Fox 5 at Lucketts

Wow! What a morning!There's always something going on at Lucketts...but this morning took that to a whole new level!  I got to the shop early to work on my "space", and a truck driver with a trailer arrived.  He was delivering a load that Suzanne bought at auction and he said he was told to be here by 9:15 for the tv shoot.  "What tv shoot?!!" It was 8:45 and no one was around but me!  Fox 5 was coming to Lucketts to film a live spot on the Lucketts Fair, and they were going to interview Suzanne about antiques.  I started to panic because I had just thrown my hair into a ponytail, no makeup - and if Sooz didn't show I did NOT want to do this interview!!  Luckily, she arrived shortly after, and Henry and the guys started unloading the trailer.  Anne, one of our awesome worker girls started artfully arranging the furniture to look "un-arranged".

Now for most,  that would be enough chaos for one morning but in addition to that we had the firemen collecting for muscular dystrophy, a road crew trimming trees and chipping them, police and community center board members.  We had to ask the road crew to stop work for the broadcast because the noise was unbearable!  In true Lucketts style, the whole staff pitched in and got the job done.  Suzanne is sponsoring an exchange student, Kabir, from India and he pitched in, too.  Welcome to our crazy corner of the world, Kabir!

Suzanne did a fantastic job in the interview...cool as a cucumber!  My favorite moment was when Holly Morris, the Fox 5 reporter asked Sooz where she buys her antiques, and Suzanne replied, "If I told you, I'd have to kill you".  Hilarious! Five minutes after the piece aired, the pink chairs sold by phone to someone who had seen the report.  Just another day at Lucketts....

Healthy Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers

We're trying to eat better at the Shop and here at our house, too.  It's not always easy, but I've found that just making good choices most of the time makes a big difference. Tonight I made Stuffed Green Peppers with ground turkey.  I've found that ground turkey can be tricky to use because it can be much blander than ground beef.  You really have to jazz it up with spices and lots of flavor, and this recipe fills the bill.  If you have picky folks in your house you can top this with a slice of fresh mozzarella and stick it under the broiler for a couple of minutes 'til it gets melty and golden!  Everybody in my house loved this one.  My husband said, "Wow, that was ground turkey?!".

Ingredients:

4 bell peppers (green,red,yellow or orange)

1 pound ground turkey

2 tbsp. olive oil

one medium onion, chopped

one large or 2 small garlic cloves, minced

one 8 oz can tomato sauce

one cup leftover cooked rice, any kind (I used leftover Spanish rice tonight - and I do like the color that it gives the dish)

one teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon oregano

slices fresh mozzarella (optional)

Get out a large pot, a large skillet, and a 13 x 9 casserole dish.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Fill the large pot with water and get it boiling.

Cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds and the tops.  Blanch the peppers for a minute or two, remove from the water with tongs and drain them.

In the large skillet, heat the oil over high heat.  Add the onion and garlic and cook for 4 minutes.  Add the ground turkey and cook for another 4-5 minutes until no longer pink.  Remove from heat and drain.  Add the rice, salt, pepper and oregano and half the tomato sauce.

Stuff the peppers with the meat mixture and place them in the casserole. Spoon the rest of the tomato sauce over each pepper. Cover with foil and place in the oven for about 30 minutes.  If adding the optional cheese, place it on each pepper, turn the oven to broil and cook another 5 minutes until golden and bubbly.

Serves 4

- Lisa

Chalkboard Wall

I'm always trying to get organized.  It's against my nature, really, but that doesn't stop me from trying (and trying, and trying!).  I have this weird little partition wall in my kitchen, and one day I got the crazy idea to paint it with chalkboard paint.  I got out the ladder, taped up the wall and got started.  If you haven't tried chalkboard paint yet, it's super easy to use.  I sanded the wall lightly first, then followed the directions right on the can.  It took two coats and the hardest part of the project was resisting the temptation to write on the wall in the three days it takes for it to cure!  But once the three days were up and the wall got writing on it, I loved the result!

I have a grocery list, a schedule for the week, sometimes a menu (when I'm having a good week!), and other little reminders.  My teenage kids and their friends love to sign the wall and their notes are fun to read, too.  If you try this project, don't panic when you get to the stage when it's finished and you have to wait for it to cure. The wall looks like a giant, black hole until you get some writing on it.  Also, make sure you follow all the directions on the can. You have to cover the whole surface with chalk dust before writing on it the first time.  I almost never follow directions, but I did this time and I'm glad that I did...and the best part is that it really has helped me to be a little more organized!

 -Lisa

August 2010 Design House Sneak Peek

Here's a sneak peak at this month's Design House...

There's lots more to see, so come check it out Friday, Saturday and Sunday August 6, 7, & 8.  We'll be open all three days from 10am til 5pm...and don't forget the Dance Party at the Design House pool!  It's Saturday night from seven-ish til whenever-ish.  Wear your suit and get your dance on!