• Truffle Mac & Cheese

    Truffle Mac & Cheese ( Ina Garten’s Recipe) Ingredients 2 tablespoons unsalted butter Good olive oil 1 pound cremini mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced 1/2-inch Kosher salt 1 pound pasta, such as cavatappi or macaroni 3 ounces white truffle butter 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 quart whole milk, scalded 12 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (4 cups) 8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 1/2 to 3 cups) 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 garlic cloves, chopped 3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves 1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs Directions Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Heat the butter and 2 tablespoons of olive…

  • Anthropologie Chalkboard Spice Jars

    Anthropologie is one of my favorite stores for kitchen decor, but I’m always on the lookout for deals, and love it when I find similar products at more budget-friendly prices. Lately I’ve been obsessed with these adorable ceramic spice jars with chalk labels, and  I just couldn’t resist when I found them online at World Market for half the price. It seems this trend is really getting around, now even Target is stocked with their canister version in three sizes from larger to really large (the smallest one at Target is still nearly twice the size of the Anthropologie spice jar). You know I love upcycling and this great DIY by…

  • Red & White Christmas Party

    We returned from our cousin’s lovely wedding in Northern California and had just a few days to put together a last minute Christmas dinner for us and a few friends who were in town. I love incorporating natural materials into decor whenever I can.  Last year we spent Christmas in North Carolina and grabbed some amazing pinecones from my father-in-law’s backyard which I’ve saved to use in our winter party decor.  Since we didn’t have a real tree, but we love that pine smell, my husband clipped a few small branches from the pine trees outside our condo, and we added to that some fresh cut roses and red carnations and…