It is cold outside and I LOVE IT!

We never really saw signs of fall here in Florida like we usually do about this time of year. So, you can imagine how happy I am when we woke up to colder weather. Today I pulled out a cozy orange sweater and a scarf!

How about that? I know what you’re thinking you think I am crazy…but Florida can be so hot and I am a Northern girl. I am used to walks in Central Park and the fall beauty and hustle and bustle of NYC!

So tonight after a days work and dinner. I am going to make a yummy hot toddy. No, this is not a boozed up drink but a warm and fall and winter drink. My husband and family love it too.

To make this warm drink you need:

4 cloves

1 piece of star anise

5 cinnamon sticks

2 Tbsp light brown sugar

2 quarts or less of apple cider

slices of fresh green apples

Photo by Tijana Drndarski on Pexels.com

Place in a cheesecloth the cinnamon sticks,cloves and a piece of star anise. Tie it on and place in a sauce pan of the apple cider. Place it on a low flame. Allow it all to make love together on the stove top.

Next remove the butcher twined up spice bundle from the pot.

Pour the cider in a mug and sprinkle a bit of cinnamon Sugar or nutmeg on top before serving. Embelish with an apple slice. Delicious…especially if you love cider.

Slather up with your fav’ seasonal hand and body lotion and just chill out in bed and CLEAR your head. YOU deserve it!

Photo by Taryn Elliott on Pexels.com

Paula Deans Vidalia Onion Casserole — In Dianes Kitchen

Sharing is caring… My Southern husband is going to LOVE this recipe when I make it. Thank you in Diane’s Kitchen!

Large Sweet Vidalia Onions cooked on top of the stove and mixed with eggs, milk, cheese and Ritz Crackers. They are baked in the oven then topped with even more buttery Ritz Crackers. This makes for a great side dish or meal. A few years back my husband and I vacationed in Savannah Georgia. After […]

via Paula Deans Vidalia Onion Casserole — In Dianes Kitchen

Feed Your Face from the Inside Out!

Photo by Trang Doan on Pexels.com

I’m really trying to enjoy being more green, clean and eco friendly…with my food and lifestyle.

And in my skincare too!

Skin is so in…Especially when it is healthy looking. If your skin is not looking the way you would like it to… Perhaps its time to try something fresh and new! Looking good takes a little effort girls and so worth it. If you do not have a skin care regime now is the time to start. Also if you have been wearing sweat pants and not taking care of your skin think about taking time for YOU and get your skin in shape too.

They say “You are what you eat” and it is so true. Eating right … with a little bit of a naughty is really best. All in balance and moderation darlings! I’ve been on a kick of making SMOOTHIE BOWLS and making them is so much fun too. Your whole family will enjoy.

I love to get glowing, use beauty from my kitchen, a local farmer’s market, and make a few D.I.Y. beauty recipes and beauty potions on my own.

I will share some of the them on my new podcast to come too! But here are a few for you to enjoy this Memorial day too.

Take care of your skin and your skin will always take care of you!

Recipe for pretty skin starts from within. Not only are these good to eat they are good to use as skincare. Especially when many of us are on stay at home orders.

Yogurt (plain Greek yogurt) makes a GREAT cheap and chic face mask. Apply to a clan face and leave on at least 15 minutes. Genty exfoliates dead skin cells too.

Avocados are a great for hydrating your face and neck. Add honey to a mashed avocado and leave on at least 15 minutes. Your skin will LOVE it.

Bananas work wonders on dry elbows and knees. If your bananas are beyond ripe and you don’t feel like making banana bread…give your skin a moisturizing natural treat.

In addition, when the weather is hot and you want to chill down and make your skin feel amazing. Take a plain ice cube and rub gently on your skin. Not your eye area but try on the face. It will tighten your pores and make your makeup glide on beautifully. I also like to use an ice cube on my chest and neck. So cool and refreshing.

Have a BEAUTY filled deligthful day!

Easy Marvelous Mojito

I love to entertain my clients in my business and guests in my home. I even wrote a book on it “Entertaining in Your Salon or SPA. A combination of food,drink and marketing fun!

Now times are a bit different and we are in a new frontier as we are in the midst of social distancing. But we still need to stay hydrated and connected with our family at home too. I am sipping one or two with my husband today.

Here is a thirst quenching recipe to enjoy this holiday weekend!

Marvelous Mojito Lemonade

2 quarts of lemonade,6 large fresh mint sprigs crushed and place in the lemonade.

Refrigerate prepared lemonade for a few hours or overnight. Crush fresh mint sprigs. Place the mint into the bottom of the pitcher or each glass.

Photo by Mariel Matute on Pexels.com

To serve the lemonade pour into tall glasses and top with club soda. A lime wedge and a sprig of fresh mint. Want to rum it up? AND add some rum. Go ahead.

Everyday is a reason to celebrate. Celebrate the beauty and meaning of Memorial day and why we enjoy and celebrate this beautiful long weekend.

Sliders!

Photo by Engin Akyurt on Pexels.com

I love makeup but I also love to cook. Let’s celebrate every single day in our own way! Missing going to our fave Mexican eatery I had a craving for something. So I am making Margaritas and a crisp cold salad and this recipe. I am watching my calories since the pandemic has me filling all of my cravings for food and sweets. It is tough isn’t it?

Here is a recipe I enjoy for healthy Mexican sliders.

1 lb of ground turkey

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

1tbsp chili powder

1 avocado mashed

8 tomato slices

4 reduced fat pepper jack cheese

Prepare in a medium bowl,mix together turkey,chili powder,garlic powder,and black pepper. Divide your turkey into 8 different portions to make a slider shape into a patty.

Place patty in frying pan. cook well for at least 3 to 5 minutes

Place burger on a bun and top with 2 tsp avocado, 1 tomato slice and 1/2 a cheese slice. OR switch it up and create your own version to suit your taste!

Life is delicious!

ENJOY!

 

 

How To Celebrate Cinco De Mayo At Home With A Virtual Fiesta — StyleCaster

Sharing is caring. I love a good party. Even if it is for one. And even if we are not going to be able to celebrate like years gone by. Check out this fun blog post from one of my fave bloggers. Get shopping it is just days away.

While Cinco de Mayo officially celebrates the 1862 Mexican army’s victory over the French, it’s become a holiday that people across the world celebrate. Typically, most people would spend the day eating at Mexican restaurants, downing margaritas and throwing parties—but in these unprecedented times, we’re having to adjust how we celebrate. Luckily, there are so many…

via How To Celebrate Cinco De Mayo At Home With A Virtual Fiesta — StyleCaster

What day of the week is it? I…

I truly don’t even know. I think it might be Thursday or Friday. Have you started to lose track of time? Or the day of the week too?

That’s why I thought of a warm cozy bath 🛁 recipe for tonight or this weekend. A bathtub is such a special place and time you can have with yourself. And making this beauty recipe or adding luxurious soaps, bubble bath 🛀 or bath bombs and candles to the space can really make it even more to adore and make you want to bathe some more.

They say Cleopatra loved this kind of bath as well as used the beauty of goat milk as a soap to clean her skin.

A shower is nice but a bath is twice as nice!

Here’s what you will need for this bath:

1 cup of milk

1/4 cup of honey

Pour both of the above in the tub filled with warm water NOT too hot.

Sit in this COZY relaxing mix. It is such a sweet escape and skin softening treat.

Finish the night with a glass of whole milk or any other type of milk and add a decadent cookie. Treat yourself well.

Getaway! Escape! Give yourself a break! YOU deserve it.

 

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

even know.

Photo by Burst on Pexels.com

 

 

Toilet paper 🧻… really?

This past week or more has been a whirlwind. How about for you?

Have you been feeling crazy with life too?

Since we are all consumed with doing the right thing,washing our hands and trying to distance ourselves and continue on with daily life… I thought we could use an extra dose of vitamin C. Keep your body hydrated and your body happy.

Try and enjoy a few of life’s treasures to eat but also make an effort to keep your cool and eat the colors of the rainbow.

I came across a recipe I had made before and so loved. I thought you might like it too.

Here is what you will need:

1 green Apple 🍏

1 avocado 🥑 Peeled and without the pit of course

1 kiwi 🥝

A few pieces of spinach leaves!

1 piece of fresh ginger (peeled)

A dash o of lemon 🍋 and a dash of fresh squeezed lime juice.

1 bottle of coconut 🥥 water

I hope you enjoy this recipe and get in your pretty greens too.

PS

I am down to 4 rolls of toilet 🧻 paper. Wish people weren’t hoarding so. I went to 4 stores last night. Totally out of toilet paper until Monday or Tuesday deliveries they say.

Wish me luck!

If you want… save a slice of the avocado and use it to make a hydrating face mask!

 

You can also make variations on this drink recipe!

Yummy Bites for Your Valentine!

Or for yourself and your Valentine too. You don’t need one to enjoy this yumminess!

Sweet and Sexy Asian Meatballs

1 package (12 oz.) of  Italian meatballs (fully cooked) Or you can make them from scratch!

1/2 cup of Asian hoisin sauce

4 tsp. brown sugar

2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar

1 tsp of Sriracha hot chili sauce

1 clove of fresh garlic minced

1/2  tsp. of ground ginger

At the end before serving add sliced green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds to garnish.

In a saucepan add all of the above ingredients but not the meatballs. Warm up the ingredients and keep stirring.

Next, add the meatballs,stir, cover and cook. Prepare on medium high heat until done.

I like to serve over Jasmine rice. Your house will smell divine! And serve with delicious aromatic jasmine tea 🍵 .

Add a dash of something naughty and sweet and some Prosecco and you are all set!

As I always say I love to COOK and entertain for one or for a crowd.

Enjoy these yummy bites!

Happy Valentines Day!

PS

 

 

Photo by Kaboompics .com on Pexels.com

 

 

Dumpling soup to warm your body & heart!

We woke up to 80 degrees last week and today to temperatures in the 30’s in sunny Florida. Who says we don’t get cold weather? Here in Jacksonville Fl we do!

So I warm us up with food! Soup and dumplings are my Southern husbands favorite.

Dumpling soup requires making dumplings first. Afterwards you place in the soup broth. But I like to also  CHEAT and make it easier by cooking the broth and ingredients below and using frozen dumplings for the soup already made and found at the Asian grocery store. Obviously, serving dumplings alone with a cup of green jasmine tea is a perfect meal in itself!

Here is what you will need:

1 package of wonton wrappers

1 bunch of scallions sliced

8 oz. of ground pork (or shrimp)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2tsp. of sugar

1 tsp of soy sauce

*For Dumpling soup I also like to add baby corn pieces (available by the can)

And cut up a few snow peas or baby bok choy.

The meaning of eating dumplings at Chinese new year means MONEY! They are shaped like a golden piece. Hence that’s why we eat them.

Photo by Buenosia Carol on Pexels.com

Put  8 to 10 cups of chicken broth, a piece of fresh ginger (peeled) 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce,  sprinkle of sesame oil, S & P to taste in a soup pot and bring to a boil. Then simmer the broth.

For soup I also like to add baby corn pieces (available by the can)

Or a few pieces of baby Bok Choy for some healthy greens.

Garnish with sliced scallions on top of soup after you have added the dumplings.

Ready to serve.

For another recipe I also like to Steam Dumplings (and get a quick steam facial from the bamboo steamer when I pull them out). Next, I like to add them to a saute pan with a dash of oil and  little water and cook their little bottoms until crispy and a bit brown edged. So delish!

A healthy cup of hot Asian tea ends a meal or snack beautifully. And although I NEVER saw a fortune cookie in Hong Kong I still love those crunchy vanilla delights with the secret message inside.

Happy Chinese New Year...Gong Hei Fat Choy! 

Photo by Arnie Chou on Pexels.com