thanks Dan

I have great neighbors! Here is another neighborly fav and this time from my friend Dan! 

"I have a current fav product: Superfeet

I’ve only had mine for a few weeks but the comfort, support, & cushioning difference compared to the stock athletic shoe insole is well worth the investment ($35-$45 a pair). They have a variety of insoles for all types of shoes and activities. Safe to say I will now always use superfeet with my running shoes."

pretty nails

This fav comes from my longtime friend Lauren!



"I love painting my nails. I could do it all day every day. I love how it looks, how it smells (I like gas smell too, I am weird I know) and how it makes my hands look so feminine. I think I like it so much because I bite my nails for the better part of my life. Ok so enough about my gross habit. I heart O.P.I. The colors are fabulous, the names are chic and hip. Living in Japan I am hard pressed to find O.P.I brand but I have a great sister back in the states who gets it for me (perks of having a hair dresser in the family). You can “try” on different colors on the site so go check out pretty much any salon by you!"

something sweet

Today's fav comes from Crystal! By the way, you should check out her blog, she makes the cutest cakes and she is adorable in general!


"Jelly Belly Pomegranate Jelly Beans. This is my favorite candy. Well, one of many. These are great! The only place I ever see them is Cracker Barrell, so everytime we go (which is quite often), I get a bag. They don't last very long! The funny thing is, I've never even eaten a pomegranate. I do love these jelly beans, though."

neighborly favs

Today's favs come from my neighbor and friend Lauren! Read and enjoy (and don't forget that you too can send me your favs to be posted this week. Send to elhajs@aol.com)!

Love this blog from a fellow Oso Grande dad and fellow Little League Baseball Manager. So bad its good…some things we think inside but do not have the guts to say…he says them…some things we would never even think…but he writes them down for all to see.

I also love www.orangette.blogspot.com.

Leslie's Favorites!

I'm excited that you are sending in your own personal favorites! Keep it coming. This week is all about you guys. Email me at elhajs@aol.com.

All of today's favorites are via my friend Leslie from Leslie's Lines:

I'm in love with my Zyliss shake 'n go shaker and wanted to share it with you. I always get comments when I bring it to friends' houses or work, asking "what's that?"

This to-go styled cup lives up to its name! Put in powdered drink mix, prep eggs or pour in salad dressing ingredients – shake and go!

This multi-tasking plastic shaker also serves as an ad hoc measuring tool with ounce and millimeter markings on the sides. The wide mouth mounted on the screw cap prevents spills and controls the pour.

5 - in -1 shaker
* Measure. Mix. Store. Serve. Drink.
* 16 oz capacity. Blends homemade salad dressings, drinks, marinades, shakes and
sauces
* Leakproof spout

Not to mention that it also doubles as a handy flask at tailgating parties!

Since Lee is such a wonderful chef, and our produce usually spoils long before we have time to savor it, "Santa" brought him Debbie Meyer Green Bags for Christmas. Don't be ashamed to admit it - you know you've seen the commercials - "BUT WAIT...THERE'S MORE!" I'll have to say that they do work pretty darn good. Mushrooms and lettuce that have been in our fridge since after Christmas still look fresh off the shelf. Our goal is to incorporate more fresh fruit and veggies into our diets, and with the help of these little magic bags, it just might be possible!

I know they can be purchased at Target, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Amazon.com and directly from the website.

Preserve those veggies and fruits! Especially the more expensive organic varieties.

For all my friends who like to fill-up landfills with obscene numbers of plastic water bottles, check this out:

Clear2Go

As seen on TV!

Okay so today's fav belongs to my friend Vanessa and here's what she has to share:

"I've been wanting to try this forever and finally did! I'm always so skeptic of the "As Seen on TV" products. Anyway, it's the PedEgg!!! Love it to pieces!!! Leaves your feet feeling as soft as a newborn's (okay, almost!).

Don't forget that I am tired, really tired, so it's your job as my friends and readers to send me your favs. My email address is in the post below!

xo

I'm tired

I'm too tired to post about my favorites. I need a few days off. It's your turn. Email me a favorite ASAP so I can post them. Send them to elhajs@aol.com. Even if it's just your favorite nail polish, martini, whatever. I'm waiting...................................

they did it again

For me nothing will beat the T-Mobile commercial they did at the Liverpool Street Station, but this one made me happy. Sometimes I get down on humanity but seeing these videos make me realize that there are happy people everywhere (13,500 to be exact) who can come together just to smile and sing (they thought they were getting together to dance, so singing "Hey Jude" was a surprise). 

you have to try it

I just made this Baked Ziti from The Biggest Loser Family Cookbook. Ohhhhhhh it was so good. You have to try it! Plus, I prepared it early in the day, put it in the refrigerator and then baked it at dinnertime. Sooo good considering it has 350 calories and 6g of fat. It has 8 servings so make sure you dole it out properly and save the rest for leftovers. 

Ingredients

Olive oil spray

1 (14.5 oz) box fiber-enriched ziti or penne rigate (reccomended Ronzoni Smart Taste)

1 (15 ounce) container fat-free ricotta cheese

2 large egg whites

8 ounces (4 cups) finely shredded reduced-fat mozearella cheese

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt, to taste

Ground black pepper, to taste

Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

3.5 cups low-fat, low-sodium, marinara

2 tablespoon grated reduced-fat parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly mist a 13 x 9 x 2 ceramic or glass baking dish with olive oil spray.

Cook the ziti according to package directions until al dente. Drain.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the ricotta, egg whites, and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella until well combined. Add the garlic powder and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir in the cooked pasta until well combined.

Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the prepared dish. Add half of the pasta in an even layer over the sauce. Top the pasta evenly with another 1 cup sauce. Layer the remaining pasta over the sauce. Spoon the remaining 1.5 cups sauce evenly over the top of the pasta, then sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and the Parmesan over the top.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 10 minutes longer, or until the mozzarella is melted. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces or spoon among 8 bowls and serve.

Makes 8 servings.

Per serving: 350 calories, 22 g proteins, 57 g carbohydrates, 6 g fat (3 g saturated), 20 mg cholesterol, 8 g fiber, 429 mg sodium

they make me feel thin

I'm digging my new workout pants from Target. They are called C9 by Champion and they are the Yoga Capri Pants. I was put off at first because they are really tight, but that makes them almost better. They have that band that folds over and I actually don't pull it over to a low rise, I keep it higher so it helps keep my muffin top in! :) They are softer and less tight after washing They actually make me want to work out. They are $21.99 and you can find them online here, although you should probably try them on in the store.