Cashmere Pep Talk

On this rainy Tuesday it is difficult to get out of bed in the morning, and by difficult I mean I'd rather have a tooth pulled out by my co-worker's 3 year old daughter.  What helps me is positive thinking.  While that may sound campy stay with me- this morning's positive thinking was 'just think how cozy and wonderful it will feel to put cashmere on'.  So I did. Cashmere is the essence of elegance and sophistication.  It's expensive, but worthy.

Here are some of my favorite cashmere picks that hopefully will help you get out of bed on the next rainy day!

J Crew, turtleneck sweater, $99

I'm ALL about this color right now.  Perfect with pearls or a bauble necklace.  

Talbots, Basket Stitch Sweater, $73

the best alternative to the sweatshirt- comfy central.

Banana Republic, Hooded Vest, $89

I think I'm finally understanding the vest trend, and while I don't love the layering here this vest looks like the perfect weekend accessory.

LL Bean, Sporty Cashmere V-neck Alumni Cardigan, $39.99

Cashmere for under $40??? Just buy this now. Please!

Cyber Monday

If you're anything like me, you have been totally overwhelmed and taunted by all of the Cyber Monday emails, tweets and promo codes.  I love a good deal and it seems that they are just being thrown at me today.

While I'm trying to be good and just screen shop (its like window shopping but on your computer) I wanted to pull together some of my picks for fabulous fashion deals.

Modcloth, Piano Bar Cardigan, $51.99

I'm thinking this can be paired with boyfriend jeans for a Saturday night or a lipstick red pencil skirt for New Years Eve!

Kate Spade, Idiom Bracelet, $66 with code "CYBER25"

So sweet and classic.  Both Audrey Hepburn and Michelle Obama would own this.

Ann Taylor, Silk Georgette Knot Front Blouse, $44

This blouse just oozes luxury.

Talbots, Ruffled tweed skirt, $63 with code "GIFT"

Such a feminine take on a pattern that can be stuffy.

Cole Haan, Air Lainey Wedge, $90 with code "MONDAY40"

I'm obsessed with these.  Not only are they made with Nike sneaker technology, they are 40.percent.off.

J Crew, Shawl Cable Cardigan, $50 with code "SHIP150"

I love this pop of color on an otherwise dreary winter day.

Friday Foodday

You guessed it! It's Friday Foodday!!!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and will be eating leftovers all day today.  Have a great weekend!

Mom's Cream Puffs
c/o Cherie!

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1 stick butter

1 cup flour (sifted)

4 eggs

Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil water and butter together (if using unsalted, add a dash of salt). Remove from heat, add sifted flour and stir until thick. Put pot back on warm stove and continue stirring. Let sit for 10 minutes and add first egg and stir in until shiny. Add second egg and stir in completely. Add third, stir in. Fourth, stir in. (it’s not easy to stir it in – my arm hurts after I’m done!)

Scoop or spoon balls of the dough onto cookie sheet (however big or small you want them to be)

Cook until lightly brown (about 25-30 minutes.) Check after 10-15 minutes to make sure they don’t burn. Timing varies depending on oven. Optional: When done, turn oven off, but keep puffs in to dry out a little.  

The filling:

Instant pudding flavor of your choice (I use French vanilla or chocolate)

1 cup milk

1 container Cool Whip

Optional: dark rum or kirsch to add to vanilla pudding, Bailey’s or whatever else you choose for chocolate

Make the pudding with 1 cup of milk. (add liquor or not) Stir in half of the container of Cool Whip (makes the pudding fluffy!)

Cut top off of cream puff, fill with pudding. Put top back on and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Spaghetti Ham Bake

c/o M and SJ +C

• 2 packages (7 ounces each) thin spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
• 4 cups cubed fully cooked ham
• 2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
• 1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup sliced ripe olives, optional
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 
  TOPPING:
• 2 cups soft bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

• Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain and place in a large bowl. Stir in the ham, soup, sour cream, mushrooms, onion, olives if desired, mustard, seasoned salt and Worcestershire sauce.
• Transfer to two greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dishes. In a small bowl, toss bread crumbs and butter; add cheese. Sprinkle over casseroles.
• Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 2 months. Bake the remaining casserole, uncovered, at 325° for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Cheesy Turkey Rice Burrito

1/2 lb. lean ground turkey (7% fat)

1/2 cup  chopped onions

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp.  chili powder

1/2 cup TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa

1 cup  cooked whole grain brown rice

4 whole wheat tortillas (10 inch)

3/4 cup  KRAFT Mexican Style 2% Milk Finely Shredded Four Cheese

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions

COOK turkey, onions, garlic and chili powder in large nonstick skillet on medium heat 5 min. or until turkey is no longer pink, stirring occasionally.

STIR in salsa and rice; simmer 3 min. or until heated through.

SPOON turkey mixture down centers of tortillas; top with cheese and cilantro. Fold in opposite sides of each tortilla, then roll up burrito-style
.

November Dos and Don'ts Guest Post from MML

A huge thank you to Jess for letting me guest post this over at MML this week.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Hey there lovebugs.  Welcome to the holiday season!  Fall is upon us and before you know it Santa will be right around the corner.  But before he gets here I wanted to do a special list on thankfulness.

thankful (adjective)- feeling or expressing gratitude; appreciative.
Synonyms: gratitude, admiration, love

For one moment, sit still and think about the word thankful.  When was the last time you used it?  Maybe in the form of “thank you” which if you ask me isn’t used enough these days.  Perhaps it was a casual “thanks” or in an email “tx”.  But when was the last time you thought about the word “thankful”?  Was it last Thanksgiving?  When were you last FULL of thanks? Let’s try to be more thankful year round instead of just at the holidays.  There is so much in our daily lives that we take for granted.  Be full of thanks for the little and the big things.

Here’s my list of the dos and don’ts of being thankful.

Do

• Be thankful for your mom’s/grandma’s/sister’s/or aunt’s apple pie recipe.
• Take time every single day to think about just ONE thing you are thankful for, even if its an awesome eyebrow wax.
• A la mode everything.
• Do take seconds.  On everything: dinner, life, friends, and family.
• Give back.  However you can.

Don’t

• Wear Spanx to Thanksgiving dinner.
• Be greedy or gluttonous.
• Think about the calories in the gravy: if you eat it with turkey ON Thanksgiving its 0 calories.  You didn’t know that?
• Forget to ask your grandparents to tell you a story about their past.
• Forget your sneakers on Black Friday.