Episode Saturday: March Birchbox Review

Birchbox

All items in the video can be found in Birchbox's shop.

Thanks for watching! Hope you have a very happy Saturday!

Recipe Thursday: Kale Fried Rice

For my birthday this year, my super sweet husband gave me a cookbook I had been wanting:

And I really enjoy it. Her recipes are delicious and super healthy. This was the first one I tried from the cookbook and it did not disappoint. You can try it with your favorite stir fry recipe. I made it with the stir fry recipe from the same cookbook (maybe I'll post it another time!). Make this ASAP! You can thank me later.

Brown Fried Rice with Kale and Scallions

Ingredients
1/2 pound kale, stems discarded
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and very finely minced (I just used the jarred stuff)
3 large scallions, cut into 1/8 inch diagonal slices
2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice (1 1/4 cup dry rice, and then cooked)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce

Directions
Cut the kale leaves in half lengthwise and then cut crosswise into very thin ribbons (chiffonade). Steam the kale for 7 minutes. (I actually did not steam the kale, just cut it in ribbons and followed the rest of the directions.)
Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat (I used my Le Creuset). Add garlic and cook, stirring for 2 minutes being careful not to brown the garlic. Raise the heat to medium and add the steamed kale and scallions. Cook for 2 minutes and then add the rice and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring. Add the soy sauce and cook for 30 seconds more.

If you make this, let me know how it goes and what you served it with!

Happy Thursday!

Outfit Tuesday: Crowd Pleaser

I wasn't planning on blogging this outfit when I got ready this morning. However, all day long people were so sweet to tell me how much they liked this outfit and my hair. First of all, it is so encouraging when people give compliments like that. I mean, they don't have to, but it always is nice when random people say something so nice to you. So remember that next time you see someone who looks nice or something and tell them you think so. It'll make their day. For real.

Breakdown: cardigan, Urban Outfitters; dress, anthropologie (after Christmas sale for $18!!!!); boots, Target (last winter). 

Ok, so check it out. There's this blog that I follow, Kate and the Small Things Blog. She's a hair stylist and I posts hair tutorials every week. Today I tried her style, the double bun. Check out her blog. You'll love her and her ideas.

Don't you love when people compliment you randomly? Do you like to try new hairstyles? Are you brave or do you stick with what you know?

Hey, have a happy Tuesday!

A Day Late

Update: Actually, I am skipping. Sometimes you have to prioritize and the blog was at the bottom of the list this weekend. I'm on it for this week though. Stay tuned!

I'm working on my post for Episode Saturday. It's just that the video will go live tomorrow. It's been a bit of a crazy week. I'm not skipping, just delaying.

Thanks for checking in! Have a very happy Saturday!

Recipe Thursday: Crock Pot Brisket

Hope you're having a happy week!

So, if you are like me and your husband loves red meat, this recipe is for you.

It's from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook I received when we got married and that cookbook has been a lifesaver to me! I tweaked this recipe just a smidgen.

Any recipe that can be cooked in the crockpot is already going to be at the top of my list. Working a full time job and not wanting to dirty up my tiny little kitchen every night, I use my crock pot a lot. It's my best friend in the kitchen.

When I make this brisket, we usually eat is with some good veggies (like kale or sweet potatoes) the first night and then have sandwiches the next day with some fresh fruit. We've given up eating chips with our lunches so we try to keep it interesting by having a lot of different fruits in the kitchen, cut and ready to eat.

Another good thing about this is that it's healthier than a typical pot roast recipe that has a lot of canned soups in it (think lower sodium!). Plus, it's just delicious. And you make your own sauce to go with it that Ethan raves about.

I'll stop babbling now....

Crock Pot Brisket

Ingredients:
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup Worchestershire sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon instant beef bouillon granules (I do not use this because I think it's gross, but the recipe still  
   turns out delicious!)
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced (I use 2 teaspoons of the jarred variety)
1 2 1/2 lb fresh beef brisket (Kroger in TX has great Nolan Ryan beef)
1/2 cup ketchup (we use the all natural kind with no high fructose corn syrup)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:
1. Combine water, and next 7 ingredients. Whisk well. Reserve 1/2 cup liquid for sauce and set aside in fridge. Trim fat from meat and, if necessary, cut to fit in crock pot. Pour remaining liquid over brisket.
2. Cover and cook on low setting for 10-12 hours or on high for 5-6 hours. Meat will pull apart easily.
3. A few minutes before eating make the sauce. In a small saucepan combine the reserved liquid, ketchup, brown sugar, and butter. Heat until thickened a little, just a few minutes. Serve with meat.

I usually do step 1 the night before and put it in the fridge. Then, when I wake up I only have to take it out, plug it in, and we have dinner that evening!

Enjoy!

Have a happy Thursday!

Outfit Tuesday: Layers

 Today, I decided I needed interest in my outfit to wear to work. I can only wear dress pants on Fridays and these are really the only pair I have, so Friday's get pretty boring. So I took my favorite blazer, my favorite cardigan, and one of my favorite shirts and put it all together. I was really happy with it and with how warm it was because this was a day in Texas that it decided to feel like winter!

Breakdown: blazer, WISH; cardigan, Target; top, WISH; pants, Limited; shoes, Urban Outfitters; purse, gift from a friend, bought in Africa.

A little chevron nail to keep it fun

Episode Saturday: Pound Cake Tutorial

My mom and I made a cream cheese pound cake!!!

The video tutorial is in recorded in steps, so each video is a few minutes long and shows the the process as we go:

Welcome and getting started:

Adding sugar:

Adding eggs:

Adding remaining ingredients:

Pouring and baking:

How to eat a pound cake:

Enjoy!!!! The recipe is in the blog post below: