Outdated to Dreamy

So you know how there is that one room in your house that you just can't stand to look at, but is not really worth the effort of completely over-hauling? I mean it's not terrible enough that you can't even enter the room without bursting into tears and thinking how can this wretched room be in my lovely house? No this room is more like a room that just irks you because it's just not up to your taste level, it's not even something you would have created in a bad dream where you are color blind and have no sense of style. It's a creation of the previous owners bad taste. This was my bathroom. Of course it couldn't have been the bathroom in our master bedroom which nobody sees but my husband, my mini dachshund and myself. No this was the main, first floor bathroom. I mean it wasn't tragic enough for my guests to run out horrified, it just wasn't matching the tasteful stylings of rest of the house.



We planned on doing some cosmetic fixes when it was time to sell the place (which seems farther and farther in the future as the housing market tanks), but I just couldn't take it any longer. First things first, I had to get rid of those God awful gold and mirrored sliding shower doors. Although sometimes I do forget that they are gone and walk in hoping to assess my outfit before I walk out the door, I do not regret my decision one bit. In it's place I hung a beautiful Pottery Barn patterned shower curtain. I had seen it online and fell in love immediately. I'm not sure why since large, loud prints are usually not my thing, but I knew that this bathroom needed something to set it ablaze in an otherwise beige existence. This shower curtain transformed my bathroom. It became my inspiration, it became the focal point, and best of all it camouflaged all the insignificant things that I hated about my bathroom.



I could go through the laundry list of items I wanted to change in the bathroom: all the gold fixtures, all the gold rods, the light fixture, the mirror, the tile motif ...but I want bore you with all that. Now if we don't change any of those, I wouldn't really care because they are no longer shouting at me every time I go in there; now they whisper softly, barely heard behind the loud print of the shower curtain.






Once I became at peace with the bathroom I decide, why not make this bathroom my "spa". For Christmas I added a lot of home spa essentials to my wish list, such as a bathtub caddy with book stand (I love to read), the Laura Mercier body and bath set, and a lovely collection of monogrammed towels from Pottery Barn. Lucky me, I got them all!

Laura Mercier Almond Coconut Milk Body and Bath Set is beautiful enough to display on a shelf. The bath bubbles come with a honey comb for easy handling. Love it!


I found this adorable picture at Home Goods one day long before we began our bargain revamp of the bathroom and I have to say it has really become the motto of this bathroom.

So if you have a room in your house that leaves a bad taste in your mouth, try adding an accessory with a bold print and let it take the lead. Accessorize with a few key pieces, paint a wall, just don't break the bank. It can be done, I promise! Have fun decorating!!


Jacklyn Lorraine

Veggie Heaven

Want to add more vegetables to your diet, or have some extra veggies in the back of your fridge that need to be used or their going to get tossed? Well here is a delicious recipe that I turn to whenever I have a hankering for a meatless meal and don't worry it's hearty enough to fill the tummy's of the men in your lives too!

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

For those of you unfamiliar with risotto, it's a favorite of mine because it has a creamy texture that is created by adding broth that the rice absorbs and as a result releases starch, giving it a sticky, creamy texture without needing any cream. This particular recipe is great because you can substitute any of the vegetables for ones that you have in your fridge or that suit your palette; the combination's are limitless. The time you spend making this dish is well worth it. This recipe definitely makes enough for 2 nights of dinner and I even think it's better reheated!

Ingredients

2 small yellow squash
1 cup diced cremini mushrooms
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or use vegetable broth for a vegetarian option
3 tbsp butter
1 white onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 cups arborio rice (a short-grained variety)
3/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
6 peices of crispy bacon (oh did I say meatless?! ok, so it's almost meatless)
1/4 cup dried basil



Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Layout all your chopped veggies (minus the onion and garlic) on a non-stick sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt to help release the veggies natural juices. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.



In a saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer. Meanwhile, in a large pot heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the butter on medium heat. Add the onion and minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the onions softens, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. (This is also about the time I usually begin cooking the bacon.)



Add a ladleful of broth to the rice and stir with a wooden spoon until absorbed. Make sure that all the liquid has been absorbed into the rice before you add more broth. Cook the risotto until the rice is al dente and all the broth has been used up.





Remove from the heat. Stir in the vegetables, Parmesan cheese and basil. Serve with crumbled bacon on top for a little crunch. Deliciouso!



Jacklyn Lorraine

A Gift Grown from Love

So I'm excited to share my latest creation. This one was not made in my kitchen and took a little longer to create then a tasty dessert or savory dinner. These beauty's came to life in three pots nestled near the sunshine from my dining room windows.





My baby Narcissus finally bloomed after about 6 weeks of love and nurturing. The fragile bulbs lay a top soft peat moss, soaking up the suns rays and drinking the minimal water they need to build up enough energy for the stalks to break through the bulbs thick barrier. I know it sounds like I'm talking about a child here, but after you care for them for 10 weeks, they kind of become your baby.

My real reason for telling you about these pretty little flowers is for the beautiful, inexpensive holiday gift they make. Whether you need a hostess gift, a gift for a neighbor, or a gift for that person who gives you an unexpected present, these hand raised flowers in a beautiful flower pot make the perfect holiday gift. And the scent they give off is just as sweet as they look too!

For $3 you get a bag of 6 bulbs at Lowes around early November, make sure to also get some peat moss or even rocks while your there (these bulbs don't like a lot moistness). Then just pick up a few small holiday pots at your local Michaels, Home Goods, or Christmas Tree Shops.



Put the peat moss or rocks in the pots, place the bulbs so that only half the bulb is covered (making sure the root side is down) and then water every few days. Make sure not to over water in the beginning; once the stalks start to emerge you can water more frequently.


If you want flowers around the week of Christmas plant 4-6 weeks before Dec. 25th and the more direct sunlight they get, the quicker they will grow



Around the time you are gifting these to some lucky friends, you'll have the sweetest pot of white Narcissus you've ever seen. A few buds will still be waiting to bloom, but that will give your friend something to look forward to and will lengthen the life of your gift!


And if you can't bare to part with a few pots of these beauties, they make wonderful center pieces for your Holiday Table display.


Jacklyn Lorraine

Maple Bacon Biscuits

Hello again. I'm back from my 3 month hiatus. Who knew fall could be so busy? While I was gone I've done some occasional baking that I'd like to share.

My sister had suggested going on a Food Tour in Manhattan back in November and being the food lover that I am, I decide to join her. I would recommend this tour to local New Yorkers, tunnel and bridge folk, or the average tourist; it was a blast! The tour was called Food on Foot; it's rated number 3 on Trip Advisor "Things to do" in NYC. Not only did we eat great food, find restaurants and food vendors hidden in what seemed like closet sized spaces, but the tour guide was a just an average guy with a passion for great food. My sister did a great post on our tour. You can see it on her blog Quick Feet Good Eats. One of the tasty treats that stuck in my mind after the tour was a maple bacon Scone which we sampled at a bakery called Build a Green Bakery on 1st Avenue. The next day I had to find a recipe and make them for myself.

Maple Bacon Biscuits



Makes: 2 Dozen Biscuits
Total Time: 1 hr, 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 lb. Bacon, crumbled
3 1/2 cups Flour
2 tbls sugar
1 tbls baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 lb butter (2 sticks), cut into 1/2 in. cubes
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup, divided
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 egg yolk
1 egg
1 tbls heavy cream
Fleur de sel

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Fry bacon over medium heat until cooked but not crispy, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove excess fat on a paper towel lined plate when done.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using a pastry cutter or fork, but in the diced butter, until it resembles small peas. Stir in the bacon, then one-fourth cup plus 2 tbls of maple syrup and the buttermilk until the dough just comes together (it will still be clumpy). Be careful not to overwork the dough.


On a lightly floured surface, gently press or roll the dough to 1 inch thickness. Cut the biscuits using a 2 inch round cutter; you should have 24 biscuits. Place 12 biscuits on each of two parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart. Freeze the trays just until the biscuits are chilled, about 10 minutes.

While the biscuits are chilling, prepare the egg wash. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, egg and cream. Brush the chilled biscuits with egg wash and top each with a pinch of fleur de sel.

Bake the biscuits until they just begin to brown, about 25 minutes (you should easily be able to pick the biscuits up off the tray.) Remove the tray from the oven. Quickly drizzle 1 tsp of the remaining maple syrup over each biscuit, then place the tray back in the oven for 3 minutes more. Serve while still warm.



A wonderful after dinner or treat or breakfast. These treats mix sweet and salty perfectly. Yum!

Jacklyn Lorraine

Art of Food Festival

The Riverdale Art Center and The Riverdale Land Conservancy joined forces on September 14th to raise money for the restoration of Riverdale's Glenburn Estate. Above are a few photos of the delicious food, wine and art that was available at the fundraising event.


Jacklyn Lorraine

American Pie

The scent of warm apples and cinnamon baking waft in from the kitchen. It's that time of year again, where the leaves change color, soft sweaters keep the chill away, and the itch to bake fills my every pore. Yesterday I baked my first apple pie of the season, made from fresh apples picked on my friends farm.

It's a simple recipe that creates a savory "American" Apple Pie, with a golden brown, caramelized crust. Yum!!

"American" Apple Pie

Ingredients

1 package double pastry pie crust
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp cinnamon
6 Granny Smith Apples

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel, slice, and core apples. Toss apples with the cinnamon.

Melt butter in a sauce pan. Stir in flour to thicken. Add white sugar, brown sugar and water; bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and simmer for 5 minutes.

Place the bottom crust in a 9" pie pan. Fill with apples. Cover with basket weave crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter syrup over the crust making sure to cover entire pie, but not drip off the edge.

Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes.



Jacklyn Lorraine

Pottery Barn DIY

So if your anything like me, you'd love to jump into a Pottery Barn magazine and call it home. Everything they do in that magazine screams comfort and style. So in the process of reorganizing our office I received the newest Pottery Barn magazine in the mail. First off I was overjoyed with the Fall front door display (which I plan on reproducing at my door step), but their workspace pages where to die for. The organization, the color schemes, the use of modular wall organizers. I was in heaven. What they call their "Daily System" is composed of interchangeable boards; a corkboard, a linen pinboard, a calender. etc. This was a perfect option for our unused wall space above the desk. But who wants to spend $200 on a wall organizer? Below is the Pottery Barn "Daily System" and below that is my $70 DIY modular wall system.

Pottery Barn "Daily System"


DIY Modular Wall System






What I used:
4 white "Ribba" frames from Ikea.
3 - 9 3/4" x 19 3/4" at $9.99 each
1 - 19 3/4" x 15 3/4" at $15.99 each
1/2 yd of Fabric $3
Roll of 1/2" ribbon $1
Corkboard Roll - $12
8" Small Shelf - $6.99

I took all the glass out of the frame and just kept the solid cardboard back piece. In 3 out of the 4 frames I covered the cardboard piece with either corkboard or fabric, keeping it in place with a staple gun. The ribbon was also held in place with a staple gun. The frame with the shelf, I spray painted the cardboard piece white to match the frames and the shelf. My handy husband then added a small piece of wood behind the shelf so he could nail into something when attaching the shelf. When all frames where assembled we measured and placed picture hooks with matching nails in the wall. After we tested the accuracy of our work we nailed all the frames together in the back. Then ta da... a wall organizer for under $100!



Jacklyn Lorraine