Pumpkin Pasta

Thank you Rachel Ray!  This was an absolutely delicious recipe - perfect for a Fall dinner party or potluck!  The thick, rich pumpkin sauce was super easy to make (note:  the sauce starts out quite like soup, so to get the thick creamy texture you may need to simmer 5 - 10 min. longer than the recipe calls for).  Pour it over pasta noodles like penne or rotelli (as I did below) as they hold the sauce much better than linguine or spaghetti.  I added in sweet Italian sausage to make a bit more heartier and it totally worked.  See full recipe here and some pics of my outcome below.

So tasty!  I highly recommend using fresh grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese.  The saltiness of the cheese works great with the slightly sweet pumpkin sauce.

The perfect bite!

All the key ingredients for the sauce - Don't forget the heavy cream!

Pair this with a slightly sweet wine like a Riesling (It's Bev Mo's 5 cent wine sale until 10/24)... Cheers!

Love the LOFT!

Wow!  I am so loving the great flyer that arrived in today's mail for Ann Taylor's LOFT stores.  They really put together fantastic looks for the season with bright vibrant colors all mixed together for a really classic look.  I quickly took a couple pics before the sun went down and included their great discount offers for in store and online purchases.  I think at the very least, try adding in one of the great, patent leather belts into your current favorite look you have hanging in your closet... A little pop of color never hurt anyone!

Colored cords, cozy capes & perfect, pleated skirts... Where does a girl begin!!

Which one's your favorite?  I already have sand colored cords, so I'll go with the vibrant tomato red skinny belt, please.

Orange looks great with everything!

I also found a few more coupon codes here.

Mid-Week Inspiration

What an amazing sunset glow this evening!  It's super warm, the moon is still pretty full and so bright and the crickets are chirping like crazy.  If only LA had fire flies this night would be my heaven!

"Invent your world. Surround yourself with people, color, sounds, and work that nourish you." -SARK

 

Sparkle & Shine

Made a trip yesterday to my favorite little beauty shoppe for a mani / pedi and had my colors all picked out (which is a task - WAY too many good choices!).  I chose Essie's Bahama Mama for the toes and Case Study for my fingers.  Results below... With a little extra sparkle!

The rich camel brown was a little to bland on its own so we lightly brushed on a bit of Essie's Carnival to add a touch of sparkle.

 

Case Study

Carnival

Love the deep plum shade - oddly named Bahama Mama... I don't really think of a tropical location with this color... It's more of a "Please Pass the Merlot"?

Bahama Mama