Look at Room

This post is kind of old, but I figured I would share anyway.

I finally got around to adding a little decor to our dining room - the "look at room" as Aus calls it.  I painted our dining room in a deep eggplant color, called Sugar Plum, when we first moved in our house and totally fell in love.  It is my absolute favorite paint in our whole house, and after painting it there, I just had to use it again for our downstairs half bath.  I was at Z-gallerie and found these dinner plates that matched the paint to a T.  I played with a few different placemates and napkins, and this is what I came up with:

Z-gallerie is definitely my favorite home store in Raleigh. If you've never been, I highly suggest you check it out.  The store is near Triangle Town Center, about 20 minutes from our house and has ahhhmaazing home accessories and furniture.

Carbonara!

Carbonara is one of our absolute favorite dishes to make. So quick and easy, and cheap too! Aus and I are huge Carbonara critics and almost always have to order it when we're at a new Italian restaurant.  We have our regular family owned spots we hit up every so often to get our fix. Although honestly - I think we make it the best at home!

Our Carbonara

2 eggs, yolk only

1/4 cup half and half

1/2 package prosciutto or bacon, cut into pieces (we use bacon)

1/2-1 sweet onion, diced

2 tbsp fresh parsley

1/2 box angel hair noodles

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Boil water for angel hair and sauté bacon and onion in a large pan. We wait until the bacon is almost finished, pour off the grease, and then add the onion.  We looooove onions so we use almost an entire large onion and always - it never fails, say "It could have used more onion!” Also note, you are not completely cooking the bacon. By no means should it be crispy like the bacon you eat for breakfast, it should still be tender after sautéing.

While noodles and bacon/onions are cooking: mix together, in a small dish, the egg yolks, half and half and parsley. Set aside.

When noodles are finished, drain and pour in large bowl.  While noodles are hot, stir in bacon and onions followed by egg and half and half mixture.  Pour in slowly and toss while pouring (two person job). Add parmesan, keep tossing and finish with parsley springs.  Enjoy!

We had a Greek salad (my personal fav) with our Carbonara. Green leafy lettuce, roma tomatoes, onions, feta cheese, croutons and this faaabulous dressing: Vivienne. A parmesan cheese dressing that is just to die for!  My mother-in-law put it in my stocking for Christmas and I don't know what I'm going to do when it's out!



Weber

Wednesday night we used our mini tailgating Weber to get that good ol' charcoal taste on our burgers. Aus took these pictures while he was hanging out so I figured I would share! Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Our sweet Molly girl getting so big!

mm-mmm good!

My favorite meal we had this week:

Roasted Red Skin Potatoes, Garlic Butter Mushrooms and yummy perfectly-marinated Sirloins.

I did the potatoes a bit different tonight.  I didn't know cooking them on a cookie sheet vs. a casserole dish (which I normally do) would create such a different taste. They were much crisper and potatoe-french fry-like. :) 

For these little guys all you will need:

4 red skin potatoes, washed and diced

4 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

2-4 tbsp olive oil, brushed on potatoes

fresh rosemary, plucked apart

sea salt

I put all the ingredients in a bowl, minus the sea salt, painted the oil on the potatoes, mixed it all around and placed them on the cookie sheet. Sea salt on top, baked at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes and wa-la! Delish!

These mushrooms were sooo good and I will definitely be making them again. Next time, I will add twice the capers, half the butter, and let them cook much longer.  The steaks were ready so I felt they needed to be too!  I got this recipe off the awesome Smitten Kitchen blog my lovely sis-in-law shared with me. Check it out...it's a good one!

Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms

1 pound mushrooms such as cremini or white, halved lengthwise if large
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle. Toss mushrooms with capers, garlic, oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper in a 1 1/2- to 2-qt shallow baking dish. Top with butter and roast, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and golden and bubbly garlic sauce forms below, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Serve immediately, with crusty bread on the side for swiping up the juices.

Aus marinated these steaks with his "secret" marinade. HA. I'm not sure what all goes into it but let me tell you what: I am glad I married a grill master!!! Delicious!!