Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Pizza=Romance!!

We got a Trader Joe's on Staten Island recently!!
I love love love LOVE Trader Joe's!!!

My boyfriend and I love to make pizza and TJ's has the best pizza dough! They also have fun gourmet foods that take your pizza from plain to awesome!! 



Pizza making can be a fun and romantic activity for a couple! <3 And if you can't agree on toppings (like my boyfriend and I), you can make more than one pizza! 
We made two.....Mine was prettier, obviously! 

MINE-garlic & herb pizza dough, mozzarella cheese, goat cheese, feta, and balsamic caramelized red onions
HIS-regular pizza dough, spinach, meatballs, and mozzarella cheese



When you make a pizza you can go for a classic or get creative! Anyway you make it, pizza is always a hit! And.....pizza is really good with BEER!



Saturday, January 14, 2012

Now we're cookin', bro!




Gift cards are an awesome holiday gift because it means that you can get whateva you want!!!

Mike and I received Barnes & Noble giftcards from my parents this year. Thanks Mom and Dad!! <3

So yesterday I picked up a copy of Nadia G's Cookin' For Trouble! She has the show on the Cooking Channel called Bitchin' Kitchen. If you have not seen it yet, check it out! So fun! 

I can't wait to start cooking some of these awesome recipes! Next week Mike and I are going to make red hot roasted chickpeas and bacon chocolate for a party we are attending!

~Kristin


P.S-Yes, I said bacon chocolate!

Monday, January 9, 2012

Do you DIY!?

I would really like to do more DIY projects!
There are a lot of fun and easy ways to amp up your accessories!
This is a hot look for heels!



Saturday, January 7, 2012

Hey good lookin'! What's going on when you're not cookin!?

When I'm not cooking....I'm beautifying myself!
Before cosmetology school I didn't know much about make up. I wore it but I didn't know how to intensify my look. It was boring!
I took some make up classes. Got some books. And I practiced!

A great book to check out is Linda Mason's Eye Candy! Some of the looks are a little....interesting!? But most are fun, wearable, and easy!




Here's an easy and "eye catching" look by me:




What you'll need:

  • 4 make up brushes (1edge liner brush, 1 flat liner brush, 1 medium eye shadow brush, and a medium powder brush)
  • 4 shades of eye shadow (Choose 1 color, for example Purple! You want three shades of purple-a medium shade as your base color, a light purple as a highlight, and a dark purple as your contour shade. You will also need a brown shade for your eye brows.)
  • Gel eye liner and mascara. 
  • Start with a freshly cleaned and moisturized face! An eye cream or a primer for your eyes will make the color last longer.
Step 1- Start with your medium eye shadow brush and gently dab your darkest eye shade (contour) into the outer corner of your eye creating a point.
Step 2- Using the same medium brush, gently dab in your base shade, from the outer corner and blend toward the inner corner of your eye.
Step 3-Wipe off excess color from your medium shadow brush with a cloth or tissue. Using the same brush, dab your lightest shade (highlight) above your eye crease. Focus on the area right under the arch of your eyebrow.
Step 4-Use your make up brush to help you control the shape of your design by angling your brush directly under your nose, up toward the outer corner of your eye.
Step 5- Once your shape has been established, use your flat liner brush and more of your contour shade to define the outer corner of the eye.
Step 6-Use your edge liner brush and your brown eye shadow shade to define your eyebrows. Always start in the inner corner and gently brush out toward the outer corner. Remember to choose a shade that is similar in hue to your hair color! Example: A blonde should use a light shade of brown. Not dark brown or black!
Step 7-Gently dab the tip of your flat liner brush into your gel eye liner. Be careful not to grab too much product! Less is more when it comes to gel liner!
Step 8-Gently tug on the outer corner of your eye with your finger. Remember not to tug too firmly! If so your liner will look sloppy and uneven! Start from the middle of your eye and smooth the gel liner towards the outer corner of the eye. Then start again from the inner corner and smooth the liner towards the middle. *This is a good trick I learned in one of those fancy make up classes and I'm giving it to you for free! Starting in the middle gives you more control and allows for a smother line.
Step 9-With your medium powder brush, gently brush fallen eye shadow away from under your eye, being careful not to smudge your masterpiece! A little extra pressed powder or powder foundation may be necessary in tricky situations!
Step 10-Using your mascara wand, careful push down on your lashes one time before moving upward. This ensures that the top of your lashes with get a boost in intensity as well, giving a more polished look!
Step 11- Carefully move the tip of your mascara wand from the outer corner of your lower lash line toward the center and then back again. The slower you move the mascara wand, the less likely you are to get clumps!



Now go show off those sexy eyes!!



Friday, January 6, 2012

I will challenge Paula Deen to a Quiche-Cook Off any day of the week!!! Bring it on sistah!



For those of you who don't know this story....

This past summer I started coupon-ing! And I must say I have become quite good at it! 
My boyfriend, being the great man that he is, tried to "help out" with the grocery shopping a few times. This usually resulted in a half purchased shopping list, missing coupons, and extreme bulk buys that would be more suited for a family of 10...not a couple in a small apartment! 

The most memorable of these extreme purchases was 10 cartons of eggs!!! Yes....10! 

I came home from work, opened the fridge, and screamed!!!! The eggs took up one entire shelf in our small refrigerator! I thought, "What the &%*# am I going to do with all of these eggs!?!?" and then it hit me......QUICHE!!!! 

I started researching some recipes. I made several different kinds of quiche and I was giving then away like puppies!! What I discovered is that quiche is actually very easy to make. And it makes people happy! Show up to any party with a quiche and people will love you! I should know...I did it all summer! 

Here are some of my favorites, as well a review I posted for a Paula Deen recipe that I hijacked and made my own. Enjoy! 



Lobster, Gruyere & Dill Quiche
(Makes 2 quiche)
  • 6 eggs
  • 1/2 lb. of lobster (fresh Maine lobster, if you can get it!)
  • 1 package of fresh dill (from the produce department)
  • 1/2 lb. of Gruyere cheese, cut into small cubes
  • 1 cup of low fat cottage cheese
  • 2 deep dish pie crusts (I use the ones in the frozen section and they work just fine!) 
Preheat oven to 375°
Beat eggs, then combine with cottage cheese and dill.
In crusts place a layer of Gruyere cheese, then lobster, then cheese again.
Add egg, dill and cottage cheese mixture to crusts. 
Bake for 30-40 mins.
Bring to a party! And enjoy!


Ham, Spinach & Swiss Quiche
(Makes 2 quiche)
  • 6 eggs
  • 1/2 cup of unsweetened, unflavored almond milk (or any kind of milk that you would like to use!)
  • 1 cup of cottage cheese 
  • 1 can of low sodium spinach, drained
  • 1/2 lb. of low sodium ham, cut into cubes (You can get this at your local deli!) 
  • 1 cup of low fat Swiss cheese, sliced in to small pieces or cubes
  • 2 deep dish pie crusts
Preheat oven to 375°
Beat eggs, then combine with cottage cheese, and milk.
Place a layer of Swiss cheese, spinach, ham, and cheese again. 
Add egg and cottage cheese mixture to crusts. 
Bake for 30-40 mins. 
Yum!!!





I'm back!
And this time I am turning this blog into a food and beauty blog for my family, friends, and fellow kitchen beauticians!
Feel free to share your stories and recipes! :-)


~Kristin