These left lots to be desired, but I suppose these people aren't really in the business of fashion anyway, so you can't fault them too much?
Steve Martin & Steep Canyon Rangers looked especially cute and very down to earth-like. B+
I don't really know what happened to Alison Krauss, at least I think that's her it doesn't really resemble her at all, but for a Grammy pro, she sure missed this boat. The shoes, the dress, the make up, what? And dude, tuck your shirt in. D
A first for Ms. O. LOVE this dress and it fits her perfectly, plus she even chose the perfect skin color to go with it. If we could just do something about that awful hair color this would be a best dressed. As it is, A-
And in related hair color news. I actually wanted to like this, it looked better in person than in photos. Love the color choice agains the red carpet, but it just didn't jive. C
See Kelly, this is what you would look like if you fix your hair. Out styled by an older woman! She looks A-mazing.
There is nothing nice to say here so I'll just move on, F
and Kings they are! Love everything about all three. A
I guess this dress is everything about who she is and her music, but for all the metal she took home, I would have liked to have seen a little more effort. It's not bad at all, just boring. B
As much as it pains me, Paris was perfect. Not trashy, not over the top. A
Again, not bad, just boring, and just, why? B
The men of Mumford looked, well, like you would expect them to look. B
Can't say this is boring! But I'm not sure what you can say about it, except, really? F
She looks fantastic. This is how you do plain and simple. A
Love everything about this. A+
Oh wait, that's not Gaga. Halloween? What?
Hrm. As influences on teenage girls go, I'll take this over Nicki Minaj, but bless her heart, someone help Taylor. D
Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz (I really wanted to type Swiss Beets, but you know this isn't a food post), perfectly paired. A+ for both, and bonus points for coordinating.
How old is she? Again, looking great. I'm undecided on the matching of hair to attire, although something about her pants was kind of working. So, C, average.
And, even though I was always more of a Madonna fan back in the 20th Century, for good measure:
Let me tell you a little story. I went to make some bread for the soup scheduled this week. Mainly because I don't really care for grocery store bread. That and I forgot it. So, I called in a request of a non-yeast bread, because I only stock pizza crust quick yeast in my pantry. That eliminated a lot of bready options. But, I acquired a recipe that seemed reasonable, not too many ingredients. Yet, low and behold, I didn't have any eggs either. And, since it was pouring rain, there was no way I was heading back to the store. So, I did what I always do: concoct.
1 1/4 c old fashioned oats
1 1/4 c whole wheat flour
2 t baking powder (that expired a um, year ago)
1/4 t salt
1/2 c slivered almonds
1/2 c raw sunflower seeds
2 T canola oil
2 T honey
1 c milk
Mix the dry ingredients. Separately, combine the oil and honey. Mix in the milk and combine with the dry ingredients. Spoon into well-greased muffin cups and bake for 18 minutes at 400.
Two points that is. First, we got this lettuce in our Bread Riot basket three weeks ago. The lettuce is STILL extra crunchy and fresh (these photos were take on 2/3 and the baskets were 1/14...WOW!). I'm not sure if that is indicative of how fresh picked it was, or how it was kept.
Which was in this plastic container, second. It wasn't all "misted" by grocery store sprinkler systems, and it was in an airtight package.
Looks like a regular take out box, doesn't it?
Most household recycling programs don't allow number 7 plastics. Do you know what the numbers in the little recycle symbol mean? (via http://www.guvswd.org/symbols)
#1 - Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE) or (PET). Polyester is its nickname. Used for: soft drink and water bottles, beer bottles, mouthwash bottles, peanut butter and salad dressing containers, ovenable film, ovenable pre-prepared food trays. Recycled into: Polar fleece clothing, fiber, tote bags, bottles, clothing, furniture, carpet. #2 - High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). Used for: milk, water and juice containers, trash and retail bags, liquid detergent bottles, yogurt and margarine tubs, cereal box liners. Recycled into: liquid laundry detergent containers, drainage pipe, oil bottles, recycling bins, benches, pens, doghouses, vitamin bottles, floor tile, picnic tables, lumber, mailbox posts, fencing. #3 - Vinyl (Polyvinyl Chloride or PVC) Used for: Clear food packaging, shampoo bottles, medical tubing, wire and cable insulation. There has been increasing concern over the potential toxicity of PVC, watch the media for developments. #4 - Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Used for: Bread bags, frozen food bags, squeezable bottles (e.g. honey, mustard). #5 - Polypropylene (PP) Used for: Ketchup bottles, yogurt containers and margarine tubs, medicine bottles #6 - Polystyrene (PS) Used for: Compact disc jackets, food service applications, grocery store meat trays, egg cartons, aspirin bottles, cups, plates. #7 - Other: Use of this code indicates that the package in question is made with a resin other than the six listed above, or is made of more than one resin used in combination.
Other, huh? Well good thing this box had more information describing itself.
PLA stands for Poly Lactic Acid and is the chemical name of a plastic made from corn, an annually renewable resource. The look and act just like regular take out boxes, but at the end of use, PLA based products can be recycled or composted under commercial composting conditions 90% within 60 days and the balance within 90 days.
I'm not sure how much regular clam shell containers cost food service professionals, but I found cases of 250 PLAstic clam shells for $65. That seems like a very reasonable cost to avoid petroleum based plastics.
I can't believe this actually worked! Not only did it work, it was pretty tasty, y'all.
For the grits:
Finely dice one shallot. Heat a drizzle of EVOO in a sauce pot and add shallot. Cook on medium-low heat 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add 2 c. chicken broth (I used granules to make my own), and bring to a boil. Add 1/2-3/4 c grits (not instant). Boil 5 minutes, continually stirring. Add in 1/4 c grated cheddar cheese, 2 T nutritional yeast, and a dash of garlic powder.
For the bok choy:
Chop leaves and stems in 1/2" pieces. Heat EVOO in saute pan and add 2 cloves minced garlic and bok choy. Add 2 T rice vinegar and cook 10 minutes. Stir into grits once cheese is melted.
For the shrimp:
Peel shrimp and marinate 10 minutes in straight-up Cuervo Especial. Add a dash of Old Bay. Using a grill pan, cook 2-3 minutes on each side until done (white and pink with a nice seared edge). Serve topping grits-bok choy mix.
Punky may have declared six more weeks of Winter, but given the absence of Winter thus far, I've moved on. If it's not going to snow, time to bring on Spring and Spring clothes! Did I mention how many Winter clothes are just hanging in my closet dying for some love?
Navy and Kelly Green are my official color choice (despite not really owning ANY) for this weird season I'm now calling Sprinter. Maybe a pop of red, yellow, pink, or orange to go with.
Here's hoping June, July, and August aren't equally record setting!
Housekeeping PS: We're two days in to the #febphotoaday challenge. You can follow mine over there on the right side bar, and check out others by searching #febphotoaday on Twitter. I'm thinking a weekly recap will happen on Sunday, so get excited about that!?
Winter months are pretty boring around YJDKIY with the lack of pretty food and fun outings. So I decided it was time for a challenge of a different sort for February. Clicky though to read the rules and play along if you choose. You know I hate instagram, and I don't really care to share them as tweets, so I'll be (attempting) to post them here!
Hard to believe, but YJDKIY actually followed this recipe pretty close. I just didn't make the Harissa - added plenty of my own spices though.
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Oh, and at the last minute, the other eater suggested crumbling up some soy-sage links we had in the freezer for a little more protein. Good suggestion! I think this would also be good served with broiled shrimp on top, or cubed tofu mixed in.
Go check it out and make for yourself. Next time I'll try it in the crock pot as I would have like the carrots to be a little more tender.
A quick dinner with a tropical topping (aside from the 50-minute-to-cook-fancy wild rice) that only took minor preparation!
Baked tilapia (seasoned with Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime - salt free) topped with pineapple-avocado salsa. Sweet and tangy, one of my favorite combinations.
Pineapple-Avocado Salsa
1/2 c crushed pineapple (drained)
1/2 c chopped tomato (vine ripened preferred)
1 medium ripe avocado, chopped
1-2 finely diced garlic cloves
1 t garlic salt
1 T dried cilantro (or fresh!)
1 T lime juice
Mix all ingredients well to combine. Serve chilled or room temperature.
These were going to be white chocolate-cranberry muffins. Then I saw the oats, and the almond slivers, and remembered we just had a fresh delivery of Empire apples from the Empire State (thank you!).
I knew they would be the star ingredient, but they ended up taking over the whole thing! Luckily apples + cinnamon + doughy goodness is always delicious.
I had three of these to use, which didn't seem like a lot since they were tiny. But really, it was a lot.
I could have even just eaten the flour-oat-cinnamon-nutmeg mix. It smelled divine. Apple cinnamon is my most favorite flavor or scent of all time I think.
At the last minute I realized the only pan-greaser I had was non-stick olive oil spray and that sure didn't sound tasty. So I used the paper cups...big fail.
They stuck something awful because I didn't put much oil like in cupcakes. No matter, just eat it like spoon bread. In retrospect, this would have been most excellent in a square pan as more like coffee cake, but the extra apple-y flavor and texture was still a big yum. I loved how there was more apple than bread, too.
Why yes those ARE iPhone photos. Thanks for noticing.
Empire Cups
1 c whole wheat flour
1/4-1/3 c brown sugar
1 c old fashioned oats
1 t nutmeg
1-2 T cinnamon
1/3-1/2 c slivered almonds
1/4 c oil
2 eggs (or equivalent)
1/4 c soy milk
1 t vanilla
1/2 c dried cranberries
2-3 c small-diced Empire apples
Combine first 6 ingredients and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine next 4 ingredients. Gradually add liquid to flour mix. Stir until just combined and fold in cranberries and apple. Spoon into 12 (greased) muffin cups and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, or until center is springy.
Keeper keeper keeper! Even better because it was on a bed of local lettuce leaves and took all of 8 minutes to prep. Ready, get set, combine: 2 cans chunk light (low sodium) tuna, 3/4 c matchstick carrots, 1 c chopped steamed but still crunchy snap pea pods, 1-2 T sweet & sour sauce, 1-2 T low sodium soy sauce, 1 t toasted sesame oil (optional). Mix well and top with crunched up sesame sticks over lettuce.
It has been quite a while since YJDKIY did one of these (February 2011!). But last night was the start of award season and today is a holiday, so voila!
Is there a Poehler in there? I can't tell because of the weird gold blob. This wouldn't be half as bad without the sleeves but as it is, total fail. F
This gets an A from head to waist, and feet, but the middle part, well that's a D.
She's so pretty and this is so...weird. It looks like a superhero formal. D
Love the top hate the bottom. C
Good in theory, bad in execution. With a different, daintier belt, this might be a B. But that thing makes it a C. Actually, D.
This is the best Ms. Wood has looked in a while, I think. The hair is a little stuffy and some bling would be nice, but solid B+
I have no idea who this is but I like the color and simplicity. B
Ms. Klum is looking very Malibu Barbi, or maybe Florida Barbie. C
Not one of my favorite choices on her, but her taste is usually impeccable, so we'll give her the benefit of the doubt and go with B.
This is how you wear pink on the red carpet. Lovely complement to her skin and very flattering (didn't she just have a kid?) A
Is she trying out options for her wedding dress? Nothing about this works. D
An unusual choice, but she pulls it off amazingly. So vintage Hollywood-esque. A
Huh? She looks like Sally Draper at a ballet recital. D
Ms. Kate looks ok, but should keep those shoes hidden. Not bad, yawn. C
Totally undecided. She usually looks amazing, but I'm just not loving this, too much going on and weird posing, I think. C (again...what's with all these average people?)
I find it funny she's on a fashion show. I can't find anything nice to say about this from head to fish tail. D
Just no. Another miss for Nic. D
This was even worse from the front - hello Winter Olympics? We have a new figure skating competitor. What happened Lea? D
The older ladies seem to love these ruffley bottoms. I like the color of this with her hair, but something is amis. B
This is ALSO how you do pink. Love every bit of it, as usual. A
Huh. Solid Gold Fever! C
The sweet heart neckline is apparently making the rounds, and this is cute on her. And, the messy fabric bunches at the bottom of the dress match her hair - if that's what she was going for, A. If you ask me, C, but only because you can do better Reese.
Love everything about these two. Daring color choice but so rocking it, especially the lips. A
Maybe the elder Ms. Osborne could help out her daughter. I actually love this, and love her in it, very appropriate. A
A new one for the red carpet. Bark Plus!
Apparently, having both spent time on the SNL set, Ms. Fey suffers from the same disease as Ms. Poehler. There are so many reason why this is the wrong choice for her. The dress itself isn't that bad but try again, ok? D
And last but not least, dear Ms. Deschanel. I can't decide on this one. I really want to like it, and I don't think anyone else could have worn it so well, but it's just weird. However, purely on the hair, makeup, jewelry, the neckline, the nails, and the hair (yes again), she gets an A.
That's what the work week looks like for YJDKIY. Since it's going to be a little off, this week I just picked seven recipes and we'll pull them out of the hat as needed!
