Caramelized Bananas

Most Sundays, I whip up brunch for Jason and me. It always involves bacon and typically also involves some sort of bread entree (waffles, pancakes, french toast) and eggs.

I was all set to whip up some waffles when lo and behold I realized that we were out of maple syrup. After arguing about who was going to run to the store and coming to the conclusion that neither of us would, I realized I had all the ingredients to make caramelized bananas. They are a quick, delicious waffle topping for a decadent brunch treat.

Ingredients:

3 bananas, sliced into fairly large chunks

3 tablespoons of corn syrup

6 tablespoons of butter (never said it was healthy)

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

To do:

Add your butter to a saucepan over medium heat.

Add the corn syrup and the vanilla extract. No need to wait for your butter to fully melt.

(robe-clad. that’s how I roll on Sundays) Note: I use light corn syrup, but you could also use a dark one; it would just yield a darker caramel color.

Let your buttery mixture simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When it’s ready, it should have darkened slightly and thickened slightly, yielding a buttery, liquid caramel.

Remove the pan from heat and add the bananas. Toss until coated.

Bon Apetit!

The Way I Wore: A hot date to Eric Clapton

Monday night, Jason picked me up after work, we stopped by the Whole Foods buffet to pick up some dinner and some brews and headed over to Eric Clapton. He was pretty awesome in concert and my date was pretty fab, too.

The Way I Wore

Mustard Lace Cardigan: Rodarte for Target

Gray T-shirt: Alternative Apparel

Funky Skirt: Lllavender (local designer)

Gray Tights: Spanx

Suede Mary Janes: BCBGeneration

Necklace: House of Harlow

My Seksi Date:

And the man with a plan:

p.s. I am due for a bang trim.. they are long and hang in my eyeballs so I have to push them to the side. My hair girl gives free bang trims but how much do you tip on a free bang trim? Anyone know?

Seriously Torn

Have you ever been so excited to do something but know that you’ll be missing out on something else that will be totally awesome. It’s like how do you choose which awesome thing to pick when you can’t but you have to?

You don’t choose. You just get a DVR. Thank GAWD for technology.

My pal DVR will be recording Gossip Girl while I’m at the Eric Clapton concert tonight. Saving grace.

Factual Monday: A bunch of little facts

1. I wear a size 9 shoe.
2. One of my top 5 requirements in a husband had to be that I could wear heels and he’d still be taller than me. Thanks for being tall, Jason.
3. Speaking of Jason, my girlfriends and I lovingly refer to him as Hazon amongst ourselves. This is because, he showed up at my townhouse one drunken night in college when I wasn’t there and left a message on our dry erase board signed “Hazon.”
4. I can pretty much guarantee that anyone who shares my maiden name is related to me.
5. Growing up we always had weird pets (ferrets, sugar gliders, lizards) because my dad is allergic to cats and dogs.
6. My dad was not always allergic to cats and dogs
7. I married the first man I loved. Sometimes I think I am missing out on some part of life because I’ve never really been heartbroken, but then I think that’s probably okay.
8. My front tooth is 1/5 fake.
9. Oh, and my bottom teeth are crooked. Maybe braces (again) one day?
10. My favorite flower is a daffodil.
11. Sometimes I purposefully weigh myself after going #2 and pretend any weight loss is due to working out.
12. I get a lot of satisfaction from peeling a sunburn.
13. Current favorite snack: 1 handful of m&ms, 1 handful of pistachio kernels, 1 handful of goldfish crackers… shoved in mouth.
14. I am a mixture of both terrified and exhilarated at the thought of having a baby. Right now the terrified part weighs a little more heavily.
15. I still sleep with my “blankie”
16. I cannot stand to eat squash (of the acorn variety) and sweet potatoes (unless they are of the fry or pie variety). These foods incite my gag reflex like no other. In fact, as a youngster, my mom thought I was just being a drama queen and made me eat them. Then, one day, I vommed all over the table and she never made me eat them anymore.

And now, the moment you have all been waiting for! The Factual Monday Winner from last week is…

….

….

….

SPARKLEOFMYVERYOWN, who writes:

I like to leave random things on people’s doorsteps. Sometimes it’s something good, and sometimes it is something funny, or funny to me. Example: Once, not too long ago, me and a friend left a copy of Purple Rain (the movie) at someone’s door. (I would like to live in your neighborhood)

____________________________________

Now it’s your turn. Go forth and leave your amazing, weird, inspiring, totally awesome fact(s) about yourself in the comments section and see if you’re next week’s winner! (pretty, pretty please leave a fact/comment. I love to read them. kthxbai)

Alice

She drank from a bottle called DRINK ME
And up she grew so tall,
She ate from a plate called TASTE ME
And down she shrank so small.
And so she changed, while other folks
Never tried nothin’ at all.

-Shel Silverstein

(recently rediscovered my copy of Where the Sidewalk Ends that my grandma gifted to me in 1990 (!!!) aka TWENTY YEARS AGO!)

p.s. It’s still pretty awesome.

The Way I Wore: First Friday

Raleigh has a knack for pulling people together. Every downtown shop, art gallery, office, and restaraunt comes alive with the buzz that is “First Friday” - an evening of socializing and merry-making dedicated to the first Friday of each month. Jason and I got home from work, swapped out our casual friday for a first friday look and headed out to be part of our community. We saw art; we drank wine; and we ate food.

It was all good.

The Way I Wore

Striped Top: Eight Sixty

Skirt: French Connection

Tights: Hue

Shoes: BCBGeneration

Earrings: Forever 21

Rings: Wedding and Kenneth Jay Lane

A few weekend reminders

Gratuitous:

1. You can still shop my closet

2. You can still ask me a question. (Truth: I really like answering your questions)

Not gratuitous:

1. March 6 is National Chocolate Cheesecake Day. Who are you to forget important holidays like that?

2. Sign up for the amazingness that is Groupon.

My Spring Picks

If I’m being completely honest there is really nothing that stands out fashion-wise to me as screaming SPRING 2010 (!!!!). Perhaps it’s a result of the recession, but many of the trends from spring’s past still work this year. So, instead of picking up major clothing pieces, this spring I’m focusing on a few key things that can be mixed and matched with what I already own to make my look au courant.

Here’s what I have my eye on.

A Leather Vest. Springs answer to the never-ending army of leather jackets that infiltrate winter and fall. Pick one up in a fun neutral like gray to pair over floral dresses and with denim shorts and a tank.

Mike and Chris, $294 (was $495); Forever 21, $32.80

Polka Dot Dress. I’m partial to navy with white polka dots as opposed to the more traditional black. Something about the navy just seems more fresh and all-American to me.

Paul and Joe, $460; ASOS, $82.05

Leopard print in an unpredictable color like RED. I would wear these sexy hot shoes with everything from my favorite LBD for a night on the town to my denim cut-offs and a plain t-shirt while getting day drunk with my honey. Show off them seksi legs, girlfran!

Dolce & Gabbana, $643; bebe, $159

Denim in an unexpected silhouette. Swap in your standard denim skirt for a lightweight version in a poofy silhouette. Pair with a striped tee, your biggest sunnies, and some espadrilles for a weekend picnic.

Marithe Francois Girbaud, $374; Ann Taylor Loft, $69.50

Bright pink lipstick. Nothing screams warmer weather then hot pink. And what better way to wear it than on your lips. It’s such a non-committal change that’s sure to draw admiring eyes.

shu uemura (color: PK 369), $23 

This is what I’m saving my pennies for this spring. What are your must-haves?