Looks

Exfoliate

February 26, 2013

I just got a Clarisonic brush and it’s safe to say I’m obsessed.  I am now on an exfoliation kick and am determined to make as many parts of my body as soft as my face (I tried re-writing this sentence for 15 minutes and there is no way to not make it sound creepy… sorry about that).

With winter finishing up (THANK GOODNESS) I wanted to make a lip scrub to prep them for all the fun spring lipstick shades.  Super easy, super quick and great results… here is what you need to do:

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Mix together and… voila!

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Tasty

Weekly Menu #8

February 25, 2013

Sorry for the somewhat unappetizing presentation… most of these dinners were made on the fly after late nights at work and I was really really hungry – good news they are easy to whip up!

1. Skinny Chicken Enchiladas 

This is one of my favorite recipes… pop it in a slow cooker and it basically does all the work for you! Add a few tasty additions (ie cilantro, avocado and cheddar cheese) and you have a tasty and healthy dinner option! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do (PS I recommend topping it with the green Tabasco sauce… SO GOOD).

2. Flank Steak with Horseradish Relish

I did my grocery shopping late Monday night (major fail… never do that) and I had to improvise a lot of items on my list that were missing in the store.  For this menu I had to sub flank steak for thin cut rib-eye steaks… super flavorful but much a much fatter cut.  The relish is killer (even without the horseradish which I omitted for the hubby’s portion), and I served it with white sweet potatoes and Greek yogurt (a good sub for sour cream). Also good news – 300 cals per serving (the original recipe that is)! 

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3. Orecchiette with Sausage, Chard and Parsnips 

Super easy! Just chop everything up, saute and mix with pasta and grated Parmesan! 

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Travels

Road Trip

February 23, 2013

One of J’s favorite places is Disneyland (apparently 95% of Americans agree), so we joined our friends the Skinners to road trip down south for a weekend of rides, Disney characters and deep fried food. 

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Some highlights include:

  • The new Cars ride makes you feel like you are in Arizona! The set is really spectacular…
  • Lunch at Club 33 – although consuming 5,000 calories is usually not the program during a day of riding rides, we had to make an exception for this once in a life time opportunity… lobster tails, crab legs, Chateaubriand, an insane dessert bar and the best mint juleps EVER topped us off!
  • World of Color was a super fabulous light/water show…pretty impressive!
  • Getting into bed after 15 straight hours of walking/adventuring
Sip

Blackberry Swizzle

February 22, 2013

A couple of years ago J and I went to a CUESA event at the Ferry Building… tons of great food, music and most importantly (for Fun Drink Friday that is…) tons of great drinks.  We were able to sample many fabulous concoctions but our favorite was hands down – Square One Vodka’s Blackberry Swizzle.

For J and I to wholeheartedly agree on a cocktail is rare… so this is sure to be a crowd pleaser!

Blackberry Swizzle

1.5 oz of Square One Basil (hard to find, but BevMo does carry it… it’s worth the search!)

4 fresh blackberries

1/2 oz of fresh lemon juice

1/2 oz of agave nectar

Ginger beer

Garnish: blackberries, basil, etc.

Muddle the berries then add remaining ingredients (except ginger beer) and shake with ice. Strain into a glass filled with ice and top with ginger beer. Stir and garnish!

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Domestic

A Flawless Fridge

February 21, 2013

Ok so not flawless… but on the path to!

One thing I love about J is his desire to also have a “pretty fridge.” We love matching water bottles and rows of pretty drinks, but as I’ve been cooking more, we’ve needed to make room for the “not so pretty stuff” (guess that cameo in Cribs isn’t happening anytime soon…). Here is the method to our madness:

Top Shelf: Beers, Waters, Soda, Mixers

2nd Shelf: Wine, Milk, Dairy (Sour Cream, etc.)

3rd Shelf: Meat, Tofu, Misc.

Top Drawer: Cheese, Lunch Meat

2nd Drawer: Heartier Fruits and Vegetables (ie Broccoli)

3rd Drawer: Lettuce, Herbs

Top Shelf in Door: Savory (Pickles, Dips, Sauces, etc.)

2nd Shelf in Door: Main Condiments (ie Mustard, Mayo)

3rd Shelf in Door: Sweets (Jams, Hot Fudge, etc.)

Bottom Shelf in Door: Ethnic Sauces, Marinades, etc.

Thanks to Pintrest I’ve learned a lot of “refrigerator rules” and here are some of my favorites:

  • Berries: Wash berries with a mixture of 1 part vinegar to 8 parts water. Let berries soak for a few minutes then lightly rinse and store in a Tupperware.  Before I did this, my berries spoiled in a few days, now they last 3 weeks!
  • Cheese: Wrap cheese in wax paper and then place in a plastic baggie or wrap in foil (do NOT put in plastic wrap)
  • Juice: Freeze fruit juice (i.e. lemon/lime/orange) in ice cube trays for future use (Great if you have a fruit tree, and can’t consume everything in season!)
  • Bananas: Wrap the crown of bananas in plastic wrap (Don’t refrigerate – keep separate from other fruits/veggies)
  • Salad: Put a paper towel on top of salad to keep it fresh longer. I also do this when I pack lunch salads for work.
  • Celery/Broccoli: Wrap celery and broccoli in tin foil before storing in the fridge  
  • Tomatoes: They should be kept at room temperature on the counter away from sunlight (not touching each other, stem side up)
  • Mushrooms: Store in a paper bag
  • Don’t mix fruit/veggies/meat in the same drawer!  I keep salads/herbs in one drawer and more heartier fruits and veggies in another.
  • Invest in some clear glass containers to store food.  I also keep scotch tape and a sharpie near by to write dates on leftovers and cardboard containers (i.e. almond milk, chicken broth)