Happy New Year!

Pinterest image via stylemepretty.com

Hello ladies!

I want to wish everyone a wonderful, safe and joyous New Year. I hope 2012 brings great things for all of you. Today is also my birthday and I am so grateful to be celebrating it this year with my family and friends in a place that I love. I will definitely have many updates when I return to blogging next week! Whether you're staying in with close friends or hitting the town--I hope your night is spectacular.

Pin-tested: recipes

Hi friends, happy week before Christmas! I know this is an absolutely crazy time of year for most people--I hope yours is going as wonderfully as possible. Today I'm sharing some Pinterest recipes that I've made over the past few months.

1. Spicy Chicken Rigatoni - this was probably the biggest hit, my husband and kids both loved it and can't wait for me to make it again. 

2. Koren-style Shortribs in the crockpot - my husband absolutely loved this. I thought it was very good, but I will probably cut down the amount of rice oil when I make it again.

3. Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken - this was excellent, but a bit labor-intensive. I would definitely make it again, I just need to allot more time for prep.

4. Best Broccoli Ever - this is definitely the best broccoli I've ever had. I actually crave it and sometimes even make it for lunch. It's truly fantastic. I've lost track of how many times I've made this, but it's well over a dozen.

5. Garlic Rosemary Pork Tenderloin - Very, very good. Will definitely make again.

6. Cuban Beef - Ropa Vieja is one of my favorite dishes ever, but since moving away from South Florida, it's become a bit harder for me to find in restaurants. This recipe is a very solid start to an authentic dish. I still need to tinker with it a bit to perfect it though.

7. Chicken Enchilada Soup - This was just ok for me, it needed more seasoning for sure. If I was to make this again, I would definitely add more spices for a deeper flavor.

8. Parmesan Crusted Tilapia -  Two Words: Epic. Fail. So disgusting and mushy and just gross. I will never, ever make this again. I do think it may have been better if I had mixed the parm with panko for some texture, but this recipe was a huge disappointment.

9. Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes - I sent in these adorable ice cream cone cupcakes for my daughter's birthday celebration at school. There are long, involved recipes for making your own batter and frosting, but I just used the pre-made funfetti mix and a can of Wilton frosting, they turned out well.

*recipes taken from my Taste, Crockpot and Sweet Tooth boards

For Christmas, I am making my tried and true herb crusted rib roast--so delicious.

What are your plans for Christmas meals this year? What is your favorite thing to cook or bake around this time of year? Do you have a favorite recipe from Pinterest or anywhere else that you'd like to share? Feel free to leave links in the comments!

My All-Star Beauty Products

Hi ladies, I hope everyone's week is off to a great start!

Today I thought I would share my All-Star Beauty products--the products I've been using for 5 years or more. Like most industries, the beauty industry is always introducing exciting new and improved products and I, the consummate consumer, am usually among the first to try them out. The fact that I have stayed loyal to these products for a period of 5 years or more is truly saying a lot! 

Clinique Deep Cleansing Emergency Mask - This is a 5-minute clay mask that helps refine, deep-clean pores and lift away impurities. When I have a breakout or my skin is looking particularly messy or oily, I slather this stuff on and wake up to noticeably improved skin. I've been using this since 2004.

St. Ives Apricot Scrub - This is truly an All-Star product for me, I've been using it since I was in college so... for about 13 years now. I love this as a gentle, yet effective all-over skin exfoliator. It leaves my epidermis soft and smooth and doesn't irritate my sensitive skin at all.

Opcon A  - These eye drops put Visine to shame. They instantly clear up tired, red or bloodshot eyes, but I really love this product for removing the red from pimples and blemishes. It provides instant relief and results; Opcon A is definitely my Holy Grail product when it comes to eye drops/redness-reduction.

MAC 217 brush - If I had to choose just one brush to use for the rest of my life, it would definitely be MAC's 217. It's dual fiber, so it works equally well with powder shadows or creams/gels. It's the perfect density and shape for great blending and really works into the socket area nicely so it's perfect for smoky looks especially. I love this brush so much, I own two of them.

My 217s: my 2003 brush is on the left, my 2010 brush is much fluffier but I still love them both!

Caudalie Lip Conditioner - My mom first gave me this in 2005 and I've been using it ever since. It's really lightweight, made from all-natural ingredients and keeps my lips soft and unchapped. It's perfect alone or under lipstick or gloss.

L'Oreal Professional Vitamino Color Shampoo and Conditioner - This is definitely my Holy Grail shampoo and conditioner, I've been using it since 2006. I briefly strayed away from it for a bit and my hair pretty much dried up instantly (photographic evidence here). This stuff definitely works to not only keep my color from fading, but it keeps my hair moisturized, shiny and full of life. I've tried samples of other types of shampoo and conditioner over the years, but something would have to be simply amazing to get me to switch from the L'Oreal Professional line.

I would love to hear about your All-Star products! What have you been using for a 5+ year period? What products do you keep coming back to?

OOTD: Mix-up

Hello friends! How is December treating you? I did not intend to take such a long break from blogging, but the holidays are smoking me this year. We've had a wonderful, but busy holiday season so far--hosting visits from family and friends, hosting Thanksgiving and celebrating our daughter's 5th birthday, all fun stuff. I hope you all are enjoying this season!

Rachel Bilson demonstrating the versatility of the military-inspired jacket

I've been on the lookout for a military inspired parka, but I never really found the perfect one. J. Crew's option was nice, but I didn't care for the stiff consistency of the fabric. I liked the version from the Gap, but thought that at $168, it was way overpriced. I was so happy to finally find a great version of this the other day at Forever 21! It's such a great piece to throw over basically anything. I really like the juxtaposition of it with a preppier look, it adds so much character I think!

blouse: J. Crew (here), jeans: 7FAM, heels: Nine West (here), bag: Marc Jacobs large single (here)

jacket: Forever 21 (here)

I was inspired by Noelle's hot pink heels and Lilly's turquoise heels, I have to say-I am really enjoying the fun, bright heel!

my go-to, goes with everything necklace from J. Crew

I've been really trying to mix up my style lately, I feel like I wear the same sort of uniform every day and it's getting boring. The addition of the military jacket and hot pink heels have added just enough oomph for me to breathe new life into my looks. What items do you like for an instant infusion of style? 

I hope you're enjoying a beautiful holiday season!