Deco Dilemmas and Turkey-Veggie Loaf Recipe

So I’m totally digging my new digs. It’s bright, sunny and airy (in part because all the windows are open, which might explain the whole waking in the middle of the night half frozen thing). However, the furniture and other items that worked perfectly in the bijoux loft barn appendage. Ok, so my mom says it looked like a “mobile home,” which might mean an actual mobile home or some sort of Winnebago. To be fair, she’s never been in either, and her idea of camping is staying at a Holiday Inn.

So the bijoux barn appendage was very overstuffed and comfortable, but I think that phase is over. But how to decorate? Now I want sleek and modern and tidy looking, yet much sleek, modern, tidy looking furniture seems so not comfortable. Perusing various decorating sites, mostly Domino magazine’s, reveal that white, white, white is a good way to go…especially when one has some otherwise bright furniture like, oh, a fuchsia and red chair.

Rita Konig, a Domino blogger, gave a good bit of advice in {frolic!}:
When you are decorating a room, think about how you want to use it.
Huh. Imagine that. So basically, my living room should just have, aside from the tv/dvd/cable/phone set up, a giant mattresses, a million pillows, and some lovely trays to eat dinner on. But seriously, it is SUCH sage advice.

Meanwhile, I’m going to share with you this fantastic turkey-veggie loaf I concocted for dinner. Actually, it is a vegetable-filled version of something my dad picked up at Dean & Deluca. The vegetables inject flavor and moisture to the loaf.

Terrific Turkey-Veggie Loaf

1 package ground turkey (about 1.25 lbs)
1 small onion
1 small zucchini*
1 small carrot (or several mini carrots)*
a handful of breadcrumbs or other starch
1 egg or egg substitute
1 tbsp or so Herbs de Provence, Italian seasoning, curry-cumin-cinnamon, or other flavor combo
kosher salt and pepper to taste

Grate or puree the onions and veggies. If you are using a blender, do them in small batches, chunky is ok. Mix everything in a bowl. Bake in a bread loaf-sized pan at 350 degrees or until done. Serve with more veggies and brown rice or couscous.

*Just use whatever vegetables you have on hand- raw or slightly cooked. It should be about a cup of pureed vegetables per 1.25 lbs of turkey.

**For a more exotic variation, do a mixture of spices like cumin, cinnamon, coriander, etc… and then throw in some raisins or nuts. Substitute lamb for the turkey and serve with couscous.

***You can also make a sexier loaf by glazing the entire thing with apricot or mango jelly or chutney à la D&D.