Spring Ready-to-Wear 2010

My FAVORITE collection this season, BY FAR.

Fresh Corn and Avocado Salsa

Again, with The Pioneer Woman. I think I should just set the goal of cooking my way through her entire recipe list, I've made a pretty nice dent so far. If I had the time and money, that is something I would love, love, love to do. Every recipe I've tried from her has been irresistible, this one is no exception. It's the epitome of summer and what better way to send this gorgeous season off?

This recipe makes a big tub but no problem, you'll finish it in no time!

PW's Fresh Corn and Avocado Salsa

Yields: enough for a crowd (10+ servings)

Original recipe from The Pioneer Woman, which can be found here.

Printable Recipe

4 ears of sweet corn, cooked

1/2 red onion, diced

2 large, firm avocados, diced

2 jalapenos, seeded and finely diced (I like it spicy)

Juice of 1 lime

Plenty of chopped cilantro

Salt, to taste

1 tbsn. vinegar

1 tsp. sugar

Slice the kernals off the corn and combine with the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate. Enjoy!

Top an omelet with it, it's delicious:

Spring Ready-to-Wear 2010

Here are my favorites of the 'feminine' theme of Spring RTW:

Healthy Oatmeal Pumpkin Muffins

It's fall. The weather might not agree, but the mood just reads fall. Do you know how I know it's fall? I know when I start to crave all things pumpkin; when my mind won't linger off of the topic of pumpkin. I... can't... get... it... out... of... my... MIND.

That's why I made these. Fall also marks the beginning of school for me. Times when I need something that sustains me yet is easy to bring around. Muffins qualify as a school-friendly snack to me. You can grab them and just go. But these? These will keep you satisfied since they're filled with loads of oats and yummy fall-ish pumpkin flavor.

They're made with whole wheat flour, just a smidgen of sugar and oats. So that way you can snack and still feel good about it, well even feel great about it, since it tastes so yummy! Without the glaze it's more like a pumpkin bread but I think the glaze added the right amount of sweetness to qualify it as a muffin.

Healthy Oatmeal Pumpkin Muffins

Yields: 12 muffins

Slightly adapted from here.

Printable Recipe

For the streusel:

2 tbsn. pumpkin puree

2 tbsn. honey

2/3 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

For the muffins:

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/4 cups quick cooking oats

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground allspice

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas, about 1 large banana or 2 small

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 tbsn. canola oil

1 large egg, lightly beaten

For the glaze (optional):

1/8 cup brown sugar

1 tbsn. milk/ half and half/ whatever you have on hand

1 tbsn. butter

1 tbsn. pumpkin puree

1/2 cup powdered sugar, as much as needed

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a muffin tin with liners, set aside. In a bowl combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. In another bowl combine the pumpkin, bananas, brown sugar, oil and egg. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the liquid mixture. Stir together until incorporated. To make the streusel, combine the pumpkin, honey and cinnamon. Mix well, then mix in the oats, set aside. Divide batter evenly among muffin tin, top with streusel and bake for 16 - 18 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. To make the optional glaze, combine the brown sugar, milk and butter in a small saucepan. Heat until sugar is melted. Pour into small bowl, let cool a little then add in the puree and powdered sugar, mix well. Glaze each cooled muffin with 1 teaspoon of glaze. Enjoy!

Tailored Tuesdays

1. Current/ Elliot "The majorette denim jacket"

2. Thakoon "Wool and silk dress"

3. Yves Saint Laurent "Crystal embellished necklace"

4. Christian Louboutin "Zoupi 120 platforms"

5. Lanvin "Happy sac partage leather bag"

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

Spring Ready-to-Wear 2010

YAY. The new Spring collections are here!

I noticed two main themes this season: edgy masculinity or extreme femininity. I happen to love a little of androgyny! These designers have perfectly combined the toughness of masculinity with lines that are still favorable to the shape of the woman's body. Here are some of my favorites of the edgy theme:

Cinnamon, Pecan & White Chocolate Caramel Corn

Never have I ever. Or... never did I ever think that I would make my own caramel corn. It's up there with oreos, poptarts or bread. Those are some things that are in the "things I don't ever think I'll make." But guess what? I made it and it was delicious... no wait, amazing! And now I'm contemplating those other things on my list because well, I can do it!

This is how the mixture should look after the second round of microwaving:

Make sure to toss the mixture well!

Cinnamon Caramel Corn with Pecans & White Chocolate

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/09/cinnamon-caramel-corn-with-pecans-white.html

12 cups popped popcorn

1 cup roughly chopped pecans

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup Karo syrup or honey

1 stick or 1/2 cup butter

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

3 squares almond bark

Preheat oven to 250 F. Place popcorn and chopped pecans in a large bowl and set aside (and by large I mean twice as large as you really need to prevent splattered hot caramel). Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a big, microwave safe bowl. Chop butter into chunks and place it on top of the sugar mixture, pour corn syrup over the top of everything. Microwave on high for 30 seconds and then stir to combine. Return to microwave and heat for 2 minutes, remove and stir then microwave 2 minutes more and it should be nice and bubbly. Remove from the microwave and add the vanilla and baking soda, it should foam up and double in size. Pour over popcorn and pecans and stir well until everything is well coated.

Spread mixture onto a foil lined pan and place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, take out a piece and let it cool. Sample it and if it is still not crunchy enough, let it bake for another 5 minutes, repeat process until satisfied with crunchiness. When done, give it a final stir and let it cool while you melt the almond bark/ white chocolate. Use a fork to drizzle the melted bark over the popcorn, let it harden and enjoy!

A great movie/ tv snack!

Neiman Marcus Cookies

Weird name isn't it? This cookie recipe comes from an urban myth, it's quite an interesting story actually, it's quite lengthy, but you can read about it here. These cookies are stuffed with two kinds of chocolate, nuts and blended oatmeal which make it quite extraordinary! Make sure to under bake them so they stay nice and moist and pair them with a cold glass of milk. Perfection!

Milk & Cookies. A classic combination.

All dressed up!

Neiman Marcus Cookies

Yields: about 30

Original recipe can be found here.

Printable Recipe

1/2 cup butter

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/4 cups oatmeal, blended

6 oz. chocolate chips

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 2 oz. Hershey's bar, grated

1 egg

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cups chopped nuts, of your choice

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Cream the butter and both sugars. Add egg and vanilla, mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add chocolate chips, grated Hershey's and nuts. Roll into balls and place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet and flatten slightly with fingertips. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 F.

Attack of the cookies!

Tailored Tuesdays

It's FINALLY getting colder. Yay for coats and scarves!

1. Theory "Shalin suede trench coat"

2. Richard Nicoll "Layered silk t-shirt"

3. 7 for all Mankind "Roxanne corduroy skinny jeans"

4. Alexander McQueen "God save the queen pashmina"

5. Jerome C. Rousseau "Serpentine patent leather sandals"

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

Cheesy Bacon Baked Tortilla Chips

It's football season, but it's not like I care, I don't even watch football! I just happen to think that this recipe would be perfect for a tailgating party, or pre-football watching party or any kind of party actually. It's filled with bacon, onions and cheese with a kick of jalapenos. How could this not be good?!?

Yummm, I think that's a 9:1 bacon ratio there, that's a gooooood ratio:

Now for the addition of the cheddar; cheese always makes things better:

First, spreading on the salsa, then topping with the cheddar-bacon mixture:

Cheesy Bacon Baked Tortilla Chips

Yields: Enough as an appetizer for about 10 people

Slighty adapted from here.

Printable Recipe

2 jalapenos, minced (you can discard the seeds if you prefer)

1 small onion, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 package bacon, chopped into small pieces

2 cups cheddar cheese

1 jar salsa (choose your favorite)

1 large bag of tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 400 F. Place tortilla chips on a large baking sheet in a single layer, set aside. In a large pan brown the bacon until fully cooked and crisp. Remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel, allow to cool. Remove all of the bacon grease from the pan except 1 tablespoon. Add onions, jalapenos and garlic. Cook for 3 - 5 minutes until translucent and cooked through. Add to bacon and allow to cool. Once cool, add the cheddar to the mixture and mix well. Spoon a teaspoonful of salsa on each tortilla chip and top with the cheese mixture. Place in oven for 5 - 8 minutes or until the cheese turns a nice golden brown. Serve straight away and enjoy!