December 28, 2010

Oh Viv!!

Vivienne Westwood is best known for her part in the Sex in the City movie... since it was her dress that made the final cut... so to speak!! 

But it's her Yasmine shaped Derby bag retailing for $600+ that has landed her on the Decadent Diva today! 

Lip Gloss addict since 1980

I love a good lip gloss... in FACT... i love MANY lip glosses... and i know you do too, so for YOU, I'm counting down for you the top five of my faves and where you can find them!! (in no particular order) 


1.  Dior Addict Ultra Gloss
Dior Addict Ultra Gloss
$26.50 at Sephora.com

2. Stila's Lip Glaze
7-piece lip glaze set
Visit Stila or Sephora $22.00

3. DuWop's Venom Gloss
Venom Gloss
DuWop or Sephora $18.00

3. MAC's lip gloss
Find it HERE  $15.00


4.  Lancome's Juicy Tubes

Lancome $18.00-$21.50


5. Tarina Tarantino's Lip gloss ring

BUY HERE  $35.00


6. Elizabeth Arden's Clear Gloss
Crystal Clear Lip Gloss - Elizabeth Arden
Find it Here! $14.00 


7. Yves Saint Laurent Gloss Volupte 
1 Iced Lychee
YSL BEAUTY $30.00


8. Burts Bee's Super Shiny in Nectar
Super Shiny Natural Lip Gloss Nectar Nude
$7.00 at burtsbees.com


9. Philosophy in Raspberry Sorbet
Philosophy Lip Shines <span style="color: #b51f51"><b>Sweet New Price!</b></span>
Sephora's got cha!!


10. And for those who are... *snickers* try...
TOO FACED Glamour Gloss 
Glamour Gloss
Sephora's  got all your Too faced needs...
Champagne Room is MY fave color.. but you gotta find your own!! 
Now go get some lip gloss and put it to USE!!! 
xoxo

McQueen.....King of fashion...

The untimely death of Alexander McQueen was a huge tragedy for the fashion houses this year; but out of traged comes triumph... 
With a handbag. A canvas shopper actually!! A mystical looking canvas shopper!! 


Available at Neiman Marcus for a mere $925.00 

Favorite Speaker of the season...

Cassette-Tape-Speaker-1.jpg


It's the New Year, and what better way to celebrate than bring the old with the new!!! Go retro using the funky FunkyFonic Cassette Tape Speaker. 
The FunkyFonic Cassette Tape Speaker is compatible with most devices with a standard 3.5mm headphone socket such as: MP3 players....portable gaming systems... and computers. 
Get one for $17.99. at http://www.7gadgets.com/

December 21, 2010

Apple SINnamon cookies!

Apples and Cinnamon are like babies and pacifiers...sometimes they are better when they are together!! 
I searched and searched for a good cinnamon apple cookie or muffin and i found this gem. PS... please don't forget to sprinkle the top with a little cinnamon for a dash of something extra!! 
Apple Cinnamon Cookie
(photo and original recipe from joy the baker) 
IMG_3775
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter , softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup oats, old fashioned or quick cooking
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
generous pinch fresh grated nutmeg
3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 medium apple, peeled, diced small (i used a granny smith apple)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Directions:
1. preheat to 350 degrees   
2. Peel and dice the apple and toss with lemon juice.  
3. Cream together sugar and butter. Add egg and the vanilla extract and beat until blended.
4. Whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.  Add to the butter and egg mixture slowly beating on low speed until just incorporated.  Stir in the walnuts and apple chunks last.
Bake  10 - 14 minutes   Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.   Makes about 2 dozen cookies.
XOXO

Bet cha can't just have one!!

It seemed fitting to use the tag line for a potato chip commercial while describing the Potato Chip Cookie i made this past weekend!! I found that the cookie, while a delicious delight on their own, really needed an extra kick, so i went with chocolate drizzled over them. 

Potato Chip Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup crushed ridged potato chips
  • 1/2 cup ground pecans
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour



Directions

  1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. 
  2. Stir in potato chips and pecans. Add vanilla; mix well. 
  3. Stir in flour just until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball. 
  4. Shape into 1-in. balls; place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. 
  5. Flatten with a glass dipped in flour. 
  6. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.
  7. melt chocolate chips and heavy cream and drizzle over cookies. 

Potato Chip Cookies Recipe
Photo Courtesy of Allrecipes.com

Alexander McQueen still gettin into it pretty hard


Spring 2011 .... are you READY?!?!?!

December 17, 2010

let's do din!

Since i'm still Cookie'd out, i'm gonna bring to you what i had for din last night!!! 
a great alternative for ground beef.. ground turkey or chicken!! just remember to add some moisture agents.. since they dry up a little quicker than the reg. beef burgers. :) 
Chicken Cordon Bleu Burgers!!! 
(courtesy of Rachel Ray with des tweaks) 

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons vegetable or olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 4 slices Canadian bacon
  • 2 pounds ground chicken breast
  • 2 teaspoons sweet paprika, eyeball it in your palm
  • 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons grill seasoning blend (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning) or salt and pepper
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 4 deli slices Swiss cheese
  • 2/3 cup mayonnaise or reduced fat mayonnaise, eyeball it
  • 3 rounded tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 4 kaiser rolls or sandwich size sour dough English muffins, split and toasted
  • 8 leaves leaf lettuce
  • 1 vine ripe tomato, thinly sliced

Directions

Preheat grill pan, nonstick griddle, large nonstick skillet or table top electric grill to medium high heat.
Add 2 tablespoons of oil and Canadian bacon. Warm bacon and caramelize it at edges, 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove to a piece of foil. Fold foil over loosely to keep warm.
Combine chicken, paprika, poultry seasoning, grill seasoning, shallot. Score meat with the side of your hand to separate into 4 equal amounts. Make 4 large patties, 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Drizzle patties with oil and place on hot grill pan, griddle or in skillet. Cook 5 minutes on each side, until chicken is cooked through.
Top patties with reserved cooked Canadian bacon and Swiss cheese. Fold each slice of cheese in half to fit the burger. Cover loosely with tin foil. Turn off pan and let cheese melt, 2 minutes.
Combine mayonnaise, mustard. Slather bun tops or English tops with sauce. Place burgers on bun bottoms and top with lettuce and tomato. Put bun or muffin tops in place. Serve with oven fries.

December 16, 2010

Leggings... jeggings.. Skeggings!!

First there were leggings....then there were jeggings... now i swear to you.. there are Skeggings!!
what, you might ask, are skeggings???
leggings and a skirt!! Duh! 

Young Fabulous & Broke Adele Sequin Leggings














You can get yourself a pair by clicking  
HERE
Love and leggings!
xoxo 

ice tea heaven

Prodyne Fruit Infusion 93-Ounce Natural Fruit Flavor Pitcher

Prodyne Fruit Infusion 93-Ounce Natural Fruit Flavor Pitcher is on MY Christmas list.. how about yours??? 


The most impressive date desert!

Taking a break from the holiDAZE, i came across this very impressive desert. 
I love tempura'd bananas!! No seriously, I love love love them. especially topped with Nutella!
This recipe, however, is a more sophisticated take on that scrumptiousness!! 
Tempura Bananas With a Whiskey Caramel Sauce

Ingredients
5-6 bananas
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup corn starch
1 teaspoon baking soda
chilled soda water
2 ice cubes
Vegetable oil for frying
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup water
1 ½ cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons whiskey, or to taste

Instructions
Preheat deep pot with vegetable oil to 350°.
1. Mix the dry ingredients for the batter and whisk together. Whisk in soda water until the batter reaches the consistency of a thick milk shake. You don’t want it too thick, as that would make the finished bananas heavy and soggy. Place ice cubes in the bowl of batter, and then place the bowl in an ice bath. (The mixture needs to stay ice cold to ensure a light crispy tempura) 
2. Peel the bananas and slice on the long bias. You should get 3-4 pieces out of each banana depending on its length. Dip the banana pieces into the batter and gently shake off the excess as you take it out of the bowl. Drop each coated slice carefully into the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Remove from the oil and place on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
For the Caramel
1.  Combine water and sugar in a non-reactive saucepan.
2. Cook over low heat until sugar dissolves. Let mixture boil gently, without stirring! It will take about 10 minutes for a light amber color to start showing. As sugar darkens in color it is okay to swirl the pan, but do not use any utensils to stir the sugar. If crystals for on the side of the pan, dip a pastry brush in water and brush down the sides of the pan.
3. When sugar is the desired caramel color, remove pan from heat and add the whiskey and cream. The mixture will boil vigorously. 
4. Return to the heat and stir the sauce with a spoon. It will thicken a bit more and get slightly darker, and then it is done.
Plate the caramel sauce and top with one or two fried banana pieces.

TIP: put the bananas in the freezer for about 5-8 minutes before dipping. It will make the bananas harder and less likely to break apart while frying. 

(recipe courtesy of handsongourmet.com)

I'm a Bitch.. i'm a lover...

I have a severe Hankering for the Femme Fatale collection by MixologyNyc, especially the Bitch collection!! 
Royal Bitch CuffSilver Royal Bitch Necklace
Pieces range from $85-$115 and would be PERFECT underneath the tree!!! and can be found HERE!!
love and antique silver to you and yours today!!
xoxo

December 14, 2010

The Most requested cookie to date!!

Seems everyone loves the biscochito!! so here's my 'secret recipe' for these lovelies!! 

Biscochito Cookies

Ingredients

  • 6 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 cups shortening
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons anise seed
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/8 cup of canola oil
  • 1/4 cup brandy or water 
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
  2. Sift flour with baking powder and salt. 
  3. Cream shortening with sugar and anise seeds until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Mix in flour and brandy until well blended.
  4. Turn dough out on a floured board and pat or roll to 1/4 or 1/2 inch thickness. 
  5. Usind a biscuit cutter or other vessel,cut into shapes. 
  6. Dust with a mixture of 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon.
  7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.
Cinnamon n sugar xoxo's to you!!

December 13, 2010

Mom's cookie....

When i think about cookies and the holidays, i always think about my mom.
My mother has the holidays and cooking down to a SCIENCE i tell you, and my favorite of the treats she makes a date swirl cookie that would make your mouth Scream with scrumptiousness!!

Ingredients

  • Filling:
  • 2 cups chopped dates
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup chopped nuts
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

  • Dough:
  • 1 cup butter or margarine
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • Directions
  1. In a saucepan, combine filling ingredients. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture becomes stiff, about 15-20 minutes. Chill. 
  2. For dough, cream butter and sugars in a mixing bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add extract.
  3.  Combine flour, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. 
  4. Put in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
  5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the dough about 1/4-in. thick.
  6.  Spread with half of the filling. Roll up, starting with the long end. 
  7. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Wrap with plastic wrap; chill overnight.
  8. Cut rolls into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. 
  9. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. 
  10. Cool on wire racks.

I hope these become a favorite of yours as well!!
xoxo