Zucchini Fritters

I feel like Zucchini is the forgotten vegetable. I mean, honestly, how often do you hear "Can I have my steak with a side of zucchini?" Exactly. 

But we should remember the zucchini, because when it is utilized correctly, it can create the most wonderful dishes. Also, it's a vegetable so it's obviously healthy (let's entirely forget that it is covered in flour and fried). 

What You'll Need for Approximately 10 Fritters: 

- 3 medium zucchini, grated 

- 1 large egg

- 1/2 cup of flour, sifted

- 1/2 tsp of cornstarch or baking powder

- 1/4 tsp of kosher salt

- Pepper to taste 

- 3 tbs of chopped chives, divided 

What to do: 

- Grate the zucchini and set into a colander with the salt, allow to stand for 10 min. 

- Drain the zucchini in a kitchen towel, add more salt to taste. 

- Combine the egg, flour, baking powder and chives, with the zucchini.

- Season to taste and mix together. 

- On a medium high heat, heat up olive oil and drop spoonfuls of the zucchini mixture into the preheated pan, flatten and allow to brown on one side. 

- Let cook for approximately 2 min per side, take off the heat and drain the excess oil off with a paper towel. 

- Serve with a mixture of cool greek yogurt and sour cream. Top with chives and enjoy. 

Click Here for Printable Recipe!

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Lorac Pro Palette 2! Swatches and First Impressions

Hello Beautiful. 

Lorac has very quickly become on of my top brands to reach for on a daily. In fact, the original Lorac Pro Palette is currently in my eyeshadow drawer (yes, I have a drawer just for eyeshadow, contain your surprise) and on its last leg. 

Lorac is known for some incredibly smooth and silky eyeshadows, their first Pro Palette and the Pro To Go are huge sellers, and I expect this palette to be as well. 

A few points of about this Palette: 

- It is currently only available on Ulta Online, it will be in stores beginning on the 29th of June. 

- There are 16 colors in total, 8 matte and 8 shimmery. 

- Lorac Pro 2 comes with a mini Behind The Scenes Eye Primer (which I most definitely recommend to use with these and other eyeshadows). 

I stayed up and ordered it at midnight, the night it came out. Because I'm an adult and I can. :)

- The stand outs: shimmery Jade, a dark green that comes off much darker on skin than it does in the pan, also the matte Plum and Navy, highly pigmented and so so buttery!

- Swatches below are applied with no primer or base and only one swipe of each color to show just how pigmented these babies are, totally worth the price tag. (Excuse the translucent skin, but I couldn't wait to swatch this palette).

Matte Colors:  Black, Charcoal, Navy, Plum, Nectar, Cool Gray, Lt Brown, Buff

We all know that shimmery shades almost always come with a ton of fall out. Not so with Lorac, they go on smoothly, with minimal fall out and really strong pigmentation. (They were also extremely difficult to wipe off my arm with a face wipe)

Shimmery Colors: Cocoa, Jade, Silver, Chrome, Mocha, Rosé, Beige, Snow

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Mint and Lemon Iced Tea

It's hot, it's humid, it's time for steaks, BBQs and cold drinks. This particular Iced Tea is one of my favorites, the mint adds a really refreshing taste and the lemon adds a light, citrusy flavor. 

What You'll Need :

- One Large Teabag (I used this one from Cracker Barrel)

- 50 oz of boiling water 

- 1/2 lemon, sliced

- Large handful of mint 

- 1.5 tbs honey (optional)

What To Do: 

- Wash the fresh mint thoroughly (especially if you grow your own, which I recommend).

- Slice lemon and remove the seeds. 

- Pour boiling water over Mint, lemon and the tea bag. 

- Cover with a towel and allow to infuse for 5-10 min, depending on how strong you want your tea to be. 

- Remove mint, lemon and tea bag and discard. Stir in honey if you want some added sweetness! 

- Quick Tip: Run your tea through a fine strainer if any lemon pulp or seeds escaped during the process. 

- Allow to cool down at room temperature before placing in the fridge. Let cool and serve over ice! 

Print Full Recipe Here!

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Product Rave: Maybelline Volum' Express Falsies Big Eyes Mascara

I don't repurchase Mascara. I just don't. With the amount of new and fantastic Mascaras coming out on a daily basis, from drug store to high end, why would I ever concentrate on just one? 

My extensive, and well documented, obsession. I will not apologize.

Well, this Mascara made me into a huge hypocrite.

As mentioned in a previous post (or two), there is a lot to look for in a Mascara. Is the formula wet or dry? Does it flake over time? What's the color pay off? How long will it last on my bottom lashes before I'm in the bathroom maneuvering a q-tip and trying not to look like a sad raccoon? 

This particular lash potion (it has earned that monicker) kind of blew me away. I saw it in commercials, as one does, and all over YouTube, but with the amount of sponsored videos, I was a bit skeptical. 

Also, doesn't every brand now have a version of the double ended mascara? "Two brushes for the price of one!" Given, the first brush is usually a primer mascara. 

So, let's discuss why this particular mascara forced me back into addiction. 

Brush: There are two brushes, one typical brush for the top lashes and the smaller/shorter brush to get the bottom lashes. The bottom brush is, in my opinion, what makes this product so special. Because when you're done using it on the bottom lashes, you can catch every tiny, impossible lash in the inner corners. 

Color Payoff: So it comes in 3 different colors; Very Black, Blackest Black and Brownish Black. I've used the Very Black and the Brownish Black, I can't honestly see a major difference, the Brownish shade is a bit softer and the Very Black is a very visibly black mascara. Now, it's no where near as striking as the Dior Show in Catwalk Black, but the color is definitely present. 

Chance of Raccoon Eyes: In all the time I've worn this mascara (read: every day) I haven't noticed it flaking at all. Sure, if it's the end of an 18 hour wear and you're rubbing at your dry contacts, it may flake or smear, but it is incredibly resistant. 

Price:  Maybelline is not exactly a very self aware company, and we should all be quiet and thank them for it. At times, they produce some seriously effective products at some of the cheapest prices in the drug store. Price ranges from $5-7, or cheaper if you find it on sale. 

This mascara (can we count how many times I've used that word?) is well worth double its selling price and perfect for both beginners and weathered pros. 

  

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Lorac Pro Palette 2, Out on June 15th!

Get your wallets ready, ladies! The Lorac Pro Pallete is coming out, exclusively to Ulta, on June 15th online and on the 29th in stores. Consider this a public service announcement ;).

Picture courtesy of Michelle Phan. 

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Pear and Prosciutto Crostini w/ Whipped Thyme Goat Cheese

Look, let's be honest, when bread and cheese are involved, it's almost always going to be a tasty concoction. However, there is FRUIT in this, so it has to be good for you, right? It's perfectly okay to eat half a loaf of a french baguette as long as you throw some fruit and protein on it (or so I told myself when I ate half of the appetizers I was going to serve to friends). 

These adorable, and delicious, little appetizers are perfect for parties, BBQs and get togethers. 

They're also fantastic as a starter for a romantic dinner, served with a bottle glass of wine ;).

What You'll Need to Comfortably serve 6:

- 1 french baguette (or Italian, I'm not picky)
- 1 pear, deseeded and thinly sliced (I used D'Anjou)
- 1 cup of Whipped Thyme Goat Cheese
- 6-8 oz of thinly sliced prosciutto (smoked is fine too)
 - 1 tbs Olive Oil

 What To Do:

- Slice your baguette and spread on a baking sheet, brush with olive oil and bake at 375F for 5-10 min, flip once.

- Allow to cool partially and spread a thin layer of the Whipped Goat Cheese onto the toasted slices.

- Top with ripped prosciutto and sliced pears, serve with your choice of red or white wine!

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