Christmas cookies.... MMM

This year I decided to make bake my gifts.

Nigella inspired me, and once I started... I really couldn't stop.

This is her Nigella Christmas edition. *LOVE* love, love!

 
So, I took it all the way, right down to the hand made labels, boxes, tissue paper and christmas tins.
I made Nigella's chritsmas cookies (below) and added crushed peppermint on top.
The traditional sugar cookies, some vintage lavender shortbread (recipe given to me from the lady at "The Vintage Gardener" in the distillary), Nigella's cream cheese brownies (p. 194 "How to be a Domestic Goddess" and you will be if you make these, they are to die for), the most amazing Christmas Granola ever (Nigella's recipe again, of course), the lovely Nigella's "Peanut Brittle with Art and Soul" (I substituted maple syrup for golden syrup and I added almonds and cranberries at the end), and for Christmas Eve I made my first triffle. It was naturally, Nigella Lawson's "Boozy British Triffle" and it was quite lovely!

Would I do it again? Yes... despite the appearence of a bomb blowing up in my flour bag and creating a man-made quake in my tiny kitchen, with a bit more planning and some more recipes under my belt I will forge ahead. It was fun and people seemed to genuinely appreciate and enjoy the treats. So, I will bravely attempt this again... next year.

The grand finale!

Triffle, boozy baby!

Ti's the season... show a little HEART.

No, it's not a joke... it's a tradition.
"Honest Ed's" is giving away free Turkey's this weekend! (Click on the link) Isn't that nice. Heck, just the thought says a lot. Sharing is caring.
They say Ti's the season to be giving but how many of us really do it?
That's a lot of love for a world that needs a little warmth.

I saw a homeless man pay for his own coffee the other day .
For a split second I thought he was begging but he reached into his pocket and poured the coins on the counter. I was in my own world, consumed by my own personal crisis and it wasn't until after I walked out that it "clicked"... I could have helped him out. My eyes welled up with tears. I wonder how many times something like that happens and no one even thinks twice. We all have busy lives and our own concerns and issues, don't we? But what's it to really GIVE?

To Give: To present voluntarily and without expecting compensation.

I realize that when people hear the word "give" they assume that it means "money" but that's not true. Believe it or not a SMILE can go a long way for someone having a rough day. Or just an "I LOVE YOU" to someone you care about. Our HEARTS are bigger than we think.

my book "heart" from me to you!

There are many things we can do FOR FREE that can brighten someones day: just lend a helping hand, a hug to a loved one, volunteer an afternoon or lunch hour to help out a charity, offer to shovel snow for the little lady next door or rake the leaves, or just offer your seat to someone else on the subway/bus/streetcar. Your time is the greatest gift, why not give a little? Make the time, to give the time of day to someone.

I guess you don't need a season to actually do this. It's much easier than we think.

Just open your HEART. :)

Jimmy Choo at H&M... begs the question "how gaga are you for cheap Choo's"?

pics: nitrolicious.com

I must admit, mastermind Tamara Mellon of Jimmy Choo working with creative advisor Margareta van den Bosch of H&M has a great strategy tie-in for enhancing their merchandise by capitalizing on the "fashionably-cheap" concept especially during recessionary times, very apropos. While already on their roster of Haute includes Stella McCartney, Viktor & Rolf, Karl Largerfeld and Roberto Cavalli we now have the first shoe designer in toe. With Jimmy Choo in the lineup this holiday season, it is yet another example of how to enable people, brilliantly in a time where most are thinking twice before splurging! Apparently teenage girls are at the top of this list. Good place to start.

So Stiletto lovers, what do we think? Anything for a Choo? There are reports of salivating, insane line ups of 'sex-and-the-city' aspirers waiting patiently for their turn to indulge as easliy as Carrie could hop over to Prada or Gucci and pick up something fun for the night or to cheer her up after a rough day. Given the buildup it's no real suprise that people are in love with this notion. Just look at the interesting bevy of celebrities showing support, these fabulous smoking 'hot couture' pics (as I like to refer to it) have been plastered everywhere, not to mention the hype globally surrounding it all like a cat in heat!

I'm more than curious to see if the "name" supersedes the quality. By that I mean, what percentage of people will sacrifice quality for quantity once they actually get the goodies home and on their personal real-life runway. My guess is, a lot. I love what H&M can do for fashion. Everyone gets to look cool. While I'm not overly excited about the quality of the designers changing dramatically to do this, it's a smart move when you think about the mass marketing opportunities and how many demographics are now open to trying it out because of the exposure. I'm already seeing visions of "Reitmans vs. Haute Couture" Ad's with amusing and live new material dished out, straight off the streets.

While I ponder all of this, at the end of day for 150 smackeroos or a lot less for some, you can flash your hot new Choo's-du-jour under the table without having to file for bankrptcy! Enticing as that sounds, it begs the question "are people so hungry they will settle for fast-food-shoes"? Is doing the Choo at H&M indulging in a cheap fling causing the cycle of fashion addiction to fall to new levels of obesity? Is Choo to H&M what salads are to McDonalds? Fake trickery? Or is it simply fun for all?

While I know I would not personally wait around for hours in crowds to get the Choo's, to be honest it's mostly because I hate lineups. Also, for argument's sake if I knew I could get the real deal at Winners for example, for the same price as H&M but twice the comfort, that would be my first choice. I'd rather wait. I know that most people probably don't care when you consider the fact that Nine West and other regular brands are already in that price range. When given the choice, why not get a pair of Jimmy's for a fraction of the price. It's the holidays afterall!

Another stilletto confession of mine is that I'm a believer in quality over quantity even when it comes to the hottest fashion. That being said, anything can be overdone when abused. Being a shoe addict I can tell you, the truth hurts. It hasn't stopped me from wearing stilettos of course it's just that I'm more aware of going down the road of "is the pain worth it"? But don't take my word for it, even Posh is supposedly getting "foot surgery" to remove bunions caused from years of stiletto abuse. And we all know what she wears - the good stuff! So can you imagine what the ones made in China will do to your feet? I'm just saying. Think about it. And with surgery comes quite a few unecessary & unwanted "stiletto -free" days. So, balance even for the addicts is probably necessary. I'm living that one. "Holiday shoes" are sounding more and more appealing. Live in the moment for the moment just remember to alternate those hot spikes!

Were in changing times and this may only be the begining of a new expression "Let them wear Choo's" since it's becoming more and more evident through the various collaborations which in turn are 'improvements' to main stream shopping - we can have our cake and eat it too! Will your tootsies hate you long after you've settled for cheap? Or does it just make the real duds worth the doe? Perhaps this is the groundwork for the millions of budding shoe addicts still emerging and this will be the encouragement they need to go for the gold one day. :)

Tell me, how gaga are you for cheap Choo's?

'Tis the season...where should one shop?? Fabulous Recessionista ideas on how & where to save money.

Picture from Martha Stewart website.

Every year it's a dilemma for many... "I don't have time to shop" and "where do I begin?"

But this year I'm sure many people are also contemplating how they can also save money. Here are some simple tips that work for me and perhaps it will save you some time and cash this year. :) "Recessionista" friendly people!

Make it simple - make a budget and a list:

1). First thing is to make a list of all the people you want to get something for.

2). Second thing is to decide on a total budget you want to spend on everyone.

Divide evenly so you have an average per person and if you know that you want to spend more on certain people put that amount beside their name and then subtract that from your total so you know how much you have left for everyone else. So, now that you have your list and dollar amount you can begin!

For some simple suggestions for those in the $20-50 range these are my suggestions:

1). For the avid readers - shop or pick up a Gift Certificate (GC) at Chapters - can't go wrong here, people will have tons to choose from especially once things go on sale... right after Christmas!

2). For the all-things-girly - shop or grab a GC at Sephora - if you can't find something yourself that you think they'll like.

3). For the "newly moved in" or always looking for something for their place pick up GC at IKEA, Pier One or Winners (yes they have a home section too).

4). For those who love pampering - GC for a manicure or spa treatment- great for all the holiday parties and family gatherings for any girl or perhaps a massage?

*The great thing about GC's is that you can get lots online or if you do decide to go out, go on weekdays when it's less busy avoid the big line ups! Plus, surprisingly sometimes no matter how well you know someone, sometimes a GC is a better way of truly making someone happy and giving them the choice, not give you the "oh. this is a great pair of snowman socks again. Gee thanks" response.

Other suggestions to save money. My favorite, stay at home and start from scratch:

Picture from Martha Stewart website.

1). Bake sugar cookies, coconut macaroons, seasonal Christmas muffins or baked goods of your choice and wrap them up in cute bags with ribbon to give away.

Picture from Nigella's website

2). Make your own personalized vodka and gift bag it. ( suggestion - check out Nigella Lawson's recipes for chili and pomegranate vodka in her Nigella Christmas edition. Also try making lemon or chocolate vodka).

3). Make homemade mulled wine or apple cider. So easy!

This is when getting the "cheaper" stronger wine is not an offense it does make the best mulled wine. ha ha! I like simple recipes from Jamie Oliver or Williams-Sonoma as suggested in the links above MMMmmmmmm.... sooo good! That will warm you right up and if you're making it, you get to taste!

Picture from Williams-Sonoma website.

4). Send out homemade cards. You can get simple ones from your local craft store that you can paint, draw and decorate yourself or use photographs!

5). Use natural "green" ingredients for decorations - pine cones, berry wreaths, seasonal flowers like poinsettias and amaryllis as well as holiday greenery for table, mantle piece and staircase decorations. The smell will be fantastic!


Picture from Martha Stewart website.

And last but not least for a little inspiration - watch Nigella's Christmas Kitchen if you want something easy and fun to make for your girlfriends and there's no swapping of gifts.

So hopefully this year this might have helped a little and instead of the dreaded shopping and what to do, it will be happy shopping, baking and all that jazz!
I'm putting on the carols and heading to the kitchen myself. :)
Good luck!

Pastries & Cupcake heaven!

Montréal is the city of L'amour... which to me, means Hot fashion but also Delish food!

One of my personal little favorites I like to go each and every time I am there is "Premier Moisson" the boulangerie that makes your mouth water, even if you just ate! Apart from the smell of freshly baked croissants, flaky pastries, french bread, pecan tarts, pain au chocolat & rich tiramisu to name a few... it did not disapoint... I assure you.

Looking back at the pictures alone make me want to move back and spend every morning being first in line with coffee and paper in hand. Also duly noted cute little cupcake shop we stumbled across beside the Notre Dame church in Old Montréal called "Les Glaceurs" Glaces & cupcakes. YUM!!!!

So beautiful you didn't want to eat them! They also have freshly made gelato all natural ingredients but the cupcakes stole my heart. I had to have the Red Velvet with Marscapone/cream cheese icing which I was informed was their best seller. People come in and buy a dozen at a time. I could have just ate the icing by itself! MMM....delish!!

Ah, Montréal I will be back. On gloomy days, these little delights are a feast even for the eyes!

Ah, the "Joie de vivre"... if you can't get there anytime soon check out reviews for "ten best cupcakes" in Toronto, in the meantime at least you can feast your eyes here mes amis!

Madonna donates Diors for a Gypsy Cause

I know, I know. The whole world is writing, tweeting and blogging about this, but I just think it's so refreshing that "the material girl" is a woman of her word. Ironic, perhaps but, so few people are what they say, it seems.

Donating her fav Dior skyscraper stilettos and autographing them for a charity that supports the gypsies she believes need help, says a lot.
She puts her stilettos where her mouth is for sure! Respect.

While on her "Sticky & Sweet" tour in Bucharest, she was booed for her 'free speech monologue' in her protest for the local gypsies who are being treated badly. Ah, people may not always agree with individual opinions, especially when perhaps one is not fully informed however freedom of speech is one thing, and standing up for what you believe is another. At the end of the day, she stood up to the rejection of her own fans and now this gesture is proof - louder than words, shall we say. You go girl! That takes guts.
I wonder how many people would do that?

Then again, how many people have multiple Diors to even consider giving away?
Ah, it's the thought and even more the action that counts in the end.
How many people live their lives like that? That is the question.
Actions maketh the man, not words.

But those Stilettos sure do maketh a woman happy!
Don't they??

Thanksgiving Comforts. Roast Chicken with Lemon, Fresh Herbs and Prosciutto and Grilled squash with sage, butter & parmesan. MMMMmmmmmm!

I suppose it doesn't have to be about complete indulgence and over the top fattening goodness when it comes to Thanksgiving... however there is no harm in taking the "known" favorites and spiking some flavour into it all!!
That is my favorite thing to do with cooking. Play with flavour.
Much like the idea of throwing a punch of color into your black wardrobe with a bright pashmina or a pair of colorful stillettos. Same concept. In this case with the food... end result..... mouth watering deliciousness.

So since this is officially my first posting for a recipe idea, if anyone has comments to add please feel free. Easy with the criticism, I'm a tender bud. :) Besides it's easy to leave out things I normally do, I just assume everyone washes their hands and ties up their hair... but hey! ...I could be wrong.

I have a few ideas for this Thanksgiving to change it up this year.

Here is one of my favorite ways to spike up your roast chicken, instead of a turkey for this Thanksgiving!

Roasted Chicken with Lemon, fresh Herbs and Prosciutto

You will need:
- 1 whole free range chicken
- your choice of root vegetables washed & roughly chopped
-Fresh rosemary, thyme, tarragon (few sprigs of each, say 4-5 ea. save some for the veggies)
-thinly sliced prosciutto (5-8 slices)
-1 whole un waxed, washed lemon
extra virgin olive oil (few table spoons)
-salt and pepper (to taste)

Approx 1 hour - cook & prep time

Tips for prepping:
1. Get all your ingredients out before starting
2. Have paper towel and roasting pan at hand
3. Chop veggies and toss them in oil first before working with chicken
4. Cut lemon, chop herbs etc before dealing with the chicken
5. Always wash hands every time you've touched the chicken before you touch something else

Directions:
1. Preheat oven 325 degrees F.
2. Rinse out the bird and pat dry with paper towel.
3. Sprinkle salt and pepper in the cavity of the bird.
4. Chop a lemon in half and a few sprigs of fresh herbs & pop inside the cavity.
5. Rub all over the bird with a few teaspoons of olive oil, sprinkle with fresh pepper.
6. Then wrap the bird width wise (across the body) with strips of prosciutto (try and take the fat on the outside off as much as you can).
Tip * You can use thyme or rosemary sprigs to fasten the prosciutto to the bird.
7. Sprinkle with fresh chopped herbs on top.
8. Now place the bird in a roasting pan (I like to foil it on the bottom so that washing up is easier) surround it with roughly chopped root vegetables of choice (pre tossed in olive oil & salt and pepper)

9. Put the oven on grill and place the roasting pan on the top shelf in the oven
Set the timer for 8 minutes - 10 minutes (depending on size of the bird).

10. When crispy, turn the bird and repeat for another 8- 10 minutes.
Each time you check the bird, baste it with juices in the pan. This way it will be juicy and evenly crispy in the end. Trust me, little lovin, goes a long way!

11. Turn the oven down to about 400 degrees (may depend on how hot your oven is, you don't want too high heat or it dries the bird out).

Generally speaking for a smaller bird (say enough for 2 people) 20 - 30 minutes will do, then let it rest for 10 minutes covered in foil so the juices sink back into the meat for the ultimate flavour.

There is a rule of thumb you can follow (usually it will say on the wrapping how many minutes per pound) but this is the easy way - when you insert a knife and juice runs clear, it's cooked!

I made this recently and it is DELISH!!! Simple and Goooooooood!
The lemon/herb/prosciutto flavour is sooooo good you'll want it every weekend!

A good side dish?
Grilled squash with sage, butter and parmesan.
I love squash and it it is the season so why not!














You will need:
- 1 large squash
- the leaves from 2 sprigs of fresh sage
- 2 tsp of butter
- a couple pinches of all spice or cinnamon
- few tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan (as you like)
Tip * -cut the 'curved' edge underneath off so it's easy to put on a baking tray later.

Directions:
1. Cut squash in half, seed it and put in large pot of water to boil.
2. Use fork to check for tenderness after about 10 minutes.
3. Put the oven on Grill.
4. Place foil on the bottom of a baking sheet.
5. Drain squash and place on the baking sheet.
6. Place a glob of butter in each, with fresh pepper, all spice and freshly chopped sage and then grate fresh parmesan cheese.
7. Grill for 10 minutes, until golden brown.

This recipe is so quick and easy, you'll wonder why you need spend more time to make something tasty and it's good all winter long. YUM!!

Happy Thanksgiving and good luck to all you cooks out there!

Men can walk in Heels too!! "WALK A MILE IN HER SHOES" opens up the world of heels to men for a good cause!

Well, well, well..... let's not assume that men can't do it too!

Yes they can... WALK IN HEELS and for a good cause! In this case it's RED HOT!!

Red Patent Leather.

I applaud my friend Emmanuel Belliveau (TV show host and designer) who is going to do it for real tomorrow.

Noon - 2pm, Dundas Square: charity "Walk a Mile in her shoes" and end violence against women and girls.

Check it out people this is no joke. http://www.walkamileinhershoes.org/

In fact ET Canada will be following him and it will be on TV tomorrow and Friday night.

If you want to sponsor him, click on this link:

http://wrc.akaraisin.com/pledge/Participant/Home.aspx?seid=2529&mid=9&Lang=en-CA&pid=161624

I might have to get my butt down there just so I can get some live footage myself.

Kudos to all the brave warriors in heels!

Walk the walk, soon ... you can talk the talk.

"So you think you can dance"... more like "So you think you can do THAT in Stillettos??"

I almost forgot!! I am going to see "So you think you can dance tour" Season 5 tomorrow! omg I can't wait!!!

Are you kidding me? Dancing and heels together is a marriage of love and lust on fire! I fell in love many times over watching Brandon and Janette.

One of my personal favorites is the DISCO where I often wonder, how insane do you need to be to really dance in heels? They are flying!!

You need more than trust in your partner and ridiculous skills, you need some insanity in your blood! WOW... totally loco... I love it!

You have to check out those links, for those of you who have not fallen under the spell yet. ridic.

Ellen DeGeneres helps out with a few dancing skills of her own! :)

Rest assured, I will have my STILLETTOS on tomorrow in full celebration!! HeLL YEAH!!

What's your secret?

I have heard, "You have great skin. So what is your secret?" a few times in my life.

I suppose I could say "good diet, lots of sleep, H2O" and all that good stuff. However, I think the real secret is "Chanel" and now ... alas! it's no longer a secret!

I'm in love with the entire Chanel skin care line and although I've only been using it for the past 6 years I will admit, I am a "product whore" and love to test everything out before I mark my territory!

Picture taken from: http://uma.chanel.com/skincare/hydration.php

My current magic potion - Hydramax + Active Gel Creme and the Hydramax serum! oooh delish!

So it's safe to say that Chanel comes out on top for me, every time because of it's consistency across the board. I will say I did try many samples before I actually invested and I would refer to it's power over me now as the "love nectar" that I simply can't seem to live without!

Prior to my addiction, I tried and tested Clarins, Dior (for a number of years until they changed the line and took all the cremes I loved and the replacements were not the same!) DECLÉOR, Dr. Babor, Pevonia, Dr. Hauska, and countless other brands.While some of these products had certain items that I liked, I was not sold on the entire line.

My conclusion, apart from the fact that I am ridiculously picky, is that some things are just timeless!
Timeless also means eternal, without age, without beginning or end.
Ask me in 10 years what my secret is! :)
S0...What's your secret?

"Stilletto Confession"

I changed chiropracter's a few times and one of them told me recently, that my stillettos were causing my migraines. LUDACRIS! Seriously, how does one function in life without the stilletto? In fact when I looked in my closet the only other shoes I had were sneakers and flip flops.

I simply had no other choices! However I'm willing to test anything out and it was at the very least an excuse to shop for shoes! So I decided to invest in a pair of "stylish but comforable" shoes. I looked everywhere. I take all shopping seriously but I decided I didn't want to spend too much money as it was just an 'experiment'. I found a pair of black paton leather, kenneth cole reaction, low wedges on sale for $55 and was thrilled at the new "weekend shoe"!

Well let me tell you, for some reason that damn wedge was an accident waiting to happen and I fell and slipped on level ground so many times that I really began to wonder... "is the stilletto the only shoe I can wear?". I mean I can run in them, I can wear them in all weather conditions, including snow, ice, rain and have NEVER fallen. In fact, I have been known to wear heels shooting hoops, cooking and a host of other things that supposedly one does not do in heels and I've more than survived... I pimped it! lol So what is the deal???

Pic of me NYE 07 in stillettos... in the snow!

Nevertheless, I decided to stay focused on the task and see if there were any improvements with my "migraine situation". I bought a few more cute pairs I could wear with my suits and pants that I've worn with lower boots in the winter.

So it's been quite a few months since I began this experiment. I have been dilligent with my "testing". Here are my conclusions so far; I still get migraines and I still run better in stillettos!

Celebrate the stilletto!

Viva Louboutin!

http://www.christianlouboutin.com/

When it's grey outside... think color and comfort food!

While color may not be the answer to adding some "zip" to how you feel on a grey day it can actually affect the mood of those who have to look at you!

Trust me, when you take public transportation or you have to walk through herds of people downtown to get to wherever you're going... a pop of color can be a welcoming change of scenery to the dead pan faces of those who are not particularly happy with the current change in season! Plus we all know what it's like when everyone at work is dressed for a funeral and no one died. It rubs off at some point.

Perhaps adding a little color like a bright pashmina (knits are big this fall) or colorful purse can put some punch to the all black look you've been sporting. My sure-fire way of doing this is to dig into the shoe closet and wear the ones I've neglected because they don't "match" anything.. well that all black look goes with everything! Personally, the "throwing in some color" actually works for me because I respond to other people's smiles rather than long faces, don't you think?

And if all else fails, comfort food is really the fool-proof way of warming up the grey in no time at all. One of my personal favorites is Pho. So last night I decided to make my own version which turned out spicy as all hell but extremely comforting and so simple.

Here's a good pho recipe if you're into trying yourself from the Steamy Kitchen:

http://steamykitchen.com/271-vietnamese-beef-noodle-soup-pho.html

If you're not about to step in to the kitchen to 'heal' yourself then check out these quick fix spots in Toronto for other types of comfort food and banish the blues!

http://www.soupnutsy.ca/about.html (so delicious with a homey goodness you'll forget all about your blues. Chicken Noodle is always a fav of mine, but there's a huge selection to choose from so not to worry!)

http://www.sweetlulu.com/ (for those who are 'picky' you can literally pick every ingredient)

Enjoy!