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Hold on to your hats! You won’t believe what I’m about to share! You were bound to find out, sooner or later. It’s true…I’m a cooking show junkie. Food Network is my very “bestest most favorite” channel (Did you see Ree [the Pioneer Woman], in her debut, this weekend?). When it comes to [...]
Hold on to your hats! You won’t believe what I’m about to share! You were bound to find out, sooner or later. It’s true…I’m a cooking show junkie. 
Food Network is my very “bestest most favorite” channel (Did you see Ree [the Pioneer Woman], in her debut, this weekend?). When it comes to Food Network or cooking blogs, I will discuss the recipes with you and talk about the chefs as though they were next-door neighbors on a first name basis. I’m just weird like that.
So, over the summer, I discovered that the BRAVO network also airs a show called Top Chef. In watching it, I “got to know” the competitors and always ended up rooting for Chef Fabio Viviani. He didn’t have the same cut-throat attitude towards the game, as many of the chefs. He was helpful and always looking out for someone else, which while it wasn’t always a great game strategy, made him so endearing. He cracked me up and made me laugh at least once in every episode with his funny one-liners. Plus, I love his accent AND I want to learn to make gnocchi, his signature dish. So, it was the most fun thing ever for me to get the chance to review a new app for my iPad called Let’s Cook. Let’s Cook is an iOS app from Bertolli and features none other than Chef Fabio! What’s not to love?
Chef Fabio in the opening video in Let's Cook. See the handy picture menu on the right? Just scroll through the categories to get to your desired destination in the software.
I hit the App Store button on my iPad and downloaded the program with no trouble. It took a little while to install itself, but I didn’t have to do anything to set it up, except start the download. Technology doesn’t get much simpler than that. The time involved for the download is due to the fact that everything is housed right on your iPad. The entire program, including 16 step-by-step recipe tutorial videos, is housed on your device, meaning no start and stop video, waiting for it to stream. It’s already there, so it’s smooth sailing through whatever you are using the app for in your kitchen. There’s over five hours of imbedded cooking video!
Not only will Chef Fabio demonstrate recipes on video in full-screen HD, teach you everything you ever wanted to know about olive oil and it’s use in your kitchen, AND give you his best chef kitchen tips on video, Let’s Cook also includes over 100 recipes, courtesy of Bertolli Olive Oil. Recipes include something from each of the categories: soups, appetizers, salads, side dishes, entrées, and desserts. I love how simple it is to navigate and find the recipes you’re looking for and the gorgeous photos that make me want to get out in the kitchen, right now!
Once you select a category, you'll find the coordinating list of recipes, with their prep and cook times, plus number of servings. Select one and go directly to the full step-by-step recipe.
You can also create a “favorites” list, for quick access to the recipes your family enjoys the most and email the ingredients directly to your phone or other device, so you have a shopping list handy. The photo and video quality are excellent and the audio is great, too. Chef Fabio is engaging, entertaining and an excellent teacher. As I began testing the app for this review, my five-year-old granddaughter climbed up into my lap and literally watched every video with me. We would finish one video and she would immediately switch back to the index, scroll through the pictures and ,”Ooooh Grandma! We should make this one!” lol Later, as I was preparing dinner, she followed me to the kitchen, carrying my iPad, giggling (She likes Chef Fabio’s accent, too.) and watching videos on her own.
I’m really enjoying this app and I’ll bet you would, too. You can download it from the iTunes store directly to your iPad, like I did, or to your computer to sync with your iPad, later. It requires an iPad with iOS 4.2 or higher.
I received this app and Bertolli product samples through Blog Friendly PR, in order to test them in my own kitchen and write this review. No monetary compensation was received and a positive review was not required. As always, at Busy-at-Home, the views and opinions expressed are wholly my own.
I can’t believe that the days of celebration are nearly over. You all have been a hoot, helping me celebrate and stretch my 50th birthday through the entire month of August! But before we bid the celebration a fond adieu, I have one more spectacular giveaway to share! It will come as no surprise that [...]
All this fabulousness could be yours! Be sure to enter the giveaway, below!
I can’t believe that the days of celebration are nearly over. You all have been a hoot, helping me celebrate and stretch my 50th birthday through the entire month of August! But before we bid the celebration a fond adieu, I have one more spectacular giveaway to share! It will come as no surprise that it’s from one of my all-time favorite sponsors, King Arthur Flour. When have they not generously participated in the events I share with you? Plus, they’re not just a company with fabulous products, they’re a company owned and operated by extraordinary people! I know, I’ve been there. I’ve met them. And they stole my baking heart!
So, as the pièce de résistance, finishing off my 50th Birthday Bash, King Arthur Flour is sponsoring a giveaway worth more than $80!!! A very happy, Busy-at-Home reader is going to be thrilled to heat up their kitchen and try out the high quality products included in King Arthur Flour’s Secret Ingredient Collection! Plus, as a special treat for my birthday, they are also including a special request from me, a King Arthur bench knife! When I visited their headquarters in Vermont, this past June, I fell in love with the bench knives during classes. We used them so often, and I would have purchased and brought one home with me (along with about 937 other items I would love to have), except I didn’t want to have to try and get it on the plane. So, tada! A King Arthur bench knife will also be included in this fabulous giveaway!
The Secret Ingredient Collection includes:
- an 8×8 USA square baking pan – made in America, lifetime warranty, heavy-duty, crafted from steel and aluminum for strength and superior heat conductivity, coated with Americoat, a clear, non-stick, non-toxic, environmentally friendly coating that is specially formulated for superior baking and corrugated surface provides better browning.
- 16 oz. Double Dutch Dark Cocoa Powder – an exclusive King Arthur blend of extra-dark black cocoa with Dutch process cocoa. Rich, pure chocolate flavor for your favorite baked treats!
- 3 oz. Espresso Powder – a touch of espresso powder enhances and deepens chocolate flavor without adding a coffee taste. Ground, brewed, then dried from specially selected coffee beans, powder readily dissolves for easy mixing.
- Fiori di Sicilia – all-natural combination of citrus and vanilla with a pleasingly floral aroma. The wonderful people in the King Arthur Test Kitchen say, “ You know that wonderful marriage of flavors you taste when you combine vanilla ice cream and orange sherbet in the same bowl? That’s what Fiori di Sicilia tastes like. We find that using it in just about anything mild and sweet–anything where competing flavors, like chocolate, don’t interfere–adds a wonderfully mysterious taste. Your friends will be guessing just what you’ve done to your sugar cookies or yellow cake or sweet bread to make them taste SO good!”
- 3 oz. Vietnamese Cinnamon- You cannot buy this at Wal-Mart or your local market. It’s like no other cinnamon you have ever tasted! I’ve been hooked on this delicious spice for more than a year, now. It has a higher oil content than the Indonesian cinnamon we can find at the grocery store, meaning it will disperse more fully through your baked goods. Considered by many to be the world’s finest cinnamon, Vietnamese cinnamon (a.k.a. Saigon cinnamon) is ground from dried, cultivated bark of cinnamon cassia grown in Vietnam. It’s sweeter, more aromatic, and more powerful than the Indonesian cinnamon commonly sold in supermarkets. A side-by-side taste test will leave you a lifelong convert!
- 4 oz Nielsen Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla – Nielsen-Massey is the first extract company and ingredient supplier in America to be certified by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO). I discovered Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla when doing our daughter’s wedding cake, last April. It is not an exaggeration to say the flavor is superior and has more depth than any vanilla I have ever used. Again, it’s one of those products where going back to old brands, just doesn’t work. It’s a rich, creamy, and sweet vanilla, mildly assertive, with old-fashioned vanilla flavor. You will notice the flavor in your baked goods and miss it when it is not there. Extraordinary product!
- King Arthur Bench Knife – This kitchen tool was used in every possible dough application, I can think of, during the classes I took at the King Arthur Baking and Education Center, this summer. It’s perfect for dividing and portioning doughs, cutting brownies and bars, lifting and folding dough, bench or counter cleanup. The handle is made from beautiful rosewood and the 3×6 inch blade is stainless steel. Once you’ve used one, I would venture to say it will become one of your favorite and most-used kitchen tools!
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Those are the high-quality products you have a chance to win in the giveaway! But, you know that no King Arthur Flour post is complete without a recipe, so before you start submitting your entries, check out this yummy Cinnamon Roll Cake recipe! It’s one of many recipes I will make and share with you as we explore King Arthur Flour, bread baking, pizza making, pie crust creating and more in my KAF Blog and Bake series, this fall!
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Moist, cinnamony, cream cheese goodness! What's not to love?
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I pinned (remember pinning?) this recipe for Cinnamon Roll Cake, from the Cookin’ Up North blog, almost a week ago and have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to make it. I woke up on Monday and I just wanted some, which seemed like a compelling enough reason to give it a go! – lol – Plus, a dear friend was having a birthday, so I could share half with her. Woohoo! Birthdays are GOOD! The original recipe is made in a 9×13 pan. I used two 8×8′s. The only other thing I changed up was that I made cream cheese icing for the top, instead of a powdered sugar drizzle. Yum! Also, this was good when it came out of the oven, but I wasn’t over-the-top thrilled about it. When the kids pulled icy cold pieces out of the fridge, later that afternoon, and started raving and exclaiming over how good it was, I was amazed. Cold, this moist, delicious cake had been completely permeated with the cinnamon flavor and the cream cheese icing was creamy, flavor heaven! The flavors were magnified and intensified by the cold. I definitely recommend chilling this marvelous treat before serving. Oh, and as a matter of personal preference, I will double the cinnamon, next time I make this. That’s just the way I roll.
These are the ingredients you will need to gather to make the Cinnamon Roll Cake batter and filling.
(adapted slightly from Cookin' Up North blog) I doubled the cinnamon and made cream cheese icing, instead of a powdered sugar drizzle. My family loved this moist, yummy cake best, after it had been refrigerated for at least a couple of hours.
Ingredients
- 3 cups KAF Unbleached All Purpose Flour
- 1/4 teaspoon.salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla
- 1/2 c. butter, melted
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons KAF Unbleached All Purpose Flour
- 1 Tablespoon KAF Vietnamese cinnamon
- 8 oz block cream cheese, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla
- 1/4 - 1/3 cup milk
Cake:
Streusel Filling:
Cream Cheese Icing:
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients and make a well in the center.
- Add slightly beaten eggs, milk and vanilla to the dry ingredients, mixing until combined.
- Add melted butter and stir until thoroughly mixed.
- Pour cake batter into a greased 9x13 or two 8x8 pans.
- Mix all ingredients until completely combined. My butter ended up being more melted, than soft, so rather than a crumbly mixture, mine was more paste-like. That actually worked out okay for me, since I think it makes it easier to swirl it through the batter.
- Spoon filling evenly over the top of your prepared cake batter.
- Use a table knife to gently swirl the filling through the batter.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 28-32 minutes.
- Blend cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla with your mixer.
- Add enough milk to achieve the consistency, your family likes best (I used about 1/4 cup). Blend until smooth.
- Spread icing over cooled cake. Cut and enjoy. (The flavor of this cake is greatly enhanced by cooling and refrigerating for a few hours.)
To Make the Cake Batter:
To Make the Streusel Filling
For the Cream Cheese Icing:
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http://busy-at-home.com/blog/let-them-eat-cinnamon-roll-cake-win-a-secret-ingredients-collection-bench-knife-from-kingarthurflour/…
This post is linked to Tasty Tuesday.
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 in a random drawing using random.org. Deadline to enter is midnight, (CST), Sunday, September 18, 2011.
Mandatory Entry:
In a comment below, tell me your favorite “secret ingredient” in the kitchen.
Optional Additional Entries:
- Like King Arthur Flour on Facebook. Leave a comment below with your Facebook Name to let me know you’ve done it.
- Follow King Arthur Flour 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 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. (click the JOIN button in the 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.
- Tweet this giveaway (maximum of 1x per day, please). Let them Eat Cinnamon Roll Cake! & Win a Secret Ingredients Collection & Bench Knife from @KingArthurFlour & @busyathome http://ow.ly/6hgUQ Leave a comment below with a link to your tweet.
- Post this giveaway on your Facebook page. Let them Eat Cinnamon Roll Cake! & Win a Secret Ingredients Collection & Bench Knife from @KingArthurFlour & @busyathome http://ow.ly/6hgUQ Leave a comment below with a link to your post.
I received the products listed above, in order to test them in my kitchen and complete this review. No monetary compensation was received and a positive review was not required. As with all Busy-at-Home reviews, the views and opinions expressed are wholly my own.
I can’t fool you. As a mom of 5, I have obviously found a toddler or two running around with my toothbrush. Oh don’t get me wrong, they weren’t sticking it in their mouth or anything — usually just sticking it in the toybox full of goobered toys or dropping it in the toilet or [...]
I can’t fool you. As a mom of 5, I have obviously found a toddler or two running around with my toothbrush. Oh don’t get me wrong, they weren’t sticking it in their mouth or anything — usually just sticking it in the toybox full of goobered toys or dropping it in the toilet or even brushing their doll’s hair. – lol – When you’re a mom, you change your toothbrush often. It’s just the way it is. But I wonder, did you realize you shouldn’t be waiting for your dentist to hand you a new brush, every six months? Toilets and doll hair aside, you should really be changing your toothbrush every three to four months, or even sooner, if the bristles become frayed (or you have a toddler ).
Wow! I think one or two of these could stand to be changed out and the covers are a definite no-no.
According to the American Dental Association, the human mouth harbors hundreds of different microorganisms. So, your toddler may not be the only one you’re sharing your toothbrush with. Normally, the body is able to defend itself against germs and organisms that may cause infections or illness because of all the awesome natural defenses that God has built right into our immune systems. None of the ADA’s research has found any conclusive evidence that the bacteria growing in toothbrushes could cause systemic or oral health complications, but yikes! Just knowing that there are microorganisms and bacteria growing in my toothbrush sort of gives me the heebie jeebies. I definitely don’t want to give them a chance to colonize for extended periods of time, so every three month it is!
Fortunately, the ADA does have some recommendations for taking care of your toothbrushes that will minimize and help with bacterial growth.1
- Do not share toothbrushes. Sharing a toothbrush could result in an exchange of body fluids and/or microorganisms between the users of the toothbrush, placing the individuals involved at an increased risk for infections. This practice could be a particular concern for persons with compromised immune systems or existing infectious diseases.
- Thoroughly rinse toothbrushes with tap water after brushing to remove any remaining toothpaste and debris. Store the brush in an upright position if possible and allow the toothbrush to air-dry until used again. If more than one brush is stored in the same holder or area, keep the brushes separated to prevent cross-contamination.
- Do not routinely cover toothbrushes or store them in closed containers. A moist environment such as a closed container is more conducive to the growth of microorganisms than the open air.
- Replace toothbrushes at least every 3–4 months. The bristles become frayed and worn with use and cleaning effectiveness will decrease. Toothbrushes will wear out more rapidly depending on factors unique to each patient. Check brushes often for this type of wear and replace them more frequently if needed. Children’s toothbrushes often need replacing more frequently than adult brushes.
There are all kinds of ideas for cleaning toothbrushes, floating around the Internet, but the ADA doesn’t really recommend actions like microwaving the toothbrush or running it through your dishwasher as a means of sterilization. Both of these can actually damage the brush and reduce it’s life span. Some common sense precautions are all that are necessary for keeping your toothbrush healthy for your mouth, remembering to replace it every 3 to 4 months being at the top of that list. You could also rinse or soak it in an antibacterial mouth rinse. Beyond that, following the care instructions listed above are the best options.
Arm and Hammer Spin Brush ProClean with dual action cleaning
In the interest of health and better brushing, we have purchased Arm & Hammer Spinbrush ProClean Toothbrushes for our entire family. Replacement heads are no more costly than a manual toothbrush and I definitely know that our teeth are cleaned better with the dual action of those brush heads, which I can easily switch out, every three months. It’s a good common sense approach to our oral hygiene and toothbrush care.
How often do you switch out your family’s toothbrushes? Leave a comment below, with your answer, and you’ll be entered to win a $25 VISA Gift card!
Giveaway Rules:
You must be 18 or over and a US resident to enter. Winner will be selected in a random drawing using random.org. Deadline to enter is midnight (CST), Sunday, August 28, 2011.
Mandatory Entry:
how often do you change out your family’s toothbrushes? Leave your answer in a comment below.
Optional Additional Entries:
- Like Arm and Hammer on Facebook and leave a comment to let me know you’ve done it.
- 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 by clicking the Join Button in the right-hand side bar. 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.
- Tweet this giveaway (maximum of 1x per day, please). Who’s Sharing YOUR Toothbrush? Win a $25 VISA Gift Card from ARM & HAMMER @busyathome @bhg http://busy-at-home.com/blog/whos-sharing-your-toothbrush-and-a-25-visa-gift-card-giveaway-bhg/ Leave a comment below with a link to your tweet.
- Post this giveaway on your Facebook page. Who’s Sharing YOUR Toothbrush? Win a $25 VISA Gift Card from ARM & HAMMER @busyathome @bhg http://busy-at-home.com/blog/whos-sharing-your-toothbrush-and-a-25-visa-gift-card-giveaway-bhg/ Leave a comment below with a link to your post.
Reference:
1American Dental Association. Statement on Toothbrush Care: Cleaning, Storage and Replacement. [Online] Available http://www.ada.org/1887.aspx, November 2005.
This is a sponsored post for Church & Dwight Co., Inc, the maker of ARM & HAMMER branded products, who is compensating me to try different products. Get a $4.00 coupon for ARM & HAMMER Spinbrush then head over to The Switch & Save Challenge where you can enter to win $25,000.
Sometimes, God brings strangers into our lives who simply aren’t. Does that make sense? You’ve never known them, and yet, you connect on a level that makes you feel that you have always known, loved and needed them in your life. It only happens a few times in a lifetime, but when it does, it [...]
Sometimes, God brings strangers into our lives who simply aren’t. Does that make sense? You’ve never known them, and yet, you connect on a level that makes you feel that you have always known, loved and needed them in your life. It only happens a few times in a lifetime, but when it does, it is the most extravagant blessing. That’s how our family feels about the Jester’s. We met them about a year ago, when Dan accepted the Youth Pastor position at our church. He and his wife Gretchen moved to our small community on a leap of faith, feeling God’s call in a most urgent way and blessing this little town in ways we never dreamed of or expected. On a personal level, their friendship and spiritual encouragement have overwhelmed our family with love and laughter and I have had the great privilege of serving in the Jr. High Youth Ministry alongside them.
Dan and Gretchen
Trusting God to provide the means and stamina to juggle every plate in her busy mom’s life, Gretchen has also obeyed God’s call on her heart to encourage, uplift and make Him known using the marvelous musical gifts He has built into her. She is an extraordinary vocal artist, song writer and performer. As I sit writing this, listening to her latest CD, I marvel at the talent that carries praise and worship throughout the rooms of my home and through my open windows into the neighborhood and I am so deeply grateful for and humbled by the love with which He pours out gifts on those who serve Him. What a blessing to call her, “Friend” and that I will be able to say, “I knew her when…” I can’t wait for the day when the glory she brings before the Lord is broadcast across the airwaves and her name is known around the world for what we already know – God is going to share His love, grace and salvation through her in a mighty way.
Her latest album is called Authentic and each time I listen to it, my heart is pierced and encouraged in such a way that I am often brought to tears. My Creator speaks to me so personally through the lyrics and melodies and leaves me feeling so enveloped in love, hope and praise. I am thrilled to be able to share the title track from the album, but even more, three Busy-at-Home readers will receive autographed copies of the extraordinary DOUBLE album as part of the celebration that is my 50th Birthday Bash! That’s right, it’s not one, but two albums in one CD package. You will receive Authentic AND Beginning. There are twenty-four original songs. Gretchen has written both the lyrics and the music, plus she performs them both vocally and instrumentally.
Authentic
Stop
Apprentice Ministries is the online presence that Dan and Gretchen have created to share their gifts of evangelism and evangelism training, as well as Gretchen’s music ministry and so much more. I encourage you to visit and learn what they are all about. And, if you are like me, and you can’t wait to get your own copy of the Authentic/Beginning double album, you will be able to purchase a copy there, choosing to have it autographed, or not.
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Giveaway Rules:
You must be 18 or older and a resident of the U.S. to enter. The mandatory entry must be completed before any optional entries will count. Deadline to enter is midnight (CST) Sunday, September 11, 2011.
Mandatory Entry:
In a comment below, tell me who the CD would be for if you win. Would you use it for your own praise, worship and encouragement or make it a gift for someone else?
Optional Additional Entries:
- Friend Apprentice Ministries on Facebook. And, if you’re so inclined, leave my friend, Gretchen, a little thank you love on the wall. 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.
- Sign up for E-News updates from Apprentice Ministries. Leave a comment below letting me know you did. Be sure to include your email, so I can find you in their subscribers 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 sidebar. Leave a comment letting me know you’ve done it.
- Subscribe to the Busy-at-Home Newsletter (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. Win an autographed copy of Gretchen Jester’s newest CD album, Authentic! @busyathome http://ow.ly/6e1Wu Leave a comment below with a link to your post.
- Tweet this giveaway (1x daily) : Win an autographed copy of Gretchen Jester’s newest CD album, Authentic! @busyathome http://ow.ly/6e1Wu Leave a comment below with a link to your tweet.
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I received a copy of the CD album,Authentic/Beginning, in order to test it and conduct this review. No monetary compensation was received and as always, at Busy-at-Home, views and opinions expressed are wholly my own.
I love Lenox! It’s always been a dream of mine to have beautiful dishes and serving pieces to create a wonderfully inviting tablescape. I have never had the chance to own my own set of gorgeous china — a set I picked out myself, that is a true expression of me. Needless to say, browsing [...]
I love Lenox! It’s always been a dream of mine to have beautiful dishes and serving pieces to create a wonderfully inviting tablescape. I have never had the chance to own my own set of gorgeous china — a set I picked out myself, that is a true expression of me. Needless to say, browsing the Lenox website fills my head with all sorts of dreamy table setting and decorating ideas. I love “window shopping” there because of the incredible variety of styles and colors. Plus, the name Lenox is synonymous with quality and beauty, in my mind. I know it’s a company I can trust.
You may remember that last fall, Lenox sponsored an over-the-top generous giveaway, at Busy-at-Home, of EIGHT 4-piece place settings of their beautiful new holiday china. I fell in love with the artistry and elegance of their products, as well as the great people I was able to work with in the process. It’s just an all around awesome company. That’s why I’m so tickled that they are helping me to celebrate my 50th birthday by sponsoring yet another outrageously fun giveaway! One Busy-at-Home reader is going to win FOUR 4-piece place settings of Floral Fusion – Kiwi!
- I couldn’t resist taking these beautiful floral dishes out into the open air and sunshine on our deck to snap a few pictures for you.
Knowing exactly what to expect when the box arrived, I could hardly stand not ripping it open, but I was very calm and genteel about the whole thing. (Don’t listen to anything my family says. They exaggerate! ) Floral Fusion is crafted of white porcelain and is dishwasher and microwave safe, meaning its fabulous “style” is also easy to care for. The glaze is smooth and the colors are spectacular! Each place setting has four pieces — a dinner plate, salad plate, a bowl and a mug.
- Floral Fusion dinner plate with a kiwi colored band around the outer rim.
- Don’t you love these! This beautiful salad plate is just bursting with its floral bouquet! The colors are bold and exciting and its an elegant complement to the dinner plate.
Every time I look at these pieces, I think of “The Secret Garden”. That’s what they remind me of – a special party nestled in a beautiful flower garden. The colors are vibrant and the artwork is contemporary and elegant, yet these dishes exude the most welcoming, homey feel when placed on your table. Do you have certain things in your home that just make you smile and feel happy inside? These dishes will be one of mine.
- This gorgeous bowl is huge and deep! The pretty flowers circle all the way around and spray across the exterior like petals falling from the sky.
- You’ll love the generous capacity of this sweet over-sized mug. It holds a full 16 oz of your favorite beverage!
Guess what? These beautiful dishes are normally $72 per place setting, but right now, they are on sale at the Lenox website for only $49.95! That’s a 31% savings! Fantastic bargain! The name Lenox is one that I have long associated with fine china, beauty and quality. This review experience has only served to deepen that conviction.
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Giveaway Rules:
You must be 18 or older and a resident of the U.S. to enter. The mandatory entry must be completed before any optional entries will count. Deadline to enter is midnight (CST) Sunday, September 11, 2011.
Mandatory Entry:
Which beautiful Lenox china pattern makes YOU happy inside when you think about using it to set your own table? (You can check out all the varieties on the Lenox website.) Leave a comment below telling me your favorite!
Optional Additional Entries:
- Like Lenox 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 Lenox on Twitter. Leave a comment below letting me know you did. Be sure to include your Twitter handle, so I can find you in their followers 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 sidebar. Leave a comment letting me know you’ve done it.
- Subscribe to the Busy-at-Home Newsletter (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. Win FOUR 4-piece place settings of beautiful Lenox China & let your table “bloom” with elegance! @Lenox_corp @busyathome http://ow.ly/6bXpW Leave a comment below with a link to your post.
- Tweet this giveaway (1x daily) : Win FOUR 4-piece place settings of beautiful Lenox China & let your table “bloom” with elegance! @Lenox_corp @busyathome http://ow.ly/6bXpW Leave a comment below with a link to your tweet.
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I received one 4-piece place setting of Floral Fusion, in order to test it and conduct this review. No monetary compensation was received and as always, at Busy-at-Home, views and opinions expressed are wholly my own.
We were having one of those late afternoons where everyone is scrambling to be in different places for the evening and I needed a quick, easy supper. I knew I had about 1 1/2 lbs of ground beef in the fridge, but I wasn’t in the mood for hamburgers and we didn’t have any tortilla [...]
We were having one of those late afternoons where everyone is scrambling to be in different places for the evening and I needed a quick, easy supper. I knew I had about 1 1/2 lbs of ground beef in the fridge, but I wasn’t in the mood for hamburgers and we didn’t have any tortilla shells. I have been seeing pictures of something called taco soup, all over the Internet. Of course, I didn’t have the ingredients for any one recipe, so I looked at what was common to most of them and used what I had in the pantry to come up with our own version. I literally threw this soup together and heated it through in less than 30 minutes. If you have your own homemade chicken stock and bags of pre-cooked dried beans in the freezer, this recipe will be super inexpensive to make. The best part? It is delicious! We loved it! There were leftovers for lunch the next day, too. Hope your family will enjoy it, as well!
Fast, easy and delicious! -- Taco Soup
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs of hamburger, browned and drained
- 3 cans of pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cans of diced tomatoes
- 1 can tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 (33 oz) cartons of chicken stock or 5-6 cups homemade stock
- 2 envelopes taco seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon dried cilantro
- 10 green onions, chopped (1/2 in soup - the other half for garnish)
- Garnishes: sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, green onions and tortilla chips
Instructions
- Brown and drain hamburger.
- Rinse and drain beans.
- Add beans and hamburger to large kettle or stock pot.
- Mix in tomatoes, tomato sauce and taco seasoning.
- Add chicken stock.
- Add minced garlic, cilantro and green onions.
- Cook over medium heat until heated through.
- Serve with toppings of your choice: sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, green onions and tortilla chips
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That soft, steady humming coming from our bathroom? Teeth being brushed! Score! Anything that makes brushing more appealing and consistent is a definite winner in my book. Add to that, that the Arm and Hammer Spinbrush ProClean Toothbrush does a significantly better job of cleaning teeth, than a manual toothbrush, and I’m a fan for [...]
That soft, steady humming coming from our bathroom? Teeth being brushed! Score! Anything that makes brushing more appealing and consistent is a definite winner in my book. Add to that, that the Arm and Hammer Spinbrush ProClean Toothbrush does a significantly better job of cleaning teeth, than a manual toothbrush, and I’m a fan for life!
My new Spinbrush ProClean toothbrush from Arm and Hammer. It even came with a free toothpaste sample and a coupon for refill heads!
Complete instructions and a coupon included with the toothbrush.
The Arm and Hammer Spinbrush ProClean toothbrush has dual-action brushing technology. That means you will get cleaning action moving in two different ways at once. The round circular head at the top of the brush spins, cleaning and polishing, even between teeth; while the secondary brush moves up and down to scour away plaque and massage along the gumline. Umm…up to 3700 brush strokes per minute? Try doing that with a manual toothbrush. (Just kidding. No — really — don’t do it. Your arm muscles will look really strange, when you’re done. ) This special technology means that you can remove up to 70% more plaque than when brushing with a manual toothbrush!*
The dual action head. It also comes with this handy-dandy dust cover, to keep it clean.
The Spinbrush ProClean uses 2 easy to replace AA batteries and comes in several different colors. You can get them with soft or medium bristles and when the head becomes worn, you don’t just throw out the whole toothbrush. Simply replace the head.
I love the polished feel of super clean teeth and the freshness of a clean mouth. My toothbrush came with a sample of Arm and Hammer Advanced White Brilliant Sparkle toothpaste, which our family was converted to in a previous Switch and Save Challenge. Combine that awesome whitening toothpaste with the cleaning and polishing power of the Spinbrush ProClean and our dentist is going to be happy and amazed when I take the kids in for checkups later this month. That’s right, the kids. I like these toothbrushes, so much, that we had to run out and get one for everyone in the family! They think they’re fun and they like the way they clean, which translates to more consistent brushing without mom having to nag and remind. Bzzzzing in the bathroom makes for healthier, brighter smiles. Healthier brighter smiles makes for a happier mom. Gotta love the bzzzz.
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*In hard-to-reach places. Data on file.
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This is a sponsored post for Church & Dwight Co., Inc, the maker of ARM & HAMMER branded products, who is compensating me to try different products. Get a $4.00 coupon for ARM & HAMMER Spinbrush then head over to The Switch & Save Challenge where you can enter to win $25,000.
We‘ve clearly established that I LOVE surprises — for me, for someone else — it doesn’t really matter. Surprise!!!! So, pair up August’s Secret Recipe Club and Chocolate — wow! Yah! Darn good day! Gooey it up with melted caramel and I’m SO gone. lol You’re going to love this recipe! Just sayin’. Just [...]
We‘ve clearly established that I LOVE surprises — for me, for someone else — it doesn’t really matter. Surprise!!!! So, pair up August’s Secret Recipe Club and Chocolate — wow! Yah! Darn good day! Gooey it up with melted caramel and I’m SO gone. lol You’re going to love this recipe! Just sayin’.
Hello Snickers! bar cookie. Delish! Please note the beautiful salad plate it is displayed on. It's a sneak peek of the next fabulous giveaway in my 50th Birthday Bash! Four 4-piece place settings of this lovely Lenox china. Stay tuned for the giveaway post!
Just in case you haven’t caught my previous Secret Recipe Club posts, “Lucy, let me ‘splain.” (P.S. It scares me when Jr. High kids stare at me blankly and say, “Wha…?” when I make I Love Lucy references. There needs to be more classic TV education. I’m just sayin’.) Okay, Secret Recipe Club… It’s so-o-o-o fun! I’m assigned a blog to make a recipe from, someone else is assigned my blog and they make a recipe from here, then we all have a big reveal day and surprise each other and you all get to check out the amazing recipes! How could it be better? There is always eating cooking or baking involved and discovering dozens of new food blogs. And seriously, if you search deep enough in their archives, there could be chocolate every single month – mmm hmmm, 100% of the time! But, you’d miss so many other great recipes, so… yah, I picked chocolate, this month. That’s just the way I roll. But, you will seriously want to check out all the other fantastic recipes over at Little Bit of Everything, my assigned blog for August. Julie likes to cook, travel and garden and her blog is a journey through her yummy cookbook collection. If that wasn’t enough to make her a “neighbor”, turns out she lives just down the street! –er, well about 75 miles, east. But truly, she’s right here in Nebraska, too!
I’m not sure where the name Hello Snickers hails from, because these didn’t taste like Snickers to our family, but they tasted like “it’s time to make another pan”, because those locusts gluttons piggies my family has already eaten them ALL. I didn’t really change anything up in the recipe, except to double it. The learning curve for doubling this particular recipe was that I wouldn’t have needed to double the butter. It basically works as moisture and prevents the bars from sticking to the pan. Two sticks was too much and left the bars a little greasy. Next time, I will double everything but the butter. I completely forgot to chop the peanuts and I will definitely do that next time, too, instead of leaving them whole. We felt these were even better cooled, than directly out of the oven. Chocolatey, caramely (It’s okay, I added it to my computer dictionary, so now, it’s a word.), gooey, chewy goodness with the wonderful texture contrast of crunchy peanuts. Yum!
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
- 1 cup caramel, melted
- 1 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
- 1 cups chocolate chips
- 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Unwrap and melt caramels in a microwavable bowl. I did mine on 30% power for 4-6 minutes.
- Melt 1 stick of butter in a 9 x 13 pan.
- Layer the chocolate cookie crumbs over the butter.
- Pour the melted caramel over the cookie crumbs.
- Sprinkle peanuts over the caramel.
- Layer chocolate chips over the peanuts.
- Pour sweetened condensed milk over the chips.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes, (350 for a glass pan).
- Cool and cut into 16 squares.
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Check out all the Other Fantastic Secret Recipe Club Recipes for August
Now that school is back in full swing, I know that your time in the mornings is at a premium. The temptation is to skip breakfast and let the kids skip or eat something they can grab on the way out the door – usually not the healthiest option. Statistically, we already know that your [...]
Now that school is back in full swing, I know that your time in the mornings is at a premium. The temptation is to skip breakfast and let the kids skip or eat something they can grab on the way out the door – usually not the healthiest option. Statistically, we already know that your student will do better in school, you will be more productive at work and you will both have better weight control, if you eat a healthy breakfast. So, I wanted to spend a little time this fall, sharing some recipes that can help you and your kids have a good breakfast and still be on time for school and work. The easiest way to do this is with freezer or bulk cooking and you don’t need a big freezer to take advantage of this time and money-saving technique.
A little butter and honey with some fresh berries and they're perfect!
I wanted to start with pancakes, because they are easy to make and can be reheated quickly - from frozen to plate in a matter of seconds. You can pop them in the toaster or in the microwave, whatever your family prefers. Pancakes are also inexpensive, can be dressed up or down, eaten on a plate or rolled like a tortilla with some scrambled eggs or peanut butter inside for something to eat on the run. The recipe I will share is just a good, basic pancake. Add fresh or frozen fruit, chocolate chips or other flavorings that your family might enjoy. The recipe also doubles easily. That’s a time saver and if you have the extra few minutes to flip a few more flapjacks, go for it. You’ll double your product with only a slight addition of time. Pancakes are easy to freeze, too. I lay them out, side by side, on a cookie sheet and “flash freeze” them. That way I can just toss them into a ziptop bag and they won’t stick together in the freezer. I can pull out one or a dozen, as they are needed.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 8 Tablespoons Buttermilk Powder
- 2 cups water
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Whisk dry ingredients together in large mixing bowl.
- Make a well in the center of dry ingredients and add in water, sour cream, eggs and oil.
- Mix until wet and dry ingredients are incorporated, but don't overmix. Batter will be lumpy.
- Let the batter set on your counter for 10 minutes. The sour cream and baking soda will react and begin releasing carbon dioxide, creating tons of bubbles through your batter and helping to make light, fluffy pancakes.
- Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, pour batter onto a lightly greased, hot griddle. I set my electric griddle to 375 degrees when I make pancakes. I can usually get four at a time on my griddle.
- When the bubbles in the top of the pancakes have popped and they are dry around the edges, they are ready to flip.
- Turn the pancakes and allow to cook on the other side until that side is golden brown, also.
- Serve with butter, syrup, jelly or other condiments your family loves.
- If you're prepping them for the freezer, move the pancakes to a rack to cool. Then place in single layers on cookie sheets and flash freeze.
- Once they are frozen, place them in a ziptop bag and store in your freezer. They can be quickly reheated in your microwave or toaster.
- Possible variations: You could substitute yogurt for the sour cream AND you could add fresh or frozen fruit or even chocolate chips in the batter. Also, if you keep buttermilk on hand, substitute 2 cups buttermilk for the water and buttermilk powder.
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