C'est si bon

The "Holy Trinity" (celery, onions and bell pepper)

Here you will see another side of my cooking.  I was born in Louisiana to cajun parents.  So I grew up eating cajun cuisine.  Gumbo, red beans and rice, catfish coubillion and crawfish etouffee are some of my favorite dishes.  Unfortunately, crawfish are very hard to come by so I generally have to use shrimp in place.  Here for you I demonstrate a shrimp etouffee.  (Etouffe in English means literally "smothered.")  This is my sisters recipe, she uses butter with the "Holy Trinity" as the sauce base.  The "Holy Trinity" in cajun cooking consists of celery, onions and bell pepper (generally green, but I only had yellow on hand when I made this.)  Some people make a roux for the base or I have heard of using cream of mushroom soup, but I prefer the butter base.  I have never had tomato in my etouffee and plan on keeping it that way (that is more of a creole style and creole and cajun are two different things, let's be clear.)

About 6 tablespoons butter with the "Holy Trinity" (2 cups chopped onions, 1 cup celery, 1 cup bell pepper) cook about 10 minutes, until veggies are soft

"Holy Trinity" cooked about 10 minutes

Prepped shrimp (1 pound will serve four people)

Add shrimp to veggies along with salt and cayenne pepper and cook until they turn pink

Close up before adding liquid

Add 1/2 cup water + 1/2 cup white wine + 1 tablespoon flour whisked in, cook for 6 minutes (don't over cook shrimp!)

Finished product, serve over white rice

Tastes good!

Well, isn't that Dwell?

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Found this great article in the April 2011 issue of Dwell magazine.  There were so many great design solutions, I just scanned the entire article as opposed to picking it apart.



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Page 4: Really like the string of lights and funky carpet that you can not feel bad about getting dirty or worn.




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Page 6: Great idea for fridge and it fits well in her childs room.





Inside out

New outdoor furniture in the Design Within Reach catalog.  I was shocked to see some affordable pieces!  Always beautiful and simplistic designs.  (Images from Design Within Reach)

Bright color accents with pure materials like marble.

The sofa and chair have a soft glow from within.  This would be a beautiful mood during early evening.

Outdoor chairs for a bargain price of $69....at DWR can you believe it?

Love the "raw" feeling of the paint on the chairs and swing.

Scone-a-rama

Scone dry mixture

I have recently discovered how easy it is to make scones, and no eggs required!  Basically.... flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, a little salt, lemon zest (orange zest works too), butter + fresh or dry fruit or whatever (like candied ginger) and heavy cream and voila....scones!

Dry mixture plus butter

Formed dough ready for cutting...I cut mine into triangles, but you could do round circles like biscuits

Scones before baking, liquid on top is cream mixed with turbinado sugar

Before baking

After baking

After baking and ready for consumption!

Cool Cars

2007 Volvo C30 plan view

I work as a designer in the automotive industry, so I am always up to date on cars.  A few over the past years have really excited me and they are listed here.  In fact this would be my short list if I were looking to purchase now.  (Images from Netcarshow.com)  

2007 Volvo C30

2007 Volvo C30 interior

The C30 is a fancy little car!  I love how on the 2007 model you can pick your color for the rocker panel.  My favorite color combo is the Cosmic White with java color rocker.

2008 Ford Fiesta 3 door (not available in US)

The 5 door is available in the US and is cute, but I really like the 3 door.  As well, I like the interior design and colors offered for the European market better then what is offered for the US.  I don't know why automakers think Americans wouldn't like what was designed for Europe.

2008 Ford Fiesta interior with fabulous plum colored dash (not available in US)

2009 Alfa Romeo MiTo (not available in US)

 Not available for purchase in the US.  But my husband and I go to Italy every year to visit his mother.  Whenever I see this car in Europe I always think it is cute.

2009 Alfa Romeo MiTo interior (not available in US)

2011 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

Really stunning new vehicle.  The rear window is very tiny, hard to see out of...but nevermind things like visibility I want it!!!

2011 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque interior

The little red oven that could

So my Italian husband found this little pizza oven due to his unhealthy obsession with eating authentic wood burning oven pizza.  It cooks 12 inch pizzas on a "pietra refrattaria" which is the special stone used in traditional pizzeria ovens in Napoli.  The stone keeps a consistent temperature in order for optimal cooking.  The little oven can reach a temperature of 850 degrees F, which is almost to the 900 degree F in traditional ovens.  This baby cooks our pizzas in four minutes flat!  Also in our house we make very simple pizza, dough + tomato sauce(comprised of only strained tomatoes no extra spices) + olive oil + salt and maybe a little oregano + fresh mozzerella and basta!

Wanted nail color

Going incognito

Great colors from Essie that I want to try soon...with traditional glossy finish and matte finish.

Creme de menthe mint

Midnight cami

Little brown dress

Mesmerised

Sew psyched