Living Well Etc.

  While I LOVE chocolate croissants so much, I resort to purchasing them at a coffee shop when out with others; I prefer real croissants and not just something that appears to be one. Well, Trader Joe’s has nailed it again.   These Frozen Chocolate Croissants are elegant, flaky, and downright yummy.   Plus, they are less than $5 for four delicious supreme pastries!   The only downside is inflexibility.   These chocolaty goodies must rise from a frozen state.   But with planning—best left out the night before—they are perfectly risen and ready to bake into the perfect chocolate croissant this side of France .   What I found is that these require a warm setting to rise, even when left out all night.  So, I put them on a plate, covered with a towel, and place them in a cupboard, which is roughly a constant 70 degrees.  Anywhere where there is a constant warm temperature is fine.  When baked, the chocolate croissants a...

Tub of Fun Found in Trader Joe's Animal Crackers If you are like me, every time I see a box of animal crackers, I relive my childhood years of drooling over a box decorated as if it is a red circus boxcar filled with exotic animals.    My favorite cookie/cracker was the elephant.   Therefore, when I noticed a tub --yes an entire tub-- of animal cookies on a Trader Joe’s shelf, I squealed like a little girl and promptly tossed one in my cart. As a fan of simple English style cookies, Trader Joe’s Organic Animal Crackers are a perfect fit for me.  They are crunchy, light, great with hot beverages, and shaped like animals.  What could be better?  Right?  The real surprise with these cookies is that these are not your typical guilty-pleasure snacks.  Oh no.  These puppies —or should I say camels -- are low in fat and sodium, vegan, organic and only 120 for 17 delicious cookies!  There are even tigers in the tub.  It just ge...

A Close Look at a Gryffindor Sweatshirt I recently visited Universal Orlando Resort to celebrate a benchmark birthday.  My husband and I specifically chose this park because Diagon Alley had finally opened and I’m an avid Harry Potter fan.  It’s a must-see for fans.   One of our four days at the park was unseasonably cold.  I had brought a windbreaker for the occasional rain Orlando delivers, but wasn’t prepared for goosebumps.  I could have purchased a sweatshirt or sweater at any of the multitudes of gift shops in the park (s).  Nevertheless, what’s the fun in that for a true Potter Head?  Warmth had to come from within a Harry Potter-themed piece of apparel.   Luckily, the first shop in Diagon Alley is  Quality Quidditch Supplies .  It’s jam-packed with—obviously—Quidditch gear of all kinds, like quaffle balls.  However, the store also carries apparel.  Since this...