Archive   |   January, 2011

another online mag to love: matchbook

Posted by in handy links, reading, surfing

matchbook

Just in time to chase away the winter blahs, another online magazine. Matchbook just launched as “the field guide to the charmed life.” I haven’t digested it enough to know if it lives up to the initial promise, but so far so good. There’s a feature on the 10 secrets to a charmed life from Miles Redd, a spread devoted just to books (that alone will bring me back for the next issue!) and a recipe from Sophie Dahl’s cookbook for monkfish that sounds positively yum. Have you read Matchbook yet? Let us know what you think. I’m firmly in the more the merrier camp. — Sarah L.

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post off: do you plan a weekly menu?

Posted by in cooking, organizing

beans&onions

In our house, we pretty much make everything we eat ourselves. Mostly it’s a budget thing, but I have a few food sensitivities, and find it much easier to cook at home. I don’t know how we’d survive if I didn’t work in a grocery store — it makes it easy to grab the ingredients for what we need on a whim. I’ve tried making a weekly menu and done one big shop, but I find I often deviate from the plan, and sometimes end up having to throw ingredients out. I’ve looked at some of these helpful plans from SimpliFried, springpad, and Organized Home which may help me better stick to my plan. But honestly, I really prefer keeping a well stocked pantry and grabbing my fresh produce and proteins as needed, “European style”, so to say. How do you plan your meals? Are you regimented or flexible? Any helpful tips to sticking to a plan you’d care to share? — Megan B.

photo courtesy of Kletia Garies

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winning idea for your sweetheart: a personalized loving cup

Posted by in decorating, giving, holidays

cup

Although it’s not uncommon to see antique silver trophies — or loving cups — priced in the thousands, you can find nice silver plated cups online at Etsy, ebay and Ruby Lane for under $60. (The one in the top picture was $60 on Ruby Lane but unfortunately, was marked “Sale Pending” by the time I spied it.) With a little luck and persistence, you can even find ones engraved to the winner of a tub race, chicken show or local regatta. So what to do once you find one? If you’ve got the skills, you can buy flowers and make your own arrangement. If your inner Martha doesn’t extend to flower arranging, give your local florist a call. Chances are, you can drop off the cup and they’ll create an arrangement to fit.

screwdrivers

Another option? Ditch the flowers altogether and create a “bouquet” of objects. For the DIYer, a trophy cup filled with red and blue screwdrivers. For the artist, a set of fanned and fine-tipped brushes or colored pencils. For the cook, wooden spoons, mini dough whisks or a combination of both. — Sarah L.

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real life test kitchen: heart of winter salad

Posted by in cooking, holidays

valentines salad

This is the type of thing you should serve your sweetheart: instead of being filled with empty calories and saturated fat (I’m looking at you chocolate), this salad is filled with fiber, antioxidants, and yes, the secret ingredient of love. In addition to being visually appealing for Valentine’s dining, it’s a dish designed to help enhance romance! Fennel, beets, and honey are all reported to have an aphrodisiac effect, as well as tasting pretty darn delicious together. The earthiness of the beets and licorice-tinged crunch of the fennel are rounded out by tangy, jewel-like red and pink oranges and slightly bitter Belgian endive; while the crumbled goat cheese adds a creaminess that’s downright sexy. So bust out the champagne, the romantic music, and snuggle down in front of the fire with a big plate of salad! — Megan B.
click for the recipe, after the jump!

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site we’re psyched about: teux deux

Posted by in organizing, surfing, working

teux deux

My biggest goal for 2011 (other than winning the lottery and retiring): to be more productive and organized. It’s a lofty one, I know, but thankfully I’ve got help — in the form of web-based productivity assistant Teux Deux. Instead of my perpetual scrap paper list-making cluttering my desk, pockets and recycle bin; I’ve got a minimally-designed running list on my browser, which is where I’m spending the bulk of my computer time anyway. Even better, I’ve got it synced up with the iphone app, so I can cross off those nagging to-do’s as soon as they are complete! Best of all, the site is free (though the mobile app has a nominal fee) — and did I mention it’s the brainchild of one of our favorite bloggers, Tina Roth Eisenberg, also known as swissmiss? — Megan B.

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