Style Steal

Nothing better than getting a deal on a pricey pair of shoes. I feel in love with these guys when I came across them on Polyvore

These are from TOMS and runs at a pricey 70$. More than I'm willing to pay...

But, I found this pair on sale for 20$ at Famous Footwear. They are a Skechers look a like called BOBS. 

Works for me. Now to find a cheaper version of these babies.

Greek Panzanella Salad

Panzanella is an Italian bread salad that was developed as a great way to utilize stale bread and extra vegetables. Although I enjoy traditional Panzanella, I found this Greek version and thought I'd give it a go.

Salad:
2 tbsp. olive oil

6 cups French bread cubes (1 inch)

salt

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced ¼-inch thick

1 red bell pepper large diced

1 yellow bell pepper large diced

1 pint cherry tomatoes

quartered½ red onion, sliced thin

6 oz. crumbled feta cheese (I just eyeballed it and added a bit too much)

2.5 oz. can sliced black olives, drained 

Vinaigrette:
2 cloves minced garlic

¼ tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. Dijon mustard

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan.  Add the bread cubes and sprinkle with salt; cook over medium-low heat, tossing frequently, for 5-10 minutes, until nicely browned.  Remove from the heat.

Combine the cucumber, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onion in a large bowl. 

Vinaigrette: combine the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Whisk in the olive oil to create an emulsion.  

Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables.  Add the feta, olives, and bread cubes.  Toss to combine.

Image by Amynonymous for Domestic Observances

Fall Fashion

I often have trouble finding clothes I like when I'm out shopping, I always have to analyze every piece of clothing and then I often buy things that I don't love just to have something to show for a 2 hour shopping trip. This also happened to be a problem when trying to find things to decorate a room. However, since I started using mood boards to help lay out a decorating scheme and set me on the right track, it has led to less frustration and more streamlined shopping. So, I thought a clothing mood board might help get the ball rolling in the fashion department. Enter Polyvore, where you can create outfits using individual pieces from thousands of retailers (it's clear I spend entirely too much time online). But it has seriously helped me get my fashion excitement back. The board below is a fall fashion mood board, yeah there's a denim shirt there, shut up about it. The point of the board was to identify pieces that could be mixed into my existing wardrobe (skinny jeans, leggings, tan knee high boots, shorts, you get the idea). So the next time I hit the mall I was able to look for specific pieces that would integrate seamlessly into what I already owned. So if you're in a fashion rut, check it out.

P.S. Is it clear that I'm obsessed with navy blue and tan?

Whole Wheat Tortillas

I've been thinking about making tortillas for awhile, but with my not very successful attempts at baking bread, I was a bit apprehensive. It turns out though, that these were really simple and fun to make. No these were not like my doughy, hard as a rock but somehow soft bricks of bread, that Mike tries to eat anyway because he loves me. This recipe is from the lovely Whole Family Fare and makes 10 tortillas, but I was low on whole wheat flour so I halved the recipe.

2 cups unbleached flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. sea salt
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup warm water

Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add the olive oil and mix until it starts to come together. Add the warm water and mix until dough forms, adding a little more if necessary. Transfer dough to a smooth surface and knead for 3 minutes. Divide into 10 equal portions. Using your hand, roll each portion into a ball. With a rolling pin, roll the balls into a very thin circle (about 8-inch diameter).

Heat a cast iron skillet or comal ( I used a large nonstick skillet) to medium heat and cook the tortillas, about 2 minutes on each side. I cooked them until they developed those brown tortilla spots, which seemed to work for me.

Yields 10 tortillas.

They were delicious and chewy, especially when warm, but they were definitely thicker than store bought, maybe a tortilla press would help with that. Also I'm guessing if you're not a whole wheat fan (hi, mom!) you could probably replace the whole wheat flour with regular white flour.


Images by Amynonymous for Domestic Observances

Loving

These Stainless Steel Popsicle Molds - Onyx

This popsicle recipe - Lottie and Doof

This Post - Pacing the Panic Room

This Book - Radical Homemakers

These classic tortoiseshell wayfarers

These Words