Archive   |   September, 2011

blogwatch: where we’ve been clicking this week

Posted by in handy links, surfing

pioneerribs

As autumn starts to settle in, what could be more comforting than a plate of these short ribs with wine and cream from The Pioneer Woman?

The story of Rya rugs, vintage Scandinavian DIY textiles you can still make today — and still look fresh and on trend. At Retro Renovation.

The coolest treehouse ever, at ModFruGal. Those “things” are lucky — wonder if they’d consider renting it out?

For the love of laminate: The WilsonArt House, a time-capsule of 1960′s fabulousness, at Whorange.

Remodelista has us coveting this cast iron spice grinder from Canoe in Portland.

Whether we like it or not, the holidays are swiftly approaching. CasaSugar is scouting out the hot holiday trends from West Elm’s 2011 collection.

At Fresh Home Ideas, find out how to fabricate a smart slatted bathroom shelf.

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joy! easy bake oven returns, cuter than ever

Posted by in decorating, favorites

easybake

You may remember the national mourning that occurred a few years ago when Easy Bake Ovens were recalled. Generations of passionate bakers wept when the news arrived that their very first oven — which baked small goodies with a really hot light bulb — was dangerous and being pulled off the shelf. Well, Hasbro has fixed the problems by replacing traditional lightbulbs with energy-effecient LEDs and compact fluorescents. Apparently the new version heats up to about 375 degrees, but the exterior of the oven remains warm — not hot — to the touch. It also got a little bit of a makeover. It’s sleeker and more purple than ever before. Hooray! Read more about the new design at ivillage.com.

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real life test kitchen: gnocchi with squash & kale

Posted by in cooking, dinner

yum2

In my quest to try every one-dish recipe I can get my hands on, I gave this one, gnocchi with squash and kale from the Food Network magazine, a try last week. Gnocchi is one of those pastas I always enjoy in restaurants but it never occurs me make them at home. This is definitely a non-traditional recipe, where the pasta is soaks up the cooking liquid, rather than being boiled separately and added. First you saute onion, garlic, sage, red pepper flakes and the squash in butter. Add chicken broth and let it cook a little longer until it simmers. Then add kale, stirring until it wilts. Bring to boil. Add the gnocchi, stir, and cook for another five minutes. Once most of the liquid is absorbed and pasta is soft, sprinkle some parm cheese on dop and broil it in the pan for a minute or two until golden brown. The squash and the gnocchi were nice combo and similar texture. I should have chopped my kale into smaller pieces. Next time! Click here for recipe from Food Network mag. — Angela M.

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ikea makes a nursery for our guys: do they want one?

Posted by in decorating

ikeaa

Perhaps it is some recessed Paleolithic gene, but men just don’t enjoy shopping in the same way that women do. Any gal who has tried to maneuver her man through a crowded Nordstrom knows that he does not have the same patience for trying on clothes and waiting in line as she does. Ikea, forever determined to be a lifestyle leader, is attempting to address the conundrum with a new designated area for dudes, called Manland (see this story in news.com.au for more details). Currently available only in Europe now, it is outfitted with foosball tables, video games and free hotdogs. Though my husband, Chad, rather enjoys our strolls through Ikea and a good debate about lighting, I could imagine this being helpful. Now, if we could place one of them in H&M, that’d be special. — Angela M.

Do your guys like shopping as much as you do? Let me know!

via Gizmodo and The Week

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thanks irene, for the blooming mushrooms

Posted by in decorating

mush1

We’ve been noticing all sorts of lovely fungi sprouting up in our neighborhood the past few weeks. New to the suburbs, I didn’t think much of it until spotting this story on npr.com. Apparently in addition to water damaged basements, mold growing in walls and downed power lines, Hurricane Irene also left behind some extremely fertile conditions for growing mushrooms. I’m not sure if any of our local yard varieties are edible (we take a strict “don’t eat that” policy on any plants we’re not sure of) but they are sure cute. I like to picture little gnomes and fairies taking shelter under them during rains. It’s best not to step on them, as they can be slippery like a banana peel.

Have you ever gathered your own mushrooms? Would these taste good sauteed in butter? — Angela M.

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