My Fall Wish List

Suede boots, leather jackets, and thick, cozy sweaters have been appearing in my dreams lately. So I think now is the perfect time to start my fall wish list. These are just some of the items that I have had my eye on lately. Happy fall yall!

Talbots
Yes, this used to be your mother's favorite clothing store, but here lately, I have been super impressed with their clothing. Maybe I am just getting old, but I have found myself in Talbots more than The Limited.

This will be a perfect addition to my dress collection:

H&M
My life changed the day Raleigh opened its H&M store. If only not every other person in town had the same plan for their weekend shopping, too. I have realized that late Tuesday afternoons after work are the best time to beat the crowds. How amazing is this top, and only $10 to boot.

JCrew
Yes, this color can be scary, but the things you can do with this blazer are endless. Pair it with skinny jeans, a printed shell and heels, or gray dress pants for work, or over a cute, fall dress. This also comes in numerous color options if bold yellow mustard isn't your thing :)

And you cannot go wrong with argyle, also from JCrew.

Nordstrom
I will never forget my 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Adair, who used to wear the most beautiful, red cape during the winter. She was always so classic and sophisticated. Fast forward twenty years, capes are coming back and are so chic right now. I think one for fancy nights and one for day-to-day would be ideal. We all need a little more action hero inspiration in our lives, right ?

Tahari 'Belle' Capelet

Lauren by Ralph Lauren Cape

 

Piperlime

Boots are my weakness, and a major weakness at that. I am in the hunt for flat black riding boots and I have fallen hard for the details on this pair:

 

And these lady-like oxfords with a heels will be ideal for work: 

 

Tori Burch 

I could blow my budget with Tori each month and her fall 2011 collection doesn't disappoint. This cross-body leather handbag has my name written all over it. 

Anthropology  

The classic boyfriend cardigan with clean color blocking that will most likely be my Saturday staple and a great addition to my weekend wardrobe.

I am slightly obsessed with Pippa Middleton. Yes, her sister married a prince, but I thought Pippa stole the show during the royal wedding in April. Her style is impeccable, and she has been spotted in the gossip mags wearing this amazing leather jacket:

This is the closest thing I can find to something similar, which is also found at Anthropology. I will be saving my pennies for this one, and will be brown-bagging my lunch until I can get ahold of this beauty:

When life gives you lemons, find someone who has Vodka and throw a party.

Lemons are delicious. My mom reminds me often I used to love to eat lemons when I was little. Luckily, I still have enamel on my teeth :)

Once the temps begin to rise, I tend to always include these sour balls of goodness in the kitchen because they provide tons of flavor without a lot of fuss. Lemons pair perfect with seafood, chicken, potatoes and my favorite -- desserts. I included some of my favorite lemony dished below. Also, check out the size of these lemons I came across in Positano, Italy. Are these not big'uns or what?




Lemony Bake Salmon (with asparagus)
I found this recipe in Real Simple this spring, and I have been making it at least once a week for the past month. It called for bulgur, but I removed this out of my version below for a healthy, low-carb, summer dinner. If Dave is craving a carb side-dish, I usually serve with brown rice.

1 pound asparagus (about one punch) trimmed
1/2 cup of chicken stock
salt and pepper
1 1/4 lb skinless salmon fillet (cut into four pieces)
1 lemon, very thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In large, shallow baking dish, arrange asparagus in the bottom of the pan. Pour chicken stock over asparagus. Lay salmon pieces on top of asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Lastly, cover the salmon pieces with the thinly sliced lemon pieces.

Cover dish tightly with foil and bake until the asparagus are tender and the salmon is cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. When salmon is done, sprinkle fresh dill on top before serving.

Lemony Potatoes
2 pounds of new potatoes, halved
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

Heat oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes and the lemon with the oil, add salt and pepper to your liking. Roast in oven, tossing a few times, until the potatoes are tender, around 30 to 35 minutes. Sometimes, I sprinkle any fresh herbs I have on hand before serving. Fresh dill or rosemary are good options.

Lemon Pound Cake
I have a small confession here. This recipe has been passed down from my Mom, and has quickly become a staple at Easter brunch with our friends, baby showers, tailgating and birthday parties (it is the #1 requested birthday cake among my circle of friends and my hubby). The secret here is that it is actually from a BOX. What I love about this recipe, is that is calls for little semi-homemade tricks to make it taste like I was in the kitchen for hours. PS. You can also find this recipe on the side of the Duncan Hines Lemon Cake box.

1 Duncan Hines lemon supreme cake mix
1 lemon flavor instant pudding and pie filling
4 large eggs
1 cup of water
1/3 cup oil

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease bundt pan. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water and oil in large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Pour into pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 25 minutes. Invert onto heat resistant serving plate. Cool completely.

Instead of using store-bought icing, you can create your own glaze in minutes. I start with a cup or so of powdered sugar in a small bowl. I then add the juice of one freshly squeezed lemon and whisk until a thick lemony glaze forms. You can add more powdered sugar or more lemon juice, depending on how you prefer your icing. I then pour the glaze over the cake in a zig-zag fashion. Delicious and beautimous!

Lemon Bars
After trying numerous lemon bar recipes, I finally found my favorite created by the southern queen of butter, Paula Deen. You can find her recipe here on the Food Network's website.

Lemon Cocktail
1 1/2 oz lemon vodka
1 dash triple sec
1 tbsp pineapple juice

Combine and shake all ingredients with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and serve. If you want to be fancy, serve with a lemon peel on the rim of the glass.

Classic Lemonade
In small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved. Let cool completely. In a big pitcher, combine syrup with 1 cup of fresh lemon juice (around 6 lemons) and 3 cups of water. Pour over ice. Serves around 4 peeps.

Oh Baby! My Favorite Gifts to the Mom-to-Be

Is it just me, or is the baby bump the latest fashion accessory? I swear every time I look, one of my friends is preggo, so I have spent lots of time scouting out the perfect gift for their bundle of joy. With online retailers such as Etsy, OnesKingLane and Pottery Barn Kids, shopping for the mom-to-be has not been easier. This is a list of my recent favorites.

Land's End Monogrammed Tote
What Mom doesn't need a big canvas bag to stuff all of the baby clothes, diapers, bottles and toys for the daycare, beach, or roadtrip to Grandma's, etc? If you are a friend of mine, and have had a baby in the past year, there is a 90 percent chance that you have received this as a gift from me. What I love about this tote bag is that it comes in three sizes, tons of colors and can be easily monogrammed. Your baby will be styling :).

Kelly's Kids Baby Clothing
My mom has been selling Kelly's Kids for over 15 years. To provide a funny visual, I was the 9 yr old in a gingham jumper with my name on it, and my little sisters (7 years younger might I add) had outfits that matched mine. Seriously though, this company has huge staying power and continues to produce some of the cutest children clothing of all time. My mom cannot wait until the day I have a baby, and I can promise you it will be clothed in Kelly Kids from day one. Since I have been wearing everything from dresses to sweatshirts with my name or monogram since birth, I clearly am a huge fan of these:

My mom always gives monogrammed beach towels, which I think is also a great gift, as your friend's child can use it forever. I still have my Kelly's Kids towel that my mom got for me in the 4th grade. Now that is durability.

Etsy

Even though this site can be overwhelming, I have found the most precious gifts for my dear friends and their newborns.

For soft blankets and burp cloths at Little B Designs:

Or cute little onesies like this from Muchilunga:

Lastly, adorable cards like these from GraiceGirlNotes:

One of my best friends, Stephanie Sabbe, is about to give birth to her first child. I cannot wait to meet him! Check out her blog to see some of the most crafty things she has created for her baby boy. She has even made her sweet little boy's "coming home" outfit. She is a truly gifted designer.

Speaking of, I have other friends that are extremely creative and have their own business or have published their books. Check out Casey Shuler Tidwell's adorable website and children's book, Say What?, which is a keepsake journal for writing down the priceless quotes a child says. This makes the perfect baby gift!

Superbowl Eats Texas Style

You know, I wait all football season for this weekend. Not because I love football, but because I can finally have my husband back on Sundays! Kidding aside, Superbowl Sunday does allow me to create some of my favorite party foods. Since this year's event is taking place in Dallas, all my Superbowl dishes will focus around all things Texas.

First, I am going to lasso my guests in by serving these delish appetizers:

Black Bean Tex-Mex Pizzas

1 loaf of french bread (day old is fine)

1 can of black beans (drained)

drizzle of olive oil

1 jalapeno (sliced, seeded and diced)

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon of cumin

1 teaspoon of red pepper

1 jar of salsa

2 cups of Mexican cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take the loaf of french bread, and slice through the middle of the bread (lengthwise), resulting in two long pieces. Take a fork and rake out the bread in both pieces, which will help your fillings stay on the bread. Lay both long pieces of french bread on a cookie sheet.

Heat a medium saucepan on medium heat and drizzle pan with olive oil. Saute the diced jalapeno for about 3 minutes. Add diced onion and saute until onions are fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the can of drained black beans and saute for about 5-7 minutes (until warm and bubbly). Add chili powder, cumin and red pepper and mix well. Turn off heat and take pan off the stove top.

To assemble your pizzas, spoon out black bean mixture on top of the bread, then spread salsa and lastly, sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and slice into bite size pieces for your guests.

P.S. My recipe was featured in the February edition of Real Simple magazine in the "Ask the Reader" section and makes a great and easy dinner for two or three on a busy night.

Seven Layer Tex-Mex Dip

1 can of Mexican beans

1 jar of salsa

2 cups of shredded lettuce

2 cups of shredded Mexican cheese

1 medium tomato, diced

1 can of sliced black olives

1/2 cup of diced chives

Layer all ingredients in order, starting with the Mexican beans and ending with chives. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving, which helps keep the layers in tack. Serve with your favorite chips.

Tex-Mex Pigs-n-Blankets

4 hot dogs

1 can of refrigerated crescent rolls

1/4 cup of shredded cheese

1/4 cup of BBQ sauce

Preheat oven to 375. Separate the crescent dough into 8 triangles. Brush each triangle with BBQ sauce. Slice each hot dog in half crosswise. Take each hot dog half and place on the triangle. Sprinkle each hot dog triangle with cheese and then roll it up. Place each hot dog roll on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes or until the rolls are brown on the top. Serve with additional BBQ for dipping!

Now for the main course, Texas Chili. This recipe originates from Williams-Sonoma's Bride and Groom cookbook. Let me preface by saying this is my FAVORITE cookbook. Southern chiefs and sisters, Mary Corpening Barber and Sara Corpening Whiteford take you on a journey of their favorite dishes. I love their recipes so much, I bought 10 copies at once and gave them for not only wedding gifts, but house-warming, birthdays and "just because" gifts. If you purchase this cookbook, you will not be disappointed. Promise.

Texas Chili

1 tablespoon of bacon grease or vegetable oil

1 medium yellow onion

3 tablespoons chopped garlic

3 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon cumin

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 pound ground beef chuck

1 pound Italian sausage links, removed from casing and crumbled

2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cans (28 ounce each) crushed tomatoes with puree

1 can (15 ounce) kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (15 ounce) BBQ baked beans, rinsed and drained

Heat bacon grease in a 8 quart heavy bottomed stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, and oregano and stir until spices are well combined. Add the ground chuck, sausage and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the meat, stirring until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the remaining ingredients. Reduce heat to low, cover and shimmer for an hour, stirring often. Serve with all of your favorite fixin's!

Now for the dessert. Since there will be lots of heavy food, I am going to stick to one simple and amazing dessert: Symphony Brownies. These could not be any easier, and your guests will be in love at first bite :)

Symphony Brownies

Your favorite brownie mix plus the ingredients needed to make the brownies (each mix differs)

3 Hershey Symphony Bars (large size)

Prepare the brownie mix per the directions on the box. Preheat oven and grease a large brownie pan. Pour half of the brownie mix in the pan. Lay the three Symphony bars on top of the mix. Layer the other half of the brownie mix on top. Bake per directions on the box.

Make sure you let the brownies cool after baking, preferably on a wired rack for at least 15-20 minutes. This helps when you cut the brownies into bite size pieces for serving. You might forgot about the game and focus all of your attention on the brownies, just FYI :).

Now for the speciality drink. My favorite, Sangrina! This recipe also comes from the Bride and Groom cookbook.

Sangria

1 bottle of pinot noir

1/4 cup thawed frozen orange juice concentrate

12 ounces of unsweetened, strong brewed tea

2 tablespoons of sugar

2 large oranges, unpeeled, cut into 1/4 inch rounds

3/4 cup seedless red grapes

3/4 cup chopped red apple

Combine wine, orange juice concentrate, tea and sugar in a medium pitcher. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add the orange grapes and apple. Refrigerate until read to serve. FYI, this tastes even better if you can make it ahead of time and let chill in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours.

Here is to a great game, awesome commercials and a Steeler's win :)

Ask the Experts: Southern Cooking

I absolutely love to cook. The process acts as therapy for me, and I love the look of my guests faces when they taste my latest creation. My cooking addiction was so crazy, that it resulted in my husband and I both gaining about 20 lbs the first year of marriage!

My appreciation for southern cooking came from my mom, Elizabeth Stover. Even though she worked a typical 8-5 job while my sisters and I were little, she always managed to have a meat, two or three vegetables, rolls and a dessert with every dinner. I mean EVERY dinner. Ordering takeout and pizza back then was a huge treat! The pic below is of my sisters, along with my mom.


As I have gotten older, I have come to greatly appreciate her profound wisdom and passion for cooking. I interviewed my mom to ask her for recipes for my favorite dishes and tips on how to create a great southern meal. For every dish my mom creates, it is filled with love and a little butter :).

What are the key ingredients you feel like every southern cook should have in their house?
It's funny you ask that...recently we have more than our share of snow. In the south when there is a prediction of snow, everyone runs to the store to buy milk and bread. I was one of those crazy people who braved the crowds BUT I bypassed the bread and milk. I thought to myself, all I need is sugar, flour, buttermilk and eggs (which we have a hen house with fresh eggs every morning). I was set for the storm. Needless to say we ate like little pigs!!

What is your favorite meal to prepare? Tell me what items it would include? The meal would consist of baked Ham, Ranch Potatoes, Deviled Eggs, Baked Beans and Yeast Rolls. I always bake my Ham with brown sugar and Pepsi.

The ranch potatoes consists of red potatoes boiled and quartered, salt/pepper, 1 pkg of Ranch Dressing made with mayo and milk, shredded cheddar cheese.

The deviled eggs are made with mayo, mustard, and little pinch of salt topped with paprarika. My baked beans are always Van Camps Pork nBeans, bell pepper, onion, ketchup and brown sugar, and the rolls are Sister Scheberts.

Can you share how to prepare two of my favorite things you make (and not surprisingly, they both contain chocolate!)? Homemade biscuits and chocolate gravy and your famous chocolate pie?
The Chocolate Gravy consists of 1 cup sugar, 2 T SR flour, 2 T CoCoa and 1 cup of water (sometimes I use milk for a richer gravy). Mix dry ingredients and add water. Cook until it starts boiling. Serve over hot biscuits with butter.

Chocolate Pie: 2 cups sugar, 3/4 cups flour, 1/2 cup cocoa. Mix together in a heavy sauce pan, add 3 cups water and mix until blended and starts to boil. Then add 4 egg yolks and keep stirring until thickens. Add 1/2 stick butter and 1 t vanilla. Pour into 2 baked pie shells and top with meringue.

To make meringue: Let 6 eggs come to room temperature. Beat one at a time until they start to get fluffy and stiff. Add 2 t of sugar a little at a time. Add this to the top of each pie and bake until lightly brown (make sure you spread the meringue from side to side closing all the way around the pie.)

Let's say that you learn you one afternoon you are going to have guests over for dinner. You want to impress, but you have little preparation. Can you share a meal you can whip up quickly and still have your guests wanting seconds (or in my case, thirds!)?

Fried Minute Steak, Creamed Potatoes, English Peas, Fried Apples and Homemade Biscuits and Gravy. Depending on how many I have to serve, I just cut the steak into pieces to make sure I have plenty for everyone.

Finally, when did you start your journey of cooking and who inspired you the most?

Well my Mom knew I was going to enjoy cooking when I was a little girl and asking Santa for a kitchen sets and cookware. She knew I was serious when I soaked the beans in my Don't Spill the Beans Game!!

My Grandmother was an excellent cook. She prepared supper every night for our family. Although she was a wonderful cook, I honestly don't think she ever made something sweet. Your Dad's Mom and grandmother started me in baking sweets. They always had something sweet baked just about every meal, from cakes to fried pies. P.S. In the 8th grade, I won a blue ribbon in the bread baking contest. I made Banana Bread and still make it about every 2 weeks when the Bananas ripen.

My Favorite Places: NYC

New York City is one of my favorite places in the world. It was one of the first getaways Dave and I took while we were dating, and we both feel in love with the city. Since then, we try and make a point to visit NYC at least once or twice a year. Below is a guide to my favorite NYC restaurants, bars and places to visit. I foresee a weekend trip to NYC is my near future....

Restaurants
Sarabeth's Kitchen
The best place for a simple and delish NYC brunch. Luckily for you, they have several locations, but I prefer the location on Amsterdam Avenue in upper West Side. You can also order Sarabeth's amazing preserves, cakes and cookies online.

Popover Cafe
This is most charming little cafe, also on Amsterdam. For some time, Dave and I would continue to stay in the upper west side, where his lovely aunt and uncle would let us stay in their charming apartment. This restaurant provides the most amazing popovers with homemade strawberry cream cheese, as you await your meal. This is a hidden gem!

Emporio
Nestled in the Nolita district, just near Little Italy, this Italian eatery makes you feel as though you have stepped inside a rustic cabin in northern Italy. This was the location of Dave's surprise birthday party in 2010. The restaurant's manager, Giuseppe, was an absolute pleasure to work with and helped me plan a private dinner for 14 in NYC which was a challenge in itself. The end result was amazing! They also serve lunch.

The Red Egg
An amazing restaurant in China Town where they serve dim sum all day long, this is a place that you need to plan to stay at least an hour or two to take in the scenery, other restaurant guests and enjoy a leisurely meal. Get ready to be stuffed :).

Carnegie Deli
Dave made me go the famous Carnegie Deli during our last visit in the Spring of 2010, and I am so glad he did. After waiting in line for 30 minutes, I hoped to be pleased with a mouth-watering deli sandwich; let's just the say the Carnegie Deli didn't disappoint! You also have the try the cheesecake, which one entire cheesecake weighs 11 lbs! But you are on vacation, right?!?!


Hotels
Radisson Hotel on Lexington
With so many hotels to choose from, this is a regular staple for me because of its location. The rooms are bigger than the NYC norm and you are in prime location to the subway, Times Square, the Theater District and more.

Gild Hall
When I had to go to NYC for work and had to be close to the financial district, I would stay in this quaint little boutique hotel. Their bar and library are so cozy you just want to order a Bailey's and coffee and curly up with a book or two.

If you planning a vacation around the corner, try travel zoo. A great site for amazing hotel deals.

Stores and More
Zabar's
For all of the foodies in the world, this store is for you. The coffee, the bread, the smoked salmon, the gift baskets.....I could keep on and on. There is a small park located just a block away and Dave and I try to get breakfast at Zabar's and take our goodies across the street to eat and people watch. Zabar's also has a small cafe where you can order your breakfast/lunch to go. Also, you can order online! The Babka is to die for :)

The Back Room
Do you want to feel like you are in a super cool, edgy speak-easy? This is the place to go. The Scroggin's lead us to this hidden bar during our New Years Eve NYC extravaganza three years ago, and it also made the pub crawl list during Dave's 30th birthday. Amazing.....

Union Square GreenMarket
A farmer's market on steroids, the GreenMarket features booths of breads, jewelry, jams, fruits, crafts, cooking demonstrations and more.

What Goes Around Comes Around
A vintage haven, this store's collection includes an array of clothes that includes century's of amazing fashion. Budget for both your purchases and time, as I swear you come out thinking you have only been in there for 30 minutes and somehow it has been three hours!