Some of our favorite recipes to make at home have been inspired by our travels. They’re also some of the easiest recipes, recipes where we remember the general ingredients, throw them all together, and create something near perfect every time. This authentic Mexican tomatillo salsa (salsa verde) is one of our signature recipes and a favorite partner for both chips and tacos. Fresh, with a kick of heat, we first tasted this simple version during a family trip to San Miguel de Allende several years ago. Our VRBO rental came with the sweetest housekeeper/cook, who prepared breakfast and lunch fresh for us daily (such a luxury!). We watched her whip up this perfect salsa in a flash, and she happily shared her method with us so we could recreate it at home. Talk about a great travel “souvenir.” You can simply simmer the tomatillos, peppers, and onions until soft, but we’ve played around and found that grilling them is so much more flavorful.
INGREDIENTS
1 pound tomatillos (about 10), husks and stems removed, rinsed
2 serrano peppers, stem and seeds removed
2 small white onions, skin removed, halved
A large handful of fresh cilantro (leaves and stems)
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Squeeze of fresh lime juice (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Combine tomatillos, serranos, and onions in a large bowl. Drizzle with a very small bit of olive oil and season with salt, tossing to coat. Place on a grill over medium-high heat and cook until completely softened and charred.
2. Transfer grilled vegetables to a blender. Add cilantro, a pinch of salt, and squeeze of lime juice (optional, we don’t always use). Blend about 30 seconds into a chunky puree, careful not to over blend. Taste and season with more salt and lime juice if desired.
3. Serve warm salsa immediately and store extra in a mason jar in the refrigerator (up to 2 weeks).
We’ve lived in our first house almost five years, and it’s still a work in progress. But it is getting there! With most of the rooms in our home, I’ve either changed paint colors or moved furniture around or slowly added art over time. But the one room that has been a steady constant, an anchor in a house that’s otherwise been an experimentation with interior design, is the dining room. Almost immediately after moving in, I painted the room navy, long before it started becoming more popular (for good reason — it’s stunning!) in dining rooms. It was a risk, since I’d never seen such a dark room in anyone’s home I knew, but it’s one of a few decisions I haven’t wanted to change in our home over time! In fact, I’ve liked the moody, sophisticated vibe of the color so much that we pulled out the old paint can and coated our half bath in the same color last year.
The giant butterfly prints were the very first pieces of art I ever purchased, and they can be credited for instigating a love for simple, bold art…many of our subsequent art purchases have also been large and colorful. Anyway, over time I’ve been asked by friends about the paint color, the prints, even my source for the chairs, so I thought I’d share the details on how to get the look!
I can hardly believe that it’s been a year since I shared my last “essential” piece with you, those go-to wardrobe staples I deem perfection and wear nonstop. As I approached the end of my pregnancy this time last year, I had stopped shopping and didn’t give much thought to fashion for a while, so I guess that’s why! But it’s almost criminal that I’ve kept these Vince D’Orsay flats from you, save for an Instagram a while back, because I’ve been wearing them constantly for the past year. They are so comfortable and go great with everything–dress them up for business casual, dress them down for weekend casual. Slip them on as you walk out the door, and they give that effortless polish to any outfit. I get compliments on them all the time. I found these shoes true to size and the quality high. I’ve worn them into the ground, so the soles and toes are starting to show some wear, but they are really less beat-up looking than I’d assumed they’d be by now. There are a lot of D’Orsay style flats out there, from budget buys to high end, but I found these to be a great middle ground and worth every penny. Vince has long been one of my go-to brands, and it’s highly likely I’ll be getting another pair of these, I love them that much. You can’t go wrong with the nude or black, and I’m really digging the snakeskin version!
I’ll admit: Before becoming a parent, I used to cringe a little when I’d see children’s toys invading living spaces. Logically I knew it was the reality of having kids (they like to play!), but my everything-in-its-place design sense couldn’t reconcile the kid clutter. But as the years went by, I started to notice a rise in decorative baskets and many friends starting to employ smart storage solutions to hide–or at least corral–the kid stuff. Super simple but effective. Done and done.
I fell in love with this set of Serena Lily round belly baskets when I was pregnant with Elsie last summer, and they have become such a valuable organization tool. I love the color blocking–natural seagrass on top, pliable white plastic on bottom–and that they are both low and open. I initially used the little one for Elsie’s newborn laundry when it was so teeny, until we started to have more laundry to fill her big hamper. Now we use one basket in the “toy corner” of her bedroom and the larger one downstairs in the living room. While a lidded version might be good for later on, I love that right now she can just crawl over and pull things out on her own. I’ve tried to be thoughtful with our toy purchasing and identify pieces she can play with for a long time, and so far that’s helped me stay within the boundaries of the baskets (for now anyway!) since we don’t have a playroom space. I just tuck the baskets into corners, but can easily move them out of sight into a closet if needed.
Any other toy storage solutions or toy buying advice for this new mom? I’d love to hear!
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