MelliB

Pool Party

2010-09-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

Summer is almost coming to end and I was fortunate enough to enjoy a little pool date with two of my sisters and their baby boys one Friday afternoon. We had a simple light lunch by the pool and had so much fun playing with the boys in the water.

Everything for the lunch I bought in one quick trip to Trader Joe's. The menu is below along with recipes for the salads. And if you haven't enjoyed a leisurely afternoon by the pool, make sure to try and squeeze one in before the summer sun is gone.

Pool Party Menu

Chicken salad (recipe below)
Mango avocado salad (recipe below)
Apricot almond tart
Animal cookies (for the babies)
Iced tea
L'ambrusco bianco (sparkling white wine)
Sparkling berry lemonade (to mix with the l'ambrusco)

Chicken Salad

1 pound cooked chicken, diced
1 gala apple, diced
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup dried currents
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon honey dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1 lemon, juiced
Salt
Pepper

In a small bowl, prepare the dressing. Whisk mayonnaise, mustard, celery seed, and lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix chicken, apple, almonds and currents. Toss with dressing. The currents will plump up after soaking in the dressing. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Can store for 2-3 days.

Mango Avocado Salad

1 mango, diced
1 avocado, diced
1 bag of baby romaine lettuce
1 bottle of poppyseed dressing

Fill a serving bowl with lettuce, lay mango and avocado on top. Toss carefully with dressing right before serving.

Girls Night Out!

2010-08-28T18:50:00.001-07:00

You aren't going to want to miss the next MelliB party! This Girls Night Out is an event like none other. You'll get the chance to design your very own pair of earrings, while enjoying great snacks and chatting with friends.

So grab your girlfriends and join us for this unique event. Dozens of beads will be available for you to select from. Perhaps even design a pair of earrings for that dress or outfit that you just haven't found the right earrings for yet.

Design additional earrings for only $10 a pair. Other MelliB jewelry designs will be available for purchase.

Friday, September 17th
Canyon Villas Clubhouse
5-9 PM Open House
Tickets: $20 at the door / $15 pre-purchased at MelliB.com

Only Cash & Checks accepted during the event.

Pretty Party Table

2010-08-17T16:25:00.001-07:00

I'm in love with this Dessert Table setting featured by Crate & Barrel. Sage green and cotton candy pink were my wedding colors and we served pink and white candies in glass vases just like this. Makes me want to throw a shower!

These green dishes are so classic and simple (they match my house as well). Wouldn't they look great sprinkled with some bright red dishes at Christmastime?

Fun, fun, fun!

Angel Food Cupcakes with Peaches, Raspberry Sauce, & Biscotti Crumbles

2010-08-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Angel Food Cupcakes with Peaches, Raspberry Sauce & Biscotti Crumbles. Now isn't that the longest recipe name ever? And I even left out the whipped cream. I just couldn't think of anything catchy and shorter to capture this dessert. Your naming suggestions are welcome!

My man and I created this recipe while trying to come up with a dessert for his birthday that would be light & summery and travel well. His birthday plans included dinner at our favorite local Chinese Restaurant follwed by a dessert picnic along the grassy strand at the Dana Point Harbor.

I packed all the dessert components individually in a cooler and we assembled the dessert at the harbor. For this occasion I packed frozen Cool Whip instead of whipped cream so it would keep well in the cooler during dinner. For the biscotti we used Nonni's Cioccolatti Biscotti which added a little layer of rich dark chocolate to the dessert. We also found that the almond flavor of the biscotti worked really well with angel food cake.

We loved this dessert and found that it was hard to eat just one serving even though we were stuffed from dinner. I can't think of a more perfect way to spend a summer evening than sitting out in the harbor watching boats float by and enjoying a summertime dessert.

[Aren't these cupcake liners adorable? My sister-in-law gave them to me for Christmas along with a whole box full of cupcake goodies. I highly reccomend these liners, the paper is thick and waxy and much sturdier that regular liners.]

[Raspberry Dessert Sauce recipe can be found here]

Angel Food Cake with Peaches, Raspberry Sauce and Biscotti Crumbles

Makes 12 portions

1 box of Angel Food Cake mix
Water
12 cupcake liners
6 peaches
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 package of fresh raspberries
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar
1 carton of Cool Whip or other whipped cream
4 Biscotti, crumbled

Step 1. Prepare the Angel Food Cake mix and bake according to the package directions for cupcakes. Cool and store in a cupcake carrier or other sealed container.

Step 2. Using the raspberries and 1/4 cup sugar, prepare the Raspberry Dessert Sauce according to the directions in this earlier post. Place into a storage container and refridgerate.

Step 3. Peel and slice peaches. Place into a storage container. Toss with the lemon juice to prevent browning and 2 Tbsp of sugar. Refridgerate until ready to use. The sugar will dissolve with the peach juice and create a nice syrup coating on the peaches. Cover and refridgerate.

Step 4. Assemble your cupcakes! Place each cupcake on dessert plates, surround with 2 spoonfuls of peaches, top with a dollop of whipped cream, drizzle with raspberry sauce and sprinkle biscotti crumbles on top.

Raspberry Dessert Sauce

2010-08-03T17:35:00.000-07:00

Fresh fruit sauces are so simple to make (it really only takes 5 minutes) and can really add a special touch to desserts of all kinds. This recipe is for a Raspberry sauce but you can substitute it with any type of berry. Try fruit dessert sauces on ice cream, cupcakes (like these Angel Food Cupcakes with Peaches and Biscotti), brownies, chocolate cake, creme brulee, cheesecake...I'm sure you could keep the list going with me!

Raspberry Dessert Sauce

1 package fresh raspberries (can substitue with frozen)
1/4 cup sugar (or to taste)
1/8 cup water

In a small saucepan bring all ingredients to a simmer. Let simmer for 5 minutes until sugar is disolved and fruit is softened and broken down. The longer you simmer, the less chunky the sauce will be. Remove from heat. Store covered in the refridgerator.

If using strawberries, you can mash berries after cooking to desired consistancy. If fruit is bland and lacking flavor (i.e. frozen) 1 Tbsp of lemon juice will help brighten up the flavor of the sauce.

Variation: substitue with strawberries, blueberries or blackberries

The Simplest Sauce

2010-07-25T22:27:00.000-07:00

3 ingredients, that's all you need to make a simple, tasty, tomato sauce: onion, butter and tomatoes. Who knew? When I found out about this sauce over at Smitten Kitchen I had to try it. It just couldn't be very good, could it? So I bought the three ingredients and gave it a whirl. And I have to say, its pretty darn good. It's simple, it's easy, it's cheap and it's velvety. It has to be the butter. After all butter makes everything better. Lidia Bastianich always tosses in a pat or two into her sauce. This one is worth keeping in your back pocket for a quick dinner.

The second time I made it, I added in some fresh basil and I liked it even better. A little red pepper flakes can never hurt either, that's on my mental list for my next go around. That's the beautiful thing about pasta sauce, you can doctor it up in so many ways and still never go wrong.

Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Serves 4

1-28 oz can whole peeled Roma tomatoes (San Marzano's are best)
5 tbsp butter
1 yellow onion, peeled and cut in half
5 fresh basil leaves (optional)
1 pound egg fettuccine (or other pasta)
Salt

In a saucepan, simmer tomatoes, onion, butter and basil leaves for 30-45 minutes. Stir occasionally and crush the tomatoes against the pan with your spoon to break them down. Simmer until the tomatoes are crushed and the onion is softened. Salt to taste.

Meanwhile cook pasta according to the package directions. Top with tomato sauce.

Tip: Buy a good quality imported egg pasta. The difference in taste and texture is worth the extra dollar or two. Good pasta even tastes better as leftovers versus cheap pasta. I go to a local Italian Market and stock up a variety of pasta types to avoid buying it at the grocery store.

Parmesan Toasts with Eggs and Asparagus

2010-07-15T22:00:00.000-07:00

Just looking at this photograph makes me want to eat it for dinner again right now...and we just had this for dinner tonight! This is a great simple dish for a light supper or a sophisticated brunch. Aren't they beautiful? I bet this recipe would also work well with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce, but why complicate a good thing.

Parmesan Toasts with Eggs & Asparagus

4 slices of thick crusty bread
12 stems of asparagus spears
4 slices of Canadian bacon or prosciutto
4 large eggs
Parmesan cheese
Butter, softened
Olive oil
Salt
Fresh cracked pepper

Step 1: Preheat broiler. Lay asparagus spears on a baking sheet. Toss with olive oil and salt. Roast in broiler for 5 minutes.

Step 2: Fry Canadian bacon in a frying pan over medium-high heat until browned. Set aside.

Step 3: Spread butter generously on bread. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Broil for 1 minute until lightly browned.

Step 4: Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in the frying pan used for bacon. Fry eggs one at a time until over easy, sprinkled with salt and pepper.

On a plate, layer prepared toast, Canadian bacon, 3 asparagus stalks and one egg.

Enjoy!

Summer Sale!

2010-07-12T22:15:00.000-07:00

Save 20% off any little thing your heart desires. Use code "SummerFun" at checkout. Offer valid through July 15 at www.mellib.com.

New Handblown Glass Earrings

2010-06-04T08:45:00.000-07:00

The wait is finally over! More handblown glass earrings have just been added to the shop in four brand new designs: Moonglow, Circus, Cotton Candy and Plumy. Two perfectly round, delicate glass beads are laced in swirly warm colors. There is a limited supply of each design so be sure to order yours before they're gone.

A Cleaner Broiler Pan

2010-02-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

To keep from having to scrub...and scrub...and scrub the bottom of your broiler pan, just wrap the bottom half of the pan in foil. Then place the top half on top just as normal. You get to toss out the foil along with all the burned drippings from your food. Oh, and this was my husband's clever idea, he told me I'd better cite my sources!

Valentine's Week

2010-02-06T00:30:00.000-08:00

My husband and I were each other's first long-term boyfriend/girlfriend. For "many" years I felt left out of the whole Valentine's Day/love fest and would plan a special night out with other singles on Valentine's Day. Looking back, I really didn't spend too many Valentine's alone, considering I started dating my man at 21. But when you're a teenager it feels like forever.

As you can imagine our first Valentine's was a big deal for me. I finally got to buy a romantic card and all the fun pink & red things you find in the stores. I was overwhelmed with too many options and the freedom to finally buy for someone special. So I came up with "Valentine's Week". Every day, for the week before Valentine's, I was going to give my man a little Valentine's treat. I made heart shaped sugar cookies and wrote handmade love notes. I even left him suprises at work. I thought he would think it was cheesey, but he seemed to enjoy it, so it became a tradition.

Then came the tradegy. Last year I decided not to do it. I'm not sure why, I guess I thought he was probably over it after 8 years together. I was very mistaken. He had bragged about it to a couple of the guys at his new office and was really disappointed when I didn't leave him treats throughout the week. I felt soooo bad! Why hadn't I at least asked him if he still wanted it? So now I need to make up for it and Valentine's Week will be back in action this year!

It can be tough to think of little things to give guys. Girls are so much easier to buy little things like lip gloss and note cards.

Here are some of the things I've used over the years:

Homemade heart shaped sugar cookies
Candy/chocolate
Gum
Trail mix/nuts
Hostess cupcakes
Hot sauce/salsa
Speciality bottled water/soda
A red rose
Paperback book/comic book
CD
DVD from the $5 section at Target
$5 gift cards

The Dollar Section at Target usually has some great finds for inexpensive gift bags, boxes & pails. I even found a red tin mail box this year!

Valentine's Day

2010-02-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

Pinks and reds, these are the colors of Valentine's Day. A day to celebrate the blessing of love. Filled with flowers, chocolates, cards...and jewelry if we are lucky! The shop is filled with unique jewelry in pinks and reds, perfect for expressing your love for someone special. Your mom, your daughter, a best friend. Or maybe you want to send a hint to your man - just email him this link!

Tasha Tudor's Cornbread

2010-01-30T20:04:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I was making my homemade chili and I thought it really deserves homemade cornbread. So I tried a Joy of Cooking recipe and it was awful! So I turned to my dad's cornbread recipe. He always made the best cornbread. It is from a beautifully illustrated cookbook by Tasha Tudor. It didn't disappoint. Cornbread just doesn't get better than this. I recommend using an iron skillet or my personal pick, this Scone Pan to get a nice crust on the outside of the cornbread.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 farm-fresh eggs, at room temperature, separated
1 cup unbleached flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk, lukewarm
1 cup yellow cornmeal

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an iron cornbread pan that makes 12 sticks, or a muffin tin, with peanut oil.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar and add the egg yolks, slightly beaten. Stir well. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt, then add it alternately with the milk to the creamed butter. Stir in the cornmeal, then fold in the beaten egg whites.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, until beautifully browned.

A new year deserves new jewelry!

2010-01-25T07:00:00.000-08:00

The shop is now just about overflowing. With 18 new pieces, there are over 80 necklaces, bracelets & earrings available! Lots of pink quartz, emerald jade, pearls, and stone pendants...so many luscious new choices. And these, are just the half of it!

Well Hello Friends!

2010-01-21T20:21:00.000-08:00

It's been quite some time since my last post. Once you let a task like blogging slip, it sure does run away from you quickly. Much has happened since my last post in November. The holidays have come and gone. The MelliB Debut Party has come and gone (time to start planning the next one!) and 18 new pieces are now available at www.MelliB.com.

The Debut Party back in November was such a fun evening! The clubhouse looked amazing. Jewelry was everywhere, friends were everywhere, food was everywhere! My charming friend Sharla did a fabulous job arranging the room. My mom and sister spent the evening helping me set up and tear down. Unfortunately my good camera was being repaired so I didn't get the stunning photos I had envisioned - but then I never do get the photos I envision anyways!

Entertaining Tip - Normally I like to cook when I'm entertaining, but I knew for this party I'd have too much else to do with all the jewelry set up. So I decided to just go to Trader Joe's and pick up whatever I could find. Boy was that easy! They really do have all you need to throw a nice party.

Here's what I picked up:

Assorted crackers & cheese (brie, goat cheese, cheddar ball)
Strawberries & grapes (got to have something light & healthy!)
Assorted cookies (lemon & ginger crisps, peppermint Joe's, waffle cookies, shortbread & biscotti)
Chocolate truffles (chocolate is a must for a girls night!)
Frozen appetizers (artichoke dip, mushroom turnovers, cheese & onion pastry bites etc.)

To drink we had:

Coffee bar (coffee, whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles, vanilla syrup, & chocolate syrup)
Holiday punch (2 parts ginger ale, 1 part cranberry juice, 1/2 part orange juice)

Up next, a peak at all the new designs!

It's that time of year...

2009-11-24T15:23:00.000-08:00

...when all the email blasts come pouring into my inbox from my favorite retailers and I start drooling over the Christmas decorations. As if I don't have enough already. Here are a few of my favorites this year:

Pirate Ship, Anthropologie $18 (I will be looking for this one to go on sale, it's so fairytale-esque!)
Skating Sweater Kids, Crate & Barrel $23.80/set (I bet you can buy individually in-store as usual)
Red Sock Monkey, Paper Source $6.95 (I've been wanting one of these monkey sock toys, I have no idea why)

Ornament collecting ideas:

Host an ornament exchange Christmas party - My husband and I used to exchange tools [guys] & ornaments [ladies] at our annual Christmas party. Things get crazy when you let everyone pick from whichever category they like!
Give a new ornament to your family members on Thanksgiving - My friend came up with this idea. She gives her parents and siblings a new ornament each Thanksgiving, isn't that fun?!
Give each child a new ornament every Christmas for their collection - My mom did this just about every year and we all had our own Christmas popcorn tin that we kept them in. By the time I moved out, I almost had a tree full!

Take a Peak...

2009-11-01T22:15:00.000-08:00

Here's a peak at just a few of the brand new pieces that will be featured at the very first MelliB Launch Party next Thursday night! There is a special black freshwater pearl choker that is adjustable (only one is available!) which would look amazing with a black cocktail dress, then there is the emerald jade and gold necklace that is perfect for the holidays (matching earrings also available!), and two more lovely stone pendant necklaces in pink and purple hues.

If you need details about the party, please email me at mellib.shop@gmail.com.

Get Excited About Fall Cooking

2009-10-21T15:43:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy making jewelry for the upcoming party, that I've had little time to dedicate to this blog. So I'm going to cheat a bit and share recipes from Bon Appetit with you. They all look so darn good.

Yesterday I downloaded these four recipes that caught my eye:

Some wonderful recipe slide shows they have right now make me excited for warm fall comfort food (and will make it tough to decide what to make on Halloween) include:

I love perusing Bon Appetit during the holidays. They have so many great ideas that make me wish I could stray from my family's traditional food. Maybe someday when I have a house big enough to host a holiday meal...

Quote of the Day

2009-10-12T12:11:00.000-07:00

"When you're through changing, you're through." --Martha Stewart

Save the Date!

2009-10-09T16:45:00.000-07:00

The very first MelliB jewelry party is scheduled for Thursday, November 12th from 6pm-9pm in Aliso Viejo. It will be an open house where you can casually browse dozens of pieces while enjoying sweets and savories with friends. I've been busy collecting display items as you can see in the photo (I scored majorly at Home Goods one night last week!) and making new jewelry. More information to come soon!

Stuffed Peppers

2009-10-02T09:49:00.000-07:00

Is it strange to love stuffed peppers? They are so simple and homely looking, but oh how I love them. They are hearty and flavorful. They are great leftovers, easy to transport to the office for the next day's lunch. A complete dish: protein, carbohydrate and vegetable. Here is how I like my peppers stuffed...

Stuffed Peppers
Serves 4-6

4 bell peppers (red, orange or yellow)
1 pound ground turkey or beef
1-1/2 cups chunky, seasoned marinara sauce
1/2 cup white rice
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup white or crimini mushrooms, roughly chopped
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small saucepan, bring 3/4 cup of water to a boil. Add rice and a pinch of salt. Cover pan and simmer for 15 minutes.

In a large saute pan, heat olive oil on high heat. Add ground meat and brown until no longer pink. Add mushrooms and onions, saute for 5 minutes longer until vegetables are cooked. Add marinara sauce and rice. Simmer for 10 minutes longer. Salt to taste.

Meanwhile, cut peppers lengthwise. Trim off stems, scrape out seeds and membranes. Place peppers in a large baking dish. Season the inside of peppers with salt.

Fill peppers with meat mixture. Top generously with cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown and peppers are soft.

Tip: Green bell peppers produce a more bitter flavor, so I prefer the reds and yellows.

Birthday Season

2009-09-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

Do you have a birthday season in your family? We do. It just started and will run through the beginning of January. Last week birthdays started jumping off the calendar at me so fast I realized I'd better get cracking. With three birthdays last week and one a week for the next month that's a lot of gifts to whip up. Above are the results of my latest gift making blitz. Porcelain, freshwater pearls, and quartz. Maybe you'll see them in the shop one day.

The Best of Summer

2009-09-27T08:14:00.000-07:00

[T-Street Beach, San Clemente, CA]

The best of summer is coming to an end. Be sure to soak it up while it lasts!

Lemon Semifreddo

2009-09-20T21:27:00.000-07:00

I hope you don't mind two recipes in a row. I've had some time off from work over the summer and have enjoyed some extra time in the kitchen. This recipe has been a hit at more than one girl's night at my house.

In Italian, "semifreddo" means "half-cold." This semi-frozen dessert is like an ice cream, but is less icy and dense. Both light and creamy, this dessert is a perfectly satisfying treat in summer. This is not a tart lemon dessert, but a sweet creamy dessert with a light, fresh lemon flavor. Please note this recipe must be prepared in advance.

Tip: If you don't care for lemon, this recipe could easily be prepared with orange juice, orange zest and orange liquor instead.

[Creamy lemon mixture]

Lemon Semifreddo
Makes 8 -1/2 cup servings or 4-1 cup servings.

4 eggs yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 lemon, juiced and zested
2 tablespoons limoncello (optional)

In a mixer, whisk egg yolks and sugar together until smooth. In a double boiler* bring water in bottom pan to a simmer. In the top pan of double boiler add egg mixture, 1/2 cup of the whipping cream, lemon juice, lemon zest and limoncello. Whisking constantly to prevent burning, cook mixture until pale and thickened, about 5 minutes. Pour mixture into a glass heat-proof bowl. Cover with plastic wrap by laying plastic wrap directly onto mixture to prevent a "skin" from forming. Refrigerate until cool, about 2 hours.

In a clean mixer, whip remaining 1-1/2 cups of whipping cream until stiff peaks form. In a separate large bowl, stir thoroughly 1/3 of whip cream with cooled lemon mixture. With a rubber spatula, fold in remaining 2/3 of whip cream. Spoon the mixture into individual ramekins and allow to freeze for 6-8 hours.

*If you don't have a double-boiler you can use a heat-proof glass bowl set over a saucepan of water. The bowl should not be touching water.

[Luscious homemade whipped cream]

[The alluring final result]

Tri-Colored Potato Salad

2009-09-15T22:16:00.000-07:00

Over the Labor Day weekend, my man and I wanted to make potato salad for our BBQ. I'd never made potato salad before. It seems to be one of those dishes that is often bland and boring. But we put our tastebuds together and came up with this simple but tasty version. We were really happy with it. It was also really nice to make one dish ahead of time that was ready to serve right out of the fridge. I found a bag of red, gold and purple potatoes already packaged together at Trader Joe's - beautiful! Using a variety of potatoes adds an extra dimension both visually and texturally.

3-4 pounds mixed baby potatoes (red, gold, purple)
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons grainy deli mustard
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup diced dill pickle
Salt

Bring potatoes to boil in a large pot of water. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. (Note: You want the potato to slide easily off a fork when pierced but not so tender that the potato crumbles when pierced.)

Drain and rinse with cold water. Let stand until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes. Cut potatoes into bite sized chunks.

In a small bowl, whisk mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, and celery seed together. Pour dressing over potatoes. Add in onion and pickle. Toss gently. Salt to taste. Chill for 2 hours before serving.

Announcing MelliB at Art Lab!

2009-09-09T22:26:00.000-07:00

I am so thrilled to announce that MelliB is now available at Art Lab in Santa Monica, CA. We are honored to have our very own shelf of necklaces and earrings in this hip salon. Art Lab is an exciting, artsy hair salon located on the luxury shopping street of Montana Ave. In addition to upscale hair services, Art Lab features art exhibits and unique fashion accessories.

I'm deeply grateful to my sister for making this opportunity available to my jewelry line. If you ever find yourself on Montana Ave. be sure to stop in, check us out and get a fab hair cut!

About Art Lab:
Artlab is the latest brainchild from the guys at Luxelab that fuses hair, art, fashion, and technology into one amazing design space. Inspired by an emerging Los Angeles urban scene, Artlab sports a built-in, floating DJ booth for dropping fat beats on well groomed heads, rotating art exhibits sponsored by some of LA's top young artists, one-of-a-kind oddities, and surprising fashion accessories to keep you guessing what you will see there next.

Weekend Sale!

2009-09-05T09:43:00.000-07:00

Celebrate the long weekend by buying yourself something fun! Save 20% off your entire MelliB order all weekend long. Just enter discount code "LaborDay" during the ordering process. Offer valid through Monday, September 7th.

Mckena Landing

2009-09-01T10:40:00.000-07:00

Mckena Landing quickly became our favorite beach in Maui this past May. On the remote southern end of the island, Mckena is south of Kihei. Its a small quiet beach and despite what some websites say, we found some great snorkeling there. Although you do need go out a bit to the edge of the cove to find anything. We discovered more sea turtles in this area than any of the other beaches we visited.

Mckena Landing is also a great kayak spot. We rented kayaks in Kihei, put them on top of the Jeep and took our own kayak trip in Mckena. This spot is a bit off the beaten path, and doesn't have any amenities which may be why it stays empty. So shhhh! Don't tell anyone!

For more information including directions, visit Hawaii Web

You may also like previous posts on Maui:

Fruit Water

2009-08-28T07:00:00.001-07:00

Lately my man and I (by the way, I've decided to start calling my husband "my man" instead of "hubby" - he hates that word) have been trying to drink more water at home. We have a bad habit of drinking ginger ale with dinner every night. So we agreed to start being positive about drinking water. Instead of saying, "I'll just have some water." as though we hate the thought (which we do) we say "I'd love to have some water. Water is good." (Insert sarcastic positivity where the italics are.) We are being facetious of course, but it makes it fun.

Our other part of this goal is to have fruit on hand to make the water more tasty and desirable, which has really helped us. We started out with orange slices. Then my mother-in-law recently served us water with strawberries and limes - even better! You can let your imagination run wild here.

What are your favorite fruit water combinations? Maybe something you've had at a spa?

Tip: Keep sliced fruit in a separate container in your fridge and add to water when you're ready to drink it. Keeping fruit in water for over a day can become bitter, cloudy and soggy.

The Maui Blow Hole

2009-08-25T07:00:00.001-07:00

I never did finish the posts I had planned from our trip to Maui this past May. I wrote one post about our favorite food finds. But you don't really go to Maui for the food, well maybe you do. We love the beach, riding around all day in a Jeep with the top off, kayaking, snorkling and just discovering nature.

One of our highlights this visit, was a stop at the Blow Hole. The Blow Hole is an opening in a lava shelf where the ocean crashes right through! The hike from the road is stunning and it's a very interesting rocky area with beautiful views of the ocean. We had a great time waiting for the hole to blow and enjoying the views and rock formations. Kids will enjoy trying to get soaked by the water sprays.

Useful Information:

Wear tennis or hiking shoes, you will be hiking on rough lava rock
It's a steep climb and may be difficult with small children, pregnant women, anyone not comfortable with a bit of climbing
You may want to stay longer then you would expect so you can enjoy the area and views, we stayed about 2 hours
Visit this site for more info

Directions:

Follow Highway 30 (Honoapi'ilani Highway) north from Kapalua
Look for Mile Marker #38, about 1/2 mile past the Mile Marker you will see a large dirt pullout along the ocean side of the road
From there you should be able to locate the trail down to the lava shelf

Storing Tomato Paste

2009-08-20T11:35:00.000-07:00

Have you ever noticed that when recipes call for tomato paste, they usually only require 1 tablespoon? So you have to open up an entire can for just one spoonful and then what?

I've seen tips on how to store leftover tomato paste. Such as filling up an ice cube tray, freezing it, then putting the cubes in a freezer bag. Too messy.

Or by placing spoonfuls onto a wax sheet lined cookie tray, freezing them and storing in a freezer bag. Not fast enough.

Here's my cheat. Spoon tomato paste onto squares of plastic wrap. Roll wrap tightly around paste to keep air out. Throw the little balls into the freezer and you're done!

The plastic wrap comes right off when you are ready to use the tomato paste. And so far I haven't found a recipe where I couldn't throw in a little frozen ball of tomato paste in and let it defrost as it cooks in. It does melt very quickly.

Fresh Peach Pie

2009-08-12T17:33:00.000-07:00

I CANNOT believe it's been over 3 weeks since I've posted! What I thought was a little bit of slacking off turned into a huge land slide. I hope you all have been enjoying your summer in the mean time.

Here is a little bit of summer for you today: fresh peach pie. This is one of those desserts that is so easy to make, and so full of summer goodness, I don't know why I don't make it more often.

You don't even need a recipe, just a few storebought items:

Frozen pie crust (I prefer Marie Callender's or Mrs. Smith's)
5-6 large fresh peaches
1 jar or container of peach pie glaze (found in produce section)
1 lemon, juiced (this will keep the peaches from browning)
Sugar

Sprinkle one pie crust with sugar and bake according to package directions. Freeze remaining pie crust for a later use. Meanwhile, rinse and slice peaches. Toss in a large bowl with lemon juice. Then toss again with pie glaze. Refrigerate filling while pie crust bakes. Let pie crust cool completely before filling. Store pie in fridge covered in plastic wrap.

Strawberry Pie: Peaches and pie glaze can easily be substituted for strawberry

Introducing...the Maui Collection!

2009-07-22T17:36:00.000-07:00

My brand new Maui Collection has finally started to make it's way to the shop! Back in May, I gave you a sneak peak of all the inspiring beads I found on the island of Maui. The first seven designs are now available including beads made of glazed porcelain, carved bone and Roble wood. Even more designs with real lava rock, freshwater pearls and coral are still to come!

Aloha =)

Quote of the Day

2009-07-20T15:00:00.000-07:00

"A desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world." --John le Carré, English author

There is a thought worth musing over. Of course, I spend most of my life at a desk.

Tucany Painting

2009-07-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

I am finally making progress on my Tuscany inspired painting! I started this painting at least *ahem* a year ago, if not longer! I was getting really frustrated with a patch of trees that I couldn't get right and gave up for a while. One of my summer goals is to complete it. I'll admit though, that it took finding these topiary trees to finally incentivize me. (why isn't "incentivize" a real word? we use it all the time at work. another one of those made up marketing terms i guess.)

Wish me luck, I'm hoping to finish it within a week! P.S. It's not an original painting of mine, I am copying something I saw at Crate & Barrel. I think I spent almost as much buying the art supplies as I would've just buying the painting. Sometimes doing it yourself doesn't really save money!

My Nonna's Lasagna

2009-07-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

My Nonna (Italian grandmother on my mother's side) sent me a wedding anniversary card a few weeks ago and included a handwritten recipe for her lasagna. Which oddly enough, I've never actually had. She doesn't make lasagna much that I can remember.

My grandparents immigrated here in the 50s and still don't speak English very well. The best part about this recipe is trying to read it. I'll give a prize to anyone who can translate it!

If I try and speak like my nonna, with her accent, it starts to make sense.

Here are a few clues:

Miad = meat
Pis = pieces
Ef = half

My favorite line though is the one she circled at the bottom of the page, "Eskius may rait" which translates to "excuse my writing". This one is a treasure.

Summer Reading List

2009-07-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

What's on your summer reading list? I always have a stack of half read books on my nightstand. Maybe someday I'll get better about finishing what I've started. I usually catch up on reading during plane flights and during the precious few summer hours spent on the beach or a pool lounge.

Here's what's on my reading list:

The Beautiful and Damned - by Scott Fitzgerald (author of The Great Gatsby) - I'm so close to finishing this one! I almost finished it the other night, but I feel asleep instead. =) This choice is a nod to my goal of reading more classics. It is a strong morality story about a a young socialite couple who assume they will be the heirs of his grandfather's fortune. It is definitely interesting, but is a bit slow at times.

Note: If you love classic morals, I loved Madame Bovary which was the last classic I read. It is a skillfully told story about how a woman's utter selfishness led to her downfall.

Twenties Girl - by Sophie Kinsella, comes out July 21! I just pre-ordered it. I love every book that Kinsella writes even if they are admittedly bit silly. They have clever plots and are such fun to read. She is most famous for her Shopoholic series, but I love her one-off books like the Undomestic Godess and Can You Keep a Secret? even more.

Note: If you can't get enough Sophie Kinsella books, she also writes under the name Madeline Wickham. However these books are a bit racy.

Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict - by Laurie Veira Rigler - I won this book through a Wickedly Chic Sunday Evening giveaway! (I NEVER win things! But we all say that right?) I love Pride & Prejudice and any Jane Austen movie so I'm hoping this will be a fun read. However, it looks like this is a sequel so now I need to go buy Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict first. Has anyone read these?

Twilight - by Stephanie Meyer - I promised my brother-in-law I'd try to read this. He thought it was awful and poorly written. I know, I know...many of you are probably crazy about these books but after seeing the movie I couldn't bring myself to read it! So we'll see!

Online Lists:

Here are some lists I found online to help you find some summer picks. Don't forget to share your favorites in the Comments!

Barnes and Noble Top 100
Newsweek's Top 100

Amazon's Winsome Women's Summer Reading

Girl Get Strong posted a list of their readers favorite books

I thought I had decided...

2009-07-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

I thought I had decided...on which topiary I liked best for our fireplace mantle.

Now that I am looking at the photos again as I post them...

I'm not really sure! Which ones do you like? The scraggly rosemary ones, or the two "ball" mint ones? I thought the rosemary ones went better with my half painted Tuscan scene. The mint ones look a bit to groomed "English garden" to me.

I've been wanting topiaries for the mantle since we moved in three years ago! And I finally found some on sale at Crate & Barrel for only $15 each. Now I just have to choose...

Orange Cupcakes Two Ways!

2009-06-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

Mmmm! These cupcakes are my favorite! I'm so excited to finally share them with you. Just looking at the picture makes me wish I had one here to eat. Pictured are cupcakes I made for my sister's baby shower. I made fresh orange cupcakes, two ways. One being my favorite Orange Chiffon Cupcakes - they taste just like Sprinkles cupcakes to me. Nice and dense, not too sweet. Then I made an Orange Chocolate cupcake for all the chocolate lovers.

Orange Frosting

2 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoon butter, softened (1/2 stick)
2 tablespoon orange juice
Zest from 1 orange
1 tablespoon milk or cream

Beat all ingredients with a mixer until smooth. Spreak on cooled cupcakes with a table knife. Frosting may also be refridgerated and used the next day. To re-soften frosting, set out at room temperature for one hour. Then beat with mixer adding one tablespoon of milk at a time until frosting is smooth.

Glaze Option: Add more milk to frosting to thin down to a glaze type consistancy.

Lemon: For lemon frosting, use lemon juice and zest instead of orange.

Orange Chocolate Cupcakes

1 box chocolate cake mix
Eggs, according to package
Oil, according to package
Orange juice, instead of water according to package
1 tablespoon orange liquor
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven according to cake mix package. Line 24 cupcake tins with paper liners. Set aside. Mix the chocolate cake mix according to the directions on the package. Substitute orange juice for water. Add orange liquor. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill cupcake tins 2/3 full. Bake according to package directions for cupcakes. Let cupcakes cool in pan for about 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

Orange Chiffon Cupcakes

My adaption of Kelly Madey’s recipe on Food Network

2 large egg whites
2 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons orange liquor
1 cup half and half
½ cup canola oil
2 teaspoon orange zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 cupcake tins with liners. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks with a mixer. Slowly add 1/3 cup of sugar and beat to stiff peaks. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the cake flour, sugars, baking powder and salt with a whisk (to sift ingredients together). Add remaining ingredients and beat with mixer (using same beaters) until combined. Carefully fold egg whites into the batter. Fill cupcake tins til 2/3 full. Bake for approximately 18 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool in pan for about 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

Tip: I like to use a ½ cup measuring cup to fill cupcake tins. That way I only have to scoop the batter once rather than spooning it in.

Lemon Cupcakes: Use lemon zest and limoncello instead of orange zest and orange liquor.

Pollo al Diavolo

2009-06-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we were treated to an excellent homemade dinner by my brother-in-law. He made Mario Batali's roast chicken recipe listed below. Along with the chicken he roasted potatoes in the same pan and served them with a green salad and fresh sliced french bread. This is the kind of straight-forward, simple meal that you want to keep eating and eating.

The chicken was moist and very flavorful. The spicy oil gave it just enough spiciness to make it addicting, I wanted to keep eating it just to savor that oil flavor. He plated the chicken on top of the parsley salad listed in the recipe along with the chicken. The spicy oil from the chicken dripped onto the parsley salad giving it a little kick of it's own. The parsley salad was a little intense, but I really liked the freshness it added to the meal and it helped balance the spiciness as well. The spicy oil was a perfect condiment to roasted potatoes as well. I can't wait to try making this dish myself.

The Devil's Chicken by Mario Batali
Pollo al Diavolo

Makes 4 servings

The peppery seasoning of crushed black peppercorns and crumbled dried hot red chile peppers makes this dish SPICY. The Olio piccante or spicy oil really adds the bulk of the heat to this dish. Use the spicy oil to add zest to any dish!

Ingredients
One 2½- to 3-pound chicken, rinsed and patted dry
salt
¼ cup freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 cup roughly chopped italian parsley
1 red onion, thinly sliced
12 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
spicy oil for drizzling

Preparations
1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
2. Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Truss it and brush with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Place on a rack in a roasting pan and roast until browned but only about half-cooked, about 40 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the ¼ cup black pepper, a pinch of salt, and the mustard and stir well. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, whisking until blended.
4. Remove the browned chicken from the oven and brush with the black pepper and mustard mixture. Return to the oven and continue roasting until the juices run clear when a thigh is pricked, about another 30 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes.
5. While the chicken rests, in a medium bowl, combine the parsley, onion, tomatoes, the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, the vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste and toss well.
6. Carve the chicken and arrange on serving plates. Drizzle with the pan juices and the spicy oil, top with the parsley salad, and serve immediately.

Spicy Oil
Olio Piccante

Ingredients
2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
8 jalapeños, seeded and cut into 1/8-inch dice
2 tablespoons hot red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon sweet pimentón (Spanish smoked paprika)

Preparations
1. In a medium saucepan, combine the oil, jalapeños, red pepper flakes, and pimentón and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches 175°F. Remove from the heat, and allow to stand overnight.
2. Strain out the solids from the oil. The oil will keep for 3 weeks in a cool, dark place.

Recipe Source: http://www.italiankitchen.com/recipes/devils_chicken.cfm

2005 Mario Batali from Molto Italiano
Photograph © Beatriz Da Costa

Simply Silhouettes

2009-06-08T07:00:00.000-07:00

Simply Silhouettes is full of adorable gift ideas for any mom or dad in your life. They have dozens of products available for customization. They work with you to create the right profile look and you can even select the color combination you want on your item.

Check out their Father's Day Gift Guide for more ideas.

Why I Love Trader Joes

2009-06-05T09:13:00.000-07:00

I love Trader Joe's because....

Greeting cards for $0.99 - how is it that they have better cards for $1 than Target has for $4? I have some cards to return...
Lavendar Plant for $6.99 - I bought my mother-in-law one on Easter at Vons for $12!
Friendly checkers
Meyer Lemon Cookie Thins - because they make me happy
Sea salt body scrub - in grapefruit, tangerine or lavendar. It is very oily though and I had to scrub my tub this morning after I tried it. My skin does look great today though!
Amazingly good chocolate - have you tried the truffle candy bars?
Honey - for half the money of Vons
A bag of lemons for $1.29 - not one lemon, or two lemons...but a bag!
Aluminum free deodorant - I've been meaning to try this since it's better for you, and of course, they have it
Great coffee - for only $6.50 a can
Sweet chili sauce - just like we had in Maui for just $1.29
Chocolate Covered Blueberries - did I mention their chocolate?
Basil plant - for $2.99 which will last me much longer than a few snippings for the same price
Low prices on staples - milk, eggs, butter
Fresh naan bread
Box of tea $2 - how do they do that??
Bergamot Cardamom air freshner - looking forward to trying this in my kitchen
Really, really good cheese
My favorite pre-made salads
They are putting in a TJs near my house! Can't wait for it to open.

A Taste of Maui

2009-06-03T14:04:00.000-07:00

We just got back from a wonderful family trip to Maui and I wanted to share some of our highlights with you in case you are planning a trip there as well. First and foremost, the food!

My husband and I love to enjoy vacation through food. Hawaii of course is filled with delicious fresh fish, pork tacos and exotic fruit. I also ate more than my fair share of cheeseburgers. Since we were on a tight budget we mostly ate at casual restuarants, but we still found some really tasty food.

Our favorites:

The Hula Grill - the Hula Grill will always remain our all time favorite restuarant. Since our honeymoon in Maui, we've often dreamed of going back just to eat at Hula Grill. The food is great, the service is excellent, but above all it's a beautiful plantation style restuarant on the beach in Kaanapali at Whaler's Village. There are two dining areas at the Hula Grill, the Barefoot Bar is an outdoor, cafe style menu that is more affordable. Here you can sink your toes into the sand underneath your table and enjoy live music from local bands each evening as you watch the sun set over the ocean and sip a Lava Flow. The Dining Room offers a traditional steak and seafood menu in a more formal dining atmosphere. Dinner at the Hula Grill is my idea of a perfect, relaxing evening in Hawaii.

Cheeseburgerland - this trip we discovered Cheeseburger Restuarants at the Shops in Wailea. I didn't think we were going to be able to afford a sit down lunch in this upscale shopping center, but low and behold the most fun looking restuarant was a cheeseburger joint! It's a little pricey for the menu items, but the food was great and the beachy, rock and roll atmosphere made it a really fun dining experience. They offer much more than cheeseburgers and fries so don't be turned off if you don't feel like a burger. I had an excellent chicken salad for lunch. The french fries are a must, I think they had the best fries I've ever had. Big potato wedges that were crispy on the outside and seasoned - yummy! There is also a location in downtown Lahiana that is on the water, but the restaurant itself isn't nearly as nice as the Wailea location. This is a great place to take the family or a large group.

Genki Sushi - for lunch one day we tried Genki Sushi and it was amazing! We enjoyed some of the best sushi we've ever eaten and the prices are very low. The two of us ate and ate: miso, edemame, teriyaki chicken, veggie roll, sushi roll and drinks for just over $20!

Local Food - don't overlook the fun local roadside food! One of our most fun meals was a roadside stop along the Hana Highway (before reaching the town of Hana). A little outdoor food marketplace was serving up homemade tacos. We had the slow wood fire roasted pork tacos topped with black beans, homemade salsa, cabbage and the local favorite sweet chili sauce. They also offered chicken and fish tacos. Other vendors were offering kabobs, hot dogs and roasted corn.

Grocery - be sure to check out the local favorites in the grocery stores. From the sweet chili sauce found in dishes island-wide to the coconut syrup served with your pancakes you'll find unique food discoveries at the grocery store too. My favorite, the Hawaiian Sun drinks. Local exotic fruit juices such as Passion Fruit are combined with pure cane sugar for the best canned drinks ever!

Shopping Tip for your Spice Rack

2009-06-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

Growing up, it used to drive me crazy trying to find the right spice jar in our kitchen drawer that was filled with random jars and tins of spices. The one I needed was always way in the back. Now I keep a rotating spice rack, like this one at Target, on my kitchen counter. All the spices I use regularly are right at my finger tips when I cook and I can easily see when I am running low on something. I have also found that it is much cheaper to buy in bulk or loose form and fill these (gloriously matching!) jars myself.

For example, yesterday I bought a bulk container of Paprika at Smart & Final for under $4 and it will fill my spice jar at least 5 times. If I had just bought the brand name spice jar at the grocery store, I would have paid at least $4 to fill it once.

Where to buy:

Bulk contatiners of spices you use most often (garlic powder, parsley, bay leaves, paprika) at Costco or Smart & Final

Loose spices at Henry's market cost just cents on the dollar versus grocery store jars (you bag and weigh your own spices)

Cello bags of spices found in the International section of your grocery store or at Cost Plus

Tip: Use a funnel to get your spices into the jar

Sneak Peak!

2009-05-29T07:00:00.001-07:00

Brand new beads fresh from the island of Maui! Real lava beads, carved bone, wood, freshwater pearls, coral and porcelain...fun new things coming soon!

Grad Gift Idea

2009-05-28T13:24:00.000-07:00

A "grown up" watch would make a great graduation gift for a young lady graduating from High School or College. I was at the Nordstrom Rack at Laguna Hills mall yesterday and they have dozens of Anne Klein watches for just $25 each (typically run $55-90). I'm sure they have great deals on men's watches too.

Find of the Day

2009-05-27T11:40:00.000-07:00

Perfect little porcelain condiment spoons from Crate & Barrel for just $1.50 each.

And I, um, already have bowls to match... (green one not pictured)

ONE DAY SALE!

2009-05-23T21:38:00.000-07:00

Dear blog friends, I hope you are having a fabulous 3 day weekend! Use discount code "MDay" during checkout to save 20% off any purchase on Memorial Day only.

*Valid Monday, May 25.

Snack Club Ideas - Icey Treats

2009-05-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

So I've shared the healthy snack ideas we've come up with for the snack club at my office. Here are some of our favorite not-so-healthy favorites:

Sundae Bar - Ice cream (1 of each chocolate and vanilla based flavors), chocolate syrup, caramel sauce, chopped nuts, cherries, marshmellow creme, oreo cookies, gummi bears, and so on.

Root Beer Floats - Large cups, plastic spoons, vanilla ice cream and cold Root Beer...what could be simpler? As adults we just don't have root beer floats often enough.

Popcicles - When it's 100 degrees outside and the office air conditioner can't keep up, everyone at work will love you for bringing in popcicles. Big Sticks, 50/50 bars, Fudgecicles, Twin Pops, Rocket Pops, ice cream sandwiches, Push Pops - pretend you are shopping for 6 year olds!

My Favorite Pants

2009-05-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

I have a new pair of pants. They are my new favorite pair. They are soooooo comfortable and soft. The thin fabric is perfect for summer. I wish I could wear them to work everyday. They taper at the knee which I like as they don't look too baggy. I like to leave the legs unrolled, but you can wear them like capri's as the photo shows. Buy them at Old Navy for $29.50.

Snack Club Ideas - Food Themes

2009-05-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

Are you feeling a little peckish? Here is yet another post with some ideas for your next turn at snack day or the next time you need to serve appetizers to guests. Our very favorite type of snack day here at the office is a themed snack day. That is where we pick a food theme and go all out. Everyone brings something to share, we don't feel hungry for dinner on these snack days...

Chococate Frenzy - everyone brings something chocolate. We had freshly baked double-chocolate cookies, chocolate truffles, tubs of chocolate candy from Trader Joes, chocolate fondue and fruit for dipping, chocolate cake...you name it. We had to call in the troops (non snack clubbers) to help us eat it all.

Wine Tasting - several varying bottles of red and white wines were served for all to try. Cheese, crackers, salami, olives, grapes, and strawberries help it go down.

Mexican - our boss' husband made his classic margaritas for everyone. The rest of us brought mexican themed foods: mini tacos, taquitos, chips & salsa, and guacamole. Ole!

Cheese Fondue - Store bought fondue can be found in the cheese section (it was suprisingly good!). Place in a fondue pot until melted. To dip: sliced apples, pears, and cubes of french bread.

Crystal Cove Beach & State Park

2009-05-08T07:00:00.000-07:00

Crystal Cove Beach is one of our very favorite beaches. It's a bit of a pain to get to (park across PCH and a long walk to the beach or pay $1 to take the bus down) but it is less crowded than most beaches and is always so pretty.

At the beach you can enjoy exploring the tidepools, go for a morning walk or just lay out and play in the water. At the State Park in the bluffs overlooking the beach you can take a nature walk, have a picnic lunch with a spectacular view or even bike the paved roads.

Parking is $10 at all of the Crystal Cove parking lots. Crystal Cove beach is located just south of Newport off of PCH.

TO EAT:

Buy picnic items at the Trader Joe's located in the Crystal Cove Promenade just south of the beach area on PCH.

Eat breakfast or lunch first at the Pacific Whey Cafe in the Crystal Cove Promenade. See previous post.

Eat right on the beach at the Beachcomber Cafe but be prepared to wait a while! (And I mean like a minimum of an hour, sometimes the wait is hours long.)
Walk up the hill to eat at the Shake Shack located right off PCH overlooking the beach.

Last Minute Mother's Day Gifts

2009-05-07T11:00:00.000-07:00

Crate & Barrel is offering pre-wrapped Mother's Day gift sets in their stores. Very fun ideas!

Honey Pot

2009-05-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've shared any fun dish findings with you. I love this Honey Pot from Anthropologie - it's just like Pooh Bear's! Scrawled out writing and all.

The Snack Club (and some fun snack ideas)

2009-05-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

We have a snack club here at work. Oh yes, and it's very exclusive too. You have to be nominated to become a member and answer interview questions - we take our snacks very seriously. The first rule of snack club is: "there is no snack club." Don't even bother trying to ask how to join the club. The poor front desk guy sent an email to one club member this week asking how he could become a member. The only reply he recieved was, "there is no snack club". He's also in the HR department so he doesn't stand a chance.

Anyways, lately we've been trying to watch our wieght. Summer is coming ya know! So we brainstormed some healthier snack day ideas, most of which you can find at a large supermarket or Trader Joes.

Hummus Platter - serve a variety of hummus flavors, pita chips, pita breads/naan bread, specialty flavored olives (Ex: blue cheese stuffed), and marcona almonds or other nuts.

Tasty Spreads - serve various mini toasts and crackers with a variety of tasty spreads such as: artichoke-lemon spread, olive tapenade, roasted red pepper, or ready made bruschetta. Visit Trader Joes.

Build your own Caprese - put out dishes of fresh mozarella balls, cherry tomatoes, basil, balsamic vingear, olive oil and toasted baguette slices. Let people build their own.

Cheese Platter - ok so not so healthy but better than cheesecake right?! Serve serveral types of cheese such as Brie, Cheddar, Gouda, Blue, Swiss, Havarti with a variety of crackers, hard salami, olives, nuts, and a fruit such as grapes or strawberries.

Hiking in Laguna Canyon

2009-05-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

So after almost 6 years (ahem!) of living in Orange County, my husband and I FINALLY went hiking in Laguna Canyon. I still can't believe it took us so many years to get around to checking this activity off my mental list. The one time we did go try and do this hike, the trail was closed from too much rain! Ha - just my luck too!

The park is called the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. We parked in the Willow Canyon Staging Area right on Laguna Canyon Road just below El Toro. It was a beautiful hike, especially right now during the springtime while the grasses are still green. I'm sure it gets pretty dried up in the fall. There isn't much shade at all on these trails so I'd recommend going early in the morning or on a cool day. The trail is also very steep in some places, so no strollers, pregnant women, young children or people not strong enough get in gear and attack steep slopes.

Bring plenty of bottled water too. We thought we were just going for a little hour long hike, but you could go on for hours! We lasted for about 3 hours on my half drunk iced coffee. The views kept getting more and more beautiful that we hated to stop going and turn around. We did finally get to see the ocean as well.

P.S. Don't pick the flowers. Or even a flower! I picked one teensy flower along the trail at the top of the world, with no one around, and stuck it in my hair and the park ranger actually pulled her pick up truck over along the trail to stop and tell me to leave it there so it can reseed more flowers...for goodness sakes! At least I didn't leave my Starbucks cup up there!

Baby Shower Season: Invitations

2009-04-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

Six of my friends are expecting this year! It's baby shower season for me. Is it baby shower season for you too? Several showers are on the horizon including one for my sister. She's expecting the first baby in my family! The little guy is supposed to arrive in August so her shower is coming soon.

With such a baby shower flurry, I thought I'd do a series on "Baby Showers" for you. First stop, invitations!

My sister's nursery theme is the Jungle and I found these perfect Jungle Boy invitations for her shower! When looking for invitations, my first stop is to peruse my favorite paper websites. I like to look through these websites to find ideas if I'm going to make invitations by hand, a ready-made invitation to purchase and print at home, and even ideas for how to word invitations.

Resources:

Mother's Day

2009-04-29T07:00:00.001-07:00

Do you still need a gift for mom? Mother's Day is right around the corner on May 10th. Enter code "BlogFriend" during checkout and save 10% on a unique, handmade gift for mom that she'll be sure to appreciate! Order by Monday, May 4th to ensure delivery. Each item comes gift wrapped so you don't even have to lift a finger! Only at www.MelliB.com.

The Jade Pendant - $28

French Lavender Bracelet - $18

The Espresso Pendant - $28

Luxe Amber Earrings - $12

Wish List Cookbooks

2009-04-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

I don't think I could ever have too many cookbooks. Here are two I recently purchased as prizes for a work event. After flipping through them, they were very hard to part with!

Cupcakes! - $16.95
This cookbook will send you running to the nearest Sprinkles to satisfy your recently on-set cupcake craving. Beautiful photography and tempting recipes like Lemon Angelsfood and Cinnamon Sugar Puffs - I don't know how you pick which one to try first!

Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics - $35.00
This book is filled with simple recipes which suprised me coming from Ina Garten. Many recipes have just 5-10 ingredients and looked like they focused on simple but flavorful recipes. There are also many helpful hints such as crowdpleasers and what not to make for a party.

Do you know the Donut Man?

2009-04-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

Everyone should be lucky enough to know the Donut Man. The Donut Man is a local favorite hot spot for donuts...in Glendora, CA. They make a strawberry donut that is unheard of. It is worth driving 50 miles from South Orange County just to pick one up. My husband and I have contemplated such nonsence. In season they make fresh strawberry donuts, its a glazed puffy donut sliced in half and filled with fresh strawberries and strawberry pie glaze. It's even better than strawberry pie. The best thing $2.50 can buy.

They are open all night and you'll see local college students stoping by for an early morning fix. The Donut Man bakes fresh donuts all night long. They also make a peach one in season, I've still yet to try one...it's on my list of things to try before I die.

The Pink Jacket

2009-04-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

I just love how the light dances across this photo, I had to share it with you. I'm wearing my pink jacket that I picked up from Old Navy for just $6 a few months back (love it when that happens!) and my new jade pendant ($28 http://www.mellib.com/).

Spoonflower

2009-04-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

Spoonflower is a website that allows you to design and print your very own fabric! How incredible is that?! I found Spoonflower when reading an article on the trends of Entreprenuerships (Do you know if you are a Sellsumer? I am.) There is no minimum order. Prices are $18 a yard. I'm seeing visions of a honeybee fabric, although I have no idea what I'd need that for.

P.S. If you check it out this week, vote for CraftPudding as the fabric of the week. She made a lovely rubber stamp for me once so I hope she wins!

Fresh for Summer

2009-04-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

Lovely new designs have arrived at MelliB! Glorious pendants, bronze chains, faceted stones, tangerine bamboo beads, pearly loops and bright summer bracelets. $12-32. These are also great gift ideas for mom. Don't forget Mother's Day is coming May 10th!

Why I Love Saturday Mornings

2009-04-19T13:00:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love saturday mornings right? Well I love Saturday mornings because my husband and I started a new tradition. We sleep in, get showered then head straight down to the beach for a late breakfast. It's our new "date night". And I love it. Driving with the windows down, listening to Jack Johnson, eating pancakes and bacon with a view of the pacific ocean. Then we go for a walk on the beach (or just sit and soak up the sun if we're too full.) It feels like being on vacation for a few hours. You should try it sometime. :)

One of our favorite places to eat is the Pacific Whey Cafe in the Crystal Cove shopping center off PCH in Newport Beach. You can sit outside and enjoy the incredible view of the ocean across the street. I like the School Boy breakfast because I can never decide what I want to eat (I want a little of everything) and that is what this breakfast comes with: pancakes, toast, fruit, potatoes, bacon & eggs. My hubby gets the breakfast burrito. I think he wanted another one for dinner last night. We're also fans of the Cottage in Laguna Beach that I posted on previously.

Shell Loops

2009-04-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

Shell loop earrings are back at MelliB! Now in pearly white and soft gray. Only $12 per pair. Even more exciting new designs coming real soon!

Fun Things

2009-04-14T16:00:00.000-07:00

I found a new website today full of fun things: parties, weddings, favors, desserts, menus, pretty paper, and gifts. What's not to love? This site is full of endless ideas. Wanwisa Posner started Modern Vintage Designs to fill her own post-wedding planning void, now she has her own event company.

I've pictured two of her recent posts. Happy idea hunting!

Buzzing 'round the world!

2009-04-10T07:00:00.000-07:00

I've just added International shipping options to the shop! Now MelliB friends around the globe can place orders and us locals can send unique handmade gifts to our friends in far, far places. So world, have fun shopping your heart out!

Quote of the Day

2009-04-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

"You can do anything, but not everything." --David Allen, Productivity Consultant

Easter Candy!

2009-04-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

You don't have to be a kid to get an Easter basket full of your favorite candy! Why not make up a basket for your spouse, best friend, sibling or favorite co-worker? No matter what their age I'm sure they'll appreciate it. I know my husband looks forward to his each year. (He is my substitute child until we have our own. At which point I'll have to keep up these holiday traditions for him as well otherwise he'll be very disappointed!)

Today I ran to Target during my lunch break and bought a basket from the dollar section and filled it with some of his (and mine!) favorite Easter sweets. We leave the basket out as the centerpiece of our dining room table so we can indulge anytime.

Don't forget some of these treats only come around once a year! Like Cadbury eggs and Hershey marshmellow eggs. And my very favorite...Lindt's Bugs and Bees! (Milk chocolate filled with creamy chocolate hazelnut cream and crispy rice.)

It's Baseball Season!

2009-04-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

I think I found my dad's Father's Day gift...a beer mug for his root beer! $24 at Pottery Barn. They have all 30 MLB teams to choose from and can personalize the glassware with a name. 4 choices of glassware run $19-39.

Go Angels!

Custom Charm

2009-03-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

I recieved a request from a customer to make this playful necklace charm. She liked the bright color of the red millefiori earrings but wanted a necklace charm. So voila! A new necklace design was born. I paired the red millefiori beads with white shell beads to mix things up a bit. Guess I need to start thinking about making some more brightly colored necklaces!

Chocolate Marshmellow Cupcakes

2009-03-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry that this isn't a recipe for Chocolate Marshmellow Cupcakes...but I can tell you where to get one! I've finally gotten around to writing up my post on the new (or newer - not sure how long they've had them now) cupcake flavor at Sprinkles.

When I saw the Chocolate Marshmellow flavor listed on their website I begged my hubby to take me for a Friday date night. We each picked out two flavors as you can see. :D

The Chocolate Marshmellow is like an adult version of the Hostess Cupcake - with a bittersweet chocolate ganache and billowy marshmellow filling (that didn't taste like the thick gooey marshmellow creme that comes in a jar for those of you who are wondering - it was much more refined than that.) But I have to say that my favorite is still the lemon coconut. Mmm, I wish I had one right now!

P.S. Isn't their flavor chart adorable? You can pick one up at their stores so you can keep it up and tempt yourself daily. (I had to take mine down for that very reason!)

1 Week Left to Save 15%!

2009-03-25T09:17:00.000-07:00

This is the last week to save 15% off your entire purchase from MelliB. Just enter the discount code "BlogFriend" during checkout. Expires March 31, 2009.

Delightful Trinkets

2009-03-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

Last post on the craft fair! Delightful Trinkets was created by my friend Ivy who makes charming button rings. Don't you want to buy them all? They are only $10 or $12 each at her Etsy shop. They have such cute names too: Sailing Away, Winterberry, and Pretty in Pink...so sweet!

Double-Sided Tape

2009-03-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

This adorable birthday card was one of my other purchases at the Handmade District Craft Fair this past weekend. My friend Myra of Double-Sided Tape just opened her Etsy shop selling handmade note cards. Her cards are very affordable too, just $5 for a set of 4. She also designs custom wedding invitations! Check out her site at http://www.double-sidedtape.com/.

Quote of the Day

2009-03-17T10:59:00.000-07:00

“Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?" --Frank Scully, American writer

Fun with Maps

2009-03-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday I got to stop by and check out the Handmade District Craft Fair in Tustin to visit two of my friends at their first fair! I'll be sharing a bit about my little purchases with you this week. Here is the first, a coin purse/business card holder made out of a map! The map is covered in vinyl and sewn together, so clever! I've been needing a business card holder, which I was reminded of in Chicago this past week as I had to keep reaching into my bag every time I needed to hand out a card during the conference...awkward!

Coin purse/business card holder by Kelso $12
Women's wallet $34

New Shop!

2009-03-14T16:59:00.000-07:00

My new shop site is finally complete! Check it out at www.mellib.com. I think you'll find the new site easier to use and now I can offer discounts! Enter discount code "BlogFriend" during checkout to save 15% off your entire order now through March 31.

Happy Accessorizing!

Classic Chili Dinner

2009-03-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

After watching an episode of Guy Fieri's "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" I got inspired to make a good, classic bowl of chili. I'd never made chili before. I think most of my past experiences with chili have been rather boring. But if I made it myself, with ingredients I liked, maybe I'd have a new easy dinner dish on hand.

So I gave it try. I researched dozens of recipes. There are endless recipes for chili online and just as many different ingredients. Finding a basic bean & beef chili with peppers and onions in a tomato sauce was harder to find than I expected. Below is the result of my mixing and matching recipes using ingredients that sounded good to me. My husband and I really enjoyed the chili and it was even better left over. Just mix up a package of cornbread or my favorite homemade cornbread recipe and you're set!

Classic Chili

2 pounds ground beef or turkey
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 yellow onions, diced
5-6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Anaheim chili pepper, diced
1-28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1-16 oz. can tomato sauce
2-15 oz. can chili beans (seasoned pinto beans)
1 tablespoon tomato paste*
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 - 1 tablespoon chili powder (depends on how spicy you want it)**
1 teaspoon oregano
1-12 oz. bottle of dark beer
1 tablespoon corn meal
Olive oil
Salt

For serving:

Sour cream
Grated cheddar cheese
Chopped green onions

In a large pot, saute onions and bell peppers in olive oil over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and chili pepper and saute one minute longer. Remove mixture from pan and set aside. Add ground meat to pot and cook until browned. Add onion and pepper mixture back with meat. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans and their juice, tomato paste, spices and beer. Simmer for 15 minutes. Salt to taste. Stir in cornmeal and cook 5 minutes longer. Serve with sour cream, cheddar cheese and green onions.

Tip: I freeze tomato paste in 1 tablespoon sizes to keep on hand for recipes like this. That way I don't waste an entire can of tomato paste to use just 1 tablespoon. You'll find many recipes just call for 1 tablespoon of tomato paste as it adds a rich, sweet flavor to many tomato sauce based dishes.

Spice it up: If you like spicy chili add more chili powder or add 1 diced jalepeno pepper to the onion/pepper mixture.

Love or Hate?

2009-03-05T13:00:00.000-08:00

I bought this mirror at Target last week for only $3.74. I was very excited about my good buy and showed it to my husband who thinks it looks like something my grandma would have...not the reaction I was looking for. I thought it was chic. I thought it would be a nice piece for any entryway or little piece of wall somewhere. I really don't have a place to hang it right now. Then after taking it all out of the box I noticed that it's not a hanging piece, it's a trivet to hold candles I suppose. Oh well. Do you love it or hate it? Have any suggestions of what to do with it?

Pretty in Poppy

2009-03-04T18:11:00.000-08:00

Last night I started flipping through some new catalogs that have arrived and I started to notice a pleasant pattern - dishes with poppies on them! So pretty for spring.

1. Verdant Acres Dinnerware, Anthropologie ($10-16)
2. Vista Alegre Poppy Dinnerware, Macy's (on sale, $49/setting)
3. Fresh Blooms Collection, Crate & Barrel ($8.95-26.95)
4. Garden Party Dining Collection, Target ($12.99-31.99)

Sorry I've been away from the blog world this past week - I'm working on a new website that should be ready to share with you soon!

Twitterer

2009-02-25T10:00:00.000-08:00

The MelliB shop is now on Twitter! Please join me all you fellow "twitterers" - I'd love to know who you are! To follow: MelliBshop.

More Vintage Luggage...

2009-02-24T16:00:00.000-08:00

What timing! Yesterday I posted about Vintage Luggage and today DailyCandy sent an email blast about this darling Steamline Luggage. Too funny! I wish I could say they probably read my blog and got the idea...ha!

Vintage Luggage

2009-02-23T10:00:00.000-08:00

Today as I was browsing through a shopping website called ThisNext I found the vintage looking PAN AM luggage shown above. I got a little carried away. I started looking up vintage luggage. I LOVE the red mini bag by Samsonite, they have an entire line of vintage looking pieces...who knew! A quick seach on Etsy reveals dozens of genuine vintage pieces that are affordable too. I also found a blog article where a girl bought a white leather round case like the cornflower blue one above for her wedding. That would be such a cute bag to carry when heading out from your wedding reception!

L-R: PAN AM Explorers Bag $90.00, Samsonite Red Mini Bag $129.99, D'Aosta Loggia Vintage Luggage Set $800.00, Vintage Overnight Kelly Green Carry On Bag $39.00, Vintage Hot Pink Train Case $64.50, Vintage Cornflower Blue Hat Box $25.00.

Vegetable Couscous

2009-02-20T10:00:00.000-08:00

Vegetable Couscous is our favorite new dish to make for a quick healthy dinner. Couscous cooks so quickly it still doesn't seem quite real to me yet. Not only does it cook in 5 minutes instead of the 20 minutes needed for rice, but it is much healthier too as it has more fiber. (I just can't do brown rice!) 1 cup of cooked white rice has only 0.6g of dietary fiber where couscous has 2.2g. See the calorie count here.

It's also fun and easy to pack the couscous full of fresh veggies and herbs to make a filling and flavorful dish. Try mixing up the vegetables and herbs to incorporate your favorite flavors. Add a green salad and dinner rolls and you have a meal!

Vegetable Couscous
Serves 2

1 zucchini or yellow squash
1 bell pepper, yellow or orange are mild in flavor
1 crushed garlic clove
1 lemon, juiced
1 cup dry couscous
1 Tbsp Italian parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
Olive oil

Cut vegetables into bite sized pieces. In a saute pan, cook vegetables in olive oil over medium heat until just softened, about 5 minutes. Turn heat down to low, add crushed garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan bring 1 cup water, butter and salt to a boil. Remove from heat. Add couscous and parsley. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork, add cooked vegetables and lemon juice. Mix well.

Serve immediately.

Handblown Glass Beads

2009-02-19T10:00:00.001-08:00

Way back in September I posted about some handblown glass earrings that I had found. I ordered a couple of pairs of these large beads and have finally made them into two beautiful pairs of earrings! Here they are: Golden Globes and Red Carpet. They are only $12 a pair, and there is only 1 pair of each available in my etsy shop.

My First Ad

2009-02-17T17:00:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to show you my first shop ad! My friend Chrissie at FlipFlops&Applesauce helped me get my first ad up on her blog and it's been up for a couple weeks now. Her blog is a great resource of "ideas for family togetherness". She shares crafts, activities, recipes, books, & games to keep things fun with children. If you have children or are a teacher, be sure to check out all her fun ideas! She also makes her own super-adorable, hand drawn coloring books (see http://flipflopsandapplesauce.bigcartel.com/) that are available via digital download for only $5. Thanks Chrissie!!

Mix Tape

2009-02-13T16:00:00.000-08:00

Looking for some romantic tunes for your date this Saturday? Here's a start...a compilation of classic and modern subdued love tunes to jumpstart your own playlist.

Hope you have a great date night this Valentine's Day!

Photography by Janet

2009-02-11T21:02:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago my friend Janet came over to photograph my jewelry. She is a fabulous photographer and it was lots of fun to work with her. I scoured the house for props while she shot away. I've been busy uploading her photos into the shop. To see more of her work visit her website at www.photographybyja.net. Thank you Janet!

Winners!

2009-02-11T11:00:00.000-08:00

We have our winners! Kami, Aimee & Lauren each get to select one of three pairs of new red earring designs!

Congrats!!

Two is Better Than One! Giveaway + Sale

2009-02-03T23:44:00.000-08:00

Hi Friends! Today I'm happy to announce a MelliB giveaway + sale. Two lucky winners will receive a pair of red earrings just in time for Valentine's Day. All you need to do is enter a comment below or write on the MelliB Facebook wall by Monday, February 9th. Also, take $4 off any two pairs of earrings until Saturday, February 14th. Just email me or convo me through etsy so I can create a special order for you that reflects the discount. More details are listed in the image above. Good luck! =)

Email: mellib.shop@gmail.com
Shop: http://www.mellib.etsy.com/

Poetic Wrappings

2009-02-02T11:49:00.000-08:00

I like to try and do something originally romantic for my husband on Valentine's Day. One year there was Valentine's Week where I gave him something small with a love note each day for a week. One year I made a hand-quilled card (finding quilling paper turned out to be much more difficult than I expected!) This year I might try this Poetic Wrapping paper as it looks simple and inexpensive. However I think I will trying running red paper through a printer, rather than using an old typewriter or stamps! It's easy to find romantic poetry online, just Google "classic love poems" and you'll find many online resources.

Yumminess

2009-01-29T12:55:00.000-08:00

Need I say more? ...except "Where can I find this $118 dress for $30?"

Mushroom Bourguignon

2009-01-28T10:00:00.000-08:00

Last week as I browsed through some cooking blogs, I came across this recipe for Mushroom Bourguinon from Smitten Kitchen. Boy did it look good! The photos are tantalizing and as I read through the ingredients and it sounded even better. How can you go wrong with mushrooms, onions, carrots, fresh herbs and red wine? (Even if you are not a mushroom lover I encourage you to keep reading for a beef suggestion!) I am always looking for new vegetarian recipes to make for our vegetarian friend, I can't make him pasta every time. And this looked perfect.

The ingredients sounded similar to a pot roast but not knowing what a "bourguignon" was exactly, I had to look it up. Wikipedia says "beef bourguignon is a well-known, traditional French recipe. It is essentially a stew prepared with beef braised in red wine and beef broth, generally flavoured with garlic, onions, carrots, and a bouquet garni, and garnished with pearl onions and mushrooms." There's your culinary definition for the week.

My Adaptation: So over the weekend I had the chance to try it out. See my photo above. It turned out fabulously, the recipe is great just the way it is. Although I did add some extra baby carrots to add a little more variety to it. I used 12 oz. of portabello mushrooms and 4 oz. of crimini mushrooms. (2 packages and 1/2 package from Trader Joe's, respectively.) Trader Joe's didn't have any pearl onions so I used small cippolini onions. They also didn't have any egg noodles, so I used egg pappardelle noodles which I think might be even better. For the wine, I used a $6 bottle of Prosperity Red a cabernet merlot (just look for a dry, full-bodied wine). I highly suggest using fresh herbs, the fresh parsley added a nice fresh bite mixed in. I did add the suggested spoon of sour cream to my plate which was good as well, it added a creaminess that reminded me of a stroganoff.

Meat lovers: You could easily add some braised stew beef to the recipe and cut down on the amount of mushrooms. Or just see this very similar receipe for a Beef Bourguignon at Epicurious.

Mushroom Bourguignon

Serves 4

(taken from Smitten Kitchen, go to http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/01/mushroom-bourguignon/print/ for a printable version.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 pounds portobello mushrooms, in 1/4-inch slices (save the stems for another use) (you can use cremini instead, as well)
1/2 carrot, finely diced
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup full-bodied red wine
2 cups beef or vegetable broth (beef broth is traditional but vegetable to make it vegetarian; it works with either)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup pearl onions, peeled (thawed if frozen)
Egg noodles, for serving
Sour cream and chopped chives or parsley, for garnish (optional)

Heat the one tablespoon of the olive oil and one tablespoon of butter in a medium Dutch oven or heavy sauce pan over high heat. Sear the mushrooms until they begin to darken, but not yet release any liquid — about three or four minutes. Remove them from pan.

Lower the flame to medium and add the second tablespoon of olive oil. Toss the carrots, onions, thyme, a few good pinches of salt and a several grinds of black pepper into the pan and cook for 10, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for just one more minute.

Add the wine to the pot, scraping any stuck bits off the bottom, then turn the heat all the way up and reduce it by half. Stir in the tomato paste and the broth. Add back the mushrooms with any juices that have collected and once the liquid has boiled, reduce the temperature so it simmers for 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are very tender. Add the pearl onions and simmer for five minutes more.

Combine remaining butter and the flour with a fork until combined; stir it into the stew. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 more minutes. If the sauce is too thin, boil it down to reduce to the right consistency. Season to taste.

To serve, spoon the stew over a bowl of egg noodles, dollop with sour cream (optional) and sprinkle with chives or parsley.

Fishs Eddy

2009-01-26T10:00:00.000-08:00

Well I don't claim to understand the name, but I found this website awhile ago and just discovered it again as I was cleaning out my favorites. Fishs Eddy is an online Dishware store that carries all kinds of fun patterns like some of the ones pictured above: New York Skyline, Polka Dots, and Carnival. I love the variety and random designs that they carry, even some old fashioned American pieces like a Jadeite Pitcher.

The prices are reasonable: $10-15 for a dinner plate, $6 for a glass. You can find some real steals in the sale section, like a $5 pink oval platter, a $12 teapot or a $3 milk glass. I'm going to hang on to this one, I'm sure I'll find a reason to buy something eventually. :)

Quote of the Day

2009-01-21T13:20:00.000-08:00

"Today I will be happier than a bird with a french fry." --Unknown

Espress Yourself

2009-01-21T13:08:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting a set of espresso cups for a while now. I was convinced that I was going to find the perfect set in Italy last spring, even passing over a lovely set in a shop in Colmar, France...because Italy had to have better choices right? Of course I did not find a set I liked in Italy (except for one that was $40 per cup/saucer which was out of the question). So I came back to the states wishing I had bought the set in France.

Then while Christmas shopping, I randomly found these at Macy's. $10 for 2 sets, perfect! (Not quite the same as bringing a set home from your once-in-a-lifetime European vacation but hey!) My husband bought me 6 sets for Christmas, such a sweetheart. Espresso anyone? I think I may have to make a coffee run this afternoon...

Need Some Valentine's Inspiration?

2009-01-19T16:00:00.000-08:00

Well maybe it is a bit too early for that, but Poppytalk Handmade is featuring a Valentines and Wedding-themed Marketplace that will make you feel inspired for romantic gift-giving. Or maybe you will at least find a clever little card to tuck away for a few weeks so you don't have to rush out to Target at the last minute and be disappointed when you can't find anything original to give your lover.

I almost hate to say it, but if I bought the Luche Love Viva El Valentino Wrestler prints by Yee Haw, I think they might be my husband's favorite Valentine's Day card ever. Maybe you haven't been "un-fortunate" enough to see the Nacho Libre poster in our garage...now you are un-inspired aren't you?

Become a Fan!

2009-01-12T11:15:00.000-08:00

You can now become a fan of MelliB on Facebook! Just search for MelliB in your Facebook browser and the online store page should come up. Get fan updates, check out new products, post comments, participate in discussions and read the blog...all in the comforts of the Facebook world!

English Crown Scramble

2009-01-09T12:33:00.000-08:00

It doesn't exactly sound like an entree does it? My girlfriend "K" made these English Crown Scrambles for a girl's breakfast she hosted on Saturday. They were so yummy! And I have to say Pepperidge Farm's photo (above) doesn't really do them justice visually. I can't wait for a reason to make them. I wouldn't have thought puff pastry and scrambled eggs were such a good combo...and the light cheese sauce was perfect, not too heavy. The presentation was really pretty as well, a perfect single serving. They would be great for any brunch occasion.

"K" you made such an amazing meal and your table setting was so pretty, I wish I had taken a pic of your table to post up! See Pepperidge Farms Puff Pastry website for other great recipes including fun little desserts and appetizers.