Bellaziza - Pretty Precious. Exquisite Children's Accessories

Have you heard the phrase, “Yum-O” coined by the beloved Rachael Ray? Well, her thirty minute meals have nothing on this fabulous five minute cake! It’s moist, it’s made from scratch, and it’s to die for with a little ice cream! So grab your favorite mug and get ready to make your new favorite chocolate treat!

The Most Dangerous Chocolate Cake Recipe Ever!!!

• 4 tablespoons flour
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
• a small splash of vanilla extract
• 1 large coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts (high). The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don’t be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).  And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

A big thanks to Sarah, our amazing web designer at Camp Creative Group for yet another of her superb recipes!  Sarah, YOU are absolutely one of our very Favorite Things!  Again, thanks so much for all of your brilliant work on our fabulous 2008 Holiday Gift Guide and everything else that you do!!!

Our friend Andrea wrote a great baby food tutorial a while back and we have been meaning to share it with everyone for the longest!  Andrea is one of those moms who inspires so many with all of her crafty little projects and her commitment to being fabulously healthful.

Take a look at just how easy and how much better making your own baby food can be by clicking HERE.  Thanks Andrea!

This recipe is from our wonderful web designer and right-hand techno girl Sarah at Bravos Media.  Not only is she an absolute genius with all things internet and design related, BUT she also has a secret arsenal of her grandmother’s best recipes!

Her grandmother always made these cakes for church bake sales and had standing orders at the cake and fancy work tables at church dinners.

mix in order:
1 lb. butter
1 lb. confectioners sugar (10x sugar)
6 or 7 large eggs
3 cups cake flour (sifted)
2 tsp. vanilla (or 1 tablespoon)

-Grease & Flour tube pan
-Bake about 1 hour (or until done) at 325 degrees

This cake freezes well and is very versatile either plain, iced, or as a base with fruit.

Okay, so when you have a cookie that starts with the words “Gluten Free”, if you’re like us you’re thinking ‘Thanks honey, but I’d rather have less of the real thing…gluten and all!”  This cookie is a very rare exception though.  It’s fantastic and you would never even know it’s completely flourless!  It only takes about 15 minutes too, baking time included!

It comes from our dear friend Katie who we are crowning Our Favorite Queen of Simple Chic.  Yayee Katie Cakes Cookies!

Katie’s Flourless Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

1 c chunky peanut butter… “A certain national brand rhyming with ‘hippie’ works best” :)-Katie
1 c packed golden brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c chocolate chips.

Mix all ingredients in order. Drop onto lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 350F for 10 minutes.

Okay, so if you were one of us who watched Oprah on the day that she introduced us to her favorite turkey burger, you can understand why we had to go right out and get the ingredients to sample it ourselves!  It turns out that they ARE as good as they looked on-air, so move on over Oprah because Bellaziza’s Favorite Things now has an Official Favorite Turkey Burger too!  It’s not something we would have ever expected, but not all that surprising either at this point:).  Ooh, and P.S. - Oprah, we love you!

So this recipe will be the star of the show at your 4th of July fête with your family’s potato salad or maybe even some Freedom Fries (LOVE the irony…and the French!).  It comes from Donald Trump’s posh private club Mar-a-lago in Florida.  Thanks to The Oprah for getting the recipe out of The Donald.  Give it a try and enjoy your holiday!

• 1 Anjou pear, peeled and diced
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups Major Grey’s Chutney
• 1/4 cup dried currants or raisins

Preheat oven to 350°. 
Toss the diced pears with the cinnamon and salt. Bake on a parchment-lined cookie sheet for 10 minutes. 
Cool and mix with the chutney and currants or raisins. 

Okay girls, these have got to be the absolute best chocolate chip cookies…EVER.  Thank you Neiman Marcus!  Seriously, just give the recipe a try and you’ll be a believer.  

We have been using it for years now and have a few tricks…mix the butter and sugars very well so that they are a smooth and creamy consistency.  Also, barely mix in the egg.  This is important.  Over-mixing the egg will actually give you ‘tough cookies’…hehe:).  We also sometimes substitute 1 cup of flour for oatmeal.  A perfect treat for Father’s Day or anytime…enjoy!

Ingredients

Directions 

When we recently spotted this salsa recipe on Do Better, one of our favorite tips and tricks blogs, we knew you would love it! Doesn’t it look amazingly delicious?!? Well we whipped up a batch and it in fact is. Try it as the perfect addition to your Memorial Day feast!

Ramon’s Mango Salsa

1 ripe mango
1/2 red onion
1 bunch of cilantro
2-3 tomatoes
1 can of black beans
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tsp honey
season with salt and pepper
Chop all of the ingredients to roughly the same size. Stir. Drizzle in vinegar and honey. Stir again. Store covered in the refrigerator about an hour. Stir. Taste. Need salt and pepper? Add a little and taste again. Taste again. And again. Stop eating directly out of the container momentarily. Grab a fresh spoon. Eat again. Enjoy! Graciously accept the loads of compliments that are sure to come your way.