Sunday, April 29, 2012

Creamy Leek Gratin

A few weeks ago I tried a new recipe, Creamy Leek Gratin.  This was my first time cooking with leeks and it came out delicious! If you haven't tried leeks before, their flavor tastes like a mixture of onion and garlic. This is a must try!

Photo Credit: Real Simple
Ingredients:
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk (I used skim)
 salt and pepper
1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
3 slices sandwich bread, torn into small pieces
3 tbsp olive oil
6 leeks (about 3 lbs)- white and light green parts only. Halved lengthwise and rood ends left intact.

Method:
1.  Heat oven to 375F.  melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Sprinkle with flour and cook, whisking, for 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in the milk, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper and bring to boil.  Remove from heat and stir in the Cheddar until melted.

2. In a small bowl, combine the bread pieces, oil, and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper.

3.  Place the leeks in a single layer in the bottom of a baking dish.  Cover with the milk mixture and sprinkle with the breath mixture.  Cover the dish with foil and bake until the leeks are tender and the filling in bubbling, 25-30 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake until the top is golden brown, 8-10 minutes more.

Enjoy!

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Wine Bottle Centerpiece

This weather is gorgeous! Today I'm going to share a summery wine bottle center piece I created last week.  You may remember this past blog post about cutting wine glasses.
Photo credit: David Santiago Caicedo
Photo credit: David Santiago Caicedo
I love the way the candles glow through the bottles!
Photo credit: David Santiago Caicedo
Check out David's beautiful bone china décor here: Rocks&Mountains
Have a great week!

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Under the sink organizing tip

Hi! I'm stopping by to share an organizing tip for under the sink.  This idea comes from Real Simple (my favorite magazine!)  

I bought this tabletop organizer from Target.
It's the perfect size to fit your detergent, cleaning bottles, sponges, etc etc! I feel so much better when my place is organized!

Thanks for stopping by,

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Yarn Wrapped Vases

Hello!! It has been a while! Now that I am working full time, I haven't been able to post as frequently.  I'm happy to share a quick Yarn Wrapped Vase project that I completed today.  (It took less than an hour...all while watching Ellen!)  My inspiration came from here.

What you'll need:
glass bottles (I used a teriyaki bottle and a balsamic vinaigrette bottle)
colored yarn
hot glue




 Method:
Simply wrap the yarn around the bottle.  (I started from top to bottom.)  Use a dot of hot glue to secure the yarn when you find the yarn begins to slip.

 
I put these vases in my bathroom to give it a touch of Spring.
Have a great week everyone!