Favorite Picks

Loooong time ha?...

Well, I have had a lot in my mind lately and just … needed to find a “time out” you know? So here I am … fresh coffee aside, warm bagel with some cream cheese… and some thoughts to share…

So, the other day I was just thinking about all the times I end up with the wrong product… with a disappointing face and some fewer pennies in my pocket… that now a days I could just have turned them into a nice warm chai in the morning or some ingredients for cookies for my co workers… So I´d like to share with you a couple of products that have heavenly come to my hands for any other reason and have managed to stay in my life… and in my budget and have actually become an important asset in my shopping list… they just feel right…

Hair product: I myself have a lot… aaaaaaaa lot of black thick coffee so it often gets pretty dry and ugly… so my savior??? Olive Oil Hair Mayonnaise from Lustrasilk Moisture Max… I get it at Sally Beauty… It´s like $10 dollars a jar and it is just awesome, my hair get super soft and it has a nice smell J

Eye Product: Garnier  , I use the one that is special for brunettes with color so it has two functions, it helps my eyes look rested and young and with the color it has on it , it turns out to be a perfect concealer. I just love it… I keep it in my freezer so it acts madly quickly and you can buy it at any drugstore or supermarket

Mascara: I am in love with Volume million lashes from L´oreal ( I prefer the golden presentation which is not waterproof), It thickens them instantly and separates them awesomely, For long thin lashes I use the telescopic... I used to buy a lot of these so, the waterproof one is my favorite whenever I want to use one who will stay forever ( I normally don’t really like to wear waterproof)which comes in light blue presentation and there is one presentation with a small ball brush that comes pretty handy when you have a lot of time to leave your lashes just perfect. I have recently tried the Lash Arquitect and quite honestly cant handle the brush and it just gets messy… not for everyday life when you are all rushed up,  Lash Blast Luxe from Maybelline in blue ( I wanted to get something kinky for club nights) … total waste… it just doesn’t work and had to throw it away in a bit… bummers!

Eye Shadows, MAC… I love them, the color you see, the color you get. They last long, they are pretty firm and they are highly pigmented so you just need to use a small amount of them. They might not look cheap, but long term it is.

Lipsticks: I would have to go to MAC again, they keep your lips moisturized, the color is long lasting and they have a huge variety of colors… Something I just love from MAC stores is that you can really try them on and you don’t have to be guessing and hoping it goes to your skin… I am brunnete and personally since I am still trying to manage to do my make up in a kinda flow chart way ( Im super business oriented and make up and hair fixing is just a huge challenge to me to these days) I enjoy wearing bright lipsticks that would eliminate the need of more make up at night and MAC has some cute bright ones; the favorites: Russian Red( brick red) , Lady Danger (orangie), Impassioned ( 80s neon bright pink), Lickable ( Pinky fiuscha ), Quite the thing ( Purple), Rebel, (dark Purple), Sheer plum ( Brown) and for everyday Radicchio.. this is a special edition ( I hated to know that) but that can be substituted for Hot Gossip, which is a lilac pink that somehow looks adorable on almost everything, light blue, mane, yellow maybe… ( I love contrasts).

Other lipstick brands that I love are Maybelline…  the ones that come squared and Which code is F…  like Born with it  015, Madison Mauve 465… and so… they are soft and nice on your lips, the only problem I still find with these products is that you never really now what color will it end up looking like and you can either love it or hate it… My currently personal choice lately on gloss has been  Revlon Colorstay 010 (Hot Pink Rose Vibrant) it is a soft bright pink, I am quite brunette with yellowish hints and I love it, my mom is a bit more brunette than me and it looked fabulous and a pretty white skin friend tried it and wow! So I guess it´s a color that just suits anyone J

Foundation: MAC, for its texture and coverage… for deep coverage Studio Sculpt SPF 15 I go for NC40 but as I said before just go and let yourself pamper for the artists and they will help you out… believe me I used to be pretty lost and know I speak MAC as fluent as my DMAIC phases in my projects at work… and a lighter one Select SPF 15, I tried the VICHI one but the color is way too yellow and you can just never know… and coverage… mmm not so much. I suffer from oily skin and MAC has worked just fine.

Primer: Prep+Prime /Skin, It leaves your face smooth, fatigue looking free and it reflects light so on pictures your skin looks awesome.

Body Lotion: Really really really…. You will LOVE this one as well as those around you, it leaves your skin suuuuuuper smooth and it gives is a nice buttery coconutty smell… Imperial Body Balm... Just AWESOME!

Well…  Gotta go and refill my cup… but I just hope you girls enjoy these products as much as I have and that you find this information useful… more to come ;)

Chocolate Cookies with Peanut Butter chips

This is another recipe I made J

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Cocoa ( I would go for the Hershey´s one)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/4 cups (2-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs (large)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) Peanut Butter Chips ( I buy REESE'S in Aladino Store here in GDL)

           

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. With a blender mix together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until fluffy. Add eggs (check them first) and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in peanut butter chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 9 minutes. Do not overbake ( we dont want hard cookies) ; cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking and flatten while cooling. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Let it cool.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are my favorite ones!!! Yesterday I rented a movie and just felt like having a glass of milk and fresh cookies to join it. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

·         2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

·         3/4 cup granulated sugar

·         3/4 cup packed brown sugar

·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·         2 large eggs

·         2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips ( you can use any kind but I prefer the Nestle ones)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375° F.

With the help of a beater combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl(all powdery stuff first). Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in a large mixer bowl until it feels creamy. Add eggs, one at a time ( I check them individually before adding them), beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir the chocolate chips ( you can add some nuts if you want). Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets ( I use wax paper to avoid fighting afterwards).

Let them bake  for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown, they´ll be a bit soft still by the time you take them out, this will about having “hard as stone” cookies. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Blog Award

Hey, heeeeey...

Fran, an old friend of mine, who actually owes a pretty fun blog on fashion (http://stylishpoint.blogspot.com/ ), placed a smile on my face last week granted me an sylish blogger award… which I found super cute and nice!

To it there are some rules to follow :

Rules: 

·         Thank and link back to the person that gave you this award.

·         Share 7 things about yourself.

·         Award 7 recently discovered great bloggers.

·         Contact these bloggers and tell them about this award.

So here are seven things about myself:

1. I love shoes!!!! High heels specially, I am just crazy about them. Have worn them for a couple of years now and just fall deeper and deeper in love. They make any outfit fun and classy, and if I feel in a bad mood, red high heels have a way to change it all J.

2. I am quite random and picky on music… I go from rihanna, to iron maiden, some hints of pulp, beatles and Fiona apple… never “banda”, “rancheras” and so ….

3. I looooove to cook and bake, just loved it… It makes me happy!!! J  so any provided recipes will be highly appreciated.

4. I love courtship, that guy who makes you smile, gives you roses and has a look in his eyes where he states you are more beautiful than the moon, I am a romance freak, I totally think we should have more of that in the world J

5. I enjoy trying different things, food, places to go, etc; for instance I am taking salsa and singing lessons.

6. I can see pictures for hours, I enjoy photography a lot, although I am not quite talented in that department

7. The last but not the least, I love to watch movies… any kind, depends on my mood… Just adore it… and with some good company and hot chocolate on a side… heaven J

Sweet Stuff!

PEANUT AND NUTELLA GRANOLA BARS

Ingredients:

·         2 tbsp honey

·         2 1/2 tbsp creamy chunky peanut butter

·         1 1/2 tbsp Nutella

·         2 cups granola

·         2-4 tbsp milk

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix honey, peanut butter and Nutella, stir until homogenic, gradually stir in granola. Add just enough milk to moisten, so mixture still sticks together. Form into balls and place on a baking sheet. Refrigerate

COCONUT CRISPY BARS

Ingredients:

·         3 Tbsp. butter or margarine

·         1 pkg.  (10 oz.) Marshmallows

·         6 cups crisp rice cereal, or any cereal you prefer

·         1-1/2 cups  Coconut, toasted, divided

Directions:

In a microwave place the butter on High till it gets melted, add the marshmallows; toss to coat. Microwave 1-1/2 min. or until marshmallows are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 45 sec. Add cereal and 1 cup coconut; mix well. press onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray. Top with remaining coconut; press lightly into cereal mixture to secure. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

CHOCOLATE-PEANUT NON BAKE COOKIES

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of sugar

• 4 cocoa tablespoons
• 1 butter stick
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 cup peanutbutter ( the chunky one)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 3 cups of oatmeal
• waxed paper

Directions

In a heavy saucepan put the sugar, cocoa, butter and milk. Let boil for 1 minute then add peanut butter, vanilla and oatmeal. On a sheet of waxed paper, drop mixture by the teaspoonfuls, and refrigerate until cooled and hardened.

Hope you enjoy them :)