Various and Sundry Things: A New Decade

Its been along time since we left you without a dope beat to step to…

Our apologies for dropping off the radar here. Melissa and I have both been a little overwhelmed with the going ons of our everyday lives. So here is a little ditty about what has been going on. Last weekend Melissa turned the BIG 3-0!  Unbeknownst to her, her husband, childhood best friend, parents and myself threw her a surprise party. Not only did we manage to pull it off, we pulled it off in the middle of a blizzard. Just a testament to the person Melissa is for all those people to brave the weather to come celebrate!!! There aren’t a lot of pics from the evening, as most of us were fully engaged in some hardcore celebration. So today i wanted to share some of the festivities with you, including a video of her being surprised (you can tell when she finally sees me at the end and lets out an extra shriek).

Big shout out to Melissa’s mom and sister for the sweet pics and vid.

Feed Me: Cauliflower Fried Rice with Chicken

 

This recipe is awesome. Especially if you are like me and LOVE Asian cuisine, but know it isn’t always so healthy. I got the Nom Nom Paleo Cookbook for Christmas, and I LOVE IT! I don’t eat paleo, but I like to try and find healthier versions of dishes that I enjoy. I have made this a few times and found it to be super satisfying – I didn’t even miss the rice.

This recipe calls for a lot of multi-tasking, so I was only able to get a final picture. You will need a food processor to get the cauliflower just right. I am sure you could chop it up , but it is a lot easier to use a food processor. I also used some boiled chicken that I had in the fridge. The nice part is that you can add whatever you want – shrimp, pork, beef, or tofu. Enjoy!

Nom Nom Paleo’s Asian Cauliflower Fried Rice with Chicken

• 1 small head of cauliflower, separated in florets
• Shredded Chicken Breast
• 3 slices of uncured bacon, cut into small dice
• 2 large eggs
• 1-inch knob of ginger, grated with a microplane
• 1 small onion, minced
• 4 ounces of sliced mushrooms
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro leaves
• 2 tablespoons of chopped basil
• 1 tablespoon of chopped mint
• 1-2 tablespoons of coconut aminos
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Splash of coconut vinegar (optional)
• Splash of Red Boat Fish Sauce (not optional)

1) Cook bacon in a large pan on medium heat. I used my large round Staub pot so I didn’t have to use multiple dishes.

2) While the bacon cooked I whisked together two eggs and added a few shakes of pepper in small bowl. I also cut the cauliflower up into same size florets, and added it to the food processor. Pulse the food processor until the cauliflower is rice like. Make not sure to pulse it too much, you don’t want it to be milky.

3) Once the bacon is cooked, remove it from pan. Add the egg to the bacon drippings. The egg will cook quickly. Remove it once it is done.

4) Add the onions and mushrooms to the bacon drippings. In the original recipe she says to add ghee to the pan, but I felt that there was plenty of fat to cook the veggies.

5) Once the veggies are almost cooked, grate some ginger on the veggies and add the chicken. Add the cauliflower, more pepper, and ghee to help keep the cauliflower moist.

6) Cover and let the mixture cook for 5 minutes.

7) Add all of the herbs, bacon, egg, coconut aminos, fish sauce, vinegar, scallions – to taste.

 

Threads: Over-sized White Blazer

I recently went to a networking event that was held at Nordstrom and focused on building your professional wardrobe. After three glasses of champagne (don’t judge), I was ready to spend. I ended up leaving with a little black dress (similar) and an over-sized white blazer. The white blazer is so versatile – it can be worn with ANYTHING! However, I think it looks super chic over all black. What do you wear with your white blazer? 

 

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Dwellings: A Table for Thanks

Is it me or does it feel like it was JUST June…..and life has somehow just fast-forwarded through to Thanksgiving?

While tomorrow will be dedicated to prep and gluttony, I wanted to focus on presentation today. Most Thanksgivings start for me with mental images of a grand tables such as the below, but in reality it ends up being a paper plate and plastic utensil, eating marathon. This will most likely ring true for me again this year, because when Friendsgiving goes down, sometimes presentation falls to the way-side. However, here is to the hope that I can get it together next year and have something more adult-like.

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City Life: Rose’s Luxury

Never in my life have I been so excited to wait 2.5 hours for a restaurant. Let me tell you, it was worth every second of the wait. Rose’s Luxury definitely up lived to the hype of being named Bon Apetite’s number one hot new restaurant of 2014. Every detail was perfectly thought out, from the utensils to each dish. The staff was super attentive and honest on their favorite drinks and dishes. They really worked hard to make the whole experience a memorable one. We went for my husband’s big 3-0 and they took great care of us by giving us a few dishes on the house. Rose’s Luxury is non pretentious, and I would highly recommend eating there to anyone.

Tips –

•  Go early or go late – Weekdays are easier than the weekends to get a table. If you can get there before 5:30pm to get in the line great, if not you may be eating at 10 pm. But it is still lively and fun at the later hour. I got through to the hostess stand by 6:30 and we ate around 9.
•  Be open-minded – Some of the dishes sound like a crazy mix of ingredients, but trust me, they know what they are doing. They are super accommodating to dietary restrictions. If you’re gluten-free or vegan, this place is for you!
• Follow them on social media! Their instagram and Facebook are a lot of fun. You can really get a sense of their culture.

 

Current Menu – I stared the items we had, and wrote a few comments. We didn’t end up getting of the family style items, we were so full.

SMALL DISHES:

COLD:

CAVIAR SERVICE… JUST ASK
KUMAMOTO OYSTERS W/ GREEN APPLE & WASABI GRANITA  3 / EA
CHARRED BROCCOLI W/ CAESAR DRESSING & WHITE ANCHOVIES  13 *****

PORK SAUSAGE, HABANERO & LYCHEE SALAD  13 ******So many flavors in each bite. This dish had great depth.

WARM & GRILL:

WHOLE GRILLED QUAIL W/ FALL GREENS & MULLED CIDER GLAZE  14 ******Haven’t had too much quail in my life, but after this dish I am sold.
JERK CHICKEN, PICKLED MANGO RAITA, GREEN PAPAYA SALAD  13 *******My husband’s favorite dish. Nice and spicy.

PASTA:

MARTELLI SPAGHETTI W/ TOMATO, SPICY LOBSTER & MINT  14 ******Lobster and pasta, enough said.
CLASSIC CACIO E PEPE  13
SFOGLINI RIGATONI W/ PARMESAN CREAM & BREADCRUMBS  12 ******Super simple, cheesy, and delicious.

OTHER GOODS:

FRIED RICE SALAD W/ ASIAN PEAR, RAW CABBAGE & COUNTRY HAM  12 *****
HONEY-GLAZED CARROTS, MASCARPONE, MATZO MEAL & DILL  11
CARAMELIZED CAULIFLOWER, GREEK YOGURT & SOME OTHER STUFF  13

FAMILY STYLE:

LEMONGRASS-SHELLFISH STEW, FENNEL SALAD & GARLIC BREAD 28
SMOKED BRISKET, WHITE BREAD, HORSERADISH & SLAW 29

 

Feed Me: Mummies in a Blanket

I am squeezing this in just shy of Halloween.

Every year a group of my girl friends gather to watch Hocus Pocus, drink loads of wine and Google where the actors are now–this Buzzfeed. This year I opted to put a little more effort into my contribution. Past contributions just included wine or some sort of frozen pizza roll.

Ingredients:

• 2 containers of Pillsbury present rolls
• 2 packages of hotdogs (beef works best)

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 350°. Roll out the crescent roll dough in one sheet. Using a pizza cutter, cut thin slices of dough.

Next take the hotdogs and cut slits at the ends to form the legs and on either side to create the arms

Next take the thin strips of dough and carefully wrap them around the hotdogs-making sure to include the arms and feet. Side note, I had extra dough so a made what turned out to be pathetic present rolls.

Bake the hotdogs for 9-12 minutes, or when the dough starts to turn golden brown. 

Serve warm with a side of ketchup or mustard for dipping.

Enjoy!

Various and Sundry Things: New do

I have had the same hair cut since college, long layers. It’s easy, it flatters my round face, and I can pull it into a pony tail when I don’t want to make it look pretty. In the past month I have been obsessed with the idea of chopping it all off. Well I finally did it, and I love my new hair! It is shoulder length, so not too drastic. The best part is that it feels so healthy! I guess that is what happens when you cut off 6 in of hair… Apparently mid length hair is the thing for fall, because I cannot stop seeing celebs and bloggers with a similar do, who knew? Here is some short-ish hair inspiration for those of you who don’t want anything too drastic, but are ready for a change.

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Various and Sundry Things: Friday Links

This picture I took near my new apt. We wisely decided to move a week and a half after we got back from our wedding. I really just love this city.

Advice.

It is that time of year, time to collectively gather in friends living rooms, drink wine and watch Hocus Pocus. This is typically followed with some solid Googing of where are they now.

October 17th. Can’t wait!

This piece on Emma Watson

Loving these boots, but probs can only afford these (still a win!)

I watched The Secret Life of Walter Mittey this past weekend and it reignited my desire to run away to Iceland.

I will make one concession for summer going away, Ramen eating season! And i am pumped to make this recipe.

Adam Levine and Jimmy Fallon. Gold!

South Carolina fans can appreciate this (2:30 mark).

Feed Me: Garlicky Chicken with Lemon Anchovy Sauce

Alright friends. Today I am sharing the best freaking chicken recipe I have ever made. Before you get all weirded out that there are anchovies in the dish, seriously get over it. If you try to make the dish without the anchovies it will not taste as good. The anchovies add salt and I promise you will not taste anything fishy. The capers/anchovy/garlic mix is the most delicious combination and you will want to lick the pan. Trust me I did. Just make sure you wait until it cools a bit, because I didn’t and burnt the shizz out of my tongue…..

The capers, garlic, anchovies, and red chili flakes are cooked in the olive oil until the garlic is a brown caramel color. It makes the garlic almost sweet. It is incredible.

Make sure to let the thighs cook long enough so they get the crispy golden brown. I could have let mine go for a few more minutes. I am working on perfecting the crisp skin, but I am too impatient. 

Adding the lemon and raw garlic pieces takes the sauce to a whole new level. This was seriously one of the easiest recipes I have ever made and the presentation is awesome. My husband was so impressed!

If you have tried to make any of the recipes I have posted before you probably hate me because I alter every recipe I make, and give terrible estimates. I am a make it up as I go kind of chef. This recipe however, I followed every step and I wouldn’t change a thing. I served this over qunioa to sop up all the juices. A crusty piece of french bread would also do the trick. 

Garlicky Chicken with Lemon – Anchovy Sauce – Recipe by NY Times

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (4 to 5 thighs) **I used bone in and skin on thighs
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
•   Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 anchovy fillets
• 2 tablespoons drained capers, patted dry
• 1 large pinch chile flakes
• 1 lemon, halved
•   Fresh chopped parsley, for serving

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and let rest while you prepare the anchovy-garlic oil. Mince one of the garlic cloves and set it aside for later. In a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the 5 smashed whole garlic cloves, the anchovies, capers and chile. Let cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the anchovies, until the garlic browns around the edges and the anchovies dissolve, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the chicken thighs and cook until nicely browned on one side, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip the thighs, place the pan in the oven and cook another 5 to 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
3. When chicken is done, transfer thighs to a plate (be careful, as the pan handle will be hot). Place skillet back on the heat and add minced garlic and the juice of one lemon half. Cook for about 30 seconds, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Return chicken to the pan and cook it in the sauce for another 15 to 30 seconds.
4. Transfer everything to a serving platter. Squeeze the remaining lemon half over the chicken and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve.

Threads: Houndstooth

Hounds tooth is one of those patterns that definitely seem to have a life cycle to it. However, I have always had an affinity-forever being drawn to it. While I am not entirely sure it is back with the fashion in-crowd, it does seem to be fairly prevalent this year. So clearly I am PUMPED! I found so many delicious hounds tooth items that I had to cut myself off at ten, because I honestly could have gone on for days.

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In addition to these lovely items, hounds tooth is a great element to add to your home. Can you imagine the lushness of a high-backed chair in the pattern? I wouldn’t need anything else, just my hounds tooth throne.