Recipe Of The Day 12.28.10

Blackened Salmon

Ingredients

2 tablespoons ground paprika

1 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

4 salmon fillets, skin and bones removed

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1.In a small bowl, mix paprika, cayenne pepper, onion powder, salt, white pepper, black pepper, thyme, basil and oregano.

2.Brush salmon fillets on both sides with 1/4 cup butter, and sprinkle evenly with the cayenne pepper mixture. Drizzle one side of each fillet with 1/2 remaining butter.

3.In a large, heavy skillet over high heat, cook salmon, butter side down, until blackened, 2 to 5 minutes. Turn fillets, drizzle with remaining butter, and continue cooking until blackened and fish is easily flaked with a fork.

Holiday Decor Done Right 12.22.10

Happy Christmas from Galpolish!

Weekend Recipe 12.18.10

A combination suited for a quite & cozy weekend .

Serve with a glass of wine and a good book.

Croque Monsieur with Fresh Spinach 

 Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter, plus some for eggs

2 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups whole milk

Salt and pepper

Nutmeg, freshly grated to taste

2 cups lightly packed small farm/organic spinach leaves, stemmed and coarsely chopped

8 slices prosciutto cotto or other mild ham

1/2 pound Gruyère cheese, shredded

4 hand-cut slices good quality white bread, 3/4-inch thick
4 large organic eggs

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Heat a small skillet over medium heat and melt butter. Whisk in flour, cook for 1 minute then whisk in milk. Season sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg, and thicken to coat back of spoon. Wilt spinach into sauce and remove from heat.

Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and distribute the spinach and sauce evenly over the bread. Top each slice of bread with 2 folded slices of ham and a small mound of cheese. Bake to golden on top. Cook eggs any style, top each slice of bread with an egg and serve.



Beet & le'Orange Salad

Directions

Boil 1 pound beets in salted water until tender, 30 to 40 minutes.

Drain, then peel and slice into wedges.

Toss in a serving bowl with 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, 2 tablespoons chopped chives or scallions, and salt and pepper.

Add 1 bunch arugula and 2 segmented blood oranges and toss.

ENJOY!

Christmas Came Early...

Early Christmas Gift to Self

Gorgeous Anthropologie Earrings... Plenty of Sparkle!

Design Inpiration 12.15.10

Divine Peacock

Since finishing the interior of our Home I have been divising designs for our next endeavor.

For those of you who don't know I may have a slight obsession with peacocks. 

And it is indeed the Peacock for whom I can consider my muse for the next kitchen

 renovation since I will be using teal and lime. 

Recipe for the day 12.15.10

Sesame Garlic Spinach

A simple yet delicous and healthy side dish to add to your repertoire!

Ingredients

1 Package of whole fresh spinach

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 tablespoon white sesame seeds

1 tablespoon Soy Sauce

1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar

2 cloves garlic minced

Servings : 2

Cooktime : 10 minutes

Directions

1. heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in medium sauce pan, toast sesame seeds in oil untill light golden brown. They will cook quickly , do not forget about these guys. Set aside.

2. Wash spinach and dry with paper towel.

3. Heat remainder of olive oil in pan used for sesame seeds. Add garlic and let simmer for 30 seconds. 

4. Add entire amount of spinach and stir. Add rice vinegar and soy sauce and continue to simmer untill spinach is overly wilted, Do not over cook. 

5. Mix toasted sesame seeds in with spinach and serve.

This is a hit with kids and those who dont like vegetables!

Bathroom Retreat.

 I get to spend the day designing my dream Bath for our

showroom in Sterling Virginia. I have never really taken time

to consider what I would want since I have never had the

funds or need to do so, constantly fulfilling others design needs

for there sanctuaries.

Very contemporary and although not inherently masculine, men

will gravitate towards the dark colors and the high contrast

between the marble and glass tones.

Ahhh Modern, Soothing and Spa like.

Nuetral with a modern twist. Most likely a european

design ( hence the bidet andwater closet).

This as a little too much going on for my tastes, but I still enjoy the rich colors

and dramatic accessories. Mediterranean details add flair.

I love this tub, although you'd have to be a bit on a contortionist to

fit into this number by the looks of it, not to mention live in the middle of a forest with

 no neighbors in sight unless your an exhibitionist!

Again, soothing cool water tones and traditional touches with a twist,

give a simple design a contemporary feel.

If I had a daughter who needed spoiling and an extra 20k laying

 around this would be the vanity in her bath.

Cinderella elegance. 

Sleek, contemporary, well executed.

I will post my design when construction is completed.

ETSY Find 12.9.10

Brillance Found

As I glanced throught the 20 + pages of amazing hand crafted jewelry, one thing came along better than the next. These are just a few of my favorites in the ring category... so electic and so orignial, a great christmas gift idea!

Ivy Vines & Berries Ring

Hot Pink Agate Slice Knuckle Ring

  

Stacking Star Rings

Shoegasm! 12.8.10

Thank you Jcrew for making my Wednesday Afternoon a little brighter....

JCREW SHOES, YES PLEASE!

YUMMY of the Week 12.8.10

Butternut Squash Carbonara

Ingredients:

1/2 pound pasta

6 slices bacon (cut into 1 inch slices)

2 cups squash (cut into small pieces)

1 clove garlic (chopped)

1 tablespoon sage (chopped)

pepper to taste

2 egg yolks

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano

Directions:

1. Start cooking the pasta.

2. Fry the bacon in a pan.  Drain most of the fat from the pan but

 reserve some to cook the squash.

4. Add the squash, garlic, sage and pepper and toss to coat in the bacon grease.

5. Mix the egg yolk, heavy cream and parmigiano reggiano in a bowl.

6. Drain the cooked pasta reserving some of the water.

7. Add the pasta to the pan and toss. Remove the pan from the heat and

wait for the sizzling to stop.

9. Add the egg mixture and toss to coat.

10. Add a bit of the pasta water and toss to mix and coat.

11. Garnish with more sage & serve.

Recipe Curtousy of Closet cooking

Cookie Project of the week 12.7.10

Martha Stewarts Cranberry Noels

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1.In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add milk and vanilla. Beat until just combined. With mixer on low, gradually add flour, salt, cranberries, and pecans; continue beating until fully combined.

2.Turn dough out onto a clean work surface, and divide into 2 equal pieces. Shape each piece into an 8-inch log, about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap logs in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

3.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a sharp knife, cut logs into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake until edges are golden, 14 to 16 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through. Remove from oven, and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Cranberry Noels - Martha Stewart Recipes

Dinner's on the Table 12.6.10

Frozen veggies cooked with olive oil, garlic, and lemon

 pepper makes for a quick veggie dish.

Potatos with mushrooms and verts, seasoned with spicy pesto.

Dinner is served.

Kerry's Sweet Potato-Turkey Meatloaf

Ingredients

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed

1 pound ground turkey breast

1 large egg

1 small sweet onion, finely chopped

1 cup fresh spinach, stems remove

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup spicy barbecue sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 slices whole-wheat bread

1 teaspoon salt & pepper

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a 2 quart baking dish.

2.Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the sweet potato, and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain the sweet potatoes, and mash until semi smooth. Pulse bread in food processor to get smaller 1/4" size bread crumbs.

3.Mix the ground turkey together with the egg, sweet onion, garlic, spinach, barbecue sauce, Dijon mustard, and whole wheat bread crumbs in a large mixing bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the sweet potatoes, and stir until evenly combined. If the mixture seems too wet, add more bread crumbs. Use your hands to form the turkey mixture into a loaf shape and place in the prepared baking dish.

4. Glaze Loaf with bbq sauce,save remainder of BBQ sauce for serving.

5.Bake in the preheated oven 1 hour. Slice the loaf to serve.

Favorite Holiday Card Finds! 12.3.2010

As most of you have Gathered by now I am becoming pretty

deeply enthralled in the Holiday Season this year, even though I have already

made the bulk of my christmas card purchases I still found

 it entertaining to browse through online catalogs via Etsy and

Papersource to find my favorite little Artworks of the 2010

 Holiday Season, and so I share them with you....

When first browsing through endless online photos of

Christmas cards I missed this little gem. Nothing like a little

poop humor to brighten the Holidays!

 Festivus for the Rest of Us... everyone has a little George Castanza in them.

At least enough to appreciate this beloved Holiday.

My personal favorite, me being a dog lover and all is the Boston Terrier

Merry Woofing Christmas! How abosolutely adorable is this?