Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Faille Skirt and Berry Sandals



Salut ma beautes intelligentes,
Hope everyone's holiday has been splendid thus far. I wore this outfit to dinner yesterday, with family and friends, and I thought I'd share. I'm loving this faille skirt I recently picked up. I was initially looking for one similar to this, but I appreciate the fullness and sharp tailoring of the one I have on. I can't wait to style it with other pieces in my wardrobe. Also, who knew berry, black and grey would work out so finely? :)




I can't believe 2013 is over, am I the only that feels as though it flew by so quickly? One of my new year resolutions is to blog more often. It gets a little bit challenging with school, work and other activities I have going on, but I am determined to have more posts and share more of my pleasant adventures and mischievous escapades with you guys! 

::Outfit::
Faille Skirt - Express (not available online)
Grey blouse - River Island
Thin silver belt - H & M
Berry Sandals - Payless

As always, thank you for reading! Happy New Years in advance, and see you in 2014! 
- Onivie

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Nigerian Meat-pies


Photo Credit: Okalo Ikhena (My lovely brother :D)

Hello everyone!

Happy Christmas Eve!!! Even though this isn't a Christmas recipe lol, I figured I'd finally make a blog-post about one of my favorite recipes, the Nigerian meat-pie. It is a very popular snack in Nigeria, because it is tasty and moist! PS If you're pescatarian, you could easily substitute ground beef with fish. Now, on to the recipe..


Total Time:  1 hr 45 mins
Prep Time: 1 hr
Bake Time: 40-45 mins
Yield: This depends on the size of the cutter you use. If your cutter is 10 inches in diameter, you'll make about 10 meat pies. 


INGREDIENTS

For the Dough
  • 7 cups of All Purpose Flour 
  • 2 teaspoons of Baking Powder
  • 4 cups of Butter (Margarine) 
  • I tablespoon of sugar (or 2 pinches of Salt)
  • 1/2 cup of cold water
For the Meat Filling

  • 2 medium Irish Potatoes (optional)
  • 1/2 a cup of Frozen Vegetables (optional)
  • 4 cups of Ground Beef (Minced Meat)
  • 1 medium sized onion
  • 2 cooking spoons of Coconut Oil (or Vegetable, Canola, Olive Oil)
  • 2 Maggi/Knorr Cubes 
  • 1 teaspoon of Thyme
  • 1 teaspoon of Pepper
  • 1 teaspoon of Curry
  • 1 teaspoon of Garlic Powder
  • 1 teaspoon of Ginger
  • Salt (to taste)
  • 2 teaspoons of Flour
  • 1 cup of water
Ornamental Ingredients
  • 1 Egg

DIRECTIONS

Meat-pie Filling:

Step 1: Peel the potatoes, wash them and cut it into tiny cubes.
Step 2: Slice the onions
Step 3: On medium heat, heat your cooking oil in a pot, and stir in the diced onions.
Step 4: Stir in the ground beef vigorously until it turns pale
Step 5: Add all of the seasoning, and stir.
Step 6: Add one cup of water
Step 7: Cover the pot and once the contents start boiling add in frozen mixed veggies (optional), and potatoes (optional) and cook until it is all done.
Step 8: Mix the tablespoons of flour in half a cup of cold water and add to the meat-pie filling. This is to ensure that the filling does not dry up during baking.
Step 9: Stir the contents and turn off the heat.

Time for the dough, the fun part! :D

Meat-Pie Dough:

Step 1: Put the flour in a mixing bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of baking powder and the sugar (or salt). Mix well!
Step 2: Use a tablespoon to put the margarine into the bowl of flour. 
Step 3: Using your finger tips, rub the margarine into the flour, till its like crumbs (look here). Do not use melted butter!
Step 4: Add cold water in little amounts, while folding the mix until it turns into a ball of dough is formed. (look here).
Step 5: Knead the dough well, and leave to rest for 5 minutes, this makes it more elastic.


Cutting the Dough

Step 1: Set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and leave it to preheat.
Step 2: Rub some of your margarine on the insides of your oven tray and set aside.
Step 3: Break your egg, whisk it, and set aside
Step 4: Knead the dough until it's quite thin (not too thin).
Step 5: Use a cutter (this could be a bowl turned upside down, or a tea cup turned upside down, and cut around it), to make round cuts on the rolled out dough. 
Step 6: Put some meat-pie filling into the center of the cuts (look here).
Step 7: Rub the edges of the meat pie cut with eggs, before folding it. This is to make sure the meat pie is sealed and doesn't open up during baking.
Step 8: Fold one part of the dough to meet the other, and use a fork to press the edges together to close tightly. (Refer to pictures below, here and here).

                                                                        PC: Okalo Ikhena


Step 9: Rub the egg of the meat pies using a cooking brush (honestly, I just used my hands). This gives the meat pie a golden brown look when done. I didn't rub enough on my meat-pies, but normally it should look like the picture below (I made those a while back. Excuse the somewhat low quality picture, took it with my iPhone haha).


Step 10: Set the meat-pies on the tray, and place the tray in the preheated oven, allowing it to bake for 30-40 minutes. Once it starts browning, you know it's almost done! (Open the oven to check).

And you're done! So I found a similar British recipe I want to try out. I might not make another blogpost since it is so similar to this one, but if you're interested, look here.

Also, my apologies for not putting up pictures of each step, I am still getting around having pictures taken while I bake, I get carried away haha. I'll try to include steps in my next post! If you have any questions, leave a comment below or shoot me an email at ikhena@me.com :)


Later on that night, my sister made Lemon and Blueberry Pancakes, so delish!!! (Check out this recipe here, made it sometime ago) and I decided to capture the moment :). (Well my brother took all the pictures, what would I do without his photography skills? Lol).

                                                               Photo Credit: Okalo Ikhena


Bon Apetit,
Onivie

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Buttermilk & Honey Pie


Hello darlings! 

I made this over the summer and forgot to post it up, sorry! I was going  through the pictures and immediately had a craving, which means I'll most likely make this on Saturday! I usually do not eat a lot of pie, I think my background has a lot to do with that. Growing up in Nigeria, I ate of a lot of meat-pies (I'll be posting up a recipe shortly :D) and so I wasn't used to the concept of having "fruit stuffed pastries" (for example, apple pies, which was the first "American" pie I ever tried). However, this recipe (and of course  the oh so delicious sweet potato pie), inspired me to keep exploring, and figuring out the what flavours work best for me (yes, I don't give up when it comes to discovering good recipes, some of them are life-changing! :).). Anyways, on to the recipe! 

Total Time: 60 mins
Prep Time: 15 mins
Bake Time: 40 - 45 mins
Yield: One Pie
Level: Easy

Ingredients
  • 3 eggs
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup honey (I used Anna's Clover Honey, it was amazing!)
  • 2 tablespoons of flour
  • I cup of buttermilk
  • I teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • Pie Crust (Bought mine at Whole Foods)

Directions

Step 1: Whisk the eggs with sugar and honey

Step 2: Stir in other ingredients.

Step 3: Pour the mix into a pie crust.

Step 4: Bake at 350F for 40 - 45 minutes, until the sides are golden brown (it might have a slight jiggle in the center). You could also use a toothpick to dip in it, if it comes out dry, then it's ready!

Step 5: Allow to cool before serving.

I ate it cold once, it was delicious! 


                                                 


Bon Apetit,
Onivie

Friday, September 6, 2013

J'adore Hello Kitty









I read this excerpt from Your Forces and How to Use Them and I thought I'd share. :)

"Promise Yourself

To be so strong that nothing 
can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity
to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel
that there is something in them
To look at the sunny side of everything
and make your optimism come true.

To think only the best, to work only for the best,
and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others
as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past 
and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times
and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself
that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear,
and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world,
not in loud words but great deeds.
To live in faith that the whole world is on your side
so long as you are true to the best that is in you."

Salut ma beautés intelligentes,

The other day in Boston, I threw this outfit together and went off to the mall to run errands for my sister's wedding (I later on changed into flats as it was a lot of walking, but exciting nonetheless). I picked up this high-low skirt from Urban Outfitters and I had been looking for one in this color for the longest time! As it is almost the end of the summer, I'm making sure I enjoy the little time I have left to wear light clothing. However I'm looking forward to Autumn and playing with layers! :D

As for the Hello Kitty purse, it was love at first sight. Although I'm almost 21, I'm yet to grow out my love for Hello Kitty, haha. I've also been really into hats lately, which is unusual but I see myself wearing a lot more come Autumn.

Hope everyone has a great weekend and thank you for reading!

--Rock this Look--
Top & High-Low Skirt - Urban Outfitters
Hello Kitty Purse - Sanrio (here If you can relate to my mild addiction, you'll appreciate this site!)
Fedora Hat - H&M
Nude Heels - Payless


Amour et seul l'amour,
Onivie




Sunday, August 11, 2013

Vibrance







"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." Don't take it to heart when people want to be like you, and mimic your every move, it means you're doing something right.

Salut ma beautĂ©s intelligentes,

As you can tell from my greeting, I'm working on my French haha!

Summer is almost over, and it is a little bittersweet. Part of me is going to miss Seattle and the friendships I made this summer, but another part of me is looking forward to seeing loved ones, and to the epic school year that lies ahead. It is my last, and in that regard, I decided to create a "bucket-list" of things to do (still working on it so let me know if you have any suggestions! :D ).

Today, is a good day. I am at a really happy place at the moment. I am very thankful to God and to the outstanding support system he placed in my life for everything I was able to achieve this summer. As my fellow Nigerians will say - I no fit shout! I feel as though all my hard work paid off, and when I look back at my life five years ago, I would never have imagined being where I am right now. It makes me so excited for the future and the plans God has for me. There's so much I want to do, hobbies I want to pick up, places I want to visit, and I can't wait to get the "party" started!

My apologies for being a little distant, I've been working on re-vamping my blog (what do you guys think about it so far? :) ) and other projects. A quick hair update - I am back on the "box-braids craze". For starters, I get easily bored with my hair, and I'm invariably looking for new ways to style it. I also get inspired by music (I know, a little weird haha). This hair-do was inspired by Neo Soul and Reggae Fusion!

Wore this outfit to the cinema to see Pacific Rim. I felt so comfortable and feminine in this dress, and the post title says it all about the colors, and feeling this dress gives me. As for the movie, I wasn't particularly impressed by the plot, but chose to focus on the graphics, which made my movie-watching experience a little more pleasant lol.

--Rock My Look--
Maxi Dress - Forever 21
Silver Belt - Vanity
Black Purse - H & M
Glitter Flats - Payless Shoe Store

Amour et seul l'amour,
Onivie


Thursday, July 25, 2013

Mason Jar Blueberry Muffins


Hello darlings,

Lately, I've been in love with Mason jars! They are the chocolate of the DIY world, and are just so versatile! In need of a vase? Cutlery holder? Sewing kit? Jam case? Candle holder? You name it, a mason jar can help with it. I know it seems a little too good to be true, but I sincerely can't get enough of them. :)

As you may or may not already know, I have a mild addiction to blueberry muffins, and so it was only going to take so long before I tried making one in a mason jar! I topped it up with strawberry yoghurt, and actually had it on the side while eating the muffin. It was so good, you'd just have to try it for yourself! Now, on to the recipe.

Total Time: 35 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 10 jars
Level: Easy


Ingredients

  • 1 Duncan Hines Blueberry Streusel Muffin Mix
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 2/3 cup of water
  • 1/3 cup of oil
  • Strawberry Yoghurt (of your favorite flavor!)
Directions

Prep:
  • Preheat oven to 400F.
  • Grease mason jars with butter or oil.
  • Rinse and drain blueberries thoroughly with cold water.
Mix(instructions also on the muffin box):
  • Empty the muffin mix to the bowl. Stir in the eggs, water and oil, and mix, mix, mix(until moistened)!
  • Fold rinsed and drained blueberries gently into the batter.
  • Spoon the batter into the mason jars, fill 2/3 of the jar.
Bake:
  • Place the mason jars in a baking pan, and place the pan in the center of the oven.
  • Bake for 20 minutes or more, until golden brown. (Dip in toothpick/fork, if it comes out dry, then you're all set).
  • Cool for 5-10 minutes.
  • Spread strawberry yoghurt over the top of the mason jars. And you're all done.










                                                 Call it an Instagram moment, haha.

Bon Appetit,
Onivie

Monday, July 1, 2013

Feel The Rain



"Do not be angry at the rain, it simply does not know how to fall upwards." - Vladimir Nabokov

Hello, darlings! The other day I was determined to go exploring. It was yet another rainy day (I hate the rain sometimes, I must say) in Seattle, but I didn't let that stop me haha. Since the weather was warm, I was able to rock this maxi dress, which I so happen to love, and a comfortable pair of sandals (I could afford to wear sandals because it was not a heavy pour. Yay!)











  I got to spend the rest of the day with my brother, who ended up taking most of these pictures lol. We walked around downtown Seattle, saw World War Z at a cinema, and got to catch up. :)





 It got a little chilly towards the end of the day, which is why I have a leather jacket on. :D






                                                                  Starbucks - Cha-ching!




    I'm yet to go shopping at Pike's Place, which as a "Seattleite" is unacceptable. My brother gave me this incredible idea the other day (yes, I have a lot of siblings lol), and I'm thinking of starting an International Food series, where I try recipes from different parts of the world. I am so excited about this, as there are so many recipes I've wanted to try out for the longest time. This will be give me a great opportunity to not only make some cultural entrees, but also go shopping at Pike's Place. If you have any recipe/country recommendations, please do tell. :)

Rock My Look
Maxi Dress - Macy's
Sandals - A Present XD
Cropped Denim Jacket - Forever 21
Black Leather Jacket - H & M
Travel Tote - Michael Kors
Burnt Orange Satchel - H&M (old)

Always,
Onivie

Monday, June 24, 2013

Paper Fashion - Where Fashion Meets Paper

Travelling Umbrella

"Love of beauty is Taste. The creation of beauty is Art." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

                I recently discovered this website (thanks to Instagram!), and have been pleasantly entertained by the beauty of its content. I thought I'd share some of my favorites with you guys! Katie Rogers, a free lance illustrator and the creator of the site, has been commissioned by the likes of ClĂ© de Peau, Kate Spade, Coach, Alicia Keys, Calypso St. Barths, Stuart Weitzman, Paul Mitchell, Target, Nabisco, and so many others. I find her style very dreamy, elegant and whimsical. It reminds me of a fairytale. :)
I have so many ideas for my perfect bedroom/apartment, and I definitely envision some of her paintings on my wall. I'm yet to get started on decorating, as I am constantly moving, but I definitely cannot wait to begin. :D




                                                                  April Showers

                                                                             Gatsby




Fireflies




Summer Stripes

For more information on what she does, check out this link.

Always,
Onivie