The last four days were spent in a city we fell in love with instantly… San Francisco. Unfortunately Ryan and I both caught a nasty cold the entire time we were here, but we made the best out of it. We stayed at this swanky hotel called The Clift designed by Philippe Stark. It was really minimal, but probably the most homey hotel I’ve ever stayed in. The ceilings were probably 12′ in the rooms, and the window treatments made it feel less like a hotel but more like your master bedroom.

We checked out each neighborhood and we were surprised how much like Manhattan the city felt like. Although it was more beautiful, clean, and friendly. ;) And all the food was so fresh! We loved walking on Pier 39, which felt like home because we always love going to boardwalks at the Jersey Shore. I also really loved Sausolito, a quaint little city right across from the Golden Gate Bridge. Ryan’s number one thing he wanted to do was see the Redwood trees. (There’s a reason why his friend calls him “Ry Dry the nature guy”..) It was unbelievable to see how BIG they are!
The last night we were there, we went to an outdoor food festival called Off the Grid. There were about 30 food trucks, a few wine trucks, and a few local brewery trucks. We ate the best tacos ever (seriously) listening to live music and drinking cocktails. The entire trip was huge inspiration for my cooking, and I can’t wait to try their pulled pork tacos. I had chipotle shrimp tacos with pico de gaillo but scarfed it down before I could take a picture. It was that good!

All in all, our trip to California was really fun. It was the perfect mix of adventure, relaxation, and romance. :)

Below is a list of goodies for the lady in your life who enjoys throwing parties, enjoys the simple beautiful things in life… or for your wife named Lisa. Subtle, right? :)

FOR THE HOSTESS - 

A slate cheese board and cheese knives for wine and cheese parties.

Mini knives for dips and spreads.

Modern black and brass candle sticks for romantic dinners for two.

A casserole carrier (It’s one of those things you feel like you’ll never need, but I’ve had a few occasions where I’ve had hot plates wrapped in towels in my back seat going to friends)

Cooking lessons for two.

FOR THE FASHIONISTA –       

A belted sweater to keep toasty this winter.

 Simple delicate stacking rings.

 Shoulder bag in the most beautiful buttery caramel leather.

Suede flats for running around the city.

Classic diamond stud earrings.

Thanksgiving is a pretty big deal in our family. Every year Ryan and I go to his aunt’s house in the Poconos with about 20 other family members and spend the entire weekend together. To most people spending a weekend with their in-laws sounds like a nightmare, but to me it’s my favorite weekend throughout the entire year. Ryan’s uncle makes the most amazing breakfasts and Thanksgiving dinner is absolutely amazing! We usually just sit around all day snuggled by the fire catching up and play board games at night while drinking my Sangria. (Mental note: Share sangria recipe.) We eat leftover turkey and stuffing every day and take time to really enjoy each other’s company without life getting in the way.

Why am I going off on a rant? Well, because this is my favorite holiday I want everyone to donate $10 to help feed hungry New Yorkers through Groupon. Why shouldn’t everyone love Thanksgiving like I do?!

Rustic Thanksgiving buffet by Camille Styles

I had such a great weekend and not only because we won a vacation! (I still can’t believe it!) Ryan’s sister and her hubby went away for the weekend to celebrate their 10 year anniversary so our nephews stayed with us for the weekend. On Saturday we took them to Union Beach to volunteer and they were such good sports! I felt like it was a really great opportunity to teach them a lesson and to give  back to the community. I wasn’t sure how they’d react, but my oldest nephew came up to me at the end and said how good it felt to help others. How sweet is that?!

I’ve been meaning to try making french onion soup for a long time now and figured this was the perfect Autumn lunch since our family would be over! This recipe is based off of several different recipes I pulled from books or magazines and was delicious and filling!

French Onion Soup Recipe
6 Servings, 15 minutes prep and 30 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1.5 pounds onions
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1.5-2 large boxes of low sodium beef broth
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 6 slices french bread
• 6 ounces sliced Gruyere cheese
• 6 ounces shredded Parmesan
• 6 beef bullion cubes

1. Melt butter in a very large, deep pot over medium heat. Add onions and stir to coat. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until onions are very soft and begin to turn a golden brown color. (Yum!)

2. Uncover and increase heat to medium/high heat. Add sugar and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring often. Sprinkle onions with flour and cook for another minute. Stir in broth, wine, 1 cup water, and beef bullion cubes. Simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes.

3. Toast slices of bread in the broiler until lightly toasted, about 1-2 minutes on each side. Place six ovenproof bowls (I love these) on a baking sheet and divide soup equally.

4. Place a piece of toast on the top of each serving of soup and top with Gruyere slices, followed by a generous sprinkling of shredded Parmesan. (The cheesier the better!) Heat under broiler for about 3 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and deliciously melted. Carefully remove from oven and enjoy while warm!

I have to admit I haven’t been very inspired to cook lately because of the heat. I took full advantage of a few lazy days this past weekend and tried some new recipes to use some herbs from my garden. I’ve been craving seafood and have been waiting to try this grilled shrimp recipe for a while now. I am so glad I did, because honestly… I have never gotten high fives for something I’ve cooked before until this weekend. This may be one of the best shrimp appetizers I’ve had and I highly recommend you try it.

I also made this herb mustard glazed salmon yesterday and it was so delicious. The glaze adds a nice flavor and balances the fishy taste of the salmon. The recipe calls for broiling it, but I use my grill pan to get the nice grill lines without having the fish fall apart.

This weekend we had some friends over for a casual little garden party. I kept the food simple and made my go to shrimp scampi, a garden salad, and my sangria that always gets people silly. I set the table with a simple white linen table cloth, and made a runner out of burlap from the local craft store. I didn’t even sew it, I just got 3 yards of fabric and folded it length wise! (I asked the cashier if they had any coupons and got it for only $8!) I love the way the candles and flowers dress up a typically utilitarian fabric.

Ryan and I both had busy work weeks, so on Wednesday I decided to make a “fancy” dinner to make the middle of the week feel a bit more special. Trying new recipes and cooking is relaxing to me and was exactly what I needed to pause this hectic week. I found this recipe in Cooking Light (my new favorite magazine) and paired it with a Chardonnay we got on our recent wine tasting tour. It was so simple to make, and gave me an excuse to start using fresh herbs from the garden!

I’ve been a busy bee working on a few different projects, so this weekend I’m going to do some gardening, celebrate Ryan’s birthday(!) , and catch up on some reading. Take a look at my facebook page to sneak a peak at some project updates!

I have become obsessed with gardening. And that might be an understatement. Since living on my own after college, I’ve slowly taught myself how to cook by following recipes and watching the Food Network. This newish obsession somehow seems natural to me that I would now grow the ingredients to use in my recipes.

I absolutely love my new book “Grow Cook Eat” that I recently picked up. It gives you tips on how to grow each veggie (including when to plant the seeds and how much to water them), how to store it, and how to cook it by using the books fresh recipes. I started dogearing the recipes that looked interesting, but now the entire book is dogeared! This is definitely helpful for beginner gardeners, or people who are just learning how to cook!

This weekend we had the second snow storm of the season on the east coast. After a trying week, it was nice to be lazy and enjoy a quiet Saturday morning of coffee and catching up on work. I’ve always wanted the kind of house where guests just stop by and feel comfortable to put their feet up on the sofa or help themselves in the fridge. On Saturday our nephew needed help with a school paper, so Ryan’s sister and her family came over for a little comfort food. I love how my dining table went from being my desk, to being filled with family brainstorming ideas, to eating this family style meal together, to a serious Jenga competition. This house is now starting to feel like home.

On Friday we had our first Halloween party, so of course I went crazy with cooking Halloween themed goodies. I’ve been collecting ideas from magazines and these are just some of the treats from the party.

Marinated eyeballs.

Severed finger cookies. (…which are a lot harder to make look real than the magazine leads you to believe.)

Fake snakes as wine charms.

“Mud” with gummie worms. (It’s just chocolate pudding and crushed up oreos.)

Oh, and that’s us. The newlyweds. :)

With the seasons slowly changing, this recipe is perfect for transitioning from light summer suppers to autumn comfort food. It is so incredibly easy to make, and I almost always have all of the ingredients on hand. I love that it’s rustic and hearty for a casual Tuesday dinner, but elegant enough for dinner parties!

It may be the only Barefoot Contessa recipe that doesn’t require a pound of butter!

Instead of buying cookbooks, I typically rip pages out of cooking magazines, or watch The Food Network to learn new recipes. Rachael Ray is wearing the cutest outfit on her August cover of her magazine! The white denim jacket and Isabel Marant striped dress are so effortless and chic, I could wear it every day for the rest of the summer.

Since my current living room is filled with boxes and our new place is being worked on, I’ve been feeling a little bit stressed because everything isn’t completely organized. With that said, I’ve been happily stress eating cookies and ice pops and this deep dish cookie is making my mouth water. Doesn’t it look amazing?!

Last night I made a new recipe with leftover items I had in my fridge. This past weekend Ryan and I went to a friends house for a BBQ and my tomato bruschetta was requested to snack on. (Coming from an Italian woman, I take this as a huge compliment.) I saved some leftovers because I’ve been wanting to try making Bruschetta Chicken – Grilled chicken topped with bruschetta and fresh mozzarella and baked until the cheese melts. So simple, and delicious!

Tomato Bruschetta:

• 3 1/4 large tomatoes
• 1 small-medium sized onion
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (fresh makes a huge difference)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

I made bruschetta for the first time when I was 18 for my first “grown-up dinner party” and have been making it ever since. Can be used as an appetizer on toasted Italian bread or as a topping on chicken. Delicious either way!

How did I forget to post this recipe?! It’s quickly become my favorite healthy chicken dishes. I’m typically a “meat and potatoes” type of girl, but how can I resist this smooth and sweet salsa?! I can’t wait to make it again!

What you’ll need for the chicken:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 4 oz chicken breast
• 1/5 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp fresh oregano

What you’ll need for the salsa:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 cloves garlic clove
• 2 cups grape tomatoes
• 1/2 cup feta cheese
• 150 g avocado

Directions:

1. Combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh rosemary and minced garlic in large Ziplock bag. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and add to bag, seal. Marinate in fridge for 30 minutes.
2. Remove chicken from marinade, discard marinade. Place chicken on grill pan coated with cooking spray. Grill 3 minutes each side or until done. Serve with tomato-avocado salsa.

For the salsa:
1. Combine fresh oregano, olive oil, red wine vinegar and garlic whisk together. Add tomatoes halved, cheese and avocado. Toss gently.

Enjoy!

Yesterday I met a friend for lunch at the b & b wine pub in NYC. It’s a cute little wine bar located in SoHo with the most amazing lunch menu. (Seriously, they have the best lasagna I’ve ever had in my life.) I was in love with it’s dark Ralph Lauren-esque decor and couldn’t help but snap a few photos with my iPhone. I apologize for the quality, I tried taking them quickly so I didn’t look like a creeper. Definitely check this place out if you’re in the area!

This weekend was a casual one. I started a new freelance design job last week so I was excited to start the weekend with Ryan. We had his nephews over Friday night so my future in-laws could have a date night. Instead of ordering take out, I thought it’d be fun to make personal pizzas and the boys were beyond excited. (They even stirred and tasted the homemade sauce like a little old Italian grandmother.) Instead of making our own dough, I took a shortcut and picked up some dough at our local favorite pizza place and topped it with the usual toppings. #1 dangerous thing to do a week before a dress fitting.

On Saturday we took along my parents to our cake tasting. Since I’m the baby and my dad has become (very) emotional about me getting married, I thought it’d be nice to ask them along. We pretty much new what we filling we wanted, but I wanted to taste most of them anyway just to be sure.  #2 dangeous thing to do a week before a dress fitting.

With the weather being so cold lately, I’ve been ravenous. Maybe it’s stress eating, maybe it’s not. On Saturday night, I was craving french onion soup from the restaurant where we’re hosting our rehearsal dinner. It is the very best soup I’ve ever had. (We even took one home for lunch the next day!) #3 dangerous thing to do a week before a dress fitting.

Now it’s crunch time. Literally.

Being that the wedding is less than 3 months away, Ryan and I have just realized that we need to eat healthier for our beach bodies. The “big day” felt like it was so far away that we kept thinking, “I’ll work out tomorrow” or “I’ll start eating healthy on Monday”. Tonight I decided to tackle my new years cooking resolution with this recipe and it left us feeling full and satisfied. The fish is full of subtle spicy flavor that speaks to the sweetness of the crunchy veggies. Did I mention that it takes less than 10 minutes to make?

Blackened Tilapia

1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tilapia filets
2 teaspoons olive oil

Sauteed Corn and Cherry Tomato Salsa

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups corn (either canned or fresh off the cob)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quarted (about 15)
about 1/3 cup chopped green pepper
about 1/3 cup chopped red onion
salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix tilapia spice mixture in a bowl, and sprinkle over both sides of filets. In a 12″ frying pan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil and fry for 3 minutes on each side.

2. While the tilapia is cooking, heat 1 teaspoon oil and 1 teaspoon butter in a seperate frying pan. Add garlic, onions, and pepper and sauté until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the corn and sauté until heated through. Add the tomatoes and cook about 1 minute until they are softened.

3. Enjoy by adding salsa on top of tilapia filets!

I still can’t believe that Thanksgiving is over and the holiday season has officially started. On Thursday I made these appetizing stuffed mushrooms in between stuffing the Turkey and sips of red wine. They are absolutely delicious and they are definitely being added to my recipe book. (I’d recommend doubling the salt and adding some shredded parmesan cheese on the top.)

(image via real simple, since Ryan devoured them before I had a chance to take a photo.)

Now that it’s getting cooler, I’ve been cooking heartier homey suppers. (I’m going to try and use this word more often.) I saw this recipe last week and had to try it. The pork roast is filled with flavor and wrapped with the crispiest, most delicious bacon. (I need to add more next time!) I served it with a side of fresh green beans and roasted potatoes. (We were too hungry to take any better photos.)

Martha has done it again. Care of Sunday Suppers, they’ve created meals that have successfully made my mouth water at 9am. Aside from their delicious looking meals, I am in love with their beautiful styled tablescapes!

Last August, my friends and I went to a great seafood restaurant with a casual menu on the New Jersey seaside (no, not Seaside as in the Jersey Shore) . I ordered blackened tilapia and have been looking for a similar recipe since. This month, I put a few recipes together to recreate the light and tasty dish I had almost a year ago and it was delicious! It has the perfect mixture of spicy with a sweet crunch and the best part is, it is extremely simple!

For the tilapia marinade:

3 tablespoons paprika powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 pinch garlic powder
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

For the mango salsa:

1 large ripe mango, peeled, pitted and diced
1/2 red bell pepper
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine ingredients for the marinade in ziploc bag and add tilapia filets to coat. Let filets marinade for about 30 minutes. In the meantime, combine ingredients for salsa in a bowl and set aside.

2. Fry filets on a grill pan for about 3 minutes on each side, or until they flake with a fork.

3. Add tilapia to serving plate and cover with mango salsa. Enjoy!

I usually don’t get home from work until way past dinner time, so Ryan’s been spoiling me by having dinner ready when I walk in the door. Last night, he used items we already had on hand to make the most amazing fajitas I’ve ever eaten! (The picture doesn’t do it justice!)

What you’ll need-

• 4 large boneless chicken breasts
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• Tortillas (We used whole wheat)
• Sour Cream (Low fat)
• Guacamole (We used Wholly Guacamole! I’ve been taking it to work for a snack, and I was surprised how good it is!)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Spice Mixture (See below)

Spice Mixture – even parts

• Chili powder
• Paprika
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Thyme
• Oregano
• Cumin

1. Coat grill pan with a tablespoon olive oil. While chicken is grilling, sprinkle spice mixture to cover each side of chicken breast. Grill chicken until almost done. Remove from pan and slice into about 1/4″ thick slices. Add chicken slices back to grill pan and grill until cooked through. (Ryan said it was easier to do it this way, rather than flipping each individual slice of chicken.(Hey! Whatever works!)

2. Saute vegetables in seperate frying pan in about two tablespoons olive oil until soft

3. Add chicken, vegetables, guacamole, and sour cream to your tortilla and enjoy!

Ryan and I have changed our minds a lot when it came to choosing a wedding venue. At first, we had our heart set on getting married in the Poconos. Then we thought we wanted to have it catered at a local art gallery. But, now we’re getting married in a garden and having the reception in a modern venue near our hometowns. (A perfect location for a small, intimate wedding next Spring). I’m never indecisive when it comes to clients at work, but when it’s something personal, I can never commit to an idea. (Clearly I do not have commitment issues.) When we considering getting married outdoors in the Poconos, I thought these favors were the sweetest idea! They are so perfect for any outdoorsy party and a fun, interactive gift!

(elizabethan designs via apartment 34.)