S'Mores

S'Mores are one of my favorite desserts. I have great memories of making them in the backyard over the outdoor fireplace my grandfather built. And more recently, over the stove with my sisters. 

When I first saw the Progressive Microwavable S'more Maker I was skeptical. How would they taste? Would it smell like a s'more? This week I spotted it on SALE for $3 at Target! Joy! 

Tonight I made them and while they do lack the golden brown crust they are as good as the real thing taste wise. The marshmallow melts to a smooth blob and the chocolate is silky and delicious. If you can't get outdoors to make s'mores (or to Cosi where you can eat them after a panini) this microwave gadget makes a great substitute. YUM

Exercise!

I've done a lot of blogging about food & food related products or accessories but not much about exercising. Since joining the gym at the end of 2008 ($40 to start, $10!!! a month after that...only downside is no classes) I have felt so much better - mentally and physically. I started out on the treadmill, which has been my 'friend' for a long time. :)  Today I tried the elliptical - scary! But I did it! I fell good today not only because I did something good for myself but also because I tried something new. I have overcome a lot of demons about exercise & body image - it feels SO good to be healthy & back in the gym. 

I like to keep track of my workouts. I'm not super hardcore when it comes to improving my time each session but it is nice to have a record to look back on. I use a great free website for this: Log Your Run.com  Whatever kind of physical activity you do - run, bike, swim, jog, strength training, yoga, pilates, aerobics - there is a spot for you to record it. If you know the time & distance you ran/swam/etc they will figure out your pace per mile. You can enter your sneakers and they will keep track of how many miles you have gone in them (a great excuse to go shopping when it's time to replace them!). You can view the data you've entered in a weekly or yearly format and even download it in an excel unit. There's a lot of other neat features - it's a website worth checking out even if you're a casual mall walker! Any kind of exercise is good for you :) 

When I get home from the gym I really like to stretch & relax. I do a little before and after my runs but I need some more R&R time. I looked at Target for some Yoga dvds but I hate not being able to preview what I am buying. How do I know that I'll like the instructor? Will it be too cheesy? Will it make me think of Richard Simmons?!?! He's hysterical and done a lot for people, but not what I need. SO I searched iTunes and found ExerciseTV they have yoga, pilates, abs, etc. Most are 20minutes, which is a perfect amount for me. All for the wallet friendly $1.99 an episode! Their website has a lot of other videos to download and even some for me. They also say they are free for certain Direct TV customers...but not for me! Boo Cablevision!! Yay pretty pink Yoga mat! 

Don't forget to stay properly hydrated when you're working out!  :) 

The Wine Rabbit

The Metrokane Rabbit Corkscrew. I don't know if you've met the Rabbit yet but it will change your life, at least if you drink wine like we do. WinoBee is giving away a pink one in an "Easter/Passover/Spring" giveaway...open for just a few more hours!! I love all things pink, so you know I love this too :) Hurry up & enter ASAP! 

*that makes 3 giveaway entries in a row --- I promise I'm just bored and not greedy!! 

Est 2007...

I love personalized things...and I love being a Mrs., especially using my 'new'...ok it's been over a year, not so new anymore...name. 

Mrs. Southern Belle has a great giveaway: a beautiful hand painted sign! She also has an etsy shop, who doesn't love etsy!?!?

Cupcake Pan Giveaway

Greeeat giveaway on Preppy in the City for The Williams-Sonoma Daisy Crown Cupcake Pan!

Brooklyn!!

Just watched Samantha Brown in Brooklyn. Here are some great places to visit if you're here in NYC!

Brooklyn Weekend  Grimaldi's isn't on this list for some reason but she went there and it IS worth the wait!! 

Now if she'd just come to the Bronx....

March Madness

A nice list of bars to watch the March Madness games at depending on what your team is, from Mapfaced. Mapfaced is a site where you can create lists or 'crawls' and post them for other uses to see.

Springtime

Time to sit outside at brunch NYC!  Grub Street has a list of restaurants already with outdoor seating. Welcome Spring!

Yum cupcakes

This amazing looking cupcake book Hello, Cupcake is one of the cookbooks at our school book fair. It uses fun sweet foods in interesting ways to make the cupcakes look like animals, flowers, people etc. My link will get you to Amazon where you MUST preview the book and see the adorable little critter made with donuts & marshmallow. 

There's also a Brunch book, just called BRUNCH with so many great recipes. But if I bought it I'd have to get up early on the weekends to cook - hahahah 

High fives to Scholastic for thinking of not just the kids!

Random

Why does Orbit "Fabulous Fruitini" remind me of Jelly Belly "Popcorn"?? Weird. 

Buying Archer Farms "Monster Mix" already in individual baggies? Brilliant!

Eating a baggie of Monster Mix instead of a bag of chips at lunch? Healthy!

Weekly Target Trip

I know it's hard to believe there's a Target in NYC, but there are a few stores. And I'm lucky to have mine just 13 blocks from home and next to a Marshall's and my gym! So I'm at Target at least once a week, which you may have already guessed. :0)

As much as I love Target, I hate that so many products there are seasonal or just change so quickly. The cute striped dishes I got when I first moved here? They no longer carry them. Super. It's the same way with fun stuff like food. I was looking for a scone mix I could swear I had at Christmas and it's not there. But thankfully the Easter/Spring aisle is in full swing and that includes Spring bakeware! So I snagged two mixes for yummy breads and cakes. And not just an ordinary mix, natural with no trans fats or preservatives - yesssss. 

Yelping

I love posting & reading reviews on Yelp. I love that it's an interactive site, and very user friendly.  It's not just for food either - people post about EVERYTHING that could be review (including 2 reviews of mani/pedi salons by yours truly). Mostly people write funny reviews, even the negative ones are more snarky than mean, at least the ones I've read. But a pizza place in Cali has had enough with the bad reviews and has decided to print them on t-shirts. hahaha

Read the story here on Slice, which I found via the amateur gourmet.

Heading to bed with clean flannel sheets hopefully for the last time before the weather changes for good! I'll miss snuggle weather tho...

♥

I <3 Target

Annie's Organic yummies at Target!!! YAY! 

Buzz buzz said the Bee

Grabbed a pack of Honees from the check out aisle at Garden Gourmet today. I had never seen them before but the "honey filled drops" intrigued me. Come to find out thanks to google they are a candy many people remember from their childhoods. It's a hard candy with a honey center - yum yum yum. I have such a sweet tooth it's crazy!!