Recipes – Page 2 – French Ethereal

A Rosy Valentine’s Cake to Bake

January 24, 2023January 24, 2023 French Ethereal

Happy Almost Valentine’s Day, dear friends! If you are coming over for the first time from Carol’s place ~ Bluesky at Home, welcome to my blog, French Ethereal! Our host Cindy from County Road 407 has graciously allowed me to jump in last minute. I had Covid over the past couple of weeks and so happily I feel great now (those vaccines DO work!). I was excited when Cindy gave us our assignment this month to create a simple Valentine’s Day recipe.

Here is mine…

Yes, I used one box cake recipe and it turned out moist, chocolatey and delicious!!

I do make a lot of scratch cakes but this time it was all about making it easy! When we get so busy with life, a simple box cake is the easy way out, my friends.

Just like the box cakes my mother used to bake during my childhood, and I’d sometimes make for my own family, these are basically NO FAIL Betty Crocker and others are tried and true.

Easy peasy, as Cindy herself likes to say!

This baking center is inside our kitchen island. Ever since our first house, I’ve loved putting all of our baking things in one area! So convenient. How about you? Where do you store your baking goodies? What do you put in your kitchen island?

Which cake pan to use?

I have 8″ heart-shaped pans, which I have used in the past, and I have smaller heart-shaped tart tins, too. However, I thought it would be beautiful and fun to our rose bundt pan.

All of the years I was in the Victorian Tea Society in Riverside County, California, I had a couple of friends who had rose pans and their cakes looked so chic when dessert was served.

I was soooo excited when I found one a couple of years ago! It really turns out a stunning cake.

Just spray baking spray all over the inside, add some flour inside and tap it all around and into the grooves of the pan. Dump the excess flour out, bake at the prescribed temperature, and after 42 minutes baking in the oven, this cake was done!

And that’s all there is to this Rosy Valentine’s Cake! If you are starting here with me, we circle back up to Cindy at County Road 407. I know you will love Cindy’s Valentine’s Day extremely cute cherry pastry envelopes recipe idea! Adorable!!! <3

Don’t forget to follow the trail of posts below to see all the great recipes from today’s participants. Lots of fun ideas to create!!

More fun Valentine’s posts to enjoy…

If you’d like to check out some of my past Valentine’s ideas, here are a few to enjoy…

Happy touring, dear friends!

Barb 🙂

Christmas, Holidays, Home Decor, Recipes

Share Your Style #373

January 5, 2023 French Ethereal

Welcome to this week’s Share Your Style #373, dear friends!! Sorry this is going up a day late, but I HAD to get a big project done for our Odd Fellows lodge. It’s mostly done, my writing hand is very tired, but it’s just about ready to turn over (the project, that is). So, let’s hop into our features!!!

This link party is for home decor, DIY, crafts, recipes and the like, but you are more than welcome to share any of your family-friendly posts with us all. Please feel free to share this post too and join my small but loyal band of friends. I appreciate you! I appreciate your subscribing, also. As always, I am glad that you are here… 💜

I am Barbara Chapman and I’d love it if you’d follow me here on my blog and on any of my other social media sites, too. Thank you!💜

French Ethereal: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest

***Here’s what I shared this past week at* *French Ethereal…***

Sunday Sentiments ~ Our Mary Had a Little Lamb Mantel – and why I chose this title. 🙂

Have you taken down your Christmas displays yet? I always find it a little sad but it is nice to have a clean slate for doing some winter whites in our living room. I’ll share how it looks now with you soon.

I know many of you are still celebrating the 12 days of Christmas with the Festival of Kings, until January 6th, when traditionally the Wise Men showed up to greet the baby Jesus, so there might be a few Christmas posts featured here again. 🙂

Let’s dig in!

And here are this week’s featured posts…

First up this week, we have **Debra from Common Ground**‘s beautiful hutch filled with Christmas pretties ~ Gathered for Christmas in the Holiday Cupboard.
So pretty!!!

**Debbie from Debbie-Dabble Blog** shares her holiday cupboard and living room in Christmas finery ~ A Thomas Kincade Tree, Village and the China Cupboard in the Den. You might enjoy her Christmas at Nelson Crest post, too!

new-years-eve-tablesetting-ideas — Our third friend, also named **Debbee from Debbee’s Buzz,** shared a lovely New Year’s Eve Tablesetting Ideas ~ Isn’t this penguin just the cutest?!!

Chili Mac and cheese recipe — We need something to put on all of our dinner tables this winter! Newcomer
**Michelle from The Wooden Spoon Effect** brings us a yummy recipe called
Simple Chili Mac Recipe. Perfect for our chilly winter weather! Welcome Michelle!! We are glad you are here. <3

penguin craft image collage with the words penguin name craft — Our second newcomer **Sam from Simple Everyday Mom** shared this really cute idea to make with your kids and grands!!! Welcome to you as well, Sam!!
So happy you found us here at French Ethereal!

New Year’s Eve In the Smoky Mountains — **Vera from Veravise** brings us a little New Year’s Eve in the Smoky Mountains ~ great place to visit, if you’ve never been there! This is where I went for my nephew’s wedding a year-and-a-half ago Memorial Day weekend.

And that’s it for this week, friends! A great bunch of holiday and supper recipe ideas, if you haven’t checked out last week’s SYS entries. I love looking back at your ideas and picking something to cook or bake, thank you. <3

Thank You so much to everyone who linked up this past week. A special thank you to everyone for always promoting Share Your Style on your blog and on your social media channels! I do see it when I stop by and I appreciate the love. 💜

If you’d like to follow my Share Your Style board on Pinterest I’d appreciate it, thank you! I do post all of the featured posts from each week’s SYS there plus usually other photos from those posts to my boards. 💜 Thanks so much!!! If you are new to French Ethereal, I hope you will think about subscribing to my blog.

Happy January, y’all!

Barb 🙂

Holidays, Home Decor, Recipes, Tablescapes

Share Your Style #367

November 9, 2022November 9, 2022 French Ethereal

Welcome to this week’s Share Your Style #367, dear friends! We have lots of great features for you. 🦃

I am Barbara Chapman and I’d love it if you’d follow me here on my blog and on any of my other social media sites, too. Thank you!💜

French Ethereal: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest

I am Barbara Chapman and I’d love it if you’d follow me here on my blog and on any of my other social media sites, too. Thank you!💜

French Ethereal: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest

Well, we are well into the month of November. Can you believe that there are only two weeks until Thanksgiving? Me neither.

Seems like it was just summertime, not more than halfway through fall already. Well, with Thanksgiving quick upon our heels, you know there will be a plethora of Thanksgiving ideas to inspire you!

Plus, thank you for your service to all of our military and veterans! We appreciate you!!

Now let’s check out…

And here are this week’s featured posts…

Thanksgiving-turkey-painted-glass-wearing-pilgrim-hat — First up this week is this fun craft idea from **Debbee from Debbee’s Buzz** ~
Paint Thanksgiving Turkey Glasses as Table Favors. I am loving these!!!

**Debra from Common Ground** shares a post with transitional decor spanning from early fall to Christmas ~ totally wonderful ideas!!! ~
Christmas Trees and Pumpkins: Can They Be Friends?

persian cat — Newcomer **Cats & Dogs** (Pets876.blogspot.com) shares this sweet kitty in one of many posts featuring different breeds of… cats and dogs ~
Kitty Persian Cat.. <3 Animals are such a part of our holidays and homes, this little fur friend just begged a feature spot! Welcome!!!

tips for a Thanksgiving mantel — **Carol from Bluesky at Home** brings us 9 Tips for a Thanksgiving Mantel in 30 Minutes. Love all those turkeys!!

**Jennifer from Curated by Jennifer** shares this post of warm weather gear ~
Fall Winter Coat Trends ~ fun!!!

Plus size outfit idea for women over 40 — **Sally from Within a World of My Own** shares this fashionable scarf worn several ways ~ perfect for wearing at Thanksgiving dinner! How to Wear a Heavy Scarf in Fall for SIA (Style Imitating Art): The Guitar by Juan Gris. You’ll get a little history lesson here, too!

**Lynne from Thrifting Wonderland** brings us a lovingly set table for Thanksgiving… Beautiful in soft browns and a bright pop of pink roses! ~ Setting a Table with Chocolate Brown.

**Lynne** also shared this wonderful walk through the woods… Dressed for fall. Lovely way to sum up the season!

Happy linking!

Barb

Home Decor, Recipes, Tablescapes

Share Your Style #362

October 5, 2022October 5, 2022 French Ethereal

Welcome to this week’s Share Your Style #362! We have lots of great features to share with you.

I am Barbara Chapman and I’d love it if you’d follow me here on my blog and on any of my other social media sites, too. Thank you!💜

French Ethereal: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest

I am Barbara Chapman and I’d love it if you’d follow me here on my blog and on any of my other social media sites, too. Thank you!💜

French Ethereal: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest

No posts this week for you. I spent that earlier part of last week cleaning up after Yoda’s unhappy tummy issues and then the rest just being tired from shelving hundreds of pounds of books. I’m loving the new position in the library at my school but it is very tiring physically! This girl is getting old, drat it… The body just can’t handle what it used to.

So, let’s get to this week’s features, shall we?

And here are this week’s featured posts…

autumnal pumpkin decor — **MaryJo from Master “Pieces” of My Life** brings us this fun craft idea for fall ~ Chalkboard Pumpkin Tabletop DIY. She shares how to make them and also some other fun chalkboard ideas, too!

Newcomer **Penny of Penny’s Passion** shared her lovely fall mantel… 2022 Fall Mantel.
So many beautiful ideas here! Welcome Penny to the French Ethereal family!!

easy slow cooker black bean soup in a white bowl with 2 spoons — **Elizabeth from Pinecones and Acorns** shared this perfect fall recipe for Easy Slow-Cooker Black Bean Soup. Wonderful!

Our second mantel post for you this week is from our other friend **Penny from Penny’s Treasures** and she shared this beautiful all-white fall look on hers ~
White Pumpkin Autumn Mantel. Magical!!

Fresh Apple Cake Recipe @ http://treatntrick.blogspot.com — **Nora from Trick ‘n’ Treat** posted up this luscious Fresh Apple Cake and I’d say it’s a winner!! Aren’t you hungry for a slice?!

Happy Wednesday to you,

Barb 🙂

Home Decor, Recipes, Tablescapes

Share Your Style #358

September 7, 2022September 7, 2022 French Ethereal

Welcome to this week’s Share Your Style #358! We have lots of great features to share with you.

I am Barbara Chapman and I’d love it if you’d follow me here on my blog and on any of my other social media sites, too. Thank you!💜

French Ethereal: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest

I am Barbara Chapman and I’d love it if you’d follow me here on my blog and on any of my other social media sites, too. Thank you!💜

French Ethereal: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest

Whew-y, we had awesome autumn posts this past week, thank you so much! I worked on a few myself for the blog and here is my second for fall… The first was last week’s Pinterest Challenge ~ Let’s Decorate Pretty Fall Baskets with Pumpkins and Roses.

***Here’s what I shared this past week at* *French Ethereal…***

From Summer to Fall Hanging Basket ~ to see this finished basket, follow the link. 🙂

And here are this week’s featured posts…

Ireland-vacation-Kilkenny-River-Nore — This was an amazing year for traveling, folks! Our friend **Debbee from Debbee’s Buzz** shared this incredible post ~ Ireland Vacation: 12 Day Itinerary in Emerald Isle. On the bucket list!!!

**MaryJo from Master “Pieces” of My Life** shared this luscious looking late summer/early fall Refreshing 3-Melon Salad with Lime and Mint. Yum!!!

**Lori from Dining Delight** is back with this soft and comforting tableau in this post ~ Early Fall Pear-Themed Tablescape. Love the soft colors and pretty tartan napkins!!

**Debra from Common Ground** shared her lovely table vignette ~ Late Summer Sunflowers in Bloom. Sooo pretty!!! Don’t you just love the sweet sheep who is grazing nearby? 🙂

Awww! This little piggy stayed home from the market to help usher in fall decor over at **Penny’s Treasures** ~ How I’m Adding Fall Warmth to Our Home (Despite My Love Affair with All White). Totally pretty and totally do-able! <3

This post from **Shelbee at Shelbee On the Edge** tickes soooo many boxes (travel to Hawai’i, music, spirit of aloha… sigh!) ~ Do stop by and check out Shelbee’s post!
Songful Style: Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. He had an amazing voice…
On another note, if you haven’t seen Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore in 50 First Dates, where this song features, you simply MUST!!!

**Lynne from Thrifting Wonderland** shared her wonderful finds in this post ~
August Thrift Store Adventure. Love love love the peacock plate!!!

Want to know how to clean oven racks the easy way? See the best cleaning method for the dirty racks using dryer sheets and hot water! — **Stephanie from Lamberts Lately** shared this post just in time for fall cleaning ~ How to Clean Oven Racks. Love this!!!

And because we all love sunflowers… Had to share **CoCo’s post from The Crowned Goat** ~ Quick and Easy Pink Sunflower Arrangement and a fun blog hop to visit!

**Maya from The Little Treasures** shares her latest pattern for this fun summery Frida Top. Adorable for the young crowd and under a suit jacket… A great look to go into fall!

Like saying we are going thrifting or thrift-shopping, up in Michigan **Jeanie from The Marmelade Gypsy** and folks up that way go… Elking!!! Love this! Isn’t he gorgeous?!! Postcards from the Lake: Elking.

Last but not least, **Amber from The Hungry Mountaineer** shares a little summer reality of the ups and downs of life (and gas prices!) ~
What Does a Recession Mean to Me?

Thank you, y’all! Happy Wednesday!!!

Barb 🙂

Recipes

Share Your Style #348

June 8, 2022June 8, 2022 French Ethereal

Welcome to this week’s Share Your Style #347! Happy Wednesday to y’all, dear friends!!

I am Barbara Chapman and I’d love it if you’d follow me here on my blog and on any of my other social media sites, too. Thank you!💜

French Ethereal: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest

I am Barbara Chapman and I’d love it if you’d follow me here on my blog and on any of my other social media sites, too. Thank you!💜

French Ethereal: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest

Happy Wednesday, dear friends!

I have had the. best. week prepping for our summer trip to France!! This past weekend, with help from a wonderful email and a bunch of posts from Jeanie of The Marmelade Gypsy blog, I made reservations for a hotel in Paris and an AirBnB in Grenoble. I so appreciate all of your suggestions on what you enjoyed visiting over in France!

Amy and I will have basically a week there; always wish it could be longer but maybe next time. 😉 Well, other than getting those reservations done, I also got our train tickets purchased (to get to Grenoble for my niece’s wedding/Amy’s first cousin) and we are thinking about what all we’d like to do while there.

So, no other posts since last time! But do check out my previous posts. The garden is coming along and I bought another smaller shed this week. The guys at Costco were great and so helpful getting all the pieces out of two HUGE 9′ long boxes, through my SUV’s back window (the back liftgate no longer opens… the life of a 17 1/2 year old car!). I just pulled the last pieces out this afternoon. I drove over to pick up our drills and a bucket of tools from my mother-in-law’s place so I can work on putting parts into each shed panel tomorrow.

With that, let’s get to your featured posts… 😀

And here are this week’s featured posts…

Swedish Pancakes - Pannkakor / www.delightfulrepast.com — **Jean from Delightful Repast** is our first friend up with her yummy post ~
Swedish Pancakes (Pannkakor) ~ soooo good!!!

**Elizabeth from Pinecones and Acorns** shared her recipe for this wonderful summer salad ~ Strawberry and Fresh Herb Salad with Blueberries and Feta. Soooo delicious!!!

smoker-chef — It’s all about BBQ over at **Debbee’s from Debbee’s Buzz** ~ check out the feast created by her son and what all’s been going on in Debbee’s home! YUM!!!
Using Smoker Grill Enhances BBQ Meals.

Van-Gogh-immersive-experience-starry-night — **Debbee** also shared her trip to The Van Gogh Immersive Experience. I can also recommend this, too! Was really fun! (Another trip with our Amy!)

Platinum Jubilee Street Or Garden Party Tips — **Claire Justine** shared a fun post celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years on the throne of the United Kingdom ~ Platinum Jubilee Street or Garden Party Ideas. I know England has had celebration after celebration over the weekend!

Homemade Jam Recipes To Try Out This Weekend — **Claire** also posted up this yummy entry ~ Homemade Jam Recipes to Try Out.

Well, that’s it for this week, friends! It was a quiet week with the beginning of summer (nothing new) plus my mishap of not being home to get SYS out to you last Wednesday. So, hopefully we will have a lot of fun entries to share with y’all next week…

Happy linking,

Barb 🙂

Home Decor, Recipes

A Heavenly Birthday Tea + Share Your Style #347

June 2, 2022June 5, 2022 French Ethereal

Welcome everyone to a fun idea I had this morning… Today would have been my father-in-love Pete’s 82nd birthday and to celebrate his birthday, I made a Victoria Sponge cake and invited my mother-in-love to tea…

So we are doing things a little differently this week… Since I missed SYS yesterday with working on my mother-in-law’s shed, I thought I’d get SYS out today instead.

It all began about 9am with the idea to bake a cake. This week is also Queen Elizabeth’s 70 Platinum Jubilee, which is how I came to look for a cake recipe in a favorite cookbook, A Time for Tea.

And, no, I didn’t need the baking powder or baking soda. Why they are in the picture? They were just infront of the self-rising flour in the cupboard. Props… 😉

This is a very fast cake to bake (20-25 minutes) and you use 8″ round cake pans.

I ran out of strawberry jam to put in the middle between the layers, but no matter! I popped open the lingonberry jam and mixed the two. Turns out this combination is quite tasty!!

Gini was happy to come over to celebrate and it made me happy to help her to get through today and to honor my father-in-love.💜

So let’s have a piece of cake and get to our SYS party…

And here are this week’s featured posts…

glass-pulling-class-sculpted-flower-orange-purple — Our first feature this week is from **Debbee from Debbee’s Buzz** who was able to make something amazing ~ Glass Pulling Class: Flower Sculpting.

**Amy from A Day of Small Things** shared her recipe for Strawberry Scones ~ yummy!

**Shelbee from Shelbee on the Edge** shared the tale of this lovely dress and sweet cats in this post ~ Leisure Lady with Ocelots by Yinka Shonibare.

**Ann from Apple Street Cottage** brings us this gorgeous cake picture ~ Finally a Frame! Part of this month’s Creative Craft Hop. Love this!

Chocolate Tart - Tarte au Chocolat / www.delightfulrepast.com — **Jean from Delightful Repast** shares this delicious Tarte au Chocolat. Sounds like another baking adventure!

Our final feature for this week harkens back to Memorial Day earlier just this week ~ **Penny from Penny’s Treasures** shared her gorgeous tablescape (and what’s behind) in her post ~
Patriotic Pillow Talk on the Porch. Incredible roses!!!

Thank you so much for stopping by today,

Barb 🙂

Home Decor, Recipes, Travel

Share Your Style #339

March 23, 2022March 23, 2022 French Ethereal

Welcome to this week’s Share Your Style #339! Happy Wednesday to y’all, dear friends!!

I am Barbara Chapman and I’d love it if you’d follow me here on my blog and on any of my other social media sites, too. Thank you!💜

French Ethereal: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest

I am Barbara Chapman and I’d love it if you’d follow me here on my blog and on any of my other social media sites, too. Thank you!💜

French Ethereal: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest

Well, having a week off has helped me recover (mostly) from the nasty head cold, plus still do a little gardening and then ending with two days out at a state-wide assembly for the International Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) and Rebekahs in East Texas. A thoroughly enjoyable ten days off from school!

We managed to get the fence moved during this time, also. Well… Mr. Ethereal did most of it but I did help move panels to their new spots and bashed out a ton of nails and drilled out some old screws. What a job! I am soooo pleased with the extra square footage to the yard and I hope to work on getting a number of plants in the ground in their intended spots this coming weekend. A post to come about all the moving soon…

Well, friends, we have a jam-packed showcase of really cool featured posts this week:

14 cool posts to share. Whew! Let’s get touring…