Foodie Files: CPK-Inspired Thai Chicken Pizza

My local CSA farm share delivers our produce every Monday. And every Monday night I try to rummage through my fridge to figure out what to make first with the week's harvest! This week it was the carrots that saw their way into our bellies first!

With a few items I already had in my fridge: some baked chicken breast, my favorite naan, and shredded mozzarella cheese - I got to work on a quick and easy peanut sauce as the base for my pizza. 

Peanuts (Satay) Sauce:

Ingredients:

Peanut butter 

Sesame oil

Crushed black pepper

Garlic

Carrots (Grated)

Ginger (fresh or powdered)

Water 

A heaping tablespoon of Skippy peanut butter (as you know, this stuff is already super sweet so no need for honey or sugar for this recipe - unless you're using all natural peanut butter a little sweetness will be required), garlic, a splash of sesame oil, ginger, and cracked pepper all went in a microwave safe bowl and into the microwave for about 20 seconds. I added a few tablespoons of water to thin it out followed by a quick stir and it was tasty as can be and ready to slather on the naan. I topped the naan and peanut sauce with a light drizzle of mozzarella, then shredded chicken and grated carrots. Top again with a bit more cheese and throw it in the oven for about 15-20 minutes at 350 F or until the cheese is gooey and the crust is crispy. I added extra grated carrots and fresh cilantro after I pulled it out of the oven, just before serving!  Yum!

Adam claimed that this was better than CPK's Thai pizza -- that's a huge compliment in my book because I love CPK's original!  I'm just glad to have found a way to recreate it at home for those nights when we are craving it but can't be bothered to drag ourselves out in the cold to go get it!

Xo,

Alexa

Nailed it: Navy

I ditched my go-to nude nails this past week when I rediscovered a navy blue nail polish by American Apparel called Passport Blue.  This color has been left neglected at the bottom of my stash for years and I was honestly surprised that the formula held up over time.  The application was deliciously streak free and opaque in just two coats.  Luckily this color is part of their permanent line so you can still find it here for only $7! 

From experience, I know that not all colors by the same brand are made equal.  I love a good Essie nail polish ('Sole Mate' and 'Sweetheart' are staples) but one shade I purchased over the summer is disgustingly streaky and requires a good three coats to look decent (I'm looking at you 'Concrete Jungle'!).  If you're impatient like me, letting three coats dry is an eternity and I can never get away without a smudge or a smear.   

At any rate, back to AA's Passport Blue -- the vsco'd-out photo above doesn't really do it any justice so here's another snap to seal the deal:

The topcoat I used is a cheaper version of my beloved Seche Vite dry fast topcoat. I have used it a handful of times and will post about how they compare so keep a look out for that!

Are you a fan of bold nails, a simple nude, or both?  Share your favorite must-have polishes with me in the comment section... I'll need your recommendations to inform my next hasty decision at the drugstore!

Xo,

Alexa

Knit-Wit!

It's getting chilly out there, which means it's finally time to pull out some snuggly knitwear and get cozy.  This is probably one of my favorite things about living on the East Coast -- sweaters actually serve a purpose instead of just looking cute (cue Cali-girl problems)!

This season I'm unearthing my favorite knits and I also added a few more pieces over the last month to supplement my current stash.

Can I just say that The Gap has really picked up their style game this season!  I snagged two sweaters for a cool 40% off and love them to pieces.  The top one is a Colorblock merino wool sweater that adds a little menswear cool to any outfit.  Keep your pretty embellished midi skirts from looking too girly by tucking this bad boy in there and you have an instant edgy-fem look.

The next sweater, in a burnt caramel color is aptly named the "cozy turtleneck sweater" and it really is just that.  It's oversized with a chic turtleneck - I'm envisioning wearing it with some skinny pants and ankle boots with a parka over top.  Let's also be real - I'll be wearing it with leggings, but rest assured, it's long enough to cover your behind so it's it's okay to wear leggings as pants in this case!

The navy and yellow speckled sweater is an oldie but goodie from my closet.  I bought it at Joe Fresh a couple of years ago and I find myself reaching for it every season.  It's itchy as hell - but when paired with a comfy turtleneck longsleeve shirt, it's love.  Nerdy fisherman style love that is.

You can't really see the texture on the next black sweater but it's a sheer piece with a fuzzy swirled pattern that is so super chic layered with a bandeau bralette underneath and any bottoms you want.  I love it in an all black outfit because the peek of skin underneath just adds the right amount of color to break up all the black.  This gem was from H&M last year and I wish I picked it up in the burgundy color too! I find that H&M tends to bring back certain styles so you can bet that I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for this sweaters return!

Up next, this cable knit is from Ralph Lauren and sports that iconic little polo horse on the right top breast.  I found this one at tjmaxx on sale for under $30 in the boys department.  It's perfectly preppy and easy to layer with your button down shirts and jeans.

The last sweater, which I doubt you can see at all, is a basic thick black knit with bell shaped arms and an exposed zipper at the back and was also nabbed at tjmaxx.  Knitwear at the popular shopping chain cannot be beat -- I highly recommend a peek through their knitwear racks because you can find some great colors/textures for not so much $$$.

Enjoy the cozy sweater-weather!

Xo,
Alexa

MIA lately and..

here's a cheeky look at where I've been via Instagram:

Last weeknd was spent working in Texas. Caught a beautiful sunrise (first pic on the top left) and a very patriotic parachuter at the Plano Balloon Fest. 

A weekend away with friends in Long Island the weekend before last takes up the rest of the frames with a classic jumping shot at a nearby vineyard (pre-liquor) might I add.  We just didn't want it to end! 

Glam-ping has become all the rage in recent years and if you're unfamiliar with the term, it's basically doing outdoorsie things like kayaking and grilling, calling it camping, but sleeping in a fully equipped cabin/house with running water.  I think it's hilarious and perfectly fitting for the type of weekend we had out in Peconic. From laying out by the beach, to biking (i learned how on this trip! Ha!), to sitting by a campfire telling stories - this was the perfect way to say goodbye to the summer. I highly recommend renting a vacation home near some great outdoor activities - winter is coming (no pun intended lol) and awesome cabins near the Catskills would be perfect for snowboarding and skiing (or sledding on trash can lids) and sipping hot cocoa by the fire! VRBO (google it)is a great place to start. 

Xo,

Alexa

Summer don't go (yet)!

Happy Labor Day all! While this time of year marks the end of summer, I'm looking forward to a beach trip in a couple weeks so I hope summer extends her stay just a little while longer...

GAP Sunglasses (old; 3 years ago)
Old Navy bikini top
American Apparel lemon print highwaist swim bottoms
Peter Grimm True Character straw hat

I hope everyone's having an amazing Labor Day weekend filled with fun, family, laughter, and sunshine (=

Foodie Files: Heirloom Tomato Pesto Pizza with Roasted Kale

I've been on a pizza-making spree recently and this latest tomato and kale is my new favorite -- plus it's easy to make!  It all starts with Indian naan for the crust.  My favorite is Stone Fire naan available at Costco in the refrigerated section.  They make for perfect individual sized pizzas and you can top them however you like!

Ingredients:
   Naan
   Pesto (a quick google search will lead you to some pretty basic recipes)
   Heirloom tomatoes
   Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
   Kale
   Olive Oil
   Parmesan Cheese
   Salt/Pepper

Preheat your oven to 300 °F.  Place naan on parchment lined cookie sheet and toast them up for 5 minutes to get them warmed up.  Remove the naan from the oven and spread evenly with pesto leaving a small crust around the edge.  Add sliced heirloom tomatoes and sprinkle with freshly cracked black pepper and salt, Then sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and bake for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted and crust is to your desired "crispiness".  

In the meantime cut your kale into half inch slices and place in a bowl.  Toss the kale with a small amount of olive oil, salt, pepper, and grated parmesan cheese.  Place the seasoned kale on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and place in the oven until wilted an slightly crips around the edges.  

Place the roasted kale on top of the pizza once you are ready to serve and sprinkle with some more parmesan cheese.  The nutty flavor from the roasted kale compliments the sweet heirloom tomatoes and, well melted cheese on anything is always tasty! 

You'll notice I didn't put any measurements on the ingredients list as it really depends on how many pizzas you're making and on your preference!  But this is so easy and it tastes like you slaved away in the kitchen for hours!  You could even add a bit of truffle oil to your kale if you wanted to be extra fanciful!  

My husband doesn't even like kale that much and he ate it up like it was covered in bacon! haha 

Color Crush: RED

Have you ever been hung up on any particular color, finding yourself swatching almost the same exact shade every time you're within arms distance of some testers at the drugstore or at Sephora?  You're wondering, "what testers at the drugstore??"  I swear that I have never and will never open a sealed package or peel back a sticker to test anything because I hate it when I'm going to buy something and all of the same product and color have been opened and tested! But if someone else has already taken the liberty of opening a product to swatch it - by all means, I'll be testing it on the back of my hand too!  I don't know why they don't just put out testers at the drug store- grr!!

Anyway, you guessed it -- all four of my most recent drugstore lip purchases were RED!

A classic red lip with an otherwise bare face is just so chic and timeless.  And by bare face, I mean a glowy bare face with a hint of bronzer in the hollows - perfection!

Top: Revlon COLORBURST Matte Balm in 250 Stand Out
L-R: Revlon COLORSTAY Moisture Stain in 040 Shanghai Sizzle,
NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in SMLC 10 Monte Carlo,
Rimmel London SHOWOFF Lip Lacquer 501 Stellar

 Revlon always kills it when it comes to lip products!  The two Revlon lippies I picked up, swatched on the far left and far right below are two of my favorites. The Moisture Stain in Shanghai Sizzle (left) is beautiful and has amazing color pay off.  It is reminiscent of the infamous YSL Glossy Stains but at a fraction of the cost.  The moisturizing claim definitely holds true as this product has a very cushion-y feel on the lips and is not sticky at all.  The Color Burst matte balm, while it is matte, is NOT drying like many matte formulations out there.  The shade Stand Out is a fabulous brick red that would be perfect for the coming fall and winter months!  I would also say that these matte balms are a great dupe for the NARS matte velvet lip pencils but with a far more superior packaging with a twist up tube (NARS, please take note -- I am tired of sharpening my matte velvet pencils).

With Flash from left to right: Shanghai Sizzle, Monte Carlo, Stellar, Stand Out

NYX's Monte Carlo lip cream is a bright raspberry red color that comes off a bit more sheer than I thought it would from the tube.  I own a few other shades of the NYX soft matte lip creams in the colors Amsterdam, Milan, and Antwerp and these shades have a far more opaque finish.  This product was my least favorite of the bunch.

Last, but certainly not least, Rimmel London's Show Off lip lacquer in Stellar is a stunning shade of coral/hot pink (close enough to red, right?).  The scent of this product is a little off-putting as it smells like watermelon candy mixed with plastic.  The formulation is a hybrid between a gloss and a lipstick and also wears very well.  I really like dotting this very sparingly on my lips and blending out for a stained effect.

In Natural Light (same color order as above)

Loving these colors as we wrap up the summer but they will also transition beautifully into the fall and winter months! Yay for color all-year-round!