Gypsy Daisy

Another Dreamy Whites Giveaway!

2011-11-13T11:47:00.000-08:00

Remember this photo? Well, I sure do! Its Maria's from Dreamy Whites Christmas decor from last year. I would just like to say, I have been wanting those grainsack stocking since I spotted this photo last year.Well Maria is hosting a giveaway for one of the wreaths you see in the photo and $200! I would LOVE to win this giveaway so I can purchase the stockings. But you should have a shot at the giveaway as well. For more information, click here! Good Luck!

Keswick & Country does Dreamy Whites Shop Giveaway!

2011-01-14T06:24:00.000-08:00

Everyone make sure to stop by Keswick & Country and see what she has in store for you! She is giving away a French canning jar, lavender pillow made from antique French ticking fabric, a German grainsack, and a lavender bundle. This is an incredibly generous offer. Head over to Keswick & Country for details on entry.

Also be sure to check out Maria's, from Dreamy Whites, shop. She has the most beautiful French antiques a girl could ever dream of. I have already made my first purchase and am trying to wait patiently to get it!

Christmas Decor 2010

2010-12-07T19:05:00.000-08:00

I thought I would share some of my Christmas decor with you. I don't think I followed a specific theme this year. Perhaps vintage? Little bit country? French? Scandinavian? Who knows...I suppose it's no different from any other time. I usually just see something I like regardless if it is matchy matchyness ( I know I just made this word up) and hope it all works together. I have a few more last touches to make but for the most part I'm finished. Now I get to sit back, relax, make cookies, maybe watch a Christmas movie or three, or whatever else brings the Christmas spirit into my home. I hope you all enjoying this time of year as much as I am!!! Merry Almost Christmas! BEWARE...there are a lot of pictures to follow.

Butterfly garland made from vintage sheet music and baking twine! Comment if you would like directions!

Vintage sheet music stocking

(I wish I had taken a picture with a candy cane inside)

I will share directions for these as well if you wish!

I love my little glass nativity set

And finally the Christmas Tree! Every year we find the most perfect tree. I love it and never want to take it down!

Dreamy Whites/ Wintersteen Farms Giveaway!

2010-11-23T08:49:00.000-08:00

Head on over to Dreamy Whites blog for another amazing and generous giveaway. I am sooo keeping my fingers crossed on this one. I have a huge crush on antique grainsacks! Gorgeous wreaths as this one aren't too bad either. The giveaway includes a wreath from Wintersteen Farms, two stockings made from antique grainsacks, and a grainsack table runner. Go here for more information on how to be in the drawing! Good Luck!

Some decor, a few new things, and giving thanks!

2010-11-19T10:54:00.000-08:00

1902 Farmers Almanac

from Reginas Studio at Etsy

Do you ever stop and realize all the things you have been blessed with? I know I do. There are too many for me to count. Sometimes it is hard to give thanks in everything, but God has a plan for us and he may give us a bump in our road which eventually may lead to something good. And if it were not for that "bump" we may never find the good. We should be thankful at all times of the year, but Thanksgiving is approaching fast, and is a wonderful opportunity to remember to count our blessings!

Antique Droste's Cocoa tin with the most beautiful colors

(found at a thrift store for $1 and thought it was adorable. When I got home I googled it to get more information. There were a few for sale and priced from $77-$85!!!! Can you believe it??? I paid a dollar!!!)

Cabbages and Roses Fabric Givaway x 4

2010-11-18T15:13:00.000-08:00

Yes, there are 4 blogs hosting a giveaway from Cabbages and Roses. They are all from the Hobury and Gilbert line, but each blog is offering different prints. You can find more information about these giveaways at Dreamy Whites, My Sweet Savannah, French Larkspur, and Lobster and Swan! Cabbages and Roses does make some beautiful fabric, and I would mind getting some for free, who would?

Fabric @ Dreamy Whites

Fabric @ French Larkspur

Fabric @ Lobster and Swan

Fabric @ My Sweet Savannah

Must be the month of giveaways!

2010-11-10T06:56:00.000-08:00

Stop over to The Adventures of Stig and Lolo for a chance to win this gorgeous bag from the French Larkspur Shop! What a generous offer this is. Lolo has a beautiful blog as well so go on a take a peek! Good luck on the giveaway, I know my fingers will be crossed once again!

Fatigue Canvas Tote Bag

Oh and Tracy from French Larkspur is throwing in one of these if you answer the extra credit question! I have heard this magazine provides so much inspiration!

Two giveaways in one week!

2010-11-02T10:25:00.000-07:00

I must say there are a lot of very sweet generous bloggers out there these days! Today through November 9th there is an offer from Starfish Jewelery Designs over at Dreamy Whites blog! Hop on over there and enter for a chance to win!

Photo from Dreamy Whites

All Things Lavender Giveaway!

2010-11-01T18:48:00.000-07:00

I just want to let everyone know about the generous giveaway over at Secret Garden Cottage. The package includes, handmade soap, a dried lavender bouquet, a vintage French shot bag filled with organic lavender, an antique lavender bottle, a french linen ticking stripe lavender sachet, and the Autumn issue of Jeanne d'Arc Living Magazine! I will be keeping my fingers crossed! For directions on entering go here.

A Little Fall and a Some Spookiness Too!

2010-10-03T11:34:00.000-07:00

Being the first weekend of October, I thought it was a good time to change up my decor. I did not have to make many changes to add a little Halloween flare. Previous to yesterday all decor was the same, aside from the crows, spiders and webs, and my cute little copper Jack-O-lantern. I don't like to overdecorate on Holidays, rather keep it simple using mostly items from nature.

Here I used a gorgeous pumpkin as the focal point and built around it. In addition, I filled apothecary jars with various fall colored candies, left out my Pottery Barn wire candle holders (these go along with pretty much anything), a few crows from Michaels, and spider-webs, with creepy glitter spiders. I placed this all on top of an antique grainsack with unusual purple stripes. I have always felt that purple adds a nice touch to Fall/Halloween decor.

Look at the color of this pumpkin. I think it's gorgeous!

To be honest, I really do not like spiders, and I have to admit, these kind of make me nautious, lol. They seem more realistic in these photos.

Here I dressed up an antique chippy shutter with webs and spiders. Notice the antique german sweet chocolate box. I wish I could zoom. This was in the basement of my very old apt. building. Our landlords had the basement cleaned out and this was in front waiting to be thrown away. That was until I came to its rescue. I have been waiting to use it as I think it is adorable for this time of year. Never hesitate to peek threw (with permission obviously) stuff being thrown away for "ones man's trash is another man's treasure!"

During the summer I had pretty blue aprons hanging from this shelf. These fall colored aprons could not have worked out better. Such a simple way to change up your decor for the seasons.

I made this banner from burlap. I simply cut out triangles and sewed them on the end and strung them on hemp string.

This table cloth is made from a canvas drop cloth. The material was about $10 for a 6X9 ft. drop cloth. I had other plans for this but I instead cut a piece, draped it over the table, and pinned it to fit, no sewing involved. Notice the back, which I never touched, lol. Hope no one notices!

I'm Back!!

2010-09-27T17:57:00.000-07:00

Sorry ya'll! I don't mean to have been on such a long blog hiatus, but its been busy busy busy and some more busy! Thanks for being so patient with me. Hopefully you haven't given up on checking back for new posts! Im going to try and be better about it! While I was gone, I was busy having a great summer. We couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather up here in the North Country and I totally took advantage of it! I spent many many days sunbathing on Lake Champlain's beaches, took a few trips home to see the fam, made my way to the farmer's market many times, and enjoyed a visit from my mom and stepdad. And actually so far, Fall has been just as gorgeous and busy! Poor Joe had surgery round 2 on his broken arm, I had my fall camping trip with at-risk teens I work with, canned about 50 quarts of tomatoes, and took a mini vacay to Maine. I think I am safe to say that things are going to slow down a bit, just a bit though. Ya can't slow down too much, life would be boring. So anyway on to the good stuff. I would like to share some of my own fall decor with you, but it's just not quite finished. So until then I will share these inspirational photos! They scream eat, play, decorate, and breathe fall!

All images from Country Living except for last two photos, which are from Martha Stewart

Gourmet Pizza!!

2010-07-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

Pizzas almost ready to come out of the oven! Yes I know opening the door to sneak a pic is letting the heat out. Oh, and yes that is baking soda at the bottom of the oven from strawberry-rhubarb pie overflow. I have yet to find time to clean it and probably won't for a little while.

My favorite toppings: roasted peppers, feta, and kalamata olives (along with oil and garlic as a sauce and some mozzarella)

This one was soooo good!!!!

Roasted fennel, summer squash, tomato, and fresh basil pizza, with fresh mozzarella, ricotta, and thyme balsamic reduction

-I made homemade crust for the first time and it was reeeeeally easy! I used this recipe

-Coat a pan generously with olive oil and stretch dough to cover pan.

-Instead of sauce I used garlic and olive oil. Just mince finely or crush the garlic with some salt to make a paste. Add desired amount of olive oil and spread all over the pizza dough.

-I roasted sliced fennel tossed with olive oil and a little salt at 400F until soft.

-I sliced the zucchini, yellow squash, and tomatoes, and placed them between paper towel to soak up excess moisture.

-Slice mozzarella and place randomly on dough. Top with fennel and layer on squash and tomatoes. Place dollops of fresh ricotta all over pizza and sprinkle the top with fresh basil. Bake at 350-375 for about 20 minutes. Or until crust is golden brown and the middle of the dough is not too soft when you place a spatula under it. (next time I may prebake the crust for about 10 minutes at 350-375, and then do the toppings. After the prebake, I would crank up the heat to 400 to give some good color to the toppings)

-And for the balsamic reduction, I placed about 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar in a small pot with a few thyme sprigs. I let this simmer until the vinegar thickens into what looks like a syrup. It get very sweet and yummy! Drizzle this over the pizza just before serving.

Farmer's Market Goodies!

2010-07-10T10:37:00.000-07:00

Fresh picked flowers, lettuce, and fresh fennel

(fennel is on it's way to being roasted for a pizza experiment...stay tuned for updates)

This Pitcher?

or this canning jar?

(This won in the end)

Aren't they beautiful?

4th of July table, Black Eyed Susans, new little jug, and other pretty little things

2010-07-09T18:28:00.000-07:00

Well, my gigantic checked tablecloth finally came in handy for our 4th of July BBQ. It was much too large for this table so I folded it in half and perfect!

Does it get any more American than ball canning jars, red gingham, and a vintage Coca Cola crate?

My Coca Cola Crate is one of my most favorite versatile items. Here I used it for paper plates, plastic ware, and a vase of flowers. I love it!

Yes I was the crazy lady pulled over on the side of the road with her scissors cutting the wild black eyed susans. They are my most favorite, but unfortunately they start to wilt almost immediately once picked. I did find a tip online though that if you mix water with 1/2 tsp. of bleach and 1 tsp sugar, it will make flowers last longer. I guess we'll see!

I purchased this little jug today at the local antique mall. I think it's adorable! I also think these books are adorable. Especially the one on top that my Aunt gave me.

Love it!

Another use for my Coca Cola crate

Oh and I can't not mention my new (well not really new, but new to me) watering can. I'm running out of room for all my fabulous finds! Someone please buy me a house!!!

Delicious Dinner and Delicious New Plate Set!

2010-07-08T17:35:00.000-07:00

I purchased this adorable vintage tablecloth while I was home last week. I love how it matches my new plate settings.

Dinner was served with homemade iced sweet tea

I love my new plate settings (Corelle Ware from Wal-mart)!

(the middle plate is not new and did not come with the set,

but doesn't it just go along so well?)

The best part is they are break and chip free, so my style!

Also, while I was home visiting Joe and I ate, per his request, at Dinosaur BBQ with the company of my lovely sister and brother-in-law. This is no ordinary BBQ. I believe it has been featured on the Foodnetwork 2 or 3 times. After downing a platter of pulled pork, brisket, mac-n-cheese, BBQ baked beans, corn bread, and sweet tea, I recalled my grandmother owning a Dinosaur BBQ cookbook. She said I could borrow it and has since said I can keep it. Lets just say I will be busy cooking many of these recipes this summer.

So...

When we returned the first dinner I made was from the cookbook. Ya never knew a Dinosaur BBQ recipe could be so fancy as grilled chicken stuffed with goat cheese and asparagus, huh?

...and asparagus, red pepper, & Potato Salad

No worries the recipe was still BBQ style while the chicken was dusted with creole seasoning and stuffed with Italian sausage as well, and finished off with slathering sauce to finish

This was a keeper for sure!

Stuffed Chicken Highbrow:

"As far as Dinosaur patrons are concerned, anything with goat cheese is kinda suspicious. Add some asparagus and you're tippin' the highbrow scale - hence the name of this dish. Many have discovered the tangy difference goat cheese makes when matched up with ourMutha Sauce."

20 thin asparagus spears
kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, cut in half lengthwise
2 mild Italian sausages
4 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
black pepper
5oz goat's cheese
1/4 cup sliced scallions
olive oil
creole seasoning (recipe follows or you can use their cajun foreplay seasoning sold in grocery stores)
1 1/2 cups Mutha Sauce (recipe as followed below)*

*Dinosaur BBQ sells their sauce in many grocery stores. I did not have the time to make to Mutha sauce, but their bottled slathering sauce does just as well.

Wash asparagus and cut off the rough bottoms. Pour an inch of water into a skillet and season with salt and add garlic cloves. Bring to a Simmer. Slide in asparagus and cook til tender. Remove from water, discarding the garlic. Set aside. In another skillet, cook the sausages whole and set aside.

Pull the tenders off the breasts. Leave the breast whole and with the smooth side down, open like a book on a work surface. Flatten then with a mallet or large glass bottle until 1/4 in. thick. Season breasts with salt and pepper. Slice the sausages thinly on the diagonal and place one on each side of the butterflied chicken breast, leaving a thin border round the edge of the chicken. On top of the sausage, layer 5 thin asparagus spears, letting the points hang out the ends. Cut 12 thin slices of the goat cheese and layer 3 on top of the asparagus on each breast. Sprinkle with the scallions.

Fold the uncovered lobe of each breast over the stuffed side. Press around the edges to seal. Gently oil each breast and season with salt and pepper and creole seasoning.

Build a bed of coals in your grill. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes on each side. Check the temperature with and instant read thermometer. It should register 160.

Let the breasts rest for 5 minutes and slather with Mutha sauce.

Creole Seasoning :
1/2 cup paprika
1/2 cup granulated garlic
1/4 cup granulated onion
3 Tbl black pepper
2 tsp white pepper
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 cup dried oregano
1/4 cup dried thyme
2 tsp ground cumin
2 Tbl sugar

Combine everything in a bowl and mix it up well to blend. Store in plastic or glass container with lid

Mutha Sauce:"Just like the name says, this is the basis - the true mother of all the sauces we have in this book. It is a balanced blend of sweet, savory, spicy, and smoky flavors that acts as our leapin' off point for creating a world of barbecue sensations. It can even stand alone as a traditional slaterin' sauce for ribs and chicken."

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup minced onion
1/2 cup minced green pepper
1 jalapeno, sliced and minced
pinch each of kosher salt and black pepper
2tbsp minced garlic
1 can tomato sauce
2 cups ketchup
1 cup water
3/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup cayenne pepper sauce
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1tbsp liquid smoke (optional)

Pour oil into a large saucepan and set over medium high heat. Toss in the onions, jalapenos and give a good stir. Season with salt and pepper and cook until soft and golden. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute. Dump in the rest of the ingredients besides the liquid smoke. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the sauce can simmer. Simmer a total of 10 minutes, then swirl in the liquid smoke and let it all cool. Use as needed and save the remainder in a container for the next BBQ!

Asparagus, Red Pepper, & Potato Salad

The Veggies
1 pound new red potatoes
1 pound asparagus
1/2 large red pepper, seeded
1/2 cup slivered red onion

Dressing (this is really good on regular tossed salad also)
5 tablespoons creole mustard or spicy brown
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 clove garlic pressed or finely chopped
6 tablespoons olive oil
tabasco sauce

Scrub potatoes and cook in boiling salted water to cover until tender. Without peeling cut potatoes into quarters (this is if they are very small. If they are large cut them in 3/4 inch cubes). Snap off tough bottoms of asparagus and dicard. Then cook the tops in a shallow pan of simmering salted water until tender crisp. Drain and shock in cold water. Slice asparagus into 1 1/2 inch pieces and add to the potatoes. Cut the pepper into sticks about the same width and length as the asparagus. Put in the bowl and add in the onion.

Mix dressing by stirring together the mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and garlic in a bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil slowly while whisking constantly to make a creamy dressing. Add a couple dashes of tabasco if you wish.

Splash the dressing onto the vegetables and give the salad a good stir. Serve right away for best color in the asparagus.

Strawberry Fields Forever...(I wish)

2010-06-24T09:46:00.000-07:00

Strawberry Season is here!! It is one of my favorite times of year. There is nothing better ( I say this about a lot of things) than eating a fresh picked strawberry right off the vine. The past few summers I have picked strawberries like it's nobody's business. I freeze them so I have enough for the whole year until the next season. The best way to freeze strawberries is to quickly rinse them, gently roll them in a clean towel to dry, remove the stems, and place them on a cookie sheet so they aren't touching. Place in the freezer until frozen and then place in freezer bag. Now they will not stick to each other and you can use a little here and there instead of having to use a whole bag. I do the same with blueberries. I hope everyone will get outside and enjoy June's strawberry harvest! I know I will be!

My favorite way to eat Strawberries!

Why I must workout so much!

2010-06-24T09:20:00.000-07:00

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie #1

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie #2

Yes I gave this one away!

Blackberry Cheesecake Coffee Cake

(and yes I gave most of this away too)

Coffee Cocoa Cake with Nutella Ganache and Toasted Hazelnuts

(gave this away too)

Cornell Chicken BBQ

Homemade Marinara with last years canned tomatoes and fresh herbs

Chicken Enchiladas

...with yummy black beans

Strawberry Preserves

Chocolate Chip Cookies

So if you read my blog, you know my love for cooking and baking. I have been on a long baking spree and and loving every minute of it. I am not a person that can sit and do nothing for long periods of time, a little ADHDish actually. So if I'm not at the beach, oxbow, working out, or working, you will probably find me cooking away. The problem with this is the waistline. I give A LOT of these goodies away, but you know all the little tastes along the way to make sure things are just right add up. And then obviously you have to taste the finished product. So for all the exercising I do which usually consists of 2 hours at the gym 3X per week, and then throw in a couple cross fits, and a couple cardios on the other days, well you'd think I'd weigh 100 lbs. Not even close! I don't even lose a pound. Two of my favorite things, but always working against each other. Oh, what is a girl to do?? Can you imagine if I didn't exercise, haha?! Ok, enough blabbing, I think I'll go grab me a chocolate chip cookie! :)

P.S. If you would like any recipes, let me know!!

Very generous giveaway over at Dreamy Whites!

2010-06-10T05:24:00.000-07:00

Hey all!! I would like to let you know about a very generous offer over at Dreamy Whites blog! Cabbages and Roses is sponsoring a giveaway which includes a cabbages and roses table cloth and 6 napkins! Head on over to Dreamy Whites to enter!

*All images from Cabbages and Roses Website

Home Sweet Home!

2010-06-05T19:23:00.000-07:00

Hoopes Park- Auburn, NY-Memorial Day Weekend

Roasting Smores with the Fam

Andrew

Andrew and KyKy

Silly Boys

Steven stoking the fire

Momma and Toby

Me and my Andrew

My boys!

Mom and I

Handsome silly boys before church

And pretend smile by the boys before church just to make Aunt Niki happy

Lemon Pasta Primavera

2010-06-05T18:02:00.000-07:00

I made this dish for dinner the other night after being inspired by primavera that I had at a restaurant last weekend. It is a very simple, delicious, and healthful meal. My recipe made a gigantic bowl, but most of it was vegetables. I love all the beautiful colors. They say we eat with our eyes, and I believe that to be very true. It was also too gorgeous a dish to not use my giant Asolo serving bowl (this bowl is much larger than the ones in many previous posts), which only gets used on rare occasions. Well, I hope you will try this recipe out!

P.S. Support your local farmers and purchase your veggies from a farmers market! They taste better and are usually cheaper than grocery stores.

1 lb. rigatoni pasta (any pasta will do, but this is my favorite)

1/4 cup olive oil ( I know this may seem like a lot, but this make a huge bowl of pasta. Also you may start out with less and add more if you need it)

1 green pepper

1 red pepper

3 large carrots peeled

2 small zucchini

1 medium sweet onion

(Cut veggies to be about the same size. I sliced the carrots, zucchini, onions, and peppers all lengthwise. See photos above)

2 large cloves garlic finely minced

1/2-3/4 cup grape or cherry tomatoes cut in half

juice from 2 lemons

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

*feel free to throw in any other veggies you wish, such as, mushrooms, spinach, peas, asparagus, etc.

Directions

Cook pasta according to directions on the box. Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add all vegetables except for tomatoes to the pan. Once the veggies have cooked for a few minutes, add the garlic. Cook Veggies just until slightly tender, but still retain crispness. Add pasta to pan with veggies. Add tomatoes, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese and toss together. Add a drizzle of olive oil and throw in some chopped fresh basil and parsley if you wish! Enjoy!

Kielbasa Soup with White Rice and Peasant Bread

2010-05-10T11:55:00.000-07:00

Keilbasa Soup

Cinnamon Peasant Bread

Basic Peasant Bread

I have been wanting to try my hand at baking bread for a very long while now. One of my dreams is to have my very own coffee shop/cafe/bakery, but ya cant have a bakery if ya can't bake bread. This unusually chilly Sunday made a perfect day for baking bread with the addition of a hearty pot of kielbasa stew with white rice. Now I know I say this everytime, but these are MUST recipes. I would not lie to you. You MUST try them both! Ok, so lets first talk about this soup. So delicious, yet so simple. This is a favorite recipe of my mother and is now a very favorite recipe of mine (and Joe). I am going to share the recipe below (comment me if you would like the bread recipe), but I would like to make a note of the white rice I used. It is "Success" brand rice and lets just say it was a success!! I don't think I will ever go back to the other. You simply place the bag of rice in a pot with a quart of water, bring to a boil, and cook for 8-10 minutes and the result is perfect not gummy, not overcooked, and not undercooked rice! My life just got a tad bit easier! Now moving on the the bread. Not only was this delicious, but seriously easy as well! Who knew bread was so easy to make? I am once again going to thank my all time favorite, Hay Day Country Market Cookbook, for sharing such a lovely recipe with the world. Anyway...the bread was so good. I was a little nervous about the yeast, and threw out the first batch, but made two more batches in hopes that at least one would develop or bloom I should say. Well, they both bloomed so it looked like I was making an extra batch of bread. All of the breads in the photos are peasant bread, but one has extra sugar and some cinnamon. The cinnamon bread was baked in a glass pyrex bowl because I only own two bread pans. But I think it actually work better. I love that it looks like true bakery bread. The other loaves look like they need a little work, but they tasted just as good.

Keilbasa Soup w/ White Rice

1 Keilbasa or Smoked Turkey Sausage-sliced into rounds
1 small to medium yellow onion chopped
1 small red pepper chopped
1 small green pepper chopped
3 large carrots peeled and diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
granulated garlic
red pepper flake
salt
pepper
2 bay leaves
1/3- 1/2 Cup KC Masterpiece original BBQ sauce
1 can beef broth
1 quart tomatoes with juices (You can use store bought canned tomatoes but I have become partial to my own canned tomatoes)
1 or 2 cans of any white bean you prefer ( I only use one can, but use more if you wish)
Cooked white rice (you can add cooked rice right into the stew or put a dollop on top of the bowl just before serving)

Directions
Heat oil over medium high heat. Add veggies and spices (amount of spices depend on your preference) cook until almost cooked through. Reduce heat to medium to prevent scorching. Add Kielbasa and cook for a few minutes more. Add BBQ sauce and stir to coat all ingredients. Add beef broth, tomatoes, and beans and continue to simmer until veggies are tender, kielbasa has become a little smaller (which means flavor and juices have come out and have married with the broth) and broth is rich and flavorful. If too much water has cooked out you can add more. You really cant go wrong on this recipe. Also feel free to add anything else, such as corn, potatoes, other bean variety's, etc.

Yummy Asian Salmon Salad with Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes

2010-05-06T06:34:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday, feeling very healthy, I decided to make a salmon salad and roasted sweet potatoes. Really, the only way to eat sweet potatoes, or well the most tasty way I should say, is to roast them. Roasting is truly the best way in my opinion to cook any vegetable, as it brings out the natural sweetness. In addition to the natural sweetness, the recipe calls for maple syrup (not necessary, but just makes then extra special)! I did feel especially healthy after this meal and can I say appealing to the eyes? Look at those colors! Just makes me even more excited for the upcoming farmers market. I love to cook with the freshest ingredients and it doesnt get much fresher than your local farmers market. If you would like to find your local farmers market, not only to find the best ingredients, but also the best prices and to support your farmers, go to this web site.

Asian Salmon Salad

6 oz. Salmon for each person

Mixed spring greens

mandarin orange segments

cucumbers

diced tomatoes

radishes slivered

thinly sliced carrot

(And really any other ingredients you think would go well. This is just what I had on hand. Other suggestions would be, almonds, snow peas, sesame seeds, etc.)

Sesame-ginger Vinaigrette

Hay Day Country Market

3/4 Cup Vegetable Oil

1/4 Cup rice vinager

1 Tablespoon finely minced ginger

finely grated zest of one orange

1/4 Cup orange juice

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon soy sauce

salt and pepper to taste

Whisk all ingredients together except for salt and pepper. Next add salt and pepper.

Use half of the vinaigrette to marinate the salmon for at least an hour. Use the rest to dress the salad.

Cook salmon at 400 for about 15 minutes. I tend to cook mine to well done. Cook for less time if you like your more rare. Let rest for about 5 mins after cooking and serve warm over the greens and veggies. Dress with sesame-ginger vinaigrette.

Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Hay Day Country Market

The recipe says to cut the potatoes into spears, but I wanted mine to cook fast so I sliced them in thin rounds. I think I prefer them this way anyway.

3 Large sweet potatoes or Yams

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 cup Pure maple syrup

1 Tablespoon cider vinegar

1 teaspoon fresh thyme (I didn't have this on hand)

Preheat oven to 425. Peel and thinly slice sweet potatoes into rounds. Line baking pan with parchment or lightly oil. Toss the potatoes with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and salt. Scatter the potatoes on pan in a single layer. Roast, turning once until fork tender and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk maple syrup, vinegar, and remaining olive oil. Toss the potatoes with the glaze and return to the oven for about 5 minutes. If you use thyme sprinkle on the potatoes when they come out of the oven.

Beauties!

2010-04-28T08:40:00.000-07:00

All images from Country Living

My favorite room in our apartment!

2010-04-24T15:45:00.000-07:00

I know I'm slacking on the writing bit, but the words just aren't flowing today...or lately actually. I have been really busy this past couple weeks. As summer slowly arrives I hope to sit back and take a breather or two. And by the way, I am not complaining about being busy by any means. I have been busy with really great experiences. And hopefully soon I will let you in on some of those experiences (just getting my photos organized). Until then, have a lovely day and rest of the weekend!! I think hear the kitchen calling my name and saying, "Come make blueberry muffins!" ;)

Spring at last!

2010-04-20T15:47:00.000-07:00

Ok, so obviously I'm no photographer, but we'll just have to look past that. I have been longing for spring blooms to arrive in my yard (well, not really mine since I rent) and they are finally here! I just wish they would stick around for a little longer. In that case, I picked a few and snapped a few photos. I am looking forward to the random blooms that pop up throughout the summer into the fall and can't wait to share them with you! Well, I've got to hurry up and get outside to enjoy the beautiful sun before it goes down! Have a lovely evening!

P.S. You'll also have to forgive the repetitive pictures. I always take a bunch and then can't decide what ones to use, so I thought I would just post them all!

The Bad Cat

2010-04-14T10:07:00.000-07:00

This post needs few words...it's pretty self explanatory actually. I have a bad egg on my hands. He has good days, but mostly bad days. We have a love/hate relationship. I wish my camera batteries weren't dead b/c I could add a few more bad day pictures, which would consist of a shredded living room rug. He has a scratching post, but would much rather shred his mom's rug. It's been an interesting 6 years. Never met another cat like him, but wouldn't trade him for the world.

Bad Day

Good Day/Reggie's Fort

He sure looks sweet, but he puts on a good show

Good Day

Bad Day

(he was put in the bathroom to try and get a urine sample

and this is what he did instead of providing a urine sample)

Bad Day

And a good day

A few Country Living Favs!

2010-04-01T13:30:00.000-07:00

PATIENCE = Antique window, turned chalkboard

2010-03-29T06:52:00.000-07:00

Before:

After:

Patience is what you need if doing this project. I have always wanted to do some sort of project with an antique window. Many times I have driven by houses with old windows waiting to be picked up by the garbage man,and not stopped to get myself one. Well, I could kick myself for this. They are in themselves works of art as far as I am concerned and look beautiful hanging on a wall as is. But I had another idea in mind, a chalkboard weekly calendar or something like that. I remembered seeing an old window at the local antique mall and made a trip down to see if it was still there. It was and of course I decided to purchase it. I even talked the store owner into knocking five bucks off the price. I finished this project on Saturday and I'm quite thrilled with the results! I can't wait to go buy some chalk and test it out with some pretty spring doodles or my weekly "To Do" list.

Supplies:

Antique Window

Spray Chalkboard Paint

Painter's Tape

Sandpaper

Craft Smart Acrylic paint-vanilla

paint brush

Q-tips (only if white paint leaks through tape onto chalkboard)

Frame hanging kit

Patience ;)

Directions:

1. Sand wood to remove any paint or varnish, unless you already like the look of the wood frame

2. Give the window a good scrub and let dry completely

3. Tape off the wood with painters tape, letting no wood show through

4. In a ventilated area spray glass with chalkboard paint. Read directions for applying paint on the back of the can before doing this.

5. Let dry and give a second or even third coat if needed.

6. After the chalkboard paint is completely dry, tape off all outer sides of glass.

7. Paint the wood frame if you wish

8. Remove tape gently being careful not to pull of chalkboard paint. If this happens you can touch up after and it will be hardly noticeable. Also if the white paint leaks on the chalkboard, lightly wet a q-tip and clean around edges. The paint I used came right up.

9. When paint is completely dry, sand in various areas and edges to make it look worn in

10. Follow directions for frame hanging kit and hang on wall

11. Enjoy!

Satsuma Mandarin Oranges -Natures Decor

2010-03-28T11:27:00.000-07:00

Have you ever seen anything more beautiful? Well, yes, I'm sure you have, but these little gems are pretty beautiful! The color is stunning. I spotted these in Hannaford and had to buy a few. And as usual Joe waited patiently while I searched for the ones with the best leaves. Did you know the mandarin orange is a Chinese symbol of abundance and good fortune? They are often used as decor or given as gifts! And no, I did not know this random fact off the top of my head. I was looking up types of mandarin oranges on wikipedia because I couldn't remember what kind these were. Well, I hope they taste as good as they look!

Makeup Spree!

2010-03-27T06:11:00.000-07:00

I recently purchased some great products at Sephora and Macys and I thought I would share. I personally have not tried any of these, well except for the Rosebud Salve and Burt's Bees Day Creme, but I read all reviews and spoke to a friend that raved about a few of these. I cannot wait to get them in the mail soon and try everything out! I usually do not splurge on makeup due to my expenditures on antiques, vintages, and other home decor, but I thought it was time. Spring is here and summer is well on it's way, so what better way to freshen yourself up than using some really good makeup, face lotions, and perfume! I was in luck to have $100 in macy's gift cards still from Christmas so I myself did not have to spend all that much. I forgot I had been saving the cards to buy Birkenstock clogs and didn't remember until I had already spent them, but I have enough pairs of shoes right? Ultimately, it felt good to buy stuff to pamper myself vs my apartment and I also think a new haircut and pedicure may be in store!!! Well that's it friends! Have a lovely day!

Smith's Rosebud Lip Salve

2 Urban Decay Eyeshadows- Sellout & Midnight Cowboy

2 Sephora Nano Eyeliners-Midnight Black & Glitter Brown

Burts Bees Radiance Day Creme

NARS Blush

BeneFit Dallas Blush

Christian Dior- Diorshow Mascara

Burts Bees Lip Shimmer

Philosophy Amazing Grace-Eau de Parfum

6!

2010-03-26T09:37:00.000-07:00

Well Holy Moly! 6 is the number of years my love and I have been together. We are not married, but will be at some point. Until then we will celebrate our dating anniversary. I am very blessed to have such a wonderful soul-mate. I have said before that he is my best friend and that is no lie. Yes, there are days when I say, "Babe, isn't it a lovely day for golfing?", but the majority of the time we are together and I would have it no other way. We do not change each other, but compliment each other. He accepts me for me, even on my neurotic, insane, breathe fire days, lol. He may roll his eyes or sigh when I bring home another chippy paint shutter or make him go pick up the free wood dresser on the side of the road that is missing four drawers that I try and convince him I will make it beautiful again, but he understands this is my outlet and passion. He surprises me with chocolate on days I need it most, runs to the store when I realize we only have one egg left and I need three, laughs and smiles at me when I am grumpy to him, which in turn makes me smile, does all the planning when we go on mini vacays to places like Maine, and brings home white tulips to put in my Pottery Barn Pitcher. These are just a few reasons I love him very much. And speaking of white tulips, I snapped a few pictures of them to share with you. Oh, and a few of Joe and I!

Sun Kissed and Camping on Valcour Island!

Lake Placid Half Marathon

Jessie's Wedding

Another generous giveaway!!

2010-03-26T06:47:00.000-07:00

Maria from Dreamy Whites has posted a giveway!! Annette Tatum, author of The Well Dressed Home and interior designer, is giving away a gorgeous queen duvet worth $253, to one of Dreamy Whites' readers. All you have to do is go to Annette Tatum's Home Collection online catalog, choose the duvet you like most, and leave a comment on Maria's blog post. But wait, you can increase your chances of winning by becoming a follower of Dreamy Whites and leaving a separate comment that you are a follower, and again another comment if you decide to post about this giveaway on your blog. Make sure you leave three separate comments to be entered three times as she is using a random counter. Good Luck!!

Don't Miss Out on a Fabulous Giveaway!!

2010-03-22T17:36:00.000-07:00

Here is a great chance to win some goodies from Marley & Lockyer. She has a lovely blog and shop on Etsy. She is currently hosting a giveaway of two pillow covers of your choice and one set of three mini clay tags. Just go to her page, find her Etsy shop, comment on her page what two covers and set of tags you would like if you win, and it's easy as that. For more details to win and receive extra entries or to just check out her beautiful blog visit her here. Good Luck!!

Pretty Spring Colors & Things In My Home!

2010-03-22T12:23:00.000-07:00

I'm loving that Spring is here! It's time for more sunlight and beautiful colors! So to start Spring off, Joe and I painted our walk in area a gray color, which unfortunately looks blue at times, but anything is better than the last paint color. New paint job, means new decor. I have arranged things and rearranged, I'm sure you can all relate. And, I will most likely continue to rearrange until it's just right. I just purchased a beautiful vintage window pane, which I plan on painting the glass with Chalkboard Paint and hanging it on the wall. I also have another green shutter that may find a home in here as well, but not quite sure yet. Hopefully it will all come together. When it does, I will be sure to post some pictures so you can tell me what you think. Well, I'm off! Have a great rest of the day!!

Vintage Bells

Blue Vintage Seltzer Bottle

Delicious Easter/Spring Colors

More delicious colors

Loving!

2010-03-18T18:34:00.000-07:00

Images 1-8 Sundance Catalog Online

Images 9&10 Country Curtains

Images 11-13 Sturbridge Yankee Workshop

Joe's turn for Sunday dinner

2010-03-15T12:43:00.000-07:00

Good Monday everyone! So, typically I would be posting something that I cooked last night, but since Joe actually decided to cook this Sunday, instead of ordering out (we rotate who does dinner every Sunday), I figured I would post his meal. It was delicious as I'm sure you can tell from the following images. It was a sort of shrimp scampi, with a garlic, white wine, butter sauce, roasted grape tomatoes, and spinach tossed with pasta. The one problem I have with it is there are no left overs for lunch today. I don't have a recipe to share so if you would like a summary of how it was done, please comment, and I will do my best give you directions!

With a chunk of french bread for left over sauce dipping

because we definitly needed more carbs

Lets have an outdoor summer party!

2010-03-10T14:03:00.000-08:00

I have spring fever again today! Or shall I say summer fever! Looking forward to a warm and sunny summer with plenty of these...

All images from Country Living

Not my typical Tuesday night dinner

2010-03-09T16:56:00.000-08:00

My typical Tuesday night dinner would usually include a weight watchers meal (yuck), a veggie burger on a 1-point sandwich thin (not so bad, but repetitive), or something else boring and mediocre. Tonight however, was a different story. Not boring at all, actually. This more desirable and healthy meal was inspired by ingredients left over from Sunday dinner. These included chicken breast, arugula (left over from BLT pasta salad), and a half of lemon. When life hands you chicken, arugula, and lemons, make chicken cutlets over a bed of arugula, dressed with citrus vinaigrette, and quinoa with roasted balsamic asparagus (already had these on hand as well). Can you tell I didn't go to the gym tonight? Its amazing how much extra time it takes to go to the gym. Anyway...I invited Joe to eat dinner with me, as I always do, but he decided to stick with his typical boring Tuesday night dinner of microwaved frozen vegetable medley and cold turkey kielbasa. I told him he would be jealous, and of course he was. I did end up sharing, and I'm sure he will finish the leftovers. One thing I could KICK myself for is not paying attention to exactly how long I cooked the chicken cutlets. My chicken cooking abilities are sometimes fall below average because I am not fond of cutting into chicken and finding a pink center. This chicken however, was perfectly cooked, so moist and tender. I lightly sauteed it in extra virgin olive oil and finished it in the oven at 400 F, but only can estimate how long it cooked. (Recipes below)

Chicken Cutlets with Arugula and Citrus Vinaigrette

and again...

Quinoa with Roasted Balsamic Asparagus

Chicken Cutlet

Makes 2 Servings

1 boneless skinless chicken breast, pounded thin to about 1/4 inch

1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon of water

3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs with addition of salt and pepper

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 F. Drizzle olive oil into non-stick pan and heat over medium/high heat. Coat chicken egg wash and let the excess drip off and then coat in seasoned bread crumbs. Place chicken into the pan and cook for about 2 minutes on each side, allow enough time for chicken to become golden brown. Transfer chicken to an oven-safe dish or keep in pan if oven safe and place in oven for about 10 minutes or until no longer pink and juices run clear. (These are all estimates, as I wasn't really paying attention to time like I should have been) Remove chicken from oven and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Slice chicken and serve with Arugula dressed with Citrus Vinaigrette.

Citrus Vinaigrette

3 tablespoons EVOO

1 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon orange juice

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

salt and pepper to taste

To serve, drizzle desired amount of a bed of arugula. Place slice chicken cutlets over arugula and drizzle with more vinaigrette.

Quinoa with Roasted Balsamic Asparagus

Quinoa (you will have left overs)

3 cups water

1 1/2 cups dried quinoa

pinch of salt

Place water in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and then the quinoa. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Let cook for about 15-20 minutes or until water in completely absorbed and quinoa is tender.

Asparagus

1 bunch asparagus

EVOO

Balsamic Vinegar

salt and pepper

Chop tough end off the asparagus. Cut asparagus into bite size pieces and place in a roasted pan. Drizzle with olive oil and a generous amount of vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and roast until desired tenderness. Toss with or serve over quinoa.

Had I had other veggies, such as scallions and grape tomatoes (roasted grape tomatoes would be awesome), I would have added them to the quinoa. This would be delicious!

Thinking and Cooking Spring

2010-03-09T05:34:00.000-08:00

Sunday was such a gorgeous, 53 degree day! I really had spring fever so my dinner reflected that for sure. We broke out the grill for Cornell BBQ Chicken Skewers, made pasta salad, and a Berry cobbler with last summers frozen berries (all recipes below). What better way to dream spring and summer!

Cornell BBQ Chicken Skewers with Red and Pablano Peppers

BLT Pasta Salad

Buttermilk Wild-Berry Cobbler

Recipes:

This is the most amazing chicken BBQ marinade. It tastes best when you use bone in/skin on Chicken and then cook it over a wood or charcoal fire, but I used boneless chicken breast for the skewers.

Cornell BBQ Sauce

Developed by Robert C. Baker, Professor at Cornell University

1 cup cooking oil

1 pint cider vinegar
3 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 egg

Beat the egg, then add the oil and beat again. Add other ingredients and stir. The recipe can be varied to suit individual tastes. Marinate for no less than 2 hours, but up to 24 hours.

BLT Pasta Salad

Hay Day Country Market Cookbook

8 -10 ounces pasta, cooked, rinsed, and drained

1 pint cherry tomatoes, rinsed and cut in half

6 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

1 cup packed arugula leaves, rinsed and torn into bite size pieces

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

coarse salt and black pepper to taste

8 thick cut slices smoked bacon cooked in oven until very crisp

1. In a chilled bowl, combine pasta, tomatoes, arugula, and scallions.

2. Whisk oil, mustard, lemon juice and vinegar together in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss into pasta and vegetables. Crumble in the bacon, toss, and serve. Can be made a day ahead, but if you want crisper bacon, add just before serving.

Buttermilk Wild-Berry Cobbler

Hay Day Country Market Cookbook

Fruit

4 Cups mixed fresh (I used frozen picked from last summer) Berries: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries (or any combinations of these as long as you have 4 cups)

2/3 cup sugar

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Biscuit Topping

1 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

4 tablespoons sugar (1/2 tablespoon reserved for topping biscuits)

5 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. Prepare the fruit: Gently rinse and drain berries. (I used frozen berries, so I defrosted them before mixing) Hull and slice strawberries. In a mixing bowl, toss berries with sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Spoon into a 8-9 in. deep-dish pie plate or baking dish, and bake in the middle of the oven until juices begin to bubble around the edges, about 10 minutes. (My fruit was still cold so this took longer. I increased the heat until is started to bubble, and than turned it back down to 375 F).

3. Meanwhile, prepare topping: Stir and toss flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 3 1/2 tablespoons sugar in a mixing bowl. Work in the butter with a pastry blender or tines of a fork to form a coarse meal. Stir in buttermilk and toss gently with a fork until combined. Do not over work. The batter will be somewhat lumpy.

4. Remove berries from the oven and drop large spoonfuls of batter over the fruit, about 1/4 -1/2 inch apart. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 tablespoon of sugar, and bake until topping is nicely browned and puffed and cooked through, about 20-25 minutes. Cool on a rack and serve.

I served mine with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was delicious!!

Stylish Storage

2010-03-08T07:17:00.000-08:00

Metro Steel Shelving

Swedish Wood Shelving

Swedish Wood Utility Cart

Galvanized Storage Cube Table

Skandia Library

Skandia Garage

Heavy Metal Stacking Bins

Handled Newsprint Baskets

Galvanized Cube Bath Storage

Metro Commercial 3-Shelf Serving Cart

InterMetro Kitchen Shelves

Iron Folding Bookcase

Images 1-3 Williams-Sonoma

Images 4-10 The Container Store

Bargains

2010-03-04T11:20:00.000-08:00

Lately I have been finding really great deals on many different items. This latest item, a gigantic, 38x38 inch, solid wood framed mirror, is one I still can't believe. Just take a guess.....(answer below). Just for the heck of it, I googled "white wood framed mirror" and most were selling for around $400!!! I purchased it at a little flea market type store, but it's brand new! It was still wrapped in plastic with the hanging materials also still packaged. There is a bit of a defect on the back, but nothing that can't be fixed or dealt with. So the answer is $30.00!!!! Can you believe it???

Pretty Little Things!

2010-03-03T13:41:00.000-08:00

I thought I would share a few recent purchases that I am still crushing on!

Antique Round Wood Box

Vintage Chalk Board & Dundee Marmalade Jar

Vintage Green Wine Bottle

Antique Green Shutter & Wine Bottle

Vintage Green Canning Jar

Weekends, Julie & Julia, and Beef Bourguignon

2010-02-22T11:27:00.000-08:00

I cannot express to you my love for weekends. I wish everyday could be Friday night, Saturday, or Sunday. I suppose it would not seem so special in this case, but at any rate, I do really appreciate weekends.

Anyway, I started reading Julie & Julia, by Julie Powell this past Thursday evening. I watched the movie not too long ago with my Grandparents while I was home for Christmas. My Grandma actually bought the book for me. I don't often have time to sit down and read, but for a book where cooking and Julia Child are the main topic, I will make time. I have always loved Julia Child. We go way back to my childhood when her shows, along with the Frugal Gourmet aired frequently on PBS. I believe it was this along with mom and Grandma's help, that ingrained in me a love for cooking. I have been a cook at heart for quite sometime now, even if it was mud pies and rotted vegetables from my grandparents garden. I even had a few cooking shows like Julia's as well. My set included a a good size sand pile, a large vegetable garden, old pots and pans, and as for my oven, well, stacked wooden palates of course. My only audience consisted of the many maples trees that surround my grandparent's land. Being that I never enjoyed speaking to small or large crowds, the trees in my opinion were the best audience because they did not Judge or notice if made a mistake. To others, my cuisine may have looked like piles of mud, but to me, they were gourmet dishes that I had carefully selected ingredients for from the garden and sand pile. I then slaved for hours over my wood palate stove to make what if had been edible, would have melted in your mouth from the love and creativity I put in it. As I grew a little older, I started to write my own recipes. A few I recall were garden pea and leaf lettuce soup, which poor grandma had to slurp down many times convincing me that it was practically the best thing she had ever tasted, marshmallows coated in peanut butter and rolled in rainbow sprinkles, and lemon slices dipped in sugar. Yep, those were my recipes, lol. Thank God for mothers and grandmothers and bless their hearts for going along with their children's imaginations, even if it does mean choking down raw pea and leaf lettuce in canned chicken broth.

This post will come together at some point, I just don't really know when...I guess now would be a good time. I said before, that I started reading Julie & Julia on Thursday evening. The next day I made a pit stop at the local Big M to find whole beef tenderloin on sale for $4.99 lb. Unbelieveable! I thought for sure that it must have been a mistake, but nope it wasn't. In addition, the butcher will trim and cut the meat any way you wish. I purchased a whole tenderloin for $22.46. I know, crazy. The butcher sliced it in 1 inch steaks and also left a good size roast. This roast would soon become beef bourguignon, Julia Child's beef bourguignon. Coincidence? Yes. Well, this weekend, as a result of inspiration from reading Julie & Julia, beef tenderloin at an incredibly low price, my love for cooking, and precious time during the precious weekend, I made Julia Child's beef bourguignon . It was delish, very time consuming, but so worth it. I have always wanted to try this recipe, but who has money to buy beef tenderloin (you don't have to use tenderloin, but for the time spent cooking this, you might as well use high quality beef)? From this day on, beef bourguignon will hold a spot in my recipe box. All in all, from mud pies, to lettuce soup, to beef bourguignon, not one more important than the other, my love for food and cooking has continued to grow. I know I have said this before many times, but cooking is my therapy. Some need prozac, deep breathing, or stress balls, but I need to cook. Thanks Julia Child, Julie Powell, Grandma and Grandpa, Mom, and Maple Trees for allowing creativity, imagination, and persistence to flow.

Sauteed Mushroom before going into the stew

My makeshift dutch oven in which I wrapped foil tightly around the dish for braising

Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon served over toasted French Bread

YUM!

Recipe Here

There are a lot of steps in this recipe. I few of which I did not do. For example, I think I was supposed to take out the carrots and sliced onions, but I did not. I also forgot to buy pearl onions, another reason to keep the other onions in. Oh yeah and in the beginning it says to simmer the bacon before sauteeing. I did not do this. I just chopped the bacon and sautéed it immediately.

Glazed Lemon Bread

2010-02-20T09:28:00.000-08:00

I posted a few images and recipes not too long ago. There was however, one recipe I did not post. This was this Glazed Lemon Bread, which was delicious by the way. It was incredibly moist and lemony. I had a couple of people request the recipe, so here it is! Oh, and sorry it took so long!!

Glazed Lemon Bread
from Bon Appetit, Fast Easy Fresh

Makes 1 loaf

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups sugar divided

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel

1/2 cup whole milk

*for extra tartness in the bread add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to the batter and increase the lemon peel to 1 tablespoon (I did it this way b/c I love lemons)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly butter 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup of sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Mix in lemon peel and lemon juice (lemon juice is optional) . Beat in dry ingredients alternately with with milk in 3 additions each. Transfer batter to the prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar and lemon juice in a heavy small saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves.

Transfer pan to a rack. Pierce top of brad all over with wooden skewer. Gradually spoon lemon glaze over hot bread, adding more as glaze is absorbed. Cool Lemon bread completely in the pan on a rack.

To store, remove bread from pan and wrap loosely in foil and keep at room temperature.

Blueberry Sauce

(all measurements are just estimates of what I did)

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1/4-1/2 cup water

1/4-1/3 cup sugar (adjust to your taste)

Place all ingredients in a small sauce pan over low-medium heat. Blueberries will start to burst. Stir occasionally until it looks like a sauce. You can serve it warm, room temp., or cold over sliced lemon bread.

Enjoy!!

Sundance Catalog Lovelies!

2010-02-19T11:26:00.000-08:00

So this is another one of those "If only I could afford posts." The Sundance Website may have some of the most gorgeous home decor out there. Here are a few of my favorites!! Enjoy!

Life of the Party Trays

Provence Tablerunner

Lorraine Tablerunner

1934 Dining Chair

Cornwell clock

Archer Tall boy

Wethersby Consol

Rapid Transit Signage

Vintage Joni Mitchell Potrait

License Plate USA

Four Winds Throw

Bungalow Check Throw

Gearworks Table

Bethany Iron Bed

Suchitra Quilt

Wright's Peak Storage

Vintage Lockers

Wrights Peak storage

Draper's Cabinetry

Wrights Peak Wire Wall Storage with hooks

Beautiful, ehh?

Winter blues

2010-02-03T10:26:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I know once again, it has been a while. I have been in a blogging funk, or maybe just a funk in general. I think its about that time of year where the winter blues start to take affect. It seems that simple tasks are more tiring and take more effort. In the winter it is so easy to separate yourself from the rest of the world and hibernate. I was at a local coffee shop today just staring out the window imagining summer and walking out into a green, warm, and alive world. But instead, it is cold, quiet, and gray. I know I am being a complete pessimist right now. And this soon shall pass, but until then, I must continue to do the things that make me happy or remind me off the warm months that will soon follow. One of the most therapeutic remedies for me is cooking. When I cook, I feel like I can breathe. I have pondered why this is so therapeutic for me. I think its the whole process. It involves all your senses of sight, touch, smell, taste, and hearing. The sight of many colors, the sound of a simmering pot,tossing vegetables into a pan, smelling the aroma of spices blending together, and finally tasting the finished product, and the sound of pleased taste buds from the ones you are sharing with. For some of you, this may sound like a nightmare because I know many people who do not find cooking therapeutic in the least. I want to share with you a few recipes and images of a meal that I made last week when I almost allowed winter to win. In that case I would have probably sat in bed all day sulking and watching the Foodnetwork and HGTV. The menu was Roasted poblano peppers stuffed with chicken, bacon, cream cheese, etc., blackbeans, spanish rice and glazed lemon bread with blueberry sauce. I did not follow any recipes for the first three so I will just tell you what I used and "about" how much. If the recipes are unclear, please feel free to comment me with a question. If you would like the Glazed lemon bread with blueberry sauce recipe just let me know and I will post it. I hope you try these, especially the black beans because they are so simple and delish!!!

Roasted Stuffed Poblano Peppers

4 Poblano Peppers

1 purchased rotisserie chicken (already cooked or you can roast your own)

6 ounces of neufchatel cheese (1/3 less fat cream cheese)

1/2 C diced red onion

1/2 C red bell pepper

3-4 slices of chopped crisp cooked bacon

Fresh chopped cilantro to taste

1 1/2 C shredded Monterey jack cheese

olive oil

salt

pepper

*The next time I make this, I will add about 1/4 C to 1/2 C of sour cream to the mixture, but it is optional.

Turn oven on broil. Place peppers on a baking pan that is broiler safe. Place the peppers in the oven and let the skins blister and turn black. You will need to rotate them to let all sides get black. When they are finished put foil over the pan and let the peppers steam. This will make removing the skins easier.

While the peppers are roasting, chop onions, red bell peppers and sauté in oil with salt and pepper until they are soft. Chop Chicken, cooked bacon, and cilantro. Combine cooked onions, bell peppers, diced chicken, bacon, cilantro, 1/2 C Monterey jack cheese, and cream cheese (and sour cream if you wish). Taste and add salt and pepper if you wish.

By now the peppers should be ready to skin. Be careful when removing the skin as to not tear the peppers. Once peeled, make a slit from top to bottom and carefully remove the stem and seeds. Divide the chicken mixture among the peppers and top with cheese. Place back in the broiler and let the cheese brown on top.

Doctored Up Black beans (These are a "must try")

1 Can Goya black beans with liquid

3/4 C water

1/2 C red onion

1/2 C red or green bell pepper

1/2 C tomato salsa

2 chicken boullion cubes

1/4 C fresh chopped cilantro

2-3 Tbs White wine vinegar

Saute onions and peppers until soft. Place all ingredients in a pot and let simmer for 10 to 15 mins.

Spanish Rice

*any of these amounts can be adjusted according to your taste

About 4 to 6 servings of cooked white rice

One small can tomato sauce

1 Can green chilis

1/2 C red onion

1 Tb. bacon fat (left over from bacon for stuffed peppers)

1 Tb. olive oil

fresh cilantro to taste

salt to taste

Heat bacon fat and olive oil in a pan and add diced red onion. Once the onions are soft, add the tomato sauce and chilis. Add salt to taste and remove from heat.Combine sauce and rice and add fresh cilantro.

Beautiful Lighting

2010-01-27T05:59:00.000-08:00

If you haven't noticed by now, I'm slightly in love with the Pottery Barn. I wanted to post some of the beautiful lighting they offer. First, I have shown you a close up of the pendant or chandelier and then in a room. I would take any of these, but I think the first two are my favorite!

Sauerkraut Pierogies

2010-01-18T13:03:00.000-08:00

I have been really craving sauerkraut pierogies for a while now, and finally filled the void today! Pierogies are a dish I was brought up on and really brings me back to being a little kid again. They are for sure one of my top 5 favs. Although, my first experiences with pierogies were that of disgust. I suppose I was scared to try the sauerkraut. So, until I tried sauerkraut and realized it would probably be one of my favorite foods forever, my family would just boil and pan fry rounds of pierogi dough and then I would dip them in vinegar. Hmmm...I liked vinegar, but not saurkraut. Pierogies were always a special treat because as you know if you have ever made them, they are very much a process and very time consuming, but sooo worth it. My Grandma and I came up with a recipe that has similar flavors, but is easier to make when we don't have time or feel like making the real thing. We boil egg noodles, and mix in saurkraut that has been sauteed with a bit of bacon fat, salt, pepper, and probably some butter. Oh this is so good and so simple. Today, however, I did have time to make the real thing. I am not a pro at making pierogies, but they still taste good. Hopefully over time I will improve my skills.

Sauerkraut Pierogies

Ingredients

Dough #1

2 C. flour

3/4 C. warm water

1 egg

1 T. vegetable oil

1/2 tsp. salt

Dough #2

2 C flour

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. salt

8 T. cold water

Sauerkraut (drained and squeezed of liquid)

butter and olive oil for pan frying

salt & pepper to taste

diced onions (optional)

garlic (optional)

sour cream (option)

Okay so, dough #1 is the recipe I have used the past two times I have made pierogies. I think maybe the warm water makes the dough easier to work with. However, this time, the dough seemed a little too moist, in which I had to use a lot of flour when rolling out the dough. The second recipe is my Grandmas recipe. I think I will try this one again the next time I make pierogies. Either one will work.

Directions

Mix flour and salt in a bowl and make a well in the center. In another small bowl lightly beat egg and water. Add egg and water to the flour mixture and gently toss with a fork until combined. Knead the dough a few times and let rest for a few minutes. Lightly flour surface that you will be rolling out dough on. Roll out dough with a floured rolling pin. Cut out circles and fill with about a teaspoon to a tablespoon of sauerkraut (depends on how big your circles are). Fold the dough over and use a fork to seal. Sometimes I flip dumpling over and press with fork on the other side. If the dough it too dry or too moist it can be difficult to seal. In this case you can use your fingers to try and seal them, dip fork in water if too dry, or dip fork in flour if too wet. They may not look pretty, but they will still taste good.

Place pierogies in a large pot of salted boiling water for about 5-6 minutes. Heat a large sauté pan and add some olive oil and butter. Add the pierogies and sprinkle them with salt,pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. If you are using raw onions and garlic, cook for a little bit before adding the pierogies. They are ready to eat when golden brown. Serve with sour cream if you wish. Enjoy!!

Mochaccino Brownie Wedges

2010-01-17T14:53:00.000-08:00

I have been on a mini baking hiatus because I am trying to lose a few pounds. This is so hard for me because I love to cook and bake, and making healthy baked goods just doesn't sound as fun. I finally gave in today. My friends and Co-workers usually get lucky when this happens because they reap the benefits of my need to bake. This was a very simple, one mixing bowl recipe, but even better, I was able to make the entire recipe without having to go to the grocery store. So, Mochaccino Brownie Wedges from the Hay Day Country Market Cookbook, it was.

Mochaccino Brownie Wegdes

from Hay Day Country Market

About 3 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

generous 1/2 C. blanched hazelnuts (I did a mix of walnuts and hazelnuts)

8 Tbs. (1 stick) Unsalted Butter

4 ounces (2/3 C.) Semisweet chocolate coarsley chopped (I used Semisweet Chocolate chips)

2 Tbs. finely ground dark roast coffee (I had whole bean and used my magic bullet to grind it very fine)

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

3/4 C. sugar

3/4 C. unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly butter 8-inch square baking pan, and dust it with cocoa powder ( This is one ingredient I did not have, so I lined the pan with parchment paper and then buttered it).

Scatter hazelnuts in a small baking pan and toast them for about 5 minutes. Remove the nuts from the oven. Coarsely chop them and set them to the side.

Melt butter and chocolate in a small heavy bottom saucepan over low heat. Add coffee, cinnamon, and vanilla and stir until smooth and combined. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring briskly after each addition. Stir until mixture is thick and shiny. Then stir in the flour, salt, and all but 2 Tbs. of the nuts.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread out evenly. Sprinkle reserved 2 Tbs. of nuts, pressing them slightly into the batter. Bake in the middle of the oven until the brownies are firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan. Cut into four squares. Then cut each square into four bite size triangular brownies.

25 Randoms

2010-01-15T07:46:00.000-08:00

I was tagged to do this "25 Random facts" about me a while back on facebook! It was a lot of fun! It's nice to sit down and reflect on your thoughts, values, and things of importance, etc. Hope you enjoy!

Rules:
Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

(To do this, go to "notes" under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)

1. I believe home is where the heart is, and still love the feeling I get when I see the weedsport exit!

2. Its too bad you dont realize the importance of family when growing up, now I realize, never take it for granted, and cherish every moment. Life is short!

3. I love the ADK's and dont have to go far to feel like I'm on vacation!

4. I love my alone time, even if it's closing the bedroom door and reading a good magazine.

5. I love the kids I work with and sometimes feel like I am a parent to 12 teenagers. It can be very bittersweet.

6. I believe my true calling is to someday own a cozy coffeeshop/cafe/vegetable stand/stay at home mommy, haha who knows...

7. I love to create things. I watch how its done, and then have to do it myself from then on...

8. I am a thinker and a dreamer and often live in "la la land".

9. I second guess myself too much

10. I love going to Wegmans with my mom when Im home. If you didnt grow up with a Wegmans you wouldnt understand.

11. My favorite place in the world is my grandparents home. I walk around and immediatley am brought back to days of playing pirates, bird watching, hobo lunches, and homemade movie theatres. I was lucky to have room to grow as the peace pilgrim would put it, "I wish that every child could have growing space b/c I think children are like little plants. If they grow too close together they become thin and sickly and never obtain maximum growth. We need room to grow."

12. I have a hard time speaking my mind. It all makes sense in my head, but not when it comes out of my mouth.

13. My mom is my hero, seeing what she came from, who she is now, and what she has taught me, all shows me that you make your life what you want and cant depend on others to do it for you. If you want to better yourself, than do it!!

14. I have a very naughty orange cat. His name is Reggie Alouicious Heath. He is currently sitting on my lap mixing bread in my leg and it really hurts! He also would rather drink water from a glass than his own bowl.

15. I am the luckiest girl in the world b/c I have the most amazing boyfriend. He is patient, respectful, and silly. I dont have to change myself one bit for him to love me. The "one" is someone who not changes your personality, but compliments it, and that is truly who he is.
He is my best friend!

16. I am addicted to running, and would be distraught if I could never do it again.

17. I have the 2 coolest nephews in the world.

18. I miss 74 court!

19. Im very lucky to have been brought up with values and a belief in God. Its hard to explain, but when you truly believe, you can feel his presence. You always have someone to talk to or ask for help.

20. I have very little drama in my life and would like to keep it that way. However, I am sometimes amused by others drama.

21. I am not good at hiding my feelings. Usually the way I feel appears directly on my face and it is sometimes unintentional.

22. I am not good at keeping in touch, but love the fact that when you have true friends, you can pick up right where you left off like you never skipped a beat.

23. I enjoy the simple life. My favorite summer day, is waking up, drinking french pressed coffee, riding my bike to the farmers market, taking a short ride to the lake, laying in the sun or planting flowers, making a yummy dinner and sitting outside in the backyard with friends after dark!

24. Even though there is no chance of owning my own house anytime soon, I often purchase stuff for it knowing exactly in my mind what it will look like. Then it just sits around my tiny apt.collecting dust with no place to go, while I hope it does not get broken.

25. When I have kids I will tell them what to expect or should I say what not to expect during their twenties. I think others would agree that our parents failed to tell us that life is not going to just fall into place. Maybe they did, and we didnt listen.

To date- (Re: #25 They told us, we just didnt listen)

More Beauty from CAR-Moebel

2010-01-13T08:34:00.000-08:00