Cool Pink Gift Baskets

Since the holidays are here, I've been asked by friends, business associates, and family to create and sell some gift baskets that they can take to Christmas parties or give as gifts. So I've decided to do just that:) Until January 5, I'll be putting together personalized gift baskets based on the recipient's favorite things, or the nature of the party you'll be attending. You can send your request for a basket to the blog (or respond to an FB or Twitter post) and I will either: 1) give you step-by-step instructions on which items to include in the basket, right down to colors and fabrics; or 2) make the basket for you (I've done some research to make them reasonably priced) and have it shipped to your address:) Until then, deck the halls with dusty rose and pistachio--they look great together, and make the Christmas tree much more noticeable! Stay cool--and pink;)

Cool Pink in the Red: Holiday Desserts

Cool Pink is going red--red velvet, that is. Red velvet cake is pretty popular this season, but of course, I've been playing around with some variations of this tasty dessert to make the holidays especially memorable. So here's my version of red velvet creme brulee--with coconut praline chips:) For this recipe, you'll need:

sugar
heavy cream (or soy cream)
cocoa powder
red food coloring
cinnamon extract
real vanilla extract
egg yolks--about 10 or 11 (or egg replacer)
unsweetened chocolate


Place the sugar, cream, extracts and food coloring in a saucepan over medium heat. When the mixture comes to a light bubble, add the cocoa powder and about a bar of unsweetened chocolate.

Place the egg yolks in a stainless steel bowl. Start whisking the yolks and slowly add the cream mixture to the bowl. Strain the mixture and pour it into individual ramekins, or use a large ceramic casserole dish (but personally, i like the individual ramekins better;))Place the ramekins in a large baking pan and fill the baking pan so that the water comes halfway to the side of the ramekin. Bake the creme brulee until it's firm in the center--about 20 minutes. Remove the creme brulee and let it cool completely--then put it in the fridge for at least two hours (i know, i know. but trust me, it's necessary). Then dust the top of the brulee with sugar, and use a handheld propane torch to give the dessert its golden brown crust.

For the coconut pralines, you'll need:

sweetened shredded coconut
powdered sugar
dark Karo syrup
finely chopped pecans or almonds
condensed milk (or the soy alternative)

Combine the syrup, sugar and milk in a saucepan and bring it to a low boil. Cook the mixture to the soil boil stage--you'll know it's ready when you can drop a small piece of the sugar mixture into cold water and it forms a small ball ;) Stir the mixture to make it creamier, then add the coconut. Allow the mixture to cool before forming it into teaspoon-sized discs. Place the discs on buttered parchment paper and store them in a Rubbermaid container until you're ready to decorate your creme brulee plate with them.

Enjoy!:)

What to Wear to Thanksgiving Dinner

Whether you're hosting Thanksgiving this year, or have been invited to dinner with friends and loved ones, it's important to come to the 'table' in style (after all, it's the Cool Pink way;))Here are some outfit must-haves for your Thanksgiving celebration.

Blazer. A blazer is a classy way to cover up any unsightly bulges that you're likely to acquire after that third helping of garlic mashed potatoes (it happens to the best of us). Blazers give shape to your torso, and a blazer that is slightly loose makes it easy for you to keep the jacket buttoned while--and after--eating. It's also a great idea to choose a blazer with tails or a sequined collar so that the focus is on your impeccable style--and not your midriff.

Flat shoes. A pair of flats or flat boots makes your Thanksgiving outfit chic and relaxed without looking too casual--it may be a holiday, but you still have heads to turn;). If you're wearing skinny jeans (make sure they have some give) a tall, flat blot in a neutral color like gray or tan will free you up to wear a brightly colored top without being too flashy. If you've opted for boot-cut jeans or pants with a looser fit, flat shoes with a metal or flower embellishment on the front adds a festive touch to your look.

Accessories. Gold and bronze accessories are perfect for the fall season, and will keep you looking your best in holiday pictures. If you're donning a large wrap-around sweater for Thanksgiving dinner (another rather forgiving piece of clothing), large gold earrings will keep the outfit from looking too frumpy. Or, a fitted blazer with rolled up sleeves will show off your bronze bangels nicely.

When you look good, you feel good--and you think twice about gorging yourself with sweet potato pie. Maybe. Have a Cool Pink Thanksgiving! :)

The Bazaar Collection: The Etiquette Post

The Bazaar Collection: The Etiquette Post: "I was going through my favorite videos on YouTube and I came across a classic scene from the early days of 'The Fresh Prince of Bel Air'. It..."

Sweet Potato Pie Accents

OK, so chances are you you know how to make your sweet potato pie filling with your eyes closed by now. But even if you're making the pie for the first time this Thanksgiving, you can impress all your guests with these scrumptious toppings that are sure to get lots of oohs and aahs:)

Candied Nuts

Mix butter, vanilla and hazelnut extracts, brown sugar, powdered sugar, a bit of heavy whipping cream (or the soy alternative), butterscotch, and cinnamon together in a small saucepan. Fold in pieces of your favorite nuts; pecans taste great with sweet potato pie, put almonds or macadamia nuts are a tasty addition as well.

Caramel Topping

Molasses (or dark Karo syrup), along with brown sugar and heavy whipping cream are the main ingredients of a caramel topping; melt these items in a small pot on the stove until the consistency is thick and gooey. Add a few morsels of unsweetened chocolate and butter for a savory taste. You can pour this topping over your sweet potato pie, or swirl it into the filling when the pie is halfway done baking.

Coconut Topping

A slightly sweet but flavorful addition to your sweet potato pie is coconut. To thicken the topping, add a little rice flower to shredded, sweetened coconut, along with a pinch of sea salt, fresh cinnamon, and melted butter. The topping is crumbly, and makes for a great contrast of texture against the smooth pie filling.

*You can also sprinkle some coconut flakes or teaspoons of fresh nutmeg into the pie crust for an extra burst of flavor--Enjoy! ;)

Autumn Sandwich Recipe Variations

Since Thanksgiving is coming up soon, you probably don't want to make a lot of large meals until the big day--and you'll need some creative things to do with leftovers, too;) So here are a few sandwich ideas that you can enjoy before--or after--Turkey Day:)

First, you'll need some sandwich 'binders'--you know, something to spread on the bread besides those processed condiments like mustard and mayonnaise (yuck). i recommend a cranberry relish or almond hummus. For the relish, you'll need:

whole or jellied cranberries
plum pieces
oranges
sugar
* you can also add a little olive oil and fresh herbs like thyme or marjoram to give the relish a more savory taste ;)

for the almond hummus, you'll need:

raw almonds (organic is best)
tahini
garlic
oregano
olive oil
sea salt
lime
cilantro

--the ingredients for both recipes should be combined in a food processor to get the right consistency, but a blender works well in most cases, too.

Chances are you already have roasted or deep-fried turkey on hand, so just carve that up to put on the sandwich. Sautee the turkey pieces in a mixture of butter, fresh oregano, cayenne pepper, and lime juice before placing it on the sandwich. You can also use thin chicken breast prepared in the same way. Or, dredge the chicken in a light flour like potato or rice flower and sautee for a few minutes before adding the butter mixture.


Ciabatta or French bread is best for these sandwiches; toast the bread lightly before placing the meat and relish or hummus in between--but don't toast it for too long or you'll end up with croutons.:)Sprinkle the bread with a Parmesan and Romano cheese mixture onto the bread and add your turkey or chicken (or both lol) with the relish or hummus (or, you know, both) and enjoy! More side dish ideas coming up ;)

Candy Cane Cupcakes

A number of holiday-themed desserts feature peppermint flavor, but few sweet treats yield the taste of an actual candy cane. So, here's my take on a candy cane cupcake that is great for Christmas bake sales and holiday parties that will remind you of those freakishly sugary candy canes in your grandma's holiday candy dish--in a good way:)this recipe is really easy, and doesn't include any of the 'filler' flavors that take away from the candy cane taste:)

For this recipe, you'll need:

white cake mix (or a homemade batter of cake flour, sugar, 2 or 3 eggs, buttermilk or cultured soy milk, a little pure vanilla extract, salt, butter and baking powder). sorry, i don't measure, so just mix all that around until the consistency is right :)

pure almond extract
red food coloring
peppermint extract
powdered sugar
mini candy canes

-Once you've mixed the cake batter together, take half of it out and put it in a separate bowl. Dye the batter in one of the bowls red--add as much food coloring as you want to achieve the hue of the deep red stripes in candy canes. Get out your cupcake pans and grease each section of the pan, or add cupcake liners. Now, you may find this part tedious, but it's a good idea to fill one cupcake section with red batter, and a drop or two of the 'white' cake batter. Then, use a toothpick or small fork to swirl the two colors around. For the next cupcake, add the white cake batter first, and then a spoonful of the red batter and mix it around. The patterns are really pretty and look impressive when people bite into the cupcake;)

-Place the cupcakes in the oven at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes. While the cakes are baking, it's time to make the icing. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, milk or soy milk, and peppermint and almond extract. Use a whisk to combine the ingredients. If you want you can add a splash of lemon juice--it makes the peppermint flavor stand out more. you can also add green food coloring if you want to create a contrast between the red and white of the cupcake.

-After taking the cupcakes out of the oven, let them cool for a few minutes before icing them. After you've iced each cupcake, you can crush some mini candy canes and sprinkle them on top of the desserts. :)