How do you feel about your skin?  Do you follow a skin-care regime, or is it usually a second thought?  For me, I’m not committed to any one brand.  I usually switch out every few months in hopes of finding the next best thing for my face.  I guess it’s safe to say I bounce from one brand to the next because I haven’t found anything that truly showed a difference.  I did some serious damage to my skin in my younger years.  Tanning with baby oil (yes, I did), never using sunscreen.  Just the thought makes me nauseous.  Oh, and let’s not forget that I turn the big 4-0 this year, so my skin is starting to show signs of aging.

I would say my biggest issues would be my pores and the “almost that time of the month” breakouts.  At my age, to still have breakouts is embarrassing.  It’s always in the same areas, and it’s usually only one or two blemishes, but it makes me feel self-conscious all the same.  My second issue is definitely my pores.  I’ve noticed they are not as small and undetectable anymore.  For as much as I hate to do this, it must be done to see the true results.

Here is a close up of my most problematic area…

As you can see, my pores in this area need serious minimizing, and there are clear signs of sun damage.  Because of the issues I deal with, I was thrilled to have been selected to try Cindy Crawford’s Meaningful Beauty Complete Anti-Aging Skincare System for four weeks.  This skincare system was created by internationally acclaimed anti-aging specialist, Dr. Jean-Louis Sebagh.  It’s formulated with a powerful super-antioxidant from a rare melon along with such skin rejuvenating ingredients as peptides, vitamins, minerals and marine extracts and can help skin appear radiant and youthful.  Trust me when I say, my skin is in dire need of all of those things!

 Meaningful Beauty is a comprehensive skin care kit designed to:

-Smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
-Even out skin tone and texture.
-Revitalize and restore skin’s youthful
appearance.
-Protect skin from environmental factors with
antioxidants.

The set I received was incredibly generous.  A one-month supply contains five full-sized products, and two sample-sized bonus items.  The first thing I did was a sniff test.  I may be a girl, but I do not like my face smelling like a flower garden.  I prefer lightly scented products that smell clean, and unassuming.  Meaningful Beauty did not disappoint!  Each product is unscented or lightly scented, and LOVELY.  We’re off to a great start already!  So, what’s in this kit?

The NEW Meaningful Beauty system includes:

• Skin Softening Cleanser
• Antioxidant Day Crème SPF 20 UVA/UVB
• Crème de Serum
• Lifting Eye Crème – Advanced Formula
• Skin Brightening Décolleté and Neck Treatment SPF 15
• Glycolic Treatment Pads (New – Bonus)
• Glowing Serum (Bonus)

Meaningful Beauty five-step treatment.

In a clinical study – within 6-weeks:

-85% of participants reported their skin visibly improved.
-91% of participants noticed an overall improvement in the healthier appearance of their skin.
-76% of participants noticed a decrease in skin dullness and dryness.
-85% of participants would recommend the product to a friend.
-100% of participants reported no irritation.

Those numbers are pretty impressive, don’t you think?  I’m incredibly curious to see what my results will be!  I’ll be back in a couple of weeks to tell you all about my experience using the Meaningful Beauty Complete Anti-Aging Skincare System.  I can tell you this much…so far so good!

I received a second kit to share with a friend, so I decided to send it to my favorite gal, Kerri,  from The Maven of Social Media.  She just received her kit yesterday, and I hope she enjoys it as much as I do.  I chose to give the kit to Kerri because she’s a wonderful, deserving friend.  Plus, we recently discussed our skin problems, so I know she’ll really appreciate this kit!  In the meantime, I’d love to hear what your skin care routine is.

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Disclosure:  I wrote this review while participating in a test drive campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf Meaningful Beauty and received a 5-step treatment kit to facilitate my review, a second 5-step treatment kit to giveaway, and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

I love cherry anything, so when I heard today was National Cherry Pie Day, I was ready to celebrate!  My girls love cherries, and every time we buy them, it’s all I can do to pit them fast enough for them to gobble them up.  In honor of National Cherry Pie Day, King Arthur Flour selected a group of bloggers to create their version of a Cherry Pie.  I was fortunate to be one of them!  Now, it’s no secret that I love to bake as I’ll be studying Baking & Pastry later this year.  But one thing you may not know is that I cannot crimp a pie crust for anything!  It’s something I have struggled with for quite some time, but I love challenging myself so I was thrilled to make this pie.  King Arthur Flour sent me their new Pie Essentials DVD and I have to say, it’s incredible!  Susan Reid, editor of The Baking Sheet, offers a plethora of helpful tips and tricks when it comes to making the perfect pie.  After watching the DVD I walked into my kitchen with a new-found confidence when it comes to making a pie!  I mean it, I was ready!

Before I get to my yummy recipe, I want to talk a bit about King Arthur Flour’s bi-monthly newsletter, The Baking Sheet.  This was my first copy of The Baking Sheet, and I assure you, won’t be my last.  It’s 24-pages of mouth-watering recipes, secrets you’ve always wanted to know about cooking & baking, excellent tips and techniques, and bright, beautiful photos.  The copy I received has a recipe for Chocolate Puff Pastry & Napoleons.  Oh my goodness.  I have picked up this newsletter easily a half a dozen times just to stare at the pictures of it!  (I think I feel a future post coming on.)

Now let’s get down to business.  Cherry Pie.

Dark Sweet Cherry & Blueberry Pie

Filling
4 c. frozen dark sweet cherries (with the juice!)
2 c. blueberries
juice of 1 medium lemon
1/4 c. Pie Filler Enhancer

Pie Crust
2 1/2 c. King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp. salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4-1/2 c. ice water

I used the All-Butter Pie Crust recipe from King Arthur’s website.

Extras
Turbinado sugar
Heavy cream

For my cherry pie recipe, I used frozen sweet dark cherries.  Let them thaw on the counter before using them.  (And make sure to keep the yummy juice they produce!)  If you use fresh cherries, you may want to add a 1/4-1/2 c. sugar with the lemon juice, to allow the natural juices to form.

Pour thawed cherries into a large bowl.  Add juice of a medium lemon and two cups of blueberries.  This is where I suggest you taste the cherries/sauce to see if it needs sugar.  My blueberries and cherries were perfectly sweet, so I chose not to add any.  Sprinkle fruit with King Arthur Flour Pie Filling Enhancer.  Mix everything together, being as gentle with the fruit as possible.

The pie crust recipe was incredibly simple to make.  Add 2 1/2 c. King Arthur All-Purpose Flour and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a large bowl and blend well.  (Use 1/4 tsp. if you use salted butter, which I did.)  Dice ice butter into small cubes, and add to the flour.  Work it into the flour until it’s well-distributed, but not fully incorporated.  You want larger, pea-sized pieces of butter scattered throughout the mixture.

Tossing with a fork or your fingers, drizzle in the ice water. Stop adding water when the dough starts to come together, and grab it in your hands. If it holds together easily, without crumbling, it’s ready. If it has dry spots, or pieces break off easily, add a bit more water until it’s totally cohesive.

Gather the dough into a ball, and divide it in half. Gently pat/shape each half into a rough disk. Roll immediately, if desired. For better texture, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling. If dough has been refrigerated longer than 30 minutes, allow it to warm at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes, until it rolls easily.  Look at the gorgeous little pieces of butter throughout the crust!

Spray the bottom of a pie pan with cooking spray.  (This makes taking the first piece out easy.)  Roll out one disc of dough into a circle and place into the bottom of the pie pan.  Pour the filling on top of the pie crust.  Roll out the second disc for the top crust.  I wanted to try something different, so I went with another little trick I learned watching The Baking Sheet Pie Essentials Tips & Techniques video.  (One of many, I might add!)  Susan Reid said you can use cookie cutters to cut out shapes which can then be used as the top crust!  Well, my little girls insisted I use a heart shape, so I happily obliged.

This is where the turbinado sugar and heavy cream come into play.  Whether you cut out shapes, or roll out the top crust, you want to brush some heavy cream on top of it.  Susan mentioned in the video that she prefers it over using an egg wash, because sometimes the egg creates little pieces of scramble.  (Easy decision for me on this one!)  Finally, sprinkle some turbinado or course sugar on top of the crust, or in this case, the hearts.

Another little trick I learned in the video was lining a cookie sheet with parchment paper, and putting it underneath the pie pan while baking.  This will be a very beneficial step if your tasty pie filling decides to bubble over.  Bake the pie at 450 for 15 minutes, then lower the temp to 375 and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes.  Cool completely.

My Dark Sweet Cherry & Blueberry Pie turned out simply delicious!  It was perfectly sweet from the cherries and blueberries, with a wonderful tartness from the lemon.  We ate three pieces between two of us for breakfast.  (Shhh…don’t tell anyone!)  And the crust?  FANTASTIC.  Flaky, crunchy…and absolutely perfect!

The generous folks at King Arthur have offered to give one of my readers the same pie package that I received!  One lucky reader will receive a 5 lb. bag of King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, Pie Filling Enhancer, Silicone Pie Crust Shield, Pie Essentials DVD and a copy of The Baking Sheet.  This wonderful prize is valued at over $50!  Thank You, King Arthur Flour!

King Arthur Prize Package

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Disclosure:  I received products from King Arthur Flour for review.  All thoughts expressed are my true and honest opinions.

Do you have kids?  I can honestly say, the day I had my first child was the day being healthy was long gone!  Winter is the season I dread the most, and I’m sure I don’t have to say why.  Cold & Flu season.  Right now, both of my girls are sick.  …for the second time this year.  (And I’m talking in 2012!)  After a visit to the doctor’s office, my family made a quick stop at Tom Thumb to get a few things to help our girls feel better as soon as possible.  I didn’t make a list since I left straight from the doctor’s office, but I only needed a few specific items like a children’s cough suppressant, a box of tissue and of course, lots of orange juice.

If you live by a Safeway, make sure to visit the pharmacy on your next visit and grab a “Be Well.  Save Well.” pamphlet.  Not only does it offer great tips on how to keep up a healthy immune system, but it has close to $6 in coupons for products that will most certainly come in handy this time of year.   I happened to shop at an affiliate store, Tom Thumb, but was able to pick up all the products I needed to help my kids feel better.

The first thing I do when someone gets sick at my house is reach for the Lysol.  Kids and germs go hand-in-hand…quite literally!  Sprays are fine, but I prefer wipes.  They are super easy to use, not to mention, incredibly convenient.  I keep a tub of wipes in both bathrooms, as well as underneath my kitchen sink.  It only takes a minute to wipe down doorknobs and light switches, and since I use the wipes, I don’t have to mess around with sponges.  Just pop the top, pull out a wipe or two and you’re done.  If you regularly clean areas that you know your kids are touching and grabbing on, you can probably cut out a cold or two…or at least stop it from spreading like a wildfire!

Goodbye germs!

Hello Vitamin C!

My kids love 100% Florida Orange Juice, so it makes it incredibly easy to get Vitamin C into their little bodies.  If I allowed it, my youngest would drink it all day!  The great thing about orange juice is that you can easily incorporate it into cooking and baking, as well as an occasional smoothie for a wonderful afternoon pick-me-up.  Because my girls are a bit under the weather, I took the advice of the “Be Well. Save Well.” pamphlet and picked up a few items to create a cold, cough and flu kit.  In addition to the Florida Orange Juice, I grabbed a can of Lysol Disinfecting Wipes, a soothing box of Cool Touch Kleenex, chapstick for my youngest, multi-symptom cold and cough suppressant and some cough drops.  The best part is that I only spent a little over $20 for everything…and half of it went towards the Mucinex!   You can view more images on my Google + page.  I assure you, my kids always make it interesting!

Anti-Bacterial Wipes, 100% Florida Orange Juice and Kleenex.

Help for the little ones.

Please do yourself a favor and prepare your family and your home for the inevitable cold and flu season.  Having a kit like the one I put together will definitely come in handy when one of the kids comes home with the sniffles.  I’d love to hear what do you do to keep your family healthy this time of year!

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Disclosure:  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias  All thoughts and opinions are true and honest…and all mine!!

Because you mean so much to us, I’ve teamed up with my favorite gal, The Maven of Social Media, to host a special Valentine’s Week Giveaway!  How would you like a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card?!  Entering is easy.  Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below!  Don’t forget to stop by each day for extra entries!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My clothing style always evolves with the times.  I love to have the latest fashions, as well as a few classics I believe never go out of style.  If I’m at home with the kids doing my everyday tasks, or writing a blog post, you will most certainly find me in sweat pants and a t-shirt.  But that is not who I am outside of the home.  Yes, I’m a mom, but I love fashion. I may not shop as often for myself now that I have kids, but it feels good to put on a fabulous outfit and just feel like a woman.  I am on a mission to find something special for me, and to find it online.  (Hey, it’s not easy taking two little ones with to try on clothes!)  I attend several local events each month for my blog, and I always try to wear business casual attire.  That will be my focus for this shopping experience.

I’ve heard positive things about Brooks Brothers, so I thought I’d see what they had to offer.  I was told they were a bit on the expensive side, but the thing about clothing is that you almost always get what you pay for.  I worked in retail management for years, so one thing I will splurge on is quality clothing.  It’s longer lasting, is made of excellent material, and the attention to details is second to none.  A great investment, if you ask me.

As soon as you visit their website, it’s clear that Brooks Brothers represents classic, high quality clothing.  It’s not the style I wear everyday, but I have similar pieces in my closet.  Something I noticed about the reviews on the Brooks Brothers website it that almost every item had a 5 star rating.  That is pretty impressive!  One thing I know for sure is that people will write a review for a bad experience faster than they will a good one, so this gave me a good feeling about the quality of their products.

Brooks Brothers had plenty of sales going on throughout their site.  One was for the Men’s Dress Shirts.  The day I shopped online you could get 3 For $219 (or $78.00 to $98.50 each).  My husband wears a dress shirt and tie to work every day, so I’m very familiar with pricing and this was a great deal.  In addition to these sales, I was pleased to see that they also have a huge clearance section.  Sometimes you peek at a clearance section and nothing stands out because it’s the leftovers that nobody else wanted.  That was not the case here.  I was pleasantly surprised at the beautiful selection of clothing and accessories they had for up to 60% off!

Brooks Brothers has a great section of accessories.  Belts, necklaces, shoes…and incredible handbags!  I spent more than my share of time dreaming about adding each and every one of those items to my cart.  Back to the clothing section I ventured, where I initially selected a gorgeous Italian silk scarf (and I mean gorgeous!) and black turtleneck.  (You can view my entire shopping experience here.)  As I was about to check out I noticed the turtleneck was set to be shipped out in September, and since I was looking for something to wear now, I decided to look for something else.  So, what did I end up ordering?  Take a look:

My selection, the Merino Cardigan with Pointelle Ruffle

Before I checked out, I searched the internet for Brooks Brothers coupon codes or discounts.  The fact is, being a stay-at-home mom means money can sometimes be tight.  Besides, who wouldn’t want to save a few bucks if it’s out there just for searching?  I found a few nice discounts, but I noticed on the Brooks Brothers website that if you created an account, you could get $10 off your next $50 purchase.  And guess what?  The sweater I decided to buy fell right into that category.  Not only did I find a $148 sweater that was on clearance for $59.20, but I got an additional $10 off!

The website itself is incredibly user-friendly.  Everything is detailed, and easy to maneuver around.  Plus, they even had tutorials on various way to wear a scarf!!  When it came time to check out, I was impressed with the sheer ease of the process.  I simply logged into the account I created and I was done in a flash. I have to say, it was definitely worth creating an account.  Not only did I save an additional $10 today, but it made checking out a breeze AND I’m signed up to receive special member benefits.

Are the prices on the hefty side?  For some people, I suppose so.  But when you take in account that they are using materials such as silk chiffon, Pure Egyptian cotton woven in Italy and even crocodile belts, I’d say the prices are just right.  I may not do all of my shopping at Brooks Brothers, but I will certainly look to them whenever I am in search of something luxurious and sophisticated.

Disclosure:  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shoppers insight study for Collective Bias.  #CBias  All thoughts expressed are my true and honest opinions.

Up until recently, my typical breakfast was coffee…and more coffee.  Oh, and let’s not forget the French Vanilla creamer!  I swear, I felt terrible every day.  How can you get through the day on overloads of caffeine and zero food and actually expect to feel good?!  This year I’ve promised myself something better.  Something called real food.  On busy days, I make myself a bowl of oatmeal and toss in a handful of nuts and dried cranberries.  But on morning when I have a few extra minutes, I like to make something special.  Meat, eggs…perhaps a stack of buttermilk pancakes.

I was given the opportunity to work with Jennie-O recently, and because I loved their products so much, I thought I’d share a few breakfast ideas with you.  I happen to love pancakes.  I’m talking about a full-blown love affair with them!  Even though they are perfect as-is, I still like something extra, like a few slices of bacon, or a sausage link or two.  I used Jennie-O Lean Turkey Breakfast Sausage Links last week when I made pancakes, and it was truly the perfect accompaniment.

I’m not typically a sausage fan, but these turkey sausages were very tasty!  I like my sausages nice and crispy brown.  No one knew these were not pork sausages, which I found rather funny.  The flavor was great, and to be honest, I preferred them over pork.

Jennie-O Lean Turkey Sausage Links

Jennie-O really opened my eyes to their Extra Lean Turkey Bacon.  I am a die-hard bacon fan.  (Bacon makes everything better, doesn’t it?!)  When I took it out of the package, it was much thinner than regular bacon.  I have to admit, I wasn’t sure if it would get crisp enough for my taste, but boy was I wrong.  It was perfectly crispy, and had the lovely chew that regular bacon offers.  Even my girls loved it!

I made two things with the bacon.  My girls are hit or miss when it comes to omelets, so I made them Bacon, Egg and Cheese English Muffins the day I made a Turkey Bacon & Mushroom Omelet  from the Jennie-O website.

Jennie-O Extra Lean Turkey Bacon

Turkey Bacon & Mushroom Omelet

Are you a breakfast eater, or do you fuel up on coffee and hope for the best?  If you answered coffee, I challenge you to whip up some Jennie-O turkey sausage or bacon as soon as you start your pot of coffee.  It will be ready by the time your coffee is done…and you will be so thankful that you did!

Disclosure:  I was not compensated for this post.  I used the rest of the product I received for a prior review of Jennie-O, and wanted to share these breakfast ideas.  All thoughts expressed are my true and honest opinions.

Last night I got together with some friends for the Superbowl game.  Now, I’m  not much of a football fan unless I’m at the game itself, but I’m always looking for a reason to entertain…and cook!  I happen to be a Dallas Cowboys fan, but since they weren’t playing in the Superbowl, I rooted for the Giants.  And I’m not just saying this because they won!  I can’t deny, I spent most of the game eating and yapping, as opposed to watching.  The fact is, there was conversing to be done.  Isn’t that what are parties for??!

To prepare for the party, I took my girls to Walmart to grab a few essentials for my #TXBacon party.  Snacks was the keyword for the night.  Who wants to eat an entire meal during a game?  Not I!  I want munchies.  Foods you can pick up with your fingers that doesn’t need a spoon and fork.  I spent around $50 for everything I needed, and that included three nice sized packages of Petit Jean Ham.  If you haven’t tried their meat, look for them next time you’re at Walmart or HEB!

See how I turned this…

into this…

I love cooking, but even more so…I love entertaining.  I’m the gal that makes a ton of food, then sits around and watches everyone enjoy it.  Rarely do I eat it.  (Mainly because I’m “taste-testing” the entire time I’m cooking!)  OK, so last night I ate.  I taste-tested, and I ate some more at the party.  Sorry, but these apps were so delicious, I really couldn’t help myself!  I used

Hawaiian Pizza Pull-Apart

1 can of refrigerated pizza dough
1 c. chopped Petit Jean Ham
2/3 c. crushed pineapple, drained
1/3 c. minced black olives
4 slices mozzarella cheese

Creamy Alfredo & Green Onion Dipping Sauce

2 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. flour
1 c. whole milk
1/2 c. parmesan, grated
1/4 c. sliced green onion
1/2 tsp. thyme
salt/pepper to taste

Tear the pizza dough into medium-sized pieces and add them to a pie pan sprayed with vegetable oil.  Bake them in the oven, per instructions on the can.  Once they are done, sprinkle sauce over dough, add cheese, and top with ham, pineapple and black olives.  Put back into the oven until cheese melts.  You could also use refrigerated breadstick dough, for a unique texture!

While the pizza dough is cooking you can prepare the sauce.  Melt the butter in a small saucepan.  Add flour, and whisk for 2 minutes.  Slowly whisk in the milk.  Add cheese, thyme, salt and pepper and cook until thickened.  After you take out enough sauce for the pizza, add the green onions and a few tablespoons of milk to the rest of the sauce to use for dipping.  This keeps it from getting too thin.

I’m surprised at how much ham comes in each package of Petit Jean Ham!!  I used half a package for the pizza, and chopped up the second half for the phyllo cups.  There was just enough…with a few scraps to nibble on.  This recipe is easy to make, as long as you remember to work fast with the phyllo dough, and keep it covered with a kitchen towel.

Broccoli, Ham & Cheese Cups

1/4 of a package of Phyllo Dough Sheets
1/4 c. melted butter
3 slices of Petit Jean Ham, diced
1 c. steamed broccoli
1/2 c. colby-jack cheese, shredded

I used six sheets of phyllo, buttering each sheet before layering them on top of each other.  Cut into eight pieces and put them into a muffin pan sprayed with vegetable oil.  Add a sprinkle of cheese to each cup, then top with ham, broccoli and more cheese.  Bake according to package instructions, or until cheese is melted.  I served these with a spoonful of sauce that I made for the pizza and it was amazing!!  Perfect little hand-held cups.  Petit Jean Ham is pre-cooked and ready to eat.  And did I mention, DELICIOUS!!  I love that it has a wonderful flavor, without being salty.  That, to me, is the perfect ham.

In addition to the Hawaiian Pizza Pull-Apart and Broccoli, Ham & Cheese Cups, I made two variations of a Jalapeno Popper Dip, Homemade Guacamole and chips.  We had a feast.

Two versions of Jalapeno Popper Dip.

One of my all-time favorite snacks is Jalapeno Popper Dip.  I have one recipe I make all the time, and without fail, it’s gone in a flash.  I serve it with crostini I make using a french baguette than I slice thin, drizzle with olive oil, kosher salt and pepper…then bake until lightly golden.  This time I thought I would make a second version adding colby-jack cheese and green onions.  Both were great, but I have to admit, I love the original version much better.  (Yes, I’m biased.)

Everyone loved the Petit Jean Ham, and I’m happy to say I had two packages leftover, which means ham sandwiches for lunch today!!  What did you do for the Big Game last night?  Did you stay home, go out with friends?  If you made anything tasty, you know I wanna hear about it!!

If you would like to see a play-by-play of my Superbowl shopping experience, make sure to view it on my Google+ page!

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Disclosure:  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias  All thoughts expressed are my true and honest opinions.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to show those who are near and dear just how much you care with a treat straight from the heart and fresh from the oven! New Valentine’s Day Pillsbury Ready to Bake! Shape Cookies will fill your home with love and now the magic of Disney. Whether you bake these cookies for, or with your loved ones, Pillsbury Ready to Bake Shape Cookies are perfect for bringing those you love most together on Valentine’s Day!

Pillsbury Valentine Shape Sugar Cookies

What I love about the Pillsbury Ready to Bake! Shapes Cookies is that you can make them in under 10 minutes, warm and ready to be enjoyed!  Holiday cookies are a must, but making a huge mess and spending half a day to make them is no longer necessary thanks to Pillsbury!  They have some of your family’s favorite Disney characters, including Mickey and Minnie Mouse and Disney Princesses Belle, Cinderella and Tiana.  (My girls LOVE Disney Princesses!)

Place cookie dough on ungreased (I used parchment) cookie sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes and enjoy!

Bake your way into your family’s hearts this February with new Valentine’s Pillsbury Ready to Bake! Shape Cookies. To spread the love even further, you can visit this link to download a printable coupon for $1.10 off of the purchase of (1) package of Pillsbury Ready to Bake! Shape Cookies today!

Pillsbury Valentine's Day prize pack

The generous folks at Pillsbury, through MyBlogSpark, want to give ONE of my readers the lovely prize pack shown above!  It has one VIP coupon for a FREE package of Pillsbury Ready-to-Bake Shape Cookies, cookie jar, cookie spatula and oven mitt.  To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below!

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Disclosure:  The VIP coupon, prize pack, information, and giveaway have been provided by Pillsbury through MyBlogSpark.

Can you believe Valentine’s Day is just over a week away?!  Are you planning on going out to eat out with your loved one, or staying in for a romantic home-cooked meal?  Dining out can be incredibly expensive, especially if you plan on going to a fine dining restaurant.  I happen to love going to restaurants in general, but for holidays, I prefer to stay at home and cook for my family.  I’ve always thought cooking for people is a much more intimate gesture.  Save-A-Lot has created a menu for two that will cost less than $20.  A menu that includes steak and shrimp!  And for a little something extra, I’ve included a recipe for a chocolate covered cherry cake.  (Recipe can be found on the Save-A-Lot website.)

Save-A-Lot’s Surf & Turf Menu for Under $20 (serves 4)

Round steak $4.39/pound
Raw shell-on shrimp, $3.99 (30-60 count)

Leading brand garden salad bag, $1 (10 for $10 deal)

Baked Potatoes = $4.48
Potatoes, $2.99 (10 pound bag)
Coburn Farms Sour Cream, $1.49 (16 ounces)

If you spend $25 at Save-A-Lot, you can save $5 by signing up for their Smart Shopper Club in advance.  You can sign up right online!  This meal will cost you far less than what you would pay at a restaurant.  Besides, the person on the other side of the table will think you are a superstar whipping up such a fancy dish!

Now for something sinfully sweet….

GRANNY’S CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRY CAKE

Ingredients:

1 pk Ginger Evans devils food cake mix
2 c milk
1 pk 8oz. Coburn Farms cream cheese softened
1 cn Ginger Evans cherry pie filling
1 pk 8oz. Coburn Farms whipped topping
1 c Ginger Evans chocolate chips
1⁄2 c Marashino cherries
1 pkg Ginger Evans Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix

Directions:

-Prepare cake mix as directed on box using a 9x13x2 inch pan. Let cool in pan.
-In a large bowl with a mixer beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup milk until smooth.
-Beat in remaining milk and pudding mix. Set aside to thicken.
-Spoon pudding mixture over cake.
-Top with pie filling.
-Cover and chill at least 4 hours.
-Just before serving  frost with whipped topping. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and maraschino cherries.

Granny's Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake

Looks amazing, doesn’t it?  The chocolate cream cheese sort of melds right into the cake, creating a creamy layer that melts in your mouth.  My girls had a great time helping me make this cake.  And of course, we all had an even better time devouring it!

The kind folks at Save-A-Lot want to give TWO of my readers the chance to make this cake by offering a $10 gift card for the supplies, and a canvas tote!  To enter, use the Rafflecopter form below.  Good Luck!

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Disclosure:  I received a gift card in order to purchase ingredients to make the featured cake.  All thoughts are my true and honest opinions.

• Discover Your Winter Cocktail. Answer a few questions to see what winter cocktail suits you best!
• Little Known Liquor Facts! This fun guide will give you little known facts about liquor you may not have known!
• Give a Winter Twist to Four Classic Cocktails!  Everyone has their favorite drink and most of the time they are the tried and true classics. Now you can spice up your classic cocktail with a fun holiday twist!  Great to share with friends or become the hit of your holiday party!

Want to know what MY winter cocktail is?  The Toasted Almond!  …and I do love almond!

Are you ready for Spring?  I know I sure was when I caught of glimpse of this cocktail!  Trust me, it will make you forget all about what Punxsutawney Phil said yesterday.

• 3/4 oz lemon juice
• 3/4 oz mango syrup
• 1 1/2 oz pineapple juice
• 2 oz blood orange juice

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