Some things are just meant to be.

Finals are over...(for this quarter) and I have a whole two weeks off until I'm back on the grind again!  I have some very big plans....sleeping and lots of leisure reading. I know that sounds so very retired old lady of me BUT these two things keep me happy and sane! 

Instead of rambling on in this post I thought I would give it some meaning.  I came up with some things that I have declared "will not live without EVER" and thought they deserved a shout out, so here they are:

 Josie Maran Argan Oil-  I had read that Argan Oil has some really amazing benefits for your skin so I ran out and bought this despite my initial doubts about putting oil on my already oily face.  I put this on my face at night and in the morning it felt like I had brand new skin.  So soft!  We have not parted ways since.

 La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo-  use this once a day....zits no longer a reoccurring thing, enough said!

Dermalogica Intensive Eye Repair-  An amazing thing that happens to you when you finally start getting comfortable in your own skin...it starts lashing out at you.  Drying out and puffing up, not cute at all.  This is the one thing that makes me feel back to normal on those days.

MAC Select Moisture Cover Concealer-  Girls best friend!

Updates and Vegetarianism.

HI Everyone!  It's been a long time, 4 months exactly, but I have some good excuses.  School work can be mostly to blame.  I've been working so hard to get my last and final prerequisite classes out of the way before I apply to my program in January.  Not only do I need to finish them I actually have to get AMAZING grades in them (lame, I know), which there lies the issue with trying to maintain a blog.  Life consists of far too much studying at the moment.  I think I've officially hit the "wall", and with that I mean I have a lot of moments where I think, "a full time job in something I HATE has to be much better than spending hours and hours a day on studying and homework that I am not getting paid for."  Luckily, I have my husband to talk me off the ledge.

Aside from school not much has changed in the last 4 months, 2 small road trips, another year older, another tattoo, 2 weeks without a cancer stick, and this week I've decided to test the waters of becoming a Vegetarian.

To make a long story short, my husband and I had a long conversation about hunting for hobby, which I don't agree with (just my opinion).  Something about killing an innocent animal as a "fun" past time makes me feel like its sort of messes with a balance of nature or something.  That's right, were getting real here people, lol.  Then he brought up the fact of eating meat that obviously has been slaughter for the sole purpose of consumption.  Although I think this is slightly better than just going out in nature and shooting whatever is in season for just the sake of hunting, it still really gets me upset.  SO, I thought to myself,  if I have such a  negative reaction to it then why am I contributing to it by still eating meat?   Thus my journey of no meat this week.  Wish me luck!

Blueberry Cheesecake...say no more.

Happy Friday Everyone!  So let me start off by saying that it's 7am and I am blogging.  Not my ideal morning but our dog Penny was persistent on getting up at 6:30 this morning (another reason to add to the list of why we should pass on the having children part of a marriage , lol).  Oddly enough one of the first things I thought of in my sleepy stupor is that I have been neglecting this blog so I should get it together and post something. 

One word...CHEESECAKE!  Even better... Blueberry Cheesecake!  Even better than that...its got half the fat as regular cheesecake!  I found this gem in a Cooking Light cook book and it was love at first bite.  Although I ended up with half of it all over my kitchen and it's a process to make (that may be putting it lightly), it's definitely worth a try.  YOUR WELCOME!

• Crust:
• 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 5 cookie sheets)
• 2/3 cup reduced-fat vanilla wafer crumbs (about 20 cookies)
• 3 tablespoons sugar 
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted 
  
  
• Filling:
• 2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen wild blueberries, thawed 
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 1/2 (8-ounce) blocks fat-free cream cheese, softened 
• 1 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 5 large eggs
  
  
• Topping:
• 1 1/2 cups fat-free sour cream 
• 2 tablespoons sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  
• Sauce:
• 1/4 cup sugar 
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup fresh or frozen, thawed, wild blueberries 
  
  

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. 2. To prepare crust, combine first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Drizzle with butter; toss with a fork until moist. Firmly press mixture into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325° for 10 minutes; cool on a wire rack.
3. 3. To prepare filling, combine 2 1/2 cups blueberries and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a food processor, and process until smooth. Place puree in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 6 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Cool slightly. Reserve 1/2 cup blueberry puree for sauce; set remaining 1 cup blueberry puree aside.
4. 4. Place cheeses in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed for 3 minutes or until smooth. Combine 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and salt. Add sugar mixture to cheese mixture; beat well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour batter over prepared crust. Pour 1 cup blueberry puree over batter; gently swirl with a knife. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until cheesecake center barely moves when pan is touched. Remove cheesecake from oven (do not turn oven off); place cheesecake on a wire rack.
5. 5. To prepare topping, combine sour cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl, stirring well. Spread sour cream mixture evenly over cheesecake. Bake at 325° for 10 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven; run a knife around outside edge. Cool to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. Remove sides of springform pan.
6. 6. To prepare sauce, combine reserved 1/2 cup blueberry puree, 1/4 cup sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 8 minutes or until sauce is thick, stirring constantly. Gently fold in 1 cup blueberries. Remove from heat, and cool. Serve sauce with cheesecake.

February Obsessions

So quite often in my life I definitely have my fill of obsessions.  Keeping with all things beauty I decided to share what my monthly obsessions included for the month of February. 

1. Tone Daily Detox bodywash - I have to say I'm not very faithful to any certain kind of body washes.  I hate washes that are over powering that I can smell over my perfume.  I want to be clean by a body wash not heavily perfumed!  After I used it I was hooked.  It has an amazing smell and It's extremely moisturizing.  It also has vitamin E in it which is also really good in improving the tone of your skin, big plus for me!

2.  La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo - as soon as winter arrived I started having a lot more unwelcome friends appear on my face.  I feel like I have a love hate relationship with my skin...it's either really really good or really really bad.  I have used every spot treatment on the market and have never been impressed.  I heard about the La Roche-Posay brand through many positive reviews on the web.  NO, this doesn't get rid of anything over night but after a few weeks of using it I notice a HUGE difference in the severity of breakouts.  Definitely happy about this purchase.

3.  OPI - Ski Teal We Drop - I wore this on my nails almost everyday of February, I love it!

4.  Burberry Brit Perfume - I bought this back in January and really didn't get around to using it until Feb. It's definitely not an everyday scent for me but the smell is so amazing.  When I'm choosing a perfume I look for something not too floral and something that can almost be worn by a guy as well and this was right up my alley.

4. CHANEL Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation - I think as a women your allowed to be a "princess" about a few things in your life.  Makeup is hands down my reigning princess item.  I've discovered over the years that the reason why some makeup is so expensive is because it truly is above and beyond quality and this foundation does not disappoint.  I'm a fan of most of the foundations CHANEL offers (I'm eventually going to do a post  on these) but I used the Vitalumiere Aqua the most this month.  If you want perfect looking skin without looking like you have a pound of makeup on your face then buckle down and save your pennies for this!

5.  Microdermabrasion Cleansing Tool - I had no clue that cleansing with a little brush head attached to a rotating handle would do some much for your skin!  I've used this everyday for a few months now and my skin feels so smooth and soft afterwards, it's all I can take to not constantly rub my face.  I just bought a drugstore brand of this and it has been working out great for me.

6.  TRESemme Dry Shampoo - Little known secret to healthy and shiny hair....DO NOT wash it everyday!  Sounds gross but makes a huge difference.  On the in between days dry shampoo never lets me down.

An unlikely pair

Hi Everyone!  So I thought it was time to post one of my favorite recipes.  It's a tuna quesadilla and it's a staple in our house.  I know not everyone is a fan tuna and I know your probably thinking...tuna?  quesadilla? definitely do not go together but it really surprised me the first time I had it.  I can't take the credit for finding this recipe because my husband actually found it on the back of a tuna packet.  It's easy to make and  it will fill you up!

2 packets of Hickory Smoked tuna (Starkist sells these)
4 green onion (chopped)
2 oz. cream cheese (room temperature, I use 1/3 less fat to keep it a little healthier)
1/2 roasted red pepper (chopped)
1/2 cup shredded cheese (your choose, we use colby-monterey jack)
Dash of salt and pepper
4 tortilla shells

Preheat your oven broiler.  Mix the first 6 ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.  Lay out 2 of your tortilla shells on a baking sheet and make a few holes with a fork in them.  Take your tuna mixture and spread it evenly onto shells.  Place 2 remaining tortilla shells on top of your mixture and also make holes in these with a fork.  Place baking sheet under broiler for about 2 minutes or until slightly browned then flip them over.  At this point you can choose whether or not you want to top them with cheese or not.  Cook for an additional 2 minutes and they are ready to eat.

Oh....Penny Lane

So I thought I'd share a few thoughts on a big love in my life.  Her name is Penny Lane and my husband and I have only had  her for two months but she has definitely changed our lives.  I would say our relationship is complicated to say the least but most days she has us wrapped around her little paw.

 (Penny Lane and PJ on lazy Sunday)

I mean  look at that face and those ears...heart melting for sure!  It truly is odd how you find yourself having conversations with a four legged animal about how your hair looks or what to make for dinner as if she's your best friend (or maybe that's just me).  Like most women she has her occasional crazy moment but her adorable puppy grunts, innocent little face, and "mommy" cuddles undoubtedly trump her "Puppy PMS."  So to everyone with or has experienced the love of having a pet think of them fondly and give them an extra treat because they really do become a part of our families.

Spice up your coffee

Hi everyone!  So I have to confess...I am an addict for coffee and tea! (as I'm sure most of you are too!)  My mornings always have to involve one or the other or my head will literally spin right off, just ask my husband.  Okay,  not literally but seriously...a morning without coffee just isn't worth getting out of bed for.  SO, I've decided to share a coffee recipe with a little something extra to it.  My husband PJ actually found this a few years ago when I was sick.  He claimed this was going to help me feel much better if I drank it or at least that's what Google told him.  I'm not sure that it actually helped my cold BUT it was definitely delicious!  So enjoy!

WHITE SPICE COFFEE

1/3 cup whole coffee beans (any flavor beans will work)
1 cup milk (skim, 1%, 2%, or whole, whatever you like)
1/2 stick of cinnamon
1 tbsp. honey
pinch of cardamon
pinch of ground cinnamon
1 oz. Rum (optional)

Place milk in small sauce pan over medium-low heat. Place coffee beans in plastic bag and seal.   Crush beans slightly with spoon.  Pour crushed beans into milk.  Add honey and stick of cinnamon.  Let ingredients seap together for 10 to 12 minutes, occasionally stir. Drain out coffee beans and pour milk mixture into your favorite mug.  Now is the time to add the Rum if you choose.  Add a pinch of cinnamon and cardamon to taste and stir.