We Started With Leftovers

Sometimes the best ideas are the ones you never planned.

My creative director, Laura Campbell, was over for coffee when she spotted a few of my empty Tastefully Simple Roasted Garlic Avocado Oil and Balsamic & Basil Avocado Dipping Oil bottles.

Most people might have seen empty bottles.

Laura saw a centerpiece.

And honestly? I love it.

When “Empty” Doesn’t Mean “Finished”

Instead of tossing those beautiful glass bottles into the recycling bin, Laura gave them a whole new life.

She wrapped the neck of each bottle with natural jute twine, added a little decorative detail, and then grouped three bottles together.

Simple.

Rustic.

And completely Dinner à la Amy.

Then came the really fun part.

Straight From the Farmers Market

The beautiful greenery you see in the bottles?

It came from the farmers market.

We had fresh dill and garlic scapes, and Laura tucked them into the bottles with a little water.

That’s it.

No fancy florist.

No complicated arrangement.

No expensive centerpiece.

Just something beautiful that was already right in front of us.

And I think that’s one of my favorite things about this idea.

We started with leftovers.

A Little Creativity Goes a Long Way

Laura’s idea is a perfect example of something I talk about all the time with Dinner à la Amy:

Connection, not perfection.

You don’t need a perfectly styled home or a Pinterest-worthy table.

You just need to look at what you already have a little differently.

An empty bottle can become a vase.

A handful of herbs can become a centerpiece.

Something left over can become tomorrow’s inspiration.

And suddenly, you’ve turned something that might have gone into the recycling bin into something beautiful enough to put right in the middle of your table.

Want to Try It?

Here’s all you need:

• Three empty glass bottles
• Twine, ribbon or whatever you have on hand
• Fresh dill, garlic scapes, herbs or flowers
• A little water
• A small tray, crate or board if you’d like to create a grouping

Wrap the bottle necks with your twine, arrange the bottles together, add your greenery and you’re done.

You could use fresh herbs from your garden, flowers from the grocery store, wildflowers from a walk or even a few pretty branches from your yard.

Don’t overthink it.

That’s the whole point.

The Best Part? It’s Part of the Story.

What I really love about this little centerpiece is that it isn’t just decoration.

Those bottles had a purpose before they became part of our table.

The dill and garlic scapes came from the farmers market.

And now they’re sitting together as a reminder of something I think is at the heart of Dinner à la Amy:

Dinner doesn’t always have to start from scratch.

Sometimes we start with what we already have.

Sometimes we start with leftovers.

And sometimes, all it takes is the right sauce, seasoning or little finishing touch to turn what you already have into something completely different.

That’s why I believe in keeping your pantry stocked with your “craft supplies” for dinner.

Just like a crafter keeps a closet full of ribbon, paper and supplies for the next project, I like having my go-to Tastefully Simple seasonings, sauces and mixes on hand.

Because there are so many nights when the right sauce or seasoning can give leftovers a whole new life.

A little Honey Teriyaki Sauce can turn leftover chicken and vegetables into something completely different.

Bayou Bourbon Glaze can take leftover meat or roasted vegetables in a whole new direction.

And suddenly, what looked like “just leftovers” feels like a brand-new dinner.

That’s the beauty of having a few good things on hand.

You never know when you’ll open the refrigerator, see a few leftovers and think…

“I can make something with this.”

That’s what I want Dinner à la Amy to be all about.

Not perfection.

Not complicated recipes.

Just having a few good things on hand, getting a little creative and finding a way to bring dinner back to the table.

Because leftovers don’t have to be boring.

Sometimes we start with leftovers.

Sometimes we add a little Dinner à la Amy magic.

And sometimes that’s dinner.

We pass plates, not perfection. ❤️

Looking for more simple dinner ideas?

Visit DinnerAlaAmy.com for easy recipes, dinner inspiration, upcoming events, Bread Art experiences and simple ways to bring people back around the table.

Because dinner should feed your soul, not your stress.

A special shout-out to Laura Campbell for seeing the centerpiece hiding in those empty bottles! ❤️

#DinnerAlaAmy #ConnectionNotPerfection #DinnerRescue #LeftoversDontHaveToBeBoring #TastefullySimple #AroundTheTable