Drink of the Moment: Thanksgiving 2011 Spiced Pear Perfection

Thanksgiving is only four days away, and thank goodness because I can't wait to have a legit reason to enjoy a few of what I have decided will be my signature Thanksgiving cocktail this year.  You may remember a few weeks ago I mentioned that I was trying to sort out a spiced pear cocktail for the fall (you can revisit that previous 'Drink of the Moment' post here if you'd like), but was not having much luck finding perfection.  As things would often have it, it turns out that I was looking too hard to find something that was right in front of my face the whole time, and in this particular case the simplicity of it's perfection is almost shocking.  The flavors should prove to be quite complimentary with the traditional Thanksgiving meal, and the 80 proof should assist in successfully surviving a houseful of family members.

Spiced Pear Perfection

1 part Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum
3 parts Pear Juice
Dash of ground cinnamon (I used Saigon Cinnamon)
Dash of ground nutmeg
Dash of ground cloves

Pour rum into your selected glass (I used a martini glass for a better photo, but would recommend a highball glass or the like).  Shake in spices to your taste - if you don't have each of these spices separately, you might give pumpkin pie spice a whirl.  Top with pear juice.  Garnish with a cinnamon stick or if you're feeling exceptionally motivated, rim with a cinnamon sugar mix.


Happy Thanksgiving!

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My Punk Rock Girl

 Happy Halloween!!  Not having any kids to deck out and tote around to pillage candy bowls all over the neighborhood, the Halloween attention usually gets shifted to the dog.  Fortunately, Olivia is usually a fairly willing participant and LOVES all of the attention she gets.  I hope you enjoy Olivia's Halloween 2011 costume video premier below (note that she's not bucking the costume, she's just really excited to go for a walk), and have a safe and happy halloween!

                                                                             

Operation Dumpling Drop

The recent chilly snap here in my neck of the woods has left me craving all sorts of fall oriented coziness that, for me, can usually be found in fuzzy blankets and warm comfort food.  Normally inspiring me to scour all sorts of new recipes to find something yummy and warm, this year I am also trying to keep everything low(er) cal as well.  Afterall, nothing grows as quickly in the winter as our backsides.  Since, as some of you know, I loathe beef stew (please click here if you need to be reminded just how much I loathe it), last night it just so happened that I was on a mission for chicken and dumplings.  All of that golden broth filled with chunks of chicken and vegetables floating around puffy spoon-dropped buttermilk dumplings was just too tempting to resist. Believe it or not, I managed to locate a low-cal recipe that seemed to fit the bill, and 'Operation Dumpling Drop' went into full effect.  As a result, a trifecta of amazingness happened in my kitchen that I couldn't help but share.  I found a recipe that was OMG good, low-cal, AND easy to make.  To top it off, it does not take all day to make.  This being the case, I couldn't NOT share the recipe here with you.  I hope you enjoy, now I'm off to grab the leftovers!  Nom nom nom.  :)

Chicken and Rosemary Dumplings

Ingredients

• Soup:
• 4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• 1 pound chicken drumsticks, skinned
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups diced carrots
• 1 1/2 cups chopped celery
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (I prefer more garlic, so 4 cloves were used in mine)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Dumplings:
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (regular salt was swapped out here for Borsari seasoned salt)
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup water
• Remaining ingredient:
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

• Combine first 5 ingredients in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove pan from heat. Remove chicken pieces from broth; cool slightly. Strain broth through a sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. Remove chicken from bones. Discard bones; chop chicken into bite-sized pieces. Set chicken aside.
• Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic; sauté 6 minutes or until onion is tender. Add reserved broth mixture and 1/2 teaspoon salt; simmer 10 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs. Keep warm.
• To prepare dumplings, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 1 1/4 cups flour, rosemary, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Combine buttermilk and egg, stirring with a whisk. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until combined.
• Return chopped chicken to the broth mixture; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Combine 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup water, stirring with a whisk until well blended to form a slurry. Add flour mixture to pan; simmer 3 minutes. Drop the dumpling dough, 1 tablespoon per dumpling, onto chicken mixture to form 12 dumplings. Cover and cook 7 minutes (do not let broth boil). Sprinkle with black pepper.

Lorrie Hulston Corvin, Cooking Light
APRIL 2004

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories: 366
• Calories from fat: 24%
• Fat: 9.7g
• Saturated fat: 3.8g
• Monounsaturated fat: 3.5g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 1.3g
• Protein: 32.5g
• Carbohydrate: 35.1g
• Fiber: 2.9g
• Cholesterol: 115mg
• Iron: 3.3mg
• Sodium: 936mg
• Calcium: 169mg

Nine West Wants You To Get High ... On Their Boots

Fall is here again, and with the crispness in the air it's time to turn our thoughts yet again to one of the cornerstones of the season -- fall boots!!  Every gal needs that amazing pair of boots to show off at the beginning of the season if for no other reason than to drown out the sting of moving those gorgeous strappy sandals to the back of the closet until next spring.  
Lucky for us, Nine West wants us to forget all about our end of summer woes by 'getting high' on their new boot collection.  I'm sure they were all sitting around the idea table slapping their knees over that little pun there.  Obviously, they must really have been sniffing some serious shoe glue to think it was clever enough to be the campaign tagline.  Anyway, I digress.  Moving on ... Nine West and Vogue Influencers have teamed up with stylist and fashion blogger, Lindsay Calla, to show us all how she rocks four of the 'must have' boot styles from Nine West's new fall collection.  They've also put together a little video clip to show you how fab their boots look in motion which I've included for you at the bottom of the page.  (Be sure to check out the 'Cropshop' boot that is showcased there, probably my fave out of all of them.  You can click here for more details on that one). 


Though they probably won't do much in the way of actually getting you high, you might see a pair that could potentially change your entire perspective on autumn, and maybe you'll even find a little joy in putting those sandals away until next spring.  Enjoy!

                                                        

Witt Boot                                                    

Shown below in 'Green Coco Suede' and available here in 3 colors, $189.

“These boots are the perfect blend of slouch and structure. The wedge heel is perfect for walking around the city. I would wear this outfit shopping and it may even be flirty enough for a casual daytime date." Lindsay Calla, Saucy Glossie.

Clara Boot
Shown below in 'Dark Brown Leather', and available here in 3 colors, $199.

“One of my favorite things to do on the weekend in the fall is peruse the markets looking for vintage furniture, jewelry, or clothing. These boots will be perfect for all of the walking involved, especially when paired with cords!" Lindsay Calla, Saucy Glossie.

Mavenue Bootie
Shown below in 'Medium Brown Leather', and available here in 4 colors, $149.

“I love that these brown boots have a hint of burgundy! I would wear these boots to a fun brunch with friends on a Saturday. There’s nothing better than throwing on a cozy sweater and having a great pair of booties to tuck your skinnies into!” Lindsay Calla, Saucy Glossie.

Checkit Bootie
Shown below in 'Taupe Suede' and available here in 2 colors, $139.

“I adore these lace up booties! There’s a subtle sporty vibe to them that makes me want to throw on a cuffed trouser and a flirty zip up jacket. I would wear them around town to run errands because these booties have great ankle support and a sturdy heel that keeps them feeling comfortable.” Lindsay Calla, Saucy Glossie. 

(Push the 'Play' button below to view the clip).

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PhotoHunt 284: Yellow, Ushering in Autumn

Autumn has officially arrived here in the northern hemisphere, and I couldn't think of a more perfect way to welcome it than to appreciate all of the beautifully changing color outside!  Fortunately, this week's PhotoHunt fits right into the now, and a lovely, though slightly damp, stroll through the neighborhood with Olivia (seen in the 3rd photo below) helped to capture some of the many wonderful shades of yellow to be found all around.  Happy autumn!

Brahmin Fall Collection Preview

Though a lot of us might be in the throws of summer heat right now, fall fashions seem to be creeping up fast.  Rich berry hues, exotic leathers, and animal prints are just around the corner, and thanks again to the Vogue Influencer Network, I can share with you an exclusive preview of Brahmin's fall collection.

All of the fall bags have the timeless elegant detail and luxurious texture that is signature Brahmin, but still keep with current fall trends.  I'm typically a sucker for leopard print so the Tyler in Pecan Leopard is up in my top picks, though the Cleo in Cranberry is certainly some fierce competition.  Oh, and the cute hobo at the top of the page - that's the Carmela in Amber ... I like that one too.  Which one will you be eyeing when they hit the market?

Brahmin Tyler in Pecan Leopard

Brahmin Cleo in Cranberry

Brahmin Kelsey in Black Tuscan

Brahmin Anytime Tote in Winterberry

Brahmin Piper in Misty Smoke

Brahmin Julia Rose in Natural Lady Anaconda