Just call me flaky.

Hi.  I'm sure all you people (person?) think I'm insane or something now.


My last post was August 29. It is now October 6. I'm ashamed.


I'm being a total fair-weather blogger.  But I'm not doing this on purpose! I swear! I think about blogging every single day, (okay, almost every single day) but this whole "school" thing is kind of taking over my life.


Also, I've realized that cooking can be a very expensive hobby.  Being on the poor college student budget that I am, it's WAY harder than I expected to be able to buy everything I need to make anything I want.  I've quickly found out that I don't have the money, or the time.  Or the utensils. (I'm not joking.  I don't think we even have a mixer in this house.)


But I've kept up with my obsession, the How Sweet It Is blog.  I literally drool over it every single day. I cannot wait until the day I get home so I can (attempt to) make everything I've seen so far.


However.... I have made one thing since the Pancake Sundays that never happened again. 


About a day or two before I refreshed my cooking skills, we had a Meet-the-Greeks cookout on the quad to promote Greek Life on campus.  There were these huge platters of toppings for burgers and such, and by the end of the cookout, there was still an entire, untouched platter of tomatoes.  I didn't want to be wasteful.  So, yes, of course I took it home.  I love tomatoes.  But I didn't really realize how many tomatoes were actually on that platter. And I needed to use them.  So... 


I decided to make White Pizza.  From How Sweet It Is, of course.  (here's the full recipe :)) 
It was super fast. It was super easy.  And most of all, it was super delicious.

And I can't believe something I made actually turned out as well as it did! Everyone loved it.  When I went home for a weekend I even made it again for my family, and my mother, the carb-hater, wanted me to make another one. HA!


But I have a little secret.  I cheated.  Like super cheated.  I was being lazy, and I didn't make my own crust...OR use actual minced garlic.  (gasp!)  I just opted for a regular Boboli crust, and threw on a little garlic powder in place of all that mincing.


I don't exactly regret that decision though.  This pizza was DIVINE!

These next two weeks are looking pretty rough.  Three midterms, a paper, and a presentation.  The forecast does not look good for a blog anytime within that range, so don't get too excited.  Not that you're really on the edge of your seat waiting for me to post something.  Because you'd probably be on that edge for a very, very long time.  But here's to hoping not THAT long this time! 

Pancake Sundays!

So, it's the last day before school starts. Waaaah.  My house decided that we would make a tradition of having Pancake Sundays every Sunday.  (Okay, maybe I decided that would happen. And maybe only one of my roommates chose to partake. But still. Pancake Sundays 4life.) Anyways, this morning we decided to kick off the tradition with a recipe from the How Sweet It Is blog: Apple Bacon Pancakes.

I know what you're thinking.  Probably the exact same thing my other two roommates were thinking.  But I've gotta be honest.  They were good.

The recipe was for making pancakes completely from scratch.  But we cheated a little.  Instead of making the batter ourselves, we pulled out the industrial sized bag of pancake mix hiding in the pantry and got to work.  From there, it was cinnamon, vanilla extract, grated apples, and bacon.  Grating apples? Yeah, we weren't so sure how to do that.  So basically we peeled them.  An apple's an apple, right?

I'm getting pretty decent at making bacon now.  Except I've realized it can be a little dangerous.  Note to self: flying bacon grease WILL burn you.

At first, we were a little unsure.  It was looking like there was not a huge chance of these turning out.  The batter was looking a little soupy, and the apple shavings and chunks of bacon didn't exactly make it look so appetizing.


But then we started cooking.  And to our surprise, they actually started to look like real pancakes.  And even better, they smelled pretty good too.

We had some friends over for breakfast who weren't so thrilled when they heard what we were having.  One friend, the first brave one to dig in, described the pancakes as tasting "different." Ouch.  I was nervous to try mine.  But while I agreed that it wasn't a taste you'd expect, I thought they were pretty good!  I admit it's a little weird to taste bits of bacon in your pancakes, but by the end of breakfast the taste had grown on pretty much everyone. Decision made: these pancakes are gooooood. Especially swimming in butter and maple syrup.  First Pancake Sunday = success!

I'm Baaaack....This Time With Food!

Hi, everyone! (And when I say everyone I mean the .2 followers that I have.)

So, it's been well over 8 months since my last post. I'm lame. But I'm back. And lets hope this time it's for good?

When I was blogging before, I was allll about the fashion. Don't get me wrong. I still am. Like, really, really am. But, I've adopted a new hobby: baking/cooking. Well, at least attempting.

Over the summer I interned at a little Pittsburgh-based publication called WHIRL Magazine. I had a great time working there, and I learned a ton. Still, there were times that I wasn't given an assignment to do, so I would browse the WHIRL website to distract myself from taking the unprofessional route of going on Facebook. As I was browsing the website, I came across an ad for a blog called "How Sweet It Is." That's where my obsession started. I needed to make these recipes. And I needed to write about it.

When I first decided that I was going to write a cooking blog, (don't worry, I'll hopefully be back with some more fashion too - that being I don't get too lazy) I got myself really excited. After seeing “Julie and Julia,” I naturally wanted to do the same thing, probably just like every other woman in America. I’ve always enjoyed baking, and I’ve always wanted to learn how to be a good cook, but that was nothing compared to after I started following the “How Sweet It Is” blog. I look at this blog, day after day, literally drooling at my desk. Really. The people in the WHIRL office probably thought I had problems. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands and try these recipes. Wish me luck. I always need it.

When I finally decided to go ahead and do this, the first person I told was of course my mother. Her first response? “Oh, good, then you can make dinner tonight.” I won’t lie, that’s not really the response I was looking for. See, I’m more of a baker. I like to bake things. It’s fun, seems a little easier than actually cooking, and the outcome is always way more delicious. Once for Valentine’s Day, a friend and I made over 50 cupcakes, each individually decorated with a different design. (No, we weren’t making them for our Valentines, we made them because we had no Valentines.) Needless to say, I wasn’t as thrilled to actually cook a meal for my family as I would have been to bake goodies to feel guilty about eating. Still, I knew my mom wasn’t joking, so I accepted the challenge. Tonight’s assignment: Chili Mango Quesadillas.

Step one: caramelize the onions. I’ve done this before, so it was pretty much a cake walk. Well, that was after my mother made me re-chop the onions, because they “weren’t pretty enough.” (Mom, go away. I can do it myself!)

While the onions were sizzling, I started on the next task: bacon. I’ve never actually made bacon by myself before, and I have to be honest, after seeing how much grease filled that pan it was enough to make me never want to eat bacon again. (That’s a lie. It’s way too delicious.)

Step number three: cook the chicken. Because of my picky-eater of a sister, my family eats so much chicken that I normally practically gag at the site of it. But this was different. This time, I got a little creative and decided to cook the chicken in the leftover bacon grease. (Alright, maybe it wasn’t so much creativity as it was me not feeling like washing the pan.) Who knew my laziness could lead to delicious chicken?

Now, it was finally time to build the quesadilla. It went in this order: tortilla, cheddar, chicken, mango, bacon, pepperjack, chili powder, tortilla. That didn’t really work out as smoothly as planned. I, without thinking, made the idiot move of building the tortilla IN the heated pan that was already lit on the stove, instead of building it BEFORE going in the pan. Hey, I’m new at this. Cut me some slack here. Needless to say, one side of the quesadilla was a tiny bit crunchier than the other. I had to be extremely careful while flipping it, so the contents of the quesadilla wouldn’t fall out all over the pan. A few pieces of chicken managed to escape, but other than that I did a pretty good job.

I was surprised at myself, because the finished product actually looked good. My parents were actually not too excited that this was what I had chosen to make, because even though I thought it sounded good, they unfortunately did not. However, after taking a bite out of pity, they were pleasantly surprised. I cringed a little when I saw my mother take a bite, nervous that she would spit it out in disgust. When I saw her eyes open wide and a smile sprouting across her face, I was extremely relieved. I took a bite and was extremely proud of myself. And I think my dad actually liked it even more, being that he finished the entire plate. Both of my parents said that the flavors of the mango, cheese, and chicken really complimented each other. I highly suggest that everyone try these quesadillas NOW. Because they were extraordinary. Actually, in the words of my father, they were “mango-nificent.” He’s really cool.

For the full recipe, go to http://www.howsweeteats.com/2010/07/20/chili-mango-chicken-quesadilla/ .

Moooore Golden Globes!

Ok I'm back with more Golden Globe faves!

Here we go.

Olivia Wilde is always one of my favorite on the red carpet. Her style is so unique, and she always seems to get it right. And my God is that a beautiful woman! Wearing Gucci, she stunned everyone with the perfect amount of everything. The perfect amount of skin showing, the perfect amount of sparkle to the dress, the perfect amount of makeup. This baby's a winner. Me-ow!

Glee Glee Glee Glee Gleeeeeeeee!!!!! Glee has clearly become one of my favorite shows while I had nothing to do over winter break, and now Lea Michele scored a top spot as one of my favorite red carpet looks of the night! Looking stunning in Oscar de la Renta, Lea was a perfect example of poise and elegance. Okay, so a strapless poofy black dress seems a little predictable at any awards show, but for me this one tops the charts as one of the best. I love how the bodice fits her so perfectly and the dress poofs out right at the cinch of her waist. The ruffles and detailing on the skirt of the dress totally make the entire look! I guess you could say she looked incredibly Glee-ful. (wow so cheesy.)

I've heard so many opposing thoughts on this dress, some love it, and some hate it. Although I have to say for me, I think Zoe Saldana picked a winner. For this Louis Vuitton masterpiece, the tassels at the bottom seem to be the deciding factor between which side of the fence you're on for this dress. I personally love them. I also love how the fabric is a little bit draped at the bodice. I actually think that the fact that this dress is so unique that you can't decide whether you love it or hate it, is actually the beauty of it.

Ooooh, Mr. Schu. (There goes my obsession with Glee again.) Matthew Morrison, aka Mr. Schuster on Glee and the love of my life, is looking quite dapper in a Dolce and Gabbana tux. Hot dayum.

Yayyyy Golden Globes!

So, the Golden Globes just ended. Of course, the Golden Globes are put on to honor and award the amazing work done in the film and television industry. Avatar was awarded Best Drama, along with James Cameron for Best Director. It's looking like I'm gonna have to go see this...I really didn't want to sit in a theater for 3 hours but I guess it's winning enough awards to suck it up. Anyways a lot of the right people won, there were a lot of great films and a lot of wonderful work done in Hollywood this past year. But enough about that.

I think we all know that the real awards of the evening go to the Best Dressed.

Here are my favorites:

Kate Hudson was absolutely at the very top of my list tonight wearing Marchesa. This was the perfect choice for her, from the gorgeous color to the way it fit her body so perfectly. I love how she's not afraid to take a risk when picking out her dress, and it almost never goes wrong! The structure of this dress with the added feathers at the top of the bust are a subtle risk but also noticeably makes the dress. A clear favorite for me!

Oh, Penelope. Simply elegant, as always. I'm shocked to hear that anyone would be less than in awe of this Armani Prive. The detail in this dress is so simple, yet so breathtaking, from the lace around the shoulders, to the subtle stripes on the bodice, to the mermaid bottom. Penelope is never underwhelming with any of her choices, but this one is at the top of the list for me. Pure proof that you don't have to show skin to be sexy.

I'm not sure if many people know Sofia Vergara yet, but you will now. I love her show "Modern Family," (which is HIGHlarious by the way, I highly suggest you check it out) but now I think I'm going to start loving her for her style! (Not to mention the fact that she's gorgeous and has a gorgeous Latin accent to go along with it) Anyways, this Carolina Herrara number is one of the first I saw on the red carpet, and I immediately became stunned at the beauty of this dress! Carolina's dresses are the pinnacle of elegance, and Sofia wears it quite well. I wish I had a picture of the back! Urgh!

Chace Crawford. Dolce and Gabbana suit. One word: Yum.

Jennifer Aniston, you are so beautiful. This woman has never once let me down on the red carpet! From her hair, to her always fresh faced makeup, she is a perfect example of the I'm-not-trying-too-hard,-I'm-really-this-beautiful look. This Valentino dress is so chic and simple, while the one shouldered/sweetheart neckline and the "wow-that's-really-high" slit draw so much attention. Classy yet interesting!

Okay, I'm sleepy now. But don't worry, there will be more!

Danny Zuko=Yummy

So in honor of Grease being on TV right now.....

Sandy and Danny are actually semi-in style right now.

As well as the rest of the T-Birds and Pink Ladies.

So I couldn't exactly find the best picture, but check them out.

Sandy looks like she's straight out of an American Apparel ad, and I'm loving Rizzo's belted shorts with the top. And Marty's halter top is kewl and sophisticated. For some reason here I'm picturing a little bit of a Teen Vogue 50's inspired shoot. Of course, there would be a few style tweaks considering it's about 60 years later.

Let's check out the Pink Ladies here. Okay, so ignore Jan and Sandy. But Rizzo and Marty have got it going on. At least that's what I think. Belted pencil skirts have become huge in the past few years, aka another example that "style always repeats itself." I have to say that besides the infamous Sandy intervention at the end, Marty wins best dressed throughout the movie for me. Even though her character isn't as significant as the others, she rocks it the entire film with a seemingly effortless style, with gorgeous pencil skirts, heels, and neck scarves, which i LOVE. I would also love it if those came back in style. Please?

But I have to say, no matter what decade it is, a leather jacket will always, always be in style. And that goes for both men and women. So chic. So stylish. So Badass.

Oh, John Travolta. What. A. Babe.

He's the one that I want. (hoo hoo hooo, honey.)

Cross dressing maybe not so weird after all?

So, I don't know what's gotten into me lately....but I've really been diggin on the menswear. And not just the typical vests and pinstripe, I'm talking actual mens clothing. (You're silently judging me, aren't you?)

For the past two days, I've pretty much found myself up to my knees in it. Literally. Yesterday, I stole a bunch of my dad's sweaters from about the late 80's that are folded into a pile that actually comes up to my knees. I know what you're probably thinking. Sweaters from the 80's= Dr. Huxtable to the max. Luckily my dad has better fashion sense than that, and picked sweaters that I've managed to cinch with a belt and pair with leggings and ballet flats. He totally had me in mind while picking these out. Before I was born.

Anyways, today just so happened to be one of the most unusual shopping sprees I've been on in awhile. As I was making a few Christmas returns, I stumbled upon a sale in the little boys section and somehow managed to leave with quite a few items in my bag. Ralph Lauren boys sizes seem to fit surprisingly similar to women's sizes, as well as have the same classic Ralph style and are not to mention a whole lot cheaper. Love me some Ralph!

From my recent experiments I've learned that who says you have to rock the menswear when it's already made for women? Real mens clothing can be made feminine, with the right accessories and finishing touches.

Also, the looser fitting gives a little less guilt while enjoying my carbs :) Just kidding. But seriously.

par exemple:

Polo Ralph Lauren

Polo Ralph Lauren

kaboodle.com

Ralph Lauren

stylelist.com

well done, ralph.