Something Saturdays (1/31/15)

I'm super talkative and this article sums up many of my feelings about it.

This week I went to an open call for the best acting/modeling agency in Cleveland. I think it went pretty well so fingers crossed!

This weekend I'm working at the International Motorcycle Show in Cleveland, yesterday was my first day and it was fun so hopefully today and tomorrow will be too!

Oh and apparently tomorrow is the Super Bowl! If you're looking for some great food to eat/serve during the big game check out this post from last year :)

Amy's Original Bridal Hangers Review

I wish I had my wedding pictures already. I realize my wedding isn't until June but I just know that the wedding photos I will have of these hangers are going to be so much better than mine. I mean...isn't most of the point of these super cool hangers that they're adorable in photos? Pretty sure it is.

In case you've never heard of this concept: it is a current trend to have personalized hangers for the bride and/or bridal party with names (or titles etc. --such as "Bride") bent into wire for the hangers, and sometimes something engraved on the hanger itself-mostly to be used as a photo prop (not to say that dresses can't hang from them--they can and they do. Just so long as they hang from the sturdy hanger and not the soft, bent, wire). I was lucky enough to receive personalized hangers for myself and my gals from the makers of the original bridal hanger--Amy's Original Bridal Hangers!

Back in 2010, Amy (who has a background in Interior Design and has has a business of creating beautiful handmade things since 2005) and her husband began selling the original personalized wire wood hangers. And from there they became a phenomenon! Something fun I discovered throughout chatting with Amy is that she is a fellow Ohio-an! She's from the Columbus area and is really all about supporting that community (she's even currently offering a 10% discount off all purchases made in Ohio!)

Flourless Almond Butter Chocolate Brownies

These brownies are delicious. And they're not just delicious in a, "they're delicious for a healthy dessert" kind of way, but just in a, "they're tasty yum yum" kind of way. They happen to be gluten-free, dairy free, low in sugar (they're mostly sweetened with honey), and low in fat (and that fat comes from eggs and good for you almond butter!) And-bonus-they don't even have any weird ingredients. In fact, if you don't have almond butter you can just use peanut butter or any other kind of nut butter. EASY!

I seriously almost don't even know why I would make regular brownies because these are THAT good. Like...super chocolatey and gooey and soft. They're not bitter. They're not gummy. They're not lacking in sweetness. The only real difference you can notice is that you can taste honey (although Michael said he didn't taste it, so I might just be more sensitive to it?)--but when warmed up you can barely detect the honey either!

The almond butter lends the fat (but in a healthy fat kind of way) and structure to the brownies and helps them taste rich and decadent (you barely taste it, almond butter has a subtle flavor-it just helps these be fantastic), honey and just a little bit of brown sugar sweeten them, and unsweetened cocoa powder and dark chocolate chips make them oh so chocolatey without all the sugar but with all the antioxidant goodness and tastiness!

Game changer-that's what these brownies are.

Easy Balsamic Vinaigrette

I have been dying to make my own salad dressing and I finally did it!

And it's healthy! And delicious! And makes you want to eat salad!

As it turns out it's super easy to make a vinaigrette that is tailored to your own tastes. You just need a particular ratio of oil to vinegar/balsamic and then season however you prefer! When I made this dressing I didn't actually need to season it as I had bottles of flavored/infused olive oil and balsamic that I received in the gift exchange with Michael's family. (His cousin lives in Pennsylvania and there's a store there-called the Lavendar Rabbit-where he bought the oils and balsamics. I happen to love salad with apples and garlic-y kind of flavors and, luckily, there was a bottle of Parmesan Garlic Rosemary olive oil and a Red Apple Balsamic! Yum! In the future, since my delicious flavored options are now gone, I'm sure I'll be using some garlic powder and things of that nature to spice it up.

So, like I was saying...easy. You just whisk together the ingredients and then pour it into whatever bottle you wish to serve/store the dressing in. And-as long as you don't add any perishable items (such as Parmesan cheese)-you can even store it at room temperature for a month or so. The oil and vinegar will separate so you just need to shake well before drizzling over your favorite salad. Making healthy eating delicious!

Something Saturdays (1/24/15)

I love holiday weekends! We got so much done last week! We got Michael's car worked on, made some progress about our favors, escort cards, etc., hung out with Michael's mom, hung out with Michael's dad, made some progress on decisions for the ceremony and reception music, had some doctors appointments, got a new comforter set, and even bought a bedroom suite! (It was 70% off and gorgeouuus-we got a dresser and mirror, 2 chest of drawers, and a bed/headboard.) I also went with my brother to a discount outlet area and got some new Sketchers and went to dinner with him. And Michael and I finally (pretty much) finished the guest room/office.

Soooo....you wanna hear some awesome details about the songs we're playing for the reception? The bridal party is going to walk out to "Carry on Wayward Son". And we were going to skip the removal of the garter and just do the toss but changed our minds when we got this idea: "You've Got the Touch" (from the Transformers Animated Movie) for the removal and "Make a Man Out of You" (from Mulan) for the toss! heheheeeeee. (And in case you didn't know, the first dance is to "Storybook Love" the theme from The Princess Bride <3--first the instrumental only and then going into the version with lyrics, which at that time we'll invite everyone onto the dance floor)


These Buzzfeed articles reaaally spoke to me:

• The struggles of having thin hair (I HATE IT)
• And the struggles of being perky (I actually sort of enjoy being perky, I think other people might hate it  lol :P)

Evolution Fresh Giveaway (Closed)

Evolution Fresh (which you may remember from this blog post) is encouraging everyone to get healthy with their #3DaystoGreen challenge their green juices (they offer 4 cold-pressed green juices that include more than a pound of green vegetables in each bottle!) To help you take on their green incentive, we've got a...

GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

The winner is comment #20-auntiepatch69!

One lucky Cooking Actress reader will win an $40 gift card to purchase Evolution Fresh at Starbucks as well as a coupon for one FREE bottle of Evolution Fresh.

Giveaway closes January 29, 2015, 11:59PM EST.  After the contest is over, I will send the winner an email (so please make sure you provide an email address or some other way to get in touch with you), and get you your prize. The winner will have 3 days to respond or another winner will be chosen, all prizes will be awarded. The winner will be chosen via a random number generator. Open to continental U.S. residents over the age of 18. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

How to enter: (REQUIRED FOR ENTRY IN THIS GIVEAWAY) 

Check out the #3DaysToGreen website and, if you want, enter the giveaway over there! Leave a comment telling me you entered or which green juice you're most excited to try.

Additional (optional) entries: (you will receive one additional entry for each of the following--so if you leave a comment for all of them, you can have a total of up to 9 entries/chances to win!) MAKE SURE TO LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY-these entries are optional, not required.

• "Like" The Cooking Actress on Facebook-leave a comment on this post to let me know you did so.
• Follow The Cooking Actress on Pinterest-and leave a separate comment letting me know. 
• Follow The Cooking Actress by email-leave another comment.
• Follow me on Twitter @kayleblogna-leave a separate comment on here to tell me.
• Follow me on Instagram @kayleblogna-leave another comment, saying you did so.
• "Like" Evolution Fresh on Facebook-leave a comment on here letting me know.
• Follow @evolutionfresh on Twitter-leave a comment telling me you did.
• Tweet this about the giveaway:  (and leave a comment on this post afterwards)  
• I want to win the @evolutionfresh #3daystogreen #giveaway from @kayleblogna #thecookingactress http://bit.ly/1xJla3V

**If you already like/follow any of these, it still counts. Just let me know you already follow each in separate comments**

Disclaimer: Evolution Fresh provided me with a some Evolution Fresh products as well as the products to be won for this giveaway, and I was under no obligation to review if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or host a product giveaway in return for the free product. My opinions, as always, are all my own. We are not liable for technical failures or typographical errors, or resolving identity disputes related to the winner.VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. 

Brown Sugar Toffee Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

 Soooo....Monday I gave you healthy cookies. Today? Not exactly. But they are YUMMMYYYY!

And totally worth cheating on your diet for. Everyone says denying yourself is bad anyway, right?

And btw the title for these cookies should really be: Brown Butter Brown Sugar Toffee Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt. But...that's a bit long, hm? So I shortened it slightly. Brown butter and sea salt are pretty much a given at this point with me anyway, yes?

Honestly, I had an excuse to make these cookies-the wonderful folks over at Golden Barrel sent me over some of their Supreme Baking Molasses to try and I had to do it justice! (FYI Golden Barrel is a Lancaster, PA based company that are all about tradition and pure, quality products. In addition to molasses they also have oils, syrups, baking mixes, sugars, soups, and more!)

And yes...I have a cutting board in the shape of Ohio. I am that cool. 

Anyway. My main knowledge of molasses is that it's what makes brown sugar (you add it to granulated sugar and voila! Brown sugar) so I wanted to use a recipe that would really be pumping up that molasses-y brown sugar flavor. Most people would think "Gingersnaps!" or something like that. But when I think of brown sugar cookies I think of chocolate chip cookies. Soooo I took one of my fave cookie recipes and I really turned up the molasses element (for one thing...I added 2 tbsp. of molasses. But I also subbed in some dark brown sugar instead of regular light.) And, to me, brown butter is best buddies with brown sugar. Samesies with toffee-but I really wanted to get some nice chunks of toffee in every bite so, instead of using toffee chips, I chopped up some Heath bars. And then to help cut the vast amounts of sweetness....dark chocolate. And sea salt on top. These are a few of Kayle's faaaavorite thiiiings!

And I told myself I'd only eat one a day. But then....I made them. And smelled them. And tasted them and....I CAN'T RESIST! They're so perfectly chewy yet crisp they're so complex and almost smoky and the toffee is crunchy and sweet and the chocolate chips are gooey and have a little bit of a bite to them and there's salt and just....ugh you guysssss. They're SO DELICIOUS. Not kidding. About to eat one right now.

I don't want to live in a world without these cookies.

Healthy Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies

I need sweets in my life. NEED 'EM! So, I'm trying to make some healthier dessert recipes to satisfy my sweet tooth but keep me on the wedding diet bandwagon. This recipe is the new year's first endeavor.

First let me tell you a depressing tale: I made these cookies. I went to take them out of the oven. I slipped. Half the cookies slid onto the oven door. Kayle held back tears and salvaged the crumbled cookies (after safely putting the intact cookies out of harm's way). So....ya know...try not to be clumsy like me. 

Seriously. I am SO clumsy. Like, growing up, I used to routinely run into the walls of my house (which I'd lived in my entire life). My mom used to joke about it and I'd tell her "the walls move!", but it was so commonplace that I had to holler everytime I'd bump into something or trip, etc., "I'M OK!" to reassure my mom. Because...yeah. It happened a lot. And nothing has changed. I routinely have bruises and random little cuts (and occasional big ones-still remember when I got stitches from trying to make a sandwich a little while back?). And, a couple months ago, I fell down the stairs. It was a dumb case of "oops, missed the step!" and then I landed on my toe and the stupid thing is STILL NOT HEALED. Like...it's not broken (I had it x-rayed) and I've been buddy-toe'ing it and just when it was seeming like it was about to get better, a couple weeks ago it got bad again. Out of nowhere. I didn't even hit it! So I'm frustrated about it. And my clumsiness. And none of this has anything to do with cookies except that they make me feel better. 

--and for the record, since writing that....it now isn't hurting anymore. I think I may have developed one of those things that hurts when the weather is bad....oh man...I'm old.

SO! Cookies!

There are a few things that make them healthier:

1. Oat flour (instead of all purpose flour)--oats are gluten-free (usually), contain fewer carbs than wheat flour and have more protein and fiber! Which is great-and it's super easy to make. Just grind some oats until it has a flour consistency. TA DAAA!
2. Very minimal sugar (especially compared to regular cookies).
3. No butter-so these are dairy free and low-fat. Coconut oil is used as the healthier fat option for this recipe.
4. Dark chocolate chips for antioxidants! And...because it makes life worth living :)

The end result is a slightly nutty, definitely coconut-y, kind of oatmeal cookie textured, slightly crumbly, chewy, yummy cookie! And you can eat them for breakfast. Which I think we all agree is the dream.

Something Saturdays (1/17/15)

This is both terrifying and hilarious.

This week was mostly hibernation and relaxation and getting stuff done. This weekend Michael and I are going to talk to his uncle about our favors, etc., hang out with some family, and enjoy some time together! :)

Happy holiday weekend, all!

Angee W. Personalized Bridal Clutch Bag Review

I had never really thought about having a clutch for the wedding. It's not one of those things I dreamed about.

Until I saw Angee W.'s personalized bridal bags. Now I am OBSESSED with my beautiful, unique, personal, perfect bridal clutch and it's all thanks to Angee W.!

Angee W. was started by a mother & daughter duo and it's a collection of handmade and personalized clutches (especially for brides, bridesmaids, mothers of the bride and groom, etc. but totally applicable for any occasion) made of silk, satin, lace and/or pearls. Seriously-browse their etsy shop. I dare you not to find a clutch that you fall in love with! {Angee W. also has a small, beautiful, collection of bridal belts and sashes.} I fell head over heels for multiple clutch options but ended up choosing the White Lace Bridal Clutch with Pearl Brooch as I felt it would go best with my wedding dress and other accessories (lace + pearls + crystals).

Not only are you able to purchase a beautiful clutch (from tons of options in almost any color or design you could imagine)--you then also have personalization and add-on options. Tired of clutching your clutch? Don't worry, you can add a chain or a pearl or crystal handle. Want to add just a little bit of an extra personal touch? They do custom embroidery on the insides of clutches! AND-my personal favorite-Angee W. will even add a photo lining to your bag. Send them your favorite (preferably high resolution) image and it ends up as the most gorgeous purse lining you've ever seen. As you can see, I went with one of my favorite engagement photos. You can also add a sexy boudoir photo or maybe a picture of you and your girlfriends (especially great if you're thinking of these as bridesmaid gifts) or you and your mom, etc. It makes these bags the perfect present (even if you're like me and the present is to yourself!)

So, you place your order for the perfect bag. Then the coolest thing happens: it arrives! In the prettiest, best box! All of Angee W.'s clutches are packed and shipped in custom designed, eco-friendly, paper keepsake boxes-they have a built in invisible magnetic snap, making these boxes a perfect space for the safe keeping of your bag and any other wedding accessories. I completely loved it and was so happy to open the box and find my even more beautiful, tissue paper wrapped, personalized clutch.--And that is where it will stay until June and I don't have to worry about something happening to it in the meantime!

The purse looked even prettier in person and, when I opened it, I found a small chain (in case I need a little handle), the prettiest Angee W. logo stitched inside, and-of course-my beautiful engagement photo as a fabric lining. I could not have been more smitten and I cannot wait to be able to use it for the wedding and beyond!

I'm clearly not the first person to be impressed by Angee W. I first heard about them from other websites- they have been covered extensively in the press and you can read a bunch of raving testimonials from very happy customers! Their portfolio makes me even more excited about how pretty my Angee W. clutch will look in my bridal photos and their blog has a bunch of fun info about weddings and their products, as well as giveaways and news about sales and any new publications.

If you are interested in gorgeous, quality, one-of-a-kind clutches then you need to check out Angee W.! You won't be sorry! I know I'm not :).

Disclosure-I was provided with a complimentary personalized bridal clutch from Angee W. I was provided no other compensation and was under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are, as always, my own.

Scallion Parmesan Hummus

I'm reeeeeally getting into this whole hummus thing. It's all healthy and stuff AND it's delicious?? WOOT!

It has sort of become my go-to when I need to bring an appetizer and I don't have time. Because if I have chickpeas? I can make hummus and it'll take like....5 minutes. Plus it's a total crowd-pleaser! 

As much as I adored the roasted garlic hummus I made this summer, I knew Michael was a bit overwhelmed by the garlic so I decided to go a different route. Plus...I had some scallions that needed to get used. So I sort of threw together this recipe.

I'm gonna let you in on a little secret, though: don't get thrown off by how hummus tastes right after you make it. After it sits for awhile it always ends up mellowing out and tasting SO MUCH better! I was super worried that the scallion flavor was too strong, at first, but then after time I didn't worry anymore. It was just delicious!

I made this hummus for "Crofford Christmas" (Michael's dad's side's Christmas celebration) and full disclosure: I was that weird person who couldn't stop eating the dish that I brought. I felt so guilty as I kept going back for more and more of my own hummus! Like..."Kayle...you brought this for other people...don't be that girl"...but I couldn't help it. It was just smooth and delicious and I could not resist!

As it turns out...neither could anyone else. Success!

Baked Lemon-Thyme Tilapia

It is so much easier for me to make Michael healthy meals. I feel like he just has a plethora of options that I, being a picky eater, do not. But in some ways it makes cooking for him sort of fun-I get to be creative! Improvise! And that is what happened when I made this tilapia.

First I just wanted to make some sort of baked fish. Then I decided to make a packet I had of Hodgson Mill garlic herb quinoa. Then I was like, "Hey. Let's use some Star garlic cooking oil and cook some spinach up too." So I did those things. And served them. And Michael was like 'Om nom nom."

The fish is flaky and tender and the little bit of sauce that the tilapia cooks in adds just the right amount of flavor while still keeping this a pretty healthy dish. And I like this recipe because it doesn't smell as fishy as other things do....#realtalk.

Honestly, I'm crazy proud of this recipe-it'll take you no time at all to make (so no excuses for not having time for healthy dinner!), can be easily doubled (if you're entertaining or have a large family), and Michael raved about it. Restaurant-quality eating with all the comforts of home!

Something Saturdays (1/10/15)

All of these. SO FUNNY.

I may have wasted some time playing OREGON TRAIL for free on my computer. You can too! (And play a bunch of different old games).

It's been a snowy week here so I've mostly been hibernating! Michael's brothers came over one day and we hung out and played video games and they helped us rearrange some stuff due to our new TV. Otherwise we've mostly just been getting stuff done (working for him, house stuff for me). Oh, January. 

Vegan Cuts Snack Box Review

Hello.

I know. I'm not vegan. Like...at all.

BUT--I like vegan things sometimes. And I like that, usually, vegan goodies tend to be unprocessed and from scratch which I am all about. And I know some of you peoples are vegans! 

SO-I have some exciting stuff to share.

I'm a Vegan Cuts Brand Ambassador!

Which doesn't mean much aside from the fact that I think Vegan Cuts is an amazing website and that their new Snack Boxes are the bees knees and I want to share all about it! (plus I want to get my hands on their gorgeous Beauty Boxes!)

Here's the lowdown on Vegan Cuts Snack Boxes--for a monthly fee of $19.95 (with FREE SHIPPING for the US!) you get between 7 and 10 snacks, a mix of full and sample sizes, that are all vegan, delicious, and most of them are even gluten-free, too! What What whaaaaaat!

In my shipment I received a super-cool Chai flavored nutritional shake, crunchy and delicious coconut chips, a slightly sweet and very coconut-y coconut treat, annnnd...

THESE CHIPS. Michael FLIPPED OUT over these chips. Like...could not stop talking about how much he loves them and how I need to buy him more. And Michael tends to not be a fan of things that are vegan/gluten-free so him saying this...he reaaaaally loved them! And that's not all I got in my box!

Sweets for Kayle!! There were candies, classic and comforting snack cookies (seriously...just like the little baggies you grew up with but made of real ingredients!), a savory spice/seasoning packet, and....the yummiest candy bar in all the land. Everything tastes delicious but you can tell that they're made from real, natural, good stuff!

This "hot & fit cereal" is another perfect addition for Michael's snack/breakfast time routine. I love the wholesome goodness that's in this oatmeal.

NOW-I highly suggest you sign up for a Vegan Snack Box subscription! It's only $19.95/month (you can cancel anytime) plus FREE SHIPPING!!

Caramelized Onion Mashed Potatoes

It's official. I'm a cliche'. (As if the fact that roses are my favorite flower, I'm obsessed with wedding planning, and just about everything else about me wasn't enough.) I just realized that I am actually going through a quarter-life crisis. And I'm 25. So....yeah.

Since leaving NY and deciding to leave behind any possibility of becoming a rich and famous actor...I'm sort of confused. In a perfect world I would just continue acting and blogging and doing promo work, like now. But then I think about having children and how I want to be able to give them a good life (and I want to put 4 kids through Catholic school) and I know I probably won't make enough for that (and Michael's never going to make big money). But-on top of the fact that I don't want a full-on 9-5 etc. job, I don't like the idea of-when I have kids-needing to leave them to go back to work after a month or 2. I want to be able to, mostly, stay home with them. So...I don't know. I'm all conflicted about it. The idea of being a wedding planner has been tossed around. I guess we'll just see.

Ok-sorry about unloading that all on you guys! Overall I'm super happy and content with life, sometimes the 'ole quarter life crisis fears like to just seep in. And then we need a little comfort food. And, as anyone who witness me eat over the holidays can tell you, potatoes pretty much always lift my spirits.

Especially when there are soft, slightly sweet, somewhat caramelized onions are thrown into the mix.

The onions-while technically they are still considered caramelized (I googled it!) they're like sauteed caramelized onions. So they cook in butter for a while-but not a super long time. Which...since I'm impatient...works out perfectly for me. AND you don't add any sugar which is good because I get enough sugar in my diet. 

And they're freakin' delicious in rich, creamy, mashed potatoes. And then you shovel a bunch into your mouth. And we all are happy.

Yes.

Crispy Pizza Wraps

It's the new year. Which means one thing:

people are resoluting to be healthier.

And this year Michael and I are very much amongst those peoples. We have a wedding to prep for!

I'm going to be primarily trying to exercise-but also just making better choices for food (less sweets/fats, pretty much no fried food and trying to limit the amount we go out to eat). Michael works so much that he doesn't have as much time to exercise and he's not a picky eater so we'll mostly be making diet changes for him. This means that there will probably be more healthy/healthier foods on the blog for the forseeable future...

...that said....everything in moderation.

There'll still be some treats, don't worry ;)

This recipe is a great way to bring in this new year! Michael loves pizza rolls and um...they're horrid for you. So I made these as an attempt to create a healthier copy cat. Are they the same as pizza rolls? No. They're not. HOWEVER they are delicious and still a tasty, lighter, little snack. You just use some wonton wrappers and, really, stuff whatever you want inside--if you want to get really healthy put some spinach and chicken in there (I tried to stay close to the inspiration with pepperoni and cheese). They're crispy/crunchy, easy, and a crowd pleaser!

Because being healthier shouldn't feel like we're denying ourselves :)

Something Saturdays (1/3/15)

More holiday fun ensued this week.

Saturday we got together with Michael's dad's extended family (so his aunts and uncles and cousins and their kids) and we ate food, did a fun location-themed gift exchange (a lot of people live out of town so it's fun! We brought a bottle of wine from a local winery and some popcorn from a local popcorn shop), and played LOTS of games! It's always so much fun :) Sunday was my mom's extended family's Christmas (my grandma and aunts and uncles and cousins and cousins' kids). It was fun, we did a white elephant gift exchange (from which I got a Ninja chopper! woot!), ate, and hung out for a bit. I also told my cousins' kids Skylar and Timmy that they were going to be a flower girl and the ring bearer. Skylar was ok with it, although a bit underwhelmed (she was also on her, like 7th Christmas so she was a bit worn out in general), and Timmy didn't really understand, methinks. I imagine as it gets closer his parents may explain it to him lol. We ended the night playing a game with my brother, Michael, and I at my mom's house.

Monday I got to hang out with my best friend, her sister (who is a bridesmaid, also) plus their boyfriends. Then Alex (the bff), her boyfriend-Mike, my Michael, and myself got dinner together. It was super fun and it's always great to get to spend time together. PLUS Alex and I exchanged Christmas gifts-I gave her a pretty infinity ring that says "Best Friends" on the inside and she got me THE BEST BOOK EVER! (As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride--Amazon Affiliate link)

New Year's Eve I just worked and then came home and relaxed until Michael got home. Then we just watched some TV until the ball dropped, kissed, and went to sleep. Ahhh excitement.

New Year's Day Michael worked (voluntarily) so I got a few things done and then went to visit with my dad's cousin Benedette and her husband Mike (who I adore) and my dad came along too. It was a super nice time, I always love getting to see them :)

This weekend we're going to work on getting some stuff done and my mom and brother are going to come over to visit for a bit on Sunday. Good stuff :)

Best of 2014 on Instagram

Hey everyone!!! It is OFFICIALLY 2015! HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

Before we dive headfirst into this amazing new year, let's take a look back my best 2014 moments on Instagram: