Sarah Richardson Design

Decorating has always been such a hoot for me. When I think back to the 80's and all the mauve, seafoam green, and dusty blue, I just gotta giggle. I had all of it, how many of you had a set of "welcome friends" ducks, or the goose cookie jar that you painted in ceramics class? Now, if you still have this stuff, don't knock it, enjoy it. The funny thing about decorating is that most things, just like fashion, come back into style:), and then again, some things should just be given away. I'm really getting excited about building a new home, I love the challenge of decorating on a budget, and I love, love, love design.

So my theme is this: everything old is new again. I've been inspired to go back to country style, but this is more of a modern country. Just enough contemporary mixed with vintage pieces, is perfect for me. I've been watching Sarah Richardson for years, first on Room Service, then on Design Inc.,she's an excellent designer. Well now, she's doing this thing where she buys existing homes, and totally refurbishes them. Well, most of the time she decorates with a really classic contemporary style that is so cool, but, she has purchased an old house in the country, totally gutting the inside and rebuilding in a modern country cottage style. I love it! I want my new house to look like this. FUN!!! Just look at some of her rooms............ When we start the build, I'll blog the process. I'm hoping to really capture a New Country cottage design.

You can see some of the program by clicking here

Karens Broccoli Salad

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pic courtesy of Rach_the goat Flickr

I am a lucky girl to have a sister in law that I actually love to be around, and it's not just because of her good cookin'. There are people in our lives who are such inspiration and encouragement, and my sis Karen is just like that. I lub her! Well, usually a few times a year we'll have a meal with the family where a new dish will be added to our list of favorites. Karen made this a few years back, and this cool crisp salad has been a winner ever since. It's an evolving recipe for me, sometimes I add bunches of goodies to it to dress it up, and sometimes I'll leave it plain. It's just good. On a hot Oklahoma summer day, this makes a great lunch. Thanks for sharing Karen.



Broccoli Salad

5-6 broccoli florets (new cook tip- the part of the broccoli that looks like a tree)
1/2 cup chopped red onion (new cook tip- yellow, white & vidalia won't do)
6 strips of bacon fried up crispy and crumbled
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

DRESSING
1 cup mayonnaise (the mayo that starts with an 'H')
1/3 cup sugar (or sub with splenda according to taste)
2 tbsp vinegar

Optional add ins
sunflower seeds
craisins
golden raisins
almonds
cherry tomatoes
the kitchen sink

put broccolli, bacon, onion & cheese in bowl. Mix dressing separately, then pour over broccoli, mix well, pop it in the fridge and refrain from eating this for 24 hours. You'll love it.

Minnies Peach Cobbler

photo courtesy of I Nancy-Flickr

Who doesn't love homemade cobbler with a little whipped cream, ice cream or both, here's an easy go to recipe that my husbands grandmother gave me a few years back. Nothing ever tastes as good as grandmas, but it's pretty close:

Peach Cobbler

4 cups fresh fruit washed & cut into pieces
1/2 cup butter softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 cup boiling water

Place fruit in casserole, set aside. cream butter and 3/4 cup sugar beating well. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and add to creamed mixture. Stir milk and vanilla into creamed mixture. Pour batter over fruit. boil water, remove from heat and add remaining sugar and cornstarch to water, mix well, pour over batter and bake for 45-50 minutes at 375 degrees.

Be sure to check the center of your cobbler with a fork, if it slides out clean, it's done.

SNAP OUT OF IT

Well, for about 8 months now, we’ve been livin in a rent home while we prepare to build our little home in shangri-la, and I’ve just been soooo out of my element. I’m not too fond of living in other peoples houses. Before we had sold our home, I was a cookin, cleanin, craftin, organizing, decorating machine, most of the time.
Since we’ve been here, ehhhhhh, not so much...............................of anything. Mr Susi Homemaker used to ask “So, what are we having for supper tonight?”, well, after asking that question about 12 times and watching me stomp my feet, and whine about ‘this tiny 1 woman kitchen’, and ‘all my good kitchen tools are packed away’, and ‘I can’t cook in these conditions’, he finally stopped. My poor little starving daughter asks, “Mom, why do you only cook when we have company?” (She’s 19 ½ by the way, totally capable of preparing a 5 course meal of hotdogs and or chicken nuggets with all the trimmings). After the 9th or 10th time of my girl asking this question, I said to myself, “Self, why is everyone picking on you?”
I had to have a talkin to with myself this past weekend, and was gently reminded, by God ( can’t argue with Him) ,that I’ve never had that dream kitchen, I’ve never had tons of room, or all the right tools, and very rarely have I had all the right ingredients. I am, however, missing that desire to nest and nurture- and I need to (Insert Cher’s voice from movie Moonstruck here)- SNAP OUT OF IT!!!!
So I did it, I decided it was time to straighten up this girls attitude, so I started this week out by making some things to go with Mr. Homemakers grillin- I’ll share a couple of those recipes with you tomorrow. But, here’s a teaser- Moms German Potato Salad, Karens Summery Broccoli Salad, & Minnies Peach Cobbler. Oh, yeah, I know your mouth is waterin right now. I’ll see you tomorrow, in the meantime have a wonderful day full of God’s incredible provision. He is good!

From organizing to Chicken Piccata.................

OK, I am so stinkin’ excited about this bloggin’ thing, I can hardly stand it! But, this is extremely intimidating.........YIKES.....!!! So, why am I doing this? Ever since I was an itty bitty girl, I wanted to be a “mommy”, with a wonderful home, filled with joy, good food, activity, and Christ at the center. Fast forward to 2010, I’ve been a “mommy” for quite a while now, and I want to share the lessons I’ve learned with you, whether you’re young, just starting out, or you’ve been around the block a few times, it’s good to share our successes and failures. If your like me, there weren’t any “How To” books available to explain how to change a boys diaper, or how to bake a potato. If I had a questions, I either had to ask around, or just wing it. I hope to make this page a go-to page for you when you have questions about anything ‘home related’. We're going to learn everything from organizing to Chicken Piccata. This page will be about all the things that make a house a home. And as I like to say “Home is the place where you are loved”. It’s so much more than a dwelling place. Let's learn as much as we can to make Home everyones favorite place to be!
I’ve been in grand, well decorated, expensive houses, and small cramped & cluttered abodes, it’s not about the structure - it’s about what you fill that structure with- it’s about how others feel when they walk through your door. I’d much rather be in a happy shack full of love and sweet tea, than a spacious, well dressed house that’s cold and empty. I don’t know the direction we’re going to go kids, but lets have fun getting there. Did I mention how excited I am?!?!?!?!