Summer of Cider

Sadly, along with my diagnosis of Celiac Disease came the death of The Summer of Beer. Sniff.

 

Luckily, I have found that I LOVE hard ciders and am making my way through the shelves at the liquor store, since that's the only place to buy them in our bass-ackwards state.

 

 Welcome beautiful nights on the back patio!

 

Angry Orchard Elderflower is AMAZING. So nice and fruity and so smooth. Love!

 



But Woodchuck Summer has claimed my top spot in The Summer of Cider. This has a hint of blueberry and is so tasty. Even my neighbor who is not a big fan of fruity drinks liked this one.

 



 

But DO NOT try Woodchuck Spring...... I am not a fan. I though the "touch of maple and brown sugar" sounded fabulous, but not so much. In fact, just thinking of it gives me a bad taste in my mouth. Plus? It is not at all appropriate for Spring..... much more so Fall! Maybe I will like it then! 

 

Any suggestions for me?

Gluten Free at Pei Wei

 

Pei Wei's Gluten Free Sweet and Sour Chicken

with brown rice

(minus onions and green peppers)

 

Pei Wei has a pretty amazing GF menu (scroll down to the bottom of the link for the GF section)..... there are lots and lots of options! Although my favorite dish, Honey Seared Chicken, cannot be prepared GF, I have switched over to Sweet and Sour Chicken and LOVE it! You'll find several salads, chicken and shrimp dishes prepared either Sweet and Sour or Pei Wei Spicy, Vietnamese Chicken Salad Rolls, as well as edamame. Even though their proteins are GF, they are still nice and crispy and I found some info on the website that explains how they do it. 

When you order one of our Gluten Free dishes, we dust your choice of chicken or shrimp in potato starch, all of which is Gluten Free, and then cook it in fresh oil.

When cooked in oil, the potato starch gives the protein a crispy texture that also allows the sauce to stick to the protein for better flavor.

They even provide GF soy sauce! Alas, stay away from the fortune cookies, as there is no GF option there! You'll have to do what I do, which is let my kids eat my cookie and read my fortune to me.

 

Friday Things

 

1. I've been working on a blanket for Will forever, as most of my crochet projects go (I have about a 4 year turnaround time), and one peril of that method is that yarn gets harder to find. My Walmart is no longer carrying Red Heart Super Saver Camo in Desert Camo. I do see some on Amazon, but don't want to pay outrageous shipping. Anyone seen it anywhere B&M?

2. I think I was super busy with little kiddo stuff during the height of the Jon & Kate drama, but I ran across it on Amazon Prime and darn those kids are cute, so I will admit to starting to watch it. I got all the way to the second half of the last season, when all the drama really got going, and POOF, it wasn't on Amazon Prime anymore. Wah!

3. However, I am contemplating a membership to either Netflix or Hulu Plus so that the Mr. and I can watch the first season of The Mindy Project together. I watched it last year, but for some reason didn't share it with him until this year, so we need to go back and watch it together. So maybe J&K is on there and I can FINALLY finish that watching project? Oh, and if you watched TMP episode recently where Morgan remarked lovingly about Jackee from 227, laugh with me too. SO GOOD!

4. I am obsessed with Thymes Naia Body Lotion. Obsessed, I tell you. I ran across a small bottle I'd received in a Birchbox a long time ago, and stuck it in my car, and OMG it smells amazing. I know nothing about details of scents, but Amazon tells me that it has scents of water lily and cyclamen, balanced with hints of citrus and lychee and I call it AMAZING. Has anyone seen this sold B&M?

Hope you have a great weekend!

Aarrrgggg! A jar of Pineapple Preserves has 1300 Calories!

 Last week I posted about and made Crockpot Sweet and Spicy BBQ Chicken from TheFrugalGirls.com. Although every single family member loved it (and Mr. Sasha *might* have eaten the remaining sauce all by itself), I must go back and retract my recommendation for this recipe as originally written.

 

Why? BECAUSE A JAR OF PINEAPPLE PRESERVES HAS 1300 CALORIES! Egad! 

 

Since the recipe called for the whole jar, I of course used the whole jar. It must have been a busy day- I didn't even glance at the nutrition facts (boo me!).

So if you are going to make Crockpot Sweet and Spicy BBQ Chicken, replace the pineapple preserves with a jar of pineapple chunks, ran through your blender to make a liquid.

 

This is what I used- a 20 oz jar of Dole Pineapple Chunks. (And note that I did NOT use the full jar of pineapple or the full container of BBQ sauce- just use your judgment and use how much you would like- you really can't mess this up!)

315 calories for the whole jar? Much better! (And much healthier too!)

And the family loved it just as much!

Sasha Goes Gluten Free At Raisin Canes

NOTE: I spoke with the manager at my local Raising Cane's on 10-07-15, and they are NO LONGER GLUTEN FREE. At all. 

The post below was originally posted in April 2014, when I had spoken with the manager and was told they had a dedicated fryer for their fries and naked fingers to keep them gluten free. A friend recently told me that was no longer the case, so I talked with the manager yesterday who verified they indeed fry everything together now.

I immediately removed the post, but then I realized how many hits it had gotten since being published, and decided to re-publish it to make sure that people with Celiac Disease know NOT TO EAT AT CANE'S.

 Please spread the word. I am sure there is a possibility that other Cane's may still have dedicated fryers, but YMMV, and if they tell you they do, the only responsible thing to do is ask each and every time you dine there to make sure they continue the practice.

Raising Cane's Naked Chicken Fingers

A friend mentioned to me that our local Raising Cane's has unbreaded chicken fingers and also has a dedicated fryer used only for those "naked" chicken fingers and their fries. This week we decided to try it out, and after verifying that was indeed the case with the manager, I indulged.

And YUM! I actually think I liked the naked chicken fingers BETTER than the breaded! There was a nice crispy coating, but it wasn't at all heavy and I felt like I was eating amazingly fresh chicken and not just breading. (I'm talking to you, Arby's!)

The Cane's Sauce is also GF and so good I actually dream about it. So glad to have another GF-friendly restaurant to eat with my family!

This post is not sponsored, I am just a new fan of Raising Cane's!



Cookie Dough Greek Yogurt

A while back, I pinned this very yummy looking pic and recipe for Cookie Dough Greek Yogurt.

The recipe calls for adding 1 tbsp. of creamy peanut butter, 1 tsp. of honey, 1/4 tsp. of vanilla extract, 1 tbsp.. of miniature chocolate chips and a dash of sea salt to an individual Greek yogurt cup.

I thought I'd modify it a bit to include my favorite peanut butter alternate- PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter, and clear vanilla extract.

Have you tried PB2? Through a unique process created by Bell Plantation that does not involve the use of any chemicals; over 90% of the fat is removed from the peanut. Essentially the oil is squeezed out of roasted peanuts and what remains is a peanut powder.

I also buy Greek yogurt in the bigger tub since it's more economical than the individual cups.

My modified recipe:

• 1 cup Fage Total 0% Greek Yogurt
• 2 tbsp. PB2 powder
• 1 tsp. honey
• 1/4 tsp. clear vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp. mini chocolate chips
• dash of sea salt

It's absolutely amazing and a great start to my day!

Sasha Goes Gluten Free.... at Qdoba

 

Qdoba Naked Burrito

 

My meal contained:

Brown Rice

Steak

Queso

Shredded Cheese
Salsa Verde

Sour Cream

 

Last week I did some online research and it looked like I could have a pretty darn good GF meal at our local Qdoba. And as luck would have it, the girl immediately in front of me in line was also a Celiac! She was a former Qdoba employee and shared some great info with me.

 

1. First, they are glad to change into a fresh pair of gloves for you.

2. Their burritos can be ordered "naked", which means no tortilla.

3. Your have your choice of rice type, beans, and meat. The only meat off-limits is the Ancho Chili BBQ. And all their salsas are GF!

4. Do ask them to get fresh shredded cheese for you- the cheese in the assembly line has been touched while making dishes containing gluten.

5. Their chips are not safe, but I bought a baggie of chips from home to eat with my Naked Burrito.

 

It was DELICIOUS. I may just go there for lunch again today!

 

This post is not sponsored, I am just a new fan of Qdoba!

 



Organizing Those Loyalty Cards

For years I've been using two card holders from Real Simple to organize my loyalty/membership cards. I got these at Target years ago.

 

Above is a pic of the only still living one- you can see it has definitely seen better days. My red one bit the dust last week. I checked Target and they don't seem to carry them anymore. So I turned to the place I turn when I need basically anything..... Amazon!

I found the kilofly Credit Card Holder on Amazon for just $10 and decided to order it. It arrived yesterday and it is absolutely perfect! This particular style is available in a few other colors, and there are other styles by this brand as well.

Here's a pic showing my cards inside- surely you knew that my Sephora Beauty Insider was one of my most important cards, right? If your purse is a mess of unorganized cards, I'd definitely recommend this!

#afflink

Just when I think I've got it all together........

I find Reese's to-do list.

#lordhelpme

Veronica Mars: The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line

I cannot tell you how excited I am about the Veronica Mars book, Veronica Mars: The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line, coming out tomorrow- Kristen Bell is narrating the audiobook! I am going for a long run in the AM to listen to as much as I can!

Have you tried Audible? I have been using it for over and year and LOVE the app for my iphone. So easy to stop and start and it remembers your place! So easy.

Try Audible Now and Get A FREE Audiobook!

#afflinks

Summer Fun

This will be the first summer that I'm not working full-time, and I'm busy planning some summer activities to keep us busy and away from the TV and electronics. Today I'll feature some Season Pass information for the Norman, Oklahoma area, along with a few from surrounding cities worth the drive.

1. Andy Alligator's Water Park. Through April 30, seasons passes are $80 per person.

The $4.2 million-dollar park features a variety of attractions including a lazy river, double tube slide, the first four-lane mat racer in Oklahoma, an 800-gallon bucket of water that will be regularly dumped on kids. (from the Moore Daily)

2. Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History. A family membership is $45 and includes complimentary admission for two adults & children (or grandchildren) in the family under age 18.

From their website: Through world-class exhibits, educational programming for children and adults, public programs, special exhibitions and outreach, the museum brings Oklahoma to the world, and the world to Oklahoma, in a manner that is entertaining and accessible for visitors of all ages and all walks of life.

3. Oklahoma City Zoo. A Family membership is $65 and admits two adults (one adult named on card must be present) and up to five children ages 3-18 years old. A $5 discount is offered through March 31. This could be easily split between two families.

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is a zoo and botanical garden located in Oklahoma City's Adventure District in northeast Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The zoo covers 119 acres and is home to more than 1,800 animals. (from Wikipedia)

4. Science Museum Oklahoma. A Silver membership is $115 and is shared by 6 people- great to split between families. You can even add two additional people on the pass for $30 each.

You can also upgrade your membership to an Oklahoma Museum Network Affiliate Membership for $40 and get general admission for any 5 people to the OMN Partner museums: Science Museum Oklahoma, Jasmine Moran Childrens Museum: Seminole, Leonardo's Discovery Warehouse: Enid, Museum of the Great Plains: Lawton.

Note: Old schoolies like me still call this the Omniplex.

From their website: Science Museum Oklahoma is a hands on learning environment for families and general science enthusiasts.

5. Earlywine Family Aquatic Center. Season passes for a family of 4 is $150, and $35 for each additional family member.

From their website: Earlywine Family Aquatic Center integrates a beach-like pool entry with the excitement of high-energy water toys, super tube slides, swimming lanes and twelve gently bubbling geysers.

6. Star Skate. A summer pass is $5 and entitles you to skate for only $3 at their skate sessions. During the summer they have afternoon sessions on Thursdays and Fridays.

7. Kids Bowl Free at Sooner Bowling Center. By signing up, your kids can bowl 2 games free all summer long, M-F. Shoe rental is not included and is $3. You can also purchase a Family season pass for $25 so that you can bowl 2 games per day with your kiddos.

Let me know if there are things that I have missed! I'll do a post on camps and other fun programs soon so feel free to leave me info on those too.

Movies Movies Movies!

I don't think I have purchased so many movie tickets in such a short time, like ever, but there have been so many good movie come out recently!

 

 

First, I am a big Marshmallow and love love love me some Veronica Mars. OF COURSE I had tickets to see The Veronica Mars Movie on the release night! It did not disappoint....... it was Epic I will say, and if you are a VM fan, that might be a little spoiler for you.

 

And Divergent, oh Divergent. I might just see it twice this weekend! Cannot wait. Yes, Theo James is my new fake boyfriend.

 

I have also seen The LEGO Movie twice in the last few weeks and loved it both times. So many things for kids and adults to enjoy! We will definitely be adding this one to our collection when it comes out on DVD.

 

 

Frozen was such a delight, and both my 10 year old son and 8 year old daughter LOVED it. I did have to find the poster featuring Olaf for this post- love that character! I'll be purchasing this one this week, I think at Target since they have some bonus features on their $20 DVD/Blu-ray combo.

 

 

 

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire recently arrived at my house and I can't wait to watch it again with the Mr. I saw it twice at the theatre and am looking forward to seeing it again.

What movies have you seen recently that I need to check out?

#afflinks

Five Friday Things

1. Wednesday night I made a recipe I had pinned - Crockpot Sweet and Spicy BBQ Chicken from TheFrugalGirls.com - and every single member of my family loved it! It's basically just chicken and these two yummy ingredients:

 

2. Have you seen Jimmy Fallon, Idina Menzel and The Roots singing "Let It Go" with classroom instruments? Genius. Love when he does these!



3. I have been laughing all week about this pic that went around Facebook last week among my fellow Okies.

4. BASEBALL STARTS NEXT WEEK! Yay! Go Mudcats! Luckily it's one of Will's favorite sports too! I'm ready to wear my new Mudcats hat.

5. Spring TV is SO GOOD! Mr. Sasha and I are so glad our three faves are back on! Nashville, Scandal and Dallas!

Hope you have a fabulous weekend!

10 Makeup Products I'd Repurchase: Updated

I thought I'd update a tag I did in 2012. The question is, if you lost all your makeup (stolen, luggage lost etc), what 10 products would you re-purchase? Some of my answers are still the same, some have changed.

1. Foundation: Urban Decay Naked in Shade 3 - $39. I know this is a high price-point, but I love it! I reach for it pretty much every day, even though I have about 20 to choose from. The bottle I have has lasted me for probably a year at least.

2. Powder: ELF HD Powder - $6. We have discussed before how this is a dupe for MUFE HD Powder, which costs $30.

3. Blush: ELF Blush in Pink Passion - $3. Great pigmentation for a great price.

4. Eye shadow primer: Too Faced Eye Shadow Insurance in Candlelight - $18. It's a splurge, but it lasts FOREVER- I have used it everyday for about a year and am just now getting low.

5.  Eye shadow: L'Oreal The One Sweep Eye Shadow in Natural Blue Eyes - $10. Although I hated the idea behind this product and it did not work they way it was intended, I have found that I LOVE the cream and brown shades in this and I love using them individually with my eye shadow brushes.

6. Eyeliner: Physicians Formula Eye Booster 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum in Deep Brown - $11. I love love love this liner- it's so easy to get a nice straight line and even to do a bit of a cat eye with this liner.

7.  Mascara:  CoverGirl Clump Crusher in Very Black - $6. I think I've been using this for about a year and now consider it my HG. I have found that it works great as a topper over about any mascara. There's something about using two mascaras that gives a fabulous effect.

8.  Lippie: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Lovesick - $9. I have a large container of lippies, yet I reach for this most days.

9.  Brushes: e.l.f. Studio 11 Piece Brush Collecion - $30, but you can often get it for 50% off. This is a fabulous set to start with.

10. For my 10th item, I'd add one of e.l.f.'s $3 stipple brushes to use with highly pigmented blushes- it gives a nice blended look.

I tag YOU! I'd love to see what you'd repurchase!