:: mouthwatering mondays: crockpot beef stew ::

Welcome to this (RE-VAMPED) edition of....

So, I didn't make any favorite beverages this weekend. But I did make this great and easy recipe below! So I'm breaking the rules a little, but this one's worth it...

Crockpot Beef Stew with Vegetables

Source

Ingredients:

• 1 to 1 1/2 lbs. stew beef
• 4 to 5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 envelope dry onion soup mix
• 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
• 1/4 tsp. dry mustard
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp. bacon bits
• 3 tbsp. brown sugar
• 3 cups water
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups drained canned peas or frozen thawed peas

Directions: 

Place beef in a 3 1/2 to 5-quart slow cooker or crockpot. Add cut up potatoes and carrots. In a saucepan, place all remaining ingredients, except peas, and heat over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and pour over meat and vegetables. Cover and cook on LOW for about 12 hours (or HIGH 6 hours). Add more water if necessary. Add peas about 20 to 30 minutes before serving.

I along with a couple other ladies have joined forces to bring you this exciting weekly linkup. Every week we will have a theme to follow. The schedule for the coming weeks will be posted at the bottom of the linkup so you can plan out your posts in advance. Find your favorite recipes to go along with the theme and be sure to take lots of pictures!!

There are only a couple rules to play by!

1. Follow all your beautiful hosts!

The Campbells

Babies, Bosses, & Boyfriends

Lost In Boston

The Semler Life

Bailey Dailies

2. Grab a button, place it on your blog, and link up your post for your favorite recipe following the weekly theme!

<a href="http://babiesbossesandboyfriends.blogspot.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank" title="Babies Bosses and Boyfriends"><img alt="Mouthwatering Mondays" border="0" height="150" src="http://i1358.photobucket.com/albums/q764/Christin_Walker/mouthwateringmondays.jpg" width="150" /></a>

3. Check out some of the other fantastic links and have a blast!

And it is as easy as that! So get your favorite recipe book out and practice up! NO strings attached just a fun and friendly weekly linkup for working moms, single moms, Stay at home moms, housewives, young married couples, or even the single lady looking for a great idea!!

 Link up your recipe below!!

:: friday's fancies: work wear ::

Putting together the perfect work out was surprisingly harder than it sounds. My closet is filled with this stuff (I work at an Ivy). I have one friend who works as a CFO and she's the only one who dresses hard-core conservative. I think what's below is a nice happy medium. I don't want to look like a boy, but I don't want to be second guessing my outfit choices all day. And accessories can make up for A LOT. This I've learned.

work pretty

Linking up with #fridaysfancies 

:: give me everything olivia pope owns ::

I titled this blog post and immediately found this article via Google: White Women Want to Be Olivia Pope. So, yeah.

 

I don't think I actually want to BE her. I'm a little too anxious for all the lying and adultery and, oh, the murdering.

But I do love her apartment. And her outerwear. And her makeup. Stop me whenever...

 

:: alternatives to the lululemon bag ::

I lust after all that overpriced Lululemon gear just like the next girl, but I realized when I spilled hot sauce all in their little tote that was doubling as a lunch container, that I needed to step it up a bit. First, these ones below are soooooo darling. And investing in a nice little lunch bag will encourage me to bring my lunch to work more. And that's a financial and a caloric win-win.

Anyone else carrying their lunch in anything cute? 

lunch totes

:: books, books, books ::

This kind of weather makes me want to crawl into my bed (or my sofa), get a giant blanket, and read my brains out. And that's exactly what I've been doing. Except I've been curled up on the subway. Or the waiting room at the hair salon. Or on a bench during my lunch break. But still. I'm been hitting the jackpot in a major way. Here are a few of the best ones from the past few weeks:

 

From Amazon: Chosen by Denis Lehane for his eponymous imprint, Ivy Pochoda’s Visitation Street is a riveting literary mystery set against the rough-hewn backdrop of the New York waterfront in Red Hook. It’s summertime in Red Hook, Brooklyn, a blue-collar dockside neighborhood. June and Val, two fifteen-year-olds, take a raft out onto the bay at night to see what they can see. And then they disappear. Only Val will survive, washed ashore; semi-conscious in the weeds. This shocking event will echo through the lives of a diverse cast of Red Hook residents. Fadi, the Lebanese bodega owner, hopes that his shop will be the place to share neighborhood news and troll for information about June’s disappearance. Cree, just beginning to pull it together after his father’s murder, unwittingly makes himself the chief suspect, but an enigmatic and elusive guardian is determined to keep him safe. Val contends with the shadow of her missing friend and a truth she buries deep inside. Her teacher Jonathan, a Julliard School dropout and barfly, wrestles with dashed dreams and a past riddled with tragic sins.

 

From Amazon: Jodi and Todd are at a bad place in their marriage. Much is at stake, including the affluent life they lead in their beautiful waterfront condo in Chicago, as she, the killer, and he, the victim, rush haplessly toward the main event. He is a committed cheater. She lives and breathes denial. He exists in dual worlds. She likes to settle scores. He decides to play for keeps. She has nothing left to lose. Told in alternating voices, The Silent Wife is about a marriage in the throes of dissolution, a couple headed for catastrophe, concessions that can’t be made, and promises that won’t be kept. Expertly plotted and reminiscent of Gone Girl and These Things Hidden, The Silent Wife ensnares the reader from page one and does not let go.

 

From Amazon: Imagine that your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret—something with the potential to destroy not just the life you built together, but the lives of others as well. Imagine, then, that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive. Cecilia Fitzpatrick has achieved it all—she’s an incredibly successful businesswoman, a pillar of her small community, and a devoted wife and mother. Her life is as orderly and spotless as her home. But that letter is about to change everything, and not just for her: Rachel and Tess barely know Cecilia—or each other—but they too are about to feel the earth-shattering repercussions of her husband’s secret. Acclaimed author Liane Moriarty has written a gripping, thought-provoking novel about how well it is really possible to know our spouses—and, ultimately, ourselves.

Linking up with Tell Us Tuesday!

:: at home workout recommendations? ::

I used to kill it at the gym. Kill it. And now I can barely get myself there on time for a class. And when I do, I'm usually sans something essential, like a sports bra or sneakers. So, I'm trying to make the transition into doing more at home. I run outside, but that doesn't really give me the release of the weights and the instructor and the post-workout soreness that I love.

Right now, I'm loving YogaZone DVDs, and also Holy Yoga downloads from Stephanie at The Little Way (more or her/that in a future post). But I need some more recommendations...I'm not ready for anything P90X or Insanity-ish...I'm looking more for gentle and slow and something that will ease me out of bed in the morning. Anyone have anything I should try?

 

:: beneFit spree ::

I've loved BeneFit Cosmetics for a while now and recently with their boutiques popping up, not to mention the darling little airport kiosks I keep seeing, there's even more to love. We had a fabulous Junior League event there on Monday night. In addition to eyebrow waxing, makeup applications and a goodie bag that were available to all participants, I made the following purchases. All worth their weight in gold. Okay, maybe not quite that amazing. But close.

benefit haul

Clockwise from top left: Stay Don't Stray (stay put primer for concealers and eyeshadow) $26; Hydra-smooth Lip Color $19; Dr. Feelgood (mattifying complexion balm) $30; Creaseless Cream eyeshadow $20.

I'm a sucker for their Benetint and Bad Gal mascara, too. Any other BeneFit goodies I should know about?

Linking up with All Things Thursday!

:: sweater weather ::

Yes, yes it is. And I'm fully on board. 

:: anchoring for autumn ::

I know that nautical themes make us think about popping bottles on a yacht (or drinking diet coke in a kayak as the case may be) but I've only recently felt drawn to this trend, so I'm trying to figure out how to stretch it into fall. And it turns out it's not going to be all that hard. Take a look below and see just a few things that caught my eye...it CAN be done without out getting all pastel-y and Lilly Pulitzer.

I think this little summer cross over is also going to be a metaphorical symbol for me. This past season was excessive--food, fun, cocktails, over scheduling, under-thinking. And now it's time to anchor down and get things under control. And I think that little purse is just the thing to tie me down.

anchoring for autumn

:: mouthwatering mondays: fall quiche ::

Welcome to this (RE-VAMPED) edition of....

Fall quiche

This lovely recipe is adapted from one I found at Bluebird Farm's website. I always thought making quiche was hard, but really, it's all the deliciousness of an omelet, without requiring any skill. And you can add ANYTHING to it. Any great fall veggies from the farmer's market or the CSA box or the grocery store. Feel free to improvise!
Source

Crust:

1 cup flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ pound cold butter, in small pieces

1 egg yolk (save the white for the quiche)

2 tablespoons ice water

Directions: 

1. Mix the flour and salt in a bowl.  

2. Cut in the butter with your fingers or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal or tiny peas.  

3. Whisk the egg yolk and water together in another bowl, add the flower mixture, and blend until the pastry is smooth and holds together in a ball. It can be mixed in a food processor; process first the flour, salt, and butter quickly together, then add the egg yolk and water through the funnel and process until the dough balls up around the blade. 

4. Pat the dough into a pie pan or springform with your hands.  Pull pieces of the dough from the ball and press them over the bottom and sides of the pan, using the heel of your hand.  The dough should be thick enough to hold the filling, but be careful that it is not too thick around the bottom edge or the finished tart will seem coarse. 

5. Prick the bottom with a fork and bake it unfilled for 12 minutes in a preheated 425 F oven.  If you used a springform pan, do not remove the sides until you serve the tart.  

Quiche

½ pound fresh greens (spinach, chard, stir-fry mix, radish greens, or any other fresh cooking green you have on hand)

4 eggs

1 egg white from tart pastry

2 cups light cream or milk (if you use milk whole milk works best although I have made it with 2%)

½ tsp salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 ¼ cups grated swiss, cheddar or other hard cheese

1 partially baked Tart Pastry from the first recipe

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F.

2. Dice onion and sauté in olive oil or butter. While the onions are cooking wash and chop greens. When the onion is almost done (when it starts to turn transparent) add the greens and put a lid on the pan to help it steam. Cook the greens until they are soft. 

3. Sprinkle ½ of the cheese over the bottom of the tart shell.  Place the onions and greens into the tart shell.  Combine the eggs, egg white, cream (or milk), salt, and spices in a bowl and beat thoroughly.  Ladle the mixture over the greens and onions.  

4. Sprinkle the remainder of the cheese over the top of the egg mixture. 

5. Bake for 15 minutes at 425 F; then lower the heat to 350 F and bake for 30 minutes more, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Serve in wedges hot or cold.

***

I along with a couple other ladies have joined forces to bring you this exciting weekly linkup. Every week we will have a theme to follow. The schedule for the coming weeks will be posted at the bottom of the linkup so you can plan out your posts in advance. Find your favorite recipes to go along with the theme and be sure to take lots of pictures!!

There are only a couple rules to play by!

1. Follow all your beautiful hosts!

The Campbells

Babies, Bosses, & Boyfriends

Lost In Boston

Spatulas on Parade

The Semler Life

Bailey Dailies

2. Grab a button, place it on your blog, and link up your post for your favorite recipe following the weekly theme!

<a href="http://babiesbossesandboyfriends.blogspot.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank" title="Babies Bosses and Boyfriends"><img alt="Mouthwatering Mondays" border="0" height="150" src="http://i1358.photobucket.com/albums/q764/Christin_Walker/mouthwateringmondays.jpg" width="150" /></a>

3. Check out some of the other fantastic links & have a blast!

And it is as easy as that! So get your favorite recipe book out and practice up! NO strings attached just a fun and friendly weekly linkup for working moms, single moms, Stay at home moms, housewives, young married couples, or even the single lady looking for a great idea!!

The schedule for the coming weeks:

September 16: Favorite Fall Recipe

September 23: Favorite Recipe EVER

September 30: Favorite Beverage (ex: coffee, tea, adult beverage, punch, etc..)

 Link up your recipe below!!

:: friday's fancies: friday night lights ::

I'm not a football girl. But I'm trying to be. It's one of my fall goals. Friends are trying to teach me the rules, but they're not really sticking...yet. But I watched the Patriots/Bills game last Sunday and I have tickets to next week's Harvard/Brown game. So I'm off to a strong start. Anyone have any viewing tips for me?

Regardless, I may not know what's happening on the field, but I do know what to wear. And that's something.

Linking up with Friday's Fancies!

:: theory love ::

Back when I was living in Marblehead (a gorgeous seaside town north of the city for those unfamiliar with the Boston area) , I visited a high-end consignment shop called Madam Hadam's quite regularly. As a result, I owe a debt of gratitude for a lot of my really high end pieces to the lovely, bored, shopaholic housewives of Marblehead.

It was there that I really fell in love with all things Theory. One consignor in particular sold a lot of her Theory tops at the shop and the owner told me we had a very similar body type. So naturally, from then on, I would go in and get her to set aside everything that that woman brought in. I'm tall, both in my legs and my torso, so I need everything long. Pant legs, sleeves, everything. And, crop tops aside, I can't handle a drafty midriff. (Tee's by Tina has solved this problem for me, but that's another post).

Anyway, the great thing about all things Theory is that they're cut slender in the shoulder without assuming that if you're slender there, you must be petite. I get excited just looking at how long these shirts are. Their price tags are hefty so all of mine have been purchased on heavy discount or second hand. I'm always on the hunt!

Linking up with All Things Thursday!

:: on the masculine bedroom ::

I'm a girl through and through. Manicures, pedicures, mascara, tons of shoes...the whole shebang. But when it comes to the bedroom, give me neutrals and dark wood and minimalism. No florals and no pinks. So, basically, the exact opposite of everything else in my life. Maybe this is why I sleep so well in hotel rooms.

Linking up with Random Wednesdays!