When preparing pasta for a casserole, reduce the cooking time by about 1/3.  It will continue to cook in the final dish.

I have two words for you:  Easy.  Yummy.  Seriously, if want some of the easiest dips, dressings, and spreads to make, head over to Pam’s Pantry.  You know your dip is going to be good when it smells yummy before you even open the package.  I have been able to try their strawberries ‘n cream, cheesy garlic, spinach surprise, and our favorite sweet ‘n sassy salsa.  These dips are super easy to make.  You just need a cup of mayo and a cup of sour cream.  That is it!  Now, the strawberries and cream is slightly more complicated - you have to mike the cream cheese and you need cool whip.  Seriously, not to difficult at all.  On the back of each packet, it tells you what ingredients you need, how to make, and what would go best with each one.  They also have cheesecake Mixes, Bar-B-Q’s and Picklers.   What I love best about these is that they taste great and can be made in no time at all!  Since these are made from fresh ingredients, you can even claim these awesome dips as your own! 

Take a look at the juice you have in your house. What is the first ingredient on most of it? Most of the time, even if your juice is 100% natural without fillers, the first ingredients include corn syrup, propylene glycol, and artificial sweeteners. If that sounds like something you don’t want to be drinking, you should check out Boost Juice.

Boost Juice is made with Superfruits. Superfruits are called that because they have higher amounts of nutrients per serving than other fruits and vegetables. They contain vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, Polysaccharides as well as other trace minerals. There also is scientific evidence to indicate that Superfruit Juices can offer benefits thought to be associated with health supplements.
Boost Juice is 100% natural, contains no artificial flavor, sweeteners, stimulants, or preservatives. They are the only superfruit juice that have 100% of the daily of Vitamin C, 72 plant based trace minerals, up to 4 grams of protein, and the highest ORAC rating! The Boost Juice is available in 12 ounce recyclable glass bottles and is found in the refrigerated juice section in the produce section in your local grocery store.

There are four different flavors of Boost Juice, and they all taste great (I had a couple of taste testers help me with this review, and they loved it too! I did have one taste tester tell me that the Beauty Boost did taste more like tea than juice, and the Inner Boost was more fruity but still had a small tea flavor.). The first flavor is the Beauty Boost. It contains 10,000 mcg of Acai per bottle. This juice supports healthy skin, hair, nails, anti-aging, cardiovascular health, and digestive health. It also provides 100% of the daily allowance you need of Vitamin C, 600 mg of plant based trace minerals, plus 21 essential and non-essential amino acids. This helps our bodies to repair, rejuvenate, rebuild, and stay strong. Next, there is Happy Boost. This supports positive moods, healthy aging, eye health, healthy energy levels, and liver and kidney heath. It provides vitamins A, B, E, plus 100% of your daily allowance of Vitamin C. It also has 2 grams of protein, 600 mg of plant based trace minerals plus Solavetivone, Betaine, and Lycium Barbarum Ploysaccharides (LBPs 1 – 5). Next, there is Inner Boost. The juice supports natural cleaning, healthy digestion, healthy immune function, and healthy energy levels. It also provides Acubin, Alazarain, Asperuloside, Anthraquinone and Scopoletin which is suppose to help support circulatory health. You also get 100% of your daily allowance of vitamin C, 600 mg of plant based trace minerals, and 4 grams of protein. Lastly, there is Youth Boost. This supports healthy aging, joint health, healthy immune function, and cardiovascular health. It also provides 100% of your daily allowance of vitamin C, 600 mg of plant based trace minerals, 2 grams of protein, plus Xanthones.

If you are looking for a refreshment without the artificial ingredients found in other drinks, Boost Juice is what you want. It tastes great and is good for you.

To quickly thaw frozen veggies, microwave for about half the time specified on the package.  This thaws the vegetables without fully cooking them.

It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is almost here already!  That being said — I am cooking my first Thanksgiving dinner this year, so I am all about finding all the help I can get.  While looking for some ideas and recipes, I can across Better Homes and Gardens and found that they have a lot of helpful information.  They have an excellent tasty recipe section that has cranberry sauces, holiday salads, spice-rubbed turkey, turkey stuffings, and even a wine guide just to name a few.  They also have a lot of crafts and decorating ideas. You can make the Wheat Centerpiece, Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids, Thanksgiving Day Cards, Tic-Tac-Toe, and the Wild Turkey.  We can’t forget the Turkey Roasting Guide which is what I really need.  Best of all, its free!  The roasting guide helps you figure out defrosting and cooking instructions for your turkey, as well as chicken, beef, pork, and other large cuts of meat. You can even select the time you want to serve your meal and get a personalized cooking schedule.

If you are looking for some great ideas for Thanksgiving, make sure you check out Better Homes and Gardens.  I know I am glad I did!