Who Is Anastasia?

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New Castle, Indiana Zone 5, United States
When I was 55, I decided to embrace the things I love and hold precious and dear, regardless of anyone else's thoughts and opinion. I am a visual folk artist who loves flowers - my own flowers, grown and/or painted by me. I love good, hearty, exotic foods, and I love to prepare them myself. I love the secret garden situated in my backyard, regardless of how overgrown and wild it gets. No longer able to afford a vacation, this will have to be it for the time being. In the winter months, I still enjoy it. Anyway, here I am sharing my art, favorite recipes, cocktails, gardening tips, and just my usual vents and bantering. After all, I'm old enough to say whatever the heck I want to now ...

JEWELS OF MY SOUL

JEWELS OF MY SOUL
My Book Available on AMAZON

June 3, 2009

OliveClean Shampoo for Dry, Damaged and Brittle Hair

OliveClean Shampoo for Dry, Damaged and Brittle Hair

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Olive Oil Uses


Not Just for Cooking:


Olive Oil Skin Care... Straight From the Bottle! You can concoct simple skin care recipes right in your kitchen. Try these mini beauty treatments...

Bath: For a moisturizing, aromatic soak, add about ¼ cup olive oil and several drops of essential oil to your bathwater. I like lavender oil for relaxation just before bedtime. (As with any bath oil, be careful as the tub may become slippery.)

Skin: Gently massage a small amount of olive oil anywhere your skin is dry: face, elbows, feet, or legs.

Hands: Whip up a quick sugar scrub for rough, dry hands. Combine two tablespoons of oil with two tablespoons of sugar. Rub on hands until sugar begins to dissolve. Rinse with warm water. Voila! Silky-smooth hands.

Feet: Apply a liberal amount of oil to feet at bedtime. Cover with cotton socks. Not sexy... but oh-so-soft feet in the morning! The magic works for hands, too. Cover with white cotton gloves (hmm, even less sexy).

Face: Create a moisturizing facial mask with olive oil, honey, and an egg yolk. Beat until well blended and apply to face... then relax! Leave on for 15 minutes; rinse with warm water.

Nails: Warm a small dish of olive oil (not too hot) with a tablespoon of lemon juice. Soak nails for 5- 10 minutes. This softens cuticles while it strengthens nails.

Hair: For a simple oil treatment, warm several tablespoons of olive oil (again, not hot). Rub into scalp and hair. Cover with a shower cap or small plastic bag. Leave on for 20-30 minutes. For extra conditioning, mix an egg yolk with the olive oil... but do not warm. This is great for dry hair and split ends. It may even heal dandruff. Shampoo twice after this treatment or you'll smell like raw egg!

Dogs: Olive oil is an excellent skin/hair treatment for our pets. It is particularly soothing and comforting for dogs with itchy skin conditions, and it makes their coat luxurious! Also, add a teaspoon to their supper dishes (1/2 teaspoon for small dogs), and they will reap the same benefits as we do. I don't know how cats react to olive oil, but to me - it's the fruit of the earth.
Lips: Alleviate chapped lips with straight olive oil. Dab on lips... especially helpful at bedtime. Okay, your body is covered with olive oil! That’s as natural as you can get. If you’d prefer to purchase ready made olive oil skin products, you’re in luck. Manufacturers have discovered the power of this traditional beauty treasure. There are plenty of olive oil skin care products on the market... from olive oil soap to olive oil skin cream to olive oil hair care. The benefits of this anti-oxidant rich oil are no longer just an ancient beauty secret!

Courtesy of Sharonda Flynn, Hairlista

Cuban Style Grilled Corn on the Cob


You can thank Chef Flay for this one.
8 ears corn
4 limes, fresh quartered
garlic butter, recipe follows
1/2 cup Cotija cheese (sort of a Mexican Parmesan), grated
2 tablespoons chives, chopped for garnish
Garlic Butter 1 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
8 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/4 habanero pepper, seeded
1/4 bunch fresh chives salt & freshly ground black pepper

Preheat grill to medium. Peel back the husks of the corn without removing them. Remove the silks and recover the corn with the husk. Soak in large bowl of cold water for 30 minutes. Remove corn from water and shake off excess. Place the corn on the grill, close the cover and grill for 15 to 20 minutes. Unwrap corn and brush with the garlic butter. Sprinkle with the cotija cheese and squeeze with lime. Sprinkle with chopped chives, to garnish.
For Garlic Butter: Combine butter, garlic, habanero, and chives in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper; Set aside until ready to use.

The Backyard --Today's Vacation Spot

The Backyard --Today's Vacation Spot
A simple garden meal in the shade. No, it's not my backyard, but it looks identical to the one I grew up with at our home in Queens. Looking for an original pic of it to post soon!

Old Fashioned Tips