Food: Fig and Prosciutto Pizzas

This weekend I wandered into Whole Foods after my Sunday morning swim, just for some parsley as part of Sunday night's dinner.  And the first thing I saw when I walked into the store was a beautiful display of figs, on sale for 2 for $6.  I have had figs exactly twice in my entire life -- literally.  Once at a wedding and once when I was out to dinner with friends (and it was a fig spread for bread).  It was very coincidental that the figs would be front and center, because on Friday, I had saved the name of a fig dish: Fig and prosciutto pizzas with brie and thyme.

So after some waffling, I went back and picked up a small basket of figs (I think these are black figs, but I don't know).

I settled on figs with prosciutto and mozzarella, plus some thyme.  Instead of laboring with pizza dough, I used some pre-made flatbreads that we already had at home.  They are some "artisanal" cracker-like things that we used to spread cheese dip on, and I figured they'd be a decent substitute.

So it was crackers/flatbread + sliced figs + mozzarella + prosciutto + thyme.  So good!

Oh, and I burnt the first batch, too - whoops!

Fig & Prosciutto "Pizzas"

3 pre-made flatbreads/crackers

1 tbsp olive oil

4 figs

3/4 cup mozzarella cheese

3 slices prosciutto

Fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 450 F degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and place flatbreads on it.  Brush each flatbread with 1 teaspoon of olive oil.  Slice figs and distribute evenly over flatbreads.  Sprinkle cheese on flatbreads.  Rip up prosciutto into rough pieces and place on top of cheese.  Bake in the oven and start checking them around 8 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool for a couple of minutes.  Sprinkle with fresh thyme.

Travel: Hitting Gold!

This e-mail pretty much made my Sunday.  After a year of hanging out in Silver status, I finally hit Gold Medallion status with Delta.  Don't get me wrong - Silver was nice, and when I don't have a travel-for-work job, I am definitely going to hate boarding in Zone 2 (formerly Zone 3) and later - but I have been waiting all year to finally make the jump from Silver to Gold.

Delta awards Silver Medallion when you've flown either 25,000 (qualifying) miles or 30 flight segments, whichever comes first.  Last year, I hit Silver based on segments - I was flying between Ohio, Maryland, and New York very regularly, and I tried to take Delta as often as possible.  This year, I had quite a number of weeks where I didn't travel, but once we moved to the West Coast and I was still travelling back to the East Coast/Midwest, I started accumulating miles like crazy (about 3,000 qualifying miles per flight) and finally hit Gold on miles (50,000).

Now on to Platinum!

OOTD: 22 August 2012

This dress is a number of years old, from the Banana Republic Factory store.  I'm not sure if it's a knock-off of a retail version, or if it was a Factory-only item.  (Sidenote: I've always loved Gap and Banana Republic Factory stores.  I typically find a ton of things there that I love!)  It's a silk dress with the white butterfly pattern at the bottom (as you can see :)), and it has an empire waist with some pleating at the waist.  The top is a V-neck, but I'm wearing a black cami underneath because it's a little too low cut for work for me.

I wish I had taken a picture of the back, which is very pretty.  It zips up to the top of the empire waistband, then is unfastened (but still covers the whole back) and buttons at the neck with two small fabric-covered buttons.  Very pretty!  I haven't worn this dress in a couple of years because the last time I wore it was to my grandmother's funeral. :(  I rediscovered it in my closet and figured it was time to bring it back into rotation.

OOTD: 29 August 2012

I've worn this shirt before with a navy pencil skirt.  Last week I had a couple of other pencil skirt looks, so I paired it with black pants.  It's such a fun shirt - although it is a little short, and I wish it were just a bit longer - and I think it transitions easily from work (depending on where you work) to after work.  I met up with a friend for dinner in the evening and was going to change into something else, but I figured this top was casual enough.

I am not a big risk-taker style-wise, so I thought it was best to wear the top with something basic and neutral, although I am itching to try it with a bright yellow skirt!  You cannot see the shoes, but they are a pair of black pointy toe d'orsay pumps from Anne Klein.  They are very comfortable and the heel high is good (not too high, not too low), and they are my favorite pumps of the moment...until the lifts get smashed in or the toes fall apart.

Food: My favorite chocolate chip cookies

One of my favorite memories is making chocolate chip cookies with my mom.  Growing up, we really only made them for special occasions - mostly the big three holidays (Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas) - and sometimes for bake sales and whatnot at school.  My mom's recipe came from the Betty Crocker cookbook, and used shortening (Crisco) instead of butter, so for most of my life, I only knew shortening-based chocolate chip cookies.  Sometimes I would eat chocolate chip cookies from other kids, and I couldn't figure out what was different (hint: it was the butter!).

A number of years ago, I picked up a Holiday Cookies magazine from Martha Stewart, and inside was my soon-to-be favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.  The magazine had recipes for three types of chocolate chip cookies - cakey, thick and chewy, and thin and crispy.  I can't recall now if I've made all three versions, but the thick and chewy is my favorite, and it's the recipe I always turn to when I make chocolate chip cookies (sorry, Mom!).

So this weekend, I went swimming.  A lot.  I mistakenly thought the pool was closed on Labor Day, so to overcompensate for no swimming on Monday (and I skipped Friday just because I felt like it), I swam 100 laps on Sunday.  That's 3,000 yards if you're keeping track at home.  And I actually swam another 5 laps to make it a full 3 miles + 1 fast lap, which is how I always end a swim.  But 100 laps sounds better.  Around lap 40 or so, I got a craving for chocolate chip cookies.  So after the swim, I hit up the grocery store for all of the necessary ingredients.

Since we moved, our shelves haven't been stocked with many "basics", if you will.  We were trying to keep down the clutter, and in NYC, we didn't really have room for a well-stocked baking pantry.  But here we do!

The "secret" ingredient that really makes these cookies is coarse sea salt.  I don't know what it is, but sometimes when you bite into the cookie, you will get a hint of salt.  Combined with the chewy butter and sugar and then the chocolate - it's so good!  For extra fun, I sprinkled the cookie dough with some granulated sugar before they went into the oven.  I won't even tell you how many I've already had between last night and today. :)

Thick & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tsp coarse sea salt
2 tsps vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups chocolate chips (Martha recommends semi-sweet, milk chocolate, or a mix)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine flour and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.  Cream together the butter and sugars.  Add the salt, vanilla, and eggs.  Stir in the flour mixture.  Add chocolate chips.  Bake for 10-12 minutes per cookie sheet.  Let cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet then move to a wire rack to cool.

Martha says: Cookies can be stored in an airtight container between sheets of parchment for up to one week.  [I say: Or piled lazily in a Ziploc container loosely covered with plastic wrap because they aren't going to last for a week!]

My changes: I add a little more salt and a little more vanilla than the recipe calls for.  I used the Ghirardelli bittersweet (60% cacao) chips this time and they came out great, but I typically use less than the recipe calls for (1 1/2 cup to 1 2/3 cup) because I prefer my cookies with less chocolate chips in them.

OOTD: Yellow and Pink

Here's an outfit from a few weeks ago when I was working in New York.  I picked up this top from J.Crew Factory (online).  I had purchased the non-factory version of the top last year, which was offered in silk and with a navy ground color instead of yellow.  This version is a synthetic (I think polyester), but drapes really nicely and feels nice, and was definitely a bargain.  I paired it with basic black pants but added a metallic pink belt for a little bit of contrast.

...and at some point, this blog will feature more than just my outfits.  Right now, it's just an easy thing to post, and I'm still trying to sort out what gets posted where.

OOTD: Pink & Purple

I'm finally catching up on some older outfits.  This is an outfit from probably some time in July.  I picked up this skirt (J.Crew No. 2 in Marrakech purple) on sale.  I was hoping to get the royal violet color in the cotton, but the Marrakech was cheaper, so I figured I'd just go with it.  The purple is pretty bright, so at first I figured I would pair some boring neutrals with it, but then I discovered this pink sweater packed away in my closet.

This sweater is nine (!!!!) years old and still in like new condition.  Since the skirt and the sweater were both loud and bright, I wore a grey ruffle top (there's that boring neutral!).  The shoes are my favorite nude pumps.  This may have been the week I managed to bring the black pumps, nude pumps, sandals, AND flip-flops with me on the road.

Accessories: Elephant Necklaces

Somehow I have found myself in possession of not one, but two elephant necklaces.  I don't wear a lot of jewelry, especially necklaces (it has to hang just right), but these are super cute.

The first elephant is from J.Crew.  I think it's supposed to look like an ivory elephant, and it's covered in little beads that make it look like it has a big blanket draped over it, while wearing a matching hat.  I expected this necklace to be pretty substantial, but the elephant itself is actually really light.  The beads swish around a bunch when you walk, but not enough to be annoying.

This elephant I actually got for about a third of the price of the J.Crew elephant.  I spotted it in a window of a store in New Orleans, so I dragged my aunt in to take a closer look.  This elephant is flatter than the other elephant, and only has decorations on one side.  It's also a bit heavier as it's all metal, and personally, I think it is cuter, since the elephant has more of a face.

OOTD: April 12, 2012

This is an old outfit (obviously), but this is one of my favorite dresses I own.  I love the floral pattern, the sheer fabric, the flowy/blousey silhouette, and the open neckline.  It has a black slip underneath so I can just throw it on and go.  I usually wear leggings with it as it's a little short for my tastes, and on this particular day, I paired it with my motorcycle boots from J.Crew...and I almost felt stylish!

OOTD: 11 July 12 - Big Green Dots

One of my worst behaviors when it comes to clothes is buying multiples.  I'm basically a hoarder, and if I get something that I like - whether it's the pattern, fit, cut, etc. - I can usually be tempted to buy one in every color.  Or just two of the same exact thing (thought process: it'll be good to have a backup in case something happens to this one, plus I can probably get it on sale).  Other people do this too, right?

So I found this blouse at Nordstrom Rack.  I bought it in Massachusetts in the middle of June but also saw it three weeks later in Seattle.  I actually first tried it on in a pretty dark teal with white dots colorway, and loved the blouse so much that I bought it in all four colorways.  It's flowy and somewhat sheer (I'm wearing a black cami underneath), plus I love the bow and the sleeves.

The shoes are my favorite nude pumps, by Franco Sarto.  I don't wear them often (work travel doesn't always allow for full options for a week of outfits) - but I think they are a great staple piece.

OOTD: 10 July 12, Trina Turk for Banana Republic

I found out about the Trina Turk for Banana Republic collection through Pinterest. I initially thought I would like that pink and orange dress (I didn't. It was totally feh.) but I was good and did not take the Gilt "preview" sale bait, as I got sucked into that before and then ended up with things I couldn't return and had little resale value. sadface

So I picked up the turquoise blouse, which I guess sold out pretty quickly, and then I was on the fence about the patterns. I typically do polka dots and stripes but I really liked the colors. Luckily, the collection had plenty of availability in-store so I was able to get the blouse without the eBay price gouging!

I wore it with basic black pants and my elephant pendant for work, but it also worked nicely with some dressier jeans.

OOTD: 9 July 12

Wow, it's been awhile! I know I should apologize profusely (Female Blogger Rule #7357), but I won't because I'm not sorry. And I'm not sorry because a) there's like, one person reading this and b) I'm not sorry. Not blogging means I had other things taking up my time. And that's ok.

So on to the outfit! Monday is travel day, which means a Sunday redeye, which means travelling in comfortable clothes and then changing in the airport bathroom. Sad that I consider myself "good" at changing from a leggings & soft knits outfit into a business casual outfit in the airport bathroom. It's a skill, people.

Standard black pants from Express, my favorite work pants of all time, even if this week I had to pack my fat ones because I stopped exercising and kept eating! I like to eat. Then for the top I needed something that wouldn't get super creased (dress shirt) or wrinkly (pretty much any lightweight top) so this "luxe" knit stripe cami, also from Express. This cami is great (so great that I went and ordered it in all the other colors (which were marked down to $9.99 with 40% off, so major score!), and nice and simple. Black stripes, so I could wear it with any color cardigan. So I picked purple.

There you have it!

OOTD: May 3, 2012

I wore this outfit to training this week. I actually copied this outfit directly from The Limited's website. It's two of my favorite colors and I like the neutral shoe. The dress itself is a nice, soft material that drapes really well and the sweater length is great. I really like the waist details with the band and the drape!

OOTD: April 11, 2012

I wore the Maisie dress from J.Crew while I was in the New York office.  I bought this dress off their website awhile ago because I really like the flowy material and silhouette, but when it arrived and I finally got to try it on, I thought the fit was a little off, but I couldn't figure out what it was - but now I think I have!  Maybe it's just me, but I think the dress makes me look a little top-heavy.  I don't mind too much, as the pattern is very pretty and I like the length - I felt nice in it all day, and that's really what matters (to me).  I tried it with a belt this time I wore it, but I'll probably try it without a belt next time.

OOTD: April 8, 2012

Here's what I wore on Easter Sunday.  I had actually packed this as a potential outfit for the office, but once I put it on, I felt that it was a little too short, and I don't do leggings at the non-New York office (just a little too casual), so I saved the out for Easter.  The dress and leggings are both black and the flats are the purple striped ones that I've worn before.  I got the dress from Express and I love it - it's so comfortable and I like the neckline and sleeves.

And just because it was cooperating and I blow dry it about three times a year, here's a picture of what my hair looks like when it's not up in a ponytail or a bun.  I'm at that critical stage where I can't decide if I want to chop it all off or let it keep growing for awhile...

OOTD: March 27, 2012

This is another outfit from the week with no good mirrors. I actually gave up after this, despite being there for another day and then back the next week. It's the same black blazer as the day before (my favorite black suit blazer!) but with a pencil skirt instead. I finally gave the Laporte drape top from J.Crew a try. I really like this top but the "sash" part that makes up the drape is a bit weird. When I was sitting down, it hung oddly and you could see the inside of it. I wasn't completely sold on it and then I spilled Cup Noodle broth on it too, so that was awesome!

OOTD: March 26, 2012

I was trying a new hotel the week I took this picture and there was no full-length mirror in my room or the hall! (At least not one that I could find.) This means only half of the OOTD, boo hoo. This was a top I got from Express years ago and I love the bright blues and greens in it. I wore it with my favorite black suit.

Root Beer: Frost Top

I love root beer.  It's my go-to drink for parties and eating out.  I especially love craft root beer, although I can always go for a Barq's (it has bite...).

This morning while I was buying breakfast in the cafeteria, I noticed this root beer in the cooler.  They used to sell IBC, which is also pretty good, but I guess they are stocking this brand now.  I will report back on my root beer findings!

OOTD: March 22, 2012

I was back in the design offices on this day, which means back in the city, so something that works with ballet flats. I had some pants hemmed to wear with flats but they were a little too short and I feel goofy in them.

This is a dress I from Anthropolgie that I splurged on years ago with some Christmas money. It is very floaty and fit the warm weather very nicely. I paired it with a purple shrug thingy because it matches my shoes better!

Introduction: or, how to be a female blogger

I'm fascinated by the subculture of female bloggers.  And when I sat down and created this blog, I had to carefully cull my female blogger persona.  And the more I thought about it, the more I realized that -- hey! someone should write a guide to how to introduce yourself as a female blogger.

Step 1
Start with a snappy little intro that is full of cliche phrases that no one uses in the real world.  Make sure you include poetic sentence phrasing, talk in the third person, write in fragments, and use lots of periods.  It's extra helpful if you pick things about you that are really random, make you look well-rounded, but really don't say much about you as a person -- remember, you only get one shot at a first impression.

Almost 30-something consultant navigating life and love with two Europeans (a Polish boyfriend and a German dog) in the big city.  Forever a New England girl and an unabashed suburbanite at heart.  Loves Transformers.  Obsessed with Petyon Manning.  Hates mayonnaise on burgers.  Can watch The Lord of the Rings trilogy in one sitting.

+5 for mentioning the South.
+10 for alluding to being better than everyone else because of your location, upbringing, or faith.
+15 for mentioning Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ
+50 for the trifecta

Step 2
Once you've nailed your introduction, you next have to figure out something that you're good (or "good") at. This might be easy for you (I have major issues and think I'm "just ok" at everything), but if you want to be a really successful female blogger, you'll have to think of something that you're not just good at, but something you can be insufferable about -- whether you're good at it or not.  Make sure it's something you're comfortable mentioning a LOT, preferably almost every post.  Here's some examples:

• Running
• Baking cupcakes
• Eating carbs
• Being a pretentious ass
• Knowing a dead language

+10 if it's not an actual skill

+15 if it's "being pregnant" or "giving birth"

+20 if it's "Watching shit TV"

+50 if your dead language is Middle English and you like to recite Chaucer

Step 3
After you have picked your "something good", you next have to pick an accomplishment (related or not) that you are going to lord over everyone, all the time.  It should be something that you can find a way to drop into any conversation, no matter how much of a stretch.

• Appeared on the game show Jeopardy! (adult version)
• Scored an 800 on my verbal SAT
• Ran the Boston Marathon
• Lost 50 pounds
• Read a book
• Went undefeated in my final year of competitive policy debate

+10 if it's completely meaningless past the age of 21

+25 if it's "Gave birth"
+100 if it's "Threw flour on Kim Kardashian"

Step 4

Once you've figured out what you're going to enrage entertain people with, next you have to figure out the things you're going to complain about.  This will give other females something that they can relate to and will hopefully bring them back to see what new and witty thoughts you have to offer on the mundane.  It shouldn't be anything too grand or controversial -- make it as inconsequential as possible so that you can really make a big deal about nothing.  Such as:

• People who chew with their mouths open
• People who say they have OCD when they don't
• Toms shoes
• Your job that really isn't so bad
• "Anonymous" people in your life that no one reading your blog actually knows

+10 if it's "Your job, which is being a stay at home mom"

+50 if it's another blogger

+80 if it's "National Geographic's programming sucks"

Step 5

The penultimate step to becoming a female blogger is one of the most critical.  No matter how much you entertain or annoy, you must have an ace up your sleeve in the form of sympathy.  Think long and hard about this one, because it's something you'll have to mention fairly often to your readers so that they constantly feel sorry for you -- this in turn gives you the freedom to be as ridiculous as you want.  And as a female blogger, would you want to be anything less than ridiculous?

+50 if it's fairly rare

+500 if it's something that's generally considered taboo by mainstream society

+1,000 if it's complete bullshit and you just made it up for points

Step 6

Lastly, you must have a DSLR (whether you can actually use it is irrelevant).  Point-and-shoots need not apply.

OOTD: March 21, 2012

This is my last travel outfit from last week (aka almost caught up (aka time to fall behind again)). Again, suit separates are the best to travel with. These are the same pants from Monday, but I just ditched the jacket once I got to the office, and likely no one noticed. I've had this top for awhile but it is very sheer and a white cami didn't look right underneath, thus began the great lavender cami hunt. I ordered one from The Limited and when it showed up, it was more of a cornflower blue, but I finally found this one from Express.

OOTD: March 20, 2012

I saw this top at Express awhile back and loved the way it was styled in store, and I (stupidly) didn't pick it up while they had a huge sale (plus I had coupons!). I love the bright pink and thought it would go well with the navy pencil skirt, which was an added bonus because it was a matching separate to the suit I wore on Monday.

I also really like these shoes. They are a lower heel than I normally wear (usually wear 4" heels), and I love the little buckle detail and contrasting trim. This is one of my favorite outfits in a long time and I was so excited to wear it!

OOTD: March 19, 2012

Monday was a travel day, which means I put a little extra thought into my outfits, keeping in mind that I'll be sitting around an airport and then on a plane. I like to travel with suits because it cuts back on the amount of clothes I have to bring, but I always think I look odd in a suit jacket (probably because I don't wear them all the time).

This is a navy suit from The Limited. I wear the Lexie pants and I really like the way they fit. The top is hard to see but is a lace tank in pink.

OOTD: March 18, 2012

We went to brunch at my favorite restaurant, Ditch Plains, on Sunday. Our friend came up to meet us and it was a really nice day, so I decided to wear something a little nicer than jeans and a hoodie. This dress is from Express, and I really like the print. It is pretty thin and clingy so I would not wear it without leggings or tights, but that's just me.

OOTD: March 15, 2012

Three days in a row in the office! Except this day I was in the design-heavy office so the dress code is a little more lax, but I feel more pressure to be stylish. I don't have many opportunities to wear this tee as I always worry about ruining the zebra and it is too different to wear all the time, do I was glad I was able to work it into this outfit!

OOTD: March 14, 2012

I got this J.Crew polka dot blouse awhile ago but always struggled with how to wear it, given that black pants are my work staple and the age-old fashion rules say no navy blue with black. But I figured who cares and I just wore it with my black pants anyway. :)

OOTD: March 13, 2012

Travelling for work again means that I have to start putting together professional(ish) looking outfits again. My favorite PINK sweatpants and sweatshirts aren't going to cut it anymore, and I'm not really supposed to wear jeans on the road.

So here was Tuesday's outfit! I ordered the top and cardigan from The Limited after I saw it styled on their site. I really like the green and blue together and figured it was a nice change of pace from black.

Dinner: chicken, bacon, and ranch tacos

We made tacos for dinner again the other night (we have an enormous bag of fresh corn tortillas to use up), but used chicken instead of steak. I also cooked up some bacon and put a little ranch dressing on my tacos as well. I had this combination at Chili's once - it is pretty good!

Still topped them off with the "pickled" onions, cheddar cheese, and cilantro. Yum!

OOTD: 2 March 2012

Wore this outfit to the office today. The forecast called for rain later in the day so I stuck to flats that could get wet, and I almost always try to wear jeans on Fridays. These are the J.Crew high heel flares (that I had hemmed) and they are a great Friday or slightly more dressy jean, in my opinion. The red sweater is a little short to wear with a high waisted jean like these (at least for me), so I wore a long tank underneath. These flats are some of my favorites - sparkly gold! They are a great basic that I can wear with pretty much anything.

Dinner: tacos! (with "pickled" onions)

Dinner tonight was tacos with "pickled" onions. Not sure if that's the right word (were they ceviched?), but they were tasty! This was just a make-as-you-go recipe, so here's my stab at a recipe.

Slice medium/large red onion in thin slices. Sprinkle with salt and put in a bowl. Juice two limes over the onion slices and stir to combine. Let sit for an hour or so.

Put about a pound of steak in the freezer for half hour.

Cook corn tortillas wrapped in foil in oven at 425 degrees, for about 15 minutes.

After steak is firm, slice it into small cubes. Sprinkle with seasoning (any) and cook over medium high with a little bit of olive oil. Once there is a lot of liquid in the pan (might have to do with cut of meat - I just bought cheapie chuck steaks), add about half a jar of salsa and cook over medium heat until sauce is thickened and has reduced.

Serve tacos (tortillas+steak+onions) with cheese and lots of cilantro. These were very tasty! We will definitely have them again.

Shamrock Shake time!

We treated ourselves to McDonald's tonight, which can only mean we must feel gross now. As MK said, you're not doing McDonald's right if you don't feel gross after.

I tried the new McBites tonight - not really a fan. Shamrock Shake though? Always a fan! Even if it does have a disgusting number of calories.

OOTD: February 22, 2012

It has been awhile since I took a picture of my outfit in a mirror but I figured I would go back to my "fashion blogger" (aka "too much shopping blogger") roots and try it again.

So here is today's outfit. The top has a cute pink dot pattern on it but is a little loose so may be going in the donate pile!

Lying low

Tonight I am just relaxing, trying to keep my puppy as comfortable as possible. He's having some health issues (pretty sure they are back-related), and it has been a pretty stressful week for us. We are going to the vet tomorrow though, so hopefully he will be on the mend soon.

Spring Vegetable Pasta

I made a delicious pasta dish from America's Test Kitchen tonight, swapping out the leeks for a regular onion, mainly because I didn't feel like going to the store to get leeks. :)

ATK's recipes are typically fairly involved, especially when it comes to the number of dishes/kitchen tools involved, and this one was no exception. I managed to use just one pan, but the sink is still full of dishes.

Definitely worth it though!