Monday, May 31, 2010

Lovely Breakfast


I am
back from
Idaho...

and like
always
I am up
early
enjoying the
morning
and
taking
care of
Silas.

He grew
so big
in just
1 week!


And
as I
begin
to think
about
what to
have for
breakfast...

I am
dreaming of
having it
here...



How lovely
would it be
to have
breakfast
here.

via: Pia

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Sabrina


Isn't this
vintage
poster
just
lovely!


It makes
me want
to watch
Sabrina
all over
again.


Posted 1 Year Ago: "LaLah"

Monday, May 24, 2010

Sunday, May 23, 2010

I'll be in Idaho...


I am
heading
off to
Idaho
for the
week
for a
teaching
opportunity.

I will
try to
continue
with my
regular
posting...

pending
internet
availability.

But this
morning
I will
leave you
with a
picture
of the
last party
I threw.




We planned 
to host 
a outdoor 
bbq...

but the
weather
went
south.

So we
brought
the outside,
inside!
I just
added some
freshly
potted
herbs
as a
centerepice
and voila!

So simple.

And we
dinned on...

and 

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Gingered Pear Muffins


Good Morning
and
Happy Saturday!

I woke up
early
today
so that
I could
make
yummy
Gingered Pear
Muffins...


These
muffins
are full of
spice
and not
super sweet...

which is
nice
when you
are not in
the mood
for a
super sweet
breakfast.



Gingered Pear Muffins
Adapted from: goodLife {eats}

3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup ground almonds
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups grated fresh pear, drained of excess water

Streusal Topping 
1/8  cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
5 Tbs cold unsalted butter, sliced
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons ground almonds
 
 
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2. In a small bowl, combine the streusel ingredients until crumbly.  Set aside.

3. In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, almonds, cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom. Set aside. 
 
4. Using a mixer, beat together the sugars and butter sugar until creamy, about 3 minutes.

5. Add the eggs, vanilla extract , and almond extract to the butter mixture, beating to combine. Stir in half of the flour mixture followed by half of the grated pear, and repeat.

6. Line muffin cups with paper liners. Divide batter evenly among cups. Sprinkle the tops of the batter with the streusal mixture.
 
7. Bake until muffins are golden brown, about 20 to 30 minutes. Enjoy!



Here again
is a
wrap-up
of lovely
things
that I
have
found
this week.

I am loving this rain wall-paper.

Beautiful Spring photography by Rocky Top Studio.

I now want to go to Shanghai.

The Impossibly cool Christopher Walken.

45 things to do with fresh sage.


Friday, May 21, 2010

Living in Pride & Prejudice


Every now
and then
posts about
what it would
be like
to live in
the scenery
of a movie.

And the
other day
they
featured...











Posted 1 Year Ago: "Chicken Chili Tacos"

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Ice Cream Parlor


Oh my
goodness!!!

These look
amazing...

Neapolitan

 Mint Chocolate Chip

 Orange Cream


I just
wish
there was
a holiday
for presents
in the 
summer.

simply
wonderful.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Coriander Girl


I want to
shop at...




What a
wonderful
shop idea!

It would be
so fun
to open
a shop
like this
where I
live.

Posted 1 Year Ago: "Wisteria"

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Tuscan Eggs on Toast



I woke up
at 6am
this morning.
I usually
wake up
that early
and casually
sit around
and sip
my coffee.

But this
morning
I was
ravishingly
hungry.

So I
made this!



Tuscan Eggs on Toast
Adapted from Martha Stewart

5 large eggs
1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 dried oregano
1 (24oz) can whole tomatoes
1/2 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper (to taste)
6 slices toasted bread

1. Separate the eggs. Make sure not to break the yolks!

2. In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes without browning the garlic.
 
3. Raise heat to medium-high, then add the tomatoes (with its juice). Break up the tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and become less watery.

4. Lower the heat to medium-low and stir in the egg whites. Cook until the whites have been all cooked and are not clear.

5. Turn to low heat, make 5 small wells in the egg mixture. Then drop each egg yolk into the wells. Cover the skillet and cook until the yolks are at your desired texture.

6. Serve over toasted, buttered bread.

7. Delicious!



On another
note...

Look
how big
Silas is
getting!!!

 


Posted 1 Year Ago: "Not a ring person"

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Micah....


Micah...


Created by:
Vol 25


On another
note...

Here
is a
weeks
wrap-up
of some
lovely
things
I found
while
browsing
the web
this week.

Enjoy!

A cute little friend coming to visit Pia.

Track Pants that actually look beautiful.

House Crashing done right.

What a lovely breakfast.

My worst fear.

Realizing how awesome Diane Kruger is.

Inkadinkadoodle.

Wish I could vintage shop like this.

Loving Carrie's hair and outfit.

Dreaming of this Veranda Stripe Skirt from Leifsdottir.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

First for Silas


 Silas,
being a
Newfoundland...

is a
water
dog.

Which
was the
reason
we had to
get him
to the
lake
as soon as
possible.








Eventhough
it was
super cold...

we had
fun!

Monday, May 10, 2010

Emmentaler Peppered Turkey Panini


I think
I found
my new
favorite
cheese...

for hot
Panini
Sandwiches!

It is
Emmentaler
Swiss Cheese
and it is
delicious.



Emmentaler Peppered Turkey Panini

2 slices bread (I use flax bread, but any country style bread would be good too)
olive oil for brushing
mayonnaise
sliced peppered turkey breast (from your local deli)
slice of Emmentaler cheese (I found mine at the local grocery in the specialty cheese section)
leaf of Romain lettuce or Arugula

1. Brush one side of the bread slices with olive oil. Lay that side on the panini press.

2. Then layer your sandwich with mayonnaise, turkey, cheese, and lettuce. Top with other slice of oiled bread.

3. Press and then eat! 

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Mother's Day



Happy Mother's Day!



I just
love
looking
at old
pictures
of when
my mom
was young.

My mom
is the
girl
on the
right.

I love you
mom...

Happy Mother's Day.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Friday, May 7, 2010

Toasted Coconut Cupcakes


Remember
when I
bought
this

Well,
I finally
made
another
batch of
cupcakes
from it!




Toasted Coconut Cupcakes

Batter:
1 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup coconut milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp coconut extract

Buttercream Frosting:
1 cup butter, softened
4 cups powder sugar
2 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp coconut extract
1/2 cup toasted coconut

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  In a small bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.

3. In a separate larger bowl, mix together the coconut milk, sugar, vanilla and coconut extracts. 

4. Melt the coconut milk in a small saucepan over very low heat. Add to the coconut milk mix.

5. Slowly add the flower mix to the coconut mix in batches.

6. Bake for 25 minutes. Then cool completely before frosting.

7. To make the frosting: beat the butter and powder sugar together until very smooth. Add the milk and extracts. Beat again until very smooth.

8. Spread (or pipe) onto cupcakes then roll in the toasted coconut.




Posted 1 Year Ago: "Red"

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Cinco de Mayo



How
did you
celebrate
Cinco de Mayo?


Our day
started off
with snow...



But by
the end
of the
day
the sun
came out
and all
the snow
melted.

So...

we had a
fiesta!







I only had
about
10 minutes
to decorate
for this
party.

So my
decorations
consisted of
making 
streamers and
drink garnishes
out of
napkins!

And we
feasted on
and 
Guacamole,
and Chips.


Posted 1 Year Ago: "Annie Leibovitz"