What I Love About Summer: Raspberries

There are few things in the world more perfect than the raspberry. They symbolize summer to me. Plump, juicy, flavorful, and a beautiful rosy red color. My parents grew raspberries in our backyard when my brother and I were growing up, and I'll confess- I spent a lot of time hunkered down in those raspberry bushes. My mom would freeze raspberries, make raspberry syrup for pancakes, and bake raspberry cobblers in the oven. She would keep large bowls of raspberries in the fridge, and they went on everything from my cereal to my bowl(s) of vanilla ice cream.

Now that I'm an adult, my lust for the raspberry has not abated. I would cook or bake everything (well, almost everything) with raspberries if the hubby wouldn't start to question my sanity. I do love to cook with them though- that means I get to eat whatever I put them in. Here's a few of my favorite raspberry recipes:

Raspberry Filled Vanilla Muffins

Raspberry-Peach-Lime Lemonade

Raspberry Banana Oat Muffins

Raspberry Filled Mini-Doughnuts

Raspberry Lemonade Muffins

Chewy Chocolate Raspberry Cookies

And, a couple of recipes on my to-do list:

Brownie Bites with Raspberry Sauce- Hardly Housewives

Raspberry Crisp- Pioneer Woman

Raspberry Lemonade Bars- Annie's Eats

Raspberry Bread Pudding- Chef In Training

Raspberry Mint Ice Pops- Cooking Light

I always dread that time of year when raspberries are no longer in season. I'm hoping to grow my own berries next year, so hopefully at this time next year, I'll have raspberries out the wahzoowilla. Yes, that's right. I said wahzoowilla.

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Product Review: CoverGirl Tone Rehab Foundation and More

How I like to wear my makeup is an ever-evolving affair. For most of my young adult life, my attitude towards makeup was 'the more the merrier'. I liked a very dark, smoky eye, lots of eyeliner and mascara, perfect skin with a thick layer of foundation, and no chance of an oil-slick with pasty powder. Somewhere along the crazy ride, my tastes have changed. I like my skin to look like I'm not wearing foundation or powder, and I like my face to be a bit dewy. I'm very into a natural eye, wearing a shimmery skin-colored eyeshadow, smoky liner, and a thin coat of mascara. I like to leave a lip stain on my lips for 10 minutes and then rub it off, and wear chapstick the rest of the day. I really like a fresh look in the dead of summer, which it definitely is here in Kentucky (it is 7 am and 75º already!). My point? The products I'm reviewing today probably wouldn't have floated my boat 10 years ago. They do now though :)

1. CoverGirl Tone Rehab Foundation

I've really been impressed by CoverGirl products over the last couple of years. When I was first discovering cosmetics, CoverGirl was easily one of the most affordable lines for a teenager. It was a line that showed little quality, though. I tried their eyeshadows, lip glosses, foundations, mascaras, powders, etc. I hated everything. I stuck to Revlon, Maybelline, and L'Oreal in my younger days. Recently however, I've been foraying back into CoverGirl. I like some of their primers, foundations, eyeshadows, and nail polish. I really like this foundation. It reminds me a lot of CoverGirl's NatureLuxe foundation, which I really liked as well. The foundation itself is creamy, smells fresh, and is nicely pigmented. I've applied this with my hands, and also with cosmetic sponges, and both techniques result in a nice finish. This foundation really covers any random redness, or flaw that my skin might have, but still looks and feels like my skin. The formula is pretty long-wearing, although I usually need a touch-up mid-day. Some online reviews have stated that this foundation clogs pores immediately, but I haven't had any problems with that. None. And I have really acne-prone skin. The verdict? I would purchase this again. I've got 3-4 go-to foundations, and I would make this one of them.

2. CoverGirl Flamed Out Eye Pencil in Melted Caramel

It's all about the taupe, baby. Seriously. You might be disturbed by the amount of taupe eye products I have in my collection. Way more than I have any business having, that's for sure! I'll get right to the point, which is I. Love. This. Pencil. Love it. There is nothing not to love about this pencil. It's a wonderful, shimmery light-colored taupe. The color looks like my skin, but dewier. I've worn this over concealer on my lids, over eyeshadow primer, over MAC primer, and under powder eyeshadow. It's all good. The formula slides on creamy, blends easily before it sets, and does not move. I love that the glitter doesn't travel. I love that this shadow looks creamy all day, and doesn't crease. I've come back to the mirror after 10-12 hours to find my eyeshadow perfectly pigmented, in place, and uncreased. I like this pencil so much I've already bought the white and pink colors to test out as well. My only complaint about this pencil is that you have to use a manual pencil sharpener to sharpen it. I only complain about this because all my pencils are self-sharpening, and I didn't own a manual pencil sharpener previous to this product. The verdict? Love, love, love this! I would buy this again, and I may be purchasing even more colors soon.

3. Revlon PhotoReady Foundation

I bought this foundation after doing some pretty specific research. I'm still searching for my Holy Grail drugstore foundation. I can't seem to find one that's perfect. I purchased this after reading several reviews on the Internet that said this foundation was a dupe for Make Up For Ever's HD foundation. Ummm people, this is not a MUFE HD dupe. No, no, no. I love Make Up For Ever's HD foundation, it's probably my favorite of all time. It's really, really expensive however, and I just can't justify buying it anymore. It was my perfect foundation. The coverage was sheer, but seemed to cover everything. It made my skin look flawless. I loved that you couldn't see makeup pooled in my pores. So I jumped on this Revlon version. I was sorely disappointed. The coverage is medium to heavy, I would say, definitely not sheer. The formula also has full-on glitter in it. I hate that. People end up looking a disco-ball, or one of the Cullen's from "Twilight" in direct sunlight. Not the look I go for. Another aspect I was disappointed was the length of time needed before a touch-up, which I'd say is short. It was only 2 hours before oil starting accumulating on my face, and I needed more powder. I don't even have a particularly oily face! The verdict? Needless to say, I was highly disheartened by this product. I will not be re-purchasing.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Grilled Chicken Panzanella

I still know a few people who think carbs are the devil, and that avoiding them is the key to weight loss. I don't subscribe to this school of thought. Your body needs carbs. Carbs are not the bad guy they were once made out to be. Sure, some carbs are better for you than others. Brown rice and whole wheat pasta are better carb choices than regular pasta, white rice, and white potatoes. I would never advocate eating a box of pasta. I would advocate eating a serving of pasta, though. While it really should be whole wheat pasta, if you want that white pasta, eat it!

I believe in eating what you want, just in moderation. I don't deny myself what I want when I want it. I just eat a little bit. If, come hell or high water, I want that pasta, I'm going to eat it. Just a serving size however, and then I fill the rest of my plate with vegetables. Vegetables are my secret for not going hungry. Instead of loading up on calorie-laden side dishes, fill your plate with veggies. You still get to eat a plate full of food which makes my tummy happy, but you're eating a lot less calories. This makes my brain happy :)

One very nutritionally-confused person told me they wouldn't like this salad because it's too carb heavy. They told me I shouldn't be eating it, because of all those carbs. Sad, I thought, to go through life completely avoiding carbs. I'll continue to eat my carbs, like this salad. Because, you can simply eat low-carb the rest of the day to make up for the bread carbs. Easy peasy. And much more delicious :)

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast
4 ounces ciabatta bread, cut into cubes
1 tbsp olive oil (divided)
Salt, pepper, garlic powder
3 tomatoes, deseeded and diced
1 cucumber, deseeded and diced
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat gas grill to high heat. Brush 1/2 tbsp olive oil onto chicken breast. Season chicken breast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. When grill is hot, turn burners to low and place chicken on the grill. Close and let cook 4 minutes. Flip chicken over. Cook for another 4 minutes. Flip twice more, cooking 1 minute on each side. Remove from heat, and let rest for 10 minutes before chopping it. Set aside.
2. Preheat broiler on oven. In a large bowl combine bread cubes with remaining olive oil, toss to coat. Season bread with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Toss well to evenly season bread. Spread bread in a single layer on a coated cookie sheet. Place under the broiler, and broil for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Bread is complete when lightly browned on all sides. Set aside.
3. In a large salad bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumber, basil, grilled chicken, and toasted bread cubes. In a smaller bowl, thoroughly whisk together the olive oil and vinegar. Drizzle dressing over salad, toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Consume immediately!

*Recipe adapted from Cooking Light*

White Bean and Spinach Soup

My brain is weird. I've had this soup on the menu for about 3 weeks, and I keep skipping it. Every once in awhile, I'll pick out a recipe to try and put it on the menu. Sometimes, later in the week, I find myself wondering why I picked that recipe to make because it doesn't sound appetizing. Ok, so this happens a lot. LOL. When something I've planned doesn't sound good, I change the meal to something that does sound good (logical, right?). Since this dish consists of mostly pantry staples, and only requires the fresh spinach, this soup has been changed at the last minute 3 times. I finally decided last night  it was time to bite the bullet.

I'm reminded why I need to escape my mental roadblocks. This is a good soup! It's also super healthy, providing you with plenty of Vitamin C from the tomatoes, potassium from the white beans, and tons of Vitamin A and K. I served the soup with a hearty, garlic ciabatta bread for dipping, and this ended up being a light, meatless summer dinner. Dinner came together fast too, this is a nice, speedy recipe. Anyhoo, I highly recommend this soup to all my peeps out there watching their summer swimsuit bodies. Delicious and nutritious. I guarantee this soup won't go straight to your hips :)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 (15 oz) can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can tomatoes, diced
3 (15 oz) cans reduced sodium vegetable broth
1 cup white rice, cooked
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 (10 oz) package of fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
parmesan cheese (garnish)

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When hot, add onions and garlic to the pan. Saute 5 minutes, or until onions are tender. Add white beans and tomato paste to the pan, stir until tomato paste has assimilated.
2. Add tomatoes through black pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add spinach to the pot. Cook just until spinach wilts, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with grated parmesan cheese. Serve.

*Recipe adapted from Fitness Magazine*

Dear Mom

Cleaning out your email inbox can be a positive event, not just a soul-sucking activity! I found this email written 6 years ago which I thought was long gone. I'm so glad I kept it :)

Many, many years ago, when the hubby and I first got together, we went to Hawaii. The hubby's company sent a bunch of employees from the hubby's branch, along with their significant others, to Kona. The only thing that sucked about the circumstance was having to leave my 6 month-old puppy with my parents.

Haloti was such a cute puppy, and an adorable teenager. He had the cutest little pencil tale, and a sparse fawn coat. I consider them teenagers when they are still in that obnoxious phase where they aren't a puppy, but they definitely haven't outgrown the "play" yet. Haloti was an especially rambunctious teenager. I swear he never slept. He chewed on my shoes and the carpet in our apartment. He even dug holes in the walls out of the drywall. There was a time where it seemed like every time the hubby and I came home, there was a new hole in the wall. He tested my patience infinitely. And he loved to test my dad's patience with him as well.

Whilst the hubby and I were in Hawaii, I received the following email from Dad. This is a classic family tale that the hubby and I still laugh about today-

From: Howard & Janice
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 10:57 AM
To: Jessica
Cc: Janice
Subject: Dear Mom

Hi Mom:

This is Haloti.  I hope you are going to pick me up soon.  I've had fun with Grandpa Howard but possibly, just possibly, I may be on his list now.

Yesterday we were all playing in the back yard and I happened to notice Zippy (the big black fur ball - remember?), well anyways, he was sitting just outside the fence when I saw him laying there in the sun.  Honest Mom, I know I shouldn't chase cats but something just comes over me that I can't control.  (Maybe I need therapy.)  I managed to sneak under the fence and race around to where he was.

I surprised the s out of him and he took off across the street!  I was so proud!  (Whoops - I mean ashamed.)  He and I raced across the street and into this big field and somewhere in that mess I lost him.  Then I could hear Grandpa Howard calling me.  (Actually he was more like yelling, but I heard him and he didn't sound happy).

By the time I got back to him, I was covered with leaves and grass.  Grandpa Howard's face was all red and looked like he could kill something!  Scared me to death!  But just then I saw another kitty cat crossing the street over by the basketball thing and - don't get mad now - I was overcome with that same feeling and I JUST had to get him.  He ran into another place down where there's water so I stopped when it got too deep and went back to Grandpa Howard.  By now he was beside himself!  I've never seem him like that before!  I rolled over and did my best submission pose so he picked me up and carried me into his house.

My word Mom you have NEVER heard such language from a mature adult!  He said things that sounded like you watching Steeler football!  I was shocked!

Anyways, he still lets me go outside but now I have to wear this stupid leash outfit you bought me - you know, the one that looks like an S & M outfit!  I'm so embarrassed!   The other dogs laugh at me and I think it is having an negative effect on my self-esteem.

So, if you can get down here soon, Grandpa Howard can have some time to recover and maybe quit looking at me like I was a serial killer or a Republican.  I would appreciate it very much.

I miss you and hope you had a good trip.  I did too until yesterday, but I will play kissy face with Grandpa Howard and maybe he'll feel better about the whole thing and will let me come back in the future!

Love, Haloti

Salted Brownie Cookies

Another week, another urge to bake! I was actually hit by the baking bug yesterday, but it was 9 o'clock at night and I said, eh. Watching re-runs of "Friends" in bed sounded much better than staying up late baking and cleaning the kitchen. It's crazy to think how much life has changed since Thursday nights in college. Thursday nights in college my friends and I had down to a science. 99% of the time they consisted of:

1. Getting a half-full Big Gulp from 7-11.
2. Filling the other half of the Big Gulp with vodka.
3. Staying out till 2 in the morning at a frat party.
4. Someone driving 10 girls to Taco Bell at 3 am.
5. Waking up with a pounding headache just in time for my poorly scheduled, 8 am math class.

A lot can change in 8 years. Beware.

Forgive me for my tangent there.

I decided to give this recipe a whirl mainly because I had all the ingredients on hand. I really wanted to make Latte Cupcakes, but they will have to wait till next week since that recipe requires a trip to the store. Now, I'm just going to go ahead and say it. I love these cookies! They are soft, chocolatey, fluffy, and oh yes, salty. If you are looking for a brownie, but in cookie form, you found it. The first half of cookies I made,  I was light-handed with the salt. The cookies are sweet enough that you can liberally apply salt to them.

Happy Friday everyone! Have a great weekend!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
11 tbsp butter (1 stick plus 3 tbsp)
3 large eggs, room temp
1 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Sea Salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Lightly spray 2 cookie sheets with cooking spray, set aside.
2. In a double broiler, combine cocoa, 1 cup chocolate chips, and butter. Stir mixture until it is completely smooth. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat together eggs and sugar. Beat at a high speed until mixture is very thick and light-colored, about 5 minutes. Turn mixer to low, and mix in the melted chocolate mixture.
4. With a spatula, stir flour, baking powder, and salt into chocolate mixture. Stir until just combined. Fold in remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.
5. In large spoonfuls, drop batter onto cookie sheets, placing about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle cookies generously with sea salt. Bake in oven 8-10 minutes.
6. Remove from oven. Let cool on cookie sheet 1-2 minutes, then remove cookies to a cooling rack until completely cooled. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 18 cookies.

*Recipe adapted from Seasons and Suppers*

Summertime Workout Playlist

This virus I'm fighting is the devil! While I'm feeling much better today, I'm still a little woozy. I've got tons more energy than yesterday, but I can definitely tell I'm not 100% yet. Food doesn't sound as nauseating as it did yesterday, but I still don't have an appetite. I'm really, really hoping that today can be my last rest day, and my last day of forcing food into my body. I've been saying that everyday this week. Today is going to be yoga (hey, that's pretty restful!), couponing, mani's, and pedi's. Maybe tomorrow I'll get to workout to my new playlist.

I haven't worked out in over a week, and I feel like a capitol S, capital L, capital U, capitol G. Ugh, I hate getting this far off track. I don't get this sick that often, but when I do, it's enough to drive me crazy. Hopefully that will change tomorrow, and I can get my cardio on! I'm really obsessed with country in the summer. It seems like these summer months is when all those country songs get released about partying, drinking, staying out late, and sunshine. In other words, the best of country. And I do realize there are 2 Jake Owen songs on there, but come on. Jake Owen's voice is hot.

I sincerely hope that everyone is having a much better week than me :)

A Long Weekend, a Stomach Virus, and a Coupon Haul

Downy Fabric Softener, Puff's, Bounty Basic, Secret Clinical Deodorant, SoftSoap Body Wash, Crest Toothpaste, Covergirl Jumbo Pencil Lip Balm, Dawn Dish Soap

Oh, goodness. It's been a hell of a last couple of days. On Friday (of our long 4th of July weekend) the hubby came down with a stomach virus. He was better by Monday, however, the evilness hit me on Sunday night. I was in the middle of making dinner, when I got very, very light-headed. I went to lay down, and within 2 hours, I was throwing up. Among other things... Here it is Wednesday, and I've woken up extremely disappointed that I'm still sick, and seemed to have developed a sore throat. Argh. The debilitating part of this virus is that's taxing to be on your feet for more than a couple of minutes without getting light-headed. I'm super annoyed, I've got lots to do around here. I haven't cooked or baked at all this week, the blog has been neglected,  the house needs to be vacuumed, muscles need to be worked out, etc.

Luckily, I was able to complete the grocery shopping and couponing for the week on Sunday before I got sick. Unfortunately, I just haven't had the energy to open my computer and use those little click-y, buttons to type actual English words. I've got a small list of goals to try and accomplish today, blogging being numero uno on that list. I actually had a good haul this week. My stockpile was running perilously low on fabric softener, dish soap, those little kleenex boxes for the bathroom, and paper towels. So, as you can see, this was a much needed haul. Here's the breakdown for this week:

CVS

*All items purchased under "Buy $30, Receive $10 in ECB's" promotional event.*

Dawn Dishsoap, $0.97
-used (4) $0.25 off any Dawn product
SoftSoap Body Wash, $2.99
-used a $2 off SoftSoap Body Wash CVS store coupon
Covergirl Jumbo Lip Balm Pencils, $9.29 (Buy 1, Get 1 50% Off)
-used a $4 off 2 Covergirl Lip Products coupon
Secret Clinical Deodorant, $9.99 (Buy 1, Get 1 50% Off)
-used a $5 off 2 Secret Clinical Deodorants coupons, and a $2.50 off a $12 Deodorant Purchase CVS store coupon

*Also used my $5 Beauty Bucks reward, and $2 Spring Spending Reward*

-used $10 in ECB's from last week, paid $4.28 out of pocket, and made $10 in ECB's.

Rite Aid

*All items purchased under "Buy $30, Receive $10 in UP's" promotional event.*

Bounty Basic, $0.99
-used (4) $0.25 off any Bounty product coupons
Puffs, $0.99
-used (2) $0.25 off 3 Puff's small boxes coupons
Downy, $3.99
-used a $3 off 3 Downy products coupon
Crest, $5.79 (Buy 1, Get 1 50% off)
-used (2) $0.75 off any Crest toothpaste coupon

-used $5 in UP's from last week, paid $20.54 out of pocket, and made $10 in UP's.

Total Spent- $24.82 on $102.23 worth of product. Savings of 76%.

Happy Hump-Day Everyone!

Pepper-jack, Chicken, and Peach Quesadillas

I'm currently in one of those phases where I like fruit in the most unexpected places, in combos I've never tried. I like to consider myself a foodie, but the truth is there are so many flavors my palette hasn't tasted. There are many vegetables I don't cook with, many fruits I haven't tried. I don't cook with different squashes, such as spaghetti or butternut. I don't cook with beets. I don't cook with radishes. I've never tried a fig. Or a starfruit. Conquer these, I must.

I love how the peach in this quesadilla really ramps up the flavor. It's the star of the dish. I seasoned my chicken with Mexican-influenced spices (salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, oregano, and cumin), and I made a lime-sour cream-cilantro sauce to put on the quesadillas. Let's face it though, that's all pretty standard fare. But, throw in some peaches and pepper-jack cheese? Flavor-town! I love the pairing of the sweet peaches with the earthy flavor of the chicken, the tanginess of the sour cream, and the spiciness of the cheese. Ay-Chihuahua!

I do urge you to try this. It might not be the healthiest meal of the week, but it will be one of the tastiest :)

Ingredients (makes 2 quesadillas):

1 chicken breast
1 tsp olive oil
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, oregano, and cumin
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tsp salt
1 peach, peeled and diced
2 oz pepper-jack cheese, shredded
1 tsp cilantro, chopped
4- soft taco size flour tortillas

Directions:

1.  Rub olive oil on chicken breast. Season chicken breast with salt through cumin. Pre-heat grill to medium-high heat. Grill chicken breast 10-14 minutes, or until done. Remove from grill, set aside to rest. Let rest for 10 minutes, chop chicken, and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine sour cream through salt. Mix well. Set aside.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Take 2 tortillas, spread 1-2 tsp of sour cream mixture onto each quesadilla. Sprinkle chicken, peach, and 1-oz pepper-jack evenly over each tortilla. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp cilantro over each tortilla. Take 2 remaining tortillas, and sandwich over the prepared tortillas. Place in skillet, cover with lid, and cook 1-2 minutes on each side. Cook until tortilla is browned, and cheese is melted.
4. Remove from heat. Slice into 4 sections, and serve immediately with any remaining sour cream mixture.

*Recipe adapted from Cooking Light*