Married, Broke and Hungry

Sausage, Salsa and Slaw!

2011-06-29T13:39:00.000-07:00

Who needs a backyard to BBQ.......

Apparently I don't. Just a garage with no cars, some good friends and something to fill the belly. Fabulous:

Freshly made salsa with finely chopped tomatoes from Catherine

Hangin' in the alley....

Kiley's Sangria that I may or may not have continued to refill with wine when the juice was gone

Oldie but goodie....Deviled Eggs!

Make-shift beer pong

Good ol' fashion slaw!

Homemade hummus topped cucumber!

Ingredients:

1 can of chickpeas (Save the liquid)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 Cucumbers peeled and sliced
Black sesame seeds (which sort of looked like ants but added a nice texture)

Method:

In a food processor, combine the mashed garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, 1/4 cup of chickpea juice and olive oil.
Process until smooth. Add a little more chickpea juice to loosen if necessary and add some ground sea salt to taste
Pour hummus into plastic sandwich baggie. Cut off one corner and pipe hummus onto the cucumber circles.
Top with black sesame seeds

Happy almost 4th of July weekend!!

Baked on Sunday

2011-03-29T15:01:00.000-07:00

Get your head out of the gutter, this is not 1998........I 'm talking the "Eggs and Breakfast" kinda baked, not the "Phish and Lesh" kinda baked......

Last Sunday, I was hot and heavy in the kitchen at 8am, dreaming up something fantastic with fresh spinach, eggs and heavy cream! I settled on Baked Eggs, mostly for a good old fashioned challenge. This was my 4th attempt, undercooking them EVERY time prior. They would come out all gooey and runny and my Lovely Husband would eat them anyway because he is hungry and supportive like that. Such a good sport.

It must have been that full moon, because they were just perfect! I worked off of a 2010 Bon Appetit recipe I found awhile back with a few tweaks of my own. Baked Eggs cooked correctly = Happy Husband. The bacon helps too.

Baked Eggs with Spinach, Bacon and Mushroom
adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients
•4 slices bacon
•2 handfuls baby spinach
•4 ounces fresh sliced button mushrooms
•2 whole wheat or sourdough English muffins, split horizontally, toasted
•4 large eggs
•4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Preparation
•Preheat oven to 400°F.
•Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp; transfer to paper towels.
•Pour off drippings from skillet; reserve drippings and crumble bacon once cooled. .
•Add mushrooms to pan and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add spinach to mushrooms, sprinkle with pepper, and toss over medium heat, 1 minute. Set aside.
•Brush four 1-cup ramekins with drippings.
•Place 1 toasted English muffin half, split side up, in each ramekin. Divide mushroom & spinach among ramekins, then sprinkle bacon over, dividing equally.
•With back of spoon, shape well in center of each ramekin.
•Gently crack 1 egg into well in each ramekin, keeping yolk intact.
•Drizzle 1 tablespoon cream over each egg. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
•Bake eggs until whites are just set but yolks are still runny, 14 to 16 minutes.

* In addition to the mushrooms, I also tossed in some Cholula Hot Sauce while the vegetables were cooking for a little zest!

One Pot for two Peeps!

2011-02-25T07:32:00.000-08:00

Dinner a la Jaime Oliver......

My husband loves him some casserole with meat and sauce, all snuggled together in one pot. Doesn't matter the meat, doesn't matter the sauce, just one big happy all in one pot meal. Thank you Jaime Oliver, for introducing this dish to our home. Its one of those recipes that takes very little prep, very little cleanup, very little wallet drainage and very happy humans. All the lovely juices simmer together to create a fantastic aroma and a juicy sauce. I've got this one on repeat.

Tender & Crisp chicken legs with Sweet Tomatoes
by Jaime Oliver

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken legs, preferably free-range or organic, jointed
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• a big bunch of fresh basil, leaves picked, stalks finely chopped
• 2 big handfuls of red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved, and ripe plum tomatoes, quartered
• 1 whole bulb of garlic, broken up into cloves
• 1 fresh red chili, finely chopped (or crushed red pepper flakes)
• a few glugs of olive oil
• 2 handfuls of new potatoes, scrubbed and halved

Direction:
• Preheat your oven to 350°F
• Season your chicken pieces w/ salt and pepper all over and put them into a snug-fitting pan
• Throw in basil leaves and stalks, then chuck in your tomatoes and potatoes
• Scatter the garlic cloves into the pan with the chopped chili or pepper flakes and drizzle over some olive oil.
• Mix around a bit, pushing the tomatoes underneath.
• Place in the oven for 1½ hours, turning the tomatoes halfway through, until the chicken skin is crisp and the meat falls off the bone

Jaime's version when its all cooked:

picture from JaimeOliver.com

Happy Weekend!

Shiny New Things - A Wish List

2010-12-20T11:36:00.000-08:00

I like Presents
This is a list I've compiling for some time now and would be thrilled to recieve any one of these fine items, and if I don't, I hope they are on sale after the holidays, because I plan on gifting them to myself:

Restoration Hardware's Italian Cypress Paisley Duvet for the King size bed we hope to purchase asap now that we have a doggy that likes to sleep smack in the middle of the bed

The Northface Grace Jacket in Black for walking our little doggy when its raining out.

Emmerson Made old school Straight Leg Jeans, fabulous!

Dry Hair travel size kit by Phyto because I have dry hair and I travel lots!

Victoria Secret Fireside Pajamas.....soft and sexy on Christmas Morning.

Food and Wine Annual Cookbook 2010 for a years worth of culinary adventures.

Anything by Elva Fields! Her pieces are stunning, one of a kind and Imust have one.

For reading on my upcoming trip to Scottsdale, Az....Insatiable, an autobiography by restaurant critic Gael Greene and her journey through the culinary culture beginning in the 1960's

Lastly, I want nothing more then a holiday season full of love, laughter and family!

Have a Beautiful Holiday Season!!

Happy Homemade Holidays!

2010-12-09T11:05:00.000-08:00

Its the Thought that Counts!
Here we go again, its that time of year, time for the "office gift exchange". I am perfectly capable of channeling my inner most Cindy Lou Hou, however, loathe the custom of purchasing a gift for someone I sortaknow, for $25 or less, that I am fairly certain will end up at somebody's white elephant party.

Nothing says Thank You to a co-worker LESS then a tin of popcorn or a meaningful box of cookies from a random bakery you found online by typing in "Cookies, Gift, Free Shipping".

This year I am trying something new. Since I am one of THOSE people my lovely husband refers to as a "Crafter" and since most people i sortaknow love homemade crap, this year, I am living up to that name by copying something fabulous I saw on The Decorated Cookie:

Snowman Hot Cocoa Jar from The Decorated Cookie

What you need:
Mason jars

Marshmallows

Black and Orange edible pens (Sur La Table carries these)
Hot cocoa mix (optional)
Cellophane favor bags
Tags, stickers and ribbon (to label so you get the credit)

How to Assemble:

Use edible pens to make snowman faces on marshmallows. Let dry about an hour. Fill a favor bag with some hot cocoa mix (about a cup) and twist closed with a tie. Use the favor bag to keep things tidy, but you can or add the mix right to the jar. Place the favor bag of cocoa in the jar with the tied area in the middle at the top. Place marshmallows around the top of the cocoa facing out of the jar. Close with lid.

Add your own personalized sticker to the top of the jar, or attach a tag with the cocoa recipe using a piece of card stock, a hole punch and a piece of ribbon.

Good luck!

A time for change....about face!

2010-09-27T14:50:00.000-07:00

Warning: To all of my non makeup wearing readers - this post is about make-up and make-up accessories. I have made a few must-have discoveries/purchases that are changing my life just a little bit.

Cargo - Blu-Ray Pressed Powder - buy here
I am new to the powder market. I am not much of a "make-up" person but I am turning OLD this month and am showing signs of UNEVENESS according to my fancy new dermatologist. My options were fancy and expensive technology treatments or Pressed Powder. I chose the latter, $30 at Ulta. The results are pretty awesome, I'm impressed with myself.

M.A.C. Cosmetics 187 Duo Fibre Brush - buy here

According to the counter lad with florescent yellow and green eye shadow at the MAC counter, this is like the Swiss Army Knife of make-up brushes. Its best use is for lightweight application and blending powder which includes blush so it is multi-tasking. It feels soft and furry. I kinda want a pillow made out of it.

Chantacaille Products (aka - stuff I cant really afford but buy anyway)
Buy here - or see Phillip at Barney's NorthPark Center, Dallas
This is a natural and organic luxury make-up line my mother-in-law introduced me too. I feel expensive and grown-up when I wear it. I have recently purchased the Mascara Noir and Le Stylo liquid eyeliner, both are A-Maz-Ing and come in purple and last all day. I swear it makes me feel like Victoria Principal.......

Kiehl's Super Fluid UV Defense 50+ - buy here

Sunblock is mandatory and the spf 15 in your moisturizer isn't going to cut it. This stuff goes on over your moisturizer and under your make-up. Its super lightweight and disappears almost instantly, no greasy layer remaining after you apply. I'm pretty sensitive and I've had no issues. Its a little pricey, but worth it.

Lemon Water - Free plus the cost of a lemon
Lastly, nothing does the body better then a giant glass of lemon water! It's free, refreshing and your body is made up of 60 percent of it. Adding a little lemon to your water not only cleans your mouth, it helps alleviate constipation, aids in the digestive process and works as a natural skin cleanser! Leave a pitcher of water with a few thin lemon slices in your refrigerator or make a water bottle with lemon slices in advance to take with you as you are running out the door.

All in the name of beautiful and looking younger then your age!

Figs, and Birthdays!

2010-09-23T10:25:00.000-07:00

I am a slacker......

It is the official 7 week countdown to the big bad birthday....35...me. Its a big one. I may or may not have googled "the short and long term effects of Botox at 35"..... and I certainly did NOT google "turning 35, is my body rotting from the inside" either. I am a HUGE birthday celebrator, especially when it is my own.

I am the annoying "Its my Birthday Month" kinda girl...The "Be nice to me starting at the end of September through Nov 1" kinda girl and the "Of course its fine that you can't make it to my birthday dinner then snarl at you behind your back for a few days" kinda girl. I clearly have some thoughts on this topic, so I will be a better blogger in October.....the month of my birthday...and i will be sure to tell you all about it. Birthday wish list available by request.

So for now, I am "borrowing" someone else's post for the day...but only because I really really wished I had created it myself. I can assure you, I will be trying this at home very soon. I love figs. I am not sure why the world tried to hide them from me for so long. I love them dried, I love them fresh, I love them smothered in Ricotta, hence the recipe below from YumSugar:

Sweet 'n Creamy Carmelized Figs with Ricotta Mouse!
Adapted from Gourmet Traveller

Ingredients
15 ounces fresh ricotta
8 ounces mascarpone
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
4 egg whites
1 1/2 cup sugar, divided
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
9 ripe figs, halved

Directions
1.Push ricotta through a fine sieve over a bowl, add mascarpone, orange zest and stir gently to combine.

2.Using an electric mixer, whisk egg whites and a pinch of salt until soft peaks form, then gradually add 3/4 cup of sugar and whisk until stiff peaks form and mixture is thick and glossy. Using a large metal spoon, stir one-third of egg whites into ricotta mixture, then gently fold in remaining egg whites until just combined. Spoon ricotta mousse among six small glasses. Refrigerate while preparing figs.

3.Place remaining sugar and ¼ cup water in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Boil, without stirring, until mixture turns a deep golden. Remove from heat and immediately stir in balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon water, taking care as mixture will spit violently.

4.Return pan to heat and stir until mixture is smooth. Add figs, one at a time, to caramel mixture and turn to coat, then divide among glasses. Spoon remaining caramel over figs and serve immediately.

Serves 6-8.

Memories on film..... video done right

2010-07-31T06:59:00.000-07:00

Wedding Bliss.....

Check out this amazing wedding video of Max and Margaux's wedding found on Cup of Jo...one of my favorite blogs to read on a daily basis.

Max, Margaux, & The Marvelows from Shark Pig on Vimeo.

Check out more of this colorful, fairytale wedding at Once Wed.
Love xxoo

Our Family is Growing!

2010-07-22T10:51:00.000-07:00

The adoption is complete!
Meet Rizzo.......

I did not grow up with pets. The only dog I knew as a child was a wildly aggressive, fenced in German Shepherd called Moses who lived next door. I was petrified of him. I’ve come a long way.

When my husband and I decided to give it a go with a dog of our own, I insisted that a small furry ball of fluff was the right choice for us. On our way to a Shitzu adoption event at Petsmart, we passed by a NorCalBoxer rescue tent. A smaller then average Boxer girl caught my eye and when she gazed straight into my heart, I fell in love. I immediately had visions of us going on long walks together. I could see her next to me in bed while I read the latest Twilight installment. I saw us watching “So You Think You Can Dance” together while we both hope for a Travis Wall routine. It was then I heard Harry Connick Jr. singing “It had to be you” in my head and I knew it was fate.

We brought her home less then a week later and named her Rizzo, just like the Pink Lady….. strong, street savvy and authentic. At the end of the day, she just wants to love and be loved. I’ve since turned into one of those crazy dog moms, taking over 1274 photos of her and repeating stories of how I can tell she is smarter then most other dogs to anyone who will listen. She has changed my life, she completes me….or something like that.

So, you'll have to forgive my dog ramblings for the next few posts. This seems to be what's occupying most of my time. We have already learned that Rizzo HATES kibble. We have been feeding her boiled chicken, rice, carrots and a whole lotta other good stuff. Any gourmet dog food recipes out there?

Give-a-ways Galore....Flourish design + style!!

2010-06-18T12:01:00.000-07:00

I heart Canada......

Canadians are lovely and have great blogs, from what I can tell. One of my favorites, Flourish design + style, is having a tremendous 11 days of Give-a-ways on the site and I strongly encourage you to enter and give your prize to me if you win....or not. This is Sarah, she is the owner, writer, "stylin" extraordinaire of this wonderful blog. I don't know her personally, however, I feel like we have one of those special blogosphere friendships in the non-psycho kind of way.

Sarah from Flourish design + style

Visit her blog, she is fabulous and she is offering 11 days worth of chances to win some FREE STUFF! Today's prize, an adorable bag from Emersonmade, a husband and wife team specializing in all things beautiful and floral and fashionably flawless.

This is Emerson. Emerson makes Emersonmade and thats her husband and partner Ryan

Emerson Made bags!

Have a fantastic Weekend!

The Gift that keeps on Giving....

2010-06-15T15:11:00.000-07:00

I heart presents.

I had a Polaroid camera. It was a prized possession of mine. I used it to make pretty scrapbooks and photo albums for birthdays and holidays and special events. I had great plans to document and catalog my outfits each work morning or before any special event. I wanted to create my very own look book to use when I felt grumpy or tired or indecisive but needed to get dressed in something fly when all I wanted to do was scream "I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR" at the top of my lungs...(my lovely husband hates when I do that)....I would have looked in the look book at that moment. It was going to solve all of my last minute dressing woes.

Polaroid stopped making Polaroid film. Well how about that.

My lovely husband is the most wonderful gift giver ever. After he left me alone, by myself, for almost a week for a New York City trip, he brought back with him the most wonderful gift...for his lovely wife, me....and I can't wait to use it.....The Fujifilm Instax Mini 7. You point and shoot, and this little white box of genius spits out a credit card-size instant color photo. Fabulous.

Now, if I could just figure out that darn scanner I have. To be continued.

Food Porn Friday!

2010-06-04T11:57:00.000-07:00

I can hardly contain my saliva......
Fried Egg with Chorizo and Sage Pesto Sandwich

I mean literally, I am drooling. Design Sponge featured this recipe today and I think I might have lost 11 minutes just lusting at it. There is just something so sexy about a sultry sandwich oozing out the sides with pesto. C'mon people, you know what I'm talking about. A crusty Ciabatta role lightly packed with Arugula (Rocket if your nasty) and topped with sizzling hot chorizo and a friendly fried egg as the main event..... oh my, let me catch my breath.

Created by food stylist Kate Wesson and photographed by food photographer Charlotte Tolhurst, I just had to share. Please check out Design Sponge and enjoy!

Fried egg with chorizo and sage pesto sandwich - from Design Sponge
Preparation Time: 20 mins, Cooking Time: 4 mins

Ingredients for the sandwich:
1 ciabatta roll
1 egg
5 hand cut slices chorizo ( about 5mm or a little less than 1/4 inch thick)
A hand full of rocket (Arugula)
A little olive oil

For the pesto:
2 ounces sage leaves
2 ounces walnuts
2/3 cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
2 ounces Parmesan
1 tsp salt

Method:
1) To make the pesto using the traditional method take a pestle and mortar and crush all the ingredient with the mortar gradually incorporating the extra virgin olive oil, if you don’t have time for this throw everything in to a mini blender and pulse until a rough texture is achieved.
2) You will have enough to fill a small jar and you can keep this in the fridge for up to 3-4 weeks or alternatively fill an ice cube tray and freeze, then you can pop a cube into pasta sauces or enrich soups etc…

3) To make your sandwich, fry the chorizo in a hot pan with a little oil, not too much as the chorizo will produce its own oil.
4)When the chorizo is starting to crisp up move to the side of the frying pan and fry your egg until the white is cooked through and the yolk is still runny.
5) Slice open a ciabatta roll and fill with the chorizo then the rocket and top with the egg, finishing with a drizzle of pesto.

Happy Friday and Enjoy!

Hot Pink makes my Heart Beat....

2010-06-02T13:48:00.000-07:00

Hot Pink is for lovers......

If I were a color I would be navy blue, accented with hot pink and maybe outlined in charcoal gray. Hot pink (synonymous with magenta) makes my heart beat. My wedding colors were Navy and Hot Pink:

I want to wallpaper myself in this:

I want to sleep in this room every night although, I am not sure

my lovely husband would join me here:

photo credit: http://weheartit.com/entry/807164

I want SJP to let me borrow her very expensive bag:

I guess for now I'll have to settle for hot pink footwear.

I found these Beauties on RueLaLa for $29! Steal!!
Sign up by clicking here!

I heart RueLaLa!

Happy Wednesday!

Daydreaming is free.....

2010-06-01T12:19:00.000-07:00

Things I'd rather do then be back at work after a holiday!

Sitting on this beach, exposing my feet to some salt, sand and sun...

While snuggling in a hammock with my lovely husband:

While reading this book:

and wearing this outfit:

And eating this fish taco:

While drinking this Blood Orange Margarita:

At this Hotel & Spa:

Who wants to join me?

Happy Tuesday, let the summer begin!

A Night in Argentina ...Viva!

2010-05-26T08:25:00.000-07:00

Cooking like a Goucho.....

As I continue the journey down my own private culinary yellow brick road to awesomeness, I stumbled upon something fantastic. Think Latin America meets Cooking School meets FREE! Our local Central Market Texas declared May "Passport to Argentina" month, and it just so happened I had 2 free passes!

Well, if I am being honest, free for me and not you. I had to work very hard to convince the Cashier to accept my 3 year old passes from my lovely husband's car dealership. Imean, there clearly was no expiration date in sight so....I win. Anyway......I had to drag the lovely husband with me, he seemed to lighten up when they handed him his free Central Market collector's edition Goucho Knife. It went something like this:

Free Goucho knife:

Fresh Chimichurri:

The Lovely Husband prepping the "Burnt Tomatoes":

Burnt Tomatoes in a cast iron...burning:

Rib Eye on the Grill!

The "doneness test"....

Our fancy Argentine meal!

Dessert was a Blood Orange Flan:

The Chimichurri was an amazing addition to the steak. It has a fresh and tangy flavor and keeps things interesting. I've made it at home before using this recipe from Food and Wine by Michelle Bernstein:

Ingredients

1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 large garlic cloves, minced (2 1/2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons oregano leaves
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions
1) In a food processor, combine the parsley, vinegar, garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper.
2) Process until smooth; season with salt and pepper.
3) Transfer the sauce to a bowl and pour the olive oil over the mixture.
4) Let stand for at least 20 minutes.

Make Ahead - The chimichurri can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Lamp on the Cheap........Happening now on Gilt Home!

2010-05-25T09:36:00.000-07:00

I can't justify the spend....but a girl can dream:

Zodax X Design Table Lamp

Featured in the Nest sale on Gilt.com for $130 and I kinda want it bad.

Click here to register for Gilt.com for future designer sales

Save up to 70% off women's, men's and home decor!!!

2 Ingredient Goodness......Great for Guests!

2010-05-18T08:58:00.000-07:00

Keeping it Simple....Baked Eggs in Prosciutto Cups

As a dedicated reader of my random ramblings, you are most likely aware of my inappropriate love affair with all things salty, meaty and cured. This recipe does not stray from that trend. Total cooking time was about 15 minutes and with very few ingredients, the grocery bill was kept under control.

I know you will find this hard to believe, but I am actually quite amateur in the kitchen. I have no formal training.......just me, the interwebs, my lovely husband (the taste-tester) and my mentor/friend Catherine at Fish and Veggies! This might explain the raggedy appearance of my egg cups, not my proudest moment...however,they were so tasty, simple and pure magic dancing around in my mouth so don't judege a book by its cover!

It was supposed to look like this:

photo credit: italianfoodforever.com

Mine looked like this:

I served the egg cups with potatoes and crusty bread with Fig Jam. Practice makes perfect.....I'll be trying this again soon.

Prosciutto Baked Egg Cups

Ingredients

6 fresh eggs

6 slices Prosciutto ( I started out using Pancetta and it was way too hard to work with)

Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded cheese (Fontina, Asiago, Gruyere)

chopped herbs ( I sprinkled on some thyme and sage)

Directions

1) reheat oven to 400F.

2) Grease the inside of a muffin tin OR use a silicone muffin pan ( I didn't do either of these things, HUGE mistake)

3) Line the inside of the muffin cups with the Prosciutto, be sure it covers the sides like a little cup to hold the egg

4) Bake in the oven for about 7 minutes to brown the Prosciutto, remove from the oven but leave it on

5) In each cup, crack an egg into the center. Don't worry if it overflows or spills over the side of the Prosciutto. Careful not to break one like I did. I gave that one to the lovely husband.

6) Lightly season the eggs using some sea salt, cracked pepper, thyme, sage, chives, whatever!

7) Bake in the oven for another 8 minutes. The egg whites should no longer be clear and jiggly but not too stiff. Careful not to overcook.

8) Remove from the oven and let cool for 1 minute.

9) Gently release the sides of the cups by using a butter knife or small spatula. They should come loose without too much work. Be careful not to pierce the egg yolk.

The coolest part about this recipe is that there are so many ways to make it your own! Add a dollop of sour cream, or some chopped tomatoes or sautéed shallots. The options are limitless!

A sneak peek into my Manhattan.........

2010-05-17T12:47:00.000-07:00

I was missing my lovely husband the whole time but......

I do love me some time below 14th street

My Favorite restaurant, Mole NYC

The Hi-Line, all that is beautiful in the Meatpacking

A little window shopping...and maybe a side of "in store" browsing in the west village

My favorite jewlery store ginette_ny

A little Real Estate porn.....townhomes with outdoor space...drool!

Real New York City Bagels from Tal's

View from my company's office in NYC....

My favorite New York City Ladies...Annie, Dana, Chris, Cousin Lauren and Marsha

Washington Square Park is magical

Window open...noisy traffic...all Irish Pub at the Half Pint

My first encounter with Pinkberry Soho

Impromptu dance party at Pinkberry...after hours....a New York moment

XOXO

Black Blazer on the cheap!!

2010-05-12T10:59:00.000-07:00

Even though I already own 3......

Nothing wrong with having a "spare" black blazer or several on hand for every occasion. Its like my uniform. Here are a few for you.....

Jcrew.com.....Studio Blazer....on sale for $79.99

Urban Outfitters.....Silence and Noise Strong Shoulder Blazer....$49.99

And for a Navy Option....

Gap.com....Shrunken School Boy Blazer....$98 (but when is anything at GAP not on sale within 2 weeks, save your reciept)

Me....sporting my own Black Blazer Look and my family as my one-of-a-kind-accessory! Mom can't seem to explain where my height came from or why I don't have any eyes......

Blazer: Kenna T, Nordstrom

Necklace: Target

Jeans: Nudie Jeans

Earrings: H&M stores

Crab invasion in the Kitchen

2010-05-10T10:22:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my crab shack..........

Once I set my mind on something, I am not easily swayed. I found an AMAZING recipe in Food and Wine magazine that made my mouth water and my stomach ask for seconds just by reading the recipe and drooling all over the picture. Having never made crab cakes, crab bisque or crab anything before, I had no idea that Jumbo Lump Crab meat was like, super expensive. I mean, hell, you can eat a bottomless bucket of crab at Joe's Crab shack for like $12.99! So, needless to say, the $25 price tag for 16oz of the stuff plus another $10 for TRUFFLE BUTTER had me in the red before I even bought the brioche buns. Thus my love/hate relationship with Central Market. $10 truffle butter, what is the matter with me.

Regardless, this recipe was ridiculously good. I was blown away by my mad kitchen skillz :)

Brioche Crab Melts (makes 8 servings)
Recipe by Vitaly Paley
Ingredients

8 small, round brioche or buttery dinner rolls, split crosswise
6 tablespoons truffle butter or unsalted butter, softened (see Note)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 Granny Smith apple—quartered lengthwise, cored and thinly sliced crosswise
Several dashes of hot sauce ( I used Texas Champaigne)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over ( I used jumbo lump and chopped it up)
1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese

Directions

1.Preheat the broiler. Spread the cut sides of the brioche with the truffle butter and set on a baking sheet, cut sides up. Broil the rolls 6 inches from the heat, until toasted. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°.

2.In a large bowl, mix the mayonnaise, red onion, parsley, lime juice, apple and hot sauce and season with salt and pepper.

3. Fold in the crabmeat. This can be made in advance and refrigerated overnight.

4.Set the top halves of the rolls aside. Top the bottoms with the crab salad and sprinkle with the Gruyère.

5.Bake in the upper third of the oven until the cheese is melted. Close the crab melts and serve.

I served the melts with a side of Macaroni salad from Albertson's since I blew my grocery budget and it was all i could afford.....

Also, because I only know how to cook for a family of 5 for some reason, and I find it very difficult to halve a recipe especially when 1/3 is involved, I made way too much. So Sunday, I made crab benedict with home made hollandaise.....and.....if it is at all possibly, I am pretty sure my lovely husband loved me more at that moment, then he did on our wedding day. Lucky me :)

Wedding Dress Drama.....I Did the Unspeakable

2010-05-03T14:55:00.000-07:00

I wanted my money back......so I sold my dress

I spent some cash on my wedding dress. Like, more then what was neccessary or in my budget and more then I care to admit. This was after swearing that I could easily find something at the $99 annual rack sale at David's Bridal. That didn't happen.

You see, Dallas is the epicenter of everything white and fluffy and bridal. I thought I was immune, until...as I joke to entertain my sister.....I went to Stardust Celebrations (aka Bride Central) and tried something so brutal on the hanger BUT was just perfect once I zipped myself into it and took a look in the mirror. Every inch of alencon lace and organza ruffles was oh...so...stunning....on my body. It was exactly everything I thought I didn't want but knew I had to have. There was no turning back.

While I loved how this dress looked, I never felt that emotional attachment to it. I got legitimately angry every time I looked at it hanging it my closet, taking up space. I would look at it and see a Vespa or a pure bred French Bulldog or an all expenses paid trip to a tropical island. I still resented the price. Everyone thinks I am crazy. Apparently, I am supposed to assume that I will give birth to a daughter and after about 30 years, wait for her to get married so she could wear the dress because:

1) We are assuming she will be the exact same height, weight and bra size as I am now

2) We will have the exact same taste that I have now

3) The dress will not have turned yellow or disintegrate by then.

Yah, no.

So, I started poking around online and found something so fabulous that I wanted to kick myself for not thinking of it first. Preownedweddingdresses.com. This is where "those" brides, who buy more then one dress because they cant decide OR decide to call off the wedding after realizing the guy is a total deuche OR are not emotionally attached to the dress (like me), come to turn the dress into a vacation. I posted my dress immediately for the small fee of $25 and I sold my dress last week to a lovely Dallas bride with a vision and a budget. My lovely husband and I are headed to Mexico with that money for a second honeymoon and Katy from Dallas has a beautiful dress to walk down the isle in. Win Win.

preownedweddingdresses.com

Welcome to the test kitchen......Potato Gnocchi

2010-04-27T15:11:00.000-07:00

I bit off more then I could chew....

I am not good at knowing how long things take. I think it only takes me 5 minutes to dry my hair. I think it takes 15 minutes to get to the airport (even though I have never made it in less then 30). I think it takes 7-9 minutes to cook pasta, often forgetting to factor in that I have to boil the water first.

My point. Potato Gnocchi takes a long time. Longer then I gave it credit for taking. So my lil' sis was in town and I wanted to impress her so I planned a fancy dinner. We ended up eating this meal in two Phases. Phase #1 was some Pesto Chicken wrapped in Pancetta. Phase #2 occured approximatley 2 hours later, when we finally completed the Potato Gnocchi. Oh boy.

Chicken Pesto wrapped in Pancetta

I was inspired by the Internet Cooking Princess's Sauteed Ricotta and Chive Gnocchi. Her version looked easy and delicious and it was just that. I'm not sure if I went wrong somewhere while following the recipe, because it seemed to yield enough Potato Gnocchi to feed the little old woman who loved in a shoe's entire family for about a week. We gave up after we rolled and boiled about 52 of the little guys. My recommendation? Do it on a Sunday when you have lots of time. Enjoy!

Sauteed Ricotta and Chive Gnocchi

by: the Internet Cooking Princess

3 Large russet potatoes 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

2 Eggs                                        1 c. Ricotta
1/3 c. Chives                              2 c. Flour
Kosher salt                                 2 T. Olive oil

1) Bring a large pot of water to boil and add the russet potatoes. Boil for 45 minutes, draing the water through a colander, and let the potatoes cool.

2) Once the potatoes have cooled down, remove and discard the skins. In a large bowl, mash the potatoes. The mixture needs to be as smooth as possible, so use an immersion blender or hand mixer if that helps. Then, add the eggs and stir into the mixture.

3) Once the eggs have been incorporated, stir in the ricotta, parmesan, and chives.

4) At this point, the mixture should be very thick, but it needs to be as thick and maliable as dough. Add the flour and stir together until you get that consistency. The mixture will still be a little sticky, that's ok.

5)Take a handful or two of flour and scatter it on a smooth surface. Place your dough on the flour and roll around until it's more dough-like and doesn't stick to everything in sight.

6) Begin rolling with your hands as if you're forming a large snake. You will end up getting a very large tube of dough, about two feet long.

7) Cut this into quarters, and continue rolling each individual segment until you form rolls that are no bigger than a quarter in circumference. (Any bigger and you'll have difficulty cooking them.)

8) From the skinnier rolls, take a knife or pinch off little sections and roll them around in the palm of your hand to make the gnocchi. You may need to continue dredging them in a little flour as you go, which is fine. Set all the finished gnocchi on a large plate to the side.

9) Once all the gnocchi have been formed. Dump them into a boiling pot of hot, salted water. Boil the gnocchi for five minutes to ensure their centers are nice and dense. (They will automatically start popping up to the top of the pot once they're cooking, but make sure you give them a little extra time in the water.)

10) Drain the boiled gnocchi through a colander. Then, in a very large sauté pan over medium high heat, add two tablespoons of oil and butter. Add just enough gnocchi to the pan where they have enough space to get a light, brown crust around them.

11) Add more oil, butter, and gnocchi when the first batch is done. Lightly season the gnocchi with a little kosher salt. Then you eat, hopefully along with the other food you made because you get them done all at the same time. This would be a GREAT recipe to make with kids. Be sure to paper the floor.

PS: This is not a good recipe to make if your cleaning lady the same day you paid your cleaning lady to spend 4 hours cleaning your house.....i learned that the hard way.

This is my sister Elyse, she was my cooking assistant. She let's me boss her in the kitchen and that is why I love her. Happy Early Birthday Sister!

Tank on the Cheap......$7!

2010-04-20T20:31:00.000-07:00

I have a J-O-B

And sometimed it gets in the way of what I am really meant to do which is educate, communicate and share information about clothes and sales and recipes and restaurants and rugs with black and white stripes. My J-O-B travels have taken me to several different time zones over the last two weeks to work on very important "stuff". However, I seem to have found a few moments tonight in my Crowne Plaza hotel room, somewhere in the swamps of Florida, to share what I discovered when I wandered into Walmart after realizing I forgot to pack PJs for this trip. I am usually a Target girl, but a find is a find. I mean...I wouldn't buy produce there but tank tops...seems safe to me.

Walmart's very own Burnout Racerback Tank by OP. I am pretty sure I saw one by Splendid going for a $68 bucks in Intermix last week. This beauty, from WALMART goes for $7, and they will ship it to you for $.97....um what? (I'll spare you the details on the pair of florecent yellow shorty shorts with the "Beach Athletics" logo I got to wear with the tank top.....those are something else). I bought 3.

Dirty, Inappropriate and Fabulous......

2010-04-08T08:56:00.000-07:00

I heart when people say things I would never say outloud.....

Enter Brittany, the Barefoot Foodie. A mom several times over, under the age of 30 and gut splitting hilarious. She says it like you know you want to say it and she says it for real. She's fantastic....and every morning, I launch my google reader and hope hope hope she has something to say. There have been some doozies lately, but I thought I would share my favorite from the archives with all of you.

Caution - if you are at work, prepare to LAUGH OUT LOUD SO HARD (LOLSH...I just invented that).

A piece of my Americana.
by barefootfoodie on May 11, 2009

You know those places in town that call themselves health spas, but everyone knows they are totally whore houses?

I mean, what kind of health spa sets up shop in an old bait shop and puts bars and black out shades on every window?

You’re not fooling anyone, secret hookers!

Holy crap, I love those places.

In fact, the only thing I love more than the pseudo health spa whore houses themselves, is driving by super slow and trying to recognize the cars in the parking lot.

Because there are only about 2000 people in my town, and I need to know who not to share a straw or drug needle with.

I am also pretty sure there is a standard operations manual that all most likely illegal fake health spa whore houses follow.

They are all dark, moist and smell like egg rolls and vagina.

And I adore going in them, just to fulfill this weird need I have to prove to myself, and the 4 foot tall Asian lady at the desk with super long fake nails, that yes, I totally called it, this is completely a whore house. And because I am totally committed to my craft, I ask for the price list, and she gives it to me (they are always sticky), and we both pretend to be studying it, but are actually totally involved in a mental game of chicken, and we are just waiting it out to see who is going to pull out first, her before she is forced to line up her ladies for me to hand pick which 16 year old is going to rub me down, or me, before I realize this old 4 foot tall Asian lady is a total bad ass and is so not backing down, and plus, I still technically have an open wound on my back from when they removed that mole, so in the name of health, and extreme distaste for antibiotics, I better not let this whole thing get too out of hand, or I am going to leave this place with both a happy ending and a fungal infection.

So, I walk out.

But, I totally write down all the license plate numbers of the cars in the parking lot so I can sweet talk my friend at the BMV to look them up for me, and we can laugh at them.

And also not share food with them or kiss them on the mouth.

*I realize some people might find it distasteful that I just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and am now writing a post about my interest in disease ridden probably underage hookers the day after Mothers Day. But, in the name of full disclosure, this post is from a collection of previously unpublished crap I never posted because posts that contain the words vagina and whore drive my mom to drink…more, and not talk to me for 3 days. So, now that I am too busy to post something current and of substance, whores and vaginas it is.

**There will be plenty of sore boob and nummy baby posts.

****Plus I just watched Risky Business, and I love categorizing people I meet that I think may totally be a prostitute into either the type of hooker that has sex with teenagers on dark trains, or the type who can drive a mean stick shift and punch out Jason Alexander.

Seriously, how can you not adore her.

Brittany will be walking for the March of Dimes "March for Babies". If you want to support her, click here.

Ham and Pears? Yes please!

2010-04-05T13:05:00.000-07:00

Salty Pig Parts taste good!

I gave up pork products for about 5 years of my life after dating a long haired, conservative Jewish Rock-n-Roller in college. I finally came to my senses one morning while trying to recover from a monster sized hangover. I had consumed what might have been a liter of Vodka disguised in several extra dirty martinis. The handful of advil, extra large diet fountain soda and stale english muffin just weren't doing the trick. While at brunch, watching my girlfriends consume their giant dishes of greasy, salty, pork products, I too wanted to fill my belly with whatever would make me feel better. It was that day that the love affair began......bacon, pancetta, prosciutto, whatever! Hangover cure and culinary staple.

A photo and recipe caught my eye today while browsing around on Project Foodie and had to share. It comes from the book Ham: an Obsession with the Hindquarter, available here :

I will be making it this weekend:

Ham, Pears, and Parmigiano-Reggiano:

makes about 12 appatizer size pieces

The best bruschetta is made with slightly stale, crunchy bread. Cut 12 slices off a large baguette or Italian bread, then leave them out on the counter all day. Once they're a little stale, they'll accept the garlic rub without tearing and will also have better tooth when toasted.

• 3 ounzes dry-cured ham (I will be using Prosciutto or Serrano from Jimmy's Food Store)

• Twelve somewhat stale, 1/2-inch-thick slices French or Italian bread

• 2 medium garlic cloves, each halved lengthwise

• 1/4 cup toasted almond, walnut, or pecan oil

• 2 ripe Bartlett pears, cored and thinly sliced

• 3 ounces prosciutto crudo or, thinly sliced and then cut into 12 small pieces, each about 1/4 ounce

• 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, shaved into thin strips with a vegetable peeler

• 6 tablespoons honey

1. Set the rack in the oven so that it's 4 to 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the broiler

2. Rub one side of each bread slice with the cut side of one of the garlic cloves. Don't press down and tear the bread; rather, lightly rub the garlic onto the bread so that its oils get into the crumb. You'll notice that the garlic slivers begin to wear down as you rub them on the bread, so use a new one when each gets a little long in the tooth.

3. Drizzle the garlicky side of each bread slice with 1 teaspoon oil.

4. Lay the slices, oil side up, on a large baking sheet or the broiler rack. Toast under the broiler until lightly brown and crunchy, 2 or 3 minutes.

5. Remove the baking sheet or broiler tray from the broiler. Place a few pear slices on each piece of bread; top with a prosciutto slice, draping it over the fruit. Sprinkle some shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano over each piece, then drizzle each bread slice with 1 1/2 teaspoons honey.

6. Optional. Return the sheet or tray to the broiler and continue broiling just until the cheese melts, no more than 1 minute. Don't let the cheese brown-just let it soften and run a bit. Remove the tray or sheet from the oven and transfer the bruschette to a wire rack to cool for a minute or so (if you leave them on the tray or sheet, they can get soft and gummy from condensing steam underneath).

Be my guest!

2010-04-03T13:38:00.000-07:00

Its been almost three years since we moved to Dallas (read about that here). I think its about time I get around to decorating the guest room....which we have used as wedding present storage, place for random furniture and where my lovely husband keeps his skate deck collection. Its awful and its time to turn it into a grown up room so my sister doesn't have to sleep on the blow up mattress when she comes to visit. Decisions Decisions. I'm looking for suggestions, comments, snide remarks.....

So far.....its feelin pretty puke yellow.....the red pillows are from my chair upstairs, not a good look.

I'm thinking this room NEEEEEEDS this Ikea Stokholm Rand rug:

And this night stand from Overstock:

and maybe this Lamp...I have NO idea where to find it:

I'm on the hunt for a light blue headboard OR something brass...is it too much? Any suggestions? Is it too much black? What color would I paint the joint? Help!!

I'm going for something like this....minus the double twin beds......oh yeah, and I'm on a budget.

He's a dedicated follower of fashion.......

2010-03-31T09:48:00.000-07:00

I have another man in my life

Reed Robertson...Nordstrom Personal Stylist!

I grew up in a family that embraced hand-me-downs. I grew up a mere 45minute drive from the closest shopping mall. I grew up in a town where the "Fashionbug" (a.k.a. Deb Store wanna-be) was the only place to buy jeans aside from the local Walmart. Once I started to care what I looked like, the grunge scene was alive and well and the Salvation Army was THE fashion mecca, hallelujah! A few seconds after living in Manhattan followed by marrying a guy that owns Gucci flip-flops (that he cleans with a tooth brush) I started to care more. I like to shop, but still require a little guidance. Enter my new boyfriend Reed.......

Reed Robertson, Nordstrom personal Stylist, is my guy. He will make me try it on even if I think I will hate it, even if I think it looks too small, even if I swore I would never where patterns with prints. He pulls a bunch of different looks before I even arrive depending on what type of event I am shopping for. He will stick within my budget, he will accessorize and he will help me pick something out for my lovely husband before I go home. TIME SAVER!

It goes something like this:

Me: OMG, I have this dinner thing to go to and I don't know what to wear and its casual but not too casual, and I want to wear a dress but maybe not or maybe shorts or maybe a skirt and I want to look like Cameron Diaz or maybe Nicole Ritchie or maybe not!
Reed: Don't worry Doll, I got it.
I show up and the room looks like this..............

Me: those jeans look weird

Reed: try them on anyway
Me: but they look too small and they are a weird length
Reed: Trust me, just do it:
Me: Oh..... they look hot...oh wow

Then we move on to shoes, accessories, etc....

Then I take pictures of myself and text them to my lovely husband for final approval.

Then I give Reed a giant Hug.

The process is simple, you complete a questionnaire about your current style, your size, your favorite color, what's missing from your wardrobe, what your fashion goals are, will you wear stilettos, etc. You hand it over and Reed is off to the races. You show up and the dressing room is FULL of options and outfits. Its a free service....well until you spend a fortune on all the awesome stuff Reed picks out for you so SET A BUDGET before you go! This past holiday season, Reed put together a look book of the items I really liked, all my loved ones could call Reed if they were wanting to buy me a gift, uh yeah, awesome.

If you live in Dallas, reach out to him. he's amazing, and he's fun and he's a genious.

Reed.A.Robertson@nordstrom.com

Eating my way through the grocery store one aisle at a time

2010-03-30T14:58:00.000-07:00

Introducing the new Whole Foods Park Lane, Dallas!

I nibbled on blood red oranges, munched on cheddar cheese cubes, taste tested Rosemary Infused Olive Oil, sampled some strawberry Fro-Yo and still managed to save room for the Coconut Crusted Chicken Tenders for dessert. On my way out, I was distracted by the sweet scent of Lavender coming from just right of the store exit. The smell, as it turned out, was just what I was hoping it would be....a waft of essential oil that was being used by the MASSAGE THERAPIST on the paper lining for the MASSAGE CHAIR! $10/for 10 minutes....no brainer. And that is how I spent my 37 minute lunch break!

Ooooh...pretty colors!

Soooo fresh.........

OPA!......I heart olives!

Is it happy hour yet?

I'll take my Prosciutto De San Danielle slices thin with some fresh Burrata, a few arugula leaves and a thick layer of Fig Jam on crusty bread. Now we're talking!

Oh No!! I almost ate the whole thing without snapping a pic of this fine specimen for the rest of the world to see....oh so delicious!

Strap on your Manolo's ..... the Girl's are Back!

2010-03-26T12:25:00.000-07:00

Coming to a theatre near you on May 27th!

The drama, the sex, the complicated love lives, the shopping, the shoes, the decor, the restaurants, the drinks and the one and only Smith Jerrod!

I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait.....PRESS PLAY!

Thank goodness for Design Blogs!

2010-03-25T13:13:00.000-07:00

Decorating our Place
This is NOT my specialty. I can make fancy dinners; I can curl your hair for a night out and pick the perfect outfit if you have a date...but decorating...oh boy. If I were in charge......our townhome might look like a college apartment with frameless posters of Bob Marley, tapestry for curtains and lots of furniture requiring self assembly. But I'm not in charge. I have trouble seeing the big picture, I have no sense of conceptual space or how big a room is by eyeballing. I think everything will fit if you force it.

This is a dramatization and not actually my place

I religiously read design blogs to try and learn and grow as a home owner who desperately wants to be in charge of the decorating. I think I am improving my skillz cause my hubby liked a few beauties I've shown him lately.

Soooo cozy! I can picture myself snuggled up in that chair, wrapped in that blanket and reading the hot Jennifer Weiner read of the moment! Love this little nook from Apartment Therapy!

Love, Love this bedroom look I found on Delight by Design. One of my favorite things about this room is the navy accent on the dust ruffle and green accent on the table. That little lamp is killer too. I could never have mostly white anything though...because of the runny nose problem I shared a few posts back. I do think this is stunning though.

Or this from Delight by Design if I had a fireplace......fabulous for maxing and relaxing with my lovely husband before bed!

These lamps are amazing. I feel like this is how I would want to dress if I were a hallway table. Found this highlighted on Annie Style.

YUMMY! I love the wallpaper on the ceiling found on Decorology! and lots and lots of counter space for experiementing in the kitchen! And plenty of storage space for collecting all kinds of inspirational cookbooks by Jaime Oliver (simple recipes) and Curtis Stone (hottie) and Thomas Keller (that one is just for show).

Ooooh, animal print neutrals and a flat screen TV and lots of light, sign me up! Again, by Delight by Design.

What are your favorite design blogs!! Show me the way!

If the Shoe Fits.....Thanks to Chloe!

2010-03-22T14:40:00.000-07:00

The(chloe)conspiracy

Another fabulous fashion blog has found its way to my Google Reader and changing closets, mine in particular, with her savvy outfits, fantastic fashionable finds and killer style! Chloe has another project called "See Chloe Shop" which documents almost any and every known sale in store and on the web. You are NUTS not to check it out regularly. She also has the cutest little dog I've ever seen, one of those teeny tiny ones that my lovely husband will never let me have. My lovely husband wants a corgi, he wants to call it Little Dog. Yes, I'm serious. Have you seen those things? The little guy I would want, if he ever changed his mind, is pictured below, I would call him Manischewitz.

Last week, Chloe was generous enough to hand out 30% discount coupons to Banana/Old Navy or Gap for last weekend's use only. I was a lucky enough to get one and bought THESE beauties at Banana for $84!:

The heel is super stable, there is significant padding under the ball of my foot where my feet usually ache the most and this color matches just about everything summer! I'm usually a size 10, i bought them in a 9.5 so be sure to try them on in the store if you typically buy online.

Heart Healthy Birthday

2010-03-16T09:59:00.000-07:00

While my lovely husband and I consider ourselves pretty healthy, there is always room for improvement. We like sauce, salt and meat more then your average couple which is OK some of the time...but not most of the time, even if we do go to a very fancy gym to burn it off.

This weekend, for my Father-in-law's birthday, we decided to show our in-laws that we could make a meal SO delicious, SO yummy minus the salt and butter and fat. I took the empty plates as a sign of success!! (My brother-in-law wouldn't eat the salad, stubborn dude, he's missing out).

Heart Healthy Chicken Kabobs - served 5
adapted from The Heart Healthy Cookbook
Kabobs:
2.7 lbs chicken breast, cut into chunks
1 Yellow Pepper
1 Green Pepper
Handful grape tomatoes
1 small container whole button mushrooms
I fresh pineapple cut into chunks
skewers (metal or wood soaked in water)
Marinade:
Juice of 3 lemons
3 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs honey
2 cloves garlic sliced
Season with dried tarragon/sage/thyme/pepper (dont be shy)

Coat all ingredients in the marinade, make a little extra if needed. I used separate bowls for chicken and vegetables....for no other reason then it sounded like a good idea. Skewer all ingredients together, the juice from the Pineapple will flavor the chicken if you skewer them next to one another. Grill over medium high heat, basting with extra marinade and turning occasionally, until cooked through, about 6 minutes each side.

Green Salad:
1 package arugula, rinsed
1 package spinach, rinsed
Cucumber chopped
San Pasquel Dressing (cat butt not included)
Parmesan cheese, shaved on top of salad

Roasted Root Vegetables:
2 large russet potatoes peeled and sliced
3 large sweet potatoes peeled and sliced
3 parsnips peeled and sliced
Maple Syrup
Dried sage/thyme to season
Toss all ingredients in a baking dish. Roast in the oven for 1 hour on 375 degrees. Stir every 20 minutes.

Dessert:

1 pre-made, store bought Angel Food cake (there was alot going on in the kitchen already, so I decided to keep it simple).

1 package strawberries, washed and sliced

Fat Free Redi-whip or Fat Free Cool Whip (your preference)

Walla! I don't know the exact calorie count of this meal, but I am thinking with no butter, no salt, mostly vegetables and fat free Angel Food Cake, its gotta be healthy or healthier. I think if Thomas the Cat could talk, he would have told us how impressed he was with the meal and applaud us for thinking and eating Heart Healthy or maybe he would have preferred Tuna Steak.

Hot Bag Alert from the Look 4 Less!

2010-03-12T14:17:00.000-08:00

The Look 4 Less......

Since I can't dress myself without lots of help, I use the Look 4 Less, one of my fashion blog favorites. We all want to dress like Blake Lively....or Jennifer Aniston....or a J.Crew advertisement.....well, at least I want to. Look at these ladies, they have their shite together or that's what it looks like anyway.

photosource: couturelikeme.wordpress.com

photosource: amysalinger.blogspot.com

photosource: lifeinaventicup.com

Their look tends to consist of layers upon layers of simple, classic pieces and the occasional pop of color. I am always on the lookout for accessories that will help me complete that look without killing my wallet and forcing me to hide receipts from my lovely husband. With a little help from "The Look 4 Less", I think I might have found the perfect bag to add to add to my collection:

photosource: asos

This fine specimen, called the ASOS Pale Side Zip Slouch Bag for obvious reasons, can be found on ASOS for $54.70! Its a stinking steal as far as I can smell. I have put my order in, I'm looking forward to mixing things up with a lighter shade in time for spring! Thanks, Look 4 Less for keeping my money in my pocket.

To Have and to Hold

2010-03-05T14:08:00.000-08:00

Happy One Year Anniversary!

One Year ago this Sunday, My lovely husband and I stood before our closest family and friends,

and made it forever. I'm a very lucky girl.

Have a great weekend, I know I will.

Lunch with a 20-something in Dallas

2010-03-04T14:52:00.000-08:00

I am old.....by Dallas standards.

Most of my Dallas friends are not old. I run with a bunch of twenty-somethings that think I am the Yoda of their Dallas galaxy and I kinda love it. They all want to know about happenings in my grown-up life and I am always happy to share. It makes me feel good, so much so I am no longer offended when one occasionally lets a........"When you were my age" slip. I am one of the 5% of Dallas women age 34 not on a third baby and a second BMW SRX.

Let's see, there is Twenty -something Annie who just left me to move to New York City (I gave her all my favorite Twenty-something hangouts from when I lived in Manhattan and I am sure she is too sweet to tell me they are no longer cool cause you blink and its not cool anymore in NYC). I miss her desperately. There is Twenty-something Alyssa, "The Lane" who loves tweeting and exploring and often gets mistaken for my younger, prettier sister. She quickly became my favorite shopping and adventure friend. Then there is Catherine, my Twenty-something friend who is an old soul, a confidant and a wonderful cook. We bonded over our obsessions with Samba, Arepas and all things Latin.

Wendy and Annie

Wendy and The Lane

Wendy and Catherine

Today I had a Twenty-something lunch, with my Twenty-something friend Erica. She's lovely and engaged and what I think my husband would have married if I hadn't scooped him up first (hot, blonde and a Pi-Phi). But I did scoop him up first, so lucky for him, he got a Thirty-something, East Coast, Jewish girl who was all but kicked out of my stoner, NOT Pi Phi sorority for various transgressions. I won't get into those here because my mom has recently realized that the reason I keep sending her the link to this blog is because it is me doing the actual writing and not some random girl who wants her to know about Neti Pots and Pancakes. Love you ma!

Today, while having lunch with twenty-something Erica, I started thinking about how lucky I am to have such great Twenty-something Dallas friends who want to go to the movies and out for drinks and over to my house to try my experimental recipes. Twenty-something Dallas friends who want to talk about being married and about dream jobs and about remodeling kitchens. I started thinking that they could be thirty, or forty-six or from anywhere and they would be...well, they would be friends. I love my Dallas girlfriends, they are supportive and cool and original and I feel lucky to have them. And while having lunch with Erica, I decided to drop the labels and add them to the list of people that are important to me, my list of true friends. Maybe Dallas is growing on me. Thanks alot Ladies.

T-shirt take II.............My attempt at DIY fashion

2010-03-01T10:48:00.000-08:00

I have too many T-shirts....

I have this rediculous T-shirt collection, rediculous because I never, ever wear any of them. Some I earned running a race, some I earned from drinking a lot at one of my college Sorority functions, some were my dad's, some I stole from old roommates, because let's be honest, they hardly ever wore it and clearly didn't notice it went missing or at least I never heard them asking after it..... but I digress.

I can't give them away or throw them out, too sentimental. I can't wear them because most of them are the size of your average Texan eating corndogs and drinking beer at the State Fair. What's a girl to do....LIGHTBULB.....make them into something else? Let the crafting begin!

Speciman: Longlseeve 5k Dallas, Tx 2009 Turkey Trot

Goal: Muscle-T for the gym

Step 1: Lay the t-shirt flat on the floor

Step 2: Cut sleeves off just on the outside of the seem

Step 3: Cut off the bottom seem of the t-shirt

Step 4: Cut 2 more 1-inch strips off the bottom. You can use these strips to lace up the sides of the shirt. Alternatively, you can use the strips from another color t-shirt that you are trashing OR shoelaces will work.

Step 5: Hold each end of the strips and stretch them out as far as you can to lengthen them.

Step 6: Cut the side seem from the bottom all the way up to the bottom of the sleeve hole. This is your opportunity to take some width out of the shirt. Cut as much off the sides as you like. I tried it on first and marked the width I wanted with a fabric marker or chalk.

Step 7: Now you are going to make the holes down the side. Using a pair of scissors (or a Grommet punch if you have one, I did not and couldn't find it at Michael's), cut small slits about 1 inch apart going all the way up the side of the shirt. You are going to want to close up part of the arm hole if you plan to wear it without a tank or sports bra underneath. I made the mistake of jabbing the holes with my scissors which made the holes WAY to big. When I try this again, I would fold the material and cut a small slit to keep the hole smaller.

Step 8: Now you are ready to lace up your shirt. Using the strips from the bottom of the t-shirt (or a different t-shirt if you want to mix up the color a bit), lace the strip through the top two holes and pull them until they are even on either side.
Step 9: Weave the strips, criss-crossing them like you would lacing your sneakers all the way until you reach the bottom.

Step 10: If you have any leftover strips at the bottom, tie them in a knot or a bow, you have creative control!

Step 11: Try it on, strut it around the house and wear it proud!

Several tips/pointers:

If its still too loose on the sides, unlace it, trim off the extra material on each side and re-punch your holes.
Use different color strips or shoelaces to change up the look
Make a deeper cut into the arm hole area, closer to the neck, to create a skinnier tank strap
Cut off one arm hole completely to go for a one shoulder look

Thisis going to take some practice. I plan to work my way through my t-shirt collection until I have reached perfection. Enjoy your new look and feel free to leave comments with your experience or creative ideas on this look!

Sign me up for Sinus Relief!

2010-02-26T14:45:00.000-08:00

Warning - This discussion is about snot.......

Sinus issues suck. I had mine scraped at the age of 20, it was as awful as it sounds. The Doctor literally scrapes your sinus cavities with a sharp object and packs your nose full of gauze for about two weeks or until it stops leaking....whichever comes first. I was told there would be minor discomfort to follow...bunch of bull. What followed were my sinus issues returning about 9 months later.

To this day, I continue to suffer from sinus pressure, sinus headaches and a leaky nose. My poor, lovely husband has gotten use to my wet kitten like kisses AND the random tissues I hide under my pillow at night that creep their way over to his side of the bed by morning.....gross, I know.

The other day, I took a Yoga class at my new favorite, fancy Dallas home away from home (check out my husbands honest, but slightly brazen, review of our new gym here). I couldn't keep the Dog downward for more then 30 seconds without feeling like my eyeballs were going to bust out of their sockets....I felt like a Yogi reject.

Shame aside, I asked the tall & handsome drink of water (that was the instructor) what he thought the problem could be. He asked me, quite confident that he already knew the answer, if I had any sinus challenges... to which I responded by wiping my nose dry with my sleeve. His recommendation would ensure both a night of comedic relief for my husband, who I am sure will want to watch this, AND some long term relief for the pain I feel in my face on a daily basis.

The Neti Pot.......

Its like street cleaning your nasal passages with a plastic gravy boat. You let saline water flow through one nasal passage and out the other while any excess liquid that loses its way comes out your mouth. It kinda makes sense if you think about it...you brush your teeth, wash your face so why wouldn't you clean all the crap out of your nose after a full day of breathing in. You need to be REAL relaxed to make this magic work but I am told its good stuff. The Neti Pot can be purchased at almost any Target.

Check out this brave woman below flushing it all out with a smile...and her hair looks great.

My handsome Yoga instructor swears it will do the trick and he better be right....cause that looks insane...but I'll try almost anything once. Wish me luck!

Say Cheese..........and Eat Cheese at Scardello Cheese Shop!

2010-02-24T13:14:00.000-08:00

Feta, Gouda, Stilton, Chedder, Velveeta

I love to smell cheese, eat cheese, act cheesy...you name it. Imagine my delight when Scardello Cheese shop finally had an opening in their "Best of Big D" award winning Cheese 101 class. My friend Alyssa and I were greeted with a glass of Riesling, a table full of strangers and a slate board loaded with about 18 different cheeses with all the accoutrements. Perfect girls night out.

Cheesemonger Rich Rogers and his helpers took us on a journey from soft and semi soft to hard and stinky. He asked us to smell the cheese, feel the cheese (literally, feel it with our fingers) and take in every moment. Each cheese was paired with a little nugget of whatever undertones was featured in the cheese to help it stand out. We sucked on a lemon after we ate the Chevre, we chewed on a toffee after a Gouda and ate bacon with the smelliest, most wonderful stilton on the planet. Our glasses were kept full by Rich's two lovely shop assistants as he told us how how each was cheese was made, where it was made and when and if it is ok to eat the moldy rind on the outer edges! Gross!

The evening was capped off with a final glass of California Pinot and Star Alyssa licking the final drops of honey off the slate with her finger. For $25, it was money well spent and a definate repeat. All upcoming classes at Scardello can be found on their website: Scardellocheese.com. I feel educated and as Cheesy as ever. Alyssa and I plan to go back very soon. I am quite interested in their take on Beer and Cheese....cause I like Beer....like alot.

The Aftermath!

Food Fit for an Olympian.........Fish Tacos

2010-02-21T19:40:00.000-08:00

The Olympics make me want to be a better cook......

I love the Olympics and America and Apollo Ono! I love the super combined and sequined unitards and Louie Vitto and curling! The Olympics motivate me.....to be better....for me that translated to "better in the kitchen" this weekend so I tackled something I've never tried before, Fish Tacos and cabbage slaw! Let me tell you with extreme gratification that the trip to Whole Foods didn't leave me bankrupt this time and my lovely husband demanded Fish Tacos be added to the regular dinner rotation. Jackpot!

I tried to wing it with the fish for the most part, although I did have a little help on the cabbage slaw recipe from the Interwebs.

Cabbage Slaw: recipe adapted from MuffinTalk.com
2 cups shredded cabbage (about 1 pound)
1/2 grated carrots, optional
1/4 chopped green onions
1 roma tomato chopped
1/2 ripe mango chopped
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1) Make the mayonnaise dressing with the lime, honey, vinegar, salt and pepper, I used my blender.
2) Shred or chop the cabbage, onions and carrots into a large bowl. Add the chopped tomato and the chopped mango.

3) Toss the vegetables, fruit and dressing until well mixed.
4) Season to taste with more salt and pepper.

* A friend of mine suggested this recipe for a "Baja Style" sauce : equal parts mayo and sour cream (or my new love Greek yogurt), chopped cilantro (fresh, always!), chipotle pepper (from the spice rack is fine) & lime juice. I have a feeling this will thicken it up a bit and would taste just as delicious. Thanks Mike!

Fish Tacos: recipe made up in my brain
1 lb white fish, I used Tilapia Fillets
1 Avocado
2 tsp Chili Powder
2 tsp Cumin
1 lime
2 tbs Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to season
White or Flour Tortillas for serving
Cabbage Slaw (recipe below)

1) Rinse the fish and pat dry. Sprinkle both sides with chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Squeeze the entire lime over the fish. Cover and let sit for about 30 minutes (I skipped this step but bet the flavor would be stronger if I had).

2) Heat a skillet with the olive oil over medium high heat and add Fish.
3) Cook until white and flaky, about 2-3 minutes a side.
4) Break fish up into smaller pieces.
5) Serve in warm flour or corn tortillas covered with slaw and avocado slices.

Masterpeice...Fish Tacos!

Delicious Discovery...........Where have you been?

2010-02-19T14:30:00.000-08:00

I Heart Sour Cream.......

Creamy, full fat, fluffy white Sour Cream. YUM! I like it on a baked potatoes, I like it on French Toast (don't think its gross until you've tried it), I like corn chips dipped into it. I think it should be offered as a Blow-pop flavor.

I tried Fage Greek Yogurt the other day for the first time. I never understood it, how different can it be from my straight up Fat Free Dannon? SO DIFFERENT. My friends and random readers, it tastes like...yup...SOUR CREAM! For you health freaks, Greek yogurt typically has lower sugar and higher protein content then regular yogurt, which, among other things, makes you feel fuller.

Get some! Eat it plain, put it on your baked potato, on your bagel, drizzle some honey in it. You won't be sorry.

photosource: hungryyogini.com

Valentine's Day Ricotta Blueberry Pancakes.......

2010-02-18T12:44:00.000-08:00

Its not as hard as it sounds...

photo courtesy of: Tricia's Kitchen

Villa-O is an Uptown Dallas favorite of ours for Brunch. Although I have never been to the Hamptons, the inside is what I imagine it would be like if I was on a Yacht headed to the Hamptons....lots of nautical things hanging around, you know what I'm saying.

What was my point....oh yeah, I love the amazing Ricotta Blueberry Pancakes on the brunch menu. They are delicious, filling, heaven in your mouth when those hot blueberries explode their sweet juiciness mixed with that salty batter. Yum. The key here, is to whip your egg whites seperately into stiff peaks. A pain in the rear, but worth the extra work. This version is incredibly moist and a little on the thinner side.

Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes: Recipe by Neal Fraser of Food and Wine

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

3 large eggs, separated

1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons milk

6 ounces ricotta cheese (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons)

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Unsalted butter, for the griddle

1 pint fresh blueberries or 2 cups frozen blueberries, thawed

Pure maple syrup, for serving

Directions

1.In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the milk, ricotta, sugar and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and whisk until the batter is smooth.

2.In aseperate bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites at medium speed until frothy. Beat at high speed until soft peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter until no streaks remain.

3. Heat a griddle, then lightly butter it. For each pancake, ladle a scant 1/4 cup of the batter onto the griddle; be sure to leave enough space between the pancakes. Cook over moderately low heat until the bottoms are golden and the pancakes are just beginning to set, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle each pancake with a few blueberries and press lightly. Flip the pancakes and cook until golden on the bottom and cooked through, about 1 minute longer. Transfer the pancakes to plates and keep them warm in the oven while you make the rest. Serve the pancakes with maple syrup.

Enjoy!!

Double Yolk.....Double Luck!

2010-02-17T08:03:00.000-08:00

An Omen of Plentitude....?

As a special Valentine's day surprise, I decided to make my lovely husband a fresh batch of Ricotta & Blueberry pancakes, a specialty I love to make and he loves to eat! Much to my delight, egg number two produced a DOUBLE YOLK! I was so excited, I grabbed my camera and snapped about 22 pictures!

You must understand while growing up in my family, finding double yolk was like finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, like winning the lottery, like your birthday 10 times over. I can remember a moment stadning in my grandparents' kitchen, watching my Bubby crack open a Double Yolk and the entire family was summoned to the Kitchen to admire and congratulate her fabulous fortune!

Many people say that a Double Yolk is a sign of Good Fortune, Plentitude or a Twins in the future....Oh My!!

A rare Dallas Winter.......

2010-02-12T13:55:00.000-08:00

Let it Snow, Let it snow, Let it snow......

Dallas received a record 12.5 inches of snow over the last 24 hours and man oh man, this city was NOT prepared. The temperature never fell below 33 degrees and the roads did not ice, however, schools closed, roads shut down and it was what my lovely husband likes to call "the Bad Driving Derby" on the highway. It took me almost an hour to get home and I live about 6 miles from the office. My in-laws are headed over tonight to use us for freezer space and warmth since they haven't had power since YESTERDAY! Crazy.

We decided to have a little fun with it!

Happy Valentine's Day!

ZUMBA! - Join the Party!

2010-02-11T10:05:00.000-08:00

Shake that Booty.....

Don't be afraid of ZUMBA, its exercise for everyone, at any fitness level....you just have to be ready to SHAKE IT like a Polaraoid picture! I took a trip to Austin last weekend and for $250 and 8 hours of my time, became a certified instructor!!

I want to be the Jewish version of my new Puerto Rican idol, Jancel. Watch her shake it below:

So, look out Dallas! I will be shaking it at a 24 hour fitness or Gold's gym near you....and my favorite Mixmaster/DJ that I call my lovely husband, will be patching together a Latin mix so hot you will be shaking it like Shakira in no time! Valeo!

Me getting my official ZUMBA Certificate from my instructor Julie!

Superbowl Starter..............Deviled Eggs

2010-02-09T13:05:00.000-08:00

Boiled Eggs smell like vomit............

I hate that smell, but hard boiled eggs taste pretty damn good. I've been an "eat the white only" kinda girl most of my life. I would eat the white and my dad would eat the yellow with only a quick shake of the salt. Gross. I wouldn't go near him for about an hour. But I am older now, and wiser, and hungrier then I was when I was 13. I ate a devlied egg for the first time when I was 29, part of my list of things to do before I turned 30. I wasn't repulsed and went back for seconds. My husband LOVES deviled eggs and I love him so I made them on Sunday for our Superbowl party. I found this amazing website called Tastespotting with lots of Deviled Egg delights. My eyes were immedietly drawn to the these, mostly because of the bright green bits of chive:

photosource: Tastespotting.com

The recipe came from a New York Magazine article by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt who deconstructed April Bloomfield's Spotted Pig recipe in order to replicate it at home. I followed it exactly, and while it didn't taste nearly as amazing as what I imagine they taste like at the Spotted Pig, they were delicious and were scarfed down quickly and my lovely husband asked me to make them again real soon. I heart chives.

Reicpe: from New York Magazine's J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

12 large eggs
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon malt vinegar
Maldon sea salt
Peperoncino red chili flakes, pulsed in a spice grinder into approximate 1/16th-inch pieces.
3 tablespoons thinly sliced chives

Directions

Place eggs in single layer in medium saucepan. Cover with 1 ½ quarts cold water. Place over high heat, bring to a simmer, shut off heat, and wait for at least ten minutes. Drain eggs, and peel under cool running water. With thin knife, carefully slice eggs in half.
Place egg yolks in bowl of food processor. Add olive oil, mayonnaise, mustard, and both vinegars and process until smooth puree forms, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Season to taste with salt.
Transfer mixture to pastry bag fitted with plain tip or to plastic zipper-lock bag with corner cut off. Select 12 best egg white halves (reserve remaining egg whites for another use), and pipe filling mixture into them by starting outside the indentation, completely filling the indentation, and overflowing the other side of it, leaving a curled “tail” at the end.
Sprinkle eggs with Maldon salt, Peperoncino, and chives. Drizzle with olive oil, and serve.

I think it might be all about the Olive Oil.........ENJOY!

I...Can't...sit...or bend...my arms.....Pyshco Gym, Dallas

2010-02-07T10:53:00.000-08:00

I got my ass kicked......

My brother-in-law recently joined a new gym in Deep Ellum. I thought the name of the place, Psycho Gym, was cute and clever until I experienced it for the first time....wow. Its not a joke, this place is 24 hour fitness on crack.....no treadmills or spin bikes or Nautilus equipment. Its outfitted with pull-up rings and Kettlebells and tires and ropes. It is an ass whooping of Mike Tyson proportions, Biggest Loser style.

There were about 12 of us in the class. We rotated through 5 stations, with three excercies in each station with each excercise lasting 30 seconds. We did 5 rounds of this which took us about an hour. Oh my. The owner, Travis, is a certified personal trainer and professional butt kicker. But he was sweet and he didn't yell and he took the time to come over to give me some support and feedback on my form. Less then 12 hours later, I needed help standing up, using a fork and bending over to take my socks off.

But.....

All this pain means I must have worked hard, and must have used muscles I haven't used in a long time and as much pain as I am in, I feel proud and strong and brave for making it through. Don't get me wrong, I love Spin and Step and Zumba and Body Pump....but this....was something special and empowering. Thumbs up.

www.Psychogym.net

Weekend hotness.........$39.99

2010-02-05T14:49:00.000-08:00

I want this.............

This beautiful, Flashdance inspired sweatshirt called the "Truly Madly Deeply 80s Sweatshirt" was brought to my attention by "The Look For Less" and can be found in 5+ colors at Urban Outfitters for $39.99.

Advice....For those like my little sister, who would never leave her shoulders bare OR think to wear a strapless bra.....you can wear a strapless bra or a tank underneath and it will still look cool and contrary to belief, people will not mistake you for a hooker. Have a great weekend, Go Saints!

photosource:Kaboodle.com

Super Supper - Feeding 4 for under $35

2010-02-03T09:30:00.000-08:00

Crostini of Edamame Puree and Pecorino
I Wowed the crowd.......

Last night, my lovely husband and I invited one of our favorite friends, Powercat, over for some Culinary Olympics. I've been inspired over the last week or so by some fabulous friends and some fabulous meals and I wanted to unleash that inspiration onto a plate. It was a huge success and I spent under $35 at the grocery store.

While in San Fran last week on business, I caught up with my friend and fellow foodie, KT, from Kimpton Hotels. We ate and drank our faces off on a mini food and drink tour of the Mission neighborhood.....I ATE BONE MARROW FOR THE FIRST TIME at Bar Tarine....and I am still dreaming about it. We also made a stop at Beretta, where I was blown away by the cocktail menu and the antipasti menu which inspired last night's appetizer:

Crostini of Edamame Puree, Pecorino and Mozzarella (adapted from Robert Love's Food and Love)

SO delicious, SO easy, SO yummy and pretty low in calorie/fat. Recipe:

1 cup frozen shelled edamame thawed

1/2 cup grated pecorino romano

1/4 tsp fleur de sel (gray sea salt found at whole foods)

1 ball mozzerella di bufala or regular mozzarella

a few slices of rustic country bread

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbl + 2 tsp olive oil (i think I used a little more)

Puree beans, Pecorino, olive oil, lemon juice in food processor
Add more lemon juice for brightness, olive oil to adjust constistency
Add some sea salt (fleur de sel) to taste. Set aside.
Drizzle the bread with some olive oil and grill or toast it

Season lightly with sea salt
Spread a thick layer of the puree onto the toasted bread. Place a slice of Mozzarella on top and serve.

I left out the bean sprouts, they scare my lovely husband. I think I heard him PURRR when he took a bite. I will be repeating this dish for my Superbowl shindig this Sunday.

For my main course, I doubled the recipe and served Panko Crusted Chicken. See this recipe compliments of Fish and Veggies.

photo source:stylishcuisine.com
As a side dish, I served Roasted Cauliflower, an Emeril recipe which was the easiest, tastiest side dish I've ever made. See the recipe from Foodnetwork.com.

photo source: closet cooking

Super Supper....Your guests will love you.

Steal Alert.......i heart stripes

2010-01-21T11:56:00.000-08:00

$49.99......

I am a sucker for stripes..., horizontal, diagonal, vertical. If the stripes on the article of clothing are black and white, I want to own it...if I don't own it already. They never go out of style, although my husband is not appreciative of the repetitive look (hes not my fashion boss). I want to thank one of my favorite Blogs "The Look 4 Less" for bringing us a wide variety of very cute but sexy, Wilson Phillips-esque, lycra dresses in jailbait Black and White stripes in varying price ranges. My favorite is pictured here, available at Asos, will run you $49.99 and is also available in other colors which I encourage you to get because I will be wearing the Black and White version. They will look fantastic with my new booties from BR.

picture courtesy of Asos the online fashion store

Alone time I didn't ask for.....Girls' Weekend

2010-01-20T10:55:00.000-08:00

The Sound of Silence......

I hate it, I always have. I am one of those gals that prefers to be surrounded by noise, that prefers to have the radio on in the background, that prefers the sound of traffic and sirens and the kind of gal that prefers falling asleep to the Biography Channel.

I used to pay my sister $5 to sit on my bed while I cleaned my room just for the company and if she lived closer I might even give her an increase for inflation to $10 to swing by and keep me company when the clothing explosion that is my closet gets out of control, at age 34.

This weekend, my lovely man had a "guys weekend" in New York City, my favorite city, so I had a girls weekend, in Dallas, and you all know by now how I feel about the D. But it was a lovely time. The below transpired:

An hour of beauty secret tips and pointers, "my man is better then most men because" stories, recipe swapping, favorite blog lists, and of course, our 5-10 year life plan with my chicas Catherine and Annie. I heart them both.
Consumption of homemade Hummus, made by Catherine, recipe found on her blog Fish and Veggies, served with toasted pita and Ravenswood Shiraz followed by a Margarita Pizza from Eatzi's Market and Bakery (heaven on earth).
A viewing of the Hangover (can't get enough of that Bradley Cooper and his hair and his wit and his...well, his face!).
Spa pedicure and reflexology foot massage at Soho Ped Spa after brunch at the Bronx Cafe with Alyssa.
A long late lingering lunch at Taverna with Catherine that included 2 glasses of white wine, 4 Bellinis, 2 Caprese salads and an order of Scampi al Forno con Polenta.

A Dallas Cowboys game watching brunch at the In-Laws in Highland Park.
Shopping (minor damage done) at Off 5th and Nordstrom Rack on Park Lane.
An evening with the Golden Globes on the couch while annihilating a giant bowl of Guacamole and simultaniously video chatting with my sister in New Jersey.

Now that is what I call a weekend....if I am forced to be separated from my lovely man.

I Want This Bed

2010-01-08T09:59:00.000-08:00

Yes Please......
It comes in many fabric colors
It looks classic and cozy
I feel ghetto and too old to not have a headboard
Check it out at Room and Board

photo from roomandboard.com

I need a new pair of Sandals like I need another basket of Chicken Fried Chicken

2010-01-07T10:51:00.000-08:00

Gilt.com.....

It's invite only which makes me feel special and snobby like a Dallas girl. I became "one of those people" that buys things from random shopping websites that host sales by invite only with prices that expire if you don't BUY NOW! I couldn't resist, Cynthia Vincent Fawn Fringe Gladiator Sandals in Rust (rare color), original price $215, all mine for $88! Since my husband doesn't read my blog, i have every reason to brag without any fiduciary remorse.

I have a billion ways to wear them in my mind, even though the current temperature in Dallas is an excruciating 34 degrees. A girl can dream.

I am sharing my invite with you, enjoy!
Access up to 70% off Luxury brands.

photo courtesy of gilt.com

Handmade and Homemade isn't always easy on the wallet

2009-12-24T09:01:00.000-08:00

Scrapbooking.....

I am a freak about it. My body is taken over by a crafting crazed 3rd grade Brownie Scout working on my arts & crafts badge as I spread all my crafting tools and stickers and paper all over the floor to my husbands disgust. He thinks crafting and scraping is only for nerds and moms in sweatpants. He's wrong. I love scrapping. I've been at Michael's every day in the last week, bulking up my supply of shiny gold ribbon, dotto adhesive and die cuts. That's "nerd speak" for scrap supplies. I think I've spent over $200 on something that was going to save me a few bucks cause it was home made. Oopsie.

My work, if I do say so myself, is stunning. It will bring tears to my mother-in-laws eyes because of the thoughtfulness and creativity (two points for the daughter-in-law). High five to me.

Lazy Lady Appetizer - no cooking required

2009-12-23T10:27:00.000-08:00

I call it Nutty Co-worker ColeSlaw......or Aunt Roz's Noodle Salad

Trust me, its a crowd pleasure. Perfect for a Potluck.

2 bags oriental flavored Raman

1 bag coleslaw mix (no dressing)

Handfull of almond slivers

Handful of sunflower seeds

1 large can mandarin orange slices

Mix oil, vinegar, sugar and ramennoodle seasoning packets in a large bowl.

Add raw Raman (yes, raw) and stir to coat.

Add coleslaw mix, seeds, almonds and lastly, oranges. If it seems a little dry, add a little extra canola oil.

If you want to be all fancy or feel guilty cause you didn't actually cook anything, you can toast the almonds first. Serve immediately.

Photo credit: www.recipesroom.com

Steal Alert! Shoes on the cheap......

2009-12-22T15:26:00.000-08:00

Lucky Me!

I'm a little late to the black bootie game but.......I just bought THESE beauties at Banana Republic for $69.99. They are still showing full price online. They feel wonderful on my feet.

HOT!

UPDATE!! apparently these boots are sold out! Check out one of my favorite blogs, ThirtySomethingStyle, for some other options.

A Frugal Foodie's Fish Counter

2009-12-22T13:16:00.000-08:00

Whole Foods.....

I love it there which is why I usually stay away. I can swing by on my way home from work for the organic boxed tomatoe sauce I like and come out, $45 poorer, with a bag full of one freshly baked baguette that was so fresh that the steam was still collecting underneath the plastic, some fresh asparagus that is already cut and seasoned the way I like even though we have dinner plans for the next several nights and I am not sure when I would eat it, a ball of hand stretched mozzarella from the man that was giving a live demo and I ate so much while I stood there watching that I HAD to buy something (it would go perfect with the baguette). And some fig jam, even though I already have some at home. Cause I might run out....someday....and I would be so sad if I didn’t have a backup in the cabinet to go with my mozzarella and baguette.

Anyway, I did learn something my last $57 trek through for a piece of fresh salmon for dinner. They will instruct you how to cook it to bring out its best flavor and they will SEASON YOUR FISH FOR FREE! Yes, that is correct. You walk up to the fish counter, pick out any slab of freshly caught, wild whatever, and ask if they could season it for you. The lovely fisherman behind the counter will pull out his list of 12 different seasonings for you to choose from. Cajun, Lemon and Thyme, Fresh Herbs...the list goes on.

Recently, I chose the freshest piece of pink salmon and asked for it seasoned with Tequila Lime. Ridiculous.

And it was free. Enjoy.

Nutmeg - Spice on the cheap

2009-12-11T09:21:00.000-08:00

Nutmeg.....

We all have a random jar of this spice in the back of our cabinet. Most likely, we paid the ridiculous price of $5.99 at the grocery store at least three years ago. Now, I love "Old Spice" in its deodorant form but not in my food.

Good news, Nutmeg kernels can be purchased at your local Whole Foods for about $.13. Fresh will taste better, last longer and will save you a few bucks. Use a microplane for grating into your favorite holiday recipe. A tip from one of my favorite blogs, My First Kitchen says to store fresh nutmegs, as well as ground nutmeg, in a tightly-sealed jar or container in a cool, dark place. Wrap leftover fresh nutmeg tightly so the oils are not lost. The smell is fabulous and authentic and CHEAP-er then buying the whole bottle.

Fun Fact: Apparently you can get crazy high ( not the fun "I see Smurfs" kind of high, more like the vomit and dizzy kind). If are wanting a cheap ugly high, then I suppose $5.99 isn't bad. However, a wise person once told me, "if its brown and its not a mushroom, skip it and wait for someone to offer you something green".

I'm just saying.

$69.50 jeans.....what is this, 1990?

2009-11-24T20:12:00.000-08:00

Denim.

When I was in the 8th grade, The Gap was a place wear dreams came true! A wonderful world of striped cotton turtlenecks, over sized jean jackets and adorably cozy argyle socks. I was obsessed.

In 2002 I ended my affair with the Gap when I discovered designer jeans. I bought my first pair at Bloomingdale for what was, at the time, an obscene amount of money. I ate Ramen noodles and tuna fish for two weeks to pay for them. I've been paying $150+ for jeans ever since......until yesterday....when I rediscovered the Gap.

Please, let me draw your attention to the Gap's Always Skinny Jean:

The Gap doesn't get everything right. The blazers are a bit boxy and their idea of purple is something only a clown could pull off but the price point is spot on. I'm headed back to the Gap for $69.50 jeans and 40% off on Wednesday's in December, you should too.

and it begins....

2009-05-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

I live in Dallas, Texas.

Yes, it's on purpose.

I know, I can't believe it either. Dallas doesn't pay attention, they are too busy chasing L.A. or getting highlights.

I often lie to my friends in New York and tell them that the love of my life dragged my east coast Jewish ass from New York City, kicking and screaming all the way to Texas, land of concealed weapons, Jesus and the F-450 (its a truck) and I am actually being held here against my will.

But....it's not nice to tell lies.

I will uncover the hidden gems and tiny bits of cool that live in this mediocre city if it kills me. I will pay attention.

Because I am not leaving anytime soon according to the man holding me captive here.