dress me, fall

i've been dreaming about fall weather for weeks now, saving up my money for one big shopping spree.  i'm very into layers this season and of course anything gold. i've slowly been collecting items here and there until i was able to create my perfect fall ensemble.  drum roll please...

precious little button-up with ruffles

cozy military-style sweater with snazzy gold buttons

jcrew matchstick jeans in premium indigo wash

a gold skinny belt adds just the perfect amount of glam

marc jacobs booties with the same ruffle effect

an lanvin metallic bag

finishing touches with this dainty gold gem

what are your fall must haves? 

(photo credit - bloomingdales.com, nordstroms.com, jcrew.com, piperlime.com, instyle.com)

this week in the kitchen

sis is back here in virginia with me this week and i couldn't be happier.  it did take some convincing on my part to get her to stay the entire week, but she agreed if i promised to work out with her everyday and if i cooked her healthy delicious meals.

on that note, here's what we got going on at cotton top this week. tuesday and friday will serve as left-over nights.

tonight: blackened tilapia with roasted broccoli and israeli couscous
wednesday: chorizo and zucchini pasta
thursday: sesame ginger steak with scallion rice

eeeeek

yep, i get it little girl. i can't wait for sis to get here either!!!


(photo credit - flickr.com)

world view

i'm sure we would all love to travel the globe someday...but even our most desired dreams are often challenging to obtain.  so for now, if we can't play hopscotch across mother earth, let's put the globe at our fingertips.  i love the idea of collecting globes so much, i got my very own one started in my apartment. i've started scooping them up on etsy and ebay.  so many choices and so cheap.

(photo credits - bodieandfou.blogspot.com, cafemom.com, deocr8blog.com, etsy.com, flickr.com, heartfireandhome.blogspot.com, jordanferney.blogspot.com, lovemyearth.blogspot.com, rebecca-june.blogspot.com, shagphiladelphia.blogspot.com, thelittlecityinthehouse.blogspot.com)

the secret

i've done it.  i've really done it this time.  i have figured out the secret to happy babies and let me tell you guys - it was easy. yes, i realize i have no babies, so i shouldn't consider myself an expert, but i just think of myself as one of the lucky few who have found the secret to little baby hearts.  you ready for it?  here we go.

three ladies + 1 homecooked meal = a positively beaming babe.

told you it was simple.  let's follow the story below.

1 extra large sausage and beef lasgana

+

 1 caesar salad with parmesan crisp croutons

+

1 batch of crusty yummy garlic bread

=

1 baby boy - happy and hungry as can be

anddddd im done: lemongrass coconut soup

you know that list i've been talking about non-stop for the past 10 days? believe it or not, i was able to accomplish just about everything.  within 24 hours i was able to make a halloween costume, cook up some lemongrass coconut soup for the neighbors and make the owl cupcakes. the soup was really easy to make and turned out to be real tasty, with the perfect hint of heat in the back of your throat (recipe below).  getting all this done was a close call and i couldn't have done it without my rhyming friends-  peg and megg. 

drum roll, please...

stirring up the lemongrass coconut soup
recipe courtesy of tyler florence

 

hooooo, hooooo, eat me!

(the completed look - with megg)
for a good clean feeling, no matter what!

stamp of approval

i get way too many catalogs.  finally, when i can't take it anymore i tackle the huge stack and start thumbing through them all. i rip out pages for ideas for cotton top court, my dreamhouse someday, outfit inspiration, gifts for the holidays...you get the idea.

i came across this tonight.  yeah, it's $40 but think of all the uses you could get out of it. perfectly personalized for you or a lucky friend. it's just the right stamp of approval to make average stationary your very own.

just so many options, lovies.

(photo credits - cambriacove.com)

pick your pasta: pumpkin raviolis, meat/cheese raviolis, and spaghetti squash

as you may recall, one of my tasks last week was to get brother to eat homemade pumpkin ravioli. of course, i knew i needed a backup plan in case he wasn't feeling it. so my mission became pasta three ways -

1. seasonal pumpkin raviolis
2. traditional raviolis filled with beef and cheese
3. and spaghetti squash - i was very proud of my pasta creativity here.

i made up the recipes on the fly, so there are no real measurements. 
warning:  it was a little time consuming to make each individual ravioli, but hey, no pain, no gain...right?

ingredients:
wonton wrappers
ricotta cheese
parmesan cheese
mozzarella cheese
canned pumpkin
breadcrumbs
ground beef
parsley
basil
nutmeg
spaghetti squash
s&p

spaghetti squash directions:
pierce spaghetti squash with knife or fork and place in 375 degree oven for 1 hour.  once it has cooked and cooled, cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds with spoon.  using a fork, shred the remaining inside of the squash - it will look like strings of spaghetti.  mix together with a little pasta sauce, parmesan cheese and s&p.

moving on to the raviolis:
lay about 3-4 paper towels on cookie sheet and spread pumpkin evenly over it.  top with 3 more paper towels.  let this sit for about 5 minutes.  this will remove the excess water from the pumpkin and will guarantee your filling won't be runny.  scoop pumpkin off paper towels and add to bowl with an equal part of ricotta cheese. add couple tablespoons of breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese, a pinch of nutmeg, chopped parsley and s&p. in another bowl, mix together cooked ground beef, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, breadcrumbs, basil and s&p.

now here comes the time-consuming part:
lay out wonton wrappers one at a time and scoop mini spoonfuls of either mixture into center.  be sure not to overfill or else they will explode when you cook them. wet edges of the wonton wrapper with water using your fingers and place another wonton wrapper on top.  secure all edges of wrapper to make sure there are no air bubbles or holes. repeat again and again and again.  be sure to cover the wonton wrappers with a damp paper towel before and after you assemble them.  if you don't, they will began to crack and get dry, making them hard to work with.

working in batches, cook raviolis in boiling salted water until they rise to the top.  this should only take about 4 to 5 minutes. once done, immediately mix together with your favorite pasta sauce.  i whipped up an easy alfredo sauce for the pumpkin ravs and used a jarred pasta sauce for the meat ravs.

you'll never believe it but brother actually ate some of the pumpkin ravs.  i knew it wouldn't take long before we started opening up those deprived little tastebuds of his. 

america, the beautiful

my life goal is to travel and i have a running list of all the places i want to see in the world. but i realized in the past year that i really should start with hopping across my own country before skipping ponds. i've stumbled upon many must-see spots in our beloved america. and i'm very happy to say i've checked some of them off. can't wait to get after the others -

1. grand canyon
2. niagara falls
3. lady liberty
4. vegas strip
5. 'hollywood' sign
6. mt. rushmore
7. gold gate bridge
8. alcatraz
9. yosemite
10. red rock
11. french quarter in new orleans
12. pearl harbor
13. seattle space needle
14. liberty bell
15. hoover dam
16. the painted desert
17. yellowstone
18. the alamo
19. d.c. monuments
20. st. louis arch
    

ok, so i haven't been to a lot.  but i'm working on it.

what about you? cross any off too?

(photo credit - graphicology.blogspot.com)

hipsters

i know these kids didn't pick these outfits themselves...or did they?  wouldn't surprise me.  talk about some fashionable youngsters.  go ahead and add these get-ups to your style files.  no one will know if your outfit was inspired by a 4th grader.   one day the major labels will realize the clothes they design for kids would love to grace our closets too.

any of you little tykes up for adoption?  i know sis and i could make ourselves available to you.

(photo credits - blogshopittome.com, fashionablepeople.files.wordpress.com, fashionbyfrium.com, gap.com, jcrew.com, kidfashion.about.com, minihipter.com, pedestrian.tv, projectsaccess.atlanta.com, superbeautified.com,)

breaking bread: homemade foccacia bread

bread is one of my many weaknesses and i love just about any variety - white, rye, wheat, ciabetta, pumpernickel, french, sourdough, biscuits - my 'love for bread list' could go on and on. however, my all-time favorite is foccacia bread.  i just love the combination of the crunchy, yummy crust with the soft, warm inside.  it's just perfect.  yummm.

with all the time i had last week, i knew i could handle a little bread making action with the help of emeril's recipe.  you can switch up the toppings for just about anything your little heart desires.  i chose more traditional toppings, but you could go with caramelized onions, olives, rosemary, cheese, sundried tomatoes - i think you get the point.

here's how emeril's recipe went:

ingredients:

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 ounce (1 package) yeast
3 1 /4 cups all-purpose flour (you may need more to achieve the smooth elasticity)
2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 roma tomato, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons chiffonade of basil
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

directions:

preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

in a small bowl, dissolve the sugar in the warm water. sprinkle the yeast over that mixture and let stand for 10 minutes, to bloom (it should begin to foam.) in the mixer bowl with the dough hook attached, add 3 cups of flour, salt and yeast mixture. slowly turn it on and work the dough together. turn it up to medium and mix for 5 minutes. if the dough is sticky, continue mixing and gradually add the remaining flour (i had to add another 1/2 cup of flour because it was very sticky).

place this smooth ball of dough into an oiled bowl, cover and set aside to rise for 3 hours.  punch (literally) down the dough, and remove it from the bowl onto a lightly oiled, 9 x 13-inch sheet tray. spread the dough out onto the sheet tray. using your fingertips, make "dimples" in the dough. drizzle the dough with olive oil, sprinkle on the basil, spread out the tomato slices, sprinkle on the cheese and bake for 35 minutes.

surprisingly, some paper-fagans were not fans.  
but that's ok because that means more for me!

reality check

1. battery recharged - check

2. hint of a tan with a return of the freckles - check

3. finish two books that have been sitting on my nightstand for eternity - check

4. eat a little too much, drink a little too much - check

5. suitcase unpacked and back to reality - definitely NOT checked

i'll get there in there in good time.  so glad to be back, friends.  hope the past week has been just lovely for you.

(photo credit - flickr.com)