Recipe: Roasted Tomatillo Guacamole
Posted: August 31, 2011 Filed under: Recipes for Company Leave a comment »Are you ready for some football?! Pull out the jerseys and giant fingers because football season is here and what better way to kick off the season than by preparing this homemade dip for you and your friends. This zesty recipe is perfect if you want to stay home in front of the big screen or bring a dish to a tailgate. It’s easy and it will want those football fans craving for more! Plus, the ingredients are a healthy contrast to all those spicy wings!
photo by Sheri Giblin
Roasted Tomatillo Guacamole
Ingredients
* 1 or 2 fresh Jalapeños, stems removed, and chiles halved and seeded
* 1/2 medium white onion, peeled
* 1 garlic clove, peeled
* 1 tomatillo, papery skin removed
* 1 avocado, peeled and cut into chunks
* At least 1 tablespoon lime juice
* 1/3 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, chopped
* At least 1/2 teaspoon salt
Preparation
1. In a large, unoiled frying pan over medium heat, pan-roast the Jalapeños, onion, garlic, and tomatillo on all sides, 20 to 25 minutes total.
2. In a blender, whirl the vegetables with 1/4 cup water until blended but still chunky. Add avocado and lime juice; pulse until blended. Add cilantro and salt, pulse to combine, and add more salt and/or lime juice to taste.
For all you spicy eaters, think about adding more of an intense flavor to your homemade guacamole with the addition of pan-roasted jalapeño peppers and roasted tomatillos. It will have you on fire!
Makes 1 1/2 cups but plan to make a lot more for those fans! 30 minutes from fridge to plate.
From Sunset Magazine recipes July 2006.
Belgard Pavers: Natural Collection
Posted: August 24, 2011 Filed under: Outdoor Living, Pavers | Tags: belgard, Belgard Outdoor Living, Belgard pavers, outdoor living, patio pavers, walkway 4 Comments »
Belgard's Arbel and Urbana work together beautifully
When some homeowners look to change their outdoor living area, they may be unsure about which options best fit their preferences or house style. Questions such as, “What should I put in my backyard? What colors would look best? How to I keep the scale of items in proportion?” Finding the answers before making changes to your walkway, patio, driveway or pool deck will save you money, even increase the value of your property while creating an inviting outdoor atmoshere.
Leave it to Belgard® to provide pavers to fit every hardscape project, design style and budget. Belgard pavers are divided into three Collections based on texture: natural, classic and antique. For the past two weeks, this blog has featured the Antique and Classic collections. While these collections offer many different colors and designs, don’t forget to consider the Natural collection for your outdoor area. This collection mimics the look of natural stone yet without the fragility and complicated installation. You will have a natural, eye-catching the look for your outdoor living space in less time and effort!
Mega Arbel & Urbana
Arbel & Urbana
The Arbel® Stone collection has a natural, sophisticated look that homeowners thrive for when looking to turn their outdoor living area into their own backyard paradise. This collection resembles the look of irregularly cut flagstone and provides a variety of natural hues for homeowners to choose from.
Flagstone and Mega-Arbel may resemble each other, but the process of installation for Mega-Arbel pavers makes it a breeze versus a potenital headache. In the Mega-Arbel design, each paver comes in a two or three paver set, allowing the pavers to interlock easily. Although the look may seem random, installation is quite organized. Plus, each piece is the same thickness making for a level area.
Mega Lafitt
Belgard pavers offers the newest addition called the Lafitt collection. This collection features Mega Lafitt®, Lafitt Patio Slab and Lafitt Pavers in which each have different sizes. No matter if you’re planning to install a short walkway from your backdoor to the pool or a nice patio to overlook the bay, the Lafitt collection has it all!
Like Mega-Arbel, the Mega Lafitt pavers also a natural appearance but as slate, cut in a rectangular shape. Its modular shape allows a wide range of options for your outdoor area. For wider areas comsider the hefty sized Lafitt patio slab. Lafitt patio slab also has three shapes to choose from for your backyard design such as the large rectangle, the small rectangle and the large square. The Lafitt Collection provides the the durability that you would expect a paver to have with the strength that will last for years to come.
Urbana
The Urbana® Stone collection has a clean chiseled stone appearance and are offered in a three-piece modular system with an optional square foot large square for add-ons which allows for maximum versatility and a broader range of shapes. The Urbana collection is great for long driveways, patios and walkways.
If you want to add a little color to your natural backyard pavers, the Urbana collection provides color blends to tie in that realistic look you are looking for. When decorating, think about dark brown chairs and add beige cushions with colored, striped pillows to add that accent. Enjoying a nice glass of wine never seemed better in your new backyard!
Old Word borders Mega Arbel
Another option in the Natural Collection is the Old World collection, reflecting the design of an old, well-worn European cobble stone. These strong and durable pavers are perfect for high traffic areas, yet look great for a home in the suburbs. Multiple patterns and as borders give this paver versatility. Grab a lemonade on a sunny day and enjoy your old-time look in your backyard!
With the Natural collection, installing outdoor pavers never seemed so easy! Each collection provides a simple yet durable paver for you to embellish. If you think you’re missing something to complete your perfect outdoor area, the Natural collection can be the missing link to meet your satisfaction.
Belgard takes pride in offering a lifetime warranty on all its pavers. With unsurpassed standards in the industry and an artisan’s attention to detail, these products are sure to add value to your home for years to come. And, when it comes to installation, count on a Belgard contractor. They have been trained on the latest techniques and methods of installation so you can be assured of a quality outcome with the product that is as durable as it is beautiful. Local dealers can provide you with samples and colors in your area. Belgard.biz is full of ideas for your next project.
Our product and lifestyles catalogs are available for viewing online. Plus, the Online Visualizer allows you to upload a photo and get ideas how various products would look, including colors in your area.
Belgard Pavers: Classic Collection
Posted: August 17, 2011 Filed under: Outdoor Living, Pavers | Tags: belgard, Belgard Outdoor Living, Belgard pavers, outdoor living, patio pavers, walkway Leave a comment »
Cambridge Cobble creates a circular patio for relaxation
Homeowners have many different options to enhance their outdoor living experience. From furniture, to plants, to patios, your style can be reflected as much outdoors as inside. Belgard pavers create an outdoor living space with a world of choices. Sidewalks, driveways, patios, pool decks, and walkways can now become a designer showcase rather than just a drab slab of concrete.
Belgard provides pavers to fit every hardscape project, design style and budget. Belgard pavers are divided into three categories based on texture: natural, classic and antique. Last week’s blog introduced the Antique Collection, and for this week’s blog, the Classic Collection will be featured.
Mixing colors
Today, with an uneasy economy and travel prices high, “stay-cations” are all the rage. Creating your vacation backyard can provide you with years of enjoyment. The two products in the Classic collection are Holland Stone and Cambridge Cobble pavers both offer various color combinations to bring your outdoor space to life. “Belgard puts in 20,000 hours to keep up with the trends of colors to stay ahead of the curve,” Laurie Smith of Belgard said. Outdoor pavers are not only easy for a selection color combinations but also for add ons. When you need to add electric or plumbing under concrete, you must tear it up and repour, causing “patches.” With pavers,future construction is as easy as pulling up a few pavers, doing the work and reinstalling them – leaving no marks. Plus, all Belgard pavers offer a lifetime warrantee – bet your concrete can’t do that!
Holland
The Holland Stone pavers are extremely durable and easily integrated into any style. With a simple rectangular shape, a handful of choices in patterns are just a design away. When you use Belgard products, many collections can be mixed and matched due to the consistency of color. Consider beyond the paver and look to Belgard’s collection of walls, steps, firepits, and an entire outdoor kitchen. Take a look through our Lifestyles catalog to get ideas.
Cambridge's whimsy
The Cambridge Cobble collection has more of a tailored architectural look and provides the elegant European design to your home. Available in rectangular, squared and circular shapes, you can create numerous patternsand designs creating interest in your outdoor space. The Cambridge Cobble collection gives off a woodsy feeling with its earth tone color scheme.
Cambridge
These pavers will have you feeling like the woods are your very own backyard. Consider installing Cambridge Cobble pavers from your house out into the backyard to provide a long pathway. Look to have more of a neutral color for your furniture choice such as an iron bench with a lighter colored pillow. Also, think about adding a small, dark colored pergola to enhance the feeling of your backyard. Japanese hydrangeas are a great plant selection along your Cambridge Cobble walkway.
Cambridge Path
Holland retreat
Holland & Bergerac
All collections have color choices, each with variations mimicking a natural feel, and your local Belgard dealer can provide samples for your next project.
Belgard takes pride in offering a lifetime warranty on all its pavers. With unsurpassed standards in the industry and an artisan’s attention to detail, these products are sure to add value to your home for years to come. And, when it comes to installation, count on a Belgard contractor. They have been trained on the latest techniques and methods of installation so you can be assured of a quality outcome with the product that is as durable as it is beautiful.
Belgard.biz is full of ideas for your next project. Our product and lifestyles catalogs are available for viewing online. Plus, the Online Visualizer allows you to upload a photo and get ideas how various products would look, including colors in your area.
Next week: the Natural Collection
Belgard Pavers: Antique Collection
Posted: August 9, 2011 Filed under: Outdoor Living, Pavers | Tags: belgard, Belgard Outdoor Living, Belgard pavers, patio pavers 2 Comments »
Belgard Pavers Create Outdoor Spaces
While most homeowners pay careful attention to design details inside their home, outdoor design tends to get overlooked. Planning an outdoor area to reflect who you are and your style of home should be a priority to maximize the enjoyment of your yard. Adding pavers, whether a small circular sitting area, patio, poolscape, driveway, or an entire backyard entertaining area, provide the greatest return on your outdoor design investment.
Two products together
Belgard provides pavers to fit every hardscape project, design style and budget. Belgard pavers are divided into three categories based on texture: natural, classic and antique. Throughout this month, we will look at each of these collections and give some ideas to coordinate with their intended style. For starters, this blog will look at the Antique collection.
The two main products, Dublin Cobble and Bergerac offer a timeless beauty with their richly dimpled surfaces and antiqued edges. With the standard option of driveways and patios being boring concrete, these pavers come alive with a texture that gives them a worn feel. Both recall a later time of long strolls and horse drawn carriages: Dublin with an Old English feel while Bergerac has a more Italian villa feel. Yet, only their look is old-fashioned. These pavers are made with up-to-date technology exceeding national standards.
Dublin Cobble
The Dublin Cobble collection with its distressed surface and antiqued edges, gives it a sophisticated look. When decorating, consider wrought iron either in your furniture choices or as accent pieces, such as a planter or light fixtures. To expand the Old English feel, use plants that would be found an English garden, including ferns and antique roses. Consider a nearby pond filled with lily pads and koi, with a gentle sounding fountain. Accent with cushions and pillows in bold floral, paisley or pastoral patterns.
Dublin Cobble circle pattern creates a reading spot
Individual pavers in the Dublin Cobble collection come in four rectangular shapes, a modular three-piece grouping, a large square, and a combination to create circular patterns. Depending on the part of the country, there are multiple color options from charcoals to greys and reds to browns. Belgard offers variations within each color group to give a more realistic look.
As a path
The Bergerac collection, with its Mediterranean feel, has a cobbled texture. Offered in standard size, plus the larger Mega Bergerac collection, this paver group provides multiple modular shapes to create simple running patterns to intricate designs, and a circle pattern.
Walking Path
You can even use both collections together to provide borders or living space dividers. Individual pavers can even be used for a walking path through a garden. The Bergerac collection also allows you to create a multi-part fan pattern, sure to catch your company’s attention.
Having the feel of a cobblestone road, you will want to coordinate your space in such a style. Like Dublin, wrought iron adds a classic look. A well-worn piece of teak furniture with its grey color adds a timeless look. You can also add an arts and crafts feel with pillows or artwork with a flora and fauna motif. Antique stores may offer up that perfect garden cart from the turn of the century as an object of attention. Add a partial marble column in your garden and you will conjure up the smells of a breeze off the Mediterranean Sea.
Fan Pattern
Just like the Dublin collection, colors vary by regions of the county, yet range from greys to browns and beiges. All color collections have variations and your local Belgard dealer can provide samples for your next project.
Belgard takes pride in offering a lifetime warranty on all its pavers. With unsurpassed standards in the industry and an artisan’s attention to detail, these products are sure to add value to your home for years to come. And, when it comes to installation, count on a Belgard contractor. They have been trained on the latest techniques and methods of installation so you can be assured of a quality outcome with the product that is as durable as it is beautiful.
Belgard.biz is full of ideas for your next project. Our product and lifestyles catalogs are available for viewing online. Plus, the Online Visualizer allows you to upload a photo and get ideas how various products would look, including colors in your area.
Next week: the Classic Collection
