HR: The crystals made me do it.

Yes, I’m still on my lamp kick.

And I made the BIG mistake of clicking the “crystal” link on the Lamps Plus ceiling lamp section and found this >>

Possini Crystal Sphere Pendant Chandelier via Lamps Plus

I don’t know about you but it looks like a sparkly dandelion to me. And it’s got a price tag that will make my husband go blind compared to the other dandelion one. Eep! Me and my champagne tastes. I can’t even say I have a beer budget. It’s more like kool-aid. Le sigh…

PS Maskros Pendant lamp via Ikea

I wish money were no object. I’d go for the one that sparkles. I am easily amused by shiny objects. Don’t judge me.

HR: Moving right along to Lamps

You know I’m obsessive right?

Well…then it shouldn’t surprise you that I am obsessed with arc floor lamps right now. Wanna see the 2 contenders for my living room?

I love the polished look of the all silver one from Lamps Plus but it’s arc(h) rival *snort* from CB2 is $150 less and the contrasting white shade against the silver pedestal is growing on me. I wonder how easy it would be to change the shade…?

Which one is your favorite?

What if I told you that money was no object (I wish!) would you switch your answer?

George Kovacs Chrome Arc Floor Lamp via LampsPlus

Big Dipper Arc Lamp via CB2

Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza w Caramelized Onions & Fresh Rosemary

Doesn’t the title just roll off the tongue?

Roasted Butternut Squash Pizza with Caramelized Onions and Fresh Rosemary.

As if the name wasn’t long enough. It doesn’t even mention the garlic, feta cheese and mozzarella cheese.

Are you drooling yet?

I mean. What’s not to love? It’s pizza. That’s all you need to know.

When I saw this fall inspired pizza on Maria from Two Peas and Their Pod‘s blog a few days ago, I was intrigued. Usually when I read food blogs I can tell right away if I’m gonna make it or not. But this one had me a little stumped.

Don’t get me wrong! I knew if Maria made it, it would be awesome (although I’m not sure ANYONE could make bananas taste good) but I can’t remember the last time I ate butternut squash… if ever. I couldn’t even conjure up a taste memory so I had no idea how it would taste with all the other ingredients. But I was feeling daring tonight and decided to give it a go. I figured if anything I could cross “butternut squash” off my foodie bucket list.

PS- No one told me that peeling and cutting butternut squash was so damn hard! My hand muscles (muscles I didn’t even know I had!) are sore and I still can’t seem to wash off the “orange” from my fingers!

Recipe from Two Peas and their Pod

INGREDIENTS

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (I used whole wheat french bread instead)
butternut squash (I used 2/3 of a BIG squash)
red onion slices, caramelized (I used 1 whole medium red onion)
olive oil, to taste
garlic, minced (I used 2 cloves)
feta cheese crumbles (I used a 4oz container)
mozzarella cheese, shredded (I used about 4 handfuls. Is that precise enough?)
fresh rosemary, chopped (I used about 3 tbsp)
balsamic vinegar (Just a dab will do ya.)

INSTRUCTIONS

To roast the butternut squash, place peeled, diced squash on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 40-50 minutes, at 400 degrees. Stir occasionally.

Caramelize the onions. See this post from Simply Recipes for directions.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees, or as hot as it will go, with a pizza stone inside. (My oven was at 400F b/c I forgot to change it from roasting the butternut squash.)

Make your pizza dough. We used our favorite whole wheat crust. You can use store bought crust if you wish. (I sliced some store bought whole wheat french bread in half horizontal and vertical to create 4 “pizzas”.) Roll out your pizza crust. We sprinkle our pizza peel with corn meal and make the pizza on the peel. Drizzle the crust with a little bit of olive oil and spread it around the crust.

Add the garlic, butternut squash, onions, cheeses, and rosemary. Slide the pizza onto the stone that is in the hot oven. Cook the pizza for about 12-15 minutes. (I cooked for about 20 minutes.) Just watch it. You want the cheese to be melted and the crust to be golden brown.

Cool and slice. Sprinkle balsamic vinegar on slices of pizza if you wish. (I couldn’t wait for the “cool” part and burned my tongue but it was worth it! HA!)

ENJOY!

Husband rating: A/A-
Even though my husband is always willing to eat anything I make I can always tell if he likes something or he’s being polite. Tonight he was in the middle. But it’s not Maria’s fault. He loved the feta cheese, rosemary and butternut squash but I think I went a little nuts with the onions. I love onions but my husband isn’t a big fan. So I’m sure when I make it again, I’ll go easy on the onions for my little onion hater.

Wifey rating: A/A+
I admit I was skeptical but after one bite I was hooked. The butternut squash is SO FRIGGIN tasty with the rosemary, feta, onions and garlic. Put it all on a pizza and it’s the perfect food. Next time I’ll have to try Maria’s whole wheat pizza dough but whole wheat french bread is a yummy alternative for this lazy cook.

HR: Window treatments

Let’s talk window treatments.

How necessary are they? Really?

I completely forgot about window treatments.

(Image via www.hgtv.com)

I have these 3 huge 47″w x 70-1/2″h windows in my livingroom that really open up the space and is one of the main reasons why I fell in love with this townhouse. Yeah well… Those suckers are gonna cost a lot to dress. Personally I’m thinking that naked windows is a new trend I’m gonna start. It’s not like I walk around nude in my house so if someone wants to be a peeping tom, they are just gonna see me chilling in my favorite fat pants (elastic rules!) and tank top. I may or may not be wearing a bra though. The girls like to be free from restriction at home ya know?

Unfortunately my husband isn’t feeling my avante garde window treatment-less concept. He has concerns about TV glare. Lord help me.

Fine husband. Fine.

In my search for cheap inexpensive window treatments I realize there are a lot of options out there. Curtains, panels, roman shades, vertical blinds, horizontal blinds, wood, vinyl, faux wood, valance, cornice etc. Seriously what’s a cornice? That sounds like a sore you get on your foot, no? Eewww! Now I usually like choices but all these choices are making my head spin. Help?

1. How did you dress up your windows? why?
2. Where did you purchase it?
3. What material is easier to clean?
4. What material lasts longer?
5. What window treatment is pet safe/friendly? (I’m hoping to adopt a doggy at some point. *smile*)

Any advice (esp budget friendly) appreciated.

Cooking Light Night

I tried to “cook light” whenever I can. Before I started working full time I was cooking light a lot. You might even remember the logo from way back when, eh? But after so many meals out I start to crave a home cooked meal again. Tonight was the night to bring Cooking Light back. Actually I’ve been thinking about starting a group. Anyone interested?

Another group, CB?

Yes. I know. As if Cupcake Hero didn’t keep me busy. I’m crazy enough to start another one. But I’m just in the “thinking” stage. Maybe by tomorrow I’ll reconsider. HA!

One of my goals is to start cutting back on the carb-bage. (Get it? It’s like garbage but with carbs.) But it’s so hard b/c I LOVE pasta and bread. If there was such a thing as South Beach Carb diet, I’d be all over that sucker like cheese on bread. Unfortunately there’s not so I’m trying to get in the habit of using my pasta serving size thingamabobber to measure out pasta when I cook. It’s thing cool little gadget that clicks from 1-4 servings by making the “hole” bigger or smaller. You can see in the picture that I was a good little Cooking Light-er and made 1 serving.

I’m waiting… for my pat on the back.

Thank you.

Asparagus, Shrimp [and Scallop] Gremolata Pasta
Recipe adapted from Ways to Cook, Cooking Light

Makes 4 servings

* Calories 240 Fat 7.6g (sat 1.2g,mono 3.7g,poly 1.7g); Protein 36.1g; Carbohydrat 5.2g; Fiber 1.6g; Cholesterol 259mg; Iron 5.6mg; Sodium 403mg; Calcium 115mg (does not include pasta)

INGREDIENTS

3 cups (about 1/2 lb) of asparagus, sliced into 1″ pieces
1-1/2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 lb baby scallops, pat dry, lightly coat with AP flour
4 tsp olive oil, divided (I used about 6 tsp since I added scallops)
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

For gremolata
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp lemon zest
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare gremolata by combining all 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tsp olive oil to pan, swirling to coat, about 20 secs. Add asparagus to pan, saute for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove asparagus from pan and keep warm. (I put mine on a plate wrapped in foil to retain heat.)

Add 2 tsp of olive oil to pan, swirling to coat, about 20 secs. Add shrimp and saute about 3 minutes until done, stirring occasionally. Remove shrimp from pan and keep warm. (I put mine on a same plate as asparagus.)

Add 2 tsp of olive oil to pan, swirling to coat, about 20 secs. Add scallops and saute about 3 minutes until done, stirring occasionally.

Add asparagus and shrimp back into saute pan along with 1/8 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Sprinkle evenly with gremolata.

Serve with your favorite pasta. (I used linguine.)

ENJOY!

Husband rating: A
He’s more of a chicken than seafood man but he really enjoyed this pasta and promptly asked for seconds.

Wifey rating: A+
I love shrimp. I love scallops. I love pasta. And I guess asparagus is good for you. I’ll definitely make this again.

* Nutritional information for original recipe. It does not include my changes and/or substitutions.

HR: A little house update

Are you all tired of the house talk yet?

Then you might wanna check out your google reader and move onto the next blog b/c it’s all house talk here at IHeartFood4Thought. I can’t help it. I have house on the brain. 24. 7. I sleep house. I breathe house. I eat house. Ok maybe not the eat part. Stucco and dry wall probably aren’t very appetizing but maybe high in fiber? tehee

So... you’ll be happy to know that me and Hubs have moved past the ceiling light fight discussion. He wasn’t feeling the upside blooming onion as he called it so I started looking at other lighting options and showed him this >>

PS Maskros Pendant lamp via Ikea

He stared at it for a while. And finally said. “Ok I can do the dandelion instead of the blooming onion.”

Score! *double fist pump*

Honestly it’s the one I wanted more but I thought the price would turn him off.

I’m also thinking of using this vinyl to build on the dandelion theme. Maybe along the walls that wind down the stairs to the second bedroom.

Image via Etsy seller StudioJK

See ladies. That’s how it’s done. Give your Hubs a few options and eventually he’ll see the value that comes with the price. It won’t happen overnight. My husband has been on the training program for 11 years now. But have patience and you’ll get the ceiling light you secretly covet. Like me.

Next up. Painting our bedroom pink. Oy! That might take more “training”.

HR: Welcome Home

That’s how I knew this was the house for me.

The front door just seemed to say “Welcome Home.”

You can see from the unfinished stairs that we still have to pick out flooring and window treatments. I’m leaning towards wood in the common areas, carpet in the bedrooms/closets and tile in the bathrooms. My husband doesn’t really care either way as long as he knows the bottom line costs. So like a man. Actually he’s more concerned about the size of flat screen that will fit above the fireplace mantle and the landscaping. He wants all concrete in our small patio/backyard so that he doesn’t have to mow. *smacks head* I curse my BIL for complaining all the time about mowing his huge back and front yard. Oh well. I guess I can compromise on the concrete.

Right now the topic of house conversation isn’t the escrow papers, the money, the floors, the paint color, the window treatments. It’s about the diningroom ceiling lamp. I want this:

Knappa pendant lamp from Ikea

But husband says it looks like an upside down blooming onion. Sigh…

TWD #86: Cupcakes are just flamboyant muffins

Have you heard the saying “Muffins are just ugly cupcakes“ made popular by a tshirt from Hot Topic? It’s kinda of my mantra when I get into the cupcake vs muffin debate with any muffin lover. I think it’s quite obvious that I’m a cupcake lover. But the best come back yet was when my friend told me “Oh yeah! Well… Cupcakes are just flamboyant muffins.” HA! HA! And now you know where I got my subject line.

This week the Tuesdays with Dorie bakers and our host, Kayte of Grandma’s Kitchen Table, are baking up muffins. You can find the complete recipe on Kayte’s blog. I consider Kayte to be more than my baking buddy but a real-awesome-never-met-her-in-real-life-but-I-would-in-a-heartbeat friend. I even stalk follow her on twitter. And you should too. Because she rocks. Enough said.

Now I know it’s been a few weeks since I last participated in my favorite group bake-along but I’m trying to get back into the swing of things in the midst of escrow, decorating and packing for my new house. (Eek!) Honestly I don’t know how people do it. I feel like I’m drowning in escrow papers. I need Scrooge McDuck to teach me to swim. Did my cartoon reference just give away my age? Yes, I’ll confirm that I am indeed 21… ish.

What I learned this week:
I have never bought all-spice and probably never will unless someone tells me that it’s better than my cinnamon, nutmeg, clover substitute.

All Spice Crumb Muffins
Recipe from Baking: From My Home To Yours, Dorie Greenspan

My hands got down and dirty with the streusel topping. It’s fun to play with food.

I don’t have all-spice so I used a combination of 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg and 1/4 tsp cloves for the recipe. I also substituted half-and-half for the whole milk and used the optional lemon zest. Who doesn’t love lemon zest? That batter smelled so good. Just like Fall.

I may have gone overboard with the streusel topping. Ya think? You can’t blame me. Biting into the muffin with brown sugar chunks on top was SO good.

ENJOY!

Husband rating: A
My husband is a fan of muffins. Pumpkin muffins, blueberry muffins and now All-Spice Crumb muffins. He even told me he likes muffins more than cupcakes. *gasp* Don’t worry. He’s sleeping on the couch tonight.

Wifey rating: A-
I like muffins but I’m a cupcake girl so it was missing a little something-something for me. I think it would have been PERFECT with some cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

HR: “It really tied the room together.” ~The Dude

Ya know what? There’s 10 things that I am slowly realizing as I wait for my November escrow to come to a close.

10. You will find your house when you aren’t looking for it.
9. You won’t find your perfect house. You have to find your perfect-right-now house. And that’s ok.
8. Thirty days will feel like 300 days.
7. There’s nothing that will prepare you for the amount of money you will be spending. A.B.S.O.L.U.T.E.L.Y.N.O.T.H.I.N.G. (I’m still hyperventilating about the closing costs.)
6. You will talk to your lender on the phone more than your BFF.
5. Your TV will perpetually be on HGTV channel 24/7 much to the aggravation of your husband. And then you realize he’s actually sitting next to you watching too.
4. For some reason you get the craving to buy a staple gun. (See #5)
3. Family and friends become your best asset in the house buying process. Not just for monetary mooching advantages but for advice and support.
2. First time home buyer tax credit (aka free money) is fan-FREAKING-tastic. It’s going to allow us to buy our first home and be debt free! w00t w00t!
1. You will become obsessed with rugs.

NFR: Property Virgin… no more?

I can’t believe it’s been 3 weeks since I last wrote in my blog.

A couple people even emailed me and left me comments not to give up blogging. I guess 3 weeks is too long to go on hiatus in the blogging world, eh? Maybe it’s like dog years. One day is like 1 year. Wait? Did I just compare myself to a dog? Well… I suppose I can be a bitch sometimes. HA!

To be honest I forget I have readers. I forget that reading someone’s blog is like having permission to know what’s going on in their lives. At least that’s the way it is for me. When one of my blogging buddies stopped writing I feel so disconnected to them. Is that how you felt about me, Commenter #25? *smiles*

So I wanted to apologize for my lack of Tuesdays with Dorie posts, random non-food related and other food for thought posts lately. But there’s been a lot going on at mi casa.

Actually… I’m in the process of BUYING mi casa! Eek.

Whaaaaaattt? (I know my friend, April, is totally saying that right now.)

That’s right! No foolin’. In about 30 days I might be the owner of a brand new 2 bedroom/2 bathroom townhouse. And I’m totally freaking out! (Cross your fingers for me!)

This is the model’s livingroom. It’s already wired for flat screen above the fireplace. Obviously my husband is UBER excited about this!

So bare with me. This was very unexpected. We weren’t even really looking. It’s kinda like looking for a boyfriend. You look, look, look and find nothing but taken/married, too short, no personality etc but when you least expect it you find the one you’ve been looking for. Am I right girls?

I promise I’m not closing down my blog. I just might be preoccupied with mortgage, down payments, lenders, real estate agents, first time home buyer, tax credit, paint chips mumbo jumbo for a while.

But I know I’m a true foodie b/c I’m already planning my housewarming party menu!

Too soon? HA HA