make enough for 2 couples. If you plan a romantic evening where more than two's a crowd, reserve half the sauce to freeze for another supper before the addition of basil, and only cook 1/2 to 2/3 pound of penne.
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, once around the pan in a slow stream
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 cup vodka
1 cup chicken stock
1 can crushed tomatoes (32 ounces)
Coarse salt and pepper
16 ounces pasta, such as penne rigate
1/2 cup heavy cream
20 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn
Crusty bread, for passing
Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add oil, butter, garlic, and shallots. Gently saute shallots for 3 to 5 minutes to develop their sweetness. Add vodka to the pan, 3 turns around the pan in a steady stream will equal about 1 cup. Reduce vodka by half, this will take 2 or 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, tomatoes. Bring sauce to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
While sauce simmers, cook pasta in salted boiling water until cooked to al dente (with a bite to it). While pasta cooks, prepare your salad or other side dishes.
Stir cream into sauce. When sauce returns to a bubble, remove it from heat. Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with sauce and basil leaves. Pass pasta with crusty bread
Main Course: Garlic Roast Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon
2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into large chunks
6 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves stripped from stems
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tablespoon grill seasoning blend (recommended: Montreal Seasoning) or, coarse salt and black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Arrange chicken in a baking dish, 9 by 13-inch. Add garlic, rosemary, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon zest and grill seasoning or salt and pepper to the dish. Toss and coat the chicken with all ingredients, then place in oven. Roast 20 minutes. Add wine and lemon juice to the dish and combine with pan juices. Return to oven and turn oven off. Let stand 5 minutes longer then remove chicken from the oven. Place baking dish on trivet and serve, spooning pan juices over the chicken pieces.
Salad: Your Basic Tossed Salad
2 hearts romaine lettuce
2 small plum tomatoes, diced
1 Kirby cucumber or 1/4 European seedless cucumber, diced
1 small yellow onion or 1/2 red onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1 /4 cup (a couple of glugs) extra-virgin olive oil,
2 to 3 tablespoons (a couple of splashes) red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
Coarse salt and black pepper
Place salad greens in a salad bowl and top with tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, and carrot. Place oil, vinegar and sugar in a small plastic container. Put the lid on the container and shake dressing until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Pour dressing over salad. Season salad with salt and pepper, to taste, and toss to combine.
Chocolate Cups with Whipped Cream
Make your dessert first for this menu to allow these chocolate cups to set and chill: This recipe is a no bake pot de creme, no kidding.
2/3 cup whole milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons hazelnut liqueur or dark rum
4 demitasse cups
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
Mint sprigs, for garnish, optional
Heat milk in a small pan over moderate heat until it comes to a boil.
In blender or food processor combine egg, sugar, a pinch of salt, semisweet chips, and liqueur. Run processor or turn on blender to low setting. Pour in boiling milk in a slow stream. The hot milk will cook egg and melt chocolate. Process or blend 1 minute, until smooth.
Spoon chocolate into 4 demitasse cups and chill. After dinner, beat cream until soft peaks form. Add a little sugar and beat to combine. Top the chocolate cups with a dollop of cream and garnish each cup with mint sprigs.
Place cups on saucers and serve with demitasse spoons. If you use teacups, this recipe will yield 2 cups, rather than 4.
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Title Post: Proper way to display China in cabinet?
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Rating: 93% based on 9658 ratings. 4 user reviews.
Author: Unknown
Thanks For Coming To My Blog
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