Nordstrom's Half Yearly Sale

It's rare that I dedicate an entire post to one store or outlet.  Only for very special people like Jess LC or a fantastic sale a la Loft. Today is one of those fantastic sale days!  It's the Nordstrom's half yearly sale for women.

My love of Nordstrom's started when I was just a wee TCB.  My dad used to take me to the King of Prussia Mall (one of God's greatest creations) and I would follow him through the men's department while his trusty personal shopper fitted him in the most beautiful suits and loafers I've ever seen.  Later in life I discovered the shoe department.  There are no words to describe the beauty of this part of the store, but I will say the customer service and the Nordstrom's signature 'bring the shopping bag around the counter to the customer' is something I always cherish.

Here are some of my favorites from this years sale!

Sheath dress, $81

Love the ruffle detail on the shoulder and if you zoom in the dress has a nice curved seam right at the waistline, which makes the sheath dress fit like a glove.

Lucky Brand Kimono Wrap, $39

If this isn't the perfect Saturday throw on, I don't know what is!

Jag Jeans Carla bootcut cords, $40

I love these cords because they come in tons of colors AND they're not skinny fit which makes them great for flats and heels, and a little more work appropriate.

Suzi Chin Maggy jersey dress, $88

Can we just stop for a second on this one?  Ok. Jewel tone heaven, twisted sleeveless detail, empire waist band and a pleated skirt that floats away from the body.  Perfection.

Franco Sarto Fox Loafer, $53

Such a feminine loafer, ultimate prep.

Kate Spade Idiom Bangle, $65

You know I can't say no to something Kate Spade on sale.  This is such a cute bangle and on the inside is a hidden idiom "Sweet Nothings"

Tulle Marley Hooded Coat, $34

Comes in a variety of colors and is a perfect coat for Fall.

Election Day

Go vote! Yes you! Observe the awesomeness of freedom and being American and go vote!

In order to best convey my excitement for this historic day here are some fabulous red, white, and blues!!!

Nordstrom, Sweet romeo jacket, $45

Nordstrom, Radiance skirt, $67

Forever 21, Sudette Ruffle Heels, $29

Secret Lake, Vintage Navy Suit, $74

DSW, Pennee Flat, $50

Forever 21, Pleated Rosette Dress, $33

Cozy up with Fleece

Its a little chilly out there this morning right? Not enough for the winter pea coat but you certainly need more than a pashmina. And since it's Monday and no one (don't lie) wants to be out of bed right now what better jacket to put on this morning than a cozy fleece. Today's post is about affordable cozy fleeces. Now, I'm sure you can run out and buy the first Patagonia fleece you find, but here at TCB I don't have that kind of cash flow. So while labels are nice, sometimes being able to stay warm AND go grocery shopping with the leftover money is a plus. (sometimes. Kate Spade is another story)

LL Bean, Trail Model Fleece, $49

I've owned this fleece for 4 years and I'm wearing it today. It doesn't shrink, it's the perfect length and it isn't bulky. Love.

Lands End, Heavenly Fleece, $39.50

I like this shaggy type of fleece, reminds me of what the cool kids wore in high school.

North Face, Salathe Fleece, $79

If you really want a label here is a nice North Face for under 100.

Horny Toad, Saturday Jacket, $49

While I hate the name of this company I love the zipper hem detail and the inside of the sleeve color!

Friday Foodday

Hey there lovebugs! Its the best day of the week: Friday Foodday.

Remember if you want to include your recipe just email, comment or tweet it to me!

Tortellini Bake (adapted from Taste of Home's Tortellini Marinara)

c/o Matt & Sarah J

• 1 package (9 oz.) refrigerated cheese tortellini (I use Buitoni whole-wheat three-cheese tortellini)
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 container (15 oz.) refrigerated marinara sauce (again, Buitoni)
• 1 can (14 oz.) diced Italian tomatoes
• 3/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 3/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Italian-mix cheese

Cook tortellini according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in marinara sauce, tomatoes, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Drain tortellini. Add tortellini and sauce mixture to oven-safe dish and top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

Sausage Balls

c/o Southern in the City
One of the easiest recipes in the world and so delicious.

2 cups bisquick
1 lb sausage
1 lb shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl combine the sausage, bisquick and cheese. Form into small balls and place on baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown.

Les Petits Chefs do Healthy Mac and Cheese

c/o EatLiveTravelWrite

You can either serve this macaroni unbaked so it’s loose, gooey, and silky, or bake it under the

broiler for a few minutes before serving to give it a crispy, golden topping. You could even try adding a grated hard-boiled egg or cooked prawns, but I like the simple style, as here.

Ingredients ½ a head of cauliflower 8oz. Cheddar cheese 4oz. Parmesan cheese A small bunch of fresh Italian parsley (I forgot to bring this in…) Sea salt 1lb. dried macaroni (elbows) 1cup crème fraîche or sour cream

To prepare your pasta: Remove the outer green leaves from the cauliflower and discard. Slice the end off the cauliflower stalk and cut the head into small florets. Halve the thick stalk lengthways, then slice thinly. Grate the Cheddar and Parmesan into a large heatproof bowl. Finely chop the parsley stalks and leaves.

To cook your pasta: Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and all your cauliflower and cook according to the macaroni-package instructions. Place the bowl of cheese over the saucepan and add the crème fraîche. Carefully stir every so often until the cheese is smooth and melted. If the water boils up beneath the bowl, just turn the heat down slightly. Add all the chopped parsley to the melted cheese and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Carefully remove the bowl of cheese using a towel or oven gloves and put aside. Drain the macaroni in a colander over a bowl, reserving the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pan, pour in the melted cheese, and stir. It should have a lovely, silky consistency, but if it’s too thick for you, add a splash of your cooking water to thin it out a bit.

At this point you can either serve the macaroni as is, or finish it under the broiler to make it crispy and golden on top. To do this, preheat your broiler to a medium to high heat. Transfer to a baking dish. Place under the broiler until golden and bubbling.

Pumpkin Cranberry Walnut Bread with Honey Vanilla Cream cheese Frosting

c/o Annie

Ingredients:

For Pumpkin Bread

1 Box mix for Pumpkin Bread/muffins (I used Trader Joes)

½ cup of finely chopped walnuts

½ cup of dried cranberries

1 teaspoon of Vanilla

For the Icing:

1 (6 ounce) package of Philadelphia Cream cheese

¼ cup of Honey (Clover or something light)

¼ cup of Sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla

(optional) ¼ cup of chopped Walnuts and ¼ cup of honey for decoration

1) Compile all the ingredients for your box mix and follow directions. Make batter and fold in ½ cup of chopped walnuts and ½ cup of dried cranberries. Bake.

2) For frosting: Let the cream cheese sit at room temperature while pumpkin bread bakes. Combine cream cheese with honey, vanilla and sugar and combine until smooth and slightly fluffy.

3) Let bread cool completely and spread a thin layer of frosting on top of the cooled bread. Let sit for 10 minutes (this is called the crumb layer because it shields the rest of your icing from looking “crumby”). Once set, put the reminder of the icing and ¼ of chopped walnuts and drizzle honey on top.

4) ENJOY with friends!