Pasta with Shrimp and Broccoli - Recipe

I love one pot meals. I also love pasta and broccoli. I just realized that this is the second recipe I've posted and both have these in common!! 

This one is a hot meal rather than a cold pasta salad.

This is what you will need:

-1 Lb. shrimp
-12 oz box of bow tie pasta (angel hair spaghetti works well also)
-Small head of broccoli (about 2 cups when separated)
-1/2 cup chopped scallions
-1/2 cup matchstick carrots 
-1 cups chopped artichoke hearts
-1/2 cup chopped black olives
-2 1/2 tbsp chopped capers
-1/4 tsp chopped garlic
-1/4 cup traditional basil pesto
-1 little tub of Knorr's concentrated vegetable stock
-1 cup of a dry white wine
-1 envelope of Sazon Goya 
-salt and pepper
-Grated Romano cheese

Gather all your ingredients.

Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. Don't forget to salt the water.

 

Spray a large frying pan with a no stick spray and add a small amount of olive oil. Add the broccoli and cook for about 5 mins. then add the carrots and cook until tender.

Then add all of the remaining ingredients. I used cooked shrimp so I didn't add them until I was ready to combine the vegetables & shrimp with the pasta, but if you are using uncooked shrimp add them now. Simmer for about 3-5 mins. If you are using uncooked shrimp make sure they are cooked all they way through. They should be white/pinkish and start to curl. Careful not to over cook.

While that is simmering, drain your pasta and add a little butter and pepper. 

Then combine the vegetables & shrimp with the pasta.

Serve with a little grated Romano cheese on top.

Quick, easy and delicious. Great for a week night. I hope you try it and enjoy!!

CIAO, Stephanie

Pur-lisse Youth Preserve Serum - Product Review

I LOVE this serum. 

I received this sample of Pur-lisse pur-youth preserve age-delay skin serum in one of the Birch Box deliveries and it is a great product. 

You just need a very small amount. I squeeze out a dollop on my ring finger and then take my other hand and put 1/2 on the other ring finger and apply to my eye area. 

It feels sooooooo silky smooth and hydrates the eye area wonderfully. I also creates a smooth base for applying make-up.

It can be used all over but I just had the sample and wanted to concentrate on my eye area. 

I love it so much I will be buying it. I found it for $76.00 with free shipping at the DermStore and for $49.99 plus $4.99 shipping through Amazon.

I need to mention my feelings about buying through Amazon. You really need to look at all the sellers. Because I think that if you find a product that sells, for example this Pur-Lisse product that sells for an average $76.00, and you find it for $16.01 from a seller on Amazon, it makes me wonder if it might be a counterfeit product or something. I mean, how can they sell it so cheaply!! I love Amazon and buy through them all the time, but I read reviews and kind of check out the sellers. There is one seller selling this for $16.01 and another selling it for $49.99!! I think most people would automatically go for the $16.01 price but......buyer beware! So, shop around! 

CIAO, Stephanie

Feeling a little lighter!

Haven't blogged in a few days. I had some minor surgery and was laid up for a couple of days.

I got my port taken out Wednesday. For those who don't know, a port is a device that is inserted under your skin (usually on your upper chest) that runs a line through to your vein and stays there so you can get IV chemo treatments without having your vein accessed every time. Chemo is very hard on veins, it makes them shrink and become harder and harder to access.

If you read my bio you know I am a cancer survivor and I am on a clinical trial. This trial is working. I have to get an infusion of the drug Avastin every 2 weeks for the rest of my life. So, why remove the port you ask?

Well, it was clogged, they could not draw blood or infuse medicine so it was useless. Avastin is not as hard on your veins as chemo so I decided not to have another one put in right away. For now, I am port free :-)

I was put under conscious sedation, which means that I was awake but so drugged up I didn't care that they were slicing me open and playing with my veins, LOL!! Really though, I was awake but they numb up the area and I felt some tugging and a little pressure but it was not painful and I was sedated so I was not anxious or anything. This way of surgery is much better because you don't tend to get sick and nauseous like the heavy duty stuff can make you. Plus, it's safer because your awake the whole time and your breathing is not affected, you can breath on your own. 

So.....it's out. I had it in for just about 2 years. For the last year it was pretty uncomfortable, especially when I was trying to sleep. So I am looking forward to some good sleeping positions once I am healed.

Back to work today, minus one port, plus one smile.

CIAO, Stephanie

Instruction Manual Hell!

I swear, the more technology comes into play the bigger the instruction manual. I thought technology was suppose to make everything easier. And it does, once you figure out how to use it.

I bought a Droid a few months back and it came with this little book. With teeny, tiny writing. This phone has a lot of features that I don't think I even know about. It is actually a mini computer. I can call people, text people, e-mail people. I can go on Facebook, Pinterest and Google...all with my phone. I can use it as a wireless hub as well. The only thing I can't do is print out a report. But, since I gave up trying to read that little instruction booklet, maybe I can!

I have never been one to read instruction booklets. When I had to learn Excel, I just played around with it. Took a quick class and asked a lot of questions of a lot of people. But, to sit down with that huge manual...no thanks.

So, imagine my horror upon opening up the glove box of my brand new Hyundai Santa Fe and finding this 1 inch thick monster.

My God, all I want to do is drive my new car not program a computer!! I was going to tell you how many pages it has but the sneaky writers sectioned it off and started at page one for each section. But....Section 4, the largest section, "Features of your vehicle" has 287 pages!! 

This vehicle needs instructions. When I went to pick it up, I got in and saw it has a button to push to start it up. OK, no problem, my sister has a Hyundai Genesis and she starts hers like this, just press and it should start right up. 

I press the button and hear the familiar little bells and bings but no engine. So, I press it again and it shuts off. OK, so I press it again.....bells, etc but no engine. Maybe it is just a really quite engine?!! HA,,,NO.....a little message is on the dashboard telling me to press and hold the brake pedal before pressing the start button! 

Thank God! If I had to look it up in that huge owners manual I'd still be there.

Wouldn't it be great if they could just program the cars to answer questions? Like, when I say S**T! why can't I find the fuel tank? It will go...."Beep"....right side rear...Dear :-)

Drive carefully!

CIAO, Stephanie

Blush Mystery Beauty Box - August Product Review

This months Blush Mystery Beauty Box has arrived. Lots of great stuff!! $34.95 for a one time purchase or $24.95 for the monthly subscription. The box comes once a month.

The first thing that caught my eye was the Phillip B Maui Wowie - Volumizing & Thickening Beach Mist. 

I loved the Phillip B Self Adjusting Hair Spray I received last month and am looking forward to trying this. It has Sea Salt, Extracts of Algae, Orchid, Tahitian Gardenia, Aloe Vera & Oils of Kukui and coconut. Smells great too.

The next thing I saw was Anastasia Beverly Hills - Lash Genius Waterproof Top Coat. I have never seen a product like this before. It is a product that adds shine as it instantly makes any mascara waterproof. Sounds great. Since I am lazy and don't like all the work involved in removing waterproof cosmetics, I gave this to my daughter.

Next up is MOR Emporium Hand Cream - Snow Gardenia. Luxurious and great smelling!

Then there is a sample jar of Eminence Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant. This is a daily exfoliant. Can't wait to try this. It's a powder. I took the top to show in the picture because it's so cute! :-)

Then there is the PIXI Beauty Endless Silky Eye Pen - No 5 Deep Plum. It's a waterproof eyeliner. Jill get's this one also. Looks great though.

Next is a good size sample tube of Carita Paris Masque Biologique - Biological Face Mask. It says it Brightens, enhances and renews tired, dull and aging skin. I will use this, I know. 

Then is tiny sample tube of COOLA SPF 30 Face Classic Sunscreen - Cucumber. This is a small sample but it smells great.

Next is a tube of Vapour Organic Beauty Elixir Lip Gloss - in Hush. Is says it hydrates ans nourishes as it leaves a subtle nude-pink tint on your lips. It is a nice mauve pink color.

And lastly there were a couple of small samples thrown in the box as little extras, I got the Airbrush Eye Cream again and sample of elta - MD Skincare UV Clear Broad-spectrum SPF 46 Facial Sunscreen.

Great box for August. I am looking forward to using several of the products. All the products are full size or large samples. 

CIAO. Stephanie

Phillip B Self Adjusting Hair Spray - Product Review

I received a Phillip B Self Adjusting Hair Spray in my July Blush Mystery Beauty Box.

The instructions say that if you want soft hold, mist once or twice. For medium hold, mist two or three times and for firm hold, mist three to four times.

I like a soft flexible hold so I use one to two sprays. It is hard to get used to because with other sprays I would just hold down the button and spray around my head. With this one it is literally one to two pumps. If you go overboard, you get a firmer hold.

It can be used as a root booster, but I haven't tried that yet.

It has Panthenol (Vitamin B5) and phytantriol. In case you were wondering, phytantriol is, it is an alcohol found in beauty products and cosmetics for a variety of uses, including as an anti-caking agent, hair conditioning agent, skin-conditioning agent and humectant. So...good stuff.

It smells fantastic, fresh and clean. 

The price is $22.00 at the DermStore (they are the place that has the Blush Mystery Beauty Box), right now you can get it for $13.80 at Amazon and $22.00 at Neiman Marcus.

CIAO, Stephanie

That person everyone likes

I'm sorry, I've been swapped at work and haven't been able to post as much as I like. Hopefully, the crisis is over!

Have you ever noticed the person who always seems to make people feel at ease? The one that can get along with everyone? They always have something to say that will break the ice and end that awkward silence?

Sometimes, they are male and sometimes they are female. They are the ones you always try to sit next to in meetings and parties. The one you know will save your ass should you get stuck with either nothing to say or with someone who is boring you to death. They are the ones who save the conversation. They don't seem to care that the conversation is so boring you can barely stay awake, while somehow being able not to be boring themselves.

I have a theory that these type of people are not threatening in any way, therefore people get relaxed and feel comfortable around them.

It can be the gorgeous person with the fantastic body and beautiful face. the one that you can't figure out why they don't make you even a little jealous or uneasy when your partner is around. Their personality is such that you can only like them.

Or, they may be the overweight person or the maybe plain or even ugly one who, upon a half hour in their presence you can't seem to remember these facts and won't notice any physical flaws again.

It is their inner beauty and calm that attracts other people I think and makes them comfortable. I'm not talking about a person with religious convictions  and calm, because they can often make people feel uncomfortable. 

They are genuinely interested in others, remember the little things that count, and take time to listen. They are the cashier at your favorite grocery store or the receptionist at work. They are your next store neighbor or maybe even your partner. They are what is called a man's man and a woman's woman.

I want to be one of these people. I want to make people feel comfortable and relaxed. Instead of that awkward silence that sometimes creeps in during times, I want to be able to fill that silence, no matter what the situation. 

I will see magazine or on-line articles about this topic sometimes but they are always the same and tell me stuff I already know but can't quite grasp in practice. Maybe it is something you are born with, but it is something to work toward for sure.

Are you one of these people? Do you know one?

CIAO, Stephanie

It's a Kid's World

There is something about having a baby in the house again that just makes everything so much more joyful.

I mean, just take a look at the toys...colorful and musical!

 

 

Their cloths all have such bright vibrant colors as does just about everything for them. OK, of course you can choose to go the pastel route, but the whimsy is still there.

 

Coming home from work after dealing with all that adult bulls**t all day and seeing a little baby can take you right out of that foul mood that life has put you in, once again, and make you smile.

 

Nothing beats the soft touch of a baby's hand on your face or their innocent smiling face.

 

 

 

 

I think that instead of anti-depressants doctors should prescribe an hour with a baby or a child.

 

People would walk out singing "The Bare Necessities"

 

Aha!! when's the last time you heard that song? (recent parents and grandparents excluded)

 

Or when is the last time you heard "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"?

 

Watched the Disney Channel lately?

 

Life isn't and shouldn't be so serious.

 

Ciao, Stephanie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



August Birch Box - Product Review

If you read my first Birch Box review you know that I was not very impressed. I said that I would keep my subscription or another month to see if it improved. For those who do not know what a Birch Box is, it is a monthly subscription to beauty and lifestyle products. It is $10.00 a month and the box comes once a month. There are several subscription for beauty boxes out there. This is just one of them. This is what the box looks like. It comes in another box for mailing. The box is 7 1/8" X 5 1/8".

This is the box when I opened it this month.

And this is the insert this month. This is sorta of the theme of the box.

This months box was much better than my first box. 

First thing I took out was Eau Thermal Avene - Thermal Spring Water 1.76 OZ

I have seen this type of product before. This one is a mineral water to be used to refresh your face throughout the day. Not a product I would buy but it will be fun to try and maybe I'll change my mind.

Next is pur-lisse pur-youth preserve age delay skin serum 0.24 OZ. It says it is powered by peptide complex Lotus Lupine 5 and is clinically proven. It is a tiny sample but large enough to get a good feel for the product.

I love trying anti-aging products in the hopes that I might find one that actually works one day!

Next Jasmine Seven-Fresh Feet Wipes. 2 individually wrapped toweletts. They are an alcohol free towelette that cleans and softens with vitamin E, peppermint and aloe.

These sound really soothing. 

Next is a full size ModelCo Party Proof Lip Stick in Red Velvet. It is a bright Red. Very pretty. 

My daughter Jill liked this so I gave it to her. Along with the Feet wipes.

Then there is what they call a Lifestyle Extra  2 Tea bags from AHMAD TEA London. I got Earl Grey and Peach and Passion Fruit (both black teas)

This is a very cool little extra.

I think this box is really what I expect from this type of subscription. At least one full size product and generous samples of new products. The vendors get their products out to the public and we get to try new cool stuff. 

I will keep my subscription and will let them know. I gave them a bad review comment on their You Tube video but I must say they have redeemed themselves :-)

CIAO, Stephanie

Just another manic Monday!

Does anyone remember the song Just Another Manic Monday by the Bangles? 
(I put the lyrics at the end of this post) I can really identify with this song.

Sigh...here we are at another Monday. 

The reason I hate Mondays is that on the week-ends I do what I want when I want, then on Monday's the time restrictions start. 

Now, I've been working all my adult life and there was a time when I jumped up and just could not wait to get to work.

I had things to accomplish...work to be done!

I still love my job and the people I work with are great and all but......now a days I am not as anxious to go to work. 

I would rather take my time...eat breakfast, take a shower. Without all the rushing. And so early in the morning!! ACK!!

Oh well, guess I better get going.

Have a good Monday!

CIAO, Stephanie


Manic Monday

Six o'clock already
I was just in the middle of a dream
I was kissin' Valentino
By a crystal blue Italian stream

But I can't be late
'Cause then I guess I just won't get paid
These are the days
When you wish your bed was already made

It's just another manic Monday
I wish it were Sunday
'Cause that's my funday
My I don't have to runday
It's just another manic Monday

Have to catch an early train
Got to be to work by nine
And if I had an air-o-plane
I still couldn't make it on time

'Cause it takes me so long
Just to figure out what I'm gonna wear
Blame it on the train
But the boss is already there

It's just another manic Monday
I wish it were Sunday
'Cause that's my funday
My I don't have to runday
It's just another manic Monday

All of the nights
Why did my lover have to pick last night
To get down
Doesn't it matter
That I have to feed the both of us
Employment's down

He tells me in his bedroom voice
C'mon honey, let's go make some noise
Time it goes so fast
When you're having fun

It's just another manic Monday
I wish it were Sunday
'Cause that's my funday
My I don't have to runday
It's just another manic Monday
I wish it was Sunday
'Cause that's my funday
It's just another manic Monday

Bounce Bounce Baby - Product Review

The product review is for Bright Starts - Bounce Bounce Baby Activity Zone. 

I bought this play station from Target for $35.99 about a month ago. I went looking for a walker and found this instead.

Margot loves it. 

The base has a bounce (hence the bounce bounce baby) that her little legs can now reach and when she gets all excited she pumps her legs and bounces a little. Also, it is sturdy enough that she can just stand and not be moving or unsteady. This feature I think is so great because she can not stand without support yet and that fact that this stays steady gives her the support she needs and builds her confidence in standing. But....she can bounce when she wants to!

She will play with the little gadgets or about an hour before she wants out. Then the next day, put her back in and she is happy to see her friends and play again.

Some of the features are: 

 This guy...he is a little high up and she has to stand and reach to get to him. He twirls on his post and she just giggles once she gets to him. The pole that he is on top of has several large colorful beads that can move up and down.  Good for her focus and standing skills.

This teddy bear type little animal is cute and friendly. She can reach him easily and he also twirls! 

This flower type thing is one of her favorites and will always make her giggle but she needs help with this. The yellow outer ring can be turned and it makes a clicking sound she loves. It has beads that move and add color and movement also. It is too hard for her to turn right now but she concentrates watching us turn it and she keeps trying. When she finally gets the strength to turn it herself I know she will just get sooooo excited. This gives her something to work toward.

This little lion with the colorful mane seems to be climbing this mirror flower. The mirror is also a little high but she can reach it and it bends down where she can see herself. Great activity.

And this one is her absolute favorite one to chew!! It is a leave curled back to its self and she can bend it to her mouth and chew, chew, chew.

There are a few more rings and things but these are the main activities. All in all, this is an excellent buy that has provided hours of fun activity and stimulation for her. I recommend it!!

CIAO, Stephanie

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Accepting

My daughter Jillian and I went out to eat last night. We brought along my Granddaughter Margot. Margot is 6 months old. We went to one of our favorites places right now, Taziki's Cafe. It is a franchise with Greek food. I think they are mostly in the southeast.

 

The food is really pretty good. Fast and tasty. My daughter got one of their signatures dishes, the Friday Pasta. It has chucks of chicken in a balsamic sauce. Awesome. I got the steak tip sandwich with horseradish sauce, also awesome. Oh, plus they have wine. Of course I got a glass!

After a long, hectic week at work I felt the need to treat myself so we went shopping also. Plus it gave us a chance to talk about the big fight Jill had with her Father on Thursday. The main reason why those two fight so much is because the are exactly the same, both stubborn and full of pride. NOT a good combination.

Another part of the reason is my husband is having a hard time realizing that Jill is an adult. This is hard for me also. I just came to terms with my son being and adult and he's 26!!

I think that is the hardest part of being a parent and getting older. We still feel the need to tell our children what to do and to direct heir lives when, once they reach adulthood, what we can only do is advise them.

They are going to make mistakes and they are going to learn (hopefully). They are individual separate people with their own ways and sometimes that does not mix with yours. AND once they reach adulthood, we can no longer control them. So we can become frustrated.

WE know what's best for them. They need to do things OUR way. When they don't. Well, all hell can break loose.

I think that I am doing pretty good in letting go. To tell the truth, at my age I have found that I need to pick my battles and accept things that I can not change. 

I sometimes have to listen to each one of them complain about the other and all the things they are doing that annoy, etc, etc and I think that if I didn't accept things and if I decided to act the same way and not accept all the things THEY do that annoy me (one of the things is the fighting) we would really have a circus at our house. It would be like a reality TV show, LOL!

Well, things have calmed down and I could get a little smile out of Jill.

Hug your kids and tell them you love them every chance you get. 

CIAO, Stephanie

(I should be getting my August Birch box today - check back for my review)

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@sperez1959

Airbrush Eye Cream - Review

I got this small tub of Airbrush Eye Cream in my July blush Mystery Box. It was one of the extras in the bottom of the box.

I've been using it for about 2 weeks now. Here is the before picture (the same before I used for the concealer product review I did)

Before

Here is the after

After

This eye cream is $68.00 on for 0.75 oz. The price is the same from Amazon and from the Dermstore. The Dermstore did include a 20% off coupon, but since there is zero change in my eyes it is really  20%  off of nothing.

Don't waste your money on this.

CIAO, Stephanie