9/30/13

Delicate Brussels Sprouts Salad




I just made this salad this morning and then shared it on my foodie blog TheBigGiantFoodBasket, afterwards I ate it for lunch! Well I got so excited cuz it came out absolutely delicious that I thought I'd share it over here at 21 Rosemary Lane.

Anyway, how this recipe came about was while in New Orleans a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to take out my beautiful niece Meghan for a pre-birthday dinner. I told Meghan it was her choice so she selected a restaurant right in the heart of the French Quarter called Sylvain. A most excellent choice I may add! She chose this Brussels sprouts salad as our appeteezer and wowzer...it was incredible!



Quite honestly it was one of the best things I ever ate! Not only are the sprouts so very light but this salad has the sweetness of the apple, the saltiness of the pecorino romano cheese, plus the earthy flavor of the toasted hazelnuts, all bathed in a refreshing sweet mustard dressing. It is pretty healthy eating to boot!




Ingredients

 (You can always play with the proportions to make it more to your liking.)

8 oz of Brussels sprouts, sliced lengthwise with hard center discarded
1/2 cup of shelled hazelnuts toasted and cut in half
1/2 Pecorino romano cheese broken into small pieces
Fuji apple diced


For the dressing

3 T olive oil
3 T honey
3 T white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Whisk together the dressing ingredients and toss with the salad ingredients. Season with a little salt.

Enjoy!!
XO 

9/28/13

Autumn Porch ~ Bountiful Beginnings


This year I decided to put a little bit more of an effort into decorating my front porch. Instead of the usual, "hang a wreath and toss a couple of pumpkins on the steps", I went searching for inspiration. Our porch is rather small, so I am somewhat limited to what I can put on it.  While on line Googling fall porches, I came across this image.


Isn't it beautiful?? I just fell in love with it! Although I don't have the room for all of the items in this gorgeous outdoor living space, I do have a few of the key elements. This past spring I was lucky enough to find a darling bistro set on sale at Home Depot for only $69. That was my jumping off point. 



I pulled the carpet and the yellow pillows off of my back screened-in porch and used them here in front. The containers the mums are sitting in were roadside finds from just 2 doors down on Rosemary Lane. I love them!



I picked up the mums and some pumpkins at Walmart. Those little orange and white pumpkins were less expensive at Walmart than at the nurseries in my area. I paid only $4 for 3 of those little beauties! The faux mum arrangement in the middle of the table is also from Walmart and the wreath it is sitting in I purchased at the Christmas Tree Shop. Both items came in at just under $6 each!






Then I went shopping at Michael's and had a little fun for myself. First off Michael's Craft Store had all of their autumn flowers reduced to 50% off. I decided to create a fall arrangement since I needed something for the big blank white wall of siding. I lucked out again and found this container for about $10.








It has been so pretty here in the northeast all week long. The temps are ranging in the low 70's during the day, and at night it is cool enough to need a light blanket. Some trees have begun their autumn show of gorgeous color and the sun is now casting its golden glow to the morning and evening skies. Soon it will be time to cozy up on the couch with a blanket, a cup of tea and a blazing fire. 

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!!!

XO
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9/26/13

What Travel Bloggers Have to Say!

Good day everyone!!! I trust you are doing well this glorious autumn morning. 

Today started for me with a wee bit of excitement. I just hopped on Facebook for a moment about 10 minutes ago only to find that I had received a note from one if the editors of a new travel blog called Hopper Blog.

The folks over at Hopper recently published an article all about Princeton New Jersey and featured a link to 21 Rosemary Lane's post on the beautiful Nassau Inn. Pretty cool huh??? I also found out that 21 Rosemary Lane is considered a travel blog...and I never knew that...LOL!

Anyhow it is a really super article to read if you ever plan to be in the Princeton area. It covers everything from food, activities, and interesting sights to see, while visiting Princeton.

To read the Town Spotlight on Princeton just click in the image below.


Also over at  Hopper you can explore a whole host of exciting new places to visit.  Search by beaches, museums, wineries (oh-la-la) family friendly spots, fishing and the list goes on!


I hope you'll take the time to visit this new site, and enjoy the rest of your beautiful day!!!

XO 

9/22/13

Our 2013 Autumn Entry


Each year I try to switch up the elements of my entryway decorations for the fall. I love this time of the year with its bevy of beautiful and comforting colors, and I want them to welcome me as well as all who visit our humble home. 



For the last two seasons I paired my freebie buffet from my parents' house which I painted and distressed somewhat, with a one dollar yard sale mirror and fabulous castoff lamp.


Then this past July, on our way back from Lake Heron and Niagara Falls, I purchased this pretty faux arrangement in a beautiful rusted out pot for only $20 at a flower shop in Lake Skaneateles New York.


Also newly added is one of my favorite pictures of Michael and Grace from when they were just toddlers. The photo is placed in a weathered blue wood frame which really pulls the blue from the lamp's shade into the vignette. 



Last year I painted a yard sale chair in Annie Sloan's Antibes green chalk paint which I had won at the Haven conference that June. A pretty corn husk pumpkin sits inside a grapevine wreath adorned with faux bittersweet. Such a perfect pop of color in the entry don't you think?






I love the simple mix of styles used to create this year's vignette, like the weathered plant pot and Home Good's chippy blue frame, both paired with a more contemporary lamp base with a big bold shade. 


As you well know a home is always a work in progress, and most of us are looking to create a comfortable yet stylish living space on a pretty tight budget. This challenge, at least for me anyway, is what makes decorating so much dang fun!


from 21 Rosemary Lane
XO 
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9/19/13

Make your Own Adorable Witch's Clothesline


Well in case you didn't already know, I'm a complete sucker for anything having to do with Halloween and witches, especially if it has Better Homes and Gardens written all over it!

This adorable miniature witch's clothesline came out of this year's BH&G special Holiday Crafts issue...and what else can I say but that I simply fell in love with this adorable little craft idea!


To make your own witch's clothesline, you will need as follows...

one piece of black, brown, orange and purple felt
three 1/4" buttons in red or purple
embroidery thread in purple
embroidery needle
one brown chenille pipe cleaner
3 inch piece of copper wire 18 gauge
craft glue
scissors
paper to make you templates
piece of white chalk or white crayon
miniature clothes pins
piece of jute twine

First create your templates for the witch's clothes by using regular old computer paper. Hold a piece of paper up to your computer monitor and trace the following images with a pencil. Once completed, cut out your paper shapes and then lay them on their respective felt colors. Trace the shapes onto the felt using either white crayon or chalk, and then cut them out.



I realize these images are not perfectly even, but once you cut them out and put them together they really do look quite charming.





Now that you have all your felt pieces cut out, it is time to assemble your witch's attire. Starting with the dress, single stitch on the three buttons. I could only find heart shaped buttons in 1/4 inch size, but I think the hearts make the dress even more darling!


Next is the hat which is pretty self explanatory. Glue the conical part of the hat to the oval brim, and then thread the hatband through the buckle. To cut slits in the buckle I simply folded the piece of felt representing the buckle in half and cut almost to the edge. Once this is done glue the headband and buckle to where the hat and brim meet.

For the shoes, cut two out of the felt and place one shoe facing to the right and one to the left. Using your embroidery thread, make three cross stitches one each shoe and secure the thread in the back with a knot. Then pull through a single piece of embroidery thread above your cross stitches and tie it in a bow. 

To make the stripes for the stockings I just measured out the waist, hips and each leg and free handed my own strips for them. Lay the stripes out to make sure they are even and then simply glue them to the stockings.


Finally, to create the broom bend your piece of chenille pipe cleaner in half. Then take your felt bristles and wrap the copper wire around the neck of the bristles somewhat securely  Now bend the pipe cleaner so it forms a bit of a zig-zag.

Using the jute twine, clip miniature clothespins to the witch's clothes and hang them from the twine!


If you like this cute clothesline idea you will absolutely adore the special craft issue of Better Homes and Gardens. Not only does it have some fun and easy Halloween projects, but it is fully loaded with really clever Christmas craft and gift ideas!

Grace and Michael loved this little clothesline...but hey they LOVE anything having to do with Halloween. And since mommy is a blogger in this little part of the blogosphere, they get an early jump on all of the holidays!!!

I hope you are enjoying a wonderful week and wishing you a very happy first weekend of fall!

XO

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The Lettered Cottage

Note...All of the materials needed to make this project, with the exception of the miniature clothespins which I bought at Michael's craft store, I purchased at my local Walmart.

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