FOOD: Balsamic Brown Butter Ravioli

I love carbs.

Let me break it down for you. My husband is an absolute health nut. He woke up early every morning during our honeymoon just to go for a run on the beach. Before we moved in together, his usual dinner consisted of a plain chicken breast, rice, and broccoli. 

Me, on the other hand. I have surreptitiously disposed of all photos of me from junior high. I force myself to go to the gym and limit my dessert intake to one per day.

Courtesy: Food Network

While we were engaged,  I tried to emulate him because, hey, wedding dress! Now that that's over, I enjoy being more of a foodie and not beating myself up for missing a gym date. One of my discoveries - brown butter. 

OMG you guys. You essentially burn ("brown") butter on the stove which gives it a great nutty, almost sweet flavor. 

This recipe from Giada de Laurentiis is a great fall dish. It took about 10 minutes to make with some sautéed chicken and was DELICIOUS. 

1 bag store-bought ravioli

6 TBSP unsalted butter

2 TBSP balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/3 c. chopped walnuts

1/4 c. grated parmesan

Cook ravioli according to package instructions. 

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan cook the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the foam subsides, and the butter begins to turn a golden brown, about 3 minutes, turn off the heat. Let cool for about 1 minute. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. 

Transfer the ravioli to the saucepan with the balsamic brown butter. Sprinkle walnuts and Parmesan over the top. Serve immediately. 

This will definitely be a repeat dish this season!

BEAUTY: FYI Brush Sale!

 

My idea of heaven is a Starbucks drink in hand while wandering Target with an unlimited budget.

I mean they have EVERYTHING - cute clothes, furniture, food, and makeup. I'm not a huge fan of drugstore makeup; in most cases I firmly believe  you pay for quality. However Target has some great  exclusives with designers in which  you can find a good balance of quality without hurting your checkbook.

I've had some great luck with Sonia Kashuk. The makeup brushes I own are almost  exclusively from her line. She has decent  nail polish and I used her tinted moisturizer  for awhile before I found this.

That's why I HAVE to let you guys know about the following deal Target has going on right now. Sonia Kashuk set of 15 makeup brushes for $39.99!! Some of her brushes can cost over $20 a piece which is still a steal compared to some of the $50 brushes you can find at Sephora. I'm for sure picking this up tonight from the store!

BEAUTY: September Maven Box

I'm something of an enigma. I love bright colors. Hot pink, cherry red, you name it-especially when it comes to nail polish. 

I also love Autumn. Deep orange, plum-y purple-heck the hubs and I were married in October with plum as our main color. 

So every year around August, with plenty of summer still left (especially here in Washington), I am completely ready for it to be fall to bust out those rich jewel-toned nail polishes. Just like every year around March, I am completely ready for it to be Spring to bust out those bright, cheerful nail polishes.

Which is why I was so excited when i received my September Maven box in the mail. This month’s collection was entitled "Art Walk". My style profile was Classic With a Twist- a first! Included in the box were Quinn (charcoal purple), Lupita (rhubarb), and a Plush Pout lip crayon. I added on Karmen (golden crimson), and the dry shampoo and argan oil. The others were gifts for adding on three items. 

I absolutely love the colors! I've only worn Lupita and Karmen so far but am excited to try the others.

The argan oil and dry shampoo are both good products. I doubt I'll reorder them but I'll enjoy using both while I have them.

I love the lip crayon! I was able to pick the shade that worked best for me which I appreciated because I'm so picky when it comes to lip colors.

I chose the Almond Nude shade, which was the most neutral of the options. When it comes to makeup, I typically choose to play up my eyes and go for a neutral lip. The crayon is super moisturizing (it has a moisturizing core surrounded by the color) and provides good color without being too shiny or sticky. I think this will become a staple in my makeup bag as the temperature starts to drop.

What did you mavens think of your box?

House Update: Living Room

Happy fall! Yes, I know it is not officially fall for another week but Starbucks has released my FAVORITE Pumpkin Spice Latte, so it's officially autumn in my book.

I can't believe how quickly summer flew by! It feels like I was just counting down the days to our California vacation and FIRST anniversary- we returned from CA on Tuesday and our anniversary is just next month!

It's been awhile since my last house update but I FINALLY have our living room to the point I'm willing to share pictures. There's still much to be done- I'd love to paint the walls and buy an accent chair for the corner next to the fireplace. 

Sofa and love seat: Ashley Furniture

Coffee and end table: Ikea

Lamp and shade: Target

Curtains: Target

Rug: Target

Pendant light shades: Home Depot

The bar stools the hubs was given by a coworker. They were a light brown so I used this chalk paint to paint them black to match the rest of our furniture. I also used a glaze by the same brand to give it some more shine. It was pretty easy! No sanding and just a little buffing with a soft rag for shine.

I'm currently scouring Pinterest for ideas on want to do with the mantle.  Help!

The white bookshelf is from Target. While we were putting it together I painted the back panel red for some pop. This is to tide us over until we can afford built-ins which I'm dying for!

Dining table and chairs: Rooms to Go

Shelves: Ikea

Mirror: Milagros

I'm obsessed with the mirror! It was a great find our first trip to Pike Place.  I would love to take out the builder-grade mirrors in the bathrooms and replace them with these beauties! 

Throw pillows: Kohls

So that's it for now! I think this room will be a work in progress for a couple of years.