I don’t know why, I’d never wear it, but oh. my. god. It reminds me of a star cloud.
Strapless Dress with Paillettes, $348.00, from Cache Luxe.
Recipes: Fish Tacos With Bean Salad
We made these last night, and they were a huge success. While definitely not for a romantic evening (garlic, beans, and fish), these are delicious & healthy. These recipes (which have been rewritten and significantly modified) first appeared in this month’s issue of Cooking Light (pg 160, by Lisa Bell). Serves 4.
Fish Tacos
Topping:
1/2 cup sliced scallions
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
3 tsps fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
2 or 3 minced garlic cloves
Taco Filling:
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp red pepper
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1 1/2 pounds red snapper fillets (approx. 4 fillets)
8 to 10 corn tortillas (6-inch)
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- While oven preheats, prepare and mix bean salad (below). Set aside.
- Prepare and mix topping ingredients (above). Set aside.
- Mix the first five ingredients for the taco filling in a small bowl. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the red snapper fillets skin down on the baking sheet, then smear the spice mixture evenly on the fish.
- Bake fish for 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily. Remove fish from oven slightly before ready (as fish will continue to cook once removed). Set aside.
- Take an empty skillet (preferably an old one), and place on a burner. Set temperature to medium-high. After a minute, add a tortilla. Cook on both sides until the tortilla gets nice and singed (see images). Do this with as many tortillas as you need; note that cooking time speeds up as you go.
- Return to the fish. Shred with fork, removing the skin.
- Assemble tacos by placing shredded fish on tortillas, then add a spoonful of the topping. Serve with bean salad and tortilla chips.
Pinto Bean Salad
3 roma tomatoes, diced
1 diced yellow or orange bell pepper
1 large seeded and diced jalapeno pepper
1/4 cup minced cilantro
2 tbsps lime juice
2 tsps olive oil
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 can pinto beans (we recommend Goya brand), drained and rinsed
Combine all ingredients, mixing well.
Recipe: Chicken Tortilla Soup
Now it’s officially stew season, and I’m bringing out all the winter recipes–potato leek soup, beef daube, bouillabaisse, Brunswick stew, and this recipe, chicken tortilla soup. It’s a flexible dish–you can tweak amounts with relative impunity, and cut the cooking time by two-thirds if you cook it on the stove. It also keeps well, actually tasting better the next day.
Keep in mind that there are many versions of tortilla soup–some recipes tell you to cook the chicken separately, and then ladle the broth on top of the chicken; some go for a thicker, more concentrated broth and fewer spices, adding lime juice for the necessary kick. Some are cream-based, and there are even vegan versions. My point is, play around with ingredients until you find the right fit.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
20-22 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1″ cubes
32 oz box of chicken broth
2 cans corn
1 (11 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel)
1 large onion, cut into wedges
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bay leaf
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp black pepper
Place all ingredients in a crock pot. Turn on high, and cook 6 hours. Serve with tortilla chips and cilantro (other versions also suggest garnishing with avocado, lime, and/or cheese).
Fairy Tale Decorating
“Never and never, my girl riding far and near
In the land of the hearthstone tales, and spelled asleep,
Fear or believe that the wolf in a sheepwhite hood
Loping and bleating roughly and blithely shall leap,
My dear, my dear,
Out of a lair in the flocked leaves in the dew dipped year
To eat your heart in the house in the rosy wood.”
–Dylan Thomas, “In country sleep”
Fashion photographer Eugenio Recuenco‘s Caperucita Roja (above) inspired this theme. For a larger image and for more images from this series, visit Recuenco’s portfolio.
At left is an image of Faire Frou Frou’s Antique French Mirror. The custom security grills are by artist Kristina Kozak.
Shelterrific posted on a version of this piece (with a golden fang) recently, and I thought–perfect! The head of the big, bad wolf (only porcelain, because real animal heads frighten me).
The artist, Sarah Cihat, has been getting a lot of blog attention lately, and no wonder–her designs are incredible. The wolf head is part of her new collection, Dirt (see also the vases); her on-going Rehabilitated Dishware collection is equally stunning.
On-line Vintage Clothing Directory, By Price
After reviewing hundreds of stores, I made an edited list of on-line vintage shops. By vintage, I mean both vintage and secondhand/thrift pieces, with a focus on women’s clothing (I may do a housewares version one day–we’ll see!).
I chose stores with interesting stock, acceptable mark-ups, (usually) pleasant websites, and good reputations. I try to update the list every few months, so it stays relevant. However, it’s not an end-all, be-all list: great new sellers pop up every day, and there’s no way I can list them all. Conversely, placement on the list doesn’t guarantee anything, so shop carefully.
The directory is ordered alphabetically and by price range (below). Happy shopping!
| PRICE KEY (avg price per item)$ $0-$30$$ $30-$75
$$$ $75-$150 $$$$ $150-250 $$$$$ $250+ THRIFT-STORE CHIC Stunning prices, varied collections. Extremely fun to hunt through.
ETSY ($-$$$$) Spurred by rising fees, more and more vintage sellers have migrated from self-hosted sites and eBay to Etsy. What’s good for sellers is also good for buyers: Etsy stores combine easy to use, reliable interfaces with low prices (plus, no insanity-inducing auctions). Check out the Etsy Vintage Directory for an edited list of sellers. CHEAP & TRENDY Slightly pricier than the thrift-store items (often due to auctions), but still easy on your pocketbook.
OTHER VINTAGE & SECONDHAND RESOURCES
UNAVAILABLE These collections were down for maintenance. We’ve heard good things about them, though, so we’ll review them ASAP.
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FASHIONISTA FINDSHigher prices than Cheap & Trendy stores, but still with affordable finds across the board.
SPOILED BY SUCCESS
BRIDGE LINES
POSH & LOVELY Too expensive for most of us, but some truly stunning selections. Prices typically start at $500 (although some only start around $250).
FOR COLLECTORS, COSTUMERS, & HISTORIANS These stores focus on collector’s items rather than wearables. Prices frequently range between $650-$2000+. Extremely fun to look through.
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