Homemade Lip Balm

2 Tablespoons beeswax
2 Tablespoons shea butter
2 Tablespoons coconut oil

Melt it all together and while warm, place in a sealed container.

Coconut Oil Lotion and Lip Balm

1 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon Vitamin E (you can take this from vitamin capsules)

Mix together until creamy, about 7 minutes. Store in a sealed container.

How to remove lime and rust stains

I have not tried these ideas yet, I am following the recommendations on Facebook:

1) baking soda paste
2) cut a lemon in half, dip it in salt, and scrub at the stains
3) vinegar
4) peroxide

Smothered Pork Chops

This recipe is adapted from Tyler Florence on the Food Network website. It is absolutely amazing.

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder 

1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 pork chops, 3/4-inch thick, bone-in
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
  

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13x9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Put the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a Ziploc bag. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels to remove any moisture, put them in the Ziploc with the flour mixture, and toss to coat. Reserve the excess flour mixture.

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. When the oil is nice and hot, lay the pork chops in the pan in a single layer and fry on each side until golden brown. Remove the pork chops from the pan, place them in baking dish, and add some of the flour mixture to the pan drippings. Mix the flour into the remaining oil to dissolve and then pour in the chicken broth. Let the liquid cook down for 5 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly. Stir in the milk to make a creamy gravy. Pour this over top of the pork chops in the baking dish. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.

Shrimp and Avocado Salad

I have not tried this recipe yet but I make a very similar guacamole. My friend swore this tasted identical, but with shrimp mixed in, so I trust her on this one.

1 lb. jumbo cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped
1 medium tomato, diced
1 avocado, diced
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced
1/4 cup diced red onion
juice of two limes
1 tsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl combine red onion, lime juice, olive oil, and pinch of salt and pepper. Let them marinate for at least 5 minutes.

In a large bowl combine shrimp, avocado, tomato, and jalapeno. Add the marinade and cilantro and gently toss. Add salt and pepper to taste.

On a side note, this is almost identical to my guacamole recipe. As an added flavor (and health) bonus, in my guacamole I often chop up a mango and toss it in.

Mexican Lasagna

This is not the healthiest of dishes but it is hardy! Paired with a salad on the side, it makes a wonderful and easy meal.


1 lb. ground beef
onion powder (to taste)
1 envelope low sodium taco seasoning
8 large whole grain tortillas
1 can fat-free refried beans
1 can fiesta nacho cheese soup (sorry, but it's so good in this)
2-3 cups shredded Mexican or sharp cheddar cheese
1 can low-fat cream of mushroom soup
8 oz. sour cream
hot sauce (if you like spicy)


Spray a 13x9 inch pan with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350.

Sprinkle ground beef with onion powder and brown in large skillet. Add taco seasoning, refried beans, and cheese soup. Mix well.

In a separate bowl with mushroom soup and sour cream.

Spread half of the soup/sour cream mixture into the bottom of the baking dish. Tear up four tortillas and arrange on top of the soup/sour cream mixture. Put half of the meat mixture on top of the tortillas. Add some of the shredded cheese. Sprinkle with hot sauce, if you choose to use it. Repeat the layers. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

Bake, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes or until everything is bubbly.

Serve with a side of salad, a dab of sour cream, and salsa.

Cream of Mushroom Pot Roast

THIS is the BEST pot roast I have ever had, hands down, bar none.

4-5 lb. pot roast
2 cans of low sodium, low fat cream of mushroom soup
1 small onion, chopped into large pieces
1 1/4 cup of low sodium beef broth
2 cups of fresh mushrooms, rinsed
salt (I go easy on the salt since there is soup and broth in this recipe)
pepper
garlic powder
flour
olive oil

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. While the oil is heating, put about 4 TB. of flour into a Ziploc bag. Place the roast into the bag with the flour and toss to coat. Put the roast into the skillet. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to your taste preference, turning and seasoning as each side browns. In a corner of the skillet, tuck in the onions. Brown the roast and soften the onions.

While the roast and onions are cooking in the skillet, spray a Crock Pot with non-stick cooking spray. In the Crock Pot, whisk together the soup and broth. Stir in the mushrooms.

When the roast is browned, place it in the Crock Pot. Spoon the onions around the roast. Then, spoon some of the soup mixture on top of the roast. Cook on high for about 6 hours, then turn to low for about 2 hours.

I serve this with mashed potatoes and a vegetable. If there is leftover roast, I turn it into beef stew.