Design Gathering: 02.11

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Tiny Twice Baked Potatoes

These little gems are such a hit served as appetizers for parties - but here I used them as a fun side dish. These are a little labor intensive for some people - but worth all the effort when you see the smiles on your families faces, when you serve something other than mashed or roasted potatoes! Kids really love these too!

I think I'll make a batch for my Oscar party today!

INGREDIENTS-

1 1/2 pounds of small potatoes

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 pack Bacon, your favorite

1 cup shredded Manchego

1/4 c Milk

2 large baking potatoes, diced

salt & Pepper to taste

Slice a small spot off each bottom of every potato. Then cut each potato in half.

(This ensures all potatoes will sit up nicely on the cookie sheet.)

Gently scoop out the inside of each half with out going all the way through. (reserve insides)

Drizzle with olive oil and place cut side down on parchment lined baking sheet.

Roast in 400* oven for 15-18 minutes.

At the same time roast your bacon until very crispy! Remove from oven & cool completely...chop very finely.

Meanwhile bring your diced potato & "reserved potato" to a boil, cook until fork tender. Drain, then add your milk, shredded Cheese & Salt & Pepper to taste.

Mash very well & Transfer to a ziplock or pastry bag.

Pipe potato cheese mixture into each potato.

Top with additional shredded cheese and crumbled bacon. serve immediately-

Enjoy!

xo
Nicole

Saturday, February 26, 2011

The Yankee CAPTAIN of homes

I honestly don't pay much attention to baseball. Unless it's the playoffs and Pettitte is on the mound, it goes in one ear and out the other. But I have been hearing bits and pieces about some mansion Derek Jeter recently built AND THAT GOT MY UNDIVIDED ATTENTION...

Said to be the largest home in Tampa, FL. All images and statistics from TBO.com

Ariel view of the sprawling 31,875 square foot mansion

With TWO 3 car garages & TWO wings off the main house, its about the size of a Best Buy super store

The home reportedly has 7 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms

Jeter purchased 2 side by side properties in 2005 for $7.7 million

When complete, the home will be of the English Manor style, housed with gables and lots of stone work

Jeter, THE NY Yankee captain, made $21.6 million dollars in salary alone last season and just signed a

$51 million dollar 3 year contract.

The house is guesstimated at being worth $63 million.

Awaiting INTERIOR IMAGES, if anyone sees any, please let me know!

Friday, February 25, 2011

HEALTHY Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies!

This is a slight variation of a cookie recipe I found a couple of years ago on 101cookbooks.com (I added extra banana and chocolate!) and they have become our favorite indulgence! GUILT FREE! Yes, they have some dark chocolate, (heart healthy!) but you won't believe what they DON"T have.......flour, eggs, butter and sugar!!!! You have to try them!

Ingredients:

4 large ripe bananas

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cups rolled oats

2/3 cup almond meal

1/3 cup coconut, finely shredded and unsweetened

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. fine grain sea salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 bag dark chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli 60% cocoa chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl combine bananas, vanilla extract, and olive oil.

Set aside.

In another bowl whisk together the

almond meal (just pulse almonds in food processor to form almond meal),

oats, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

The dough is a bit looser than standard cookie dough, don't worry about it.

Drop dollops of the dough, each about 2 teaspoons in size, an inch apart,

onto parchment paper lined baking sheet.

Bake for 12-14 minutes.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies, enjoy!

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Truffled Egg Toasts

I discovered a version of this years ago at one of my favorite little

places in NYC....I have been making it "my way" ever since.

INGREDIENTS

serves 2

6-8 asparagus spears, woody stems removed

4 slices of bread, toasted

1/2 cup favorite melting cheese, grated

4 large eggs

Truffle Oil

Olive Oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Cut your Asparagus on the bias then saute in Olive Oil for 2 minutes until they appear slightly browned but are still crunchy. Set aside.

2.In a toaster, lightly toast the slices of bread. Cut with a ring cutter or kitchen glass. Transfer the toasts to a baking sheet.

3.Cook your egg in a non stick skillet inside your ring cutter.( if you don't have one just fry an egg sunny side up.)

4. Assemble your toasts, place eggs on top of toasts, grated cheese & broil until melted. Remove from oven, transfer to small serving platter & top with asparagus

5. Drizzle a generous amount of truffle oil over each and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Serve immediately.

It's the melding of all these flavors---the truffle oil, the yolk, the pepper, the salt, the egg, the toast---that makes this dish unlike anything you've ever eaten. It's dynamic. It's exciting. It's food you never knew existed, but once you eat it you can't remember a time that it didn't exist. It's that good.

And that's truffled egg toast...........enjoy!

Loving Coral!

1. linkeldesigns: Vintage Coral Ring $18
2. textilemonster: "Curly Neck Rag" $16
3.bazordesigns: Coral Silk Screened Pillow $45
4. MartiniRoadVintage: Vintage 70's Coral Dress $28
5. krystlerose: Paper Butterfly Shadow Box $100
6.BungalowBathBody: Grapefruit Soap $5
7. PostalTherapy: Flamingo Nose Blank Note Card $3.25
8. LoveMyCoasters: Coasters in Spice:$15
9. Natalya1905: Coffee Cup Cozy $17.50
10. Lemonring: Chiffon Flower Shoe Clips: $18
11. Tori Praver Swimwear: Lucy Strapless Onepiece $143
12. Diane Von Furstenburg: Zuza Cover Up $195
13. Free People: Bohemian Voyage Tunic $78
14. Diane Von Furstenburg: Lytton Small Clutch $295

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Hello Headboard

So if you haven't realized by now, I am all about taking advantage of a focal point in a room. If you don't already have one, add an upholstered headboard! They not only soften all the wood pieces in a room (and lets face it, break up all that matchy-matchy furniture{yuck}) but they also add an unexpected element of surprise and GRANDEUR to any space.

On a budget? You can do this for less too. All you need is a wooden board, some batting and a fabric of your choice and poof! Instant color, drama and focal point. Enjoy!

1-3. Annie Selke Home for Vangaurd Furniture 4. Quatrafoil Headboard from Ballard 5. Tristram Mylius for the Conran Shop 6. Slipcover from Ankasa for Ballard 7. Grace Home Furnishings via House Beautiful