Hey everyone!
I am so excited to list my first very own giveaway! Yea!
I am giving away a $15.00 iTunes gift card.
The contest will start today (December 29th 2008) and run all the way until Friday, January 9, 2009, so you have plenty of time!
Here is how to get your name in the pot (winner will be chosen at random.org):
Do as many as you like, for multiple entries!
1. Commenting on this post will get you one entry (make sure to leave contact info)
2. Commenting on this post at twitter will get you one entry (make sure to leave a comment and contact info with a link back to twitter)
3. Following me on twitter will get you one entry (make sure to leave a comment and contact info with twitter name that you did so)
4.Following this blog will get you two entries (make sure to leave a comment and contact info that you did so)
5. Subscribing to this blog will get you two entries (make sure to leave a comment and contact info that you did so)
6. Blogging about this giveaway on your own blog will get you three entries (make sure to leave a comment, contact info and link to the specific blog that you did so)
7. Do all of the above, get the above specified entries, plus a bonus entry for doing all of them (make sure to leave a comment, contact info and specific links that you did so)
GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!
Monday, December 29, 2008
"Meat-less" Mondays
Okay, so the week of Christmas is over so I can continue on with my daily subject. Mondays are "Meat-less" Mondays. Every Monday you will be able to find a vegetarian or vegan recipe as well as tips for living without the "meat". "Meat-less" tips will have to do with cooking or baking when you are missing the main ingredient, entertaining your kids without any of their favorite toys (the "meat") or getting by without the main things we usually have/need/want (again, the "meat").
Today's vegetarian recipe:
TACO SOUP
This recipe was given to me by a friend who is a vegetarian. His wife is also a vegetarian and they make a lot of great food together. They both really love to cook so they always have great ideas.
This dish is SO delicious, my husband and I make it all of the time, especially in the winter. It's really great if you serve it with tortillas sliced in triangles to dip with.
1 can navy beans or great northern beans
1 can black beans
1 can refried beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 package ranch dressing seasoning
1 package taco seasoning
1 can water
Empty all contents into large cooking pot over medium-high heat, stirring occassionally until all ingredients are warm and refriedd beans are melted.
If you want a spicy soup you can use spicy taco mix and spicy tomatoes with green chilies.
ENJOY!
Uh, Oh, I'm out of my household cleaning products!
What do you do if you are trying to clean the countertops, sink, floor, etc. and are out of your favorite household cleaning product and have no time to go to the store because company is coming??
Well, thanks to "Meat-less" Mondays you have help!
VINEGAR, it does wonders. Vinegar will clean all those surfaces and make them sparkle in no time. You can even use it on glass.
Just mix a small amount of vinegar with hot water and VOILA! home-made cleaner. Make sure to not overload with the vinegar or things will smell a little too strong!
Let me know about anything else you would like to see on here!
Today's vegetarian recipe:
TACO SOUP
This recipe was given to me by a friend who is a vegetarian. His wife is also a vegetarian and they make a lot of great food together. They both really love to cook so they always have great ideas.
This dish is SO delicious, my husband and I make it all of the time, especially in the winter. It's really great if you serve it with tortillas sliced in triangles to dip with.
1 can navy beans or great northern beans
1 can black beans
1 can refried beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 package ranch dressing seasoning
1 package taco seasoning
1 can water
Empty all contents into large cooking pot over medium-high heat, stirring occassionally until all ingredients are warm and refriedd beans are melted.
If you want a spicy soup you can use spicy taco mix and spicy tomatoes with green chilies.
ENJOY!
Uh, Oh, I'm out of my household cleaning products!
What do you do if you are trying to clean the countertops, sink, floor, etc. and are out of your favorite household cleaning product and have no time to go to the store because company is coming??
Well, thanks to "Meat-less" Mondays you have help!
VINEGAR, it does wonders. Vinegar will clean all those surfaces and make them sparkle in no time. You can even use it on glass.
Just mix a small amount of vinegar with hot water and VOILA! home-made cleaner. Make sure to not overload with the vinegar or things will smell a little too strong!
Let me know about anything else you would like to see on here!
Friday, December 19, 2008
Welcome to Foodie Fridays!
I have now created a special topic for each day of the week! The week of Christmas might be a little sparce since I will be out of town, but I will try my best to bring you the best!
Anway, Fridays are now "Foodie Fridays"! I figure this is a good day to start, since the holiday baking and eating season is in full force. You will be able to find all kinds of recipes, tips and stories of the foodie kind each Friday.
So, without delay, here you are:
I figure most people will be attending several parties the next week and bringing their recipes and potlucks. I have put together a few easy, delicious and inexpensive dishes for you to take to all of those parties!
The Famous Cookie Exchange:
I think all of us have participated in a cookie exchange at one time or another. Here is a link to several different cookie exchange recipes with lots of extra hints and tips!
Edible Gifts and FREE Gift Tags:
I know that there are a lot of people out there that enjoy making people they know edible gifts. It's always a great, fun idea and for those on a budget it's a great money saver.
Here is a link to a lot of edible gift ideas http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/Entertaining/HolidaysEvents/HolidayHowToCenter/EdibleGifts.aspx and a link to FREE, printable gift tags. Just use colored paper and voila! http://www.kraftfoods.com/assets/pdf/KraftGiftTags_US.pdf
Easy Peasy Potlucks:
Here are a few ideas for all of those parties you will be attending.
These are DELICIOUS cheesy potatoes that I have been making for a long time. They're always a hit. Also, if you have vegetarians to cook for you can substitute the cream of chicken soup with cream of mushroom. You get the same great taste! http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/cheesy-potatoes-95131.aspx
I made these Holiday Cheese Truffles last year and they were delicious. Just beware, they make A LOT! http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/cheesy-potatoes-95131.aspx
Jell-O is a popular and inexpensive treat at any party. A guaranteed hit! http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/easy-holiday-ribbon-bowl-76282.aspx
Feel free to let me know if you have any fun and delicious holiday recipes. We'd love to hear them!
Monday, December 15, 2008
The Chocolate Passion Bowl
I have my husband's family Christmas Party this Saturday and have been looking for a great, but easy dessert to bring along. It's a HUGE party as he comes from a HUGE family. It's one of those extended family parties so it's lots of fun because we get to see relatives that we haven't seen in awhile. It's also our daughter's first Christmas so it will be extra special.Anyway, one of my favorite cooking websites is http://www.kraftfoods.com/ They have thousands of wonderful recipes that are not only unique, healthy and beautiful, but also very easy to make. It's a great site whether you love to cook and/or bake.
I found this recipe for "The Chocolate Passion Bowl" and before I even read the recipe I was pretty sure that was going to be the recipe I would choose. I mean, with a name like that it has to be good...right?! I guess we'll see.
So, I thought I would share the recipe with you in case you were looking for a recipe for the holidays or just something delicious! Enjoy!
THE CHOCOLATE PASSION BOWL:
Prep Time:20 min
Total Time:1 hr 20 min
Makes:16 servings, about 2/3 cup each
Ingredients:
3 cups cold milk
2 pkg. (4-serving size each) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP French Vanilla Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
1 baked 9-inch square brownie layer, cooled, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 5-1/2 cups)
1 pt. (2 cups) raspberries
BEAT milk and dry pudding mixes in large bowl with wire whisk 2 min. or until blended. Gently stir in 1 cup of the whipped topping.
PLACE half of the brownies in 2-qt. serving bowl; top with layers of half each of the pudding mixture, remaining whipped topping and raspberries. Repeat all layers.
REFRIGERATE at least 1 hour. Store leftovers in refrigerator.
Kraft Kitchens Tips:
*If desired, use BAKER'S ONE BOWL Brownies to bake a 13x9-inch brownie layer. Cut enough of the brownie into 1-inch cubes to measure 5-1/2 cups. Reserve remaining brownies for snacking.
*Special Extra: Chop 2 chocolate-coated caramel-peanut nougat bars (2.07 oz. each). Assemble dessert as directed, topping each layer of raspberries with layer of half of the chopped nougat bars.
*Substitute: Substitute 1 pkg. (12 oz.) marble pound cake, cubed, for the baked brownie square and/or undrained thawed frozen raspberries for the fresh raspberries.
Total Time:1 hr 20 min
Makes:16 servings, about 2/3 cup each
Ingredients:
3 cups cold milk
2 pkg. (4-serving size each) JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP French Vanilla Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
1 baked 9-inch square brownie layer, cooled, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 5-1/2 cups)
1 pt. (2 cups) raspberries
BEAT milk and dry pudding mixes in large bowl with wire whisk 2 min. or until blended. Gently stir in 1 cup of the whipped topping.
PLACE half of the brownies in 2-qt. serving bowl; top with layers of half each of the pudding mixture, remaining whipped topping and raspberries. Repeat all layers.
REFRIGERATE at least 1 hour. Store leftovers in refrigerator.
Kraft Kitchens Tips:
*If desired, use BAKER'S ONE BOWL Brownies to bake a 13x9-inch brownie layer. Cut enough of the brownie into 1-inch cubes to measure 5-1/2 cups. Reserve remaining brownies for snacking.
*Special Extra: Chop 2 chocolate-coated caramel-peanut nougat bars (2.07 oz. each). Assemble dessert as directed, topping each layer of raspberries with layer of half of the chopped nougat bars.
*Substitute: Substitute 1 pkg. (12 oz.) marble pound cake, cubed, for the baked brownie square and/or undrained thawed frozen raspberries for the fresh raspberries.
Your mommy giveaways!
Here are a few deals and giveaways around the mommy world:
If you and your family are looking for some great holiday fun this weekend you can visit the Zoo's Wild Lights party. Admission is $5.00/person and kids two years and younger are free. BUT WAIT...this Friday night is Moms Like Me night. Just mention Saint Louis Moms Like Me at the gate and get $1.00 off of your admission. More info here http://stlouis.momslikeme.com/members/JournalActions.aspx?g=190641&m=2932974
www.momonamission2008.com has started her 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways, and there are some pretty good things to win!
http://momminitup.com/ has some awesome toy giveaways right now. And for once, they're toys for your older kids. I'm talking DS games, awesome crafts, etc. that would make great gifts for any older kids on your list!
That's it for now, let me know if you see anything else you would like me to post!
If you and your family are looking for some great holiday fun this weekend you can visit the Zoo's Wild Lights party. Admission is $5.00/person and kids two years and younger are free. BUT WAIT...this Friday night is Moms Like Me night. Just mention Saint Louis Moms Like Me at the gate and get $1.00 off of your admission. More info here http://stlouis.momslikeme.com/members/JournalActions.aspx?g=190641&m=2932974
www.momonamission2008.com has started her 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways, and there are some pretty good things to win!
http://momminitup.com/ has some awesome toy giveaways right now. And for once, they're toys for your older kids. I'm talking DS games, awesome crafts, etc. that would make great gifts for any older kids on your list!
That's it for now, let me know if you see anything else you would like me to post!
Friday, December 12, 2008
A Christmas Angel, and a deal for you!
So, I have spent the past couple of days taking literally hundreds of pictures of my daughter to get the right one for her first Christmas card. I'm a perfectionist so I want things...well..perfect. So, here it is! A perfect Christmas angel for all to see. Isn't she beautiful?
And because I would love nothing more than to bring you a deal, Shutterfly.com is currently offering free standard shipping until December 14. Just enter coupon code SHIPPING4 at check out. So get your Christmas cards made today!
Giveaways you just can't miss!
An awesome way I save money during the holidays is search all the other mommy blogs to find their great deals, coupons and giveaways. Here are some great things that I have found:
http://www.momadvice.com/ is hosting all of these great giveaways! One Year Supply of Scotts Paper Products plus $100 Visa Gift Card (ends Dec. 16)Ikea Holiday Package (ends Dec. 16)Sony Digital Camera (ends Dec. 16)$500 Walmart Gift Card (ends Dec. 15)
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ is giving away 5 $100.00 Burlington Coat Factory gift cards!
$500 gift card to Walmart from The Centsible Sawyer. Ends Monday Dec 15.
$500 gift card to Walmart from Keeping the Kingdom First. Ends Monday Dec 15 noon CST.
$10 gift card to Target from Saving Some Green. Ends Saturday Dec 13 noon.
http://savingsomegreen.blogspot.com/search/label/giveaway a chance to win one of three $10.00 Target gift cards!
Check all of them out and Good Luck to everyone! Thanks for reading!
http://www.momadvice.com/ is hosting all of these great giveaways! One Year Supply of Scotts Paper Products plus $100 Visa Gift Card (ends Dec. 16)Ikea Holiday Package (ends Dec. 16)Sony Digital Camera (ends Dec. 16)$500 Walmart Gift Card (ends Dec. 15)
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ is giving away 5 $100.00 Burlington Coat Factory gift cards!
$500 gift card to Walmart from The Centsible Sawyer. Ends Monday Dec 15.
$500 gift card to Walmart from Keeping the Kingdom First. Ends Monday Dec 15 noon CST.
$10 gift card to Target from Saving Some Green. Ends Saturday Dec 13 noon.
http://savingsomegreen.blogspot.com/search/label/giveaway a chance to win one of three $10.00 Target gift cards!
Check all of them out and Good Luck to everyone! Thanks for reading!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Christmas Shopping
Okay, a lot of my family members already know this but I have gone completely overboard on my daughter's Christmas. Now, in my defense, it's my first child so I think that has something to do with it.
Anyway, I think I bought her every toy that Fisher-Price has to offer in her age range.
This is a rather short post but I wanted to let everyone know about a great place to buy awesome infant toys. My daughter is ten months old and I found so many things for her. The website is called www.onestepahead.com, their toys are very interactive and educational. I love it, they also have a section of parent inventions and all sorts of great stuff that you always wish other stores would have. Check it out!
Anyway, I think I bought her every toy that Fisher-Price has to offer in her age range.
This is a rather short post but I wanted to let everyone know about a great place to buy awesome infant toys. My daughter is ten months old and I found so many things for her. The website is called www.onestepahead.com, their toys are very interactive and educational. I love it, they also have a section of parent inventions and all sorts of great stuff that you always wish other stores would have. Check it out!
A blog referral
I wanted to share with everyone the wonderful creation that is Mom On a Mission. This blog is run by the wife of a Boeing employee that I know. She works part time and stays home with a 13 month old boy. If you are into coupon clipping, bargain shopping, saving money, and finding the best deals around, Oh and did I mention FREEBIES?! then you will definitely want to check out her blog!
She has saved me lots of time and money when it comes to grocery shopping and I am forever grateful for all the time she spends on her blog.
All moms know that time is limited and grocery shopping is one of our biggest burdens. She cuts out a lot of the time and trouble for us, check her out and you'll see what I mean!
See it here at http://www.momonamission2008.blogspot.com/
She has saved me lots of time and money when it comes to grocery shopping and I am forever grateful for all the time she spends on her blog.
All moms know that time is limited and grocery shopping is one of our biggest burdens. She cuts out a lot of the time and trouble for us, check her out and you'll see what I mean!
See it here at http://www.momonamission2008.blogspot.com/
Welcome!
Hi Everyone!
I'd like to welcome you to my first blog! I must admit, I created this blog for the purpose of getting the word out about my business, Enchanted Storybook Parties. But, as I was creating it and thinking about the purpose it would serve, I started getting some other ideas. I live in Saint Charles, Missouri right outside of the Saint Louis area.
I am a mom of a 10 month old daughter and I work part-time. I am constantly thinking of fun things to do, girly places to go or shop, deals and discounts to find and creative things to do, new and exciting things to cook, crafts to make and family fun to be had. As a first time parent I am constantly researching, reading, watching the news and visiting every baby and child website I can find. I thought I would create this blog as an advertisement for my business, as well as create a place where moms like me could go to get all kinds of information about parties, birthdays, new and original ideas, girly-girl talk, kid toys, baby products, problem solving, etc. I hope you love it and please feel free to get back with me on any ideas you have or anything that you would like to see on here.
I'd like to welcome you to my first blog! I must admit, I created this blog for the purpose of getting the word out about my business, Enchanted Storybook Parties. But, as I was creating it and thinking about the purpose it would serve, I started getting some other ideas. I live in Saint Charles, Missouri right outside of the Saint Louis area.
I am a mom of a 10 month old daughter and I work part-time. I am constantly thinking of fun things to do, girly places to go or shop, deals and discounts to find and creative things to do, new and exciting things to cook, crafts to make and family fun to be had. As a first time parent I am constantly researching, reading, watching the news and visiting every baby and child website I can find. I thought I would create this blog as an advertisement for my business, as well as create a place where moms like me could go to get all kinds of information about parties, birthdays, new and original ideas, girly-girl talk, kid toys, baby products, problem solving, etc. I hope you love it and please feel free to get back with me on any ideas you have or anything that you would like to see on here.
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