Nine Color Salad - The Perfect Spring Salad

This "Nine Color Salad" is from a place in KC called Spin Pizza.  They specialize in gourmet wood fired pizzas with really high quality, simple ingredients.  This salad is so tasty.  I'm not sure if it is the combination of all of the different greens, or the crunch of the radishes and celery, or how the feta combines with the vinaigrette and coats the leaves of lettuce, but whatever it is - it is great.  And totally cravable.  Yes, a cravable salad.  This is how I recreated it for our friends last weekend:

Nine Color Salad
a cravable salad from Spin Pizza

Boston Bibb Lettuce
Radicchio
Radishes
Red Onion
Celery
Scallion
Feta Cheese
Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Dried Italian Herbs
Olive Oil

Red Wine Vinaigrette

1/4 cup of Red Wine Vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon of Dried Italian Herbs
1 tablespoon of Sugar
2 teaspoons of Sea Salt
1 teaspoon of Cracked Pepper
1/2 cup of Olive Oil

Roast the cherry tomatoes by drizzling them with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, then sprinkling with dried Italian herbs.  Roast at 425 for 5-8 minutes.  Let them cool while you prepare, wash and chop the other salad ingredients.  To make dressing, shake together all of the ingredients in a jar or stir them together with a whisk.  Toss all of the ingredients and serve.

Barefoot Contessa Class This Thursday

It is that time again... once a month I teach a cooking class at A Thyme for Everything (in the KC area).

Here is the theme for this Thursday's Class :

March 21st : A Barefoot Contessa Foolproof Dinner

I've been cooking my way through The Barefoot Contessa's newest book, Foolproof.  Join me for a workshop as I share my favorites from Foolproof : 

Caramelized Bacon
Parmesan Crisps
Balsamic Roasted Beet Salad 
1770 Meatloaf & Garlic Sauce
Salted Caramel Brownies

To register, visit here or call : (816) 554-3755

Spring Dinner Party | Daffodils & Tulips | Lobster Mac and Cheese & Tiramisu Cake

 When we moved from our first Fairway home 2 years ago (this weekend!) we realized we never got to know our neighbors.  We gave halfhearted waves when we took out the trash and smiled at their kids playing in the street, but that was the extent of it.  It seems crazy that we had lived for so long in such close proximity to people that we never bothered to get to know, it seems like such a waste - a missed opportunity. 


When we moved to our home in Concord, Ma., we vowed that we would get to know our neighbors... it was essential - we saw it as one of our only ways to meet people in our new town.  We ended up meeting a great family across the street - Jenny and Mike.  We both had white fluffy dogs and white Cape Cod style houses.  They were so kind to us as the new folks in town and even invited us to their Thanksgiving dinner and Jenny introduced me to her group of girl friends (remember the Ladies Night Patio Party?).

Above : Nine Color Salad, recipe here
  

We made the move into our new home in our old neighborhood last fall and made the same vow - we want to know the people that we share this lovely street with.  As a girl who grew up in the country whose nearest neighbors were no where near the 5 second walk like they are in Fairway, I was always enchanted by neighborhood life.  When I was a little girl I loved spending the night with my Granny who lived in a great little neighborhood.  There was a certain buzz in the mornings, afternoons and evenings when people were coming and going, saying their hellos and goodbyes that we just didn't have out in the country.  In the country, you knew Mom or Dad was home when you heard the crunch of gravel - a sound I still love.  (Side note, do you think they'd allow a granite pea gravel drive in Fairway?  If it's good enough for East Hampton and Concord - not to mention Lexington...)




You might remember the Holiday Happy Hour we hosted for our street - it was amazing.  Everyone that came said how glad they were to receive the invitation.  Most were shocked by our audacity - how brave we were!  And they loved it.  Since then, we've been invited to other dinners and cocktail hours by our neighbors and Mr. Darcy and I have new walking buddies... at 6:15 am that I miss more than I make.  I highly recommend extending an olive brand to your neighbors - it has been such a fulfilling experience for us.  Interestingly enough, making warm and "neighborly" relationships with our neighbors has made our home feel much more "homey" than an piece of furniture or window treatment could ever do.




Most recently, we hosted our neighbors over for dinner last Thursday night.  Since it was a Thursday night dinner, I had to make everything during the day while Emma was at school.



So, I selected my menu based on what would be easily made ahead of time.  I landed on Lobster Macaroni and Cheese because it is something that everyone loves, seems a little special, but is not too fancy so to make it a stuffy night.



For dessert I decided to do a spin on one of Mike's favorite - Tiramisu Pound Cake.  I made a Vanilla Pound Cake, cut it into layers, soaked each layer with a combination of coffee, vanilla and espresso liquor and filled it with a sweetened Mascarpone Cheese. 

Stay tuned for the recipes this week and another dinner with another menu for another couple from our street next weekend!  I'll update this post with the recipe links.

Nine Color Salad
Lobster Macaroni and Cheese

Lemon Butter Cake with Simple Lemon Glaze

I'm not above using a cake mix.  In fact, two nights ago I was really in the mood for lemon cake.  So, I got out a white cake mix, added some lemon zest and juice - presto.  Lemon cake.  I made it into a loaf shape and drizzled it with a glaze.

After I cut into a piece, I thought... this would make a nice new blog header for spring.

So, today, with only a few slices of the original cake remaining I needed to make another lemon cake for my photo shoot.  I was planning to make another quick white-cake-mix-turned-lemon-cake-loaf, when I discovered that I was out of cake mix.  No big deal, I thought, I'll just whip up a cake from scratch - I had everything I needed.
  

 

Let me tell you... the homemade version was hands down the better cake.  It was like slicing into a baked stick of lemony butter.  It probably didn't help that I helped myself to a big slice when it was still warm from the oven.  It was dense, but light - and just the right amount of lemon.

Please, treat yourself to a homemade cake.  It really took me hardly any time at all.  I bet you already have everything in your pantry...

Lemon Butter Cake

makes 1 medium loaf size cake 

New! Printable Recipes, here.

1 stick of butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk

2 lemons, zested & juiced
1 teaspoon vanilla

.......

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 1/2 cup of powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Cream together butter and sugar for 3 minutes.  Add eggs.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt.  In another separate bowl, combine milk, lemon juice, zest and vanilla.  Add half of the wet ingredients to the butter sugar mixture, mix for 5 seconds, then add half of the dry and mix for 5 seconds.  Repeat with second half, ending with dry ingredients.  Pour batter into loaf pan - I like to line mine with parchment paper.  Bake for 35-40 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.

For glaze, mix together powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth.  Pour over slightly warm cake.  Top with lemon zest. 

I made some cupcakes for Emma - she helped with the glaze and did the sprinkles all by herself.

New Addition to our House | Driving me nuts... I need your help!

 

We purchased our new house because it was in our favorite neighborhood, had great curb appeal and enormous potential.  As I've mentioned a thousand times before, we plan on doing a substantial addition to make the home bigger and more open.  We're in the process of meeting with architects and contractors in our area and starting to really think about what we want the addition to look like, feel like and how we want it to function to suit our lives.

I'm discovering that there are so many things to consider.  It seems like once I have a good vision of what I want it to look like, I see a photo of another interior and I change my mind completely.  The big debate is whether to do it open and airy (think Barefoot Contessa's barn) or cozy and warm (think wood paneled room, stone fireplace hearth room with big leather chairs).  I'd love to find a way to do both... maybe open floor plan with warm and cozy finishing.

I was so amazed at the great ideas offered up last week on recommendations for our bedroom, that I am now seeking your advice on this giant project.  Any tips you have on doing an addition - are there things you wish you would've thought about when you did your house?

I've been doing a little sketching on my computer of various layouts.  By the way, this is my test for architects and contractors when we're interviewing them - I show them my sketched ideas.  I want to see how frightened they are by a client that has many ideas and wants to be very, very involved : )

Here is what our house looks like now :

If you are new to the blog, you can see photos of our house here : http://www.jennysteffens.com/housetour.html

And here is what my vision (for the moment...) is : 

As you can see, we'll be refinishing the existing garage space into a guest suite with full bath attached (an idea from our neighbor's home!) and adding an attached 2-car garage.  We'd also like to extend the foyer area by 3-4 feet so the entrance is more open.  We'll add a 12 foot addition and combine the existing dining and kitchen areas into the new part to create one large room with designated areas for kitchen, dining and family/tv.  

 

(image from ForTheLoveOfAHouse.blogspot.com)

I'm envisioning a center stone fireplace with a table (either long or round - depending on the day/occasion) and french doors on either side opening up the patio.  I love this photo from For The Love Of A House - her cozy table in front of the fire has been my main point of inspiration.  You must visit her blog... the entire house is stunning.   She blends light and open with cozy perfectly.  Our kitchen will have very similar finishings (I think) - painted cabinets with marble countertops. However, our room will be quite a bit larger and more open, so I want to be sure I'll be able to create that same cozy factor...?

Notice how her ceiling is normal height.  Our ceilings will be 8ft because that is what they are in the rest of the house and we will be adding rooms above and a basement below... so, I do know that we will not have the grand vaulted ceiling look in our new addition.  I would like to add the beadboard ceiling and beams, though to add some interest and breakup the large room (which will end up being 28ft x 22ft).  Any other ideas are welcome!

Here are other inspiration photos I've gathered... I'm keeping them in this Pinterest board.  If you find something you think I'll like, pin it and add the #tag #JennysNewAddition. 

BHG.com

I love this kitchen.  The stained wood island, marble and painted cabinets remind me a lot of my sister's kitchen - all of the things I love.   I think the wood adds some of that 'cozy' factor.

 

houzz.com 

Open.  Our seating area would not be nearly this size.  I'm picturing two over-sized loveseats facing each other with a big ottoman in the middle. 

 

 PhoebeHoward.net

 

PhoebeHoward.net 

Me, being the symmetrical-all-lined-up nut that I am, loves this kitchen.  

Long island, long table.  Perfect clean design, but not cold.

 

And then... I love this warmer tone.  Is it too refined?  Do you picture it with a cozy sitting area?  Not sure!

 

Love all of the finishings here - I will definitely be keeping my brass pulls for the kitchen.   I shared this photo last year and it is still amongst my favorites... I guess that is the test!

Here are things I need your help on :

Mudroom?  

Pantry?

Storage ideas?

Desk spot in the kitchen?  Built in?

Layout - should their be more separation?

Please share links and ideas - or links to your own pinterest boards!

Our New Bed : Pottery Barn Upholstered Ivory Linen Bed

So, you know how I've been talking about how I'm going to post photos of our new refreshed bathroom?  Well, yesterday we received a delivery and I became distracted, and now you are getting to see photos of our new bed instead.  Furthermore, now I feel like I have officially built up the bathroom reveal to be much more than what it actually is... I feel like I need to add a little ta-da to it so it will live up to expectations.  So, I'll leave you in suspense for one day longer.  Or a couple... there is still some touch up work and caulking to do, artwork to be hung (and selected...), etc.  

Back to my newest distraction.  Our bedroom.  I am not posting this to show off what great design and styling I have accomplished in our room, but to ask for some input.  The new bed (Raleigh Upholstered Camelback from Pottery Barn) was delivered yesterday - upholstered in ivory linen and is so comfy and cozy.  I really love it - it makes the room so comfortable.   Now that the bed has arrived, I am at a loss what to do above the headboard.  Thoughts?  Also, we are starting to look for a new dresser and night stands.  I'm at a loss for what I want.  I start by thinking I want classic pine, then I think, what about something more modern?  Or rustic?  Painted or wood?  Antique walnut or something more fresh?  So, it is in your hands.  I'm looking for help with the artwork and the furniture... the overall styling.  Right now I feel like it is a blank slate - which is nice.  It is light and refreshing, but I feel like it is missing a little style.  Insights, links to sites and random ideas are all welcome.

I'm thinking I need to re-paint the chest... maybe just cream to match the trim?  

 

I have made some adjustments to the dresser we inherited from Mike's childhood room - I added some trim and base board to give it more structure, darkened the stain a little (it was more of a lighter reddish oak with mission style pulls) and added brass pulls (DIY post on this later) so I could live with it a little longer.  Actually, it looks better in person - not as much red shows through in real life, but it is just getting us by for the moment.

Does anyone have any ideas about how to decorate around and above the TV?  Should I just do tall lamps on each side?  Or try to do artwork all around?  Do I need to put something light (runner, basket...) under the TV to break up the dark TV on the dark dresser?

My decorating assistant.  

Again, the dresser that is looking much more 'red' in this photo than in real life.  It is more of a deep, neutral brown.

Ducking out of the shot.  So cute, my little Emma.

This table moved up here when the Christmas Tree went up in the living room... it will be going back down when we can replace it with a set of night stands.  If we ever find some we like!  Can't wait to hear everyone's ideas!  I'll be sharing some inspiration photos that I find and that are shared with me.  Stay tuned! 

And, don't hold your breath for the bathroom update - caulking and touching up paint doesn't sound fun at all!

My Birthday Weekend | Comfort Food & Pot Roast Recipe

Last weekend was my birthday weekend - that's right, weekend.  Our trip to Seaside was my real birthday gift (along with a new fancy camera lens), so my only request for my actual birthday weekend was to spend a cozy weekend in lounging around and feast on comfort food.

Photo Note : So, even though I got a new fancy lens for my birthday, I forgot to have it with me most of the weekend - sorry!!  I think after vacation I was sooo photoed out.  But, I am sharing my phone photos that I posted on instagram mixed with some of my 'real' photos from my birthday dinner.

On Saturday (my actual birthday), Mike and I got to sleep in (a real gift these days!), made biscuits and gravy (talk about a comfort food weekend...) and I lounged on the couch and drank coffee with the fire roaring.  What a glamorous life I lead!  Isn't it funny how you good it feels to indulge in the simplest things sometimes?

When Emma got home from her sleepover we took her sledding - my birthday seems to always be either sun or snow.  Did I mention that we have a 1ft+ of snow?  It greeted us when we got home from vacation last week.  She was so-so about sledding and the snow in general, but loved to be pulled in the little tot sled we borrowed from our neighbors. 

(instagram photo)




Mike and I enjoyed a late night dinner at home after Emma went to bed - seared filets with a reduced wine and mushroom sauce and truffle mashed potatoes.  Mike said, "I love that you can go in the kitchen and just whip this up in 20 minutes without even going to the store."  Exactly.

(instagram photo)

 

We finished the weekend with a good ole Sunday night family supper at our house - Braised Pot Roast, Chive and Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes, Orange Braised Carrots and Parsnips, and "homemade" bread (my favorite - frozen rhodes bread dough).  Everyone repeatedly asked me if I'd rather go out for my birthday dinner, but there is nothing I like better than to cook for everyone at my house. 

Braised Pot Roast

3-4 pound Chuck Roast
2 teaspoons of sea salt
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 teaspoons of black pepper
1 yellow onion, quartered
2 cups of beef broth
2 tablespoons of liquid smoke
2 tablespoons of worcestershire
2 teaspoons of onion powder
2 teaspoons of garlic powder

Coat the roast with salt and pepper on both sides.  In a large dutch oven, sear the roast on both sides for about 3-4 minutes per side.  Remove the meat from the pot and sear the onions for 3-4 minutes.  Add beef broth and stir the pan with a wooden spoon, releasing all of the brown bits.  Whisk in the liquid smoke, worcestershire, onion powder and garlic powder.  Add the roast back in to the pot.  Cover and cook in the oven at 200 degrees for 8 hours (or more).  

Remove the meat from the pot and place it a shallow serving platter (or baking dish) covering it with foil.  Put the pot on the stove-top and boil the sauce for 15 minutes until it reduces and thickens slightly.  Pour over the roast and serve. 

The onions searing... love my Staub!

After the roast had cooked for 8 hours, I turned the oven off and let it sit in the oven with the bread that was rising.  The warm oven was the perfect spot for the bread.

Here is my "homemade" bread... made from store-bought frozen bread dough.

 Chive and Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes served in a pie dish, one of my favorite ways to serve things - I think they are sooo under utilized as serving pieces.

 Orange Braised Carrots and Parsnips - a favorite from my Month with The Barefoot Contessa (featured at the dinner party).

After receiving a texted photo (left) of Emma enjoying her first Oreos dipped in milk last week, my mom decided to make a "dirt cake" for dessert (above).  Huge hit with Emma.

I'm hoping this is the last of our cozy snow weekends... I've been potting daffodils and hyacinth all around the house to encourage the weather!