What have I been up to?

I been doing a little bit of hauling that I would like to share. It may be nothing exciting but I was personally excited about these.

1.  Perfume - One of my favorite perfume is by Marc Jacobs with a hint of Gardenia. The one I have is a 3.4 oz and it retails for $95. I'm on my second bottle now, I don't use it everyday, but it does last for a long time. But I haven't been using it because the sprayer broke, it does not spray out the perfume anymore. Marc Jacobs makes a roller ball size perfume that you can purchase for $25 for 0.34 oz. But I don't really need to buy more of the perfume when I still have a huge bottle left.

So I've been searching for something that I can transfer my perfume to, and I came across this thing called Travalo, it's a refillable perfume atomizer.

• pocket sized perfume spray bottle that refills in seconds directly from a big fragrance spray bottle.
• no funnel, no spills, requires no skill
• over 65 sprays 

It had easy directions on the package and it took me about 20 pumps to fill up my Travalo. Now I can carry my perfume around in my purse and touch up during the day also. I got my off ebay for $10 & free shipping, I haven't seen this in the stores, so I figured it's easier just order this online. I love it! A lot of your favorite perfumes probably don't make a travel size rollerball, so you might like to get one of these to carry around in your purse if that's the case.

2. Empty Palettes - if you read my beauty blog, I talked about depotting eyeshadows and putting them in CD cases. I came across these adorable empty magnetic palette cases from Etsy, and they are $12.99 each, much cheaper than the Z-Palette and other name brand ones. And you have lots of designs to pick from. I ordered these on a Sunday night, got them on Wednesday. The seller is 'anothersoul' and she is super nice and friendly. She also included a handwritten thank you note.

Exterior

Interior

All of them filled

3.  Food - during my last blog I talked about Traditional Chinese Festival foods that I miss and crave. I forgot to mention these as well.

Egg Yolk Cake - it's got red bean paste and a dry salty egg yolk on the inside, wrapped in a buttery flaky pastry shell. As you bite into it, you get a bit of salty & sweet. Perfect combination!

Another photo, showing what the inside looks like

Another one is Chinese Pork Jerky. Those of you that had it knows what I'm talking about. It's nothing like the chewy dry beef jerky that you get here in US. These are moist, tender and coated with BBQ sauce yet it's so easy to eat, just peels apart. Just like the ones I used to eat in Taiwan.

I found this shop online, called Little Red Dot Kitchen. They call this bakwa, which means meat jerky in Chinese. They also offer Turkey Bakwa and also lite version of the Pork if you are worried about calories. I went for the originals just to start out.  

On their website they have snaking ideas, you can eat them with rice soup, on top of salads, make a sandwich, even on top of ice cream (eew).  I guess it's kind of like bacon? It can be put on anything and everything and make it taste good. It's vacuum sealed and can be stored in room temperature for 2 weeks. They are based out of San Francisco, and they have a local pick up option if you live near there. My order took 1 week to get here, they shipped 3 days after I ordered and got here in 3 days. I think they make them in batches as orders come in, make sure it's fresh so that's why my order was not shipped right the way.  Enough talk, here are some pictures!

Chinese Traditional Festival Foods 中國節慶食品

Even though I have been living in the United State for almost 20 years, I am still connected to my Taiwanese culture, at least I try. What I miss the most about Taiwan is the delicous festival foods. I'm very glad to be living in Las Vegas for this reason also because at present, the population of Asian Americans in the Las Vegas area (Clark County) is 132,032 and comprise 7.2% of the total population as of the 2005-2009 Census. We have tons of Asian restaurants & markets on Spring Mountain Road expanding several blocks.  You definitely see a growth of Asians in Las Vegas in the recent years. 

That being said, there are a lot of traditional Chinese food that you can get here (not a 100% authentic, but close enough, because most of the items are made here or from Los Angeles).  I still miss the traditional tastes of these foods, but I will take what I can here since I cannot just hop on a plane back to Taiwan to get these. So I want to share some of my favorites with you here.


元宵 Lantern Festival

Lantern  Festival s a festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunar year in the Chinese calendar, the last day of the lunar Chinese New Year celebration. During the Lantern Festival, children go out at night to temples carrying paper lanterns and solve riddles on the lanterns

In ancient times, the lanterns were fairly simple, for only the emperor and noblemen had large ornate ones; in modern times, lanterns have been embellished with many complex designs. For example, lanterns are now often made in shapes of animals.

In some region and countries, this festival is also regarded as the Chinese version of St. Valentine’s Day, a day celebrating love and affection between lovers in Chinese tradition and culture.

湯圓 Tāngyuán

Tāngyuán is a Chinese food made from glutinous rice flour. Glutinous rice flour is mixed with a small amount of water to form balls and is then cooked and served in boiling water. Tangyuan can be either small or large, and filled or unfilled. They are traditionally eaten during Lantern Festival.

In both filled and unfilled tangyuan, the main ingredient is glutinous rice flour. For filled tangyuan, the filling can be either sweet or savoury. Northern variations mix sesame, peanuts, sweet bean paste and place them into bamboo baskets with rice flour, sprinkle wather continuously on the rice flour to form the fillings and form round balls. Southern variations are typically larger, and are made by wrapping the filling into sticky rice flour wrapping and crumpling them into balls.

Sweet fillings can be:
•    A piece of cut sugarcane rock candy
•    Sesame paste (ground black sesame seeds mixed with sugar and lard) - the most common filling
•    Red bean paste (Azuki bean paste)
•    Chopped peanuts and sugar


中秋節 Mid-Autumn Festival



The Mid-Autumn Festival is held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar, which is in September or early October in the Gregorian calendar. It is a date that parallels the autumnal equinox of the solar calendar, when the moon is at its fullest and roundest. The traditional food of this festival is the mooncake, of which there are many different varieties.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the few most important holidays in the Chinese calendar, the others being Chinese New Year and Winter Solstice, and is a legal holiday in several countries. Farmers celebrate the end of the fall harvesting season on this date. Traditionally on this day, Chinese family members and friends will gather to admire the bright mid-autumn harvest moon, and eat moon cakes and pomelos under the moon together.

Accompanying the celebration, there are additional cultural or regional customs, such as:
•    Carrying brightly lit lanterns, lighting lanterns on towers, floating sky lanterns
•    Burning incense in reverence to deities including Chang’e
•    Erect the Mid-Autumn Festival.
•    Collecting dandelion leaves and distributing them evenly among family members
•    Fire Dragon Dances
•    In Taiwan, since the 1980s, barbecuing meat outdoors has become a widespread way to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.

月餅 Mooncake

Mooncake is a Chinese bakery product traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival. The festival is for lunar worship and moon watching; mooncakes are regarded as an indispensable delicacy on this occasion. Mooncakes are offered between friends or on family gatherings while celebrating the festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the four most important Chinese festivals.

Typical mooncakes are round or rectangular pastries, measuring about 10 cm in diameter and 4–5 cm thick. A thick filling usually made from lotus seed paste is surrounded by a relatively thin (2–3 mm) crust and may contain yolks from salted duck eggs. Mooncakes are usually eaten in small wedges accompanied by Chinese tea.

Today, it is customary for businessmen and families to present them to their clients or relatives as presents, helping to fuel a demand for high-end mooncake styles. Mooncake energy content can vary with the filling and size; the average moon cake is within the range of 800 to 1200 kcal.

端午節 Duanwu Festival

The Duanwu Festival is believed to have originated in ancient China. A number of theories exist about its origins as a number of folk traditions and explanatory myths are connected to its observance. Today the best known of these relates to the suicide in 278 BCE of Qu Yuan, poet and statesman of the Chu kingdom during the Warring States period.

粽子Zongzi

The making of Zongzi

Then you steam it or  boil in water

Finished product, so delicious!

Zongzi is a traditional Chinese food, made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves. They are cooked by steaming or boiling. Laotians, Thais, and Cambodians (known as nom asom) also have similar traditional dishes. In the Western world, they are also known as rice dumplings. In Indonesia and Malaysia, they are known as bakcang, bacang, or zang, a loanword from Hakka, a Chinese dialect commonly used among Indonesian-Chinese, rather than Mandarin. Along the same lines, zongzi are more popularly known as machang among Chinese Filipinos.

Fillings
    •    Mung beans, split and dehulled
    •    adzuki bean paste
    •    Jujubes
    •    Char siu (Chinese barbecued pork)
    •    Chinese sausage
    •    Salted pork fat
    •    Chinese black mushrooms
    •    Salted duck eggs
    •    Chestnuts
    •    Cooked peanuts
    •    Mung beans
    •    Dried shrimp
    •    Dried Scallops
    •    Red-cooked pork
    •    Chicken
    •    Taro

Zongzi need to be steamed or boiled for several hours depending on how the rice is made prior to being added, along with the fillings. However, as the modes of zongzi styles have traveled and become mixed, today one can find all kinds of zongzi at traditional markets, and their types are not confined to which side of the Yellow River they originated from.

Food that I'm currently obsessing with....

Greek Yogurt

So what is Greek yogurt, anyway?

You might have lately found out about a "new" food, Greek Yogurt, and probably wondered what all the stir is about. Is it more beneficial for you? How does it taste? What is so extraordinary about Greek yogurt?

Greek yogurt:

This is a food which has been filtered out in a cloth or paper bag or filter, traditionally made of muslin, to remove the whey, giving a body between that of yogurt and cheese, while preserving yogurt's characteristic sour taste sensation. Like many yogurts, strained yogurt is often times made from milk which has been enriched by boiling off some of the water content, or by adding extra butterfat and powdered milk. "Greek-style" yogurts are similar to Greek strained yogurt, merely made thicker with thickening agents. Or if made the conventional way, are based on domestic (rather than Greek) milk. Greek yogurt's live and active culture content is a good deal higher than that of normal yogurt. However it should be observed that liquid whey contains cystine, and amino acid that hikes up your body's level s of the Cancer-fighting compound glutathione.

Which yogurt is better, American or Greek?

Well, when it boils down to a selection between these good foods, both standard American and Greek yogurt are outstanding for you, just in contrasting ways. Greek yogurt is, for the most part, more saturated than American yogurt, so it comprises about double as much protein as American. But they each contain broad amounts of probiotics (although Greek yogurt contains more only because it's so much more concentrated), so actually, you don't have to choose. Consume them both every day and you'll benefit much more if you eat just one of the two. And remember, a wholesome diet alone will not help you maintain your weight and health under control.

Since Greek Yogurt is higher in protein, I wanted to try it to see what all the fuss is all about. I tried all the popular Greek Yogurt brands like Voskos, Chobani, Greek Gods. And they all taste like vomit to me - sorry......  Until I came across this brand, by Fresh & Easy.

They only have 4 flavors right now - honey, vanilla, blueberry and strawberry. My favorite ones are honey & vanilla. It's so delicious and the texture is more like a sour cream. So I will describe Greek Yogurt as thicker in texture as regular yogurt.  It's not very low-calorie though, as you can see. But if you have a Fresh & Easy near you, pick up a couple of Greek Yogurt from there next time, and let me know if you like it!

A Random Thought: Baby Talk

On the way drive to work today, while listening to my usual morning radio, they brought up a interesting topic that I would like to talk about. It's "all the wrong reasons to have a baby".

This article is seen on msn.com, and it may upset some people that are reading this, but everyone is entitled to their own options right?  Everyone around me is getting married and trying to have kid or is pregnant. Take a look at the reasons below:

 

Wrong Reason 1: You Need Something New to Obsess Over

Now that the wedding planning is over, what will you do with all your free time? Suddenly there's a strong urge to fill it with another big project. Don't mistake boredom with baby cravings. Take up a hobby -- whether it's searching for houses on the Web or learning how to wallpaper your bathroom. Sure, you've proven that you can stick with something and follow it through to the end, but get the most out of this free time (and alone time) while you have it.

 

Wrong Reason 2: You're Freaked Out About Fertility

No matter how well we know our bodies, most of us have no idea about a fundamental aspect of our health -- our ability to conceive -- until we actually start to try. It's this nagging feeling that makes us anxious to jump into the baby ring. But take some of the pressure off yourselves and let nature take its course. Some couples have to wait a while to conceive, some get pregnant on the first try, and some without even trying! Assume the best, and only start the process when you're truly ready for the pitter-patter of little feet in the house.

 

Wrong Reason 3: Everyone Is Having Them

Come on. What's that saying about all your friends jumping off a bridge? This is a decision that will change your lives like no other. Make sure you're both on the same wavelength about the big issues: Who, if anyone, will stay at home? Can your living situation handle it? A solid, united front is the key to being perfect parents to a kid. Just because Sam and Anna are ready doesn't mean your twosome is ready for a threesome.

 

Wrong Reason 4: You Think a Baby Is a Quick Fix

Being married isn't easy, but it's easy to think a baby will make your life a fairy tale. Parenthood isn't all romance. Don't make the biggest mistake of all and expect a baby to fill a void in your marriage, or use the idea of starting a family as a Band-Aid for your relationship. Instead, work on the two of you, and remember all the fabulous reasons you got together in the first place -- then make room for baby.

 

Wrong Reason 5: There's Pressure From Parents

For years before your engagement, Mom dropped tons of not-so-subtle hints about wanting you to hurry up and tie the knot. Never one to let up, she's now talking about her grandma urges. Like you do with everything else your mother tells you, listen patiently and then calmly explain to her how you're still the master of your own destiny. Don't worry -- tell her she'll be the first to know.

Another reason you will hear is that people will say, "It's because I love babies!", but babies don't last forever!  Sooner than you realize they will turn from infants to toddlers, preadolescence, teenagers....  you don't hear people say: "I love having kids because I love teenagers!"

Most Asians will probably relate to Reason 5, Pressure from Parents. I know it's important to pass down your family name and family line. Most Asian kids are very obedient to their elders, so they will grant the elder's wishes thinking it's the right thing to do.  But have they ever thought about if that's what they wanted to do, as a couple? After all, they are the ones responsible for raising the kid for the rest of their life, not the couple's parents.

You won't hear a mom complain about her baby, or saying how hard it was & it was not worth it, or worse, regret it. Because as a society we think they are horrible people for saying stuff like that and they will go to hell for saying bad stuff about their baby.  But the truth is, having a baby and raising a kid is tough. No matter how much you prepare you will never be ready for it.

So hopefully before you are starting to try for a baby, you are doing it for the right reasons.

Another Beauty Blog - Things I'm Loving Right Now

Physician's Formula Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum

Physician's Formula Eye Booster

Description
    •    High-tech formula enhances the appearance of lashes while providing the instant definition of a liquid eyeliner, in one easy step!
    •    Lash Boosting complex targets the base of lashes where it is most effective.
    •    Innovative and easy to use eyelining tool delivers effortless definition.
    •    High-tech Japanese formula is long-wearing, water-resistant and smudge-resistant.
Shade :  Ultra Black

.016 Fl Oz./ 0.5 mL
Price :  $10.95, can be found in your local drugstores.

Why I'm Loving It:

I'm such a novice when it comes to liquid eyeliners. I fail every time I try. I end up looking like Panda with my shaky hands. Then I found this new product, I realized with liquid eyeliners, the brush is the key. This eyeliner has been compare to the Japanese popular eyeliners, because the brush is very similar. It's stiff but very thin, so it gives you a lot of control. You get so much control on how much you apply because it's a pen form. the applicator/tip isn't made of hairs but more like this rubber material so it won't splay out when you line your eyes. the formula does not crack and it dries in a snap and lasts almost all day. And it claims to make your lashes longer, I will keep testing it out to see if I see the result. Regardless, I'm no longer terrified at applying liquid liners!


Stila Eye Shadow 
in Kitten (shimmering nude pink)

Stila Kitten

What it is: 
An award-winning eye shadow in a refillable compact. 


What it does: 
Inspire your inner artist and create a palette of color with Stila's award-winning eye shadows. The assortment offers something for every Stila girl—from classic neutrals to the trendsetting shades in mattes and shimmers. The high-quality formula and texture can be worn wet or dry.

Size: 0.09 oz
$18

Why I'm Loving It:

Kitten is Stila's number one selling shade. They even make lip glosses in the shade Kitten. This is a gorgeous shimmering color, I wear it almost everyday this summer. It instantly brightens your eyes. On a lazy day if I'm running late for work or if I just want a no fuss look, I just throw this on all over my lid and then put on eyeliner & mascara. At $18 a pop, it's pricy. But check your local Costco or Sephora for combo deals. Like this one from Sephora for $14 and it has Kitten in there:

It Girl Eye Shadow Palette #2

(matte tawny nude/ shimmering nude pink/ brown with gold flecks)

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate
One night. Two drops. Younger-looking skin by morning.



Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate

• Lightweight, overnight treatment.
• Regenerates, repairs, and replenishes skin for a smoother, healthier skin.
• Works with the skin’s natural nocturnal activity when skin is most receptive to repairing itself from daily aggressors to dramatically restore skin.

• 99.8% naturally-derived and paraben-free.
•Kiehl’s Insider Tip: Layer over Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate for optimal anti-aging and healthier skin benefits.
 •    1.0 fl. oz Bottle $43.00

Why I'm Loving It:
It's kind of pricey for a little jar of 1.0 oz, but you just need a couple drops and it will be enough for your whole face. I LOVE this product for use at night! I apply this at night before bedtime over my moisturizer and when I wake up in the morning my skin is glowing, smooth and refreshed. This recovery serum goes on smoothly and the oil is very soothing to the skin and the smell of lavender is very calming and helps to relax you for a long nights sleep. After using this after few weeks, I have noticed my skin is less oily, it is matte and soft and not greasy at all.

Birchbox
Here is a photo of my August Birchbox, in case you are interested, here is what I got (the prices are full-size prices):

Befine Exfoliating Cleanser $25

Natural brown sugar beads slough away dead skin. Because they dissolve as you scrub, there’s no danger of overdoing it. At the same time, sweet almond oil, oat protein, and ginger root extract work to soothe and hydrate skin.

 
Befine Night Cream $30

This moisturizer is packed with naturally healing ingredients. Rice Bran Proteins and Vitamin E increase elasticity in skin, while Iris Florentina extract smoothes and softens fine lines. But the power ingredient is Cocoa, which has caffeine to increase circulation and give you glowing skin.

TOCCA SPF 30+ Sunscreen Towelettes in Stella $24

The most important ingredients are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, two physical sunblocks that protect you from UVA and UVB rays. Vitamin E and B5, aloe, and marine silk help calm and hydrate even the most sensitive of skin.

 
Stila Sheer Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 $34

This weightless tinted moisturizer has been designed to do many things—and do them well. The oil-free formula keeps skin hydrated, while light-diffusing pigments soften fine lines and conceal blemishes. At the same time, a host of natural ingredients help protect skin, including vitamins A and E, ginseng root extract, gingko biloba leaf, and chamomile. Oh, and it has SPF 20, too.

Number 4 Lumiere d'hiver Reconstructing Masque $58

Soy protein works to reconstruct and strengthen hair while natural conditioners like shea butter, jojoba seed oil, and sunflower oil nourish and moisturize. Don’t forget about the silkiness factor — for that, there’s silicone polymer, which smoothes and detangles. 

Number 4 Fleurs de Temps Volumizing Shampoo $34

This sulfate-free formula is designed to detangle and cleanse hair without weighing it down. It uses natural lemongrass, golden seal, and gooseberry, plus the brand’s four signature Liquid Complexes™. Each complex is a different blend of natural ingredients designed to help protect, purify, strengthen, and revitalize hair.

Twistband Hair Ties $5

Each Twistband is made of soft elastic that keeps braids, buns, and ponytails secured. Because they’re thicker than regular hair ties, they don’t leave crimps in hair.

Recipes that I want to try....

One of my favorite food blogs to read is FoodGawker.com, they have beautiful and insipring food pictures. Basically it's a website that combines a lot of different food blogs. So whenever I am looking for dinner ideas, I visit this site.

Here are a few recipes I would like to try that looked interesting:


Baked Green Bean Fries with Roasted Garlic Dipping Sauce

(Serves 2 – 4)
For the fries:

• 8 ounces green beans, trimmed
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the dipping sauce:

• 1 small head of garlic, roasted and smashed into a paste
• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment or a nonstick liner, and set aside.

To prepare the fries, begin by blanching the green beans.  Submerge them in boiling water for 2 – 3 minutes until they are bright green but still a bit crisp.  Immediately transfer the green beans to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.  Then, lay them out on a clean towel and pat them dry.
Set up the three breading stations in three shallow bowls.  Place the flour in the first bowl and the eggs in the second bowl.  In the third bowl, combine the bread crumbs, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.  Season all three bowls with salt and pepper, and give each one a quick whisk to make sure the seasonings are evenly incorporated.

Dip the green beans first in the flour, shaking off any excess, and then in the egg.  Then, toss the green beans in the bread crumbs to coat evenly and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Be sure to place the green beans in a single layer, leaving some space between them so that they bake evenly and get nice and crunchy.
Bake the green bean fries for about 15 minutes, until golden and crisp.

Meanwhile, prepare the dipping sauce.  Wisk together the roasted garlic paste, mayonnaise, olive oil, and Dijon mustard.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the fries immediately with the dipping sauce on the side.

Spicy Hoisin and Sesame Glazed Corn recipe from Sunset Magazine

• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 8 ears corn, husked and cut in half crosswise
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1/2 to 1 serrano chile, minced ***I used a red hot cherry pepper we were growing in our garden
• 2 green onions, sliced thinly 

Preparation

1. Heat grill to high (450° to 550°). Mix together hoisin, honey, soy sauce, and lime juice.
2. Grill corn, turning often and basting with glaze, until glaze is caramelized and grill marks start to appear, about 10 minutes.
3. Transfer corn to a platter and sprinkle with sesame seeds, chile, and green onions.
Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Black Cod with Miso (Miso-marinated Black Cod)

Adapted from Nobu: The Cookbook

Ingredients: 2-3 black cod fillets (about 1 lb)
For the marinate:
1/4 cup sake
1/4 cup mirin
4 tablespoons white miso paste
3 tablespoons sugar
Method:

1. Mix the marinate ingredients thoroughly in a plastic container (with lid) and set aside. Save some for plating purposes.
2. Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels and put them into the plastic container with the marinate. Cover the lid and leave to steep in the refrigerator overnight or for 24 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degree F.
4. Preheat an indoor grill at the same time.
5. Lightly wipe off (with fingers) any excess miso marinate clinging to the fish fillets but don’t rinse it off. Place the fish on the grill and lightly grill on both sides until the surface turns brown.
6. Transfer the fish fillets to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes.
7. Add a few extra drops of the marinate on the plate and serve hot.

Cook’s notes:

1. You can substitute black cod for see bass or salmon or any kinds of flaky fish fillets.
2. There are many different kinds of miso (red, brown, white, and more). Make sure you get white miso.
3. I like my miso cod more intense with the flavors of sake and miso, and that being said, the marinate sauce might be too watery for plating purposes as one of my readers pointed out. Heat up the sauce to thicken it if you wish to use it for plating. Or if you like, you can reduce the amount of sake and mirin to slightly less than 1/4 cup each.
4. Use 5 tablespoons miso if you prefer a deeper miso flavor.

Corn Chowder

Recipe Type: Soup

Author: Erin Alderson

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 55 mins

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon butter
• 6 ears
• 4 large leeks
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Remove kernels from ears of corn, set both corn kernels and cobs aside.
2. Dice leeks into 1/8″ circles, poke out the inner circles,and soak in water for 5 minutes to remove to dirt and grit in the leeks. Drain and rinse.
3. In a large pot, heat butter over medium heat and add leeks. Saute leeks until tender (5-6 minutes.) Add in garlic and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant.
4. Stir in corn, thyme, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes. Pour in veggie broth and add in corn cobs, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Let cook for 30 minutes- corn should be cooked.
5. Remove pot from stove top and spoon out 1/4-1/2 cup of the leek/corn mixture with a slotted spoon and set aside. With an immersion blender (or a regular one) cream soup until most of the corn/leeks are broken down. Return to oven, add heavy cream, and bring back up to a warm temperature. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.
6. To serve, ladle into a bowl and sprinkle with corn/leek mixture.

 

Shopper's Paradise

What kind of girl doesn't love shopping?

I've noticed there's been a trend lately with online shopping. These sites starting to pop up, called flash sale sites. Basically it's a membership based site that has several sales everyday that they will reveal at 9 am PST (different sites vary). It's first come, first serve basis and the sales only lasts couple days, or until the items are all sold out.

I do not work well with sites like these.... LOL
That means the impulsive shopper like I am have a chance to go shopping every day just by sitting in front of the computer. Very bad indeed!! However, you can really score some designer brand items or brands you love with these sites.   These sites have shipping usually from $5.95-$9.95 but there's no tax. They ship your item as soon as the sale closes. But it can take couple weeks to a month. And they have excellent customer services and a lot of them offer free returns.

These screen shots that I grabbed are from today, so if you go into the sites later, you might not see the same items on sale. Some are very high end, like Fendi, Burburry. But they also have cheaper items like Crocs, London Fog, Betsy Johnson...etc.

All the sites have similar categories, Womens, Mens, Kids, Home, Beauty, Travel.

There are several I wanted to share.



1. First is Ideeli. This is one of my favorite ones because they offer a lot of items daily.

Home Page

 2. Next is Ruelala. Here are some of the sample sales they have going on.

Home Page

3. Hautelook, another one of my favorites. They often have cosmetics products here for very cheap. I have seen Urban Decay eyeshadow, foundations, brushes... for $2.

4. Gilt Groupe. This is the most high end out of the bunch. I rarely buy anything from here, but just browse here and there. What's special about this one, is that they have a "taste" section now, and offers some gourmet food items like Wagyu Beef, Pig Tails, Quails, Spanish Magalica Ham with Carving Stand, Black Winter Truffles, Truffle Oil... It's definitely fun to browse though.