November Birchbox: Setting the precedent for this month's theme - "Huh, it's the end of the month already."

Yes, yes it is, the end of the month already.  The holiday season will do that to you.  Plus, throw a natural disaster in on the mix and it really messes things up.  Birchbox was very proactive on the problems that Hurricane Sandy tossed in their direction.  Plus, anyone in their right mind would understand that production at Birchbox Ops would be affected by this terrible storm. Heck, I would've even understood if they weren't able to get our boxes out this month.  But, we received an email assuring us that we would receive them, albeit probably a little later in some instances. WOW! Brava/Bravo Birchbox Ops.

So, knowing that it may be a little late, I didn't stalk my mail lady as I normally would around the 10th of the month. I actually kinda forgot about it for a little while. The holidays will do that to you.  But to my surprise, I got my tracking email on Monday the 12th saying it had shipped AND was already at the processing plant in Michigan.  WHOA! YEA!  I checked the tracking again the next day and it was already in Ohio.  The next day, in Cleveland.  DOUBLE YEA! And I started stalking my mail lady. I stalked her for FIVE DAYS! My beloved Birchbox sat at MY post office, not in Hurricane Sandy ravaged NEW YORK, for FIVE DAYS!  So, once again, THANK YOU BIRCHBOX OPS for your outstanding service.  Cleveland-area Postal Service...get on the BALL!

Here it is...the end of the month.  It sneaked up on me much like the initial delivery of my Birchbox did.  The holidays will do that to you.  Because we've been bustling around already with hosting Thanksgiving and getting the house Christmas-ified, this is the first chance I've had to sit down and share the box.  I've had a chance to use a few things too!

NOVEMBER'S BIRCHBOX

Atelier Cologne - Rose Anonyme Cologne Absolue

This very musky & heavy (and I mean that in a good way) perfume takes the rose scent in a whole new direction.  It isn't the typical light, floral type of perfume you find with a rose base.  It's great for the winter season and I will probably wear it very sparingly.  It's intense.  It also came with a beautiful postcard.

MIRACLE SKIN TRANSFORMER™ - Vanish Instant Imperfection Corrector

I have used this product for a few days. I apply it right after I moisturize in the morning and within MINUTES I see a difference in the tone and evenness of my skin. My foundation goes on more smoothly and felt as though it helped it last longer and look more natural.  I am considering buying this product at full size.  I really like it.

OSCAR BLANDI - Pronto Texture and Volume Spray

I have not had a chance to use this product yet.  But I am looking forward to anything that will help keep volume in my hair.  I have a lot of hair, but it's very fine. So it looks amazing right after I style it, but in 10 minutes - eh, not so much. Anything that will help KEEP volume in my hair works for me. I am hoping this is the product!

stila - all over shimmer liquid luminizer

stila could be my favorite line of make-up. Period.  Any time I get a product from them it's a celebration, in my mind anyway. I love the little "holiday glow" it gives your skin. I love you, stila!!

LIFESTYLE EXTRAS

CHUAO CHOCOLATIER - ChocoPod

This are bite size, all natural chocolate snack "bars" (I can't really call it a bar, because it's shaped more like a football).  Anyways, they sent me the POTATO CHIP and chocolate snack pod. Good call, Birchbox Fairies....GOOD. CALL.  If I ever got a hold of an entire box of these....GOOD NIGHT IRENE! Delicious and great snacking size.

We also received a small gift box to "give back, give thanks and give treats" to a deserving someone.  I know to whom I'd like to share a gift, just trying to find the perfect thing.  Hmmmmm.

Looking forward to what December has in store for us BBers.  I'm sure the fairies won't disappoint :)

Easy-peasy Thanksgiving Appetizer

I am a cheese head.  I'd fit right in in Wisconsin. My ideal fall Saturday night...football, cheese plate, glass(es) of wine and my hubby. So naturally when the holidays roll around I'm always looking at different recipes for cheese munchies.  A few Thanksgivings ago, I tried this awesome brie recipe.  And now I crave it all fall and winter.  It combines my favorite flavor, salty-sweet.  It is delicious and super-easy; a real crowd pleaser! So if you're looking for a last-minute appetizer, or something amazing looking and tasting to bring as a dish to Thanksgiving, I recommend you give this a try :)

BRIE WITH APRICOT TOPPING

*Published in Taste of Home; HALLOWEEN (special issue, 2008)

Photo: Taste of Home

- 1/2 c. of dried apricots (or apricot preserve works in a pinch too)

- 2 tbs. brown sugar

- 2 tbs. water

- 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

- Dash of salt

- 1/2 to 1 tsp. fresh minced rosemary or 1/4 tsp. of dried rosemary, crushed

1 round Brie cheese wheel (8 ounces)

Crackers

*Preheat oven to 400*

1. In a small saucepan or skillet, combine apricots, brown sugar, water, vinegar and salt. Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cook and stir until slightly thickened.  Remove from heat, stir in rosemary.

2.  Remove rind from top of brie wheel.  Place brie in an ungreased ovenproof serving dish with cut side up. Spread apricot mixture over the top of brie wheel.   Bake uncovered at 400* for 10-12 mins or until brie is soft.  Serve with crackers. 

The Banana Clip of Cooking Magazines

Thanksgiving menu - CHECK! (Finally).  I feel like I'm a couple days behind on this one.  Usually I have  it done by the 1st of November.  OK, maybe it's a couple of weeks behind.
Anyways, it's done and I'm excited.  I was never a fan of Thanksgiving until I started hosting it.  Now I LOVE IT!  I try to add a new dish to the menu each year to go along with the standards.  So today I hauled out my stack of Taste of Home magazines from  past October/Novembers and started going through them.  I sang the praises of Taste of Home, in my early post about Menu Planning, and it's abundance of easy recipes.  But I noticed as I thumbed through issues that went back as far as 2000 (YES, I AM A MAGAZINE HOARDER! I have Martha Stewart Living issues that go back to the '90s!), that the transformation of Taste of Home in the past 2-3 years has been incredible.  In my mind, TOH was the "banana clip" of cooking magazines;  useful, but a LITTLE outdated.  I used it in the deep, dark corners of my kitchen...but would never use it in public ;-P  I re-subscribed to it after I received the TOH Best Recipes Collection Cookbook for Christmas a few years ago.  By purchasing the book, you receive a year's subscription to the magazine.  Boy was I surprised when the first issue arrived in the mail!  Banana clip no more! Gone are the features on dowdy country kitchens populated by goose and heart wallpaper, pictures of great-grandma contributors/editors, reliable, yet not that exciting, recipes and boring photography.  Bring on bright feature articles, focus on functional and modern kitchens, interesting product recommendations, what's new in food and family-focused products and healthy, inventive recipes using a wide variety of ingredients...yet still EASY! I found 3 new recipes from the October and November, 2011 issues -  and managed to plan almost the entire month of December dinners from those two issues as well.  If you're looking for a place to get started running a well-oiled family kitchen, I  recommend getting a subscription to Taste of Home STAT.

TASTE OF HOME TRANSFORMATION

1997

2008

2012 Christmas Issue

MDNA = EPIC; a laywoman's review of Madonna LIVE in Cleveland

MDNA 2012 CONCERT
QUICKEN LOANS ARENA
CLEVELAND, OHIO

I am a red-blooded American child of the '80s.  Which therefore translates into a whole-hearted love affair with The Queen, Madge, M....MADONNA! I have been DYING to see her live since middle school...it was getting into "Bucket List" territory. Seriously.

 All the way back in February, tickets went on sale for her MDNA 2012 tour stop in Ctown.  My dear friend Bess got tickets through pre-sale and thus, I SAW HER LIVE LAST NIGHT!!! I was ecstatic to be heading out for the ULTIMATE GNO.  And I was not disappointed. Not in the least. Never.

Here's my brief review of the MDNA 2012 Tour Live in Cleveland; a review completely devoid of any appropriate music critic training, other than taking the most EPIC class ever offered at MHHS - POP CULTURE - to study the origins of American music. But nonetheless, I offer my humble thoughts and feelings on one of the most memorable nights in my 39 years on planet Earth...

I've never been to Vegas.  I have heard Vegas shows are a feast for the senses.  I am going to go out on a limb and say what I witnessed last night could be every show in Vegas wrapped up into one ON ECSTASY, but in a good way.  I have never seen anything so visually amazing, perfectly choreographed and supremely staged.  I cannot describe it.  You cannot take your eyes off of this spectacle and nor should you ever try to. The energy is overpowering, contagious.  Madonna is breathtaking and stunning;  in constant motion through the 2 hours of the show - only taking short breaks on musical/dance interludes for costume changes to coincide with the concert theme changes.

My lovely girl  Michelle
aka Golden Triangle Queen
(The Gianni Tree,)
and me

I do have a few offerings of advice for future ticket holders. If you're going expecting to see her rolling around on stage in her white wedding dress singing all your old time faves straight off The Immaculate Collection....DON'T.  If you're a casual Madonna fan looking to relive the glory days of 20+ years ago, this show is NOT for you. And unfortunately, I think a lot of the "MOM" crowd who showed up at last night's show was expecting that. Because that's what I heard them ALL complaining about & I wanted to punch them in the face. (Ok, no not really. Well, maybe just a little bit at the end of the night.  My feet hurt, we couldn't find a cab, it took us forever to get home. I was crabby about that stuff!)
Now, if you're a fan that has kept up with her over the years and know how she has evolved as an artist; knowing she loves to put on a production which has a message, shock value and artistry, then you will LOVE IT!  The song ratio of new to classic is about 3:1.  She brings down the house with the new stuff from MDNA and does surprising renditions of some of the classics. If you don't enjoy the production of Express Yourself (where she spends the majority of time singing the song while twirling a freakin' baton!), you should seriously check your pulse.  Vogue is the most beautiful, visually stunning thing I have ever seen.  And the finale/encore left me wide-awake with energy for most of the night even after I got home.  SIMPLY AMAZING.  My last word of advice is, don't worry about being on time for the concert.  Doors usually open at 8. DJ Paul Oakenfold is her opening act and plays music for about an hour.  He finished up at our concert around 9:45 and Madge made it to the stage a little after 10:30.  Knowing this going in completely changed our game plan for the night.  Most concert venue websites make you aware of the concert timing, but again, judging by some of the complaints, not everyone was "educated".

LONG LIVE THE QUEEN...I'll be watching her dance around the stage using her walker as a prop. Guaranteed.

Flipping Pajamas

It's really easy to think about how quickly time flies at holidays, birthdays and celebrations.  A year's time, gone. When I'm in the moment, I try to cherish it and not think, "WOW! Where did the year go?!". But that feeling sneaks up on me at the most innocuous moments these days.  One of them being when I'm putting away my laundry.  I've got a special pile of holiday pajamas in my drawer...Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, Summer holidays.  And the pile rotates once the holiday is over.  Moving a holiday to the bottom of the pile always seems to get me.  And Halloween is at the bottom of the pile now.  I'm sad it's done.  It will be one for the record books....the first one Monkey really understood the meaning of Halloween and got excited for it; Hurricane Sandy rained on us for 7 days straight, cancelled school (and a Halloween party) for a day, postponed trick-or-treat for 4 days and we celebrated with my in-laws for the first time so the cousins had some fun.

On the bright side, Christmas is at the top of the pile...

Klassic Kraus Komfort Food #2: Crockpot Chicken Paprikash with Egg Drop Dumplings

I had every intention of going to the butcher this morning for chicken legs. But Sandy/Frankenstorm had other plans. So I heeded Mayor Bloomberg's recommendation to stay inside and not travel....all the way in Cleveland.  Seriously though, low 40s and abysmal rain is the WORST WEATHER on the entire PLANET - to me. So, chicken paprikash is on the KrausHouse menu this fine October Sunday and all I have are chicken breasts in the freezer.  Eh, it'll do.

Chicken Paprikash is my all-time, hands-down favorite meal EVA!  And like most ethnic-based, passed down recipes there are a MILLION variations of it. Every family, restaurant, banquet facility, etc. has their own special way of preparing it. I've had delicious versions which are more on the "brown" gravy side, but my version is decidedly orange to almost coral colored gravy.  It all depends on how much paprika you like!  Most of the time I make mine on the stovetop in a dutch oven or in an electric skillet.  But, I have adapted the recipe for the crockpot and it's still REALLY GOOD!

CROCKPOT CHICKEN PAPRIKASH

INDGREDIENTS

Chicken Paprikash

- chicken legs and thighs (enough to feed your family; usually 4-5 legs and thighs)

-  1 pint of sour cream (I make a lot of gravy bc of the dumplings)

-  1/2 stick of butter

-  medium onion, chopped

-  2 tbs. paprika (I like my gravy very orange, you may like less paprika)

-  3/4 tsp. salt 

Start your crock pot on HIGH.  Finely chop the onion.  Add to the crock pot.  Mix in the sour cream and butter.  

Cover and let the butter melt.  

Once the butter is melted, stir in the amount of paprika you'd like.  Then add the chicken.

Let chicken cook in the crockpot on HIGH for 3 hours. When the 3 hours are up, turn on low for dumpling preparation.

EGG DROP DUMPLINGS

- 4 eggs

- flour

Start a large stock pot half full of water to boil. Beat eggs in a large bowl.  Add flour in spoonfuls and mix thoroughly into eggs until batter is thick and sticky.  It should look fairly dry.

Using a teaspoon, scoop half full spoonfuls and drop into boiling water by scraping dough off of the spoon with another spoon.  Dough will sink to the bottom of the pot and rise when fully cooked.

Using a slotted spoon or frying spoon, remove dumplings as they rise and transfer to crock pot to mix in with chicken and paprika gravy. Mix in and let sit in crock pot for 15-20 minutes with the lid on.

Serve with crusty bread or awesome rolls to slop up all the yummy extra gravy. Yes, I know, not the most etiquette-friendly recommendation, but it's soooo worth the dining faux pas!  If you give this version a try, let me know how it turned out and if you had a family full of "clean plate club" members!

My Favorite Family Tradition

I'm not quite sure how or when Halloween became my favorite holiday.  It could stem from my childhood. I am an only child who always longed for brothers and/or sisters, but thankfully, I grew up on a street with +/- 20 kids within 4 years of my age. Halloween was the only holiday I celebrated with my neighborhood "siblings". I loved running the streets with them; screaming, laughing, joking and sharing.  We sat for hours afterwards trading candy and enjoying everything about the night.  I. LOVE. HALLOWEEN.  Luckily, I found a guy who loves it as much as me! And now, we have our own fun night of running, screaming, laughing, joking and sharing - BOO AT THE ZOO.  Since Sweet Pea's first Halloween, we've been attending Boo at the Zoo at The Cleveland MetroParks Zoo.  Her first Halloween was fun, but we we started our absolutely FABULOUS tradition of a family theme costume the following year when I was pregnant with Monkey.  Here's our gallery of costumes.  Thankfully, Mimi is an AMAZING seamstress and helped with the costumes most of the years.  Hopefully, you can find some inspiration in our themes and start a wonderful Halloween tradition in your own family.  I'm holding on to this AS LONG as possible...I'm dreading the "BUT MAAAAHHHHMMM, I don't wanna dress up with you anymore!!" years.  They're quickly approaching.....

BOO AT THE ZOO, 2007

LITTLE STINKER

FIRST THEME COSTUME
LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD
2008

BOO AT THE ZOO, 2009
WIZARD OF OZ

BOO AT THE ZOO, 2010
SCOOBY DOO

BOO AT THE ZOO, 2011
IT'S THE GREAT PUMPKIN, CHARLIE BROWN

However your family celebrates Halloween, big or small, I hope you have an enjoyable, memorable and safe night!  2012's costumes are ready to go....I'll add them after we have the big unveiling on Friday the 26th at this edition of BOO AT THE ZOO!!

BOO AT THE ZOO, 2012
BATMAN