Follow Your Heart

"Follow Your Heart - And Listen To Your Soul" 

Watercolor - By Mary Maki Rae 2014

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(Title of a Song I heard recently - If you do as said -

supposedly the World will be a better Place)

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A Summer Salad

"Summer Flowers" Watercolor - Mary Maki Rae -2014 (c)

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Now that Summer is Officially Here -(temperature in the 90's) - I'm in a Salad Mood - because of their relative simplicity - ease to assemble - and can in almost no time become "a meal in it's self".

Following is a Recipe for one that I thought would be tasty and open to additions . . . maybe Celery and Walnuts-?  See what you think. 

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH

BACON & AVOCADO

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Ingredients:

1/2 cup Mayonnaise

1/4 cup Dijon Mustard

Grated Zest of 2 Lemons - Plus 6 Tablespoons Juice

1 Tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

4 Boneless - Skinless Chicken Breast Halves (each about 6 ounces)

Peanut Oil for Brushing

4 Ounces "Hemplers" Bacon - Cut on the bias into 1/4-inch thick Slices

1 Head Lettuce Leaves - spararated

1 Avocado - pitted - peeled and cut into Wedges

1/2 English Cucumber - thinly sliced

Method:

1. Whisk together mayonnaise - mustard - lemon zest - juice and oil

    in a bowl.

    Season with salt and pepper - Reserve 1/2 cup of this mixture.

    Add chicken to the remaining marinade and turn to coat.

    Let chicken marinade for 20 minutes.

2. Preheat grill to medium and brush grates with oil.

    Remove chicken from marinade and grill - flipping occasionally - until

    cooked through - 10 to 12 minutes.

    Transfer to a cutting board - let stand 5 minutes - then slice.

     Meanwhile - grill bacon - 1 to 2 minutes per side.

3. Divide Lettuce among plates.

    Top with chicken - bacon - avocado - and cucumber.

    Season with salt and pepper - drizzle with reserved marinade 

    And serve immediately.

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Recipe from: "Living"Magazine - July-August 2014

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A Dazzling Red & White Decor

I really enjoy how this Italian Fortress-like Farmhouse has been Transformed -

with white paint and yards and yards of brilliantly Red & White Striped  Awning Canvas - into a Secluded Haven-! 

Above is the Living Room with it's giant round Table and a Chinoiserie Mirror which serves double duty as a display piece for Post Cards - Photos and Memento's.

The Living room walls are decorated with Plaster Peacock Hen Eggs - 

as a Coat of Arms - and Footprints.  The Painting of a Dog is By Gianni Penati - Professional Photographer - a Protege of Diana Vreeland.

 His wife Sandra Penati also worked at Vogue

Same Living Room with French Chair and Bench - 

All the Table Covers - Cushions - and Upholstery -

were made By local Seamstress Antonietta Castigllone.

All so Simplistic and Beautifully Tailored.

Genoese Beds have Canopies - Blue Bedspreads - and Red Bolsters

made By Antonietta.

The Main Bedroom Bed was dressed By Antoinette 

in the Red & White Awning Canvas.

She also made the Duvet Cover with the Red Piping.

The Red Chinese Clotheshorse is a nice accent.

The Red Wrought Iron Chandelier is hung with Chilli Peppers.

Chair slipcovers by Antoinette.

Same Kitchen - looking into the Living Room.

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All Images from: World of Interiors - January-1996

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