TIPS, THOUGHTS & TREATS

Would you eat a burger that costs $777?  I'm a die hard fan of cheeseburgers, but even I would have a rough time shelling out that kind of dough for my favorite treat.  If you're in the mood to splurge though, head to Le Burger Brasserie in the City of Sin.  But what in the world makes it so dang pricey? I saw how this was made on The Food Network. Decadent Kobe Beef, along with luscious Maine Lobster, 100 year aged balsamic vinegar, creamy French Brie, crispy Pancetta and caramelized onions are the ingredients.  If that's not enough, they throw in a bottle of Rose Dom Perignon Champagne to get you wasted, so you don't notice you're paying that much.

Here's a perfect reason to visit friends and family in Chicago this September. If you already live there, you've got it made!  (waving at Kelly M) Get ready to enjoy the Chicago Gourmet in Millennium Park from September 22 - 24, 2017.  Get your foodie love on with famous chefs, special tastings, super seminars and plenty of cold cocktails to whet your whistle. Tickets start at $185.00. http://www.chicagogourmet.org

CREAMY TROPICAL-BERRY SMOOTHIE - David Venable
Yes, I'm still on a berry tip to round out June and cool things off.  Once again, this is a super simple recipe that works well for breakfast, or even get-togethers.  Save time and money by preparing these right at home.

INGREDIENTS
2 Oranges, peeled and sectioned
2 Bananas, peeled and cut into chunks
1 Mango, pitted, peeled and cut into chunks
2 Containers of Raspberries
1 Container of Blueberries
1 Can of Coconut Water
1/2 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
1 Cup Ice Cubes

DIRECTIONS
Place all ingredients in the blender, in batches if needed, then cover and puree until completely blended and smooth.  Pour into decorative glasses for guests, or colorful paper cups for kids, and serve.

SUMMER READS

What She Ate by Laura Shapiro - takes a peek at food served or eaten by famous women like Eleanor Roosevelt.  Sadly, she wasn't popular for her food because it was pretty horrible! (lol)  Books like these are so fun because they offer up facts that aren't well known.

No One But You by Brenda Novak is a love story from one of my fave authors about Sadie who ends up taking a job working on a farm with Dawson, recently on trial for murder.  Is he guilty? You'll have to read the book to find out.

SHOCKING!
Something is very, very wrong when we hear a news flash about a 25 year old woman entering into a relationship with an 11 year old kid.  Even worse, this woman gave birth in 2014 to a now 3 year old child.


Marissa Mowry was arrested for having sex with a minor from the time he was 11, until the age of 14.  She was picked up at her job as a food vendor in Busch Gardens in Tampa Florida this past Tuesday, June 28 on multiple sexual assault charges.

Do you like pancakes that you don't have to prepare on your own? If so, celebrate IHOP's 59th anniversary on July 18 with a short buttermilk stack for $.59 between the hours of 7am and 7pm.  No cleanup, and no mess.  Just yummy goodness!

Coupon Goodies 
This week I managed to snag the following stuff using coupons:
Hefty Ziploc Bags (various sizes) $.32 each
Turkey Hill Haymaker Tea - FREE
Lipton Tea Bags $ .49 each
Silk Razors - FREE
Clairol Hair Dye (various colors)- $ .31 each
Whole Blend Garnier Shampoo (various scents)  $ .50 each

FREEBIES IN THE MAIL
Salonpas Pain Patch
Starbucks Tasting Flight - Dark Roast
Starbucks Tasting Flight - Light Roast
Bon Appetit Magazine Subscription
Sundown Naturals B12 Gummy Vitamins - taste just like candy

DOVE
This product offers the best way to clean AND moisturize, even for sensitive skin.  In the supermarket or places like Walmart, it will cost at least $3.00.  If you have a Dollar General in your neck of the woods you can get a two bar package for just $1.00, so you can stock up easily.  I also think the message they send about women's bodies is pretty cool.

IT'S FUN FRIDAY STUFF & NATIONAL TAKE YOUR DOG TO WORK DAY

It's all about food, fun and books in this Friday post. Let's jump on this tasty train to get the weekend started!

SEXY STRAWBERRY & KIWI SALAD
3 Kiwis, peeled and sliced
1 Quart Fresh Strawberries topped and halved
4 Large Basil Leaves, chopped
4 Fresh Mint Leaves, chopped
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lime Juice
Pinch of Salt
4 Ounces Goat Cheese
4 Tablespoons Balsamic Glaze

Place the kiwis, berries, basil and mint into a large mixing bowl. Squeeze the lime juice over fruit and sprinkle with salt, tossing gently.  Crumble goat cheese over the fruit, and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Drizzle balsamic glaze over the salad just before serving.  Should serve 4.

IRANIAN GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH POMEGRANATE SEEDS
TASTE OF PERSIA - Naomi Duguid
2 Cups Mashed Peeled Grilled Eggplant (from 1 pound eggplants)
1 Tablespoon Fresh Mint
1 1/4 Teaspoons Salt
1/2 Cup Chopped Shallots or sweet onion
2 Cups Pomegranate Seeds (In a container, or use 1 Large Pomegranate)

Place the eggplant in a bowl, add the dried mint, salt and shallots or onion, then stir well to mix.  Add the pomegranate seeds and fold them in.  Let stand for at least 30 minutes so the flavors all come together.

Just before serving, add a little more dried mint and salt, then stir in thoroughly.

PERKY PICNIC PENNE PASTA SALAD
1 Box of Penne Pasta, cooked al dente
1 Orange Bell Pepper, finely chopped
3 Green Onions, Sliced
1/2 Cup Sliced Green Olives with pimientos
1/4 Cup Fresh Dill
2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Olive Juice
2 Teaspoons Sugar
1 Cup Mayo
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon White Pepper

Drain pasta and rinse with cold water.  Place pasta in a large mixing bowl and add bell pepper, green onions, olives, and dill.  Toss the ingredients then set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine lemon juice, olive juice and sugar.  Whisk until all the sugar is dissolved.  Stir in mayo, salt and pepper. (Add cayenne pepper for more heat)

Pour dressing over pasta and toss until ingredients are evenly coated.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Yummy!

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE ROMANCE
Any Day Now - Robyn Carr
You can't go wrong with a hunk who just happens to have an adorable puppy.

Home At Last - Lily Everett
A bar owner gets unexpected help from the woman he broke up when the townspeople try to teach him a lesson that hurts his pocket.

REAL LIFE STUFF
Too Fat, Too Slutty, Too Loud - Anne Helen Petersen
Come on and admit it.  Don't you want to read this book just because the title is so over the top?
Check out essays from Lena Dunham, Caitlyn Jenner and more, that deal with society's take on opinionated women.

PICNIC LOVE
Do you remember how we went on picnics with potato salad, lemonade and sandwiches? Times have really changed because the sky's the limit on what we can do with food choices now.

1.  Choose a movie you've been dying to see, then invite your bestie over.  Won't she be surprised to see a tablecloth on the floor filled with fried chicken, pasta salad, berries a bottle of Prosecco and no bugs?

2.  Do you want to plan a picnic for your family?  Why not choose a theme where all the food is from Greece, France or Spain, along with the decorations to go with it?  This works well in your own backyard, a public park or church grounds.  Everyone will be talking about your event planning expertise for days.

TIPS

According to a recent study, slowly drinking from 1-6 cups of water may help with that horrible headache that's beginning to creep up to ruin your day.

YIKES!
I'm afraid of any bug, so when the news started talking more about tick infestation a few weeks ago, I did some research. Ticks don't only spread Lyme disease.  In fact, different species don't mind sharing various diseases.  To find out which ticks are likely to be in your area, and what they can spread, visit cdc.gov/ticks.

HONEY
Honey has an indefinite shelf life in your cupboard UNLESS it's unprocessed or opened.  Even then, it doesn't actually go bad, but crystallizes.

TMI - lol
Uh...the Amazon Fire Stick, which sells for about $39.99 on Amazon and Target, sure does a heck of alot more than advertised.  A friend told me that he and his nephew looked on YouTube last night, and that Fire Stick now has a ton of porn loaded for FREE. Ok, I'm officially shocked!  If you've been watching this blog, you know I'm obsessed with finding freebies, but I'll take a hard pass on this deal. (lol)

CRAB EXTRAVAGANZA
Despite being born in Maryland, I'm no fan of crabs, but lots of people are, so this time of year is a real treat.  Speaking of MD, if you're headed out for a quick trip, or want to vacation there, these restaurants are a great place to get your crab on.

Waterman's Crab House has steamed crabs that are literally overflowing with garlic butter and LIVE music to entertain you and your friends.

The Red Roost boasts The Red Roost Plus Pot which includes steamed crab, garden salad, steamed shrimp, fried chicken, steamed clams, mussels, corn on the cob, and fries.  A mighty meal that includes all this will set you back close to $90.  

But they have a lot on their menu, just in case you're not that hungry.

If you can get your boss to agree, hang out with your dog at work today, and make sure you are pretty in pink.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY & CRAZY HOUSES

It's interesting that according to www.history.com, Father's Day originated in Washington State on June 19, 1910.  President Woodrow Wilson made it a national holiday however, in 1972 on the same day  Mother's Day became official.

Fathers are important, but when it comes to getting all the cool swag that mothers get, they are at the low end of the totem pole.  In most instances, someone still has to actually pay for their meals in a restaurant.  The only FREE (without having to purchase something else) items I found were a small yogurt at TCBY and a slice of pecan pie at Shoney's.

I was the first born, so my given name is actually a version of my father's name. Ironically, he only called me by my real name when I got into trouble. (lol)

My dad used to buy all the neighborhood kids ice cream when the Good Humor truck came around, and he always told these really funny stories.  He also liked to do the Mashed Potato which was super embarrassing. I talked about this in another blog. When I got older, it amazed me that everywhere we went, people seemed to know who he was, and he didn't need a gps to find his way across the state.  He just sort of "knew" how to get places, and I couldn't figure it out. Once, I needed to visit an area I was unfamiliar with and got lost about 3 times.  When I got back home, my dad told me, "You're one of the most intelligent people I know.  Next time, take a deep breath, calm down and get to where you need to be without all that nuttiness."  Words to live by. (lol) Sadly, he passed on, but he's always remembered.

What about you?  Is there something really neat that makes you smile when you think about your father?  Will you do anything special today to celebrate?

A really good movie to watch today?  Father of the Bride.

WOULD YOU LIVE HERE?
I have to be honest.  Some of these houses look really neat, and I would totally live there!

DO YOU HAVE A PET PEEVE?

Some things really irritate people, and mine is anyone who will lie on someone else because they don't have the guts to admit their own wrongs.  If you cheated, stole something from the store or anything else that may be sheisty, just admit it. You look absolutely ridiculous by continuing the lie. If it's on tape, on video, or someone saw you, just tell the dang truth! Why show your weakness by throwing someone under the bus because you can't admit what you've done? 

Some people call these people narcissists, and once they're found out, go on the attack in an attempt to ruin the character of someone else, hoping to protect their own wrongs. This is a very real psychological condition, but most will never seek help because they have no conscious about what they do. People get really angry with me, because I say these people just don't have balls. (lol)

  

My other pet peeve?  Abuse.  Be it verbal or physical, that's another sign of weakness, control and manipulation.