My favorite Olay products

Oil of Olay...............the pink lotion that smells good. Is that what you are envisioning? It certainly was that way for a long time. Slowly it advanced over the years and now is downright good. In my family, Gram uses Olay, Mom uses Olay, who am I to break the trend? My three favorite Olay products are listed below, and I adore them all!


The Definity Penetrating Foam Cleanser is the only product I've tried from the Definity line, and I am loving it. It has teeny-tiny microexfoliation beads within a mousse like cleanser. I love the foam, I love that the exfoliation isn't too harsh, and I really like the smell. I usually buy whatever face wash is on sale (as my skin is not sensitive or dry and it's only on my face for about 30 seconds in the shower), but I'll be a repeat customer for this one!



The Regenerating Serum from the Regenerist Line is my favorite of all the products. I have definitely noticed a difference in my skin's texture since using this regularly. It's smoother, softer, and I'm hoping it will keep the wrinkles at bay! In the summer when it's really hot and I'm sweaty, I'll use it as a serum/moisturizer. The gel like formula doesn't sweat off or feel too heavy. In the winter, I'll add a lightweight moisturizer over top for the daytime. I tend to only use this in the mornings, not twice a day. I picked up the jumbo size bottle at Costco, and it lasts forever!!


The Micro-sculpting cream has gotten rave reviews in a lot of magazines, and I'm here to tell you, believe them! It's a wonderful nighttime cream, and, again, I've really noticed a difference in fine lines since using it. It's definitely cheaper than a lot of the other high-end names out there and it works just as well. Plus, there are always coupons for $5 off in the Sunday paper. At $20/pop you simply must try it out for yourself and see if it works for you! I seriously love this stuff!

I just ran out of eye cream and need to pick up a new one. I've read good things about the eye cream from the Definity line, so will probably try that next unless one of you out there has another great one for me. The only other thing I'd like to add to my skin care regimen is a Vitamin C containing product. Does anyone have one to recommend? I've heard good things about Skin Medica- does anyone use this brand?

It's a must read!!

The Preppy Apron couldn't put it down, and I couldn't either.  B is currently reading, and we'll see how much he likes it!  It was definitely Dan Brown's writing- very similar to Angels and Deamons and The DaVinci Code, so if you liked those, you love this one as well!!  It's a great book for a rainy fall Saturday morning cuddled up on the couch with a throw and a puppy and a PSL.  You'll end up reading until bedtime (with an interruption for your favorite college football team, of course!). 

Homemade apple sauce

photo found on flickr- forgot to take my own!

I made bbq ribs the other night in our stovetop smoker (AMAZING registry gift!), and I decided that a homemade applesauce would be a perfect accompaniament to the ribs.  Little did I know that we should all be making homemade applesauce all the time.  Ladies, it's so frickin easy, and so much better than the canned variety in the store.  The hardest part is peeling the apples.  I did just read on a website that many people leave some of the skin on because it allows the sauce to have even more flavor and color, so that'll save me time this week when I make this again.

I used Jonathan apples for my sauce, and they were delish.  They are a sweeter apple so it required using much less sugar than some of the recipes on the web called for.  According to www.pickyourown.org/apples, the varieties they recommend for sauce include

Gala

McIntosh

Jonathan

Golden Delicious

Jonagold

Jonalicious

Melrose

Winesap

Fuji

I wouldn't use my beloved Honeycrisp for this purpose as I've used them in other baking projects, and I thought they ended up mushy, watery, and just not good.  I'm going to combine a few different apples this week to see how that changes the flavor.

I peeled 6 smaller sized apples, cut them into wedges and put them into a sauce pan with 1/4 c water, 1/4 c sugar, 1 1/2 tbsps butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves (to taste).  Many recipes I saw called for at least 1/2 c sugar, but this would have made the sauce way too sweet, in my opinion.  I would definitely start out on the lower end of the sugar spectrum and add more if you need it.  One of the reasons to pick the apples above is that they are all sweeter apples and the flavor is brought out even more when reduced. 

Place the heat on medium and reduce the ingredients for 15- 30 minutes or until soft.  I used a potato masher to mash mine, but you could just as easily use a food processor.  You'll want to leave some texture to the sauce, so don't purree it too finely.  If you do leave the skins on, make sure any of the larger pieces of skin are processed or discarded before serving as a huge piece of apple skin isn't the most appealing on a plate.  When I make it again this week, I'll be using a much larger bunch of apples, as our sauce didn't even make it to leftovers!   

If you do make a big batch, there are many, many uses for leftovers:  on top of oatmeal for breakfast, as a sauce for pancakes or waffles, over vanilla ice cream for dessert,  as baby food, for lunch the next day, as a topping for Greek yogurt, as an accompniament to pork tenderloin, as a filling for apple turnovers (yum!) etc.  I'm sure you guys can fill me in on any other ways you think it sounds good! 

Let me know if you make some!  I'd love to know which apples you used and if you liked it or not.  Also for those of you out there who love using the slow cooker, I found a few recipes out there when I was searching.  They sounded good, and if you have a fall party of some sort, this would be a great way to get at least one thing off the stovetop!

Scent of Fall

I adore the Autumn Wreath scented candle from Yankee Candles.  It's absolutely a perfect scent for fall and winter.  Spicy, warm, cozy (can a smell be cozy?).  B even likes it; it's not a super feminine scent.  Ours is almost gone from being burned so much last years, so I need to head out an pick another one up asap!

Since I'll be out candle shopping, does anyone have any other scents or candles to recommend?  I can't do anything that is super florally (they can give me a headache), but I'd love to know what you use around the house!

October!

Photo from www.staffords.com

Oops!  I missed October's beginning yesterday!  I just adore this month.  It's a glorious time of year.
My favorite things about the month are:
1.  My birthday (the 26th!)
2.  Pumpkin and apple flavored anything
3.  Getting out my sweaters and my riding boots
4.  Annual trip to Petoskey to see my family and for B to play golf (such good deals and gorgeous color along the lake)
5.  My new fall haircolor- I went darker (just slightly) and I really like it
6.  Being chilly when it's bedtime and having a cozy bed to snuggle into
7.  The changing of the leaves
8.  Raking!!!!  It's definitely my favorite fall "chore".  The air is crisp, the leaves make great noises, it's great exercise, and it feels so productive.
9.  Seeing people decorate their houses for fall and Halloween.  I love seeing pumpkins out lining walkways, mums in planters, spooky cobwebs in windows.  It doesn't thrill me as much as Christmas lights, but it's a close second!
10.  My birthday (did I mention that already??)!!  Apparently B has my gift already purchased, so I won't be going through a "things I would like to receive post".  It must be good if he got it 2 months early!!

What do you LOVE about October? 

In need of a good cry?

If you are having one of those weeks, or you're hormonal, or you just need a good, cathartic cry, pick up this book from a bookstore or the library.  It's a wonderful story of family, love, and learning about yourself.  I started sobbing about 2/3rds of the way through and didn't stop until the end.  Sometimes you just need to let yourself go and really involve yourself into the lives of others (one of the reasons I like books so much), and this book allows you to do just that.  I promise, it's worth the read, and you'll fall in love with the characters!

Best Apple Galette Recipe!!

picture from www.gourmet.com

I tore this recipe out of the November 2007 issue of Gourmet Magazine, and it's served me very well over the past two years. It's a wonderful fall dessert that showcases the best that apples have to offer. I've made it for a few occasions, and each time I've received tons of compliments. It's more rustic than a typical apple pie, and maybe not Thanksgiving centerpiece worthy, but once you taste it, you'll understand why you'll make it again and again.

Apple Galette
Serves 8

Pastry Dough
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 tsp salt
3 to 5 tbsps ice water

*Blend together flour, butter, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (pea sized) butter lumps. Drizzle 3 tablespoons ice water evenly over mixture and gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated.
*Squeeze a small handful of dough: if it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated. Do not overwork dough or pastry will be tough.
*Turn out dough onto a work surface. Divide dough into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forwatd motion to help distribute fat. Father all dough together with pastry scraper (or sharp spatula). press into a ball, then flatten into a 5 inch disk. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least one hour. (Dough can be frozen for up to 3 months)

Gallete
2 tbsps Semoline (semolina flour)
2 lb Golden Delicious apples (about 4), peeled, cored, and each cut into 8 wedges
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1/4 c granulated sugar
1 1/2 tbsp confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)

*Preheat oven to 350 with rack in the middle.
*Roll out dough into a 13 in round on a lightly floured surface with a lightedly floured rolling pin. Transfer to an ungreased 17x14 inch baking sheet. Sprinkle semolina over dough, leaving a 2 inch border all around.
*Toss apples with lemon juice and zest in a large bowl, then mound on top of semolina (leaving border present) and sprinkle granulated sugar over apples. Fold in dough border over apples, pleating dough as necessary to form a 9 inch round. (When I put the apples on the dough, I start in the center and form circular rings out from the middle)
*Bake galette 30 minutes, then loosely cover with foil and bake until apples are tender and crust is golden, 25-30 minutes more. Remove galette from oven and turn on broiler.
*Dust apples with confectioners sugar and broil 5-6 inches from heat until apples are just golden, 1-3 minutes. Watch this carefully as the sugar can burn! Slide galette brom baking sheet onto a rack , then cool to warm or room temp.
Galette can be baked 5 hours ahead and cooled, uncovered. If desired, reheat in a 350 degree oven until warm, about 5 min.

Amazing Race Begins!

Woo Hoo! One of our favorite TV shows begins again tonight. We love watching the pairs country hop, try to communicate in foreign countries, and see the amazing things they get to experience. The ice wall they had to climb one year is still one of my favorite things they have done! I would definitely have a hard time with the food parts of the challenge (eating weird things grosses me out), but everything else looks like a ton of fun (except I'm not sure how often they get to shower!). B says he'll never do it with me because he knows I'd cry (a lot!!) and he wouldn't want us to fight on National TV. He's probably right. He and his cousin, A, would be great partners, and I'd love it if one day they would audition. What an amazing whirlwind experience it would be!

Is anyone else out there a watcher? Would you audition for this show? Who would you do it with? After you watch tonight, you'll have to let me know who your favorite pair is!!

God Pause- Taste and See

A quick lesson from God Pause this Sunday as I am wishing for communion and praying for thanks.


"O taste and see that the Lord is good." (Psalm 34:8)

Psalm 34: 1-9

Bread of Life, we give you thanks for all the ways you nourish us. Help us to feast on your love in community and welcome all to the table.
Amen.
My husband's family shares a love of food. He is an avid follower of the Food Network. His brother is always on the lookout for "the best" restaurant, recipe or product. His mother prepares meal plans days in advance of our visits. All of this makes sharing meals with them tremendously enjoyable. They really savor their food and help me appreciate mine.

In the same way, the body of Christ can help us to savor and appreciate the feast of love that God lays out before us. We are fed and nourished by Holy Communion, the words of Scripture and the power of the Holy Spirit. But when we share the joy of these things with others we are much more richly blessed. The body of Christ helps us to savor God's goodness and invite others into the feast.
Amy Zalk Larson
Campus Pastor, Luther College
Master of Divinity, 2000

Psalm 34: 1-9 (NRSV)

1 I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad.

3 O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.

5 Look to him, and be radiant; so your faces shall never be ashamed.

6 This poor soul cried, and was heard by the Lord, and was saved from every trouble.

7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

8 O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in him.

9 O fear the Lord, you his holy ones, for those who fear him have no want.

Have you ever tried a Honeycrisp apple ? They are a midwestern apple that is a cross between a Macoun and Honeygold, developed at the University of Minnesota. AND they are the most wonderful apple you will ever sink your teeth into. Tart and crisp, yet with the perfect sweetness. I hord them all fall because unlike many other apple varieties, these are not a year round specimen. They are only available in the fall and are not grown at very many orchards (yet!). It makes them the luxury apple brand (tee hee!). They definitely cost more at the supermarket and the farmer's market, but, trust me, they are SO worth it. Even B thinks they're good, and he's not really an apple kind of guy. If you can find them in your area, definitely seek them out and try them. I just know you will love them!!

PS- These are best when eaten fresh. They are not good baking apples!
PS #2- Speaking of apples, I have a fantastic apple tart recipe to share with you all. I'll try to get it up this weekend :)