Tasty Tuesday: Cream of Mushroom Soup

There is nothing quite like a bowl of piping hot soup in the winter. Except maybe a bowl of piping hot soup & a slice of crusty bread. Yea, don't forget the bread.

Like I said, soup is always better with crusty bread.

 •3-4 cloves garlic, minced

•olive oil

•margarine

•mushrooms, sliced (any kind will do)

•onion, diced

 •1/4tsp. dried thyme

•2 bay leaves

•Worcestershire sauce

•vegetable stock

•1Tbsp. cornstarch mixed into 1 1/2Tbsp. milk

•salt & pepper

•heavy cream

•milk

•crusty bread, sliced thick

*Please use desired amounts.

- In a large pot, saute the garlic in a bit of olive oil & margarine until fragrant.

- Add mushrooms, onion, thyme, bay leaves, Worcestershire & a bit of pepper. Cook over med. heat for 5-10 min. 

- Add vegetable stock & bring to a boil. Lower heat & simmer 15 min. 

- Slowly add the cornstarch & milk mixture, stirring constantly until thickened.

- Carefully add cream & milk a bit at a time to get the right consistency & flavor. (I like to go a bit heavy on the cream & then thin it out with the milk.)

- Season with salt & additional pepper.

- Serve with crusty bread. (Pop a loaf of French bread in the oven for about 5 min. & you're all set.) 

BARE® Body Collection

I love coffee. Especially when it comes to starting my day. There's just something about that first bitter brew that seems to awaken the senses. Or so I always thought. Now I've discovered a new way to enjoy my morning coffee.

This Coffee Face & Body Scrub by BARE® Body Collection definitely had my interest piqued! So I was ecstatic when Martha Choy, the creative genius behind BARE® Body Collection, was kind enough to send me some. Along with several other goodies from her 280+ product line (that just so happens to be blended in her NY garden apartment by Martha herself).

View this photo on Instagram!

The coffee grounds act as a balancing astringent since they have a pH equal to that of our skin, while fine grain pure dead sea salt exfoliates. I had the intentions of using this as a facial scrub a couple times a week, until the day I ran out of body wash mid-shower. I reached for this instead of using the kids wash & had an intoxicating experience (in a manner of speaking of course). I absolutely loved how fresh my skin looked & felt. But there was just one slight problem - the peppermint, spearmint, rosemary & sweet orange essential oils left me feeling awake & energized. OK, that's not really a problem, unless it's 10:30 at night & you just wanted a quick shower before bed. So now I enjoy this Coffee Face & Body Scrub after my morning yoga for a perfect way to start my day! 

The BARE® Naked Bag Blaster is an under eye cream that was made just for me! Not really, but I like to think so. You see, I always have puffy eyes & for years I've used a little trick that I caught on Aaron Spelling's Model's Inc. in the 90's - hemorrhoid cream. But I have to say, something that is meant to go on your eyes instead of something meant to go...yea, it works much better. (And I don't get those crazy looks when I mention it.)

So what is it about the BARE® Naked Bag Blaster that works so well? Caffeine! (See, it can be good for you too.) Caffeine helps flush excess fluid in tissue when applied to the skin, so naturally it will help reduce puffy eyes. Add in aloe vera gel, shea butter, olive, almond & avocado oils for a downright soothing treatment! I even apply a bit to my upper lids to not only help with my all over puffy eyes, but to use as a primer too. 

Shea butter is amazing at healing eczema, stretch marks & even rough, dry skin. Add in a Coconut Lime Verbena scent that makes you wish it was the middle of a heat wave instead of this polar vortex crap... Well, let's just say that my dry elbows will be ready for summer when it finally comes. All thanks to this handy dandy tin of Coconut Lime Verbena Shea Butter.

I may or may not be slightly obsessed about any product that goes on your lips. I've got balms, glosses & sticks, but had never heard of liqueurs (for your lips, not to drink) until now. The Crème de Menthe Lip Liqueur is made with beeswax, which means that it doesn't need reapplied 456135135131 times a day. Of course with the Crème de Menthe, I wouldn't mind if it did. But one application before my lipstick does make my lips look & feel extra good. 

As you can see by the big indent in the Hot Chocolate Chip Mint BARE® Lip Booster, I'm kinda in love. And no, it's not just because it's Hot Chocolate Chip Mint, although that was what drew me in at first. Creamy vanilla, white chocolate, mint, raw sugar cane & pepper make...wait a minute, pepper?! Yea, that's the booster part. Pepper helps dilate the blood vessels in your lips, which in turn makes your lips fuller. Move over Angelina!

I love soaking in the tub, especially in some luxurious bubble bath that leaves my skin feeling silky soft. But my reality is everyone banging on the door for one reason or another. So when I do get to take a hot bath, it's usually short lived. Which is OK if I add a bit of this Coconut Lime Verbena Bath & Massage Oil to the water. Even though I don't get to "escape" for very long, my skin is silky soft like I just came from the spa. Now if only I could get the massage part...

The Bare-ly Legal Body Butter has to be one of the best body butters I've ever tried. The vegan blend of beeswax & Borax moisturizes, dries quickly & smells amazing. With hints of white gardenia, jasmine & orange blossom, this body butter screams summer. Actually, I'm already planning on this being one of my summer staples. 

I have never used solid perfume before so I had no clue what to expect from these gems. But being that they're made without alcohol, the scent lasts a lot longer. And you can easily place them on all of the "suggested" spots, like behind the ears (I never understood that one).

The BARE-ly Legal Solid Perfume will most likely be a partner in crime to the body butter this summer (I love that light floral scent). But I have a special place for BARE® Ecstasy Solid Perfume...it's called date night. A feminine musk with a hint of jasmine, this solid perfume screams mystery to me. I'm not sure why, but paired with the perfect LBD & stilettos, I would probably refer to myself as a femme fatale. Keep moving Angelina!

Just so the guys don't feel left out, Martha made a line for men too! (Guys, say Thank You.) Hubs loves this Pine Cedar Beard Blaster, a shaving cream made with beeswax. The beeswax almost acts as a protective barrier, which gives a close shave with virtually no effort at all. But the part I like is that he doesn't need to pile on the aftershave when he uses this. 

All of the BARE® Body Collection products are made without harsh preservatives or synthetic fragrances. Not to mention they're all tested on Martha's friends & family, not animals. So what are you waiting for? Dare to be BARE®. 

Keep up with the latest from BARE® Body Collection on Facebook, Twitter & YouTube.

**Disclaimer: I have received products to try from BARE® Body Collection & am simply sharing my personal opinion which may vary from yours. I was not compensated for this review.

Down To Earth Handmade Products: Valentine's Giveaway Winner!

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Our winner has been notified. Congrats to Deanna L.!  

YoYummy is so Yummy!

Yep, that's what my kids kept saying & I have to agree. YoYummy is so yummy! Why? Because it's made with simple ingredients. Pure rBST-free Vermont milk real fruits & berries, just a touch of natural sugar for sweetness and lots of live & active cultures.

Everything not in YoYummy yogurt.

Of course YoYummy comes in flavors that kids love too: Strawberry, Mixed Berry, Strawberry-Banana & Cotton Candy. I would tell you what flavor my kids loved the most, but they really did love them all (although I was a bit partial to the Strawberry). They even come in 12 pack tear-away fridge packs which I have to say I absolutely love! 

YoYummy is a product of Green Mountain Creamery in Vermont, who strives to make a positive impact on their local economy by practicing sustainability. The YoYummy pouches are not recyclable, but the #2 plastic caps are. However, the pouches can be sent to Terracycle, to be converted into new products (recycled park benches to upcycled backpacks).

 

That must be why YoYummy is so yummy. It's the simple Vermont way of life (or so I hear). Perhaps I'll try to stock up on some when I'm in Vermont in April. I know my kids sure would love it!  

The fun doesn't stop there! YoYummy has fun activities for kids, coupons for the parents & even a store locator. (YoYummy is available at Wegman’s, Costco, Hannaford, Stew Leonard’s, Fresh & Easy, Sprout’s Farmer Markets & retails for $4.99 for a 4-pack, $9.99 for a 12- pack, and $1.29 for single pouches.)

Keep up with the latest from YoYummy on Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest.

 **Disclaimer: I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC. or the manufacturer of the product.

Moms Meet is an online resource that empowers moms to come together in an informal setting and talk about the latest on raising healthy families and living green. Moms Meet offers exciting opportunities for Mom Ambassadors and their groups to sample the latest healthy, green products. Sign up today!

Sheila G's Brownie Brittle Giveaway Winner!

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Our winner has been notified. Congrats to Karen G.!  

Custom Printed Tee by Allied Shirts

Have you ever had the need to get custom printed tees, but had no clue where to get them? I have & I have to say that I never got them printed. Most places just had too high of a price, or the quality just wasn't worth it. That's why I was excited when the kind folks from Allied Shirts, offered me the opportunity to review one of their custom printed tees. 

I knew exactly what I was going to get on my tee so I was eager to start the process. Well, eager & a bit apprehensive since I had never designed a tee online before. But I was relieved at just how simple it was.

Fresh out of the package!

I started with a Budget Short Sleeve tee (long sleeve tees, women's tees & sweatshirts are also available). The Budget tee is a Gildan Ultra Cotton tee, that to me, rivals the quality of the Classic Hanes Beefy tee option. (There's also a Fashion tee.) Then all I had to do was add text or art to the front & back. I opted for an uploaded image on the front & text on the back. Note for all athletes: You can even get names & numbers on the back for t-shirt jerseys.

Checking out was simple too. After choosing a size (youth, adult & plus options) & quantity (quantity discounts available), you just enter your shipping & billing info. 

*Free Standard Shipping (10 business days)*

The front of my corrected tee.

Allied Shirts states that they'll contact you if there's an issue with your order, but I have to say that's not necessarily true. When I got my tee, it looked like my 2 year old did it (except the text on the back of course). But here's where Allied Shirts totally redeems themselves. After a phone call & a couple of emails with one of their Customer Love members, I found out that the resolution quality of my uploaded artwork was low (unbeknownst to me). But after emailing a much higher resolution, all was taken care of. I just wish there would have been a resolution checker of some sorts for after artwork was uploaded. 

Text on the back.

After I received my shirt & wore it, I realized something was a bit off. I finally figured it out, it was a size smaller. I checked the tags between my two shirts & they both said large, but my corrected tee was clearly a medium. I'm not holding that against Allied Shirts though because a.) they just print the shirts, they don't make them. And b.) It happens! No matter what retailer you shop at, it's bound to happen sometime. It still fit fine, just not as loose as I had originally planned.

I think it may actually fit perfect now, despite the sizing difference.

All in all, I have to say that despite the resolution issue with the first tee & the smaller size with the second, I would definitely order tees from Allied Shirts . They have quality tees (that still look great after washing by the way), great prices & an awesome Customer Love department.

Keep up with the latest from Allied Shirts on Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest.

**Disclaimer: I have received products to try from Allied Shirts & am simply sharing my personal opinion which may vary from yours. I was not compensated for this review.

Down To Earth Handmade Products: Valentine's Giveaway!

I had the pleasure of featuring Down to Earth Handmade Products in my Holiday Gift Guide (the Shaving Soap is amazing!) & now I get to offer my readers a special treat. Just in time for Valentine's Day too!

Inside the Cupcake & Heart Soap Box is a Vanilla Scented Cupcake Soap & a bag of lightly scented Soap Hearts. The choco scented soap hearts are lightly glazed with raw brown sugar for exfoliation & the vanilla are lightly glazed with Himalayan pink salt.

Down to Earth Handmade Products are just that, handmade with 100% essential oils, waxes & other earth derived ingredients. All products are also paraben free, cruelty free, vegan & natural.

One  lucky winner will receive a Cupcake & Heart Soap Box!

 The giveaway will conclude on at 12:00 a.m. est on Monday 2/3/14. Winners will be announced via rafflecopter & in a separate blog post which will be published no later than 3:00 p.m. on Monday 2/3/14. Winners will also be notified via email & announced on the Smith and Blessings facebook page. Winners will have 48 hours to submit shipping information, which will then be passed on to Down To Earth Handmade Products for distribution of product. If 48 hours has lapsed, a new winner will be picked & then will also have 48 hours to submit their information. *Giveaway open to U.S. residents only. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Down to Earth Handmade Products is recognized by PETA & a member of the Humane Society as well as a member of the Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetic Guild.

 Keep up with the latest from Down to Earth Handmade Products on Facebook.

**Disclaimer: I have received products to try from Down to Earth Handmade Products & am simply sharing my personal opinion which may vary from yours. I was not compensated for this review.