Parchment Paper Liners for Muffins

 

 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.

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. 😋
 

 

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

 

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

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...

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...

Does your Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate Have Clumps???

 

I’m a big fan of anything that’s 25 calories, and this Swiss Miss Coca Mix works for me.  Sometimes I add a splash of vanilla, sometimes a grating of nutmeg, a few mini marshmallows, and it soothes the soul.  The problem with instant hot chocolate is the clumps.  Oh, the clumps, I whisk, I stir, and I always end up straining it and by the time I drink it, I’m frustrated!   So much for soothing the soul with a hot relaxing cup of hot chocolate!  But now I have a fix for those annoying clumps, it cost me $15 and was worth every penny.

It’s a frother, for me it was the Bean Envy Handheld.  I ordered this bad boy on Amazon and it’s a game changer.  It works so well, every single clump disappears and you are left with silky smooth hot chocolate.  Of course you can use it to froth milk and make those fancy pants latte’s with the cute little designs too.

And never, ever ever, ever under any circumstances turn it on until it’s fully immersed in the cup of hot water and cocoa mix or you will have a mess!  How do I know this?  It should be obvious, right?  Uhhhh, let’s just say, not always… :-( 

I’m a researcher, I love to research products and this one gave me the most bang for my buck.  It’s battery operated so it has no cord, it has a powerful little motor, it has a stand, so you can sit it on the counter instead of losing it somewhere in the vast recesses of a drawer and it looks good.  That’s important you know, it has to look good. ;-)  I never use more than 6 oz. of water, I don’t like weak hot chocolate, and I use the hot water brewer on my pod coffee maker to do it quickly.  I said “pod coffee maker” instead of Keurig because mine is a Cuisinart actually I think it’s the third one I’ve had because they keep conking out.  But when this one bites the dust, and it will, I think I’m going to switch to a Keurig.  Didn’t you want to know that?  Quit rolling your eyes, I know I’m being talky...

Okay back to the frother, you want one, too???  Of course you do.  Here’s the link, good ole’ Amazon Prime 

Now, do you also want to know how to make those fancy pants designs.  Um hmmmm, yep, you got it, here’s a video. 

Want even more how to make latte art videos - here’s the link - enjoy...

Now go, order this gadget, colder weather is coming, ’tis the season for hot drinks and Happy Frothing.  ~ Jan

 

 

 

Anti Aging using Retin-A, Vitamin C Serum + More...

 Okay ladies, let’s talk skin care this morning.  My ongoing obsession with watching the Mature Ladies of YouTube has led me to Vitamin C Serum, and I ordered from Timeless, 20% Vitamin C + E + Ferulic Acid Serum, Hylauranic Acid and Hylauranic Acid Eye Cream.  I’ve used Retin A for the past 28 years, I’m going to link to Melissa55, one of my favorite YouTube ladies, she’s 61 and looks 35, and she’s also used it for the exact same time, 28 years.  I read about it years ago in Women’s Day, that’s why I asked my doctor for a prescription.  I often wonder what my skin would look like had I not used it, and now I’m going to add these Timeless products to help even skin tone, build collagen and brighten my face.

 Its hard to believe that Melissa is sixty-one years old, she is just the sweetest southern woman.   I enjoy watching her so much, she’s like a gentle breeze, flowing through your life.

I say often that the horse is outta the barn with me trying these new products, I’m sixty-six years old, but then I look at another one of my very favorite ladies, Mary Ellen from Mary Ellen After 60, and if you watch her skin care videos since she started using these products, you can see the improvement, her skin just keeps getting better and firmer.  She has a lovely complexion and often videos with no makeup, only her permanent eyeliner.  I’m just amazed at how clear and wrinkle free her skin is, she just glows.  No Mary Ellen, you glow, you don’t shine (after all, you use Mally’s Face Defender religiously for that shine) you glow from within :)

 Mary Ellen also uses The Clarisonic on her face, this did not work for me, my skin is too sensitive.  I think her skin looks lovely, it’s so smooth with no wrinkles or discoloration and she’s had no cosmetic procedures.  Go Mary Ellen!!!!!

The products from Timeless are very inexpensive, and there are coupon codes on their main page, I ordered three products and got 20% off.  Order four and you get 30% off.  Educate yourselves about the Vitamin C Serum, it’s sensitive to light and oxidizes after about 3 months, A lot of these ladies store half of the serum in a dark bottle in the fridge (some going so far as to wrap it all in aluminum foil in the fridge to keep out all of the light) and this extends the life of the serum, enabling you to use most of it, some women can use it all of it, before it oxidizes. Keep the bottle that you’re currently using in a drawer, so that it’s always in a dark environment to help keep it from oxidizing.  They all say, don’t be stingy when you use it, because it takes such a small amount, put it on your neck, your chest and the backs of your hands, Angie from Hot and Flashy also uses this serum from Timeless, others, like Tammy from UppiesBeads59 and Patti from rckstrmom make their own weekly, Elle from Elle is for Living makes her nightly.  So many women have had such good results with Timeless that I don’t want to bother with making it like some do.

They also say to always buy directly from Timeless, not Amazon, as it is fresher.

Here’s what I bought from Timeless, total cost was $43.08, including shipping using the coupon code 3bottles, since I ordered three products, I got a 20% discount.  These products will last for several months, so it’s very inexpensive.

Vitamin C Serum + Ferulic Acid 

Hylauranic Acid Serum 100% Pure 

Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream 

I would show you a before picture of my skin, but I’m not as gutsy as the other women, but I am going to take pictures, maybe in a few months if it looks better I will post a before and after update.

Don’t be scared of the word Hylauranic “Acid” - it’s very good for your skin and moisturizes it. Here are videos and several links.  If you’re interested in skincare, grab a cup of coffee or a cup of tea and watch these lovely women, they are all are seriously awesome.
 

 Angie also has a video about how to make your Vitamin C Serum last longer, her video for this is below.  Angie posts a lot of beauty videos and I’ve gotten lots of good tips from her, especially about brushes, she always seems to have a good buy with brushes.  I’ve bought several she suggested on eBay, and they’ve all been very good for the price.

 Angie gets these cobalt bottles from Specialty Bottle, I ordered from them as well, I had tried to find locally with no luck, it’s so much easier to sit here with Maggie on my lap and order than to drive all over town and get frustrated because I can’t find them.  Here’s the link, she ordered the 1/2 oz, one with a cap and the 1/2 oz one with a dropper, so of course I did the same.   

 Tammy from Uppiesbeads59, the very first Mature YouTuber I started watching,  makes her own every week, I just don’t want to do this, but some of you might.  However, she does use a facial scrub made of coconut oil and baking soda, I love this, and always use it before I shower.  So even if you don’t want to make your own serum, it’s worth watching the video to see how she makes the exfoliater.

 

 This is Patti from rckstrmom, she’s a lovely 72 years old, I enjoy watching her so much, and like Tammy she makes her own.  Check out her channel, she has some good videos.  I just have this thing for women with southern accents, it’s so charming...

 

 And finally, this is Elle from Elle is For Living, she makes her Vitamin C Serum daily,  Wow, I’m impressed that she takes the time to do this, I would never have that much discipline.  Check out some of Elle’s other videos, she uses a lot of drug store/dollar tree products and I’ve found several products from her site, one of which I’m going to post about soon.

So, watch these ladies, subscribe to their channels, they all have wonderful videos about life, health, cosmetics and skincare, and they’re all living proof that aging can be done with grace and beauty.  ~ Jan

 

Stop Gaping Buttons!!!

There is nothing worse than a gaping blouse.  I’ve struggled with this since I was a teenager and remember Mother sewing snaps between my buttons to stop the gape.  It didn’t work very well, because then there was a small gape between the snaps.

Such is the plight of a busty woman, and the struggle continues.  I’ve tried a lot of quick fixes, including straight pins that always managed to stab me, but you can always tell that you’re trying to remedy the situation, it doesn’t look natural.  But thanks to the Internet, I might just be on to something.

The solution is Hollywood Tape.  Are you familiar with this product, it’s what celebrities use to tape their boobs to their low cut tops so they don’t fall out.

From what I’m reading this stuff works great, it’s double sided, you just cut off a piece, stick it between your shirt placket and buttons, smooth it down and it instantly stops the gape!

Worth a try isn’t it.  You can usually find Hollywood Tape at your local Steinmart in the accessories department.  Or you can order it on Amazon.  It’s worth a try… ~ jan

Ya, here's the click - go for it!  ~ Jan

A stocking stuffer idea...

 

It’s winter, your skin is dry, and it’s always your back that you can’t reach with lotion.  You know the area, right between your shoulder blades, and of course where you can’t reach is where it itches the most.

I found this nifty lotion applicator on Amazon, and it was $6.01 Prime, shipped to my door.  i ordered it, and it’s wonderful!  You just put lotion on it, slather it on your back and go ahhhhhhhhhhhh.  And yes, I know the tp is in the trash can, it’s where I store my extra rolls :-)

Cleanup is easy, you just give it a quick wash in the sink and hang it to dry.

I just bet some of you either need this or know that somebody that does.  It’s those little things that do it every . single . time . . .

Here’s the link - $6.01 - simply amazing….

Revisiting the Beauty Blender +++

I blogged about my new Beauty Blender back in March.  My friend Carlene wanted to know if I still liked it after a month, if I did, she would rethink spending $20 for a sponge.  Well here I am, a month later, in my closet with wet hair and my makeup is blended.  I didn’t retouch the photo, I should have photoshopped out the wrinkles, and I’m a little wild eyed, but hopefully you can see how well this makeup is blended.

And now the verdict is in, this is hands down the best makeup tool I’ve ever purchased.  I will continue to  buy Beauty Blenders and use them daily, it’s an absolutely fantastic tool.

Here’s what I’m finding after using it for a month - 

• I’ve experimented a lot, putting dabs of foundation on my face with my finger then using the blender and smoothing, I’ve put it in my palm, then dabbed the blender in it before using it to apply it, but it was a pain.  The easiest, fastest way is to just put makeup in your hands, rub your hands together and press it all over your face, don’t rub, just press.  It’s thick and very ragged at this point, but then just take the damp blender and start blending and it works like a charm.
• I use it for powder, for concealer, just dab, dab, dab.  I don’t use it for eye shadow, but I do clean up the edges with it.  
• And how is it lasting after a month?  Great, I just wash it with a little liquid soap, squeeze the water out, and I always have it damp when I use it.
• What about staining?  It stains immediately, but it’s no biggie, it doesn’t seem to get worse, it’s just discolored.  

And last month I also blogged about Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade.

This took some getting used to for me because I’ve never had defined brows.  The trick with this is to use a light hand.  I start at the arch of my eyebrows underneath, lightly draw it to the edge, then draw the top of my brow, I’m making a frame, then fill it in lightly and brush it out so it isn’t harsh. Just use a little product, ladies, unless you want to really vamp up those eyebrows.  

And, something new I’m trying but the verdict isn’t in yet.

ELF Makeup Mist and Set - I bought this because it’s a dupe for the pricey $30 Urban Decay Makeup Mist, this one is $6.  The first time I used it I applied way too much, and my eye makeup was running down my cheeks. Of course we were getting ready to go out to dinner and I was in a panic.  Live and learn!!! I backed off the next time, now I  just give it 3-4 squirts, it seems to make makeup last and makes your skin dewy, but we’ll see what happens when the weather is warmer.

Finally, let’s talk about foundation.  Like everyone, i’ve tried so many kinds over the years, including many brands of the pricey stuff, but I’m a drugstore makeup junkie and always go back to Revlon ColorStay for Combination Skin.

This stuff has staying power, it lasts all day into the night and best of all, you don’t shine.  It stays on in heat and humidity, it never slides down my face and did I say it doesn’t shine ;).  

I was buying it locally for about $12.99, but it’s cheaper on Amazon and you don’t have to trudge through the drugstore.

Fresh Beige is such a good color, and this is an absolutely wonderful product for the price.  It was $10 the last time I ordered but they’ve dropped the price even further to $9.30.  Interested, here’s the link...

The Galloping Gourmet Spurtle

 

 

Do you need a laugh today?  If so, read on and be sure and watch the videos.  Guaranteed giggles.  Pinky swear...

Does anybody remember this blast from the past?  I’ve always been a foodie and back in the early 1970’s, Graham Kerr’s tv show “The Galloping Gourmet” started the trend, he was the first cooking show I ever watched.

He was this goofy English guy who cooked food that I would never make, but he did have great wooden kitchen spoons that he called “Spurtles.”  They even gave them away in cereal boxes, but I bought a set of them from an address he posted on his show. They’ve always been my favorite kitchen tools and they’re still going strong all these years later.

Pictured above is my collection, and yes I use that Bakelite Grease Jar.  I low carb, I always have bacon grease.  I’m going back to my roots, people, my mother always had a jar of bacon grease next to her stove, I bet yours did, too.

But back to the Spurtles.  I’ve picked up additional sets and individual pieces when they’ve been available on eBay through the years and now have quite a collection.  Some of them have holes in them, some are shorter, some are angled,one is a spatula,  but the traditional Spurtle is the one I use over and over again.  It’s the long one with a curved bottom and straight side.   They all have the GG Emblem burnt into the handles and they’re my treasures, I’ve used them daily since the 70’s.

If you do nothing else today, click and watch this video below, and if it doesn’t make you laugh until tears roll down your cheeks, something is seriously wrong with you.

Oh, The Galloping Gourmet, he was one of a kind, there were no retakes on this old television show, they were taped before a live audience and what you see is what you got.  Funniest thing I’ve seen in ages.

And then I found this other video of a lady demonstrating her Spurtle.  She’s a little, ummmm “odd”  and she totally cracked me up just watching her.  She’s very passionate about her Spurtle, but she does a fair job of explaining how it works.  Oh, my, the things you find on YouTube.

 And finally, if all this talk of spurtles is making you think you have missed out all of these years, you can still get one.  Not the original, but this guy on Etsy has copied the design and is selling them for $20.  

Here’s the click, I would so invest $20 in one of these if didn’t have my original collection.  What’s so good about them other than nostalgia?  They are just designed so well, they have a curved bottom that gets in the corners, a straight edge that cleanly stirs sides of pots.  Oh, just buy the damn thing, trust me it’s a good thing.  ~ Jan

A Lodge Cast Iron update for you...

I was making these grilled cheese sandwiches at lunch (that’s 1 carb bread ladies, and it’s awesome).  I’m now using cast iron almost exclusively and loving it.  It gives food such wonderful flavor and I took a deep breath and listened to my sons, I don’t use soap on my skillets, I  soak them a bit in hot water and use my trusty Lodge scrubber on them.  This was really hard for me to do, but I’ve done it for a few months and hubby and I haven’t had food poisoning, so it must be okay.  And the best part, my skillets are now as smooth as a babies bottom, I can even fry eggs in them with no sticking.

So, I have a few favorite things to show you.   The first is a Lodge Scrub Brush.  John had one of these, I told Ryan about them, he looked them up on Amazon and we both ordered.

\What a great brush this is, I use it exclusively on my cast iron and it does a fine job.  $9.97 Prime, it’s a great price, too! 

Here’s the link

Then I bought the Lodge Silicone handle.  It fits all sizes of Lodge skillets, and keeps your hands cool when you use them.  It’s only $6.00 Prime.

You can buy it here

And for only $4.62 you can get these great pot scrapers.  Perfect for getting all of the residue off your skillets when you’re washing them.  It’s not Prime, but it is an add-on.  Here’s the click

And finally, this grill scraper.  You all know how hard it is to get between the ridges of a grill pan, well this little gadget will fix that problem for only $4.43 or $9.99 for a four pack, all Prime.

Here’s the link

I bought this 9” preseasoned skillet back in September specifically to make this Trisha Yearwood’s appe recipe that I posted on Jan CAN Cook.  This pie is a winner, and just as good, if not better with peach pie filling.  Want the recipe?  Grab it here!

But back to this 9” skillet.  It’s fantastic, my grab it every day, go to skillet of choice.  It’s on Amazon for $23.22 Prime and worth every penny.  A must have if you want to make that pie, a larger skillet won’t work.  Here’s the link to the skillet

These Lodge accessories would make great stocking stuffers, that pie would be amazing during the holidays, but you really do need to treat yourself to this skillet.  I’m telling you, it’s the perfect size!  

And I also have a great blog entry on how to make old cast iron new again, hubby is working on that little project for you.  It’s coming in a week or so… ~ Jan

Hammie Sammies, a "must try" recipe on Jan CAN Cook

My friend Nisha made “Hammie Sammies” and said they were fantastic.

Check them out on Jan CAN Cook, we’re making them soon!

Here’s the quick click

The Paderno World Cuisine Tri-Blade Spiral Vegetable Slicer

Jan, the Gadget Queen, strikes again!  This time it’s a Paderno World Cuisine Tri-Blade Spiral Vegetable Slicer.  Several months ago, when I discovered Zoodles (thin shreds of summer squash or zucchini) I blogged about my newest gadget, an Oxo veggie shredder.  Here’s the post.

It worked really well, I was making great faux pasta with it several times a week, then I took it to John and Deanna’s and forgot it, and decided to replace it with a  Spirelli Spiral Slicer.

It “seemed” to be really popular on the low carb forums, but hubby was the only one who could use it because I didn’t have the strength to turn the veggies thru it and he hated it.  It was difficult to turn, the zucchini caught in the blades, oh let’s face it, it was a disaster.  But I paid $29 for the darn thing so we were making the best of it.

Then I started reading more and quickly found out the the one people really like is the Paderno World Cuisine Tri-Blade slicer.  I had a little windfall in the form of a Blogger check, so I just bit the bullet, ignored the fact that I had already bought two other slicers and bought it.

Well, let me tell you, it’s worth every penny of the $35.98 Amazon Prime we paid for it (mine was on sale, it’s slightly higher now.)  It works flawlessly, easy to use, easy to clean.  It’s large, so you do have to store it, but it’s a winner.  Even LC said he would buy it again, it’s that good!

We made Zoodles tonight, here is the Palerno in action.   And just in case you aren’t familiar with Zoodles, it’s faux pasta made from summer squash or zucchini.  If you put sauce on it, or butter and garlic, it’s a great substitute.  I actually prefer summer squash, it has s smoother taste, but zucchini is good, too.  

Here’s what they look like when they come out of the machine.  They are one continuous spiral, I cut them into a manageable size. 

And here’s dinner after I sautéed them for about five minutes in butter with garlic and thyme. You want them slightly el dente, not limp, and you can almost fool yourself into thinking you’re eating pasta..  But then we are seriously pasta deprived.

Another good thing.  Seriously *grin*

I got a little blue box for Valentine's Day

 

 

I seldom talk about the gifts hubby gives me, except in a joking manner.  Today I’m going to take exception, because back in 2007 I blogged about my worst Valentine’s Day gift ever, a red exercise suit, and I want you all to know that he is finally, after all these years, totally forgiven.

Back in 2007 I said it wasn’t “exactly romantic” but this year was.  We had such a nice day, a quick breakfast out, shopping a bit, even going for a walk around the neighborhood before the snow moved in.  And when he gave me “The Little Blue Box”  the one that makes every girl’s heart go pitter-patter, I was so touched.

And what’s in the box?  Well, we’ve been married for 43 years this summer, so the man knows me really well.  He gave me a gift card  to Tiffany’s so I can pick out what I want.  We’re heading to Nashville in a few weeks to visit the kids, guess you all know what store I’ll be hitting up.

Thanks hubby for the nice surprise and for making my Valentine’s Day so special.  XXo ~ me

Kathie Lee and more, Podcasts for a Sunday afternoon...

 

If you’re looking for something to do on this dreary Sunday in February, some of these podcasts might appeal to you.  Oh c’mon, quit rolling your eyes and just check out the link.  Kathie Lee interviewed Dolly, how much better can it get than that!  And Tim Conway, and a blast from the past, Debbie Boone.

You know you’re bored, it’s just audio people, you can listen and go about whatever you’re doing.  Who would give up a chance for a Dolly interview, her voice is enough to give any of us the giggles.

Here’s the link, go for it!

And while you’re at it, probably my most favorite podcasts of all are the Splendid Table ones.  I love to have them in my iPod, great for when you’re out walking, right, like we can walk in the ice today.  But anyhoo, lots and lots of goodies to choose from.

Check them out here!

I used to be a big fan of Podcasts, and they kind of fell by the wayside, so I’m reviving them.  Yep, that’s what I’m doing today, exciting isn’t it...

It's all about vintage….

 

I seriously don't know what's going on with me.  I'm so nostalgic this year, and I look at vintage items and fall in love all over again.  I used to have a house full of vintage, lots and lots of it, back in the day when we had never heard of Shabby Chic, but I got off that bandwagon years ago, I still drool, however,  and so I'm sharing this wonderful kitchen desk picture.

Maybe somebody out there could benefit from this idea  What a wonderful little desk cubby with kitchen utensils used for storage.  So cute, somebody will take this idea and run with it, surely they will...

 

 

And if that little kitchen idea didn't float your boat, how could this not????  Oh my gracious, this is so special!

But wait, I said I'm not on the vintage bandwagon anymore,  that's not quite correct.   We saved our favorite things from years ago and DH has all of the vintage items in his den.  Walking in there is like a blast from the past!

 

 

And of all the things we've saved, this is my favorite.  It's my computer desk, and it's wonderful, or at least I think it is.  And yes, that's Pioneer Woman Wallpaper on my monitors, the left is Charlie the Ranch Dog.  But back to my story…  How many of you have searched hard and long for the "perfect" computer desk, only to find it doesn't exist.  We certainly did, and bought multiple ones over the years, but they were never quite right, and finally the light dawned!.  Hubby was an engineer and this was his drafting table.  He's saved it all these years, dragging it around the country, along with the boy's baby bed, because certain things you just can't part with.  So a few years ago we got the bright idea to use it for a computer desk.  But it was too wide and too long.  But hubby is innovative, and there is nothing he likes better than a good challenge.  So he sawed several inches off to the back of the wood top, sawed off a bit of the width, then using the hardware from a throwaway computer desk, he made a shelf from the wood he sawed off the back.  Told you he was innovative.

The bottom was oak, the top was pine, but that just makes it interesting, he sanded it, refinished it, putting a heavy duty bar coating on the top, because yours truly needs things to be indestructible, and it's been just great.  It's big, roomy, substantial, it's seriously awesome!

But poor hubby has been using an antique desk in the den for his computer desk, trying in vain to find another drafting table so that he could revamp it for his computer desk, but he hasn't had any luck.  He's searched eBay for years, and when you find them they are really spendy, almost always starting at $500 and going much higher, plus shipping.  But a couple of days ago he hit pay dirt, somebody listed one almost identical to mine, "Buy It Now" for $69.  SIXTY NINE DOLLARS!!!!!  Well he scooped it up an hour after it was listed, and since it was within driving distance, we drove and picked it up.

So he's happily taking it apart, sanding it and refinishing it.  He even found a great stool for it today.  I'll update you with pictures when he gets it finished.   Now we're on the hunt for a vintage Rolodex, an old stapler, a tape dispenser, and who knows what else.  It's a fun fall project for us...

Oh credit, I almost forgot to give you the link to the blogger who posted a great vintage blog, Decor 4 All, that's where the other pictures came form.  Here's her link, check it out...

Windex Touch Up Cleaner, it's a good thing...

 

This little Windex thingie is awesome, and a little dab'll do ya.  Yep, I know I'm a dork, but I get so excited about stupid stuff, and I always share.  My flavor of choice, lemon of course.  And the best part, it's refillable.  Pick one up the next time you're at the market, you will love it, pinkie swear you will.  ~ Jan

More from Glamperland

If you love all things retro, and who doesn't, these campers will just make you swoon.  I'm not even a camping type girl and these make me want to rush right out and buy a vintage one just to see what we could do with it. 

But no, I'm not going too, I'll just drool over these and post pictures for all of you….

Enjoy ~ Jan

It's National Eat Your Veggies Day...

 

 

Okay gang, last week I told you about what I now know to be called "zoodles."  It's the faux spaghetti made with summer squash and zucchiniNow you all know that I've always given you good information, and trust me, this is absolutely the best, ever!  Last night, thanks to Ang bringing me a grilled pork tenderloin that she had wrapped in bacon, seasoned with Tony Chachiare Creole Seasoning and grilled, dinner was easy breezy.  The tenderloin was amazing, and since I'm low carbing, I made strips of Zoodles with summer squash, using my nifty julienne cutter, sautéed them for just a minute in butter, salt and pepper, and you have no idea of how good this is.  I had been tossing them with olive oil, butter takes it to a whole other level ;o)  And tonight, I'm making it and adding fresh basil from my garden and shards of freshly grated parmesan.  Yum!

It's a must try, pinky swear it is.  And yes, I know I just blogged about this peeler last week, but it's so good that it's worth repeating  with a bit more information.

I have this Oxo julienne peeler, but people like the the Kuhn Rikon even better.

Here are the links, do yourself a healthy favor this week and buy one.  I got mine at Bed Bath and Beyond, but its 's much easier just ordering on Amazon.

Such a good thing...

Here's the link for the Kuhn Rikon

Here's the link for the Oxo that I have

 

 

A Glamper! Is this not the cutest thing ever...

 

Quite possibly one of the coolest retro-camper yet.  We need one of these hubby!!!!!

Low Carb Pasta

Hubby and I were out and about this morning, we stopped at Sam's for a rotisserie chicken and then went to Bed Bath & Beyond because I've been wanting an Oxo Julienne Peeler.

I'm doing low-carb this summer.  Yes, again, and I've read in lots of forums about making faux pasta with zucchini, and I tried doing it by hand, and let me tell you, it was a royal pain in the patootie, it just didn't work for me.    I'm all bells and whistles, the gadget queen here, and this morning I was on a mission, I wanted that peeler.  If you want it, too,  here's the link.

So, $8.50 later, (I had a coupon) I walked out of the store with the niftiest little gadget I've had in a long time.  I came home, laid my zucchini on the cutting board, peeled a slice, and it didn't work.  Huh, I tried it again, nope, it just kind of mangled the zucchini.  So I'm fast getting frazzled, because I  was so excited about this thing and it's a total bust, but thank goodness for hubby.  I hadn't peeled off the blue coated covering of the blade.  Sheesh!

So then I started pulling it across the zucchini, and it made the most wonderful shreds.  I was practically jumping up and down.  Okay, so that's a stretch, but I was very impressed.  I quit when I got to the seeds, you don't want to use the seeded part,  just the meaty part.  Some people peel zucchini, I didn't,  I happen to like the peeling.  I've read reviews that if you julienne carrots it can dull and bend the blades, but I'm just using mine for zucchini and squash, so no worries.

Into the skillet it went with a little extra virgin olive oil that John and Deanna brought me from Italy, a sprinkle of salt and pepper and a clove of smashed garlic, and I just tossed the zucchini until it was warm, I wanted it "al dente" not mushy.

And this picture is my result.  I'm so impressed, the flavor of the zucchini isn't strong or overpowering in the little strips, the texture is right, the look is right.  And the taste?  Well, of course it isn't pasta, but it's a close second.  Next I'm making meatballs, and marinara sauce, and pesto sauce, and alfredo sauce, and, and, and...

Oh, ladies, this is a good thing.  This is a really good thing!

~ Jan, doing the happy dance here...

Murphy Wet Disposable Soft Wipes

I've got another great product for all of you.  You may know about this already, but it's new to me.  

My kitchen cabinets had a buildup around the knobs, after all we've been here for ten years now.  TEN YEARS!!! 

I clean them, but that gunk gets around the knob and it's hard to get off, and to be perfectly  honest I would much rather be doing other things than cleaning around those knobs with a toothbrush, so I didn't and I had buildup.  But they were looking pretty bad when I put my glasses on, so I sent LC to Wally World to pick up some Murphy's Oil Soap to clean them.  He called me from the store and asked if I knew about these wipes, but I didn't.  I Googled reviews, people loved them, so he brought them home.

Talk about easy-peasy.  Wow, do these things do the job, fast!  He unscrewed the knobs. I held the wipe over the hole where the gunk was for a minute to loosen it, gave it a few wipes, and it was clean!  Fast, fast, fast!!!!!  I was cleaning them faster than he could unscrew and take them off.

The only negative review I read was from someone who said it left a film on her cabinets.  Well, it didn't leave one on mine!  And there always the naysayers, but if you do this, do a test area first to see if it leaves a film.

These things are awesome!  A big five stars for this great product!

 ~ Jan with clean cabinet fronts ;o)