Recipe Gurl's Non-Recipe Top 5

So I decided to branch out of my comfort zone and write about my top 5 favorite beauty products. They are five things I can’t live without so I just had to share them with everybody.  Enjoy!

NUMBER FIVE:

Benefit Powderflage

I don’t know if anyone else has this problem, but I have tried a zillion different under eye concealers and they all seem to cake under my eye and never look smooth. So I have discovered this amazing product. No matter what eye concealer you use, you just brush a little bit of this powderflage over it and it smoothes your concealer out and brightens up your under eye area.

NUMBER FOUR:

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

This stuff is amazing. Whenever I get a manicure in a salon I always bring it with me and put it on top right before I leave, because even the stuff they use in the salon isn’t even as good as this stuff. By the time you’re finished putting it on all 10 of your fingers they will be dry, seriously. I want to be a Seche Vite sales rep and sell this product to all of the nail salons in my area, I would make a killing.

NUMBER THREE:

Meaningful Beauty Products

So I’m going out on a limb with this one just a bit. So I used to use Proactiv to keep my acne at bay, but now that I’m pushing 30 I feel like it’s time to switch over from the adult acne control products and move on to the preventative aging products. I just started using these products a week ago, but so far, most of the claims they have made on their infomercial (yes, I found saw this on an infomercial, but that’s how Proactiv started, and anyone who has ever has acne and tried it, knows it works!) and their website are true. My skin really does feel tighter and it just has an all over glow to it. I said I was going out on a little bit of a limb just because I’ve only been using it for a week, buuut so far so good, I might do a Meaningful Beauty update in a couple months…

NUMBER TWO:

Too Faced Leopard Love Complexion Perfection

I was skeptical of this product when I first bought it just because it seemed like everything was so shimmery, and I don’t really like the shimmery makeup look, I like the more natural makeup look. I was pleasantly surprised that it does really perfect your complexion and gives you a natural look, the key is to not have a heavy hand with any of the colors. Plus, I love Too Faced products because they always give you directions with pictures, and diagrams to spell out for you exactly where to put each shade. And not to mention the compact is really cute, and lasts a while. I bought this in the beginning of April and still don’t need a new one.

NUMBER ONE

Big Sexy Hair Volumizing Dry Shampoo

This is my number one, absolute, can’t live without, favorite beauty product. If I was stuck on a stranded island or was unable to shower for days, this would be the one product I would have to have. One spritz on your roots takes away any grease and gives your hair volume. For those of you who are fans of not washing your hair everyday, this is the product for you. I would also recommend carrying around a bottle in your purse for long nights out when you need to freshen up. This stuff makes you feel fresh and look like you have just washed you hair, even if you haven’t done a thing to it in days.

Cheap and Easy Weeknight Dinner

Source

So I’m always in search of healthy, quick, and cheap dinners to make on the weeknights. I was wandering aimlessly in Target’s grocery aisles yesterday with no cooking inspiration what so ever. I was on the verge of just leaving and picking up Chinese or Mexican, or some other sodium loaded, bloat-filled meal on my way home instead of cooking…then, all of a sudden I happened upon these lovely gems Rotel Diced Tomatoes with Lime Juice and Cilantro and picked up two cans. Then I proceeded to get a can of black beans, and some frozen corn. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it all, but I knew I could figure something out. So when I got home and searched through my pantry I pulled out some brown rice and whipped up a hodgepodge one pot dish that actually turned out really good. The fiancé even commented several times about how good it was, which is surprising considering it’s super healthy (brown rice + black beans = tons of fiber) and meatless. So anytime you’re looking for something super quick and easy, this is your dish.  I popped it in the oven, went on a run, and when I came back dinner was ready, what more could a girl ask for?  Enjoy!

Recipe Gurl’s Delish Rotel Creation:

Ingredients:

2 cups brown rice

2 cans of Rotel Diced Tomatoes with Lime Juice and Cilantro

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

Frozen Corn (use the empty Rotel can to measure out a can and a half of corn)

1 ½ cups water

Optional (but Recipe Gurl recommended) toppings:

Light sour cream

Reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese

Chopped avocado sprinkled with lime juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Please all ingredients in a 13x9 casserole dish and mix together.

Place casserole dish in the oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes stir the dish up, see if the dish looks dry or not (if it does add a touch more of water so that the rice can finish cooking). Set the cooking time for another 20-25 minutes. If rice still needs more cooking time, leave it in for a little longer. Keep testing the rice to see whether or not it seems to be cooking and gauge oven temp and amount of water in the dish.

Top the dish with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Tip: If you wanted to add more protein to the dish you could always incorporate shredded pieces from a rotisserie chicken and just mix it in the dish before baking.

Recipe Gurl's Must Try Scallop Dish

So, I’ve never been good at cooking scallops in the pan, they always come out tough and rubbery. I always end up disappointed because I love getting scallop dishes in restaurants, but can never successfully cook them at home. So when I saw this recipe for BAKING scallops I had to try it. This was soo easy and the scallops came out perfectly. To make the dish more figure friendly, I swapped out butter for Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread made with Extra Virgin Olive Oil http://www.smartbalance.com/products/buttery-spread/smart-balance-light-buttery-spread-made-extra-virgin-olive-oil  This is a great dish for company or a date night because it looks and tastes impressive, but takes no time at all. Add a salad, crusty bread, and white wine, and you have yourself a simple yet fancy meal!

Source

Ingredients

• 2 lbs scallops (about 4 cups)
• 1 cup dry white wine
• Salt
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, separated 3 Tbsp and 3 Tbsp
• 1 medium onion, chopped fine
• 2 1/2 Tbsp flour
• 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs

Method

1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Place scallops in a medium sauté pan. Add the wine and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and simmer for 4 minutes. No longer. Remove the scallops to a 1.5 quart casserole baking dish. Pour off the cooking liquid to a separate container and reserve.
2 Heat 3 Tbsp butter in the sauté pan on medium heat. Add the onions and cook until wilted, a couple minutes.
3 Slowly sprinkle the flour and add the cooking liquid over the butter onion mixture, whisking vigorously while you do so. As soon as the sauce is thickened, add it to the scallops in the casserole baking dish. Stir to fully incorporate the scallops into the sauce.
4 Sprinkle bread crumbs over the scallops and dot with the remaining 3 Tbsp butter. Bake in the oven at 400°F until bubbly and brown, approximately 15 minutes.
Serves 6. Serve with lemon slices.

You can also find the recipe here: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/baked_scallops/

Blog Face-Lift!

As you can see, my little blog got a very much-needed "face-lift". These large gray and white stripes with the turquoise title are simple, chic and very 'me'.  I want to send out a HUGE thank you to Elizabeth from The Mustard Ceiling for designing the template and being so accommodating.  If you haven't seen her blog - then you must check it out as it's one of my absolute faves.  Not only does she have amazing interior design taste and advice but she also has great blog-design services (obviously).  Just take a look at one of her fabulous Design Boards:



Source



Since we're on the topic of bloggers I love - I have to throw a shout-out to 6th Street Design School by Kirsten Krason.  I mentioned her in my previous Blog about my Latest Obsessions.  I emailed her to tell her that she was one of my faves and that I had added her to my "Blogs I Adore" sidebar.  She wrote back right away with a super sweet email (which made me love her even more) and then proceeded to graciously add me to her "Blog Roll"!   

I love seeing how wonderful and helpful fellow-bloggers can be.  It makes all of this so worth-while. 

So thank you again Elizabeth and Kirsten - you girls are the BEST!!!

xoxo-

Amanda

Latest Obsessions

So it's been awhile since I've posted anything.  Frankly, I've been far too busy online shopping and stalking other blogs to work on my own!  The plus side of my hiatus is that I have found new blogs and shopping websites that I can no longer live without.  Here are my latest obsessions:


1.  Homedecorators.com - Um, excuse me - where has this website been my whole life?!  I've always loved  Overstock.com for finding great buys for the home - but this website takes online bargain shopping to a whole new chic level.  Here are just a few delicious items I have to have:

Reflections Lyre Cabinet

This little gem is a part of the "Reflections" Collection that has the most gorgeous pieces for the home and are all under $600!  I plan on scooping this cabinet up for my family room in lieu of the norm Entertainment Center.  Since the wall where my TV lives is so large, I plan on flanking both sides of the cabinet with two of these bookshelves from the same collection:

Reflections Cabinet

I also fell in love with this ornate mirror I plan on using in my entry-way.  

Louis Mirror

There are so many things I could post from homedecorators.com but I'd rather you take a look for yourself.  The website really does have something for everyone's style and budget.  


2.  6th Street Design School by Kirsten Krason.  If a blog could be my soulmate, this blog would be it.  It's as if this Utah-based Interior Designer has a direct tap into my brain, heart, soul and design aesthetic.  I stumbled across this design board on my other love, Pinterest and it was love at first sight:  

I am using the above Design Board for my Family Room Inspiration.  Can't you envision the White Reflections Cabinet and Bookshelves amidst this gray and turquoise perfection?  I may swap out the insect pillows for more chevron pillows - but I still love the entire concept.  Here's another one of her design boards I absolutely could die for:

3.  Iomoi.com - Okay so everyone who knows me, knows I have a sick addiction to stationary and paper products.  I also have an addiction to anything with an asian flare and elephants (random, I know).  So you mix all three of those items and it's a match made in heaven.  Here are just a few of the items I can't live without:

How Cute is this Return Address Label??

Lucite Stationary Box for my Office?  Yes Please!

Cutest.Stationary.Ever.

Seriously, I can't even stand how stinkin' cute this stuff is.  So friends and family - prepare yourself for getting random notes and snail mail from me just so I have an excuse to buy all of these items!

Are there any blogs and or websites that have you been stalking lately?  If so, let me know!

Recipe Gurl's 'Go-To' Recipes

So everyone has those few recipes that you make over and over again because you just know you can always count on it to be easy and delicious.  I asked my BF, Recipe Gurl, to share hers with us.  Here are her fave 'Go-To' Recipes:

1.  Salmon Filets over Couscous



Foodnetwork.com



Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 4 (4-ounce) pieces salmon
• Lime
• House Seasoning, recipe follows
• Butter
• Couscous, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Add a drizzle of olive oil to glass pan and place the salmon. Squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the top of the salmon and sprinkle with the House Seasoning. Top with pads of butter. Wrap in the foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve on a bed of couscous.

House Seasoning:

1 cup salt

1/4 cup black pepper

1/4 cup garlic powder

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Couscous:

2 1/4 cups water or chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons butter

10 ounces couscous

1 cup diced tomatoes

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup green onions

Combine water or chicken stock, salt and butter in a saucepan, over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir in couscous. Add diced tomatoes, crumbled feta, and green onions. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

Uncover, fluff with a fork, and serve hot or cold.

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ease of preparation: easy

2.  Roasted Tilapia with Roasted Pototoes and Lemon



realsimple.com



Ingredients

• 1 pound baby potatoes (about 12), halved
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
• 4 6-ounce skinless tilapia fillets
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes, lemon, thyme, 2 tablespoons oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer.
3. Roast, tossing once, until the potatoes begin to soften, about 20 minutes.
4. Toss the olives with the potato mixture; nestle the fish in it. Drizzle the fish with the remaining oil and season with paprika and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
5. Continue to roast until the potatoes are golden brown and crisp and the fish is opaque throughout, 12 to 15 minutes.

3.  Honey Chicken Skewers with Grilled Corn Salad



realsimple.com



Ingredients

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• kosher salt and pepper
• Canola oil, for the grill
• 6 ears corn, shucked
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 scallions, sliced

Directions

• Place twenty 8-inch wooden skewers in water to soak. Heat grill to medium-high.
• In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, honey, and Worcestershire sauce. Set aside.
• Slice the chicken lengthwise into twenty ½-inch-thick strips. Thread each strip onto a wooden skewer. Season with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
• Lightly oil the grill. Cook the chicken, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes, basting with the ketchup mixture during the last 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, grill the corn, turning occasionally, until slightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Cut the kernels off the cobs, place in a medium bowl, and toss with the butter, scallions, and ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper. Serve with the chicken.

4.  Chicken Broccoli Couscous



Rachel Ray Magazine



Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• Salt and pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth
• One 10-ounce box couscous
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 head broccoli, broken into small florets
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Toast nuts in a 350° oven until fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes.

 

Directions:

 

• In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, add to the pan and cook, turning once, until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a work surface, let cool, then shred; reserve the skillet.
• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring 2 cups chicken broth and 1 tablespoon olive oil to a boil; season with salt and pepper. Add the couscous, cover and remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
• In the reserved skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli and the remaining 1 cup chicken broth and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken, raisins, parsley and couscous; season with salt and pepper. Toss with the almonds before serving.

**Recipe Gurl Tip:  Cut down on time by using Rotiserrie Chicken instead!!**

5.  Chicken Caesar Burgers with Parmigiano Taters

Ingredients

• For the taters:
• 1 sack frozen tater tots, waffle fries or your favorite frozen tater, any brand
• A couple of handfuls of grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Romano cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves removed and chopped
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon grill seasoning (eyeball it)

• For the dipping sauce:
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1/2 small onion, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• For the burgers:
• 1 1/4 pounds ground chicken breast, the average weight of 1 package
• 3 garlic cloves, 2 finely chopped, 1 cracked from skin
• 4 anchovies, finely chopped (optional – but recommended)
• A handful of Parmigiano Reggiano
• Salt and coarse black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• A handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest plus juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus some for drizzling
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 heart romaine lettuce, chopped
• 2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 4 crusty rolls, split in half

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Start the taters: Combine Parmigiano, salt, rosemary, hot pepper flakes and grill seasoning in a bowl. Pour four portions of taters onto a non-stick cookie sheet. Bake until almost crisp (about halfway through the cooking time on the package), then remove and sprinkle them with a handful of the cheese, tossing them a little to make sure they're coated, and then finish baking them off. Sprinkle them with cheese and herb mixture, tossing them around a bit so the mixture sticks. As the frost starts to melt, the flavorings will set into place.
• Make the dipping sauce: Heat EVOO in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add grated onion (onion can be grated right over the pot) and garlic, and cook 1-2 minutes. Add tomatoes, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, for 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve.
• While the sauce is working, prepare the burgers: In a bowl, combine the chicken, finely chopped garlic, anchovies, a handful of cheese, a pinch of salt and a generous amount of pepper, Worcestershire, parsley and lemon zest. Mix the meat and form 4 oval-shaped, rather than round, burger patties.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet with 1 tablespoon of EVOO, a turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chicken patties and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side.
• Preheat the broiler and toast the bread on a cookie sheet or broiler pan. Once lightly golden in color, remove from oven and rub the breads with cracked garlic. Drizzle bread with the EVOO.
• Combine Dijon, lemon juice and 2-3 tablespoons of EVOO with salt and pepper, and toss the greens with it.
• Place the patties on the bun bottoms and top them with a pile of romaine, sliced tomatoes and bun tops. Serve the burgers with the Parmigiano taters and a bowl with the dipping sauce alongside.

What are your "Go-To" Recipes??  I'll be posting mine after this weekend! 

My Top Five of the Moment

I've actually been meaning to write this for awhile, but since I'm so fickle about everything, I wanted to make sure I continued to love the following items for a whole month just to be on the safe side...and I do...so here we go...

1.  Smashbox Softbox Eye Palette (Limited Edition)- I wear this every.single.day.  The colors range from soft vanilla and peach to smokey gray to deep bronze.  I wear the nude and peach colors during the day for a natural look and then at night switch to the bronze and pewter colors.  The palette even comes with an amazing duel-ended brush and two cream eyeliner/shadows AND Smasbox's famous eye-primer.  Not to mention, it includes photo How-To Guides on creating certain looks - fool proof!!  The primer makes my shadow and liner last all day but the shadow is such good quality, it lasts even when I forget the primer.  This is a summer must-have!  The pic below is from Sephora since they are featuring the palette at a special price of only $48 and again - it's limited edition, so I recommend scooping this up asap!



2.  Aveeno Nourish and Condition Leave-In Conditioner - Again, I put this on my hair every.single.day.  I am desperately trying to grow out my thin, frizzy hair that NEVER seems to get past my shoulders.  I think the main reason is that when it gets to a certain length, the ends become extremely brittle and dry so I end up getting frustrated and chopping it off again. But since using this product, I have seen a huge difference in the texture of my hair.  There's nothing in it that makes hair grow, it just makes the ends of my hair silkier and prevents breakage so that it looks great while growing out.  With the help of this product, I have finally left my hair alone and it's longer than it's ever been!  Even if you aren't growing your hair out, this product is still great on any length hair to help with damage with my REDcard but you can get it anywhere from the grocery store to Walmart.

3.  Target's Mossimo Cotton Tanks - So I am always on the never-ending search for the perfect tank.  It needs to be the perfect length, the perfect strap-width, the perfect fabric...and even though I'm this picky about it, I'm still not willing to spend a ton of money on it...because after all, it is still just a tank.  So I am so happy to report that I have finally found the perfect tank and it was under my nose at Target the entire time!  The Mossimo long and lean tanks are super soft cotton, with medium width straps, the perfect length and only $8...yes, $8.  They come in every color and I seriously never want to take them off.  I wear them underneath a cardigan for work, or by itself on the weekend.  My never-ending search has finally come to an end.

4.  Pinterest.com - I probably should have made this Number 1 on my list, even though this list is in no particular order...but I am seriously obsessed with this new website.  For years now I have been trying to keep ideas, pictures, recipes, etc...that I like all together somehow.  I even tried making a 'scrapbook' of sorts that held photos and magazine pages I ripped out with things I wanted to keep and remember for future reference.  Why does that never seem to work?  Nor does it work to save files in my email or bookmark them on my internet browser because things are still spread out all over the place and impossible to find again.  Finally, some genius has created pinterest.com where you can create 'Clipboards' to house all things you love.  You do this by 'pinning' photos or websites you want to keep onto your designated Clipboard.  I find myself going there every single day to look at the photos of decor, style, makeup, recipes, etc...whether I need an outfit inspiration or idea for what to cook that night.  You can also browse other people's Clipboards and 'follow' them if you really like what they are 'pinning'.  It's hard to explain - but go check it out and I swear you'll become addicted too.  Check out my Boards and start pinning!  Since I will be decorating my soon-to-be office, here is a pic I found that will serve as my inspiration.  I have it pinned on my 'Decor' Clipboard:

5.  Paul Newman's Frozen White Pizza - I would like to say that my boyf and I are what you could call 'frozen pizza connoisseurs'.  We turn to this delectable dish when we're in a hurry or just too lazy to make a real dinner.  I know it doesn't seem hard to find a good frozen pizza when there are hundreds upon hundreds of brands, styles and flavors to choose from, but as a connoisseur, I can tell you that it is.  Or so I thought until I tried Paul Newman's White Pizza.  It's made with feta instead of ricotta that gives just the perfect flavor along side the 'not-frozen' tasting spinach...Mmmmm...it is pure heaven.  I can literally eat the entire thing myself.  And did you know that all proceeds from any product Paul Newman makes goes to Charity?  How can you resist?  We actually buy alot of his products - anything from salsa to cereal and they are all worth trying.