What's in your Houzz?

In the middle of my husband's first renovation at our house.  This renovation should not come as a surprise, as we've been avidly collecting power tools for him over the past year and a half, but the actual removal of our shower was, well let's say, a bit shocking.  For David, it's not his first renovation ever, but for many, many years and the first one with me.  For me - well, it's the first time I've seen something ripped off the wall and sawed into movable pieces.  Reason: Hubby wants a bigger shower, and gosh darn it, a nicer one.  Response: go for it!  There is only a few downsides: my inability to make up my mind and in a surge to make the most cost efficient decision, never seem to make the most satisfying choice, and two, the budget.  Thankfully, this is hubby's project, his sweat and full on launch into projects during retirement!  I am merely the designer and assistant.

So, currently, the shower is the focus - everything else remains intact until that is resolved.  Shower has been removed, shower is now enlarged and being tiled.  Shower heads and decision to go with travertine - done.  Frustration working with travertine - a real and present danger.  Shower doors to be ordered.  Kathryn comes across awesome website to help plan renovations and decorating - damn!  Why do these things happen out of sync for me?

www.houzz.com

Get on it!  A fantastic new website with oodles and oodles of pictures, descriptions, shopping tags, Q&As from designers and enthusiasts alike.  Similar to Pinterest, you can create labelled ideabooks and store all the photos that resonate with you, plus give descriptors of what it is about the visuals that inspire you.  Love the color paint, the vanity or want to know where you can get that fabulous rug?  Look no further: many of the designers have listed a product sheet or simply ask the question.  Genius.  Now, if only I had run across this website in September.  Oh well, I know where to go for the next renovation project!

Awesome brownies, anyone?

Not just brownies, but freakin' awesome ones.  In fact, I probably have about forty different brownie recipes - a conservative estimate - but after a few "not so perfect" choices, I prompt gave up, whipped up a batch of cookies and never really made it back to find that perfect brownie.  You know, the one that has a slightly flaky/crunchy top but almost fudge and all spectacular chocolate inside.  Yeah, that one.

That was until this past month.  My daughter was longing for a trip to the Duchess for her favorite brownie when the urge took us both over to just make the damn things and make them now.  We started searching the reliables: Ina Garten, Martha Stewart, Laura Calder and then the classics.  What we came up with was a selection of recipes that were marginally different, based on your own preferences: all chocolate, dark or milk chocolate, pecans, walnuts, chocolate chips?  We settled on our brownie primarily being the good old fashioned fudgy chocolate and a sprinkle of pecans for an extra crunch. 

Note: the biggest problem is waiting for the darn things to cool.  Jenna ate a 1/3 of the batch before the hour cooling was complete... Don't worry - it's a good thing :-)

Jenna's Fudgy Brownies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus more for foil
8 oz. good quality, semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup flour
Optional:
nuts: 3/4 cup walnuts or pecans, milk, dark or white chocolate chunks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Line an 8-inch pan with foil (leaving overhang on two sides); butter or spray the foil.

Place the butter and chocolate in  a medium heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of simmering water.  Heat until the butter and chocolate are melted; stir.

Whisk sugar, then salt into the chocolate mixture; whisk in eggs and then gently whisk in flour just until the batter is combined.  Do not over mix.  Fold in any additions you might want.

Spread the batter into your foil-lined pan and bake for 45 minutes.  A toothpick should come out almost clean - just a few crumbs attached.  Remove from the heat and let the brownies cool completely.

Lift the foil (and brownies) out of the pan and peel the foil from the brownies.  Cut into pieces and enjoy!

Trunk Show = Desserts

Seems like a no-brainer.  Mix guests with Stella and Dot Trunk Show and what do you get?  Desserts.  Take it up a notch over the official holiday season and you get magical bling + friends = french desserts. I now remember why it's such a dangerous time of the year for my waistline, but alas, I carry on - there is no room for quitters in a kitchen.

Tonight is my first of two Holiday shows for my customers, as of course, one night does not fit every one's schedule, and to be honest, I couldn't possibly fit all these desserts I need to make into one night!  On the menu this evening is a simple but deadly lemon tart, walnut cake, some dipped strawberries and my interpretation to date of a hummingbird cake.  Now, I am still in the test kitchen figuring out the right measures, but the once indulged treat at Duchess proved to be a beautiful balance of banana bread with coconut and pineapple.  Stay tuned if I ever finish this recipe enough to blog it.  However, while you wait, I can share with you my fail proof recipe for Cream Cheese icing, which, happens to be the perfect topping for the fore mentioned hummingbird.

This is a recipe from Ina Garten, however, I tend to let the kitchen aid work at the final incorporation and slightly whip the icing - I'm a sucker for a lighter, meringue style topping...

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (1/2 pound)

Mix the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed until just combined. Don't whip! Add the sugar and mix until smooth. Yield: frosting for one 9-inch cake.

Holiday Time!

I know, the first week of November is a bit early to mention the upcoming season, but tonight, I have my first of two Holiday Trunk Shows and I am sooooo excited to share with everyone the great new look of Stella and Dot!  Not only can you assume some fabulous pieces of bling are in the mix, but with that, comes a collaboration with Alice Temperley - very popular British fashion designer, the launch into a scarf collection, beautiful candles and in addition to the purse line - wallets and tech wallets - a wallet just large enough for your iPhone, money and cards.  In one word: brilliant!

Here is a peek of some of the great items in store for all those Stella shoppers, new and old!