Knorr Vegetable Dip!

Good Afternoon World!

Today, I'm here to let you know about a quick and easy snack that you are going to LOVE! Like dip? Then this is a post for you :)


Knorr Vegetable Dip is quite possibly, the very best dip on the planet (In my humble opinion of course)! We always have at least two or three packages in the house!

It's packed full of delicious vegetables and has an excellent flavor. You can mix it with reduced fat sour cream, and wha-la - presto chango! An awesome, low-cal snack. I like to eat it with reduced fat wheat thins, but I suppose vegetables would be good too.... one step at a time, as they say! ha! I like to make a big batch of it in a rubbermaid/tupperware and take portions of it to work, for a mid-afternoon snack....it's a happy pick me up!

Hints from me to you:

Be sure that you mix this bundle of joy at least an hour before you plan to eat it. The vegetables are dehydrated and need time to suck up all the moisture from the sour cream... if you eat it too quickly, you'll hurt your teeth and it won't taste as great. It's worth the wait.... I like to make mine at night and then let it sit in the fridge over night... no worries with that!

It's really easy to make this - just mix up one whole container of sour cream with one whole package of vegetable dip, mix, cover and wait - then EAT! It won't leave you with bad breath like onion dip, and you can feel good about getting some veggies into your diet. This also tastes great on a baked potato...

For Added Fun:
If you know of a place that sells rosemary bread, you'll definitely want to try it with this dip, I really do think it's the best possible combination... A fresh rosemary bread bowl with Knorr Vegetable Dip - Divine.

Enjoy!


*I swear no one pays me to write these reviews....I'm just sharing the good stuff! But if someone wanted to send me boxes of this stuff, well.....Knorr people... are you reading?

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Animal Liberation Orchestra

Hi Guys!

Today, I'm telling you about a great band:

Animal Liberation Orchestra (or ALO for short but not to be confused with that awful boy band from the 90's - they're nothing like that, what-so-ever) http://www.alomusic.com/home.html

I first heard of this band a handful of years ago as they started touring the circut... but I really got into them on JamCruise 7 this past January. If you don't know what JamCruise is, and you LOVE live music - you should probably find out about it b/c you're missing out...

Anyway - they played their first set on that voyage and it completely and totally changed my life... yes I had had a few cocktails, but seriously - they were one of the greatest bands that trip and I was an instant fan! I just picked up some of their cd's a-la BarnesandNoble.com (which I will keep telling you to check out until I'm blue in the face b/c it's surprisingly awesome) and I wanted to tell you all to do the same. This band is awesome and their music really fits any mood you're in. Not to mention they're all pretty gosh darned cute...

(C) Casey Flanigan

(C) Jay Blakesburg & Damien Miller

Zach Gill, Dan Lebowitz, Steve Adams and Dave Brogan (members of ALO) know how to get you dancing and how to get you into a happier mood - so go ahead and download some of their songs from iTunes (if you're looking for a good first song I will suggest "Wasting Time (Isla Vista Song)") and pick up their CD's at some point when you need a change, or are looking to broaden your horizons... I highly recommend! And if you're looking to see them live, which I also highly recommend, they are criss-crossing the country and THE WORLD this summer - so you'd better hop to it!

Visit their ultra-hip website for more info and tour dates: http://www.alomusic.com/home.html

Here are two of their albums:

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Awesome Mashed Potatoes Recipe!

Happy Tuesday All!

Over the weekend I was watching Iron Chef and I was inspired to make a mashed potato mixture - it was truly awesome! So I'm sharing my ingredients with you:

WHAT YOU NEED:
Lots of Potatoes (I used red potatoes but any kind will do)
Heavy Cream
Butter
Fresh Chives
Bacon
Onions
Sugar
Gruyere Cheese

WHAT TO DO:
Wash your potatoes, leave the skin on and boil them until they're soft
cut up your onions, microwave them for four-five minutes with butter then fry until golden brown - when golden brown, add a touch of sugar to carmelize
Cook up some bacon - but make sure you undercook to keep it soft - then cut into small-ish pieces (when cool)
Chop up some fresh chives

MIX :
mash up your potatoes with the skins still on
add in your carmelized onions, chopped chives, chopped bacon
add butter and heavy cream
*Mix this all up until potatoes are successfully mashed to your satisfaction

COOK:
Put this all in a baking pan and top with grated Gruyere cheese and put in the oven at about 400 - cook until everything is bubbling and the cheese is browned on top


You (and everyone else) will love this!

Next weekend I'm going to try blue cheese potatoes.... if it's good, I'll share the recipe!

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Buy One Get One Free Entrees At T.G.I Friday's!

Check this out - Buy One, Get One Free Entrees at T.G.I Friday's until Monday!

All you have to do is go to their website and print out the coupon. There can only be one coupon used per table - that is the one and only catch, everything else is good to go!

http://www.tgifridays.com/promos/JuneBogo.aspx?source=home

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The Perfect Mimosa!

Hi All! On this exceptionally lovely Friday, I thought I would share with you my recipe for a delicious and addictive mimosa!

Here's what you'll need

Lots of Champagne (I actually prefer Andre Extra Dry for around $5 a bottle)
Tropicana Tangerine/Orange Juice
Shwepps Ginger Ale
Fresh or Frozen Berries
A Few Ice Cubes

How To:
Pretty self explanitory - drop a few ice cubes in your glass, fill 3/4 of the way with champagne, add a large splash of the tangerine/orange juice, plop a few berries in there and top off with a few dashes of ginger ale.

*For Added Fun*
--In addition to the ingredients above --
Grab a large glass (to fit all of these ingredients of course), and add a few fresh mint leaves (very lightly mashed, just enough to bring out the flavor) and a big splash of Cruzan mango rum - NOW WE'RE TALKIN'! I like to call this little tasty number "The Mang-Oh-La-La"

You can thank me later :)

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A Great "Real Size" Pair Of Jeans!

Good Afternoon!

I wanted to share a great pair of jeans I've discovered for those of us out there who don't care to count our calories... Women's Plus Low-Rise Wide-Leg Denim Trousers - WOOT! These jeans are from Old Navy, and let me tell you - they're the most comfortable pair of jeans I've ever worn and they're brand new!


Right now they're on sale (online only) for $25. The wide leg is very slimming and the buttons are really cool. The jeans material has a lot of stretch to it, so you can go and do whatever you want and still feel comfortable. For $25 you can't really go wrong....



http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=41967&vid=8&pid=598195&scid=598195002

LAST.FM

Looking for a good site to listen to free music? Is Pandora killing your computer? I have a great alternative for you: http://www.last.fm/ - awesome!






It's a free, streaming music service that let's you type in an artist that you like and it automatically takes you to that band (or song, or genre's) station! Pretty cool. You can tell "it" if you love a song or hate a song and you can skip the one's you don't like. If you register, it will remember what you like and don't like (but you don't have to register to enjoy it).

LAST.FM will also tell you if the band is on-tour, give you an interesting bio, and let you know who else the band has been compared to (if you care about that). While the band plays their song for you, LAST.FM shows you various photos of the group/artist so you can see what they look like, a selection of similar artists and a selection of similar stations. You can change your station at any time.

I highly suggest checking this site out! http://www.last.fm/


*BONUS INFO:

And for those of you who are searching for the next great place to buy CD's (for those of us who will continue to support a physical form of music and are saddened by the lack of places to buy them...) I suggest you check out Barnes & Noble online. I know it sounds all wrong, but, I recently received an online B&N gift card and really only wanted music, so I checked it out and behold! They sell a TON of cd's on their website for very affordable prices (most of the ones I checked out, and it was a lot, were right around the $10 mark) and most orders have free shipping :) I was honestly amazed at some of the artists they carry.... tons of artists I would have bet heavily against them having - and they had them (DJ Z-Trip, The Shins, Railroad Earth, Brett Dennen, G-Love, ALO, etc...). Nice surprise! Give it a whirl!

http://music.barnesandnoble.com/index.asp?r=1


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Loreal Extra Volume Collagen Mascara Review

Hi All!

Well, after the whole Revlon DoubleTwist debacle/let-down I was about to swear off mascara all together. - YEAH RIGHT!! Instead I went out to the store and bought a few more, because of course I'm swimming in money and can afford to waste $30 on MORE disspointing mascaras.... but what can I say except that maybe this has formed into an addiction? Are there groups for this??? Well, I'm happy to say that it was worth all the trouble because I'm pretty sure that I've found a keeper.

Loreal Extra Volume Collagen Mascara

Don't let the collagen thing scare you off. To be honest, I don't think it really makes a difference, but what does make a difference is the fantastic brush, consistency of the mascara, tube/suction ratio and it's lasting power! The packaging claims 12x's the volume - which I don't think anyone on this planet would actually believe (12x's is impossible, even with fake eyelashes) but it does enhance quite nicely.

There is no clumping, no need for a second coat and my favorite part - I didn't need to wipe my lids with a wet q-tip or use my eyelash brush afterwards - HEAVEN! And exactly what I've been looking for. Why should putting on mascara take 20 minutes damn it!?! It's just not right to ask any woman to waste that kind of time standing in the bathroom waiting for mascara to dry so she can comb out the stupid clumps and get on with her day!!!!!!!

I put it on around 8 AM and indeed - it lasted until almost 2 AM! (late night playing Wii Fit!) - NOW THAT'S A TEST!

So, overall - I am extremely pleased with the new mascara. I highly recommend it for women who don't have extremely thin eyelashes - I'm just not sure that the big brush would work for thinner lashes... but to be honest, I just don't know... my lashes are pretty thick and long without mascara, so I'm very lucky to have a head start. I'm telling you, the collagen part doesn't phase me anymore, didn't phase me to begin with but my sister had the all-telling "gross" response when I first told her what I was trying... so for all of you out there with the same response, I say don't be turned offf - I think it adds a great consistency to the liquid that's really worth trying.

The Elbow Room Grade: A

And if you ARE going to go out and try it, you should visit Loreal's website first because there's a $1 coupon available for ANY of their mascaras - check that out here: http://www.lorealparisusa.com/_us/_en/default.aspx#page=top{navmedia:_blankoverlay:_blankdiagnosticmain:subcategory:cosmetics_eyesuserdata//d+d//}

I bought mine at CVS for about $7

Great Camping Weekend!

Hi All!

Happy Monday! - NOT! I am so tired, I could fall asleep sitting straight up with a coffee in both hands and jug band playing on top of my desk.

I had a great weekend camping out in the woods with some of my best friends. It rained almost the entire time, but we managed to have a complete blast. We were celebrating the 10th wedding anniversary of our great friends John and Heather. What a beautiful thing! We stayed up incredibly late, drank way too much and ate a ridiculous amount of delicious food. Our friend had a food liquifier with him, and we pretty much liquified everything in site, then cooked it up - very entertaining and tasty. Did you know that you can liquify bacon and sausage?

Any how - I'm sitting here at work terrified of the poison ivy that is bound to pop up all over... and trying not to pass out on the keyboard... wouldn't want to wake up with the letters I P N U K L on my cheek.... ick.

Wish me luck...

Tah Tah!
JJ

MTV's New Show "16 And Pregnant"

Who are the geniuses behind this new show from MTV called "16 and Pregnant"? Do they not realize that most 16 year olds would do anything to be on MTV - including: getting themselves knocked up for a new documentary mini-series? We saw similar fallout with shows such as Jackass - ridiculous, everyday kids, making stupid decisions - thinking that they would be the next MTV star.

I'm guessing their original plans were to scare teens with the realities of unprotected sex - but in the reality we live in today - I think that was beyond short sighted. These featured 16 year olds just landed themselves on a MTV show because of their mistakes and bad judgement.

Maybe MTV could have considered that they might be encouraging the teens of today into thinking that "hey, if all else fails - I'll send an email to MTV and maybe they'll tape it".

Blek.

Joy Behar Gets Her Own Show?

According to The New York Times - Joy Behar from "The View" will be getting her own primetime 9 PM show tentatively called "The Joy Behar Show", replacing re-runs of Lou Dobbs Tonight on HLN.

http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/11/joy-behar-in-lou-dobbs-out-at-hln/

Anyone going to watch this? What do you think it will be like? Do you predict success?

No Sodium Seltzer?

Why on earth does VINTAGE brand Seltzer say "No Sodium" when clearly - on the label is says that there is 5mg of sodium? How is this OK?

I LOVE me some seltzer - of all flavors. And I'm totally OK with sodium in my life... I have no problem with there being sodium in the seltzer - but why, oh why - would they say "Sodium Free" right on the label on top of the nutrition Facts that clearly say otherwise???

I'm baffled...

Work Related

Thank God It's Friday!!! For Real!

It has been one of the LONGEST weeks of my life. So sorry for not posting more this week, but I've been swamped!

I want to talk about budgets and new clients. So far in my life, I have been very shy when it comes to negotiating new business. I am great at talking about what I can honestly and realistically do for people, I manage appropriate expectations and deliver on my word. I am, however, uncomfortable talking about budgets and money. It's always been a tricky, sticky and un-fun area for me and I have to admit, my timidness in this arena does not compare with my business capabilites and generally outgoing nature. I'm not quite sure where it comes from or why I feel this way - but I have a guess.

I think that I understand people's needs and limitations. When I know that someone can't afford my services - I have to make a judgement call. Do I really like them, do I believe in what they're doing, do I see myself being able to deliver and do I see myself having any fun or enjoyment with the project. Taking all of those things into consideration - I make the decision. In the past, I used to do PR for bands - which was little and often times NO PAY - but I love live music, I could get into shows for free and drink/eat on the bands tab. Balance all that out - and I did make money! I got to save every penny when I went out - priceless :)

These days, things are a bit more professional as I've moved on to working with companies, celebrities, agencies, tours, etc... I work at a PR agency and I don't usually handle the finances (thank God!). But I can't help but think about this ethical way that I used to look at PR.... if I like it - isn't it worth it? If I'm helping people that really need it and deserve it - won't I get re-paid some how from the world of Karma - at some point? I can't help but think that the answers are a big resounded YES to both. I can't help it. I am a passionate person and I love doing work that I believe in - it's not work.

This is why I have problems with budgets - I know that most people don't understand how much a good PR agency is worth... and believe me it would blow. your. mind. but I also understand the importance of enjoying what you do. And making sacrifices to ensure that you stay happy - very important.

Inner struggle... Any advice or suggestions?

GOYA - Fruit Nectar YUM!

Hi Everyone!

I hope you had a great weekend - I did! Thank goodness. I visited with friends, ate BBQ, played shuffleboard, layed by the pool, planted mint, etc... had a great time - the weather was nice and I actually managed to get a bit of color! Hurray!

While laying out and attempting to tan, I decided to make myself some delicious frozen cocktails :) and I thought I'd share a great recipe with you. I am a HUGE fan of mixing flavors, tastes, ingredients and more... I live the more is more philosphy when it comes to food & drinks.

Before I give you the recipe, I wanted to let you know about a great product from GOYA (in case you don't already know). GOYA makes fruit nectars. You can find these cans of nectar in the ethnic food section of your grocery store. More stores will sell it and it's a lot cheaper than one might think (I got two cans for 99 cents). Not too sweet, not like syrup. It's a great way to add flavor to drinks, marinades, sauces, glazes and did I mention drinks! Papaya, banana, guava, mango, pear and more! For less than a buck, you can try it - I bet you'll like it!

Here's a drink recipe for fun in the sun (My portions/measurements are all off the cuff - far be it from me to use a measuring cup...)

Ingredients:

Couple handfuls of Ice

About 4-5 Fresh Strawberries

Handful of Fresh Blueberries

1/2 Can of GOYA Papaya Nectar

1/2 Can of GOYA Pineapple Nectar

1/4 Can of Coconut Milk

Splash of Cranberry Juice (or whatever juice you want)
Limitless Cruzan Mango Rum (the best, but you can use any rum!)

Mix up in your blender and serve! Delicious!

The best part about the GOYA nectars is that the possibilities are endless - you can mix together any flavors you want and every drink (or recipe) will come out different and each one will be more delicious than the next. Trust me.

Enjoy!
JenJen