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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Entering the Zanussi Cookers Make Every Meal a Masterpiece Competition on Contest Corner

This is my entry for the Zanussi cookers make every meal a masterpiece competition

One way to make every meal count is with a great start!  Salads are easy even for those of use who aren't experienced cooks and can make a "so so" meal into a "WOW" meal.  The other thing about salad is that you can throw in various ingredients to change things up and keep it interesting.  This is one of our favorite meal starters.

Recipe:

  • Baby Spinach
  • Shredded Cheese (we prefer the mixed blends)
  • Mandarin Orange slices (Canned oranges may be drained and used)
  • Almond Slices (great for protein!)
  • Drizzle with Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing.
I love how this salad has it all: Vegetable, Fruit, Dairy, and Protein!

Too busy for a home cooked meal? Ordering out?  Pizza?  A meal from a box?  Add a salad like the one above and viola you've made a not so healthy meal much healthier and well...a masterpiece!

Friday, December 23, 2011

Bring Back Beatrice! by Jennifer Griffin ~ Book Review

Bring Back Beatrice! 1,108 Baby Names with Meaning, Character and a Little Bit of Attitude. By Jennifer Griffin is a great read for anyone thinking of having children.  Naming your child is an important and sometimes stressful task since their name will stick with them throughout life.  When we found out that we were having a baby I will be honest.  I didn't consult any of the hundreds of "baby names" books out there.  My husband and I had come up with a girl name several yrs before and a couple of possible boy names as we never could come up with a boy name that we just loved.  When our bundle of joy arrived she fit perfectly with the name we had in mind and we breathed a sigh of relief that we didn't have to make a decision on a boy name.
Bring Back Beatrice!  Is a book that I would have loved to have around when we were discussing baby names.  The author beautifully spells out her purpose of writing the book and her endeavor to save children from being named fad or made up names.  Does she really expect everyone to name their daughters Beatrice?  No.  The author simply wants thought to be put into the names we are giving our children and the history of those names.  What if you have your mind set on a fad name?  The author lists alternatives to the name and provides history behind the name.
I'm not in the market for baby names but found the book very refreshing and think it would be a great resource for anyone.  How many times have you cringed when you heard the name someone was planning to name their child?  Do the child a favor and let the expectant parents know about this book and that it provides a refreshing new option to the old baby names books.  The child just might thank you!  This would also make a great shower gift.

* Disclosure: I was provided a free copy of the book for review purposes.  No compensation was received.  This post is my own honest opinion and was in no way influenced by the sponsor.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Hot on Amazon! Haan FS20 Plus Steam Cleaning Floor Sanitizer (Steam Mop) with Deluxe Sanitizing Tray $25.84 Shipped! (tax may be added in some states) Amazon.com

Hurry over to Amazon.com for a seriously HOT deal!

Hurry to Amazon.com for the Haan FS20 Plus Steam Cleaning Floor Sanitizer with Deluxe Sanitizing Tray by Haan for $18.56.  This offer is through Ace Hardware Direct so it doesn't qualify for Free Super Saver shipping.  However with the $7.28 shipping making it $25.84 this is by far the best price that I could find on this unit new (not refurbished) as it lists for $99.99

Product Features

  • Chemical-free steam cleaner for all sealed hard-floor surfaces--uses regular tap water
  • Plus version comes with sanitizing tray attachment for refreshing carpeted areas
  • Heats up in less than 3 minutes; produces up to 20 minutes of steam per refill
  • Includes 2 super-absorbent, multilayer Ultra-Microfiber cleaning pads that are washable and reusable
  • Measures 50-1/2 by 11-1/2 by 7-1/2 inches (HxWxD) fully extended and weighs 3.15 pounds; backed by 1-year warranty