{G}adgets: #AtoZChallenge 2016

I have a confession to make.  I am a gadget junky!  Not a luv’er of  all gadgets tho’.  If it’s electronic,  book-related or kitchen related, I go ‘ coo coo for CoCo Puffs’ over it!  *you do remember this tag line for the cereal,  don’t you? * 

The gadgets that get my attention had to meet only two criteria.  It must:

☆ be cute but functional

☆ and have the ‘ahhhhhhhhhhh!’ factor!

That’s it!  If it has those two things,  it has me at the letter ‘G’!

So I confessed about my luv for spices.  Gadgets are easily a close second in the area of vices!  And,  for the purpose of this post,  kitchen gadgets fit the bill nicely *flashing a big cheesy grin*

Here’s just a few of these little Luv-lies:

The Cute Factor : It’s a bowl

The Ahhhhhh Factor : The Splash!

 The Cute Factor: It’s a Cutting Board

The Ahhhhhh Factor: It’s a Paint Drip!

The Cute Factor: It’s  a Tea Infuser

The Ahhhhhh Factor: It’s A Dude just ‘hanging’ out!

These are just a few gadgets that I’m luv’ing now. I’ve got much more over on My Pinterest Page

What’s your food vice?

Do tell. …..

Next.  Letter {H}

Fresh Squeezed

Good Morning Luv-lies

Just a short post this morning.

Have some special things in store for the day- It’s that type of day 🙂

Love it when I get my workout in early.

  Done.

✔ Check.

Past tense.

The weather is great – it’s that kind of day!

Now, I’m having a breakfast dilemma….

Veggies sandwich OR Fresh veggie juice.

Hmmmmm

Stopped by one of my fav home shopping stores and picked up one of these cuties

Can’t wait to use it!

So I guess that answers the question 🙂

Juice it is.

So Luv-lies,

While I’m squeezing all of the  yumliciousness from this fruit, I’ve  Have a few fun facts to share with you about the benefits of this whole juicing thing.

* Okay, let’s start with the obvious.  Juicing fresh veggies and/or fruits gives you a reeeally tasty and NATURAL drink that is especially welcoming after a good workout.  No preservatives.  No sugar. For me, a no brainer. 

* I’m thinking that with all the natural-ness going on, I’ve got to be getting a ton of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and the likes.  You know.  All of that stuff that’s good for us that we didn’t want to think too hard about!  Now if you’re like me, then you scoop up all of the pull left behind. Because pulp equals fiber and (among other things) fiber equals a filing of fullness.  … Mindless eating be gone!

* I can have a good bit of my daily allowance  of fruits and veggies all at once. Yep. How cool is that?  One cup. No lugging tons of fruit around in my, already over packed lunch bag.  No more ‘used to be yellow’ brown bananas or bruised apples.  All in my ‘special’ cup. Which brings me to

* Beautiful cups. Loads of them!. All shapes and sizes. Just to show off my concoctions! I mostly like decorated transparent glass.  Love  the color of the juice peeking through.  Chillin’ on the balcony? Now that, that requires a mug.  More durable and sturdy.  Can’t see the fruity colors (unless I’m standing over it) so much but it’s sooooooo cute to look at

Friday Food Porn … Your Beer has A Loft

Heyyyyy!!!!  It’s Friiiiiiiday!!!!!  Luv-lies,

Got through yet another Rain/Sleet/Snow storm.     How’d you do?

The day before the storm, I joined my neighbors and stocked up on the non-necessities.  The necessities?  Got those before the last storm.  So that just leaves stopping to get, what I call, ‘the goodie’.

I bought some popcorn, quac dip, chips and a few other ‘comfort bites’.  Of the low/no fat kind.  Of course.  Picked up, what turned out to be, too many over-sized bottles of O.J. and half-half iced tea.

It took me some time to rearrange the stuff in the fridge – so that the oversized bottles would fit.  Can you say … ‘work out’!

Now.

If I had one of these little babies,  I might not have bruised all of my delicious fruit.

 

The peeps over at  Strong Like Bull Magnets call this the ‘bottleloft’.

Taking advantage of the under used ‘head room’ in the fridge, frees up shelve space for those left-overs.

And.

You can hang more than beer….

 or your favorite iced coffee

If it has a metal lid, you can hang it.

How’s all this magic work?

There’s a super-duper-extra-magnificent-ginormous magnet that makes it all work!

Want to know more?  Read this

Do you need more space in your fridge?

Do Tell ….

I don’t know if this is what Walt meant…. 5 Disney Inspired Cocktails

Good Morning Luv-lies

It’s Friiiiiiii – Dayyyyyyy!

It’s cold as witches’ brew out there! … okay.

* I know witches brew is not reallllly cold… that’s just a little something that  we say in my neck of the woods…*

And the snow…. is coming down.

Still.

I’ve got a little more than a few errands to run before the I can get out of these elements.

Then …

I have to figure out which one of these

5 Disney Inspired

liquid delights I’m going to have …

Like These?
There’s more …

Which one stirs up the Disney Hero … or … Villain in you?

Do tell…

Friday {Food} Porn … Stop Throwing Good Food Down The Drain!

Hey Luv-lies,

Just a short post today.

Went marketing yesterday.  I usually clean out the fridge,  of food that I’ve let sit too long,  the same day that I bring home groceries.

  I used to over shop for fresh veggies and fruits

and that ALWAYS! meant that when I cleaned out the fridge to make room for the new groceries, loads! {and loads!} of food would be thrown away!

  *URGH!!!*

Today, I have my frequent Pinterest Strolls  thank for keeping the food on my plate and out of the garbage!

I pinned this invaluable guide to keep me on track

No more brown bananas and ultra-soft avocados!!!
What invaluable little ditty has made your life easier?
Do Tell …

Friday {Food} Porn:: It’s Time to Feed Last Night’s Partying

 

Hey Luv-lies
Happy Second Day of the New Year!!!
The ball has dropped, the confetti is thrown, the champagne is popped, the kisses planted and the resolutions made!
Done. Done. And Done.

Rolling over on this second day of the New Year, I have two questions….

… What’s for Breakfast?

One of the ‘Friends in My Head’ is an accomplished Chef … And so this is what is on the menu this morning

First up….

Yes.

You knew it would be first up on the menu.

What’s breakfasts without a delicious plate of fruit-infused stacked pancakes … stacked high?

Syrup please…

 

Second up… something a little lighter

A lightly toasted sesame bagel with a dollop of  dill flavored cream cheese topped with a slice of avocado and fresh dill….

#YUMLICIOUS!!!!

 

How About ….

… a large hot cup of  ‘jo, my laptop and a warm cozy comforter….?

I’m not real sure which to pick…. but I’m leaning toward the coffee and comforter (don’t have to go to work this morning, so why get out of bed?)

What are your doing this second day of the New Year?
Do Tell…..

Oh Yes…. The second question?

Anyone have anything for this headache?

Friday {Food} Porn:: Kale Yeahhh!! & Have a Happy Long Weekend!

Hello Luv-lies,

Have a Great Looooong Weekend!!!

What exciting plans do you have for this, the last weekend of the summer? My plans have me sticking pretty close to home this holiday weekend. Lots of farmer’s market visits, reading, relaxing and napping :).

Picked up this little gem to help me tote my ‘vacay’ market finds home this weekend & as a reminder to eat more veggies.

It’s made of jute, so it should be hold up pretty good to my food finds. And to the washings between shops!

Loads of room inside for all of my goodies!

Yeeeeahhh!

What’s on your ‘to buy’ list?

Come back and….

Do Tell….

Friday {Food} Porn:: 7 Feasts in a Jar

Hello Luv-lies,

How’s your week been? Did you get done all that you set out to do?  Are you as glad as I am that it’s Friday?

Once that clock hits the weekend hour, it’s ‘me’ time.  Many, many years ago, my weekends were no different from other days of the week.  Mostly work, work and more work.  Back then, the main interruption – and the one thing that brought some ‘normalcy’  to my crazy work schedule – was the need to sleep.  And I even slept ‘fast’ – four hours and I was ready for more.  I called them ‘power naps’.  Today is a lot different.

These days,  my weekends are mostly unplanned.  I kind of let the day  *and the weather*  dictate what happens for the day.  I do have to admit that I spend a lot more time pouring through my subscription of magazines.  Even those have changed.  Used to be that my magazine stash was mostly about fashion.  And, although I had a few  *very few*, food magazine, they were mostly for the fantasy meals that I  “… one day [was] going to make”.  Yeah.  Right.  Today it’s just the opposite.  Very few fashion magazines.  Who needs print when you have Pinterest?  Right?

Now there’s more food magazines and they’re not just for my ‘fantasy meals’.  I’ve actually started to make some of the ‘fantasy meals’ .  This is big for me!  Yes.  Back in the day, finding {and cooking} new meals for the sport of it, was not on my list of ‘favorite way to spend a leisurely weekend’.

One of the trends that I am liking   *I posted about it a little earlier this year *  is this idea of  the ‘meal in a mason jar’.   I think that you can make just about any meal into a ‘feast in a Jar’.  Salads, desserts, drinks, appetizers.

 Clever. Clever. Clever.

{S’Mores in a Jar}

{Cheesecake in a Jar}

{Layered Pumpkin Pie}

{Ice Cream in a Jar}

{Layered Cornbread and Turkey Salad}

{Salad in a Jar}

{Egg, Bacon, Hashbrowns}

These really make me want to try my creative hand at this whole idea of meals in a jar … I’ll be sure to post my creations

What meals do these inspire you to put into a jar?

…. Do Tell …

P.S.

Here is where you can find just about any special shape or size jar for your creations.

Create on!

Friday {FOOD} Porn…. ‘Happy’ in Print

Hey Luv-lies,

Ahhhhhhh.     The weekend.      Finally here.

And all of this reading awesomeness landed in my mailbox today!

It’s Friday!

I bet you know how I’ll be spending my weekend.

And.

What’s even better is, tomorrow is the first day of Summer! That means even more time to spend on indulging in this goodness.

Happy First Day of Summer!

What’s on your ‘Happy’ List this Summer?
…. Do Tell …

Friday Food {PORN} :: Cupcake Lovers Day

Hello Luv-lies,
… and Happy Friday the Thirteenth!!

 In the world of Foodies, today is Cupcake Lovers Day!!!

You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn’t love these tempting bite-sized miniature cakes!

The first batch of these ‘can’t eat just one’ dessert teasers were made in a teacup.

Thus the name ‘cupcakes’.

And although at times, they can be a bit challenging to eat,  the challenge is never enough to deter  our desire to savor their enticing flavor.

In honor of Cupcake Lovers Day let’s lift a cold glass of milk  *2%.  Of course*  to these little luv-lies that, I for one, can not get enough of!

~~~  I’ve taken the liberty of choosing  a few of these pint-sized Luv-lies to tempt you …. ~~~

 

For you chocolate Luv-lies who also has a special place in your heart for Nutella, Jamie over at the mouth-watering blog,  My Baking Addiction,  whipped up the above delicious-ness from a chocolate cupcake recipe that is infused in the center with this ‘must have’ hazelnut flavored creaminess.  And. If that is not enough.

All of this lusciousness is topped off with the delightfulness of even more Nutella.  In a one-bite,  whipped buttercream taste!!! …. yessssssss!

Decadent.  Right?

Put on your food bibs, Luv-lies.  I’ve got just a little more eye-candy that will surely leave you with a tasteful drool….

Resource:

~ 1 ~  Carole Flack

~ 2 ~  LeCup Cakes

~ 3 ~  Top News Recipes

~ 4 ~  Find My Way Back Home

What do you have to celebrate today?

… Do Tell …