Arts and Crafts/Holiday Decorating/Home

Painted Pumpkin Giveaway

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Last year between my preschoolers and the outdoor wildlife in my yard my plans for fall decor took a new turn. I love holiday decorating, but curious toddlers and hungry squirels left me no choice but to get creative.  If I was going to have pumpkins in my house, they had to be less tasty and plastic. So as these things go, when I went out specifically looking for cute less breakable pumpkins I was not seeing a lot of great options. Finally at the checkout lane at Marshals I saw these raffia covered pumpkins. They were not my favorite but the price was right and I thought they might look a bit more fun with some paint.

I had some left over house paint so I thought I would see what I could do. I decided to make mine a bit more whimsical and fun with some polka dots and green leaves.

I enjoyed making them and I loved how they brightened up my kitchen bookshelf.

This year I decided I was upping my game, because I am not loosing another pumpkin to the squirrels. So, I decided to paint a new set of plastic pumpkins for my front porch. I found these pumpkins on sale last week at Michaels and I thought they might make a fun project to share.

The first thing I did when making my green pumpkins was to trace a polka dot pattern on the pumpkins using a lid from a vinegar bottle as a guide. I used a pencil so I could erase any stray lines. Your dots don’t need to be perfect, as you can see mine were not. It just helps to have a guide so your dots are roughly the same side.

Then I used some Kilz primer paint I had leftover from another project. I liked the idea of using a higher quality paint since these pumpkins were going outside. You can buy a small quart at your local hardware store or you could use a good quality acrylic craft paint. I used a small brush with an angled edge which I thought was easier to use when painting the dots. If you are worried about the edges or you have a more textured pumpkin like my raffia one above you could use a white paint pen to outline your dot and then fill it in with paint. My dots took two coats of paint.

Then I mixed some orange milk paint with some of my white acrylic paint and I painted stripes on my large white pumpkins following the pattern of the natural grooves in the pumpkin. I had to get creative when the were drying to keep the bottoms from getting smudged. Then for fun I painted the smaller pumpkins a solid orange. I found that when I painted the smaller pumpkins it was easier if I carefully pulled out the stem before painting them. Then after they were fully dry I replaced the stem. The small dots are easier to keep even so I just free handed those dots with the paint.

Then as a finishing touch I painted some fake leaves I found at the craft store. Here is what they looked like before I painted them.

Then I attached the leaf to the pumpkin with some hot glue along with a small piece a grape vine I cut off of an old wreath. Here you can see a finished set of the pumpkins up close.

I decided to give my planters a fall feel by adding in some new pumpkins.

So here is where I get to the good part. I am going to give away the set of three painted pumpkins that you see here in my kitchen window, no crafting or painting required.

This week marks my 70th post so I want to do something small to thank my faithful readers and get a bit of your advice. I want to know what you enjoy reading and what you want to see more of in the future. I am planning new pieces and projects but I definitely want to keep my readers thoughts in mind. So to win these pumpkins leave me a comment with either a quick thought about what recipes or projects you liked most or what you would like to see more of in the future. Your thoughts and ideas matter to me!

My blog is set up so you can leave a comment by clicking on the conversation bubble icon next to the word “Comment” at the top right just below the title of this post. You have to have to enter a real email address and then a name, nickname or alias of your choice to leave a comment, but don’t worry the email address is confidential. No one will see, not even I see your address. It is set up that way to protect my site from hackers and computer viruses.

One entry per person please and I can only ship the pumpkins to an address in the United States. To keep it as fair as I can I will number the comments and pick a randomly selected number as the winner. I will keep the give away open through Sunday September 24th and I will announce the winner the following week and then ask that the winner email me so I can get an address.

Thank you so much for following along with me each week and for taking the time to leave a comment. I look forward to hearing from you and to sending these pumpkins to the lucky winner.

Food

Apple Curry Walnut Salad

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Salads are a favorite side dish in our house, so I am always trying to think about new seasonal ingredients. Something a little different than your ordinary house salad night after night. One of the things that keeps me interested in cooking is trying new flavor combinations.  This recipe was something I created a few years ago. I wanted to make a fall salad with apples and to make it something a bit more special I decided to create my own salad dressing. Making your own salad dressing takes just a little bit of effort but the pay off is some amazing flavor. For this salad I decided to create a curry apple cider dressing. Curry powder is actually a blend of spices including savory cumin, turmeric, bay leaf and sweet cinnamon and clove. It has a sweet earthy flavor that pairs well with apples.

The textures in the salad with the crisp apples, chewy raisins and crunchy caramelized walnuts make it a delicious bite. I like to pair this salad as a side with all kinds of roasted meats from pot roast to lamb chops and I also like it with fall pasta dishes like butternut squash or pumpkin ravioli. However, this salad is so good that I could eat it as a meal with a side of bread and maybe some good french cheese. So no matter how you choose to serve it, give this salad a try it is definitely one of my fall favorites.

Apple Walnut Salad- Serves 4 to 6 (2 For A Main Course)

  • 6 cups of sweet lettuce mix or baby romaine leaves
  • 1 or 2 honey crisp apples or your favorite apple (I find that apples can really vary in size so if you have a huge apple just one will do) sliced into thin slices
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 1/4 cup of thinly sliced red onions
  • 1 cup of walnut halves
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 

Curry Apple Cider Dressing

  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons apple juice concentrate (frozen apple juice thawed)
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup canola oil

The first thing I like to get prepared is the walnuts. I know I have some readers with nut allergies, so you can make the salad without the nuts or if you have a walnut specific allergy you could substitute pecans.

In a medium nonstick skillet heat 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar over medium heat. Add your walnut halves and keep a close eye on your walnuts stirring them occasionally until you start to see the sugar melt and turn a carmel color.

When the sugar starts melting make sure you have a piece of aluminum foil or a plate ready to put your nuts on. As the sugar melts continue to stir the nuts to coat them evenly with the melted sugar. Then once coated get them off the heat quickly so they do not burn. If you want you can make the nuts in advance.

Then I make the salad dressing. In a medium bowl or in a small food processor mix together the apple cider vinegar, apple juice concentrate, dijon mustard, curry, salt, pepper. Then when that is well blended slowly whisk in your oil until it is all well incorporated.

Once the dressing is made start slicing your apples and red onion. Apples tend to turn brown quickly so I like to toss a little salad dressing on the apples and set them aside until I am ready to assemble my whole salad.

Then when you are ready to serve your salad toss together your lettuce mix, apples, red onions, walnuts and golden raisins and drizzle your salad dressing on to taste.

 

Arts and Crafts/Holiday Decorating/Home

Bittersweet Autumn Wreaths

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Bittersweet Wreath

Autumn has a new meaning now that I live up North. I must admit that when I lived in the South I couldn’t wait to pull out my fall leaves and start decorating for the season. Maybe it was wishful thinking or the joy that comes in the South when the temperature cools down a bit and you actually want to get outside. However, now that I live in Chicago I find myself wishing I could put Summer on pause for a bit longer. Somehow in my mind, admitting it’s Fall means acknowledging that winter is coming. Winter in Chicago is pretty, but it always comes so suddenly and it has a way of lasting. However, with the weather turning cooler this week and the first leaves beginning to change, I decided I had to quit living in denial and start enjoying fall. I got with it and ordered new snow boots for my girls and I decided to do a bit of Autumn decorating with a new set of wreaths for my doors.

I love all of the of the pretty leaves and berries in the fall. I especially like bittersweet branches. I am convinced these beautiful berries must have been named by a Northerner who wanted winter to stay at bay a little longer. Fall wreaths are pretty but they can get pricey so I decided to make a custom wreath of my own. I found some faux bittersweet berries on a recent trip to the Morton Arboretum gift shop, so I picked up four branches (two for each wreath) and I let then set the tone for my wreath. I had trouble finding bittersweet branches at my local craft stores, but I found a source online that has similar branches at Afloral.com. I went to my local Michael’s and I found some grapevine wreathes with rustic branches that stuck out a bit. I like the more natural look when using fall branches and leaves.

The first thing I did was take each branch and separate it into three smaller branch sections that I could tuck into my grapevine following the circular pattern of the branches.

Here you can see how I wedged the wired end into the branches. I did’t use any glue, because as long as you get it in the center of the wreath base the branches will stay.

I continued adding all six of my branches sections spaced evenly around the wreath.

Once I had the bittersweet branches in place I took some other silk leaves and flowers and cut them into smaller branches. I found the leaves at Hobby Lobby a couple of years ago and the green Chinese Lattern branches are from a Houston garden store called Cornelius, but I have seen similar silk lanterns at other craft stores and sometimes you can find dried Chinese lantern branches as well.

I like to start by adding my largest pieces first, so I tucked in my Chinese lanterns.

Then I added in some fall berries and my leaves. If your leaf has a short end and won’t stay use some copper or brown floral wire and wrap it around the base of the leaf to make a longer end. Then you can then twist the longer wire end around a branch to keep your leaf in place.

Next, I decided I wanted a small bow that picked up on the colors in the wreath. I used two wired ribbons I had in copper and green. I find that wired ribbons work best on wreaths because the bows hold their shape better. Each ribbon piece was about one yard long. I made two loops of each ribbon and I left long ends on each side so I could weave them on the side a bit.

Here is the back side of the bow so you can see the center is held together with some twisted copper wire. Make sure that when you cut your wire to secure your bow cut a longer piece. You can use the long ends of your wire and wrap them through your branches and your bow will stay in place. You can always trim off any extra wire later. Once I hung my wreaths I found a few small pine cones in my yard that I decided would add a nice finishing touch. To add the pine cones I wrapped wire around then and I attached them to my wreath. So hopefully this will inspire you celebrate fall and bring its glorious colors to your door.Make sure you stop by the blog next Thursday because I am getting into the season and hosting a Fall inspired giveaway.

 

Food

Turkey Burgers with Cranberry Ketchup

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Turkey Burger Recipe

Labor day is here and fall is on its way, so I thought I would share a fall inspired recipe. We love turkey burgers in our house, but usually the down side to using ground turkey is that it can get dry when you cook it. So when I was creating these burgers I decided to solve this issue by taking a bit of inspiration from my favorite onion dip. The caramelized onions and sage with a small amount of mayonnaise add moisture and flavor, which make these burgers delicious. These are not your standard turkey burgers. Top them with this sweet spiced cranberry ketchup and you have yourself a little bit of fall burger goodness.

Sage and Onion Turkey Burgers

  • One medium yellow onion sliced into thin slices
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 5 Sage leaves (about 1/2 tsp)
  • 1 (1 pound) container of ground turkey
  • 2 Tablespoons of mayonnaise
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 4 Onion rolls or your favorite burger buns
  • 4 Butter lettuce leaves
  • 4 Slices of cheddar or colby jack cheese
  • Cranberry Ketchup (see recipe below)

First remove the papery skin from your onion. Then slice your onion in half and the take one half and place the cut side down on your cutting board. Then make very thin half moon slices using your chef’s knife. Then do the same with the other onion half. It may seem like a lot of onions, but they are really going to cook down when you caramelize them.

Next melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium low heat. Once the butter is melted add in your onions. Let your onions cook over medium low to low heat for 35 to 40 minutes stirring occasionally. You are going to cook your onions over low heat so they get golden brown and sweet. Caramelizing onions isn’t hard you just need to make sure the heat is lower so the onions slowly brown but do not burn. Once your onions get golden brown stir in your fresh sage and cook an additional minute. Then remove your onions from the heat. If you want, these onions can be prepared the night before or ahead of time and then refrigerated until you mix up your turkey burgers.

Next in a medium sized bowl mix together your ground turkey, caramelized onions, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Shape your turkey mixture into four round burger patties.

Then you can either heat a large nonstick skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil or heat your grill to medium high heat. Cook your burgers for 5 to 6 minutes a side depending on how thick you made your patties. You want turkey burgers to turn a lighter white color and be cooked all the way through.

While your burgers are cooking if you want, you can butter and toast your onion buns. Then when your burger is cooked, assemble your burgers with your lettuce, cheese and cranberry ketchup. I like to serve my burgers with oven roasted potatoes or with oven baked sweet potato fries. I happen to like to the Alexa brand of frozen sweet potato fries. They make a quick and easy side.

Cranberry Ketchup

  • 1/4 Cup Ketchup
  • 1/4 Cup Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Orange Zest

In a small sauce pan mix together you cranberry sauce, brown sugar, ketchup and orange zest and heat on medium heat until the brown sugar has melted. Then remove the cranberry ketchup from the heat.  If you are making the sauce in advance refrigerate the sauce until you make your burgers.

Want to print this recipe for later then here is a link to Tasty Kitchen where my recipe for Onion Sage Turkey Burgers is featured in a printer friendly version.

 

Uncategorized

Hope After Hurricane Harvey

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My heart just sank and tears began to well up in the corner of my eyes as I watched the local news coverage of Hurricane Harvey. Houston is my hometown it’s where our families and close friends live and it has been tough to watch and not be able to do anything from afar. Houston is no stranger to rain, but this storm is like none other. The tornado warnings and sudden rising water have had Houstonians worried and sleepless. It is surreal to see videos and pictures of familiar neighborhood streets that now look like rivers. Thankfully the reports we have gotten are that our friends and family are safe for now. Some of their homes, like many in Houston, are underwater and the damage reports are overwhelming. My mother who was stranded while traveling is coming to stay with us in Chicago until things begin clear. I usually love writing about houses but his week that just doesn’t feel right. Like many, I am continuing to pray for safety and for the storms clear and most importantly I am praying for strength and hope for those who are tired and hurting.

I am reaching out to my Houston friends and those with connections in the area. We have some very good friends whose house in Meyerland is completely underwater. They are safe right now with friends, but they will need a place to stay after the storm clears. They have two small children and a new baby.  If you have a garage apartment or have any information about a possible rental home, apartment sublease, condo in the central Houston area please contact me. This is an amazing family who really needs some help. You can contact me at amyappling@hotmail.com or leave me a comment.

I have an amazing and hopeful update from my friend. Now that the water is finally going down some my friend’s husband was able to make it back to their home. They had been told by two neighbors that their house had flooded. Her neighbors had been evacuated by the Coast Guard and the apartment complex just down from their home was featured on the news and the whole first floor was completely under water. They live three blocks away from Braes Bayou and were prepared for the worst. She says “physics cannot explain what happened with their home.” They had some damage but it was not what they had prepared themselves for. Their home was spared the heavy flooding that hit the other homes on their block. It is truly a miracle, so she is thanking everyone for their offers for help. They are now working to help others as well, but they are just so grateful to anyone who prayed for them.

 

Food

Blackberry Citrus Salad

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Blackberry Citrus Salad

Brunch is one of those great events where you can slow down and enjoy leisurely meal with family and friends. Generally, eggs and breakfast breads tend to get top billing on the menu, but making this blackberry citrus salad could change all that. I am excited to share this new recipe with you, it is definitely the best fruit salad I have created. The flavors from the oranges with these sweet spiced blackberries and a light honey and blackberry vinaigrette are unbelievably good.

It all started when our family was on vacation with friends in South Carolina. We had fun renting a little house near the beach and to keep things simple with our combined four children all five and under we decided to cook in. On our last day there, our friend ran out to the store and picked up these amazing blackberries. They were so sweet and delicious that on my plane ride home I was still thinking about them. I also happened to be reading the latest issue of Southern Living which features a story about Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee. The article had a recipe from the farm for sweet pickled blackberries. The idea sounded so interesting and that my friends is how for the last week and a half I have been a teeny bit obsessed with blackberries.

This salad is the result of my quest to find just the right flavor to complement these sweet spiced berries and the amazing vinegar they create. Pickling the black berries is easy you just need to do it at least 24 hours ahead of time so the flavors have time to develop. You could also make them a couple of days ahead and then pre-slice your oranges the day before for a easy to assemble salad for entertaining.

Sweet Pickled Blackberries  

  • 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1/2 Cup Champagne Vinegar
  • 1/2 Cup Water
  • 1 Teaspoon Dried Tarragon
  • 1 Teaspoon Whole Black Peppercorns
  • 2 Cups (about one 6 oz container) of Fresh Blackberries

Blackberry Citrus Salad

  • 4 Mandarin Oranges
  • 2 Naval Oranges
  • 1/4 Cup of Thinly Sliced Red Onion
  • 2 cups Pickled Blackberries
  • 6 to 8 Mint Leaves (depending on the size)
  • 1/4 Cup of Pecan Pieces (optional)

Blackberry Honey Vinaigrette 

  • 1/4 cup Canola Oil
  • 1/4 cup Olive Oil
  • 2 Tablespoons of Honey
  • 4 Tablespoons of Blackberry Vinegar (Reserved from your pickled blackberries)
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Pepper

First at least 24 to 48 hours before you plan to serve your salad make your sweet pickled blackberries. In a small sauce pan mix together your 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of champagne vinegar, 1/2 cup water, your tarragon and peppercorns. Heat the mixture over medium high heat stirring occasionally  until the mixture comes to a boil and the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove your pan from the heat and let it cool for 15 minutes.

Then while the vinegar mixture is cooling prepare your black berries by rinsing them and then putting them in a 2 cup sized mason jar or a small bowl. Then when the mixture is cooled strain it through a metal strainer and then pour the flavored vinegar over the berries so it covers them completely. Let the berries sit out for 30 minutes and then cover them with the lid or with plastic wrap and place them in your refrigerator for at least 24 hours or up to a week.

Next you will want to prepare the ingredients for your salad. First you are going to want to slice your orange segments or what they call supremes. In order to do this you are going to cut away the tougher membrane of the orange leaving you with tender slices. It may sound a bit tricky but I have step by step pictures to guide you through.

Take a sharp chef’s knife and cut the peel off of both the top and bottom and then cut the peel away from the sides following the contour of the fruit. Make sure you get both the peel and the white pith. Don’t worry if you have a little white pith in a small spot you can go back and cut it off after you are done peeling your orange.

Then you are left with a fully peeled orange. If you look at this orange you can see the little white lines between the orange slices those are the membranes you are going to cut the slices out of.

To cut the orange supremes  you want to make your cuts inside the white membrane lines. Make your first cut down one side just inside the white membrane and then make a second cut inside the membrane on the other side so you have a slice . Then when you cut the second side angle your knife up a bit  so you cut your slice free from the center. Then gently pull out your orange segment.

Once you have your slice out set it aside in a bowl or plate and continue cutting around the membranes to cut the rest of the orange segments. You can see in the photo below that the thin membranes are left where I have removed the orange segments.

It takes a bit of effort but, cutting oranges and other citrus like this allows you to have tender and pretty slices. Cut all of the mandarine oranges and naval oranges the same way. Don’t worry if you haven’t done this before, once you get the hang of it the slicing will go faster.

Next peel and cut you red onion into thin bite sized strips. Then take your mint leaves and stack then on top of each other and then roll then up lengthwise like a cigar. Then make thin slices across the rolled up leaves to cut ribbon like strips.

Then remove your black berries from the vinegar mixture but be careful to save the blackberry vinegar for your salad dressing.

Finally to make you dressing in a medium sized bowl whisk together 4 tablespoons of the blackberry vinegar, 2 tablespoons of honey, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper then when that is well mixed slowly stream in your oils while you whisk your dressing and continue to whisk it until the oil is fully incorporated and the dressing comes together.

Then assemble your salad on a serving platter or carefully mix your salad together in a bowl and drizzle on dressing to taste. I had extra dressing left that I saved for later. If you are entertaining it could be fun to serve the salad in individual portions in a martini glass, a coupe style champagne glass. I also served this as a dinner salad where I added some butter lettuce leaves.

This blackberry citrus salad serves about four but it could serve 6 to 8 if you added in bed of butter lettuce leaves. Its a versatile salad that can be prepped ahead of time, so you can spread out the steps for easy assembly.  The flavor combination of these fruits are so delicious that this definitely not your average fruit salad. It’s a brunch worthy recipe that I know I will be sharing with friends.

 

Home

The Bee Cottage Story

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Have you ever read one of those books that just stays with you long after you have turned the last page?  I read The Bee Cottage Story by Frances Schultz two years ago right after I moved to Chicago. It was a snowy day and by some miracle both of my girls were napping and I had a free moment. Tired and overwhelmed by the painting projects at my house, I had decided to take a day off and read this new book. What a delightful story. I found myself laughing out loud and loving every page.

Schultz is a contributing editor to House Beautiful Magazine and she has also worked as an editor at Veranda and writer for the Wall Street Journal. This book is a memoir that grew from a wildly popular series she wrote for House Beautiful. The book tells the story about her charming little cottage and how the process of decorating and restoring it pulled her out of some of her toughest times.

Here is the the kitchen at Bee Cottage. I love all the personal details Schultz incorporated like using her mothers old dining table and finding a place to display some of her favorite collections.

Schultz’s writing sparkles; she makes you feel like you are her friend along for the journey. Her cottage is pretty, but it’s more than just one of those perfect magazine homes. She writes about real things like budgets, less than perfect walls and how deal with a bathroom you just can’t afford to remodel. Along with lovely pictures and stories Schultz shares some great decorating tips.

This room was formerly used as a garage. Schultz turned it into a garden room. Schultz loves the color green and I like how she used it several different shades and patterns. It’s what makes this room so pretty.

I loved reading this book and I recently saw that the cottage was for sale. You can see more pictures of this home at the real estate listing here. Schultz who was single at the time she lived in this home, married a gentlemen who lives in California. She has written about spending less time on the East coast, so it seems fitting that in writing a new chapter in her life she selling the cottage.

This is the gorgeous garden she created in her back yard. What a lovely view.

So if you haven’t already found this great little book, I highly recommend it. It is truly one of my favorites. If you love houses or have ever found yourself in a bit of a muddle in life, this story will will speak to your soul, because it’s about more than just a house; it’s about finding a sense of home wherever you are. You can follow Frances Schultz on her blog at http://www.francesschultz.com . She is also on Instagram where she shares beautiful pictures of her garden, travels and drawings.

You can purchase a copy of this book from Amazon here or go to Schultz’s website where she has more pictures of her cottage and a link to purchase her book.

Food

Apricot Thyme Chicken

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chicken with apricot pan sauce

Creativity is a bit like a muscle, the more you use it the stronger you become. I have always been the creative thinker. I was a really imaginative kid and sometimes growing up it was a good thing and sometimes if I am honest, it made me feel a bit different. Over time, I have grown more confident in my “out of the box” thinking and I have found ways the channel all of that creative energy. One of my favorite things to do is to develop new recipes, and I think the discipline of having a blog has been good for my cooking. It grounds me and helps me focus and think more about important practical matters like measurements and instructions.

This chicken dish was something that I began cooking up in my mind when I read an article about a roasted leg of lamb with apricots and thyme. Roasting takes time and let’s face it lamb can be expensive. I liked the idea of the flavor combination of apricots and thyme, and I wanted to make a dish that was easy enough to serve on a weeknight.  So I began thinking about doing a French style sauce with chicken, apricots and thyme. When am working on a new recipe I usually make it at least three times before I will share the recipe on the blog. I like to test different ingredients and make sure that I have all the measurements correct. When I was making this dish I tried it with fresh apricots, but I found that I liked it better with the slightly sweeter dried apricots. Sometimes it just takes time and really working through an idea to get all the details right. So here is my latest creation chicken with apricots and thyme in a delicious white wine pan sauce.

Chicken with Apricots and Thyme

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 3 TBSP of butter (divided)
  • 3 TBSP of olive oil (divided)
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped shallot (about 1 medium sized shallot)
  • 2 Tsp of fresh thyme
  • 1/4 Tsp dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup cream
  • 3/4 cup white wine
  • 1 cup of dried apricots sliced in half lengthwise
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper

First, get your ingredients prepped because when you begin putting the sauce together the cooking goes quickly so you will want to have everything on hand. Start by finely chopping your shallots. Shallots have a lighter and slightly sweeter flavor than onions so they work well in this dish. Next, slice your dried apricots in half. I like to slice mine lengthwise so that when they cook in the pan, they puff up a bit in the sauce, and then they look like fresh apricot slices. The trick with fresh thyme is to run two pinched fingers down the sprig (top down). The leaves will fall right off and you don’t have to chop a thing.

Next, season your chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Then get a large skillet ready by melting 2 TBSP of butter and add in 2 TBSP of oil over medium heat. Then once the pan is hot and the butter is melted, add your chicken to the pan to brown it on each side. I cook my chicken for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side till it is golden brown. Don’t worry about cooking it through at this point because you are going to return the chicken to the pan to finish cooking it in the sauce.

Once the chicken is browned on each side remove it to a plate and then add in your remaining 1 TBSP of butter and oil. Next, add in your shallots and cook them on medium low heat till they are slightly translucent (about a minute or so). Then deglaze your pan with the shallots in it by pouring in 3/4 cup of white wine. Cook the wine a minute being sure to get all of the delicious brown bits on the bottom of the pan mixed in. Then whisk in your dijon mustard and when the mustard is fully whisked in, add your apricots, cream and thyme and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Then return your chicken breasts to the pan and cover your skillet part way with a lid. Then let your chicken cook all the way through on medium low heat flipping them once or twice. I had medium sized chicken breasts and they took 8 minutes to cook all the way. While the chicken is cooking the sauce will thicken and the apricots with plump up in the sauce.

 

I like to serve this dish with Uncle Ben’s wild rice. Alternatively, it would also go well with mashed potatoes. The sauce is particularly delicious so it is good to serve it with something that you can pour a bit of the sauce on as well. This recipe serves four but you could easily double it and brown the chicken in two batches if you are serving it for more.

Home

Decorating with Inherited Or Vintage Furniture

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My dining room is still not finished. It needs another layer of pattern with a rug and possibly some shades for the chandelier, but sometimes decorating takes time. My dining room is one of the most sentimental rooms in the house because it is filled with furniture I have inherited. Decorating with inherited furniture can be meaningful, but sometimes using an older piece takes some creativity. Our dining room set belonged to my paternal grandmother who purchased her furniture in the early eighties when she was decorating her home. The dining room table and matching cabinets are over thirty years old, so they are not fine antiques but they have a soul and memories that you just can’t buy.

The dining room is one of the nicest spaces in our home because it has a large bay window and it faces the double door entry of our home. This gives the room lots of natural light from both sides. Here is a picture I took of the dining room when we where on the real estate tour.

The previous owner had a lovely dining room but I decided that I wanted the space to feel a bit more modern. One of the things I have done when I have older furniture pieces  is to juxtapose the traditional shape and style with something more contemporary. So with this room I chose a modern paint color and accessories. My favorite color happens to be red so I wanted a red dining room, but I didn’t want it to be a safer cranberry color. I knew I wanted something brighter, so I went with a bold red from Benjamin Moore called Exotic Red. As the name implies, it is definitely a gutsy color but that’s why it works. Here is the room shortly after I painted it.

The next thing we did was to change out the chandelier. I wanted a more modern chandelier that still fit with the traditional furniture, so I went with a clear blown glass fixture that still had a traditional shape to it.

Then I worked on was the furniture arrangement. I think the key to using older family pieces is to allow yourself the freedom to make them your own. It has taken me some time to reinvent these pieces a bit. One of the things I have done is to reupholster my inherited pieces in a more modern fabric. The bench you see in the photo at the top of this post was is my maternal grandparents front entry. I had it recovered in a woven white fabric and I used it in the entry of my old home, but when we moved to this house I decided it fit better in my dining room.

Sometimes I like to move furniture around until I find the right spot for it. The starburst mirror is an antique and it is one of my favorite pieces in the house. It was a gift from my mom’s godfather. It had originally been made for a church in Mexico, so the scale of the mirror is quite large. As I worked with the furniture arrangement, I decided that it needed a wall of its own. As you can see in the picture above, I had originally placed my buffet cabinet under the mirror but I decided to move the cabinet to the bay window so I could give the room a stronger focal point from the front entry.

I added some height and interest to my buffet cabinet by sewing a patterned fabric runner and then layering on some larger scale blue and white ginger jars.

Once I decided to add in some blue and white I needed to update the fabric on my dining chairs. Here is a picture of a chair in its original pastel 1982 upholstery.

I will admit that I would not have chosen a cane backed chair, but with a series of upholstery changes the chairs have evolved to fit our home. This time I decide to go with an indigo microfiber fabric from Ballard Designs. I wanted our dining room to be a room we actually use so I went with a solid fabric that could easily be cleaned. I love patterned fabric, but this time I didn’t want to be worried about chocolate pie or any other favorites getting spilled on the chairs. The latest update we have made to the room is the add some different end chairs. I wanted to break up the cane back chairs a bit so I got some slipcovered white Parsons chairs from Ballard Designs. In any room I like to have some fully upholstered pieces so you have a mix of wooden chair legs and fabric. I wanted removable slipcovers because spills happen and I need the chairs to be easy to wash.

It might take time to incorporate some inherited pieces in your home, but I must admit I love sitting down to a family meal or celebration and thinking about my grandmother. I know she would love to see that her table is still being used and enjoyed and that makes this room just a bit more special.

So to end this piece I though I would leave you with a few tips I have learned about making inherited or vintage pieces your own:

  • First, don’t be afraid to make some changes.  An older piece can look completely different in a new fabric or painted a new color.
  • Second, give yourself time to decide what to do with a piece. Sometimes when you wait the right idea will come to you.
  • When you have a room full of older furniture think about making the entire room feel more current by choosing a bolder paint color or more modern wallpaper.
  • Add interest to your room by adding layers of accessories and mixing up the scale of the accessories. Experiment and don’t be afraid to change things till you get the right look.
  • Finally, add in some new pieces to mix up the furniture. I added some new end chairs it instantly gave the room a more updated feel.

If you want to see more vintage dining room inspiration check out this link to fabric designer Caitlin Wilson’s home. She gave a traditional estate sale dining room set a modern look with fabric.

Food

Lemon Dill Cedar Plank Salmon

Lemon Cupcakes With Blackberry Buttercream Recipe admin_AM 0 comment

Grilled salmon makes a quick and delicious dinner. We eat salmon frequently in our house because its healthy and even my little picky preschoolers love it. I am always trying to create new recipes for salmon and this is one of our favorites. This grilled salmon is easy to assemble and it takes just twenty minutes to grill. The salmon stays moist while grilling thanks to the lemon slices and the lemon zest and dill add a bright flavor that pairs well with the garlic salt seasoning.

  Lemon Dill Cedar Plank Salmon

  • 1 (1 lb to 1.5 lb) salmon fillet
  • 1 cedar plank you can usually find them near your seafood counter at the grocery store
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon fresh dill sprigs torn into small pieces
  • 2 to 3 lemon slices

First, soak your cedar plank in water for 1 to 2 hours following the instructions for the brand of plank you have. Preheat your grill on high heat. Then in a small bowl or cup mix together your garlic powder, salt and pepper. Then put your salmon on a plate so you can add your seasonings and get it prepared for the grill. When I am shopping for salmon at the store I try to get a center cut that has an even thickness all the way through. This will allow your fish to cook evenly.

Place your fish skin side down on a large dinner plate or dish. Then take your seasoning mix and sprinkle it evenly on top of your fish. You might have a little extra. It depends on how big your fillet fish is. Then sprinkle on your lemon juice and the lemon zest and dill. Finally, place your lemon slices on top.

Take your cedar plank out to the grill and turn your grill down just a bit to a medium high setting. You want a hot grill, but you don’t want flames that might set your plank on fire. Place just the plank on the grill and grill it for 5 minutes.

Then flip your plank over and bring your salmon out to the grill and place it skin side down on the now slightly charred plank. Cooking the plank first will enhance the smokey cedar flavor. Close your grill lid and allow your fish to cook for 15 to 25 minutes. Salmon can come in a variety of thicknesses so I have a wider cooking time.

The key to getting your fish just right is to use a meat thermometer. We have a digital one made by Redi Fork that we really like. These grilling thermometers are inexpensive and they take all the guess work out of grilling. I generally check my fish at 15 minutes. You want an internal temperature between 125 to 140 degrees.

I like to cook mine in the range of 132 to 135 degrees which is medium well. This thinner salmon fillet took 18 minutes to grill to an internal temperature of 135 degrees. Don’t let all this talk about temperatures scare you off from trying this fish. You can also use the less high tech method of cutting a small vent to check the color and doneness.

I like to serve my salmon with oven roasted potatoes or wild rice and a simple salad.

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