BBQ Chicken Sandwiches and Ginger Beet Puree

 It's too soon for this type of post....butI'm ready to post it anyway so up it goes.

 I'll start with the beet puree because it's out of my comfort zone when cooking. Because what do you do with a puree? In the book they have served with some roasted Brussels sprouts but I feel like I have eaten more than my share of sprouts this year. So I just made some cabbage and lamb. It wasn't bad. I just still feel it's outside of what I am comfortable cooking. It wa good though...if you like beets and ginger you would like this. It reminds me of the beet juice my Mom seems to love making. I've also had more than my fair share of beet juice. Anyway...fun to try something new. I probably wouldn't make again because I'm just not that into purees. There is one more in the book that I am going to try and hopefully I don't have to make them anymore. 

Rice, beet puree with fried cabbage, and some lamb

And last up- BBQ chicken sandwiches. I didn't read the recipe so I kinda just did whatever. I thought they were supposed to be cooked in the crockpot so that's what I did. Then when it was done I shredded it up. I made a batch of burger buns to go with it- last couple of times I just bought the buns but I was in the mood to bake bread I guess. The buns were my fave part. I don't think I love these type of sandwiches but it wasn't bad. Just not something I would make again. It probably would be better if I made it like the recipe. I did make the coleslaw to go with and also made some quick frozen veggies. 

And that's all for this week...

Maison Louis Marie No. 5 Kandilli Candle Review

Almost out of candle season but not quite there yet. We have been having some breezy Spring days..not that I'm complaining. It's my favorite weather for sure. Anyway...while it's still ok to burn candle- figured I had better start burning through the lat of my candles.

Maison claims:

Kandilli is inspired by a village on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus, where my mother first encountered the scent of tuberose at sixteen. This fragrance captures that sunlit memory with a lush tuberose accord layered over soft white lily. A base of warm amber and sandalwood brings depth and sensuality, grounding the florals in gentle radiance. Nostalgic, luminous, and softly tropical.

I just noticed they hiked the prices of these candles up...so I'm definitely only picking them up when they have a sale. Also on my last check out I realized they had a reward program so I was able to cash some of that out and save some extra money. Saving while spending is the way. 

I just realized I skipped ahead...I also have No.4 but I thought this was first for some reason.

This candle seems to be their powerhouse floral candle. Definitely on the stronger side and very floral. Not exactly unique- I feel like it's similar enough to some other floral candles I've tried, Mainly gardenia type candles like Harlem Candle Lady Day,  Kendra Scott Mother of Pearl or any other white floral candle type. etc. It' not the same as those have  gardenia (not the tuberose that's in this) - but similar enough that if you like those you would like this. 

It's one I think I like most on a sunny day with the windows open. 

It's on the stronger side. Maison candles tend to be on the lighter side. This one is not overly strong but I can smell it even as it sits unlit. 

It is a mostly soy candle. And burns cleanly as long as you keep the wick trimmed. Usually they burn pretty evenly but I haven't been making sure it burns to the edges like I usually do so it's on that it looks a bit wonky. I can fix it with some foil later on though.

I like the packaging- comes in a nice giftable box and the candle design itself is very classic with the brand printed on the candle itself which always feel higher quality than a sticker. 

Overall I have really been enjoying it. I don't know that it's one I would need to buy again because I seem to come across similar enough candles every couple of months...but might be something I keep in mind for gift giving. 

Johnson's Baby Lotion Review

 Time to do a quick review....I don't think I've reviewed any lotions in awhile...although my "collection" seems ever expanding. I guess mostly because I just used lotion these days as needed instead of greasing down everywhere every single day. 

Johnson's claims:

JOHNSON'S® Baby Lotion with coconut oil nourishes and protects your baby's skin from dryness. It is made with skin-nurturing glycerin that draws and locks in moisture and supports healthy skin development. Gently moisturizes baby's delicate skin.

Cleanse and nourish your baby's skin with JOHNSON'S® 2-Step Bath Routine: A combination of JOHNSON’S® Head-to-Toe Wash & Shampoo + JOHNSON'S® Baby Lotion that is proven to help maintain healthy skin. Healthy Skin = Happier Baby!

• 24h moisturization.

• Hypoallergenic and pH balanced.

• Pediatrician and dermatologist-tested.

• No parabens, phthalates, or dyes.

• Effective moisturization for the whole family.

I grew up using Baby Lotion long past my baby years. I think originally I used Baby Magic but at some point a switch was made. I am still kinda curious about Baby Magic and might end up picking up a bottle at some point when I finish all the lotions I have. 

I wonder how the brand is doing since the Baby Powder Talc lawsuit? Have people lost trust in the brand, did their sales decline? Would you trust it to use on a baby? 

Personally I don't think I would use it on a baby. Just looking at the ingredients- you can use something like Almond Oil or which is a lot simpler in ingredients and seems safer to me.

I basically picked this up for nostalgia. 

The baby line has been around since 1893 (I had no idea) and has all kinda of things marketed for babies- shampoo, wipes, baby washes etc. The lotion itself has been around since 1942.  I'm not sure what the original packaging was but I think the most recent packaging is a bit ugly... It was supposed to be recently updated and the most recent iteration uses more recycled plastic (good!) but I still think it looks ugly. Also I have been reading that they changed the formula with the newest packaging...I would hope not. But since I have the older bottle I can't comment on it.

It's gone through all kinds of packaging changes and also many different ads which I always love to see.

 

I love the scent of it. It just has the best scent and from what I can tell it hasn't changed at all. It's not strong and goes away shortly after applying it..but I do really like the scent as I'm applying.  I really hope they did not change it...

As for the moisture- if your skin is dry this doesn't work. I feel like it's best for normal skin that doesn't need too much in terms of moisture. My skin does feel soft after though...but using it in Winter or Dry conditions I can apply and then a few hours later my skin is dry again. I prefer this in warmer weather.

As for the lotion itself- it's very much a glycerin based lotion. Reminds me of the Aveeno I used not too long ago. I prefer oil based lotions though so this is not my favorite formula. I wish I could find a 1940 bottle because I would love to know what the original ingredients are. 

Ingredients:

Water, Glycerin, Isopropyl Myristate, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Panthenol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Fragrance, Sodium Hydroxide

Overall...I still like it. I think it's the nostalgia factor for me though as opposed to it being a truly great moisturizer.

Irish Scones, Pease Pudding, Derby Savory Pudding, and Lobster Pizza

 I know..it's way too soon for a food post but I have a lot to post. I guess I' have been busy in the kitchen.

So here is what I have been making...starting with scones.  Irish scones. Scones are an original British or Irish. I have made scones before but only US style scones so I was excited to make a different version. These were pretty good....when I was baking them I was a little disappointed in how much they spread out but they tasted pretty good so I can't complain too much. I ended up just using raisins because that's what I have and where do you find dried currants anyway besides online? 

Served with tea..of course. I'm currently drinking Republic of Tea Lemon Biscuit tea. I don't love it...but it smells just like a lemon creme sandwich cookie.

 

It was nice to set aside time for tea. 

Then I made Pease Pudding and Derby Savory Pudding. It's not pudding but of course n the UK...everything is pudding. Basically the pease pudding it split pea soup. It was good, filling, cheap, and healthy. Made a good lunch to take to work. And the Derby Savory Pudding was a cross between stuffing and baked oatmeal. Not my thing but edible and filling. These were two recipes from the Unofficial Harry Potter book which I am about 65% done with. 

And last up- I made a Lobster Pizza. I made my usually flat bread recipe but I think it's time to retire the flat bread recipe as pizza crust. It works in a pinch but it doesn't make the BEST pizza crust. I need to stop being lazy and go back to making actual pizza crust. That said- the pizza was good. I pulled out some pesto I froze awhile ago as the sauce, cooked the lobster in the oven and then tossed in butter, parsley, and garlic. Add cheese and bake. Nice way to spoil yourself. This is definitely the most expensive pizza I have made to date--- but you gotta treat yourself sometimes. Or all the time.

And that's all! Now I'm am so sleepy..I'm going to pick a good movie and relax.

Tiffany Evans

Super lazy blogger reporting for a post. Lazy and sleepy. I meant to do this post of Monday...yet here it is Thursday. I don't know why I put it off...this is going to a quick one.

I think I came across this song when I was listening to Ciara's discography. I thought it was just the cutest song. I have a lot of thoughts on promise rings- I had one. Which I still regret to this day- mostly because it was a cheap ring that I wanted to buy for myself. But for some reason it was turned into a promise ring that I had to throw out once I found out boy that bought it was basically trash. I probably would have lost the ring anyway by now...but maybe not. I don't even remember what the ring looks like but the regrets LOL. 

Anyway .....all these years later I still think this son is so cute. I was excited to listen to more of her music but I don't think it was that memorable. 

Eden Body Works Lavender Aloe Moisturizing Leave In Review

 This past week I once again got sucked into looking up all things Titanic. All it takes is one video popping up and I'm back down the rabbit hole. I guess at least this time I found a few new movies and documentaries to watch. I read that there are a few companies that are trying to recreate the Titanic (modernize it where needed) but basically the same experience. I wonder if there really is a market for it--- personally I would never although if I won the lottery I would definitely book a transatlantic voyage. Just to experience it but never on a ship named Titanic.

Anyway..back to leave in conditioner.

Eden claims:

Lightweight application leaves hair soft and silky, without weighing it down. Made with hair-loving ingredients: Lavender Oil has anti-septic properties as well as a calming scent and Aloe Vera gently nourishes hair to promote shine. Helps to reduce frizz and revitalize hair. acts as a barrier to improve hair’s overall look and health. Can be used daily to replenish moisture. Formulated for all hair types.

I'm still using leave in conditioners religiously. Now that I am over a year into it (possibly two) , I think they have made a difference in the thickness of my hair. I have never had thick hair strands- my hair has  always been pretty fine but I am definitely noticing a difference. If a leave in conditioner can do that. I think overall my hair is thicker. I can't attribute it to any one leave in and maybe it's the work of my regular conditioner. Whatever it is I am going to keep it up. 

But back to this product. It's a regular leave in as far as texture. I really like the scent- definitely Lavender Patchouli. It's not strong nor does it stick around, it's mostly just a nice experience applying it. 

I wouldn't say it adds heavy moisture- just very light moisture. So light it's almost barely there...but my hair doesn't feel dry so I guess it's doing its job. Just not in a noticeable way. 

It makes a good base though to apply something as a barrier to the drying gels I put on top. Kinda like a protection. I used to just pile gel into my hair which was tearing up my ends and drying out my hair- although it didn't look too dry. Gel is a good way to hide dryness. These days I do like a leave in as a form of protection and this got the job done.

Eden Bodyworks is a black owned company. I love supporting black owned businesses. The only thing I have read that is kinda worrying is a quick google shows some of their product lines are being discontinued and they also seem to have low stock which is never a good sign. Makes me a little worried for the company- I hope everything is OK.

Ingredients: 

Water (Aqua), Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Panthenyl Hydroxypropyl Steardimonium Chloride, Benzyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Fragrance (Parfum), Panthenol, Polyquaternium-39, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Polyquaternium-7, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Benzoate, Glycerin, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract

Overall, I think it's an OK product. I wasn't blown away- but then again no leave in conditioner has really done that. It's one I would purchase again if I didn't constantly need to be trying different things. I really want to get my hands on the Cocoa Shea Leave in- but that one seems to be out of stock everywhere.