I make a big batch of marinara sauce and can use it in 1-3 recipes that week (lasagna, spaghetti, pizza, etc).

INGREDIENTS

• ~1 Tablespoon of olive oil
• Green, red, or yellow pepper- chopped optional (only if you've got 'em on hand)

• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped

• 2 Large cans of organic peeled tomatoes (or 2 lbs of fresh tomatoes)
• 2 cups of water
• ~1/4 cup organic maple syrup (more or less to taste)
• Optional: 1 lb of Italian pork sausage or ground beef
• Salt & pepper
• A large bunch of basil

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large stockpot, add ~1 tablespoon of olive oil and saute the onion, garlic, and peppers (if using) in some olive oil for 4-6 minutes, med-high heat.
2. Add the tomatoes and water and bring to a low boil; simmer for 45-60 minutes until it's at your desired consistency. ​
3. Add the maple syrup in the last ~10 minutes.
4. If you're making it a meat sauce, cook the ground meat separately in a little olive oil until no longer pink for ~8 minutes and add to the sauce at the end. 
5. You should have ~6 cups of the world's very very best marinara sauce.

This is a family-favorite dish that the kids love to help with the making of. I usually buy pizza dough from trader joe's and make this an easy dinner night. 

INGREDIENTS

• Olive oil spray, for muffin pan
• Flour, for rolling
• 1/2 pound pizza dough, in ~12 pieces
• Pizza Sauce - I make my own (see recipe here)
• Garlic salt
• Shredded mozzarella  (I usually also add different cheeses I have in my fridge at the time--cheddar, blue cheese, parmesan, etc.)
• Choice of toppings, pepperoni, pineapple & ham, veggies, etc.

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Spray your muffin tin cups with olive oil spray.
3. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough so it's ~1" thick and cut it out into a round shape.
4. Fill each cup with 1 round, gently pressing dough into bottom and sides of cup.
5. Season with garlic salt
6. Spoon each dough cup with 1 tablespoon of pizza sauce
7. Sprinkle on cheese (about 1-2 Tablespoons) and desired toppings
8. Bake until dough is cooked through, ~12 minutes.
9. Let cool 2 minutes before removing from cups & serve.

My husband isn't a big fan of horseradish, so I leave it out of his half of this dish. I on the other hand adore it and this is my favorite sauce to pair with any red meat dish. It's incredibly simple -- enjoy!!

INGREDIENTS

• 8 Tablespoons of butter, melted
• 1 Tablespoon of minced onion or shallot (whatever you've got in the pantry)
• 3 chives, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 Tablespoons of horseradish, peeled and grated
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• Salt & Pepper to taste

RECIPE

• Stir all ingredients together
• Immersion blend them for a smoother consistency (or put in blender) - optional
• Serve it with your choice of beef dish; half cooled

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, or 2 cups drained, cooked chickpeas
• 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of liquid from chickpeas can
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Optional additions: 3/4 cup of chopped olives, 1/4 cup of chopped preserved lemons, or 1/2 cup of toasted walnuts, almonds, or pine nuts.

​
INSTRUCTIONS

1. Drain & rinse the chickpeas into a strainer, keeping the liquid from the can in a bowl, set aside.
2. ​If time allows, pinch the skins from each of the chickpeas to make the hummus smoother.
3. Combine the chickpeas, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth, at least 5 minutes. 
4. ​Add 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of the liquid you set aside from the chickpeas can--to taste. I like mine really creamy, so I do about 1/2 cup myself.
5. That's it! Serve with naan bread, tortillas, pita chips or my fave- raw vegetables like cucumbers, bell peppers, sweet peppers, carrots, etc.
   
   

We leased our solar panels through solar city (now owned by Tesla). They guaranteed that the panels would generate a minimum of 10,901 kWh per year. If it does not produce that amount, Tesla refunded the difference. Our system saved us an average of $25 a month and we  received a reimbursement check of $75 at the end of the year.

Here's a snapshot of our panel's performance the last 5 months we were in the house (we recently sold the house and moved). 

When you enter our new house from the garage, you're faced the laundry room to your left, cabinets and countertop in front, and to your right a large white blank wall. It was very utilitarian and uninspiring. I'm right-brained and my visual surroundings tend to have a strong influence on my mood/emotions- so this really bothered me and just wasn't going to work. 

First, as part of the kitchen renovation, I had the contractors paint these cabinets in Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace OC-65, the same white as the kitchen cabinets. I like to keep the shades of colors in my house to only a few. I also changed out the light with a Pottery Barn Clarissa chandelier in small (to match the same, but larger chandeliers in the kitchen). 

I took several steps to update this big blank wall. I laid out where I'd like to put some artwork and a coat hook board that runs the length of the wall.  

I bought a large length of 2x4" and Restoration hardware Duluth hooks to match the hardware in the Kitchen, but in oil rubbed bronze. Then I took four picture frames that we already had, but they were white. So spray painted them, bought new mattes from Hobby Lobby and some botanical prints from Amazon. 

Then I picked out a stencil that I wanted to put on the top half of the wall. I chose an African Mudcloth wall stencil from CuttingEdge Stencil--the same place I bought the stencil pattern for my fireplace & patio floor tile stencil project and also for my laundry room accent wall project (in my last house). I bought a gray paint to match the gray in the kitchen counters to coordinate the spaces and got to work stenciling!

Then I screwed the wood coat rack to the wall (using a stud locator, be sure to drill into studs) and hung the pictures. Then I styled it by adding a cute hanging basket of faux lavender, a Persian rug that I've had forever (I bought it in Bahrain when I was in the Navy), hung some family pictures, and added a bench that I had laying around. It used to be at our kitchen table for years until we switched it out for new chairs (see the reupholster blog about those HERE). And voila- my one-day project was completed and my entryway looks a million times better!

Not a year after renovating our kitchen in the suburbs of Allen, Texas, we found a new house on an acre out in the country (and closer to the husband's work). The house has great bones, but the kitchen was pretty dated. Check it out:

It had the two-level island that so many kitchens came with in the 90's-00's. ​I sent the below picture to the contractors that did our bathroom renovation at the Allen house, Priess Remodeling, to show them what I wanted to do. They said that it'd be no problem!

We made the following renovations:

• Swapped out the cabinet hardware with the same hardware we used in our last kitchen renovation: Restoration Hardware's Duluth collection in aged brass. 
• Removed 3 small pendants, filled the ceiling holes and hung a large Pottery Barn Clarissa chandelier over the island, the rectangle Clarissa chandelier over the kitchenette area.
• We painted the following:
  • The cabinets in Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace OC-65
  • The walls in Benjamin Moore White Dove OC-17
  • The kitchen island in Sherwin Williams Honorable Blue SW-6188 
• Replaced the countertops with a Calcatta Lucia Quartz (the large island took two slabs).
• Cut down the island pony wall, added extra storage cabinetry, added two new outlets, and laid the new countertops across the top making one huge island.
• New backsplash--a classic white subway tile
• New induction cooktop- the Samsung 30 in. Built-in 5-Element INDUCTION Cooktop | Model #: NZ30K7880US
• Replaced the faucet with a champagne gold touch-activated Delta Trinsic Faucet with voice activated Alexa and Google Assistant. 
• Replaced the dated sink with a larger single sink: the Alfi brand 30" undermount Fireclay Kitchen Sink.
  • ​Added a Delta Soap/Lotion Dispenser in Champagne Bronze
  • A matching in-counter garbage disposal button
  • And matching in-sink disposal flange stopper 

Making lemonade from lemons
We didn't find out that our dishwasher was leaking until I started pulling the ugly faux-brick off the kitchen bar and noticed that the bottom of the bar and the wood floors were soaked with water and starting to warp. A phone call to insurance and their assigned contractor later and a kitchen renovation was underway! Obviously they didn't pay for all of it, but they paid for a decent portion which helped us justify making a few extra updates on our own dime. 

Our ho-hum kitchen had bored me for years. We found out a few months after moving into our home that there was a kitchen window that had been tiled over--inexplicably. I can't even imagine why. It reduced the natural light so much it made the whole house seriously dark. (enjoy me in hair curlers and an apron- it's the only "before" picture I could find hahaha)

We started by demo'ing the dark & dated backsplash and opening the window up and adding shiplap to the bar. I drove down to Reclaimed Designworks in Dallas and found some yellow oak salvaged from a Southern cotton mill circa the 1860's. We lightly sanded (so as not to lose too much of the character), lightly white washed, and sealed with Modern Masters Exterior Dead Flat Varnish. We chose a bone white subway tile for a sophisticated and clean backsplash look.

We hit a few hitches with opening up the window that we weren't totally expecting. First, the window was like something from Dr. Seuss all slanted and off-kilter. The contractor built a nice new box frame for it to straighten it out. Then we had to find a new material for the window ledge. We went with a matching salvaged wood to the bar. It was a big hit with our cat Handsome Rob. 

I ordered 4 different sets of hardware before landing on Restoration Hardware's Duluth collection in brass. I highly recommend-it was totally worth the price (and you get a good discount when you sign up for their membership). 

I also ordered Restoration-Hardware look-alike pendant lights from Lighting New York; the Quorum 804-17-80 Signature 1 light, 17" aged brass pendant. ​With a coupon it was $163 compared to Restoration Hardware's $516 price tag. 

Other upgrades to the kitchen included cutting into the existing granite counter tops to widen the cooktop space and add a new GE Profile Series 36" Gas Cooktop. Let me tell you... as an avid home chef - this upgrade was worth every penny and made me happy every single day!

 The last upgrade was maybe tied for first favorite with the cooktop... the 33" single basin sink by Krauss in stainless steel and Kohler's polished chrome artifacts kitchen sink faucet (K-99259-CP). 

Run to your nearest apple orchard (or grocery store I guess) and stock up- once you make these muffins you'll never make another recipe again. Don't skip the glaze, it's what make these extra.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, & finely diced
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (4 oz) - optional
• 1/2 cup raisins (3 oz)
• Glaze
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Butter muffin tins. In large bowl stir flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, & salt. In another bowl beat together eggs, milk, sugar, & butter. Stir in the apple, nuts, and raisins. Add to the dry ingredients and beat with a wooden spoon just until blended.
  3. Spoon into tins 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until tooth pick inserted into muffin comes out clean.

GLAZE

1. Combine butter, cream, sugar, & cinnamon in a small pan. Bring to a boil for 1 min. Set aside, keep warm.
2. Remove the muffins from the oven and poke each muffin a few times with a fork, then drizzle each with a generous teaspoonful of glaze. Let muffins cool in pan for about 3 minutes, turn out onto racks, serve warm.

This is my father-in-law's favorite green bean casserole dish that he asks me to bring every Thanksgiving. It's a bit of work, so I always make it the day before Thanksgiving and it's so good, it's totally worth it. Like several of my recipes, this one started from Martha Stewart and has some adaptations I've made over the years. 

INGREDIENTS

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 an onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 pound button mushrooms, stems trimmed, quartered
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (snap 'em with your hands and save time)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 pinch grated nutmeg
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (don't buy pre-shredded; they add a starch that causes clumping)

INSTRUCTIONS​

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add onion, and saute until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add bell pepper and mushrooms, and cook until softened and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside to cool.
2. Prepare an ice bath: Fill a large bowl with ice and water; set aside. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add beans, and cook until bright green and just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain, and plunge into ice bath to stop cooking.
3. When cooled, toss drained beans with mushroom mixture; set aside.
4. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add 1/4 cup flour, whisk constantly until mixture begins to turn golden, about 2 minutes. Pour in milk, and continue whisking until mixture has thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in cayenne, nutmeg, and the remaining teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Pour over beans, and toss to combine.
5. Butter a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking pan. Spread half the green-bean mixture over the bottom. Sprinkle on half the grated Parmesan, and spread with the remaining green beans. Combine the remaining Parmesan and the breadcrumbs, and sprinkle over casserole.
6. Cover with foil, and refrigerate until just before serving.
7. You can fry some onions to place on top if you wanted to... but no one wants them at our house, so I never do. 
8. Heat broiler, positioning rack about 8 inches from heat. Cook casserole, covered, until mixture is bubbly and heated through, about 10 minutes. Uncover, and cook until top is golden brown, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle fried shallots over top, and serve immediately.