Tenuous Thoughts of Candy

I got an Orgreenics pan! and I approve!

2012-04-15T23:50:00.001-04:00

I had heard about 'green' pans, but I had never seen the infomercial for OrGreenics. My mom did, and she bought me one! It was supposed to be for my birthday I guess. But, she let me open it... and of course I had to use it! She even got it anodized for me!

Isn't she lovely? (Those are water drops, I had just washed it)

First thing, I had to set it on a burner, I think on high, after spraying it with oil and wait for it to smoke. It only took a few minutes. Then I wiped it out and... done. Ready to cook.

I didn't know what to use it for honestly. I don't cook a whole lot in a pan. I make chicken sometimes, but I'm losing my taste for it so an actual pan doesn't come out of my cabinet very often the days. Pots... all of the time. Pans, not so much. I do fry tofu once a week or 2 in oil, and I only recently learned how to fry in oil. I haven't mastered it, last time I tried I burned the hockey sticks out of the tofu and it all got dumped. I just ate green beans for dinner that night. I won't complain, I love green beans. Anyway... now I don't have to bother trying to master it! Woot!

I chopped up some firm tofu (after mostly draining it) and just laid it in the pan on medium high heat. I added some garlic powder. I waited. I was very patient, surprisingly. If you've ever laid tofu in a pan with no or even too little oil, you know that stuff sticks and rips like eggs. It can be a real messy mess. But, I was a good girl and I just waited. I was mostly waiting for the water in the tofu to cook off. Once it did (maybe 7 minutes!) I got the nerve to stir it. So, I did, and to my surprise NOTHING stuck. I was amazed (and relieved).

I think this photo is closest to the actual color of the inside of the pan.

Before I started the tofu I started some brown rice and had some frozen broccoli florets in my steamer. Once the tofu was browned to my liking on all (most) sides I added the broccoli, which was done steaming at this point, . I poured some teriyaki marinade over both. Let it warm through and by that time my rice was (kind of) done. It was slightly crunchy, which is why I never wait until dinnertime to make rice. I usually make rice at the beginning of each week so I just have to warm it up when I'm ready to eat.

I mixed it all together after taking this photo. I didn't want any water from the broccoli making the tofu soggy, turns out there was no issue.

I've used this pan a handful of times. I read the reviews on Amazon, not great. But, I had a different experience, so far at least. If it changes I'll update my post, but as for now, I LOVE this pan!

I've had no issues with cleanup, but the other pots and pans I've been using are hand wash only with no non-stick coating. I don't mind washing my dishes, I kind of like it. No crazy scrubbing involved. Just a little soap and water and it comes clean every time.

* I did not receive any compensation for this review. These are my own experiences, photos and opinions.*

Housewarming Dyson Giveaway! Free blogger sign ups!

2012-04-15T02:19:00.000-04:00

Mom to Bed by 8 is excited to present the Housewarming Dyson Event from June 1 to June 15. This is a free blogger event and accepting signups now.

Join the Housewarming Dyson Giveaway event today, grow your readership and offer one fantastic cleaning tool giveaway!

If you do not wish to post the announcement, send the $5 via paypal to goodnightmommyboutique@gmail.com with your email address and Housewarming Dyson Event in subject line or notes portion of the form.
Once you have posted your announcement or sent the paypal payment, fill out this form.
You will receive an email from me with 72 hours, confirming your participation. If you do not, please email me at teri@momtobedby8.com and I will check into it for you.
Then around May 30^th you will receive another email from me with the html code for publishing the giveaway. Note it is required that you publish the giveaway html in full to be included in this event. I will verify links on June 1^st around 8am central and if you have not done so, your link on the rafflecopter will be removed. This keeps this event fair for all who joins.

Referral prize: The two bloggers who refer the most people will receive a $10 Amazon e-code for your effort. Just make sure to add on your announcement that they should add your blog name or url in the referred by section on the signup form. This bonus will be paid the on June 2^nd after your referral links have been verified.

Whatever Wednesday Linkup! at Nat's Knapsacks

2012-04-04T00:38:00.000-04:00

Check it out, and link up!

Win 250 Stickers from PrintRunner- Giveaway- Rafflecopter

2012-04-02T03:59:00.002-04:00

I'm so excited to be able to offer my readers the chance to win 250 stickers from PrintRunner!

What could you do with custom stickers?

Let me give you a few ideas...

Have a blog? What a cool way to promote it!

Own a business? What an awesome way to add to your packaging!

Have a passion for a cause? Spread the word!

Having a fundraiser? Thank every donor with a sticker!

You could make custom This Belongs To stickers for the front of books or the back of electronics!

Revamp an old table (or other flat surface) by using bold geometric pattern when creating your stickers, then applying evenly on your project.

Or just make some really cute stickers and pass them out to spread the love.

What couldn't you do with stickers?!

PrintRunner is not only an online sticker printing company they also provide other printing services including post cards, business cards, banners, flyers, bumper stickers, magnets and lots more!

PrintRunner started small, ten years later it's one of the foremost quality printing companies in SoCal. They run their business based around the commitment to provide the best value and high quality full color printing at an affordable price.

You can find PrintRunner on Facebook and Twitter!

One lucky winner will receive 250 stickers from PrintRunner!

Details about the prize:

Sticker Shape : Standard Stickers

Flat Width : 2"

Flat Height : 3.5"

Quantity : 250

Paper : Premium Sticker Stock

Colors : Full Color ( 4 Color Process), Black and White

Proof : NONE

Ready to Ship In : 3 Business Days

*as long as I hear from the winner by April 12th, the prize will be awarded on April 16th, if I miss the deadline your prize will not ship until next month

*Giveaway is open to US Residents only, ages 18 years old and above.

*If you have one a prize from PrintRunner in the last 2 months you are not eligible to win this prize.

Disclaimer - Thank you, PrintRunner, for supplying the prize for this giveaway and giving my readers the chance to win your product. I will receive a set of stickers for hosting the giveaway, but was not required or paid to post a positive review. All opinions are solely my own.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Mini Social

2012-04-01T16:18:00.000-04:00

I just joined The Mini Social.

Refer your friends and get $10 credit after they make their first purchase.

nautical striped green skull tee $10

purr kitty romper $12

aplhabeasts $9.99 each

*I may receive referral credit if you follow the above links.

$10

iPad 3 giveaway!

2012-04-01T03:09:00.000-04:00

Who wouldn't love an iPad!?

click here for your chance to win!

Facebook Blast Amazon Sweepstakes

2012-04-01T00:01:00.003-04:00

It is that time again! $100 Amazon code for a little of your time. Take a few weeks and follow all of the accounts below on Facebook! Good luck winning the $100 Amazon code! This sweepstakes will end on April 15 at midnight EST.
Are you a blogger that would like to be a sponsor for the next event? Sign up for the next sweepstakes round.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Superdeal! 3 Tubes Sunscreen $25, $22.50 after code

2012-03-25T20:24:00.001-04:00

I could not resist this deal, or posting it in hopes someone else out there will benefit from it. I've got light medium skin, I used to tan, but not so much these days. I'm supposed to avoid the sun because of a medication I take. So, sunscreen is a must for me. I also have a 3 year old, and while it's important to protect your child's skin no matter their color, I have a super white little boy. Border line albino, you have to look for his eyebrows. He has white blonde hair... and gorgeous blue eyes... but never mind that... the point is, I have to lather him with sunscreen on a daily. So when I saw this deal at Plum Ddistrict for 3 tubes of LiveStrong Sunscreen for only $25 I didn't hesitate. Turns out I had a $5 credit (for signing up I think) AND I got an email with the code 'address10' to get 10% off. SO... I just got 3 tubes of AWESOME sunscreen for $17.50 SHIPPED!

I cannot believe it.

If you need sunscreen (does anyone NOT need sunscreen?!) how could you turn this deal down. Even at 'full' price ($25) this is still a super deal ($54rtv).

Here's more about the product:
Free of biologically harmful chemicals
Broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection
Not chemical based
Water Resistant (80 Minutes) – Highest level as determined by FDA
Paraben Free and PABA Free
Very High Zinc content
Sunscreen produced in the USA
New 2011 formulation applies easily and absorbs easily despite having such a high Zinc content. SPF 30+
First sunscreen to pass Whole Foods Premium Care line requirements
Does not have an obtrusive smell that many organic sunscreens have.
No chemicals utilized for UV absorption
A member of the Safe Cosmetics Campaign Compact
Top Rated on Environmental Working Group database Skin Deep of 1400 sunscreens.
Purchase of this product guarantees that a minimum of $1.5 million will be donated towards LIVESTRONG's fight against cancer
Expires 03/30/12

I got a Dream Number Bed!

2012-03-25T16:29:00.001-04:00

And, I love it! I got it last Monday, so almost a week, and I swear to you I slept better the very first night! I was honestly surprised, I thought it would take some getting used to. I do still change my number around, but that's the whole reason I chose a number bed! I have a bad back, restless legs, constant headaches. I have Fibromyalgia, and had Juvenile Arthritis, so my joints suck. Sometimes I need more support when I sleep, and sometimes I need to feel like I'm on a cloud. Regardless, I never NEVER need a spring digging into my body. I decided fairly easily (for me) that with my tax return I'd be getting a mattress. I considered memory foam, but after some thought (about my crazy body and how what it 'needs' changes daily) a number bed was definitely the way to go!

Of course I went to Sleep Number first, and decided on the bottom basic mattress (no frame) size Full. (I LOVE my bed frame and will not give it up!) I believe it cost about $625 , they had free shipping at the time (otherwise about $80). Their return policy was 30 nights and I'd pay for return shipping. The warranty is 20 years- but it's the first 2 years on them, after that you have to pay 20%+4% per each year you've owned it. I was ready to buy... but, like I always do- I decided to shop around and make sure I was getting a good deal... that's when I found Dream Number!

The very basic Full mattress only was $624, always free shipping, 90 day 'trial'- return window, return shipping (if needed) is free, and they have a similar warranty but you get the first 5 years on them, after that it's 20% + 4% per year out of your pocket. Apparently it's the same technology as Sleep Number. The remote on my bed is corded- some people may not like that, I do, if I lose it I just have to follow the cord to find the thing. I'm not going to lie, the remote looks like something from the late 80's/early 90's but I really don't care as long as it works.

I bought a mattress cover protector in case I do need to return the mattress for any reason. I'll tell you about the cover later- It's pretty great itself!

I figured I'd get the basic mattress and if I need or want I can always add a dense foam topper down the road.

Setting up my bed was pretty easy- would have been easier if my bed was pushed against the wall on one side. I had wood slats on my bed, so I bought a big piece of plywood at Home Depot (and had them cut it to size) to lay on top of my slats to create a solid frame. The mattress arrived in 2 boxes, one with the mattress cover/body?, top foam and foam 'walls' the other had the air chamber, pump, power cord and remotes (they sent 2 even though a Full only has 1 chamber, so I have a back up!)

You unroll the mattress body and unzip it with the hole facing the top of the bed (headboard). Add the foam walls. Throw in the inflatable air chamber and feed the tube through the holes in the foam wall and mattress body/cover. Lay down the top foam, then zip it up and start the pump.In an ideal world I wouldn't have my bed against a wall so this whole process could have been much easier and the mattress would be much more even. But, in the end it still sleeps perfectly. It was just a little harder to zip closed in some spots... I think next time I set up this mattress I will get the walls and air chamber, and top foam adjusted as centered as I can, zip it up THEN start the pump. I just wanted to watch it blow up. Sometimes I can be a real dunce. The pump is surprisingly quiet. I was worried I might hear it adjusting during the night- I haven't yet. It didn't take long at all to get full (I zipped it closed at about 85- I don't think I could have any higher) maybe 20-30 minutes, it didn't feel long at all... I should have timed it.

When I was done setting up the bed my back was killing me. I woke up and immediately opened my boxes, moved my old mattress to the porch and then set this one up. I'm a super slow starter. I cannot just wake up and go... and I know that... but, I was excited. I don't think setting up the bed would give the average person a backache. It might not have given me one if I had let my body 'warm up' first. So, anyway, my back was killing me so I laid on this bed. I had the typical pain where my body is tense and slowly loosen as I get used to the surface I'm laying on... then the light bulb went off- duh! you can adjust this bed. (I was a little out of it I guess.) The mattress was at 85 so I pushed the down button, I could literally feel the pain in my back ease as the bed softened.I think I ended up passing out at some point... I at a 5, which is too soft so I adjusted it to 30 or 35 and fell asleep again. Seriously. It was THAT good!

I do not wake up as stiff as I used to. I have woken up about 2 hours earlier than I used to- and that's a good thing! I'm still getting more sleep than most (10-12 hours I need it) When I wake up I feel like I actually slept.
I have to be honest. I thought I'd change beds, it'd take a while to adjust, there might be some improvements, but I was seriously not expecting results like this. I feel crazy spending $625 in one chunk like that. I had the bed in my cart for a few days before I just pushed the buy button. Knowing what the bed has done for me from the first time I laid on the thing, I feel silly for not buying myself a real mattress sooner! I would not think twice about buying another one of these mattresses. And, I got the low end! i cannot even imagine this thing with memory foam or an adjustable base... fancy fancy and worth every penny!

So if you're thinking about a number bed... I highly recommend Dream Number! If you mention my (real) name you can get $50 off your purchase, and I'll get $50 for referring you.

You can email me or comment with any questions, or if you want my name so you can save $50!

*All opinions expressed are my own. I did not receive any special discounts or products for my 'review'.

Handmade Monday! Agorables on Etsy

2012-03-19T00:01:00.000-04:00

I stumbled on Agorables searching for wallets on Etsy. I was looking for wallet patterns, didn't fall in love, so I decided to just look at wallets to get some inspiration. I have never seen anything like this. So simple, so unique, I am so in love!

I have a big ole soft spot for Rob Zombie.

I have a crush on the mantis.

So purdy!

I don't get sick of sugar skulls.

Just love.

What Agorables would like you to know:
It all started out of a desire to make things that we thought would be cool and not run of the mill Walmart fare. Our passions include old cars, tattoos and low-brow art; and with these elements we tend to blend and blurry the lines between them all. Thus, making a product that makes us happy and in the end we hope will bring joy to someone else's day.

Amazon Twitter Blast- Win It!

2012-03-15T00:01:00.004-04:00

Everyone loves Amazon codes! You can buy anything and they are super easy to email your prize to you! Makobi Scribe is sponsoring a monthly Amazon and Twitter Sweepstakes with her friends and would love you to enter. We are giving you a full two weeks to follow all the twitter accounts and we are even giving you a bonus at the end if you follow them all. So follow a few each day when you come back to do your daily tweet. HINT: The secret word can be found by clicking the link in the rafflecopter form :) Good Luck everyone! If you want to participate in the next Twitter/Facebook blast for April & May here you can sign up for the sweepstakes.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Handmade Monday! Knob Creek Metal Arts on Etsy

2012-03-12T00:01:00.065-04:00

I was searching Etsy for 'mantis' and I found this:

I thought it was pretty cool so I clicked on it so I could check out more items from the same seller. I found a bunch of cool key hooks, book ends and a few other random items made from metal at Knob Creek Metal Arts. I was more than impressed with what I found and contacted the shop to ask if I could post a little something about their shop. Obviously, they agreed!

I thought this was a cute key rack.

I thought this was really cool!

This made me laugh out loud, not computer speak- the real kind.

I thought this guy was super cool!

And, this guy- this one's a chime!

I thought this was really pretty.

What Eric from Knob Creek Metal Arts wants you to know:
'Knob Creek Metal Arts is a small business specializing in handmade metal art. Our little shop is located in Brooks Kentucky, nestled in a valley about 100 feet from the banks of Knob Creek. When naming our shop it seemed fitting to pay tribute to the peaceful creek. The quiet rural setting is inspirational to us.

We make a variety of metal art in our shop and are constantly adding new items. We concentrate on creating items that are not only visually appealing but that also serve a purpose. We love custom designs and many of our items have been suggested by our customers.

We are in our third year of selling our craft on the internet. It has greatly exceeded our expectations and we are looking forward to expanding our little shop with more original works in the future.'

Check out these awesome Book Ends!

So in love with this!

I just thought this was cool.

And, this...

I think this is just so cool!

Apparently I like whales!

I LOVE this!(birdhouse)

This blows my mind (cupcake 'stand')

Handmade Monday's are intended to highlight shops that catch my eye. These are not shops I have purchased from and I have had no communication with these shops, besides a little 'Hey, I'd like to write a little something about your shop, anything you want my readers to know?'

That being said... I actually have bought something from Knob Creek Metal Arts. Early this morning I was searching for something to get my 'step dad' for his birthday coming up, and I had no clue what to grab him. I got him a few bars of soap from Great Cakes Soapworks, but I wanted to get HIM something. I know he will love the soap. But, he's not real hip on the world of handmade soaps and the ordeal that goes into making them. What he will 'get' is metal working and a cool key rack to hang the keys to his new Harley on. So I grabbed him this:

I had already put together this post and scheduled ahead. So, I decided that I should leave it as is and I will 'review' the key rack once my 'step dad' opens his gift.

Tenuous Thoughts of Zenni Optical

2012-03-10T00:40:00.001-05:00

Have you ever ordered prescription glasses online? I have been for about 7 years. In that time I have only used a site other than Zenni Optical once and only because they had a promotion where I got a pair for $5(shipping). I've never found another site with a large selection of cool glasses for such an awesome price. Turns out Zenni is having a promotion right now... buy 2 get one free ending March 14th. I ordered 2 pairs of prescription glasses ($6.95 frames) and one pair of tinted prescription glasses ($6.95 frames, $4.95 tint) for about $24 shipped! So it is very possible to get 3 pairs of prescription glasses for $19. Hurry, this promotion ends soon!

My order:

#263831 This is a new style I decided to try. ($6.95)

#885122 I actually had this pair before and loved them, I broke my last pair so had to get a replacement. ($6.95)

#223025 This is the pair I chose for prescription shades... cute huh? ($6.95 *zero after promo) (tint+$4.95)

Not everyone's glasses will be as cheap as mine. I picked the cheapest frames and my prescription is basic (so free). But, I bet you will pay way less for a complete pair of glasses from Zenni than you would at your local eye glass store. My son's father's prescription glasses used to run between $300-$400 a pair. When he ordered from Zenni he paid around $60.

I currently have 3 pair from Zenni. I have the 3 I mentioned above on their way. I'm excited! I have no idea how many pairs I've had from them over the last 7 years. I can honestly say the number is above 15. I usually order at least 3 at a time. I like glasses with personality so I have had quite a few colors and styles. I have also ordered glasses for my mom and my sister. I don't know how many of my mom's friends have ordered after hearing about the site... my mom is a talker...

My point. I highly recommend this site based on experience.

Zenni has emailed me about my prescription a few times BEFORE running my order. I actually meant the prescription as was ( I had 2 similar prescriptions on the same order) but, I appreciate that they noticed the error. If you mess up and enter the wrong prescription, it's your loss... but who can blame THEM for that? In fact my sister recently did exactly that. Entered her prescription as + instead of -. I was surprised that they offered a 50% credit if she returned them. She decided to just donate the glasses, but I was shocked they'd offer her any credit.

Shipping is a flat $5 no matter how many you order.

There is a favorites list so you can add frames as you look through that you like, then go back and narrow it down. You can narrow your searches by price, gender, frame style and material.

There is a new feature that allows you to store your different prescriptions, that could come in really handy!

So, if you need new glasses (or want some) check out Zenni Optical.

If you think my glasses are wacky don't be discouraged they have a lot of 'normal' 'plain' frames too!

*Opinions expressed are solely my own. I received no compensation, products or special discounts from Zenni Optical for my opinion.

Celebrating Hump Day with Peyton Manning

2012-03-07T00:01:00.005-05:00

I shed a few tears when I watched Peyton Manning talk about his career as a Colt when announcing that he was now a free agent. Listening to a man I respect choking back tears gets me every time. Like Peyton (well, kind of) I have been a Colt my entire adult life. And, like him, I will always be a Colt. But, you better believe I will have a new Manning jersey from which ever team is lucky enough to grab him this year. I don't know if Peyton will come back this year full force. Most athletes don't after an injury. But, I do know without a doubt he is an offensive genius and any team would be lucky to have his head on their side. Of course I dreamed Peyton would retire as a Colt and become an offense coordinator for the Colts. I'll live.

Good Ole Rocky Top!

No body...

can do it...

like Peyton!

One of my favorite days ever.

Good day. Good good day!

Peyton, Archie and Eli Manning

Manning brothers at the ProBowl

Handmade Monday! Creative Chics on Etsy

2012-03-05T00:01:00.001-05:00

I get lost on (in) Etsy. I search for random things, or just browse by topic. Sometimes I click on something I like, then some clicks later I'm in an entirely different shop looking at something completely opposite of what I originally was 'looking for.' In one of my late night browsing sprees I stumbled on Creative Chics - 'Womens Handmade Aprons in Custom Designs; Classy, Feminine, Traditional, Sexy and Cute Kitsch.'

To sum it up... Aprons to die for! As I was looking through these awesome aprons I kept thinking ' I want a dress (or skirt) like that!

My favorite!!!

Love LoVe LOVE!!!

About Creative Chics (from their welcome page)

'You could say Creative Chics was “born” when Mom started making all of my childhood clothing, little girl dresses and cute outfits 40+ years ago. A few years ago we dusted off our sewing machines and started sewing together, enjoying a past time we had long set aside but never forgotten. And with that we forged a new mother/daughter relationship of love, honor and respect for each other.

So we (Mom Freda and daughter Debbie) decided we had to find a way to support our refound love of sewing, of compulsively collecting fabrics until our shelves were overloaded. Let’s face it, how many aprons can any single family member really want! And yet we couldn’t stop creating them. In that instant Creative Chics was born, the brain child of this Mother Daughter duo.

Then along came Carol, my Aunt and Mom’s youngest sister, who also loves to sew. We convinced her to join us as she had years of sewing experience too. Within months we welcomed Yuriko, my new daughter in law into the Chics. She came with no sewing experience but lots of interest and ability and soon had her own sewing machine humming right alongside ours. My closest girlfriend joined us as the 5th Creative Chic when she moved back from Texas and was trying to decide how to fill her days. We welcomed her in to our group of Chics.

Most of us have business or technical backgrounds working outside the home but all of us have always loved being creative. Our jobs just never afforded us a true creative outlet…until now.

So there are 5 Creative Chics in all, each with unique tastes in fabric and style. We all work out of our home studios and meet up every few weeks for a product photo shoot, show and tell of all our new creations, and swap stories over lunch. I think each one of us can say without hesitation this is the best job we have ever had hands down. We love the camaraderie and the laughter we share, we love the creative outlet and ideas, we love the challenge of running our own business and seeing it succeed, we love hearing how our products have affected and touched the lives of our customers. But the biggest gift it has given us is the gift of each other.'

With 5 ladies working only on aprons, and prices ranging from $18.75- $45, you are bound to find a new 'kitchen dress' that suits you!

In communication with the shop Freda (for all the chics) wrote: 'We believe Creative Chics is an inspiration to women and entrepreneurs and hope your readers would feel the same.' I'd say (for me, at least) she hit the nail on the head!

Here are a few more that I just had to share!

How cute!

Isn't this amazing!?

Something about those flowers.

Reminds me of old diners.

Simply adorable!

I just really love the yellow paired with black and white. Incredible!

I'm not crazy... these would make gorgeous dresses, right?!

Just as well, they are gorgeous kitchen dresses.

Tasty! Southwestern Chili Eggrolls

2012-03-01T21:42:00.000-05:00

This is my creation from years ago when I first heard about White Chicken Chili. I babysat a boy daily and his mom brought over a seasoning packet (with some groceries). Just a glance at the photo on the spice packet and I knew this seasoning was destined to do far greater things... in Candy Land at least.

I used to make it with chicken and am bent like a hockey stick on not using chicken, I'm just not crazy about meat, and I don't like using meat in a big pot of chili or soup because it starts tasting weird to me the next day. Heat, cool, refridgarate repeat is not my favorite thing in the world, especially when it comes to meat. I used tofu for a while in the place of chicken and finally just decided why bother. Beans have protein... I'm good.

These days I start with a soup pot on medium heat.

I add 3 cans of plain Northern (white) Beans very well rinsed.

I add one can of well rinsed plain Black Beans.

(Using dry, canned or frozen beans works just as well)

Add a packet of White Chicken Chili seasoning.

(I'm working on making this from scratch, I'm sure it'll be much cheaper!)

I add 2 handfuls of frozen spinach in a colander and rinse it until it's not frozen.

(Just throwing it it frozen is fine, just don't add as much water to the pot later.)

I also add corn. I use rinsed frozen... I just add it until it looks right, probably a cup or so?

I add a little water to the pot at any point. The water gets reduced and thickens a little to make this concoction chili like instead of a pot of veggies.

Give it a few stirs and let it cook through.

It's a super quick meal as is, but has a ton of possibilities.

I like toasting mini wheat bagels, scratching a clove of garlic over the toasted tops, spreading a little peppercorn ranch over the bagel then spooning a little of this chili over top.

I also like to spread some chili in a tortilla shred some pepper jack cheese in there and fold up like a quesadilla and brown both sides. I use pepper corn ranch alone or mixed with a little avacado as a dip. YUM.

This chili is awesome over a baked potato or fries, even sweet potato fries.

I like to get those scoop shaped tortilla chips, and spoon a little chili with cheese, ranch, avacado ranch or cream cheese for little snack .

I have a habit of using eggroll wrappers on an entire pot these days.

Eggroll wrappers usually have instructions on how to wrap them. I suggest letting your chili get to room temp before wrapping them up. The wrappers won't be so soggy and fall apart as easy.

I reheat them in the toaster oven, and don't refridgarate until they have cooled completely.

They are best when fresh. I like a little peppercorn ranch or avacado peppercorn ranch to dip them in.

Giveaway- Win $120 with Contest Chest!

2012-02-27T03:53:00.000-05:00

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Handmade Monday! Winking Owl on Etsy

2012-02-27T00:01:00.000-05:00

While searching Etsy for 'apples' I came across this very awesome tablecloth from WinkingOwl:

My eye was immediately drawn to the small photos of 'other items' from this shop, and totally fell in love!

Unfortunately these are out of my budget at the time, but I can drool right?!

I have a love for peacocks.

I love this color!

After I contacted Winking Owl I was sent a link to the above item. My 'apple' thoughts motivated her to take some photos. I'm in love with everything about this photo, including the lucky cat!

What Winking Owl would like you to know-

' 2012 is starting to show itself as a stellar year and we are excited about what the future will bring to our boutique operation. We started the year off by moving our studio into a larger and brighter space. This move is allowing us the ability to think big and design even bigger. Please make sure to follow us as we continue to evolve and grow our line. '

What I've found out about Winking Owl...

First, I visited this website and this blog. I found this facebook page.

What I discovered was a very loving and talented person. Someone who has traveled, worked hard for other people and someone who cares about helping others in ways I only dream of. I am more than just inspired by this shops beautiful items. I am inspired by the woman(women?) behind this shop.

I've also concluded that I was almost certainly a Mexican woman in a past life. The vibrant colors are exactly my 'style'. I love every single item from this shop, sure I have favorites, but would be proud too own anything from Winking Owl. One day, I will! But, first things first, I need my own home to display such gorgeous things! Until my day comes, I'll just drool... come drool with me, or better yet buy yourself (or a friend) something beautiful!

Tasty! Tzatziki Sauce and Chicken Chunks

2012-02-23T00:01:00.113-05:00

I usually make a big pot of brown rice at the beginning of each week and then eat off of it throughout the week. I made yellow (saffron) rice this week instead. Even if I want yellow rice I usually still make the brown rice too. I didn't feel like both this week, so I only made the yellow.

My son and I shared this plate. He thinks it's really cool to eat off of the same plate...

My favorite thing to eat with yellow rice is black beans.

I put a few cups of black beans on medium heat with a small amount of water, a little ground cumin, a little salt and pepper and a pinch of chili powder.

(These came from a can- I ALWAYS drain and rinse anything from a can a few times before cooking with it.)

Nothing goes better with black beans and yellow rice than Tzatziki. This is another item that is almost always in my fridge.

For my Tzatziki I pour a big tub (32oz) of Greek Yogurt into a bowl.

I like to drain it, but you don't have to if it's not dripping wet.

I peel, remove the seeds and chop half of a cucumber.

The cucumber will need to be drained. I put some white rice in a small bowl, add a few coffee filters, and sprinkle salt over the top.

I add minced garlic (maybe a tablespoon?) to the yogurt.

I usually use about a 1/8 -1/4 teaspoon of fresh dill.

I used dried dill for the first time ever this time, I had to use a lot more to get the flavor I wanted. Probably 1/2 teaspoon.

I know the fact that I don't measure is pretty aggravating, but we all have different tastes so I just think it's important to taste your food as you cook to see what you like. Always start out with a little, then you can add, once you add too much there's no turning back.

I add salt and black pepper to taste.

Then, add the cucumber once drained.

Sometimes I drain over night, this week I wanted my Tzatziki with my dinner so I only let it drain for about 30 minutes.

Mix it up and you're good to go. Like with salsa, the flavors get stronger as it sits in the fridge.

Chicken Chunks:

I like to make these for my son instead of giving him nuggets.

I clean boneless skinless chicken breasts.

Cut into bite size? (more like 2 bite sized) chunks.

In one dish I mix about half a cup of Greek (or plain) yogurt, pepper and garlic powder.

In another dish I mix wheat and white flour, and salt.

I roll the chicken chunks in the yogurt mix, then roll them around in the flour mix.

Then I bake or fry the chunks until they are golden brown and thoroughly cooked.

I place them on a baking sheet and place it in the freezer for a few hours.

Once frozen enough to not stick to each other I put them in a baggie or a freezer safe container.

Throughout the week I can give him 'nuggets'. 4 can be microwaved in 1 minute. Or baked at 425 for about 10-15 minutes.

I have tried to make pita bread so many flippin times and just am never satisfied with it! I've come SO close to great pita bread, but have not found my go-to recipe for it... so I just bought some from the store. While I was plating my food, I put a piece of pita on the burner the beans had been cooked on (heat off), flipping once, just to warm it up.

The yellow rice comes from a bag. I add a little olive oil to the water as it boils before adding the rice.

So that was some of what we ate this week!

Celebrating Hump Day with Charles Bukowski

2012-02-22T00:01:00.023-05:00

Charles Bukowski is my absolute favorite author ever.

Bukowski was born in Germany in 1920. His family moved to America when he was 3. He was first published when he was 20 years old, but it wasn't until he was 40 that his first book was published. Less than 50 of his published books are still in print.
He is absolutely hysterical. I am always laughing out loud when I read his work. I've never enjoyed someone's story telling as much as I do his. When I read Bukowski, I feel it. I get lost in his words and am unreachable to the world and I absolutely love him for that. A few of his books were made into movies. You can also find some movies of him reading and just talking about life. I'm not sure how many people could sit through it. But I'm so in love with him I watch every second and hear every word.

My collection includes these Bukowski books, one day I hope to have them all:

Notes Of A Dirty Old Man

Post Office

Factotum

made into a movie

Women

Ham On Rye
on of my favorites

Hot Water Music

The Most Beautiful Woman In Town And Other Stories

Tales Of Ordinary Madness

I love this one and gave it to a friend... I shouldn't have

The Movie: "Barfly"
Mickey Rourke plays Hank and is incredible!

Hollywood

Run With The Hunted

Pulp

Living On Luck Vol. 2

The Captain Is Out To Lunch And The Sailors Have Taken Over The Ship

Charles Bukowski Selected Letters Vol. 2 65-70

Charles Bukowski Selected Letters Vol. 4 87-94

Charles Bukowski new poems Book 1

Onthebus-Winter 93/Spring 94-Issue 13 (Onthebus- A New Literary Magazine, Issue 13)

Handmade Mondays!

2012-02-20T22:11:00.000-05:00

I spend a lot of time browsing Etsy. I LOVE seeing what people make... I also love vintage, so Etsy is pretty much my favorite website. I browse it almost daily and am constantly finding some amazing shops!

I have an incredible love for handmade. I buy handmade every chance I get because I just think it's an important part of social and economic life. I have always been pretty crafty, and usually my friends (when I have them) are crafty too. Because of that, I think I can understand and appreciate other peoples work and it's true worth.

I've decided to try 'Handmade Monday's' here on Tenuous Thoughts of Candy. My intentions are to feature a different shop, store, or crafty person each week.

Shops featured on Handmade Mondays are just shops or sites whose items or art caught my eye. These are not shops I've actually made a purchase from or have any type of review scheduled with. The purpose of these posts will be to highlight the things I'm finding and want to share with other people. If I make a purchase from a shop and/or review their products those posts will be titled with 'Tenuous Thought of...'.

I've got a few few shops interested and I will have my first Handmade Monday post next week.

If you know of a handmade shop who'd like to be featured here on Tenuous Thoughts of Candy, please contact me. Having an Etsy shop is not required to have a feature posted. I do ask that the shop/person is aware that a post will be made and prefer that the shop owner or creators write a small about us, or what we'd like you to know bit for me to include in the post. Any sales or coupon codes are welcome, and photos of actual products are required.

Tenuous Thoughts of the Cinnamon Bun Coffee Bar from Great Cakes Soapworks!

2012-02-20T06:18:00.001-05:00

Cinnamon Bun Coffee Soap

I ordered this bar from Great Cakes Soapworks for the kitchen. The smell is amazing! I actually don't smell the coffee, just the cinnamon bun. It is awesome! I cut my soap bar so I'm only using 1/5 of the bar. I have a 3 year old and if he gets a hold of a bar of soap it magically shrinks to the size of a quarter in no time. I'm not risking that with these soaps. 1/5 of the bar is plenty. Before I even used the soap the entire kitchen smelled amazing. So good that I got the rest of the bar from under my cabinet in the bathroom and put it on top of my TV so my room would smell yummy too. It worked.

Don't you just love that swirl?!

I was a little worried the cinnamon would burn my skin (I'm very sensitive).... I should have known better, Amy knows what's she's doing. No irritation, no redness. I didn't have a strong smell to clean up after, but my hands were a little greasy. I'm happy to report the soap took care of the grease. The lather is awesome. I was kind of expecting the smell to linger on my hands once washed, but it didn't. I mean, if I put my hand to my nose I still smell it, but I'm not a walking cinnamon bun.

All in all, I'm in love with this bar! Get yourself one (or a few) here.

Free Shipping this weekend from Etsy seller: NatsKnapSack!

2012-02-18T23:44:00.000-05:00

I was strolling through new items on Etsy today, because that's what I do with my time... and I came across these cute earrings from NatsKnapSack :

I think they are really simple and cute, so I 'hearted' them.

Shorty after, I got a message from Natassia letting me know that she was offering Free Shipping this weekend when you use the code 'justbecause' during checkout.

She offers simple, customizable jewelry. Here are a few more pieces that caught my eye.

Tenuous Thoughts of the Beer and Patchouli Shampoo Bar from Great Cakes Soapworks!

2012-02-17T23:21:00.002-05:00

I actually got my package on Monday (I ordered Friday night I believe). So, super fast shipping!

Amy packed it with care... this photo was an after thought... after I already tore through the tape and went digging into my goodies!

What was in the box?

these sample sized soaps were included in my Soap Grab Bag!

Amy added a sample size of her Natural Facial Moisturizer because I placed such a 'great' order! I won't argue with that!

As you can see, I got a TON of goodies.

I'm going to start my reviews of Great Cake Soapworks products with the shampoo bar. I'd like to give thoughtful and useful reviews, and if I pile reviews of every item I ordered this post would be so painfully long not even I would be able to sit through it. And, I pretty much don't get sick of talking about these soaps!

Beer & Seaweed Shampoo Bar- Deep Patchouli

I. Love. It. I'm a minimalist when it comes to hair care anyway, so switching from a regular shampoo to the bar was a piece of cake for me. I used to wash my hair with baking soda... yep... followed by an apple cider vinegar rinse. Using the shampoo bar is WAS easier than the whole baking soda ordeal.

My hair is about 5 inches past my shoulders. There is dye in my hair, but only towards the bottom, I dyed it a while ago to match my roots a beautiful (ha!) dishwater dark blonde/light brown with a newly noticed reddish hue... I'm trying really hard to get used to my natural hair color. It has changed so much since I got pregnant. Honestly, I have dyed my hair so much in my life I am just used to seeing me in something more fun- like purple! If there is any damage it is at the tips from a year ago when I used a flat iron on it about once a week, would blow dry it just as often.

I do not currently use products in my hair. I do not blow dry, flat iron, curl or brush my hair.

Now that you know about my hair, here is what I think about the shampoo bar:

The lather on this bar is amazing! When I used it the first time I sat in the tub and thought... did I not rinse all of the shampoo from my hair last time or something?... the lather was THAT good! I seriously thought for a minute maybe I wasn't rinsing the back of my head well enough when using shampoo. Then of course I realized, my shampoo didn't lather that much for me, so it had to be the shampoo bar!

With the first wash I did not rinse with vinegar because I wanted to know what the shampoo bar could do on it's own. While still in the tub I was able to get my fingers through my hair. After a light towel dry, I was still able to get my hands through my hair. Once dry, my hair had more body, more wave, but was a bit frizzy- not horrible at all, just noticeable to me.

The second wash (a different day) I used the vinegar rinse and my hair is just like it always was with regular shampoo and conditioner- just smelled better! No kidding! I can't wait to see how my hair does after more washes. I know I have residue from my commercial products. I wouldn't be surprised if after time I get a little more body out of my hair, once the residue is gone and not weighing down my thin hair.

I Skype with my sister on the regular, I showed her my hair today and she was shocked! She has been hearing about Great Cakes Soapworks from me for about a month. When I got my box I called her immediately and showed her on Skype everything I got. She doesn't know it yet, but I'll be sending her a few things. She is actually curious about the shampoo bars now too after seeing my hair today. She really could not believe it. I know when I was talking about the shampoo bar and rinsing with vinegar she thought I had lost my mind. Even though I have more soap than I can use right now, I'm already thinking of my next order. I have an addiction! I love her, but she's not getting my shampoo bar! I'll be sure to grab her one with my next order though.

UPDATE 2/20/12: I totally forgot to mention the smell of this bar. If you like Patchouli you'll love it. My whole bathroom smells like Patchouli (constantly). My hair also has the lingering smell of Patchouli. I love it!

Also, I washed my son's hair with this bar last night and the results were awesome! I actually don't wash my son's hair unless he has played outside or... he has paint in his hair, like last night. His hair is kind of long and tends to get knotty in the back. No conditioner needed, no tangles. I was very impressed.

UPDATE 2/25/12: These are my 'after' photos. After I used the shampoo bar for the first time. I did not do a vinegar rinse. I did not think to take a before... I also forgot I took these photos until I uploaded from my camera. I'm really bad about taking photos, and remembering to upload them. Forgive me!

See the frizz? You can see the in the other photos that it wasn't noticeable. If this is how my hair looks everyday now that I'm using this bar... fine by me! I think it looks great. With store bought my hair dried almost straight. All this wave and curl looks pretty awesome! And, with the AC Vinegar rinse the frizz is gone.

Tenuous Thoughts about Sneakpeeq

2012-02-17T21:54:00.001-05:00

I just made my second purchase from Sneakpeeq and wanted to share.

I really enjoy this particular daily deal type site. I am always finding something cool at Sneakpeeq. I just like to look at things, I don't have to buy anything... but sometimes I do!

My first purchase was a set of 4 organic fair trade dark chocolate bars I ended up getting for $1 shipped! I had planned on posting about them after I got them... but they were gone very quickly. I shared with my mom and son next thing I knew... nothing was left. I'm not into photography, so I have to make it a point to take a photo, and I just forgot until it was too late.

Today I bought 2 14oz glass bottles from Faucet Face on Sneakpeeq for about $14 shipped. I'm in love! I drink water out of a reusable stainless steel water bottle that used to have Batman symbols all over it... I use it so much (all day every day) that they wore off, so now it's just black... sigh... anyway. I drink lemonade at least once a day, and like to have lemon water to start my day, but I don't like the thought of the lemon juice and metal. My teeth hurt just thinking about it. So when I saw these adorable glass bottles I fell in love. They have lids so I can return unfinished drinks to the fridge without them tasting stale next time around.

Cute huh? I had a $10 credit I earned at some point for sharing or shopping, not sure which. If you are new to Sneakpeeq I believe you will get a $10 credit for signing up!

*If you click a link on this post to go to Sneakpeeq and register I may receive a referral credit.*

Tenuous Thoughts of Candy

I got an Orgreenics pan! and I approve!

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Facebook Blast Amazon Sweepstakes

Superdeal! *3* Tubes Sunscreen $25, $22.50 after code

I got a Dream Number Bed!

Handmade Monday! Agorables on Etsy

Amazon Twitter Blast- Win It!

Handmade Monday! Knob Creek Metal Arts on Etsy

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Celebrating Hump Day with Peyton Manning

Handmade Monday! Creative Chics on Etsy

Tasty! Southwestern Chili Eggrolls

Giveaway- Win $120 with Contest Chest!

Handmade Monday! Winking Owl on Etsy

Tasty! Tzatziki Sauce and Chicken Chunks

Celebrating Hump Day with Charles Bukowski

Handmade Mondays!

Tenuous Thoughts of the Cinnamon Bun Coffee Bar from Great Cakes Soapworks!

Cinnamon Bun Coffee Soap

Don't you just love that swirl?!

All in all, I'm in love with this bar! Get yourself one (or a few) here.

Free Shipping this weekend from Etsy seller: NatsKnapSack!

Tenuous Thoughts of the Beer and Patchouli Shampoo Bar from Great Cakes Soapworks!

Beer & Seaweed Shampoo Bar- Deep Patchouli

Tenuous Thoughts about Sneakpeeq

Superdeal! 3 Tubes Sunscreen $25, $22.50 after code