Monday, September 30, 2013

Cinnamon Buttercream-stuffed Carrot Muffins

So I moved apartments this weekend which is universally known as the worst thing to happen to a human in their lifetime.  However, it was my first time hiring professional movers and it made the task massively easier.  Although I felt like a dum-dum standing around while I watched people move my things.  But that's why I was paying them big bucks.  I was conflicted, is what I'm saying.  
It was also the reason there was no beauty post yesterday.  I had every intention of writing a post Sunday night and after assembling an entire kitchen table and 4 chairs, I just really needed to turn off my brain and eat some Popeyes.   And that I did.  Mmmmm, feelings.   

Monday, September 23, 2013

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Salted Caramel Frosting

Pumpkin pumpkin pumpkin!!!! I'm calling it guys: it's fall. It's been decided. I'm gonna bake exclusively with pumpkin and spices, I bought 857 pumpkin scented candles and you betta' believe I've pulled out the berry lipsticks. I'm just going to completely ignore the fact that it was 87 and humid in Chi-town a few days ago.
When I brought these Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Salted Caramel Frosting for my co-workers, people lost their dang minds.  Normally my friends are really receptive too all my treats but dang, you'd think these were hotcakes because they were "selling like hotcakes" except they weren't hotcakes and I wasn't selling them.  You get what I mean.  

Sunday, September 22, 2013

September Ipsy Glam Bag

Ipsy time guys!!  Woo hoo!  I'm beginning to wonder what I'm gonna do with all these makeup bags...  And speaking of which- this month's bag is cute!  Dark blue with a black floral-y lacy pattern.  Adorbz.
First up, Jcat Lipstick in Honeycrisp.  I think this retails for about $2.50 and reminds me a lot of a few NYX lipsticks I have.  The quality seems decent, nothing super special but it doesn't seem particularly drying.  However, I can't manage to pull off a nude lip if my life depended on it.  So unfortunately, this shade just won't work for me.  But if you're on a budget, I think this brand is a good option for your money.  
Elizabeth Mott It's So Big Mascara- Quite the cheeky name, no?  So I was fully expecting to dislike this mascara.  I can't even quite tell you why.  I think it's because I've never really heard of this brand and I assumed if it was any good, I would have heard of it by now.  Good news is, it's actually pretty great!  I mean,  it doesn't beat my L'Oreal Million Lashes Excess but it's pretty decent and it made some great length.  Bad news is, it retails for $19.99.  In my opinion, there are just far too many great drugstore mascaras that are as good or better than this that sell for half the price.  Save your money guys.  
NYX Eyeshadow in Charcoal- I always love me some NYX!  This eyeshadow is a dark grey with a slight sparkle and seeing as how I generally stay in the brown family for eyeshadow, I'm glad to get this shade so I can experiment with new looks in fall.  In terms of quality, this eyeshadow isn't quite as nice as some of my more expensive palettes but I think it's probably the best value for a drugstore brand.  The payoff is good and I never have a fallout problem.  Pretty pleased! 
Starlooks Eyeliner in Obsidian- Suupppper happy to see this!  I've been needing a new black eye pencil for quite a while but I kept putting off purchasing because I always want to buy more exciting things at Ulta.  I used this the other day and in regards to texture, it applies so easily and creamy.  It doesn't tug on the eye at all and it's a deeply pigmented black.  However, I found that it's certainly not long lasting in the waterline.  I've actually never found an eyeliner that stays in the waterline well so this was just par for the course for me.  All in all, I think it's great if you don't intend to use it much in the waterline.  
Freeman Face Masks-  I love love love these.  I already own about 4 or 5 Freeman face masks (the full size bottles) but I haven't tried any of these versions.  The thing about Freeman masks is, it's not like they're life changing.  If you're looking to totally rejuvenate your skin, that will likely take more investment than a $3.99 face mask.  But for me, I like these masks for a once or twice weekly pick-me-up.  Sometimes, my skin just looks dull and it needs a good sprucing-up.  For the price, I think these are awesome and I always have a few varieties at home.  

All in all, I really liked this bag.  There are probably a few products I wouldn't re-purchase, based mostly on price,  but the quality is good and I love trying new brands.

What did you think of this month's Ipsy Glam Bag?  

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Throwback Thursday


1.  I'm the one with the chin stitches.  And my face is 80% cheeks.  One of those things is still true today.  

2.  This pic and the story behind it are a family classic.  Sara, the toothless one, was running laps around the house (like, literally running laps.  Outside.) and face-planted on the sidewalk.  While we were waiting in the ER, I got out of the chair, my legs stuck to the leather of the chair seat because I was in shorts, and I crashed to the ground, splitting my chin open in the ER.  Thus, shorts are terrible.   
3.  This was the first of two times I split my chin open.  The second time happened when I was running inside and slipped but couldn't break my own fall because I was holding a big calculator.  I have a distinct memory of holding a washcloth to my chin, in the passenger seat, while my mom drove me to the hospital.  

4.  After getting stitches and seeing myself in the mirror for the first time, I thought I had a spider on my chin which is a reasonable assumption for a 3 year old so lay off! 

5.  I know one's eye tends to travel to Sara's toothless grin but if you shift your gaze slightly upward, you'll notice that Sara has definitely had a fresh bang trim.  Those babies are blunt and a solid one inch above the eyebrow.  Which is a weird length for bangs.  

6.  Also please notice the pretty hideous couch behind our heads.    

Monday, September 16, 2013

Salted Blackberry Swirl Brownies

I was gonna start off this post by saying that when cooler weather rolls around, it makes me crave brownies and other rich desserts.  But, like, what's my excuse all the other seasons of the year?  It's not like I avoid brownies in June or something.  So I'm just kind of a liar.  A little.  
But I'm not lying about these brownies being rich.  Just look at those things.  Practically like fudge.  So gooey and dense but with a beautiful crackly crust.  It's all about the crackly crust guys.  I tried a recipe the other day that PROMISED ME it was the best brownie recipe out there.  Guess what?  That dang crust didn't have no crackle.  Now who's the liar? THAT OTHER BLOGGER WHO SHALL REMAIN NAMELESS THAT'S WHO.  

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Beauty Wish List



Around this time of year, or any change in seasons really, I get so excited for new makeup.  When the weather changes, It just feels like a perfect time to try new lipsticks, eyeshadows and even hair color.  I've got quite a wish list racking up at this point.  These are basically all things that seem juuusstt outta my reach because I can't quite justify the price.  But I'm sorta an expert at justifying ridiculous purchases so it's probably just a matter of time.


1.  Lorac Pro Pallette


So preettyyy.  I've heard quite a bit about Lorac palettes and I've always considered buying a few but usually settled on something else.  This one really has me interested though.  It's gotten excellent reviews and I love that half the shades are matte.  Plus, all the shades seem wearable.  I hate the idea of buying a palette and only wearing 75% of the colors (which I'm guilty of doing).  But at $42 I just can't get myself to do it!  Someone convince me.  

I think the one beauty product that really alludes me is a great eyeshadow base.  I'd really like to think that I don't have especially oily eyelids but I'm starting to think that perhaps I do because no primers have really proved to be long-lasting for me.  I've been hearing a lot about the Nars Smudge-Proof Eyeshadow Base so it's high on my list.  At $24 it doesn't break the bank but I've just got a mental block stopping me from purchasing.  I have a feeling I'll cave soon because a good primer is worth the money if it makes eyeshadows stay longer and look more pigmented.  See, I'm good at justifying.

3.  Jo Malone Lime Basil Mandarin Perfume

Guys, this stuff is what dreams are made of (I hate that I'm ending that sentence in a preposition but I don't care enough to rephrase it).  I kept hearing Jo Malone mentioned a ton on a lot of YouTube channels and I had never heard of the brand before.  I went searching and found a counter at Nordstrom and fell in love with almost every scent.  They're all so impactful but still light and clean.  If I had to choose, I think I like the Lime Basil Mandarin the best.  However, at about $115 for a 3.4oz bottle, I just can't even consider biting the bullet.  I got a wedding to save for guys!  


    
Maybe I spoke too soon because I think this is the stuff dreams are made of.  Under normal circumstances, if I saw shampoo and conditioner selling for $50, I would laugh at the fools willing to pay that much.  But I happened to try some of this at a friend's house YEARS ago and I still think about the amazing hair day I had.  Complete strangers complimented my hair.  I don't know what is in this stuff but I would guess that it's unicorn tears and sunshine rays.  

5.  Buxom Lip Gloss




In the scheme of things, $19 is not much money.  But also in the scheme of things, lip gloss is not that important (I guess).  Before trying this gloss, I couldn't imagine what could make a gloss worth $19.  I have plenty great lip glosses from the drugstore for a fraction of the price.  Well I sampled it at Sephora and I have to say, the colors are beautiful, they're glossy and slightly sparkly, and they last for HOURS.  That's probably the biggest difference I noticed between Buxom and my drugstore go-to's.  I sampled this gloss at about noon and at 5pm, I still had color and shine on my lips.  But I work hard for my paycheck and I still can't quite part with my $19.  



So what's on your beauty wish list? 




Thursday, September 12, 2013

Honey Challah Bread

This is the good stuff.  Is there anything better than freshly baked bread?  No, there is not.  It's frightening how much bread I can consume when it's fresh out of the oven.  Would I gross you out if I said half a loaf?  Ok, then I won't say it.  It never happened.  
Except it did.  It soooooo did!  Now I can't say I'm a challah expert by any means so is it supposed to taste a little like Hawaiian Bread?  Cuz this did.  And it was ah-mah-zing.  Probz why I ate half a loaf?  Oh right, it never happened.  

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Throwback Thursday


1.  Thumbs up guys!! I'm the super cool girl with an enthusiastic thumb up.  I resorted to a thumbs up in about 40% of my pictures from the ages of 7-9 years old.  Seemed like a timeless gesture.    

2.  I'm also the girl with her jean shorts hiked waaayyyyyy up her torso.  Like, under my armpits.  As high as I could get them apparently.  This is why I don't wear jean shorts to this day.  It's genetically impossible for me to look good in them.  If left to my own devices I'll just give myself a wedgie and tuck my t-shirt into my shorts.  

3.  We're all sporting some incredibly chic Planet Hollywood t-shirts that we got in Chicago.  Roughly 45 mins from our home.  Exotic.  Nothing like being a tourist in your own city.  

4.  Poor Grace is nothing short of just being plain ignored in this picture.  She just popped her happy little face in the frame even though we were pretty much boxing her out.  

5.  I believe this picture was taken a few minutes after swimming because we all appear to have wet hair.  Too bad because this was PRIME TIME for Sara to be rockin' her signature 'do with a classic swooped 90's bang.  She had that look perfected.  So.much.hairpspray.  

6.  You can see my toe is slliightly curled up on my left foot.  That's because I loathed the feeling of that porch on my bare feet.  I get chills just thinking of it now.  

7.  The girl in the middle is my friend Katie.  We were all friends since birth and then we had a big falling out in junior high over a Backstreet Boys concert.  Incredibly mature.  

8.  But really, who let me tuck in my shirt?     

Monday, September 9, 2013

Cocoa Pebbles Peanut Butter Kix Krispies

So I'm ready to get down with some apple and pumpkin treats, like, yesterday but this weather in Chicago ain't having it.  It's supposed to be 97 degrees tomorrow.  Ninety- Seven Degrees guys.  What the what.  So I just haven't quite gotten into a fall mindset yet.  
And scorching heat is really what drove me to make these lil' beauties too.  I had a rooftop BBQ to attend and my original intention was to make some delectable cookies.  Of course, when the BBQ rolled around, it was a cloudless 95 degree day and I worried that me and the cookies would just wilt under the sun.  

Sunday, September 8, 2013

The Five Product Face

If you follow my blog at all, it's no secret that I like makeup.  Like, a lot.  So even my everyday makeup routine involves about 20 products and I love every minute of it.  However, I can appreciate the benefit of a quick "face" when you're short on time or traveling light.  So I've narrowed down a routine to 5 products (quite a feat for me) for those days when you just ain't got the time (and just don't care) BUT you still want to look polished.  Extra bonus, they're all drugstore products that are super affordable.  
First up, my fave NYX HD Photogenic Concealer.  When I need to be out the door quick, there's just no way I'll fiddle with foundation.  This concealer is light and easily blendable.  Use it on your spots and under eye circles and your skin is done! 
Can you tell I love NYX?  Next is the NYX Cream Blush in Orange.  Now, I know this color is bright in the pan but trust me when I say it's super blendable and incredibly natural.  It's just the perfect kind of pigmentation to add a little kick but nothing crazy.  I dare say it's my favorite blush.
Ah, Maybelline Color Tattoo, how do I love thee, let me count the ways.  Bad To The Bronze is just the perfect everyday shade that's natural enough to require almost no effort but impactful enough to wear totally on it's own.  This stuff is holy grail makeup material to me.  Give it a swipe on your lids and little into your crease and that's all the eyeshadow you need. 

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara- You can really just chose your favorite mascara here and swap it in but the idea is, mascara is a must.  Along with lipstick, mascara is a real "bang for your buck" product.  It wakes up your eyes and adds a little drama.  I like The Falsies for a bit more of a natural look but with added length.   
Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti- Yep, it's pretty much orange lipstick.  But, like, a coral-y orange.  And the great thing about the Revlon Lip Butters is that they apply sorta shear at first and you can build the color to your preference.  This, paired with the blush, is so complimentary and bold.  

What do ya' think?  Some bold colors in there but I promise it's not TOO bold.  

So what's your Five Product Face? 


Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Dunkaroos Ice Cream

Things are happeninnngg!!  I did it guys.  I bit the bullet and bought an ice cream maker!  I've been wanting one for SO LONG and I kept convincing myself that I didn't need it or I wouldn't use it.  Well take that, me!  I DID need it and I DO use it.  
           
It was some sort of divine intervention that got the wheels in motion, really.  I saw this recipe on How Sweet Eats and I decided enough was enough.  So I began Googling some prices (I have a KitchenAid mixer so I knew I just needed to buy the attachment) and, like an angel, Best Buy had a sale for $20 off the original price AND store pickup available that day.  By 6pm I was heading home with my new ice cream maker.  Doesn't that story just warm your heart?  Miracles really do happen.  
So then, of course, I was stuck with the impossible task of finding my very first ice cream recipe to make.  I wanted something a bit different and fun but I wasn't quite finding a recipe that spoke to me.  Then, for no reason at all, the idea of Dunkaroos Ice Cream popped in my head!  Truth be told, I've tried once to make a Dunkaroos-inspired dessert (a frozen cheesecake) that was less than successful.  So I've been determined to make something work since then.  And this worked SO HARD guys.  
Just layers and swirls of sweet Dunkaroos-style frosting and crunchy chewy animal cracker crust in vanilla ice cream.  Reserve some of that animal cracker crust for garnish (and snacking) and you've got yourself a dessert.  I'm sorry/You're welcome for doing this to you.        

Here's the recipe!  

Dunkaroos Ice Cream
makes about 2 quarts 

Ingredients
5 cups half and half 
1 cup sugar 
pinch of salt 
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons corn starch 

Frosting Swirl
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 
4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup Funfetti cake mix 
3/4 cup powdered sugar 
2 tablespoon multi-colored sprinkles 

Animal Cracker Crust 
1 cup crushed animal crackers 
3 tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 

Directions:
1.  First prepare the ice cream base.  Put 4 cups half and half, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over low heat.  Cook until mixture begins to steam.  In a small bowl, whisk together remaining 1 cup half and half with corn starch until no lumps remain.  Add mixture to saucepan and whisk to combine.  Cook, stirring, until mixture thickens and barely reaches a boil, about 5 mins.  Immediately reduce heat to low and cook additional 5 mins to thicken more.  Once finished, whisk in vanilla extract.  Allow ice cream base to cool completely and chill in the fridge.  
2.  Meanwhile, make the animal cracker crust.  Preheat oven to 350 and lightly spray an 8x8 pan with vegetable oil.  Combine crushed crackers, sugar, salt and melted butter in your baking pan.  Stir to moisten the crackers, until mixture resembles wet sand.   Press lightly into an even layer on the bottom of the pan.  Bake for 5-7 minutes until edges are golden brown.  Allow to cool, turn onto countertop, and crumble crust into sizes of your choice.  Set aside. 
3.  Next, make the frosting swirl.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 2 mins.  With the mixer on low, add the cake mix and stir to combine.  Slowly add powdered sugar until fully combined and mixture is fluffy like buttercream.  With a rubber spatula, fold in sprinkles.  
4.  Once your ice cream base in chilled, churn ice cream in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.  Once complete, begin scooping spoonfuls into your storage container and alternating dollops of frosting (I found using a piping back was easy), layers of ice cream, and layers of animal cracker crust.  I reserved about 1/3 of the crust for garnishing later.  After layering, do not swirl layers.  Chill about 6-8 hours until ice cream is set.  

Enjoy!  

Recipe adapted from New York Times

Sunday, September 1, 2013

August Beauty Favorites

Beauty faves time!!!  This is one of my favorite beauty posts to write because I could just gab about beauty products for hours and hours and hours (and hours and hours).  Let's get at it! 
Psssst!  Dry Shampoo- Fear not, my love affair with Batiste Dry Shampoo hasn't ended.  I actually happened to have a bottle of Psssst waiting in my medicine cabinet so as soon as I ran out of Batiste (which lasted FOREVER btw), I gave this a go.  Now, this one isn't colored so there's a definite white cast on the hair but it brushes out so easily that it's no big deal.  I've also found that there seems to be less build-up in my hair after using it, even for a few days in a row, so I'm totes in love.  
                        
L'Oreal True Match Powder in Deep Cool-   Yes, this color is WAY too dark for me as a regular face powder but, on Maskcara's recommendation, this is a perfect contouring powder!  I used to try contouring awhile back and eventually stopped because I didn't really like the powder I had and I probably wasn't using the right brush.  I've switched things up a bit this time and I contour every day now!  It takes about 30 seconds and I think it makes a huge difference.   
Almay Color + Care Liquid Lip Balm- This particular shade is Cantaloupe Cream but really, I could recommend them all.  This is probably my very first Almay purchase because I generally just don't find most of what they offer very intriguing.  However, EssieButton mentioned these a few times in videos and posts and something caught my eye.  I love the simple packaging, the price (they're about $5.99), and the shear wash of color.  I've worn this on its own and over lipsticks pretty much every day for two weeks.   
Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids in Brazen Berry- Admittedly, this looks a little bold in the tube!  However, it's such a fun bright purple-ish pink and goes well with a surprising number of looks.  This has really been one of my go-to shades the last month when I want to punch things up a bit.  And the formula for the Maybelline Color Sensational collection is really great and not drying.  
L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess- Well do I really need to say much more about this mascara?  It's still going strong as my top mascara and I luurrvveee it.  I'm sort of torn because I genuinely enjoy shopping for and trying new mascaras but I really don't see the point anymore after using this one.  There's gotta be a pretty strong case for a different mascara for me to try it at this point.  
Dove Invisible Solid Deodorant in Fresh- Seems sorta weird to call out a deodorant but I'm pretty pleased with this purchase.  I mostly just buy whatever the heck is on sale (which was the case with this too) so I guess I maaayyyy have just been using a lot of cheap deodorant before.  This stuff goes on smooth and smells soooooo good.  Not perfumey or flowery, just super clean and fresh.  
NYX HD Photogenic Concealer in Glow- Look familiar?  This is the same concealer from my June Favorites but it's a different shade.  I ran out of the original bottle so I went to buy another but they were out of Light.  I started looking around for a few other shades and realized that Light may have been to light for me all along.  Glow is a much better match for me and now I seriously love this stuff even more.  So affordable and effective.   
Revlon Photoready Powder in Light/Medium- I've had this powder for MONTHS and really started using it again out of necessity.  My Rimmel Stay Matte powder started to get slightly too light for me after some time in the sun so I gave this a shot again.  It's the perfect shade for me and it really does seem to blur the face a bit (in a good way) that just blends everything together.  The perfect finishing touch! 
Formula 10.0.6 So Totally Clean Deep Pore Cleanser and Pores Be Pure Mud Mask- Part of me feels like this line of products is maybe for tweens or something?  I don't know why I think that but it doesn't really matter because I love it anyway.  The Deep Pore Cleanser is an excellent spot treatment to stop blemishes on the horizon and the Mud Mask is awesome for clogged pores.  Not to mention, I always see this brand on sale at Ulta and I somehow bought these, plus two other products, on sale and with a coupon for under $8.  No clue how I did that.   
Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Coffee Cake -  Minus the entirely ridiculous product name and packaging on this, it's a reealllly awesome cream blush.  I know the color doesn't look like much in the picture but it's just an awesome warm brownish-pink shade that goes with practically everything.  Now that I know the beauty and splendor of cream blushes, I'm never going back!

What are your favorites this month?