Archive for Life in the Kitchen
Kitchens to love…
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One of my favorite rooms in the home is the kitchen. I love the design aspects, the cabinetry and organization options, and the endless meals prepared there. But I think it may be the overall feel that a kitchen represents that makes it my favorite room. You can really live in a kitchen!
Homework, flower arranging, creative projects, late night gab sessions, surfing the net, hanging out, and of course the endless baking and cooking that goes on here. Life really happens here!
Everyone always gravitates to the kitchen at a party and kids of all ages congregate in the space, including the family pets. That’s why I love a good kitchen. 
Great kitchens come in all shapes and sizes. They can be cozy or grand, bright or neutral, contemporary or country. It’s more about creating a kitchen that works with your lifestyle, so the room really becomes a part of your life. 
If your kitchen falls short of being the most used room in your home, maybe a kitchen update or renovation is in order. Yes, the most beautiful kitchen renovations can be quite pricey, yet some of the simplest changes can make your kitchen feel updated, organized or more spacious.
Minor remodeling can enlarge your space and make it work for your family and your lifestyle. Consider consulting with a professional to make your kitchen all it can be. Talking over the ideas and options can make it seem less daunting and more attainable.
So, whether you have the kitchen of your dreams, or are still dreaming away, here are some wonderful, personal kitchens to enjoy. They may even inspire you to do a little cooking… 
(All photos from House Beautiful)
Recipe: Summertime Salsa!
Posted by: | CommentsHere is a delicious recipe shared with me by my wonderful friend Brooke. A great recipe to share at a party or gathering, or to simply enjoy on your own patio. A delightful twist on a traditional favorite. Enjoy and let me know what you think!
Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips:
Salsa:
1 cup diced strawberries
1 or 2 diced kiwi
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup mandarin oranges, drained and chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped green onion
1/4 cup diced orange or yellow bell pepper
1 diced jalapeno, seeded (or use 1/2 if you prefer less heat)
Juice from 1/2 of a lime
In a bowl, mix all chopped and diced ingredients, toss with lime juice. Set aside for at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld. Serve with fresh cinnamon chips, recipe below.
Chips:
1 pkg of 10-6″ flour tortillas
2 T melted butter
1/4 sugar
1 T cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cinnamon and sugar. Brush tortillas with butter, then coat with cinnamon/sugar mixture. Cut each tortilla into 6 wedges. Bake on cookie sheet for 8 minutes, or until dry and crispy.
Original recipe from Better Homes & Gardens New CookBook (published in 1996)
Recipe: Penne with Roasted Tomatoes and Black Olives
Posted by: | CommentsPenne with Roasted Tomatoes and Black Olives:
1 lb box of penne pasta (I like Dreamfield’s or Barilla brand best)
1 large or 2 small onions, diced
4 stalks celery diced
1 pressed garlic clove
2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp kosher coarse ground salt
1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper
3 – 14 oz cans fire roasted diced tomatoes (I like Hunts 100% Natural brand best)
1- 4 oz can sliced black olives
In about a tablespoon or two of olive oil, cook onion and celery. When clear and soft, add garlic and other seasonings. Add roasted tomatoes and black olives. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes. In the meantime, cook pasta according to directions. When pasta is cooked and drained, add to tomato mixture and toss. Serve with shredded asiago cheese on top.
For a Optional Meat Versions:
Ground beef: Cook 1 lb ground beef with onions and celery- continue with directions above.
Chicken Breast: Cook diced chicken breast with onions and celery, continue with directions above.
Barefoot Contessa Cookbook Giveaway!
Posted by: | CommentsThis is one of my newest go-to cookbooks. Written by Ina Garten, it is filled with simple, yet special foods that are as appropriate for a family dinner as they are for a special party. I especially love the beaut
iful photos and personal notes included throughout the book.
Most of you know I love food and the way we celebrate our lives around a wonderful meal or treat shared with someone special. Even though we center so many of life’s events around food and the prep of it, it’s really the deeper connect between family or friends that we are after. Sharing a meal is intimate, connecting, and restorative. In today’s busy culture, we need to remember to set aside time for this. It’s not multi-tasking with several things going on, people in and out the door to other places, or conversations cut short by interruptions, but really focusing on that intimate mealtime with the people in our lives. It’s making the moment count. When my Grandmother prepared a meal, she did it with love and it showed and tasted like it. Every meal doesn’t have to be like that, but we should have at least several meal times during our week that focus on each other and the connections that we share. I challenge you to incorporate more of this type of meal time into your own life, if you aren’t already doing it. It will change your attitude about cooking and improve your relationships.
Good healthy, easy to prepare meals (and some wonderful desserts) are abundant in this resource. A few of my favorite recipes from this book include: Lentil Vegetable Soup, Sundried Tomato Dip, Parker’s Split Pea Soup and the Pecan Squares (dipped in chocolate of course!) The next recipes I will be trying are the Coconut Cupcakes and the Grilled Salmon Salad. Oooh…I can taste them already!
So, for today’s contest, please comment with a description of your favorite recipe or mealtime favorite… and you will be entered to win a copy of The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. Comments must be entered by 11:59pm on April 2nd.
Thanks for sharing… Cook On!
New features coming!
Posted by: | CommentsJust like flowers blooming in the spring… I am excited to share some “blooming” new features will be added to Celebrate Life Everyday over the next few months!
First, I will be starting an Interview Series. I am so excited about this! The interviews will be with highly creative, talented people who have so much to share with us. Some of these fantastic people will be kindred spirits that I know and have worked with, others we will both be getting to “know”. The first interview will start in just a week or two!! This can’t be missed…
Next… Giveaways! Yes, free things to win! I will be hosting contests and special events to give things away to readers like you! All you hav
e to do is read often to find out what free treasure could be yours next… it’s like an online party!
There are of course lots of additional things planned for the Celebrate Life Everyday blog, but the last thing I am going to share with you now is… online shopping! Yes, this will be coming in several formats, but I will be able to share all of my favorite things with you, and you will be able to click on the link and learn more, or to purchase that item as well. I am working on this as we speak and I will reveal more as soon as things are up and ready!
Thanks for reading and I look forward to sharing so much more with you….
