The other day Costco was giving out samples of buffalo chicken dip made with Frank's Red Hot Sauce. I am not a fan of buffalo sauce as a rule - but one taste of this recipe had me buying the double bottle of hot sauce, the 6 cans of chicken at Costco.
I made the dip yesterday for a party - it was well-received. I plan to make this a go-to recipe for parties from here on out!
Here's the recipe - whether you like buffalo sauce or not - you'll like this.
http://www.franksredhot.com/recipes/franks-redhot-buffalo-chicken-dip-RE1242
And my husband likes to put the sauce on his eggs; now that we have it in the house I'm sure that he'll find more foods to splash it on. I think I'm going to give it a try too.
Monday, April 7, 2014
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Celebrity Cruise - Silhouette Ship
I, along with 7 others went on Celebrity Cruise Line's Silhouette. The itinerary included Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Jamaica and Haiti - we left from Fort Lauderdale.
We had a great deal that included a drink package - unlimited drinks up to $8 value and/or beers up to $6. We were very pleased to see that this included quite an array of options in that price range. The downside is that the bar service wasn't up to par; however, I sent in a comment card to that effect and the bar manager contacted me immediately. And we noticed a difference right away too. I just wished I had made the comment earlier in the cruise.
The staterooms are very spacious on this ship as compared to others we've been on (most notably Norwegian). While we have enjoyed many Norwegian cruises and a couple Carnival, this Celebrity ship far surpasses the room and sophistication of those. (We've also cruised Royal Caribbean and Princess but it was so long ago it's not fair to make a comparison.)
The buffet food was also above par. Great selections and great quality. The food in the dining room was excellent - but about the same as other ships. However the escargot and lobster were the best I've ever had - possibly out of any place on ship or land.
Since we had late dinner seating we didn't end up seeing any shows. I did frequent the casino every day - it was large with a good variety of slots. They also had all the table games.
The wait staff in the dining room was excellent, as were our cabin stewards.
The on-ship stores carried high-quality gifts, clothes and accessories.
The photos that were taken in the dining room did not turn out very well - it didn't appear that the photographer had much experience. In a group picture one person was way off to the side. In another picture of a couple - one was looking to the side and not at the camera. Just seems like things the photographer could easily have corrected before clicking.
All in all we had a great time on this cruise - would do it again in a minute.
We had a great deal that included a drink package - unlimited drinks up to $8 value and/or beers up to $6. We were very pleased to see that this included quite an array of options in that price range. The downside is that the bar service wasn't up to par; however, I sent in a comment card to that effect and the bar manager contacted me immediately. And we noticed a difference right away too. I just wished I had made the comment earlier in the cruise.
The staterooms are very spacious on this ship as compared to others we've been on (most notably Norwegian). While we have enjoyed many Norwegian cruises and a couple Carnival, this Celebrity ship far surpasses the room and sophistication of those. (We've also cruised Royal Caribbean and Princess but it was so long ago it's not fair to make a comparison.)
The buffet food was also above par. Great selections and great quality. The food in the dining room was excellent - but about the same as other ships. However the escargot and lobster were the best I've ever had - possibly out of any place on ship or land.
Since we had late dinner seating we didn't end up seeing any shows. I did frequent the casino every day - it was large with a good variety of slots. They also had all the table games.
The wait staff in the dining room was excellent, as were our cabin stewards.
The on-ship stores carried high-quality gifts, clothes and accessories.
The photos that were taken in the dining room did not turn out very well - it didn't appear that the photographer had much experience. In a group picture one person was way off to the side. In another picture of a couple - one was looking to the side and not at the camera. Just seems like things the photographer could easily have corrected before clicking.
All in all we had a great time on this cruise - would do it again in a minute.
Time and Again Shea Handcream - Lavender
I received a sample-sized jar of Time and Again hand cream and it's so good I wanted to blog about. It's pretty thick when you first put it on - but absorbs quickly while still feeling like your hands are moisturized. Each application lasts a long time.
Lavender is a great scent - subtle but not so subtle you can't smell it.
http://timeandagain.com/
Lavender is a great scent - subtle but not so subtle you can't smell it.
http://timeandagain.com/
Twin Pines Resort - Lake MIlle Lacs, MN Ice Fishing
I rented an ice fishing house the weekend of 2/21/14 - 2/23/14 and had a good time. I was very impressed with the service of the owner Linda, and also the guy who showed us to our house (whose name I didn't catch). They were both very personable and accommodating.
The house we rented was nothing special but had all the necessary amenities: gas heater, gas stove top (this needed work - it wasn't very safe as it was slanted and pots could fall off), 10 holes, 6 bunks. The bunks aren't anything special but suffice for sleeping (just don't make any fast flips on the top bunk - they're very narrow.)
At first we couldn't seem to get the house to warm up - but it was because the thermostat was sitting on top of the stove. So it thought it was warm enough. Once we realized that and moved it - we were toasty warm even though it was sub-zero outside.
Our grown kids and two grandsons came - at one time there were 8 of us in the fish house - comfortably.
This resort has a restaurant/bar right across the highway from the lake where the fish houses are conveniently located. The food was excellent - home cooking at a great price.
Something that we all felt was very impressive were the outhouses on the lake. The one closest to us had two stalls, was heated very well, and was kept lit all night. Also very clean. The only downside is that they are co-ed - so females and males alike may be in for a surprise if they are unaware.
We caught ZERO fish. Was it the cold? Or were we in a bad spot? Or not very skilled at fishing? Probably some of all of the above.
No matter - I would recommend this to others, and hope I can go again myself!
http://www.twinpinesmillelacs.com/
The house we rented was nothing special but had all the necessary amenities: gas heater, gas stove top (this needed work - it wasn't very safe as it was slanted and pots could fall off), 10 holes, 6 bunks. The bunks aren't anything special but suffice for sleeping (just don't make any fast flips on the top bunk - they're very narrow.)
At first we couldn't seem to get the house to warm up - but it was because the thermostat was sitting on top of the stove. So it thought it was warm enough. Once we realized that and moved it - we were toasty warm even though it was sub-zero outside.
Our grown kids and two grandsons came - at one time there were 8 of us in the fish house - comfortably.
This resort has a restaurant/bar right across the highway from the lake where the fish houses are conveniently located. The food was excellent - home cooking at a great price.
Something that we all felt was very impressive were the outhouses on the lake. The one closest to us had two stalls, was heated very well, and was kept lit all night. Also very clean. The only downside is that they are co-ed - so females and males alike may be in for a surprise if they are unaware.
We caught ZERO fish. Was it the cold? Or were we in a bad spot? Or not very skilled at fishing? Probably some of all of the above.
No matter - I would recommend this to others, and hope I can go again myself!
http://www.twinpinesmillelacs.com/
Chunky Guacamole - Costco
This is hands-down the best ready-made guacamole I've every tasted. It comes in a 3-pack at Costco, 10 oz. each container, for $8.99. It's made with lime, and tastes really fresh. Not overdone with cilantro - I prefer mine without cilantro as a rule - but this recipe is really great in spite of the cilantro. Two thumbs up!
Monday, February 18, 2013
Northern Lights Casino Shuttle - Walker MN
Don't trust this casino's shuttle service. We were in Walker, MN for the annual Eel Pout Festival and stayed at the Country Inn. We were told that Northern Lights Casino had a shuttle service.
When I called - the phone rang about a dozen times. The woman said the shuttle would be there in 8-10 minutes. We waited in the lobby - and I just happened to look out a window viewing the end of the parking lot and I saw a large white van. I wondered if it was ours - by the time I went out to check it was gone.
So I called back again about 20 minutes from the first time - phone rang another dozen times. I explained that the van I saw didn't come to the lobby door - so I don't know if that was the shuttle. The guy I was talking to thought it probably was - said he'd send the shuttle back.
After about another 10 minutes of waiting - the hotel staff asked if we wanted her to call the casino to see when they were coming. She was told it would be about 10 minutes.
After a total of 60 minutes wait time we finally decided to forget going to the casino. Don't rely on them for a ride!
When I called - the phone rang about a dozen times. The woman said the shuttle would be there in 8-10 minutes. We waited in the lobby - and I just happened to look out a window viewing the end of the parking lot and I saw a large white van. I wondered if it was ours - by the time I went out to check it was gone.
So I called back again about 20 minutes from the first time - phone rang another dozen times. I explained that the van I saw didn't come to the lobby door - so I don't know if that was the shuttle. The guy I was talking to thought it probably was - said he'd send the shuttle back.
After about another 10 minutes of waiting - the hotel staff asked if we wanted her to call the casino to see when they were coming. She was told it would be about 10 minutes.
After a total of 60 minutes wait time we finally decided to forget going to the casino. Don't rely on them for a ride!
Advantage Car Rental
We booked an Advantage car rental in Las Vegas in Febrary 2013 through CarRentals.com. The initial booked price was really reasonable - but of course we upgraded and paid for a tank of gas up front (dumb). The girl talked me into the gas because we had planned to go to Hoover Dam and she thought we'd go through the tank with the Malibu. We didn't - we used only about 1/2 tank of gas. So don't get the prepaid unless you're planning to drive a full tank full - and don't trust the counter agent's opinion.
The biggest thing I wanted to blog about is the fact that my husband left his pullover windbreaker in the car with his cellphone in his pocket. We checked back twice with the return facility within an hour of dropping it off - once I even walked back to the car with the manager - and the windbreaker and phone were long gone.
It could only have been stolen - there is no other explanation. My husband knows he left it in the car.
I don't recommend using this car rental company. However CarRentals.com does broker some good prices - so I'd still use them.
The biggest thing I wanted to blog about is the fact that my husband left his pullover windbreaker in the car with his cellphone in his pocket. We checked back twice with the return facility within an hour of dropping it off - once I even walked back to the car with the manager - and the windbreaker and phone were long gone.
It could only have been stolen - there is no other explanation. My husband knows he left it in the car.
I don't recommend using this car rental company. However CarRentals.com does broker some good prices - so I'd still use them.
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