Skillet Bruschetta

Photo: Pinterest

Are you ready for a late summer tomato dish that's perfect for the time of year when fresh tomatoes are plentiful? What are you going to do with all those tomatoes? I found this recipe in a newsletter and, of course, tweaked it. The original recipe called for marinating the chicken overnight, which I never do as I believe it does nothing for the meat, such as tenderizing or flavoring it. The benefit of marinating meat is a myth! All I think it does is add more work. Flavoring the dish while it cooks and after it's cooked works. I do think making the bruschetta topping hours ahead of time adds flavor, so let's start with that! BTW I also like the crunch and taste of onions and celery in the dish, so have added both vegetables (omit if you prefer).

Skillet Bruschella (with or without pasta)

Ingredients:

1 cup Italian dressing, divided (or use homemade vinaigrette dressing. You can then toss in Italian seasonings from your spice rack.)
2 cups (16 ounces) tomatoes, chopped

1 tiny onion, diced

1 celery stalk with leaves, diced

3 tablespoons basil leaves, chopped
2 whole garlic cloves, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts

2 large zucchini - cut into thin strips 

Optional: Al dente cooked angel hair pasta; #8; or #9 spaghetti -- they all work.

Directions for the Bruschetta Topping:

1) Into a bowl or Tupperware combine chopped tomatoes, onions, celery, basil, minced garlic, 1 cup of Italian dressing, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate from 2 hours - overnight.

Directions For the Chicken:

2) In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat, then add and cook the raw chicken for 15 minutes, turning it once. After the chicken is brown on the outside and white on the inside, remove it from the pan.

3) Add more olive oil if needed to the same skillet to grill the zucchini. The zucchini will tenderize in 6 -10 minutes. It will also cook down with the liquid evaporating. I scoop up some of the bruschetta topping (include some of the chopped onion, celery, and garlic) and toss it into the skillet to cook with the zucchini. Turn the heat off when everything is tender.

4) Plate your dish. Place cooked pasta on the bottom if eating it, chicken in the middle, and finish with the bruschetta topping. 

Adding al dente pasta to the dish gives you a one-pan meal ... protein, vegetables, and starch. Dinner is served. Tasty with fewer steps is THE SAVVY SHOPPER way! Enjoy.

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My Favorite Royal Crowns Of Europe

Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire

Today I'm showing my jewelry-loving readers ornate, historical eye candy. My original idea was to feature in detail 10 famous Crowns of western countries, but guess what? In my research, I discovered Matt Baker of UsefulCharts has already compiled them and as usual, his work is excellent. Well, thundering typhoons ... Matt Baker, not only did you beat me by a year, you took away the illusion that my brilliant idea is unique ... the nerve!🙂

So instead, I'll play a game of picking my favorite European royal crowns leaning towards coronation crowns (since many European royal houses have more crowns than we can count). Thanks to Matt Baker's thoroughness, you can watch his video here for the history and details of my 6 favs (plus a few more on his list of 10 famous crowns). As it turns out he did the work for me on this topic!

So here are My 6 Favorite Royal Crowns - I've included not 1, but 2 from the United Kingdom because Queen Elizabeth II uses two. Both have crowned English and British monarchs, and I don't want to break them up. Drum roll, please🥁... here we go:

1) The Crown of Rudolf II, later the Imperial Crown of Austria - Made in 1602 to crown Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II, it became the official crown of the newly constituted Austrian Empire in 1804 and today is preserved in the Austrian Imperial Treasury. The crown is pure gold, partially enameled, and scattered with diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, and pearls. Wow, the Ceylon blue sapphire at the top is stunning!

2) Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire - Here is a side view in addition to the front view at the top👆 of the blog. Thought to be made in 962 AD in Western Germany for the coronation of Holy Roman Emperor Otto I, the crown has 8 hinged 22-carat gold plates of images joined together forming an octagon shape. It has 144 unfaceted stones including sapphires, emeralds, and amethysts, plus pearls. To think that it sat on the head of Charles V on February 24, 1530, along with prior Holy Roman Emperors and we still have it! Nowadays it is kept in the Imperial Treasury in Vienna, Austria.

The Imperial State Crown

3) (a) The Imperial State Crown [of the United Kingdom] - Shown is both the front and back view of the crown, it was selected by Queen Victoria and Edward VII for each of their coronations. Queen Elizabeth II uses the Imperial State Crown to open Parliament. It has 2,901 precious stones, including the familiar Cullinan II diamond, St. Edward's Sapphire, the Stuart Sapphire, and the Black Prince's Ruby (which is really a red spinel).💂

St Edward's Crown

(b) St. Edward's Crown (also part of the UK's crown jewels) - The original crown was made in the 11th century, named after the last Anglo-Saxon English King, Edward the Confessor, and remade for Charles II for his 1661 coronation after the Restoration of the English monarchy in 1660. It's considered the traditional coronation crown of English/British monarchs. George V, George VI, and Elizabeth II used it for their coronations. The heavier of the 2 crowns, it weighs 4.9 pounds and is set with 444 precious and semi-precious gemstones. Oh, a gal who's also a monarch cannot have too many stately crowns, can she?

4) Imperial Crown of Russia - First worn for the coronation of Catherine the Great in 1762 and last worn by Nicholas II in 1896. The crown also sat prominently on a chair when Nicholas opened the Russian Duma in 1906. Thankfully, it survived the Russian Revolution of 1917 and is currently on display at the Kremlin Armory Museum in Moscow, all 2,858 carats (or 4,936 single) diamonds, 75 Indian matte pearls and a 398.72-carat red spinel (once mistaken for a ruby).

5) Crown of Saint Wenceslas - Made in 1347 to use for the coronations of the Kings of Bohemia (modern-day Czechoslavia). Ferdinand V was the last to be crowned wearing it in 1836. The crown is reportedly 22-carat gold. The stones decorating it -- consisting of 19 sapphires, 44 spinels, 30 emeralds, and 1 red elbaite -- are polished and not cut in facets so the crown is old-world vintage, colorful and charming! But a terrible "legend" follows it: "Any usurper who places the crown on his head is doomed to die a violent death within a year." (source: Wikipedia + others) Since I'm a gal just having fun as an admirer, not a usurper, would I be cursed placing it on my head?

I cannot identify all of the above👆 coronation crowns but am happy they survived the centuries of history, and I'd love to visit each and every one of them. If pressured, I could be persuaded to try them on. (No, no I shouldn't ... I couldn't, I shouldn't, please no, no, no ... oh if you insist, alright.👸🏻) How about you? Feel free to name them or reveal your favorites in the comments.

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Bakuckiol The Retinol Alternative

Most of us know how important retinol is to our anti-aging skincare regime. Well, there's a new kid in town.

Bakuchiol (which is a phytoretinol) is an anti-aging ingredient derived from the leaves and seeds of the psoralea corylifolia (babchi) plant. An herb commonly used in Indian Ayurvedic and Chinese medicines, dermatologists describe it as a natural vegan alternative to retinol. It has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties to heal, calm and smooth the skin.

According to a double-blind medical study published in the British Journal of Dermatology, using bakuchiol for 12 weeks was as effective as retinol in reducing wrinkles and hyperpigmentation ... yet was milder with less irritation, so is ideal for sensitive skin and in fact, is suitable for all skin types. In other studies, bakuchiol stimulated the skin to produce collagen, as well as, increased elasticity, and improved firmness.

In comparison, retinol is used at night to avoid sun degradation and skin sensitivity. Yet unlike retinol, bakuchiol's potency is not weakened by sun exposure and it doesn't irritate or dry the skin, so can be used both during the day and at night.

How much bakuchiol is needed in face serum, lotion, cream, or oil to do its job? Choose a bakuchiol serum, etc, with between .5 - 2% concentration for visible benefits. A lightweight bakuchiol serum or lotion layers beautifully with other anti-aging products such as vitamins C and E, azelaic acid, or niacinamide in your skincare routine. Furthermore, since bakuchiol also brightens the skin, some users are replacing their vitamin C serum during the day and retinol at night with just one gentle ingredient. On the other hand, don't combine bakuchiol with glycolic acid as these two kids don't play well together. Glycolic acid degrades bakuchiol's effectiveness.

Moreover, there are a ton of bakuchiol-based beauty products on the market in all forms: face serums, lotions, creams, and oils that are very reasonably priced -- many well under $20 so what's good for our faces is also good for our wallets! Ahhh, welcome to the neighborhood, bakuchiol, you are a Savvy Shopper's dream.

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The Best Homemade Jewelry Cleaner

Photo:WeddingWire and Shutterstock 

Truthfully I rarely clean my rings, earrings, bracelets, or necklaces at home, and only once have I taken my jewelry in for a professional checkup and cleaning. Luckily, the one time I did so was right before COVID shut everything down for 2 years. Why suddenly I decided to do so is a mystery, but I'm happy I did. A designer at Effy cleaned a few pieces for me, and we ended up talking for 3 hours about jewelry and life ... in 2019 before the world paused. What a fond memory!

Don't soak pearls in soapy water, wrap them in cloth.

Having our fine jewelry checked for loose stones and professionally cleaned is an important step in keeping it maintained and sparkling. I aim to become more diligent in doing it. Experts tell us to have our fine jewelry cleaned every 6 months, and I'll shoot for at least once a year. In reality, 6 months will blaze by before I realize it has.🙂

A few good habits I've already established include always removing my jewelry (consisting mostly of rings and earrings) when showering or doing household chores, and I apply hand cream ringless. With the exception of traveling, I always remove my jewelry before bed and put it in a safe designated place so the jewelry doesn't get tangled, damaged, stolen, or lost. In fact, everything in your home should have an assigned place. (Away from home I sleep without removing my rings and earrings so I don't leave them behind.)

Now I aim to get into the habit of cleaning my jewelry at home in-between yearly professional cleanings. The following is how jewelers advise we do it ...

The Best At Home Jewelry Cleaner is none other than soapy warm water. Everything else (vinegar, alcohol, baking powder, salt, or ammonia) is potentially too harsh on gemstones.

Tools and Directions:

1) Add a few drops of Dawn dishwashing liquid into a bowl. It could be any mild dishwashing liquid, but I notice many jewelers use Dawn and therefore so will I.

2) Fill the bowel with lukewarm (not hot) water. Let your jewelry soak for a few minutes to allow the soapy water to loosen any dirt. It turns out that soap works this same way in removing all grime, whether the dirt is on your hands or on your clothes. Soap works by loosening the dirt.

3) Stroke the prongs and around the stones with a new soft bristle toothbrush. Use a new, not an old toothbrush as an old toothbrush may have toothpaste residue on it that is potentially too abrasive for many stones.

4) Rinse with clean water - Some jewelers like to use distilled water for the wash and rinse cleaning cycles of jewelry. Personally, I just use tap water. :) 

5) Dry your washed jewelry by laying on and gently rubbing with a soft cloth.

Effy designed

Extra Tips:

1) To be ultra-safe only clean your diamonds, sapphires, and rubies at home as these are your harder more durable stones. Let the professionals clean your emeralds and softer gems unless you have gemstone knowledge. Emeralds have more inclusions and are brittle and oiled, and some other stones may be sensitive to a change in hot or cold temperatures. A jeweler will know the risks of each type of gemstone and how to properly clean them without damaging the stones. So if in doubt, leave a stone out of soapy water, and don't clean with ultrasonic or steam machines! At times I'll run an emerald under warm water.

2) Diamonds ByBonneJewelry dries her diamond rings (on the right👉) with a hot blow dryer to get them to glitter by preventing water spots from forming, but since I'm not a jeweler like Bonnie I'm too chicken to use a hot blowdryer on a piece. When in doubt, leave the heat out!

3) To rinse the jewelry I hold it under the running tap water of a faucet with the sink's stopper plugging its hole in case I drop the piece. If there's any chance your jewelry will go down the drain, go a step further and get out a 2nd bowl filled with clean rinse water. Be safe, not sorry!

So what did we learn today? The best jewelry cleanser for at-home cleaning is sitting right on your kitchen sink: Dawn dishwashing liquid in lukewarm water! It lifts away dirt and safely keeps your sparklers sparkling! Additionally, buy distilled water if you wish; and if brave enough, on diamonds only, dry with a blow dryer for extra shine.

Almost everyone has a few pieces of fine jewelry ... perhaps an engagement ring, or special occasion gift. Keeping it sparkling is simple!

Except where noted, I grabbed the jewelry examples from Macy's website. You always get lovely eye candy on THE SAVVY SHOPPER. You're welcome!

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How Many Bed Sheets and Bath Towels Do You Need?

According to home organizers, a household needs 3 sheet sets and 3 towels for each person in the home. One set in use, one set clean waiting in your closet, and one set dirty waiting to be laundered. Personally, I think we can do with a mere 2 sets per person. Too often we buy more than enough when all we need is enough in home goods.

During the 32 years I've lived in a small Manhattan apartment, I normally only stock 2 sets of bedsheets, as well as, 4 bath towels and that's it. Granted I'm not raising young children; only occasionally have an overnight guest; plus tend to be neat and tidy, which certainly makes a difference. Still, I think with easy access to a washer and dryer, home dwellers who wish could omit the 3rd set of sheets or towels.

Over a period of years, minimalism saves time, space and money. It's helpful to start with your personal quirks and preferences.

Let's discuss: I buy 4 large bath towels that hang on my 2 bathroom racks but skip hand towels, and seldom bother with additional sets of either bath towels or bedsheets which would only hang out in my closets. 

I could function with only 2 bath towels, but since I have 2 bath racks, I do keep 4 bath towels out. One set never gets used, so anyone who stops by has a clean towel to dry his/her hands. Moreover, I own a stack of about 30+ wash clothes which I rotate and wash.

With my 2 sets of bedsheets, one goes on the bed and a 2nd unopened set waits on deck in the closet for the day the 1st set in use on the bed wears out. However, I do have a separate clean set of sheets to fit a futon-style couch for an overnight guest to use if visiting (it's a given you'll need a sheet set for every guest bed in your home. I also have an unopened spare set of sheets on deck for it).

Once a week, I strip my own bed of its sheets, grab the 4 big bath towels, machine wash and dry them, then put each one right back in circulation. I buy a color or pattern I like and don't tire of anything until it falls apart. I frequently clean but never rotate my towels or bedding. Perhaps I'm not a typical woman because I simply don't care enough to change the decor in my bathroom or bedroom weekly. Cleanliness, not variety is my focus.

The handtowels I don't buy.

In fact, I like the color of my bedding and bath towels this week just as much as I did last week. Sooo, after pulling them out of a hot dryer, they go right back on the bed and bathroom racks. Hey, do you know how many hours of folding laundry I've avoided over the years by keeping good quality sheets and towels in continuous use?  Time ... I can put to better use elsewhere!

Nonetheless different strokes for different folks. How mininalist are you? Do you buy multiples and often change your bedding and bathroom towels, or wash, dry, and keep them going?

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5 Reasons Not To Buy Cartier Love Bracelets

All photos: Courtesy of Cartier unless noted. I like this design because the diamonds hide scratches that show on the smooth bangles. It's also less common than the plain ones, although I approve of common when cheap. :)

The Cartier Love Bracelet was designed in 1969 by Aldo Cipullo and recently popularized by television personality and makeup entrepreneur, Kylie Jenner, who is known to stack her multiple love bracelets up and down both arms while filming her family's scripted Kardashian reality show. 

Back in 1969, the original Cartier Love Bracelet was gold-plated sterling silver selling for $250. It was a plain bangle with the familiar bolt design that came with a vermeil screwdriver to unlock the bracelet to put it on or take it off. The inspiration for the bracelet was a medieval chastity belt, and ideally, customers like Kylie Jenner are supposed to wear it (or them:), 24/7. 

Soon after promoting the bracelets, Cartier dropped sterling silver and made the bracelets out of 18-carat gold. In 1979 the retailer added diamonds to the design. Today the Cartier Love Bracelet Collection has grown to about 50 variations selling from $4,450 to $62,000 depending on the width, gold, and gemstones you buy. For unknown reasons, white gold costs more than yellow or rose gold at Cartier. The bracelets weigh between 30 grams and 38 grams. On the resale market, yellow gold retains more of its value due to its greater demand.

I won't lie ... I like the chic solid bracelet ... rose gold and sparkly 3 rows of diamonds would be my choice, yet I will never in a million years buy one. 

Here are 5 reasons why I don't think you should buy it either:

1) It's not good value for the money. You spend a huge markup to own a status bracelet. You're not paying for the value of the gold or diamonds, you pay for the Cartier name, and the concession isn't good value for the money.

2) There's nothing unique or special about the bracelet, which is often the natural criteria along with demand for driving up the price of an item. It's as if the bracelet is mass-produced! Every luxury influencer, wannabe, and Kardashian wears a Cartier Love Bracelet. You are spending a ton of money to join the flock of over consumptionairs.

3) The bangles don't stay pristine, but scratch and break easily, so you will make several trips to Cartier for repairs. After charging double-digit-thousands, why can't Cartier design bracelets that don't scratch up and locks that don't loosen or break?

4) It's a hassle to take the bracelet off and on. You'll always need the help of another person to unscrew it, not to mention, do you want to leave on an expensive piece of fine jewelry 24/7? One that scratches easily?? Really, do 'ya???

5) A slew of Cartier Love Bracelets always end up on the resale market. What does it tell you? 

Photo: Pinterest

1. Too many customers have regrets after parting with a heap of moola: The allure of owning the bracelet sometimes exceeds the love of wearing it. 

2. You need not buy a new bracelet at full price: If you must own a Cartier Love Bracelet save a few thousand bucks by perusing the reputable resale markets. 

 

Frankly, I wouldn't pay the still-inflated prices for a pre-loved Cartier Love Bracelet. But I'm a value shopper, and it's a hard habit to break. 

If a buyer were to choose a non-staus, fine jewelry bracelet, she could get an equivalent bangle (sometimes with more gold and diamonds) for less money that fewer people own, for example, the Roberto Coin Love in Verona bracelets - plain or with flower diamonds or pave diamonds. Moreover, you don't need a key to take it on and off! That said, whatever brings you happiness is not to be judged. Logic doesn't always win. Personally, I like the Cartier Love Bracelets, but think consumers can find beautiful similar pieces for significantly less. Same joy + a car ... or some retirement money.

Roberto Coin Love In Verona

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Eat Chocolate Chips To Beat Inflation

A practice of mine started off as a way to eat dark chocolate in moderation, but now that inflation is upon us, it's also a good way to save money on chocolate. I don't understand why chocolate bars in the candy aisle are $3.59+ for 5 - 6 ounces depending on the brand (how much smaller will a chocolate bar shrink?) while a 12-ounce bag of dark; semi-sweet; or milk chocolate chips in the baking aisle costs only $1.95 - $1.99 depending on the store. 

Rarely will I buy a chocolate bar, instead I stock a bag of dark chocolate chips, that I open and try to pour out a one-ounce serving as a treat. I don't always succeed, but I have a better chance of stopping with one or two pours of chocolate chips that I pop into my mouth than stopping after eating a strip of chocolate. I mean, once you unwrap a candy bar, you eat nearly the entire bar, right? We rarely stop at a square or strip of chocolate.

The brands of chocolate chips that taste as good as chocolate bars come from Aldi (dark) or Target (semi-sweet). Walmart's semi-sweet chips are good too, but just a tad below in flavor compared to Target's and Aldi's house brands.

What started off as annoyance directed at the forever shrinking chocolate bar (too costly for the puny size), as well as, portion control is also a money saver that adds up over time. And it's easy to toss a few chocolate chips (rich in flavanols like epicatechin and catechin) into plain Greek yogurt or a bowl of oatmeal for healthy eats that are low in sugar.

When economizing keep tabs on your repetitive, small purchases. Use your stash of cash😉 to pay for bigger expenses! Chocolate chips are a good deal and with inflation, let's hope they remain so.

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