Cake-n-Bake Game: a Fun Cake Themed Birthday Party with Friends & Family

Disclosure: I received Cake-n-bake Challenge from Tryazon in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own. I may collect a share of sales from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them.

                I celebrated my birthday by playing Hey Buddy Hey Pal's Cake-n-bake challenge game. It is so fun to play. I think a great additional to any birthday. Hence, I decided it would be really creative to make my birthday party a cake theme. To surprise my guests, I thought it would be clever to bake a cake and decorate it with the essence of the Cake-n-bake game in mind. Since the playing pieces are shaped like a round layer cake and the frosting is covered in sprinkles, I made a round 2-layer box cake from Dolly Parton's banana cake mix and added milk chocolate ganache filling. It was my first attempt at a ganache, so I am happy that it came out really delicious. Once it cooled, I covered the cake with a Dolly's white butter cream frosting and rainbow sprinkles. I kept the cake out of sight, saving it as a surprise, until we finished playing the Cake-bake game.

                The game is really interactive, hands on, and more competitive than I would have expected. The play time can be quick or long depending on how many and who the other contenders are. My mom played the role of show host calling out: ready set bake each time we set up another round after each player received a new card. The first player to complete their cake according to their card's instructions and ring the bell called out: cake done. The host then checks to make sure the player's cake slice is constructed according to that round's card instructions. If it is, then the host gives them a candle card. The object of the game is to acquire 6 candles. Because challengers are competing to be the first to ring the bell, you must have excellent concentration and hand eye coordination while doing the task at a fast pace. My friends and I giggled a lot trying to get our cake slices in the correct order according to each card we got. I was happy that I won the overall game. However, the real prize was watching my guests' eyes open wide with awe when I uncovered my Cake-n-bake looking birthday cake.

Game: https://amzn.to/4eoPSeh

Cake mix: https://amzn.to/4gFVulX

Frosting: https://amzn.to/3XJISS9

Additionally, I am wearing my own design. The Queenie4ever faux bow t-shirt in burn out white. If you are interested in purchasing one of these t-shirts, please send us an e-mail at info@queenie4ever.com for pricing & size information.

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Kisko Popsicles Party

 Disclosure: I received a packages of Kisko popsicles from Tryazon in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own. I may collect a share of sales from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them.

          I hosted a Kisko Country orchard popsicle party to celebrate the 4th of July holiday. There were four tasty flavors for my guests to try. The Tropical passion fruit was very tart. The taste of passion fruit was more apparent than the pineapple. I also found it interesting that the Orange pineapple reminded me more of an apricot or a super frosty glass of orange juice than pineapple. The Berry blast tasted earthy to me. The popsicle reminded me of the flavor of the jelly in Fig Newton's. My favorite was the Strawberry mango. I thought it tasted a lot like a Snapple iced tea.

          I love that the ice is not as hard in texture compared to other popsicles. Since they are in a tube, these desserts are much easier to eat. Both the soft composition and the tube packaging ensures they are not as messy either. Even after shaking them, these popsicles take a while to freeze up. I had placed them with an ice pack inside a cooler bag to transport them, but the popsicles still melted very rapidly. Therefore, I recommend these to be consumed inside of your home or you could also just drink it like a juice.

          My friends got the tops of the popsicles to rip open, but I needed scissors. Since the weather was super-hot, we really appreciated a yummy cold sweet treat. Kisko Country orchard popsicles definitely made the perfect party food to serve my guests, so they could just relax and enjoy a snack, while cooling down in the summertime heat wave.

Berry blast & Tropical passion: https://amzn.to/3VWsPQ3

Strawberry mango & Orange Pineapple: https://amzn.to/4cA9YRO

Additionally, I am wearing my own design. The Queenie4ever Cap sleeve blue panda ice cream t-shirt in brown. There are still a few left in stock. If you are interested in purchasing one of these t-shirts, please send us an e-mail at info@queenie4ever.com for pricing & size information.

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Lattini Sunflower Milk

Disclosure: I received a carton of Lattini from Tryazon in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own. I may collect a share of sales from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them.

    I am a big fan of sunflower butter, hence I was hoping that Lattini's unsweetened sunflower milk would be  the beverage equivalent. It does taste as I expected. The sunflower milk was slightly sweet and nutty like sunflower seeds. I also found the flavor to be light and mild when I added it to a cup of hot black tea. I think it would be really delicious in a hot chocolate or, perhaps it would enhance the flavor of your favorite baked goods recipes, such as cake. The consistency is not thick and creamy like dairy milk. Instead, it is most similar to the more watery texture of macadamia milk. I highly recommend the sunflower milk as a great tasting product that has a variety of uses and versatility in meal planning.

Milk: https://amzn.to/4e82JSl

Dress: https://amzn.to/3yQV8HJ

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Taste Testing Ritter Sport Colorful Chocolate Bar Varieties

Disclosure: I received Ritter Sport chocolates from Tryazon in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own. I may collect a share of sales from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them.

         Chocolate is one of my favorite sweet treats. I often reach for some when I need a snack. I really like German chocolate, so I was delighted to try some Ritter Sport confections. They offer numerous varieties of distinct flavors. Since the chocolate comes in colorful chocolate squares, I decorated my dining table with this theme in mind. I set out the chocolate on top of a bright tablecloth to get ready for a rainbow-colored taste test.

            The dark chocolate with 50% cocoa, Whole almonds, and Hazelnuts began my sampling journey. Each of these 3 were not bitter tasting, like most dark chocolates tend to be. Also, these flavors had a hard texture that made them difficult to snap into perfect squares. On the other hand, the fourth dark chocolate was quite easy to break off into the perforated squares due to the interior's softer texture. The marzipan tasted as one would expect.

            Next on my chocolate tasting journey were 6 milk chocolates. The Alpine, Whole almonds and Hazelnut bars were similar in quality to the dark chocolates. That is, each reminded me of the standard higher in price chocolates that I have eaten before. The tastes were traditional with no surprise ingredients. However, I saved the more distinct flavors for last. Ending my chocolate tasting with a sampling of three unique milk chocolates. The Butter biscuit and cocoa creme reminded me of an inverted Petit ecolier biscuit. The Cornflakes reminded me of a crunchier and saltier version of ChocoFlakes. On the other hand, a surprise favorite to me was the Honey sea-salt almonds. This bar stood out to me as it was pretty sweet, and I could not detect a hint of salt. Overall, I had a good time taste testing Ritter Sports chocolates. From traditional flavors to more creative ones, the varieties offered are plentiful and delicious. In short, each inspires a colorful chocolate celebration for you to enjoy with every bite.

Chocolate: amzn.to/3ub2Ud1

Additionally, I am wearing my own design. The Queenie4ever classic cameo on a hot pink tank top. If you are interested in purchasing one of these t-shirts please send us an e-mail at info@queenie4ever.com for pricing, color, and sizing availability. 

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Saffron Road's Delicious Plant Based Meal Options

Disclosure: I acquired products from Saffron Road in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own. I may collect a share of sales from the link on this page if you decide to shop from it. 

      Saffron Road's offers a variety of vegetarian meal options that are easy to prepare, healthy, and delicious. Depending on how much prep time you have, you can choose to spend more time incorporating fresh ingredients into your meal or popping a frozen item in the microwave for a quick lunch.

      The first two Saffron Road Food product's I sampled were the lemon grass simmer sauce and the crunchy sea salt chickpeas. Since I eat  plant based dishes, I made a green curry with tofu, corn, and potatoes entree using the lemon grass simmer sauce. I served it over a bed of saffron rice. I was surprised at how mild and sweet the curry sauce tasted, as it seemed to have a lot of different peppers listed in the ingredients. As a garnish, I sprinkled a small handful of Saffron Road Crunchy sea salt chickpeas. They also make for a yummy savory snack.

      The third Saffron Road product I tried was the frozen Vegetable Pad Thai. The rice noodles are a good texture, the tofu is on the spongier side, and I liked the softness of the peanuts. This entree was fast and easy to prepare. Whenever I am craving Asian cuisine and I only have a bit of time to cook, I will definitely choose something from Saffron Road. Not only were the dishes simple to heat, but they were also made from healthy and quite flavorful ingredients.

Saffron Road: https://amzn.to/3FicSvv 

Additionally, I am wearing my own design. The Queenie4ever classic cameo in teal. If you are interested in purchasing one of these t-shirts, please send us an e-mail at info@queenie4ever.com for pricing, color, and sizing availability.

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Nutrient Survival Powdered Beverages to Power Your Brain

I received a package from Nutrient Survival in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own. I may collect a share of sales from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them.

    Whether spending time in the great outdoors hiking or just hanging out at home, I try to keep my body hydrated by drinking healthy beverages. So, I decided to sample some of Nutrient Survival Braincare beverage line. Not only do they come in an easy to prepare powder form, but they are also packaged in portable and storable pouches that are small enough to fit in a backpack. Therefore, it makes the perfect disaster preparedness product to keep in your pantry.  All you need to serve it is water or whatever liquid, intended for human consumption, you have on hand. Preparing any of the Nutrient Survival flavored powdered drinks are quite easy. Just add an appropriate liquid such as tea or fruit juices to a container. Then, give it a good shake or stir and sip away.  

            As an added bonus to keeping your body well hydrated, the Nutrient Survival beverages contain ingredients that are good for your brain health. For example, the chocolate flavored Brain shake. To me, this beverage smells like Coco Pebbles breakfast cereal. However, it has a nutty flavor as well as a very prevalent monk fruit presence. Thus, I think it would be a good idea to add a nut butter for creaminess. I used whole milk, but water or non-dairy milks should work too. I was able to mix this shake with a spoon, but I think it might be best to prepare this in a blender.

            Nutrient Survival's Classic Roast Coffee is another drink from the Braincare line that I tried. I decided to make my cup an iced version. This drink did taste like a standard coffee. My overall favorite that I drank was the tropical lemonade. I added it to my favorite brand of orange juice. It reminds me of the fruit smoothies that can be ordered at Jamba Juice. The lemon flavor is more on the subtle side even though it did smell like pineapple. If these sound of interest to you, then click on the links below to stock up.

Shake:  https://alnk.to/44TYbYe

Spoons: https://amzn.to/3RGYWCz

Hat: https://amzn.to/3ZKuVUr

Coffee: alnk.to/31pycRP

Lemonade: alnk.to/8iSdjsA

Macadamia Milk: https://amzn.to/3POF2Do

OJ: https://amzn.to/46edFJS

Additionally, I am wearing my own designs. The Queenie4ever Camouflage peach tank and kid's blue panda ice cream t-shirt that was exclusive to CheatDayLand in LA. There are still a few left in stock, so if you are interested in purchasing one of these t-shirts, please send us an e-mail at info@queenie4ever.com for pricing and size information.

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Space Themed Party Featuring itCoinz

Disclosure: I received itCoinz from Tryazon in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own. I may collect a share of sales from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them.

         ItCoinz are magnetic battle coins that are a super diverse toy.  Not only can you collect these cool looking coins, but you can also turn them into game pieces to challenge opponents with or play on your own. For example, spinning them on top of a spinner or flinging the coins onto a surface.  Since the back of the coins are magnetic, most metal backdrops can be turned into a makeshift game board. For instance, a metal locker at school would be a perfect place to set up an impromptu round of tossing the coins during recess. The set up and game play time can be pretty quick. The game board fits easily in a backpack, and it has a magnetic backing. Therefore, the set up on a locker is quite easy.  Just attach the magnetic side on the surface and have fun lobbing the coins at it. If you do not have a game board, then make a game out of throwing the coins directly onto the locker to have just as much fun.

            The itcoinz come in a mystery pack of five. Hence, this is just enough to engage in a rapid battle. If you love the collecting aspect, then there are currently sixty Itcoinz that make up the Series A collection. My favorite part is that This includes holographic ones that are rarer to find inside of a package.  

            There are several game boards to choose from. I got the planet game board, so I thought it would be fun to invite my friends over for a Space themed game night. Additionally, I decided to incorporate a circular theme as a homage to the round shaped Itcoinz.  Once my friends arrived, we watched the first episode of the space themed anime, Wandaba Style. I served a helping of homemade cheddar herb quiche, that I had baked the night before using a round cake pan, for dinner. After enjoying a relaxing movie and quiche meal, we switched to a livelier activity by engaging in several rounds of hurling the ItCoinz at the numbers on the game board. We found it to be a game of strategy because after throwing one ItCoinz on the magnetic game board, it can be repelled when another ItConiz is tossed. Since, two magnets do not typically stick together.  Although I had gained the highest score, I awarded the second-place winner a gift bag filled with Nutrient Survival packs as they are practical to take on a trip to outer space because they just require water. As a competitive closure to end our tournament, we participated in the Spaceland version in the Mario party video game. Overall, my friends and I had a blast playing with ItCoinz. as an added bonus, I gave them each a Starter Pack, so they can continue the fun we had together collecting and battling on their own.

itcoinz: https://www.itcoinz.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-itCoinz-Site/default/Stores-Find?showMap=true&horizontalView=true&isForm=true&fbclid=IwAR0LhWFmEAirte1CZnnmjTBXG4t-Du7et78rb9GpqZcZwh4m8TW2c-BVleA

Cheese: https://amzn.to/45RxqXa

Nutrient Survival: https://alnk.to/ge4m2n1

Additionally, I am wearing my own design. The Queenie4ever Wongwear Crest men's t-shirt. If you are interested in purchasing one of these t-shirts please send us an e-mail at info@queenie4ever.com for pricing and size information

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No One Ever Sleeps at Slumber Parties: Featuring the Bestway Tritech Air Mattress

Disclosure: I received a Bestway Mattress from Tryazon in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own. I may collect a share of sales from the link on this page if you decide to shop from it.

    Since my friends and I have all been pretty busy working this summer, I thought it would be fun to host a no one ever sleeps slumber party. We took a break from job obligations and just had a relaxing night, at my place. No one could really spend the night, since they had to wake up early for work. However, my guests were willing to enjoy hanging out in their lounge wear whilst reclining upon the Bestway Tritech mattress. We watched a surprisingly good anime called Ruin Explorers, while munching on my homemade mini raspberry German jelly tarts and vegan nuggets.

            The Bestway tritech mattress made the perfect furniture for my friends to hang out upon. Since, it is a full-size bed it was big enough for four people to stretch out comfortably without feeling claustrophobic. What I really love about this product is that it was quite simple to set up, before my slumber party guests arrived. To my shock and delight, it inflated super-fast. The bed is easy so I was able to take a quick nap in my living room, then move it out of sight after it had deflated. The built in pillow also makes for a swift clean up. On the other hand, the mattress may be left blown up for an extended period of time. Not only will it stay firmly inflated, but also the antimicrobial layer ensures it will remain sanitary. The cord has a little door that it can retract into, keeping it safely out of the way from someone tripping on it. The storage bag makes it portable, so you can pack the bed away. The bed can be taken on visits to a relative's house or camping trips where an extra place to sleep on comes in handy. Even though my friends were unable to actually sleep over at my no one ever really sleeps slumber party, they definitely got in some relaxation time on my super comfy new Bestway tritech mattress.

Mattress: https://amzn.to/44ZL1LJ

Joggers: https://t.co/Y4rf63TJyh

Jelly mix: https://amzn.to/3qhLn1o 

Additionally, I am wearing my own design. The Queenie4ever floral thermal waffle knit long graphic sleeve shirt. If you are interested in purchasing one of these t-shirts, please send us an e-mail at info@queenie4ever.com for pricing, color, and sizing availability.

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Azul Board Game with Themed Snack Ideas

Disclosure: I received this Asmodee game from Tryazon in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own. I may collect a share of sales from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them.

            Since my friends enjoy playing board games & tasting new recipes, I thought it would be fun to invite them over to play the Azul Board Game. They were able to munch on tasty themed snacks based on the game's tiles, which are the colorful playing pieces. The lemon bars were a big favorite among my guests. Not only did they admire the way the lemon bars resembled the square shaped tiles, but they were similarly decorated with chopped pistachios to mimic the tile's patterns. Additionally, I served sliced cucumbers. They were cut up in circles, as a homage to honeycomb mosaic patterns.

            The Azul Board Game is intended for 2-4 players. If you really love art and are good at math, then you are in for a fun time.  The object of the game is to imagine that you are an artisan placing colorful tiles on a wall. Players must make patterns using the least amount of tiles possible. Azul is a super strategic game; since, your moves will be affected by what the person who goes before and after you do. For example, if you had planned to take 2 red tiles from the factory, but someone takes them before you do, then This could cause you to get 4 red tiles from the center of the table. Therefore, at least 1 tile would have to be placed on the floor line resulting in a 1-point minimum loss.  note that the main goal of competing to complete the beautification of the wall of the Evora palace is a big win for fans, like me, of the royalty genre.

Game: https://amzn.to/476qjeS 

Eggs: https://amzn.to/44FFhql 

Butter:  https://amzn.to/44QbNG2 

Ranch: https://amzn.to/3QjgTX4 

Additionally, I am wearing my own design. The Queenie4ever kids blue panda ice cream t-shirt that was exclusive to CheatDayLand in LA. There are still a few left in stock, so if you are interested in purchasing one of these t-shirts please send us an e-mail at info@queenie4ever.com for pricing and size information.

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Drinkmate Omnifizz countertop machine

Disclosure: I received a Drinkmate Omnifizz from Tryazon in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own. I may collect a share of sales from the link on this page if you decide to shop from it.

     When hosting a watch party, I like to serve a variety of beverages including lemonade, ice tea, and juices.  I thought it would be fun to get creative and turn some of my favorite drinks into a variety of healthy carbonated versions by trying out the DrinkMate Omnifizz Countertop Machine.  After  testing it out a few times, I realized that practice makes perfect.  The Omnifizz definitely does an excellent job of carbonating the drinks I chose, as it added an impressive amount of bubbles. I gave my friends a demonstration to show them how the machine works. They then wanted  to give it a try. One of my friends took a turn figuring out how to operate the button to get a full fizz as well as being able to recognize the sound the device makes that indicates that the bottle is ready to be removed. My friend's delighted  smile and giggles made the rest of the group laugh out loud too!  Who would have thought a carbonation machine could be so entertaining? Everyone drank every drop of their fizzy drinks which made me a happy host.

            I really love the beautiful  selection of colors that are offered by Drinkmate. The main reason that I chose the Arctic Blue shade is because it matches the color of my microwave. Not only is the Omnifizz a great asset to my kitchen gadgets, but  it is also a perfect addition to my home's interior decor style.

            One example of the drinks I used the Omnifizz to carbonate is called Mermaid Lemonade. The following recipe is how I made it. Firstly,  I purchased a bottle of strawberry lemonade. Secondly, I added two drops of teal food coloring to the jug. Next, I mixed the lemonade with an ice cream sundae spoon. Then, I used the machine to add the carbonation. Finally, I garnished the lip of the cup with a cloud of Starburst cotton candy. 

Omnifizz: https://amzn.to/3PbBMmP

Cotton Candy: https://amzn.to/3JbV0oh

Additionally, I am wearing my own design. The Queenie4ever classic cameo in teal. If you are interested in purchasing one of these t-shirts, please send us an e-mail at info@queenie4ever.com for pricing, color, and sizing availability

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Discovering Pasadena's Tokyo Chick Restaurant

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Tokyo Chick

                         Discovering the brand-new Tokyo Chick restaurant, during their soft opening, was a nice surprise. I was walking from the convention center, after attending the Pasadena Comic Con, to check out the food photography exhibit "Open Flowers Bare Fruit" by Stephanie Shih at the USC Asian Pacific Museum. I was with my friend Nay Nay cosplaying as Iroha & Yachiyo from Magia Record. I stitched together my friend's accessories from fabric scraps my great aunt had given me. I even made a cloak and hand painted it. I later noticed a similarity in how I layered the different pieces of clothing together to make the costumes, just like Tokyo Chick layers the delicious sauce choices (Ninja Teriyaki, Fuji Wasabi, Garlic Soy & Tokyo spicy) over the chicken they serve. There truly is an art aspect to food presentation.

                        Even in the rain, the friendly giant yellow chicken mascot is quite attention getting. Tokyo Chick is located at 231 Colorado Ave, Pasadena, California 91101. When I first stepped inside, the first thing that I noticed was their open kitchen concept. The seating choices are booths or a reading nook with single chairs. Above the kitchen, there are delightfully a lot of chicken mascot plushies. If you peruse the area where the extra sauce, soda fountain, & utensils are located you may discover that there are boba straws but no boba listed on the drink menu. That's because there is a secret menu that you can request to order from! My favorite drink was the Sprite packed with a generous amount of rainbow jelly. Some other soft drink creations I tried from the regular menu were the delicious honey lemon green tea & refreshing strawberry lemonade.

                        Food is prepared fresh. You may dine in or get it to go. Both cash and cashless options are accepted. You can place an order to be delivered through UberEats with an $8 discount as well. Your meal will arrive in whimsical packaging & inside of a reusable tote bag. The types of crispy Japanese style karaage chicken you can choose from are wings, drumsticks, & boneless. The best deal is the bento box version. It includes a soda, egg, gyoza, pickled radish, & steamed rice. Additionally, you are also able to order a large side of fresh fruit, organic garden salad, & fries. If you feel the need to reheat, the oven is a good option, if available.  I'm grateful to have stopped. I had fun watching the food being made fresh in the clean open kitchen by a very friendly staff who brought a little taste of Tokyo to Pasadena.

Important contact information:

231 E Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91101

(626) 460-8005

Insta: Tokyo Chick (@tokyo_chick_pasadena) • Instagram photos and videos

FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090618487368

Web: www.tokyochick.com

Skirt: https://amzn.to/3lAU3NZ

Jewelry: https://amzn.to/40ry8r2

Wig: https://amzn.to/40uWJeD

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The Wok Way to Quick & Easy Stir Frying Using a Gold Dragon Wok

I was gifted some of these items, in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own. I may collect a share of sales from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them.

                One of my favorite types of foods are vegetable stir fried dishes. I am especially fond of home cooked Asian meals, that remind me of my mom's family dishes. Her Chinese grandpa taught her how to cook and stir fry with chicken,  shrimp and  lots of veggies. She adapted to my vegetarian diet. My mom handed down grandpa's veggie adapted recipe to me and taught me how to properly use and care for a wok. So, I was very happy to try out the Gold Dragon Wok.

                I like that so much is included in this cooking set to make using the wok really accessible. The box contains a wooden lid, the wok itself, a spatula, and a recipe book. I thought it would be fun to try out the Buffet green bean recipe. I also added a special ingredient to make it my own style. At first I thought to add tofu, but I found the Yasai Tempura Yamasa fishcake at the local Asian Market. I thought that it would give it a nice additional flavor, unlike tofu since it would take on the flavor of the dish itself. The only time I will eat fish is in cake form, and this is my favorite version.

                First I prepared all the ingredients. I  washed the green beans, then I dried them thoroughly using a paper towel to absorb the excess water. Otherwise the wetness makes the hot oil splash. I used a KitchenAid Food Chopper to mince the garlic cloves, and sliced the fish cake into 1/4 inch wide segments.

                I placed my Gold Dragon Wok on the front burner and turned on the heat to high on my gas stove. I added the sesame oil.  Holding the handle, I gently spread the oil around the pan coating the bottom and 1/2 way up the sides. I used a trick my mom taught me to determine if the oil is hot enough. You sprinkle a teaspoon of water in the pan and if it sizzles, then that means it is hot and ready to add the ingredients. The garlic was included first until browned. Next, I added the green beans and stir fried it using my own cooking utensil called a skimmer for 5 minutes, since that is what I am used to using to stir-fry. I added all the sauce ingredients sugar, soy and oyster sauces. Then, I quickly stirred and coated the beans with the sauce. After that, I then placed the fish cakes inside the wok. They take very little time to heat up, as they are precooked. Again I quickly stirred and coated the fishcake and green bean mixture with sauce. Lastly,  the wooden lid was used to steam the beans to be a bit softer of a texture, yet still slightly crisp. It also helped to lock in the flavor of the sauces, making my buffet green bean dish delicious. I served the dish over rice, in individual bowls, for a healthy meal for mom and I.

                Clean up of the wok and wooden lid was pretty easy following the detailed washing and care instructions. Overall, I found the Gold Dragon wok to be a great product and an asset to making my meal preparation swift and simple. It heats up quickly and takes just a few minutes to stir fry. The wooden lid is lightweight, but it really does a great job of keeping the steam from escaping the wok. Thus, the vegetables can soften to your liking. I would be happy to serve this dish to family and friends as a main dish over rice or as a side dish at a holiday buffet style dinner party. Order now to get a set as a gift in time for the holidays.

                        Buffet Green Bean Recipe

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Serving Size: 6

Ingredients:

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 sliced garlic cloves (I used the KitchenAid food chopper)

1 lb fresh green beans

2 tbs soy sauce (I just used a packet)

1 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp oyster sauce

Instructions

1. Heat oil. Add garlic & cook until there are brown edges

2. Stir green beans for 5 minutes

3. Add sugar, soy & sauces until beans are tender. (I used the wooden top to steam them with some added water)

KitchenAid Food Chopper: https://amzn.to/3uCpc4s

GoldDragon Wok: https://amzn.to/3FdvA72

Additionally, I am wearing my own design. The Queenie4ever kids blue panda cupcake ice cream that was exclusive to CheatDayLand in LA. There are still a few left in stock, so if you are interested in purchasing one of these t-shirts please send us an e-mail at info@queenie4ever.com for pricing and size information.

 

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TASTE TESTING NIAGARA CHOCOLATE'S DECADENT VARIETIES

Disclosure: I received Niagara chocolates from Tryazon in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own. I may collect a share of sales from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them.

            Whenever I feel for a sweet treat, I usually chose something chocolate flavored. Hence, I was delighted to taste test a wide variety of Niagara Chocolates. Overall, I found these chocolates have a similar rich creamy flavor of Cadbury Milk Chocolate Buttons.

            The milk and dark chocolate bars taste like what I expect from a higher quality standard plain chocolate bar. If you are a person who does not like dark chocolate, then this one would be a great one to try as it is not bitter like most I have tasted. The salted almond clusters and bar taste even better than the plain dark chocolate, as the nuts with salt gives it a delicious combination of sweet and just a hint of saltiness, while adding a crunchy texture. On the other hand, the sea salt caramel cups has a more distinct salty kick to it, which made it the perfect dual salt and sweet combo. The salt being a more apparent in flavor made it really tasty and enjoyable to savor the chocolate cup one bite at a time.

            The roasted peanut clusters were generously packed with peanuts. The peanut butter cups and the peanut butter bar are two more peanut based chocolate candies that I sampled. I preferred the bar version because the texture of the chocolate was softer, which made it a more a melt in your mouth experience.

            The toasted coconut clusters reminded me of a biscuit less Japanese Pocky snack, which is a basically a biscuit often dipped in chocolate. The almond toffee bar was one of my favorites, since I really like toffee. A close second is the chocolate lovers cups as it had the most interesting flavor combination to me: a milk chocolate cup containing a smooth dark chocolate center.

            Overall, I really like the taste of these decadent chocolates. Obviously they are quite rich and sweet that a little goes a long way. So it's really just for times when you feel for a sweet treat to pop in your mouth. Perhaps, after a meal because you are too full to eat a big dessert or you need a sugary sweet  to give you a burst of energy on a study or work break. One or two pieces broken off the chocolate bar or a couple of the chocolate cups seems about the right portion. Anymore and I get a big sugar rush. In that case, I really appreciate the re-sealable bags. That way,  I can grab a couple for a yummy snack and reseal the bag to keep the chocolates fresh for later.

Chocolates: https://amzn.to/3qyDBOj

T-shirt: https://www.cafepress.com/queenie4ever.43042028

Additionally, I am wearing my own design. The Queenie4ever classic cameo on a teal tank top. If you are interested in purchasing one of these t-shirts please send us an e-mail at info@queenie4ever.com for pricing, color, and sizing availability

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