Sweet Nothings

2011-10-17T14:12:00.001-07:00

A melt-in-your-mouth selection from Outback Steakhouse. Wood-fire grilled Ahi Tuna. Perfection.

room to grow...

2009-09-04T08:14:00.000-07:00

Dinner a few nights ago consisted of rice, a can of cream of chicken soup, and cubed chicken breast. Toss it all together, adding pepper and Italian seasoning, and there's your dish! I honestly ate it just like that with no sides, but next time I'll do it right with sides and the whole bit. =)

Ooh...and last night we had rotisserie chicken with mac n cheese and green beans...yum-o.

Black Bean Lasagna from BHG

2009-06-01T16:35:00.000-07:00

http://www.bhg.com/recipe/beans/black-bean-lasagna/

I haven't tried this yet, but it looks so good and I thought I'd go ahead and share...

Dinner:

2009-05-12T13:07:00.000-07:00

Tilapia:
~tilapia fillets
~(about 1tbsp per fillet) evoo (confused right now?) =)
~thyme
~pepper (red or black--very little if red)
~splash of anything else green in your cabinet...
~squirt of soy sauce
Heat pan (for about 30-40 seconds), add oil, then fish...cover both sides w/oil, then allow to begin cookng on med. Season up-side, flip, lightly season other side. About 1 minute before it's done, splash some soy on top, but mostly around the sides of the fish and let it cook in just a little bit.
Tip: if using red pepper, do NOT sprinkle onto fish directly from bottle! Try sprinkling on palm, then lightly blow it towards the pan and allow it to fall on fish. If you can barely see some on there, it's perfect.
Note: fish does like to fall apart when you flip it...be sure to use a big enough spatula and get it turned in one, swift motion.

Serve w/ rice, any veggies... beans, corn on cob, gr beans, asparagus, parsley potatoes, etc...

Kitchens

2009-02-17T11:25:00.000-08:00

I know, it's been a while. ~~I'm sorry.~~ No. I don't have to apologize to you for my choices regarding how I spend my time.

Here's my latest image find. I think that this is a very effective way to add a splash of color to a dull kitchen. Now, mind that it can't be the only statement in the room. Add creative lighting to your kitchen as well. Make sure it ties your walls in to it well by using like colors. However, they shouldn't match the walls. That means don't exact your paint color in your mosaic. Use a slightly bolder color of tile. Don't be afraid to tie in colors that aren't found anywhere else in the room, as they have done with the purple here. It alludes to a greater theme than one's first glance into your kitchen.

I definitely want to let you know that this type of artwork can be overdone. It's easily turned into a wild, scary nightmare.

Wanna try it!

2009-02-09T11:22:00.000-08:00

Want a random bit of useless information?
...In 2007, OKC was the fast-food capital of the U.S. and ranked in the top 10 in '99, '03, and '06(tied for No. 3 with Memphis and Charleston/Huntington, West Virginia. in '06)...
...Oklahoma City ranked No. 15 in the latest survey of "America's Fattest Cities" by Men's Fitness magazine...
...Portland [Oregon] (about the same population as OKC) residents are among the least frequent patrons of fast-food establishments in the nation, along with Anchorage, Boston and Portland, Maine...
Very random, I know...but you love me for it...and you think about what you're stuffing as you read this.

And, to balance out your craving for McDonald's fries right now, I'll give you a recipe for an alternative side from one of my new favorite sites: www.recipegoldmine.com

Dijon-Roasted New Potatoes
Coating the potatoes in Dijon mustard and a small amount of olive oil helps make them crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
1 spray cooking spray 1 teaspoon
olive oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 pounds uncooked new potatoes, quartered
Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Whisk together oil, mustard, paprika, thyme, salt and pepper in a large bowl; add potatoes and stir to coat.
Transfer potatoes to baking dish and roast 15 minutes; stir and roast until tender on inside, about 15 minutes more.Yields about 1 1/4 cups per serving.
3 Points(weight watchers); 4 servings

It wasn't me...

2008-12-11T16:20:00.000-08:00

If you saw some girl on the VegAll website typing her home address into the recipe of the month section, it wasn't me. It was some other chick with totally rockin hair and Converse shoes (which, btw, are the number one selling shoe of all time and came out in like 1917!) But it wasn't me so I don't know that bit of useless information about Converse.

Veg-All Mysteries

2008-12-11T14:00:00.000-08:00

The question has been asked:

WHAT IS "VEG-ALL?"

This time it was asked by my sister, cilla, in a comment on this blog. About a month ago, I was the one asking that question when my husband told me to pick up a can of it at the grocery store for his soup.

Based on that experience, I have a definition for you - mixed vegetables in a can.

But even my answer begs the question, what is veg-all, really?

So, I looked it up. A little self-organized research project

with the help of... *drumroll* ...google.

My findings are as follows:

My personal definition is acurate, nearly to the letter - Canned mixed vegetables.

Based on my recent experience at the grocery store, I know how hard it is to shop for something you've never seen before, so I thought I'd be generous today and let you

have a peek before you seek.

This is to what I refer when I say "veg-all."

Upon conductiong an extensive search, however, I found that there are other species of this can I so recently discovered. One information specialist put it this way:

"When you think of Veg-All, the first thing that probably comes to mind is a can of our original mixed vegetables; that delightful combination of corn, peas, beans, potatoes, celery, carrots, and lima beans in a light onion broth.
But many of the same delicious vegetables that come together to create Veg-All's original mixed vegetables are also packaged individually, making them the perfect choice as a recipe ingredient or delicious side dish."

(www.vegall.com/products/)

I also discovered that, in addition to the original mixed vegetables, they also make Hot n' Spicy as well as Cajun mixed vegetables.

After all of this interesting information found it's way to my computer screen, I couldn't help but wonder, "what do the people think about this product line?" Based on my findings, I am convinced that Veg-All is "one of America’s most cherished products" and is "the greatest canned food in existence." After all, any food that has people saying that it is “engagingly good!” wins my vote in the election.

Perhaps the most interesting find is that the festivities go far beond canned vegetables. As any respectable canned food company does, Veg-All has their own website with favorite recipes for you to enjoy. But they go just a bit further. There is a recipe of the month club that, if you give them your name and address, they'll send you a recipe straight to your house. And now, they even offer a Veg-All recipe box for ONLY $7.50!

HURRY! Quantities are limited!

No, really...read it. It's well worth your time and you'll come away wondering what it would look like in your kitchen!

http://vegall.com/special/

Don't forget, there is a link where you can leave feedback and share your e-pinions with the Veg-All family.

And finally, Veg-All is owned by Allens.

As promised...

2008-12-09T15:39:00.000-08:00

HOT MULLED CIDER
(wassail)

2 qts. apple cider
1/2 c. orange juice
1/4 c. lemon juice(optional)
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. whole cloves
3 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp. nutmeg
2 oranges, sliced

Mix all ingredients and bring just to a boil. Simmer about 10 minutes. Strain and serve. May be garnished with fresh orange or lemon slice, or a cinnamon stick in each mug.

homestyle comfort

2008-12-05T08:53:00.000-08:00

It's 20 days until Christmas and a perfect time to catch the cinnamon deserts at your local fast-food places or make them yourself. I've kinda got snickerdoodles on the mind...mmmm

And nothing beats the cold weather like a hearty bowl of beef stew. It's so easy to make and there are few dishes afterwards.

Stew meat(cooked)
can of veg-all
can of ro-tel
can of tomato sauce
(for larger servings add can of corn
and can of green beans and cube some potatoes)
salt
pepper
water
Put it all in a pot together and cook until
hot (and veggies are cooked through)
I usually serve with crackers or cornbread (also an easy make)

Just fyi :)

2008-11-24T10:02:00.000-08:00

Fun quote of the day:
Taste is in the tongue of the taster.
-Kendle D. Powell

Last Christmas, I gave you my heart...

2008-11-19T09:01:00.000-08:00

I know, thanksgiving isn't quite here yet, but shouldn't we go with the commercial trend and skip right to Christmas from Halloween?

I hope you caught the disgusted overtone there...

Grrr...

However, I'm going to play the guilty party and bring it up, but not until AFTER T-day will I actually indulge in the festivities of Christmas.

No, this is but a warning. This year I've decided I'll be giving tips for Christmas decorating, recipes for wassail, cider, and the likes, and if I find bargains on decorations or gift ideas, I'll share those, too.

But for now, happy THANKSGIVING!

retro naturaaal

2008-11-18T12:43:00.000-08:00

This is a loaded picture. I guess I'll start with what's right and then I'll follow with what's wrong.

+1...It's always good to add a splash of color in a natural-toned room.

-1...That particular chair would look great next to a green couch, both sitting atop yellow shag carpet. Ouch.

+2...Those shelves are perfect and can go in almost any room. They add shape and character and they are real eye-catchers. Best of all, these ones are large enough to hold all of the whacko acsents you find at TJ Maxx and [insert favorite store] that you couldn't put anywhere else!

-2...The shelves are not against the wall, nor are they properly decorated.

+3...Although you can't see all of the coffee table, I've ahunch that the other half looks exactly like the visible one, which is fabulous!

-3...We're not sure about the centerpiece...it's like an old shoebox with your grandma's fake flowers stuffed inside

$$$

-4...There are still pricetags on all of the items in the room! Who really needs a constant reminder of how much they paid for each item??? Wait a minute!

Mix but match...

2008-11-12T08:43:00.000-08:00

One way to pull a room together is to have vases

that correspond with eye-catching art.

They don't have to (and shouldn't) match perfectly

to compliment eachother.

They simply need to have a related theme.

Above, the vase mocks a bit of the reflection from the stone, but doesn't look

like they were bought in the same box.

It shows that you are a bit creative.

Do you see? These vases are different sizes, like in the picture.

But, they have the same basic shape.

The contrast is a good thing.

BTW. ALL of the great things you found in this blog today come from Kohl's.

1st themed post

2008-11-10T11:47:00.001-08:00

*Drumroll......* The all-important Pantry!

This, obviously, is not ideal since it's in the diningroom, but the size is
representative of what I might call ideal.
I have quite nearly concluded that I want to be able to store all of my
small-medium appliances (blenders, mixers, crock-pot, etc.),
mixing/serving bowls, cookware, etc., in the pantry to cut back on the
amount of cabinet space they occupy in my kitchen.

Appetizer!

2008-11-10T11:12:00.000-08:00

Here are a few images I've collected simply to give you a taste of my style. A you will see, I have a WIDE variety of things I like. I love modern chic and modern classic and, as you will see, that's where most of my time will probably be spent...

This sofa inspires me...I think I have fallen in love... =)

It's elegant and would be greal in a gameroom or would make a formal, sitting area that could easily be moved to the side when the guest are gone home...

This sofa has such a modern, contemporary feel to it...

A romantic, elegant bedroom with tall ceilings...

Simple and romantic as a bedroom should be.

I love pendant lighting...

...and this one really struck me by it's uniqueness...

These sinks get me. I like them. Non-traditional is a good trend.

Ah, yes...another great sofa...a great room, really.

And another non-traditional item for an endtable.

A tad too industrial. I do like the curved island.

I told you I'd sneak in a tad of fashion!

I love the look of this multi-level coutertop...I can see that I'd make a few alterations on the style, but it's trendy nonetheless.

This image-you may see it again...I'll do a post on islands or something of that nature...

In the future I'll try to have more of a theme...prehaps choose a single subject to coo about (ie: livingrooms, bathrooms, pillows, lighting, etc.) If anyone has a particular subject or even style (ie: rustic/country, modern, victorian, retro, etc.) they would like to hear more about, please leave a comment and say so! I'd be much obliged.

A Beginning...

2008-11-10T09:03:00.000-08:00

This will be a blog of the things I love. I'll keep it mostly along the lines of home furnishings and future house plans. You may occasionally find Fashion and Beauty thrown in as well...

I have chosen the name of this blog as "Sweet Nothings" because most of what follows will be things we love or want, but don't yet have.
I'll begin "real" posting soon.