September 2012 Julep Maven Box

Today I wanted to share the contents of my September Julep Maven Box.  I've been a subscriber of the Maven program since it launched in August of 2011.  The Julep Maven program is unique from other beauty subscriptions in many ways (which I think make it a superior service).  First of all, when you sign up for the Maven program, you take a style quiz which suggests which types of products and shades of polishes will best suit your personality and style.  There are five style profiles that receive different products and polish shades each month.  Personally, I find the style profile for the Maven program to be pretty spot on; however, if you aren't crazy about the products you're going to get on a given month, you have a few options.  You can view the four other styles and the products for them for that month.  You can choose to pick a different style/box that month, or you can skip the month entirely if nothing suits your tastes that month or you're trying to cut back on spending.  I truly think this option of picking a different style or skipping the month is a brilliant feature and I really wish other subscription services were so kind as to offer similar choices for their members.  The Maven program has the best model out there that I've experienced myself.  Since I joined the program I have been nothing but satisfied with the products I've received and the service itself.



Most months the Maven boxes contain at least two polishes and usually one other non-polish beauty or mani/pedi product.  You are always guaranteed to receive at least $40 of products for the $19.99 subscription cost.  Another perk of being a Julep Maven is that anytime you make a purchase from the Julep online shop, you receive a 20% discount.  I could really sing praises about Julep all day long.

This month the Maven boxes were inspired by Trina Turk's Modernist Maverick Collection and were full of stunning colors for fall.  This month I decided to stick with my usual style profile, Classic With a Twist, which included two neutral polishes and a new product from Julep, a volumizing mascara.

 The polishes I received were Brandt, an opaque off-black creme, and Sophie, a chic truffle mushroom creme.  I absolutely adore these shades and they will certainly be staples for me this fall.  I've been wanting to purchase a good black polish for a while (I have a cheaper one from Revlon and the formula is a pain, so I never use it) and Brandt is perfection.  I love the slightly off-black shade, which makes it a little less harsh than a straight up black.  And, as with most Julep polishes I've tried, the formula is brilliant: one coat is really all it takes to reach full opacity.  Sophie is a shade that couldn't fit my personality any better.  I absolutely adore warm gray/greige shades year round and this one is stunning.

The American Beauty Volumizing Mascara has lash growth enhancement ingredients and a micro-fiber applicator that claims to separate, condition, and plump individual lashes for a thick and gorgeous finish.  I'm really excited to try this mascara as it will be the first (of the countless mascaras I've tried) to contain fibers.  I can't wait to see the effect this creates, and I think this was a really interesting addition to the Maven box.

I'm over the moon about the products I received in my Julep Maven Box this month.  To be honest, I have skipped the past few months with the Maven program because I wasn't too over the moon about a lot of the nail trends from spring/summer.  Now that fall and winter are approaching, I have a feeling I'm going to find it difficult to resist the gorgeous colors of the upcoming seasons.

If you're a nail polish/mani/pedi junkie, I highly recommend you check out the Julep Maven program.  It's really risk-proof since you receive an email preview of your box every month and have the option to purchase, choose another box, or skip the month.  If only other subscription services were so straightforward.

Chicken Enchilada Pizza

When I decided to add Beer Can Chicken to the list of recipes I was going to try out for the week, I immediately knew I wanted to save the extra chicken for a pizza.  I had been meaning to try making a Chicken Enchilada Pizza for quite some time and when I saw this amazing version from Gimme Some Oven, I knew I had whip one up for myself.

I used Ali's pizza as inspiration but decided to do my own thing with the toppings.  I wanted something quick and simple to throw together and, since I've been excited to try out some of the products at the new Trader Joe's in Lexington, I decided to take a few shortcuts and utilize some of their products.  I used Trader Joe's fresh, plain pizza crust and enchilada sauce for the base of my pizza.  I then topped it with a generous sprinkle of freshly grated cheddar jack cheese, leftover shredded Beer Can Chicken, thinly sliced red onion, and a little cilantro after baking.

The resulting pizza was delicious and, I have to say, I was pretty impressed with the Trader Joe's pizza dough and enchilada sauce.  I'm pretty picky about pizza crust and, though I've tried several recipes, have yet to find a traditional pizza crust recipe that I've enjoyed.  I think I'll stick with the Trader Joe's pizza dough in the future (besides, you can't be the price and convenience).

I went simple with the toppings this time, but I definitely think fire roasted corn, bell pepper, and black beans would be lovely additions.  Also, I highly recommend you add a few dollops of guacamole to your pizza before you chow down.  So good!

Chicken Enchilada Pizza
inspired by Gimme Some Oven

1 large unbaked pizza crust, homemade or store bought
1/2 cup enchilada sauce, homemade or store bought
2 cups freshly shredded cheddar jack cheese
1 cup shredded cooked chicken
1/4 large red onion, thinly sliced
handful of fresh cilantro, stems removed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  If using a baking stone, be sure to preheat it along with your oven.

On a sheet of parchment, top your shaped pizza crust with 1/2 cup (more or less, to taste) of enchilada sauce, spreading evenly but leaving a 1-inch border around the edge of the crust.  Layer the cheese, chicken, and red onion evenly over the sauce.

Carefully move the parchment paper/pizza to the preheated baking stone, or place on a large baking sheet and place in the preheated oven.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the crust begins to turn golden brown.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh cilantro.  Slice and serve immediately.  Add a few dollops of guacamole and/or sour cream, if desired.

*Adjust the ingredients for the toppings as desired.  Try adding additional toppings (I suggest fire roasted corn, bell pepper, and/or black beans) or play around with the amounts to suit your tastes.

Beer Can Chicken

This weekend I made my first ever Beer Can Chicken.  A quick rub, a can of beer, and a little over an hour later and you'll have one delicious, moist chicken on your hands.  Hubby and I both adored this chicken and I'll definitely be making it again soon, though I'm curious to try a few tweaks next time to impart even more flavor into the bird.

When I make this chicken again, I'm planning to set it inside a cast iron skillet to help avoid flare-ups on the grill (you can also avoid them but keeping the burner directly under the chicken turned off, which is what I eventually did after a couple flare-ups).  The cast iron skillet will also allow me a nice spot to cook some potatoes around the chicken at the same time.  If I have them on hand, I may also add onion, garlic and perhaps some fresh herbs to the chicken cavity along with the beer can for extra flavor.

That said, this chicken is absolutely delicious as is.  The rub takes no time to throw together and you can keep extra on hand to make the prep process even faster.  I'm so glad I finally gave Beer Can Chicken a try as I now have a sure bet, crowd-pleasing chicken recipe I can make on the grill for summer cookouts.

Beer Can Chicken
slightly adapted from Food Network

Beer Can Chicken Rub:
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon applewood smoked sea salt
1 tablespoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder

In a small bowl mix all the ingredients together.  You can store extra rub in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

For the Chicken:
4 lb. chicken, washed and dried
vegetable oil
Beer Can Chicken Rub
1 (12 oz.) can beer (I used Bud Light)

Preheat your grill to medium-high.

Rub the prepared chicken and its cavity down with the vegetable oil.  Season the chicken with the rub mixture, remembering to season the cavity as well.  Pour out 1/4 of the beer (or drink it, if you enjoy beer) and sit the chicken on top of the beer can.  Using the legs and beer can as sort of a tripod, carefully place the chicken in the center of the hot grill and cover.  Cook the chicken for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F.  Once cooked, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

*The rub recipe will make enough for at least two chickens.  Feel free to decrease the amount if only making one bird, or keep it on hand for another time.