Ready. Chef. Go!

Wednesday’s are always busy in our home. I’m usually working and running errands for the majority of the day, followed by recording my podcast, and the evening is typically occupied with Bible Study.

This makes my daily meal planning even more important!

I wrapped up today’s activity by prepping these Ready. Chef. Go! Microwave steaming bags for tomorrow’s dinner.

I LOVE steamed asparagus and I’ve found that microwaving asparagus provides the perfect amount of crisp for my desired tastes.

Step 1: Trim the ends of the asparagus stems.

Step 2: Insert asparagus and your desired seasonings into the Ready! Chef! Go! Steam Envelope. I love lemon pepper asparagus, so I’ve added lemon slices and a savory seasoning blend.

Another close up. This time with tabs of butter added. Tomorrow, I’ll be microwaving these packets for 3 minutes each and serving them along with salmon filets.

Pictured above is a close up of the rear of the packet. For more info, check out the product website!

Glass Water Bottles ARE Better!

The weekend is coming to a close and I spent a good portion of it finalizing my review of the Purifyou Glass Water Bottle.

First and foremost, I can be completely honest and admit that I was I was somewhat hesitant to review a glass water bottle.

I may come off as a prim and propper lady, but my siblings can tell you I was 100% tomboy growing up and I can still be rough and rugged– especially when it comes to my tumblers and water bottles.

Whenever I am in full out gardening or workout mode, my bottles have to be able to take a tumble (or two or twenty) without breaking. If they don’t make the cut, I move on to another brand.

The company assures customers (via the product description on Amazon.com) that the bottle is made of the most durable glass availible in consumer retail.

I can’t say that my concerns were completely relieved by the “most durable glass” description (no other information was provided to support this claim), but I did appreciate the high-impact-resistant silicone sleeve that came along with the glass bottle. In addition to providing drop protection, the sleeve is of food-grade quality, which is nice to know given that it will be in close proximity with the fluids you’ll be consuming and your mouth as you’re drinking from the bottle. Last but not least, the silicone sleeve also acts as an insulator, helping to keep your chosen beverage hot or cold during extended periods of use.

So, back to the bottle– the sleeve worked this week so I’m praying nothing happens going forward — it is entirely BPA free, Phthalate free, PVC free, lead free, cadmium free and worry free. It is also microwave safe, dishwasher safe, and freezer safe (though you have to make sure to leave space inside the bottle for the liquid to expand naturally as it freezes).

A final point about this glass bottle, is that for every glass water bottle purchased, a portion of the profits is sent directly to building water wells for impoverished communities in Africa. Not only are you keeping yourself hydrated, but you are helping others to secure the water they so desperately need. If that’s not fixing something, I don’t know what is!

The bottle is availible in 6 different colors: Grey, Aqua Blue, Pastel Green, Pastel Blue, Misty Pink, and Lavender. Here’s the link again if you’d like to check them out.

Federal Trade Commission Disclaimer: I received this product for free in exchange for my honest opinion and unbiased review.

Southern Crafted Goodness

Hi folks! I’m back with another product review!

This one is really special to me given that the company, House Autry, is based out of North Carolina.

I grew up with my grandma using House Autry products, so to be selected to review their breading and hush puppy mixes was a really precious moment for me!

I decided to make Homemade Chicken Strips and Chicken Fried Pork Chops.

Yesterday, I made the Chicken Strips according to the directions for oven fried chicken that can be found on the side of the box. I really liked that the recipe had an oven preparation option since I prefer to bake my meats over frying them and if you’ve followed my blog at all you know I’m looking to incorporate as many healthy options into our eating habits as possible. Simply put — baking was a win!

The pork chops were also pretty simple. My husband assisted with this evening’s meal (and by “assisted” I mean, made the whole meal– I was beyond tired and went to the bedroom to do some work, only to end up falling asleep — laptop in hand– while he was cooking).

Now, I’ll be honest here. I know I just said I like to be healthy and I prefer to bake items over frying them, and while that IS TRUE, the North Carolina girl in me still loves a good fried pork chop! My husband will normally grill them for us as a healthier alternative, but I wanted to test out the breading mix on the pork chops, so that led us to this recipe experiment.

First he took the chops and breaded them using a zip lock bag and the chicken breading mix.

Then he fried them in vegetable oil on medium high heat until browned on both sides.

He served these along with Black Eyed Peas and French Cut Green Beans.

FTC Disclaimer: I received the House Autry products for free in exchange for my honest opinion and unbiased review.

Product Review : Bossywear Pink Wrist Wraps

This week’s next official product review item is this set of #BossywearWraps that I received to review. As described by the manufacturer, Bossywear Wraps are pink wrist wraps designed especially for women.

Here are some additional details:

The set is made with very high quality, yet soft materials which are carefully stitched in order to prevent any discomfort, injury or irritation. I have rather sensitive skin and I didn’t experience any irritation or chafing — even after several days of repeated use.

The set consists of two, 15 inch long wrist wraps that can be adjusted to fit comfortably on each wrist and will stay firm until removed. For extra protection, they also feature thumb loops that will eliminate the possibility of the wristband sliding up your hand!

I have also used these during extended writing sessions to assist with the wrist fatigue I sometimes experience. It’s been a great help as I’ve been writing a close out report for my most recent project for the past week.

Now that I am at my desired weight goal, weight training to achieve increased muscle tone is going to be my focus for the rest of the year. These will definitely be in regular rotation! I am 100% a fan of this product!

I received this item for free in exchange for my honest opinion and unbiased review.

Sweets for My Sweetheart — The Semi-Homemade Way!

This muffin pan kit arrived just in time for Valentine’s Day! My husband is a pretty simple man, all he desired for Valentine’s Day was his favorite dessert: Yellow Cupcakes with Chocolate Icing! Our schedule was jam packed, so I used one of my “semi-homemade” recipes (Cake mix with a little something extra– read through the post to get my baking tip). The cupcake pan is super cute and I loved that this really came with everything you’d need to make cupcakes (short of a bowl and the ingredients).

The liners were attractive and of good quality and I was able to support the pan with a simple cookie sheet or you could choose to use a shallow baking dish or a pizza pan if you don’t have a cookie sheet in your baking collection. This would be a cute gift to send to a college student or a friend for a “galentines day” token of appreciation. Overall, I was very happy with this item.

Here’s my “Semi-Homemade” Baking Tip: I use Betty Crocker Super Moist Butter Recipe Yellow Cake Mix cake when I’m in a pinch– and to make it taste closer to homemade, I add in a box of Vanilla Jello Pudding— nothing extra– just make the cake according to the cake box directions.

The pudding really does make a difference! You’ll thank me later!