Does Your Guac Rock?

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Avocados from Mexico. All opinions are 100% mine.
What does your guacamole say about you?  You can find out by taking a simple quiz on the Avocados from Mexico Facebook page.  I just took it, and apparently I am a guac geek.  Check out my results:

It's strange, but a lot of that is pretty true.  I do always follow directions, and I do own lots of cookbooks.  It is weird how some of these Facebook quizzes are right on.  You should go find out what your Guac Star Personality is.

While you are on their Facebook page, check out their Guac Rocks Sweepstakes.  From now until January 28, 2011, you can enter to win one of 80 prizes, including:
(2) Grand Prizes – Two “Fly Away” tickets for a special getaway that’s sure to rock! ($1,500 value)
(3) First Place Prizes- $100 in free groceries to help stock up for your next party!
(80) Second Place Prizes – $20 coupon good for Avocados from Mexico, the secret ingredient that makes your Guac Rock!
  All you have to do to enter is fill out the entry form, and share what your secret ingredient is that makes you guacamole rock.  Keep in mind that you first have to "like" the Avocados from Mexico Facebook page to enter, and also to take the quiz.  I did, and I found lots of yummy recipes on there.  You can also follow them on Twitter. (@guacgrl)
Feel free to share your recipes for guacamole here, too.  I would love to see how you guys make yours.  I am always on the lookout for new and different party food recipes.

These Were So Easy!

 

What you need:

pretzels

hershey's kisses

m&m's

Lay the pretzels on a cookies sheet.  Place a kiss on top of each one.  Bake in a 175* oven for 10 minutes.  Immediately push an m&m into each kiss.  Throw in the freezer for a few minutes to set the chocolate.

Eat.

Yum.

This Is How I Spent My Day

Baking!  Those pretty looking packages all wrapped up in the back are banana breads.  I used this muffin recipe and they came out great. 

In the big red tub we have chocolate chips cookies (this recipe) and oatmeal chocolate chips cookies (they were a bagged cookie mix, and they came out yummy).  In the green tub is almond spritz cookies (this recipe) and in the little red tub are chocolate peanut butter oatmeal no bake cookies.  I'll post that recipe when I find a moment to breathe!  I love baking for Christmas, but it always seems like I don't have time for anything else.  All these cookies will end up in gift tubs, as well as the ones I still have to make tomorrow.

Cookie Baking Day!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Pier 1 Imports. All opinions are 100% mine.

Every year, the girls and I get together with my mom and my sister to bake Christmas cookies.  We usually make a day of it, and when it's time to go, we all exchange cookies.  This year, I want to make cookies that don't have to bake, which I guess means I'm not technically making cookies.  I saw a recipe recently on someone's blog (I don't remember whose) on how to make cake balls, and they sound delicious!  I also want to make peanut butter balls. Neither of those "cookies" require the oven, so I won't have to impatiently wait my turn as my mom and sister bake their cookies.

Every year, my sister has to borrow my measuring spoons, because she doesn't have her own set.  I have two, so I don't mind sharing.  I am thinking, though, that measuring spoon will make a cute Christmas gift, especially if I get her these:

 

 

 

 

 

Aren't they adorable?  I found them at Pier 1.  I also found some cute measuring cups, but I think they are more my style than hers,  What do you think?

 

 

 

 

 

Pier 1 has some of the cutest holiday gifts I have seen this season. They are also very involved with Toys for Tots.  You can make a donation at any register, or simply drop off an unwrapped toy at any of their stores.  If you are like me and want to help but are running low on funds, you can like them on Facebook.  For every fan they get, they will donate $1 to Toys for Tots.  It's an easy way to help make Christmas a little better for needy kids.

Is It A Surprise That My Most Recent Wicked Fresh Moment Involved Food?

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Toms of Maine. All opinions are 100% mine.

Last Sunday night was Junior's Christmas party.  His company rented out an entire restaurant.  They paid for dinner, dessert, and drinks, as long as you drank coke or water.  Alcohol was available, of course, but the guests had to pay for that themselves.  We don't drink, so the entire night was free.  We hung out with a few of his coworkers that we are friendly with, and had a really good time.  The food was delicious.  They had a chicken and mushroom dish that I really enjoyed, and then there was dessert.  I didn't feel like going back to the buffet, so I told Junior to gab me something if there was anything up there he thought I would enjoy.  We shared a wicked fresh moment when he put a plate in front of me that had the biggest piece of chocolate peanut butter cake.  It was chocolate cake with peanut butter cream between the layers and a chocolate layer on top.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it!  It looked a lot like this:

 

 

 

 

Have you had a Wicked Fresh Moment lately?  If so, Tom's Of Maine wants to hear all about it.  In case you don't know who Tom's of Maine is, they are a leading natural products company focused on oral and personal care.  Right now they are having a contest where they are giving away a $500 Target gift card and other prizes.  Basically, all you have to do is Tweet your wicked fresh moment, making sure to follow Tom's on Twitter.  You can gain a bonus entry by liking them on Facebook.  All of the official details can be found on the That's Wicked Fresh contest page.  If you enter, be sure and leave a comment here telling me what your Wicked Fresh Moment is.

Make A Wish

 

How do you like my crooked cake?  I knew my oven was unlevel, but I didn't realize how bad until I baked this cake.  When I took it out of the oven, there was a least a half an inch difference on each end.   I tried to level it out by matching the higher sides with the lower sides, but it still tilted.  I am not a big fan of vanilla cake (I'm a chocolate girl) but it's what Brandi wanted.  The important thing is that it tasted good, and it did!

It's All The Same

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of PBM Products. All opinions are 100% mine.

This is a blog about food.  I have a couple of picky eaters in my little family, myself being one of them.  I try to make a variety of things at every meal, so there is always something that everyone will eat.  There are days, though, when I wish I could just make each kid a bottle and be done with it.  This mom has her limits, and these kids who call me Mom know how to get me there.

Of course, as soon as I remember how expensive baby formula is, I am thankful that my kids are older.  Although, more and more stores are offering generic brand infant formula for a whole lot less money than the name brands.  It's funny how some people think the name brand formulas are better for their babies, when in reality, they are the same as the store brand formula.  They have to be, thanks to Infant Formula Act. 

"This legislation vested FDA with the authority to ensure that all infant formulas sold in the United States provide the necessary levels of identified nutrients required for the growth of healthy babies. Store-brand formulas are nutritionally equivalent to Enfamil® and Similac® brand-name formulas but cost up to 50% less." 

That can be a savings of up to $600 a year.  That's a whole lot of money you could save simply by making the switch to generic formula.  If you think back a couple of months, there was a recall on Similac because of beetles.  That should tell you right there that even the name brands aren't always the best for your baby.

It's National Cookie Day!

One of my favorite bloggers, Steve from Burnt Food Dude, is putting together an awesome post all about cookies!  I love cookies!  I love eating cookies, and I really love baking cookies!  In fact, my mom, my sister and I actually have cookie days in December when we get together and bake cookies all day.  Then at the end of the day, we split the goodies.  It's so much fun!  The kids have fun, too, especially my girls.  I love that this is something we all do together.

I was going to make some Christmas cookies for this post, but it just so happens to be Brandi's birthday today, too.  In her honor, I took one of my favorite Christmas cookie recipes...spritz cookies...and made them girly for her birthday.  Check them out:

Spritz Cookies
(this is not my own recipe...I got it years ago out of one of my mom's cook books, thought I can't remember which one)

1 1/2 cups butter
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 375*.

Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add 1 cup of the flour, the sugar, egg, baking powder, vanilla, and almond extract.  Beat until thoroughly combined.  Beat in remaining flour.

Take un-chilled dough and put it into your cookie press.  I have a pampered chef one, and it comes with a bunch of different disks.  Today I made the hearts and butterflies.  For Christmas, I usually make the trees.   It's also fun to use food gels and dye the dough green for those.  I always use some type of sprinkle, because they make them look so pretty! 

Bake 8-10 minutes.  I like to bake just until they start to brown, that way they stay soft.

I hope you enjoy these cookies if you decide to make them, and make sure you check out Steve's cookie post to find more delicious cookie recipes!

It's Almost Birthday Time!

My baby is turning nine on Saturday.  I can not believe it has been that many years since we have had a baby in the house.  Since her birthday is on a Saturday, she needs to bring cupcakes to school tomorrow.  We did a little mom and daughter bonding time this afternoon and made those yummy looking strawberry cupcakes for her class.  Of course, they had to be pink. :)  I am kind of sad that this is the last year she will be able to do this, which means it's the last time I get to make birthday cupcakes for school.  I think this next year is going to be the end of a lot of things with her, like believing in Santa and the tooth fairy.  I guess I have to be content with waiting for my kids to start having kids, which hopefully won't happen for many, many years.

Afraid Of Getting Lost?

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of NAVTEQ. All opinions are 100% mine.

Lots of cars these days have in-dash navigation systems.  People use them everyday to get to where they need to be.  Are you one of them?

If so, have you taken the time lately to do a map update?  Many businesses are closing down, while others are just opening up, and with an outdated map system in your GPS, you could be sent to a store that is no longer open. 

Imagine that you are on your way to a holiday party.  You're running a little late because the kids wouldn't cooperate in the "getting ready" department.  The party is being held a few towns away at a venue you have never heard, and halfway there you remember that you were supposed to bring a holiday themed dessert.  You punch into your GPS that you need to find a bakery, and it leads you to an empty building. You spend the next half hour driving around, looking for somewhere to buy a cake, only to show up an hour late for the party.

If you had done a map update you may not have found yourself in that position.  You would have been one of the first guests to arrive, and you would have been able to relax and enjoy good company, and most importantly, good food. 

Want These Pots?

This is the Farberware Classic Stainless Steel 10 Piece Cookware Set with Glass Lids.  Awesome, right?  I found them on the csnstores.com website for only $69.95.  You can check them out here. 

I can offer you the chance to win these pots, or anything else at csnstores, up to $115.  All you have to do is go here and enter the csnstores giveaway I am hosting on my other blog.  Good luck!

Top Droppers ~ November

Thanks so much to the following blogs who dropped here the most last month.

comatised ~ Dreaming in digital

 

Symbian Freeware ~ Free Symbian GPS, VoIP, text reader software, free themes and games. Ovi Nokia games and freeware.

 

my kids are my world ~ This is a blog about my life as a wife and mother of three kids, who are, obviously, my world.

 

Info ~ Information for your personal finance

 

Tele Centers ~ It has my Technical works and personal thoughts

 

URS-VANCOUVER ~ Its my personal blog and i am planning to bring more visitors to it to enhance the quality of the blog

 

 Tattered Notes ~ Mixed bag of articles from my life

 

TMA-Graphics ~ take free the worlds best home makers ideas. oops!!  I really burn my apron but I make good choices. 

 

Entertainment Information ~  For those of you who need information on entertainment, in this place you’ll find it, visit any time because we update the latest information and important. 

 

The Day Trading Journey For Trader ~ Where Trader Get New Day Trading Information