Mothers Day Giveaway For sheets of your choice, color and size.
A few months ago I was asked to review California Den sheets You can Read details Here
The sheets I received were 400 Thread Count 100% Cotton Sheet Pure White King Sheets Set,
4-Piece Long-staple Combed Pure Cotton Best Sheets For Bed,
Breathable, Soft & Silky Sateen Weave Fits Mattress Up to 18” Deep Pocket and they go on my bed with no stretching and tugging And now we have a giveaway.
We are giving away (1) Sheet Set to (1) Lucky Winner Your Choice of Color and Size
There is one request to be eligible for this giveaway, Comment: What is one thing that makes a sheet a real luxury? Mine would be the softness of the sheets. 100% Long Staple Pure Cotton – Sateen Weave Imported from Ethically Certified Factory in India
Everyone’s a winner: California Designs is also offering 10% off with Coupon code: MOMCDD10 for all your audience, valid between May 1st through May 6th, for our luxury cotton sheet sets on Amazon.com or www.californiadesignden.com
Coupon code: MOMCDD10 a perfect gift for moms! Instagram #californiadesignden | Twitter | Pinterest | YouTube
Now For the Giveaway
HIGHEST QUALITY BEST COTTON SHEETS: New Better & Improved 2018 Version – If you love the luxury and durability of hotel sheets and the look of crisp pillowcases, you’ll adore our Sheets, 400-thread-count weave. We use yarns made with 100% long staple cotton fiber and a gorgeous sateen weave. Our eco-friendly sheets retain softness for a lifetime and resist fading. Indulge in soft bed sheet set with detailed hem styling, also available in Twin, Full, Queen & Cal King sizes.
You’ll find all the sizes for Our Deep Pocket fitted sheet feature Smart Head/Foot Tag to indicate the width side of the bottom fitted sheet for ease of use. EASY HOME LAUNDRY & QUICK DRY – Highest quality dye materials are used for fade resistance. Recommended for regular wash & short dry cycles for superior softness.
100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE – Our products are backed by incredible customer service; we are dedicated to making sure you have an excellent experience, from the moment you place your order until after you begin using your new bedding. Our high-quality designs match any decor and make the ultimate gift idea for men and women, for Mother’s – Father’s Day and other holidays! Best for any room in your house – bedroom, guest, kids room, vacation home. In my opinion, these sheets are durable, wash up beautifully and so soft for sleeping comfort. I ordered the size that fits my guest bed so they will have a great night sleep. I was happy to have an opportunity to review this these super soft designer sheets.
Beside Sheets California Design Den offers beautiful bedding, comforters, duvets and quilts in designer colors and patterns.
And they sell sheets singly. Read sheet tips on my review
This post may contain affiliate links and I might receive compensation if you make a purchase after clicking on a link at no cost to you.
Wedding season is coming up! If you’re not the one getting married, you definitely have a bestie on her way to the aisle. Treating your best friend to a special engagement gift is not mandatory, but definitely is a nice way to kick off the wedding festivities. Remember, this does not have to be something pricey or elaborate but can just be a special sentimental something that celebrates her new journey with her future husband. These gifts can help you and your best friend get through the chaotic wedding planning process:
Bridal Subscription Box – A bridal subscription box is a great way to get the wedding planning process started. There are many kinds of bridal boxes from those that are just general bridal subscription boxes to those that are targeted for brides trying to get into shape before their big day. You can get her a box just for one month, or many of these subscriptions have great deals for 3-month or longer subscriptions. They really are a great way to get the bride-to-be anything and everything they might need for their wedding.
Monogrammed Bridal Robe – Every bride needs as many different ways to make them feel special for their big day. Nothing says luxury like a customized monogram robe for your big day. Getting your bestie a silky monogrammed bridal robe can show how special and perfect you want her wedding to be. They are great for prep time before the bride puts on her wedding dress. So, it is a great personalized gift that is also very practical, and she will definitely get a lot of use out of it on her big day. There are many great online sites that you can get this done such as Etsy.
Birthstone Jewelry – Another great personalized gift to get your best friend for her wedding day is jewelry that corresponds to her birthday. Birthstone jewelry is a great personalized gift to get someone. Many of the birthstones also are symbols of love such peridot for August and diamond for April. You can choose a necklace or ring that is only their birthstone or use the birthstone as an accent. This could be a great way to show your support for a best friend and something she can cherish the rest of her life.
Ring Cleaning Kit – A great practical gift to get your newly engaged best friend is a ring cleaning kit. Make sure her ring always sparkles by purchasing a kit that includes a cleaner, polisher, and small brush for cleaning. There are even jewelry wipes that make cleaning even easier.
Spa Day – Treating your best friend for a spa day can be the savior to her bridal chaos. Getting a relaxing day at the spa is definitely always on a bride’s to-do list but might not always be possible because of time and money. However, with your help your bestie can get a well-deserved pampering day. There are many spas that do specials for brides. You can even get a package for the two of you can share and have some quality bestie time before the big day.
It’s easy to feel a pang of envy when you catch sight of the dazzling white smiles of Hollywood celebrities. Surely such beautifully white teeth must be out of your reach simply on account of your depleted bank balance? Well, not quite – there are many cost-effective hacks which you could use.
Here are just a few examples. In following these tips, you could perk up both your happiness and confidence as well as leave yourself looking years younger – all just by improving your smile!
One viable option available to UK customers, for example, is Oral-B 3D White, which costs just £3.50 per 75ml and pledges to brighten a smile in only a couple of weeks.
Make your own whitener at home
While various options abound for whitening the teeth, you might not have realized that you can produce your own whitener. That’s possible through mixing baking soda and water to produce a paste with which you can beneficially brush your teeth a few times monthly.
You might have already been advised against drinking red wine for the sake of your teeth – and you might have understandably reacted by blurting: “Spoilsport!”
Fortunately, you could avoid having to forgo that vino if you drink gulps of it in-between bouts of nibbling on crunchy raw vegetables. The whitening effect of these vegetables can be attributed to their brushing action capable of rubbing away stains just as they are settling.
Your teeth could also thank you if you eat more strawberries, which include a natural acid with the ability to whiten teeth.
Tan yourself and choose the right lipstick
Here’s a deceptively simple way of making your teeth look whiter: make its surroundings look darker. For that reason, if you routinely wear lipstick, opt for it in shades with blue undertones. Lipstick colors with yellow or gold undertones instead can highlight the yellow in your teeth.
Tanning yourself is another way of leaving your teeth looking whiter – and, don’t worry, you can opt for a fake tan if you lack the appetite for a real one.
Pay regular visits to a dental hygienist
You might have visited a hygienist just once before, but you should make a habit of it to whiten your teeth and make your gums healthier. Whether you’re considering turning to dentists in Balham, Clapham or Wandsworth, you could be pleasantly surprised how little you have to travel to utilize services of a dental hygienist in London, for example.
Can you really make sushi at home that is just as good as in the restaurants? Perhaps you’ve tried before and it fell apart in your hands (or chopsticks).
We are here to help.
Proper sushi chefs spend years perfecting their chopping and rolling techniques to make picture-perfect sushi, but the good news is that even if you mess up slightly on the aesthetics, it can still taste amazing. Taking a little extra care to use high-quality ingredients and prepare things carefully can make all the difference. You’ll save money and it’s great fun too!
It helps to start simple, which is why I’m going to give you a complete walkthrough for how to make sushi at home. You’ll start with an easy win by making nigiri – a simple recipe which will let you get used to working with the ingredients.
Afterward, you’ll graduate to testing your rolling technique by making a delicious chicken tempura roll, and finally, you’ll get your sushi Ph.D. by making futomaki, a Japanese festive favorite which will give your sushi construction abilities a real challenge!
How To Make Sushi At Home: Before You Begin
Understand What Makes Restaurant Sushi Different
What often sets authentic restaurant sushi apart from homemade sushi is the raw fish like yellowtail, albacore, raw salmon and raw tuna fish (read more here about the ingredients used in authentic Japanese sushi).
The best sushi chefs source only the highest quality ingredients, but these are not easy to find on the high street and unfortunately what counts as “sushi grade” is not always regulated. Unless you can be absolutely sure of the origins and how it was handled, you might be best to avoid raw fish for safety reasons and leave it to the professionals.
But don’t despair. You still have plenty of options to make great tasting sushi! For fillings, you can use:
Smoked salmon (this is cured, which makes it safe to eat)
Cooked shrimp, prawns, chicken or tuna
Crab sticks
Cucumber, avocado, bell peppers or other veggies
Choose Quality Ingredients:
If you ever wondered how to make sushi that tastes great and doesn’t fall apart, here’s where the quality of your ingredients really matters. Try to get sushi rice if you can. If you can’t, long grain rice is a good second choice.
The shiny black outer casing you might have seen on some sushi rolls is a thick sheet of seaweed known as nori.
You might have seen seaweed sheets meant for snacking in the shops, but don’t use these as they’ll fall apart if used for sushi. Your nori should be:
Thick and of an even density (hold it up to the light to see this properly)
Very dark greenish black – not brownish or lighter green
Smooth (lower grade nori is wrinkled)
Choose Your Condiments
Accessorize your sushi with:
Eel sauce – a mixture of 3 parts soy sauce and 4 parts sugar (no eels here!)
Pickled ginger
Soy sauce
Wasabi
Sesame oil
It helps to make your rice ahead of time as it needs to be cooled to room temperature before you can use it. Cook according to packet instructions and then add 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar for each cup of (uncooked) rice that you prepared, a dash of sugar and a dash of salt.
Prepare your eel sauce by heating the ingredients in a saucepan for 4 minutes on medium heat and then letting it cool.
Prepare Your Tools
You’ll need:
A bamboo rolling mat (these are very affordable and can be found at your local Asian market or online)
A very sharp knife
Plastic wrap to cover the rolling mat (this prevents sticking and cross-contamination)
Now we’re ready to begin!
Sushi Elementary School: Making Nigiri
When most people think of sushi, they’ll probably think of nigiri: those neat little rectangles of pressed rice topped with a thick layer of melt-in-the-mouth sashimi. The simple combination of two main ingredients lets you enjoy the subtle flavors of each one.
You can use any type of ingredient you like to top the nigiri. To make it look really classic, try smoked salmon, crab or shrimp, but you could also use vegetables – it’s up to you!
Here’s how:
Get your hands wet and take a ball of sushi rice about a third the size of your palm
Roll it in your hands and press it into a small rectangle shape (nigiri means “squeezing” in Japanese – you’ll see why after this step)
Make as many of these as you like and set aside
Now cut your fish (or whatever you’re using) into a slice around 2-3 cm larger than your rectangles of rice
A common mistake here is to slice too thin – so be bold! The slice should be about ⅓ the thickness of the rice to be properly balanced
If you like some heat, spread a thin layer of wasabi on the underside of the fish/topping before draping it over the rice
Press the two ingredients gently together to shape them.
Cut a thin strip of nori and wrap it around the nigiri to bind it together
And you’re done!
Middle School: Chicken Tempura Rolls
These delicious little rolls are simple to make and the coating of almond flakes or sesame seeds means you can cover any rough edges.
To make a dozen you’ll need:
75g cooked chicken (you can use breaded chicken to make things extra easy)
1 cup of sushi rice
1 green onion
⅓ red bell pepper, cut into small strips
Almond flakes or sesame seeds
A pinch of mashed or pickled ginger
A few drops of sesame oil
A pinch of red pepper flakes
A squeeze of orange juice
Here’s how to make them:
Cut the chicken into strips
In a bowl, mix chicken, soy sauce, ginger, orange juice, red pepper flakes and sesame oil
Lay the bamboo mat horizontally, cover with plastic wrap and then a nori sheet
Spread the rice evenly over the nori and sprinkle with almond flakes or sesame seeds
Press down gently on top to coat the rice with the flakes
Turn the nori sheet over, so the rice is facing the plastic wrap and the nori faces you
Add your filings and then roll the nori sheet away from you lengthways, keeping it tight
Cut into one-inch slices with a sharp knife
Voila!
Graduation: Futomaki
Futomaki are large, thick sushi rolls with lots of filings (usually cooked). Because they’re sliced thinner than regular sushi rolls, they’ll take extra skill to keep their shape!
Fillings can be anything you like, but often include:
Boiled shrimp
Cucumber
Kanpyo (ribbons of dried gourd, a root vegetable often used in Edo-style Japanese cuisine – but you could substitute with zucchini or squash if you like)
Shittake mushrooms
Carrot strips
Here’s how to make them:
Start as you did with the chicken tempura roll, by laying your mat down and covering with plastic wrap
Add a sheet of nori and a layer of sushi rice around 1 cm thick
Add your fillings (don’t worry if you can’t cut these to all the same length, just lay them end to end) and then roll as you did before
Slice into 1 cm slices and serve by stacking or laying flat against each other (picture dominoes fallen over)
If this is too difficult for you, a traditional way of eating futomaki is without cutting, so try this if you can’t master this one just yet.
Roll On!
Now that you’ve learned how to make sushi at home, keep experimenting with ingredients and flavors and have fun with different combinations.
If you love getting creative, check out my DIY pages for more things you can make at home, or check out my other recipes for more fun in the kitchen.