FOODIE | DIY NYC Pizza

London in comparison to NYC falls fairly short on the pizza front.  So I decided to create a pizza, at home in the UK, that incorporated some of my favourite food experiences of NYC.  Enter my pizza blanco with pulled pork!

The Stove on Sunday: Barefoot Contessa's Truffle Butter Turkey

Thanksgiving always holds a special place in my heart after spending it with friends in Massachusetts, back in 2005, so my mum always tries to create a pseudo Thanksgiving dinner for me.  Our guilty pleasure is American TV chef Ina Garten, aka the Barefoot Contessa.  We love her and her recipes as well as finding some of her idiosyncrasies quite irritating.  Her poor husband, Jeffrey, only ever seems to be cooked chicken because it's his favourite and she says "How good is that?" an awful lot.  On the build up to Thanksgiving, the Food Network were running all of her Thanksgiving episodes, including this rather indulgent recipe for truffle butter turkey.  We decided to test run this for a potential new way of cooking our turkey at Christmas, as it's no secret that it's not the most delicious of poultry.

Ina only used the crown of the turkey rather than the full thing, which we never do, as some of the more tasty meat is the dark meat in our eyes and cooking without the bones can make it dry also.  However, we decided for the sake of the test run, we would just use the crown too.  After all, we're not really American and it's not really Thanksgiving to us, so a whole proper turkey seemed a little bit extravagant for a Thursday evening.

You will need:

Turkey Crown (or whole Turkey)

3 oz Truffle Butter

Fresh Thyme

Some Black Garlic (this was our own addition)

Salt

Pepper

Olive Oil

How To:

1. Place the turkey in a roasting pan and pat dry with paper towels

2. Release the skin from the meat carefully, so as not to tear and begin to place the truffle butter underneath.  We actually mixed our truffle oil with standard butter instead.  We also had black garlic recommended to us by a friend, so we also placed a few cloves of this under the skin too.

3.  Press your hands across the turkey skin in order to evenly distribute the butter.

4.  Season with salt and pepper and drizzle olive oil across the meat before placing into the oven at 325 degrees F for approximately three hours, remember half way through to cover the turkey with foil so as not to burn the skin.

5.  Serve with your favourite roast vegetables.

On tasting the meat it was a little dry, which we attributed to the fact we were just using the crown but it was quite impressively flavoursome considering it was cooked without the bones and the dark meat.  It had a richer taste than usual but it did not overpower.  Considering we spent somewhere near the region of £70 for our turkey last year and it didn't taste as delicious as this one we figured that we could actually get away with purchasing a much cheaper turkey and instead cook it in this manner to ensure the flavour.  To ELLE and Back brings you another credit buster, in the form of a turkey dinner, of all things!

We also took on board Ina's table decoration ideas...

"How good is that?" *wink*

The Stove on Sunday on Wednesday: An Italian Kitchen

Do you know that the last time I did a Stove on Sunday post was the 28th of August.  That's a month and a half ago!  What have I been doing on Sundays, or the rest of the week for that matter, that has prevented me from posting a damn food post on the correct day.  Due to said lack of Stove on Sunday posts I have become a tad precious about it..."I can't possibly post about food any other day, it has to be sunday!  I can't post about wintry treats until I have written my Italian food posts yet either..." and so I've done nothing about either one.  Well I need to nip that in the bud immediately, as it's mid October, Halloween is looming upon us and I have loads of autumnal bakes and wintry soups (not sure I do have a soup to write about but I panicked and needed a winter food) and lord knows what else to blog abut for sure.  So here it is, on Wednesday, The Stove on Sunday: An Italian Kitchen.

Whilst visiting Tuscany in August ,we dined out in some rather yummy and reasonable restaurants, as well as creating some delicious Italian themed treats back at our apartment.  Both nights we dined in, we dined out in the garden.  I dressed the area to allow for a twinkling retreat for our evening meal.

For our first meal, myself and my sisters organised the menu.  We began with bruschetta which was warmed on the barbecue.  For this I sliced ciabbatta bread whilst my sister softened red peepers in a pan.  Using handmade pesto I spooned enough to lather the top of each piece of bread with it.  Placing the peppers on top of the pesto and tearing a piece of buffalo mozzarella for each, we placed them on the barbecue long enough for the mozzarella to begin to melt.  Such easy preparation but makes for a great starter!

As the main meal we recreated a dish we'd had in a restaurant in Tuscany a few years back.  Again, very simple, steak placed on rocket leaves with shards of parmesan cheese on top.  No pictures I'm afraid but you can take my word for it, it's good.

The real wow factor dish of the week though was my mothers stuffed courgette flowers.  Courgette flowers are not readily available in the UK and some of you potentially are gasping at the thought of them.  I guess you may be able to get them from a specialist food store but I've never seen them anywhere.  If you do ever come across them, here is what they look like...

Quite an Italian speciality, my mum recalled a recipe she had seen quite some time back for them and decided to attempt it.

You Will Need...
Courgette Flowers
Ricotta Cheese
1 Lemon
Flour
Sparkling Water
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

How To...


1.  The courgette flowers were prepared but my mother still used a paper towel to wipe the insides.  If they are not prepared you may want to google what should and shouldn't be left in.

2.  Mix the ricotta with lemon zest and and salt and pepper to season.

3.   Fill each flower with the ricotta mixture.

4.  Create a batter with the flour and sparkling water.  We actually had to use beer because we picked up the wrong water but it worked just as well, hey it may have even been yummier!

5.  Place each stuffed courgette flower in the batter to cover and then place them in a frying pan half filled with extra virgin olive oil.  You could deep fry them but we decided to shallow fry them instead, although there was a little more oil than normal to ensure it cooked all the batter.

They should come out looking something like this...

If you do come across them then I really recommend using them for a dinner party.  They're so extraordinary and unusual that I think everyone would be mighty impressed at the effort.  I was a little disappointed with the flavour but I doubt that's nothing a little more seasoning couldn't rectify.  They were a great combination of textures too, crunchy on the outside only for it to ooze with creamy warm soft ricotta on the inside. I also think a nice dip accompaniment could add another dimension to the delicacy.

We served them with a tomato and pesto salad, Tuscan sausages and pasta with a meat sauce.

The Stove on Sunday: French Food in Chamonix

Cheese features highly in my food posts, most recently seen in my The Stove on Sunday post on Goat Cheese Tarts.  So, if like me, you are dairy obsessed then read on because this promises to be the ultimate cheese post!

We stopped over in Chamonix for one night, on the way to Tuscany, as seen earlier in the week in Chamonix in Pictures.

Upon arrival we headed straight out for our evening meal and ended up making quite a brisk but impeccable choice to dine at Le Carlina.  The outside tables, although a little chilly, despite the patio heaters, was incredibly atmospheric and it felt very French to watch the passers by and look out to the snow covered mountains whilst drinking red wine.

All of us had quietly decided that cheese would be our order of choice and after much deliberation and debate we decided to get the fondue and the raclette to share, as none of us could decide which we would prefer.

The raclette looked something like this...

I love the simplicity of this meal, after all it is just raclette cheese heated to be eaten with side dishes such as potatoes and bread.  There is no skill required and yet it is potentially one of the most delicious meals going. I have had this before in Switzerland but we all agreed that the cheese was particularly creamy and good at Le Carlina and it was hands down the best we have tried.

Both this and the fondue came with accompaniment dishes of different hams, including bresaola and chorizo, mini gherkins, mini pickled onions, bread and potatoes.  The fondue had a slight twist to it and was expertly chosen by my sister @holly_mcnally.  With the promise of mushrooms accompanying the fondue we were shocked to discover that instead of a side dish they were in fact incorporated into the actual cheese dish.  We were further shocked to see that instead of whole pieces it had been added as a kind of liquid form.  You could distinguish the mushroom flavour but on the same hand it was not too overpowering as, mushroom hater @hannah_mcnally happily appreciated.

Fondue has been sampled by myself on many occasion and although a frequent orderer of it I am usually hugely disappointed upon eating.  Perhaps it's the gruyere, perhaps it's the kirsch but either which way, after several mouthfuls the waves of sickness set in and I am utterly horrified at the site of any more cheese.  This, as you can imagine, due to my declaration of love for cheese, leaves me distressed.  Surprise, surprise though I could have kept on going with this version from Le Carlina.  I have no idea if they used a different cheese, or a different alcohol or a different ingredient in general but this was more than tolerable and I ate way too much of it.  This and my dad's version made with cheddar and beer are the only fondue's I can honestly say I love.  Hopefully I'll get the chance to post my dad's version some time.

We topped the meal off with a coffee that makes me realise that no matter how much I love Starbucks it will never be as awesome as this...

None of us could manage dessert, except this girl...

She had two scoops, one Ferrero Roche and the other Kinder.  The choice was insane and highlighted once again how rubbish ice cream parlours in the UK are.

The following morning we stopped by the local Boulangerie to pick out something for lunch for the second part of our journey to Tuscany.

This extraordinary brioche caught our eyes and although we didn't buy it that time around, when my parents came home via Chamonix they kindly picked it up for our breakfast back in England the following morning.

The pink clusters, we initially assumed, were some kind of dried fruit, perhaps strawberries but on further investigation we discovered they were praline.  I have no idea why or how they were pink but it tasted like sweet popcorn and is apparently made with sugar syrup.  It was a different twist to your standard brioche and was perfect adorned with butter and eaten with a fresh pot of the most stunning hazelnut coffee my parents had bought me in Italy.

The lunch we chose from the boulangerie was actually croque monsieur's for most of us and although I don't have any pictures of the best croque monsieur I've ever eaten we did try and re-create them upon my parents return.

You Will Need:
White Bread
Beschamel Sauce
Cheddar Cheese
Ham
Mustard
Pepper to season

1.  Layer one slice of bread with mustard and then the beschamel sauce
2.  Place ham over the sauce and follow by grating a thick layer of cheese onto the ham
3.  Season with pepper
4. Place the second piece of bread on top to create a sandwich
5.  Layer the top of the sandwich with mustard and beschamel sauce
6.  Grate another layer of cheese on top of the sandwich
7.  Season with pepper
8.  Place in a preheated oven of 180 degrees
9.  Cook for around 20 minutes or until golden brown

Hopefully they should turn out something like this...

We ate these and the brioche out the front of our house looking out to this, which just made them picture perfect moments...

And then, as most of us British know, the rain came.

On a final note, those on the East Coast of the States, friends, readers, family etc I hope you have not been too affected by Hurricane Irene and have/are keeping safe.xxx

How to Recycle your Touche Eclat

You made it.  After sprinting for the last five minutes you've managed to just wedge your foot in the train door in time.  With one swift push, you're in!  Phew!  You wipe your brow and search around to check that everybody didn't just see you launch your glamorous self into their cabin.  You straighten yourself up, flash an embarrassed smile and slink into the nearest seat.  The only thing you didn't have time to do this morning was apply your lipstick.  Rifling through your bag, out comes your chosen colour.  Now where is that lip brush?  A sensible woman would put all these kinds of beautifying ingredients into a make-up bag.  You remind yourself that you are not sensible.  You shirk off your own criticism and continue to rummage.  First hands, then arms disappear.  Soon your entire head is in your Marc Jacobs and your beginning to emulate a scene from Mary Poppins.  Pens, mints, antibacterial hand gel and other random but very useful belongings are strewn out of the bag.  You huff, you puff, you fall back into your seat, exhausted.  You could just apply the lipstick like a normal person but what would be the point of purchasing a lip brush in the first place?  Plus you can administer far better control of that hot pink colour with the brush, so as not to scare your colleagues.  No.  You will not be beaten.  You dive back in.

Is this anybody else?  I bought a lip brush, and it is so teeny tiny, I'm looking for it far more than I am ever using it!  Then I had, what I consider a pretty cool idea.  An idea that not only saves you this arduous start to your day but is also credit busting, which seems to be a regular phrase on To Elle and Back.  I tend to keep a lot of empty products, mostly to use as travel sizes for when I'm on holiday, you can see how I do that in The Smart Girl's Guide to Travelling Light.  I had, however, accumulated three finished YSL Touche  Eclat's, for a reason far beyond my knowledge but that's beside the point.  On yet another occasion when my trusty lip brush was playing hide and seek, I realised that when cleaned properly the brush from the Touche Eclat could essentially do the same thing.  So I did just that.  I used my antibacterial brush cleaner on the Touche Eclat brush and have been using it as my lip brush ever since.  It's bigger than my original and even when buried in the deep depths of your, read my, Mary Poppin's bag you're guaranteed to see the shiny gold packaging peering out beneath your random but very useful belongings!

Have you got any DIY treatments, products etc that work just as well as those you purchase?

Sephora's Instant Moisture Mask

Skincare products tend to fall into one of two categories with me.  Either super good stuff that I've taken a great deal of care with selecting and promises to keep my skin youthful (some of you may know I have an obsession with ageing).  Or totally and utterly quirky and bizarrely fantastic.  The product I'm about to tell you about actually falls into both categories.  When perusing Sephora in France, back in April, I decided that I would only purchase something that I couldn't get in the UK, as otherwise I was paying a similar price, if not more, for standard goods that I could get from Selfridges.  I came across the Instant Moisture Mask and I'm not going to lie, the initial purchase was based on it looking like this...

Skincare in a smoothie flask!  How cool is that?! 

Once I got over the initial excitement I actually came to learn that it looked like a pretty reputable product too.

This fun flask contains four sachets of powder which should be used once a week across a four week period.  After doing this for the first application I discovered that actually it created way too much product.  In fact I did my face, neck and hands, along with my sisters and my mothers and there was still some left over.  You should also note that we did apply quite substantially too, so honestly one sachet is way too much for one application.  It says not to store the product and the same goes for the powder either but I have been using less powder each application and folding the end over on the sachet and keeping it shut in the flask until Sunday appears again.  I haven't died yet and seems to be business as usual after using the product so I think you're safe to assume that actually you can get two months worth of use out of this, a total of eight applications.

There is a black line quite low down on the side of the flask, which you should fill water to.  Only fill it to that line if you intend to use the whole sachet though, otherwise fill it halfway to the mark.  Add half or all of the sachet, depending on your requirements.  Place the lid back on the flask and begin to shake vigorously.  FYI this is like an insane workout for your arm.  Basically you have to shake until the product no longer makes a sound.  The powder reacts with the water to create, guess what, a smoothie like consistency.  This takes about 4 minutes I'd say.  You are recommended to apply the mixture to your face, neck and back of your hands and leave for 5-10 minutes.

The mask looks like a clear gel and has a really nice aftershave-esque scent to it which I love but I guess may not be for everybody.  It's cooling on the skin and feels incredibly refreshing.  The aim is to intensively hydrate the skin, offering it a boost when it's looking and feeling a little dull.  It considers itself to be suitable for sensitive skin due to it not using parabens or preservatives and the act of you creating the product yourself means that, and I quote "active ingredients are preserved and the formula is more effective".

I really rate this mask a, because it does exactly what it says on the tin.  I found that my skin did look smoother, more rested and glowing and b, because what cool packaging!

I trialled this every week as recommended and ditched my mid week mask that I would usually do as well to see if the results carried me through the week, which they pretty much did.  I also decided not to use this as part of my DIY Facial routine I do on some Sundays and instead used it alone across the month so I could really gauge the results.  

According to the website it's Limited Edition, I hope they get a good response from it and decide to implement it as a regular product as I've already re-purchased and hope to purchase again next time I'm abroad.

Instant Moisture Mask is available from Sephora for $15 or 8 Euro's 90(where the hell is the euro sign on my keyboard?!)

*Image taken from www.sephora.com 

The Smart Girl's Guide to Travelling Light...

The Metro did an awesome double page spread a few weeks back on travel sets by many a different beauty brand.  The majority were pretty reasonable too.  The fact that most were affordable but didn't compromise on style and cool factor was also a huge plus in my eyes.  All being around the £15 mark it was tempting not to blow £60 on about four different sets for my holidays BUT no matter how fun they were, none catered specifically to all my needs.  In true Carrie Bradshaw form "Suddenly I realised..." a simple solution was staring me in the face.  DIY and no I don't mean you should head on out to B&Q, this is me we're talking about.  I'm the first to go out and buy numerous products on a whim but I also love being able to save some money and discover an alternative route to the same outcome.  Some of you may be familiar with my DIY Facial, if not scoot on over here.  I applied that same mentality to transporting my beauty products and here's how you can to.

Glance across your dressing table.  Every product is in a different type of packaging.  Light, heavy, plastic, glass, big, small, square, round...Now focus on the smaller products.  That eye cream, those little bottles of shower gel you stole *cough* were given to you at the hotel, from your last weekend away.  A lot of the packaging we use can be re-used in some manner.  Some of my lotion and potion bottles I keep and use for decoration in my room, or vases but that's a whole other post entirely.  Basically I discovered that whilst I was chucking away  these pots, I could be saving them for the very time I don't feel like transporting that heavy glass Neals Yard bottle across the World.  

Here's what it should look like...

• Use your eye cream pots for your daily moisturiser.  You'll be surprised how it carries just the right amount for a week or two away.
• Any mini sample pots, from places like Kiehls, to carry your eye cream, conditioner or even foundation!
• Was there ever a better time to sign up to a sample service like Glossybox.  I re-used the Abahna shower gel bottle.
• If visiting a hotel there honestly is no shame in leaving again with their mini Molton Brown products they've supplied to you and again, once used, RE-USE!

The best news, is they're all 100mls or under so not only are they light on your hand luggage, they're also adhering to air travel rules.

If this is all a little too sensible for you though, then you can still decanter in style with this Mister Mascara set from ASOS for £7.15.  It even comes with stickers, which was the wow factor for me.  Smitten.

*Mister Mascara images taken from www.asos.com

The Stove on Sunday: Caramelised Onions

I'm sat here eating cold pizza that I created last night.  It really is so simple to do and not at all time consuming and it honestly packs a punch on the taste buds.  Move over Pizza Express.  I've done a post on how to make your own pizza here (you need to scroll down to the Non-New Yorker Weekend section for the recipe) but last night I topped it with smoked cheese and caramelised onions.  Last time I made caramelised onions they were rock hard and not particularly appetising along with being an absolute bitch to get off the bottom of my mum's pan.  Oops!   But I totally nailed it last night and again it was so simple.  I have no idea how I managed to screw it up the first time. 

Whilst my pizza was cooking I melted some butter in a hot pan and added chopped onions to soften.  Once softened I literally just poured a healthy amount of brown sugar, straight from the packet and continued to cook on a slightly lower heat.  Once the onions were really soft, I added the final ingredient, balsamic vinegar and continued to cook until they looked soft and syrupy.  I then distributed them across the pizza once it had finished cooking.

No pictures unfortunately because my camera is still being held hostage in France, although it will be back later today.  I just felt like I needed to tell you how simple it is to make one of my favourite pizza toppings!  My parents are requiring a snack later for when they return and I have a sneaky feeling I may be recreating this.

The Stove on Sunday: Goat Cheese Tarts and Currant Danishes

I'm obsessed with goat's cheese.  Anybody that really knows me, will predict that if the ingredient is on the menu, that's the meal I'll go for and God forbid there's two!  My mother hates the stuff so creating something in our kitchen with it is strictly forbidden.  Last night seemed to be the perfect time to defy this rule though, with her gone for the evening.  My sister and I decided to take full advantage of this opportunity and cook up one of my favourite Barefoot Contessa recreations, Goat Cheese Tarts.

I've made smaller versions of these before as they are a wonderful summer lunch dish with a side of salad but last night we upped the anti and went for full size tarts, one each.  Greedy!  I don't really consult the recipe anymore so some things may be slightly different from Ina's version.  Or if you're not vibing the tart, how about you head on over to this Something for the Weekend post I did back in September last year which features a goat cheese pizza....see, obsessed.

You will need:

1 packet of puff pastry (or a recipe to create your own if your that brave)

1 large tomato

2 large onions

4oz goat cheese

1 cup of grated parmesan cheese

Balsamic vinegar

Salt

Pepper

How to:

1.  Defrost the puff pastry and then roll out.  When reached the desired thickness, make sure it's not so thin that it breaks, place a small plate over and cut around with a knife.  Then create another circle within this circle by scoring with the knife.  Make sure you don't cut right through though as you don't want to seperate the pastry from each other.  Prick the middle circle all over with a fork.  Doing so means that the middle circle will not puff whilst the outer circle will, to create a border for your tart.  Repeat for your second tart.

2.  Sautee the onions until brown, seasoning with salt and pepper.  I also added some balsamic vinegar to give some extra flavour and caramelise the onions slightly. You could add white wine instead though, which I have been known to do on occassion.

3.  If you have a trusty servant, like myself, then hopefully they will have grated the parmesan for you whilst you were concentrating on the onions.  Place some of the parmesan over the middle of the tarts to cover this area completely.

4.  Place all of the onions over your parmesan.

5.  I like to slice my goat cheese so it sits on the top, I had 2 thick slices per tart but you would only need one thick slice per tart for smaller versions or you can even crumble, dependant on your preference.

6.  Slice the tomatoes and place one slice on top of each slice of goat cheese.

7.  Sprinkle the last of the parmesan over both tarts and place in a preheated oven  at 180 degrees celsius for 20-25mins. 

 They should eventually look something like this...

These make two huge tarts that could be eaten individually or sliced and teamed with salad or you could make 4 smaller versions with the same amount of ingredients.

Most likely you will have some puff pastry left over and if you fancy yourself being a true domestic goddess, my recommendation would be to pop in the fridge for the morning so that you can make a quick indulgent breakfast synonymous with a Sunday morning in the McNally household, Mini Currant Danishes.  The ingredients are usually things found rattling around your cupboards, the currants for example are leftovers from my Christmas baking rampage (don't worry best before date was Nov 2011).  There are no strict amounts with this, it's more a shove on what you need kind of recipe.

You will need:

Leftover puff pastry

Currants

Brown sugar

Butter

Cinnamon

How to:

1.  Roll out the remainder of the pastry and line with a thin layer of butter.

2.  Sprinkle a healthy amount of currants and brown sugar.  I also like to add a light sprinkle of cinnamon too.

3.  Roll the pastry up and then slice to form the mini danishes.

4.  Place on a baking tray and add a dab of butter on the top of each danish.

5.  Pop into a preheated oven at 180 degrees celsius for 20-25 mins.

Serve with coffee.  Bliss.

Something for the Weekend...

I'm back!  For those that follow me on twitter you'll know that actually I was back on Tuesday *Louisa shifts eyes sheepishly and makes an apologetic face*.  I had so many plans pre-Marbella for scheduled blog posts for whilst I was away and then for my return but being the last minute merch I am, neither of these things have happened and we are now sitting here on this glorious Friday 3rd June a whole four days post Marbella.  Woops!

Firstly please note that the weather has been pretty sweet in the UK since my return, which means religious statues need to be made in my honour as this can only mean that I brought the Spanish temperatures home with me.  This also means that this weekend we are all going to be manically sunbathing and wacking out those barbecues for fear that this is the only sun we will ever see in England until next year (quite feasible).

In honour of this nice weather I thought I'd do a bit of a Marbella inspired Something for the Weekend post.  So prepare for take off to our pseudo Puerto Banus...

Make sure you've packed sunscreen...

I sported this little treat available at Style Passport.  Not overly keen on the scent but it made my skin feel silky smooth and produced for the Australian sun means it's not only long lasting but also super effective for our half hearted weather. 

Invisible Zinc Face and Body Sunscreen £26

I also used this inexpensive beauty...not entirely sure that we can really call this a sunscreen but I love Palmer's Cocoa Butter and feel it's a body must have, especially for the summer months and this one does contain spf 15 so technically you are protected right???

Available at Boots for £5.10

Drag out your sunnies from the deep depths of your handbag...

I wore these Elton-esque glasses from Urban Outfitters. 

£16

They've got some seriously cool shades currently, other's I'm loving are...

£16

and these Olsen-twin-esque ones especially.



£16



When sunbathing it's basically a requirement that you read a good book, my recommendation, The Beach House by Jane Green.  I actually read this in the South of France last year so not quite a reflection of my Marbs trip but lets not split hairs.

From £6.89 at Amazon (please note from my image you cannot click to look inside-soz)

The description taken from Amazon...

"Nan, a widow whose family has flown the nest, is an independent, free-spirited woman who couldn't care less what people think about her living alone in her beloved beach house. But when she discovers that money is running out and she might lose her home, she knows it's time for a drastic change. Nan decides to rent out rooms for the summer and people start moving into the house, filling it with noise, laughter and tears. Among them is Daniel, a recently divorced father, who's struggling to find out who he really is, and Daff, the single mother of a truculent teenager who blames her mother unreservedly for her parents' divorce. As the house comes to life again, Nan finds her family growing. Her son comes home for the summer and an unexpected visitor turns up, turning all their lives upside down; Compelling, absorbing and poignant, The Beach House is a story of friendship, love and those moments that can change your life."

For some refreshing sophistication you should most definitely be sipping a Watermelon Martini as per this one I devoured at Nikki Beach on Monday.

Recipe taken from MartiniRecipe.net

60ml (or approx 2 oz) Vodka

You will need:

7.5ml sugar syrup

1 slice watermelon

Ice

How to:

Chop the flesh of the water melon.

Pour the Vodka and the sugar syrup into a cocktail shaker.

Add watermelon flesh.

Add ice.

Shake vigorously for a minute or two.

Pour and strain into a frosted martini glass.

Finish by garnishing the rim of the martini glass with a thin slice of watermelon.

And finally, if you're heading out for an ever cool night on the town then why not hit up one of the Sintillate parties in London, Bournemouth, Liverpool, Nottingham or Leeds.  Their parties were epic last weekend in Marbs, especially the Champagne Spray on Sunday but more to come on this in a later post.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

*Images taken from http://www.style-passport.com/, http://www.boots.com/, http://www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk/, http://www.amazon.co.uk/, 

The Stove on Sunday: Dukan Pancakes

So I haven't posted in a long time.  Like 5 months long.  Which is bad and doesn't really scream credible blogger that loves to write but even though I haven't physically posted I have been creating posts in my head for some time and I still keep up to date with all my fave blogs that I adore to read.  Spiritually I have still been a part of the blogging World.  I do love to write and I have really missed this thing which is why finally I've sat myself in our dining room at this very computer and began to compose this post.  I can't promise I won't fall off the radar again but I'm hoping that it won't be the case.  I actually really enjoy these moments of solitude whilst I gather my thoughts and ideas.  I get a buzz from experiencing or seeing things and immediately declaring in my head that "they shall be a part of this blog post with this title and I'm going to say this about it" but unfortunately of late (these past 5 months) that is as far as my blogging process has ever gotten.  My absence has been both due to my busy life and laziness.  The laziness is actually what follows my hectic schedule.  I work a full time job, with a long enough commute ( who doesn't I hear you scream) and then teach on a Saturday.  Both take up an enormous amount of my time and then with trying to fit a social life and some moments to just crash in, by the time I even have the opportunity to sit here and post, I just want to sleep.  I also have giveaway prizes that have never been sent from December which just makes me feel evil, rude and a fraud.  Another reason that I attribute my lack of posting to, sheer embarrassment.  Those that won shall expect an email from me today just checking addresses in case anyones circumstances have changed and they shall also get an extra something as my means of apology/bribe!

On that note I wanted to start my reunion with what I hope will become a regular post The Stove on Sunday.  I can't really define a genre for my blog as I am a mish mash of lots of different things which is why my interests are so varied and therefore there is no strong link between any of my posts.  I'm not a beauty blog, a fashion blog or a food blog.  I'm all of those things.  I'm also a movie, book and restaurant reviewer, a dweller on memories and someone that generally likes to regale people with moments from my life, hunourous or otherwise.  And so I begin...(again!)...

I'm headed to Marbella in under two weeks, which horrifies me as I type this as I really haven't prepared myself.  One thing I have made sure I've organised by the 26th however, is my diet.  I don't really need to lose weight, in fact most people look at me like I'm a crazy person when I say I'm on one and that I've lost half a stone (7lbs) BUT I have been eating way more than necessary of late, especially cakes, biscuits and chocolate, at work and there have been a nice ring of rolls that have formed around my waist line.  Ones that I have been perfectly happy to keep under wraps, until now.  The recent series of The Only Way is Essex has also helped spurr me on.  I by no means wish to look like any of the girls on that show, it's just not my style but I do know that there will be a lot of girls that do look like them by the pool on my upcoming trip (including possibly them) and I know that I have to feel confident and comfortable in my own body, especially if there are going to be these perfectly coiffed beauties around to compare myself to.  My mum has been on the Dukan Diet for some time now and lost about 2 stone and the whole hype of this new-found fat buster has been extra relevant due to it supposedly being the diet of choice by the Middletons before the Royal Wedding. 

So in true TOWIE style I decided to take on their much beloved phrase of "No carbs before Marbs" and embrace the Dukan, at least for a little while.  I'm really pleased with the diet and the results so far and I really don't feel like I've been too deprived.  Feeling like I'm missing out on my favourite foods is a big no no for me!  One of the things that has kept me going is my mum and the fact that she knows all these little sources for finding low in fat and low in carb ways to create food that isn't too far off the mark of what you would eat in your normal day to day life.  Which brings me to the matter in hand...pancakes with cinnamon butter.  How could these possibly be low in fat and good for you?  Because it's the Dukan way.

I think these are lovely and you don't need to be on the Dukan diet to enjoy them.  When it comes down to it we all love indulgent things but if anyone is watching the pounds or generally feels horrifically bloated after such a treat then this is the best way to combat those issues without compromising on flavour.

You Will Need

1 egg

Oat bran

Less than 2% fat natural yoghurt (check sugars as well, they should be under 6g)

Less than 5% fat cream cheese (same rules apply, it should really be less than 2% but thats virtually impossible with cream cheese unless you make it yourself)

Cinnamon

Sweetener

1.  Put the frying pan on a high heat with just a drop of oil so as not to burn the pancakes.

2.  Mix the egg, a tablespoon and a half of oat bran and a tablespoon of the yoghurt together.  This will create the batter.

3.  Mix a tablespoon of the cream cheese with your desired amount of cinnamon and a sprinkling of sweetener in a seperate bowl.

4. When the pan is steaming hot pour in the batter mix to create a small fat scotch pancake style size and cook until brown on both sides (they will be slightly softer than your average pancakes).

5.  Serve the pancakes hot with a dollop of the cinnamon butter on top which should warm also and begin to melt a little.

Simples.  The ingredients make two pancakes and if you're on the Dukan diet is the most you should have of anything like this for the day.  This breakfast really hits the spot though without making me feel like an absolute heffer, as pancakes so often do with me!

I teamed this with the very last of my favourite french vanilla coffee from Dunkin Donuts (sob!) and old episodes of Dawson's Creek.  A blissful start to any Sunday.

A picture of my pancakes would have been really good here but I didn't take one and so that's life.

*Pictures taken from (in order) destructoid.com, the Mail Online and hopingforsomthingtohopefor.blogspot.com

Oh the weather outside is frightful but my nails will be so delightful...

I'm starting to regret spending my "new winter coat" money on two L'Oreal advent calendars.  The weather hasn't quite turned yet but there is definitely an icier chill in the air, for my walk home from the station in the evening.  England, apparently, from Thursday onwards is set to look a little like this...



My sister and I Feb 2009

I may freeze to death with the "arctic winds" that are being threatened but whilst doing so I shall have the most perfect frost effect nails to match!

I used two coats of each of these two polishes...

To create this look...



To me, it screams frosted mint, which many a colleague has chuckled at me for.  The sparkle adds a snow globe quality to the metallic green, that is very much reminiscent of that Bath and Body Works snow globe, peppermint lipbalm I blogged about a few days back. 

I may not have a coat but style wise, I am more than ever prepared for the wintry week ahead.  Now if only they were scented too!

Something For The Weekend...

This year I have treated myself to two spa breaks.  Next year I plan to do the same.  I am a true believer in regular facials, however, until I've made my millions, I shall simply only stretch for a professional facial when attending Champneys.

If you follow me on twitter you will be very familiar with my "DIY facial" tweets.  If you do not follow me on twitter, then why the hell not, get yourself on over to here and make it happen!

I have an incredibly hectic schedule at the moment, so as soon as I wrapped teaching yesterday, I decided to just completely chill out.  So, for all those of you planning to do the same, here's my Something for the Weekend post featuring the DIY facial.

You Will Need:

Cleanser

Facial Scrub

Face Mask

Rosemary

Cotton Pads

Flannel

My personal choice of products are Neals Yard's Orange Flower Water as my cleanser (not quite a cleanser I realise but I swear by it), Dark Angels facial scrub from Lush and Catastrophe Cosmetic face mask, also from Lush.

Firstly I place the cleanser into my fridge to cool.  The face mask, if using one from Lush, should always be kept in the fridge to keep the ingredients fresh, in order for them to perform their best. 

1.  Once the cleanser has cooled, using cotton pads, remove all makeup and any residue from the day.

2.  When confident that the face is completely clean, take a coin size of the Dark Angel scrub and mix with water to form a paste.  Now use the scrub across all of your face, concentrating on your t-zone.  I like to rub vigorously but you will know what is best for your own skin.

3.  Run the flannel under warm tap water to saturate and then squeeze to keep it damp.  Be careful to make sure you remove all the scrub. (Dark Angel contains rhassoul mud and charcoal, is completely black and can get very messy but is well worth it!)

4.  Because this is so messy, I like to cleanse my face again, to make sure every last part of the scrub is removed.

5.  Boil a kettle.  Once this is done take it to your bathroom sink, along with your rosemary.  Fill the sink with the boiled water and empty a large amount of the rosemary into it.  Using a towel, place over your head and sink to steam your face.  Do so for 5-10 minutes. (Also great to ward off any colds now we've reached this icy weather)

6.  Pat dry your face with a clean towel and apply your face mask.  This should have a cooling effect after the harshness of the scrub and the heat.  Leave your face mask on, as long as prescribed.

7.  With the opposite side of the flannel remove the face mask.  Then apply your moisturiser as normal. (This is very important as a facial, although leaves your skin feeling smooth, can actually dry it out also.)

This whole process is so beneficial to me, as after several weeks, my forehead begins to become bumpy from, I assume, a mixture of pollution, oily t-zone and moisturiser.  After my DIY facial, my skin always feels healthier, smoother and generally blemish free, as if by magic!

I plan to do my facial today, whilst partaking in my new obsession, watching Kelly Cutrone's reality show Kell on Earth (she's my hero), on the website Bunny With Fangs.  It's addictive, check it out.

Have a fabulous rest of the weekend guys!

How to throw a FABULOUS Party, McNally style, for under £200: Part Two

As expressed in an earlier post, my mum and I love throwing a soiree or two and this year we've managed three already and we were super impressed with both the results and the compliments we received!  Each event has been incredibly different and priced around £200, basically cost effective sophistication and so I wanted to document all of them via pictures and with a little "How to...." vibe to them.  By no means are either of us the next Martha Stewart but we sure as hell gave it a try!  There were too many pictures to document in just one blog post, so I have seperated them into their three respective categories.  Part one was "How to throw a Sex and the City themed Cocktail Party", so if you haven't checked it out yet, you can do so here!  Part two is a little more season specific and would be fairly impossible to re-create in England any time soon due to our British Summer time ending back in early August.  So without further ado here's Part two....

We donned our summer dresses for a tres chic Garden Party........

My Godfather's 60th Birthday was fast approaching and being that they had attended my Grandfathers Garden Party organised by us five years back, my Godmother decided she wanted us to throw a surprise one for him. This was subject to many lies due to the fact they were staying with us at the time. Therefore the sheer concept that we managed to pull this off as a success along with keeping it a secret was pure genius, even if I do say so myself!

Tables were dotted around the garden with miss matching shabby chic tablecloths and a jar of sweet peas from the local country shop decorating them. Canapes were served upon arrival teamed with a glass of Champagne.

This was my favourite table

My mother and I have been collecting shells from random canapes we've been purchasing over the months from Marks and Spencers. We used these then to fill them half with smoked salmon and half with prawn cocktail, to be eaten with a mini fork. We also served tartines which are chunks of dried baked ciabatta topped with something of your choice. We chose parma ham, cherry tomatoes and basil.

The Ice Bowl

My mothers Ice Bowl! Fill a largish bowl with water and place in sliced lemons, juniper berries, basil, flowers or any other decoration of your choice and then place a smaller bowl in the middle. Place in the freezer to set and then fill with prawns or another ice cold delicasy.

My Magnolia Bakery cupcakes graced this partys presence also, although this time they were Charlton Football Club themed for my Godfather, unforutnately the red dye ended up being hot pink, which was slightly dissapointing.

We finished the day off with afternoon tea, which included homemade millionaire shortbread, birthday cake and the themed cupcakes.

Truly Scrumptious Cardboard Cake Stand £11 John Lewis