A Fabulous Italian Eatery Shares a Secret Recipe: Chicken with Sausage, Cherry Peppers and Potatoes

My husband and I were recently visiting his sister and her husband in Greenwich, CT.  As we do on every visit, we dined at Polpo, a great Italian spot off the main drag.  I typically go with fish at Polpo but my brother-in-law, Jimmy, mentioned his favorite dish is the Pollo Campagnola.  Now, I’m not one to follow Jimmy’s lead when it comes to food. This is a guy whose idea of a great desert is two cherry popsicles and whose favorite all-time snack is greasy Grotto’s pizza from the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk.  But the fact of the matter is Jimmy knows his stuff when it comes to Polpo.  He’s a co-owner of the eatery and he dines there frequently. Plus, Jimmy is Italian, so although he doesn’t always eat good food, he knows it (I can hear him now, “Who’s up for a trip to Frosty Freeze?!!”).

Anyways, my sister-in-law and I both ordered the Pollo Campagnola and we were blown away by it.  The chicken was cooked to a crispy perfection and the sausage and cherry peppers were bursting with flavor. We passed on our compliments to the waiter and asked how to make it.  The lovely cook indulged us and below is the recipe straight out of Polpo's kitchen.

Target Find: James Perse Knock-off

                 Converse One Star shirt 

Just a quick shout out to all you James Perse fans. Perse's woven shirt with knit side panels is nicely copied by Converse One Star for a mere $22.99. The Converse one has a few more details on the placket, so it's not an exact copy.  And, don't let the dorky photo above fool you. It's great looking in person and the sleeves roll up and button just like the one pictured below by James Perse. I bought one at Target this week in navy blue. It's also available in a deep purple and a teal, but the navy is the best color. It runs slightly large, so you may size down. FYI, the James Perse one retails for $144. I own both, and honestly I love my Target purchase just as much. Pair it with white denim and red tennies for this weekend. Happy 4th!

          James Perse shirt

Craving Summer Produce? It's Not too Late!

Okay, so you’ve had your vegetables planted for more than a month now and it’s time to take a step back, do a few chores and take stock.  We consulted with John Lyons who runs The Woven Garden here in Los Angeles.  John specializes in “edible landscapes.”  He not only plants fabulous gardens – but he also offers do-it-yourself classes for kids and adults.  Suffice to say, this guy knows his stuff!  Here are John’s mid-summer suggestions:

Not To Miss Sample Sale

_{^{Sample Sale Alert!}}  There's an awesome sample sale this Sunday, the 28th in North Hollywood with over a million dollars in inventory. Designers include: Chanel, Fendi, Balenciaga, Gucci, lgb, Nigel Preston, Rick Owen, Chloe, Stella McCartney, Alice and Olivia, Catherine Malandrino, Mike and Chris, Theory, and J Brand. A-List Sample Sale is located at  6019 Simpson Avenue, North Hollywood, 91606,  from 11-4:30pm.  Cash, VISA and MC and accepted. No checks. If you need more information, call 323-841-3000.

What to Wear on a hot date with Mr. Right

Date Outfit; Great Fitting Jeans and Shoulder Baring Top

Okay, so you have a big important date coming up. And, this is with someone you're really interested in. You want to make a great impression.  But your mind is playing tricks as you think, "look sexy...no ... "look smart"...no..."look successful"...no..."look young"...no..."look casual"....WHAT TO WEAR?

Well, in my opinion, clothes are not the most important thing to think about here - grooming is!  Make sure you're well groomed. That means no chipped nail polish on fingers or toes. No roots showing if you color your hair.  Make sure your hair color and cut is fresh and good. Splurge to have your hair professionally blown dried. Make sure your legs are shaved and don't be afraid to use a good self tanner. That miracle cream can hide the little imperfections we have on our legs and give us that extra glow.

Staying Hydrated and Healthy with Summer Drinks

Summer is here, and while we all know we need to hydrate, sometimes our water needs an upgrade. Did you know true hydration means that the water doesn’t just go into our body, but with the right mineral balance, into our cells? Did you know better hydration equals a faster metabolism? The fact of the matter is, no matter how much you drink, sometimes water alone isn’t enough to fully hydrate the body, particularly in extreme heat. 

With that in mind, we took the issue to Integrative Nutritionist Elissa Goodman.  First question: beside feeling thirsty, what are the signs of dehydration? “Signs of dehydration include headaches, a “foggy brain” (slow thinking), lack of appetite, dizziness, decreased urination and a general inability to keep up physically.  Dehydration feels much like a hangover.”

When Brown Spots Threaten Tomato Plants

 

Once June hits in Southern California, we’re usually well into 80-degree temperatures and rain is a distant memory from March.  However, this June has been different.  We had several late spring showers (they're forecasting rain again today!) and temperatures have hovered in the low 70’s with more clouds than sun.  When I saw a break out of brown spots on some of my heirloom tomato plants, I suspected this damp, cool weather might be behind them – and turns out – I was right.

Linleigh debuts style on a site

Here at SheSez we love cool websites and we’re proud to announce the debut of a site from “one of our own.”  Wardrobe Consultant and SheSez Style Contributor Linleigh Richker just kicked off Linleighstyle.  We particularly love the changing outfits on the models with the commentary on the side. I actually picked out a piece that I want from this – the long, floral Marc Jacobs jacket!   Oh and no worries, you can still read Linleigh's witty, insightful commentary on SheSez.  She's a double duty kind of gal.

The Next Food Network Star: Spotlight Jeffrey Saad

The 5th season of The Next Food Network Star premieres tonight at 9pm and, for the first time, I’ll be watching and holding my breath (love the Food Network, but have never seen this reality show).  The reason?  A friend of mine is one of the contestants.  Jeffrey Saad, the father of a longtime friend of my son, spent six weeks in NYC taping the show and had a blast. “It was a dream come true,” the 42 year old told me when I visited with him recently over dinner.  Jeffrey, who is a trained chef, runs JN Saad Realty with his beautiful wife Nadia in Bel Air.  With the show, he returns to his roots and his true passion.  “It was  tough living in group housing at my age and for such a long time – but I really had a ball.”  Jeffrey is handsome and charismatic, as you’ll see from the show, so I predict he’ll be a viewer favorite.   He calls his approach "food without borders" which is essentially blending a variety of spices, seasonings and ingredients from all types of cooking – from Italian, to Mexican to Indian. 

Here's one of Jeffrey’s delectable recipes, Seared Scallop Tacos with green chile chutney from his website www.jeffreysaad.wordpress.com .   

Linleigh's Panty Picks: Sexy, Comfy and Affordable

Since when did underwear become intimate apparel? When we stopped buying underwear in a sushi rolled clam shell tri pack? Now it's delicately displayed on individual hangers with price tags of $18-$45 a piece. Honestly, it's underwear! You put it on UNDER your clothes and most days, unless your address is the Playboy Mansion, nobody sees it. Ok, so I am not going back to the tri pack, but I am not paying those prices either.