Creme Brulee French Toast

Doesn't that just sound amazing??  Creme Brulee is absolutely delicious and then to incorporate that into french toast, I really don't see how you can go wrong here!

Again, this lovely recipe is from Smitten Kitchen, and if you haven't checked out the website yet, seriously, what are you waiting for??

Creme Brulee French Toast

Makes 6 servings

Toasts
1 loaf unsliced white bread, brioche or rich bread of your choice
1 1/3 cups whole milk
2/3 cup heavy cream
4 large eggs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier or another orange liqueur or 1/4 teaspoon orange zest
1 vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Topping
2/3 cup granulated sugar

Cut bread into 1 1/2-inch thick, generous slices; a 9-inch loaf should yield 6 slices. Whisk together milk, cream, eggs, sugar, salt, liqueur, and vanilla extract, if using. If using a vanilla bean, halve it lengthwise and scrape the pulp into a small dish. Whisk vanilla bean with one tablespoon of custard, then whisk in another and a third tablespoon, then pour the vanilla bean-custard mixture back into the main batter. This avoids having vanilla bean clumps that don’t disperse in your batter. Don’t you hate that?

Preheat oven to 325. Arrange bread slices on the smallest rimmed tray that will fit them in one layer (encourages maximum absorption) pour custard over slices. Allow them to absorb the custard for 30 minutes, turning the slices over at one point to ensure they’re soaking it up evenly. [Do ahead: You can also soak them overnight in the fridge. No need to flip them if so.]

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer custard-soaked slices to prepared sheet, arranging them with a smidge of space between each to avoid making one French mega-toast. Flipping them halfway through if you wish, bake French toast slices for 30 to 35 minutes, until a slim knife inserted into the center of a slice and twisted ever-so-slightly does not release any wet custard. Keep warm until ready to serve.


To caramelize the tops:

Either leave toasts on their baking sheet, or transfer to a serving platter. Have ready a small offset spatula and a potholder or trivet to rest your caramel pot on.

Melt remaining 2/3 cup sugar in a small, heavy, completely dry saucepan over moderate heat, stirring with a small spoon or fork until fully melted and the color of honey. Move it over to the potholder or trivet you’d set up and working quickly, spoon one generous tablespoon caramel over your first slice of toast, spread it thinly and evenly with your offset spatula and repeat with the remaining toasts. Because your caramel will continue to deepen slightly in color (veering towards almost-too-toasty) as you work, it’s best to work quickly but carefully. Let no fingers or forearms be harmed in the melted sugar’s path and should a single drop land on the counter or on your towel or on the rim of the plate, do not swipe it. Just leave it until it cools.


[Hot water will melt all hardened caramel and make your clean up job easy. Simply soak your pot/spoon/spatula and all will melt off.]

Serve with fresh berries and if you’re feeling extra fancy, loosely whipped cream. We don’t find that it needs any maple syrup.

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Next time I have french toast, it's definitely going to be like this!  I'm probably going to fatten up if I eat all these yummy desserts I keep posting about.  Can't you tell my mind is a bit focused on sweets lately??

Would you try this?

Look of the Day

A look I'm loving of Olivia Wilde!  

Recently spotted at a vintage flea market in California looking very bohemian!  

Wearing a maxi dress with her Ralph Lauren Collection fringed bag and a pair of Ray-Bans.  A look I would definitely wear, would you??

photo credit

Pinks, Blues, and Yellows too

Hey Girls!

I was wondering what you've been thinking about a certain trend that seems to becoming more and more popular as of late.  Bright colored highlights/streaks throughout ones hair.  Not you normal hues of blonde and caramels, but blues and pinks, and neon yellows.

Is this a trend you see yourself following?  Or just enjoying from a far?

Take a look at some of the most recent celebrities to take the hair plunge!

Katy Perry opted for the all over pink this month

But back late 2010 she tried out a rainbow of colors in her dark hair.

Which look of hers do you like best?

Kate Bosworth has recently change her blonde hair blue but only on the ends!

Lauren Conrad also added a few blue streaks to her ends as well!  A little less noticeable though then Kate's.

Dianna Argon covered most of her blonde hair in bright pink.  She recently tweeted it was for work though. So not something she did on her own accord. 

Lady Gaga has never been afraid of color.  But really what has she ever been afraid of?

One surprising bold hair color move I did love for sure, wasn't recently, but rather back in 2007, when Rachel McAdams showed up at a premiere with pink streaks in her blonde hair.  Do you remember that?  It actually really worked on her!

 photo credits

Do you like any of these looks?  Is this a trend you plan on trying out yourself?  Or are you not really liking this bold new hair trend??

White & Dark Hearted Brownies

Hey girls!

I think I am obsessed with sweets these days!  I find myself looking over tons of yummy recipes on Smitten Kitchen's website!  It's become a new fav of mine!

This recipe is super cute and incorporates something I've never had before, white chocolate brownies!  So read on girls, you won't be disappointed! 

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This recipe makes 16 2-inch square white or dark chocolate brownies. To make a pan of each and reverse the middles, you’ll need double the ingredients listed below. You will end up with 32 reversed-center brownies.

3 ounces (85 grams) semisweet or good white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 stick (4 ounces or 113 grams) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing pan
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (6 1/8 ounces or 175 grams) sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla
1/4 teaspoon table salt or 1/2 teaspoon flaky salt (about 2 grams)
2/3 cup (83 grams) all-purpose flour

1-inch heart or other shaped cookie cutter

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over opposite sides of pan. Repeat with second piece of foil in opposite direction. Butter foil.

Melt white or dark chocolate and butter together in a large bowl over a simmering pot of water (or in the microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring between each) until it is 90% melted; remove from heat and stir the mixture until it is smooth. (I do this too keep things from getting too hot.) Whisk in sugar. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. Add flour and salt together, stirring until just combined. Spread into prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes (for the dark chocolate version) and 30 to 35 minutes (for the white chocolate version).

Repeat this recipe with the other kind of chocolate and a second 8×8-inch square pan. If you don’t have two matching square pans (understandably) simply wait until you can remove your brownies from the pan as directed in the next step, and start again.

Cool pans on a wire rack in the freezer if you’re going to make cut-outs; frozen brownies are much easier to make clean cuts from. Once solid, transfer brownies in their foil “sling” to a large cutting board and cut each pan of brownies into 16 even squares, about 2×2 inches each. Still cold (and if they warm up and soften too quickly, pop them back in the freezer for 5 minutes), carefully, slowly, gently, press your cookie cutter into the center of each brownie and set the cut-out aside. Insert the dark cut-outs into the centers of the light brownies, and vice-versa. From here, you can let them warm up to room temperature or wrap them up in the freezer until you will need them.

Don't these look adorable?!  And super tasty right?  Let me know if you try out this recipe and how it goes for you!  Good luck! 

A Hair How To

I was on Lauren Conrad's website the other day, and it is so much fun actually!  She has so many interesting catergories to check out, like yummy foods, what to wear, primping, celebrating, decorate, etc.  A wide range of helpful tips!

I thought the post titled "The Fun Bun" was very useful!  So I thought I would share it with all of you!  A quick and easy look for your hair! 

Follow these steps:

Step 1: If your hair is straight, use a 1″ curling iron to curl everything under. This will make it easier to tuck pieces into the bun. When they’re straight, they tend to pop out more. If you have wave or curl you can skip this step if you want to.

Step 2: Flip your hair over and gather everything into a ponytail on top of you head, securing it with an elastic ponytail holder.

Step 3: On the last time around with the ponytail holder, only pull the ponytail through half way.

Step 4: Take the loop you’ve created and spread it out. Don’t over think it. Just widen it and allow it to be somewhat messy.

Step 5: Take the tail end and wrap it around the ponytail base.

Step 6: Pin the end of the ponytail to the base using a couple of hair pins/bobby pins.

Step 7: Gently pull on pieces and then pin them. This will give your top-knot a slightly more messy texture.

Step 8: Spray a veil of medium hold hairspray all over. Don’t smooth down all of the fly aways, just lightly tuck the pieces that have gone rogue!

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I like putting my hair in a bun every now and then!  How about you?  

This is a look I am definitely going to try out!  Will you? 

              For more on this look and other Lauren Conrad goodies click here.

Blueberry Boy Bait!!

After seeing this photo of these delicious sweets, I couldn't help but post about them!  This recipe was found on SmittenKitchen.com, which is new to me, but very appealing!  I would definitely recommend checking this website out!

Blueberry Boy Bait

Serves 12, generously
2 cups plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup whole milk (though buttermilk, which was all I had on hand, worked just great)
1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (if frozen, do not defrost first as it tends to muddle in the batter)

Topping
1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (do not defrost)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

Whisk two cups flour, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl. With electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy, about two minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated and scraping down bowl. Reduce speed to medium and beat in one-third of flour mixture until incorporated; beat in half of milk. Beat in half of remaining flour mixture, then remaining milk, and finally remaining flour mixture. Toss blueberries with remaining one teaspoon flour. Using rubber spatula, gently fold in blueberries. Spread batter into prepared pan.

For the topping:
Scatter blueberries over top of batter. Stir sugar and cinnamon together in small bowl and sprinkle over batter. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan 20 minutes, then turn out and place on serving platter (topping side up). Serve warm or at room temperature. (Cake can be stored in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.)

I haven't tried this yet, but I think I'm definitely going to!  It looks too good to pass up!   Let me know if any of decide to give this a try, and if you make any alterations!  Good luck!  And if you want, you could always send me a batch in the mail! ;)

Lauren Conrad's Paper Crown Collection

I'm sure some of you have seen some of Lauren Conrad's newest clothing line, but for those of you that haven't you definitely need to check it out! Paper Crown has some amazing pieces.  

Take a look at Paper Crown's fall lookbook!  Here are some of my favs! 

I love the look of leather throughout the collection! It's probably just faux leather, which would be better, and those "leather" shorts are probably one of my favorite pieces from this collection!   Those tan shorts are super cute too!  The long flowy feminine dress paired with the tough "leather" jacket is a fabulous combo!  

So do you like what you see?  What are some of your favorites from the collection?  To check out the rest of Paper Crown's fall lookbook click here.

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Yummy Recipe!

Hey girls!

Sorry my posts have been a bit scattered and few lately.  So much has been going on in my life, and in a couple of weeks I will be able to share all of that with you.  Also, we recently haven't had internet at home, so it's always challenging finding a place to create posts, when not having access at your home.  So it's been a bit frustrating.  And you've all been well missed!

Today I have a yummy recipe to share with you!  Sorry it's not fashion related, but it is delicious, so hopefully that will do! :)

Quick Date-Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal

Makes 1 serving


Ingredients

• 1 cup organic rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup (you can use less, or you can use brown rice syrup to make it more superhero!)
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
• 1/3 crisp apple, cut in cubes
• About 5 dates, pitted and chopped
• Fine sea salt to taste
• 3 shakes of ground cinnamon
• Scant 1 teaspoon flaxseed oil

Steps

1. Bring a kettle of water to boil
2. Combine the oats, syrup, nuts, apple, and dates in a bowl
3. Add a pinch or two of salt, then pour enough hot water to just cover the oats (don’t add too much, or it will be too watery)
4. Cover the bowl with a plate or pot lid, and let the oatmeal stand until the oats have absorbed the water
5. Stir, and add a little more water if the oats look too dry
6. Let the oatmeal cool a little, and then drizzle with the flaxseed oil

This recipe is from The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone.  If you haven't looked through this cookbook yet, you definitely should!  Doesn't that oatmeal look like the best oatmeal you have ever seen??!!  For those that have a nut allergy, like me, you can just exclude the walnuts, and eat the oatmeal as is, or add something else to it in place of the walnuts.  Like another type of dried fruit or something!  Quite yummy!  And doesn't it sound so simple?  I think anyone could make this, no matter your cooking abilities!  

Enjoy girls!

picture credit

New Maxi Skirt Outfit Post

Hello girls!  It's been a while hasn't it?  It certainly has been ages since an outfit post especially! So I thought The Hot Spot was definitely due for one!  

I've been wearing a lot of maxi skirts this summer!  I've never really gotten into the maxi skirt trend up until now.  I've always thought that since I'm so short, it might not be a good look for me.  I'm 5'3, so I usually avoided the longer skirts etc.  

I did buy one maxi dress last summer though, and really have loved it.  So this summer I've bought at least two maxi skirts. I'm not big on wearing shorts, and it's been so ridiculously hot the last couple months, so skirts have been perfect!  They aren't tight, but rather loose and airy, perfect for those humid days!

I love all the colors in this one!  I think it's best to wear something simple on top when wearing a maxi skirt, especially one that is so colorful.  I found this belt the same day I bought the skirt and thought they would go perfectly together.  

 I just love how this maxi skirt sways with me when I walk, and swooshes back and forth if I turn.  I tried twirling in the air to capture the spinning of these lovely colors!

What have you been wearing that helps in this super hot weather that most of us are enduring?? 

What gets you though the heat?

wearing: 

white top and tank underneath-Miley Cyrus and Max Azria for Walmart

Maxi Skirt, Brown belt, and earring: Forever 21

Black flip flops: Kohls