Lately I have been getting into essential oils. I received a couple on promotion and they got me hooked so I decided to invest in getting a few to mix up the fragrances. There are a ton of brands around, ranging from really cheap fragrance oils to really expensive $60 for 15 ml jars which can be a bit of a rip off if the essential oil is not great quality. I am happy to announce that I will never know if they are good quality because there's no way I could ever justify spending that much money on one small jar. What is essential oil? In short, it's a natural oil that's extracted from plants and trees. It can be used for crafting, water diffuser's, consuming (be very careful doing that!), inhaling, and even used for medicinal purposes along with a carrier oil. Since I have now used a cool mist diffuser and an electric essential oil burner I am proud to announce that for essential oils you want them in a diffuser, fragrance oils you can throw in a burner. By burning oils the heat breaks down the properties and it's less effective depending on what you're using it for and can also kill the fragrance after a while. Keeping essential oils cool is just, overall, better for the oil. I had to experience it to believe it because I was hardcore about my oil burner but now I barely use it.
One of my favorite brands of essential oil is NOW Essential Oil. I have done a bit of research on what others use and I know this is considered medium to lower-grade oil but I find it really useful and it does help me immensely. I tend to purchase my oils from Amazon since I have a membership and I will be damn if I don't use it! They have a nice selection of different oils and the price is moderate which is right up my ally. I stick to price mainly because you can get carried away and start going for different oils that have snappy and snazzy claims like rewinding your internal clock so that you can live forever like on Fame or claiming that the higher-priced oils can cure diseases and keep you healthy by consuming. Young Living Essential Oils and doTERRA comes to mind. They have really interesting claims and guarantees but if you research a bit deeper you will find that they can claim certain terms because they have trademarked the term to try and give it more credence and there is a bit of in-fighting between the two companies. The word on the curb is that Young Living Essential Oils and doTERRA was once one company. So, some disgruntled higher ups didn't like the direction the company was going in so they resigned and then started their own company. Apparently they have taken a lot of patents and idea's from Young Living so they have been in and out of court over it. It's quite the story.
When I use essential oils I like to be in relax mode. Who can relax with that drama going on, right? That's where NOW steps in. I can use the oils, think of something soothing and let the fragrance take me on a mental journey depending on the fragrance mixture. There are other brands of essential oil if you really search but just make sure they are selling you oil and not a dream/marketing/promotion. I do use fragrance oil as well when I feel like smelling something that's not so much essential oil but just something to scent the room. PB&J Trading and Eternal Essence are two of my favorite fragrance oil companies. The fragrances are very nicely concentrated and the scent doesn't dissipate very easy. If you purchase from Amazon they are very cheap but you often have to pay for shipping which can be about as much as the fragrance. So, say there's a fragrance for $2.95, the shipping might be like $2.66 and then all together you would be paying a little under $6. The good thing is they last a long time since you don't need many drops.
Mixing oils to make a fragrance is one of my favorite past times. I mix essential oils and I also do the same thing for fragrance oils. Once you build up a decent collection the combinations are limitless. Since I am really new to the game of essential oils I have not learned all there is to learn about them yet but I'm slowly gaining knowledge. Listed below are some of my favorite combinations. As I gain more information and come up with more recipes I will create other posts. Enjoy!
Recipes: All have been tested with 150 ml of water. Depending on the brand of oils you get you can modify how much oil you need. If I choose to fill the diffuser up to 300 ml I will often up each amount of oil by one to two drops.
Fight Nausea (also works for headaches and yes, it does work!)
5 drops of Lavender essential oil
5 drops of Lemon essential oil
5 drops of Grapefruit essential oil
Sensual Night
6 drops of chocolate fragrance oil
2 drops of strawberry oil
2 drops of Vanilla essential oil
Fruity (smells like Skittles)
5 drops of Lemon essential oil
2 drops of Lime essential oil
5 drops of Orange essential oil
5 drops of strawberry fragrance oil
Uplifting
2 drops of Cedarwood essential oil
4 drops of Clove essential oil
4 drops of Lemon essential oil
4 drops of Orange essential oil
Orange Dream (my favorite!)
5 drops of Orange essential oil
5 drops of Vanilla essential oil
1 drop of Grapefruit oil
Relaxing Medley
5 drops of Vanilla essential oil
2 drops of Patchouli essential oil
2 drops of Cedarwood essential oil
2 drops of Clove essential oil
2 drops Ylang Ylang essential oil
Saturday, December 12, 2015
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Aroma Designs Essential Oil Diffuser, So Much Win! A Review
I can't begin to express how much I absolutely love this diffuser. I had a bad experience with one before I received this so I went into it a bit hesitant as I am used to essential oil burners and had never had real experience with a water-based diffuser. When I received it the box was a bit tiny and I had bad flashbacks to the other one I had just finished boxing back up and throwing in the closet but I was determined to try anyhow.
What comes in the box? You receive the diffuser, an a/c adapter, a cup to measure and an instruction pamphlet. The instructions serve an important purpose as they not only tell you how to operate the unit but they tell you how to keep it clean and functioning at full capacity. You definitely want to make sure that you keep the instructions handy. Extra kudos for not making the instructions so small that you have to grab a magnifying glass to read them, I know a lot of companies do this to save on paper usage but it's a slight inconvenience to the visually impaired.
How does it work? To assemble this diffuser you simply plug the a/c adapter into the outlet located
on the bottom of the unit, and then plug into the wall. Add up to 300 ml of water and then you get to the fun part. You can add any essential oils you wish to use. For 300 ml of water, and depending on the oil brand, I would add anywhere from 5-10 drops of oil. Less for more potent and expensive brands, more for fragrance oils that are more synthetic than essential oil. Once you add the oilsyou
put the top onto the unit and snap it into place. You will know it's closed tight when the arrow located towards the bottom of the top securely aligns with the arrow on the unit. To turn on the light you simply press the button on the left. If you select it once it rotates colors. If you select more than once you can cycle through the different colors that's provided and the colors no longer automatically shift. Each color has a dim setting and a brighter setting, back to back when you're pressing the button. You know that you have cycled through all the colors when the light goes all the way off when you press the button again.
The button on the right turns the diffuser on. You press and hold that button down until the green indicator comes on. From there you can press the button to cycle through the timer settings. When the unit comes on it's automatically on thirty minutes. If you press the button again you move to 60
minutes. The next option is 120 minutes and then the last option is just plain on. When you select the "on" settings the diffuser will keep going so long as there's a sufficient amount of water in the machine. When the water dips to a certain level it automatically shuts off. Please note that you are able to turn the light selection on without turning the diffuser on if you're looking for a nice night light or you can turn the diffuser on without turning on the light if you're looking to use this at night and don't want a glow in your face. The led on the front of the diffuser is a dim green. You can see it just fine but it's not overbearing or bothersome in dark settings.Overall I absolutely love this diffuser and it's changed my mind in how I view them. Before this I was more into just using an essential oil burner which heats up the oils with either a light bulb, motor or tea candle but after doing some research on burners vs diffusers I find that a lot of the qualities in the oils are severely denigrated when you heat them. I am very happy that I was able to try out this diffuser and I loved it so much that I actually purchased another diffuser at full price to use in my bedroom. I'm contemplating purchasing a third one for my bathroom and completely doing away with the burners mainly because the fragrance is overall better coming from a diffuser.
Is this diffuser as good as one that you might pay over a hundred dollars for with all types of bells and whistles? Perhaps not but better is in the eyes of the beholder. Aroma designs set out to find a product that was simple and able to be priced at a reasonable point and I think they have truly succeeded. I highly recommend this diffuser because it works, it's quiet and it doesn't leak like some other models and it gets the job done without hassle.*Bonus* Cleaning instructions. Cleaning this device is truly not a difficult task at all. You would unplug the unit from the a/c adapter on the bottom of the unit, use a wet rag and a little natural detergent of a very small amount (I'm talking pea sized) of regular detergent and wipe the inside out. Make sure that you get all of the oil that's seeped into the little hole in the middle of the unit. I used a sponge but you can also use a wash clothe or towel. After that you add about 100 ml of water and
turn the machine on for 30 minutes with no oils at all and let it cycle through until it cuts off. Dump the remaining water and you're good to go. Add the water you want and the oils and go to town. This is pretty effort free and effective to keep things from getting clogged with oil which can diminish the quality of how the product works.
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Anger Management: What Makes You Tick?
I have had this issue for a while, now. Anger. Sometimes I don't know what I'm mad about and sometimes it's a pointed issue that creates the anger.
There is a specific issue that I am dealing with right now that has my anger level at a pretty even six on a scale of one to ten. This is a situation that I must deal with, there's no way around it in spite of how much I would rather pretend the situation doesn't exist. The argument, on the surface, appeared to be my just not liking how the situation was happening and when you combine that with my general dislike of the person causing the situation it caused an argument. For days I have been walking around thinking it was the person that was upsetting me and all I could think about was "how could you do this to me, I don't deserve it!". As I relax and clear my mind right now I find that it's not the person who's upsetting me. It's the lack of trust that is being exhibited from people who are not trustworthy to begin with. It's almost like "for every stone you throw at me there's three more coming back to you for all that you have done".
Is that a healthy approach to dealing with anger issues? No, I'm here to tell you that it's not. I am currently working on dealing with my situation in as little anger and hostility as possible. One has to look at the bigger picture. "If the anger is not serving you a positive purpose then you are just letting negative energy bring you down and ruin your health" (Ralph from the YouTube channel 'Infinite Waters Diving Deep'). You can't change other people and how they deal with you but you can change how you react. Some may even upset you on purpose, pushing your buttons, but you have to find a way to see the whole picture which will enable you to know when they are purposely pushing buttons. Gaining control of your emotions is key to this situation.
This is all easier said than done, especially for someone like me. My emotions are very sensitive and easily manipulated by others, therefore they are able to elicit reactions from me that may not be in my best interest to act out. It's hard for me to admit this but when people pull anger from me and the only way for me to react is to lash out they have control over me and it's not something that I'm happy about or proud of.
What can be done to take back control of your reactions, emotions and anger? Limit the time you spend around that person. If you aren't having to be around them all the time, limitations means that you can prepare yourself and your reactions ahead of time. Make sure that you have thought out the possible situations and even figure out how much you are willing to speak to that person before you cut conversation off. If it's possible, try not to have conversation with the person at all. Some people aren't meant to get along with you, that's just simple human nature, therefore interacting too much with them will always result in an argument or confrontation. If the person insists on having communication with you even though they know there's no amicable end to the situation then you now have knowledge that the person is trying to speak enough to bring you out of your character. Don't give them the upperhand.
What else can be done? Take a deep breath and count backwards from a hundred, making sure that you breathe slowly between numbers. If you have increased breathing that's agitating your oxygen which can lead to building up more anger and hostility. Something else you could do is drink green tea and meditate before seeing the anger trigger. Ever heard of the phrase "calm as tea"? Green tea, even chamomile tea, have extreme calming effects and can aid in you having a quick and stress free interaction with the trigger. One way that I don't really recommend if you have a lot of anger is to take a deep breath and hold it while the person is speaking, allow their negativity to push your buttons but don't react, and then let out a healthy scream when you leave their vacinity.
This is definitely not all of the methods that you can use to contain anger but it's a good jumping off point. Remember, meditate and try to maintain control of your emotions through that. Some people are only around to bring out the worst in us, it's up to us to bring out the best version of ourselves and no one else should have power over that (Ralph from the YouTube channel 'Infinite Waters Diving Deep'). As I work on my anger issues I will continue to post and in the meantime, check out Ralph's channel, his video's are absolutely electric. Love, peace and blessed be )O(.
There is a specific issue that I am dealing with right now that has my anger level at a pretty even six on a scale of one to ten. This is a situation that I must deal with, there's no way around it in spite of how much I would rather pretend the situation doesn't exist. The argument, on the surface, appeared to be my just not liking how the situation was happening and when you combine that with my general dislike of the person causing the situation it caused an argument. For days I have been walking around thinking it was the person that was upsetting me and all I could think about was "how could you do this to me, I don't deserve it!". As I relax and clear my mind right now I find that it's not the person who's upsetting me. It's the lack of trust that is being exhibited from people who are not trustworthy to begin with. It's almost like "for every stone you throw at me there's three more coming back to you for all that you have done".
Is that a healthy approach to dealing with anger issues? No, I'm here to tell you that it's not. I am currently working on dealing with my situation in as little anger and hostility as possible. One has to look at the bigger picture. "If the anger is not serving you a positive purpose then you are just letting negative energy bring you down and ruin your health" (Ralph from the YouTube channel 'Infinite Waters Diving Deep'). You can't change other people and how they deal with you but you can change how you react. Some may even upset you on purpose, pushing your buttons, but you have to find a way to see the whole picture which will enable you to know when they are purposely pushing buttons. Gaining control of your emotions is key to this situation.
This is all easier said than done, especially for someone like me. My emotions are very sensitive and easily manipulated by others, therefore they are able to elicit reactions from me that may not be in my best interest to act out. It's hard for me to admit this but when people pull anger from me and the only way for me to react is to lash out they have control over me and it's not something that I'm happy about or proud of.
What can be done to take back control of your reactions, emotions and anger? Limit the time you spend around that person. If you aren't having to be around them all the time, limitations means that you can prepare yourself and your reactions ahead of time. Make sure that you have thought out the possible situations and even figure out how much you are willing to speak to that person before you cut conversation off. If it's possible, try not to have conversation with the person at all. Some people aren't meant to get along with you, that's just simple human nature, therefore interacting too much with them will always result in an argument or confrontation. If the person insists on having communication with you even though they know there's no amicable end to the situation then you now have knowledge that the person is trying to speak enough to bring you out of your character. Don't give them the upperhand.
What else can be done? Take a deep breath and count backwards from a hundred, making sure that you breathe slowly between numbers. If you have increased breathing that's agitating your oxygen which can lead to building up more anger and hostility. Something else you could do is drink green tea and meditate before seeing the anger trigger. Ever heard of the phrase "calm as tea"? Green tea, even chamomile tea, have extreme calming effects and can aid in you having a quick and stress free interaction with the trigger. One way that I don't really recommend if you have a lot of anger is to take a deep breath and hold it while the person is speaking, allow their negativity to push your buttons but don't react, and then let out a healthy scream when you leave their vacinity.
This is definitely not all of the methods that you can use to contain anger but it's a good jumping off point. Remember, meditate and try to maintain control of your emotions through that. Some people are only around to bring out the worst in us, it's up to us to bring out the best version of ourselves and no one else should have power over that (Ralph from the YouTube channel 'Infinite Waters Diving Deep'). As I work on my anger issues I will continue to post and in the meantime, check out Ralph's channel, his video's are absolutely electric. Love, peace and blessed be )O(.
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Review: NatureBox Santa Fe Corn Stix
I heard a lot about these chips before I actually received them and everyone said the exact same thing: they taste exactly like Dorito's. So, since I love Dorito's naturally I had to have them in my first box. Little did I know that the chips actually did not taste like Dorito's. They tasted more like corn chips with a light cheese flavor, also very salty. I can't say that I hated them because I didn't but I don't think I would ever want to have them again. I think they could have went down on the salt a bit and still achieved the same flavor, which wasn't close to Dorito's. Since the two have been compared I am going to give a nutrition comparison.
Nutrition
Santa Fe Corn Stix
Ingredients: Yellow Corn Masa, Soybean Oil, Salsa Seasoning (whey powder, tomato powder, salt, maltodextrin, green pepper powder, onion powder, natural flavoring, spices and herbs, torula yeast, beet powder (for color), annatto (for color).
Calories: 140
Calories from Fat: 60
Total Fat: 6g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 250mg
Total Carbohydrate: 20g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 1g
Protein: 2g
Vitamin C: 2%
Calcium: 2%
Iron: 2%
Dorito's
Ingredients: Corn, Vegetable Oil (Sunflower, Canola, and/or Corn Oil), Maltodextrin (made from corn), salt, cheddar cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), whey, monosodium glutamate, buttermilk, romano cheese (part-skim cow's milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), whey protein concentrate, onion powder, corn flour, natural and artitificial flavor, dextrose, tomato powder, lactose, spices, artificial color (including yellow 6, yellow 5, and red 40), lactic acid, citric acid, sugar, garlic powder, skim milk, red and green bell pepper powder, disodium inosinate, and disodium guanylate.
Calories: 140
Calories from Fat: 70
Total Fat: 8g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 210mg
Total Carbohydrate: 16g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Sugars: 0g
Protein: 2g
Vitamin A: 2%
Thiamin: 2%
Vitamin B6: 2%
When you look at the ingredient list you automatically assume the Santa Fe sticks are healthier but when you look deeper at the nutrition breakdown you may find that things will take a sharp change. The calories are the same and the calories from fat favors the santa fe sticks. However, when you get down to the carbs Dorito's are overall better for you if you're watching carbohydrate intake. Another thing that I found startling, and was the game changer for me, was the sodium. I, so far, have a bit of an issue with the saltiness of the chips from NatureBox. I feel like a lot of the time they could decrease their sodium and not lose the essence of the chips. In this case this is illustrated. Dorito's are supposed to be unhealthy, and they are if consumed too frequently, but when it comes to salt intake they are actually better for you and I would choose the Dorito's over the santa fe sticks.
Overall the Dorito's won this smack down, hands down. They won in carbs, sodium, and even sugar (Dorito added none where the santa fe sticks added a gram). This product is not something I would actively choose again but wouldn't turn my nose up at them if they came as a replacement for something I wanted.
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Review: NatureBox Masa Crisps
So, I'm sitting at my desk a bit hungry but not hungry enough to cook something and I reach over and grab the masa crisps. On first taste they taste a lot like Fritos Corn Chips with a little hint of something extra and a little bit of a sweetness to it. The after taste is rather pleasant as well. My biggest thing here is the nutrition. Since these snacks are supposed to be more healthy it's only fair that we compare these crisps to what their competition is.
Nutrition
Masa Crisps
Ingredients: Yellow Corn Masa, Flax Seeds, Soybean Oil, Salt.
Calories: 140
Fat from Calories: 70
Total Fat: 8g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 170mg
Total Carbohydrates: 16g
Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 0g
Protein: 3g
Vitamin C: 2%
Calcium: 2%
Iron: 4%
FRITOS Original Corn Chips
Ingredients: Corn, Corn oil, and Salt.
Calories: 160
Calories from Fat: 90
Total Fat: 10g
Saturated Fat: 1.5g
Trans. Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 170mg
Total Carbohydrates: 15g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Sugars: <1g
Protein: 2g
Calcium: 2%
Vitamin E: 6%
Phosphorous: 4%
Vitamin B6: 2%
In light of the nutrition being very close in range I did a bit more investigating. In the masa crisps I looked more into flax seed and what the purpose is for it. Flax seeds have been consumed since about 3000BC. Some of the health benefits are omega-3 essential fatty acids which aids in having a healthy heart, soluble and insoluble fiber, as well as lignans which has plant estrogen and plant antioxidants. Eating flax seeds daily can cut down on cancer, cholesterol (lowering your LDL) and type-2 diabetes.
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 170mg
Total Carbohydrates: 15g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Sugars: <1g
Protein: 2g
Calcium: 2%
Vitamin E: 6%
Phosphorous: 4%
Vitamin B6: 2%
In light of the nutrition being very close in range I did a bit more investigating. In the masa crisps I looked more into flax seed and what the purpose is for it. Flax seeds have been consumed since about 3000BC. Some of the health benefits are omega-3 essential fatty acids which aids in having a healthy heart, soluble and insoluble fiber, as well as lignans which has plant estrogen and plant antioxidants. Eating flax seeds daily can cut down on cancer, cholesterol (lowering your LDL) and type-2 diabetes.
Nutrition for Flax Seeds
Amount per 1 tablespoon
Calories: 55
Total Fat: 4.3g
Saturated Fat: 0.4g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.8g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 3mg
Potassium: 84mg
Total Carbohydrates: 3g
Dietary Fiber: 2.8g
Sugars: 0.2g
Protein: 1.9g
Calcium: 2%
Iron: 3%
Magnesium: 10%
According to a bit of research I did on sunflower oil, which is what was used in the masa chips, it's overall healthier for the heart than corn oil but only if it's oleic sunflower oil which has a whopping 83.6g of omega-6 fats. Linoleic sunflower oil contains 45.4g of omega-6 fats so that's the second best, corn oil coming in last with 27.6g. When you compare the two options it's clear that on first sight they appear to be neck and neck in nutrition. If you break the components down and look deeper into where the nutrition facts are being appropriated you can get a better idea of what the true healthy option is.
These two products taste remarkably the same however if I were to choose between the two I would be better off with the masa crisps. The only change I would like to see is, perhaps, cutting the salt content in half. It doesn't matter which option you look at, 170mg of sodium is a lot for chips that are supposed to be healthy. When I taste the masa crisps I feel like the sodium could definitely come down a bit and not ruin the integrity of the flavor thus overall maintaing the healthy factor.
Resources
Corn Oil vs Sunflower Oil: http://oilypedia.com/corn-oil-vs-sunflower-oil-choose-the-best/
Benefits of Flax Seeds: http://www.webmd.com/diet/benefits-of-flaxseed
Review: NatureBox Sample
In a quest of finding something awesome to watch on YouTube I came across a ton of reviews on something called NatureBox. While I was watching I thought "gee, these people sure sound like they are getting a cut of the proceeds, I wonder how many of them actually tried this product and gave an honest and unbiased review". After going to their website I saw that there was a sample box being given out for free and all you pay is $2 for shipping so I decided to dive in. You receive four single serve packages and one regular size package.
First of all, what is NatureBox? This company prides themselves on creating snacks that are better for you than commercial snacks that we typically eat. They don't add preservatives, a ton of salt, hydrogenated oils, fructose corn syrup or other additions that just aren't healthy for you. All of their snacks are nutritionist approved and best of all the snacks are delivered directly to you. You can subscribe for $19.99 a month for 5 snacks, $29.99 for 10 snacks and it goes up from there. Every month you are sent items from your pantry list (a list where you can add items that you want to try). You can either design your own box selection or you can let the company compile a box of random snacks to send. The subscription can also be set to send every other week, every month, every two months and on from there.
I received my sample box and here's what I got: Jalapeno Cashews (single serving), Masa Crisps (single serving), Cranberry Medley (single serving), Sweet Blueberry Almonds (single serving) and Dark Cocoa Nom Noms (full size). I haven't tried them all because the single serving bag is not resealable but I did try the almonds and they were so good! I am not a large fan of blueberries but I found that the almonds were amazingly paired with this flavor. I actually want to add the full bag to my shipment in the future. The second thing I tried were the nom noms. The regular size bags are resealable so I felt comfortable trying them. One cookie was so rich and chocolatey. I enjoy chocolate, especially dark chocolate, and I felt that hit the spot. The flavor was completely on point and due to the richness the one cookie per serving feels justified.
I am going to try the other packs over time and I might do mini reviews to list what my experience was of them. So far I'm impressed and even if the other three completely suck I feel comfortable continuing the membership and choosing my own items for the June box. I highly recommend this product, especially at the trial price of $2. You get a lot of product for that little amount of money. Every sampler comes with a different supply so you may not get the same items I did but it's completely worth it to try. I look forward to more experiences and reviews with this company.
Nutritional Facts
Dark Chocolate Nom Noms
Ingredients: Rolled oats, almonds, for added freshness (grape juice, rice dextrin), honey, sugar, canola oil, dark chocolate flavored chips (sugar, vegetable fat {palm, palm kernel}, cocoa processed with alkali, dry buttermilk, soy lecithin {an emulsifier}, natural flavors), cocoa powder, egg whites, unsweetened chocolate, unsweetened coconut, brown rice syrup, natural flavor, pumpkin seeds, cocoa processed with alkali, salt.
Serving Size: 1 piece
Servings Per Container: 5
Calories: 100
Calories from Fat: 45
Total Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 1.5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 20mg
Total Carbohydrates: 12g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Sugars: 5g
Protein: 2g
Iron: 4%
Sweet Blueberry Almonds
Ingredients: Almonds, sugar, natural flavor, red cabbage juice extract (for color), beet juice concentrate (for color), soy lecithin.
Serving Size: 1 packet
Calories: 160
Fat Calories: 110
Total Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 0mg
Total Carbohydrates: 9g
Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 6g
Protein: 6g
Iron: 6%
Cranberry Medley
Ingredients: Pomegranate flavored dried cranberries (cranberries, sugar, sunflower oil, natural flavor), acai flavored dried cranberries (cranberries, sugar, sunflower oil, natural flavor), dried blueberries (cultivated blueberries, sugar, sunflower oil).
Serving Size: 1 packet
Calories: 100
Fat Calories: 0
Total Fat: 0g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 0mg
Total Carbohydrates: 25g
Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 20g
Protein: 0g
Masa Crisps
Ingredients: Yellow corn masa, flax seeds, soybean oil, salt.
Serving Size: 1 packet
Calories: 140
Fat Calories: 70
Total Fat: 8g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 170mg
Total Carbohydrates: 16g
Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 0g
Protein: 3g
Vitamin C: 2%
Iron: 4%
Jalapeno Cashews
Ingredients: Cashews, Jalapeno seasoning (salt, dextrose, maltodextrin, spices, onion powder, torula yeast, green bell peppers, garlic powder, natural flavor, spice extractive, calcium stearate {to prevent caking}.
Serving Size: 1 packet
Calories: 160
Fat Calories: 120
Total Fat: 13g
Saturated Fat: 2.5g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 220mg
Total Carbohydrates: 9g
Fiber: <1g
Sugars: 1g
Protein: 4g
Calcium: 2%
Iron: 10%
Saturday, May 2, 2015
Is Your Friend Really Your Friend?
We have all had friends that we thought was actually pretty decent and then they do one thing that makes you re-evaluate the entire friendship. How do you know if that friend is actually loyal and one of a kind and how do you know if that friend should be let go? I have a few ideas on this.
1. Say something bad happens to you, like a family member dies. You are upset, distraught, and need someone to talk to so you talk to your friend. If that person listens to you and never says that they're sorry for the loss or worse, they don't respond at all, that person is not really your friend. Lets expound on that a little. This is a friend that you talk to all the time and they confide everything about their family in you. There's nothing that's been off limits in their life and you had conversations with them and was even there for them when one of their family members were sick. If this same friend, in return, chooses to sit by idly knowing you're in pain this is not someone who regards you as a real friend. They only care about themselves but when it's flipped around they don't care about you.
2. They highlight your negative traits. For instance, lets say that you are usually a pretty bubbly person and you laugh and joke a lot of the time. One day you hit a funk and don't feel so bubbly and it bleeds into the next day. In spite of the fact that you are normally bubbly and the funk is out of character that friend only highlights the fact that you aren't happy for a couple of days and exacerbate it saying that you are always upset and mad. Now, you know this is incorrect and most around you know this is incorrect but they insist on harping on the couple of days you were upset while ignoring who you truly are. This kind of person is overly critical over everything you do while not looking at the fact that they have had bad days and you were there for them without judging. This is not a true friend, this is someone who will, over time, make you feel like something is wrong with you. Very toxic.
3. Inconsiderate. It's time to go out. The outing is your idea so you decide that you want to be nice and pay for your friend. So, you go out and have a wonderful time. At a later date that friend decides that they want you to go somewhere with them and they plan the entire afternoon/evening/night. This friend doesn't pay for anything (even though you've paid for them in the past) and on top of that never asks you where to eat or ask you for your input for what to do for the outing. You are pretty much on the hook for any and all costs accrued to you that allows you to keep up with that friend. Here's another example. It's their birthday and you take them out and paint the town red. You have a good evening and, again, because it's their birthday you pay. The time comes for your birthday and that same friend wants to take you out (their idea). They don't pay for anything and you pretty much feel like you are on their itinerary of what they want to do but they never ask your input on the activities or dinner, you are just assumed to be paying your own way. That's not a true blue and genuine friend. Mother manners dictates that if you are friends you should do things for each other, not a one sided situation of you doing things for them that they would never do for you in return. Another mother manners moment is if someone asks you out to celebrate your birthday it should be pre-determined that they are footing the bill. Who pays their own way on an outing that you didn't approve ahead of time and have no real say so over? It doesn't make much sense but that person is so selfish and self absorbed that they will convince you that what they're doing is sane and how things are done.
4. Movie night. The time has come to watch movies and you are excited. You ask your friend what's on the agenda for the night and they tell you the titles. Now, the titles are a part of a genre you don't really dig too much but you ride along with it anyhow because you just want to hang out with them. On the next movie night gathering you ask if it's possible for you to choose a movie to watch. That same person says no, that's something that is reserved for people that they're dating and friends don't get to choose movies on movie night. This is not an even friendship, this is someone who's only interested in doing what they want to do and they just so happen to want company and since no one else is available they contact you. On the flip coin you want to watch a movie and you invite them, only they decline because they don't want to watch what you watch but insist and assume that you will always accept their invitation. Poor manners.
These examples are just a few out of many but should give a general overview of what type of signs to start looking for. Every single example has happened to me with the same person and at this point we aren't really speaking. I am taking this time to really evaluate everything that's happened over the years and most signs indicate that I have tolerated and allowed way too much to pass by while being blind and not wanting to see what the truth is. Life is too short to allow someone to treat you with such disrespect. If this person has been like this for a long time the probability of saying anything to them and getting a decent response is very slim, unfortunately. In my case this is a male friend and anytime I want to bring up my grievances with how he treats me overall he retorts with the fact that he feels I want more than a friendship and the issues I have (those listed above and more) are not that important and that I'm overly sensitive. This is a reaction that you have to watch out for. That person is incorrect, you aren't being overly sensitive they lack empathy to understand how you feel and care enough to maybe adjust how they're acting. Don't waste too much time on friends like this, you could be cultivating a friendship with someone who truly appreciates and gives a damn about you.
1. Say something bad happens to you, like a family member dies. You are upset, distraught, and need someone to talk to so you talk to your friend. If that person listens to you and never says that they're sorry for the loss or worse, they don't respond at all, that person is not really your friend. Lets expound on that a little. This is a friend that you talk to all the time and they confide everything about their family in you. There's nothing that's been off limits in their life and you had conversations with them and was even there for them when one of their family members were sick. If this same friend, in return, chooses to sit by idly knowing you're in pain this is not someone who regards you as a real friend. They only care about themselves but when it's flipped around they don't care about you.
2. They highlight your negative traits. For instance, lets say that you are usually a pretty bubbly person and you laugh and joke a lot of the time. One day you hit a funk and don't feel so bubbly and it bleeds into the next day. In spite of the fact that you are normally bubbly and the funk is out of character that friend only highlights the fact that you aren't happy for a couple of days and exacerbate it saying that you are always upset and mad. Now, you know this is incorrect and most around you know this is incorrect but they insist on harping on the couple of days you were upset while ignoring who you truly are. This kind of person is overly critical over everything you do while not looking at the fact that they have had bad days and you were there for them without judging. This is not a true friend, this is someone who will, over time, make you feel like something is wrong with you. Very toxic.
3. Inconsiderate. It's time to go out. The outing is your idea so you decide that you want to be nice and pay for your friend. So, you go out and have a wonderful time. At a later date that friend decides that they want you to go somewhere with them and they plan the entire afternoon/evening/night. This friend doesn't pay for anything (even though you've paid for them in the past) and on top of that never asks you where to eat or ask you for your input for what to do for the outing. You are pretty much on the hook for any and all costs accrued to you that allows you to keep up with that friend. Here's another example. It's their birthday and you take them out and paint the town red. You have a good evening and, again, because it's their birthday you pay. The time comes for your birthday and that same friend wants to take you out (their idea). They don't pay for anything and you pretty much feel like you are on their itinerary of what they want to do but they never ask your input on the activities or dinner, you are just assumed to be paying your own way. That's not a true blue and genuine friend. Mother manners dictates that if you are friends you should do things for each other, not a one sided situation of you doing things for them that they would never do for you in return. Another mother manners moment is if someone asks you out to celebrate your birthday it should be pre-determined that they are footing the bill. Who pays their own way on an outing that you didn't approve ahead of time and have no real say so over? It doesn't make much sense but that person is so selfish and self absorbed that they will convince you that what they're doing is sane and how things are done.
4. Movie night. The time has come to watch movies and you are excited. You ask your friend what's on the agenda for the night and they tell you the titles. Now, the titles are a part of a genre you don't really dig too much but you ride along with it anyhow because you just want to hang out with them. On the next movie night gathering you ask if it's possible for you to choose a movie to watch. That same person says no, that's something that is reserved for people that they're dating and friends don't get to choose movies on movie night. This is not an even friendship, this is someone who's only interested in doing what they want to do and they just so happen to want company and since no one else is available they contact you. On the flip coin you want to watch a movie and you invite them, only they decline because they don't want to watch what you watch but insist and assume that you will always accept their invitation. Poor manners.
These examples are just a few out of many but should give a general overview of what type of signs to start looking for. Every single example has happened to me with the same person and at this point we aren't really speaking. I am taking this time to really evaluate everything that's happened over the years and most signs indicate that I have tolerated and allowed way too much to pass by while being blind and not wanting to see what the truth is. Life is too short to allow someone to treat you with such disrespect. If this person has been like this for a long time the probability of saying anything to them and getting a decent response is very slim, unfortunately. In my case this is a male friend and anytime I want to bring up my grievances with how he treats me overall he retorts with the fact that he feels I want more than a friendship and the issues I have (those listed above and more) are not that important and that I'm overly sensitive. This is a reaction that you have to watch out for. That person is incorrect, you aren't being overly sensitive they lack empathy to understand how you feel and care enough to maybe adjust how they're acting. Don't waste too much time on friends like this, you could be cultivating a friendship with someone who truly appreciates and gives a damn about you.
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Food Review: Hershey's Chocolate Almond Spread
My first ultimate test was making a chocolate quesadilla for a midnight snack. It came out pretty good. The spread was melted and more of the chocolate flavor came out. My next test was eating it with a cut up apple which just happens to be my favorite past time with Nutella and I'm not sure, the jury is out. I don't hate it but I don't love it.
Overall I think this spread is in a league of its own. I am not convinced that I would ever pick this particular jar up again because it doesn't seem to be my type of spread, although I think it's just merely okay. I think I will stick with Nutella! Now, there is a hazelnut spread as well and I haven't tried that yet. If I decide to I will make another review and see how it directly compares to Nutella. We can have have a spread-off!
Food Recipe: Microwave Mug Cake
Last night I had a hankering for something sweet but I didn't have eggs to make a cake so I opened the cake mix and made a microwave cake. It was actually pretty good. This doesn't, by any means, take the place of actual cake baked in the oven but it does stave off the sweet tooth as well as anything.
Ingredients
3-6 tablespoons cake mix
2-4 tablespoons water
Directions
1. Add cake mix into a mug, or even a bowl.
2. Mix the water until well combined and most of the lumps are out of the mix.
3. Microwave for 1 minute or less, keep an eye on it. You don't want to cook too long. Usually no more than a minute.
4. Let cool for about 5 minutes because the cake will be extremely hot. Add icing or cut up some fruit for a topping or whipped cream. Get creative.
Ingredients
3-6 tablespoons cake mix
2-4 tablespoons water
Directions
1. Add cake mix into a mug, or even a bowl.
2. Mix the water until well combined and most of the lumps are out of the mix.
3. Microwave for 1 minute or less, keep an eye on it. You don't want to cook too long. Usually no more than a minute.
4. Let cool for about 5 minutes because the cake will be extremely hot. Add icing or cut up some fruit for a topping or whipped cream. Get creative.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Can Poor Etiquette Kill Your Chances of Future Employment?
I have a friend, lets call him Isaiah. Isaiah lost his job a month ago and he's been out of work ever since. He's been searching, day and night, for a position at another company but he hasn't found someone interested yet. This is not from lack of smarts. He is one of the smartest people I know. College degree, other accolades accumulated since graduation which makes him a hot commodity in the job search arena.
With that education comes a bit of cockiness. He applies for jobs, even ones he really doesn't want and considers "below him" and will counteract each job opportunity with asking for a certain amount of money per year and want that confirmed in an email before he will even go to an interview. The issue with this method is that typically companies extend an interview to you before offering financial compensation. This is a perk that comes along with actually being hired or seriously considered for the position. When you ask by email, before you agree to an interview, you give off the air that you are cocky, have a job already and looking for a better job or you aren't really serious about finding work. You may have, occasionally, someone who will try to meet your terms through email before the interview but once it's documented in email it's an amount that has to stick and that's a lot to ask of a company who hasn't actually met you yet.
In a lot of ways asking for specific compensation before going into an interview is self-sabotaging. This sets the precedence for the interview. Say the company agrees to what you are asking. You have a lot to prove in the interview for such a brazen action on your behalf. This will almost always shoot you in the foot if you are not very good at interviews. You have to present yourself in a way that's sure to show that you are worthy of the amount. Another sabotage, as I listed before, is being passed over all together. More companies than not won't meet compensation guidelines by email before even meeting you, it's sending a very bad message. It says that you are only interested in the position for the money. You aren't interested in doing a good job and you possibly aren't interested in remaining in the position if you find a job willing to pay you more. It takes a lot to hire someone, go through interviews and training. This takes money and resources on the companies end and they won't feel comfortable putting all of their stock in you when you are already sending up red flags, and this is a large red flag.
Ultimately, if you are looking for a job it's imperative that you follow through on the applications you fill out. If you took the time to get the application done and they took the time to look through your credentials and make contact then you can take the time to interview. I have gone into interviews where a job was listed at a certain amount per hour and did so well that my compensation package was offered at a much higher tier. Poor and overly demanding attitudes can block you from getting employment and if you don't have a job at all that's something that you literally cannot afford to do. I hope this will help someone evade the stumbling block that will go up if you start off acting like this. Your interview begins at the time they reach out to you for an interview. How you respond sets the precedence on if they want you on their staff or if your attitude is too much for them to care to deal with. Don't shoot yourself in the foot prematurely, compensation can be discussed once a formal offer has been made; that's the most appropriate time to bring up compensation unless otherwise stipulated by the company.
With that education comes a bit of cockiness. He applies for jobs, even ones he really doesn't want and considers "below him" and will counteract each job opportunity with asking for a certain amount of money per year and want that confirmed in an email before he will even go to an interview. The issue with this method is that typically companies extend an interview to you before offering financial compensation. This is a perk that comes along with actually being hired or seriously considered for the position. When you ask by email, before you agree to an interview, you give off the air that you are cocky, have a job already and looking for a better job or you aren't really serious about finding work. You may have, occasionally, someone who will try to meet your terms through email before the interview but once it's documented in email it's an amount that has to stick and that's a lot to ask of a company who hasn't actually met you yet.
In a lot of ways asking for specific compensation before going into an interview is self-sabotaging. This sets the precedence for the interview. Say the company agrees to what you are asking. You have a lot to prove in the interview for such a brazen action on your behalf. This will almost always shoot you in the foot if you are not very good at interviews. You have to present yourself in a way that's sure to show that you are worthy of the amount. Another sabotage, as I listed before, is being passed over all together. More companies than not won't meet compensation guidelines by email before even meeting you, it's sending a very bad message. It says that you are only interested in the position for the money. You aren't interested in doing a good job and you possibly aren't interested in remaining in the position if you find a job willing to pay you more. It takes a lot to hire someone, go through interviews and training. This takes money and resources on the companies end and they won't feel comfortable putting all of their stock in you when you are already sending up red flags, and this is a large red flag.
Ultimately, if you are looking for a job it's imperative that you follow through on the applications you fill out. If you took the time to get the application done and they took the time to look through your credentials and make contact then you can take the time to interview. I have gone into interviews where a job was listed at a certain amount per hour and did so well that my compensation package was offered at a much higher tier. Poor and overly demanding attitudes can block you from getting employment and if you don't have a job at all that's something that you literally cannot afford to do. I hope this will help someone evade the stumbling block that will go up if you start off acting like this. Your interview begins at the time they reach out to you for an interview. How you respond sets the precedence on if they want you on their staff or if your attitude is too much for them to care to deal with. Don't shoot yourself in the foot prematurely, compensation can be discussed once a formal offer has been made; that's the most appropriate time to bring up compensation unless otherwise stipulated by the company.
Miscellaneous This and That Topics
A little bit has happened over the last few days that makes me perk my ears up. The most major being that of Hillary Clinton running for president. It would be nice for a woman to become president, that's no secret. I think it's time women step up to the plate and show what we can do; I know with the right candidate it can be possible. Some of the things Hillary stands for is gay marriage (recent change, she used to be against it), feminism, education about contraception for teens, medicinal marijuana and possible recreational use marijuana, parents teaching their kids from home as they are the first teachers the children come across as well as getting resources into Africa to combat Ebola instead of doing nothing like we have been doing. She stands for a lot more but those are just a few key stances I extracted. A more comprehensive list can be found at: http://www.ontheissues.org/hillary_clinton.htm
Now, we can't leave off the republicans in this, obviously. Ben Carson has been in the media lately, it appears he's running. He is a retired director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at John Hopkins Hospital. I checked him out yesterday and I have to say that other than him being an amazing surgeon I don't see how any of that supports his reasoning for candidacy. He comes across religious, stating that he is going to get the country back to "one nation under God". Whenever I see someone quote anything with the word "God" in it within the first paragraph of their text it raises the hair on the back of my hands. I am not looking to put my support behind someone who is only going to stand for the Christians of the country and attempt to stomp on the rest of our liberties. With that being said, he sounds interesting but for me to really hear him I need him to say something worth listening to. More information about him can be found at: https://www.bencarson.com/explore/
When I think of Hillary Clinton I remember the times that we had Bill Clinton in office and, while he may not have been perfect and scandal free, he did a lot for this country. Upon him leaving the white house we had a surplus and the country was in decent shape. A lot of me would vote for Hillary Clinton if only Bill was running things behind the scenes. We need a lot done in this country and it's not the time to hand over to amateurs. We did that, for eight years, and this is why we need help. I don't know if Jeb Bush intends on running but I wouldn't be mad at that prospect either. Ultimately, when it comes to politics, I only care about what's important to me. I am looking for a president who is going to work for all of us in this country, not just a select few, someone who is going to legalize marriage for all humans, someone who is going to separate church and state as the constitution dictates, someone who is going to care about the future environment of this world and someone who isn't going to embarrass the crap out of America every time they open their mouth. I don't know if Mrs. Clinton is the right way to go, Mr. Carson is the right way to go, or someone I haven't looked into yet, but I just know that the way this country has been going over the last few years demonstrates that we need someone in office who's competent enough to switch things around.
On to a lighter topic. Last night I made a Hershey's chocolate and almond spread quesadilla and it was pretty good! I browned a quesadilla in butter and smeared the spread then cut into wedges. I would definitely make this again, I just would watch the temperature of the pan because if the tortilla browns too much it takes away from the subtile flavor of the spread and overpowers with an almost charred tortilla flavor. This holds true with a normal quesadilla as well. Tonight I am going to make cinnamon chips and use to dip in the spread and see how that tastes. To make that I am going to fry the flour tortilla in oil and cut into small, bite sized pieces and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.
Overall nothing else has been pressing and nothing more has been running through my frightful mind so I am going to cut this post here. I hope everyone who reads this is having a wonderful week!
Now, we can't leave off the republicans in this, obviously. Ben Carson has been in the media lately, it appears he's running. He is a retired director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at John Hopkins Hospital. I checked him out yesterday and I have to say that other than him being an amazing surgeon I don't see how any of that supports his reasoning for candidacy. He comes across religious, stating that he is going to get the country back to "one nation under God". Whenever I see someone quote anything with the word "God" in it within the first paragraph of their text it raises the hair on the back of my hands. I am not looking to put my support behind someone who is only going to stand for the Christians of the country and attempt to stomp on the rest of our liberties. With that being said, he sounds interesting but for me to really hear him I need him to say something worth listening to. More information about him can be found at: https://www.bencarson.com/explore/
When I think of Hillary Clinton I remember the times that we had Bill Clinton in office and, while he may not have been perfect and scandal free, he did a lot for this country. Upon him leaving the white house we had a surplus and the country was in decent shape. A lot of me would vote for Hillary Clinton if only Bill was running things behind the scenes. We need a lot done in this country and it's not the time to hand over to amateurs. We did that, for eight years, and this is why we need help. I don't know if Jeb Bush intends on running but I wouldn't be mad at that prospect either. Ultimately, when it comes to politics, I only care about what's important to me. I am looking for a president who is going to work for all of us in this country, not just a select few, someone who is going to legalize marriage for all humans, someone who is going to separate church and state as the constitution dictates, someone who is going to care about the future environment of this world and someone who isn't going to embarrass the crap out of America every time they open their mouth. I don't know if Mrs. Clinton is the right way to go, Mr. Carson is the right way to go, or someone I haven't looked into yet, but I just know that the way this country has been going over the last few years demonstrates that we need someone in office who's competent enough to switch things around.
On to a lighter topic. Last night I made a Hershey's chocolate and almond spread quesadilla and it was pretty good! I browned a quesadilla in butter and smeared the spread then cut into wedges. I would definitely make this again, I just would watch the temperature of the pan because if the tortilla browns too much it takes away from the subtile flavor of the spread and overpowers with an almost charred tortilla flavor. This holds true with a normal quesadilla as well. Tonight I am going to make cinnamon chips and use to dip in the spread and see how that tastes. To make that I am going to fry the flour tortilla in oil and cut into small, bite sized pieces and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.
Overall nothing else has been pressing and nothing more has been running through my frightful mind so I am going to cut this post here. I hope everyone who reads this is having a wonderful week!
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Foodie Post: Penne and Cheese (Mac and Cheese)
This recipe is good if you are looking for a quick, filling and tasty recipe. I made it up on the fly and it was extremely cheesy. When I make this again I am going to add 2 slices of crumbled bacon for another dimension of flavor. Due to this recipe being very basic the different variations and experiments are limitless.
Ingredients
2 cups penne, cooked
1/4 cup milk
6 oz. Velveeta, cubed
2 oz. shredded cheddar
ground black pepper
Directions
Add all ingredients in the pan with the penne. Cook over medium heat until the cheese is completely melted.
Ingredients
2 cups penne, cooked
1/4 cup milk
6 oz. Velveeta, cubed
2 oz. shredded cheddar
ground black pepper
Directions
Add all ingredients in the pan with the penne. Cook over medium heat until the cheese is completely melted.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Foodie Post: Baked Penne
So, I was sitting on my couch wondering what to make for dinner out of what I had on hand and I finally got the recipe in my head. Typically I make baked ziti but I just so happen to not have ziti noodles I have penne so I m going to use that instead. This recipe was created off the top of my head and it was delicious!
Material
1 10 inch frying pan
Medium to Large Pot
9x13 inch dish
Spatula
Knife
Bowl
Spoon
Pairings: Beer or Wine; Garlic bread
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup onion
1/2 cup green pepper
1 lb pasta (penne or ziti)
1 jar spaghetti sauce (your choice)
6 ounces of your favorite cheese (I used 3 ounces mozzarella and 3 ounces provolone)
1/2 cup Parmesan, to top
salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste
optional* Italian seasoning to sprinkle on top
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat up pan thoroughly
2. While the pan is heating cut up the onion and green pepper. Add the ground beef, onion, green pepper, salt and pepper to the pan and cook until the ground beef is browned, but not over done
3. While the ground beef is cooking boil some water and make the pasta, al dente; Drain
4. When the ground beef is done dump the sauce in the pan and let simmer for about 10 minutes on low to marry the flavors. After about 10 minutes add the pasta to the sauce mixture and mix very thoroughly, making sure to get all of the pasta mixed
5. Add half the pasta into the 9x13 pan, sprinkle half of the parmesan, making sure that it's evenly covered in cheese. Add the other half of pasta on top, adding the rest of the parmesan in an even coat
6. Add 6 ounces of cheese in an even layer on top. Wrap pan loosely in aluminum and bake for 20 minutes. Take the aluminum off and bake an additional 5-10 minutes (I don't like brown cheese so I take mine out at 5 minutes)
7. Let rest for a few minutes and serve
Material
1 10 inch frying pan
Medium to Large Pot
9x13 inch dish
Spatula
Knife
Bowl
Spoon
Pairings: Beer or Wine; Garlic bread
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup onion
1/2 cup green pepper
1 lb pasta (penne or ziti)
1 jar spaghetti sauce (your choice)
6 ounces of your favorite cheese (I used 3 ounces mozzarella and 3 ounces provolone)
1/2 cup Parmesan, to top
salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste
optional* Italian seasoning to sprinkle on top
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat up pan thoroughly
2. While the pan is heating cut up the onion and green pepper. Add the ground beef, onion, green pepper, salt and pepper to the pan and cook until the ground beef is browned, but not over done
3. While the ground beef is cooking boil some water and make the pasta, al dente; Drain
4. When the ground beef is done dump the sauce in the pan and let simmer for about 10 minutes on low to marry the flavors. After about 10 minutes add the pasta to the sauce mixture and mix very thoroughly, making sure to get all of the pasta mixed
5. Add half the pasta into the 9x13 pan, sprinkle half of the parmesan, making sure that it's evenly covered in cheese. Add the other half of pasta on top, adding the rest of the parmesan in an even coat
6. Add 6 ounces of cheese in an even layer on top. Wrap pan loosely in aluminum and bake for 20 minutes. Take the aluminum off and bake an additional 5-10 minutes (I don't like brown cheese so I take mine out at 5 minutes)
7. Let rest for a few minutes and serve
Saturday, March 7, 2015
The Ride Along, Hardees and the Freakout
A long time ago, about 2007, I went into an office for an interview for a job. The job was a marketing company and I thought this would be an excellent entry level position for me. So, I put on my best professional outfit, curled my hair, put on my makeup and put on my heels and went to the interview. I met a charming but very young man at the interview and to my shock he was the hiring manager. We chatted for a while and he said based off just personality he would love to offer me a position. To get the job, however, there was something called a ride along that I needed to get through to be offered formal employment.
The job was marketing in the way of going from company to company and pitching idea's on how they could save money. Or this is what I was told. I came back the next day for the ride along and was on the ride along with 3 men. I wasn't all that comfortable with being out with three men I didn't know without any supervision but I was made to feel comfortable. On the ride along we went to a neighborhood and parked, then got out of the car and persisted to walk around the entire neighborhood knocking on doors and selling coupons to McDonald's and Pizza Hut. The price of the coupon books were decent when compared to the amount of the coupons but I wasn't told about this aspect of the job. I was under the impression from the hiring manager that we would be going from business to business. I didn't know about the neighborhood walking so I didn't dress for the job, I had on velvet and it was 105 degrees outside. I was burning up and had no water or anything on me.
As the day went on I got more and more overheated. I felt very sick but I still tried to fight through and continue on the ride along. I was told that at any point I could say that I wanted to stop if I didn't think the job would work for me. After 4 1/2 hours of walking around neighborhood after neighborhood and getting cramped and borderline feeling like I was going to pass out I finally said I was going to not accept the job and I chose to want to go back to the office to go home. The driver of the car understood and was more than happy to take me back to the company. One of the other guys we were riding with was very mad that I didn't want the job and stated that I was taking money out of his kids mouth because I wanted to go back to the office across town. I was told that I could stop and leave at any point so I was quite confused as to why he was acting like this and felt that if he knew this could be a possibility he should have driven his own car but his reaction was very unprofessional and further increased my want to go home and decline the job.
The driver of the car appeared to be a little scared of the dude in the back seat and never once opened his mouth to correct his coworker. He looked like he wanted to say something but he didn't. So, the plan was that they were going to take me to Hardees (a fast food burger restaurant for those who may not know what that is) and I would have to find my own way back across town. I was about 35 minutes off from the office and the city where I lived. I ended up having to call my then boyfriend and he came to pick me up. They probably should have thought their decision out a bit more because when my boyfriend got there he got a stick out of the trunk and charged at the car yelling at them about how they had no right to bring me that far out from my home only to try and abandon me to find my own transportation home. He was livid! The guys were so scared that they rolled the window up and locked their doors. I say good for them! None of them were real men!
When I got home I logged on to a website (I forgot which one it was) and looked the company up. They had a crap ton of complaints about how the interviewees were treated with the ride along and how it's all a large scam. I saw that someone actually sued the creator of the company. I believe the company shut down or changed their name. There was rumor that they were called something else before but they got so many complaints that they changed their name even though they were still doing the same thing. This was my very first real job interview and it was definitely memorable, I don't think I would ever forget how I was treated or the name of the company. Makes me wonder how the people I was riding with got hired. People will put up with anything when they need money, fortunately I have never been one of them.
The job was marketing in the way of going from company to company and pitching idea's on how they could save money. Or this is what I was told. I came back the next day for the ride along and was on the ride along with 3 men. I wasn't all that comfortable with being out with three men I didn't know without any supervision but I was made to feel comfortable. On the ride along we went to a neighborhood and parked, then got out of the car and persisted to walk around the entire neighborhood knocking on doors and selling coupons to McDonald's and Pizza Hut. The price of the coupon books were decent when compared to the amount of the coupons but I wasn't told about this aspect of the job. I was under the impression from the hiring manager that we would be going from business to business. I didn't know about the neighborhood walking so I didn't dress for the job, I had on velvet and it was 105 degrees outside. I was burning up and had no water or anything on me.
As the day went on I got more and more overheated. I felt very sick but I still tried to fight through and continue on the ride along. I was told that at any point I could say that I wanted to stop if I didn't think the job would work for me. After 4 1/2 hours of walking around neighborhood after neighborhood and getting cramped and borderline feeling like I was going to pass out I finally said I was going to not accept the job and I chose to want to go back to the office to go home. The driver of the car understood and was more than happy to take me back to the company. One of the other guys we were riding with was very mad that I didn't want the job and stated that I was taking money out of his kids mouth because I wanted to go back to the office across town. I was told that I could stop and leave at any point so I was quite confused as to why he was acting like this and felt that if he knew this could be a possibility he should have driven his own car but his reaction was very unprofessional and further increased my want to go home and decline the job.
The driver of the car appeared to be a little scared of the dude in the back seat and never once opened his mouth to correct his coworker. He looked like he wanted to say something but he didn't. So, the plan was that they were going to take me to Hardees (a fast food burger restaurant for those who may not know what that is) and I would have to find my own way back across town. I was about 35 minutes off from the office and the city where I lived. I ended up having to call my then boyfriend and he came to pick me up. They probably should have thought their decision out a bit more because when my boyfriend got there he got a stick out of the trunk and charged at the car yelling at them about how they had no right to bring me that far out from my home only to try and abandon me to find my own transportation home. He was livid! The guys were so scared that they rolled the window up and locked their doors. I say good for them! None of them were real men!
When I got home I logged on to a website (I forgot which one it was) and looked the company up. They had a crap ton of complaints about how the interviewees were treated with the ride along and how it's all a large scam. I saw that someone actually sued the creator of the company. I believe the company shut down or changed their name. There was rumor that they were called something else before but they got so many complaints that they changed their name even though they were still doing the same thing. This was my very first real job interview and it was definitely memorable, I don't think I would ever forget how I was treated or the name of the company. Makes me wonder how the people I was riding with got hired. People will put up with anything when they need money, fortunately I have never been one of them.
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Witchy Post: Natural Room Fresheners
At times we all get fragrances in the home that are, how shall I say it...less than savory. Be it the trash got taken out way too late, you cooked something that was very heavy and it leaves a lingering fragrance that's not as flattering as the first day, you may have cats, kids, etc. You don't want to burn incense or candles if little kids are around and you don't want to keep purchasing Glade plug-ins because the refills are astronomical (and they are). What can you do to freshen the house? Stove-top freshener!
What Do You Need?
A small sauce pan, the smaller the better
Water
Spices
*optional* Fruit
What you would do is add all the ingredients together in the pan add add the water until just about to the top. Bring the ingredients to a boil then turn it down low and let it simmer for as long as you need or until the water runs out. I am not super rich, not even a little rich, so I didn't have anything fancy like cinnamon sticks or vanilla beans so I used ground cinnamon, allspice, a little vanilla extract, and a little ginger. The
fragrance is nice and it's pushing the unsavory fragrances out, which is a large plus. You can use oranges, apples, or whatever fragrant fruits you have around. I do have apples and could have used them but I am saving them for eating; my Granny Smith's aren't all that cheap and I'm on a serious budget. This is very versatile and I encourage you to experiment with different spices to find what you like. Have fun with it!
A small sauce pan, the smaller the better
Water
Spices
*optional* Fruit
What you would do is add all the ingredients together in the pan add add the water until just about to the top. Bring the ingredients to a boil then turn it down low and let it simmer for as long as you need or until the water runs out. I am not super rich, not even a little rich, so I didn't have anything fancy like cinnamon sticks or vanilla beans so I used ground cinnamon, allspice, a little vanilla extract, and a little ginger. The fragrance is nice and it's pushing the unsavory fragrances out, which is a large plus. You can use oranges, apples, or whatever fragrant fruits you have around. I do have apples and could have used them but I am saving them for eating; my Granny Smith's aren't all that cheap and I'm on a serious budget. This is very versatile and I encourage you to experiment with different spices to find what you like. Have fun with it!
Monday, March 2, 2015
Foodie Post: Pizza Pockets
I came across a recipe on food.com about pizza pockets and I got intrigued. I made them for dinner tonight and they were amazingly good, a lot better than I thought they were going to be. I did add Italian seasoning and onion to the pockets, which really made this taste like actual pizza. This recipe is very versatile so change or add ingredients as you see fit.
Materials:
Cookie Sheet
Small Bowl
Knife
Spoon
Ingredients:
3 Flour Tortillas
30 small pepperoni (15 normal size)
1/3 cup onion, strips
1/3 cup mozzarella
6 slices provolone
6 teaspoons olive oil
6 teaspoons Italian seasonings
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Take a tortilla, brush 1 teaspoon of olive oil on the tortilla. Sprinkle a teaspoon of Italian seasoning over the tortilla. Layer 2 slices provolone cheese, 10 pepperoni (5 normal size), sprinkle with 1/3 of the mozzarella, sprinkle with 1/3 of the onion.
3. Fold burrito-style, making sure to tuck both ends of the pocket. Place seam side down on the cookie sheet. Repeat with the other two tortillas and the remaining ingredients.
4. Brush/spoon olive oil on top of the pockets, evenly.
5. Cook in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until tortillas have browned slightly but making sure to not make them too dark.
6. Remove from the oven, let cool for a few minutes. Enjoy with your favorite beverage. Tastes amazing with beer!
Materials:
Cookie Sheet
Small Bowl
Knife
Spoon
Ingredients:
3 Flour Tortillas
30 small pepperoni (15 normal size)
1/3 cup onion, strips
1/3 cup mozzarella
6 slices provolone
6 teaspoons olive oil
6 teaspoons Italian seasonings
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Take a tortilla, brush 1 teaspoon of olive oil on the tortilla. Sprinkle a teaspoon of Italian seasoning over the tortilla. Layer 2 slices provolone cheese, 10 pepperoni (5 normal size), sprinkle with 1/3 of the mozzarella, sprinkle with 1/3 of the onion.
3. Fold burrito-style, making sure to tuck both ends of the pocket. Place seam side down on the cookie sheet. Repeat with the other two tortillas and the remaining ingredients.
4. Brush/spoon olive oil on top of the pockets, evenly.
5. Cook in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until tortillas have browned slightly but making sure to not make them too dark.
6. Remove from the oven, let cool for a few minutes. Enjoy with your favorite beverage. Tastes amazing with beer!
Friday, February 27, 2015
Foodie Post: Dorito Casserole
Doritos...casserole, shouldn't be in the same sentence right? Well, let me tell you, it goes together beautifully. I came across a recipe and thought "this won't work, what will people come up with next!" I actually adapted the recipe and I enjoyed every bite of it. The only changes I would make is to maybe use half Velveeta and half cream of mushroom. I would also use a combination of cool ranch Doritos and regular nacho cheese Doritos. I say make the recipe, adapt it to whatever you like, and enjoy!
Mini Review: I ate this last night and drank a glass of Arbor Mist Exotic Fruit and while I loved the flavor of the wine I did not like the pairing. It gave the dish a sunflower seed-like aftertaste I was not all that fond of. I just had the rest tonight for dinner and I had a Bud Light Platinum beer with it and it tasted amazing. If you are of age and want a little alcohol with your dinner try beer or try other wine's that are not fruit based.
Materials:
1 10 inch frying pan
1 9x13 pan
1 medium pot
knife
spatula
spoon
sheet of aluminum foil
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
*2 10.75 ounce cans cream of mushroom soup
**1 large bag Doritos, crushed
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups water
1 can Ro-Tel
***1 cup cheddar cheese
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Get the 9x13 pan on stand-by but out of the way.
2. Heat the frying pan on medium heat until hot, then add the ground beef and onions. Cook until ground beef is no longer pink. While the ground beef is cooking, add the water, ro-tel, and cream of mushroom (and Velveeta if used) to the medium pan on medium high heat until the mixture begins to boil.
3. Add a thin layer of Doritos to the 9x13 pan. Top the chips with ground beef, ending with some of the cream of mushroom mixture. Continue to layer in that order until you are either out of ingredients or the pan is getting too full. Use your best judgment. Top with cheese and cover loosely with aluminum.
4. Cook in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove the aluminum and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes or until very light brown on top, taking care not to let the cheese get too dark.
5. Let cool for approximately 10 minutes to ensure that the casserole holds together. Enjoy.
Note: You can serve this along with sour cream, if you like.
*Instead of 2 cans cream of mushroom you can use 1 can and substitute a small log of cubed Velveeta for extra flavor and more cheesiness.
**Instead of using a large bag of nacho cheese Doritos you can try using half a bag of cool ranch and half a bag nacho cheese to add dimension to the flavor.
***1 cup of cheese is not a lot when using a 9x13 so you can add another cup of cheese. For added gooey-ness between the layers you can also sprinkle, lightly, some of the cheese throughout the layering process then use the rest to top.
Mini Review: I ate this last night and drank a glass of Arbor Mist Exotic Fruit and while I loved the flavor of the wine I did not like the pairing. It gave the dish a sunflower seed-like aftertaste I was not all that fond of. I just had the rest tonight for dinner and I had a Bud Light Platinum beer with it and it tasted amazing. If you are of age and want a little alcohol with your dinner try beer or try other wine's that are not fruit based.
Materials:
1 10 inch frying pan
1 9x13 pan
1 medium pot
knife
spatula
spoon
sheet of aluminum foil
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
*2 10.75 ounce cans cream of mushroom soup
**1 large bag Doritos, crushed
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups water
1 can Ro-Tel
***1 cup cheddar cheese
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Get the 9x13 pan on stand-by but out of the way.
2. Heat the frying pan on medium heat until hot, then add the ground beef and onions. Cook until ground beef is no longer pink. While the ground beef is cooking, add the water, ro-tel, and cream of mushroom (and Velveeta if used) to the medium pan on medium high heat until the mixture begins to boil.
3. Add a thin layer of Doritos to the 9x13 pan. Top the chips with ground beef, ending with some of the cream of mushroom mixture. Continue to layer in that order until you are either out of ingredients or the pan is getting too full. Use your best judgment. Top with cheese and cover loosely with aluminum.
4. Cook in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove the aluminum and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes or until very light brown on top, taking care not to let the cheese get too dark.
5. Let cool for approximately 10 minutes to ensure that the casserole holds together. Enjoy.
Note: You can serve this along with sour cream, if you like.
*Instead of 2 cans cream of mushroom you can use 1 can and substitute a small log of cubed Velveeta for extra flavor and more cheesiness.
**Instead of using a large bag of nacho cheese Doritos you can try using half a bag of cool ranch and half a bag nacho cheese to add dimension to the flavor.
***1 cup of cheese is not a lot when using a 9x13 so you can add another cup of cheese. For added gooey-ness between the layers you can also sprinkle, lightly, some of the cheese throughout the layering process then use the rest to top.
Different Shades of Liars
Everybody knows one. You know, someone who can't tell the truth to save their life. It could be the smallest of lies and they still feel the need to tell them. There are different levels to lies. White lies, pathological lies, and "just don't care" lies to name a few.
White Lies
A white lie is saying something untrue because you think telling the truth is going to hurt the person more. Cliche lies: "You don't at all look fat in those jeans", "I think you have the voice of an angel when you sing", "My family absolutely loves you (after receiving a call from their mother who was all but strangling you through the phone about your choice in mate)". These lies can seem harmless but they are very harmful. In particular, the family part. The lie fills you with a false sense of acceptance. That person may get on the phone and call the mother, thinking all is fine, to check on her only to get an "I don't want to talk to you" tone from the conversation which can be very hurtful. The same goes with the singing lie. Say that person is full of confidence over the gushing review from their friend, mate, or whomever and they decide to sing in public in front of strangers. The reception can be worse than terrible, the responses would destroy that persons self esteem.
Pathological Lies
Pathological can be defined as being compulsive and obsessive. When someone pathologically lies it's because they don't understand the concept of what the truth is. It's actually considered a sickness, whether it's been formally diagnosed by a doctor/therapist or not. People who are pathological tend to lie for no reason and about everything. For example, the sky outside could be midnight blue with stars and they will tell you it's somewhat gray and raining. Now, logically you can poke your head out the door and debunk their statement immediately but they don't care, they said what they said and that's all there is to it. In my experience pathological liars will respond to a confrontation about their lies with "oh", "wow", or they will get extremely mad because they feel you are always checking up on them and questioning everything they say. There is no reasoning with pathological liars, they feel they have the right to spin their stories and may make you seem crazy for being mad about their lies, and trying to get them to see the light about how hurtful the lies are will only bring you misery and unhappiness.
In most circumstances it's best to remove yourself away from that person. If you choose to keep them around, do so with the understanding that you may never get a truthful statement, or an entirely truthful statement out of them ever. They may tell the partial truth to make you happy, but there will be so many weaves and roads of lies interwoven that you may not be able to distinguish the truth from their lies.
"I Just Don't Care" Lies
I just don't care. Says it all, right? These type of liars know what the truth is, they are under no circumstance confused, they just tell you whatever they want to tell you because they honestly don't care. For example, hanging out with friends. Say you have a mate who claims that they are hanging with the girls, or hanging with the boys. They are hanging out alright, but they are leaving off the fact that it's not plural, it may just be one of the opposite sex and it's an actual date. Not only are they cheaters, but they lie by omission as well because they don't care to give you the rest of the details for whatever reason they have in their head.
I honestly think this is worse because it's not like it's a white lie to save your feelings, it's cheating. It's not like it's a pathological mental illness, they know what they are saying. They just don't care about hurting your feelings, or you catching them in the lie. When caught they come off as aloof, as if to say "you found out, oh well, what's for dinner?" This is the most unhealthy of all because they make the conscious choice to spin a lie so long as it appears to work for them. This is toxic and the probability of them changing is slim to none because they just don't care to.
As you can see there are many different categories for liars, depending on what you're dealing with. I believe there are many more definitions but this is the three that I typically come across. It's not really even a question as to why they lie, it's more or less how much are you willing to deal with. Liars can come in the form of friends, lovers, family, potential lovers, managers, supervisors, even the president of the United States. When it comes to managers, supervisors and the president you can get mad however most of the time you are not in a position to quit your job and, of course, there's not much that a disgruntled person can do about the president. For him you would have to be one of a rather large group and the group doesn't matter if no one takes a stand to do something about it (in the form of drawing attention to the lies and calling for impeachment).
Friends and family is a totally different ballgame. You have the ability to place a cap on how much of their lies you are willing to accept and still have them in your life. Family, in particular, can be difficult for some to cut off. Some have the feeling that family is all they have, nothing's better than family, so they are given Cart Blanche to treat you any way they want unchecked. Friends can also be given the same reign by some. It's difficult because these are intimate relationships you have taken the time to develop so cutting those people off for their lack of integrity can become a torturous process that may very well not ever get dealt with.
How do I deal with it? I don't. At this point in my life I have no need to surround myself with people who feel the need to lie to me constantly. I have my own threshold that once it's crossed I will cut you off. Normally I will have one good blow up and then cut you off in silence, never go back to the situation. I may be cordial later on down the road and ask how you are but as far as being close again, it will never happen. I have had issues with liars before that I felt really close to. The lies, in my situation, led to a horrible ending that I don't want to go in to just yet. In this case this person will be a part of my life for the rest of my life because of the child involved but I have next to no contact with him because I know that ultimately everything I tell him will result in it being twisted against me (with some creative lies tossed in for good measure) and nothing good will come from that confrontation.
So, how should you address it? If you feel like the person is open to hearing what you have to say about the lies and how they make you feel, by all means address it. If, after you have addressed it, the same actions continue, the ball is now completely in your court. You know it's not going to change, they don't see anything wrong with the lies (obviously because even though they acknowledge they lied and may even apologize they are still lying), and you are facing constantly being hurt because you probably aren't wired to accept someone being less than truthful with you. If you stick around, do so with the understanding that nothing may change but could possibly even if the probability is very low that it will.
The kind of person I am, I tend to be very observant. I won't call you out on the discrepancies in what you are telling me, I am simply watching, listening, making mental notes and staying on my toes with that person. The down side to this is when you finally tell that one last lie, no matter how small it is, it may push me over the edge and when that happens I am going to go clean off verbally about everything that you have lied about. When I'm done speaking I am done with the person. I don't want an explanation because it's nothing but lies anyhow, right? I used to be more tolerant in my teens and early twenties. Turning thirty and now thirty-one, my ability to reason with bullshit is getting less and less.
Ultimately the choice is yours. You teach people how to treat you. If they go unchecked on their lies and you accept their lies then they will get it in their mind that it's okay. They will keep spinning lies with the knowledge that you may get upset for a moment but you will calm down, accept their half-assed apology and everything will be fine again. You don't deserve that; don't take that from anyone! Call them out and make sure they know it's not okay and if they do it again kick their ass to the curb! However, again, the choice on how you get treated is ultimately up to you and you alone have to deal with the emotional and mental fallout that you are allowing yourself to go through.
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Foodie Post: Simple Egg Salad
I have been making egg salad for years, and I originally saw my mom make it on more than one occasion. She used to make it so simply, with minimal ingredients, but it was so delicious! This recipe can be changed, scaled up for many people, or scaled down for one. This recipe, as is, makes 2 very hearty sandwiches or 4 smaller sandwiches.
Materials:
Medium Pan
2 bowls
Spoon
Ingredients:
4 large eggs
1/3 cup mayonnaise (more or less, depending on taste)
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
4 slices bread (or 8)
*You can add any other ingredients you like, have fun with it*
Directions:
1. Place the eggs in a medium pot, fill the pot with water making sure that the water comes just above the tops of the eggs. Boil the eggs for 15 minutes.
2. After 15 minutes take the pan off the stove and dump the hot water out, then sit the pan in the sink and allow cold water to run over the eggs for about 5 minutes.
3. Once the eggs are cool enough to handle peel the shell off the eggs and place the eggs in one of the bowls. One by one cut the eggs in half, remove the yolk and put in the second bowl, leaving the whites in the original.
4. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper to the yolks and mix thoroughly, making sure that you mash the yolks up without leaving large pieces.
5. Once the mixture is done, with your hands or a fork, mash up the whites and add to the yolks. Mix until whites are completely incorporated.
6. Make sandwiches and enjoy!
Note: You can place the egg salad in the fridge instead of eating right away if you would like. I like my egg salad immediately as opposed to cold.
Materials:
Medium Pan
2 bowls
Spoon
Ingredients:
4 large eggs
1/3 cup mayonnaise (more or less, depending on taste)
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
4 slices bread (or 8)
*You can add any other ingredients you like, have fun with it*
Directions:
1. Place the eggs in a medium pot, fill the pot with water making sure that the water comes just above the tops of the eggs. Boil the eggs for 15 minutes.
2. After 15 minutes take the pan off the stove and dump the hot water out, then sit the pan in the sink and allow cold water to run over the eggs for about 5 minutes.
3. Once the eggs are cool enough to handle peel the shell off the eggs and place the eggs in one of the bowls. One by one cut the eggs in half, remove the yolk and put in the second bowl, leaving the whites in the original.
4. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper to the yolks and mix thoroughly, making sure that you mash the yolks up without leaving large pieces.
5. Once the mixture is done, with your hands or a fork, mash up the whites and add to the yolks. Mix until whites are completely incorporated.
6. Make sandwiches and enjoy!
Note: You can place the egg salad in the fridge instead of eating right away if you would like. I like my egg salad immediately as opposed to cold.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)