The Best Coffee Cake. Ever.

This recipe needs no words ... well maybe except heavenly, scrumptious, moist, warm, sinful, decadent. Try this recipe and you'll go straight to heaven. Figuratively speaking of course. ;)

Ingredients:

FOR THE CAKE:

1-½ stick Butter, Softened
2 cups Sugar
3 cups Flour, Sifted
4 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1-¼ cup Whole Milk
3 whole Egg Whites, Beaten Until Stiff
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FOR THE TOPPING:

1-½ stick Butter, Softened
¾ cups Flour
1-½ cup Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
1-½ cup Pecans, Chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat egg whites and set aside.
Cream butter and sugar. Add flour mixture and milk alternately until combined. Don’t over beat. Fold in beaten egg whites with a rubber spatula. Spread in a well-greased 9 x 13 (or LARGER!) baking pan. A cake pan with higher sides would be best.
In a separate bowl, combine topping ingredients with a pastry cutter until crumbly. Sprinkle all over the top.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until no longer jiggly. Serve warm—delicious!

MAC Eyebrow Pencil in Stud

I am obsessed with my eyebrows. I think they are the single most important feature of the face (and often underrated). A perfect brow is a perfect face frame. Every two weeks, like clockwork, I religiously get my eyebrows threaded, which is the best grooming method, in my opinion. Nothing beats the look and precision of a threaded brow. My brow inspirations are Kim Kardashian and Megan Fox, my all-time fave. Her eyebrows are sickeningly perfect. Eyebrow threading gives me that same look, which I love. I have tried to use powders before to fill in any tiny spaces where they are sparse, but it never really gave me the natural look that I was searching for. I went to a MAC counter years ago and one of the consultants tried MAC's Eyebrow Pencil in Stud on me - the rest is history. This pencil is really thin and only the very tip sticks out the top, which is always sharpened. The color has no reds tones to it at all, just a deep brown that can get darker when pressed, or lighter when using light strokes. I mainly use this as a light line right at the bottom of my brows, to give it a neat, clean, precisioned look. Sometimes I fill in tiny little areas or imperfections, but I keep it very light. The more pencil or powder that you have on your brows, the more unnatural it looks. It's just supposed to enhance the brows in a natural way. This pencil is so amazing, it keeps my brows looking perfect all day, doesn't smear or melt. It's also so easy to apply; most pencils take many strokes to appear, you often have to press too hard or tug at your skin, which is not only annoying, but horrible for your skin. This is, hands down, the best eyebrow pencil that I have ever used. And for someone who is obsessed about their brows like I am, that's saying a lot!

Mary Kay Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover

I am in l-o-v-e with this stuff. I don't know what I would do without it. I wear mascara and sometimes eyeshadow and eyeliner, and it's such a pain to try to remove eye makeup without being too harsh on my eyelashes or ending up looking like a raccoon. I have tried so many products from plain old Vaseline, cold creams, eye makeup removers and have had no luck. I have never found something that takes such little effort and is so gentle on my eyes and eyelashes - that is ... before using "Mary Kay's Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover. When I used this stuff for the first time, I saw the sky part and the angels descend down upon me playing their little harps. I was that impressed. All it takes is a drop or two on a cotton ball and I hold it on my eye for a couple of seconds, then wipe away. It's SO easy and gentle on my eyes that even with contacts in, I can open my eyes and use it on my waterline to take off any eyeliner that is left behind and it's like I'm using water, it's so gentle. It is oil-free, so it doesn't leave an oily residue, which I found with some of the other removers out there. This is one of those little products that mean so much to have in your bathroom cabinet. It's trusty, will never let you down and does its job perfectly. And a product that saves my lashes is a product I'm a fan of! Try it! ;)

Make Up For Ever HD Invisible Cover Liquid Foundation

This is my HG foundation, the best liquid foundation on the market, trust me - I've tried all of 'em! I don't like a cakey matte foundation at all. I like a natural foundation that doesn't make it look like I'm even wearing makeup. Make Up Forever's HD Invisible Cover Liquid Foundation does just that. I normally use MAC's 187 "skunk brush" to apply this foundation and it gives an airbrushed finish. I pump twice on the back of my hand and lightly stiple the foundation on my face. Then I buff it in using circular motions, lightly set with powder and I'm good to go! This is such a high quality foundation that does not irritate my sensitive skin at all. There are 25 shades to suit all skintones. If you want a natural looking foundation that blends into your skin perfectly, this is the one for you!

Josie Maran: Love Nest

Ok, I'll admit it. I'm officially in love with all things Josie Maran. I blogged awhile ago about her AMAZING 100% Organic Argan Oil, which has literally transformed my skin and I cannot live without. I was so impressed with it, that I started researching her whole cosmetics line. I watched her on QVC, looked up youtube videos of her promoting her products, read tons of reviews, totally immersed myself in finding out more about this line. First of all, every single product in her line includes argan oil - every one! I couldn't imagine having my magical elixir included in every mascara, cream blush, gloss, eyeshadow, etc ... I was so excited to try her products out! I heard that Sephora was selling two boxed sets of Josie Maran products. I initially wanted to get Josie Maran's Beauty in a Box, which includes all of Sephora's favorite Maran products: Argan Eyeshadow Quad, GOGO Instant Natural Volume Argan Mascara in Black, Argan Infused Lipstick in Birthday Suit, Argan Oil!!! :), Argan Infused Eyeliner in Raven and Argan Natural Volume Lipgloss in Optimism. The retail value is $98 and it was being sold for $52. I researched the products and they all got RAVE reviews, so off to Sephora I went - only to find out that the specific store I went to does not carry it :( :( :( Sooooo, sensing my disappointment, the Sephora consultant recommended Josie Maran's Love Nest - a boxed set of Josie's favorite products from her line, that was flying off the shelves. The set includes a .5 oz bottle of Argan Oil, Argan Illuminizer, GOGO Instant Natural Volume Argan Mascara in Black and Argan Color Stick in Petal Pink. The retail value is $55 and it was being sold for $25. I immediately took it to the cashier and checked out.

When I got back home, I washed my face and tried out the products. Mascara: The packaging is so cute; it's black with gold hearts on it :) The brush is soft and full and when I initially applied the mascara, I could just tell it had argan oil in it! I just knew it! It's like my lashed were being conditioned. The result was beautiful - separated and full, lush lashes. It didn't extend them super far, but they were definitely long and beautiful looking. I also experienced no clumping or flaking with this product. Color Stick: This packaging is beautiful, also; she packages a lot of her products in rose gold and this one was just that, with a clear lid on the top. This stick can be used for cheeks and lips. It has a pretty scent to it, but I'm having a hard time pinpointing the exact fragrance. It's very nice, though! :) It goes on the cheeks like a cream blush and the color is perfect. It's buildable, so you can always add more and it still looks very natural. I'm in love with this color. This is one of my favorite products in the box. On the lips, it looks beautiful, gives your lips the exact color that lips should be. Illuminizer: This stuff is amazing, but needs to be used sparingly. A tiny drop gives such a stunning glow on the cheeks. I've also mixed it with my moisturizer when I'm doing a no makeup day and it's super pretty. When I was researching reviews for this product, this was the favorite makeup product right behind the argan oil. Ok, I don't need to review the argan oil again, but it's an incredible product that I can't say enough positive things about. Love, love, love it!!!

This set is an amazing buy, especially if you're like me and wanted to "try out" some of her products before purchasing them all individually. I'm not sure how long Sephora will be selling it, so if you're interested, make a mad dash to your nearest Sephora location! This is a great stocking stuffer idea! When I get my hands on the Beauty in a Box, I'll make sure to review that, too. :)

LUSH - Bubblegum Lip Scrub

This is a recent find of mine that both my daughter and I are obsessed with. One of my consistent themes is exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate! When I found out about LUSH's Lip Scrub in Bubblegum, I had to try it! I know, I know, you can easily make this on your own - it's mainly sugar and oil. But for only $8, you can have the cutest jar of this yummy pink lip scrub, without any work at all. The jar is packed with this scrub, and only a tiny bit is needed, so it lasts a long time. All I do is make sure my lips are completely clean, without any lip balm or gloss, and spread the scrub over my lips. I press my lips together and scrub back and forth for about a minute and then I start feeling the scrub get warm and dissolve. Then after I'm finished, I lick it off - OMG soooo good. The flavor is amazing. (You can also wash the scrub off with warm water.) I immediately apply my Rosebud Salve and my lips are SUPER soft, smooth and kissable. I can't even do it justice by explaining it with words. I find myself rubbing my lips together over and over again because I love how soft they feel. This is also great for applying matte lipsticks, it provides a smooth canvas so your lips won't look chapped or dry. I use it before bed and my daughter loves to use it in the mornings before she applies her Rosebud Salve (spoiled child). ;) She keeps begging me to buy more so that she can try the other flavors. You can visit their website to check them out. LUSH is an amazing store that specializes in handmade cosmetics. They do not test their products on animals and they use only vegetarian ingredients. Their store is so cool; they have other amazing products that I can't wait to try, like their bubble bars, bath melts and bath bombs. I can tell that I'll be a frequent LUSH shopper in the future. If their other products are anything like their yummy lip scrub, I'm all over it!

Philosophy - Hot Salt Body Scrub in Gingerbread Man and Senorita Margarita

I've blogged about products that keep my face soft and smooth, lotions that make my body smooth, I loooove being smooth. I refuse to have any part of my body ever be rough, chapped, chaffed, dry, or any other icky antonym for silky smooth. It's all fine and dandy to put lotions and oils on your body to smooth out your skin, but nothing buffs out and polishes skin like a great exfoliating scrub. I love my scrubs. I use my St. Ives Apricot Scrub on my face religiously and love the feeling I get after a good scrubbin'. But you can't stop at just exfoliating your face. You have to exfoliate your whole body. That's where Philosophy's Hot Salt Body Scrubs come into effect. I recently received samples from my favorite store in the world :) of 2 scrubs in particular that I'm giddy goo goo ga ga about. The first one is called Gingerbread Man. It smells divine and warm and delicious. It's a rich brown color and looks like brown sugar. The next one is called Senorita Margarita. This, no lie, smells just like a delicious ice-cold margarita, but in a great and amazing way. It's addicting. Nice and limey. The smell alone is worth trying this scent. These body scrubs slightly heat up as you rub the product in, which feels sooo good. They are thick scrubs, a bit rough, which I like. I don't like an oily scrub with a lot of slip. I want to really get in there. The directions suggest scrubbing on dry skin and then washing the scrub off afterwards. I'd like to call myself a G, so I bravely dry scrub while standing in the shower, then turn the shower on to rinse off. I find that this is the best method because you have traction when you're scrubbing and it doesn't glide too easily. When you rinse this off, your whole body will honestly, no fingers crossed, feel like a baby's butt. Seriously. It is insane. If you've never tried a high quality body scrub, try this and you will never go back to life without it. Trust me.

Mexican Lasagna

Recipe time! This is in constant rotation at our house. I call it Mexican Lasagna, my husband calls it Burrito Pie, you can call it whatever you wish, but I guarantee you, this recipe will become a very good friend of yours. During the week, when I get home from work, the last thing I want to do is slave over a hot stove all night. I want to get in, get out, and eat something delicious. This recipe is super easy, kind of tastes like an enchilada, burrito and taco all in one - and amazingly flavorful! Try it!

Ingredients:

2 packages of ground turkey (or ground beef, whichever you prefer)

2 (2 oz) can of black olives, sliced

1 cup of diced tomatoes

1 (4 oz) can of diced green chile peppers

1 (10 oz) can of diced tomatoes with green chile peppers

1 (16 oz) jar of taco sauce (I use La Victoria, Medium)

1 large can of refried beans (forgot the ounces, sorry!)

1 packet of taco seasoning

1 bag of shredded cheese

12 (8 inch) flour tortillas

1/4 c green onions

sour cream, if preferred

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Brown ground beef in large skillet, drain fat. Mix in 1 can of olives, taco sauce, taco seasoning, diced green chile peppers and can of diced tomatoes with green chile peppers. Stir mixture thoroughly, reduce heat to low, simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Spread a thin layer of meat mixture in the bottom of a 9X13 glass baking dish. Follow by sprinkling cheese on the meat mixture. Then, take a tortilla and spread refried beans onto the tortilla with a spoon. Lay the tortilla bean side down on top of the cheese. You're going to need 2 tortillas on each layer to cover the dish. Next, layer again, starting with the meat mixture, cheese and tortillas bean side down until you get to the top of the dish, ending with the meat mixture. Sprinkle cheese on top, followed by diced tomatoes, olives and green onions.

4. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheese is slightly brown and bubbly. Add sour cream, if preferred.

NARS Orgasm Blush

Legendary. The blush that looks amazing on EVERYONE. The blush that Drake referenced with "Orgasm blush, lipstick and concealer". The most flattering blush ever made - NARS Orgasm Blush. I know this is nothing new. All women know about this blush, but what would a "favorite things" blog be without mention of this magical pigment?? I normally carry 2 blushes in my makeup bag: Tarte's Blushing Bride and NARS Orgasm. Tarte's blush is for more of a rosy cheek look, super beautiful and necessary. But NARS Orgasm has more of a natural peachy pink tone to it and it looks heavenly on, for daytime or nighttime - super versatile. This also has great staying power and will last all day long. Be careful not to get this mixed up with NARS Super Orgasm, which is an amped up version of this one, only it contains glitter - eww not my personal taste at all, but others may like it. I know, I know, it's $30 ... who wants to spend $30 for blush???

I know! I was in the same boat! Until I tried it on at my nearest Sephora a couple of years ago and the rest is history. NARS Orgasm blush. Pretty much the ishhh. Nuff said.

Benefit - Moon Beam

This is a staple in my makeup bag. Keeping with my "glowing skin" theme, I'd like to introduce you to Moon Beam by Benefit Cosmetics. I'm always trying to achieve the minimal makeup, natural, clean, fresh and glowing skin look, so I have tons of moisturizers and highlighters. This is my all-time favorite highlighter in liquid form. Benefit has two different versions of this highlighter ~ one is called High Beam and the one I'm featuring is, of course, the magnificent Moon Beam. High Beam is mainly for fair skin tones; it's a little on the pearly, silver, white side. It's beautiful on certain skin tones, but it didn't give my skin a warm and natural glow. I had to be careful how much I applied to avoid looking like a disco ball. Moon Beam has peachy, purple, pink, and golden iridescence all in one. It is absolutely breathtaking with olive to darker skin tones. It also has no glitter or shimmer which I love because that looks ridiculous, in my opinion. It also doesn't make my face look oily, which is another pet peeve of mine. First of all, the product comes in a small glass bottle and the wand looks exactly like a nail polish brush, so cute :) I've had my current bottle for a year and a half and I'm not even halfway finished. You only use a teeny tiny bit of this product, so it lasts forever. When I apply Moon Beam, I swipe over my cheekbones, the bridge of my nose, my brow bones, the inner corners of my eyes and right at my cupid's bow (the area on your top lip when it makes a heart shape), then I blend it in with my fingers and let me tell you, the subtle and beautiful glow that I get is stunning. People will not notice that you are wearing highlighter; only that certain parts of your face are catching a beautiful light. Sometimes, I apply this over my foundation and use it without blush, sometimes I wear it over my blush, sometimes I mix it with my moisturizer to make my very own tinted moisturizer, sometimes I add it to my foundation as an illuminizer, sometimes I wear it alone ~ you can use it however you choose and you will always get the warmest, most luminous, most beautiful glow ever.

100% Organic Argan Oil - Josie Maran

This is my new beauty obsession. I didn't want to blog about it too soon because I wanted to make sure that my excitement wasn't premature. I've been using this for about 3 weeks now and every day, my skin gets better and better, from the inside out. This is 100% Organic Argan Oil by Josie Maran. No wonder this is her line's best seller. First of all, I love Josie Maran. She is a former model and I always thought she was drop dead gorgeous, in a natural way. When I found out she had a 100% natural product line, I knew I had to try it. Pure Argan Oil is very hard to come by. A lot of products boast that they have pure argan oil in them, but it is rarely 100%. Josie imports the stuff from a women’s cooperative in Morocco and it’s 100 percent pure, which means it’s blessedly free of fragrance and dyes. Just 2-3 drops is enough for a deeply hydrating daytime/nighttime treatment. This is sometimes referred to as "Liquid Gold", a highly coveted beauty secret of the women of Morocco for centuries. The oil contains more than half the amount of vitamin e that olive oil does and is known for its anti-aging and healing properties. I use this in place of my regular moisturizer and on my cuticles. My blemishes disappear very quickly after I apply this oil. My skin is soft, dewy and supple. For the past three weeks, I have to say, my skin has looked better than it has ever looked. I don't want to get too excited and replace my other moisturizers for this one until the results last a little bit longer, but I am so very amazed by this product. I just take 2-3 drops and deeply press the oil, rubbing it all over my face and neck. It also comes in a stick form, Josie Maran's Argan Oil Moisturizing Stick, which is perfect for spot treating dry areas. I have both; I keep the stick with me in my purse and I leave the (recyclable) glass bottle of oil at home. I also use the stick as balm on my lips and it's wonderful. Don't be put off by this being an oil; I was hesitant at first, too. But it's so light, absorbs into the skin so well and leaves it so unbelievably moisturized, that it is hard to believe it's oil! This is truly a magical elixir!