BEAUTY | Graphic Eyeliner

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First got the idea to buy a set of adhesive eyeliner patches from Dior, ´Velvet Eyes´. But after visiting a few local make up stores that didn't carry this product my impatience took over and grabbed a kohl pencil, liquid eyeliner and a q-tip. I started out with my regular makeup; a bit of mascara and a little line close to the lashes. Then I made two dots as references before applying eyeliner. One right above the point where the iris starts. The other in the middle of the imaginary line between the corner of the eye and the end of the eyebrow. After that it's just a matter of connecting the dots, making the corners sharper with liquid eyeliner and fixing small mistakes with a q-tip.

OUTFITS | If It Were Spring

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If it miracoulously would be spring already I would wear this:
cut off leggings
ripped oversized denim jacket from 2 by Giuliano Bolivar
hair-on clutch courtesy of Shampalove
heels from Acne
turtleneck from H&M

NOVELTY | Josh Goot aw09

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This morning I found an old memory stick on which I had saved all the images of my diceased computer just before it crashed. It was so much fun discover a little archive that I had built of runway pictures, among it were these from Josh Goot autumn winter 2009 show. How relevant are these subtle color blocks?

ACCESSORIES | Berlin Buys

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I entered almost every shop, went through hundreds of clothing racks, tried on a dozen dresses and countless shoes but only bought two small items. It were the kind of buys of which you don´t have to justify or ask yourself any questions about. The kind of buys that you already unwrap on your trainride home around the corner from the shop where you just got them. A thin delicate rosegold necklace from Weekday and a little pattent black pouch from Comme des Garcons.

here's a little post about my favorite Berlin shops from last year

OUTFITS | Berlin Fashion Week, Made In My Hotel Room

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jacket: vintage
sweatshirt: H&M men's
skirt: self made
heels: Acne
necklace: Nelly

This is what I wore to Berlin Fashion Week on Wednesday. (Sorry if I'm boring you with my high slit skirts and metal necklaces but this is just what really love wearing atm.) It was a real last minute outfit, I made the skirt in my hotel room the night before and cut off a men's sweatshirt from H&M. Added the neck cuff, pair of good heels and voila!

OPINION | LaLa Berlin

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Light blue boxy leather motorcycle jackets just arrived in Acne stores, similar monochromatic light pink ensembles have been in American Apparel window displays for years, the flowy long skirts with a dove print are a downright Ann Demeulemeester rip off and the metal cuffs have already been exploited by H&M and ASOS ever since they appeared on a Damir Doma runway a year ago. Lala Berlin isn't really what you would call a pioneer in fashion.

The collection was very aimed at the now, it was a cohesive mixture of today's trends. Trends that will get bigger and will be fully accepted by the mainstream by the time that these pieces hit stores. Not trying anything new and sticking with what's already popular is a safe and smart thing to do in this economy if you want to make money. But is it necessary and relevant to build a fashion show around these already available styles?

My first answer to that question was NO. But after giving it a second thought I realized that this style of dressing has been around
for a few seasons. Perhaps this age will be remembered for it like the 80's were remembered for their shoulder pads. Perhaps fashion is finally slowing down a bit.

Vanessa Friedman from the Financial Times came with some facts in a recent column that support these thoughts: "Indeed, the last major aesthetic change I can think of was more than a year ago, when Phoebe Philo’s rigorous minimalism at Céline sent her audience gasping and running to fill their wardrobes with men’s trousers and tailored cloth coats. As a colleague said the other day, “Indeed, the last major aesthetic change I can think of was more than a year ago, when Phoebe Philo’s rigorous minimalism at Céline sent her audience gasping and running to fill their wardrobes with men’s trousers and tailored cloth coats. As a colleague said the other day, “There’s nothing I feel like I need to buy in order to feel current, no ankle boot will fix all my problems.” Put another way: Polyvore, the do-it-yourself “fashion inspiration” website wherein members create and widely share their own collages built around specific items, just released its Year in Review report, which analyses user behaviour over the past 12 months, and the top five trends were: “prints, minimalism, monochrome, florals, men’s wear-inspired.” The sixth was ... trousers."

Conclusion: A collection that I would be happy to wear today, but which didn't contain much originality. It gave some food for thought and discussion about more long term trends. It was beautiful, styled impeccably, nonetheless for an independent designer to present Ann Demeulemeester skirts with another name on it is just not done.(sorry had to be said)

LIFE | Berlin Day One: Architecture

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at an almost deserted Berliner Dom

A quick update from my hotel room. Arrived in Berlin this morning before the sun was up, the city was grey and the wet asphalt glistened in the street lights. The rain also kept the tourists away. We walked through a relatively quiet Berlin and had the chance to enjoy all it's amazing architecture which today looked so dark and awecommanding.

Now it's time to get rid of the coupe-du-rain, get dressed and head over to the opening parties of Berlin Fashion Week. Stay tuned!

NOVELTY | Maurie and Eve Winter Looks

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Actually the lookbook and the rest of the Maurie and Eve collection looked nothing like that first picture; There were flower printed dresses and pink sandals. But this suit consisting of a baseball jacket and a pair of suit pants in a thick white on white printed fabric (granny, better watch your curtains) is divine. What also can't go unmentioned is two 1900s styling details: the nose ring and those sporty sunglasses.

ACCESSORIES | Neon, Plastic, Folded Clutch

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The simplest design you can imagine. This clutch is nothing more than a cross shaped piece of vinyl. Because of the adhesive qualities of the material it just sticks together as you fold it. No zippers, no stitches, no clasps, no handles, no fuss; genius. An easy DIY you´d think, but sometimes I think great ideas deserve to be bought. Specially if the item is affordable you should support great design. This clutch and I-pad case by Dutch designer Samira Boon was on sale for only 18 euros.

INTERIOR | My Side Of The Bed

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All the stuff in this picture: Lamp was a gift from a long time ago, vanilla scented candle Ikea, alarm clock Ikea, shoes Weekday, notebook, book My Dear Bomb by Yohji Yamamoto, silver ring Cos, gold ring hardware store, shoeboxes from Filippa K, Acne, Alexander Wang and Givenchy

I love giving stuff double functions. There used to be a pile of magazines on my side of the bed which served as literature and nightstand. But yesterday that dusty pile of pages had to make way for this new construction which serves as shoe storage and nightstand.

M & M Cookies


We were having friends come over for dinner and I wanted to whip up a quick and easy dessert that would please everyone.  My children had a ton of m & m's leftover from their Christmas stockings so I raided their stash and baked some cookies.  Thankfully my kids didn't mind me taking their candy, especially since they loved these tasty treats!  I didn't personally try one but I was told by each and every kid that they were terrific and totally blog worthy.  Side note: I used a bit of whole wheat flour in this recipe just to make myself feel better but you can use all white flour if you prefer.

M & M Cookies:
Recipe and photo made by For the Love of Cooking
  • 1 1/2 cups of flour
  • 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup butter, melted
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups of m & m's, divided


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silpat mat.

Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl then set aside. Beat together the melted butter, brown sugar, white sugar, egg, egg yolk and vanilla with a mixer until creamy.  Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture until just mixed. Stir in most the m & m's by hand. Drop by the spoonful onto a greased or lined baking sheet.  Push more m & m's into the top of each cookie.


Bake for 14-17 minutes or until the edges look golden brown. Cool on the baking sheet for at least 4-5 minutes (so cookies can set) before moving to a rack. Enjoy.


Moving on to a new website

I can't believe it's finally finished but thanks to the hard work  by Lindsay at Purr Design my new website is up and running.    It will take some time for me to get used to Word Press but I am excited to see all of the great things it has to offer.

Something for you to check out:  Click on the Recipes tab up on the top right side of the blog and see the new recipe index.  Click on any of the categories to view photos and links to every single recipe I have on my site.  Having more than 900 recipes made it difficult for people to find their favorites but that is no longer a problem with this awesome recipe index!

Also, how cool is the new header?  Watch it for a minute and see the picture change a couple of times.  Love it!!!

The downside to switching to the new Word Press blog is that all of you, my loyal readers & followers through Blogger, will no longer be getting an e-mail notification when I post a new recipe.  If you would like to continue getting these notifications, which I really hope you do, simply follow me through the RSS or e-mail link in the upper right hand corner of the website.  You can also follow me through FacebookTwitter, and/or Pinterest as well.

Another downside is that we were unable to transfer the comments from the last 25+ posts, so I am sorry that those recipes won't have the wonderful feedback that my other recipes have.  A small price to pay for a great new site.

I hope you enjoy the new website as much as I do.  I really wanted to make it as reader friendly as possible and I think Lindsay has done a terrific job!

I'll be back to posting a new recipe tomorrow, until then, sit back and check out the new site!

Cheers,
Pam



OUTFITS | Thickest Knit

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knit : second hand
boots : Acne
necklace : Nelly
lipstick: Lime Crime

This gigantic cosy wool knit I found my boyfriend found on the 'Noordermarkt', a secondhand market every Monday morning at the end of Westerstraat in Amsterdam. It's so huge that I can wear a million things underneath and so warm that I don't even need a coat on a dry winter day.

SHOES | Acne Resort 2012

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Now that changing your wardrobe completely each fashion season is becoming out of fashion and outdated, giving more attention to resort collections would seem like a logical thing to do. Resort or cruise collections that were initially designed for the wealthy customer who fled to warm resorts during the cold season, have now become more of a year-round-prêt à porter. Designers are showing collections that resemble their state of mind and overall aesthetic with previews of their next seasons instead of just making vacation clothes with anchor prints and aloha shirts. So this is my first piece from a resort collection, a pair of not so basic heels from Acne.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms


I was recently sent some Kikkoman products and I was excited to make some recipes using them.  I loved the Ginger-Honey Pork Tenderloin that I made with the soy sauce and I REALLY loved these crab stuffed mushrooms using their panko crumbs.  My husband and I gobbled these mushrooms up and enjoyed them very much. My kids tried them but didn't like the crab - silly kids! 

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms:
Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
Recipe inspired by Kikkoman 
  • 12 button mushrooms, stems removed
  • 2 tsp olive oil (divided)
  • 2 tbsp sweet yellow onion, finely diced
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup of lump crab meat
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (divided)
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
  • Squeeze of fresh lemon juice, optional
  • 1/4 cup of panko crumbs


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a round baking dish with cooking spray.

Remove the mushroom stems and dice them finely.  Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat then add the onion and diced mushroom stems.  Cook for 2-3 minutes or until tender and soft; add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.  Remove from the heat and let cool.

Combine the crab meat, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, most of the fresh parsley, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, and a dash of lemon juice in a bowl.  Add the cooked mushrooms and onion mixture then gently stir until well combined.  Fill each mushroom with the crab filling until overflowing; repeat with the remaining mushrooms.  Place the mushrooms into the prepared baking pan.

Combine the panko crumbs with the remaining teaspoon of olive oil and the last bit of parsley then mix until well combined.  Sprinkle the panko crumbs evenly on top of each mushroom.  


Place into the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender and the panko is golden brown.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy.






Pan Grilled Ginger-Honey Pork Tenderloin


I found this recipe in this month's Cooking Light magazine and it was super simple to make - perfect for a weeknight dinner.  The pork was tender and delicious and the sauce was really flavorful.  You can't beat a 5 ingredient dish!

Pan Grilled Ginger-Honey Pork Tenderloin:
Adapted recipe and photo by For the Love of Cooking.net
Original recipe by Cooking Light - Jan/Feb 2012
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled & grated
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
  • Garlic powder, to taste 
  • 1 pork tenderloin, silver skin removed

Combine the ginger, honey, lemon juice, and soy sauce together in a bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth.

Heat a grill pan over medium heat and coat well with cooking spray.  Season the pork with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and garlic powder to taste.  Add the pork to the grill pan; cook the pork, turning occasionally, so all sides are cooked evenly while basting frequently with the sauce.  Cook for 15 minutes or until the meat thermometer registers 145 degrees or until desired degree of doneness.  Remove the tenderloin from the pan and set aside.  Pour the remaining sauce into the grill pan and boil for a minute, stirring constantly.

Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing and drizzling the slices of meat with the remaining sauce.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy.



Chicken and Grilled Corn Tortilla Soup


I love tortilla soup and I have a really tasty version of Ina Garten's soup that I love to make.  We were recently dining at a local Mexican restaurant and I really enjoyed the way they made their tortilla soup.  It was very simple with chunks of chicken, grilled corn, creamy bites of avocado, and crispy tortilla strips.  The star of the dish was the flavorful broth.  I decided to re-create it at home by simmering a leftover roasted chicken carcass with some chicken bouillon, cilantro, an Anaheim pepper, garlic, onion, carrots, celery, and spices.  I let it cook for 6 hours covered then boiled it for 10 minutes uncovered to help reduce it down and make it even more flavorful.  I strained the broth then added bits of chicken, grilled corn, tortilla strips, cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro.  The soup was a huge hit in my house and we all devoured it.  I had the leftovers today and it was just as tasty!

Chicken and Grilled Corn Tortilla Soup:
Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
Inspired by Chevy's
  • 7 cups of water
  • 1 chicken carcass, skin removed (I left some of the thigh meat on for more flavor)
  • 2-3 tbsp chicken bouillon granules
  • Handful of cilantro
  • 1 Anaheim pepper, seeds removed and chopped
  • 1/2 sweet yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 carrots, chopped
  • 3 celery stalks, chopped
  • 6 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1-2 tsp cumin, to taste
  • 1/2 - 1 tsp dried oregano, to taste
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste


Combine all of the ingredients together in a large Dutch oven over medium low heat.  Cover and simmer for 6 hours, stirring occasionally.  Taste and re-season with seasonings if needed/desired. Strain the broth through a very fine mesh strainer.  Let the broth cool for 10-15 minutes then remove the layer of fat off of the top of the broth.

Other Ingredients:
  • Cooking spray
  • 6 corn tortillas
  • 1 cup of frozen corn
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
  • Leftover roasted chicken breasts, diced
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • Cotija cheese, grated
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Spray both sides of each corn tortilla with cooking spray.  Lay them on top of each other then carefully cut them into thin strips.  Spread them out on a tin foil lined baking sheet that is coated in cooking spray.  Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper.  Place into the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and let them cool.

While the tortilla strips are baking, heat a grill pan over medium high heat.  Coat with cooking spray and once the pan is really hot, add the corn.  Let the corn sit for 2-3 minutes without stirring;  season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste then stir and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the corn is cooked through and has grill marks.

Ladle the broth into a bowl.  Add some leftover roasted chicken breast, grilled corn, and diced avocado to the soup then top with tortilla strips, cotija cheese, and cilantro.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy.



BEAUTY | Neon Lipstick

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Lipsticks: Lime Crime.

My favorite piece of clothing is a white, plain, square, crew neck tee. I usually add one chunky metal piece of jewelry to it and if it's still boring, a pair of black or bright lips will take care of that. I´ve been a fan of the lipsticks from Lime Crime for a long time as they are perfectly opaque and matte. I ordered two new colors; 'airborne unicorn' and 'my beautiful rocket', brighter shades as last time.

Chocolate, Banana, and White Chocolate Chip Muffins


It's so good to be back!  We had a very busy last few weeks.  First we had friends come stay with us for the weekend before Christmas.  My sister, her husband, and two boys came the following week to celebrate Christmas with us in our new home.  Another set of dear friends came this last weekend to help us celebrate New Years Eve.  We have had a full house and it's been wonderful spending time with our close friends and family.  I hope you all had a fantastic holiday break too!

I found some VERY ripe bananas in the refrigerator while cleaning it out so my daughter decided to do some baking.  She made chocolate, banana, and white chocolate chip muffins.  She didn't add nuts because she's not supposed to eat them while wearing her braces.  I talked her out of adding marshmallows because they were already sweet enough.  The batter was really thick and the muffins took a bit longer to cook.  They turned out super moist and so amazing!  They reminded me of a cupcake without frosting.  Both of the kids loved them so much they chose them for dessert after dinner too.  I have a feeling these muffins won't last long.  My daughter was extremely proud of her creation and deemed it blog-worthy.  Needless to say I am quite proud of my little baker.

Chocolate, Banana, and White Chocolate Chip Muffins:
Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking
Recipe made by my daughter
  • 1/2 cup of butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup of brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 very ripe bananas, mashed up
  • 2 cups of flour
  • 1/4 + 2 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup of white chocolate chips


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees then coat a muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the eggs, bananas, and vanilla then continue beating until well combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt together, mix well. Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and stir until just combined. Add the 3/4 cup of white chocolate chips then gently mix them into the batter.


Spoon the batter evenly into each muffin tin. Add the last 1/4 cup of the remaining  white chocolate chips  equally to each muffin, pushing them in gently.

 

Place into the oven and bake 22-25 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the muffins cool on a rack. Slather with butter, if desired, and enjoy!