For coffee and wine lovers

We recently bought these new mugs and wine glasses since we either have a few mismatched or have broken them. For me, drinking coffee out of a huge bowl or trough rather is quite a treat. I now look even more forward to coffee in the morning knowing that I'll be using this. Seems to make it taste better.

The wine glasses are fragile and are made of a very thin glass but we could not resist. Yes, unfortunately we need to have our designated drinks labeled for our coffee drinking and wine drinking, I guess we get that tired. We wouldn't want to confuse the two. Ha.

I should also mention that the coffee mugs have a cute cream and sugar to go along, must buy separately. The wine glasses have a carafe too. All great gift ideas for anyone getting married this spring.

Tried, tested, and approved

Bibimap-I subscribe to this fresh and chock full of goodness magazine, Cookie, and it is geared for parents but has great articles for everyone. This month has a couple really good recipes using eggs. My husband has high cholesterol so I have to use them sparingly but I do think eggs are a great meat and protein alternative. In addition, I am trying to branch out and try ground turkey instead of my go to meat, chicken. So in this recipe, I used ground turkey and I was skeptical at first, but it tasted great and was not at all greasy like beef. This dish comes together quick and although the ingredients sound strange, it some how works and was a home run especially with us grown-ups. I set aside the meat and rice for the girls and did not assemble like ours, as they are extremely picky. If you are a vegetarian you could use tofu or a meat substitute when it calls for turkey, beef, etc. Another tip, I used long grain brown rice and steamed the vegetables. Give it a try, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

flat sandals

I think I got you covered on a large selection of flat sandals. I am not into the current trend of the "gladiator" sandal look so I tried for more simple, basic, not overly embellished, and all under $100.00 -tho one is right under.

gigi flats
dolce vita
shore flat
mystique flat
jala flat
cocobelle flats
journal flat
steph flat
greta 2 flat
gratefully sandal
summer patent sandal
jaya sandal
nita sandal
jeff sandal
cofie sandal
amelia slide
calappa thongs
liquid metal sandals
iced coffee sandal

Top for spring

Tunic - love all the colors - to pair with favorite jeans and sandals. Also, nice earrings in the aquamarine color.

All I have to say is...

d*** this is a cool concept. Go visit www.hautelook.com, I just read about it in the April 2009 Real Simple issue. I accepted the terms of the site which I am not entirely sure to what extent I agreed to but to be on the safe side, I am not going to say anything more about it but move now and see.

just for now

We had the priviledge of visiting this beautiful place, rosemary beach, fl

Food inspriration

I recently met a close friend in Lawrence, KS for lunch with my girls at Milton’s. I ordered the huevos rancheros and it was so good. I took a stab at making something similar at home and it turned out great. Most of the ingredients are items you may have but can easily buy at the store. It’s a meal you can fix anytime of day, filling, and healthy.

Makes 4 tortillas

4 Large eggs -Prepare scrambled eggs according to your liking
4 flour or whole wheat tortillas
1 can of black beans rinsed and drained
1 small can of green chilies drained
½ c. or more bottled salsa
1 ½ c. Monterey jack cheese

My measurements are not exact as I just eyeball what looks enough so add more if you would like more.

Preheat oven to 350. Once you have scrambled the eggs, then I take a spoonful of egg and put on flat tortilla, add a spoonful of black beans, and pour a bit of salsa on top, maybe 1 TBS.

Then I roll up and place fold side down on a greased glass Pyrex cooking pan. Once I have prepared all four tortillas following the steps above, then I sprinkle cheese and spread the green chilies on top. Place pan in the oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted. I served this for dinner the other night with some fresh fruit. A quick and easy meal.

Unruly hair remedy

So I wanted to share some great hair secrets for those with wild, untamable manes. My hair has gotten extra curly, wavy, and frizzy since having children. After trying many,and I do mean many, products I think I have found a great mix and concoction to remedy the bozo hair. Keep in mind, these products are not for those who have fine, thin, tend to be oily, or naturally straight haired. Your hair would be plastered to your head if you used this…..only for those with “the wilds” and lots of it. It’s a lot of work some may say, but I am finally at peace with it so it’s worth it. Also, all this will take around ten minutes.

Okay, so the shampoo and conditioner– I wash my hair every other day and sometimes every third- it truly does make a difference. Then I add to wet hair Moroccan oil-the Holy Grail for bozo frizz tendency hair - about a pea size and rub in my hands and go more to the unruly parts in my hair. Then I add about a dime size of hang straight -rub in hands – add to my hair, blow dry, flat iron, (are you worn out yet?), then finish with gloss. I am offering this advice to you all out there who need the advice. My hair stylist totally gets my hair and thankfully cuts and advises me on what to put on it that will suit it. The Moroccan oil was her latest trick. It’s amazing and has a nice subtle smell.

Gear up for warmer weather

My mom recently gave me this, Velvet Voletta dress, as a gift and when I went to thank her, I told her “I loved the skirt” only to find out that it was a dress- a cover up for the beach or pool or whatever. Since we are going to Florida next week, it was extra thoughtful and rather sassy dress for a mother to give a daughter. I do really like it and it is extremely soft and has deep pockets to carry sunglasses, phone, wallet, etc. She gave me the lilac color although it comes in other colors. She said “I suppose you could wear it as a skirt” but it looks better and was meant to be a dress just in the way it sits on your hips. So here are additions like sunglasses, great cotton bag for everyday or pool bag, leather flip flops, and simple silver hoops or gold hoops .

This is the finished product curtain wise in our dining room. Still a room that needs lots of attention. This room is a long and wide, actually I think it is sadly the biggest room in our house - which gets the least use. But for anyone that has a room like this and has a lot of wall space to cover, I would recommend either bookshelves or art. My mom brought up the idea of using it also as a living space and not just for family gatherings for the holidays. When we put bookshelves in there, I think it will be a great quiet space to go read. Neil will often set up his laptop and work stuff and use our dining table like a desk. Nothing like multitasking in your home.

What do you get when two nuts collide in a store?

This story is not to advertise my birthday at all over the weekend but a sweet and funny story. My husband and I, so I thought, had agreed upon no gifts except for a much needed and deserved pedicure as my b-day gift. To my surprise that was not all. He was up to some shenigans. He surprised me with spring sightings cardi and a pair of great earrings. How sweet and thoughtful is that? Well, the story gets funny here. He wasn’t sure what to pick out so referred online to my blog via his blackberry while walking through Anthropologie. So sweet that he is looking at my blog at the posted items that I admire from afar and runs into my friend Nancy. She is looking for a dress I posted on my blog. And supposedly some people that either worked there were all – "what blog?" after hearing these two exclaim in unison – “Susie’s blog." Small world but great advertising, huh?

Salmon Teriyaki

This is a favorite fish dish. I found the recipe in Canyon Ranch Cooking Bringing the Spa Home by Jeanne Jones. Easy and healthy. The apple concentrate gives a great flavor. I usually make the marinade according to the recipe but only use 2-3 salmon steaks.

Teriyaki marinade
1/2 c. reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 TBS. rice vinegar
3 garlic cloves, halved
1 TBS finely chopped fresh gingerroot
1 1/2 c. frozen unsweetened apple juice concentrate (12oz.), undiluted and thawed
1/2 c. finely chopped scallions
6 salmon steaks (4 oz. each)

1. Combine all the ingredients, except the scallions and salmon, in a blender and blend until smooth. Stir in the scallions.
2. Place the salmon in a glass baking dish and pour the marinade over it. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 8 to 10 hours, turning the salmon occasionally so that the marinade is absorbed evenly.
3. Preheat the oven to 350.
4. Bake the salmon, in the marinade, in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily.

A Casual Dress

Whether you work outside the home or have a night out with a date(husband) or friends, a basic dress is essential. Not too dressy but something easy to personalize with jewelry, shoes, scarves, etc. I know sometimes when I have plans for a night out, it’s nice to change out of your uniform (whatever it may be) and have a go-to-dress.

Here are examples of some versatile dresses:
BCBG Max Azria dress
DonnaMorgandress
DM belted dress
Max & Cleo dress
BCBG Max Azria wrap
ECI border print dress
Two Rivers dress
Afternoon-at-ease dress
Great Divide dress
Center-of-attention dress

close up of pillows

Pillows and throws

A quick and easy way to breathe new life into a living space is add some comfy pillows and a cozy throw. I like to mix solid color pillows among patterned or striped. If you have the inserts, you can always change out your current cover with a new one instead of buying new pillows all together. Also, pillow covers with zippers makes washing or dry cleaning very easy. I usually wash mine on cold and gentle then lay flat to dry. I think it does the trick rather than dry cleaning. As far as size, I like to mix sizes of pillows such as 18” with 22” square. I prefer down inserts as they are more comfortable and not so stiff as the poly fill.

I bought this throw from sferra linens about four years ago. It is made of the softest cotton, washes well (normal cycle and low heat dryer), and comes in lots of great colors. I remember having a tough time choosing a color since there were so many appealing ones. These are great for naps, curling up by the fire, and provide the perfect amount of warmth.
Here are some ideas for pillows and throws:

crate and barrel henley pillow

crate and barrel izmar pillow

crate and barrel tango pillow

organic cotton knit throw

chunky hand knit throw

pillow inserts

Check out Pottery Barn , Crate and Barrel, and CB2 for more ideas - too many to list.

Best Chocolate Cake

This is a family recipe and it is my all time favorite cake,not healthy, but perfect for special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries. I usually serve it with a side of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Use a 13x9 pan

Preheat oven to 350

For the cake
1 c. water
2 sticks butter
4 Tbs. cocoa powder
2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c. buttermilk

Add water, butter, and cocoa to a small pan and heat to a boil. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat. Mix flour through buttermilk together and then add the liquid (water, butter, cocoa) to it. Mix until smooth. Bake for 45-50 minutes. I check mine before then due to our oven baking quick. Remove and cool before icing.

Icing
5Tbs buttermilk
1 stick butter
2 Tbs cocoa powder
1 pound powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Add buttermilk, butter, and cocoa to a pan and heat until butter melted - stir. Add sugar and vanilla to heated mixture and stir until smooth. Ice cake and serve.