Saturday, February 18, 2012

This Week's Blog Post

Smoky Quartz Necklace
I love these assembled magnesite beads that are red, brown and grey in color.

I paired them with large 14mm smoky quartz beads to make them pop! This is available at Miss Val’s Creations.

Making Love in the Kitchen
Our favorite Saturday night consists of making love in the kitchen….not literally, but figuratively. Get your mind out of the gutter! Jim came up with this term since we really enjoy cooking together, sharing ideas and accommodating each other’s food likes and dislikes. Of course we do this with the red wine flowing for added fun. It also gives us plenty of time to chat and laugh with each other.

We experimented with Quinoa last weekend by making stuffed peppers and tomato. Mmmm! We sautéed finely diced mushrooms in olive oil and tomato sauce along with grated parmesan. We added some heat to this with curry and chili powder until will were both satisfied with the flavor. The quinoa was cooking while this was going on. Once that was ready we mixed it all together to create a delicious stuffing.

We sliced a red bell pepper lengthwise and hollowed out a massive tomato I scored at the grocery store to accommodate the stuffing. Then we baked this around 350 or so. It took a while to cook. Towards the end we added fresh mozzarella.

Neither of us had experience with quinoa. What a great food! This South American grain is very high in protein, amino acids, fiber, magnesium, iron and more. It can take place of rice for a much healthier alternative. It can be added to soups, salads, stir fries and can even be eaten as a cereal. So we will continue to experiment with this goody in the kitchen.

Grammys Fashion
Here are a few of my favorite gowns from the Grammys. Taylor Swift looks gorgeous in Zuhair Murad. I would have appreciated it more without the train which is distracting, but the gown is stunning regardless.

Rihanna totally rocked Giorgio Armani!

This Alberta Ferretti gown on Kelly Rowland is perfection....my favorite from the evening! I love how it is accented with the bold ring and large earrings.


Stress
It has been a very long time since I have had a cold or any other health ailment and I just read this interesting article that stress can help ward off colds and the flu! I thought it had something to do with drinking a little antioxidant rich red wine each night but maybe it has to do with stress. The wine routine is here to stay though!!!

I basically work 2 jobs so I guess this positive stress and adrenaline is doing me some good!!! Stress also helps prevent tumors (sounds good to me), enhances memory and more! Of course the article does mention that if the stress is prolonged it is not a good thing so maybe the stress needs to be monitored!

Owl Love

I came across these sweet owls on Pinterest. A belated Valentine’s Day photo! Follow Me on Pinterest.

Thank you for stopping by and have a wonderful week! ~Val

16 comments:

  1. Oh Dear! The fruits of your LOVE (in the kitchen ;)) look tempting!
    I really enjoy reading your weekly reports :)

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  2. Very cute bracelet, yummie-looking food, sweet animal pic and some nice outfits - all in one great post! :)

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  3. Hi lovely, nice post!!!
    Adorable bracelet and delicious food!!
    Have a wonderful weekend!

    Besos, desde España, Marcela♥

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  4. YUM! The stuffed peppers and tomato look awesome!
    And Rihanna looks amazing...can't go wrong with a Little Black Dress :)
    I shouldn't ever get sick again if stress and wine keep you healthy :) I'm with you on the daily dose of both :)

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  5. Those stuffed peppers look delicious! How fun that you enjoy cooking together. I love quinoa too.
    Thanks for your lovely comments on my blog.

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  6. Color combo in your bracelet is pretty and would look great on your wrist in the kitchen in a dress like Rhianna's over that meal you and Jim made together. Your owl photo pick is sweet. Love how this all comes together.

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  7. Yet another gorgeous piece of jewelry, I love those beads! And yum, yum... we eat tons of quinoa in my home and I think it is delicious!! I love the taste and I love the texture. Your stuffing sounds like it was super tasty and super healthy to boot! I had to laugh about the stess thing, when I put myself under the slightest amount of it, I feel like garbage!! It just goes to show that we're each unique and what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. Definitely a good thing to keep in mind. And those owls are adorable! :)

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  8. Your stuffed veggies look AMAZING! I have a few tomatoes I was trying to use before they go bad. I might have to stuff.

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  9. Oh my those peppers look amazingly yummy! I love the "love" comment - too fun indeed! Glad the 'stress' thing is working in your favor! I do the red wine most nights, too - seems to work as well :)

    Love the owls -thanks for sharing that - it's so sweet.

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  10. Hi Val,

    Love your new necklace and I agree, the colors in the beads are perfect.

    No love going on in our kitchen...LOL Neither Chris nor I like to cook. He does most of it and I have a small selection of dishes I make on nights when he is too busy to cook. We try to work it out in advance. You and Jim amaze me we your creative juices in the kitchen.

    Have a good week.

    Ruth

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  11. Your peppers and tomatoes look yummy, and making love in the kitchen is a great saying. The owl photo is so sweet, I love all the amazing things you can find on Pinterest. As usual you necklace is very pretty and a nice combination of colors.
    Valerie
    Everyday Inspired

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  12. You always choose such wonderful bead combinations Val! This is a beauty.

    Those peppers look so good. I really like quinoa, so this is definitely going to be on my to-do list. Looks too good to be healthy! :-)

    You have a wonderful week my friend!

    lisa. xo

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  13. Wonderful photos. I love your necklage and your kitchen stuff. Rhianna is blond now ? Wow. Kind regards, Synnöve

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  14. Hi Val,
    Beautiful color harmony in that necklace!
    My husband and I like to cook together, too! Although, he is the better cook :)
    The ferretti gown is my fav of the three.
    Hope you have a great week!

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  15. I have never worked with quinoa and I like the fruits of your labour :) It looks delicious. One day I will experiment more in the kitchen.

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Thank you for stopping by! I love reading visitor comments! ~Val