PSL: My Guilty Pleasure

Yesterday, was National Coffee Day and October 1 is International Coffee Day. In celebration of both, let's have some coffee talk.

One of the signs of Fall is all the pumpkin flavored items. I love pumpkin anything.

Growing up in the northern part of the US, it is easy to adapt to Fall because there is a clear change in the air, trees, and atmosphere.

Living in Florida is not the same scenario. My first year in Florida had me confused year round and I was unable to distinguish one season from another. When pumpkin flavors started to appear, I was discombobulated and not willing to accept that it was Fall when it was 90º.

I am slowly adapting to Fall in Florida as I am no longer a rookie. When Starbucks announced the ubiquitous Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) was back, I was ready for it.  Even though I am adulting and trying to eat clean, I have to indulge in tasty things sometimes. I am allowing myself a PSL this Fall.

Starbucks makes it easy to order even. I can order it on my app and boom, it's ready when I arrive. I got the printed label of my name spelled correctly and everything!

Happy Fall!

Couponing

Another aspect of adulting is being wise with money. One of the ways I do this is by couponing.

Disclaimer: I'm not an extreme couponer that spends hours in preparation and then hours at the grocery store with numerous carts of groceries. I don't have time for all of that nor do I have a large household.

I prefer smaller trips for a few items as to not overwhelm myself, the cashier, and customers in line behind me.

Here are a couple examples:

This was a small trip to Publix.

Covergirl is on clearance at Publix for $2.44 each and I had 2 coupons for $3 off. I made $1.12 which was added toward the Dawn. 

Dawn was on sale for $1.19 and then I had a $0.25 coupon. The new total for Dawn was $0.94. 

My total for all 3 items was -$0.18 which was given to me in the form of a gift card. 

Once I got home, I was able to claim the Covergirls on Checkout51 rebate app which was $1 per Covergirl item. 

Now I've been paid $2.18 and paid NOTHING out of pocket up front!

 Here is another example, this time at Walgreens.

Crest Pro-Health mouthwash was on sale for $6 for 2 bottles. In addition, Walgreens was giving $4 in Register Rewards which can be used the next shopping trip to Walgreens (there is an expiration). 

I used 2 coupons that were $2 off 1 bottle of Crest Pro-Health mouthwash. That brings my total to $4 for 2 bottles (+ tax).

When I paid $4 plus tax, the register prints out a slip showing the $4 Register Rewards.

I went to get the toothbrushes which were on sale for $6.99. I used the $4 Register Rewards to bring my total to $2.99. 

Now I also had a $1 coupon off a 2-pack of Oral-B toothbrushes. My grand total was $1.99 + tax. 

For 2 bottles of mouthwash and 2 toothbrushes, I spent $5.99 plus tax. That is a savings of over $10. 

It is easy to see why couponing is such a money saver. The $ stretches farther which gives you more items!

For more information on how to coupon, visit my friend, Kati at truecouponing.com or get connected with her on social media (links on her website). 

African Grocery Shopping

Another aspect of adulting, is embracing others for who they are despite who you think they are. My husband is African. It's a wonderful adventure that has it's strange moments, too. Tasks, objects, ways of life, and other mundane things are put into a new light when you spend time with people from a different background than your own.

One such thing for us is grocery shopping. I have items in my kitchen that I never needed until now. Ginger for example. I use a lot of ginger root now which was not part of my cooking habits before. Not as exotic of some of the items out there.

I also have my kitchen stocked with gari, fufu, and white yam. Wait, what? Now we're plunging into the exotic. Or for my husband, the daily.

Let's start with gari. It is a dry staple that is easily hydrated when you add water (like rice). It is ground manioc (also known as cassava) which is then dried. We eat it with a mixture of water and sugar (or honey) or we add it to sauces as a thickening agent.

I don't use a lot of gari but my husband does. 

Let's move on to fufu. Fufu is an African dry staple that can be made from white yams or plantains. It is starchy but low in fat. It is also very filling. The powder form is combined with hot water to create a doughy mixture. 

We eat a lot of fufu. It's delicious!

I'm afraid to ask what this product is LOL.

Hooked on Hooks

You know what I love in the house? Hooks! I use them for so many things to help organize and for space saving.

Instead of a jewelry box, I put 3M hooks on the wall for necklaces.

Instead of a lid rack, I put hooks inside the cupboard doors to hold pot lids.

Instead of a draw full of potholder, I hang them on hooks.

Instead of a cluttered vanity, I hang my hair dryer on a hook.

Just recently, I tried something new with hooks. I have a small garbage can in the kitchen that has a pop open lid. Because of the size of this trash can, it is difficult to find small garbage bags. I reuse grocery bags instead of garbage bags.

More times than not, the grocery bag starts to overflow or it falls over or into itself. Its a mess. It dawned on me that hooks could save me (and my husband) a lot of aggravation. I put 2 hooks on one side of the can and 2 hooks on the opposite side. I spaced them out enough to hang the grocery bag handles.

Eureka! It works!

It saves me time and mess. My husband is also pleased with this innovation.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Creamy Cilantro Sauce

I have a love / hate relationship with Facebook. One of the things that will stop my thumb from scrolling is the food prep videos. Delilah, Tasty, Cooking Panda, I do not discriminate. They're all great to watch.

I've saved quite a few videos with the intention of making these recipes. One such video is from Tasty: Grilled Shrimp Taco with Creamy Cilantro recipe. I made this recipe the same day it was so delicious looking.

Simple and delicious is what I'm looking for and this recipe delivered. It's a keeper!

Photo credit: Tasty on Buzzfeed

For the recipe click here: http://bzfd.it/2a0EuI9

Pretzel Crusted Atlantic Salmon

We were recently out to dinner with my family for a celebration. Adulting requires choosing a venue that is comfortable and appropriate for the parties involved i.e. atmosphere, price, food selections. My sister is great at exploring places and giving it a fair review. She is both observant and objective with an ability to view things from a variety of perspectives. I'm a proud big sister.

We went to TRATA in Rochester NY. There were a lot of nice selections which made it difficult to choose. I typically order seafood or fish at restaurants because I enjoy it and I've never been a big meat eater. I settled on the salmon. It was described as being served with a Guinness mustard cream sauce. It sounded different and yet appealed to my German and Irish ancestry.

This dish did not disappoint. The pretzel crumbed coating was a nice way to have a crunchy texture while the salmon was a nice flaky texture. The Guiness mustard cream sauce was partly sharp and partly sour which was a nice addition to the pretzels. Between the strong tastes of the pretzel and mustard sauce, the salmon was the less noticeable of the ensemble. This isn't a complaint though. Sometimes salmon can be overpowering and "fishy."  

The taste lingered in my mind's palette for awhile. I had to try it at home. I've made my own variation a couple times with success. I used a Bavarian brown mustard mixed with a light amount of honey and then garlic. [Sidebar: maybe horseradish might be nice]. I brushed both sides of the salmon with this mustard sauce and coated it with crushed Snyders honey mustard pretzels. 

It's a nice addition to my recipe arsenal because so much of my cooking has. Mexican flair despite my European ancestry.

If you're ever in Rochester NY (or as the natives call it Ra-cha-cha), stop by and wine or dine at TRATA.

Zucchini Fries

As I mentioned, part of adulting is making healthy food choices. I looked once again to my Pinterest board named "Culinary Creations" for more inspiration of healthy choices. Lo and behold this recipe was pinned already on the board (great intentions, ya know): Baked Parmesan Zucchini

Zucchini fries are my new favorite dish. They are fast, simple, and delicious.

Here is the recipe: http://bit.ly/TWhAFN

Tomato Feta Basil Pie

Part of adulting is eating well. On my journey to clean eating, I've leveraged my Pinterest account to search and save healthy recipes.

I stumbled upon a recipe for a tomato-basil-feta pie. It is every bit as delicious as it sounds.

I modified the recipe a bit. I used slices of fresh mozzarella on each slice of tomato instead of shredded mozzarella. I eliminated the mayonnaise topping and topped off the pie with fresh mozzarella and feta.

This was so good that I was craving the leftovers at work the next day hoping no one would get to it before dinner. Fortunately, it was still there and we had it again for dinner the second night. 

Find the recipe here: http://bit.ly/2dcZN8v

New Album: African rhythm, beats, soul, and pop.

My friend, Kodjo Bensa, is a talented artist of many mediums. A native of Togo, Africa, Kodjo has become a dear brother who inspires, appreciates a good joke, and loves life. He's a recent college graduate, husband, father, son, nephew, cousin, friend, graphic designer, musician, worship leader, and so much more.

I bought his album this week. His music takes you worldwide with lyrics in English, French and Mina (a language from Togo).

He's in the journey of adulting, also, with a wife, son, career, and responsibilities. Despite all his responsibilities, he carves out time to do what he loves.

Here's his new album Agapé on the iTunes Store.

Check out more of Kodjo's artistic talent here: https://www.facebook.com/kodjovigraphics/ 

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

I bought this Diet Coke today even though Diet Coke isn't really my thing. I was captivated by the song on the label. I've long since given up on trying to find my name on these darn Coke bottles. This one spoke to me. Sang to me more like.

There's some truth to this song. I wish I could give up adulting and just be a girl sometimes. Can I get an AMEN?

Exodus 15

How often have you looked for inspiration and the book of Exodus popped in your mind? Honestly, I would have thought of Psalms or Paul's letters or some other "go to" inspirational passage.

But here I am in Exodus soaking up chapter 15. Moses is recounting the unexpected triumph he and his people experienced when God parted the Red Sea and allowed for them to pass through on dry land. When Pharaoh's men tried to cross, they were swallowed by the sea.

The song starts with "I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea."

Sounds like an unbelievable moment that they experienced. Waters parted? People crossed on dry ground?

There's so much more here in this one line. Follow me on this.

The Lord hurled the horse and the rider into the sea. What are the key parts here? All the nouns have an important part to play here.

The Lord is the Lord God Almighty who created the world. Ok. So far so good.

The sea is destructive to paper, electronic devices, and a lot of other elements. Also, the sea can have storms that destroy boats and kill people.

The driver (or rider) is often overlooked. This is the one that should not be overlooked. This is the one chasing God's people. The one that God's people were trying to escape because of the oppression, slavery, extortion, manipulation they had suffered at the hand of this one.

The horse is the vehicle or device that the driver used to pursue God's people. This vehicle allowed the driver to chase the people when they were escaping. This is not the kind of pursuit that we see in fairy tales where the prince pursues the beauty. This is a "run for our lives" kind of pursuit. There is anguish, strife, fear for those in this pursuit because there will be deadly consequences if caught.

The Lord hurled the horse and the driver in the sea. He destroyed the enemy and the enemy's devices into the sea. The plans were disintegrated. The communication devices were destroyed.

This is not just a song. This is a prayer point.

Pray that the Lord has mercy to show you the enemy and the devices being used to destroy you. The enemy is out to steal, kill, AND destroy.

Time Saving Freezer Meals (Money Saving, Too!)

I am a fan of anything online that is labeled "hack." If an article or post is titled, "life hacks," "cleaning hacks," "cooking hacks," etc. chances are, I'll click and read.

Recently, I saw an article that was about time-saving-meal-prep hacks. You know I opened it to read.

There was a wealth of information regarding planning meals ahead of time. You start by doing a big shopping trip and then putting uncooked recipes together. The meals can be frozen and stored. Once you thaw out a meal, toss it into a crockpot and voila....dinner is done!

It really is a great way for those of us who have busy lives. It is also ideal for those of us who stare in the fridge and cupboards waiting for inspiration.

It's up to you to pick the recipes you want to try. The shopping lists are included. The recipes are included.

Once a month, once every few months...whatever fits your lifestyle.

I chose 8 different recipes that made 4-6 servings each. I ended up with 16 bags in the freezer. Each bag was 1-3 meals. Boom!

For more information go here: http://bit.ly/20cryUx

Copper Bottom Pots

I have always loved the look of the copper bottom pots. They're so shiny! Beautiful color! There's something so nice about the look of stainless steal and copper together.

Not to mention the quality of the cooking.

I recently got a set of pots from my uncle. These have been around for a long time. You could tell which pots were "loved" and which pots were not. With the "loved" pots, you could see that the copper was dull. Being a curious person, I started researching if there was a way to restore these pots.

Little did I know that there were so many simple solutions out there. I chose the simplest method hoping to yield fantastic results. It involves a frying pan filled with vinegar (1-2 inches deep). Heat the vinegar to a simmer and add a couple tablespoons of salt. Place the copper side into the heated vinegar and keep it in for a few minutes.

You could see the copper shining almost instantly. Amazing! I felt like I was in one of those captivating infomercials.

You use the same vinegar and salt for the entire pot collection. There may be extra scrubbing involved if there are other caked on splatters and spills. The copper will shine after this vinegar bath despite the other spills.

Welcome

It's been a long time since I've engaged in blogging. My first blog adventure was rachaelfrance.blogspot.com where I chronicled my summer studying in France.

I'm in a new phase of adulting as I navigate in God's Big World.