Recipe: Cheddar Cheese Puff

I was going to make cookies for this post, but unfortunately I needed unsalted butter and all I have is salted butter.  So, in a small panic,  I started searching all over the internet, and I stumbled upon Cheddar Cheese Puffs.  I had all of the ingredients needed, so I decided to try to make them. 

Ingredients:

1 stick of Butter 

1 cup of Water 

½ tsp salt

1 cup of All-Purpose Flour 

4 Large Eggs 

1 cup Cheddar Cheese

2 tsp fresh Thyme or Rosemary

Fresh Pepper

Directions:

In a medium sauce pan, add the cup of water, the stick of butter, and the ½ tsp of salt, and bring it to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium and add in the flour.  Using a wooden, spoon stir rapidly.  The mix will become a dough ball.  Continue stirring for a few minutes. 

Remove the pan from the heat and let the dough cool enough so that the eggs won’t cook as soon as you add them.  Then add in the eggs one by one, folding them in.   The dough should now be creamy. 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Add in the cheese, rosemary/thyme, and pepper. 

Spoon out a small tablespoon amount into the parchment paper.  (I’m never good at this part…)

Cook them for 10 minutes, and then lower the heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. 

They kind of look the same as the raw ones, but don't worry, I actually put them back into the oven after this pic, because I tried one, and it was still raw. 

They should come out with a lightly golden brown top.

Enjoy!

I think they're really yummy!  They have more of an eggy texture than I was expecting, but I love eggs, so that's okay.  I think I'll enjoy them for breakfast rather than an appetizer snack food. 

xx 

DIY: Bath Bombs Fail:

I'm sorry that this pic doesn't have coconut oil pictured in it, I forgot about it until after I took the picture, didn't think about taking a new one, and now I don't have all of the ingredients to retake.  My apologies! 

Ingredients:

8 oz Corn Starch 

4 oz Baking Soda

4 oz Citric Acid

3 oz Coco Butter

2-3 Tbsp Sweet Almond Oil 

2-3 Tbsp Coconut oil 

½ tsp Essential Oil 

Food Coloring

Silicon Molds

Directions:

Combine the dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix them up a bit.

Add in the liquid and oil (Except for the essential oil) into the mix by hand.

Add in the essential oil.  The measurement is really just a guide line, you can add more into the recipe if you want a stronger smell. 

Press the mix into the silicon mold and let them dry out.  This may take a few days. 

This DIY went terribly wrong for me.  Not going to lie.  None of the bombs came out in their shapes, so I rolled them into balls and went from there.  (They're really crumbly so it was a little difficult.)  I plan on trying again as soon as I can get the products that ran out, and I will post again. 

I decided to try out one of the smaller balls, to see if they would fizz up, and it did, but it didn't completely dissolve.  But, it is very moisturizing. 

So other than this not working out, it was a fun experiment, and when I try this again, if successful, I will have some tips for how not to turn out like this.  It took about two weeks for them to finally dry out where it should have only taken a few days.  

xx

Side Notes:

I had two essential oils so what I did was split the mix into two different bowls. 

Also, when adding to the molds, I accident put too much in the dish, so add sparingly!  The mix rose, just keep that in mind. 

And I had a hard time finding both sweet almond oil and citric acid.  I found the sweet almond oil at Harris Teeter and I found the citric acid in the canning aisle at Walmart.  Just in case you want to make them, and also have a hard time.  

Drink Recipe: Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino Dupe:

Every weekend after I do all of my errands I treat myself to a little Starbucks.  Most of the time I’ll get their Caramel Frappuccino, but I’ve recently been loving their passion tea.   So really it’s a 50/50 that I either choose a Frappuccino or tea.   But while looking for new recipes to try, I stumbled upon this one, and I just had to make it, and let me tell you, it was PERFECT!  Tastes just like the one from Starbucks, so now when I have a little craving, instead of paying five or six dollars, I can just make it at home. 

Ingredients:

2 cups of Ice 

1 cup of strong coffee, cooled 

1 cup of low fat milk 

1/3 cup of caramel sauce 

3 Tbsp white sugar

Directions:

Blend all of the ingredients together and pour into a glass.

Optional: Top with whipped cream and drizzle some more caramel sauce over top. 

Enjoy!

xx 

Maybelline’s Color Sensational Lip Liner

I have been avoiding lip liner because I have so many different shades, and I really just can’t be bothered to buy a lip liner to match.  Then when one of the lipsticks that I bought didn’t sit right on my lips, and it smudged really easily and I felt like it was half way down my face, I started looking into find a lip liner for it. 

The lipstick that I’m talking about is a deep red color by Wet n’ Wild.  I’ve blogged about it here. 

It supposed to be a four hour stay, but for me it’s more like a 30 minute stay.  If that. 

While I was looking for lip liners, I decided that I should look for a nude lip liner, because if I buy one, then it’s going to work for all of my lipsticks.  I haven’t had much luck in finding a light nude shade, until this weekend…

I found this lip liner and instead of it being nude it was CLEAR!  I had no idea that they even made clear lip liner, I was soo excited. 

Maybelline’s Color Sensational Lip Liner in clear goes on smoothly, and if you’re worried about missing spots when filling in your lips, it actually goes on in a very light white color and it dries clear.  I really liked that.  (I’m known for missing spots.) 

My lipstick stayed in place, granted I didn’t do much with my lips.  I drank some water from a straw and if you've been here long then you would know that I have a bad habit, and if not, I rub my lips together ever 45 seconds or so because of being nervous and self-conscious. (It’s a habit I’m trying to break.)   It still stayed.  That surprised me, especially since I was using a lipstick that I have previously stated how much I didn’t like it. 

Anyways, if you’re like me and don’t want 100 different lip liners around, and you just want one perfect one, I would look to see if your store carries Maybelline’s Color Sensational line. 

xx

7 Things: Around My Room

If you've been around me for the past seven years or so, then you would know that I collect cows.  This just happens to be one of them.  I love that this one has a little bit of glitter for eyes and flowers.  My mom gave me this one about two years ago, and this will definitely be one that I keep forever. 

Another if you've known me forever type of things.  I've had this candle for about a year, and it's in my favorite scent Sunflower.  Sunflowers are my favorite flower and my all time favorite perfume.  

I don't know why the picture is so pink, sorry! 

This is my second favorite perfume.  It's a sweet floral scent, and I just love it!  This is my go to spring perfume when I want a light but there scent.  I've been using this exact bottle for about six months, but I've been using the perfume for about a year and a half. 

Again, I don't know why it's so pink...besides that it's a red train?  Sorry! 

This I think is the most random object that I picked out for this post, but it has a lot of meaning to it.   I got this from an arcade four years ago this summer.  I went up to Ocean City with my sister and two friends for a week, and in the arcade one night I got this whistle.  (Yes, it's a whistle!)  I keep it tucked away in my top drawer, but when I come across it, it reminds me of a very fun week. 

I think I got this book two years ago for Christmas, and when I'm bored I like to flip through it.  There are some funny things in this book, and I suggest you get it if your curious.  

This is a little wooden box that I got five years ago in a little Polish shop up in Michigan.  I use it to keep my fancy jewelry safe and to keep all of the threads and buttons that come with shirts.   It's so cute.  

This one I think is kind of cheating because she doesn't stay in my room all the time, but this here is Amelia.  9 times out of 10 you'll find her here, in my room, sleeping.  She's 12 years old now, and I just love her so much! Haha.  I got her when she was 9 from the SPCA.  Her previous owners were moving away, and didn't want to take her with them.  While at the SPCA, we were looking for one specific cat, but when I made eye contact with this one, I just had to get her.  We connected on a serious level and we walked out of there with two cats.  

Anyways, these are my 7 Things this week, I hope you enjoy! 

xx 

Mixed Drink: Sex on the Beach

Today I have an alcoholic drink recipe for you.   I’ve always had these as frozen drinks, but today I decided not to blend it.  Works just as well.  (Although, I should have, this humidity is killing me! Ick!)

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz Vodka 

½ oz Peach Schnapps 

2 oz Cranberry Juice 

2 oz Orange Juice

Directions:

Very simple, add all of the ingredients to a glass full of ice and mix.

Enjoy!!

xx

Empties #2:

Hello Everyone!  Today I’ve got an empties post for you consisting of mainly soap and other smelly things!  I hope you enjoy!

Softsoap Holiday edition Peppermint Candy Cane Liquid Hand Soap:

This soap is a special edition, and I hate that it is!  I got it around Christmas, and I fell in love.  It has the perfect amount of mint to it.  It also doesn’t have that fake smell to it.  This was my second bottle, and hopefully it comes back out in December.  I’m sure I’ll buy like five bottles. 

The Bodyshop shower gel Mango and Strawberry scent:

These were my first buys from The Body Shop, and essentially are what made me fall in love with the brand.  These were the first two to run out, and I have one more shower gel that has about one wash left in it.  I bought these shower gels in mini bottles because I wasn’t sure if they were going to have that icky fake smell to them or not.  (Especially the strawberry one.)  They don’t.  I can’t wait to get bigger bottles, and try more of their shower gel line. (Plus everything else The body Shop has to offer!)  Here is my first impression of the line.

Tree Hut Shea Sugar Body Scrub Coconut lime scent:

I got this scrub from Walmart, and I wasn’t so sure about it because I typically don’t have luck with walmart soaps (usually they smell like awful plastic)  but I decided to try this, and I loved it.  I personally don’t think that it smells like either coconut or lime, which is a little odd, but it still smells good.  It’s definitely sweet though.  I think they also have a vanilla one, but I’ll most likely stick to this one. 

Suave Dry Shampoo:

I just posted about this the other day, and it’s already gone!  I think I got a good three weeks out of, and I was so confused because it ran out so quickly, but I looked at the other dry shampoo I use, and that one is a good two oz more than this one.  I love, love, love, this dry shampoo, and you can read that review here.

Febreze Sleep serenity bedroom mist warm milk and honey scent:

I got this air freshener months ago, and it just ran out.  It’s supposed to have like a calming effect and you're supposed to spray it before you go to bed.  I didn’t get that, but who really believes it will give a calming effect?  I got it in the scent warm milk and honey, and I don’t smell either of those, but what I can tell you is that is a very, very, sweet scent and if you're sensitive to sweet scents than use this one sparingly.  I do love the smell, but it can be overwhelming if used way to much.

Opti-free express lasting comfort contact solution:

I’ve worn contacts since I was 13, and I’ve gone through A LOT  of different contact solutions.  This one is, by far, my favorite.  The one that I was using before was by Renu and I felt like my contacts were drying out by mid-day whereas with this solution I can wear my contacts for about 20 hours before they start bothering me, and if you wear contacts you know that when your contacts start to dry out it can drive you crazy!  This is about my sixth bottle in a row, and I can’t see myself using another. 

xx

Empties #1 

Birthday Celebration:

My 22^nd birthday was on Saturday, and I celebrated like I always do.   The day before I went out to dinner to Osaka’s, and had the chicken and shrimp mean and a tray of the current sushi special and a tray of the sashimi special.  I unfortunately forgot my camera at home, so I do not have any dinner pictures. 

After dinner I went across the street to Safeway to buy a cake.  Who knew cakes were so expensive?!  This sucker cost $14. 

The actual day of my birthday, I just hung out with family and had a few celebration drinks.  I tried Hennessy for the first time, and I didn't like it, so I put it in Coke.  I also made an Incredible Hulk, which is 1 part Hennessy 1 part Hpnotiq, and I didn't like that either, but my sister loved it. 

So, now I’m a year older.  I don’t feel any different, but do you ever? 

xx

Recipe: Mexican Wedding Cakes:

Monday was Cinco De Mayo, and in celebration, I made Mexican Wedding Cakes.  They were my favorite cookie growing up, and they were very rare around my house.  This was my first time making them by myself, and I think they turned out pretty well! 

Ingredients:

1 cup (two sticks)  Room Temperature Butter

½ cup Powdered Sugar 

¾ cup  Powdered Sugar (For after the cookies are baked)  

¼  teaspoon  Salt 

1 ¾ cup Flour 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 pinch ground nutmeg 

1 cup pecans**

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine the butter, ½ cup powdered sugar, salt, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pecans to a bowl and mix until all of the ingredients are combined.

Pinch out some of the dough and roll into one inch balls. (I typically make them bigger, just because I’m bad at judging an inch.)

Place on a cookie sheet and pop them into the oven, and bake for 10 minutes. (Or until the bottom of the cookies are golden brown.)

Let the cookies cool for a few minutes, but make sure you don’t wait too long because they need to be warm for the sugar to stick. 

Roll the cookie in the ¾ cup of powdered sugar and then place on a plate. 

And there you have it! 

I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as I do! 

xx

**Note: I used 1/2 cup of pecans because of my personal tastes. 

Suave Dry Shampoo Review:

For the past year and a half, I’ve been using dry shampoo and besides one time I’ve only used one brand.  I have always used Not Your Mother’s, I love their dry shampoo it works well and it smells very fresh.  I never even thought to try another brand. I have used Treseme’s dry shampoo, which is awful I do not recommend that one, and I have used Dove’s, which I have done a post on here.

I don’t know why I’ve never ventured away from Not Your Mother’s, besides for the fact that I knew it worked and I liked the way it smelled, but the other day I decided why not, and I’m sort of glad I did. 

The suave dry shampoo works amazing.  I feel like after I used it, my hair goes back to how it was the day I washed it, with just some texture added in.  

To me it smells like pineapples/ citrus.   The scent is a little strong, but it fades throughout the day.  The difference I see between all of the dry shampoos I have tried is mind blowing.  

Where Treseme didn’t work at all, and really my hair suffered and looked 100 times worse after I used their product, to the Dove where I felt like I had to keep reapplying it to my hair, to Not Your Mother’s where I felt like I really should throw my hair up into a pony tail, to suave where I feel comfortable at leaving my hair down, and I’m able to style it differently because of the texture it adds.  

 I love it. 

I’ll probably switch between Not Your Mother’s and Suave just because I do love them both, but if you’re looking for a new dry shampoo to try, I would seriously check out the Suave dry shampoo. 

Have you used any of the dry shampoos I've mentioned?  Did you like them?

xx