Sunday Supper - Steak, Onions and Spinach Rice Pilaf

Yesterday I made the mistake of watching cooking shows after the gym and before lunch.  It's never good to watch food shows when you're hungry but I was watching Rachael Ray and she made steak with oregano sauce and spinach rice pilaf.  Her recipe is here.  As usual, I didn't follow her recipe to the letter but it did inspire me.  

First I toasted up some orzo in butter and olive oil for about 2 minutes then added in about 1/2 of a chopped sweet onion and cooked up for another 5 minutes or so.  See how nice and toasty brown the orzo gets?  Then I added in a cup of long grain rice and a little more than 2 cups of chicken broth.  If your broth is low in salt, you might need to add more salt but you can do it at the end once you've tasted it.  Bring the broth to a boil, cover, turn down the heat to simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or until the rice is done.

A couple minutes before the rice is done, stir in a bowlful of chopped spinach, sprinkle with some grated nutmeg, cover and take the pot of rice off the flame. 

When the rice is cooking, season the steak and let it sit out until you're ready to cook it.  I bought thin sliced top round and just seasoned it liberally with salt, pepper and olive oil.  To serve with the steak, I sauteed up a sliced sweet onion with a little bit of chopped garlic, red chile flakes and fresh chopped oregano.  I forget how fragrant fresh oregano is and it was lovely with the steak and onions.  Anyway, once the onions were cooked, I added in a pat of butter and the juice of half of a lemon.  As for the steak, I cooked it in some olive oil only for a few minutes each side since the steaks I bought were so thin (I bought thin sliced top round). 

 

The steak was especially delicious with the onions seasoned with the oregano and I really liked the citrus flavor from the lemon.  The rice was delicious and while I'm sure it's tasty with the feta as Rachael Ray does it, I didn't miss it.

And last, I have a confession.  While I was cleaning up, I noticed that the pan I had cooked the steaks in had lots of meaty juices left in it so I sopped all the juices up with a piece of crusty Italian bread and that was my dessert.  I think it was the best part of the meal!

Lust or Must?

I love the Mulberry Alexa bag but I also know that it's not inexpensive.  Doesn't this Talbots version give it a good run for its money?

Mulberry Oversized Alexa leather bag, $1,250
Talbots leather Loop-lock satchel, $179

I die for these Valentino lace booties but they are over $1000 which is steep. But this Ann Taylor version is just under $200.

Valentino Lace Peep-Toe Bootie, $1,045
Ann Taylor Lace Bootie, $198

Every girl needs a good pair of flats especially the Chanel ballet variety but with a $500+ price tag, they're certainly not affordable. Instead give these rose gold Ann Taylor flats a try.

Ann Taylor Sarah Metallic Stretch Flat, $148
Chanel Lether Pink Flat
 

I can totally picture myself prancing around town in this Miu Miu printed fur collar coat but at over $1700 I don't think I can swing it. This Top Shop coat would do the trick and for a sliver of the price!

Miu Miu Fur Collar Coat, 1,101 GBP
Top Shop Faux Fur Collar Swing Coat, $180

Wishlist: Black Friday

Instead of fighting the shopping crowds today, I'm nestled in doing stuff at home that's been on my list of to do's for awhile.  So far, I've finally organized all the nail polish, lipsticks and makeup that clutter up my bathroom.  While the bathroom is still cluttered, it's a much more neat and organized clutter.  I've also printed out new photos to update all my framed pictures plus have started the process of cleaning out the disorganized mess in my kitchen cabinets.  But despite my not taking part in the black Friday madness, I'm still doing some mental shopping and adding things to my wishlist.  Today's list encompasses the handbags I'm pondering for myself.  I do have a birthday coming up in January and think I might buy myself one of these as a birthday treat.

Givenchy Nightingale

You've seen this one before but I'm still obsessing over the Givenchy Nightingale and I really think I want it in red.

Stella McCartney Falabella

I love the chain straps on the Stella McCartney Falabella and I've been admiring this bag for awhile.  I think it's great how she let's her dedication to the environment guide her designs though admittedly, I do question spending $1000+ for a faux leather bag.

Miu Miu Matelasse

 Miu Miu has done several versions of this bag over the last few years and I really never tire of it.  I am especially drawn to the braided handle, buckled flap and puckered leather.

Alexander Wang Rocco

My passion for all things bestudded is clear and I've been eyeing Alexander Wang's studded bags since a trip to Opening Ceremony.  I was at that time thinking about the Diego bucket bag but now the Rocco bag is in the running.

Mulberry Bayswater

Finally, last but not least, is the Mulberry Bayswater bag.  I also really like Mulberry's Alexa bag but I think this one is a bit more my style.

I've got a couple months to ponder which one I like the best.  Which do YOU like best??

My Day of Thanks

I love a lazy day at home with little on my agenda and this lazy day consisted of a trip to the gym and not much else until I ventured out to spend Thanksgiving with some friends.

  

I got into the spirit of things and put up my little pink tree.

Kate Spade dress, Glenda Gies handbag, Spanx lace tights, Stuart Weitzman boots

For this Thanksgiving, my family was a bit scattered all over the place.  My brother in New York, my sister in Florida with my dad and my mother also in Florida but hours away by car.  So I decided to stay put in Boston and celebrate with my dear friend and her family.  Instead of the typical Thanksgiving at home, we were going out for dinner so I had to gussy up.

I wore this bright pink Kate Spade dress that I hadn't worn since my birthday almost a year ago.  I was lucky enough to get these suede Stuart Weitzman boots at friends and family awhile ago at Bloomies and they look good and are quite comfy too.

I accessorized with a fab chunky black bead necklace and vintage inspired handbag by Glenda Gies.

But enough about the clothes for now.  We had a ridiculously good five course meal at Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel and it was truly a lovely afternoon.  We all acknowledged how lucky and thankful we are to have each other.  I'm thankful every day for my family and friends who love and care for me but it's lovely to have a holiday like Thanksgiving that instead of celebrating commercialism and consumption celebrates family and friends.  I'm grateful to have had this day to reinforce how very lucky and fortunate I am.

Orange Pop

J Crew sweater, H&M t-shirt, Paige jeans, Rachel Zoe for QVC bag and necklace, Hermes belt

Yesterday was a lovely relatively short workday; I actually left at 5:30 for a change.  It's starting to feel like winter so I dressed for it.  I bought this navy J Crew sweater a couple years ago on sale and it has been a winter staple.  I paired it with jeans, tall boots and my orange Hermes belt for a pop of color.  I was going to wear the orange bag and coat that you've seen before here but I happened upon this Rachel Zoe for QVC bag that I bought months ago and had never used.  I love the studs and the chain strap but I especially love the clever design.  It's a foldover envelope clutch but the top also has a zipper so you can get inside two different ways.

Then as I was reaching into my coat closet for my orange coat, I noticed this multi-color fur trimmed number that I don't think I've worn in a couple of years.  It's a little too big for me but it does work when wearing a bulky sweater underneath.

I hope everyone enjoys their Thanksgiving holiday!