Antelope in our bedroom

I have had a long time love affair with Stark's Antelope Carpet.  You've seen it in all the design magazines especially on stairs and it is nothing short of stunning.  Seriously, years later I do not tire of it.

image via here

After a whole lot (and I mean a LOT) of convincing, I finally got it in my bedroom.  Not the Stark one, mind you, but Ballard Designs makes a pretty good copy cat version:

The price is still much better than the designer version but after I shared with you my new favorite rug resource a few weeks ago here, you can imagine that my husband pushed back at the price tag when I insisted we needed the largest one they made for our space.  In the end, it was a battle that was well worth fighting.  And, while I am not sure he would ever admit to me being right, I'm pretty sure deep down he agrees with me.  Really.  :)

It's a work in progress but it sure feels amazing to have a bedroom large enough to accommodate a king size bed and two full size side tables after coming from our tiny DC house.  Before we moved, my husband's bedside table was a tiny (and I mean TINY - like 6 inches x 6 inches) PLANT STAND as it was the only thing I could find to fit the space.  Baby steps...

#cameronjonesinteriors #anteloperug #ballarddesignsantelope #ballarddesigns #raleighdesign #homedecor #bedroomdecor #moderntraditionalmix 

Southwestern White Chicken Chili

This chicken chili is so easy and so tasty.  My husband is from New Mexico and so he is a huge fan of anything with green chiles in it.  I have really come to love the smoky, mild heat they give dishes and cook with them often now.  The weather has been in this wonky it is warm, wait - - just kidding, it's still winter phase and this dish fits the bill for even warmer weather because it is not too heavy.

What You'll Need:
1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken (I used chicken breasts)
2 cans white beans (I used Great Northern but you can use any that you prefer)
1 can corn
large handful of cilantro, chopped
1 can (4 ounces) of green chiles
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp butter
1 and 1/2 Tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
4 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup Mozzarella cheese (plus more for topping if desired)
1 Tbsp cornstarch for thickening (optional)

What You'll Do:
Cook your chicken.  You can either dice it and cook it in a little olive oil with salt and pepper.  I actually took another short cut because my husband was grilling a steak the night before so I just threw the chicken seasoned with salt and pepper onto the grill the night before so it was already cooked.

Add olive oil and butter and cook onions and garlic with chicken until tender.  Add green chiles, corn and beans and cumin and cayenne.  Cook for about 1 minute before adding the broth.  Add the broth and let everything simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Mix in about 1 Tbsp of cornstarch or flour mixed with a little water to thicken, if desired.  Add mozzarella cheese and fresh cilantro (saving a little for garnish).  Stir and let simmer for another 5 minutes or so.  Serve and top with extra cheese and cilantro.