Friday, January 27, 2017

Doin' Some Cookin'... Chicken with Tomatoes and Thyme

Sunday dinners don't always have to be something extravagant. I want to be able to enjoy my last day off before the work week and not be in the kitchen the majority of the day.


This recipe for Chicken with Tomatoes and Thyme takes 10 minutes to prep and the oven does the rest of the work taking about 50 minutes to cook.

The flavors of Summer in one pan on a cold winter's night result in a satisfying dish. With temps currently dipping below 30 degrees here in Houston I am definitely dreaming of those hot summer nights again.

If I wasn't currently on a round of Whole30 I would have enjoyed a glass of two of wine while this was cooking and to go with dinner. The chicken and tomatoes produce a lot of juice which would be perfect with some crusty garlic bread. Damn you Whole30!

Tasty but simple this is perfect to serve for guests and makes plenty of leftovers.

Chicken with Tomatoes and Thyme
Adapted From: Real Simple
Makes 4 Servings

Stars of the Show:
  • 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
  • 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
  • dried thyme, to taste
  • 1 tbsp capers
  • 4 chicken thighs
  • 4 chicken drumsticks
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
And Action:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

In a small bowl, combine tomatoes and their liquid, lemon, thyme, and capers.

Season the chicken with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.


Add tomato mixture and chicken into a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil.

Roast until chicken is golden brown and cooked through, about 50 minutes. Enjoy!

Freezer Meal: 

In a small bowl, combine tomatoes and their liquid, lemon, thyme, and capers.

Season the chicken with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. 

Divide into 4 1-quart resealable plastic freezer bags putting one thigh and one drumstick into each bag. Freeze up to 3 months until ready to cook.

Thaw overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Add tomato mixture and chicken into a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil.

Roast until chicken is golden brown and cooked through, about 50 minutes. Enjoy!

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Livin' It Up... Las Vegas to Celebrate My Aunt's 60th Birthday

My mom and I have kept our trip to Las Vegas a secret since July. Surprised my uncle and cousin kept their mouths shut as well and didn't spill the beans.

Wednesday, January 18th, 2017:




I arrived at the airport around 1:30pm, checked my bag, made it through security, and the flight ended up delayed for over almost two hours. Thankfully the flight was smooth and my bag was waiting in baggage claim for me as well as my mom and cousin.

My mom and cousin lied to my aunt saying that a lost bag of my mom's had been found so they came in to retrieve me. They had no idea my aunt didn't have her phone on her and she ended up driving around a couple of times until she found us. Her jaw dropped when she saw I was with them. "You guys got me again!"

We dropped my bags off at the house around 9:30pm and then my cousin suggested we go to the Rainbow Club and Casino for dinner. It was so nice sitting with them and getting caught up since we haven't seen each other in two years.

Thursday, January 19th, 2017:

Woke up and my cousin and uncle suggested going back to the Rainbow Club and Casino for breakfast since it's cheap. $1.99 for two eggs, bacon or sausage, hash browns, and toast or biscuits and gravy. The portion was huge too. I could not eat it all.

Today's mission was keeping my aunt out of the house and busy until later in the evening for her surprise party to celebrate her 60th.

(My mom and aunt)

After breakfast my mom suggested we go to the Mandalay Bay so she can buy some new socks from the Sock Market. It was a fantastic suggestion since they have the Shark Reef Aquarium there and none of us have ever experienced it yet.

The Shark Reef Aquarium was about $50 for the three of us and that was after my aunt's discount using her ID to show she is an in-State resident. It was really well put together and the animals were very active. We saw a crocodile, kimono dragon, fish, snakes, and sharks! There was a glass bottom tunnel that you had to walk through to exit. Seeing my aunt's reaction was so funny when she realized  what she was standing on. Haha! We browsed through the gift shop and my mom and aunt picked up a few items.



We made it over to the Sock Market and I picked up some badass Antonio Brown socks. This was the only thing I bought for myself the entire trip.


After we window shopped at a couple more stores we ended up deciding on catching a movie. My aunt suggested driving over to the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa since their theatre is really nice with comfortable seating. We picked the movie, Why Him?. About five minutes into the movie my aunt's best friend walked into the theatre. Got her again! My aunt was so surprised to see her. This movie was non-stop laughs.

Because we still needed to stall since my uncle wasn't done prepping food and my cousin hadn't finished setting up the party. My aunt's best friend played into this perfectly and suggested we stop and warm up from the cold theatre by grabbing some hot chocolate from Seattle's Best in the hotel.

We sat and chatted for about an hour and said some fake goodbyes to her best friend. My aunt has no idea that we coordinated for her best friend to come to the party bringing a car full of their friends.


We finally made it to the house and my aunt was shocked to find a houseful of people. Surprise! We had ground beef tacos, albondigas soup, and chips and guacamole. I passed on the cake since I was trying to be somewhat good.

The guests stayed super late and we had a blast making dirty drawings on the tablecloths, telling inappropriate stories, and just doing what family does... enjoying the hell out of each other's company.

Friday, January 20th, 2017:



We slept in before getting ready to take off for Pahrump to surprise my Grandpa Giordano for lunch. On the drive up we drove through snow on the mountains!! It's been forever since I've seen snow in person. It was so beautiful.

My grandfather was surprised to see us.


We grabbed lunch at the Lakeside Casino and then went back to his house. I felt like such an asshole but I was so damn tired and ended up passing out the two hours we were there. We said our goodbyes and my grandpa jokingly said that it was now time to update the will. At lunch he lowkey called me fat so when he made his joke about the will I told him to leave me money for food.

The drive back to Las Vegas went by quickly and the snow again made me so damn happy.

We ended up hanging out at the house until we all started getting antsy and my aunt suggested we go check out some of the shops on The Strip. I enjoy doing this so much because I love seeing all of the people.

It was somewhat unpleasant though because it was cold, rainy, and windy. Ick!

Could not wait to get back to the house to warm up.


Once there I was kinda feeling down about a misunderstanding with someone and my cousin picked up on my mood. He told me to get in the car. I asked if I needed to change out of my Steelers pajamas but he said "hell no." Surprised me with a trip to the grocery store to get some ice cream and we ended up sitting and talking about the happenings in our life. It was so nice spending quality time with my best buddy. We grew up so close and I just love the shit out of him.

Saturday, January 21st, 2017:

Woke up this morning and the sun was finally out. Chilly but the sun was out. Go figure... on our last day too.



My cousin's son got to come over to the house and spend the afternoon with us. Brock Jr, we call him Brockie, invited me into his room to watch Goonies with him. It's his favorite movie. This kid is my favorite already. After the movie we got him excited about going on a mission to find some Bighorn Sheep. We drove out to Boulder City took a hike and ended up coming up on four or five of them in a field. Really cool to see them up close.


All of that hiking worked up an appetite and Brockie really wanted pizza from Cici's. The kid ended up knocking over his entire soda all over me. I was soaked but didn't make a big deal out of it. I gave him lots of love and told him no worries but he had to help clean up the mess.

I could not wait to get back to the house to change out of these wet clothes.

(Vodka Cherry Coke, yummy!!)

I got warmed up and ended up taking a nap before we headed out to a nightclub where one of my aunt's best friend's boyfriend plays in a cover band and got us VIP seating. All I wanted to do was dance but really wanted the company of a man. I was a little bit envious watching all of the women with their men.

When we made it back to the house there was no point in us going to bed since we had to leave for the airport in an hour.

Sunday, January 22nd, 2016:



4am at the airport. Ugh! So exhausted but thankfully my flight was the first one out for the day from this gate and we loaded up quickly and were headed back to Houston. I slept for almost all of the flight. I love when I can do that. We hit so much turbulence when we were coming into Houston it made me nauseous. The landing was rough. I was so grateful touching down in Houston and getting off of the plan.


The trip was not my usual vacation back home since I normally stay at the Mandalay Bay and spend my nights gambling but the family time was long overdue and the days went by too fast. I cannot wait to make it back out there to see them again.

Friday, January 6, 2017

Doin' Some Cookin'... Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin


Pork tenderloin is an affordable piece of meat that is easy to fix and hard to mess up, especially when prepared in the slow cooker.

The spice blend used for this recipe turns a bland piece of meat into something packed with lots of flavor. The cumin is what really stands out, which I really like.

I shredded the pork before dinner and served it with roasted potatoes and green beans. Little Man cleaned his plate which is always the greatest compliment.

This is a great make ahead recipe, see freezer instructions below.

Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Adapted From: Thriving Home
Makes 4 Servings

Stars of the Show:
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/4 lb pork tenderloin
And Action:

Combine all the spices in a small bowl and mix well. 

Place the pork tenderloin in the slow cooker and drizzle with the olive oil.

Rub the seasoning all over the pork tenderloin. Pressing into the meat so the seasoning adheres. 

Cook on low for 8 hours. Enjoy!

Freezer Meal: 

Make the seasoning mix, drizzle olive oil on pork, and press the seasoning into the meat. 

Place the uncooked pork in gallon-sized freezer bags, seal, and freeze.

The night before, thaw in the refrigerator. 

Place in the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Enjoy!

Saturday, December 31, 2016

Livin' It Up... Beauty Hacks for Women


Easy Home Remedy For Teeth Whitening At Home:

Consult your dentist before trying this. 

Follow these steps to whiten teeth and save money by skipping those costly professional whitening treatments. You'll notice the difference after one use but make sure you don't do this more than once a week or else you risk wearing down your enamel making teeth more susceptibe to cavities. Once desired shade is reached cut back to once or twice a month.

The taste is a bit unpleasant but it's extremely effective. Hydrogen peroxide acts an an antibacterial mouth cleaner helping your gums. Baking soda is gritty helping with plaque and aids with fresh breath.


You'll need:
  • 1 tsp hydrogen peroxide
  • 1 tsp mouthwash
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • one drop of toothpaste
  • 1/2 tsp water
Here's whatcha do:
  1. Floss. 
  2. Mix hydrogen peroxide and mouthwash together. Swish in mouth for one minute, spit and rinse with water. 
  3. Mix toothpaste, baking soda, and water in a cup. Mix until you get a paste. Use it to brush your teeth for 2-3 minutes, spit and rinse mouth with water. That's it!!!
This really works! I saw instant results and made sure to avoid coffee, tea, wine, and anything else that may stain my teeth. My teeth had that "fresh from the dentist" feel too. 

How To Get Rid Of Facial Hair With Turmeric:

I've been toying around with the idea of getting laser hair removal for years but cannot bring myself to schedule my first treatment because I've been told the procedure is painful and have seen some on the side effects firsthand. Being Italian, I cannot stand that my arms are hairier than most men. That is not sexy in the least bit.

Every woman wants flawless skin that is hair-free and smooth.

Thankfully you don't have to pay for these treatments. Turmeric has been used for years by women in India who are very brunette.

Turmeric causes hair to thin, tighten roots, and cause the hair to fall out.

Please note, turmeric will temporarily dye your skin yellow after use. Simply scrub your skin with a some baking soda and soap. A cotton ball soaked in milk helps as well.

Here's whatcha do:
  1. Grab a bowl, 2 tbsp turmeric, and warm water. If the area is much larger, say for your arms vs. your face then you'll need more than 2 tbsp turmeric. 
  2. Make a paste adding a couple drops of water until thick but spreadable consistency. Wear rubber gloves when applying the paste over the entire area where you want to remove hair from. Leave on for 20 minutes then rinse off with a cloth soaked in cold water.
  3. For the face: apply paste daily until you rid unwanted hair. 
Reaction: This was an effin' mess and I did not see any difference. Going to be sticking to my plan of saving up for laser hair removal instead.
Fast Acting Pimple Clearing Tip:

WARNING: IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO IBUPROFEN DO NOT TRY THIS!!! USE COMMON SENSE... PLEASE. 

Nothing is more frustrating that going to bed with clear skin and waking up with a zit, especially when it's swollen and sore. How embarrassing!

Whatever you do keep your hands off. Growing up I refused to pick them after learning about acne scarring and not wanting craters on my face. 

In an effort to reduce breakouts make sure you wash your makeup brushes regularly, wash your pillowcases, and towels often since these objects are notorious for harboring bacteria. 

You'll need:



  • Advil Liquid-Gels
  • Push pin
Here's whatcha do:
  1. Poke a hole in the top of the Advil.
  2. Squeeze gel from the liquid-gel cap and apply to spot. It relieves pain and redness almost immediately. 
Side note, if you suffer from acne flare ups you may want to look into your diet. My face was breaking out worse than when I was a teenager and after following my first round of Whole30 my face cleared up and now I'm back to only getting one or two during that time of the month. I notice when I go off the diet my face will flare up with acne again and it will clear up again when I get back on board with a clean diet.

Sunless Tan Using Two Lotions Together:

I grew up in Las Vegas spending all of my Summer hours in the sun without sunscreen for the majority of my childhood and used tanning beds a handful of times. I had been scared straight in my later teen years reading magazines and hearing horror stories about the damaging effects from sun exposure. 

Sunscreen has become a part of my every day makeup routine and if I'm going to be out during the Summer months I make sure I apply a liberal amount of it and reapply as needed. I haven't had a tan like I use to get since my earlier teen years. I'm okay with it... kind of. I really miss the sun-kissed bronze color. 

When I'm wearing sundresses I do wish I had that beautiful bronzed skin and have tried to obtain it from a bottle instead. I still have yet to try an airbrushed tan because the thought of getting semi-naked in front of a stranger makes me nervous as hell.

In an attempt to get tanned since it's now skin showing season I tried the tutorial from What Meegan Makes by mixing two self-tanning lotions together.

You will need L'Oreal's Sublime Bronze Tinted Self Tanning Lotion in Medium Natural Tan and Banana Boat's Summer Color Sunless Tinted Lotion in Light/Medium. 

Make sure you exfoliate and shave clean skin first.

Apply a non-tanning lotion to hands, elbows, knees, and feet to prevent developing excess color in those drier areas. 

Use a nickel-size of each lotion mixing them together in your hand. Rub the lotion on your arms, legs, and chest area. Avoid knees, ankles, and elbows because the skin tends to be dry and scaly in these areas. 

I have never found a self-tanner that doesn't have a scent so no surprise here, there is a faint smell. Like the fragrance of coconuts and sunscreen, self tanner is a smell I associate with Summer and find it to be non-offensive. More power to those who take their skin's health seriously. 

It will leave a bronzed glowing finishing.

I do this routine twice a week after I shower using a gentle body wash and no loofah. Try Honest Shampoo and Body Wash. Make sure you wash your hands well after use. Once you start to notice the tan wearing off or getting splotchy, take a few days off from the lotion and loofah skin well to exfoliate before reapplying on a blank slate.

Also note, once applied steer clear of water for the next 4 hours. If it's raining outside make sure you grab an umbrella. I also suggest laying an old blanket underneath you while you sleep to avoid getting orange/brownish streaks on your sheets.

Don't forget to find a self tanner formulated for your face or make sure you color match foundation.

While all of these tips may seem a bit overwhelming they are much better than potential sun damage.

Pucker Up: 5 Tips For Kissable Lips:

Valentine's Day was just around the corner and a date with that special someone was on the horizon. Outfit was planned, hair visualized, and the dream night has been played over and over again in my head. 

You should feel on point and like a million bucks for your date night. Worrying about your makeup shouldn't be something you have to worry about. Make sure your lips stay colorful and kissable throughout the night with a perfect pout by following the steps below after you brush your teeth banishing bad breath:

Step 1: Exfoliate and Moisturize

You will need a lip scrub to exfoliate any dead skin and smooth out the surface of your lips. My current go-to has been Lush Cosmetics Mint Julips Lip Scrub. Keep your lips hydrated and smooth by applying a good lip balm every night before bed for one week leading up to that date. My absolute favorite is Blistex Complete Moisture Lip Balm. It's thick and feels like butter on my lips. I love it!!!

Step 2: Line

Add definition and shape with a lip liner that matches the hue of your lipstick. This helps to prevent lipstick from running outside the lines.

Step 3: Tint

Choose a tint that's a pretty close match to the color of your lipstick. The lip tint is used to create a "stain" so there will be some color on your lips even after the lipstick wears off. Which hopefully won't be after a couple sips of wine. 

Step 4: Apply Lipstick

Step 5: Seal

After lipstick is applied, hold a tissue over your lips and lightly dust translucent powder over the tissue. The powder falls through the tissue to set the lipstick the same way it does makeup to your face. 

Now seal the deal and kiss him already!!!


Honey and Tea Tree Oil Face Peel:

Winter really takes a toll on my skin. It dries and cracks.

About once a week I like to treat myself to an at-home spa day pampering my body head to toe and a face mask is always a part of this routine. 

This DIY face peel from The Pretty Hippie will leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and clear. 

Tea tree oil smells awful to me but it's antiseptic powers to help heal skin from some ailments outweighs its pungent odor. 

Honey has anti-microbial properties and is a known antioxidant so it will keep your skin fresh and youthful looking. 

Milk is full of vitamins and fatty acids that do wonders for the face and body.

This homemade face mask (or peel, whatever you call it) will be better for your skin than any other chemical filled version you buy at the store. 

You'll need:
  • 1 packet Unflavored Gelatin
  • Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil 
  • 1 tbsp Pure Raw Honey
  • 1 tbsp Milk
Here's whatcha do:


Use a plastic container to mix the ingredients emptying the gelatin, 1 tbsp honey, 5 drops tea tree oil, and 1 tbsp milk. Use a fork to stir looking for a chunky/thick consistency. Microwave the mixture for 10 seconds only. Touch the mixture making sure it's not too hot to apply to your face. Quickly apply the cream all over your face avoiding your hairline and eyebrows because it does get sticky. Move fast because it will start to harden right away.

(Peeling off the mask hurt like hell in some spots because it was pulling out the peach fuzz.)

Now you wait letting the peel dry for 20-25 minutes.

During this time take a mediation break listening to soothing music and laying down with your eyes closed. 

Remove the mask peeling away from your face. It may hurt a little because it sucks the gunk out of your pores and there is a possibility of baby hair removal. After the mask is removed, cleanse your face. 

You can enjoy this mask once a week.

Reaction: Super easy to mix up and apply. Be extra careful when applying this avoiding eyebrows and hairline because it will pull out hair. Great for getting rid of that peach fuzz ladies. I am impressed with how smooth my skin is now. It is painful but so worth it. 

Make Your Own Makeup Remover With Just 3 Ingredients:

Makeup remover wipes are a necessity for my nighttime routine when getting ready for bed. I run out of eye makeup remover solution and wipes quickly since I wear makeup just about every day unless my face starts to break out and needs a breather. 

Finally decided to give the DIY tutorial a try from Hip2Save after claims of this really working and with having a child I had all of the ingredients already on hand, so why not?!!!

Almond oil is recommended over the other oils because it has a lot of Vitamin E and is not as greasy as the others.


You'll need:
  • 2 oz water
  • 7 drops almond oil, coconut oil, or olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp tear free baby shampoo
Here's whatcha do:


Combine ingredients in a small bottle and shake well. Use makeup pads to remove makeup.

This stuff works and left my face feeling clean and fresh. I love love love this and no longer need to buy makeup remover wipes. 

Use Cold Green Tea Bags To Reduce The Puffiness and Dark Circles Under Your Eyes:

(Me right after I woke up from six hours in bed and only two and a half hours of sleep. Sleepless night caused dark puffy under eye circles. Don't mind my eyebrows, I'm due maintenance. Lazy girl.)

I struggle to get eight hours of sleep a night, I'm in bed for eight to ten hours but I'm not getting good quality sleep or that's what my FitBit Charge is reporting and those occasional dark circle puffy bags under my eyes that show up as well to remind me.

It's not just sleep that causes these dark circles... stress, depression, age, nutrient deficiencies, and genetics can also be factors.

The antioxidants found in green tea can be highly beneficial to the delicate skin around the eyes helping to tighten the skin from the caffeine. They also contain antioxidants and tannins. Tannins are responsible for stimulating blood circulation and smoothing skin.

("If I knew you needed to be tea-bagged I could have helped." I was not amused since I already felt silly. Can I please get six minutes of peace and quiet to do this beauty shit alone?!) 

Make a cup of green tea using two tea bags. Once steeped, place the tea bags on a plate and place in the refrigerator until chilled, about ten minutes. Hold the chilled tea bags under eyes for 5-6 minutes.

(After...brighter under eyes. Yesss!)

I felt silly having the tea bags under my eyes with some liquid pouring down my cheeks and neck but I can say that I say a difference in the coloring of my under eyes. After the 6 minutes they were brighter. Yay!! for a 2-in-1 beauty hack, green tea is good to consumption and under eye circles.

Keep Your Hair Smelling Great Spraying Perfume Onto Your Hairbrush:

Every day for one week I would spray my perfume, Coach Love, onto my hairbrush and run it through my hair. This is perfume that I have received numerous compliments on every time I wear it. To really test out this beauty hack I didn't wear any extra perfume except what I sprayed on the hairbrush. Monday, nobody said a thing. Tuesday, nothing. Wednesday, nothing. Thursday, nothing.

Come Friday I finally had it with this hack but gave it another chance.

When I went into the office I kept playing with my hair and gave it a smell. A coworker finally spoke up.

Coworker: "Why do you keep smelling your hair?"
Me: "Because it smells good."
Coworker: "Come here and let me smell."

So I walked over and stooped down to them and they took a whiff.

Coworker: "It just smells like hair. What's it supposed to smell like?

Being that this was a male coworker I deemed this beauty hack to be a bust. 

Use Your Lash Curler To Line And Curl At The Same Time:

Our eyes are the windows to our soul so you want them looking your best. This is why eyelashes are the one feature you should never neglect.

Curling your lashes enhances your overall makeup look. Now you can kill two birds with one stone by lining your lids and curling your lashes. This technique creates a soft smudged look which is great for daytime.

If you are already a pro at putting on eyeliner than this may not do you any good but if you are unskilled continue reading.

You'll need your eyelash curler and soft eye pencil. My go-to eye pencil is L'Oreal's Voluminous Smoldering Eyeliner in Black.


Draw a line on the edge of your eyelash curler as thick as you desire. Make sure you get as close to your lashline as possible and press the base of the curler against your skin. Squeeze and release the handle a few times to make sure the liner smudges well into your lashline and to help curl your lashes.

If you miss any spots just fill it in with the eye pencil. This a good technique for a beginner to use the line as a guide.

Make Mascara Last Longer Using A Drop Or Two Of Visine:





Clumps in mascara happen. Just adding a drop or two of Visine into the tube is an easy fix.

(Check out those clump-free lashes!)

The mascara will apply like it's brand new.