Thrifty Thursday: 4-Minute Sweet Corn

Let me just say that I use a microwave, whether or not you consider that green is up to you, but let me tell you that by making this corn in the microwave I don't heat up my house by boiling it on the stove (which then might means I spend more money and electricity to cool down the house) plus it takes longer to boil it than than make it this way, so I may use more energy cooking in on the stove.

Also, I didn't gook it on the grill, which takes propane and unless I am already cooking my meat in the grill I would be using unnecessary propane and it take much longer to cook on the grill than in the microwave.

This pretty much cooks the corn perfectly. Just remove any long tassels or husk leave sticking out and stick it on the microwave for 4 minutes. That's it, Easy-peasy!

When you take it out, cut it off at the stem ends and discard that part.

Then from the tassle top part, start squeezing the top and it will begin to push out. It also pretty much removes all of the tassles from the cob and they stay nicely in the husks. And there you have a very easy to make and serve piece of sweet corn.

Don't forget to compost the remains that don't have butter on them. :)

Reviews: #SurfsUpVoxBox from #Influenster w/ Not Your Mother's Beach Babe #NYMBeachBabe and F.A.S.T. #FASTrelief

Here is everything I received to review (disclosure: no monetary compensation was received and all thoughts and opinions and photograpghs belong to me) in the #SurfsUpVoxBox from Influenster in the above picture. Below I will tell you my thoughts on some of the products. You can read my thoughts on the Jamba Juice in my review with Protein Smoothie Recipe.

This travel size pack of Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Shampoo and Conditioner went straight in to my daughter's swim team bag for her to you in the lockerroom after practice. I asked her what she thought of them and she thought they worked good and the shampoo got nice and sudsy and seemed to hep take the chlorine out. She thought the conditioner helped make her hair not feel so dry after the pool

 Sinful Colors Nail Polish -- Love, love love1 This color! It works well and is durable. I stayed chip free for a couple days and I am hard on my hands!

Posted this review on Wal-Mart.com:

I found this to be very helpful in helping soothe my skin after I had been in the sun too long while we were fishing. Love the light scent to it as well.  I did receive this product to review from Influenster, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Works as described and brought fast relief. Note that there is caffiene in this item, 65mg per bottle. So, take this only if you are ok with the effects of caffiene at that point in your day. I received one of these to review from Influenster, so I didn't get to try it more than once. I used it after I felt sore from a run but still was going paddleboarding later in the day.

Throwback Thursday: Camp MOM

I am heading back to last year right around this time when my friend Becky and I took her twins and my daughter to Camp MOM. I never got around to sharing these 2 pictures, so I am doing it now.

I did however share a bunch of other pictures and projects from Camp MOM and you can see them all in a nice list here:

• Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Campground (where we went)
• DIY Camp Lanterns (project #1)
• Glam'd Up Flip Flops (project #2)
• Banana Cone Smores

We also make Camp MOM shirts from plain t-shirts and puffy paint, did a bunch of cooking outdoors, went hiking and canoeing, played at the park and went swimming at the lake.

We did all this together because I dropped the ball last year on getting my daughter signed up for her first overnight camp (which she decided against this year) and so I decided to create a "Camp Experience" for her complete with all the crafts and activities and bunkmates that going to an overnight camp offers.

Wordless Wednesday: Bay Beach Amusement Park

Bay Beach Amusement Park in Green Bay, WI

Try It Tuesday: Natural Shea Butter Hair Mask & GIVEAWAY/ Review Beauty By Shea Organic Shea Butter

You can easily make a hair mask at home using one simple ingredient, raw organic unfiltered shea butter. That's it! No artificial ingredients, nothing else besides shea butter. I had the opportunity to try using the Beauty by Shea Organic Shea Butter and see how it works on my naturally curly hair that I color.

My hair frequently dries due to the nature of naturally curly hair, combined with the fact that I color my hair, combined with the fact that I spend a lot of time outside in the sun and wind. I welcome anything that helps me make my hair look and feel healthy. The fact that this is just one pure organic ingredient is just wonderful and the fact that it works is even better!

A little goes a long way with shea butter. I have medium length hair and need a quarter size dollop of shea butter. Unrefined shea butter melts really quickly when you rub your hands together and can easily be applied to you hair.

Start at the ends (which are the driest and may have split ends) and work towards your roots. If your hair is longer you may need more shea butter. Once your hair of covered as much as you desire, cover it with either a shower cap or a hot towel. This will work with heat released from your head and help the shea butter to be absorbed into your hair strands. Allow to sit on your head for 20-30 minutes, then shower as usual.

My Thoughts:

This works really well as a hair mask and you do not need a lot. I am happy with how it works and love that it is just one simple organic ingredient and nothing else. I also use it as a moisturizer on my elbows and knees, both of which get quite dry and absorbs the shea butter quickly. It also works well to moisturize your feet. Just rub on your feet before bedtime and cover with socks and allow to absorb over night. You could do the same thing with your hands if you are prone to dry hands. No need to have multiple products in your beauty cabinet when you just need organic shea butter that can do what normally you might have several products for.

Product Description from Beauty by Shea

16 oz (1lb) of Pure Organic Unrefined Raw Shea Butter from Beauty By Shea is made with extra care to ensure you receive the purest Raw Shea Butter. Beauty By Shea Organic Shea Butter is double filtered, first in Ghana, and then at our US Lab where it is manufactured into our 1lb bricks, packaged into our heat sealed bags, and sent straight to Amazon thereby preserving the natural richness, and purity of the shea butter for our customers. Beauty By Shea 100% Ivory Organic Raw, Unrefined Shea Butter is imported directly from Ghana, and is 100% pure and natural, nothing else added! Naturally rich in essential vitamins for beautiful skin, Beauty By Shea Organic Shea Butter will nourish your skin with Vitamins A, E, F and K. Use this Beauty By Shea Organic Raw Shea Butter daily and often for beautiful, moisturized, luminous skin. Raw Organic Unrefined Shea Butter is perfect for topical use on skin and hair, and the perfect essential ingredient for homemade lotions, soaps, conditioners and more!

ONE LUCKY READER WILL WIN THEIR OWN

BEAUTY BY SHEA ORGANIC SHEA BUTTER

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I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

GIVEAWAY and Review: The Boxcar Children DVD

My Thoughts:

I just watched this with my 8 year old and 4 year old today. It is a good length (just under an hour) to watch for a family movie night with young kids. They both were very interested in the movie the entire time. My daughter was particularly interested in seeing this DVD because they have a series of the books at school that happen after they go live with their grandfather and play in the boxcar in the backyard. She didn't realize that there was a "before" were they actually lived in the boxcar and the adversity they had to overcome in order stay together and survive.

About the Film

Four orphaned and homeless siblings happen upon an abandoned boxcar, which with a little creativity and hard work, they gradually furnish with all the comforts of home. Fearful that they will be sent to live with the reputedly cruel grandfather they have never met, the children keep their new home a secret - until a serious illness forces them to reveal themselves in order to save young Violet.

About the Cast

Featuring an all-star cast of voice actors, including Academy Award Nominee Martin Sheen (Apocalypse Now), J.K. Simmons (Spiderman), Zach Gordon (Diary of a Wimpy Kid), Joey King (Fargo), Mackenzie Foy (Twilight series), and Jadon Sand (LEGO: The Movie), this is the very first full-length, animated feature adaptation of Gertrude Chandler Warner's best-selling classic!

Preorder at Walmart: http://www.walmart.com/ip/38107477

ONE LUCKY READER WILL WIN A DVD COPY OF

THE BOX CAR CHILDREN

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Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Make It Monday: Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken & Review of Kitchenmade Stainless Steel Cups

Whether you are trying to eat clean, low carb, paleo, or gluten-free, this recipe will fit in to any of those ways of eating. Plus you can quickly throw it in the crock pot and go to work or continue on with your day without worrying about supper, it will be hot and ready for you when you need it!

Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken
2 C salsa
1 small red onion, chopped
1/3 C fresh cilantro, minced
juice of 1 lime

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients in a 2 1/2 Qt slow cooker
• Stir everything
• Cook on Low for 8 hours or high for 5 hours
• Serve over rice or quinoa.
• Enjoy!

My Thoughts on Kitchenmade Stainless Steel Measuring Cups:

I was immediately impressed with the Kitchenmade Stainless Steel Measuring Cups before I even took them out of the box and saw them because of the weight of the package. They are a good quality set of measuring cups that are made of 18/8 polished stainless steel. You can see from the picture that the set of 6 cups nest inside each other nicely so they don't take up a lot of room in your drawer or cupboard. The sizes include 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, and 1 Cup. The measurements are all engraved on them and include both the cup measurements and mL measuements. 

Each cup is one piece, meaning that the handles are not separate so they will not break off ever. These are great if you are trying to get away from using plastics. I have some glass measuring cups, but they don't get smaller than 1 C and don't next inside each other as nicely as these do. Plus these stainless steel cups are great for measuring dry ingredients and leveling off with the back of a butter knife.

These measuring cups will last a long time. It will probably be the last set of measuring cups I will ever need to get.

You can buy the Kitchenmade Stainless Steel Measuring Cups on Amazon.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.