Valentine's Day Tips

So it's Valentine's day, and I have some tips on how to make it special for your significant other. Sure you can make it easy and go out for a romantic dinner, but here are some other cute and cheaper activities you can do to celebrate this day.

One thing you can do is talk to your partner and agree on a price limit for presents. Because lets be honest, most prices have increased since its Valentine's day and there is no reason to go crazy. Once you agree, have fun and buy something that makes you think of them. No matter what you get, really its the thought that counts. So don't stress and have fun when you pick out the gift. Even a cheaper option is to make a very heartfelt gift. If you have an idea, go for it and taking your time and the effort to do is a very special thing. (Remember it is always the thought that counts.)

Instead of going out, plan a cute night in. Even though going out to dinner is nice, some people would just rather stay home. For a cute night in, find something that you both will enjoy. For example, some girls just like to chill, watch movies, and have pizza. And that is totally fine. Or they just like to have a nice dinner in. To make this special, try to find out his/her favorite food and make it yourself. It will be so much more romantic and cheap to buy the ingredients and make it yourself. Then you decorate the house or table to make it a little more romantic. For example, you can have a nice bouquet of flowers on the table or a big bowl with red and white stones with lit candles to make this kind of effect.

Here are two ideas that you can try out for Sunday:
For a pizza and Netflix night: Go to the store and get frozen pizza dough (or try your favorite pizzeria) and various toppings, like sauce, cheese, etc. Have your significant other come over and personalize your own little pizzas.(Have fun cooking together, making a mess, and laughing together.) Then spend the remainder of the night having snacks, eating your pizzas, watching movies, and enjoying the time together.

Elegant dinner: If they like a more expensive dinner, like steak and seafood, try doing it at home. (Again it's much cheaper.) Buy petite tenderloin steaks, some shrimp (or any seafood she likes), and some potatoes.  Then set the table nicely, using the ideas above. Next, cut the potatoes into 1 inch cubes,  Then put them in a pot and add cold water. Heat this til boiling and then cook for 15 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender then drain. Next you mash them. (You can do this with a potato masher or a mix master.) Gradually heated milk, butter, sour cream, and salt and pepper until its the desired consistency. (You can add anything you want to the potatoes, like cheese, to make them taste even better.)  Next take a cast iron skillet and heat for 5 minutes on med high. Sear the steaks for 7 minutes per side and then transfer to a low temp oven until it is at desired doneness. (For example 10 minutes on 300 degrees will make them medium) The shrimp you can steam with wine over a double boiler for 5 minutes or pan fry with some simple olive oil, salt, and pepper for 3-4 minutes per side. Finally dinner is done and you can serve. This is very versatile and you can cook whatever you want. If you are cooking for a vegetarian, I would recommend doing a stuffed portabella mushroom cap, with onions, cheese, celery, etc.

Remember, whatever you decide to do for your boy/girlfriend will be appreciated. Just put some thought into it, and this will especially show how much you care.
-Katrina

Gradient Heart Valentine Nails

If you’re looking for a last-minute nail idea for Valentine’s Day, this one takes no time at all and looks great with just about any outfit!

Start with a base coat then paint each nail with two coats of a neutral color, such as light pink.  Use a small dotting tool to make small hearts along the outer edge of each nail.  Start with your darkest color at the base (I went with red), making one small dot and dragging it down toward the center of the nail, and then making another small dot, dragging it down and connecting them at the point to form a heart.  Then work your way up, using new colors like bright pink and white.

Finish with a top coat and you’re done!

~Alyssa

A Fall Twist on Mac & Cheese

Mac and cheese is delicious all the time, but it’s even better on chilly fall days.  This recipe is the perfect combination of fall flavors for a fun take on the classic dish!

Ingredients:

1 box penne pasta

½ chicken breast, cooked and shredded

Onion, chopped

Butternut squash, cubed

Apple, chopped

Greek yogurt

Shredded cheddar cheese

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Milk or cream

Butter

Salt

Soy sauce

Sweet rice wine vinegar, like Mirin

Nutmeg

For the bread crumb topping:

Plain breadcrumbs

Brown sugar

Nutmeg

Salt

Directions: Preheat oven to 350.  In a large frying pan begin sautéing butternut squash with some butter.  When they begin to brown add the onions and sauté until almost caramelized, then add apples.  Cook until slightly soft.  Mix in the chicken and season with salt, soy sauce, sweet rice wine vinegar, and nutmeg, to taste.  Remove from heat.

Cook the pasta.  While that cooks, put about ½ to ¾ cup Greek yogurt (as much as you like according to how much cheese sauce you like on your mac and cheese), cheddar, mozzarella, and some milk or cream in a saucepan and heat on medium, stirring until the cheese is melted.  Add more cheese and milk/cream as you like until it reaches your desired consistency.  Mix in some salt and a dash of soy sauce, to taste.

Once the pasta has been cooked and drained, put it back in the empty pot and add the chicken mixture and cheese sauce.  Mix well, then put in a casserole dish.

In a small bowl mix together breadcrumbs with just a bit of brown sugar, nutmeg, and salt.  Sprinkle over the top of the mac and cheese.  If you like, pour a small amount of melted butter over the breadcrumb topping.

Bake covered for 20 minutes, then remove the lid and bake another 5 minutes.  Enjoy!

~Alyssa

The Return of Trashy Fridays!!

Since Fall has gifted us with amazing new series, I have been inspired to bring back Trashy Fridays! Today I will cover Scream Queens and American Horror Story: Hotel. Let's get to the awesomeness!!

Scream Queens: I have loved this show ever since I saw the first trailer. It has amazing actresses like Emma Roberts and Jamie Lee Curtis, so I just had to give it a chance. And I look forward to this show every week, because it is sooo good!!! This show follows Grace, a freshman who is eager and has wanted for her entire life, to join the Kappa house. The Kappa house is run by Channel (Emma Roberts) and her band of other Channels. I love Emma Roberts for this part. Honestly it does remind me a lot of her bitchy character from American Horror Story: Coven, and she plays this part so well. I just love her! Anyway, this person in a Red Devil Costume keeps murdering a variety of people that are involved in the Kappa house so Grace and her extremely creepy-pervy guy friend, Pete, investigate what is going on with the murders and about this baby that was born in the Kappa house around 20 years ago. This episode by far was my favorite! It was creepy, funny, and just plain awesome. Emma Roberts, her band of Channels, and Hester, played by Lea Michelle, literally beat the crap out of this guy for being a creepy a perv and trying to make a move on them. At the end of the episode, the dead bodies of everyone murdered on the show so far appear in Zayday's haunted house and it was just so creepy. And Zayday gets kidnapped and I seriously can't wait to see what happens in the next episode. Scream Queens is an amazing show because it is so funny.  People get murdered  hilarious ways and the way these characters are played is the best part. All the characters in this series are amazing and a lot of them are played by celebrities, like Nick Jonas, Ariana Grande, and Niecy Nash. I would definitely recommend checking out this show!

American Horror Story: Hotel: After last year's disappointment with Freakshow, I was hoping that this series would go back to its creepy roots, like Asylum. And boy did it deliver! This season premiere has to be one of the best that I've seen from this series. It was so creepy and messed up in so many ways, and I absolutely loved it. This season involves a detective who is investigating a series of murders. The murders that occur are just so messed up in this series. It also involves this hotel, where a lot of creepy stuff happens inside. My favorite characters so far is Lady Gaga. She and Matt Bomer are just murdering everyone in their way. I love the creepy vibe from this so far and I am so excited for next week's episode!!!!
-Katrina

Exciting Things for Fall

Fall is now upon us! Here are some exciting things to look forward to for this wonderful season change.

Fall Fashion: The weather is starting to get cool, which makes it perfect for over sized cardigans, scarves, etc.

TV Shows: We are excited for the new series and season premieres this fall. Especially for the hilarious "Scream Queens" and the awesome looking new season of "American Horror Story".

Party ideas and Halloween/Fall activities: Its getting really close to Halloween, which is a perfect time to come up with fun activities to do. Go carve pumpkins, have a scary movie night, and anything else you find fun for this time of year.

Fall Flavors: Pumpkin and apples are calling our names for this season. Enjoy it in any possible way that you can.
-Katrina

Yummy and Easy Tacos

Need a really easy dinner tonight! Go for tacos! They are versatile, delicious, and extremely easy to do!
Ingredients:
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup of chicken broth
cumin
red pepper flake
1 white onion
1 clove of garlic
flour tortillas
salsa, homemade or store bought
lettuce, shredded
cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tbsp of vegetable oil.
salt and pepper to taste
either chicken, pork, or beef(whatever you like)

Directions:
Start to cook the meat you desire. Season it however you like. For example, I took ground beef and cooked it with 1/2 of a chopped white onion and 1/2 of a garlic clove, chopped. I seasoned it with seasoned salt, some cumin, and pepper. Once the meat is done, drain off excess fat and set aside. While the meat is cooking, saute 1/4 of white onion diced on medium for 5 minutes, seasoned with some salt and pepper. Then add half of a clove of minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Put a 1/2 tsp of cumin and a pinch of red pepper flake and cook for 1 minute. Add your beans and cook for 2 minutes. Next add the chicken broth, turn the heat up to high, and boil the meat for 5 minutes. Then turn off the heat and mash it with a potato masher or a fork til it looks like re-fried beans. Taste and add more seasoning if necessary. Finally make your tacos. Put 1 tsp of bean puree, spread it around. Then add 2 tsps of cheese and then your meat. Putting enough to almost cover the layer of cheese. Finally cover it with 1 tsp of salsa and some lettuce. You may add some sour cream or hot sauce on this if desired. Next, folding your taco. First, fold it in half, tuck it the sides, and roll it over on the rest of the tortilla. Once its folded, put it in a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes. And enjoy!

Fall Brushstroke Nails

This nail art is incredibly simple, takes no time to do, and will match just about everything in your fall wardrobe!

You need:

Base coat

Top coat

Striper brush

A neutral color and any fall colors you like

Simply start with your base coat then paint each nail with two coats of your neutral background color.  Use the striper brush to add just a few small brushstrokes in different directions of each fall color.  I went with a maroon, emerald green, navy blue, and gold. 

While I love painting my nails solid, deep colors in the fall, like maroon or navy, I hate when the shades clash with different outfits.  With this look you can incorporate multiple colors that match a majority of what you wear for the season.

Finish with a top coat!

~Alyssa