Creme De Menthe Brownies

Creme De Menthe Brownies

1 1/4 cups of sugar
1 stick melted unsalted butter
3/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
dash of salt
1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 cup of creme de menthe chips

Directions: In a mixer, blend sugar, melted butter, eggs, unsweetened cocoa powder together. Next add dash of salt and vanilla extract. Finally add flour and creme de menthe chips. Scrape sides of mixing bowl, if needed. Pour into a rectangular shaped pan and spray with cooking spray. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, check with a toothpick to see if cooked.

Buy Dorm Room Dining, A Guide To College Cooking

Capo's Italian Speakeasy Restaurant, Knock Three Times and they just might let you in

Capo's Italian Speakeasy Restaurant, Knock Three Times and they just might let you in
By, Gina Meyers

Deep in the heart of Texas, I mean off of Sahara in Las Vegas, there is a joint so nostalgic you just cannot believe it. Knock three times and maybe they'll let you in. If you know the right people of course. I'm talking about a very unique dining experience, Capo's (translated, Mob Boss) Speakeasy. On our recent family vacation, I'm a cookbook author with discriminating tastes, afterall, I used all my resources to their full disposal and purchased a Travelzoo restaurant voucher. An amazing value for the price. I paid $19.00 for $30.00 worth of food, plus tip (tip should be off of the full value of the meal).

Dark, mysterious, with Frank Sinatra playing in the background, we were shown our table, a plush red booth with black and white photos of Mob bosses and chandeliers. The staff wears 1930's beatnik clothing from the era and they speak in a sort of Godfather English/Italian tome. Being of Italian decent, I didn't find it demeaning in the least, it was fun and the food was fabulous.

The staff were incredibly nice. We ordered the Capo's salad, a Meatball Sandwich, and a Chicken Parmesan Sandwich. The travelzoo special also came with drinks of which we ordered ice tea. The staff was so friendly, they kept filling up our ice tea and even sent us on our way to Hoover Dam with more iced tea to go.

A fun experience and overall pleasant dining and eating experience. Don't forget to tell them Gina sent you! Cookbook Author Gina Meyers

Off to College... tips to make it a smooth transition.

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So you are headed off to college. Congratulations on your achievement. There are so many things to think about and so many new exciting experiences you will enjoy. College is happening, here's a handy list of items to help you with the transition. 

College Checklist

BEDDING

Pillows

Pillow cases

Comforter (check what size you need, dorm room beds are twin)

Sheet set

Body pillow and cover (optional)

Blanket

FURNITURE

If you are living in the dorm, chances are that the furniture will already be provided. They usually provide a bunk bed as well as a closet and a desk with chair. If you chose to live in an apartment, you may find this list helpful.

Futon

Futon cover

Lounge chair

BATH

Shower caddy

Washcloths

Towels

Flip-flops (for the shower)

Hair wrap, body wrap (optional)

Shampoo/Conditioner

Body wash

Soap

Skin care

Razors

 Makeup

Bath accessories

Personal care items

Shower puff

Contact lenses/solution

Eyeglasses

Shower curtain/shower liner (optional)

Shower spray (such as shower to shower, or Lysol) (optional)

Hairbrush

Hairstyling products

FOR CLASS

Backpack

Calculator

Pens/pencils/highlighters

Binders/notebooks

DINING

Plates/bowls/cups/mugs

Forks/spoons/knives

Bottle opener

Water bottle/plastic pitcher

CLEANING

Cleaning supplies

Paper towels

Sponges

Disinfecting wipes

Broom and dust pan

Trash can

Laundry detergent

Dryer sheets

Laundry basket/bag

Drying rack (only if you live in an apartment and your dishwasher doesn’t have a dry cycle option)

Iron

Lint brush

Mini ironing board

Vacuum

Swiffer

Bucket

Toilet bowl cleaner

Toilet brush

Garbage bags (plastic, paper)

KITCHEN

Microwave

Toaster/toaster oven

Mini fridge (ice trays)

Coffeemaker/espresso maker

Electric tea pot

Can opener

Pizza cutter

Pot holder

Food storage bags

Cooking utensils

Utensil tray

Kitchen gadgets

Mixing bowls

Cookware/bakeware

Shelf liners (optional)

Dish soap

Dish-cleaning wand

Dish towels

Paper towels

TRANSPORTATION

Bus Pass

Car

Skateboard

Bike

Scooter

ELECTRONICS

TV

Speakers

DVD Blu-Ray player

Tablet/IPAD

Gaming system games

Laptop case

Laptop desk

Computer

Laptop

Cords/cables/power strip

Printer/ink/paper

USB drive

STORAGE

Storage bins

Storage carts

Closet organizers

Hangers

Bed risers

Under-bed storage

Desktop organizer

3M command hooks

MISC.

Mini Barbecue

Stadium seat

Sunscreen

Address book

Notebooks

Banana Spinach Smoothies, by, Gina Meyers

Usually, the combination of bananas and spinach isn't the first thing that pops into one's head when preparing a smoothie. For me, it was out of necessity, that's what I had in the fridge so I went for it. Upon researching (yes, cookbook authors have a tendency to do this), I discovered that I was packing my smoothie with a punch. This is what I added, a handful of spinach, ice, almond, coconut milk, a little orange juice, a banana. Place in the blender for about thirty seconds on pulse and walla. You will be receiving vitamin k, vitamin c, and potassium with this easy to make smoothie. Vitamin K plays an essential role in early wound healing.

For other smoothie recipes check out: Dorm Room Essentials Cookbook, by, Gina Meyers

Sketches from creating The Magic of Bewitched Trivia & More book cover, by, Gina Meyers

 



 

Perhaps, one of the most interesting things about being a writer, is getting the opportunity to work with other talented people. Artist Erik Davison is one such person. I've saved these rough sketches that he so brilliantly drew to show the progression and the vision that I had for my Magic of Bewitched Trivia and More book cover. Initially, I dreamed that my book cover would resemble the opening credits from Bewitched with cartoon Samantha riding on a broom with the Manhattan skyscrapers in the background and the sky blue. "Weell", as Samantha Stephens used to say, those dreams came to a crashing halt one day when I was perusing the Barnes & Noble Popular Culture section at the bookstore and I came across Herbie J. Pilato's Bewitched Book. From that point, 1994, to 2004, when The Magic of Bewitched Trivia & More was published, I guess you could say, my inspiration was brewing. You can view Erik Davison's artwork at: http://my.fresnoarts.net/profile/ErikDavison. You can purchase Herbie's Bewitched Book: Herbie's Books. You can purchase Gina's book at: Magic of Bewitched at Amazon