Pehr Designs

I love Pehr Designs for their modern take on household essentials. As a mother of two, I am always drawn to storage solutions. I’ve given up on organization (well, kind of) and I now just focus on hiding the clutter. Their canvas bins fit my bill and replace those ubiquitous canvas bins that have taken over everyone’s home…you know the ones I mean… Here are a few I pulled off their site but the one’s I saw at the NY Gift Show were my favorites.

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Faux Bois

I think I’ve touched on Faux Bois in the past but I recently came across a few new things that are exciting to share.

I picked up a great new fabric sample at the Brunschwig showroom last week. It’s called Wood Bark and comes in seven great colorways. Apparently it was pulled from the archives by Michael Smith. I can really see a whole room wrapped in it- wall upholstery, drapery, etc… now just how would I choose a color?!

Here are my three favorites:

Screen Shot 2014-03-15 at 8.17.46 PM Screen Shot 2014-03-15 at 8.18.03 PM Screen Shot 2014-03-15 at 8.18.35 PMThe other faux bois I came across is Edelman Leather’s Woodland. I love the idea of a wood grain pattern in leather for a bench or ottoman.

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Mad for…

I’ve been working on accessorizing a home for quite some time now and I keep coming back to this look. I don’t think the client would go for it but I am MAD for it!

hastensThis image is from Libertine founder Johnson Hartig’s home (I found it on his coucky instagram feed). I love everything about the no contrast, print on print, buffalo check overload.

As you know, Hastens beds( the Rolls Royce of mattresses) are upholstered in their signature blue and white check. They have a complete line of bed linens, stroller accessories, pajamas, etc that come in a small collection of neutrals.

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Recipe Monday: BA’s Steak Salad with Horseradish Dressing

I rarely try recipes from Bon Appetite…I generally find they are not so great and the pictures and articles are better thought out. However, I’m pregnant and I this really appealed to me and the ingredients were all on hand. I’d definitely improvise with the salad if radishes and cucumbers don’t appeal…tomatoes and avocado sound better to me next time….or tomatoes and radishes. Cucumbers aren’t my favorite in a salad.

I doubled the dressing so I can keep some in the fridge this week. It was really great, nice kick of heat. And it passed the husband test! Click on the link for the recipe.

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Photo Courtesy of Bon Appetite

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2013/03/steak-salad-with-horseradish-dressing

Recipe Monday: Mozza Salad

I had a busy week and was unable to post my Super Bowl fiesta menu. The standout dish was the Mozza Chopped Salad…super easy and delic!
It looks like a ton of ingredients but I really think you can improvise. I subbed canned Goya chickpeas for a lengthy recipe of making my own. Bon Appetite!

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Mozza Chopped Salad

For the salad:
Half of a small red onion (halved through the core)
1 small head iceberg lettuce
1 medium head radicchio
1 pint small sweet cherry tomatoes, halved
Kosher salt
1 1⁄2 cups cooked chickpeas
4 ounces aged provolone, sliced 1⁄8-inch thick and cut into 1⁄4-inch-wide strips
4 ounces Genoa salami, sliced 1⁄8-inch thick and cut into 1⁄4-inch-wide strips
5 peperoncini, stems cut off and discarded, thinly sliced (about 1⁄4 cup)
1⁄2 cup oregano vinaigrette, plus more to taste (Recipe follows)
Juice of 1⁄2 lemon, plus more to taste

For the oregano vinaigrette:
2 1⁄2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
2 garlic cloves, 1 smashed and 1 grated or minced
1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 1⁄2 cups extra-virgin olive oil

To prepare the salad: Separate the layers of the onion, stack two or three layers on top of one another, and slice them lengthwise 1/16-inch thick. Repeat with the remaining onion layers. Place the onion slices in a small bowl of ice water and set them aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients for the salad. Drain the onion and pat dry with paper towels before adding them to the salad.

Cut the iceberg in half through the core. Remove and discard the outer leaves from the head and remove and discard the core. Separate the lettuce leaves, stack two or three leaves on top of one another, and slice them lengthwise 1/4-inch thick. Repeat with the remaining leaves and thinly slice the radicchio in the same way.

Cut the tomatoes in half, season them with salt, and toss gently to distribute the salt.

Combine the lettuce, radicchio, tomatoes, ceci, provolone, salami, peperoncini, and onion slices in a large, wide bowl. Season with salt and toss to thoroughly combine the ingredients. Drizzle 1/2 cup of the vinaigrette and squeeze the lemon juice over the salad, then toss gently to coat the salad with the dressing. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, lemon juice or vinaigrette if desired. Pile the salad on a large platter or divide it among individual plates, piling it like a mountain. Sprinkle the dried oregano on top and serve.

To make the oregano vinaigrette: Combine the vinegar, oregano, lemon juice, smashed garlic, grated garlic, salt and pepper in a medium bowl and whisk to combine the ingredients. Set the vinaigrette aside to rest for 5 minutes to marinate the oregano. Add the olive oil in a slow, thin stream, whisking constantly to combine. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice, if desired. Use the vinaigrette or transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to three days. Bring the vinaigrette to room temperature, whisk to recombine the ingredients, and taste again for seasoning before using. Makes a little more than a cup.

 

Branching Out

My sister had a baby girl a few weeks ago and I gave her a home made gift to decorate the nursery. I also did this for my nephew last year and it was a big hit. I love craft projects and anything involving a glue gun!! It looks great resting on a bookshelf or ledge…or can be hung with clear fishing wire over the crib. There’s something about birds and critters that really get kids excited.I think I could start selling these if anyone wants to be the first customer…

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Discovery

I love the hunt… whether I am shopping for something specific or discovering a something unexpected and cool. Mecox Gardens is one of my favorite neighborhood shops. They carry a mix of new and old. The new pieces never have their manufacturer listed and the sales associates rarely tell you who the maker is. This is common practice but as a designer, it is fun to get down to business and figure out where to find it wholesale!

A few years ago I bought a chest of drawers from 1st Dibs. I knew it wasn’t an antique but I didn’t care because I really liked the look. Just this morning while I was trolling a random site, Sherill Furniture, I saw my chest. It is exactly the same piece and I love it just as much today as I did back then. It is nice to know that if I ever want its twin I can find it.

Screen Shot 2013-01-12 at 8.20.57 AMhttp://www.sherrillfurniture.com/mrandmrshoward/search_results_detail.php?id=49&search_type=session&page=1&view=all

Recipe Monday: Vanilla Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies | Two Peas & Their Pod

I hope everyone had a good weekend! I had an exhausting day at the Gift Show on Sunday…I must have walked five miles in the wrong boots. You can’t believe how much junk you have to pick through to find anything good. I did find a few nice vendors/pieces which I will share with you in my next few posts.

In the meantime, this recipe for chocolate chip cookies tastes like those soft baked cookies of our childhood…Entemann’s in a box. Yum!!!

Vanilla Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

Cook Time: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3.4 oz. package vanilla instant pudding mix
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat and set aside.

2. Using a mixer, beat together butter and sugars until creamy. Add in pudding mix, eggs, and vanilla extract. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

3. Drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until slight golden and set. Remove cookies from oven and let cool on baking sheet for two minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Vanilla Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies | Two Peas & Their Pod.