tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70005627365754562232024-03-18T20:53:13.099-07:00Majesty Bakes CakesMakeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.comBlogger101125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-75019101878113242102016-06-06T09:17:00.001-07:002016-06-06T09:17:20.356-07:00Fruity Pebbles and Trix Mini DonutsHi guys! It’s been awhile, I know. I will try to be better about posting all of our culinary adventures!<br />
<br />
This was my 4th year participating in my company’s bake sale. It’s something people look forward to all year. This year I was on the committee and we really went all out – silent auction, raffle tickets, pretty pink décor (for BCA), etc. I wanted to think of something a little out of the box. Year after year I’ve seen much of the same items – cupcakes, cookies, pies. Although these are all GREAT things for a bake sale (and for life in general) I wanted mine to stand out. I wanted to make something really colorful and eye catching, so what’s a girl to do? I started Pinteresting any and all ideas. Enter: these adorabley instagram worthy mini donuts.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrhxWeRm2rJVlYzK0UMpPuMnQ9ZSGBknujld41iKYwIv1JxOStMeoeQdcZbQusPBAT_jBb6kpqgpyQ0GnRoGcBCdWmNTYX8GheZ2tNzJFDtb9tHS_3yRGeVa78yUw-qQAJGEGyyrkxCQ/s1600/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrhxWeRm2rJVlYzK0UMpPuMnQ9ZSGBknujld41iKYwIv1JxOStMeoeQdcZbQusPBAT_jBb6kpqgpyQ0GnRoGcBCdWmNTYX8GheZ2tNzJFDtb9tHS_3yRGeVa78yUw-qQAJGEGyyrkxCQ/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I’ve found that in years prior, the mini/bite sized items are the best sellers at our sale. People like to sample an array of treats, so making items smaller makes it easier for people to try multiple things (and not feel as guilty if you’re into that sort of thing). ANYWAY, I had the idea of topping my mini donuts with colorful cereal. I have seen this on social media – there’s a bakery on the Jersey shore that does this and I thought it was kind of genius. So no, not a completely original idea on my part but they did come out pretty cute! They all sold out and I was happy about that (all many goes to charity). The donuts themselves are regular vanilla donuts with a vanilla glaze (original recipe here). They make look small, but the bite packs a big punch – the soft, sweet donut with the crunchy cereal makes chowing down on one of these so satisfying. I used Fruity Pebbles cereal and Trix cereal as the toppings, but you can use whatever cereal you’d like! <br />
<br />
PRO tip: If you make the donuts the night before, that’s OK (I put mine in a sealed Tupperware). Just don’t top them with the cereal until the day you are serving them. I read this tip and it makes so much sense – the cereal will definitely get soggy if it’s sitting on top of the glaze overnight. The best part of these is the crunchy cereal, so don’t make that mistake! The other tip is not to fill the donut cavity too much. I struggle with this every time I bake! If you fill them with too much batter, your donuts will end up looking more like misshapen cupcakes vs. donuts. I made extra just in case I didn’t like how a few of them came out. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFgV7pOH00iW6CnBVW25psygNSeufL_9rttJea19OIZllLXycvXCpCAAs-nq1Y-vsP0r-o81RvmY1pNokA92sl5qrDCRu3LC3xgd201VxbpiOeH1Sjdhb9fPw95xkSL0U31j3TKeXlslQ/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFgV7pOH00iW6CnBVW25psygNSeufL_9rttJea19OIZllLXycvXCpCAAs-nq1Y-vsP0r-o81RvmY1pNokA92sl5qrDCRu3LC3xgd201VxbpiOeH1Sjdhb9fPw95xkSL0U31j3TKeXlslQ/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here they are displayed at the bake sale!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Thanks for reading! Will post again soon!</div>
<br />
<br />Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-16367393446401154872016-02-08T09:43:00.001-08:002016-02-08T09:43:19.085-08:00Twisted Elm Tavern - Best Brunch in North Jersey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfS_ptgsdYvByjLYLKzfM4ifxCFbp8rQ9uf04qPlqICEucGEXOe57y0_NCeF1RwjaVzcFFZm2MQIXIro14ixF5d6ZYqcW7qy3FqqU8OAs2-XEbKuLY_BySek4llIC_39MgQnxaZEks_E/s1600/12651007_10100577904037825_4060644825763436885_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfS_ptgsdYvByjLYLKzfM4ifxCFbp8rQ9uf04qPlqICEucGEXOe57y0_NCeF1RwjaVzcFFZm2MQIXIro14ixF5d6ZYqcW7qy3FqqU8OAs2-XEbKuLY_BySek4llIC_39MgQnxaZEks_E/s400/12651007_10100577904037825_4060644825763436885_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Do you SEE this photo?! If you need any more convincing to visit this local gem, here you go…<br />
<br />
The atmosphere is very relaxed – think rustic, big wooden saloon-type bar and high vaulted ceilings. Don’t be fooled by the simple décor – the food here is NO JOKE. I found this place by Googling “best boozy brunches in NJ” for a bestie date, and the Twisted Elm was on the list. We’re not your typical eating a side salad for lunch chicks – we want FOOD. Hearty, delicious food and a lot of it. I clicked on the Twisted Elm Tavern solely because I liked the name. After browsing some food photos online and on Instagram, I was convinced that this place would definitely be our speed. The photo that did it for me was the gorgeous MOUND of chicken and waffles that I saw someone post on Instagram. I screenshotted the photo and sent it to my friend. Her response? “We need it. What time we going?” The photo above is of my very own heavenly chicken and waffles. <br />
<br />
We visited Twisted Elm at 1:00pm on Saturday. I made a reservation because I didn’t know how busy they got. There was a good amount of people there when we walked in. A good mix of younger people and families. They only offer brunch 11:30-2:30pm, so I wanted to make sure we were covered. The waitress came over immediately and asked us if we wanted our complimentary cocktail yet. UM…YES???? You can choose from a screwdriver, mimosa, bellini or bloody mary. My friend got the screwdriver, which came in a biggg glass. I got the mimosa and it was very tasty. The drink refills were very reasonable – I think my second mimosa was $6. As we enjoyed our drinks, the waitress brought over a complimentary basket of homemade biscuits and blueberry muffins. I mean, I already loved this place. Free drinks and carbs? Count me in. The biscuits were delicious, and were served with a strawberry butter on the side. I would normally not have tried it, but was feeling adventurous that day (reallyyyy living on the wild side, guys). The combo of the fresh biscuit and strawberry butter was delicious. I went back for more. The muffins we didn’t try – neither of us are big on blueberries so that was a little sad! They looked good though. <br />
<br />
Now onto the main event. After seeing that mouth-watering chicken and waffles photo online, I couldn’t get it out of my head until we sat down to eat. There was no question – we both got the chicken and waffles. Excuse me, the chicken and BACON waffles. Yes, bacon inside the waffle. I can’t say enough good things about this dish. I’ve only had chicken and waffles once before, and was slightly weirded out by the combo. I’m from Jersey – not exactly chicken and waffles capital of the US. However, I savored every single bite of this meal at Twisted Elm. The waffles were perfectly cooked, and the bacon baked inside was such a welcomed surprise. The chicken was outstanding – bone-in, juicy and soft on the inside with probably one of the greatest crusts/breading on the outside I’ve ever had. It was nice and crispy and had a crunch to it. Getting the perfect bite of chicken, waffle and maple syrup was nearly heaven. They usually serve this dish with a blueberry agave syrup, but again, not big on blueberries so I opted for regular maple. If this doesn’t seem like enough food already, they serve it with these rustic, wonderfully seasoned potatoes on the side. I am a HUGE potato lover, and even those took the back seat to the chicken and waffles. Almost unheard of. The potatoes were really good though – they had a nice crispy skin on the outside and like I said, seasoned to perfection. The meal also came with a little side of fruit, which was almost comical to me. The fruit did not get touched, needless to say. We ate to the point of near death, and it was well worth it. We didn’t even eat dinner that night, and opted for light snacks instead. Bring your appetite. <br />
<br />
In closing, I will definitely be back. My husband was insanely jealous of our photos, especially after we told him how awesome the food was. For all we got (free drink, free biscuit/muffin basket, another drink, 2 orders of chicken and waffles) the bill was roughly $50 for 2 people which was NOT bad at all. To me, this is the perfect brunch place if you live in the area. No prissy, uptight salad eaters allowed.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPMU0kS6XiwKWefNHZcMBQqNWCilimG6sbxuf2puFEJe5rQx3JkGLLBPM765BC71TL04hWJF8d5ea-BwwUnd-I5uMef70r2wFRLUYQyDv8a4DPVqqFNKKeXyJiBspXlC5CQvOACObDdeQ/s1600/12705661_10100577935195385_7504414762319275602_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPMU0kS6XiwKWefNHZcMBQqNWCilimG6sbxuf2puFEJe5rQx3JkGLLBPM765BC71TL04hWJF8d5ea-BwwUnd-I5uMef70r2wFRLUYQyDv8a4DPVqqFNKKeXyJiBspXlC5CQvOACObDdeQ/s320/12705661_10100577935195385_7504414762319275602_n.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
A bestie date would not be complete without a selfie, duh. </div>
<br />Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-44415441384597042992016-01-17T09:07:00.002-08:002016-01-17T09:07:27.593-08:00White Manna HamburgersHi All! Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. My husband and I finally got the chance to stop by White Manna Hamburgers in Hackensack, NJ. I have an ongoing list of local joints I want to check out, and this one has been on the list for a while. <div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After driving by one day, I immediately knew I wanted to eat there. I love old timey diners and eateries! Upon further research, I realized that this little dive is actually quite famous - it's been featured on multiple Food Network shows (one being Diners, Drive-ins and Dives), and has been in business since 1946. People rave about the burgers, and now I can see why! <div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEQ-eH_mhOz3PrdYNv0dtpnSWfEQwiL2WOMsc1I9hVDWDcLcLEJ1uFExN_Fab6Nq1Inhlf1KMrqKqpIoqjD9yWCVf_TbfsSxKMFtjYdi6zgxvfpIwN3zgZACqIu3ASH1BO0fnDVVMoI8/s1600/12552634_10100568778540395_8433502776755764867_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEQ-eH_mhOz3PrdYNv0dtpnSWfEQwiL2WOMsc1I9hVDWDcLcLEJ1uFExN_Fab6Nq1Inhlf1KMrqKqpIoqjD9yWCVf_TbfsSxKMFtjYdi6zgxvfpIwN3zgZACqIu3ASH1BO0fnDVVMoI8/s400/12552634_10100568778540395_8433502776755764867_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>White Manna Hamburgers in Hackensack, New Jersey</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After digging a little deeper (I overly research EVERYTHING) there's a few things you need to know before going!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
1. <b>Ordering</b>: There's a specific way to order your meal. The chef cooks the mini burgers right in front of you, and you order directly from him - number of burgers (they're small), with or without cheese, with or without onions, with or without pickles. The onions don't come in just a few pieces - it's like a HUGE dome of onions. Not my thing so I got mine without. If you want french fries or a drink, you order that from the person manning the cash register (the chef only takes burger orders). Condiments and ketchup are on the counter. </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
2. <b>Tight Quarters</b>: What you see is what you get. White Manna really is that small. There's about 12 stools in the whole place. We sat at the counter to the left of the chef, and watched him work his burger magic. At one point I think he had 30 mini burgers on the grill at once. The patties are not pre-made either - we watched him pull off pieces of the meat mix and shape them quickly before plopping them on the grill. Super fresh! We dropped by at around 1pm on a Saturday and the place was PACKED. Because it's very small, be conscious of your place in line. It can get tricky with people picking up their food, paying and leaving. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
3. <b>To Stay or to Go:</b> You can get your order to stay or go - if you can find a spot, I suggest staying to eat. It's fun to watch the happenings of this place. There were locals that looked like they had been eating there for years. The chef knew a few people by name and sight. It's kind of like a local bar that's been open since the beginning of time and everyone knows each other. The decor looks like it hasn't been updated since the 40's, but that's what makes it cool. Just watching the chef churn out burger after burger with such precision was entertainment enough for me. This place cranks out 800 - 1,000 burgers PER DAY according to Food Network. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
4. <b>Paying: </b>If you stay to eat, you can pay when you're finished. When paying, remember exactly what you ordered. They don't give you a receipt so be conscious of that. This place is super cheap, it's actually kind of crazy what you get for your money! My husband and I each got 2 mini burgers with cheese, shared an order of french fries and each got a soda - the bill was $13. We work in NYC, and one sandwich for lunch could be $13! Outstanding quality at a great price. The chef has a tip jar - it's not necessary to tip. We did after seeing how hard he was hustling. Other people did too. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
5. <u><b>THE BURGERS!</b></u> Last but certainly not least, how were the burgers, you ask? After the confusing ordering process, remembering your bill, maybe getting confused who was next in line, waiting for the burgers to be cooked from scratch - how WAS it? It was quite honestly one of the best burgers I've ever had. No joke. I LOVE burgers and savored every single bite of my White Manna burgers. The burger itself was so tasty and tender. After being open since the 40's, this place definitely has their meat mix down pat. The cheese was super melty which I loved - huge pet peeve is when cheese on a burger is not melted all the way - gross. They use Martin's potato rolls which is the only brand my husband and I buy when we make burgers - they are simply the best! I put a little ketchup on mine and went to town. It's like biting into a little heavenly pillow. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
That's all for today! We will definitely be back to this local gem soon!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-28700818950128848372016-01-03T12:37:00.003-08:002016-01-03T12:37:47.461-08:00Beautiful Cake Batter Bark with SprinklesHi guys! I made this super pretty Cake Batter Bark for our holiday cocktail party and it was a big hit! (<a href="http://ashleemarie.com/cake-batter-sprinkles-bark/">Original post here</a>). It's pretty easy, and only takes 4 ingredients - dark chocolate, white chocolate, cake mix and sprinkles!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh66AYqjESnEwJz1c_i1WGTybmFeFPkz8KQtabqt4BIfRdIfH-_4fVsgU6I_hlj_3x7HH1DZwZUg__BAE3RogdEJ34FQdqsXWG2LJqoErm9YE3TnsVUittDcl12hytLU5By93iXKxvydXI/s1600/32ebefe8-96b0-42f6-bef7-1d9d6513b088.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh66AYqjESnEwJz1c_i1WGTybmFeFPkz8KQtabqt4BIfRdIfH-_4fVsgU6I_hlj_3x7HH1DZwZUg__BAE3RogdEJ34FQdqsXWG2LJqoErm9YE3TnsVUittDcl12hytLU5By93iXKxvydXI/s400/32ebefe8-96b0-42f6-bef7-1d9d6513b088.png" width="398" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
My bark before I broke it into pieces - Love it!</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I always like to have a few dessert options for my parties, and this one is easy to make AND can be made in advance. I made it the day before and let it harden in the fridge. Right before guests came I broke it into pieces with my hands and threw it in a festive Christmas server.<br />
<br />
The only mistake I made was not waiting until the dark chocolate was completely cooled before adding the white chocolate layer - as you can see by my photos, the 2 chocolates mixed together a bit. The original recipe has one clearly white side and one dark side. It still tasted great though and was a pretty dessert to make for a crowd! I would definitely make it again - next time I might add some nuts or something to give it a crunchy element.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdvRdDVmKl39GTZf-9NqwngDdzpSXSr84viiIagMH1Jsrqsx0LXcQKJUx6d5cgFS7VRcIeOsWVbzAhY_-LEarR4eTNUF-J42MnQadhfYVB94SkBO4syy2_Ecx_Zt2QGAdYLPQBbeX1HXg/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdvRdDVmKl39GTZf-9NqwngDdzpSXSr84viiIagMH1Jsrqsx0LXcQKJUx6d5cgFS7VRcIeOsWVbzAhY_-LEarR4eTNUF-J42MnQadhfYVB94SkBO4syy2_Ecx_Zt2QGAdYLPQBbeX1HXg/s400/1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
My bark all ready to be eaten!</div>
Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-76579890515591017362015-12-26T19:40:00.001-08:002015-12-26T19:40:01.797-08:00Bacon Wrapped Crackers - Cocktail Party HeavenHi guys! The holidays are still upon us, which means (hopefully) some more fun parties to attend. With those parties usually comes some delicious cocktail party food!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
My husband and I hosted our annual Christmas cocktail party a few weeks ago. Not a gathering goes by where our friends and family don't request Greg's bacon wrapped crackers! They are SO easy and a huge crowd pleaser. Check out what you'll need and step by step below. And if you need any more convincing than BACON WRAPPED CRACKERS, see photos below.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-5fKzYT3ZIPqVH2g6UlyAY5HPoh0NETOPwh6Hd8iUtzyySUQXLK7kuf_p-u0iWvNx5xONehR3P2Fxl3PmUnJXSgOPcwqA1R3Q772PjhKu2I86gi6pzqGoU4MzluYWT98BnCaA5mGGUU/s1600/1c503292-ac15-4f94-9720-6cda19490d6a.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-5fKzYT3ZIPqVH2g6UlyAY5HPoh0NETOPwh6Hd8iUtzyySUQXLK7kuf_p-u0iWvNx5xONehR3P2Fxl3PmUnJXSgOPcwqA1R3Q772PjhKu2I86gi6pzqGoU4MzluYWT98BnCaA5mGGUU/s400/1c503292-ac15-4f94-9720-6cda19490d6a.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I know. Just ridiculously good looking, right?</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b>What You'll Need:</b><br />
(Makes about 25, depending on how many pieces of bacon in 1 pound)<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Club crackers</li>
<li>1 pound of bacon (preferably regular cut, not thick)</li>
<li>Brown sugar</li>
<li>Baking sheet with wire wrack </li>
<li>Measuring spoons</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>How To:</b></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Preheat the oven to 250 degrees</li>
<li>Cut each piece of bacon in half</li>
<li>Put a teaspoon of brown sugar onto each cracker. Friendly tip - if you use a measuring spoon that's longer in shape, it allows for more even distribution on the cracker vs. a rounder shape teaspoon.</li>
<li>Wrap one slice of bacon around the sugar-covered cracker. Start at one end of the cracker, hold end of bacon tightly onto cracker, and wrap diagonally until cracker is wrapped snugly. The bacon should cover most of the cracker as shown in the photos.</li>
<li>Place on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet to avoid sogginess (seen below). </li>
<li>Bake for 2 hours.</li>
<li>Can be served hot or at room temperature. </li>
<li>Snag one while you can, there will be none left! </li>
</ol>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrmsW2RhLs7D5hL89JlHaZacitfFDUuuWx3ezncflRtX0QFQK0hdP3HUYqGdA2HXMzlswy7d0tIwL9vQYJggzIrvrRD2BpSR_GbGnYs2nMfoh2Eu-SPaDvLAmv6sdDmRnoFhDCDKbTrgg/s1600/e0c63946-c3f5-4cf8-bf47-0795c58955cc.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrmsW2RhLs7D5hL89JlHaZacitfFDUuuWx3ezncflRtX0QFQK0hdP3HUYqGdA2HXMzlswy7d0tIwL9vQYJggzIrvrRD2BpSR_GbGnYs2nMfoh2Eu-SPaDvLAmv6sdDmRnoFhDCDKbTrgg/s640/e0c63946-c3f5-4cf8-bf47-0795c58955cc.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-35078909250548777802015-11-29T10:23:00.003-08:002015-11-29T10:23:41.430-08:00Apple Roses!Hi everyone! Hope you guys had a great Thanksgiving! We made these neat Apple Roses as a surprise Thanksgiving dessert treat and were really happy with the results. We did a trial run at home before the holiday, just to make sure they came out OK. They are really fun to make and not too difficult. They look really impressive, and are a great treat to take to someone's home as a host/hostess gift! The original recipe (see below) makes 6 roses, so we doubled it. They are the perfect light dessert after everyone eats too much and just wants a taste or something sweet. Highly recommend trying them!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgduW3_f7KX_VXI77qi-SPjqcNp05ciLKk3jkWcdpZbPQMfLd41jeablqztaUu9QkqR90qPibMFLoBEeDvCVNGl6cq0e_PMWCUdR0L0bkOXga2S5P0AmLAuAZFBBNgQeKCkhtK80OxCo4U/s1600/12313902_10100547328436575_7458297536882378624_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgduW3_f7KX_VXI77qi-SPjqcNp05ciLKk3jkWcdpZbPQMfLd41jeablqztaUu9QkqR90qPibMFLoBEeDvCVNGl6cq0e_PMWCUdR0L0bkOXga2S5P0AmLAuAZFBBNgQeKCkhtK80OxCo4U/s400/12313902_10100547328436575_7458297536882378624_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://cookingwithmanuela.blogspot.com/2015/03/apple-roses.html?spref=pi">click here for original recipe</a>. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Thanks for reading!</div>
Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-66450396191620759742015-11-08T13:58:00.003-08:002015-11-08T13:58:17.091-08:00How To Make...Tropical Tacos!Hi friends! This has become one of my husband and I's favorite weekday meals. It's so flavorful and most of all - pretty quick to make. Tropical tacos, as we know call them, kinda happened by accident. We bought this sauce to try with pork, but realized after we got home that it's supposed to be for chicken. Don't worry - you won't be sorry. The flavor combination works just as well on pork tenderloin! Read on for the how to.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvL7i7AvVzOPIis0ZgtDmHCgX_2b7QEPq2EglLFq1c7Q0GGPDTcrHkSOFXcGKoTYELoClorCC2oRAi80fp4SarJ1g3wV8L0chVSns0e8C-rro3IFTAbbYAS3Yk1PP-yGWGg9IAUN5o05A/s1600/tacos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvL7i7AvVzOPIis0ZgtDmHCgX_2b7QEPq2EglLFq1c7Q0GGPDTcrHkSOFXcGKoTYELoClorCC2oRAi80fp4SarJ1g3wV8L0chVSns0e8C-rro3IFTAbbYAS3Yk1PP-yGWGg9IAUN5o05A/s320/tacos.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
You'll Need:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Pork tenderloin</li>
<li>Gold's Dip n' Joy Sweet and Sour Saucy Chicken Sauce</li>
<li>Shredded cheese</li>
<li>Hot sauce</li>
<li>Hard taco shells</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
1. Marinate a pork tenderloin overnight in Gold's Dip n' Joy Sweet and Sour Saucy Chicken Sauce.<br />
2. Put in grill pan to get some color on the outside of the meat<br />
3. Cut into cubes, then put back in the pan to cook through with more of the Gold's sauce and some hot sauce, if desired.<br />
4. Serve in hard or soft taco shells with shredded Mexican 4 cheese blend.<br />
5. Top with a little more hot sauce if you like things spicy!<br />
<br />
The sweet and spicy sauce combined with the pork and crunch of the hard taco shell (and of course, cheese) is really kick ass. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWQ55qJEANR3pBS6Rmtk7SEzpFNeSUX1Y9vqy_KoOW6gQcw7BL79IvgIbUUM_Mya5leEIn1I0n4UpquwDZS19opcn9ZsH2R5NTUMSHIZatgaVNedbiEyUiQgsH8kgzAVSL29RM0uJHAw/s1600/sauce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWQ55qJEANR3pBS6Rmtk7SEzpFNeSUX1Y9vqy_KoOW6gQcw7BL79IvgIbUUM_Mya5leEIn1I0n4UpquwDZS19opcn9ZsH2R5NTUMSHIZatgaVNedbiEyUiQgsH8kgzAVSL29RM0uJHAw/s400/sauce.jpg" width="143" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Here's what the sauce looks like. Definitely a keeper!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-92013207227795585722015-11-03T06:34:00.006-08:002015-11-03T06:34:58.645-08:00Insomnia Cookies = Getting Cookies Delivered Straight to Your FaceAre you a late night snack lover? Do you live in New York or Philly? Do you love cookies? Do you love getting cookies delivered right to your FACE with little to no effort? Look no further – Insomnia Cookies has your back.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7PmZS3jiBHQXOkmJIFjYKpSk41MdCGkYOohlw0S1xSdI3cWMdRBcw0qBtsgAeTdU8Y4Kd3zV2opXZidE-f_PZaB4xDVQZ4mJDx14REovpnQJ3LX5tbt5iDqXWppbO7EYjBYpvBGpp1MI/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7PmZS3jiBHQXOkmJIFjYKpSk41MdCGkYOohlw0S1xSdI3cWMdRBcw0qBtsgAeTdU8Y4Kd3zV2opXZidE-f_PZaB4xDVQZ4mJDx14REovpnQJ3LX5tbt5iDqXWppbO7EYjBYpvBGpp1MI/s400/1.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Probably the most ingenious service to ever grace earth, Insomnia Cookies delivers deliciousness directly to your door, and are open late. Like really late (3am!) Founded in a college dorm room (are you really surprised?) the company now has 70 locations and are still expanding. Late night study session? Cookies. Watching the game, hungry but can’t miss a beat? Cookies. Drunk Saturdays for no reason? Cookies. Think you get the idea. <br />
<br />
Another thing I love – everything can be done online. Choosing the cookies (get a variety or all the same), pay and track your order all from their website. No cash, no phone calls. Just complete, unadulterated laziness and cookie consumption. And if you think they overlook important details, think again – they also serve cold milk. Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-16421941725042539342015-10-20T11:35:00.002-07:002015-10-20T11:35:29.700-07:00Shane Confectionary - A Must See Vintage Gem!I made a trip out to Philly last weekend, and knew one of my stops had to be the historic Shane Confectionary on Market Street. I read about the owners remarkable story (and of course, their candy) in Food Network magazine and was dying to check it out. A quick history: The brothers (Eric and Ryan Berley) bought Shane, which was the oldest continuously operated candy store in AMERICA since the late 1800’s. After a laborious restoration process, they re-opened it in 2011 to it’s beautiful, original glory. The vintage cabinets, the original floors, the beautiful old fashioned candy jars, even the employees are dressed for the time period. It really is a site to see. And I didn’t even get to the candy yet! <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpyKxTPeUHOsVxIWHukAc9ewKK3VqQKZEGfNNVC9PSDEu955dHi_TeoAYAxSG8-XDvGw9PeJkHbmla7AmgwZYBAyfwpauuZFGXjXjP1MCfRBX5IIyR-jYQwbxPOe0FN_iqMzZetHP7vjo/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpyKxTPeUHOsVxIWHukAc9ewKK3VqQKZEGfNNVC9PSDEu955dHi_TeoAYAxSG8-XDvGw9PeJkHbmla7AmgwZYBAyfwpauuZFGXjXjP1MCfRBX5IIyR-jYQwbxPOe0FN_iqMzZetHP7vjo/s640/2.jpg" width="356" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The shelves are chock full of hundreds of favorites and vintage
classics, some of which are even made upstairs in what they call a
“candy loft.” The shop launches you into nostalgia, even though I was
clearly not alive in the late 1800’s. Our group had a really tough time
choosing what we wanted to try – it seemed like the possibilities were
ENDLESS. We decided on a small box of assorted chocolates of our choice
(photo below). My favorite was the peanut butter sticks – think Reece’s
peanut butter cup but 10 times better and crunchy. Check out below for
some pretty photos of Shane Confectionary! I would highly recommend making the stop
if you are ever in Philly. They also have a really neat blog -
<a href="http://shanecandies.com/blog">http://shanecandies.com/blog.</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5f8hwroKjmht7mmAq5CofAZWmILasMOXfsj9g6tKMuTF3vewHtXBg9kW7jIibPoKTTeb9f7ta5hyR6LnUDUb8Y9-tJ_63J5myCF3OsWSwmP8s7u-wx-SjNlRHJrjraYQpjh25wYXeFV8/s1600/15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5f8hwroKjmht7mmAq5CofAZWmILasMOXfsj9g6tKMuTF3vewHtXBg9kW7jIibPoKTTeb9f7ta5hyR6LnUDUb8Y9-tJ_63J5myCF3OsWSwmP8s7u-wx-SjNlRHJrjraYQpjh25wYXeFV8/s640/15.jpg" width="480" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Does this look like a sight for sore eyes or what! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifzkJIrELnkuvRnOZruDL5Vwa6HpUu9aKvPqhg5CsAm6h4FjFjJ6Y7EQNtED7AEzdLK8sNr40CfidAXN33vNoK4DnuqS7ub9EWeve9MbjzpZwsOTBfp1K76fU-3VussTqsv322Q3FbBW8/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifzkJIrELnkuvRnOZruDL5Vwa6HpUu9aKvPqhg5CsAm6h4FjFjJ6Y7EQNtED7AEzdLK8sNr40CfidAXN33vNoK4DnuqS7ub9EWeve9MbjzpZwsOTBfp1K76fU-3VussTqsv322Q3FbBW8/s400/5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Chocolate on chocolate on chocolate</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKYoOvqpvb42gfR3CgBh-KnrKNPm8xdUl53CWqF_6Mi-29VUNFovz_pD-Is7y2NLxMCs7UmgC8DIwsvu9c3EOc7_FVuHPtP2op3blX2fBAulZ1u1CTpphDcfDI27uPjDSRBK5CUfUHn0/s1600/7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKYoOvqpvb42gfR3CgBh-KnrKNPm8xdUl53CWqF_6Mi-29VUNFovz_pD-Is7y2NLxMCs7UmgC8DIwsvu9c3EOc7_FVuHPtP2op3blX2fBAulZ1u1CTpphDcfDI27uPjDSRBK5CUfUHn0/s400/7.jpg" width="400" /> </a><br />
The back of the shop. They even serve fresh hot chocolate! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiytcH4OFVL30qxCW_e06cU0ke2X8fs1nJJ-KR5ptpkggEaVPrz4vBhwkK1bOjRVF4MoA1QRNvXy3zkIeeS2HQiIsSycFrVaJygxvIXzlVUbS5FarRe3QW0j0aSFoN4vLp0HkfpmLvqFzE/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiytcH4OFVL30qxCW_e06cU0ke2X8fs1nJJ-KR5ptpkggEaVPrz4vBhwkK1bOjRVF4MoA1QRNvXy3zkIeeS2HQiIsSycFrVaJygxvIXzlVUbS5FarRe3QW0j0aSFoN4vLp0HkfpmLvqFzE/s400/6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Back of the shop<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5bydID7Mu8gxvbc5sdg93_Nq_2AWOYCNAp4GW6eFQahFTU9V01DxgOLy5-8AeU9-ZsvpKFfvQxtUc1ckl8iMl0gSf1q06VEitAKLxMHO7MtQnQ1dNbVKhmzo_W1RpvkOxGHLjisKZr0/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5bydID7Mu8gxvbc5sdg93_Nq_2AWOYCNAp4GW6eFQahFTU9V01DxgOLy5-8AeU9-ZsvpKFfvQxtUc1ckl8iMl0gSf1q06VEitAKLxMHO7MtQnQ1dNbVKhmzo_W1RpvkOxGHLjisKZr0/s400/8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
One of the many beautiful handmade creations</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5aSalHkx3q9JGrFc7Xav0aJEF-53fOsWk_8D0YyJ3YHLFC_8LXzf-t1JK_AqgAKXfWhLiyXnlZZKe6kCDbUc0rVzke9Zbpikn_k2z8GjwVqGt6hy1nL0ooO1iNWGE3uEBENYYzelCAF4/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5aSalHkx3q9JGrFc7Xav0aJEF-53fOsWk_8D0YyJ3YHLFC_8LXzf-t1JK_AqgAKXfWhLiyXnlZZKe6kCDbUc0rVzke9Zbpikn_k2z8GjwVqGt6hy1nL0ooO1iNWGE3uEBENYYzelCAF4/s400/9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Love the vibrant colors<br />
<br />
They even got into the Halloween spirit with chocolate bats and candy pumpkin pops! <br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98ja9ALYD4sjdJn4U4Ds2yqYziviK4MDkWRjGOfxxDHihRg1UvlxuH6aQA_i0XOs-QakSQbxVVlNemlDb1saVfjSihQtnBkCWULV3QyohJmrvpqCsT6xgbL6G5j984r8aTYTXEUiCL-Q/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98ja9ALYD4sjdJn4U4Ds2yqYziviK4MDkWRjGOfxxDHihRg1UvlxuH6aQA_i0XOs-QakSQbxVVlNemlDb1saVfjSihQtnBkCWULV3QyohJmrvpqCsT6xgbL6G5j984r8aTYTXEUiCL-Q/s400/10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;">They even got into the Halloween spirit with chocolate bats and candy pumpkin pops! </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKYoOvqpvb42gfR3CgBh-KnrKNPm8xdUl53CWqF_6Mi-29VUNFovz_pD-Is7y2NLxMCs7UmgC8DIwsvu9c3EOc7_FVuHPtP2op3blX2fBAulZ1u1CTpphDcfDI27uPjDSRBK5CUfUHn0/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDkTwEZmw_oscE-bg8CDeSUyDwe0qZKf_ypgXZS755zEVoRNj79z5biByiBtOEE2bM_RNdl6Z_QfxQL0M3uI3PzxdWpE2WE4UN421mz0-4dnuadkbQ24tnb11s80I243tuGqMsXhxWIg/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDkTwEZmw_oscE-bg8CDeSUyDwe0qZKf_ypgXZS755zEVoRNj79z5biByiBtOEE2bM_RNdl6Z_QfxQL0M3uI3PzxdWpE2WE4UN421mz0-4dnuadkbQ24tnb11s80I243tuGqMsXhxWIg/s400/11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So.much.candy.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPRBh34_d206CD_gJwAVSYQRohpkBL5fLI37htZXZzX3KoH91GfkBuL0eGy-Lvteq9xlsBhQgu1uHHdP-Q4p553zT9OIWE5HSDIfB0yv14rEOOM4HcmsBq7wYEGT3PXkNVkP8UFrf29o/s1600/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPRBh34_d206CD_gJwAVSYQRohpkBL5fLI37htZXZzX3KoH91GfkBuL0eGy-Lvteq9xlsBhQgu1uHHdP-Q4p553zT9OIWE5HSDIfB0yv14rEOOM4HcmsBq7wYEGT3PXkNVkP8UFrf29o/s640/12.jpg" width="448" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Cash register that they actually still use!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKYoOvqpvb42gfR3CgBh-KnrKNPm8xdUl53CWqF_6Mi-29VUNFovz_pD-Is7y2NLxMCs7UmgC8DIwsvu9c3EOc7_FVuHPtP2op3blX2fBAulZ1u1CTpphDcfDI27uPjDSRBK5CUfUHn0/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJtM5JcMJ6NGb0pSjSwbxWiTO2K62ZDhdsnCZe3j8NykQZktCLQXcrvgCOu8xHAHoG6Gxdmbpt1tZLK7NbYI4ysfM5mVgAq9U2eUrzS3ZpIL-Iyjul0E7TOyuI8RYgPieujrLMpxcNIqo/s1600/13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJtM5JcMJ6NGb0pSjSwbxWiTO2K62ZDhdsnCZe3j8NykQZktCLQXcrvgCOu8xHAHoG6Gxdmbpt1tZLK7NbYI4ysfM5mVgAq9U2eUrzS3ZpIL-Iyjul0E7TOyuI8RYgPieujrLMpxcNIqo/s640/13.jpg" width="358" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Our riches. The long ones are my favorite peanut butter sticks!! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWYU1WcIDtJDBrLLg32usAfk1glN21M2vQigolmqPsVnjZDhwuJSj3SJX2z7osPehQM7CGKB1bUn5PRLARBpfgBpAntRfYX_NRE1-BNpnc12ojH6o4hNh7-vV7TGH41_8gcAU1QQFufU/s1600/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWYU1WcIDtJDBrLLg32usAfk1glN21M2vQigolmqPsVnjZDhwuJSj3SJX2z7osPehQM7CGKB1bUn5PRLARBpfgBpAntRfYX_NRE1-BNpnc12ojH6o4hNh7-vV7TGH41_8gcAU1QQFufU/s400/14.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKYoOvqpvb42gfR3CgBh-KnrKNPm8xdUl53CWqF_6Mi-29VUNFovz_pD-Is7y2NLxMCs7UmgC8DIwsvu9c3EOc7_FVuHPtP2op3blX2fBAulZ1u1CTpphDcfDI27uPjDSRBK5CUfUHn0/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
One more item off my bucket list! Hope you guys enjoyed! </div>
Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com0Philadelphia, PA, USA39.9525839 -75.1652215000000339.5633714 -75.810668500000034 40.3417964 -74.519774500000025tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-13837689369117723882015-09-21T10:41:00.000-07:002015-09-21T10:41:00.269-07:00The Park Steakhouse - Park Ridge, NJ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWkUqurBYaQRycN58nelgioM_N81NXPoZD6ajp0ZmO5zZ5ngbNwfj6EGwBXdhCigYrVQf6W9tBo5kqZaXoFdXcKNyqX1Y0VgDr13Llh_cr6EHnxMBLYW27Y9hV0d_Z3c5uEq0uh-dvavM/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWkUqurBYaQRycN58nelgioM_N81NXPoZD6ajp0ZmO5zZ5ngbNwfj6EGwBXdhCigYrVQf6W9tBo5kqZaXoFdXcKNyqX1Y0VgDr13Llh_cr6EHnxMBLYW27Y9hV0d_Z3c5uEq0uh-dvavM/s400/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Hi all! My husband and I just celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary (can’t believe it!) We wanted to find a local restaurant that wasn’t a chain. We live near a bunch of malls, and most of them contain chain restaurants. After some searching and reading great reviews, we decided on The Park Steakhouse. It was a bit of a drive from us – maybe 30 minutes – but was well worth it once we got there! <br />
<br />
The restaurant is described as an “old-fashioned chophouse with a refined feel turning out dry-aged meat, seafood dishes and drinks.” We went on a Friday night, and thankfully we made a reservation – almost every seat was filled by the end of our meal! The place is on the smaller side which makes it nice and intimate. I believe there is also a room downstairs to have bigger parties of people. <br />
<br />
Now onto the food. It was great! I had the lamb special and my husband had the suckling pig. Both were delicious. We also ordered a side of the Famous Lumpy mashed potatoes – loved them. Mashed is my favorite, and I love a good hearty thick mashed. We both ordered specialty drinks to start and got a glass of wine with dinner. We got a few scoops of sorbet as dessert (we were honestly stuffed) and a Sambuca. We were really impressed with how tasty the food was, and loved the atmosphere. Great place to talk, have a few drinks and eat some good food. Will definitely come back with our parents for a birthday or another special occasion! Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-29020945373867734852015-09-13T14:38:00.001-07:002015-09-13T14:38:35.643-07:00Pepperoni Pizza Dip - Guy Fieri Recipe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigCjcnWtr7KOjVCKpF7m-X0-XdANCqVlrB8NflqOEoQRkwYVFk8A9HR1KMzazyKWRnWsOR8Wg1uk7WrAX4qIpIanwqT3LL8T2tyl3cnSS_VFiwVyPY9hJzNqs1db8vq5OsDeJSTXFKTbw/s1600/pizza3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigCjcnWtr7KOjVCKpF7m-X0-XdANCqVlrB8NflqOEoQRkwYVFk8A9HR1KMzazyKWRnWsOR8Wg1uk7WrAX4qIpIanwqT3LL8T2tyl3cnSS_VFiwVyPY9hJzNqs1db8vq5OsDeJSTXFKTbw/s400/pizza3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Football season is back! What better way to celebrate than make fun football food? This pepperoni pizza dip will definitely satisfy your craving for pizza and a nice crunch. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheDTrrsmICeVebiFqaFrEsnGXkfnqm95bzuZUlgpsn35D-cIwly-I5CYLAK6ivo9IxKHnQ-EUJjeK1sx9TvpxKBflNn1HJFIAGYNCcJr8ODZMkFkJSiS1hFKgD-Zi8NiI2AwxJpFfKMR8/s1600/pizza1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheDTrrsmICeVebiFqaFrEsnGXkfnqm95bzuZUlgpsn35D-cIwly-I5CYLAK6ivo9IxKHnQ-EUJjeK1sx9TvpxKBflNn1HJFIAGYNCcJr8ODZMkFkJSiS1hFKgD-Zi8NiI2AwxJpFfKMR8/s400/pizza1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Look at all that cheesy goodness!</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5u0v8QYbfG-f7L4dTR5fCi9mxpJBwfvPY66XLNo3J0fXfJ7VAwQTJ1-2IpTTYXMq8ZkH1dOD9t_oLsWRSoy7wBqY8TW4Va70XMhoMe0kPxlm9pzdpE-9_79vfwBCwGL5vZZQfZSQlVOk/s1600/pizza2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5u0v8QYbfG-f7L4dTR5fCi9mxpJBwfvPY66XLNo3J0fXfJ7VAwQTJ1-2IpTTYXMq8ZkH1dOD9t_oLsWRSoy7wBqY8TW4Va70XMhoMe0kPxlm9pzdpE-9_79vfwBCwGL5vZZQfZSQlVOk/s640/pizza2.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Major yum!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We used Guy Fieri's recipe with a few slight tweaks. We didn't add the mushrooms or the shallots. Once you prep everything, pop it in the oven for onl 20 minutes for the most satisfying game day dip! Original recipe here: <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/guy-fieri/pepperoni-pizza-dip-recipe.html">http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/guy-fieri/pepperoni-pizza-dip-recipe.html</a></div>
<br />Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-81719039875301930262015-09-08T12:25:00.002-07:002015-09-08T12:25:44.195-07:00Homemade Gnocchi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSB5JnRv0FcQbZDsFDT8SHWct_Veh2YJ7IxxEl-GAGQvKw6KAea69-tWCHzXMmH0izxtijSOa2fKASJ9RLBOQnMlGGoIAXksRZFLts7_V45sxv7gKmVV6KgCIiOpTYRuGwkyyTbIMFOZo/s1600/12004806_10100513842836985_5888786983690669681_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSB5JnRv0FcQbZDsFDT8SHWct_Veh2YJ7IxxEl-GAGQvKw6KAea69-tWCHzXMmH0izxtijSOa2fKASJ9RLBOQnMlGGoIAXksRZFLts7_V45sxv7gKmVV6KgCIiOpTYRuGwkyyTbIMFOZo/s400/12004806_10100513842836985_5888786983690669681_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Hi friends! My husband and I just celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary - woohoo! We did a ton of fun things together to celebrate, one being making homemade gnocchi. We used Michael Chiarello's Potato Gnocchi recipe (<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-chiarello/potato-gnocchi-recipe.html">click here for that</a>).<br />
<br />
We love to cook together, and had some time on our hands and figured - why not make gnocchi?! We both agreed that it was well worth the prep and the wait - they came out awesome! They could have been a touch lighter, but not bad for our first time.<br />
<br />
I wish I documented the steps better, but I had to concentrate since it was our first time making it HA! Here's one prep photo I took - this was when you had to make a mound out of the riced potatoes, and dig a little well in the middle for the ingredients. After combining everything together, we cut the mount into 4 parts, rolled them out into a rope, and cut into 1/2 inch little pillows as seen above!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43OEKzKVClgBxi5j38sbu81FPGaT50ov6J5EVe0NcniS95KsGPwvcNNnAnZwsT0A8xrsfrh0RWCC5aW-xbJJJ7RIsEtOqWfyxB0BzLqET1KHlOjjEt36LSLwOUwh0zT1SrKXNNGmKimY/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43OEKzKVClgBxi5j38sbu81FPGaT50ov6J5EVe0NcniS95KsGPwvcNNnAnZwsT0A8xrsfrh0RWCC5aW-xbJJJ7RIsEtOqWfyxB0BzLqET1KHlOjjEt36LSLwOUwh0zT1SrKXNNGmKimY/s640/1.jpg" width="356" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMF9Artqbs_htzThnbDv2GwNX4J1MEAi0CRql2GMxfdyivV1vQEYOT3e6CMsLZCOiSYlPPwlg7CMLwBNymtwcszX1jGOCDyvUmX0fjhJwqr8FlS0On5ZS4vNm0AiuVKImfET6g-RUdXYg/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMF9Artqbs_htzThnbDv2GwNX4J1MEAi0CRql2GMxfdyivV1vQEYOT3e6CMsLZCOiSYlPPwlg7CMLwBNymtwcszX1jGOCDyvUmX0fjhJwqr8FlS0On5ZS4vNm0AiuVKImfET6g-RUdXYg/s640/2.jpg" width="358" /></a></div>
Heavenly! These photos are before they were cooked, of course. We made a delicious alfredo sauce to top it off with. It doesn't photograph well (the sauce) so the finished product just went straight to our mouths HAHA. Hope you guys enjoyed! <br />
<br />
<br /><br />Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-65820557228627667032015-07-26T18:00:00.001-07:002015-07-26T18:00:03.458-07:00Cheese Souffle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEignft_dgJNeyXDkU0qu1b_g10khZ3x04sbOBTGJnR5EPRYM1F3rv8zHDptyo3WqdB9RoBg57XrzkwAuNIAxkc7fBqs4f3F04HL46uY_tv7anxrOMMebShHcSBw8Y6b-0S4Gzc2usAhEAw/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEignft_dgJNeyXDkU0qu1b_g10khZ3x04sbOBTGJnR5EPRYM1F3rv8zHDptyo3WqdB9RoBg57XrzkwAuNIAxkc7fBqs4f3F04HL46uY_tv7anxrOMMebShHcSBw8Y6b-0S4Gzc2usAhEAw/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Hi friends! This was our first attempt at making a cheese souffle. The recipe is from America's Test Kitchen. I've never had souffle before, but after having this one I think I need more of it in my life. The flavor, texture, smell, everything was wonderful. Here's how we got there, with some photos along the way. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
1. Grease pan with vegetable oil or Pam. Use 2 tablespoons Parmesan to dust the dish (2 court size Corningware).<br />
<br />
2. Melt 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
3. Whisk together dry ingredients: 4 tablespoons flour, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 salt, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/8 white pepper, pinch of nutmeg. Add dry mixture and whisk for about a minute until raw flour taste is gone. Add 1 1/3 cup whole milk slowly while whisking. Simmer for about a minute.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0eETr_uxjxUfTTNPmEfVu9s80oRwKHzaUUphr3x5kx4z1F3VLMM_oi_rQt7DLAhubcPLoAiSHB0qswMuU4L3EtR2sjTIlxsH2rRe3SEjmrHxFsyqPFtfEzX2IXa4SKR7aiCJNclbKaDc/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0eETr_uxjxUfTTNPmEfVu9s80oRwKHzaUUphr3x5kx4z1F3VLMM_oi_rQt7DLAhubcPLoAiSHB0qswMuU4L3EtR2sjTIlxsH2rRe3SEjmrHxFsyqPFtfEzX2IXa4SKR7aiCJNclbKaDc/s400/10.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
4. Remove from heat. Add to mixture 6oz Gruyere cheese, 6 tablespoon Parmesan. Whisk until lumps are gone, cheese is melted. Smooth mixture, cool for 10 minutes.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSrl_CkRn9Y7nXl3ExbMX3UPUhXEdb0o3jGZOry_n86fV5dvfAIoAiygSqdg3tGogY2YUokEvmnQZnuHlOT7UEFIrUHEPelxeircK8euDXj9iq_t2_wsdxY-jsZAu09CZ0pLgfEwcgLU/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSrl_CkRn9Y7nXl3ExbMX3UPUhXEdb0o3jGZOry_n86fV5dvfAIoAiygSqdg3tGogY2YUokEvmnQZnuHlOT7UEFIrUHEPelxeircK8euDXj9iq_t2_wsdxY-jsZAu09CZ0pLgfEwcgLU/s400/9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
5. Separate 6 eggs. Add only yolks into cheese mixture with 1 1/2 teaspoons parsley. Whisk together.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3cVZ9yL8BbgQkpUkKSNw-oYWen1amuNYISdEFO3Cq1Hwkcv4y0oGv4TIcjGkxO9_W9qoix1TAdFg4VoFVLOabyNeqH78g2mqdbkgJFCgcYTt3pAmrRV04zspv4oSte2runlzfrVyAl98/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3cVZ9yL8BbgQkpUkKSNw-oYWen1amuNYISdEFO3Cq1Hwkcv4y0oGv4TIcjGkxO9_W9qoix1TAdFg4VoFVLOabyNeqH78g2mqdbkgJFCgcYTt3pAmrRV04zspv4oSte2runlzfrVyAl98/s400/7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
6. In KitchenAid mixer: Add egg whites only and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar into mixer. Medium to low speed with whisk attachment for about one minute until foamy. Then mix on medium high speed until stiff peaks are achieved, 3-4 minutes.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5Az3IBp-3Uae86pnMPUcAe3LbAgdYo5z6ZwkuncoJWYz1itcCiYHdGieLg3hCux1zLmQtsxeYxbFyrpE8X1tGdU4dZz6fifss3weJUJDri4wzAaFMTgKEjqOZV9lSVzPDMkWjmopXQg/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5Az3IBp-3Uae86pnMPUcAe3LbAgdYo5z6ZwkuncoJWYz1itcCiYHdGieLg3hCux1zLmQtsxeYxbFyrpE8X1tGdU4dZz6fifss3weJUJDri4wzAaFMTgKEjqOZV9lSVzPDMkWjmopXQg/s400/6.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
7. Add cheese mixture into peaks, mix for about 15 seconds.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0rpdHQsJtUkBKm7CftKf21N2oYcU04D5v5YsxZHqLnxTXqVo-yWrxTkjAqW1ySf3wH5Mn-3wPd3qAHOAeC5DuxuYZUtF3y0V8bBj0EXWKa4EdFwjgYK7MaTWGtSERKun0bNbLRWwChb8/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0rpdHQsJtUkBKm7CftKf21N2oYcU04D5v5YsxZHqLnxTXqVo-yWrxTkjAqW1ySf3wH5Mn-3wPd3qAHOAeC5DuxuYZUtF3y0V8bBj0EXWKa4EdFwjgYK7MaTWGtSERKun0bNbLRWwChb8/s400/5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
8. Pour into souffle dish, add until about an inch from rim. Add another tablespoon of parmesan on top.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgghvTJUxBltUAw1xwbtkjgSGeUmnuQIWWJpLCniJoamGyvM8oCFQhCJO6zLQx2W5V7prQbbaW_DNzFEHvvUcsyEt8Boqra9LsLA8tvjVM905hyphenhyphenRM6PnmC0D0C4hBOQ0UI4MDevPpSIlJg/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgghvTJUxBltUAw1xwbtkjgSGeUmnuQIWWJpLCniJoamGyvM8oCFQhCJO6zLQx2W5V7prQbbaW_DNzFEHvvUcsyEt8Boqra9LsLA8tvjVM905hyphenhyphenRM6PnmC0D0C4hBOQ0UI4MDevPpSIlJg/s400/4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
9. Bake on 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.170 degrees internal temperature or take 2 spoons and crack through the top - still moist but not soupy. 5 minutes until it deflates. Add parsley on the top.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57OtPES-YNYs0Cv-PPOzmPxak5mwhnSZ_RR2rszdQFnv6bTrBlPkofKXeRxAHERFlYXnRrxqRwmGrUqkW70dTLAjtsHdiUp0mcedntbX5AMV21X6TITmbAS6TaUEa3MvHCVOMZA4Gxng/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57OtPES-YNYs0Cv-PPOzmPxak5mwhnSZ_RR2rszdQFnv6bTrBlPkofKXeRxAHERFlYXnRrxqRwmGrUqkW70dTLAjtsHdiUp0mcedntbX5AMV21X6TITmbAS6TaUEa3MvHCVOMZA4Gxng/s400/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheVjwvNt4tU0kjCpjQ3sygfECWjlU9FL_Utjm-nQEH7cWeHzP5A3jTZlRzrWtPyTKhhJMbrvH0LLpHtIKCSSojfhtIS3AUGeHby-e5nQnHLkp10lPJZ-5cDcLgBNrb5-sS-P8fplkpvIA/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheVjwvNt4tU0kjCpjQ3sygfECWjlU9FL_Utjm-nQEH7cWeHzP5A3jTZlRzrWtPyTKhhJMbrvH0LLpHtIKCSSojfhtIS3AUGeHby-e5nQnHLkp10lPJZ-5cDcLgBNrb5-sS-P8fplkpvIA/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEignft_dgJNeyXDkU0qu1b_g10khZ3x04sbOBTGJnR5EPRYM1F3rv8zHDptyo3WqdB9RoBg57XrzkwAuNIAxkc7fBqs4f3F04HL46uY_tv7anxrOMMebShHcSBw8Y6b-0S4Gzc2usAhEAw/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEignft_dgJNeyXDkU0qu1b_g10khZ3x04sbOBTGJnR5EPRYM1F3rv8zHDptyo3WqdB9RoBg57XrzkwAuNIAxkc7fBqs4f3F04HL46uY_tv7anxrOMMebShHcSBw8Y6b-0S4Gzc2usAhEAw/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Happy baking!Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-72052553639030901092015-07-13T07:52:00.002-07:002015-07-13T07:52:35.505-07:00Cheeseboy is my Homie Behold – the most beautiful sight for sore eyes after a long road trip. What is this, you ask? WELL – let me break it down for you.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi228Gf0CR2_rB2jUoGpnveJEYWS_ZUgh-JHbw8YP-tzEaB3GFwyIikAuVO10HrDD-hQ57HnZ2Ak6MP1iPNcLfUhSMBNkijQOcOor1YmiCsVX_kGHFBDX-LPi_9yyMpLf8VWKBBqBB16dg/s1600/7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi228Gf0CR2_rB2jUoGpnveJEYWS_ZUgh-JHbw8YP-tzEaB3GFwyIikAuVO10HrDD-hQ57HnZ2Ak6MP1iPNcLfUhSMBNkijQOcOor1YmiCsVX_kGHFBDX-LPi_9yyMpLf8VWKBBqBB16dg/s640/7.jpg" width="394" /></a> </div>
<br />
We were driving back from a beautiful, scenic, alcohol-fueled weekend in Rhode Island and needed gas along the way. We stopped at a rest stop in Connecticut (Darien to be exact) and went on the hunt for something amazingly unhealthy to eat. And boy did we find it! Anyone who knows me will tell you that I have an unhealthy obsession with everything CHEESE related. I would rather have a plate of cheese than a piece of cake or dessert. So imagine my sheer delight when I stumbled upon Cheeseboy at the rest stop. We don’t have any in NJ, so I was eager to indulge. What you are looking at is Cheeseboy’s MAC N Melt, which is described on their menu as the following: <br />
<br />
<i>Mac ‘N Melt All-natural mac and cheese (made with local aged cheddar, Monterey Jack, cream, and spices), hickory bacon, and local aged cheddar on artisan white</i><br />
<br />
Now – if this doesn’t sound good to you, I don’t think we will be close friends in the future. For those still interested and sane, let me tell you something. This sandwich wasn’t just good. It was REALLY freakin good. We aren’t talking passable rest stop food – it could easily have been served at a restaurant for lunch and I still would have ordered it. The gourmet type mac and cheese was delicious. The bread was toasted to perfection and I don’t need to explain how bacon makes everything better, do I? <br />
<br />
I am so very sad that Cheeseboy doesn’t have locations in the Jersey area, however I guess I should count my lucky stars because I would be tempted to get this sandwich OFTEN. Cheeseboy has many other options as well – salads, buffalo chicken wraps, veggie melts and so forth. Count me a big fan. <br />
<br />
<br />Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-24847245158924517172015-07-07T10:11:00.002-07:002015-07-07T10:11:53.533-07:00Fresh Lemon Bars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxQtzyW4QBEZPhI91PuvprPnLAdjaAmeG344LqV-uL5f-7MNz8JP84Z9nbo8MzbSInAM_-4GaQ6oDh8thhm1pnwxyL4xbaCWmI5GxylUDyMWT-ZT-73ZjPuanEo_wyOjUBodyQ0ApMp28/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxQtzyW4QBEZPhI91PuvprPnLAdjaAmeG344LqV-uL5f-7MNz8JP84Z9nbo8MzbSInAM_-4GaQ6oDh8thhm1pnwxyL4xbaCWmI5GxylUDyMWT-ZT-73ZjPuanEo_wyOjUBodyQ0ApMp28/s400/unnamed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
.<br />
Hi friends! I got this amazing lemon bar recipe from Food Network - they are phenomenal. This is the second time I've made them and they were a huge hit. This recipe makes about 24 bars (depending on how big or small you want them) and they are almost all gone after a BBQ or party. <br />
<br />
People have told me that they really like these, because often times people make or bring chocolate themed desserts to summer parties. This tart, citrus treat is a stark contrast to a heavy chocolate say, cake, and they find them refreshing and summery. Who am I to judge? Give the people what they want damn it! I also like the fresh crust mixed with the tartness of the lemon - perfection.<br />
<br />
Here is the recipe:<br />
<br />
Ingredients <br />
<br />
For the Crust: <br />
Vegetable oil, for greasing <br />
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, diced <br />
2 cups all-purpose flour <br />
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar <br />
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar, plus more for garnish <br />
1/4 teaspoon salt <br />
<br />
For the Filling: <br />
4 large eggs, plus 2 egg yolks <br />
2 cups granulated sugar <br />
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, sifted <br />
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest <br />
1 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 8 lemons)<br />
<br />
<br />
1. Make the crust: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan with vegetable oil and line with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides; grease the foil with oil. Pulse the butter, flour, both sugars and the salt in a food processor until the dough comes together, about 1 minute. Press evenly into the bottom and about 1/2 inch up the sides of the prepared pan, making sure there are no cracks. Bake until the crust is golden, about 25 minutes.<br />
<br /><br />
2. Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk the whole eggs and yolks, sugar and flour in a bowl until smooth. Whisk in the lemon zest and juice. Remove the crust from the oven and reduce the temperature to 300 degrees F. Pour the filling over the warm crust and return to the oven. Bake until the filling is just set, 30 to 35 minutes. <br />
<br />
3. Let the bars cool in the pan on a rack, then refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours. Lift out of the pan using the foil and slice. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.<br />
<br />
<br />
And you're done! I've done this recipe both ways - made them the morning of a party and the night before. I think they set better with more time in the refrigerator, but didn't see a huge difference in texture when I made them the morning of. I'm a big believer in prepping ahead of time, and these will be just as good (if not a little better) if you make them the night before.<br />
<br />
Both times I thought of halving the recipe, but I'm really glad I didn't - people wanted to take the extras home because they loved them so much! That's a success in my book. This recipe wasn't difficult to make either. The only part that I hated was squeezing EIGHT lemons to get the cup of lemon juice - what a job! Once I tasted the bars it was worth it though. <br />
<br />
Here's the original post from Food Network:<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_2046794281"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/classic-lemon-bars-recipe.html">http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/classic-lemon-bars-recipe.html</a><br />
<br />
Hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend - back to the grind! Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-42735097634511434052015-06-29T07:07:00.003-07:002015-06-29T07:07:53.728-07:00These Mini Cupcakes Look Like Ice Cream Sundaes! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9sDWEifhitKWdquI2xM8GgP4z72JC61S3BkFOe2BzD9OC_56gbwjGxwjghZ6kjVg25bv8yLrj21dE9PICWRe-kU2l9cfhSse5on4RmhNxsLUv7XMPC0mTX7wY3qWREkDe0W7aFXHl9Jc/s1600/10298897_10100474177431775_3170318441013964133_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9sDWEifhitKWdquI2xM8GgP4z72JC61S3BkFOe2BzD9OC_56gbwjGxwjghZ6kjVg25bv8yLrj21dE9PICWRe-kU2l9cfhSse5on4RmhNxsLUv7XMPC0mTX7wY3qWREkDe0W7aFXHl9Jc/s320/10298897_10100474177431775_3170318441013964133_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Hi friends! My coworker and I made these for our boss's birthday, and they were of course a big hit! The three of us are all bakers (strange but true) so we wanted to knock these out of the park and make something really cute and fun.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilCqK_NHFpvVZJoAXdAzNW8JAbrxVuKdeu3_tAmS-xMNev6YI1KtZJlxKepBkZd89foC6TNCbwzUaa__BvJ0hF2BBy60nPMVpVytOARdjv5DPuRaXo2rQsUHRlqsCiV0Cu9-p-jnUUkr8/s1600/cc1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilCqK_NHFpvVZJoAXdAzNW8JAbrxVuKdeu3_tAmS-xMNev6YI1KtZJlxKepBkZd89foC6TNCbwzUaa__BvJ0hF2BBy60nPMVpVytOARdjv5DPuRaXo2rQsUHRlqsCiV0Cu9-p-jnUUkr8/s400/cc1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
They are mini funfetti cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting (not ice cream!), hardened chocolate, sprinkles and a cherry on top! These little things were a huge hit and were probably on everyone's Snapchat and Instagram feed by the end of the party. There's also something so awesome about making your own funfetti cake vs. buying the pre-made mix - it's so much better and super easy! You can also control how colorful you want your batch to be by simply adding more sprinkles.<br />
<br />
As many bakers do, we did have a few challenges along the way though:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>The recipe makes regular sized cupcakes - we made minis. We cut all ingredients in half, and had to watch the bake time so we didn't burn them. I find myself making minis most of the time - especially if other dessert is present, it's unlikely that people will eat a whole, regular-sized cupcake. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Getting the cherries to stay on the top was hard, guys! Since the melted chocolate hardens into a shell, it's a little tough to balance the cherry on top and have it stay there. We made the cupcakes and iced them the night before, then put the on the cherries right before serving. I don't think they would have survived the commute!</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> This isn't exactly a challenge per se, but this is usually a lot more icing than I would have normally put. Since it's supposed to look like an ice cream scoop, there is a lot of icing on that tiny cupcake! Could be too much icing for some people.</li>
</ul>
Other than that, i'm so glad we went with making these. For original recipe, <a href="http://www.chocolatemoosey.com/2013/07/11/funfetti-ice-cream-sundae-cupcakes/">click here</a>. <br />
<br />
Thanks for reading!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYSFW8rQQeo5P52E_7XRqOj4LSXTjqLuPHZDN_rjq-GbOyFs51uMwceivFOwXS55RiyYkTf4JFaJeTaAn51WL5FBOZ1n-vusA8tKXAIXkykKQEIqWrhkoHnzgvIHZ_eM0TNE3TcwY-Ojc/s1600/cc2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYSFW8rQQeo5P52E_7XRqOj4LSXTjqLuPHZDN_rjq-GbOyFs51uMwceivFOwXS55RiyYkTf4JFaJeTaAn51WL5FBOZ1n-vusA8tKXAIXkykKQEIqWrhkoHnzgvIHZ_eM0TNE3TcwY-Ojc/s400/cc2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-11328200430503748562015-06-23T10:14:00.002-07:002015-06-23T10:15:10.511-07:00Tiger Tomato on Youtube - The Coolest Pancake Art on the PlanetHi friends! I found this insanely cool youtube channel and wanted to share. It combines my two favorite things - art and baking/cooking. This father and son duo created the youtube channel TigerTomato - they create all different types of cartoon character pancakes and I can't stop watching their videos!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfIgEyPU_55HizV8CtBjdOZ5chy4OzHwZ6Z3myyZsttgsEAjwgmYf2qdFebZF5M53MNxVRJf3kH3LEIoY2epFH0Bu7DzQ3y3cWnPVgxBA-yGnTPrOgiwyxMR-UmGt0iV6pvhHPg0fQaI/s1600/sonic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfIgEyPU_55HizV8CtBjdOZ5chy4OzHwZ6Z3myyZsttgsEAjwgmYf2qdFebZF5M53MNxVRJf3kH3LEIoY2epFH0Bu7DzQ3y3cWnPVgxBA-yGnTPrOgiwyxMR-UmGt0iV6pvhHPg0fQaI/s400/sonic.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Sonic has always been one of my favorite video game characters!</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>I mean come on, how is this even edible?! It's so perfect! </i></div>
<br />
Their tutorials are short, to the point, and so damn creative. (I never really mastered anything close to pancake art - just half-assed attempts at lopsided pancake hearts).<br />
<br />
I love people who re imagine classic food items into something unbelievable. Seeing these familiar characters appear on a frying pan is really super neat. To watch, here is the link to their site:<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCa0BnCIDBGzmw4daUGZ0yg">Tiger Tomato</a><br />
<br />
See below for some still shots of their work. Count me as a fan!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5ScHWmbbv9ZDZu-WuVPLq_6IAddHB5MA77ajEESETHDe3592gx24-TkhEPHzR7x6F-x06-XYIiOzjRPjRSGFmW4HpLPtEKecgHh8kMJuoQ__yMAGDvDWFJgxGmBL-2zVUAcSpPHmT2k/s1600/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5ScHWmbbv9ZDZu-WuVPLq_6IAddHB5MA77ajEESETHDe3592gx24-TkhEPHzR7x6F-x06-XYIiOzjRPjRSGFmW4HpLPtEKecgHh8kMJuoQ__yMAGDvDWFJgxGmBL-2zVUAcSpPHmT2k/s400/maxresdefault.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKRFkRD0S4UCmGUXkxP5pZEjdAlcrYpHHt4NxysNZtsVJiyXMX9RAnuF3uA_EOkR9A92SbYTlxjmpM_R3cqrOuAUpoVvep95AjQ6EAD7nhsNsLGzrkKnI6l6aywbUlofRBW6kPENN1tjQ/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKRFkRD0S4UCmGUXkxP5pZEjdAlcrYpHHt4NxysNZtsVJiyXMX9RAnuF3uA_EOkR9A92SbYTlxjmpM_R3cqrOuAUpoVvep95AjQ6EAD7nhsNsLGzrkKnI6l6aywbUlofRBW6kPENN1tjQ/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQ5UNjeCFBXyXj4J3CMwuWfBNNOzY9o8eCOO5coMeW4ARYU6XFZLZiCyAMickC1iHbrXAi30oicV9UBzGcIBfy4HbmHIo6pZEGTTSqu3nrVOprtvuKfhG90MCVt13IeBhafQ49KtXHRU/s1600/tigertomato.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQ5UNjeCFBXyXj4J3CMwuWfBNNOzY9o8eCOO5coMeW4ARYU6XFZLZiCyAMickC1iHbrXAi30oicV9UBzGcIBfy4HbmHIo6pZEGTTSqu3nrVOprtvuKfhG90MCVt13IeBhafQ49KtXHRU/s400/tigertomato.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Thanks for reading! Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-49021981790695338252015-05-31T14:00:00.001-07:002015-05-31T14:00:16.788-07:00Making Homemade Pizza - What We've Learned<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGanOzTI4DqdsXR7aWfyEQ6s7VpDPYT3ch87oOEYjyWeLFTTiGAG7-ykMl-252jzodJFjoU7Q41N88T6g3k4dcH4SU_k1HNfiYOtjz3A1DXxmfAegxow3yzprU0yVWen0EycgZ_zghN34/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGanOzTI4DqdsXR7aWfyEQ6s7VpDPYT3ch87oOEYjyWeLFTTiGAG7-ykMl-252jzodJFjoU7Q41N88T6g3k4dcH4SU_k1HNfiYOtjz3A1DXxmfAegxow3yzprU0yVWen0EycgZ_zghN34/s400/unnamed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Guys - we finally got our pizza to be ROUND! Such a big accomplishment if you've ever made and rolled out your own dough. We've come a long way -> <a href="http://majestybakescakes.blogspot.com/2014/11/making-pizza-step-by-step.html">Click here to check out our pizza step by step</a>.<br />
<br />
Since my first post, our pizza game has definitely improved - technique, taste, crispness of crust, cheese to sauce ratio, etc. Here's some of the changes we made that seemed to work for the better (written by my husband and me!)<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>We let the dough mix in the KitchenAid mixer LONGER. The key is when the dough actually starts to climb up the dough hook.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>After letting the dough rest in the mixer for 2 minutes, we did another 30 seconds in the mixer to make sure the dough really came together.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Make sure you take the time to really knead the dough well by hand. It should be a smooth ball with no cracks. We think that this batch of dough was the best we've made so far, and may have contributed to our pizza being nice and round</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>As I said in my last post - experimenting with different toppings is fun! This time, we made a new creation - buffalo chicken pizza! We cooked chicken breast in a grill pan and diced it really small. We used Frank's Hot Sauce as our buffalo base, and smoked mozzarella for our cheese. It was a fun alternative to plain pizza!</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Here's the biggest change we made - we cooked our pizza on the grill vs. in the oven. We used the same pizza stone as last time. My dad is somewhat of a pizza master (he's been making it at home for years and loves having friends and family over for pizza parties) and he exclusively cooks his pizza on the grill as well. We totally get why. The crust gets so crisp - something that was difficult to achieve in the oven. The grill also cooks/melts the toppings perfectly without burning the bottom.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Our last tip is - have fun!! Take a day on the weekend that's not busy so you can relax and enjoy what you're doing. The end product is completely worth it!</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwfKqXIxrrEh3Mf-GzU0TQMyVh6Ty1YkIXNrXJUn0r73HS3z9dEM7wIPgaPqgbfO_V1E8b5tljFCcrHpwyAhJLd43KUboH0Gu80dqg7wtfGr7DFaahfKgyLRfLq2OgYlU_jxQysYMLPZo/s1600/poppa+d.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwfKqXIxrrEh3Mf-GzU0TQMyVh6Ty1YkIXNrXJUn0r73HS3z9dEM7wIPgaPqgbfO_V1E8b5tljFCcrHpwyAhJLd43KUboH0Gu80dqg7wtfGr7DFaahfKgyLRfLq2OgYlU_jxQysYMLPZo/s400/poppa+d.png" width="395" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
My dad making his famous pizza! He always cuts up all his cheese and toppings beforehand to make it easier. He's experimented with so many different recipes and toppings - everything from sausage and peppers to ham and pineapple. We leaned a lot of pizza skills from him!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Thanks for reading guys! </div>
<br />
<br />Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-81049089987152351032015-05-26T13:47:00.001-07:002015-05-26T13:47:11.316-07:00A Beautiful Trip - the Long Island VineyardsWho says you have to hop on a plane to travel somewhere cool? We live in NJ, but my husband is from Long Island. I fell in love with the vineyards out there when we first started dating. The endless rows of grape vines get me every time. The company is always great. This year and last year we had absolutely gorgeous weather. And hey, WINE!!! <br />
<br />
Here are a collection of photos from our trip over MDW. Below is also a list of my favorite vineyards in Long Island, and a little about each. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0BfNTTe918C3Q0DTV4gz8RwIHf63AMJ9mNtAsc9k-HQPrtjvPpy1IkRM0a45aVK9R8aYnkvcLJsUKFlsYbzB-J2zxpeziCFtOZdiguFPNI_aztOudLGIWd30bf9-8VRB61Jn9mkFUxuY/s1600/Untitled.png6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0BfNTTe918C3Q0DTV4gz8RwIHf63AMJ9mNtAsc9k-HQPrtjvPpy1IkRM0a45aVK9R8aYnkvcLJsUKFlsYbzB-J2zxpeziCFtOZdiguFPNI_aztOudLGIWd30bf9-8VRB61Jn9mkFUxuY/s640/Untitled.png6.png" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I mean seriously?! It doesn't get much better than this!<br />
We were so lucky to have great weather! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUFFYlNvhKZz-GYHRf6y5vxdKXx76EHZMQCHUJ4UZ_f-HDH0bboDEjNaO7NaqsyEcWXdIX7a8VHYkIINmjdU0UtfCgdFzm6l895WkprTlXIuuNlIGOsy0PZaHMBOPPNuiiCFBgvRgWWC8/s1600/unnamed.jpg2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRVOaNEGWp9QoP1B-7hOjhaUzbroh2FkTx7lhn3P4aiLyIf2CAOHFynLMyRoVTZeaUVpicXAppvuhT1_HcHvP5Bq0irvuLVINxGNNeLO46QmPbqPhz8B9Vmlrk7BJl5t1IsKRl7sDtnVA/s1600/10404358_10100456675520745_88387237134806350_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRVOaNEGWp9QoP1B-7hOjhaUzbroh2FkTx7lhn3P4aiLyIf2CAOHFynLMyRoVTZeaUVpicXAppvuhT1_HcHvP5Bq0irvuLVINxGNNeLO46QmPbqPhz8B9Vmlrk7BJl5t1IsKRl7sDtnVA/s400/10404358_10100456675520745_88387237134806350_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
My husband and I on this gorgeous day!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I call this my Betty Draper from Mad Men look haha</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcP7ngKK0UAOTD_lyDXAFe9suVmgqjk3H2RIc4t5WIlU-EFJdaLmzj4m-pNXUDiwTE_iqGivVIp8WNysABKdopK5PhcntICUed7oiNWJWO2DoTQ1GAsGrQTw26UoCLMpWjcQ6tGgTI3o/s1600/10639408_10100455183964835_1429149935720863239_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcP7ngKK0UAOTD_lyDXAFe9suVmgqjk3H2RIc4t5WIlU-EFJdaLmzj4m-pNXUDiwTE_iqGivVIp8WNysABKdopK5PhcntICUed7oiNWJWO2DoTQ1GAsGrQTw26UoCLMpWjcQ6tGgTI3o/s400/10639408_10100455183964835_1429149935720863239_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
My brother and I!<br />
This was at Sparkling Pointe vineyard. <br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUFFYlNvhKZz-GYHRf6y5vxdKXx76EHZMQCHUJ4UZ_f-HDH0bboDEjNaO7NaqsyEcWXdIX7a8VHYkIINmjdU0UtfCgdFzm6l895WkprTlXIuuNlIGOsy0PZaHMBOPPNuiiCFBgvRgWWC8/s1600/unnamed.jpg2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUFFYlNvhKZz-GYHRf6y5vxdKXx76EHZMQCHUJ4UZ_f-HDH0bboDEjNaO7NaqsyEcWXdIX7a8VHYkIINmjdU0UtfCgdFzm6l895WkprTlXIuuNlIGOsy0PZaHMBOPPNuiiCFBgvRgWWC8/s400/unnamed.jpg2.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Sparkling Pointe is awesome. Sparkling wines only!<br />
The owners of this place are obsessed with Brazil - as am I.<br />
The whole place is decked out in paintings and decor of Brazil.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25gwjAz0dK1kS9fqZBCFeYC00C8n-BF00NgRHIloLzNH48RQXz4VA9_H-CAcWFWKeoz0jyJYzDZ-syNZ8rzNT_XtMv-QBtQnWdjQircrsdMgTU492NnHxUq3IFFq7F14ZjuIgg157mVI/s1600/20150524_135817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25gwjAz0dK1kS9fqZBCFeYC00C8n-BF00NgRHIloLzNH48RQXz4VA9_H-CAcWFWKeoz0jyJYzDZ-syNZ8rzNT_XtMv-QBtQnWdjQircrsdMgTU492NnHxUq3IFFq7F14ZjuIgg157mVI/s640/20150524_135817.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
The inside of Sparkling Pointe. Not too shabby.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFbAiZ4ukkwyXqKF67KVffmkKK1w0yNoeyGLkLJme9uDKdPylxZohOefnRExTZRn8moxnZMK_DD_W3ESZiUXMeXOKvYML38Y5ktTrfvNSnly_NImoAPJm_odDY3EQTFAqDRkDt1_-7iY/s1600/11012409_10100455121410195_9039251442816704304_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFbAiZ4ukkwyXqKF67KVffmkKK1w0yNoeyGLkLJme9uDKdPylxZohOefnRExTZRn8moxnZMK_DD_W3ESZiUXMeXOKvYML38Y5ktTrfvNSnly_NImoAPJm_odDY3EQTFAqDRkDt1_-7iY/s400/11012409_10100455121410195_9039251442816704304_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Our vineyards crew! Same as last year.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Always a great time with them!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk144F_HoCtZxZ7IiVlDT0JwoZpjfpvt-5xOpj10_yIwbtplb9y7vX5esYWMXBs8oTXqLbypoGUuh3StggT8s63zJI7s7jxDJFETVzMHrMLayQ6ga2FfP2LdXp2yPUc8x4rMr-aoaOxt8/s1600/11051998_10100455190646445_2635825137500417373_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk144F_HoCtZxZ7IiVlDT0JwoZpjfpvt-5xOpj10_yIwbtplb9y7vX5esYWMXBs8oTXqLbypoGUuh3StggT8s63zJI7s7jxDJFETVzMHrMLayQ6ga2FfP2LdXp2yPUc8x4rMr-aoaOxt8/s400/11051998_10100455190646445_2635825137500417373_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hanging out at Jamesport vineyard.<br />
This was my first time there - I liked the rustic feel of this place. </div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAxypfzqjpa6PVg3yucf2QxWuuIMnmD9I5ubdAAZ3dXiOmnwzYLzt1bWI1LwWxj7vPA_b_tLYSv5xEhUlDCTGxAzVxTR_vw8Ck8BDimmteE2puYq7J8tXBVmXsbZe7Pv9PbqY_XBmt-zI/s1600/11137143_10100455230905765_399810936632179250_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAxypfzqjpa6PVg3yucf2QxWuuIMnmD9I5ubdAAZ3dXiOmnwzYLzt1bWI1LwWxj7vPA_b_tLYSv5xEhUlDCTGxAzVxTR_vw8Ck8BDimmteE2puYq7J8tXBVmXsbZe7Pv9PbqY_XBmt-zI/s400/11137143_10100455230905765_399810936632179250_n.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I thought these were so pretty! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
We stopped for some fresh corn to bring home for our BBQ, and came across these fresh honey sticks.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihuOOHt7KYMq6iudDdtFtrBjwAOug6t08N5xc7AoaGLX_FsCpEBfRxjLPaFH5sBEcK5zs9Nuo02vo4t72fj1otf7wGUEujtFgJVwdAvJl0eTw5dQlHLM5msgv8BomDJESsjZ6JMPzwBMU/s1600/20150524_161042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihuOOHt7KYMq6iudDdtFtrBjwAOug6t08N5xc7AoaGLX_FsCpEBfRxjLPaFH5sBEcK5zs9Nuo02vo4t72fj1otf7wGUEujtFgJVwdAvJl0eTw5dQlHLM5msgv8BomDJESsjZ6JMPzwBMU/s400/20150524_161042.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The wine grape chart. Intense!!</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVptRb37GrGPXkDaDdbbToadrc6LcsAzG3plZDza5Sy7ahFKKpZxj5kSKnQJra83Bh4Qi0CA2LE5uQcBucaNrBNdmlxwnwZ1rX3SvHGlZD30DM441AK9t84zT-EJVwSW-q9uoP0cpmVqQ/s1600/11209542_10100456081111945_3846556573638098423_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVptRb37GrGPXkDaDdbbToadrc6LcsAzG3plZDza5Sy7ahFKKpZxj5kSKnQJra83Bh4Qi0CA2LE5uQcBucaNrBNdmlxwnwZ1rX3SvHGlZD30DM441AK9t84zT-EJVwSW-q9uoP0cpmVqQ/s400/11209542_10100456081111945_3846556573638098423_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Sigh.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsZ4zmgPDA9GGzOzl-HZDlEiLc0CydN4RYlfsaDjV0_UBfBkAiunznym57EH3OAEYEYPQ0HOGJZSssG8JAnwH01VEgC7wov_skE7YyxTXWfQ-GuiySuACnWkFe6s7SV-HbibWbGoPeI8/s1600/11266391_10100455208575515_299281198049030066_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsZ4zmgPDA9GGzOzl-HZDlEiLc0CydN4RYlfsaDjV0_UBfBkAiunznym57EH3OAEYEYPQ0HOGJZSssG8JAnwH01VEgC7wov_skE7YyxTXWfQ-GuiySuACnWkFe6s7SV-HbibWbGoPeI8/s400/11266391_10100455208575515_299281198049030066_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Another one of me and the hubs.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Not a bad backdrop.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVTQKa-rUGKXzzMZ1uMRF7x200puzWhjUzfmcNg05ih8W-EPedV_pnyC0ee84amnR4YFs2V8RVhZBRmIygmhrDINJrjDVpd5R9IRCX6cNRnNsFa2vJs4X5sKBziceVzPlBOk0MarJSnvk/s1600/11330003_10100455161225405_3451926146363830228_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVTQKa-rUGKXzzMZ1uMRF7x200puzWhjUzfmcNg05ih8W-EPedV_pnyC0ee84amnR4YFs2V8RVhZBRmIygmhrDINJrjDVpd5R9IRCX6cNRnNsFa2vJs4X5sKBziceVzPlBOk0MarJSnvk/s400/11330003_10100455161225405_3451926146363830228_n.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Here's us at Duckwalk vineyard. Another one of my favorites!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
We get a bottle of wine from here each time we visit (or 2...)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaSrOE_tvYq7wR5SaWyJpBebt47yURwE65RYU6ljZlwUgNcJ9Z7Ly5PhApvTW0j1bP77h4PCIFwC7r8AntAgvamQk4TvzB2EiVf2O3P9dRfqdY6aAtU9A8MHLNR3ZJiWtdBeC3fBUD6M/s1600/20150524_120927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaSrOE_tvYq7wR5SaWyJpBebt47yURwE65RYU6ljZlwUgNcJ9Z7Ly5PhApvTW0j1bP77h4PCIFwC7r8AntAgvamQk4TvzB2EiVf2O3P9dRfqdY6aAtU9A8MHLNR3ZJiWtdBeC3fBUD6M/s400/20150524_120927.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Along our wine journey, we also visited Greenport Harbor Brewery!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It didn't hurt switching it up a little bit. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This place was really cute - and you got to keep the little tasting glass!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Xw0ZuN6FuhrF36_5YdRQtXITccBbYKpjb10v9h2waF8TKFIddNNq_3oJTyl-8zVk1DkodBLDCEKH90eiCIP2iC-bHQNv7VKtmQ5cxlVYQ85zHD_is2wBrcxE6U-1e3HS5vVsT4IDriw/s1600/20150524_121919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Xw0ZuN6FuhrF36_5YdRQtXITccBbYKpjb10v9h2waF8TKFIddNNq_3oJTyl-8zVk1DkodBLDCEKH90eiCIP2iC-bHQNv7VKtmQ5cxlVYQ85zHD_is2wBrcxE6U-1e3HS5vVsT4IDriw/s640/20150524_121919.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We all thought this giant roll of paper was a cool way to display the beer menu</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0-PV6sWECPLwu2xBQAxrOhBtSApl-2U8Kfy2myt-UlMX4IIZ-XhJw0B1xiKn_o6vQZxbVp52S_MCuncTKrayabiKnR6jexQF9m0H6iqy5z6pRcYG5eSvMnhxrjIZp4otlOhOfb3yiwM/s1600/20150524_122531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0-PV6sWECPLwu2xBQAxrOhBtSApl-2U8Kfy2myt-UlMX4IIZ-XhJw0B1xiKn_o6vQZxbVp52S_MCuncTKrayabiKnR6jexQF9m0H6iqy5z6pRcYG5eSvMnhxrjIZp4otlOhOfb3yiwM/s640/20150524_122531.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
They had these neat tables made of kegs and wood blocks!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7XFQ1cWEXth1M29tXZ_8ptsTDwSGA89R87IUKxtZL-DgHClqH0AaI2bT_yUWcY82oEcN9wZPf7EgmjyB__O2MnFDPStiicz2TTHwT046LxN7Q9uhHaFXwRgKWrg18xg-c4p7Ku3hW3uQ/s1600/unnamed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7XFQ1cWEXth1M29tXZ_8ptsTDwSGA89R87IUKxtZL-DgHClqH0AaI2bT_yUWcY82oEcN9wZPf7EgmjyB__O2MnFDPStiicz2TTHwT046LxN7Q9uhHaFXwRgKWrg18xg-c4p7Ku3hW3uQ/s640/unnamed.jpg" width="355" /> </a><br />
Lenz vineyard is wonderful. We get wine shipped from here to our house.<br />
A coworker suggested we visit, and it totally made sense why.<br />
It's almost like Christmas when this package arrives at our doorstep!<br />
Also - whoever does this chalk art is really awesome. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8mGs0_68IzOOWThSJzMTsZw3nZ4MuR9jlxvobQS9uDG-wFQIQY6M6u3CsvXC1mTuIC_cZwY5iv8G6tQz98jXs9QE91Xjmli6ZkAcsDTpiFqUACE8IV_i1gHxeUGcEHn1ZYHC068CEbdo/s1600/20150524_125821.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8mGs0_68IzOOWThSJzMTsZw3nZ4MuR9jlxvobQS9uDG-wFQIQY6M6u3CsvXC1mTuIC_cZwY5iv8G6tQz98jXs9QE91Xjmli6ZkAcsDTpiFqUACE8IV_i1gHxeUGcEHn1ZYHC068CEbdo/s640/20150524_125821.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
This was my first time at Mattebella vineyards.<br />
The name came from the owners' 2 children - Matthew and Isabella.<br />
Their faces are even on the wine labels, even though the photo was taken about 10 years ago!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIBsj6xLOjNwHGCf1zqaJ_SvJ9hFjbHJ46gwbIjjz5F72Gz6y89if7cDxxmCZo-Erkp_ndrq7ImvZm7-dgRVzj6J1cBOS3WGWr4oz8WXINFvyLiRpfBSWSaQm2t-syQ9dP3IIu1keQRAg/s1600/20150524_140053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIBsj6xLOjNwHGCf1zqaJ_SvJ9hFjbHJ46gwbIjjz5F72Gz6y89if7cDxxmCZo-Erkp_ndrq7ImvZm7-dgRVzj6J1cBOS3WGWr4oz8WXINFvyLiRpfBSWSaQm2t-syQ9dP3IIu1keQRAg/s400/20150524_140053.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
My brother and his girlfriend, Steph! Drinking wine all day is hard work.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Favorites/Vineyards of Note:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
• Sparkling Pointe – all champagne. Really pretty inside and big outdoor area, as seen in the photos above!<br />
<br />
• Duckwalk North – great wine. We get bottles from here every time we go. More laid back vs. fancy. The employees are great and very knowledgeable about the wine.<br />
<br />
• Lenz – the best wine by far in my opinion. This is where we get the
wine shipments from every quarter. Smaller vineyard/more rustic but
really cute. People bring picnics and stuff here.<br />
<br />
• Martha Clara – great atmosphere. Our friend got married here – it was gorgeous.<br />
<br />
• Raphael – really fancy and pretty. They have weddings and parties there.<br />
<br />
• Vineyard 48 – this is like a party vineyard. Lots of young people, music, big outdoor space.<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading! Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend! <br />
<br />Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-21558139554348168612015-05-20T13:44:00.002-07:002015-05-20T13:44:25.673-07:00Mini Dessert Inspiration - Mini Strawberry Shortcakes!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKFq66ywTxq0ZIEakvK2y3euy7rSjHWm4TGJjQ3igZmBJgxtKEcWN7IGHKgltodnEIAOXOWiMFzIr3GIwPUE9jHv4Xt370XnDNYVKmMIx1Jwj3SWX9P7YVktJ5bc9VqBqZooz_V6-73LQ/s1600/5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKFq66ywTxq0ZIEakvK2y3euy7rSjHWm4TGJjQ3igZmBJgxtKEcWN7IGHKgltodnEIAOXOWiMFzIr3GIwPUE9jHv4Xt370XnDNYVKmMIx1Jwj3SWX9P7YVktJ5bc9VqBqZooz_V6-73LQ/s400/5.png" width="400" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I could not take my eyes off of this little treat - how adorable is it?! We went to brunch for Mother's Day to the Chandelier Restaurant in Bayonne, NJ. They had a beautiful spread of food, but I have to say the dessert bar was the most impressive. Aside from these cutesy strawberry shortcakes, they had an ice cream bar, various cakes, cupcakes, Jello, and even a chocolate fountain. Talk about eye candy!<br />
<br />
I've always loved mini cupcakes - great for parties or large groups, people don't feel like they are eating "too much," pop one in your mouth and go. This little shortcake made me want to experiment with different mini cakes. To be continued!<br />
<br />
Here are some more fun photos from brunch!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBynRPJ_MapMT0vx8kSDuxztDpXSPlbOqf-quu_qc5sdaZPv5dKzZrK0V7ZKkCcIuwM2NuMAkBxF_Fo-XZ-tMK5x4ZrV7LYJffGkcQOvA13WXyjuwgElzBy3_3zMJt5zWL1UT2x34lSDM/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBynRPJ_MapMT0vx8kSDuxztDpXSPlbOqf-quu_qc5sdaZPv5dKzZrK0V7ZKkCcIuwM2NuMAkBxF_Fo-XZ-tMK5x4ZrV7LYJffGkcQOvA13WXyjuwgElzBy3_3zMJt5zWL1UT2x34lSDM/s640/1.jpg" width="356" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
My beautiful little cousin Laura getting her chocolate fountain fix!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Love this kid.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL4MSCD8huaOmFhgGTXhIoxjkP5QmU5sJxhch71NxTLLkcumcEtMkwKQFM6bqRp2FXoYZc8tGkQXPTPYcFHSvrhkuvcjXbtf9t_ZuR8g6qFhGjElCDK3pJV_4c-r7o3EAzgCKcv49vQ4M/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL4MSCD8huaOmFhgGTXhIoxjkP5QmU5sJxhch71NxTLLkcumcEtMkwKQFM6bqRp2FXoYZc8tGkQXPTPYcFHSvrhkuvcjXbtf9t_ZuR8g6qFhGjElCDK3pJV_4c-r7o3EAzgCKcv49vQ4M/s640/2.jpg" width="358" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Chocolate. Fountain. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
What is more awesome than one of this at brunch? Besides alcohol...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7knXAOFy1AqbNunHMpJJQyZbX3Ht4klKLqHA3MBvVkh3NSL0au0g-XyMWgK-yGgbOYqngyTBgGczvb3PzufB9BFYmr1MXl2Hl5Uly0isk_Ecv69LeiBobWVPeOu3VgjaMFcjNj9pwW_w/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7knXAOFy1AqbNunHMpJJQyZbX3Ht4klKLqHA3MBvVkh3NSL0au0g-XyMWgK-yGgbOYqngyTBgGczvb3PzufB9BFYmr1MXl2Hl5Uly0isk_Ecv69LeiBobWVPeOu3VgjaMFcjNj9pwW_w/s640/3.jpg" width="358" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Jello for daysssssssssss</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPBvUIZSz8sLg86jUE4fNn2JxpBhEMXsVJKHVScipR7AujHp8MkCvp13hRAb2oHvid88CcvueHqpIdVdsJMvZo9eFp3HLPQwBaPukfR4WCLjhu_FERF8j0r1tzZORwzT9qcK2uhDIaLwc/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPBvUIZSz8sLg86jUE4fNn2JxpBhEMXsVJKHVScipR7AujHp8MkCvp13hRAb2oHvid88CcvueHqpIdVdsJMvZo9eFp3HLPQwBaPukfR4WCLjhu_FERF8j0r1tzZORwzT9qcK2uhDIaLwc/s320/6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The 4 of us! We are the best.</div>
<br />
Thanks for reading!Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-12126178690470195282015-05-09T11:54:00.001-07:002015-05-09T11:54:24.123-07:00Snickers Popcorn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4cNOt4qj8SgSV9uwNMJEd60UKV-70NdqS69l8jVgdsPJjCoUScvyqAFIuG5NHhaRsYuVSvZOgoguksVs4BqcZrZRZt-D6N8ctKCyhZzFyi52jbJZ2lxqybMFTcLwH4S14GZ_V6iiiHGM/s1600/bakesale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4cNOt4qj8SgSV9uwNMJEd60UKV-70NdqS69l8jVgdsPJjCoUScvyqAFIuG5NHhaRsYuVSvZOgoguksVs4BqcZrZRZt-D6N8ctKCyhZzFyi52jbJZ2lxqybMFTcLwH4S14GZ_V6iiiHGM/s400/bakesale.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Hi friends! I made this pretty cool treat for our company's bake sale - Snickers popcorn! Our annual bake sale is usually overrun with tons of cupcakes, so I wanted to try something different this year. It was a huge hit! All of my bags sold out! I tried to dress up the brown bags a bit - I got the hearts from Michael's craft store, and the popcorn tags I printed out from Pinterest. Now to the most important part - the popcorn!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWUU3CweSBCB0ydC9a1o4lpmDL_hkAVKEx6wDesYfPCiAIonqAFMxYqqIv23d8l74LeyL0qTP3Nm8FMGZAD4M2amOGcl1AwcnyhFk1X_Afq7pNVFX2MfgZNBRdfk03HikxKKHQKFgiylg/s1600/bakesale2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWUU3CweSBCB0ydC9a1o4lpmDL_hkAVKEx6wDesYfPCiAIonqAFMxYqqIv23d8l74LeyL0qTP3Nm8FMGZAD4M2amOGcl1AwcnyhFk1X_Afq7pNVFX2MfgZNBRdfk03HikxKKHQKFgiylg/s640/bakesale2.jpg" width="476" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This is what my kitchen counter looked like ha! Here is how to make your own, it's pretty simple:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Serves 10 people</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
2 bags of popcorn (I used bagged popcorn that had a small amount of salt and butter)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
2 cups of chocolate chips or candy melts</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
10 fun sized Snickers bars</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Parchment paper</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Large bowl</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Rubber spatula</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Make popcorn using your favorite method - microwave or stove top. </li>
<li>While popcorn is poppin, cut your snickers bars into small pieces. You want them to be small enough to melt easily. </li>
<li>Empty popcorn into a large mixing bowl. I split mine up in two bowls to make it a little more manageable. </li>
<li>Melt the chocolate chips or candy melts in the microwave until it's nice and smooth. We found that the more melted it is, the easier it is to work with. </li>
<li>Pour melted chocolate and dump snickers pieces into the popcorn bowl and use a spatula to combine. Mix until well coated. </li>
<li>Spread your mixture onto parchment paper to dry. Try to separate the bigger pieces that are clumped together with your spatula or a knife. </li>
<li>Let dry for about 45 minutes to an hour on parchment paper.</li>
<li>If you are eating them the same day, shove them in your mouth. If you are making them ahead of time for a party or something, refrigerate them. </li>
</ul>
<div>
Thanks for reading! </div>
<br />
<br />Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-60822360519243014342015-04-28T10:15:00.003-07:002015-04-29T15:42:22.817-07:00Peanut Butter Lo Mein<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpmvOfqsxXJ5F1tqQ0KPUGymrejd_a-1QOUYbubkz1Q1hKqK1wTNrHNG4pezlFCM1quUPFMgKG6v1H739SxdLGTcy9ADCsuO4eVyrVN0V4empCbIP2sF4qt7KQ2y9UOlX9Ml6QNlVdOnc/s1600/10995367_10100437764708165_6333343006817610447_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpmvOfqsxXJ5F1tqQ0KPUGymrejd_a-1QOUYbubkz1Q1hKqK1wTNrHNG4pezlFCM1quUPFMgKG6v1H739SxdLGTcy9ADCsuO4eVyrVN0V4empCbIP2sF4qt7KQ2y9UOlX9Ml6QNlVdOnc/s1600/10995367_10100437764708165_6333343006817610447_n.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I took this picture last night and it's still making me drool! This is such a great recipe! The noodles combined with the peanut butter and a little bit of spice gives this dish a real punch of flavor. I think next time we are going to cut the sugar in half (to make it a little healthier) and turn up the spice a bit. Here is the recipe we used from bloomi.com:<br />
<br />
<br />
½ lb. of dry fettuccine noodles<br />
¼ cup orange juice<br />
¼ cup crunchy peanut butter (natural)<br />
2½ tbs. soy sauce<br />
2 tbs. white vinegar<br />
2 tbs. brown sugar (either light or dark is fine)<br />
½ tsp hot chili sauce (more if you want it spicy)<br />
*optional* squeeze a wedge or two of lime juice into sauce<br />
1 tsp oil<br />
¼ cup sweet onions, sliced<br />
1 clove of garlic minced<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
1. Put on pot of boiling water for pasta. Cook the fettuccine to al dente.<br />
<br />
2. While the pasta is cooking, whisk together orange juice, peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, chili sauce and lime if you are using it.<br />
<br />
3. Heat oil in skillet over med-high, once hot add the onion and garlic. Stir fry, until onion is cooked, but still has a little firmness, not mushy, then add the noodles and stir fry for 2 minutes<br />
<br />
4. Pour the sauce over noodles, and stir to coat, continue folding and mixing the pasta over heat for about a minute.<br />
<br />
5. Serve with a splash of soy or Ponzu sauce, or wedges of lime.<br />
<br />
<br />
And there you have it! I was thinking of adding chicken to this dish, but it didn't really need it. It was filling enough with the pasta and peanut butter. We have been really into asian style stir fry recipes lately - and this one is a nice, fresh take on that. Thanks for reading! Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-86258250162448643372015-04-22T09:20:00.001-07:002015-04-22T09:20:05.888-07:00Medium Shelled Pasta with Sausage and ParmesanHi lovely baking and cooking friends! Got another great weeknight dinner recipe for you. I found it on this website: justusfourblog.com. We cut the original recipe in half - there’s just two of us - and made a few small tweaks. This dish was so satisfying, and required very little ingredients that we didn’t already have on hand. I mean come on, don't you just want to shove your face right into this bowl?!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjs_1elzEW7mycbpTNMCvKGzVtN29vqfBZYh_Y8dNXz120fws543kOhBAMknPGfyz6dmJ9nJFMGsQHNqcXCrVdlJGjzerZQJlRRA4M_alQCDhQguJKxvjrNlPtcsFI-K5Xrn2Pn8sMjrw/s1600/1509661_10100433722234315_2888685736257031191_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjs_1elzEW7mycbpTNMCvKGzVtN29vqfBZYh_Y8dNXz120fws543kOhBAMknPGfyz6dmJ9nJFMGsQHNqcXCrVdlJGjzerZQJlRRA4M_alQCDhQguJKxvjrNlPtcsFI-K5Xrn2Pn8sMjrw/s1600/1509661_10100433722234315_2888685736257031191_n.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
What You’ll Need:<br />
2 cups of medium shells pasta (we usually do 1 cup per person)<br />
1/2 lb of ground Italian sausage (we froze the other 1/2 - we bought the parsley and cheese sausage)<br />
3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced<br />
salt<br />
fresh ground black pepper<br />
fresh parmesan cheese<br />
<br />
How to:<br />
1) Heat a large pot of water over high heat and bring to boil. Generously salt the water and cook the pasta according to directions on the box. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water.<br />
<br />
2) In a large skillet, brown the Italian sausage, breaking up with a spoon while it cooks. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Do not drain the sausage drippings.<br />
<br />
3) In the same skillet, saute the garlic slices over medium heat until lightly browned. Remove from skillet and set aside with sausage.<br />
<br />
4) Add pasta, reserved pasta water, sausage and garlic to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer to serving bowl and top with shaved parmesan and fresh ground black pepper.<br />
<br />
Simple and quick to make, and it has GREAT flavor. A good alternative to having pasta and meatballs to switch it up a bit. A tip - don't skip out on saving some of the pasta water. Otherwise, it will be dry.<br />
<br />
Hope you guys enjoyed, thanks for reading!! <br />
<br />Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-67813789278979939892015-03-09T13:26:00.002-07:002015-03-09T13:26:31.331-07:00Tiffany Blue Mini Cupcakes<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-pyQ4PNQdOmYDjtWGMX1GumCNDTtkusKF4fwmKpJgCBcuzl5xEb1NttAl0IO8XiFpzh1Hbf6vxDPG-0VqP0KBt71O1N-RpZeAe1xJnei1ZXirCpW68jWPDsMBGw4Yvf35alxBMFOeqzQ/s1600/1661773_10100404119598235_4615840440775138110_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-pyQ4PNQdOmYDjtWGMX1GumCNDTtkusKF4fwmKpJgCBcuzl5xEb1NttAl0IO8XiFpzh1Hbf6vxDPG-0VqP0KBt71O1N-RpZeAe1xJnei1ZXirCpW68jWPDsMBGw4Yvf35alxBMFOeqzQ/s1600/1661773_10100404119598235_4615840440775138110_n.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Hi dolls!<br />
<br />
I made these adorable mini cupcakes for a family party this weekend. I really wanted to achieve a Tiffany Blue icing color, and was really happy with the results. I did a bit of research online, and found that many people had trouble creating this color. I am a big fan of lighter icing colors vs. super bold colors. I think if the icing color is too dark, it looks fake. Just my opinion! Anyway, I bring this up because I didn’t want to ruin my whole icing batch by trying to mix together different food coloring and getting too dark of a color. Here is what I used:<br />
<br />
<br />
I made my usual Vanilla Buttercream icing:<br />
• 3 cups of confectioner's sugar <br />
• 3/4 stick of butter <br />
• 1 teaspoon vanilla <br />
• 3 tablespoons of milk<br />
<br />
*This time, I doubled the above recipe just to make sure I had enough icing to play with! As I’ve said before, this simple icing recipe is GREAT for piping. I would highly suggest letting the icing sit in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes before using it. You want it to harden up a little bit so the spiral holds its shape.<br />
<br />
These are the colors I used to get the Tiffany Blue color:<br />
• 1 part green food coloring<br />
• 4 parts blue food coloring<br />
<br />
And lastly, this is the vanilla mini cupcake recipe I always use. Everyone at the party loved them! They are amazing party food – you can just pop one in your mouth and not even use a plate! I sprinkled on some shiny heart sprinkles that I bought from Michael's. Recipe makes about 24 mini cupcakes. Recipe adapted from epicurious.com<br />
<br />
You'll Need:<br />
• 1 cup all-purpose flour<br />
• 1 teaspoon baking powder<br />
• 1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
• 1/3 cup whole milk<br />
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla<br />
• 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened<br />
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar<br />
• 1 large egg<br />
• Mini muffin pan<br />
• Mini cupcake wrappers<br />
How To Make Mini Cupcakes:<br />
<br />
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin cups with liners.<br />
<br />
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Stir together milk and vanilla in a small bowl.<br />
<br />
Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add egg and beat until just combined. Reduce speed to low, then add flour and milk mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour and mixing until just combined.<br />
<br />
Divide batter among muffin cups, filling them two-thirds full, and bake until tops are pale golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in centers comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Invert cupcakes onto a rack and cool completely.<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading! In addition to the Tiffany Blue, I also made a light pink icing by using 1 drop of red food coloring. Here they are together!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3yoFIcdIoXvGXvYkvO4XENUwg73OGK-Ey3F9yRa9dCuNCULt1TF0yfPvGLUoALNL6rgqhwpNaP_p4UKKxjK3T8qyKZ2Fypu7tv9niS6KZmolQDeFVCtRQElgM0hwCB1rO-NAJhSE2_Y/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3yoFIcdIoXvGXvYkvO4XENUwg73OGK-Ey3F9yRa9dCuNCULt1TF0yfPvGLUoALNL6rgqhwpNaP_p4UKKxjK3T8qyKZ2Fypu7tv9niS6KZmolQDeFVCtRQElgM0hwCB1rO-NAJhSE2_Y/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Makeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7000562736575456223.post-44309639837895283772015-03-05T11:07:00.000-08:002015-04-29T15:43:24.519-07:00TAO Restaurant - A Photo Tour of our LunchHi All!<br />
<br />
We had a new person join our team at work, so we decided to celebrate at TAO restaurant (Uptown location). We have all been there before, but it always amazes me how beautiful everything is each time.<br />
<br />
There was 10 of us, so we sat next to the huge statue with the coy pond at the bottom. Our table was made of glass, with beautiful fresh rose petals and candles underneath:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2HjY8nKa5ahfeXrRXNPSL8teBno_f_Z1VOASx6lXF8GMvX1SeTEM7VqTOeNIRB_7YouzF9b_lvjobjgeg8V-OTUALx-vlGk_Aqmp3ES_KQFvRLrMC1Is1_7z4t2gvmZ1F6PnOWl9DzA/s1600/1505143_10100401883828735_3027638557779768563_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2HjY8nKa5ahfeXrRXNPSL8teBno_f_Z1VOASx6lXF8GMvX1SeTEM7VqTOeNIRB_7YouzF9b_lvjobjgeg8V-OTUALx-vlGk_Aqmp3ES_KQFvRLrMC1Is1_7z4t2gvmZ1F6PnOWl9DzA/s1600/1505143_10100401883828735_3027638557779768563_n.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I've just started to appreciate spicy food (with the help of my husband) so I got the Kung Pao chicken. It was so delicious. The portion size was generous, and I devoured the entire thing! I am not usually a fan of nuts in my chicken dish, but they married so nicely in this dish that I made an exception. It also came with a side of rice which I didn't end up touching - it was all about the chicken!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAaektsIT1-accMPWj3drKkYaWedLWE9PEoq2QDopB2SjA2JO2r2xkdAiuYkQQUM95qsLJGNLpvzfNzKM0uIynl4u5DebPWcMLrp2NLg5wg60-EpDsI0qVp9N2qFhBpREFXdDigjhSJlc/s1600/Pic+2+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAaektsIT1-accMPWj3drKkYaWedLWE9PEoq2QDopB2SjA2JO2r2xkdAiuYkQQUM95qsLJGNLpvzfNzKM0uIynl4u5DebPWcMLrp2NLg5wg60-EpDsI0qVp9N2qFhBpREFXdDigjhSJlc/s1600/Pic+2+(2).jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Our table shared a few desserts - banana pudding, a chocolate mousse, creme brulee and the molten chocolate cake (below). It was very tasty, but can a molten chocolate cake really ever be BAD? I don't think so. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTHZHbjPSo6TC0pgifg_-Ue2pmMtLGyIutAOQDJubYP76NnjReRCD1T1NS-_ja-FvvUSPP8Vy6HGhmQisb77Ix8dXcf-PEj6_qlKxNI0U4ReXAmEq-ayyqBZFcBCT-6u_0SRnC_iedJzU/s1600/pic+6+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTHZHbjPSo6TC0pgifg_-Ue2pmMtLGyIutAOQDJubYP76NnjReRCD1T1NS-_ja-FvvUSPP8Vy6HGhmQisb77Ix8dXcf-PEj6_qlKxNI0U4ReXAmEq-ayyqBZFcBCT-6u_0SRnC_iedJzU/s1600/pic+6+(3).jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Thanks for reading! Hope everyone is staying safe in yet another snowstorm! xoMakeup Majestyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09464461107876178432noreply@blogger.com0