#scratchfor50: words of wisdom from cara

In our From Scratch for 50 Days: A Creativity Challenge, we are challenging you to do something creative and share it with us every day for 50 days. To get you all sorts of pumped up and inspired, we’re bringing you fellow creators’ words of wisdom. Read, enjoy, and get creating, Wellers. Our next words of wisdom come from Cara.  She's one of my closest friends, and is a do-er through and through.  You'll never find Cara at home on the couch: she's out learning, exploring, and taking advantage of this beautiful metropolis.  A true foodie at heart, and an incredible cook, Cara started the blog Cooking with Cara to chronicle her favorite spots in the city as well as her adventures in cooking.  I absolutely adore her take on these questions- check it out:

What is creativity?

Expressing yourself in a way that makes you feel uniquely you. Whether that’s by dancing, cooking, or even crunching numbers or coding a website. Whatever works as an outlet to make you feel some sort of release, satisfaction, accomplishment, pride, self-assurance in knowing that you just created something unique to you.

  

When do you feel the most creative?

  

After a good cup of coffee and jotting down a to-do list. I know writing out a list sounds counterintuitive to spontaneous creativity, but if you know me at all, you know I am not a spontaneous kinda gal. Writing out my goals helps to free up some mind space around the nitty-gritty, so that I can let the rest of my cuckoo brain run wild (so to speak). For example, if I’m trying to come up with a recipe, just sitting there without any sort of direction is totally overwhelming. But if I know I want to use eggs, rosemary, and potatoes, I can instantly think of 10 different ways to use those ingredients (frittata, quiche, rosemary potato cakes…)

Do you consider creativity a necessity or a bonus?

As a working adult, creativity has definitely become more of a bonus than a necessity. If I have time, I'll write a blog post. If I'm not too tired, I'll try a new recipe. However, the times when I actually feel more fulfilled and energized and less stressed are usually when I'm expressing some sort of creativity: cooking, singing in the shower, reorganizing the cabinets (again with the Type A personality over here). I think if I could push myself to make creativity more of a necessity and not just an "if," I would be a less stressed and happier person.

More about Cara here, and read her LRW guest posts here and here.

little red in the kitchen: cara talks cooking for others

Guys...Cara is back and we are excited because she is like our Fairy Cooking Godmother.  She makes magic happen in the kitchen, and if you are not reading her blog, you're only hurting yourself.  Take it away, Cara! Bibbity...bobbity...BOO!

I think the main reason I got into cooking, besides that I love to eat, is that I love to cook for others. Sure, I like to devour a plate of brownies in front of the TV by myself every now and then, but isn't food and eating so much more enjoyable (and less shameful) when doing so with others? We all need to eat to live, so we might as well savor it and eat together, right?

Cooking for others can be stressful though! Pressure to impress, trying to be social while you've got 4 pots boiling over on the stove, timing everything so it's ready at the same time - what a headache! Well, fear no more, today I'm sharing some of my tips to make cooking for others as stress-free and low maintenance as possible, whether it's for 2 or 20.

Always Be Prepared

The key to any successful meal, whether it's Kraft mac & cheese or Thanksgiving dinner, is to prepare ahead of time. Always read through the recipe first. Check that you have all of the ingredients before you start cooking. Do you need any special pans or tools? This will help you avoid any mishaps halfway through a recipe. In the same vein, prep as much of the dish as you can beforehand. Chop your vegetables, measure out your spices, season your proteins first, then fire away!

Mix & Match

This one I got from my culinary (and general life) idol, Ina Garten. Don't kill yourself cooking five different dishes from scratch. Mix and match with some store-bought and some homemade dishes. For example, serve only store-bought appetizers (olives, cheese, nuts) or dessert, and give yourself the time and attention you need to focus on a stellar main course. As long as it's tasty, no one's going to judge if that hummus and pita chips came from Trader Joe's or your own kitchen.

One Pot Wonders

I love, love, love one pot meals. Easy prep, easy clean-up, and they're almost always delicious, comforting meals. The options are endless here: lasagna, chili, soup, grandma's famous tuna casserole (just kidding! But if you do have a delicious tuna casserole, please let me know - I'd love to try it!). One pot means you only have to focus on getting one hot dish on the table, and clean-up will be a breeze.

Cool Down

Take advantage of dishes that can be served at room temperature, like pasta salads, frittatas, or even gourmet sandwiches! Timing dishes so that they're all hot and ready at the same time is a pain in the rear - especially if you're limited on kitchen space in NYC. Room temperature dishes will give you some wiggle room, without having to sacrifice flavor or taste.

If You're Stuck, Potluck!

If you've got friends coming over and just haven't had time to grocery shop or just feel overwhelmed by the idea, make it a potluck! Pressure is off, it's super casual, and now you can just savor the meal together instead of worrying if your soufflé is burning in the oven.

Thank you, Cara!  Hmmm, Potluck? Maybe we could combine our skills and throw a great party!  What do you say?

All photos taken by Cara of Cooking with Cara, © 2013.

little red in the kitchen: cara talks pantry staples

Hey, it's Allie!  Special day here on LRW.  Today marks our first official guest post!  We love food here on little red's well, and we couldn't imagine talking about cooking without the expertise of my good friend Cara.  With her very own food blog, Cooking with Cara, Cara is my culinary dictionary.  Just the other day I texted her 'Can I use canola oil instead of vegetable oil?' Yeah...I need help over here. So without further ado...

Hi there! Cara here, from Cooking with Cara. I've been a voracious eater for as long as I can remember (I credit my Italian genes and my mom's never-ending sweet tooth), but my passion for cooking really took hold when I moved to New York City my freshman year at NYU. Coming from small-town suburbia where a big night out consisted of binging on Bertucci's free rolls, me and my forever-hungry stomach were in paradise upon discovering the countless number of quality restaurants in New York. Cut to 7 years later (yikes!), I've barely made a dent in my list of NYC restaurants to visit, and yet my wallet continues to take a serious dent crater-sized hit.

Keeping up with New York's restaurant scene is fun, but also really, really expensive! Enter the "cooking" part of Cooking with Cara. Unfortunately cooking at home in NYC isn't always easy. Busy schedules, small kitchens, long lines at the store, not to mention groceries are expensive here too. However, if you keep just a handful of staple ingredients in your kitchen, you can pull together a whole list of healthy, easy and simple meals in no time. So today I'm sharing my 5 pantry staples (below in red) and 5 quick meals anyone can throw together, regardless of skill level or time. 

Meal: Fried Rice - Prepare rice as instructed. If you have any extra veggies on hand (onions, frozen peas, chopped carrots work well), sauté them in some oil until tender, then add the cooked rice so it toasts a little in the pan. Break the egg into the pan, stir until cooked, and you've got fried rice without having to open your Seamless app!

Spaghetti Carbonara - Typically a more luxurious Italian dish, this comes together with very few ingredients. Prepare spaghetti as instructed. If you have some bacon or pancetta, chop that up and fry until crispy. Meanwhile poach (see here) or fry an egg over easy (see here). Toss the cooked pasta with the cooked bacon, a glug of olive oil, lots of salt & pepper, parmesan cheese (if you have it) and top with the egg. The yolk well help create a velvety sauce!

Baked Stuffed Sweet Potatoes - Not just for football games! Pierce sweet potato with a fork and bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes, until tender. Let cool a few minutes, then cut a slit lengthwise down the middle. Stuff with leftover cooked rice, black beans, and any other fixings you may have (cheese, bacon, scallions, etc.).

Egg + Potato Salad - Egg salad gets a bad rap, but (when not loaded with mayo) can be a healthy and protein-packed lunch! Hard boil eggs (see here), then peel and roughly chop. Meanwhile, peel, dice, and roast a sweet potato. Mix together the chopped egg and cooked sweet potato with some mayo or greek yogurt, salt, and pepper. Serve over lettuce, in a wrap, or on toast!

Mexican Scramble - Can't go wrong here. Beat the eggs, add to the pan, then once they start to scramble, add in black beans and canned tomatoes (try to drain out some of the extra liquid before if you can). Top with cheese and avocado!

Thanks Cara! So, Raven...fried rice for dinner?

What are the pantry staples that you swear by? What are your favorite quick and easy recipes for busy weeknights? 

FIVER: instant, cheaper, faster, ideal

Good morning, lovely people! How was everyone’s weekend? Mine was definitely of a superior quality. Raven and I enjoyed some QT with his brothers and Dad as a bit of an early birthday celebration!

One activity that I enjoy, regardless of weekend or weekday (hopefully my boss is not reading this!), is shopping online.  Sure, I miss the days of my mom dropping me and a friend off at the mall with a specified pick-up time and place, and nowadays I enjoy the occasional trip to H&M, Bloomingdales, etc, but really, I mostly just shop online.  It’s instant, it’s cheaper, it’s faster, and when you are borderline reclusive like myself, it’s absolutely ideal.

If you are not into Instant, Cheaper, Faster, Ideal (it’s the remix of Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger)  please allow yourself to be persuaded by my five favorite online retailers...

1. Shopbop

My tried and true, absolute favorite place to shop online, Shopbop is a wonder of the world wide web and I am always astonished when I mention this to friends and they have no idea what I’m talking about! At first glance you’re probably saying, thanks Allie, I’m now face to face with a nearly $1700 coat that is twice my monthly rent...I hate you. I know, I hate me too. Here’s what’s great about Shopbop though...near constant sales, items for every price point, free shipping and free returns (always!), and superior customer service.

red’s testimonial: a couple years ago during a particularly fruitful events season, I had my eye on the coveted Alexander Wang Rocco Bag but knew I could never afford it. I found it on Shopbop for nearly half price and when the strap broke from daily use, they had it fixed for me for free!

2. ASOS

H&M and Forever 21, who needs ya? I’ve been shopping at ASOS since college.  Originally it started out as a website with knock offs of designer duds worn by celebs, hence the name ASOS (As Seen On Screen).  Now they’ve got that formula down pat, but have expanded inventory and you can basically find anything and everything at very affordable prices. That $1700 coat above? Not an exact match, but darn close; lookie what I found.

red’s testimonial: It bears repeating - this website is my go-to when I’m on the hunt for a specific  piece, but I’ve got a strict budget.  

3. Etsy

I remember years ago when my incredibly crafty SIL turned me on to this amazing website. The premise and tagline are one in the same: Your place to buy all things handmade, vintage, and supplies.  This is my source for treasures for my home as well as one of a kind gifts for loved ones.  My vintage coffee table was a steal from here, as well as a custom painting for my brother’s wedding, and handmade greeting cards for my Mom. And it just feels good to support real, small businesses.

red’s testimonial: When I wanted to recover a chair for my living room, a thorough etsy search yielded just enough of the most perfect to the trade fabric at a fraction of the typical cost.

4. Biscuit Home

Speaking of small business, man am I glad this shop exists.  The brainchild of my favorite blogger, Bailey McCarthy (Peppermint Bliss), Biscuit was created out of a need for beautiful yet affordable bedding.  And satisfy that need she did. The prints are refreshingly gorgeous, and they feel wonderful!  I never realized that threadcount made a difference, and I am sorry that I waited this long to find out.  Their flagship store of the same name is in Houston, but if you’re not going deep in the heart of Texas anytime soon, their online shop boasts plenty of decor items for the home, furniture, jewelry - everything unique and special.

red’s testimonial: Peppermint Bliss was the first blog I ever read, at a time when I felt creatively stifled and a little sad about my life situation, so I'm very happy to support Biscuit!

5. Google

I always joke that if I had my druthers, I would love to be a professional googler.  My friends and family frequently reach out for help finding certain items (clothes, products, furniture, etc), and I always jump at the chance! Maybe it was my summer as a production intern on a film set that sparked this love affair with internet searches, but I remember being delighted when presented with the challenge to find a “very comfortable but easily stowable cot for a man who is well over 6 feet tall.” Well, I crushed that challenge. To this day, whenever I find something that I want but either a) it’s sold out or b) it’s financially unattainable, I usually just Google it! Obviously this is not earth shattering information to some/most of you.  But again, I’m surprised at how many people don’t think of it. The search can be as easy as the item name of a particular product, or you can get really creative. That jacket above? I searched for “women’s plaid jacket”, and when I came up empty-handed, “women’s plaid coat red.” A few clicks later, I found this beauty.

red’s testimonial: Google is also great to ensure you’re getting the best price. Quickly plugging the product into Google will show competing prices/sales around the web. Pinterest also works as a great resource for creative searches.

There you have it!  What are your favorite online retailers? Any search secrets you'd like to share? I'm all ears eyes!