Tiffany goes leather.

Known for everything from engagement rings to fine silver trinkets Tiffany has started a handbag line. I've already seen this bag (below, first) in three magazines so far. It's a reversible bag that is $595! Whew.

Cookbook purge.

I decided that I needed more room in my bookcases for new cookbooks this year. So, I went through and picked out cookbooks that I haven't used in at least two years. I found a few that I could do without and hopefully some of my friends will get more use from them! I'm looking forward to new recipes and new books!

Great garage sale find.

I've fallen in love with ceramic garden stools. And you see them everywhere now. They're such a versatile furniture piece that can be used in small spaces as well as large ones- indoors or out. I started my obsession with them while working for Ballard Designs. I got my first white stool which I adore. From then on I've always been on the lookout for them where ever I go. I was lucky to find this one (below) at a garage sale for $10! The seller purchased it while in China on a trip and it's covered with vegetables and fruits with gold accents...A bit busy for my taste but works great as a plant stand outside. I've also found them at discount stores such as Homegoods and Ross. Here are some others that I found online-see below. 

Great find for $10!

$75 at The Smithsonian Store

$129 at Wisteria

$169 at Target

$130 at Z Gallerie

$94.99 at Overstock.com

cool packaging

Love this packaging for Alexa Lixfeld. Very modern.

Inexpensive and so cute!

I've fallen in love with Eos products. I first tried their lip balm and it was the smoothest balm I'd ever tried before. Now they've expanded their line to include this wonderful hand cream. (see left) It contains vitamins C and E, shea butter and oat extract. It's paraben-free, phthalate-free, lanolin- free, dye- free and hypoallergenic. Wonderful for a highly allergic girl like me. Available at Walgreens.

Thanksgiving for the first time...

Yes, I finally hosted Thanksgiving and I think it came off without a hitch! I was thankful for finding recipes that I could make the day before to help me put the entire menu together effortlessly. I'd been watching Food Network and seen chefs stuff turkey breasts. It was something I'd never done before but seemed not too hard. - and it wasn't


Roasted Turkey Roulade with Cranberry and Fig Stuffing (Barefoot Contessa)


Ingredients
3/4 cup large-diced dried figs, stems removed
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup brandy
4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups diced onions
1 cup celery chopped
3/4 pound pork sausage casings removed (sweet and hot mixed)
1 1/2 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary leaves
3 tbsp. pine nuts, toasted
3 cups herb seasoned stuffing mix
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 extra large egg
salt & pepper
1 whole turkey breast, boned and butterflied (about 5 pounds)
3 tbsp. unsalted butter melted


Directions
Place figs and cranberries in small saucepan and pour in brandy and 1/2 c. water. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat and lower heat and simmer for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside
Melt butter and large 12 inch skillet over medium heat. Add in onions and celery and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage, crumbling it into smaller pieces- for 10 minutes until browned. Add fig mixture with liquid, rosemary and pine nuts and cook for about 2 minutes. 
Place stuffing mix in large bowl and add in sausage mixture, chicken stock, egg, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper and stir well. (can be stored over night)
Preheat over to 325 degrees.
Lay turkey breast skin down on a cutting board. Season meat with salt and pepper. Spread stuffing on top of turkey about 1/2 inch thick leaving about 1/2 inch border around all sides.  Place leftover stuffing in baking dish and bake for last 45 minutes of roasting alongside the turkey. Starting at one end, roll turkey like a jelly roll and tuck in any stuffing that tried to escape on the sides. Tie the roast firmly with butcher twine every 2 inches (see video below) until it makes a compact cylinder.

Place stuffed turkey breast on baking rack on sheet pan seam side down. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. roast for 1 3/4-2 hours, until instant thermometer reads 160 degrees.


------


If you're cooking 2 breasts as I did you can double the stuffing mix and cook at same temp and time just make sure the breasts have space between them on same rack or if on two racks you need to rotate them halfway between baking.


I replaced the pork sausage with turkey sausage-- and it was just as good but a lot less fatty.

Practice Round: Chicken 101

This year I'm doing the family Thanksgiving Dinner and there is a little pressure. I have never cooked a whole turkey before so I thought I would practice on a chicken.  I made a roast chicken and I'm proud to say it was moist and scrumptious.
I found the recipe in a Cooking Light cookbook and it was super easy and here's how you do it.

Roasted Chicken with Lemons and Thyme

Ingredients
1- 6 lb. roasting chicken
2 tsp. paprika
2 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped, divided
1 tsp. salt, divided
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper divided
2 lemons

Cooking Spray
1 tsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. all purpose flour
1/2 c. dry white wine
1 c. fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. sugar

preheat oven to 425 degrees

Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken, trim excess fat. Loosen skin from breast and drumsticks.

Combine paprika, 1 tbsp. thyme, 1/2 tsp. salt,and 1/4 tsp. pepper- rub under skin.
Thinly slice one lemon and slip slices under loosened skin. Cut remaining lemon into quarters and put into cavity with remaining tbsp. thyme.

Place chicken on roasting pan coated with cooking spray, brush olive oil over chicken cover with aluminum foil. bake for 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake another 50 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees--meat thermometer goes into thigh of bird (see above picture).

Let chicken rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.

Take pan with left over drippings and place it over a stovetop and heat up with flour and wine.
Whisk so lumps are removed. Mix together with broth, juice, sugar and remaining 3/4 tsp. pepper and 1/2 tsp. salt stirring until thickened and smooth.

8 servings of 3 oz. chicken and 3 tbsp. gravy = 4 weight watcher points.