A Sneak Peek at Rosanna Holiday 2014 Collection!

Make Everyone on Your List Happy This Holiday!  Give Gifts That Bring Great Cheer to Every Corner of the Home. 

While summer is heating up, here at Rosanna we’re already thinking about the holidays! We’re pleased to share with you this sneak peek of our new Holiday 2014 collection. Perhaps thinking about the holidays will help you melt away this summer heat and have you dreaming about gifts under the Christmas tree!

Highlights of our Holiday 2014 Collection are our ultra-sophisticated La Cité in 24k gold and our elegant Botanica featuring antique English botanical prints. Both are sure to make memorable gatherings throughout the holidays. Taking center stage this season are decorative accent pieces that can be used throughout the home. Belle Boudoir, a collection featuring nostalgic fashion ephemera from New York and Paris, for example can go from table to living room to boudoir.  These pretty trays are ideal for holding jewelry, soap, makeup, appetizer s and more.

Our Holiday 2014 Collection takes the guesswork out of gift-giving with an array of personalized, playful and affordable pieces that are beautifully packaged. The individually boxed city Pennants make wonderful party favors, stocking stuffers, or hostess gifts. Foodies will also love Rosanna’s two new delicious Farm Belle jam and syrup flavors: Marionberry Pinot Noir or Raspberry Rhubarb. This scrumptious marriage of Oregon’s finest fresh picked berries and Pinot Noir from Oregon’s Willamette Valley is the perfect combination of sweet and slightly tart.

Want to see more of our Holiday 2014 collection? Click here to watch our new preview video on YouTube.

Hope you enjoyed these sneak peeks! Stay tuned for more details on our Holiday 2014 Collection. We'll let you know when and where these products will be available.

Warmly,

R O S A N NA I N C . C O M

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Mother’s Day is approaching so we have put together some gift ideas to help kick start your thinking caps! Help mom build a chic patio experience for the upcoming Summer days, while compotes and canisters combined with pretty trays are a fun way to organize. Or, perhaps you just want to give her a little something to show how much you care. Take a look at our recommendations below and for even more ideas check out our Mother’s Day section on our website!

Calypso | Buon Gustaio

Les Bon Bons Compote | Alhambra | Filigree   

Sweet Nothings | Farm Belle Soap | Farm Belle Blue Ribbon Honey | Word Play | Alphabet Studio

R O S A N N A I N C . C O M

Give Mom the Gift of Good Taste

Give mom the gift of good taste: Farm Belle jams, jellies and flavored honeys. Our farm-fresh goods are naturally delicious, sourced locally in the Pacific Northwest. Sweet and pretty, just like mom.

Jams: Blueberry, Blackberry, Raspberry, Strawberry, Marionberry

Syrups: Tripleberry, Marionberry, Blueberry, Marion-Huckleberry

Honeys: Clover, Raspberry, Lemon Honey, Blackberry

Purchase online or call us to locate the retailer nearest you: 877-343-3779

R O S A N N I N C . C O M

Mother's Day Cookies

Mother's Day is this weekend and I always like to celebrate by baking my mother's recipe for sugar cookies in her honor. My mother was well known for her sugar cookies. While she would sometimes ban my sisters and I from the kitchen so she could devote her full attention to baking, she would always let us help with sugar cookies. She allowed us to roll them out, cut them into shapes, and sprinkle them with a wide variety of sparkly sugar confections. They were always delicate and crunch. "The secret to delicious pastry is to not overwork the dough, girls," she would say. I remember her words to this day, and I repeat them to my girls, who I hope will repeat them to their girls, and so on...

Here I am (as a baby!) with my mother and two older sisters.

These are wonderful cookies to be enjoyed while making and eating, as well as a wonderful tradition to start with loved ones. Show your mother you care this Mother's Day with a beautiful display of homemade sugar cookies.

MAKES ABOUT 24 COOKIES.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Colored sugar crystal or candy sprinkles

1. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt onto a piece of wax paper. Set aside.
2. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla and beat well. Add the dry ingredients a little at a time and mix until well combined. Wrap the dough in a clean kitchen towel or parchment paper and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter baking sheets.
4. Roll out one-third of the dough to about 1/8 inch thick and cut out shapes with cookies cutters. Sprinkle the cookies generously with colored sugar crystal or candy sprinkles and transfer the shapes to the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes, or until firm in the centers but not browned. remove the cookies from the sheets with a wide spatular and cool on wire racks. Repeat with the remaining dough. Store the cookies in a tin. They can be frozen prior to baking for up to 1 month, or stored in a cool, dark place for 1 week.

Enjoy and Happy Mother's Day!

www.rosannainc.com

Easter Egg Dyeing 101

Eggs have long been a symbol for rebirth and fertility. What better way to celebrate Spring than with dyeing beautiful Easter eggs to share with friends and family? Read on for my simple egg dyeing tips to ensure your Easter festivities go off without a hitch!

Instead of hard-boiling the eggs, I like to blow them out before dyeing. You can save the eggs after the holiday and use them next year for decorations to hang from branches or displayed together in a bowl.

1. Blow out the eggs. To empty the raw egg, use a small, sharp knife to pierce both ends of the egg with small holes. Next, poke a pin through the larger of the holes and stir the yolk. Hold the egg, larger hole down, over a bowl, and blow the contents out. This can be done using a rubber ear syringe to make things easier.

2. Prep your dyeing area. Put down newspaper on your counter or table to protect the surface from dyes. Mix 1 teaspoon of vinegar and about 20 drops food coloring in 1 cup of hot water. Make sure to use bowls deep enough to completely submerge your eggs.

3. Begin dyeing! Using metal tongs, carefully dip each egg into the bowl of dye. For deeper colors, leave the eggs in longer. To make two-color eggs, dye the entire egg first, let dry, and then dip half the egg into a darker color.

4. Let the eggs dry.

Once you have the basics of egg dyeing down, you can try different techniques to make some unique eggs.

• Before dyeing the eggs, draw patterns or shapes on the shell with crayons or a small candle. The dye won't adhere to the wax and your patterns and shapes will shine through!
• Cut a sponge into small cubes and sponge paint the dye onto the egg shells.
• Create ombre eggs by letting the eggs submerge in dye for different periods of time, from a few minutes to longer.
• Make speckled eggs by dipping a clean, dry toothbrush in acrylic paint and dotting the paint onto already dyed eggs.

Use your creativity and make sure to have fun! This is an excellent afternoon activity for children, as well. If you decide to use hard-boiled eggs, remember to throw them out after a few days or eat them as a protein-packed snack!

Have a lovely Easter everyone!

Warmly,

www.rosannainc.com

My Thanksgiving Turkey

Turkey is the star of many Thanksgiving meals across the nation. It can be tricky to cook, especially the first time when many first-time Thanksgiving chefs are nervous. Follow my special recipe for turkey below and you're guaranteed a delicious bird the whole family will enjoy!

Rubbing the meat under the skin of the turkey with a flavorful paste of herbs, garlic, and prosciutto and letting it marinate in the refrigerator overnight ensures that it stays juicy as it roasts. Garnish the platter of sliced turkey with big branches of fresh rosemary and sage.

The size of the turkey will determine the number of servings. I would figure on 1 pound of uncooked turkey per person.

Cooking Chart

8 - 12 pounds (2 - 4 people): 2 3/4 - 3 hours
12 - 16 pounds (5 - 7 people): 3 1/2 - 4 hours
16 - 20 pounds (8 - 10 people): 4 1/4 - 4 3/4 hours
20 - 24 pounds (11 - 13 people): 4 1/2 - 5 hours

Rosanna's Special Thanksgiving Turkey

3 large sprigs fresh rosemary, stemmed
15 large leaves fresh sage
8 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
4 slices prosciutto
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 organic, hormone-free turkey, preferably free-range, cleaned, giblets removed
1 large carrot
1/2 onion
1 rib celery
Fine sea salt

1. Put the rosemary, safe, 5 cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon of coarse salt, and the prosciutto on a board and mince them together. Drizzle the olive oil over the mixture and mince until the mixture is a thick paste.
2. Place the turkey in a large stainless-steel, porcelain, or ovenproof glass roasting pan. Gently pull up the skin near the cavity and rub small spoonfuls of the herb mixture under the skin, pushing it all the way to the back of the breast. Make sure the breast is totally covered with the herb mixture. Put a heaping tablespoon of the mixture in the cavity of the turkey and rub it all over the inside. Put the carrot, onion, celery, and remaining 3 cloves of garlic in the cavity and sprinkle with the 1 teaspoon coarse salt. (The carrot and celery should be whole when inserted in the cavity with the half onion.)
3. Rub the remaining mixture all over the top (breast) and bottom (back) of the turkey, as well as the legs. Generously season with fine salt all over the turkey and drizzle with more oil. Let the turkey marinate overnight.
4. The next day (Thanksgiving), preheat the oven to 475 degrees fahrenheit.
5. Roast for 20 - 25 minutes to brown the turkey. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degree fahrenheit and roast until the meat between the breast and leg registers 170 degrees fahrenheit and the thigh 180 on an instant-read meat thermometer, basting the turkey often with the pan juices to ensure a juicy turkey. The turkey is done when the drumstick moves easily and the juices run clear, not pink. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with aluminum foil that does not touch the turkey, for at least 30 minutes before carving.
6. Make the gravy (recipe below), if desired, then slice the turkey and serve.

Rosanna's Gravy

If your turkey-roasting pan isn't flameproof, transfer the drippings to a saucepan to make the gravy.

SERVES 8

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Drippings from turkey, clear fat skimmed off

1/2 cup dry white wine

Sea salt

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, then whisk in the flour. Cook the roux, whisking frequently, until the butter is a shade darker, but not browned - about 1 minute.
2. Whisk the roux into the drippings in the roasting pan or another saucepan set over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the roux is incorporated into the drippings. Add the wine and cook until the liquid is reduced by three-quarters.
3. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
4. Serve in a sauceboat and drizzle the sliced turkey with the gravy before serving.

Enjoy!

www.rosannainc.com

Set a Delightful Thanksgiving Table

Thanksgiving is almost here! Below are some of my favorite tips and tricks for setting a beautiful Thanksgiving table that will be sure to wow your guests.

• Look to nature for an elegant, easy table. Use gourds in different sizes and shapes as a centerpiece, or try placing a sprig of wheat in each guest's napkin.
• Use autumnal colors. Plates, glasses, and table linens in browns, greens, reds, and oranges make for a warm table.
• Do you have a special family heirloom collecting dust in storage? Pull it out to add some tradition and nostalgia to the meal, whether it is with an antique gravy boat or silver serving tray.
• Don't forget the candles! Everyone looks fabulous in candlelight and it adds to the cozy feeling.
• When I am expecting a large number of guests, I always set my table with place cards. This cuts down on the chaos and can foster unexpected dinner conversations.

• Try using food in your decor. Bowls and vases full of hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, and walnuts not only look lovely, but can be eaten throughout the day.
• As fun as putting together centerpieces can be, try not to get carried away. Guests will want to see each other, so don't make your arrangements so large that they impede conversation and sight lines.
• Try using vintage cloth napkins. You can go to your local antique mall and find beautiful, high quality pieces for very reasonable prices.
• To create more space on your table, try a Thanksgiving buffet. This is also a great way to add more decor and warmth to your Thanksgiving. It also makes it easier for guests to go back for seconds!
• Before the meal begins, ask everyone to go around the table and say what they're thankful for. It helps to remind everyone why they're gathering and what happy, fulfilling lives we really do have.

 

Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for the bounty nature brings forth, but it is most importantly a time to share, to open our hearts, and to be generous as well as thankful for the generosity of others.

Have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Warmly,

www.rosannainc.com

Halloween Treats

My mother made owl cookies every Halloween when I was growing up. Charming and delicious, they were always a hit with my friends. The dough is a basic refrigerator-cookie dough that is made ahead of time and can also be frozen. Children love to assemble and decorate these cookies, which features chocolate chips for eyes and a giant salted cashew for a nose to make up the perfect owl face.

This recipe makes a good-sized batch of large cookies for Halloween school parties or Halloween parties at home.

MAKES ABOUT 18 COOKIES

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 large eggs
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, melted

Semisweet chocolate chips
About 18 whole roasted and salted cashews (or candy corn, if nut allergies are a concern)

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter until soft. Continuing to beat, add the sugar slowly, then beat until the mixture is very light and fluffy. Mix in the dry ingredients.
3. In a small bowl, beat together the eggs and vanilla, then add them to the dough a little at a time, mixing well after each addition.
4. Transfer about one-third of the dough to a separate bowl and stir in the melted chocolate chips to make a chocolate dough. Shape the chocolate dough into a 10-inch-long log, working very quickly before the chocolate solidifies. Wrap in wax paper and put in the refrigerator.
5. Roll out the remaining (vanilla) dough into a long rectangular shape as long as the chocolate log. Set the chilled chocolate log in the center of the vanilla rectangle and wrap it up so that a cross-section resembles a bullseye, with a vanilla out layer and a chocolate center. Wrap the log in wax paper and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours. (You can also freeze the dough for up to a month.)
6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter 2 baking sheets. Place the chocolate chips and cashews in small bowls for easy access.
7. Unwrap the logs and cut them into 1/8-inch slices. Join the two slices together by placing them side by side on a baking sheet and pinching them. Slightly pinch the two opposite sides of the rounds into pointy ear shapes. Place a chocolate chip upside down in the center of each chocolate eye, then embed a cashew into the center of the two joined circles. Repeat with the remaining slices, spacing the owls 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.
8. Bake for about 10 minutes, watching closely, until lightly browned. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Store the cookies in a large tin, with the layers separated by sheets of wax paper. Keep the tin in a cool place until Halloween, or freeze the cookies ahead of time. Be careful not to fill the tin too full to avoid breaking the two halves apart.
10. Serve on a shiny black cake pedestal for a very spooky effect.

The owl cookies display on served on the Rococo Noir pedestals with the Dauphine candlesticks.

Enjoy!

www.rosannainc.com

Holiday Prep

The holidays are coming. This is an exciting time of the year filled with parties, special events, and family gatherings. For precisely the same reasons, the holiday season can also be hectic.    

       

Anyone who’s been responsible for holiday preparations knows what a challenge it can be to manage the many obligations surrounding this time of the year. The holidays require a lot of prep work and produce that nasty, all too familiar byproduct: stress. 

 The holidays give us two wonderful opportunities. This time we set aside to celebrate ensures that we join together and experience community, for a moment at least. These moments are precious, and unnecessary stress should not mar our happiness during this time of year. The best way I’ve found to take the edge off the holiday season is simple: plan ahead, which is especially helpful when it comes to one very important holiday activity—baking cookies.

Before the holiday festivities get into full swing, I try to do as much legwork as possible. That way, when the time rolls around for parties and gifts, I can enjoy these special moments with my family and friends to their fullest. When it comes to holiday cookies, I have two tricks.

Trick 1

Make and freeze the dough first, then thaw and bake the cookies later. This is a great strategy for cookie-making gatherings, to keep the time commitment reasonable and the labor pleasant.

Trick 2

Make and bake the cookies, then freeze them and bring them to room temperature in the tin. To thaw frozen cookies, just take the tin out of the freezer and let the cookies warm up; you don’t even have to turn on the oven. Afterwards, I make sure to store the cookies in the same tightly sealed tin in a cool, dry place.

By prepping the dough and getting a few batches baked before the holidays rev up, it means I have enough time to make cookies to give away as gifts. Every year, I bring a batch of cookies to our neighbors, either on a Rosanna platter or accompanied by a set of our holiday mugs. Heartfelt gifts are my favorite gifts to give. Homemade gifts are the most heartfelt, the clearest way to express love and goodwill. I often don’t find the time to make gifts but, with a little bit of planning ahead, I’ve found a way to find the time.

Pre-baking your holiday cookies is just one example of how to plan ahead during the holidays. Use this idea as a rule of thumb—apply it to gift shopping, party planning, and holiday meal preparation to ensure you enjoy this holiday season to its fullest, brightest extent. 

 

www.rosannainc.com