I know the last few years have been very strange for all of us. I hope that things start to normalize soon, whatever the “new normal” may be. I’m trying to catch up on the products I have for testing, but also wanted to write a bit about a not so new bargain brand of cosmetics I fell in love with. As usual, there are affiliate links in this column and I always appreciate earning a little when my readers click on them. Spread the fruit… A selection of jam is something that’s always in my house. Whether it’s on an English muffin or a waffle, with peanut butter, cream cheese, or on its own, I love spreadable fruit. The only problem is that many brands are filled with tons of sugar and additives. I was more than happy to try Crofter’s Organic in three of my favorite flavors: cherry , raspberry, and peach. Crofter’s is a family business that not only makes organic fruit spreads that are low in calories and sugar, and don’t cost a fortune.   I loved all the flavors. You can purc...

It’s all about March Madness around here as the Fighting Illini are not only back in the NCAA Championship, but they are the No. 2 team in the country. Whether or not you are cheering a specific team, it is nice to know that sporting events are coming back. Celebrate your hometown… I got to celebrate the first round of the tournament with some special glassware from Well Told College Town . They decided to do something a little different with their university memorabilia. Instead of logos, these have maps of the actual cities on them. I loved the two (one orange, one blue) glasses of the downtowns of Champaign and Urbana. Light wine… The games will be going on for two weeks, so you don’t want to overdo on the drinks. I love Ros é Water , which conveniently comes in cans. It reminds me of a wine spritzer (the kind you got in the bar, not the bottle). It tastes like wine and club soda, but since it’s rose from Boudreaux, it’s a little more flavorful than a white wine spritzer. Each can i...