Frame and Focus

{Forever 21 hat, Express faux leather jacket & jeans, Free Generation tee, Coach bag, Madewell rings & bracelet, Calvin Klein heels}

I’m spending the weekend in my favorite city- Chicago visiting my friend Connie. I’m convinced that I was meant to live in a big city; I love the hustle and bustle of daily city life. Since Mother Nature is having some serious mood swings this spring with 80* temperatures one week and 50* temperatures this week, my wardrobe has been in a disarray recently.  I’ve pretty much have stuck to simple layer outfits of colorful tees and thicker jackets to make it from morning to night.   The hat was an unexpected purchase as I’ve never been one to enjoy wearing hats; but it’s most definitely come in handy this weekend with the windy kicking it up a notch. Even though I’m only here for a very short time, it has always been just the right amount of fun to get me through the upcoming work weeks.

Cactus In The Valley

{Express jacket & belt, Urban Outfitters dress, Aldo pumps, jewelry borrowed}

Years ago every time a fancy event would come up, I would rush to the store and purchase a new dress. After the event I would place the dress in the back of my closet and it would usually sit there until months later when I would pull it out for another fancier event. I’ve always hated doing this and felt bad that I would just leave the dress in my closet, but recently I’ve been finding a comfortable way to dress down my clothes for everyday where.

I originally bought this dress for New Years Eve 2012 and styled it with some black tights and some sparkly headbands. The more sparkle the better to ring in the New Year. This dress is very girly and flowy; to dress it down for spring I got rid of the tights, paired it with my light jacket with a strong shoulder, and cut down on the sparkle.

Dill Pickle Soup

Polish people love their pickles and I am one of them. I have a slight obsession with pickles and believe that pickles are a side dish that goes with just about everything, not unlike Snooki. My mom makes the best Dill Pickle soup that’s a bit creamy and sour at the same time. This recipe is quick and easy to follow; it also keeps well however I don’t recommend freezing it due to the cream.

Dill Pickle Soup

• 4 large dill pickles
• 2 carrots
• 6 russet potatoes
• Salt/pepper
• 4 balls whole all spice
• ¼ cup of half/half
• 9 cups of water
• 1 boneless chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon Vegeta*

In a large stockpot bring 9 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add the chicken breast to the pot and boil for another 10 minutes. Skim the top of the water to remove any access fat from the chicken. To the pot add 1 tablespoon of Vegeta and the 4 cloves of all spice; bring to a rolling boil.

In the meantime shred the dill pickles and carrots, side aside. Cut the potato into small cubes and set aside. Add everything into the stockpot and simmer on low heat for a half hour until the cubes of potatoes soften. Add salt/pepper to taste.

Lower the heat so that the soup is at a simmer and add ¼ cup of half and half and simmer for one minute until the half/half mixture incorporates into the soup. Turn off the soup and add 1 teaspoon of fresh dill.  Serve hot with a slice to crusty bread.

*Vegeta is the polish version of seasoned salt and can be found in most international markets and some grocery stores. It’s a very versatile spice and can be used in many dishes.

The New Salt Girl

[Forever 21 dress (old), Coach rain boots, Target umbrella, vintage earrings]

When I was younger I use to admire the Morton Salt Girl; she was just so cute and I wanted to look just like her. It wasn't until I found this dress that I felt I could really recreate her iconic look in a more modern upbeat way.

March has been a pretty great month here in Michigan; most days I feel like winter is officially over and spring is in full swing. The last few days have been super sunny and warm with a few spring showers. I tend to have a love/hate relationship with the rain.  Not so good on with my hair, perfect for wearing coordinating rain boots and umbrellas. I found this yellow sun dress so long ago and it was one of those once in a lifetime, I'm deeply in love with this dress, kind of find. It's always been my go to summer sun dress and I don't think I'll ever be able to part with it. 

Bright Lights, Flowered City

{Forever 21 dress & ring, earrings bought in the Bahamas, Aldo suede pumps}

­­When I was a little girl my Babcia (grandma) use to make most of my clothing for me. I was very much a girly girl and would only wear dresses, because pants were for boys only. My Babcia and I share a love of floral and polka dot prints; so I couldn’t be more excited that this spring major trend has a floral theme. I have more floral print clothing then one person should really own, but this dress by far has been my favorite for a while now.  It was a dress my mom convinced me to try on at the store and I eventually unenthusiastically bought it. I must have been having an off day because now it’s one of my favorite casual any day dresses. Paired with a bright pair of heels, it has been a great spring outfit for work or a Sunday brunch. 

Pumped Up Stripes

 [J.Crew tank, Urban Outfitters skirt, Aldo sandals, Jewelmint necklace, Movado watch]

I've always had a hard time with any article of clothing that had horizontal stripes on it; especially  since I've always thought that they never looked very flattering on me. It wasn't until recently that I realized that it wasn't all striped shirts but the type of stripes I was wearing that were unflattering. This new J.Crew tank is cute and simple with it's thin stripes which don't accentuate the width of my frame. I can tell that it will nicely fit in with many other things in my closet and will be one of those staple items that can be paired with just about anything. Early this week before meeting friends for drinks I paired the tank with a this great skirt I found at Urban Outfitter and some neutral sandals for an outfit that makes me feel confident and comfortable.

Pączki

While many people here in the US only eat this delectable dessert once a year during Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday, my family makes them pretty much year around. What most people don’t know is that pączki aren’t really a treat in Poland, as you can find them all year round in many bakeries and most home kitchens. They are treated more like a breakfast item than a dessert. While I must say that they aren’t low on fat or calories, they really aren’t as bad as people may think. Polish families still fill them with the traditional plum butter or rose jam flavors unlike here in the U.S. where to be honest most people are eating donuts just renamed for a special occasion. So if you are interested in trying to make some real pączki, follow the delicious recipe below!

• 8 cups of all-purpose flour
• 8 tablespoons unsalted margarine
• 8 yolks
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 bottle of vegetable oil plus ½ tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 cups of whole milk
• 3 ½ ounces of fresh yeast
• Pinch of salt
• 2 cups of plum butter

In a small saucepan lightly heat the milk until slightly warm but not yet boiling. Turn off the heat and crumble in all of the fresh yeast. Add 6 tablespoons of flour and 2 teaspoons of sugar into the mixture. Mix everything together well and set aside until the mixture slightly rises. (Once air bubbles star to form)

In a small bowl take the 8 yolks and add the rest of the sugar into it. With a hand mixer, beat the yolks and sugar until it becomes a thick white mixture.

In a small bowl quickly melt the margarine in the microwave until it is a liquid. 

In a large bowl take the rest of the flour add a pinch of salt, then add the yolk mixture, yeast mixture, oil and melted margarine. Mix everything together well until it becomes a dough. You have the kneed the dough in the bowl for at least 10 minutes to ensure that everything has been mixed together properly. The dough should not stick to your hand when you pull it away.

Cover the dough in the bowl with a towel and set aside for the dough to rise preferably in a slightly warm place.

After the dough has become triple its size. Take the dough and roll it out until you have a thin layer of dough about ¼ inch thick. Take a regular drinking glass and punch out circles in the dough. Take each circle and fill with it with about 1 tablespoon of your favorite jam/filling of your choice. Bring all the sides together to the top and roll into a ball. Set aside the balls and wait for them to rise again to almost double their size. Once they have risen for a second time then they are ready for frying. 

In the meantime heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven until the oil is at around 350*.

Add 2-3 pączki into the oil and fry them 2-3 minutes per side until they are golden brown. Take them out and place them on a paper towel to drain any access oil. Once cooled down sprinkle with powdered sugar.    

Uptown Girl

[Zara Tweed Jacket, Banana Republic Tee, Express jeans, BCBG pumps, Michael Kors purse, Nine West Sunglasses,H&M necklace]

After a few days of rainy weather it finally feels like spring is here! The mornings are cooler and the afternoons are warm allowing me to take a lot of the pieces I have in my closet and layer them up. I've always felt that tweed jackets could look a bit old and stuffy but when I found this jacket online I just knew I had to buy it. Paired with a simple white tee and casual jeans it's the perfect casual outfit to get me through the day!

Don't Tell Me I'm Ugg-ly

[Express Tank, Urban Outfitters shirt & skirt, Target tights, Ugg sweater boots, Vintage necklace]

I feel like everyone these days has a love/hate relationship with Uggs. Everyone in the fashion industry seems to hate on them pretty badly, random strangers will loudly tell you that they they think that Uggs are ugly and yet just about everyone owns a pair. I will fess up and say I was one of those Ugg haters back in the day until I spent my very first Michigan winter up at Michigan State University and realized that if I wanted to keep my toes from being frost bitten I needed something warm on my feet. I'm now a firm believer that Uggs will always have a place in my wardrobe;I love them for their comfort and warmth. 

This past weekend was spent running around doing all those errands I tend to keep putting off until the last minute. I paired my favorite Ugg boots with a casual skirt and lace top that provided with with a comfortable outfit to run around in. So while you may think I look Ugg-ly, I think I look pretty darn cute!

Wrap Me Up In A Big Bow

[blazer & belt by Whitney Eve, tank by Express, jeans by Madewell, pumps by Steve Madden, necklace from Fringe, clutch from DSW, ring from The Limited]

I feel like spring cleaning has come early this year, at least for me, and it usually makes me a bit nostalgic. Even though I'm one of those girls that is a big fan of throwing anything and everything away that doesn't serve a purpose to me at that moment, it's still nice to go down memory lane. 

My spring cleaning routine consists of one very large garbage bag and a Spice Girls greatest hits playlist on my iPod. However the best cleaning days are when you find something deep down in your closet that you forgot you owned, it's like getting excited about a new shopping purchase without actually having to spend any money. This recently happened when I found this blazer and belt tucked away in a dry cleaning bag at the end of my closet; pure delight! 

I paired the two with an all black outfit; I really wanted the belt to stand out. It was just the right outfit for a night on the town with the girls! Moral of the story... clean your closet!

Jablecznik "Apple Cake"

Apple cake is pretty much a staple in my household as my mom makes a fresh cake just about twice a week. It’s something sweet and simple that can be eaten at anytime of the day, and can be served warm or cold. It tastes great no matter what. Below is my family’s recipe for “Jablecznik” aka Apple Cake! ENJOY!

POLISH APPLE CAKE

3 cups pastry flour

½ pound unsalted margarine

½ cup sugar

4 eggs; separated

2 teaspoons baking powder

3 tablespoons sour cream

1 envelope vanilla sugar

2 cups apple filling/ chunky applesauce

2 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs

1 package of vanilla pudding

In a small saucepan melt the margarine until it becomes liquid; set aside to cool down.

Take the eggs and separate the whites and the yolks. Set aside.

In a large bowl mix the flour, sugar, vanilla sugar, yolks, sour cream and margarine together. You will have to mix this by hand as it becomes dough resembling the consistence of play dough.

Take 2/3rds of the dough and place the dough in between to pieces of parchment paper, so it doesn’t stick to your rolling pin. Roll out the dough until it is a flat square. Place the rolled out dough on the bottom of a glass 9 x 13 baking dish.

In a small bowl take the 2 cups of apple sauce and mix with 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs. The breadcrumbs absorb some of the liquid in the applesauce.Spread the mixture on top of the dough.

Take the remaining 1/3 of the dough and roll it out the same way as before, on parchment paper.  This should just be a thin layer of dough that you will place on top of the apple filling.

Take the egg whites you have left over and beat them with a hand mixer until they become light peaks, add a package of pudding into the whites and lightly beat until incorporated. Layer the pudding mixture on top of the top layer of dough; spread evenly.

Bake at 350*F for 30-40 minutes; the top should be a golden brown color. 

BON APPETIT! 

Matryoshka Doll

[Urban Outfitters sweater, H&M skirt, Steve Madden nude pumps, Jacket, Express earrings]

A few months ago while shopping with my mom we found this cute Matryoshka doll sweater and I instantly fell in love. When I was little, my Babcia (grandma) had them in her house and I would love to take them all out and line them up in a row...I would say for hours but honestly I would get bored after like 5 minutes. I paired the sweater with a pleated skirt that I believe dresses the skirt down a bit. It's a good thing we've had a mild winter which has allowed me to go tights-less more often!

Emerald Green City

[Madewell shirt, Express maxi skirt &amp (old); belt, Nine West heels, necklace from Fringe (gifted), Forever 21 ring, Gelish Nailpolish in "Seafoam Green"]

Since I'm more of a pear shaped girl I've had a hard time finding a maxi skirt that flatters my figure; I have a huge butt. It was last year that I stumbled upon this gypsy inspired black maxi skirt at the store and was beyond excited that it actually made me look lean and tall instead of short and dumpy. I've worn it a few different ways since then and find that it's a skirt I can dress up or down; very versatile. My favorite way however is with this awesome shirt I got on sale recently that adds the perfect pop of color and looks great against my skin tone. All together it's the perfect outfit for a weekday happy hour after a long day at work!

Just a Bit of Mad Men in Me

[ Madewell top, H&M skirt & belt, UO tights, Qupid heels, gifted watch]

Thank goodness my job allows a more relaxed dress code policy, because I don’t know what I would do if I had to wear a suit daily. I like to wear bright pops of color in my work outfits yet keep them professional. 

I found this great top at Madewell that has lace sleeves; just the perfect amount of detail without going to overboard. I paired it with my go to bright red high waisted pencil skirt (everyone should own one) and some heels with rosette details. Professional yet fun!

[ Harmony Gelish nails in Hot Rod Red]

Green Monster Pasta

When I was in college, a quick and easy meal usually consisted of some type of cooked pasta with a ton of jarred Alfredo sauce on top of it; not exactly healthy. I’ve made some changes since they and have found some great ways to lower the calories, enhance the flavors that I love and include some veggies in this more grown up dish.  Below is my go to lunch/dinner dish when I only have 30 minutes to make myself something to eat. 

Bon Appetite!

Green Monster Pasta

Ingredients:

• -       Trader Joe’s Spinach & Chive Linguine pasta
• -       2 cups of frozen organic peas
• -       1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
• -       1 clove of garlic; minced
• -       2 teaspoons all purpose flour
• -       1 cup skim milk
• -       2 wedges The Laughing Cow Garlic & Herb cheese
• -       1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• -       salt/pepper
• -       red pepper flakes (optional)

In a large pot of boiling water, add the fettuccine noodles and cook until al dente.  Drain and reserve 1 cup of cooking water.

Defrost 2 cups of peas in the microwave. Set aside.

To make the sauce melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat until melted. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Whisk the flour into the melted butter until thickened. (the mixture should look like light brown paste) Slowly add the milk into the flour mixture and continuously whisk the mixture until just thickened, about 3 minutes. Add the 2 wedges of cheese and the grated Parmesan; continue to stir until all the cheese has melted. Add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

Add the sauce, 1/2 cup of the reserved water, and 2 cups of peas to the pasta and gently toss. Serve warm!

Note: If the sauce is still too thick add a bit more pasta water to your dish to loosen it up, sometimes the noodles start to stick together.

Bon Appétit!

Red Velvet

Pin It

[Forever 21 tee, faux fur vest & necklace, Joe's Jeans leggings, Shoemint "Pauline" wedges, Express belt]

Have you ever walked into a store and purchased the first thing that caught your eye and  made you think, who would wear this? This pink faux fur vest was one of those types of purchases. I happened to be wearing a casual shopping outfit when I walked past the store and saw this fur vest just hanging there. My first thought, who would wear that?

Of course I tried it on in the middle of the store, turned to go find my mom (she likes to wander throughout the store, especially during those key times when I need her opinion on something, she is usually no where to be found) when i was stopped by not just one but two people who asked me where i got the vest. I promptly purchased the item and have found some creative ways to make it work!

So who would wear that vest? I guess me!