Monday, December 10, 2018

Mammy's Blackberry Jam Cake

NewImage

A family tradition and a hilarious family story...

This is my great-grandmother’s recipe for Kentucky Jam Cake.  It was a family tradition, handed down through the generations, and my daddy made this every year.  It’s a wonderful, old fashioned cake made with lard and ground raisins, so many memories and a helluva good story as well.

First the story, then the recipe...

Daddy was getting older, his eyesight wasn’t that good anymore and he wasn't the cleanest with his cooking, but he still made Mammy’s Jam Cake and one year he made it and sent it home for us at Christmas in this rusty old cake tin. That cake didn't look right and I was afraid for us eat it so I sat it in the garage on the workbench. The boys were little, like, eight and eleven, and in the garage was a putty knife, we used it as a pooper scooper because we had a cocker spaniel that crapped on the garage floor and we would use that putty knife to clean up the dog doodoo. The boys were horsing around in the garage one afternoon and they cut a piece of that cake with that dirty pooper scooper and threw it in the floor for the dog.

And then hubby was going to work, he ran the company so everybody of course ate when he brought in food, so he grabbed that cake with the hunk cut out with the pooper scooper off he workbench and took it to work for the company Christmas pitch-in dinner. AND in the meantime, Daddy had called me and said "Janice, don't eat that cake, I think I doubled the flour and left out the sugar." OMG, can you imagine, him taking that nasty cake in that old rusty tin and all of those people trying to eat it. He was in SO much trouble with me!!! We have all laughed about it for years tho, it's a great memory...

And now for the infamous recipe that dates back to the early 1900’s, it really is a delicious Christmas cake.  It’s best made several days ahead and stored in a sealed container to age. ~ Jan

 

Mammy's Jam Cake

 

2 cups sugar 
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
6 eggs (leave out 3 whites for frosting)
2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. slt
3/4 cup lard (not shortening)
1 cup blackberry jam (if you make this I would buy a good quality of blackberry jam with seeds, nothing compares to the old days tho when it was homemade)
2-1/2 cups flour

 

Cream lard, sugar, add eggs and beat. Sift flour, soda, salt and spices together 3 times. Add alternately with buttermilk to mixture. Mix thoroughly, add jam and beat 3 minutes (do not use mixer).

Spoon into greased cake pans (makes 4 large layers) - Bake at 350.

Frosting

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 box raisins (ground)
3 egg whites stiffly beaten

Cook sugar and water until hard ball, add hot to beaten egg whites, stir in raisins. Frost cake between layers. 

Note: I remember eating this as a little girl, and it was a tall cake, I’m guessing those 4 layers would be 8” cake pans. Daddy always let this age a few days.


Thursday, October 25, 2018

The Autumns of my Childhood...

44715838 10215213680072789 3715370298447495168 n

I changed my Facebook Cover photo today using the photo above, and the childhood memories just started flooding back.  We had so many trees in our yard and it was a huge job, raking those leaves into the road and burning them.  Oh, what fun though, burrowing in the piles, and the smell of those burning leaves was magic.  Since I was an only child and we lived in the country there were no kids to play with, so my playmates were dogs and cats.  The dogs would run through the leaves with me, I can still see it all in my mind.

Fall was such a busy time at our house.  I’ve blogged before how mother and I would trudge through the muddy popcorn fields in our rubber “galoshes," dragging a tow sack which we would fill with popcorn that was left in the field after the combine had picked the corn.  Sometimes the mud was so deep it would suck the boots right off my feet and I would be left with wet socks to stuff back in them.  We would spend evenings in front of a coal stove, shucking that corn and emptying it into quart Ball jars to store for the winter.

Late in the fall we would go to the pecan groves, where tractors would bump the trees so the pecans would fall and we would gather coal buckets full of nuts to be weighed and paid for.  We also gathered black walnuts, messy nuts whose hulls would stain our hands and my favorite hickory nuts.  Hickory nuts were so hard to crack, and it took many hours to pick the nuts from the shells.  We would gather sticky persimmons to make persimmon pudding, always picked after the first frost, they were bitter if you didn’t wait and we would crack open the kernels because we believed persimmons predicted the winter weather.

If the kernel was spoon-shaped, you could expect plenty of snow to shovel.  If it was fork-shaped, plan on a mild winter with powdery, light snow.  If the kernel was knife-shaped, expect frigid winds that “cut” like a blade.

By mid-November the temperatures were cold in Southern Illinois and my uncles would butcher hogs.  Sometimes we had our own pig that we raised to butcher, other times they would give us hams and bacon.  Mother would sugar cure them with salt, brown sugar, spices and pepper, and hang them in a gunny sack from the rafters of our outbuilding.  We hung them so that the mice wouldn’t get to them.   I never cared for the cured meat, the flavor was too salty and strong for a little girl, but I spent many nights, racing to the outbuilding in the dark to retrieve those hams for mother to slice off pieces with a butcher knife and fry in an iron skillet for dinner..

At Thanksgiving she would make a hickory nut cake.  I have so many of her recipes but that one escaped me.  She also made black walnut divinity, always on a dry sunny day, for Christmas and she would store it in tins that she saved year after year.

She always made a fruitcake the week after Thanksgiving, chocked full of candied fruits and our pecans that we had shelled.  She baked it in an angel food pan and would put it in a tin with a wine soaked dishtowel surrounding it and a brandy soaked towel in the center so it could age for Christmas.  I never liked them as a child, and she would only give me small very thin slices because they did have alcohol after all and I never liked the taste. I probably would think they were wonderful now.

Fall always brought a new load of coal to be stored in the coal house for our winter heat.  I wish I still had her old receipts, it would be interesting to see how much it cost.  Coal was sold by the ton and we would get a couple of tons to last us through the winter.  The delivery man would dump it in the driveway and we had to carry bucket after bucket to the back coal shed. The house was always cold when we got home in the evening, mother would fill the coal buckets to build a fire and It was always my job to empty the ashes in the driveway ruts to help us keep from getting the car stuck.  We lived on a road that wasn’t graveled, so getting our car stuck in the mud was something that occurred on a regular basis.

We always put plastic on our windows to keep out the winter cold, usually nailing it on the windows on a cold blustery Saturday and it was a big job to unroll the plastic and cut it to fit the windows. The walls of our house weren’t insulated, only the attic, so it was always really hard to keep it warm.   She always made me new flannel pajamas with big buttons in the fall and I slept on a feather bed piled high with quilts.  Looking back I wonder how she managed to do all of that.  She worked from 8-5 at the drug store five days a week, Daddy didn’t live with us, he worked in Northern Illinois, so it was just a woman and a little girl, doing the best they could with absolutely no luxuries at all and nobody to help them.  No bathroom or running water, for years we didn’t have a pump, just a well and a bucket, but we managed and I have happy memories of my childhood.

I didn’t have a mother that played with me, I don’t ever remember her playing board games or reading to me.  She had no time, she was always working because she had to do all of the chores herself.  There was no television in our house until I was twelve years old, I listened to the radio in the evenings and played the piano (badly).  I was always an avid reader, probably more so because there wasn’t that much to do in the country in the cold weather.  No neighbors to talk to, no kids to play with, but if it’s all I knew, and it was okay.  I’ve always admired mother for all the hard work she did.  She didn’t complain or feel sorry for herself, and she worked from early morning until bedtime to make a home and put food on the table.  She really was a strong woman.

The older I get the more nostalgic I am.  My childhood stories are of a difficult life, but it wasn’t a sad life, I was a happy child, I was fed, clothed and loved and I was grateful for the things I had and proud of the accomplishments of daily living.   I miss those days and go back often in my mind.  Some of this you may have read some of this before, as I’ve talked about my childhood in my blog quite a bit through the years, but it’s always good to reminisce, to once again remember the way it was and to be reminded of how lucky I am to have the life that I have now...

 

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Hamburger Press

 

NewImage

So you all know I’m the gadget queen, right?  So, when I saw this hamburger press, I was all over it like mayo on white.  It’s such a simple thing, but oh I do love this.  I use two sheets of wax paper sheets that I buy in a pack, one under the patty, one on top so it keeps the press clean, and you have perfectly formed patties every time.

Quit rolling your eyes, this thing is a game changer.  I make multiple patties at once to freeze or put in the fridge for another meal, it’s quick, fast and with the waxed paper, cleanup is easy breezy.  Don’t cheap out and not use the waxed paper, it would be a pain in the patootie to clean without them.

It’s not expensive, $20 and change, you spend that much for one meal at a fast food joint.  Just buy the darn thing, trust me, it’s so worth it.  ~ Jan

Here’s the link, go for it...

71COrvY7wZL SL1500

And here are the squares, it’s a big pack, they last a long time.  

Here’s the link for the squares

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Parchment Paper Liners for Muffins

 

Linersuse

 I love all things to do with cooking, and I have a feeling I’m a little late to this parchment paper game, but last month when we were visiting Ryan and family, we went every morning for breakfast at The Dixie Diner, a great little restaurant not far from their house and every morning I had a Jumbo Blueberry Muffin (don’t judge me) in a parchment paper liner like this one above.  I was intrigued, the muffin didn’t adhere to the paper like it does with a regular muffin liner and it was so darn cute.  It’s all about the presentation for this old(er) girl.

So I did a little research and it’s a pretty simple thing to do.  For jumbo muffins or cupcakes you need 6” parchment paper squares and for regular sized muffins or cupcakes you need 5” squares. Now you could cut your own, but seriously, who wants to do that when you can buy them precut already.

If you want the tulip effect like the one above, it does take a little work, but they look so good they are totally worth it.

Muffin liner

It’s pretty simple really, just pleat the muffin around an overturned glass the same size as the muffin tin and then plop them in the tins.  I suppose you could just pleat them inside the tin itself, but this is much easier.

You can buy these liners, bleached or unbleached.  I’ll do easy links for you below.  AND since yours truly, who buys everything kitchen related just realized that I don’t have jumbo muffin tins, I’m going to remedy that today by ordering them.  Oh, I am a sucker for Amazon Prime, but aren’t we all.

So, here are the links, happy baking, and now your muffins will look just like the ones in the bake shops. 😋
 

Brown

 

The ones I ate were in these unbleached liners, which looked great.  Here’s the link for the 5” ones

And the 6” ones, are actually marketed to use as squares between hamburger patties, which brings up a whole other subject that I will address in another post.

Here’s the link for the 6” ones

And now for those jumbo muffin pans, Wilton sells them on Amazon for $11.99 Prime.  Here’s the click

 

Pan

Thursday, September 13, 2018

Not your typical "Grannie Panties"

Screen Shot 2018 09 13 at 9 23 49 AM

Thongs, bikini panties, boy briefs, well those days are long gone, thank goodness.  So what’s an old(er) girl to do.  

I’ve tried a lot of panties over the years and I haven’t found any that I like better than these.  They’re really comfortable, they aren’t ugly, they’re not hot, they wash well and don’t give you muffin top, it’s a total win-win. They have just enough spandex to give you light control and they are made of silky fabric, so your clothes glide on smoothly.  If you don’t like the neutrals they also come in brights.

Screen Shot 2018 09 13 at 9 27 18 AM

These are a super everyday panty, trust me on this one.  ~ Jan

Here’s the link, check them out for yourself...

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

DIY Dry Dog Shampoo that WORKS!

Ds

Boy, do I have a great tip for you.  This recipe is floating all over the net so on a whim I gave it a try.  It’s all natural, non-irritating and I pinkie swear, it will make your furry friend smell amazing.  

It takes 5 minutes to make, put it in a shaker jar and you’re done!

1/2 cup Baking Soda
1/2 cup Cornstarch
3-5 drops of Essential Oil, I used 4 drops of lavender

Whisk all together, I put mine in a spice jar, sprinkle it on Maggie, brush her and she smells so good.  The smell doesn’t dissipate quickly either, it lingers on her  fur for a couple of days …  What a find!

Sunday, August 12, 2018

Pioneer Woman's Daughter Leaves for College

Screen Shot 2018 08 12 at 7 49 26 AM

What a powerful picture, and one that mothers of children who are leaving the nest can certainly relate to.  Every time I look at this I get teary eyed, remembering when my sons left for college.  Its a brutal reminder that our children are only loaned to us for a few short years, once they leave on this journey, even though they come home, it’s never the same.

That ship has long sailed for me but in some ways it seems like yesterday.,  Whew, I need to quit looking at this picture...

Monday, July 23, 2018

The Big Crash

IMG 6373

Ugh, what a mess we had!  Apparently the pins in one of our cabinets were shorter than the other cabinets and it all came crashing down.

We heard a noise, couldn’t find anything wrong in the house, but when hubby started to open the cabinet, the shelf had collapsed and it all came tumbling down.  Thankfully he wasn’t hurt, and none of my appliances or the granite counter were damaged.

And the dishes?  Well, if I could have picked a shelf to fall, it would have been this one.  It was serving pieces, a collection of Chantal that I’ve had for years.  I was tired of it anyway.  The brown covered casserole, however is another story.  I’ve had that since John was a baby.  But I can replace it on eBay and I will, and then I will just replace all of the serving pieces with Pioneer Woman.  I feel a shopping spree coming on.

Check your cabinets ladies, if this would have been a cabinet shelf filled with Fiestaware, I would have been really upset.

Friday, July 6, 2018

Between You and Me, what a book!

NewImage

Oh, this is a good one!  I’ve had so much fun with summer reading, I’ve read most of Dorothea Benton Franks Lowcountry Series, and decided it was time for a change.  I started this and couldn’t put it down.  I’m a big fan of Susan Wiggs and this book did not disappoint!

Deep within the peaceful heart of Amish country, a life-or-death emergency shatters a quiet world to its core. Number-one New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs delivers a riveting story that challenges our deepest-held beliefs.

Caught between two worlds, Caleb Stoltz is bound by a deathbed promise to raise his orphaned niece and nephew in Middle Grove, where life revolves around family, farm, faith—and long-held suspicions about outsiders. When disaster strikes, Caleb is thrust into an urban environment of high-tech medicine and the relentless rush of modern life.

Dr. Reese Powell is poised to join the medical dynasty of her wealthy, successful parents. Bold, assertive, and quick-thinking, she lives for the addictive rush of saving lives. When a shocking accident brings Caleb Stoltz into her life, Reese is forced to deal with a situation that challenges everything she thinks she knows—and ultimately emboldens her to question her most powerful beliefs.

Then one impulsive act brings about a clash of cultures in a tug-of-war that plays out in a courtroom, challenging the very nature of justice and reverberating through generations, straining the fragile threads of faith and family.

Deeply moving and unforgettable, Between You and Me is an emotionally complex story of love and loss, family and friendship, and the arduous road to discovering the heart’s true path.

Friday, June 15, 2018

The BEST Summer Reads...

 

NewImage

I’ve spent many afternoons and evenings in my rocking chair on the front porch with my nose in my Kindle this summer.  Our porch is covered and it’s shady, so here I sit with Maggie by my side and a glass of something icy cold in my Yeti Cup.  I listen to the birds, smell the summer air and I’m lovin’ life.  I’ve always been an avid reader and nothing is better than beach reads in the summertime.

I’m reading, and in some cases rereading about the Lowcountry of South Carolina, a whole series of books, brought to life by the wonderful author, Dorothea Benton Frank.  I love series, they drift from one book to the next and if they’re well written the characters have time to develop and come alive.

I started with Sullivan’s Island (a reread) as it was the first of the series and I’m reading them in order.  I’m getting ready to start Lowcountry Summer and each book is wonderful.  She describes island life so well, it makes you want to immediately rent a little beach house on an island near Charleston for the summer.

Here’s a link to this series, they're so good, I can hardly wait to finish one and start another.

Dorothea Benton Frank Books

Enjoy each day and happy reading.  ~ Jan

Monday, May 28, 2018

Javelin Digital Read Thermometer, Great for Grilling

 

NewImage

 

Tis’ the season, you fire up the grill, put on the steak and oops, when you serve it, it’s either undercooked or overcooked.  That was us and the solution was a digital thermometer.  Thermoworks makes a great one, but the price is not so great, $100, so I did the research and found this Lavatools Javein one, which reviewers say performs just as good as the Thermoworks and the price was so much better, $24.99 Prime.

We got it a few weeks ago, and it’s working perfectly.  No more guesswork, you know exactly what temperature your food is and when to pull it off the grill.

Since I always share the good stuff, this little thermometer is so worth the money.

You can buy it here.

You will be so happy with this, it works perfectly, I love it for chicken breasts, I take them off the grill at 165 degrees, and they’re juicy and moist.  Steaks I cook to 150-155, we like ours medium. It takes all the guesswork out of grilling, it’s worth $25 just for the lack of frustration 😄

Happy Grilling!  ~ jan

 

 

Saturday, May 19, 2018

The Spring of my Discontent...

 

IMG 5305

 Hubby took me for a long drive today, deep into the countryside, past the fields and the animals, the old barns and the farmhouses, a trek that normally brings me peace and contentment, but not today, for me today, it was just unsettling.  I did snap a picture of this cow, she was looking right at me, and I do love a good cow picture. 😀

I’ve had a difficult spring this year and it all boils down to one thing, I’m homesick for the days of my childhood.  It would do me no good to revisit where I grew up, where my grandparents and family lived, everything has changed, I miss the way it was when I was a little girl, not the changes that have come with time.

Today was filled with flashbacks to those earlier days.  I can vividly remember the sound of the glass rattling in the front door as it shut and the creak of the porch swing where I spent many hours.  I can even remember the feel of the uneven boards against my feet as I pushed the swing. Mother’s Irises lined the driveway and they would be in bloom now, all thirty feet of them planted in a row like soldiers by the side of the driveway and the smell was wonderful.  I’ve always loved the smell of Iris, even better than roses.  I love honeysuckle, too.  We had a tall tree stump in the backyard with a mass of wild honeysuckle growing on it.  Oh that smell, there is nothing better in the evening after a spring rain than the smell of blooming honeysuckle.

In my mind I can hear the sound of the back screen door slamming as I carried a dishpan of vegetable peelings to the chickens in their pen.  I miss the lay of the land and the trees now long gone.  Cherry and apple, maple and my favorite cottonwood tree.  I loved the rustle of it's leaves and the puffs of cotton that blew in the wind.  And of course, my beloved ditch.  The rushing water so clear you could see the stones in the creek bed and my very favorite childhood place to play.  I miss my faded lavender striped sheets, always fresh from the line on Saturday night and the clean, outdoorsy smell of them as I tucked into bed.

I even miss the birds.  I’ve only seen one red-winged blackbird this year in middle Tennessee.  Its my favorite, we had so many in our trees at home, and I loved their bird song.  I think of the June bugs and how I would chase them at dusk and put them in a Ball jar to glow in the dark, I loved taking long walks on our dusty country road and coming home to a glass of syrupy sweet tea in an aluminum glass, the green one was my favorite, the tea so frosty cold that it would hurt my teeth.  I miss mother’s Sunday dinners, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy,  home canned corn, Bunny Bread Brown ’n Serve Dinner Rolls and her bird egg beans.  They were the best, those beans, oh how I enjoyed them.

I just miss living alongside nature and the natural rhythms that come with it.  I have access to the country, but I don’t live in the country.  I can no longer step outside my door to total quiet, with just the smells and the sounds of nature and the occasional sound of the train winding down Appel’s hill.   Many times I’ve had LC take me to the country road I lived on as a young girl, turn off the car, roll down the windows and just listen to the sounds of my childhood.  

And so I shake off these memories and get on with living, not quite understanding why this year it has been so bittersweet for me.  But this too shall pass and tomorrow I won’t be so nostalgic.  It’s a good life I have now, but oh those memories, sometimes they just come back and tug at your heartstrings… ~ Jan

 

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

May is a busy time at our house...

 


IMG 5133

 

We had such a late spring, we were behind with planting flowers, but last week the weather cleared, the greenhouses were stocked for Mother’s Day and yours truly had such a good time.  This is just a couple of pictures, a sample of what we planted, it was a job, but it’s finished now and thanks to Micro Irrigation we won’t have to water all summer.  I think we ended up with 35-40 pots by the time it was over, but I enjoy flowers so much.  We also have new bird feeders and a a bluebird house, mama bluebird has been nesting and daddy bluebird has been feeding her.  It’s a wonderful thing, Mother Nature.

I’m going through a dental implant, not fun and a lot of $$, the family is well, we saw everybody Mother’s Day weekend and bad Grammie didn’t take pictures. :( 

I’m looking forward to summer months and sharing some new products with you.  And I will, later, when things settle down around here.

IMG 5281


IMG 5279

Take care and I’ll be around more frequently.  Pinkie Swear I will.  ~ Jan

 

 

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

It's May Day...

NewImage

When I was a little girl May 1st was a big deal.  We would have a Maypole at school to dance around, and we would wear crowns of flowers in our hair.

But the best part, May 1st was the day that Mother let me go barefoot outside for the first time.  Such good memories on this bright, sunshiny first day of May in Nashville this morning...

Saturday, April 21, 2018

Whoosh Screen Cleaner

 

15 00666 x700

Fingerprints on your Smart Phone, smudges on your tablet, it’s a constant battle and manufacturers tell you not to use anything but water to clean them.  If you’re like me, you end up with oily, smeary screens most of the time.

I read about Whoosh on Flipboard and decided to try it.  Wow, does this stuff ever work.  It’s safe to use, cleans everything perfectly, gives your screens a glossy shine and helps protect from smudges coming back so quickly.  Whoosh had great reviews, it will last a long time and it’s definitely money well spent.  There are several sizes, I’ll give you a link and if you want a smaller size just scroll down and you will see several options.  This is a 4 Star product for sure!  ~ Jan

Here’s the Whoosh Link

Monday, April 16, 2018

Why I bought an Apple Watch...

NewImage

When Series 1 Apple Watches were introduced, I didn’t get it.  Why have a watch when you have to still have to carrry your phone around with you?  Then along came Series 2, and I still wasn’t onboard.  And then here comes Series 3 LTE, finally, it’s available with celluar capabilities, you don’t have to be tethered to your phone, you just have to cough up a few bucks a month for cellular service.  I’m with Verizon, so for me it’s $10 a month.

When they introduced it last fall I liked it but I still wasn’t onboard.  And then this spring I rethought it.  Even though all the features are nice, calls, text, email, Siri, that’s not why I bought it.  I’m getting older, not quite ready for the Life Alert, but if I fell and nobody was around, I could just use my watch to call for help.  And while I hope this won’t happen, it’s an added layer of security and much better than that stupid “Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” crap.

So I bought it, the bigger one, the 42mm, because I like big watches, and then I went on Amazon and bought lots of bands, and okay, I admit it, it’s fun to just change Minnie’s outfit colors to correspond with the bands.  And I love the convenience, no more worrying about having your phone on you, your watch rings, you answer, easy peasy.  And if you lose your phone, which I do multiple times daily, you can ping it with your watch.

Hubby and the boys were gone for a guys weekend and I was home alone.  It was great having the watch, it was always on me so I was always in touch.  It’s a little spendy, but the Life Alert system costs between $95 and $198 with a $49.95 monthly fee.  This is by far a better alternative, and it’s cute!

And about the bands, I have several now, but the best deal was a package I bought from YOLO that has 8 bands in different colors.  They look and feel like Apple Sport Bands that sell for $49 each, but the entire pack was $32.99 Prime.  What a deal.  Want to see them? 

Here’s the link...

So if you’re getting older, or if you’re younger and have mobility issues, this is a great alternative to Life Alert.  And I’m Jan, I can justify anything, it’s what I do. 🤪 

Saturday, April 14, 2018

Drugstore Foundations, I've got some good ones for you,

The ladies of YouTube rave about these two foundations so I decided to try them.  And the results, surprisingly good. Also,  I have really sensitive skin, and both of these foundations are non-irritating.

NewImage

Wet ’n Wild Photofocus Foundation.  This is a medium coverage foundation, it doesn’t oxidize on my skin and ladies it’s fantastic.  And the price, $4.99 on Amazon.  Yep, this isn’t a typo, it’s $4.99.  I bought the color Golden Beige and it’s the closest color to my skin that I’ve ever found.  I really really like this foundation.  It goes on smoothly, has a soft-focus look, it’s just da bomb.  The only negative I have about it is the applicator, it’s okay, but I wish it would have had a pump.

Interested?  Sure you are for $4.99 - here’s the link  

I know, it seems to be good to be true, but for the price of a latte at Starbucks you can have this great foundation.  And did I mention that it’s not oily, no shiny face after you’ve had it on for hours.

 

NewImage

And the second foundation is Milani Conceal Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation Concealer.  I’m a huge fan of Milani products.  Great price point, great products, I love their lipsticks, eye shadows and most of all their bronzers and blushes.  This foundation was also highly recommended on YouTube and it doesn’t disappoint.

If you like a full coverage foundation, this one is it!  It’s reminiscent of MaxFactor Pancake Makeup, remember that back in the day, but it’s liquid so it goes on smoothly, and it has a pump, which I love.  This too has staying power with no oil, I bought the color Warm Beige, and it’s a little dark for me, but I think it will be fine this summer.

Again, great price point, this one is $9.99 on Amazon.  Shocking isn’t it, that you can get these great products for so cheap!

Here’s the link for the Milani 

At these prices, you can try them both and toss them or give them away if you don’t like them, but I have a feeling you are going to be shocked at how well they perform.  You don’t have to spend $20-50+ on foundation, these are excellent dupes for high end products.

I also have several other products for you, but that’s for another day so check back with me to see what else I’m loving these days.

What a deal these foundations are!  Enjoy ~ Jan

Friday, April 6, 2018

Thoughts during a sleepless night...

 

NewImage

The Good:

It’s 2am, the house is quiet, I’m awake, and with crystal clarity I easily solve all the world problems, my problems, my family and friends problems, the national debt, you  name it, I have an answer for everything.  Heck, I solve problems for people that don’t even know they have problems.  I plan wonderful menus, I think of ideas for witty blog posts, I plan trips and fun things to do with the Grands.  I’m a freakin’ genius at 2am!

The Bad:

It’s 2am and I’m awake.  Fast forward to 3am, then 4am, yep, still awake.

The Ugly:

Ya know all the things I’m so brilliant at solving and planning at 2, 3 and 4am?  Yep, you guessed it, at 7am when I wake for the day, every . single . thought I had in the middle of the night has totally disappeared.  It’s gone, poof, vanished forever, never to be remembered again.  Well, until  tomorrow at 2, 3 and 4am when I can’t sleep.  I should tell my thoughts to a tape recorder in the middle of the night, but poor hubby wouldn’t appreciate that, it’s bad enough that he’s trying to sleep while I’m tossing and turning, if I start talking too, well it wouldn’t be one of my better ideas.

Jan, feeling tired and frustrated today because of all of those great ideas that I can’t remember. And they were good, too!

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Waiting on spring...

photo.php

NewImage

It’s early for warm sunny days, only April 4th, but we had a tease of spring in February, the daffy’s started blooming, buds were appearing on the trees, silly me switched out my closet and then BAM!  Every day I think today it will be warm, today the sun will shine, and it does occasionally and then it’s cold a and dreary again.  Freezing temps again tonight, sweater weather, gray skies, March wind in April.  

Wah-wah, at least we didn’t have snow on Easter, but the wait for warm weather and blue skies and less sinus issues is moving forward at a snail’s pace.  Spring where are you???

Thursday, March 22, 2018

The best K-Cup I've ever had...

 NewImage

Fruity and winey, with medium to heavy body and a rich blackberry finish, this is the best coffee EVER. From the slopes of Mt. Kenya, through the Rift Valley, to the shores of Lake Victoria, the Kenyan coffee farmers patiently nurture coffee trees that produce some of the world's best coffee beans.

It’s SO good, just had to share this with you.  Amazon Prime has it, grab it here… ~ Jan

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Getting the most from your strawberries...

 

Slaw

It’s all about strawberries on The Dish this morning.  Mother grew strawberries when I was a little girl, we would pick them in her big stainless steel mixing bowl that I still have in my kitchen and them she would stem them, feed the stems to the chickens, give them berries one quick slice and chop them with a slicer exactly like the one above.  If you want maximum flavor from fresh strawberries with little effort, this little chopper is invaluable.  Chopped berries release far more juice than sliced berries, and this chops them in a flash.

And the best part, it’s only $7.73 on Amazon Prime.

You can grab one here, it’s a cheap thrill 🤪

NewImage

But wait, I’m not finished yet, these Rubbermaid Freshworks Strawberry Keepers are awesome, they really do keep your berries fresh.

You can buy it here...

 

NewImage

 And finally, you really do need a strawberry huller if you don’t have one.  You can find it here... 

NewImage

Or if you really want to spend your money, you can get this combo huller and slicer. 

Do you really need all this stuff?  Of course you do, it just makes life a little more simple, and it’s fun to have these tools.  Jan, the Gadget Queen totally approves of all of this.  After all, it will soon be strawberry season, and who doesn’t love strawberries, and gadgets. 😉

Gadgets always make me happy, and especially in bright colors.  I know, I’m hopeless, but this stuff is really good! ~ Jan


 

Friday, March 9, 2018

Chile Lime Cod, where have you been my whole life?

 

NewImage

I’ve recently been eating more fish, a lot more fish.  I have hubby onboard, too, so that makes it easier.  We were eating Tilipia until I realized that it was imported from China and that they often feed animal feces to the Tilipia.  Now we’re checking country of origin before we buy any type of fish.  Here is an article if you want to inform yourself about fish from China.

I’ve always loved Cod, it’s my favorite and after a recent trip to Trader Joe’s I bought their Chile Lime Seasoning.  TJ’s always has something new to try, and I came home, brushed my Cod with butter, seasoned it first with lemon pepper, and then sprinkled on quite a bit of the chile lime seasoning.  Oh my, is it ever yummy!  I still need to tweak it a bit though, I need to buy lime pepper and a fresh lime to squeeze on it after it’s baked, that will take it to still another level.  I cook it on parchment paper for 20-22 minutes at 400 degrees and it’s perfect.  my friend Nisha grills fresh pineapple and sprinkles this seasoning on it when it’s cooking.  They suggest on the bottle to put it on pineapple and mango, I’m going to try that next!

71NF9uHCPuL SY679

If you’re lamenting the fact that you don’t have a Trader Joe’s in your area, no worries, you can get it on Amazon.  Here’s your link.

And while we’re talking about Trader Joe’s Seasoning, I have another favorite, it’s their Everything But the Bagel Seasoning.  It’s absolutely delicious, too.  Refinery29.com has some great suggestions for using this seasoning, here’s the link to their slideshow.

71TJVEwI+FL SX522SX522 SY634 CR 0 0 522 634 PIbundle 2 TopRight 0 0 SX522 SY634 CR 0 0 522 634 SH20

You can buy this on Amazon as well, in fact, here is a link for both seasonings bundled together.  Or you can buy it separately here.  It’s a much better deal when you bundle, though.  

And I have one more Trader Joe’s find for you.  It’s their 21 Seasoning Salute.  My son, Ryan, introduced this to me, he is a huge fan and puts it on everything.  I love it, too.  It’s great on meat, veggies, salad, it has so many spices, onion, black pepper, celery seed, cayenne pepper, parsley, basil, marjoram, bay leaf, oregano, thyme, savory, rosemary, cumin, mustard, coriander, garlic, carrot, orange peel, tomato, lemon juice and lemon oil - it’s just a great blend.  

81GZ4BoK1LL SY679

It’s on Amazon as well, everything is on Amazon.  You can buy it here. 

If you’re lucky enough to have a Trader Joe’s in your town, grab these spices, they’re all good, and especially the Chile Lime.  Oh wow, it just bursts with intense lime flavor.  And if you don’t have a TJ’s, just scoop it up on Amazon.  Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner on all of these spices.  ~ Jan

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Grascosy Vintage Flower Backless Slip-Ons

 

 

 

NewImage

Oh, how cute are these.  They’re amazing in lime green and red, too.  

NewImage

NewImage

Do you like them as much as me?  Here’s the link ladies...

Tuesday, February 20, 2018

The BEST Sunglasses I've ever owned!!!!

Screen Shot 2018 02 20 at 3 56 01 PM

Hands down, these are my favorite sunglasses of all time.  I love the shape, love the size, not since I was a teenager and wore big round tortoise Jackie O’ sunglasses have I had a pair that I loved as much as these.  I’ve had them for several years, I broke them, hubby repaired them many times, and on a whim today, I looked at the label, still faintly visible on the glasses, put it under a magnifying glass, and wouldn’t you know, they are on Amazon!  I put these puppies in my shopping cart so fast.  And they’e only $14.95 Prime.  Oh Amazon, how I love you, let me count the ways...

Here’s the link if you like them, too - I’m tellin’ ya, they are awesome.

They also have them in black...

Screen Shot 2018 02 20 at 3 59 49 PM

Same price, $14.99 - what a steal...

Here are the black ones

And yes, I’m snapping them up, too.  These might not be around forever...

Perfect Panera Bread Black Bean Soup

 

Panerafinalblacksoup

I was thrilled to find the perfect dupe for my very favorite Panera Black Bean Soup.  You can make an entire pot of soup for what one serving in a bread bowl would cost.  And its SO easy. 

Ingredients

1 Onion finely chopped

4-5 Cloves Garlic minced

2 Ribs Celery finely chopped

1/2 orange or red bell pepper

1/4 Cup Chicken Stock

3-3/4 Cups Chicken Stock (this is the remainder of the 32 oz. box)

2-1/4 Cups Water

2 Cups Black Beans dried

1 Can Rotel Tomatoes & Green Chiles 10oz

2 tsp Mexican Oregano, I didn’t have Mexican Oregano, I used 2 tsp. of Italian Oregano

2 tsp Chili Powder

2 tsp Ground Cumin

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Ground Pepper

Directions:

Finely chop onion, garlic, celery, and bell pepper and add to Instant Pot.  Saute veggies using SAUTE MODE until they are limp, using 1/4 cup of broth to saute them instead of oil

Stir in Oregano, Chili Powder, Cumin, Salt, and Pepper.  Slowly add remaining 2 cups of broth and the 3-1/4 cups of water and stir well.

Rinse 2 cups of dried Black Beans, removing any debris, and add to pot.

Pour the Rotel Tomatoes into the CENTER of the soup and DO NOT STIR.  The Rotel Original gives this a little kick, not a lot just a touch, but if you don’t want the heat, use Rotel Mild

Attach lid, make sure vent is set to SEALING, and set timer for MANUAL MODE for 50 minutes.

Allow to naturally vent for10 minutes before CAREFULLY releasing whatever steam is left - I just make early in the day and let it set for awhile

Using a slotted spoon, remove 1 cup of the beans & veggies and set side.  Using a immersion blender (or regular blender) carefully blend the remaining soup until smooth.

Add the beans & veggies you set aside back in and stir well. 

Notes

Jan's Notes - these were AWESOME.  Next time  think I will use Vitamix instead of Immersion Blender to get smoother consistency.  I followed recipe exactly, used regular oregano, didn't have the mexican..  Fantastic Recipe - SO GOOD! 

Garnish with Salsa, Lime Wedges, or Green Chile Sour Cream if desired. 

This is so simple to make in an Instant Pot.  I have the new 8 qt. Plus size, even for two people it’s not too big.  They’ve been out of stock everywhere in this new version, but you can find the 8 qt. Duo on Amazon.  Same pot, the newer version just has a couple more settings.

Here’s the link if you’re interested, this 8 qt. is a better price than the plus.

If you don’t have a pressure cooker, soak beans overnight and cook on low all day in slow cooker...

Friday, February 16, 2018

I'm a sucker for kitchy salt and pepper shakers

Eggandtoast

Pioneer woman sold these these fried eggs and toast salt and pepper shakers at The Merc last year, and now they’re unavailable.  But I found them on Amazon.  These are just so cheerful, and they look like spring.
 
Such a silly little thing, but they make me smile.  Do you like them, too?  You can grab them here.
 
Screen Shot 2018 02 16 at 4 23 59 PM
These little polka dot chicks from the Abbott Collection are adorable, too.  I’m also a sucker for polka dots.
 
 
I think I’m just desperate for cheerful, bright colorful anything.  We’ve had so many cloudy, rainy gloomy days this month in Middle Tennessee, I’m weary of it all.  I’m tired of winter clothes and ready to break out the pastels.  I want to grow herbs and plant flowers, but it won’t be long.  Forsythia was blooming today at Panera Bread when we stopped in for lunch.
 
 
5f1d5da901d38abea3be274ed3dc9227
 
I’ve had a set of these fried egg breakfast plates for several years now and I might just need to treat myself to those S&P’s to go with my plates.  Yep, I think I need these…  😉🙃😋😝😜

52 Week Money Challenge

NewImage

I’m so impressed with this idea.  It’s very doable and then if you reward yourself with a long weekend trip, or a splurge that you haven’t been able to quite justify, you’ve got the funds.

The idea is simple: You start by socking away just $1 in the first week of the year, and then gradually increase your savings by a dollar a week throughout the year. So you save $2 in Week 2, then $3 in Week 3, and so on, until you’re stashing away upwards of $50 a week next December.

By the end of the year, if you complete the challenge, you’ll have saved $1,378.

I found this on The Simple Dollar, you can read all about it here...

Monday, February 12, 2018

Awesome Plastic Wrap Dispenser

NewImage

Plastic wrap dispensers are, well indispensible.  Okay, it’s a play on words, but these things are just awesome.  I first saw them on Pioneer Woman and was impressed at how well they work.   And who doesn’t struggle with plastic wrap, sometimes I just totally give up because it always clings to the wrap instead of the bowl.  But this little gadget changes everything.  I sit what I’m wrapping beside the dispenser, pull out the wrap, attach it to the bowl and then use the cutter on the dispenser for a clean cut.  Works perfect every time.

This dispenser comes with 250 feet of plastic wrap, you can refill it with plastic wrap from the grocery store and it’s $15 from Amazon Prime.  It’s worth the $15 to just ease the frustration.

Here’s the link if you’re interested in it, too 

I’ll make it easier for you, here it is in action - different pattern, but this veggie one is cuter. 

 But I’m not finished yet, there is also a dispenser for Aluminum Foil.  This one comes with a 12x30 ft. roll of aluminum foil and it’s also refillable.  It has a magnetic closure, there is a video on Amazon’s site that you can watch.   I haven’t bought this yet, but I’m going to, today!

Here’s the link for the foil

You know how much I enjoy kitchen gadgets, and anything that’s a timesaver is worth the money.  This is a really good thing… ~ Jan

Saturday, February 10, 2018

If your hair is thinning, you need this!

Okay, sharing my very favorite finds from this past year.   Yeah, I’m a little late to the game, I keep forgetting (it’s age related) 🤨  We can’t be like Maxine and wear a ball cap, there has to be a better way, well there is and I found it!

NewImage

First is dry shampoo.  This stuff is seriously, seriously awesome.  I first started using it last fall when I purchased Herbal Essence Dry Shampoo.  I was using it on day old, or two day old hair since I no longer shampoo my hair daily like I have all my life.  Shocking, isn’t it, but now that I’m older, it’s dryer, the texture is different and I just don’t have to.  When I started using dry shampoo  I immediately noticed my hair looked thicker and it smelled wonderful.  I have tons of hair in the back, it’s just the top and the sides that are thinning.  You know how it is, your part just keeps getting wider and wider.  And you think it’s hopeless, but it isn’t.  Read on...

We were on our way to Lexington to visit Ryan’s family and I realized I had left my Herbal Essence at home, so hubby took a quick detour, I ran into CVS and they didn’t have it.  So instead I grabbed a bottle of Beach Babe and it was a total game changer.

NewImage

It smells like coconut, and at first it was overpowering, and like perfume, use it a few times and you barely notice it.  But using this dry shampoo gives you so much oomph, yep, thats the only way to describe it, your hair looks thicker and it has oomph.  I quickly went from using it the next day to using it on wet, freshly shampooed hair.  Then I dry it and I spray even more on it.  And wahlaa, no more limp straggly hair, I use a root booster first on my wet hair, then spray the front and sides liberally with Beach Babe and my first day hair looks decent, the next morning I spray again before styling and it looks even better.  The third day, spray again and it’s FANTASTIC!

NewImage

This is the root booster I’ve been using, it’s a good one, I’ve tried a lot of them and when I use this with the dry shampoo I think it’s magic.  But wait, I forgot a step.  When my hair is freshly shampooed the first thing I do is to apply Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oi & Restore Leave-In Conditioner.   
 

NewImage

I did a review of this, and here’s the link for you.   You might want to click on my link and watch Elle’s video, she explains it really well.  At first I only applied the Shea Moisture to my ends, thinking that if I put it all over it would make my hair flat like conditioner tends to do, but one day I took a walk on the wild side and applied it to the top of my hair and sides as well.  And it didn’t make it  flat at all, it just made it feel thicker.  After doing this I used the root booster and my holy grail Beach Babe Dry Shampoo and it looked even better than when I didn’t use it.  So now that’s the first thing I do, and I apply it liberally.  This Shea Moisture might not work for you if your hair is very fine, but if it isn’t, give it a try and see what you think.

I know, this is a lot of product to put in your hair, but it’s totally worth it.  Be realistic, this isn’t going to make your hair look like it did when you were young, but it will make what you do have look noticably thicker and not be limp and flat.  Hubby took a new Facebook picture of me yesterday, and you can see that the top of my hair doesn’t look too bad.  But if you could see my hair without any product in it, you would quickly understand what this does.  This is second day hair, I didn’t do much with it, just twisted it up, and also my hair is really long. Middle of my back long, and I debate daily as to whether or not to cut it.  I would never wear it down, I look like a hag, but it’s so quick and easy to just put it up and go, and it’s off my face,  I look at pictures of myself from five years ago when I had a bob and I realize that this makes me look older, it’s not trendy, but I am older now. And that bob with bangs didn’t look so great either, Abby would always tell me, “Grammie, your hair is floppy.”  Out of the mouths of babes...

Photo on 2 9 18 at 4 24 PM  3

These products are very inexpensive, you can purchase all of them for under $25.  If your hair is driving you crazy, too, give this a try, I bet it will work for you, too.  ~ Jan

Oh, links, I have links for you.

Beach Babe Dry Shampoo

John Frieda Root Booster

Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Leave In Conditioner 

© all the latest from Nashville ya'll, AllRightsReserved.

Designed by ScreenWritersArena