Couscous Salad with Roasted Chicken

Just because I've decided not to focus TOTALLY on food doesn't mean I won't talk about food at all! I have several recipes stored with their corresponding photos and I really do want to share them with you!

Lately I've been on quite a couscous kick. It's so easy to make, you can add more or less whatever you want to it, and it doesn't make you feel like you ate a loaf of Cuban bread when you're done. When I was looking for a simple weeknight meal, I found this recipe. So I hit up my grocery store and picked up a whole rotisserie chicken, chopped it up, and made this delicious meal for dinner. It doesn't require a whole lot of explaining, and it's VERY simple if you pick up the cooked chicken on your way home.  Of course, if you want to be a show-off, you can season and roast your own chicken, too. ;)  I was not feeling that ambitious on this particular day.

I didn't think Eddie would like it too much, since it is a simple, one-dish meal - no sides or anything. But he loved it! And I hope you will too!

Couscous Salad with Roasted Chicken
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
1/3 cup uncooked couscous (I used whole wheat)
1 1/2 cups chopped roasted chicken breast
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
4 green onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
1. Prepare couscous according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Fluff couscous with a fork.
2. Combine couscous, chicken, tomatoes, parsley, mint, onions, and garlic in a large bowl. Set aside.
3. Combine lemon juice, olive oil, and salt in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk. Pour dressing over couscous mixture; toss gently.

Recipe adapted from:  Cooking Light: Fresh Food Fast Weeknight Meals

Enjoy!

Xoxo,

Jen

Pantsed!

Last weekend I went shopping for back-to-school (Yes, teachers get to do this, too), and I automatically went to my favorite store, New York & Company.  I love clothes, but going to clothing stores is sometimes overwhelming for me. I want to look stylish and nice, but I do NOT want to spend $100 on a shirt. This place gives me the clothes I want, at a great price and great quality. And when you find somewhere that the clothes fits, wear it!

I remember being younger and getting mad at my mom for making me buy a sweater in the store when it was Lerner NY. I told her, "That's an old lady store, and I will NOT buy clothes from there. That's dorky."  Give me a break, I was in my early teens. How annoying.

Years later, when I started working and actually had to pay for my own clothes, I refused to pay $80 for a pair of cropped pants at Express. I mean, who were they kidding? I also wasn't happy with the fit. So after some mental kicking and screaming, I decided to try New York & Company. Lo and behold, the pants actually fit the way I wanted them too. And ten years later, the clothes didn't seem quite so "old-lady-ish".  Their selection was also way more stylish than I remembered.

While I'd love to be that "uber-trendy" girl, my job calls for something a little more low-key, a little more classic. Plus, as I've gotten older, I've realized that not every silhouette looks good on me.  So I go with what works - a classic cut and shapes, and I accessorize to make it modern. I wouldn't say I'm the best-dressed person in town, but I also don't think I dress poorly. But I guess I'm not the one to judge that, am I? ;)

Anyway, I went shopping for back to school with a coupon for $70 off my purchase of $150 or more in hand (yes, crazy right?).  They also have a huge pant sale going on right now.  Buy one pair of pants full price (their pants average $40 - $60), get the other for $10! That means you can buy two pairs of dress pants for under $75. They also have some gorgeous tops now for fall, in pretty colors and patterns. My personal favorite? A teal tie bow blouse - reminiscent of the ones seen in Banana Republic's "Mad Men" Collection.  Get the New York & Company version here.  I know it will also transition into fall/Miami winter nicely with a blazer over it and a pair of boots.

One of the pairs of cropped pants I acquired. 

Another great thing, teachers get 15% off in stores, year round... If you're a teacher, sign up here.

Happy Shopping!

Xoxo,
Jen

Fall Nail Trend - Going Green

So yes, another post about nails... I couldn't resist blogging about this one.

I was watching the Today Show a few weeks ago, and they were discussing the colors that would be hot for fall. They highlighted a new Chanel nail polish, a limited-edition goldish-green color called Peridot. You can find it here. The following day I picked it up at the mall.  While I would not usually spend more than $8 - $10 on a nail polish, I absolutely loved this greenish gold color. I figured that since I don't spend money on a weekly manicure, the $25 wouldn't be a complete travesty (plus, it was my birthday, and I was indulging).

Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour - Peridot

Since then, I have seen it in every single fashion magazine and advertised in several other places. So yesterday I painted my nails with the new color, even though we are still suffering the blazing heat of summer and I have been attracted to all my pretty brights for the last few months. I love the color - I think it so different, so unique, and looks very fresh - a nice change from the usually dark, vampy fall colors (even though I still love those).  I did two coats and the color looks gorgeous.  For my topcoat, I used this CND Air Dry, which is a Fast Set top coat. My nails were dry in five minutes flat. I picked the nail polish up at Ulta.

One warning - I was looking at several other pictures online (Google images - Search "Chanel Peridot nail color) of women's nails with this color.  The ones with short nails - it looked great. On long nails, not so much. It turns a little "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-ish. So file 'em down, unless you want to go for a creepy, witchy look. Just saying.

Till next time...

Xoxo,
Jen

Shellac... Right on Track or Whack?

First off, I know I have been terrible about blogging lately, and I apologize. I really have no excuse for you except for pure laziness. lol  However, I do want to say that I will be steering away from food for a while as I haven't been doing too much baking lately. I've also been making very simple meals without recipes for the last several weeks. I do promise that if I make anything fantastic I will definitely share!

So as you might remember, hubby and I went to Europe for 10 days (I will share some pics soon, promise!).  Before leaving on the trip, one of my worries was, "What on earth am I going to do to keep my nails looking nice?"  If you know me, you know I am obsessive about nail polish, nail colors, and taking care of my nails. You also know that I almost NEVER go get manicures or pedicures, and have taught myself to do my own nails. BUT I was not ready to have to deal with chips, cracks, broken nails, and gross looking cuticles while on vacation in Europe.

So two days before leaving on vacation, I tried Shellac, which claims that it will last 2 weeks. I did some research and found a place that was close to my house, was not charging $50 for a manicure, and that had good reviews on Yelp. The salon I chose carried the CND line of Shellac nail polishes (OPI has their own line, which has a larger color selection).  I originally wanted a light shade and had thought about going with a light pink or marshmallow-like color, but they didn't have a large variety of colors. So I went with Tropix, a bright coral color.

Moments after getting them done. 

The way it works is they put a base coat on, then stick your nails under a UV lamp. Then they apply a color coat, UV lamp; second color coat, UV lamp; finally a top coat and again under the UV lamp. What amazed me the most is that the SECOND you take your nails out of the UV lamp, they are completely, totally, 100% dry.  No smudging while you try to pay, look for your keys, etc.  I have to say, I was impressed. 

Fast forward one week... my nails were in perfect condition. No chips, no cracks, no smudges. My cuticles were starting to get a little dry, so I just applied a really thick moisturizing cream (I used Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream).  The nails polish itself was still super shiny, as if it had been applied that same day. 

By day 10, we were heading home. I had become impatient with my growing cuticles and had begun to push them back. You could see a huge amount of regrowth, which didn't bother me as much as the fact that my cuticles were crazily overgrown. On the flights back, I definitely started picking at my right hand, but my left was still intact.  Picking the nail polish off didn't hurt (I thought it might), but it definitely tugged at my nails. It also left my nails a little ragged. What I couldn't pick off I soaked with some nail polish remover and battled to get it off (it is recommended by the company to return to a salon for removal).

Day 12... after I started picking at them. 

So would I do it again? 

Yes, but not regularly. I think it is a wonderful solution for someone going on a trip, or for a bride, or if you have several events going on and need your nails to be perfect because you don't have time to get them done. But I don't think I'd Shellac regularly because it does dry out your nails and cuticles, and the growth towards the end can be a little unsightly.  All in all, it was worth it for the trip, but I'll keep my free, weekly, at-home manicures that don't ruin my nails. 

The Many Faces of Bella

Yes, I am doing it - I am totally posting about my dog. This past weekend, my dad was soooo wonderful and gifted me part of a new camera. (Thanks Daddy-O)  I, of course, had to play with it as much as possible before my upcoming trip - hence the reason why I took 600 photos in one weekend (Yes, really). Since I have no children, my dog is probably my best subject (my husband no longer poses for me unless it is a worthwhile shot - I must be that annoying, huh?). While being a paparazzi, I noticed that my dog has more expression in her teeny little face than most people can express with their entire 200-lb bodies. If you have a dog, I am sure you have noticed the many faces of your Fido, or Fifi, or Rocky... If so, I want to hear about them! So below are some pictures of Bella (who by the way just turned a year old in June, and who is looking for a man with whom to make some babies (;  ), along with what I think her thoughts must be when she makes these faces. :)

"Mom, I'm tired. Please, chill with the pics."

"I told you to leave me alone. Now take me to the dentist." (my poor baby has the cutest underbite)

 

"Look into my puppy dog eyes... keep staring, keep staring... "

"I'm pooped. No literally... right next to you."

"Wanna be my friend?"

"Wait... You're doing what?"

"Come play with me!"

"I'm thinking. About rolling in the grass and a pool full of dog treats."

"Please, dad... drop the big, juicy steak... right there."

"You people..."

"Seriously? Who tortures their kids like this?" 

Haha. Happy Thursday everyone... Enjoy your day!

XoXo, 

Jen

Summer Bean Dip

Here is a delicious dip that will not make you feel guilty for scarfing down a bag of greasy chips and a tub of sour cream and onion dip at the beach (whilst wearing a bikini, no less).  I first tried this as a store-bought dip, from Costco.  I basically devoured a tub of it and tried to figure out what the heck it contained while I was wolfing it down. I ended up finding the recipe online (don't kill me but I have absolutely no idea where) and decided to make it for Cinco de Mayo. It was a hit, and I've made it a few times since then. :)
It's always a great dip to take to a summer get-together and like I said, you don't feel guilty if you eat too much of it (I can't say the same for the chips).  You can alter it in a few ways to your personal preference, and it is another cook-free recipe - just mix, refrigerate, and serve. I'm pretty sure it would also make a delicious topping for fish, tacos, on a salad, etc.


Summer Bean Dip

Ingredients

1 15.5 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15.5 oz can of yellow corn, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 red tomato, chopped
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup packed cilantro, chopped
1/2 bunch of scallions, thinly sliced

Directions


Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and serve with tortilla chips.

Happy Independence Day!

So I'm lucky... I get to share my birthday month with one amazing little lady... Lady Liberty and this great place we call the USA. My birthday is at the end of the month, but this weekend I'm celebrating America's birthday with family and friends at the beach. :)
I'm working on my tan, taking some fabulous photos, and straight up... Relaxing. I'm actually writing this on my phone right now, while sitting in a beach chair, watching my brothers in the ocean. I could do this forever.

I go home tonight, after fireworks, so I will post some photos hopefully (I did a mini photo shot with some friends' daughters). I should also have a recipe or two for you this week. :)

Till then... Have a safe and happy Fourth of July!

Xoxo

Jen