DIY tortillas

All I have to say .. once you make these from scratch you will probably never buy store brought tortillas again (I'm sure not)
Easy ingredients: 2 cups flour, all purpose

(you can also use whole wheat, rye, or a mixture of flours if you like)

1/2 teaspoon salt - 1/4 sugar - 1/4 cup shortening or 1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon baking powder

 1/2 cup warm water (may need to add more, pending how sticky the dough)

 Prep: Sift the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder into a large mixing bowl.
In the dry ingredients cut in the shortening, or add oil (whichever one you are using),
mix with finger tips or wooden spoon to combine
Add warm water work the liquid into the dough until a sticky ball forms
Place in plastic baggy let rest for at least 1 hr in refrigerator
Divide dough into 8-10 balls for a small tortilla or 6-8 balls for larger ones
cover with a damp cloth

Lightly dust a counter or pastry board with a touch of flour
then roll out each ball of dough into a circle or oval approximately 1/4 inch thick

Heat a dry pan or skillet over high heat for 5 minutes

Cook the tortillas 1 mins on each side or until the dough looks dry and slightly wrinkled

You will start to see a few brown spots form on both sides.. that's a good thing
Do not over cook or they will be really hard and crispy (you don't want that)

Wrap in damp towel to keep warm and soft. Serve immediately

.. as always !enjoy

The sky was blue

Sometimes you just have to stand still, take a deep breath, and cherish the beauty of nature. The beauty of the light blue sky, the sound of birds chirping, and the beauty of the environment that surrounds you

It's personal

Jewelry to me is a very personal thing. Jewelry can be a gift from a special friend, family, or simply a gift to self. Some people such as myself don't normally leave home without at least one piece either a ring or bracelet. No matter your preference ..just have fun with it, here are my rules:

Keep it retro 

Layer up 

Keep it big 

Keep it bold

OOTD: Coat and dress

Basic teal turtleneck dress, grey tights, Mod cloth stripe coat, JC leather boots, vintage, modernistic, and designer sterling jewelry

Stone details

Gemstones have the power to increase favorable results to any look or outfit. I tend to wear gemstones pretty often as they add a little color to my look especially when wearing whites, pastels, or basic colors

Vintage sterling rings and bracelet with random gemstone details

Color me burnt orange

I must admit burnt orange looks so much better in Autumn - I love wearing colors during this time of year 

OOTD: Burnt orange basic top, olive cardigan, Free People cream maxi skirt, Jeffrey Campbell leather gladiators, classic Coach purse, vintage, modernist, and designer sterling jewelry

Lemon bread

 This recipe is more like a lemon cake .. great desert for the holidays!
Simple ingredients: (for this recipe it's best if the ingredients are left at room temp) - 1/2 pound butter, preferably at room temperature unless you are using an electric mixer - 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar - 4 large eggs - 1/3 cup grated lemon zest (if you don't have zest you can leave it out) - 2 1/2 cups flour (all purpose or bread) - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda - 1 teaspoon kosher salt - 3/4 cup lemon juice - 3/4 cup buttermilk - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 1 to 2 loaf pans (I only used half the batter). Cream the butter and sugar in a large size bowl by hand or with an electric mixer until light and fluffy for about 7 minutes. Then add the eggs, 1 at a time, then lemon zest as applicable. Sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla (as seen in pic #5). Add the flour and buttermilk mixture to the batter

Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until your toothpick comes out dry. Then combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small glass bowl - cook over low heat until the sugar particles disappear 

When the cakes are done baking, let cool for 10 minutes then remove the cake(s) from the pans. Spoon the lemon syrup over the top of the cakes. Allow the cakes to cool completely

For the glaze .. you can skip this part if you like: Combine 2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted and 4 tablespoons lemon juice in a bowl, mix with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the tops of the cakes

 .. and that's all folks ! Enjoy