Nutella Banana Pie Pockets

I'm in such a good mood. Things are in order. The sun is shining. It finally feels like spring. Time for dresses!!

So I'm keeping busy. Little things that add structure to my life are really making a difference. Waking up earlier to go to work so I can leave earlier is a huge help. Working out for an hour every single day... ok, fine I skip a day here and there. I don't know how people work out in the morning or in the middle of the day. I need to shower and wash my hair before being seen. Then dry and style my hair. Then reapply makeup... That takes about an hour and a half at least. That's why it drives me crazy when people ask to hang out on a weekday. Ain't nobody got time for that. Plus, it throws off my routine.

Where was I? Right. So I've been keeping busy. Yesterday I was inspired to make Nutella Banana Pie Pockets. They were so adorably amazing, and so super easy I just had to share.

You'll need
Pre-made pie crust (the kind that you unroll)
Nutella
1 Banana
1 egg
sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Unroll pie crust and cut out shapes using a cookie cutter or a glass. You might need to add a sprinkle of flour to your prep surface. Reroll the scraps and continue cutting until you run out of dough. Make sure you have an even number so each piece has a partner.

3. Now, there are 2 ways to do this...
     a. Chop up a banana. On one pie piece spread about a teaspoon of Nutella, then top with a few banana pieces. Cover with another pie crust and seal around the edges using a fork. This method works best of you made a cutout in the top pie crust. Otherwise the Nutella will spill out when they're baking.
     b. Chop up a banana. Add about 1/2 cup of Nutella and combine. Then just scoop about a tablespoon (I used a small ice cream or cookie dough scoop) on to a pie crust. Top with another pie crust and seal the edges with a fork.
4. Mix 1 egg with a tablespoon of water to create an egg wash. Brush the egg wash over each pie pocket then sprinkle with granular sugar. If you have coarse sugar that would be ideal.
5. Bake for about 12 minutes or until golden brown.

 

Peach Bourbon Cupcakes

This weekend I made Peach Bourbon Cupcakes. I forgot to take pictures while I was making them unfortunately, but I'll share the recipe and walk y'all through my process.

Peach Cupcake:
Yields: approx. 42 (You could probably half this recipe)

4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon bourbon
4 cans peaches, drained and pureed

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt.

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the sugars and oil. Add the eggs one at a time followed by the bourbon and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until combined. In three parts, add the flour mixture, adding half of the pureed peach between each part. Beat on medium-low speed until each part is well mixed.

Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting

This is enough to frost about 40 cupcakes

2 stick butter, softened

2 8oz pkg cream cheese, cold

8 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoon bourbon

 

Beat butter on high for about 10 minutes or until white and fluffy. Add vanilla and bourbon, combine. Add 2-3 cups of sugar, one cup at a time combining completely after each addition. Add the cream cheese and beat until incorporated. Add remaining sugar one cup at a time. Beat on high for 5-10 minutes. My cream cheese frosting comes out soupy sometimes so I put it in the fridge for about 30-45 minutes then give it a quick mix before scooping it into a piping bag. If it's warm or humid, it might be best to make the frosting before the cupcakes so it will have time to chill in the fridge.

Pecan Crumble

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans

To make the crumb topping, combine sugars, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in melted butter. Add flour and pecans, stir using a rubber spatula just until moist. Spread out mixture on parchment paper to dry until ready to use.

Shrimp Tacos

So it’s Lent and that means no meat on Fridays. I’m noticing that some people panic because they feel limited and wind up resorting to pizza. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely a pizza fan and I find it on my dinner menu just about every other week, especially during football season. But the point I’m getting at is that there are so many other options for meatless Fridays.

* Broiled Salmon with boiled potatoes and green beans

* Grilled scallops with a roasted red pepper sauce on a bed of whole wheat angel hair pasta tossed with garlic and parmesan
* Get creative with grilled cheese. Try fresh mozzarella and tomato with pesto (or balsamic) on ciabatta bread.
* Breakfast for dinner! Pancakes or waffles. Omelets with peppers, onions and cheese. Oatmeal casserole. French Toast. Eggs benedict.
* Baked macaroni and cheese with a side of broccoli (I like to mix the broccoli in.)
* Go British and make a baked version of Fish & Chips… mmmmm with some sticky toffee pudding for dessert. Note to self: find a recipe for that.

This past Friday I made Shrimp tacos.

You'll Need:
Frozen Shrimp
Fish taco seasoning
Juice of 1 lime, 2 teaspoons reserved
olive oil
ranch dressing (I used the jar kind that they keep in the refrigerated section)
avocado
cumin (about 1/4 tsp)
cayenne or chipotle pepper powder (about 1/2 tsp)
broccoli slaw

First, wash, peel and devein the shrimp. Toss with fish taco seasoning and lime juice.

 
Heat a frying pan and add olive oil. “Hot pan, cold oil, food won’t stick.” Add shrimp and cook until just firm. I like my shrimp overcooked and kind of charred. According to every chef/cook on the Food Network this is incorrect, to that I say… I don’t care, I like it this way.

While the shrimp are cooking we make the sauce. In a food processor combine the fruit of 1 avocado, ranch dressing, lime juice. Add Cumin and Cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to taste.

 

{Here’s how to cut an avocado: Cut lengthwise all around the avocado. Twist the 2 sides until they come apart. Take your knife and gently whack the pit. Twist the knife to free the pit and discard. Score with a knife and then, using a spoon, scoop around the fruit to disconnect it from the shell.}

Then warm some tortillas. Add a bed of broccoli slaw. Add the shrimp, sprinkle some shredded white cheddar cheese (if you want... I didn't add cheese to mine) and drizzle with the avocado sauce. Voila! Shrimp tacos. You could also make this into a salad, just chop everything up (tortilla included if you’re not watching your carbs) and throw it on top of a bowl of romaine. The “sauce” is a little too thick as a dressing for my liking so I’d dilute it with a little water.

When Life Hands You Lemons... Make a Bundt Cake!

Hey y'all! I made another bundt cake for no reason at all. It turned out awesome so I felt like it was my civic duty to share the recipe. If you like a super moist cake this is definitely for you.

Lemon Blueberry Bundt

 

2/3 cups butter, softened (10 Tablespoons)
2 cups white sugar

2 lemon, juiced (about 6 Tablespoons)

4 eggs, room temperature

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup milk (or buttermilk + 1/2 teaspoon baking soda)

1 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons lemon zest
2 cups blueberries

Icing
2-3 Tablespoons water
1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon lemon extract

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease (and flour if you so choose) a bundt pan. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Mix in the lemon juice. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, being careful not to overmix. Use buttermilk if you want a super moist cake... some might say this makes the cake too moist but I didn't mind it. Fold in the lemon zest and blueberries. Pour into the prepared  bunt pan.

Bake for about 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

For the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, water and extracts. Drizzle over the completely cooled cake. I noticed that it looked like there was more glaze pooling around the bottom of the cake than there was actually on it. Next time I might try putting the cake on a wire cooling rack ontop of a cookie sheet, drizzle, and then collect the drippings and drizzle again..... or using less water in my glaze.

Buttermilk Pancakes

So as promised, here is my recipe for buttermilk pancakes along with some tricks and tips.

 

Ingredients

2 cups Flour
4 Tablespoons Sugar
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoons Salt
1 and 1/2 cups Buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
1 whole Egg
• Oil, For Cooking Pancakes
 
Preparation

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.

 

In a medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk, milk, melted butter, and egg together.

 

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, pour the buttermilk mixture into the well, and gently whisk together until just incorporated with a few lumps remaining (don’t overmix).

 

If the batter is too thick (for some reason my was this time, evident in the picture above) add a little milk. Also, be sure not to add too much milk or they’ll be too hard to flip.

Heat your skillet over low-medium heat. Brush the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of oil. If you’re using a good non-stick pan Pam works fine.  Another tip that I find works really well is using an ice cream scoop to drop your batter onto the skillet. This way all of your pancakes will be about the same size and perfectly round. Cook pancakes until bubbles form and golden brown on both sides. What I like about this recipe is that as long as your flame isn’t too high, it’s not easy to burn these guys.

Here’s another tip. Put the pancakes in a covered dish like a pyrex or ceramic one so that they stay warm until you’re finished cooking. This way everyone can sit at the table and eat together.

 

Another great thing about these is if you have a lot leftover you can freeze them and heat up a few before work or school. I usually bring them to work frozen and heat them up in the microwave when I get there. Add a little nutella and it might just be the closest thing to Heaven there is.

 

 

The King's Cake Cupcake

Happy Pancake Day y’all! It’s also Mardi Gras so I'm torn between sharing a recipe for King Cake Cupcakes or the perfect buttermilk pancake. I forgot to take pictures the last time I made pancakes so King Cake Cupcakes it is!
 
There are 3 parts to this concoction. The cake. The filling. And the frosting. Best start at the beginning then.

Ingredients
Cake
1 and 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup, 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

Filling

1/2 cup melted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 cup pecans

Frosting

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, cold
5-6 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  
Line 2 standard muffin tins with cupcake liners.
In a small bowl mix together the filling ingredients with a fork or small whisk.
In a small bowl, combine the flours and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended.
Using an ice cream scoop, spoon the batter into the cupcake liners. Using a cookie scoop, spoon the brown sugar mixture onto each cupcake well. (If you want you can had half of the batter, then the filling, then another half of the batter but I took the easy route.)
Bake in middle of oven until tops turn golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out just clean, about 18 minutes. I like to rotate the pans after 10 minutes just so they bake evenly.
Cool the cupcakes in tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting.

In a stand mixer, beat butter until white and fluffy. Add vanilla and mix until incorporated. Add half of the sugar one cup at a time. Add cream cheese. Add remaining sugar. Beat 10-15 minutes until light and fluffy. If the frosting is too soft add more sugar. If the frosting is too soft AND too sweet refrigerate it for a bit, it’s possible that your kitchen is too warm or too humid.

Sprinkle with Purple, Green and Yellow sugar sprinkles (as you can see below, I was out of purple and yellow) and enjoy!

Mindy Stewartspoon

There are 3 women that I look up to and strive to be an amalgam of.

Reese Witherspoon

 

Mindy Kaling

 

and Martha Stewart

Let's just focus on Martha for this post. Now a few years ago I was watching Martha's Daytime show and she was telling everyone how she takes a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar everyday. She just poured it onto a spoon and drank it! I had a mean girls moment...

If Martha does something, I'm going to do it too because it's Martha Freaking Stewart. So I poured it on a spoon, brought it to my lips ...and I think I almost died! Apple cider vinegar is disgusting. It has this insanely strong odor. I just couldn't do it. Fast forward about 4 years to now.

I've started eating grapefruit with my breakfast and lunch. Half before breakfast, half before lunch. It's got tons of vitamin C, Lycopene (it's an antioxidant so it fights oxygen free radicals which can damage cells), Limonoids (they inhibit tumor formation! One word: detox). It lowers cholesterol, prevents kidney stones (which is good if you eat lots of spinach because it's high in oxalates which could form stones) and protects against colon cancer (my gram's had colon cancer). In summation, it's an awesome fruit ....and it's just such a pretty color.

Let me try to get to the point here. I found this on Pinterest. It's a drink that's is supposed to detox and promote weight loss.

1 cup grapefruit juice

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

Drink that before every meal. So I'm going to try to do this. I had some before breakfast except I used 1 teaspoon of vinegar and 2 teaspoons of honey. I need to ease into it so I won't be too traumatized to do it again. I poured it over an ice filled glass and let it get freezing cold first and it actually wasn't that bad... as long as I didn't breathe through my nose. I'm going to keep doing this and report my results.

Livestrong Calorie Tracker

Ok so I just got the Livestrong Calorie Tracker and it's the greatest thing ever.
Honestly it's exactly like Weight Watchers except EASIER! You don't have to worry about points, just calories. You answer a few questions, and it calculates your target net calories for the day.

 

Then, all you have to do its record all your calories in, record how many calories burnt from working out and enter your weight. Of course you'll still need to make healthy choices. 300 calories of bacon isn't the same as 300 calories of salad but this app definitely helps keep me on track.

There's also community posts that are sometimes helpful... I don't use them.

There's even a place to track your daily water intake.

For those who have not heard this, apparently the amount of water you're supposed to drink depends on your weight. Here's what you do...
Take your weight, divide it by 2. That's how many ounces. Then divide that by 8. That's how many cups. Example...

I got this from Five Below for $4 or $5. This way I always have water at my desk at work and I have no excuse not to meet my goal.

If You Liked It Then You Should Have Put A Monogram On It

Have you ever noticed how a certain smell can remind you of a point in your childhood? I've realized now that my public elementary school always had this aroma of egg salad sandwiches and paste. My catholic school on the other hand smelled distinctly of egg salad sandwiches and guilt.

I just bought myself a lunch bag for work. $4.99 at Homegoods. So naturally I'd like to get it monogrammed but surprisingly I have no idea how to get this done. Everything I've had monogrammed was purchased that way. So, I did some research on where to get an already owned item monogrammed.

1. Your dry cleaner or tailor might have this service. Mine does, however their choices of thread color are a bit limited.

2. The mall. A lot of malls have a little kiosk or store even that can personalize gifts. At Woodbridge Center Mall there's a store called Embroidery Place.

3. If all else fails, go to yellowpages.com and search embroidery.

There's a hole in this cake...

Hey everybody! I made a bundt cake! It was just ok because I overbaked it a bit. But other than that it was great!
So this is a good recipe for a cake to serve with tea or coffee I think. It doesn't have a significant flavor so it won't interfere with or overpower the tea. That said, it is pretty rich ... it is a Kentuky Butter Cake. The name just tells you what you're in for. 

Ingredients
Cake
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 sticks butter, softened
2 cups light brown sugar 4 eggs
2 teaspoons bourbon or rum (optional)
1 cup buttermilk

Glaze
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
Water

Preparation
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat the inside of a bundt pan with Pam. I like to spray a light coat, then wipe with a paper towel so that you get grease into all the nooks, and then spray again heavily.

Combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and set aside.
 
In a large bowl cream butter until smooth (about 1-2 minutes). Add sugar and beat for 5 minutes until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition. If using bourbon/rum combine with buttermilk. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture (scrape bowl). Add the buttermilk (scrape bowl). Add remaining flour (scrape bowl). Be careful not to over mix your batter.

Pour batter into the bundt pan and with the back of a spoon (sprayed with Pam) Push the batter about 1 inch up the outside wall just to coat it. Then bake for 55 to 60 minutes. (I baked mine for 60... I probably should have checked it with a tooth pick at 50 minutes. Live and learn.)

10 minutes before your cake is done prep the glaze.

Combine the ingredients in a sauce pan and heat on low until sugar is dissolved. Be careful not to let this boil. I was having trouble getting my sugar to dissolve so once I ran out of patience I added about 3 tablespoons of water (1 tablespoon at a time).... it helped a little I think.

So once the cake is done, while it's still in the pan, take a skewer (I used a chopstick) and poke about 20 holes all around the bottom. Then spoon your glaze into the holes so that the cake absorbs it. If you need more holes, poke away... do whatever you need to do to get all of the glaze in the cake.

Let the cake cool for about 15 minutes. If you want you can level it so that it lays flat on your serving dish, but I didn't. Then invert onto a cake pedestal or platter, it should fall right out. If you choose not to level your cake and the space between it and the platter bothers you, just put a ring of fresh berries around the bottom to hide it. Finally dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Nail-biters Anonymous

Step 1. I have a problem. I've been biting my nails ever since I was an itty bitty girl.

Ok so I'm going to stop biting my nails starting today. The Internet told me that it takes 21 days to break a habit. And if the Internet said it, it must be true. So I did some research and here are some tips to stop biting your nails.

Always have a nail file on hand
This is a good tip. Most of the time when I want to bite my nails it's because they're getting caught on fabric. Smooth nail = no urge to "smooth" it out with your teeth.

Look at cute nail art to keep you motivated
Thanks to Pinterest I'm constantly bombarded with adorable nail designs that I pin but never attempt. That's what initially made me want to stop biting my nails for good.

Take a multivitamin
I read that nail biting could be a response to a nutrient deficiency. This goes back to caveman days... Apparently we're biologically programmed to get vital minerals from the gunk under our nails. Gross right? If that's not enough to make you want to stop biting your nails I don't know what is. So take your Flintstones, don't be one.

Stay Busy
Nail biting addicts, like yours truly, bite when they're bored. So keep your hands busy. Knitting, making friendship bracelets, playing with silly putty or play doh, rubiks cube, braiding hair or yarn... the fringe on a scarf... it doesn't matter really. Texting! Or better yet... file your nails!

And if all else fails...
Wear gloves!
Not really, but I just love the way they look.

I'll report my results in 21 days.

The Perfect "Me-Date"

Happy Valentine's Day Y'all! Unfortunately because of the snow I had to postpone/reschedule my date. Booo! So since I'll be spending V-day alone, I figured I might as well use the special occasion to love myself. (Don't be gross... that's not what I mean.) With how busy things have been lately I haven't had much "me time." So in honor of Valentine's day I have a romantic evening planned for myself. Here's what I'll be doing.

1. A Romantic dinner for one? Skinnytaste.com's Chicken Cordon Bleu is my absolute favorite and it's way easier than it looks. The recipe yield 12 pieces, but there ain't nothing wrong with leftovers. The more I make now, the less I have to make later. And if you're the type of person that gets tired of the same thing, you can mix this recipe up with different "fillings."
- 2 ham and Swiss
- 2 prosciutto and provolone
- 2 feta and sun dried tomato
- 2 goat cheese and spinach
- 2 pesto and mozzarella
...coming up with the last one is always the hardest. Oh!
- 2 pepperoni and mozzarella
Get creative with it. And it's chicken so it goes with my favorite white wine. That's number 2...

2. White wine. I don't really drink much, but treating yourself to a glass of wine every now and then does the body and soul good. It helps relieve stress and relaxes the muscles. After a particularly rough week I can actually feel how much stress I've been carrying in my neck. Studies show it's also good for your heart and increases libido, and if that doesn't say Happy Valentine's Day I don't know what does. So with dinner and wine in hand I'm going to light some candles and plop myself in front of my TV. There's number 3.

3. Watching the Notebook. I don't like to cry around people but I'm a mushy girl and I really do love this movie. Perfect me-time entertainment.

4. Mani/Pedi... once I'm finished with dinner of course. Winter has a nasty habit of drying out your hands... especially your cuticles. And even though I won't be wearing any opened toed shoes any time soon, a nice brightly colored pedicure just makes me feel closer to summer and warmth and sunshine.

5. Online shopping. Ohhhh yeah. The best way to love yourself is to treat yourself to something special. I have my eye on these...

after a few glasses of wine it'll probably be way easier to put out... I mean, shell out the obscene amount of money for them.
And these...



And these...

I'm actually really looking forward to this me-date. Happy Valentine's Day!

Makeup: Self-Confidence Applied Directly to Face

So my coworker requested a breakdown of how I do my makeup and what products I use. The best part of my routine is that I get a natural flawless look without paying those obscene Sephora prices. Now I'm not saying these are the best products/techniques but they work for me and I have no complaints. So here goes.

1. CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 foundation

I use 810 because I'm super pale but I could probably get away with using 820 in the summer. I think it’s always better to go lighter if you’re on the fence because you can adjust the color with a bronzer.

I just apply this with my hands. I tried using a sponge but I felt like I was wasting a lot of the foundation and I’m trying to get my money’s worth here. I even store the bottle upside down when the pump stops working so I can get every last drop. You can still get like 4 or 5 applications out of it.

When you’re applying the foundation, make sure to blend it to your neck. You don’t want a harsh line where the makeup just stops. The neck is a very forgiving place to blend your make up down because there’s usually a shadow to disguise any flaws.

2. Physicians Formula Powder Palette Multi-Colored Face Powder
 

This stuff is amazing. It’s the best pressed powder I’ve ever used. It’s not cakey like some others and it doesn’t have a strong odor like most that I’ve tried. It’s very light so you don’t feel like you’re wearing makeup. It looks natural and I haven’t found it to clog my pores. Anyway, (I use translucent) I apply this with a full brush. I use the EcoTools Tapered Blush Brush. You can get this at Target or Harmons. Actually, everything I use can be bought at Harmons and you can use those 20% off Bed Bath and Beyond coupons. Harmons also has a lot of sales and coupons for Physicians Formula. Their manufacturer prices can be a bit intimidating so that’s something to keep in mind.

3. Blush.

I don’t have a specific brand here and I don’t buy it that often because most blush compacts last a really long time. NYX has some nice shades all for a very reasonable price. I use an angled blush brush, and apply along my cheekbone (smile to make your cheeks more pronounced to find the area that should be blushed). Don't try to paint 2 circles on the apples of your cheek... you're not a wooden soldier.

4. This is when I apply eye shadow and eyeliner but I’ll save that for another post.  

5. Physicians Formula Happy Booster glow & Mood Boosting Powder

This is the secret weapon. The most important touch. Honestly, if you wanted to keep using your own foundation and powder and just add this that would probably make a difference too. I use this in 2 shades as a bronzer (Light Bronzer) and highlighter (Translucent). So I use the bronzer to frame my face. You’re basically going to start at your hairline and then wrap around until you get to your cheekbone. Then just bring it in slightly under your cheekbone and then back round your jawbone. Everyone says to make the shape of the number 3. Then I just use the highlighter (Translucent) on my forehead/brow area and my cheek/under my eyes and nose. Basically the middle of your face.

So, that’s what I do. I hope y'all found this helpful.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! This is one of my favorite holidays for one reason. My Grandpa. Now, this man is not sentimental. He's always yelling and angry and mad at the world. But, every year he drives to my house while my sisters and I are at work or school and he leaves us Valentines. Usually a flower of some sort and a heart shaped box of chocolates and a card (with money inside because that's what grandparents do).

So in honor of Valentine's Day I've baked cupcakes! "Bananas About You!" and "I Love You Berry Much!" Chocolate cake with chocolate fudge filling and either banana or strawberry frosting. I'm in love. The filling is store bought because I was lazy but they're still amazing!

Cupcakes
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup canola oil (I used vegetable oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup BOILING water

Preheat the oven to 350° and line a cupcake pan(s) with 12-15 paper liners. (I doubled the recipe and got 28)

Sift together all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Add the egg, milk, oil and vanilla and beat together with an electric mixer until combined.

Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the boiling water, mix until just combined but smooth.

The batter will be SUPER watery.  It's unsettling and you'll probably think you did something wrong. You didn't, it's perfect. Check out the picture for proof. Then I use an ice cream scoop to distribute the batter evenly into the liners. The batter is so runny though, you could probably just use a 1/4c measuring cup. If you're making minis use a Tbsp spoon.

Bake in preheated oven for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick tests clean. Remove from oven and cool before filling and frosting. I usually put them in the refrigerator.

Filling
I used Mrs. Richardson's Hot Fudge because that's what I found at the grocery store. They even have a fat free version... which I stayed away from naturally. I just filled a piping bag fitted with an extra large star piping tip and just jammed it into the cupcake... I used to core the cupcakes but they're so moist the corer/spoon/knife (I tried it all) it just got all clumpy. Stab and squeeze method works just fine. Throw them back in the fridge.

Strawberry Frosting (Frosts 15-20 cupcakes)
1 1/2 Sticks of unsalted butter softened
1/2 cup frozen strawberries thawed
2 tsp granulated sugar
(1/4 tsp cornstarch)
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
pinch of salt

Chop the strawberries in a food processor. Then heat them in a sauce pan with the granulated sugar on m low heat for about 10 minutes until it reduces and thickens up a bit. If it's really REALLY runny add about 1/4 tsp of cornstarch (I did).

Let the strawberry goo cool in the refrigerator.*

While that's going beat the butter until white and fluffy, about 10 minutes.

Once the butter is white-ish add the vanilla and mix until incorporated. Then add about half of the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time mixing until smooth each time. Now as long as the strawberries are cooled, throw them in and mix until smooth. Then continue adding the sugar 1 cup at a time. Throw in a pinch of salt and beat on high for about 10 minutes.

If it's too soupy add more powdered sugar.

Then fit a piping bag with a large tip and add a swirl of frosting onto the completely cooled cupcakes.
*I prepped the strawberry sauce and let it cool before I even baked the cupcakes

Banana Frosting (Frosts 15-20 cupcakes)
1 1/2 Sticks of unsalted butter softened
1 very ripe banana
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
pinch of salt

Mash the banana completely with absolutely no chunks.

Beat the butter until white and fluffy, about 10 minutes.Then add the vanilla and banana mush and mix until incorporated. Then add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing until smooth. Throw in a pinch of salt and beat on high for about 10 minutes.

Then fit a piping bag with a large tip and add a swirl of frosting onto the completely cooled cupcakes.

Voila! Enjoy.

Baby It's Cold Outside

So winter sucks. It's cold and it makes your skin all dry and your lips chapped. Solution? Exfoliate and moisturize! (Also, limit your salt intake and drink plenty of water.)

Body
So I've started exfoliating with a homemade concoction of Epsom salt and Vaseline.

What You'll Need:
A plastic container
2 plastic forks
1/4 cup Vaseline
2 cups Epsom salt
Loofah Mitt/Pad

1. Mix the Epsom salt and Vaseline in the plastic container using the 2 forks.
2. That's it.

(I usually do this after I put conditioner in my hair, before rinsing it out.)

So you just exfoliate with the dry loofah pad in a circular motion. It works amazingly on elbows, knees and ankles. So it's definitely a great scrub for before a spray tan. If you're shaving your legs... do not use this in the same shower session. It burns like crazy.

What's great about this is you don't really need to moisturize after because you exfoliated and moisturized in one step, but if you feel like your skin could use some extra hydration I like to use Hawaiian Tropic After Sun Moisturizer. Aloe if great for you skin no mater the season. Plus, the smell puts me in a warm and sunny state of mind even though it's cold and miserable outside.

Lips
Valentine's Day is right around the corner. Who wants to kiss chapped lips? No one.

What You'll Need:
1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
2 Tbsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Small cosmetic jar

1. Heat the coconut oil in the microwave until it's a liquid
2. Mix in the sugar and vanilla
3. Rub some on your lips with your finger and then just keep rubbing your lips together for about a minute. Don't forget about the corners of your mouth.
4. Wipe/lick it off and apply some Vaseline

Results!