Funpump Mini Bike Pump with Ball Needle and Bicycle Tire Patch Set #review

Hey everyone, sorry I have been absentee lately. I will explain in a later post hopefully soon. But anyway, I've got a cool review for you. I have to get this up super quick, so go to Amazon for full info on this product. And It is a great product called funpump - mini bike pump.

Here is some pictures and videos I took using this pump.

April Harlequin Blog Tour: Want Ad Wedding #giveaway

 The last book in the April Harlequin series is: Want Ad Wedding by Cheryl St. John. If you would like to read the other two posts and enter those giveaways too go Here & Here.

Here is a recipe from the author

Bon Appetit and a Book

I have a passion for cake, and especially Bundt® cakes. This one is probably one of my very favorite recipes ever and my family tussles over the last crumbs. I've included tips at the bottom, because this type of cake bakes differently depending on the pan and your oven, so experiment a little and watch the baking process carefully.

If you make this cake, do let me know how it was. I dropped one off to a neighboring daycare, and the report was, "This cake is evil. It's the best I've ever had." I think that means it's a winner.

Glazed Citrus Bundt® Cake

¾ cup softened butter

3 cups sugar

5 eggs

3 Tbsp lemon zest

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 - 2 tsp lemon extract

3 cups sifted flour

1 cup Sprite or Squirt

Preheat oven to 350°.

Grease and flour Bundt® pan well

Beat butter with hand mixer. Add sugar one cup at a time and mix until creamy.

Add eggs one at a time, mixing briefly after each.

Stir in lemon zest and extracts.

On medium speed alternate adding flour and Sprite. Don’t overbeat.

Pour batter into pan.

Baking time varies depending on your oven and your pan. I use my convection oven setting. My heavy NordicWare® pan bakes more quickly than my silicone pan. In the NordicWare® I bake this about 40 minutes, then cover with foil for another ten. Test and if a toothpick doesn’t come out clean, add more time. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack ten minutes. After ten minutes remove cake from pan and allow to cool.

Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

2 Tbsp Rose’s sweetened lime juice (I find this in the liquor section)

2 Tbsp lemon juice

Whisk until desired consistency and drizzle over cooled cake.

Bundt Cake Tips:

·        There is a difference between a tube pan and a Bundt® pan. A tube pan is more shallow, while a Bundt® pan has higher sides. Each will hold a different amount and will bake the same batter differently.

·        Cooking spray doesn’t cut it for a Bundt® cake. Grease with shortening and dust with flour to help the cake rise in the pan.

·        Always sift the flour.

·        Over mixing the batter gives cake a tough texture.

·        When creaming sugar and butter, have the butter at room temperature, mix on medium and add the sugar gradually.

·        Don’t overbeat eggs. Mix with a whisk or on low with the mixer, just until blended.

·        After removing from the oven, cool the cake on a wire rack for ten minutes. Any longer and you risk the cake sticking to the pan. Finish cooling on a rack.

After years of being asked for recipes, Cheryl St.John spent a summer writing down ingredients and baking times, baking and asking for beta testers in order to put together this collection of mouthwatering recipes for Bundt cakes.. Cheryl's philosophy: Eat cake! It's someone's birthday somewhere.

April Harlequin Blog Tour: Take Me, Cowboy #giveaway

Hi readers, Today's book is Take Me, Cowboy by Maisey Yates. If you would like to read yesterday's' post go here and there is a giveaway for that book too.

Q&A from author:

1. How did you first get started writing romance? I had always fiddled around with writing, but didn't know what I wanted to write until I picked up my first Harlequin Presents. That was when it clicked for me. So really, I started writing romance almost as soon as I started reading it. I fell in love, and that was it.

2. If you could be any villain from your favorite novel, who would you choose and why? I think I would have to be Narcissa Malfoy, from Harry Potter. Just because she has awesome hair and I have a thing for Lucius. (Well, as played by Jason Isaacs)

3. Out of all the books you’ve read, which one would you turn into a book to film adaptation, (if it has not been done before)? That's a hard one. I'm going to have to go with Megan Crane's Edge of Obsession. I love the world that she's created in that series, and I would really enjoy a chance to see these dystopian Vikings on screen.

4. List five adjectives to describe yourself.

Caffeinated. Busy. Creative. Hungry (typically). Bad dancer.  

7.      What’s your favorite place for inspiration? I get inspiration from everywhere. Music, the view, good weather, bad weather. That's the great thing about writing. If you really look around, and listen, inspiration is everywhere.

8.      Do you have one thing that can completely distract you while writing? My virtual social life. I have a few friends that I text way too often. And I can get involved in a conversation and forget that I'm supposed to be on task.

9.      What is your trick to getting over “Writers Block”? Writing through it. That's the only way I know to solve a problem with the book. If I leave it for too long, it becomes easier to stay away from it. I have to face it head on, or avoidance can become an issue.

10.   When it comes to book covers, what inspires you? Pinterest. I put together a board of visual inspiration when I plot my books, and then I usually send that board to the publisher.

11.   While you were writing, did you ever feel as if you were one of the characters? None of my characters are ever me exactly. But, I definitely borrow from real-life experiences and feelings. Particularly various issues and insecurities, though, I usually apply them to situations I've never been in, just to keep it removed.

12.   If you could ask any character in Take Me, Cowboy a question, what would it be? I would ask Anna where she got her great collection of old musicals on Blu-ray.

13.   What are you working on next? Right now I'm working on finishing up edits for Tough Luck Hero, and upcoming book in my Copper Ridge series.

April Harlequin Blog Tour: A Cowboy’s Claim #giveaway

Hey all, this week I have 3 books again for April's blog tour. The first book is A Cowboy’s Claim by Marin Thomas.

Here are some topics from the author for you to enjoy:

Ingredients

Flour, for dusting

1 recipe Buttery Pie Dough

8 tbsp. unsalted butter

1⁄2 cup packed light brown sugar

1⁄2 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tbsp. for sprinkling

3 tbsp. cornstarch

1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

15 soft caramel cubes

8 tart apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tbsp. water

Instructions

On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 disk of dough into a 12" round. Fit into a 9" pie plate. Trim edges, leaving 1" dough overhanging edge of plate; chill 30 minutes.

Melt butter in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and caramels; cook, stirring occasionally, until sugars are dissolved and sauce is slightly thick, 5–7 minutes.

Heat oven to 400°. Arrange apples over dough. Pour sauce evenly over apples. Roll remaining disk of dough into a 12" round and place over top of pie. Pinch top and bottom edges together and fold under; crimp edges. Brush with egg mixture; sprinkle with 1 tbsp. sugar. Cut three 1"-long slits in top of pie. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling, about 1 hour. Let cool completely before serving.

Insulated Water Bottle Review

Hi have a review for this water bottle I received. My husband wanted this one so I let him have it this time. lol.

He has been doing a 30 day water challenge or something at work, where you drink a gallon a day or something. So it was good that he got this water bottle.

Here is some product info on it:

Product Description

A sports flask and insulated stainless steel water bottle that ticks all the boxes
VERSATILITY
Whether you are taking this to the office or to the gym, sports, hiking, indoors or outdoors, this insulated stainless steel water bottle keeps your drinks and beverages at a temperature of your liking; hot or cold. It does not sweat, leak, rust or taste metallic.

Wordless Wednesday: April Fool's Joke

Hey guys, did you play any April Fool's jokes this year. Or get one played on you. Well my daughter and I were planning some this year. We were originally going to do "mayo in donut holes" that we had seen. but then we both had seen the exploding cake prank on buzzfeed. so we decided to do that.

below is a video. if you want to go to good part skip to around 1:25 in video. 

husband thought was real cake until he poked it first. Then wasn't sure what it was, then we talked him into cutting it and it "exploded" kinda. Well this was fun to do and daughter made this mostly herself. Besides it kind of exploding we also tricked him because he thought it was a real cake, and unfortunately he didn't get any real cake that day lol.

1byone Belt-Drive 3-Speed Portable Stereo #Turntable #review

Hi everyone, I've got a cool review for you. It is for this turntable I got recently. Here is some product information for you first:


Product Description

• Selectable 33 / 45 / 78 RPM speeds settings.
  Dynamic, balanced tone arm with soft damping control.
  Front-facing built-in stereo speakers provide great sound.
  With RCA and headphone jack outputs / line in port mounted on the side, easy to operation and support multiple music playback modes.
  Wooden cabinet with PU leather wrapping, the briefcase-styled turntable is lightweight, easy to store and transport.