Banana Nutella Muffins with Streusel Topping

I had some way-beyond-salvation-overripe bananas in my kitchen so I decided to make some muffins. I wanted to try something new and I remember seeing a recipe for Banana Nutella muffins so I quickly hopped to it! These were as simple as tying your shoes; mix, bake, enjoy!

Overall I was liked these muffins but was not very impressed, sadly. If I hadn't already known there was Nutella in the muffin, I would have never guessed it. I think next time swirling in the Nutella into the batter before baking rather than mixing it into the batter would be the more genius idea! But an extra spread of Nutella really did do the trick to fix these in a snap.

Banana Nutella Muffins with Streusel Topping

Yields: 12 muffins

Slightly adapted from here and here.

Printable Recipe

For the muffins:

1 cup flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 large or 2 small ripe bananas, mashed

1 egg

3.5 oz. milk

4.5 tbsn. butter, room temperature

3 1/2 tbsn. sugar

3 - 4 tbsn. nutella

For the streusel:

2 tbsn. butter, room temperature

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup quick cooking oats

2 tbsn. flour

1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a muffin tin with liners and set aside. For the muffins, cream together the sugar, butter and egg. Once well creamed, fold in the nutella and the mashed bananas. In a small bowl combine the milk and the baking soda and mix well. In another medium bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Add the flour and milk mixtures to the creamed mixture alternatively. Incorporate well but make sure not to over mix as it can make your muffins tough. Fill the muffin tin about 2/3 full and set aside. For the streusel, mix all of the ingredients together and using your hands work the butter into the mixture until it is all combined and is crumble-y. Top each muffin with about a tablespoon each of the mixture. Bake until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool before eating and enjoy!

The Fashionable Cupcake.

These are just about the cutest things to happen since I don't even know what! Fashion and cupcakes make an unbelievable match and I'm seriously wondering why I hadn't thought of this before... 

Louis Vuitton

Chanel

Betsey Johnson

All images from Highsnobiety, which can be found here.

Alli's Chicken Pasta Salad

I often have school all day. And by all day I really mean all day; sometimes from 8 in the morning to 10 at night! I don't know how I do it or how my mind has the capability to be working for that long but good nutritious food really does help. I would usually resort to just grabbing some food from some greasy place but it's that icky feeling afterward that forced me stop my habits. I like making things like this pasta that's easy to transport and keeps well. But most importantly is yummy!

1. First, season your chosen veggies and roast them.

2. Next, add all of your ingredients into a large bowl.

3. Grab your favorite Caesar dressing (Ken's lite happens to be mine).

4. Add pasta, pour sauce, and toss.

5. Enjoy by the heaping spoonful!

6. Or grab a plate and be civilized!

Alli's Chicken Pasta Salad

Yields: About 10 - 15 servings

Printable Recipe

1 roast chicken

1 box of grape tomatoes

1 box of mushrooms (of your choice)

1 bunch of asparagus

2 tbsn. olive oil

1/2 - 3/4 cup of Ken's Lite Caesar dressing 

1 box of pasta (of your choice)

salt and pepper

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box, making sure to salt your boiling water. Once the pasta is done, drain it and set aside. Cut your asparagus into thirds and slice your mushrooms and then place them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle them with some salt, pepper and the olive oil. Bake for about 10 minutes or until your preference of done-ness. While that is cooking, remove the meat from the roast chicken and roughly chop or just shred with your fingers. Place it in a large bowl. Next add the cooked veggies and the drained pasta. Slice the tomatoes in half (or you could keep them whole) and toss them in. Start by adding 1/2 a cup of dressing and toss. If you want more dressing, just simply add some. Sprinkle with some more pepper and enjoy!

* This is a very loose recipe. It originally called for cucumbers, tomatoes, garbanzo beans and corn but I changed it up with my own favorite vegetables and you can do the same!

Resort 2010

Well this isn't exactly what comes to mind when you think of Resort wear, but the clothes were nonetheless spectacular. Everything was just effortless and pieces could be easily mixed, matched and layered.
I think that when Christopher Bailey designs, he must have me in his mind because this is everything that I love, live for and die for. He always manages to find yet another way to reinvent the classic trench coat and it still amazes me each and every time.
Marc always has something eclectic hidden is his sleeve. Everything in his collection was fun, upbeat and suited for either island wear or dry land.
I think this collection perfectly personifies what Resort it. Its sublimely casual with some killer cocktail dresses mixed in. And ladies, if you can't afford these lovely numbers (as most of us definitely cannot), his collection for Gap comes out June 16th!

Resort 2010

Summer is officially here and it's been kicked off with the newest and latest of Resort 2010!

Rachel Roy didn't let ease-of-wear completely override structure in this collection. Her items are flirty and fun yet can be easily pulled back a notch for the work day. I just loved how she contrasted the photos against a bright teal background, it really makes a difference!

Chris Benz' collection was largely inspired by his summer trips to Palm Beach in visits to his grandparents, filled with his signature colors of yellow, orange and turquoise. This collection is a perfect Summer wardrobe of light fabrics and breezy designs. 

Refined elegance that is unmistakably Oscar de la Renta. Summer? What summer? Oscar didn't exactly factor in the heat factor into his designs but who the hell cares? This collection had a strong Parisian influence, filled with tweeds, boucles and berets.

I don't know about you but I was completely amazed by the fierceness of Michael Kors' resort collection. This collection was inspired by his many trips to Asia, seen through batik prints and built-in sarongs. And reasonably, everything is packable (fabric wise)!

The LACMA

Instead of my regular FFF (Friday Flickr Favorites),

pictures from my recent trip to the Los Angeles Contemporary Museum of Art from their Southeast Asian Art exhibit:

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

All I can say is moist lemon cake + gooey, sweet lemon curd + sticky, creamy meringue frosting equals one good combination. I was hired to bake these for a bridal shower so hopefully everything went well (crosses fingers)! These lemon-y cupcakes are perfect for Summer, all toasty just like I will be soon in the summer heat!

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Yields: 12 cupcakes

Lemon curd recipe from here.

Printable Recipe

For the cake:

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

2 eggs, room temperature

1 1/4 cups cake flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

pinch of salt

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 tbsn. lemon juice

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup lemon curd

For the meringue frosting:

2 large egg white

1/2 cup of sugar

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the lemon curd:

zest of 2 lemons, removed with a vegetable peeler

1/4 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/2 + 1/8 cup sugar

1/2 stick of butter, room temperature

2 large eggs

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat butter on high until creamy and fluffy. Add the sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix until combined. Add the egg, beat well. Alternately add the flour mixture and lemon juice. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely. 

For the meringue, put the sugar, cream of tartar, and egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water (the bowl should not be touching the water) and allow the sugar to melt into the eggs. Once warmed, add the vanilla and beat the mixture until stiff peaks form, about 3 - 5 minutes, set aside.

For the curd, put the zest and sugar in a food processor and pulse until combined and the zest is broken down. Put the lemon, sugar and butter into a mixer and cream. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until combined. Add the lemon juice and salt and mix to combine. Pour mixture into a saucepan and heat on low until the mixture reaches 175 degrees or just below a simmer. Remove from heat and allow the curd to cool down. Once cool, cut out the tops of the cupcakes in a circular fashion, fill the holes, and re-place the tops on. Pipe on the meringue and toast in the oven or with a blowtorch. Enjoy!

18 Years and an Endless Amount of Photos

I'd like to introduce you to Jamie Livingston. 

When Jamie was a senior in college he became attached to his SX-70 Polaroid camera. He started to notice that oddly, he was only taking one picture a day. He decided to continue this for the rest of his life. These polaroids give us a narrative of his story, commemorate the friendships he forged along the way, and depict the evolution of the city around him. His story is told from the first picture all the way to the last picture; a self-portrait on his deathbed. He called this project, 'Photo of the Day' and it is immensely inspiring, to say the least.

You can browse through his every day here.

Here is a photo I chose from each year Jamie lugged his camera around:

1979 - The first photographed Christmas of his collection.

1980 - An early, already growing collection of his polaroids.

1981 - Strong ties to great friends that will last a lifetime. 
1982 - Daily rituals being immortalized.

1983 - Oops! Seems like he made mistakes too and missed a day in his collection.

1984 - A music lover, just like me.
1986 - I want one of these! Also seen in the Elephant Gun music video.

1987 - A fun day in the sun!

1988 - The year that I was born, his now ginormous collection, continually growing.
1989 - His collection has even included famous rock stars.

1990 - Family is the best medicine around!

1991 - A great, great portrait of a funny little kid.
1992 - Finding fun in the little things of everyday life.

1993 - An improv photo shoot!

1994 - Pills, pills, pills (one of many photographs he has taken of these).
1995 - A snowman on a snowy day.

1996 - Even in his last years he surrounded himself with his loving friends & family.

1997 - A self portrait on his death bed, the day he finally succumbed to cancer. 

Tailored Tuesdays

A little vintage flair for a modern girl.

And a little Phillip Lim for Cherish.

1. 3.1 Phillip Lim "Silk floral print dress"

2. Missoni "Elasticated waist belt"

3. Chloe "Crystal flower earrings"

4. Bottega Veneta "Top hangle tote"

5. Miu Miu "Cross over platform sandals"

all images can be found at net-a-porter.com

Mint Chocolate Hi-Hat Cupcakes

Hi Hats! I've been wanting to make these for a while, they just were never meant to be... until now! They are just wonderous to look at, for a while at least.... after an hour or so of looking at them they started to resemble poop... which is not in the least bit appetizing, but I'm sorry for discouraging you because these in no way taste like poop... I assure you that much! I don't usually bake at night as I like daylight for the best photos but there's something about these night shots that are magical; I just adore the bokeh! Or maybe it's the magic of the hi-hat as well...

These cupcakes were gooey mint-chocolate-y deliciousness. I wanted to try something a little different than the traditional hi-hat so I decided to go with chocolate mint, using my favorite stumbled upon recipe. I heard some mixed views on Martha's recipe, so I went with this one, using a meringue frosting instead. I was so proud of them and how pretty the mountains were, but alas they were too pretty for their own good and as fate would have it they got crushed while I was transporting them.... aww shucks!

First, you bake your cupcakes and let them cool:

Then you make your frosting, kind of tricky...

Then you coil that frosting up to the heavens high (and enjoy the nice bokeh in the back too)!

Then you finish the rest off, and let them chill in the refrigerator:

Then, melt your chocolate coating:

Until it's nice and smooth:

And so the dipping commences (and more enjoyment of bokeh as well):

Mint Chocolate Hi-Hat Cupcakes

Yields: 24 cupcakes

Slightly adapted from The Barmy Baker; recipe can be found here.

Mint Chocolate cupcake recipe here.

(But you can use any cake you'd like!)

For the frosting:

4 large egg whites

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

3/4 tsp. cream of tartar

For the chocolate coating:

2 cup semi-sweet chocolate

2 tbsn. vegetable oil

Cook the cupcakes and let them cool completely. For the frosting, place the egg whites in a bowl of an electric mixer. In a heavy-bottomed sauce pot, combine the water, sugar and cream of tartar and bring to 215 F. Next, start to whip the egg whites until they form stable peaks. Continue heating the sugar mixture to a final temperature of 283 F. Once the peaks are firm, whip on high while adding the hot sugar mixture (VERY carefully)! Then add the vanilla and continue to whip until the whites are at room temperature. Once cool, pipe onto the cupcakes and refrigerate while you are making the coating. To make the coating, combine the chocolate and oil in a double boiler until melted and smooth. Dip the frosting into the chocolate mixture until well coated, using a spoon to pour on top if needed. Allow the excess to drip off and place them on a rack lined with foil/ parchment paper to catch the extra drips. Refrigerate until hardened and set-up. Enjoy!