I’m a romantic at heart, married to a foodie who shares my love of new wave music and different cultures. I'm a sweet mama to twin girls and a silly boy, who light up my life and keep me on my toes! I love brunches and spa days with my besties and jet-setting around the world - my fave travel spots are Paris and Italy! I love making things pretty while keeping it simple, and finding excuses to gather and entertain at home. I love to share inspiration for a beautiful life and support other sweet mamas and bosses struggling to do it all while maintaining their identity and sanity. xoxo Haydee (iDay, like Friday!)
Here are some thoughts around a design scheme based on a citrus theme. The design is for an adjacent living and kitchen area I’m working on. The palette is neutral, with creams and light furniture, accented by yellows and greens — inspired by citrus fruit! There is also a fireplace in the area that would be beautiful whitewashed, as the one shown in the photos.
It’s funny how once you start looking for a certain color palette, it seems to be everywhere. Most of these photos are from Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel, but you can find bright, sunny items just about anywhere these days. I hope this color palette brightens up your day!
I have been working on a new design scheme for my new home office, to better suit my style and personality, so that it becomes more inviting and fun to be in. My inspiration is taken from Domino’s Book of Decorating (shown above). It is very feminine and glamorous, and I love the black and white balanced with the soft blue.
Right now, my office is painted a soft yellow and my desk and filing cabinets are a dark cherry red wood, while my large bookshelf is black. I am going to repaint my desk and cabinet black, to modernize the look, and plan to rearrange the furniture again to open up the room a bit. Once I’ve moved the furniture around I should have plenty of room to create a small seating area, which will also make it more inviting for others. This could also be a small reading corner for me on the days when I just want to relax. Here are some seating ideas I have, from Ikea and Target, respectively. Have not yet decided whether I’ll want two small chairs or one small sofa…
Another item I want to bring is is a large mirror, so I can hang it over my desk when it’s facing the wall, to give the room depth and to give me a bit more peace of mind by still being able to see the door behind me. I like these structured mirrors I found, from Martha Stewart and Mitchell Gold & Bob Williams.Once I’ve made these changes, I will bring in some chic white and acrylic accessories to lighten the room up some more. I’m still looking for a great light fixture as well — preferably a nice pendant or chandelier lamp.
Here is a picture of my office, as it looks now. Hopefully, it won’t be long before you can come back and see how I’ve transformed DRAB into GLAM!
This is one of my favorite chicken dishes when I’m on the road, since it’s so light and simply delicious — so I never feel too guilty eating this late at night! I’ve tried a few versions of this recipe, and this is my favorite–from the queen of Everyday Italian: Giada De Laurentiis. You’ll love making this if you consider yourself a cooking novice, and are looking to make a tasty meal under 30 minutes. Served best over linguini. Happy cooking!
2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper All-purpose flour, for dredging 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 1/2 cup chicken stock 1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.
In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.
Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.
I’m ready. I’ve been baking cupcakes for a while now, and am now ready to take it to the next level. Inspiration: the Food Network’s Barefoot Contessa meets the lovely Martha Stewart. Hey, why not, right?
I would say I started baking cupcakes because they are the easiest (mess-free) way to serve a group without having to deal with the whole ‘cut and serve’ process that comes with a traditional cake. My favorite cupcake (so far) is my coconut cupcake, and I love it so much I needed to see if I could make it better…which I did, when I decided to add pineapples to it –this idea turned out to be a huge hit — and thus was born my first original creation: the pina colada cupcake.
My mantra when it comes to cupcakes is to keep it simple, keep it pretty, and keep it sweet! I am going to start playing with some new flavors now, as well as continue to refine the flavors I’ve made in the past — chocolate ganache, carrot cake, vanilla, and of course coconut! I’m excited to explore new ideas for inspiration, from my newest cook book ‘Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes’. I just got this for my birthday from my oh-so-thoughtful husband.
I hope you enjoy sharing this journey with me, as well as an actual cupcake here and there from my many future batches. I look forward to expanding my collection under Sweet Creations– my new sweets venture.
{happy baking}
xo
~the sweetest mami~
Pina Colada Cupcake Recipe
Ingredients
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk {no buttermilk? no worries! see substitution below}
2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped finely
For the frosting:
1 pound (2 oz bars) cream cheese at room temperature
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
Set aside all ingredients that need to be used at room temperature — butter, eggs, and cream cheese
Sift your ingredients– (1) flour, with baking powder, baking soda, and salt; (2) confectioners’s sugar
Prepare your muffin tin/cupcake pan — line with cupcake liners
Make your own buttermilk, if using substitution [see below]
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.
In 3 parts, alternately add the sifted flour mixture and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 1/2 of the coconut and all of the fresh pineapple.
Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the frosting:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners’ sugar and mix until smooth.
Set aside the remaining 1/2 cup shredded coconut in a shallow bowl. Frost the cupcakes and top with coconut, by ‘dipping’ each cupcake into the bowl of coconut until covered completely. Sprinkle the remaining coconut onto the cupcakes once they’ve been transferred to your serving platter or dish.
Enjoy!
Buttermilk Ingredients:
Milk (just under one cup)
1 Tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice
Preparation:
1. Place a Tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup.
2. Add enough milk to bring the liquid up to the one-cup line.
Once I’ve made these changes, I will bring in some chic white and acrylic accessories to lighten the room up some more. I’m still looking for a great light fixture as well — preferably a nice pendant or chandelier lamp.
{how sweet life is} 