Cheers to 2013

I'm looking forward to an evening filled with champagne, good food, and friends. And yes, in that order. I love a chance to wear some sparkle, but I'll need to pick just one of the many sequined items I own. It's going to be a tough choice for sure.

I'm glad that's the only real task I have to use my brain for today. Have I mentioned how happy I am to not be at work today?

Here's to a great night and a Happy New Year!

Super Easy Stuffed Mushrooms

This snack was based off was a simple idea. I had some leftover stuffing, so I knew I had to try this recipe. I made my stuffing with italian sausage and celery, but it was difficult to stuff into the little 'shroom holes. Next time, I definitely need to cut the celery into smaller pieces.

The mushrooms were stuffed, topped with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese, and baked for about 15 minutes at 350°. Super easy and super delicious.

Found: Tall Brown Boots

Photo via Keiko Lynn

I saw these boots on Keiko Lynn a few weeks ago. Aren't they awesome? I knew I liked them, but didn't think anything beyond that because they cost $650. I must have subconsciously been searching for something similar because I found these this week. Yay!

These are my version of Keiko Lynn's boots. A little slouchier and not as tall, but still amazing. I love the mix of fake leather and suede, but the best part is that I found them at Goodwill for $35. That's a little more than I'll usually spend on secondhand shoes, but they were in great condition and fit so well. I've worn them everyday since I bought them, which is a good sign, if I do say so myself. I'll be sure to post an outfit wearing them soon.

Leftover Mashed Potatoes -> Potato Soup

I can't believe my little Christmas break is almost over. I've spent the week reading, watching Netflix, browsing the internet, and thrifting. It's safe to say that I've thoroughly enjoyed myself.

My mom, step-dad, and sister spent Christmas here at my apartment and we made a huge feast of turkey, ham, and all the sides. I don't know why, but I don't like to eat leftovers the same way I ate them the first time, so I've been looking up different recipes to try.

The first recipe I tested was this potato soup from Cooking with Karin using leftover mashed potatoes. It was awesome! It tasted just like potato soup should, especially with the crumbled bacon and green onions sprinkled on top. Next time you make mashed potatoes, make extra so you can enjoy this soup afterwards!

Here's what you'll need:

bacon (however many strips you want!)
1 finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups chicken stock
2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1 1/2 cups half and half
salt and pepper, to taste
shredded cheese, for garnish
chopped green onions, for garnish

Step 1: In a stock pot, cook bacon until crispy. Set aside.

Step 2: Sauté the onion in the bacon fat until soft. The turkey bacon I had didn't leave any delicious greasy juices, so I just used olive oil.  

Step 3: Whisk in the flour, chicken stock, half-and-half, and mashed potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 4: Serve and garnish with shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, and green onions. Yum!

*Recipe adapted from Cooking with Karin

New Year, New Ideas

I spent two hours in bed this morning catching up on my favorite blogs. That's not really out of the ordinary for me, but I'm making a point here. I read this hilarious post on Greetings from Texas about her family's Christmas celebration that made me want to take more pictures of my own family, pinned this outfit because I recently thrifted a floral blazer and wanted ideas on how to wear it, and decided I'm going to make this soup with my leftover turkey from Christmas day. Hmm…I sure do get a lot of my inspiration from the internet. In fact, all my so called "ideas" are actually someone else's. I just tweak them a bit. Do you see where I'm going with this?

I've been thinking about blogging again, but I didn't want it to be as one-dimensional as The Closet de Natalie. I wanted the freedom to write about everything, but needed a way to focus it. It hit me this morning in the midst of my laziness. I'll write about where I find my inspiration on the internet. This blog will be a collection of my attempts to recreate the outfit ideas, recipes, beauty trends, and DIY projects I stumble upon. Plus, it'll give me an actual reason to keep up with all my favorite blogs. I'm researching!

It'll be tough getting back on a regular blogging schedule, but I have a lot of ideas for posts already. I hope you're looking forward to reading them. I'm excited to be back!