Friday Foodday!

Woohoo! Friday! What are your plans this weekend? As I mentioned yesterday, I will be heading home for my sister's graduation.  


Have a great recipe for me? I'd love to feature it! Email it to me!

Garlic-Poblano Guacamole

c/o Kings Mill Resort

Ingredients

6 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1 red bell pepper

1 poblano chile

1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and coarsely mashed

1/4 cup finely chopped green onions, white and tender green parts

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Tortilla chips

Directions
Bake until soft, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly, then remove the skins. Place the roasted garlic in a serving bowl and mash with a fork.

Preheat the broiler. Place the bell pepper and chile on a baking sheet and broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat source until the skins are blackened and blistered all over, about 8 minutes. Remove from the broiler. Lower the oven temperature to 425°F.

Transfer the roasted pepper and chile to a paper or plastic bag and close tightly. Let stand for 10 minutes (the steam will loosen the skins), then peel, stem, and seed the pepper and the chile, and chop finely. Add the pepper, chile, avocado, green onions, cilantro, lime juice, and salt to the mashed garlic, stirring well. Serve the guacamole with the tortilla chips.

Tip: When storing this guacamole, press plastic wrap against its surface to help keep it from oxidizing and turning brown.

Makes 8 servings

Memphis Style Pulled Pork

c/o Your Southern Peach

Ingredients

1 medium onion

6 fresh garlic cloves

2 (14 oz.) can low sodium beef or chicken stock

4 cups (32 oz) Barbecue Sauce, divided

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/2 tsp pepper

1 boneless Boston Butt Pork Roast 

Directions

1.  Remove ends from onion and peel.  Slice thickly and place in slow cooker with peeled garlic cloves.  Stir in broth, 3 cups barbecue sauce, sugar, vinegar and pepper.  Add pork roast gently.  Cover and cook for 6-8 hours.  About halfway through cooking, I like to flip the roast to make sure both sides remain moist.  (Be sure to cook this roast a minimum of 6 hours to assure deliciously moist barbecue!)

2. Remove pork from slow cooker and let it sit for a few minutes.  Shred with a fork and remove fatty parts.  Serve on top of a toasted bun and accompany with remaining BBQ sauce.

Pillowy Chocolate Chip Cookies

c/o Stephanie Cooks

Ingredients:

2 sticks butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 350.
2- Melt the butter. Stir in the sugar. Allow to cool for about 2 minutes.
3- Beat in the egg and vanilla until well incorporated.
4- In a separate bowl stir together the flour and baking soda. Add to the butter mixture, stirring well.
5- Stir in the chocolate chips.
6- Using a tablespoon, scoop spoonfuls of batter onto a lined baking sheet. Bake for 8-11 minutes, or until slightly golden around the edges and the top sets.
7- Allow to cool 4-5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Be fabulous today!

Graduation Gifts

I know you know someone, love someone or are thinking about someone who is graduating soon.  For me it's my fabulous sister, Sara, who is graduating from University of Pennsylvania this weekend.  Now I'm not going to tell you what I got her- because, she's a good sister, and she reads the blog!  (Thanks sis) Instead I wanted to feature some great ideas for your graduating friend/sister/neighbor/etc.

Fred Flare, forget me knot ring, $58

I love this ring.  It also comes in silver.  It's so simple and elegant; pair this with a nice card stating what you don't want her to forget.  For my sister it would be her unique sense of caring for everyone around her.

Nordstrom, Nine West Rocha, $79

What about buying her her very first career pumps?  Traditional and classic.  She'll always think of you when she puts them on before her 9-5.

Dogeared, Go! Make a wish, $26

This is a great option for maybe your roommate or neighbor. It has a great note on it and it's really simple and inspirational.

Etsy (Poppy Papers), Pink peony personalized flat note, $16.50

For the girl who still believes in the power of the handwritten note, personalized stationary is a fantastic gift that she would use for years to come.

What other ideas do you have? Jewelry is always a great option, but there are so many choices! When picking a gift, really think about the wonderful parts of the graduate: her drive, her confidence, her honesty, make sure those aspects come out in the gift.

Congrats grads!

Be fabulous today!

Making a Statement

Happy hump day kids.  Thank goodness right? And in celebration I want to look at some necklaces with some punch.  Give a little oomph to this Wednesday.

Statement necklaces come in all styles: bib, rocker, bohemian. Let's see what we can find.

Amrita Singh, Quetza necklace, $50

Talk about a statement.  How gorgeous is this piece? I'm thinking a deep scoop neck tee shirt or a boatneck LBD!

Nordstrom, Leslie Danzis miced media torsade necklace, $88

Oh my word this is a work of art.  There are no words.

J Crew Factory, ombre pearl necklace, $39

I really like the take on this bauble necklace.  It's a little rocker with the chain, a little classy with the pearls.

Max and Chloe, blu bijoux quadruple drop necklace, $45

Can we just picture this with an awesome tan? Ooo la la!

I hope this helped perk up your Wednesday.  Necklaces, especially fashion jewelry are such a fun way to mix up an outfit.

Be fabulous today!

Ribbon Belts

They're making a come back.  I know, I know, they can seem a little juvenile but trust me, they're SO versatile!  And when the Wall Street Journal talks about fashion, we should listen.

As the uber-preppy J McLaughlin says:  "It's for the fashion-secure person with a sense of humor."

Vineyard Vines, Palm beach plaid d-ring belt, $29

Ah, vineyard vines, the prepsters heaven.  If you want to rock this look- best to go to the pros.  

Etsy (Tracey Belt), reversible vintage belt, $16

I'm loving the new take on what's usually a classic d-ring style.  And reversible is always a win.

Etsy (Khaliz), blue pink and white scroll jacquard ribbon belt, $16

I love this pattern! So elegant, and it the color combination is cheerful.

Lilly Pulitzer, Callie Belt, $48

I really like the beachy feel of this belt.  Would be a great addition to a cotton slub dress.

So what do you think?  It is definitely a preppy type of style but I think it can be styled in many different ways.  It's a nice substitute to the plain leather belt for the summer.

Be fabulous today!