Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Bridal Week 2011: Monique L'huillier

Monique L'huillier take romance to the next level with her gowns. She introduced the colored sash trend on wedding gowns and the backless all lace sheath gowns. Her style is soft, feminine, and luscious. So whether it be a ball gown with mountains of layered tulle and lace or a fitted mermaid gown with structured satin, her designs are a brides dream come true.

Monique L'huillier Bridal 2012








Monday, April 11, 2011

Bridal Week 2011: Vera Wang

One of my favorite times of the year is Bridal Week. And this year it's on steroids due to the upcoming nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Brides already have a hard enough time picking their wedding dress form whats in the stores already, then Bridal Week comes along and Spring of next year's designs are walking down the runway and suddenly BAM your current dress isn't good enough. So this week I'm going to be posting designs from some of my all time favorite designers who were a part of this years Bridal Week. These gowns are for their Spring 2012 line.

Vera Wang. The QUEEN of the Bridal world. Anyone tries to argue that is just oblivious and very misinformed. Here are her designs for the Spring 2012 line:














I love that she's fearless when it comes to using color in the bridal gowns. Her pallet is so perfect because it introduces color without it being out of place, they're soft romantic and sophisticated. The nude color gown are my absolute favorite, especially the corseted mermaid gown with the ruffled skirt. They are not available on her website yet and probably won't be until early or late summer. Good things come to those who wait!

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Complexion Soup

Just to go off of the Glamour Magazine recipes that seem to work wonders, here is one that works wonders for your skin! This is another excerpt from the book 100 Recipes Every Woman Should Know .

Complexion Soup is Carrot Soup with Ginger. Glamour's beauty editors call carrots "the friendliest skin food around." They know carrots are packed with beta carotene, which repairs the skin, and loaded with vitamin C, an antioxidant that battles free radicals. It's a delicious way to get your skin fix and is perfect with a salad for lunch.

Complexion Soup
serves 2 to 3


2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium white onion, diced (about 1 cup)
3 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
2 stalks fresh lemongrass, chopped into 1 inch pieces (or zest from 1 lemon)
1 tbsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 1/2 lbs. carrots peeled and chopped
3 1/2 cups water
4 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup light sour cream, plus 2 to 3 tsp. for garnish
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tsp. minced chives, for garnish

1. In a large stockpot, heat the oil and butter over high heat. Add the garlic, onion, ginger, lemongrass (or lemon zest), coriander, cumin and cinnamon. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the onions soften, being careful not to let the mixture burn.

2. Increase the heat to moderately high. Add the carrots and 2 cups water to the stockpot, and cook, covered, for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened.

3. Add the stock to the stockpot, and simmer for about 30 minutes.

4. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes. Discard the pieces of lemongrass. Working in two batches, ladle the soup into a blender or food processor, and puree.

5. Pour the pureed soup back into the stock pot. Add the orange juice, 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 cup sour cream. Stir until well blended. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Heat the mixture for 3 to 4 minutes over medium-low heat; you can also serve cold. Ladle the soup into bowls, and garnish each with 1 tsp. sour cream and a sprinkling of chives.

And enjoy your new glowing skin!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Engagement Chicken

Yes that's right, Engagement Chicken. Girls if you have been living under a rock then listen up. I have heard of this recipe for maybe 1 1/2 to 2 years. This "magic" recipe where when any girl cooks her boy friend this chicken she is engaged very soon there after. It all started with Glamour Magazine's Fashion Editor Kim Bonnell who gave this recipe to her assistant Kathy who made it for her then boyfriend Jon Suder. A month later he was down on one knee and the story is history. "It's a meal your wife would make. It got me thinking," said Jon Suder, who now has three children with wife Kathy. It inspired three other women from Glamour to try out the recipe on their boyfriends who are now all married! Just this morning on the Today show there are now 72 known stories from couples who this incredible recipe worked for.

So I am obviously obligated to pass this along to my readers in hopes that this works for all of you.

Engagement Chicken


Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken (approximately 4 pounds)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, plus 3 whole lemons—including 1 sliced for garnish
1 tablespoon kosher or coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Fresh herbs for garnish (4 rosemary sprigs, 4 sage sprigs, 8 thyme sprigs, and 1 bunch fl at-leaf parsley)
1. Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the giblets from the chicken, wash the chicken inside and out with cold water, then let the chicken drain, cavity down, in a colander for 2 minutes.

2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place the chicken breast-side down in a medium roasting pan fi tted with a rack and pour the lemon juice all over the chicken, both inside and out. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper inside and out.

3. Prick 2 whole lemons three times each in three different places with a fork and place them deep inside the cavity. Chicken cavity size may vary, so if one lemon is partly sticking out, that’s fine. (Tip: If the lemons are stiff, roll them on the countertop with your palm before pricking to get the juices flowing.)

4. Put the chicken in the oven, lower the oven temperature to 350°F, and roast, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

5. Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Using tongs or two wooden spoons, turn the chicken breast- side up. Insert a meat thermometer in the thigh, and return the chicken to the oven and roast for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the meat thermometer reads 180°F and the juices run clear when the thigh is pricked with a fork. Continue roasting if necessary. Keep in mind that cooking times in different ovens vary; roasting a chicken at 350°F takes approximately 18-20 minutes per pound, plus an additional 15 minutes.

6. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. And here’s the secret: Pour the juices from the roasting pan on top of the sliced chicken— this is the “marry me juice.” Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon slices.

Want more recipes that’ll change your life? Get Glamour’s cookbook, 100 Recipes every Woman Should Know.



Read More http://www.glamour.com/magazine/2006/07/engagement-chicken#ixzz1IfXfqYvP