Cooking with Duchess: Stuffed Salmon

Welcome to my blog segment: Cooking with Duchess! (I am so full of myself, wow.) If you didn't know this about me, I love to cook and have been for almost my entire life. While I could spend hours browsing Pinterest for new recipes, my favorite thing to do is tweak recipes and make them my own. I don't think I've followed a recipe tit for tat in years! In these posts I will share with you my latest creations so you can try them out for yourself!

Stuffed Salmon

I think salmon is one of the best things you can possibly eat. It has vitamins to make your hair shinier, skin smoother, and smile brighter. What more do you need? 

You can choose to add whatever you want to the stuffing, but be sure to add some sort of leafy veggie. That's part of what makes it good for you! My favorite is spinach but you can add kale if you're one of those people.

Make sure that you cut slits into your salmon so the stuffing mixture can stay in place. If you want you can add a creamy sauce on top before serving. Dill anyone?

I served this with my two favorite things: couscous and sautéed veggies. You could also serve with rice, salad, or potatoes au gratin!

Stuffed Salmon

1 cup mushrooms, chopped

1 small white onion, chopped
1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 handfuls spinach leaves
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 salmon fillets
1 Tbsp white truffle oil (optional)
1/2 tbsp dill (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Set oven to 400 degrees. In a medium pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil. Add mushrooms and onions and cook until onions sweat. Then add spinach and almonds until spinach has wilted slightly. Top with nutmeg, garlic powder, and salt and pepper, mix and set aside. In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, bread crumbs, and sautéed vegetables. Place salmon in baking dish with slits down the middle of each filet. Spritz with truffle oil and sprinkle on dill. Top with stuffing and bake for 30 minutes.



Until next time my loves x.

Traveling International Tips and Tricks

As a first time international traveler, I had a lot to learn before hopping on my flight to Europe. I'm used to 2-4 hour flights, not 10 hour ones. Luckily, on my flight to London we took the red eye and I was able to get 4 hours of sleep since the plane was dark and quiet. But, even if you have a flight during the middle of the day, I am here to offer you some tips and tricks I learned from my recent trip abroad!

International Travel Tips

Try to Connect Flights in the U.S.

We thought connecting in London would be "cool" and "exciting" but it turned out to be "awful" and "I wanted to die." Aside from the fact that we only had 45 minutes to catch our plane from London to Paris (when British Airways said you needed at least 60 -- thanks a lot CostCo Travel), we wound up missing our first flight because Heathrow Airport is a monstrosity and about 0 people were helpful. For an outside opinion, even USA Today says "London Heathrow crops up on almost everyone's 'avoid if at all possible' hub airport lists" and I now understand why. Thankfully on our flight home to Denver we had many friends on our plane catching the same connecting flight and we were awarded "express passes" to make sure we made it. One option we had when booking was to connect through Minneapolis and I wish that's what we had done. Connecting in a not-so-big airport is good in itself, but honestly just being around fellow Americans is comforting when you have no idea what you're doing and you know they won't resent you because they didn't lose the Revolutionary War.

Buy a Sheet Mask (or 4)

I may have looked like Hannibal Lecter to the other passengers, but using my moisturizing sheet mask was the perfect accessory to my long flight. Airplanes are known for drying out your skin, and there's nothing worse than finally arriving to your destination with a giant zit on your chin. My favorites are by Tony Moly (check out this coconut one I used for my flight), but you can find a ton online that best fit your needs. Just be sure to rub in the excess product afterwards so it can really soak into your skin!

Pack Light

Chances are you are going to want to bring back a lot with you (French wine amiright?) and if your suitcase is full from the get-go then you won't have much room for anything else. We decided to pay for an extra bag, but even so we still had plenty of room in our bags for goodies (and in that I mean macarons). The general rule is bring about 3 tops for every pair of pants, that way if you're staying a week than you need 2 pairs of pants and 6 tops (and an outfit for the airport). I brought about 3 pairs of shoes with me and that was even too many. I wound up reaching for my sneakers more than anything because the French are huge fans of walking and it saves you money in the long run. Bring the stilettos only if you know for sure you'll wear them!

Think Outside the Tourist Traps

While it's obvious you should hit up the big landmarks (can you imagine if I didn't go to the Eiffel Tower?) try not to eat so close to them. I noticed that while the food still looked yummy, the prices were always higher the closer we were to the tourist attractions. Another problem is the food is not always as authentic -- crêpes made under the eiffel tower are store-bought and not fresh, whereas if you walk a few blocks down toward the metro there are plenty of cafés that make their crêpes from scratch. It's just little things like that can build up and ruin your trip (and budget). Plus, pickpockets and scammers love to hang out by the landmarks so beware. Hold your purse close and make sure your pockets are empty, and don't talk to anyone that comes up to you with a clipboard!

Bring Your Own Medicine

The French are not believers in NyQuil or DayQuil (at least that's what the airport clerk made it out to be) so when I caught a nasty cold the day before my flight home, I was miserable. We of course packed our vitamins and some ibuprofen, but the thought of bringing cough drops or DayQuil never crossed our minds. It's better to be safe than sorry, so bringing a mini-medicine cabinet with you will save you trouble in the long run. This is especially helpful if you are visiting a country where English is not the native language. As much as I know French, when it came to reading labels I felt like an idiot (I couldn't even find makeup remover???). Don't forget the bandaids and Neosporin either -- blisters are inevitable, ladies!




Let me know what international trips you'll be taking this year!


Until next time my loves x.

Holiday Gift Guide: Your Man

Now that Thanksgiving is over the holiday season has officially begun! Gift giving can be quite stressful, especially if you have a lot of people to shop for. I'm here to make things easier for you with my holiday gift guides. All of these things you can purchase online which means not having to deal with the mall chaos! So sit back and relax with that mug of spiked cocoa and let Duchess help you become the perfect gift giver.

Men are the most difficult species to shop for, I swear. How many ties can you buy a guy before he can open his own JCPenney? And even though men pretend to be "chill" about everything we ladies know that in reality they are so picky and particular about EVERYTHING! I came up with a quick little list of gift ideas for the guy in your life. But if he doesn't like what you give him then dump him and obsess over celebrities you can never have like me.

Gift Guide: Boyfriend

Jack Black Set
Have you ever tried Jack Black? Not only does everything they make smell amazing, but the products are top-notch. Their lip balm is the best I've ever had and I'm addicted to it. Get this gift-set for your boy who's skin hates the winter as much as I do (and I really hate it).

Copper Mugs
Moscow Mules have for some reason become the new "it" drink, so make sure your man is prepared to make you some with this mug set! Sure, you can put a Moscow Mule in any glass, but it's a known fact (no) that they taste 400% better in the authentic copper mug. This gift is perfect the guy who loves a good drink!

Fallout Monopoly
Okay if you don't understand how amazing Fallout 4 is then BYE! Everyone on my timeline is obsessing over this game (including moi) so there's a large chance your guy is, too. He more than likely already owns the video game so by getting him the monopoly "version" you can play with him! Word of warning: never play monopoly with me because I do not lose.

Cologne
Please tell me something better than a man who smells good. You can't because THERE IS NOTHING BETTER. I'm automatically 3000% more attracted to a guy when I can smell he's wearing nice cologne (I'm not talking Axe body spray sorry bout it). Some of my personal favorites are Replica Jazz Club, Versace Eros, Bleu de Chanel, Terre d'Hermes, and anything Tom Ford. Cologne is just such a great gift because both parties get something out of it!

NFL Nutcracker
What's more Christmasy than a nutcracker of his favorite football team? This gift is more unique than the 20 jerseys he owns and will probably be one of the few home décor pieces in his place. And if his team loses the big Christmas game he'll have something to throw against the wall in anger (or am I the only one who does that?)!




Until next time my loves x.

Holiday Gift Guide: BFF

Now that Thanksgiving is over the holiday season has officially begun! Gift giving can be quite stressful, especially if you have a lot of people to shop for. I'm here to make things easier for you with my holiday gift guides. All of these things you can purchase online which means not having to deal with the mall chaos! So sit back and relax with that mug of spiked cocoa and let Duchess help you become the perfect gift giver.

All of my best friends are completely different, which makes present shopping just a wee bit tricky. There's Emily, who loves reading and traveling; Christina, my ride or die that loves to party; and Nicole, the down-to-earth music lover. Because my friends are unique in how I buy them gifts, I figure I would divide my gift guide based on personality. From the fashionista to the homebody, I have the perfect gift for each of your pals!

Holiday Gift Guide: Best Friend

The Fitness Lover
If your BFF is all about that fit life, then clearly she needs a water bottle to stay hydrated! I love these ones from Blogilates because not only do they have motivational phrases on them, but on the side of the bottle there's a timeline so you're sure to stay on track with your water intake. She'll be the envy of all at the gym!


The Fashionista
Brooches are SO in right now so if your BFF is on top of the trends she'll be needing some. Olivia Palermo recently launched a line with Baublebar and every piece is gorgeous but these brooches really stand out to me. She can wear them on her coat, sweater, scarf...wherever!


The Traveler
How precious is this makeup bag?! One struggle I know I have with traveling is keeping everything organized when I pack so I know where it is once I land. With this makeup bag your BFF will know exactly wear to find her mascara and lipstick in any city!


The Party Girl
Whoever invented this is my HERO! Tequila shots are essential for every party girl, so why not skip a step and take the shot out of a glass made of salt?! Plus they're pink and adorable and the perfect addition to any bar cart.


The Homebody
Isn't this pillow hilarious? If you're best friend is more of a "Netflix at home" kinda gal then this pillow is perfect for her. It's stylish enough to be the perfect addition to any sofa or bed!


The Make-up Guru
If I need this palette in my life, then your makeup loving best friend needs this palette in her life. Not only is it a collab with Gwen Stefani (queen) but the colors are perfect. There's neutral tones, pops of color, and just the right amount of shimmer. Urban Decay never makes a bad eyeshadow palette and your BFF will not be disappointed!


The Classy One
Nothing is more classy than wine! This wine glass let's anyone around your BFF know that she's fancy and better than them. Plus a girl can never have too many wine glasses!


The Hot Mess
As soon as I saw this kit I started laughing. It's named a "one night stand" kit so what's not to love?? This gift is great for your best friend who tends to find herself doing a walk-of-shame more often than she'd like to admit.




Until next time my loves x.