My friend and coworker, the Fabulous Babs, says, "There's something intrinsically, subtly sexy about looking back over your shoulder to check that your seams are straight." I agree.
I have slowly acquired a small collection of vintage nylon stockings, sheer as nothing available today is sheer. But for the seam running up my calf, one would never know I was wearing stockings. When I was a teenager, I asked my mother for stockings instead of pantyhose, and she looked at me strangely. She told me that when she was a teenager, she had to wear a garter belt with stockings, and she had hated it. She permitted me to purchase a garter belt and a pair of stretchy stockings, and to say that I liked them very much is an understatement. Of course, at seventeen, I wasn't that interested in displaying my stockings to anyone. I think I just wanted to be different, as usual.
Now that I have a job for which I can dress up without worrying about mussing my clothes, I wear my vintage stockings almost every day. I don't like the way the garter clips dig into the backs of my thighs, but it's bearable. By the way, if you're interested in wearing old-fashioned stockings, please spend a bit more to get a good garter belt. Make sure that the garter clips are solid and that the rubber knobby part won't pop out of the metal loop -- and do insist on metal loops, as they last much longer than plastic. I like four straps on each leg; the flimsy little belts sold by most lingerie shops only have two, which are not enough to hold a non-stretchy nylon stocking taut all day.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Sweets, and keeping one's seams straight
Friday, June 25, 2010
Angel Cake Mariette
"Mariette" is the French version of my name. This is a favorite simple, summertime dessert...or breakfast. You can get several servings out of the amounts listed below. Wrap any leftover cake tightly so that it doesn't dry out.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Crepes Kristina
This is a dish that I've helped Kristina assemble for office parties. Unbelievably yummy for any time of day. The recipe is easy to double or triple, if you've got a crowd on your hands.
Crepes Kristina
For crepes:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted
For filling:
1 jar Nutella
4 bananas (or however much you like)
1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.
2. Peel and slice bananas. Set aside.
3. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.
4. Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side.
5. Spread each crepe generously with Nutella. Lay banana slices, overlapping, down the center. Roll up and serve sprinkled with powdered sugar (or not, as you like).
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Skin-So-Smoothie recipe!
Stephanie Tourles has posted her fabulous "Skin-So-Smoothie" recipe on her blog! Go check it out! Then make it and drink it and love it!
Friday, May 1, 2009
Chocolate Waffles
Chocolate is good for what ails you. Or, more accurately, me. When I eat flavonol-rich chocolate or drink Cacao Royale, I feel endorphins surge through my blood. I feel awake, alive, and very sexy. I hope you do, too.
Chocolate Waffles
1 1/3 cups sifted cake flour (works with all-purpose flour, too)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1/2 cup milk
Sift the flour together with baking powder and salt.
In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar.
Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla and chocolate.
Add the sifted ingredients alternately with the milk.
Using a measuring cup, dip batter onto hot waffle iron. Close iron and bake 4 to 5 minutes or until steaming stops.
I love these topped with vanilla ice cream and strawberries. Yes, for breakfast. Mmmmmmmmm...
Friday, April 17, 2009
Rice Pudding
Comforting, wholesome, and delicious. We have a winner!
Rice Pudding
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/3 cup long or short grain white rice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup raisins (optional)
whipped cream
In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan combine the milk, rice, and salt. Place saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium to medium-low and simmer until the rice is tender (about 25 minutes). Stir the milk mixture frequently using a heatproof rubber spatula or wooden spoon to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
When the rice is tender, remove from heat and add the sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon.
Return to heat and cook until the rice pudding thickens, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the raisins (if desired).
Serve warm, or refrigerate until cold.
I'll be using basmati rice in mine and substituting sliced almonds for the raisins. And topping my bowl up with plenty of unwhipped cream. And eating it for dinner tonight and breakfast tomorrow. I hope you like it, too.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Good Morning! fruit drink
Sunshine in a glass!
2 cups orange juice
1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
1 grapefruit, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
1 frozen banana, cut into chunks (I cut up ripe bananas and freeze them in baggies, one banana per baggie)
thumb-size chunk of gingerroot, peeled and sliced
dash lemon juice
dash sea salt
Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth (2 minutes or so). Makes one big breakfast. Sparkly, tart, and loaded with beautiful nutrients to make you feel wonderful. See, hedonism can be healthy!
Experiment with your favorite fruits. For example, substitute fresh or frozen mango chunks for the grapefruit if you'd like a sweeter drink. Omit the ginger if it's too spicy for your taste. Add a few ice cubes for a frosty, slushier texture. Improvise! Do what you like best!
Love your body, and it will love you right back. I promise.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Key Lime Pie
It seems that a lot of folks are depressed this time of year. Walking around my city, I see long faces, furrowed brows, and stiff upper lips. Maybe they feel like winter will never end. If you're one of these seasonally-affected souls, maybe something cool, tart, and tropical will raise your spirits. I present to you my recipe for Key lime pie, one of my favorite desserts (and breakfasts!) and beloved by those who have sampled it. The recipe makes two luscious, rich-rich pies. Eat them up within a few days, or share with friends.
Key lime pie
1 ½ cups Key lime juice (I like Nellie and Joe's brand)
3 cans sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
2 crumb crusts (purchased or homemade)
Whipped cream (optional)
Preheat oven to 350.
Pour milk, juice, and eggs into a large bowl and beat at medium speed until blended, then at medium-high speed for a good 7-10 minutes. This keeps the pie from seeping and sogginess under refrigeration.
Pour mixture into pie crusts, dividing evenly.
Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes (10-12 minutes if you’re only making one pie). Cool on wire rack until room temperature, then refrigerate until cold. Serve topped with whipped cream if you like.
If making your own crust, try substituting ground almonds for part of the crumbs. Mmmmmm!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Feel-Better Cherry Crunch with Cream
Even though I've got a sore tummy, it's still Sexy Girls Eat Dessert Friday, and by golly, I'm eating dessert! We threw this together today in the kitchen; I'm still not up to standing up very much. It's sweet and full of good nutritional stuff, like vitamin E, B-complex vitamins, fiber, and vitamin A -- all good things to eat while recovering from intestinal surgery. It's also divinely delicious. Eat and feel good!
Double the amounts for two servings; my husband doesn't have much of a sweet tooth, so he fixed this just for me, with my help. Yes, I am very lucky.
1 cup frozen dark sweet cherries (unsweetened)
1/2 cup shredded wheat cereal (we used Frosted Mini-Wheats; granola would be good, too)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
whipped cream (as much as you'd like)
Thaw cherries in the microwave; we let them get pretty warm so they'd be plenty juicy.
Pour cereal in a bowl and top with cherries. Sprinkle sunflower seeds over everything. You can stir it up before topping it with whipped cream, but we put the whipped cream on and then stirred it. Mmmmmmm!
Friday, January 30, 2009
Chocolate Chip Scones - because sexy girls eat dessert!
It's "Sexy Girls Eat Dessert" Friday! Look forward to something sweet at the end of the workweek!
My friend Kristina brings these to the office sometimes, so I can vouch for the deliciousness of this recipe -- excellent with tea and berries, and great on their own, too. Kristina says the recipe was designed to be served as strawberry shortcake. Try it, and see what you think!
Chocolate Chip Scones
Ingredients:
3 ½ cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¾ cup cold butter
2 cups chocolate chips
1 ½ cups buttermilk
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix together the flour, sugar, and dry ingredients. Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or fork until it is well worked in and crumbly. Add the chocolate chips. Stir in the buttermilk and/or knead the dough until it sticks together in a loose ball.
Roll out to 1/2 inch thick and cut into scone portions. Bake on a greased cookie sheet for 12-14 minutes or until the tops begin to turn golden.
