DeDivahDeals

Fashion and Fun after Fifty

Archive for April, 2015

Homemade Applesauce made with a Bellemain Potato Ricer

Homemade AppleSauce with a Bellemain Stainless Steel Potato Ricer

Hello friends, I hope all is well in your world.  Today I am excited to bring to you a product review and also a short video recipe using the Bellemain Stainless Steel Potato Ricer.

Stainless Steel Potato Ricer Review 009

I remember growing up in New Rochelle, NY, and my grandmother had a potato ricer which I thought was the neatest gadget she had in the kitchen.  Whenever she boiled baby potatoes I knew it meant that we were going to have the creamiest mashed potatoes for dinner topped with butter and made without any lumps. 

I would stand next to her and watch then ask if I could try squeezing it myself; and I think she let me do it a few times, however, her mashed potatoes were always the best, with or without butter and gravy.

Now that I have an opportunity to own my own Potato Ricer I wanted to try making something different so I chose to  make fresh, homemade applesauce also one of her favorites. 

Stainless Steel Potato Ricer Review 017

After coring, peeling and slicing 3 medium size Granny Smith apples, I placed them in a non-stick pan with a little water to boil for approximately 7 minutes, just until tender and not mushy.  After allowing them to cool for about 10 minutes, I spooned them into the Bellemain Stainless Steel Potato Ricer.  Using the fine ricing disc it was a perfect consistency. 

I sprinkled mine with a little ground cinnamon and it made for a perfect mid-morning snack.  Hubby chose to add a brown sugar and my son added some cinnamon sugar to his serving.

The Bellemain Stainless Steel Potato Ricer was easy to clean and I liked that it has comfortable, cushioned handles and a bowl rest which makes it easier to operate especially as a left-handed person, here take a look at the video.

The Bellemain Stainless Steel Potato Ricer would also be perfect to use for Sweet Potatoes when making a pie, tomatoes for making sauces, beets for pickling and of course apples and pears for homemade desserts for the entire family including babies, toddlers, and the elderly.

  Stainless Steel Potato Ricer Review 002

Although it wasn’t creamy mashed potatoes, the memories of using a Potato Ricer were just as sweet.  If you want  more information or to perhaps order your own Bellemain Stainless Steel Potato Ricer, click on the Amazon link below to be taken their website for a quick ship delivery.

New Year ~  New You

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You Choose the Shoes ~ Season 2 ~ Week 3

You Choose the Shoes ~ Season 2 ~ Week 3

Hello friends and welcome to Week 3 of You Choose the Shoes.  I think I have gotten my husband back on schedule with the pics and now that the weather is warmer he is more committed!  Last week I wore a black and white outfit but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do the same with the shoes, so I definitely need your help in choosing this week.

You Choose the Shoes Season 2

 

These cute Cushion Walk black and white shoes are from Avon and the Caliente Reds are from The Shoe Dept in the Exton Square Mall.

You Choose the Shoes Season 2 Week 3 049

 

I tried to break up the black and white scheme with a few red accessories, bracelet from Old Navy and watch also from Avon.  The necklace and ring are both from Walmart, part of my recent #WearWalmart statement necklace/jewelry haul.

You Choose the Shoes Season 2 Week 3 067

I think with the Torte Caliente red pumps the accessories are more noticeable, what do you think?

You Choose the Shoes Season 2 Week 3 You Choose the Shoes Season 2 Week 3

Oh, and by the way, everything else is thrifted from Goodwill; the black top, maxi skirt and white belt. Have you checked out the new Goodwillde.org blog yet?  I did tell you that I was writing a “5 under $25” feature didn’t I?  Well which pair do you choose?

You Choose the Shoes You Choose the Shoes

Thank you for all voting last week, the winners were the nude pumps by an overwhelming majority!

Winner Week 2

 

I hope your day is as beautiful as you are!

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Stress: Get the Facts {Guest Post}

Stress: Get the Facts {Guest Post}

Author: Alyssa Craig

Hello friends and Happy Tax Day…hmmm… should I be using the word HAPPY in the same sentence with April 15th, TAX DAY?  Well if this is a stressful day for you, perhaps this guest post will help alleviate some of it.

None of us are strangers to stress. We feel it at work, we experience it in traffic when we are late for an appointment, and it makes its way into the home with finances and forgotten school projects. Stress triggers the release of multiple hormones in our bodies. While in the moment these hormones are helpful, they can also be detrimental to our health over a long period of time.

Businessman having stress

Long term stress can increase your risk for diabetes, heart disease, heart attack, stroke, respiratory infections, elevated cholesterol levels, and weaken your immune system. Before you can reduce the stress in your life, you need to differentiate myth from fact to know how best to overcome stress.

 

Myth #1: Stress is the same for everyone.

It is a common misconception that stress is caused by events or by your environment, so everyone in those same situations experiences stress the same way. This is incorrect, as stress is actually an emotional reaction to events, both good and bad. So the same event could cause stress to be experienced differently by different people.

 

Myth #2: Stress is always bad for you.

There is actually a little bit of debate on this subject. While it is not unusual to hear that little amounts of stress motivate us to be productive, some say all stress is unhealthy and what we confused as motivating stress is actually stimulation. All agree though that mismanaged stress is detrimental to your body and your overall health.

 

Myth #3: Stress causes permanent hair loss.

As described in this article, it is true that stressors to the body such as surgery or pregnancy and an emotional trauma, such as the death of someone close to you, can indeed causes hair loss. However, this hair loss is temporary and should last no longer than six months.

 Myth #4: Minor stressors can be ignored.

Stress is a sign from our bodies that something in our lives is getting out of hand. It is important to address the cause of the stress as soon as possible. This gives you an opportunity to make adjustments in your life to fix the stressor before it turns into a more serious health issue.

Man suffering from stomach pain

Myth #5: Stress gives you ulcers.

This is a misconception because stress can increase the levels of stomach acid, which can make ulcer symptoms worse if they are present. However, the most common cause of stomach ulcers is by a bacteria in the stomach, not stress.

 

Myth #6: Stress is a status symbol of success.

The most successful people are those who are always stressed, right? Wrong. Being busy to the point of stress is very dangerous to your health and can actually prevent you from being healthy enough to perform the functions in your personal and professional life that can lead you to the success you seek.

 

Myth #7: You can’t do anything about stress.

Some believe that stress is inevitable and there is nothing you can do to prevent it. However, this is far from true. While not all tactics work for everyone, there are a variety of things you can try that may help prevent or minimize the stress in your life.

 

  • Prioritizing: Don’t leave the most important things to be done at the last minute. Take the time necessary to get the things done that can lead to the most stress.

  • Time Management: This goes along with prioritizing. Make wise decisions on how you should use your time and you will find stress decreases quite a bit.

  • Sleep: Getting plenty of sleep (7-8 hours per night) can help you to better handle the small stressors in life and prevent them from becoming bigger stressors.

  • Relaxation Techniques: Whether you use exercising, breathing exercises, getting lost in a good book, or taking some time to serve someone else, find something that helps you to blow off some steam and relieve some stress.


Trikanasana

There are many more myths out there about stress but the truth is, stress is a common problem that can lead to many health problems now and in the future. Find great ways that fit your style to relieve stress and take the time to create a balanced life that allows for as little stress as possible. While you are not always able to control the events in your life, you can certainly take preemptive measures to prevent unnecessary, additional stress.

 Disclaimer: This Guest Post was written by someone other than the author of DeDivahDeals. The author of this post, has submitted their article to DeDivahDeals for the purpose of being published on this blog as a Guest Writer.


April Showers

Hello friends, I hope all is well in your world today.  If it’s true, “April Showers Brings May Flowers” then we are in for a blooming May as it will be raining here for the rest of the week! 

 

April Showers Brings May Flowers OOTD

 

I do hope there were be a few bright and sunny days before the end of the month, but just in case there aren’t I will keep my umbrella close at hand.  

I pray that our friends on the west coast get a few of these damp days to help with their drought.

April Showers Brings May Flowers OOTD

Skirt and Top | Target

April Showers Brings May Flowers OOTD

Sandals | Fioni via Payless

April Showers Brings May Flowers OOTD

Purse | Thrifted @ Goodwill

I hope your day is as beautiful as you are!

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Sleep Number Coolfit Foam Pillow Review

Sleep Number Coolfit Foam Pillow Review

Disclosure: I received this Sleep Number Coolfit Foam Pillow FREE in exchange for a product review.   All opinions are 100% my own.

Hello friends, I hope all is well in your world. As a blogger my mind is constantly running a mile per minute and getting a good night’s sleep isn’t something that comes easily. That coupled with “pillow pounding” and snatching back the covers, (thanks to menopause) I wake up exhausted!

I recently received a Sleep Number CoolFit Foam Pillow as part of my Sleep Number store experience and SleepIQ technology feedback with #Smiley360.

Smiley360 Pillow

I normally purchase new pillows several times during the year because they lose their shape and go flat, but I can tell already that his Sleep Number Coolfit Foam Pillow is not going to lose it’s shape or go flat. Heavier than a normal pillow with a contoured shape for neck support will keep it on my bed for a long time.

However, the best feature of this pillow is the Coolfit technology which is especially important now, because I hate waking up in a sweat.

Smiley360 Bear

Initially there was a strong odor or new product scent, so I removed the cover and placed it and the pillow inside the dryer with a fabric softener sheet and after a few cycles the smell dissipated.

Product Review 009

I can honestly say that I like this pillow and feel as though I am getting a better night’s sleep, or at least I’m not losing more sleep via pillow punching!  

How about you; are you a pillow puncher, cover snatcher or do you sleep like a new born baby?

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Winter to Summer Storage

Hello friends, I hope that you had a wonderful weekend and were able to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather yesterday.  I worked in the yard for a few hours and then was able to relax on the back deck to read before the sun went down. 

I pulled out a few of my patio cushions from the garage and wanted to share a tip and how to store them for the winter without spending a lot on bags that are sold specifically for them.  

After the holidays purchase a few artificial Christmas Tree bags which are large enough to hold several cushions and they keep the dust and bugs out when stored in the garage.

I hope your day is just as beautiful as you are!

New Year ~ New You

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Game Night In with Family & Friends

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GameNightIn #CollectiveBias

Do you love having game nights with family and friends? Take the Big Night In challenge and dedicate one night a week to spending time at home with your family or closest friends.

A fun idea to start this is to create a calendar highlighting a new board game to play each week. Jenga® and Monopoly are classic favorites and they pair perfectly with a bag of yummy M&M’s® candies. You can find more fun and easy Big Night In ideas on the M&M’s® social hub.

Mars Coupon

 

Right now you can save $1.00 off your next purchase of M&M’s® candies for your game night. Click here to print the $1 off coupon good towards a purchase of any (1) bag of M&M’s®  Brand Chocolate Candies, 38oz. or larger available at Walmart. While supplies last

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El Charro Negro – Authentic Mexican Cuisine

El Charro Negro – Authentic Mexican Cuisine

Hello friends, I hope all is well in your world.  Today a co-worker and I took time out of our busy schedules to have lunch together away from the office.  This was a rare occasion since we both work non-stop, heads down only taking a few minutes each day to brown bag it at our desks.

El Charro Negro Authentic Mexican Cuisine

 

Not far from the office on Lancaster Avenue is El Charro Negro LLC, a Mexican restaurant that promotes itself on serving AUTHENTIC Mexican Food and they truly deliver on that word.

I don’t know about you, but I have been duped many times eating at restaurants that have claimed to be authentic, only to be disappointed but thankfully this was not the case with El Charro Negro.

El Charro Negro

Initially I was a little apprehensive about entering as there was only one other car in the parking lot at this noon hour, but not more than 2 minutes passed before customers began streaming in, both for take out and to eat in.  

Upon entering the restaurant we were warmly greeted and seated then served a small basket of chips with two types of salsa, of course I chose the spicy one.  I liked the fact that it wasn’t a large basket of salty chips because eating that before the meal spoils the taste of the main course.  These chips were light in texture and not salty which allowed the true flavor of the homemade salsas to shine through.  

I ordered a Horchata water which is made with cinnamon rice milk and it was just the right consistency and flavor to tame the tongue after eating the spicy salsa.  I wanted to try something different so I chose Shrimp Enchiladas which was packed with spicy shrimp and Debbie ordered a Beef Chimichanga which was also spicy but not too much for her, both were truly authentic Mexican cuisine.

El Charro Negro 2

 

El Charro Negro 5 After our meals were served I asked for the menu back so that I could take this picture and I explained that I was a blogger.  There were two gentlemen seated at the next table so when their orders arrived they asked if I wanted to take a picture which I did – thank you kind men!

lunch at el charro 003

Our meals, both humongous in size made it impossible for Debbie and I to eat it all, so we both have leftovers for dinner tonight.  We did however agree to go back again next month and order something a little lighter … yea right!  

So if you are in West Chester, Pennsylvania and are looking for authentic Mexican food, stop in at El Charro Negro, you will not be disappointed.

EL Charro Negro

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Happy Birthday in Heaven – In Memory of my sister Gloria

 Happy Birthday in Heaven – In Memory of my sister Gloria

Happy-Birthday-in-Heaven

NOT A DAY GOES BY THAT I DON’T THINK OF YOU AND YOUR BEAUTIFUL SMILE….

NOT A DAY GOES BY THAT I DON’T MISS YOUR VOICE OR THAT TWINKLE IN YOUR EYE…

NOT A DAY GOES BY THAT I BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE ON JUST ON VACATION…

NOT A DAY GOES BY THAT I KNOW ONE DAY WE WILL BE REUNITED…

WITH NO EARTHLY TIES TO BIND US…YET I FEEL YOUR PRESENCE NEAR…

NOT A DAY GOES BY THAT I DON’T THINK OF YOU AS I FIGHT BACK THE TEARS…

HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN HEAVEN LIL SIS….

 

IN MEMORY OF GLORIA CROSS, JR

4/10/63 ~ 9/14/92


You Choose the Shoes ~ Season 2 ~ Week 2

You Choose the Shoes ~ Season 2 ~ Week 2

Hello friends and welcome to You Choose the Shoes ~ Season 2.  Last week, the weather in Delaware was still cool and crisp, it was more Fall like than Spring, but that didn’t stop me from shedding the pantyhose…now I need a serious tan!

You Choose the Shoes Week 2

I may not have worn pantyhose, but I still needed to cover my legs which is why I chose to wear this Cheetah print maxi skirt.  Yes, it’s thrifted from Goodwill and yes, I know that I wore a Cheetah print sweater last week…hey, what can I say…I love Cheetah…just wait until you see the other pair of shoes!

You Choose the Shoes Week 2

If you remember these shoes, they are the Chinese Laundry suede pumps from DSW, the ones with a little tie in the back.

You Choose the Shoes Week 2

These Cheetah print pumps (I know…I know) are also from DSW and are definitely one of my favorite pairs of shoes!  The blouse was also thrifted from Goodwill and this is one of the $5 statement necklaces from Walmart  #WearWalmart

Beige pumps from Chinese Laundry

Cheetah Pumps from DSW

Okay, so which pair do you choose?

beige pumps

Beige, Suede Chinese Laundry

or

Cheetah Print pumps

Cheetah Print pumps

THANK YOU ALL FOR VOTING LAST WEEK, THE HEELS TOOK IT BY A LANDSLIDE!

Winner Week 1

New Year ~ New You

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