Momma's got the goods...

 Red Onion and Blue Cheese Spread

This is one of my favorite recipes that my mom gave me.  It's super easy and great to bring to parties as an appetizer.  I made it last night for a social event I was attending and it was a hit. 

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup chopped red onion

1 cup chopped toasted walnuts

1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped kalamata olives

2 garlic cloves minced

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

freshly ground pepper to taste

Baguette slices

Red grapes for garnish

In a dry pan toast the walnuts, set aside. Put olive oil in a pan over medium heat and lightly the saute the red onions and garlic. Add olives and heat through. Stir in the walnuts. Put the blue cheese on a large platter or serving dish, pour the heated olive and onion mixture over the blue cheese. Gently stir to mix.

Pepper to taste and add red grapes to garnish.

*I also made another super easy appetizer which is what the basil in the first photo was for.  I stuck mini mozzarella balls on a toothpick followed by a quarter slice of a cucumber, a basil leaf and a cherry tomato.  I brushed them with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper and voila!

I see nothing but the horizon ahead

{View from our lil' cabin in Mar Don Resort, Eastern Washington}

I am very excited about 2011.  I feel like this is going to be a great year, and much of that is due to the fact that I have DECIDED 2011 is going to be a great year.  I have lots of ideas that I want to explore creatively and I have of hopes to dedicate myself in a more outwardly fashion.  








What are your big hopes, dreams and goals for 2011?

Adventures at Christmas time

 

Hello again!  Seems like I might never come back to this space, but I had such a wonderful Holiday weekend and a fun Sunday afternoon adventure with my sister that i had to share.

My husband and I had everyone over to our place for Christmas which included his family for Christmas Eve dinner (minus Anna who is in Cambodia...we miss you!!!) and then my family joined everyone for Christmas morning breakfast.  

It was such a blast to have everyone celebrate the Holiday in our home.  Peter made Christmas Eve dinner which was Cioppino over roasted garlic mashed potatoes with a side of crab cakes.  My sister in-law brought a great Broccoli salad and I made my Aunt Lynda's famous Sweet Potato Crescent Rolls.  Breakfast Christmas morning included Norwegian Pancakes, fresh fruit, bacon/sausage and mimosas.  Yum!! We definitely know how to eat well around here.

My niece and nephew ran around the house so excited for Santa and church and dinner at Uncle Steve's.  We played Dominoes, Scattergories, an insane version of the TV show "Minute to Win it" and the Box of Things which is a pretty hilarious game to play with your in-laws. All in all it was a great Christmas with the family.

Sunday was all about hanging with my sister!!  We started off with a coffee and then decided to do a little tour of Tacoma which included visiting the home where Bing Crosby was born, then onto Stadium High School where my husbands grandparents went to school and the famous Heath Ledger movie Ten Things I Hate About You was filmed.  Then we took a stroll across the Bridge of Glass with original blown glass pieces by Dale Chihuly.  We ended our adventure with a stiff Martini at the Harbor Lights...made popular by Tacoma elders who love a good early bird special!

I hope you all had a great Holiday with family and friends.

* [All photos taken by Alanna Hart except for No. 6 - face behind the martini.]

Send me the pillow you dream on...

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Wow!  I can't believe it's already December...I have been a very absent blogger lately but I did have some time to put up some fun gift ideas I've seen while shopping for the lovelies in my life.  Granted these are the things that caught my eye, but I can't post you the awesome finds I found for my friends and family until after Christmas...because that would spoil all the fun!

1.  Dean Martin - I love listening to him croon.  If you lived in my neighborhood you'd see me dancing like no one's watching while I walk my dog while listening to my Dino Pandora station.

2. Kelly Green Buckhead Pillow by Reagansbrain -  The color of this pillow is so vibrant! I have been ridiculously into animal themed decor lately, if you peaked at my mantle you'd see 2 Ryan Berkley portraits of squirrels, some pheasant feathers in a vase and an owl pitcher on display.

3. Wool herringbone clutch by Sans Map - Love the yellow print on the inside!

4. Peacock Feather dish towels by Michelle Brusegaard - These are so sweet.

5. Joy Ride Locket by Wiyomu - I've been wanting a locket for a while, the last one I had was from middle school and had a photo of my summer camp crush, Colin.  

6. Penguin Classics  - Gorgeous hardback designs of some of the greatest classic stories.

7. Face Painter by Sophie Blackall - Strange but interesting.

8. Fences debut album - I've been really into Macklemore lately and on his album, Vs. The Redux there is an AMAZING remix of Outside which features another Seattle artist, Fences.  Thanks to Brittany being on the look out we're going to see Fences and Neon Tree's next week at the Showbox!
 
What type of gifts are you giving this year?

Darling Diptych :: Confection

Left: Mo

Right: Brittany O 

Ah!! Celebrations abound!!  It's both Brittany and my birthday week.  My birthday was Wednesday and Miss B's is today.  I had a lovely birthday which included a surprise from my sister with flowers and a picnic lunch.  We were so lucky to have a beautiful crisp fall day to enjoy lunch at the park!

I'm excited to be celebrating our mutual November birthdays with Brittany again this year.  Last year we were up in her neck of the woods and this year, my husband and I are hosting.

AND...It was Brittany who first made me aware of Movember.  "Movember challenges men to change their appearance and the face of men's health by growing a moustache."  (Hense the mustachioed pecan pie!!)  

Check it out!

p.s. In light of the fact that Brittany, her hubby and my hubby are all Irish (and I'm a wee bit as well) I baked Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes...just like the ones my sweet Aunt Lynda baked for our wedding!!

Darling Diptych:: Soft

Left: Mo

Right: Brittany O

Wow!  It has been a long time since I've posted.  It's been a busy fall, but after a few weeks break we are back at the Diptychs.  Hopefully I'll have time to post some other fun projects I've been working on in the near future.  Hope you all have a great weekend!

Choice jewelry

I have been wanting dainty little necklaces like these for a while...I love the simple chain and the small little beads or charms at the end.  

I remember a guy asking my a long time ago, what my favorite feature of my body was, and I replied "my collarbone"... and I think any of these would show off my favorite feature beautifully.

1. flat sterling necklace by roundabout
2. lamina - antique gold by edor
3. cherish - au naturel by edor