Always something nifty at the AHML

Everyone knows I live in Arlington Heights.  But not everyone knows that I love libraries.  I started volunteering at a library when I was in middle school and then got a job at the same library when I turned 16.  It was a great job, especially since I loved to read.  Before moving back to the Chicago area, I'd always worked in a library.  ALWAYS.

The libraries here are a lot different than the county systems I'm used to in other parts of the country.  In the suburbs of Chicago, the libraries aren't part of a county system.  They are either village or town libraries.  That's the case here in Arlington Heights.  The AHML is a really big library with lots of things always going on.  There are always programs and special events.  The library also buys pretty much anything you might want to read, watch, listen to or play.  This makes it a great "third place."

What is a third place you might ask?  Its a place in the community besides work or home where people come together.  AHML is a great example of this and will be even more so next year when they finish their huge remodeling process.  The new library director has really taken this concept to heart in his remodeling plans.  There will be more meeting rooms and areas for teens to study.  Also a bookstore for the Friends of the library.

You can also find nifty things on display like this flower balloon.  I was at the library yesterday and admiring the creativity and complexity of the balloon flower display at the desk.  I actually mentioned how much I liked it to one of the staff.  While they didn't know who actually made the balloons, she took this one out of the arrangement to give to me!

If you don't already use your local library, I definitely recommend you stopping by to check it out.  Libraries have changed in the past 10 years.  They are now more like extremely active community centers.  You never know what you might find there. :)

Not Just Another Whiskey: Spicebox Whisky

I've never been a big fan of whiskey.  To me it kinda tastes and smells like paint thinner.  Not at all pleasant.  Needless to say I was intrigued to learn of a whiskey made with three different kinds of vanilla and yummy spices.  Even more excited when Spicebox offered to send me some to play around with.

Spicebox whisky is made in Canada.  So it's actually a rye whiskey which is aged 3-6 years in bourbon barrels.  Spicebox is actually pretty new also.  It hit the market and bar scene about a year ago to rave reviews.  From what I've heard, Spicebox will be your new favorite whiskey once you give it a taste.

I was still skeptical that I would actually taste the vanilla or the spices, but oh my goodness you can smell the vanilla the minute you crack open the bottle.  Along with a hint of spices.  Spicebox actually has a vanilla and spice taste to it.  It's actually quite good.  A little strong for me to have straight up, but I can definitely see how it would appeal over other whiskeys.

Not having a point of reference taste wise for whiskey, I took a sample over to the neighbor for a more informed opinion.  After telling me that showing up on his doorstep with a bottle of whiskey asking for a taste test was the oddest thing that's happened to him before.

He did say the whiskey was quite good.  Actually the best he's ever tasted.  The vanilla and spices were intriguing.  It was definitely something that he'd want to drink again.

From all this I can tell you that if you like whiskey, Spicebox is definitely something you should seek out and give a try.  It's an entirely different taste from other whiskeys and will definitely exceed your expectations.  

So go out and pick up a bottle of Spicebox because its great naked.  After you do, make sure to check back because we'll be posting a slew of yummy drink recipes for you to try out.

Susie Savors: Really, I don't know anything about whiskey.  So, I have no comparison to make.  However, it was not unpleasant as I expected, because whiskey doesn't exactly have a good reputation with most females my age.  The vanilla overpowered most of the other flavors, but I could detect the spicy kick of pepper.  Not exactly my usual drink but I wouldn't say no to more.

*This is a sponsored post.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

U.S. Cellular Hello Better

Does anyone truly love their cell phone company?  While I am fairly happy with my cell phone company there are things that I don't like about it.  The main thing being that every time you get a new cell phone you have to sign a new 2 year contract.  This particularly irks me because I've been a customer for quite a while and always pay my bill on time.  One would think that should lead to little perks like not needing a 2 year contract every single time you get a new cell phone.  Obviously I'm a loyal customer and shouldn't that be rewarded in some way?

Other than that I'm fairly happy with the company I currently use.  They've got great customer service, always replace my phone when it breaks and I never drop calls.  This company isn't U.S. Cellular, but I have heard great things about them.  This summer they launched the Hello Better campaign which promises to fix a lot of the things people hate about their cell phone companies.

U.S. Cellular's reward program is one way to do this.  It rewards you with points for a variety of things, including your monthly plan.  These points can then be redeemed for things like new phones, overage forgiveness or voice mails translated into texts.  All nifty things to show appreciation of you as a customer.

If you're on the lookout for a cell phone company that will appreciate your business check out the Hello Better campaign at U.S. Cellular.  From what I've read you definitely won't be disappointed in what they have to offer prospective customers.

 *I participated in this sponsored post campaign for One2One Network. All opinions stated are my own.*

Covergirl & Olay Review

Recently I got asked by bzzagent if I'd like to try out the new Covergirl & Olay makeup.  I'm always up for trying out new beauty products.  :)  While I'm not quite old enough to need age-defying makeup I was excited to try it because it has Olay in it to make it more moisturizing.  I almost always have dry skin in the colder months.

The Covergirl & Olay tone rehab foundation is not as moisturizing as I had hoped.  I normally apply liquid makeup with a brush but this pretty much turns to a thick powder when you pump it out of the bottle.  So by the time I apply it to my skin it has a powder finish.  It tends to make my skin feel dry and tight.  

The Covergirl & Olay pressed powder is less drying than regular powder.  That's an improvement in my book over other powders.  But the compact itself isn't very sturdy and doesn't lock shut.  I had left it on the bathroom counter and when the cat knocked it over it shattered into a bunch of pieces.  I've had other compacts survive the cat.

So all in all the Covergirl & Olay products probably aren't the best for me.  I have extremely sensitive skin that at times is dry and this makeup wasn't moisturizing enough.  It also didn't stay matte looking for more than an hour even on a cool day.  :(

*I was sent these products for review from Bzzagent.  All opinions are my own.*

Boozy Peanut Butter Cup Recipe

Is there truly anything better than peanut butter and chocolate?  How about if you add coffee and vodka?  I don't know if better is exactly the right word.  The coffee and vodka enhances the chocolate and peanut butter.  Or ultimately a yummy frozen boozy treat.

This drink has Lulu B. Chocolate Martini, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, coffee and Capella Flavor Drops.  Using Lulu B. Chocolate Martini and Capella flavor drops are a great way to enjoy a cocktail with less guilt than a regular cocktail.

Boozy Peanut Butter Cup

1 ounce Lulu B. Chocolate Martini
1 scant cup crushed ice
1 1/2 ounces coffee or espresso
2 teaspoons vanilla instant pudding powder
2 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
1 ounce heavy cream
3 drops Peanut Butter Capella Flavor Drops
3 drops Double Chocolate Capella Flavor Drops
2 drops Espresso Capella Flavor Drops

Put all ingredients in a blender.  Blend till slushy.  Pour into two glasses and serve.

Susie Savors: Peanut butter and chocolate is our favorite.  Hands down.  This is just a bit of happiness in a cup.  Quite literally, if you drink a few you will be feeling better.  This is by far our favorite type of drink, tastes so good you think you're not consuming alcohol.  The burn is completely gone and all you have left is the flavor of the chocolate vodka.

*This is a sponsored post.  All opinions and thoughts are my own.*

Healthy Nutty-Ella Baked Oatmeal Recipe

Y'all already know how much we love baked oatmeal at my house.  It's absolutely amazing.  You can make extra and easily heat it up in the microwave and its just as amazing as if it just came fresh from the oven.  I have an extra special treat in this recipe.  Capella Flavor Drops!

What are Capella Flavor Drops you ask?  They're a great way to add amazing flavor to anything you make.  I'm going to be bringing you quite a few recipes featuring these powerhouse drops.  You literally only add a drop at a time to flavor whatever you're doing.  They are honestly that concentrated.  If you're at all like me, flavor is important to you, but you also want to watch what you're eating.  These drops are a great way to do this as they have no fat, no carbs, no gluten, no calories and no sugar.  That means they won't actually alter anything but flavor in your recipes.

The first thing that popped into my mind when I got the opportunity to use these drops was to make a healthy nutella-like baked oatmeal.  Nutella is a big fave at my house (some people have been known to hide it away so they don't have to share).  While I love nutella and hazelnuts are good for you, I don't love all the fat that comes with it.  I thought using these drops would be a great way to bring that taste to a baked oatmeal.  I've also added some butter flavored drops as there isn't really any fat in this recipe and they give it the illusion of being a rich treat.

This recipe makes 2 servings.  I typically bake mine in one cup ramekins.  I split the recipe between 4 of them because then you don't have to have an entire serving if you'd like to diversify you're breakfast.  You could easily half this recipe to make just one serving or bake it in a bigger dish.  Another note, you can use whatever liquid you like in this recipe.  I've used coconut milk, almond milk, milk and coffee creamer with great results each time.

Healthy Nutty-Ella Baked Oatmeal

1 cup oats (I use old fashioned)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup milk, water, liquid
dash of salt
1-2 tablespoons of sugar or coconut sugar
2 drops Butter Capella Flavor Drops
2 drops Double Chocolate Capella Flavor Drops
2 drops Hazelnut Capella Flavor Drops

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.  Pour into greased baking dish or ramekins.  Bake for 20 minutes or until firm.  Broil on high for 3-4 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Susie Savors:  I'm still not telling you where my Nutella stash is.  But, this is a good substitute.  Not exactly the same melt in your mouth textures, but for being oatmeal it's a pass. Plus with the drops we can control the flavors so there is no overload of one flavor over another.

*This is a sponsored post.  All opinions and content are my own.*

Wholesome Wednesday: Quick Plum Jam Recipe

Did everyone see my plumarita?  I basically made a quick plum jam to flavor the drink.  Which made it taste amazing.  :)  I thought why not use the same recipe but increase it to make a quick plum jam!

I toyed around with an old tollhouse biscuit recipe on Tuesday morning, but the result wasn't pretty.  Just let me say the biscuits looked like crusted bloody eyeballs.  Great for Halloween, but not at all what I was going for. A bit under the weather this week, so Wednesday's post is a tad late. 

The plum jam is so easy to make.  The color is fabulous and it tastes fresh and not at all plummy.  :)  Not everyone in my house is a fan of plums, but the jam went over fairly well.  I will warn you that I like things tart when it comes to fruit, so if you want a sweeter jam by all means add more sugar.

Quick Plum Jam

3 ripe black plums, pits removed and roughly chopped

2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 cup water

Place all in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil and then simmer until fruit is soft and juices thicken.  Let cool slightly.  Use either a food mill or fine mesh sieve to strain mixture.  Serve immediately or store in refrigerator.

Susie Savors:  This one is not my favorite recipe, but it's alright.  I'm not the greatest fan of plums but this is palatable even for me.  It really is tart, but that adds the extra kick in the morning.  I had some on my toast and I was wide awake afterwards.  The color is nice and it's more moist than thick and spreads well.  An easy recipe if you want a spread that will keep a bit longer than a ripe plum.