GROW SOME (MEAT) BALLS IN YOUR NEW RELATIONSHIP

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: OY VEY!

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Okay, so, you just started seeing a new guy a few months ago. And you like him. A lot. When is he going to (finally) refer to you by the term "girlfriend?"

How are you going to take it to the next level?

With this dish, of course.

After all, the way to a man's heart IS through his stomach.

**

• 2 pound of ground turkey or beef
• 3 tablespoons of garlic powder
• salt to taste
• Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
• 3 tablespoons of dried basil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped (or the pre-minced in a jar equivalent works just as well)
• Jar of great tomato marinara sauce

First things first. You should ALWAYS have a jar of your favorite marinara sauce on hand. It's great to add to almost any meal (except dessert).

Heat the oven to 395. Line an oven tray with tin foil and spray with olive oil.

In a large bowl, mix the ground meat, dash of salt, chopped garlic, basil, garlic powder and pepper flakes well with your hands. You don't need breadcrumbs or egg for this dish to shine.

Once thoroughly mixed, create large balls, and place them evenly on your tray. My "go to" rule with balls-- the bigger, the better. Toss them in the oven for 25 minutes.

Warm up that marinara in your trusty microwave or on the stove top. I tend to rev up my marinara sauce with a dash of extra garlic and red pepper.

If you want to add some pasta, be my guest. They are great addition to some angel hair.

How to Plate: On a crisp platter, organize the meatballs in a row, spooning the sauce over them (like I did in the picture above).

Leftovers: These are FANTASTIC in a sub sandwich!

MOUTH-WATERING PARMESAN CRUSTED CHICKEN

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: OY!

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You're at a bar and some horribly cheesy guy starts talking to you. Studded jeans, Tattoo-inspired club shirt. Total Cheese.

Who said CHEESY has to be a bad thing?

This following dish will totally change your whole outlook.

This breaded chicken isn't literally breaded. (I need to lose all the carbohydrates I can find!)

**

• 1lb chicken cutlets (thinly sliced or pounded)
• 1.5 cups of Parmesan cheese (grated)
• dried basil
• salt and pepper
• olive oil

In a shallow dish, mix the Parmesan with a dash of salt, pepper and basil. Press each piece of chicken into the cheese mix, creating a nice crust.

Heat your pan on medium and spray with some olive oil. Make sure the oil gets warm before you begin cooking your chicken.

Place each piece of chicken into your pan and cook, about 2-3 minutes each side, flipping after it creates a nice light brown crust.

Plate and enjoy!

(MY DREAM) SAFARI STYLE

(photo courtesy of Vogue Deutsch)

CHLOE'S Zarina Heels $389.00 (at Barneys)

BALENCIAGA'S Studded Slingbacks $995.00 (at Barneys)

FIRST DATE FOOD NO-NOs

Almost all the recipes on my site are pretty spectacular, if I may say so myself…

But there are foods you should avoid ESPECIALLY when going on a first date.  

Sushi: Look, I went on a first date once to an amazing sushi place, but there is really nothing sexy about shoving a large piece of Spicy Tuna into your mouth.  

Garlic and Onions: My two favorite things. Good thing I am married.

Beans: Good for your heart. The more you eat, the more you…

Dairy: Cheese gives you bad breath. And it’s not just the “Stinky” cheeses.

But please, don’t worry – the truth is, it shouldn't matter whether your breath smells like a garbage dump or a dozen rotten eggs, he should like YOU for YOU... right?

JUST SUE ME! (WITH A NO-COOK SUMI SALAD)

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: OY!

It's an OY VEY! if you are not buying pre-chopped cabbage

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Sumi salads (aka Asian cabbage salads) are pretty common. Many recipes call for wontons or noodles, or even ramen. 


For my recipe, I've added deli-sliced chicken, and left out the carbs, for this refreshing take on the Sumi salad. 


If you don't like it, well, then, you can sue me!

**

• 1 large head of cabage (or a bag pre-sliced)
• 1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
• 6-10 scallions/green onions. I used 8.
• Handful of chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup of red cabbage, sliced (or buy pre-sliced)
• 1/2 pound of deli chicken, unsalted, chopped

• 1/4 cup oil
• 2 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2-3 teaspoon pepper
• 6 tablespoon of rice vinegar

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, honey, salt, pepper and rice vinegar. 

In a large bowl, mix all other ingredients.  


Toss and coat. Serve and enjoy!


Easy enough?

A REFRESHING NO-COOK SUMMER TREAT!

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: OY!

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Fresh California peaches and delicious prosciutto. 

Just slice and wrap. 

Easy to prepare. Fabulous to eat. 

FANCY-UP THAT JULY 4TH BURGER WITH PESTO AIOLI!

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: LESS THAN OY!

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Spice up that plain ole burger with my PESTO AIOLI.

Easy, simple, and FABULOUS... what Cooking in Heels is all about. 

**

• Pre-made fresh Pesto (Fridge section)
• Mayo
• Tablespoon of minced garlic
• Handful of fresh basil leaves, rinsed and chopped

For the ratio, mix 1:2 pesto:mayo. I did 2 tablespoons of pesto, and 4 of mayo. 

Mix thoroughly, adding in the garlic, and top with fresh basil. 

How to Plate: Add to a bun and top with some fresh arugula and tomato. Add your meat (or grilled veggie burger!) and enjoy.

BLACK AND BLUE - FENDI INSPIRATION

(Runway Image via Style Hive)

FENDI'S Cut-Out Platforms (at Barneys)

DAILY HEEL WATCH - BEAUTY ON A BUDGET

Love the Demi-Wedge, 

Love the Elastic straps. 

Love the Price! ($59.95 at Bakers)

BREAKING UP ON FACEBOOK... BECAUSE YOU ARE A CHICKEN (MARINADE)

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: OY!

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I know, I know… some of you are reading this from my Facebook link, so I get it, I’m a hypocrite. Let’s forget that for just one minute. Maybe two. Or three.

A link to your website is one thing, but breaking up… on Facebook?

Before Facebook, “status” simply meant: Single, Engaged, Married, or Divorced.

Now everyone needs to know what you ate for breakfast, what bar you went to last night,  and see pictures from your distant twice-removed cousin’s latest trip to Honolulu.

But your REAL status?

If I was dumped via Facebook, I would be mortified.  

A part of me thinks it is heartless. Very quick, very public, pretty easy,  and quite heartless.

But I’ve gotta flip the coin on this one.

Maybe in this new world of lacking human contact and an abundance of continuous partial attention (giving everything in your life only a fragment of the attention it deserves, mainly due to mobile technology), it’s really the only way to break up with someone.

Take a look at this:

Maybe Kevin couldn’t get his fiancé Shannon on the phone. Maybe they mostly interacted via text and Facebook emails. Maybe Shannon is deaf and he couldn't even break it off over the phone. Maybe the ONLY WAY he could get through to her was through his Facebook status. (Highly doubtful, but alas, possible)

Heck, even one of my favorite designers, Marc Jacobs, took to Facebook to alter his status:

And now that Facebook is so ingrained in our popular culture,  we’ve gotta “Accept” that our parents have joined in on the fun :

Where do you draw the line regarding exactly WHAT to share with your however-many-hundred Facebook friends? Is there a line? Because judging from this post, I really don’t see one.

I say, let’s get back to that human connection.

If you are going to break off an engagement, break up with someone you couldn’t care less about (which is pretty obvious if you do it on Facebook), or forget to tell your close friends, family, and/or children, then DO NOT READ ON.

Because I have the best recipe for keeping your loved ones close and in-the-know: Feed Them.

Just like this chicken marinade, you’ve gotta let your relationships marinate, steep, and get them ready to face the heat on the stovetop.

**

• Chicken (I prefer tenders)
• 2 cups of Orange Juice – with or without pulp, your pick
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 medium Orange

In a shallow Pyrex dish, marinate your chicken in the orange juice for at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours.

In an olive oil sprayed pan on Medium-high heat, add your chicken (without the remaining juice), sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook 4-6 minutes per side.

The chicken should be brown on each side, and fully cooked through. If you use boneless chicken breasts, add a few minutes to the cook time.

While the chicken cooks, slice your orange in half, then slices. Take the cooked chicken out of the pan, and add the oranges, sliced side down, to pick up some of the burnt bits of chicken.

How to Plate: Serve orange slices on the side, to be squeezed over the chicken.

DAILY HEEL WATCH - ALEXANDER WANG

Suede and stamped lizard leather... oh my!

 ($525.00 at Barneys)

DAILY HEEL WATCH - POETIC JUSTICE

If every opening line was “Roses are Red,” Badgley Mischka would finish the poem. ($219.00 at Zappos)

DAILY HEEL WATCH - WILD ONES

Only D&G can make the Ultimate Leopard Heels ($479.00 at Zappos)

DAILY HEEL WATCH

Louboutin's Volnay stunners (Get them HERE)

DAILY HEEL WATCH

PRADA'S GOOOOOORGEOUS Lace-Up Bootie (at Bergdorf's)

PALE AND PRETTY

ASOS Tilly Toe Cap Bootie $68.00  (Get Them Here)

GAP Lace Up Wedges $100 (Get Them Here)

FIRST IMPRESSIONS (OF BLACK BEAN SOUP)

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: OY VEY!

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Cosmo just put out an article for the “6 Things Guys Notice 6 Seconds After You Meet”… according to some new study. (Why are there always some silly “new” studies? When are they going to go back to an old study and tell us what they found out about 5 years ago?)

Let’s go through their “discoveries”:

Your Smile- Duh Your Hair- Duh Your Cleavage- Duh
Your Makeup- Ehh
Your Skin - Duh
Your Bag – UMMMMM… 

 

My hubby said he has only three things he looks at when he (NEVER! How dare he!) looks at other women: Tits, Smile, Eyes.

In that order. 

Frankly, I am relieved because if I knew that Adam was too busy looking at my eye shadow blending job, or worse, the  stitching and beauty of my YSL bag, I would seriously reconsider his intentions.

**

• Olive oil
• 1 cup red onion, chopped OR green onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh jalapeño
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 2 cans black beans, undrained
• 2 cups canned low-salt chicken broth OR veggie broth
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Sour cream and/ or Guacamole
• Blue corn tortilla chips
• Salt and pepper

 

In a pot on the stovetop: chicken broth, garlic,  black beans, olive oil and cumin. Mix and heat thoroughly. 

 

Move ingredients to a blender. Process thoroughly. 

 

Move back to the pot, adding the onions, jalepenos, and cilantro. 

 

Plate in a bowl, topped with sour cream and/ or guacamole, and serve with blue corn chips for dippin!

 

DAILY HEEL WATCH

Louboutin's Zigounettes (at Barneys)

CHEAP AND YUMMY

Forever 21's Skyler and Kayla Pumps... both for under $26 bucks each!

forever21.com

NOT SO MELLOW YELLOW

Bring the Summer Sun down to your toes!

(photo courtesy of Daily Mail)

Loeffler Randall $550.00 at Barneys.com

Sigerson Morrison $209.00 at Barneys.com

IN THE NAVY

 

Get the Navy Nautical Summer look with YSL's Tribute Platform (from BERGDORF'S)

(fashion photo courtesy of NYMag.com)

THE FIVE MINUTE BRUSHETTA

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: LESS THAN OY!

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Times are tough. We have to work harder than ever  and be as frugal as possible when it comes to our daily spending habits. 

This means having friends over for wine and an affordable homemade appetizer.

The below recipe is simple, affordable, and most importantly: Fabulous and Easy. 

**

• Jar of Sun dried tomatoes (packed in oil)
• French bread
• Olive oil
• Garlic powder
• Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 500. 

Slice your French bread on a diagonal.  Drizzle olive oil on a plate, and coat each slice with some oil and sprinkle with garlic powder.

Toast the bread in the oven for 2 minutes on each side. 

Remove from the oven and top each toasted slice with sun dried tomatoes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve!

Enjoy!

DAILY HEEL WATCH

Christian Louboutin really knows how to mix sweet and sexy withthese Lavendar stunners!

http://www.barneys.com/Fetilo/500514440,default,pd.html

DAILY HEEL WATCH

Michael Kors is really getting chic!

Step it up a notch in these sleek sexy-ass synthetic heels.

http://couture.zappos.com/n/p/dp/68132316/c/233505.html

A QUICKIE: CHICKEN PAELLA

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: OY!

*

Blame it on a long day. Blame it on a headache.

Sometimes, you're just NOT in the mood...

...To cook.

(What did you think I was talking about?!)

Well, fear not, my fellow fabulous foodies! 

This chicken dish is all done on the stove top, is super-duper easy, and seems like you have been stewing this paella all day.

All you need is a pot, and a pan, and the ingredients below!

**

• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound of chicken (I prefer tenders)
• Chorizo... or 2 chicken sausages -- I used pre-cooked smoked andouille chicken, which made this dish gumbo-ish
• 10 oz packet of frozen, cooked brown rice
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• salt, pepper, and paprika

 Rub salt, pepper, and paprika on the chicken tenders. 

On medium high, saute the chorizo/ chicken sausage until golden brown. Remove to a plate and add olive oil to the pan. Add the chicken and cook 4 minutes per side. Remove and add to plate. 

In the pan, add the chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook until soft. Add the rice and coat. 

Move this mixture to a pot sprayed with olive oil. 

In the pan, add the 1/2 cup of white wine and boil, picking up all the juicy bits -- then add to pot. 

In the pot, add the can of tomato chopped with juice, and the 2 cups of chicken broth. 

Bring up to a simmer, and add the cooked meat. 

Let it simmer for 15 minutes. Or all day. 

Serve and enjoy!

DAILY HEEL WATCH

Marc Jacob's Technicolored Dream Heel

Marc steps it up with these sure-to-be summer staples!

http://couture.zappos.com/n/p/dp/68136298/c/4188.html

KOGI CHIC -- THE ULTIMATE BRISKET TACO

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: OY VEY! 

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The gourmet foods truck craze is alive and kicking in the city of Los Angeles.

You've got Umami burgers, Philly Cheese Steaks, too many to list, and of course, the mother of them all-- the Kogi truck.

Well, forget having to wait in line in your fabulous heels on Abbott Kinney next to the Brig.

You can make a  delicious Kogi-style inspired beef brisket tacos (Kosher too!) with this recipe!

(After the Jump)

TREND WATCH - SPRING NUDES

We are going nude this season!

Wait-- don't strip. I mean nude HEELS. 

Bring on the Beige with some Spring sandals!

Michael Kors ($645) LAMB ($399) DONNA KARAN ($744)  

Find out which is which after the JUMP!

CONCEPT LA - Skin Graft

Skingraft's collection was my knock-out favorite. 

I mean, look at the leather work! I need one of their jackets STAT. 

Check out my interview with the designer, Jonny Cota: