Decorating, collecting, and thrifting are all intertwined with how I put together my rooms here are home.
This little corner of the living room is just a snippet from
my adventures with the “thrill of the hunt”.
If you’re a thrift store fan like me, then you’ll get it.
Here are a few notes on how these pieces made their way into my life… happy Sunday!
ciao! fabiana
For lots of fun extras, follow me on instagram!
Today I’m sharing three really yummy salad recipes that I made
and photographed for Country Sampler Farmhouse Style magazine.
This first one is a BLT Pasta Salad that's so perfect for
making ahead and just noshing on during the week as a quick ready-made lunch.
It’s also great for a potluck or picnic side dish. You can’t
go wrong with fresh ingredients and a little bacon. It really does taste like a
BLT!
BLT Pasta Salad
Serves 4
12 ounces corkscrew-shaped pasta
12 ounces lean bacon (reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings)
1-pint cherry tomatoes, cut into halves or quarters
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons chopped chives or scallion greens
1 tablespoon lemon juice
5 cups chopped romaine
lettuce
1.
Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until
crisp. Drain on paper towels. Discard all but 2 tablespoons drippings from the
pan.
2.
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water as the
label directs. Drain and toss with the bacon drippings in a large bowl; set
aside.
3.
Crumble the bacon into bite-size pieces; set aside 1/4 cup for
garnish. Toss the remaining bacon and the tomatoes with the pasta.
4.
Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice and 3 tablespoons
chives together in a small bowl and toss with the pasta until evenly combined.
5.
Season with salt and pepper. Chill until ready to serve.
6.
Add the lettuce; toss again to coat. Garnish with the reserved
bacon and the remaining 1 tablespoon chives.
A Caesar Salad and Potato Salad combo? Why not?! This one is
really delicious, and I love the way the potatoes soak up the creamy Caesar
dressing for an added boost of flavor.
This salad is also great for a potluck or just treat yourself and
make it as a side dish to a weekday dinner for you and the family.
Caesar Potato Salad
3 pounds (8 to 10) medium red potatoes, scrubbed
¼ cup olive oil
1 minced small garlic clove
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
2 Tbs mayonnaise
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 ½ cups shredded romaine lettuce hearts
Salt and pepper
1. In a large pot, bring potatoes to a boil in salted water over
high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook until tender when pierced with a
knife, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Drain and let cool completely. Cut potatoes into 1 ½ inch pieces.
3. In a large bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, lemon juice,
mustard, Worcestershire sauce, anchovy paste, mayonnaise and Parmesan.
4. Add potatoes while still warm and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Add romaine hearts just before serving. To store, cover and refrigerate up to one day.
Coleslaw is a healthy side dish any time of the year, and
this one is zazzed up with the addition of apples, bacon and almonds.
Check out the ingredients... it’s so easy to make, and I’ve added a
little bit of yogurt in the dressing for a bit of extra freshness.
ciao! fabiana
For lots of fun extras, follow me on instagram!
In honor of
Valentine’s Day as a day to celebrate LOVE, I’ve set a simple little table with
a few soft pink accents and my new set of Bordallo Pinheiro plates,
chargers and bowls as the starring element of this tablescape.
I recently
received these beautiful plates from Bordallo Pinheiro, and I love how the
subtle pattern works with this tablecloth.
I kept the
whole vibe casual and flirty, with the focus on my new plates. This pattern is
called Rua Nova in the color Antique White.
You may recognize the name Bordallo Pinheiro because they’re
well known for making those gorgeous green cabbage shaped plates and service
ware.
I’ve collected those fun plates for years and was impressed
to find out they’ve been making those beautiful plates in Portugal since
1884!
 |
| Rua Nova Cake Stand in Morning Blue |
To accentuate the beauty of the plate, I chose
this pink tablecloth from Pacific & Rose. I hand-stenciled these plain white napkins with my own personal “Conversation Hearts.”
Three bunches of different fairy roses from Trader Joe's create an
informal centerpiece.
You’ll
be seeing a lot more of these Antique White Rua Nova plates at my table. The
styling possibilities are endless.
ciao! fabiana
For lots of fun extras, follow me on instagram!
The easiest way to add color to your table is with a favorite
tablecloth like this. Inspired by the colors of "Monet’s Kitchen", that just so happens to be the
name of this pattern.
What better way to highlight the lovely colors in these
Pacific & Rose linens than to add fresh lemons and limes from the garden?
This tablecloth and napkins are among my absolute favorites
in my collection and now Pacific & Rose has received a new supply of this
pattern, and that includes lots of extras like aprons, kitchen towels and table runners.
With a few yellow daisies from the front yard to liven things up, the
table runner and placemats are a more casual look for this gorgeous pattern.
I absolutely LOVE this look in our breakfast
room!
Now wait for it… another pattern that is always in the Pacific
and Rose collection is “Flower Power”.
With all the bright and happy colors displayed here, one can’t
help but feel energized!
Flower Power also comes in a tablecloth, napkins, placemats,
runner, apron, kitchen towels and even pillows!
My husband loves this pattern so much, that when he sees it,
he says it’s “our Flower Power hour”. 😄
So fun, right? These red hibiscus flowers are a fun look with
this pattern. You definitely need big, bold flowers to work well with all the Flower Power vibes shown here!
I’m so happy it’s Friday, and my big choice is which pattern
to use for the weekend. Which one would you choose?
Check out Pacific & Rose for more!
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