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Friday Favorites – October 19th, 2018

Happy Friday!  I’m thrilled to report that unlike last week, this week everyone is healthy and has had a great week. While it’s been a healthy week in our home, it’s been a really long work week. There are a lot of changes and things in motion with my team but it’s all good. Today, I will be joining a team meeting virtually for eight hours via FaceTime. Our team is experimenting with different remote conferencing options and this week I’ve had a few great one on one meetings leveraging FaceTime instead of our other computer conferencing capabilities.  While I usually do my best to join these full-day meetings in person, between Bo’s work travel and my half marathon tomorrow morning, a trip to Arkansas wasn’t in the cards this week.  In between this week’s non-stop meetings and conference calls, I’ve had the opportunity to get really excited for tomorrow’s half marathon. Picking up my bib at the expo made it all feel very real. The last time I ran a half marathon I was seven weeks pregnant with Katie and tomorrow, she’ll be sixteen months old! A lot has happened during those 23 months in between, but luckily, my love of running is still alive and well. I have a lot of things I want to share with you guys today, including the thing lots of you have asked me for – more fashion.

Now, let’s dive into this week’s edition of Friday Favorites, including recipes, articles, posts and of course, clothing items, that I’m loving this week.

  • Today Brooks launched their special NYC Marathon Pop Art Ghost 11 shoes. I was able to get a sneak peek earlier this week when Brooks sent me a pair to take for a test run. The vibrant pop art highlights some of NYC most iconic images including Statue of Liberty, an apple and skyscrapers. I have a feeling these are going to sell out quickly so head over to their website today to snag a pair for yourself!
  • I used to “runmute” or run commute home on an almost daily basis when we lived in Manhattan and Geneva. Charlie’s running backpack blog post highlighting the best backpacks for run commuters is a terrific resource for anyone who wants to do this but needs a trusted backpack that won’t chafe and will hold their gear!
  • Not only do I think this Fall Spiced Pumpkin Chili sounds and looks delicious, but I also love that Brittney’s recipe uses pantry staples versus hard-to-find spices or rare ingredients. I’m hoping to make this on Sunday so we can enjoy it next week as well as have a stash in the freezer. Did you know that when Bo and I cook on Sunday we typically double whichever recipe we are making so we can have leftovers in the freezer?
  • I love reading Cup of Jo not only because she’s the coolest mom around, who I tend to see on a daily basis since she lives a few blocks away, but also because I find myself inspired by her posts. Her Ode to Potluck has inspired me to send out an email/text to a few of my girlfriends in hopes of hosting a few potlucks here in the future. Having a potluck here means I don’t have to find a babysitter AND we don’t have to be rushed out of a restaurant or deal with reservations or over-priced wine.
  • I still haven’t baked pumpkin muffins this season and this morning I realized that I not only have multiple cans of pumpkin in the pantry but also two over-ripe bananas on the counter. After some searching I found this delicious Pumpkin Banana Muffin recipe that brings together moist banana bread with the warm, fall flavors of cinnamon and pumpkin.
  • When I shared a picture of our dinner Tuesday night, everyone asked for the chili recipe. This White Chicken Chili recipe has been a favorite of ours for years and I swear the leftovers are even better. The recipe isn’t what we consider a weeknight recipe since the chopping, but if you make a large batch during the weekend you can enjoy it throughout the week by quickly reheating it and pairing it with a simple side salad.
  • Okay, now it’s time for a fall Fashion round-up including these J.Crew items that I’ve been wearing non-stop since fall weather arrived in New York.
    • Since buying the Cocoon Coat (40% off) three years ago, it’s been one of my favorite items. I have a navy and white boucle style, that makes it a bit unique, but the coat is the same cozy, over-sized, warm version available again this year. The pockets are larger than normal, pefect for holding winter gloves or a scarf, and the oversized fit allows it to easily be worn over sweaters and winter layers. I wear a size 6, which is smaller than my normal J.Crew size so I definitely recommend sizing down.
    • The quilted vest (25% off) is a perfect transitional item this time of year and I wore my off white one yesterday over a cotton turtleneck. Many of my friends have these vests in different colors as they can be worn all winter long in the south and up here they are perfect for fall and spring.
    • JCrew’s tall high-rise jeans fit (25% off) me better than any other jean I’ve found and they tend to be half the price of the designer brands carried in most department stores.  After loving my classic, dark pair I just bought a pair of jet black jeans in the same high-rise style,
    • I love wearing this chambray shirt (25% off) with black dress pants or my leopard skirt for a fun weekday outfit.
    • The tissue turtleneck (25% off) if a great base layer beginning now, when worn alone or with a light vest or jacket, and can be worn throughout the winter under sweaters. I own six of them in different colors but my black and white stripe one is definitely my favorite.
    • This relaxed sweater blazer (25% off) can be worn for work and weekend alike, but my favorite aspect is that it’s long enough to wear with leggings! In fact, I think i’ll wear it for today’s conference call with a tissue turtleneck and leggings!
    • I’ve been adding a new color of the tippi sweater (25% off) to my closet each year since 2010 as it’s a classic, flattering sweater that comes in new colors every season. This year I added emerald green and burgundy to my wardrobe.
    • The martie slim pant (25% off) is my new favorite work pant. In fact, I loved my black pair so much that I ordered another pair in navy just a few weeks later. High-waist, slim fit and machine wash make these pants a no-brainer in my book!

Okay, I know this was a long post but I hope it’s a fun way to kick off your Friday! Have a great weekend friends!

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Miso Honey Butter Glazed Fish Recipe

As you all know, my husband Bo loves to cook.  You can find him in the kitchen every weekend and during vacations whipping up meals and brainstorming new recipes. For him it is both a stress reliever and hobby. This week, while he enjoyed a week off from work, he asked me for any dinner requests since he was hoping to cook each night.

Always a fan of seafood, I requested an Asian seafood dish. Bo bought the ingredients on Sunday, in hopes of cooking an elaborate dish Monday night. Unfortunately, Katie came down with another round of croup which meant the start of our week was focused on comforting her. Instead of an elaborate dish he created this recipe in just minutes and upon tasting it, we both decided that this marinade and the recipe is one of our new favorite dishes.

While he used the glaze on snapper, it could work on almost any fish, especially cod, sea bass or salmon.

Miso Butter Glazed Snapper

Glaze Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
2.5 tablespoons white miso paste
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

  • Soften butter then whisk all ingredients together until well combined.

Fish Marinade
1 cup sake
1 cup mirin
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons grape seed or other neutral oil

  • Whisk marinade ingredients together.
  • Score snapper on skin side, perpendicular to the filet.
  • Place in marinade and refrigerate for 30 minutes – 2 hours.
  • Heat enough oil to coat large skillet to medium high heat, place fillets skin side down when oil is hot.
  • Press fillets down on pan with spatula to prevent curling.
  • Cook for 4-6 minute, until skin crispy.
  • Transfer to broiler pan (preheated high) and brush each fillet with 2 tablespoons miso honey butter glaze.
  • Place under high broiler until glaze speckled brown in spots, remove and plate then drizzle remaining liquid from broiler pan on top of fish.
  • Serve with rice and roasted green beans and sprinkling of sesame seeds.
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ashleyd /

Healthy White Chicken Chili Recipe

Filled with mushrooms, beans and ground chicken this healthy white chicken chili recipe has lots of flavor thanks to the cumin and cinnamon. While the chopping can take a bit of time, this recipe serves 12-14 people so you will have plenty to enjoy and freeze for later!

White Chicken Chili Recipe

Since I’m traveling for work this week, Bo and I wanted to make a large batch of chili today for he and my mom to enjoy this week. Since she is using her precious days off to come help out while I travel, the least we can do is have a healthy, delicious dinner. Since I posted pictures of this dish on Instagram, I’ve received multiple requests for the recipe. It is one of our favorite chili recipes and we’ve already made it twice this fall. I know that chili can be a fairly polarizing topic, particularly in places like Texas – should it have beans, what is the right cut of beef, should the beef be ground or in chunks, what are the types of chilies to use, how spicy should it be – this list could obviously go on forever and if any of you chili fundamentalists out there are reading, this might not be the recipe for you.

All that said, this is a recipe that uses no tomatoes, no cream, gives you a blast of flavor from the cumin and gets its thickness from the beans and just a bit of sauce thickener. It is garnished with scallions, a little sour cream and fresh cilantro which rounds out the freshness and really makes it sing. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

White Chicken Chili Ingredients

Ingredients (Makes 12 – 14 servings)

  • 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
  • 1 pound (500 grams) dried white beans (navy beans)
  • 4 pounds (2 kg) of ground chicken
  • 6 – 8 cloves of garlic
  • Two medium size jalapeño peppers or to taste – also, if you want to add some additional complexity add other green peppers like Poblanos and Serrano
  • 2 large white onions finely diced
  • 1 pound (500 grams) white mushrooms sliced
  • 4 tablespoons of cumin or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon of oregano
  • 2 teaspoon of coriander
  • 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon of onion powder
  • A pinch of cinnamon
  • 2 to 3 cups of chicken stock
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • A touch of sauce thickening agent (arrow root, corn starch, Xanthan gum, etc.)
  • Any combination of sour cream, grated cheese, chopped scallions, white onions and/or fresh cilantro to garnish

1) Begin by placing the beans in a pot with enough water to cover them by at least 2 inches

2) Place the pot on high heat and bring to a boil, once the water is boiling, turn the heat on low and leave, uncovered for 2 – 3 hours

3) Meanwhile, place a large sauté pan on high heat, add about 1 tbsp. of oil and start cooking the chicken in batches. It is very important to season the chicken as you cook it. For all 4 pounds, use plenty of salt, fresh pepper, about half the cumin and coriander, and all the garlic and onion powder. The chicken should taste very well seasoned – if it doesn’t, add more salt and spices.

4) Once the beans have soaked up enough water – you’ll know because the water will be well below the level of the beans and they are firm yet edible, begin assembling the chili.

5) Place a large stock pot on the stove over medium heat, add the remainder of the oil and add the garlic and let sweat for a minute, add the peppers and let soften, add the onions and let sweat for a few minutes and then add the mushrooms (there is a school of thought here that the onions should be browned separately here but quite frankly, I don’t think it adds much flavor and it adds a ton of headache).

6) Once the mushrooms release their moisture (you’ll know as there will all of a sudden be a ton of steam coming from the pot), add the chicken, the beans, the stock, and the remainder of the spices and the oregano. Turn the heat on high, bring to a boil and then turn to low to simmer for 2 – 4 hours.

7) Taste and adjust the seasoning adding salt, pepper and cumin to your taste.

8) Serve with any combination of the garnishes.

Looking for a more traditional chili recipe? This healthy turkey chili recipe is delicious!

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