Canada's Nanaimo Bars

Oh, Canada, why have you been holding out on me?

These classic Canadian cookie bars popped up on my Facebook feed. They are named after Nanaimo, British Columbia, but I've never heard of them. They look so delicious I've decided to make them! After googling the recipe to find that other recipes call for custard powder, another food item I've never heard of and won't find in my supermarket, I decided to go with this 12 Tomatoes recipe adapted from Classic Cooking. I like the white chocolate flavor in the custard layer. Another version of Nanaimo bars suggests making a coffee-flavored custard, also tasty! You choose. I'll go with white chocolate the 1st time.

Nanaimo Bars - 12 Tomatoes version:

Ingredients:

Photo: 12 Tomatoes - FB

Bottom Layer --
1 stick unsalted butter, cubed
⅓ cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups graham crackers, finely crushed
8 oz sweetened coconut, shredded
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds)

Pudding Filling -- 

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

¼ cup heavy cream 

2 tablespoons white chocolate instant pudding mix

2 cups powdered sugar

 

Photo: 12 Tomatoes

Chocolate Topping -- 

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips - See my tweak - step 6.

4 tablespoons salted butter 

Optional: ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions: (From 12 Tomatoes with my tweaks in blue font).

1) Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside. (It works in a buttered 9x9-inch baking pan equally well. I think the crust is better without parchment paper.)

2) Melt 1 stick of cubed butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder, salt, and brown sugar, remove the pan from heat, and whisk until mixture is well-blended.

3) Slowly whisk in the beaten egg and mix constantly until the egg is incorporated. Return the pot to the stovetop over medium heat and cook until the chocolate mixture has thickened, stirring frequently, for up to 2 minutes.

4) Stir in vanilla extract, shredded coconut, chopped nuts, and graham cracker crumbs. Once blended, pour the chocolate mixture into the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 40 minutes.

5) Beat 5 tablespoons unsalted butter with heavy cream, and instant pudding powder until smooth. Stir in powdered sugar until a creamy mixture comes together. Spread the cream filling over the top of the chocolate base layer and recover with plastic wrap. Return the pan to the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Photo: BBC

6) Melt chocolate chips with butter in a microwave-safe bowl, cooking in short increments of time and stirring until melted and smooth. Add salt, if using, and stir until blended. (See my tweak below👇). Spread chocolate topping over top of the cream filling. Cover with plastic wrap and return to the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes or until the chocolate has completely set. My chocolate ganache is pure and simple without sacrificing flavor: Melt chocolate chips or broken dark chocolate pieces in a microwave-safe bowl with a tiny amount of any fat milk. Remember you can always add more milk, but can't remove it, so start with less. You don't need the butter or salt to make chocolate ganache. After melting, stir well and pour the ganache over the 2nd layer. Cover and refrigerate.

7) To serve, cut into squares. Store in an airtight container. If stacking your Nanaimo bars, place a layer of parchment paper in between each layer. Don't stack the cut bars as thy're moist because of the middle layer of pudding. It won't end well! 

Makes 16 bars. Refrigerate any leftovers and return the next day to eat the batch up! Let's not lie and pretend otherwise.

You may also enjoy:

Making Springerle

Scottish Shortbread

Homemade Monster Cookies

Buckingham Palace Gingerbread Cookies

Stylish Sporty Fall Finds

No doubt about it, fall has arrived in the Western Hemisphere. With a change of seasons, perhaps you need to add a few new casual pieces to your fall wardrobe? Old Navy is located a couple of blocks from where I live, so it's impossible not to float into the store often when passing. I continue to be amazed by the quality of the retailer's leggings at ultra-affordable price points making them a steal! 

The merchant tends to tweak their offerings from year to year so when you find a style you like and they go on sale, it's a good idea to buy a few pairs. You may prefer mostly cotton fabric but next year find mostly polyester or modal as choices. The waistband may change or the flare could be discontinued.

To the left are all the selections of leggings this fall, which consist of different styles, textures (meaning weaves and fabrics), and lengths. 

Although 8 offerings require studying each one, a good selection is great for different body types or activities. Two Old Navy leggings I love right now include:

1) High-Waisted Ankle Leggings For Women - Although I prefer jet black, there are other colors too. They sit just below the belly button and are 96% cotton and 4% spandex. Super soft and smooth for comfort, and opaque. Lightweight yet not see-through, I highly recommend them for fall and early winter. They are warm, but not too warm for the sometimes 75-degree F days of autumn. They are fitted through the hips and waist and narrow at the ankles. At times I wear these smooth and lightweight leggings with black ankle socks under a dress in winter instead of tights for warmth with comfort, and nobody is the wiser!

2) Extra High-Waisted PowerChill Leggings For Women - They sit slightly above the belly button and contain 53% cotton, 22% polyester, 13% modal, and 12% spandex. These are light and airy, but also a tad heavier than my 1st recommendation above. Great for Pilates, yoga, or a workout. They are fitted at the hips and thighs and narrow at the ankles. The fabric offers 4-way strength with stay-dry, sweat-wicking technology. They also have an elastic waist that has an inside pocket. Unlike pair #1, they'll be warm enough to take you through the winter months and in the jet-black hue can be dressed up with ballet flats and a blazer. They also come in shorter 7/8 lengths.

3) Dr. Scholl's Women's Time Off Platform Sneakers - I'm recommending these with caveats. Not only are they cute and feminine with leggings, jeans, and dresses, but the platforms provide a measure of arch support and stable heels. Customers love how comfortable they are for walking. For sneakers they are also well priced, but here's the rub ... customers report if you wear them a lot for walking, they won't last longer than 6 months to a year. The shoes' material tends to separate from the rubber, so don't pay the full retail price but wait for a generous sale. I'd buy the Time Off Platforms on sale for $40, but not at $69 or $100. Even at the lower price, I'd be disappointed if they didn't last. To be competitive, Dr. Scholl needs to resolve this manufacturing weakness to make these stylish and supportive sneakers as durable as Nikes and Converse! Sneakers are made for walking … but sometimes a cute style we know to baby is tempting, no?

So there you are, 3 sporty styles to take you through the fall while leaving you with a few dollars to put in your leggings' hidden pocket.

You may also enjoy:

New Fall Trends

Autumn Musings

A Blazer Paired With Jeans

Your Fall Wardrobe: Shop For Value

The Manet and Degas Exhibition Opens At the Met

Left: The Plum - Edouard Manet; Right: In a Cafe (The Absinthe Drinker) - Edgar Degas

A compelling art exhibit opens at the Metropolitan Museum of Art running from September 24, 2023 - January 7, 2024. The show brings together 2 huge French impressionist artists who in life were friends, rivals, and sometimes foes: Èdouard Manet (1832 - 1883) and Edgar Degas (1834 - 1917) were nearly the same age.

Racehorses Before the Stands - Edgar Degas

The Races at Longchamp - Edouard Manet

While the Met always has works of these two contemporaries on view from its own collection, this exhibition gathers 160 of their paintings and works on paper, including masterpieces from around the world, to show the two colossi fathers of modern French painters, side by side, illustrating how their careers crossed and diverged. 

Olumpia - Edouard Manet

If you find yourself in Manhattan, be sure to visit the Manet/Degas exhibit. Seeing 160 pieces from 150 institutions and private collectors all in one place is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity not to be missed!

Edouard Manet & his wife, Suzanne playing the piano - painted by Edgar Degas as a gift,  Manet hated the painting and caused a rift with his friend by slashing it.

I've not gone myself yet, but will soon! Meanwhile, here's a write-up with more of the beautiful exhibition paintings in The New York Times. When I see it, I'll surely spot favorites!

Years ago as a Congressional intern (in the US Senate), I fell in love with an Edouard Manet painting hanging in the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. and frequently went to look at it. Right before I left town, I bought the poster, had it framed in New York, and it has been hanging in my living room ever since. I never get tired of looking at it. Click here for a peek. I love Manet's realism and harsh contrasts of light and shadows and Degas' brightness, lightness, and shimmer of color.

Do you have a favorite?

You may also enjoy:

Decorating Your Home With Art

5 Gifts For New York City Lovers

Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll

It's Nearly Christmas: Come Travel With Me

The Regent Diamond Sits In the Louvre

Photo: go here  - Note the size of the diamond when holding it and look at the perfectly manicured nails! Both are amazing!

The Regent Diamond is the 7th largest of the D-grade colorless diamonds in the world. It is also one of the purest and most brilliant of the known large diamonds. Gemologists think it was mined in Golconda, India between 1698 and 1701. In 1701 an Indian diamond merchant named Jamchand sold the 410-carat uncut diamond to Thomas Pitt, the Governor of Madras, who sent it to England hidden in the shoe of his son, Robert Pitt, where it was perfectly cut by a diamond cutter called Harris, into an internally flawless 140.64-carat brilliant cushion-shaped diamond.

Eventually, Pitt sold the diamond to Philippe d’Orléans, regent for Louis XV, the 5-year-old grandson of Louis XIV of France, which is how it acquired its name. In 1723 the Regent Diamond was set in the coronation crown of King Louis XV. It was reset in 1775 in a new coronation crown for the ill-fated Louis XVI. His wife Queen Marie Antoinette also wore the diamond attached to a black velvet hat. During the French Revolution, the Regent Diamond was stolen (along with the Crown Jewels) but it was later found in a Paris attic.

In 1812 Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte took possession and had the diamond mounted in his sword. After he was defeated at Waterloo and exiled from France, his 2nd wife, Archduchess Marie Louise smuggled the diamond to her native Austria, but her father, Emperor Francis I, returned it to the French Crown Jewels where the Regent Diamond was set in the crowns of France's Louis XVIII, Charles X, Napoleon III, and a Greek style diadem of Empress Eugenie, wife of Napolean III. After France once again dethroned and expelled its royal family, the Regent Diamond ended up at the Louvre Museum in 1887. During the Nazi occupation, the Regent Diamond was sent (along with the Mona Lisa)  to the Loire Vally where it was hidden in the plaster sealing the marble of a fireplace at the Chateau de Chambord, returning to the Louvre after the liberation of Paris and the unconditional surrender of Germany in 1945. The gem is now owned by the French state. 

Cushion cuts have more fire (i.e., colored light) than other diamond cuts. Today the Regent Diamond, an ideal cut, bluish-tinted stone, is on display at the Louvre for public viewing. What an adventurous journey ... with a happy ending. Home sweet home!

You may also enjoy:

My Favorite Royal Crowns Of Europe

A Hearts And Arrows Diamond: What Is It?

Which Diamond "C" Is The Most Important?

The Cullinan Diamond In The Crown Jewels

Inflation Busters: Look For Value Naturals Snacks

With inflation falling but still with us, food is taking a big bite out of everybody's budget. At my local Key Food Supermarket, as well as, at other supermarkets including Shop Rite, Value Naturals brand of snacks is still an excellent value. I paid $4.99 for 9 ounces of Walnuts, $1.99 for 6 ounces of Crystalized Sliced Ginger, and $2.99 for 8 ounces of Sun Dried Tomatoes. This Supermarket label has a wide assortment of other snacks available including candies and an oriental umami-flavored mix. I don't buy the oriental unami crunchy snacks with dried horseradish flavored peas because when in my pantry I can't stop eating them! I do pop 2 or 3 of the Crystalized Ginger slices in my mouth if I crave something sweet; the walnuts for a healthy dose of protein; and the Sun Dried Tomatoes if I eat cheese and crackers but think I should have cooked a vegetable.

My 3 favorites are always in my pantry. In addition to snacks, they can go on a cheese platter ... the Sun Dried Tomatoes go well in salads ... and the Walnuts into baked goods.

Although not sold in bigger sizes, they seem to last for a while, and the value pricing makes them inexpensive to rebuy as needed. I feel a little more affluent and fancy stocking them, caviar tastes on a tuna fish budget as the saying goes.😁😂 

Speaking of which, look for Value Naturals Snacks in the canned tuna, produce, or meat sections of your local supermarket. Usually, you'll find them in the exterior, i.e., the aisles near the walls where the real food lays.

You may also enjoy

Marinated Black Olives

Sabra Hummus Is The Best

Fat-Free Hot Zesty Cheerios

Homemade Microwave Popcorn

Vichy Skincare Is Available At CVS

Vichy was developed in 1931 by Dr. Prosper Haller to treat sensitive skin. The French brand's formulas are created by skincare specialists and tested under strict dermatological control to confirm their efficacy. Many of the products contain Vichy (as in Vichy, France) Volcanic Water -- rich in 15 minerals -- to calm and support the skin.

YouTube dermatologists including Doctory, The Budget Demonologist, and Dr. Daniel Sugai, all board-certified and practicing physicians, like this drugstore brand which is sold at CVS. 

My nearby CVS often has Vichy product samples. The five items I've tried are ultra-moisturizing and gentle for sensitive or irritated skin, providing the tender loving care it needs. I used them after experiencing what looked and felt like a vitamin C burn on the eye area of my face. I guess that double vitamin C serum (of another brand) isn't right for me since it was the 1st time I've had a painful reaction from using vitamin C serum.

The Vicky samples I used to soothe the area are:

1) Vichy Liftactv Supreme Serum 10 - The chief ingredient is hyaluronic acid to plump up dry skin, which is how it reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

2) Vichy Mineral 89 Fortifying & Hydrating Daily Skin Booster - It's a fast-absorbing, lightweight, thickish facial liquid for dry and sensitive skin. Unscented and non-sticky, apply it as step 1 followed by a moisturizer.

3) Vicky Aqualia Thermal Riche-Rich - Moistens the face with hyaluronic acid and Vichy Volcanic Water. Provides lasting 48-hour hydration for dry and sensitive skin.

4) Vichy Lifeactiv Supreme Jour - Day - With rhamnose (a type of sugar found in plants) and Vichy mineralizing water, it fights fine lines and wrinkles while smoothing, firming, and moisturizing the skin.

5) Vichy Liftactiv Supreme Nuit - Night - Targets wrinkles and the loss of firmness, it contains rhamnose, vitamin C, adenosine, and Vichy mineral water to fight the stubborn signs of aging.

Vichy formulas feel luxurious, are non-greasy, and definitely moisturize and plump up the skin as claimed. Although the ingredients in its moisturizers don't have as many anti-aging clinical studies behind them as retin-A (considered the gold standard), Vichy is a 90+-year-old skincare company that employs dermatologists and health experts to develop its salves. On the face, they do absorb well into the skin. Without burning or producing a bad reaction, you can feel some type of action going on after the application.

If you have dry, sensitive, or irritated skin that needs rest from retin-A, retinol, or vitamin C serums -- which at times can leave your face feeling raw and sensitive -- Vichy is a luxury drugstore brand that plumps up your skin with dermatologist-tested and approved moisturizers containing ingredients to soothe and help your skin recover, plus look younger via its hydration. 

Vichy is pricey, yet not out-of-reach. The next time you're at CVS, see if you can score some samples to try the brand.

New on the market at about the same price point and as "consciously clean" for sensitive skin is Scarlett Johansson's line called The Outset. The focus of the line is to nourish your skin barrier for hydration, beauty, and balance. Its aim is similar to Vichy's with the latter adding rhamnose to also firm the skin.

You may also enjoy:

TruSkin Skincare

Tree Of Life Skin Serums

Equate Walmart's Private Store Brand For Savings

The Barebones Anti-aging Skincare Products You Need

Active Wear For Home or Play

Since the pandemic forced us to stay at home for 2 years to work and play people are dressing ultra casually when they leave the house. Although I see people wearing questionable sweats, loungewear, and what resembles houseshoes even in Midtown Manhattan, overall casual attire is more good than bad. In fact, I'm a huge fan of a casual smart appearance. When we match colors, stick to neutrals and complementary colors, we can dress in comfort and still look like we care ... like we've made an effort before leaving home.

The following are 5 wardrobe pieces people on Amazon and elsewhere overwhelmingly love. Based on many 5-star reviews each piece is super comfortable to wear at home; to the gym; or to run errands around town including all the way to Midtown Manhattan:

Casual Smart Comfort for Home, Gym, or Running Around Town:

1) Hoka Ora Recovery 3 Slides - Runners began wearing these after long or tough races to support and help their feet recover. They cushion and let your feet breathe.

2) Colorfulkoala leggings and yoga pants - I'm always bookmarking leggings and yoga pants that get rave reviews at a fair price. Colorfulkoalas come in several styles, lengths, and colors, including shorts. With 48,000 Amazon reviews, customers say they are dupes for some of the higher-end more expensive activewear. Personally, I lean towards cotton with a small percentage of spandex leggings, but these are praised as buttery soft with 4-way stretch and sweat-wicking technology. I'd compare them to Uniquo's Airism technology and their cost is far below Lululemon, Athleta, and GAP. For casual work meetings, I'll pair black yoga pants and a cotton t-shirt under a well-fitted wool blazer with ballet flats and nobody is the wiser. The trick is not to dress casually from head to toe but to mix casual pieces with fitted pieces and classic shoes.

3) Filoto Running Belt Fanny Pack - I have never liked the look of fanny packs, but this one is stylish and still holds your phone, cardholder, keys, and cash. So you really can leave your bag at home. The fanny pack is unisex to fit the waists of men or women. IMHO it looks more like a sleek accessory than a fanny pack.

4) Uniqlo Airism tops - for men and women - Wisks away sweat, there are several styles and a wide assortment of colors. Some have built-in bras, and others have a dominant percentage of cotton fibers.

5) Hoka One Sneakers - For running, walking, and playing. They're as popular as Nikes on the streets of Manhattan. Everybody seems to be wearing them.

If you pair the right neutrals and complementary colors you can dress in comfort without needing to change your clothes if you stay home; exercise; or roam away from home.

 

You may also enjoy:

Bite The Bullet For Vionic Shoes

Are Flip Flops Bad For Your Feet?

Pandemic Sheltering In Place Fashion

How Does Kate Middleton Wear Those High Heels

Shoes For Paws

Photo: Rover - which is linked - gives you 15 best dog boots to buy.

In winter the local news in Manhattan sometimes airs stories warning the public of the harm salt used to melt snow on sidewalks can do to their dog's paws, so it is not unusual to see a few dogs wearing boots. But now I see it also in August and September. Shoes on dogs have definitely caught on with pet owners this summer, and it's understandable.

Photo: Rover

As great as New York City is, the sidewalks and subways can be very, very dirty. In response, I'm one of those annoying people who ask guests to remove their shoes in my apartment. I buy extra houseshoes to offer visitors who'd prefer not to walk around in their socks, but few folks let on that they mind the "sockhop." when entering my place. My guests who accept my houseshoes get to take them home as a gift after their visit. I think if you're forward enough to ask people to remove their shoes in your home, giving them footwear is a thoughtful gesture. You won't catch them off-guard with holes in their socks, plus you want your guests to feel taken care of and comfortable in your house. You can buy inexpensive hospital booties at the dollar stores to have a supply on hand.

Photo: here

It turns out that people who study germs think removing our shoes inside our homes is ideal! Studies have found shoes bring an astonishing amount of poop bacteria into New York City buildings, so I don't think we who live here are defacto germophobes. We just have common sense.

If [still] a pet owner, I suppose I'd extend these findings to my dog's paws in cold and warm weather. More and more, it seems like a good idea in a high-traffic city for several reasons! 

Photo: Amazon

Think of it this way: When popcorn drops on your rug while watching a movie, you don't have to worry about picking it up to eat it! Moreover, Fido is in the habit of licking his paws. Yes, it's true he also licks his own butt -- but IMHO spreading germs is a numbers game, so let's limit him right there to spreading his own bacteria throughout your home! For sure, think about keeping the other bacteria from God-knows-where-and-God-knows-what out of your living space. The idea is not to avoid common household germs but all the foreign germs we don't want to know about!😳

Sidewalks also get hot and at times there's broken glass or sharp objects to potentially cut paws. 

In a pinch, I've read ... you can outfit your dog's paws with 4 rubber balloons. but more permanent shoes made for dogs are relatively affordable. Some are for dryness and others for warmth. Here are tips on training your dog to wear them.

Please weigh in: If you bring your dog to a major city with lots of foot traffic, the sources of germs, would you adorn him with cute little shoes?

You may also enjoy:

Calling All Dog Lovers

Happy Father's Day ... Hmm

Keeping Your Dog Off Your Furniture 

Why A Baby Sleeps In A Cardboard Box

Is Ice Cream the Ambrosia Of the Gods?

Photo: Braum

In Homer's epic poems, the Illiad and the Odyssey, the gods are always eating Ambrosia and drinking The Nectar of the Gods although in early editions they may be one and the same, so indistinguishable. In Homer's work, the divine food is consumed on top of Mount Olympus and thereby tied to immortality, magical powers, and godliness. 

Photo: ultraboardgames

I can't be the only person on earth ever to wonder what precisely Ambrosia and The Nectar of the Gods are. Scholars think both could be honey ... or if one is a drink, Nectar is likely mead while only Ambrosia is honey. Like the brains who study these questions in depth, I also guessed they are honey and an alcoholic beverage. (Hey academics, perhaps my blog can save you years of research. Read on.😊)

As I have another guess for Ambrosia if we accept it is separate from the Nectar of the Gods. I think ambrosia is likely ice cream since once you let yourself eat ice cream you can't get enough. In your mouth, it has magical powers!

Because in my family we have no desire to weigh 300 pounds, I don't buy ice cream for the freezer until the end of June. The weather in early June can still be nippy, so we try to hold off until the real summer with steamy hot weather arrives. We buy ice cream throughout July and August, then try to stop once fall is upon us. I also buy wafer cones because it slows us down and we tend to eat less ice cream if we lick it on a cone. You have no idea how much ice cream you can scoop out to fit into a bowl in our house! It's our magical power.😛

Photo: freepik

So, readers, we ate our last ice cream cone on Thursday, August 31st and the question is, will I buy one more carton of ice cream (or 2, or 3) as summer is not officially over this year until Saturday, September 23rd? Also, we have 2 rows of wafer cones left in a box. They shouldn't go to waste, right?

I decided yes, buy another carton if temperatures soar again and no, we've eaten plenty already if they don't.

Ice cream is a dessert I buy readymade since I can't make it better, healthier, easier, or cheaper at home.

By the way, we do eat ice cream throughout the year to celebrate birthdays and as dessert if we host a dinner or are invited to dinner, or if we treat ourselves with a trip to an ice cream shop. I just don't keep it in the freezer outside of the summer months. Unlike the ancient Greek gods (image ↖credit) we must leave home to eat it during the fall, winter, or spring seasons in the interest of health and not adding another 50 pounds to our frames! We don't have the discipline to skip ice cream if it's in the house because ice cream really is the Ambrosia of the gods! It's soooo good you can't stop eating it!!

Do you love ice cream?🍦

You may also enjoy:

Valentine's Day Truffles

Five "Best For You" Candies

Sweets And Treats As Holiday Gifts 

Chocolate No Bake Cookies Are Quick