Product Review

Beef Wellington, 2,700 Miles Apart

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Christmas was already in motion when the universe decided to have a little fun with me.

I was in my kitchen making Beef Wellington when I called my brother to wish him a Merry Christmas. Mid-conversation, he casually mentioned that he was also making Beef Wellington for himself and our dad. We were 2,700 miles apart, yet somehow preparing the exact same meal at the exact same time. I couldn’t help but laugh. It felt like one of those quiet, unmistakable reminders that distance doesn’t really matter when hearts – and minds – are still connected.

This year’s Beef Wellington felt especially meaningful, not just because of that moment, but because it represented persistence, patience, and finally getting it right.

The Gluten-Free Redemption

I followed the Food Network recipe for Individual Beef Wellingtons as my guide. While I didn’t follow it exactly, it was the foundation I mimicked and adapted to fit my needs, especially gluten-free ones.

In the past, gluten-free puff pastry had been my downfall. The last time I tried making Beef Wellington with a gluten-free option, the pastry tasted terrible and honestly ruined the dish. It was dense, off-flavored, and disappointing after so much effort. I went into this attempt cautiously, hopeful but guarded.

This time, I used DUFOUR gluten-free puff pastry, and it was absolute perfection. Flaky, buttery, and everything puff pastry should be. It completely redeemed the dish and erased every bad memory of failed gluten-free attempts. I was beyond happy with the outcome, and even better, the kids loved the entire Christmas feast. Watching them enjoy it made all the effort worth it.

The Great Pâté Hunt

Then there was the pâté...

I never imagined that finding liver pâté would be the hardest part of my Christmas menu. I searched high and low – multiple grocery stores, multiple days – wasting far more time than I care to admit. It felt absurd that such a classic ingredient was so hard to track down.

Finally, I reached out to my cousin and his fiancée for suggestions. Without hesitation, Jen said, “Janssen’s Market in Greenville, DE.”

At that point, pâté was the very last thing on my list. I got in the car and drove 30 minutes, hoping they truly had what I needed because I didn’t have the energy for another dead end.

They had it!

The liver pâté from Janssen’s Market was exactly what I had been searching for, and it tied the entire dish together. Rich, smooth, and balanced, it elevated the Beef Wellington and brought everything into harmony. Janssen’s didn’t just finish my shopping list; they saved my sanity and my Christmas dinner.

Worth Every Mile

That Christmas meal ended up being more than just food. It was a connection across distance, a redemption story for gluten-free cooking, and a reminder that sometimes the last ingredient, the hardest one to find, is what makes everything complete.

Pure magic on a plate, worth every mile driven, and a Christmas dinner I won’t forget anytime soon.

From Farm to Freezer

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Splitting a Half Steer from Sunnybrook Farm & Apiary

If you know me, you know I like to keep my freezer stocked and support local farms whenever I can. There’s just something satisfying about knowing exactly where your food comes from — and that it was raised with care.

Recently, my cousin and I decided to go in on half a butchered steer from Sunnybrook Farm & Apiary in Elkton, Maryland. Their beef is processed and packaged by ClarkCo Meats in Pennsylvania, and the quality really shows. Everything came vacuum-sealed, clearly labeled, and ready for the freezer. My cousin and I split it evenly, and now I’ve got about 115 pounds of fresh, local beef stuffed in my freezer.

Sunnybrook Farm & Apiary is a gem in the area; they sell beef, pork, eggs, and honey, all produced right on the farm. You can truly taste the quality and care in their products.

The first cut I decided to try was a tri-tip, and oh my goodness — it was delicious! Tender, juicy, and full of flavor. There’s nothing quite like grilling up a piece of beef that was raised just a few miles away. It feels great to support local farmers while stocking the freezer with something wholesome and genuine.

I love the sense of self-sufficiency that comes with this — knowing I have a good supply of quality meat for the months ahead. If you’re near Elkton, MD, I definitely recommend checking out Sunnybrook Farm & Apiary. Local farms like theirs are what keep communities strong, healthy, and connected.

✅ What Caught My Eye

Sunnybrook Farm & Apiary really stood out to me for several reasons:

  • They offer grass-raised, grass-finished beef with no hormones or vaccines.
  • The farm is located right here in Elkton, Maryland.
  • They also raise heritage pork, produce honey from their own apiary, and provide animal feed and farm supplies.
  • Founded in 2018 by Chris and Stephanie Dodds, along with their son, they’ve built a strong family-run operation rooted in quality and care.

Sunnybrook Farm & Apiary
360 Williams Road
Elkton, Maryland 21921
(302) 650-4688
https://sunnybrook.ag/

Review: Great Experience with Stone’s Garage!

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I recently drove 2,700 miles from Tahoe to Maryland with my utility trailer in tow, a long journey that completely wore my trailer tires down to bald spots. When I got to Maryland, I knew I needed a pro to get them replaced safely, and that’s when I called Cody Stone from Stone’s Garage, a Mobile Mechanic here in Elkton Maryland.

Cody came out, mounted my new tires, and made the whole process super easy. He was friendly, personable, and really knew his stuff. The pricing was fair, and he did an excellent job. After that long drive, it was a relief to have my trailer ready to roll safely again. I’d definitely use him again!

If you’re looking for someone reliable, skilled, and easy to work with for your trailer or vehicle needs, I highly recommend Stone’s Garage.

Stone’s Garage
cell: (410) 920-1217
email: stonegarage1999@gmail.com
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If you need to get tires for your utility trailer, I got mine from Amazon and it was easy to order and more affordable than most of the tire shops. These are the tires I purchased on Amazon: eCustomrim Trailer Tire On Rim ST205/75D15 F78-15 205/75-15 Load Range C 5 Lug Wheel White Spoke: https://amzn.to/46GnktT

Luna Bar & Luna Protein – Review

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So I was sent a box with Gluten Free Luna Bars & Gluten Free Luna Protein Bars to Review a while ago. I have just now finished the variety of bars that I was sent. And while some were better than others I have to say I was quite surprised at how tasty these bars were.

Since I am gluten intolerant these bars were a nice change from all the so called chewy gluten free bars out there.  Not only did I liked the bars, my kids as well as my husband loved every bar we tried. They are more like a dessert bar than a granola bar… but the bars aren’t overly sweet. AND they were filling and didn’t leave you hungry afterwards – most likely due to having a lot of protein per bar.

My absolute favorite was the Lemonzest bar to my surprise. It smelled wonderful and tasted just as good. I liked its Protein Grain Blend that was made from Soy Protein Isolate, Organic Rolled Oats, Organic Rice Flour, Organic Roasted Soybeans, Organic Soy Flour, and Organic Milled Flaxseed. AND the Organic Lemon Juice Concentrate in the bar wasn’t too overwhelming and overall it was just a really tasty creamy lemon snack.

Lemonzest

The Luna Bars are Gluten free and non-GMO and some are made with with organic dark chocolate and oats while the Protein Bars are Gluten Free and a lot higher in protein than the regular Luna Bars.

I definitely will be buying Luna Bars when I have a craving for something sweet.

Luna Protein Bars:

Mint Chocolate ChipLemon Vanilla

Chocolate Salted CaramelChocolate Peanut Butter

Chocolate Coconut AlmondChocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Luna Bars:

White Chocolate Macadamia with CashewsPeanut Butter Dark Chocolate ChunkDark Chocolate Mocha AlmondDark Chocolate Hazelnut

 

 

 

*** Disclaimer: I received these bars for free from Clif Bar & Company. I am not required to write a positive review. And all opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Udi’s Gluten Free Ziti & Meatballs – Review

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image

I was very delighted tonight to finally try Udi’s Gluten Free Ziti & Meatballs Frozen entree tonight.  I even got two thumbs up from my husband who is very finicky!!

1943Nevertheless, I bought 3 bags since an 18oz  bag only contains two servings. I tossed all 3 bags into a large glass bowl and placed it into the microwave for 10 minutes. When the buzzer went off I stirred gently as to not to break the ziti and then placed it back into the microwave for another 10 minutes.

The aroma in the kitchen smelled like I had been making sauce all day long! My husband at first was leery and had an “OMG what is for dinner look on his face?”

One bite in he said he LOVED this meal, ate 3 helpings and told me I needed to stock up on more bags!!!So I would say he like it, LOL!!

And of course, I love easy meals like this when I have a busy day due to the kids being in Scouting. And having it ready in 20 minutes is perfect. The price was roughly $8.00 at Walmart the last time I saw it, but I bought these bags at the Grocery Outlet today for $2.49/bag which is a fantastic price especially when you are buying 3 bags to feed a family of 5. AND there was at least one helping leftover for lunch tomorrow!

All in all, Udi’s Gluten Free Ziti & Meatballs  was great tasting, easy to prepare and no one squawked over not wanting to eat. Everyone left happy and satisfied.

I will be going back to the Grocery Outlet tomorrow to see if they have any more on the shelf so I can stock up!!

 

 

Baltic Amber Necklace – Product Review

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Baltic Amber Necklace

Have you heard about the healing powers of natural Baltic Amber?  Many years ago I had read about the benefits of Baltic Amber teething necklaces helping babies while teething and was very intrigued. I purchased my daughter an amber necklace and was hooked. I have used Amber necklaces over the years on all three of my children as teething remedies for when they were cutting new teeth. So you can imagine how many years my children were wearing Amber necklaces. And as an added benefit the necklaces looked cute on them as well.

Fast forward many years… My daughter is 8 years old and is now using an amber necklace from Amber Artisans for pain control as she loses her baby teeth and is dealing with the pain of her new adult teeth coming in.

When natural Baltic Amber comes in contact with our body, it not only promotes healing but it also creates a calmness. Since Baltic Amber supports our immune system through contact, it also provides a form of energy that restores physical well-being.

So what is Baltic Amber? Approximately 40-50 million years ago tree sap ran down ancient long forgotten trees. This sap protected them from pests, illness, infection and decay. The Baltic Sea now covers this ancient forest. The hardened amber resin in forms of nuggets from this covered forest washes to shore and can be found all over Europe. All forms of amber have been highly valued by society for its beauty including the belief that it contains healing powers.

Through research, Baltic Amber does in fact reduce pain because of its naturally occurring succinic acid content, an anti-inflammatory product that is affective against teething pain, migraines, growing pains, morning sickness and arthritis. When worn against the skin, the amber is warmed and releases the succinic acid into our bloodstream helping to alleviate pain and discomfort. What many write off as simple ‘hippie medicine’ has actually been widely studied and documented by the likes of Nobel-prize winner Robert Koch and others more recently.

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SOYJOY® Bars – Product Review

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soyjoy_logoSOYJOY® asked me to try their bars and to share what my family and I thought with my readers. We graciously received all seven flavors (Dark Chocolate Cherry, Cranberry, Banana, Berry, Blueberry, Mango Coconut and Strawberry) to try.

What I loved about these bars: they are all-natural and certified gluten free. They are baked with high-quality, non-genetically modified ground whole soy and made with 100% real fruit and natural ingredients.

AND they are free of trans fats and hydrogenated oils, and don’t contain any artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners.  Plus, they don’t have any chemical additives, and the ground soy is GMO free. What isn’t to like? So these bars are definitely a suitable snack to reach for.

SOYJOY® bars were different than most of the bars I’ve tried in the past and maybe it was because of it being made with ground whole soy. While we had seven flavors to try — I opted out of trying the Banana flavor since I have a severe intolerance to Bananas and my older son wouldn’t get near the strawberry bars cause he is allergic to strawberries. Nevertheless, from what we did try we all really enjoyed the bars even though they were on the dryer side. While the Dark Chocolate Cherry bar was not a favorite by all of us due to it being way too dry, the other fruit bars were really tasty since the real fruit chunks made the bars moister, or at least it was how I perceived it.

So overall, my kids loved the Berry Bars as well as the Cranberry Bars the best while I like the Mango Coconut bar.

If you would like to try your own SOYJOY® bars you can go to their Store Locator and find the nearest location to your neighborhood.

mango_bar_front blueberry_bar_front berry_bar_front banana_bar_front cranberry_bar_front choc_cherry_bar_front

strawberry_bar_front

*** Disclaimer: I received this product for free from SOYJOY®. I am not required to write a positive review. And all opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

OtterBox is the best way to go to protect your Cell Phone or iPad

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Back in January I brought my iPad to the Dentist office. Yeah, not for a check up, but to keep my youngest occupied since it was his first Dentist visit.

As the receptionist called our names and we were walking towards the hygienist, my son dropped my iPad (by accident) on to the tile floor. I instantly heard the glass break. I think my heart stopped for a second and I most likely gasped. As I picked the iPad up off the floor I instantly saw that the screen was shattered. I touched it to see how bad the shattering was and unfortunately cut my finger.

Shattered iPad Screen
Since, the hygienist didn’t offer me a bandaid, I had to sit there in the dental chair while they cleaned my teeth all the while with glass stuck in my bleeding finger. Wonderful, huh?

Anyhow, once I got home I fixed my finger, yet would take months to get my iPad fixed. I needed  the app on it to help my daughter to sell Girl Scout Cookies. The app was to keep track of her sales basically.

So I placed the iPad into a gallon sized ziploc bag and used it as normal. Unfortunately, a cracked was across the lens area so I was unable to use the camera. Eh, no big deal.

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Namaste Foods Gluten Free Waffle & Pancake Mix Review

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Namaste Foods, Gluten Free Waffle & Pancake Mix

This morning we opened a bag of Namaste Foods, Gluten Free Waffle & Pancake Mix and boy were the waffles (yes waffles, again) really tasty!!

We used almond milk instead or regular milk and didn’t use any added sweeteners in the mix when making breakfast. The waffles came out crispy and beautiful on the Belgium waffle maker and everyone one devoured them up – the kids, grandparents and I were in waffle heaven!

The waffles themselves had a mild flavor — but with a little melted butter and some Agave Syrup — were perfect! Next time I may add a tsp of sugar to the mix to see how they taste in comparison with the added sweetener.

This product contains no wheat, gluten, soy, corn, potato, dairy, casein, peanuts or tree nuts. Non-GMO, all natural, no preservatives. So, if you are looking for a great Gluten Free Waffle/Pancake mix, grab for Namaste Foods LLC, Gluten Free Products For People With Food Allergies at your local grocer or at: http://goo.gl/XpoG4h !!

Originally posted on STLNV Facebook July 21, 2014. Namaste Foods provided the mix to be reviewed

*** Disclaimer: I received this product for free from Namaste Foods. I am not required to write a positive review. And all opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Taking a look at GFF, A New Gluten-Free Food Magazine Based out of San Francisco

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It isn’t very often you come across a great magazine, but even rarer a gluten-free magazine at that. I was really intrigued what this magazine would or could even offer. I contacted GFF’s Editor Erika Lenkert to see if I could get my hands on a copy and possibly see what their magazine was all about. And I can actually say I was really impressed by their content, pictures and that GFF stands for Gluten-Free Forever…

GFF is a quarterly magazine for anyone that is interested in a gluten-free lifestyle that includes recipes, gluten-free food reviews, gluten-free travel destinations, cooking tutorials to basically everything in between. The photography on their pages are gorgeous and eye catching, the ads are gluten-free which is refreshing to see, and their gluten-free articles are written so exquisitely that you can’t help to be drawn in. And while GFF is aimed at a widespread audience, their first issue is filled with Bay Area-ites such as chefs Lena Kwak, Niki Ford in addition to Craig and Annie Stoll.

And lastly I love that this magazine is based out of San Francisco – just a hop, skip and a jump from where I grew up in the Bay Area — so it feels a little bit like home.

If you are interested in getting yourself a copy, GFF offeres delivery to your door or desktop with a one-year print or downloadable PDF subscription at: http://gffmag.com/subscriptions

GFF Magazine

*** Disclaimer: I received a PDF copy for free from GFF. I am not required to write a positive review. And all opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”