It's that time of year again! I know, I know, Halloween isn't even here yet and I've already ordered this year's holiday cards, but sometimes I just can't help myself. My friend Sarah took some photos of me, Rob, and Ender the other day so I was super excited to design and order them. 

As usual, there are lots of unique designs on Minted right now, but a lot of them are less traditional (think bright colors, bold fonts, and less red and green). I had a really hard time choosing between this one, this one, and this one, but finally landed on the Painted Prism design (I can never resist the gold foil).

It's been such a pleasure working with Minted for the past few years, and I hope you've enjoyed our partnership as well. They've been generous enough to offer one lucky Freckled Italian reader $150 to spend at Minted! They have so much more than just holiday cards--from wedding invitations to party decorations to home decor and art. Enter below, and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post is brought to you in partnership with Minted.

I'm back today with the last of our La Crema Farm-to-Table at Home series! I hope you've enjoyed it these past few months. I know I won't be forgetting our incredible trip to California any time soon.

We stayed at an amazing loft in downtown Healdsburg, and while we did go out quite a bit, we also did a ton of cooking--and we started with a gorgeous but simple one-pot chicken and mushroom risotto that I'm still thinking about to this day. We set a beautiful table that took no time at all and enjoyed such a great meal together. Today I'll be sharing some tips with you for setting an elegant table perfect for everyday life and dining.

So without further ado, here are some tips for setting an elegant table everyday--no matter the occasion (or not!):

• Go for white dishes, but add texture.
• Layer plates and bowls on top of each other at each setting to add depth and contrast. (Feel free to add color or patterns if that's more your style!)
• Include some gold accents, like a charger. 
• Don't be afraid to mix metals--gold flatware is super pretty but sometimes can be hard to find. Feel free to combine your everyday silverware with gold chargers and details, like the fun stemless wine glasses we used all week.
• Don't forget the flowers! We love silk ones because they last forever and you can do so much with them. We also incorporated some fresh herb centerpieces that work extra hard as decoration on the table and flavor in the kitchen.
• Have fun with it--experiment with your own personal style and remember that you don't need a special occasion to set a beautiful table. Weeknights with family and/or friends are special enough.

And no meal (or table) is complete without a few glasses of La Crema wines! We paired our risotto with both red and white--the Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is a favorite, but you also can't beat the richness of their Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. The Monterey Chardonnay is another classic--you might as well include all three, just to be safe! So many dishes pair well with either red or white, so it's always fun to do a little of both.

For more information on this elegant weeknight dinner, make sure to visit all of our Farm-to-Table at Home posts in this series:

Farm-to-Table at Home: Weeknight Dinners

Elegant Everyday Table Setting and Decor

Easy Herb Centerpieces

One Pot Risotto

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of La Crema. The opinions and text are all mine.

For as long as I can remember, I've identified as someone who loves food. My mom was always cooking something delicious when I was a kid, and her dad was always doing the same while she was growing up. We were big pasta eaters, too--everything was served with or on pasta. 

Having an Italian mom from Argentina meant a lot to me--we drink yerba mate every morning when we're together and cooking has always been a favorite family pastime. And carbs! Who doesn't love pasta? I certainly do, which made it really tough for me to realize that I was gluten intolerant a few years ago. I started swapping out gluten and grains and dairy and sugar and was feeling a lot better, even if I missed our old traditions (pasta with pesto and arroz con leche to name a couple). But I soon learned that it's not necessarily what you're eating that makes food special--it's who you're sharing it with.

And we came up with some new favorites--this Paleo Pizza Chicken is one of them.

Ingredients: 

• 1.5 pounds of chicken (you can use thighs or breasts--I like thighs with skin on)
• About 3 ounces of pepperoni
• 1/2 onion, diced
• About 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1-2 cloves of fresh garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• About 15 ounces of Traditional Ragu pasta sauce
• 2-4 tablespoons of black olives (optional)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions:

1. In a large pan or skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and diced onions and saute for 3-5 minutes.
2. Slice or cut up the pepperoni and add to the pan, along with some of the olives (save a few to top the dish when it's done).
3. Place the chicken in the pan and brown well on one side. Flip it over and cover with some tomato sauce. Season with oregano, salt, and pepper.
4. Turn the heat to low and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until cooked through (time will depend on the thickness of the chicken).
5. Serve hot with a side of veggies--I love roasted Brussels sprouts!

Thank you to Ragu for sponsoring today's post and inspiring me to pass on my family traditions!