Sunday, June 30, 2013

Sahara Hummus


Our favorite restaurant is Sahara which serves delicious middle eastern cuisine. Their hummus is some of the best that we have ever had. However, after many attempts, I have finally hacked the recipe. Now, my husband says that my hummus tastes even better. This is hands down his favorite dish. Hummus is easy, delicious, cheap and not all that bad for you.


Ingredients:

1 Can Garbanzo Beans (no salt added)
4 Cloves of Garlic (sliced)
1/2 Medium Sized Onion (cut into chunks)
Olive Oil
1/2 TBS Cumin
1/4 TSP Ground Red Pepper (with some additional for garnish)
1 TSP Salt
1/2 TSP Pepper
1 1/2 TSP Garlic Powder
1/2 TBS Lemon Juice
1 Package of Pita Bread


Pour the garbanzo beans into a pan along with 1/4 of the can juices. Add 4 tablespoons of olive oil along with the sliced garlic and onion. Cover and turn to high heat until oil starts sizzling. Then reduce to medium heat and cook for 10 minutes or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally.

Once cooked, pour all of the garbanzo bean saute into a food processor (or blender) and add cumin, red pepper, salt pepper, garlic powder, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Blend on high until smooth. I blend for at least 5 minutes in my food processor. The longer you blend, the smoother the hummus. The smoother the hummus, the more tasty the dish becomes!

To prepare the pitas, cut in half and spray with olive oil. Broil on high for 1 minute on each side in the oven.

Serve the hummus in a bowl topped with a little bit of olive oil and ground red pepper. Hummus is great as an appetizer or a side. Serve the hummus with a veggie salad for lunch or with garlic chicken for dinner.

Bon appétit!









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Saturday, June 22, 2013

Desperately Seeking Sideboard


I have been hunting and hunting for a sideboard for our dining room. To be able to store our fine china and glasses outside of our regular cabinets would be fantastic! It would protect our dishes and free up storage space in the kitchen.

I am looking for something between 3-4 feet wide and no more than 1.5 feet deep. I am thinking a dark wood, black, or espresso color. Ideally, I don't want to spend more than $200 for the sideboard. I love the 60s retro look (as you will see by my inspiration pictures). Ideally, I would love to find an old piece at an estate sale, garage sale, or thrift store. So far, no luck. :(

If you have any leads, let me know!!! :D









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Saturday, June 8, 2013

A Few Words on Accents


I don't know about anyone else, but, for me, accent pieces are the most difficult aspect about decorating. It isn't so much that I can't spot something that would look nice on a side table or on top of a shelf, it is the actually finding of the perfect piece. Believe it or not, I am a very picky person. I don't want to buy something to put on a table to later decide that I am donating it to Goodwill. I also have a really hard time paying thirty bucks for anything and most everything that is considered an "accent" starts at that price.

So, I have made most of my accent decor. However, within the last few weeks, I have been blessed with some really good steals and a few gifts from generous friends that I have just fallen in love with.

Here are a few tips:

1. Don't settle on something. Wait, create, or repurpose something that you will love and enjoy for a long time. This may take a while but it will be worth it in the long run.

2. Be smart about your purchases. Don't buy something new (a big glass vase or jar) that you can find at a thrift store.

3. Be thankful for the blessings that God has given you. God tends to bless you when you are least expecting it.

4. Don't be afraid to repurpose something. Just because it says garden or kitchen section, doesn't mean it won't be fantastic in your living room or dining room! Plus, you will probably get it cheaper if it isn't labeled "home decor". 

Meet Reginald (the little owl) and Arthur (the big owl). We found these ceramic statues in the garden section at Target. Reginald was actually on a metal rod for sticking into a pot. I took out the rod and he is now the perfect statue. Arther was $13 and Reginald was $3.59 (a GREAT deal, in my opinion).





Cool local artists took these photographs. They are sold on Etsy.










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Thursday, June 6, 2013

New Zealand Adventure Snapshots


I wanted to share some pictures of our amazing adventure in the North and South islands of New Zealand. We were abundantly blessed to be able to make the trip and would go back in a heartbeat! Enjoy and let me know what you think.







Downtown Wellington.


Hobbiton!



















My handsome hubby.







Sunrise in Christchurch

The southern alps of New Zealand.

Queenstown Lake



Our Cottage. We highly recommend this Bed and Breakfast! Chestnut Lane Cottage.








Erewhon, New Zealand






























Wellington








Cooking local food.






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