Just a Few Codes/Sales

Not going to go too crazy because now that we're into the Holiday Season it seems that everyone has sales of some kind going on.

L.L. Bean - Free shipping right now, plus if you spend $50 you get a free $10.
Delia*s - One time code DAR176B to get 20% off your entire purchase by 11/29/10.
Pottery Barn - One time code for 10% off your next purchase by 11/20/10. VW3K-D739-ZHQH
Khol's - Through the 15th they're doing their Khol's Cash program ($10 for every $50 spent).
Bath and Body Works - 20% off your entire order plus $3 shipping ends today. Use the code 20THANKS.
Chase Freedom Card - If you have one of these, at the website Movietickets.com, you get 2 tickets for the price of 1. No code necessary.
Banana Republic/Gap/Old Navy - One time use for 30% off your entire order through tomorrow: DLZRQVGRCDPT

A Website for Black Friday - I stumbled across this the other day. It's a listing of many stores and their contributions to the spending frenzy for this year.

DIY - Beauty

I have about two weeks left in this quarter which means once again things are getting super hectic around here. So that being said, I have to admit that today's entry is a little bit of a cheat.

Awhile back I found this great article on Yahoo.com about beauty treatments you can give yourself from products you have lying around your kitchen. I've done the wake me up scrub, and yes that definitely woke me up and got me going for the day. And I think we've all done the eye de-puffer. There's also a couple of other tips in the comments section.

Click here for the article.

Here's one that I want to try next:

Foaming Vanilla-Honey Bath
1 cup light oil (almond, sunflower, or canola)
½ cup honey
½ cup mild liquid hand or body soap
1 tablespoon vanilla extract.

Mix ingredients together in a glass jar. To use, shake gently to remix and pour ¼ cup under running bath water.

What can I say, I like a good bubble bath. Maybe when finals are over this is how I'll treat myself.

Top 5s of Partying and Entertaining: Part 4 - Holiday Drinks

So how many people have a special drink made at their wedding? I considered having this done because fun drinks are always a good thing. Who wouldn't like drinking a neon blue drink out of a martini glass that's named after them and their new spouse? I think people didn't notice that I was too overwhelmed with other planning things, school, and life to ever request that:



Whenever Nick and I have parties we try to do the special drink of the night thing. Most of the time people just bring beer and drink that, but it's nice to have the option and when you have themed parties of there is a holiday, it adds to the festive mood.

Speaking of Holidays, this Top 5 list of drinks are drinks (from various websites and my family) that would be great to serve this holiday season. So grab your Bar Shaker and let's go! (Remember to drink responsibly, and one drink=above the legal limit to drive.)

Top 5 favorite Cold Holiday Drinks

1. Butterscotch Chocolate Martini - Nick may kill me for telling you think, but our favorite specialty martini is this one which I created for our apartment warming party when we first moved in together. I think we were the only one's who drank it, but it was still delicious. Beware, this is STRONG:
- 1 part vodka
- 1 part milk
- 1/2 part butterscotch liquor
- Chocolate syrup (amount needed depends on how chocolatey you want it ;) )
- 2 ice cubes
Just add to your shaker, shake, and pour.

2. The Apple pie - This drink reminds me of college because for someone like me who hates the taste of most alcohol, this was my best option if I did want to drink.
- 1 part apple juice (or apple cider, but not hot because you'll burn off the alcohol)
- 1/2 part Goldschlager
- For an extra kick, you can add apple flavored vodka too but it's not necessary.
- 2 ice cubes.
This one can be shaken or stirred.

3. The Italian - Is there a better name for this? Probably, but this is something Nick (who is half Italian) likes to drink at Christmas since it is a family/Italian tradition for good luck, so I've name it after him.
- Sambuca (in a shot or cordial glass)
- 1-4 coffee beans
Add all to glass. Sip responsibly.

4. Pumpkin Pie - This drink I found from Drink of the Week and it looks absolutely amazing. I will probably be making some of these at Thanksgiving this year.
- 1 oz. Malibu Rum
- 3/4 oz. canned pumpkin pie filling
- 1/2 oz. Kahlua
- 2 oz. with cold milk
Mix ingredients in blender with ice and blend thoroughly on the "liquify" setting. Pour into graham cracker-rimmed highball glass and garnish with some whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

5. Wintertime Mimosa - You may not realize this, but some oranges and citrus fruit are actually in season during the winter. So even though this may seem like a summer time recipe, this could be the perfect drink to have on Christmas morning when you're opening up presents.
- 1 part orange juice
- 1 part cranberry juice
- 1 part champagne
Because of the bubbles in the champagne, you do not need to stir this otherwise you will take out the bubbles. Instead, pour all the ingredients into a pitcher (or right in to your champagne glass) and serve!

Top 5 favorite Warm Holiday Drinks

1. The Girl Scout - I've also heard this recipe called the Peppermint Patty (but that drink to me is just a shot of Peppermint Schnapps with chocolate syrup added in). Regardless of what you call it, this recipe is super simple, just make sure you don't give yours to the kids by accident!
- One packet of Swiss Miss (or whatever sweet hot chocolate brand you prefer_
- Milk
- 1-2 shots Peppermint Schnapps
Make the hot chocolate as you would normally (but make sure you use milk) and add the Schnapps at the end. This looks great in an Irish Coffee Mug garnished with whipped cream and a bit of shaved chocolate or cocoa mix on top.

2. Hot Toddy - This might be the most common and traditional of winter time drinks. Great when you want to relax, need some soothing liquid when you have a cold, or just for fun with friends, there's a reason it's a classic! (This recipe comes from About.com
- 1 oz brandy, whiskey or rum
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1/4 lemon
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 tea bag
Coat the bottom of a mug or an Irish coffee glass with honey. Add the liquor and the juice of the lemon quarter. On the side, heat water in a tea kettle and add the tea bag to make hot tea. Pour the steaming tea into the glass and stir.

3. The Daddy (also known as Irish Coffee) - Just like the Italian is named after Nick, this is named after my dad. For years, every Holiday my dad breaks out this drink. I would guess that this is his one of his favorite parts about the Holidays, and now he's converted Nick too (not that this is a bad thing).
- coffee
- 1-2 shots of Bailey's Irish Cream (or Kahlua)
Make your coffee however you like it, then just add the liquor to your drink. Tada!

4. Hot Egg Nog - Since my recipe for Egg Nog was given to me by a very good friend, I don't want to share in case it's a secret. But I did find this drink called a Tom and Jerry, that could be a nice warm alternative.
- 1 Egg
- 1/2 oz simple syrup (or 1 tsp Powdered Sugar)
- 1/2 oz of Brandy or Cognac
- 1 oz of Dark Rum
- Hot Milk (or water)
Start by separating the Egg and then beat the egg yolk and egg white separately. Fold these two together into a mug. Add Simple Syrup (or Powdered Sugar). Add Brandy or Cognac and Dark Rum. Top off the mug with hot Milk or hot water and stir. Garnish by sprinkling Nutmeg on top.
Side note: I have not made this recipe, but I would be careful about the temperature of your hot milk, just to make sure you don't cook the egg.

5. Hot Buttered Rum - Another traditional winter time drink, but I like the twist on this recipe from the Food Whore. Ice cream!
- 1/2 c. butter, softened
- 1/2 c. brown sugar
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Cream together mix into 1 pint of vanilla ice cream. Store in freezer. Next boil water. When the water is boiled remove from heat and scoop out about 3 tablespoons of the batter and add 1-2 shots of rum. Then fill the rest of the glass with the water.
Side Note: I don't like boiling hot liquids since my mouth always gets burned. You could always just heat up the water until right before it boils if you're worried about that.

Three Takes on One Quiche

I don't know if this is a girl thing, or because I like French food, but I absolutely love quiche. It can be made in a million and one ways, be heavy or light, and as long as it's done right it's always good. I think you can put just about anything in a quiche, and as you'll see from the next few recipes, one little change can make a huge and yummy difference.

My father hates goat cheese, and I know that there are some people who are staunchly against this mild yet tangy cheese. But, it is extremely versatile and can mesh well with so many foods. It is a perfect companion for quiche because unlike some other cheeses, it does not get oily when heated and doesn't blend so much that the taste gets hidden. Here are three different options to this quiche, each one more delicious than the next.

Basic Goat Cheese Quiche
Ingredients:
- 5-6 eggs
- 1 pie crust (I like Pillsbury the best)
- 1/4-1/3 cup of cream
- 1 small container of crumbled goat cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Spray some nonstick cooking spray on your baking dish. This is especially important on the bottom edges as your pie crust there will stick the most.
2. Whisk eggs and cream together. You can either do this with a hand mixer or by hand. Whisking adds air to the eggs, and the more you whisk, the fluffier the quiche will be. Just don't whisk so much that the cream whips.
3. Add in the whole container of goat cheese and your other ingredients. Mix a little bit, then dump into your pie dish. Make sure the ingredients are spread out evenly in the dish and bake until the top is just starting to brown.

Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Quiche
-1 medium onion
-3 tbsp olive oil
-3 tbsp vinegar
-3 tbsp sugar

1. Slice up the onion real thin, then put in your pan with the other ingredients.
2. Cook on medium-high for a few minutes until the onions start to look a little cooked/opaque (stir often), then put the heat down to medium-low until the onions look like they are cooked
3. Then turn the heat down to the lowest setting and forget about them. They'll need to cook for about 30-45 minutes to get that nice dark brown color you see at the restaurants.
4. When adding to your quiche mixture, scoop out the onions with a slotted spoon. You don't need to add all those juices otherwise the vinegar and sugar are a little overpowering to the rest of the dish.

Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Quiche
- 1 Small Red Pepper

1. To make a roasted red pepper you must be ok with getting your stove top dirty. Turn on your gas burner (I think you can probably do this on a grill as well if you don't have a gas burner).
2. Put the red pepper on the burner. Turn the pepper until it's all charred on the outside (make sure you watch it, the pepper will catch fire -which is ok- but you don't want it to get out of control and burn your house down.
3. When it's cool enough to handle take the burnt skin off with your hands.
4. Slice into bite sized pieces and add to your quiche mix.

Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese Quiche
(this one's super simple)
- Smoked Salmon (I really like this from Trader Joe's. It is the freshest and least fishy smelling brand. I get the smaller sized pack.)

1. Slice up Smoked Salmon into bite sized pieces. And make sure you remove all the bones.
2. Add to the quiche mix.

I'm assuming you could add just about anything to the basic quiche and it would taste good (broccoli, peas and mushrooms, bacon, etc.). And the best part is that this dish can be great any time of day. On it's on for breakfast, with a salad for lunch, or as a side at dinner. I'd love to hear some ideas!

A reminder about why it's important to vote today

My Godmother sent me this email about a month ago, who knows if it's 100% accurate, but the message is still the same and I think it was important to share today.

This is the story of our Grandmothers and Great-Grandmothers who lived only 90 years ago.

Remember, it was not until 1920 that women were granted the right to go to the polls and vote.

The women were innocent and defenseless, but they were jailed nonetheless for picketing the White House, carrying signs asking for the vote.

And by the end of the night, they were barely alive.
Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden's blessing went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of 'obstructing sidewalk traffic.'

They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air.

They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate, Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack. Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging, beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women.

Thus unfolded the 'Night of Terror' on Nov. 15, 1917, when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right to vote.For weeks, the women's only water came from an open pail. Their food--all of it colorless slop--was infested with worms.


When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks until word was smuggled out to the press.

So, refresh my memory. Some women won't vote this year because -why, exactly? We have carpool duties? We have to get to work? Our vote doesn't matter? It's raining?

Last week, I went to a sparsely attended screening of HBO's new movie 'Iron Jawed Angels.' It is a graphic depiction of the battle these women waged so that I could pull the curtain at the polling booth and have my say. I am ashamed to say I needed the reminder.

All these years later, voter registration is still my passion. But the actual act of voting had become less personal for me, more rote. Frankly, voting often felt more like an obligation than a privilege. Sometimes it was inconvenient.


My friend Wendy, who is my age and studied women's history, saw the HBO movie, too. When she stopped by my desk to talk about it, she looked angry. She was--with herself. 'One thought kept coming back to me as I watched that movie,' she said. 'What would those women think of the way I use, or don't use, my right to vote? All of us take it for granted now, not just younger women, but those of us who did seek to learn.' The right to vote, she said, had become valuable to her 'all over again.'

HBO released the movie on video and DVD . I wish all history, social studies and government teachers would include the movie in their curriculum I want it shown on Bunco night, too, and anywhere else women gather. I realize this isn't our usual idea of socializing, but we are not voting in the numbers that we should be, and I think a little shock therapy is in order.

It is jarring to watch Woodrow Wilson and his cronies try to persuade a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she could be permanently institutionalized. And it is inspiring to watch the doctor refuse. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn't make her crazy.

The doctor admonished the men: 'Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity.'

We need to get out and vote and use this right that was fought so hard for by these very courageous women. Whether you vote democratic, republican or independent party - remember to vote.