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| Bambi Northwood-Blyth by Hunter & Gatti for Vanity Fair Italy – May 30th 2018 |

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Bambi Northwood-Blyth by Hunter & Gatti for Vanity Fair Italy – May 30th 2018

Deep South Barbecue Ribs

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Deep South Barbecue Ribs

These tender, oven-roasted ribs are basted with our Melting Pot Barbecue Sauce, a sweet and tangy mix of several regional Southern sauces. The recipe includes tomatoes, light brown sugar, vinegar, and yellow mustard. It may not be for pit-loving purists, but it’s undeniably good. Bring it out at your next barbecue and impress your friends and family

RIBS

  • 2 slabs 2 1/2- to 3-lb. slabs St. Louis-style pork ribs (about 10 bones each)

SOUTHERN BBQ DRY RUB

  • 1/3 cup kosher salt
  • 3 tbsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 2 tbsp onion powder
  • 2 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp light brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

MELTING POT BBQ SAUCE

  • 1 1/2 pounds pounds cherry tomatoes
  • 3 cups chopped yellow onions (about 2 medium onions)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tsp.)
  • 3 tbsp salted butter
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cup white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup yellow mustard
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Pat both sides of slabs dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, remove thin membrane from back of each by slicing into it and pulling it off with a paper towel.

    Step 2

    Make the Southern BBQ Dry Rub: Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl or large zip lock plastic bag. (You will have about 11/4 cups dry rub.) Divide Southern BBQ Rub evenly among slabs, rubbing on both sides of each (about 3/4 cup). Press gently to adhere. Place slabs, meaty side up, on a wire rack on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet, and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

    Step 3

    Bake in preheated oven until meat begins to pull away from bones but is not yet tender, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450°F. (Do not remove ribs from oven.)

    Step 4

    While the ribs are baking, make the Melting Pot BBQ Sauce. Heat a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add tomatoes, and cook, stirring often, until skins begin to split and char, 5 to 7 minutes. Add onions and garlic, and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes. Add butter to pan, and cook until melted, about 1 minute. Add brown sugar; stir until combined. Cook, without stirring, until edges start to caramelize, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper; reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until tomatoes completely break down and mixture is slightly thickened, about 45 minutes.

    Step 5

    Remove from heat, and carefully transfer to a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); process on high until almost smooth, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. (You will have about 1 quart of sauce.)

    Step 6

    Brush both sides of ribs with 1 cup Melting Pot BBQ Sauce. Bake until ribs are very tender and caramelized, 35 to 45 minutes, brushing with another cup barbecue sauce halfway through baking. Remove from oven, and let stand at least 10 minutes. Serve with remaining 2 cups barbecue sauce.

Honey Lilac Posset

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Honey Lilac Posset

Dating back to the middle ages, the posset is making a comeback. Like a custard crossed with a pudding, it’s perfect when you want to whip up a special dessert with minimal effort. It’s made with three ingredients, honey, lilac-infused cream and lemon juice. – Gather Victoria

  • 4 Cups cream (heavy or regular whipping cream both work)
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 2 cups cups fresh lilac blossoms (be sure to remove all stems, especially from the Lilac & Elderflower…and if you’re using lavender, you’ll need just half a cup!)
  • wee pinch of salt & cardamom (if you’re so inclined)

Night Before

  1. Remove all stems from your half of your lilac blossoms. Soak these in cream overnight or at least 4 hours. You can also gently warm on a warming burner.
  2. Strain lilacs from cream before using.

Next Day

  1. Remove the rest of the petals of the rest of your blossoms. (You could do all the petals at once but I like to keep the blossoms as fresh as possible.)
  2. Mix honey and cream together, heat to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Stir to make sure honey and cream are well combined. You do not want a roiling boil – just a few light bubbles. A heavy boil will spoil the cream!
  3. Reduce to a simmer for 3 minutes, and keep stirring! Then add lemon juice and stir some more.
  4. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, and then mix in the other half of your blossoms. Allow to infuse for ten minutes.
  5. Strain off flowers and pour your cream mixture into small jars or ramekins.
  6. Cover tightly and chill overnight (or at least 4 hours).
  7. Some say you can stick in the freezer for 30-40 minutes (if you’re in rush to sample your just desserts) but we’ve both found they won’t decently set unless left for 24 hrs.

Watermelon Feta Appetizer Bites

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Watermelon Feta Appetizer Bites

These Watermelon Feta Appetizer Bites make a perfect appetizer for summer.  Made with watermelon, feta, and topped with a balsamic glaze.  Add A Pinch

  • 2 cups cubed watermelon
  • 1 (10-ounce package) Feta cheese, cut into cubes
  • balsamic glaze
  1. Assemble watermelon feta appetizer bites by layering a cube of watermelon, then feta cheese, and then topping it with another cube of watermelon onto a cocktail skewer or toothpick.
  2. If making ahead of time, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until about 15-25 minutes before serving.
  3. Just before serving, drizzle with balsamic glaze.

Make-Ahead:Prepare Watermelon Feta Bites without adding the balsamic glaze drizzle. Store, in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Before serving, drizzle with balsamic glaze.

Patriotic Holidays USA

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Patriotic Holidays in United States of America.  Celebrating the National Holidays.

Red White and Blue Vodka Lemonade Slush

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Red White and Blue Vodka Lemonade Slush

Celebrate your patriotism with a refreshing and colorful slush made with grenadine, blue curacao, and spiked lemonade.  Homemade Hooplah

  • 1 cup Grenadine
  • 1 cup Blue Curacao
  • 1 cup Vodka
  • 1 cup Lemonade

  1. Using a food processor, crush mix 3 cups of ice and grenadine syrup together until slushy. Note: You need this layer to be extra thick, so if needed, add up to 1 cup more ice and blend. When finished, set aside.

  2. Repeat the step for the Blue Curacao, blending with 3 cups of ice until slushy. Like the last layer, you want this to be extra thick. If needed, add up to 1 more cup of ice and blend. Set aside.
  3. Add vodka, lemonade, and remaining 3 cups of ice to the blender and mix until slushy. It’s not as important for this layer to be thick, but it should be comparable to the others. Add up to 1 more cup of ice if needed. When finished, set aside.

  4. Prepare drinks by layering the flavors in this order: grenadine, blue curacao, and finish with the vodka lemonade on top.  Serve immediately.

| Julia van Os by Christian MacDonald for Vogue Paris June-July 2018 |

Stunning Expressions

Julia van Os by Christian MacDonald for Vogue Paris June-July 2018

| Oscar de la Renta Resort 2019 Collection |

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Oscar de la Renta Resort 2019 Collection

| Barbara Palvin – AmfAR’s 25th Cinema Against AIDS Gala in Cannes May 2018 |

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Barbara Palvin – AmfAR’s 25th Cinema Against AIDS Gala in Cannes – May 2018.

The Best Salted Caramel Cupcakes

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The Best Salted Caramel Cupcakes

Soft, moist and scrumptious Vanilla Cupcakes filled with Salted Caramel, topped with Swiss Meringue Buttercream and finished with even more Caramel.  Delicious Yum

For the Cupcakes

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

For the Salted Caramel Sauce

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

For the Swiss Meringue Buttercream

  • 1 cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 5 egg whites
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  1. Line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, mix in vanilla.
  4. Add flour mixture and milk alternatively. Start and end with the flour. Be careful not to over mix the batter, but make sure no lumps remain. Divide batter evenly between the 12 cupcake cavities. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes, then transfer cupcakes to wire racks to cool completely.
  5. While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the salted caramel sauce.
  6. In a medium saucepan, heat sugar over medium-high heat, stirring constantly (using either a wire whisk or a wooden spoon). Continue to stir until sugar is completely dissolved and no lumps remain. Melted sugar should be a golden brown color.
  7. Add butter to the sugar and place a thermometer into the hot mixture. Butter should be completely melted and mixture should reach 350 degrees F. Immediately remove from the stove and sprinkle in sea salt. Give it a good stir and slowly whisk in heavy cream. Continue stirring until heavy cream is fully incorporated and smooth. Let sauce cool as well before piping into the cooled cupcakes. Fill a piping or ziptop bag fitted with a round tip with about half of the salted caramel sauce. Fill the center of each cupcake with caramel. Cupcakes are filled when you feel pressure while piping and once you remove the round tip, a small amount of caramel starts to ooze out. Set cupcakes aside.
  8. Next, prepare the buttercream. Remove butter from the fridge, cut into cubes and leave on the counter nearby.
  9. Add egg whites and granulated sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer, place over a pot of simmering water (not boiling), whisking gently and frequently until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot to the touch.
  10. With whisk attachment of your mixer, whip until the egg whites are glossy, and the bottom of the bowl feels neutral when touched (aka no longer warm). This took me about 14 minutes. Don’t add butter before bowl has had a chance to cool or butter will melt and you won’t have the desired outcome.
  11. Switch over to the paddle attachment and, with mixer on low speed, add butter cubes, one at a time, until incorporated, and mix until it has reached a smooth texture (if mixture curdles, keep mixing and it will come back to smooth). If mixture appears to be too runny, refrigerate for about 15 minutes and continue mixing with paddle attachment until it comes together. Add vanilla and salt, continuing to beat on low speed until well combined.
  12. Fill a large piping bag fitted with a medium star tip and pipe buttercream onto each cupcake. Drizzle with remaining salted caramel sauce and garnish with soft caramels, if desired. Store cupcakes in the fridge until ready to serve.