cheddar biscuits

i was inspired to make biscuits again after having the best biscuits and gravy of my life at matchless (may i just say, the pairing of flaky, buttery biscuits and creamy sausage gravy is downright criminal?).  i'd go back solely for those biscuits. 

instead of recreating the buttermilk and honey biscuits like last time, i went with the more savory option: cheddar biscuits.  perfect because i love cheese and trying new things. 

i kind of followed this recipe, except i used heavy cream instead of buttermilk.  and the measurements for the cream weren't exact.  this time, i poured in a bit at a time, until it formed a sticky ball of dough.  the same goes for the sharp cheddar.  i just added cheese to the dough as i saw fit--nothing precise.

 forming the rounds on a board of flour is a messy job, but it's fun (and kind of relaxing).

the shredded cheddar on top added a nice kick of sharp flavor.

the butter is a must, in my book.

oh...and one thing i learned was to handle the dough as little as possible (unlike the previous biscuits).  the texture is lighter and softer when handled minimally.  lesson learned!

-jillian m.

bargain hunter: diy makeup remover

anyone that wears eye makeup knows how hard it is to remove (especially mascara). i used to be the wash-and-go girl, but i've since started using drugstore makeup remover because all that vigorous rubbing isn't good for the sensitive eye area.

but i went through bottles like a maniac and that added up!  so i've been relying on some random multi-purpose household items to get the job done.  and, believe it or not, they actually work and i've come to find through much research that they're completely safe.

1. petroleum jelly (non-medicated). 

2. extra virgin olive oil + canola oil. combine equal parts of each in an empty bottle.  if no canola oil, using just olive oil is acceptable, too.

3. water, baby shampoo and baby oil. i use a little over a quarter of water, then the rest is equal parts shampoo and oil (in a clean, unused bottle).  there's no exact science so you can play around with the measurements.  if no shampoo, then mixing the water and oil is fine, too.  and always be sure to shake before use.

important note: i've tried all of the above solutions and each works effectively and gently.  with that being said, you should always spot test on an area of skin before you use any of these on your eyes.

my take: out of these 3, i prefer to use the last one because it doesn't leave behind a film.  also, i figure if it's safe and gentle enough to use on babies, then it's safe and gentle enough for me!  in a pinch, i'll use the olive oil on its own - it removes makeup very easily.


for some more diy solutions check out:
-makeup artist kandee johnson's tutorial combining olive oil and witch hazel.
-traclyn's non-comodegenic formula using aloe vera gel and petroleum jelly.

-jillian m.

fancy dinner at home for two

after a saturday of brunching at bar matchless, fruitless thrifting, and picking up groceries, bob and i came back to his place for dinner and a movie.  stuffed beets and herb-roasted lamb chops were on the menu.  he cooked while i read the recipes to him and watched (haha).  but i wasn't entirely useless.  i did make the marinade for the chops and the stuffing for the beets.  and i washed the dishes.  so there.

it's a tough job but someone's got to do it, right?  not me!

stuffing for the beets: gruyere and parmesan cheese, garlic and bits of crispy bacon.

lamb chops marinated in garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt and olive oil.  i love this tasty marinade.  also ideal for porkchops. 

dinner is served!

what a meal!  messy and a bit time-consuming.  but when you're laughing and dancing to french jazzy music in the meantime, the time flies and the messes become funny.   

as for the movie, we watched catfish.  did anyone see the previews for this a few months ago?  it's a so-called documentary (i can't decide whether it was real or scripted) about a photographer who develops a friendship with a girl and her family over facebook.  it started out as one thing and ended up as something else (that's the best i got without spoiling it).  the reviews for this are glowing, but personally i thought it was meh.  just my opinion.

how was your weekend? seen any good movies lately?

-jillian m.


p.s. did you know that drinking pure beet juice is highly discouraged?  it can cause side effects such as paralysis of the vocal chords and kidney stones.  that's why it's always recommended that you juice beets with carrots or apple juice.  and it's to be consumed in moderation.  freaky!

friday!

• aaaw, that puppy wants his belly rubbed so badly! love those little snorts.

• i've been having a bad, bad case of wanderlust. really bad. everyday i dream i'm in a new place - greece, martinique, bali...the list goes on and on. this will be the first year that i can actually afford to go on a vacation and i'm currently looking into turks and caicos. i'm ready for the beach all day everyday!

• and since i'm on the topic, if you're planning on traveling this year, you might think these articles are useful: know the greeting customs and 5 surefire ways to offend locals.

• so now that bradley cooper is single, does this mean i have a chance with him? swoooon.

• r.i.p. elizabeth taylor. check out her top 20 best quotes here. random fact: did you know she hated to be called liz?

• i hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

-jillian m.

french toast in the afternoon

sooo...

i've never made french toast before (not counting a few days ago, which was the first).  it was always one of those foods that i'd rather have made for me at a breakfast or brunch spot.  and honestly, they probably make it better than i ever could anyway.

but when the craving for french toast set in and my laziness (and unwilligness to spend money) handicapped me from actually going anywhere, i realized i needed to make it myself.

this wasn't based on any particular recipe.  i kind of just asked my mom how she made her french toast and she gave me the basics.  i spiced it up a little to my liking.

french toast
1 egg
2 slices of white bread
2 tablespoons of coconut milk
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
butter (for greasing)
maple syrup (optional, but most definitely recommended)


beat the egg in a bowl.  then, beat in coconut milk, vanilla and cinnamon until mixed.  melt the butter in a nonstick pan over the stove set to medium heat.  dip the bread in the mixture (a few seconds on each side).  place bread on pan and cook until browned to your liking (personally, i like it more on the brown side for crispiness).  once done, you can sprinkle more cinnamon and pour maple syrup.

the last bite is the best.  you get to sop up all the leftover syrup.

but i'm sure YOU already know how to make french toast.  everyone has their own variation.  so, tell me...how do you make yours?

-jillian m.

daylight dinners, eavesdropping and teeny things

 creamiest goat cheese tart

wild mushroom ravioli with truffle oil

spicy cavatelli with broccoli rabe and sausage

pasta at our favorite italian restaurant, caffe del mare, always hits the spot.  there isn't a bad or mediocre meal at this place.  bob and i figured out the best time to dine is during the late afternoon/early evening because there are less people and an easier, relaxed atmosphere. easy makes me happy.

i spied a couple that may have been on their first date.  and judging by their body language, it all seemed to be going well until the guy started flirting with the hostess for about 10 minutes!  i enjoy guessing what the relationships are between complete strangers.  sometimes, i feel like asking just to see if i'm right about them.  i say it's interesting.  others may call this nosy. 

our day also included:

tiny cars,

tiny cupcakes (chocolate and red velvet),

snapshots of us 

and the best weekend happy hour i've known.

how was the weekend for you?

-jillian m.

have a sweet monday!

in spite of having one of the most productive days i've had in quite a while, i didn't prepare a post for today (apart from this one, haha).

confession: i spent the night watching movies on my netflix stream.  sometimes doing nothing is so much sweeter than doing something.

with that being said, i hope you have yourselves a great start to your week.  i hope to meet you back here tomorrow!

-jillian m.

p.s. did anyone catch the super moon on saturday?  i caught it around 11pm, but even though it was the brightest i've seen it, it didn't look that close to me (and it wasn't orange).  but according to this article and photograph, it was massive!  i guess the orangey hugeness was earlier on in the night?

friday!

• aren't these pictures cool?  my boyfriend took them on the lunar eclipse last year.  and speaking of which, tomorrow is super moon saturday.  the full moon will be bright orange and closest to earth then it's been in 18 years.  pretty amazing stuff.  be sure to watch out for that!

• 5 wacky and wonderful homes.  if you had to choose any one to live in, which would you choose?

• did anyone see the roast of donald trump?  mike "the situation" tried his hand at stand-up and bombed so badly that it was actually painful to watch.  and at the same time, it was awesome and hilarious!  watch this slow car crash here.

• i'd wear this on days when i want to feel like a whimsical pixie.  absolutely gorgeous!

• are you looking for ways to help japan?  this article gives you a listing of legitimate charities to donate to.

-jillian m.

my spring wishlist

spring is lurking around the corner.  and with the change in weather comes a change in mood.  i'm stripping my layers, doing some spring cleaning and longing for the following trends and goodies:

paris umbrella - for those inevitable april showers.

mac lipstick in so chaud - 

colorful matte lips is one makeup trend i'm dying to try.  so youthful and fresh!

elizabeth and james black blazer - 

for those "in-between" days.  

opi nail polish in need sunglasses - 

out with the greige, in with the brights.

  j. crew cece cracked metallic ballet flats - 

classic, comfy ballets for work and weekends.

a bouquet of flowers - 

just 'cause...

what's on your wishlist this season?

-jillian m.


p.s. happy st. patty's day!

cool banana milkshake

you know what i found out?  overripe bananas don't have to be thrown out.  apparently, everyone but me knew this.

no worries.  better to find out later than never, right?

since i only had one overripe banana and limited ingredients, i needed something simple.  after much googling, i found a few banana  milkshake recipes.  but i ended up just using those as bases for my own single-serving banana milkshake creation.  here it is:

cool banana milkshake:
1 overripe banana (frozen and cut into chunks)
1 cup of milk (i used 1%)
2-3 ice cubes
1 tablespoon of vanilla yogurt
2 teaspoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
sprinkle of cinnamon (optional, but recommended)

combine and blend all ingredients.  pour in a cup.  sprinkle extra cinnamon on top.

i honestly didn't expect this to be as delicious as it was.  the ice cubes and frozen banana gave this a much-needed icy-ness that made it light and oh-so refreshing.  and the cinnamon was a perfect last-minute touch of unexpected flavor.  it was heavenly.

-jillian m.

fleas and food

wow...that is the most unsavory title ever.  but, moving on...


my new favorite place to be?  the hell's kitchen flea market.

i loved the collection of completely random and unique things you wouldn't find anywhere else.  can you guess which piece i desperately wanted to take home with me?

 i'll give you a hint: it's reeeeally cool.
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if you guessed the burt reynolds-ish body form, then you'd be right on!  i would have liked to use it for hanging my scarves and necklaces on, but something about lugging this thing around all day (in addition to my heavy camera) was just exhausting to think about (and it conjured up funny images in my head of weekend at bernie's).

afterwards, me and bob went to whym (a new favorite restaurant of ours), where the service and food were just so on point.  their extensive choice of fresh juices are enough to keep me from ever ordering an alcoholic beverage there.  but the food was the real star: juicy pulled duck sliders, the most tender berkshire tenderloin, bosc pear and creamy brie quesadillas, crispy-on-top potato gratin and avocado-ginger salsa rocked our worlds.  we will be coming back.

 -jillian m.

friday!

• lincoln center at night never gets old.  it's spacious, beautifully lit and being that close to the opera house makes me feel like a classy gal.  plus, there's ample opportunity for lovely pictures.

• 5 reasons NOT to quit drinking coffee.  as if i needed any.

• remember to set your clocks one hour ahead this weekend.  yes, we lose an hour but we also gain more sunshine!  call me an optimist.

• i've been getting into a ton of food blogs lately.  there's really no need to ever buy a cookbook again with the vast amount of recipes in the blogosphere.  pretty tasty things, oh she glows, cannelle et vanille, smitten kitchen and simply recipes are a few of my favorites.  what are some of yours?

• a big thank you to everyone who commented on wednesday's "better health" post!  i think it's so interesting to hear what other people are doing to better themselves.  and i love to hear your feedback.

• happy weekend to you!

-jillian m.


update: my thoughts are with the tsunami victims and their families. can't even begin to imagine what japan is going through.  it makes me so thankful to have my friends and family. 

tweaks i've made for better health

1. daily drinks of choice: unsweetened grapefruit juice, 2% milk (i just can't do skim), filtered water, coconut water.

2. better snacking between meals: natural popcorn, dark chocolate, candied almonds, kale chips, bananas with all-natural chocolate peanut butter.

3. buy at least one "superfood" for the week and incorporate it into meals: kale, avocados, almonds.

4. no more salt on pizza (yes, i do did that)! and just trying to cut back on salt altogether.

other changes include, but are not limited to:

• reducing my sugar intake (my oreo consumption has dramatically decreased.  i seriously live for those things.  needless to say, it's been really tough).

• cutting out soda completely (although i get a really strong craving for it when eating pizza).

• eating healthier breakfasts, i.e. greek yogurt mixed with berries and kashi go lean crunch in honey almond flax (it's no bacon, egg and cheese biscuit but it tastes good.  no really, it does!).

with all this being said, i'm no health nut.  i still eat fried foods.  and 99% of time, i will order the dessert (unless i've loaded up on too many beef tacos and there's just no room in there).  why should we deny ourselves?  i think we all deserve a treat from time to time.


is there anything you've done to modify your diet?  it can be as little as taking a multivitamin everyday or as big as going vegan.  feel free to share below!

-jillian m.