Tom Browne

Figured I would knock a quick music post out the way while I'm waiting. 

I don't think I ever heard this song...I discovered it through listening to samples. I had Mariah Carey' Glitter album and she sampled this. That was back when you would listen to an album from the first to the last. I didn't realize she made a music video. I know this is a post about Tom Brown- but...I just have to post Miss Carey. Not my favorite song but I do love the end when she goes full voice.

And now the OG. That trumpet note in the beginning is so iconic to me. Love this song. So underrated. Trumpet never sounded so good.

Sausage and Egg Breakfast Quesadilla and Sweet Potato Puree with Maple Sage Bacon

 One more post and then I'm done for the day. Finished up another two recipes so here we are. Time to post! This will be short and sweet. 

Starting with a breakfast quesadilla.  I didn't feel like turning into a quesadilla so I cooked it up as a burrito. I don't think I've ever made anything like this which is crazy because it was so good and mega easy! I just used lamb/beef sausage, cheddar, and eggs. You can scale the recipe up but I scaled it down to only make one. This would probably be good with a vegetable or two in it as well. I might make one for breakfast tomorrow and just use spinach instead of sausage since I ran out.

Next up, Sweet Potato Puree with Maple Bacon. This recipe came from my Vitamix cookbook. I don't see it posted online but it's basically mashed/blended sweet potato with spices and maple bacon. I used beef bacon and cooked it up, then let it cook in maple syrup once it got crispy. And added dried sage. The bacon was AMAZING! I have some slices of bacon that I want to cook up the same way it was that cook.  To go with it I just baked up some chicken, made some potato salad and green beans. Dinner was served! 

And that's all for this week. Hopefully I get the chance to bake up something sweet next week....feels like all I've been making is food/food.

All The Cleaning Things Part Five

 It's Friday movie night..but since I fell off this week- figured it was time to knock out a post. Most of it is done- I'm just adding the last little bit of stuff that I have been using to clean up. I like reviewing cleaning stuff althoughI'm sure it's not the most exciting post to read- but we all have to clean and may as well try things and find the best stuff for the job. 

Ariel Universal Laundry Powder

I prefer powder detergent. I think they work better and bonus they come in cardboard packaging which means no plastic which is kinder to the environment. I think this works well. The tests is always the kitchen towels with no added oxi. And it worked pretty well all by itself. Works well on all other clothes too. Not too strongly scented- I don't notice the scent sticking to my clothes much after they are dry.

7th Generation- I don't love this brand. There was a time my Mom kept the All Purpose Cleaner in house. I hated it because it didn't work well...and it also doesn't smell that great. This is supposed to be biodegradable, better for the earth...plant based. All the dazzle dazzle...but I find it to be watered down and not that effective on grease. I also don't really notice the scent much. The scent I have is the Clementine Zest and Lemongrass. It's so lightly scented you barely notice it. I will probably try the rest of the scents and update here as I go but mostly I'm not very impressed.  

Recently I bought the Lavender Mint one- still dismal dishwashing results but it smells so good it made me make my own rollerball with the same mix of oils.

The only problem I noticed- it is rough on my hands/nails. I started having issues with my nails breaking off and my skin becoming really dry and peeling. 

Dawn Platinum Foam- Dawn Platinum is the best dish detergent. I also really like the spray. I'm not so sure about the foam. It is definitely concentrated and it does clean the dishes-grease. I just don't think I like this form. It constantly leaks and leaves soap on the counters and I just don't feel it's as versatile as the liquid or the spray. I don't think I would buy it again but it was cool to try. 

Lysol Lime and Rust Toilet Cleaner 

This stuff is sometimes sold out...I had a hard time picking it up. Or maybe it was just the timing of when I was going to the store. Anyway...I usually just use dish soap or whatever I have on hand but this is a good thing to have on hand to really clean the toilet. I feel like if you let it sit it just dissolves whatever and gets the toilet sparkling clean. Also, it doesn't smell horrible. It has a light mint/toothpaste smell. Only thing- read the directions before starting. You aren't supposed to close the bowl or let it sit longer than 10 minutes. I am definitely guilty of doing both those things. Whoops! 

Plant Therapy Citrus Burst Multi-Surface Cleaner 

The price on these have really increased I just noticed. When I bought it, the price was 8.99 for two. Which means about 4.50 per bottle of cleaner. Now you are paying about six which is kinda high for a refill product. I love that it minimizes plastic- you can easily recycle the glass so much better for the planet. It also smells really nice- like a really bright citrus cleaner that does not at all smell like a cleaner. Smells like something I would spray around to freshen up my home or diffuse. It works well but I don't think it gets things as clean as Method. And I do feel like things get dirtier quicker than if I used something else. I think I would just stick to DIY cleaners over this- but I wouldn't be opposed to trying the other scents. Also wanted to mention I can go through a bottle of this super quickly...maybe it's not concentrated enough? 

Palmolive Ultra Strength Dish Liquid

Dawn is the best dish detergent- but Palmolive is second best. I think it smells much better than Dawn and is more gentle on my hands/nails. It's a classic. I have been trying all the different dish soaps- I find it's the most versatile cleaning thing you can buy. It can clean dishes or anything else. You can use it to make all purpose cleaners etc. I would buy this one again. I like it. Probably not as great as Dawn...but I like it.

Persil Universal Pods

I think Persil is one of the best detergents. I like these better than the Arial. I think they make clothes fresher and remove more stains. I don't think Pods are the most versatile (can't adjust the amount you use per load).  and not sure of the little container really dissolves and it earth friendly. I tried to research it but just ended up even more confused. I do like these though ..and would pick them up again. Probably in the economical size because the smaller the package you get the more expensive these are per pod.

Clorox Scentiva Lavender and Jasmine Toilet Bowl Cleaner

This is probably the best smelling toilet bowl cleaner you can buy. It's like a spa day for the toilet. Bonus- it actually works too. I had another toilet bowl cleaner that was supposed to be Jasmin and it smells ok but did not clean anything. Clorox tends to be a pretty good brand though. Would definitely pick this up again. There are a few other scents/brands I want to try before I do that though. 

That's all for now....I'm already working on the next post but it probably won't be for awhile. It takes a minute to get through all the cleaning sprays/detergents etc.

Carmex Comfort Care in Watermelon Blast Review

I've been on a quest- to use all my old gaming consoles---with new to me "old" games. Mainly workout games. I'm trying to get back into regulairly working out. Usually once the weather warms up, I find motivation. Which I have definitely found. I'm trying to keep it interesting with new "games" though. Some of them have been duds- but for me variety is the spice of life or the key to keeping active.

In the meantime, let's talk lip balm. Completely unrelated. 

Carmex claims: 

Help restore lips to their natural beauty with this combination of exceptional ingredients and watermelon flavor in a soothing lip balm stick.

• Crafted with a soothing blend of colloidal oatmeal and cold-pressed antioxidant-rich fruit seed oil
• Helps restore lips’ natural beauty with long-lasting moisture
• Visibly smoother, healthier looking lips

I thought I had tried something from Carmex years ago. But maybe not. Carmex is an old school brand- it has been around for decades. Originating from Wisconsin in 1937. I think everyone has tried it at some point...I think I have tried it too. Either this or the Blistex that comes in the a tub. I get them confused. 

Back in the day, I knew someone who was a superfan of this chapstick-it was funny because I always thought they were saying Carmax instead of Carmex 😂.  They had the countries of accents.

I can be very picky about my lip balms. I prefer mainly a naturally derived brand. I find the ones with all kinds of junk in them really don't work and dry out the lips/make you dependent on them. 

I like this lip balm. I think it works really well and after it wears off, my lips don't feel dry and like i need to immediately reapply. It came in a two pack- which is much appreciated. I need to switch this one out with my current  lip balm (got it free!) - because that one is horrible. I will apply it in the AM and have dry lips ALL day. This is miles better than that one.

But yep- this one is nice. It doesn't remind me of any watermelon scent I have ever smelled. It smells very similar to pink starbursts (my favorite color). I used to pick through Starbursts so I could get the pink ones. The pink starburst is strawberry flavored. 

From what I can tell it also comes in some other flavors- Sugar Plum, Peppermint, and Mixed Berry so they have something for everyone if this scent isn't your jam.

The ingredients are pretty great. I'm glad more mainstream brands are making more natural lip balms. I also appreciate the beeswax. Beeswax are the best lip balms! 

ricinus communis seed oil (castor oil), cera alba (beeswax), theobroma grandiflorum seed butter (cupuacu butter), raphanus sativus seed extract (radish seed extract), flavor, astrocaryum murumuru seed butter (murumuru butter), rhus verniciflua peel cera, rhus succedanea fruit cera, vaccinium macrocarpon seed oil (cranberry seed oil), ascorbyl palmitate (vitamin c palmitate), tocopherol (vitamin E), copernicia cerifera wax (carnauba wax), avena sativa kernel flour (colloidal oatmeal), stevia rebaudiana extract (stevia extract), helianthus annuus seed oil (sun flower seed oil)

Overall, I really like it. It's something I would repurchase if needed. I just wish they would switch to a plastic free tube

Knossos Olive Oil Soap with Donkey Milk and Pomegranate Peel Review

 I bought this on my trip to Greece last year. Everywhere I go I always try to snag a bar of soap. I've used all the "milk" soaps. Goat Milk, Camel Milk, Buffalo Milk. This is the first Donkey Milk soap I came across so of course I had to snag it.

Knossos claims: 

Olive oil soap with Donkey Milk, Pomegranate Peel & fragrance, made 100% by olive oil (no mixture with other kinds of oils). It doesn’t contain color substances or chemical preservatives. 

Suitable for Face & Body.

I can't think of this soap without thinking of Donkey from Shrek. I even have to say it with my Shrek accent. Who know Donkey's produce enough milk that you can use it for soap? 

From the website it looks like this is meant to be sold in bulk for gift shops etc. Which is whereI got mine. Originally intended as a body soap but I found the scent to be lacking so I used it as a facial soap. The scent is just regular old soap. For some reason I thought it was supposed to be scented Pomegranate. But the pomegranate is just there to provide a little exfoliation. I think. 

Otherwise it's a nice soap. Gets my face squeaky clean. It's also slightly drying...so in the winter following up with moisturizer was necessary. 

I think my skin has felt smoother and a little brighter since using it. From what I have read Donkey Milk is supposed to be amazing for the skin. It has all kinds of essential vitamins and proteins that benefit the skin. It's anti-inflammatory and supposed to be good for all kinds of skin issues. 

Ingredients:

Sodium Olivate, Aqua, Parfum, Donkey Milk, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Peel Powder, Sodium Chloride, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool.

Overall, it's a solid soap. I think for me it would be interchangeable with any other milk soap but it's nice to try something different. Also something simple that just works.

Chicken and Apple Salad Sandwiches, Brown Windsor Soup, and ChocolateTruffles

One more post before I go play some games to end my day. I need to make my next grocery list and figure out what I'm making for the coming week.

Starting with chicken salad. I don't think I have ever made chicken salad. Mostly I made tuna. I think it's time to switch it up. I predict a lot of chicken salad in my future this summer. It was so easy to make and the perfect light dinner option. Didn't even take long to make. I even really liked the addition of the cranberries and apples. I served mine on croissants like the original recipe did and also made split pea soup as a side to use up the rest on my cabinet.  

Next up, Brown Windsor soup. We are back in the Unofficial Harry Potter book. And cooking up all the UK recipes I had never heard of. It's definitely too hot for soup..but this was pretty good. I think it would be the perfect fall/winter soup.It doesn't have the best reputation according to the Wikipedia page but I thought it was decent. Doesn't look amazing..but what can you do. 

And last up- I made truffles. No picture because they just don't look good. I was really excited about this recipe- thought it would lead to me making all kinds of truffles. But these are underwhelming. Really it's way more satisfying to just EAT THE CHOCOLATE AS IS! So I probably won't be making anymore truffles. Here is the recipe if you wish to avoid it.

And that's all! Not a bad week in the kitchen for me....