A Beautiful Mess

Let's Talk About Toast

2013-05-23T10:24:58-05:00

Who doesn't love toast? We're obsessed over here. But I'll let you in on a little secret. It's mostly about the toppings! So, behold! Today I present to you six toppings for your toast that go way beyond butter and jam.

I make my toast with a big sliced up loaf of French bread. It's fun to serve in a big basket with a giant plate of toppings for everyone to try and enjoy. Toast makes a great picnic food or back porch (with a bottle of wine?) treat.1. Granny smith apple, blue cheese and honey. This toast is sweet and a little tart. I love blue cheese! 2. Cream cheese, lox and tomato. Kinda like bagels and lox, except I forgot the capers and the onions. :) I actually love this more simple version—maybe with a little bit of sea salt too. Cream cheese and cured meat are one of the most delicious combos on the planet. We're obsessed with salmon. Trey stole all of it as soon as I was done snapping these photos. Haha. The perks of food blogging—there is always a snack to steal!3. Caprese inspired toast. This one has cream cheese, tomato, fresh basil and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. So delicious. At the moment, I feel like I am adding basil to everything, even cocktails. 4. Hummus and peas. Everything goes with hummus. It's so yummy!5. Again with the cream cheese (can you tell I really like it?) this time with tomatos and peas. This is another favorite combo. It's so good, and it's pretty too! 6. Guacamole toast! Don't even get me started on how much I love guacamole. It's too much. Here's my favorite recipe.

So, who's in the mood for toast now? Do you have a favorite toast topping? I'd love to hear. xoxo. Elsie

Baked Risotto

2013-05-22T14:41:58-05:00

I am a big fan of risotto. BIG fan. Cheesy, creamy rice? Uh... yes please. I love adding all manner of veggies or shrimp to homemade risotto. Or serving it along side baked fish for dinner. To me, risotto is the fancy restaurant equivalent of macaroni. It's just awesome. A total crowd pleaser.The one complaint I have about risotto is that making it can be a little involved. There's a lot of stirring involved. It's not a dish that you can walk away from, you gotta stay there at the stove stirring for the majority of the time it's cooking. Totally worth it, but this can prove challenging if you are trying to prep other items for a dinner party or just trying to greet guests and not be hidden away in the kitchen the whole time.And so, I thought I'd give baked risotto a try. I had my doubts though. I figured that it would probably be good, but not AS good. How could it be as good if it's less work? That's not how the world works. This is much I know. But I was wrong! Turns out that baked risotto is like baked macaroni—a food miracle. (What? Me? Dramatic? Never.)Baked Risotto, makes 2-3 servings.

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3/4 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups vegetable stock
6 asparagus stocks
1/3 cup bread crumbs and/or sesame seeds

In an oven safe pan heat the olive oil over medium heat. I like to use a small cast iron pan for baked risotto because it keeps the rice from getting too thick, which can result in uneven cooking. Cook the onion for 2 minutes, just until it begins to soften. Then stir in the garlic and cook for another minute. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Then stir in the rice and cook until it begins to look transparent (about 3-4 minutes).Now pour in the wine and let that cook until nearly all the liquid has evaporated. Stir in 1/4 cup of the cheese and stir in the stock. Cover in aluminum foil (be careful, it's hot!) and bake at 375°f for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and stir in the remaining cheese. Bake for another 15 minutes. In the meantime prep your asparagus by removing the hard ends (the stalks) and slicing in half lengthwise. Layer the asparagus over the risotto, top with bread crumbs and/or sesame seeds and bake for another 8-10 minutes until all the liquid appears to have absorbed.Serve warm as a main course or as a side. You can use any kind of vegetables you prefer. Next time I think I will add some lemon zest! xo. Emma

At Home With Sarah Sandidge

2013-05-22T09:23:17-05:00

Our next guest in our "At Home With" series is Sarah Sandidge! Sarah is here today to share her lovely living area with us. "My husband, our two sweet children (Lula – 4, Diesel – 2), and I bought a lovely little home built in the 1930s about three years ago and have been renovating voraciously since day one. I was five weeks pregnant with Diesel when we moved in and he was actually born in the room that is now his. So this house is pretty special to us for that reason alone. Not to mention all the blood, sweat, and tears (literally!) that we’ve put into this place. It was very ugly and very blue when we moved in, but now it’s the cozy, dreamy little place we call home. The living room is not very big, but it has great light and feels calm and peaceful. I have grand plans of taking out the ceiling to reveal the A-frame attic above and really make it something! But my husband’s eyes glaze over when I bring up my crazy plans! It’ll have to do for now!" "There isn’t much I would consider 'unusual' in the living room. People may say the big 'e' is unusual because it doesn’t stand for anything. But I think perhaps our 'private' door is the most unusual. I found it at a flea market after it had been removed from a high school renovation in town. I adore old doors, and I knew instantly that I had to have it when I first saw it. The door covers up the opening to the stairs that lead to our master suite. So the 'private' lettering was perfect. We turned it into a sliding door and added a handle, but other than, we haven’t touched it." "We’ve lived in this house for almost three years. Although it seems much longer than that considering how much we’ve done to it. The living room hasn’t changed too much except that it was completely blue when we moved in. I mean blue carpet, blue wallpaper, and heavy blue drapes. The very first 'renovation' was removing the carpet and wallpaper throughout the house. Then we painted everything white. I just wanted a clean, fresh start. A blank canvas to work from. But sometimes people come in and ask, 'What color are you going to paint your walls?' Ummm, well, they already are painted!

The furniture has changed a lot too, but I finally feel satisfied with all the pieces I have and with their location. A friend once said, 'I think every time I come here you have different furniture!' But when everything is thrifted or from a garage sale, it’s easier to change, since the investment isn’t that big." Thank you so much for sharing your space with us, Sarah! You can find more of Sarah over at her blog Lovely Chaos. xo. *All photos by Janae Hardy

St-Germain Mojito Recipe

2013-05-21T13:24:56-05:00

The classic mojito is my favorite cocktail, but lately I've been trying new spins of my old favorite. I've been playing with some fruit and herbal infusions (watermelon + basil is a favorite!) and experimenting with different flavors, like this floral version using St-Germain!St-Germain Mojito, Serves One

Fresh mint leaves
1 ounce St-Germain
1 ounce light rum
1 tablespoon honey
Club Soda
Lemon
Lime

In a tall glass muddle 5+ fresh mint leaves with honey. Add St-Germain, Rum, and juice of half a lemon and half a lime. Add ice and top off with club soda, mixing well with a long spoon. If you like it extra sweet, add a little more simple syrup! Garnish with limes and an edible flower. Enjoy!

To make your own simple syrup: Simmer equal parts water and sugar over low/medium heat for 15 to 18 minutes. Store in a sealed container in your refrigerator. This can last for several months.I hope you enjoy this refreshing spin on a classic drink. If you like this you might also want to check out a few of my other springtime favorites... The Apple Flower Cocktail, Whiskey Lemonade, The Cinnamon Sour, The Cucumber Margarita and The Wasabi Bloody Mary.

xoxo + cheers! Elsie