5 Friday Favorites

Posted on June 9, 2017 by Roeshel

TGIF! Happy Friday friends!!! Ever look at someone’s photos and wonder where the heck they snagged something so fun and fab? Me too! And I’m often asked about certain items from photos in blog posts and social media so I figured a round up of favorite things was due. Because if you’re nebby like me, inquiring minds want to know. Some of the links below are affiliate links, some just linked for your convenience. So here goes: 5 Friday Favorites…

1. With a healthier lifestyle including whole foods and cutting way back on sugar consumption, this whipped cream maker is a must! Seriously! 30 seconds and 2 ingredients (we do heavy whipping cream and 1 stevia packet) is all it takes and I have a great dip for fruit or topping for (this) pie which my husband made and I.LOVE.it! I could eat it every single day…as as far as desserts go, it’s pretty guilt-free. You NEED this kitchen gadget! Also check out: the new ice-cream maker, brownie pan and the wine essential tools! My sweet friend Sharon, a Pampered Chef consultant, set up a party to shop from:

Whipped Cream Maker

Oh my. Looks like I could use some food photography tips.

Any recommendations?

I might get drafted if Russ ever starts his food blog!

2. & 3. Hey floral patterns are NOT reserved for grandmas! But yes, I’m a proud grandma and I love this floral raglan and these new ‘roses’ shades are my favorite this summer.

rose & gold sunglasses and floral raglan top

4. And this next one I bought for working out but recently paired it with a cardigan. Perfect for a girls’ night out, right which is almost like going to the gym. It’s up and off the couch. So very similar, right? Besides. it’s so cute and well, you COULD wear it to the gym, so versatile too!

wino-saur tank top

5. And last but not least, I made up some foaming hand soap recently with the help of my trusty sidekick and little grand buddy. He is so sweet! He’s back to being two time zones away so I sometimes watch this video daily to get that kiss. ::hold me::

No video bells and whistles…adding video editing course to my list of things to do but really, we were just hanging out and decided to do a video. isn’t he a natural? lol!

foaming handsoap dispenser

Okay, that was fun! I don’t know that I’ll do this every week but I hope you’ll enjoy the occasional series of my 5 Friday Faves! Enjoy the weekend!

Recipe: Broccoli Cheese Soup with pasta shells

Posted on March 10, 2015 by Roeshel

Hosting a small casual party? I seem to be doing that on a weekly basis lately since my new grandson is local one day a week. Sweet baby boy is bait for visits from family & friends, especially during lunch time. I love these visits and the opportunity to spend time with those I love and sometimes, I like to have lunch ready to serve. Most everyone loves broccoli cheese soup as well as mac & cheese, right? How about a combination of the two? This only takes about 30 minutes to prepare. Perfect!

Ingredients I used:

1 box Horizon® Pasta Shells & White Cheddar Cheese
1 lb. bag of organic frozen broccoli (recommended: Earthbound Farms brand)
1 tablespoon melted butter (recommended: Horizon® brand)
1 small chopped onion
1/4 cup organic all purpose flour
1/4 cup melted butter
4 cups free range chicken broth
2 cups organic half and half (Horizon® brand recommended)
pinch of sea salt
shredded (Horizon®) cheddar cheese for topping

For more information, visit Horizon®’s website.

Servings: 4-6

Time: approx. 30 minutes.

Directions:

Saute onion in 1 tablespoon of melted butter in large pot. Add two cups of chicken broth and simmer.

Add 2 cups of chicken broth and half of frozen broccoli to food processor and puree.

Add chicken broth/broccoli to onions/large pot and stir over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.

In bowl, mix cheese packet from Horizon® Pasta Shells & White Cheddar Cheese, 1/4 cup of flour, 1/4 cup of melted butter and 2 cups of half and half.

Slowly add the half and half mixture to pot and whisk to mix over medium high heat 2 minutes.

Add Horizon® Pasta Shells & White Cheddar Cheese and remaining broccoli. Add a pinch or two of sea salt. Boil 10-12 minutes or until macaroni is done.

Remove from heat, top with shredded cheddar cheese and serve.

It’s so good! Day 2/leftovers may require the addition of more chicken broth/etc. because those shells soak it all in.

Since we’re considering more organic choices, I was pleased to learn about all of the Horizon ® products. Looking for more recipes? Try the MAC-N-ATOR™, an online tool that takes existing ingredients in your kitchen that you enter and creates a recipe including Horizon® Mac & Cheese. Horizon® is an easy solution you can feel good about.

*This conversation is sponsored by Horizon. The opinions and text are all mine.

Enjoy Horizon Mac & Cheese as a versatile meal and keep your family happy. Try different vegetables in the dish to promote alternative uses of Horizon products or let your imagination take over.

Horizon is a pioneer in the organic industry. Every choice they make is carefully considered with National Organic Program (NOP) guidelines in mind. Horizon Mac & Cheese is made with these guidelines and the happy family in mind. For more information, visit Horizon’s website for more information.

This conversation is sponsored by Horizon. The opinions and text are all mine.

Springtime in Paris vignette {Enter to win a trip to Paris!}

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Roeshel

I sure wish it was springtime in western PA but until that day arrives (hopefully sometime in the very near future), I’m enjoying the Michael’s Makers March challenge: “Springtime in Paris”. I paired pretty French script pillows with a pretty DIY springtime arrangement in a decoupaged French script vase with matching frame to bring a little “Springtime in Paris” to our home.

decoupaged tin vase and floral arrangement

Supplies:

Shop Home Decor and Floral at Michaels

tin vase
decoupage
French printed tissue paper
foam paint brush

40% Off Any One Regular Price Item

How to:

Working in sections. Brush on a coat of decoupage.

Due to the shape of my tin vase, I applied strips of tissue paper in layers.

Apply one strip to the wet decoupage, smoothing out the wrinkles (carefully to avoid tearing the tissue paper) then move on to the next section and repeat.

Once the entire vase is covered, brush on another coat of decoupage. You can repeat and add more decoupage layers if you want. The more layers, the better protection.

Let dry. The metallic sheen shines through. Love that happy surprise!

Now arrange your favorite spring time florals. I love this collection of faux teals, oranges and purples with greenery.

Gorgeous! Spring is right around the corner!

I added a bit of tissue paper and French language flash card to a frame {le jardin = garden}, some things from around the house and pillows (also available at Michael’s) to complete my Springtime in Paris vignette.

See more Springtime in Paris inspiration from these sweet blog friends:

An InLinkz Link-up

· Now it’s your turn! That’s right, you can enter to win the trip of a lifetime to Paris too. How? By creating your own Parisian-inspired art, floral, baking or paper crafting project and uploading a photo to www.paris.michaels.com through March 31. You can also share your project on social using #SpringtimeInParis #Contest

· What do you win? A four-night trip for two to Paris, 1,000 euros, a VIP tour of the Louvre, private classes including sketching, floral arranging, baking and more!

· If you need a little Paris inspiration to get you started, take a look at some of the Springtime in Paris projects on Michaels.com.

Disclaimer: As a member of the Michael’s Makers blog team, I received a Michael’s gift card to complete this craft challenge.

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5 Friday Favorites

Recipe: Broccoli Cheese Soup with pasta shells

Springtime in Paris vignette {Enter to win a trip to Paris!}