by Joi on January 18, 2009
Nobody loves Starbucks like I love Starbucks – I’m totally comfortable with that claim. Not only do I frequent each of the three Starbucks in Owensboro (I like to spread the love), my kitchen echoes my sentiments. You can always find several bags of Starbucks coffee beans on the counter, Starbucks mugs in the cabinets, tumblers, and (of course) the full or half full coffee, tea, or latte that I’ve recently snagged.
I just found these gorgeous mugs online, at the Starbucks website – yes, I even stalk them online. It occurs to me that they’d make a great collection, so.. um, yeah… I’m going with that idea. Click through to see the rest of the gorgeous mugs they have. Starbucks is the reason, you know, that drinking coffee is so vogue, classy, and even sexy.
Starbucks Coffees 12-oz. NY Global Series Mug
Starbucks Coffees 12-oz. Chicago Global Series Mug
Starbucks Coffees 12-oz. San Francisco Global Series Mug
Starbucks Coffees 12-oz. Hawaii Global Series Mug
Starbucks Coffees 12-oz. Seattle Global Series Mug
by Joi on January 15, 2009
Italian Chicken Recipe
Servings: 4
2 cups Hood® Lowfat Cottage Cheese
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp basil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- Blend cottage cheese in a blender or mini-food processor with oregano, garlic and basil.
- Place 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts into a baking dish and top each breast with 1/2 cup of the cottage cheese mixture.
- Sprinkle each piece of chicken with Italian seasoned bread crumbs.
- Bake at 350°F until the chicken is thoroughly baked (about 30 minutes).
by Joi on October 15, 2008
The billboard above is raising eyebrows in the San Fransico area. According to Calorie Lab, the ad’s making people angry – can you believe that?!
I can’t imagine getting worked up over a suggestion that people should eat healthier. Naturally, the people behind the ad aren’t saying that celery sticks (the stick in question) will cure obesity all by themselves. They’re pointing out that the sort of healthy lifestyle that’s represented by waist-friendly foods such as celery sticks WILL help in the fight against fat.
Geez, why are people so quick to criticize and condemn anymore? It’s an ad aimed at helping people get healthier and it’s coming under criticism.
Personally? I think it’s a great ad with a great message. Clever, even. Maybe it’s a good thing that people ARE criticizing it – it’ll get more publicity that way. What do you think about the ad?
by Joi on October 14, 2008
The gorgeous AUTUMN LEAVES PUMPKIN is from Hartstone Pottery. It’s freezer, microwave, oven, and diswasher save. And absolutely beautiful to boot!
From the Website:
Oh come little leaf…rejoice in the crisp, cool days of autumn. Celebrate as the air brings its hints of pumpkin and spices, and the ever present crackle of natures free falling sails of change. Enjoy our hand-painted fall pottery! Mugs, plates, ruffle bowls. Made in Ohio by Hartstone USA. Microwave, freezer, oven and dishwasher safe. Lead free. America’s best stoneware!
The AUTUMN LEAVES PUMPKIN is from one of Hartstone Pottery’s most popular collections, the Autumn Leaves Collection. The pieces in this collection are stunning. They’d make autumn meals (including Thanksgiving!) something extra special. Below are a few of my other favorites.
AUTUMN LEAVES MINI BREAD PAN
AUTUMN LEAVES BREAD PAN
AUTUMN LEAVES 10″ PIE PLATE
AUTUMN LEAVES OVAL PLATTER
Click through any link to see the entire collection. The Autum Leaves Collection includes plates, mugs, ramekins, bowls, etc. Gorgeousness!
by Joi on October 12, 2008
The following light and healthy salad recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks “Cooking Light: An Exciting Compilation of Light Recipes.” I actually found this unique cookbook on a bargain table of all places, in a bookstore in Pensacola, Florida about 4 years ago. I’ve used it regularly since and have never seen it anywhere else.
This is one of the recipes I promised in the last post – another “Pink Food!”
CRAB AND CITRUS SALAD
8 oz. crab meat (or imitation crab – it’s what I actually use)
2 oranges
2 lemons
2 limes
1 pink grapefruit
1 small head of iceberg lettuce
1/2 cup plain yogurt
6 TBS heavy cream
1 TBS chili sauce
1 TBS brandy (I use flavoring)
Pinch of cayenne pepper
salt
2 TBS salad oil
1. Chop up the crab. You want bite-sized servings. Set aside.
2. Mix the the following together: yogurt, chili sauce, cream, brandy flavoring, cayenne pepper, and a pinch of salt. Toss with the crabmeat.
3. Take a very thin strip of peel from each of the citrus fruits. Scrape off the bitter pith and discard. Cut each strip of peel into thin slivers. Put into boiling water and allow to boil for about 1 minute. Drain, refresh under cold water and set aside.
4. Peel each of the citrus fruits and cut into segments. Do this over a bowl, so you can reserve the delicious juices.
5. Add the salad oil to the juice in the bowl, and toss with the fruit segments. Shred the iceberg lettuce and arrange on plates. Put the crabmeat mixture on top of the lettuce.
6. Arrange citrus segments over and around crabmeat and sprinkle citrus peel over the top.
If you read the articles I told you about in the last post, you know how much your body’s going to love all of this citrus. This salad is as good for you as it is good. It’s also very, very, very beautiful. If you’re making food for a “Pink party,” you could of course either add a little more grapefruit or just make sure you place it all on top. 
I’m making this beautiful salad sometime this week – and I’ll put a picture in this post as soon as we take one. (I was planning to make it this weekend, but can’t find crabmeat in my local stores!)
VEGETARIAN ALTERNATIVE: Leaveth out the crab.
by Joi on October 10, 2008
Healthy Ingredients (Quark, Milk, Juice, Cereals) on Grass Photographic Print
Buy at AllPosters.com
When you get tired of reading all of the political articles and depressing news about the economy, below are links to great stories that’ll help your health. As a bonus, they’ll get your mind off of the financial news for a little while which might just keep you sane!
The Best Snack on Earth! – A Men’s Health feature on WebMD that supports their choice for the best snack on earth. It probably isn’t what you’re thinking. I know, I know – I thought it’d be coffee, too. You’ll be surprised – unless you’re a genius and figured it out already. In which case, Shhhhhh, let me think it was tough.
Lowering Your Blood Pressure with DASH – From the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: “Get with the plan that is clinically proven to significantly reduce blood pressure! This updated booklet contains a week’s worth of sample menus and recipes recalculated using 2005 nutrient content data. The “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension” eating plan features plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other foods that are heart healthy and lower in salt/sodium. Also contains additional information on weight loss and physical activity.”
How Much Fruit and Vegetables do YOU actually Need? – You simply enter your age, sex, and level of physical activity, and the experts will tell you how many servings of fruits and vegetables you should be getting. I thought I ate a really healthy variety of foods, but I’m only getting 1/3 of the fruits I should be getting (and with 7 apple trees in my yard & 1 pear tree, I should be ashamed). At least I’m getting all the veggies I should be.
The Glorious Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables – Some You Probably Never Thought Of – Once you know how many servings you should be getting, this article will let you know exactly WHY you should follow through.
Tea With a Twist: How to Make Tea EVEN Healthier – Tea is already one of the healthiest things you can drink, but there’s something simple you can do to make it even more so.
Heart Smart Foods – Find which foods are the most nurturing to your heart… Then load up on them!
Also See:
The New Super Foods
The Best Guide to Vegetarian Eating
Eating Healthy
Fruit – It Does a Mind Good (Hmmm, so I’m only getting 1/3 of the amount of fruit I should be eating. This explains a lot!)
New Kids on the Food Block
by Joi on October 8, 2008
This great-looking Spooky Hand Candy Dish
is just the thing to bring a little more “spirit” to your den, living room, kitchen, bedroom, whatever.
If your family’s like mine, it won’t slow them down for a second. I have one daughter that’d probably slap the hand to make sure it didn’t beat her to the goodies.
We raised that girl right.
by Joi on October 4, 2008
Some of my favorite recipes are in the Paula Deen & Friends: Living It Up, Southern Style
cookbook. It’s honestly one of the best cookbooks ever put together.
I posted the recipe for Pumpkin Bars from this cookbook before (HERE!) and have heard back from a lot of people who tried them and loved them. I also heard from a great deal of people who’d bought the book and thanked me for telling them about it.
I made these pumpkin bars again this past week (for, like the bazillionth time), but this time instead of one pan, I bought two disposable, shallower pans and divided the recipe between them. The result was, of course, thinner pumpkin bars. We actually prefer them thinner, so the next time I make them (probably this week!) I’m going to divide them between two pans again. You have to watch the baking time, however, I found that they were ready almost 10 minutes earlier than the recipe states when you’re making them thinner.
Needless to say, if you go this route, keep an eye on them and do the whole toothpick test to make sure they’re through.
These Pumpkin Bars would make ideal Halloween Treats. If they were cut into small enough servings, they could be placed in small boxes – the ones you can buy in bulk in kitchen stores or party supply outlets.
I keep wanting to try these topped with whipped cream rather than the cream cheese icing, but I’m much, much too into cream cheese icing to commit.
by Joi on September 25, 2008
Chili’s has a lot of great things going for it – from great food to a killer logo and reputation in the restaurant business. But what impresses me the most about them is their commitment to St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Any restaurant that suits up in the fight against cancer that strikes helpless children has my respect.
On September 29, we have a chance to do our part in this fight. On this date, 100 percent of the money from restaurant sales goes to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Last year, dinners helped raise $8.2 million!
Go to Chilis.com to find a restaurant near you, then make plans to have lunch or dinner (or both!) at Chili’s next Monday.
by Joi on September 22, 2008
Today’s the first day of Autumn and, for me, that’s one of the biggest holidays of the year. Okay, so maybe it isn’t recognized nationally as a holiday – but in my house it’s huge.
I love this time of year – the sights, sounds, smells, colors.. even the feel. I’m so thankful that we live in an area (Kentucky) that decorates itself as much as I do my house. It’s getting its autumn splendor on and it’s a beautiful thing to behold.
The Frosted 6-Pc Pumpkin Set – 6-Pc Set
is a perfect way to bring more autumn into your home. Not only are they gorgeous, they’re wonderfully scented as well. Sort of lets you tackle several senses at once!
From the Website:
This Frosted 6-Pc Pumpkin Set is perfect for either fall or halloween and is adorned with tiny beads to give it that sparkly frosted look. Comes pumpkin spice scented and nicely packaged perfect for gift giving.
Click through to see all the unbelievably gorgeous candles and accessories Candle Bay has.
Also See:
Get Your Haunt on With These Remarkable Halloween Dishes
Green & Black’s Organic Chocolate
10 Piece Candle Set for Coffee Lovers
