Ditch That Itch!

Simply passing this along from one of my favorite FB "friends."

This stuff has worked on every mosquito bite this week...

KIOSK - Ditch That Itch!

kioskkiosk.com

Olive Oil, Cleavers, Chickweed & Beeswax

Massachusetts, USA

Mosquitoes are bad, worse than ever thanks to global warming I figure! I have been bitten up and down the coast in more places and more times than I can count. I noticed they have been going for the fingers this year. I favor natural products and while we were driving around Massachusetts and being swarmed I needed a new remedy as ours was not holding up. I caught site of Ditch That Itch! and decided ok, why not give it a go. Not only does it work but it really works, I mean really, really. Berkshires mosquito bites be gone! We went on to visit my friend on the North Shore; all of us were scratching at the table and everyone was complaining so I decided to share (after holding out for two days of selfishness, these products require rationing if you only have one small jar!). Again, itch be gone! All of the picky chicks around the table were in awe and if they were not immediately converted they soon jumped on the bandwagon. I currently consider this to be the perfect hostess gift, I am writing this at the end of September in New York City and we still have plenty of mosquitoes, some things never go out of fashion. Smells like beeswax.

Roll your way to fit!?

Maybe not, but I do swear by these little foam rollers. I keep one under my bedside table and try to spend a few minutes on it a few times a week.

In the words of my illustrious Pilates instructor of 5 years, "it is the poor man's masseuse." It does indeed work -- you can literally feel it working. Ouch! That's when you know you really need it.

The foam roller not only stretches muscles and tendons but it also breaks down soft tissue adhesions (this is where the ouch! enters the picture) and scar tissue. By using your own body weight and a cylindrical foam roller you can perform a self-massage or myofascial release, break up trigger points and soothe tight fascia while increasing blood flow and circulation to the soft tissues. These are all good things. Your body will thank you. Your chiropractor may, however, miss your visits!

Of all the exercise equipment I've ever purchased, this was certainly the best $20 ever spent! To learn to use it properly check out this informative article or watch this short YouTube video.

Homemade OREOS.

I've subscribed to Smitten Kitchen's blog for sometime now. I love the visual aspect of the blog as well as many of the delicious recipes and witty posts! I cannot say I've sampled many of the recipes yet, but the post on Homemade Oreos caught my eye. I was hooked. Oreos are a staple at our house. Don't get me wrong - I make homemade cookies often (actually more often than I'd like to admit), but the simplicity of an Oreo dunked in milk is simply perfect. Nonetheless, the thought of a homemade, and thus, clearly better Oreo piqued my interest.

I admit, however, that I was weary, or is it, leary of trying to improve upon a classic. Would it live up to my expectations?! Would it withstand a dunk in milk?! Would my crazy-finicky children even eat them?! I stalled. The recipe lay on my counter for weeks, maybe months. I found no good excuse, but one day me and my best kitchen helper, Livi (age 7), rolled up our sleeves and threw caution to the wind.

The result was delicious! Very sweet. A sugar splurge to be sure. I could have eaten the filling by the spoonful. And the wafers had a wonderful consistency - crunchy on the outside and yet still a bit chewy inside. Isn't this ultimately the sign of the perfect cookie?

But do they compare? Well, yes and no. Yes, they are delicious and addictive! But no, they are not the same. In my book, they are indeed, better.

Don't believe me? Well, then you'll just have to try them for yourself. Milk required.

For the complete recipe click here.

Chocolate Cloud Cake

Ok, first a confession: I am addicted to chocolate. Not your average Hershey chocolate bar. No thank you. I crave deep, dark, rich chocolate. I adore homemade chocolate chip cookies. Brownies make me cry for joy. What I do not generally care for, however, is chocolate cake -- generally too airy and dry and lacking in the intense chocolate I crave so much. 'Tis not the case with flourless varieties, however, which is why the chocolate cake section of my recipe journal lacks more than a tablespoon or two of flour. Dense chocolate cakes make me happy. Warm gooey chocolate cakes bring me to my knees. So, when I read over Nigella Lawson's recipe for the flourless variety she calls "Chocolate Cloud Cake" I was immediately smitten.

Last Friday evening we had friends over for a casual dinner. Finally, an excuse to try this recipe! I'm not certain if they too have an out-of-control chocolate addiction, but I do know that no one uttered a word until their respective dessert plate was clean. Sips of wine, yes, but no words.

Ingredients
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, minimum 70 percent cocoa solids
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
6 eggs, 2 whole, 4 separated
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur, optional (recommended: Cointreau ~ I substituted Grand Mariner because I had it in the cabinet)
1 orange, zested

For the cream topping:
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange-flavored liqueur, optional (recommended: Cointreau ~ ditto above)
1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder, for sprinkling (I skipped this step, opting instead for the pure white cloud effect)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9" spring-form cake pan with baking parchment.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, add the butter and let melt in the warm chocolate.

Beat the 2 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks with 1/3 cup of the sugar, then gently add the chocolate mixture, the orange-flavored liqueur and the orange zest.

In another bowl, whisk the 4 egg whites until foamy, then gradually add the remaining sugar and whisk until the whites hold their shape but are not too stiff. Lighten the chocolate mixture with a dollop of egg whites, and then fold in the rest of the whites. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the cake is risen and cracked and the center is no long wobbly. Cool the cake in its pan on a wire rack; the middle will sink as it cools.

When you are ready to eat, place the still pan-bound cake on a cake stand or plate for serving and carefully remove the sides of the pan from the cake. Don't worry about cracks or rough edges, it's the crater look we're going for here. Whip the cream until it's soft and then add the vanilla and orange-flavored liqueur and continue whisking until the cream is firm but not stiff. Fill the crater of the cake with the whipped cream, easing it out gently towards the edges of the cake, and dust the top lightly with cocoa powder pushed through a tea-strainer.

Calling all mini Mavericks.

Shopping online today and ran across these darling aviator shades! So much cooler than the traditional molded plastic neon mess we generally see when trying to find something to shield our wee ones' eyes.

Oh, and the price is right!

2 for $5.00.

The Children's Place