Quick. Juicy. Pork Chops.

Of the things we should never be forced to do...eating dry pork chops should be one of them.  There is simply no reason for it as making them quick, tasty and juicy is super easy to do.

Turn the oven on 400 degrees and put a cast iron skillet in.  If you don't have a cast iron skillet...side eye the mess outta yourself, order one from Amazon and try this in two days after your Prime shipment shows up.  Cast Iron 15" skillet:  http://amzn.to/1PaT76C 

Rinse and pat dry pork chops.  Rub olive oil on both sides and season with salt and fresh cracked pepper.  Once the oven has pre-heated, remove skillet and put on stovetop at medium-high.  Place pork chops in and sear.  (Will get smoky so yeah...use the vent thingy.)

Sear for three minutes and then, USING TONGS, turn over.  Put skillet in oven for ten minutes.

VIOLA.  INSTA-DELISH!  

GO YOU!  You rock so solid...it would take lava to melt you.  

Essie Gel Setter Review (Don't die Bethie!)

Can we talk manicures for a second?  I mean...I know there is a lot of really important things going on in the world but I'd really like to talk manis right now.  Namely...MY manicure.

I'm not a gel set chick.  They scare me.  They scare important doctor people too so there's that.  But I will admit that gel manicures look gorg-e-mous!  

But I don't want another battle with cancer.  No way...no how.  It's funny how most of the things in my life center around not wanting to get cancer again.  LOL!  (Don't die Bethie!)  

I bought this product, Essie Gel Setter, when I first saw it.  The majority of my nail polish is Essie so I tend to look around there often.  I bought this when it was first released and I've been testing it ever since.  

Normally my manicures last about a 4 days with a normal Essie top coat.  I'm on day 6 of this manicure and I'm over the moon with the results.

AND I WON'T GET POTENTIALLY GET CANCER!  

My manicure has a high gloss with that professional look which probably came from the fact that I rub the edges with tipped cotton applicators dipped in nail polish remover.  

The colors I used for this manicure (I put polka dots on my ring finger...GO ME!) were Marshmellow, Muchi, Muchi and Watermelon. 

I think it's going to last a minute and I'm excited about it!  I'm not crazy about going to get manicures.  I'll go get a pedicure but never a manicure it seems so I'm so excited I found this product so my manicures last longer and look for real professional!  GO ME!

What top coat do YOU use?  Do you get gel manicures?  Do they concern you?

Beauty and Fashion Randoms of an Over 40 Blogger

I needed something to wear to an event and got excited.  See...I'm not fashion or beauty obsessed although I tend to keep up with what is necessary for me to know in both departments.  I tend to buck trends and pretty much wear exactly what I want to wear.  The good thing about being over 40, is that I can pretty much get whatever I want to get.  You know...if I want it.

The older I get, the more I'm into comfortable shoes.  I own lovely heels, of course, but they are never my first choice anymore and I tend to plan an outfit around the shoes I want to wear.  I'll never get too old for a funky pair of Chucks and I will never pass up the opportunity to buy something others might consider outrageous if it makes me smile.  LOL!

I just recently bought some leather and glitter sneakers that make me smile.   People look down at them in surprise and then back up to my face quickly.  LOL!  I SEE YOU!!!!!!!!

I'm not into homely clothes and love to rock figure flattering pieces that aren't hoochie.  I don't like too tight pants so all my skinny pants have a good amount of "GIVE" in the material.  I have a crazy knack for picking out a funky and fun top and I have a wall filled with funky tops that I pair with jeans, shorts, sandals, ballet flats and sneakers.

I think I have skinny legs so I don't wear shorty shorts but I do wear fitted shorts if that makes sense.  (Odd I know.)  I still stick to the principle that if you only BUY things that look cute on you, you will only OWN things that look cute on you.  I don't like matchy matchy and I adore mixing super cheap pieces with pricey pieces.  My normal every day shorts are cargo shorts from the boy's department cuz you can't find cargo shorts for women with a good length for women anymore it seems.

My day-to-day wear would probably be considered tomboy chic or sporty luxe and, even though I feel I could wear some of the latest trends the younger people wear...I don't. And I don't consider jeans, t-shirts and Chucks to be young people clothes.  These things are ageless.  LOL!  And yes...I will probably be 80 rocking some fly glasses and some fresh to death glitter Chucks.

I pay attention to my "More" magazine and I check out the new stuff regarding makeup etc.  I'm not really there yet regarding makeup and am just now starting to play with different stuff when I do wear makeup which is still...HARDLY EVER.  In lieu of makeup...I will rock a pair of hot sunglasses or a hat.  LOL!  And my lips stay fresh with some good old Aquaphor which I pretty much use all over.

The only thing I have really started focusing on as I age is exposure to the sun.  Especially on my face and neck.  I'm not trying to hide from the sun but I also don't want to have to get to the point where I HAVE to wear makeup in order to have good looking skin and I have been known to have odd breakouts when in the sun at random times.  UGH.

I don't like my hair these days as the grey is something I guess I'll have to take action on eventually because it's getting more and more grey and, insultingly, all around my hairline waving and ish.  I can't find a stylist that I love locally so weekly appointments to make my life lovelier is out of the question and the drive to the one who makes it look right is too far for weekly maintenance.  

My dentist keeps asking if I want to whiten my teeth and I keep telling them that I think it's creepy when folks' teeth are whiter than their eyes and that I would spook myself in the middle of the night during a bathroom run in the dark.

I still do my level of workouts which maintain what I'm working with and well...I'm unwilling to do much more if I don't have to.  I don't want to be the fittest looking girl in the room...I just want a flat tummy and a nice butt.  I was working out with a guy who was really kinda harsh with it and well...I thought it best if I didn't continue going over there.  You know...getting yelled at and whatnot.  I have to figure out something, however, because for the past two days it has been too hot during my normal 30 minute morning walk and sprint session to get a good workout in without saying...um...no.  Too hot.  I hate germy gyms but I'm going to have to do something and have access to a treadmill soon cuz this heat is going to kill me and the way my heart murmur is set up...

When I'm looking to wear something special, I tend to visit a few of my favorite beauty and fashion blogs for and by women of a certain age.  See...they get me cuz they ARE me.  They are fly but no longer 20 and each one of my FAVES has the type of style that shows they know THEIR style THEIR way.  They aren't trying too hard to be sexy and they generally have smiles that reach their eyes which makes me smile.  I know...clearly I have simple criteria but it's so true.

Extra Petite - She's the youngest on this list.  I like her style though.  She does tomboy to girly girl right.

Style Pantry - This should be a DUH as she is probably on all of our lists.  I mean...she is like the Diana Ross of fashion to me.

Lady of Style - I get a lot of good ideas from her on how to mix up things I already own.

Erica B. - Another DUH...I mean hey...it's our girl.

J'Adore Couture - I get diva brunch outfit ideas from her.  

Fortyfied Beauty - She doesn't just stick to clothes and I like that.  She's pretty simple too.  Enjoying cute comfort.

Style of a London Tall Girl - Tall girls have problems other girls don't.  She owns her tall girl style. 

Forever Amber - Super cutesy clothes.  Ideas for weddings, nice parties, etc.

The Coveteur - I just look over here.  LOL!  I can't afford NOTHING June Ambrose deems rock worthy but I love pretty pictures of pretty clothes.  Oh...and her blog is more about lifestyle too.  She has a great cocktail series going on over there.

What about you?  Where do you get your inspiration from when you're looking for something special to wear?  Who are your goto fashion and beauty bloggers?  Do you generally like fashion blogs by women of a certain age too?  How would you describe your style?  

Is fashion a THING for you?  Or do you just like to look nice?

Ginger and Lemon Tea with Brown Sugar Simple Syrup

I love ginger.  Like...LOVE ginger.  I love handling it and then smelling my fingers after cuz it smells sooooooooooo good!

Sometimes I have tummy issues that I can't pinpoint and I've found that a cup of ginger tea with lemon makes it all better.  I sweeten it with a brown sugar simple syrup that I make a batch of whenever we run low.  Two parts water, one part brown sugar.  Bring to boil stirring until sugar dissolves.  Let sit until it reaches room temperature and store in a lidded jar in the fridge.  It's perfect to sweeten tea, cold or hot.  Just put a little bit at the bottom of your glass or mug and then add the tea.  DELICIOUS!

To make the ginger tea, all you have to do is peel a finger of ginger and then cut it up in either a mug or the strainer if you have a mug like mine (TeaForte KATI Cup).  Then, pour boiling water over the ginger until the ginger is covered and let it steep for ten minutes.  Next, remove the ginger by removing strainer or by pouring through strainer, squeeze a slice of lemon in it and voila!  Instant tummy soothing goodness that is, well, just simple goodness.  It's good to and for you.  You know...building up good gut bacteria and whatnot.  

Do you make fresh ginger tea?  Do you drink it daily or only when you have a tummy ache?  

Creole Smothered Okra with Shrimp, Sausage and Chicken Recipe

Growing up this was my favorite meal.  I loved it so.  It got to the point where when I moved away, whenever I returned, an Elder would make it for me.  It's not something I make with frozen okra, so it's very seldom that I made it up North, but Robby's parents gave us some fresh okra straight out of their garden last night and I got up first thing EARLY this morning (had people in town) to make a double batch of it so we could all enjoy.

And BAAAAAAAAAAAABY...it was so good it was crazy.  The okra was so fresh it was like butter.  I'm mad I didn't grab a pic or two before I got down and that we had people around all day so I couldn't take the time to take step-by-step pictures.  I'll try and take a pic of a plate of it tomorrow to add to this.  I'm not promising anything though because it was so good I might not be able to stop long enough to take a pic.

This is one of those meals some folks will turn their nose up at because they've never had okra done properly and well, there is nothing more unsettling than slimy okra in your mouth.  Most of us know that you need the acid from tomatoes to cook the slime out in a dish like this but there are plenty of people who clearly missed that country lesson cuz they were too busy being cute to help the Elders out in the kitchen.

Me?  I didn't have a choice.  LOL!  Thank God! 

1 lb. fresh okra, trimmed and cut

1 sweet onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 bay leaves

3 cloves garlic, diced

1.5 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined, seasoned

1 lb. sausage, sliced and browned

1 - 28 ounce can Rotel tomatoes and chilis, mild

1 - 10 ounce can Rotel tomatoes and chilis, spicy

1 cup chicken broth

2 pounds chicken wings cut into drummettes, seasoned and browned

Olive oil

Saute onion, bell pepper, okra and garlic in olive oil for ten minutes over medium heat.  Add canned tomatoes and bay leaves.  Continue cooking for about 15 minutes more until "slime" has lessoned greatly.  While doing this, brown chicken in a cast iron skillet and remove to a waiting plate or bowl and then brown sausage.  Add chicken, sausage and chicken broth to pot.  Cover and cook on medium low heat for forty minutes.  Add shrimp.  Cook for another 20 minutes.

Serve over rice with cornbread.

Try not to overeat as I did and, at the end of the day have counted four plates that were your undoing.  If you do eat four plates and find yourself too full to move even though you were moving, just get you some Smooth Move man...nobody needs to know and/or worry.

Oh...and remember...this is one of them man catching meals so don't be whupping this out all willy nilly and mess around and get a stalker okay?  

You've been warned.