Friday, June 29, 2018

A Couple of Fun Drink Recipes from Sparkling Ice!

Dom and I are absolutely hooked on Sparkling Ice.  They're so refreshing on these sweltering days.  Our heat index has been well over 100 degrees down here for the past week or so.

Here are a couple of fun ideas to help you cool down:

Citrus Freeze



Ingredients:
1 oz tequila
8 oz. Sparkling Ice Lemon Lime
1 oz lime juice
1 lime wedge

Directions:
In a blender, add one cup of ice, tequila, Sparkling Ice Lemon Lime, and lime juice. Blend until smooth and pour into a glass and serve with a lime wedge.

Black Cherry Float 


Ingredients:
Vanilla Ice Cream
2 oz. Sparkling White Wine
Sparkling Ice Black Cherry

Directions:
Pour chilled sparkling white wine into a chilled glass and add a few scoops of vanilla ice cream. Top with Sparkling Ice Black Cherry and serve.

Monday, June 25, 2018

Red, White and Blue Cocktails for Independence Day

I'm headed to PCB this Thursday.  As next Wednesday is the Fourth of July, I'm going to play with these amazing sounding cocktails from Brooklyn CraftedSparkling Ice, and Purity Vodka.  I really love these products!


**Red, White and Blue, Berry Mule


INGREDIENTS

2 oz berry Vodka (blueberry or raspberry)
6 oz Extra Spicy Brooklyn Crafted Ginger Beer Mini
Blueberries
Blackberries

DIRECTIONS

Muddle blueberries and blackberries in shaker. Add vodka and shake. Fill Moscow mule mug with ice. 

Pour in muddled berries and vodka and fill with Brooklyn Crafted (roughly 6oz). Garnish with blueberries and blackberries.

**Soaked Watermelon Slice Popsicles


INGREDIENTS

¾ cup tequila

½ cup Sparkling Ice Strawberry Watermelon

¼ cup lime juice

1lb watermelon

DIRECTIONS

Stir together tequila, Strawberry Watermelon Sparkling Ice, and lime juice in a large bowl. Cut watermelon into wedges and soak in Sparkling Ice mixture for 15 minutes. Insert popsicle sticks into wedges then freeze on a rack-lined baking sheet for 1 hour.


**Purity Berry



INGREDIENTS

3 parts Purity Vodka
1 cup mixed berries
1 long piece of lemon zest
4 parts distilled water

DIRECTIONS

Combine the ingredients in a glass pitcher and let sit, refrigerated, for at least 4 hours – or preferably overnight, before serving.

Serve the vodka mixed with the berry water either shaken or served strained or combined over ice.


Rip Currents- Illustration and Photos

Hi gang.

This summer alone, there have been 7 or 8 drownings in Panama City Beach.

We've owned our condo since 2010-  I've seen illustrations all over the place.

But I've never seen actual photographs.  Looking forward to spotting them from our 22nd-floor condo!  (Just a few years ago, I saw the tide "roll" in from our balcony for the first time)






Saturday, June 23, 2018

The Great American Family Reunion Cookbook: Activities, Recipes, and Stories from All 50 States

Hi, gang...  I LOVE cookbooks.  I cook often BY CHOICE.  I love to try new recipes.

Familius Publishing recently sent me this.  It's great!


It's packed with recipes and fun ideas for your family reunion.  You'll find appetizers, dips, sauces, breads, breakfasts, brunches, main dishes, side dishes, burgers, soups, stews, salads, sandwiches, snacks, and desserts.

They also suggest "Themed Reunion Menus" which are a lot of fun.


With more than 150 recipes from across America, The Great American Family Reunion Cookbook provides a culinary, coast-to-coast adventure and helps families of every background and every size provide the most important element of any reunion—the food. Author Lori Nawyn spent over a year interviewing residents from each state, exploring their stories and their food to identify what was the quintessential recipe for that perfect family gathering. Whether from the Louisiana Bayou to the Black Hills of South Dakota or from the rugged landscape of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado to the beautiful farmland of New England, the recipes capture the essence of what it means to renew family love and relationship. Nawyn has also coupled the recipe collection with practical advice and creative activities to help organize and host an unforgettable family reunion.

This is a big 256-page cookbook that I'll be using often!

Get your copy here:

http://www.familius.com/the-great-american-family-cookbook

Helping families be happy

 About the Publisher: Familius is a family and parenting media publisher devoted to creating content that helps build strong values and happy families. As a digitally savvy, multi-media publisher, we share our family-driven content in multiple formats, including print, e-books, videos, articles, and apps.

Through Familius.com, we also provide an online community where parents can seek out and share advice and access a wealth of contemporary parenting content, tools, and resources rooted in traditional family values. Let’s Talk Family. http://www.familius.com




Thursday, June 21, 2018

101 Amazing Uses for ESSENTIAL OILS

The good folks at FAMILIUS were kind enough to send me this little beauty.  It's a sturdy 6 x 8-inch paperback that is divided into four separate sections featuring guidance for HEALTH, WELL-BEING, BEAUTY and HOME uses. 

As some of my friends are both using and selling essential oils, I was tickled to receive this!


Helping families be happy

 About the Publisher: Familius is a family and parenting media publisher devoted to creating content that helps build strong values and happy families. As a digitally savvy, multi-media publisher, we share our family-driven content in multiple formats, including print, e-books, videos, articles, and apps.

Through Familius.com, we also provide an online community where parents can seek out and share advice and access a wealth of contemporary parenting content, tools, and resources rooted in traditional family values. Let’s Talk Family. http://www.familius.com

                          Natural solutions to everyday needs
Simple recipes and tips to swap out chemical filled modern solutions and get back to the benefits of nature's oldest remedies.


GET IT HERE:

http://www.familius.com/101-amazing-uses-for-essential-oils


Meet the Author 
Susan Branson

Susan has worked in the field of biology and toxicology as a researcher, writer and administrator. She took time off and stayed at home after her second child was born. In addition to the now full-time job of being a stay-at-home mom, she also took violin lessons, took photography courses, earned a diploma in writing, and ultimately became a holistic nutritional consultant. Susan is a member of CSNN’s Alumni Association, Canada’s leading holistic nutrition school.

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

AS THE GLUTEN-FREE TREND CONTINUES SKYROCKETING, CONSUMERS ARE DEMANDING MORE VARIETY AND BETTER FLAVOR

As the years pass by, more and more of our friends are eating Gluton-Free.

I make sure that I have Absolutely Gluten-Free snacks on hand for them-

Bayonne, NJ, June 19, 2018 – According to the Celiac Foundation, celiac disease affects one in every 100 people in the United States, about 3 million people. In addition, a growing number of people suffer from gluten sensitivity or allergic reactions to wheat.

As a result, the number of Americans going gluten-free has tripled since 2009.

“More and more consumers are limiting gluten to improve their health as well as for weight loss,” says Charles Herzog, Executive VP of Absolutely Gluten-free (AGF). “That trend is increasingly reflected on grocery shelves and restaurant menus. But it’s no secret that people think ‘gluten-free’ has to be synonymous with ‘compromise.’”

Absolutely Gluten-free packs a flavor-filled punch with its full line of unique and delicious gluten-free products that satisfy everyone’s craving for sweet and savory snacks, whether they’re eliminating gluten from their diets or not. The company received the 2017 Gluten-Free Trailblazer Award from Grocery Headquarters in recognition of its innovation and impact on the gluten-free and diabetic foods space.

The newest Absolutely Gluten Free product taps into two of today’s hottest food crazes: tahini and energy bars. Absolutely Gluten Free's 100-calorie TahiniBars™ are gluten- and dairy-free, vegan, and made with natural sesame seeds, a.k.a. “super seeds.” These grab-and-go bars are available in Vanilla, Cocoa Nib, and Pistachio flavors, making gluten-free living tasty and convenient.



Try Absolutely Gluten-free Flatbread in three varieties (Original, Everything, and Toasted Onion). These flour-free light flatbreads can be used to make pizza, sandwiches, and lunch for kids, topped with just about anything from melted cheese to roasted veggies and sliced fruit.  They are all soy, corn, and rice-free.

Absolutely Gluten-free Crackers are available in three varieties including Original, Cracked Pepper, and Toasted Onion. They are flour-free with no soy, corn, or rice, and are light, crispy, and delicious. Serve them as appetizers with dips, crumbled atop salads and soups, or in place of breadcrumb coating.

For a perfectly sweet and crunchy surprise, Absolutely Gluten-free Blondie and Brownie Crunch snacks don’t disappoint. Blondie Crunch is available in Vanilla Chocolate Chip and Brownie Crunch in Chocolate-Chocolate Chip flavor. They are packaged in a handy resealable bag to eat on the go. And they are great toppers to ice-cream, yogurt, cakes, and mousse desserts.

For those who love a chewy snack, Absolutely Gluten-free Raw Coconut Chews are a great choice. Choose from Cocoa Nibs with Chocolate Drizzle or Cranberry with Chocolate Drizzle. Made with raw coconut, these all-natural treats are vegan and paleo-friendly, and contain no dairy, eggs, or soy.



There’s even more variety for those with a sweet tooth on a gluten-free diet. Absolutely Gluten-free Macaroons are yet another tasty snack from the AGF line, in Chocolate or Coconut flavors.

 “We are committed to the continued development of gluten-free foods that offer great taste, nutrition, and health benefits,” states Herzog. “With Absolutely Gluten-free, consumers on restricted diets should no longer feel left out when it comes to a world of delicious food choices.”

All Absolutely Gluten-free products are all-natural, certified gluten-free, and OU certified kosher. AGF is a division of Kayco Foods based in Bayonne, NJ.  Follow them at http://absolutelygf.com/, on Twitter at @absolutelygf, and on FB at https://www.facebook.com/AbsolutelyGF/.


Frequently Asked Questions About Celiac Disease

Thursday, June 14, 2018

Dom's May Numbers

WBC:  15.2 (H)

RBC:  3.3 (L)

HTC:  32.7 (L)

PLATELETS:  120 (L)

KAPPA:  14.5

LAMBDA:  13.3

RATIO:  1.09

M SPIKE:  NOT OBSERVED

Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Dom Has ZERO M-SPIKE- "Remission Boy is Back!"


Our Christine just sent me this shirt.  Perfect timing!  Dom has a ZERO M-SPIKE! 

Life is good.  God is great!

Saturday, June 2, 2018

Sub-Tropical Storm Alberto Last Week in PCB- Kinda Disappointing

I went to PCB for a week.  While I was there, Alberto hit.  BIG DEAL.  No lightning, very little action.  Just some tidal surge-  enough to muck up the water.

Before Alberto