Saturday, September 8, 2012

Homemade Ketchup


Homemade Ketchup



Credit: Beatriz Da Costa

MAKES 3 CUPS
homemade ketchup

It began life as ke-tsiap, a 17th-century Chinese brine of pickled fish and spices, and now shows up, in its modern-day tomato-based version, in restaurants and on home tables across the nation—and across the world. Heinz, the company that invented ketchup as we know it, says that it squeezes 24 of its own specially bred tomatoes into each bottle, along with white vinegar, corn syrup, salt, and flavorings (plus a secret ingredient, which SAVEUR contributor Stephanie Pierson is pretty sure she identified, while touring the Heinz factory in Fremont, Ohio, as clove oil). We like Heinz ketchup, incidentally—but we also like to make our own, this way.

1 28-oz. can tomato purée
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
1 clove garlic, crushed and peeled
1⁄2 fresh jalapeño, stemmed and seeded
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1⁄2 cup cider vinegar
Pinch cayenne
Pinch celery salt
Pinch dry mustard
Pinch ground allspice
Pinch ground cloves
Pinch ground ginger
Pinch ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Put tomato purée, onions, garlic, jalapeño, and sugar into a blender or food processor and pulse until blended. Add vinegar and 1 cup water and purée until smooth.
2. Transfer to a medium saucepan; add cayenne, celery salt, mustard, allspice, cloves, ginger, and cinnamon. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Store in refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 month.

The above recipe is from:
http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Homemade-Ketchup

What to buy in September


By Rachel Conover, Cheapism.com

Think big-ticket items in the month of September. As the first hints of fall blow in so do sales on major items. The Labor Day holiday may present the best discounts on select big-ticket items until Black Friday rolls around in November. Here are the September deals to look for:

Mattresses, Bed and Bath Supplies. Labor Day sales kick off the action early in the month. This is one of those holidays when mattress retailers offer deep discounts on piled up inventory. You may also find some better- than-normal deals on bed and bath supplies, such as linens and towels, during Labor Day sales and throughout the month.

Related: Budget mattress reviews

Planes, Bikes, and Automobiles. Looking for a cheap mode of transportation? September ranks high when it comes to snagging low prices on holiday airfare, a bicycle, or a car. Life Hacker recommends buying plane tickets about eight weeks prior to your travel date. September puts you a bit more than eight weeks out from Thanksgiving, so start looking for cheap ticket prices now if you plan to travel for the holiday. Check out Cheapism's list of cheap airlines to learn about prices, policies, and perks.

If you aren't looking for next year's debut models, cars are much more affordable this month than at any other time during the year. The key is to look at last year's models that are taking up space on the car lot. Dealerships want to move these cars out fast this month to make room for 2013 vehicles that will be arriving in short order.

Related: Best inexpensive hybrid cars

New model bikes are released every September so this is a good month to find deals on older model bikes. Like cars, retailers are looking to clear space for the new wheels and are offering unbeatable deals on current inventory.

Appliances. September is also a good month to buy big appliances (think washer, dryer, refrigerator, stove). New 2013 models will be hitting showrooms soon so retailers are eager to sell off prior year models. While still new and perfectly functional, they aren't of the moment -- a small sacrifice for a better deal.




Pizza and Brew shut down!!!!

Pizza and Brew was one of my favorite pizza shops in Yonkers. It was very family friendly. It has shut down.

I was please to do further research and they are temporarily shut down for renovation 👍

Here is the info on their site

http://www.pizzaandbrew.net/

Friday, September 7, 2012

Fashion Night Out @ White Plains Mall

Yesterday was the first time I attended Fashion Night Out. I decided to go to some events in White Plains instead of NYC because the bus stops running early and I wanted to avoid the long commute. What a mistake. I should have been a trooper and stayed in the city.

The White Plains Mall had a couple of stores participating, but it didn't seem like any had anything going on aside from Neiman Marcus. The mall didn't have any spirit of festivities. I wasted my time visiting the do called participating stores, like Steve Madden, Juicy Couture, Bebe. The sales people looked tired and uninterested. Fashion week was originally created to vamp up the economy I guess there's no need for that in WP since the salesforce had no intent to sale.

By the time I finally made it to Neiman it was 8:02. Their event ended at 8. I saw the gates go down on the second floor, as I neared the door. Damn it, I thought to myself. I went down the escalator to the first floor, and wepa, the gate to the first floor was open. I went in,they were cleaning up. But I got to meet Julie Gerstenblatt, the author of the book "Lauren Takes Leave". I got a autographed copied. I will start reading ASAP and share my thoughts on it. I also got a cupcake. It was delicious.

I then drove to Loheman's. Here, I expected to find a bit more life than at the mall. Negative. The store was supposed to be open until 11. There was a good amount of customers, yet, the salespeople were more concerned with picking up than assisting/selling.

The food station was been taken down. The drinks put away. I overheard one of the guys from the catering crew advise a salesperson that they put the drinks and food in the back.

The good news is that I found this store "Wonder". I love it!!! It's a cross of many brands, like Tory Burch at way lower prices.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Henri Bendel Fashion Night Out NYC

Henri Bendel will be offering cocktails prepared by bartenders from the Mulberry Project and showcasing Cirque du Soleil performers bedecked in Swarovski crystals. In addition, seven food trucks will be parked outside.

The above is courtesy of newyork.grubstreet.com/

Uniqlo Fashion Night Out NYC

Japanese retail giant Uniqlo is paying homage to their home country with sake tastings and Japanese sweets at their three Manhattan locations; their parties will also feature D.J.'s and a makeup bar at the Fifth Avenue store.

The above is courtesy of newyork.grubstreet.com/

Fashion Night out : FREE DRINKS

Celebrate fashion by drinking on the cheap in the meatpacking district: Mention Fashion's Night Out for a free cocktail at neighborhood spots 675 Bar, Bill's Bar and Burger, and Dos Caminos.

The above is courtesy of newyork.grubstreet.com/


First day back to school

Today is my daughter's first back to school. She is now a second grader.

I am so excited for her. She couldn't wait for the first day of school. To wear her new bookbag (Hello Kittie, of course ) and take in her school supplies.

She looks very cute in her outfit. I let her go without an uniform for today.

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Marshmallow Madness: marshmallow pops


Marshmallow Madness: marshmallow pops Great idea from Popcosmo.com

marshmallow madness
Most candy companies haven’t caught up with the trend just yet, so for the boldest neon, dye white candy melts with electric shades of the rainbow. Refer to the end of this post for candy-dying tips and how to achieve neon colors.
Two-Tone Effect. Hold the marshmallow by the top edge, and dip it halfway into the first color. Using your free hand, insert a lollipop stick into the just-dipped side of the marshmallow, and put it in your KC Bakes stand (or Styrofoam) to dry. Once the first color chocolate is dry, dip the marshmallow in the second color, right up to the edge of the first color.
marshmallow pops
Sprinkle on some Cheer. After coating the marshmallow completely in a neon color, dip the top of it in some rainbow sprinkles to make those colors pop even more.
how to make marshmallow pops
Happy Birthday! Put the secondary neon chocolate into a Ziploc bag, snip the tip, and pipe it on like you’re decorating a cake. Trim neon candles in half, and before the top color chocolate hardens, insert the candle, allow everything to dry. Remove the candle before eating, of course.
marshmallow recipes
So Sweet. On a last-minute run to Party City, I came across these candy-coated sunflower seeds, and for some reason, they just spoke to me. They’re simple, cute and somehow sophisticated. And you know, these may be my favorite pop in this whole post.
marshmallow recipes
Having a neon party, but don’t have time to order candy dye? No problem! There are a lot of bright candies that will take your marshmallow pops from drab to fab!
Nerds come in huge multi-colored boxes, or you can buy them by specific flavor and color.
marshmallow recipes
Candy buttons are great because you can stick them onto the pop in any pattern you like… it’s like a candy Lite-Brite! Do they still make those?
marshmallow recipes

Pop Rocks have the trifecta… sight, taste and texture! Word to the wise, don’t make these too far in advance. If left out for too long (more than 36 hours), the pop rocks begin to dissolve and instead of having that spiky glacier-like texture, it looks like a thick gel. Learn something new everyday!
how to make marshmallow pops
Pixy Stix aren’t the brightest color candy out there, but they add a great punch of tart flavor, and they are so easy to use… just tear off the paper-end, and pour. To enhance the color, dip the top of the marshmallow in colored chocolate first; the pop on the right was dipped in pink first, and then sprinkled with a red Pixy Stick.
marshmallow pops
When it comes to taste, Fruity Pebbles were my #1 favorite. They gave the marshmallow pop some great crunchy texture, but the fruity flavor definitely brought it home.
marshmallow recipe
Now while I was at Party City, I spotted a big box of Ring Pops, and I immediately knew what I could do with them… marshmallow rings!

Marshmallow pops
To get just the plastic ring part, put an unwrapped Ring Pop into a paper or thick plastic bag. Holding the ring part to keep it steady, take a hammer and bang on the candy part a few times. After two or three whacks, the candy split clean off.
ring pop recipe
Put a little chocolate on the flat-side of the ring pop, and push it into the top of the marshmallow. ‘Mallows can be a little springy, so you may need to hold it there for a few moments until it adheres onto the ring.
marshmallow recipe
If you want to get fancyyy, dip the marshmallow in white candy, coat it with clear sanding sugar, and violá – marshmallow bling!
marshmallow ring pop
For your next get-together, neon or otherwise, remember that marshmallow pops make the perfect blank canvas to match your party theme… dip them in melted candy and go crazy (with toppings)!
Marshmallow Madness Supplies
- Kraft Jet-Puffed Jumbo Marshmallows
- White Candy Melts or Vanilla Candy Coating
- Assorted Candy Toppings
- Neon Candy Dye
- Lollipop sticks
KC Bakes Stand (or Styrofoam)
- Ziploc sandwich bags
Tips:
1. Dip the tip of each lollipop stick into melted candy, then insert them into the marshmallows. Let them firm up for a few minutes before dipping the pops; this will give the pops a little bit of extra support.
2. Consider your toppings and your timeframe carefully. Marshmallow pops that are fully coated in candy can sit out for quite a few days with no problem. However, certain toppings will go stale (like cereal) or can get gooey (like Pop Rocks) if they are exposed to the air for too long.
3. For the green and yellow neon dye in this post, I used AmeriColor “Electric” Soft Gels. Unfortunately, these dyes have water in the ingredients, any type of water will make chocolate seize into a hard lump. To get around this, AmeriColor makes a product called Flo Coat, which you add to the chocolate prior to adding the dye.
4. For the pink neon dye in this post, I used Make’n Mold pink candy dye, which can be found at most local craft stores. It is oil-based, and mixes into candy beautifully. Its actually marketed as their “pastel” collection, however keep adding more dye for an intense neon-like hue.

How to do a French Manicure: quick and easy sticker or tape tutorial!

This is a great article from http://www.popcosmo.com

How to do a French Manicure: quick and easy sticker or tape tutorial!


Nothing beats a clean, crisp manicure, but they can get expensive at a salon. So here’s a fail proof way how to do a french manicure, as inspired by this gorgeous a Rue La La Tumblr post. Well, why not neon? Of course, the tips could be any color, but we wanted to funkify a plain-jane manicure and try something different. Our foolproof way how to do a french manicure is simple and so easy that you’ll be doing it for fun every day this summer. Well, maybe not every day, but we can imagine changing nail polish more often than we used to. Our photos shows how to do a french manicure using paper hole reinforcements for a curved line, but we have also usedblue painter’s tape for a straight line. (It’s also great to use to extend a manicure.) Although many of you have said you had success with regular tape, our french manicure doesn’t end up as clear and crisp as we would like when we use regular tape. Since painter’s tape and paper reinforcements are so easily available, we suggest giving them a try! Here’s what we did .. . and we’d love to hear your tips too!
Neon French Manicure
How to do a French Manicure
Step 1: Apply a base coat and let dry. It’s important that it is completely dry before you proceed.
Step 2: Apply either blue painter’s tape or paper reinforcements to your nail.
Step 3: Paint a neon color on the tip, or whatever color you would like to use. Use 2 light coats for coverage. Thick coats are not advisable because it leaves a ridge (you can see one in our ring finger… oops!)
Step 4: Remove tape or reinforcement AFTER the polish has dried.
Step 5: Apply a clear coat and enjoy!