Outdated to Dreamy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