inspired cooking space

via cafe johnsonia, i found this link- and an inspired post including purdy kitchens.

seeing as we are in the process of drawing up house plans, i am enjoying every ounce of pictures like this. so, props to a room somewhere for the kitchen beauty and cafe johnsonia to turning me on to her....

{.good.kitchens.make.my.clock.tick.............}
really a turn on, seriously. how pretty do these cookbooks look here?

if i were hooked up to medical equipment while looking at this stove, the beeping just might kill someone.......and i am still up in the air about the mantle over the stove. i am really trying to focus on classic....

again, totally turned on here to this "classy" design. i heart white cupboards. they echo timeless stuff really. any stain on wood, unless a deep beautiful mahogany dates a place to me. the sink is so pretty and those windows, but.. my favorite part is the shelf woodwork above, so simple. i.love.it.......

The Pioneer Woman Cooks

It was love at first sight, really. The moment I clicked on the link for The Pioneer Woman Cooks, I knew I had found a gem of a site. She's witty, creative and her posts are so fun to read. Her recipes usually include step by step instructions and pictures. Her recipes are great (though not necessarily your "go to" for light and healthy meals). For me, her site is all about indulgences. I feel like just reading her site is an indulgence in and of itself. The recipes I have tried have been really yummy.

I made this steak for Valentine's dinner for my hubby and I. It was awesome and the best steak I have ever made (hands down). A word of warning to the wise...if you live in Whitehall or some other place where the smoke detector is sensitive, open a window before putting your steak in the pan. It'll be smokin' baby...but it gives the steak that nice crusty outside!

Check her site out. It's a good one. And hey, we all need an indulgence once in a while!

bacon cups?

yes.
don't they look divine?

here is the recipe, and oh how my mind is spinning with visions of these with some fabulous dressing:
(from dad's favorite salad recipe)
1 c oil (salad oil)
1/3 c sugar
1/3 c vinegar
1/4 an onion quartered
1 T mustard
1 t celery seed
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
mix all ingredients in a blender. can store in fridge for a while (maybe a month or so)
i am going to attempt these for a little dinner party we have saturday, i can't wait for the ooh's and aaah's

this month....

we get to share our inspirations with you, our faithful readers and friends.

this month, i have been so inspired with this gal. she has such a fresh, quirky perspective. her posts are so visually appealing and oh, i need this ice cream!