Golden Globes 2016

Awards season is in full throttle and I love it. I don't know what it is about it that gets me excited. The red carpet, the speeches, the look of complete happiness when the actors learn they've won; I love it all.

There were so many amazing dresses it was hard to pick. Kate Winslet, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, Lady Gaga, Amy Adams all caught my attention. However, I narrowed it down to my top three.
Brie Larson in Calvin Klein. I thought the gold was elegant but not trying too hard. It was the perfect amount of class and sexiness.

Image from Google images

Olivia Wilde in Michael Kors. The dress fit her body perfectly and the color was gorgeous. I'm a sucker for red but I liked that she went with the darker shade. 

Image from popsugar.com

Emmy Rossum in Armani Prive. Classic. The shape, color, low key accessories worked really well. The necklace was unconventional but added sparkle.

Image from justjared.com

As far as moments go, I was glad to see Jon Hamm win for Best Actor in a Drama Series and Leonardo DiCaprio win for Best Actor in a Film Drama. Hopefully this is the year the Academy finally realizes that Leo deserves a freakin' Oscar. 

On to the SAG Awards.

Lizett

Face Time

Now that I am in my thirties, one of the things I have grown more concerned about is my skin. I hate to admit that I have not always taken care of it the way you're supposed to. I have never been acne prone so I feel like that gave me a false sense of security. Sleeping in my makeup was not unusual.

Over the last year I have made more of an effort to care for it and wash it more often. I have also started to think about wrinkle creams and things like that but haven't made any purchases. For Christmas, I decided I really wanted a Clinique Cleansing Brush. I have used Clinique makeup and their 3-step skin care (when I'm not too lazy) for years. The brand has been good to me so I thought it'd be best to use their brush.

The Husband got it for me for Christmas and I have used it every day since. It really has made such a difference. My skin looks smoother and brighter. Even The Husband has commented on how soft my face feels. It's a lot cheaper than the Clarisonic one and I think it works great. I really recommend it if you're interested in stepping up your skincare.

Image from Clinique.com

Lizett

Traitor

I have always loved books. Ever since I was a little girl a book is all I've needed to be happy. My parents use to give me a disapproving look because I would pull out a book anywhere. We'd be out to dinner or at someone's boring birthday party and I would just pull one out. I reread books like crazy but continue to add new ones to my never-ending list of books to read.

Yesterday I got on Barnes & Noble online just to browse. Before I knew it, I had a shopping cart with over $200 worth of books in it. I imagined The Husband's reaction when tons of books showed up and he realized what I had spent. The look of exasperation on his face as I explained we needed to rearrange our bookshelves to make a little more room.

The Husband has been suggesting for years that I get a nook or kindle or something that will make it easier for him when we move. My answer was always no. I like how books feel, smell, the sound of the pages turning. No electronic can match that. What if it changes my whole reading experience?

However, the convenience of just downloading a book and not having to decide what book to take with me on a trip seemed inviting. Yesterday, after staring at my shopping cart for over two hours, I became a traitor. Buying this NOOK was cheaper than buying all the books in my cart.

Image from Barnes&Noble.com

I am excited to have access to so many books but am nervous it won't bring me the same joy. Hopefully it just enhances reading for me and makes it easier for me to read more. I will just have to touch and sniff the books I have to get the old-fashioned feel.

Lizett

Fudgy Brownies

Two  years ago, my friend Cara got me a book called Perfect Pies. It has all kinds of recipes for some delicious pies but the one that caught my attention was a brownie recipe. I always felt that a really great brownie recipe is a must for any baking enthusiast (which I am) and was excited to try it.

It was a little more time consuming than just running out and buying a box. My grocery store didn't have unsweetened chocolate but I ended up finding some at Target. The chocolate frosting recipe was from my KitchenAid mixer book so I was little nervous the flavors wouldn't go well together.

I am glad to say they went great together! They were so good and gooey without being overly sweet. The Husband said they were better than his moms which is a huge deal. As always, the pictures do the food absolutely no justice. I will post the frosting at a later time.

Chocolate Brownies
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
12 tbs. salted butter
1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
4 large eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. In a saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter together. You will have to really keep an eye on it and stir constantly. Once melted, remove from heat and set aside.

2. In a bowl combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and gradually add the sugar. Gradually add the dry mixture to the egg mixture.

3. Stir the vanilla into the chocolate and then add chocolate mixture to the batter. Once combined, add chocolate chips and stir again.

4. Pour the mixture into a 9x13 pan and cook at 350 for 24 minutes. The recipe says 24 minutes but I did 20 because I like them gooey.

Enjoy!

Lizett

2016

Happy New Year! Make 2016 the best year of your life. Dream, focus, work hard, and accomplish all you've ever wanted.

Lizett