AFAIC, there's absolutely nothing wrong with mashed POTATOES. You do not have to have butter, milk, cheese, oil, sour cream, dehydrated goat, or battery acid added. Especially when you're putting gravy on them anyway. Often it's better since too often, people put so much junk in there the potatoes are sloppy, drippy and more resemble potato soup than mashed potatoes. A little broth or even the residual water from cooking adds plenty of moisture. The butter/margarine, etc can be added afterward if they want.

ohiomom--your gougere looks wonderful! and sol--there is absolutely NOTHING about that recipe not to like! i've never had a cauliflower fritter colleen, but my guess is that we'd both like that. i'd never had "fauxtatoes" until teresa posted a recipe a couple years back and we think that's a keeper, as is seagrass's recipe that ruthanna posted. course, we like cauliflower and i know not everyone does. i haven't tried this one yet but it looks good on paper! actually, i was thinking even without the rice it might be good... Cauliflower Risotto with Spicy Pangrattato adapted from Jamie Oliver A whole head of cauliflower is melted into a pot of risotto, leaving behind no trace of its identity apart from a silkiness and subtle umami that many find hard to decipher. The other thing that sets this version apart from the usual is the crunchy, salty, spicy mixture of breadcrumbs, anchovies and chili that is showered over each serving. Serves: 4 as a main dish, or 6 as a side two large handfuls breadcrumbs, from a slightly stale country loaf (about 1 cup, packed) 1 flat can anchovies in olive oil, undrained pinch or two of hot chili flakes, or to taste about 5-6 cups (1.25-1.5l) chicken stock 1 medium head cauliflower (about 2lbs/1kg) 6 tablespoons (90g) butter, divided 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 cups (400g) carnaroli or arborio rice 1 cup (250ml) dry vermouth or white wine 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary 4 oz (115g/about 1 cup) freshly grated parmesan cheese salt and freshly-ground black pepper extra parmesan cheese, for serving Combine the bread in a food processor with the anchovies, the oil from the can and the chili flakes and process to fine crumbs. Heat a frying pan with a splash of olive oil and sauté the crumbs over medium-high heat until browned and crispy. Set aside. Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a large saucepan. Tear the green leaves off the cauliflower and cut out the stalk. Chop the stalk finely and cut the florets into 1-inch pieces. Drop the florets in the pan with the stock, bring to a gentle boil, and cover. In another, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons butter and the olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and reserved chopped cauliflower stalk and sauté until very tender, about 15 minutes. Add the rice, stirring constantly to coat it with the oil. After about a minute the grains of rice should start to become translucent around the edges. Add the vermouth or wine, and stir constantly until it has been absorbed. Add a ladleful (about 1/2 cup) of the hot stock and a good pinch of salt, and again stir constantly until all the liquid is nearly absorbed before adding the next ladle of stock. Continue adding the stock bit by bit until the rice is about half cooked. By now the cauliflower florets should be very soft (this is important, so take the rice off the heat for a couple minutes if they're not yet there). Start adding the florets in with the stock, crushing them into the rice as you go. Continue until the rice is cooked but still retains a gentle bite and the cauliflower has all been added. This should take about 18-20 minutes in total; if you find you run out of broth before the rice is cooked, add a bit of boiling water. The finished risotto should be pourable but not soupy; all'onda in Italian. As soon as the rice is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rosemary, parmesan cheese and remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Cover the pan and let it sit undisturbed for 2 minutes (not longer or it will thicken too much). Taste for seasoning, and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately in shallow bowls, topped with the crunchy pangrattato and additional parmesan.

All finished. I opted for the white ribbon and the white tacks (thought it was busy enough all ready). It was a very easy project and the dots made it simple to line everything up. Boy, DD is going to be suprised when she gets home from school. Just need to hang it up now. This was a great recycling project since I used her old cork board for a fresh new look.

Hi all, Thanks for continuing to play with me. I'm taking some of your advice and posting a photo board without the rug. I'm really not a brave person when it comes to decorating and the "black" dining room is really out of character for me. My home is very boring in other aspects, hence my desire to have the same drapes in both the dining room and the study across the hall, which limits things some as the dining room is black and the study will be a blue/green/gray. Both rooms currently have that same brown/cream/gold rug also. When I first started on this decorating journey is was with the intention of ivory drapes. But while at the store looking for a sample I came across these blue/gray ones which I really liked with the wall color but not the chair and rug. (You can see both the ivory and the blue in the photo below.) Then I started looking for rugs and found the one pictured here, however I decided as much as I like the color of the bluish drapes I didn't like the pattern that competed with the chair pattern. Sooooo, when I found the stripe I thought, EXACTLY and I still really like it. I'm going to try to get back to the fabric store and buy 1 yard just to live with for a few days. Otherwise, I think I may just have to go with the ivory or an ivory stripe like cami's above so that it will work in both rooms. I'll keep looking at fabric in my spare time though. Hopefully something else will catch my attention AND be in my price range....