Friday, November 28, 2014

Friday Foodday

Today's Friday Foodday is what to do with turkey leftovers.

Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup
c/o Skinny Taste
Ingredients
  • 6 cups homemade turkey stock (or low sodium canned)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup diced carrot
  • 3/4 cup chopped onion
  • 3/4 cup diced celery
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • salt to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • 3 oz uncooked Ronzoni Smart Taste egg noodles
  • 2 cups leftover shredded turkey (about 8 ounces)
Directions

Fill a large saucepan with homemade turkey stock (or canned). Add bay leaf, carrots, onion, celery, garlic, salt and pepper to taste and simmer 10-15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add parsley, noodles and shredded turkey; cook according to noodle directions, about 5 minutes.

Discard bay leaf and serve.


Turkey Tetrazzini
Ingredients
  • 1-1/2 pound Thin Spaghetti, Broken In Half
  • 4 Tablespoons Butter
  • 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 1 pound White Mushrooms, Quartered
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 cup White Wine
  • 1/3 cup Flour
  • 4 cups Turkey (or Chicken) Broth
  • 1 block 8 Ounce Cream Cheese
  • 3 cups Cooked (leftover) Turkey, Shredded Or Diced
  • 1 cup Finely Chopped Black Olives
  • 1-1/2 cup Frozen Green Peas
  • 4 slices Bacon, Fried And Cut Into Bits
  • 1 cup Grated Monterey Jack Cheese
  • 1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
  •  Salt And Pepper, to taste
  •  Extra Broth For Thinning
  • 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs

Directions
Cook pasta until not quite done - al dente according to package instructions (it will finish cooking in the oven.) Drain, rinse, and set aside.
In a large pot, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute for a couple of minutes. Add mushrooms and salt, then saute for a couple more minutes. Pour in the wine and allow it to cook with the mushrooms for several minutes, or until the liquid reduces by half.
Sprinkle in flour, then stir the mushrooms around for another minute. Pour in the broth and stir, cooking for another few minutes until the roux thickens.
Reduce heat to medium low. Cut cream cheese into pieces and add it to the pot. Stir it to melt (don't be concerned if the cream cheese remains in little bits for awhile; it'll melt eventually!) Add the leftover turkey, the olives, the peas, the bacon, and the cheeses. Stir to combine, adding salt and pepper as needed.
Add the cooked spaghetti and stir it to combine. Splash in more broth as needed; you want the mixture to have a little extra moisture since it will cook off in the oven. If it's a little soupy, that's fine! Add up to 2 more cups of liquid if you think it needs it.
Pour the mixture into a large baking dish and sprinkle the top with Panko crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and the crumbs are golden brown.

Leftover Turkey Pot Pie
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2/3 cup frozen corn kernels
  • 1/2 cup frozen diced carrots
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 cups chopped leftover Thanksgiving turkey
  • 1 puff pastry sheet, cut into four 4 1/4-inch squares
  • 1 large egg, beaten
Directions
  • To make the filling, melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic, onion, corn, carrots and peas and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions become translucent, about 2 minutes. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken broth, milk and thyme, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in turkey; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Divide the filling evenly into the ramekins. Top with puff pastry and gently cut 4 vents in the top of the crust. Brush each crust with the beaten egg.
  • Place into oven and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

It's Ok, There is Sparkle

Are you working today? Oh man, I am so sorry. That really blows. I have nothing to make you feel better. Oh wait...I have sparkles.

BaubleBar, Evening Bracelet Stack, $58
So chic. Treat yourself or give as a gift, it comes in the most darling packaging.

I like this skirt because it isn't a skintight mini. It's almost athletic in its casual and loose fit.

Holiday party? Pencil skirt? Jeans? Check, check, and check.

How fantastic are these sneaks?

So hang in there lovebug, soon you will be eating turkey. Until then, enjoy some sparkle.

Be fabulous today!



Tuesday, November 25, 2014

What the Heck Do I Wear: Travel

So tomorrow you are getting in a plane/train/automobile for who knows how long. I know. Hang in there. I've got you covered.



And I did not forget the bags. Here are some great large purse (not suitcase) options...



Be fabulous today!

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Monday, November 24, 2014

What the Heck Do I Wear: Thanksgiving

Hey there lovebugs,
Happy Thanksgiving week. I am going to wait until next week to start gift guides because I am of the belief that all things holiday start the day after Thanksgiving. Sorry I'm not sorry. Today let's look at some last minute Thanksgiving outfit ideas.


This is what I call comfortable Thanksgiving. For the family that values comfort and style. 


And for the dressier dinner, how about some navy, black, and velvet with a little bling? Pretty obsessed with this feminine print on the dress.

Whatever you wear on Thanksgiving I hope you enjoy good food and great time with family. Need last minute outfit help? Shoot me an email, I'd love to help.

Be fabulous today!

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Friday, November 21, 2014

Friday Foodday

Happy Friday lovebugs,
Here are my favorite recipes this week.

Ginger Cranberry Cocktail
c/o Food Network
Ingredients
For Ginger syrup:
4 -inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped1/2 cup sugar1 1/2 cups waterPlace all syrup ingredients in a saucepan and simmer until sugar dissolves and the ginger is infused in the syrup, about 20 minutes. Strain and allow to cool fully before use.

For the drink:1 cup frozen cranberries1 lime, juiced2 cups vodka or gin2 cups cranberry juiceSplash club sodaShaved ginger
1 cup ginger syrup, or to taste


Directions

Crush the frozen cranberries in a large glass pitcher. Add the lime juice and their juiced wedges to the pitcher. Pour in the vodka, cranberry juice, and ginger syrup. Put ice in low-ball glasses and fill glasses about 2/3 full. Top off with club soda and garnish with a shaving of fresh ginger.
Note: Can be made without soda for a martini.




Herb and Bacon Corn Bread Stuffing
c/o Epicurious
Ingredients
  • 2 loaves Corn Bread
  • 6 large celery ribs
  • 1 pound onions 
  • 1 pound sliced bacon
  • 1/2 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs such as thyme, sage, rosemary, and/or marjoram or 2 tablespoons mixed dried herbs, crumbled
  • 1 cup Turkey Giblet Stock or chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup reserved fat from roast turkey or melted butter
Directions
Preheat oven to 325° F. and butter a 4-quart baking dish.
Cut corn bread into 1/2-inch cubes and dry in 2 large shallow baking pans in oven 20 minutes. Remove corn bread from oven and leave oven at 325° F. Coarsely chop separately celery, onions, and bacon.
In a large, deep skillet sauté bacon over moderately high heat, stirring, until browned, about 10 minutes. Add celery and onions and cook, stirring, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add herbs and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
In a large bowl toss together corn bread and bacon mixture and transfer to baking dish. Stuffing may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and cooled completely before being chilled, covered.
Drizzle stock or broth over stuffing and bake, covered, 1 hour. Drizzle reserved fat or butter over stuffing and bake, uncovered, in upper third of oven 30 minutes more, or until top is golden.

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie
Ingredients
1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels
1 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup bourbon or water
4 large eggs
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 teaspoons cornmeal
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
Fit piecrust into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate according to package directions; fold edges under, and crimp.
Sprinkle pecans and chocolate evenly onto bottom of piecrust; set aside.
Combine corn syrup and next 3 ingredients in a large saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Whisk together eggs and next 4 ingredients. Gradually whisk about one-fourth hot mixture into egg mixture; add to remaining hot mixture, whisking constantly. Pour filling into prepared piecrust.
Bake at 325° for 55 minutes or until set; cool on wire rack.




Thursday, November 20, 2014

Howdy Lady

Let's talk jewelry. Let's talk long, elegant, simple jewelry. With me? Ok, stay with me. Let's talk lariat. Still there? Excellent. The lariat style necklace is sleek and chic and with sweater weather, it's a great accessory.

Neiman Marcus, Jules Smith Keep Me Lariat $69
So simple. Gold square, silver oval. I love it.

A nice vintage twist on the lariat style. I love the pearl tassel.

A heavier yet thin braided chain with a bit of sparkle at the end.

Gorjana, Honeycomb Lariat, $80
How genius is this simple honeycomb shape? 

The lariat style can be worn ironically for Halloween but when it comes to feminine, understated style, this is just perfect.

Be fabulous today!

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Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Square One

Today we are going back to basics. Black leather pumps. Yep. Major shoe 101 and we're going to run the entire price range because sometimes you need a quick pair of wear into the ground heels and sometimes you want to invest. Don't worry, investing still means under $100.

No, but seriously on this price tag. There is absolutely no reason why these should not be in your closet.

Sole Society, Isani, $69
Simple elegance. These can be your go to work shoes or dress up your denim.


Zappos, Nine West Austin, $69
You've got to love Zappos because the hundreds of reviews will tell you exactly what you need to know about these shoes. And the 294 reviews on this shoe say, buy.

Nordstrom, Ivanka Trump Carra Pump, $99
A bit of a higher heel but with a cushioned footbed, you will be just fine.

I love embellishment, bling, patterns, you name it; but sometimes you have to peel away all of those extra layers and start fresh. The black leather stiletto is square one and a beautiful one at that.

Be fabulous today!

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Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Oh Shear

Guys, it's cold. I'm not particularly upset about it because I like cold weather and it's mid-November, it's time. I also like the cold because it means its fantastic coat time. There are a lot of trends for outerwear this year. From cocoon to wrap to mixed media; but the one I really love because it mixes utility with sass, is shearling.

I love that this jacket mixes motorcycle style with blazer notched label. A great blend of rocker and prep.

A crazy twist on shearling with this longer option. So much sass.

Piperlime Collection, Coated Shearling Jacket, $87
There are jackets and then there are jackets. This is the latter. Attention to detail like an asymmetrical zip and waist hem buckle. 

A classic look with khaki and cream. I love the oversized fold over collar.

Keep warm and cozy this winter with shearling. It mixes comfort with chic and who doesn't want that  when it's frigid outside?

Be fabulous today!

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Monday, November 17, 2014

She Just Likes to Embellish

Happy Monday lovebugs,
I hope you had a great weekend. Today I thought we would start things off with some shine, because what does Monday need other than coffee and sparkle? Right. Let's look at some beautifully embellished sweaters.

A beautiful shade of mint with a great cream collar addition.

Piperlime Willow & Clay, Embellished Jewel Sweatshirt, $79
I love this option for work. A pencil skirt paired with the comfort of fleece and you still look fancy.

J Crew Factory, Embellished Sweater, $58
Who doesn't love a nice merino blend? And in a rich navy? Sold.

And for something a little different, this shoulder embellished sweater. I love this emerald shade.

Built in sparkle to your top. No need for a necklace, this option takes care of it. You can go all over bling or pops of sparkle with the collar or shoulder. If you're looking for an easy, matches pretty much anything in your closet top, this is your go to. Throw it over a dress, pair it with jeans, or add some shine to a corduroy mini skirt.

Be fabulous today!

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Friday, November 14, 2014

Friday Foodday

Happy Friday lovebugs,
Here are my favorite recipes this week.

Sparkling Pomegranate Punch
c/o Food and Wine
Ingredients
  1. 2 oranges, thinly sliced crosswise
  2. 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
  3. 3/4 cup late-harvest white wine, such as late-harvest Riesling, chilled
  4. Ice cubes, for serving
  5. Two 750-milliliter bottles sparkling wine, chilled
  6. 3 tablespoons sugar
  7. 1 cup diced fresh pineapple (1/2 inch)
  8. 1 cup pomegranate juice
Directions
  1. In a punch bowl, dissolve the sugar in the pomegranate juice, stirring vigorously. Add the sparkling wine and late-harvest white wine, then add the orange slices, diced pineapple and pomegranate seeds. Serve the sparkling pomegranate punch over ice cubes.
Border Grill Sugar Cookies
c/o Saveur
Ingredients
  • 16 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened, plus more for brushing
  • ½ cup sugar, plus more for topping
  • 1½ tsp. vanilla extract
  • ¾ tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 cups flour
  • ½ cup finely chopped pecans
  • ½ cup crushed plain potato chips
  • 4 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted, for garnish
Directions
Heat oven to 350°. Using a hand mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and salt until smooth. Fold in flour, pecans, and potato chips until just combined. Roll dough into 1" balls and transfer to a parchment paper–lined baking sheet about 2" apart. Working in batches, brush the bottom of a heavy glass with butter and dip in sugar. Press glass onto each dough ball and flatten into a 3” circle. Bake until cookies are golden brown at edges, 8–10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely. Dip tines of a fork into chocolate and drizzle over cookies; return to rack until set.

Applesauce Donut Muffins
Ingredients
1 cup softened butter, divided
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup cinnamon applesauce
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together 1/2 cup of butter and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and applesauce until well combined.
Gradually stir in the flour, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.
Fill the muffin wells 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Let cool for 10 minutes before carefully removing the muffins from the tin.
Melt the remaining 1/2 cup of butter. Place in a small bowl.
Stir together the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and teaspoon of cinnamon and place in a second small bowl.
Dunk each muffin in the butter and then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat.


Thursday, November 13, 2014

Ochre Jealous?

You know what color I'm loving lately? Ochre. Haven't heard of it? Where have you been? Everyone knows ochre. And by everyone, I mean, maybe 12 people. I had never heard of it. But I'm an ochre convert.

Ochre is a natural earth pigment that ranges from yellow to a orange-brown. It screams fall. It is not quite mustard and not quite sunshine. It floats in the middle in a super cool, understated ochre way.

How stinking gorgeous is this heavy cable dress? Truly effortless.

A slight hi-low hem gives this standard cable a little something extra.

Anthropologie, Pilcro Stet Cords, $88
Leave your khakis at home, ladies. These straight leg cords will be your new go to bottom.

Alright, you caught me, I saved my favorite for last. But can you blame me? Look at the movement on this number?

So when life gives you lemons, leave 'em! Go get yourself some deep, earthy, ochre. It's the new fall color and it goes with everything. Seriously. Picture it with navy, black, emerald, plum, yeah.

Be fabulous today!

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Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Tied with a Ribbon

On Monday we looked at bow belts and I thought we would keep the bow trend going with some ribbons. More specifically, ribbon necklaces. I really like this look especially with heavier, statement necklaces because it offers a more feminine take.

I mean, hello? Pink, black and gold. So sweet and yet so bold.

Soft tones make this necklace perfect with a cream sweater and simple long sleeve tees.

BaubleBar, Jasmine Ribbon Necklace, $58
This necklace screams blogger to me. Its bold, a little vixen-y, all balanced with a black ribbon.

J Crew, Metal Shield Necklace, $52 (use code SHOPNOW for an extra 25% off!)
How about something a bit simpler? Minimalist at its best, pair with a turtleneck cashmere sweater.

Ribbon necklaces aren't all frills and rainbows. They have some weight to them, and that's why I like them. It's a great juxtaposition. 

Be fabulous today!

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