Hibiscus Margaritas

I am so excited to bring you today's post!  As you may recall from my Date Night article last week, I talked about the fabulous cooking class my husband and I had taken at CulinAerie.  We had enjoyed the most delicious Hibiscus Margaritas during the class, but at the time I wasn't able to obtain a copy of the recipe, so I shared a link with you all to a similar hibiscus margarita recipe.  In a joyous twist of fate, the chef from our cooking class, Eliza Gonzalez, ended up reading the post and sending me the Hibiscus Margarita recipe!  

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
• 3 cups of strongly brewed hibiscus tea (recipe below)
• 1/2-1 1/2 cups of Granulated Sugar (to taste)
• 1-1 1/2 cups Tequila Blanco
• Slices of Lime and/or Key Limes to garnish

How to make hibiscus tea:  Rinse ½ cup of hibiscus blossoms (about 1 ounce) and put in a saucepan with 3 cups water.  Bring to a simmer and let steep for 15 minutes.  Strain and let cool down completely.  Add ½ cup sugar and stir until dissolved.   Serve chilled or use as a base for margaritas.   You can make this one day ahead.

Where to find hibiscus blossoms:  Blossoms are sold dry.  You can find them in Latin stores or at some organic markets in their bulk or loose tea /spice aisles.  Hibiscus blossoms are also sold on Amazon.com.  

Instructions

1. In a large pitcher, combine lime juice, hibiscus tea and sugar until sugar is completely dissolved.
2. Then add the tequila blanco to the mixture and set pitcher aside
3. Rim glasses with margarita salt (I really like this lime infused salt) and then fill serving glasses with ice
4. Pour margarita mixture into each glass and garnish with slices of lime and/or key lime.

These margaritas are the perfect late spring/summer cocktail to serve at your next gathering because they are easy to make, refreshing and so delicious!  I also love that this recipe allows you to tailor the ingredients to your own preferences (ex. I prefer cocktails with less sugar and lots of citrus), and regardless of the modification  the recipe still turns out perfectly.  I am planning on serving these fabulous margaritas tonight with Eliza's recipe for Shrimp Tostados.  I honestly couldn't think of a better way to celebrate TGIF, than with this delicious cocktail/nibble combination.  Cheers to TGIF everyone!

Many thanks to Eliza, for allowing me to share her Hibiscus Margarita recipe today!

May Kitchen Tools

DC hit a high of 90 degrees yesterday and we are barely to the mid-point of May.  Sure this makes me a little worried that this Summer will be excruciatingly hot, but I have also been inspired to search for ways to keep cool, starting with my selection of favorite kitchen tools for the month of May.  

Zeroll Ice Cream Scooper

My brother-in-law is a huge fan of ice cream.  One year for Christmas, I decided that it would be great to gift him with the best ice cream scoop on the market.  So what did I do?  I Googled "Best Ice Cream Scooper" and Voila!  Dozens of links to the Zeroll Ice Cream Scoop flooded my search results.  I bought one for him and he absolutely loved it. Naturally that lead to me having a case of Ice Cream Scoop Envy, so I ordered one for myself a week later.  After one use, I was hooked!  This scoop makes serving ice cream a total delight.  Even with ice cream that is extra hard and would typically need to thaw before scooping, the Zeroll Ice Cream Scoop glides through with ease!  Just make sure to only wash this scoop by hand.

Zoku Ice Cream Maker

The ZOKU Single Serving Ice Cream Maker is fantastic!  Reasons why I love it:

• User-Friendly- It took me approximately 15 minutes from start to finish to make this ice cream.  You can easily customize your ice creams with any desired topping and the degree of firmness.  If you want a soft serve textured ice cream, just stir ingredients for approximately 10 minutes in the ZOKU Ice Cream maker.  If you want a firmer ice cream, stir for ten minutes and then return to the freezer for an additional 15 minutes.  Super easy!
• Preservative Free Ice Cream- since you are making the ice cream, you have control over every ingredient used.  The ZOKU Ice Cream maker comes with a booklet filled with recipes that are all 100% natural ingredients.  I love that I can make organic ice cream that is free of ingredients like Blue Lake 40 or Red Dye #7 and other ingredients I can't even pronounce.
• Great for Entertaining- This product is fun to use with kids or even at a casual summer dinner party.  Making a batch of vanilla ice cream and serving a variety of toppings could allow each of my guests to customize their dessert to their own specifications.  

I had no idea I was going to love this personal ice cream maker nearly as much as I do, until I tried it.  Bonus- this ice cream maker is offered in a variety of colors (personally I love the teal).

Silicone Ice Cube Tray

If you recall from my post on flavor infused ice cubes, I highlighted my love of the King Cube Silicone Ice Cube Tray.  Well, I am bringing it front and center in this post because I really think it is that fabulous!   This silicone ice cube tray not only makes it easy to create different flavored ice cubes, but it is also easy to use.  Ice cubes can easily peel out of each cube slot and the size of the tray makes it easy to fit in any freezer (thank goodness, because my freezer always seems to be packed to the brim!).  

Ginger Jar Tablescape

Last week I broke one of my everyday basketweave mugs.  I know that that "accidents happen," but I was still slightly annoyed because I knew that I would need to replace the mug over the weekend (just one more thing to add on to my ever-growing to do list!).  In an effort to try and save a little money, I decided to venture out to the Williams Sonoma Outlet in Leesburg, VA.  It's about a 45 minute drive from the city, but well worth the trek because you can find great cookware and tableware for a fraction of the regular price.   

I ended up having quite a bit of success at the outlets on Saturday.  I was able to obtain a replacement mug  at 40% off and found a set of beautiful Ginger Jar napkins that were 60% off!  Sold and Sold!  If you have a Williams Sonoma Outlet within an hour drive of your home, I highly recommend making the trip out there.  The savings are mind-blowing!

Inspired by the newest acquisition (my ginger jar napkins), I was immediately compelled to create a blue and white themed tablescape.  Starting with my classic navy blue quilted placemats (similar here). I then framed my everyday dinner plates with these rattan chargers.  For this tablescape, I opted to forgo  napkin rings.  I wanted to have the pop of print displayed prominently, since the rest of the table was primarily a sea of solid colors.  For drinkware, I chose to use low Riedel water goblets paired with my  taller William Yeoward Fanny wine goblets (which can be used for red, white or rose wine), which were set on top of Gunmetal Chilewich Dahlia Coasters.  

For the table decor, I transformed 4 of my decorative Two's Company Canton Collection Tea Jars into bud vases with vintage glass votives interspersed throughout the table.  For the centerpiece, I opted for a simple yet robust bouquet of white hydrangeas paired with a vintage cut crystal vase and framed with a silver-plated tray.  At first the look wasn't quite right.  After thinking about what could be missing, I realized that the bud vases were in need of a hint of color.  The addition of a single pale pink rose to the center of each bud vase completed the look.  

I love this tablescape for three reasons.  The first reason being that it is a ginger jar themed tablescape and I absolutely love the ginger jar aesthetic in every shape and size.  The second reason why I love this tablescape is because, like this previous tablescape, I was able to create an entirely new look for my table with the only new additions being napkins and flowers.  And last but not least, I am a fan of this tablescape's versatility.  This could easily be used during both the spring and summer months for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. 

Don't be afraid to think outside of the box when it comes to decorating your table.  My Canton Tea Jars usually sit on shelves solely for decorative purposes, but as I have found out with this tablescape, they can also be re-purposed as bud vases.  I hope this tablescape has inspired you to look at objects in your own home differently. Most likely you will realize (like I have) that items you have used for one particular purpose, can actually be used in a variety of ways.    

Mother's Day Gift Idea: Make a Memory

When I think about my Mom and our relationship over my lifetime, I have realized that the thoughts that pop into my head are never about the actual gifts we have bought for one another, but rather all of our time and experiences together.  This Mother's Day I have decided that instead of sending her some sort of merchandise, I would surprise her with a special DC Weekend Trip (*If you are friends with my Mom, please help me keep this a surprise.  She has been instructed not to read to today's post until Sunday).  

This idea came about a few weeks ago when my Mom had mentioned wanting to visit me over the Summer to see my new house, my brothers apartment and take a trip out to Marjorie Merriweather Post's Hillwood Estate (yep, lots of houses on her DC to-do list).  After hearing wish list for her next DC trip, I thought that it would be fun to surprise her with a trip to DC to not only fulfill her wish list, but also create a few memories beyond just the house visits.  

After giving the weekend a lot of thought, I have come up with a list of activities that I think my mom will  enjoy during her stay in DC.  While I would definitely consider this activity list to be the ultimate weekend itinerary, these are different memory making ideas at different price points that would be great gifts by themselves or as bundled packages to give your mom this Mother's Day.  This is honestly the first time in my life that I have been able to afford to do something like this for my Mom, so I can certainly appreciate the need for gift ideas at various price points.  Added bonus- even with Mother's Day being this Sunday, there is still more than enough time to schedule any one of these gifts.    

Weekend Itinerary

• Making Dinner at Home-  The first night my Mom is in town, I am going to be making dinner at home for her, my brother and my husband. This will be the only night she will see my husband, since he has very thoughtfully decided to give us a girls weekend and head home to his parent's house in New Jersey.  I will probably make my Lemon and Herb Pork Tenderloin with either Cous Cous or these Roasted Sweet Potato Discs and a Summer vegetable like asparagus or green beans.  
• Touring All 3 Homes-  Since my Mom will be staying with me, touring House #1 will be accomplished immediately.  The first full day that she is here we will drive out to Hillwood Estate and stop by my brother's new apartment on our way back.
• Mani/Pedis- This may be surprising, but I am actually not a big fan of getting my nails done.  Reason being, I am constantly working with my hands (cleaning, housework, etc..) and it never fails that I end up chipping the paint within a day or two of having my nails done (yes, even with shellac!).  However, my preference is not what is important here.  This weekend is about my Mom and she enjoys getting her nails done, so that is what we are going to do.  Plus, I enjoy spending time with my Mom regardless of the activity, so it is really a win-win.  
• Exercise Class-  There is a new Pure Barre Studio that has just opened next to my house, so I have signed us up for an early morning class to get our blood pumping before we head out to the Hillwood Estate tour.  A fun and different exercise class is a great way to spend time together and start the day feeling energized. 
• Cooking Class-  After my recent Date Night experience at CulinAerie, I am totally hooked on cooking classes.  The weekend my Mom is in town, I have signed us up to take a class on Summer Raw Food Basics, which we both will enjoy since we love to cook and learn about new healthy recipes.  
• Sunday Brunching- Before her flight departs on Sunday, I will be taking her to brunch at one of my favorite local restaurants with my brother.  This restaurant offers a wide array of brunch options (both healthy and indulgent), and is the perfect way to conclude an action-packed weekend filled with all sorts of new memories and experiences.  

In preparation for the unveiling of this big surprise, I have mailed my Mom 3 Mother's Day Cards in blue envelopes and then one card in a yellow envelope that reads "Open this card last!"  This yellow envelope contains her plane ticket and a note that briefly explains the trip, but then tells her to go to my blog for the full scoop.  It has been so hard to keep this secret, as I have been bursting at the seams with excitement.  My Mom has done so much for me over the years/my entire life, been completely selfless and unconditionally loving, that this is the least I could do to show her my appreciation.  

I hope this post has given you a few ideas on how to celebrate the Mom in your life.  Whether the gesture is big or small, it really is the thought that counts.  

Happy Mother's Day, Mom! (Can't wait to see you!)

Renovating your Bathroom: Flooring

As I have mentioned in previous posts, we renovated our bathroom prior to moving in last Spring.  Reason being, re-doing the flooring in a bathroom requires 3 days to complete (the demolition has to take place, new tile needs to be laid, grouted and sealed) and our bathroom would have been off limits for that entire time.  When you only have one bathroom in your home, you quickly realize that this type of a renovation needs to take place either before you move in or while you are away on vacation.  Since we were using all of our vacation time to move in, we needed to go with the first option and have our bathroom renovated prior to our move-in date.  

As soon as we had a ratified contract, I began planning out all of the work that needed to take place prior to our move-in date.  I had decided that I would paint the bedroom and living room to save on expenses, but between painting the two rooms, working full time, my husband traveling 6 days a week for work and moving, there was no way that I would have time to re-tile and renovate the bathroom myself, so we had to hire a contractor.  

Even with a contractor, I knew I wanted to be involved in the renovation process for a few reasons.  

1. Stretching my dollar as far as possible- Always looking to get the best deal/save money, I purchased the materials that the contractor would need.
2. Being an informed consumer- Even though the contractor was doing the work, I wanted to make sure that it was being done properly. 
3. My husband and I have to live with the final product- I needed to make sure I had the opportunity to speak up regarding design decisions.  

There is so much to share regarding bathroom renovations (and over time I will definitely impart all of my knowledge), but for this post I am going to keep it to just talking about flooring.  Below I have compiled a list of my best tips/information when it comes to re-doing your bathroom floor that can help with saving money and ensuring quality work.

Shop Around 

When it came to selecting tile for the bathroom, I knew I wanted to keep with my neutral color scheme of whites and greys and did not want to use standard traditional tile.  I became more aware of the different tiles used in my friends and family's bathrooms and fell in love with the look of carrara marble.  The white stone with grey veining was perfectly in line with my color scheme and overall vision for the bathroom.  The only problem- carrara marble can be a bit pricey (yikes!).  Determined to achieve my desired aesthetic while staying within the budget, I started shopping around.  Of all places, I ended up having success on Amazon.com!  I found the Carrara Marble Hexagon Tiles I had been searching for at a cost of $9.75/sqft and the best part?  Free shipping and no tax!

How Much to Buy? 

There are plenty of online tools to help you figure out exactly what square footage of tile is required for your space (*this tile calculator is a great tool).  The most important tip I can share here is to buy 10-20% more tile than you think you need.  Reason being- tile damage during transport is inevitable (the average is 3% of your order) and you have to account for all of the tile that needs to be cut to fill in the edges along the perimeter.  Purchasing an adequate amount of tile before you start the renovation will also aid in keeping delays to a minimum.  Here is another resource that I found to be extremely helpful when trying to determine the amount of tile to purchase. 

Be an Informed Consumer

I can't stress enough how important it is to be an informed consumer.  Whether you are using basic ceramic tile or fancy Italian marble, renovating your bathroom is a significant investment.   The last thing you want is to find out down the road that there is a problem with the craftsmanship because your contractor cut corners.  

Understand the process for re-tiling.  Before our contractor started work on our bathroom I watched dozens of videos like this one and this one, so that I would know everything involved in properly tiling our bathroom floor.  Had it not been for this research, I wouldn't have know that the porous stone I had selected for our floor needed to be sealed after the grouting had been completed.  Researching ahead of time empowered me with the information to talk to our contractor knowledgeably during the process.    

Account for Time

Re-tiling a floor takes 3 days from start to finish if you have ample materials and everything goes according to plan.  Our bathroom renovation came with lots of surprises and setbacks, which drew out the process significantly (like not having purchased enough tile initially and our contractor was working multiple jobs at the time of our bathroom renovation).  This is more of an important reminder for those who only have one bathroom or if you are planning on doing the work yourself.  Ideally this project should only take 3 days, but be prepared for the possibility that it could take longer.  

The Devil is in the Details: Grout 

Who knew that there were so many color options when it came to grout!?!  This was my "first time at the rodeo" so to speak, and at the time I had thought that selecting white grout seemed like the logical choice.  If I had it to do over again, I would probably go with an off-white grout because bright white grout shows dirt easily.  Here is a post from Apartment Therapy that I found to be very helpful for selecting grout.  As well, if you are doing your own grout work, this post from Better Homes and Garden is a great resource.

While flooring is definitely "Step 1," there is still so much to cover when it comes to renovating your bathroom.  I have plenty of great tips and lessons learned from my own experience that I plan on sharing with you all in the future.  If you have any questions regarding this post or other bathroom renovation questions, please feel free to contact me.  Always happy to help!