Fashion Show Highlights (Spring 2008 RTW)

Today I'll post videos of highlights of three different fashion shows that features designs from Spring 2008 Ready-to-Wear collections. Enjoy!

Milan Highlights


New York City Highlights


Paris Highlights


Great Wall of China Highlights


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I am Back and Here to Stay. . .with Recipes =D

I work in construction as a commercial electrician and I hurt my right elbow so typing, writing, cooking, yepper. . .Thanksgiving was a challenge. . .everything is painful. . .but I am back and sooo happy. I am hoping that everyone has been able to enjoy great food, family, fun stories, new fun stories to talk about now and LOTS of leftovers to worry about getting eaten! I decided that I wanted to blog about my timeline for Thanksgiving. I always go all out. I do. . . and I am exhausted for several days after.

I have decided that I am going to post all my pictures and recipes as I go but they will have to be done over several days since I am back in college too and do not have the time to do this whole project at once. My Thanksgiving Day started like this:

Breakfast:

Ham and Cheese Quiche

Crepes with whipped cream

Homemade Hot Chocolate

Beverages:

Cold Beer

Iced Tea

White Lightening Sangria

Chilled White Wine

Chilled Champagne

Appetizers:

Deviled Eggs

Shrimp with Homemade Cocktail Sauce

Chilled Crab Dip

Garlic Feta Cheese Spread

Frito Munch Candy

Veggie Platter

Cheese Platter

And

Cracker Assortment

Dinner:

1st Course: Strawberry Salad in Puff Pastry Shells

Brown Sugar Brined Turkey with Apricot Glaze

and Roasted Onion and Shallot Gravy

Mashed Potatoes with Cream Cheese, Chives, Butter and Cream (Seasonings)

Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Bananas with Honey

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus clusters

Garlic and Butter Pull-a-Part Rolls

Pineapple and Brown Sugar Glazed Ham

Cranberry Sauce with Raspberry Vinegar

Steamed Corn

Dessert Tray:

Pumpkin Fudge with White Chocolate

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Homemade Pumpkin Ice Cream with Caramel Sauce

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Two Different Pumpkin Pie Recipes

Rich Chocolate Pecan Pie with Caramel Sauce

Pumpkin Toffee Cheesecake

Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Filling

Apricot-glazed Turkey With Roasted Onion And Shallot Gravy Recipe

Apricot Glaze:
1 c. apricot nectar
1 c. apricot preserves
2 T. minced, peeled, fresh ginger
1 T. honey
Herb Butter:
3/4 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
3 T. chopped fresh Thyme or 1 T. dried
3 T. fresh chopped Sage or 1 T. dried
1 1/2 t. salt
1 t. pepper
Onion Mixture:
2 T. unsalted butter
3 Large onions, thinly sliced, about 2 pounds
6 large shallots, thinly sliced
Turkey:
1 21- to 22-pound Turkey
1 14 1/2 ounce can (or more) low-salt chicken broth. . .I use organic chicken broth
1 t. chopped fresh Thyme or 1/2 t. dried
1/2 t. chopped fresh sage or 1/4 t. dried
Gravy:
1 14 1/2 ounce can (about) low-salt chicken broth. . .again, I use organic chicken broth

Directions:

For Glaze:
Combine all ingredients in heavy small saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened and reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 15 minutes.
For Herb Butter:
Blend all ingredients in small bowl. Set aside.
For Onion Mixture:
Melt butter in heavy, large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and shallots and saute until very soft and light brown, about 20 minutes. ***(Glaze, herb butter and onion mixture can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill. Bring herb butter to room temperature before continuing.)***
FOR TURKEY:
Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Pat turkey dry with paper towls. Season turkey cavity with salt and pepper. Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan. Slide hand under skin of turkey breast to loosen skin. Spread half of herb butter over breast under skin. If stuffing turkey, spoon stuffing into main cavity. Place remaining herb butter over outside of turkey. Tie legs together loosely to hold shape of turkey.
Roast turkey 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Roast turkey 1 hour 30 minutes, basting occasionally with pan drippings. . .***I now add some organic chicken stock to bottom of pan***
Tent turkey with heavy-duty foil; roast 45 minutes longer. Add onion mixture, 1 can chicken broth, thyme and sage to pan. Roast 15 minutes.
***Note: I add about 3 cups of organic chicken stock at this time and I have been baking turkey for 3 HOURS.***
Bring glaze to simmer. Brush 1/2 cup of glaze over turkey. Continue to roast turkey uncovered until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180 degrees F or until juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with skewer, brushing occasionally with glaze and adding more broth to pan if liquid evaporates, about 40 MINUTES longer for unstuffed turkey (and about 1 hour and 10 minutes longer for stuffed turkey). Place turkey on platter; tent with foil. Let stand 30 minutes. Reserve mixture in pan for gravy.

For Gravy:
Pour contents of roasting pan into strainer set over large bowl. Spoon fat from pan juices or use a grease seperater cup. Transfer onion mixture in strainer to blender. Add 1 cup pan juices to blender and puree until smooth, adding more pan juices and chicken stock if necessary to thin sauce to desired consistency. Transfer sauce to heavy, large saucepan and bring to boil. Cook until color deepens, skimming off any foam, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve turkey with gravy. =D

Pumpkin Toffee Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients:
1 3/4 Cups (about 14 to 16) shortbread cookies, crushed
1 T. butter or margarine, melted
3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 Cups packed brown sugar
1 can (15 ounces) 100% Pure Pumpkin. . .(Libby's =D)
2/3 Cup (5 fluid ounces) Evaporated Milk
2 large eggs
2 T. cornstarch
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1 Cup (about 25 to 30) crushed toffee candies or use a bag of toffee bits
1 container (8 ounces) sour cream, at room temperature
2 T. granulated sugar
1/2 t. vanilla extract
Caramel Ice Cream Topping (optional but Delicious)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
For Crust:
Combine cookie crumbs and butter in small bowl. Press onto bottom and 1-inch up side of a 9-inch springform pan.
Bake for 6 to 8 minutes (do not allow to brown). Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.
For Cheesecake:
Beat cream cheese and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, cornstarch and cinnamon; beat well. Pour into crust.
Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until edge is set but center still moves slightly. Remove from oven; top with toffee candy pieces.
For Topping:
Combine sour cream, granulated sugar and vanilla extract in small bowl; mix well. Spread over warm cheesecake.
Bake for 8 minutes. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Remove side of springform pan. Drizzle with caramel topping before serving.
Very good. . .and a note to myself. . .since my refrigerator will be packed along with an ice chest full of ice and groceries, put foil over top of cheesecake and a rubber band around this and set inside a box on front deck along with other chilled dishes like your cranberry sauce. . .It worked great this year. Of course the weather was at 32 degrees. . .deciding factor. =D

Pumpkin Ice Cream With Caramel Sauce

Ice Cream:
2 Cups whole milk
1 Cup half-and-half
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. ground allspice
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
1/4 t. ground ginger
6 egg yolks
3/4 Cup granulated sugar
1/3 Cup packed brown sugar (Light)
16 ounces (I use a 15 ounce can instead) pumpkin puree (Libby's)
1/2 Cup whipping cream
1 t. vanilla extract
Caramel Sauce:
I Cheated and Bought 3/4 Cup caramel Sauce
1/3 Cup whipping cream. . .you still need this =D

Directions:

Steps:
To prepare the ice cream:
Place the milk, half-and-half, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and ginger in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, cover and let sit for 30 minutes.
Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, brown sugar and pumpkin. Strain the warm milk into the sugar mixture, whisking well. Pour back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.

Remove from the heat and stir in the whipping cream and vanilla. Pour into a bowl, cool slightly and refrigerate about 3 hours, until completely chilled.

Pour into an ice-cream maker and freeze according to package directions. Then transfer to a chilled bowl, cover and freeze. Place in refrigerator about 1/2 to 1 hour before serving because this becomes rock hard. . .experience has lead me to add this last step.

To prepare the caramel sauce: Yes, we have cheated but we also have come to be able to happily accept this now open secret. We are going to heat the caramel sauce and cream together gently on top of the stove or in a microwave just to warm. Stir well until smooth and blended. Serve warm over the ice cream. . .I don't know why I am adding this because it seems to be a no-brainer =D

Prada leather bracelet with watch design

I just found this Prada leather bracelet with watch design. Isn't it cute? It even has the hands of the watch! I first thought that it was a watch (a weird but nice looking watch) but the description told me otherwise.

Would you wear this bracelet and have a watch on your other wrist? It might look weird from afar, wearing two watches on both wrists. I think this would look nice alone, without a real watch to pair it with. Don't you think so too?

Royal Icing and Icing Bags

Royal icing....it may just be the easiest icing you will ever make. It is perfect for cookie decorating. Royal icing dries hard and shiny, so cookies can be stacked and icing stays pretty when cookies are packaged.

To start, you'll need meringue powder. Ateco is my favorite...I think I've tried them all. :) It is a little hard to find, so any meringue powder will work. Follow the instructions for Royal Icing that come with your meringue powder. The most important step: sift the powdered sugar! Believe me, I've tried to shortcut this step...it doesn't work. (My favorite powdered sugars are Domino and C & H, but as you can see from the picture, any will do. Imperial is easier to find in the 1 pound boxes.)

No matter what recipe you're using, you will beat the icing until it comes to a stiff peak. When the beater is pulled from the icing, the peak should stand steady. You can also pull the beater off the mixer and hold the whisk attachment upright. The peak should stand, even if you wiggle it.

At this point, you can add a few drops of flavoring if desired. Remember to use a clear flavor as brown will tint the icing.

Pastry bags...I can't say enough about disposable decorating bags! They are great. The 100 bag box is a perfect use for the weekly 40% off Michael's coupon. :) Use the bags with the white couplers to easily change out the tips with the same bag of icing.

Once you've filled the bag with icing (I generally only fill half to 2/3 full), twist the top and stand upright in a glass. If your bag will be sitting awhile unused, place a dampened paper towel in the bottom. Just be sure to squeeze a little icing out first before going to the cookie. The tip might be too wet and you'll have a water blotch.

Spring 2008 Ready-to-Wear Shoes

Here are some of the ready-to-wear footwear that will be released Spring next year. They are from the collections of some of the top designer brands in the fashion industry.

Yves Saint Laurent Sayuri platform sandal

Versace Patent leather peep-toe pump

Stella McCartney Lace-up clog with bead detail

Sergio Rossi Gold paillette platform peep-toe sandal with coral detail

Roger Vivier Kitch'Net platform pump

Ralph Lauren Phylisse boot with patent detail

Proenza Schouler Flat with metal heel and two-tone ball

Prada Suede T-strap shoe with floral detail

Oscar de la Renta Perforated patent crisscross sandal

Nina Ricci Leather T-strap sandal with bead detail

Narciso Rodriguez Metallic leather ankle-strap sandal

Miu Miu Python boot with jewel detail

Marni Patent leather sandal

Marc Jacobs Metallic flat boot

Manolo Blahnik Lace-up sandal

Givenchy Metallic leather ankle-strap sandal

Giambattista Valli Crepe platform sandal with Swarovski crystal bow

Donna Karan Raffia Flower Petal mule

Christian Louboutin Satin platform mule

Christian Lacroix Python ankle-strap sandal with jewel detail

Christian Dior Blue Angel spectator pump

Chloé Patent leather wedge ski boot

Chanel Pearlized Rainbow pump

Bruno Frisoni Leather sandal with striped bow

Brian Atwood Patent leather Nico pump

Alexandra Neel Psycho peep-toe pump

Alessandro Dell'Acqua Strappy platform wedge

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Swimwear for Muslim Women

What you see in the picture above isn't a cross between a 50's swimsuit and a casual dress. This is the new line of swimwear launched especially for Muslim women. It's created by Muslim twins, Rima and Rasha Mezal, and it conveniently covers the whole body.

This line of swimwear is called Mezal (after the twins) and is starting to gain popularity not only in the twins' home in UK, but overseas as well. Oh and the Mezal swimwear isn't exclusive to Muslim women only - the twins claim that a lot of women have to cover their bodies due to religious, cultural and even medical reasons. With this in mind, Mezal comes handy because it allows women to enjoy swimming without the hassles of wearing big shirts, leggings and the like.

You can visit Mezal to check out their other designs.

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Charming charms!

Juicy Couture doesn't only offer really cute apparel and bags, they also have this line of charms that are absolutely cute! You can put them on your bag or cellphone strap, or create a bracelet using different charms hooked to a JC chain. Or, you can just set them up for display! Here are some of the Juicy Couture charms available: