Easter Peeps Giveaway!

March 28, 2014 by 45 Comments

Disclosure- I participated in this campaign on behalf of Peeps And Company. I received  promotional items to facilitate this review and as a thank you item for participating.  All opinions are my own and honest. See I Disclose Tab if you would like more information.

Peeps Easter Basket

My son just loves Peeps.  My grandmother has always loved them as well, so I always buy a ton as soon as they hit shelves and get them both a wide variety of Marshmallow Chicks and Marshmallow Bunnies.  While Peeps are great for Easter baskets, they are also a fun reminder of spring in general, and my son, husband, and grandmother eat them pretty constantly until there are none left.

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I love the new additions that they have this year, and honestly didn’t make anyone wait until Easter to try them all out.  There are new Birthday Cake Peeps, chocolate mousse dipped in chocolate chicks, dark chocolate- not to mention the multi-colored Peeps Marshmallow Bunny and chocolate egg complete with a Peeps Chick in it.  There are also new candies- they are chocolate candies with marshmallow centers.  They are individually wrapped and come by the bagful.
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Joe’s Crab Shack

March 27, 2014 by 11 Comments

Eat At Joe’s!

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It’s a timeless phrase, and for those of who have eaten at Joe’ s, it will make your mouth water and a smile creep across your face.  Joe’ s Crab Shack has over 120 locations across the country and more springing up everyday.  We recently had the opportunity to Eat At Joe’ s and had a wonderful evening of seafood and fun.

3 5 14 060Joe’ s serves seafood, surprise surprise!  They are best known for their steam pots of crab, seafood, corn and potatoes.  Each pot is themed to a specific taste.  Some examples are The Orleans, which include one pound of craw fish, shrimp and andouille sausage with a  touch of spice.  The Ragin’ Cajun takes the spice up a notch with Pacific Dungeness crab Queen crab, shrimp, and andouille sausage.  The Sam Adams Steam pot takes a pound of clams, lobster claws, and smoked sausage all boiled in a (not spicy at all) Sam Adams lager.  Steam pots are not the only items on the menu, there is a plethora of other options seafood and land loving as well.  From burgers to shrimp platters, there is something for everyone.  There is even a kids menu with seafood and non-aquatic as well.
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Yogurt Panna Cotta with Strawberry Coulis

March 12, 2014 by 7 Comments

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This creamy, delightful, easy to make panna cotta (Italian for “cooked cream”) is also quite impressive.

The use of yogurt instead of the traditional cream makes this dessert as light as air and also adds a

refreshing acidic punch that goes perfectly with fruit. Let the season guide your choice of fruit, from

kiwi, to raspberries or blackberries. You can make the panna cotta in a large, family-style container or

in elegant individual servings. You can also prepare it a day ahead of your dinner party and simply cover

and place in the refrigerator until needed.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

½ cup whole milk

½ cup sugar, plus additional, if needed

1 ½ gelatin sheets, dissolved in enough cold water

to cover

1 ½ cups plain, full-fat yogurt, strained in a
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Insalata di finocchi e arance/Fennel and Orange Salad

March 9, 2014 by 3 Comments

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A crisp white bulb of fennel brings to mind my father and the people of his generation, who loved to

eat it as a palate-cleansing finish to a long meal. Fennel, with its delicate, anise-like flavor, thrives on

the Italian plains and is a favorite winter vegetable, particularly at Christmas time. High in fiber and

potassium, fennel has been prized for its nutritional and medicinal value since ancient times.

This simple, refreshing salad has been on the Al Tiramisu menu since I first created this version many

years ago. It’s a perennial hit with my guests who invariably ask me for the recipe. Many home cooks

seem mystified by fennel’s unusual appearance and for them I offer tips, below, for dealing with fennel.
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Shepherd’s/Cottage Pie Meatballs

February 16, 2014 by 1 Comment

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If you call something shepherd’s pie on the Internet but you use beef instead of lamb, people freak out. I personally like this recipe better with beef, but it works both ways, so I wanted to leave it open for you to decide. The fun part of this recipe is biting into a meatball to find the soft mashed potato on the inside.

Makes: 30 to 35 meatballs

Heat: 0

Pig-Out Scale: 6.4

 

Potatoes

2 large russet potatoes

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

4 tablespoons (56 g) butter

2 carrots, diced

1 small onion, diced

2 cups (230 g) corn

½ cup (120 ml) cream

 

Meatballs

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons (30 ml) Worcestershire sauce

2 slices bread

2 tablespoons (30 ml) milk

¼ cup (16 g) chopped parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ pounds (680 g) ground beef or lamb

 

Make the Potatoes: Preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C, or gas mark 5). Rub the potatoes with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 1 ½ ours, until tender.
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Stuffed: The Ultimate Comfort Food Cookbook

February 15, 2014 by 3 Comments

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Who doesn’t love comfort food?  How about a few of your favorites at the same time? I thought so. This cookbook is fun and has a lot of interesting recipes in it- jalapeno stuffed with mac and cheese? What?  Yes. It’s all true.  What’s not to love about this book?  Not much- most of it is pretty mouth-watering and enticing.  I won’t lie, nothing I made came out half as pretty as the things he cooked, but then, I’m not a professional (that’s what we are going with).  Most of it came out well, even my son and husband were happy with the results and glad guinea pigs.  Check it out for yourself- these recipes will certainly shake up your menu, and even offer cool ways to use your leftovers.
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Country Chicken & Buttermilk Soup

February 13, 2014 by 3 Comments

 

This comforting chicken soup is filled with vegetables and uses nonfat buttermilk and fat-free chicken broth instead of a heavier cream base. It’s as satisfying as chicken and dumplings, with none of the guilt.

chicken soup

Makes 6 servings

Hands-on 35 min.

Total 1 hour, 5 min.

 

2 skinned and boned chicken breast halves (about 1 ½ lb.)

5 cups reduced-sodium fat-free chicken broth

1 Tbsp. butter

2 medium-size red potatoes, cut into wedges

1 celery rib, chopped

¼ large white onion, coarsely chopped

½ carrot, peeled and chopped

½ cup fresh or frozen green peas
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WIN Chocolate Mint Day Balance Bars

February 13, 2014 by 27 Comments

Disclosure: The below was provided for me in order to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance to FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” tab for more information.

Looking for a healthier option to chocolate? Celebrate Chocolate Mint Day on 2/19 with Balance Bars.

pic 1Chocolate Mint Day celebrates anything and everything that is chocolate mint flavored. The most common chocolate mint treats are ice cream, candies, and desserts, but it’s great think about healthier options as well.  One such option that is portable, good for meals or snacks, and tastes good too is the Mint Cookie Crunch Balance Bar. Everyone in my house likes them, and they are great for travel as well.

balance bars

“Here’s a refreshing new take on a classic. We’ve added a crunchier cookie base and more mint flavor to this delicious chocolate cookie bar. The chocolate and cool mint come together in a satisfyingly crunchy delight for a perfect chocolate mint Balance Bar.
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