BOOM!

September 23, 2013

 
 





 {BOOM Sweatshirt ~ Phillip Lim x Target / Rockstar Jeans ~ Old Navy / Suede Nike Dunk Sky High Wedge Sneakers}

Of course I had to snag this adorable sweatshirt from the Phillip for Target Collection.  It was the only thing I had my mind set on before the launch.  I also picked up these fab sweats {to be worn with heels!} and this cute little mini satchel. It felt good to rock this casual outfit yesterday; I feel like I am always "done up", even on the weekends.  And although I never wear the sneakers that I impulsively buy, as much as I think I will, these cute Nike dunks have been playing a big role in my weekend wardrobe lately. :)

I hope you had a great weekend!

xoxo, thanks for reading! ♥




Jewel

September 13, 2013

 
 
 
 
{Fuchsia Dress ~ Forever 21 / Printed Blouse ~ New York & Co. / Cobalt Mary Janes ~Vince Camuto / Navy Handbag ~ JustFab}
 
Happy Friday!  This has been a really crazy week at work so needless to say, I am SO excited about the weekend.  Looking forward to relaxing, cooking and relaxing some more. I hope you have a great one too!
 
xoxo, thanks for reading! ♥
 
 

Easy White Chicken Chili

September 10, 2013

Honesty moment: the night I whipped this up for dinner was a night that I did NOT feel like cooking.  In fact, I had already told everyone that they will have to "fend" for themselves, which normally means that the kids would have had a bowl of cereal and Cory would have {gladly} eaten a bowl of cereal or a PB&J sandwich. :) But then I remembered that there was a rotisserie chicken in the fridge, originally intended for chicken salad for lunches...that I had completely forgot about.  Wanting something southwestern, I scanned the fridge and pantry and gathered ingredients to come up with a white chicken chili.   And please be advised that I was in total shock that we had the ingredients on hand. Lol! That never happens! :)  
 
I would have loved some fresh cilantro to add in and tortilla strips to garnish the bowls with but I had to work with what was available. ...and it turned out to be a tasty dish,  if I say so myself.  Which is why I wanted to share another easy, couldn't-be-simpler, weeknight dinner idea.   
 
Let's get started!
 
Ingredients:
 
1 Rotisserie Chicken, {skin removed, meat pulled}
1 Large Onion, Diced
2 Tablespoons sliced Jarred Jalapeno {or 1 fesh Jalapeno Pepper, seeds removed}
3 Cans White Cannellini Beans
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
2 Tablespoons Ground Cumin
2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper
2 Tablespoons Corn Starch
4 Cans Chicken Broth
 
Optional Toppings:
Avocado Slices
Sour Cream
Tortilla Strips
Fresh Salsa
Cilantro
Cheese
 
 
 
{Start by pulling and shredding your meat from the rotisserie chicken.}

{In a large dutch oven over medium heat, add the olive oil and diced onions and begin sauteing.}

{Meanwhile, open your cans.  Rinse and drain your cannellini beans}

{Take half and add them to a large bowl.  Mash them and set aside.}

{The mashed beans will act as a thickener to your chili and add some texture.}

{Stir your onions to evenly brown.}

{Add in your minced garlic and jalapeno pepper.}

{Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and mix well to meld the flavors together.}

{Add in your pulled chicken meat and mix well, coating each piece with the {now} flavored oil and thoroughly mix together with the onions, garlic and jalapeno.}

{Sprinkle in the cumin and chili powder.  Mix really well.}


{Pour in your chicken broth and let this simmer over low heat to warm the chicken.}

{At this point, taste your broth for seasoning!  I needed to add in more salt.  I also added more cumin and some dried oregano.}


{Once your pot starts to bubble, add in the mashed beans.}

{Next, pour in your whole beans.}

{Continue to simmer and let all of those yummy flavors develop. :) About 15 minutes.}

{At this point, I thought it would be a good idea to thicken this up a bit, though it would have been perfectly fine as is - as a "southwest chicken soup" instead of "chili"! }

{To thicken the chili, I made a slurry using 3 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2-3 tablespoons of water.  I combined them to make a thick paste.}

{Slowly stir in your thickening cornstarch paste and continue to stir.}

{After about 10 more minutes of slowly simmering, the chili should have a heartier consistency. :)}

{Serve it up with the toppings of your choice and enjoy!} 
 
I was regretting not having a warm slice of buttery cornbread to serve with this but I appreciated how quick, super duper easy and relatively healthy this dinner was. It's a keeper!
 
xoxo, thanks for reading! ♥
 

Fancy Dress + Jean Jacket

September 6, 2013

 
 
 
{Black Dress ~ Vintage.Thrifted / Jean Jacket ~ H&M / Fuchsia Suede Pumps ~ Nine West / Patent Leopard Belt ~ Asos / Necklace + Bangle ~ Thrifted}
 
I loved pairing this fancy evening dress with sheer sleeves {last seen here} with a jean jacket, dressing it down a bit for work.  Crisp "jean jacket weather", as I like to call it, is upon us and I couldn't be happier.  The light wash of this one that I picked up last year from H&M will add just the right amount of casual to any outfit this fall. And although I am already missing the warm summer weather, I have to admit that I am pretty excited to switch things up a bit. :)
 
 
 
 
xoxo, thanks for reading! ♥ Have a great weekend!