Evening Attire

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I cannot get enough of the golden light in these shots! Warm, buttery, and alluring. Plus the fact that the view was just as perfect and golden. Love.

This LBD has been in my wardrobe for a long, long time. It is an investment piece, for sure. But I’ve worn it for everything from weddings, to a state dinner, to a fancy date-night out. It just won’t quit! The four season Italian wool has an incredible feel, and always lays perfectly– no tugging or shimmying required. (Please tell me you’ve all been there.)

I paired it with another wardrobe staple– the camel blazer. I hope you’re not tired of blazers this season because they are one of my favorite layering staples. Add some leopard pumps and a red lip, and you can trot from the theater to court with the Queen of England, in my opinion!

Have a fantastic Thursday!

XX, Megan

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Blazer: J.Crew, Dress: J.Crew (this season), Heels: Nine West, Sunglasses: Oakley, Clutch: Target, Necklace: Kenneth Jay Lane, Earrings: Banana Republic, Lips: MAC Russian Red

Tripple Layer Midnight Chocolate Cake

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Happy Wednesday, friends! I’m giving you the run down on this AMAZING chocolate cake. Sure to be a crowd pleaser (and it can feed a crowd, too, with 16 servings.)

Truth be told, this is only the second cake I’ve made from scratch EVER. I bake all kinds of things from scratch–bread, muffins, cupcakes, pie. Never cake.

I also found this recipe to be very straightforward, easy to follow. There weren’t an overabundance of ingredients, and I really REALLY enjoyed the finished product!

Moist, weighty but not too heavy, sweet but not too sweet, chocolatey but not too chocolatey. I saw the recipe on a friend’s Facebook page, the original recipe is here on the Taste of Home site. I flagged it, and made it the moment I got the chance!

XX, Megan

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Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

3 cups packed brown sugar

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2-2/3 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup baking cocoa

3 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/3 cups sour cream

1-1/3 cup boiling water

Frosting

1/2 cup butter, cubed

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

5 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Yield: 16 servings

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour three 9-in. round baking pans.

In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition. Stir in water until blended.

Transfer to prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. (Frosting directions below)

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For frosting, in a metal bowl over simmering water, melt butter and chocolates; stir until smooth. Cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar, sour cream and vanilla. Add chocolate mixture; beat until smooth. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate leftovers.

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Plum Wine

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There is reason people talk formulaic dressing, and go-to outfit options. These combinations allow you to throw it all on and go at a moment’s notice. Quick. Easy. Classy. Classic. Sometimes with small updates that bring a look into the present moment. J.Crew’s Jenna Lyons has exemplified this kind of dressing for years (though in a recent article, she bemoaned formula dressing as the death of creativity. I see her point, but question her self-scrutiny.)

For Lyons the formula consists of a killer white shirt, favorite jeans, the most high-heeled, high-end shoe you can swing, her quintessential thick-rimmed glasses, and a bun pulled neatly at the nape of her neck. There it is, and she’s done. If she doesn’t consider this a formula, maybe I could call it “reaching for favorites”.

For me, a quality blazer and stripes will always top the favorites list. This periwinkle number is a season old, but definitely not out of style. I love the way it pairs with the plum of these pants, and the unexpected pop it brings to dull gray fall and winter days when I am tired of layering with all things puffer.

What are some of your favorites? Do you have some? Anything you do in the grab-and-go mode that early mornings sometimes require?

The days are chilling more and more, the light is fading little by little. I hope this fall is feeling good to all of you!

XX, Megan

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Blazer: J.Crew, Shirt: Saint James, Cords: J.Crew (similar color), Shoes: Old Navy, Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper, Necklace: Gorjana, Earrings: Vintage, Clutch: Ralph Lauren (old, splurge, similar, save), Lips: Buxom White Russian

Check Your Work Wear

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Not to overstep my bounds here as it’s been a few years since I was in a professional office setting. However, many of my friends struggle to strike that perfect balance between the doldrums of everyday office wear, and desiring to incorporate more individual and interesting apparel choices for their work wardrobe.

Enter the soft-wash shirt from J.Crew. The button-down makes this shirt office appropriate, just add dress pants and heels. Speaking of heels, no one says you have to choose a standard black. What about subbing your those classic black heels with a colorful option? These blue suede babies almost identical to the ones seen here and are both adorable and affordable!

What are your favorite ways to mix-up your work wear? I’d love to hear!

TGIT is all I have to say!

XX, Megan

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Shirt: J.Crew (or save!), Pants: Ann Taylor, Shoes: J.Crew (current season, splurge, or save!), Bag: J.Crew Factory (similar or similar), Bangles: J.Crew (similar)

Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms and Garlic

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This meal was a filling and perfectly delicious fall dinner offering from The Scramble*. My boys gobbled up the chicken and asked for seconds. The four-year-old LOVED the Brussels sprouts. In fact, after feasting on these roasted delights he asked that we bring Brussels sprouts for his healthy snack at preschool this week!

I almost laughed out loud, but instantly agreed. Now I don’t know whether I should actually roast them and bring Brussels sprouts or push back and pick something more palatable to four-year-old humans for a 10:00 a.m. snack! Any suggestions?

I have to admit that I felt my chicken was just the tiniest bit over cooked. I’d caution you to watch carefully when you return the chicken to the skillet with the mushrooms. Don’t let it simmer too long.

Here’s to healthy eats, and making it halfway through the week!

XX, Megan

Ingredients

3 Tbsp. flour (use wheat/gluten-free if needed)
1/4 tsp. salt, plus additional to taste
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 – 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic, (about 3 cloves)
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth, (freeze remaining broth for future use)
1/2 lemon, juice only, about 2 Tbsp.
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Side: Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Start the Brussels sprouts first, if you are serving them. Preheat oven to 450. In a small bowl, toss clean Brussels sprouts with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Turn out onto a baking sheet. Roast for 25-30 minutes. Turning occasionally.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add the diced chicken and toss it gently to coat. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp. oil and the butter and let the butter melt. Place the chicken in the skillet and cook it on each side until it is browned and cooked partially through. Around 6 – 8 minutes total. Transfer the chicken to a clean plate and set it aside.

Put the remaining oil to the same pan without cleaning it. Sauté the mushrooms and garlic for 1 minute, and then add the wine, broth and lemon juice. Bring the liquid to a low boil, scraping any bits of chicken from the bottom of the pan. Simmer the mixture for 10 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and the liquid is reduced and slightly thickened.

Add the chicken back into the pan, spooning the sauce over it, and cook it for 3 – 5 more minutes until the chicken is just cooked through. Season it with additional salt, if desired, and sprinkle the chicken with parsley before serving.

1. Brussels Sprouts begin this meal. Preheat oven to 450. Roast for 25-30 minutes.

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2. Toss the diced chicken in flour, salt and pepper.

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3. Cook the chick for 6-8 minutes until it browns on each side.

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4. Remove the chicken to a clean plate. Add additional oil to the skillet (no need to wash clean). Then place mushrooms and garlic in the skillet and sauté for 1-2 minutes.

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5. Add the wine, broth and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer for 10 minutes until the mushrooms are tender.

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6. Return the chicken to the skillet and simmer for another 3-5 minutes until flavors are well meshed.

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7. Remove the Brussels sprouts from the oven. Plate and EAT!!!

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*The Scramble is a meal planning service to which you can subscribe here. For a fantastic price you will receive 8 weekly meals which means 8 recipes (main course plus a side dish), complete grocery list, the ability to tweak the number of people you are making for, and full nutrition facts.

PLUS tips as to how best to PREP your meal beforehand, add a punch of FLAVOR, and how to SLOW COOK almost every recipe if you’re especially slammed that night. This wonderful service really does live up to it’s name. You can come home at 6 p.m. and be sitting down to a DELICIOUS, HEALTHY, HOME COOKED meal by 6:30 p.m. most nights.