Blog Posts by MadeInSpanglish

Before Jennifer Lopez earned her title of top diva on red carpets, an entire generation of Latin American actresses defined glamour during Mexico's Golden Age of cinema. Meet the fashionistas who crossed over to Hollywood and paved the way for today's fashion icons.

Marcela Valladolid/AP

It's the sweet stuff the dreams of Latin American kids have been made of for generations, and recently it has invaded the US market. Dulce de leche, also known as manjar or cajeta (depending on which Spanish-speaking country you're in) and doce de leite in Brazil, is an exotic ingredient quickly becoming a mainstream favorite much like lime and jalapeño.

Basically prepared by heating condensed milk slowly while constantly stirring until it caramelizes and turns a light amber color, dulce de leche is used in cookies (Argentina's alfajores are among the most famous), cakes, flans and even pancakes. You may have seen the treat popping up on grocery shelves in products like Häagen-Dazs' "Dulce de leche" ice cream, Starbucks' flavored coffee, Girl Scout cookies and, most recently, Cheerios. Celebrity Chef and star of Food Network's "Mexican Made Easy", Marcela Valladolid, who has helped launch the campaign for Dulce de Leche Cheerios, shares some of her favorite cajeta recipes.

Marcela Valladolid/AP
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups Dulce de Leche Cheerios® cereal
1 cup coarsely crushed pretzels
1 cup white vanilla baking chips (6 oz)
1 cup milk chocolate chips (6 oz)
1 cup coconut
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, mix cracker crumbs, pecans and melted
butter. Press in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan. Sprinkle cereal and pretzels over crust. Layer vanilla chips, chocolate chips and coconut over pretzels. Pour condensed milk evenly over top.

Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely, about 45 minutes. For bars, cut into 5 rows by 4 rows. Store covered at room temperature. Makes 20 bars.

Marcela Valladolid was born in San Diego and raised in Tijuana. She had already started her studies in architecture at the university, when she decided to spend a school break in Baja California, working at her aunt's cooking school. It

Marcela Valladolid/AP

(Serves 8 to 10)

Nonstick cooking spray

1 cup dulce de leche or caramel sauce, warm

3 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk

1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk

1 (14-ounce) can evaporated milk

6 large eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup shredded sweetened coconut, toasted

"Flan (which, I have to confess, is Spanish, not Mexican) is surprisingly easy to make. The trick is to cook it in a water bath to ensure gentle heat surrounds the custard so it won't break or curdle. There are various methods of infusing coconut flavor into a flan, but coconut milk is the easiest, giving you intense flavor and also a smooth texture. When I first made this recipe, I thought adding shredded coconut to custard would give even more flavor. It does, but it takes away from the velvety texture, so I opt to sprinkle some toasted coconut on the top instead," says Valladolid.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a Bundt pan with

Women like Sofia Vergara, Kim Kardashian and Beyoncé, have taken television screens and red carpets by storm with their curvy bodies. And while they may have help from some natural assets, they certainly have to maintain them by staying fit and toned. It is possible to be in shape, while looking feminine at the same time. We asked fitness expert Linda Pedrosa to give us the lowdown on how to get (and keep) that Hollywood hourglass look.

"A woman who is strong can walk into a room and command it. She stands out. And, yes, you can be fit and curvy. The definition of fit for some women is to be tremendously skinny with straight body lines, virtually anorexic. The correct definition of a fit woman is her ability to move and be flexible, having strength and efficiency of movement. It's not the size you wear," says Pedrosa.



Powerful women with curvas

Strength and sex appeal are not mutually exclusive, according to Pedrosa who says curvy celebs like J.Lo. don't conform to a specific norm.

In the past, men's style was defined by the Cary Grants representing an elegant, classic leading man, and the John Waynes representing the tough guys. Today, many a well-poised gentleman go a step further by using products and procedures once reserved just for women. They may pluck and wax, but when does macho become metro? Let's take a look!

In honor of International Women's Day, (March 8, 2012), we take a look at the Hispanas that have made this country (and theirs) proud.

La La Anthony, actress, reality star of "La La's Full Court Life" and better half of NBA's Carmelo Anthony, has partnered with Loren Ridinger to bring women of all ethnicities a make-up collection that promises to compliment each skin tone. The line, called "Motives for La La", features an expanded offering of foundation particularly for Latina and African-American women with more olive, green and/or yellow undertones.

"I want them to get out of putting on cakey make-up…I want them to feel good knowing that sometimes less is more," says La La of what she hopes to accomplish for women, assuring that she has not compromised beauty for coverage. "Less powder [means] less creases…it's good to have a natural skin glow," adds Loren.

La La, whose maiden name is Vazquez and is of Puerto Rican descent, says she still battles against pre-conceived notions of what a Latina is expected to look like. "We [Latinas] are of all different shades and all different complexions. And I'm proud of who I