January 30, 2009

So, you wanna see my shoe closet, BigSis?  Well, I know you won’t be surprised to find out that I do not have a color photo of each pair of shoes on the outside of a plastic Container Store shoe box. For some reason, I’ve never liked keeping my shoes in boxes. I’m sure it’s better for the shoe to be tucked away in a dust free box, but I tried it once and it bothered me. I like to keep my shoes in racks or on shelves so I can see them.  Right now, I have a combination of the two. The top ranked favorites get the shelf.

Now, when a new pair comes into the picture, another has to get demoted to the rack, as the shelves are full.

Here are my two shoe racks. Oh, and did you say you like black shoes? I have a few myself.

Here’s the other rack. These are the least worn and in line to be donated to a local womens shelter.  I usually go through my closet a couple of times a year and donate those that haven’t been worn for a while.

And I always keep two pair of running shoes handy, just on the floor in my closet, not in a nice hanging shoe bag. When I buy a new pair for running on the street, the old pair gets is used for running on the beach. And, I’ve got my baby blue pair of converse just for casual running around.

So, now you know how I keep my shoes organized. Nothing fancy.

I definitely think that we will have to talk about the P-Touch Labeler at a later date, when we’re ready to talk about another obsession:  office supplies.  I’ve got a cute, cute set of little baby erasers shaped like little pastries that I’m about to order. (They were so popular that they’ve been on back order.)  I’ll share those with everyone soon!

Are we weird, or do we both just have a mild case of OCD?

~LilSis

January 29, 2009

Great collection of sandals, LilSis.  If I were just one shoe size smaller, I’d steal some of those from you!

Besides being shoe-lovers/fanatics, I know we have something else in common, and that is being just a *little* obsessive about how we organize our lives.  Being organized and having a system just makes my life run better, and I’m not ashamed!  Can we talk about our shared love for the P-Touch labeler, for example?  Schwing schwing schwing!  Don’t get me started.  I’d label my cats if the labels would stick to their fur. ^..^

I digress.  I’m thinking today about how we all organize our shoes.  One method is the ubiquitous pile o’ shoes on the closet floor.  One is the scrambled stash of shoes under the bed.  Another style of “organizing” is shoes all over the house…wherever you took them off when you last wore them is where they’re currently filed, just waiting to be called into service again.

My preferred method – not that it’s better than any of these styles – is neat stacks of Container Store shoe boxes and a couple of wooden IKEA shoe racks.  I have to have a color photo taped in the front of each translucent box so that I can see what’s inside without opening it.  My nicer shoes get to cuddle dust-free inside the boxes, while the more casual shoes have to chill on the wood racks under my suits.  All the flip flops go into an IKEA hanging shoe sorter, and the tennis shoes are lined up like little (not that little) athletic soldiers.

If I’m not organized/sorted/filed, then my stress level goes up.  I can’t work or play or be creative if I’m living or working in a mess.  So trust me that I’m not being holier-than-thou or self-righteous (which LilSis and I have both been called – you know who you are) when I show my organized shoe collection, I’m just preserving what little sanity I still call mine!  And I obviously need every bit of it!

7 new boxes need photos! ASAP!

Sometimes I wish I was more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of a girl, but I am who I am, and that’s all what I am, to quote Popeye.  BTW, my pants are sorted by style and color in my closet, I have to confess.  I need help.

So, LilSis, share your shoe organization style.  I promise not to judge you, whether it’s immaculate or a little random!  We all have to find the method that works best for us, given our personality, the space we have available to us, and the budget we’re working under!  Show me your shoes!

~BigSis

January 28, 2009

Oh yeah, I LOVE shoes! That’s another fetish that we both share! I’ve had a teeny, tiny obsession with shoes for about as long as I can remember. Back in the “old days” when I wore a suit to the office every day, I used to buy more dressy pumps.  Since I work from home now, I’m a flip flop and sandals kind of gal!

I practically live in sandals! I rarely wear a closed toe shoe, even in the winter. I don’t even own very many any more. They can really mess up a nice pedicure!

I hate to admit it, but probably 75% of the time, you will find me wearing these reliable, comfortable Roxy flip flops.

Here are a few more of my most favorite sandals! Can you tell I like wedges? The ones in the middle are Colin Stewart, from Victoria Secret that my bestest friend, K, gave me. And the ones on the ends are from Nine West.

I love these Dolce Vita wedge sandals that I found on sale at Nordstroms in Dallas.

And I just happen to have a photo of me wearing these shoes.

I guess I always buy a new pair of shoes when I’m back home in Dallas. I found  these Franco Sarto sandals at Dillards.

I also happen to have a picture of me in these shoes.

I’ve gotten so MUCH wear out of these Mia wedges. These have a strap that wraps around the ankle so they are really cute on.  I wish I had a photo of these on my feet.

And I bought this pair of Born sandals at the mall in Vegas because my feet were killing me in my other sandals. This is actually my first pair of Born sandals and I love them. They are so comfortable!

So, those are just several of my favorite sandals. That is probably more than anyone even cares to know about my sandal fetish, but you asked, BigSis, so there’s your answer! If you get me started talking about shoes, it’s almost as bad as talking about MAC eyeshadows! I just can’t stop!

~LilSis

January 27, 2009

I love shoes.  I mean…I LOVE shoes!  Have you ever heard a woman say out loud that she DOESN’T like shoes?  Not me.  Maybe some of us are more manic fanatic about shoes than other people are, but shoes are universally loved in my opinion.  You can try on shoes when you’re having a “Fat Day” and not have to worry about facing down the dreaded heinous dressing room mirror.  You can always use another pair of shoes, no matter how many you already have, and still not duplicate a pair. We all know that you can never have too many pair of black shoes.  Or in my case; pink shoes!  Fabulous shoes can make you feel fabulous, and turn a mediocre outfit into something stunning!

I seem to gravitate toward one style of shoe in particular, and that’s the t-strap!  I adore them, and how they look on the foot.  They’re lady-like but not prissy, professional but not stuffy.  I love them, and I now have 6 pair.  Would you like to see them? I knew you would!  I should have photographed these on my feet, but I didn’t.  Rats.  My poor photography doesn’t do my beauties justice, but here they are.

These Naturalizers have been my go-to black shoe for a couple of years and you can definitely tell they’re worn to exhaustion and need to be retired!  I haven’t been able to bring myself to do that yet.  Maybe I can when I find a replacement go-to pair to fill their shoes!

Naturalizer T-Strap

I love Antonio Melani’s shoes, and just happened to find a black pair of his t-straps at Dillard’s 2 years ago.  They’re the only pair of ankle t-straps in my collection, which I don’t usually buy since I think they cut off the flow of your legs.  These are great with pants.

Antonio Melani T-Straps

That’s 2 pair of black t-straps already; how about a third?  I just bought these Kenneth Coles when we were in Vegas a couple of months ago.  I didn’t have a pair of patent leather ones, so you know I had to get these.  And they were on sale!  Plus they’re a wedge, which is super comfortable and practical for me since my work day involves running to and fro all day long. I like the contrast of the wood wedge with the shiny black patent leather.

Kenneth Cole T-Straps

I don’t just wear black though, I love color.  I especially love these turquoise wedges, and have found more outfits to wear these with than I imagined.  They came from Nordstrom’s and are their own brand.  They’ve worn very well, even though they’re fabric and have a cork wedge sole. I’ll be sad when these have to be retired; this is one of the most flattering colors on me, and it isn’t a color you find very frequently in a shoe.

Nordstrom T-Straps

In my wardrobe, brown is definitely the new black, and it looks much better near my face.  I have several pair of brown shoes, but I didn’t have a brown pair of t-straps.  These Bandolinos came from DSW Shoes (who by the way, has 106 pair of t-straps online right now. Schwing!), and are suede with a faux crocodile heel, platform and strap.  So yummy!  Are they comfortable?  Nope.  Do I care?  Nope.

Bandolino Brown T-Straps

How much do I love Bandolino’s take on the t-strap?  So much that I bought them in gray too!  I’m crazy about their updated 1940s retro style with the little peep toe!

Bandolino Gray T-Straps

That’s my stash of t-strap shoes!  I want to go put the Bandolinos on right now, even though I have on workout pants.  😀  I know you’re a fellow shoe lover, LilSis.  What’s your favorite style of shoe?

~BigSis

January 26, 2009

I’ve decided to enter my chili recipe in the Ultimate Super Bowl Party Recipe Smackdown that The Recipe Girl is hosting in conjunction with Sam’s Club.

I almost always host a Super Bowl Party, even if our favorite team isn’t participating! It’s just another good reason to have a get together with friends! And I love to cook for a big group of hungry guys! They appreciate almost anything! If you don’t fancy cooking, you could always order out by looking for ‘subs delivery near me‘ and cater to your guest’s individual food needs.

This year I’m going to make my “prize winning” chili for the Super Bowl. (Okay, it wasn’t a famous contest or anything, but I did win second prize and a cute little red ribbon at our recent Chili Cook-off on our dock at the Harbor!)

I’ve doubled and even quadrupled this recipe, so it’s perfect for a large crowd! Here’s my version of Chili Con Carne.

 

LilSis' Chili Con Carne

LilSis’ Chili Con Carne

3 pounds lean ground beef
One sweet onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 dark beer
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (28 oz) can tomato sauce
1 can dark kidney beans (drained)
1 sm. can corn (I use Green Giant Sweet vacuum packed)
4 – 5 tsp. Penzeys Chili Con Carne spice*
2 chopped roasted poblano peppers (optional)
1/4 t. cayenne
1/2 t. onion powder
salt to taste
1 T. olive oil

*The Penzeys Chili Con Carne spice, formerly known as my secret ingredient, is so different from just a regular chili powder. It’s the reason why you don’t see cumin or a bunch of other spices listed in the recipe. Here are the ingredients in this one amazing spice: ancho chili pepper, tomato powder, ground cumin, Mexican oregano, garlic, coriander, onions, red and green bell peppers, Tellichery black pepper, allspice, cilantro, and cloves. If you don’t have a Penzeys store nearby, you can order online from the Penzeys Spices website.

Saute the chopped onion in the oil in a large saucepan until onion is soft. Add the ground beef, salt and minced garlic to the pan and brown until beef is cooked throughout. Drain the beef and return to the pan. Add the beer to the beef and simmer for 15-20 minutes on medium heat. Add the diced tomatoes and simmer for another 15-20 minutes. Simmer for longer if you want the tomatoes to cook down more. Add the tomato sauce, roasted peppers, and Penzeys Chili Con Carne spice. Simmer for another 30 minutes or so. Add the cayenne pepper, onion powder and additional salt if necessary. (This is the stage where you can adjust the seasonings to your own taste. This isn’t like baking, so add whatever you want here.)

Once you have your chili seasoned just right, add the can of beans and the corn and just heat throughout. This can be served right away or put in a crockpot to stay warm for hours. It’s even better heated and served the next day.

I usually set up a buffet style toppings bar with bowls of these toppings so everyone can add the toppings of their choice.

Toppings:
chopped onion
chopped jalapeno
fritos
oyster crackers
sour cream
grated cheese (I use Tillamook medium cheddar)

And if you really want a great frito pie, layer the bottom of the bowl with the fritos first, then chili, cheese, more fritos, and sour cream. Yummy! It doesn’t get much better than that!

Okay, so this recipe probably doesn’t qualify as one of our healthy, low fat recipes if we are topping with the cheese, fritos, and sour cream. But we can make an exception for the Super Bowl, right?

~LilSis

January 24, 2009

Anyone else in need of a great new soup recipe? Soup is such a comfort food! When we get sick, we wish we had our mom close by to make us some homemade chicken noodle soup. And when it gets a little bit chilly outside, we get that urge to stay inside and make a big pot of soup for family and friends!

It’s not very often that it’s cool enough here in Southern Cal to put me in the mood to make soup, but right now it is. Even though it’s cool outside, HayHay is actually at the beach surfing in a competition while I’m surfing some of my favorite blogs for soup recipes. Seriously!

I love making homemade soup and never eat canned soup. Right now, I’m in the mood to try a new recipe! Here are a few recipes I found that just look amazing! I don’t know which one to try first!

Lobster Bisque from Northwest Noshings

Lobster Bisque

15 Minute Warm and Hearty Taco Soup from Picky Palate

15 Minute Warm and Hearty Taco Soup

Cauliflower Soup from The Pioneer Woman

Cauliflower Soup

Oven Roasted Mushroom Soup from The Recipe Girl

Oven Roasted Mushroom Soup

Chicken and Cheese Enchilada Chowder from Taste and Tell

Chicken and cheese enchilada chowder

For vegetarians, the mushroom soup and the cauliflower soup could easily be made vegetarian by just substituting vegetable broth instead of the chicken broth.

And for those who also consider chili a comfort food, as I do; come back tomorrow because I’ll be revealing my “prize winning” chili recipe.

~LilSis

January 24, 2009

Before you start calling me a MAC traitor, let me explain myself!  Yes, it’s true, I did order 10 La Femme eyeshadows from Makeupmania.com, but MissChevious is all to blame!  She talked about MakeupMania.com in one of her MissChevious Channel YouTube videos, and said that La Femme actually makes high-quality eyeshadows for prestigious makeup companies, but most people don’t know that.  Since these shadows are only $3.50 each, and MissChevious seems to be pretty much in-the-know, I figured it was worth a little experiment and I went with it.  I was tempted and I caved!

I ordered 10 shadows, and one – Iridescent Brown – is still on backorder.   Here is what I got:

La Femme Eyeshadows

From left to right, the top row is Pink Blush (very frosted), Pink (matte) and Nude (matte).

The middle row is Rose Petal (very frosted), Iridescent White and Bisque (matte).

The bottom row is Plum (matte), Clove (light frost) and Beige Pink (very frosted).

I’ve now used all of these, and can report that they are indeed high quality eyeshadows.  I applied them as I do my MAC shadows: packed on with a good brush over a thin layer of Urban Decay Primer Potion.  I found that all of the shadows lasted throughout the entire day with no creasing or fading.  I dropped one of the shadows on the tile floor today, and it didn’t crack or show any damage at all from the fall.  Most drugstore brands at a higher price point would not have survived that challenge intact.

Although they are good shadows, I didn’t love all of the colors I chose, especially the matte shades.  Bisque and Nude were just nothing colors at all, I much prefer MAC Yogurt for a good neutral foundation color if I’m going to use one.  These are not very pigmented and were just blah.  They also seemed a little fly-away during application.  The Pink shade was more of a matte peachy melon on me rather than a pink, and was just ok.  I wasn’t a huge fan of the Iridescent White, which I hoped would be a good highlight color. The color doesn’t apply very evenly and it can’t decide if it’s too sheer or chalky…it’s kind of both at one time.

There is some good news, and it’s mostly about the shimmery La Femme colors.  I really liked the Pink Beige, Pink Blush and Rose Petal.  The frost was just right, and didn’t fade away to nothing after 15 hours, even though it’s fairly sheer.  I also liked the Plum, which is more reddish than a purple.  I used it to blend in my MAC Corduroy, and liked the rosy brown hue I got.  Clove was more terra cotta/orange-toned than I expected, but it’s a great warm color for bringing out blue eyes if your skin tone will allow you to do the orangy thing.

That’s my verdict on the La Femme eyeshadows.  The formula is good, they last a long time, the price is fabulous, and the MakeupMania customer service is efficient.  Just choose your colors carefully!  If you get one you don’t love, at least you haven’t dropped a huge amount of money on it!  The main thing is to have fun, it’s just makeup!

~BigSis

January 23, 2009

While looking for some frozen edamame at the store, I found this Seapoint Farms Organic Veggie Blends with Edamame.

Eat Your Greens!

This Veggie Blend contains my favorite green veggies:  broccoli, edamame, green beans, spinach, and asparagus.  I have a hard time finding veggie blends that don’t contain some kind of green or red pepper, so I was thrilled to find this.  I couldn’t wait to try it, so I threw this recipe together last night.

Most of the time when I spontaneously create a recipe , I never write anything down and I never remember what I did. And, I always regret it if everyone loves the recipe and I know that I can’t duplicate it! So, I’m trying harder to take notes.

Orzo and Veggie Blends with Edamame

1 T. Olive Oil
1 (8 oz.) pkg. sliced baby bella mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/4 – 1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1/4 c. white wine
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes
1 (12 0z.) package Veggie Blends with Edamame
1 lb. orzo
salt to taste

Cook the orzo for only 6 -7 minutes, until al dente, drain, add just a little olive oil, stir and cover until ready to add to veggies. (I do this with all my pasta to keep it from sticking together.)

Saute the mushrooms in the olive oil and garlic for five minutes or so. Add the white wine and cook down for another five minutes. Add the tomatoes and the red pepper flakes and simmer until liquids are reduced. (Maybe ten minutes.)

While that is simmering, microwave the veggie blend for 4 minutes in a glass bowl with just a little water added. Drain and set aside. When ready, gradually stir the orzo into the mushroom and tomato mixture, then toss in the cooked veggie blend.

This really did turn out good, so I’m glad I took notes! If I hadn’t already planned to serve this with my roasted pork tenderloin, I would have added shrimp while cooking the mushrooms and tomatoes. I’ll try that next time! This was really easy and healthy, too!

~LilSis

January 22, 2009

I’ve had some amber agave nectar and organic coconut oil in my pantry for a while, and it’s been recently screaming to be used in baking.  Once I saw that Anna at CookieMadness had whipped up a batch of Agave & Honey Oatmeal Cookies, I was reminded that it was time to put those 2 healthy ingredients into action.

My recipe was adapted from Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Cookies in Baking with Agave Nectar by Ania Catalano.

Baking with Agave Nectar

It’s similar to the recipe Anna used and to RecipeGirl’s variation with M&Ms.  I baked the full recipe instead of scaling it down, and I got 24 cookies.  I substituted coconut oil for all of the butter, and agave was my only sweetener.  I also used ground flax seeds instead of wheat germ, and omitted the raisins since I’m allergic and skipped the M&Ms to make these as guilt-free as possible.

As soon as I got these scooped out on the cookie sheets, I was wishing that I had added some sunflower seeds and chopped walnuts to the batter.  Once these were out of the oven, it was clear that those additions would have been scrumptious, so next time I’ll do that!  I may also add some dried cranberries or cherries, and perhaps a little shredded coconut to complement the coconut oil’s great flavor.

I hesitate to even call these cookies, to me they’re more of a healthful substantial pre-workout or post-workout snack.  They’re sturdy and cakey, and not very sweet which is a plus for me since I’m not a big sweets eater.  A slight little sprinkle of turbinado sugar on top of each cookie before baking might even be called for!  I loved these chunky cookies, and they got thumbs-up from my coworkers.  I’ll definitely make them again.  I love that they’re tasty, but they seem to be such great fuel for our bodies!

Agave Coconut Oatmeal Cookie

Agave Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup organic coconut oil
3/4 cup amber agave nectar
2 extra large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 c whole wheat pastry flour
1 3/4 c oats (not quick cooking)
1/4 c flax seed (pulverized in coffee grinder)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or release foil.

Beat the coconut oil in a large bowl with the agave nectar for about 2 minutes until it’s well blended and slightly fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time and then add the vanilla.  In another smaller bowl, combine the flour, oats, flax, cinnamon, soda, and salt.   Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir until just combined. Drop onto cookie sheets by heaping tablespoons and flatten out slightly.  Bake for about 12 minutes until the bottoms are slightly browned and the tops are dry.  Don’t overbake.

~BigSis

January 21, 2009

Today, January 21st, is the two year anniversary of our Dad passing away. We don’t want to talk about recipes or beauty products, or anything trivial today.  We would just like to reflect on what all has happened in these past two years. On one hand, it seems like only yesterday, and on the other hand, it seems like a lifetime ago. It’s been a rough two years, but we all know that he is in a better place, and that he is at peace!

I’ve had several friends ask to see the tattoo that I got on the inside of my arm in Daddy’s memory, but I’ve never really thought that there was an appropriate time to share it on this blog. But, today might just be the right day to share it.  Here’s the memorial tattoo that I got last summer for D.

John 11:25 says:

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

We all miss our Dad terribly, and SisMama misses the love of her life more than anything.  Today we send a big hug out to each other, to SisMama, BDot, BooBoo and all the rest of our family and friends.

~LilSis