daytrip: La Grange, Kentucky

Love this!  Check it out at http://www.friendsandfiber.com/.

happy mother’s day

mother’s day centerpiece

Having your mom or grandmother over for a special brunch or meal for Mother’s Day?  I adore this lovely centerpiece idea for your table.  Perfect for a mom that loves flowers or gardening!

Mix and match your cake pedestals and adorn them with african violets, teacups and stacks of cookies tied with matching ribbon.

Simple and sweet.

stripes

navy/white jacket: Chico’s, find the rest on Diana’s Polyvore

derby parfaits

Tired of serving Derby pie for your Kentucky Derby gathering?  Try this fun alternative instead.

Kentucky Bourbon Parfaits (via)

(serves 6)

What you’ll need:

Step by Step:

one ring to rule them all

Looking for a fun afternoon of music?  The Central Kentucky Concert Band will be performing at the Lexington Opera House on Sunday.

Here are the details:

One Ring To Rule Them All
Featuring: The Central Kentucky Concert Band
Special Guest Artists: The SYMBIOSISDUO
Sunday, May 6, 2012
3:00 PM
Lexington Opera House

Admission is free

From CKCB:

The One Ring To Rule Them All concert [ORTRTA] will feature “Mystic Voyage” [Bernotas], “Entry of the Gods  into Valhalla” [Wagner], “Prisoner of the Ring” and “A Time To Dance” [Giroux] and “Hobbits” and “Gandalf” from Symphony No. 1 [de Meij].

Special Guest Artists for the ORTRTA concert will be the incomparable SYMBIOSISDUO – Gail Robertson, Euphonium and Stacy Baker, Tuba. They will perform “The Harmonious Blacksmiths” [Handel] and “Duet” from the Pearl Fishers [Bizet] in arrangements specially composed for the event by Gail Robertson.  Deb Eastwood, Cornet, will also be joining this musical extravaganza.

This concert is the third of the “Of Myths and Magic” 2011-2012 performance season. Peter LaRue serves as the Music Director and Conductor of the Central Kentucky Concert Band.

LexArts has provided generous funding support for the One Ring To Rule Them All concert through its Fund for the Arts.

derby revisited

Derby weekend is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated events in the bluegrass and beyond.  We love all things Derby here at bluegrass threads, too!

Here are some links to derby posts past:

Dressing for Men (part 1 & part 2)

Dressing for Women (neutrals & florals)

Making a Perfect Mint Julep

Preparing the Perfect Derby Table

happy may day

Check out this lovely Maypole Dance.

Love,

crazy daisy

springtime favorites

Even though it is on the “cool side” in the bluegrass, we have to remember that it is truly spring!  What is your favorite thing about spring in Kentucky?

I’ll go first…

Keeneland’s spring meet

Farmer’s Market opens

Beautiful blooms

Now it’s your turn…

ralph lauren

Beaux Arts Ball

Express your own creativity, and check out some amazing performances this weekend at Lexington’s 43rd annual Beaux Arts Ball organized by the University of Kentucky’s College of Design.

Located on Manchester Street, the James E. Pepper Distillery, which was once the largest bourbon distillery in the nation will serve as the venue for this year’s event.

Proceeds from ticket sales go to Chrysalis House, AVOL, Latitude Artist Community, and LexArts.

playtime

I found this mini editor from Polyvore and I thought it would be a great way to share the fun with our readers.  Just click the Start Styling button and enjoy!

HAPPY EASTER

A Polyvore Easter greeting for you!

Don’t call me carrots

baked cheese blintzes and blueberry sauce

My family enjoys making Easter brunch each year.  This recipe is on the menu for Sunday.

BAKED CHEESE BLINTZES AND BLUEBERRY SAUCE

image via

What you’ll need:

For the batter:

1 ¼ cups milk
2 tablespoons sour cream
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 extra-large eggs
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder

For the filling:

3 cups (24 ounces) ricotta cheese
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
2 extra-large eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the sauce:

¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (3 oranges)
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 half-pints fresh blueberries
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Step by Step:

Making the sauce:

Combine the orange juice, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. When the mixture is translucent and thickened, stir in the blueberries and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, just until a few berries have burst but most are still whole. Stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice and cool.

Making the blintzes:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 x 13-inch cake pan or baking dish.

For the batter, place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and blend until smooth. (You can also use a blender.) Pour half the batter (about 1¾ cups) into the prepared dish and bake for 10 minutes, until set.

Meanwhile, for the filling, whisk together the ricotta, mascarpone, eggs, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt and mix until thoroughly combined. Spread the cheese filling over the baked pancake. Carefully spoon the remaining pancake batter to cover the cheese.

Return the pan to the oven and continue baking for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and the filling is almost set. Remove from the oven and allow to stand 10 to 15 minutes. Cut the blintzes in squares and serve warm with the fresh blueberry sauce.

For the Blueberry Sauce:
Combine the orange juice, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. When the mixture is translucent and thickened, stir in the blueberries and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, just until a few berries have burst but most are still whole. Stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice and cool.

Enjoy!