Wish List Wednesdays: A Few Tops I Am Coveting

Please forgive my prolonged absence from this blog, but it has been a busy couple of weeks.  My husband finally made the trip from Georgia to New Mexico (a very long drive!) so he is here right now and we have been busy making plans to finally complete our move.  This post should have gone out last week, but better late than never!

The Ice Cream Sweater from Loft (on sale for $39.99) shown above is one I first saw on a fashion blogger's website here.  I love a unique and quirky top, so I had to order this one.  It arrived a couple of weeks ago and while it is a rather unusual fit it worked for me.  Unfortunately the one sent to me had a sort of inky stain on the front, so I exchanged it and just received the replacement yesterday.  I may not be able to wear it right now because it is getting a bit too warm, but I look forward to having it for early fall or next spring.

The Stamp Print Mojave Camp Shirt ($55.99-$59.99) from Draper's & Damon's is another find from a fashion blogger's website here.  I love the bold print and the Y neckline, and the fact that this top would work on its own or as a lightweight second layer.  I am waiting to see if this shirt goes on sale before I order one, but I do hope to buy it for summer.

One last top I wanted to mention is the Lobster Print Shell ($59.50) from Talbots.  This 100% cotton sleeveless top has a loose fit, split neck, and whimsical lobster print (I am a sucker for crustacean-patterned apparel) and is the perfect summer top.  Again, I am waiting to see if this one goes on sale before I place an order, but hopefully it will also become part of my summer wardrobe eventually!

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day, and has been vaccinated so that we all can enjoy more freedom of movement this summer.  I have to say it is so wonderful to finally see my husband again with little fear of spreading or contracting COVID-19, and I can't wait to finally complete our move from Georgia to New Mexico.  Currently I am trying to decide if it is feasible for me to make a trip back to Georgia to help with sorting and eliminating more stuff before the movers come to pack it all up.  I need to find a house sitter who can take care of one old dog with health issues, a younger dog with a quirky personality, and an old horse who has no issues but needs someone who understands horses.  Wish me luck!

Weekend Wardrobe: 2021 Outfit of the Week #14

The chives that I planted last year are flowering profusely at the moment, and the bees love it.

I have been spending a lot of time getting my garden planted lately (mostly vegetables and herbs, with a few flowers included to keep the bees and the hummingbirds happy), so today's post will be a short one.  I did make a trip into town last week, mainly to pick up more garden supplies, and this is the outfit I wore:

Clockwise from top left: PegsVintageShop Single Strand Red Glass Bead Necklace (similar to mine); Torrid Navy Slub Open Front Cardigan in Peacoat (similar to mine); Great American Leatherworks Braid Flap Crossbody Bag in Dark Tan (color no longer available); No Nonsense Women's Flat Knit Crew Socks in Denim Blue; Dockers Vargas Boat Shoes in Rust; HDE Women's Jeans Jeggings Five Pocket Stretch Denim Pants in Red (similar to mine); Talbots 3/4-Sleeve Bateau Neck Rose of Sharon Print Tee in Pink (no longer available); Center: Walmart Skinny Faux Leather Belt in Pink.

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The weather is really starting to heat up here, and my outfit was a bit warm in the afternoon - I think it is about time to start wearing short-sleeved or even sleeveless tops under a light jacket or cardigan.  It is still chilly in the mornings and in air-conditioned stores, so I like to have a second top layer just in case.  

I hope to get pretty much all of my planting done this week, except for one raised bed that will take me a while to fill with soil before I can use it.  My husband will be here at the end of the month, just before Memorial Day, and it will be so wonderful to finally see him again!  Now that we are both vaccinated we can finally finish moving from Georgia to New Mexico.  If all goes according to plan our move will be complete in the fall.  Slowly but surely life seems to be returning to normal - hopefully the rest of the world will see a return to normal as well!  Have a great week, everyone!

Foodie Fridays: Overnight Oats

I have been busy lately trying to get my garden planted, so I have been looking for really quick and easy recipes to make since I have little time to cook (I have also been neglecting this blog a bit for the same reason, as you may have noticed).  Anyway, I was watching the latest video on one of my favorite YouTube vlogs the other day and, even though this vlogger is not that interested in cooking she actually included a recipe for overnight oats that looked so simple and tasty that I immediately mixed up a couple of servings (you can watch this vlog episode below).

Luckily I had all of the ingredients needed on hand, plus a couple of small Mason jars I had placed in a box that is headed to Goodwill next week but retrieved just for this recipe.  The weather is finally really warming up here, and this oatmeal is great eaten cold, although you could warm it up in the microwave if you prefer a warm breakfast.  I have been wanting to try overnight oats for a while now, and I am glad I finally did.  I usually eat the same thing for breakfast every morning (a slice of buttered toast and some cheese) so it is about time I changed up my routine once in a while - this recipe will certainly help me do that!

Overnight Oats

6 T. rolled oats (I used quick-cooking oats)
1 T. chia seeds
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. coconut sugar (optional)
1 T. dried berries (I used a raisin, cherry, and cranberry blend)
3/4 C. milk (I used almond milk)

Layer the dry ingredients in a small (1/2 pint) mason jar.  Pour the milk over and stir to blend.  Allow to sit for a few minutes and then stir again.  Refrigerate overnight and serve the next morning.  Serves 1.

Foodie Fridays: Easy Chicken Casserole

I check out several cooking vlogs on YouTube that feature quick and easy recipes.  While most of the recipes are for baked goods, there are some main dishes as well, and today's dish is one I found on the Last Minute Kitchen channel.  This Easy Chicken Casserole (watch the YouTube video below) is probably one of the most effortless chicken recipes I have ever made, especially since I bought prepared chicken cutlets instead of a chicken breast at the supermarket, which eliminates the need to slice and pound the chicken pieces.  The instructions say to season the chicken to taste, but be sure to season generously or this dish will be rather bland.  The casserole makes two generous or three more normal-sized portions.  I served my chicken with steamed Brussels sprouts (but I did not cook them together as my photo seems to imply -  I simply stored the leftovers in the same casserole dish that I cooked the chicken in).

These days I am spending a lot of time outside gardening, so a quick dinner like this one comes in very handy when I have little time to cook.  The recipe also lends itself readily to modifications, using any type of cheese and/or herbs you prefer.  I can't wait to try it with Cheddar cheese and Mexican flavors, or feta and Greek seasonings.  I have a feeling I will be coming back to this recipe often!

Easy Chicken Casserole

1 chicken breast half, sliced horizontally into 3 pieces*
salt, pepper, paprika and thyme (to taste)
1/2 C. sour cream
1/2 tsp. dried basil
2 T. minced fresh parsley
2 small tomatoes, sliced
1/2 C. shredded mozzarella

Pound the chicken breast pieces flat with a meat tenderizer.  Combine the salt, pepper, paprika and thyme in a small bowl.  Rub the seasoning on one side of the chicken pieces.

In a small bowl, combine the sour cream with the basil and parsley, plus salt and pepper to taste.

Place the chicken breast pieces, seasoned side down, in a greased baking dish.  Season the tops.  Spread the sour cream mixture on the chicken and top with the tomato slices.  Evenly sprinkle the cheese over.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden brown.  Serves 2 generously.

*I think that most supermarkets sell chicken cutlets now, usually three to a package, and this is what I used.

Weekend Wardrobe: 2021 Outfit of the Week #13

This lovely veronica that I bought last year survived the winter and has returned to bloom again this year!

Last weekend I was not able to get a post done because I was recovering from my second COVID vaccine.  I got the vaccine early on a Friday afternoon, and exactly 24 hours later I developed chills, so I ended up sleeping for several hours.  When I finally woke up I felt much better and my fever was gone but I decided to take it easy for the rest of the weekend.  I was a bit tired the next day and slept again in the afternoon, but by Sunday evening I felt fine and had no other side effects.  I am so happy that I am finally fully vaccinated, and by the end of this week I will be considered fully protected, so my husband can start planning his visit to Santa Fe now!

Since I missed posting last weekend you are in for several outfits of the week, from two weeks ago as well as last week.  I will start with the outfit I wore to take my dog Madison to the vet clinic for her annual exam.  She is officially a senior dog this year so I had baseline bloodwork done for her as well.  The final verdict - Madison is "a little overweight but healthy", so we will work on getting her to lose some of the winter weight she gained (I need to work on that as well, so the two of us can diet together!).  I only went to the vet clinic that day - we still had to wait in our cars while our pets were taken inside due to the pandemic, and my car window was still broken at the time, so I wore a very casual outfit only slightly dressed up by a simple silver and pearl pendant necklace that I inherited from my mother.  Here is the complete outfit:

Clockwise from top left: Old Navy Women's Vintage Crew-Neck Sweatshirt in Snow Leopard; Novica "Nest of Lilies" Sterling Silver and Cultured Pearl Pendant Necklace (similar to mine); Craghoppers Women's Expolite Hooded Jacket in Black (similar to mine); Great American Leatherworks Braid Flap Crossbody Bag in Dark Tan (color no longer available); Nothing New Women's Eco-Friendly Crew Socks in Light Grey (similar to mine); Dockers Vargas Boat Shoes in Rust; Wit & Wisdom Women's Ab-Solution High Waist Ankle Skinny Pants in Dove Grey (similar to mine); Everlane Women's Organic Cotton Long-Sleeve Crew in Oatmeal (similar to mine).

The next day I was finally able to take my car in for its appointment to get the window fixed.  This process took a few hours but I opted to wait for my car instead of leaving it so that I could then run a few errands before heading home.  I decided to wear one of my new sweaters from J.C. Penney, a new pair of jeans in a unique color from Old Navy, and a simple necklace from my collection that is one of many given to me by my husband:

Clockwise from top left: St. John's Bay Women's Cable Crew Neck Long Sleeve Pullover Sweater in Brown Glove; Craghoppers Women's Expolite Hooded Jacket in Black (similar to mine); Great American Leatherworks Braid Flap Crossbody Bag in Dark Tan (color no longer available; MIRMARU Women's Cotton Crew Socks in Black; Dockers Vargas Boat Shoes in Rust; Old Navy Women's High-Waisted O.G. Straight Mineral-Dye Jeans in Merzouga; L.L. Bean Women's Long-Sleeve Interlock Mock-Turtleneck in Black; Center: Michael Kors Gold Tone Curb Link Pendant + Black Leather Cord Necklace (similar to mine).

I made a third trip into town that week for my COVID vaccine appointment, and then finished up more errands before heading home to take it easy for the weekend in anticipation of any vaccine side effects.  The weather was finally starting to warm up a bit, so I wore a lightweight sweater embroidered with beautiful cheetahs, and a lighter weight coat which I ended up removing as the afternoon warmed up.  I received my vaccine at the pharmacy of a supermarket that I usually do not visit (it is a little too far away to be convenient).  This was only my third visit to this store, but each time I went there I received a complement on the outfit I wore - this time someone admired my cheetah sweater.  Maybe I should shop at this supermarket more often!  Anyway, here is the outfit I wore that day:

Clockwise from top left: Lost Galleon Snake Chain Gold Necklace (similar to my much less expensive version); L.L. Bean Women's PrimaLoft Packaway Jacket in Black; Great American Leatherworks Braid Flap Crossbody Bag in Dark Tan (color no longer available; MIRMARU Women's Cotton Crew Socks in Black; Dockers Vargas Boat Shoes in Rust; Old Navy Women's High-Waisted O.G. Straight Mineral-Dye Jeans in Merzouga; Chico's Cashmere-Blend Embroidered Cheetah Sweater in Multi.

I only made one trip into town last week, mostly to pick up gardening supplies, as planting season has finally arrived here in the Santa Fe area.  The weather during the day is now consistently warm, so I wore a new long-sleeved tee with cute embroidered foxes as well as a very lightweight animal print vest.  These lighter layers were quite sufficient, and it won't be long now before I can finally start leaving the outerwear at home!  I also opted for much lighter colors that are more suitable for spring:

Clockwise from top left: Talbot's Embroidered Crewneck Tee in Champagne Rose; Hot Cotton Leopard Print Vest (no longer available - similar to mine); Great American Leatherworks Braid Flap Crossbody Bag in Dark Tan (color no longer available; Target Women's A New Day Crew Socks in Cream; Dockers Vargas Boat Shoes in Rust; Rachel Comey Norm Straight-Leg Jeans in Khaki (similar to my much less expensive pair - no longer available); Walmart Skinny Faux Leather Belt in Pink; Center: DressingVintage Extra Long Multi Strand Mixed Gold Chain Necklace (similar to mine).

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 I am hoping to get a lot of gardening done this week as the weather will be mild to warm.  There is rain in the forecast for tomorrow but every time we are supposed to get rain it never materializes.  Hopefully we will get some rain soon because it has been terribly dry so far this spring. Have a great week, everyone - I hope you have been able to get your COVID vaccine scheduled, and that you are having great spring weather!

Foodie Fridays: My Favorite Grilled Cheese Sandwich

A grilled cheese sandwich is pretty basic, but I am sure that everyone has their own favorite version of this classic sandwich.  My current favorite includes rye bread (I like all types of rye, and find pumpernickel, marble, and seeded rye to be equally good).  I also like to use two types of cheese - two slices of a medium to sharp cheddar for the flavor, and one slice of mozzarella for an especially gooey cheese filling.

If you used pre-sliced cheese and find it hard to separate the Cheddar slices from each other without tearing them to bits (happens to me all the time), here is my unique solution - after buttering each bread slice, carefully slip the still oily butter knife between the slices and they are pretty much guaranteed to separate cleanly without tearing!  I have used this technique many times now and it has never once failed me. 

Instead of real butter, I now use Country Crock Plant Butter with Almond Oil spread, and actually prefer it.  It is also better for my health - once I switched from a real butter blend to all plant butter (and also switched from half 'n half to nut or oat milk creamer), my cholesterol dropped down to a normal range again.  I was amazed that just making these two changes to my diet made such a difference - I can even still eat real cheese!  If you do not already have a favorite version of a grilled cheese sandwich, give mine a try, or experiment and come up with your own!

My Favorite Grilled Cheese Sandwich

2 slices rye bread (any flavor)
1 T. softened butter (or a buttery spread)
2 sliced sharp Cheddar cheese
1 slice mozzarella cheese

Spread one side of each bread slice with butter.  Top the unbuttered side of one piece of bread with a slice of Cheddar, then the mozzarella, and finally the remaining Cheddar.  Place the second piece of bread on top with the buttered side facing up.

Heat a frying pan over medium heat.  Place the sandwich in the pan and cook for several minutes until the bottom is golden brown and the cheese starts to melt.  Lift the sandwich out of the pan and flip so that the top side of the sandwich can brown as well.

After a few minutes, when the second side is also golden brown and the cheese is completely melted, remove the sandwich from the pan, cut in half, and serve.  Serves 1.

Wish List Wednesdays: Cobble Hill Vintage Tins 1000-Piece Puzzle

I first saw the Cobble Hill Vintage Tins 1000-Piece Puzzle ($23.99) several months ago, but by the time I was ready to place my order it was out of stock.  It has finally become available again, and I placed an order immediately, but it seems to be selling out pretty quickly, so if you too are fascinated by the lovely vintage tins design you might want to place your order now!  I am really stocking up on jigsaw puzzles right now in anticipation of hot summer days, as I like to work on these puzzles when I am forced to stay indoors to avoid the heat of the day.  I am so glad I was finally able to order this particular puzzle - I really do love the design!