Ladies Who Garden Luncheon

Welcome to "Tablescape Thursday," hosted by the Hostess with Mostess, Susan, at Between Naps on the Porch.

Happy Spring y'all! Springtime is the perfect time to plant some flowers in your garden, bring out the birdhouses, and welcome those sweet little birds back...or maybe even organize your Spring wardrobe!

Last year at my Mississippi home, I hosted a Luncheon with a "Ladies Who Garden" theme. If I were to host this event today in my Florida home, it would be a "Ladies Who Need to Garden" theme.

For the tablescape, I coordinated my Franciscan "Ivy" china with some Majolica "Green Leaf" pieces; then, I tied in the garden theme by adding a birdcage, bird's nests, and some ivy.

Menu

Cream of Carrot Soup
Bird's Nest Egg Salad*
Fresh Tomatoes, Cucumbers & Sliced Onions
Tomato Basil Beer Bread
Herbed Mint Iced Tisane
~
Aunt Gladys' Lace Cookies*
Lemonade

Ladies Who Garden Luncheon Tablescape...

Bird's nest place card holders and flower seed party favors carry out the garden theme...


Sweet little bird's nest holding the place card...

Birdcage as the centerpiece...

Bird's nest under the cloche...

Luncheon Menu...

Bird's Nest Egg Salad...y'all, the noodles are crispy, not wet!

*Recipe for Bird's Nest Egg Salad
1 egg
3 cups chow mein noodles
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Egg Salad:
4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

In a small bowl, beat egg. Add chow mein noodles and garlic salt; sir to coat. Drop by 1/3 cupfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Using your fingers, shape each into a nest, making an indentation in the center of each. Bake at 350 degrees for 11-13 minutes or until set. Cool for 2 minutes; remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

In a bowl, combine the first eight egg salad ingredients; mix well. Just before serving, spoon 1/4 cupful into each nest. Makes 6 servings.

Tomato Basil Beer Bread...

For a light dessert, I served lemonade and some of my "Aunt Gladys'" Lace Cookies.

Light dessert stand--Aunt Gladys' Lace Cookies with Lemonade...

*Aunt Gladys' Lace Cookies

1 egg beaten
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup cooking oats
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients. Drop a very small amount of dough (1/4 tsp., as it spreads thin) on greased and floured wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about five minutes until slightly brown at edges. If underdone, the cookies will not come off the paper. Allow cookies to cool on paper before removing. Makes 80-100 cookies. Cookies look like beige bits of lace. (Okay, Miss Janice's cookies look like brown bits of lace.)
Don't forget your party favors y'all! An easy party favor for this event...packets of flower seeds on a bed of moss, wrapped in cello with an ivy print bow.

I decided to give out the seed packets as my March "Friendship Gift." This is a very inexpensive small token of love to give to those who visit your home!

My "Friendship Gifts" for March...
Ye sleeping buds, break
Open your green cerements, and wake
To fragrant blossoming for His sweet sake.
~Margaret French Patton

I'm so happy you stopped by for a visit. Enjoy the Springtime y'all and remember to Make it Southern...Make it Memorable!