Every year since my son was born, he's taken a Christmas photo. When my brother Peter started having kids, they started taking photos together.  This year Alaka'i told me he felt "too old" to take a Christmas photo even though he believes in Santa.  However, he said he would "graciously accompany" his younger cousins while they take photos with Santa. So cute.

Though I will surely write several times before Christmas is actually here, I just wanted to share some Friday Christmas cheer from our family to yours.  (Kaliko [my niece on the far left], Alohilani [niece in the middle] and my son Alaka'i [right])

xo,

Jean

There’s nothing like homemade whipped cream. Seriously. The billowing clouds of cream go with just about everything. Serve it sweetened as a topping or as a filling for pies and cakes. A small dollop of savory whipped cream in a soup richly elevates the flavor. But, for the holidays, this Candy Cane Whipped Cream recipe is all about fun. Be careful not to over whip it, or the cream will become curdled-looking and grainy. A really cold mixing bowl and beaters help. Also, make sure you pulverize the candy cane because you don’t want a sharp shard ruining the fun. You can refrigerate Candy Cane Whipped Cream for about eight hours, but otherwise it doesn’t store very well. If you have any leftover, serve it with hot chocolate or stir it into your coffee. You can also use it as a dip for Christmas cookies! But please don’t do what I did (grab a spoon and eat it out of the mixing bowl). That is definitely NOT enchanting (but pretty delicious)!

Prep: 15 minutes
You’ll need… 

• 2: 6-inch candy canes (you’ll need ⅓ cup finely crushed candy cane) 
• 2 cups heavy cream 
• 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar) 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 

Let’s get to it… 
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Hi, I’m Mama… and I’m high strung. Sounds like an AA meeting. I guess I’ve always been a little neurotic, but it got worse when these same six people kept showing up in the evening expecting to get fed. I was a TV journalist for many years, but with a house full of kids I decided to come off the road and follow my passion for cooking. This blog is all about food… everything from creative recipe ideas to some really cool kitchen gadgets and cooking tips. 

I saw this video floating around Facebook and it's another wonderfully profound video by Dove that highlights how women specifically see themselves in contrast to how others see them. We are always much harder on ourselves than we should be and we fail to see the true beauty we each have.  God made us fearfully and wonderfully and we are all beautiful!!  So when you look in the mirror today, don't forget to see past the things that you dislike yourself or the things others made you feel bad about.  Look in the mirror and see you the way you really are... beautiful.

I love this video. Just had to share it.

xo,

Jean

When you hear the word fresh, the sight of brightly colored vegetables comes to mind, doesn't it?  No one ever thinks of the word fresh and then visualizes a can of food.  At Fresh Cafe in Kaka'ako, the food is always freshly made with fresh ingredients, never stale, never old, never cold from sitting around waiting to be served.  It's located smack dab in the middle of the Kaka'ako district which is known for being hip and artsy.  There isn't one thing on their menu that I have not enjoyed eating.  True story.

Here's a little about the company from their website:

Founded in July of 2009, Fresh Cafe was born into the hip and up and coming industrial district of Kaka’ako. A hidden oasis with an eclectic mix of artists, students, musicians, and entrepreneurs who need to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Fresh is known for serving each coffee drink freshly pressed with our 100% Kona coffee beans. Fresh serves homemade cookies, bagel sandwiches, soups, salads, breakfast foods, desserts, and locally made product. Open early mornings and late nights, we have the latest cafe hours in town! Fresh Cafe is also known for the large warehouse space in back, which is known as the Loft in Space, where you will often find live music, art, and the largest slam poetry event in the nation!

The Fresh mission is to provide a unique gathering space for the community by offering healthy food choices and showcasing both up-and-coming and major talent in music, art, and cuisine. We strive to promote creativity, sustainability, local business, and Fresh ideas. We are here for the next-level dreamers, fearless innovators, and dedicated visionaries. We dare to inspire and be inspired.

I went there on a bright, sunny day with my fiancé to get a quick bite to eat on my lunch break while he and I ran errands.  I went in not knowing what to get and ended up ordering a combo plate which translates to a sandwich & "half" a salad.  You can see by the pictures, this isn't some skimpy side salad.  The salads at Fresh Cafe are big and delicious.


I had a very delicious balsamic vinaigrette salad.  It was an amalgamation of different veggies with nuts.  The dressing was just the right amount, perfectly balanced.  Each bite created an amalgam of awesome in your mouth that words alone cannot describe.  Does this look like a half salad to you?  Yeah, that's quite a generous portion!!


I also had a pretty basic, pretty delicious club sandwich.  It was full of meat with just the right amount of mustard and I absolutely love the addition of the alfalfa sprouts in the sandwich.  So yummy.  I was so full after eating this that I felt absolutely stuffed.  It's the perfect portion if you're hungry.  If you're not that hungry, you might want to opt for either the sandwich or the salad because the two combined is just a lot of food... (not that I'm complaining at all)!

Andrew had the Turkey & cranberry sandwich which was delicious (yeah I had a bite) and this Warm Spinach, Bacon and Garlic salad that I was absolutely obsessed with.  It sounds weird but it is absolutely delicious!!  That will be my new "must" when I'm at Fresh Cafe.

I literally can't say enough good things about the food at Fresh Cafe.  The price was right too.  I highly suggest you check out Fresh Cafe if you're on the island of O'ahu.

• Visit their website for full menu and more information here: Fresh Cafe Hawaii
• Check out their reviews on Yelp here: Fresh Cafe on Yelp

Click the "read more" link for their full menu!

Whether you live in a place that experiences the extreme cold, heat or even if you're in an environment where the weather seldom changes (like Hawai'i), we all suffer from dry skin from time to time- especially as we age.  What's the difference though between dry skin and dehydrated skin?  I read this article on Refinery29 and I found it quite interesting.  Knowing the difference between whether you have dry skin or dehydrated skin is crucial.


When it comes to our faces, we don’t rely on just anyone to tell us what our skin needs to get that ever-elusive glow. Instead, we turn to skin-care veteran (and celebrity fave!) Renée Rouleau, who knows it takes more than the right products to get radiant. Each week, she’ll be serving up her expert tips to keep your complexion in tip-top shape. 

It’s winter, and your skin feels flaky, tight, and dry — or is it dehydrated? The proper diagnosis is key to treat skin with the right products and achieve a smooth, comfortable, and radiant balance. Click through to find out how you can determine your best defense against Old Man Winter this season.

What Is Dry Skin? 
Dry skin is classified as alipidic, which means it doesn't produce sebum, or oil. Because skin relies on oil to hold moisture in, without it, skin can appear rough and flaky — and wrinkles are more pronounced. Dry skin can also lead to a damaged barrier function, increasing longterm sensitivity and inflammation, and causing a chain or biochemical reactions like collagen breakdown. 

Prevention is the name of the game, here: Treat dry skin right by using moisturizers that contain emollients to provide a protective layer that prevents moisture loss. Look for formulas that contain ceramides, shea butter, beeswax, squalene, jojoba oil, sunflower seed oil and cetyl alcohol. 

Wash with mild cleansing lotions and avoid bar soap or harsh foaming cleansers. Use gentle exfoliants: either acids or scrubs with gentle microbeads. Exfoliating helps remove surface flakiness and promote cell renewal, as they improve natural production of intercellular lipids for the barrier function. I also always recommend using a humidifier in the winter months to keep moisture in the air, and, more importantly, in your skin. Be sure to apply moisturizer within one minute after washing to prevent water in the skin from evaporating into the dry, winter air.