Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Throwback Thursday


1.  Before you get confused I should tell you that this is not actually a photo of Princess Jasmine.  It's me, guys.   There is a striking resemblance though.  

2.  I distinctly remember being DEVASTATED when my Mom made me wear that pink T-shirt under the costume.  She was concerned I'd be cold trick-or-treating and she told me no one would even notice.  Well I noticed Mom!  I was convinced that the pink T-shirt was the only thing keeping my costume from being authentic.  However, I was not at all concerned about that mop of hair on my head.  

3.  The rest of the costume is actually just pajamas.  For reasons beyond my understanding, most "princess" costumes have a picture of the actual princess on the costume itself.  Even at the age of 9 I knew this was stupid because Jasmine would never wear an outfit with a picture of herself on it.  Duh Disney.  So I was happy to parade around the neighborhood in pajamas instead.  

4.  Though you can't quite tell in this picture, this happens to be right on the very cusp of my "awkward phase" which started around age 10 and lasted until about 27.  This is about the time when my nose and feet started growing faster than everything else on my body and my eyebrows began forming as one long straight brow.  However, my sense of smell was impeccable and I could swim like a fish.  There's no benefit to a unibrow though.  

5.  Man, I can really rock a red lip.  


Monday, July 29, 2013

Tin Roof Frozen Mousse

I am entering this Tin Roof Frozen Mousse in the Creative Recipe Contest hosted by Confessions of a Cookbook Queen and Cookies and Cups!
Oh boy, have I stumbled upon something great here.  Do not be deceived.  This isn't actually ice cream.  That's why I just made up the name "frozen mousse."  But it's really not even mousse.  I'm just a liar.   Are we still friends?   
No ?  Ok, more frozen mousse for me.  So about this here mousse- it's not exactly ice cream-y.  There's something detecably un-ice cream-y about it.  But in a delicious rich and creamy and thick way.  I'd say it's slightly denser than ice cream and it melts different.  Have I confused you yet?  

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Save Your Pennies: L'Oreal Carbon Black Telescopic Eyeliner

If it's not apparent already, I'm a bit of a makeup addict and I'm generally pretty good at picking out products I like but I certainly find some duds along the way.  But just because I wasted a few pennies of this stuff, doesn't mean you have to!  Here's the first of my Save Your Pennies/Spend Your Pennies series.  

L'Oreal Carbon Black Telescopic Liquid Eyeliner

Blech, I've had a heck of a time finding a liquid eyeliner I like.  I bought this one because I thought it was one recommenced by one of my favorite You Tubers.  I was incorrect.  At first, I thought I liked it anyway.  The tip, which is sorta like a felt tip pen, made applying liner easier than eyeliners I've had in the past and right when it was applied, I loved it!  Pigment was great and it made clean lines.  Wah hoo!  

Except not.  About 4 or 5 hours into the day it would start to smudge around my eye and the pigment would fade significantly.  A real bummer considering I even used an eyelid primer AND a setting spray.  For awhile, I kept using it anyway because I didn't want to feel like I wasted my money by tossing it out and I just sorta figured that I always have issues with eye makeup staying put anyway.  My dumb eyelids!  

Then I snapped outta it!  I realized I didn't need to settle for mediocre products because I'm sure there's an eyeliner out there that works for me (and in fact, I think I've found one).  Life lessons ladies!  So, in my opinion, save your pennies on the L'Oreal Carbon Black Telescopic Eyeliner.  

    

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Movie Snack Buttered Popcorn Cookies

I've been ALL ABOUT going to the movies these days.  Which I realize is saying something like "puppies are cute."  Like, duh, most people like going to the movies right?  I haven't made any new discoveries.  You should probably just ignore me. 

I'm just trying to say that I've been seeing movies in theaters (not renting!) a lot more this summer.  There's something about going to an icy cold theater when it's 90 and humid out and getting swept up in a movie for 2 hours.  Or nearly 3 hours in the case of Superman.  But hello, shoulders and pecs and abs so it's totally ok with me.  

But we should talk about cookies now.  (I'm also ok with just talking about Henry Cavill though).  So these cookies are wonderfully crisp with a deep buttery flavor and, of course, loaded with movie theater snacks, including popcorn.  Trust me, it works.  Texture galore!  Salty sweetness!  


And if you're like me, you're totally ok with sneaking these cookies into the theater.  I'm willing to pay $11.50 to see a movie but I will NOT pay $4.75 for M&Ms.  I just won't.  I've got principles.  I've even gone so far as sneaking in an Iced Latte from S-bux.  It's all about careful balancing in a large purse.  Gotta have technique.   

But back to Henry Cavill.  I mean yeah.  YEAH.  Ok, just ignore me now.  

Here's the recipe!  

Movie Snack Buttered Popcorn Cookies

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup flour
3 tablespoons malted milk powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups prepared buttered microwave popcorn
3/4 cups mini M&Ms 

Directions
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 cookies sheets with silicon mats or parchment paper and set aside.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, malted milk and salt and set aside.    
2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together, about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla extract until combined.  
3.  With the mixer running on low, slowly add the dry ingredients until just combined.  Remove bowl from mixer and gently fold in M&M's and popcorn, being careful not to crush the popcorn.  
4.  Scoop dough by heaping tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets and bake 10-13 minutes, turning pans once while baking.  Allow to cool 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.  

Enjoy!  

Recipe adapted from Joy the Baker
      

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Throwback Thursday

Me, far right

1.  This photo should be in a time capsule for future generations to study.  It's almost like someone said "Gather children and compose a photograph that encapsulates the 90's."  And thus this photo was taken.  I'm sporting a high half ponytail, Sara (in pink) is wearing the widest belt ever manufactured with a black denim skirt and my cousins (the boys) are representin' in their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sweatshirts.  Also, bangs.  Obviously.  Presently, there is a hipster in Wicker Park wearing these clothes ionically.  

2.  You're probably wondering if I'm wearing a full capri-length floral body suit with attached skirt.  To confirm, yes, I am.  And yes, I was very stylish at a very young age.  

3.  Not seen here (unfortunately), but my cousins were known to proudly sport a "rat tail" hairstyle in the 90's.  My Grandma Tina would braid it for them because I guess what the heck else are you supposed to do with a rat tail hairstyle ? (the correct answer is "never have a rat tail hairstyle")  

4.  I really look like I just sidled up into this picture with my hand jauntily on my hip.  I've got the mischievous grin only a 7 year old who thought she was Stephanie Tanner  would have.  Being a middle child, I fancied myself a "Stephanie Tanner" but I had neither the quick wit nor kickass dance moves.  

5.  My little sister, Gracie, is the nugget in the front who is basically 80% cheeks.  




Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Blackberry Pie Bars


Fruit!  Summer!  Exclamation Points!



I've realized that I have a tendency to fall back on chocolate, peanut butter or caramel recipes.  Or Rice Krispies (duh).  It's mostly because those are my favorite flavors but maybe it's also because I find those things easy to work with.  They're sorta fool proof.  Plus I can always have those ingredients in my house.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

July Ipsy Glam Bag

It's that time again!  This month's Ipsy bag!!  And it's official- Birchbox is cancelled.  It's dead to me.  I'm just a makeup junkie and Birchbox had more skincare and haircare products that I wasn't totally interested in and they were pretty much outta my budget anyway.  Ipsy emerges victor!  

I forgot to snap a pic of the bag itself but you can see it in the pic above.  It's hot pink, cylindrical, and plastic-y.  Gotta admit, not my favorite but I do like that this would be a good waterproof bag.  So maybe great for the beach or the pool.  
Anyway- on to products!  First up is this Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Renewal Beach Spray.  I was super excited to see this.  I've heard this haircare line mentioned a few times in blogs I follow and I've tried the Big Sexy Hair shampoo before.  This particular product is a beach spray, so it provides a bit of texture to hair, but also conditions with Aragon Oil.  Seems like it'll be perfect for summer!  Especially on days when my hair is squeaky clean and could use a bit of texture.  

Nailtini Nail Polish in Mai Tai.  This is an orangey-coraly shade and I wasn't SUPER wowed when I first saw it.  However, I'm always curious to try new nail polish brands and it's still a fun summer color.  You can never have too much nail polish (life motto) so I'm happy to add it to my collection.    
Coola Organic Mineral Sunscreen.  This one is a no-brainer.  I don't wear sunscreen nearly enough so I was glad to get a sample size to toss in my purse.  This is unscented, which I like, and super light.  It's meant for the face so I really like that I don't feel like I'm shellac-ing my face with layers of product.  It's a winner!
Pop Pouty Crayon in Coral Crush.  Lip products have been my weakness lately.  I can't get my hands on enough lipsticks and lip glosses.  They're such an easy way to spruce up a look!  So this lip crayon is right up my alley.  When I applied it, I found the shade to be slightly more pink than coral but I'm just splitting hairs.  This is smooth and feels hydrating and while it has a light pigmentation, it would still be easy to apply on the go without a mirror.  If you're looking for huge color payoff though, this likely isn't your product.  

BH Cosmetics California Collection.  I actually own quite a few BH Cosmetics products because they're so dang cheap and the quality is pretty good.  Of course, their eye shadows don't provide the long-lasting wear of some higher end brands but with a good primer, they're definitely a great alternative if you can't justify spending upwards of $30 on an eyeshadow palette (and I often can't).  I actually swiped on the Malibu shadow this morning and it's a gorgeous bright gold.  The shades are well pigmented and have little fallout.  I've actually found that applying lower-quality eyeshadows with my finger instead of a brush is somehow easier.  The color transfers well and it's quick.  Definitely a fun mini-palette for on-the-go.  

If you're interested in giving Ipsy a try, visit this link (<< that's my refer a friend link!).  

What did you think of this month's bag?    

Friday, July 19, 2013

Loving Lately

Wanna know what I'm loving lately?  


I know coconut water is all the rage these days but I really just couldn't get on board right away.  Every time I tried it, I was disappointed.  It wasn't coconut-y enough but it was also somehow TOO coconut-y.  It managed to taste thick and heavy to me.  It just seemed like it was trying to be something else.  Are you juice?  Are you water?  I need answers!  

So every few months I forced myself to buy coconut water because I was determined to make myself like it.  All the cool kids were doing it.  Finally, FINALLY I tried Zico's Tropical Flavor and it all made  sense.  It had the heft of juice (if juice can have heft) but it had the mild sweetness and lightness of traditional coconut water.  This Zico is flavored with guava, pineapple, and passionfruit and it's a real delight.  

What are you loving lately?             

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Throwback Thursday


1.  I'm the one OWNING that blue bikini.  Look how confident I am in that!  Ain't nobody gonna bring me down!  Imma' do me.  

2.  Realization:  The age of 4 is that last time I felt confident in swim attire.  Heavy stuff man.  

3.  Obvi, my older sis and I are getting ready to straight chill in that Care Bear lounging pool.  Not a care in the world.  Sippin' pina coladas and bathing in the sun.  Ok maybe not the pina coladas.  

4. I had quite a little bob going there.  And obviously, a strong bang.  My head was sort of meant for them.    

5.  I'm starting to think I was born wearing sunglasses.  My head was sort of meant for them. 

6.  You'll notice that even our sandals match our bathing suits.  My mom didn't miss a beat.  

7.  Possibly the last known photo when Sara was taller than me.  


Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Honeycomb Hokey Pokey

Wow.  Writer's block.  I don't know what to say about Hokey Pokey. What is there to say about Hokey Pokey besides to put your left foot in and take your left foot out and put your left foot in and turn yourself around?  And that's what it's all about.  

Indeed.  That is what it's all about.  

Sorry about that.  


This recipe is actually pretty exciting!  As soon as you add the baking soda and begin stirring it foams like crazy because of science and chemicals probably.  It's only scary the first time, don't worry.  

Monday, July 15, 2013

My Favorite Beauty Bloggers



In keeping with my recent beauty-themed posts, I thought I'd do you all a solid a share a list of my all-time favorite beauty You Tubers.  

So in case you're unfamiliar (because I definitely was), being a beauty You Tuber (YT) is very much a thing.  These women are making a living off of chatting about products, providing reviews, and doing tutorials.  In other words, living the dang dream guys.  Plus, some of the YT-ers I follow have upwards of 1 million followers!  They're legit.   And much in the same way that  there are about a gillion baking blogs I follow (and I become obsessed with them and fancy myself BFFs with the author), I have quite a hefty list of "favorites" in the YT world.

​I've taken the liberty of dividing these into groups based on what the focus of their channel seems to be.  This is in no way official but it's just the way my brain categorizes them like a weirdo.  And warning, I follow a LOT of YTers.    


Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Easy Blueberry Sauce


Y'all.  This blueberry sauce changes things.  It changes things and stuff.  

For some reason I sort of filed away sauces as something that were complicated.  I sort of glazed over recipes that involved sauces because I felt like I couldn't be bothered with it.  Why would I ever think that?!  TELL ME WHY.



This stuff truly is easy.  It requires almost no thought.  Well, at least a little thought.  Let's say minimal thought.  And it's done in mere minutes.  

Monday, July 8, 2013

Ulta Beauty Haul

More accurately, I could basically call this a NYX beauty haul.  These days, when I head into Ulta I almost surely leave with about 5 products and 80% of them are NYX.  If you haven't explored NYX yet I suggest you do.  They've got a huge collection for very low prices and the quality is mostly great (though there can be a few duds).
Anyway!  On to my first and only non-NYX choice.  Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal in Electric Blue (oddly, they don't have that specific color on their site.  This is a link to the other colors).  This is probably my 7th Color Tattoo and I've loved every single one.  It's a cream eye shadow with excellent pigmentation and it' SO easy to apply.  In fact, I don't even use a brush, I just smear it on my lids with my ring finger.

Most of the colors I own are browns and pinks and bronzes so this blue is a huge step for me.  I'm basically terrified of blue eyeshadow because I don't want to look like I've stepped out of a 1980's music video (or do I?).  However, this is a deep blue and I'm hoping I can make it work with a smokey eye.  Wish me the best.  Hilarity will likely ensue.     
NYX Matte Finish Setting Spray.  I've only recently gotten into setting sprays but this is my first matte setting spray.  I tend to have oily skin, especially in summer, so I need all the help I can get to avoid shine.  I can't say I noticed a huge difference in shine control (maybe slightly though) but it was about a 10 hour day and my makeup really stayed put.  At $7.99, I think it's reasonably priced for the quality.  Don't be expecting any miracles though!
NYX Cream Blush in Boho Chic: If you're looking for miracles, this blush is where it's at.  I've waxed poetic about NYX Cream Blush before so when I realized how much I loved it, I knew I wanted to try more colors.  Honestly, I would have gladly purchased every color but I decided to reign in the crazy and go for a wearable everyday color.  This is a lovely baby-doll pink with a slight shimmer that's subtle and natural.  So in love.  
NYX Butter Gloss in Tiramisu:  This is my first go at NYX Butter Gloss (I've tried their Mega Shine Lip Gloss before) and if I'm being honest, I don't totally know the difference between the formulas.  However, I still really love this gloss because it's not super sticky, it has only a mild scent, and it's a beautiful pinky gold color.  I expected something a bit more brown with a name like Tiramisu but I'm pleasantly surprised anyway.  At $4.99 I foresee many purchases in my future.  


NYX Round Case Lipstick in Pure Nude: $3.99 people!  For Lipstick!  This particular line has about a million shade choices and from what I can tell, they're all very well pigmented.  I chose Pure Nude and even though it looks sort of pink-ish, it actually applies quite nude with only the slightest pink undertone (which I think works well with my skin).  I think the quality is really decent given the price though I would recommend your lips are well moisturized before applying.  My sister detected a slight waxy texture but didn't so it may vary a bit depending on color and your own lips.  I won't make the argument that this lipstick is the same quality and higher-end stuff (as if I even own anything high-end) but in terms of affordable lipsticks, this was a winner.    

What are your favorite Ulta purchases?  Anything I NEED to try? 

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Throwback Thursday


1.  I don't....  I can't even..... It doesn't.....What the.....  

2. See #1

3.  Ok, I'll say what we're all wondering.  Yes, I'm wearing a purse on my head.  As though it were a hat.  Apparently, this is a thing that I did quite regularly.  The weird thing is that I really don't even like hats.  

4.  Ok, I'll say the other thing we're all wondering.  Yes, I'm wearing stackable toy rings as bracelets.  I'm accessorizing!  So sue me!  

5.  I sort of resemble a little boy.  A little bit?  I mean, I know all kids at some point are pretty ambiguous-looking though.  Maybe that's why I was accessorizing.  




Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Toasted Marshmallow Smore's Rice Krispies

When I was at the grocery store over the weekend I had a brief freak-out after realizing that the 4th of July was less than 2 weeks away and I had no patriotic-looking recipes waiting in the wings.  One of my goals lately has been to be more proactive in creating seasonal recipes and I think maybe I'm failing miserably at it so far. 


So naturally I decided to take a shortcut and just add some sprinkles to some delliicciioouuuss Rice Krispies.  I'm such a cheater.  In my defense though, I'd like to think that the "s'mores" element of the Krispies go hand in hand with July 4th and fireworks and bonfires and grilling.  Right?  

Just go with it.  


In this version of s'mores, the Krispies are like the graham crackers and the marshmallows are the marshmallows and the chocolate is the chocolate.  Got it?  

Just go with it. 

We're no stranger to Rice Krispies at this blog now.  Like these and these.  These Toasted Marshmallow Smore's Rice Krispies take it just a teensy step further by get marshmallows all toasty and browned before mixing in the other good stuff.  Oh, and chocolate.  Always chocolate.  Also sea salt.  I can't leave well enough alone!! 



For almost any other Rice Krispie, I'd recommend allowing them to set slightly before slicing to get nice clean slices.  But when you're going for a s'more effect, clean is hardly a description I'd use.  I think they're best eaten about 5 minutes after assembling.  The marshmallows will still ooze like a s'more and the chocolate will still be warm and melty.  Mmmmm patriotic.  


Here's the recipe! 

Toasted Marshmallow Smore's Rice Krispies

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
9 cups (about 1 1/2 10.5oz bags) mini marshmallows
9 cups Rice Krispies
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup dark chocolate chips
Sprinkles, if desired

Directions
1.  Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray and set aside.  In a large pot, begin melting butter.  Cook until butter is no longer foamy and brown bits begin to settle in the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes.  Butter should be a golden amber color with a nutty smell.  Remove from heat and set aside.  
2.  Turn on your broiler (or use a kitchen torch) to toast marshmallows.  Line a large cookie sheet with tin foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.  Spread marshmallows in an even layer on the cookie sheet and broil until browned and puffy.  Depending on your broiler, this will take about 1 minute or so.  Keep your eye on them!  They burn quick! 
3.  When done, scrape marshmallows into pot with butter and, if necessary, return to heat for a few seconds to help them combine.  Don't let the marshmallows get too melted though.  We still want them puffy.  Once combined, add sea salt and Rice Krispies.  Stir to fully combine. 
4.  Spread half the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.  Sprinkle chocolate chips over bottom layer.  Then add remaining mixture over chocolate chips.  Lightly press to adhere both layers and form an even top.  If desired, add sprinkles. 
5.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes before slicing or allow to sit for 20 minutes for cleaner slices.  Store in an airtight container.  

Enjoy! 

Recipe barely adapted from Cookies and Cups

Monday, July 1, 2013

June Beauty Favorites

 

 My very first "favorites" post!  Considering I spend approximately 70% of my life either reading baking blogs, beauty blogs, or watching You Tube makeup tutorials, I thought it was time I tried my hand at a monthly makeup favorites post.  Goodness knows I own enough products to gab your ear off for the next week.

Ok, first up, hair.


Boy oh boy do I love this spongey donut thing.  If you're unfamiliar, it's used as a supplement (?) to a "sock bun" which is all the rage on the web.....and in real life.  Basically, I make a ponytail on the crown of the head, put this donut at the base of it and then start swirling my hair into/around it to make either a messy bun or a sleeker bun.  Or sometimes messy when I'm trying to be sleek.  It happens.

This is the quickest and easiest way to make a hairstyle with impact and it's SO PERFECT for dirty hair.  I'm admitting on the internet that I do not wash my hair every day (and sometimes not even every other day) and let's just say I know a thing or two about dirty hair.  Sock bun is the way to go on dirty hair days.

I bought mine at Claire's Boutique (because I'm 12?) for about $6.50 but I've seen them at Ulta, Target, Sally's and a bunch of other places.  Get at it.



Umm, speaking of dirty hair......  You gotta have dry shampoo in your arsenal.  Aside from its obvious use of soaking up oil, it's actually great to use for volume too!  I recently discovered that I was using dry shampoo wrong because I didn't read the directions (obvi).  The trick is, you need to let is sit in your hair for about 5-10 mins so the powder can soak up the oil.  Then brush it out.  It all makes sense now.  

This particular variety says it has a slight brown tint and I would agree that slight is a good description.  I have relatively dark hair so I still get quite a bit of white-cast powder residue but it's really easy to brush through.    


Before this concealer, I was choosing my concealers all wrong.  I kept buying that cheap-y stuff (because I'm cheap) that comes in a stick and looks like a lipstick tube.  No no no no no.  Silly Annie.  

This liquid concealer is light and slightly creamy.  I use it to cover up blemishes and for under-eye darkness.  And trust me, I got under-eye circles like whoa.  It's easy to blend and holds up all day.  Luurrv it.  



This is just one of my many Color Tattoos and in the pot, it doesn't look particularly impressive (in fact it's not quite so dark in person) but it's a gorgeous warm bronze shade that is totally perfect if I don't have time for much eye makeup.  Just a swipe of this with some mascara and I'm ready to go.  It's also a great base if you're going for a bronze-y smokey eye (and it pairs well with the Urban Decay Naked Palette).  Plus, it takes so little product to make an impact that I'm pretty sure this will last me until 2027.  



This lipstick is sooooooo not me.   But it is!  I'm conflicted!  The picture really doesn't do it justice because it's more orange and coral in person.  

I have worn some truly awful orange-toned lipsticks in my time so I just assumed they're not for me.  But I was looking through some Rimmel lipsticks at the store and something about this one really caught my eye.  It's somehow subtle but bold.  I'd say it mostly reads red but with a definite orange tone.  I'll admit, this does dry my lips out considerably after a day's wear but for the price, I can handle applying some chapstick now and then.  



Man I have had a tough time finding a bronzer I actually like.  Part of the problem is that I'm so cheap so I'm determined to find a drugstore bronzer for cheap and I started to think maybe inexpensive bronzers just aren't great quality.  Until this one!  It's crazy pigmented and it takes a little blending to ensure it looks natural but the tone suits my skin color so well.  I wear it every day now to add just a touch of color to my skin.    

I probably could have gabbed about a million other products for hours (how did I not mention a nail polish?!) but I thought I'd keep it (sort of) brief.  What have been your favorites this month?