Recently for some inexplicable reason I have become obsessed with paisley patterns. In my opinion, more than any other print, paisley treads a very fine line between gorgeous and ghastly. When done well, however, this pattern can bring a vibrant but subtle elegance to any interior or outfit. I am drawn to paisleys in rich jewel tones, especially ones with lots of red, as red is my favorite color. I have been looking for a warm and attractive lightweight layer to wear indoors during these cooler months, and when I saw the Sakkara Paisley Pashmina Shawl on Amazon, I knew I had to have it. It doesn't hurt that the price is a mere $15.99, and the shawl comes in a variety of colors. I am looking forward to lounging about the house in style when my pretty paisley shawl arrives!
Clear skies have returned to Georgia! After over a week of wet and gloomy weather, we are overjoyed to welcome back that prodigal sun to our neck of the woods. I no longer feel the need to overdose on carbohydrates, so to celebrate I made a Chickpea Salad with Cumin Vinaigrette, to be served over salad greens for a light and healthy meal. The only change I made was to leave out the chile pepper flakes and substitute smoked paprika for regular. I also used queso fresco rather than feta, which I don't care for, but the saltiness of feta would be a good addition to this salad. Be sure to spoon some of the dressing over the greens before topping them with the chickpeas. Eating foods like this should help to compensate for my carb overload of the past week! Chickpea Salad with Cumin Vinaigrette
1 T. red wine vinegar
juice of one lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. capers, drained
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. olive oil
1 can (about 15 oz.) chickpeas, drained and rinsed*
1 large tomato, diced
1 bottled roasted red pepper, drained and chopped
1/2 C. golden raisins
2 T. fresh thyme, minced
2 T. fresh parsley, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1/4-1/2 C. crumbled feta cheese (or queso fresco)
Combine the first six ingredients in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil until well blended. Add the next five ingredients and toss until coated with the vinaigrette. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Gently stir in the feta cheese (or you can do what I did and top each serving with the cheese later). Chill until ready to serve. For best flavor, remove from the fridge before serving and let the salad come to room temperature. Spoon each serving atop a bed of salad greens. Serves 2-4.
*Or use 1 C. dried chickpeas, cooked, drained, and rinsed.
Updates: I decided that this salad needed more complexity of flavor, so I added 1/2 C. golden raisins. What a difference this addition makes! Also, as the weather has cooled down I've been warming the salad in the microwave and serving it over couscous. I think it is even better this way! Give these changes a try and see what you think.
Thanksgiving is more of an eating holiday than a decorating one, but there are certain areas of the home where Thankgiving décor often makes an appearance. The front porch, entry hall, fireplace mantel, and of course the dining table are favorite areas for sprucing up with holiday finery, probably because they are all areas for welcoming and entertaining guests who have arrived for the annual feast. Here is a bountiful collection of beautiful decorating ideas for Thanksgiving:
I have a bone to pick with you, Pier 1! I recently discovered the delightful dog-themed Christmas dinnerware on your website, and I was beyond excited to see a Dalmatian on the Park Avenue Puppies collection. The treat platter ($19.95) has a Dalmatian, the oval platter ($29.95) has a Dalmatian, the mug ($7.95) has a Dalmatian, and the musical cookie tin ($14.95) has a Dalmatian.
There is even a Park Avenue Puppies doormat ($49.95) with a Dalmatian! But where, oh where, is the Dalmatian on the salad plate ($7.95)? So I've purchased some platters and mugs, but I just can't bring myself to buy the salad plates because of their Dalmatian-lessness. But don't let that stop anyone else out there who loves dogs and Christmas, because this collection really is fabulous. There is also another collection called Christmas Puppies (salad plates and stemless wine glasses) that is equally cute (but again, no Dalmatians).
Okay, now that I've aired my grievance, I really have to say "Thank you!" to Pier 1 for offering these doggie Christmas dinnerware collections to all of us dog lovers -- what a great holiday gift!
We have literally been under a cloud the whole week. It has been either rainy, drizzly, misty, or foggy the whole time. We have not seen the sun in so long I am beginning to feel like a cave dweller. It is humid and neither hot nor cold -- in fact, yesterday the temperature hovered at around 60 degrees all day long, since at least 5 AM when I got up. This is the sort of day that makes me crave comfort food, but it is not cold enough for a hot dish, so I decided to try a new variation on a cold favorite. Georgia Cracker Salad is a twist on egg salad, and no, the name is not meant to be derogatory. There really are crackers in the salad!
My version is based on a recipe for Old-Fashioned South Georgia Cracker Salad. Even though Saltines are the tradition, I don't like them and did not want to buy a whole package but only use part of it. I bought oyster crackers instead, which I do like, and I will eat the leftover crackers on soup. I also reduced the amount of onion and bell pepper by half, and used canned diced tomatoes instead of whole ones. Even though the contributor of the original recipe recommended the whole tomatoes because she found crushed ones too much like a sauce, the diced canned tomatoes do still retain their shape and texture, and they worked quite well for me. At the last minute I decided to add a little sweet pickle relish, as I like it in regular egg salad. I like it in this recipe as well, but even without the relish the cracker salad was good, if a bit bland.
I had just returned from a rare trip to Trader Joe's (which is a little too far away for me to justify regular visits) and had purchased some garlic naan bread, so I topped a piece with the salad. I know, way too many carbs (who eats crackers on top of bread?), but when the weather is bleak I crave lots of carbs, and this combination satisfied my craving nicely. Of course this salad is best served immediately while the crackers are still a bit crunchy, but I will have no problem finishing off the rest of my Georgia Cracker Salad over the weekend, as there seems to be no end in sight for our miserable weather and I will continue to want comfort food!
Georgia Cracker Salad
1 can (about 14 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained (I use unsalted)
4 oz. (1/2 of an 8 oz. box) oyster crackers, coarsely crushed
4 T. mayonnaise
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
2 T. sweet pickle relish
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Stir gently to combine (make sure the mayonnaise is evenly distributed). Serve immediately. Serves 6.
Note: The onion flavor was pretty strong, so next time I will reduce the amount by half (1/4 medium onion instead of 1/2), and/or maybe use a sweet Vidalia onion instead of a red one.
Have you ever dreamed of going on an African safari, not to hunt the animals but to enjoy and photograph them in their natural habitat? Well, if you are super rich, you could actually live this experience every day, simply by purchasing a lot and building an eco-friendly home at Mahathunzi, a unique gated community concept in South Africa, about 300 miles south of Johannesburg (a one-hour flight to Pietermaritzburg, the nearest city). Other features in the area include Hilton College, Albert Falls Dam on the Umgeni River, and Karkloof Safari Spa. The developer of the latter is Fred Wörner, who came up with the idea for Mahathunzi.
Click on image for enlarged view.
The name "Mahathunzi" is a combination of the Sanskrit word "maya", meaning "powerful connection with nature", and the Zulu word "is'ithunzi", meaning "presence, dignity, confidence, aura, power, spirit, essence, status, well-being, and shadow". It also translates as "the shade of a spreading tree that gives shelter from the heat and sun".
Mahathunzi homes will have large overhangs mimicking these local
trees to give shade and cast shadows during the day.
According to the website, the goal of the Mahathunzi development is to create "an opportunity to live amongst the wildlife, with a minimal footprint on the landscape, and no change in land use". Located on 2,400 acres within a larger area of rehabilitated African terrain being used as a predator-free African wildlife reserve, each of the 49 home sites is envisioned as a "small farm" of 50 to 80 acres, with homes built in such a way as to be visually isolated from neighbors. The architecture of these homes will be contemporary and low-profile, designed to blend in with the landscape. Abundant windows and viewing decks as well as limited fencing will allow plenty of opportunity to see the free-roaming wildlife, which will include giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, and other species (about 283 bird species and 43 mammal species in all, plus numerous other types of fauna). More aggressive animals such as rhinos, hippos, and buffalo will be restricted to fenced-off areas on the reserve, to keep both them and humans safe. The high-security gated community will also keep residents safe, presumably from both non-human and human invaders.
About 28 miles of shale-covered roads will allow drivers, bikers, runners and walkers to get out and about to explore the area for more wildlife adventures. For those times when residents wish to take a break from nature and reconnect to the world of technology, their luxury homes (8,000-9,000 square feet) will be fully equipped with electricity and fiber optic cables. The cost for home site plots starts at about $300,000, and home prices will range from $750,000 to $4 million! Obviously this will be an exclusive community, and only the fabulously wealthy would be able to even consider living here, but what an amazing concept it is -- truly a fantasy home that most of us can only imagine in our wildest dreams!
Last week I posted a comment about some delightful turkey plates, and this week I found the perfect linens to accompany them. Crate and Barrel's Turkey Placemats and Napkins (on sale for $6.36 and $5.56 each, respectively) feature a screen-printed contemporary turkey design in bright fall colors on 100% cotton fabric. These items are on sale and disappearing fast, so if you want these linens get your order in soon!
