Flan

I love flan. Flan is your friend. I grew up with the classic filipino flan - creamy and super sweet lecheflan. As my palate expanded, I have tried many other types. I am not a big fan of typical Mexican flan. Its too bland, not creamy at all. However, I was recently introduced to the Columbian-style flan, and it is now tied as my favorite way to eat flan :)

Here is my Auntie Edna's Lecheflan recipe:

8-10 egg yolks, room temp
1 cup sugar
1 can condensed milk
1 can evaporated milk (the large cans)
1 tblsp vanilla extract
light caro syrup

Make sure all ingredients are room temp. Carefully stir the ingredients with a wooden spoon. Pour enough caro syrup to coat the bottom of your baking dish. Slowly pour batter into the baking dish, taking care not to form excess bubbles. Tap the dish to get any bubbles out. Place the dish in a water bath and bake at 375 F for an hour or until the flan is golden brown.

Once flan cools in refridgerator (or room temp), take a knife to release the sides. Invert pan and place on a nice flat plate. Pour the remaining syrup on top. Enjoy!!

Boscia

I have bad skin. No hiding it. I have been plagued with acne since I can remember (I am in my early 30's now). I used Accutane not once, but three times - in high school, in college, and most recently in 2004. It finally worked - sorta. It got rid of the cystic acne on my chest and back, and for about 2 years my face stayed clear.

When I got pregnant, I started breaking out again. My OB warned me it would likely happen because of all the hormones. My dermatologist at the time recommended I stop using Clearasil and Oxy - too harsh for the skin, esp at my age. She recommended finding a more natural line of products.

The result - Boscia Skin Care. I found it during one of my Sephora raids. My favorite product in the line is Boscia Recharging Night Moisture.

I have combination skin with a tendency to breakout. This moisturizer is lightweight and gave my skin a hydrated but not greasy feeling. It doesn't have a heavy smell, which I like. It doesn't take much of this product to go far. One pump should cover the entire face down through the chin line.

A few weeks after I started using this product, my skin cleared up. Here I was, midway through pregnancy, and I finally had the glowing skin I had only dreamed of. After the baby was born and the budget got tight, I switched over to moisturizer half the price. Bad, bad idea. I was breaking out again within days. I recently went back to Boscia and added Boscia Willow Bark Breakout Treatment to my regimen.

The breakout treatment is a lightweight gel. Again, no smell and it is immediately absorbed into the skin. It doesn't sting or dry out skin. I have a tendency to get small blackheads and "horn" cystic acne around my hairline and chin. This treats and prevents those annoying little bumps from popping up. I use it in the morning and at night, before moisturizing.

I highly recommend this line for anyone looking for a gentle, natural beauty regimen. It is a little pricey, but it doesn't take much product to get results so it is worth it. Sephora usually has small samples of most of the product line, so go ahead and try it out!!