Around this time of year, wherever you are, your skin might be feeling a bit dry.
Some causes: Sun, Wind, Cold, Artificial & Natural Heat, Stress, not enough water consumption, low humidity, hot showers…The list goes on
I’ve found my skin in the last few weeks dry. It’s summer here in Australia and between the sun screen, ocean, air, water, dry air, etc… moisturizer doesn’t always cut it- I need a little exfoliation and deep hydration.
Its soooooooooooo easy to make a quick sugar scrub, even minutes before you take a shower or bath. I find myself thinking, why don’t I do this more often???
Give yourself a quick treat for the shower or bath tonight!
SUGAR SCRUB TONIGHT:
Bowl
1 cup of Sugar(white or brown)
Coconut oil, grape seed oil, olive oil(I prefer the first two)
Find something in your cupboard or frig or garden: Green Tea, Chamomile, Coffee grinds, cinnamon, ginger, lemon, vanilla extract, banana, strawberry, blueberry, mint, sage, fresh herbs, orange
Place sugar in a small bowl and add enough oil to coat while stirring- add scent- Consider if you want an uplifting scent like Peppermint or Coffee or Citrus or a calming scent like lavender or Chamomile or Tea Tree.
AND THATS IT! Mix and enjoy- exfoliate your arms and legs, in-between your toes and fingers, shoulders, etc…
Rinse when done and towel dry. Your skin will feel smooth and moisturized. Try to do this once a week, change the combination of scents.
My favorite combos:
Chai Tea: I add 1 bag of English tea loose, ginger powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and a little vanilla for a uplifting warm morning scrub.
&
Theres nothing like good old beautiful Lavender and sage together to relax at night with.
Ok- this might be one of the easiest recipes I’ve ever heard of! It’s also a great thing to make with kids.
Make this weekend easy and special at the same time.
Courtesy of an Equestrianista friend Jane Cooper:
SCONES
Ingredients: 3 cups of rising flour, 1 cup of 7-up or sprite or if you’re English or Australian- Lemonade( fizzy kind, not tart sugary lemon water) and 1 cup of heavy cream.
THATS IT!
Mix together, you may opt to add cinnamon, fresh fruit- blueberries are my favorite, any pitted fruit that is in season, raisins, or even go savory and add cooked bacon or cheese!
Place on baking sheet, either nonstick or grease it.
If you really are in a rush, just add a heaping spoonful or two down with some space in between, if you’d like, you can cut the scone dough into circles- use a cup, or shape them into the traditional triangle.
and Bake! 350* till bottom and edges are golden brown. Check them at 10 mins- they will probably take 15min to finish.
Voila! The easiest scone you ever baked and best tasting scone you ever ate!
Ok, so these don’t need to be made just for Superbowl. This is one of my go to- left over refrig clean-out dinners that usually happens on the weekend.
Super easy, most ingredients are found already at home or should be staple go-to items, little prep time and takes 40-60mins to cook!
25mins prep time, 45mins cook time
Pre-heat oven at 350*
Serves 4 people easily.
Must have ingredients:
- A deep baking dish, or my favorite a cast iron Dutch oven- keeps food warm, especially if you are still finishing up barn duties, etc…
Rice- can be any kind-Start cooking it while you prep the other ingredients.
1 Can of refried beans- can be any kind
1 can of diced tomatoes *2 cans if you are cooking for many people.
1 packet of burrito seasoning or any kind of Mexican seasoning
Flour or corn tortillas
Shredded Cheese- any kind will do
————————
Then look through your refrigerator and cabinet to add the following ingredients:
Left over meat- chicken, pork, beef? Add that in!
Red onions? White onions? Garlic?
Do you have a can of corn? In many grocery stores, there is a Mexican mix in a can- it has peppers, corn, beans, seasoning- get a couple of them- you can do ALOT with them!
Chopped Veggies: Pepper, tomato, Spring onions?
Sour cream
Yes, that is one of the ugliest countertops I have seen- On my wish list- not blue countertops!
Step 1-
In a large bowl, mix your cooked rice and refried beans together.
Then add your corn, chopped veggies, and 1/2 a packet of the Mexican seasoning. Add meat if you want as well and add anything else you think might go!
Mix all together.
Step 2-
In your baking dish/dutch oven- open 1 can of diced tomatoes and add the other 1/2 of the Mexican seasoning. If you like it spicier, please add hot sauce or sweeter- add some sweet chili sauce. *Take half of the sauce out of the baking dish- you can scoop it out with a plastic bowl or measuring cup. Set aside.
Step 3-
Go back to the rice/bean mix and tortillas. If the tortillas are big- cut in half. They can be round or rectangular shaped- doesn’t matter. You want them ideally 5×7 in size. Take 1 scoop of your bean/corn mix and place in center of tortilla. Roll towards one end and roll the whole mixture up. Place in baking dish and repeat. Fill the bottom of the baking dish with corn/bean tortilla rolls. If you are making dinner for many people- get another can of diced tomatoes and add two layers of the rolls to the baking dish. If there is leftovers of the corn/bean mix- its great for lunch the next day on a salad or something. Once complete- pour the rest of the tomato sauce over the rolls and sprinkle cheese. Cover and cook in oven for 45 mins.
The Dutch oven keeps things really warm and it’s easy to serve out of. Once the cheese is melted, take cover off and let the oven brown the top- YUM!
This recipe is your perfect Friday/Saturday night meal- It should offer Saturday/Sunday Lunch as well!
The best apple cake you will ever taste- guaranteed!
Anyone thinking that there might be a last minute visit to a friend or relative and you want to bring something with you that is super easy to make and everyone will rave over? This is the recipe to use!
I had all good intentions of starting to incorporate recipes of my own into this blog a while ago. I have been traveling on a life discovery and consistent internet and time has been hard to come by!
But don’t fret, I have settled now in one spot and have internet! So let the blogging pick up!
I figure the best time to start recipes is around the holidays. My cooking style is easy, not precise in measuring or oven watching, and it turns out delicious. I feel that this is the way most equestrianistas cook? Yes?
Supplies:
Deep dish cake pan, brownie pan, or even an oven safe mixing bowl.
1 Cup of butter- or somewhere close to a cup
1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar(preferred) or Regular Sugar. Again- measurement doesnt have to be exact.
Small bag of apples- Golden Delicious(preferred) -about 6-7 Granny Smith will do just fine- about 8-10.
1 lemon- squeezed
Some Flour & Cinnamon/nutmeg/spices
1 box of vanilla cake mix
First Step:
- Peel & Cut apples in 1/2 and then into 1/4 inch slices. Or you can be fancy and cut the whole apple in full slices to decorate the top- up to you.
- Place into a bowl and toss with the juice of 1 fresh lemon
Next Step:
In the mean time, in a large frying pan add the butter and sugar. Under low heat, stir the mixture until the butter is melted. Then place the apples into the pan as well. You want to cook the apples until their edges are soft but not fully cooked through. This part you will need to pay attention to the pan, slowly folding the apples around in the butter sugar mix. Every 2 minutes or so check on the apples and give them a fold over.
The kitchen will start to smell amazing and you may have fans flocking to see what you are cooking! The butter sugar mix will start to caramelize around the apples as everything cooks.
After That:
You can multitask and while keeping an eye on the cooking apples, stirring occasionally- mix up the cake mix.
Just get any vanilla cake mix and follow the box directions.
Turn the oven on according to cake mix box and pour your cake mix into the baking vessel of choice. * There was no baking pan available to me recently so I baked the apple cake in a large metal mixing bowl- Again you can choose anything that is oven safe and it turns our gorgeous!
Back to the Apples
When the apples are softened, turn the stove top off and place the frying pan away from the heat. At this stage, you will want to sprinkle your favorite spices over the apples gently- cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg- whatever you like. Also add 2-4 tablespoons of flour and mix the apples around in the caramel - you will notice everything begins to thicken up! Stir until the flour and spices are all mixed in. YUM!
Two more steps to go!
Ok so the oven is on according to the cake mix box and the cake batter is sitting in the cooking vessel. Now place the apples on top of the raw cake mix. Just the apples- save the juices for later!
You can place the apples in a fancy arrangement or just on top. Put a good layer of apples on top of the cake- 1-2 inches of soft cooked apples. There maybe be left over apples. You can enjoy while you wait or put in refrigerator for later over ice cream or something. REMEMBER TO SAVE THE JUICES and stop yourself from slurping them up! You will need them in the final step!!!!
Put in oven according to the cake mix’s directions!
Final Step:
Pull the cake out of the oven when the sides are golden and the top is slightly browned. Wait 5 minutes for the cake to start cooling and then drizzle the remaining caramel juice on top of the cake! Let the juices soak into the cake!
This recipe is best done the night before going somewhere. I only suggest this to allow the delicious juices to soak in, the cake to fully cool, and then you get more time to get ready the next day without juggling cooking at the same time!
