Oscar Night Dips

Oscar night, my favorite night! Fashion, movies, and a great excuse to sit on the couch and eat! I made two different dips that are very simple, and pack a ton of flavor.

Baked Goat Cheese in Tomato Sauce

1- 4oz. package goat cheese
Favorite Tomato Sauce ( I used the "Rao's Famous Marinara Sauce")
Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
Baguette
garlic clove
olive oil

Slice the bread into 1/2 inch slices and place on a baking sheet. Place under the broiler and brown each side of the bread slices (crostini). Take clove of garlic and rub vigorously on one side of each of the crostini. Brush each crostini lightly with olive oil.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place goat cheese logs on the bottom of an oven safe small baking dish and then pour the hot tomato sauce over top until it almost but not quite covers the cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes or until bubbly and hot. Place each dish on a larger plate and surround it with the crostini. serve hot.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

 

1 can artichoke hearts (about 9 ounces), defrosted and well drained

1/2 Cup fresh spinach, chopped

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

¼ cup Monterrey jack cheese shredded (I used mozzarella)

¼ part skim ricotta cheese 

8 ounces package reduced fat cream cheese 

½ tablespoon lemon juice 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

¾ teaspoon salt 

½ teaspoon pepper

Don’t worry about exact amounts for this recipe. If you can only find artichokes or spinach in slightly smaller or larger amounts, that’s fine. I like to use fresh ingredients because I feel like I am getting more nutrition, but you can use frozen spinach & artichoke hearts. Just make sure they are fully defrosted and completely dried. (Use a strainer & Paper towel)

Preheat the oven to 350. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. (I use a hand blender to combine all the ingredients)

Pour the mixture into an oven-proof dish or casserole. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until heated through and just starting to bubble.

Remove from the oven and let it cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve hot or warm with thin slices of baguette, raw vegetables, baked tortilla chips, or crackers.

Chef's note: I wasn't going to use all of the Artichoke-Spinach dip so I put it in the freezer. It saves great and make for an easy last minuet appetizer.

Enjoy!

The Big Reveal

I know you have all been patiently waiting to see the "Christopher" residence. I was definitely thrown a few curve balls throughout the project. I didn't realize that I would have to work with rock posters, old furniture, and "Cliff the deer"! I will be going through each room later in the week to discuss what I did to create the look and the budget for each room.

FAMILY ROOM

BEFORE

AFTER

DINING ROOM

BEFORE

AFTER

LIVING ROOM

BEFORE

AFTER

Enjoy!

A look down the Aisle

Wedding aisles tend to be boring and not very creative. I get it,  why spend a lot of money for something that your guest are only going to to see for a short amount of time. But, if you have the means and funds to decorate the aisle then DO IT! It is where a majority of your pictures will be taken and the first thing your guest get to see.
Here are some fun ideas that change up the Traditional "aisle" that really make a bold statement without having to spend a lot of money.

This next one is SO fun. I love the bold statement of the one color...but have NO clue how they got the tulips to stick into the ground AND stay.

Tulip Aisle

You can see in this next starfish one that they made a boarder with small seashells. Awesome because you wouldn't have to clean up!!

Starfish Aisle

I love this next one...1. Because it's easy, cheap, and you can add an array of colors. 2. Because I do not like it when anyone other than the wedding party walks down the aisle. (It's pretty "do not enter" tape!)

Ribbon Aisle

Lanterns...enough said!

Lantern Aisle

These stump logs would also look great for a winter wedding. Indoors or out!

Stump Aisle

Enjoy!

Vintage Wedding

(Jess, if you are still stocking me this one if for you!)
Vintage weddings are all the rage lately and I LOVE them!! It's soft, romantic, and so simple.

To achieve the "vintage" look here are a few things I recommend adding to your decor.

1. SHUTTERS



2. LANTERNS

3. BURLAP

4. ROSES

5. YOUR OWN TOUCH!

Home with the D's

Our place will always be a work in progress as I am constantly getting bored with the space. Our cozy little home is a whopping 700sq ft condo located in downtown Ballard.  I have voiced it many times, but I love where we live and as much as I would like a larger place I am perfectly content with it as it meets so many of our wants.


Living Area



Dining Area

Bathroom

Where ALL the magic happens...magical cooking!

Wedding Planner Interview

Check out my interview with Nikki over at http://www.perpetuallyengaged.com/. Gives some tips for that big day if you can't afford to hire me!

Thank you Nikki for all your support. You are AMAZING!!