Thinking

The warmer weather that we had here in Pennsylvania lately has me thinking about spring.  By warmer I mean almost 50 degrees...go ahead and laugh if you live in the west or south.  It's left me with melancholy for the garden.  The cold and snow are back but I can't stop thinking....

Is it too early to have spring fever??

Blue Monday

Gloomy old January. This is the official most depressing day of the year for 2010 named "Blue Monday". I don't feel depressed at all. I only feel like I need to go outside and do something. I'm tired of being in the house. How do you feel today??

Simon's Cat always makes me happy. I hope it makes you giggle too on this bluest of blue days. If you want another, click here to see my all time favorite Simon clip. (If the link doesn't work...see Jan 9-09 "Good Morning" blog)

oh happy day...

New Offerings Tonight 8:00 p.m. est

Please join me tonight on my website at 8:00 p.m. est for a little valentine update. Click here to visit or to be added to my mailing list for updates and happenings.

Enjoy your day and have a happy one!

I don't know what it is about January......

but maybe because the holidays are over and all the pretty decorations are put away I am inspired to move furniture and change everything in my house. Seems like a lot of this is going around.  Right now my mind is churning with ideas for the kitchen (please don't tell Dino...he'll have a coronary).

Let me tell you that I am addicted to movie houses and I really obsess over scenes in certain movies so I watch them on YouTube over and over again.

This is my kitchen...kind of blaahhh.  I don't know what I want.  It's not very warm and inviting.  I just took the table out so it even looks colder now.  NOT a movie kitchen.



The "Holiday" movie kitchen would be my dream kitchen. Unfortunately where there is that gorgeous fireplace I have a back door so the fireplace is out. Plus there is so much more room in this kitchen.



I love Practical Magic's kitchen with the back stairs coming down into the kitchen. Ohh don't you just love houses with back stairs?


It's funny because both of those were sets. The houses were actually built just for the movie and then torn down afterwards (sad).

This one is from "Must Love Dogs". I could waste days just watching Dianne Lane movies!  This is the only picture I could find of her movie kitchen. I loved this big eat-in kitchen, it's so comfy looking.



Another favorite "You've Got Mail" has been on TV lately.  Meg Ryan's brownstone apartment is one that I'm fascinated with. Lots of little antiques everywhere....very warm and cozy.



Instead of 2010 being the year of the tiger, I'm hoping it will be the year of the kitchen.  But for now I have this


and a lot of dreaming..........and more movies!

Prayers and Update

My only little offering for the Primitive Gathering this month.  Loved making this sweet bear which is made from a nice bit of old velvet.  For more info click here

I can't stop watching CNN.....its so sad.  My prayers and hopes are with the people suffering in Haiti and for the family members here that are unsure of their loved ones.  My heart is breaking for what they must be going through.  Also thoughts and prayers go out to everyone helping with the search and rescue efforts.  God bless.

A New Favorite Recipe ~ Lime and Honey Glazed Salmon

It's been awhile since I've added a recipe.  You know how it is with the "New Year-New You" thing.  I'm on this kick that we need to eat more fish in this family.  I've been bookmarking lots of recipes ~ some turning out good and some....well we will just say not worth the time to make again.

This salmon dish I thought was delicious and so did my family.  Lydia added some black corn tortilla chips crunched over the top of hers.  It's a Rachael Ray recipe from her "365 No Repeats" 30 Minute Meals Cookbook.  I'm really all about the speed of getting dinner done also.  This one took me about 40 minutes from start to finish WITH distractions ~ pretty good.

Its a funny thing being married to an Italian.  I've noticed that they take lots of pictures of food.  Dino's uncle from Jersey emails us photos of food all the time.  Everytime I take a food picture I think "Would Zio Ugo like this one??"  I wonder if he's reading this.  Hi Ugo!  Ha ha!

Lime and Honey Glazed Salmon with Warm Black Bean and Corn Salad

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided use)
  
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
  
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
  
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin (1/3 palmful)
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• Juice of 2 limes
  
• 3 tablespoons honey (3 gobs)
  
• 1 teaspoon chili powder (1/3 palmful)
  
• 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
  
• 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
  
• 1 (10-ounce) box frozen corn kernels, defrosted
  
• 1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
  
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  
• 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
  
• 6 cups baby spinach
  

Directions

1. Preheat a medium skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil (twice around the pan). Add the onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.
   
2. While the onions are cooking, preheat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
   
3. In a shallow dish, combine the juice of 1 lime, honey, chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the salmon fillets to the lime-honey mixture and toss to coat thoroughly. Add the seasoned salmon to the hot skillet and cook until just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.  I broiled mine and would probably grill this in warmer weather.
   
4. To the cooked onions, add the bell pepper and corn kernels and cook for 1 minute.
   
5. Add the chicken stock and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.
   
6. Add the black beans and cook until the beans are just heated through.
   
7. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the juice of the second lime, the cilantro and the spinach. Toss to wilt the spinach and then taste and adjust the seasoning.
   
8. Serve the lime-and-honey-glazed salmon on top of the warm black bean and corn salad.
   

Favorite Things

I have a confession. I love white. There I've said it. I can here the gasps from my primitive friends. It's not just the shades of white but anything faded and timeworn. It's a personal thing. Nothing soothes me like the colors, textures and fragrances of nature does. I call it a farmhouse-cottage primitive style. I think its why I like making primitives so much. Each piece tells a story. It's the texture of old homespun or the smell of an old book. It's very personal. You can feel the history. There is a warmness and comfort to it.

What brings you personal comfort and inspiration?

snowy day

my studio this morning

Wheee the snow is really flying today. Trying to get back into the schedule but boy is it hard. Making a big pot of chili for dinner tonight, perfect for the kind of day it is. Also thinking about apple cake....

I love this weather and the coziness of it all. Enjoy every minute.


"Life isn't long enough to do all you could accomplish. And what a privilege even to be alive. In spite of all the pollutions and horrors, how beautiful this world is. Supposing you only saw the stars once every year. Think what you would think. The wonder of it!"

— Tasha Tudor