A few friends came over for a casual dinner and games, and given the time of year, I decided to add a few extra fall touches. I love white pumpkins, they are so lovely and bright but still very fall so I opted for a cream and gold tablescape theme filled with a large, beautiful blue and white pumpkin and small white natural and ceramic pumpkins with some added gold touches. The menu was very easy to throw together for a Friday after work with minimal time in the kitchen. Some apple wine and a bourbon pecan tart finished the meal into game time. Here is the dinner break down from the fall inspired table decor to the menu.
The Table
I love the cream and gold, as the leaves are just starting to really change in Connecticut. The chargers and ceramic pumpkins were purchased at Homegoods and happen to be the same pattern as my plates. I’ve lately been obsessed with gold flatware, but can be quite costly buying a large set or enough individual settings so I looked to Ebay for a gently used inexpensive set. I already have invested in a nicer stainless colored ones but its nice to have the gold for a fun change up. The linens are all neutral colors making them great options to use for almost any occasion and can be found pretty inexpensively at Homegoods or even Target and Walmart. I added these geomeric lanterns, Amazon has these HOMEIDEAS Modern Clear Glass Pyramid Tabletop Geometric Polyhedron Terrarium Box,Decorative Succulent Plants Holder 4.3 x 4.3 x 8.3 Inches(Golden)
. The fluted votives were a great Goodwill find so always keep a look out at your local thrift store, you never know when you may come across some great budget finds! Lastly, the napkin rings are a very simple DIY project from a previous post. They are gold wire that has an organic birds nest style I thought was perfect for this setting and inexpensive if you need a lot of them for a big gathering.
The Menu:
Since the weather is still on the warmer side, here I decided to have cocktails and hor d’oeuvres on the patio before we moved inside for dinner. I love entertaining outdoors and it was a great day to enjoy our lit patio and gave my husband some company while he grilled. Although the main dinner menu was a bit Asian inspired, I had made a lovely dessert and wine that brought you right back to the coziness of fall.
Starter:
It was a small gathering and because we wanted to eat dinner on the earlier side, I put out a few simple and budget friendly things to hold guests over. I had bought some very delicious cow feta cheese locally made from Sankow’s Beaver Brook Farm (Lyme, CT). In addition was inexpensive Brie bought from the grocery store along with marinated olives and crackers. A guest brought two additional cheeses for everyone to try that were wonderful and a great way to answer the “what can I bring?” question.
Dinner:
The menu was rather Asian inspired and very easy for a Friday night by prepping the day before or that morning allowing you to spend time with your guests without feeling overwhelmed.
- Soy Marinated and Grilled Skirt Steak: For the seven of us, I boight three skirt steaks at about a 1lb each, knowing my husband would appreciate leftovers. The steaks were marinated in Stubbs Beef Marinade and grilled for about 3-4 min each side on higher heat to medium rare/rare. After grilling be sure to cover in foil and let rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
- Sesame Noodles: This is a delicious recipe to make ahead or pack for picnics from Gimme Some Oven. I made a little extra dressing when I made this in the morning, mixing most of it with the noodles and saving about 1/3 to dress just before serving. I set them out of the fridge about 30 min before serving to room temperature.
- Asian Chopped Salad: This dish was also brought by a guest, that many are sure to enjoy. It has a tangy soy based dressing that was light but flavorful.
Dessert:
Going full circle to the fall theme, I decided to make this easy, no mixer needed, Bourbon Pecan Tart from Cooking Light . Using a pre-made pie crust and pecan halves this recipe lends itself as a great make ahead option.
Wine:
The week prior I went to Staehly’s Farm and Winery in East Haddam CT to try their Dry Apple Wine.I thought it would be perfect to share with my guests since it was so appropriate for a Fall dinner. They also have Semi-Sweet and Sweet Apple wine if those are more your taste. If your’re in the area I recommend a stop for a wine tasting, they offer a variety of other fruit winesas well as vegetables and cheeses (like the one I mentioned earlier from Sankow Beaver Brook Farm). I enjoyed it so much I went back for some more wine, cheese and fresh veggies.
Overall it was a lovely evening with close friends celebrating one of the prettiest time of year. I hope it inspires you for your own fall get together.
