Saturday, April 26, 2008

Southwest Baked Beans

The weather has been so nice here in New England and that gets me to thinking about cook outs! And this recipe is a different twist on your traditional Baked Beans, and perfect to bring along to your next barbecue invitation!
Southwest Baked Beans
Here is the star..... Maple Chipotle Grille Sauce by Stonewall Kitchen
This savory condiment was recognized with the coveted award of "Outstanding Sauce" at the International Fancy Food Show. It has a rich smoky, nutty flavor that adds to the sweet maple syrup in the sauce and wonderful on just about everything. Use it as a glaze on grilled meats or served as a dipping sauce on the side. At Brown & Hopkins we have a great selection of all the Stonewall Kitchen goodies!
Here is the supporting cast.... 6 strips of bacon, 3/4 cup chopped onion,
and one 16 oz. can of each of the following beans (drained)...
pinto, cannellini, black, kidney, and pork & beans.


Saute the bacon and onion, and drain any fat.


The recipe calls for you to then combine
beans, bacon/onion and the bottle of Maple Chipotle Grille Sauce
in a greased 8-cup casserole for 1 hour at 325 degrees.
BUT, since I am a crock pot kind of gal......
I put it all in my crock pot and set it on low
and walked away for 4 hours!!!
Today at Brown & Hopkins we are sampling this recipe....come on down...
it's going to be a beautiful day!

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Let's Talk Tables!

If you need one.....we have just the thing!


Custom made just for you, at a price you can afford!
Any size available! From 42" square ($650) to 8 feet long (just $895)!!!

Need a smaller table for everyday? Having company over?

How about a 5 ft table with "company boards"?

The company boards just slide into the end of your table
for when you need the additional table space.

Here is a photo of one we have in the store....
The bench is also available!
Now taking orders with 2-6 weeks for delivery.

Made in New England!

Mama Mia Manzanita!

Manzanita Wreaths.....
Nice, full wreaths with a soothing green hue made from

the branches of
The Manzanita Tree.
Just in and marvelous for Mother's Day!

The Manzanitas are a subgenus of the genus Arctostaphylos. They are evergreen shrubs or small trees present in the chaparral biome of western North America, where they occur from southern British Columbia in Canada, Washington to California and New Mexico in the United States.They are characterised by smooth, orange or red bark and stiff, twisting branches. There are about 60 species of manzanita, ranging from ground-hugging coastal and mountain species to small trees up to 6m tall. Manzanitas bloom in the winter to early spring and carry berries in spring and summer. The berries and flowers of most species are edible.

The word manzanita is the
Spanish diminutive of manzana (apple). A literal translation would be little apple. And the color of the wreaths we have at Brown & Hopkins is almost a light Granny Smith Apple color. Over time, the color may fade a little lighter and in some cases, depending on sunlight, may fade to a light tan.
Native uses of the plant include collecting the berries, drying them, and grinding them up into a coarse meal. Fresh berries and branch tips were also soaked in water and drunk, making a refreshing cider. Native Americans used Manzanita leaves as toothbrushes.

Manzanita branches are popular as decoration, due to their unique shape, color, and strength when dried.


Our wreaths are available for a limited time only, and are approximately 26 inches in diameter! They would make a nice statement on a large wall or over a headboard in your bedroom.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Visit The Home of Nancy W!


Join us as we showcase the cozy and rustic home of Nancy W. of Hope, RI
The view was just gorgeous, as were the room displays!
Nancy tells us she loves the quilts, braided rugs and lamps she has purchased from Brown & Hopkins! And we loved how she leaves her dining room table set up with our placemats and a beautiful centerpiece.....
To top off the afternoon we enjoyed homemade cherry pie and
coffee (in her B & H mugs!).....it was delightful!
Thanks again Nancy!
Click the link below and enjoy the show!

http://www.photoshow.com/watch/Px3hH8Ir

Thursday, April 10, 2008

The Tavern On Main ~ Photo Shoot


I am just loving my camera.....you might say I am dangerous with it!

Recently we approached a local restaurant establishment, located just a hop, skip and a jump down the street from Brown & Hopkins, with the proposal of re-decorating their walls!
The Tavern On Main (formerly The Stagecoach Tavern) was taken over by new management a while back and it is fabulous! However,their decor was a bit sparse and some of it needed rearranging. The life of a restaurateur is a time consuming one, to say the least, and so the decor was put on the back burner while they concentrated on creating an extensive menu and believe me, it is receiving rave reviews! Make sure you try the Baked Macaroni & Cheese as well as the Parmesan Encrusted Chicken and succulent Prime Rib! Since, The Tavern On Main has been around for a couple hundred years and then some,we took the liberty of providing a patriotic and historical sampling of decorative items to adorn their walls. All items are available for purchase at the restaurant and at our shop! We hope to see you soon! If you would like to learn more about The Tavern On Main, you may visit their website! Be sure to click on the history page for a ghost siting!

Enjoy the photo show....click on the link below!

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Once Upon a Wall....

New at Brown & Hopkins!



Removable Vinyl Lettering appears to be
hand-painted!


Easy to apply and easy to remove, with no mess!



Enjoy our beautiful vinyl lettering for every room

and every person in your home.

Themes are based around home, bedroom,

kitchen, bathroom,, baby, and girl/boy teens.


Some of the sayings we have are:

Home ~ the place your story begins.

Life is but a dream covered by the sky.

Shhh...Baby dreaming.

Laughter sparkles like a splash of water in sunlight.

And so many more are available......Just ask!

Friday, April 4, 2008

Take a Peek at Marcia's Cozy Home!


This was so much fun!

A Big Thank You to Marcia C. of Glocester
for inviting us into her home
and letting us "shoot" it!
Click on the link below
to see all of her wonderful displays!
Many of the items you see in the show
can be found at Brown & Hopkins!
We hope you are inspired by the photos...

Enjoy!

Click on the link below


Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Chair Today ~ Gone Tomorrow!

Today we received in over a dozen windsor chairs!
(not to mention 18 big boxes of great country stuff!)
I am exhausted!

Barbara said it looked like a Quaker Meeting House!
Looking back through American history,
Windsor chairs can be seen in many notable places
as documented through paintings.
As a matter of fact, George Washington himself
fancied Windsor chairs - with a recorded
27 Windsor chairs at his Mount Vernon home.
Thomas Jefferson is said to have written a draft of
the Declaration of Independence while seated in a Windsor.
When the Declaration was signed in
Philadelphia’s Independence Hall on July 4, 1776,
the assembly sat in Windsors.

Our beautiful windsor chairs are made of a hardwood,
painted black and given a timeworn look.....
and very reasonably priced!
They are available in side chairs and arm chairs.
These particular chairs were special orders for two customers....
so have no fear, they are not blocking the candle display any longer....
Wouldn't you love a set of new chairs for your home?
They look wonderful with our new Rustic Farm Table!
The farm tables are available in any size, with or without company boards!
Come in soon to check them out!