Brandy Saldana – Page 26 – Will Bake for Shoes

Cupcakes

Margarita Cupcakes

Posted on September 16, 2014by Brandy Saldana

I made Margarita Cupcakes for Cinco de Mayo, but did not have a chance to share photos or the recipe since I was in the middle of my 40 Days of DVF series. Since today is Mexican Independence Day, I thought it would be a good idea to share the recipe for these. It might inspire you to make them to enjoy them after a Taco Tuesday dinner tonight.

I wanted to make cupcakes using good tequila so that I had an excuse to add another bottle to my bar cart. A lot of the recipes I found online and in my books had margarita cupcakes made without tequila though, which made me think they don’t typically come with Tequila. I stumbled upon this great Margarita Cupcake recipe by the Brown Eyed Baker, and she was just as disappointed with other recipes since they didn’t have booze. So she came up with a recipe that includes tequila in not just the cupcake, but also in the frosting! While most alcohol bakes off, the trick to having these taste like tequila is brushing on some while the cupcakes are cooling off. Of course, you can always omit tequila from the recipe, but here are the ingredients and directions for making some really boozy cupcakes. I used Silver Patron Tequila, but it is not necessary to use the same tequila. However, it is recommended to use a Blanco (silver/white) tequila for this recipe. Now let’s get to baking!

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Margarita Cupcakesby Brown Eyed Baker September-16-2014Ingredients1 1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour1 1/2 Tsp. Baking Powder1/4 Tsp. Salt1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter (room temperature)1 Cup Granulated Sugar2 Eggs (room temperature)2 1/2 Limes (Zest and Juice)2 Tbsp. Tequila1/4 Tsp. Vanilla Extract1/2 Cup Buttermilk1 – 2 Tbsp. Tequila (To brush cupcakes)1 Cup Unsalted Butter2 3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar2 Tbsp. Lime Juice2 Tbsp. TequilaPinch of Coarse Salt Sea SaltInstructions1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
3. In an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter and sugar together until pale, light, and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
4. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add the eggs one at at time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
5. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the lime zest, lime juice, vanilla extract and tequila. Mix until combined. (The mixture may start to look curdled at this point, but don’t worry, it will all come back together.) If you omit the tequila, you don’t need to add anything else in its place.
6. Reduce the mixer speed low. Add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk in two batches. Mix only until just incorporated, using a rubber spatula to give it one last mix by hand.
7. Pour batter into liners until each cup is about 2/3 full. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until just slightly golden and a toothpick shows only moist crumbs attached. (It was recommended to rotate the pan at the halfway point, but I didn’t do that and they turned out fine.)
8. Allow cupcakes to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, and then remove to a cooling rack. Brush the tops of the cupcakes with the 1 to 2 tablespoons of tequila. Set the cupcakes aside to cool completely before frosting them.
9. To make the frosting, whip the butter on medium-high speed of an electric mixer using the whisk attachment for 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low, and gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing and scraping the sides of the bowl until all is incorporated. Give it a mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the lime juice, tequila and salt mix on medium-high speed until incorporated and fluffy. If you prefer frosting without tequila, add 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract to the frosting instead. If the frosting appears a bit too soft, add some additional sugar, one spoonful at a time until desired consistency is reached.
10. Frost cupcakes and garnish, if desired, with lime zest, an additional sprinkling of sea salt and a lime wedge.
DetailsPrep time: 25 mins Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 50 mins Yield: 12 Cupcakes

I bought about 4 limes for zest and garnish and did not use any of mine for the juice. Instead I bought a bottle of lime juice and put in about 2 tablespoons. If your lime juice is concentrated, use a little less since it might be too strong.
And there you have it! Hope your cupcakes come out looking as pretty (and tasty) as these. My coworkers thought that these really tasted like margaritas thanks to the tequila and sea salt. They are the perfect treat at the end of a warm day, and you don’t need it to be Cinco de Mayo or Grito de Dolores (Mexican Independance Day) to enjoy these.
Salud! And until next time,

Food

19th Annual Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival

Posted on September 14, 2014by Brandy Saldana

I was super excited to learn about the Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival happening this weekend at through an ad while I was riding on BART last week. Armando had the day off and got us two tickets for chocolate and wine tasting. I am a big fan of chocolate and will rarely say no to a sample of sweets, but I also love using Ghirardelli cocoa powder and chocolate chips when I bake.
The festival took place today, but will also be in full swing Sunday, September 14th. Tickets for both Chocolate & Wine Pavilion are $50, but were $40 if you bought them online before the event. The regular Chocolate Tasting ticket is $25 at the door, but buying early online could have saved you $5. We opted to go with the Chocolate & Wine Tickets since it came with a ticket for 15 chocolate samples AND a ticket for 12 samples of Wine and Chocolate. (Side note: 12 samples were for either chocolate/dessert or a wine at the Pavilion.)

Armando and I experienced an array of chocolaty confections within the first hour of the festival. Among our favorite treats were the chocolate covered s’mores bars, chocolate cookies sandwiched with peanut butter whipped filling, Ghirardelli Hot Fudge Sundaes, chocolate milkshakes, raspberry chocolate tart, and Ghirardelli liquid chocolate to name a few.

The festival features a silent auction, chef demonstrations and the new Chocolate Market Place where a chocolatier was making chocolates and had some more decadent samples. I will admit, the biggest attraction to me was the Ghirardelli Ice Cream Eating contest held at 2:30. There were three sets of contests, one for 5-8 year olds where they ate 2 scoop sundaes, one for 9 – 12 year olds that ate 3 scoop ice creams, and the 13+ group where they took on The Earthquake sundae – an eight scoop ice cream sundae with 8 dollops of whipped cream served on top of a pie tin. Of course, the sundae also came with bananas, strawberries and Ghirardelli signature Hot Fudge and Caramel sauce. In each contest, 6 participants were selected from the crowd and…..I was one of the participants for the Earthquake Sundae eating contest!

I was super excited and a little bit nervous. I had won a pie eating contest before, but ice cream was going to be a challenge. I had ordered one of these before, but had split it with 4 other people, so I was skeptical about eating it and finishing it on my own!

It was a close race, but in the end I did not win. I may have tied for 2nd place, but I had trouble stomaching the bananas (not a fan.) The winners walked away with big baskets of Ghirardelli Squares, but as a consolation prize I took home a big Ghirardelli chocolate bar. I gave it my best and I was stoked to be able to participate, although I had a moment where I questioned whether this was a good decision! I had to wash my face afterwards, so I was glad I had not put on any powder foundation this morning. I appreciate that towels and a water bottle were brought out to all the participants too, but now all I can think about is how I need to do some Zumba or swim tomorrow to work off this sundae. At least I got a few servings of fruit today.

After the contest, we still had to visit the wine pavilion, and it was hard finding that appetizing after consuming enough dairy for the week. But we made our way there and I liked that throughout our tastings we received items that were packaged so we could save them for later. If you are going to the festival, I would recommend splurging and getting the Chocolate & Wine Pavilion tickets. Although 15 samples actually turn out to be a lot, the 12 extra allowed for us to try cupcakes by Frost Cupcake Factory (winners from Cupcake Wars), macarons, wines, Negro Modelo paired with Salsa and Chips and trying even more decadent chocolates. It is also important to note that all the profits of the ticket sales benefited the charity Project Open Hand, an organization that provides healthy, nourishing meals with love. We bid on a chocolate gift basket during the Silent Auction since the proceeds would also go to Project Open Hand, but we were outbid! It was a little bittersweet, but in the end I am glad more money went to this good cause.
Some tips if you attend the Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival:
1.) Have your ticket ready (and I.D. out for Wine Pavilion tickets) and stand at the appropriate line before the festival starts. If you don’t have a ticket, stand at the Purchase Ticket Line.
2.) Buy or take a tote/small backpack. I got a cute Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival tote ($15) at the event and filled it up with lots of samples that I didn’t have to eat right away as well as filled it with other prizes I won.
3.) Take a small food container. 15 samples does not sound like a lot, but trust me, you will start to feel full about halfway in. We stayed until the end of the festival and some vendors were giving away lots of samples (hello chocolate dipped brownies.) We had a makeshift container, but it might be good to have something small so you can take advantage of those freebies to enjoy later.
4.) Check out the Silent Auction booth! There are so many great prizes and you might get a great deal on something that is normally out of your budget. Make sure to check back when it is scheduled to be over to see if you were the winning bidder too!

Hope you have a chance to make your way over to the festival. If not, make sure to add it to your bucket list and attend it next year!
Side note: for fun, we also had a chance to guess how many mini Ghirardelli Squares were in a jar for a chance to win a $200 Ghirardelli gift card at the festival. How many squares do you think are in the jar? (I guessed 2014, but I don’t think I am even close!) Would love to hear your estimate even though there is no prize.
For more info on the festival you can visit their website here.

Outfit
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Pencils and Pens

Posted on September 10, 2014by Brandy Saldana

Light Khaki Trench Banana Republic Factory Store | Purple and Blue Print Blouse Diane von Furstenberg | Black Pencil Skirt Escada (here) | Gold Pen Necklace Kate Spade | Electric Blue Suede Heels Enzo Angiolini (similar here) | Black Legacy Bag JustFab (here) | Rose Gold Watch Marc by Marc Jacobs (here) | Brown Sunglasses Diane von Furstenberg (here)Happy Hump Day!

Today’s outfit features some more of my finds from Crossroads Trading Co. I found my DVF Top (new with tags), the pen necklace, Escada pencil skirt and blue Enzo Angiolini heels there. I love that I can always find classic and fashion-forward pieces at Crossroads, but i am also a very thorough shopper. I leave no rack unchecked just to make sure there isn’t a hidden gem somewhere. I have been meaning to take some items to sell/trade now that they are buying for Fall, but it keeps falling at the bottom of my to do list. I would love to be able to take some things soon to make space in my closet for some more work staples. I realize I don’t have enough pants for work and have been dreading going shopping for jeans. I prefer wearing dresses and skirts, but now that Fall is coming in, I want some cute slacks and trousers.

Hope you are having a great week so far. I am pretty excited for the weekend since Armando and I might have something fun to do in the city on Saturday. Can’t spoil the details just yet, but hopefully I can let you know by Friday!

Alyssa Nicole F/W 2014 “Cold Like the Stars”

Posted on September 7, 2014by Brandy Saldana

In the beginning of July, I was invited to a preview show for designer Alyssa Casares’s Fall/Winter 2014 collection on the rooftop balcony of the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. While it was the middle of summer for the rest of the world, San Francisco was slightly chilly with a light fog rolling in. This set the stage for the presentation of the “Still Cold” collection inspired by cold stars and the midnight blue sky.
If you recall from my last Alyssa Nicole collection post, you’ll know Alyssa Casares is a local designer custom making her pieces in America. Her last collection was titled “White Noise” and featured beautiful contemporary designs in shades of white. This collection was inspired by stars, starlight and midnight shades of navy and black.
While I loved her Spring collection, I am head over heels in love with the Fall collection. Navy is one of my favorite colors because it is timeless, and this line features a lot of fun pieces in a classic color palette. I loved that the white organza flare wedding dress was made into an evening gown when made in black. I absolutely adored that there was a cute cocktail version. Alyssa’s designs are versatile and are a definite must-have in my book. I am still debating what piece I should invest in, whether it should be the starlight inspired metallic coat or the bell sleeve A-line dress?
You can shop for the full Fall 2014 collection on Alyssa-Nicole.com and even shop some of the pieces from the Spring collection that are on Sale. Thanks again to Alyssa for the invite to this rooftop soiree with my blogger friends and for an amazing presentation.

Outfit
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Color Block

Posted on September 3, 2014by Brandy Saldana

Blue Cardigan (similar) and Pink Pencil Skirt (similar) Banana Republic | White T-Shirt Kenar | Angular Long Pendant (Peru Collection) Matterial Fix Rented via Rocksbox | Sunburst Bangle White House of Harlow 1960 Rented via Rocksbox | Gold Bello Wedges Jimmy Choo | Black Legacy Satchel JustFab | Sunglasses Diane von Furstenberg |

I think it might be a good idea to do a quick little recap of what I did this past week. I had a really fun birthday last Wednesday and went out for a little golf and karaoke afterwards with Armando and some close friends. On Thursday I spent my day with fellow foodie and fashion blogger Chanda, and we did a lot of eating in SF. We started out with oysters from Swans Oyster Depot, and you can check out her post of the place here. We also stopped by Tartine’s Bakery, and I could not handle how yummy all the food was. It was a great start to my birthday weekend.
I don’t know how many of you have ever waited all day for UPS to deliver a package before, but that is basically how I spent my Friday. Armando and I had packed up for a weekend down in Salinas, but we were waiting for a package all day that never was delivered. I did receive it today, but I had ordered some customized party favors for my Mom’s 50th birthday party. I was bummed I didn’t get them on time, but I am still thinking of using them as thank you gifts for those that attended the party we had for her on Saturday.
Although the weekend started with this minor set back, I was really happy I was able to spend the long weekend with my family. My mom looked stunning for her party in a white DVF Zarita lace dress. She doesn’t have the same obsession with DVF as I do, but this dress is also one I have been thinking of investing in (but in black or navy.) Now that she has this dress though, I can’t wait to borrow it! We partied on Saturday and had people over at our house on Sunday, which felt like a continuation of the party.
On Monday, Armando and I packed up and headed back to the Bay Area so I could attend my aerial yoga class in SF. I was able to try it out thanks to this new service in the City called Class Pass. For $99 a month, you can take 10 classes at different studios enrolled in the program. So far, I’ve tried three classes: Spin/Yoga, Cardio Barre, and Aeriel Yoga. It has been fun trying new things, but commuting to the city to workout is definitely a challenge for me. I am glad I have been able to try this to see what types of classes I might be interested in pursuing further.
I guess my recap wasn’t that quick, but it was a pretty busy week for me. I decided to share this outfit from last month today because of the fun colors and equally fun jewelry. The jewelry is rented from Rocksbox, and I have to say their service is amazing! I loved all the pieces in my last set and I can’t wait to see what I’ll be getting in the mail later this week. I was given free membership for a few months, but I will be renewing it once that trial period expires. For $19 a month, it is worth it to have a rotating jewelry box. Right now you can try the first month free if you use my referral code here. am a big fan of the jewelry and that there is always the option to buy something you can’t send back.
Hope you enjoyed my recap of the week and until next time,

Outfit

24

Posted on August 27, 2014by Brandy Saldana

White Gold Button Blouse and Tan Petticoat Momo International | Metallic Pleated Skirt Devlin (here) | Trench Coat and Pink Bow Thin Belt Banana Republic Factory Store | Abba Earrings in Ballerina Loren Hope rented via Rocksbox | Sunburst Bangle in White House of Harlow 1960 rented via Rocksbox (here) | Nude Patent Ulltra Heels Steve Madden | Le Rouge Fuchsia Irresistible Lipstick Givenchy
A new year and a new look. As a birthday wish, I asked Armando to help me redesign the blog’s site, and I am happy to see share this labor of love with you today.
I am 24 now, and I can’t believe how quickly the year went by! It feels like it was really only yesterday that I was writing up my own personal goals for my 23rd birthday. If you don’t remember that post, last year I wanted to spend more quality time with people I liked, become more financially aware, and travel more. I think I could still work on spending more time with people, especially calling my family more often. As for being financially aware, I’ve actually saved more than I thought I would. I took on paying not just my own student loans this year, but also the ones my parents took out and I have still managed to put away some money into savings every month. And, I went to Japan to visit my sister twice last year which is a lot more traveling than I had done in the past.
Now I have some new goals set for myself:
1) Be better with my body – I will readily admit I am pretty happy with my figure and never feel like going to the gym or working out, but it is about time I stick to some kind of exercise routine just because I would like some more energy and need the movement after sitting behind a desk all day. I think the key for me to stick to something is to experiment with different classes, and I think I will eventually find something I really enjoy doing that doesn’t feel like too much work.
2) Know when to let go – Sometimes I can become a hoarder and tend to accumulate a lot of things, whether it is clothes or cupcake stands. I’ve actually have been working on this for awhile, but this year I really hope to see more progress with less clutter. One day I want an apartment or house with a big closet, but until then, I have to keep letting things go and be a little bit more selective with what comes into my wardrobe or apartment.
3) Make others smile – I like to make people laugh and I think it is thanks to my dad that I have this easy going personality. I want to be able to do more for others, not only by giving something when I can, but also by baking more. I have not been baking as often, and while it can be a lot of work, I love when I see people smile when I give them something I’ve made. I wasn’t able to make the cupcakes for this photo shoot, but next time I will have photos featuring cupcakes made by me. ( But these made me smile since they matched my outfit, so I hope you like them anyway.)
Thanks for following my blog and I hope you like the new changes. I am pretty excited about the new look and feel very inspired. A very special thanks to Armando for all the work he put into the new design and all his patience when dealing with my requests and changes. His photos are always amazing to me and I look forward to more adventures together this year.
Until next time,
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