Two main courses I plan on trying, with my own twist...

Slow-Cooker Sausage and Kale Stew With Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

Serves 6| Hands-On Time: 15m| Total Time: 8hr 30m

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage links, casings removed and broken into pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 large russet potatoes (about 1 pound)
• 1 small bunch kale, stems discarded and leaves torn (about 7 cups)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for serving

Directions

1. Combine the sausage, onion, tomatoes and their juices, tomato paste, garlic, 1 cup water, and ¾ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Nestle the potatoes in the liquid and top with the kale.
2. Cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours (this will shorten total recipe time). Transfer the potatoes to a medium bowl. Add the milk, oil, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper to the bowl and mash.
3. Serve the stew topped with the mashed potatoes. Drizzle with more olive oil, if desired.

By Nora Singley , November, 2013

Sugar Body Scrub via deliciousobsessions.com

Delicious Obsessions: Simple Sugar Body Scrub Recipe This simple sugar body scrub recipe is one of my favorite things to make. I always have a jar of it in my shower and use it almost daily. The recipe is so simple and only takes a couple minutes to whip up. You can easily double, triple, etc., this recipe, but I like to make small batches so is stays fresh.

Also, you can make the same scrub using salt instead of sugar, but it’s important to understand that for some people, salt scrubs can be very drying to the skin. If you’re like me and suffer from dry skin, then it’s better to skip the salt and use sugar instead.

1/2 cup turbinado sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup sweet almond oil
5-10 drops of essential oil, optional (I really like using vanilla and peppermint)

Mix the sugar and oil together and transfer to a container with a tight sealing lid. Use in the shower to exfoliate dry, itchy skin. I use mine almost daily and have never had any problems. The oil seals in the moisture on your skin and makes it feel silky smooth. (Make sure you wipe down the shower floor with some soap and water after you use it — oily floors and showers don’t mix well!)... Read More at www.deliciousobsessions.com/2010/09/simple-body-scrub/ © Delicious Obsessions