Food for Thought

I was recently contacted by Sarah, of LuShae Jewelry. She asked if I would do a review about the jewelry and website. I said yes and she kindly allowed me to select any item from the website free of charge. After much deliberation, I made my selection, but it definitely was not easy. The website is fairly straightforward and easy to navigate. While the selection is not as expansive as other sites, the items they carry are unique and are great quality for the price. Most items I saw were under $100, mostly in the $60-$80 range.

Here are some of the cute pieces they sell:






And here's what I chose:



It was shipped to me surprisingly fast (like 3 days max) and arrived in a cute little box. Here's what it looks like in reality:




I ordered a size 6 and it fits my index finger, which is usually how others fit as well. All in all, I was very pleased with the whole experience. The shipping was incredibly fast, the website easy to use, and the ring was affordable, good quality, and stylish. I will definitely be shopping there again. Although I did receive this ring complimentary, I was not paid for my opinion in any way; my opinion is my own and I would have written negative comments if I had had any to say.

On another note, I went to my doctor's appointment and had my ultrasound. Unfortunately, it was too soon to tell whether it was male or female...maybe in another month. My expected due date is December 7th, which is a relief, because we thought it might be on Christmas. So here's the picture of the baby thus far, labeled for your convenience :)


Cute huh? It has my eyes, haha.

I made a delicious meal the other night, and since most of you expressed that you would love to see recipes, here's one for you to try out. It's relatively simple and very tasty.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Drummettes

Here's what you'll need:

* 3/4 cup pineapple juice (I used the juice from canned pineapple chunks)
* 1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
* 1/4 cup sweet Marsala wine
* 1/4 packed cup light brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons sesame oil
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 tablespoons chili powder
* 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
* 3 pounds chicken drumettes (I couldn't find these, so I used small wings)
* Vegetable oil cooking spray
* salt
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* chopped fresh cilantro leaves

In a bowl, whisk together the pineapple juice (save the chunks), soy sauce, Marsala wine, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, chili powder and chili flakes until the sugar dissolves. Put the wings (or drummettes) into a plastic resealable bag and pour in the marinade. Seal bag, squeezing as much air as possible out when closing. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

When ready to cook, put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray it liberally with vegetable cooking spray. Remove the chicken from the marinade and arrange in a single layer on the prepared pan. Season the chicken with salt, to taste, and bake until the skin is caramelized and very dark in spots, about 30 to 35 minutes.


Meanwhile, put the marinade into a small saucepan. Whisk in the cornstarch and bring to a boil over medium heat (in order to kill bacteria). Reduce the heat to a low boil and cook until thick, about 5 minutes. Using a pastry brush, brush some of the cooked marinade over the chicken or pour it into a small bowl and serve on the side. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve. I also threw the pineapple chunks in a pan and fried them a bit. I served this with steamed rice and kimchi, but there's lots of other sides that could go with it as well. Enjoy! It's a bit messy, so be sure to have napkins....but very delicious, I hope you guys will give it a try!