bye-bye poop smears!

As K and I stared into our sun room last weekend, I decided it was time to paint.  The previous owner enjoyed "decorative paint"  To me this looks like poop smears.

 I can't believe it took me 8 months to paint this, but we really haven't used this room.  It's mostly been a dumping ground.  It was enclosed about 20 or more years ago and never insulated properly

But we are going to be moving in some more furniture in a few weeks, and this room will become our office space.  So I'm a little more motivated now.

We also had some window people out last week, because the windows in this room are unbelievably cold, it's aluminum frame with single pained glass.  And they don't close all the way either.

The long wall opposite from the windows backs to the garage.  And since this was originally an outside porch, there was no reason to insulate the wall.  So we have to tear off the drywall in the garage and put in to insulation and re drywall.  I'm hope the will happen next month when some nephews are one spring break.

The walls are just primed, so it's kind of patchy and streaky.  The concrete floors have been stained and look awful.  K wants to have them re stained, which is fine, as long as it looks nicer. 

We are also going to take down the beams on the ceiling, and put up some floor to ceiling shears as soon as we have new windows.

Ok, Ina Thurday is now, the Occational Ina Thursday

I've been doing better in the new year with postings, but for some reason, can not get in the habit of doing Ina Thursdays.  And it's not due to a lack of cooking and enjoying everything Ina. 

So I made this a couple of weeks ago, and I actually made it in the rice cooker.  I have a large one, and when I was reading the directions, it said I could make risottos in it, so I gave it a try.

And believe it or not, it came out great.  The texture of the rice was perfect.  Slightly al dente.

 

From the asparagus on, I stirred in after the rice had cooked and left the cooker on warm for about 10 minutes.  I think I might hold off on the marscarpone next time and just put a little dollop on top.

If you don't have a rice cooker, just fallow Ina's directions.  It's perfect for a one pot meal.


Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)

1 cup chopped fennel

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

2/3 cup dry white wine

4 to 5 cups simmering chicken stock, preferably homemade

1 pound thin asparagus

10 ounces frozen peas, defrosted, or 1 1/2 cups shelled fresh peas

1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (2 lemons)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, preferably Italian

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving

3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, plus extra for serving

Directions

Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and fennel and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the rice and stir for a minute to coat with the vegetables, oil, and butter. Add the white wine and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the wine has been absorbed. Add the chicken stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more. This process should take 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the asparagus diagonally in 1 1/2-inch lengths and discard the tough ends. Blanch in boiling salted water for 4 to 5 minutes, until al dente. Drain and cool immediately in ice water. (If using fresh peas, blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes until the starchiness is gone.

When the risotto has been cooking for 15 minutes, drain the asparagus and add it to the risotto with the peas, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Continue cooking and adding stock, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is tender but still firm.

Whisk the lemon juice and mascarpone together in a small bowl. When the risotto is done, turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone mixture plus the Parmesan cheese and chives. Set aside, off the heat, for a few minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve hot with a sprinkling of chives and more Parmesan cheese.

Weekend Shopping

I went to an estate sale last weekend and came home with a few purchases I was very pleased with.  It was a house that was built in the 50's and I think the family bought everything new when they moved in and then never bought another single thing.

First up, a mama and baby pitcher.  I only have one other ceramic pitcher, and I love these.

I particularly love the spouts, the shape helps keep the ice from coming out.  Don't you hate it when you get a glass full of ice instead of water?

Next up is a a table lamp, I'm planning to put it on our desk, whenever we finally move it into the house.

I think those three legs are so cute.  I don't think I've ever seen a lamp like this before.

This copper pot was hand made and really heavy.  I thought it was awesome and couldn't wait to fill it with ice and wine for my next party.

In the mean time, I think it will live in the fireplace, cause it's heavy and big and I don't really have any where else to put it.  I also got it on bid.  I didn't really want to pay full price and on the second day, everything goes to half price.  So I put in a bid that was a little over half and the people putting on the estate sale tally up all the bids at the end of shopping day number 1.

I did the same on the chairs, I did a bid instead of paying full price.  It's a little risky, cause anyone can come in and buy them at full price, but I was willing to take the chance.

They are Russel Wright and they are in perfect condition. And most importantly, they are comfortable.  I have some Russel Wright dishes that were my grandmothers so I'm excited to use them together.  There are only three of them, but oh well, I'll use them a ton anyway.  And they fold, so I can hang them in the garage when they are not in use.

House Hold Projects

Along with getting ride of paint, I'm trying to get the house a little more organized and little projects accomplished while the weather it nice.  And to feel like I'm getting somewhere.

 Those silly Young House Love people are getting shit done like nobodies business, and they have only been in that house for 2 months. 

So here are 2 little things I've been meaning to do.

The window to our garage had some seriously dirty mini-blinds.  It was a diy from some preivious owners where they took some left over blinds and reporposed them in the garage.  There were no contols and I couldn't get them to close.  Making them completely useless, not to mentions, hard to clean.  Here's before...

So I took them down and gave the whole window and surrounding wall a good scrubbing

And then used some good old contact paper. 

 I'm not sure if contact paper will last a super long time.  But for $5 and 20 minutes, it's worth it.

I can't believe how much morning light we get in there now, it's great.

By the way, garage organization is up near the top of the list, but I need some help from the husband and he's been working like mad lately.


Next up is the bathroom.  We have a teeny tiny one with not much counter space and a pretty funcky vanity.  It's really hard to see into the cabnet because it is set back a few inches from the counter.  So I wanted to put in some pull out drawrs to make it easier to get to things.

At first I bought a simple human pull out shelf, but it was too deep.  I couldn't have anything for the 16".  So off I went to the container store to see if they had anyother brand that would fit.

Thankfully they did.  Elfa drawrs come in a few debths and 16" was perfect.

I got two of these, a 9"wide for the top shelf, there is plumging in the way

and a 16"wide for the bottom.

And of course they were out of the 16"wide bastket, so I got the base and will have to go back in a couple of days. 

Here's the first one completed, and apparently I need to wipe off the pipes, it looks extra disgusting.

Left Over Paint

The previous owners left behind almost 30 gallons of paint.  Some of the colors I have already painted over, and some aren't even in the house anymore.  So I thought, while the weather is nice this week, I would try to tackle it.  I did a quick google search and found that by mixing kitty litter in, it helps to dry out the paint.  And it's working.  It takes a little work and some serious stirring muscles, but it'll get there.

It's only for latex paint though.  I accidentally tried it with oil paint, and it's not drying out.  I'll have to google that to see what I need to do.  I've also been scraping the dried bit off of the top each day to help speed it along.  I should be done by the end of the week.  The google search said to line a box with a trash bag and as the bottom layer dries to add another one, so if I do this with several more cans, I might do that.


This is one of the paint cans left that isn't being used anymore.

I'll camp out for these

Glee Nail Polish!!! I write this as I sit here waiting for football game to end so I can watch a new Glee.

So right So wrong

This dress is so amazing, right

This one doesn't even compare.  Not that it's aweful, cause it's not, just not in the same league. 

This is all the more I will do on the GG's cause everyone else has already done it.

Ina's Back

It's been forever since I've done an Ina Thursday.  I made two of her recipes in the last week and they both were delicious.  So here is a double dose for you.

Thyme and Parmesan Crackers

 

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter

3 ounces grated Parmesan

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix until creamy. Add the Parmesan, flour, salt, thyme and pepper and combine.
Dump the dough on a lightly floured board and roll into a 13-inch long log. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 30 minutes to harden.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the log crosswise into 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick slices. Place the slices on a sheet pan and bake for 22 minutes.

These were great we had them with Manhattans on Friday night.  For some reason, my dough wouldn't come together, so I had to dribble in ice water, a few table spoons.  Not sure why, but they sill came out great.

Roasted Eggplant Caponata dip
1 large eggplant (1 1/2 pounds)

Good olive oil

4 ounces jarred roasted red peppers, chopped

1/2 cup large green olives, pitted and chopped

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)

3 tablespoons minced parsley

2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons drained capers

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Toasted pita triangles, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.
Place the whole eggplant on the pan, prick with a fork in several places, and rub with olive oil. Roast for 45 to 50 minutes, until the eggplant is very soft when pierced with a knife. Set aside to cool. Halve the eggplant, peel, and discard the skin. Place the eggplant, peppers, and olives in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until coarsely chopped. Pour into a mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onion and red pepper flakes and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until the onion is lightly browned. Add the garlic, cook for 1 minute, and add to the eggplant mixture. Add the parsley, pine nuts, lemon juice, capers, tomato paste, vinegar, salt, and pepper and mix. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop. Taste for seasonings and serve at room temperature with toasted pita triangles.

My husband is not a fan of eggplant, but I tried this anyway when we had friends over for dinner.  It is not very eggplant-y.  It was delicious.  Give it a try for an appetizer. 

Fresh Delivery

Every since we moved, I have wanted to get milk delivery.  So as part of my new years resolution to conserve more, I ordered milk delivery...in glass bottles.  I love it, it's the kind we had growing up.  Now when the milk is gone, there's no trash, just the bottle we send back to get refilled.  Hurray.  And how cute is that little squaty half and half bottle.  That is the perfect thing to start my day with. 

I'm so Awesome

I bought two of these this weekend.  I can't believe I'm trendy enough to have just bought something that is on remodelista.  YEA for me.

P.S. Also, I'm tired of asking a 2 1/2 year old if he needs to sit on the potty or if he wants to put on undies.  But I'm even more sick of changing diapers, so I guess I'll deal with it.

These are shitty pics sorry.

The white lamp lights up inside, it's my favorite.  At first I didn't like these shades because they are a little sheer and you can see the bulb.  But as I stared at them for awhile they grew on me.  They shades are both the same just on different lamps.

Can I move into this Show?

I know it's silly, my husband can't even pretend to tollerate it.  But I love medical dramas.  At first it was ER, which started when Iw as in 6th grade.  I was hooked at the first comercial I saw. 

Now it's Grays Anatomy.  I started watching it when it first came out several years ago.  I stopped watching it when I moved in with my husband, because we were in a studio and, like I said, he will not tollerate medical dramas. 

So recently, I watched the whole 6th season on netflix and I can't stop watching reruns.  Thank god lifetime is running the whold series, so I'm able to catch up on the seasons I've missed.

I would recommend it if you haven't seen it, and like medical dramas.  All the eye candy doesn't hurt.

I love all the drama and bed hopping.  It's a fun imaginary world.

Bargains

 I try not to buy to much on sale, because I tend to buy things I don't actually need or want that much.  Every once in a while I find things I have been looking for or found and loved, but didn't want to pay full price, on sale.  Williams-Sonoma has the greatest after Christmas Sales I've ever seem.  Mostly on their linens, they are marked down like 75%  The past three years I have gotten something. 

This is one of the table clothes, of 5 that my mom and I got between us.  I also got a serving tray, 12 napkins, a kids apron for E and some new dish clothes.

They also had some copper ice and champagne buckets that were on sale, but still a lot of money.  I am thinking about them.  One of them would look amazing with those roses in them on the table.  Make sure you go to you local store because there doesn't seem to be much online.  Happy bargain hunting.

Our new, older place.

Another new years intention is to post more....not to hard to accomplish if I manage to post just twice a week.

I've been working on my house quite a bit over the last 7 months that we have been here.  Here are the before pics on the two hall bedrooms.

 This was the baby's room for the previous owner.  I hate it.  The color combo isn't that bad, but it is overwhelming and someone else's design.  There were even wall words...the worst.  I took them down before I could even get a photo.  Over the built in it said "Heir to the Throne"  and on the other side of the room, over the crib it said "The Prince Sleeps here"...barf.  And yes that is a  paper crown sconce with glued on glass beads.  Every time I close the door to this room another one falls off.  It's a pain in my ass, and yes it's still on the wall 6 months in. This bedroom is our current "spare room"  Eventually, it will probs be a baby room, but for now all it has is a twin mattress on the floor where my mom sleeps when she comes.  It has been painted, I did it in the first two months we were in.  I'll post pics soon.   

That's right, that is a shield with the little boys name on it.  It's Radley if you can't see it.   

This is my son's room.  It had Ralph Lauren suede paint on just one wall.  It wasn't really our style or the look I'm going for in his room.  Forgot to take a pic before I started priming the brown, oh well you set the point.  Also, take a peak of the ebony stained wood floor.  Ebony is the darkest you can go.  Not that bad, but we just moved back in after sanding a staining it again.  It's totally different.  I'm all done painting this as well.  Pics later.

New and Old

I was getting ready to post some pics of our house and the projects I have been working on, but I thought I might share pics of our old tiny house/apartment.

We were very fortunate to have a contract on our house within a week of listing and to have made a decent profit.  We loved our first home, it's were the first addition to our family, our dog violet came home. Were we lived when we got married, and the home where we welcomed our baby.  It was a very unique funky place and we love loved it.  We were here until E was 1 1/2.  It was a little too long, but it worked out cause we found the perfect house to move to.

That's right, this house was all one room.  Imagine, where this dining table is...there is a drape hanging and a crib and glider in the corner.  That table has two sides that fold down, so it is very compact.  It fit right up against the outside of the drape.  This was the only pic I could find.  E was a couple of weeks old here.  You can also see that the dining table doubled as our changing table.  Not sure how sanitary it is to eat on top of a changing table...oh well. 

Yup, our bed was up this steep stair case in the peak of the roof.  It was cozy up there, but I am so thankful for a real bedroom now.

Obviously I jumped on the chocolate brown band wagon.  I painted this in 2006/07, and it was so hot then.  I love that green still, but not sure if it will be making an appearance in our new house.  You can see in a couple of the photos were there are paneled doors and slab doors.  I made that choice.  Oops.  In my defense I was 7 1/2 months pregs and the handyman thought it was best.  I couldn't make a decision to save my life at the end of my pregnancy.  Oh well, you live, you learn.

This was an old house, built in 1898? or abouts.  It was divided up into 4 units.  Ours was the smallest and in the peak of the roof.  It had a bunch of funky windows and slopes.

Resolutions

Every year it is nice to set intentions.  Sometimes they pan out, sometimes they don't.  I don't do one every year, four years ago I decided not to slouch anymore.  Here I am four years later slouching as I write this. 

I have many things I would like to start accomplishing on a daily weekly and monthly basis...doesn't everyone.  But the new years seems like such a wonderful time to start.

So here are my intentions for the year and I'll just have to wait and see how it works.

In this month's Sunset there was an article about a family in N. CA that throw almost ZERO trash away.  I know that we are a far cry from that, but it made me hyper aware of our disposable lifestyle.  Case in point, I bought a whole bunch of disposable cleaning supplies the other day, when I already had reusable stuff at home!  I bought the disposable because we were just moving back in after refinishing our floors and had to clean every surface in the house.  I thought the disposable would work better...nope.  They worked worse.  Stupid stupid.  and of course I got the Sam's size, so I'm gonna have them forever. 

And of course there were boxes inside these boxes.  The only thing I really do use a lot is the magic eraser.  I cleans awesome and I don't have to use any chemicals.  But it's not for every surface, so be careful.  And the swiffer dusters

So that is my big thing to focus on in the next few weeks...months.  Try to buy reusable, minimally packaged items that I really need.  Cause I don't want o clutter up my house. 

The cleaning supplies I usually use and love are.

Dust mop with a microfiber head

Steam mop...doesn't need any chemicals, only water!!! and it disinfects with only water

Method toilet cleanser

Clorox Green cleaner

J RWhatkins counter cleaner

Method laundry soap, it is super concentrated and in a pump that lasts forever. 

Bon Ami

Windex, shot spot and shout or about the only thing I don't use that isn't "GREEN"