Category: Barb Recommends

Barb’s Senior Side Hustle is Working

I joined Zazzle in 2009 – not thinking of it as an income-earning side hustle – but to have fun making Christmas cards and coffee mugs with my photographs of sunsets and flowers. I didn’t do much for quite awhile with my New Radiance Zazzle shop so did not keep up with the improvements that took …

Creating a Vegetarian Soft Foods Diet

Dental and medical problems often require a soft foods diet. And for vegetarians, this can require a bit of extra research and creativity.  Has your doctor or dentist ever told you to eat a “soft foods diet” for a specific dental or health problem? And did you find out, like I did, that most soft food …

Pride and Prejudice Mini-Series

Pride and Prejudice with the “real” Mr. Darcy – Colin Firth How many times did you watch the Pride and Prejudice mini-series when it aired on the A&E television network back in the 1990s? I mean… it was some of the best BBC TV ever imported into the U.S. And if you’re of the female gender, can …

10 Classic Black and White Movies

10 Classic Black and White Movies I Never Want to See in Color These 10 classic films are etched in my memory so vividly, the cinematography so suited to the black and white medium, the lighting so perfect, that color would detract from the overall effect. As a woman of a certain age, I’ve seen my …

Pancake Frying Pans – Plett vs. Cast Iron

Pancake Frying Pan Reviews: Plett Pan vs. Cast Iron Skillet My grandmother’s much-loved pancake recipes need two different fry pans. A couple of years ago, I went on a frying pan quest, when pancakes became an important food group in our soft foods diet. A dental appliance put soft pancakes front and center… but I didn’t …

My Book Holder Lets Me Read While Eating

An adjustable book holder for people who like to read while eating… and cooking I can now read while I’m eating and cooking… without spilling food on the pages. Are you an avid reader in search of an affordable, functional book holder? Or are you on the lookout for a fun, yet practical, gift for a …

Ode to Pure Soap: No Sneezing or Itching

Bubbly Poetry – My Ode to Pure Soap Do you ever get giddy about the products you love? Like soap, for instance? I am such a fan of Cal Ben’s Pure Soap that I even wrote a poem about it, my “Ode to Pure Soap.” I mean… this is a soap that doesn’t make me sneeze or …

Lightweight Chef’s Knife Review

My weak wrists love this 6-inch lightweight Victorinox chef’s knife   For my 68th birthday, I finally got my first chef’s knife – an ergonomic, lightweight 6-inch Victorinox chef’s knife that suits me perfectly. I’ve had weakened wrists since a waitress job in the 1960s had me carrying incredibly heavy trays, so I was extremely happy to receive …

Great American Cookies Cookbook

Great American Cookies – A Vintage Cookbook That’s Worth Republishing   My favorite recipe books are now considered “vintage.” I cannot imagine why Lorraine Bodger’s Great American Cookies hasn’t been reprinted, but the only versions I’ve found are dated 1985 (the one I have) and 1987 (with the same title but different graphics on the dust jacket). This …

Stovetop-Safe Corningware Is Back!

Corningware Stovetop Cookware in Pyroceram is Back! Were you even aware that stove-top-safe Corningware had gone off the market for a few years? For the past dozen years or so, any home cook wanting to purchase Corningware cookware – that could be used on the stove top – had to settle for “vintage” pieces they could find …