Palm Springs, Oh How I Love You!

Looking for a fun, fantastic place to go for a weekend getaway?

Take my word and head straight to Palm Springs!

I just got back from a fantastic weekend there with the gals and we had a fabulous time!

Not only is there relaxation, sun, great food, and quirky entertainment, but you'll feel as though you stepped back in time.  It's as though you stepped right into the late 1950s!

There is a hotel for everyone!  From the posh retro look of the Parker Palm Springs

The timeless elegance of the Viceroy Hotel

Or the hipness at the Ace Hotel 

You can't go wrong!

And, if you make a trip before the end of May, you may even catch one of the last shows at 

the Palm Springs Follies before they close up forever!  Believe me when I say you've never seen anything like it! Showgirls in their 70's with a better body than most 30 year olds.  I don't know if it's depressing or inspirational!

While your there, check out some of the amazing architecture from the Hollywood greats

Bob Hope's Home

Frank Sinatra's Pad

Then, go for a hike or maybe a tandem bike ride!

So grab your sweetie or your pals and head to one of the swankiest destinations in the West!

P.S.  Don't forget to pack your circle skirts and swimsuit!  Check out my look of the day section for a snap of what I wore while I was there!

This is right up my alley...What to do with juicing pulp!

Juicing...the latest craze, but oh so yummy!  

In my own juicing extravaganza, I came up with ways to utilize the pulp left over from juicing.  There is just so much of it!  Luckily, I have a dehydrator and was able to make some simple crackers with the pulp as well as add it to soup stock for a nice veggie soup.  

I was so excited to come across this article today from Eating Well.  They have some other great ideas on what to do with all that pulp!  

It's so nice to be able to use all that fiber instead of filling up you trash can with it.  

Happy juicing and then cooking!

What do I do with all that food in my fridge?

Has it happened to you?  

You've gone to the grocery store picking up things you think you need, clearly without a list.  

What's a list?

You walk through the freezer or veggie isle trying to remember what you needed and wind up coming home with more vegetables or canned goods than you need. 

What is a modern girl to do????

Soup!  

That's right, get a large saucepan or stockpot out and turn up the heat.  

Grab a bag of the veggie broth you made from the previous post, or pop open a can of chicken broth that is sitting in the back of your cupboard.  

Heat the broth and toss in any of the vegetables you've got in your freezer or fridge.  

Once their boiling, reduce to a simmer.  

Take a taste...does it need some salt?  Pepper?  Toss in a little bit and try it again.  

Need a little more flavor?  

Open up that spice drawer and dust off those spices.  Try a little curry powder with winter vegetables.  Maybe some italian herbs with tomatoes or greens.  Experiment with a little, take a taste, and adjust to your liking!

Add some crusty bread and you've got a great meal!

Never Buy Vegetable Broth Again!

In my circle of girlfriends, I'm known as "Martha," as in Martha Stewart.  I like to consider myself a modern "Martha" gal who loves to cook, entertain, and decorate while managing a successful career.   I'm always coming up with great ways to save some time and improve the quality of food that my husband and I eat every day.  

Here is one tip that everyone can do and you'll never have to buy vegetable broth again.  Plus, it tastes better than any of the canned broth I've ever tried.  

It starts with all of the leftover scraps you have after you've chopped your vegetables.  You know what I'm talking about...the skin of the onion, the top and tip of the carrots, celery tops, mushroom stems. These are basically the parts of the vegetables that you discard and don't use.  

Grab yourself a gallon size freezer bag and start collecting your scraps.  Keep it in your freezer.  Add to it every time you chop up some veggies.  

Once your freezer bag is full,  put the contents of the bag into a large pot.  

Cover the pot with water by at least two inches.  Turn the burner on and bring the water to a boil.  

Once it boils, reduce to a simmer.  Simmer the contents for about a hour until the liquid has reduced.  

Once the liquid has reduced, let it cool on the stove.  When the liquid is at room temperature, strain the liquid from the vegetables.  I like to keep it in quart size ziplock bags that I can lie flat in the freezer so that, when frozen, they don't take up very much space.  

Then, when I need veggie broth for a recipe or to make soup, I just pull one of the bags out of the freezer, cut off the bag, and either heat it in a glass dish in the microwave or in a pot on the stove!  You can season it to taste when you use it.  

Super simple and much more flavorful than the broth you buy at the store.  Try it and see!