Favorite Hallmark Winter Movies Reviewed

Being an unabashed Christmas movie Hallmark fan there can be a Hallmark movie letdown after the holidays. While the Hallmark Christmas movies remain my favorite - the winter brings some entertaining Hallmark movies not to miss. 

I'm no fan of winter, but winter is a bit more tolerable with a Hallmark movie to view after a day battling the snow, ice, salting and shoveling of a typical winter day in the Northern United States.

My Favorite Winter Theme Hallmark Movies

Love On Ice

Ice Skating, another winter sport I enjoy, is the backdrop for this Hallmark movie with Hallmark favorite Andrew Walker. He plays a figure skating coach hired to continue a young skaters' ascent through skating competitions. However, Hallmark fate steps in as he finds a former figure skater teaching at the same rink. The three combine to skate, compete and begin their collective journey to the figure skating championships. Figure skaters and figure skating fans will appreciate the nod to their sport in this delightful Hallmark movie.

Winter In Vail 

This is a very cute winter movie with two of the popular Hallmark leads Lacey Chabert and Tyler Hynes. The story revolves around a displaced event planner who inherits a beautiful Vail home. She teams with the local to preserve the history of his family business and the business itself. Strudel, beautiful scenery and quick banter are the theme of the movie which keeps true to the Hallmark romantic theme.

Taking A Shot At Love 

New for 2021 is Taking A Shot At Love with Alexa Penavaga and Luke McFarlane. Alexa plays a ballet instructor with the unexpected side gig of rehabbing a professional hockey player. Ballet, wit, and hockey play out through this charming and entertaining movie.

Two For The Win

Also new for 2021 is Two For the Win. I love skiing so this movie was fun to watch. The local ski instructor and professional skiier have a long history and the Hallmark sparks fly when she is hired to coach the professional after rehabbing an injury. Picturesque winter scenes and plenty of snow dominate the background of this ski loving movie.

Winter Castle

Have you ever dreamed of taking a vacation to an Ice Hotel? Hallmark veterans Kevin McGarry and Emilie Ullerup are at the Ice Hotel to attend the destination as the best man and maid of honor. The scenery is gorgeous as this was filmed at the real life Hotel de Glace in Quebec. Staying at an ice hotel is not for the timid traveler! Enjoy the ice hotel backdrop with the Hallmark romance intertwined.

More Hallmark Christmas Movies Reviewed

Hallmark Christmas Movies 2020 Reviewed by The Savvy Age
Finding Father Christmas by Cynthia
Broadcasting Christmas by Cynthia

Top Ten Hallmark Christmas Movies by The Savvy Age
Debbie Macomber's Mr. Miracle Hallmark Movie Review by Cynthia

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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USPS Informed Delivery Reviewed

 Ever wonder what the mail will bring? Are you trying to track a lost package or envelope? Try the Informed Delivery Service offered for free by the United States Postal Service. Incoming mail and packages are scanned by the USPS and the images are delivered to you everyday via email.

Email Delivery

Every morning around 8:00 a.m. I receive an email with the scanned images of incoming mail. Incoming envelopes and some direct mail flyers are scanned, larger junk mail is not included.

I have found the service to be very accurate as to what is actually delivered and of course shout out to a wonderful mailman we are lucky to have.

Packages

The service also tracks any incoming packages. This has been very helpful when trying to track a package ordered online, but the package is mailed via two delivery services. I have found this to be happening more and more frequently where one major delivery service hands off the package to the local USPS for delivery.

When you track the delivery route at times it has been difficult to determine when/if the package is being delivered and by which service.

How To Sign Up?

A few clicks of the mouse will bring you to the sign up page for Informed Delivery Service.

Click here to view the sign up instructions.

The service is free. An USPS account is not needed. If you already have an online account with the USPS you can sign in and then navigate to the instructions if desired.

Looking For A Specific Piece Of Mail?

This service is wonderful if you have an important piece of mail you are expecting or if unfortunately a piece of mail is expected, but has not arrived.

A Handy Dandy Companion

The Guard Your ID Stamp is a handy dandy companion to the USPS Informed Delivery service along with your paper shredder to protect your personal information.

Review of the Guard Your ID Stamp is available here.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Ice Castles Movie Reviewed

Flashback to 1978! This is a favorite movie. It has been quite awhile since I watched this movie and after I found it again on Amazon Prime this movie brought back the memories.

Love Story

Ice Castles is a love story set within the world of figure skating. Figure skater fans will appreciate the skating and love story fans will appreciate the old flame comes to the rescue storyline.

Figure Skating

The story contains plenty of figure skating and the competitive skating world is the backdrop for the love story. If you love to watch figure skating you will enjoy the figure skating scenes throughout the movie.

Persistence

Ultimately this is a love story of persistence. Persistence to overcome, persistence to prevail and the persistence of how love can prevail.

The Stars

Lynn Holly Johnson is the small town figure skater with Olympic hopes whose eye injury renders her blind. Lynn Holly was actually an Ice Capades figure skater when producers recruited her for the part of Lexie.
Robby Benson has been described at the IT star of the 1970's plays the hockey player and old flame of Lexie who comes to her aid as she navigates life as a blind figure skater.
Colleen Dewhurst is the small town coach who is instrumental in coaching Lexie on her way up and holding Lexie up while recovering from her accident.

Through The Eyes Of Love

Melissa Manchester's Through The Eyes Of Love is the theme song for the movie. If you don't remember the movie the theme song may bring back a few memories! The song was nominated for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Guard Your ID Stamp Reviewed

 I received this very practical and very useful gadget for Christmas and the Guard Your ID stamp has quickly climbed to the top of my favorite gadget list!

How The Guard Your ID Works

I believe this gadget falls under the "Why Didn't I Think Of That!" category for paper management. While I make every effort to go paperless I still receive unsolicited and undesired direct mail advertisements printed with my personal information.

Many times the direct mail advertisements are heavy on paper and envelopes, but have your personal information just one spot. The Guard Your ID stamp is perfect to quickly eliminate the personal information to then dispose of the mailer in the trash or in the paper to be shredded pile. 

Easy as 1-2-3 simply open the stamp, blot out your personal information on the mailer and you are done!

Quick, Easy & Convenient

I love the ease of this gadget. All you have to remember is to replace the cap, give a twist to the cap and the ink and stamp is stored safely for the next use.

Paper Shredders Plus Guard Your ID

The Guard Your ID stamp is the perfect companion to the traditional paper shredder to protect personal information. If you have ever tangled with a home paper shredder I have found that our home shredder is not fond of the mailers and envelopes. Nothing like having a few unwanted envelopes stuck in the shredder to try and untangle.

Fun Practical Gift

I liked this gadget so much I purchased the three pack to have one at the office and two in the gift bag stash. A great little add on for practical gift giving. Savings Hint: Coupons on the single stamp and three pack are available frequently on amazon for a nice savings!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Book Review: Craving London by Jessica Stone

When I read Jessica's introduction I immediately thought of the infamous "You Had Me At Hello..." scene in Jerry Maguire. Why? And how does Tom Cruise and Rene Zellweger relate to this book? Because my immediate thought after reading the introduction to Craving London was "You Had Me At the Introduction..."

What a great way to begin the journey into Jessica Stone's Craving London! A delightful romantic memoir of Jessica moving from New York to London with no predefined plan and the intertwining of discovering London through its' food, culture and of course romance. 

This book is a memoir of the journey of love, life and alot of laughs in a new country. Easy to summarize in a sentence, but not so easy to navigate as reality.  Admire her guts and tenacity navigating London without a safety net and then add her Cuban heritage and a dash of Paris for a full menu of diverse stories and recipes all can enjoy.

Foodies And The Recipes

Craving London is not a cookbook. But with delight for all foodies are recipes sprinkled throughout the book cohesively interwoven with Jessica's love affair with London. 

I love old school tried and true recipes. Each recipe has a backstory which are part of the charm; however, even more charming is that the recipes are for cooks. Not chefs, not fancy ingredients one cannot find or afford, but recipes across the food spectrum you will immediately say, "I can make that." Or more importantly, "I can't wait to make that!" Which brings us to my favorite chapter title...

Who Moved My Grilled Cheese?

This is a chapter after my own love affair with grilled cheese sandwiches. It's rare for me to meet a grilled cheese sandwich I do not like. While Jessica trained in patisserie at Le Cordon Bleu,  I appreciate her sharing the recipes throughout her London travels and trust me, this is a grilled cheese recipe you will want to try. 

The Ending?

Does Jessica find love? Is there a happy ending? Of course I cannot spoil the journey, but just as authentic is Jessica's life journey, the ending of this book is just as authentic.

Recommendation

I highly recommend Craving London. If you are a fan of memoirs with a sense of humor, recipes with a sense of purpose and navigating the twists and turns of romance then this is a book for you. If you have ever thought, dreamed, considered or are on the fence about changing up your life without knowing exactly where you will land enjoy the trials and tribulations of Jessica's journey from the comfort of your home - laugh, live, love vicariously through her journey while you are considering your own.

I received this book from the Publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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What's A Spurtle? The Spurtle Review

I admit I have a special fondness for kitchen gadgets. Oh I have tried a few! Some are winners, some are losers and some end up in the Kitchen Tool Hall of Fame! The Spurtle is a kitchen tool which has turned out to be a favorite and deserves a place in the Kitchen Tool Hall Of Fame!

What Is A Spurtle?

A spurtle is a wooden kitchen tool from Scotland. It dates back to the fifteenth, yes the fifteenth century. It was used to stir porridge and originally had was shaped like a dowel. This design helped keep the porridge lump free.

I was first introduced to the spurtle by Mad Hungry's Lucinda Scala Quinn who has her own line of spurtles with todays' version. The current spurtle design has a longer flat area.  

I consider the spurtle a hybrid; a cross between a wooden spoon and spatula. When you think of the multitude of ways wooden spoons and spatulas are used in cooking and baking then you can see how many different ways a spurtle can be used. The difference is the spurtle does it better than my wooden spoons and spatulas.

Mashed potatoes, soups, any kind of dough, creamy salads, oatmeal, egg dishes and stuffing are just a few ways I use the spurtle. 

Of course making cookies is a definite favorite and the spurtle excels at not only mixing the dough, but scraping the edges of the bowl. No waste with the spurtle!

 

The 27th Golden Spurtle Championship

Every kitchen tool needs a championship and the spurtle is no exception. The 27th Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship is held in Scotland annually to celebrate the heritage of the spurtle and its' porridge origin. Adapting to the theme of 2020, this years' competition was virtual with competitors submitting videos and their favorite spurtle porridge recipe. 

Spurtles now come included in wooden kitchen tool sets or sold by themselves. Try it you will like it is my motto with the spurtle. Your mashed potatoes will thank you!

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Review: Liven Up Your Zoom Background With A Green Chromakey Backdrop

Have you ever wondered how it seems everyone in a virtual meeting has THE perfect office as seen from the background of the camera. The perfect bookshelves, the perfectly clean office, the perfectly arranged room which shines from behind on the computer screen.

It is an illusion. An illusion provided by a green chromakey backdrop ala the green screen we are used to seeing in the creation of movies with special effects. The green screen is now available for online meetings and the ZOOM platform does make it very easy to switch in and out your favorite background.

As working at home is the new normal for many or for seasoned virtual workers, the Chromakey Green Backdrop is a great gift or stocking stuffer! This is the gift any virtual employee will appreciate and may not want to buy, but will love receiving.

A gift certificate to iron (see below!) and install the backdrop would be an added bonus!

How To Hang The Backdrop

What is key for this backdrop is your iron! Yes, I am not a fan of ironing. But as noted by many of the over 2,000 reviews the backdrop must be free of wrinkles to work properly. Have you ever been in a ZOOM meeting where one person seems to fade in and out of their background? A wrinkle is probably to blame. 

The illusion is slightly ruined when a face starts dropping in and out of the gorgeous window we thought?! was in the office. After the ironing is complete the installation of the Green Backdrop is very easy.

Installation Tips

Avoid breezes, fans, air ducts and heat return ducts! Air flow will create the same effect as a wrinkle. Viewers will suddenly find yourself in your actual room instead of the virtual background of your choice when the air conditioning or heat turns on.

My green backdrop is now hung with an inexpensive curtain rod at the top of the wall. If you'd like to try out the backdrop first before investing in a hardware or putting holes in the wall then the backdrop can be adhered to a blank wall with painters tape. Again, the backdrop still needs to be ironed.

The permanent but portable solution is to purchase a backdrop frame on wheels. This looks similar to a rolling luggage rack and allows the backdrop to be easily moved from room to room or from desktop to

a laptop in a different room. The backdrop does come with hanging clips for the installment option which works best for your virtual office.

Where To Find Fun And Free Zoom Backgrounds

Once your backdrop is ironed and ready to go then the fun can begin with shopping for backgrounds. A multitude of free resources exist to download backgrounds. Travel from the artic to the tropics to the office you wish you had! with the click of a download.

A few favorites to shop for ZOOM backgrounds:

Unsplash Sleek and modern

Pexels  Huge variety from all parts of the world!

Good Housekeeping  (Hallmark fan alert, there are Hallmark backgrounds!)

and ZOOM 

Shop around the web and find the background to make your virtual meeting just a little more interesting!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Tips And Tricks To Make Holiday Fudge

Christmas and the holidays mean one word in this house - Fudge! It was and is the annual tradition to make fudge for the Christmas holidays. Fudge is not difficult to make, but does require strict attention to the recipe for a successful fudge dessert. I have compiled a few tips and tricks to make fool proof successful fudge for the holiday season.

The Original Fantasy Fudge Recipe is my favorite fudge recipe. It is tried and true. A smooth and creamy consistency that melts in your mouth. This is fudge made with marshmallow creme in a jar - old school with the original recipe ingredients. The recipe on the jar of today is slightly different from the original and as always, Grandma knows best when it comes to recipes. 

Fudge Tips And Tricks

One cooking tip I have learned through which is now probably hundreds of times making fudge (disclaimer: the annual Christmas fudge tradition has transitioned into making fudge a few times a year, so I am not 100, but have probably made fudge at least 100 times through my fudge career) is the boiling time.

Perfect, creamy, melt in your mouth fudge with this recipe requires five minutes of rocking and rolling boiling. Not a second more, not a second less and the fudge comes out perfect. 

The second cooking tip I have learned is to stir stir and stir. While the ingredients are boiling the fudge must be stirred constantly or the bottom will burn on the pan. Not only does this ruin the taste the pan will be absolutely horrendous to try and clean. Just when your arm is exhausted is not the time to walk away from boiling ingredients - keep stirring!

The third cooking tip I have learned is to split the cooked fudge into two batches: one with nuts and one without. Fudge lovers are definitely in two distinct groups as to if fudge should be with or without nuts. I prefer fudge without nuts so am very partial to leaving the nuts out entirely. This is a large recipe so there is plenty of fudge to make 3/4 of a batch without nuts and 1/4 batch with nuts or vice versa.

Fun Fudge Recipes From The Savvy Age

What else can you do with Fudge? Alot! Fudge is such a hit for the holidays with a little experimentation I have found fudge is also quite versatile. The favorites fudge spin off recipes so far: 

Fudge Christmas Cutouts

Fudge Cups - Snickerdoodle Fudge

Fudge Balls

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Christmas Tree Lane: Hallmark Movie Review

Hallmark opened up the 2020 Christmas movie season with a winner! Christmas Tree Lane will not disappoint Hallmark fans and will definitely not disappoint Hallmark Christmas fans. 

A delightful romance with all the necessary Hallmark elements will delight fans and will leave you eagerly awaiting the newest Hallmark Christmas movies along with past favorites.

The Stars

Hallmark brought out the A team actors of Alicia Witt and Andrew Walker to create the chemistry for the Christmas Tree Lane story. Each actor has starred in multiple Hallmark movies and are fan favorites. Andrew plays an architect whose family business has its' eye on the infamous and beloved Christmas Tree Lane. Alicia plays the owner of her families shop threatened by the redevelopment along with all of Christmas Tree Lane.

I won't spoil the love story; however, the story line may sound familiar to Hallmark fans and that is just fine with Hallmark fans! It is the chemistry and acting which makes the story and both stars bring this romance to life.

Fun Facts

Alicia Witt not only stars in Christmas Tree Lane and executive produced the movie. But wait there is more. She also created the story, brought the story to Hallmark,  wrote the theme song, played the piano and performed the song in the movie. 

One Life To Live fans will recognize the actor who plays Alicia's father - guess who?

Catch a sneak peek here of Christmas Tree Lane while you are waiting for the replay!

More Hallmark Christmas Movies

I recently wrote a review for the Hallmark Christmas movies 2020 and did pick this movie out as a movie to bookmark! Christmas Tree Lane is on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel.

There will be 40 new Hallmark Christmas movies for 2020 and let's hope all movies will be as good as Christmas Tree Lane! The new movies will be shown on both Hallmark channels: Hallmark and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.

More Hallmark Christmas Movies Reviewed

Debbie Macomber's Mr. Miracle Hallmark Movie Review by Cynthia

Top Ten Hallmark Christmas Movies by The Savvy Age

Finding Father Christmas by Cynthia

Broadcasting Christmas by Cynthia

Happy Hallmark Christmas!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Hallmark Christmas Movies 2020 Reviewed

Ready, set and Hallmark! It may be Fall, but Fall means the start of the Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel.

Yes, unabashed Hallmark fan here and my absolute favorite Hallmark movies are the Christmas movies. I reviewed my Top Ten Hallmark Christmas Movies in 2018 and while those are my favorite I have added a few as new Hallmark Christmas movies which have debuted.

Christmas In Rome, Christmas Town, Christmas At The Plaza were favorites for 2019.

What's In Store For Hallmark Christmas 2020?

Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas begins Friday, October 23rd. The Hallmark Channel Movies and Mysteries has also joined the Christmas fun with its' Miracles Of Christmas movies also beginning October 23, 2020.

In all there will be 40 new Christmas movies for 2020: 23 on the Hallmark Channel and 17 on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel.

Hallmark Favorites Return For 2020

I'm looking forward to the return of favorite Hallmark stars for the Christmas season!

• If I Only Had Christmas, starring Candace Cameron Bure

• Christmas Waltz, starring Lacey Chabert

• Chateau Christmas, starring Merritt Patterson and Luke Macfarlane

• Cross Country Christmas, starring Rachael Leigh Cook

• Christmas Tree Lane, starring Alicia Witt and Andrew Walker

• Cranberry Christmas, starring Nikki DeLoach and Benjamin Ayres

Where to Find Hallmark Christmas Movies?

If your cable subscription does not include Hallmark or you have cut the cable cord, Hallmark Channel is available with the Hallmark Everywhere App. 

A monthly plan is also available with the Hallmark Movies Now service for $4.99 a month. A seven day free trial is available to give the channel a no obligation spin.

More Hallmark Christmas Movies Reviewed

Debbie Macomber's Mr. Miracle Hallmark Movie Review by Cynthia

Top Ten Hallmark Christmas Movies by The Savvy Age

Finding Father Christmas by Cynthia

Broadcasting Christmas by Cynthia

Pick of The Hallmark Christmas Movies

Flashback to A Christmas Detour

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Garage Parking Sensor Aid Review

Loving this new garage gadget! This Adjustable Garage Parking Sensor Aid is just the gadget I needed to help park the car safely in the garage and avoid tangling with a wood shelving unit. This shelving unit came with the garage and while handy is a bit problematic to fit the car in the garage.

What one does not want to hear when driving the car into a tight sized garage is the sound of crackling wood. While this wood organizer unit can be very handy and it is very utilized, it appeared the prior owners of said organizer may have had a few run ins with the support posts. 

Just guessing, but a little bump of the support post produced .... a cracked post. 

Going Bump In The Night

On the advice of a handy neighbor he told me about automatic garage sensors to help with judging the distance between the wood shelves and the car bumper. I had been using the tried and true low tech tennis ball as a guide to stopping; however if juggling two differently sized cars, which may or may not park in the same spot, the tennis ball has its' limits.

Handy Gadget

The length between the shelving unit and the garage door is very tight with very little space to maneuver. Enter the Garage Parking Sensor Aid! 

I love gadgets that are practical, fulfill a need with the bonus of affordable and easy to install. The Garage Parking Sensor fulfills all of the above!

 

Easy To Install

The unit can be installed in less than five minutes! It is that easy. No need to be handy. The unit runs on AA batteries or can be charged with a mini USB connection. 

Decide where the bumper of the car should stop and align the bottom sensor with the bumper. 

The top part shaped like a stoplight can be adhered with the included double stick tape or as many reviewers suggested using a cable tie or velcro. There happen to be a wide ledge I could prop the top part of the unit so no tape was needed.

The top and bottom sensor are connected with a generous length of wire to adapt to all size vehicles.

The Approach

What is very nice is how the distance from entering the garage to the stopping point is measured. The stop sign indicator is large enough to easily view. 

As the car approaches the light of the unit progresses from green to yellow to red. The yellow to red progression is very helpful as a guide point to be prepared to stop.

This quick video shows in real time the Garage Parking Sensor at work.

This really is a 1-2-3 open the package and install in five minutes! I can now send the tennis ball back to the court where it belongs!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Garlic Expressions Vinaigrette Reviewed

Garlic Expressions Vinaigrette Dressing has become a favorite in this household. A flexible dressing which can be used for fresh vegetables, chicken or shrimp marinade or a dressing for submarine sandwiches. Flexible is its' middle name!

A Marinade

One of my favorite uses for Garlic Expressions is to use as a marinade for chicken or shrimp. Shrimp only needs a few hours in the marinade to dress up fresh shrimp and add a garlic twist.

Submarine Sandwich Dressing

Garlic Expressions makes an excellent dressing for a submarine sandwich! We use it regularly for the dressing instead of the dressing which comes with the sandwich. Perfect addition for homemade subs too.

Vegetable Dressing

Asparagus spears or fresh broccoli lightly drizzled with this vinaigrette are absolutely yummy!

Salad Dressing

If you are a fan of garlic then using Garlic Expressions as a healthy salad dressing is for you!

Where To Find Garlic Expressions

If you are close to a Whole Foods store or have Amazon Prime/Whole Foods option Garlic Expressions is available to order. I have found the vinaigrette at the local grocery store or independent grocery store. The prices online tend to vary, but normal pricing in my area is $3.99-$4.99 a bottle.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Worst Cooks In America: TV Series Reviewed

Have you ever wondered how a meal which seems so easy to make can sometimes go oh so wrong? As in what was I thinking? Did I use sugar instead of salt? Was that a cup or cup and a half of flour?

Been there. But thankfully, only occasionally.

If you need a little laughter in the kitchen then the television show the Worst Cooks In America is for you. (Laughing with the contestants at their culinary journey.)

Worst Cooks Competition

The Worst Cooks In America is an elimination competition cooking show in which contestants are separated into two teams. The teams are captained by well known chefs Anne Burrell and Alex Guarnaschelli this season.

Each show has a culinary  theme where the captains guide their team by teaching the contestants how to make a specific meal. The captains coach their team members along the way while the team members learn the ins and outs of cooking ... hopefully.

The first episode of the season features the contestants making their go-to meal from real life. A little scary, very interesting and very creative are some of these dishes. Some dishes combine ingredients that are just. so. not. edible!

A Sense Of Humor

Laughter and humor are also a theme throughout the show as contestants are good humored and the audience is rooting for them to succeed! Contestants are eliminated at the end of each show and they try so hard! As we home cooks know, some days are better than others and cooking can be an inexact endeavor some days for us novices.

Celebrity Worst Cooks

Every so often the show runs a celebrity season and there is always plenty of mirth and mayhem. It is quite amusing to watch celebrities out of their entertainment element and enter the show as the main character.

As the celebrity contestants are already camera friendly their cooking or lack of cooking skills shine through along with their entertaining personalities.

Where To Find Worst Cooks In America?

New episodes of the Worst Cooks In America air at 9 p.m. Sundays on the Food Network.

If you have an Amazon Fire Stick the series is available on the Food Network Kitchen app. The app is also available on Google Play and iPhone. The apps offer some free Food Network shows; however a cable subscription will unlock all the offerings.

If you love to cook or watch cooking shows I think you will enjoy Worst Cooks In America and may even learn a few new skills for your own kitchen along the way.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Favorite Bird Feeders Reviewed

It has been quite a long time since I fed the birds with a bird feeder! This summer I revisited feeding the birds and have really enjoyed watching the variety of birds which visit daily.

My Two Favorite Bird Feeders

Both feeders are affordable and lower priced. I chose the feeders based on the reviews and of course how well the feeders held up to the creative squirrels.

Am happy to report the feeders have survived a few attacks by squirrels and the squirrels have now decided the feeders are not worth the effort! Score one for the bird feeder.

However when I was filling up one feeder I noticed something very interesting in the bottom of the feeder.... a peanut shell! Obviously, someone... something... something furry must have somehow opened the top of the bird feeder to hide this little peanut treasure!

Lighthouse Bird Feeder

I like the lighthouse design of this bird feeder. While the cylinder design is a positive, there is also some waste when filling the feeder as the seeds can bounce out of the cylinder. Nonetheless lighthouses are a favorite so I recommend filling the feeder at the spot where the feeder hangs so the extra seed stays in the area under the hanging feeder.

I placed this feeder on a Shepherd's hook surrounded by foliage and the Shepherd's hook worked great!

Hanging Bird Feeder

After enjoying the lighthouse feeder I purchased a second feeder for another area in the yard to hang on a tree.

This is more the traditional shape of a bird feeder and thus far the squirrels have had no success in attempting entry. It is easy to fill the feeder as the roof simply twists off and the feeder can be easily filled.

Low Maintenance Bird Feeder

My friend relayed how she was feeding the birds outside her window with orange slices! What a great idea and perfect way to use leftover oranges.

Two years ago we had a robin build a nest on top of the porch light. It was a fun few weeks watching the robin family lay the eggs to the successful flight of the baby robins.

This year our robin family returned for another successful family event. Last year a robin built a nest on the same porch light, but the nest was abandoned. So this year the nest was a double decker as the 2020 nest was built on top of the 2019 nest.

The robins were again quite protective and became much more aggressive once the babies were born (thankfully the Amazon driver was on board and knew it was necessary to duck when heading for the porch.)

Review This Reviews writer and photographer Mary Beth Granger wrote a Review of the Facts And Photos Of The American Robin . Enjoy her wonderful photos of the American Robin along with the background of the American Robin. 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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