Budget Finds -- Cheese Accessories under $25

The weather wouldn't be a good indicator of it around here, but we're making swift strides towards July 1. In any other sphere but this one, July 1 may not mean more than Canada pride, but the strange maple-infused day also happens to be Red's birthday! And what does Red's birthday bear if not a wonderful gathering filled with wine and cheese? With only a weekend in between now and the tentative partay, I've got cheese accessories on the brain!


These adorable porcelain flags can be stuck into cheese--beginners will use fat erasable markers to scribble names of cheeses, while advanced eaters can use the back side to supplement names with tasting notes (how fancy!). At under $12 for a set of 6 right over here, it's a pretty good deal, too. (The DIY version I usually rely on is even cheaper, but not as pretty--two blank squares of thick paper, like cut down index cards, taped around a toothpick.)

But what cheese party is complete without great serveware? When my friend Q bought me individual cheese boards complete with wine-glass carrying indentations, I knew the parties would elevate to whole new levels of cheesiness (meant only in the best of ways, of course!). For something really cheesy, though, try these--a funny little set from Target that's selling for a reduced price of $22.49.

With all this money saved on accessories, you can feel free to splurge on the cheese!

Good Enough to Eat... Again! -- Super Fast Crab Salad

I walked up and down the aisles at Trader Joe's yesterday looking for just the right thing to stock my lunch supply this week--anything but cold cuts! Disparaged, I came home with plenty of dinner and snack options (pomegranate greek yogurt, anyone?) but nothing for the lunches. I had brunch leftovers to tide me over for a day while I regained some inspiration. With the pressure on, I hit the stores again today, and alas, came up with a new idea. But then there's the problem--my ideas are always generated mid-store, and with no internet in my pocket, the recipes can only be generated in my head as far as memory can take me. That's how I came up with the simplest crab salad.


Red's Super Fast (And Not Unhealthy) Crab Salad

What You Need
1 package of imitation crab meat (if you're not on a budget, splurge!)
1 package of slaw mix (shredded carrots and cabbage)
3 tbsp light mayo (I used the Smart Balance kind that's actually good for you)
1 lemon, juiced
1 tsp. cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

Approximated total cost........$7.00
Cost per serving.....................$3.50

What You Do
1. Cut crab into smaller, more manageable pieces.
2. Add mayo, slaw mix.
3. Add lemon juice and spices. It's really that easy.

Next time, I'll get a little fancier and try the pictured version by Gina, a healthy Latin-inspired recipe with avocado, right here. And if I'm really feeling fancy, I'll throw in some julienne mango as well!

Design Porn: Alphabet Drawers

Earlier today, a friend left some love on the blog that she herself said was no budget find. What it turned out to be was perfect decor porn, worthy of being shared with all of you. Not only does this beautiful handmade chest of drawers feature my fervent love of typography, but it's inspired by the very printing blocks that I've blogged about (and gushed over) on eatmywords. I question its ergonomic function, but I have no doubt that this would be the perfect centerpiece for an uber-organized home office. Let's just not look at the price tag.


Alphabet Drawers by Kent and London, available for purchase (for the lucky and wealthy) right over here.

PS. Thanks for sharing, Alison!

The Bubble Battle Returns!

I haven't posted about NYC goings on in quite a while, perhaps because of the ever-lasting gloomy weather, perhaps because I've been too busy to notice! Either way, one of my favorite annual events is happening tomorrow, and I couldn't resist the opportunity to share the secret with all of you. Each year, a collective called Newmindspace puts together a series of crazy, wacky, out-of-the-box events that get great turnouts all over the city. They include the massive yearly pillow fight, light saber battles, and this--my absolute favorite. The annual Bubble Battle! Thousands gather in Times Square to blow bubbles at one another, reliving a little bit of our collective youths and remembering what it feels like to be 6 years old again. It's tomorrow at 6:15--and I hope to see some of you there!

Budget Finds -- Three Tiered Pedestal Plates

I wrote not too long ago about the simplest ways of effortless entertaining, and how utterly charming they can be. It's a thought that's stuck in my mind, and a goal that I'm setting for the future (in whatever period of time it may imply)--I'd love to develop sets of pretty, pseudo-coordinated dishes, ones that sort-of kind-of match my serving wares, but only just so. And anchoring the whole thing will be a two-tiered dessert tray, where I can display my dainty mini tarts and brownie bites. (Who knew so much effort went into being effortless!)

After spotting a tiered white and green plaid tray at Kmart for just $6 earlier today, I was curious to see what other budget options were in the spectrum. (Had the darn thing been in a more aesthetic color/pattern, it would have been mine!) The extra $16 go a long way for this option, leading me to a clear glass triple-decker that can be taken apart and re-stacked in a few different configurations. Seeing as that it can function as two mini-stackers and a cake tray, I think it's a marvelous purchase. And to be frank, I'm having a much harder time resisting this one than the $6 plaid set!


Three-tiered Pedestal Serving Plates at Target, $22.49, available here.

(By the by, apologies for my disappearing act yesterday! Red's been beyond swamped. Sad face!)

Recipe Lust -- Pasta Salads Galore

A few months into work with little semblance of a cafeteria or reasonably priced lunch options to rely on, I've started to hit a wall when it comes to packing lunch. I'm not the kind of person who can just eat a sandwich every day, and I've met my limit for hummus and veggies as well. (The last time I did that was after a summer spent in Israel--didn't eat anything that resembled chickpea spread for literally three years.)

The biggest problem for me is that my office, believe it or not, lacks a refrigerator, which means that lunch options diminish rather quickly (and that my new-found obsession with yogurt doesn't translate well for office lunch, rats). When I found a "Bombay Salad" at my local supermarket (pasta, chicken, mango chutney, curry, raisins, and celery), I got hooked to the idea of making inventive, unique pasta salads as a solid lunch option with nearly endless variations. My first attempt to recreate the Bombay was only semi-successful, but I think I've now found some recipes that will require a little less guess work. Here's the short list, for your experimentation and enjoyment!


Greek Orzo and Shrimp, via Bon Appetit
Grilled Lemongrass Beef and Noodle, via Gourmet
Noodle Salas with Mango and Gingered Cucumber, also via Gourmet


[photo via taste.com.au]

Link of the Day -- Ice Cream Pudding at Coldstone

Just when you thought you'd heard it all, some weirdo in marketing comes up with a nutty idea that a bigwig CEO decides to run with. Take, for instance, Coldstone's new product, an ice cream concoction that somehow melts into such thick ice cream soup they're calling it pudding. Apparently, it's part of a collaboration between Coldstone and JELL-O, which I don't even want to know what kinds of chemicals would make that possible, and I can't say I'm interested in trying it, but it's just strange enough to post over here. But perhaps I'm being closed-minded. Sometimes these things end up being much better than they sound! Thoughts, anyone?

[via Metromix]