Brie and Raspberry Hors D'oeuvres

     This recipe is for the brie lovers out there. I, myself, enjoy a good en croute around the holidays, but tonight I made a tasty little treat for any time of year!

You will need:
2 oz brie cheese
1 tsp sugar (preferably brown)
1-1mm slice of butter (a tiny "pat," if you will)
2 tbsp apricot preserves
1/4 c raspberries (frozen or fresh)
orange zest
an oven preheated to 350

     I made a small portion, suitable for a crowd of 5 or less. If you are serving more then multiply the recipe by 3, since most rounds of brie are 6 oz. (Some are 8 oz, in that case, multiply by 4. I assume most people can do basic math, but you never know.) Just go by the amount of brie you use in comparison to the amount I used.

     If you are new to brie, this would be a nice way to introduce yourself to it. In case you are not familiar, brie is a creamy French cheese made from cow's milk. It definitely has a funk to it, but I think it's a friendly funk, not repulsive, like some cheeses can have. I cut the crust off for this particular dish, but there's nothing wrong with leaving this edible crust on.

     Start by placing your chunk of brie in a baking dish or ramekin, top with sugar and that little slice of butter.

I used white sugar because I was out of brown, but if you have brown, use it.

     Bake the cheese until creamy. It can take 5-15 minutes, depending on your oven. When it's done, stir the ingredients together. Keep an eye on it, because you want it creamy, not runny. If you accidentally let it go too long, letting it cool for a bit can help get it to the ideal consistency. Like so:

It looks like an empty ramekin, but there is in fact cheese in it.

     While the brie is getting to know the butter and sugar in the oven, heat the apricot preserves in a small saucepan, on low.

I use "no added sugar" preserves, but if you prefer the regular version, the finished product will just be a bit sweeter.

     Add the raspberries. I used frozen, so if you use fresh, just add about 1-3 tsp of water. Throw the orange zest in while you're at it.

     Heat until thin, stirring pretty much constantly with a wooden/bamboo spatula.

 
     When both the sauce and cheese mixture are done, pour the sauce over the cheese. If you are serving this at a shindig, I would plate the cheese, then pour the sauce over. I, however, was eating this by myself so I just mixed them together; it's not as pretty. Serve with crackers or crostini. Spread the mixture upon your chosen vessel and enjoy.

I recommend these crackers.

     For someone who has not quite acquired the taste for brie, but would like to enjoy these, you can spread a layer of apricot preserves on the cracker before adding the raspberries and brie. It makes for a sweeter treat. Enjoy!

Product Review - Laura Mercier Tightline Cake Liner

          The past month I've been using Laura Mercier's Tightline Cake eyeliner. It is, as the name implies, a cake liner. It comes in a cute little compact, and you apply it with a wet lining brush.

       I was very impressed with the versatility of this liner. Because it's a cake liner, you can make very bold, dramatic lines, and softer, smokier lines with the same product. The only thing you have to change is, obviously, your brush stroke and pressure; but also the amount of water you add to the brush makes a difference in the intensity. The more saturated the brush is, the more intense the color will be. Another great thing about the cake liner is that it lasts a long time, I've been using mine a month already and have barely made a dent in it. I go through eyeliner like Tammy Faye, so if it can last me a long time, it'll last the average woman forever!

Here it is used in a violet smokey eye:

      Overall, I was pleased. I'm giving this 4 out of 5 stars, because I still have to use Tigi's Perfect Liner for my inner rim, since it's a pencil. I'm okay with using both because pencil stays on the inner rim longer than brush application would, and I can still use the cake for the bottom, outside of the rim, since it can be blended easily. I love it!!

Summer salad recipe (guest blogger)

Hi, I'm Monique from the Lisa Monique Blog at www.thelisamonique.com.


The Lisa Monique blog has a little something for everyone, you'll learn help tips and tricks for you and your baby along with yummy recipes, beauty tips & other fun things I love and want to share.

Cooking is one of my passions along with living a healthy and organic lifestyle, I've been playing around with a few summer salad recipes & wanted to share this one with you all in the "ClusterFudge world" ;-)

One of my rules I give myself everyday is to eat as many colors in my diet as possible, & stay away from white, & tan foods. Salads are such an easy way to fit in as many "colors" aka produce into my day. Most people just see them as boring & healthy, or do something like slather a preservative filled dressing all over it, which kind defeats it's purpose.

What you'll need:

Baby spring mix (or your favorite lettuce, try to get as dark of green leaves as possible, they have more nutrients.)

watermelon

blue cheese crumbles (optional)

1/2 teaspoon grated ginger (optional)

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

1/2 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons honey 

2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

2/3 cup coconut oil (or canola oil)

Step 1.) Make the dressing. Mix  rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, honey, sesame seeds, & ginger in a bowl.

tip: to grate your ginger, but off a corner piece like the picture below.

Shave off the edges & grate it with a cheese grater or use your garlic press.

Step 2.) Put coconut & sesame oil together. 

Here is where you can change it if you want. I love the taste of coconut oil, if your not a fan use canola oil. If you want just a hint of the coconut oil flavor do half canola oil & half coconut oil.

If you're using coconut oil you will need to heat it up so it is smoother, warm it up over VERY LOW heat until it is completely melted for easy mixing.

Step 3.) Whisk together the oil & rice wine vinegar dressing mixture. 

Step 4.) Arrange lettuce, watermelon, & blue cheese crumbles on a plate and drizzle dressing on top!

Sorry the picture above is so blurry. I already devoured half of this salad before I realized the pic I took wasn't so great. LOL. My mouth was watering while I was making this, I couldn't resist any longer.

I hope you all enjoyed this recipe, be sure to check out my blog & on my Lisa Monique FB page for more recipes! 

XOXO

Product Review - Brazilian Peel Clear by AHA

     I recently received a sample of the new Brazilian Peel Clear by AHA. My face had about 2-3 blemishes before the peel, so I had a good canvas for comparison. (Ever since my pregnancy last year my skin has been prone to more break outs.) I'm always up for new skin treatments since scientists find new chemical combinations on the regular.

    First, you have to remove all make-up and wash your face.

Scientific research here.

     Next, open the tube. You would think that this step doesn't need directions, but it makes the process easier. The treatment comes in a double tube, each syringe filled with one half of the treatment that is activated when you combine them.

     Twist the lid and pull straight out. It doesn't just screw off all the way, you have to remove it after you loosen it. Then, when you're ready, push the plunger down and squirt the entire contents into your hand. Mix together and apply to your face. It will feel very warm at first, then tight. Leave it on for 10 minutes, then rinse and wash away any residue. Blot your face to dry.

     Immediately after the treatment, my skin did look brighter. I was pleased, until the next morning when I woke up with about 3x the blemishes. One thing to note is that in order for an acne treatment to work, it has to bring all of your blemishes to the surface. So even if you didn't know you had a zit there, it was just under the surface. After about 5-7 days my skin was a lot clearer than before the treatment. 

     This is a weekly treatment and it works, but that's because its a high concentration of salicylic acid, one of the most common topical acne treatments. It'll be in the neighborhood of $75-100, depending on who you buy it from. There are definitely cheaper solutions available. I'm aware that this is one of few professional strength peels available to consumers, but honestly it worked as well as a salicylic acid wash or moisturizer. Although I was impressed, because of the pricing for such a common treatment, I'm giving this 3 out of 5 stars.

     I'm always up for suggestions on new products to review! Let me know your thoughts on FaceBook at ClusterFudge's FB!

FaceBook Contest

Once my FaceBook fan page (www.facebook.com/clusterfudge269) gets to 100 likes, I will have a contest for my FB fans only! The prize will be a $25 gift card to either Amazon or iTunes, winner's choice! So go "like" my page and share it with your friends for a chance to win!!

Product Review : Trend Tips by OPI

In my last Sephora order, I decided to get "Trend Tips" lacquer strips by OPI. I have never tried these before and they had a lot of cute designs, so I figured, "Why not?"

Let's get one thing straight, I am a barber, not a cosmetologist. My craft is hair, make-up, and shaving; not nails. I have seen five year olds that can paint nails better than me. I am terrible at painting nails. Having said that, I love these lacquer strips because I could apply them!

They come in a little foil packet and it tells you to use them all after you open them, but I sealed my left overs in a Ziploc bag and they lasted another week. There was enough to do my fingernails and toenails, plus it was so easy!

All you have to do is peel off the backing and press it onto your nail. After smoothing it,  file the edges off in a downward motion. This not only cuts the perfect shape, but helps seal the edges. It was not difficult at all, and I did both hands relatively quick. They don't have to dry or set, you can use and even wash your hands immediately after. They have stayed on for the past week (I know they'll last longer) without chipping. I've only had to replace one and that was because I ripped it off taking off a band-aid.

I was very impressed with these strips, they were only $12 and as mentioned before, I have zero talent for painting nails; so if I can do it, anyone can. I'm giving them 5 out of 5 stars because you can get a mani/pedi for $12 in about 12 minutes.

 My beautiful work. ;-)