2013 IMATS TAG!

I love doing TAG posts, they're so casual and fun to write up :) In search for a new one, I came across the IMATS TAG and thought, hello what a great idea since I will be attending IMATS NYC next weekend!

I must give credit where credit is due, I found this post originally on Beauty with the Beautifool :)

1. Which IMATS are you attending?

I am attending IMATS NYC in April!

2. Have you ever been to IMATS before?
Yes, this will be my 3rd time :)

3. How are you getting there?

I will be driving into the city, I don't like relying on mass transit if I don't absolutely have to :)

4. Are you bringing anyone along?

Yes! One of my best friends, also my brother's girlfriend is coming :)

5. Is there anything else in the IMATS host city that you want to see?

I live super close to NYC so there aren't many landmark places that I haven't explored throughout the years. On the other hand, there are a ton of eateries that I have yet to try so that may be something fun to do after the show :)

6. What days will you be in the city that IMATS is in? Just the day that I am attending IMATS, Saturday April 6th

7. Who do you want to meet?

I would love to meet any of my readers/blogger friends! It is so much fun to put a real face behind your twitter avatar/google icon haha

8. What companies exhibits are you most excited to see?

Unfortunately, New York IMATS doesn't get even half of the vendors that other cities do :( I hope we are looking to fix and expand sooner than later because it can be so frustrating! Of the select few that are attending, I am looking forward to Give Good Face, Inglot, Eve Pearl, Jessie's Girl Cosmetics, OCC, Royal & Langnickel and Stila---although I will probably stop at every booth for sure :)

9. What products are you looking for?

I am not going with a list persay, I don't really need anything, but some of the things I will probably pick up are

• A new Freedom Palette from Inglot as well as some of their nail colors that I hear are wonderful!
• Some more polishes from the Julie G nail line at Jessie's Girl Cosmetics
• Eve Pearl Concealers and maybe something from Graftobian
• Some new backup makeup brushes maybe?? I always get sucked in! lol

10. How much do you plan to spend?

See the thing with makeup budgets is that the previous years that I've set one, if I don't spend that much I feel like I have to (hello its a makeup wonderland! lol) This year I am not going with a budget but definitely UNDER $200. Hopefully WAY under haha

11. What do you want to get out of IMATS?

I am really going for the overall experience. I like to see what new products companies may be offering and to just be around so many others who share a similar interest in the beauty world. It is so fun to meet people and hey you may learn something at one of the demonstrations that the various booths offer! 

I tag all of you reading this, if you do this Tag, be sure to link me ;) Also, if you are reading this and attending IMATS NYC next week, comment below, I love to see everyone who is going :)

xox

Cajun Chicken Stuffed w/ Spinach and Pepper Jack Cheese FULL MEAL RECIPE!

Chicken is so handy to have in the fridge or freezer  because the options for meal time when it comes to chicken are almost endless. Let's see there is chicken parmigiana, grilled chicken, lemon chicken, balsamic chicken, chicken cubes for stew, stir fry, I could go on forever. This is just another variation of a simple chicken dish, yes SIMPLE. It is super tasty, beginner friendly and will be a crowd pleaser for sure. Let's get to the good stuff:

Ingredients: 

• 1 package of boneless chicken breasts (or however many you may need to feed your group). Make sure they are the full sized ones and not the thinly sliced ones, I'll explain why later ;)
• Pepper jack cheese, preferably shredded but if you have slices no worries, we can make that work too!
• 1 c frozen spinach, thawed and drained (I used fresh spinach instead)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
  
• 2 tsp Cajun seasoning-This can be found in the spice aisle of your supermarket usually
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Wooden toothpicks
   

 Directions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Butterfly (slice in half but not all the way through, see photo below) the chicken breast and flatten a little with mallet. 
3. At this time if you are using fresh spinach, cook it down in a pan with a little water.
4. In a bowl combine the cooked spinach, cheese and salt and  pepper. (if you are using sliced cheese like I did in the photos, just break them up into tiny pieces.
5. In a separate bowl, mix the bread crumbs and Cajun seasoning together. 
6. Now for the creative stuff :) on each piece of chicken, spoon a little bit of the spinach and cheese mixture in and begin to roll it together fastening it with as many toothpicks as needed keeping in mind how many you use so you know how many you have to take out later. We don't want anyone eating any wood chips ;)
7. In a baking pan or on a baking sheet, line it with some aluminum foil and place the neatly sealed chicken breasts seam side down. With a kitchen brush, "paint" on some of the olive oil on each piece of chicken and then sprinkle on the Cajun seasoning and breadcrumb mixture. Make sure you get the seasoning all around the sides of the chicken, even the under-side. The more flavor the better!
8. Pop these in your oven for 35 minutes or so or until you can assure that your chicken is cooked thoroughly.

That little piece in the bottom is a piece I made for my dog, spoiled, yes I know hahah :)

Here are quick recipes for the sides I made to accompany this dish:

Sauteed Green Beans

• Wash the green beans and coat the bottom of a sautee pan with a tablespoon or so of olive oil
• Add minced garlic as much as you like over medium to low heat
• When the aroma begins to kick in, add in the green beans and cook for a few minutes until they are soft enough for your liking. I like mine a little crunchy so I take mine out earlier ;)
• You can also add a little salt and pepper if you wish

Quick and Easy Potato Wedges

• Slice your potatoes into wedges, thin or thick as you like
• Place them in cold water for a minute or so, remove them and dry them completely
• Sprinkle a little olive oil over them and some fresh ground sea salt
• Place them in the oven at 425 degrees until they become golden brown and cooked through (35 mins give or take---this has always taken a different amount of time each time I've made them...just keep an eye on them and keep mixing them to see when they're done the way you like them :) 

 

My mouth is watering just thinking about this, I have to make it again soon!

xox

Product Review: L'Oreal True Match Concealer Crayon

I picked this up because I don't own any concealers in crayon form. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I like it, here are the "deets":

Before & After Photos

Final Thoughts:

• I really like how well this concealer blended in with my skin
• I like the crayon form because it is easy to work with and is a twist up so no sharpening needed :)
• The product comes in an array of 6 shades
• It has great lasting power, I also prime and set after to ensure this. 
• The photos above only show one layer of the concealer, that is all I felt I needed for my under eye area however, it is definitely buildable. 
• The only negative thing I can state is that it dries to a powder texture rather quickly so when you place it on, you must work with blending it out quickly ;)

Product Details: 

• 0.1 oz. product
• Priced around $8.00
• Available at most drugstores or places like Amazon or Walmart.com
• For more information check out the L'Oreal website here

If you have tried this, what are your thoughts?

Unedited photos and slight dark under eye circles,

xox :)

Puerto Rican Beef Empanada RECIPE!

Whether you are having unexpected guests over or you are in the mood for a quick snack to "hold you over until dinner", these are the perfect pick me up, yes pick me up, these little things seriously make me happy :) haha You can also, however, eat these accompanied with some rice for a full meal, I have often done that as well. Ok, enough of the blabber, let's get started with the goods!

Ingredients:

• 1 package of the (white) flour discs, I get the GOYA ones (This will make 10) *DEFROSTED*
• 2 Tbsp. Sofrito (recipe below)
• Adobo Powder (I also use the Goya one, Goya should sponsor me already right?! lol)
• Small can of plain tomato sauce
• 1 lb. Ground Meat (you can actually use beef, turkey chicken etc.)
• Vegetable Oil (we use this to fry them)

Basic Sofrito Recipe: 

1. Combine yellow onions, green AND red peppers, Cilantro and garlic in a food processor until its a very fine texture. ---Yes, it IS that simple ;)

Directions: 

1. In a skillet, brown the meat and drain out any excess fat that may be lingering there
2. Return the cooked meat to the pan and add in the 2-3 tablespoons of sofrito (I like mine VERY flavorful so I add 2.5 tablespoons to 3 sometimes :) Then sprinkle with adobo to taste and add your small can of tomato sauce. 
3. Turn the flame back on to low heat and let it simmer for another 15 mins. 
4.  While this meat mixture is cooling off, start heating your oil (to 325 degrees)--this can take a little while so be patient :) I always stick a spoon in and see if it sizzles to tell if it's hot. 
5. While the oil is heating begin preparing your empanadas for frying. This means adding 2 Tbsp. or so of the meat mixture to the center of the flour disco. Fold it into a half moon shape and seal the sides by pressing down a fork and making a pretty little design at the same time :) 
6. After sealing them front and back (this assures that nothing leaks out!) Set them aside until your oil is heated, once this is so, place 3 or 4 (depending on the size of your pan) at a time in. Once you see one side golden brown, flip them over. 
7. Once you can see that both sides have cooked evenly, place them on a paper towel to drain excess oil and YOU ARE DONE! 

I actually did this process with the kids and they loved it. Away from the burning oil, which I did, it was a fun way to get them involved in the kitchen :) It is so simple to instruct as well!

**In mine I added a tiny slice of cheese to make them meat and cheese, you do this during the "stuffing process". You can do this easily to any of the other versions as well! **

If you aren't afraid of a little spice, top them off with some hot sauce while you are eating, it is truly superb!

Here are some photos of "empanada day":

 

If you decide to make these, let me know how they come out :)

These may not be the healthiest (fried foods), but as a treat, they are just perfect. I have another recipe to come that is healthier no worries for my healthy readers :)

¡buen provecho!

xox

6 Shoes Every Girl Should Have Ready for Spring!

Here on the northeast coast, the weather is absolutely frigid right now. In places like Florida and California, the kinds of shoes mentioned are probably able to be worn all year round and for that I envy my readers who live there! haha One of the things I am most looking forward to with the upcoming warmer weather is dusting off some of my "warm weather shoes". Below are a few of the styles of shoes that I cannot wait to break out again!

Spring Shoe Necessities

In the warmer weather I find myself at the local park for a weekend jog, doing some long walks with my pup or even just spending casual Sunday's out shopping. It is always good to have a great running shoe to prepare for this perfect outdoor weather. I personally love sneakers that have bright colors :) Another favorite are my casual day Converses, stylish and comfy, how can you go wrong with a classic shoe like the Converse?!

Sandals are perhaps what I wear most of as the weather warms up. Ladies, we can finally start to show those beautifully pedicured toes in our peep toe dress shoes! I also love a classic gladiator flat sandal, such a versatile shoe.

::Sighhh::, with the Spring comes rain--remember, April Showers bring May flowers right?! haha There is no reason to look unfashionable just because it is a little wet out. Snatch up a pair of bright colored or awesomely patterned "wellies"/rain boots and you're set for some stylish dry feet!

Although I have a pair of closed toe nude pumps that I avidly wear in the winter, it's time to break out the peep toe nude pumps! They not only elongate the legs and make them look ultra sexy, but they pair so well with all of the fun Spring prints!

A classic espadrille---I LOVE the espadrille. It reminds me of being a sailor, could it be the roped heel detail? Perhaps, but nonetheless, the espadrille screams spring and summer to me. Casual, chic and a real effortless way to semi-dress an outfit up!

As I write this, I am staring over at my Tory Burch box. Yes, I am dying to break out my flats!!!! I love ballet flats, you can pair them with a cropped pant, denim jeans, shorts, dresses, you name it you can probably find a great pair of ballet flats to wear with it. Ballet flats come in so many fun colors and patterns that you can afford to "look the part" without having to bare the discomfort that comes with towering high heels ;)

I was going to turn this post into a post about all of the staple shoes that I feel a woman should have in her shoe closet, but thought maybe I'll save that for another time as I am in a real Spring mood! :)

What are the shoes you "must have" for the warmer weather?

Shoes Galore,

xox