10/27/12

Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes





Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
Pumpkin Cupcake
1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup (75 grams) solid packed, canned pumpkin puree (I couldn't find canned pumpkin puree in the grocery so I pureed it myself instead)

Cream Cheese Frosting
4 ounces (113 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons (25 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (175 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Place rack in the middle of the oven. 
2. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or spray each cup with a non stick vegetable spray.
3. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, ground spices, and salt. 
4. In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 
6. Beat in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
7. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and pumpkin puree, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. 
8. Fill the muffin cups evenly with the batter using two spoons or an ice cream scoop. 
9. Place in the oven and bake for about 18 - 20 minutes, or until firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean. 
10. Place on a wire rack to cool.
11. Instructions for cream cheese frosting: 
In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. 
12. Add the butter and beat until incorporated and smooth. 
13. Add the vanilla extract and confectioners sugar and beat until fluffy (2-3 minutes). 
14. Pipe or spread the frosting on the cupcakes.
15. Garnish and decorate using nuts, cinnamon, or pumpkin candies (optional).


I got the recipe from this video on YouTube. She's one of my favorite beauty gurus but she also has a vlog channel where she posts videos of random stuff, including baking.

These taste more like carrot cupcakes than pumpkin, if you ask me. But still really yummy! It goes really well with a hot drink and is perfect for the Halloween season. Enjoy!

NYX Round Lipsticks: What You Didn't Know

Did you ever wonder what was at the bottom of your NYX Round Lipstick?

Tada! 
I found out that my Thalia and Fig lipsticks both had a lipstick bottom, while my Tea Rose lipstick had a jelly bottom

I was so amazed when I found out about this! I don't know why some of them are jelly but I suggest you check all of the NYX Round Lipsticks you own before throwing them out. Who knows, you might get lucky and actually have a lipstick bottom! 

Just wanted to share this bit of information with you guys. Check out my review on the NYX Round Lipsticks here! 


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My friend is renting out a fully furnished condominium in the Corinthian Executive Regency in Ortigas. Click here for more information, photos of the entire condo and contact details

Ye Dang Korean BBQ Restaurant

Complimentary side dishes
Left to right: radish kimchi, spinach, spicy fishcake, sweet marbled potatoes, dilis, Korean pancake, kimchi


Dolsot Bibimbap PHP 280 "Vegetable hash rice in hot stone bowl"


Nambuidong PHP 230 "Noodles with fishcake"

The oil based sauce is for the non marinated meat while the darker sauce is for the marinated meat. Wrap the meat in the lettuce together with the garlic and soybean sauce. The lettuce is complimentary if you order any of their grilled meats

Samgyupsal PHP 250 "Grilled pork belly"

La Galbi PHP 400 "Grilled US beef ribs"

Dak-Gui PHP 300 "Grilled chicken"


Menu

Comments / More Information:
- The restaurant's exhausts don't work that well so prepare to reek of Korean food! 
- Unlike in other barbecue restaurants, the waiters grill the food for you
- Authentic Korean food plus it's cheap! About half of their customers here are Korean
- Their side dishes are refillable 
- They don't have desserts, but they do have a Korean convenience store right beside the restaurant where they sell Korean ice cream. Best way to end a yummy Korean meal


Ye Dang Korean Barbecue Restaurant
Address: 88 Meralco Ave., Ortigas Center, Pasig City (beside Metrowalk)
Telephone No.: 636-1461

10/18/12

NYX: Round Lipsticks

Swatches from top to bottom: Thalia, Fig, Tea Rose

Top to bottom: Thalia, Fig, Tea Rose

Thalia

Fig

Tea Rose

The lipstick when twisted all the way up

Description from the NYX website:
"NYX Round Lipstick is our classic lipstick for all-year round. The mineral-based emollient formula offers a beautiful velvet texture, saturated color and it resists wear and smudging. It's your go-to lipstick. From Pure Nude to Pink Lyric to Chic Red, Round Lipstick is available in a jaw-dropping 144 shades."

Availability: Random stores, online stores, bazaars (I got mine from Digital Traincase in a bazaar a few months ago. They also sell this in Retail Lab in the Archaeology Wing of Rockwell) 
Price: Ranges from PHP 150 - 200 (I got mine for PHP 150)

Texture 
- 10/10
- It glides on to your lips really smooth
Pigmentation 
- 10/10
Packaging 
- 9/10 
- I like how you can see the color of the lipstick from the outside so it's easier to choose
- Don't open more than one lipstick at the same time because the name of the lipstick is on the cap. You might get them mixed up and put the cap to the wrong lipstick. That's what happened to me and it took me some time to get the right ones in place.
Reasonability of Price
- 10/10
- Cheapest lipstick I've ever bought!
Overall Rating
- 10/10

Comments / More Information:
- Available in 144 colors
- Cruelty free
- Hypoallergenic
- It doesn't have the same scent as the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams. It's light enough for those who don't really like scented lip products. I don't smell the lipstick while it's on my lips
- They don't all have the same scent. In my case, Fig and Thalia are the same while Tea Rose is different. All three are still lightly scented though
- It's a great product for everyday use
- It doesn't dry your lips up, unlike the Soft Matte Lip Creams
- Really good quality for the price

Check out my review on the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams here!


Digital Traincase
"Your Ultimate Beauty Store. Nail polishes, make up, brushes and more!"
* For Paul / Sol Villamayor
Telephone No.: 964-2144
Mobile No.: (0917) 565-0265
Email: sales@digitaltraincase.com 
- Some brands that they have are NYX, Essie, China Glaze, O.P.I., Charm, etc.

Retail Lab
Address: R2 Archaeology, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Makati (right beside Happy Lemon)

10/10/12

Achiote Taqueria



Fully Dressed (includes all toppings: dinelli bacon, sunflower seeds, sun-dried tomatoes, spicy roasted peppers, queso catija) Guacamole Bar "Tomatillo and roasted poblano guacamole with just-baked tortilla chips and achiote-chipotle, roasted tomato salsa" PHP 370

 

Frozen Virgin Margarita "Our perfect mix of the highest quality ingredients, blended to perfection" PHP 195

Sugar rim

Achiote Chicken "Grilled free-range chicken breast fillet, fajita veggies, black beans, Mexican cheese mix, cilantro-cream, avocado, arugula leaves" PHP 375

Cochinita Pibil "Yucatan pulled pork, black beans, pickled red onions, salsa rojo" PHP 345

Burrito Matador "Barbacoa, tripas, refried beans, cilantro lime rice, salsa rojo, pico de gallo, cheddar cheese mix, sour cream, lettuce" PHP 425




Menu (yellow photos) and "Create Your Own" Menu (white photos)



Comments / More Information:
- Their Frozen Virgin Margarita was like frozen lemonade. I really liked this but my parents thought it was too sour
- Their burritos are not as big as compared to the burritos from Ristras and B&T Mexican Kitchen, but actually the perfect size for one person. I was able to finish mine all on my own and got really full
- You can enjoy any of their burritos through your choice of style: fajita burrito, burrito bowl (open faced) or chimichangga (deep fried) This information wasn't stated anywhere I just had to ask the waitress
- For their sandwiches there are two different kinds of bread you can choose from. The waitress didn't bother to ask my mom and my tita which one they'd prefer so they had to just settle with whatever was served to them



Achiote Taqueria
Address: R1 Level Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center, Makati City (sandwiched between Mamou and Kuretake; there's no direct entrance to the restaurant from the mall so you have to go out of the mall by the Via Mare exit to get there)
Telephone No.: 822-1242, 822-0273