Girls Night In Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of my girls night in (G.N.I!). This is the part where I start give you a few recipes for a little Girly R&R.

Bruschetta
Oh my goodness is this stuff ever good! Such flavor...such amazingly delicious flavor. Your taste buds will love you forever more. It's incredibly easy to make with fantastic results. Make it for yourself as a healthy and delicious treat or make a big batch for a party. You just can't go wrong with Bruschetta. I'm eating it as I type and....oh my....

Ok, so for starts, here's what your gonna need:

5 Ripe tomatoes, i prefer a mix of yellow and red, but either are fine
2 1/2- 3 tbs. Fresh chopped basil, dried works fine
1 tsp. Fresh chopped parsley, dried works fine
2 tbs. Olive oil
1 tbs. Balsamic Vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Mozzarella (optional)
Parmesan (optional)
1 lf Herbed italian bread
Softened Butter

For starters, chop your tomatoes into small pieces and toss them into a bowl. Next, add your herbs and seasonings. You'll notice its smelling very yummy right about now...
Add your olive oil and balsamic vinegar. You can add more or less if you like, it really depends on what you like, experiment a little. Mix it up a bit.
Ok, now, I prefer to let it sit for at least 60 minutes. I think it makes the flavors happier. They've gotten to know each other a little... But, if your in a hurry, or just cant resist the deliciousness any longer, than go ahead and start on this next part immediately . It's still to die for.

It's time to pay a little attention to that italian bread. Your gonna slice it about 2 inches thick, make as many slices as you need.
So your gonna spread your slices with butter and put into a heated pan and toast them. Think how you would toast a grilled cheese sandwich. I like to call this Gourmet Toast.
When there golden brown on the outside, set them on your serving plate. Pile them as high as you can with the bruschetta topping. Top with a small shaving of parmesan.

If your eating this as a meal rather than an appetizer, I like to melt a slice of fresh mozzarella on the toast before I top it with bruschetta. Either way it's delicious.

Oh my....you need to take a bite right now.

Banana Facial
This is one of my favorite facials to do. It leaves my face feeling smooth and hydrated. The healthy glow it leaves behind is great too! Bananas and honey contain a lot of vitamins and minerals that are good for your skin. These happen to be the 2 main ingredients for this wonderful facial. Witch hazel is the last ingredient and will leave your skin feeling clean. The combination results in a refreshing mask that requires very little money or work.

1 ripe banana
11/2 tbs honey
1/2 tbs witch hazel

I like to start by sticking the banana in a blender to make it smooth. You can use a fork, it's just a little lumpy. After the banana is smoothed add the honey and the witch hazel, mix it up and apply generously to your face and neck. Leave it on for about 10-15 minutes. I recommend applying wet tea bags to your eyes, or cool cucumbers...put on some relaxing music and pretend your at the spa for the next 15 minutes.
When your ready to take it off, wet a washcloth with the warmest water you can stand. Set the wash cloth on your face and allow the mask to soften for about 30 seconds and wipe off.
I highly recommend finishing this process with your favorite moisturizer. Spoil yourself a bit and give yourself a facial massage while your rubbing it in, moving in slow outward circular motions. You'll feel fantastic when your finished, I promise!

This along with watching 16 Candles and a fresh coat of nail polish concluded my lovely Girls Night In. I hope you enjoy my recipes, I feel rather spoiled myself....

Bea ;)

Bea*