Posts in Lifestyle
Extra Buttery Grilled Pancakes Made from Scratch

This extra buttery pancake recipe has been a staple in my house for several years now. Pancake breakfast is a Saturday morning tradition for us with the kids - it’s one of the few meals that everyone in the house loves without question!

I have no idea where this recipe originally came from, it’s been scribbled down on a piece of binder paper in my kitchen drawer for years. I have finally taken the time to properly document this recipe so I can share it with friends and family.

The thing that makes this recipe unique is the mix of both melted butter and oil in the batter. When the melted butter hits the cold milk in the bowl it turns into little butter crystals. These intentionally stay “clumpy” in the batter until it’s poured on to the hot frying pan. Then the butter crystals melt while they’re grilling on the pan and the end result is very buttery pancakes with a perfect buttered glazed finish.

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Review of Honest Company Diaper Subscription - All the Pros and Cons Explained

I’ve been a mama for almost 4 years now and we’ve been using the Honest Diaper Subscription Service through the birth of two babies. At this point I feel confident in giving a through and informative review for anyone considering signing up.

My daughter is now 3.5 years old and my son just turned one year old. With Scout we began using Honest Diapers just a few months after she was born all the way until potty training with pull-ups. I’m grateful to say that she is now fully potty trained and has graduated to big girl underwear, so now we only use the Honest Diaper service for my son Beau.

In this blog post I will break-down all the pros and cons of the Honest Diaper subscription service. This is not a sponsored post and I’m more than willing to share the positives along with the pain points of this service.

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Easy Recipe for Spicy Chicken Low Carb Keto Shirataki Ramen Noodles

There are recipes that I make multiple times a month simply because they are both easy to make and oh so delicious. My keto ramen soup is one of them!

This ramen recipe is by no means authentic or culturally correct, it’s just a culinary jewel I whipped up in my kitchen while playing around with flavors. I like to make healthier versions of “junk food”, especially when I’m having cravings for savory and spicy things. This is such an easy replacement for high carb noodles and keeps your healthy eating on track.

You can easily whip this up in less than 20 minutes without cutting any corners or compromising taste. It just takes a little bit of food prep and then throw it all into a frying pan. Most of the ingredients are items you’ll already find in your pantry and fridge.

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English Trifle Recipe with Custard, Raspberry Jam and Sherry

Traditional English trifle is a desert dish characterized by layers of cake, fruits, jams, custards and is served in a large glass bowl. Trifle is often spiked with some sweet alcohol such as brandy, sherry or white wine. The Brits often serve trifle for Christmas desert.

By far my favorite Rose family tradition is enjoying my mom’s English trifle every Christmas. She came to visit us here in Sacramento and together we made her signature trifle so that I could document the recipe for the blog.

While we all grew up in California, we love to honor our English heritage with this classic English dessert. My mother was taught this recipe from her wonderful old family friend named Wilma Woods. Wilma made this trifle every Christmas for dessert when our family went to the Woods’ house for Christmas dinner.

Mrs. Woods told my mom that trifle was a recipe created to use up old, stale cake that no one wanted. Since it rarely happens that there is uneaten cake, we have to make a cake to use in the trifle. Hence it is best made ahead a day or so and allowed to “dry out” a bit first so it will absorb all the ingredients.

Because this recipe is best made in stages, planning ahead is very important. It’s vital to give yourself plenty of time for the cake to cool and the custard and Jello to set in the refrigerator.

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Ideas for Your Tropical Themed Charcuterie Board and Grazing Table

The tropical party theme is perfect for events and gatherings such as baby showers, gender reveal parties, bridal parties, birthdays, Galentine’s Day and more. For example if you’re hosting a home reception for an island destination wedding, a tropical themed grazing table can really help to cultivate those island vibes in your hometown.

Hosts putting on summer parties can also benefit from the colors and flavors of tropical-themed foods. On hot days the fresh fruit and lighter eats really compliment the summer vibes and atmosphere. The tropical theme can also lend itself to a Hawaiian Luau or even Caribbean inspired parties.

In my guide I will give tropical-themed food suggestions along with decor and hosting ideas. While there are many well-known foods and symbols associated with all those tropical vibes, I promise you’ll find some new and unexpected surprises in this blog post.

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Simple Ways to Elevate Your Everyday Moments

Most of the days that make up our lives are routine and ordinary. We wake up, go to work, eat mediocre meals, etc. But the reality is that there are so many magical moments hidden within those 12 hours, you just need to learn how to find them.

There are so many small components that make up our day, both tangible and intangible. And by far the majority of them are choices we’ve made. We chose our homes, the clothes we wear, the foods we eat, almost everything is a choice. I truly believe you can chose joy. You can be very proactive in your own wellness journey by finding small ways to brighten your day.

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The Clean Eating Grocery List from Raley's O-N-E Market

We’ve all had those moments where you’re standing in the grocery store examining a food product to figure out if its actually as healthy as it claims to be. The food industry has come up with all kids of deceiving ways to cut costs and artificially enhance products, and as a consumer it can be very difficult to know exactly what you’re consuming. Not to mention wether the brands you’re purchasing are using eco-friendly and sustainable practices. In a traditional grocery store it can be an endless guessing game with no real answers.

Raley’s O-N-E Market is a new type of grocery experience where you can feel confident that you’re making legitimate healthy decisions. Every item they sell inside their stores has high quality ingredients, organic when possible, minimally processed and sustainably sourced.

In order to maintain their very high standards they don’t foods that contain anything on their banned ingredients list. This comprehensive banned ingredients list is very lengthy and covers all kinds of categories such as food, drinks, beauty and wellness, household supplies, home and garden and more. It truly is a one stop shop for everything on your shopping list!

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Plant Based and Vegan Charcuterie Board Ideas

If you’re looking to put a healthy twist on the classic charcuterie board then look no further! While traditionally these boards are filled with fatty deli meats and dairy cheese, I have listed several plant based and vegan options for a lighter and healthier assortment.

These types of grazing boards are easy to throw together and can be served for all kinds of occasions. From date night to larger gatherings, a pretty charcuterie board instantly makes it a party!

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Sneak Peek at the Christmas Prime Rib Dinner from Raley’s

There’s a good chance you spent the week of Thanksgiving running around the grocery store picking up ingredients, followed by long hours laboring in the kitchen. Give yourself a break from all the frantic shopping and cooking with a premade holiday meal from Raley’s.

We were lucky enough to get an early preview of Raley’s Prime Rib Christmas dinner. We had no problems being taste testers of this family sized feast!

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Planning Guide to a Traditional Nochebuena Holiday Celebration

My household is comprised of mixed heritages so we celebrate the holidays in all kinds of ways. My husband’s family comes from Mexico and on my side we are mostly English and Irish. Our kids are lucky to have so much diversity because it just means more reasons celebrate!

Christmas Day is the big event for most Western cultures with a morning family brunch, opening gifts and then a big Christmas dinner. In Latino households Christmas Eve is known as Nochebuena which translate to “A Good Night” in Spanish. Nochebuena is the biggest evening of celebration for traditional Mexican families and it’s the one my husband remembers most from his childhood.

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Checklist and Shopping Guide for Second Baby

We’re about to re-enter the crazy world of labor and delivery, and then having a newborn. But this time around we also have a 2-year-old toddler in the mix, which definitely makes things a bit more complicated.

By the time your second baby arrives you’re already in full-blown parent mode. Fortunately we already know how some of the journey ahead will go, but learning to balance our attention to two children is a new experience.

Having the right gear can definitely make the transition easier for both the parents and the children. You may also want to refresh your baby gear with new and upgraded products. Some items can be re-used from your first baby, and others may have to replaced.

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Complete Guide to Owning a Pet Hedgehog

Hedgehogs are charming and fascinating creatures that make unique and rewarding pets. The photos in this blog post are of Melon, my sister’s blonde African Pygmy Hedgehog. Whenever I visit her in Austin, I get to spend some quality time with this adorable little pincushion.

In this article, we will provide a complete guide to owning a pet hedgehog, including information on their breeds, lifespan, care, feeding, supplies needed and more. To be a responsible and knowledgeable pet owner, it’s important to learn all about what goes into owning your own pet hedgehog.

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Healthy Mealtime Mom Hacks for Days When You Don't Have Time to Cook

There are many moments in motherhood when you’re just too tired or busy to spend time in the kitchen cooking healthy meals from scratch. But that doesn’t mean you want to resort to fast food or overly processed junk food.

This guide will give you helpful tips that you can resort to when you’re crunched for time or in a pinch. I’ve also taken into account scenarios when you’re low on fresh groceries and freezer or pantry foods are your only option.

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DIY Yayoi Kusama Painted Pumpkins

Halloween is coming up quickly this October and we decided to get crafty with some DIY pumpkin painting. My 2-year-old daughter Scout insists that Halloween shouldn’t be scary, so instead we decided to make it colorful and full of art.

Keep reading to see my step-by-step guide to planning and creating your own Yayoi Kusama inspired painted pumpkins for the fall season.

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Over 35 Zero Waste and Eco-Friendly Period Products

Let’s the honest, as women our periods are a bit of a drag. And it adds insult to injury that they also wreck havoc on our environment because most period sanitary products on the market are not designed with eco-friendly materials.

The average woman will dispose of 11,000 sanitary items in a lifetime, most of which contain plastics and are not biodegradable. Many of these disposed products end up in landfills and our oceans.

The good news is there’s a growing market for both eco-friendly and zero waste period sanitary products. For all my frugal savvy gals, investing in these products will actually save you a lot of money in the long run. It takes an average of 3 period cycles for these products to pay for themselves.

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The Complete Guide to the Myers Cocktail IV Treatment

We often associate IV drips with sickness and hospital stays. You may not realize that IV drip bags have recently become a new wellness trend and IV bars have started opening up in wellness hot spots cities such as Los Angeles, New York City and London. Instead of going to a juice or smoothie bar, you can actually go to a IV bar to get boost of vitamins and hydration.

With the increasing interest in IV treatments, it is helpful to know more about the different options. IV treatments deliver vitamins and electrolytes straight into the bloodstream, which is ideal for those who may use them at a pace the body can’t keep up with or for those who have difficulty absorbing vitamins and minerals.

One of the most popular options is the Myers Cocktail. It gets its name from John Myers, M.D., who pioneered the use of intravenous vitamins and minerals to treat various medical conditions. Here’s all you need to know about the Myers Cocktail.

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Black and Herbal Teas Handmade By Artisans

Once the weather starts to get cold in the autumn season, I immediately I want to bundle up with a hot cup of tea in my hands. You really can’t get the full hygge experience without a warming hot beverage to sip and enjoy.

Artisan teas are especially wonderful on chilly days because you are enjoying both the aromas and the warmth in your mug, it’s truly a delight for the senses. These loose leaf teas are handcrafted by tea connoisseurs who carefully select the best herbs, flowers, dried fruits and more to create these highly complex tea blends.

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