{Room of the Week: A Chic Bistro Kitchen}

This bistro kitchen is the perfect combination of modern and traditional. Every aspect of this kitchen excites me, from the Carrera marble to the fabric on the stools. What more could you ask for?

*Images via styleathome.com

{Currently Coveting: High Gloss Floors? Yes.}

Today, I am currently coveting the bold statement of a high gloss wood floor. 

These gorgeous floors in black or white would be so {incredibly} chic, I can't take it. 

*Images via google.com

{Recipe of the Week: Sweet & Savory}

This brown butter rosemary orange cornbread is quite a mouthful to say but looks absolutely delish! What a perfect combination of sweet and savory.

Brown Butter Rosemary Orange Cornbread

makes 1 8×8-inch pan

1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup coarse ground cornmeal

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

Directions:

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and 8×8-inch square baking pan.  Line with parchment paper and grease and flour the baking pan.  Set aside.

In a light-colored small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.  Melt and cook butter down completely.  It will sizzle and crackle.  That’s the butter cooking out of the butter.  Keep an eye on the butter and you’ll see brown bits begin to form at the bottom of the pan.  Swirl pan and cook until browned bits are a chestnut color and the butter smells nutty.  Remove from the pan and immediately transfer butter (browned bits and all) to a small bowl to cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, orange juice, and browned butter.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, blend together sugar, orange zest, and chopped rosemary.  Blend with the back of a spoon working the orange and rosemary flavors into the sugar.

Add flour, cornmeal, salt, and baking soda to the large bowl with the flavored sugar.  Whisk to combine.

Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients.  Stir to combine, ensuring that all of the dry ingredients are moistened and incorporated into the batter.  Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth to the edges.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.  Bread is best served warm and will last, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to three days.

*Image and recipe via joythebaker.com

{Home Tour: Magic in Missouri}

David Jimenez's Kansas City apartment is slightly spectacular. The use of layers is perfect, especially paired with gorgeous artwork and various well picked accessories.

*Images via architecturaldigest.com

{Monday Pinspiration: Bold Brass}

Brass light fixtures are a chic way to add character to your space.

 I absolutely love the worn yet modern look.

*Images via pinterest.com

{Room of the Week: Santorini Here We Come}

Costis Psychas's Santorini home is the {ultimate} getaway. 

If I could choose a place to magically appear, this room would be the place. It is dripping in soothing, creamy whites with clean lines and a view that will take your breath away. This space over looks the Aegean sea and all the wonder and rich history that Santorini has to offer. 

*Image via elledecor.com

{Currently Coveting: Gold Accessories}

The other day I set off on a mission to find a few unique gold accessories for my living room. Z Gallerie has so many fabulous accessories right now. I could have gone crazy in there but I contained myself and purchased a gold skull and a gorgeous modern atlas candle holder. Here are the accessories I purchased plus a few other ones that I was dying to get my hands on!

All pieces found here: 1. Mira Candle Holder, 2. Andhra Votive, 3. Atlas Pillar Holder, 4. Morton Skull, 5. Pebble Dinnerware, 6. Ming Boxes, 7. Murex Shell, 8. Nautilus Shell, 9. LED Tealight Set

*Images via zgallerie.com

{Room of the Week: Covered in Stripes}

This week I am having a love for all things striped. Three rooms caught my eye, each being incredibly different but having stripes in common. Stripes are a wonderful way to add character to a room, whether it be through fabric, wallpaper, or a rug.

*Images via architecturaldigest.com

{Home Tour: Built for an Entertainer}

Celebrity chef and cookbook author Alex Hitz designed his home around one main theme, entertainment. The rooms effortlessly flow together so guests can flutter from room to room. He hosts weekly dinner parties and in one year entertained 900 people in this elegant space. 

*Images via housebeautiful.com

{Super Bowl Sunday: Dips & Sips}

Super Bowl Sunday is a wonderful day to gather with your friends, watch the game, and eat delicious food. Here I have two recipes for my favorite dips and two recipes for some thirst quenching sips!

Buffalo Chicken Dip

 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cooked and shredded chicken or 1 (12 ounce) can chunk chicken, drained

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup Ranch dressing

1/2 cup Buffalo wing sauce (such as Frank’s Red Hot, not to be confused with their pepper sauce. Start with less if you want and add more to your desired hotness.)

3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

blue cheese crumbles (optional)

 

Instructions:

Heat chicken and Buffalo sauce in a skillet over medium heat, until heated through. Make sure to break up the chicken so there are no big chunks. Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. Cook, stirring until well blended and warm. Mix in shredded cheese.  Pour into a shallow dish or pie pan and sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles and microwave it until the cheese melts. We usually only sprinkle blue cheese on half of it for those who aren’t blue cheese fans. Serve with chips for dipping.

Warm Spinach Mascarpone Dip

Yields 2 cups
adapted from In a Cheesemaker's Kitchen by Allison Hooper

I think the original recipe lacked a crucial step - and that is to squeeze out all of the water from the frozen spinach. I like to serve the spinach dip with sliced french bread, celery sticks or warmed pita bread triangles. I've also used two small ramekins, each ramekin holding 1-cup of the spinach dip comfortably. Oh, I've also added freshly grated nutmeg to the original recipe too.

ingredients:

16 ounces frozen chopped spinach, defrosted1 small onion, minced2 tablespoons olive oil1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt (1/4 teaspoon table salt)1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated if you have)1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder8 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened at room temperature1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2. Take a handful of the defrosted spinach and squeeze and discard the water from the spinach. Squeeze as much of the water out as you can, you should get about a little less than a cup of spinach water.

3. Heat a saute pan over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil and swirl to coat. Add the onions and saute until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes (take your time, if you do this over high heat, the onions will burn and become bitter). Add the spinach and saute until the spinach is warm, but still bright green about 30 seconds.

4. Season and toss with salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne. Turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone cheese and the grated parmesan.

5. Pour into 2 small ramekins (or other oven-safe dish) and bake for 30 minutes until the cheese is bubbling around the edges. Serve warm with pita chips, bread or celery sticks.

Now for the cocktails!

Thyme Paloma Cocktail

4-6 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)
1 teaspoon sugar, superfine if possible
1 shot anejo tequila or mezcal
1 shot fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice
Juice of 1/2 a lime
Club soda

If using thyme, muddle it with the sugar in a cocktail shaker first–if not, just add the sugar to the shaker.  Pour in tequila and juices and stir until sugar is dissolved.  Strain into an ice-filled 6-ounce glass, then top off with club soda.  Makes 1.

• 
  
• Whiskey Lemonade
• 
  
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons whiskey
• 2 tablespoons Simple Syrup
• Ice
• Lemon zest

Directions

1. In a glass, combine lemon juice, whiskey, and simple syrup over ice. Garnish with lemon zest. Add a splash of water if desired.

Also, here are a few neat ideas on how to spice up your Super Bowl tables!

*Images via pinterest.com and recipes via marthastewart.com, steamykitchen.com, the-girl-who-ate-everything.com, and 10thkitchen.com

{Haute Couture in Snowy Paris}

The snow falls in Paris, dusting the furs of the fashionistas below. 2013 Haute Couture brought jaw dropping fashions to the runways and the streets. 

These street style shots by Diego Zuko are chic as can be.

*Images via harpersbazaar.com