Spring Green

This week in Northeast Ohio temperatures reached over 70 degrees...Hello Spring! The start of the new season inspired our latest post below.  Freshen up with shades of citron and vibrant malachite green. Be sure to indulge in our St. Patrick's Day celebratory sweet treats as well...enjoy!

[1] Clark & Clark Designs – BukharaCollection

[2] Surya – Pillow in Lime

[3] Walker Zanger – Contessa Ceramic Tile in Chartreuse

[4] Crate & Barrel - Harper Maize Rug

[5] Miu Miu – Colorback Peep-Toe Pump

[6] Crate & Barrel – Table Lamp

[7] Tods - New Gommini Tie  Driver

[8] Crate & Barrel – Throw Blanket

[9] Osborne & Little – Nina Campbell Cremona Wallcovering

[10] J. Mendel – One Shoulder Gown in Light Citron

[11] Oscar de la Renta – Chartreuse Resin Necklace

[12] Proenza Schouler – Pochette Python

[13] Variopinte Enamelware Set by Stefania di Petrillo

[14] Lapichi – Playa Rug in Lettuce

[15] Global Views – Nugget Bud Vase in Chartreuse

[16] Reed Krakoff – Architect Wedge Sandal

[17] OPI – Did it on ‘em (available locally at Dino Palmieri Salons)

[18] Arteriors Home – Lex Mustard Green Porcelain Lamp (contact House of L)

[19] Ceasarstone – Apple Martini

[20] Gerard Van de Berg – Loge Easy Chair

[21] House Beautiful March 2012

[22] Benjamin Moore – Green Thumb

[23] Benjamin Moore – Granny Smith

[24] Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams - Zondra Chair

[25] Donna Karan - Tie Waist Vest in Bitter Yellow

[26] Bergamo Fabrics - Rubelli Venezia Collection in Tea Time

[27] Osborne & Little - Looped Rouche Trim

[28] Lee Industries - Upholstered Ottoman

[29] Lorts Furniture - Wood Finish in Grass (contact House of L)

[30] Butter London - Dosh Nail Polish

[31] Bungalow 5 - Jacqui 4-Drawer in Lacquer Finish (contact House of L)

[32] Niels Bendtsen - Canyon Sectional

[33] Lanvin - Tweed Top

[34] MAC - Lucky Green Eyeshadow

[35] Dror Bershetrit - Peacock Chair

[36] Diptyque Paris - Candle

[37] Arteriors Home - Townsend Triple Ply Glass Vase (contact House of L)

[38] Residential Design by House of L

[39] Adina Mills - Green Calcite Ring

[40] CB2 - Go Cart Camo Two-Shelf Table/Media Cart

Check out this clever cookie from our Centiva Flooring rep Julie.
She made this for St. Patrick's Day...Thanks Julie!

we can dish it….if you can take it

Cheers Dublin! Not in the mood to take a shot of whiskey? Here’s a tasty shot I came across a decade ago and it took me that long to get the bartender to share the recipe with me. This is a crowd pleaser, easy to make and even easier to go down. 

Shamrock Shake Shot

1 part Baileys Irish Cream

1 part Green Crème de Menthe

1 part White Crème de Menthe

Splash of milk

Throw some ice in the shaker and shake vigorously, serve in a shot glass topped with some whipped cream…yum!

Guinness Cupcakes with Baileys Frosting
This cupcake recipe is always a hit, even if your're not a beer lover. Dusting frosted cupcakes with cinnamon is a great way to make this dessert look like a real pint of Guinness.

Recipe Courtesy of SmittenKitchen.com

Makes 20 to 24 cupcakes

For the Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes

1cup Guinness…open a can and enjoy the rest while you bake!

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)

2 cups all purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

2/3 cup sour cream

Ganache Filling (Double this for extra filling)

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate

2/3 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons butter, room temperature

Frosting 

3 to 4 cups confections sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 to 4 tablespoons Baileys Cinnamon for dusting

Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners. Bring 1 cup stout and 1 cup butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, rotating them once front to back if your oven bakes unevenly, about 17 minutes. Cool cupcakes on a rack completely.

Make the filling: Chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then stir until smooth. (If this has not sufficiently melted the chocolate, you can return it to a double-boiler to gently melt what remains. 20 seconds in the microwave, watching carefully, will also work.) Add the butter and stir until combined.

Fill the cupcakes: Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped (the fridge will speed this along but you must stir it every 10 minutes). Meanwhile, using your 1-inch round cookie cutter or an apple corer, cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes. You want to go most of the way down the cupcake but not cut through the bottom — aim for 2/3 of the way. Put the ganache into a piping bag with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.

Make the frosting: Whip the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, for several minutes. You want to get it very light and fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time. When the frosting looks thick enough to spread, drizzle in the Baileys (or milk) and whip it until combined. If this has made the frosting too thin (it shouldn’t, but just in case) beat in another spoonful or two of powdered sugar.

Ice and decorate the cupcakes. Dust with cinnamon to give it that frothy freshly poured pint look!