TISLstyle

Roasted Strawberry Shortcake Shakes Recipe

The fabulous food blog, Spoon Fork Bacon asks a lot from their Roasted Strawberry Shortcake Shake recipe.  Is it a cake or a shake?  Is it just sinfully good or full of good nutrients?  Happy to report, all of the above, folks.  They take a classic fork-and-plate dessert, and make it unexpected, fun and easy-peasy to make.  Perhaps pound cake doesn’t figure in your fitness diet.  Consider strawberry’s great résumé: low in calories, a good source of magnesium and potassium, contains high levels of antioxidants, increases the good HDL cholesterol.  Best of all with one cup of these berries, you get over 100 mg of vitamin C – about the same as a cup of OJ.

Not to mention that any chance I get to drink a cake, I’m there.  Thanks Jenny and Teri!

Roasted Strawberry Shortcake Shakes
Ingredients: (Makes 2)

Roasted strawberries:
1 ½ lbs strawberries, cleaned, stemmed and hulled
2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 ½ – 2 cups store-bought pound cake, cubed
1 ½ cups vanilla ice cream, slightly melted
1 cup milk

Toppings:
sweetened whipped cream
pound cake crumbles

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Place strawberries, vinegar and sugar in large bowl and toss together.
3. Spread onto a baking sheet lined with parchment, in a single layer, and drizzle with oil.
4. Roast strawberries for about 20 to 25 minutes, until slightly shriveled and beginning to juice (you’re lightly roasting the strawberries).
5. Allow strawberries to cool, about 20 minutes.
6. Pour strawberries, pound cake, ice cream, and milk into a blender, cover and blend until smooth.
7. Pour into two glasses and top with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of pound cake crumbs. Serve immediately.

Photos from Spoon Fork Bacon

 

 

Museum Dining: Caffe Storico

If you love New York, dining in museums and decorating, Caffe Storico at the New York Historical Society is just your place.  You’ll find the dining casual with the menu focusing on small tapas-like plates and housemade pastas.  My favorite aspect of Caffe Storico is the décor, where you not only dine among specially curated museum pieces but antiques which come from historic New York homes dating as far back as the 18th century.  Here's a review from the Village Voice.

Amy Butler's Tech Skins

Oh glory glory!  Amy Butler, doyenne of crafts and guru of exotic home patterns goes all tech on us.  Applying 13 patterns from her Lark collection (fabrics-turn-quilting-pillows-or-anything-else-fabric-related) in a partnership with SkinIt, I say yes to pretty phones, laptops, tablets and cameras.  SkinIt is automotive-grade vinyl, which adheres easily and removes without residue.  Daily life gets a wake-up call because the day crafts and tech come together is a great day indeed.

So Inspired: The Greenest Tree House

Behold the ultimate tree house!
What: “The Patient Gardener” project using ten Japanese cherry trees
Where: School campus in Milan, Italy
Who: Designed by Swedish architects Visiondivision
Why: A two-story “treehouse” study retreat for students.  The vision: a green environmental project where construction works with the timeframe nature sets.  The trees are bent and pruned into shape.
When: In other words, the project will be done in about 60 years.

Land's End Spring 2012 Fashion

Swimsuit season is almost here, and I just can’t wait!  Crazy, you call me?  I’m not offended.   Land’s End makes swim wear shopping painless for Spring 2012.  Available in a wide range of fit choices and styles – think petite or plus-size, styles to flatten the tummy or conceal the thighs, tankinis, swim skirts – why, it’s practically custom made for me…and you! 

Here are some of my favorites.  A hi-neck swimsuit does wonders for a sexy throat and clavicle not to mention the gorgeous ombre fabric.  If I feel more glamorous, I can choose a suit which resembles a red carpet gown with plenty of bottom coverage or perhaps a two-piece retro mix-n-match suit.  As for getting dressed, I am opting for the classic look of espadrilles.  I will pair it with a trench coat which might look predictable at first but flip up the collar, and it’s lined in lipstick-red fabric.  It's all in the details, ladies!

New York Gift Show Spring 2012 #5

Here I go touting the gray palette again in my fifth report from the NY Gift Show.  See how it can be feminine, modern and oh, so romantic?  Truly, you cannot go wrong if your main anchor piece, such as paint, printed wallpaper or sofa is a shade of gray.  From there, you can add pops of color, colorful zig-zag pillows or a bright rug.  As above, with the chest of drawers as a focal point, the silver sconce plays up the feminine old Hollywood feel but the neutral pillow adds a playful element.  Few tones clash with gray, as you can see with the yellow or blue sculpted pottery.  Shapes so nice, I included them twice! 1. Pottery: KleinReid.  2. Sconce: Solaria Lighting.  3. Chest of drawers: Bungalow 5.  4. Pottery: KleinReid.  5. Throw pillow: Pi’lo.

New York Gift Show Spring 2012 #4

Denim, crafts and sassy pink – individually, they’re the hottest trends going on right now.  And together, they’re just dynamite.  In my fourth report from the New York Gift Show for Spring 2012, denim hues come in all shapes and functions such as totes, pillows, throws and more this season.  Crafting is cool now, if you haven’t heard (see Etsy, Pintrest).  So, begin collecting your materials (see the rainbow of ribbons, #4), and keep them organized with this metal carousel, #5.  I love the sexy deep pink ottoman.  It’s unexpected and is the perfect pop of color to coordinate with blue/grays.  1. Ottoman: Cisco Brothers.  2. Denim Throw Pillow: Design Legacy.  3. Ribbon: HomArt.  4.  Quilts: Save Khaki.  5. Organizing Carousel: Lostine.

New York Gift Show Spring 2012 #3

My third New York Gift Show report for Spring 2012 immediately brought thoughts of a setting perfect for a porch or an indoor entryway.  An airy and color-me-happy orange bench makes a wonderful centerpiece, while a wall filled with round planters makes any number of whimsical configurations.  I loved the simplicity of an egg-shaped clear glass light fixture great for a low-key statement.  As for the canvas and leather tote, well, it stays on message of happy, happy orange!  1. “Sixties” bench: Fermob.  2. “Fauna” throw pillow: Judy Ross Textiles. 3. Light fixture: Lostine.  4. “Dots” planters: Chive.  5. Tote: Graf & Lantz. 

New York Gift Show Spring 2012 #2

Here’s my second report from the New York Gift Show for Spring 2012!  Instead of beiges, I am obsessed with blues and grays as neutral foundations for any home style.  It’s a modern version of what beige has always done, and makes it easy to add pops of color, texture or modern shapes.  1. Sofa: Bevara.  2. Throw Pillow: Room Service. 3. Table lamp: Jonathan Adler. 4. Chandelier: Jamie Young. 5. Wallpaper: Audrey.  

Note, Audrey patterns are not only available as wallpaper but also come as fabric, boxes, trays, notecards and tables.

New York Gift Show Spring 2012 #1

Over the weekend, I attended the New York Gift Show to see what we might hope to see on store shelves in Spring 2012.  The show, which ended yesterday is a biannual trade show, where retail stores come to shop and stock their shelves.  Most likely, your favorite home decorative store in your neighborhood was there shopping for new Spring items.

Visiting many of my favorite companies while discovering wonderful new ones, over the next few posts, I'll share some designs that made the top of my list with you here. 

There are many choices to be made when making up a bed.  There are the fitted and flat sheets and the choice between duvet or comforter.  The myriad of pillow decisions can leave you breathless from euro squares, shams, king or standard pillows.  We haven’t even gotten to the decorative pillows, throws, and the almighty color coordinating.  sOUP to the rescue!  Pre-packaged for you in a color family with variations of oooh-inducing textures, the decisions have been made for you.  Included are a duvet, two standard shams, coverlet throw and three decorative pillows.  In other words, it will look like you spent months scouring European flea markets, and you really didn’t.