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I love when I find simple and easy recipes, that add something new to an everyday meal and are equally as impressive on a table for guests. I like it even better when that recipe is inexpensive to make. If you plan your shopping wisely, this recipe hits the mark on all counts, plus it’s [...]
I love when I find simple and easy recipes, that add something new to an everyday meal and are equally as impressive on a table for guests. I like it even better when that recipe is inexpensive to make. If you plan your shopping wisely, this recipe hits the mark on all counts, plus it’s just plain pretty.
Do you all remember the recent $5 off 5 Kraft cheese coupons? We were allowed to print two and so I hung onto them until our local store had Kraft Cream Cheese on sale for 98¢ each. Then I purchased 10 blocks of cream cheese and the store PAID ME 20¢ to bring them home. FREE Cream Cheese cuts the cost in any recipe! Then when grapes were on sale for 87¢/ lb, it was a shoe-in that it was time to try this salad!
I’m sure you’ve all noticed by now, that I am still adjusting to taking pictures in the different lighting of our new home, but don’t let my poor photography skills fool you. This is a pretty sidedish, that you’ll be proud to serve, even to company. I love how my Noritake Round Baker/Pie Plate displays this yummy salad. Have you visited Noritake, yet? They sponsored an awesome giveaway of Colorwave Bakeware for our Homemade Holiday series and their dinnerware is just as lovely. Plus, now through this Friday they are having an amazing 30% OFF sale – SITE WIDE! Use coupon code Holiday30 and pick up your favorite pieces with a phenomenal discount!
The wonderful bakeware Noritake donated for our recent giveaway!
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Grape Salad
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs green seedless grapes
- 2 lbs red seedless grapes
- 1 cup sour cream
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Directions:
Get yourself an eight- or nine-year-old that loves to help in the kitchen. Let them wash and de-stem all your grapes.
My favorite nine-year-old, washing and removing the stems from the grapes.
In a small bowl, mix the softened cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla. (Remember this beautiful Winter Song bowl from Lenox? I love it and it’s perfect for this winter season!) Mix until the dressing is smooth and creamy. Yum! This would also be a very good fruit dip with a tray full of fruit chunks, too.
Pretty Winter Song bowl from Lenox.
Sweet, creamy dressing ready to pour over the grapes.
Pour the dressing over the prepared grapes and stir to coat. Pour the salad into a serving dish. I used the Noritake Round Baker/Pie Plate from their Colorwave Collection. The Raspberry color just seemed like the perfect fit, this time of year.
Mix the brown sugar and pecans. You will use them to top the salad.
Salad in beautiful Raspberry Colorwave Round Baker from Noritake and ready to be topped.
Beautiful AND delicious! You can eat this right away, but the flavors and texture gets better the longer you leave it in the fridge. That extra time to sit, allows the dressing to moisten and start to dissolve the brown sugar in the topping and all the flavors to meld and complement one another. This recipe is so simple and quick to fix. It has great texture and taste, plus it looks pretty! You can’t go wrong with this dish on your Homemade Holiday menu!
Grape salad, finished off with pecans and brown sugar. That Raspberry Colorwave Round Baker from Noritake is going to be gorgeous in my holiday tablescape!
Served with a tasty corn casserole that will be posting soon! (More of my Winter Song china from Lenox. I love it!)
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Printable Version of Grape Salad Recipe
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This post is linked to Tasty Tuesday.
This time of year, there are all kinds of parties and gatherings where we will contribute at least one item, if not more, to the buffet table. Appetizers are a popular and simple way of providing a little somethin’ somethin’ for all your guests without the work and fuss of a full meal. I love [...]
This time of year, there are all kinds of parties and gatherings where we will contribute at least one item, if not more, to the buffet table. Appetizers are a popular and simple way of providing a little somethin’ somethin’ for all your guests without the work and fuss of a full meal. I love doing appetizer buffets, because they offer so much variety and will invariably have at least an item or two to suit everyone’s tastes. Plus, if you are asking guests to contribute, appetizers are often less intimidating than a full-fledged potluck dish for the non-cookers on your guest list.
I threw this relish together while preparing for a fun visit with our Four Square group from church. This will satisfy the palates of friends who enjoy a spicy bite in their hors d’oeuvres. Mine was on the hot side and you can tame it down in two ways if you prefer milder heat - 1) remove the veins and seeds from the jalapeno before mincing and 2) only use half the jalapeno. Regardless of the heat level you like, this simple relish is DELICIOUS on crackers spread with cream cheese and the colors are festive and inviting.
This would be another great item to put in canning jars with a decorative lid and ribbon and add to your list of frugal and well-received gift ideas. This recipe made about 6 cups, so you could probably get six of the cute half-pint jars made and it would be so inexpensive per jar. Wouldn’t it be gorgeous in a basket with some home baked bread and other holiday goodies!!??!!
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Glenda’s Corn Relish
Ingredients:
- 16 oz bag of frozen sweet corn, thawed
- 1 red bell pepper, diced fine
- 1/3 cup white or red onion, minced
- 1 jalapeno, minced fine (remove seeds and veins for less heat)
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped fine
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons of sugar, more or less, to taste
Directions:
Tasty ingredients for a simple appetizer.
I mince the onion and jalapeno very fine and I do a small dice on the red pepper. This is going to be more a matter of preference, but normally you will not want BIG chunks of any one vegetable topping your crackers. You want these flavors to meld and be one, letting the veggies be the texture, but the combination of all of them to be the flavor.
Veggies chopped and ready to be mixed in my Pampered Chef Batter Bowl.
Once all the vegetables are chopped, I mix them in my Pampered Chef Batter Bowl. Because I can snap the lid on and slide it right into the fridge, it’s the perfect choice for allowing this yummy relish to marinate for a few hours, before serving.
Corn Relish ready for the dressing/marinade.
Chop the parsley and stir it into the veggies. (I think you could just as easily substitute cilantro and then use lime juice in place of the vinegar. This recipe leaves lots of room for variations, so be creative. I can imagine it with some chopped avocado, too.)
Whisk the oil, vinegar and sugar together to make the dressing. I love these Easy Read Measuring Cups from Pampered Chef!
Whisk the oil, red wine vinegar and sugar together to make the dressing/marinade. Pour over the veggies. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Some of the appetizers for our get-together. There's the relish in the center-right. (See that summer sausage in the back? You'll never buy it again, after you try the simple recipe, I'll be sharing.)
I served it as one of several appetizers and desserts for our little gathering. I wish I had gotten a picture of it on the crackers with cream cheese, because it’s so pretty, but we were just to busy gobbling it. 
This picture shows several of the items on our appetizer buffet. You’re going to love the homemade summer sausage. But that’s another post.
Think fun, frugal and tasty when you’re planning treats for your holiday spread or for gifts. This corn relish should be on your list!
Printable Version of Corn Relish Recipe
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This recipe is linked to Tasty Tuesday.
I love Pampered Chef, as could be easily evidenced by sifting through my kitchen cabinets. It’s always been kind of a joke with our family that I should have been a Pampered Chef rep, because I own so many of the products they sell and have been known to “add to” an official rep’s presentation, [...]
I love Pampered Chef, as could be easily evidenced by sifting through my kitchen cabinets. It’s always been kind of a joke with our family that I should have been a Pampered Chef rep, because I own so many of the products they sell and have been known to “add to” an official rep’s presentation, during a party. Having high quality tools when I work in the kitchen is as important as it is for my husband when he’s working on a project in the shop. I cook. It’s what I do. A large percentage of the time I spend “working” for my family is in the kitchen and getting those jobs done efficiently and well is important. Pampered Chef products have always helped me do that.
Lovely Pampered Chef Trifle Bowl with pedestal stored inside.
Now, I suppose it could be argued that no one NEEDS a trifle bowl. After all, even it’s name implies that it would indeed be insignificant, a mere trifle, in my pantry full of kitchen gadgets, containers and tools. However, after receiving this bowl to review and preparing one of the yummiest desserts to grace a holiday table inside of it, I knew I was going to have to start a campaign to change it’s name. This is no trifling matter. This bowl is in my kitchen to stay! I first consulted Merriam Webster on the subject of trifles and was somewhat deflated as I read, “an article or thing of very little value”. Perhaps definition number two would be better, “a matter, affair, or circumstance of trivial importance or significance”. Further perusal of the dictionary entry for trifle found me eight definitions deep before I could expel a sigh of relief, “a dessert usually consisting of custard and cake soaked in wine or liqueur, and jam, fruit, or the like”. Why this is not definition number one is beyond me and you will wonder the same thing when you have tasted this delicious dessert, but for the time being, I am satisfied that Pampered Chef won’t need to change the name of this lovely and useful kitchen tool. You’re going to love everything about it!
Pampered Chef’s Trifle Bowl holds 15 cups! This is NOT your grandma’s trifle bowl. It’s straight, transparent sides are just the beginning. It also has a flat bottom, unlike other brands, which prevents your creations from sinking in the center. One of my favorite features is the removable base. Lift this heavy and obviously high quality, glass bowl from its pedestal, snap on the tight-sealing plastic lid and you can store it neatly in the fridge until time for serving. Place it back on the pedestal and it becomes an elegant part of your beautiful tablescape.
Gingerbread Butterscotch Trifle in Pampered Chef's Trifle Bowl.
I’ll be showing you this bowl in several different ways over the next few weeks, but I couldn’t wait to share with you how beautifully it showcased my Gingerbread Butterscotch Trifle. (That would be one of those “desserts usually consisting of custard and cake soaked in wine or liqueur, and jam, fruit, or the like”). I can only lay claim to this recipe in the sense that I altered it, and then, only accidentally, albeit a very happy accident. Well, I intended to alter part of it, since I wanted to make the cake from scratch, instead of a mix; but I didn’t intend to alter the pumpkin part. The original recipe was for Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle and that is exactly what I intended to make. I accidentally didn’t. This is the original recipe and I can tell you with great confidence that if you forget, in a moment of deep conversation, to add the pumpkin called for in THAT recipe, you will still love the dessert, and thus, the recipe I am sharing with you, here.
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Gingerbread Butterscotch Trifle
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Trifle Ingredients:
- one gingerbread cake
- 3 small boxes (3 oz) of instant butterscotch pudding
- 5 cups of cold milk
- 1 tub of Cool Whip (8 oz size)
Gingerbread Cake Ingredients:
- 1 ¼ cup butter
- 2 cups white sugar
- ¼ cup orange marmalade
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup water
- 3 cups King Arthur Unbleached all purpose flour
- 7 eggs
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 teaspoons Ginger
- 2 teaspoon King Arthur’s Vietnamese Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Allspice
- ½ teaspoon Cloves
- ½ teaspoon Nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Mace
- 1 Tablespoon Orange zest
Cake Directions:
Cream butter and white sugar in a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer.
Cream the butter and white sugar.
Add the eggs and beat until mixed.
Add eggs.
Add brown sugar, marmalade, cream and water. Mix thoroughly.
Add marmalade, brown sugar, cream and water.
Zest an orange. You will need about 1 Tablespoon. Be sure to zest only the rind of the orange. That’s where all the flavorful oils are. You don’t want any of the bitter, white pith underneath the rind.
Zest one orange. (This is actually my Pampered Chef zester. I just didn't get the handle in the picture.)
Mix all the spices and orange zest. This smells so wonderful mixed together! I just tossed them all together in one of my Pampered Chef Easy Read Measuring cups.
Wonderfully fragrant mixture of spices and orange zest! Your house is going to smell amazing!
Add flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and spices mixture to your batter. Mix until dry ingredients are completely incorporated.
Add remaining dry ingredients.
Thick, delicious cake batter. You will have to force yourself to bake this instead of eating it with a spoon. It is SOOO good!
Pour the cake batter into a greased 9×13 pan and bake at 350° for 70-75 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean when the cake is done.
Pour batter into 9x13 pan.
Baked and cooling for my trifle.
Whisk the butterscotch pudding mix and milk together in a large bowl. I used my Pampered Chef Batter Bowl. Pudding will thicken as you are whisking and set up within a couple of minutes.
Once the gingerbread cake has cooled, cut it into large cubes and arrange a layer of cubes in the bottom of your trifle bowl.
Cut cooled cake into chunks and layer in bottom of trifle bowl.
Add the first layer of butterscotch pudding, covering the cake chunks and using about 1/2 of the pudding.
First layer of pudding spooned over cake chunks.
Use about 1/2 of your tub of Cool Whip and spoon a layer over the pudding. Repeat the process with another layer of cake chunks, then more pudding and finally, the rest of the Cool Whip. I garnished the top with a few gingerbread cake crumbs.
Completed trifle, garnished with gingerbread crumbs.
Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
Gingerbread Butterscotch Trifle. Delicious!
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Printable Version of Gingerbread Butterscotch Trifle Recipe
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This recipe is linked to Tasty Tuesday.
Are you ready to bake one of these for your own family? Are you anxious to try some of the other recipes and ideas I will demonstrate using Pampered Chef’s Trifle Bowl? Then you are definitely going to want a bowl of your own! You can click right over to Pampered Chef’s site and get your own beautiful multi-use Trifle Bowl for only $39.50 OR you can register to be the lucky Busy-at-Home reader who will win a Trifle Bowl that is generously being donated by Pampered Chef for another Homemade Holiday Giveaway!
Giveaway Rules:
You must be 18 or over and a resident of the U.S. to register. Deadline for entry is midnight (CST) Sunday, December 12. Winner will be selected by random drawing using random.org. Mandatory entry must be completed for any optional entries to be valid. Current Pampered Chef Consultants are not eligible to participate.
Mandatory Entry:
Visit Pampered Chef’s Online Catalog and leave a comment below telling me which of their products you would love to be using in your own kitchen.
Optional Alternate Entries:
- Like Pampered Chef on Facebook. Leave a comment below letting me know you did. Be sure to include your Facebook name, so I can find you in their fans list.
- Follow Busy-at-Home on Twitter. Leave a comment letting me know you’ve done it.
- Like Busy-at-Home on Facebook. Leave a comment letting me know you’ve done it.
- Follow Busy-at-Home on Google Friends Connect. Use the “Join” button in the right-hand toolbar. Leave a comment letting me know you’ve done it.
- Subscribe to the Busy-at-Home Newsletter with this link (or in the right-hand sidebar). You will receive an email confirmation with a link that must be clicked to confirm your subscription. Once you click the email link to confirm your subscription, leave me a comment to let me know you’ve done it.
- Post this giveaway on your Facebook page. I’m entered to win a beautiful Trifle Bowl from Pampered Chef and Busy-at-Home! Go check out the fabulous recipes and register to win! http://busy-at-home.com/blog/beautiful-pampered-chef-trifle-bowlandgingerbread-butterscotch-trifle/ Leave a comment below with a link to your post.
- Tweet this giveaway (1x daily) : Enter to win a beautiful Trifle Bowl from Pampered Chef & @busyathome! Check out the fabulous recipes & register to win! http://ow.ly/3hjYO Leave a comment below with a link to your tweet.
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I received a Trifle Bowl from Pampered Chef in order to conduct this review. No monetary compensation was received to write the review and a positive review was not required. As with all Busy-at-Home reviews, the views and opinions expressed are wholly my own.
Boardgames are a great way to get the whole family involved in activities that don’t involve TVs and game controllers. In comparison, board games are also a frugal way to stretch the family entertainment budget and include more members of your family at one time. The only time board games have ever presented an issue [...]
Boardgames are a great way to get the whole family involved in activities that don’t involve TVs and game controllers. In comparison, board games are also a frugal way to stretch the family entertainment budget and include more members of your family at one time. The only time board games have ever presented an issue in our house is when the wide range of ages comes into play. When everyone is gathered around the table, laughing, visiting and having so much fun, even the littlest members of the party want to be a part of the festivities. Sometimes, board games are just too difficult for the toddler crowd to play and understand well. A special game table with your younger family members or guests can be a great solution, so no one is left out of the fun. Hasbro has created many great ways to include even the littlest tykes in a family game night or game night party at home. The one I want to share with you, today, is Candy Land.
Children as young as three can enjoy this simple game with ease. Our eight-year-old easily taught the rules to preschoolers at the birthday party where we reviewed and debuted this fun adventure through a child’s perfect imaginary candy kingdom. Hasbro sent me a Flip Camera to post some videos for you. Be kind, as this is my first foray into v-blogging. After rewatching this first video, I realized the girls should probably have shuffled the cards a little more, but I think overall, they did a fine job considering they were only eight, four and three.
The Candy Land game board is sturdy and emblazoned with bright inviting colors that grab a child’s attention and pull them into the imaginative game play. I love that it is such a creative way for little ones to learn colors, shapes and counting, as well as cooperation and patience as they play the game. Hasbro’s description of the game is “Create delicious treats at the Cupcake Commons to deliver along the way, participate in a thrilling snowboard race down the Ice Cream Slopes with the Duke of Swirl, take a relaxing train ride through Gummy Hills and climb to the top of Chocolate Mountain. Be sure to make friends with Gramma Gooey, Lord Licorice, Princess Frostine and Princess Lolly of Lollypop Woods throughout your adventure, as you race to meet King Kandy at the grand entrance to the Candy Castle. “ The girls loved all the imaginary stops along the board.
Look at this sweet birthday cake. Doesn’t the butterfly look like it could fly right off the Candy Land game board with its gumdrop wings? My daughter made it!
And if you still wonder how creative she is, look at this cute activity she planned. The kids made butterfly party favors to take home. It was simple and great fun! She glued googily eyes and pipe cleaners to a clothespin and filled snack-sized zip-top bags about 2/3 full with fruity ring cereal. The kids colored their clothespins any way their imaginations inspired them and then they twisted the cereal bags in the center and clipped the clothespin onto the twisted bag. The colorful, fruity cereal became the butterfly wings. A fun activity and tasty treat for a Candy Land adventure!
A googily-eyed clothespin with pipe cleaner antennae.
A zip-top snack bag of fruity ring cereal.
Creative and inexpensive butterfly party favor. Don't you think these would be perfect flying around in Candy Land, visiting with King Kandy and landing in the Lollypop Woods?
We had such a fun time at the party and Hasbro was so generous to allow us to give away Candy Land games as party favors to each guest. They were so generous, in fact, that we had a couple games left over which will be the favors at another birthday party this weekend! They are passing that generosity on to Busy-at-Home readers, as well. One of you will win a Candy Land board game for your own family!
Giveaway Rules:
You must be 18 or over and a resident of the U.S. to enter. Deadline to enter is December 12, 2010.
Mandatory Entry:
Leave a comment telling me your family’s favorite activity for a family night at home.
Additional Optional Entries:
- Follow Busy-at-Home on Twitter. Leave a comment letting me know you’ve done it.
- Like Busy-at-Home on Facebook. Leave a comment letting me know you’ve done it.
- Follow Busy-at-Home on Google Friends Connect. Use the “Join” button in the right-hand toolbar. Leave a comment letting me know you’ve done it.
- Subscribe to the Busy-at-Home Newsletter with this link (or in the right-hand sidebar). You will receive an email confirmation with a link that must be clicked to confirm your subscription. Once you click the email link to confirm your subscription, leave me a comment to let me know you’ve done it.
- Post this giveaway on your Facebook page. I’m entered to win Candy Land, a fun, family board game from Hasbro and Busy-at-Home. http://busy-at-home.com/blog/scribblish-review-and-giveaway/ Leave a comment below with a link to your post.
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I received a Candy Land game from Hasbro, through My Blog Spark, in order to conduct this review. I also received games to distribute to party guests, a Flip camera to video the party and a gift card to purchase supplies for the party. No monetary compensation was received to write the review and a positive review was not required. As with all Busy-at-Home reviews, the views and opinions expressed are wholly my own.
This Giveaway is Now Closed. Congratulations, Christina, #13! David and I celebrated our 27th anniversary, this past weekend — time to ourselves, dinner out with a daughter and future son-in-law and a fun get-together with friends. It was a full and enjoyable weekend. I can honestly say that a company I had not heard of, [...]
This Giveaway is Now Closed.
Congratulations, Christina, #13!
Classicware Disposable Dinnerware and Silver Replica Flatware
David and I celebrated our 27th anniversary, this past weekend — time to ourselves, dinner out with a daughter and future son-in-law and a fun get-together with friends. It was a full and enjoyable weekend. I can honestly say that a company I had not heard of, previously, contributed mightily to the ease and enjoyability (Did I create another new word? ) of my evening, on Sunday. Smarty Had a Party sells the beautiful AND disposable dinnerware that we used. My buffet table looked wonderful, with the pretty dishes and silverware, but clean-up was as simple as if I had used paper plates and cups. That’s what I call the best of both worlds — convenience AND elegance.
Getting our snack buffet ready for our guests.
I received dinner plates, salad/dessert plates, bowls, mugs and silverware. The best way I know to show you how beautiful they were is to share lots of pictures, but I want to share a thought or two about the product, as well. The dinnerware I received to review was white and from the Classicware Collection at Smarty Had a Party. I had the ease and clean-up of using disposable dinnerware, but the beauty and elegance of fine dishes. I felt wonderful about the way the dishes looked for our party and they were definitely a hit and conversation topic with our guests. I immediately had to share the Smarty Had a Party web address, so our friends could plan for their own upcoming event — a graduation party. The dinnerware is very sturdy and waterproof. It’s high gloss finish also adds to the illusion that it is fine china when you first see it. The silverware does not betray that it is plastic until you reach down to lift it. It’s light weight is the giveaway. Until that moment, it looks like silver — shiny and beautiful.
If there was one thing I would change, it would be to design the handles on the mugs to be more solid. They wouldn’t stack as conveniently, but they would be safer, in my opinion. A couple mugs had the handles crack during use. None actually broke off, but with hot beverages, had the cracks continued completely through the handle, a severe burn could happen. Other than that, we found no other negatives about the Smarty Had a Party products. They are marvelous!
Classicware Dinner & Salad/Dessert Plates and Silver Replica Forks
Classicware mugs next to the Keurig, ready for Hot Apple Cider, Coffees, Cocoa and Chai Latte. Perfect!
I had many questions from guests about being able to re-use the dishes and silverware. While this definitely defeats the purpose of the being able to conveniently dispose of them and make quick work of the cleanup, I was curious to find an answer for them. Of course the products were simple to clean up in a sink of hot soapy water, but I also tested to see if they could withstand the dishwasher. To my surprise and delight, they washed up beautifully — dinnerware and silver — in the dishwasher. The plates and mugs were cleaned on the top rack and the silverware was washed int the lower and retained its lustrous “silver” look.
Classicware Plates and Mug
I absolutely loved being able to review and use Smarty Had a Party dinnerware in my tablescape and for those times when paper plates are just not the “look” you want for your entertaining needs, I can highly recommend them for yours, as well.
Closeup of Classicware Salad/Dessert Plate. Aren't the scalloped details pretty?
One lucky Busy-at-Home Reader is going to have a chance to experience using high quality products from Smarty Had a Party. They have agreed to sponsor a giveaway for these pretty Mini Lanterns (a set of two), so you can create a beautiful centerpiece. Add greenery, ornaments, glassware, ribbons or other decorations and and the lanterns will be a perfect accent on your table for birthday parties, bridal or baby showers, Christmas or other holiday centerpieces. Enter below to win!
Mini Lanterns (set of 2) for the Giveaway.
Giveaway Rules:
You must be 18 or older and a resident of the U.S. to enter. Mandatory Entry must be completed before any optional entries will count. Winner will be selected by random drawing using random.org. Deadline to register is midnight (CST), Sunday December 5.
Mandatory Entry:
Visit Smarty Had a Party and leave a comment below telling me one product you would like to try.
Additional Optional Entries:
- Like Smarty Had a Party on Facebook. Leave a comment below with your Facebook name to let me know you’ve done it.
- Follow Smarty Had a Party on Twitter. Leave a comment below with your Twitter handle to let me know you’ve done it.
- Follow Busy-at-Home on Twitter. Leave a comment with your Twitter handle letting me know you’ve done it.
- Like Busy-at-Home on Facebook. Leave a comment with your Facebook name letting me know you’ve done it.
- Follow Busy-at-Home on Google Friends Connect by clicking the join button in our right-hand sidebar. Leave a comment letting me know you’ve done it.
- Subscribe to the Busy-at-Home Newsletter with this link or in the right-hand sidebar. You will receive an email confirmation with a link that must be clicked to confirm your subscription. Once you click the email link to confirm your subscription, leave me a comment to let me know you’ve done it.
- Post this giveaway on your Facebook page. I’m entered to win a set of Mini Lanterns for a beautiful tablescape from Smarty Had a Party and Busy-at-Home http://busy-at-home.com/blog/entertain-with-convenience-and-elegancea-review-giveaway/ Leave a comment below with a link to your post.
- Tweet this giveaway. (one x daily). I’m entered to win beautiful Mini Lanterns for a party tablescape from @SmartyHadAparty and @busyathome http://ow.ly/3eqFs Leave a comment below with a link to your tweet.
I received the Classicware Dinnerware and Silver Replica Flatware from Smarty Had a Party, through “>Tomoson, in order to conduct this review. No payment was received and the views and opinions expressed are wholly my own.
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One of my most favorite places to eat, when we drive to Lincoln, is Valentino’s Grand Buffet. As odd as it sounds, I do NOT like their pizza, which some would argue is their main feature. However, I could go there and never eat anything except their delicious salads and bread. I know, I have [...]
All the yummy ingredients ready to be mixed and dressed for this salad.
One of my most favorite places to eat, when we drive to Lincoln, is Valentino’s Grand Buffet. As odd as it sounds, I do NOT like their pizza, which some would argue is their main feature. However, I could go there and never eat anything except their delicious salads and bread. I know, I have a problem. The variety of textures and flavors available on their salad bar is almost dizzying and I don’t think I’ve ever tasted one that I didn’t like. There are a couple that are absolutely phenomenal and I have spent a lot of time at home, trying to duplicate them. One of them is a yummy broccoli pasta salad and the recipe I’m sharing with you is my twist on that delectable side dish. When I make this, my family will actually sit down with a bowl in front of the TV, eating the leftovers as a snack. It is GOOOOOOD. Measurements are going to be approximate and can easily be adjusted up or down for your own family’s preferences. I think it would be so easy to add other vegetables, too. With the addition of a little more protein, like diced chicken, turkey or ham (or even beans), this could go from a side dish to a meal.
Mixed together and ready for dressing.
Broccoli Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
- 12 oz dry rotini pasta, boiled and drained
- 3 cups fresh broccoli florets, blanched and cooled
- 4 slices bacon, fried crisp and chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 6 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds (pre-shelled, of course)
- 2 cups mayo or Miracle Whip
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 T. red wine vinegar or cider vinegar
Three ingredient dressing. Remember this pretty bowl from Lenox's Winter Song pattern? I love it!
Directions:
Mix cooked pasta, broccoli, bacon, bell pepper, onions, cheese and sunflower seeds in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, stir together mayo, sugar and vinegar to make dressing.
Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.
Delicious Broccoli Pasta Salad
Chill and serve. This salad will keep several days in the fridge and the leftovers are just as delicious as the first time it is served.
Broccoli Pasta Salad served as a side to Cheeseburger Mashed Potato Casserole
Printable Version of Broccoli Pasta Salad Recipe
This post is linked to Grocery Cart Challenge’s Recipe Swap.
One of my favorite things about holidays are the traditions that we build with the ones we love. It’s so much fun to pull out holiday decor or heirloom dinnerware or Christmas ornaments and share the memories we all have surrounding them. Recipes and special dishes are great traditions, too. Most of my family can [...]
One of my favorite things about holidays are the traditions that we build with the ones we love. It’s so much fun to pull out holiday decor or heirloom dinnerware or Christmas ornaments and share the memories we all have surrounding them. Recipes and special dishes are great traditions, too. Most of my family can pretty reliably predict what dishes will be served for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. Pumpkin pie is always on the menu, which is sort of amusing. We don’t have anyone who hates it, but no one would say it’s their favorite, either. – lol – It’s just what’s done. At the holidays, there MUST be pumpkin pie, right?
Wonderfully fragrant and spicy Vietnamese Cinnamon from King Arthur Flour.
Last week, I was having a great time trying out more products from King Arthur Flour and looking for a new dessert to use with pumpkin. I was totally diverted from the pumpkin search when I glanced up at the TV and heard Alton Brown say something about why would you go to all the work of scooping out and baking down a whole pumpkin to get enough pumpkin to make a fresh pie. (He is adamantly opposed to canned, which means he would shudder at my freezer-case-to-oven pumpkin pies, each year. ) What he suggested, though, caught my attention. He was singing the praises of sweet potato pie, which I have never eaten, and then extolling the simplicity of making one. I was suddenly intent on the idea of making sweet potato pie, myself, and seeing if it would become a family favorite.
Isn't this a cute idea for gift-giving with the Bake and Give Mini Round Pans from King Arthur Flour? I love these!
I also got to use King Arthur Flour’s Vietnamese Cinnamon and the Bake and Give Mini Round Pans with Lids to create beautifully delicious individual pies! They were absolutely adorable. What an awesome gift they would make. I ended up making nine mini-pies and one full-sized pie from this recipe. I used refrigerated pie crust dough (3 crusts) and baked the full-sized pie in my new Raspberry Colorwave Pie Plate from Noritake.
Raspberry Colorwave Pie Plate, Covered Baker and Square Baker from Noritake
You know of course, my next step was to start googling sweet potato pie recipes, reading the reviews and studying what ingredients were common to all of them and what were the personal “flairs” that others added to their basic recipes. Who knew so many people loved sweet potato pie? I missed the point when they became “mainstream”, I guess, but we won’t be making that mistake again. My husband declared that sweet potato pie is indeed, so much better than pumpkin. That might have something to do with the fact that I also topped it with something he has never seen in my kitchen in all our 27 years — freshly-made whipped cream. (I’ve really started something, now. No more Cool Whip, for our family.) Anyway, I’m anxious to share this recipe and hopefully, it can become a favorite tradition in your home, too.
My camera battery died at the point of filling the crusts on these delectable desserts, but I threw it on the charger, and it was ready to go by the time the pies were baked, so I could get “finished” pictures for you. I won’t have any pictures of me actually filling the shells, but believe me, you can handle it. And you’ll be glad you did!
Sweet Potato Pie
Yield: 2 – 9″ pies or 18 mini pies
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs of sweet potatoes (two large)
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 Tablespoon Vietnamese Cinnamon from King Arthur
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 pie crusts
Directions:
Put two pounds of whole sweet potatoes in a pot to boil. Leaving them whole will make them simple to peel, later. Expect it to take 30-45 minutes to fully cook them.
Boil two pounds of whole sweet potatoes until tender.
While the sweet potatoes boil, prepare your favorite pastry or pie crust recipe. Mine are from the refrigerator case at Wal-Mart , so before I did anything, I laid them out on the kitchen counter to come to room temperature and become easier to work with.
My refrigerator case pie crusts.
When you can stick a fork to the center of your sweet potatoes and they are tender, all the way through, take them off the heat, drain off the hot water and cover them with ice water or at least very, very cold water. This will stop the cooking process and also shrink the potato pulp away from the skin, making them extraordinarily easy to peel. When they are cool enough to handle, remove the skins.
Cover the fully-cooked sweet potatoes in cold, cold water.
Remove the peels from the cooked sweet potatoes once they are cool enough to handle.
Put the sweet potato pulp and butter into your mixing bowl and blend until smooth.
Sweet potato pulp and butter.
Add the eggs, sugar, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix the ingredients together and set the filling aside while you prepare the crusts.
Add remaining ingredients.
I used the Bake and Give Mini Round Pans from King Arthur as a template to cut nine mini crusts. I reserved the pie crust scraps to make decorations for the top of the pie.
Use a butter knife and cut around the Mini Round Bake and Give pans to cut your mini pie crusts.
Press your crusts into the pie plates. I used 9 Mini Round Pans and then I made one large pie in the beautiful Raspberry Colorwave Pie Plate from Noritake. As you know, this is where my camera battery died, so I can’t show you the unfilled shells or me filling them. If you use the Mini Round Bakers, be sure to set them on a sturdy baking sheet before filling them. I poured the filling into the crusts, filling them to within 1/4 inch of the top. As the custard bakes, it will puff up, like a souffle, but don’t panic. It settles right back down as it cools.
Bake the mini pies 25-30 minutes in a 350° oven. The full-sized pie will need 55 – 60 minutes at the same temperature. Pie should be set in the middle. A knife inserted in the center will come out clean when it’s done.
While the pies are baking, cut tiny leaves from the pie dough scraps and sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar.
While the pies were baking, I rolled out the reserved scraps of pie crust and cut out tiny maple leaf shapes. I mixed a little cinnamon and sugar and sprinkled the mixture over the leaves. I placed two maple leaves on top of each mini pie during the last five minutes of baking. I increased the oven temperature to 425° for that last five minutes.
Cool and serve with fresh whipped cream! YUM!!!
Beautiful in a full-sized Raspberry Colorwave Pie Plate from Noritake and the Mini Round Bakers with Lids from King Arthur! Cool the pies as long as you can stand it and then serve them with fresh Homemade Whipped Cream. Delicious!
Homemade Whipped Cream
Ingredients:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
Whip all three ingredients together with your electric mixer. Whip until it forms soft, delicious peaks. Don’t over beat it or you will end up with sweet butter. That’s never good on pie.
This pie smelled so heavenly, we couldn’t wait for it to completely cool before plopping a big spoonful of fresh whipped cream right in the center. It instantly started to melt, which did NOT affect the fantastic flavor of this delightful dessert. I hope you’ll consider it for your own homemade holiday and enjoy it as much as we did!
Dressed up with fresh whipped cream, covered with the Mini Round Baker lid and ready to be gifted, or just plain ready to satisfy your next comfort food craving. No matter how you package it, Sweet Potato Pie will become a tasty family favorite and a homemade holiday tradition.
Printable Version of Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
Printable Version of Homemade Whipped Cream
This post is linked to Grocery Cart Challenge, Tasty Tuesday and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.
This Giveaway is now Closed. Congratulations, Trisha, #320! Fragrance is powerful when it comes to creating a mood in our homes. This is never more important than when our home will be filled with family and friends. Adding to your home’s decor, the perfect fragrance can create a sense of welcome, homeyness and festivity. Gain’s [...]
This Giveaway is now Closed.
Congratulations, Trisha, #320!
Fragrance is powerful when it comes to creating a mood in our homes. This is never more important than when our home will be filled with family and friends. Adding to your home’s decor, the perfect fragrance can create a sense of welcome, homeyness and festivity. Gain’s Apple Mango Tango fragranced products for your home can be an inviting part of your home’s “aroma profile” over the holidays. The sweet, fruity, musky fragrance blends so well with all the other smells that waft through our homes at the holidays.
Four fabulous Apple Mango Tango products from Gain.
I reviewed Gain’s Fresh & Clean line back in October, when I told you about my experiences with the Original Fresh Scent. I have had the good fortune, in preparing for our A Homemade Holiday series, to review another fragrance from this quality line of products, Apple Mango Tango. Not only did I enjoy the same quality cleaning power; I had truly enjoyed the distinctive fragrance and the ability to experience it throughout our home.
I received Gain’s Apple Mango Tango High Efficiency liquid laundry detergent, fabric softener, dishwashing liquid and Febreze Fabric Refresher, to test and try so that I could complete this review. Now that I am using a high efficiency washing machine, I appreciated the opportunity to get such deep, inviting fragrance using only a small measure of detergent. The aroma of both the detergent and fabric softener fill the laundry room and hallway with each load I wash and a happy surprise, unlike the Original Fresh scent, I find that Apple Mango Tango fabric softener leaves my laundry lightly scented, even after drying. The clothes smell wonderful and the house smells great! It takes a lot of the drudgery out of chores when the smells that come from doing them leave your home fresh and inviting and your spirit uplifted.
The results were no different in the kitchen. Gain’s Apple Mango Tango dishwashing liquid, not only cleaned my dishes, it sent a pleasing scent throughout the kitchen, family room and dining room. It didn’t hurt that I had also freshened the upholstery of the sofa and chairs with Febreze Fabric refresher in the Apple Mango Tango Scent, too. I love that the fragrance is consistent through the entire house as daily chores are completed. Apple Mango Tango puts me in the mind of fall and festivities, the smells of holiday baking and the comfort of family gatherings. Those are good feelings to have as we work to be stewards of our homes and serve the ones we are blessed to love and to have love us back.
If you haven’t experienced the profound effects of fragrance on your mood and motivation, I suggest you start with Gain’s Apple Mango Tango products. I have truly enjoyed them as a part of my daily responsibilities and you can find them right now, in all your favorite grocery and discount stores!
I have some great news for all of you trying to create an awesome homemade holiday season with me! Gain is going to provide the same Apple Mango Tango product pack to a Busy-at-Home reader! The winner will receive liquid laundry detergent, liquid fabric softener, dishwashing liquid and Febreze Fabric Refresher.
Giveaway Rules:
You must be 18 or older and reside in the U.S. to enter. Deadline to register is midnight (CST) Sunday, December 5, 2010. Mandatory entry must be completed for any optional entries to be counted.
Mandatory Entry:
In a comment below, tell me what fragrance profile is your favorite for the holidays? What aromas and smells do you use to make your home feel festive and inviting? That’s it! Once this is complete, you are welcome to submit any optional entries that you choose, as well.
Additional Optional Entries:
- Like Gain on Facebook. Leave a comment below with your Facebook name to let me know you’ve done it.
- Follow Gain on Twitter. Leave a comment below with your Twitter handle to let me know you’ve done it.
- Follow Busy-at-Home on Twitter. Leave a comment with your Twitter handle letting me know you’ve done it.
- Like Busy-at-Home on Facebook. Leave a comment with your Facebook name letting me know you’ve done it.
- Follow Busy-at-Home on Google Friends Connect. You can use this link or click the join button in our right-hand sidebar. Leave a comment letting me know you’ve done it.
- Subscribe to the Busy-at-Home Newsletter with this link or in the right-hand sidebar. You will receive an email confirmation with a link that must be clicked to confirm your subscription. Once you click the email link to confirm your subscription, leave me a comment to let me know you’ve done it.
- Post this giveaway on your Facebook page. I’m entered to win an Apple Mango Tango gift set from Gain and Busy-at-Home http://busy-at-home.com/blog/spice-up-your-home-at-the-holidays-with-gains-apple-mango-tango-review-giveaway/ Leave a comment below with a link to your post.
- Tweet this giveaway. (one x daily). I’m entered to win an Apple Mango Tango gift set from @Gain and @busyathome
http://ow.ly/3aegx #giveaway #review #win Leave a comment below with a link to your tweet.
Are you looking for some new side dishes to spice up your traditional Thanksgiving offerings? I’ve been trying new recipes recently, because I will of course have all the dishes our family loves and expects for our Thanksgiving feast, but I love to mix it up and try something new. This Asian Coleslaw adds powerful [...]
Are you looking for some new side dishes to spice up your traditional Thanksgiving offerings? I’ve been trying new recipes recently, because I will of course have all the dishes our family loves and expects for our Thanksgiving feast, but I love to mix it up and try something new. This Asian Coleslaw adds powerful flavor, delicious texture and is super simple to make. When I had finished mixing it up, I wanted to just go curl up in my comfy chair with the whole big bowl, but I restrained myself and shared it with everyone for our Lemon Pepper Chicken Strips meal. This yummy coleslaw is perfect any time of year and besides tasting amazing, looks beautiful on the plate. Your guests will be wanting this recipe.
Ingredients for this simple slaw.
Asian Coleslaw
Ingredients for Slaw:
- 1/2 of a 12 oz bag of coleslaw mix
- 1/2 of a 12 oz bag of broccoli slaw
- 6 green onions
- small bag of sliced almonds
- 2 pkg of Ramen Noodles, chicken flavor
Ingredients for the tasty dressing.
Ingredients for Dressing:
- 2/3 c. olive oil
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 sugar, (add more or less, to taste)
- chicken seasoning packets from the Ramen Noodles
Directions:
Pour both types of slaw into a large bowl that will give you plenty of room for mixing. Measurements don’t have to be exact, but I try to have roughly the same amount of each type. (I can only buy the slaw mixes in 12 oz bags. If you can find smaller ones, that’s great, but otherwise, I pour the unused halves together in a large ziptop bag, which keeps them fresh for quite awhile and then I can make this delicious salad again in a week.)
Coleslaw mix and Broccoli slaw stirred together.
Slice the green onions, tops and all. Add them to your slaw mix. (I start by cutting the onions in half and then lining the cut ends up evenly to make quick work of the slicing.)
Green onions halved.
Slice onions thinly.
Add sliced green onions to slaw mix.
Using your hands crush/crumble the ramen noodles while they are still in the bag. Now open the bags, remove the seasoning packet and save it for the dressing. Set the crushed noodles aside if you are making the salad more than a day ahead. Otherwise, add the sliced almonds and crushed ramen noodles to the slaw.
(If you are making this salad a day ahead, which you can totally do, put the ramen noodles and sliced almonds into a ziptop bag and add them to the salad about an hour before serving. You want them to have a chance to absorb the tasty vinaigrette, but you also want them to retain some of the wonderful crunch that makes this coleslaw so special.)
Bag up the noodles and almonds until about 1 hour before serving the salad, if you ar making it a day or more ahead.
Add the noodles and almonds to the slaw.
In a separate bowl, mix all the ingredients for your dressing, whisking until the oil and vinegar are incorporated and the sugar is dissolved.
Whisk all the dressing ingredients together. This will be slightly thick.
Pour the prepared dressing over the slaw mix and stir it in thoroughly.
Pour dressing over slaw and mix thoroughly.(Okay, at this point, there is no way to edit photos to hide the fact that this was one of my sweatpants/snuggy robe days. Don't you have those cozy, experimenting-in-the-kitchen kind of days?)
Serve and enjoy! It’s so refreshing and absolutely delicious!
Beautiful!
I think there would be dozens of great variations to this recipe. For instance I could see adding red bell pepper, celery, broccoli or cauliflower, too. I am also considering trying it and substituting cashews for the almonds. You could use cider vinegar or any of your favorite flavored vinegars. I just love the slight sweetness of red wine vinegar. The recipe is so simple and will be really versatile when trying to fit your family’s specific taste preferences.
A delicious side dish for everyday family dinner or for a special feast!
Printable Version of Asian Coleslaw Recipe
This post is linked to Grocery Cart Challenge, Tasty Tuesday and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.
This Giveaway is now Closed. Congratulations, Amy, #68! … I’m a buy-them-breaded-and-frozen-in-a-bag kind of girl when we make chicken strips at home. It’s not that I thought I couldn’t make them. I guess it just never occurred to me that I should be . So, last night was a first for us and it [...]
This Giveaway is now Closed. Congratulations, Amy, #68!
…
I’m a buy-them-breaded-and-frozen-in-a-bag kind of girl when we make chicken strips at home. It’s not that I thought I couldn’t make them. I guess it just never occurred to me that I should be . So, last night was a first for us and it worked out just fine. I have three recipes from last night and three from a few days ago that I want to share, if the typing time and the photo editing time make themselves available, but for the time being, I’m going to have to be content to show you just this one.
Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko Bread Crumbs and Michael Chiarello's new cookbook.
I recently received a box of Progresso’s new Lemon Pepper Panko Bread Crumbs for review. I love to cook with Panko and I already use Progresso’s Italian Panko in my meatballs, so I was excited to give the Lemon Pepper a try. But what do you make with Lemon Pepper seasoning — fish I suppose or chicken. Those of you who know me well, know I landed on chicken. I had chicken tenders already, so I set up a very simple breading station on the kitchen counter and went to work to make crispy, BAKED, lemon pepper chicken strips. Wow! What a punch of flavor and they were perfectly crunchy, even though they were baked.
Crispy Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Strips
Yield: 15-18 chicken strips
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs chicken tenders, thawed
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 ½ cups King Arthur All Purpose Flour
- 2 cups Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko Bread Crumbs (1 – 8 oz box)
Directions:
Put the flour, buttermilk, and Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko Bread Crumbs in individual, shallow containers to make a breading station for your chicken.
Flour, buttermilk, and panko for breading chicken tenderloins.
Lightly spray a baking sheet with oil. (Okay, my husband has a mini heart attack every time I put a picture of my cookie sheets online. Do all of you have shiny, squeaky, cookie sheets with no baked-on residue? If you do, I can only say, I’m so sorry, because all of my baking sheets look like this one. I’ll get help. )
My husband's biggest embarrasment -- my over-used baking sheets. Spray it lightly with oil.
Dip a tender in the flour, being sure to coat it completely.
Dredge tenders in flour.
Now, dip it in the buttermilk.
Dip flour-dredged tender into buttermilk.
Last dip is into the Lemon Pepper Panko Bread Crumbs.
Coat the tenders with the bread crumbs.
Lay the breaded chicken tenders on your greased cookie sheet. Arrange them so that they are close together, but not touching.
Lay the breaded tenders on your baking sheet.
When all your tenders are breaded, bake them in a 400° oven for 20-25 minutes. I turned mine after about 15 minutes. The tenders will be lightly browned and crispy, crunchy when they are done. Because of the lemony color of the crumbs, don’t expect to get a deep brown out of them, but believe me, even though they are light in color the crunch is still big. So test doneness by crunch-factor, not by brownness.
Hot, baked and crispy, crunchy.
This is one of the reasons I love Panko so much. The food you make with them doesn’t necessarily look any different than usual, but the crunch that can be achieved, even when you’re only baking, is AMAZING. Panko’s texture is much more coarse than regular bread crumbs. It has been used in Japanese cooking for years, but has only recently started catching on here. Now that it has become so mainstream in the U.S., it’s much simpler to find it in your local grocery store and I highly recommend you give it a try. It will change the way you think about “fried” food and crisp breading. Our chicken strips were delicious! I don’t know why I haven’t ever done this before. I think that even though I am not a big seafood fan, I will also try this same breading on whitefish like, cod or flounder. It might convert me.
Yum! Crunchy Lemon Pepper Chicken Strips and Asian Coleslaw (that recipe is coming!)
Thanks to Progresso and My Blog Spark, a Busy-at-Home reader will win a box of Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko Bread Crumbs and Michael Chiarello’s new cookbook, Bottega. How cool is that!
Giveaway Rules:
You must be 18 or older and reside in the U.S. to enter. Deadline for entry is midnight (CST) Sunday, November 28. Winner will be selected by random drawing at random.org. Mandatory entry must be completed for any extra entries to count.
How to Enter:
Have you ever used Panko Bread Crumbs? In a comment below, let me know if you’ve ever used them and which of Progresso’s three varieties you would most love to try. That’s it! You’re entered! It doesn’t get easier than that!
I received a package of Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko Bread Crumb’s and Michael Chiarello’s cookbook through My Blog Spark and Progresso, in order to conduct this review. No payment was received and a positive review was not required. The views and opinions expressed are wholly my own.
This post is linked to Grocery Cart Challenge, Tasty Tuesday and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.
