Supernatural Botanicals

On May 19, 2009, I’ve been extended the wonderful opportunity by Smart Talk Women’s series to meet the fabulous Diane Keaton in Cincinnati.  I’ll be asking Diane some questions….make sure and send me what you want to know, straight from DK herself!

To hear what people are saying about the Smart Talk Connected Conversations and to purchase tickets for the event, click here.

Diane is such an icon!  I relate to so many of her characters…especially JC in Baby Boom.  The Tiger Lady.  Who didn’t want to be her?  Every ambitious career girl can relate to JC.  Business world takes the Tiger Lady down.  Tiger Lady channels her own brilliance, and ends up turning the business world down in the end.

It was this movie where I developed my love for all things East Coast.  Ever since, I’ve wanted to uproot and move to my own 62 acre Vermont estate.  I still haven’t ruled that out, as a matter of fact.  Moving to Vermont and making organic baby food from the apples I grow would not be that far out of the realm of normal for me, after all.

In the end, JC wanted it all, and she got it all!  That’s why it’s always good to want it all. Break the glass ceiling.  I think that if you stay true to whatever it is you desire, if you want it all. you just might get it.  That’s why it’s good to keep wanting….wanting it all.

Watch JC in action.  She’s my hero!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfcNUkQI7yI

One of the wonderful things about blogs is that it connects you with people you normally wouldn’t have known otherwise.  Take, for instance, The Vintage Kitten.  She lives in the English countryside and loves all things vintage.  Cocktails are her specialty.

This cocktail, a Cloud Nine, will be perfect for entertaining my friends tonight.  Thanks, VK!

Visit my girl across the pond, The Vintage Kitten and her husband, Mr. Kitten, and explore her style and recipes.  She has the best cocktail recipes…ever!  You’ll love her vintage style.

Recipe courtesy of The Vintage Kitten.

RECIPE:

1 Shot Disaronno Amaretto
2 Shots Amarula Cream
1 Shot Raspberry Liqueur
3 Scoops Vanilla Ice Cream

Blend all the ingredients together with lots of ice until slushy.

Dip the rim of the glass in chocolate shavings and carefully pour the drink without touching the chocolate. Float lightly whipped cream on the top of the cocktail and decorate with raspberries.

Channel your inner girly-girl with this recessionista find.  You’ll be irresistible for whomever you are cooking for in this retro-inspired girly apron. 

One of the best gifts you can give to someone is to make them a table-full of their favorite delicious foods.   And who can resist a girl who meets her man at the door wearing this apron with a glass of homemade lemonade in hand, adorned with thin lemon wheel slices?  Seriously, who? 

Channel your femininity and shower it on someone today.  At only $23.75, this aligns with a recessionista’s budget.  Shop Etsy for more girly finds.   

Whose ready to win $1,000,000?  I am, bring it, Dough Boy!  Pillsbury is having their 44th Pillsbury Bake Off Contest.  They are offering their fabulous cash and prizes, as usual, with the grand prize being a cool mill! 

I love Bake Off time.  It’s always fun competing for great prizes, but the process of winning is just as fun.  You have to create original recipes, which lets you spread your creative wings in the kitchen to invent great dishes, many of which you’ll discover by chance.  My mind is constantly in motion, the wheels are always turning when I’m thinking of original recipes for Bake Off.  Inspiration is everywhere, so use it to your advantage and be savvy enough to recognize it. 

You’ll have four categories in which you can enter…Breakfasts and Brunches , Entertaining Appetizers, Dinners Made Easy, and Sweet Treats.  Are your wheels turning yet?  I feel like a strong contender in Breakfasts and Brunches and Entertaining Appetizers!  My mind is most definitely in motion. 

I love Bake Off!

For complete details on Pillsbury’s Bake Off, click the blue-eyed one above.  Test your recipes out on your friends and family for feedback.  Feed your neighbors,  your co-workers and see what makes them beg for more.  Throw a party and test out some Entertaining appetizers.  Host Sunday open house dinner for family and try out dinner recipes.  Try a double date.  Have the other couple bring the wine, and you test your Sweet Treat recipes on them all night. 

Good luck, foodies!

In an economic time when most magazines are packing their bags and calling it a day, Organic Beauty magazine comes along.  Organic Beauty magazine is a new, eco-conscious magazine not exclusively focused on beauty products.  Organic Beauty is, in many ways, a complete lifestyle magazine, well-rounded with articles on style, health, fitness, parenting and business—but always with its lens on beauty.  I love the idea of an eco-chic magazine!  It’s truly the wave of the future, so get in touch, get in tune, and find out what eco-friendly is all about.  Organic Beauty is on newsstands now.

So, it’s Friday morning and if you are anything like me, you are already thinking about what you’ll be making for breakfast on Saturday morning…..please tell me that it’s not just me!  Since I just got back from Savannah, I can’t stop making the recipes from Paula, Jamie, and Bobby Deen. 

These cream cheese stuffed strawberries are so easy to make, and are just beautiful in presentation.  I’m all about looking like a rockstar in the kitchen with very little effort; a little work for a lot of bang, and who doesn’t love that? 

This recipe is from Deen Bros. cookbook, and can also be found on Food Network’s site, www.FoodTv.com.  (click the picture above to link.) 

Lets eat!

Ingredients

• 20 whole large strawberries, hulled
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup confectioners’ powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each strawberry so the berries stand upright. Place berries, cut side down, on a serving platter. Carefully cut the berries into 4 wedges, cutting almost to, but not through, the bottoms with a criss-cross cut. Fan wedges just slightly, taking care not to break them. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until combined but still stiff. Using a teaspoon or pastry bag with decorative tip, fill the strawberries with the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of the stuffed strawberries. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

   Chocolate Mousse.

I found this Chocolate Mousse recipe in Cooking Light Magazine way back in 2001.  That goes to show you how good this is.  Chocolate Mousse has such a decadent, silky texture, combined with ultra rich chocolate, it just makes your mouth scream spoiled.  I love mousses because they are whipped, and when made with conscious ingredients, can be made into a fantastic healthy luxury for your palate.  This always works well when you are entertaining, as they are easy to make and produce over-the-top praises.   This is one of the best recipes I have found yet, courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine. 

Chocolate Mousse
Cooking Light

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1 (12.3-ounce) package reduced-fat extra-firm tofu
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
Fat-free whipped topping, thawed (optional)
Grated chocolate (optional)

Place chocolate and tofu in a food processor or blender, and process 2 minutes or until smooth.

Place salt and egg whites in a medium bowl, and beat with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until candy thermometer registers 238°. Pour the hot sugar syrup in a thin stream over egg whites, beating at high speed. Gently stir one-fourth of meringue into the tofu mixture; gently fold in remaining meringue. Spoon 1/2 cup mousse into each of 8 (6-ounce) custard cups. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours. Garnish with whipped topping and grated chocolate, if desired.

Yield: 8 servings

CALORIES 147 (34% from fat); FAT 5.6g (sat 3.3g,mono 1.8g,poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 5.2g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 26mg; SODIUM 134mg; FIBER 0.2g; IRON 0.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 22.5g Cooking Light, MAY 2001

So I’ve decided to have a neighborhood holiday block party at my house this year.  I’m not sure my neighbors are overtly eco-friendly, so I’m thinking a little green exposure won’t hurt them.   When you know better, you do better, right?  So my plan is to inadvertently expose them to an eco-friendly party and show them how fantastic going green can be.  Want to green up your holiday?  Incorporate a few of these suggestions into your party

  How cool is this?  Organic Vodka for your holiday party.  How absolutely fabulous can that be?  Square One Vodka is eco-chic, and is the first 100% organic American Rye Vodka.  Also a perfect hostess gift for a green-ling. 

   Keep it organic with your appetizers.   What could be better than a bounty of organic vegetables? ….a bounty of organic veggies with a big bowl of organic Ranch dressing, that’s what could be better!   

   This is a really important step to a great party…ambiance!   It’s often overlooked which is sad, because it’s absolutely key in the overall feeling of the party.  Throw those light switches on dimmers, and set the mood.  You’ll be creating the right ambiance while saving on your lighting bill.   Who knew green could be so sexy? 

  So you’ve dimmed the lights, now lets make it glow!  Soy candles are beautiful, and you’ll be sure to get compliments.  Perfect platform for green-telling stories.  Candles give perfect ambiance to the room and help you to turn the electricity down.  Another perfect green-ling hostess gift. 

   Gifts to the guests.   It’s always nice sending your friends out the door with a token of your appreciation.  Supernatural Botanicals All-Natural Body Butters will be a perfect eco-friendly parting gift to my guests.   Both women and men love these butters and they smell simply sensational!  Other considerations are bags of organic granola (you can find great bags for these at craft stores everywhere.) 

The idea is to shift the focus to greener living.  It’s a great holiday theme, a great conversation starter, and guilt-free partying!  

   Are you hungry, girl?  Then check out my girl, Lisa’s, website www.HungryGirl.com for the latest advice and tips on weight loss tips, fantastic recipes, shopping guides, girlfriend pow-wows, and more.  Be sure to sign up for her newsletter for great tips on eating and shopping for food, as well as some great recipes such as this recipe, courtesy of Hungry Girl:

 Athens Mini Fillo Shells + Snickers

PER SERVING (2 Snickers-filled shells): 91 calories, 4.75g fat, 53mg sodium, 11g carbs, <0.5g fiber, 6g sugars, <1g protein — POINTS® value 2*

Yup, you read that right. We’re actually advocating the purchase of a Snickers bar. But don’t bite straight into it. Instead, get the standard 2.1-oz. bar and slice it in half lengthwise. Then cut each half into 5 “nuggets”. Set out 10 of those frozen fillo shells and pop a chocolate nugget into each one. Place them on a baking sheet, bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees, and then let those babies cool. Now you’ve got yourself 10 itty-bitty Snickers pies! And they are INSANELY DELICIOUS. Chew two o f ‘em for less than 100 calories. We recommend whipping up a few batches of these treats for an upcoming New Year’s bash. Trust us, they’ll be gone long before midnight. 

Head on over to HungryGirl.com and check out what all the buzz is about. 

  Want to look like a rockstar at your holiday party?  Need a great drink recipe?  Try a Pomegranate Martini.  They are festive, colorful, and delicious. 

1 ounce Vodka, 1/2 ounce Cointreau (orange liquor), and 3 ounces of pomegranate juice.  Shake with ice, strain into a beautiful martini glass.  Instant party.  Bring it!