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Post Christmas Calm

Hello friends! So the 25th and the 7th are now in the record books. And of course, they were not without incidents...good and bad. In 2015 we had the completion and expansion of the veterinary hospital; turning 40 (yikes!); becoming the mother of two teenage boys (little men); my dad's retirement party (after 30 years in pathology); a mini-family reunion which included family from CA, GA, NY, NJ and Egypt; the departure of a friend's father: these are the most vivid events that come to mind, and I am sure that I am forgetting much more, with and without choice. But in the heart of it all (even with all the stress, confusion, sadness, pain, disappointment and doubt this earthly world brings) we are all truly blessed to have had a year filled with glimpses of laughter from babies, congratulations from dear friends, hugs and kisses from loved ones near and far, remission from our sins, and a promise that with the birth of Jesus a new year begins. 

How were your holidays?

Best,

H.

#workdoesntmeanboring @mixandmatch333

Here's the look:
Dress: Spense. Find here.
Cardigan: Ruby Moon. Find similar look here.
Boots: INC. Find here.
Purse: Rag and Bone. Find similar here. 

Earrings: Sabika
Chain Link Necklace: Sabika

Ring: Effy. Find similar here.
Link Bracelets: Brighton. Find similar here.

Koshari and the Copt

Starting tomorrow, Coptic Christians will be observing the third week of lent. And you know what this means, we are running out of ideas for lenten meals! And as I finish typing that last sentence, I can not help but remember what our Bishop said a couple of weeks ago (when he was visiting us to celebrate the start of the Fast of Ninevah or what some call Jonah's fast) in regards to fasting. He said that to fast means to control all desires...desires of the ear, eyes, mouth, etc. Fasting is not only abstaining from food but abstaining from that which distracts us from God, and with fasting comes prayer.  And here is the real kicker:  he said that if you feel that after fasting nothing has changed, then you did not really fast. How true! I am sure that he has reached a level of spirituality that empowers him to be completely "full" while abstaining from all earthly desires. 

But because I am on the bottom rung of this spiritual ladder, I still care about things like food, clothing and sale items from J. Crew. Someday. Someday.

I wanted to share with you today how to make a delicious and fulfilling staple found in all Egyptian homes during this fast. Yep! You guessed it...Koshari. And if you didn't guess right, don't be disappointed. It just means you are not Egyptian. 

When I taught in Cairo with expats from Jersey, California and Maryland, I remember them bringing koshari for lunch the majority of the time. I would chuckle and tell them that koshari had an expiration date. That they just couldn't buy it from an eatery on day one and think it would last until day five. Surprisingly, they never got sick, but I did. I got sick of seeing them eat koshari. They LOVED koshari.

This is how I make koshari. And there are many different ways to make it. 

Let me know what you think.

Best,

H.

I get my lentils from El Nouri in Patterson, New Jersey. I took my kids once, and they said the area reminds them of Egypt. No kidding. Almost everything is written in Arabic. If you miss the homeland, El Nouri is a good substitute. Rinse the lentils in water to remove all the impurities. And I don't measure anything. 

I render enough onions in oil (again, I don't really measure) to bring me to a full-fledged cry, not just tears. And then add the lentils. The lentils are cooked until they are almost tender.

Then add the rice, spices (cumin, salt and pepper) and enough water to cook the grains.

This is what it looks like when it is done.

Cook any kind of pasta you like. I like to use ditalini by Barilla. 

The koshari sauce is the key to a tasty dish. You need to render two or three garlic cloves in oil, and when they are golden, splash them with vinegar and add the tomato sauce. The sauce is seasoned with salt, pepper and allspice.

Dust sliced onions in flour and fry in oil. 

This is what the onions look like when they are done. In eateries, they refer to the fried onions as "el waard" or the flowers that decorate the mountain of lentils and pasta.

This is what it looks like when it is plated. Delicious...

And fulfilling!

Gorgeous Enough to Eat

Jewelry designers have to find inspiration in food. How could they not? The possibilities are endless. For me, certain foods inspire me (or remind me to dig them out of somewhere) to wear certain pieces or seek pieces that match the foods I'm craving. To each his own; some people like to match accessories (shoes, purses, people { *wink, wink*}, etc.) with what they'll be wearing; I like to match accessories to what I'll be eating. Crazy, right? 

How could you ever go wrong with eating grapes? Light, sexy, refreshing, portable, and produce the best thing (okay, almost the best thing...first place is reserved to coffee) on this planet: wine. 

Equally delightful and can be paired beautifully with grapes are nuts. It seems as if we always have nuts (no, not the kids and the dog) in the house. Cashews, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts and pecans. Maybe that's because we're constantly seeking protein on the go. 

And what do you do when you have too many nuts, especially around the holiday season? You make granola. Yeah, YOU make granola, not I. I don't have time to make it, but I can find the time to buy it.  I recently picked up a box from Sam's club, called Kimberley's Granola (find here). I don't know who she is or if she even exists, but she makes great granola. Thanks Kimberley!  And if you know me, you know I don't flaunt around town in flannel or pour on the patchouli (I stopped doing that around my second year of college). But I love granola for its texture and its ability to satisfy the sweet & salty cravings that I get once in a while.

These pieces were inspired by grapes, nuts and granola...gorgeous enough to eat. 

Where do you find your inspiration?

Best,

H.

This ring was less than $10. It's a Kendra Scott Kennedy inspired piece.

You can find the original here.

These Brighton earrings (old) are the size of a walnut. They look good with both silver and gold tones.

This choker was a groopdealz find. It just reminds me of granola, all grown up. 

Everything is Better with Chocolate

It's 2014, and the best way to celebrate the new year is to take pictures of chocolates that I purchased at a reduced cost. As a kid, I definitely didn't see any perks of celebrating Christmas on January 7th. But as an adult, I definitely do...Christmas chocolates on SALE! 

The chocolates below are dressed to impress. What attracted me to them is how they're packaged. Please keep in mind that I have not tasted the chocolates below (with the exception of previously sampling Godiva and Toblerone) because we are still observing the nativity fast (trying so hard not to consciously cheat). I love how fashionable chocolate can look. Hopefully, these chocolates not only look good but taste good. I'll be sure to let you know.

In honor of chocolate of all shapes, colors and sizes, I hope that your year is off to a deliciously sweet start. 

Best,

H.

All chocolates purchased at T.J. Maxx & HomeGoods. 

It's About Giving

No secret Santa this year. This is what we decided NOT to do because our office staff is getting just too large--too large that we even outgrew our new, spacious facility. It's funny (or maybe not) but I sometimes see people in the office and wonder what the heck they're doing in the building. And when this happens, I instinctively ask, "Is someone helping you (because I have no clue who you are)?" And the response is sometimes (not always), "Yes, someone is helping me. Thank you." But what they really meant to say is, "Lady, who died and made you the office police. Where is your badge? And who are YOU anyway?" 

So instead of participating in a secret Santa gift exchange this year, we decided to donate to the 3 outreach programs that our organization runs. These programs serve children in the city's low-income neighborhoods. These programs deserve their own post soon.

But even though we did not have a gift exchange, this didn't stop some co-workers from still giving gifts. And I was the recipient of some generous and thoughtful gifts. But I know the season isn't about purses, pinot and perfume. It's really about love. I'm trying not be to mawkishly sentimental (really) but Mother Teresa (I can't help it) once said, "It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving."

Well, I definitely felt the love with these gifts. Again, I work with some pretty amazing people who really know me well.

Basket of goodies.
 Necklaces,zippered pouch,stemless wine glasses,wine glass,bottle of wine, soap and gift cards. And of course the basket courtesy of Harry and David. 

A Bottle of Misterio wine. Learn more about it here.

Harry&David is probably one of my of my favorite gourmet stores. And since the nearest store is in Washington, PA at the Tanger Outlets of Washington, I have to rely on the internet and good friends. This basket was stuffed with goodies. What I like to do is share the love and share some of my goodies with my friends.They deserve some of this too. You can purchase the basket my family received (from very good friends) here. It is the Heartside Gift Basket Grand Deluxe. Here is a little secret: sometimes T.J.Maxx & HomeGoods carries some of Harry&David products. 

This zippered pouch is from Mexico. My friend got it for me while on vacation. Something definitely has to be said for friends who think of you while they're on vacation. Maybe my sending her an email about a contract that needs approved made her think of me while sipping spiked ponche de frutas (for my non-Spanish speaking readers, this is Spanish for fruit punch.)

This wine glass is perfect. Why? Because diamonds are a girl's best friend--along with chocolate, warm lotion and a good night's sleep (at least 6 hours).

Frosted Plum Berry soap. Perfect!

I actually saw this necklace one year ago on one of co-workers. I remember telling her how pretty it is and that I actually have earrings with the same metal and stones. She purchased it while at a conference in Atlanta--perks of leaving the office. She surprised me by giving it to me. Can't wait to wear it.

What will you be exchanging this Christmas? Remember, it's about love!

Best,

H.