MY LIFE BY DESIGN

Friday, February 22, 2013

40 Days of Joy: Day 7...

Well played, Toto.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Thursday, February 21, 2013

kraut inspired: sweet potato fries and apple sausage...

Have you ever been grocery shopping, spy something that isn't on your list and are immediately inspired with a new recipe? That happened to me recently when I spotted a jar of sauerkraut. I know, it surprised me too because the first time I tried it was at our Oktoberfest this year.

I grabbed the jar, scooped up some sweet potatoes, chicken apple sausage, wheat buns and this meal was born:

Not to toot my own horn, but OMG it was so good.

I made the sweet potato fries myself. The recipe is really simple:

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into the fry shape you desire
4 Tbsp of olive oil
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil, chili powder, nutmeg and cinnamon. Add in the sweet potatoes and mix until they are coated. Then spread them evenly in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp of brown sugar and 1 tsp of salt over the top. Put in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove, flip the fries and sprinkle the remaining brown sugar over the top. Cook for 20 more minutes. flipping the fries once more after 10 minutes. I put them under the broiler for a couple minutes at the end to crisp them up a bit.

Cook the sausage with the cover on. I just couldn't get a good photo of the pan with the cover on.

As I approached the last 10 minutes of the potato cooking time, I added the sauerkraut to a pot and heated it over medium. Then I added my chicken sausage to 1/2 inch of water in a covered saucepan and cooked them for 6-8 minutes until they were heated through.

When the potatoes finished cooking, I set them aside to cool for a few minutes and put the buns under a low broiler to toast them a little. I combined a little honey and mustard to create... wait for it.... honey mustard dipping sauce for the fries.

Then we plated it up and enjoyed a delicious meal. It was super easy, pretty low fat compared to regular sausage and white potatoes, and in my opinion, even tastier. Who would have thought a jar of kraut would end up creating a new dinnertime staple in our house!

40 Days of Joy: Day 6...

Albert Lexie donates more than $200,000 to Children's Hospital. The true spirit of giving.

Shoe Shiner Donates Tips to Pittsburgh Children's Hospital | Video - ABC News

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

40 days of joy: day 5...

This is one of the best things I've seen online in ages. A hilarious look at motherhood!

light it up: finding the right floor lamps...

right now, my house is in the 85% stage. every room is about 85% finished. the office needs a credenza and then it's done. the guest bath needs art and some hand towels and it's complete. and the living room and family room need floor lamps and they will be almost finished. since lighting in an integral part to making a room feel warm and inviting, I am focusing on lamps - specifically floor lamps.

Our house is blessed with a variety of overstuffed chairs. From my husband's coveted leather chair in the family room....

to a pair of hand-me-downs from my parents that occupy the living room.

I cannot take a good picture in this room, the window is my nemesis.

They are all so comfy, but because they take up so much space, adding a side table and table lamp near each one would make the rooms look too cluttered.

Enter the floor lamp. Sleek, tall and inconspicuous. I have been eyeing a variety of lamps for each room. The family room is much more casual, with lots of silver details so I thought any one of these might fit in just perfectly:

Via

In the living room, I'm envisioning antiqued brass or gold with a warmer color shade to work with the color palette.

EuroLighting.com

I like that this is simple but the three rods give it some interest.

EuroLighting.com

I love this lamp:

EuroLighting.com

This reminds me of a reading room lamp. Something you would find in a study. I like the warmth of the bronze base.

Crate and Barrel

I am obsessed with this gold sphere lamp. It it gorgeous but a little too rich for my blood.

EuroLighting.com

I keep coming back to this tri-pod lamp for both rooms. It is simple and feels like it is meant for our space.

Target

Stay tuned to see our final pics. And I know I still owe you all updates on our house painting. It looks great, but I need to get the rooms back in order before I share pics. Have a great day!