Beauty and the Beach

I visited a neighboring island today and had to share this image of a gorgeous beach.

Can you believe February is almost over?  For all of you who got snow dumped on you this week, winter can't pass quickly enough.

Have a great weekend.

Monday I'll announce the winner of the February giveaway.

Good luck and thanks for all your comments.  I love hearing from you.

Guiltless Onion Rings

Onion rings are a guilty pleasure.  This recipe eliminates the guilt and the rings are sheer pleasure!  I love onion rings but always feel so full after indulging and then very guilty for ingesting all the grease and fat.  I happened to see Rocco DiSpirito make these onion rings on the Rachel Ray TV show.  They are baked, not fried.  The onion rings are soaked in buttermilk, dredged in flour, dipped in frothy egg whites and then coated in panko crumbs.  A spritz of cooking spray before popping them into a hot oven ensures a very crispy coating on a  tender, sweet onion.  You won't miss the grease one bit.  The smoky mayonnaise is a yummy compliment to the crunchy rings.

Spanx Now Makes Bathing Suits

Bathing suit season is rapidly approaching.  With the option of a Spanx suit, the idea isn't so intimidating.

There are one-piece, tankini's and bikini's to choose from.  The two-piece styles are separates so you may choose the bottom style that works best for your figure.

The Help: Follow-up

I talked about The Help last week.

I just finished the book and had to tell you I LOVED it.  I got lots of time to read on my flights yesterday and couldn't put it down.  I highly recommend it.  The subject of racism is as contemporary today as it was in the '60's, the setting for the book.  The characters are well developed and speak with their own voice.  I highly recommend reading this book.

I just launched my website for my Bahamas vacation house.  You can see the link in the left sidebar.  Click on the lighthouse to be taken to the website.

Only a few days left for the February giveaway.  Remember to make comments to be eligible for the February giveaway.  I'll be giving away this heart necklace.  The necklace is 17 1/2 inch sterling silver open heart linked to chain.  I will randomly choose a date in February and I'll take all comments for that day's post and randomly select a winner.  So to be eligible, you must be a follower and post a comment for the selected day.  That's it.  The winner will be announced March 1.

Island Color Palette

I've escaped cold Michigan and traded it for the balmy Bahamas.

After several months of gray landscape, it is so nice to see color.

I took my camera with me on a walk...

... and took photos everywhere I went.

The result resembled a color palette.

Have a colorful week and look for beauty all around.

Oven-Fried Chicken Satay

In an effort to eat more healthfully, hubby and I tried these chicken satays on Super Bowl Sunday.  With minimal ingredients and prep and no added fat, we thought they'd be a fun alternative to pizza , subs or other traditional Super Bowl food.  Not only fun and easy...they were GREAT!  The cornflakes were crunchy, the mustard tangy, and the herbs really popped.
Feel free to use your favorite herbs or hot pepper flakes and maybe a flavored mustard.  We substituted Ranch dressing for the barbecue sauce for dipping.

Oven-Fried Chicken Satay                                                           
Serves 12, approx. 28 skewers
2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips.
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
4 cups cornflakes
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Barbecue sauce for dipping
Special equipment:  wooden skewers

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.  Thread chicken strips on wooden skewer, in and out of meat.


Use a pastry brush or your fingers to lightly coat chicken with mustard.  In a food processor, combine flakes with herbs, salt and pepper. (alternative: place flakes in ziplock bag and crush with rolling pin or smash with heavy object, add herbs) Dredge each chicken skewer in cornflake mixture until evenly coated.  Place on prepared baking sheet and bake until cooked through, 8-10 minutes.  Serve with dipping sauce.
Prepared as above, this recipe if great for a party.  For dinner, use chicken tender and skip the skewers.  Kids will LOVE it.

Remember to make comments to be eligible for the February giveaway.  The necklace is 17 1/2 inch sterling silver open heart linked to chain.  I will randomly choose a date in February.  I will take all comments for that day's post and randomly select a winner.  So to be eligible, you must be a follower and post a comment for the selected day.  That's it.  The winner will be announced March 1.

Cake on a Pedestal

Presentation is EVERYTHING!

1 Rosanna Rococo Noir Black Large 12-Inch Cake Pedestal, 2 Rosanna Medium 10-1/2-Inch Pedestal, White 

3 Bud Vine Cake Stand Etsy $55 4 Large eyelet ribbon cake stand Etsy $160

5 Mosser Glass Red Pedestal Cake Plate-Stand Ebay $55.49 6 Cupcake stand with Bird Bell Jar Etsy $68

7 Spring Easter Cake Stand Ebay $24.95  8 Glass Pedestal Stand and Dome Pottery Barn $14

Anchor Hocking Presence Cake Dome Set

The beauty of this set is that you can flip the base and invert the dome so the ball at the top of the dome fits in the base.  I used it this way for a trifle at Christmas. 

Isn't this cupcake pedestal adorable?

I've been using it to photograph jewelry.

You can easily make your own pedestal

Find an interesting plate and coordinating base

Use an epoxy to attach plate to base.  Follow epoxy directions and allow plenty of time for epoxy to set.  Do not wash epoxied stand in dishwasher...hand wash.  For more complete directions and examples, click here.

Maybe your style is decorating with cake pedestals

Print-Cake Under Glass Etsy $15.50

Nesting

I stopped by Pottery Barn today and was really taken by their "nesting" theme.  Lots of birds and nests.  With today being the first day of Lent; Easter and Spring are not all that far away.
Decorative Speckled Egg Vase Filler $14

                                      Bird Embroidered Pillow Covers $39

It wasn't that difficult to find other bird decor items.

Vintage Egg Print  Etsy $50

Robin's Nest Soap

Gianna Rose Atelier

Bird and Nest Coasters Etsy $16

Wee Three Birds-Crib Size Quilt

Etsy $185

Vintage Salt and Pepper Birds in Nest  

               Etsy $15

                                                    Nest Speckled Egg Dish Etsy $15

Vintage Gold Bird's Nest Dish Etsy $15

The Help and I Need Help...I'm working on my taxes!

I'm reading The Help for our next book club selection.  Set in the early '60's, it deals with race and female relationships.  Nice character development.
This book was one of the 10 must-read books for Spring on an NBC Today Show segment.

I'm working on my taxes.  NOT FUN!  Luckily I just have to get the information gathered and someone else will enter the information and due the calculations.

Have you started to work on your taxes yet?  Has anyone filed and gotten a return yet?

Clever Tea Packaging...

... may not make the tea more flavorful but it will be more fun.

Literally a T bag...designed by Felix Reinki

Tea bags that look like cigarettes

Personaliteas  Maum tea bags from WDARU

Hanger tea bags from Designer Soon Mo Kang 

Tea filter from Ineeka $9.99 for 14  available at Whole Foods

Decomposing tea bag

You can make your own tea tag by removing existing tag and attach your own which could include a message or cute design to coordinate with a party theme