Fiori di Zucca Fritte

I’ve been wanting to expand my blog a little for a while and I figured since I’m living in Italy for a bit, now is the perfect time!

Fried Zucchini Flowers, or Fiori di Zucca Fritte, as we call them here, are amazing. I had never tried these delectable little guys until a few weeks ago, and now I can’t get enough.

I decided to attempt making some on my own…(mind you, I have VERY few kitchen appliances here in my little apartment in Rome. Just wait until I get home!)

 

After finely dicing mushrooms, onions, zucchini and tomatoes, I sauteed them in a pan with a tiny bit of olive oil, pepper and salt.

 

Flour, Water, Milk, Water, Pepper, Salt

 

Mix about 2 cups of flour, equal parts milk and water, a pinch of salt and pepper. I didn’t measure out the liquid, but you want a thick creamy consistency.

 

 

Mozzarella and Veggies

 

Melt down some shredded mozzarella (I used whole balls, but it’s easier to find shredded in the States). Add the mozzarella to the sautéed veggies and mix.

 

Zucchini Flowers

 

Pluck the stamen out of a few zucchini flowers and make room inside of the flower with you finger. Pour some of the cheese and vegetable mix and close the top of the flower. Dip the flowers into the already-made flour mix.

Drop the flowers (only a couple at a time) into a pan with a bit of vegetable oil at the bottom. Slowly sear the batter to fry.

 

Fried Zucchini Flowers

And there you go! Take out the flowers once they’ve browned a bit and enjoy! 

Blushes for your Brushes

Nars, Sephora and Smashbox Blushes

What has your makeup done for you lately? Besides sit on your bathroom countertop and look pretty in its shiny, glitzy packaging, your makeup should work its butt off for you!

Your mascara should be opening your tired eyes, your gloss should be moisturizing and pouting your lips and your blush, well your blush should be working over time to brighten up your complexion, take 5 years off your face and give you that little extra feminine-edge over that girl sitting next to you. Blush, ladies, is your friend.

I’m always amazed when women say they opt out in the blush department for fear of looking ‘too old.’ Too Old? Sure, if you’re throwing on layers of rouge from the 1920′s that could double as brick coloring, then I understand. But today’s blushes are bright and sheer and give the illusion of a just-kissed flush rather than a just off the clock dancer… let’s begin.

Picking the right blush color is easier than you think. Simply going for the most pink of pinks isn’t going to work for anyone’s skin tone, so consider your needs first.

Do you have fair to medium skin? You’ll have to be careful not to overdo it with your blush color. Go for something with a pink with a slight golden undertone. Remember to use the blush sparingly during application. Less is more and you can always add on if you need to.

Try: Nars Blush in Orgasm for $26

Olive to light mocha coloring? I like something slightly more peachy, though you could certainly get away with Orgasm. You have many more options with your skin tone, so play around with colors a little more on the darker side, but remember to keep it sheer and with a hint of shimmer.

Try: Smashbox’s Blush Rush in Paradise for $24

Do you have a deeper skin tone? Most women with darker complexions opt either for a dark mauve color or just forgo the blush and head right for the bronzers. But don’t worry! You can rock the sexy flush of blush anytime you want. Go for something slightly golden and coral.

Try: Nars Blush in Torrid for $26

You can go one of two ways for placement. The apples of the cheeks are the typical classic position for blush, and must be blended back to the ears to create a natural finish, but works well for the newer makeup artist. For those of you with a little more confidence in your skill, slowly and lightly add a bit of blush to the upper half of your cheek bone, starting about a centimeter away from your nose and working back. Make sure you aren’t too close to your eye however, believe me, a pink under eye isn’t good for anyone. Now, take the same brush and turn it to the side so the entire brush is parallel to your face. Lightly make circles in the same place where you just applied the blush, blending nicely into your skin.

Now, for application tips. Use a slightly smaller brush than you would for your all-over face power. Some women like using angled blush brushes or even fanned brushes. I’ve used all types and find that they all bring something different to the table, depending in the effect you’d like to achieve.  Remember when applying blush to swirl your brush lightly in the product and to tap off the excess before applying any to your face.

Here are some brushes I like:

I chose all Sephora Collection brushes so you could easily find them in stores!

1. Rounded Blush Brush – $24

Great for someone who doesn’t want to spend a lot of time on their blush application. Perfect for the apples of the cheeks.

2. Angled Blush Brush – $32

Love this for contouring with both blushes and bronzers. Easy to use. Angle works great for the “above the cheekbone” look.

3. Highlighting Fan Brush – $24

Works well with lighter, more shimmery shades. Easy to apply blush with. Try a base shade and a shade lighter on the top of your cheekbones with this tool!

4. Round Powder Brush – $40

I know this isn’t a blush brush, but I love using something like this when I’m done applying all of my makeup. Lightly swoosh this big fluffy brush all over your face to blend your foundation, powder, bronzer and blush, hiding any harsh lines and creating a seamless look!

 

Hope you enjoyed this little lesson and feel ready to try it out on your own! Leave comments about your favorite blushes!

Lemon-Aid

Summer has sadly come to an end, and with the changing leaves, crisper air and thicker cardigans, there’s also a whole new list of skin problems to deal with. Though the hot, sticky summer air that brought along shiny foreheads, sweat-induced blemishes and clogged pores is no more, it’s time to deal with the residuals.

Once the air starts to lose it’s moisture, my skin does too; I start doubling up on moisturizing treatments, exfoliating scrubs and any brightening serums I can get my hands on. When your skin loses its natural moisture, it not only looks and feels funky, but it also reveals many of those skin imperfections you may have missed in the sheen of your dewy summer skin. At the forefront of those missed imperfections: blackheads.

Open comedones, or blackheads as most of us call them, are larger than normal pores filled with sebum and dead skin cells. This disgusting mixture undergoes oxidization and therefore develops a dark grey/black color. Unfortunately, no matter your age, health and skin type, blackheads can show up on anyone’s face.

Though these little monsters don’t have any real negative effect on the health of your skin, they are dark, disgusting and a burden on anyone’s complexion.

So how do we go about getting rid of blackheads? No! We don’t squeeze them!

I’ve bought over five different kinds of blackhead-removing nose strips, and though some of them did at least half of what I expected, they are moderately expensive and run out very quickly. So, when I found an at home, kitchen-made treatment that claimed to not only diminish the appearance of blackheads but also brighten my complexion, I knew I had to try!

Here’s what you’ll need:

1. Small Bowl of Hot Water

2. Cotton Balls or Pads

3. Exfoliating Facial Scrub

4. One Lemon, Sliced

Start by getting rid of excess dead skin with a gentle exfoliator (try St. Ives Naturally Clean Apricot Scrub Blemish & Blackhead Control), scrub lightly in small circles and rinse; then run some hot water over a cotton ball. Because blackheads usually appear on your nose, space between your bottom lip and chin, and forehead (basically your entire T-zone), a cotton ball will cover enough skin to get the job done, one area at a time. Hold the hot cotton ball over the blackhead afflicted area for about 25 seconds and then apply your lemon slice. Now, if you have hyper-sensitive skin, you may want to create a liquid solvent of 3 parts lemon juice and one part water, to dilute the “tingly” sensation and apply the liquid with another cotton ball.

Lemon-Aid

The acid in the lemon will naturally break up the blackhead and help release it from your pore. There is really no specific time for the application of the lemon, simply check the area out in the mirror every couple minutes to monitor your progress.

Work out these steps anywhere you’ve spotted the pore-plugs and say hello to a newly brightened and blackhead free face!

Tip: Mix lemon and water and create a tonic to apply with a cotton ball to your entire face to act as a brightening toner! Be careful not to leave it on too long and keep it away from your eyes!