Organic VS. Not!

A few months back, one of my friends mentioned on Facebook
that she was going to start buying more organic goods.

Before reading her post, I was already buying organic.
Especially when it came to produce, dairy and meat (when possible).
When shopping, I pay close attention to the Dirty Dozen,
but even if it isn't on the list and I can get organic, I tend to.

After reading her post, I got inspired for this post!
I decided it'd be fun to track what I buy on a weekly basis,
and see how much is organic vs. how much is not!

So without further rambling from myself, take a look below
at a few examples of my weekly grocery trips over the last weeks!

10 Organic VS. 5 Not

14 Organic VS. 11 Not

13 Organic VS. 17 Not

13 Organic VS. 12 Not

12 Organic VS. 9 Not

So as you can see from those above examples, 

I almost always buy more organic than not.

I know it costs a little bit more, 

but I feel better about consuming organic foods vs. not.

Why you may ask?

Simple - GMO's, pesticides, antibiotics, etc. 

If you want to know more,

I found this site is very helpful and informative! 

Guest Post: I Scream for Ice Cream!!!

Hey guys!

I've got a little treat for you today.

I recently posted about my Homemade Lemon Sorbet,

which I made from home grown lemons I got from my friend, Inez.

Since she has so many lemons at her disposal, 

she too made a refreshing Summer treat using them!

And are you ready for the best part???

She's here to tell you ALL about it today!

Any guesses what she made?
Keep reading and find out!!!

Hello Robyn's faithful blog readers!

My name is Inez and will be guest blogging today. 

A little about me: I'm your modern day homemaker, 

I love food, I talk a lot, and I watch lots of reality TV. 

Still with me? 

Awesome. 

A few weeks ago, I sent Robyn home with lemons and she made an amazing lemon sorbet. 

I was inspired by her blog post and knew I wanted something equally fabulous. 

So, there are some things that I always have an abundance of at home.

Complaining children.

Shows to watch on the DVR.

Dishes that need to be washed.

Lemons.

And Basil.

So I thought, hey, two birds one stone, make Lemon Basil Ice Cream.

Now head on over to my blog to read the rest!

Homemade Chewy Granola Bars: Take 2!

I've made Homemade Chewy Granola Bars before.

In fact, I've even blogged about it before!

(You can read about that here.)

Even though I've already shared a Chewy Granola Bar recipe with you,

I found another, made it recently and couldn't help but share it too!

So without saying much more,

take a look at the process to making these treats!

The Goods:

Oats

Butter

Brown Sugar

Honey

Cinnamon

Salt

Vanilla

Raisins

Sunflower Kernels

Almond Slices

Chocolate Chips

Toffee Bits

Coconut Flakes

Feel free to change up the recipe and use your favorite add-ins.

Add as many or as few if you'd like.

As you can see above, I went a little crazy and 

basically added everything but the kitchen sink to mine!

I'm always looking for different ways to make things I enjoy, 

so If you have a Chewy Granola Bar recipe you love - please send it my way!

Tortellini Pasta Salad

I'm always on the lookout for easy, yet delicious lunches.
Especially ones I can make a big batch of and eat throughout the week.
So when I ran across this recipe, I KNEW I'd be making it soon!
And as usual, I'd be modifying it just a tad.

I've always loved a good pasta salad,
but I honestly never thought to use tortellini!
And boy, was I glad I tried it.
It is so so SO good!!!

And the best part?
It's incredibly easy to make too!
Just take a look below at how easy it really is.

The Goods:

1 Family Size Cheese Tortellini Pasta

1/2 Cup Italian Dressing - store bought or homemade

About 1 Cup Turkey Pepperoni, cut into quarters

1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped

1 Pint Cherry or Grape Tomatoes

1/2 Cup or so Black Olives, halved

1/2 Cup or so Green Olives, halved

3/4 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook your pasta, drain and set aside to cool.

Chop your bell pepper, olives and pepperoni.

Grate your Parmesan Cheese.

Combine EVERYTHING in one big bowl.

Mix, taste and adjust salt, pepper and dressing if needed.

And now...

DIG IN!!!

I will 100% be making this for lunches again soon!

Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken - 3 Ways!!!

My friend, Stefani, is an amazing photographer,

but she's also got an eye for easy, yet delicious recipes.

When she first told me about the Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Sliders,

I was immediacy intrigued and knew I had to try it soon!

Not long after,  I made the sliders.

I liked it.

I liked it a lot actually.

But I thought I could make it into more than JUST sliders!

So keep reading and find out how I made something awesome,

into three different things that are equally as awesome!!!

ALL Three Yummy Meals!

As seen earlier on Instagram.

Chicken and Frank's Red Hot - THAT'S IT!!!

Meal Extras

More Meal Extras!

Cook the chicken in the sauce on high

for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

Remove chicken from sauce, 

reserve 1/2 to 3/4 cup sauce.

Shred chicken and combine with reserved sauce.

Now - the tough part!
Choosing WHICH way to enjoy the delicious

CROCK POT BUFFALO CHICKEN!!!

And  now, I will let the pictures do the talking...

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Wrap!

Buffalo Chicken Sliders!

Last but not least, Buffalo Chicken Salad!

Just blogging about these makes me want to make them all this week!

Hope you enjoy!!!

Homemade Lemon Sorbet

My friend, Inez, has a lemon tree.

As soon as I found out, I instantly asked her for some lemons.

I didn't have any plans for said lemons, 

but I love using them in recipes and lemons aren't cheap!

Shortly after asking for the lemons,

Inez had a bag of lemons picked and ready for me.

I didn't just get a few lemons either.

No, I got a DOZEN lemons!

Now that I had tons of lemons,

I needed to figure out what I wanted to make with them.

After very little thought and some research, I decided on:

LEMON SORBET!

I was already salivating for the tart, yet refreshing treat and got to work making it!

The Goods:

2 1/4 Cups Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

1 1/2 Tablespoons Lemon Zest

3 Cups Water

3 Cups Granulated Sugar

Ice Cream Machine (Not Pictured)

But first...

it was time to juice said lemons.

Before I go further, I have to say that while making the sorbet, 

I also did a little lemon juice comparison.

Why?

Because I wanted to, I could and so I did!

I had two store bought lemons before I got the dozen from Inez.

After seeing the home grown lemons, I was in shock. 

They were so BIG and I was betting they'd be a lot more juicy too.

I took the two store bough lemons, juiced them and I had 1/2 a cup.

I then took two similar sized home grown lemons, juiced those and I had 3/4 of a cup.

The home grown lemons yielded 50% more juice!!!

So my suspicions were right! 

Now back to the sorbet making...

Juice and zest your lemons.

Combine the lemon juice and lemon zest

with the simple syrup you already made.

Pour your mixture into the ice cream maker

and let the machine do it's job.

It will take 20 to 30 minutes until done.

Your sorbet will be very soft.

Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours.

Remove from freezer about 5 minutes before serving.

Eat and enjoy!!!

Influenster Surfs Up VoxBox

What's Influenster?
Influenster is a community of trendsetters, social media aficionados and educated consumers who like to give their honest opinions of products and experiences. 
For more info - go here!

What's a VoxBox?
VoxBoxes are boxes filled with complimentary goodies from your favorite brands!
Again, for more info - go here!

And more importantly how do YOU get one?!?
Select Infuenster users receive FREE themed products based on information provided, social media activity, demographics, badge activity, and sometimes just plain ol' luck.
Once again, for more info - go here!

Keep reading and see what I got to review in my VERY FIRST VOXBOX!!!

My VoxBox Goods:

First Aid Shot Therapy: $2.99

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration After Sun: $2.99-$8.99

Jamba Juice Smoothie Kit: $2.99-$3.49

CoverGirl Bombshell Curvaceous by LashBlast Mascara: $9.49-$11.99

SinfulColors Professional Nail Polish - Aqua: $1.99

I received all of the above products FREE from Influenster for review purposes.

First Aid Shot Therapy

This is the ONLY thing I have yet to try.

And I'll be honest - I'm a little scared.

It looks pretty, but I'm not too sure about a pain relief shot 

used to cure headaches/migraines, sore muscles, back pains and hangover headaches.

CoverGirl Bombshell Curvaceous by LashBlast Mascara

I'm always a fan of trying new mascaras, 

but I almost always go back to my old favorites.

I was intrigued by the design and couldn't wait to give it a try.

Left - No Mascara, Right - LashBlast Mascara

Top - No Mascara, Bottom - LashBlast Mascara

As you can tell, the mascara did do a lot for my lashes.

I really liked the end result, but I felt like it was kind of a process.

I wouldn't use this everyday, 

but will keep it around for occasions I can spend more time applying. 

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration After Sun

Out of all my goodies, I was most excited to try this!

Being so fair skinned, I tend to stay out of the sun, 

but couldn't wait to use this after a fun Summer adventure.

It's a different consistency than normal lotion and not greasy at all.

It soaks right in, but has a slight sticky feeling for a little - less than 30 seconds.

I really like this and am glad it came in my VoxBox!

Jamba Juice Smoothie Kit

I chose to review the Caribbean Passion flavor.

I didn't read the back, so I didn't realize I also needed to buy Apple Juice, 

which was needed to make the smoothie.

Thank goodness for vending machines in my apartment complex!

The Kit AKA Frozen Fruit and Apple Juice.

Add the goods and blend!

Now time to taste!!!

It was quite good I must say.

While it did remind me of a smoothie I'd had from Jamba Juice in the past,

I was a little disappointed I had to purchase the juice in order to make it though.

SinfulColors Professional Nail Polish

I love the color aqua.

And I love wearing it on my toes.

But this shade was a little too irridescent for me.

If I'm being honest - I think the color 

would be much better for someone a little younger.

(Did I really just say that?!?!)

Color aside, I was a little sad with the quality.

It didn't chip, but did start to rub off the tips of my toenails

in a little over a week's time.

I hope you enjoyed reading my reviews!

As a reminder, I was given everything free to try, 

but every opinion is 100% my own.

And leet's hope I have another VoxBox coming my way soon!

Baked Ziti

I could have SWORN I've posted about Baked Ziti before!

But when I went to find the post for a friend,

it wasn't there!!!

I was shocked!

I've made this recipe FOREVER.

And even though I call it Baked Ziti, 

I don't think I've ever used real Ziti pasta.

I mix it up, but tend to use Rotini most often.

Now, let me show you how to make Baked Ziti,
or Baked Rotini, or whatever you wanna call it!

The Goods:

1 Box Pasta - Ziti, Rotini, Rigatoni, WHATEVER your little heart desires!

1 1/2 Cups Pasta Sauce - I use jarred Marinara, but you can always make your own.

7 1/2 Ounces Ricotta Cheese - I prefer to use Part Skim.

1 1/2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese - Again, I like to use Part Skim. 

1/4 to 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese - Fresh is best, but canned is ok if that's all you have!

1 to 2 Cloves Garlic - TOTALLY optional. I used to use it, but haven't the last few time.

Cook your pasta until al dente, which is usually about 5 minutes.

Don't worry - your pasta will cook a lil more when it bakes!

Once cooked, drain pasta and return to the pot you cooked it in.

Add almost all the cheese (reserve a little Mozzarella and Parmesan)

and mix it all up until pretty well combined.

If you're using garlic, add that too!

Now here come the fun part...

Time to layer your pasta!

Start with a layer of sauce and then add about half your pasta mixture.

Do another layer of sauce and add the rest of your pasta.

Add one more layer of sauce and your reserved cheese.

Now you can either bake the Ziti, or Rotini, or whatever you're using...

OR you can freeze it to use at a later date like I did!

CONFESSION!!!

I actually DOUBLED the recipe.

I not only made one to bake right away and eat,

 but I also made one to freeze and bake at a later date!

Whenever you decided to bake your pasta, 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bake for 35 to 45 minutes.

You want the cheese on top to fully melt and get a little color.

Before I go, one last quick tip!

I usually move the pasta from the freezer to the fridge 

the night before I want to bake it so it has time to defrost.

If you forget to do so, you'll just want to bake your pasta longer!

Everything Cookies

A few weeks ago, I got a hankering to make some homemade cookies.

While I love making simple chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin cookies, 

I knew I wanted to do something just a little different!

So what exactly did I do different?

I decided to use oatmeal, raisins, chocolate chips and 

pretty much everything else but the kitchen sink!

Hence me deciding they needed to be called:

EVERYTHING COOKIES!

These cookies are so simple to make.

And if you have a stand mixer like I do, 

the mixer does all the work!

Take a look below at how to make these easy, yet delicious cookies!

The Goods:

8 oz (2 sticks) Butter, Softened

1 1/4 cup Brown Sugar, Packed

3/4 cup Granulated Sugar

2 teaspoons Vanilla

2 Eggs

1 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups Old Fashioned Oats

1/2 cup Chocolate Chips

1/2 cup Raisins

1/2 cup Shredded Coconut

1/2 cup Toffee Bits

Before I go any further - I have to apologize.

I got really into making these cookies 

and FORGOT to take step by step pictures.

I'm sorry, I know I was a BAD blogger again. 

Since there aren't step by step pictures,

Follow the steps below to make these yummy cookies:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat butter, sugars, and vanilla until creamy.

Mix in eggs until light and fluffy.

Add flour, baking soda and salt until blended.

Stir in your oats and all your goodies!

Form dough into balls (I used a 35 mm scooper)

and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are starting to brown.

Centers should be still quite soft - this will keep them super chewy!

Cool on cookie sheet about a minute, 

then remove to wire rack until completely cool.

I took these AMAZING cookies to work the day after making them.

There were about 60 or so cookies in my office kitchen in the morning 

and EVERY SINGLE ONE was devoured before lunch time!

These babies were just that good.

I will, without a doubt, be making them again.

But now it's YOUR turn to do so.

Go make them and see how good they really are!

4th of July: Friends, Food, Fireworks & Fun!!

Hope you all had a GREAT 4th of July!

This year, I had a very relaxed holiday hanging out with friends,
eating lots of amazing food and of course watching fireworks!

Check out my fun day in a few pictures below!!

Getting ready for the feast on the 4th!

I got in the spirit with a little red, white and blue!

My contributions to our feast!

Homemade soft pretzels and dip, farm fresh corn, watermelon, 

red white & blue rice krispy treats AND cheesecake stuffed strawberries!!!

Not pictured - chips and dip, homemade pasta salad, smoked ribs and chicken.

Wow - it was all so so so good, but let's just say I am STILL full!

 Fireworks, fireworks and MORE fireworks!!!
I was like a child and couldn't stop saying "WOW!"

And this little guy made the holiday extra fun!!!