Sink Your Teeth Into A Monte Cristo Sandwich

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.


I know I've been slacking on the blog posts this past month, but I decided to take February to knock off some much needed things on my to-do list that have been piling up. One of those things was making time to have lunch with a longtime girlfriend of mine. We go way back, all the way to middle school, but because adulting sucks, for the past few years we've only been able to keep in touch on Facebook. Our birthdays are a month apart, so when we hit that 40th milestone, I knew we had to get together to celebrate. As we caught up over margaritas, I found myself stealing glances at the sandwich on her plate- a scrumptious looking Monte Cristo. I've never had one myself, and honestly never attempted to make one at home because it just sounds like a fancy sandwich that would be complicated to make. But, she assured me it was actually really easy, she never follows a recipe, and her sons go nuts for them every time it's served for dinner. Unlike my friend, I usually need to have a recipe to follow when attempting something new in the kitchen, so I came home and immediately scoured Golden Blossom Honey to see if they had an easy to follow recipe for a Monte Cristo Sandwich, and sure enough they did!

Don't let the fancy sounding name fool you, because this was one of the easiest hot lunches I have ever tossed together for my family. While I don't eat lunch meat myself (gave it up years ago because of IBD issues), Jason and Allison raved about how tasty they were. Hosting a brunch any time soon? Pop this on the menu for an almost effortless main course. Be sure to make extra dipping sauce though, because it will go quick!

Ingredients

Mustard Dipping Sauce:

1/4 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY MUSTARD
1 tablespoon orange juice

Sandwich:
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 slices lean deli ham
4 slices smoked turkey
4 slices Swiss cheese
8 slices white or wheat bread
2 tablespoons butter
powdered sugar for garnish, optional

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey!

What's something that you'd like to get knocked off of your to-do list soon?

 

Raspberry Chiffon Pie for Valentine's Day ♥

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.


Happy Valentine's Day! Did you plan anything special for this day of love? Whether you celebrate it or not, I think most of us can agree that February 14 can't be passed by without sampling a little sweet treat. I thought about making something chocolatey for the family today, but changed my mind when I remembered I had raspberries in the fridge that I needed to use up. I found this Raspberry Chiffon Pie on Golden Blossom Honey this week and thought it sounded so perfect for the holiday. 

The mashed raspberries give this pie such a bright, beautiful color that is so lovely for Valentine's Day. Don't like raspberries? Swap them for strawberries instead. Blueberries would work too, but you won't get the pretty pink coloring that makes the pie so adorable for a lovey dovey dessert. This is a no-bake pie that can be set in just a few hours, so if you need a last minute dessert idea, be sure to grab the recipe now! 

Ingredients

1 (9-inch) Oreo cookie or graham cracker crust (found in the baking aisle)

Filling:
 
2 cups fresh raspberries or 1 (10-ounce) package frozen, if frozen thaw and drain, discard juice (strawberries can be substituted)
3/4 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM RAW HONEY, divided
1/4 cup cold water
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1 cup sour cream, light or regular

Garnish:
 
whipped cream
1/2 cup fresh raspberries

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey!

♥ How are you celebrating Valentine's Day? ♥

Comforting Scottish Bread

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.


For today's Golden Blossom Honey post, I was going to share a delicious recipe that would be great for Valentine's Day, but last night we were blanketed in snow and the whole cold and snowy vibe steered me in another direction. I don't love snow. At all. But, there is a small part of me that thinks it's really pretty to look at from a cozy space in my house. When it's blistery outside, I get an urge for bread making. There's something about filling the house with the scent of fresh baked bread and the warmth from the oven that make cold days a lot more tolerable. I kept coming back to this Scottish Bread recipe and finally gave into the urge to grab the ingredients from my cupboard and get to work.

This bread is such a comfort food during the winter months. Jason bought me some peat bricks to burn, which remind me of an Irish countryside, and I imagine that they are used a lot in Scotland too. I've had a lot of things on my mind these past few weeks, so I lit me some peat, brewed a cup of tea, then sat down with this Scottish bread and watched the snow gently coat the world outside while I let my mind wander. This bread doesn't require a lot of kneading and you can have it complete from start to finish in under 40 minutes. It's slightly sweet, making it perfect for your breakfast needs or afternoon tea. 

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey!

Do you find comfort in baking when the weather turns cold and snowy outside?

 

Kinsale, You Color My World!

Ireland is filled with a vastness of patchwork landscape, old castles and fortresses, and amazing coastlines. These were all things I couldn't wait to see in person, and they did not disappoint. What I didn't expect to run into on our Ireland travels were fun, brightly colored towns, like what we ran into on the Dingle Peninsula. I'm a girl who's a sucker for brightly colored towns, and while I didn't plan a stop on our itinerary, we ended up parking our car one sleepy morning to take a stroll through Kinsale.

We left our Airbnb bright and early one morning to continue our road trip up to Cobh, so when we arrived in Kinsale, stores and restaurants weren't quite open for business yet. That didn't stop me from wanting to walk the town streets to soak in the happy looking shops.

Upon reading up on the town, I don't think there are any stand out attractions in Kinsale, but if you're going to be in the area and have a little time to kill, I definitely think it's worth spending a day popping in and out of the shops, cafes and restaurants because the town is just too stinkin' charming to pass by completely. I saw this cute little reading cafe and couldn't resist snapping a quick pic as I was walking by. I didn't even notice the lovers saying their goodbyes in the doorway until I got home because I was so busy thinking how cool it would be to own a reading cafe LOL.

And these flowers along the Lemon Leaf Cafe had me dreaming of owning a girly little cafe just like this some day.

Jason couldn't resist some of the quirky signs we found while walking about the town:

Even when you leave the "shopping district", the colorful charm doesn't wear off. You'll find brightly colored houses that just fit in with the overall vibe of Kinsale. I love how these homeowners coordinated their hydrangeas with their house color ♥

And a pink rowboat!? Be still my heart! I can just imagine a Notebook type of moment happening in that boat.

And I absolutely loved their speed limit signs. Instead of the flashing "slow down" signs you get here in the US, they used smiles and frowns to let you know if your speed is within the limits.

I really enjoyed the overall atmosphere of Kinsale and do think it's worth a small trek through if you're already going to be in the area. Like I said, there weren't any attractions to really draw tourists in, but the colorful buildings sure were fun and made me feel really happy as we were wandering through. That alone is worth a stop in my book!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider following me on Instagram for more travel related content.

Yay or Nay on brightly painted buildings?

Why I Drink Alkaline Water on My Travels

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.


We just returned last week from a whirlwind road trip up the west coast. We rented an RV, packed up some clothes, and off we went. 

We have traveled to many amazing places over the years, but this was our first time traveling by RV so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect or if I was even going to like our travel and sleeping accommodations. While RV'ing isn't exactly "roughing it", I'm a girl who likes the luxury of instant hot water, a cozy mattress, and a little privacy- none of which are available in a recreational vehicle. But, there are positives too: no hotel fees, eating your own groceries, and having a bathroom readily available when you need it (big plus for those with IBD!) The water source on the RV isn't drinkable, which is a minor inconvenience, so I made sure I packed my favorite DYLN water bottle to ensure I stayed properly hydrated on this vacation. 

Did you know that most people experience dehydration on some level when they travel? Airplane air is super dry, causing your body to lose water as you jet across the skies. When traveling by car, while sitting, our bodies are naturally warmer, causing us to sweat and lose body moisture, too. Sometimes we don't realize we are dehydrated until we become light headed and dizzy. But, this can be easily prevented simply by drinking more water throughout the day. That's why I always have my DYLN Alkaline Water Bottle on hand, whether I am traveling by plane, train, or automobile. 

What makes the DYLN Alkaline Water Bottle different from other water bottles on the market? The DYLN Bottle is an alkalizing, vacuum-insulated water bottle that can help combat acidity by increasing the pH of your water within minutes. DYLN also reduces the Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP) of your water to -150, making it antioxidant to help protect against free radicals. DYLN also makes water hydrogen-enriched, which has been shown to boost energy, improve recovery and lower inflammation.

Why is this important? Because most people following a Western diet have experienced acid reflux, or temporary acidosis, at one time or another. Unfortunately, when we eat out instead of cooking these symptoms can be exacerbated. Being too acidic can lead to unhealthy skin, mood problems, additional digestive issues, and a compromised immune system.

How does it work? Simply insert the VitaBead Diffuser into the bottle and within minutes your water is alkalized and ready to drink. Since the DYLN bottle offers double-walled vacuum insulation, your water stays cold and refreshing for up to 24 hours. The VitaBead Diffuser is good for up to 315 refills, so think of all the plastic bottle waste you're saving from polluting the environment!

This most recent trip took me through the desserts of Arizona all the way up to Seattle, Washington. While my family was buried under snow back home, I was busy trekking though what I would consider a minor heat wave (at least to a girl from the Midwest! LOL). With all that go, go, going, this girl had to make sure she stayed properly hydrated, so I was glad I thought to bring my DYLN bottle along for the ride. It saw the Joshua trees in Arizona, the mountains in Yosemite, the waterfalls of Oregon, and the sunrise over the Golden Gate Bridge.

But I was most thankful to have it on hand as we hiked through the massive redwood trees in Jedediah State Park because I was so engrossed in their beauty, we stayed out walking through them way longer than I anticipated. It was good to have clean, refreshing alkalized water on hand then!

I will share more about my west coast travels at a later date, but if you're planning to do some traveling yourself, be sure to have a DYLN Alkaline Water Bottle on hand to stay properly hydrated!

What travel adventures do you have planned for 2020?

Make Valentine's Day Special with Chocolate Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.


Y'all, I don't even know where January went, but it sure came and went with a quickness! That means we're just a few short weeks away from Valentine's Day and it's time to start thinking about what treats we may want to pass out to our loved ones. For me, I like homemade baked goods the best, to both give and receive. Sure, we can all go to the grocers and plunk down a little cash for a box of chocolates or already made cookies for gifting. But, to me nothing says love more than the time and effort spent in the kitchen whipping up a tasty treat. Thankfully, with the right recipe, you don't have to spend too much time baking up a batch of fabulousness to pass out on the day of love. Need the right recipe? I've got you covered. You just need to check out this Chocolate Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies recipe from Golden Blossom Honey. 

Peanut butter has always been the way to my husband's heart, but if you add in chocolate, that's just the icing on the cake. If you have a peanut butter and chocolate lover in your life, these peanut butter kiss cookies will score you extra points this Valentine's Day. If served warm out of the oven with a cold glass of milk, even better! Who wouldn't love a melt in your mouth brownie-like cookie with a warm peanut butter kiss on top?

Ingredients

1 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons sugar
36 unwrapped chocolate peanut butter candy kisses

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey!

Do you prefer to receive homemade or store bought Valentine's Day treats?