Look What I Won From Right @ Home!

We returned from vacation pleasantly surprised to find a small package from SC Johnson's division Right @ Home.  I'm sure that I entered something in order to win this.  I know that I get emails from Right @ Home once in a while.  Something in my memory is vaguely fuzzy when it comes to a contest, LOL.

I'm excited because I don't usually win anything!

TV Recap - Keeping Up With The Kardashians - October 17, 2010

I have a lot to say about this week's Keeping Up With The Kardashians.  So, do we really believe that Scott has maintained these positive changes that everyone keeps talking about?  For Kourtnay and Mason's sake, I really hope so.  I did feel the tiniest bit bad for Scott when he got left out of everything fun and had to stalk and beg Bruce to hang out.  Scott&Bruce were really cute when they hand hugged!  I also thought that the suit bonding was really nice.  I couldn't help but think of Barney on How I Met Your Mother and "Suit Up"!

Kim is dating someone new!  I'm excited as it seems like she really needs to just move on and stop going back and forth with Reggie.  Of course, next week's Season Finale teasers make it look like Reggie ends up back in the picture.  Poor Kim, I hope that she can just say no to Reggie!  She can call me and I will talk her thru how she needs to resist the drama.

Dash - a new one in NYC?  Close the CA store?  I think that the store(s) really takes the back seat and I think that opening a NYC would be a mistake.  Close the CA store.  These girls have way too much going on now to worry about retail.  I was actually shocked that the business managers thought that the NYC store was a fantastic idea.  Kourtnay always ends up working on the stores and she gets upset with her sisters who don't devote as much time.  Of course they can't devote that kind of time.  Kim has a busy career and Khloe is married.  I agree with Khloe who asked what the rush was.  I think that they should skip it all!  Is the Miami store even open?  They didn't mention it.

Weekly Menu - October 18, 2010

If you haven't had a chance to check out the About Section of the Weekly Menu, please check out now for info on sides & veggies.

This week, I need some cooking inspiration!  I have a bunch of defrosting meat, as we speak, but no idea what I am going to actually cook up.


Monday - ham steak
Tuesday -  ground beef
Wednesday - ground beef
Thursday -  boneless pork
Friday -  boneless pork
Saturday - fish*
Sunday -  tortillini



As I choose some recipes this week, I think that I will do separate blogs and soon I can start linking them up to the weekly menu.

*About the fish, this is frozen but ready-to-bake fish.  I can't take anymore fish drama LOL!

10 Things - New TV Shows - Fall 2010

I gave 10 new shows a shot this fall.  It was tough to spend my time watching new shows because they have a tendency to get canceled so quickly these days!

1. Undercovers - I gave it 2 epis
2. Nikita - OK but I don't DVR it
3. Running Wild - I gave it 1.75 epis
4. Hawaii 5-0 - I think that I like it
5. Terriers - I like it
6. Boardwalk Empire - already renewed for 2nd season
7. Lonestar - ALREADY CANCELED
8. The Event  -I like it
9. Mike & Molly - cute!
10. No Ordinary Family - I think that I am going to dump it.

P.S.
I didn't plan to watch it, but, My Generation has been canceled.

from the blog: true blood news

TV Recap - Boardwalk Empire - October 3, 2010

from: premiumhollywood.com

Amazing that Jimmy & Al's 5th victim is still alive.  How crazy was it when the police-chief-brother tried to kill him, even with his roommate in the room!  I'm glad that the police-chief-brother wasn't able to kill him.  But, he did die in the end.  TG he died after the FBI-IRS guy was poking his fingers into his wounds.  BLECK.  I hate scenes like that.

So, is the funeral home back in the alcohol business?  It seemed like a horse-drawn hearse that pulled in, filled with alcohol.  What is that character's name?  I think they said Chuck.  Let's go with that.  It seemed like Chuck took over the operation now that they guy who changed his name got busted.

I'm really excited about Mrs. Shroeder's job at the French Boutique at the Ritz Carlton.  (Btw, I just figured out that I have been spelling her name wrong).  The shop mistresses is a pill but fun to watch.  "When did you last bathe?".  How crazy was it when Mrs. Shroeder had to wait on and dress Nucky's ho?  She really earns her title, that one.

Yikes - NYC's mobster guy sure got some bad karma when he was treated for gonorrhea.  I bet that the men watching this scene were cringing.  I don't like this mobster guy - at all.  How crazy was it that they doc was smoking a cigarette during the procedure.  So typical that Mr. Mobster wouldn't let the doc write down his issues.

So, what is the big secret between Jimmy's Mom (Jillian) and Nucky?  What's the agreement - to keep Jimmy out of trouble - but why is Nucky on the hook?  Is Nucky his bio-Dad?  Is Nucky his brother (the only reason I wondered was when Nucky's brother (the police chief) asks if Nucky would be as understanding of him)?  How long until we find out?  Stuff like this will keep me interested.  I love a good back story.

OK, I missed this the first time thru - Mr. Name Change (who used to run the alcohol from the funeral home) gets told by NYC to take care of the issue (now that Nucky put them out of business) and that is why he kills the man and hangs him.  They shoot him because they are going to use the cover-up story that it was a jealous husband who shot him.

Why wasn't the head FBI-IRS guy more interested in Jimmy being one of the shooters?  He says he has to speak with the US Attorney's office, but, I can't help but think that he is up to something...

Jimmy - Jimmy - Jimmy!  What a freaking royal melt-down: you don't like the vacuum, your shoulders are bare, did you sleep with the photographer, let me grab my gun from atop the hutch, and you didn't seem to mind the last time I left!  Sheeesh, buddy, really?  I was curious about how/when we would see Al Capone again what with him being in Chicago and all.  Now, we know.  I'm still upset that Jimmy left his family, though.  Why not just bring them with him to Chicago.  Or, someplace else, start fresh.

Finally - I'm liking this show and hoping for some more good stuff!  Boardwalk Empire, you got a DVR Removal stay-of-execution, at least for another 2 weeks!

Product Review - Wilton Cupcake Cake Pan

the pan and cake (after baking)

The title of this week's product(s) review should actually be Wilton Cupcake Cake Pan and Baker's Joy.  I was actually going to give this Cupcake Cake Pan a big fat F.  The last time I used it, I followed the directions:  I baked at 325 degrees, I sprayed it with butter, then floured the pan and I took the cake out after 10 minutes of cooling.  But, my cakes both stuck in the pan.  This was the second time that this has happened to me.

After the last Cupcake Cake disaster, I did some Google'ing and found that people REALLY recommended that you use Pam with Flour to keep this cake from sticking.  I decided to buy some.  My grocery store carried all kinds of Pam, but none with flour.  My store did carry Baker's Joy.  I decided that for $2.04, it was worth a shot.  I am so happy that I tried this out!  I'm now a believer.  Baker's Joy is my new baking BFF.  It really works.  Both parts of the cupcake cake slid right out of the pan.  I should add a note that I used a lot of spray.  You could probably get away with 1/2 the amount that I used.  When it comes to this particular pan, though, I'll continue to use a lot.

I used a Devil's Food Cake recipe for this cake.  After mixing it up, it had some lumps and I seemed to have a lot of batter.  I also read that sometimes people need 1.5 boxes of cake mix to make this cupcake cake.  One box was plenty for this cake.  As you can see to the right, both sections are filled up to about 1.5 inches from top.  (I'm really not sure why my batter looks lumpy - the mixer really mixed it up).

I had to bake this cake for 55 minutes, in a pre-heated oven .  I think 53 minutes was probably the magic number.  But, I just tried some of the shavings and they are really moist and tasty.  The shavings apply to the part of the cupcake cake that you cut off with a large knife.  I use a bread knife myself.

some cupcake repairs (frosting)

LOVE this stuff

speed deco

cake - very moist

Product Review - About

I just realized that I never did an about section for the product reviews.

I wanted to clarify that I am not paid or compensated in any way by the makers of the products.  I should point out that I don't even know how to go about getting paid to review items or even get the items for free.
  
I try to take a picture of the item that I am using myself.  This will further prove that I am actually using the item IRL.

All of my reviews will not be positive.  I will sometimes tell you how much I dislike something, like store brand Mr. Clean Magic Erasers.  Feel free to ask questions about any of the items.