Happy eyes for grandmothers and others: The new Signature Collection from Readers.com

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Happy eyes for grandmothers and others: The new Signature Collection from Readers.com

Enter nearly any room in my house and you'll likely see a pair of reading glasses somewhere. Kitchen? Check. Bedroom? Check. In the study where I work? Of course. In the bathroom where even my magnifying mirror needs a bit of a boost? Yep.

I have lots of reading glasses because I need them for lots of reasons. I go through them so often — scratching, losing, or tiring of the style — that I buy only inexpensive ones, typically those that come in batches of four or more for a relatively low price.

So when Readers.com invited me to try out their new Signature Collection of handmade yet a smidgen higher priced readers free for review, it didn't take much

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Brief book review: All Fish Faces by Tam Warner Minton

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Fish fans of all ages will surely be delighted to find this colorful collection under their Christmas tree this holiday season. Or in their hands during any season.

All Fish Faces brief review 2.jpg

You'll find ALL FISH FACES by Tam Warner Minton (affiliate link) on Amazon plus other places great books are sold.

Disclosure: I received this book free for review; opinions are my own.

100 Classic Gluten-Free Comfort Food Recipes by Donna Washburn & Heather Butt (review)

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100 Classic Gluten-Free Comfort Food Recipes by Donna Washburn & Heather Butt (review)

I've always been one to express my love to friends and family with food (among other things). Homemade cookies regularly in the cookie jar. Special treats for special folks on special days. Enjoying food crafts and activities with kids. Festive family occasions focus primarily on food.

Enter a grandchild with food allergies. Gluten issues, in particular. James, my bonus grandson courtesy his dad Patrick marrying my daughter Brianna, can't eat the majority of my long-time specialty goodies and holiday favorites. Figuring out how to express food-love to that kiddo has been a challenge. For the most part, food isn't what James and I share.

That's all about to change, courtesy 100 Classic Gluten-Free Comfort Food Recipes by Donna Washburn and Heather Butt, which I recently received from publisher Robert Rose free for review. The 224-page cookbook takes the mystery out of making savory and sweet dishes without gluten! A lifesaver for this grandma and her gluten-free grandson.

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Games galore! Fun from Pressman Toy and Goliath Games

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Games galore! Fun from Pressman Toy and Goliath Games

The gifting season is upon us, and games never fail to fit the bill. Game gurus Pressman Toy and Goliath Games recently sent me more than a few of their faves for all ages to play and peruse with my local game boy (and grandson), James.

Some of the selections were silly, some challenging, all downright dandy for gift giving to grands.

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Greedy Granny game a goofy good time for grandkids and grandparents

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Greedy Granny game a goofy good time for grandkids and grandparents

Stereotypes of grandmas abound, and there's none more stereotypical than the star of Greedy Granny, the new offering from Goliath Games. Granny of the game is pin-curl coiffed, dons granny glasses, a lace-collared dress, and knee-high socks with pink slippers. She's wrinkled about the mouth and forehead and wears dentures that fly from her mouth when startled. She naps in a recliner, arthritic hands clutching the arms.

She's the stereotypical grandma caricature of comics and cartoons and commercials created by folks who apparently haven't seen a real grandma in several decades. A kind of grandma I can't imagine any child born in the past 30 years has ever seen, as grandmas are nothing like the stereotype. Or like Greedy Granny.

That said, It's silly to get one's grandma briefs in a bunch over the depiction, as Greedy Granny — stereotype or not — was surely innocently crafted for nothing but fun. And fun the game definitely is.

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Cookbook review: 175 Best Multifunction Electric Pressure Cooker Recipes by Marilyn Haugen

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Cookbook review: 175 Best Multifunction Electric Pressure Cooker Recipes by Marilyn Haugen

I have a lot of cookbooks. At last count — which was just before sitting down to write this review — there are 54 cookbooks on my kitchen bookshelf. And that doesn't even include the literally hundreds of cooking magazines I've collected throughout the years.

In addition to learning techniques and tasty treats from all those cookbooks, I've also learned that it's rare to find a cookbook in which every recipe turns out fabulous. 175 Best Multifunction Electric Pressure Cooker Recipes by Marilyn Haugen free for review just might be one of the rare ones. 

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Tender, tasty, quick, and easy meals courtesy Cosori Electric Pressure Cooker (review)

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Pressure cookers have intrigued me for nearly 50 years. They've also scared me that long, thanks to the monstrous meal-making machine that spouted steam and terror in my mom's kitchen as well as my grandma's decades ago.

I've always wanted to learn how to make meals with a pressure cooker. It just seemed that's what grandmas are supposed to do. Or at least try. But the idea the pressurized pan might go kabang has prevented me from giving such culinary craftiness a try.

Until now. Until I learned there's an electric — safe and kabang-proof — pressure cooker. Until I was offered the opportunity to review for free the safe, sturdy, and stylish Electric Pressure Cooker by Cosori.

 cosori electric pressure cooker

When I first unpacked and prepared my pressure cooker for cooking, my husband asked, "Are you sure that thing's not gonna explode?" Which confirmed that he, too, recalled pressure-cooker fears...

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Two hot picture books for kids from popular hit songs for adults (Brief book review)

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Everything old is made new again. Sometimes such creations stink (nearly every remade movie), sometimes they soar.

The following two fantastic new picture books for kiddos based on popular songs for grownups belong firmly and forever in the latter category. (They make great holiday gifts, too.)

FOOTLOOSE by Kenny Loggins, illustrated by Tim Bowers (Music & Lyrics by Kenny Loggins and Dean Pitchford)

footloose picture book ...

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