got my new boots on

February 1, 2016

For months I basically drooled all over my phone every time I spied someone on instagram sporting the Dolce Vita Okana boots. Everything about them was right up my alley – the color, the relaxed yet structured shaft, the over the knee…..ugh, I had to have them.

Thanks to my mom they became mine and guess what? They sat in the flipping box for over a month. I am such a weirdo.

Shamefully, I was waiting till I had reached my fitness goal to wear them. It then dawned on me that a. that is dumb because they are fabulous and b. I may not have a lot of perfect weather days left to wear them if I actually waited that long. It’s not like they don’t fit. It’s not even like I have to squeeze into them. Again, the word dumb comes up here.

So this weekend I finally broke them in…and I haven’t taken them off since. I am in boot love.

over the knee boot outfitI especially love how they go oh so perfectly with the laces on Bingham’s flannel kicks.

dolce_vita_okana_2Can we talk about Bing in that jean jacket for a sec?! GAH!

dolce_vita_okana_3I have heard a lot of you say you are not too sure about over the knee boots. I think if you’ve got long legs you have no excuse but to sport them…it’s too easy not to. If don’t have the long gams this by no means is a one way ticket out of taller shaft boots. Try monochromatic looks to help lengthen the body or wear with mini skirts and dresses. I swear there is an over the knee out there for every girl.

dolce_vita_okana_4There is something about a hat, scarf and jacket that makes me feel all tidied up. Gorgeous boots….those help too.

WEARING brandy j Dolce Vita okana boots in honey/hat similar/scarf similar/jacket similar/H&M jeggings/striped sweater similar bingham hat similar/jacket similar/Next Direct jeans/boots similar

xo,

brandyjsig

Posted in family style, style | Tagged | 2 Comments

grapefruit salty dog

January 29, 2016

Grapefruit Salty DogHello Friday!

Anyone else out there getting these weird Spring fever vibes with all this unseasonable sunshine and lack of snow?! I feel like St Patty’s is coming up and we haven’t even celebrated Valentine’s Day yet. Mother Nature you have gone cray and I am sort of loving it. (Please don’t snow in April…please don’t snow in April…)

grapefruit_salty_dog2 Grapefruit Salty DogSomething that is never cray is a cocktail post on a Friday. This time around it’s an old school drink with one of my favorite winter ingredients…the almighty grapefruit.

It’s a simple little drink. Mix some grapefruit juice and vodka, throw it in a salt rimmed glass filled with ice and sip. If you want it to be sweet you will not be happy…it’s fresh and salty, absolutely not sweet. Best way I can describe it is this: if a dirty martini and a margarita got married their love child would be a salty dog.

Sounds sort of gross when you say it like that, but I swear if you like to sip on something with a little bite you will thoroughly enjoy this.

Grapefruit Salty Dog Grapefruit Salty DogThank goodness for weekends and cocktail hour. Have a good one!

Cheers!

brandyjsig

 

grapefruit salty dog
 
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Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • coarse sea salt
  • ⅔cup fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
  • ¼ vodka
  • crushed ice
  • grapefruit slices to garnish (optional)
Instructions
  1. Dip glasses in water or take a grapefruit slice and rub around the edges. Dip in sea salt. Fill with crushed ice.
  2. Pour juice and vodka into a shaker filled with ½cup ice. Shake and pour into glasses. Garnish with grapefruit wedges if desired. Cheers!

Grapefruit Salty Dog
Posted in cheers!, recipes | Tagged | 4 Comments

spicy (but not too spicy) dr pepper ribs

January 28, 2016

spicy dr pepper ribsThe husband doesn’t chime in too much on what he thinks I should or should not post…unless there is a sporting event, Father’s Day or any other man centered occasion coming up. That is when I get the “I really think you should post some meat soon Brand.”

I aim to please so a stack of ribs it is. Hope you loved them Sticky because I pulled slimy, silver-esque membrane off those just so they would taste even more delicious. That’s real love right there. (Has got to be one the most vile food jobs I have ever done.)

spicy dr pepper ribsA little about these ribs… They are slightly adapted from a Pioneer Woman recipe. Typically I would go straight up PW but we once made her spicy pulled pork for guests and they were sweating bullets. Since this version had a similar chipotle ratio I decided to cut it in half and pump up the soda a tad.

My mom (and Sticky) love the Bourbon Barbecue Ribs I posted a couple of years ago. My mom in fact makes them for guests constantly. They are easy, but not nearly is simplified as this version. Mostly because of the ingredient ratio. When I asked Sticky which is better he did not have a clear favorite. He does like the bourbon taste in the other recipe but he loves the sweetness of these as well.

So basically you can’t go wrong either way. They are both super delicious (and messy) ribs.

spicy dr pepper ribsAs far as party food I think these would be fantastic at a Super Bowl gathering. Make them the day off and keep them warm in a low crockpot. Just be sure to have plenty of napkins because ribs. (And plenty of veggie options for annoying people like me who show up at events where wings and ribs are typically consumed.)

Enjoy!

brandyjsig

 

spicy (but not too spicy) dr pepper ribs
 
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Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 1cup of brown sugar
  • 1½ cans Dr Pepper
  • ½ can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (I used a 7.5oz can)
  • ⅓cup spicy brown mustard
  • 1tbsp white vinegar
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 packages of pork baby back ribs
Instructions
  1. Place brown sugar, dr pepper, chipotle peppers, brown mustard, white vinegar and garlic in a sauce pan on medium high heat. Bring to a boil and allow to boil until it is very thick - coating your spoon thick. This took me about 45 minutes.
  2. Take half of the marinade and brush all over meat. Wrap meat in foil in stick in fridge for at least 8 hours to marinate.
  3. Preheat oven 275ºF and pop ribs in for 2 hours (with foil still on). Remove ribs, turn the oven up to 300º and brush more sauce on the ribs before placing them back in, foil off. Take them out after 20 minutes, brush again, and then pop back in for another 20. If they have the nice, somewhat charred rib look they are done. If not keep brushing and popping back in oven. Serve with extra sauce is desired.

 recipe from pioneer woman

spicy dr pepper ribs
Posted in meaty, party food, recipes | Tagged | 1 Comment

s’mores crispy hearts

January 27, 2016

Smore's Rice Crispy HeartsIf you are a fan of s’mores and rice crispy treats this is the post of you.

This was one of my “let’s see what happens” recipes. I figured taste wise I had nothing to lose. It’s chocolate, graham crackers, butter, cereal and marshmallows. Yeah, it’s not gonna taste bad. Looks wise I wasn’t sure but in the end I was pretty happy with these cute little chocolate covered hearts.

Smore's Rice Crispy HeartsAt first I wanted a layer of graham on the top and bottom but for whatever reason the bottom wouldn’t cutout cleanly. So I scratched that notion and went with just the top layer. It still gave it the s’more taste I was hoping for.

Smore's Rice Crispy HeartsI also thought I would dip all of them but this was not my favorite. Dipping something completely into chocolate is messy. They tuned out great, and honestly I do like the taste of more chocolate than less, but it wasn’t something I found enjoyable. This is why you see 2 options in the recipe.

But like I said, they are pretty….

Smore's Rice Crispy Hearts Smore's Rice Crispy HeartsThe technique of the below hearts I like better, but again there is less chocolate so it has it’s trade offs.

Smore's Rice Crispy HeartsRegardless of technique the taste of both are amazing because you have the familiar rice crispy texture and flavor with the added nostalgia of a s’more. That butter graham cracker layer is what makes them really special. Perfect treat for anyone on Valentine’s Day!

Enjoy!

brandyjsig

 

s'mores crispy hearts
 
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Serves: 18 to 21 hearts
Ingredients
  • 1 and ½ stick unsalted butter (divided)
  • 5oz mini marshmallows (1/2 a normal size bag typically)
  • 3cups rice crispy cereal
  • 1 sleeve plain graham crackers
  • 11.5oz bag of semi sweet chocolate chips
  • Decorative sprinkle or candies
Instructions
  1. Line a 9X13 pan with parchment paper (pan should have at least 1" high sides).
  2. Melt ½ stick butter in a large pot of medium high heat. (You can brown the butter if you would like). Add marshmallows, trun heat to medium low and stir until melted and creamy. Take off heat and stir in cereal. Dump into prepared pan and press into a smooth layer using your hands (you can either grease your hands or use parchment paper to keep hands from sticking).
  3. Place all the graham crackers from one sleeve into a food processor. Pulse until completely turned into crumbs. Melt the other stick of butter. Add butter and pulse until combined. Press mixture evenly on top of rice crispy in pan. Place in freezer for at least an hour.
  4. Option 1:Take pan out of freezer and allow to set for a few minutes. Take a deep heart cookie cutter and cut out hearts (if hearts are too hard to cut out use something to help press down on the cutter with - I used a wooden kitchen mallet). Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. (Microwave for a minute, stir, and then microwave for 15 to 20 more seconds, stirring after each time until the chocolate is completely melted.) Using a fork or 2 toothpicks dip the hearts, one at a time, completely in the chocolate and set on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Before chocolate sets decorate with sprinkles or candy. Place in freezer to set completely.
  5. Option 2: Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. (Microwave for a minute, stir, and then microwave for 15 to 20 more seconds, stirring after each time until the chocolate is completely melted.) Take pan out of freezer and pour chocolate over top spreading into an even layer. Decorate with sprinkle if you wish. Put back in freezer for 10 to 15 minutes or until chocolate is set. Carefully cut hearts out with a heart shaped cookie cutter.

Smore's Rice Crispy Hearts
Posted in holidays, recipes, something sweet, valentine's day | Tagged | 1 Comment

valentine beauty picks

January 26, 2016

When it comes to Valentine’s Day I honestly do not expect a gift from my man. He may surprise me with flowers (which I love) or an amazing bottle of champagne (which I love even more) but in general we are not the over the top Valentine gift sort of couple. Probably has a lot to do with the fact that our anniversary is 9 days after Valentine’s…which is when we do it up right with a fabulous night out for 2.

That being said I LOVE to give sweet little surprises to my girlfriends. I don’t do it every year…but sometimes you just see something and think “so and so would love that.” It’s purely a selfish act because there is nothing better than making someone’s day with a tube of lipstick or bottle of nail polish. (And those boys think we are difficult to make happy…..pffffff)

Cosmetics are almost always a no fail gift option for girls. The companies know this too because they’ve got them all packaged up like a box of Valentine’s chocolates. Here are some of my favorite beauty products to surprise your best gal pal with:

2016 Valentine Beauty Gifts1Forever 21 heart eyelash curler/2Too Faced chocolate bon bons palette/3Sephora heart-to-heart makeup sponges/4Marc Jacobs enamored hi-shine nail polish in hot pink/5Fresh sugar tinted lip treatment SPF15/6Everlasting Locks style saving shower cap/7Too Faced love flush long-lasting 16 hour blush

Which one would you love to give? (Or get…I’m really digging that shower cap!)

xo,

brandyjsig

Posted in beauty, give a gift, holidays, makeup, product love, valentine's day | Tagged | Leave a comment