Summer Dress Dilemma

I want to join in the Maxi Dress Trend SO badly... but I'm very petite (I barely hit 5 feet tall), and I can't decide if Maxi dresses make me look too small, or pregnant! Another blogger I follow is even more petite than I am, and she looks gorgeous in Maxi dresses. So maybe I'll give it a try. I tried on this beautiful dress from South Moon Under and I really loved the way it looked! Chic and slick and I felt great! The price tag was the only thing I didn't like about it! I might save a little and wait... Plus I will definitely need a pair of simple wedges to pair it with. But I really think I need to man up and try this trend or I will regret it!

xoxo,

C

Summer Salad!

I LOVE a good summer salad, but it drives me crazy when a salad isn't flavorful enough, or if it's TOO much... Like a taco salad-- NOT a salad! But baby greens in red wine vinaigrette? Boring! So this recipe is sort of a twist on one I read about on another blog. Very simple, healthy, and full of flavor! Tweak according to your preferences, pair with a glass of crisp white wine- pinot- and enjoy!

- start with mixed greens

- top with bleu cheese, pitted dried dates, chopped tomatoes

- drizzle with 1 tbsp EVOO and 1 tbsp honey

- grind some fresh pepper on top

- done! the dates and bleu cheese really give this salad some meat, if you know what I mean

I made this salad for dinner with grilled steaks, corn on the cob, and mac & cheese. On that note-- a couple tricks for grilling the PERFECT piece of steak. If you like your steak medium rare, grill it around 400 degrees for 6 minutes on one side, and then just 3 minutes on the other. I also marinate my steaks for at least 5 hours, and pound them down a little to get them really tender and full of flavor. The best way to make this dinner is to make the mac and salads ahead of time, and throw them in the fridge. Grill the corn for 30 minutes, wrapped in foil. After 30 minutes, throw the steaks on. Once you're down grilling, heat up the mac in the microwave and POOF!-- you're eating!

xoxo,

C

Vineyard weekend!

This weekend, M took me out to my very first vineyard. It was absolutely what I needed after two long weeks at my new job and beating this terrible cold. We spent Saturday out in the gorgeous Maryland countryside, stopped at a ton of fresh farm stands, and just hung around Boordy Vineyards all day. It was seriously fantastic! The wine was delicious, the air was fresh and clean, and it gave us time to just disconnect from the real world!

xoxo,

C

Italiano Americano?

I was recently hired at a fantastic new job! I've waited tables for years, at a variety of places-- from a Perkins Pancake House to a small, family owned French restaurant in a haunted Victorian house (...don't ask) to white-tablecloth fine dining in our nation's capital. I've certainly seen my share of kitchens. But right now, I may be working at my favorite restaurant to date. It's an incredibly authentic Italian restaurant-- and when I say authentic, I mean it. The pasta, all the sauces, even the mozzarella cheese is made IN HOUSE. It's unbelievable and reminds me so much of the food I ate growing up. My big Italian family used to jar our own pasta sauce, and make our own wine, and I have a true appreciation for Italian cuisine. My family is from Abruzzi, and the family that owns this new restaurant is also from southern Italy, so the cuisine really feels familiar to me. Though I think my personal recipe for caponata will beat theirs, their menu is the most authentic Italian food I've had since I left home.

In honor of my new job and heritage, I want to share one of my FAVORITE recipes of all time. My family emigrated from Abruzzi and settled in South Jersey/South Philadelphia, and some of the best Italian-American recipes have come from immigrants that settled in that region. I found this recipe in a cookbook compiled by Celeste A. Morello, called "The Philadelphia Italian Market Cookbook". This dessert is the quintessential summer dessert: light, easy to make, delicious! I love it because any Italian worth her weight in salt will have these ingredients in her kitchen at all times, making it absurdly convenient.

"Bennedetta Gandolfo Donato's Railroad Cake"

(or simply, Railroad Cake)

1 cup sugar

4 tbs melted butter

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup milk

Mix all ingredients; beat together for about 5 minutes. Grease and flour a loaf-shaped pan (hence railroad cake: it looks like a small, golden-brown railroad car!). Bake for 25 minutes at 325 degrees. Top it off with your favorite topping! Dark chocolate shavings, powdered sugar, or a homemade raspberry coulis and you have a perfect little dessert!

xoxo,

C

(image courtesy Wikipedia)

Summer Cold

UGH! This week I've been struggling with a TERRIBLE cold. Definitely the worst I've had in years. I haven't felt sick like this since I lived in a college dorm! Sneezing, coughing, runny nose, nasal drip, fever, ache, headache-- the works! I've been taking pseudoephedrine, guaifenesin, acetaminophen, vitamin C... mixed with a healthy dose of ginger-peach white tea and "Sex and the City", of course. I've been working some serious hours at my new job (see next post) and I don't think that's helping, but hopefully I'll beat this thing soon! In the meantime, I'll continue my impression of the baby panda.

xoxo,

C

Good-Bad Movies

Don't you just love a good- bad movie? Okay well maybe you don't. But I do! Sometimes you just want something goofy and mindless to take your mind off things! This morning I watched "All About Steve" with Bradley Cooper and Sandra Bullock; despite its awesome bad ratings, I have to say it is now at the top of my Good-Bad Favorite Movies List. Put it to your Netflix if you're looking for something sweet and easy for a Girl's Night; add a bottle of Pinot and you're in business!

P.S.... this movie is about a girl who is obsessed with Bradley Cooper. Maybe the critics don't get it, but I totally relate!

xoxo,

C

Summer Style

When my boyfriend and I first starting dating, he would surprise me pretty often with fresh flowers. There are few things I love more than a big bouquet of fresh flowers in the house! But it turns out, he can surprise me with things I love even MORE than flowers! Thursday night, he came home from work with a box from one of my favorite stores, South Moon Under. In case you are unfamiliar, go to the website immediately! They have the best variety of clothes and adorable little decorations for home, too. Anyway, my boyfriend decided to surprise me with a dress he knows I've been coveting for weeks! It was incredibly thoughtful-- and its the perfect summer dress!

The bright colors are gorgeous (thought they'll look better when I have a better tan) and the delicate fabricate hung perfectly. The dress is lined, so don't worry about it being too thin!

Charlie Jade, strapless, silk; I paired mine with gold accessories (like the model) and Michael Kors gladiator 4 inch heels (black leather straps, cork heel).

xoxo,

C

My First Post!

Helloooo, world of bloggers! I'm an avid blog reader, and I've been feeling inspired lately by my favorite bloggers. I'll just use this little blog to share recipes, shopping tips (since eating, cooking, and shopping consumes the majority of my life!) and any other tid-bits I can think of. My wonderful boyfriend and I recently moved in together, so I'm sure there will be lots of home improvement and decorating ideas up here as well (...and probably a few venting posts along the way). I definitely want to link to some of my favorite blogs and spread the word! So this will just be a way for me to document my charmed life, living in Baltimore, MD-- otherwise known as Charm City!

xoxo,

C