Over the Moon for Over the Moon Color Broadway Nails imPRESS Press-on Manicure

Okay.  I did the *happy dance* when i got my FIRST #SpringVoxBox.  S was like, "WTH is that?"  I feel like a grown up blogger now!!

There was the most interesting assortment of items in there.  I was so exited I didn't take a picture of the box opening.  LOL

I received the NYC Applicious Lip gloss.  LOVE IT!

Secret Outlast Deodorant...and boy did it EVER!

imPRESS Press-on manicure.  AWESOME!

Tastycake Resse's Kandy Bar Kake...haven't had it...YET!

and Osis+ powder.  Different.

Of course the first thing I wanted to try was the nails.  I used to do my nails RELIGIOUSLY.  I used to have 50 different colors of nail polish, but the polish just stopped lasting.  I'd go 3 days and have to redo them again.  HORRID!  What happened to the days of being able to leave the polish on for WEEKS on end?  What changed?

*shrugs*

These went to work with me the next day and I prepped my nails with the alcohol pad, and then put them on.  They went on pretty easily.  Press and voila!  Ready to type my fingers away for the day.

These were a bit shorter than I was used to, but there are different lengths, I do believe.  I LOVED this pattern!  I thought it was neat and looked very nice on my nails.

 

Heh.  My cheasy nail mug shot.  Now, I am biased towards "press on" nails.  Those days of the Lee press on kill me.  I tried those, too.  Yeah... no.  These are a big yes!  I did keep them on for 1 full week. 

There was one that I had issues getting the backing off.  That one I lost the first day.  The rest didn't start popping off until about day 5 or 6.  I had lost a total of 3 before I decided to full them off.

I know that S and I are getting married soon. I will probably have a set of these on for any hand/ring pictures that are taken. AND just to make my hands look pretty when he holds them. *sniff sniff grabs tissue* I get all teary eyed thinking about it.

Pros:

• A quick and easy way to dress up your nails for a special occassion.
• A fun way to change out your day to day bare nails with something fun.
• Lasted a week...for the most part.
• Very little wear on the tips and "polish" after a full week of wear.
• Cute packaging that stores the extras.
• Full range of sizes for my nails.
• NO DAMAGE TO NAILS when you remove them properly.
• Some reviews said they didin't look natural and were too bulky.  I didn't find this to be the case.  If you follow their instructions and chose a size that is smaller than your nail, I think they look nice.  Definitely NOT natural, but not overly fake.

Cons:

• If you have trouble getting the back off, you will have to use a different nail.
• They did start to lift off the back by the cuticle and cause lots of hair pulling.
• From what I've read, if you have wide nails, they might not fit.  Luckily, I have pretty standard width nails.

*from their website*
Where can I buy imPress Press-On Manicure?

In all major drug chains and discount retailers (Walmart, Kmart and Meijer). Go to the WHERE TO BUY section of the site to see listing and on-line purchase locations.

 

How much does imPress Press-On Manicure cost?

While prices may vary based on location or retailer your Impress Color Manicure should cost around $5.99 and your Impress Pattern Manicure should cost around $7.99

 
So, I know I'll buy a set in the future.  And, if they have some inpulse styles I might buy them when I'm at CVS or WalMart... cause that's just how I roll...

*I received this product complimentary to try and review through Influenster’s VoxBox program. To learn more about Influenster please visit: Influenster.com.*

 

Open-Faced Chili Cheese Dog Sammies

This is a horrible picture...sorry.

Back from visiting Mom this weekend.  The whole thing I surreal.  I don't think it's hit me yet.  I KNOW it hasn't hit me yet.  Come this time next month, my mother will no longer be on the mainland and will have retired to Maui.  Yes.  It's surreal.  I will no longer be able to hop in my car and visit her.  It will take MONTHS and MONTHS of planning to fly to visit her.  It's surreal.

We came back with a truck load of stuff.  Furniture, collectibles.  All heirlooms of some sort that I DID NOT want her to part with.  Some other stuff I'm sad to see go, but there's no place for me to put it in our 2 bedroom apartment.  The sideboard for one.  It's been in OUT family since I was little or even before I was born.  I'm not sure which.  I've known it all my life essentially.  My only saving grace is that it's not from a grandparent of some description. 

Now THOSE pieces I am trying hard to save.  The pedestal my great grandfather made.  KEEP!  The tea cart that has a twin somewhere in Minnesota or Canada...not sure which.  KEEP!  Tea sets, cut glass, bedspreads.  KEEP!  My cross stitch creations!  *snort*  Keep.  LOL  S even wants to hang them in the apartment.  GO FIGURE!

So, needless to say it was a surreal weekend.  Friday was a nice dinner, that I'll post about later.  I was still sick so couldn't breathe.  Mom had Benadryl that I took.  YAY for breathing!

Oh and the rainbow that I posted in my Instagram which is also shown below.  It was a VERY BRIGHT double rainbow.  Which is ALWAYS cool!

Saturday...how to put it.  They're not morning people?  S and I were up our usual time.  Granted MOST of the world isn't up when we are on Saturday.  We had our coffee.  We lounged.  Mom came down and we chatted, made Denver cups.  There's a WHOLE other story.  I may post about those at some point, but there's NO pics of those.  And we just sat and talked.  All 4 of us.  It was nice.

S and I were looking to take in a hike, but his feet were meh.  SO we went to Valley Forge!  S had never been, it was YEARS since I had been and well, I'm not so sure I was able to enjoy it at that time.  *shrug*

We did the Trolley Tour and have a VERY enthusiastic tour guide.  She was funny and could ramble!  I can't imagine knowing that much about the time period.  History and me...well if it's not in narrative form, I'm not interested.  Even then...I won't remember details.  Yes, I've read Killer Angels  and the rest of the Civil War Trilogy Shaara books.  They were interesting.  Don't ask to me to remember a thing in them.

So, here's a little collage to show ya some highlights from the Tour:

So, top center...not sure you can tell what that is.  We're standing there watching some re-enactors fire off some muskets (center pic) and I feel something on my shoulder.  I look, and there staring at me is this baby praying mantis.  I turn to show S who thinks I want it OFF my shoulder as I'm not a HUGE fan of bugs hitching a ride on my body.  He swats it off.  The motion piqued Mom's interest, so I show her.  We proceed to monitor the safety of this little guy...  Eventually, we relocate him to larger grass AWAY from trampling feet.  It was just neat.

Saturday night was steak for me and salmon for everyone else.  Cause, if ya don't know, I don't like salmon.  No matter HOW you make it.  Honestly.  And everyone else likes salmon, so that's what they had.  Not coho but the other really expensive, really good kind?  COPPER RIVER!  That's it!!

 Sunday was pack up, breakfast at Bob Evans, then head home to pick up the girl.  The INTENT was to get home and S would start laundry while I went shopping.  He twisted my arm (ow ow) to NOT shop and we'd do that on the way home Monday.  Um....we have NOTHING thawed. 

Okay...what's in the fridge?  Hot dogs.  Okay.  What do we have to go WITH hot dogs?  Cans of Hormel chili that dad gave us.  He gave us like $200 in carb based groceries that he's not eating.  Yup!  You guess it!  Pantry cooking for A LONG TIME.  There's two things I need to figure out what to do with...more on that later.

Um so yeah.  Hot dogs, buns, cheese, canned chili...and some left over boneless chicken wings.  Not the healthiest of dinners, but dinner none the less!

Heat a small saucepan over low heat.  Add chili.  Stir until reheated.

Heat a medium saucepan full of water on high heat.  Add hot dogs and bring to a boil.  Simmer until hot dogs are heated through.

 

Toast buns, then top each with 1/8 cup of chili.  Slice hot dogs lengthwise, then in half and place on top of chili and top with an additional 1/8 cup of chili.

Top with condiments of choice and cheese of choice.  You can broil them to allow the cheese to melt and brown, or simply allow the heat from the chili to melt it.

 

So, that's my "mystery fridge" meal.  Enjoy!

Open-Faced Chili Cheese Hot Dog Sammies

Recipe by A Kitchen Hoor

Ingredients

• 8 whole hot dogs (we used low fat and fat free)
• 4 whole hamburger buns (white wheat)
• 28 ounces Hormel canned chili
• 8 slices American cheese (or cheese of choice, we used fat free )
• Condiments of choice

Cooking Directions

1. Heat a small saucepan over low heat. Add chili. Stir until reheated.
2. Heat a medium saucepan full of water on high heat. Add hot dogs and bring to a boil. Simmer until hot dogs are heated through.
3. Toast buns, then top each with 1/8 cup of chili.
4. Slice hot dogs lengthwise, then in half and place on top of chili and top with an additional 1/8 cup of chili.
5. Top with condiments of choice and cheese of choice. You can broil them to allow the cheese to melt and brown, or simply allow the heat from the chili to melt it.
6. Serve with veggies chips.

Chicken Thigh Bracciole - a Healthy Alternative for Dad's #SundaySupper

I stumbled on Jackie's blog, Rediscover Lost Arts From Our Mothers.  I actually think it was her Bracciole recipe that I saw on either Pinterest or a link party that made me go to her blog and comment on it.  I just looked SO YUMMY!  *waves to Jackie*

What's Bracciole?  Well, according to Wikipedia...

In Italian American and Italian Australian cuisine, braciole (the word is commonly pronounced /bra'zhul/ from the Sicilian language) is the name given to thin slices of meat (typically pork, chicken, or beef, and even swordfish) that are rolled as a roulade with cheese and bread crumbs and fried (the bread crumbs are often left off).

 I had boneless chicken thighs last week for some reason.  I can't remember.  I know I was going to use them for the Chipotle Chicken Burgers.  Then wound up using the rest for the Massalé Roasted Chicken Thighs.  Yes, I know.  Those two recipes are flipped.  I MEANT to thaw out thighs with bones for the roasted thighs.  Sloth.  That is all.

Then I think someone else posted a recipe for it?  Or I saw it?  Or...something.  Hell I can't remember what I did yesterday.  I have this book now...ya know?  My ideas book?  I should post a survey to see what y'all want to see from my "ideas" list.  *snort*  Oh.  That sounds like FUN!

Um...where was I?  Oh yeah.  So, I saw that and thought about the boneless thighs and thought...that sounds good!  Now.  What do I stuff it with.  Well, we're going out of town this weekend and we have shrooms.  BINGO!

GENIUS!  I know...

Oh, and the storm of the century wasn't.  It was more like a storm of the hour or maybe two at best?  It did affect the drive home.  Of course.  *sigh*  

The commute commences with texts.

The trees down are reported here, here  and here.  Then for some reason unbeknownst to those of ON 15th street, they decided to close 15th between Pennsylvania and Constitution.  No tree.  No clue.  Just closed it.

Thank MACY you can just pull a U-ey in the middle of the road in DC.  Cops don't even look at ya when ya do.  Hell...even THEY do it.  

Of course, by this time, the rain has stopped, the road is dry, and people are still driving like it's pouring out.  Go figure.  Hour and 10 estimated ETA for home.  GREAT.  *sigh*  66 sucks.  Just sayin.

I had a motley assortment of mushrooms to use up this week.  This is left over 3 large portobello caps and about half a package of cremini, which is just baby ports.  I know.  :P

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add butter and swirl to coat.  Saute mushrooms until soft and juices have released.  Cool completely.

Place a chicken thigh in between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet, heavy skillet, or rolling pin until 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.  Set aside and repeat for remaining 7 chicken chicken thighs.

Place the cooled mushroom in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.  Combine mushrooms with garlic, bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese in a small mixing bowl.

Place 1/8 cup of mushroom mixture down the center of a chicken thigh.  Roll the thigh up and secure with either toothpicks or kitchen twine.  Repeat with remaining chicken thighs.  

Coat a the liner of a slow cooker with cooking spray.  Pour spaghetti sauce into the slow cooker and add any left over mushroom mixture.  

Place chicken thighs in the slow cooker.  

Spoon sauce over top.

Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or until chicken is cooked through.  Cook pasta according to package directions omitting salt and fat.  Strain.  Serve chicken thighs over pasta and top with 1 cup of sauce.

And voila!  Mangia!

Chicken Thigh Bracciole

Recipe by A Kitchen Hoor (@flowerfroggirl)

Yield: 4

Ingredients

• 4 cups mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons margarine, butter or extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
• 28 ounces spaghetti sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup Italian style bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 8 ounces whole wheat angel hair pasta

Cooking Directions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add butter and swirl to coat. Saute mushrooms until soft and juices have released. Cool completely.
2. Place a chicken thigh in between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet, heavy skillet, or rolling pin until 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Set aside and repeat for remaining 7 chicken chicken thighs.
3. Place the cooled mushroom in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
4. Combine mushrooms with garlic, bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese in a small mixing bowl.
5. Place 1/8 cup of mushroom mixture down the center of a chicken thigh. Roll the thigh up and secure with either toothpicks or kitchen twine. Repeat with remaining chicken thighs.
6. Coat a the liner of a slow cooker with cooking spray. Pour spaghetti sauce into the slow cooker and add any left over mushroom mixture.
7. Place chicken thighs in the slow cooker and spoon sauce over top.
8. Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or until chicken is cooked through.
9. Cook pasta according to package directions omitting salt and fat. Strain.
10. Serve chicken thighs over pasta and top with 1 cup of sauce.