Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Two for Tuesday!

just found out I have an item up for vote on etsy for best use of color or color combination!



pop over and cast your vote for your favorite!
Tasteful Tuesday returns....

in time for all of your 4th of July picnic celebrations I thought I would share one of our favorite and not quite traditional picnic salads! This has gotten quite a few thumbs up from family & friends!

This is taken from Moosewood Restaurant Lowfat Favorites.


Moosewood is a famous vegetarian restaurant in Ithaca, NY and this cookbook would be a great addition to any cookbook collection! I have changed the recipe from the cookbook version to fit with my families tastes but will note the alternate additions the author suggests.

Sushi Rice Salad serves 4-6 as a main course
(The way I make it I like to call it a deconstructed california roll! I double this recipe and it will serve 20 as a side salad.)

1C brown rice
1 3/4C water

SAUCE
1/3C rice vinegar
2T sugar
1t salt
2t fresh grated ginger root

1 large cucumber peeled, seeded, diced
1 ripe avocado (not too mushy) peeled & diced
1/2 package surimi (imitation crab meat)roughly chopped
1-2t wasabi powder dissolved in an equal amount of cold water
1 sheet nori seaweed
1T black or brown seasame seeds


Combine rice and water in saucepan, bring to boil. Stir, cover, reduce heat and cook until rice is tender 40-45 min (or cook rice in your rice cooker)

Combine sauce ingredients in seperate small saucepan, simmer 5 min, remove from heat.

In serving bowl combine vegetables, surimi and sauce. Mix in wasabi paste. Add cooked rice, mix well. Toast the sheet of nori by baking for a 1+ minute at 300 degrees, then crumble on top of rice mixture. Toast seasame seeds and sprinkle on top for garnish.

Note - you may also add blanched vegetables such as diced carrot or red pepper. May be served on a bed of greens if serving as a main course salad. may garnish with slices of pickled ginger also.

Much easier than trying to roll your own sushi with a bamboo mat - believe me we have tried! But still offers the mix of tastes and textured that you get in a california roll.

Enjoy!

Monday, June 29, 2009

Fun finds on etsy!

I just signed onto etsy and spotted these fabulous earrings on the front page!



so I thought I might share a few other etsy favs of mine!

enjoy!

I loved the colors in this dress as well as the style details



I swoon when I stop by this shop and see all of the delicious enameled goodies such as this bracelet set...



or what about these fun tapas plates



and I would just LOVE to see this necklace in person!



so...what are some of your favorites on etsy?...while you are over there be sure to pop in and see some of my new goodies posted this weekend!

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Sharing some Eye Candy~~

I am finally getting around to posting my photos from my trip to Jennifer Paganelli's house and her amazing Sis Boom Sale!

arriving at her front door....

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On her front porch was the most amazing art from folk artist Barbara Strawser. I have always loved the folk art style but have been less than enthusiastic about the colors in the paintings until I saw Barbaras art....I would love to hang her art in every room of my house! Her colors are divine...images soft and beautiful...


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fantastic!

Then.....countless goodies inside Jennifer's...head to my flickr account if you want to see them all but I will share a few of the highlights here!


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LOVE her banners made with vintage wallpaper, glitter letters and fabulous trim!

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a sneak peek into her studio!!! shear heaven!! vintage papers, trim, glitter, goodies everywhere you looked!

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the biggest vat of glitter I have ever seen!

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it was such a treat to be able to see all of this creativity & loveliness in person! Jennifer made everyone feel welcome, I had the opportunity to meet some of her other creative friends...Nancy Geany of Dark Horse Farms Design and Danielle from The Vintage Dragonfly. I truly hope to get back there again soon!

Thank you Jennifer!

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Monday, June 15, 2009

Catching my breath.........

it has been a whirlwind since my last post - I headed for Boston last Wed. for a one night show with Mommies Who Shop then down to Connecticut on Thurdsday to catch up with Jennifer Paganelli at her home for the Sis Boom show...885 miles later I pulled into the driveway late Thursday to be swept up into mommy duties Friday then out of town again for the weekend!

This morning I am dashing off again on a school fieldtrip but wanted to share some of the one-of-a-kind goodies that I have just listed in my etsy shop...

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these are all ready to ship - perfect for all of your summer parties! If you purchase something mention that you read my blog in the note to seller and I will refund your shipping!

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Soups On for Tasty Tuesday!

In the spirit of spring and fresh crops of rhubarb popping up everywhere I am sharing a favorite spring recipe of mine for Parsnip, Rhubarb & Ginger Soup!

This recipe is taken from New Covent Garden Soup Company's Soup & Beyond Cookbook




We picked this book up on a trip to London about 10 years ago and it remains one of my favorite cookbooks! This recipe was the creation of a retired tropical agriculturalist from England - Robert Austin. It was the winner in the 1998 "Create a Soup Contest" in the Daily Telegraph. One of the judges declared "Rhubarb and ginger is a classic combination in cooking, but blending this with parsnips to make a savoury soup is ingenious. The rhubarb really cuts through the sweetness of the parsnips and the result is both unusual and delicious!"



Serves 4 Prep Time ~ about 30 minutes

2oz butter
1 lb parsnips - peeled & roughly chopped
8oz rhubarb - washed and sliced
1 medium onion - finely sliced
2tsp fresh grated ginger
1T flour
1.5 pints chicken stock
2t. brown sugar
salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter & cook the parsnips, rhubarb, onion & ginger for 5 minutes in covered saucepan without coloring,

Add flour - stir well

Add stock & sugar - taste for seasoning - bring to boil stirring constantly

lower heat & simmer about 15min until vegetables are tender

cool a bit then puree in a blender until very smooth

adjust seasoning, reheat & garnish with chopped parsley

Smacznego!

Thursday, June 04, 2009

Well...I tried Tasty Tuesday, how about Thoughtful Thursday!

I found a great quote by Winston Churchill on Imagination that I thought I would share today...

"You create your own universe as you go along. The stronger your imagination, the more variegated your universe. When you leave off dreaming, the universe ceases to exist."

— Winston Churchill


how strong is your imagination??

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Quilt Market Part II...........

One of my favorite booths was Indygo Junction. We stopped by Saturday morning so Myrinda had to show off her dress she had made with their pattern and Anna Maria Horner's fabric...

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isn't it fab! I can't wait to make one for myself ;)

we thought Eileen looked great in this coat & had her model for the camera!

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adorable yo-yo pincushions!

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I also go to meet some wonderful new fabric designers....BariJ for Windham..her collection is gorgeous - full of soft colors, and gorgeous florals and her quilt was a true work of art....the border was amazing!

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Over at Michael Miller I had the pleasure of meeting Paula Prass and Laura Gunn. Paula was there showing her second collection adn Laura was there with her debut collection. Both full of color and beautiful patterns. Laura's have a very unique style as they have been reproduced from her oil paintings showing lots of texture and depth to the prints.

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Paula Prass's new Collection

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Laura Gunn's collection and the paintings that inspired it all!


.............to be continued!

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

It's Time for Tasty Tuesday!

I am trying to find some direction & focus for my blog and thought I might try adding a Tasty Tuesday post! Sharing a favorite meal, wine, dessert, beer...you name it! Anything tasty!

Last night we had a delicious dinner that was a hit all around so I thought I would share the recipe.

For the main course I altered a favorite shrimp dish to make it with chicken. Taken from one of my favorite cookbooks - Rao's Cookbook

I am pleased to present my spin on Chicken French!

3 whole(2-part) chicken breasts - pound thin
1.5 C flour
seasoned egg batter (see below)
1/2 - 1C veg oil
1C dry white wine
juice 1.5 lemons
salt & pepper to taste
6T butter
3T chopped parsley

*****seasoned egg batter ****
4 large eggs, 1/4C pecorino romano cheese, 2t parsley, slat & pepper to taste
in a small bowl whisk eggs, cheese, parsley, salt& pepper


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Directions

1. dredge each pounded chicken breast in flour then in seasoned egg batter. allow excess batter to drip off then dredge in flour again - set aside.

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2. Heat oil in large pan over medium high heat. When oil is hot place chicken in single layer (repeat if necessary)brown each side until chicken reaches internal temp of 165

3. After last batch of chicken has cooked and is still in pan drain excess oil

4. return pan to heat, add wine, lemon juice, salt & pepper bring to boil and add 2T butter - remove chicken to platter - raise heat and whisk in remaining butter. When sauce has thickened pour over chicken garnish with parsley and serve.

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we served this with pasta tossed with a dash of olive oil, fresh tomato, fresh basil & herbed feta.

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We served this with a nicely chilled glass of Tisdale Chardonnay - one of my favorite whites for summer - an unoaked chardonnay that is light and fruity for summer drinking.

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Smacznego!