Welcome to my April #2020 edition of Things I Love – these are a few of my current objects of #obsession…#food, #wine, #cocktails, #recipes, #cooking gadgets, #restaurants, fav products and ingredients, #props, food styling and #photography inspiration, fun and engaging #videos, movies + TV shows, podcasts, lighting and #camera equipment and tips, #beauty products, #celebs and #influencers to follow, great #books to read, etc…All just simply people, places and things I love that I think are notable and worth a big shout out for their wonderful-ness! And stay tuned for next month on my journey to find new and fun things to share with you all. Enjoy!
My fav beauty products
These are a few of my favorite things for a quick 10-minute beauty routine. Cause who’s got time to spend on all of this, especially when all the salons are closed and you need a quick pick-me-up and beauty fix.
- Beekham 1802 Apricot + Honey Tea hand lotion
- Bumble and Bumble Surf Foam Spray
- Batiste Brilliant Blonde Dry Shampoo
- Laura Geller Bronze + Brighten and Balance and Glow Illuminating Foundation
- Doll 10 Hydralux lip liner and Hydrabalm Solid Serum lipstick
- Aurora Liquid Eye Liner – Espresso
- Laura Geller Gel Brow Pencil
- Mally Lift + Curl Mascara
- Tetris Block Party Eyeshadow
Black Pepper Caramel Chicken Udon
I recently was awarded 2nd place in the JSL Foods Blogger Recipe Challenge..and won a $500 cash prize for my Black Pepper Caramel Chicken Udon recipe – yay! This recipe features their Chicken Udon Noodles which are organic, pre-cooked and delicious, and sweet and spicy glazed Vietnamese Chicken I made topped with everything bagel seasoning, jalapeños and fresh cilantro. Check out my award-winning recipe here
Spring Veggie Garden Bread
I saw these adorable Spring Veggie Garden breads on Facebook a couple weeks ago – I’m not sure who even made them but they are so bright and colorful and pretty! The bread dough has pressed veggies and herbs shaped into flower shapes and then it’s brushed with olive oil before baking to make these gorgeous designs!I found a recipe like this online from Taste of Home if you want to give your artistic baking skills a whirl – https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/bread-art/
Easy Queso Dip
This is a super easy queso dip from Bon Appetit – creamy cheesy goodness made with onions, garlic, jalapeños and lots of American ad Monterey Jack cheese – and ready to go in about 15-20 minutes on the stove! Perfect for tacos, nachos, quesadillas, enchiladas, and of course to dip tortilla chips in with salsa and margaritas for Cinco de Mayo! get the recipe here
My Brilliant Friend
This is a gorgeous mini-series on HBO that I just started watching and fell in love with instantly. Set in Naples Italy post-World War II, is a story about two best friends (Lila Ferrulo and Elena Greco) along with their struggles and friendship as they go through life together (and apart) trying to survive and get out of a poor neighborhood in the projects of Naples. It has a complex cast of characters that make up all of the Italian families that surround them and are intertwined in their lives. The story is endearing and heartwarming, yet sad and troubling all at the same time. It’s absolutely beautifully written – lovely, haunting and addicting. The books are part of a 4-part series called Neapolitan Novels written by Elena Ferrante which the HBO TV series is based upon. Must see and read!
Watch the series
Buy the books
Click here for more hidden gems to watch on Netflix
Whipped Coffee White Russian
Everyone seems to be making that trendy frothy whipped Dalgona Coffee lately..but have you seen this one by Half Baked Harvest? It’s a fun twist on the original White Russian cocktail topped with whipped coffee, a touch of sugar and hint of vanilla. Delish!
Salted Butter and Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies
A favorite recipe by Alison Roman of Bon Appetit – these cookies are a cross between shortbread, chocolate chip and brown sugar cookies. Perfect for a sweet tooth attack in the middle of a pandemic! Described in her words:
“Less chocolate chip cookie, more brown sugar shortbread with chocolate chunks—they just might be the cookie you’ve been looking for.”
Get the recipe here
Fav Books, E-Books and Cookbooks, Apps
- Girl Wash Your Face, Rachel Hollis
- Keto For Carb Lovers Cookbook, Delish
- Quick and Easy Recipes from The NY Times, Mark Bittman
- The Sugar Brain Fix, Mike Dow
- Shine App – Calm Anxiety and Stress
- Quibi
Fav Podcasts + Video/YouTube Shows
- Inspiring Life by Lewis Howes
RISE Podcast by Rachel Hollis - Unlocking Us by Brene Brown
- Jay Shetty Podcast
- Think Media TV YouTube
- Chrissy Teigen YouTube
- The FeedFeed IGTV
- The Bite Shot YouTube
- NYTimes Cooking YouTube
Motivational Articles and Links
- This Pandemic is Our Teacher, by Michael Pietzrak
- 16 Ways to Read More Books, by Jamie Friedlander
- How to Fight Boredom with Curiosity, Goop.com
A few More Goodies
These are just a few more things I take and use on a daily basis for good health and wellbeing. It’s all about taking care of yourself especially during a stressful time like this. The CBD Hemp Oil, Organic Greens Superfood Drink, Turmeric with Ginger and Black Pepper I take every day..! I got all of those on Amazon except for the Neutrogena HydroBoost mask (which I LOVE!!) – you can get at any drug store like Walgreens or CVS. Here’s a link to the Stash Tea website – I love this new flavor with apple cider and maple..soooo good and comforting! These FBOMB Nut Butters are amazing too – for a quick dose of tasty and healthy fat these macadamia nut butters come in different flavors like salted chocolate, coconut, sea salt, hazelnut and more. Also, they have a great Buy 2, Get 1 Free deal going on with free shipping – just use code FREEJAR during checkout.
Chopped Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing
Recipe by Pinch of Yum
A few Cinco de Mayo recipes and ideas
And lastly, here are 44 Spring Recipes from Bon Appetit – yay! Spring is finally here.
