broken budget & collapsed closet

I believe there is a cause and effect to everything. In this case, the cause was May's broken clothing budget and the effect was the total collapse of my closet. The month of May was a rough one with sales left and right, the sun teasing me with the desire for new Spring clothes and a string of "required shopping" for birthdays and mother's day. Ultimately it took a toll on my weak willpower- and I cracked. Once I fell off track, it was a downhill road to the collapse of my closet.

Here is a glimpse of what broken budget looks like:

1. Marc by Marc Jacobs Francesca
2. Forever 21 Tank
3. Banana Republic Long Sleeve Ruffled Collard Shirt
4. Forever 21 Lace Racer Back Tank & Lily White Printed Top
5. Banana Republic Army Green Knee Length Skirt & Forever 21 Pleated Mini
6. Mimi Chica Ruffle Bottom Dress & Mimi Chica Exposed Zipper Romper

a little motivation

I signed up for my first half marathon this year (June 25, 2011 to be exact) and I must admit the training has been a process. Mustering up the motivation to go for a long run when the weather is telling you to stay indoors has been the most difficult for me. So in an effort to keep things sunny and energetic, I've added a few things to my life & wardrobe that give me that extra boost and get me on the running path.

1. Beats by Dre
2. Nike Running Pants & Capris
3. Nike Dry Fit Running Tees
4. Nike Lunar Glide Running Shoes
5. Various Nike Tanks & Long Sleeves
6. Nixon Yellow Watch

tomato chicken chow mein

This dish may not sound very Chinese, but growing up my Mom made it rather regularly as it was one of my favorites. There are several variations you can make, subbing out the chicken for beef or even swapping potatoes in place of the noodles & serve over rice. I know potatoes, tomatoes, beef and rice, may sound like an odd combination, but trust me it's delicious :) Either way you make it, it's a crowd favorite.
 

Tomato Chicken Chow Mein

2 chicken breasts, cut into bit sized pieces

1 scallion, thinly sliced on a bias (for garnish)

Half a medium sized onion, cut into bit sized pieces

4 roma tomatoes, sliced into large chunks

1 lb chow mein noodles, rinsed

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 slice of fresh ginger

Chicken Marinade:

1 tea curry powder

1 tea garlic powder

1 TB corn starch

1 TB oyster sauce

1 tea sesame oil

1 tea pepper

Sauce:

1 TB oyster sauce

1 TB tomato paste

¼ c ketchup

1 c chicken stock mixed

1 TB corn starch

1 TB soy sauce

1 TB ground pepper

1 tea salt

1 tea sesame oil

1. Marinate chicken while you prep other ingredients
2. Place wok on medium high heat. When hot, add the oil
3. Rinse the chow mein noodles then fry in two batches, approximately 3-4 mins per aside until golden/lightly toasted. Remove from heat and place in serving dish.
4. Add another tablespoon of oil to the wok then add onions, garlic and ginger. Stir fry for about one min.
5. Add chicken, push around wok to form approximately one layer. Leave it alone for 3 mins until chicken is well browned. Then, give it a stir, and continue to cook for another 3 mins until chicken is almost cooked through.
6. Mix corn starch and chicken stock together and add to the wok.
7. Add ketchup and tomato paste, oyster sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil and stir.
8. Bring to a light simmer, and then add tomatoes.
9. Add salt and pepper then season to your liking. 
10. Pour mixture over crisp noodles and garnish with green onions.  

below deck

I love nail polish! There are very few times you'll catch me with naked nails and over the years my collection has grown to well into the double digits. My go to colors include shades of pink and purple, with the occasional festive red or gold. However this color, Below Deck by China Glaze, is a grey-lavender and I'm in love with it. It reminds me a bit of the OPI's You Don't Know Jacques, but warmer and pulling a little more purple. The creaminess and saturation of this color really add to the richness and appeal. And it's a great color that can be a statement without looking too playful.

The picture above features my favorite products from right to left: Seche Base Ridge Filler, Sephora by OPI Quick Dry Spray, China Glaze Below Deck & Seche Vite Top Coat. This is my "dream team" for every application. The Seche Base really does fill the ridges and create a smooth canvas for the color. The Seche Vite top coat dries quickly and can be used alone as a great top coat. But I like topping it off with the OPI Quick Dry Spray because this product really does dry in 45 seconds (or less) and sets all the layers below, ensuring that I don't have to worry about getting those horrible lines or "wrinkles" in my polish.

thai turkey burger

This is a very flavorful turkey burger perfect for spring or summer nights. It would be great on the grill, or if the weather's not cooperating (like it was when I made mine) you can use a cast iron skillet like I did, but either would work just fine. It's light yet satisfying all at the same time. In keeping it healthy I served it up on whole wheat buns and a side of sweet potato fries. From this recipe (from Week of Menus), I got four good sized thick burgers, but you could easily make thinner burgers and get six patties. Recipe as follows, enjoy!

1 cup of carrots (about 2 carrots), shredded
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup of cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup basil, chopped
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped ginger
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 beaten egg
1 1/4 lb ground turkey

In a fry pan over medium heat, heat oil and add carrots and shallots.  Saute and cook until carrots and shallots are tender.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add ground turkey, cilantro, basil, green onions, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, egg and bread crumbs. Using your hand, gently mix the ingredients together.  Do not push down too much or you will over work the meat.  Add carrots and shallots, again mixing gently.  Shape into 4 equal patties

In the same fry pan you cooked the carrots and shallots, heat a drizzle of oil over medium heat and then place the burgers on the pan to cook. Cook for 6-7 minutes on each side.

Serve on a bun with a bit of mayonnaise. Top with crisp lettuce and sliced tomato. 

the wallet search is over

After searching for a new wallet for well over six months, I finally found the one. I don't buy a new wallet very often so it has to be exactly right before I can pull the trigger. And this Marc by Marc Jacobs one fits the bill. It's perfectly bright, has the right amount of storage and is quite the update from my black Coach envelope-style wallet (circa 2005). As an added bonus, it's the perfect anti-clutter wallet and exactly what I needed to prevent myself from having a George Costanza wallet. Cheers to Spring and my new wallet!

crack pie

I heard about the beloved Momofuku Crack Pie from blogs, friends and addicts alike, all with raving reviews. So it was only natural to me to have to try it out for myself :) Since I live across the country from the nearest Crack Pie distribution center, I had planned to make it on my own with recipes found: here & here. But there was no need, my lovely sorority lil sis brought me my very own slice. It traveled all the way from NYC and it was delicious! I don't usually go for the overly sweet desserts, but there is something about this one, I think its the crack hidden in the cookie crust :)