Crab Boil

Micah and I

decided to

take a...

spur-of-the-moment

vacation to

Bellingham

to hang-out with

family.

And 

last night

we had an

amazing

Crab dinner...

We drove

to the bay

to purchase

the crabs...

walking along

discarded

oyster shells..

picking out

our Crabs

that were

soon-to-be

devoured...

preparing them

to be boiled...

boiling them...

and enjoying

them...

Unaccustomed Earth

If you are looking for a good book to read...

then look no further.

This book is wonderful!

A collection of short stories all surrounded around Indian families who have

arrived in America to start new lives, and who encounter the struggles of raising

their children in a culture that is not their own.

Go out and read it now!

Tablescape

This is so

beautiful.

Makes me

want to

throw a

party

just so

I can

decorate

like this.

Found via:

Ruffled 


Posted 1 Year Ago: "1930's and a Circus"

Shrimp Lo Mein

I saw this

recipe

on one

of my

favorite

food blogs...

The Perfect Pantry

and I

had to

try it.

Shrimp Lo Mein

1 lb Pad Thai Noodles

2 tbsp peanut oil

4 scallions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/4 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 Cantonese Sauce (3 parts soy sauce, 2 parts oyster sauce, 1 part sesame oil)

1 cup broccoli florets

3/4 lb shrimp

1. Bring water to a boil in a stock pot; pad thai noodles according to package directions. Do not cook all the way through; the noodles will finish cooking in the sauce. Drain, but do not rinse, and reserve the cooking water.

2. In a large wok or frying pan, heat the oil. Add the scallions and stir fry for 1 minute. Add the garlic, broccoli, and mushrooms, and stir for 1 minute. 

3. Add the Cantonese 3-2-1, plus 1-2 tablespoons of the reserved cooking water, then add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes, until they just begin to turn pink and curl. 

4. Add the cooked noodles and stir thoroughly and constantly for 2-3 minutes, turning the noodles over and over, until the ingredients are combined and the sauce is absorbed into the noodles. If needed, add more soy sauce and oyster sauce, to taste. Serve hot or at room temperature.

It was

delicious!

Posted 1 Year Ago: "Found some more..." 

Spring Lookbook by {twin set}

I introduced

you to

{twin set}

last year.

I love

their site...

and they

have

just released

their new

spring lookbook!

These 

are my 

favorites.
 

Fey Handmade

Check out this

beautiful 

site.

Fey Handmade

They have

so many

beautiful

handmade

things.

They have

house-ware...

and art...

and photography...

and dinner-ware...

and vases...

and jewelry...

It is

such a

wonderful

site.

And a

wonderful

blog!


Posted 1 Year Ago: "Ginger Chicken and Bok Choy"

Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes

Well,

I guess

today

officially

starts my

catch-up

on what

I have been

up to

this past

week.

Even though

my blog

was down

for a

few days...

I was still

able to find

(and cook)

some

amazing

things!

Like these

delicious...

Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes

The recipe

is from

my all-time

favorite

cupcake blogger...

Love & Olive Oil

Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes

1 cup coconut milk

1 tbsp instant espresso (or coffee) powder - you can use Starbucks Via!

1/3 cup canola oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Frosting:

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2 cups powder sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/8 tsp salt

3 tablespoons coffee (not the powder, the real stuff)

1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. On your stove top (or in a microwave) heat the coconut milk (so it is hot but not boiling) then add the instant espresso powder. Whisk in the sugar, canola oil, and vanilla.

3. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and powder, and salt. Add the wet ingredients and beat until no lumps remain.

4. Pour into liners (they will rise, so make sure not to fill the liners too full. About 1/4 cup will do).

5. Bake for approximately 20 minutes.

For the frosting, cream the butter, sugar, and cocoa together slowly. Add the coffee and the vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.

 

I also made

mini mocha 

cupcakes.

I hope

everyone

who was

able to

have one

enjoyed 

it!

We are back!!!!!

Thanks

to my

wonderful

bro-in-law

Jeremy...

my blog

has been

saved!!!

So because

I am

so happy...

I leave you

with this

picture

that I

adore.

It reminds
me of...

Little Red Riding Hood,
The Wizard of Oz.
and
Alice in Wonderlad
(all combined together).

Found via: Audrey Hepburn Complex

Pink

I am...

LOVING

pink

nail polish.

via:

We Heart It

Posted 1 Year Ago: "Summertime Cherries"

Camping Beauty

Camping season

is quickly

approaching...

and

Micah & I

LOVE

to camp!

Speaking of

love...

I would

love

to go

camping

in this!

I found

this beauty

on 

Ruffled.

Ruffled

is one of

my newly

favorite

blogs.

Posted 1 Year Ago: "Polaroid'

Scarfu

I found

another

wonderful

(and budget friendly)

clothing site!

Scarfu

Here are

a few

of my

favorites...

Posted 1 Year Ago: "Warming Up"

Cupcake Kits

If you

know me,

then you

know that

I love

making

cupcakes.

Especially making

cupcakes

for celebrations!

And these...

would be

so fun!

I found 

them at...

Plates and Napkins


Posted 1 Year Ago: "Before & After"

Nest Pretty Things

I found

another

beautiful

jewelry

creator!

 

  

  

 

Nest Pretty 

Things...

is full of

so many

beautiful

things!

You must go

check it

out.

Posted 1 Year Ago: "Hardcover"

 

Free People

Oh how

I wish

I could

actually

afford

 to by...

Free People

Clothing

 

  

  

  

I love

there new

March

catalog!

Remodel

Micah and I

are in the

middle of

reflooring

our home.

So while

we are

reflooring...

I have been

dreaming of 

remodeling

our bathroom.

 

This bathroom

would be

absolutely

ideal.

It even

has a

small

fireplace!

I found

this picture

on the

wonderful blog:

The City Sage

Posted 1 Year Ago: "Costume Lovers Beware"

Paper Flower Girl

Aren't these

the most

wonderful

earrings.

 

They are

by...

Paper Flower Girl

Paella

I get the

William's Sanoma

catalogue

in the mail.

And they

usually have

quite a few

 recipes

tucked away

within the

pages.

Here is one

that I

made for

dinner

tonight.

And it

was so

tasty!

 

Paella

 

Ingredients:

1 rounded cup dried large white beans
1/2 cup olive oil
1 chicken about 3 lb., cut into 8 serving pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. saffron threads, crushed
4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed, blanched for 3 to 5 minutes and drained
2 fresh rosemary sprigs, tough stems discarded, leaves chopped
2 1/2 cups rice
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Lemon wedges for garnish

Directions:

Place the white beans in a large bowl, cover with water and refrigerate overnight. Drain the beans and place in a saucepan with water to cover by about 3 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer and cook until the beans are tender, about 1 hour. Remove the beans from the heat, drain and set aside.

In a paella pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Season the chicken or rabbit with salt and pepper and add to the hot oil. Brown well on all sides, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.

Add the onion, garlic, saffron and tomatoes to the hot pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, 6 to 8 minutes.

Return the chicken or rabbit to the pan, add the stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the white and green beans, rosemary and rice and stir to mix. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, without stirring, until the rice is nearly tender, about 20 minutes. Tuck the shrimp into the rice during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Let the paella stand, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes so the rice absorbs all the liquid. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve immediately.

Serves 6 to 8.

 

 

 

 

Posted 1 Year Ago: "Orange Blackberry Muffins"

Quick Chicken & Cheese Tamales

These are

super quick

super easy

and super tasty!

 

Quick Chicken-and-Cheese Tamales

Adapted from Food & Wine Magazine

2 cups masa harina

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 1/4 cup cool water

1/2 cup vegetable shortening (3 oz)

1/2 cup chicken stock

3 1/2 cups shredded chicken

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 scallions, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. In a large bowl, mix the masa harina with the baking powder and salt. Add the water and mix. Add the vegetable shortening in clumps and drizzle with the chicken stock. Mix (with you hand is best) until smooth and evenly blended.

2. Mix into the masa mix the chicken, cheese, cilantro and scallions.

3. Tear sheets of plastic wrap apart. Spoon a scant 1/2 cup of the tamale mix into the center of each sheet. Press tamales into a 4-by-2 inch rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. Fold up the plastic wrap around each individual tamale.  

4. Arrange the tamales seam side down in the bottom of a large steamer pot. Steam over 2 inches of boiling water for 25 minutes. 

   

Posted 1 Year Ago: "French Onion Soup"

Chanel Tattoos

What do you

think of the 

fake tattoos

that were

all over the 

Chanel 

runway?

 

I think 

they are

so fun!

Image Via: Garance Dore

Posted 1 Year Ago: "Fairy Tales and Nursery Rhymes"

Aviator Hat

Super Cute
Hat

How fun
would this be
to wear
around!

via:
Garance Dore


Posted 1 Year Ago: "Good Morning"

Milly

Check out

the

shoes!

 

The outfit

is so

cute...

but

the shoes

are my

favorite

part.

Created by:

Milly

Grace Kelly

This
is so
fun!

And I
just love
Grace Kelly.


Found via:
Audrey Hepburn Complex


Posted 1 Year Ago: "Hints of Spring and Soup"

Shakespeare Retold

Have you

seen the

BBC

mini-series...

Shakespeare Retold

It is

so

good!

 

  

  

  

 

Classic

Shakespear

set into

modern

day.

Macbeth

was my

favorite!


Posted 1 Year Ago: "Charade"