Poblano White Bean Chilli

Happy Friday!!! it was a beautiful fall day here in the midwest... My heart is happy and my spirit feels free... I love this little sunflower doesn't it look like a happy smiling face. It sure puts a smile on my face. I love sunflowers in the fall and daisies in the summer, both are happy little things.
Now for a little fall inspired meal Poblano White Bean Chilli
Recipe courtesy of Vegetarian Times Magazine

3 cups cooked white beans 1 recipe for Rajas
2 cups vegetable broth
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
1 cup fresh cilantro
1 cup corn
1 cup black beans
1 tsp lime juice
1/4 cup low fat milk
3 oz goat cheese
1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds

Rajas recipe :

6 poblano peppers
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
1 tsp dried oregano


Roast and peel poblano peppers on burner of stove top,then peel off charred skins
heat oil in skillet add onion, garlic cook for 5 to 9 min add oregano and poblano strips season with salt and pepper

Bring beans, rajas broth oregano and cumin, bring to a simmer and add corn black beans, cilantro and lime juice cook 15 min. warm milk in sauce pan , add goat cheese and stir until smooth
Serve chilli garnished with goat cheese and pumpkin seeds.

Pour yourself a glass of vino and sip and savor..

Have yourself a HAPPY little evening... Seeing that happy seems to be the the theme today what do you think of this wine glass? I just painted it with chalk board paint, so simple and so HAPPY Hope you have a super weekend... we are tearing windows out this weekend fun fun, the last house project and then every room has been re done. Stay tuned I will be posting the sun room make over, gonna have a warm beachy feel, can't wait until it's done!

Think HAPPY. Be HAPPY.

Photo Friday

So recently my friend and I headed up to the beach to soak up the last bits of the summer sunshine... It was an absolutely picture perfect day, not a cloud in the sky, which mind you is kind of a rare thing here in the midwest. We hit a few of our favorite places for some appetizers, lunch, vino and then some more vino hee hee.We then headed down to the beach to take some photos. You wouldn't know that it is the start of fall by the photos, too bad summer is coming to an end.
I am not quite ready to put away my flip flops... Summer just makes me so happy I hate when it has to go... I absolutely love the feeling of sand between my toes. but for now I will appreciate every last nice day of summer we still have.
So now for a few little recent projects.... Who doesn't love taking something old and giving it new life! I love re working old pieces.
I found this dresser at an amazing antique shop not too far from home called Green Oaks Antiques now I love anything shabby chic and scuffed up. As you can see it was quite the transformation. I absolutely L*O*V*E the way it turned out ! My husband painted it , thanks honey! ,and I just took some sandpaper to it and scuffed up all the edges. So simple and so beachy cottagey.
So for this next little project I just used some chalkboard paint on these wine glasses. How fun are these. You can never have too much chalkboard paint in your life! I just love little craft projects ... just wish there was enough time in the day for all the ideas swirling around in my head! well I am off to enjoy my vino, and a little dark chocolate by the wonderful fire . Oh by the way the crickets and cicadas are still singing, ahhh a little bit of summer still hanging on ! I hope you have a great weekend. I am going to soak up all the sunshine I can!!!


"Summer is coming to an end but it is forever alive in my soul "
S. Spain ~

Photo Friday

TGIF!!! I have to say we have had a pretty nice summer here in the midwest. It's been one of the nicest summers I can remember in a very long time, lots of thunderstorms but we do need a little rain every now and then. So I L*O*V*E the ocean and dream of it daily so I came across this happy little starfish while looking through my vaca pics. And how cute are these little guys they were still alive when I found them which is kind of rare. You usually find these little guys already expired and washed up on the beach. These starfish were actually found at low tide clustered in the oyster beds.Too cute !!!
So it is going to be another hot day here and that makes me HAPPY!
I hope you do something fun and creative this weekend. I am off with some great friends of ours to stay on the boat this weekend. I am so excited to sleep on the boat. I have never slept on a boat but somehow I think it will be calm and soothing. I just love being on the water. I think we are going to have fantastic weather to be up at the beach this weekend!I will check back with you later and tell you all about our weekend at the BEACH.

CIAO ~
But before I go here is a little recipe I found in the July issue of Southern Living Magazine.

In Season : BLUEBERRIES

Blueberry Salsa

You can't get a much simpler summer salsa....

Toss together 2 cups chopped fresh blueberries
1 cup whole blueberries
1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice
3 tbs chopped cilantro
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 seeded and minced jalapeno
1/3 cup diced red peppers
pinch of sea salt

Chill and serve with blue corn chips or toasted pita chips

Enjoy Summer's bounty.

"Soak up the sun, and have some fun, Summer really is the happiest season"

Photo Friday

Happy Friday everyone!!! yippee I am so ready for the weekend, looks like it is going to be a gorgeous night tonight. Looking forward to date night with the hubby... It's been a long week and I am ready for some yummy vino! So I have been wanting to make stuffed portabella mushrooms and finally got around to it the other night. This is so easy it is ridiculous!



portabella mushroom with pesto & goat cheese

clean the gills from one large mushroom drizzle a little e.v.o.o on the bottom of the mushroom , fill the inside with pesto, artichokes, sun dried tomatoes,goat cheese, pine nuts and top with fresh chopped basil. this was AWESOME!!!! bake the mushroom at 375 for about 30 min or until goat cheese starts to melt.

Pour yourself a little summer white wine and enjoy~

Doesn't Mr. Seagull look happy as can be ???? I know I have said it a million times but I L.O.V.E the ocean I wish I was there now...

I hope you have a super weekend I am off for cocktails on the Urban Patio with my hubby !!!

"You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces- just good food from fresh ingredients" Julia Child

Photo Friday

Happy friday fellow bloggers! well it's raining again in the midwest. Can we just catch a little break and get a little sunshine??? is that too much to ask. So the rain has chased me back in the house darn rain. I was happily sitting out on my deck enjoying a little vino and then here came the rain again. We have had a really cold and rainy spring. So I decided for my photo friday I would post a pic of my favorite place Charleston South Carolina. This pic is what they call rainbow row otherwise known as the painted ladies. I absolutely love this part of town. I am always in sheer bliss when I am walking around this neighborhood, I can wander around for hours and just get lost in all the beauty that surrounds me. Walking through these neighborhoods is like walking through pages of coastal living or southern living. So BEAUTIFUL!Two more weeks and I head on down to Charleston for vaca WOO HOO!!! So I leave you with my fresh friday recipe...
Grilled veggie pizza with goat cheese and pine nuts. Yumo-o !

All I did was buy a pre-made wheat pizza crust,I usually make my own dough but sometimes you just want something quick and easy but still healthy. I just threw the dough on a pre-heated pizza stone on the grill. I topped the pizza with pesto, baby bella mushrooms, asparagus, artichokes,goat cheese and pine nuts, and fresh basil from my garden.Of course I had to have a little white wine with my pizza. Well I think the rain has stopped Yippee. I am off to try and start a little fire. Have a wonderful weekend.
S~

"Be inspired to be creative"

Photo Friday

Happy Friday everyone!!! Looks like it is going to be a rainy weekend. I had high hopes of working in the pond and yard, darn rain. Maybe we will catch a break and be able to get outside. So as you know I love photography and I am just a regular girl who loves to be outdoors, especially at the beach. So I am constantly trying to see the world from different angles. I love photography that is slightly off center not perfect. I think you have to think outside the box when taking pictures. I think there is always a photo opp where ever you may be. Sometimes you have to get down to ground level or look up. I think we get so focused on taking photos head on that we miss out on some really interesting things.It really is amazing what is going on all around us, you just have to be willing to see things from a different perspective or angle. So I leave you with my friday photo. This pic was taken on the beach at the Isle of Palms in South Carolina.
Enjoy ~

"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, Drink wild air"