Taco casserole

Some of you may recall my 'build your own Italian sandwich bar' post from a few months ago. This is the opposite. This is 'I can't be bothered to lay out the taco fixings in little individual bowls so it's all going in a single casserole' post. Bonus: it can be made ahead and cooked at the last minute. This recipe serves 4-6.

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To prepare, finely dice one onion and one clove garlic. Add 2T oil to a heavy-bottomed casserole pot and cook the onion and garlic over medium-high heat, stirring regularly. Add 1 pound of lean ground beef and cook until no longer pink. At this point, you can add whatever vegetables or beans you have on hand - I used 1/2 can black beans, 3 finely diced red peppers and 1 cup corn. Add 1 jar of medium-hot salsa and stir well to combine. Cover the top with crushed tostadas and grated cheese (I used a combination of mozzarella and cheddar but Manchego would be nice). Top with pickled jalapeño slices. Bake the casserole without a lid at 350°F for about 25 minutes. You can broil for a minute or two at the end. 

Serve with shredded iceberg lettuce and a squeeze of lime.

Teal/mint

This skirt is the bottom half of a lovely peplum-top-and-pencil-skirt combo, but it feels too dressy for an average workday. Lately I've been wearing the skirt on its own with loose-fitting blouses or tops. This one - a steal at at RW & Co sale - has a sheer V-shaped panel at the neckline and a keyhole back. At the office, I usually wear it with a chunky necklace or an infinity scarf for a bit of modesty. 

Since my new job I'm also up and down from my desk a lot more, so flats and low heels are in heavier rotation. These are my first pair of pointy-toed flats and I ADORE them. You get comfort and elegance in one. Bonus that they're the perfect matching shade of deep teal!

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Skirt - Femme de Carriere

Blouse - RW and Co. outlet

Scarf - Sirens

Earrings - Swarovski

Shoes - Via Spiga via Saks off Fifth

Doors Open Ottawa

 Earlier this month, B and I kicked off a weekend date day with a visit to Doors Open Ottawa. Doors Open is a free annual event where dozens of buildings around the city open up to visitors for behind-the-scenes tours and visits. This year, we checked off a local coffee roastery, the Supreme Court of Canada, and a posh, members-only social club with spectacular views of Parliament.

Boyfriend jeans and a casual white tee delivered casual comfort on a sunny early summer day, and acted as a canvas for accessories like a military-style vest, a floaty scarf and dangly earrings. Low-heeled suede booties were ideal for spending a couple of hours on my feet.

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{Dwarfed by the Supreme Court building}

 

{Supreme Court of Canada - source}

{Rideau Club - source}

{Bridgehead Coffeehouse - source}

Jeans - Gap

Tee - Elie Tahari

Vest - Calvin Klein via Winners

Booties - Aldo

Bag - Dooney & Burke

Scarf - Sirens

Sunglasses - Shoppers Drug Mart