DR BRANDT SKINCARE RECOVERY SLEEPING MASK - REVIEW

When you get compliments on your make up free skin, on a cold an dreary day, you know the skincare product is for keeps. We have been having one of the worst winters. My skin is not only dry but super dry. Did I mention that its sensitive as well? Now, that's a tricky combination when you are trying to deal with the vagaries of a rough winter combined heated homes.

 Over the past month, I have been trying out a few products from Dr.Brandt Skincare. I think it's their combined effort, which has surely made a difference to my super dry skin.

Dr. Brandt Skincare Hydro Recovery Sleeping Mask is the first product I tried out. I am in my mid-30s and believe in a daily skin care regimen. As the name suggests, Hydro recovery Sleeping Mask is essentially a mask. You cleanse your face at night. Pat it dry and apply the product. do not rinse off. The product works on your skin overnight.

This leave-on mask claims to restore hydration to dry skin within 24 hours. It is paraben free, sulfate free, alcohol-free and phthalate free. Its consistency is that of a gel and its fragrance-free. It also claims to minimize fine lines and wrinkles.  I usually try out a product for at least a few weeks o a month, before I review it.

My skin reacted positively to the sleeping mask. I had been hearing about this new trend but hadn't tried on myself. My regular night cream was sent on a hiatus, as I used the sleeping mask. I could see a noticeable difference after the first night itself. My skin was glowing. I applied a thin layer of it every night. It sinks into my skin easily although I heard for many users, blending was an issue. A little goes a long way with this sleeping mask, so make sure you are not wasting the product on your pillow at night. Although I have sensitive skin, I did not have any allergic reactions to the mask. I would definitely recommend this sleeping mask, to anyone who has dry skin. Its a blessing for those of us facing such a harsh winter.


Disclaimer: I received the products free for testing purposes from Influenster, but the opinions are those of my own.

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DOUGH-FROM-SCRATCH CLASS AT PIZZERIA LOCALE

We love our Pizza. When it comes to making weekend plans, Pizza is the only thing, which always gets approval from our 4-year-old. Pepperoni and Cheese are her current favorite Pizza toppings
 Did I mention that we are always looking for fun activities to do as a family? A hands-on-class, where you learn how to make your own Pizza dough, was just the thing we needed to celebrate National Pizza Day.

Pizzeria Locale has been pampering us, ever since they opened their doors in Kansas City. What better way to celebrate than learning the art of pizza making, with the two people, you love to enjoy your pizza with. Well, at least a part of pizza making, to be more specific. Pizzeria Locale recently hosted one of its Dough-from-Scratch Class, and we were invited to join it.

We loved how the stations were set up, for the class. We got our aprons on, and I even learned a trick of how you can make a full-size apron, fit a 4-year-old. It was time to roll. Well, roll out our dough balls.

The class started with a demonstration of how pizza dough is made, how long it rests, and many more facts.  Did you know that there are only 4 ingredients in the dough/crust of the pizzas made by Pizzeria Locale? Its water, yeast, salt, and flour.

All of us were given two dough balls to practice all that we had learned. The wonderful staff of Pizzeria Locale was at hand and continued to help us out, as we perfected our moves. It was so much fun, doing it as a family. I cant tell you how much my 4 years old enjoyed it. And she did an amazing job with her dough as well. Foodie Mom and Dad were super proud, to say the least.

Dough making done, it was time to eat. Your ticket for a Dough-from-Scratch Class at Pizzeria Locale , includes the class, a pizza, a drink and a dessert. Isn't that neat? The tickets are priced at $25 and all locations of Pizzeria Locale keep hosting them. They can even create a class for your child's birthday party, or your next corporate team building event.  You also go home with their Dough recipe, coupons for free dough, and coupons for free pizza.

Spicy Chicken and Sausage broccolini are usually our go-to orders, whenever we are dining out in Pizzeria Locale. Not to mention, we loved the limited time offering - Barbecue Chicken Pizza last Fall. This time, we stepped out of our comfort zone and ordered something different. Supreme and Maise were our choices for lunch They fast fire their Pizzas in just 4 mins at 900F. Did you know you can enjoy Wine on Tap with your Pizza? And Mommy needs coffee on weekdays and wine on the weekends.  Their dessert was a Budino, which was so yummy. It was a layered caramel custard and I are seriously thinking of ordering a  batch of it, for my daughter's upcoming birthday.

We had a great time as a family at the dough making class. It was so much to knead and play with dough with our 4-year-old, and we learned so much about Pizzas. Thank you so much Pizzeria Locale for hosting us.

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DUSTY ROSE : MY VALENTINE STYLE

Valentine's Day is almost here. And we haven't quite decided what we are doing this year. We usually go out for a cozy dinner. Or a brunch if Valentine's Day coincides with a weekend. Cherish each other's company. What are your plans this year? Being foodies, we love to try out new places, on special days. Valentine's Day usually has us at some romantic spot in town, clicking our glasses of bubbly.

Which also means, I need to plan my outfit. I decided to go shopping. But rather than hitting the mall, to scope out a V-Day deal, I shopped my closet. I have been wanting to do that for quite some time now but didn't get the time. Picked out quite a few clothing items and paired them in some new combos. I must add that I love the new combinations.

It was a choice between Reds or Pinks. I decided to rest the Reds, as I feel I have overdone them throughout the last Holiday season. So the choice was with my stash of pinks, blushes, and roses. One of my favorites is this Dusty Rose crop top, which I had picked out for Fashion Week, quite a few years back. I love this shade of pink as its so cool toned. I am a warm toned person myself, so anything which is cool toned, compliments me pretty well.  I styled it with a Window Pane Midi Skirt, another oldie from my closet. Some Nude Shoes, and some Pink Lips, and we were all set, weren't we? I carried forward the cool tone of the Dusty Rose top in the cool-toned Pink Lipstick- Kat Von D - Lovesick. Just a touch of Turquoise statement earrings to compliment it all. Pinks and Blues always go well together, don't they!

Here's wishing all of you have a great day of Love with your loved one!

SHOP MY LOOK :

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CHEWOLOGY GYOZA & KUSHIYAKI

We finally made it to Chewology Gyoza & Kushiyaki. Its no secret that we are foodies, so it had been on the list for us, for some time. Kansas City Fashion Week is a part of my annual calendar. When two familiar faces from the KCFW family had started their hip new Asian restaurant , we knew we had to be there. I have seen the Sung family create their magic on the KCFW runway, now we were all set to check out their magic on our plate. My husband has been dreaming of opening his own restaurant for years now, but he has not taken the plunge yet. It was quite nice to see someone, who is similar to us in age, taken the plunge, and done something, which they truly believed in. Kudos to that.

 Chewology is the newest Asian restaurant in town. Initially poised to open in the Crossroads Art District, it finally opened last Fall, in the newly minted Lenexa Public Market. KC has a dearth of good Asian restaurants, so we pretty excited, to see what this new place was all about. Chewology features Gyoza(Japanese pan fried dumplings) Kushiyaki(Skewers), Poke Bowls, Noodle bowls and Beer on tap.

 As you walk in, you cant miss the open kitchen concept and the magnetic energy of owner Katie Liu-Sung. You have a choice to sit at the bar, and chat up with the owners and watch your food being made. We settled down for a table, as we had a toddler in tow.

We started off with Beef and Kimchi Gyoza...

... two kinds of Kushiyaki - Sirloin and Chicken Thighs....

... and two orders of Omikase.

Our 4 year old daughter, is a typical toddler picky eater. She took a bite of our bowl of Omikase and I clearly knew that she loved it. She had initially mentioned that she wanted a slice of Pizza , when we had walked in. With her enjoying her Omokase, you could safely say that pizza plans were out of the door. It was comparable to a small ramen bowl, and had the Ramen egg. Loved the broth and I could drink it by the gallon too.

The Gyoza was next, and we shared the plate. An order comes up with 6 dumplings. The dough was crispy but had a chewy bite, once you bit into it. The beef and kimchi filling was quite interesting and definitely tasty. It came with a dipping sauce. I have heard that the fillings of the Gyoza are seasonal. I have heard rave reviews of the homey, goat cheese, almonds and apricot Gyoza, so I am surely going to try that on my next visit.

We had two different orders of Kushiyaki , which had three pices of meat each. For me, this was the weakest link, of my order. It was perfect for a nibble, but as I like my skewered meat, I would have loved a bigger portion. Both kinds of Kushiyaki were juicy and flavorful.

So what's the verdict you might ask? Am I going back there and am I recommending it? I am surely going back and surely recommending it. They should make the Omikase a regular part of their menu, for sure. And I want to try their Poke bowls next .I will also be taking my camera next time . This post features my iphone photos.

Bon Appetit ! Congratulations to the Chewology team on their successful venture.

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CHICKEN PULAO

Its almost weekend and I cant wait for it. Along the middle of the week, I get these food cravings.And a few weeks back, it was this craving for Pulao. Not just any Pulao. Chicken Pulao to be specific. Not Biriyani, but Pulao.

Before we roll on to the Pulao trail, let me share something with all of you. My last Food post, was a Maacher Jhol recipe. All thanks to all of you, it generated good traffic. I had shared it in various places, including a few foodie groups on Facebook. And in one of those groups(which prides itself for being an authority of Kolkattan Food), someone reported my Post as Spam, and I was notified by Facebook. Jealousy can surely take vile forms, I tell you.

Lets come back to our Pulao story, now that I have finished my rant.

Pulao, also known as Pilaf, is an easy rice and meat casserole. It cooks pretty fast and you can really use any protein of your choice, if you want to make it an non vegetarian entree. Or you could even skip the protein, if you wanted. Its fragrant, its wholesome and it packs a punch. I love it, as its a one pot meal. Pretty easy to whip up too, if I might add that.

And as I am not much a fan of the Indian restaurants and their Curry Leaf infused cooking of North Indian classics, I knew , that we had to make it ourselves. Here comes the speed bump though , neither me nor my husband, are great with rice dishes. Its not our forte as with many other food related things. Give us a Kebab challenge and we will deliver . But when it comes to matters of rice, I always send a prayer, hoping it turns out well. If yo have a struggle like mine, then you would understand where we stand.

But cravings are real, and they need to be tended to. The week has to roll by, we need our fuel. Leaving a craving unsatisfied is only going to mess up the foodie dynamics of the week. So I  decided to don my apron and get cooking. And mind you, I have my classes on Wednesday nights, so cooking was done in the afternoon. That actually gave me that window, in case I messed up, I could always get a take out.

I always proteins in my freezer. I pick up these packs of skinless, boneless chicken thighs from Costco, and they are so useful. So two packs of chicken were defrosted and prepped. I cubed them in inch long pieces and marinated them in a simple marinade of yogurt and ginger garlic paste. Marinated for a couple of hours,as I didn't have more time. Feel free to marinate overnight, if you have the time. Then onwards to the stove and let the magic begin. Can I tell you a secret ? I cook my Pulao in Chicken Stock, rather than normal water. I tell you, that it adds so much of flavor.

It came out perfect and was polished off , till plates were squeaky clean. My Pulao prayers had been answered by the Rice Goddess ! I had served it with some Dim Kosha(Dry Egg Curry) .

CHICKEN PULAO : 

Ingredients: 
Chicken : 1 lb : Boneless, Skinless, Thighs- Cubed
Rice: 2 cups. Basmati
Ginger-Garlic Paste : 2tbsp
Onion: I large : Sliced finely
Yogurt : 1/2 cup
Salt : To taste
Whole Garam Masala
Bay Leaves : 2 to 3
Chicken Stock or Plain Water
Canola Oil
Garam Masala Powder :1/2 to  1tsp
Cumin Powder : 1tsp
Coriander Powder : 1tsp

Procedure : 
Marinate the chicken pieces with hald the ginger-garlic paste and the yogurt.

Wash the rice twice and drain the water. Keep aside.

I cook my Pulao in a Le Creuset dutch oven. Feel free to use any deep bottom Casserole. Remember its a one pot meal.

Fire up the stove, and add oil to your pan. When the oil is hot, add in your bay leaves and your whole garam masala(your aromatics). Once it crackles, add in the sliced onion. Caramelize it, but don't let it get burnt. Onion goes from perfectly caramelized to burnt in less than half a second, I feel.

Add in the marinated chicken, and the rest of the ginger-garlic paste, the dry spices(except the garam masala powder) and salt. Stir well, and cook it , till the chicken is cooked. Make sure it doesn't get burnt.

Once you feel that the chicken is cooked, add in the washed rice,and the garam masala powder. Mix well. Now you can add in hot water, or you can add in Chicken Stock. Check the salt earlier, if you are using Chicken Stock. The ratio for 2 cups of Rice is 3 3/4 cups of hot water or hot stock. Add in the liquid, and cover the pan. Reduce the heat to low and cook for around 10 to 12 minutes. Check, as different varieties of Basmati cook differently. You could also do the last part of cooking the rice with the meat in the microwave. In that case, transfer the contents to a microwave safe bowl and cover with cling film, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes.

Voila, your Pulao is ready.

Bon Appetit !

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