Friday, April 30, 2010

Rosemary Gone Wild And A Recipe, Too!


Today I pruned my rosemary bush because as you can see, it had gone wild.  I must add that this is the picture after I pruned it!  


 I planted some mint because I just love to make mint iced tea.  


 I also planted some basil which I use quite often for a tomato, onion and basil omlet,  and bruschetta, I must add!


 I haven't gotten thyme yet but that will be my next purchase.  I had some but the rosemary had so taken over my little herb garden that it wasn't doing well.  I weeded the herb bed so that came up too.


I would like to leave you with a great recipe for Oven Lemon Rosemary Salmon. I use it quite frequently because fish is so healthy for you.  Adding the herbs and lemon to the salmon really helps to cut down on the fishiness of the fish.  I have also used the herb topping on chicken and it is just as good if you don't care for seafood.  Try it!

Oven Lemon Rosemary Salmon

1 lb of salmon
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper
2 cloves of garlic
2 tsp of fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
capers(optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the fish into 4 equal portions.  Combine olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary in a bowl.  Brush the mixture onto the fish. 

Place on a greased baking sheet that has sides to it.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until the fish can be flaked with a fork.  To serve, top the fish with capers which is optional. 

Serves 4.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Mother's Day Sale


Hey fellow bloggers!  I just wanted you to know that I am having a 10% off sale and free shipping on my Etsy jewelry shop.  I would love for you to find something for someone special and that might be YOU!  Once you order, I will refund you the 10% off and the shipping.  I think that ordering from small businesses will really help to boost our economy!  And it adds a special touch to order something handmade!  Also, I love custom orders and I can change my pieces if there is something you see that needs changing. Please let me know how I can help you.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Ooey Gooey Butter Cake


Yumm-o!  Have you all heard of this Ooey Gooey Butter Cake?  It is fabulous!  You can do so many things with a 1 dollar box of cake mix and this one is my favorite!  I wanted to share this recipe because it is one of my children's favorites.  Also, this is a quick recipe to have on hand if you have some quick unannounced show-ups at your house!  Whoops! Oh and I almost forgot that you can add coconut and pecans, you can add peanut butter chips or even chocolate chips to this recipe!  I would love to hear from you if you try it!  I hope you enjoy!

1 hour | 20 min prep
SERVES 12
  • 1 (18 ounce) package yellow cake mix
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1 (16 ounce) box powdered sugar
  1. Mix cake mix, melted butter and one egg.
  2. Pat into 13x9 inch pan.
  3. In a separate bowl beat cheese until fluffy.
  4. Add 2 remaining eggs to cheese and mix well.
  5. Add powdered sugar and beat until lumps are gone.
  6. Pour this mixture over cake in pan.
  7. bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes or until topping is golden.  (I usually cook it for 45 minutes)
  8. Allow to cool somewhat to set topping (slides off when warm).

Saturday, April 24, 2010

New to Blogland

I don't have any pictures to show you or much that is interesting to say!  

But, I just wanted to share since I started blogging how I have come in contact with some really awesome ladies!  

I am so blessed to get to know these new women. 

I just want to encourage each of you to step out beyond your busy lives to blog, it has been an amazing experience.  

I am so thankful to Tara Lowry for introducing me to this new area of my life. 

I have been so encouraged by what I read from some amazing women online!  

Thanks, friends!

Monday, April 19, 2010

And The Winner Is...

I am so excited to announce the winner of my giveaway:

Crushluv
Please contact me by email and send me your name and address.  I am honored that you all participated in my giveaway.  I want you all to be winners so I am offering 10% off if you are interested in purchasing from My Etsy Shop: Designs by Tahra.  All you have to do is go to my shop and purchase something, list in "notes to seller" Giveaway and I will reimburse you 10% through Paypal.  It's that simple!  I went to randomgenerator.org to help me choose the winner.   I hope you all have a great day!  I will be listing some new pretties today so watch for those!
xoxo,


Saturday, April 17, 2010

Toasted Cinnamon and Sugar Pecans

If you are interested in the Giveaway, please press here.

This evening our family ventured out to the Avalon Spring Festival that was put on by our neighborhood. We walked around and visited many tents with creative things to sell. There were a great deal of jewelry booths, but none like mine, yeah!

I also tasted some garlic grapeseed oil made by Wildtree which is fabulous on italian bread with a few herbs sprinkled on top. I had never heard of Wildtree before today. I suspect they are a company similar to Pampered Chef selling cullinary oils and spices.

But my most yummy find was the cinnamon and sugar toasted pecans. I am sure most of you have tasted these amazing, delicious pecans or they also had almonds. So, I decided when I got home, how hard could this be? I took 4 tablespoons of butter and melted it on low. Then I added about a half a cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and cooked them together stirring frequently for about 3 minutes on low. Then I tossed in about 2-3 cups of pecans which I like better than almonds. I guess that's 'cause I am a real southern girl! I cooked them for another 2-3 minutes on low until I started to notice a carmelization occuring and a toasty smell. Please be careful not to over cook because they may burn. The pecans were very hot so I poured them out on some wax paper to cool and then broke them up and ate them right out of the pan lined with paper. These were fantastic!

My husband had set out the Breyer's All Natural Chocolate icecream to soften. He likes his particularly soft. I made him a bowl and decided that these toasted cinnamon and sugar pecans would be so yummy delish on top of the chocolate icecream. And guess what, they were! This was an amazing find! My husband loved it and my kids raved about how yummy the pecan snack was!

So, I would just love it if you all would try this and let me know how this turns out for you. I thought I would add a picture of my yummy concoction. Hope you belly turns flips! Enjoy!


Friday, April 16, 2010

My Very First Giveaway

Well, lately I have been entering a fair amount of giveaways to win and then donating my jewelry to a number of giveaways for some of my favorite blogs.
So, I finally decided that it is my turn to do a giveaway and to connect with some new friends. I was telling one of my customers the other day how I loved connecting with her, learning about her life and sharing with her. I learned some really neat stuff about her. My goal here is to get to know more people and to share with them what I have learned in my life travels. So here goes! If you would like to win this beautiful pair of mystic quartz, pearl and oxidized earrings, you need to:




  • Leave a comment saying you became a follower for one entry
  • Leave a comment on your favorite piece of jewelry from My Etsy shop for another entry
  • Leave a comment saying that you became a facebook fan of Designs By Tahra for another entry
  • Leave a comment saying that you twittered about my giveaway for another entry
  • Leave a comment saying that you posted my giveaway to your blog for another entry
  • Leave a comment saying that you posted my giveaway to your facebook for another entry
Now girls, here is a sure fire way to get what you want! Get movin', get bloggin', get twitterin', get commentin' and you are sure to win this pair of earrings! I am excited about my first giveaway. I can't wait to mail this gorgeous pair of gems to the lucky winner. I will close the contest on Sunday at Midnight. The winner will be posted on Monday April 19th in the morning. Thanks ahead for participating and please TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS!

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Chicken Cobbler

Last night I tried one of my favorite chef's recipes. Her name is "Paula Deen". She is such an amazing woman for raising her children on her own and supporting herself with her own food business while incorporating her boys in her efforts. I just think that entrepreneurship is wonderful especially when sharing it with your children. That is what I am trying to do with my jewelry business. She has a new book out called Paula Deen's Savannah Style. It looks amazing! I just love Savannah, Georgia. It is such a beautiful place with amazing architecture and great places to shop and eat. Below is an amazing recipe that turned out fabulous. My family just gobbled this casserole up! I mean gobbled! You have to try this recipe. This was featured in Paula Deen's Magazine for the Jan/Feb issue. Enjoy!





Chicken Cobbler

From Cooking with Paula Deen, Jan/Feb 2010

Ingredients
  1. 1⁄2 cup butter, divided
  2. 1 cup chopped celery
  3. 1 cup chopped carrots
  4. 1 cup chopped onion
  5. 1 (8-ounce) package sliced fresh mushrooms
  6. 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
  7. 2⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
  8. 4 cups reserved chicken broth
  9. 1⁄2 cup heavy whipping cream
  10. 4 cups reserved chopped cooked chicken
  11. 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
  12. 11⁄2 teaspoons salt
  13. 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  14. 2 (7.5-ounce) bags complete buttermilk biscuit mix (Bisquick)
  15. 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  16. 1 cup whole milk
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400˚. Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a large skillet, melt 1⁄4 cup butter over medium-high heat. Add celery, carrots, onion, and mushrooms; cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Stir in peas. Set aside.
  3. In a large Dutch oven, melt remaining 1⁄4 cup butter over medium heat. Add flour, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, and cream, whisking until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until mixture is thickened. Add reserved chicken, celery mixture, thyme, salt, and pepper. Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish.
  4. In a medium bowl, combine biscuit mix, cheese, and milk, stirring just until combined. Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto cobbler. Bake for 18 to 23 minutes, or until biscuits are golden brown and cobbler is hot and bubbly. Serve immediately.
Makes 8 - 10 servings

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Featuring Janey Mac Wall Art

Today I would like to talk about an amazing shop on Etsy. I came across this Vinyl Wall Art shop called Janey Mac Press and wanted to share some of the beautiful decals that she has. Don't forget to bookmark her shop!

Right now, she is in the midst of moving her office and so she is offering a free bird decal for orders placed from April 8th-23rd. You can still place orders if you are interested. I thought I would show you some of my favorites! Here is an example of Scroll Art that she has used as a headboard. It is hard to see but this really is a bed. This can be art behind a couch or to make a statement in your bedroom as a headboard. So creative!



Take a look at this Damask Wall Pack. It has (6) 11 inch and (12) 5 inch decals. It comes in the color of your choice but don't you just love the white on black! Wow! Amazing!



This next decal is a Wrought Iron Oval Family Monogram. Wouldn't you love to have this at the entrance of your home? Can you imagine your family name in that oval?



I would love to have this laundry decal in my laundry room. Think about how it would jazz up your laundry room. My laundry room could sure use a makeover!



How about this amazing Bath decal with a scroll design. She has 35 colors to choose from. Each decal is made from high-quality self adhesive, and waterproof vinyl.



How amazing is this Block with Cherry Blossoms and A Bird? I just love her designs. I think Janey Mac Press Designs are just fabulous and are set apart from a lot of others on Etsy. I hope you will visit her shop and let her know that Tahra West sent you! Can't you see one of these in your home? How can you resist? I also want to mention that orders over 150 dollars will get 10% off. Her designs are so affordable. I love that about her shop!





Saturday, April 10, 2010

Another Giveaway-Gorgeous Goblets



I just love the fun giveaways, don't you? I love to post them because I want my readers to have a part in entering to win "great things". Rie at Home and Harmony is having her very first giveaway! She is so cute, she says she's so excited! She is giving away a gorgeous set of drinking glasses. They scream spring with an adorable little bee embossed on the glass. You have to enter to win these precious glasses and while you are commenting on her giveaway, check out her site and become a follower. She is just precious!

Monday, April 5, 2010

Giveaway Day with "GUSSY"



Today is Giveaway Day with Gussy! She is going to have a giveaway which started at 6am today (Monday) and ends Tuesday at Midnight. All winners will be announced late-morning on Wednesday. All you have to do is leave a comment for each one of the giveaways and then you are entered for a chance to win! How's that for free! Don't miss out on this opportunity! Hope you win!