French Toast Casserole..Yum!

Okay having recently checked out Money Saving Mom.com blog, I have fallen in love with her freezer ready recipes. I was very intrigued at the French Toast Casserole in particular. I'm new to freezing meals and having them ready just to heat at a moment's notice. Taken to allrecipes.com (one of my fave sites EVER!) and it looked very similar to bread pudding. Less butter but still quite yummy looking. I added it to my weekly meal plan and tried it out on Friday.  Since it was so close to bread pudding i knew to up the amount of Vanilla Extract in the recipe. I am a vanilla extract nut. when a recipe calls for 1tsp I add 3. So yeah i added more then the recommended amount and to the top raisins. Yum! It bakes at 350 for 45-40 min and my house began to smell the way it doe when my mom used to make budin or Bread pudding with raisins.

when the timer went off this is what i had:

Can We say Yummy! This was sweet,warm, gooey,crunchy and comforting all in one bite! I've never seen my daughter go through food so fast before. Even my 9 month old son loved it! 

This was so easy and I always have the ingredients on hand. The hubby came home from drill and devoured what was leftover. I made it again for Father's day breakfast and I know he loved waking up to the sweet smells of baking in the morning.


This is going to be such a keeper for the the recipe binder. Though there is no need for a recipe. It's committed to memory. I love that it only has 2 TBS butter in addition to the butter used to coat or as I call it "color" the baking dish. I call it coloring because i used butter in a stick form and it does feel very much like coloring.

According to MSM and the comments to the post, you can either bake this through and freeze it or leave it raw and freeze. If baked through thaw then bake at 350 for 30 min. How easy is that!

This is great for a quick go to recipe and would brighten any occasion or holiday. Click HERE to get the recipe. I hope you enjoy this as much as I have.

Beauty in a DIY manner

Hi all:

I know it's been a REALLY long time since I have last posted but life has been very busy. Kids growing hubby changing careers and going to school and me trying to keep a float with the constant changes.  However, summer is coming ..or rather it's already here in sunny South Central Tejas as the temps are already in the 90's. I already have a tan on my arms and await the day when the rest of my body will tan in like oh 10 minutes. No fake tan necessary here.

Today I hosted the third annual Women's Spa Day at the library I work at. It's a women's day out with DIY spa treatments and a chance for ladies to relax from their hectic schedules and take time to care for themselves using beauty products made from grocery store found items.  I enjoy this program so much. It's  my big program that I put on at the library. It is so fulfilling to help other learn to relax and take moments to recharge so they can be their best not only for themselves but for others in their lives.

This year I adopted a theme to keep things a little simpler on the ingredient list. The ingredient of choice: Green Tea. I usually do 3 products the ladies can make on site and take home, then one face mask so they can take time to let the mask set and rest before closing their Spa session.

On the Spa Menu:

Green Tea Sugar Facial Scrub

Green Tea Toner

Coffee Body Scrub 

Avocado Face Mask


For the green tea Sugar Scrub i found an excellent recipe from bubzbeauty on YouTube:

I adjusted the oil of choice and used sweet almond oil for my attendees.

Green Tea is wonderful for the skin. It has antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties and can protect skin against the sun and slow the aging process. The caffeine in the tea can also help to tighten the skin giving a younger appearance.

A face scrub helps to remove dead skin from the face and increases blood flow to the face to give the skin that natural  healthy glow (think J-Lo Glo).

Next We toned the skin with a Green Tea Toner.  Here I divert from most recipes. I love Witch Hazel as a inexpensive and natural toner. Green tea when cooled can also be used as a toner by itself. In the summer for a really cooling toner freeze your brewed green tea in ice cube trays and simply remove a cube when you want to tone your skin. This is great for everyday usage. I like to add witch hazel to the mix. I love the feeling witch hazel gives the skin.

So 3 parts green tea to 1 part witch hazel. Place in bottle and gentle shake to combine. Store in cool dark place or freeze or refrigerate. Use a cotton ball to apply the liquid toner and for the cube use a paper towel so melting toner doesn't go all over your arms and clothing while applying. Kindred Spirit Mommy has a great entry in her blog about her journey with Green Tea that includes the usage of the tea ice cubes. It's a great read.

Coffee Body Scrub was next. This didn't have green Tea, but it had caffeine a plenty. I'm very loose about the recipe here because i love Epsom salts (inexpensive and great for the skin) and i love oily body scrubs.  That is, the mixtures has to be quiet wet and just luxurious. I  like to feel the oils first rather than the grains and salts or sugars of the scrub. If you don't want to much carrier oil, then just reduce the oil amount to the slushy consistency that works best for you. Happiness in your relaxing body scrub is always paramount. So I will list 2 versions and you can try one or both to see which fits you best.

Christina's Coffee Body Scrub

2 Cups Coffee Grounds (fresh or used)
1.5 cups Epsom Salts
Extra Virgin Coconut Oil or Sweet Almond Oil

Place grounds and salts into a glass jar and stir to combine.
Add as much carrier oil to dry ingrdients as you like until desired slushiness is achieved.
Place on damp skin and use gentle sweeping circular motions to increase circulation and massage body. When finished luxuriating simply rinse with warm water. Pat skin dry. Smile.

Basic Coffee Scrub Recipe:

2 cups Coffee Grounds
1/2 cup Raw Sugar or Sea Salt
2/3 tbsp Massage Oil
Instructions
The first step would be to add coffee grounds, raw sugar or sea salt and massage oil, in a large mixing bowl and blend well.
Apply the above blended mixture to a damp body in a circular motion and rinse off. Finish off by applying your favorite moisturizer.

Lastly, the face mask. Face mask are used to remove impurities from the skin and impart nutrients deep down into the pores. Kinda like deep condition does for the hair. It's an intensive treatment for your face that can help to balance and nurture your skin. My mask didn't use green tea but i used the green part from the Green Tea idea and went with a Green Avocado face mask.  Avocados are rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin K, fiber, folate, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, copper and potassium. They are known to have a anti-fungal, anti-bacterial flesh that has been used for centuries.  Avocados contain oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that may help to lower cholesterol.  They may also regulate blood pressure due their concentration of Potassium.  They can also guard against stroke, heart disease, and high blood pressure.  What's not to like? Also they make guacamole..hello! Goodness from God! 

Back to DIY beauty.

Avocado mask for my Spa Ladies i simply had them mash a half an avocado and apply directly to the face. leave on for no more than 30 min and rinse with warm water. Pat dry.  Simple goodness.

A popular partner to the avocado when making a mask for the face is honey. It is a humectant and has anti-bacterial qualities as well (for more info on honey ireferr you to the National Honey Board which has great skincare recipe along with food recipes). It adds moisture to the skin and seeks out moisture to add to the skin. Love Honey! So to one half avocado add 1 Tbs honey blend well and add to face leave on more than 30 min then rinse with warm water and pat dry.

Ladies enjoy the time you take to create and execute these simple but effective spa treatments. Making time for oneself is important. It helps you to recharge and center. Moments of solitude are important in this world on constant information, sound and sights. Relaxing helps you to be a better you and be the best you for family and friends. Relaxation is such a  vital part of a healthy lifestyle. Start in little bites. Take 5 min to your self and use the face scrub on your hands ( so much tension is in our hands with all we do everyday). The take it up a minute each time and add these spa treatments or increase your time to pray meditate or just rest. Set aside your lists and cares of the day while in your spa time or "me time" moments.

I hope my Spa Day recipes help you to pamper yourself and seek that restful moment away from everything to rejuvenate and relax.

Easy Recipe so the Hostess can get her Shop on!

With a JBPL shopping experience, I like to have my hostess present as much as possible. I ask her to keep food simple and easy so she won't have to run back and forth through out the party.

My intention is to present her guest with her Wish List so they can see what beautiful jewelry she is trying to earn and encourage active participation in games and the presentation of the jewelry. In other words she's a cheerleader for the party...and a happy hostess makes for happy guests and vice versa.

It justs adds to a more relaxed and fun party atmosphere which is just wonderful. My advice to my hostess sicne she is a BIG part of the party and I make a BIG deal about the jewelry SHE wants, I encourage her to dres s a simple table with food and drink so she doesn't go crazy keeping up with food or miss the fun of the party. She is throwing this party to see her friends also and my hostess should enjoy herself.

Here is a recipe i love for a beautiful alternative to regular iced tea. I got it from Food and Wine.com

Tangy Hibiscus-Lime Iced Tea

ACTIVE TIME: 15 MIN TOTAL TIME: 4 HRS MAKES ABOUT 2 QUARTS
F&W's Melissa Rubel created this refreshing, sweet-tart iced tea.
ingredients
1 cup each of sugar and warm water
Zest of 4 limes, removed in strips
8 cups cold water
3/4 cup dried hibiscus flowers (see Note)
Ice cubes
directions
In a small saucepan, bring the sugar, warm water and lime zest to a boil. Remove from the heat and let steep for 30 minutes. Strain into a measuring cup.
In a large saucepan, bring the cold water and hibiscus flowers to a boil. Remove from the heat; let steep for 20 minutes. Refrigerate until chilled.
Strain the tea into a pitcher. Stir in 1/2 cup of the lime syrup, or more to taste. Serve the tea in tall glasses over ice.

NOTES Dried hibiscus is available at health food stores, Latin markets and tea shops.If you can't find hibiscus flowers, you can substitute dried rose hips or Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger tea (which contains hibiscus, rose hips and other herbs).

Now that you have something refreshing to drink what about something to nosh? Again simplicity rules here. Here in San Antonio, something simple like tortilla chips and fresh Pico de Gallo or guacamole would be great. An array of fruit and cheeses. Simple finger foods that are light and comforting at the same time. It also keeps you out of the kitchen and with your guests having fun, laughing, sharing and adding wonderful jewelry to your collection.

So ladies enjoy yourself with Jewels by Park Lane!

Carpe Jewelry!

Host a Party! Your jewelry is waiting for you!