Wine Pick Of The Day! Black Stallion Napa Valley Chardonnay

Running off to Papa Joes to grab some things for dinner and a bottle of wine I could not find my old stand by, Kendall Jackson Chardonnay!

So standing trying to decide the Sommelier asked if he could help. I explained that my usual was missing on the shelf. By that time I had already had a bottle that was on special in my hand.

Stunned, he said that they would never run out of Kendall Jackson again! He also went on to talk about Kendall Jackson and how it is a poo pooed wine by many and shouldn't be. I told him I like the smooth buttery oaky taste, not too fruity. He agreed and went on to say that Kendall Jackson has been around a very very long time and they can afford to use oak barrels, which other winery's may not have that luxury. He also went on to say that Kendall Jackson puts out some amazing fabulous wines. He isn't sure why the name may turn some off.

So okay, here were are the wine in hand, which he said was an excellent choice, is similar to my favorite so I won't be disappointed!

He was right..... LOVE it! Will purchase again. Smooth with a soft oak flavor, not too fruity.

Black Stallion Estate Winery

Napa Valley

2009 Chardonnay

$15.99

Black Stallion Estate Winery located on Silverado Trail, Napa Valley is a Boutique Winery, wonderful wines worth trying.

Happy Tasting ;)

Soak Veggies In Lemon Water To Help Wash Off Pesticides

If you cannot buy organic or do and also purchase non organic fruits and vegetables here is a tip to help remove all the pesticides.

Soak fruits and vegetables in lemon water for 20 minutes before using.

I used to just wash with soap and water so yesterday I read to soak in lemon water to help remove pesticides found on the skin.

Take a gallon container fill with water and add lemon juice, I have that big ol bottle of lemon juice that never gets used up, so I used that. I just poured in about three tablespoons or so.

While I was preparing dinner I tossed in the cucumber, yellow squash, zucchini, and my tomatoes (I also still rinsed with soap and water).

This morning I knew our grapes I bought were not organic so I soaked them before putting them in the kids lunches.

Happy Springtime :)

Wine Pick Of The Day! Domaine Chandon Vintage Brut

The review from Wine Enthusiast was on point. The hazelnut is exactly what I tasted and couldn't pin point it until I looked it up! Happy, happy!

Average cost: $15.99

Reviews of N.V. Domaine Chandon Vintage Brut

90 points, Wine Enthusiast
December 2006
On the sweet side, but so nicely acidified and delicious in fruit that you hardly notice the sugar, which just gives the wine a round softness. Beautiful hazelnut, peaches-and-cream and vanilla flavors, with a touch of raspberry zest. — S.H.

Recovering from Cheating on Your Low Carb Diet

Being on a diet is hard enough. Keeping your self esteem up during dieting is even harder. Falling off the diet pulls one down into a even deeper hole which is sometimes hard to climb out of.

Here is an interesting article for you to read.

Recovering from Cheating on Your Low Carb Diet

I have been trying to get ready for bikini season.... well not so many bikini's for me anymore at my age :/ Anyway, I have been on a low carb diet. Lot's of protein the first week, then slowly introducing carbs, the healthy ones the second week. I have found out that by cutting carbs made me hungry within about four hours. So the article mentions carrying some low carbs snacks with you which makes sense. I get so hungry I couldn't stand it. It was like I haven't eaten in days. My stomach would growl and I would race to the kitchen as soon as I walked in the door.

After I figured this out I now eat more often. No more skipping a breakfast and eat at noon like I used to be able to do when I was younger.

I have also noticed that I eat less at dinner. I get fuller faster and can push my plate aside and not sit there and continue to shovel it in.

Don't be so hard on your self. Don't weigh yourself every day. Some Dr. said once a month. Your weight fluctuates up and down with water weight and can tend to chew away at your self esteem.

Happy Spring ;)

Tip Of The Day: Cooking Chick Peas

Chick Peas are a healthy addition to your diet. Cooking them yourself vs. purchasing them in the can is much healthier, no preservatives and you control the sodium ;)

The Tip Of The Day: Don't Cook Chick Peas With Salt, It Makes Them Tough!

Soak Chick Peas over night in water. This helps them cook faster.

Add some aromatics to the water, onion quartered, and a bay leaf.

Cover with water and cook until tender. Peas are done when you can squish them.

1/2 cup green olives pitted and slice

2 garlic cloves chopped

1 lemon - zest lemon set aside, reserve juice

Salt

Fresh ground pepper

Fresh parsley

Saute garlic in olive oil for a minute or so, add chick peas and mash with potato masher, heat through, add olives, lemon zest, lemon juice from 1/2 lemon, salt, pepper and fresh parsley.

Serve.

Housewives Bethany Frankel Sells Skinny Girl Brand

Bethany Frankel Sells her Skinnygirl Brand for Millions. Former Housewive of NYC Bethaney has been very busy writing cookbooks and concocting her Skinnygirl Margarita mix that has only 100 calories per serving.

Read more from CNN Bethenny Frankel Sells Skinnygirl Brand

Happy Cooking ;)

The One Item In Your Purse Covered With Germs & Bacteria

The one item in your purse that has the most Germs and Bacteria is:

Your Car Keys!

Do not let your Baby chew on them!

Be sure to sanitize them regularly! Think about it. Where have your keys been? When was the last time they had a bath?

Happy Cooking!

Recipes with Bacon, Bacon, Bacon!

To get a wonder recipe made with everyone's favorite meat "Bacon" click here: Bacon

Happy Cooking :)

Does Eating Sugar Cause Wrinkles?

Eating Sugar does cause wrinkles! Per Dr. Oz!

Eating too much sugar causes the sugar to bind to proteins to and in turn breaks down the Elastin in your skin especially over the age of 35!

Women should only have 6 tsp per day.

Men should only have 9 tsp per day.

To learn more about Elastin: Elastin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Honey Mustard Ham Glaze

Our Friends from Lucky Leaf have sent us some wonderful recipes and Musselman's Apple Sauce to try out and pass along to my readers. We hope you enjoy these are yummy!

2 cups Musselman's Apple Sauce

1 cup honey

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 - 3 Tbsp. dijon mustard

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Prepare and cook your ham per instructions on the package.

30 minutes before the ham is done remove from oven and bush entire ham with glaze. Return to oven and glaze every 10 minutes or so until the ham is done and has reached an internal temp 0f 155F.

Happy Cooking

Maple Citrus Ham Glaze

Maple Citrus Ham Glaze

Our Friends at Lucky Leaf have sent me over some Musselman's Apple Sauce to try in this recipe. The recipe is simple and delicious so enjoy!

2 cups Musselman's Apple Sauce

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup butter

1 tsp. grated orange peel

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan, while stirring, heat until butter melts.

Prepare and cook your ham per instructions on the package.

30 minutes before the ham is done, remove from oven and with a brush cover the entire ham with the Maple Citrus Ham Glaze. Continue to glaze every 10 minutes or so as the ham finishes cooking. Your ham is done when it reaches the internal temperature of 155F. You can heat and reduce slightly the remaining glaze to be used as a sauce.

Happy Cooking.

Tip Of The Day: Top 12 Fruits & Vegetables to Buy Organic

Great Tip Of The Day: When buying Organic's why not save some money!

You can purchase non-organic item's that are safe and for a lot less. Thick skinned items such as lemons, melons, bananas, cucumbers etc... are sprayed with pesticides that can be washed off with soap and water or can be peeled.

It's the soft skinned fruits and veggies that you need to buy organic if you do so. Lettuces, Greens and most of all berries!

Here is a list of the top 12 Organics you should buy from About.com Gourmet Food:

The Top Twelve Fruits & Vegetables to Buy Organic

Check it out you will be surprised!

Happy Cooking ;)

Tip Of The Day: Maintain Your Leather Furniture's Oils With Help From The Steam Team

I like to stick to the Foodie posts in my blog but sometimes we like to make room for our Sponsors. So I try to bring in some helpful tips from those Sponsors not just "an ad" to sell their product.

The Steam Team in Austin is a cleaning service. I have been reviewing their site and came across some helpful information new to me and want to pass along to my readers.

The page I came across was leather furniture cleaning tips from their leather furniture cleaning service austin site. I have a few leather pieces as well as my Fathers old leather chair that is very sentimental to me. I did not know that dyed leather furniture has been treated with special oils to protect and moisturize the leather which it is no longer able to do on it's own. And that it needs to be redone every fews years! The oils need to be removed and then replaced???? Really!

This prevents fading, smells and discoloration and needs to be redone every so often. That is why leather furniture cleaning service austin also offers this service in their business. It is up to the owner of the leather furniture to know this! And for what ever reason the furniture store that you purchase it from really does not tell you! They just want to sell you their line of Scotch Guard or some other product to up their sales.

So go online and read about maintaining your valuable pieces of furniture!

Spring Time Uniform Shopping With Bluesky

Wandering around the house waiting for Spring time to arrive I know I am big time! So why not go shopping. I don't leave the house if I don't have to. After dropping of the kids at school, laundry, dishes who has the time?

We are in need of some bright Spring colors to cheer and warm our hearts. Blue Sky Scrubs can help in that department. Bouncing around their site they have some really fun Spring colors of every kind of scrubs and lab coats.

Gone are days when you go to Dr. and see the nurse in those stark white uniforms. Almost giving you a strange sterile feeling. Just like in Fashion the work place has evolved and moved forward. Blue Sky Scrubs has been leading the pack in the nursing uniform department.

Scrub hats are now in many trendy colors and are available more and more. One place Blue Sky is the place to buy nursing uniforms check them out. Don't be left out.