The Best Blueberry Muffin recipe…ever!

Last month I discovered a wonderful public television show called America’s Test Kitchen (which I can’t believe I’ve never seen before!) It’s a great concept; three dozen cooks testing recipes until they understand everything there is to know about each dish, including why they work or don’t work, to finally arrive at the what they determine is the absolute best recipe. How’s that for a great concept?

Anyone that knows my hubby and me, understands our immense love of blueberries. So much love that two years ago, we started our first annual blueberry day. No exaggeration, everything we ate or drank had to have blueberries in it! Well I have found what’s going to be on next year’s menu. I am thrilled to share their, “Best Blueberry Muffin” recipe with you, and they really are! Swirled with a mix of blueberries and a jam that you’ll make gives you tons of berry flavor without weighing the muffin down (too many berries or berries only sink to the bottom).  No soggy bottom blueberry muffins, ever again.

Ingredients makes 12 muffins

Lemon-Sugar Topping

• 1/3 cup sugar (2 1/3 ounces)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated zest from 1 lemon

Muffins

• 2 cups fresh blueberries (about 10 ounces), picked over
• 1 1/8 cups sugar (8 ounces) plus 1 teaspoon
• 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 1/2 ounces)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-teaspoon table salt
• 2 large eggs
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk (If buttermilk is unavailable, substitute 3/4 cup plain whole milk or low-fat yogurt thinned with 1/4 cup milk.)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

1. For the topping: Stir together sugar and lemon zest in small bowl until combined; set aside.

2. For the muffins: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray standard muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Bring 1-cup blueberries and 1-teaspoon sugar to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, mashing berries with spoon several times and stirring frequently, until berries have broken down and mixture is thickened and reduced to 1/4 cup, about 6 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes. (This thick jam concentrates the blueberry flavor and eliminate excess moisture.)

3. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk remaining 1 1/8 cups sugar and eggs together in medium bowl until thick and homogeneous, about 45 seconds. Slowly whisk in butter and oil until combined. Whisk in buttermilk and vanilla until combined. Using rubber spatula, fold egg mixture and remaining cup blueberries into flour mixture until just moistened. (Batter will be very lumpy with few spots of dry flour; do not over mix.)

4. Use ice cream scoop or large spoon to divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups (batter should completely fill cups and mound slightly). Spoon teaspoon of cooked berry mixture into center of each mound of batter. Using chopstick or skewer, gently swirl berry filling into batter using figure-eight motion. Sprinkle lemon sugar evenly over muffins.

5. Bake until muffin tops are golden and just firm, 17 to 19 minutes, rotating muffin tin from front to back halfway through baking time. Cool muffins in muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool 5 minutes before serving.

English Peach Pie recipe

I hate people who don’t share recipes. I especially hate those people who cryptically reply to your request for said recipe with “It’s a family recipe” instead of the ACTUAL recipe. I’m sorry, but I didn’t realize that I would have to resort to a DNA test and/or marriage to get a recipe from you. That being said, I am not one of those people. I have and will continue to shamelessly share any and all family recipes I possess. There aren’t many of them, but what’s mine is yours, ladies.

The recipe I bring to you today is for English Peach Pie. Now, I know some of you are actually picturing a pie right now, which is totally incorrect. This is more of a cobbler than a pie. Why is it called a pie, then? I have no clue. That answer died a few generations ago. You can add it to the mystery of Stone Henge.

English Peach Pie

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix by hand, directly in 13×9 glass casserole dish, the following:

• 2 large cans (29 ounces) peach halves in heavy syrup drained and sliced by hand (I say peach halves because if you use a can of sliced peaches, there aren’t very many slices in the can, but if you use a can of peach halves and slice them yourself, you get more fruit.)
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 T. flour
• 2 tsp. almond extract

Topping:

• 2 c. flour
• 1 c. light brown sugar (packed)
• 1 c. butter, chilled and sliced

- In bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Add sliced butter.

-Using a pastry cutter (a sturdy pastry cutter, not one of those sissy cutters that’s a glorified whisk. I’m pretty sure mine could double as a weapon in a pinch. If you can’t find a pastry cutter, a solid fork will work, it’ll just take longer), work the butter into the flour and brown sugar mixture until it resembles a coarse meal. Butter bits should be very small.

-Then, using your hands, press the remaining butter into the crumbs until fully encorporated. Topping will almost resemble a very dry, very loose dough. Crumble pieces of topping onto the peaches until fully and evenly covered.

-Bake for one and a half hours. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for at least one hour (if you are at all fond of your mouth skin). Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Now with time, things change, and I admit, I have tweaked this recipe a little bit. I doubled the recipe and use the same size casserole dish for a thicker dessert and I cut the sugar because the original recipe called for a full cup of sugar for only one can of peaches, which is a little sickening and I prefer to taste my fruit and not just sugar. Whenever I make this, the hubby finishes it off in a few days, so I think I did something right (or horribly wrong). I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

An interview with Jessica of Angel Face Botanicals

Could we love Angel Face Botanicals and it’s owner Jessica Ress any more? Indie seller: check. Maker of smelly goods (fab ones, at that): check. Rather cool chick: so cool you should check it twice! We were grateful to interview her to learn about the line firsthand and delve into how it got it’s start (here’s a hint, passion and dedication go a long way when starting a business.) Stay tuned, we have a review of her products coming very soon. But until then, let’s hear from Jessica herself…

You are a believer in the “incredible healing powers of essential oils”. How did you become interested in Aromatherapy?

Jessica: Essential oils are truly magic. I first started working with essential oils in the early 1990’s, as I was dabbling around with making bath salts & scented lotions for gifts for friends and family. It was in 2004 when I really discovered my knack for working with them. I was researching herbs for skincare, and naturally, this research led me to essential oils. When I rediscovered them, it was like I had hit the jackpot. I just couldn’t get enough. I had found my calling. I voraciously studied, took classes, and quickly amassed a huge library of books & a cabinet full of scented bottles with botanical names & intriguing fragrances.

Besides your own site, you are also an Etsy superstar under the moniker SpaGoddess. Which came first and how did Angel Face Botanicals get its start? 

First came lots of Spring fairs & holiday shows. I was testing the market, making sure people wanted what I was making. Sure enough, they did. Then came the Angel Face Botanicals website which I crafted myself, but would have been a big flop without amazing photography. I am so fortunate to have a few very generous girlfriends who believed in Angel Face Botanicals; a photographer, a stylist and a retoucher. My main website had been up and running for a year and a half before I started my SpaGoddess Etsy shop. Starting my Etsy shop turned out to be the best thing I could have done for my little eco-biz. Etsy really personalizes the web buying experience and I have loads of great relationships with customers all over the world. It’s really fun and personally rewarding, I love it. Etsy taught me that it was ok for me to be personally involved with my brand. Now I communicate to my customers as SpaGoddess. It’s funny, because I started that username as a buyer on Etsy, as kind of a joke to myself. At the time, I didn’t even consider that a couple years later SpaGoddess would become sort of an entity with a little cult-like following.

We just read your article in one of the best Do-It Yourself magazines ever,ReadyMade. Are you a DIY sort of girl around your house?

I’m totally a do-it-your-selfer. My whole family is pretty crafty and artistic. I’m kind of a Mrs. McGuyver. I once fixed my car (1980 Honda civic, white w/orange interior) with a hairclip & a panty liner! My sister & I drove 200 miles home from a camp trip with that rig.

We love your homemade Lavender Honey Salt Scrub recipe you shared in the article. Do you have any homemade organic beauty remedies you could share with wht readers?

Hee! There are tons. You can use leftover oatmeal cereal as a moisturizing, conditioning facial mask by leaving it on for 10-20 minutes. In a pinch, use olive oil for a moisturizer for your hands, body & even your face. You can put toothpaste on a pimple and let it set overnight as a spot treatment. Put cucumber slices, pure chamomile or pure green tea bags (it’s better to stick to pure tea rather than tea blends) over your eyes if you’re feeling puffy. Of course, organic & fresh is always best when using ingredients from your kitchen in order to maximize the phyto-nourishment for your skin.

What else have you done in your personal life to live a more green existence? Do you have any tips to pass on to our readers?

I feel fortunate to have grown up with greener ideals such as eating home grown & organic foods, recycling, reducing waste & minimizing chemicals in the home. Beyond that, I’ve switched to compact fluorescent light bulbs. I minimize my driving. I also source my raw materials & packaging from local vendors. I use recycled paper to print on. Then I shred it for packing materials.

Which is your current favorite product or scent from your collection?

My favorite product of all time would have to be the Chamomile Crème. It is a light-weight cream which is packed with antioxidants and the ultra-calming, healing, restorative essential oils of Chamomile, Blue Chamomile, Calendula & Helichrysum. It is the perfect weight for my skin, it calms redness (I’m fair skinned) & promotes a smooth healthy glow in my skin.

My favorite scent & essential oil is Lavender, the universal healing scent. My favorite Lavender products are theExquisite Lavender Cuvée, Double Love Scrub, Lavender Facial Mist and the Lovely Lavender & Vanilla Fizzing Milk Bath—positively divine!

Can you tell us about any new products coming soon from Angel Face Botanicals?

I have 4-5 powdered Organic Facial Masks I’ve been working on for quite some time. I am also going to make some new scents of Angel’s Balm. It has become a top seller since I introduced it last summer and I’ve been getting tons of special requests for more scents. It’s another of my favorite products, so I am happy to oblige. Soon, I promise!

What do you dream for Angel Face Botanicals over the next five years?

Over the next five years, I would like to have an Angel Face Botanicals Day Spa & Wellness Center with a Boutique storefront. I would like to be Certified Organic (currently I use certified organic ingredients, but my products do not carry the official certification). I would also like to have a few, really good employees who are invested in upholding the quality & hand craftsmanship of Angel Face Botanicals. I say on my ingredients labels that the products are made with lots of love. This will always be true in every sense.

And no interview is complete without a reach in our potluck question vault…

Me in a nutshell: happy, hipster, homebody, artist, activist, music lover, Californian/Oregonian, naturalist, hippie, writer, aromatherapy mixologist, art collector, rock hound, reiki practitioner, eco-enthusiast, child at heart, chef, green thumb, goofy creative type who geeks out on natural skincare formulations –hee!

I heart: kitties, sunshine, fresh air, positive energy, really good friends, inspiration, working hard at something I believe in.

What’s the one thing always in your bag? Rose Garden or Lavender Shea Butter.

What are your three make-up must haves? Loose mineral powder, mascara & lipgloss.

Tell us some your guilty pleasures: Cheesy reality TV, Glutino Cookies–specifically Lemon Wafer and Chocolate Vanilla Sandwich, going totally overboard using every product I can get my hands on in my home spa facials & decadent baths.

McBride Beauty – Remedies collection

Welcome to another Green Monday at we heart this! Today, we have a look at one of the greenest and most compassionate companies around, McBride Beauty. Long time readers may remember this line from their generosity during our first annual Raffle for the Rescue. Beyond their eco-conscious practices, this company also actively supports like-minded charities and causes. Our McBride Beauty review this Green Monday centers on two items from McBride’s Remedies line, theInstant Repair Balm and the Multi-Purpose Repair Stick.

I don’t know about you all, but I take the butter part of “body butter” seriously. I don’t want my body butters gelatinous or squishy or mousse-y; I want my butters to crack beneath the weight of my pressing fingers as if they were a tub of margarine. I want my butters to soften between my hands, to spread thickly, evenly, and to moisturize thoroughly. Often I feel the body butter name has been maligned by butter-wannabes: light soufflés masquerading in a butter tub. Today, I report, I have found the real deal in McBride’s Instant Rescue Balm.

Whoops, did I say “balm?” Okay, so it’s a balm, not a butter. When I think “balm” I think medicated and menthol with some greasiness thrown in for good measure.But this balm’s got butter: potent moisturizers mango and shea butters, to be exact. This rich remedy is meant to heal, calm and moisturize troubled skin. The other ingredients include soothing organic aloe and lavender, moisturizing jojoba, and healing witch hazel, neem and rosemary.

Lovers of all things natural will be happy to know that McBride’s Rescue Balm ($25)is made of 100% natural plant extracts and essential oils with no sulfates, parabens, harsh chemicals, nor synthetic colors or fragrance—and of course there is no animal testing. This product is even gentle enough to use on children who suffer from extremely dry skin.

I routinely used the Instant Rescue Balm on my dry elbows, ashy limbs and dimpled thighs (ugh, I know). Now my elbows are seriously soft, my legs have luster and my thighs…are still dimpled. Oh well, Instant Rescue Balm never claimed to be a cellulite zapper. I can say, however, that the super moisturizing benefits of the balm do make that cottage cheese a little less obvious and offending.

So let’s go back to that “butter” thing. Though McBride’s Instant Rescue Balm is indeed healing and well deserving of the “balm” label, I really want to proclaim this healing balm a butter. Its soft, natural lavender scent, its thick, rich cream that practically melts with the warmth of my hands, and its superior moisturizing capabilities—these say “butter” to me. Oh well, a rose by any other name still smells as sweet. Be it butter or be it balm, McBride’s Instant Rescue delivers.

If you like the sound of this healing balm, but need a little portability, our review team also had the chance to test the McBride Multi-Purpose Repair Stick ($15). This large tube (think of a gigantic lip balm) is full of the same calming, moisturizing, natural ingredients and is geared for the whole family, including “baby soft skin”. Use this to soothe and cure daily irritations, like dry lips, skin abrasions, insect bites, dry patches and windburn. The list is endless – it also works well to smooth rough nails and cuticles and even helps out with brittle split ends.

You can shop all of this carefully edited collection at their online store, McBride Beauty. But, if you are a fellow Angeleno, we must steer you to Beauty Collection – a delightful Los Angeles based beauty boutique. With locations in Malibu, Calabassas and West Hollywood, the Beauty Collection boasts “a prestigious collection comprised of hand-selected products from around the world” including McBride Beauty. If you want to check out this line in person, head on over to one of their luxe boutiques.

Biotherm Face Protection

I’ve also tried Biotherm Sun Protection. It’s a nice lotion and more moisturizing than the Elta.

I use it on the days that my skin feels a little drier and I’m not wearing much makeup.

The latest to heart from tarte

Purchasing makeup can be a daunting task when we’re provided with so many options. We search for companies with a wide range of colors, quality ingredients, and pretty packaging that will make us swoon, and HOPE that it won’t break the bank! In my opinion (and one that’s that shared by many fellow beautyholics), tartehas always been a brand you can feel confident will deliver on each of these wants and then some.

Many of our wht members have been singing tarte’s praises and we know LOTS of their products have made permanent homes in your makeup bags. For those of you new to the line, tarte was started nine years ago by Maureen Kelly, and has grown into a brand that prides itself on being “earth engineered”, cruelty free, and vegan. 98% of their products are made without parabens, phthalates, sulfates, or synthetic fragrances. It doesn’t stop there. Their packaging, as many of you know, is to die for! That being said, it’s also made from recyclable, and/or post–consumer recycled material, making this brand a green choice as well.

We tested a collection of the latest items from tarte, including the Recreate Silicone–Free Primer, Park Avenue Princess Matte Waterproof Bronzer, Tarte MultiplEYE Waterproof Mascara, and the Picture Perfect Eyelash Curler. The overall consensus, you ask? That tarte has, yet again, won us over!

To make things even better, tarte has supplied us with one set of these reviewed products to giveaway to a wht member . In the meantime, here are the details on this fab four collection of beauty from tarte:

Recreate Silicone–Free Primer – A silicone-free face primer that promises to minimize the appearance of pores. It’s powered by a “Wrinkle Rewind” technology that has been clinically proven to decrease wrinkles, increase firmness and skin’s moisture content. What I love about this primer is it works great on sensitive, oily and acne-prone skin. Recreate provided a wonderful base, allowed makeup to go on smoothly and look flawless, and also didn’t leave me oily! This is the first primer I’ve used that achieved everything I wanted and will definitely become my new go-to primer.

Park Avenue Princess Matte Waterproof Bronzer – This bronzer is the sister to tarte’s Park Avenue Princess Mineral Powder Bronzer, which has always been a favorite of mine. This matte version has the perfect blend of pigment (described as a light yellow golden bronze), allowing for a subtle, sun-kissed glow. It contains a ton of ingredients that are good for your skin, including Vitamin A, C, and E, and the most amazing part of this bronzer… it’s waterproof! While I didn’t get a chance to swim with it, I will say, it was still perfectly in place at the end of a hot day of sweating and being outside. That’s a huge perk in the summer, when makeup never seems to stay put. The packaging is also so chic; quilted and shiny bronze. It looks like a high fashion accessory and is one of my favorite compacts to date.

Tarte MultiplEYE Waterproof Mascara – This onyx-black mascara contains a HydroPlant Peptide and a soy-amino super protein, which help to stimulate lash growth. Fellow wht tester Mel said she “would rank it up there with some of the better mascaras, including tarte’s famed “Lights, Camera, Lashes”. She said the formula goes on smoothly with only minor clumping, is layerable, and doesn’t smudge. It also doesn’t flake off at all throughout the day and is definitely waterproof and required a healthy amount of eye makeup remover to get it all off.

Picture Perfect Eyelash Curler – It might just look like another ordinary curler, but with its easy grip handles and ergonomic design, it achieves great curl without the pinching! The trick, they say, is to squeeze the handles together until they touch, then release. Mel also tested this and said “it’s so easy to use and this curler curves perfectly around my lashes. I only need to use it once to get the perfect amount of curl.” Not to mention, this curler looks good! The handles and silicon pads are colored with tarte’s trademark purple. With that combo of looks, comfort, ease, and results, Mel had no qualms declaring this “the best eyelash curler I’ve used!”

Malibu Secret

For the past little while, I’ve been using Malibu Secret Body Treatment and it’s one of those moisturizers that I find myself reaching for again and again.

The cream makes the claim to be an anti-aging treatment for the whole body, which is definitely an interesting concept. What ingredients make this anti-aging? Well, it’s packed with antioxidants which are good for your skin because they prevent free radical damage. What that means is that this body cream is good for anyone whether you’re displaying signs of aging or not!

The reason that I keep using this though is because the formula is really nice. It’s silky smooth, lightweight, and fast absorbing. It also smells tropical – a mix of coconut and vanilla and not at all overpowering. You can get this body cream online or check the website for retail outlets near you!