Say hello to a new week with an outfit inspired by three of my favorite things: kelly green, peplum, and polka dots.
Get the look:
xx C&L
Happy Monday, everyone! Before you get too immersed in your daily to-dos, take a moment to check out a new recipe featuring two things I could never live without: coffee and chocolate. In this recipe, I combine decadent dark chocolate, white chocolate chips, and the smooth flavor of Level 3 Seattle’s Best Coffee for a new flavor combination that will leave you nothing short of blissfully buzzed.
Enjoy!
xx C&L
P.S. A big thanks to the Seattle’s Best team for my baking garb! My apron was worn by none other than the Sandwich King himself as he ventures across the country for the Seattle’s Best Coffee Red Cup Showdown.
Mocha Brownie Buzz
2 Tablespoons Level 3 Seattle’s Best Coffee, brewed*
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
* Brew coffee for brownies. Combine 2 T ground coffee with 1/4 cup boiling water. Let steep for 5-8 minutes and pour through coffee filter. Flavor should be intense.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8 x 8 inch aluminum pan.
Measure 1 c flour and 1/4 t salt into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
Melt unsweetened bittersweet chocolate with butter over low heat on stove top or in 30-second increments in microwave. Blend in a medium size mixing bowl.
Add brown sugar and regular sugar to butter mixture. Stir in vanilla extract.
Add eggs, one at a time, to chocolate/butter/sugar mixture.
Add liquid ingredients to flour and salt in large mixing bowl. Fold in chocolate chips.
Add mixture to greased brownie pan.
Bake for 45 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean.
Mark your calendars because this week is all about a dynamic duo: navy and black. The slimming shades modernize this classic sheath by creating a defined waist that elongates the leg. Throw on a pair of pumps and grab your favorite black bag to let this monochromatic pair usher you into a productive week ahead.
Get the look:
xx C&L
Weekends are truly a gift — time to regroup, refresh, and make time for what we ignore in our busy weekday lives. For me, this means a Saturday spent exploring sweet home Chicago, camera in tow. There’s something therapeutic about capturing the day in pictures, my memory card becoming a digital journal of post grad life. Between great people watching and world famous architecture, my appetite for visual inspiration has never been more satisfied.
So, how’s a budding Lewis and Clark to dress? In my Weekender best pick, my vote goes out to the Mod Squad with this Mod-cut dress and comfortable flats. It’s 60s style with all the comforts of 2012. Get the look and you might just find that you were Born to Be Mod.
Pictured: Forever 21 Dress and Bag, Tory Burch “Reva” flats
Get the look: ModCloth “Graph It Up” Dress
xx C&L
Celebrate a refreshed post-holiday you with an equally vibrant outfit to match. This week’s source of inspiration comes from the Wimbledon finals – where athleticism comes decked out in shades of white. Get the look by mixing classic white pieces with other neutral hues like gray, black, navy, or nude. My personal favorite? Gray stripes, as pictured in the skirt above. The feminine-meets-polished look is the perfect way to usher yourself into a productive week ahead.
Get the look:
xx C&L
Happy Fourth of July! Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve loved this holiday more than any other. There’s something about how the summer sun melts into a firework-filled night sky that continues to captivate me year after year. Of course, it also happens to be the perfect opportunity to bake for family and friends – a best-loved holiday tradition – in the shade of red, white and blue. So before you call it a night, add a dash of patriotism to your menu with this simple recipe that comes together in a pinch. It’s a crowd pleaser that’ll be gone before you even have a chance to sing “Happy Birthday America.”
Independence Day Layer Bars
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup coconut flakes, sweetened
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup dried blueberries, sweetened
1/2 cup dried cranberries, sweetened
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Melt stick of butter in microwavable bowl (about 1 minute depending on power level).
Add graham cracker crumbs and mix until coated.
Pour butter/graham cracker crumb mixture into bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Use clean hands or the back of a spatula to push mixture into a compact crust.
Sprinkle coconut flakes evenly over graham cracker crust.
Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over coconut flakes.
Sprinkle dried blueberries, cranberries and white chocolate chips evenly over sweetened condensed milk.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until edges are golden brown.
Slice into squares once cooled. Served with a dollop of cool whip or small scoop of ice cream and fresh berries, if desired.
Enjoy- from my kitchen to yours!
xx C&L
Gear-up for a new work week with an extra sharp ensemble. The ever-timeless black get a modern boost with a sunny sidekick — yellow. New week, new month and now a bright new you.
Get the look:
xx C&L
Cocoa & Lace 