Jane has always been the type to frequently pick up little gifts for me, whether it’s white chocolate while she’s out food shopping or an extra pair of wool socks for my perpetually cold feet. Come Mother’s Day, I’m always excited to give her all the little goodies I’ve been secretly collecting! Even if every year, without fail, she tells me not to buy her anything, it’s too much fun seeing her eyes light up when I surprise her with something totally unexpected.

With the spirit of that joyful experience in mind, I selected some unique items from our Bubble & Squeak collection that would appeal to a range of marvelous mommas! One of the most fabulous things about the world we live in lies in people’s diversity. Creating and selling jewelry is fascinating because we are able to experience first-hand all of the different preferences people have for shapes and colors! I hope (fingers-crossed) that I was able to capture some of that diversity in my selections, but if there are any other pieces you find yourself saying, “Oh my mom would love this!,” please shot me an email at info@janetaylor.com and I would be overjoyed to help.

All my love to you and your momma,
Cleo

PS: The rings and earrings below are available to buy in our shop page!

Case in point, this Thai Green Curry Turkey Meatball recipe. I re-pinned it from Whole Foods, but it’s originally from a website called Minnesota Monthly, under their Twin Cities Taste blog. I would never have found this recipe, unless maybe I was suddenly struck with a craving for Thai flavored turkey meatballs, which would never have happened before tasting these meatballs. But will now definitely be happening. During the weird Winter-to-Spring transition, I crave cozy but light fare, and this dish hit that nail smack on its flavorful head.

In summary, Pinterest = land of magic and endless culinary inspiration that will make your life extra tasty.

Recipe adapted from Minnesota Monthly

Turkey Meatballs (makes 6 servings)

2 shiitake mushrooms + 3 large white button mushrooms, finely chopped
1½ lbs. ground turkey (1/3 white meat, 2/3 dark meat)
2.5 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
2 tsp. Thai green curry paste, or more to taste
1 Tbsp. Asian fish sauce (nam pla nuoc nam)
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
¹⁄₃ c. green onions, white and green parts finely chopped
¼ c. chopped cilantro
4ish Tbsp. olive oil (basically, use as much or as little oil as needed to cook all of the meatballs without making a burnt mess at the bottom of your pan!)

–> In a medium bowl, combine mushrooms, turkey, ginger, curry paste, fish, soy and Worcestershire sauces, sugar, egg, green onions, and cilantro. Mix until well blended.

*Remember not to overcrowd the pan so that they all cook evenly, quickly, and so you have enough room to flip them without making a mess. Also, I found that they really cooked best when they were shaped like itty bitty patties, versus balls.

–> Heat the oil in a large, stainless steel (or nonstick if that’s what you’ve got) skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and cook in batches until all sides are nicely browned, about 10 minutes total.

Curry Sauce with Veggies

1 cupish of chicken stock (I’m not really sure on the exact amount as I eyeballed the adding of the stock based on what my vegetables asked me to add. Yes, I am a vegetable whisperer.)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced on the bias
1 large red pepper, chopped into pieces roughly the same size as the carrot slices
3-5 white button mushrooms, roughly chopped
optional, if they’re in your pantry: dashes of coriander and Chinese 5-spice
1/2-1tsp. Asian chile sauce, such as Chinese chile/garlic paste or Thai chili sauce (Sriracha)
3 tsp. Thai green curry paste
1/4 cup of lime juice, plus about 1 tsp. of zest
13.5oz can light coconut milk (Trader Joe’s is great for cheaply stocking up on this ingredient)
splash of soy sauce, to taste
1 Tbsp-ish of flour

–> Once meatballs are done, remove from pan and set aside. Add a healthy splash of chicken stock to the pan to scrape up all the bits of flavor stuck to the bottom of the pan, then add the onions, garlic, ginger and optional spices to the liquid in the pan.

–> Over medium heat, cook the mixture for about 3 minutes, then add the carrots, peppers, 1tsp green curry, 1 tsp of your spicy ingredient, and another 1/2 cup or so of stock. The liquid should come to about half-way up the vegetables so that they’re getting a bit of a braise while they cook. Continue cooking for another 7 minutes, then add your mushrooms and another tsp. of green curry, and toss that all around for a couple minutes.

–> Pour in the coconut milk, lime juice and zest, the last tsp. of green curry and mix well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so you’ve got a healthy simmer going,in order to reduce the sauce. I added about 1 Tbsp. of flour after a few minutes to help the thickening process along, as well as a splash of soy after tasting, realizing that I hadn’t added any salt to this dish! Once the sauce is almost as thick as desired, put the meatballs back in the pan to bathe in the curry and re-warm them.

–> I served with Trader Joe’s AWESOME microwavable organic brown rice, which you can find in their freezer section. This was immediately delicious, but tasted even better as leftovers today… Jane went absolutely NUTS for it, politely stole some of my lunch, and then insisted I post it to the blog at once!

Happy cooking (and pinning), friends!!

Cleo

My journey with the Jane Taylor Elements for HSN collection began at last year’s Couture Show (which you all know about because we talked about it so, so, so much), which is where a mutual friend introduced us to an HSN buyer. Once we presented the collection to her, it was clear that she felt as excited about the silver designs of the HEX Collection as we do! This initial meeting lead to a flurry of back and forth communication that spanned a number of months, over which not a single detail was spared. I was constantly creating and tweaking concepts and designs, as conference calls and top secret meetings became a daily occurrence.

By the time our first samples arrived, I was truthfully a little nervous to open the box containing the designs I had worked together with HSN to create! I was really unaware of the potential that my pieces could have once they were translated into stainless steel. But as soon as I tried on the first geometric ring, paired it with a few sparkling bracelets and completed the look with a pair of feather-light earrings, I was enamored with the whole collection! To be honest, Cleo and I were in a bit of shock at how cool the designs had turned out and how they stayed true to my beliefs that beautiful jewelry is meant to be worn every single day.

Whether you stack a layer of the hex shaped rings to make your day of running errands a bit more glamorous, or you add some pizzazz to your little black dress with one of the pendants, it’s easy to add some sparkle to your life with the Jane Taylor Elements for HSN collection! If you prefer chunky necklaces that makes a statement and catches the attention of everyone in the room, or if you find yourself attracted to dainty bangles that highlight your girly personality, this collection finds a way to appeal to the jewelry tastes of every woman. I created this collection to help women everywhere see that jewelry can become an integral part of your wardrobe, allowing these pieces to put the finishing touch on any outfit; much like the shiny red cherry on top of the metaphorical ice cream sundae that is life. There are no rules when it comes to wearing these pieces either, so if you only want to wear one of the bangles that came in a stack of three, you go right ahead and do that. You want to mix and match pieces from different sets in as many colors as you can put together? More power to you.

The jewelry in the Jane Taylor Elements for HSN collection is meant to make the process of getting dressed more fun, allowing every woman to express herself through colorful gems and classic shapes that won’t break the bank. And it will be coming to a TV near you so very soon! Which is nerve racking and exhilarating all at once!  Monday, April 1st (no, I promise this whole thing isn’t an April Fool’s prank) I will be on HSN at 3am and again at 12 noon. I can’t wait to share Jane Taylor Elements with you all in a month and hear what you think!
All my sparkling love,
Jane

Our cousin Dena is a budding PR and Social Media maven, who is in town to help out the JT team while we amp up for a busy season ahead. Keep checking back for the scoop on Jane Taylor’s jewelry escapades, as told by Dena. 

During the winter of 2012, Jane had a total “light bulb moment” and decided to take her designs in a different direction than ever before. Previously, Jane worked strictly with high karat gold set with cushion and round cut stones, but the introduction of the HEX collection marked the first time that Jane created designs exclusively in silver.

Naturally, Jane stayed true to her DNA with brightly colored precious and semi-precious stones such as pink sapphire, citrine, tourmaline, blue sapphire, ruby, orange garnet and of course diamonds! From pavéd patterns to brilliantly cut center stones, it’s clear that Jane’s HEX designs are still totally everyday, especially in silver.

The collections namesake comes from the shape that can be found in all of the designs, the hexagon. This geometric shape has never before been featured in any Jane Taylor designs, and it is one of the reasons why we’re so excited about the collection. As our obsession with hexes grew, we began to see this shape mirrored in other designs that brightened our everyday lives.

From Oscar de la Renta’s luxurious suede clutches to Jonathan Adler’s glossy decorating trays, Prada’s futuristic sunglasses and even Cole & Son’s metallic wallpaper, the hexagon seems to be on the minds of other creative designers around the globe. As we scoured the internet for hexagon shapes, we found the shape incorporated into hotel design, on floor tiles, and on a marble coffee table. Clothing and accessories designer Alexander McQueen’s Spring/Summer 2013 collection was so influenced by the honey comb, that he included this naturally occurring hex shape in many aspects of his designs, including the tiled runway, patent leather platform shoes, fitted bodices and even rotund head pieces.

Check out our HEX Pinterest Board for all of our favorite geometric finds, and our HEX designs at the Jane Taylor website.

Our cousin/niece Dena is in town to lend the JT team a hand as we prepare for a busy season ahead. Dena is a vegetarian and a part-time healthy eater, so she brought  some yummy veggie recipes to share. As you all know, we are a cooking family, so she had to bring her A-game to the table. Boy, did she impress us! Dena will be sharing her nutritious recipes all month long, so keep checking back to keep your taste buds happy and your waistlines in check! And now, here’s Dena with her first recipe: Veggie Pizza with a Cheesy Cauliflower Crust. 

During that doozy of a snowstorm called Nemo, I decided to try my hand at a healthy take on everyone’s favorite: pizza! This has become my new go-to recipe for a filling, hearty meal that is way healthier than it seems, and since Jane was down and out with a killer cold on Valentine’s Day, I wanted to pump her up with veggies to help nurse her back to health.

Rather than your usual carbo-loaded pizza crust, I decided to take a chance on a cauliflower crust, which was surprisingly flavorful and satisfying. The savory crust balances out the sweetness of the sweet potatoes and caramelized onion, making this a tasty way to pack in a handful of colorful vegetables.

Crust Ingredients

• 1/2 head cauliflower
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or vegan Daiya Mozzarella)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Pizza Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup chopped kale
• 2 tablespoons of soy milk (or skim milk, almond milk or any milk of your choice)
• A sprinkle of cheese (goat cheese, mozzarella cheese or any cheese of your choice)
• A dash of salt + pepper

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400°F. Pierce sweet potato with a fork and wrap in tin foil, roasting for 45 minutes or until soft. 
2. Prepare a cookie sheet or pizza stone, making sure you have generously greased it to prevent your crust from sticking to it.
3. Remove stems and leafy bits from your cauliflower, and chop into medium sized chunks. Add chunks to a food processor and pulse until you have a rice like texture.
4. Place riced cauliflower in an uncovered microwave safe bowl and cook for 8 minutes.
5. Combine cooked cauliflower with the garlic, egg, cheese, oregano and Italian seasoning until the dough has become sticky and the cheese has begun to melt.
6. Spread the dough out evenly onto the baking sheet or pizza stone to about 9-10 inches in diameter and 1/4 to 1/3 of an inch thick.
7. Bake  for 25-30 minutes, until the crust has become golden on the top and crispy around the edges.
8. While the crust is baking, caramelize the onion in a heated and oiled skillet. Cook the onion for about 15-20 minutes, until perfectly caramelized. Add the kale to the skillet and cover for 2-3 minutes, until tender and wilted. Remove the mixture from the heat and add a dash of salt and pepper to taste.
9. Scoop the insides of the roasted sweet potato into a medium bowl and mash, adding milk and a dash of salt. Combine ingredients until well mashed and smooth.
10. Spread sweet potato mash to the finished pizza crust, and top with the kale and onion mixture. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake in the oven at 400°F for 10 minutes, until all cheese is melted.
11. Let cool for 5 minutes, slice pizza and enjoy your veggie creation!

Crust Recipe Adapted From Eating Bird Food

Pizza Recipe Adapted From Oh My Veggies

“Most often associated with brilliant, precious gemstones, the perception of Emerald is sophisticated and luxurious. Since antiquity, this luminous, magnificent hue has been the color of beauty and new life in many cultures and religions. It’s also the color of growth, renewal and prosperity – no other color conveys regeneration more than green. For centuries, many countries have chosen green to represent healing and unity.”

We love this choice of color to represent 2013 both for its emotional significance and beautiful hue!

I’ve been having a blast working on our “Hollydaze” board! It is chock-full of delicious looking recipes, crafty/creative decoration ideas, and a couple cocktails to ease you through the “oh my god the dog won’t stop barking/children are crying/pie is burning/20 people are about to show up at my house” moments.

Another favorite of mine is our “Behind The Scenes” board. It’s a great place to get an inside look at the workings of Jane Taylor Jewelry and catch sneak peeks of the newest designs Jane is working on!

We hope you’ll join us on Pinterest to participate in the sharing of wonderful images and ideas…
Happy Thanksgiving!
Cleo