recipe

Cookbook Review: Martha Stewart’s Pressure Cooker

~ Briella ~ Leave a comment

One of my resolutions for 2019 is to cook more, both with my family and on my own trying new recipes. Two days into the new year, I thought, “I already go to the library weekly and usually pick up at least one cookbook. Maybe I can review a book every couple of weeks and enjoy the triple benefit of keeping my resolution, spending more time writing, and using social media in a more productive way.” I have to commend past-me for having such an industrious outlook. Past-me decided that five recipes would be enough to get an idea of one cookbook’s merit, and that the copy of Martha Stewart’s Pressure Cooker I already had on loan would be a fine place to start.

Oh boy, was I wrong. Continue reading →

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It’s So Easy Being Green (with Bamboo and Pyrex)

~ Briella ~ Leave a comment

It was my sincere hope to kick off 2017 with weekly blogging, but life just has to get in the way of our favorite hobbies, doesn’t it? January went by in a blur of working, working out, and so much studying for my Network+ certification exam. (Side note: if you find yourself studying for the same certification, Professormesser.com is the best study tool for it!) Unfortunately I still have a very long studying marathon ahead of me, but I hope writing here can still be a relaxing break for creativity when I can’t force myself to look at my books anymore. Continue reading →

Latte Love: Easy Matcha Latte

~ Briella ~ Leave a comment

Some time ago I wrote about the mind-calming, mood-lifting power of carving out time for a morning latte. While escape from our daily woes might come more easily for you in the form of time stolen for a walk, a workout, some knitting, or a bit of dancing, a morning latte is still what does the trick for me. Since turning the clocks back, though, I’ve gotten into the habit of sleeping 8-9 hours a night. This change has unfortunately transformed my typically calming coffee-based latte into a very jittery way to start the day. Luckily for me, a good friend of mine introduced me to a very delicious alternative many years ago: the matcha latte.

img_0003 Continue reading →

Escape the Heat–At Least for A Meal

~ Briella ~ 1 Comment

It’s hot, hot, hot!

No, I’m not starring in my own cheesy 80’s-style musical performance. Hot, hot, hot, is what I find myself saying these last few days–okay, many days–every time I sit down in my car, touch our front door’s handle, or foolishly step outside without shoes on. The heat and humidity have gotten so bad that my new favorite hobby is cruising the AirBnB app for possible places of refuge. Maybe like Alaska.

Unfortunately our vacation budget for 2016 has already been spent on our upcoming beach getaway next month (woohoo!), so Alaska will have to wait. For now the best I can do is try to turn this weather-induced frown upside down, and what better way to do that than with a bit of imagination? No, the heat isn’t melting my brain–this weather is wonderfully tropical! Code red air quality my arse–let’s enjoy this wonderful equatorial weather.

Still not convinced by these lies that the weather’s nice? Well, maybe our imaginations need some props to help us along… Continue reading →