EZ Off Jar Opener, just buy it!!!!

The older I get the more I struggle with opening jars.  A few years ago my son Ryan bought me an automatic jar opener, and while it works great, it’s big and bulky, I have it in the garage and it’s a hassle to access it.

I’ve tried hand-held openers, you’re struggling to hold it with one hand and open the jar with the other.  Most of the time I just rely on poor hubby, but he isn’t always around.

So a few weeks ago, I found this opener on Amazon,  it had 438 positive reviews, so I decided to try it.  It mounts under your kitchen cabinet, it’s invisible since the frame of the cabinet hides it, and it’s just simply amazing.

A quick counter clockwise twist and your jar is opened.  You have both hands free, it’s seriously awesome, ladies.

So get out that credit card, and order it up, $16.95 prime, it’s SO worth the money.

Here’s the quick click to order...

Clean your makeup brushes with Dawn Dishwashing Detergent

 

My brushes were overdue to be cleaned, and instead of using Johnson’s Baby Shampoo like I normally do, I cleaned them with Dawn Dishwashing Liquid.  I just squirted a bit of Dawn directly on each individual brush, rubbed it in, and washed it under the faucet with warm water.

Wow, what a difference.  Every bit of makeup residue and oil is gone and they are soft and pliable.

Try it, it’s a good thing!   ~ Jan

The 2013 Barkley Dog Family Subaru Commercial Compilation

 

My friend, Jean sent this to me.  It’s awesome!  If you love dogs, give this a watch!!!

Happy First Day of Spring...

I REALLY want to go to The Vermont Country Store

 

Here I go again, shamelessly plugging The Vermont Country Store.  They had a segment on CBS This Morning, and I just had to share with all of you.  I drive hubby nuts talking about this store, I so want to go there.  I even want to try the Tangee Lipstick again, even though I wasn’t a fan of it back in the day.  It had this really distinctive smell, I wonder if it still does.

I’m actually trying to talk LC into a trip to Vermont just to go to that store.   And since I can pretty much talk him into anything, there might be a trip in our future.  I know, cr-a-zy woman here, makes no sense at all!  We can’t drive all the way to Vermont just to go to that store. Or can we????

We were at John and Deanna’s a couple of weeks ago, she’s a fan as well and had just gotten a package from them.   Oh my, I was absolutely giddy when she opened it, and it wasn’t even mine!  Such cute stuff she got in that package, it was just like Christmas!!!!

I’m just a little obsessed, can ya tell?  Yep, just a little...

St. Paddy's Day...

Mother always planted her sweet peas on St. Paddy’s day.  I’m sitting here looking at an inch of snow and temps in the 20’s, and thinking that Ma would not be a happy camper today if she was still with us.

We had such a great weekend with temps in the 60’s.  My buddy V came for a girl’s weekend, we shopped, ate badly, talked late into the night and had a great time.  Got up yesterday morning to still more we-ather - this is just not right!  It’s spring this week, where are the daffy’s, the crocus, the green grass?  Hiding under the inch of snow, that’s where they are!

And the top o’ the mornin’ to you on this blustery St. Patrick’s Day….

It's national pie day!

 

And what’s No. 1?  Easy, peasy, and no, it’s not cherry, even though that’s my fruit pie of choice.  I also do love lemon, coconut and banana.  No, I’m not having any, but you might!

Here’s the top contenders

73 Questions with Sarah Jessica Parker

I thought this was interesting, her house was not what I expected...

Does anyone iron anymore?

Back in the day women washed on Monday and ironed on Tuesday, that’s just the way it was.  Why?  Oh, who the hell knows, you didn’t ask questions back in the day, you just “did it."

I was the child of a mother who hated ironing almost as much as Moi.  Enter Mabel Thompson, this older skinny woman in our small village, who walked around town wearing a headscarf and toting a pocketbook, chain smoking an endless supply of Pell Mell cigarettes.

Mabel didn’t have a regular job, but she “took in” ironing, probably in part to purchase all those Pell Mells'.  Mother would fill up a bushel basket, drop it off at Mabel’s house before she went to work in the morning, pick it up in the evening, everything would be on wire hangers,  ironed to perfection, and it cost her seventy-five cents.  Imagine, ironing an entire bushel basket of clothes, especially  in the summer with no air-conditioning, for seventy-five cents!

After LC and I married, I made many attempts at Tuesday ironing, but I never quite got there.  Oh, I did what I had to do, the boys never went to school with wrinkled clothes, partly because I taught them how to iron when they were in diapers, a skill that still serves them to this day.  I did iron hubby’s clothes for him, but those days are long gone, thank goodness.  And you do realize I’m just kidding about the diapers, they were actually in first grade before they ironed.  *wicked grin*

As I’ve gotten older and wiser, it’s “iron on demand” at our house.  Whoever needs something ironed puts down the built-in ironing board, fires up the iron, fills it with water, because somehow it always needs it, and does the deed.

But then, fabrics are forgiving these days.  Everything is either "wrinkle free" or 'wrinkle resistant."  But even so, a touch-up helps, but more often than  not I just don’t want to mess with it.  When Ry was in college he was a fan of just heating things up in the dryer to get out the worst of the wrinkles, and ya know, it’s not a bad idea,  I’ve been known to do it myself.  And you can do wonders with a flat iron, seriously you can.  Just try it the next time your jeans are wrinkled, it works like a charm.

I still see old(er) women that obviously still adhere to the Tuesday ironing day.  Their jeans, heaven forbid, are neatly creased, and their husbands shirts and Dickey work pants are starched to perfection.

It’s just not me, just not the way I roll.  I have better things to do on Tuesday than iron.  How about you...

My handsome little grandson...

 

I love this picture of Ben in his little cargo pants and polo shirt.  He was on his way to a birthday party when this was taken.  He’s just the most precious little guy...

Oscar Moments

 

Sandra Bullock looked positively movie star glamous.  Perfect hair, perfect makeup, amazing dress.  She hasn’t destroyed her face with plastic surgery, even the closeups were good.
 

 

And then there was Liza Minnelli .  Look closely at this picture ladies, what was this woman thinking?  Going braless at 67 is not attractive.  And then she had that blue streak - in . her . hair !  And so much plastic surgery, it’s really sad, it really is.  It just screams “look at me, look at me.”  And people do look, but not in an admiring way.

It was too bad that Dame Judy Dench wasn’t there, but if she had been, she would have looked her age and her look is wonderful.  Here’s a recent picture, isn’t she amazing.  Her skin isn’t pulled to the extreme, her lips aren’t filled, she’s natural and she’s classy. This is my idea of ageless, what a beautiful time in her life, and she embraces it instead of being ashamed of looking older.
 

And on to my favorite speech of the night, Matthew McConaughey.   He not only took his wife to the Oscars, but he took his mother.  And he talked about how she taught him and his brothers to respect themselves.  It was very touching and heartfelt.
 

"To my family, that who and what I look forward to. To my father who, I know he's up there right now with a big pot of gumbo. He's got a lemon meringue pie over there. He's probably in his underwear. And he's got a cold can of Miller Lite and he's dancing right now.

“Alright, Alright, Alright"

Spring has sprung at The Vermont Country Store

I just got my latest catalog in the mail and it’s chocked full of spring goodies.  I’m really liking these pastel plates, oh let’s face it I like it all.  I hyperlinked the pictures below, it’s just a taste of what they are selling.  Just click on whatever you’re interested in and link to it.

I’ve yet to order anything, but I will.  They should actually send me a freebie for all the advertising I do for them. :o)

The catalog is adorable, it has this hen on the cover.  If you want a copy, here’s the click to order.  Enjoy…. ~ Jan

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Farmer's Almanac Spring Forecast

 

It’s not good, sports fans.  They’re saying snowfall predicted through late March and April areas, including a mid-April snow to New England.

Mother always said, early Easter, early spring, late Easter, late spring.  Easter this year is April 20th.  Mother always knew best, too.  *sigh*

Here’s their article, read it and weep...

The New Old Age

Is everything we’ve always been told about women’s health changing?  After a certain age do we really need routine Pap tests?  And what about those painful mammograms, are they really necessary?

And the worst of the worst, the dreaded colonoscopy, after a certain age do we need it?

All of these procedures are money makers for physicians, but do they take it to the extreme, is it in our best interest or theirs?

You read the article and decide for yourself.  I don’t even have an opinion at this point, just passing along information.

Here’s the click….

In search of serenity...

I’ve talked about nature so often over the years.  The wind in my face, the quiet of the country life, my beloved creek, the sounds of frogs chirping and birds singing.  I was reading The Old Farmer’s Almanac online, trying to get their view on what weather the month of March was going to bring, because frankly the forecast for the first week is positively horrid!!  I came upon an article about serenity, and they just validated what I already know, that serenity is rooted in nature.

They also have a link to a slideshow of where people find peace in New York City.  I thought it was so interesting, you might enjoy it as well.  Turn up your speakers, it has great sound effects as you arrow from slide to slide.

Here’s the link.  ~ Enjoy...

Jacqueline Bisset and Jane Seymour on Aging Gracefully

It’s so refreshing when you see celebrities that are actually embracing their age without botox, trout lips or facelifts.  These ladies are the real thing, and they’re so interesting to listen to, proving that wisdom really does come with age.

They’re being interviewed by Hoda and Kathie Lee, who is unusually quiet, but then her forehead isn’t moving.  Just sayin..

Spring has arrived, well at my house it has...

 

 

 

Even though our 7 day forecast calls for cold and snowy weather, I couldn’t stand the thought of winter one minute longer, so poor hubby had to drag all of the spring crates out of the attic, and here’s the result.  And yes, I know it’s overdone, I like it this way, it’s just the way I roll.

There are a lot of treasures tucked into this tablescape.  Don’t you just love that word tablescape, it’s a good buzzword, thanks to Sandra Lee from FoodTV who coined the phrase several years ago with her pretty dining room tables.

Some of these things I’ve had for years.  The tulips in the first picture, I got several years ago at Marshall’s, my friend Barb has the same ones.  I wonder if she still uses hers?

The carrot salt and pepper shakers are vintage, the egg cups are Dept. 56 from years ago, and the trio of rabbit bowls filled with jellybeans have been around forever.

The big Easter chick came from Steinmart, it’s always been a favorite of mine, the little bunny in the last picture was a gift from my buddy V, he lives in my living room the rest of the year, and last but not least is this wicker basket of yellow tulips.

 

Many, many years ago, we were on a trip to the west coast, I found these tulips and carried them home on a plane to give to mother.  She put them out every spring, and now so do I.  They’re a little shopworn, but that only makes them more bittersweet.  They must be 25-30 years old by now.

And that’s my table, a bright spot as winter gasps, hopefully, it’s  last blast of arctic air this week.  It’s not quite finished, I still need to add silverware and glasses and napkins.  I think I’ll do it slowly, I certainly have time.  Oh spring, where are you…..

I've had a productive morning...

 

 

I made not one, not two, but three really good salad dressings this morning.  The Italian Vinaigrette is a new recipe, but the other two, Western and Ramona’s Poppyseed, are favorites.  I’ve made Ramona’s recipe for years, there isn’t a better poppyseed dressing than hers, it’s just wonderful.  And the quart jar, it’s green and it’s a goodie, but that’s for another post.

If you happen to be in the mood, these are easy peasy and so much better than bottled.  Yep, they’re low-carb, but don’t let that stop you, these are excellent dressings.

The Western Dressing calls for a bit of xanthan gum to thicken it, but you can leave that out.  

Here are the links, maybe you’re thinking spring and salad this sunny February day, too.

Ramona’s Famous Poppyseed Dressing

Peace, Low & Low Carbs Italian Vinaigrette Dressing

Western Dressing

A Woman Goes Back to Work After Thirty Years

 

Just had to share this quick video with you this morning.  I laughed so hard, this could be me….

Abby made Valentine's Cookies

 

Granddaughters are wonderful little people...

Sisters

I never had a sister, but those of you who do can identify with this.

I sent this to my daughter-in-law Lindsay, asking if this reminded me of her and her sister, and she answered YES!

This was on Facebook yesterday and it was just too cute not to share.  I bet a lot of you are smiling right now.  ~ Jan

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*

Jokari Soda Can Straws and Lids

Need a cheap thrill this Monday morning?  These nifty little straws with a cap helps seal the fizz in your soda.  Hubby found them for a couple of bucks at Wally World yesterday, but they also sell them on Amazon for $4.  They’re BPA free, so you don’t have to worry about sucking down toxins when you sip, and yours truly does enjoy drinking thru a straw.   Now if I can just find a koozie that keeps my drink really cold…  Ya, I know, never satisfied...

It’s a good thing, actually...

Here’s the Amazon click, you know you want it ;o)

Update:  Okay, it looks like I may have found just the thing, that didn’t take long.  It’s now on my Amazon wish list, I’m not a fan of the price, but it just might be the ticket for this summer.  

It keeps drinks cold for 2-3 hours and has great reviews.  I have to buy this!!!

Yes, I know, you want this click, too.  Here you go….

This old(er) girl just loves this stuff. I am the Gadget Queen, just ask my family. *grin*

Happy Days are Here Again....

 

 

Happy . Days . Are. Here . Again . . .

Well, at least for this week, next week it’s back in the deep freeze.

Carpe Diem!!!!!

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

Happy Valentines Day

Wishing you Hershey kisses and bouquets of spring tulips on this snowy Valentine’s Day in Heavensville….

Saying goodbye to processed food...

 

Something is happening at our house that is life changing.  Hubby, not me, who had already decided several months ago that this was a game changer, but LC, has decided that he wants to continue eating low carb, to the point that he no longer wants our pantry filled with food we no longer eat.  We took everything white and processed out of the pantry, and we’re getting rid of it.

We’re saying goodbye to his favorite Kraft Mac’ and Cheese, pastas, prepackackaged mixes, it’s all going.  He’s not even tempted by this food, which is really shocking.

This is totally lifechanging at our age, to not eat the way we have our entire lives.  But I’m discovering a new way to cook, really good recipes, they’re not the same as we’re used to, some are not as good, but some, actually are better.

LC feels good, his weight is lower than it’s been in years, we don’t have to worry about the possibility of diabetes, his doctor approves, and he’s totally onboard with this, not temporarily, but long term.  And yours truly, it’s so easy for me to eat this way, I did miss beans, but now that  I’ve discovered black soybeans, and have that 25 lb. sack in my garage, I’m able to substitute them for my favorite pinto and limas. I no longer have heartburn, I have more energy, I don’t struggle to zip my pants, my muffin top is deflating, it’s such a good thing.

We do have a few meals a month with carbs, for me it’s usually pizza, for him, pasta, chinese or his favorite Deerhead breaded tenderloin, and then we go right back to it.  It’s harder when we visit the kids, but we indulge a bit and then come home and immediately start eating low carb again.

So this is what we’re up to this pretty, but cold winter day.  Purging our pantry of the bad, stocking it with the good, lots of nuts, coconut oil, items like wheat protein isolate, resistant wheat starch, xanthan gum, carbolose flour, and psyllium husk powder, strange  things I had never heard of before, but are actually pretty darn good.

It will be a year in May for me eating this way,  July for him, I’ll update you on my anniversary as to how it’s going and what’s in our pantry.  

And what’s on the menu tonight?  George Stella’s Marinara and Mozzarella Meatloaf, garlic and thyme sautéed zoodles (yellow squash cut into spaghetti strips), green salad with that great Western dressing I made yesterday and strawberries with low carb ice cream for dessert.  Not bad, huh…  Nope, not bad at all...

~ Bon Appetit Low Carb Style ~ Jan

Marinara + Mozzarella Meatloaf
Recipe courtesy George Stella

Prep Time 15 min/ Cook Time 75 min/ Serves 8

Shopping List
2 pounds lean ground beef
11⁄2 cups marinara sauce, no sugar added
1⁄4 cup diced red onion
3 large eggs
1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1⁄2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper
3⁄4 cup mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and ready a nonstick 9x5 loaf pan for baking. (Or spray a regular loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.)

2. In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, 1 cup of the marinara sauce, diced red onion, eggs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. (This is easiest done with your hands.)

3. Evenly fill loaf pan with the meatloaf mixture, patting with your hands to form an even top. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.

4. Remove loaf from oven; drain any excess fat or liquid, and then top with the remaining 1⁄2 cup of marinara sauce, and all of the mozzarella cheese. Return to oven and bake an additional 30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 165 degrees. Drain fat from pan once more and let rest 10 minutes before cutting into 8 equal slices.

George’s Tips | When buying marinara sauce, it is very important to read the labels! Look for the sauce that is the lowest in sugar. While tomatoes contain some natural sugars, check the ingredients list for any sugar or corn syrup that may have been added. With so many jars to choose from, there’s no need to buy the one with added corn syrup! 

Variation | If you do not have a loaf pan, simply form a rounded loaf by hand in a large baking dish. Also, you can make an Italian Vegetable Stuffed Meatloaf by adding 1⁄4 cup of diced roasted red peppers and 1⁄2 cup of diced fresh zucchini.

calories:425| fat: 28g |protein: 29g |fiber: 1g |net carbs: 6.5g

Things that go bump in the night...

A couple of weeks ago we were sound asleep, it was 2am and all of a sudden hubby lets out this bloodcurdling scream, a horrific  guttural sound I had never heard him utter before.  He jumps out of bed and throws something, I bolt upright in a panic, Maggie is barking her little Yorkie head off, and I’m trying to clear my head enough to find out what’s going on.

He turns on the light, and he had thrown a fern across the room.  Our cleaning lady had been there that morning, apparently dusted the shelf above the bed and the fern had been teetering precariously on the edge, and the fan from the furnace was just enough to give it flight, right on the top of LC’s face when he was soundly sleeping.  It’s a wonder the man didn’t have a heart attack!

The fern is just thrown back upon the shelf, I think poor hubby wants nothing to do with it, and I haven’t suggested he tuck it behind the clock, poor man, I was so unnerved, I can’t imagine having something scratchy fall on your face in the middle of the night.  He must have thought he had a squirrel or worse attacking him.  I know it scared the beejus out of me when I heard him yelling.

Oh, we really need to do something about that shelf, take it down, put something else in it’s place.  He has glued Liquid Nail to the brackets on the wall, because I worry about the whole thing tumbling down on us, so it’s a major redo when we take it down, but we really need to figure something else out..  We’re just too old for all this excitement in bed!

Rest in Peace, Shirley Temple

 

She was just the most amazing little girl.  So many good memories from a gentler time...

 

iTunes

 

 

I’m so bored I’ve spent a good part of the day organizing music in iTunes.  Not a bad thing actually, because I really do have some great elevator music.  :O)  Well I do!  And now it’s all together, ready to play on my mini player.

If you are a fan of gentle, soothing, lyrical tunes, there is nobody better than Dean Evenson.  I have several of his albums, but my favorite is Back to the Garden.

 

 

I bought it years ago at a little tourist shop when we were traveling.  I love little out of the way places, they always seem to have great cd’s that aren’t mainstream.

 You can get Back to the Garden from Amazon here, and listen to samples.  

I just found several of his recordings online from my local library, that’s even better than Amazon.  They’re free!  Guess where I’m going next week?

 

Try it, it’s a good thing.  ~ Jan

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...