Kusmi Tea

This cold season why not pour your love up a nice cup of hot love,  and by hot love I mean KUSMI TEA!  Not only is it sweet,  but it is also made out of a flawless blend of black tea,  spice and guarana seeds that stimulate the senses.  It comes straight from the city known for romance and love - Paris of course!  It's no wonder why this tea is so famous as it has been around for over 140 years bringing the best of quality tea blends to gourmets everywhere!  


I remember my younger days as a young girl sipping on hot tea with my mother.  Each night we would wind down with a nice steamy cup of tea,  and the tradition stuck with me as I grew up and moved out on my own.  I don't drink it as much as I use to but I do enjoy a nice hot cup of tea from time to time and recently I have been enjoying KUSMI TEA.  


I received a box full of a blend of KUSMI TEA called Sweet Love and I must say I absolutely loved it!  I boiled some water on the stove until it was nice and steamy hot and then added a few tea bags of the Sweet Love tea.  Not only was it perfectly sweet but it was also perfectly spiced.  This is probably because it contains just the right amount of various spices, liquorish root,  black tea,  guarana seed, and pink peppercorn.  Believe it or not the Kusmi Sweet Love blend of tea actually has some health benefits too!  The spices help improve digestive comfort,  while the liquorish provides sweetness so you do not have to add sugar.   


Sweet Love can be enjoyed alone or with your love,  although I recommend enjoying it with your love.  Check out their lovely selection of Gifts and Assortments for some great gift ideas and sets.  


BUY IT: You can purchase KUSMI TEA online at us.kusmitea.com.


LEARN MORE:  To learn more about KUSMI TEA visit them online,  connect with them on Facebook,  and follow them on Twitter.


*Disclaimer - I received the item mentioned above,  free of charge,  for review purposes.  In no way did this alter my opinion of their products.  All of my opinions are one hundred percent honest and true.*

4th of July Recipes

So,   Fourth of July is  less than a week away,  and I am still getting my plans and ideas together.  My family and I will be celebrating Fourth of July with the rest of our family over at my sisters house,  just like we have been doing the past 10 years.  Of course,  we will be barbecuing and setting off fireworks with the kids.  I also bought some bubbles,  a big ball,  and some other fun toys to keep my children entertained throughout the day.  Last year I dressed all of my boys in cute little Fourth of July outfits,  including myself.  This year I bought a fourth of July shirt, headband, nailpolish,  and flip flops, Okay... so,  maybe I got a little carried away,  but it's all just for fun! 

I know at least some of your are going to be celebrating Fourth of July with a couple drinks,  and I just wanted to let you in on some great recipe ideas to kick of the fourth with a bang!  Sailor Jerry - the ionic Americana Spiced Rum is letting us in on some summer cocktail recipes perfect for your Independence Day Celebration.  Not only can you use the rum in cocktail recipes,  but it also goes great in BBQ Sauce recipes.  Below are two recipes that will make a perfect addition to your Independence Day BBQ!

Back Yard Tea

2 parts Sailor Jerry

1 part iced tea

2 parts lemonade

Glass: highball

Method: Add ingredients to in ice-filled glass and garnish with a lemon wedge

SAILOR JERRY BBQ SAUCE

In a medium pot, add 1 liter Sailor Jerry Rum,

4 to 5 quartered oranges, 3 lemons and 2 limes

(3 – 4 tablespoons of mixed fruit juice concentrate optional)

Reduce at a rapid boil by about 75% or until slightly thickened, strain and let cool

Pick your favorite brand of BBQ sauce. In a new pot bring desired amount of BBQ sauce to a slow warm adding the Sailor Jerry Rum mixture a little at a time. For us, about 5/6 parts BBQ to 1 part

rum mixture worked out well but taste along the way to see how you like it Tasty on ribs and pulled pork!!

Blueberries Galore!!!

The Blueberry Store is the best online site to find Delicious Blueberry Products!  From Blueberry Mixes to Blueberry Beverages,  they specialize in all Blueberry Products.  The Blueberry Store is owned by True Blue Farms of Grand Junction, MI.  If you are ever in Downtown  South Haven,  stop by their retail location to enjoy their sampling bar at 525 Phoenix Street.  Besides the retail store,  Blueberry Haven also operates a Seasonal U-Pick Blueberry Farm located just 12 miles East of South Haven on County Road 215 in Grand Junction. 

I had a blast browsing their website and finding Blueberry Products that I never even knew existed!  The Blueberry Store offers some great gift baskets at very affordable prices.  I was surprised to find that the Blueberry Store even offers a variety of Michigan Blueberry Plants that they deliver to your front door.  Besides their edible assortment of Blueberry Products,  they also offer Blueberry Clothing,  Lotion,  Jewelry,  Candles,  Mugs and much more!  Their products are perfect for Blueberry lovers(like myself) or just those who enjoy blueberries.

I browsed their site for a while and while doing so I noticed there prices which are extremely affordable.  I decided to come up with a list of products,  all for under $20(excluding shipping and handling charges).

1. Gourmet Blueberry Syrup--------------$6.49

2. Blueberry Blossom Honey Jar----------$1.99

3. Dried Blueberries(1 ounce)-----------   $1.69

4. Blueberry Coffee---------------------   $1.99

5. Blueberry Flavored Thins(1/2off------   $1.75

6. Maple Blueberry Tea(in cloth bag)----   $2.95

7. Campfire Trail Mix w/dark choc.blueb.- $2.89

I couldn't believe I was able to come up with a list of 7  products that totaled under $20!  Their low prices made it easy for me to put together my own little gift basket(excluding the basket that is)!  The Trail Mix with Dark Chocolate Covered Blueberries was my favorite!  The Campfire Trail Mix with Dark Chocolate Blueberries contained Almonds,  Pecans,  Walnuts,  Cinnamon,  Pure Michigan Maple Syrup,  Sunflower Seeds and Chocolate Covered Blueberries.  The Maple taste that coated the nuts,  along with the Chocolate Covered Blueberries,  is what really made the mix! 

The Gourmet Blueberry Syrup  was another one of my favorites!  You sure wont find this syrup in just any store.  I used it on top of my waffles and I was quite surprised with the actual thickness of the syrup.  It transformed my plain waffles into a gourmet delight!  I really enjoyed the Blueberry Blossom Honey Jar that came in a 1.5 oz jar,  making it just the right size!  The honey is pure and produced from pollination of blueberry plantations.  I used some in between the middle of my biscuits and it really made them stand out. 

The Blueberry Flavored Thins were on sale for half off which is a great deal.  I enjoyed dipping them in my morning coffee but my sons enjoyed eating them plain as a mid-afternoon snack.  I pan on adding the Dried Blueberries to a Homemade Blueberry Muffin Recipe that I have been wanting to try out.  Their Dried Blueberries can be purchased in varied amounts from 1ounces to 10 pounds.  The Blueberry Coffee  had an unusual taste and was unlike anything I have ever tried before.  The Maple Blueberry Tea  also had a different taste to it,  but was very relaxing as I slowly sipped on it.  The tea came in a special reusable drawstring bag that I thought was particularly cute.

The Blueberry Store's Web Site has allot to offer.  You can sign up for their Newsletter to receive news on all of  their newest products and promotions.  Or you can visit their Recipes section to find tasty Blueberry Recipes including: Main Dishes,  Salads and Side Dishes,  Cakes, Breads, and Muffins,  Desserts and many other delicious recipes.  If you prefer to order out of a catalog you can order one of their Free Catalogs.   They can be found on Twitter and on Facebook.

*Disclaimer-  The Blueberry Store kindly provided me with products to possibly review.  In no way did this alter my opinion of their products.  All of my opinions are one hundred percent honest and true.*

Blue Q

Blue Q is a great site that offers a wide variety of novelty products that are more than just the ordinary. Their products are fun,  unique,  entertaining,  enjoyable,  not to mention interesting!  Blue Q is a company that is located in Pittsfield Massachusetts and offers more than four hundred products.  Mith and Seth who are brothers are the actual owners of Blue Q.  They offer fun brands at very reasonable prices.  A lot of their products have fun,  quirky sayings or titles that make them extra special and unique.  If you have a good sense of humor then this is definitely the store for you!  I was stuck on their site for about an hour looking around at all their products. 

I chose to review the "Saving for a Rich Husband, Tin Bank.  I was able to chose from a variety of over 20 different tin banks,  but that one was my favorite!  Some of my other favorites say:
"Savin up for a Party",  "Savin up for a little Baby",   and "Savin up for Plastic Surgery".   Matter of fact,  i have already started saving up!  The tin banks are just the right size,  they measure 3.5"x4.5".  On the top it reads"Save Big" and has a opening to drop coins in.  I am sure women across the globe can appreciate this Tin bank...i sure do!  You may be wondering,  "why do i have to save for a RICH husband",  but the answer is you need to buy the things to make yourself attractive to get the rich husband!  The tin bank has a opening at the bottom in case you need to empty out your stash.  Best of all this product only costs $7.99,  now thats a great gift for less than ten bucks!

Blue Q also sent me one of their boxes of teas to review.  The tea box reads"BE A BETTER PARENT" and contains 16 individually wrapped certified organic tea bags.  Tea with a saying...now thats cute!  This tea is specially blended with mint and citrus to help alleviate your daily stress.  They offer 13 varieties of tea to choose from and they all come with a cute saying on the box.  They are reasonably priced for only $10.00 each.  I had a cup of the hot tea last night and it totally relaxed me and tasted great at the same time! 

Blue Q also sells items such as:  Gum,  Hand Sanitizers,  Bags,  and Bath and Body Products,  just to name a few!  I did a search on their site to find the nearest retailer that sells their products and to my surprise there was one very near to where i am located.  I actually was thrilled when i found out one of my favorite local stores sells their products.  I love this store in Downtown Sacramento called Evangeline's,  which is a 3 story costume mansion that sells products such as theirs so i was so happy when i found out they sell Blue Q products!  I know what i'll be looking for next time i visit their store! 

*Disclosure-  Blue Q kindly sent me a couple of their products to possibly review.  In no way did this alter my opinion of their products.  All of my opinions are one hundred percent honest and true.*

Enjoy all the Aroma of Baked Apples with Cinnamon

While recently out grocery shopping at my local store i came across a box of Lipton Herbal Cinnamon Apple Tea.  It was one of the cheapest teas they had to offer at only $2.15 a box, but it sounded so good,  i decided to try it out.  I do not mind buying grocery store tea as i like all different types and brands of tea.  As soon as i got home i decided to give it a whirl.  When i opened the box and pulled out a tea bag i noticed it was packaged nicely with the tea bag string wrapped around it.  I immediately was overcome with the pleasant scent or Warm apples and cinnamon.  It reminded me of a apple pie and made my taste buds tingle. 
I added just a couple teaspoons of sugar and a hint of honey.  As soon as i tried the tea it became an instant favorite in my house.  It combines just the right amount of cinnamon and apples to provide a sweet and Delicious taste.  The best part is it is all natural and contains no preservatives or coloring.   I also like the fact that it is caffeine free so it is perfect to drink just before bedtime.  It is also a great way to hydrate yourself.
Each box contains twenty servings and no calories.  Lipton Cinnamon Apple Tea contains the following ingredients:  Cinnamon,  Hibiscus Flowers,  Chamomile Flowers,  Roasted Chicory Root,  Allspice,  Orange Peel,  Roasted Carob,  Natural Flavors and Soy Lecithin.  It can also be found  in a Lipton Herbal Tea Collection that includes:  Orange,  peppermint,  Quietly Chamomile,  Ginger Twist,  Lemon,  and Apple Cinnamon.  For Hot Tea Preparation: Pour boiling water over tea bags.  Brew 4-6 minutes based on desired amount of strength.  Sweeten to taste using sugar or honey.  Visit http://lipton.com/ to learn more about their products.

Cold and Flu Relief Tea Recipe

One of the best tea recipes to make when your sick or for a loved one that is sick.  It contains three key ingredients:
1. Lemon
2.Ginger
3. Honey
All three ingredients help boost your immune system.  Follow this easy step by step  recipe to make your own cold and flu relief tea.
1. Boil water in a tea kettle.
2. While your eater is boiling, grate a one inch piece of fresh ginger root.
3. Take a thermal out and put the ginger in it.
4. Add about 4 tablespoons of lemon juice to the thermos.
5. Add about 3 tablespoons of honey to thermos. 
6. When your water boils, pour it into your thermos.
7.Cover it and let it stand for twenty minutes.
8. Strain into a tea cup and enjoy!