Summer Stripes

Miss Dondola swing chair

Summer is meant for relaxing and wouldn't it be sweet to swing in this chair, sipping iced tea and reading a good book?

sucreshop.etsy.com $8 for 20

Eat your ice cream with a striped spoon.  It may not make it taste better but they sure are cute.

Candy Stripes napkins Karaweaves

Pure cotton napkins/hand towels for al fresco meals.

Rectangular lacquer trays West Elm

Carry it outdoors with a pretty lacquer tray.

I'm Back and Relaxed

I recently spent a week at my Bahamas house.  Just what I needed to relax and re-energize.

The weather was perfect.

The ocean delightful.

This huge "star" was baking on the sand so I returned him to the sea.  What a beauty!

Delicious fresh fish.  I like mine blackened.

A roadside market just down the street.

Mojitos and guacamole at 5pm.

The new Hummingbird Cottage Art Center in Hope Town

The art center has a beautiful ocean side venue for weddings and other special events.

And I love this idea for hanging an air plant, just thread it through a sea urchin shell and hang it up.     

Styling a Madewell Denim T

Denim Tee $68. Madewell

Denim and chambray shirts are wardrobe staples but I am infatuated with this fresh take on a classic; a denim tee.  This top just begs to be worn with white jeans but dress it up and down and it will work with anything you'd wear with a tee or denim shirt.

Styling a Madewell Denim T by spiralstyle

Madewell / J Brand skinny jeans / Ostwald Helgason , $340 / Whistles pink pencil skirt, $170 / Wallis summer wedge / Sperry Top-Sider boat shoes / Seychelles open toe shoes / Ippolita gold earrings / Ray-Ban

Pasta with Mushrooms and Asparagus

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Every spring I look forward to the abundance of fresh asparagus in the markets.  I probably serve this vegetable 2 - 3 times a week during its growing season and I'm always looking for a new way to prepare the delicious green stalks.

I found a pasta recipe with mushrooms and asparagus on epicurious.com and made it my own.

I started by sautéing bacon with onion and some red pepper flakes.

I added sliced mushrooms.

Next came the sliced asparagus.  Doesn't it look gorgeous?

Next came some cream, chicken broth, fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.

When the sauce thickened a bit, I added freshly cooked farfalle pasta and tossed it all together.

Et voilà!  There you have a satisfyingly delicious pasta dish with fresh mushrooms and asparagus.  You can make this a vegetarian dish by eliminating the bacon and substituting vegetable broth for chicken broth.

My adaptation of this epicurious recipe.

3 strips of thick, cut bacon, chopped

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced

1/2 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth

1/2 lb thin asparagus, sliced on the bias, about 1/2 inch long

3/4 cup heavy cream

3/4 lb farfalle pasta

2 tablespoon sliced basil

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat, then add 2 tablespoons salt.

2. While waiting for the water to boil, sauté bacon in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and pepper flakes and sauté quickly to keep the ingredients from scorching. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until the mushrooms darken slightly in color and are softened but still holding their shape, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and asparagus and cook, stirring gently, for 2 minutes. Stir in the cream, immediately reduce the heat to keep it from scorching, and cook for several minutes.

3. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, 7 to 9 minutes from the time the water returns to a boil 

4. Add the basil and cheese to the pan with the mushrooms and toss well.

5. Reserve a cup or so of the pasta's cooking liquid, then drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the mushrooms, asparagus, and sauce. If the sauce seems too dry, stir in a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Toss, taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper.

If you eliminate the bacon, sauté onion in about 1 tablespoon olive oil

Post 1000

Five most popular posts. Pavlova, Brompton Hobo Bag, Pure Barre, Dreamy Wedding, Gel Manicures.

This post is a milestone for me as it marks my 1000th post since I began Spiral Style, June 15, 2009.  My mission for Spiral Style was to share what gives me pleasure and this is what I said:

What is my pleasure? It is the simple things in life, planting a garden, gathering shells on the beach or going for a run. I get pleasure by creating pieces of jewelry from silver. Pleasure is being with the ones you love. Food, cooking and wine give me pleasure. Travel is a luxurious pleasure.

That day I shared a photo of my garden.

Today I'm about to plant my 2013 garden, in a new location and try some new vegetables.  

I also posted a photo of my jewelry.  You can visit my Etsy site here.

Hammered bangles

Linked hammered rings necklace

Hammered silver post earrings

I think it is time to back away from daily blogging, not finally but as a five times a week blog.  I want to be fresh and not post something just to fill the space.  So you will see posts when I have something I am excited about and really want to share. 

Thank you for following Spiral Style.  I have learned so much in many different ways since I started this blogging adventure and I especially love to read your comments.  I hope you continue to look for my posts on Facebook, as an email or in a reader. 

HAVE A VERY HAPPY MONDAY!

Cilantro Mojito: Happy Weekend

I purchased a beautiful bunch of cilantro this week.  It added wonderful flavor to a black bean and corn salad but I was curious as to how to use this pungent herb to flavor a cocktail

I found a cilantro mojito recipe here.  Cilantro takes the place of mint in this refreshing drink.

Place 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro leaves in a cocktail shaker along with one lime cut into eight pieces.  

Muddle the herb and lime in a cocktail shaker and then remove the lime and add 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 ounce of simple syrup.  Add 2 ounces of white rum and 1/2 ice and shake well.  Strain into a glass and add ice, a slice of lime and a sprig of cilantro.  

Enjoy and Happy Weekend!

My DIY Idea on glo.msn.com

Dip It on glo.msn.com

I was notified last week that one of my DIY projects from a post, July of 2011 is featured in a 10 easiest DIY ideas of all times.  This was a project using Plasti Dip, a rubberizing agent.     I'm thrilled to be included in this posting of 10 DIY projects.  You can view all 10 by clicking here and see my entire post by clicking here.  

Coconut Lime Rice Pudding

Coconut Lime Rice Pudding

I found myself with a 1/2 can of coconut milk after making my favorite Coconut Tea Cake which I blogged about here.  So, I made a 1/2 recipe of this delicious, creamy coconut lime rice pudding.  Soaking the rice for a half hour before cooking the pudding helps to shorten the cook time.  Using lite coconut milk and 2% milk will decrease the fat calories of the pudding but still ensure a creamy, rich texture.  

Sweet comfort food!!

Recipe:

• 1/2 cup white basmati rice
• a 13- to 14-ounce can light unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lime zest

In a bowl soak rice in cold water to cover 30 minutes. Drain rice in a sieve. In a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan bring coconut milk, whole milk, rice, sugar, and a pinch salt to a boil and gently simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes. Remove pan from heat.

Stir lime zest into pudding. Divide pudding among four 2/3-cup custard cups. Puddings may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.

Serve puddings warm or chilled and garnish with flaked coconut.