Copy That: Wendy's Chili Recipe! - Stovetop or Crockpot

Ingredients:
-2 pounds ground beef
-1 quart (29 ounces) tomato juice
-1 can (15 ounces) tomato puree
-1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, drained
-1 can (16 ounces) pinto beans, drained 
-1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
-1/2 cup celery, chopped
-1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
-1/4 cup chili powder
-1 tsp. cumon
-1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
-1 tsp. salt
-1/2 tsp. pepper
-1/2 tsp. oregano
-1/2 tsp. sugar
-1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Method:
In a large skillet brown the ground beef and drain off fat. Put the beef and all remaining ingredients, excluding beans, in a 6 quart pot and simmer on medium low for 1-1.5 hours stirring every 15 minutes. Add the beans at the last 30 minutes of cooking time. If using a slow cooker, set to high setting for 4-5 hours. 

Yields 6-8 servings

NEW Quaker Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Instant Oatmeal + NUTRITION FACTS

                                                                                                                              

The Quaker Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal is a great addition to the pantry this fall. The oatmeal has the light flavor of sweet and spicy cinnamon and creamy pumpkin. I think this one is a winner! Pictured above I added non fat milk, half a banana and cinnamon to mine. Yum!

Check out an easy recipe for delicious pumpkin chip cookies here.

Thank you for reading.

NEW Maybelline Superstay Better Skin Foundation & Concealer REVIEW! (Combination Skin)

Hey everyone! Today I'm coming at you with a review on the new Maybelline Superstay Better Skin Foundation & Concealer. Influenster was very kind to send me the foundation to test out for you and so I purchased the concealer to give you an all encompassing review! Of course all opinions are genuine. Let's jump right in and have a look at the foundation!

 Foundation Claims

This foundation claims to provide long wearing, medium to full coverage that is suitable for all skin types. This foundation also contains additional skin care benefits that promote "better looking" skin in 3 weeks. Maybelline has added "Actyl-C", a durable form of vitamin C, which is known for its antioxidant benefits. Maybelline claims this foundation will reduce the appearance of spots, dull skin, and unevenness in 3 weeks.

My Opinion

1. "Long wearing": I tend to have an oily T-zone and normal cheeks and for me this foundation is not long lasting at all. This foundation stays quite tacky or "wet" even when powder is applied on top. This of course caused the foundation to transfer and fade. After 5-6 hours it looked greasy and crackly. 

2. "Medium to full coverage": My preferred method of applying this foundation was with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush. I dotted the foundation on with my fingers, used the brush to stipple all over the skin and then buff it in. I was pleased with how easily it blended on the skin and with the medium coverage I got. It evened out my skin tone, but still allowed my skin to show through. This foundation does build up, but adds to the sticky wet feeling I mentioned above.

3. "Suitable for all skin types": This foundation is most certainly not going to work for everybody's skin. In my experience with this foundation, your skin has to be in nearly perfect condition to wear it. This foundation slips and slides on oily skin AND clings to dry skin. 

4. "Better looking skin": After having participated in the #betterskinchallenge for the past 3 weeks I have come to the conclusion that this foundation has not provided any additional skin care benefits. I did not see a reduction in spots or unevenness and it did not brighten my complexion.

Concealer Claims

Very similarly to the foundation, the Superstay Better Skin Concealer also contains the ingredient "Actyl-C" and claims to reduce the appearance of dark circles, spots, and other imperfections in 3 weeks while providing all day flawless coverage.

My Opinion

1. "Long wearing": I was very surprised with how well the concealer lasted on my skin, especially under the eyes. I noticed minimal creasing and fading and it continued to look quite fresh after 8 hours of wear. 

2. "Flawless coverage": I applied this concealer straight from the wand to the under eye area and on any blemishes I had. I then used a precise foundation brush to blend the concealer in which took no time at all. I loved how creamy and blendable it was and how well it covered my dark circles and red spots. It had a very fresh appearance that I really enjoyed. 

3. "Better looking skin": Again as with the foundation I didn't see a reduction in the appearance of any dark circles or spots throughout the 3 weeks of daily use. 

Final Thoughts

After thoroughly testing out both the foundation and concealer for 3 weeks I can say that I would not recommend this foundation to anybody. It's not very realistic to purchase a foundation that requires you to have skin that's in good condition to start with. The idea of having skin care benefits is an idea that sounds great in theory but really fell short in this product.

The concealer is the product out of this duo that I will for sure continue to use. I was very pleased with how it looked under my eyes which can tend to look dry and cakey. It gave my eyes a fresh, brightened and youthful appearance which I was very happy about. Overall, I can say that I would recommend the concealer if you can find a suitable shade! 

Thanks for reading!

April 2014 Empties!

Yet another month has passed and I've accumulated a lot of empty products!

I really enjoy seeing empties videos and blog posts

because it really gives the viewer a good idea about how well you like the product and it gives vloggers and bloggers a chance to reflect on the product.

With that being said, let's begin!

  

• Dove Cool Moisture Shampoo: This shampoo from Dove is one of my favorites that I've tried in a long time. For me it doesn't really matter which shampoo I use, but this one made my hair extraordinarily silky soft and shiny! I just featured this in a previous blog post titled "What's in My Shower?", you can check it out here.

• White Cloud Cotton Rounds (left): I purchase these cotton rounds in a 3-pack at Walmart for about 4 dollars. I use them to remove eye makeup and nail polish, or for applying toner.
• Bic Silky Touch Razors (right): These razors suck! They only have 2 blades which makes it difficult to get a smooth even shave with just one pass. I've never gotten so many cuts and razor bumps with any razor as I did with these.

• Vanilla Bean Noel Triple Moisture Cream by Bath & Body Works (left): I honestly don't know why I purchase any other lotions when I love this one so much. For me applying lotion can be a chore but with this one I can't get enough.
• Cucumber Melon Body Lotion by Bath & Body Works (right): I really love how the smell of cucumber melon brings me back to my early teen years when I started shopping at Bath & Body Works. I did enjoy this, but eventually passed it off to my mom to finish up.

• Cashmere Glow Body Lotion by Bath & Body Works (left): I purchased this preview sized lotion quite a while ago just before this scent was released. For some reason I have a problem with saying no when it comes to a 1 dollar lotion. I hated this scent so I passed it off to my mom.
• Berry Flirt Body Lotion by Bath & Body Works (center): This is another lotion that I passed off to my mother. I LOVE the way this smells on other people, but on me it smells like plastic!
• Paris in Bloom Body Lotion by Bath & Body Works (right): This is one scent that I absolutely love and can't get enough of. At the semi annual sale during the summer of 2013 I stocked up like crazy on this scent and this is the last little lotion I had left. I'm sad to see it go but it was definitely time to use it up.

• Sheer Freesia Shower Gel by Bath & Body Works (left): This was a very pleasant and non offensive floral scent. I really liked how the scent lingered on my skin.
• Paris in Bloom Shower Gel by Bath & Body Works (center): I've finished yet another one of these bad boys (I've had a huge back stock) and I'm left with ONE to finish. I'm sad to see this go but it's just time.
• Sea Island Cotton Shower Gel by Bath & Body Works (right): This scent was very fresh and clean smelling which I enjoy but there was something about it that didn't work for me. I gave this to my mom to use up.

• Dove Sensitive Skin Soap (left): This has been my choice for facial wash for the past few months. I love how gentle and creamy this formula is!
• Dove Go Fresh Restore Soap (right): This is one of Dove's scented bars with orange blossom and blue fig. I actually really enjoyed this and would consider repurchasing this summer.

• Skintimate Shave Gel in Tropical Splash (left): I've used Skintimate's shave cream for years and have never been disappointed. I usually just try a new scent every time!
• White Citrus Body Scrub by Bath & Body Works (right): This was a pretty good body scrub that I picked up for only a couple dollars at a semi annual sale a while back. I would never pay full price for one of these scrubs but I would pick up more if they were on clearance! 

So this concludes my empties post.

I hope you enjoy and thanks for reading!

Pumpkin Chip Cookies - Fast and Easy Recipe!

So here's the story!

My little pomeranian Edward became constipated a few days ago.

 If you didn't know, pumpkin is a natural and very effective method
for relieving constipation in dogs!

So I opened up a can of pumpkin
 and fed him a couple teaspoons... and he was cured! 
But what I was left with was almost a whole can of pumpkin.

So that's why I was inspired to make these cookies!

Yummy.....

Ingredients
-29 oz. can Pumpkin Puree
-2 c. Granulated Sugar
-1 c. Vegetable Oil
-2 tsp. Milk
-2 tsp. Baking Soda
-4 c. All Purpose Flour
-4 tsp. Baking Powder
-1 tsp. Salt
-1 tsp. cinnamon 
-Chocolate Chips (amount to your liking)

Method
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Lightly spray non-stick cooking spray on a baking sheet. 
2. Combine pumpkin, oil, milk, sugar, salt, and cinnamon until well combined. 
3. In a separate dish combine flour, baking soda and baking powder. Add to your pumpkin mixture and combine very well. 
4. Fold in your chocolate chips.
5. Use an ice cream scoop to create uniform cookies and drop them onto your cooking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. 

Yields: Approximately 2 dozen cookies!

What's in My Shower?

I don't know about you but I love snooping in other people's showers!

There's just something so interesting about seeing what products other people buy. I love watching these videos on YouTube, so I figured I would do it blog style. I hope you enjoy this peek into my shower!

• Dove Cool Moisture Shampoo (left): This shampoo is my current "everyday" shampoo. I like the way this makes my hair feel washed, but not stripped. It leaves my hair very shiny and silky; plus it smells great!
• L'Oreal Volume Filler Thickening Shampoo (middle): So far I have only used this once, so I'm speaking on first impressions here. It left my hair soft and smooth; and I also noticed my hair went about 12 hours longer than usual before looking "unwashed". 
• Head & Shoulders Classic Clean Shampoo (right): I've used this shampoo on and off for years and I still love the results it gives me. This is marketed for those with dandruff, but it's also great for oily scalps too. During the winter time my scalp usually dries out and starts itching. This shampoo helps alleviates those symptoms and still makes my hair shiny and soft!

 

• Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner: This is my current conditioner from Herbal Essences. I find this to be pretty good at hydrating and defrizzing my long dry hair. However, it's not mind-blowing by any means. I got this large bottle from Sam's Club and it will last only about 6 weeks. I also use this as an ingredient in a deep conditioning hair mask which I have a recipe for here on my blog.

 

 

• Dove Sensitive Skin Bar Soap (left): This bar soap is my favorite for washing my face. I love using it with my Clarisonic to get smooth and nourished skin. It's a very gentle and creamy formula that is suitable for all skin types.
• Neutrogena Transparent Facial Bar (right): The Neutrogena facial bar is great for people with oily skin. I usually only use this in the summer time when my skin produces more oil.

 

 

• Equate Blemish Control Apricot Scrub: I love using this very affordable scrub about 3 times a week. Before I wash my face I take a quarter size amount in my hand and polish it all over my face. This product contains salicylic acid which works great at preventing and treating breakouts!

 

 

• Bath & Body Works Sheer Freesia Shower Gel (left): I'm currently using this body wash in Sheer Freesia. I've used Bath & Body Works shower gels for years and really enjoy them. This scent is a soft floral scent that got me in the mood for spring!
• Bath & Body Works Loofa (right): I always use a loofa to wash my body. I really feel like it helps lather up the soap better and it helps gently scrub my skin to remove dead skin cells. I like the loofas from Bath & Body Works because they are made well and are slightly rougher.
• Walmart 4 Sided Foot Brush (right): I bought this foot brush at Walmart about a year ago for 3 or 4 dollars. I really enjoy having 4 different sides to choose from depending on the level of exfoliation I need and would definitely recommend purchasing one!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Bic Simply Soleil Disposable Razor (left): After trying lots of different disposable razors I'm very satisfied with this one from Bic. There are 3 blades on each razor which provides a smooth shave without patches. I use my razors for 2 to 3 weeks before tossing them.
• Skintimate Shave Gel (right): No matter which shaving cream I try, I always come back to Skintimate. The cream is thick and moisturizing and protects my skin from razor bumps and ingrown hairs. I really enjoy the Raspberry Rain scent!

 

 

• Coconut Sugar Scrub: This is my homemade recipe for a Coconut Sugar body scrub. I love using this before I shave to sluff off the dead skin and provide a closer shave. My recipe for this scrub is here. 

 

 

• Summer's Eve Cleansing Wash: Lastly is this cleansing wash from Summer's Eve. Let's be real...every woman should have some sort of cleansing wash in her possession. These washes are very gentle and specifically formulated for your vaginal area so they will not cause irritation; and with the discreet packaging of this bottle, there's no excuse not to try it!

 

Thank you so much for reading!

DIY K-Cup Holder!

Here's a super easy and affordable way to make yourself

 a K-Cup holder at home!

You will need:

-Toilet Paper/Paper Towel Rolls

-Shoe Box Cover

-Hot Glue Gun

-Scissors

-Pencil

-Spray Paint (optional)

The first step is to cut your rolls. I used a K-Cup as a guideline for where I should mark my cut. For toilet paper rolls, cutting them in half is sufficient.

I decided to make mine with 15 slots for my K-Cups. I then lined them up in the shoe box cover the way I wanted them to be spaced.  Don't place the rolls too close together or the K-Cups will not sit inside properly!

Use a pencil to draw a circle inside each of your rolls. This will be your guideline for placement of each roll after you apply hot glue!

I decided to apply spray paint to my rolls to give them a more polished appearance. I used this one from Krylon! Make sure to allow 20 minutes for dry time.

 The final step is to glue your rolls onto the shoebox, lining them up with the circle you made before hand. I decided to use a few Command strips to stick mine to the side of my pantry. If you prefer, you can cut a rectangular piece off your shoe box and glue it to the back (like a picture frame). 

Pop your K-Cups into the slots and enjoy easy storage for your favorite flavors!

Thank you for reading!