The Fickle Hobbyist

Archive for June, 2010

So I never ever post about Booty Parlor here, seeing as this is mainly a crafty blog. HOWEVER, I couldn’t let this month’s special go by without sharing the deal with you.

One of our most popular, and best selling items is on a SUPER sale while supplies last. Flirty Little Secret is a firming cream infused with pheromones. Not only will it tighten and firm your skin and leave a slight shimmer and delicious peach-mango scent, but it will also entice the man in your life and turn you into a man magnet.

While you CAN find a number of Booty Parlor products on websites like Victoria’s Secret and Playboy, I’d love for you to shop through my site.

http://www.bootyparlorparties.com/AutumnBrooke

The sale starts July 1st and will run until supplies run out!  Stock up and give them to your best girlfriends, or save a couple for yourself.

**Giveaway**

If you purchase through my site (not just the FLS, but anything) leave your confirmation number in the comments below and I will draw one lucky winner to choose one of these three products for FREE.

Seduction Kit
Set the Scene For Seduction:
Start with a little mood lighting – courtesy of the sensually scented Light My Fire Candle.
Make your lips kissably delicious with I’m So Sexy Lip Gloss.
Start something sexy with Don’t Start Massage Oil.
And when things really heat up, Add Magic.

Sex Bombs

Coat your curves with a delicious body shimmer that can be kissed off later – Dust Up Kissable Body Shimmer in intoxicating Pink Champagne flavor and scent.

Get the look that says you’ve been thinking naughty thoughts with Get Flushed Sexy Lip and Cheek Tint in Scarlet Fever.

Become a man magnet with Don’t Stop Solid Perfume with Pheromones – a sexy scent with the added bonus of mood-altering pheromones!

Set the scene for seduction with the glow of this luxurious candle and let the thrilling aphrodisiac fragrance arouse your senses. When you’re ready to play, blow out the flame and drizzle the warm oil onto bare skin for a uniquely intimate, exciting massage experience.

This emollient massage candle is made of a rich blend of shea butter, vitamins A & E, jojoba, olive and coconut oils and clean-burning natural soy wax.

Because of it’s unique formulation, the Don’t Stop Massage Candle melts at just over body temperature , which makes it comfortably warm on the skin. The all-natural oils feel deliciously rich when massaged into the body and then simply soak into the skin, leaving a silky, soft feeling.

___________________________________

So go, take a look around.  Have some fun…  Maybe shop with your hubby or SO.  All orders are totally confidential, and will show up on your account as BP Gifts.  They also ship in a plain brown box with a shipping label of BP Gifts.  Trust me, you’ll thank me.

**This giveaway will run until the end of the month!  August 1st I will draw a winner.**

-Autumn

**I apologize for the delay in today’s post!  I know it’s Wednesday, but just ignore that fact.  I was out at the premier of Eclipse last night.  I do hope you can forgive me.  Both for posting late…and for going to the premier like a teenager.**

Black Gold

The World Health Organization has recommended cooking in iron pots as a way to reduce the incidence of iron-deficiency anemia.  Cooking in cast iron also increases absorption levels of plant-based (nonheme) iron.

Not so long ago, in fact, if you reach back into the archives of your memories, I’ll venture to guess that every single one of you can remember there being a big, black cast iron skillet on your grandma’s stove, even your mother’s stovetop.  I think we all grew up with them.  Almost every cook in America kept a cast iron skillet on the stove.  It wasn’t until after WWII that other metals began to be used for cookware.  Aluminum and stainless steel pots and pans were lighter, and the  new non-stick coating made them easier to clean.  After that, the cast iron skillet found itself ousted from the stovetop and into the bottom cabinet.  Heck, I grew up cooking on one, had one when I first got married, and even cooked with a cast iron dutch oven.  Before long, I don’t know why, I quit using them.  I think the old cast iron is starting to make a comeback, and there are a lot of good reasons for that.  It truly is a pan for all seasons – you can sauté, sear, braise, deep-fry, bake – plus the pan provides consistent heat at high and low temperatures.  It’s not only non-stick, it’s virtually indestructible, and the only cookware you can use on the stove, in the oven, on the grill, and back again.

If and when you decide to take the plunge, and purchase one for yourself, there are a few things to understand.  You have to season the pan, and take care in keeping it well seasoned.  It is iron, after all, and it will rust, if not cared for in the correct manner.  Nowadays, cast iron cookware comes preseasoned by the manufacturer and ready to use, but if you are lucky enough to find one at a garage sale, it could’ve been one of those that have been put in a back cabinet for years, in which case, you’d have to season it yourself.  But if you want to rehabilitate a yard-sale find or Grandma’s skillet, here’s how:

Line  oven rack with foil, and preheat oven to 350.
Clean  skillet well with dish-washing liquid, using steel wool to remove any rust spots or stuck-on food.  Dry well with paper towels (lingering rust can stain fabric).
Rub skillet inside and out with vegetable oil or lard.  Place in oven upside down on foil-lined rack, and bake 1 hour.  Turn off oven, and cool pan in oven before removing.

Well-oiled machine:  3 tips for keeping your cast iron cookware in top shape:

• Wash it with warm, soapy water – never soak it, and never put it in the dishwasher.
• Rub a small amount of vegetable oil all over the pan after each use.
• Store pan in a dry, well-ventilated spot – such as the stove top!!

There are many recipes out there where you can bake right in the skillet.  You can bake upside down cakes, frittatas, cornbreads, etc.  Slow-cooked dishes are ideal for cast iron cooking because the metal holds an even, low heat.  A well-seasoned cast iron skillet acts like a nonstick griddle without a lot of oil.  And, every time you eat something you have created in the pan, you get a little bit of iron.  You don’t have to limit cast iron only to skillets.  You can use grills, dutch ovens, etc.  I challenge you…….bake a deep dish pizza in a skillet.  You may just find your favorite cookware.  And if you own one, or want to try one, just look for  it on youtube, and you can watch a variety of videos on caring for, seasoning, and cooking with it.

Tami’s Tip of the Week:

Say goodbye to greasy filters.  Run the fan filter above your stove through the dishwashing cycle a couple of times to get rid of greasy buildup.  I’ve tried this, and it works GREAT!!  I never could get it all out washing it in the sink.

Who doesn’t love cake?  Dark, rich chocolate; light, fluffy vanilla; sweet, fruity strawberry.  You really can’t go wrong no matter which direction you choose to take it.  However, any good cake can really be ruined if it’s dried out.  I think anyone can agree.  A dry cake is gross!  It doesn’t matter how pretty it looks on the outside.

While I love a homemade cake, I realized that a boxed cake mix was going to be more practical considering all that I had to do for Abby’s party.  However, I really wanted to make sure it didn’t TASTE like boxed cake mix.  In order to prevent this from happening, I took the suggestion of my cake master friend and used sour cream.

I made the cupcakes and mini cake on Thursday night and the party was Saturday.  Luckily they were still moist and delicious!  Here’s what I used.

• One box  vanilla mix
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla

Mix on low for 1 minute, then turn the mixer up to medium for 3 extra minutes.  Bake as normal, whether it’s cupcakes or a cake

For the chocolate:

• One box double chocolate mix
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup oil
• 3 eggs

Mix on low for 1 minute, then turn up to medium and mix for 3 minutes.  Bake as normal.

The icing that I used was the Wilton White Buttercream Icing Mix.  And yes, I mixed it with real butter and real cream.  Hell, if you’re going to have cake, you’d better have it the right way, I’d say.  It was the perfect topping for these delicious cupcakes.

I used the same cake and buttercream icing for Abby’s personal cake.

And of course, like I mentioned in the previous post, I made a marshmallow fondant using the directions in this youtube video.  In my experience it was the most simple method.  I’ve done it with my actual hands covered in Crisco before and it was HORRIBLE to try and work.  If you’re going to make marshmallow fondant I recommend this method.

So if you’re low on time, don’t fret, you can still take some shortcuts without having to sacrifice flavor or texture.  Trust me, these cupcakes…divine.

-Autumn