Summer Comfort Food

Chicken noodle soup may be great for the soul, but what do you do when it’s 90+ degrees out and your soul still needs some comforting? Go to the ocean then bring on the watermelon gazpacho!

I am all about eating seasonally. But let’s be honest. Living in New England gives you about 4 months where you can do that unless you want to live off of snow. If I could eat summer food year round, I would be one happy girl. This recipe is everything wonderful about summer, and I plan to eat it until it’s time for butternut squash and apple crisp.

Big ups to my girlfriend Denise for this one. My friends and I have a friendly competition to see who can bring the best food to the beach. Yesterday Denise’s watermelon gazpacho was a slam dunk! I begged her for the recipe and made it today. I already had it for dinner, and plan to eat it for lunch all next week.

Watermelon Gazpacho
1 large tomato, chopped
2 cups cubed watermelon
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup minced red onion
½ cucumber, seeded and minced
2 Tbsp. minced fresh dill
¼ cup toasted almonds, chopped small
Salt and pepper

With a hand stick blender puree tomato and the watermelon in a large bowl. Add vinegar and olive oil and pulse until blended. Add the onion, cucumber, dill and almonds and season with salt and pepper. Puree a little bit more. I like to add extra chunks of watermelon and cucumber at the end so the soup has more texture. Chill at least an hour before serving. We like a sprinkle of feta and a little diced black olive as a garnish. Enjoy!!!!

The recipe is great, and simple. I had planned to use a stick blender like Denise, but I didn’t read the directions and dumped everything into a big pot and the immersion blender didn’t stand a chance. I dropped it all into a regular old blender and let it rip!

I took Denise’s advice and sprinkled chopped cucumber, watermelon, and feta on top. I also added some spicy shrimp. I took cooked shrimp, chopped them up and dusted them in Adobo and chili powder. A little bit of spice was fantastic.

I can’t say enough about this gazpacho. It is phenomenal! And not having to cook in this weather? Amazing.

Lucky Clover

I don’t go to Cambridge. Ever. Crossing the Charles River requires something insanely good on the other side. I just feel like I don’t fit in there. Like my friend Ly once said, “We can’t go there because we wear makeup and heels.” Just about sums it up. The only problem is that Cambridge has some insanely amazing food. If anything would bait me, it would be a good meal. However Clover Food Lab, who was stationed at MIT, opened a second location on my side of the pond at the Dewey Square farmers market. Hallelujah!
What is Clover Food Lab you ask? A vegetarian, organic (when possible), creative, and amazing food truck. Rumor has it they plan to open a restaurant, but I like it just fine as it is. I love a food truck. I love a farmer’s market. Put them together and it’s perfection. With Dewey Square being about a five minute walk from the office, the food Gods must have been smiling down on me.

My friend Laura and I checked the weather forecast to find the best sunny day of the week, and made the maiden voyage. We also went with our friend Adam who is a Twitter junky, and responsible for us learning of the Dewey location. When we approached the truck it felt like the first day of school. We were so excited and didn’t really know what to expect but knew it would be good.

The line went so far back, we couldn’t see the white board menu, which added to the suspense as we waited. We squinted as we got closer and began to make out the menu. I was immediately sold on the chickpea (since I have falafel running through my veins). It came with hummus and pickled veggies. Laura and Adam couldn’t decide. Then a beautiful thing happened. We decided to get three and share. Adam ordered the pimento cheese, with spicy cucumbers. Laura got the BBQ seitan. We decided on two orders of rosemary fries, and one jicama slaw. I got a black assam iced tea, Adam the rhubarb agua fresca. Sound amazing yet? It only got better.

Now we had to wait. We stood there anxiously as they called out other people, and got disappointed each time it wasn’t us. I suddenly began to remember every person who was in line in front and back of me so I knew when the moment of truth would come. When we heard “Pimento for Adam” Laura and I both cheered like he scored the winning goal in a World Cup match. After a couple more minutes we all had our food, and we grabbed a seat in the grass.

Every bite was perfect. The falafel was delicious, and the pickled veggies were so subtle but complimented it perfectly. The pimento had super sharp cheddar cheese that was mellowed out by pimentos, but still kept on its toes with spicy pickled cucumbers. The BBQ seitan was the wild card for me. It tasted like fantastic BBQ chicken. It was tender and sweet with a delicious tangy sauce. We would each take a turn with a sandwich and then rotate around so we got to try them all. OMG so amazing, I go back there just thinking about it. The rosemary fries were super fresh and so well seasoned. The jicama slaw was crisp and fresh. Mmmmmmm!!!

The breakfast menu was still up when we were there so I snuck a little peak. In addition to coffees and teas, they had fresh banana muffins, oatmeal, and popovers. No one loves a popover more than this girl. Can’t wait to hit it up!
My first Clover outing was an enormous success. It was a beautiful day with great friends and a fantastic lunch. I plan on visiting many times this summer, and I can’t wait to see what else they come up with. I follow both locations on twitter (@cloverdwy & @cloverfoodtruck)  so I can know if there are any menu updates. If Cambridge one ups Dewey, I may just have to cross the river. Maybe.

Amazing Cookies, Fantastic Girlfriends, One Sweet Day.

It’s no secret that I have a mega blog crush on Joy the Baker. She is witty, hysterical, and I want to eat every single thing she posts. But why the heck would I bake dozens of cookies or big ol’ cakes just for little ol’ moi? Well, today was my day. Dulce De Leche Sandwich Cookies here I come! 

My bestest bestie is visiting from Atlanta and we went out for a lovely day on “The Minnow” which is the baddest pontoon boat in the Metro West. I was asked to bring a sweet treat. I had a boat load of ladies to feed.  Literally.  This was my chance to bake! 

The recipe is super simple. My only concern was whether I would be able to find Dulce De Leche by the jar. I walked into Whole Foods, my Mecca, and there it was near the peanut butter.

Joy’s post is fantastic, so I will just offer a few notes from my experience.

• This recipe will not disappoint. Satisfaction guaranteed.

• When I read “Spoon the dough onto the lined baking sheets using a heaping teaspoon of dough” I didn’t believe it. It seemed way too small, so I used more like a tablespoon. Joy was right. These suckers spread. A teaspoon is the way to go.

• When at the store, I looked at the jar of dulce de leche and wondered if one jar would be enough for the dough and filling 30 sandwich cookies. It seemed doubtful, so I bought two. Best thing I did all day. One wouldn’t have been nearly enough.

• A sprinkle of sea salt should be required, not suggested. Skipping this step should be punishable by incarceration. It’s delicious. It’s addictive. It’s borderline magical.

• What could possibly make these cookies even better? Nutella. I would eat Nutella on dog food.  I brought it with pretzel rods as another snack, but slather it on top of one of these cookies, add a spattering of sea salt, and let the sugar coma ensue.

• Pick the seat next to your friend who has the strongest affinity for sugar, and who is the least likely to judge you when you begin a marathon binge session on these little gems. If you are as lucky as I am, you have a friend like my Rebecca who will not only hold your drink while you slather Nutella, but repeatedly suggest that the two of you share just one more. Love you Beezie.

I can't say enough about these cookies.  It's definitely my new go to.  Simple enough, delicious for days, and another excuse to drive home and spend some time with my mom while hijacking her Kitchen Aid.  It was kind of fun to offer her the beater to lick when I was done.  I remember waiting around the kitchen as a kid counting down the seconds until she gave me that chance.  Plus I got an amazing mom-ism.  "Cookie dough tastes so good because of the raw eggs".  So poo-poo to those who are afraid.  It's cookie dough.  Raw, cooked, whatever.  Count me in!

Ahhhh... Dulce Vida.

Knock Off-Of A Knock-Off Table

Would I like a Jonathan Adler table? Yea, but $595 is not realistic. Would I like something similar from West Elm? Yea, but I could spend that $180 on a flight to visit my BFF. Can I make something close enough for pennies? Damn right I can.

I’m kicking myself for saying in my pillow post that one of my pet peeves is when people make things with supplies they found around the house. I’m doing it again, BUT… you could buy everything I used for around $30. So there, I saved you hundreds. You’re welcome.

So, what do you need?

A snack table like this beauty. $10 at Walmart or Target, or find one in your parent's basement that's been sitting there since you graduated college.  Just saying.

A tray like this or this.  I got mine at Target a few days after Christmas when all of the holiday stuff was 80% off. So, $15 tray for $3. I didn’t need it for anything so it sat on my coffee table for a few months. Now, it’s reborn!

Spray paint – A couple bucks

I wound up cutting down the edges of the table top just a bit, because they were rounded and just sticking out. Then a few coats of spray paint (how much fun is that) and I put the tray on top. Voila! Knock-off of a knock-off table!

I’m not delusional. Well, not completely delusional. I know it’s isn’t the same, but I think it’s pretty damn close. And I didn’t have to buy a single thing to make it. This makes me feel better about buying random things when they are on sale. You know you might need it one day. And who can say no to a $3 tray?

As of now, my version is the reverse of the Jonathan Adler and West Elm versions just because I had a silver tray and white paint on hand. I’m thinking about doing the legs silver at one point, but for right now I am plenty happy with it as is.

OK one more thing.  The whole living in a shoe box thing.  This table takes up close to no space.  I can use it as a coffee table, or as a bed side table.  It folds up and is totally portable.  If you can't tell, I really like this table. 

I Made My Bed, And I Will Lie In It!

I developed an obsession with the Stratton Bed from Pottery Barn. My dad took half a look at it and declared that $1,300 was ridiculous, and he could make it for a fraction of the cost. Welp… works for me!

Full disclosure, my original intention was to help build this thing. I wanted to use drills, and saws and hammers. Inhale saw dust. The whole nine. However, my dad beat me to the punch and had it 99% done before I even knew he started it. Thank God for early retirement.

I did a little research and found great plans from Knock Off Wood. The only catch (and there’s always a catch) I wanted the design of the twin bed, but in full size. The Queen version at PB has two openings on the side and one at the head of the bed. I wanted three down the side. Like the twin, but wider to fit a full mattress. Dad to the rescue.

Now, I’m not really a basket person so I struggled with what to use underneath. After much searching and many many country barfy baskets, I found some online at World Market that fit exactly. And at $15 a pop I might add. It’s like they were made for this. I would have broken down and bought the PB version if they sold them solo. The problem is you have to get the $1300 bed to get the dang baskets. These are actually pretty shallow but it’s fine. It’s enough to hide what’s behind, and leaves tons of storage space. It all just fell into place.

Also amazing is that the bed breaks down into pieces, which makes it easy to move. Not that I’ll be doing that anytime soon.
And remember my Brimfield find turned pillow? I lurrrrve it on here. 

I am so incredibly happy with it, I only wonder why I didn’t do it sooner. Talk about storage, I can fit an insane amount under there. I have luggage, extra linens, off season clothes and the list goes on. The Pottery Barn version is amazing, and I wish I had that much money to drop on it. But it’s pretty great to have one that was made for me, the way I wanted it.

Nighty night my little bed bugs!

I'm a Cutter

Being short on storage is a given when you live in a studio. As you may know, I camouflaged a hamper and it lives under my TV. Creativity is a must. This doesn’t bother me, but of all things, I was lacking somewhere to store my knives. Yea, they were crammed in a drawer with my silver wear, but that dulls the blades like a mofo. I decided to do something drastic.

I got a magnetic knife bar at Ikea.  When I suggested one of these when I lived with my friend Rebecca, she thought it was the scariest thing she had ever seen, but I have always sweated one, and now I have it!

Some quick notes on the install. Well, all I really want to say is that I now own a drill. Technically it’s on loan from my dad but I may just keep it. It’s an old one and when I asked if he could part with it he did say “I’m not giving you a cordless!” Whatever, baby’s first drill. WOOT!

First I put my chef’s knife on, and said a prayer that it woldn’t fall to the floor and stab me through the foot. Success! Obviously the next step was to see what kind of other stuff I could get to stick. No dice on the wine opener or microplane, but success on the garlic press, veggie peeler, and my personal favorite… the starfish wine stopper that was a favor from my friend Amber’s wedding.

This thing makes me feel like a bad ass chef.

Blog Crush - Joy The Baker

Aaaaaand the blog love continues.  Joy The Baker is laugh out loud funny + baking.   My kind of blog!  What really got me was a post called "How to Impress a Boy by Baking".  It's utter hillarity, but kept reminding me of my recent blunder where a date asked me what I like to cook and I said "salad dressing".  My friends laughed about that all last weekend.  Clearly I should have read this post and I would have had him eating out of my hand.

Some highlights:

"Even if you are a wild, foul-mouthed hippie… you’re a wild foul-mouthed hippie who can cook. Moms like girls who can cook. Be a girl who can cook."

"boys are happiest with a simple meal that involves steak, barbecue sauce, and warm chocolate chip cookies."

"And that’s my two cents… put that in your brain hole to marinate"

Blog Crush - My Tartlette

There's nothing like being home on a Friday night with crippling heart burn and an empty DVR.  Thank God for the interwebs.  I stumbled across http://www.mytartelette.com/ and fell instantly head over heels in love.  Look at these pictures!

My Tartlette is making me
1) Want to learn French
2) Get an incredible camera
3) Become a macaroon making machine
4) Have the ability to quit my job, and cook and blog for a living
     4a) Be able to eat incredible creations like this and not gain 100lbs. 
     4b) Or get crippling acid reflux.

I think I got about 20 pages deep and I'm still going.  This blog is beautiful, and inspiring.  Enjoy!

One Girl’s Trash

You know what they say. One girl’s trash is another girl’s… pillow? If you remember back to my trip to Brimfield, I bought a burlap bag that I wanted to make into a pillow. Unlike many dresses on my sewing to-do list I actually completed this one!



The burlap is a pretty wide weave, so I knew I had to make a lining before I stuffed. I found some khaki/green cotton at my mom’s that I knew would do the trick. I didn’t even measure. I cut a piece of fabric the same size as the bag (using the fold so I only had to sew 3 sides). This wound up creating a ½" seam allowance so the lining was just smaller than the bag. I sewed around the sides leaving about a 4 inch gap at the top for the fluffy stuff.

Onto stuffing. I found a down body pillow from days of old in my parents’ attic. I made a quick snip at the corner and made a trip outside (these feathers are no joke). My mom and I shimmied and shook until the lining was full. It took the two of us to finish this linig. My mom held back the feathers while I sewed the top closed. I sewed, back stitched, sewed, and back stitched because I’m scared to death of what could happen if this thing blows. Think pillow fight on tv, trapped in a studio apartment.

I dropped the new pillow inside of the burlap bag, and it fit absolutely perfectly! I took a needle and upholstery thread and hand stitched the bag closed. Since there was already a seam there, it was easy for me to stitch on top of it which hid my handiwork.

One of my crafting pet peeves is when people make something and say it was free, or only a few bucks because they found everything conveniently at home. Well, sorry but that’s exactly what I did here. I was lucky enough to find cotton lining, thread, and a down pillow at my mom’s house, which made the extra supplies sum to a grand total of NADA! The only cost was the $5 I paid for the bag.

The original plan was to snip off the handles, but I left them and I really like it. I may add a tarnished vintage brooch to the corner, but it’s ready to go as is.  Hope you like it! I think it will look amazing on the new bed I am having delivered this weekend. More on that later…

I Got A Table Saw!

Well... not like a power tool but still fun.  I just got back from an amazing weekend at my friend's aunt's lake house.  Only the most generous and fantastic hostess gives gifts to her guests.  Yup, we showed up to HER lake house for the weekend and she gave US gifts. 

I was given a table saw.  As in a plastic coated metal knife shaped like a saw, and perfect for cutting letuce or cakes.  I think this is hysterical.  So much fun we had to use it that night.  On Mary Anne's amazing carrot cake!  Recognize the skirt?

V-I-N-O

I was searching for a housewarming present for a friend who I hope won't read this blog until after Sunday.  Not having seen her new house or decor, I wasn't sure what to bring.  While I was at Crate & Barrel buying my dream pitcher, I came across this little gem. 

Paired with a few bottles of wine, I think it will make a fantastic gift.  And the price?  Give me a break.  Less than $20 for the carafe and 4 glasses!  I think I need to get my own!

Ask And You Shall Receive

It’s just about summertime! The season for sipping copious amounts of Arnold Palmers, John Daleys (Arnold Palmers +Vodka) and iced tea.


I have amassed quite a tea collection via my tea-a-holic mother, and I want to start keeping iced tea on hand. The problem? My apartment has a midget fridge, and I am always low on space. My little pea brain started thinking of the perfect pitcher for the cause. I wanted glass because I am kind of plastic-phobic. I wanted slim and space saving (midget fridge, remember?) And I wanted a lid (I’m ok with that bit being plastic).

So I started my search at the usual retail suspects. I found decent pitchers but plastic, or good glass ones with no lids. It looked like my dream pitcher would not come to fruition. And then, a friend suggested Crate & Barrel (Duhhhh).

And there it was… slender, glass, lid with strainer. Pitcher perfection for $10.95. Let the iced tea sipping begin! 

I got one for work too.  Filled it with water, and chucked in a sliced cucumber.  This will make sitting at my desk a spa like experience.  Almost.

My Name Is Liz. L-I-Z. And I'm Off The Sauce.

I’m a salad-dressing-making-aholic. Granted, I have created some delicious salad dressings over the last few months. But I realized recently that I just might have a problem.

I was on a date last weekend and the following embarrassing conversation ensued.
Cute Date: “Do you like to cook?”
Liz: “I LOVE to cook!”
Cute Date: “What’s your specialty?”
Liz: “Hmm… I don’t really have one.”
Cute Date: “You must have one”
Liz: “I don’t think I do. Do you?”
Cute Date: “Mine is mushroom risotto.”
Long Pause
Liz: “Well… lately I’ve been making a lot of salad dressing.”
Cute Date: ---Speechless---

SALAD DRESSING??? That’s all I could come up with? SALAD DRESSING. Not lemon roast chicken, eggs benedict, homemade baked macaroni & cheese. Nope. Salad dressing. Which leads me into reason #736 that I am single. What guy sees himself with a girl who is really really good at making SALAD DRESSING?!?!  He can look forward to a lifetime of lettuce and misery.  I think I would have gotten a better response if I answered "Cupcakes for our future childrens' birthdays".  What an idiot!

I get it, I need an intervention. So today, I bought my first bottle of pre-made salad dressing in a long time. I went with Newman’s Olive Oil & Vinegar. Basic, but it got high ratings from Clean Eating Magazine. It’s delicious, and I love supporting Newman’s. So, I’m off the sauce for a while so I can concentrate on making some actual food.

Antiquing Extravaganza!

Bad blogger! I am slapping my own wrist for how long it’s been since I’ve posted. Bad bad blogger!

Yesterday my friend Jen and I hit up the Brimfield Antique Show. This is antiquing insanity. Fields upon fields of vendors selling everything you can imagine. Somehow even growing up with an antique crazed mother I had never been before. Now I plan to make the pilgrimage three times a year for eternity.

I made some good finds, and cheap. When we walked in I told Jen that I wanted some vintage linens. I don’t typically practice The Secret but let me tell you, the first thing I find is a set of adorable vintage embroidered tea towels. And cheap! They were marked as $6 for six which I found shocking. I offered five and the vendor wanted to take it but was hesitant because they weren’t her item and she thought the price was way low. She kept looking at the tag in disbelief, but it said what it said and she took it. These kill me. Beyond adorable. Thanks to the nana who made them!

I was hot out the gate. At a vendor that looked half antique fair half flea market, a vintage soda bottle caught my eye. Hope Club. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be a member of the Hope Club or drink their soda? I thought it was meaningful and adorable. I found the toothless wonder running the booth and he asked $5. Dream on Chief. He took $3. Now I want to put a shelf in my kitchen. The red lettering is perfect if I do the blue/red/brown theme I was thinking of for a valance.

While still in the flea market meets loony bin section, Jen found vintage hat pins. While she was perusing and talking to the drunk old lady behind the jewelry case, I saw a burlap bag that I thought would make an amazing large throw pillow. I haggled with the wino who was showing us her “I Love Lucy” doll that was still in the crushed and water damaged box. She took $5 for it. She says she got it in 1993, but I’m pretty sure she meant 1903. She was clearly pickled. Pillow update to follow.

Before I go any further, the true highlight of the day was the bag of fresh, hot, sugary cider donuts from Faddy’s Donuts. You heard right. Faddy’s Donuts. We walked up and Jen said “Let’s split one”. SPLIT ONE? They are hot donuts you kook. Ten seconds later we bought four. I wanted 12.

Later we stumbled on a jewelry dealer with a table of $5 rings. Don’t mind if I do! I quickly found a little gold flower shaped stunner with small cognac colored stones with one green one in the middle. I love love love it, can’t wait to rock it. Pardon my flipping the bird, but for some strange reason God blessed me with skinny fingers so I have to wear rings on my middle or index fingers. I would have accepted skinny legs or a tiny waist instead, but I shouldn’t complain. Next I found a bin of clip on earrings, which I collect. Jen found an amazing pair of clips that have a what looks like a fishing reel in the middle. I die. She was asking $8 but I got them and the ring for $10. Success!

The day was an insane success. Jen got a large McCoy Greenware mixing bowl for $40, a $10 blue glass pedestal bowl that looks phenom on her console table, and a wire bottle carrier for $30.

I left with two key learnings.

#1 – Flirt with every old man that loves your dress, wants to know what you found etc. You never know what booth he’s working in. No shame in my game.

#2 – Your antiquing partner is your bargaining chip. After you quietly gush over how you HAVE to have something, decide what you’re willing to pay for it and go ask the vendor for their best price. Whatever they say, even if it’s less than what you want to pay, turn to your partner and ask what they think about the price. Scrunch your nose like you have a lemon in your mouth and say “No way, not worth it”. Watch the price fall.

After wandering around for 5+ hours, once the sugar rush wore off, it was time to go. Neither one of us dropped a ton of money but we got lots of stuff that we like. I love Target and all, but there is something about snagging an antique. You wonder where it came from, who owned it, and how it came to be yours. Can’t wait for July!

Money Rice Salad

It’s green and it’s awesome, what else would I call it?

Like I said, I have a new obsession with herby vinaigrettes.  I just throw things in my mini Cuisinart and hope for the best. So far, so good!

I was thinking about a summery orzo salad my dad makes, and I wanted to put my own spin on it. His is full of cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, parsley, and lemon and it is one of my favorite things about sitting out on my parents’ deck in the summer.

I have looking for whole wheat orzo for years to no avail, so time for an alternative. Brown rice seemed like the perfect solution. Trader Joe’s sells a box of three packets of organic brown rice (two servings per packet) in the freezer section. This is perfect for me because while rice seems like it would be easy to cook, brown rice is my kryptonite. I stand over and stir it constantly and still end up with a pot of rubber. Once again, Trader Joe’s to the rescue! If you don’t share this problem, by all means, make your rice the old fashioned way.

Since this is inspired by my dad, I encourage you to follow his advice. “A recipe is only a guide”. You could use any combination of herbs, veggies, and protein and I’m sure it would turn out great.

First I made the parsley vinaigrette so it was ready and waiting for me.


Parsley Vinaigrette
1 to 1-1/2 Cups fresh parsley
2 Lemons – zest and juice
4 Tbs olive oil
2 cloves of garlic (chopped or microplaned)
Splash of white balsamic vinegar

Just drop it all in the food processor and let it rip! If it’s a little tart (like mine was) add a splash of agave nector or honey.

Money Rice Salad (4 servings)
2 packets of Trader Joe’s frozen organic brown rice
Parsley Vinaigrette (see above)
1 cucumber seeded and diced
1 box grape tomatoes
24 shrimp
4 Tbs fat free feta cheese, crumbled

Microwave each packet of rice for 3 minutes and mix with the parsley vinaigrette while it’s still warm. Add in the cucumbers, tomatoes, and shrimp and stir. I portioned mine into four containers and then sprinkled on the feta, but you could add it all at once. Put it in the fridge to chill and once again, cook once eat all week.

Another tip, I buy crumbled fat free feta at Trader Joe’s and store it in the freezer. It keeps longer, and it thaws so quick that it’s never a problem when I need it.

I am so excited to eat this for lunch this week that I almost look forward to going to work. Almost.

Faux-Stada with Black Beans and Tilapia

I was having withdrawals from the amazing tostadas at the Taco Bus in Tampa, and I had to find a way to lighten it up and still get the same effect.

Since the best thing about a tostada is the crunchy fried shell, I knew my version wouldn’t be exactly the same, but whatevs! I took whole wheat pizza dough from Trader Joe’s and stretched it out as thin as possible and put it in to bake at 400. One of my pizza dough tricks is Reynolds Wrap Non Stick Foil.  This stuff is amazing! Nothing sticks to it, and no oil needed. I baked the shell and put it to the side.

Onto the fish. Tilapia was on sale at Whole Foods, so I thought I’d give it a whirl. I rubbed it with a little olive oil, and adobo powder, and baked it until it was flaky. Next I took a can of black beans, mashed them with a fork, and added some salt, pepper, cumin, and garlic powder.

I smeared some mashed black beans on the shell, sprinkled with Colby jack and flaked tilapia, and popped it in the oven. Now I start getting a little whacky!

Since my curried tuna salad, I have been obsessed with herbed vinagrettes (more to come). I had just made another bunch of cilantro dressing so I thought that would make a perfect condiment. I also took some frozen and thawed mango, and diced it up. Threw it in some jarred salsa and voila… mango salsa.

So after a few minutes the faux-stada shell with beans, cheese, and tilapia was out of the oven. I drizzled a little cilantro vinaigrette, and dolloped mango salsa and dinner was served! It turned out pretty well. Not quite Taco Bus quality, but it hit the spot for a fraction of the calories.

Follow Up: I baked all of the dough last night so I had left over shells. I made this again tonight the same way but added avocado. There isn’t much that isn’t improved by avocado. Yummmmmm!!

One Sassy Salad (And Dressing)

I just got back from an amazing week in Tampa with my best friends. After an overload of Taco Bus, Jelly Bellys, and wine by the pool, it’s time for some serious clean eating.


Soon after touching down in Boston I headed for my favorite local farm stand, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe’s to get some good for you food. Against my normal strategy I wandered around and bought whatever looked good to me with no real idea of what I was going to make. However, if you only buy good stuff you can only eat good stuff, right? 
After such a glutinous weekend a workout was desperately needed as well. Any time I am working out in the after work time slot I like to make my dinner in advance so it is 100% ready to go when I come home stahhhvin to death. With just over 20 minutes to Zumba the gears in my tiny little brain started moving. Somehow I came up with a masterpiece!  It worked out like it was in the plans all along.

I started with the protein, a can of tuna. I decided to sass it up with some curry powder. Then I started chopping veggies and realized I had cilantro and then the wheels really started turning. I swear to you, I made this in less than 30 minutes, homemade dressing included. And bonus, I chopped enough for two portions so I have lunch for tomorrow too! 

Curry Tuna Salad
1 Can Tuna (mash the holy heck out of it with a fork)
2 Tbs Mayonnaise
2 Tsp curry Powder
½ Cup frozen mango (thawed and diced)

Salad
Lettuce
Red Bell Pepper
Cucumber
Cilantro
Diced Fresh Pineapple

Dressing - I measured nothing, but it turned out OK!  Just whizzed it all in my mini Cuisinart.
Fresh Pineapple
Mango
Cilantro
White Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

If I had actually planned this, I would have done it just a little differently. A lime in the dressing would be amazing, as would crab instead of tuna. I also thought black beans would be great for some added protein. Anywho, after sweating my buns off at Zumba, it was nice to come home to such a fresh sassy salad. Definitely a new summer staple!

Eat My Dust Rachel Ray!

I have never understood why people think Rachel Ray’s philosophy is so magical. If I had to invest more than 30 minutes into making dinner each night, I would be one skinny broad.


With a vacation coming up next week (Yayyy!) I have been stingy with the grocery shopping. Time to do fridge clean out and creative cooking. The result? Whole wheat spaghetti with roasted asparagus, cannellini beans, and “cream” sauce. The recipe for 4 portions is as follows.


8 oz Whole Foods organic whole wheat spaghetti
1 bunch asparagus
2 cans cannellini beans
6 Laughing Cow cheese wedges
Parmesan cheese
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

While I put a pot of water on for the spaghetti, I chopped the asparagus into bite size pieces, drizzled with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and popped them into a 400 degree oven. I cooked the spaghetti, drained it (but saved about a cup of the cooking water), and threw it back in the pot. I took the asparagus out of the oven at the same time the pasta was done.

Here is where my wackadoo idea with the cheese wedges comes into play. I dropped in the wedges and stirred them around with the spaghetti but they weren’t really melting. I started mashing them into the bottom of the pot with a spatula, and voila! Melty goodness. I added in a little bit of the reserved cooking water to thin it out, and added in the asparagus, beans, and a little parm.

I have to say, this came out pretty amazing. It satisfies that craving for bad food like fettuccini alfredo and there really is nothing bad in it. I have been eating it for lunch all week. And the fact that it was done in about 20 minutes is even better! Take that Rachel Ray!

Skirting The Issue

Will I ever run out of pun intended titles? Doubtful.

I said I was going to sew this year so damn it, I’m gonna do it. To ease myself in I started with the amazing tutorial for the 20 minute skirt from Grosgrain Fabulous. I can see how it would take a seasoned sewer 20 minutes, but me… more like 45. Still, in 45 minutes each and the change in the bottom of my bag, I got two new skirts. Not bad for an afternoon’s work.

My first step was heading to Joann for supplies. All I needed was fabric and elastic, and I used mis matched thread I had at home. First I found crazy navy/pink sail boat material on clearance for $4 a yard. I think it is perfect for summer. The brown/red/aqua fabric was $9 a yard but I was mesmerized by it. I just love it and had to have it. I grabbed two packages of ¾” elastic for a buck a pop. The pink and red bottom layers were on sale 2 yards for $3 so the grand total was just $18. Not too shabby!

I won’t bother reinventing the wheel since the tutorial is so good. I just printed it out and kept it next to me as a guide. I wound my bobbins and threaded my machine before I put the pedal to the metal. The only semi tricky part was making sure I sewed straight when making the elastic casing. I built in a 1” allowance for ¾” elastic and figured as long as I didn’t sew like a drunken sailor I would be OK. Except for the one part where I did sew like a drunken sailor and the elastic has to fold to fit through. Oops! For everything else I found that when in doubt if I pinned like a mother chucker and/or pressed seams to help make a clean edge (like when doing the casing) I did ok. This pattern is so incredibly forgivable so it was a great way for me to ease back into sewing without committing to something too daunting.

I have plans to make about a gazillion of these over the summer. I want to dig through all of my mom’s fabric that has been filling up the basement and attic for years. There is some funky old stuff in there for sure. In the next round I may use ¾ yard to make it a little less full. I don’t mind the fullness except that the waist band tends to show through a t-shirt. I would also like to try a slightly heavier fabric and maybe just do one layer. Oh the possibilities!

Side note- I read a billion sewing blogs and I knew I recognized the floral fabric from somewhere, I didn’t realize it was from the skirt tutorial until I got home. So, I have a legit replica of Grosgrain Fabulous’ handiwork. I am now so in love with the fabric that I might make a valance out of it for my kitchen. In fact, I actually hung the skirt IN my window to see how it would look! I smell a new project…

Signs Of Life!

Can you see them? They are tiny but they are in fact there. Teensy tiny little sprouts in my Boston Gahhden! The oregano and basil seem to be adjusting to life in my windowsill, so fingers crossed that they continue and also that their brethren decide to join in the fun.

This series may be as exciting as watching paint dry to anyone but me, but I am psyched!

Fly Me To The Moon

Spring fever continues, as does my shopping obsession. Unfortunately, so does my lack of disposable income. So here is a smorgasbord of things that I think would make a sickening sweet springtime outfit. The dress has airplanes on it for Cripes sake!

Here is the breakdown…

1) Wright Dress – Anthropologie
2) Featherweight cotton long cardigan (naples yellow) - JCrew
3) Benetint by Benefit - Sephora
4) Forget me knot ring (brass) - Fred Flare
5) Report Sawyer sandal - Piperlime
6) Kimchi Blue Flapover Saddle Bag - Urban Outfitters
7) A bulldog.  Because I just want one, and how cute would it be to strut around in this outfit being dragged by a beefy bull dog?  Rescued from a shelter of course. 

Chickpea Delight

After months of begging our friend Sarah to make Pakistani food for us, she finally caved. While she is admittedly no Top Chef, her chicken karahi and chickpea salad are absolutely amazing. I haven’t mustered up the cajones to make the chicken karahi, but the chickpea salad is a staple in my diet. Especially as the weather gets warmer.

It’s a lot of chopping but beyond that, easy peasy. Sharpen your Henkels, fire up your iPod and let’s do this.

10 small red potatoes
4-5 tomatoes
2 cans of chickpeas
1 bunch of cilantro
½ red onion
2 tsp coriander
1 Tbs cumin
Dash of salt
Drizzle of olive Oil

Of course I never use an actual recipe, so proceed with caution. I chopped up the potatoes to be about chickpea size, and put them in a pot to boil. Then I got to work on chopping the onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and onion and put them in a bowl. Give the chickpeas a quick rinse, and set it all aside and wait for the potatoes. Once they are cooked and drained, mix it all together with the cumin, coriander, salt, and olive oil and Voila! Pakistani chickpea salad. I’m sure there is a real name for it so my apologies. I just call it delicious.

And the best part is that it gets better as it sits. I have it on its own for lunch or sometime over a salad for dinner. Cook once, eat all week. It’s a beautiful thing. Thanks S-Money!

My Little Urban Garden Of Sorts

Here in Boston we don’t typically have much of a spring. We go from blizzards to sweltering humidity with only some torrential downpours in between. However this year, it feels like a legitimate spring and I like it! To honor the season, I have decided to garden. In my windowsill.

Due to my obvious lack of space I thought that herbs would be the best choice so I headed to Home Depot to get the goods. After swiping a few paint samples (the new Martha Stewart paints are to die) I headed for Lawn & Garden. Since I do not have total faith in my green thumb, I picked up a seed starter before investing in pots and soil.

The only bummer, I read that they had buy one get one organic seeds this weekend, but I saw no such thing. Even though my seeds aren’t organic, I am growing them in my house so I know there will be no crazy toxic chemicals involved. I picked up basil, chives, cilantro, oregano, and rosemary seed packets. So this seed starter business, funny little thing. You look at these dehydrated little biscuits and think “how the heck is this going to grow anything?” It’s made of coconut fiber, which is apparently a renewable resource. Bonus. You pour a little warm water on the hockey pucks and POOF… they expand. I dropped some seeds on to each (in alphabetical order so I can keep track), added a little more water, said a prayer, did a dance, and plopped it in the window.

So here we go. My little horticultural experiment. I really hope this works and I will be sure to keep you posted. Grow little babies, grow!

Wine and whine with the gals!

It’s official, Spring has sprung! The weather crept above 50 and all of us Boston gals broke out our spring finest. Pasty legs? Who cares? It’s dress season! We have a glimpse of summer and we are going to CELEBRATE! I don’t know about you, but when this weather hits all I want to do is sit outside with some good wine and great girlfriends. Here is the soundtrack to do just that.

What wine should you pair with this play list you ask? I have some suggestions for that too. I am of the school that good wine does not have to be expensive. I rarely if ever spend more than $10 on a bottle of wine, and I love me some Charles Shaw (Two Buck Chuck). Below are a few of my favorites du’jour. Let me know what you think.

 Red – Echelon Merlot ($3.99) One night I wandered into Trader Joe’s and when the woman in the wine section asked if I needed help. I said no thank you. Then she said “We have a great Merlot for $3.99.” I said “YES PLEASE!” I am a die hard Pinot Noir fan but this Merlot is mellow, and just a twinge sweet. Well worth $3.99 and a change of pace.

White – Woodstock Sauvignon Blanc ($4.99) Normally I would say the Charles Shaw Sauvignon Blanc, but there is a new comer in my life. Woodstock Sauvignon Blanc. White is typically only my choice when paired with a patio and $1 oysters but I always keep some on hand for my friend Jen. The beauty of cheap wine is that we can open a bottle of red and a white and if we don’t finish them (like that ever happens) what’s the big deal? This beauty is clean and crisp, just a little fruity. Spring time in a glass.

Sparkling – Albero Cava Brut ($6.99) As far as I’m concerned, “sparkling” is the fifth food group. It goes great on all occasions and can lighten just about any situation. The added bonus of this Albero is that it is organic. You heard me, organic at $6.99! When you can’t or just plain don’t want to drop a lot on a bottle of bubbly, this is an excellent choice. Plus it’s organic so it’s good for your health.






Well my fellow booze bags, happy spring time! Get out there and rediscover your favorite patio bars, old friends with patios, strangers’ patios, front stoops, whatever you got. Enjoy every second of sunshine before you forget what winter feels like.

Mrs. Plumber

As a renter I have the constant debate of what is worth fixing/replacing when I don’t own the place. I have decided to start doing some of the simple fixes that don’t cost a lot but are worth it if it makes me happy. I mean, just because I don’t own the pace doesn’t mean it isn’t my home.

Today’s challenge was my grungy disgusting bathroom sink knobs. They are that crystal looking acrylic material that is less than desirable. Herein lies the rent vs. own debate. If I owned the place, the whole dang faucet would be replaced but I’m not dropping a hundo on a new faucet. Time to get creative.

First I tried to clean them. My limited plumbing knowledge lead me to believe that I had to crawl under the sink to take them off, but after a quick call to my dad I realized I just had to flip off the top with a screw driver, and unscrew the knob. Duhhh. Cleaning was no match for the years of grossness that was caked on. Believe it or not, my “before” pictures are after cleaning! So the decision was made. Time to replace.

For $12 and 5 minutes of labor, my sink looks (almost) new again. I unscrewed the old knobs and put the new ones on. After screwing them in place and popping on the new cover, the chore was done. It was beyond easy and way rewarding. I only wish I did this a long time ago!