Feelin' Soupy

I woke up to pouring rain this morning, and it was a struggle to get out of bed. What I really, really, really wanted to do was stay home in my jammies and cook something delicious. Currently on my list of "Why Don't I Have Time to Make This?!" are chocolate chip banana bread (craving that in a serious way!) and split pea and ham soup (also craving that badly). I have all the ingredients for both, I just haven't actually had the time to make them - and I still won't, as we have a jam-packed weekend ahead of us. While it will be fun, I'm just a smidge disappointed that I can't spend my Saturday wrapped in my apron, filling my house with the foodie-smells of fall. Dreamsss.

But then, as I was sitting as my desk this morning, it hit me - the exact recipe that I have to share. Drum roll please.... roasted tomato soup with broiled cheddar.


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This recipe is from Smitten Kitchen, and I made it last winter and then forgot about it. I don't know how - it is one of the most amazing things I've ever eaten. It's so simple, but it hits that "comfort food" spot dead-on. The soup has incredible flavor from the roasted tomatoes - it doesn't taste at all like "ketchup and milk" (which is the reason C usually won't eat tomato soup). You can obviously just put together a batch of it and eat it out of a bowl, but I did it just like it's pictured: French Onion Soup style, with a piece of French bread floated on top and buried under a mound of broiled sharp cheddar cheese. Life-changing.

This is the soup that my tomato-soup-and-grilled-cheese loving heart is made of. As if all that wasn't incentive enough to make it, it's actually really, really easy, too! Most of the time required is spent waiting for the tomatoes to roast. So worth it, though!

I'm practically drooling over the idea of a piping-hot bowl of this soup with a sourdough bread & sharp cheddar grilled cheese next to it.... ahhhhh. Someone make this soup for me! I will love you forever.

Roasted Tomato Soup with Broiled Cheddar
Recipe from Smitten Kitchen

Serves 4 (though closer to 6 if served in mugs)

Soup
3 pounds plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large or 4 small cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon (or more to taste) dried crushed red pepper
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Lid
4 1-inch slices from a large loaf of rye bread, whole wheat sourdough or bread of your choice (or 16 1-inch slices from a baguette), toasted until hard and lightly buttered on one side
1 tablespoon grated raw onion
1 cup coarsely grated cheddar (or more to taste)

Make soup: Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap garlic cloves in a tight foil packet. Place tomatoes, cut side up, on large baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper (I used 1 full teaspoon of Kosher salt). Drizzle tomatoes with olive oil. Add foil packet of garlic to tray. Roast until tomatoes are brown and tender (garlic will be very tender), about 1 hour. Cool slightly.

Unwrap garlic packet and peel cloves. Transfer cloves, tomatoes and any accumulated juices to a blender or food processor and pulse machine on and off until tomatoes are a chunky puree. Transfer tomatoes to medium pot and add thyme, crushed red pepper and stock and bring to a boil Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and adjust seasonings to taste.

Create cheddar lid: Preheat oven to 350. Arrange four ovenproof soup bowls, crocks or large mugs on a large, foil-lined baking sheet. Stir grated onion into the warm soup. (I love this last-minute suggestion of onion.) Float toast slice(s) in each bowl, buttered side up and divide grated cheese generously over top. (If you’re using a wide bowl, you might find that you want more cheese to create a thick, broiled lid.) Bake soups on tray for 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese on top is bubbling and brown at the edges. If you’d like it even more bronzed on top, preheat your broiler and finish soups for a minute or two under it. Serve immediately.

Pajamas at work are frowned upon

Contrary to how it may appear, I have not forgotten about posting my last piece of the “How to Dress like an Adult” puzzle. I actually put together the pictures (saying that makes it sound legit, and not like I did it in Paint) one day last week, and then life happened (doesn’t it always) and I never got around to writing the accompanying post. C’est la vie.

So here it is – Week 4 of “professional” outfits. I’m actually really impressed with myself regarding this little project, for two reasons.

• One: I forced myself to think about what I was putting on a little bit more than usual. I wanted to ensure that I had no repeats, and I wanted to show outfits that had potential for other people –  because I, personally, hate it when I see an outfit post and a blogger is talking about her “totally affordable!!!” whatever and I find the same article of clothing and its $200. Because there is nothing in my wardrobe that is that expensive, and I like to think that that is applicable to the majority of other girls my age as well, despite what the blogosphere would like to indicate. So, like I was saying. I thought my way through these last four weeks with the goal of showing actually inspiring combinations that normal people could recreate or use.
• Two: I actually finished this project. I took pictures of my outfits every single day for four weeks, just like I said I would. I didn’t have to recreate anything – I actually remembered to take the picture every day. And I didn’t abandon it after two weeks! For someone who is a chronic start-and-not-finish-er (so, so guilty), this is a major accomplishment. Gold stars all around! Hooray!

Enough chit-chat; on to the pictures!

 

Week 4

• Monday: Shirt – Express; Pants – LOFT; Sandals – DSW; Necklace – “borrowed” from a friend (AKA she left it at my house – thanks, Lush!)
• Tuesday: Dress – Target; Sandals – DSW
• Wednesday: Wrap – Express; Tank – Express; Pants – The Limited; Shoes – Calvin Klein/Macy’s
• Thursday: Shirt – Express; Pants – The Limited; Flats – Target
• Friday: Blouse – Target; Jeans – LOFT; Flats – Target

Fin.

I really, really appreciate the comments I’ve gotten regarding this series – it makes me happy to know that there are a few people out there who have found this useful, or at least worth taking 60 seconds to write a comment. Writing a comment means you didn’t immediately dismiss the post, and that, in itself, is worth my taking the time to take all these ridiculous pictures.

It is 100% likely that I will never be a fashion blogger, or a fashionista, or anything related to fashion. I will still always be happiest in sweats, and I will always be most comfortable in my workout clothes. It’s just who I am. However, I have embraced the fact that, during the day, I have to be dressed appropriately for “public” and therefore I do my best. As the title says, pajamas at work are frowned upon. The reasoning here will always be a mystery to me, because I maintain I'd be more productive if I was wearing flannel pants... Sigh. Anyway. I take my inspiration from the people I see around me (the ones who aren’t frumpy old ladies – because there are some. Avoid avoid avoid!) and I repeat what works and nix what doesn’t. I get by until I can get home from work and immediately put on my "comfies." That is the only goal most days. Normal!

And now that you’ve completed reading this post, you’ve successfully finished this Crash Course in Dressing like an Adult! A+, everyone. A+.  

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Sadly, I do not have Carrie Bradshaw's closet

...but I still manage to make it work. It's Week 3 of "How to Dress Like an Adult (Or at least fake it!)" and we're still going strong. I'm actually shocked that I've managed to take a picture every single day and haven't had to recreate my outfit a single time... thought for sure that would have happened by now!

This week's lesson: taking pictures like this is really awkward. It's also really hard to hold an iPhone steady while trying to get your entire body in a picture and have the picture turn out clear - solution to this problem is obvi to have your husband take the picture, but then there's a lot of pressure because he will only take the picture one time (unless I beg really bad for a second try) so I have to not look awkward and make sure my clothes are straight and blah blah blah..... pressure, I tell ya. I can't imagine actually being a model and needing to do these things correctly. Although, I guess, in that case, there would be a hundred people standing around making sure everything was correct for me and taking a zillion shots and then someone else could pick the best one..... that doesn't sound so bad........ ok sorry. Distraction. Onto the pictures!

Week 3



• Monday: no picture - it was a holiday! Honestly, I spent the morning wearing a Ninja Turtles T-shirt and compression socks (so cute!) and I'm sure that no one wants to see a picture of that. The afternoon and evening were spent in various VT gear while running errands and watching the football game.
• Tuesday: T-Shirt - LOFT; Pants - LOFT; Brown Pumps - Target
• Wednesday: Dress - LOFT; Belt - LOFT; Sandals - Unknown/DSW
• Thursday: T-Shirt - Express; Pants - The Limited, Black Flats - Target
• Friday: Button-Down Shirt - The Limited; Pencil Skirt - The Limited; Belt - Target; Black Pumps - Nine West

Two some-what casual looks balanced with two dressier looks - that's what I call "business casual." Easy-peasy. You may have started to notice some repeat pieces... duh! Mixing and matching is essential to a good, functional wardrobe. The majority of articles of clothing that I own can all be mixed with a number of other pieces to create "different" outfits. No one notices, believe me! Those staples are essentials. A few unique items and a few bright spots of color totally work to stretch out the "boring" pieces, like plain black pants. And mixing and matching means its usually pretty easy to find an outfit in the morning! Which is perfect for someone like me, who hates (I mean, truly hates) getting out of bed.

Looking for more ideas? Check out Week 1 and Week 2.

**Kudos & a cookie if you noticed something change between Wednesday and Thursday of this week... that would be my hair color. Back to dark brown for fall! Wheeeee!

Nope... still not a fashion blogger.

Last week, I started something new – a month’s worth of showing you what I wear to work, week by week, in order to demonstrate some ways to dress professionally and fit into the working world.

This is generally hilarious, because I’m pretty much the worst adult ever and have a really hard time being a “Working Professional” but c’est la vie. I will do my best. I’ve been told that I have “good fashion sense” which I also think is a joke, but people keep asking where I get my clothes and how to shop on a budget, so maybe those people are serious… which I find shocking. I will ALWAYS be that girl who wants to wear my “comfies” at all time – I hate being dressed in real clothes. Give me sweat pants, leggings, PJ pants, old t-shirts, and hoodies any time, and I will be your best friend. Promise. (Sorry, L2, you’re easily replaced. Love you!)

Anyway. 

Week 2

• Monday: Button-down shirt – The Limited; Pencil Skirt – The Limited; Black Pumps – Nine West
• Tuesday: Cardigan – J. Crew; Tank top – Target (actually a deep ocean blue, with ruffles on the front… photo skillz lacking); Pants – LOFT; Flats – Target
• Wednesday: Cardigan – Target; Tank – Target; Pants – Express; Flats - Target
• Thursday: Blouse – The Limited; Skirt – The Limited; Black Pumps – Nine West
• Friday: Cardigan – Target; Dress – LOFT; Sandals – DSW (Brand unknown, as they are so old that it’s completely worn away)

And there ya have it. Days 5-10, in the books!

Tips for this week:

• Again, I shop sales. Sale, sale, sale. It’s rare that I purchase something (from anywhere other than Target) for full price – I always look for free shipping, coupon codes online, and/or in-store sales.
• Take full advantage of discounts! Don’t be afraid to ask if a store offers discounts. Some of my favorites are the Teacher Discount that LOFT offers (my mom pays for everything with her ID, then I pay her back) and the student discount that The Limited and J.Crew offer. I carry my student ID everywhere – yes, I graduated 3 (EEEEEK) years ago, but that baby has no date on it, and I pretty much still look the same. Except for my hair color. But that’s never the same. Totally fine.
• Everything you own does not have to be name-brand. Embrace Target. Just do it. You’ll thank me later. Are the clothes the absolute-best quality? No. Is that fine for staples that I wear the heck out of, like my black cardigans, and definitely get my $15’s worth? You betcha. Trust me: no one knows the difference between my cardigan from Target and my cardigan from J.Crew. And honestly, I think I like the Target one’s better… they hold their shape better, and they are a little thicker.

I have successfully been taking my pictures to go with Week 3, and will have that up sometime next week.

Any secret tips for me? Anyone actually reading this and enjoying it? I’m enjoying the fact that this is forcing me to (somewhat) keep my bedroom clean… HA!

Also, C is clearly enjoying this project as well - or at least, he enjoys photo-bombing me while I take silly pictures of myself.

Yup.

Proof That I'm Not a Fashion Blogger

I've found that it can be hard to piece together outfits that work in the "professional" world when you're fresh out of school (or a few years removed...), especially if you're working on a limited budget. There is an art to the mixing of cheap and expensive pieces, and there is skill required to put together a combination of "the basics" plus some pieces that are unique and fun. I'm certainly no fashion blogger, and I don't claim to have to amazing, fantastic outfits that everyone wants copy - but I do think that I put together outfits that are office-appropriate, comfortable, affordable, and not too entirely shabby. Mostly.

Jill over at Strawberry Blonde Life recently did a series where she photographed herself every day during the week to show her outfit and then went on to describe where she got the pieces and some basic details about how she gets dressed for work. After seeing her posts for a month, I figured that was something that wasn't too difficult - even I can commit to taking a picture five times a week! And so, here you have it: Week 1 of "How to Dress Like a 'Professional'" (because I'm not entirely sure I really qualify as a professional yet).

**Disclaimer: As it says in my profile, I am NOT a professional photographer (duh). I am not a fashion blogger. I am not anything other than a girl who got a college degree, has a job she's good at but doesn't necessarily love, and doesn't particularly like getting up at 5:15 AM therefore gets dressed with her eyes half closed. What do you expect from me?? Jeeeez.

Week 1

• Monday: Sweater - Target; Shirt - LOFT; Skirt - LOFT Outlet; Pumps - Nine West
• Tuesday: Shirt - Express (it's actually purple... hmph); Pants - Express; Flats - Target
• Wednesday: Shirt - Express; Pants - American Eagle (they have an indistinguishable blue, white, and black plaid pattern); Flats - Target
• Thursday: Dress - LOFT Outlet; Sandals - BareTraps (DSW)
• Friday: Dress - Lands' End; Belt - Express; Sandals - BareTraps (DSW)

And there you have it. The majority of these were purchased over the course of the last three or four years, so I can't tell you where to find it right now. There's your first hint from me: buy items that last. If I buy a dress, I don't want to get two wears out of it, I want to get two years out of it. Same goes for pants. Shoes should also be good quality - it's so much better to get a good, sturdy pair of pumps that fit well and feel good, and have to get the heels repaired a year later, than to buy crappy pair after crappy pair. Trust me - investing is worth it! As long as you will actually wear whatever it is you're buying.

I'll be honest - I'm currently having an issue because a lot of the things I bought right when I graduated from college don't fit me anymore. I was probably a good two sizes bigger then (let's not talk about it... or at least talk a different day) and I needed 'professional' clothes that fit, so I had to shop. Now, those things look ridiculous on me. I can't tell you how many times my mom has looked at me and said, "Lindsay, your butt looks so saggy in those pants." It's NOT because my butt is saggy - it's because my pants are too big and therefore loose and silly looking! So that's a struggle. I don't really want to replace my whole wardrobe, so I'm working with the pieces that sort of fit (belts are fantastic) and researching how much it is to get a few pieces tailored rather than discarding and rebuying. Hint #2: tailoring can be very, very worth it. It's amazing what a stitch here and there (or ten or a hundred) will do for an article of clothing that you didn't think fit. So consider that as an option, too! (Also, I've realized I need to get the pants I wore last week hemmed, or stop wearing flats - those make me look shorter than I already am. Sigh.)

I realize that this post is coming almost a full week after Week 1 finished - sorry 'bout it. I'll try to get Week 2 up quicker. I've been taking the pictures, and finding that knowing that I have to document what I'm wearing makes me think a little harder in the morning - even if it is the crack of dawn and I'm more or less still asleep.

Any suggestions of your own for dressing like an adult? I love a good sale, I love coupons, and I seriously love outlets. Where do you shop??