From the monthly archives:

November 2009

Two Great Flats

November 4, 2009

Picture 16

Becoming a mother has touched all parts of my life; for better and for worse.  This latter category includes the devastation that is my shoe closet. I love shoes and had the perfect pair for every occasion (business shoes, date shoes, party shoes, pants shoes, weekend shoes, vacation shoes, shopping shoes, brunch shoes, driving shoes, travel shoes, cooking shoes — you begin to get the picture).  It’s not that I have so many pairs, because I didn’t — it was that I had the PERFECT pair for whatever the occasion. Quality over quantity.  Imagine the heartbreak of realizing that post pregnancy I’m now a solid size 8.5, which makes almost all my shoes too small. Note this doesn’t happen to every woman (so don’t panic if you’re pregnant!).

I nearly passed out the first time I wore my favorite pair of high heels (cocktail shoes!) to a charity cocktail thing, I couldn’t even make conversation they were so tight.  I had to sit down with the old ladies and the waitstaff in a corner.

So, I’m resigned to slowly but surely buying an entire new shoe wardrobe.  I started out with these two pairs of flats, one classic and one fun. The grey and black cap toe are from Bloch ($145) and the black and neon pink pair is from Matt Bernson ($165) from Moxsie (but they are offering 15% off, so I got them for $140).  The Bloch shoes I bought at Bloomindales but they are sold out now.

{ 13 comments }

Skirt Steak with Golden Beets

November 4, 2009

Picture 9

Tim cooked skirt steak with golden beets and stir-fried greens tonight and it was delicious (and took 30 minutes to prep and cook). If you’ve never had golden beets you are in for a treat.  I HATE beets as a result of my grandparents forcing me to eat the red canned variety when I was 6 and I was so skeptical about these, but they are mellow and earthy, a perfect compliment to the steak.  Skirt steak is an amazingly flavorful and CHEAP cut of meat, too.  I had no idea.

This recipe is adapted from a great Everyday Food recipe.  Everyday Food is one of my favorite magazines (I love it’s tiny size). I cook something new and delicious every month from this magazine. Since I now worry that every magazine I depend on is going to fold, I’ll say it: subscribe.  It’s $12 dollars for the year and I promise you’ll find at least 12 great recipes to add to your repertoire and cook time and again.

Skirt Steak with Golden Beets and Stir-Fry Greens

4 yellow beets peeled and cut into 1/2 inch wedges
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
1 skirt steak (1.5 lbs) cut into 4 equal pieces
Any combination of swiss chard, baby bok choi, mustards greens, chicory, kale, beet tops, spinach greens. Depending on which greens you like, I’d combine a few baby bok choi with a 6 or 7 swiss chard leaves with some kale for a total of 12 ozs of greens (or however much you can fit in your saute pan).
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or balsamic if you don’t have red wine vinegar)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place beets on a large sheet of tin foil, drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and generous amount of salt and pepper  Fold foil to make tent like packet over the beets. Place on baking sheet (rimmed if you have it) and roast until beets are tender, about 30 minutes.

While the beets are cooking, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high.  Season steaks with salt and peeper and cook until medium rare 3-6 minutes a side (depending on thickness).  Transfer to plate to rest.

Wipe skillet clean with a paper towel, return to store and heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium- high, add greens and cook until wilted, 2 minutes. Add beets and vinegar, season with salt and peeper and toss to combine.  Thinly slice steak against the grain and serve with beets and greens.

{ 5 comments }

Samantha had her baby!

November 2, 2009

Congratulations Sam and Dave!  I love Sam’s striped robe.

{ 3 comments }

Halloween

November 2, 2009

We were in D.C. for the weekend, visiting friends (with a sweet baby boy, Nate) and had so much fun handing out candy in a real house (there is something about trick or treating in an apartment building that is sort of sad).  Alex was a penguin.  (And I ate all his candy.)

{ 19 comments }

Next Entries →