some thoughts...

I am seriously losing my mind. It is like 80+ degrees in Saint Louis.

I just got an iPod...about 10 years after the rest of the world.

Another note on the Apple-world: why is that Siri so sassy for a robot?

Sometimes I feel like I am part of a joke that no one else is in on.

Why do people sit around at restaurants once they are finished eating/drinking? Pay for your meal, put your napkin down and get up.

Dancing with the Stars may be the dumbest show I have ever seen. Correction: the dumbest show I ever spent 2 hours watching.

I just bought a maxi skirt, but I feel like a gypsy in it.

I had the most amazing find of my shopping life last night. I was at Marshall's with my grandmother (where I talked her out of buying a truly heinous black and white Derby-esque hat...Elle Woods, anyone?) and I found a Herve Chapelier bag FOR TWENTY DOLLARS. It's navy and so cute. My grandmother thought it was a lunch bag.

That's all,
xoxo Marg

DELICIOUS slower cooker recipe

Last week, my mom introduced me to an amazing slow cooker recipe. But I didn’t have a slow cooker. Luckily, my mom has two (who knows why), so she gave me her extra. I tweaked her recipe to my liking and it was delicious. She will not be getting her slow cooker back.

Here is what you need:
2 or 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 jar of mild/medium salsa
1 can of corn, drained
1 can of black beans
1 can of diced tomatoes

Cut the excess fat off the chicken. Place the chicken breasts at the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour in the salsa, drained corn, black beans and diced tomatoes. Do not drain the black beans or the tomatoes. Put slow cooker on medium/low heat. Cook for 4-8 hours. When chicken looks completely cooked, shred with a fork. Put on slow cooker on warm or serve immediately. I served it with tortilla chips, but you could also use it with tortillas or even on buns. It would be even better with shredded cheddar, but I was attempting to keep it healthy. So delicious!

say hello to my little friend(s)...

I am a fan of TOMS even though they make my feet look like little sausages. They are comfortable and feet-friendly for a social worker chasing people around the city all day. When I found out about the ballet flats, I got way too excited. After perusing Nordstroms website for weeks, I finally bought these today. For a shoe made of burlap, $80 may be kind of ridiculous, but whatever. They are so cute.



Word to the wise: go a size down.

xoxo, M

new favorite hummus

I am in love with hummus. I make it from scratch sometimes, but it is a huge pain and makes a mess for me to clean up. I am forever trying new store-bought kinds, and I have found the most amazing one yet. Trader Joe's cilantro jalapeno hummus is to.die.for. It is really creamy and has a kick to it, which I love.

Go buy it right now.

morning glory

I have decided that my mornings go infinitely better when I get up early, drink coffee and watch t.v. before I get ready. (It goes even better when Phantom of the Opera is on and I can blare it while I get ready, but I digress...)

The mug I got from my BFF Tinabells is my favorite coffee cup. Thanks, Kate Spade and Tine!

BEST taco recipe

My good friend Suzanne found this recipe online. It is from America's Test Kitchen, one of my all-time favorite magazines. My dad has been getting it for as long as I can remember and I love the show, too. They are the ones who once said that there is no difference between using real vanilla and a cheaper alternative of imitation vanilla when you are using it in a recipe. Oh, baking controversy!

Anyway, we made these tacos last night. I tweaked it a little by adding a little more brown sugar and onion and I did hard tacos instead.

Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar
8 flour tortillas
1/2 head lettuce
1/2 pound cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup salsa

Directions
1.Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until simmering. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, spices, and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2.Stir in the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce, broth, vinegar, and sugar and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

3.Divide the filling evenly among the taco shells and serve.

Delicious! We also made spanish rice with green peppers, onions and tomatoes.