by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 11, 2022 | Bon Appetit
Here at home, mashed potatoes are probably among the dishes my family enjoys the most. Here at home Wednesday is my assigned day to cook dinner. I’ve been serving grilled steaks and mashed potatoes and waiting for my family to complain about the repetition but, it hasn’t happened. As a matter of fact, they keep asking for it. 😁
Thankfully, mashed potatoes are straightforward to make. I don’t understand why there is even such a thing as instant mashed potatoes because, honestly, preparing it is so simple, that it may as well be instant. But I guess instant mashed potatoes are really geared more toward people who do not want to have to deal with peeling potatoes.
Over the years I have developed my own technique for making this yummy side dish. It may not be original (I’m sure someone else is doing it this way) but through experimentation, I’ve found this to be the most efficient way to make it. Traditional recipes will tell you to wash the potatoes, boil them with the skin on, then when they are cooked, you peel the potatoes before mashing them.
That does not work for me.
- Hot potatoes are not easy to handle.
- If you wait until the potatoes are cool enough to handle and peel easily, it makes them more challenging to mash properly and infuse with flavor.
This is why I like to do things differently. I like to peel and slice the potatoes BEFORE cooking them.
Here is my version of mashed potatoes. Enjoy! 🙂
Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are a good side dish to anything fried or grilled.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Course: Side Dish
Keyword: potatoes
Author: Penny Angeles-Tan
- 1 kilo potatoes I prefer using the big ones, as it means less potatoes to peel but, really, the size does not affect the taste so use whatever is available.
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 cup milk If you want the mashed potatoes to be creamier, go ahead and add more!
- 2 tbsps. salted butter A lot of recipes you will find online will tell you to use unsalted butter. I say, bring on the salt! It just means I have to add less (or not at all) at the final tasting.
- salt, pepper, and other spices to taste
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 11, 2022 | Beauty
Blush is a versatile beauty essential. With the right blush, you can brighten up your face with just a few gentle swipes! Yet, the wide array of blush colors at beauty counters often leave women confused about what shades complement their skin the best, or which hues go well with a specific look. Worry not — finding the shade that works best on your skin tone shouldn’t be hard. A good rule of thumb women should follow is that the darker the skin tone, the deeper the blush shade should be.
Careline Oil-Control Blush-On comes in eleven shades to match every skin tone
The expanded shade range of Careline Oil-Control Blush-On offers a wide variety of colors to match the different skin tones of Filipinas. It also offers a fade-free flawless finish that can last for hours and, despite its highly pigmented formula, it delivers a natural-looking finish on the cheeks. Careline Oil-Control Blush-On also has a soft texture that blends perfectly into the skin without caking, allowing a buildable color intensity.
Check out this selection of blush colors perfect for every skin tone:
Fair skin tones.
For those with fair or light skin tones, the best blush shades are soft pink, light coral, and peach. Soft pink shades can give a natural look while peachy coral shades can give a pop of color to your cheeks. For fair skin tone, try wearing Careline Oil-Control Blush-On in shades of Charming Pink, Touch of Pink, Pinkish Blush, and Peach Glow.
Medium skin tones.
Having a medium skin tone means you have a little more freedom when it comes to experimenting with richer colors. If you’re looking for something slightly bolder, you can opt for popping pinks, bright corals, or warmer mauve shades. Careline Oil-Control Blush-On can help you achieve a more daring look with Rosy Cheek, Red Velvet, and Fresh Tomato shades.
Dark skin tones.
When it comes to the best blush for deep and dark skin tones, you can feel free to pull off dramatic, rich tones without having to worry about creating an overly harsh contrast. Red and orange shades are particularly flattering on dark skin tones, as well as shades of brown. Women with dark skin tones will also look wonderful in deep fuchsia, berry, warm brown, raisin, and tangerine blush shades. Feel free to be adventurous with Careline Oil-Control Blush-On in shades of Berry Pop, Orange Bliss, Starlight Shine, and Pinch of Plum.
Swipe the right pop of color and make your look entirely your own with Careline Oil-Control Blush-On. Available on Careline’s official page on Lazada (bit.ly/CarelineLazada) and Shopee (bit.ly/CarelineShopeePH), and in leading supermarkets and department stores nationwide. For more updates, visit and like Careline on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/CarelineCosmetics), Instagram, and Tiktok (@carelineph).
by Penny Angeles-Tan | May 10, 2022 | Book Reviews
The Hybrid Alpha by Bryant is different from most of the shifter romances I have read because it deals with a same-sex relationship which is not usually tackled in popular shifter stories. However, Bryant does it in such a fun and playful way that even those who might otherwise have a problem with it should be able to enjoy most of it.
Alpha heir Andre D’Amore is fabulous to the core! From a very young age, he knew he was gay and he had no problem letting people know it. Thankfully, he has a supportive family. Andre is impulsive, fun and fab, and always the life of the party. At the same time, as an Alpha, he is also strong, charismatic, authoritative, and effective in leading the pack as interim Alpha while his father is indisposed.
Capt. Darren Delaney of Bloodmoon is sent to Incubi by the Bloodmoon Alpha Logan to aid the Incubi in the war against Madonie. A few minutes after landing they are immediately pulled into an encounter with Madonie.
Of all the places for Darren to sense his mate, he didn’t expect it to be on a battlefield in Italy. Imagine his surprise when the wolf shifted to human form to discover his mate is male. All his life he saw himself as straight, he was never even in a gay relationship. But as Andre says, Darren may never have been gay before, but he is gay for Andre. After all, the Moon Goddess does not make mistakes.
If you are looking for a story that will make you giggle from start to finish, then this is the story for you. You can read this as a stand-alone but of course, it would be more fun if you’ve read Alpha of Nightmares first. I enjoyed every moment of reading it and when you finally get to the sex scenes … phew! fans self Super hot!
You can read The Hybrid Alpha by Bryant on Goodnovel. I am eagerly awaiting its release on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback format. I hope it happens soon.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Apr 21, 2022 | Discounts, Sales, and Giveaways
Families are in for an exciting treat as JS Unitrade (JSU), the makers of the leading EQ Baby Diapers, hosts its EQ Super Brand Day on Lazada on April 18-22, 2022! For this Super Brand Day, JSU and Lazada give you and your family the chance to enjoy special discounts of up to 50% off on EQ & Genius Baby Diapers and other JSU’s best value products that are reasonably priced yet of great quality – Feminine Care products (Charmee Napkins, Pantyliners, and Feminine Wipes), Incontinence Care (Caress Adult Diapers and Underpads, Hy-Pants and Secure Adult Pull-Up Pants), Baby Wipes (Nursy and EQ Baby Wipes), Cleansing & Disinfecting Wipes (Hy-5), Household Paper Towels (Tidy & Kitchenmate), and Oral Care products (Jordan).
In line with JSU’s mission to enable Filipinos to improve and advance the everyday lives of their families, they introduced some breakthrough products which you can also avail of on the upcoming EQ Super Brand Day.
For first-time parents out there, you can ensure that your baby is mess-free and thoroughly clean with EQ Baby Wipes. It is made with 99% pure water and has no harmful chemicals, making sure your baby gets the gentlest care and utmost protection they deserve.
On the other hand, for those women who want to go about their day with full comfort and confidence during their extra heavy flow period days, they have an ally with Charmee Menstrual Pants! It offers ultimate protection to prevent leaks and comes in an underwear-like design to help you feel at ease.
For those who are experiencing loss of bladder or bowel control, you don’t need to suffer in silence and let the condition control your life. You can enjoy your day to the fullest like spending quality time or enjoying a great time outdoors with friends and family, without having to worry about leaks with the help of Hy-Pants Adult Underwear. These pull-up pants are designed to help you manage your incontinence condition without any worries, with your dignity and self-esteem intact.
Other perks available on EQ Super Brand Day include shipping vouchers, promo packs, and freebies. Watch out for JSU’s Lazada LazLive on April 18, Monday, at 5 PM to score awesome deals on all JSU products and get a chance to be one of the lucky viewers to win exciting raffle prizes. You can follow and watch the Livestream on the official Facebook pages of JSU brands: EQ: http://www.facebook.com/EQDiapers, Charmee: http://www.facebook.com/CharmeeFeminineProtection, Caress: http://www.facebook.com/CaressPH, Nursy: http://www.facebook.com/NursyBabyWipes and Jordan Oral Care: http://www.facebook.com/JordanOralCarePh.
With this EQ Super Brand Day on Lazada, get yourself and your loved ones the best value products that will enrich your lives in small but meaningful ways. For more information and updates, visit https://jsunitrade.com/.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Apr 13, 2022 | Personal Care Tips
Manila, Philippines – The eyes are the windows to the soul. While a bold eye shadow will definitely catch anyone’s attention, lashes with visible length and volume will keep them coming back for more!
So if you’re wondering how you can up your allure for the next date night, lock everyone’s attention during presentations, or simply bring the focus on your eyes while wearing a face mask – here are foolproof ways you can create lashes that stand out in terms of both length and volume, no falsies needed.
Curl your lashes first, girl
Some ladies, especially those on the go, might skip this step before applying mascara to instantly up their lash game. However, a simple preparation will give you that extra edge.
The secret? Curling your lashes for about ten seconds. This gives it enough time to be bent to a more ideal shape while also respecting how delicate lashes actually are – once is enough! After that, you can apply a lash primer or a clear mascara which helps lengthen the lashes and reduce clumps. Let it stay and dry before applying the regular mascara.
Avoid the clumps
Being at home for a while gave us fewer chances to need lashes with extra oomph. This might have affected the mascara formula, which when applied could result in clumpiness.
Set your mascara back to its original consistency by warming the tube (with the cap tightly secured, of course!) in a glass of hot water for a couple of minutes. When taking out the wand, don’t dip it; twirl it instead to evenly distribute the formula onto the brush. Still have some excess? Wipe the brush on a clean tissue before applying it to your lashes for an even spread.
Start at the root and wiggle your way up
Taken from https://www.ipsy.com/blog/how-to-apply-mascara
For mascara newbies, it might make sense to apply the product right at the tip but that’s actually one of the beauty no-nos.
Start by wiggling the brush at the base of your lashes, and then start pulling up while maintaining that wiggling motion to keep the lashes separate from each other and create that desired illusion of full lashes. A flick of the wrist upward as you reach the end also extends the curl.
Take time to layer your lashes
Remember: applying mascara to your lashes adds a layer of product to your natural hair follicles. With each layer applied, the more length your lashes will have, so take time to build it up as you go.
Aside from the clear mascara or primer mentioned earlier, a quick and easy way to add layers is by applying translucent powder in between coats of mascara, which will help the product cling to your lashes and make them thicker as you go. You could also mix and match other variants like waterproof mascara to make sure they’re protected from the elements.
When it comes to your lashes – size matters
You’re already making a huge effort to make your lashes stand out, so keep everything on fleek by using Avon’s new and exclusive Legendary Lengths Mascara.
Avon Legendary Lengths Mascara
Extend your lashes up to 50% with 3x the volume thanks to the next generation polymers expertly formulated in the product, applied with the Instalength tapered brush, giving you 100% Lash Satisfaction from root to tip that can last all day.
Mimiyuuuh
“Why choose between length and volume when you can have both?”, says social media sensation Mimiyuuuh, who refuses to settle when it comes to her look and the beauty products that she uses. With the help of Avon Legendary Lengths Mascara, Mimi turns heads with volumized and longer lashes that are just to die for, without having to compromise one for the other.
To get your own Legendary Lengths Mascara, contact an Avon Representative near you or visit www.avonshop.ph to purchase.
About Avon
Avon has been doing beauty differently for 135 years. Avon is a company that connects people, using the power of beauty to transform lives for the better. Millions of independent sales Representatives across the world sell iconic Avon brands through their social networks, building their own beauty businesses on a full- or part-time basis. Avon stands for gender equality, and we believe in listening to women’s needs, speaking out about issues that matter, and creating positive change. Through Avon and the Avon Foundation, we’ve donated over $1.1billion, with a focus on tackling gender violence and breast cancer. Avon is part of the Natura &Co Group. Learn more at www.avonworldwide.com.
Alpha heir Andre D’Amore is fabulous to the core! From a very young age, he knew he was gay and he had no problem letting people know it. Thankfully, he has a supportive family. Andre is impulsive, fun and fab, and always the life of the party. At the same time, as an Alpha, he is also strong, charismatic, authoritative, and effective in leading the pack as interim Alpha while his father is indisposed.
Some ladies, especially those on the go, might skip this step before applying mascara to instantly up their lash game. However, a simple preparation will give you that extra edge.
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