Fashion for under $100

So I was in Forever 21 yesterday because my friends always seem to find something there. Unfortunately these days I only buy for the things I really NEED so I was just browsing. What caught my eye was all the plaid shirts in their display. I watched the whole season (pretty much) of Tori and Dean, which I love - my mother would cringe as she hated when I watched 90210 because she said that Tori aka Donna was such a bad actress. Anywho, Tori was wearing a blue and black plaid shirt on the show and it was UBER cute! They had lots of these in the store. SO, I went online and tried to find a pic of it for you all to see, I found similar ones but in my search also found this completely fabulous website called Fashion Under $100! This girl takes all the hollywood looks that we see in US Magazine, etc, and finds them for us, and not only that, for under $100!! Shazam!

Swooz-me!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE stocking up on presents and let me just tell you.. you have GOT to check out Swoozie's! Website or store it looks like they have some mighty good sale items. And my favorite is the painted wine glasses. I mean, a gift for a girlfriend, a mom, or what not... every WOMAN loves this gift (AND LOVES WINE)! And as a matter of fact, I am drinking some wine out of my monogrammed "e" glass from Swoozie's now - go figure! ;)

Can I Just Say...

.....That I am reading three, yes, 3, books at ONE TIME! LOL. I know it seems silly but they are all packed with facts so I spend about 20 minutes on each so that I don't start rereading paragraphs lol... !

Book 1- NASCAR for Dummies - HA! I know. But with this new job, I have to get down with the NASCAR lingo because that's just something I wouldn't raise my hand on in a meeting. SO, with that said. Here I am reading the Dummies book which actually, is very helpful (although a little outdated, copyright of 2005, so Dave fills me on the not accurate parts lol).

Book 2- An Idiot's Guide to Ebay, why? Well because that's part of my job! I have purchased from Ebay, probably a good 10 items. I also have sold items on there too. But I fear that there are little tid bits that I don't know that aren't self explanatory...that in the end, I MIGHT need to KNOW! Plus, it would be great to be a whiz at Ebay. And tonight I learned that Ebay owns PayPal - who knew?! So. reading that.

And lastly, Book 3- a personal pick which I highly recommend reading - Skinny Bitch. Yes, I'm talking about YOU...! ;) Now, I started reading this a loooong time ago but never finished it. It will definitely make you think before you eat. Let's just say that Tofu is going to start sounding really good. The two authors are, skinny bitches - thanks to their research on where food comes from and the health negatives..and even a few positives of it all. It's short, give it a whirl, you might lose 10 pounds with the first 10 pages. Hey, it could happen!

Whoa Mama!

Meg at Whatever was asking her readers about this Hot Mama with great legs she had seen on a photographer's site and I clicked on the link because I too was curious about all the fuss... well, THIS my friends is definitely something to aspire too! I pray I look this good when I'm a mom!

NINE

So here I was watching the Barefoot Contessa make some breakfast and lunch for her friends who were putting the finishing touches on their movie and I think to myself, hmm, wonder if I could google it to see who these friends are... yep, I'm nosey.. and be happy that I am because I found the trailer! It's a musical much like Chicago because the director she was with IS the director for Chicago lol. Small world out there in the Hamptons, isn't it? $ $ $

Anyway, here's the link to the trailer I found online for NINE, note the BIG stars (Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman, Kate Hudson,Judi Dench, Sophia Loren)! The story line is great - it's about a man (daniel day lewis) and his women troubles, trouble is, he has too many. Even Fergie is in it... I suppose she is the Queen Latifa to this this new movie of his! Sadly though, she plays a whore from his childhood, yowch! lol

Take-In

So I always try to eat healthy and keep our dinners at home under 400 calories. So this weekend I searched the internet and found some good beefy options for the week! I made this last night and it was really tasty! I felt terrible eating it though because it looked like something I ordered from a chinese restaurant. But nope, it was made by me! I doubled the garlic and ginger. You can never have too much flavor! Be careful with your salt, you can always add more in the end. The red pepper flakes and seseme oil are definite MUST DO's before serving. And the best part of it all, the portion sizes are super huge, this is half of mine! Another tip is to buy presliced mushrooms, cut broccoli (frozen or not) and prechopped onion - saves LOADS of time!

This comes from Shape Magazine, 311 calories, 11g fat

Stir-Fried Ginger Beef with Broccoli and Mushrooms

2 tablespoons peanut oil or canola oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger, divided Salt to taste 2 teaspoons minced or crushed garlic About a dozen medium mushrooms, sliced 1 medium bunch broccoli, coarsely chopped (peel and include as much of the stalks as feasible) ¾ pound sirloin steak or flank steak, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 2 cups cooked white rice Dark sesame oil, drizzled to taste Chili flakes to taste

Directions

Place a wok or large, deep skillet over medium heat and wait about a minute. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Turn the heat to high, add the onion and half the ginger, and stir-fry for about a minute. Sprinkle lightly with salt, if using.
• Add 1 teaspoon of the garlic and all of the mushrooms, and salt lightly (if using). Stir-fry for about 2 minutes, or until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms soften.

• Keeping the heat high, toss in the broccoli, salt lightly again, and stir-fry for about 3 minutes, or until the broccoli is bright green, but still crisp. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl, and return the wok or skillet to the stove over high heat.

• Wait about 30 seconds, then add the other tablespoon oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the strips of beef and the remaining ginger, salting lightly. Stir-fry for just 1 to 2 minutes for medium. During the last 20 seconds or so of cooking, sprinkle in the remaining teaspoon of garlic and the balsamic vinegar, then add the vegetables back in, stirring to combine. Remove from heat, and serve right away, over rice. Pass a bottle of dark sesame oil and a container of chili flakes at the table to sprinkle over the top of each serving.

Raisins... sad day.

I love raisins. I have all my life. I think I get it from my dad because not only does he love raisins but he loves them chocolate covered, yogurt covered or in an oatmeal cookie - and so do I!

But here's the thing, I had some raisins tonight after dinner and realized that, raisins are deceivingly high in calories. I almost cried. I mean, they make me want to get one of those 100 calorie dessert packs instead (and I swore off buying those because I think they're 1. a big waste of money on something that you can put together yourself at home AND 2. that they are extremely addictive).

So here I am facing the facts that the raisins aren't actually a fabulous snack after all. There are 130 calories in a 1/4 of a cup which seems like an awful lot of calories for such a tiny amount of raisins. Then there are 26g of sugar. Oh boy, here comes the cellulite!

But on the upside, it's safe to say that there's is no saturated fat, trans fat, or cholesterol and only a small minimal amount of sodium. On the up side they do have 2g of fiber and 310g of potassium!

So, coming from the girl who would buy raisin bran in college, just for the pure fun to pick all the deliciously sugar coated raisins out of the box - this is an extreme disappointment!

Lions and Tigers and Jellyfish, Oh My!

Dave found this on CNN.com the other night. Is that not the most frightening thing you've ever seen??! Apparently the Japanese fishermen are having trouble with these jellies because they are getting stuck in their nets. So far they haven't mentioned them stinging anyone though. A jellyfish this size can weigh over 450 pounds!

Shrimp and Orzo Salad with Greek Flavors

• Basically, when I think about what to make for dinner during the week, I always think about what I have in the cabinets/fridge first. And then I look up recipes incorporating the things that I want to use up in the kitchen. This was DELISH however, after refrigerated over night and having as left overs the next day - it was dry. So probably not the best dish to have the day after but with a little extra of the dressing, it's moist again! This dish can also be used at a pot luck or BBQ as a "pasta salad".
• 
  
• Ingredients:
• 1/2 pound(s) orzo (about 1 cup)
• 1 pound(s) large shrimp, shelled and halved lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon(s) lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon(s) red- or white-wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) fresh-ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/3 cup(s) olive oil
• 4 scallions including green tops, chopped
• 1/2 cup(s) pitted and chopped black olives, such as Kalamata
• 1/4 pound(s) feta, crumbled

---

Directions

1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the orzo until almost done, about 10 minutes. Add the shrimp to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until both the shrimp and orzo are done, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Drain thoroughly.
2. In a large glass or stainless-steel bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, salt, pepper and oregano; add the oil slowly, whisking.
3. Add the orzo and shrimp, the scallions, olives and feta to the dressing and toss. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I.C. London

I.C. London is having their annual summer sale. 30% off certain lingerie items. And I actually found it reasonably sensitive to shoppers that they marked down their Huit items by 50%....!!! Which means they are the price of a Victoria Secret Bra and panty! Amazing... especially when you salivated over Huit over the past couple of years but never have been able to actually afford it. Sad, but true. Oh and don't think I took advantage of this sale, I saved it for you :)

Giada's Lemon Ricotta Cookies

Sounds disgusting, right? Wrong! They're actually very good and cake-like in texture. The only problem that I had with them is that they were not nearly as pretty as I though they would be! Booo. I ended up throwing most of them out because they weren't nearly as fun as her ice cream sandwich cookies that I made. I think that if i had molded them more so they'd all be the shape of a small tea cookie - it may have made them more appealing. Also, candied lemons/lemon rind might add some interest to them as well. I did give one as a gift and took a picture of the wrapping, I thought it made for a cute gift. Perhaps it would be a good guest gift at a summer shower themed in yellow.

Lemon Ricotta Cookies

To make Cookies:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 lemon, zested

To make Glaze:

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 lemon, zested

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cookies:In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Glaze: Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours. Pack the cookies into a decorative container.

Left-over Salmon?

No problem!!

I'm not so fond of eating salmon the day after. However, I have solved that problem! I googled salmon recipes and this Salmon Salad included everything that I already had in my pantry (I don't really have a pantry because my kitchen is so dang small but I just wanted to use the word) We tried out these new Arnold Thins but honestly, it still was a lot of bread! I think next time we will do no bread, a Wrap, or just one piece under the salad.

Leftover Salmon Salad with Yogurt and Dill
(Makes 1 full-meal salad or 2 side dish salads, recipe can be doubled or quadrupled if you have enough salmon. Recipe created by Kalyn, with the inspiring recipes featured below.)

6-8 oz. leftover cooked salmon (you could also use one can of salmon, although of course fresh cooked salmon is best)
1 cup celery, cut into teeny pieces
1/4 cup sliced green onion
2 T chopped fresh dill or 1 tsp of dried because who really can ever find fresh dill at the store, especially when you shop at Wal-Mart???

Dressing:
2 T fat free Greek yogurt (I used Fage Total 0% Greek Yogurt) (I used Fat Free generic brand, nope not even Greek, turned out great!)
2 T light mayo (do not use fat free)
2-3 tsp. fresh lemon juice (I used 3 tsp., but I like sour flavors)
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1/2 tsp. salt

Gently break apart cooked salmon filet with a fork and place in plastic or glass bowl. Add sliced celery, sliced green onions, and finely chopped dill and gently combine.

Mix together dressing ingredients in smaller bowl, then gently fold into salad, being careful not to over-mix. Salad should be chunky. Chill 30 minutes or up to a few hours. Serve slightly cold. This would probably keep overnight in the fridge, but it won't last that long.

I GOT A JOB!!

I am so proud to say that as of Monday I will be an employee of the Dale Jr. Foundation! I am thrilled at the opportunity to work for a charitable cause! Check out the website! http://www.thedalejrfoundation.org/

The sweetest wedding ever

I saw this months and months ago. They really put a lot of thought into this. They saved money and everything was so pretty and well planned. Take a look!

woohoo!

big news to come this week, stay tuned! ;)

St. John Must Do #10 - Last one!!

And lastly... Go Snorkeling!!!! We snorkeled at Trunk bay, we beached it on the beach there and swam around that little island that you see in the first picture. We also snorkeled at Watermelon Cay which is the island in the darker looking water in the second picture - the water was really clear however it was a cocktail swim so it was later in the evening when we went, which made shadows over the water.

It was my first time snorkeling since I was 13 so I was a little more cautious than I was back then. I totally recommend it though! It's a great workout and there were so many amazing things to see! Dave said my eyes were the size of saucers! I was just taking it all in, ha! We saw tons of tropical fish. We saw a sea turtle that was very interested in us. We saw sting ray and a HUGE and I mean HUUUUGE spotted ray! It was SO big that it had a stinger that was about 12 feet long and an actual mouth that we could see! Unbelievable. We also were swarmed by schools of teeny tiny fish. It all really reminded me of Finding Nemo and I just cannot wait to see that movie again because I saw so many of its characters!

St. John Must Do #9

Eat at Skinny Legs! They have great burgers, salads and prices! They also have a Ky Derby party every year from what we found! They are located in Coral Bay and sell really cute t-shirts - you MUST get one of these ;)

The ingredients are from a hot sauce we had there. We got our burger with pepper jack cheese and topped it with this hot sauce (i LOVE spicey foods)! It was so yummy and I was delighted to find that the ingredients were pretty realistic for me to replicate at home!

Beach Entertainment

Sometimes there are those kids that could care less about the water and are just in it for the sand. This little guy, who Dave nicknamed Chubbers as he was a lil chunky with a cute round pot belly, was next to us at the beach at Trunk Bay with his family. He was adorable and about 6 years old. Anyway, he worked really hard on this hole and kept showering himself with sand. Like he would dig the whole and then take the sand and pour it all over himself- hair, armpits, everything! Makes you cringe doesn't it??? So after telling a friend about this last night, I had to share the picture while still talking about St. John on here. And this kid, had us staying at the beach 45 minutes longer than we had originally planned, which was great! Look for entertainment already provided when you're at the beach, it's the best!

St. John Must do #8

Play Taboo! If you really wanna have a good time - anywhere - play Taboo!! It's so fun and we got so many laughs!

St. John Must Do #7

Rent one of these fantastic vacation homes with your friends or your family! You can't beat it!

We stayed at Ixora but if you have a bigger party, you could rent Chateau Margot instead... the houses are right up the street from one another. So, rent one or the other OR maybe just bring BOTH family AND friends and rent both! :)

St. John must do #6

Go to Caneel Bay restort! They have a great public beach and the resort has some furry animals that like to lay out on the beach, they're called - donkeys! Ha! We spent a whole day on the beach and really enjoyed ourselves. They have a great bar as well which is never a bad thing.. and nice restrooms too! Ha!

Can't go wrong with 'white trash'

Want an addictive snack? The perfect little gift for everrry holiday? Give a lil white trash!!

Here's how to make it!

Combine the below in a BIG bowl -

3 cups of Corn Chex cereal

3 cups of plain cheerios

2 cups of mini pretzels

In the microwave, heat below for 25 seconds at a time, stirring in between -

2 bags white chocolate

Stir into chocolate, it makes it spread easier -

1 T vegetable oil

Spray large spoon with-

non-stick spray

Pour white chocolate mixture over cereal mixture. Stir with sprayed spoon. Wait a minute before adding M&M's so that they do not melt with the heat of the white chocolate.

Pour 'white trash' out onto wax paper sheets onto a counter or table for cooling. Spread it out with sprayed spoon into one flat layer. Give it about 5 hours or over night to dry. Put in bag and keep in cool spot. This stuff goes fast!

To change up the recipe, add dry roasted peanuts!

Also, a healthier version of this that I enjoy is with dried cranberries, raisins and corn flakes. It's delish!

Please Retire, Regis

I am watching Regis and Kelly this morning and Regis has just turned into a grumpy old man... he's mean and forgetful... and thank goodness he's got Kelly to cover up for his mistakes! He doesn't often smile but I suppose that he is still quit witted and he has that Regis loudness quality, you know, when he is protesting something or trying to make a joke? Yup, that one. Anyway, can we please get someone new? I think Kelly is established enough to handle the show with a new host (perhaps younger and sexier????) OR, she can take the perfect scenario that I have thought up for her where she goes to the Today show and Meredith gets the boot. This way, the Today show gets that fun quality back in it that Katie had brought to the show!

Julie & Julia

So tonight I went with the girls to see a sneak preview of the new movie Julie & Julia which is about two women, Julie Powell and Julia Child, two separate lives in two different times. Meryl Streep plays Julia Child, well known cook and Amy Adams played Julie who wrote a book on her experience cooking 534 of Julia's recipes in 1 year.

Dave knew I wanted to go to this movie so badly, so I was thrilled to go to the sneak showing as the actual film doesn't come out until August 7th. I wanted to see it primarily because of how it relates to my own life: I blog. I cook. However, even not blogging or cooking, you could thoroughly enjoy this movie because 1. it's two true stories and 2. it's inspirational and 3. you get to see a lot of mouth watering food, quite similar to the Food Network!

I saw 'The Proposal' last week and it was "eh, Okay" but this, THIS WAS a lot better! I laughed through the whole thing because both Meryl and Amy had their funny moments playing the J's! Meryl did such a great job as Julia. She had the voice down, her love of food and Julia's care free attitude. Amy made me laugh as she was blogging because I think similar things - like, who is even reading this? lol.

I think that now I will have to read the book for the pure reason that I know I will enjoy it after seeing the movie AND the cover features a "whisky" (the chick) and I use my lil whisky nightly when doing dressings for our dinner salads! It's in the top 3 of my most frequently used/can't live without, cooking tools!