Celebrate the 4th with these great ideas....

The 4th is next week.  Next week!?!?!?  I can't believe it.  One reason is probably because we just got out of school, but the 4th always seems to creep up on me and it's one of my favorite holidays.  I love the parades, I love the fests, I love the fireworks, and I for sure I love the food.

This year however, we will not be home for the 4th, we will instead be at....DISNEY WORLD!!!  We cant' wait and I can't wait to share our trip with you.

In the meantime, I have some wonderful 4th of July eats and treats.  Have a great weekend!

Two Pea's and their Pod's Blueberry, Strawberry and Jicama Salad

SnoCone Cupcakes from Bakerella

4th of July Marshmallow Pops

Cookin Cowgirl's Firecracker Cookies

Free 4th of July Printable from My Fabulous Life

Patriotic Popsicles from Just Another Manic Momday

Mom.me's Fruity Ice Drinks

4th of July Banana Splits

Just A Taste's Pinwheel Cookies

Makoodle's Patriotic Oreo Pops

Red White and Blue Jello at Brown Eyed Baker

No Name Meat review and giveaway....

If you are a regular reader, you know that I am always looking for simple, no fuss, great tasting meals to make on those working nights.  Well along came No Name Meats......

Over thirty-five years ago, in a small neighborhood butcher shop, a local butcher began selling delicious, hand-cut steaks. These steaks cooked up tender and juicy and, as rumor had it, tasted incredible. Word began to spread. When his customers asked the butcher what these steaks were called, he simply replied, “They don’t have a name.” Soon, people were coming from miles around to get the steaks with “No Name,” and a legend was born.

One of my favorite stores to do my grocery shopping is Jewel.  Every time I shop there I see No Name products in the meat freezer section, but I have never tried them.  Recently my husband and I had the opportunity to try two products from the No Name brand: No Name Steaks – Petite Cut and and No Name Superb & Simple – Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts.

We have not had the Steaks, but we make the  Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast last night. They were delicious and went well with broccoli cheddar rice and a salad.   For $6.99 we were able to get two Parmesan Crusted Chicken breasts which were so easy to heat and serve.  I will definitely will be buying these again; especially for those days I come home form work and am not in the mood to cook.  

from mac-n-cheese to filet mignon

Lately I have been trying to improve my cooking skills.  When my husband and I first got married, I would spend hours making the perfect gourment meals.  When Jack was born all of that went out the window.  Our meals now consist of easy, throw together receipes, simple sandwiches, and microwave soups. 

The time has finally come for me to get back to my love of cooking.  It may not be all gourmet, all the time yet, but it will be a work in progress. 

One of my favorite things to do in my spare time at work, or at home is to browse food blogs.  I have about 40 favorites that I read daily.  I figured, why not share some of my favorites with all of you.  So here are five of the food blogs that I LOVE (in no particular order).  There is a mix of everything here: simple, time consuming, gourmet, but all wonderful.  Let me know what you think!

 not without salt

simply scratch

almost bourdain

i married an irish farmer

orangette

New Year, New You, and a Giveaway!

Anyone else want to lose weight and get in shape in 2011? 

Every year I promise to lose weight and get in shape.  It lasts a few months, and then it's all out the window.  Well this year is different.  This year I am going to do it, and hopefully Yoplait will help me.

According to a recent survey by Yoplait Fiber One, Americans are fed up with flavorless, boring snacks - and claim they are a contributor to diet failure.

With 50 calories, 5 grams of fiber and 0 grams of fat, Yoplait Fiber One Blueberry yogurt is a perfect solution, packed with real fruit and the great taste of blueberries that you’ll love. As an added bonus, the deliciously creamy yogurt also contains vitamins A and D and is a good source of calcium.

MyBlogSpark recently sent me a Yoplait Fiber One Prize Pack that also contained a coupon for a free sample of Fiber One Blueberry yogurt. The best part, is that this low calorie yogurt tastes amazing!  The journal they sent me is perfect for tracking my food intake and my workouts on a daily basis.

Don’t forget to become a fan of Yoplait on Facebook or follow Yoplait on Twitter  

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Yoplait and MyBlogSpark is giving one lucky reader a Fiber One Blueberry yogurt gift pack that includes

Coupon for a free package of Yoplait Fiber One yogurt.

A fitness journal and pen

Sport towel

Water bottle

Blueberry stress ball.

*This coupon for a Free Yoplait Fiber One Blueberry yogurt is not valid in some states, including California, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, North Dakota and Tennessee

To Win (mandatory):

Leave me a comment letting me know what time of day you plan on enjoying the new Blueberry flavor of Fiber One yogurt. (please include your email address with each entry)

 

Contest ends Tuesday January 4th at 11:59 pm.  Winner will be choosen via random.org and contacted via email.

Good Luck!

 

What's your flavor Friday and a Giveaway!

The weeken is finally here!! And it's a 3 day weekend which is even better!!  I am so excited we are going apple picking in Michigan this weekend!  I will for sure post some pictures of that.  It's hard to believe a year ago this weekend we went, and Jack was not born yet.  Now he is going to be a year in less than 2 weeks.  Time is FLYING by!
If you are a new visitor from  Feature Me Friday I hope you like what you see and come back to visit soon.  If you are one of my regulars, thank you for reading, and thank you for all your comments. 

Now for the giveaway!

I love easy dinners, but no matter how easy a meal may be, it has to be delicious.  So when Lawry's  and My Blog Spark asked if they could send me some of their delicious marinades and seasionings, I of course said yes!
I received my package in a mail a few days later with these amazing mainades and seasonings:
Marinades

• Szechuan Sweet & Sour BBQ gives meat a delicious sweet and sour flavor with a touch of Szechuan heat
• Tuscan Sun-Dried Tomato includes extra virgin olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, sweet red bell peppers and the perfect blend of herbs

Seasoning Mixes

• Asian Style Beef & Broccoli – This easy to prepare stir fry meal will remind your family of their favorite Asian restaurant. The dish combines beef, broccoli and seasonings with a hint of garlic. Serve it over rice and you have a complete, satisfying meal.
• Chimichurri Burrito Casserole – Lawry´s gives the familiar Burrito casserole a new twist with this traditional Latin American sauce. With a few simple fresh ingredients, mealtime just got a lot more exciting.
• Mediterranean Sundried Tomato & Garlic Chicken – Add a taste of the Mediterranean to your family´s casserole. This easy to bake casserole combines chicken, pasta, tomatoes and Feta cheese to easily make a flavorful meal any night of the week.
• Tuscan Style Chicken Marsala with Garlic and Basil – Chicken Marsala is a restaurant favorite, but it might not make the menu at home. This effortless version comes together on your stovetop with just a few fresh ingredients. Flavorful garlic and basil gives this meal its own Tuscan flair, perfect for serving over pasta or rice.

I decided to try the Beef and Broccoli Seasoning Mix that I was sent, and it made the meal preparation quick and simple! My husband loved it and so did I! 

***You can find Lawry's Seasonings at a grocery store near you.

WIN IT:
One Lucky Reader will receive a Lawry's“What’s Your Flavor” kit (pictured above) that includes a marinating dish, a set of skewers, Lawry’s two new marinades, as well as a sample of each of the four new Seasoning Mixes and a bottle of Lawry’s Seasoned Salt

HOW TO ENTER:
Leave a comment~ Which Lawry's Seasoning Mix / Marinade are you most excited to try? The comment is considered your entry.

ADDITIONAL  ENTRIES:

1)Follow me (if you do, leave a comment!)

**Please leave your email address with one of your comments.  Contest will end Friday October 15th, at 11:59 pm.  Winner will be choosen via random.org and contacted by email.
Good Luck!

A Cheesy Giveaway!

Summer is almost over, but there are still plenty of beautiful days for a picnic! I love picnics.  I love eating outside, relaxing and just enjoying summer.  Well Weight Watchers made my day, (and my summer) when they sent me this awesome picnic basket full of goodies, including new Weight Watchers cheese products!

The new Weight Watchers Spreadable Cheese Wedges come in four mouth-watering varieties – Original Swiss, Garlic & Herb, Parmesan Peppercorn and Jalapeño Pepper. Each wedge has only 30 calories, packs more fiber than the leading competitor and has a POINTS® value of 1. The wedges have a suggested retail price of $2.99-$3.99.


The new eight-ounce variety of Weight Watchers Reduced Fat Cream Cheese Spread is ideal for baking and snacking alike, coming with pre-measured servings and the same easy-to-spread goodness of other Weight Watchers cream cheese products. The spread boasts 40 percent less fat than regular cheese and a POINTS® value of 1 per serving. It has a suggested retail price of $1.69-$1.99.

These cheese products are delicious!!!  They are the perfect for lunch or an afternoon snack, and I'll still be able to lose that baby weight!

The best part?  Weight Watchers will be giving one my lucky readers their own Weight Watchers picnic basket!

The basket includes:


Two Weight Watchers Cheese products
Other healthy snacks
Picnic blanket
Sunscreen
Frisbee
Cheese knife
2 Wine glasses
Contest Rules:



Required Entry: Leave a comment telling me your cheesiest love story

Bonus entry: Tweet about this contest/ or how you entered to win – “I entered to win a custom filled Weight Watchers Cheese Picnic basket from @JustAnotherMM #WeightWatchersCheese”

Contest ends: Thursday, August 19th at 11:59 pm.  Winner will be choosen via random.org and contacted via email!  Good Luck!

Future Food Critic?

So I have been making Jack's baby food since he started on solids.  It takes some time, but I really like it, and I figure I will be making his food for the  next 18 years or so, so why not start now.

We have slowly been giving him finger foods here and there.  That has not been going as well.  I think he is not used to anything crunchy or with a non-pureed texture.  This is his face when we give him watermelon.



With tears and all.  I am hoping the more we give him different textures, the better this will get.  Otherwise, I think we may have a future food critic on our hands.
Did anyone else have this experience with their little ones?

Speaking of food, I found a great website for those with children that are a little bit older.  The site is called Cooking With My Kid, and this bloggers goal is to teach her kids the art of cooking.  Her mission is 365 recipes in 365 days, but all cooking must be kid assisted.

It has some great ideas and recipes, like this cheesy corn on a stick:

IT looks SO tasty, and it's super easy! Check it out!

baby food in the making,,,

So I have always wanted to make Jack's food.  It's less expensive, I know what is going in his food and it stores easily.  The website http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/ is a great resource for those making baby food.  They give recipes, nutritional information and tips on what food is safe at different ages. 

My problem with all of this?  Time.  I feel like I never have time.  I get home from work, and want to spend as much time as I can with Jack.  Then it's bathtime, bedtime, dinner for my husband and I.  Then we clean bottles, tidy up the place, get ready for tomorrow.  I try making food on the weekends, but I always have so many other things to do that don't get done during the week.

Does anyone else make their food for their little one?  Any tips on fitting it all in?  Any great recipes you would like to share?  I'd love to hear them!