We use a great resource book that helps us estimate remodeling costs. We hope you find it usefull too.
Book: 2011 National Repair and Remodeling Estimator
Author: Albert S. Paxton
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Wayside Recipe of the day
Snow?! No school? As we find things to do on this snowy day, I hope you can make this soup. Try it and let me know what you think.
During the cold winter months I love to make a squash soup. I get the request to make my squash soup for family gatherings. I got the recipe from my Mother-In-Law many years ago. She had made it when she found it in her newspaper. I liked it a lot and saved the newspaper clipping from the trash can. I have changed a few things and replaced fattening butter and heavy cream for healthy olive oil and light cream, but the soup still remains delicious. I hope it becomes one of your favorites as well. Enjoy!
Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and diced
1 2-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 or 2 inch chunks
3 Granny Smith or other apples peeled, cored and cut into large pieces
1 quart chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 cup of light cream of half and half
Salt, fresh pepper and nutmeg to taste
Grated cheddar cheese and sour cream optional
In a large pot over medium heat fry the onions in the olive oil until translucent, this sweetens the onions. Add the squash and apples to the mixture. Cook for a few more minutes. Add the chicken stock, bay leaf, sprinkle some salt and increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer until squash is very soft. About 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf and working in batches puree the soup in a food processor or I use my blender. I leave about a cup of squash and apples in chunks because my husband loves it that way.
Return the pureed soup to the pot. Add pepper, nutmeg, salt and cream. Stir over a low flame until the soup is warm. Serve in bowls and garnish with the grated cheddar cheese and a blob of sour cream in the middle. Sometimes I sprinkle a little more nutmeg on the bowls. I serve with Ritz crackers or bread.
During the cold winter months I love to make a squash soup. I get the request to make my squash soup for family gatherings. I got the recipe from my Mother-In-Law many years ago. She had made it when she found it in her newspaper. I liked it a lot and saved the newspaper clipping from the trash can. I have changed a few things and replaced fattening butter and heavy cream for healthy olive oil and light cream, but the soup still remains delicious. I hope it becomes one of your favorites as well. Enjoy!
Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and diced
1 2-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 or 2 inch chunks
3 Granny Smith or other apples peeled, cored and cut into large pieces
1 quart chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 cup of light cream of half and half
Salt, fresh pepper and nutmeg to taste
Grated cheddar cheese and sour cream optional
In a large pot over medium heat fry the onions in the olive oil until translucent, this sweetens the onions. Add the squash and apples to the mixture. Cook for a few more minutes. Add the chicken stock, bay leaf, sprinkle some salt and increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer until squash is very soft. About 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf and working in batches puree the soup in a food processor or I use my blender. I leave about a cup of squash and apples in chunks because my husband loves it that way.
Return the pureed soup to the pot. Add pepper, nutmeg, salt and cream. Stir over a low flame until the soup is warm. Serve in bowls and garnish with the grated cheddar cheese and a blob of sour cream in the middle. Sometimes I sprinkle a little more nutmeg on the bowls. I serve with Ritz crackers or bread.
The grass is always greener...
Have you ever heard this saying? This is how I see it relating to purchasing kitchen cabinets: A family decides to remodel their kitchen. They stop at a few kitchen places to get ideas, look through magazines, and determine how much they want to spend. They decide on where to purchase their cabinets. They may feel the inclination to purchase from a familiar lumber yard or big box store, knowing full well that in the end they may not be truely happy with the results, but they want to save money. Saving money is a good thing. One must invest wisely and you may save some money initially, but your new kitchen may not be what you wanted or could have had for a little more money. Visiting a local kitchen shop like mine may intimidate the general public. After all, we are a small outfit run by mom and pop which makes them think we are more expensive. We are not. We carry superior products that were carefully choosen for their quality and value. We already did the homework for our clients! We looked through many lines of cabinets (and God knows that there are tons of them out there) and we picked the ones that better suit our clients and this market. Our prices, if compared apples to apples with the big box store or lumber yard pricing will be competitive. We offer our clients the full remodel. Most box stores offer just the cabinets, some other finishes and maybe the labor to install. We feel that our clients need to know what the WHOLE project is costing prior to making the investment. It would be easier for me to just sell better cabinets all day long, but I love to see the project through. I like to be involved in all the aspects of the design and finish selection. This is something that the big box stores can't offer you. Their sales associate NEVER visits your house to see how you live and function in your kitchen and home. Yes, you may save a few bucks by shopping at the big box stores, but you will never get the level of service and quality that you will get from a local supplier. I also like to buy local and support my community and the small businesses that are thriving in the current economy. The large companies like the big box stores have deep advertising pockets that the small local company can't beat. I remember late spring last year feeling sad that one of our local farms was struggling to sell their flowers to residents. I always think of them before I pick up flowers at the larger supplier. It makes me feel good that my support provides for a local family.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Why buy a new kitchen now?
Now is a great time to purchase your new kitchen. The home values in our area are steady. Local contractors are available and eager to work. The interest rates are low, but threatening to rise in the near future. The biggest saving? You will love your new kitchen so much, that you will save money on restaurant meals. At Wayside we want you to love your kitchen!
Why Wayside?
Wayside Kitchens is a full service design company located just West of Boston. We serve clients from all over the New England area. Our main goal is to provide you, our client, with outstanding service, superior quality products and great design.
Our name may indicate only kitchens but in fact we are much more. We specialize in bathrooms, entertainment centers, libraries and custom closets as well. If you can think of an area where a custom cabinet, wainscoting or paneled treatment is desired, we can accommodate your needs.
When you enter our showrooms you will find a wide selection of cabinet lines. Our products are chosen for their quality, craftsmanship and value. All of the cabinetry we carry are made in the USA. Each manufacturer is selected to give you the highest quality from simply functional to semi-custom and custom lines. Each cabinet option has been chosen to be part of Wayside Kitchen’s collection because it has met our 5 star internal rating system. Whether you are purchasing the functional line or one of our custom lines, your cabinet meets our standards of industry quality.
Mary and Jim Regan worked for many years in the kitchen industry before starting their own company. Mary is a creative and talented kitchen designer. Jim is a highly skilled finished carpenter and installer. Anne Hentz is an experienced interior designer who shares the Regan’s determination to provide quality and innovative design. Together, Mary, Jim and Anne are dedicated to offering you the highest quality service. We believe in pride of ownership. We do not simply work on your job. We devote ourselves and our reputation to give you our highest level of commitment, satisfaction and follow-through on your project.
Our passion is to help you translate your dreams of the perfect environment into a reality. In the initial fact gathering session, Mary and Anne listen to your vision of your finished space. We spend time understanding how you live and work in that space. We translate that information into a plan that allows you the most efficient, flowing and functional design. Once the plan for your space has been achieved, we help you to choose the cabinetry that best suits your vision and your desired investment range. We work with you to determine your appliance needs as well as guiding you in the selection of flooring, lighting, and tiling.
Jim leads the team of craftsmen and trades people who transform your space. Jim is on site and dedicated to providing you with an exquisite finished project. When you work with Wayside Kitchens, you work directly with the owners. What sets us apart is our dedication to our clients and our reputation.
The next time you are traveling on the Old Boston Turnpike, take a turn into Wayside Kitchens. You’ll often times find us with something baking in our ovens while coffee or tea brews for our friends and clients who visit. Remember, for the heart of your home, visit us at Wayside Kitchens. You’ll be glad you did.
www.waysidekitchens.com
Our name may indicate only kitchens but in fact we are much more. We specialize in bathrooms, entertainment centers, libraries and custom closets as well. If you can think of an area where a custom cabinet, wainscoting or paneled treatment is desired, we can accommodate your needs.
When you enter our showrooms you will find a wide selection of cabinet lines. Our products are chosen for their quality, craftsmanship and value. All of the cabinetry we carry are made in the USA. Each manufacturer is selected to give you the highest quality from simply functional to semi-custom and custom lines. Each cabinet option has been chosen to be part of Wayside Kitchen’s collection because it has met our 5 star internal rating system. Whether you are purchasing the functional line or one of our custom lines, your cabinet meets our standards of industry quality.
Mary and Jim Regan worked for many years in the kitchen industry before starting their own company. Mary is a creative and talented kitchen designer. Jim is a highly skilled finished carpenter and installer. Anne Hentz is an experienced interior designer who shares the Regan’s determination to provide quality and innovative design. Together, Mary, Jim and Anne are dedicated to offering you the highest quality service. We believe in pride of ownership. We do not simply work on your job. We devote ourselves and our reputation to give you our highest level of commitment, satisfaction and follow-through on your project.
Our passion is to help you translate your dreams of the perfect environment into a reality. In the initial fact gathering session, Mary and Anne listen to your vision of your finished space. We spend time understanding how you live and work in that space. We translate that information into a plan that allows you the most efficient, flowing and functional design. Once the plan for your space has been achieved, we help you to choose the cabinetry that best suits your vision and your desired investment range. We work with you to determine your appliance needs as well as guiding you in the selection of flooring, lighting, and tiling.
Jim leads the team of craftsmen and trades people who transform your space. Jim is on site and dedicated to providing you with an exquisite finished project. When you work with Wayside Kitchens, you work directly with the owners. What sets us apart is our dedication to our clients and our reputation.
The next time you are traveling on the Old Boston Turnpike, take a turn into Wayside Kitchens. You’ll often times find us with something baking in our ovens while coffee or tea brews for our friends and clients who visit. Remember, for the heart of your home, visit us at Wayside Kitchens. You’ll be glad you did.
www.waysidekitchens.com
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Kitchen design and custom cabinetry, Littleton, MA
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| Wellesley, MA |
Come see what we are up to
Wayside is under construction. We are adding a new display. The hammer, drill and saw will soon rest and we will welcome our clients to our new display.
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