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Recipe ideas for entertaining, and recipes for feeding beautiful hair and skin. Food, smoothies, dessert, and drink recipes to try for Kentucky Derby, Summer picnics, and more.

Entertaining: Minos Moka Pot 6 Cup Espresso Maker

October 7, 2016 · Leave a Comment

Nothing makes your morning like a good cup of coffee or two. While I love a morning Starbucks run, I am often in a rush and don’t have the time to stop. For me, quality coffee equipment to make coffee beverages myself is a worthwhile investment. I have invested in a few espresso and coffee maker machines over the years. But nothing beats the kind of espresso my Grandmother would make for us in an old-fashioned Moka espresso maker directly on the stovetop. Minos has done it one better than what our Grandmother used in their Minos Moka Pot Espresso Maker It is a modern updated twist on a classic.

Minos Moka Pot 6 Cup Espresso Maker

The Minos Moka Pot Espresso Maker is a convenient way to get your morning (or afternoon) caffeine fix of artisan style espresso coffee. It makes up to six cups of espresso at once. In this case, a “cup” means espresso cup sized portions, or “shots,” not a full coffee mug sized “cup.” In total, it makes about nine to ten ounces total of espresso. If you are used to ordering your favorite Starbucks beverage with multiple shots of espresso, this Moka is a good size for one to two people, or enough to serve a traditional espresso with a twist of lemon after a meal.

Some features:
1) It is Stainless Steel. This is important as the coffee oils build up over time and create a richer coffee taste. It is also important so that you get a long-lasting Moka pot. A sturdy one can last for years, my Grandmother’s Moka lasted since the 60’s. This Minos Moka Pot seems much sturdier to me.
2) It also has Stainless Steel and switchable, colorful Silicon Handle options. This is a cool, practical and innovative modern twist. The reason for this option is because while Moka Pots last a long time, the handles are often the first to break or melt due to intense heat. The spare handles extend the life of your Moka pot if the handle starts to melt. They are also useful if you wish to color coordinate to match your kitchen or bar area.
3) It is suitable for Gas, Electric And Ceramic Stovetops

Minos Moka Pot 6 Cup Espresso Maker

HOW TO USE THE MINOS MOKA POT EXPRESSO MAKER

The Moka pot comes with easy step-by-step instructions. Here is how to use it:

1) Remove the tamper and funnel from the inside of the coffeemaker
2) Pour cold water into the bottom chamber. Fill up to one cm below the safety valve. This is roughly between 1/2 inch and .75 of an inch. When in doubt, fill with less water so that the safety valve is NOT submerged.
3) Grind fresh coffee beans to a medium to coarse grind. A fine grind will block the funnel. Alternatively, you can use pre-ground espresso.
4) Place the funnel inside the bottom chamber
5) Fill the funnel with ground coffee until it is full.
6) Using the tamper, flatten the grounds so that they are level with the top of the funnel.
7) Brush away any grounds that have spilled on the threads or funnel top.
8) Remove the tamper from the funnel. DO NOT LEAVE IN THE TAMPER DURING OPERATION.
9) Tightly screw on the top of the Moka pot.
10) Place Moka pot onto a heat source.
11) Keep the cover (the lid) open while brewing.
12) Turn off the heat once the coffee stops coming out of the tube.
13) Add espresso directly to your coffeehouse-style beverage or for a traditional espresso style drink, pour espresso into espresso cups and add a small curl of lemon peel.

CONCLUSION: This is a high-quality Moka Pot made of sturdy stainless steel. It looks sleek and attractive. It is easy to clean and use, and best of all, it makes tasty artisan espresso that would make any Grandmother proud. A quality Moka pot like this one, with proper care, can last a lifetime and is an excellent investment for entertaining friends with a traditional post-dinner espresso or your own personal coffee needs. I am very happy to have gotten this Minos Moka pot for my daily coffee fix!

Buy it here.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIFMpioYIwQ[/embedyt]

I received this item for testing and review purposes. If you have any questions about my experience with it, leave it in the comments section below, and Iâ€™ll do my best to answer it!

How to Drink More Water: THE COLDEST WATER BOTTLE

October 4, 2016 · Leave a Comment

BEAUTY & WATER:
One of the best beauty-enhancing daily habits you can have is to drink lots of water. It keeps your skin glowing and unclogged of toxins; it gives you energy, and it helps manage weight gain. You really can’t beat the dewy glow from being well-hydrated. This is not news by any means, but it is worth discussing because accomplishing this basic beauty habit is easier said than done: guzzling your daily water intake can seem unappealing when compared to drinking delicious coffee and sugary beverages.

But it is a worthwhile beauty goal. According to a recent study, 20% of women that drank 1.5 liters of water daily saw a reduction in wrinkles after six weeks. In another study, people reported clearer skin and less acne within a week of drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day. So how much water should you drink and what can help make that water appealing enough to meet your water consumption goal?

HOW MUCH WATER TO DRINK?
There are various opinions on how much water one should consume daily. For the sake of your skin, it is typically 4-5 glasses a day. This is the amount needed for your organs to function properly and remove toxins from your body, including the skin. This amount also helps with clearing acne. The amount of water required varies a bit from person to person based on your weight and other health issues. As a general guide, you are hydrated enough if your urine is a light wheat color. If not, you are dehydrated, whether you feel thirsty or not.

To avoid dehydration, keep sipping water throughout the day.

THE COLDEST WATER BOTTLE: HOW TO MAKE IT A DAILY WATER DRINKING HABIT APPEALING
Some people like to add a slice of lemon or infuse their water with fruit. This is helpful to make your daily water intake taste more appealing. But the biggest aid to making daily water consumption easier is often the temperature of the water: chilled water is energizing and refreshing, especially after a workout or on a hot day. Cold water is just easier to drink. It is also helpful for burning extra calories: your body burns more calories with cold water than drinking tepid, warm or hot water.

The Coldest Water Bottle is an easily portable water that keeps water at a cold temperature, providing access to icy-cold water that stays at an even cold temperature all day. It is not just a water bottle with an ice core center insert that keeps the water cooler inside the bottle. The Coldest Water Bottle keeps water at a constant ICE COLD temperature for up to 25 hours, and any ice in the bottle stays in ice form during that time.

THE COLDEST WATER BOTTLE

CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN
Made of stainless steel, it is a long-lasting, quality water bottle that does not need to be frequently replaced like plastic bottles. It uses double wall insulation with materials designed to keep water cold for more than 25 hours with no sweating. It floats in oceans and pools and its 99% of cup holders, so you have no excuse NOT to get your daily water intake. BPA and toxin free, it is safer than other water bottles that can quickly harbor bacteria (and odor) within its’ plastic walls.

It is made for athletes but is suitable for any environmentally conscious person who wants to carry cold water with them throughout the day or for a late-day workout. The Coldest Water bottle is intended for lifetime use.

PUTTING COLDEST WATER BOTTLE TO THE TEST
THE PROBLEM: The gym I belong to has ice-cold bottled water chilled in a vending machine for $2.50 a bottle, and each pilates class or gym session I would typically need two of these 12-ounce bottles. And sometimes after a particularly busy class, the vending machine runs out of water entirely. I tried to bring my bottled water, but I wanted the *COLD* water during and after my workout. The problem is, I go to the gym after work, so if I bring water from home, it would have to stay cold for about 11 hours by the time I get to the gym.

TESTING THE COLDEST WATER BOTTLE: Turns out, the Coldest Water Bottle keeps water cold for a very long time, it keeps water cold all day and keeps a full bottle cold for a late-day workout. The ice cubes stay as ice cubes; they don’t substantially melt. I filled the bottle with ice cubes and cold water from the tap at around 7 A.M. Ten hours later the ice was still in ice cube form with no melting or “sweating.” In the meantime, the bottle sat in the warm car without the benefit of air conditioning. When I drank my water at the gym, almost twelve hours later, it was still ice cold! Pretty impressive. The leftover ice stayed unmelted afterward until I dumped it out when I got home that night, a few hours after my workout, probably hour 16 at that point. Very nice!

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaymAIT94uw[/embedyt]

CONCLUSION: A sturdy, well-constructed water bottle, just fill it with water and ice and go. Carrying a Coldest Water Bottle will remind you to drink water and keep track of how much you are drinking. It is the perfect bottle for athletes, Mom’s with thirsty kids, campers, beach-goers, or anyone who wants to have access to cold water during the day. I also find it useful for keeping some cold water in a car during the summer to stay hydrated in the case of unexpected delays or emergencies.

The Coldest Water Bottle is an environmentally friendly, cost-effective choice, saving you from buying repeated plastic water bottles. The stainless steel is sturdy without being too heavy to carry in my bag. Since I have had the bottle, I have remembered to bring water with me each day, and it stays ice cold in my bag while I am in transit. The bottle does not leak, so it is safe to put in your backpack or briefcase. The stainless steel naturally is bacteria resistant, which feels cleaner to transport around places like the gym. Since I have had the Coldest Water Bottle, I stay hydrated at the gym, at work, and I haven’t had to buy chilled plastic bottled water when I am out. A very worthwhile investment that saves both the environment and saves money on bottled water costs.

Find this great bottle at TheColdestWater.com

THE COLDEST WATER BOTTLE

I received this product in exchange for my unbiased review and received compensation for my time and effort. However, my experience with the product and the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine.

How to Infuse Olive Oil: Domestic Corner Precision No Drip Oil and Vinegar Infuser and Dispenser

September 28, 2016 · Leave a Comment

My mother’s side of the family (the Italian side) has been in the food business for six generation. Anytime we’d go out to a restaurant with our grandmother, there was always an analysis of any particularly good dish and how she could duplicate it at home. I remember a time we were enjoying a particularly excellent bread that came with a lemon infused olive oil for dipping. It wasn’t a tremendously pronounced lemon taste. There was no acidity to it at all. Just a light, fresh, slight taste of lemon that did not overpower the taste of the olive oil (if you are using a high-quality oil, then it should taste good on its own merits.) It was simply a co-existing lemon note to the olive note.

Of course, Granny made it better at home.

I have tried to duplicate the recipe, but I have always found dedicated olive oil infusers to be messy, or I have had difficulty pouring out the right amount of oil. Whether it is adding it to a recipe or onto a salad, the right amount of olive oil can make or break a dish. So I am very happy to have found Domestic Corner’s Precision No Drip Oil and Vinegar Infuser and Dispenser.

Domestic Corner Precision No Drip Oil and Vinegar Infuser and Dispenser

First off, this is one good looking dispenser. It is made of thick, high-quality glass and has a Louboutin Red stripe where the dispenser button is located. It is also a generous size: 17 oz, which allows for infusing and dispensing larger quantities of oil. If you use olive oil regularly or are feeding a group, it’s great to be able to infuse and decant either a little or a lot of oil.

Second, it is incredibly easy to measure exactly how much oil you want to use. By pressing the button on the bottle, oil is brought to the measuring chamber at the top. You can see the measurements exactly – teaspoon, tablespoon, even milliliters. From there you can easily and precisely drizzle the oil onto your dish. There is no sputtering or uneven pouring, just a slow, controlled dispensation.

If you are interested in infusing your oil, there are plenty of recipes on the internet, but here is my spin on the lemon-infused olive oil recipe: peel the rind of a lemon in thin strips (ideally a Meyer Lemon, as it will have a lemon taste with less acidity.) Twist the strips gently to extract the lemon oil. Add them to the olive oil and leave it in the oil for 12 hours. It will produce a light, fresh lemon taste without being too tart or overpowering.

Domestic Corner Precision No Drip Oil and Vinegar Infuser and Dispenser

An “off-label” use for this item is for beauty. If you use an oil like Safflower Oil on your skin, this is a fantastic way to dispense the right amount of oil for use without contaminating the rest of the product.

Find it here.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vR60mVFHxYw[/embedyt]

I received this item for testing and review purposes. If you have any questions about my experience with it, leave it in the comments section below, and Iâ€™ll do my best to answer it!

Entertaining: SHIKSHOOK Professional Cocktail Shaker Set

September 24, 2016 · Leave a Comment

I don’t drink just for the sake of drinking; I want to enjoy my drink. I also don’t like noisy bars, so being able to make an enjoyable drink at home is a definite plus for me. Plus, I don’t have to tip myself $7 if I want a complicated drink. So I’m loving the SHIKSHOOK Professional Cocktail Shaker Set.

SHIKSHOOK Professional Cocktail Shaker Set

First of all, I like the size. It holds 25oz, which is a decent size for drinks that need to be shaken over ice or to serve multiple people at once. I have friends who make the most amazing margarita you can imagine, but their shaker set of choice can only do one 3oz drink per time. Each drink is laborious, but if they had this shaker set, they would be able to make more than one at a time. I was able to make three decent sized Martinis.

This set comes with everything you need. It comes with a high-quality Cocktail Shaker with a built in strainer. The large 25 oz size allows for ice or other ingredients to be added without crowding out the actual drink ingredients. I am impressed that the strainer kept all of the crushed ice out of the drink when I was pouring it, but it poured at a reasonable speed.

I’m used to just eyeballing amounts when it comes to drinks, but to make a truly sublime drink, amounts should be exact. That is why I like the Double Jigger to measure and pour ingredients. One side measures out 1oz, the other side a half ounce.

There are two bottle pourers that fit very well into the various bottles I tried them in and made it far easier to measure into the Jigger.

SHIKSHOOK Professional Cocktail Shaker Set

All of this comes with a lovely velvet storage bag and a recipe e-book so you can get started making quality cocktails on your own!

SHIKSHOOK Professional Cocktail Shaker Set

I’m looking forward to using this for brunches with friends. Over the years I’ve found that Mimosas are far better if mixed (in this case, stirred, not shaken) and then poured than mixed in the flute.

Find the ShikShook Set here.

Espresso Martini made with SHIKSHOOK Professional Cocktail Shaker Set

Here’s a clip of me spilling ingredients like I already had a drink in my system, when I didn’t – I’m just klutzy:

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTz0tlOQvNk[/embedyt]

I received this product for testing and review purposes. If you have any questions about my experience with it, leave it in the comments section below, and Iâ€™ll do my best to answer it!

Decor: Bib&Sola Hand Blown Glass Water Decanter

September 23, 2016 · Leave a Comment

This is a hand blown artisan glass water decanter. It has a vibrant, opaque infusion of color. I chose the blue to match the decor of my office. My office is very arid to forced heat and air conditioning, as well as the environment of the computers and equipment. My eyes and skin feel dry quickly. I got this decanter to remind myself to drink enough water during the day and thought it would be nice to have something stylish on my desk for some artistic flare that coordinates with my office decor, which has accents of cobalt and lapis blue as well as other artisan glass pieces.

Bib&Sola Hand Blown Glass Water Decanter

The decanter itself is heavy enough to not accidentally knock over (as I have accidentally done from time to time with Perrier bottles) yet not so heavy that it is hard to lift. The lip on the mouth makes for easy pouring, and it does not splash

Bib&Sola Hand Blown Glass Water Decanter

It does not come with the drinking glass; those are sold separately. However, plain or coordinating artisan glassware (such as the one I have in the picture) is easy enough to obtain on websites such as Etsy. They are also easy to paint yourself with glass painting kits. There are some bubbles in the colored glass that show it is hand made; they are not imperfections or blemishes.

Bib&Sola Hand Blown Glass Water Decanter

The decanter comes in a gift-worthy white box with company Bib&Sola logo; it is very suitable for gift giving, especially if you know someone’s colors for their kitchen, bar or dining area. At 1.2 liters it is suitable for use when serving dinner to guests as well. If giving as a gift, I might wash it first as it looked much nicer after rinsing it off. There seems to be some residual surface dust that washes off quickly, revealing more beautiful, quality piece.

It is nice to have a clear container on my desk that prompts me to drink the recommended 1.2 Liters a day, and generally, I prefer when my supervisor comes by, to have something more adult and professional on my desk such as this piece instead of plastic bottles that look sloppy.

Makes for a beautiful gift, I believe my photos are true to the color blue, a mid-blue that is not as dark as a lapis.

CONCLUSION: Nice artisan style piece that matches with several decors and is suitable for use in a kitchen, barware, dining room, or office setting.

Find the lovely Bib&Sola Hand Blown Glass Water Decanter here.

Bib&Sola Hand Blown Glass Water Decanter

I received this product at a discount for testing and review purposes. If you have any questions about my experience with it, leave it in the comments section below, and Iâ€™ll do my best to answer it!