Printable Valentine Card

We put a free Valentine's card download on the Rufflewood blog today. Head on over for a bit of cuteness just-in-time for the 14th! 

Pinterest Favorites

Ahh...Pinterest makes me dream about beautiful spaces. Here are a few light and airy favorites that make me excited for spring.

Design Within Reach | Better Homes & Gardens

Pinterest | Blondiensc

Small Rooms Tumblr

Urban Outfitters | Caitlin Creer

Music Monday

Happy Monday! 

If you like "whisper rock", then you might just enjoy some tunes by one of my favorite musical artists, Joshua Radin. You can listen to his music on his website or create a Pandora station. Give him a listen!

Condiments

I had a veggie burger for lunch today and was reminded why I love condiments so much. They turn plain into tasty. Let's just say the veggie burger would have been pretty dry and bland were it not for the ketchup, lettuce, tomatoes, jalapenos and pepperoncini I piled inside it. I've always been a big fan of the goodies that make sandwiches taste better.... I take after my dad on that one. His sandwiches were always a work of art. I thought I'd compile a list of some of my favorite sandwich additions. Obviously these shouldn't all be added to the same lunch, but whatever works.

1 ~ 2 ~ 3 ~ 4 ~ 5 ~ 6 ~ 7

Magazines

Who doesn't love thumbing through a beautiful magazine to find inspiration, knowledge and a bit of entertainment? It's got to be one of my favorite lazy day activities and Martha Stewart Living is one of my favorite magazines to peruse. I bought my first copy of Martha Stewart Living in January of my senior year in high school and that summer I hosted my first summer garden party thanks to the inspiration I found in those beautifully designed pages.

In college I would get so excited each month when I found a new issue in my mailbox. I actually disciplined (tortured) myself by waiting until the homework was done before I allowed myself to peek inside. Alright, maybe I'd allow myself a little sneak preview, but no more than a few page flips. Poring through the photos and reading pretty much every single line was my sweet reward. Those were the days. I think I might just revisit a few of those past issues (yes, I still have quite a collection) and start thinking about hosting another garden party...

Simple Asian Flavors

Yummy. I completely love the flavors of Asia and my husband completely loves soup. The other night we were craving an Asian noodle soup and I ended up putting something together that we both thoroughly enjoyed. In fact, I made it again tonight and thought I should write down how I made it so I could share. I hope you find it as easy and as tasty as we did!

Asian Noodle Soup

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

1 lb Ground Chicken

2 T Chopped Garlic

6 cups Chicken Stock

2 T Rice Vinegar

3 T Soy Sauce

1 t Fresh Ginger, grated

3 t Cilantro

1 t Chili Garlic Sauce

2 T Fish Sauce

1 package Maifun Rice Stick Noodles (6 oz or so)

1 Green Onion, sliced

1 Lime (optional)

Make

In a large soup pot, brown the ground chicken with the chopped garlic on medium high heat. When chicken is cooked through, add the remaining ingredients in no particular order. I do recommend, however, that you follow the directions on the rice stick noodle package before adding them to the soup. My package instructed me to soak the noodles in cold water for 10 minutes before using. I soaked them and then added them to the pot to boil until soft.

Divide into bowls and if desired, squeeze lime juice over soup before serving. Enjoy!

A Blog Favorite

My fun little past time, Rufflewood, has a new blog design! Pop on over to view: Rufflewood Blog. It's certainly a favorite!

 

Neighborhood Charm

My husband and I love taking walks in our neighborhood and exclaiming over the charming homes. We've enjoyed quite a few walks lately because the weather has been so beautiful! I took my camera with me on one of our recent ventures and thought I'd share some of the quaintness we found as we went from street to street. Enjoy!