Nielsens Gifts Blog

Invite Friends and ask..."What would Julia Do?"

I am having about 20 people for dinner tonight...I am asking "what would Julia do?"  Julia Knight, that is!  I think she would keep it simple.  She would start the party with wine from her new casually elegant Argento wine glasses and cheese and crackers and nuts.    I think I will put two or three cheeses on the large Julia Knight Octagonal Tray with some grapes and crackers on the tray.  I will use the new Classic Cheese Serving Set with the cheeses for easy cutting.  Shelled pistashcio nuts will be in the Julia Knight Pagoda Bowl. 

I think Julia Knight would then present the salmon that my husband will bar-b-que on my 25" JK mother of pearl handled tray ( my very favorite Julia Knight piece, by the way!).  The salad will look great in my Julia Knight 15" Peony Bowl.  It will be so easy- a pre washed bag salad with some cut up onions and mandarin oranges and toasted almonds. I have the matching servers-yeah! The chicken that my husband will bar-b-que will be great on the new oval platter. ...Easy so far!

I will steam the broccoli and serve it family style in the classic Julia Knight bowl.  I wish her new classic serving spoon and meat fork were here!  They will arrive at Nielsens later this week - can't wait!  Rolls will be served in my mother's bread tray (I think Julia would be okay with that sentimental item!)

For dessert I found some frozen fruit smoothies that all you do is add milk in blender and serve in an elegant glass- I plan to use my Waterford Lismore balloon wines for the smoothies.  If I had enough Julia Knight glasses, I think the smoothies would be great in those too!  I am adding to my collection of both Julia Knight Argento and Waterford glasses for every gift giving occasion!  I am giving two or four at a time to my husband until I have 18 or 20!  I learned that trick from my mother!

I will let you know how this "five minutes to fabulous" (Julia Knight's philosophy) party goes. Actually, you can find out by asking any Nielsens Gifts' employee.  They are the guests for the dinner!  I hope they have fun and I hope it is as easy as I think it will be!  It is so much fun using my Julia Knight Serveware. I just love to have people over so I can play with it!  And I hope everyone from Nielsens has fun!  I appreciate them all so much and I think each one of them is a wonderful person with many talents!  Don't you just love them? I do!  

 I appreciate you for reading and for continuing to enjoy giving gifts (even to yourself!) from Nielsens!  As my parents always said; "A gift from Nielsens is treasured always!"

With love, Andrea

NielsensGifts.com

All Julia Knight products on our website - all brand new colors and pieces for Fall 2010

Cookies...Zimbabwe Style...Yummy at Nielsens - Penzo Party

 If you were at the Nielsens Penzo Art Pottery Show, you enjoyed the sweet taste of the cookies that 

Kathy Vincent made to honor the Penzo country of origin- Zimbabwe.  We at Nielsens had many requests for the recipe- so here it is!  Happy eating...and they will look perfect on a Penzo serving plate!  check out the styles at Nielsens -81st and Lewis in Tulsa or click here to see Penzo Pottery on our website, NielsensGifts.com. Enjoy!  Andrea Nielsen

COOKIES FROM ZIMBABWE
 
Makes 60 cookies:

10 Tablespoons butter
1/4 Cup sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
1 Teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 Cup honey
1 egg
1 Cup finely grated raw sweet potato
2 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 Teaspoon baking power
1/2 Teaspoon baking soda
1/2 Teaspoon salt

Lemon Glaze:

1 Teaspoon butter
1 - 2 Teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 Cups powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon water

1. Cream together butter and sugar in bowl. Blend in lemon zest, nutmeg, honey and egg. Fold in sweet potato.
2. In separate bowl, sift flour, baking power, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add it to the first mixture and blend well.
4. Arrange cookie dough by rounded teaspoons on ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes. Cool.
6. To make glaze, use a wooden spoon to combine all ingredient in glass container until smooth. Add more water by the drop until glaze is easy to spread on cooled cookies.