I have been having a lot of fun making more meals in the Barnhouse kitchen! I have to admit, I was spending way too much at the coffee shop every morning, so started brewing coffee at home, but the bigger bummer was not having the smoked salmon sandwich to go, so I set out to make it myself. I used one of Martha Stewart’s recipes (because she is a domestic queen) and put my own spin on it.
What you need:
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
juice squeezed from half a lemon
1/2 teaspoon capers
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
salt and ground black pepper
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 avocado
1 slice whole-grain toasted bread
Smoked Salmon
Dill
What to do:
1. Combine the onion, lemon juice, capers, oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper in a bowl. Let stand until the onions soften slightly, about 10 minutes.
2. In another bowl, mash the lemon zest and avocado with 1/8 teaspoon salt.
3. Spread half of the avocado mixture on one slice of toast, layer on Smoked Salmon, and top with the onions and capers. Garnish with Dill.
And to make it even more fun I used a bunch of kitchen utensils and dish-ware from Martha’s line at Macy’s. Yes! Everything in this pic is from MARTHA!
This Thanksgiving is SO special to me because my guy and I are getting married!! If you have been following along on ISPYDIY Instagram, I have been sharing some sneak peeks of our DIY wedding, and one project I am excited to take on is the charcuterie table!! And I am excited to partner up again with my longtime sponsor, Krylon® Brand, to give a thrifted table a makeover. It honestly brings me so much joy to create these cheese boards!!!
I was looking for a round table so friends could gather around & snack before the ceremony, and I was beyond excited when I spotted this one at Goodwill for $30!! But wait, it gets better, when you flip the top it’s a bumper pool and poker table, AMAZING! So after the food is gone, we can fire up the games. The only downside was that the “wood” aka cheap veneer was chipping and I did not love the orangey color. So I thought it would be fun to paint it with Krylon® Brand Chalkboard Paint, to give it a matte black finish, which also could be used for writing fun messages and keeping score! I also found some white and wood candle sticks at the second hand store and gave them a spray painted makeover with Krylon ColorMaster™ Paint + Primer in Matte Bordeaux and Brushed Metallic Champagne Nouveau. I am obsessed with the dark and moody vibe of the Bordeaux color, and Champagne Nouveau mixed in perfectly with my antique gold pieces. After I painted two coats on the table and let it dry, I started building my cheese board. I stuck to the color theme of the wedding, dark reds and greens with brass and wood accents, and absolutely love how it turned out and now I have a reference for my wedding day!
Step and Supplies after the break! (more…)
It’s Summer Summer Time! And I am gearing up to host a few get-togethers at my house, and wanted to create a seasonal centerpiece. This one is as easy as piling up a bunch of citrus fruits! When you are done, break out the juicer and make orange popsicles or mimosas for the following afternoon 😉 For a little something special, I sliced a few oranges in half, scooped out the inside, and add a wick then filled with granulated wax to create a quick candle!
What you need:
Greenery – I used assorted eucalyptus in my centerpiece
Citrus fruits – Oranges, Lemons, Kumquats, Grapefruit, Tangerines, Clementines, Mandarin Oranges
Platter
Candle Wick
Granulated Wax
Table Runner (optional)
What to do:
Use a platter or plate to ground your centerpiece. It’s easier to have a base before placing your fruits so that they don’t roll around.
Start layering up your assorted citrus fruits. The more variety of fruits you purchase, the more visually interesting the centerpiece will look. Try to alternate color tones and sizes in your layering.
Next add in the greenery. Place the greenery in and around the fruits to add contrast.
Stand back and view your creation as a whole. If you notice any holes, go back and fill them in with that extra kumquat or eucalyptus sprig.
For the candles, slice an orange in half.
Scoop out the inners with a spoon. Snack as you go, of course.
Place the wick in the middle of the orange.
Pour the granulated wax around the wick and fill up the orange half.
