I finally was able to try Martha’s Pick from May Martha Stewart Living – Frederic Fekkai’s Ageless Rejuvenating Shampoo.  I was excited to try this since it is a name I’ve heard and I think Fekkai does (or maybe did?) Martha’s hair. It sounded like a real “product of the stars”! This was on back order so I waited a while to get it. I paid $35 for 7 ounces, plus shipping. Eek.

The shampoo smells nice and has a nice consistency and feel. It lathers really, really well.  I used this for a week. And I wasn’t impressed. My hair was limp. Now, I have very curly hair and I do not straighten it. I like my hair with body and curl. This shampoo made it look sad and stringy. Definitely not for me. I can’t say how someone with straight or wavy hair would like it. All I can tell you is it’s not something I’m interested in shelling out for. So far Martha’s picks are not impressing me! I’ve tried four. I only really liked one, but it was overpriced.

I finally was able to try Martha’s Pick from May Martha Stewart Living – Frederic Fekkai’s Ageless Rejuvenating Shampoo.  I was excited to try this since it is a name I’ve heard and I think Fekkai does (or maybe did?) Martha’s hair. It sounded like a real “product of the stars”! This was on back … Read more →

I finally was able to try Martha’s Pick from May Martha Stewart Living – Frederic Fekkai’s Ageless Rejuvenating Shampoo.  I was excited to try this since it is a name I’ve heard and I think Fekkai does (or maybe did?) Martha’s hair. It sounded like a real “product of the stars”! This was on back order so I waited a while to get it. I paid $35 for 7 ounces, plus shipping. Eek.

The shampoo smells nice and has a nice consistency and feel. It lathers really, really well.  I used this for a week. And I wasn’t impressed. My hair was limp. Now, I have very curly hair and I do not straighten it. I like my hair with body and curl. This shampoo made it look sad and stringy. Definitely not for me. I can’t say how someone with straight or wavy hair would like it. All I can tell you is it’s not something I’m interested in shelling out for. So far Martha’s picks are not impressing me! I’ve tried four. I only really liked one, but it was overpriced.

I finally was able to try Martha’s Pick from May Martha Stewart Living – Frederic Fekkai’s Ageless Rejuvenating Shampoo.  I was excited to try this since it is a name I’ve heard and I think Fekkai does (or maybe did?) Martha’s hair. It sounded like a real “product of the stars”! This was on back … Read more →

First, I apologize to all Martha Mondays members because when it comes to crafts like these, I am just hopeless.  I gave it my best shot, but I’m pretty much a total crafting loser.

This week’s Martha Mondays project was pom poms.  I chose to make the napkin ring pom poms. I measured my tissue paper, cut it and folded it. I was fine to this point.

Then I twisted the wire and tried to fluff the tissue. Here is where things got ugly. Somehow, this seemed too long to be for a napkin ring. It looked like a giant bizarre butterfly. I am not very good at fluffing.

I tried to put another wire higher up from the fold, so there would be less paper

first attempt

flapping around and that worked better. The results were still not that impressive, but that’s due to my ineptitude. I am sure this project worked just fine for others. I do think this is a cute alternative to napkin rings. A friend of mine recently gave a luncheon at her house and didn’t have napkin rings that matched. This would have been a nice project for her because she could have made them in any color she wanted to match.

Second attempt

First, I apologize to all Martha Mondays members because when it comes to crafts like these, I am just hopeless.  I gave it my best shot, but I’m pretty much a total crafting loser. This week’s Martha Mondays project was pom poms.  I chose to make the napkin ring pom poms. I measured my tissue … Read more →

Anything that has “double chocolate” in the name is going to be a winner for me. Add the word “cookies” to that, and I am in tears of joy. Given this, clearly I had to make Martha’s Flourless Double Chocolate Pecan Cookies from September Martha Stewart Everyday Food.

This recipe is presented as one for special diets (i.e. gluten free), however there’s no reason anyone can’t make and enjoy this recipe. I was amazed at how easy this it was.

Whisking the dry ingredients

You whisk (to get the lumps out) together powdered sugar (3 c) and cocoa (3/4 c) and 1/2 tsp salt. Then stir in 4 oz of chopped bittersweet chocolate and 1 1/2 c chopped pecans. Stir in 4 egg whites and you’re done. Unbelievably simple and no creaming of butter and sugar. I found the egg whites a bit hard to mix in. It took a lot of work to combine, but I was doing it by hand.

Here’s my quibble with the recipe. Martha says to drop 1/4 cups of the dough onto a cookie sheet and bake at 325. Holy cow, that makes huge cookies. I would make these MUCH smaller. They would also take less time to bake then

The results

(mine took 30 minutes even though Martha says 25).  They’re supposed to be done when the top crackles – mine crackled but were still mushy in the middle so I needed extra time. If you made them smaller they would bake faster and you could also eat one entire cookie without feeling like a giant pig.

These cookies were wonderful. If you bake them long enough, they are amazingly crispy and crunchy. They are very substantial though and do not feel like they are flourless. This is a recipe everyone can enjoy – and it is very simple to whip up!

Anything that has “double chocolate” in the name is going to be a winner for me. Add the word “cookies” to that, and I am in tears of joy. Given this, clearly I had to make Martha’s Flourless Double Chocolate Pecan Cookies from September Martha Stewart Everyday Food. This recipe is presented as one for … Read more →

The idea of roasting a chicken with plums is not something I would have ever thought of on my own. In fact, it seemed slightly odd to me. But I wanted to give it a try, and I’m happy others have joined me in making it for Martha Mondays. So here are my results for Roast Chicken with Plums, from September Martha Stewart Living.

This recipe was quite easy. Basically you stick some rosemary in a chicken and roast it. You take it out part way through and put some cut up plums mixed with honey in the pan, and cook some other plums separately in another pan with rosemary and  butter.

It doesn’t get much simpler than that. I didn’t truss my chicken, because once again I was caught without twine (sorry Martha). I also divided the recipe in half since I wasn’t feeding 12 and didn’t need 2 chickens.

This went very smoothly. I got the chicken cooking then added the plums. It all cooked in exactly the time Martha predicted (love when that happens and I also am loving roasting chickens at 450 degrees as she directs – much higher than the temp I used to cook them at). The plums got quite mushy and were like chunky applesauce with skin. Initially, I put them on the platter with the chicken, but ended up putting them in a bowl so the chicken could be carved.

I loved it! This was wonderful. The plums are an unexpected flavor to go with the chicken, but it really worked. They are sweet, but not too sweet. The chicken was perfectly cooked and was moist and delicious. I ate plum and chicken together in each bite and it was in perfect harmony.  This is a recipe I’ll be making again.

How was yours? Please share!

The idea of roasting a chicken with plums is not something I would have ever thought of on my own. In fact, it seemed slightly odd to me. But I wanted to give it a try, and I’m happy others have joined me in making it for Martha Mondays. So here are my results for … Read more →

Since my grandmother passed away in May, I’ve been sorting through the things I inherited and looking for ways to use and enjoy them in as Martha a way as possible.

I have a lot her costume jewelry, including clip on earrings. I took 7 pairs of earrings to the jeweler, including the 5 pairs of ivory she brought back from Africa (ivory is illegal to import now and the jeweler told me she wouldn’t even know how to value it) and 2 rhinestone pairs, and had them change them from clips to posts. In the back of the photo, you’ll see an ivory carving of three elephants. We think this was a brooch or a pin at some point, but the back must have come off. I had the jeweler make this into a tie clip for my son, so that he could have a piece too. I was surprised that all this work was relatively inexpensive – $77 for all of it.  I’m happy to have taken a box of pretty things that were unusable and turned them into things that I and my children will be able to use and enjoy. I think my grandmother would be pleased.

Since my grandmother passed away in May, I’ve been sorting through the things I inherited and looking for ways to use and enjoy them in as Martha a way as possible. I have a lot her costume jewelry, including clip on earrings. I took 7 pairs of earrings to the jeweler, including the 5 pairs … Read more →

In my continuing effort to transform my life via Martha, I’m trying all of her “Martha’s Picks” that appear each month in Martha Stewart Living. In June, she recommended Dr. Hauschka’s Regenerating Serum. Martha says, “I like it because it hydrates my skin and leaves it firm and smooth.” She applies it before putting on makeup in the morning and before bed.

Martha recommended this once before, back in January when she had a recommendation a day on her show. So, off I went to Dr. Hauschka’s site to investigate this product. The description says it is for “mature skin” and that it minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. I am not sure what “mature skin” means. I’m 40, but Martha is in her late 60s. Am I mature enough? I don’t know.

I ordered a one ounce bottle and it cost me $99.98 with shipping. OUCH! I think this might have given me a few wrinkles, not to mention heartburn. I tried it for a week. The product is a clear liquid, not very thick at all. It has no real smell and you use only a drop for your whole face. I didn’t notice any change in the fine lines on my face. I have some, but not a lot. Maybe if I were older and had more, it would do something. I did notice that my face felt tighter throughout the day and maybe, just maybe, my skin looked smoother.  That’s a very small improvement for this price tag.  Perhaps if my skin were more “mature” I would see a bigger difference.  For me, this product isn’t worth the hefty price.

In my continuing effort to transform my life via Martha, I’m trying all of her “Martha’s Picks” that appear each month in Martha Stewart Living. In June, she recommended Dr. Hauschka’s Regenerating Serum. Martha says, “I like it because it hydrates my skin and leaves it firm and smooth.” She applies it before putting on … Read more →

In my continuing effort to transform my life via Martha, I’m trying all of her “Martha’s Picks” that appear each month in Martha Stewart Living. In June, she recommended Dr. Hauschka’s Regenerating Serum. Martha says, “I like it because it hydrates my skin and leaves it firm and smooth.” She applies it before putting on makeup in the morning and before bed.

Martha recommended this once before, back in January when she had a recommendation a day on her show. So, off I went to Dr. Hauschka’s site to investigate this product. The description says it is for “mature skin” and that it minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. I am not sure what “mature skin” means. I’m 40, but Martha is in her late 60s. Am I mature enough? I don’t know.

I ordered a one ounce bottle and it cost me $99.98 with shipping. OUCH! I think this might have given me a few wrinkles, not to mention heartburn. I tried it for a week. The product is a clear liquid, not very thick at all. It has no real smell and you use only a drop for your whole face. I didn’t notice any change in the fine lines on my face. I have some, but not a lot. Maybe if I were older and had more, it would do something. I did notice that my face felt tighter throughout the day and maybe, just maybe, my skin looked smoother.  That’s a very small improvement for this price tag.  Perhaps if my skin were more “mature” I would see a bigger difference.  For me, this product isn’t worth the hefty price.

In my continuing effort to transform my life via Martha, I’m trying all of her “Martha’s Picks” that appear each month in Martha Stewart Living. In June, she recommended Dr. Hauschka’s Regenerating Serum. Martha says, “I like it because it hydrates my skin and leaves it firm and smooth.” She applies it before putting on … Read more →

A few summers ago we went to Hilton Head (a bit disastrous due to jellyfish stings and the seemingly unavailability of fresh local seafood in stores – unless you buy it out of the back of a pickup truck). While we were there, we spent some time in Savannah, which is a beautiful city filled with graceful homes and garden squares that take your breath away. It’s also home to Paula Deen’s The Lady and Sons. This may not be Martha’s type of restaurant since it has a buffet and is filled with tourists, but it was a memorable meal for us and I think Martha would approve of the excellent authentic Southern food. Once a year or so, I make a Paula meal, based on the terrific food we enjoyed there. I usually come back from our vacations with a few signature dishes of the area we visited that I experiment with, trying to replicate them.  For Cape Cod, it was clam chowder. For Hawaii it was passion fruit sauces to go on fish. I have yet to attempt scones based on our trip to England, but that’s on my list.

So let’s get to the dinner. I started with Paula’s lemonade. The secret is to make a sugar syrup. Most people just dump water, sugar and lemon juice in a pitcher and stir. You need to mix all of the sugar with some hot water to dissolve it completely, then add the lemon juice and water. Here are the amounts: 3 c sugar, 2 c fresh squeezed lemon juice and water to fill a gallon jug – use about a cup or two of hot water to dissolve the sugar, then add cold water and ice. Paula’s lemonade is very sweet, but my family likes it that way. You can cut back the sugar if you like yours tarter.

Next up is the fried chicken – who can have a Southern meal without fried chicken? The summer we went to Paula’s restaurant, I made fried chicken over and over until I finally figured out how to do it. My recipe is based on Paula’s recipe, but is slightly different. I only use split chicken breasts since my family prefers white meat. I soak them in buttermilk, salt and pepper for 2-4 hours.

Next I mix three 3 eggs with 1/3 cup water. I mix 2 cups self-rising flour with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder.

I use peanut oil in my fryer and get it to 360 degrees. I pat the chicken dry, dredge in egg, then flour, then egg, then flour again.  I found that once was not enough and it needed to be double dipped. I fry one breast at a time (that’s all that fits in my fryer) and it takes about 15-20 minutes for it to cook.  When done, I set the breasts on a rack and stick them in the oven on warm. I find the chicken tastes best if it is allowed to sit for a while after being fried. This chicken is also excellent cold for the next several days.

The last piece of our Southern meal is hoecakes.  We had them for the first time at Paula’s restaurant and loved them.  The key to these is self-rising flour and self-rising cornmeal. I use 1/2 cup of each, 1 egg, 1/2 tbsp sugar, 1/2 plus 1/8 cup buttermilk, 1/8 cup vegetable oil, and half of a 1/3 of a cup of water.  I fry them on a griddle with butter. The batch in the photo is not up to my standards – I find the griddle needs to get nice and hot and then the hoecakes turn a lovely golden brown and get crunchy around the edges. Our dinner was thrown together around a hastily arranged urgent care visit (everyone’s ok) so I wasn’t able to fry these myself and had some help.

A few summers ago we went to Hilton Head (a bit disastrous due to jellyfish stings and the seemingly unavailability of fresh local seafood in stores – unless you buy it out of the back of a pickup truck). While we were there, we spent some time in Savannah, which is a beautiful city filled … Read more →

What I planted

I committed to planting a garden this year in my quest for a Martha life. You might remember it didn’t start out so perfectly when I planted my seedlings (which I grew myself) and we got a late frost which wiped them all out. I replaced them with store bought plants. My tomatoes and peppers are continuing to grow, but aren’t ready for picking yet (no tomato blight in sight at this point). I’ll update everyone when we have some things ready for harvest.

I did add one interesting thing to the garden. I had an onion in my pantry that

What we got

was sprouting some green. Instead of throwing it out, we stuck it in the ground. It grew! And a few days ago, Dude Martha went out and dug a clump up for me (there’s one more clump out there still) when I ran out of onions and needed them for dinner. The clump had three small onions in it. I used one and have saved the others.  It was pretty exciting to use onions we grew ourselves. I didn’t notice any difference in taste, although this was a dish where the onions were only background.  It was quite fun to pull onions out of the ground after sticking some in on a whim. In fact, I’m amazed it grew since I don’t have much luck with gardens in general.

I committed to planting a garden this year in my quest for a Martha life. You might remember it didn’t start out so perfectly when I planted my seedlings (which I grew myself) and we got a late frost which wiped them all out. I replaced them with store bought plants. My tomatoes and peppers … Read more →