S+S chow: valentine's menu

For those of you opting to avoid the insane crowds and prices this Valentine's Day, we have taken the liberty of preparing a succulent menu for you and your honey. Sometimes it is so much more satisfying staying in and enjoying the company of your loved one.

{martha}

Here is the menu for our Valentines dinner:

Starter:

Chopped Salad with Homemade Parmesan Peppercorn Dressing

Dressing

·  1 cup mayonnaise

·  1 cup sour cream

·  1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

·  1/4 cup milk

·  3 tablespoons lemon juice

·  1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper

·  1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

·  1/2 teaspoon onion powder

In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Salad:

·  1/2 head romaine lettuce, chopped into 1/8 inch wide strips

·  2 cups tomatoes, diced

·  1 cup Cheddar shredded cheese

·  1 cup red onion, diced

·  1/2 cup mushrooms, diced

·  1/2 cup green peppers, diced

·  1/2 cup cucumber

·  1/2 cup sunflower seeds

Toss all salad ingredients together and add mix the Parmesan Peppercorn dressing in.

Main Course:

Filet Mignon with Herb and Cheese Potatoes

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/3 cup finely grated cotija cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 2 russet potatoes, about 9 ounces each, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices and again into 1/8-inch-wide strips, set aside in a bowl of cold water
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stir together butter, 1 tablespoon cilantro, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic in a small bowl. Cover; refrigerate until ready to use. Stir together remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro and 1/2 teaspoon garlic, the cheese, and cayenne in a medium bowl; set aside.
2. Brush a rimmed baking sheet with the olive oil; set aside. Drain potatoes; pat dry. Add to bowl with cheese mixture; toss to coat. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes; turn potatoes, and cook until golden, about 20 minutes more.
3. Meanwhile, season both sides of beef with salt and pepper.Heat a medium skillet over high heat. Brush both sides of beef with vegetable oil; place in skillet. Reduce heat to medium-high. Cook beef 7 minutes; turn, and cook until medium rare, 7 to 8 minutes more. Top each with cilantro butter; serve with potatoes.

Dessert:

Ghirardelli Chocolate Lava Cake {This recipe makes 6 servings}

·  1 1/2 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar

·  2 eggs

·  1/4 cup(s) heavy cream

·  8 tablespoon(s) (1 stick) unsalted butter

·  2 egg yolks

·  1/3 cup(s) sugar

·  1/2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

·  1/4 cup(s) cake flour

To make centers, melt 2 ounces of chocolate (1/2 a baking bar) and cream in double boiler.

Whisk gently to blend. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm. Form into 6 balls; refrigerate until needed.

To make cake, heat oven to 400°F. Spray six 4-ounce ramekins or custard cups with cooking spray. Melt 4 ounces of chocolate (1 baking bar) and butter in double boiler; whisk gently to blend. With an electric mixer, whisk eggs, yolks, sugar, and vanilla on high speed about 5 minutes or until thick and light. Fold melted chocolate mixture and flour into egg mixture just until combined. Spoon cake batter into ramekins. Place a chocolate ball in the middle of each ramekin.

Bake about 15 minutes or until cake is firm to the touch. Let it sit out of the oven for about 5 minutes. Run a small, sharp knife around inside of each ramekin, place a plate on top, invert and remove ramekin. Garnish with raspberries and a dollop of whipped cream.

Look for Less: High Gloss Magazine

If you are like us, you are drooling over the new High Gloss Magazine. The imagery and design ideas are absolutely to die for. I think we have found a magazine that might help take the place of the sorely missed, Domino Magazine. The front page alone has so many amazing features that leaves us wanting to recreate the look. For less of course!

{high gloss}

The opulent features and luxe textures are just too much to handle! Here is our take on this look:

An ultra glam lamp

{overstock}

A great console table. For a different look, change out the knobs for some knocks

{world market}

Gotta have the foo dogs

{ebay}

A statement bowl

{z gallerie}

Bucket for Champagne. To class this up, add a bottle of Cook's Champagne. Hey, on the look for less, we have to cut costs wherever applicable.

{amazon}

A silver tray

{pier 1}

so much love.

Back in November I had the privilege of assisting one of my dearest friends, whose name is coincidentally, Lindsey {I am a firm believer that people with the same name carry similarities!}, with a wedding in Austin, Texas. Lindsey is an incredible event planner and runs Lilleypad Events- if anyone in Texas is looking for a coordinator, she's your girl!

Anyways, the wedding she put together, and I was so lucky to assist with, was featured today on Style Me Pretty!! The entire event could not have been more lovely! What a joy it was to be a part of! Check out the feature here and enjoy a few of the marvelous images captured by Nessa K below!

  

Nothing's sweeter than sweet tea in a mason jar.

Congratulations to the beautiful couple, Michelle and Dru, and to Lindsey for the feature! Thanks again for letting me be a part of the process!

S+S DIY: l.o.v.e. setting

Glam. That was our word of the day as we put together this valentine's tablescape. We knew we wanted something glam. And lush. And inexpensive. We started with the tablecloth {actually a window panel we found on sale at Pier 1} and started adding things we had laying around the house; the gold votives and chargers, the silver tray, crystal vases bar glasses, china, glassware and silverware of course. At first we thought red, didn't love it. So we added the raspberry napkins {world market, our fave for the colors and price} they were perfect.

Next, we added the flowers. Lush. We snagged the gold berry sprays out of a leftover Christmas decor box, cut them up and placed them on the napkins and in the flower arrangements. Everything was coming together, yet something was still missing. We needed a runner, we tried moss. Looked like a golf course, not glam. 

We set out for the perfect runner and found nothing, nada, zilch. And then while perusing through the accessory aisle at tj-maxx {in true Lindsay form} it came to us.. A scarf; a scarf could add the perfect amount of texture and color. I had the perfect one at home just waiting to make an appearance. It was just what we needed... l.o.v.e. Now I can't wait to make the perfect valentine's dinner to serve on it {the valentine's menu will be posted on S+S chow this week}

We had so much fun getting creative and piecing together this stunning setting. You would be surprised at the things you have laying around the house if you just take a look! Give it a try, see what you can find! And let us know what you come up with! We'd love to know!

Monday Musings: Valentine's Tablescapes

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend. Like ours, it was most likely ended with a Super Bowl party. While the guys have football on the brain at the beginning of February, gals generally are thinking about Valentine's Day. Although it is an overly frilly, girlie, Hallmark holiday...we still swoon over the popping colors. 

We have picked several inspirational tablescapes for you and your love on the big day, or perhaps you are hosting a party for Valentine's Day. Either way, these ideas are all scalable.

Without further adieu...

{high gloss mag}

{casa sugar}

{rue magazine}

{nonpareil mag}

{colin cowie}

{pepper design}

Tomorrow we will be sharing our Valentine's Day tablescape. Also to come this week...a DIY and a Valentine's Day menu. Enjoy your Monday readers. Here is to hoping for 5:00. 

S+S chow: bacon blue cheese dip

In honor of super bowl sunday we wanted to post a fab appetizer. This would be a delicious addition to a super bowl spread! Trust us. It's goooood, real good. Pardon the picture, the boys had already begun to devour. Another great option for Sunday would be some stuffed peppers, we will be having some at our own shindig. I'm ready for the game already!
 
Ingredients:

• 7  bacon slices, chopped
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 2  (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/3  cup  half-and-half
• 4  ounces  crumbled blue cheese
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh chives
• 3  tablespoons  chopped walnuts, toasted
• Grape clusters
• Flatbread or assorted crackers

Cook chopped bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat 10 minutes or until crisp. Drain bacon, and set aside. Add minced garlic to skillet, and sauté 1 minute.

Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add half-and-half, beating until combined. Stir in bacon, garlic, blue cheese, and chives. Spoon mixture evenly into 4 (1-cup) individual baking dishes.

Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Sprinkle evenly with chopped walnuts, and serve with grape clusters and flatbread or assorted crackers

{myrecipes.com}



birthday celebration

Lindsay {Stella and Billie's mom} threw me the most wonderful 25th birthday bash this past weekend! Everything about it was practically perfect in every way. No detail was left unoticed, from decorating with my favorite colors, serving my favorite foods {southern, complete with a mashed potato bar!}, playing my favorite games and our closest friends present. I couldn't have been more thankful! The table settings were gorgeous. I can't get enough of that elephant teapot!

Most delicious strawberry pie in the history of strawberry pies.

Birthday cupcakes.

The Lindsays.

oatmeal cookie cocktails.

the handsome bartender, aka, my hubby.

It was a fabulous celebration! Thank you Lindsay! 

*Be on the look out for a bacon blue cheese dip recipe that was served at the party! So yummy- and a perfect dish for the superbowl!

Monday Musings: Industrial Chic Tables...and the new addition to the S+S family

Good morning S+S readers! We hope that you had an amazing weekend! We sure did. This weekend was Sadie's Mom's 25th Birthday! The big 2-5. We also have a new addition to the S+S family. Meet Billie!

Billie is Stella's little sister. She has already shown signs of being a natural for interior design. Her favorite room is Mama's craft room!

We are thinking about industrial tables today. It seems lately, they have been everywhere! Whether it function as a kitchen table, a craft table, side tables or an entryway table...we think the look is fantastic! Add some traditional accessories such as fluffy peonies in a vase or something girlie and the look is complete.

{the urban farmhouse}

{elle decor}

Get the look...at Ikea for a fraction of the cost!

{ikea}

{cote de texas}

Get the funky accent table look

{overtstock}

{casa sugar}

Nobody does industrial chic like Restoration Hardware...

{restoration hardware}

Get the look for less

{overstock}

Party pictures to come this week. Have a great Monday!

S+S chow: french toast

{image via martha}

In this house we are BIG fans of breakfast. On a lazy Saturday morning one of our favorite things to do is make a yummy meal together. My mom's delicious french toast recipe is a go-to, served with maple syrup, bacon and a fresh fruit salad. perfection.

Ingredients:

Thick slices of sourdough, challah or crusty french bread
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk or cream
1/4 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla

Mix eggs, milk, orange juice, vanilla and cinnamon together. Set aside.

Over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. 

Dip both sides of bread slices into egg mixture and place in skillet. Cook, until golden brown on each side. Transfer to cookie sheet and bake in a 375F oven for 5 minutes. serve warm and enjoy!

Monday Musings: Pops of Blue

Happy Monday! We hope you all had an amazingly restful and exciting weekend. We are feeling blue today...and it isn't a bad thing. We love the eccentricity of shades of blue and the impact they have on a room. Whether the entire room is done in the blue hues or the room has just one dramatic element of blue, we are loving it.

These couches = insane

{nip tuck set}

Lacquer walls...wow! Also, we need this chair.

{house of design and style}

Love the matching of the bedside lamps and the adorable stools at the foot of the bed.

{domino}

{decor pad}

{decor pad}

Unique Chandelier.

{apartment therapy}

{decor pad}

Gotta love an Ikat

{domino}

We hope you all have a great start to the week. Lots on the horizon for us!