food truck friday: tacos "el chilango"

perfect day for a quick lunch al fresco at a favorite Arlington food truck.

eating: croque monsieur

i'll be the first to admit that i'm a huge francophile.  give me chanel, champagne and croissants and i am in bliss.  besides fashion, food is a close second to my heart and another area, where in my mind, the french do not fail.

during a lovely brunch at our favorite spot, L'Enfant Cafe in Adams Morgan, the other weekend I was pondering my options over a steaming bowl (literally bowl) of cafe au lait and i came across the croque monsieur.  Why had I not ordered this delicious dish before?  feeling torn between my usual quiche or belgian waffle i went for it.

oh my goodness!  obsession ensued.  creamy, toasted, salty deliciousness.  i thought - this is the perfect sandwich.  knowing that my friend ina garten has parisian affinities as well i quickly looked up her recipe for the croque monsieur.

and so i give you the follow-up, home-made and just as tasty croque monsieur.

voila!

Croque Monsieur  from Barefoot in Paris

2 tablespoons unsalted butter  3 tablespoons all-purpose flour  2 cups hot milk  1 teaspoon kosher salt  ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper  Pinch of nutmeg  12 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (5 cups)  ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese  16 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed  Dijon mustard  8 ounces baked Virginia ham, sliced but not paper thin

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter–flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, ½ cup grated Gruyère, and the Parmesan and set aside. To toast the bread, place the slices on two baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes, until toasted. Lightly brush half the toasted breads with mustard, add a slice of ham to each, and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyère. Top with another piece of toasted bread. Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot.

Bon Appetit!

craving: Rag & Bone Racine Pant

obsessing over the Rag & Bone Racine pant.  the bright colors/flowy silhouette would be perfect for a rehearsal dinner or any pre-wedding festivity don't you think???

the perfect Friday night

after a month of traveling for work, vacationing with family and friends i was so ready for a relaxing weekend at home in DC.

this spring weather has been so nice, but Friday night the clouds rolled in, temps dropped and i was happy to have a night in.

enter the recipe for the perfect friday evening in

listening to a little Al Green on vinyl

cooking a comforting, simple pasta dish + a  glass of vino (or two - hey, it's friday)

fried zucchini spaghetti from gwyneth paltrow's cookbook: my father's daughter

follow-up with a little Netflix...bliss!  doesn't hurt that i also managed to do 4 loads of laundry while simultaneously enjoying the evening.

boy oh boy

it's no secret that i love/crave/obsess over all things CHANEL

new BOY CHANEL line is no exception. stunning photography and ad campaign featuring the prettiest punk - Alice Dellal.

via Chanel.com

spring studs

hi friends! apologies for the hiatus - i survived february (thanks to Mexico & Miami) and emerged fresh faced and energetic in March.

now on to fashion.  i have been on a major closet edit streak since the boy moved in and downsized my generous closet space.  gone are the mangled gold heels hanging on from college and the dirty nude pumps that made their way through 2011 wedding season.

replacement reveal

JCrew Savina Studded Sandal

We all know the current obsession with all things Valentino & studded so I hopped on the copy cat train (hey! i'm on a budget) and purchased these stunners.

A patent neutral tan with golden metallic studs and the au courant ankle strap and manageable heel shall have me swimming through parties, weddings and work all summer long.

Here's to a neon pedicure and open toe shoe season.

xo

redemption in the kitchen

i'm hoping this has happened to others.  the scenario: you strive to eat healthy, buy a ton of groceries, cook more/eat out less.  what ends up happening is you try out a bunch of "healthy recipes" they are gross, you don't want to eat the leftovers, you've spent $$$ in groceries and it all goes to waste.

this sums up my past week.  4 flops in a row - and i will blame most of it on the crockpot (just because i can).  why i thought the crockpot was the answer to all my questions is still a mystery to me.  my mother never used one?  and i'm definitely not a busy mother of 3 trying to squeeze in any kind of meal? when you think about it, throwing a bunch of stuff into a pot and then returning to a soggy mess (braised meats aside - you cant beat pulled pork simmering all day) nothing could be less appetizing.  i love texture in food.

so i digress....last night i'd had it. i had to pull out all the stops and make something i knew would be delicious and somewhat healthy.

papardelle with spiced butter delivered. triumph at last!