Mushroom Risotto

Before I ever made Risotto, all I heard was how intense and difficult the process was. Once I made it, i had no idea what those people were talking about. Don't get me wrong, this isn't like throwing water and rice in a pot and walking away, but it most certainly is not difficult. The main thing about Risotto is being prepared, especially if you've never made it! All your ingredients should be chopped, warmed up and ready to cook before the rice ever touches the pan.

Now, to be honest, I used a non stick pan and would probably recommend a stainless steel one. Risotto is cooked "low and slow." Low heat, lots of stirring and patience will allow you to create something totally amazing, even if your experience in the kitchen extends no further than microwave Mac and Cheese, I promise!

What you'll need: 

- 1 cup Arborio (or any short grain rice).

- 3 cups chicken broth (used Vegetable if going for vegetarian option). Reserve an extra 1/2 cup in case you need it. 

- 1/2 cup of white wine

- 2 shallots, diced

- 3 garlic cloves, minced

- 1 medium onion, diced

- 1lb Crimini mushrooms, diced 

- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped

- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

- 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese (get the good stuff)

 - 3 tablespoons butter

What to do: 

- Heat the Chicken Broth in a sauce pan, and keep warm over a low heat.

- Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a pan, add in half your shallots, onions and garlic. 

- Over a medium high heat, stir until the onions turn translucent, about 5 minutes.

- Add in your mushrooms and allow to cook until browned. Stirring frequently.

- Season with salt and pepper and half of the herbs, cook through for 1 minute. 

- Set aside. 

- Heat a pan (the same one is recommended) on medium high heat.

- Add in oil, remaining butter, onion, garlic and shallots. 

- Cook through until translucent, about 5 min.

- Add the rice and stir quickly to coat with oil, allow to toast for about 1-2 minutes. 

- Add in the 1/2 cup of wine and allow the rice to cook through and absorb.

- With a ladle, add in 1 cup of the broth and stir until it has absorbed fully into the rice.

- Continue to do this until all of the broth has been absorbed. This should leave your rice creamy and ever so slightly firm. 

- Stir in your mushroom mixture, with the Parmesan cheese. 

- Sprinkle with the rest of the herbs and serve straight off the pan. 

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Caprese Salad with Kale and Walnut Pesto

I'll be honest, I bought too much Kale. But I wasn't about to let it go to waste! So, I made more pesto and used it over one of my absolute favorite fresh salads. As I mentioned in my last post, if you're adamant against using Kale, make Pesto with the typical ingredients of pine nuts and basil. 

What you'll need: 

- 1/2 serving of Kale and Walnut Pesto

- 4-5 pieces of fresh basil

- 8 oz. small mozzarella balls (bocconcini or pearline)

- 5-7 baby tomatoes 

- Parmesan Cheese (optional) 

What to do: 

- Slice the baby tomatoes and mozzarella in half, combine in a salad bowl. 

- Chiffonade your basil and sprinkle over the tomatoes and mozzarella. 

- Drop in a few spoonfuls of the Kale and Walnut Pesto and mix.

- Top with a few shavings of parmesan and enjoy!

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Quick Tip: How to Chiffonade Basil

Don't be intimidated, Chiffonading, as over the top as it sounds, is actually an incredibly simple technique used traditionally for Basil and other leafy greens.  It's easy to master and helps churn out delicious and good looking food (also it's a great way to impress people and make them think you can cook).

Start with washed and dried Basil, about 5-6 pieces so it's easy to roll. Stack on top of each other, with larger leafs underneath. 

Roll up your leaves lengthwise. 

With a sharp knife, begin slicing the roll perpendicularly, creating thin strips. The tighter the roll, the easier it is. Use on salads or in spreads! 

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Kale and Walnut Pesto

Kale is one of those foods that you either love or just haven't cooked properly yet. How can I make such an assumption? Three months ago I would have told you that I hated Kale and was more than ready for this "fad" to be over. 

Boy was I wrong. 

Pesto, typically, is made with pine nuts and basil. So if you're still not a Kale convert, use the same amounts of those ingredients to make the traditional, boring old pesto ;). 

What you'll need: 

- 1 medium bunch of Kale (think about two handfuls). Stems and center ribs removed. Also, I blanched mine to cut down on the bitterness. 

- 3 cloves of garlic.

- 1/4 to 1/3 cup of Parmesan (the good stuff).

- 1/4 cup of toasted walnuts.

- 1/2 cup of olive oil.

- 1 tbs of lemon juice.

- Salt and Pepper to taste. 

What to do: 

- Blanche Kale in boiling water for about 1 min. Drop into ice water to stop the cooking process and retain the integrity of the greens. 

- Dry very well in a kitchen or paper towel. 

- Combine ingredients in food processor, starting with Kale, Garlic, Walnuts, and Parmesan. 

- Pulse until coarsely chopped. 

- Add lemon juice.

- Turn food processor on and pour olive oil until smooth and pureed. 

- For use over pasta, save about a 1/3 cup of pasta water into the Pesto and mix. 

- Mix with your favorite pasta or spread on a piece of crusty bread and enjoy! 

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Braised Beef Over Papperdelle Pasta

Braising is, hands down, one of my absolute favorite ways to cook meat. It's a slow process, but, my god, does it produce the most fantastic flavors.

Traditionally, tough cuts of meat are difficult to work with. You either have to slice them thinly or roast them for a few hours, making your whole kitchen a steam room. Braising isn't a quick cooking method, but it allows you to keep the integrity of the meat, without chopping it into pieces resembling those in dog food.

This particular recipe is one of my favorites, with very little prep time, you can put this on the stove, stir occasionally every half hour or so and enjoy when done.

What you'll need: 

- 2.5 lbs of Beef Chuck (or any tough cut of beef) 

- 10 oz of mushrooms, Portabella or Crimini, diced

- 3 garlic cloves, diced

- 1 large tomato, diced 

-  2.5 cups of wine (Marsala or White, whatever you have on hand)

- 1 tbs of flour 

- 1/2 cup of chicken/beef broth 

- Salt, pepper and dried Oregano
- Splash of heavy cream

What to do: 

- Heat oil in a large, non-stick pan.

- Slice your meat into 1-1.5 inch chunks. 

- Toss in flour and brown on each side.

- Avoid crowding the pan, just a few pieces at a time will allow your to get the sear and keep the temperature high. 

- After all the meat has been browned (remember, you are not cooking all the way through, you are only creating a delicious crust on the meat) set it aside.

- In the same pan (this is important), reduce heat to low and throw in your garlic. 

- Allow to cook for 1-2 minutes, until slightly softened. 

- Add in your mushrooms and allow them to cook for about 2-4 minutes.

- Follow up with tomatoes, broth and 2 cups of the wine. (Reserve the rest to add in halfway through the cooking process if needed. Or just drink it, I won't judge you.) 

- Season to taste, you can always add in rosemary and thyme, if you have it on hand. 

- Add in the seared meat, cover and allow to cook for 2.5-3 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Finish with a splash of heavy cream. 

- Serve over Papperdelle Pasta and Enjoy! 

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Pree Brulee Jewelry Haul!

As a quick break from the usual posts, I thought I'd share a fun haul! I found Pree Brulee a few months back on Instagram and I really love their designs, so I've bought a few pieces from them.

Their prices are a little steep, especially since it's not the best quality of jewelry. But, nonetheless, the designs and their fantastic customer service really make up for any small complaints I may have. They also restock fairly frequently and try to resolve issues ASAP.

(I linked the ones I could find!)

SoHo Night Earrings - $34.00

Teal Blue Crystal Spikes Necklace - $28.00

Melania Necklace - $38.00

Heavenly Bliss Necklace - $38.84

Fiery Love Necklace - $16.00

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Worth Every Penny: Lorac Pro To Go

I bought the original Lorac Pro Palette on a whim, a few months back, and it started a very serious obsession with the brand. So I decided that I absolutely needed the Lorac Pro To Go, which turned out to be absolutely perfect for travel. Also, I highly, highly recommend this palette if you're just starting out with makeup, it has all of the basic colors you need for a really versatile eye and cheek/face contouring.


The colors are really pigmented and blend perfectly, with minimum fall out from the black shadows (which is always hard to come by).  Also, they really do have some serious staying power, the bronzer won't slide down your face or turn orange after a full day of wear.


Swatches and pics below!

The matte shades are amazing! Not chalky at all, really well pigmented and apply like a dream. 

 (Black, Cafe, Shell)

There is always worry about shimmery shades, but this particular palette just wipes those away. The colors are gorgeous, the fall out is minimal and the creasing is non existent. 

( Mink, Chai, Pearl)

As I've mentioned before, this is the perfect starter palette and, honestly, the bronzer/blushes are the main reason why. If you're not sure about contouring, bronzing or how to apply blush or, even what blush will match your skin, this is a fantastic place to start. The bronzer would work for most skin shades as it is very blend-able and build-able. The blushes come in matte and shimmery, both very pigmented but also pretty easy to blend. 

(Bronze, Pink, Coral) 

One other thing that I love about Lorac, the names of their shades! Very straight forward, actual color names you can recognize without trying to figure out what color "Orgasm" might be referring to. 

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Kicked Up Eggs Benedict

I love Hollandaise Sauce, I love Eggs Benedict. However, the idea of poaching eggs first thing in the morning makes me want to skip the breakfast ordeal all together. So, I decided to create my own, much quicker, version of Eggs Benedict. 

What you'll need:

 - 1/3 cup of Hollandaise Sauce

- 2 eggs

- 1 English Muffin, cut in half

- 1/2 of an Avocado

- 1/2 of a sweet tomato 

- 2 strips of cooked bacon 

What to do: 

- Fry your eggs Sunny Side Up.

- Toast the English Muffin. 

- Slice Tomatoes and Avocados. 

- Assemble the Eggs Benedict and top with Hollandaise Sauce.

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Chocolate Covered Strawberries: Perfect for Valentine's Day!

Chocolate covered strawberries are classic Valentine's Day gifts. Whether you're making them for your family, your special someone, or for yourself to enjoy with a larger glass of wine (my personal favorite way to enjoy them), they are quick, easy and so very tasty.

What you'll need: 

- 1lb of large Strawberries with the stems intact

- 1 cup of melting chocolate (semi sweet, milk, or dark)

- 1/4 cup of a different chocolate for the pattern (optional)

What to do: 

- Wash and dry your strawberries, chocolate won't stick well if they're wet. 

- Melt chocolate in a double boiler (or make your own by placing a heat safe bowl on top of a pot of simmering water, make sure it doesn't touch the water and stir the chocolate to a melted and glossy consistency).

- Dip strawberries into the melted chocolate and set aside onto wax or parchment paper, to cool.

- To make the stripes, use a fork or chopstick to drizzle the chocolate over your strawberries. 

- Allow to cool in the refrigerator for about 1.5 hours.

- Pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy, perfect with a side of Netflix ;). 

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Quick and Easy: Hollandaise Sauce

In classical cuisine, there are 5 Mother Sauces. They are called the Mother Sauces because each one is the head (or Mother) of their own family of sauces. Hollandaise is one of the easiest to master, just takes a bit of preparation and attention. 

I realize that this particular sauce is intimidating for a lot of people, and let me tell you it SHOULDN'T be. This sauce is all about timing and technique! 

What you'll need: 

- 2 egg yolks

- 1/4 cup melted butter (let cool, at least partially) 

- 1 tbs lemon juice

- Salt and Pepper to taste

- Cayenne to taste 

What to do: 

- Melt your butter and let cool.

-  Stir the egg yolks and lemon together. Whisk until the mixture is doubled in volume

- Use a double boiler (or just place a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water) and continue whisking while slowly pouring in the butter.

- Do NOT add salt until the end, it can mess with the chemistry and texture of the sauce.  

- Continue whisking until thickened and watch the water, you do not want this mixture getting too hot, as your eggs will scramble. 

- Season to taste and serve over Eggs Benedict. 

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Worth Every Penny: Make Up Forever Concealer

Even with the best foundation, there are always trouble spots, discoloration and annoying marks that need a little extra attention, that usually comes in the from of concealers. 

High End Version: 

Make Up Forever Full Coverage Concealer

Pros: This is a powerful concealer. There isn't a blemish, pimple or scar that will show through this product. If you're in need of FULL coverage, this is the concealer you need to invest in. 

Cons: It's very expensive. At $32.00 per tube, it's more expensive than some foundations. Apply too much and it will crease, so you definitely need a setting powder. I would not recommend it for under eye brightening or concealing as it will show every wrinkle and crease. 

Drug Store Dupe:  

Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer

Pros: This isn't so much a dupe, as it is basically an exact match.  Hard Candy hit it out of the park with this product. The coverage is amazing and, by many accounts, creases less than it's high-end counterpart. Also, at $6 a tube, it's a great option if you're looking to save some cash. 

Cons: The range of colors is much smaller than it's high end sibling. So if your skin shade doesn't fit into the few shades offered by Hard Candy, you'll have to go for the Makeup Forever version. 

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Cheesecake Factory Kale Salad

Kale has been exploding over the last few years. It being very hearty and versatile, as well as packed with protein and a large array of other nutrients, I can see why. If properly dressed/cooked, Kale can be very tasty. I tried this salad at the Cheesecake Factory about 6 months ago and have wanted to recreate it since (with a few variations). 

What you'll need: 

- 2 handfuls of torn Kale (I used Red Kale, but green will do just fine)

- 5 to 7 lightly blanched/steamed green beans 

- 1/3 cup of slivered almonds 

-1/2 of a Granny Smith apple, cut into thin slices and chopped

- 1/2 of an avocado, sliced (optional)

- 1/2 of a tomato, chopped (optional)

- 1/3 cup of dried cranberries (optional) 

 For the Black Pepper Dressing:

- 1/2 cup buttermilk

- 3 tbs mayo

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 1/4 teaspoon pepper (Or more, if you like)

- 1 clove garlic

-1 tbs lemon juice

What to do: 

-Wash your Kale THOROUGHLY. You'll see the dirt coming off.

- Steam/Blanch your green beans and cut them up

- Chop tomatoes, avocado, and apple and combine all in a mixing bowl.

- Make your dressing by combining all ingredients and whisking together (season to taste)

- Dress your salad and add slivered almonds and dried cranberries.

The great thing about Kale? It holds dressing perfectly and will not wilt over night! Serve with Honey Garlic Wings and enjoy! 

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