My Poor Boo

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

Brandi fell and cut her knee the other day.  It was just a little scrape, but she kept picking at it, and now it is infected.  I have been putting triple antibiotic ointment on it, and it seems to be getting better.  I didn't buy a name brand product, though.  I have found that when it comes to medications like that, name brands aren't always the way to go.  You can get the same quality for less money when you buy the store brand.

Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products are just as good as the name brands.  I was sent a sample of their triple antibiotic ointment, and it works great.  It is helping her cut heal, and I love that I can save money by buying it.  And by buying these products, I will be helping Walgreens to contribute up to $3 million annually to the Walgreens Way to Well Fund™, which provides free preventive health tests as well as other health and wellness services and education to local communities.  You can find more information about it here. 

Now that I am on my own with the kids, I love finding ways to save money, and being able to buy over the counter medications at great prices is important to me.  It's important to you too, right?

Family Gourmet

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Family Dollar for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Food.  The one thing that no matter what is going on in my life, my kids keep asking for.  I still have to cook meals for them and make sure they eat, even when I am no longer eating with any regularity.  For the past few weeks, I have been eating salad, and pretty much nothing else.  Except tonight, because we had company and I cooked a nice meal.

Because of my new life situation, I have been thinking of ways to make my grocery money go a little further.  While this is not an easy thing to do, there are certain places I can shop that have lower prices, but the same quality of products.  One of those places is Family Dollar.  They have their own store brand of food called Family Gourmet, and they are so sure that it will stand up against the name brands they offer a 100% Guaranteed or money back within 30 days for a refund or exchange with receipt!  To me, that sounds like they are pretty confident about their products. 

One of the products that I usually buy the store brand of is cereal.  I think the prices of the name brand cereals are ridiculous.  In fact, the prices of most name brand breakfast foods are high.  Buying the Family Gourmet brand can save you over 30% versus the national brands. You can save $1.35 on pancake mix and syrup simply by buying the Family Gourmet brand.  Since we love to do pancake breakfasts on Sunday mornings, saving money on these products is important to me. 

Express Spring 2011 Swim Collection

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

One of the benefits of eating a balanced diet is that you will look good in swim suits.  I have been eating a whole lot better since my husband left me, and I can finally see a difference in myself.  I am a long way from where I want to be, but I am headed in the right direction.  Summer is coming up fast, and I really want to look good in two piece swimwear. 

I was on the Express website looking at women's swimwear, and they had some really pretty bikinis that I will probably never be able to wear.  I did find a cover up that I love, and I think when the time comes to hang around mom's pool, I will be thin enough for it to look good on me.  What do you think?

It's pretty, right?  I love the animal print.  That is just one of the features of the Express swimsuits.  Other features include:

* Available in our always-popular monokini, sexiest string bikini and must-have strapless and halter bikini styles.
* Shop bright solids, on-trend graphic prints, the essential reversible style, nautical-inspired striped and sleek metallic styles.
* Designer details include flirty ruffles, sexy self-tie sides, glam beaded embellishments and polished metal hardware.
* Removable padding in tops.
* Bottoms fit smaller to size for moderate back coverage.
* Swim shorts available for men.
* Accessorize with Express spring essentials including sandals, tote bags, sunglasses and hats For Him and For Her.

If you sign up for Express e-mail before April 24, 2011, you have the chance to win one of 10 $200 Express GiftCards.  Make sure you check out the sweepstakes rules. 

For now, I am going to continue eating healthy and exercising.  Maybe by the time it's summertime, I will be rocking a new bathing suit.  A sexy one. 

Helping In The Kitchen

My kids love being in the kitchen with me.  The other night, when I was feeling particularly sick with the flu, Kasi offered to cook supper.  She baked chicken, with macaroni and cheese and edamame on the side.  It was delicious!  But, it also led to a little jealousy on Brandi's part, so tonight, she helped with dinner.

I wanted to make my seasoned potatoes (you can find my recipe here) so I asked her to cut the potatoes for me.  At 9, she was a little nervous using a sharp knife, so Bob found an interesting solution.  He cut the potatoes into disks, and then Brandi used my pizza cutter to cut the potatoes into bite sized pieces.  It was an inspired solution that allowed her to help without endangering her fingers.

Cooking Creme Chicken

Looks good, right?  The other night, I sent my husband to the store (the girls and I were fighting the flu, so we were quarantined at home) and he came home with this new product from Philadelphia, called Cooking Creme.  It is delicious! 

I simply sauteed some chicken cubes in my pan, and once it was cooked through I added the creme.  Once it was all melted and bubbly, I added broccoli and corn (both of which I cooked in the microwave).  That's it.  Everyone loved it. I am sure you can add whatever kinds of veggies you like.

There are several different flavors of the Creme, and I used the Italian Cheese & Herb one.  I am looking forward to trying the garlic variety, too.  I actually have some chicken left over from last night...I might see if I can come up with something garlicy tonight.

Frieling Nonstick 9" Glass Bottom Springform Pan Review

Isn't this a beautiful pan?  I was given the opportunity to review a product from one of CSNStores 200+ stores, and I chose this cheesecake pan.  I have been wanting to make a homemade cheesecake for a long time, but I didn't own a springform pan.  I was so excited when this pan came in the mail. I knew I could make an awesome cheesecake, and I was right!  The only thing that I didn't like was that my cheesecake split while it was cooling.  Has this happened to you, and does anyone know how to keep it from happening in the future?  The first picture is what the cake looked like right out of the oven.  The second picture shows what happened after it cooled for a bit.

Looks delicious, right?

 Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 5 (250 g) packages PHILADELPHIA Brick Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 eggs
• 1 (19 ounce) can cherry pie filling

Directions

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F if using a silver 9 inch springform pan (or to 300 degrees F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Mix crumbs and butter; press firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.
2. Beat cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust.
3. Bake 1 hour 10 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Top with pie filling before serving. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator. 

 The pan worked perfectly for this recipe.  The cake separated from the sides of the pan easily, and when I released the clasp, the pan came off perfectly.  I loved the glass bottom, because it made it super easy to serve the cheesecake.  There was no transferring it to a serving dish...it was already on one, which is dishwasher safe. I would recommend this pan to anyone looking to make a cheesecake.

**I received this pan free of charge from csnstores to review and keep.  The opinions expressed are my own, and we not influenced in any way.  I was not required to write a positive review, but how could I not when I love the product so much?

Birthday Dinner With Mom

 My mom made the most delicious dinner for me for my birthday.  The picture above does not do it justice..those are lasagna rolls.  Simply put, they are lasagna noodles rolled up with all different kinds of yummy cheeses in the middle.  There was also a cheese sauce on the bottom, and red sauce on top.  I am not kidding when I say they were so good!  Then again, everything my mom makes is awesome.

In addition to my two cakes, my mom also made red velvet cupcakes.  I was not lacking in birthday goodies this year at all. :)

Super Bowl Weekend

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

This weekend, most Americans will be glued to their televisions watching the Super Bowl.  There will be parties with lots of food, and probably a lot of beer, too.  We don't watch football in our house, so we will probably just hang out together.  It's my birthday this weekend, so we will most likely celebrate that.

For those of you who do host Super Bowl parties, I found some Super Bowl Recipes online that look pretty good.  I love that the recipes are demonstrated, so it's easy to follow along.  Check out this recipe for bacon cheddar popcorn. 

I have to say, I would eat this any day of the week.  It would be a perfect addition to our family game nights.

This next video demonstrates shrimp skewers, and even though I don't like seafood, this is a simple recipe that I would make for company.  Heck, I would probably make it just for the family, too.  Check it out.

If you are throwing a Super Bowl Party this weekend, check out all the superbowlfood recipes.  The cook in the videos is fun to watch, and he is easy to follow.  You may find something new to add to your party spread. 

I Haven't Forgotten About This Blog...I Promise

I feel like I haven't been over here in a while.  I have been taking pictures of my food, just not blogging about it.  I had been overwhelmed trying to get ready for this Bank Of America photo shoot next week.  I spent today painting the cabinets in my kitchen, and they look awesome.  You can see pics here.  I finally decided on the cheesecake pan to review.  I got it in the mail a few days ago, and I found a great recipe to use.  I even bought all the ingredients.  Hopefully I can find the time this week to actually make it. 

What Should I Review From CSNStores?

I am beyond excited to be doing my first product review on this blog.  I have been working with CSNStores on my other blog, so I am familiar with all the awesome things they sell in their 200+ stores.  The only problem with having such a huge selection of products is deciding what I want to review.

There are several different directions I can go, but each will somehow involve my kitchen, since this is a blog about food.  The first thing I searched for was a table.  The one we have now is so old, and it only has three working chairs.  Since there are five of us, that makes having a family dinner at the table impossible.  I want a table that is big enough for all of us, but that doesn't take up too much space.  While searching for modern furniture, I found this table, and I adore it.

I love the bench seats, and the fact that the table is square.  That would make playing games so much easier, and we play at lot of games around here. 

As mush as I would love this table, I also want a bread maker.  I found this one, and it looks so cool!  Check it out:

I also want a Springform pan to make cheesecake from scratch, which is something I have never done but really want to try.  The pan I am leaning towards has a glass bottom, so it can double as the serving plate. 

With so many choices, I have no idea what I am finally going to settle on.  Probably the cheesecake pan.  I really want to make a cheesecake from scratch.  If you have read this blog before, you know I am on a quest to find the perfect cheesecake.  How cool would it be if I made the perfect cheesecake?

Peanut Butter Frosting

 

How cute are these?  I had to review Roundabout cupcake sleeves on my other blog, and they sent me these burger ones.  I made chocolate cupcakes, and needed a brownish frosting, so I went online in search of a recipe.   Most of the recipes I found were very similar, so I just kind of used my own judgment and came up with this recipe that worked pretty well.

1/2 stick butter, room temp

1 cup creamy peanut butter (I found a whipped peanut butter in the store that I used, and it worked great)

1/3 cup milk

3 cups powdered sugar

First, I creamed the butter and peanut butter.  I then added 2 cups of the sugar and the milk, while still creaming.  I added one more cup of sugar, and that was it.  Next time, I might add a little more peanut butter, because the sugar kind of muted the taste, but aside from that, it was really good.

Bruschetta

 We are snowed in today, so I figured it was the perfect day to break out a new recipe I have been wanting to try.  It's for bruschetta.  Doesn't it look good?  I didn't have all he ingredients, so I had to substitute some stuff, but it still came out yummy.

The recipe:

8 Roma tomatoes, diced

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Mix it all together and let sit for 1-2 hours.

Sounds easy, right?  It was.  I didn't have Roma tomatoes, so I seeded and diced regular tomatoes, which worked just as well.  I didn't have shredded Parmesan cheese, so I used the stuff in the shaker.  I also didn't have fresh basil, so I used parsley.  Over all, it came out delicious.  I will make it again when I have the right ingredients to see if it tastes any different.

It's Melting!

The ice is finally melting away, which makes me happy.  I love my family, but I need some time out of the house, so hopefully we can venture to the store.  Yesterday, Ryan was outside shoveling the snow and ice, and even though he had regular glove on, he was still complaining about his hands.  I think he was wishing he had a pair of work gloves to keep the blisters away.

He did an awesome job shoveling, so Bob was able to head out to work this morning.  He was a couple of hours late, but he made it.

I'm Always The Egg Girl

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of TABASCO® Original Red. All opinions are 100% mine.

I make a really good deviled egg.  I do.  In fact, whenever we have any type of get together at my mom's house, I am always the one who brings the eggs.  My recipe is pretty basic, with mayo, salt, pepper, and some type of pickle (depending on what I have in the fridge), with paprika sprinkled on top.  That's it. 

I think it's time to find a new recipe.  Maybe something with a little kick.

I was playing around online, and found this recipe on the TABASCO® Original Red  website.  Check out the ingredients:

• 12 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
• 1/4 cup nonfat yogurt
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon original red TABASCO sauce
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, basil, dill, chives
• Salt to taste

I have to admit, it has never occurred to me to add yogurt to the yolk mixture.  I bet it makes the centers so creamy and delicious.  The TABASCO sauce, which is "so much more than hot", probably adds just enough of a kick to bring out all the other flavors.  I think I might try this recipe the next time I make eggs, which will probably be soon. 

You can find tons of other simple finger food recipes on TABASCO's Game-Day Party Menu.  I know a lot of people have Super Bowl parties, and these recipes would make some wonderful foods for that.  With their Pizza Perfected ideas, you can see how to use TABASCO Original Red to spruce up delivery and frozen pizzas.  Why not make this a new game day tradition?  You can each pick a different pizza and see how you can make it better using TABASCO Original Red.  Do you want to make it hot, or simply enhance the flavors?  My husband likes a lot of heat in everything he eats, so I'm curious to see how much sauce he'll add to his.

Who says you need to have a party to enjoy party foods, anyway?  These recipes would also work for our family game nights.  Or any other night, for that matter.

Check Out My New Pots

 

 Aren't they pretty?  I had mentioned months ago that I wanted new stainless pots, and my mom remembered.  I was thrilled when I opened them on Christmas.  The set has three different sized pots, as well as a small skillet.  (the non-stick frying pan in the picture is one of the ones I reviewed from CSNstores) The pots came with glass lids and three stainless utensils.  I love them!  The only issue I have is that I have no where to store them.  My cabinet where I have been keeping my pots and pans doesn't have a shelf, so everything is piled on top of each other, and I want to keep this set looking nice.  I think I am going to look for some type of shelving unit to go in my kitchen hallway to put them on.  Maybe something like this:

I already have a smaller version of this sitting on my counter.  It holds all my spices and olive oils.  I just hope the bigger shelves are affordable.

Feeding A Baby Is Easier Than Feeding A Teenager

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

I talk a lot on this blog about the thing I make for my family.  I have a couple of helpers (my girls) who are always trying to help, and most of the time I am more than happy to let them. I read somewhere that if you let your kids help prepare a meal they are more likely to eat it.  My kids aren't necessarily picky eaters, but there are some things that I have gotten them to try simply by allowing them to help prepare it.

When my kids were little, they were both breastfed and bottle fed.  Actually, they were always bottle fed, but for the first three months of each of their lives, I pumped my milk for them.  Once they were solely on formula, I was always on the lookout for the best price, because formula was, and still is, downright expensive.  These days, parents can buy on diapers.com Bright Beginnings formula, which is a store brand, not a name brand formula.  It is, however, just as nutritious for your baby.  It has to be.  There are laws about this.  It also costs a whole lot less than the store brand formulas, and as parents, I think it's in our blood to save money where ever we can, without sacrificing what's important.  You can find out more about this formula by visiting and liking Bright Beginnings on Facebook. 

I am off to make supper for the kids.  I wish it was as simple as heating up a bottle, but they always want meat and vegetables.  Sometimes, I miss the days of liquid meals.  They were so much easier to prepare!

I Made Sausage Balls

I had to write a post about sausage balls on my other blog, so tonight I decided to try out the recipe I found.  Let me tell you...they were delicious!  I didn't follow the recipe exactly....

The recipe called for 2 cups of biscuit mix, 1 pound of sausage, and 10 ounces of cheese.  You were supposed to mix the cheese and sausage and then add the biscuit mix.  I had 1 and 1/2 pounds of sausage, so I used 12 ounces of cheese and 3 cups of biscuit mix.  No matter how hard I tried, I could not get the biscuit mix to mix in with the sausage.  I ended up adding half a cup of milk, which worked great.  The original recipe said to bake at 350 for 20 minutes, but they weren't even close to done after that time, so I increased the temp to 425 and baked them for another 15 minutes, I think.  As you can see in the picture, they came out nice and brown.

I am definitely going to make these for our next get together.

Top Droppers ~ December

 Thanks to the following blogs who dropped on here the most in December:

comatised ~ Dreaming in digital

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.

Travel Around The World ~ Tips, Learn, And Smartest choice to travels guide

Everyday Living ~  Weight-Loss tips and stories, mixed together with humor and fun. All this and more to help you get through the journey of Everyday Living

we serve for you ~ share about knowlegde in making online money

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

Home Improvement ~ Home Decorating Blog

Gadgets Resources ~ The Best Resources for Gadgets Information

Medical Research and Information ~ All information about medical research and information include, exercise, nutrition, health tips, and other information about health

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.