Spring Fling

Okay, so maybe you're not on some great spring break vacation in Mexico or Hawaii. That doesn't mean you can't bring a little of that springtime excitement into your own home.  Certainly there's nothing like a huge bouquet of tulips or daffodils on the kitchen table to make you hopeful that summer is on the way.  But we think bathrooms are the perfect place to try out color and be a little daring. Maybe something like a hot pink chandelier over the tub in the master suite or painting one wall a sunny yellow and adding in some bright accessories to match.

At the kabi showroom we just introduced this new eye catching vanity that's guaranteed to add pizzazz to any bath setting and bring a smile in any season.  If turquoise isn't your thing, these drawer and door fronts are available in an array of colors and finishes to complement any style or setting.

The Wearing of the Green

Where did 2013 go?  We were just embracing Emerald Green, Pantone's Color of Last Year, when along comes 2014 and Radiant Orchid starts grabbing all the attention. But with St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner we’ve decided to pay homage to the past and hang onto our affection for the lush, lively green tone a bit longer.  Regardless of the time of year we think these items add a fun punch of color to any kitchen.

The perfect pot for making corned beef and cabbage, a dutch oven is a handy pot to have in your kitchen; it goes from stove top to oven without any worry. Find it on Amazon.

Great for mixing cake batter or whipping up fresh cream, a hand mixer is a budget conscious and space saving investment. Find it on Amazon.

Most measuring cups come in the basic white or black, but that seems boring for an item that many people use everyday. Available at Pier 1.

Colcannon (Mashed Potatoes and Cabbage)

This traditional Irish favorite tastes great any time of year.

Ingredients 

Original recipe makes 8 servings

• 3 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 head cabbage, sliced into thin strips
• 1/2 cup water
• salt and ground pepper to taste
• 2 cups fully cooked ham, cut into bite sized pieces

1. Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil, set heat to medium-low, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain potatoes and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
2. Stir milk, mayonnaise, and butter into potatoes. Mash with a potato masher until smooth.
3. Cook and stir bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until fat is rendered, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Stir onion, garlic, and cayenne pepper into bacon and drippings and cook, stirring often, until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
5. Stir cabbage and water into onion mixture until cabbage is wilted, about 5 more minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
6. Fold cabbage mixture into mashed potatoes.
7. Cook and stir ham pieces in the same skillet used for cabbage mixture until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes.
8. Stir cooked ham into mashed potato and cabbage mixture until combined.