Purse Personality

Yes there is such a thing my friends. When I came across this image on Refinery29 I knew I had to share. Which are you? And more importantly do you think they match up? My favorite purse from this round up is the Celine luggage bag tote, what a perfect handbag! Have you all seen the cream/black/beige mixed version, its simply amazing!

via Refinery29

Bauble Love

Are you familiar with the jewelry designer Margaret Elizabeth? I've coveted her pieces for awhile and was thrilled when I received a promo email last week saying that they are having a 20% Mothers Day sale. If I could pick one piece I would no doubt pick a set of their stackable rings, this color combo is my current favorite. What would you all pick?

Seafoam Chalcedony, Green Onyx and Clear Quartz Stackable Rings from Margaret Elizabeth

The New Denim

One of Shopbop's latest emails (If you don't yet get their emails you are seriously missing out!) was all about the new "denim" items of the season. These two below are my favorite picks, I'm especially coveting the AG patterned jeans, those are too cute. I will say I thought I wasn't a huge fan of the patterned jean trend, but I'm starting to see more and more pairs that I love.

3.1 Phillip Lim 31 Minute Bag via Shopbop

AG Stilt Cigarette Leg Jean via Shopbop

Oh My Salad!

Let me tell you friends, you all are in for a treat today, a salad treat. I know most of you all are thinking that salad is not a treat (Normally I would agree with you on this one!), but in this case it is. This was such a great combo of flavors and will be something I make again and again.

via Skinnytaste

Spinach and Quinoa Salad with Tangelos and Avocado
Adapted from Skinnytaste.com 
Servings: 4 


Ingredients:

• 4 oz baby spinach
• 1 tangelo, reserving 3 slices 
• 1 haas avocados, diced
• 1 cup cooked quinoa (1/3 cup dry) (I used a small plastic container of already prepared red quinoa from Central Market, GREAT shortcut!)

For the Citrus Vinaigrette:

• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp champagne vinegar
• 2 tbsp chopped shallots (I would mince more finely next time)
• salt and pepper to taste
• tangelo juice from 3 reserved slices 

Directions:

Rinse quinoa well under cold water and cook according to package directions. Drain and let it cool. 

Peel the skin and white membrane off the tangleo and separate the pieces.Reserve three tangelo slices for the vinaigrette and squeeze the juice; set aside.Cut up the remaining tangelo slices into small pieces for the salad.

In a medium bowl whisk the olive oil, tangelo juice (from 3 slices of tangelo), vinegar, chopped shallots, salt and pepper.

In a large bowl toss spinach, quinoa, avocado, tangelo and vinaigrette.

I originally made this as a dish to take to dear family friends who are recovering from surgery and to amp up the protein I added my lemon pepper chicken to it. There is no real recipe for the chicken, I just take boneless, skinless chicken tenders and rub them down with some olive oil and loads of lemon pepper and then grill them on my indoor grill pan. Let them rest for a wee bit and then slice them up!

Monday Night Din!

Hiii everyone! And hii to any new readers I have, I so appreciate everyone taking the time to read my blog!

So I've been trying to cook with fish more so I've been pinning fish recipes like a maniac and on Monday night I tried out a homemade and healthy version of fish sticks. One of my sister-in-laws had another name for them, but we won't go there. I followed this recipe and they turned out great! I made roasted green beans as our side dish and the hubs proclaimed that they were the best green beans he had ever had. These are two winning recipes in my book, I hope you all think the same after trying them out.

P.S. - Both these recipes came from the FABULOUS blog How Sweet It is, if you love food you are CRAZY to not read this blog!

via How Sweet It Is

Healthy Homemade Fish Sticks

makes 12 fish sticks

3 tilapia filets (I’m sure you can use another fish too)

2 egg whites, beaten

1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450.

Lay a wire rack on a baking sheet and spray it with non-stick spray. (Very important!!)

Cut the tilapia once down the middle, then in half, creating four “sticks.” Season with salt and pepper. In a bowl, beat the 2 egg whites. In a separate bowl, add the panko, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese. Dip each fish stick in egg whites, than in the panko mixture, pressing to adhere. Lay on the wire rack and spritz with olive oil.

Bake for 10 minutes, then flip and bake for 10 more minutes. Serve hot! I also sprinkled some paprika over the finished fish sticks!

via How Sweet It Is

Roasted Green Beans

1 lb fresh green beans (I like to use the packaged "French" green beans from Central Market)

drizzle of olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 425.

Add green beans to a bowl and drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil on them. Mix with your hands to coat each green bean. Lay them on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast for 25-30 minutes, flipping once during cooking.

Milly Perfection

I came across this dress over on The Style Scribe and fell in love with it. Isn't it perfect? I just had to share!

Milly Janna Colorblock Dress via Shopbop

Hearty and Healthy Muffins

My friend Lauren named me the "Muffin Queen", I think I very much like that title and its a fitting one since I've blogged numerous muffin recipes and have yet another one for you all today. I wanted to make a applesauce oatmeal muffin and came across this recipe. Now, I'm giving you all fair warning here that they do taste healthy, but they are still yummy. They are definitely a hearty and filling muffin and are a great snack or breakfast. I was happy to make these for my sweet pilatie's instructor and some dear friends of ours who were in town briefly this past weekend.

Happy baking!!

Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins from Food.com

Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

Yields 12 muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups oats (quick or old-fashioned)
• 1 1/4 cups flour (I used whole-wheat flour)
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup skim milk (I used 1%)
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 egg white

Topping 

• 1/4 cup oats (quick or old-fashioned)
• 1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon margarine , melted

Directions:

1. 1
   Heat oven to 400.
2. 2
   Line 12 medium muffin tins with paper cups(optional)(spray muffin tin with cooking spray w/o paper cups).
3. 3
   Combine oats, flour, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda.
4. 4
   Add applesauce, milk, brown sugar, oil and egg white.
5. 5
   Mix just until dry ingredients are moistened.
6. 6
   Fill muffin cups almost full.
7. 7
   For topping combine remaining ingredients. Sprinkle evenly over batter.
8. 8
   Bake 20-22 minutes until deep golden brown.
9. 
   

Shoe Porn

I'm thinking we should have a reoccurring post here titled "Shoe Porn", thoughts friends? There are just too many good shoes out there, sadly are most I could never actually purchase, BUT that shouldn't stop anyone from lusting over them. Today's shoes are a gorgeous pair from Giambattista Vallie, are these not stunning? If anyone is feeling generous and wants to send these my way feel free!

Giambattista Valli 120mm Python & Chain Sandals

Fish = Easy Weeknight Meal

Hiiii friends! So lets discuss fish, I used to always be so nervous to cook it and to be honest still am a wee bit, but I've been trying to incorporate more fish into our weekly dinners for its health benefits and quick cooking times. I came across this recipe on Ingredients, Inc, a great health food blog and it was really good! The main change I made to the recipe was to use feta cheese instead of goat cheese because its what I had on hand and next time I would sub pineapple for the mango, this was my first time to ever eat or cook with a mango, CRAZY I know, but I just wasn't that thrilled with it.  Anyway, back to the recipe, this was easy and yum AND husband approved!

Halibut with Mango and Goat Cheese from Ingredients, Inc

Halibut with Mango and Goat Cheese

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup chopped fresh mango
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley (I used dried and only used 1 T)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 (4-ounce) halibut fillets
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese (1 ounce) (I used feta cheese)

Preparation

1. In a small bowl combine mango, green onions, parsley and lime juice. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

2. In a small saucepan over medium heat combine maple syrup and mustard; bring to boiling. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

3. Coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat grill to medium (300°F to 350°F). Season filets with salt to taste. Brush with syrup mixture. Place fillets on grill. Grill, covered, 5 minutes per side or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

4. Just before serving, stir goat cheese into mango mixture. Spoon over fillets, and serve. 

They Say It's Your Birthday...

And no not MY birthday, but my sweet hubbies birthday is TODAY, the big 29! One more year in his twenties then its off to the dirty 30's. Isn't it crazy how times flies? I of course had to bake a little something something for this special occasion and went with one of his favorites, strawberry cupcakes. I had pinned this recipe a few weeks back and knew it would be the perfect birthday treat surprise. Don't they look delicious?

Happy Birthday hubs, thanks for all your love and support!

Strawberry Cupcakes with Fresh Strawberry Frosting via Eat, Live, Run

Strawberry Cupcakes with Fresh Strawberry Frosting

makes about 24 cupcakes (I cut the recipe in half to only make 12 cupcakes and it worked great.)

Ingredients:

for cupcakes—

3 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/3 cups pureed fresh strawberries (from about 2 cups whole strawberries—puree in a blender until smooth)

1/2 cup milk

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp lemon zest

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

4 egg whites

for fresh strawberry frosting—

4 sticks unsalted butter, softened (1 pound)

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp sea salt (original recipe calls for fleur de sel, which you can find at specialty shops)

8 cups powdered sugar (from two 1-lb boxes)

1/2 cup pureed strawberries (about 1 cup whole strawberries)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line or grease 24 cupcake tins.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Whisk together the pureed strawberries, lemon zest, milk and vanilla in another bowl. Also set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and egg whites gradually, beating after each, until combined. Alternate between adding the dry ingredients and the wet strawberry ingredients to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.

Scoop batter into prepared cupcake tins, filling up 2/3 to 3/4 the way full (depending on the size of your tins…I have really small cupcake tins so I filled mine up all the way). Bake cupcakes for 25 minutes or until golden. Be sure to test using a toothpick to make sure they are completely done in the center. Let cool.

While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting! Beat the butter until creamy then add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, sea salt and pureed strawberries. Continue beating (ideally with an electric mixer but you can do this by hand if need be) until very light and fluffy.

Pipe or spread frosting on each cupcake. Enjoy!

Time:

2 hours (includes time to cool)

***Since I made only 12 cupcakes one container of strawberries pureed was enough for both the cupcake and the frosting!

Bows Anyone?

So I've been wearing these flats NON-STOP since I got them, seriously non-stop...I found out about them from cute Taylor at Sterling Style and immediately ordered them. SO, while these are still available in a few sizes, I also came across these this morning from The Style Scribe blog and think that they are also a winner. I can't go on enough about this style flat, its chic, classic and you will get so much use out of them! AND both pairs are in the nude shade family and patent, and we all know how I feel about those two things. So hopefully I've convinced you to go order a pair now, you won't be sorry girls!

Dune Lavish Patent Bow Pointed Flat Shoes via ASOS

Me Too Paige Driftwood Patent Flats via Zappos

Look for Less

Isn't it just the best feeling when you find something that you just love whether it be a dress or a pair of earrings, BUT then find an almost identical version that is less expensive? It's just the best! So imagine my happiness when I found this dress by Forever 21 and it was able to persuade me to hold off on buying this Splendid dress. While the Splendid dress is still not too $$$, the Forever one does the trick for me. I have a feeling I'll be living in this dress come summer. Happy shopping!

Forever 21 Colorblocked Maxi Dress

Splendid 2 For 1 Maxi Dress

Tis the Season for Cook Outs

So with the season of Spring comes invitations to numerous gatherings with friends and family. We had a great time last Saturday at one of my dearest and oldest girlfriends home and man did she and her husband prepare a feast! I always love to bring something and so I naturally did and naturally went with a dip, I mean who doesn't love a dip? I had pinned (YES still obsessed with Pinterest) this recipe from The Kitchn and was so excited to try it. It was yum and a crowd pleaser. The only change I'll make next time is to grill the corn with the husks removed to get a more charred look and taste to the corn. I would also double the paprika!

Smoky Corn and Jalapeno Dip from The Kitchn

Smoky Corn and Jalapeno DipYields 2 cups (about 8 servings)

2 large ears of corn, husks on
2 jalapeno peppers
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Duke's Light)
1/2 cup sour cream (I prefer light)
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated pepper jack cheese
1/4 teaspoon Pimentón de La Vera (smoked paprika)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

Set grill to medium high heat. Grill the corn with the husks on for 20 minutes, rotating every 5 minutes, until outsides are lightly charred. In the last 5 minutes, add the jalapeno peppers and cook until lightly blackened.

Remove the husks and silks from the corn and cut the kernels off of the cob. Seed and mince the jalapeno peppers, reserving seeds if more heat is desired.

In a large bowl, mix corn, jalapeno, mayonnaise, sour cream, cheddar, and pepper jack until well combined. Add smoked paprika and kosher salt. Taste for seasoning and adjust if desired.

Chill until ready to use. Serve with classic potato chips (my preference) or tortilla chips.

Butter My Biscuit!

I won't lie homemade breads, rolls, biscuits, etc., scare me. I always thought that they were super tough to make, well that is SO not the case. I had saved this biscuit recipe from The Little Kitchen That Could (Great blog, my favorite pulled pork comes from this blog too!) and it proved to be so fool proof. These biscuits were my main contribution to our Easter lunch meal at my parents house and they didn't disappoint. I also bet you have all these ingredients on hand! Enjoy!

The Best Biscuits via The Little Kitchen That Could

The Best Biscuits

Adapted from James Beard’s American Cookery via Smitten Kitchen

Recipe Notes

To make these especially quick in the morning, pre-measure all ingredients into a ziploc bag.  When ready to make, dump dry ingredients in a bowl and add the cream.  

Ingredients

3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the surface
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
1 1/4 cups heavy cream

parchment paper

honey, jam or butter for serving (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt butter and set aside. In a large bowl, combing two cups flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Fold in 1 1/4 cups cream. Mix until cream and dry ingredients are just combined.  If the dough is not soft or easily handled, fold in a little bit more cream.

Turn dough onto a floured surface, mound it into a ball and, using your hands, press it to a thickness of about 3/4 inch. Cut into rounds, 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Gather dough scraps and continue to make rounds. Dip entire biscuit into melted butter and arrange on the baking sheet about an inch apart. Bake until edges are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. 

To Freeze:  Freeze unbaked, un-dipped biscuits for up to one month.  When ready to bake, dip in melted butter and bake straight from frozen on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Add a few additional minutes for baking. 

Makes 10 to 12 biscuits.