Bedroom Ideas

Just checking out some ideas from HGtv.com for decorating, and this room almost looks like the paint color we picked out.

I love the color scheme here, and warm tones will make the green pop.


















But this one is kinda sexy...but sweet....hmmmmm. Our new sheet comforter set is chocolate brown, almost like this. The headboard is soo cool!!!!

What to do...what to do...::twiddling thumbs::

Made Over Deep Dish Brownies

**For the chocolate I used, Ghirardelli chocolate bar & cocoa powder. They have the best chocolate ever. Coffee Liqueur I used was from Costa Rica, but I think the Starbucks Coffee Liqueur would be just as good, too.**

Made Over Deep Dish Brownies

Source: Foodnetwork

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons canola oil

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 large eggs, cold

1 tablespoon coffee liqueur

1/4 cup cocoa powder

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

**Position rack in the lower third of the oven and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Use an 8 by 8 silicon baking pan or line a similar sized metal or glass baking dish with foil or parchment paper so it hangs over the edges by about 1 inch. Spray the prepared pan completely. I prefer double boiler method of melting chocolate. You would put the chocolate and butter/oil in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very slow simmer. Place the bowl over, not touching, the water, and stir occasionally until melted and smooth. It should be nice and creamy.

*You can also melt the chocolate & butter in the microwave, but I hate the mess it would make!

*Stir the brown and white sugars, vanilla and salt into the chocolate mixture with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs and coffee and beat vigorously until fully incorporated and the batter is thick and glossy. Add the cocoa, flour and baking soda and stir just until it disappears.Pour the batter into the pan and bake until the top is crispy and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a few crumbs, about 30 minutes (40 minutes if not using silicon).

Cinnamon-Apple Oat Bars

I came home from my mom's house with a bag of apples. I was optimistic on finding a recipe to make with apples aside from apple pie...this came from one of the many blogs I check out. I can't remember from who, but I thank you in advance. Also, I got to use my new BFF in the kitchen...the KA Mixer!!! This was really easy to make, and I love having all the ingredients in my cupboard because I hate going to store for one measly ingredient!!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup applesauce

1/4 cup healthy oil

1/4 egg substitute or 1 egg

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup of oats

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped unpeeled apple

1. Heat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a piece of wax paper and the exposed pan sides with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Mix brown sugar, applesauce, oil, and egg substitute in KA mixer.

3. Stir in flour, baking soda, oats, cinnamon, and salt, then finally the apple.

4. Spread batter in 8x8 pan.

5. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean; cool.

**ENJOY, I know I will!!!**

Beer Cheese Risotto

Our last taco/poker party left us with a fridge full of beer!!!!! Yes, I was the only girl out of the bunch, too. I wanted to be able to cook with the beer...so I came across this recipe. It was pretty good!!

Adapted from ?

Ingredients:
½ large onion, diced
1 shallot, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1.5 cup arborio rice
2 cups hot vegetable stock (approximate)
½ cup beer or more
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese

Heat the stock to near boiling. Sweat the onions & shallots in a heavy, medium saucepan with the olive oil, adding a generous pinch of salt. When the onions are soft and transparent, add the rice, sautéeing until each grain is coated.Add the beer and heat to simmer, stirring constantly. When the beer is mostly absorbed, add around a third to a half cup of hot stock (this should be heated in another pan close by). Stir constantly while simmering. Repeat procedure for around twenty minutes--most of the stock should be consumed and the rice should be tender to the taste before proceeding. The rice will produce a thick, creamy sauce in the course of cooking. Remove from heat, adding the Parmesan cheese and stirring to incorporate. Give the cheese a chance to dissolve and melt, then add the cheddar. Stir to melt and incorporate. If a cheesier rice is desired, add more.

Our House...

We're set to close escrow in less than 20 days...I'm slowly getting excited about everything. We just did the house inspection, and we were there just watching everything get taken care of. Eric took lots of pics of everything, he's going to be my "Tool Time" man...fixing everything for me...he's so thoughtful to think about all the little details. I'll admit I'm a space case on these ideas...but wow, he surprises me sometimes. He told me today that he wanted to make sure I was happy that we're going to be living in our house...all I'm worried about is living there, and he's worried about making me happy there...can't wait to start living our american dream as homeowners!!!

Here's our master bedroom.

My future home for my herb garden...cilantro, basil, rosemary, thyme and sage..maybe even some mint. I'll need it for some mojitos!!!

Here's our kitchen, it will be a work in progress.

The kitchen island will be here in the middle, so I can have my counter space. We're trying to put a butcher block of oak in the center here...I can't wait to have the island!!! yipee!

The Omnivore's Hundred

I'm going to start a voyage on food...cooking recipes and learning new techniques and mastering the art of cooking. I guess this is just rambling and I will figure out what I want to do on this blog. I'm cooking in my kitchen, working on so many renovation projects for the house. Maybe this will be a great source and release for all my creative energy. Or just a place to display all my lovely and ugly food triumphs, too. Follow me on my culinary journey...it's going to be a bumpy ride.

Here's something that I came across while surfing the web -

The Omnivore's Hundred
This seemed interesting to see if I have eaten anything really worthwhile on this list.The Omnivore's Hundred is an eclectic and subjective list of 100 items that Andrew Wheeler, co-author of the British food blog Very Good Taste, thinks every omnivore should try at least once in her life.

Instructions:
Copy this list into your blog, including these instructions.
Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a big fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more:*Johnnie Walker Blue Label*
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurs
t65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

Sadly, I've only eaten 44 of these things...on my way to start eating more interesting foods here!! Oh, I'll try anything once, too. Hmmm, I <3 food.