Nov
2012

In Search of Rainbows–For My Kitchen

categories: Lifestyle

Speaking of colorful kitchen appliances, how fun are these limited-edition Kenwood kMix retro-style mixers accented with rainbow stripes? Since I couldn’t purchase my Delonghi kMix small kitchen appliances in every color of the rainbow (that would just be too crazy), I found this fabulous stand mixer in firecracker red.

The orange stripe in this playful pattern is the perfect complement to these Delonghi kMix appliances I recently purchased in orange:

This way, I can add just a touch of rainbow colors to my kitchen without going completely over the top.


Nov
2012

Colorful Kitchen Appliances to Brighten My Kitchen

categories: Lifestyle

The moment I laid eyes on these colorful kitchen appliances from Delonghi’s kMix collection, I just had to have them. I love the sleek, retro design, the touches of stainless steel, and bright, cheery colors. If you have to display appliances on your kitchen counters then they should make a statement–like “hello look at me.”

The collection includes a 5- or 10-cup coffee maker, a toaster, an electric tea kettle, and an espresso maker. It was difficult to choose just one color–I wanted them all. I finally chose orange since I’ve been on a tangerine tango kick this year. How fun are these?


Nov
2012

How to Make a McDonald’s McCafe Iced Mocha at Home

categories: Recipes

The first time I tried a McDonald’s McCafe iced mocha I was seriously disappointed. It was quite bitter and not sweet at all. That would have been the end of the road for me, but every time I visited the drive thru window I saw folks ordering this drink so I decided to give it another try. The second drink was much better than the first. It was slightly sweet and had the deep coffee flavor that I love and it wasn’t bitter at all. I was hooked and soon began to order this drink several times a week. But after seeing the calorie count of a medium-sized iced mocha (310 calories), I limited myself to just one drink a week.

Not only are these drinks high in calories but at $3.00 for a 16-oz. serving they’re fairly expensive, too. So I decided to try and duplicate one at home. After three attempts, I came up with this recipe that tastes very close to the original. And while it’s still high in calories (320 calories per serving), at just over $1.00 per serving, it’s much cheaper to make one at home.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this delicious iced treat:

Ingredients

1 package Starbucks Via Iced Coffee Ready Brew (100 calories)
8 oz. water
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream (150 calories)
1 tablespoon chocolate syrup (50 calories)
4 tablespoons canned whipped cream (30 calories)
1 cup crushed ice

Combine the instant iced coffee, water, and whipping cream. Coat the bottom of your glass with chocolate syrup. Fill the glass with crushed ice. Add the coffee mixture. Top with whipped cream. Drizzle with chocolate syrup. Enjoy!


Nov
2012

Steven Tyler, the Rock Star

categories: Pets

Little Stevie, who was named after rock star Steven Tyler, really rocked his Halloween costume this year. He wore his favorite grunge t-shirt, donned some cool shades (called “doggles”), and my daughter spiked his hair with a bit of mousse. He’s one cool little dude.

He won first place (a free week of doggie daycare) in the Halloween contest at Dogtopia. It’s a great place for active young dogs to run and play and socialize and expend their boundless energy.


Nov
2012

Mom’s Best Pot Roast

categories: Recipes

Who doesn’t love a good pot roast? It’s comfort food at its best. And when it’s cooked with love and served by your mother in the aftermath of the worst storm to hit the east coast in over a century, it’s truly a memorable dish.

I was lucky to have weathered Hurricane Sandy with no damage to my home. I was even luckier to have weathered it with my mom, who happened to be visiting me when the storm passed through the area. I’m so grateful she was able to keep me company during the storm and so blessed that she’s my mom.

Doesn’t this look amazing? Here’s what you’ll need to make this dish.

Ingredients

3 lb. bottom rump roast or chuck roast
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
1 clove garlic, peeled and diced
1 10-oz. can French onion soup
1 10-oz. can beef bouillon
1 10-oz. can beef consomme
1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut in half
8 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 bay leaf

Combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Coat the beef with the seasoning mixture. Heat oil in a large skillet or dutch oven. When hot add the beef and brown on all sides. Add the quartered onion and garlic. When the onions are browned, add the soups and bay leaf. Add the carrots and bake at 350 degrees for 2 1/2 hours. Add the potatoes and bake for an additional 1 1/2 hours or until the vegetables are tender.

Serve with a salad and some crusty bread to soak up all the good juice.

Mom's best pot roast


Oct
2012

Purple Tulip Bouquet In Watercolor

categories: Watercolor

Tulips are my favorite flower to paint. They’re simple but elegant, they come in a variety of colors, and the leaves offer a lot of opportunities to play with a range of blues, greens, and yellows. I wasn’t sure if the pastel background would work with this painting, but I think I pulled it off. This painting is based on a tutorial in Fiona Peart’s book, “Tulips in Watercolor.”

Here’s a close-up view:


Oct
2012

Farmer’s Market Goodies

categories: Lifestyle

I went shopping at the farmer’s market again yesterday. It was a great day to be outside. The weather was gorgeous. The air was cool and crisp–just the way I like it. And  look at all the fabulous goodies I bought. Since there’s only one week left to shop before the market closes for the season, I stocked up on all the fresh goodness I could carry home. I’ve got lots of cooking to do this week.

For just $20.00 I bought two types of apples, green peppers, cherry tomatoes, eggplant, kale, jalapeno peppers, tiny white potatoes, and sweet potatoes. What a deal! I also bought farm fresh eggs, home-made applesauce and apple butter, barbequed chicken, and plenty of pulled pork and barbequed beef brisket to stock my freezer so I can enjoy it over the coming winter months.

I’m going to miss my weekly trips to the farmer’s market and all the people I met there this summer. I’ve grown so fond of all of them. See you next spring.


Oct
2012

Slow-Cooked Chicken with Coconut-Pineapple Curry Sauce

categories: Recipes

Here is the final recipe we sampled during our Columbus Day family watercolor/food fest. I don’t know which was more fun–painting the day away with my mother, daughter, and sister or sampling three new recipes in one day. I’ll call it a tie. This slow-cooked chicken with coconut-pineapple curry sauce was the perfect choice for a cold, rainy fall day. Its stick-to-your ribs goodness warmed our bodies and the wonderful aroma filled the air as we worked on our paintings. This recipe was originally featured in Betty Crocker’s ipad cookbook, but my mother adapted it to suit our tastes. Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious chicken curry:

Ingredients

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 red or green bell pepper, cubed
1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk
1  can (20 oz.) pineapple chunks with juice
2 cans (4.5 oz.) chopped green chilies
1/2 cup chicken broth
4-6 teaspoons curry powder (we used 6 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons corn starch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large, firm banana, cubed
2 cups cooked rice (we used jasmine rice)

Spray a 3- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients except banana and rice. Cover and cook over low heat for 6-7 hours. Spoon over hot cooked rice.


Oct
2012

Weekend Chef: Panzanella Salad

categories: Recipes

My mother, sister, daughter, and I painted from sunrise until sunset during our Columbus Day watercolor fest. We did take occasional breaks for important things–like breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For lunch my sister whipped up this delightful Panzanella salad. It was quick, easy, and delicious. It’s best made with good quality home-grown tomatoes, like these beauties I bought last weekend at the farmer’s market–which were probably the last tomatoes of the season.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this salad:

Ingredients:

2 thick slices of  dense bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (we used honey sunflower artisan bread I bought at Harris Teeter)
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1/4 small red onion, diced
1 cup fresh mozzarella, cubed
1 stalk celery, diced
8 basil leaves, sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients into a medium-sized bowl. Stir to combine. Let sit at room temperature until the bread softens. Serve with a glass of peach iced tea. Serves 3-4.


Oct
2012

Weekend Chef: Bananas Foster Puffed Pancake

categories: Recipes

As promised, here’s the recipe for the amazing bananas foster puffed pancake we served for breakfast during our Columbus Day watercolor fest. As usual, my mom made a few changes to the recipe. She used spiced rum instead of regular rum and omitted the powdered sugar and whipped cream. She felt the whipped cream might overpower the delicate flavor of the bananas and I agree. We served it with steaming cups of coffee.

As you can see in the next picture, it was delicious. The four of us devoured the whole thing in a matter of minutes. This recipe is definitely a keeper.

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