830 Mile Monday

This week we pulled from things we are actually working on. Caitlin's (Chattanooga) is part of a save the date and mine (NYC) is part of a Kentucky Derby party invite. 

Tickle my Fancy Wishlist

This wish list is with SPRING in mind. New York has been an eclectic collection of weather lately. The city is alive with spring fever and bare skin.

1. I used to get a few pieces of jewelry every christmas from QVC through my Great Aunt. I really do have some nice costume jewelry pieces because of her! This ring is really cute, and a great price. $184.00
2. These sunglasses from Cutler and Gross (which has an amazing website) are my dream sunglasses, they are absolutely beautiful. This company makes beautiful art. Originally seen on AnOther Lovers
3. Love the key pendant look. QVC $88.00 on sale for $79.92 (what's with these prices?)
4. I am stuck on the QVC site, I have 4 weddings this year and accessories can really spice up a simple dress. Trying to spend to save:)
5. Asos 70's Straw Floppy hat comes in on the high end of the wants. With summer coming up so fast, my face could use a break from the sun. $26.86 (such a strange amount) Image credited to Asos

The beautiful font for the numbers is Rex Bold Inline. Want Rex? Go to FontFabric and if you like and use it, don't forget to support the creators!

20 min Tilapia

Garlic tilapia with mashed potatoes and steamed asparagus with grated parmesan on top. 

Sometimes we just don't feel like cooking. The nights when we do, we do it up but do it quickly. We are trying to make a conscious decision to eat more fish. I just have to figure out a way to make it not taste like fish :)

RECIPE

1. Marinate:  2 fresh squeezed lemons (save lemon after squeezed), 2 garlic cloves minced, rock salt, and pepper. I like to let marinate for a few hours or overnight. 
2. Preheat oven to 350. 
3. Make little tilapia envelopes with aluminum foil. I buy the pack that each foil is 12x12 inches. Place tilapia in center and pour a little of the marinate (that is left), on top. Fold in each side with leaving a little tent, so the steam can leave. 
4. Place in oven for 16-20 minutes. 
5. Mash potatoes were left overs. (golden potatoes, mashed with butter, fresh garlic, milk)
6. While that is cooking, cut up asparagus and steam (you want to do this about 6 mins out on the tilapia being done, asparagus gets cold quickly) take the lemon, grate the rhine over the asparagus. 
7. Pile it up- mashed potatoes, tilapia, asparagus, lemon grated, grated parm
8. EAT! 

830 Mile Monday

Caitlin (Chattanooga) was in Mexico for 10 DAYS! So we decided before she left we would share our week in 3 images. I love the color difference between NYC and Mexico in February.
I (NYC) attended a few fashion events last week and had our niece in town mixing some beats. Caitlin seems to have gotten very close to the wildlife in Mexico.

Oh my goodness, Eggs Benedict with Prosciutto.

Foodies beware, this dish will knock your socks off, and is easy enough to create.

Ingredients  you will need are:

• Eggs
• English muffin
• Fresh asparagus
• Thinly sliced prosciutto
• White vinegar
• McCormick Hollandaise sauce

To start, get the water boiling in a saute pan (so the egg doesn't touch the bottom), add one capful of vinegar* once water is rolling,  break egg in teacup and slowly put into water. Let the egg stay in there for about 4 minutes. In the interim, toast english muffin, add butter to muffin, steam asparagus (I cut mine up pretty small before so it takes about 3 minutes), start hollandaise. Once all the ingredients are done, compile like I have and give a sprinkle of cayenne on top and WA LA! 

*Vinegar helps keep the egg intact, a little trick I learned from my father in law. 

830 Mile Mondays

My best friend, fellow Creative Circus graduate, killer graphic designer and skydiver, Caitlin lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee, I live in New York City, 830 miles away. Caitlin and I went to school together in Atlanta for Graphic Design. Once graduation day came, I moved up to New York to be with my husband and closer to my growing family, and Caitlin moved to Chattanooga to work and be with her amazing beau. We have remained friends throughout the years.

We are always passing back and forth designs asking for suggestions and what the other one thinks design wise. So...We thought it would be a fun thing to challenge ourselves once a week graphic style. The rules are simple, we give a category/theme of what we want to achieve (ie, photography, sketch, vector illustration, etc.) and medium to use for the artwork (ie, camera, pen, paint, design programs, etc.) don't share our designs with each other and share with the blog first. We are going to work on making this happen once a week, and I would love to be held to that!

This week we did filed away pictures, since this idea for Monday's theme just came up.

Category: pet or animal/human interaction (to be fair Caitlin had this shot and it is so awesome, we had to come up with some theme, next weeks theme will be more original)

Caitlin chose one she took of her cousin Maura and her pet chicken. It is a great shot. It could be something that would come out of Norman Rockwell's head.
I chose one that my Aunt took at my first holy communion, my uncle chased around the duck until he finally caught it for his baby girl Kristin. The image has always made me happy, and it fit the criteria, except I didn't take it:)

Next week...

New Years Resolutions and Blue garlic?!?!

So normally on a Sunday (today being my Sunday) I try and do some cooking for the week; packing your lunch in NYC can save you about $65 a week.
Today, I cut up some garlic and onion to start on my fresh homemade tomato sauce. I decided to cut open a lime and put some fresh lime juice in while that was simmering, came back 2 mins later, garlic is BLUE! Turns out, after a little googling, this is a chemical reaction which scared me into thinking my garlic starter had gone bad. Here was the blue garlic answer. Turns out it is perfectly ok!

My homemade tomato sauce, 10 mins prep 20 min cook time, extra can be frozen!

Heat pan on low-med heat with 1 teaspoon olive oil,
add 3 cloves of minced garlic,
add chopped onion,
fresh lime juice (watch for the blue reaction), isn't a necessary component,
add sliced grape tomatoes (1 pint container)
add 1 sliced vine ripe tomato
add 1 can of tomato paste
add sea salt, to extract the tomatoes natural flavors and liquids.

Let that simmer for about 15-20 minutes, let cool for 30 mins, pour in blender and blend on sauce setting, pour into glass storage (I use the Pyrex containers).

Freeze half, and keep the rest in the fridge for an easy delicious base to your dishes throughout the week. (The sauce just gets better as it gets happy in the fridge)