July 4th Holiday Entertaining
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July 4th Holiday Entertaining

We are headed to the mountains for the holiday next week. Even though the cabin is comfortable, it doesn’t have all the dishes or entertaining items I have here at Bella Terra. Therefore, I need to plan ahead and determine what I can work with. What’s so nice about mountain life is that it is…

Derby Day Fun
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Derby Day Fun

As the 145th annual Kentucky Derby occurs this weekend, we are celebrating with mint juleps and Derby Pie. This is my first Derby pie and it was easy to make. The recipe describes it as a thick, gooey chocolate chip cookie meets a warm buttery pie for a heavenly and decadent Southern dessert. Using a pre-made pie…

Setting a Proper Table
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Setting a Proper Table

There is something satisfying about a stunning dinner table.  It makes your guests feel special and honors the meal soon to be presented.  Unfortunately, in our household we don’t do it enough.  We can rarely get our senior in high school to be hungry at standard meal times. I love setting a proper table, and…

A Small Luncheon with Friends
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A Small Luncheon with Friends

Three things you probably don’t know about me. 1) I have Royal Worcester soup bowls I love and have never used (after hunting for them for 10 years!); 2) I have always wanted to host a sophisticated lunch with friends; 3) I am design-challenged. I can pick out tile and do a massive restoration project,…