Thursday, June 30, 2011

Thursday Tea Time




Cost: $5.99 at Whole Foods and Kroger on sale

Number of teabags: 15

Caffeine: A little

Type of tea: Mate, black tea

Steeping time: 5 minutes

Mix ins: Just a little fat-free condensed milk

Ingredients: Green mate, rose, cornflower and marigold flower petals, mint, cloves, licorice, aniseed, star anise, apple bits, pineapple, natural flavors, hint of black tea.

Teabag fragrance: Fruity licorice and anise

Opinion: An interesting combination blend and taste - I love it! A little bit pricey, but I think it is well worth the splurge and will definitely buy it again.

Rating: 4.5

Today's Favorite iPod Workout Song

Edie Brickell & New Bohemians - "What I Am" - 4:58

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Netflix Stars - Burlesque



3/5 - Not bad. There actually is a story line that's sweet. And I think if you are a fan of Cher and Christina Aguilera, you will enjoy this even more with their performances.

Today's Favorite iPod Workout Song

Pitbull, featuring T-Pain - "Hey Baby (Drop It To The Floor)" - 3:55

Monday, June 27, 2011

Today's Favorite iPod Workout Song

Porcelain Black, featuring Lil Wayne - "This is What Rock n Roll Looks Like" - 4:12

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Netflix Stars - Blue Valentine


3/5 stars - This was a little, no - a lot different than what I thought it would be. Ryan Gosling and his character was surprisingly likeable and gave an interesting and different than the expected perspective to love and marriage. (Fair warning, there are some very graphic physical scenes.) The flashbacks were well-paced and helped fill in the storyline. The sad reality is that you are watching a relationship trainwreck, but yet with glimmers of hope.








Friday, June 24, 2011

More Friday Flowers!

This is called the "California Bouquet". I love the two stalks of Irish Bells or Bells of Ireland in it!
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Friday Flowers

Fuschia peonies from Whole Foods
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Thursday, June 23, 2011

Today's Favorite iPod Workout Song

Mindy Smith - "The Edge of Love" - 3:52
Great lyrics and cool down song. I heard this at Starbucks last week.

Thursday Tea Time

This week - Numi Honeybush



Cost: $5.99 on sale at Kroger and Whole Foods

Number of teabags: 18

Caffeine: No

Type of tea: Herbal teasan

Steeping time: 5 minutes

Mix ins: Just a little fat-free condensed milk

Teabag fragrance: Faint floral/honey

Ingredients: Organic honeybush

Opinion: A nice mellow, faintly honey scented/tasting tea. It is a pretty peach color, and overall very soothing to look at and drink. Would I rush to buy more right away? Probably not. But I'll enjoy and finish the box.

Rating: 3.5

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Upcoming Jo-Ann's Pattern Sales

Independence Day Sale - July 1/4
99 cents McCall's patterns
$3.99 Vogue patterns
50% off interfacing
50% off thread
25% off Martha Stewart Crafts

July 7/9 - $1.99 Butterick patterns
July 14/16 - $1.99 Simplicity patterns

Oh cool!



These orange fringy topknot flowers are opening today!
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I just found out they are SAFFLOWERS! I saw them at Central Market.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Chai Pistachio Muffins


Cooking Light's Pistachio Chai Muffins from the May 2011 issue
I used Numi Golden Chai tea bags -- the perfect blend of spices and taste. These were so good, they've become an immediate family favorite!

Ingredients:
7 9/10 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 3/4 cups)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 chai blend tea bags, opened
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
1/3 cup shelled dry-roasted pistachios, chopped
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon water

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Cut open tea bags; add tea to flour mixture, stirring well. Make a well in center of mixture. Combine buttermilk, butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and egg in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.
3. Place 12 muffin-cup liners in muffin cups; coat liners with cooking spray. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle nuts evenly over batter. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack.
4. Combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, powdered sugar, and 1 tablespoon water, stirring until smooth. Drizzle evenly over muffins.

Enjoy!

Today's Favorite iPod Workout Song

Britney Spears - "If U Seek Amy" - 3:37
Great early/mid workout pacing!

Sunday, June 19, 2011

FIGS!


Celeste figs


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Saturday, June 18, 2011

Friday Flowers

This arrangement is called "June Bug" - See the feather butterfly?! Three orange sunflowers, orange lilies, two stalk stems of an interesting yellow-orange 'topknot' flower, and pink double daisies from Randalls.
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Thursday, June 16, 2011

Thursday Tea Time




Cost: $5.99 on sale (!) at Super Target

Number of teabags: 16

Caffeine: Yes, the box says as much as 1/4 cup of coffee

Type of tea: Yerba Mate

Steeping time: 5-10 minutes, I did 5

Mix ins: Just a little fat-free condensed milk

Teabag fragrance: Nothing distinguishable.

Ingredients: Yerba mate, cocoa, nutmeg, cinnamon, stevia, clove - and a trio of stimulants - caffeine, theobromine and theophylline.

Opinion: With all the dancing around this box did with the wonderful things this could do for your body, something gave me a migraine a couple hours later. I didn't taste any one flavor in particular, in fact I thought it kind of blah. I couldn't even taste the "Chocolatte'"! Not worth the hype nor the money.

Rating: 0

Netflix Stars - Joan Rivers A Piece of Work

4 stars - A very interesting and behind the scenes documentary by the IFC. I wish it had gone on longer. At 75, Joan still has it -- the drive, the ability to keep on working. Touching scene with her grandson. What an incredible woman!


Monday, June 13, 2011

Friday, June 10, 2011

Friday Flowers

"Tropical bouquet" from Whole Foods. There are three red gingers, three eucalyptus, two of those purple flowers (anyone know what they are?), two freesias- which smell great! Even a Bird of Paradise. The white peonies are from Randall's - 3 stalks for $4.99.
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Thursday, June 09, 2011

Thursday Tea Time




Cost: $5.99 on sale at Whole Foods

Number of teabags: 15

Caffeine: No

Type of tea: Herbal, Rooibos

Steeping time: 5 minutes, 6 for another round

Mix ins: Just a little sweetened fat-free condensed milk

Tea fragrance: Vanilla-Fruity

Ingredients: Organic rooibos leaves, natural flavors, organic hibiscus flowers, organic marigold flowers

Opinion: This is worth the price! I remember on The Wendy Williams Show, someone brought her tea mug to her during her opening and she was probably describing the Mighty Leaf tea bag, as she was somewhat freaking out how expensive it must be. Made of biodegradable fabric and chainstitched closed it and the ingredients look pretty. And since you can double-dip and reuse it one more time, why not? Rationalize this -- You'll spend at least $3 when you go to Starbux for a Tazo tea. Really now, you can indulge at home for only less than 40 cents! The taste is a very nice smooth, almost creamy blend of mango fruitiness, well-balanced with vanilla. I haven't even tried it iced yet - it must be fantastic! - but have been enjoying it warm, even in our summertime weather. What a nice treat! And added bonuses it's organic, antioxidant-rich, and Mighty Leaf supports artisan communities and sustainable farming around the world. I'll be buying this one again.

Rating: 5

Today's Favorite iPod Workout Song

Jewel - "Have a Little Faith in Me" - 4:21
From the Phenomenon movie soundtrack - unfortunately, it is "album only" But fortunately the album is great and worth the buy.
Great cool down lap song!

Wednesday, June 08, 2011

Penzeys Free Northwoods Seasoning Code



The Summer 2011 catalog is here, along with a coupon for a free 1/2 cup jar of Northwoods Seasoning! (22150C - expires September 6, 2001) I like it on baked chicken, it gives it a little extra zip. And smells great!



Of course, the catalog is packed with perfect for summer recipes, too -- Texas Caviar, Campfire Chai Tea, Smokin' Baked Beans, Watermelon Salsa, Lemon Icebox Surprise... Feeling indulgent or special? Be sure to check out those frosted Iowa Brownies, with three sticks of butter and 8 oz sour cream -- serves one! Just kidding! Really 24.



And as a mentioned tease on page 62, Penzeys will be introducing a new blend called "Forward" in the next catalog!

Tuesday, June 07, 2011

Upcoming Jo-Ann's Pattern Sales



Firefly Frenzy - June 12/18

Simpicity patterns $1.99

50% off buttons, Sulky thread, interfacing by the yard

Looks like I'll need to wait a little longer for that Vogue 1250 DKNY dress! (The one all the cool kids are sewing and blogging and wearing!)

Monday, June 06, 2011

Today's Favorite iPod Workout Song

Eddie Vedder - "Longing to Belong" - 2:38
Cool (down) song week!
This is a really pretty song, I love the ukelele! I first heard it played during yoga class.

Sunday, June 05, 2011

Friday Flowers

Hot pink peonies and spray roses from Whole Foods Market - West Alabama/Kirby
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Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Today's Favorite iPod Workout Song

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - "Learning to Fly" - 4:01