Katie Brown's Blog

Crafting Red, White, and Blue Style

Posted on May 27, 2012 by KBW

This is one of those holiday weekends where you can embrace the colors of our great USA. A splattering of red here. A bit of blue there. Some white dots here and there. Repeat, redo, and rework these colors and patterns till you see both stars and stripes everywhere.

Candleholders decorated with rubber bands. Spotted on: Better Homes and Gardens.

Crepe paper table runner. Spotted on: Paisely Petal Events.

Paper cones for red, white, and blue potato chips. Spotted on: Hostess with the Mostess.

Crimped paper fans. Spotted on: Hostess with the Mostess.

Gingham themed tabletop. Spotted on: Apres Fete.

Rustic flag craft project. Spotted on: Running with Lollipops.

Firecracker popcorn bag. Spotted on: Fun Family Crafts.

Denim placemat and lantern place card. Spotted on: Today's Nest.

Posted in Nest | Tagged craft, decor, Decorating, DIY, easy, Entertaining, holiday, Katie Brown, Katie Brown Workshop, memorial day, Project, quick, simple, summer, tabletop | Leave a comment

Backyard Dessert a Go-Go

Posted on May 26, 2012 by KBW

Sometimes I feel like I am Lucille Ball.

In the sense that I am always tripping, falling, stubbing my toe, and so on. I remember when I was fresh out of college and I had just begun waiting tables. It was customary at this particular restaurant to shadow a waitress and learn from all she did. As I followed and listened, I began to feel more confident and that I might, in fact, be quite good at it. As I was daydreaming about the great tips I would soon earn, the waitress asked me to go and fetch a few desserts off the dessert table.

Now, to fully understand what I am about to tell you, you must know that this was a large, very open restaurant in the heart of NYC in the eighties. I, and my newfound cockiness, walked to the display of desserts parked right in the center of the restaurant. As I neared the cart, my feet slid from underneath me and I began to fall. I scurried, struggled, and landed head first into the creme brulee and chocolate mousse. The whole restaurant began to clap and one diner said, “I want what she’s wearing.” There was nothing to do but stand and take a bow, with all the sweet pies and cakes sticking to my uniform, then slink off to the restroom to recover. This is just one story out of the many humiliating falls that have plagued me throughout my life.

But you know what they say, whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. That’s where I find my peace. However, for this long holiday weekend I say avoid the mess of a full on dessert spread and create desserts that travel safely with all your guest as they mingle and enjoy the layout of your party. I hope you like the following collection of Katie-proof desserts I have assembled.

I wish for you and for all those you love to have a happy and safe weekend!

Berry cheesecake in a jar. Spotted on: My Baking Addiction

BBQ - sundae style. Spotted on: Jones Is Hungry.

Banana cream pie cups. Spotted on: The Kitchen Life of a Navy Wife.

Chocolate dipped rice crispy "popsicles." Spotted on: Twig and Thistle.

Marshmallow kabobs. Spotted on: 719Moms.

Strawberry-rhubarb cheesecake in a jar. Spotted on: Dinner with Julie.

Posted in Katie's Day | Tagged baking, Cooking, dessert, DIY, easy, Entertaining, food, fruit, holiday, homemade, inspiration, Katie Brown, Katie Brown Workshop, outdoors, party, quick, recipes, simple, summer, sweet | 1 Comment

Grilling and Chilling This Memorial Day Weekend

Posted on May 25, 2012 by KBW

What is more fun over a long weekend than firing up the grill? The smells, the flavors, and the flames are just a few of our favorite things. Each grilling season we here at the Workshop contemplate what type of menu we can create in full on the grill. This is what we came up with for this holiday weekend. It’s a little savory with a bit of spice accompanied by a healthy dose of veggies on the side and something fresh for a sweet ending.

Grilled shrimp tacos. Spotted on: Real Simple.

Mango-avocado grilled fish tacos. Spotted on: Eat This, Not That.

Mexican-style grilled corn. Spotted on: Taste and Tell.

Grilled and glazed honey-balsamic carrots. Spotted on: Patio Daddio BBQ.

Grilled angel food cake with lemon curd. Spotted on: Panini Happy.

Grilled peaches with mascarpone whip. Spotted on: Good Life Eats.

Grilled pineapple with honey. Spotted on: Skinny Taste.

Posted in Cook | Tagged Cooking, dessert, dinner, easy, Entertaining, food, fruit, healthy, holiday, Katie Brown, Katie Brown Workshop, party, quick, recipe, recipes, simple, summer, sweet | Leave a comment

Doll Up Your Backyard For Memorial Day

Posted on May 24, 2012 by KBW

This weekend many of us will be serving up our delicious food outdoors. The look of the feast will most likely be casual with a touch of the patriotic as we celebrate Memorial Day. It might be the first fete of the summer that we swing open the doors to the backyard. So, in honor of our war heroes, how about rolling up your sleeves and applying a little elbow grease to spruce up your backyard with some simple but impactful DIY projects.

Quick patio using cement squares. Spotted on: Apartment Therapy.

A star spangled backyard. Spotted on: Pink and Green Mamma.

Striped lantern centerpiece. Spotted on: Better Homes and Gardens.

A DIY collapsible sideboard. Spotted on: Curbly.

A simple fountain. Spotted on: Canadian Gardening.

Posted in Grow | Tagged centerpiece, color, craft, decor, Decorating, DIY, easy, Entertaining, flowers, garden, holiday, Katie Brown, Katie Brown Workshop, memorial day, outdoors, party, Project, quick, simple, summer, tabletop | Leave a comment

The Agrarian Life Comes to Town

Posted on May 22, 2012 by kbblogadmin

For several years now we have raised chickens. We started for a few reasons, one to enjoy the splendidness of fresh eggs in the morning and two to introduce our daughters to the responsibilities and rewards of eating farm to table. Well, now we are hooked. For starters I am not sure I will ever feel at home again without having chickens clucking around my yard in maternal packs. One after the other they strut out in the morning and file back in at night. Oh the thrill of gathering warm eggs as the sun rises or seeing my three year old’s eyes when she finds the first eggs laid by her favorite chick. As our love for our chickens grow so too does their lodging. Creating that just-right spot for them has become paramount. After much searching we think we have the ideal suite.

Our very own chicken coop and run.

As it turns out, we found it more economical to start with a pre-made coop from our local farm supply store. Then we got busy making an enclosed run complete with an exit door and slanted roof to keep the snow off.

We have had such a good time with this that my husband now wants to take it a step further by raising bees. He claims that is all he wants for his next big gift. Consequently, this request lead me to the discovery of a whole new collection of agrarian lifestyle accoutrements offered by Williams-Sonoma. Take a look see. I myself think it is exciting that more and more people and manufacturers are embracing these hobbies.

Raised beds are ideal for your edible gardens. Spotted on: Williams-Sonoma.

Want to try something new? This DIY Cheese Kit is begging to be added to your repertoire. Spotted on: Williams-Sonoma.

Ssshhh...don't tell my husband yet, they even have beehives and beekeeping starter kits. Spotted on: Williams-Sonoma.

Posted in Katie's Day | Tagged agrarian, DIY, garden, Katie Brown, Katie Brown Workshop, outdoors, Project | Leave a comment

Rhubarb Treats

Posted on May 21, 2012 by kbblogadmin

Nothing was better than having my mother pick me up early from school to take me to Jespersons in my hometown of Petoskey, Michigan for a fresh slice of rhubarb pie. It was our go-to treat after doctor appointments, our reward for good grades, her sweet treat for us for getting chores done well. Now, all grown up, I find myself far from home but never far from the thought a delicious piece of pie when I have accomplished a given goal. So imagine my happiness when on a walk the other day I saw my neighbor gathering rhubarb from the garden.

This is my neighbor gathering rhubarb to make something delicious.

I asked her what she likes to make with it and she recited a list that made me hungry and happy. She said she makes sauce, pies, bars, and so on. Her bed was full, bold, and bright, and she claimed to have no secret for growing such a robust bounty. Just plant, water, and wait.

What lush foliage, imagine snacking on a treat from this garden.

How do you use and grow rhubarb?

Posted in Katie's Day | Tagged food, garden, green, Katie Brown, Katie Brown Workshop, outdoors, rhubarb, spring | 2 Comments

Small Bite Recipes Before Summer

Posted on May 20, 2012 by kbblogadmin

As the countdown to the summer months begin we would like to celebrate tiny bites of yumminess. Often we hear that we need to eat less, think smaller portions, eat little bits throughout the day and so on. We say yes to all this, but not at the price of flavor. However, since it is the season when most of us want to shed a few pounds, how about exploring the possibility of meals created with simple mini tastes. Many of the following foods coupled with a big green salad will help provide filling flavor while not over filling your belly. See you on the beach!

The perfect blend of sweet and savory in one tiny pear and pancetta bite. Spotted on: Eat.Drink.Smile.

This easy caprese uses polenta for a base! Spotted on: Rock UR Party by Tablespoon.

Veggie baguette cups are the solution to dips on the go. Spotted on: Annie's Eats.

Add balsamic creme to the center of a watermelon cube for this sophisticated duo. Spotted on: Show Food Chef.

Posted in Cook | Tagged Cooking, easy, Entertaining, food, fruit, healthy, Katie Brown, Katie Brown Workshop, lunch, quick, recipe, recipes, spring, summer | 2 Comments

The Mac Daddy of Fridges by Sub Zero

Posted on May 18, 2012 by kbblogadmin

When I first saw it, it was love at first sight. It was sleek. It was shinny. It was bold and it was original. I had a crush. And this was no ordinary crush, this was a crush on a major household appliance. You see I had just laid my eyes on the Sub Zero Pro 48 Refrigerator. Then I learned more about what it could do and I was even more hooked.

The Mac Daddy of all refrigerators. Spotted on: Sub Zero.

Now, like anything bright, new, and stunning, it was way above my price range. You see we were in the middle of the biggest renovation project we had ever done and I felt like I was spending money like water and everything seemed to triple as we neared completion. So I really needed to prioritize the things that were left to complete. I researched, I wrote lists, I thought long and hard about how we spend time in my home and more importantly how we spend time in the kitchen. For me it was worth the investment. I would rather spend less money on tiles and counter tops, floors and lights, and more on my appliances because I cook, and I cook a lot. As a working mother I grocery shop no more than once a week so my fridge is the keeper of nearly all the food my family will consume for several days. I felt that the investment in keeping our food fresh and tasty was money well spent.

The Sub Zero was well worth the investment. Photo by: Paul Whicheloe.

I recommend that everyone, when redoing a room or an entire home, ask yourself several questions about how and where you spend the most time in your home. Then when choosing where to spend your hard earned cash you will hopefully splurge in the right places and on the right things. Because although I am still paying off the Mac Daddy of all fridges it is a check I write without regret as it truly provides a priceless service to our busy lifestyle.

Posted in Cook | Tagged food, Katie Brown, Katie Brown Workshop, kitchen, refrigerator, remodel, sub zero | 1 Comment

Our Go-To Kitchen Fave

Posted on May 17, 2012 by kbblogadmin

We all have them. We all lean on them. We all are always on the look out for new ones. What you ask? Go-to recipies we say. You know what we mean, the dishes that you could prepare in your sleep. The meals that never fail. The things we cook that always please the crowd. Well today we would like to introduce you to one of the workshop’s go-to pleasers: Chicken Dijon.

The parsley really makes this go-to favorite pop! Photo by: Paul Whicheloe.

And, no matter how big of a hurry you are in throwing together these fool proof ingredients, do not forget to toss on the parsley at the end. This detail will give this dish the touch of glamor it needs to wow. Enjoy!

What You’ll Need…

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
4 tbsp. butter
¾ c. heavy cream
½ c. white wine
1 tsp. mustard
2 tbsp. parsley, chopped

Get Started…

Melt butter into a large sauté pan. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan and sauté until light golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Remove from pan.
Into the same sauté pan, add white wine to deglaze. Reduce to about half. Add heavy cream. Bring to a low boil. Turn down heat and add mustard and chopped parsley. Stir to combine. Do not allow to boil after adding mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over chicken or add chicken back to pan.

No wonder it's our favorite...we love the creaminess of this dish. Photo by: Paul Whicheloe.

Posted in Cook | Tagged Cooking, dinner, easy, food, go-to, homemade, Katie Brown, Katie Brown Workshop, quick, recipe, simple | 1 Comment

My Perfect Mom’s Day

Posted on May 15, 2012 by kbblogadmin

It might seem odd but there is no more perfect day for me than one where I get to create with my kids. For me, Mother’s Day is not about breakfast in bed or jewelry or a day at the spa. No, a day spent doing the things I love with the ones I love is the best treat. Recently I had just that day.

This is the beginning of our fairy resort.

Ta-da, now it's open for business!

First it was the creation of a fairy resort made from all sorts of gathered goodies.

Next it was off to the beach for another round of building and burying.

Gather driftwood for an impromptu castle.

My daughter Meredith is quite the builder!

Meredith gets buried in the sand and smiles the whole time.

Then I toiled away in the place I love the most, my kitchen, to make dinner for my favorite clan.

There's nothing better on Mother's Day than sitting around the dinner table as a family.

Now time to make some spaghetti art.

My daughter Prentiss loves slathering the spaghetti in paint.

Throw the spaghetti at a blank sheet or canvas to create colorful unique designs.

No other day could make this mother happier!

Blessings and happiness to all my fellow mothers.

I hope you found your bliss this past mothers day.

xoxox

Posted in Katie's Day | Tagged Cooking, craft, DIY, easy, family, food, fun, holiday, homemade, Katie Brown, Katie Brown Workshop, kids, outdoors, paint | 2 Comments