My husband loves casseroles. I mean, he’s crazy about them. He also loves rice. Lucky for him, I had chicken breasts in the refrigerator, some leftover shredded carrots, cheese, and 1/2 bag of broccoli florets. I can make rice. What I didn’t have was sour cream. I always have sour cream. What was I going to do? (more…)
I love cheesecakes. They’re rich. They’re decadent. They’re scrumptious! I know I’ve really had dessert when I’ve plowed through one or two pieces. YUM!!!
My daughter and her former college roommates were having a barbecue get-together at one of the girl’s parent’s home. So, we pulled up a chair at their kitchen table a few weekends back, and enjoyed fun stories and great food.
I had bricks of cream cheese in the fridge. I searched the Internet for an easy bar recipe, and came across this one at The Pioneer Woman. The recipe looked easy, and just what I wanted to share will my daughter, her family, her friends, and our hosts.
The bars are easy to put together, bake up beautifully, and the flavor and texture is memorable. Don’t skip the vanilla and pecans in the crust – it made a difference in my taste test. I used raspberries rather than blackberries or blueberries, because they were much cheaper in the store. If you wanted to make this into a lemon-raspberry recipe, substitute lemon zest and lemon extract in the cheesecake batter. I plan on that substitution next time, along with lemon curd as the topping.
Versatile, scrumptious, these cheesecake bars should be included in your recipe quiver.
Let’s eat cheesecake! Mimi
Master Bath Before
OK, probably not the best pictures. This is what the master bath looked like before we decided to remodel. The bath was functional, but the tub needed to be replaced, and the space needed an update.
Keep in mind that in all my Mimi years, I have never remodeled anything. Nada, nothing. After I recovered from the culture shock of the expense, I decided the remodel was really something I wanted to do, if I was going to be happy in the last home I’ll most likely ever own.
I was inspired by model homes seen during a Parade of Homes last summer in Noblesville at Sagamore, a home development on the west end. Here was one of my inspirations:
Cute, no? I fell in love with the gradient shading color of the shower wall tile. The shower stall is clean and open. The space wasn’t that large, maybe a bit deeper than a standard tub/shower placeholder,
3′ x 5′.
Lucky for me, one of my neighbors is a flooring/tile veteran. He also hooked me up with a general contractor, plumber, painter, etc.
This could have been an intimidating experience, but with some help, I was able to maneuver and subsequent projects may be easier, at least I hope so.
Here’s a Tip: Don’t always think you’re getting the best price on tile, flooring, carpet, cabinetry from big box stores or national all-in-one stop hardware vendors. The cabinetry estimate I got for the bathroom vanity was a whopping $1,200 more than my local cabinetry vendor, and less quality, in my mind. The quality of flooring tile and shower wall tile was poor in these stores, and the selection limited. If you’re in the market for a remodel, don’t be afraid to talk to some local small business persons. You might be surprised. But then, I love to support local businesses.
My dilemma was to find a color palette to coordinate with this drapery fabric I found years ago.
Before I moved into the condo, I had every room painted. Check out this post for the reason.
I had all the rooms, except the master bedroom and the family painted Benjamin Moore’s Revere Pewter. A great neutral color preferred by Candice Olson as a paint color that goes nicely with any room style. The Master, however, I painted Benjamin Moore’s Silver Fox:
And while this is a lovely color, it had more green overtones, and I was going for gray. As many times as I compared fabrics with the wall color, the more I was convinced it was not to be.
My fabric has a lot more beige than green or gray, and the tile sales consultant confirmed when she brought out floor tile samples. She brought out mosaic tile. The color combination that caught my eye was:
Crossville Glass Tiles, Ebb & Flow in Rocks and Minerals
Atlas GET 12″ x 24″ tile in Beige
These probably don’t look like they match, but look at the pictures I took at the granite yard, where I selected Cambria in Windermere.
I got some copper, gold, some gray, and some beige. The Cambria was a remnant, but there was enough to do the shower shelves and the shower threshold. Windermere is the quartize I choose for the vanity top.
There’s just enough interest without everything being too matchy.
Look and see how the shower shelve wall turned out! I’m not a fan of the corner shelve used to prop up one’s leg when shaving. So, I asked the tile installer to make a lower shelve at bathtub height, and 6″ deep. Viola!
Master Bath Shower Shelve Wall
Master Bath Shower Trim Wall
And the shower head wall (above)! I choose Kohler’s Refinia shower trim and faucets.
And here’s the Cambria shower threshold:
Master Bath Cambria Shower Threshold
We remain in the process of remodeling. However, I will tell you I asked the GC if I could use the existing vanity, paint it, and if he would bbuild a platform that would raise the vanity, without the top, to 34 1/2″. Yep, he did it, and saved at least $2500 in the process.
The Cambria vanity top will be installed on May 2. Stay tuned for more updates on the bathroom, and, ultimately, the rest of the Master Bedroom.
Yes, I am a Mimi!
Huevos Rancheros or “Ranch Eggs” Cooked Two Ways – One cooked on the stove top the other baked in the oven.
Everything I know about Mexican cooking, I learned from my ex-mother-in-law: homemade flour tortillas, salsa, Mexican rice, enchiladas, tostadas, guacamole – a real fiesta! She was a patient teacher, and I was a willing student.
Last week, my daughter took her two younger boys and me to go strawberry picking. We landed at Spencer Farms in Noblesville, Indiana. These folks have grown strawberries and raspberries since 1982. They have lots of pie making produce in their farm store, fresh and frozen.
This is one of my husband’s favorite dinners/lunches. Any grilled meat will be fabulous. Most likely, we make this salad from leftover grilled steak (I always grill an extra to have on hand for this exact purpose), or if we bring home a dogie bag from our favorite steakhouse. But, you could use grilled chicken or shrimp, too.
Richard and I love the American West. The landscape is breathtaking and unforgettable. Within easy travel from Las Vegas is Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Hoover Dam, Zion and Bryce National Parks, and the Grand Canyon. Also in this little corner of Utah is a wealth of national monuments and state parks and recreation areas.
Don’t get me wrong, I love chocolate and other rich desserts as much as anyone. But after the holidays, Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day, my tastebuds need to be revitalized. I look for something lighter in a citrus-type dessert. This recipe for Refreshing Creamsicle Cake fits the bill. It’s pretty, too!
This is a perfect dish to serve during Lent. Actually, it’s great anytime, and should be added to your seafood repertoire. Shrimp and Scallop Stew is easy to make and quick. Pour it on top of Israeli Couscous Pilaf and serve with garlic bread along with a nice glass of white wine, or a beer would go perfectly, too. It’s a lovely change of pace.
Command Central
You know how best laid plans quickly go astray? That’s what happened to me and my home decorating projects. A year after we moved in, I finally have my sewing/craft room in place. All the fabric neatly ironed and folded on my work top are those chosen for my Master Bedroom quilt.
Comfort Food at its BEST!
Today’s post serves to address lots of issues. I’ve been lazy for the last several months, and everything has suffered: cooking, cleaning, blogging, photography, sewing – oh, the list goes on. I’m venting. (more…)
The boys are becoming used to the idea of dessert when they have dinner with their Mimi. I mean, what are Mimi’s for if they can’t indulge their adorable grandchildren. Right? So not to disappoint, I whipped up this yummy banana sheet cake with a butter cream cheese frosting over the weekend. Everyone thought it was a big hit! Especially the frosting – a thick layer to satisfy anyone’s frosting craving.
Such a simple and quick way to enjoy a summer treat. So loved are s’mores, it’s a favorite flavor of coffee, ice cream, breakfast cereal, oatmeal, coffee and coffee creamer, and even vodka. (Can’t understand the vodka thing – I’ll have to give it a try . . .) America has a love affair with s’mores. With this recipe, you can enjoy these tasty treats year ’round.
Isn’t Avocado Salsa really Guacamole? (more…)
Wow, has it been four months? Yes, indeed. Four months since my last post. Six months since my life changed forever. Oh, I’ve been busy alright. Little did Richard know when he came with me to Indiana at Christmas that in just four months, we’d be moving our household on a return trip to Indiana. “Never again!” were his parting words as I jetted away in March to seal the deal on our condo. I have to agree. I’m not going to move again anytime soon. All the while, my husband and our dog, Auggie, have held down the fort in Billings – packing, packing and more packing. It’s a huge undertaking.
