Oil Coping

Well, it's been a while.  I considered giving up the blog world, yet here I am with wisdom to share.

I've posted about skin care and facial cleansing before, but I was in Denver then.  It occurred to me upon moving back to Florida (and my face continuously breaking out like a 13 year old going through puberty) that what they say is true, it really is all about location, location, location.

Who was I to think that my regimen was universal?  Particularly considering the extreme lack of overlap between the climate I'd adjusted to for the last year, and that which I had known my entire life?!  So, I started my research...and I really shouldn't be surprised that I was taken back to my humble science-based educational roots.  It's pretty simple: 

LIKES DISSOLVE LIKES.

Oh, so you're tired of my rambling?  Me too.  I'll get to the point.  

The Oil Cleansing Method

This website is a good starting point.  There are so many different oils and combinations you can use.  I recommend extending your research and testing out different options to figure out what's best for you based on your skin type & needs.  I'll share my own findings with you.  In just a minute.  Be patient :-)

On the topic of patience: that is what you'll need with this method.  It's pretty scary to think of CLEANING your face with oil.  Our whole lives we've been brainwashed to think we need to scrub all that oil away with commercial chemical cleansers - nay nay!  We are doing more harm than good!  When we remove all the oils from our skin, it compensates with increased sebum production (an all-out oil slick) which leads to trapping of dirt and bacteria, clogged pores, pizza face...whole nine yards.  And here I thought I had it all figured out.  I'll share my regimen first and then get to the positive feedback (per moi of course...) feel free to add your own!

You have two options, the long road, or the short road.  Both are good, however I recommend doing the long at least once every 1-2 weeks.

Long: 

Put together a steam bath (I do mine in a big pot on the stove) with very hot water.  I add peppermint & rosemary.  Peppermint has a cooling effect, nourishes dull skin, and helps to improve oily skin.  Rosemary actually has antibacterial properties.  I believe fresh is a necessity in this case. I used pure peppermint extract and I felt it worked very well.  Peppermint oil would probably be best if you can't get it straight from the source (i.e. the plant).

It's a run of the mill steaming process - 10-15 minutes with a towel over your head to trap in the steam.  Worth it.  BE PATIENT!  Oh and be careful, steam is very hot.  Like burn your face and eyes hot.  Use common sense!

Then your oil.  If you're mixing, you should do so ahead of time.  I use castor oil & olive oil.  Again, do your research to see what is best for you.  I've found that my ideal ratio is 3:1 -->  3/4 tsps olive oil to 1/4 tsp castor oil.  Be careful with the castor oil as it has very strong drying effects on your skin.  I will say, I started out with a 50/50 ratio on my combination skin and I was just fine, but I think over time it would get very dry which entirely defeats the purpose of using this method in the first place!! You want to balance your oil production. 

Ok - so rub that mixture into your skin for about a minute or two, really let it bond.  It's cozying up, keeping your worst enemy close to do its job.  THEN!  You get to blast it with steam.  That oil is like a flying ace - serving your skin with extreme patronage.  

Get a washcloth wet with hot water, as hot as you can stand, and lay it over your face.  Leave it there till it cools.  But make sure you can breathe.  The first time I kept breathing the washcloth into my mouth and nose.  Not worth it, breathing is important. 

Once it cools, repeat!  You're going back in for round two - these guys are sneaky & tricky - they think they can outsmart your trusty COOO pilots (oh, that's castor oil olive oil for short, clever right?!) 

We are still talking about cleaning your face, I promise!

I limit this at two times usually because by then most of the oil has been steamed away.  Sometimes I'll do a little scrubby scrub with the cloth, but it's really unnecessary.  At this point you can A) splash your face with cold water, and massage any remaining bits of oil into your skin as a moisturizer or B) soldier onto the next step which is the MASK!!!

I LOOOOVE masks.  And they're so simple.  I just use plain greek yogurt and honey.  I will throw some sea salt in there too if I need exfoliation.  Just spread it over your skin and let it dry, wash it off with warm water (and I mean all of it!  If you leave any of those sugars on your skin, that's just FOOD for yucky icky acne causing bacteria) and then splash with cold water to seal your pores.  Follow with moisturizer!  If your mask is too watery, strain in through some cheesecloth before you plan on using it so that it's thicker.  Wonderful.

Short: 

NOW, if you don't have have time or effort for all that - let's face it, that's a lot of steps! - then just steam out your face with the washcloth a couple times, massage your oil mixture in, and then steam out, followed by cool water.  Voila!  Do this at night and you'll be on your way to beautiful skin.  I just rinse with water in the mornings, allowing the steam from my shower to do its work.  No need for additional cleansing.  DEAD SERIOUS! 

Also, mix small amounts of oil at a time, just enough to last for a day or two so it stays fresh and clean.  Only use what you need. 

Success moment:  I had some beautiful hormonal volcanoes on my face a few days ago, and I just couldn't help myself.  I had to do something about them.  So they got "extracted" while I was in the middle of my oil rubbing step.  Not the brightest idea.  BUT - when I finished my steaming, they weren't raised anymore, they weren't all red, they actually looked like they were healing.  When I woke up in the morning, I could barely tell they had ever been there at all.  Maybe I just got lucky, but I've NEVER had an experience like that before!  Remember, your skin does most of its healing and rejuvenating at night.  So be nice to it :-)

Let me know if you try it and how this process works for you! In all honesty, reading other people's successes, improvements, questions, and suggestions made all the difference in my willingness to try this method.  Oh - p.s. - castor oil is traditionally used as a laxative...so that adds to all the fun when you go to the store to buy it ;-)

XO

Dreaming in Orange & Cream

Ok.  So in my last post, I said I was going to make those Orange Creamsicle cupcakes right?

Well I did.

I'm VERY glad I did :-)

Let me warn you, you're going to gain 5 lbs just READING the recipe.  Another 5 making the cupcakes.  And an additional 5-10 lbs eating them!

You can find the recipe here.   First of all, with the amount of butter in the recipe, you could probably go ahead and call yourself Paula Deen.  I will say I left it out of the marshmallow filling entirely, so I just used the fluff.  More on that later.  The recipe calls for an inordinate amount of vanilla, but you'll never find me complaining about either of those things :-)

This is what the batter came out like before I scooped it into the tins...I used a mini ice cream scoop, about the size of a melon baller.  Perfect for little baby cupcakes!

Aren't they darling?

As usual, I accrued yet another battle wound.  Thankfully it basically is just an extension of a previous burn mark (that I fear will never go away...)  and it didn't blister!  It never fails, I'm a walking disaster in the kitchen! ;-)

I filled those bad boys up with marshmallow fluff (using a ziplock for a piping bag because I couldn't find my real ones!)

In a fit of genius I tried to forget my tip with the marshmallow fluff!  Keep a small bowl of water at hand to dip your fingertips into.  If you go after this stuff with dry hands you'll find yourself in a sticky conundrum!

I topped them off with the orange buttercream and voila! Orange creamsicle cupcakes!

So, I followed the recipe ALMOST to a tee, with the exception of leaving out the butter for the marshmallow filling.  Three whole sticks was just way too much!  This is what I would do different, as they were a little too sugary sweet and the orange flavor was VERY strong!

• I would make a MILK frosting rather than buttercream.  I have never been a buttercream fan.  While milk frosting must be refrigerated, I think it's exactly what these cupcakes need...I mean orange creamsicle - it's not orange powdered-sugar-sicle!
• as for the milk frosting, this recipe is a good one, however I would half or even quarter the recipe.  It's almost the same as buttercream, just with milk added...but the milk makes such a huge difference! 
• I would use less of the orange zest initially and adjust to taste.  More can always be folded in!  I would certainly frost a cupcake and do a taste test first.  It tastes very different off the cupcake as opposed to on!

Ok, so I guess just two things I would change.  I think this recipe would also make an aboslutely lovely layered cake!  Maybe with candied orange peel to garnish. YUM!  

I will say, that wearing my adorable apron that Steve gave me a couple years definitely put me in the mood for making these, there sure are a lot of steps!

more on that ridiculous bun in a minute ;-)

SO - there they are!  I was swimming in a sea of orange creamsicle as I had this candle burning all the while :-)  It is my VERY favorite.  Mmmmm can't get enough :-)

*** 

As for the bun, almost forgot!  With it being summertime, not matter how cute my hair is, sometimes it's just too hot to leave it down!  I've gotten in the habit of trying to let it dry naturally, still testing out the best methods for straightening it without heat.  But I do set it in curls...I twist it up into a bun on top of my head and secure with bobby pins to keep the volume and body - it works like a charm every time!  My next method to try is a sock bun.  I'll see if I can find a video to post!

*** 

On a different note - I got to spend the whole day today with Steve's mom - it was so nice just to catch up!  We took a trip to go see my wedding gown - it was so exciting to get to share that with her!  I just cannot wait for it to arrive!

It's rainy here in Orlando tonight.  We're just taking it easy, I gave myself a facial and now we're getting in touch with my Southern roots and indulging in Gone With the Wind *sigh*

I grew up with this picture hanging in my room growing up :-)  Needless to say, I think I turned out a lot better than Scarlett did!

"Oh if I just wasn't a lady WHAT would I tell that varmant!" - Scarlett O'Hara

I'll post my facial routine soon! :-)  

XO

Here, there, and everywhere!

Whew!  It has been a whirlwind month already and we're only about halfway through!

For the Fourth of July - we attempted to go downtown for the fireworks at Lake Eola in Orlando, however, as soon as we got there a huge storm passed through!  We would have been fine but Coco was terrified and decided to climb in my lap :-(  We went home and enjoyed our picnic on the porch :-)

But I did look really cute and festive for a little while at least!

Steve did too!  Coco not so much...

Last weekend Steven and I went home to Pensacola for the Blue Angels Airshow out at Pensacola Beach.  We had such a great day!  Got there at 7:30 in the morning and didn't go home till about 5 or 6.  We watched from the beach this year (last year we went out with my friend on her boat) and we had the PERFECT spot!

In the morning when we got there, there was a big thunderstorm out over the Gulf, it was beautiful!

We found a little friend!

Fat Albert, Steve's favorite - flew RIGHT OVER the top of us!  It was amazing!

Steve's favorite maneuver:

Perfect photo opp right!?

And now this week it's just back to the same ole same ole routine...

For dinner tonight we had lasagna rolls:

Let me know if you want the recipe! :-)

Then I made my favorite go-to snack/lunch/I'm hungry standby:  Lentil salad with lime, mint, & feta.  If you like mediterranean inspired foods, this is for you.

2 C cooked lentils
Juice of 2 limes
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup crumbled feta
2 Tbsp fresh minced mint leaves


Cook the lentils and allow them to cool.  That link has some pretty good tips on cooking them.  I love green lentils.  They're so inexpensive and a good protein source.
Mix together all ingredients, pour over the lentils, and fold in!

You can always adjust the amounts of lime juice/mint/olive oil to taste.  I like things a little tart, and it's very possible that I used more than two cups of cooked lentils...you know me, I never measure!

Tomorrow, I'll be making these so that I can try (just) one and send the rest to the office with Steve!

Speaking of healthy snacks and things to send to the office with Steve, I've really been trying to get him to take his lunch instead of eating out every day.  I made these today for him as a healthy afternoon snack so that his big smart brain doesn't crash before it's time to go home!  I used both peanut and almond butter, added a little maple syrup with the honey to make up the 1 Tbsp, and 1 Tbsp of coconut sugar - doesn't taste like coconut and sO much better for you than regular refined or brown sugars - even better than the honey!

This is the brand I use:

They're so cute!

Let me know if you end up trying any of these and what spins you put on them!  Hope you're all having a great week.  It's hump day, only two more days till the weekend!

XO

on the spot recipe

It's summertime.  That means light & cool food for dinner in our world.  

Let me just toot my own horn for a minute here.  I probably make the BEST oven roasted chicken.  I am particular about my chicken...I can't stand for it to be overcooked and dry.  

I don't know how I managed to do it, but I have a touch for it.  It doesn't matter what you dress it up (or down) with...it's all about the process.  I heat the oven to 375, brown off in a pan, and finish in the oven for 22 minutes, no matter the size.  For larger chicken breasts I'll increase by a few minutes, up to 27 minutes.  The key is letting it rest when I take it out.  I always cook in my pyrex but it would be about the same if you were to use le creuset etc...the time would definitely be different for a metal pan, as metal heats up faster than glass/ceramic/the like... It's important to remember that just because you remove food from the heat source doesn't mean it stops cooking!!  Just like a steak.

SO - that's my chicken.  Totally got distracted! So my real reason for this post:

Steve requested fried chicken.  I said not no but hell no, I have to be on a beach this weekend and  fried chicken is NOT going to do me any favors!  (again, so distracted)

 So I compromised and we had oven fried chicken and he was happy.   To go with it (still haven't gotten to my point):  Carrot & roasted corn slaw. 

Now here's the thing, I'm not really a recipe girl.  I see ideas and I just roll with it.  Sometimes it doesn't work out, but usually my creativity works for me (and for Steven!)  There are very few things over the last 6 years that I've made that he just did not like. 

So I took a package of shredded matchstick carrots, to make my life easy - if you want to do your own by hand, by ALL menas... OK. let me stop myself here.  I'll be nice and put these ingredients in an organized list for you.  You're welcome :-)

Veggies:

1 package matchstick carrots.

1/2 yellow bell pepper - finely diced

1/2 red bell pepper - finely diced

1/2 orange bell pepper - finely diced

4 ears corn - cut off the cobb, roasted

1 mango - finely diced

1/2 of a REALLY small red onion.  Maybe 1/4 cup total of finely diced onion.

Dressing:

1/8 cup greek yogurt

1/8 cup light mayo

juice & zest of 1 lemon

juice & zest of 1 lime 

(or you could 2 lemons or 2 limes...or orange...whatever flies your skirt up)

tsp vinegar 

(i used a pear infused white balsamic because i had it, but i also considered apple cider or rice wine vinegar...it's your choice!)

tbsp agave  

(or you could use honey...if you use honey I'd use less and then adjust to taste)

1/4 tsp celery seed 

 (optional)

kosher salt & pepper 

>> Speaking of adjusting to taste, here's the problem with me writing a recipe:  I NEVER MEASURE.  Ever.  Half the things I bake never turn out right because...well...there are bakers and cooks, most people are one or the other - primarily - and I am primarily a cook.  I just like being able to adjust and fudge things.  In turn, I've written this with efforts to go on the skimpy side so if you want to add more you can.  I'd recommend using even less than what I have here, you can allllwwwwaaayyyysss add more.  <-- ALWAYS. you got that?  Oh, unless you forget to add the butter in your pastry dough at the right time.  I've done that.  In that case, you cannot add more.   :-)  <<

Back to this delish coleslaw alternative.

Roast your corn in the oven - you can add a little olive oil if it's a really dry day and you're scared it will burn, but really you should be fine.  I did it at 400 for about 7-10 minutes.  Remember that adding a liquid/oil/butter will make it a little softer - so if you roast for too long it could get mushy.

Let the corn cool a bit and mix with all the veggies.  Mix the wet ingredients for the dressing and taste BEFORE you add to the veggies.  I would have loved to add fresh cilantro & about 1/4 tsp of cumin & a pinch of cayenne to the dressing but Steve doesn't like cilantro - he thinks it tastes like soapy bleach water....so I left it alone and it was still excellent!

So that's it!  A little bit of a tang, not too bad for you - makes a TON of food - we saved - just like coleslaw it gets better with time.  Also just like coleslaw it draws out some of the liquid so use that dressing sparingly.  I had some of the leftover on my chicken and it was yummy :-)

 This pretty picture is a pretty good idea of what it will look like, especially if you add cilantro (or parsley...my plant hasn't grown enough and I have learned my lesson about hacking away at herbs before they're ready for pruning!! ;-)

Mine was actually prettier...but I can't prove that to you because, alas, I didn't take pictures.  As usual. 

Man, I have really got to learn how to streamline this recipe posting process.  There are just so many little tidbits of info along the way that are worth sharing!  And while I'm in my foodie mindset...does anyone have cooking channel?  There's a show called French at home or something I think? With Laura Calder?  Love.   

That's all for me!  Headed home to Pensacola this weekend for the Blues - CAN'T WAIT!   I will probably be doing this again:

And listening to my summer anthem:

I don't know why it's all awkward pictures...so if you don't like 'em, just listen to the song dang it!

XO

freecycling

So I have some old throwpillows and a dog bed that Coco doesn't need anymore, and I thought to myself...NO ONE will want these, washed or not. But I just couldn't bring myself to throw into the trash where they'll end up in a landfill...

>>  Sidenote, did you know there is just a massive ocean landfill festering out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean?  

Who do we think we are!??  So frustrating.

(For more info, go here.) <<

Back on topic.  Freecyle! Go to this website and see if your local area has a network!  If not, start one!  Such a cool idea.  This is the little blurb from their main website:

"The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,957 groups with 8,494,920 members around the world. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by local volunteers (them's good people). Membership is free." 

Check it out!  And if you're from Florida, this link has all the groups that are active here in our beautiful state!

Happy recycling! XO

Cake Pops!

Cake on a stick? Yes please.  

Back in January, Steven bought me this book:

...and I made the red velvet ones with cream cheese frosting and chocolate coating.

They were a big hit with everyone who tried them.  I, however, will not lie: I wasn't very impressed!

  One time is NOT enough to get the technique down, but I saw a lot of promise.   They were so much fun to make!  I was kind of sad when the process was over.  I will say this much - the book suggests that you use bakers chocolate, such as almond bark, to dip them in.  I don't like that stuff!  I think maybe if you dolled it up a little with some cinnamon, salt, cayenne, or a drizzle of caramel (depending on your cake/icing flavors) it would make a world of difference.  I mean literally, the whole world full of differences.  That stuff is just so sugary sweet!  The book also suggests candy coating - maybe it actually tastes a lot better...I wouldn't know, I went with what I could find!  It would probably be totally worth it to find it and order it online. 

The book is great though - so much good advice.  If you get it, read the whole thing before you EVER start trying to bake and roll and pulverize and mix and freeze...and well, there are a lot of steps...

I wish I had pictures to post of my adventure making them for the first time...I might have one somewhere....(useless!)

Anyway - my next attempt might be to make the Ice Cream Cone Sundaes Cake Pops!  Probably for myself.  To eat.  For my birthday :-) They're just precious and  the best part is they're supposed to look kind of drippy goopy and messy, just my style!  Who wants to join!?

Happy cake popping ;-)  XO

indulgence

In light of a heavy and stressful day, I decided to indulge a little bit...and I got more than I bargained for!  

First of all, did you know that Sephora gives away three free samples with every order? 

And that orders over $50 get free shipping?  

This may not be news to a lot of you, but apparently I've been living under a rock and had no idea...and the samples change daily!  They also carry Bumble & bumble now!  Furthermore, you can sign up for a gift registry!  

Pffttt who needs to register for china, crystal, or pots and pans when Steven and I can register for lip gloss, eyeshadow pallets, and cologne! ;-)   

Go get you some. 

XO

why hello!

Hectic could not even begin to describe my life since my last post.  I have no idea where I even left off.  I moved back to Florida from Colorado on May 14th and STILL haven't received my goods shipment (um yeah.) I've been to Pensacola from Orlando a few times, ordered my wedding dress, nailed down a TON of wedding details, visited Steve's parents, etc...it's just been a lot! 

OHHHHH and yesterday we found out we are going to be the proud aunt & uncle of a beautiful baby girl come October!!!!! 

:-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

Regardless, I decided to post - not because I wanted to rant about how crazy things have been...but because I had a delicious breakfast!

I am sooooo not a breakfast food person.  I have to force it on myself.  As for making it healthy?  Let's just say I would be happy eating leftover lasagna or pork chops and mashed potatoes if I could - alas, I would weigh 397 pounds.  Give or take ;-)

 So this morning I tried a nod to berries and cream.  Berries & ricotta! (fat free of course - it's just made with skim milk instead.)

This is really complicated, so pay attention, ok?

***

>> Scoop 1/4 cup ricotta onto a plate - or bowl, some people like bowls better, I respect that.  Rinse strawberries and blueberries.  Hull and quarter strawberries.  Arrange on plate as desired.  Stuff your face. <<

It's so simple, so straightforward, and for every quarter cup of ricotta you get 13 g of protein.  Hello, yes, please, and thank you.

***

Now if you don't like ricotta but you like grits, here's another option for you!

First decide if you like your grits creamy or a little loose.  I'm a creamy girl.  This means you start with cold grits and water, as opposed to boiling the water first and then whisking in the grits.

I have a VERY hard time eating grits without butter, but you could always try smart balance or i think they even make butter extract or flavoring now, right next to your vanilla ;-)  And I always add some milk to my grits.  I like 'em shrimp n grits style at all times of day and night.  The secret here to getting some extra protein is to add about three tablespoons of eggwhites a couple minutes before they're done cooking.  It makes them a little fluffy but thick and VERY filling.  Like so filling you probably need a buddy to eat these with!

I tried this because my stomach does NOT like egg yolks and I soooo am not a big fan of just eating a straight up scrambled fried or poached egg.  Let me know what ya think :-)

XO

The Rosary

My days in Denver are winding down, as is this semester, and so I turn to what I am going to do with my summer.  Sure, I'm looking for jobs, planning the wedding, collecting recipes to try...planning my "get tan" schedule...but those are all neither here nor there.

Last summer my brother gave me a kindle, and frankly - I love it.  I know people complain it's not like holding a real book but honestly - I'm saving trees and I'm not filling tons of bookcases that are just going to collect dust.  Granted, most of my old books I donate, but I like just having them there - because I DO read them more than once!

As usual, I digress...

My point is, I've decided on a commitment: praying the rosary. 

When I was a kid I went to CCD - Catholic Sunday school.  I learned about the mysteries and generalities of praying the rosary, but I never really kept up with it or truly have taken the time to understand all that I can learn and gain from praying it.

So for a whopping .99 cents I bought a kindle book to read on the drive back to Florida.  I'll post what I gain from this journey along the way.  I've always wanted to read the whole bible, and I will someday.  But this is my first step of getting back on track in my relationship with God.

When my great grandmother, Carrie, passed on, she left her crystal rosary to my grandmother who then passed it onto my mom.  I can remember both of them always having it and particularly my grandmother, Martha, praying it in mass.  Here's to hoping my mom finds it soon (moving across the world makes keeping track of things difficult!) and passes it on to me!

 Steven & I took our FOCCUS questionnaire to kick off our Pre Cana over Easter weekend, and one of the questions asked "do you think that you should be a practicing Catholic if you plan to marry in the Catholic church."  My answer was agree wholeheartedly!  So this is one way that I am choosing to practice and grow in my faith.

I would love to hear how you choose to do this in your own lives!

XO

skin-tastic!

Now I told yall I was obsessed with this new website I found...basically because it has awesome written all over it ...wellllllll

I can't wait to pamper my face all summer long with THESE!

My skin is in desperate need of therapy - something new - fresh - organic.  

What's your favorite skin care regimen?

Oh - speaking of skin!  Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to get back in that Florida sun (yes, the cancer fairies are just WAITING for me - I'll fend them off the best I can with loads of SPF 8000 to the max sunscreen - who knows maybe I'll just dip myself in zinc)  --- I digress.

In the meantime - Jergens Natural Glow Revitalizing Moisturizer is helping me cope with my glowing ivory skin juuuussstttt fine with no orangey glow!

I've never been a self-tanner person and this is just the perfect compromise for me.  Never too drastic and no streaks!   Something to consider ;-)

XO

mmmmm butter...of apples!

In my wedding-blog-planning/perusing stupor I stumbled across this site:

Our Best Bites

and got very excited :-)

I cannot WAIT to try this recipe for apple butter pork chops!  

Apple butter is one of my favorite things.  In the whole world.  Any time of year.  :-)  Steve loves it too...and pork....soooo I'm thinking this one's going to make both of us downright giddy!  I think the best part is that it's actually healthy.

I just found out I get to transfer back to Florida to finish my degree - couldn't be happier - and I think this meal will be the perfect way for us to celebrate :-)

Hope everyone had a great hump day - we're on the home stretch for the weekend!

XO

Going bananas!

Ice Cream.

Just thinking about it makes me feel unhealthy!  But luckily, Claire Robinson (of 5 Ingredient Fix) on the Food Network has solved my problem!!

Banana Ice Cream.

DO NOT turn your nose up at it!  I don't even really like bananas!  I would never just sit down, and have a banana.  Not my cup of tea.  HOWEVER:

When frozen with some pineapple and blended up with a little fat free organic milk, agave nectar, and vanilla?  OMG.  best substitute EVER.

It is light, airy, delicious, healthy...I could go on and on.

Her recipe is really just ripe bananas and she adds honey & peanut butter.  Haven't tried that but I'm sure it's great.  I don't eat peanut butter, I eat other nut butters - they're better for you.  Anyway - worth a try!

All I'm saying is, this recipe is fool proof.  I started with 3 bananas.  Estimated equal amounts of pineapple. Teaspoon of vanilla, and agave to taste.

I'm telling you, if you're trying to lose weight/eat healthier, and you have serious addictions to ice cream. TRY THIS!  The possibilities are limitless!  Plus, you could even eat your "ice cream" for breakfast - bananas are like a super food!  Plus they're one of the best foods you can eat before a work out: filling, and the potassium is good for preventing/relieving sore muscles.

(Next time I think I'll add some dark chocolate chips for an antioxidant punch! Chocolate covered banana anyone?!)

XO

Treats of all kinds :-)

Happy Easter!  I hope everyone has been having a wonderful Easter.  My Steve flew in yesterday and we spent the day just enjoying each other's company and then went to the vigil mass and then mass again this morning.  So nice :-)

We decided to come home and do a little baking, mini lemon meringue tartlets to be exact :-)

Easy as pie!

1.  pie crust

•   2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

•   1/4 cup sugar

•   1/4 teaspoon salt

•   8 ounces cold butter, diced into cubes

•   1/4 cup cold water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Put it all in a food processor and pulse away!  It is very dry here in Denver, so I had to add about 1/4 cup of ice water extra.  That's ok!  Just pulse until the dough pulls together into a ball in the bowl of the processor.  

Remove the dough and knead lightly.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for one hour.

I remembered to take SOME pictures!

Once your dough has rested, roll out on a floured surface (don't forget to flour the rolling pin!) 1/8-1/4 inch thick.  Cut with 3" round cookie cutter and line mini cupcake pans with the dough.  It's a pretty resiliant dough you don't have to be too delicate, you can always press cracks or tears back together.

I baked mine with ceramic pie weights in them so that they didn't puff up too much.  You could also use a fork to pierce the bottom and sides before baking (12-15 minutes).

Remove pie weights and allow to cool on rack.  

2. Fill with 1/4 tsp. of lemon curd.  I used store bought but if you're up for it you could certainly make your own!  This is an excellent recipe (it's way too much, but lemon curd is good on EVERYTHING!)

To make the meringue:

3. For the meringue, 4 large room-temperature egg whites,1/4 tsp of cream of tartar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt (I omitted this, but you can leave it in) in the bowl of an electric mixer (or with a hand mixer) fitted with the whisk attachment on high speed until frothy. With the mixer still running, slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and beat until the meringue is thick and shiny, about 2 minutes.

I got lucky and my man helped me ;-)  At least in the beginning!

We piped the meringue onto the tartlets (I am not very good at piping!)

And baked in a 425 degree oven for 3-5 minutes to brown and firm up the meringue!

Coco came in to check on things:

Hope yall love them as much as we do :-)

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Coping note of the day: dog training!

As many of you may know, my favorite furry friend Coco LOOKS really cute, but she is seriously lacking in the "training" department.  But only for fun stuff ;-)  Recently we've been trying to teach her to lay down and roll over.  Success!  Treats will get your dog to do a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g; reward training is especially useful with rescues..  Just make sure his/her nose follows the scent!

XO

Reason for the Season

Whew it has been a LONG time since I've been able to post on here!  I figured I'd be Easter-festive and write this post in purple pastel ;-)

I went to Rome & Sicily with my fiance to visit my mom.  Let's just talk about how incredible that was!

Then I got my butt handed to me by school!  The worst is over (I think...)

And then I got to see my good friend Lauren marry the nicest, sweetest, most handsome man (well, except for my man ;-) last weekend!

Oh my GOODNESS they're so cute, I could cry!

As a result, I've been wedding planning like even more of a crazy person -- IT'S SO MUCH FUN!  I just can't wait, but I'm savoring every moment, because this too is a journey, and I only plan on doing it once!

So now it is Good Friday.  I went to church and really spent some time thinking about everything I have to be thankful for.  In high school I was really active with my church, but in the last 6 years I hadn't been at all.   There are a number of reasons why I am so thankful that life led me to Denver, and one of them is bringing me back to God.  I really realized this today:  vindicating the cross at church today was such a powerful experience and I feel so much more at peace with myself and with Him.

On that note -- as Coco and I walked around the park this morning, I couldn't help but notice crosses everywhere I looked: street signs, shadows, even the way her ears stick out from her cute little head! There's something so special about Spring.  It's like a rebirth of the world after a long hard winter.  I am so thankful that God always allows us to renew:  to sprout new leaves and blossom.  There are so many beautiful reminders of this blessing in the spring time, and I've had it on my mind a LOT since the season has really gotten into full swing.  This is just such an incredible time of year.  Frankly, I'm glad Easter is coming so late this year, because I feel like the timing worked out perfectly for me to truly understand and appreciate God's hand in my day-to-day life.  

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For my final note (and coping tip of the day): I don't know if I'm the last person in the world to discover these:

soft sole heel liners

 but they're like less than $4 at DSW (even cheaper online) and I will NEVER wear heels again without them!  I have the boniest skinniest feet you ever saw and no size ever fits!  My feet are always either scrunched in, slipping out, or just moving all around giving me the worst blisters...if you're like me, consider buying these...and while you're at it, you might as well buy the pads for the balls of your feet too ;-)

All I'm saying is that I'm definitely giving these to all my bridesmaids for the wedding! ;-)

HAPPY EASTER!  And seriously, just because it's not Christmas doesn't mean you shouldn't also remember the reason for the season...I love dyeing eggs just as much as the next girl, but what we really need to be focused on is that Jesus died on the cross for our sins.  However, if you do have a sweet tooth, hop over to Carrie's blog: God, Grace, & Grits and I think she's posted a fantastic compromise.  I just love this girl, her blog, and this recipe!

XO