Author: Lora Knows...

I'm Lora, and the posts you will find here are inspired by the people I love and my daily life. I hope you enjoy browsing through my recipes, and reading about my life as a real estate agent, DIY wannabe, and wife of a retired Marine.
Cooking, Holidays

Pumpkin Surprise

Lora Knows...

Thanksgiving is fast approaching and that means more than family, football, and turkey. It means pumpkin. Through the holidays we will be on pumpkin overload. Pumpkin muffins, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin soup, pumpkin risotto, and of course pumpkin pie.

I don’t mind pouring all the love and time into a traditional pumpkin pie, but it really isn’t my favorite. My fave isn’t even a recipe that has been handed down, or even one that has to be put in the oven. It is a no-bake “Double Layer Pumpkin Pie”.

It has been lovingly renamed “Pumpkin Surprise”, because the whipped topping is on the bottom. I also think it has become my favorite, because it has started a tradition with my nieces. They love helping me make this quick and easy recipe. Plus, their giggles are priceless when they shout “surprise, it’s upside down!” when someone cuts into the pie.

INGREDIENTS

84 oz cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon milk

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 1/2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust

1 cup cold milk

2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix

1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, whisk together cream cheese, 1 tablespoon of milk, and sugar until smooth. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spread into bottom of crust.

Pour 1 cup of milk into large bowl, and thoroughly mix in pudding mix, pumpkin, cinnamon. When thickened, spread over cream cheese layer.

Refrigerate 4 hours.

NOTE: Chilling the crust before adding the first layer and then again after the first layer helps the pie to set and will help avoid the layers mixing together.

Style

Could it Be the Perfect Primer & Color Correct in One?

Lora Knows...

sgI’m always on the lookout for the latest greatest thing in makeup. I came across Christian Dior’s Fix It 2-in-1 Prime & Color Correct sticks a while back, but had a primer color combo I wanted to finish.

I now have the Dior green primer concealer, a necessary color to neutralize the bit of red on my chin and forehead. A week into using this product, I’m impressed. It’s smooth, goes on easily, and doesn’t cake. It blends easily with the Dior Fluid Foundation Brush, number 11.

What color will work best for you? Here is some info on all the combo options:

• Blue: This lilac-blue evens out  yellow toned  skin for an enhanced glow. Dabbed on the light catching areas, the forehead and the tips of the cheeks, it gives an instantly fresh and rested look.

• Apricot: perfect for deep or tanned olive complexions designed to tone down dark spots, hyper-pigmentation and dark circles.

• Yellow: corrects dark spots and under-eye circles for lighter skin tones and neutralizes lips that have a blue hue, bringing out the true color of your lipstick.

• Green: the anti-redness ally that tones down flushed areas of the complexion.

Daily Happenings, Real Estate

Dear Email, I Need an Hour

Lora Knows...

artI remember using dial-up to get to the welcome screen of AOL. The excitement of dialing in would make me smile, and then to hear that familiar voice say, “You’ve Got Mail”, was great. Fast forward a couple decades and the newness is long gone, and email is just a part of our lives.

In the past, I would wake up and within five minutes I would grab my phone and see if there were any missed calls, texts, and then emails. As soon as I opened the inbox I was immediately focused on its contents. I would grab my laptop, bigger screen, and sit on the sofa and dig into the contents of my inbox. Before I knew it at least 30 minutes, more likely 60, would be gone, and I would feel a bit stressed.

Then in early October my boss, Kim, was telling me about a speaker she heard who talked about not doing email for the first hour after waking up. She went on to explain that one hour can make a huge difference in our productivity level for the rest of the day. I like to try new things to be more productive, and thought I’d give it a go.

At first it was hard, and I cheated a day or two that first week. I decided I needed to put my phone temptation out of reach, and placed it on the end table in the living room. Moving it from my nightstand made a big difference, and helped me start a new morning routine.

I’m an early riser, and instead of sitting down to work on emails, I’m getting things done. It isn’t always something big, but just to have time to empty the dishwasher, start a load of laundry, write a note, and to get cleaned up for the day without worrying about that inbox, is amazing.

I was sure there was more information about waiting an hour, and while Googling the subject I found some good articles, blogs, and even entire books on the subject. One author, Julie Morgenstern, wrote in her book, “Never Check Email In The Morning”, that, “there is very little that cannot wait a minimum of 59 minutes”. I agree, and the email can wait.