What's Cookin' CSA Style?

I have written on The Zoo before about my CSA (community supported agriculter) subscription and how much I have loved the ways it has challenged me to try new foods and new recipes. I let my subscription lapse in August and September (out of laziness), but am back for the final month of October and couldn't be more excited.

This month's assortment of fresh veggies is really intresting since I getting the last of the season's tomatoes and fall pumpkins all in one week. Here are some of my favorite dishes from this week...

Homemade Pumpkin Bread
I was a little intimidated by my small sweet pumpkin, but prepping them to use in a recipe is so incredibly easy and they make the perfect substitute for canned pureed pumpkin!

To prep, cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out all of the stringy stuff and seeds (you can save the seeds to roast later). Then put the halves face down on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes to an hour. Once the pumpkin cools, scoop out the flesh and use as puree. You can freeze what you don't use.

Recipe: Simplyrecipes.com

via simplyrecipes.com

Yummy Tomato Pie
Granted all of the other ingredients in this recipe probably nullify any healthy benefits of the tomatoes, but this is still a favorite at our house! I keep pie shells frozen in the freezer and most of the other ingredients I have on hand at all times so this is a great recipe when I am in a pinch.

This calls for plum tomatoes, but I just use whatever tomatoes I get in my CSA. One of my friends passed along that you can dry out the tomatoes on a paper towel before putting them in the pie shell as a way to keep the bottom from becoming soggy. I haven't tried this yet.

Recipe: Countryliving.com

Panzanella Salad
This last recipe is my take on a panzanella salad, but with fewer ingredients. This is a perfect way to use cherry tomatoes and basil. Again...just a few ingredients so this is simple and easy to throw together.

I roasted the cherry tomatoes based on a Barefoot Contessa Recipe and then tossed with chopped basil, toasted bread cupes and olive oil and kosher salt. All of this is to taste. No specific measurements. Enjoy!

Favorite Things for September

I can't believe September is almost over! I have loved the little taste of fall. Here are a few other things I have loved this month...

1. Pretty Rifle Paper Notebooks
2. Super Soft Bordeaux Tee found at Anthropologie
3. Hilarious movie...Sleepwalk with Me. Worth seeing just for the first few lines of the movie alone!
4. Whimsical Lulu de Kwiatkowski paintings
5. Yummy Tuscan Vegetable Soup

Wardrobe to Covet: Celeste and Jesse Forever

Over the long weekend I saw Celeste and Jesse Forever staring Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg. I definitely recommend this movie. It is funny and sweet and a little heartbreaking.

One of my favorite things about the movie is Rashida Jones' wardrobe. She wears a lot of black in the movie (probably why I loved her wardrobe) but each outfit is made really interesting by mixing different materials...silk, snake skin, basic leather, wool, etc. I have often read that layering different textures is one way to make an all white or neutral room not boring and the same can be said for a black outfit!

Unfortunately, there are no stills available of Celeste's wardrobe so here are some outfits inspired by her character.

Celeste and Jesse Forever Wardrobe by laurendcarr featuring flat front black pants

Band of Outsiders asymmetrical dress / Chloé layering tank / Band of Outsiders double breasted blazer, $610 / Band of Outsiders bomber jacket / Band of Outsiders mini skirt / Emilio Pucci flat front black pants / Jimmy Choo black pumps / Marc Jacobs retro sunglasses / Vintage eyewear

It looks like Rashida Jones loved the layered black look so much she wore it to one of the screenings.

Did you see any good movies over the Labor Day weekend?

Covering Kitchen Windows

There is a secret battle going on in our house. One of the first things I do in the morning is raise the blinds on the window above my kitchen sink to let the sunlight in. If my husband walks through the kitchen, the first thing he does is lower the blinds. It can go back and forth like this all day!

When the blinds are open, we get a nice amount of sunlight in our kitchen plus I love the view. The one problem is the window faces the street, so fully raising the blinds presents some privacy issues.

A midway compromise

Because I do seem to spend a lot of time looking out this window washing fruits and veggies and doing other kitchen tasks, I would really like to frame the view a little better and find a way to let light in while protecting privacy. 

I have narrowed the options for new window treatment down to three categories:

Cafe Curtains
I like the way cafe curtains let in light while also offering privacy and look great closed or open. A pattern would also add a nice contrast to the mostly white in my kitchen. Sometimes cafe curtains can be a little too country kitchen for my taste, so if I do go with this option I will need to pick the right fabric, curtain style and curtain rod and rings.

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

 Interior Shutters
I love interior shutters, especially plantation shutters. They are timeless and work with any style interior. Shutters offer a nice, clean line which seems so right in a kitchen. Plus, in my experience keeping them clean is fairly easy.

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

Bamboo Blinds
So bamboo blinds wouldn't allow more light or more privacy than my current blinds, but I do prefer their soft color to my dark wood blinds. Plus, I keep finding myself drawn to kitchens with bamboo blinds. It is a nice way to break up a lot of white in a kitchen.

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

How do you cover the windows in your kitchen? Pros and cons??

California Cool; Style

This summer has felt a bit like a whirlwind of travel which I always enjoy, especially when it involves great places like Southern California.

I love how laid back and casual Southern California is without sacrificing great style. I was so inspired by the SoCal gals on my two trips and have tried to bring a little bit of California Cool to my wardrobe this summer.

I have searched far and wide on the internet for a cotton Mexican dress which reminds me so much of my childhood. I finally found the perfect pink, hits-just-below-the-knees dress in Old Town in San Diego. I have lived in it this summer!

via wherethesidewalkbegins.blogspot.com

My other favorite California purchase which I have also worn like crazy this summer- a pair of kelly green Current/Elliott jeans. I am such a black and white wardrobe person, but it seems whenever I purchase something in a great color like these jeans I wear it with everything!

via shopbop

Cut off jean shorts, an open weave sweater over a simple tank with minimal jewelry and great sandles just seems like the quentisential outfit to throw on after a day at beach when you are headed to one of the many incredible restaurants that line the beach up and down the coast.

California Cool by laurendcarr featuring a grey sweater

Grey sweater
sheinside.com

Agent Ninetynine cotton shirt
$21 - generalpants.com.au

J Brand cutoff shorts
net-a-porter.com

Clare Vivier clutch handbag
shopbop.com

Carolina Bucci gold earrings
$1,660 - harrods.com

I came this close to purchasing a pair of soft yellow cut off shorts which is so not my normal style...I own one pair of shorts to my name. That is what I love about traveling, though, it gets me out of my normal routine and makes me consider new things!

Pinterest for IPad!

I am breaking my months of radio silence to share the good news I woke up to this morning...Pinterest finally has an IPad app!

If you are an IPad user and a Pinterest lover, you have no doubt shared my frustration for how IPad unfriendly the Pinterest site is. I have been relegated to just looking at images on Pinterest and not pinning when I use my IPad which of course make me a little panicky because how on earth am I going to remember to go back and pin that great pesto recipe I saw once I get to a computer?!?

I downloaded the new Pinterest app this morning and have had a chance to play around with it. So far, I really like it and recommend it.

Two other new-to-me apps that I am loving lately:

Houzz
Lots and lots of home and landscape ideas with the ability to save to your own "Ideabook."

Next Issue
A friend at work (thanks Dave!) introduced me to this and I am still not sure how it is possible, but you can get tons of digital versions of magazines for just $9.99/month. Titles such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, Elle, Bon Apetite (my new favorite), Real Simple, Cooking Light, Southern Living, and on and on. The great thing is this downloads to your IPad so you can view them without internet connection which is perfect for traveling!

Any new apps you love? Please share in the comment section. I would love to hear about them.

More posts soon...

A Few of My Favorite Things fo May

May is my birthday month and I have been celebrating by buying myself a few early birthday gifts. (Note to retailers: if you send me a birthday coupon, I WILL feel obligated to use it. Just saying.) Here are a few of my favorite things this month.

Oh...if you like this post, let me know in the comments. I may make "A Few of My Favorite Things" a monthly post.

My friend Camille received this book for her birthday and I made a mental note to myself to remember it for May. Amazon says my book will be here today and I know it will become one of my favorites because I love the author James Farmer's blog All Things Farmer. He covers everything I love...gardening, flowers, interior design, cooking, table decor. I think I may want to be him when I grow up! (though, I think if my math is correct he is younger than me)



via All Things Farmer


This was an early present from my mom (not myself) and I love it! I wish I had more excuses to go to the pool. She bought this from a local boutique here in Memphis, More Therapy, and I see Echo has a web site. Really, really cute beach/pool items if you need to stock up for the summer.

via Echo

This floral watering can from Target just makes me smile every time I water my pots and I think it is the reason my herbs are doing so well this year!

Floral Watering Can via Target

I am on the perpetual hunt for great t-shirts and I am pretty picky. The fit must be right and the materials has to feel soft against my skin. I am a big fan of J.Crew t-shirts and Splendid t-shirts (an investment in terms of t-shirts, but worth it). I was really excited to find this t-shirt at Anthropologie. The sleeve length is right and the uneven hem and the key hole in the back make it unique. I started with basic white, but I have a 15% off birthday couping I havent' used yet....

Petal Window Tee via Anthropologie

What are your favorite things this month?

Taste: Kale

I signed up for my first ever Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program this year as a way to enjoy fresh, in-season and locally grown fruits and veggies and to also push me outside of my regular recipe rut. I have just had two weekly pick ups so far, and it has really reengergized my interest in cooking and I feel like we are eating so many more veggies.

It has been a fun challenge to come up with recipes for some of the items in the bag. This past week, the kale in my weekly pick up had me a little stumped. After an unsuccessful try at incorporating it into my smoothie, I received the following recipe from the GOOP weekly e-newsletter. This was a delicious way to eat your kale and is really easy if you are already grilling other items. One item I highly encourage you to include in your summer repertoire is grilled portobello mushrooms (my recipe is below).

Do you have a favorite way to incorporate kale into meals? I would love to hear about it. Please post in the comments.

Crispy Tuscan Kale on the Grill from Seamus Mullen's Hero Food via Goop.



via Goop

 1 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 bunches Tuscan kale, stems and all, washed and spun dry
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the grill to high or build a small fire in a charcoal grill. In a large mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and lemon zest and juice and mix well. Add the kale leaves. Season with salt and pepper and gently toss until kale is evenly coated.

When the grill is hot, carefully lay the kale leaves, as many as will fit, side-by-side in a single layer on the grill. In about 2 minutes the leaves will crisp. Turn them and grill on the other side for another 1–2 minutes. Repeat with the rest of the leaves.

Pile the grilled kale leaves in a big stack on a large platter or cutting board and serve them up.

As long as you have the grill going, add these...they are a delicious alternative to meat.

Grilled Portobello Mushrooms

Portobello mushrooms (however many you want...I usually estimate 1/person)
Olive oil (about 1 tbsp./mushroom)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Any other seasoning you want...I usually add red pepper, sometimes Greek seasoning

Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel.

Place them on a aluminum foil caps facing down. Drizzle generously with olive oil (they really absorb it) and sprinkle with sale and pepper and other seasonings.

Place on grill on aluminum foil for about 20 minutes or until juicy and tender.

Enjoy!

Style: Here Comes the Sun

I spent the majority of my teenage years baking in the sun. To counteract (hopefully!) all of the damage I did during those summers, I am a big believer in hats when I am at the pool, beach or anywhere with extended sun exposure. The bigger the brim the better!

I saw this Chromo-Kissed Floppy hat at Anthropologie last week and I have not been able to forget it. I may have to go back and buy myself an early birthday present!

via Anthropologie




Here are a few more that would be perfect for a beach getaway or a Kentucky Derby party this weekend.

Sun Hats by laurendcarr featuring paper hats

Borsalino hat
$335 - forzieri.com

Eugenia Kim wide brim straw hat
£250 - liberty.co.uk

Inverni pink hat
$195 - lespommettes.com

Kate Spade cotton hat
$78 - katespade.com

Hat
$24 - amazon.com

Forever 21 paper hat
$13 - forever21.com

Style: Spring Mix Up

After a little hiatus, I am back and hopefully full of inspiration for posts here on The Zoo.

It has been unseasonably chilly for late April this past week or so, which makes getting dressed each day a bit of a challenge. All of my winter gear is packed up in the attic, but it isn't quite warm enough for full-spring attire.

This sweater/flowing skirt combination strikes the perfect balance of an ephemeral spring wardrobe with a little needed warmth.

Creamy cable knit sweater + white pleated skirt = spring perfection.
via Veanad

Another version of cream plus white, but reversed.
via The Sartorialist

I love this open weave sweater paired with a blue and white striped skirt
via The Sartorialist

I love this color combination of lavendar paired with navy. I think this is technically a dress plus a sweater, but still the same great look!
via Pinterest


My Own version of the look.....

J Crew striped sweater, $225
Forzieri fitted dress shirt, $95
Silk skirt, €139
J Crew ballet flat, $158
J Crew leather handbag, $238
Alex and Chloe heart shaped earrings, $90