Stove & Style

Ohhh friends.  I just looked at the date of my last post and cringed.  I know I have been slacking a little a lot.   Things have been so busy on this end! Here’s to picking up the frequency of posts…

So I’m currently in Cape Cod, and while it is one of my new fave places on earth, it has been raining for the past three days.  Straight.  But, nothing says rain like a nice hot meal!

Bringing a little bit of TX/LA to Cape Cod, this super healthy and low cal chicken gumbo is so satisfying on a rainy day, not to mention so easy to make.  Enjoy!

15 Minute Chicken Gumbo

Ingredients

Cooking Spray

16 oz frozen, gumbo-style vegetables (okra, peppers, onion, corn…) See above for a picture of the bag I found in the freezer section.  If you can’t find them, you can buy separately. 

29 oz canned diced tomatoes with mild chilies

3 cups roasted, skinless chicken breast, cubed (I buy a rotisserie chicken and just pick off the meat in small, bite size chunks! Easy!)

1 tsp Creole seasoning (gives it a kick…use less if you’re not into a little heat)

Directions

Coat a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Add vegetables and sauté over high heat, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute more.

Stir in tomatoes, chicken and Creole seasoning. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until hot, about 6 minutes. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.

For a soupier consistency, add a small amount of water or broth to the recipe.

Don’t Forget!! Ends tonight! I snagged the JBrand Aidan Slouchy Jeans…what goodies will you get?!

Don’t Forget!!

Ends tonight! I snagged the JBrand Aidan Slouchy Jeans…what goodies will you get?!

Above are some of my favorite summer sandals for this season!  Dolce Vita has a lot of amazing pairs with gold hardware, which I love, and TKEES have been spotted on all of the celebs lately! I have yet to try a pair on, but a friend told me that the TKEES are so comfy and are the only flip flops she will ever wear in the future! Most of the styles above come in many different colors.  As for the TKEES, they refers to their sandals as “wearable cosmetics for your feet” and the color selections are grouped into the following categories: liners, foundations, highlighters, shadows, lipsticks, blushes, glosses, creams, polishes, and lip glosses.  My first pair is coming from the foundation group - the different shades are made to match different skin shades from light to dark (much like a foundation, aha!) and will give you the illusion of longer legs! Yes please! Check out the other categories here - highlighters have metallic colors, lipsticks have reds and purples, etc. Happy browsing!

Above are some of my favorite summer sandals for this season! 

Dolce Vita has a lot of amazing pairs with gold hardware, which I love, and TKEES have been spotted on all of the celebs lately! I have yet to try a pair on, but a friend told me that the TKEES are so comfy and are the only flip flops she will ever wear in the future! Most of the styles above come in many different colors. 

As for the TKEES, they refers to their sandals as “wearable cosmetics for your feet” and the color selections are grouped into the following categories: liners, foundations, highlighters, shadows, lipsticks, blushes, glosses, creams, polishes, and lip glosses. 

My first pair is coming from the foundation group - the different shades are made to match different skin shades from light to dark (much like a foundation, aha!) and will give you the illusion of longer legs! Yes please!

Check out the other categories here - highlighters have metallic colors, lipsticks have reds and purples, etc.

Happy browsing!


Every time I am home in NY I make a beeline to H&M.  I cannot even begin to express the devastation I feel about the fact that H&M does not exist in Houston.  Hence, the beeline.

Anyway, on my last trip to NY/H&M a couple of weeks ago, I found these two gems pictured above.  I have been lusting after the Rebecca Minkoff Becky Jacket, but at $328 - $348 a pop, I just couldn’t quite get myself to pull the trigger (although a black one is still calling my name and would definitely be put to good use for a long time to come!) 

The pictures don’t do these H&M jackets justice, but they look, feel, and fall so similarly to their designer counterparts, with a price tag of just under $50. The little bit of shoulder pad makes it look more structured, tailored, and expensive…even when it isn’t! This jacket can be worn so many ways - to work or play, day or night - and are instant wardrobe staples.  Some examples of what I’d wear them with, above!

Browsing shopbop, these are a few of my fave bracelets to pair with spring outfits…

Browsing shopbop, these are a few of my fave bracelets to pair with spring outfits…


Ok, Listen. Up. People.

It’s a rainy Monday here in Houston, so I was inspired to share with you all one of my favorite feel good, comfort food recipes. This is one you will want to save!!

I have made this recipe so many times and have emailed it to so many different people, that I figured it was finally time to blog about it.

I included a photo of this pasta in a tin container because this is my go-to recipe to make for friends who need a helping hand for dinner after having a baby, undergoing surgery, or are just having a bad week! I’ve also made it without the sausage as a delicious side dish for a holiday meal, and I’ve heard through the grapevine that my brother uses it to woo the ladies. No wonder I’ve had to email him the recipe a few different times…

This recipe makes a pretty big batch, and the best part is, it seems to get even better as the days go by and you heat it up in the microwave! (Just be sure to cover your bowl or plate with a paper towel when heating)

It started out as a Giada recipe, but I have made some tweaks of my own, including adding the chicken sausage and pumping up the spinach. So without further ado…

Fusilli with Pecorino Romano, Black Pepper, and Chicken Sausage

  • Kosher salt
  • 1 pound fusilli pasta
  • 1 package (4 links) of chicken sausage…something Italian flavored or spinach and feta, etc. Sliced cross-wise into small circles, see photos above.
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
  • 5 cups baby spinach leaves (5 ounces)…although I think 2 6oz bags of baby spinach is much better…5 oz reduces to so little and gets lost in the pasta!
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese (6 ounces)…but with a little slip of the hand I like to make it around 2 cups. Sorry I’m not sorry.
  • 1 cup mascarpone cheese (8 ounces), at room temperature

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid, then drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove the garlic and discard. Add the sausage and cook until slightly browned on both sides. Then add the spinach and 2 teaspoons pepper, and cook until the spinach has wilted, about 1 minute.

Remove the skillet from the heat and add the pasta. Add the Pecorino Romano and 2 teaspoons each salt and pepper, and toss until coated.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the reserved cooking liquid and the mascarpone cheese until smooth. This mixture will seem liquid-y and not overly creamy…that’s ok! Pour over the pasta and toss well until coated. Season with salt.

Enjoy!

Found this gem of a jacket in my email inbox this morning.  Fun yet feminine, and oh so polished.  Just when I think I’m getting over my Tory Burch obsession, she does it again! In other news…I am no longer going to post blog updates on facebook, so for those of you who get here via that route, be sure to come straight to the tumblr site to check for updates! Thanks!

Found this gem of a jacket in my email inbox this morning.  Fun yet feminine, and oh so polished.  Just when I think I’m getting over my Tory Burch obsession, she does it again!

In other news…I am no longer going to post blog updates on facebook, so for those of you who get here via that route, be sure to come straight to the tumblr site to check for updates! Thanks!

It’s no secret that the new trend in denim is prints and colors.  I have been a little hesitant to embrace this trend for spring, but when home in NY I made my ritual beeline to Bloomingdale’s, since they don’t have them in TX (devastating, I know.)  I tried on the coral JBrand pair above, and immediately fell in love.  After all, nothing says spring like a pop of color! The printed pairs, however, still made me a little nervous.  But, while I was in LA and Newport Beach this weekend for a wedding, I saw them everywhere and thought that they were adorable! From florals and ikat to houndstooth and tie dye, there are all sorts of prints available by some of my favorite designers. Still not sure if they would work on me, but if you’ve got the legs for it, I say go for it! Shop some of my favorites below:

It’s no secret that the new trend in denim is prints and colors.  I have been a little hesitant to embrace this trend for spring, but when home in NY I made my ritual beeline to Bloomingdale’s, since they don’t have them in TX (devastating, I know.)  I tried on the coral JBrand pair above, and immediately fell in love.  After all, nothing says spring like a pop of color!

The printed pairs, however, still made me a little nervous.  But, while I was in LA and Newport Beach this weekend for a wedding, I saw them everywhere and thought that they were adorable! From florals and ikat to houndstooth and tie dye, there are all sorts of prints available by some of my favorite designers. Still not sure if they would work on me, but if you’ve got the legs for it, I say go for it!

Shop some of my favorites below:


I apologize for my relative radio silence for the past few weeks…between midterms, traveling to NY, and being on profootballtalk.com way more than what would be considered healthy, I have let blogging fall to the wayside!

During my hiatus, I was in NYC to celebrate my first wedding anniversary. I stumbled across this great outdoor flea market at 77th and Columbus while headed to the Shake Shack right across the street - if you haven’t been to Shake Shack and you live in NYC, go. there. now. - There were so many cool and interesting things to browse at the flea market, and the above photos are just a sampling of my many favorites!

Leather fringe crossbody bags, a beautiful little chandelier, fabulous furs, and vintage Louis Vuitton and Goyard trunks! Sigh.

After googling the location to see if I could figure out what days it is open (Sundays) I discovered that it has its own website! http://www.greenfleamarkets.com/

Happy Friday Everyone! With warm weather on the increase and setting the clocks back this weekend, it’s time to start thinking spring.  I have a love/hate relationship with rompers (or as I have recently seen them called - “playsuits” - hmm…) and they need to be just right for me to add them to the love column. Here are three from Shopbop that I think totally nail it.  I particularly love the red one, and can totally see myself dressing it up or down, perhaps pairing it with it belt, and lots of gold jewelry.

Happy Friday Everyone! With warm weather on the increase and setting the clocks back this weekend, it’s time to start thinking spring. 

I have a love/hate relationship with rompers (or as I have recently seen them called - “playsuits” - hmm…) and they need to be just right for me to add them to the love column.

Here are three from Shopbop that I think totally nail it.  I particularly love the red one, and can totally see myself dressing it up or down, perhaps pairing it with it belt, and lots of gold jewelry.