After the holiday decor and greenery is put away, I’m tempted by the new Spring Home Goods At Target. I really do not need anything but sometimes just ONE candle, basket or throw blanket can really give you a lift! I’m showing you what I like at Target, our son’s hearty seafood stew recipe, and kitchenware we love.
It’s Five Faves time with Annie and Cindy.
Spring Home Goods At Target
On Friday, I took a little tour of the home section at Target to see what was out for Spring.
Here are some of my favorite things!
The carved natural wood mirror is pretty and the faux eucalyptus berry is realistic. I like it in the amber jar vase.
The wicker lamp would add texture in the kitchen or bathroom. The throw blanket is soft (I felt it in the store). The lavender candle smells nice and it’s good to have well-priced unscented pillar candles, as well. I love to have white vases like these. The basket is a unique shape. I want it!
Shop The Post
Also, I saw these smaller “water colored” art pieces that were nicely done for the price. They would be pretty together or on their own.
vertical landscape art (16″ x 20″)
Tommy’s Cioppino
Our son, made the most amazing cioppino (seafood tomato stew from San Francisco) the other night for us and his new wife! I’m not saying this looks easy, but the multi-layered taste was incredible.
There are two things we love from Quince in the photo below. The stainless steel pan and the beautiful large walnut cutting board are well-priced gourmet additions to our kitchen.
It was served it with toasted baguette slices and one of my favorite salads that Howard makes: INSALATA FINOCCHIO (Fennel, Celery Salad with Oranges).
Tommy’s Fresh Seafood Cioppino
Ingredients
Broth
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 large shallots, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes optional for heat
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 cup dry white wine e.g. Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
- 1 28 oz can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
- 2 cups clam juice
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- juice of 1/2 lemon
Seafood
- .75 lb. shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 12 fresh clams (scrubbed clean)
- .75 lb. mussels (scrubbed and debearded)
- .33 lb. squid (cleaned and cut into rings)
- .5 lb. mahi mahi (cut into bite-sized chunks)
- 6 large scallops patted dry
Instructions
Prepare the Base Broth:
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
- Add shaved fennel, diced shallots, and minced garlic. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes until the fennel softens and the shallots become translucent and fragrant.
- Stir in 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (if using), 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1 tablespoon tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute to toast the spices and deepen the flavors.
Deglaze With Wine
- Pour in 1 cup of dry white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer for about 3-4 minutes until reduced by half.
Build The Broth
- Add: • 1 can (28 oz) crushed San Marzano tomatoes • 2 cups clam juice • 1 bay leaf • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley and 1 tablespoon fresh thyme.
- Stir everything together and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Let the broth simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes to develop the flavors.
Sear The Scallops While Broth Simmers
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil or butter.
- Pat the 6 large scallops dry with a paper towel, then season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Sear the scallops in the hot skillet for 1-2 minutes per side, until they form a golden-brown crust. Set aside and keep warm.
Cook The Seafood in the Broth
- Add the Clams: Increase the heat to medium and add the 12 clams to the pot. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, until the clams begin to open.
- Add the Mussels, Squid, and Mahi-Mahi: Stir in the 0.75 lb mussels, 0.33 lb squid (rings and tentacles), and 0.5 lb mahi-mahi. Cover again and simmer for 3-5 minutes, until the mussels open and the fish is opaque.
- Add the Shrimp and Scallops:Add the 0.75 lb shrimp and the seared scallops to the pot. Simmer uncovered for 2-3 minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through.
Finish And Serve
- Remove the bay leaf and discard any clams or mussels that didn’t open. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed. Ladle the cioppino into bowls, ensuring each serving gets an even mix of seafood. Garnish with fresh parsley and fennel fronds (optional). Serve with crusty bread for dipping.
Why Sear The Scallops?
- Searing the scallops adds a layer of caramelized flavor and ensures they don’t overcook in the stew, maintaining their tender and buttery texture.
Add more tomato sauce if you think you need it to make more "soup."
Reasonably Priced Flatware From Quince
Did you know Quince carries flatware? We were missing spoons and had several bent forks. We are keeping our old set but are using a fresh set from Quince. Ours (the Fortenza) is backordered but there are lots of styles.
Trading A Bench For Dining Chairs
As much as I love this Williams Sonoma Fitzgerald Dining Bench, I bought it when we had a pedestal table in San Francisco. Our new table can seat more people, especially with the extensions, but it’s difficult to get in and out with the legs to sit on the bench.
It retails for around $2000 (especially as I had it recovered in Kravet and Schumacher performance fabric). So, if you can pick it up (Atlantic Beach/Jacksonville), you can have it for $400. Comment with your email address.
Speaking of dining rooms…
According to House Beautiful: 12 Dining Room Trends Designers Are Expecting to Take Over in 2025
They say formal dining rooms are coming back. Really?!
I DO agree with “Bringing The Outside In.”
“Use wood tables, woven seating, and potted plants to create a serene environment.” I worry about that container on the table leaking (how I wrecked our pedestal table :/ ) Hopefully there is another waterproof container inside.
New Year Home Goals: Refresh In The Living Room
So, in other news, we are recovering the living room sofas and chairs. We got the antique Persian rug from our daughter-in-law’s family, and we are going to get the mantel painted. There will be an unveiling when it’s all done. 🙂
It feels good to be using what we have but refreshing it. Do you have any projects in the works?
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Let’s see what my friends have discovered this week:
Mary Ann, Tommy’s cioppino looks so good! I love that little lamp. You find the best things! xo
One caution about wicker lampshades: they block a great deal of light! I once stayed in a friend’s guest room at her beach house, charmingly decorated with three lamps with wicker lampshades. It looked cute by day but after dark I struggled to see! It was difficult to locate things in my suitcase as there was no overhead light fixture.
Good point…the lamp would be more for ambiance at night, not for task lighting. My sister has one on her kitchen counter that is lovely at night.
Raccoons: At this time of year and on into Spring the raccoons are looking for a place to have a nice family home. Your best defence is to make your home unavailable “for rent”. Roof vents may need mesh…any place that your roof has a “V” where one roof line meets another also needs mesh. Raccoons and chew through almost anything but they will avoid the mesh. They will stand on one part of your roof line next to the “V” and push up on the soffit to gain entry to your attic (nice warm place to have a family). I am on the Board for my Condo townhouses….we spent a LOT of money trying to get raccoons out of attics….and this is in spite of spending LOTS of money on preventative measures. If you hear any heavy footfall on the roof at night….that is the raccoons. You probably needs to be proactive and get the mesh installed on your house….but even then be vigilant for noises that mean that a raccoon has torn something open to get access to your attic space.
Wow. Thanks Lauren! We DO need to be vigilant. I had no idea about the mesh.
Looking forward to seeing your living room refresh! The seafood stew looks delicious and I do not even eat seafood.
Love the Target finds, I have a collage of them for my blog too. Great minds think alike.
Hi Mary Ann,
Tommy is a talented cook. He must have learned from both of you. Mona, is fortunate to have a husband that enjoys cooking. He puts so much love into everything he prepares as you both do. I think creativity runs in all your DNA. The Cioppino looks good, what a treat to sit down to a meal like this.
I bet your living room is going to look beautiful when you are done with the refresh. It helps when you have a good vision and excellent sources to work with.
All the things you found at Target look nice. I have no needs for anything right now.
Have a lovely week.
I have been doing a “refresh” throughout my home. The most impact I got was replacing quite of bit of lighting in the family room, master bedroom, and adding art lights. I gave all the lamps I replaced to my daughter. They were all very nice and in good shape but I just felt a change was needed. Also, I just ordered several things from Target – 2 purses, a wallet and matching makeup bag. I have been looking for very specific styles and sizes and just couldn’t find anything either bargain priced or high end. I just started browsing Target’s site and low and behold found exactly what I was looking for.
I will have to wait until our relox. to Virginia (from the upper MW) to get the right ingredients for Tommy’s fabulous Cioppino! Re. the raccoons: if you don’t have food out, they will quickly learn you don’t have anything to offer. Jeans: I know this company is considered too flashy or not hip by many, but Chico’s has several excellent jeans fits. My best current style from them is a pull-on wide leg Trouser-cut that fits like a dream and doesn’t bag in the hip/seat: I took them to Europe and never needed to press them. This brand is more realistic if you gain weight in your waist…
I had a laugh…I was taking expert photos of the cioppino on my I phone to access later…since I didn’t see a Pin sign…then read that Cindy had Pinned the recipe ! Hmmm… Went back, tapped and voila! I have it now in my seafood soup section. It sure looks good…however sans clam juice, clams and mussels. I am very allergic to clams and mussels, so I make a starter seafood broth using my prawn or shrimp shells ( whenever needing them for any recipe) with pepper corns , bay leaf and some white wine along with the water, then save for future use like this. Works for me when making my seafood chowders etc. Unfortunately, I cannot enjoy seafood chowders at local restaurants, but my versions are pretty tasty and safe for me ! Scallops, prawns, fish absolutely no problem.
I am about to replace any cushions and throws with winter red (retained from my Christmas decor) in early February , and prepare for spring… which happily is showing signs in our Canadian Pacific Northwest with snowdrops already up. Your ideas from Target are spot on, Mary Ann, however after downsizing after a divorce and move, I will be looking through my collection of accessories tucked away in the storage shed, to add a zesty touch of spring. Brighter greens and whites will look so fresh.
I am pinning that cioppino recipe, and that salad is perfect to pair with it yum!! That flatware from Quince is really good looking! Will we see the living room reveal in March?
Comfortable chairs are so important in a dining room. Who wants to linger on uncomfortable seats? Sorry but my bum gets sore.
Tommy’s Seafood Ciopino looks delish and oh so healthy, you are lucky to have two great chefs in your family. I get tired of cooking sometimes. But, love trying new recipes.
Those jeans would make anybody look long and lean. A winner in my books!
My projects this year are to reupholster some club chairs bought at a resale shop (always a good tip, glad you mentioned it!) You can find quality furniture at great prices….and my second project is to re-wire some vintage brass wall sconces. I hope dining rooms do make a comeback. Our home was built in the 80’s so it’s a living/dining room open concept. Actually, I love it when there is room for dining. So cozy!
That sounds great, Cheryl. I like dining rooms too…just when they are not to matching. The one above is good 🙂
Your family food always looks excellent. Tommy has taken after his father with cooking skills I see! I’d love to redo my dining room from top to bottom so I am excited to see this article. The pictured table is stunning. When I downsized, I sold my darker wood double pedestal dining table, cabinet, buffet, and 8 chairs for a song. Used a farmhouse style whitewash table and cabinet and I’ve been missing that classic look of wood with comfortable upholstered chairs. Need inspiration (and to carve a budget lol) so thanks for this link!
You could look at resale places, Carol. I gave our old table away and they refinished it…so I felt good about that. I do think comfortable dining chairs are important. Since our dining room is small I just bought the matching armless chairs.
Mary Ann! Tommy’s fresh seafood cioppino looks amazing! You live in the perfect place for making it too!
And that little wicker lamp is in my Target cart, but if only I had a spot for yet another lamp!
I can’t wait for your fireplace mantle reveal!
Xo
Annie
Tommy loves cooking in our kitchen so that is a big bonus for us, Annie!