Review of Favorite Christmas Cookies - Rosettes Recipe

Nothing says Christmas to me like my grandmother’s rosette cookies.  Coming together as a family during the holidays means making, and then inhaling, these Scandinavian treat delights (my highest dessert rating).

These lacy snowflake-like cookies are as much eye candy as they are absolutely the tastiest lighter-than-air, flaky pastry you will ever eat.  I don’t think there is a more beautiful holiday food than rosettes.  Just having a plate of these delicate cookies on your table will instantly make the season more merry and bright.

If you are looking for a unique gift for friends, family, neighbors, teachers, or co-workers, this is a delightful way to share the warm spirit of the season.  Simply create a gift basket filled with rosettes, or even better, offer a kit with the recipe, a set of rosette irons, and the mix.  You just might help someone start a treasured holiday tradition.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
• 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk your eggs, sugar, and salt until blended.
2. Use a sifter to mix in your flour.  Add milk and vanilla.
3. Add three to four inches of cooking oil to a deep fryer or stove top pan.
4. Use candy thermometer to heat oil to 365 degrees (Fahrenheit).
5. Heat rosette iron in the oil for at least two minutes.
6. Remove heated rosette iron from the oil.  Let excess oil drain off the iron.
7. Carefully dip the hot iron into batter (leaving a 1/4 inch margin at top of iron).
8. Immerse rosette iron into heated oil.  Fry batter until golden.
9. Use skimmer to remove rosette from oil.  Drip off excess oil.
10. Place rosette on drying rack.  Sprinkle with sugar (granulated or powdered) just before serving.
11. Reheat rosette iron in hot oil for one minute and repeat the process.

Serves: 10     Prep Time: 15 Minutes     Total Time: 30 Minutes

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Zack & Zoey Nor'easter Dog Blanket Coat Review

When you live in the mountains, the weather can turn on you without warning.  My adventure companion, Toby, has to be prepared for a wide range of conditions on our daily hikes.  One of the most important pieces of outdoor gear for my dog is his all-weather jacket.  Toby’s new Zack & Zoey Nor’easter Dog Blanket Coat just arrived and we gave it a test run this afternoon.  Here’s our review of the coat’s performance.

First, I must mention that I specifically looked for a dog coat that came in a high visibility orange color.  With hunting season in high gear, Toby’s safety was my top priority.  Having a dog that loves to root around in the brush for rabbits and bones made it imperative that he not be mistaken for wild game.  I am extremely happy with the color of Toby’s new coat.  He can be seen from a great distance and the reflective stripe and paw logo on his coat provide for additional safety with darkness coming on so early these days.  Score: 10/10

Next, I wanted a waterproof outer fabric that would offer a shield from the wind that blows down off the 14,000-foot peaks here in our stomping grounds.  Toby's new Zack & Zoey dog coat has a polyester shell with just the right weave and weight to keep him comfortable.  Any hiker at high elevations knows that every ounce counts.  You need to find performance gear that won't weigh you down.  The weight of Toby's new jacket is just perfect.  We didn't have any precipitation to contend with during our test today, but we'll score this based on wind-breaking capacity.  Score: 10/10

The third feature on our must-have list for a new dog coat was that it be fleece-lined.  We found that the Zack & Zoey Nor’easter Dog Blanket Coat offers just the right amount of warmth.  Being a rugged, outdoorsy kind of guy, Toby really likes the camo print lining, but you can select another lining style if your dog has different fashion tastes.  As an added bonus, this coat is reversible.  We flipped the jacket inside out during our test so you could see how it looks when reversed.  You can choose from eight different coat colors and lining prints.  Score: 10/10

Our final expectations, in terms of the dog coat’s features, centered on the ease of getting it off and on, as well as on the sizing adjustability.  The chest and belly straps on this dog coat make it quick and simple to gear up.  I’m pleased with the quality of the Velcro closures.  Some brands of dog coats have leg openings that require a dog to step into his jacket.  That would never work for us.  Those kinds of openings constrain movement and rub the wrong way on a dog’s body.  Toby and I much prefer the Zack & Zoey style of strapping.  We found the sizing to be very accurate.  I ordered an XL coat for Toby and it fits just right.  Score: 10/10

In summary, we couldn’t be happier with the Zack & Zoey Nor’easter Dog Blanket Coat.  The coat is everything we wanted and the price was extremely reasonable (much less than other dog coats).  I will definitely buy this same coat again.  Highly recommended.  Toby gives this dog coat an overall score of 10/10 bones.

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Rescue Road: One Man, Thirty Thousand Dogs, and a Million Miles on the Last Hope Highway - Book Review

Heading northward the other day with a vanload of precious cargo, rescue dogs being transferred to prime locations where their adoption chances were vastly improved, I got to thinking about the individuals who do this on a grander scale throughout the year.  What would it be like to be the individual who has driven a million miles to save 30,000 dogs?  Who could sustain that kind of commitment for the long haul?

The who is Greg Mahle and Rescue Road is the inside story of what it takes, week in and week out, to give thousands of dogs a stay of execution.  Animals in high-kill shelters in the South, facilities that kill four out of five dogs due to overcrowding or lack of resources, would have no chance without the network of dedicated volunteers who make it their mission to move dogs away from a sure death via the last hope highway.

When the author, Peter Zheutlin, adopts a lab that had ridden its way to him on Mahle’s eighteen-wheeler, he becomes curious about the intricacies of the rescue operation.  We make the journey with Zheutlin as he rides along with Mahle to immerse himself in the grueling, and yet joyous, work of uniting homeless dogs with their new families.  Over the course of a week, we travel from Ohio to the Gulf coast.

Along the way, we meet the inspirational heroes without whom there would be no future for these abandoned animals.   This is book that celebrates happy endings without glossing over the realities of rescue work.  Anyone who loves dogs, or loves the people who make it their life’s work to save animals, will appreciate this book.

As one who is involved in the rescue mission, I seek out books that will inspire me to continually do more and be more.  Though you and I will most likely never drive one million miles, and though I transport smaller numbers of dogs, the message we can take to heart is this: There is something we each can do to make a difference in the lives of desperate beings.  How we do it is a very personal choice.  Whether we adopt, or volunteer, or donate, or educate, or transport, it all adds up.  The sum of our actions is significant.  I encourage you to read Rescue Road and then to help spread hope wherever it is needed most.

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The Bright Hour: A Memoir of Living and Dying

Some books are so achingly beautiful they cry out to be read.  This is one of them.  To not read The Bright Hour would be to deny yourself one breathtaking moment after another.  This is a memoir that reveals how to savor every day—even the days, especially the days, we would not typically love.

When Nina Riggs was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 37, it was one small spot that seemed fixable.  “No one dies from one small spot,” she reassured herself.  Within a year, though, Riggs was dealing with a terminal diagnosis.  Lest you think the book turns grim at this point, let me assure you that this is not a dark accounting of impending death—far from it.

The question at the heart of The Bright Hour is this: What makes for a meaningful life when your time is limited?  It is an extraordinary individual who can see and illuminate for us the radiance and joy to be found in the seemingly mundane moments that fill our lives with meaning.  Nina Riggs’ poetic eye, and soul, gifts us over and over again with word pictures that not only dazzle, but that enrich our spirits.

What if, like Nina Riggs, we were to live the answer to that question every day?  Isn't that the key to loving our days and living with fullness of life?

The Bright Hour is the most important book I have read this year.  Having recently lost a good friend to cancer, I found this memoir to be a poignant way to reflect on how Susan also lived her life with great meaning and purpose.  It can be healing in many ways to read a book that celebrates a life force that is not diminished by death.  I highly recommend this book.

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Review of Outward Hound Dog Life Jacket

Finn's new Outward Hound life jacket.

When I recently adopted a disabled dog, I made a promise to Finn that I would do everything in my power to help him thrive.  Because his back legs do not function normally, and he cannot walk or run, I knew that swimming could provide Finn with a freedom of movement he had never before experienced.  I immediately went online and ordered an Outward Hound Fun Fish Life Jacket so Finn could dive into some water fun.  This is one of the best purchases I have ever made for one of my beloved animal companions.

I looked at a lot of life jackets for dogs before selecting this particular model.  Because Finn has limited use of his back legs, it was important to find a life jacket that would stabilize him in the water.  The neckband floatation bib on this life jacket was just what Finn needed to keep him from rolling over onto his side.

My little "Nemo's" first swimming lesson.

The two handle straps on the back of the life jacket have been essential during Finn’s initial swimming lessons.  They make it easy for me to build his confidence as I hold on and slowly move him through the water.  He feels safe, which is the most important thing when introducing a dog to water activities.  For anyone who takes a dog boating, this feature could mean the difference in saving an animal that has fallen overboard.  The straps can be easily hooked with a pole or paddle handle.

I also appreciate the design and construction of this life jacket. The Velcro closures and adjustable nylon straps make it easy for me to snug up Finn’s life jacket in a way that is secure and yet comfortable for him.   And then there is the cuteness factor.  Everyone who has seen my Finn in his new swimming gear thinks he looks like an adorable little Nemo.  I do think it’s one of the cutest life jackets on the market.   

Finn goes kayaking.

Who should own a dog life jacket?  Anyone who has a backyard pool, or who takes a dog boating, or who lives in hurricane country, or who has a weakened or elderly dog, or who is teaching a young pup to swim, or who wants to offer water therapy to a dog in recovery.  A life jacket is a great confidence booster for a fearful, reluctant, or struggling canine swimmer.  It can be the key to helping your dog discover, or retain, the joys of water play.

In terms of value, the Outward Hound Fun Fish Life Jacket is hard to beat.  I got a great price, along with all of the features I need to keep my precious pup safe.   After testing this dog life vest, I can say without hesitation that I would buy it again.  I highly recommend it, as do a few thousand other dog-lovers.  You can check out all of the reviews when you click through any of the links on this page.

Has your dog ever used a life jacket?  Please share your thoughts or experiences.  Thanks!

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Music Reviewed on Review This Reviews

Treasures from the Archives of Review This Reviews!

For most of us music is a way we express ourselves. The songs we choose to listen to on any given day, are often a reflection of what we are thinking or feeling at that moment. Sometimes, we even turn on music to brighten our mood and lift our spirits. Other times, we want music that will cry with us or express that deep sense of loss that we are currently experiencing ourselves. Many couples have "their song" because the lyrics of that song say exactly what they think and how they feel. For couples who have been together for decades, just hearing the song play takes them back 

Preference in style or music genre is as varied as humans themselves.  Actually, even an individual's preference can change somewhat as they age, or experience major life changes.  For instance, someone who has always enjoyed listening to smooth love songs, doesn't want to hear the first note of a love song if they are in the midst of a break-up.  They are going to be much more likely to wish to listen to songs about revenge or moving on happily without someone.

Not only do tastes vary in style of lyrics and voice, but some people prefer instrumental music.  The beat is what touches them, or the cry of a string instrument is what soothes their heart and soul.

Like anyone, the contributors of Review This Reviews have their own personal preferences and we love to write about them!  We invite you to join us when we listen, then review our favored songs or artists.   If you see something that appeals to you in the articles shown below, simply click the image to read our review.  Pinterest automatically redirects you to the published review.  

Review This Reviews! is the very best resource for wonderful music reviews on the web!


Welcome to Our Music Library!

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Music Reviewed on Review This Reviews!

For a written list of the music reviewed on Review This Reviews, please visit our Site Directory and select "Music" from the "Fast Click" category tabs on that page.



Read More Book Reviews at
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Book Review of Will's Red Coat by Tom Ryan

Will's Red Coat by Tom Ryan

What would happen today if we gave ourselves over, wholeheartedly, to a hurting soul?  What if we could let go of all expectations and simply concentrate on pure giving?  Tom Ryan, author of Will's Red Coat, lived the transformational answer to these questions when he responded to a Facebook post about a soul in desperate need.  Little did Ryan know at the time how that seemingly straightforward act of kindness would dramatically change him and forever alter the course of his life.

On the surface, this book would appear to be yet another memoir of a man and his dog.  Oh, but this is so much more than that.  There is a man, yes -- Ryan, the New York Times bestselling author of Following Atticus.  And there is a dog -- a deaf, mostly blind, senior dog that is raging against the dying light.  But this is not your typical rescue story of human saves animal, or animal saves his person.

This is a story of finding the life you have always wanted, and needed, by submitting to that which you would never have knowingly chosen.  Up front, Ryan thought he was providing a temporary last home for a dog that was expected to live only a very short time.  In essence, it was a hospice situation.  Ryan was offering Will a place, and space, to die with dignity.

Things are never this simple, though, are they?  This weak, angry dog wasn't ready to die without a fight, without experiencing the underlying beauty that is so easy to miss in life.  The heart of this book is how two souls, Tom and Will, became the beauty they were each seeking.

As an animal welfare volunteer who deals with abandoned, forgotten souls on a daily basis, I found myself deeply moved by the profound truths of this poignant story.  The truths you will discover when you read this book are these:

"It's never too late to trust again, to love or be loved again; and it's never too late to live again."  ~ Will's Wisdom

 Yes, this book will make you cry, but the tears will be joyous and healing.  They will be a celebration of the triumph of a life lived in full.  I found this book to be an incredibly beautiful tribute to what happens when you become who you were always meant to be.

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Review of Women's Keen Targhee II Mid Hiking Boots

The author with her best hiking buddy, Toby.

When it comes to high adventure in the mountains I call home, there is nothing more important than gearing up my feet for action.  Having just purchased my fifth pair of women's Keen Targhee II Mid boots, I think it's pretty safe to say I am very keen on these hiking boots.

Four-Wheel Drive for Your Feet

When climbing Colorado's 14ers (peaks over 14,000 feet in elevation), it is easy to spot the rookies.  These are the hikers in flip-flops (no-wheel drive) who are heading back down the trail with painful blisters and major regrets.

The difference between an exhilarating day on the mountain and a day that will go down in infamy is, for me, the difference that is made in wearing what Keen refers to as "four-wheel drive for your feet."




Let's Get Real

First, let me confess that I have the world's most sensitive feet.  Before discovering Keen hiking boots, I experienced the most epic blisters and endured heel pain that can make a grown woman cry.  When you add weak ankles to the mix, I wasn't exactly extreme hiker material.

Why I Need Keen Boots in the Rocky Mountains

The Nitty-Gritty Details  

These Keen boots work for me in several critical ways:

• They are comfortable from day one.  Unlike other hiking boots, there is no extended break-in period.
• The mid height of the boots provides my ankles with much-needed support.
• Waterproof leather uppers and breathable mesh lining make blisters a thing of the past.  Dry feet are happy feet.
• Lug soles offer up confidence-inspiring traction in even the most challenging terrain.
• Given that every ounce matters while hiking and backpacking, I find the weight of these boots to be just perfect (significant enough to protect my feet, while light enough to keep my legs fresh all day).
• Have I mentioned that the price is right?  Many hiking boots will set you back a few hundred dollars.  With the Keen Targhee II Mid hikers, you are getting a quality boot for far less.

Not a Mountain Mama?

Crossing a slippery log bridge over rapids in my Keen boots.

Let me conclude this product review by saying you don't have to be a mountain mama or an extreme hiker to enjoy these boots.  I wear mine every day just because I find them to be my most comfortable footwear.  

And besides, it's pretty awesome to have four-wheel drive boots for extreme grocery shopping.  I have been known to summit the fresh produce aisle in record time.  There's no stopping me now!

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