TIDBITS, A TRIP & DRY WEATHER SKIN TIPS

I've Fallin a Little

Hello, hello, hello!  I spent three hours last night choosing, editing and loading photos.  After that I had no energy to write so here I am 24 hours later and feeling in the groove.  Except...I have had the worst sort of flu/bronchitis/asthma thing going on for almost three weeks.  In fact, all summer I was having allergy issues, sinus congestion, sore throats and then asthma.  It hit full on a few weeks ago and I've been on antibiotics, prednisone, and several over the counter meds.  I had a chest x-ray last week and it's showing some shady areas in the upper right lung lobe so I'm having a CT scan tomorrow.  My doctor said it could very well be some pneumonia settled in that area.  

In spite of feeling like my head is going to burst and my lungs sound like a bubbling brook, I have to get out of the house.  Don't get me wrong, I've spent a lot of lazy days napping and reading, and then I get spurts of energy, get myself showered, makeup and hair full on, and I feel like I'm back in the land of the living.  Sometimes its a trip to Target for Halloween candy, A grocery store stop for fresh veggies and fruit, or Home Depot (I picked up some spring bulbs for a song and actually planted them today while I wheezed and coughed.  I'll be grateful next spring).  Actually, the cold air clears out my lungs a bit.  

Cousin Love

Another fun night, I met two of my cousins for apps and drinks at a little pub near our homes.  Left to right: the three J's: Judy, Jane and Joanne.  Our fathers, now gone, were brothers.  When we were young my parents moved west to what became a Chicago suburb, and the rest of the family stayed on the Southside.  I came back when I married The Husband, as ironically, this is where he is from as well.  All of my cousins live so close, and these two, my faves, live just a few blocks each from me.  And it's also funny, the house that daughter Abby and Tom bought is diagonally across the street from the pub so we can park there and not use a valet (of course in the summer we can walk!) or look for street parking.  One of these days as the young couple get more settled in I'll see if she lets me take some pics of their home to share.  

Poppy Girl, 16 weeks

Poppy has gained five pounds since I brought her home.  And she has grown long; a long body and long legs--long and sleek like a greyhound.  And she can not only run like the wind, but she cuts sharp corners and does flying leaps over anything in her way.  Thankfully we have a really large backyard.  I'll try to get a video of her one day.  She's got that cattle dog gene, no doubt. She loves everyone, she plays with Layla in a way that Layla may have missed earlier in life.  
Milo was always more of a 'people' dog, and he just tolerated his cousins Tulo, Squall, and sister Layla.  

Lake Girl Maddy

Madelyn, her mom and daddy, as well as The Husband, went up to the lake recently to put away the outdoor furniture and such.  I was in the midst of this 'whatever-I-have sickness, and stayed home.  I started feeling a little envious when they started texting me pictures of the festivals and farms they visited, picking pumpkins, playing games, hayrides, corn mazes.  Wow, fall in the country is incredible.  The wheels in my mind are turning fast and I think we should make a good weekend out of it next year for all the kids and grands.  

Madelyn striking a pose

I had to share this second photo of Mad.  She is a true model.  I love this outfit.  Emily finds the cutest clothes on Etsy and little known shops on the Internet.  She's also in a buy/sell group on Facebook and gets bargains on some of her favorite brands.  Lately Madelyn has been sporting these pretty braids.  Em said she's been learning how to do them on You Tube.  Well this little girl loves the glam life as you can see.  Sister Lucy will be inheriting all these cute outfits, she's arriving in about three weeks.  I am beyond excited!

The beautiful rolling hills and farmland of Western Illinois

I kind of skipped over a trip The Husband and I made to Galena, Illinois in late September.  Most of you know we meet up with former blogger, Cindy, and her hubby, Dan every year for a weekend getaway.  After Cindy and I got to know each other through blogging in 2009, we just took the plunge to meet up, ironically in Galena, which is an equal three hour drive for each of us.  Other places we have met are Lake Geneva, WI., Madison, WI., Cedarburg, WI., Chicago, and our lakehouse in Michigan (a seven hour drive for them).  It's a unique and genuine friendship we have that has stood the test of time and miles.  Cindy and I pick up where we've left off as we walk, shop and talk.  We often say how we wish we lived close to each other.  She is in Western Wisconsin, not far from Minneapolis.  But we text and talk on the phone.

The Galena Renaissance Riverboat Inn

I don't know how The Husband and I got this suite, Cindy made the reservations and for a little bit less, she and Dan just got a regular room with a bath.  This was jaw dropping.  Not only did it have a spacious living room as you can see in the above photo, the bedroom was large, it had a giant whirlpool tub in its own room complete with plants and a tropical ambience, a kitchenette, and separate bathroom.

The Bedroom

Fabric, rugs, paintings and just about everything depicted lions, tigers and zebras.  The heavy drapes and over abundance of pillows made it cozy yet almost to the point of feeling suffocated.  

The Spa

This room consisted only of a gigantic whirlpool hot tub.  It was pretty opulent with the whole safari thing going on, plants and wild animals baring their fangs.  We never got around to using it.  It was situated off the hallway to the kitchenette and bathroom, and across from the bedroom.  And it had a large window in said hall looking right in.  We couldn't quite make out what it was about.  

Peek-A-Boo

It rained the entire weekend.  Even with umbrella's, it put a bit of gloom over our rare time together.  But the Zebra Suite saved us.  We saw a magician who also doubled as a comedian at a small, intimate theater Saturday evening.  The Husband and I had made an earlier trip to a nearbyWalmart and bought cheese and crackers, various other tidbits, some craft beer and wine, and we settled in our 'living room' to chat, watch CNN, and then Saturday Night Live.  We stayed out of the rain and The Zebra Room paid off!

Sooooo, now I want to head off into a different direction with the blog.  I want to take some varied ideas and format.  I'm feeling a little stagnant in simply sharing photos and snippets of my life.  I want to talk about other aspects of my life and the things I love, the trivial info I pick up in my never ending search for living my best life, doing the best with what I have, sharing thoughts and feelings on life, love and family. 

A long time ago I wrote a post about makeup products I used. I realized quite quickly it was not for the audience I had. Long story short, when I asked readers what their makeup routines were like as well as what products they used, I had a small handful that identified with me and my love of makeup and products, and a large percentage who rarely wore makeup, simply owned one lipstick, and had no desire to fuss with anything. Absolutely nothing wrong with that.  This time around I want to have more discussion.  I hope all of you ladies open up about your lives, wants and needs.  I'd like to cover subjects like self care, health issues and management, mental health, and of course, some lighter stuff...shopping habits, finding the best deals, organizing your home, thoughts on decorating and trends, what we do in our downtime to unwind...wow, I'm excited to start.  Give and take.  I hope you are up for it.  

So firstly, I'm jut going to start with some skin care products I have been using that I'm absolutely loving and feeling the changes they have made in my skin.  Please note, I am not affiliated with any of these products.   

REN Flash Hydro Boost

This product came as a sample from Sephora with a purchase.  It was a generous size and lasted for a good two weeks.  Please note, when you are browsing through Sephora, you can ask for samples of any of their products, free and unlimited.  One day I decided to try out this little tube and I was glad I read the instructions.  It's an emulsion so it needs to be mixed with water to thin out the concentrated product.  Just a pea size amount dotted on your face, some water on your fingertips and then you just gently massage it into your face.  The smell is fragrant but in a natural way, the gentle massaging makes you feel relaxed and your skin stimulated, and after...my skin felt like a baby's bottom.  It claims to plump your skin, I'm not sure if it did but I know that as I ran my fingers over my face after it felt changed, very smooth.  There is no greasy feeling, no waiting for it to settle in.  This will be my go-to for a very long time.

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Ever Calm Recovery Balm

When we sleep our skin cells are busy renewing, repairing and dividing.  And that's the best time for your skin to receive the multiple impact from the products you put on your face.  I have always felt that the heavy creams I slather on at bedtime are just rubbing off on my pillowcase, but this night balm is a whole different ballgame.  It goes on easily and you just massage a little bit in, it's very spreadable and non greasy in spite of being a balm.  In the dry weather, I feel like I wake up with more fresh and moistured skin.  This is a keeper for me.

REN also offers cleansers, treatments and products for oily skin.  The prices are on the high end so it's definitely something you have to consider.  I highly suggest you check out Sephora to get samples, and then you can find the best price either from REN, Amazon, or Sephora.  

CereVe Moisturizing Lotion

This lotion as well as the large jar of cream are long time standbys for me at good prices.  Found at just about any store, you can even go online for coupons.  The name stands for ceramides which maintain the skin's moisture barrier, and hyaluronic acid which plumps the skins cells and replenishes lipids.  I have been on the hyaluronic acid bandwagon for quite a while.  When I was having terrible eczema, which I can happily say is now in remission, I went to one of the world's top dermatologists based in Chicago.  A Harvard Medical school grad, international speaker. and author of many textbooks on dermatology, he recommended CereVe products.  You can't beat the price.  The cream is heavy, I use it on my body after a shower.  On damp skin it spreads really well if you pat it on as well as smooth it out.

 I hope this isn't too long and boring.  And jeez, it's only three products.  Sometimes I feel so strongly about something I want to emphasize why.  

So...comment on those cute little pics of Madelyn, or the odd weekend we had in Galena, but also share your skincare routine and thoughts on new products..  We'll see if my branching out of my box is going to be receptive.

If you missed my last post, I featured a lot of great recipes.  You can find it here.

See ya soon!

Jane❤️

MAKING THINGS FALL & GREAT COOL WEATHER RECIPES

Hello Everyone!  I am turning over a new leaf (definitely a pun intended here).  I have to pick up the slack with posting and I think that may not be hard to do with the shorter days and me being all comfy and cozy in my PJ's at 7:00 p.m.  That gives me plenty of time to watch CNN, the Chicago news, and then an episode of The Real Housewives of ----, or a Hallmark movie (depending on my mood).  

I wanted to get back on here just a few days after my last post, but I didn't feel I had anything new to share.  The truth is, I haven't been using my camera very much and I need to work on that, so subsequently, I can't seem to weave my words together without that.  Tonight I decided I'd share some of my recipes that I have posted in the past focusing on cool weather fare, and I'll bring you all up to snuff on happenings in Blondieville as I go along.  You will find the Save icon on each photo to add them to your Pinterest boards

This first recipe is simple (as long as chopping isn't a chore for you).  I happen to find it therapeutic.

Beef Noodle Soup with Soy & Ginger

1 T olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped finely

1 T grated fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, grated

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1 cup carrots, sliced matchstick style

2 cups cabbage, thinly sliced

2 cups broccoli florets

1 quart beef broth

3 T soy sauce

1 t toasted sesame oil

S & P

4 oz. noodles (spaghetti, Soba, egg noodle...your choice)

Cook the onion, ginger, garlic and scallions in the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat 5 minutes.  Add the carrots, cabbage and broccoli and cook another 5 minutes.  Pour in the broth as well as 2 cups of water, soy sauce and sesame oil.  Bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper.  Let simmer 10 minutes and add noodles.  Cook 5 minutes or until they are tender.  Serve with a pinch of sliced scallions sprinkled over the top.

This cooks up very quickly as you can see but the chopping takes awhile.  I happen to love chopping, it's relaxing for me.  You may want to prepare the veggies earlier in the day and then the whole soup will go together super quick in time for dinner.  

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Indoors I haven't been doing a whole lot in the fall decorating department.  I brought up a box of odds and ends from downstairs last week and it's still sitting on the counter.  And I have so much more.  I'm trying to purge this insane, disorganized, and cluttered room in my basement that's filled to the brim with holiday and seasonal decor.  I really feel I will chuck most of it but I'll set aside some things to bring to a local thrift store.   I've actually been on a sorting, purging and organizing mission...shoes, boots, purses, clothes.  I do feel much lighter in my heart when I donate.

I loooooove stuffed peppers but I wanted something  different than the tried and true ground beef, rice, and tomato sauce.  You can cut the heat in this filling by the type of peppers you use.

Jane's Spicy Stuffed Peppers

These were fun to make, and I just made it up as I want along.  I had a bit of an uncooked piece of center cut pork roast.  I used 1/2 of a piece of Chorizo sausage that usually comes in two lengths per 12 oz. package.  You can control the spice when using the Cajun spices and jalapeño peppers.  I've also been using farro as a go to for rice as it is slightly lower in carbs and all around healthy.

2 bell peppers, sliced in half and seeds removed
1 small piece of pork, about 1 1/3 cup,  chopped a little less than the size of a dice. 
3 oz. chorizo sausage, pulled apart into small pieces
1/2 cup farro
1/2 T canola oil
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced  
1 poblano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 plum tomato, seeded and roughly chopped
1 c black beans
2-3 T Cajun seasonings
1 T oregano,
2 c Mexican cheese, divided
S&P to taste

Cook the farro in a good amount of water approximately 20 minutes until tender.  Drain  and set aside.  Meanwhile, sauté the pork cubes in the canola oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes, stirring and tossing occasionally.  Add the remaining ingredients including the farro, and 2/3 of the cheese.  Cook 5 minutes until well mixed and the flavors starting to meld.

Trim the bottom side of the bell pepper very thinly so that they will sit steady in the baking dish.  Spoon the sautéed  mixture into the four pepper halves, pressing it in firmly.  Top with the last bit of cheese.  Place the pepper halves in the dish and pour a scant bit of water around them so that they will stream.  Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side.


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I'm still a little behind the eight ball in decorating for fall.  My planters and window boxes are still looking good and I hate tossing something that's living.  We are however, having nights that go down to the 40's, so I'm contemplating their demise within the next few days.  I want to add some spring bulbs to fill in some areas in the backyard, and I'm thinking of trying my hand at planting some lilac bushes.  The Husband grew up with them in his childhood home so I think he'll like this.  I hope to get out this week and pick out some pansies, bulbs, and a mum or two.  When I take Poppy for her  walks I love to look at all of the pretty homes in my neighborhood and soak in the inspiration.🍁

Cheese & Onion Herb Spread

1 c. shredded Asiago (or Parmesan) cheese, divided

2 c. finely diced yellow onion

1/4 c. plain Greek yogurt

4 t. olive oil, divided

2 T. minced garlic

2 t. dried rosemary or 2 T fresh

Salt and pepper to taste

1)  Sauté onions in 2 t. olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until soft.  Set aside.  

2)  In food processor or blender combine beans and yogurt.  Pulse until smooth.  Add S & P, remaining 2 t. olive oil, garlic and rosemary and 1/3 c. Asiago cheese.  Pulse until smooth and creamy. 

3)  Transfer bean mixture to a shallow ovenproof dish.  Top with half the onions, half the remaining cheese and then repeat.  Bake at 450 for ten minutes.  Serve hot or at room temp with crackers, toasted bread or crudités.  YUM!!!!

Pumpkin Cheese Ball

I loved making this last fall, very simple and fun and a big hit when I brought it to my son's engagement party back in 2015.  Here's the recipe if you missed it.

8 oz. cream cheese

10 oz finely chopped sharp cheddar

1/4 c  blue cheese crumbles

2  t Worcestershire sauce

1/4 t celery salt

1/4 t  onion salt

 Mixture of approximately 1 cup finely chopped walnuts and 1 T paprika

*****

Mix first 6 in a standing or hand held mixer.  Roll into a ball shape and chill 1/2 hour while you grind up walnuts and mix with paprika in a small bowl.  Set aside.

Place the ball of cheese on a large piece of parchment paper.  You will need to shape the cheese into a pumpkin shaped form.  Bring the parchment paper up and around the cheese ball to keep from making it sticky and shape it into a round larger from the middle down.  Once done,  pat the walnut/paprika mixture all over.  Using a butter knife, score the 'pumpkin' like the real deal from top to bottom in a curved fashion.  Add a real stem (wrapped in plastic at the bottom) or a piece of celery for the stem.  Chill an hour before serving with crackers.  I doubled the recipe to make the cheese pumpkin you see in the above picture.  Serves about 12.  Maybe more. 

Simple Granola with Fruit and Nuts (Blondie's Version)

*****

3 cups oats

3/4 c slivered almonds

3/4 c raw pumpkin seeds

1/2 t cinnamon

1/2 t salt

1/4 c canola oil

1/2 c maple syrup

2 t vanilla extract

1 c dried cranberries

1 c dried apricots (chopped)

(you may substitute any dried fruit you like chopped uniformly)

2 T honey

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

In a large bowl mix the first 5 dry ingredients.  In a small bowl stir together the oil, syrup and vanilla.  Drizzle the syrup mixture over the dry and mix thoroughly.  Spread on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 50 minutes, stirring every once in a while to brown evenly.  Remove and toss with dried fruit.  Drizzle with honey and let cool.  Store in an airtight container.

Warm Bacon and Blue Cheese Dip

This is a hot dip your guest will remember, and if you bring it to a gathering, everyone will want to know the recipe.  Be like me.  Don't hand it out.  It's yours.  Guard it with your life.  Unlike I have just done here.  

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2 8 oz packages of cream cheese

2 T half & half

7 pieces of cooked bacon, coarsely chopped (reserve 1 T)

1 T chives

2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely

4 oz blue cheese

2 T chopped walnuts

Beat cream cheese and half and half in a mixer until somewhat smooth.  Stir in bacon, garlic and blue cheese.  Spread in a medium size casserole or pie dish.  Top with chives, garlic and blue cheese.  Sprinkle walnuts and remaining bacon pieces over and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Serve with crackers, pita chips, or small toast squares.  Be prepared for compliments.

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I sometimes wonder how this house here in the city sits so patiently while I'm at the lake.  And in the brief bits of time I come home, nothing much happens but a good cleaning and laundry.  I've been back now for a few weeks and it's been a whirlwind of appointments, get togethers with family and friends, stocking the fridge and cabinets, and doing all that purging I mentioned.  I also got us moving in redoing one of our bathrooms.  It's not a full gut, just the flooring, a new vanity top, and light fixtures.  The floor is done, and I'm almost decided on the light fixtures, then I'll call an electrician.  I'm also having some rooms painted to freshen them up, and little things here and there.  I like that The Husband is a little more laid back on me making some of these decisions, I don't feel I was very much interested in the past as to the bare bones of our houses, but I'm enjoying the process of changes.   I'll keep you posted.  

I'm sharing a recipe for my very own tried and true stew and I promise, if you make this version you will never go back to the one you've been doing.  As always, you can substitute veggies and seasonings. Use what you have on hand.  

Jane's Beef Stew

1 lb. beef stewing meat, cut into 1 inch cubes

1/4 c. flour

2 T veggie oil

1 c red wine

 1 48 oz. box of beef broth

1 c each chopped onion, celery and carrots

1 medium red potato, cubed

1/2 lb. Brussels sprouts, bottoms trimmed

S&P to taste

1 T dried oregano

1 T dried thyme

2 t. cinnamon

2 t nutmeg

1 bay leaf

Toss the stew meat with the flour in a large bowl while heating oil in a large oven proof pot or dutch oven.  Brown the cubes on all sides over medium high heat, turning when meat loosens from bottom of pot.  Remove to a plate and set aside.  Carefully add the wine and stir, scraping up bits of meat off the bottom of the pot.  Add the broth and bring to a boil.  Add the meat, veggies and spices and continue to boil 5 minutes.  Stir well, cover the pot with a lid and place in preheated oven at 325 degrees for 2 hours.  Remove and adjust seasonings to your liking.  Serves 4.

You will love this! Don't omit the cinnamon, it adds a bit of smoky but smooth flavor that's almost indescribable.   In this particular stew I used some Brussels sprouts sliced in half.  Use up what you have in your veggie bin or just switch things around as you prefer.

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In other Blondie News, the newlyweds, Abby and Tom bought their very first home.  They haven't fully moved in as they are having all the rooms freshly painted, the wood floors stripped and stained a darker shade, and one of the baths is being gutted.  It really is exciting.  Not only were they storing everything from their apartment on the Northside of Chicago while they lived at Tom's family home,, they had gotten tons of shower and wedding gifts that they can finally enjoy.  I spent a few hours there today where Tom was able to have all of "the boys" over for the Bears game.  Emily helped unpack dishes and I stood around making suggestions--ha ha.  No--seriously, the backyard is small, but the previous homeowners grew veggies in raised beds and Abby said, "I don't know anything about gardening, come on over whenever you want."  This is more exciting to me than my own home!  I'm eager to get started.

That's it for now except a photo of my Poppy.  Expect a lot of these as well as reports on her antics. 

She's cute, even when she's sleeping with here favorite toy,  Lamb Chop.  Don't you love all of her spots? ❤️❤️❤️

See you soon.  Let me know if you like any of these recipes enough to try them!

Jane

***I apologize for all of the changes in fonts and size of fonts.  I copied and pasted most of my recipes and I have no idea why some worked and others were funky. Let's just have a laugh!