3 trends under 50

September 30, 2013

When it comes to trends I look for pieces that are versatile and low cost.  Being able to work them into my existing wardrobe keeps things feeling updated without being head to toe in the latest fads.  Here are three pieces that are very versatile and will not break the bank this season:

Mid Length Utility Jacket – This piece is fabulous and hopefully stays around for a long time.  Throw over a flowy top and skinnies, tee and cut offs, sweater dress – you name it this jacket can be worn with it.  The ease of the fit is insanely comfortable while all the pockets are functional.  A smart trend to say the least (finally rocked mine yesterday and I can officially say I’m obsessed).

utility_jacket1Forever 21 military-inspired jacket 2Forever 21 city-chic utility jacket 3Forever 21 leopard utility jacket

Mini Dress – Mod style is something I have always been drawn to and this season’s mini dress has me giddy.  Wear with booties or thigh high boots to bring this 60s inspired shape into modern day.  Not comfortable showing that much bare leg?  No worries, this look can be worn with tights as well.

minidress1Asos blocked mini dress 2Forever 21 mod shift dress 3H&M patterned dress

Cut-Out Bootie – We have seen cut-outs on boots in the past but this season’s are definitely the best yet.  I have yet to find the perfect pair but these 3 bargain boots have me very interested.

boots1Michael Antonio meka boots 2Mix No. 6 bella bootie 3Charlotte Russe cut-out buckle peep toe bootie

Not only are these trends versatile but they will be mainstays in your closet for season’s to come.  And hey, if they don’t stand the test of time (or by the end of winter) at least you have very little invested in them.

What trend will you work into your style this fall?

brandyjsig

 

 

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kitchen lovelies

September 27, 2013

Like the cozy soups we posted yesterday, kicking off our soup series that we are oh-so excited about, we are also crazy about fun tableware; particularly soup bowls and coffee mugs.  Not only are these little lovelies fun to pull out of your cupboard after spending the day dreaming about the soup simmering on the stove, or the cup of coffee you’re preparing to make- they also make really great gifts.  As they so often say, sometimes it really is the little things. 

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1. These adorable little Sur la Table crocks are perfect for soups topped with bread or cheese.  2. West Elm has great bowls that are fun and pretty for everyday use.  3. Simple yet elegant, these bowls by Crate and Barrel are a great blank canvas for putting soup on display for guests.

photo(3)1. Anthropologie knows how to make a good coffee mug.  Not only are they gorgeous, but the shape fits your hand like it was meant to be there.  2. If your cup of joe is more like a cup of tea, the bold colors of these cute little Urban Outfitter cups will surely steal your heart.  3. These Bodum coffee cups are modern and fun.

Fun tableware to go with all of the hot cider, cocoa and soups is a must this fall.  Treat yourself!

 

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white bean chicken chili

September 26, 2013

White bean chicken chili is a favorite in our house.  As much as I love any kind of soup, I have four or five soup recipes that stay on pretty constant rotation in the fall and winter months.  The great thing about soup is that it’s pretty darn near impossible to mess up (unless you accidentally over-salt or something, and there is probably even a way to save that disaster.  Or forget to soak your navy beans.  Who does that?)   Guilty, and guilty again.

chicken_white_bean_chili_4chicken_white_bean_chili_1

white bean chicken chili
 
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Ingredients
  • 1½ pounds chicken thighs, skin and bones removed
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, minced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground chipotle
  • 6-8 cups chicken stock
  • 10 ounces corn (thawed if frozen)
  • 4 cups small white navy beans (soaked overnight and precooked for 30-40 minutes)
  • Garnish:
  • Cilantro
  • Lime wedges
  • Green Onions
  • Avocado
Instructions
  1. In a large pot over medium heat, saute chopped onion in 2 tbsp of olive oil, about 5 minutes. While your onion is sauteing, remove skin and bones of chicken and chop into small pieces. Add chicken to onions, and cook an additional 5 minutes or so.
  2. Reduce heat, and add in your garlic and salt. As the pot begins to simmer, add in the rest of your spices.
  3. Add 6 cups of chicken stock, your beans and corn, and stir well. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat back to low and simmer for about an hour.
  4. When ready to serve, garnish with chopped green onion, avocado, cilantro, and the juice of a lime wedge.

My recipe was adapted from this recipe.

chicken_white_bean_chili_2Um, back to forgetting to soak my beans.  If this happens to you- don’t panic!!  The quick remedy is this:

1. Rinse your beans. (And yes, this is important.  Rinse them well!)

2. Toss them in a large stockpot filled with water.

3. Boil for 5 minutes.

4. Cover the pot, remove from heat, and let sit for an hour.

Ta da!

chicken_white_bean_chili_3After sitting in the refrigerator, your beans may soak up the broth of the soup, so I sometimes add a cup or two of stock as I am reheating.   In our house, we love this hearty soup!  I hope you do, too.

shansig

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vegetarian three bean chili

September 26, 2013

With fall officially in full swing we are more than ready to make our favorite soup recipes.  There is something so fulfilling about chopping the ingredients, layering them in one pot and tending to the flavors.  The smell fills the house with comfort, luring anyone within nose-shot in.  No more than one bite and your belly, heart and soul are wrapped up in the coziest of blankets.  We love making these comforting meals for our little families and are excited to be sharing them with you.  Once a month (during the fall and winter) Shan and I will post a cherished soup recipe that we hope you enjoy!

vegetarian_chili_2Before Rachel Ray became “Rachel Ray the sort of Oprah” she just had 30 Minute Meals and a teeny little cookbook called Veggie Meals.  I was just discovering that I had a passion for cooking when this book crossed my path.  There are many reasons I love this book with the top 3 being that the ingredients are accessible in every grocery, the recipes are not intimidating and everything can be made in 30 minutes or less.  To this day I use a variation of one of the recipes on a weekly basis with this chili being close to #1.  Sure there are many other award winning, more complicated versions of chili I could try.  But honestly I don’t see the point considering this has pleased everyone who has ever tried it.

vegetarian_chili_1vegetarian_chili_4

vegetarian three bean chili
 
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Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons (2 turns around the pan) olive or vegetable oil
  • 1 medium red onion, chopped
  • 1 large red pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
  • 1 cup pale beer (or vegetable stock/broth)
  • 1 (32- ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (14-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 (14-ounce) can dark red kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1 cup spicy vegetarian beans
  • Lime wedges
  • Optional: diced avocado, diced tomatoes, cilantro leaves, shredded cheese or sour cream for topping.
Instructions
  1. Over moderate heat, add oil to a deep pot and combine onion and peppers. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes to soften vegetables.
  2. Add garlic, cumin and chili powder and saute for another 1 to 2 minutes.
  3. Add beer (or broth) and simmer until liquid is halved.
  4. Add tomatoes, black beans, red kidney beans - stirring to combine. Season with salt.
  5. Thicken chili by stirring in refried beans. Simmer over low heat about 5 to 10 minutes longer, then serve up bowls of chili with lime wedges and top with shredded cheese, diced avocado, cilantro leaves, diced tomatoes or sour cream.
Notes
Excellent served with black bean tortilla chips.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 4

recipe adapted from Rachel Ray

vegetarian_chili_3Bring a double batch of this plus a big bag of tortilla chips to your next football get together and you will be invited back for sure.

Wondering where the meat is?  Shan just may have something for you later today…

brandyjsig

Posted in recipes, what's cooking | Tagged | 7 Comments

streuseled acorn squash muffins

September 25, 2013

It will be October in six days time.  Whoa, that’s crazy.  This fall is going to be a busy one for us, because unfortunately the dreaded task of moving is on our to-do list.  As renters, we understand that it comes with the territory- but we were hoping to have a while longer in this little house.  I’ve been juggling the idea of not decorating for fall (because what I really need  to be doing is packing), but it feels sad not pulling my garland and pumpkins out!  I’m not sure yet.. maybe I’ll just take the minimalist approach.

acorn_squash_muffins_4Lucky for fall, it’s the rare season that doesn’t depend so much on the decor.  Fall has an element of it’s own.. fall has a flavor.  In our house, it’s things like these pumpkin pancakes (that I make just about every Saturday September- November because I am OBSESSED with them), this easy dinner, and now, these fabulous muffins.  (And yes, I really love muffins.  Sorry guys, I know I post them too often!)

acorn_squash_muffins_2

streuseled acorn squash muffins
 
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Serves: 12 muffins
Ingredients
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 egg (at room temperature)
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup coconut oil (melted) or vegetable oil
  • 1¼ cup peeled and finely grated acorn squash
  • 1 small overripe banana, mashed
  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Streusel Topping:
  • 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • dash of nutmeg
Instructions
  1. Set oven to 350F
  2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder & soda, spices and salt. Set aside.
  3. In mixing bowl fit with paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat together the egg, sugars and melted oil.
  4. Stir in the grated squash, pumpkin puree, mashed banana and vanilla extract, and mix until fully incorporated.
  5. By hand, fold the dry mixture into the wet, creating your batter. Be careful to not overmix!
  6. Fill muffin liners ⅔ full (my batter perfectly divided between 12 liners).
  7. Make topping by whisking together the sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Using a fork or your fingertips, add the butter and combine to make a crumbly, coarse texture.
  8. Spread topping evenly over muffins.
  9. Bake muffins 23-25 minutes, until a toothpick can be inserted into the center muffin and comes out without batter on it.
  10. Let muffins cool before removing from pan. Once completely cooled, store them in an airtight container.

acorn_squash_muffins_5I was really excited about the way these muffins came out- they are truly bursting with fall flavor.  I will, however, warn you that peeling the acorn squash had me ready to throw it out the window.  Seriously, if you make these, do yourself a favor and run a Google search on “how to peel an acorn squash” or something, because surely the way I did it was not the easiest way.  In fact, I am surprised I didn’t chop a finger off.  (I’m really no good with knives.)

acorn_squash_muffins_3acorn_squash_muffins_1Did I scare you out of making them?  I sure hope not! 🙂

shansig

 

Posted in recipes, something sweet | Tagged | 4 Comments