this week

We finally have a rug in the dining room. The jute rug that was back ordered for months is now in place. Same style rug that we have in the living room, family room, kitchen and hallway. Much better, instantly quieter and cozier. Our friends brought the happy tulips. Florists finally figured out that  no one really wants bright foil plant wrapping. This one is made of kraft paper so no need to pot it into another container.

I refreshed the paint on the chandelier that came with the house with chalk paint and gold leaf paint. I tried it without the shades over the holidays but it cast strange light on the ceiling and it seemed unflattering to our faces. Some of the bulbs turned black even though they work so I put the shades back on, the light is softer with them.

One of the amaryllis is going to bloom soon! Took over two months, I planted both in mid November! I believe they are both Lemon Star amaryllis, it's been so long I forgot which ones we bought. Its sister is still just sitting there with just a few leaves, it feels plump and is green so I think it will eventually bloom. I am rooting some fiddle leaf ficus shoots in water and nursing a shoot that was rooted earlier and is now potted and doing well. Trying to get the kalanchoe plant on the left to flower.

I am continuing with my Ina Garten cooking. I made her Shrimp Scampi recipe from Back to Basics over the weekend when entertaining some friends. I forgot to photograph it secretly (no way was I going to whip out the camera in front of guests as it came out of the oven.) It looked just like the cookbook photo and tasted very good. 

source

Only thing- it called for way too much butter, a stick and a half! The shrimp were sitting in a deep pool of butter. One, it was a waste of butter and two, totally unnecessary. I would definitely make it again but cut the butter in half. Going to make my son happy and make her Penne with Five Cheeses next and make all of us happy by roasting a Lemon Chicken with Croutons which I have made before and it is delicious! 

What are you up to this week?

this week...food and books

 I made Ina's Blueberry Crumb Cake from her Barefoot Contessa at Home cookbook. It was delicious, more like a coffee cake because it is not too sweet and has a thick crumb topping. Too much topping we thought, overwhelms the moist yummy cake below. Seemed like half cake, half topping.

Next time, will make much less topping. I used a springform pan to make releasing the cake from the pan easier.

We tried her Mustard Roasted Fish recipe from Back to Basics. Very tangy and good, everyone liked it. Much richer than our usual grilled fish. The color was kind of blah and unappetizing. The food stylist made the fish look prettier for the book. Made her Roasted Potatoes in the oven at the same time. Same method we all know for this dish. Used a separate plate for the salad, this would have been prettier with some green on the plate.

I have been receiving beautiful books in the mail. In January, I go though my Amazon Save for Later cart of book titles. I add them whenever I hear of a good one throughout the year. I then purchase several after researching for the best prices and narrowing down the list. Once they arrive, I ration them, reading through them very slowly to savor each one. It takes me months to go through them. 

I have just started Martha Stewart Entertaining, A Year of Celebrations that was published in 2011.This book is huge and gorgeous! It is the new version of her amazing first book Entertaining that is full of beautiful ideas and does not seem dated.

Each page is a visual treat.  Her gardens, her homes, her collections of every kind of tableware, glassware, etc. the presentations, the recipes, the serving ideas, it is all quite astounding! I am loving this book! 

I also purchased her Martha Stewart Gardening, a Month to Month Guide book which for some reason came without the cover but here is a page from it, equally as pretty as her Entertaining books.

 Here are a few others I bought....

And my husband was sweet to order Carolyne Roehm's Flowers and surprise me after seeing it mentioned on the blog.

These books will keep me company throughout the winter, simple pleasures.....