What you’ll need from the market: Don’t get distressed, this appears as though it is a long shopping list -but I tell you what- it is completely worth the extra time in the grocery store! This Mulligatawny Soup Recipe is all the perfection of Fall tastes wrapped up in a single bowl. I have broken the recipe down into sections where you’ll find each product in the grocery store. This way, you won’t miss a single ingredient!

FYI: This recipe is easily doubled for entertaining. In years past, I have been known to serve it as the first course on Thanksgiving day. Serve soup in vintage tea cups – don’t serve full bowls at Thanksgiving dinner. It is such a hearty soup that it’s sure to spoil your guests appetites if they eat too much of this delectable dish!

For Sautéing:
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 Tablespoon butter

Goodies from the produce area:
1 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup green bell pepper
1/2 chopped, peeled turnip
1 Granny Smith Apple, peeled and chopped

Spices:
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon of ground coriander, ground cloves, ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Liquids:
6 cups chicken stock or broth
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup water

Protein:
2 cups cubed cooked chicken (I cut it into cubes, season with salt and pepper and sauté in a little chicken broth – easy as pie!)
1 can (15oz) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

Extra Fixings:
Shredded coconut for topping the soup
For a heartier soup, serve the soup over a mound of steamed rice.

Directions: Note (1) There is a lot of chopping in this recipe, I LOVE to get out my food processor to speed along the process – I promise (mums the word!) I won’t tell a soul that you didn’t stand at the counter chopping each veggie with love. Note (2) This soup always tastes best the second and third day which means it is the perfect dish for entertaining. Make it up a few days before and simply heat up about 20 minutes before your guests arrive! Note (3) If your Honey is anything like mine (and would exist on protein alone if you let him) it doesn’t hurt to add extra chicken breast to this recipe.

In a large soup pot over medium heat, warm the oil and butter together. Add carrot and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add remaining vegetables and apple. Sauté until tender, about 10 minutes longer. Add curry powder, coriander, cloves, ginger, salt and pepper. Stir it for about one minute. This will ensure that the spices have evenly coated the sautéed veggies. Add stock and bring to a boil.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water. Add to the soup and stir until it thickens. This takes about 2 minutes. Add cooked chicken. Puree beans with 1 cup stock from the soup in your food processor. Add to soup pot and mix well. This will thicken the soup considerably. Reduce the heat to simmer, uncovered, until flavors are blended.

Ladle into bowl and sprinkle with coconut.

P.S. This Mulligatawny Soup Recipe comes from The Big Book of Soups and Stews: 262 Recipes for Serious Comfort Food. Buy the book by clicking here or the image below. E N J O Y -!-

10 Comments » Posted by ABCD / Uncategorized and totally delicious dishes

I had all but given up on Restoration Hardware, but they’ve impressed me with a change in direction. Inspired by iron makers and turn of the century industrial antiques – the line is looking quite good to me. I think that both the Dutch coffee table and the Brickmaker’s table are fine pieces. I would be thrilled to have either one!


This vintage inspired leather steamer trunk reminds me of the Summer house we used to rent when I was a kid. The owner was a buyer for Dayton Hudson and had collected interesting art and decor for the home. It was like nothing I had ever seen before – she used a shipping crate for a cocktail table. Needless to say, the idea of shipping containers and vintage luggage as storage has stuck with me ~ the look hits a nostalgic place in my heart.

Would you like a steamer trunk in shiny stainless with drawers for a bedside table, perhaps? I love a little something shiny on the night stand – With this look, you can “glam it up” in the most masculine way.

I also think this vintage style pedestal foyer table is absolutely on point. I love the shape, the color … completely up my alley!

Sweetie-Pie Nesting tables are also looking quite fine. Gold not your game? How about these pretties in silver?

I want to say thanks to a beautiful blog called Ill Seen Ill Said for bringing Restoration Hardware back onto my radar. What a “find” -!- If you have not been by, stop over and check it out. Always lovely – you won’t be disappointed. She touches on everything from design to antiques, to fashion … you name it! ~ Enjoy ~

3 Comments » Posted by ABCD / ABCD Design Inspiration and Collections and Design and Dream Decorating and Good Find and Interior Design as Inspiration and Shopping and Uncategorized

Pantone Color has joined together with the Dessy Group to create a palette that brides can count on. Brides and event planners work endlessly to get wedding colors to match. PANTONE WEDDING is a collection of color tools that make it easy for a bride to achieve a perfectly color coordinated wedding ~from inspiration to “I do.”

How cool is that? Ever since I started designing invitations I have used the pantone system to insure perfect colored wedding stationery. Just imagine for a moment how easy the coordination will be using the new color matching system -?!?- from bridesmaid dresses to shoes, ribbons, gift bags and wedding invitations. Easy, breezy and no wedding day “this is the wrong color!” surprises. Totally B R I L L I A N T.

3 Comments » Posted by ABCD / Color Palette and Good Find and How did I not know about this when I was engaged? and If I were to tie the knot again tomorrow *with Mr.D of course* I would... and Uncategorized and Wedding Decor and Wedding Planning

I was dream real estate shopping last night and found this 200 year old farmhouse in Kent, Connecticut that has been recently been renovated to the highest standard. Located 90 minutes from the heart of New York City, you couldn’t ask for a more lovely place to spend long weekends.
See that? Off to the left we have a 200 year old stone fireplace, above you’ve got wood beams from the same era. On the right, a perfect brand-spanking new kitchen renovation with black iron fixtures, marble counter-tops and a chef’s range. Dreamy! To compliment my country find, I went in search of…

It’s always good to dream big, isn’t it? Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

1 Comment » Posted by ABCD / ABCD Design Inspiration and Design and Dream Decorating and I love this and Interior Design as Inspiration and Personal and Uncategorized and totally off topic

As you may recall, a few weeks ago I gave a lesson on braising an eye of the round roast over at EAD Living. It’s a cut of beef that is ultra-light on the pocket book. When you’re feeling slightly more *flush* with cash, consider roasting a shoulder of beef. It’s really not that much pricier than the eye of the round roast. The sweet flavor, tenderness and the finger-licking-fall-apart goodness of the beef shoulder will make you happy that you spent the extra few dollars.

I prepared this roast quite similarly to the way that I made the other – only this time, right before the roast is transferred from stovetop to oven – I added halved carrots (two whole carrots per person) and 5 whole extra little small yellow onions.

Directions: It’s quite simple! Preheat your oven to 325. Turn your stovetop onto medium high. Start with a few tablespoons of butter melted in the bottom of a dutch oven.

Season the beef generously with Lawry’s Seasoning Salt . Place (fat side down first) in the pan. Brown on all sides.

While the meat browns, peel carrots. Cut in half. Peel onions and set aside.

Once the meat is brown, add one box of beef broth. It’s approximately 4 cups of stock and should cover the meat about 3/4 of the way. If it doesn’t, add more stock or in a pinch add water so that 3/4 of the meat is covered in liquid.

Place onions and carrots in with the meat and broth. Bring to a simmer. Once the broth comes to a simmer, transfer the dutch oven, covered, into the oven. Braise for about 20 minutes per pound of meat.

When the roast is done (falling apart) take it out and place on a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes. Slice and serve with au jus on the side. Easy, breezy – all in one pan – this is the sort of dish you put together before the football game and eat once the game is over!

E N J O Y.

3 Comments » Posted by ABCD / Uncategorized and totally delicious dishes