Ziggy’s Deep-Fried Ice Cream
The recipe comes from our friends Vanessa Moore and Louisa Clerici, who created The Plymouth Cookbook. The recipe is from Ziggy’s Ice Cream & Food in Plymouth, MA. Ingredients: Ice cream of choice Corn Flakes cereal, crushed Dash of Cinnamon (optional) Enough whisked egg whites to roll the ice cream in Canola oil for deep frying Directions: Scoop out a ball of your favorite ice cream. Wearing a pair of vinyl gloves, compact the ice cream in your hands. Pack it so that it is about the size of a baseball. Proceed to roll the ice cream ball in crushed…
Making Memories
Wow, it’s July already! Where does the time go? I love the 4th of July because it is a symbol of the birth of a nation. I look back forty years ago when I started Wood Palace and think, wow, that alone was a lot of work, never mind a whole nation, lol. It’s a great month of celebration with cookouts, beaches, long summer night walks and getting together with family and friends. The latter is always what life is all about. July is also a great time to reflect on our homes and plan those next projects. I have…
Shrimp Creole
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons canola oil 2 tablespoons butter 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 medium green bell pepper, seeds and membrane removed finely chopped 2-3 stalks celery (you want about the same amount as green bell pepper) 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (or to taste) 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 bay leaf 1 can (15-ounce) tomato sauce 1 cup water (approximately to rinse out the can) 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp, tail removed Tabasco sauce, to taste Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons chopped…
Modern Southwestern Retreat
This month’s feature is as different from other months as it could be. One of my favorite projects because I helped with the design of the whole downstairs floor, where the kitchen was sandwiched between two other rooms. When I first walked into the home, I was amazed at how long the whole area was that housed the stairway, dining area, kitchen and family room. The ceilings were sectioned off with very large, sheet rock soffits. That’s how the original builder and homeowner must have thought that the soffits delineated the rooms. My clients were sick of the wood and…
Nana’s Epic Navy Bean Ham Bone Soup
Ingredients: 1 pound dried navy beans 1 ham bone + ham scraps 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 large onion, peeled and chopped 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper 10 cups water Salt and pepper Instructions: The Night Before: Place the dried beans in a large bowl and cover with three inches of water. Soak the dried beans overnight (up to 24 hours) to soften. Drain when ready to use. Place a large 6 quart pot over medium heat. Add the oil, ham bone, onions, and garlic. Sauté for 3-5 minutes to soften the onions. Then add in the drained beans, thyme, ground cumin, crushed red pepper, 10 cups…
Seaside Escape
Who doesn’t want to live by the ocean year-round? I know that has been one of my wishes for many years. That wish came true for my clients in this month’s feature. Nestled just off the ocean in Onset, just a short walk to the water, sits this seaside escape. I’m lucky to share in the fun of this home every 4th of July weekend at their wonderful annual cookout. They even have an outdoor built-in kitchen and bar area so that guests can enjoy the outdoor beauty, volleyball on the beach, or just sitting by the fire pit. Tracey…
Tuscan Chicken
This was meant to be a crock pot, “keto” recipe, but it burned badly in the pot while I was out, so I revised it to be baked in the oven, and it’s yummy! Ingredients: 1 T olive oil 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 c heavy cream 1/3 c chicken broth 3/4 c grated Parmesan cheese 4 6 oz chicken breasts 1 T Italian seasoning sea salt to taste black pepper to taste 1/2 c sun dried tomatoes, chopped 2 c fresh baby spinach Directions: Season the chicken breasts with the Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Place in a lightly…
The Farmhouse Modern Craze
I speak to a lot of clients about the movement in the fashion world today with the Farmhouse/Modern trend. I can’t tell you how many kitchens I design in that same style. Many of these clients ask me, how do I define that style today and how will they know if that is their actual style. In the world of design, my job is to ask the right questions and listen carefully to my clients’ responses to put together exactly what their minds are thinking, because most clients don’t really know what their taste is. Here’s how I define what…
Winter Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Cut Butternut Squash, Beets & Red Onion into equally sized chunks, toss with melted coconut oil, Himalayan salt and fresh black pepper and roast on a sheet pan @ 400 for 30-40 minutes Assemble a big bowl of hearty greens and lettuces of your choice: spinach, kale, radicchio, endive, arugula etc. (NOTE: if using Kale- massage with olive oil first) Add cooked and cooled butternut squash, beets, and onion. Top with fresh broccoli sprouts and chives, pomegranate pips, hemp seeds and goat cheese. Add dressing and toss. Enjoy! Pomegranate Vinaigrette 1/3 cups pomegranate juice. 1/3 cup olive oil 5 teaspoons…
Timeless Traditional
I have a lot of clients that dream about having two islands in their kitchen. When we run across a home that can accommodate them, it’s a great space to create with. This months featured project has the two island design, and we also played a part in most rooms of the home in some way. This home had such an expansive space for the table area that it made sense to add a second island. The main island is a large space for preparing food, no matter how many cooks are in the kitchen. The second island serves as…