Bangers and Mash and Jalapeno Cran-Raspberry Sauce

 It's a little early for this post- but I made these over the weekend and I'm ready to get the pictures out of my phone so I can move on the next two recipes.

I am just over 60% done with cooking through my unofficial Harry Potter book. I'm deep in the Great Hall recipes- and there are a lot of real dinner type of recipes. Mainly inspired by the UK. Britains most popular comfort food according to wikipedia. I've never had it. Technically you are supposed to make your own "bangers" but I don't like veal and the least sausage recipe I really didn't like so I just grabbed some beef sausage (bangers) from the meat market. I should have made peas instead of broccoli but I was too lazy to run to the store that day. So broccoli it was. I whipped up some quick mashed potatoes and gravy. There was an onion gravy but I just winged this one. And that's it. Dinner is served. It was pretty good. Very filling. Fun to try such a classic dinner even if I didn't follow the recipe exactly. 

Next up- cranberry raspberry chipotle sauce. I also did not follow this recipe exactly. I didn't pick up a Jalapeno- so I subbed chipotle powder instead. Even better. Everything else I followed...mostly. I didn't really know what to pair it with- but I have been wanting to make schnitzel for a few months now. This was my first time making it and it came out so good. I can't wait to make it again. Made mine with Turkey. Then I did rice. And I did eat a vegetable- I just couldn't be bothered to plate it. One of my favorite dinners I have made! The cran sauce complimented perfectly. I've made a few variations of cranberry sauce- this is solid if you like raspberries. I could see myself making it again...although regular cranberry sauce will more than likely be my default most of the time. I am a little obsessed with cranberry sauce and I make it a lot when cranberries are available. 

And that's all...until next time! 

Hask Keratin Smooth Smoothing Leave in Spray Review

I have an irrational fear of  automated car washes and today I went through my first one. I have been through once or twice decades ago. They do an ok job....I don't think I'll go back. I think I'll just suck it up and stick to hand washing my car-even in the cold. I think maybe I've just seen too many incidents with them..IDK. Also..somehow I left one of my windows slightly down so the soapy water got into my car..and on me a bit. Whoops.

Hask claims:

This multi-benefit, keratin-enriched conditioning spray is designed to pack strands with moisturizing and conditioning agents that protect hair from heat and provide a smooth look.

• Fights frizz
• Smooths hair
• Heat protection up to 400°F/205°C
• Detangles and fortifies strands
• Boosts shine

This is the second of the two leave in sprays from the brand I bought. I think this would be good to use before blow drying or flat ironing to add smoothness and heat protection but I rarely ever do that. I thought I might test this product out like that but I have been a bit lazy. Maybe over the weekend I might. And if I do I'll update. But it's very likely I won't.

Keratin is the building blocks of hair- so maybe I really should try and use it more often. The last time I used a product that highlighted the Keratin it was the deep conditioner from the same brand. It wasn't my favorite product though- not a repurchase. Much like this leave in spray.

Almost forgot to talk scent- it kinda reminds me of Lush Snow fairy. I really like the scent in this form. It doesn't really linger in my hair that I can smell..or maybe i just go nose blind to it after a while. 

I think for my hair texture a watery like spray is just not going to add enough moisture to my hair or anything else to my hair. It's like spraying water in my hair. It has higher heat protection than the other spray I tried..but that's really just not enough.

Ingredients: 

Aqua/Water/Eau, Glycerin, Keratin amino acids, Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, Cetrimonium chloride, Polyquaternium-22, Polyquaternium-47, Disodium EDTA, Sodium benzoate, Sodium salicylate, Leuconostoc/radish root ferment filtrate, Potassium hydroxide, Citric Acid, Parfum/Fragrance, Hexyl cinnamal

It didn't do much of anything for my hair...I can't see myself purchasing again unless I am looking for a product purely to protect my hair from heat damage- but there are other products that provide softness, shine,  and detangling so it wouldn't be my first choice. 

Nest Pumpkin Chai Candle Review

 Pumpkin candles are not my thing- but I saw this on clearance and decided to give it a whirl. I thought of saving it for Thanksgiving next year...but then I ran low on candles and decided to go ahead and at least try it. 

Nest claims:

Pumpkin Chai creates a cozy autumn ambiance with a blend of pumpkin, spicy masal chai, cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon.

One thing I noticed straight away is how much smaller the glass is from previous candles from the brand. Shrinkflation? 

Even though I'm not a fan of Pumpkin candles I have burned through quite a few. Them being on sale always gets me. I have previously burned through Voluspa Spiced Pumpkin Latte,  Yankee Candle Pumpkin Pie,  I think of all those the Yankee Candle Pumpkin Pie was the best, and second place is Voluspa. I think this one would probably fall in last place.

It definitely smells like a pumpkin custard but it's too sweet. Overwhelmingly sweet and that's most of what I smell. It gets tiresome really quickly and I usually put it out fast. I don't get any of the claimed spices- I would actually call this candle Pumpkin Caramel. 

On the plus, the throw is really good. It melts evenly and I haven't had any problems with sooting. 

Pumpkin candles still aren't for me. I'm glad I tried it on sale...but this one did not change my mind. 

Beekman 1802 Vanilla Absolute Goat Milk Soap Review

I've got a lot to do today...mostly just doing all my favorite things today. Right now I'm just relaxing, eating breakfast and watching another episode of Bridgerton. Of course. In the meantime, I figured I would knock out a post..or two. Especially since this soap is on its last little sliver. 

Beekman claims: 

One of our favorite scents from the bakery gives this soap its irresistible allure. Rich goat milk and vanilla melt into the skin to thoroughly cleanse and moisturize while leaving behind a delectable scent. 

T: Sheer Lily, Dewy Muguet, Orange. M: Vanilla, Golden Amber. B: Sandalwood, Cedar, Patchouli. Essential Oils: Cedarwood, Orange, Patchouli.

oI think I may have been prematurely impressed with the Beekman soaps. I recently opened the Lavender which doesn't have any Lavender scent- I have yet to review it but should post one in the next couple of weeks. I did really like the Honey Orange Blossom though this Vanilla Absolute version leaves a lot to be desired. 

The scent is where the disappointment lies. It smells like vanilla play dough. Maybe a slight hint of root beer. Just not much scent at all....can hardly detect it in the shower. I think vanilla might be a hard scent to do in bar soap form so that might be where the problem lies....I think a shower gel would fare better but I haven't tried any straight up vanilla scented gels that I would recommend either. 

Other than the disappointing scent the soap was nice. Rich, thick, lotsa lather. Feels nice on the skin. Rinses clean. 

I'm happy with the ingredients...it has goat milk, jojoba oil, goat milk, shea butter, and kukui nut oil. It should have vanilla absolute too but that was nowhere to be found....unless it's hidden in the "fragrance". 

Ingredients: 

Sodium Palmate, Sodium Cocoate and or Palm Kernelate, Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Fragrance (Parfum), Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Chloride, Caprae Lac (Goat Milk), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, Aleurites Moluccana Seed Extract (Kukui Nut Oil), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Pentasodium Pentetate.

Overall, it was a disappointment. Wish I could say otherwise but I think the scent needs to go back to the drawing board.

 

Roasted Pepper Pasta Salad and Red Pepper Walnut Pesto

 The theme this week for me- red peppers. Not on purpose- these just happened to be the next two recipes for me somehow. So I had a fridge full of red peppers. My favorite color pepper.

Started with Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Salad. I definitely switched up the recipe from the original...just slightly. I thought it would make a better sauce so I ended up grinding everything up in a food processor. I also ended up adding a little cheese since I had it around. It was pretty good...not something I would make again. It made a very easy to make and eat pasta. I think maybe it was intended to eat cold but i ended up warming it up when I had it leftover...melting the mozzarella balls made it so much better! 

Next up- a Red Pepper Walnut Pesto. I changed this recipe up- mostly because I didn't realize dried tomatoes go bad so quickly so I had to sub tomato paste and throw the rest of the dried tomatoes I had out. This also differed from the last recipe in that it uses walnuts instead of almonds. The walnut is a stronger flavor so you can definitely tell it is there. I made a fried chicken sandwich with the pesto and mozzarella. And then just used the rest on pasta. I liked it. It doesn't beat the sun dried pesto I made or regular pesto- but it was a nice variation. This recipe is similar but not exact.

Overall, a very red peppery week. I feel like an expert on red pepper sauces now 😁

A Taste of Honey

I've got time for one more post. A music post of course and I think it will be a quick one since I only have two songs to share. 

Starting with a song that always gets me moving. Boogie Oogie Oogie. Just listen to that music- those instruments. This song reminds me a little of the Rose Royce group.  These ladies are too cool- and so talented.  That BASS! Wow. I can't find a performance where they use the live vocals though...

Next up, a song that is totally opposite of the first. It's a cover of a Japanese song. I should probably go listen to the original which I have so far never heard. I love this song though- such beautiful lyrics and music. Very talented and versatile group. 

Underrated group that has made two of my very favorite songs!