J. Crew End of Summer Collection

   Since when did clothing designers have so many seasons?  There used to be four, but now there seem to be dozens.  Anyway, I got J. Crew's catalogue for their latest collection a few days ago, and found a few favorite things.

Souvenir dress, $148.  I'm also a fan of the red!

Ticking stripe derby dress, $138

Amie stripe maxi dress, $98

   I guess I might like dresses a little bit.  And I guess that might be the understatement of the year...

Grilled Steak Pitas

   This recipe is a favorite of mine, and not only because it is so fresh-tasting and healthy.  I also love it because I am 1/4 Greek.  I know that's not much, but I'm more Greek than anything else (unless Texas counts as a nationality...), so that's the culture I've felt more or less connected to.  I felt connected enough to my Greek side of the family that I even worked in a Greek restaurant in high school.  Although the food we served was a lot less healthy, this still tastes Greek to me.  This steak pita recipe has a healthy version of  tzatziki sauce, which is yogurt-based instead of sour cream-based.  Just remember when you're grocery shopping - yogurt is naturally slightly tart! When I was little, I thought "plain" yogurt was naturally vanilla-flavored.  

Ingredients:

1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt

1 tablespoon freshly chopped dill

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 cucumber, diced

2 plum tomatoes

2 sliced green onions

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves (optional

1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

12 ounces cubed steak

4+ pieces of pita bread

Directions:

   In a small bowl, mix yogurt with dill, garlic, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let flavors blend. In another small bowl, mix cucumber with tomatoes, green onions, and mint (optional). Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

   Put steak in a separate shallow bowl and pour remaining lemon juice and oregano over steak. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Spray a nonstick saute pan with canola oil cooking spray. Remove steak from marinade, season with salt and pepper, and saute over medium-high heat for about 2 1/2 minutes on each side, or until cooked to your desired degree of doneness. Remove steak from skillet. Slice 1 side of each pita to open the pocket, being careful not to puncture the other side. Divide steak evenly among pitas and gently stuff into the pockets (if they have pockets). Top each steak pile with 1/4 of the cucumber mixture. Drizzle 1/4 of the yogurt mixture into each pocket and serve immediately.

   I love the way the cucumber gives the tomato, green onion, and cucumber mix such a fresh taste.  This is a perfect recipe for a summer dinner - filling, but not heavy, healthy, and refreshing.

Summer Reading Reviews, Round 1

   I'm two books into my summer reading!  First, French Women Don't Get Fat, by Mireille Giuliano.

Get it on Amazon... here.

   This is such a simple read!  It goes quickly - the author breaks her words of wisdom up into manageable portions, and it is full of tasty recipes!  I would absolutely recommend this book to someone who has weight to lose or who just wants to get healthier.  Mireille Giuliano speaks to you like a friend, gently prodding her readers away from bad habits (over-indulging, fake food, multi-tasking while eating, and more) and towards good ones (farmers markets, good portion sizes, fresh, authentic food, and savoring your indulgences).  Mireille Giuliano says that she doesn't prescribe a diet: she prescribes a lifestyle change.  And it makes sense!  I'll definitely be taking some French tips back to school in the fall - look for me at the local farmer's market!

Find it on Amazon

    Oh, Peter Mayle.  Toujours Provence is as good as its predecessor.  It doesn't have much of a plot - the only theme holding the stories together is Mayle's life after adjusting to Provence - but it will have you laughing out loud.  Short little anecdotes of life in Provence are inspiring me... to what, I don't know.  Since I lack the money to up and move to Provence (if only!) I'll content myself with dreaming about something a little more accessible - something on this side of the pond, for now (heck, at this point in my life, I just want a house sometime in the next 10 years!).  But hey, a girl can dream, right?  And thanks to Peter Mayle, I'll be dreaming of quaint cafes, sunny picnics, hot summer days, and French cuisine!

     Next up - Summer Rental!

    What are you reading this summer?

Blogging Friend

   A friend of mine, who found out that she is gluten-intolerant about a year and a half ago, writes a blog over on Tumblr.  She has written a bunch of great posts lately about gelato on her trip to Italy - gelato is gluten-free!  She tells me that all children in Italy are tested for gluten-intolerance when they are 7 years old, since there is so much gluten in their diet.  However, the only way to test for gluten-intolerance is to stop eating gluten for a month or two.  Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, imitation meats, most brands of cooking stock, soy sauce, and other products.  If you have digestive problems that won't respond to anything common treatments or a rash that won't go away, consider asking your doctor if gluten might be to blame.
   The Gluten-Free College Girl is a terrific resource, and if you're gluten-intolerant, she's always happy to answer questions about going gluten-free!  Check her out: http://gluten-freecollegegirl.tumblr.com/

Great (culinary) Success!

    OH my goodness.  I love these crab cakes (I also love Emeril Lagasse's cookbook, where I got the recipe).  Not only is crab meat delicious; it is also low in fat, low in calories, and high in protein (although it is also a little high in cholesterol).  After the homemade mayonnaise, bread crumbs, and frying, I don't know how healthy these are, but they sure are tasty!  I find crab meat very filling - one of these crab cakes was enough for me (although I did snack on yesterday's bread a bit).  So, when I make these again, I will either cook for a party, or save the uncooked crab meat and make them one at a time.
    Emeril's recipe calls for the crab cakes to be served over a piquante butter sauce with a pickled sweet pepper-okra relish, but since this was kind of a spur of the moment cooking day for me, I left out the relish, which takes a while.  It was so good without the relish, I don't see the need to add it!

Crab Cake Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red bell peppers
2 large eggs
1 tbsp Creole mustard or other spicy whole-grain mustard (I used Grey Poupon coarse ground mustard)
2 tsp hot pepper sauce (I used my father's beloved Tabasco sauce.  Gotta love the simplicity: it's made    
     from just red pepper, vinegar, and salt).
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp Emeril's Original Essence or similar creole seasoning
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil (do not substitute another kind of oil!)
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbps fine dry bread crumbs
1 lb jumbo lump crab meat (picked over for shells and cartilage)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole milk (I used skim, and it was alright)

Directions:
1.   Heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the 1 cup of yellow onions, 1/2 cup of celery, and 1/2 cup of red bell peppers, and cook, stirring, until soft (about 3 minutes).  Let cool.
2.   Combine an egg, the tablespoon of mustard, the 2 teaspoons of pepper sauce, the 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, and a tablespoon of Emeril's essence in a food processor.  As the mixture is blending, add a cup of vegetable oil, blending until your mayonnaise is smooth and thick.
3.   Combine the mayonnaise from step 2, cooked vegetables from step 1, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of bread crumbs (not all of them!), and one tablespoon of Emeril's essence in a large bowl.  Gently stir in the crab meat until all the ingredients are well mixed.
4.   In another bowl, combine the 1/2 cup flour with 1 1/2 teaspoons of Emeril's essence and mix well.
5.   In another bowl, combine the remaining cup of bread crumbs with the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of Emeril's essence.
6.   In yet another bowl, whisk together the last egg and the 1/2 cup of milk.
7.   Heat the remaining 1/2 cup of vegetable oil (or a little more) in a large skillet.  Form the crab/bread crumb/mayonnaise/vegetable mixture into eight cakes.  Dip each cake into the flour mixture, then the egg and milk mixture, then the breadcrumb mixture.  Fry the crab cakes until golden brown, at least 4 1/2 minutes per side (Emeril says to fry them three or four at a time; I say to fry as many as your pan holds at a time, making sure to leave plenty of room to flip them with a spatula).  When the cakes are done, let them cool on paper towels to soak up any excess oil.
8.   Serve with the piquante butter sauce (or make up some extra mayonnaise to use as a remoulade sauce).  This recipe serves 4-8.

Piquante Butter Sauce Ingredients:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped celery
1tbsp minced garlic (about 2 large cloves)
2 tsp minced jalapeno (about 1/4 of a large jalapeno pepper)
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp Emeril's Original Essence or similar creole seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
14 oz tomato sauce
1 stick cold unsalted butter

Directions:
1.   Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook the 1/2 cup onion, 1/4 cup bell pepper, and 1/4 cup celery until soft, about 3 minutes.
2.   Add the tbsp minced garlic, 2 tsp minced jalapeno, bay leaf, and 1/4 tsp salt, stirring, for about 30 seconds.
3.   Add the 1/4 cup of brown sugar, cooking until the sugar is dissolved.
4.    Add the tomato sauce, and bring to a boil.  Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 8 to 10 minutes).
5.   Add the butter, one 1/8th of the stick at a time, making sure not to let the sauce get hot enough to break (take it off the heat if you need to).  Cover to keep warm until you serve the crab cakes.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

Girl Power

    S from Seattle started at the PR firm recently.  This makes 16 women in the office.  She and I were talking about reasons this firm is so great, and I mentioned the fact that it's owned and staffed by such strong, intelligent, professional women.  S agreed with me, and added, "Yeah - they're all a bunch of kick-ass, corporate power-broads!".  I was a little bit surprised to hear someone put it that way, but I've gotten pretty excited about it.  My PR firm: breaking the glass ceiling, one press release at a time!

Simple, Easy, Savory Bread

   Today was a major cooking day - so great.  In my family, we make "monkey bread" for the two major food and family holidays: Christmas and Thanksgiving.  Monkey bread pretty much is just little balls of bread, rolled around in butter, and baked in a loaf.  Plenty of people make it into a desert bread, with cinnamon, sugar, icing, and sometimes orange pieces or nuts.  But I prefer savory tastes to sweet tastes, so when I found this recipe, I knew I had to try it.

Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread

Yields 1 loaf

2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/3 cups barely warm water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
3 1/2 cups all purpose (or bread) flour
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the yeast and water. Let sit 5 minutes until yeast is foamy. Mix in the olive oil, salt, and flour. If you have a stand mixer, attach the dough hook and knead the dough for 5-6 minutes, or until elastic. If you are doing this by hand, knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until dough is elastic, 7-10 minutes. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Allow to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until dough is doubled in size.

In a small bowl, combine melted butter, parsley flakes, and minced garlic. Set aside.

Punch down the dough. Tear off small pieces of dough (roughly the size of the bowl of a medium spoon), coat in the butter mixture, and place in the bottom of a bundt pan. Repeat this process until you have one layer of dough balls. Sprinkle on 1/3 of the Parmesan cheese. Continue layering the dough balls and cheese until you have 3 layers. Cover the pan with a clean towel and allow to sit until dough has doubled in size, 20-30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until bread is golden brown. Serve hot with a side of marinara or tomato sauce.

So, I might have snacked on the top layer a little bit...

     Notes: I didn't have any dry parsley flakes, so I used a combination of basil, oregano, and thyme.  I also sprinkled those herbs (as well as salt and pepper) generously on top.  I made my own marinara sauce: tomato sauce, fresh garlic, dried basil, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper.  I simmered it all on the stove for a few minutes, and voila! fantastic dipping sauce.   I plan on using the rest over pasta.

     I had a bite just a few minutes after I took it out of the oven, and it was heavenly!  Even for an inexperienced bread baker like me, it was easy.  Try it yourself!

My Summer Salad

    My half-greek mother has taught me a lot of great tips for cooking.  One of them is cooking without measurements.  It's so much ore adventurous that way!  And, like it or not, it's the way all of our family recipes are written.  It's all to taste, and they come out a little differently every time, which adds to the excitement!  She also taught me how to make my favorite "greek" salad, and I like to load it down with plenty of "goodies" and make a meal out of it, perfect for the summer when you want to eat light, healthy foods that are in season (thank you, Mireille Guiliano of French Women Don't Get Fat!).  So, with any or all of these ingredients (remember, we are cooking to taste, so if you don't like it, don't put it in), I present my big spring/summer salad.

Salad ingredients:
lettuce (duh)
grilled chicken (usually, it's just whatever is left over from my last dinner, but sometimes I roast the chicken in the oven with olive oil, salt, and pepper)
feta cheese (I like Athenos' tomato and basil variety)
diced red peppers
diced tomatoes
black beans
diced red onions
dried oregano

And the dressing:
olive oil and balsamic vinegar (two parts olive oil, one part balsamic vinegar)

And there you have it!  Delicious and easy, especially if you prep large portions of all of the ingredients ahead of time (another trick from my mom!).  And it's portable - I just throw it in a plastic container and bring it to work or school with a fork.

The Happiness List

   Everyone, meet one of my coworkers: Bo.

Click image for source.

     Yesterday at the office, Bo made a happiness list, going from the happiest person in the office to the least happy: he's at the bottom (I'm tied for second out of five - not bad!).   Bo is one of those people who is good-natured-ly grumpy.  He makes you feel like he likes you, but hates the world.  Bo says:

"The only thing these hacks at the FDIC know how to do is cover their behinds!"

"All form, no substance."

"You want to run this grocery store in Brooklyn?  It would be great resume building experience."

"You've got to make it idiot proof.  Because our investors are really idiots."

"And the government really thinks they can do anything but blow up and break stuff... incompetent fools."

More to come...

Yoga Summer

    I've decided: this is my yoga summer!  I usually take a break from my usual running/elliptical machine at the rec center mix during the summer - for the last two, I worked at a summer camp in the Ozarks, and the hills were just too much (so I swam).  About two weeks ago, I hit that point where I needed to take a break and switch up my exercise routine.  Mireille Guiliano, author of French Women Don't Get Fat, says that when it comes to food, boredom is the enemy.  I think this applies to fitness, too, so I'm switching up my routine.  This summer: yoga!
    When I hit bored two weeks ago, I pulled out an old exercise DVD my mom has lying around the house that features a pretty vigorous yoga program.  This isn't just meditating - it involves a lot of lunges, balancing, stretching, and resistance training (using yourself as resistance - quite inventive!).  I've started doing the DVD before my internship twice a week, and the calming exercise combined with the super-encouraging instructor have put me in such a great state of mind!  No matter how much the firm needs me to do and how little time I have to do it, I can handle it without freaking out.  Now, my goal is to do the video twice a week, and go to a real class at my local gym on the weekends.  I've tried a yoga-pilates fusion class; next up is a Vinyasa yoga class (Vinyasa yoga emphasizes synchronizing your breathing with movement from one pose to another).  We'll see how this summer turns out!

The only drawback so far?  Callused palms! (notice the pink spots in the center, where my palm meets my wrist.  This is a day after last doing the DVD).  Still, it kinda makes me feel hard core - I worked for those calluses!

Coffee: A Love Letter

Click image for source

    Oh, coffee.  How I love you.  You're always there for me - late night, early morning, studying or pleasure reading, or watching something.  You've been with me on first dates and late nights with my steady boyfriend.  You're at home (at that means Austin and Williamsburg) and anywhere else I'd like to be (except summer camp...).  I share my love of you with my father and, sometimes, my sister.  Whether I'm enjoying a plain, ol' Trader Joe's variety (the faithful stand by) or a fancier flavor at the on-campus coffee house (whoever invented the chocolate raspberry flavor, you're amazing!), you always satisfy me.  Thank you for helping me be less grouchy in the mornings.  Although I'm trying to scale my enjoyment of you to one cup in the morning, don't worry, coffee - this relationship ain't goin' anywhere.  I'm in this for the long haul.

              

If I had a backyard...

    I would want to put these tree houses, forts, etc. in it.  Don't get me wrong, our dad put a great swing set and fort in our backyard, but these are amazing!  Is anyone else jealous?

Kids and grown-ups would enjoy this one.

Just like something out of a fairy tale!

I sure could have used this - staging a play was my favorite way to stretch out a play-date.

You can find all of the original pictures, and others like them, here.

Kai Perfume

   This stuff is really amazing.  Though the website does not specifically list the scents that make up Kai products, I've always thought it smells like magnolias and lilies.  I do know what's not in it, though - it's paraben-free, sulphate-free, phthalate-free, animal testing-free, and on top of that, it's packaged in recycled materials and made in the USA!  No wonder celebrities like Kate Bosworth, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Garner, Lauren Conrad, and more love this perfume.  I like the roller ball, but it also comes in a spray.

$48 for 1/8 oz

$76 for 1.7 oz

Fresh Sheet Day...

     ...is my favorite!  The clean feel is so nice - remember, hygiene is non-negotiable!  I also use laundry softener, so for the first few days my sheets smell good as well as feel good.  If it wasn't so time consuming, I'd change my sheets every few days.  But since I am a busy college student, and washing and changing sheets takes time, I try to stretch every fresh sheet day for as long as I can.  Once the clean laundry smell fades, I turn to sheet sprays to get me to the next fresh sheet day.
    Lately, I've been using Good Home Co.'s lavender sheet and clothing spray.  It smells so fresh, clean, and feminine.  And it's not at all overpowering or fake-smelling, like Febreeze or other cheap room sprays can.  Good Home Co. also makes their sheet and clothing spray in "Beach Days" and "Pure Grass", which I might try next!

From $20 on Amazon.com

    I'm also interested in trying out these...

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day room lemon verbena room freshener, $4.99.  What a deal!

Crabtree & Evelyn lavender linen spray, $16.

L'Occintane "relaxing" pillow mist, $22

Caldrea basil blue sage linen spray, $12

Kai room and linen spray, $56 on Amazon.com.  It's a splurge, but Kai products are amazing!

Dogeared

   Dogeared Jewelry: so cute.  I'm a big fan of their simple, dainty style.  I think it's perfect for everyday wear, and it's all reasonably-priced enough that Dogeared Jewelry makes a perfect gift.  I personally like the gold or silver necklaces, because they'll last longer than those with a silk cord.  Still, you really can't go wrong with any of their charm necklaces!  Here are a few of my favorites:

"Pearls of Friendship" sterling silver, 18", $38.  Pearls are always a classic choice!

"Whispers Bow" sterling silver, 18", $52

"Captain of Your Ship", 16", $46

"Make a Wish Whale" necklace, 16", $54.  Does this remind anyone else of the Vineyard Vines whale?  Too cute!

"Make a Wish Anchor" bracelet, 16", $54.  It also comes on a blue silk chain.  I love the nautical look for summer.  And any Delta Gamma sorority sisters out there will love the anchor symbol!

"Lucky Horseshoe" necklace, 16", $54

"Kick Ass" reminder necklace, 16", $54.  Perfect for a Texas girl, right?

    And now for some jewelry besides charms on a chain:

"Its the Little Things" earrings, $32.  I'm not huge on moon symbols - they remind me a little bit of hippies, for some reason - but since they're my sorority symbol, I'm thinking about getting these earrings or this necklace for fall recruitment.

Click on the images for source.

8 Things to do on a Rainy Day

 Today, I planned to exercise, and then jump in the pool to cool off.  Given that we're in the middle of a dry summer down here in Texas, I thought that my plans would go off smoothly.  Surprise!  Sometimes bad weather strikes without notice (especially at the Colonial Campus!).  So when your plans are ruined by the rain and you're stuck inside, here are a few ways to kill time!

1. Build a fort out of sheets or newspaper: roll up three sheets of newspaper into three tubes, and staple them together into a triangle (the strongest geometric shape, according to my intro to 3D art professor).  Use triangles to build the biggest fort you can!  It will probably end up looking like an igloo. 
2. Brew a cup of tea and curl up with a book.
3. Exercise inside!  Note: Hulu has exercise videos that you can easily do in your living room or bedroom.
4. Nap, duh.
5. Paint your nails and toenails.
6. Cook or bake (queso or red velvet cake, anyone?).
7. Experiment with hair, make-up, and fashion styles.
8. Plan: a vacation, a project, a budget, a shopping trip, a recipe, or anything you like!

   I honestly like rainy days, as long as I can stay inside or at least well-covered and dry.  Rain is a great excuse to take a little bit of a break.  Next time it rains, enjoy taking the time to slow down and relax!

Summer Reading Revisited

   I had a little change of plans with my summer reading.  I'm still going to read all of the books I listed, but with a couple more, too, to balance out the heavy with more lighthearted reading.  My two additions are:

French Women Don't Get Fat, by Mireille Giuliano, used from $2.43 on Amazon.com

   I realized, when I got home this summer, that I could do a lot more in the way of eating healthily.  At school, I eat a lot of carbs and protein, but not as many fruits and vegetables as I should.  So far, the book focuses on changing the mindset behind a lot of American eating problems: a gentle change and not so many strange and harsh rules to follow.  I think the author also wants to rehabilitate the American palate a bit by urging her readers to eat fresh produce, seasonally (meaning, eat what's in season!).  So far, so good!

Toujours Provence by Peter Mayle, used from $0.01 on Amazon.com

   Next on the list is this book, from the author of A Year in Provence.  Ever wanted to escape from your life and just live in the country?  British author Peter Mayle and his wife actually did.  Despite barely knowing a word of French, the two bought a house and settled down in Provence, and Mayle chronicled their hilarious adventures in four books.  I read the first years ago, and going with a little bit of a French theme this summer, I thought I'd move on to the second.

    Helpful hint: there really is no good reason to buy your books new, if there are many used copies available on Amazon.com.  I've started selling back my textbooks on Amazon.com, and I can tell you that many (if not most) used books sell for a price so low that the seller actually looses money.  Buying a book that is "like new" or "very good" can save you at least half of the price of a new book, and buying from a reputable seller with positive feedback and plenty of sales means that you can bet that your book will match the condition that the seller describes.  A seller's feedback ratings determine their ability to do business on Amazon, so they have a great incentive to be honest and forthright!

So Darn American.

   Waaaaay back in April, I got to go to a minor league baseball game.  For less than the price of a movie ticket, the boyfriend and I got about three hours of entertainment and a fireworks show at the end!  Concessions were surprisingly reasonably priced, too.  It was so wholesome and fun, with tons of families and little kids with their favorite players - so cute!  If you have a minor league baseball team (or maybe a major league team, too!) nearby, you should definitely check out America's favorite pastime!

So darn American!

Fireworks!  I promise, they got better than this.  My camera skills didn't.

Just someone special :)

Rediscovered: Banana Republic and GAP

  Last week, I took a break from my usual love of J. Crew, and walked in to GAP and Banana Republic.  A few years ago, they got a new designer and really went downhill for a little while.  But by now, it looks like they're out of the slump!  I saw some cute pieces in there, including these.  First, Banana Republic:

Silk Border Print Dress, $89.99.  Most sizes are out of stock, sadly.

Sandy Sweatshirt Dress, $88.50

Eyelet Trim Strapless Top, $39.50

Boyfriend Utility Fit Chino, $69.50

   Banana Republic's tee-shirts and v-necks are also great!  Good fit, good weight.  And now for GAP:

Strapless Tie Dress, $55.96

1969 Relaxed Tie Shorts, $47.96

Convertible Bandeau, $36.95

Essential Bikini, $32.50

    I bought the swimsuit for the beach this summer, and although it's plain, I loved it!  Very comfortable and true-fitting, and the perfect amount of coverage.  GAP and Banana Republic are back, at least for me!

French Fries!

   Do you ever get a craving for french fries?  I confess, I have gone to a fast food restaurant just for the fries.  But so often, I pass on fries because deep-fried potatoes aren't exactly healthy.  Luckily, I found this recipe online for homemade, baked french fries.

Healthy French Fries:

Step 1: Peel your ‘taters. This isn’t necessary, though, but if you decide you want the skin on make sure you scrub-wash them first. At this time remember to preheat your oven to 450 degrees.


Step 2: Cut them into strips. I like this size, but sometimes like steak size or even rounds.


Step 3: Place potatoes in colander and rinse the starch off of them.


Step 4: Pat down the potatoes. Make them as dry as possible.


Step 5: Drizzle Olive Oil over potatoes.


Step 6: Salt those babies up. (I use Kosher salt.)


Step 7: Mix them up so they all get coated with the olive oil and salt.


Step 8: Arrange them, on a baking sheet, in a single layer

Step 9: Add anything else you like. On this day I used garlic powder and fresh cracked pepper. You can use any herb or spice that your heart desires, like basil, oregano, chili powder, Parmesan cheese, etc..

Step 10: Place the potatoes into your preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Step 11: Flip and continue to bake for 5-10 minutes.

And then, voila…. Healthy French Fries!!

Notes: I made three batches of fries, using different seasonings for each.  I used Emril's original essence (Cajun seasoning) for the first batch, pepper and garlic powder for the second, and seasoned salt for the third.  I loved the cajun fries, mostly because they weren't too oily.  On the first batch I used a spray bottle for the olive oil, but after that I got lazy and just drizzled the oil out of the bottle.  Bad idea!  It was too much, especially on the last batch.  Maybe that's why the third batch was a little burnt...  All of my batches were a little tougher than restaurant fries, but I blame that on baking, not frying.  At any rate, these are gluten-free and vegan!  Very "special diet" friendly, and healthy, since you control what goes into it!

Work Clothes: Shirtdresses

   So far, I am loving my internship.  Aside from the work that I'm doing, I love that the firm I'm working at is owned and operated by strong, smart, and stylish women.  The dress code isn't super strict (by which I mean, you don't have to wear a suit every day), but definitely still professional.  One item of clothing I've noticed on several of the women I work with is the always-appropriate shirtdress.  Everyone, from the president to the other interns, has worn one of these!  After browsing around the internet, I've found a few that I like.

Tory Burch "Blythe" dress, $350

Tory Burch "Bridgette Mini" dress, $325

Theory "Lannie" dress, $325

J. Crew "Andy" shirtdress, $98

Kenneth Cole, via Nordstrom, $139

Michael Kors, via Nordstrom, $130.  Love the lime color!

Tahari, via Nordstrom, $98.  My favorite!

   So many shirtdresses, so little time!