KTgreen – Page 373

I received the latest Veranda magazine in the mail yesterday and there was that armoire that Michelle was recreating in Tuesday’s post! Great job Michelle! And while Michelle was working on that lovely piece, she was also in the kitchen making dinner. Ultimate multi-tasker!

I’m a busy girl. Now, I’ll tell you that I’m just putzing doing nothing but keeping Jon out of trouble – or getting him into some. (hee hee) I lie. This week, because I’ve been losing my mind over a real estate short sale nightmare, I’ve decided to do something BIG to keep my mind someplace else. Jon’s happy that it just involves paint and not a sledgehammer or a sawz-all. So, he’s letting me run wild, smiling and nodding as I go along.

But I digress, all this remodeling leaves me little time in the kitchen. So soon I forget what it was like when I worked 8 hours in an office came home to a fussy baby, help make other building decisions and deal with family issues. And you know my family, they’ve got a lot of issues. Geez, I’m like semi-retired now – NOT!

The other day I received my newest Coastal Living Magazine and it reminded me of a southern favorite I’d let slip from my main soup-group. See, I’m no Crock Star – I’m more the Soup Nazi! And I love Frogmore Stew, ewwww what an awful name. Now we call it a Lowcountry Boil. Yes, Mr.SpellCheck, it’s ONE word – welcome to Florida. On busy remodeling days, I know I’ll forget all about dinner and panic at about 4:30 with no plan (and I have to have a plan). But there’s always the ingredient list available in my pantry and freezer for this one. I make mine more healthy and lower fat than normal, and it’s just as tasty . So, ya’ll git you yer crock pot out and let’s us do up a Lowcountry Boil. (yes, I know – I hear the sirens from the grammar police from here)

Lowcountry Boil – The Busy-Girls-Short-Cut Version

Step 1: It’s still morning so, gather the goodies – see, the pot already has frozen chicken broth thawing. Set it to low for however long you’ll be busy.

1/3 Cup Bacon pieces (I keep some in the freezer, because I need bacon grease without the bacon sometimes. The guys can sprinkle them in eggs and I only have to stink up the kitchen every couple of months)

1 small Onion, chopped fine

1/2 Pepper – Yellow, Red or Orange, chopped

3 cloves, Garlic, minced

1 tsp Seafood Seasoning (aka Old Bay)

4 Cups Chicken or Veggie Broth

2 Cups Water *(to cook the shrimp tails in for a seafood broth)

4 Potatoes, cut up or little creamers (about 1 lb. or 1 1/2 lb)

1 cube Chipotle Seasoning (or 1 canned chipotle pepper diced..not a pantry staple here)

1 1/2 Cup Corn, frozen

Salt & Pepper to taste (add later)

1 1/2 Lb. Shrimp, frozen jumbos, peeled and deveined – thawed

1 Cup of another seafood if you like (I happen to have imitation crab that need to go)

1/2 Cup Frozen Peas

Step 2: Toss it all in the pot, except the shrimp and peas. When shrimp cooks too long it gets tough and rubbery. Pull the tails off (and shells if there are any) and put the shrimp back in the fridge. Cover them – they stink!

Step 3: Put the tails in a pot (if you have time) with the water and cook up for 5 or 10 min. Then strain broth into the crock and toss the tails. Or just use 2 more cups broth.

Step 4: While those tails cook, lets look at this little number. I keep these Knorr blocks on hand for all kinds of dishes that need heat, but not take-your-head-off heat. And they don’t spoil so add them to your pantry – they don’t take up much space.

Step 5: I’ve been buzzing around all day with that crock pot on low. Add salt & pepper now. Many of the ingredients have a salty taste after stewing all day. Garlic, OldBay, Knorr blocks are all salty. And maybe you’ve got full salt broth…or maybe not. Now I’m ready to serve. Pull the shrimp and toss in along with the frozen peas (for color mainly). When the shrimp are pink, they’re cooked.

Finale: Look at that healthy Soup Nazi creation – yes, there is soup for you! Pretty as the magazine shoot, with less calories. No extra butter or bacon fat needed here. But you may need some sweet tea and a side of crusty bread. Aaahh, the South comes to you wherever you are. Y’all enjoy.

Michelle

Another yummy recipe from Michelle! If I had all those ingredients in my cupboards, freezer and fridge, Terry would think someone else was living here!
KT

Michelle escaped from the kitchen and is doing a DIY post today!

Anyone who knows me knows that I can almost never leave well enough alone. Last year I (we) took on the project of updating the interior of the 20+ year old house we live in. Not an HGTV over-the-top remodel. Just the basics…the expensive stuff…new kitchen, two bathrooms, stone floors, new carpet, and a little paint. What a beautiful mess! The only room that I left alone, besides the pool bath, closets and laundry was the master bedroom. Why? Because I was so over construction and just didn’t care. Nobody was really invited in there anyway. Not to mention, I ran out of money – surprise!

This year I discovered that I was spending a whole lot of time hiding from my newly–teenaged son and his friends in my enclave call the Master Bedroom – and I didn’t like the room. Now, I have always loved two bedroom styles – either white-on-white, or deep red like a French Quarter bordello. The last master was white with light woods, so was this one. Mainly because we just moved our stuff in and lived with it. Like the construction, I’m over it. When I decided I needed a distraction from some other grief in my world which I had no control over (BTW that is a living nightmare for a control freak!), the master bedroom was the closest and most deserving victim. Jon was happy that it only really involved paint and elbow grease. Not a sledgehammer and sawz-all ! I put dinner in a crockpot and went to work fluttering about making plans and changes. First on my list was the plan.

I love all things Restoration Hardware (and Pottery Barn, and Ikea- now there’s an odd mix). Ahhhh, but I can’t always afford them. I’ve got a budget here that even the ‘Design-On-A-Dime’ people would laugh at. However, in my planning I discovered that I already have may things that can be drafted into service. I can imitate and recreate it in my own version. I’ll show you the rest of the room as the process evolves, but for now I’ll show you the mock-montpellier armoire. The armoire I speak of is in the catalog listed for a mere $3495 (+s/h). Gorgeous, but OUCH.

Montpelier Armoire DIY — *The High Priced Model*

The beleaguered old armoire we have our TV in sits there as I drool over the printout of the catalog page showing it’s high-maintenance cousin, frightened of being tossed to the Salvation Army. It was bought years ago as a floor sample leftover from Rooms to Go for a few hundred dollars. Needless to say, it doesn’t owe us a thing. As a flea market picker, I’ve had my share of old furniture to refinish. Normally they’re decent unloved pieces that are real wood – this isn’t. The trim and doors are pine and the sides are formica covered particle board. Yes, you get what you pay for. This is a refinishers nightmare. You can’t strip it or even sand it…how do you cover it? Ugh. Oh, no I’m not giving up – I’ve got an idea. These days house paint comes in a fancy ‘ultra with built in primer’ and yes, it sticks. I wasn’t worried because the sides won’t really be seen and the piece doesn’t get much actual use. Most of it’s dings and scrapes came from the store and the abuse it took in wrestling it from one house to the other. (I really should’ve gotten that on tape) All that just adds character that the $3500 version hasn’t got. Let me walk you through what I’ve done.

Step 1: Take a blurry ‘before’ photo. Wipe down the entire cabinet with a little Murphys Oil Soap. Pull off the doors and knobs. Go and find some new ones in an antique pewter that you like. I found mine on Amazon for $2.67 each.

Step 2: Gather your weapons – since I know the primer coat will be seen, I used a flat in an inky dark blue color called Poppyseed. Two little samples and I have some leftover. Flat black all purpose paint from Rust-o-leum. Flat paint won’t clog your sanding block as much. Spray paint in dark steel (closest to pewter) for the hinges. A semi-gloss coating to end it. A sanding block (easier on the hands) and chip brushes. Chip brushes are a distressers BFF !

Step 3: Tape off the inside at about 3/4″ in. Unless you’re painting it too – I opted not. Give the cabinet a coat of latex ultra house paint. Here it is in it’s dark chalky blue. Very streaked painting with the chip brushes – perfect.

Step 4: Give it all a coat of the black flat paint. Again with the streaked finish.

Step 5: Here’s a door drying.

Step 6: Note the little pock mark separation. That’s what happens when the varnish, hand oils and paint combinations fight. After it’s slightly set, go over the spot with a wet-edge brush and smooth it out. It’ll continue to dry and not pool again.

Step 7: Now it’s got it’s black coat ready for scuffing.

Step 8: Take the doors outside and scuff with the sanding block. Only scuff the wood parts in a way that age would do. DO NOT USE A POWER SANDER. Or else it’ll look like a cheap job. Remember, you can always go forward with some more distressing later – but not back.

Step 9: Spray paint those hinges. The knob is the one to match – pretty close. The cup pulls are from the bedside tables – but that’s another blog.

Step 10: Here are the doors nicely scuffed. Notice the blue tint coming thru. That gives it a bit of depth. The chalky look will disappear with the clear coat.

Step 11: Let it really dry well and there you have it. Not a bad remake. I’ll be in Tampa hopefully soon and stop in to see the real thing at Resto. I may come back and distress it a bit more and that’s fine. This job cost me 2 – days, and under $40 and that includes new knobs and I added in for paint that I really had on hand (but you may not).