Join Me for the Juicy Juice #UltimatePlaydate Twitter Party plus $550 in Prizes on Thursday (5/29) at 11am EST! #shop #cbias

Do you love a good Twitter Party? You know I do and I’m excited to co-host a party about creating playdates that combine learning and fun! On Thursday, May 29th, at 11:00am EST, please join us for the #UltimatePlaydate Twitter Party, where we’ll be discussing how playdates can be opportunities to develop motor and social skills while encouraging independence, AND of course, giving you a chance to win prizes!

As someone who has enjoyed sharing fun learning activities with her readers, it's no secret how much I love watching my children experience learning through creative and imaginative play.  Our 7 year old twins' idea of the ideal playdate would be berry-flavored Juicy Juice Fun Size juice boxes served with string cheese for a snack plus an assortment of Crayola markers and an endless supply of drawing paper.  Throw in a roll of tape and watch where their imaginations take them!  What do you do to spark your children's imaginations?  Join me at the #UltimatePlaydate Twitter Party and tell me all about it!

Specially marked packages of Juicy Juice products from April through September will deliver up to $3 off coupons savings on Crayola products such as Color Wonder and My First Crayola. There will also be $1 off Juicy Juice Instant Redeemable Coupons applied to special Crayola Color Wonder and My First Crayola products.


Join me and RSVP for the #UltimatePlaydate on SoFabChats!


DATE: Thursday, May 29th, 2014

TIME: 11:00am - 12:00pm ET

PRIZES: 5 – $100 Walmart Gift Cards

EARLY BIRD PRIZE: 1 – $50 Walmart Gift Card

HOSTS: @KellysLuckyYou, @LaughWithUsBlog, @_Karen, @FrugalGreenMama, @JManMillerBug

RULES: #UltimatePlaydate Twitter Party Official Rules

RSVP & PARTY GRID: #UltimatePlaydate Twitter Party Page


TWEET TO SHARE:

RSVP for #UltimatePlaydate Twitter Party 5/29 11am ET. Prizes! Rules http://t.co/L9jcmTeMgK #shop pic.twitter.com/G9wMC4mk0r
— Karen Coutu (@_Karen) May 20, 2014

How To Participate In A Twitter Party on SoFabChats!

TIP: How to join a Twitter Party – sign in! Before party starts, click on the green “Sign In On Twitter” bar at the top of the page!

TIP: Who to follow at a Twitter Party? Follow the Party Team by clicking on the Twitter handle links on the RSVP page!

TIP: Want to win Twitter Party prizes? RSVP by clicking on RSVP button before you join the party, follow everyone on the Party Team, and tweet with the party hashtag during the party to be eligible!

TIP: How to win the Early Bird prize? Watch for chance to share a tweet when you RSVP for chance to win!

TIP: Special deals and brand coupons? Keep that options checked when you RSVP for the party!

TIP: New to Twitter parties? Watch your column and Party Team tweet columns – they are slower paced and easier to follow!

TIP: Where to find Twitter Parties? Check out the SoFabChats Twitter Party Calendar to find more fun parties to attend!

Find more helpful Twitter Party Tips on SoFabChats!

Green Giant Veggie Snack Chips . . . A Whole Grain Snack with #GiantFlavor Made with Real Vegetables

Green Giant Garden Ranch Roasted Veggie Tortilla Chips served in place of french fries.

Like many children, our three are anti-vegetable in varying degrees.  They actually love to eat many different fruits, but are the exact opposite when it comes to vegetables.  Our 9 year old son will eat broccoli, baby spinach, and red peppers.  Our 6 year old daughter will eat broccoli and baby spinach.  Our 6 year old son will only eat baby spinach finely chopped and cooked until they've shrunk down to almost nothing.  Now you see why I welcomed the opportunity to try the new Green Giant Veggie Snack Chips.

Of course, I could not replace vegetables with the Veggie Snack Chips, but I did use these whole grain chips to replace some not-so-good-for-you sides, such as french fries and potato chips.  The Green Giant Veggie Snack Chips are available in four varieties, of which we tried the Garden Ranch Roasted Veggie Tortilla Chips (pictured above) and the Barbecue Multi Grain Sweet Potato Chips (pictured below).  I served them to our children without telling them that these chips were made with real vegetables and they turned out to be a big hit.  I should have done the same thing with my husband because he refused to try them (now you know where our children get their anti-veggie gene).  In fact, he held out for 4 days before he finally tried them and admitted that this was a snack food that he did enjoy.

Green Giant Barbecue Multi Grain Sweet Potato Chips served in place of regular potato chips.

Everyone in the family agreed that these chips had 'Giant Flavor', but we were divided on which one was our favorite.  Our two sons liked the barbecue flavored sweet potato chips the best, while our daughter, my husband, and myself preferred the ranch flavored tortilla chips.  In fact, our older son said he chose the barbecue chips as his favorite because the ranch flavor in the tortilla chips was too powerful.

To learn more about Green Giant Veggie Snack Chips, visit Green Giant on Facebook, where you can read the nutritional information for each chip variety, including which vegetables are used.  While you're there, be sure to grab the printable coupon for $0.75 off one bag of Veggie Snack Chips.


I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Honey-Blackberry Greek Yogurt Dip Recipe by Chef Jody Denton plus Learn Which is the SMARTest U.S. City

Thank you to Frito-Lay for providing the prize pack, video, and images for this contest post and for sending an additional prize pack to me as a thank you for taking the time to participate in this campaign.  3G2S is the sole sponsor for this giveaway.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Last month, Smartfood brand and SELF magazine announced their picks for the 10 SMARTest cities in America.  How do they define SMART? . . . (S)avvy, (M)otivated, (A)ccomplished, (R)esponsible, and (T)houghtful.  Watch the video above to learn more about how to eat smart and live well, which city was named the SMARTest in the U.S., plus how you can nominate someone you know (even yourself) to be named the SMARTest person and be eligible to win $10,000 and be featured in SELF magazine from Chef Jody Denton, Executive Research Chef at Frito-Lay’s Culinary Innovation Center.  Chef Denton also shares with us some of his favorite recipes for this summer.

Smartfood is doing its part to help you eat smarter with several new varieties of all-natural Smartfood Selects popcorn, popped chips, and puffed corn.  One of my family's favorites is the Sour Cream and Onion Puffed Corn.

Want something fresh and easy-to-make to serve this summer? Checkout this super-easy recipe created by Chef Jody Denton . . .

Recipe:  Honey-Blackberry Greek Yogurt Dip

INGREDIENTS:

3 Cup(s) Greek yogurt

1/2 pint(s) blackberries, fresh or frozen

3 Tablespoon(s) Honey

2 Tablespoon(s) fresh lemon juice

1 Pinch(s) Salt

Step 1. In a mixing bowl, smash the blackberries with a fork.

Step 2. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt, honey, lemon and salt.

Step 3. When ready to serve, spoon the blackberry mixture into the center of the yogurt.  Gently fold the blackberries into the yogurt, but don't mix completely.

Step 4. Serve with Smartfood Cinnamon Brown Sugar Multigrain Popped Chips

This recipe serves 6 to 8 people.

To learn more about the SMART campaign, visit Smartfood on Facebook.


The prize for this giveaway is the SMART Prize Pack shown below . . .

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck in the drawing!

This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. A random number drawing will be held shortly after the contest closing. The winner will be announced here and will be contacted via email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

My Photos (W/E 5-28-11)

The weather changed drastically here in Massachusetts.  We jumped from temperatures in the mid to high 50s to temperatures in the 80s literally overnight.  I feel like we completely missed Springtime.  So it was time to stock the freezer with ice cubes and start planning meals that don't require baking or a lot of time in front of the stove.  What's the weather like where you are for Memorial Day weekend?

"Hot Days"

"The Perfect Mix"

Thank you for taking the time to view my photos this week! If you'd like to play along or see more great photos, stop by to see Lotus a.k.a. Sarcastic Mom.

Easy Recipe: Chocolate Dipped Melba Toast

You know I am always looking for easy recipes to try and share with my readers. One of the things I find most challenging is to think of something new to bring to a party or a family gathering. Nobody wants to bring the same thing every time. Well, I highly recommend the following easy recipe for your next party.

I always like Old London Melba Snacks with something else . . . onion dip or topped with bruschetta. I never thought to pair this savory snack with chocolate though, but Chef Kyle Shadix, R. D. did! You can find his recipe for Chocolate Pistachio Crunch on ToastForEverydayHealth.com . I inadvertently had to alter the recipe because I could not find pistachios that were already toasted and chopped. I'm too lazy to prepare the pistachios myself, so I substituted them with almond flakes.

Recipe: Chocolate Dipped Melba Toast

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups or (2) 12oz bags of semi-sweet dark chocolate chips

1 box Old London Sea Salt Melba Snacks

1 cup crumbled almond flakes (can substitute with pistachios, as in original recipe)

Step1. In a double-boiler (or a bowl set on top of a saucepan half filled with boiling water), slowly melt the chocolate chips, stirring with a wooden spoon until completely melted and smooth.

Step 2. Remove the top of the boiler (or the bowl) from the boiling water.

Step 3. Dip one Melba Snack into the chocolate, covering at least half of the toast. Allow excess chocolate to drip off. Then lay the snack on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. (Tip: For broken pieces of snacks, dipping the broken end into the chocolate makes it difficult to tell that these snacks were ever broken in the first place.)

Step 4. Sprinkle the crumbled almond slices on the dipped portion of the Melba Snack immediately.

Step 5. Repeat Step 3 and Step 4 with the remaining snacks.

Step 6. Chill the dipped Melba Snacks in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

To store leftover snacks, put them in an airtight plastic container in layers separated by wax paper.

I have to say that my husband was floored by how well these turned out. He said they tasted like something you would buy at a gourmet bakery. I had to agree, but I am a huge fan of most salty/sweet flavor combinations. The best thing is how easy these snacks were to make. I wonder how they would turn out if I mixed colored sprinkles in with the almonds to make them better suited for particular holidays?

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Through June 30th, you can enter to win a 4-day, 3-night Hollywood vacation for two in the "Dance Your Way to Hollywood" Sweepstakes. The prize includes private dance lessons for you and a friend, as well as tickets to attend a taping of a television show. All you need to do to enter is to fill out this short form before the deadline.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Old London Melba Toast and received a sample to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Red-dy for a Snack

During Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I must have taken over 250 photos and about 75% of them contained red. I chose this photo because I like the red against the neutral tones of the kitchen.

My son, who is normally pretty shy, will not hesitate to turn on the charm when food is involved. Here he is trying to find out what his aunt is preparing for the guests. I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to hit her up for a sample or two.

If you'd like to see more Ruby Tuesday photos, go visit Mary at Work of the Poet!

Giveaway: Frito-Lay "Party in a Pinch" Gift Basket Prize Pack [CLOSED]

Whether you are throwing a holiday get-together or a tailgating party, Frito-Lay offers a vast variety of better-for-you snack foods that are sure to be people pleasers. Keeping these snacks on hand will make any party less stressful. They are also an easy choice if you need something to bring to a party as your contribution.

Here are some tips for throwing a successful Holiday party provided by Frito-Lay:

Ambiance is everything – Keep a playlist of festive music easily accessible or stock the stereo with CDs so it’s ready at the push of a button…literally. Add a few scented candles and presto…instant ambiance!

Let guests add their touch – Keep a box of ornaments on hand and ask your guests to add one to the tree.

No clean-up necessary – Stock-up on a supply of holiday-colored paper plates, napkins and utensils to lessen post-party clean-up. And if the house is tidy before you head out for the day, there’s no scrambling once they arrive!

Stock the pantry – Have some “better for you” Frito-Lay products on hand to lessen the stress of “what to fix?” and allow for more time to visit with your guests. Frito-Lay’s Tostitos Scoops or Baked! Scoops -- with a delicious dip -- are true crowd-pleasers. Serve on a festive platter or dish and presto! …festive snacks ready to share!

Entertain with ease – Always have several fun board games accessible to keep guests entertained. And a few kid-friendly movies or simple crafts will keep the little ones busy while the adults socialize.

Thank you to Frito-Lay for providing a book and a Frito-Lay gift basket for our contest prize and for sending a book and a gift basket to me as a thank you for participating in this campaign.

What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive a Frito-Lay Gift Basket Prize Pack (up to a $40 value) containing the following . . .

• Assorted Frito-Lay Snacks
• One jar variety of Tostitos Dip
• Large Chip Bowl
• The Last Minute Party Girl by Erika Lenkert

Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.


How to Gain Entries:
Take a look at the long list of Frito-Lay Snacks. Then leave a comment telling me which Frito-Lay snack you are always happy to see at a party. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1) For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.

2) For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3) For 10 extra entries, blog about this contest linking back to this post AND FritoLay.com . Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the link to your blog post.

4) Friend me on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Facebook profile.

5) For 2 extra entries, share the link to this contest post on Facebook. Then leave TWO separate comments with the link to your Facebook profile.

6) Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

7) Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

8) Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

9) Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

<br /> <a href="http://www.3garnets2sapphires.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd206/Busymonkeez/Graphics4Me/NEWBlogButton125x125.jpg" /></a><br /><br />

(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)


Random Drawing:
This contest will be closed on Monday, December 28th, 2009 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!

Fresh Homemade Bruschetta Served on Arnold Dutch Country Wheat Toast

This is an easy-to-make snack, appetizer, or hordeurve that is not costly to create. The main ingredients are plum tomatoes and Arnold Dutch Country 100% Wheat Bread. I've noticed recently that more and more people have been seeking out recipes in which to use sliced bread because it is more economical. This recipe is a tasty one that can be served with the tomato mixture either warm or chilled, so you can use it during all four seasons. I do think the colors are particularly nice for autumn though.

Recipe: Bruschetta on Wheat Toast

INGREDIENTS:
1-1/4lbs plum tomatoes
5-1/2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp dried basil leaves
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 loaf Arnold Dutch Country 100% Wheat Bread

Step 1. Coarsely chop tomatoes

Step 2. Heat 1-1/2 Tbsp oil in large heavy skillet

Step 3. Briefly saute tomatoes to soften

Step 4. Combine remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper

Step 5. Drain some of the excess liquid from the skillet

Step 6. Stir mixture into tomatoes and remove from heat

Step 7. Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Step 8. Cut the desired number of Arnold Dutch Country Wheat Bread slices into either halves or quarters

Step 9. Lay the bread pieces on a baking sheet. Then lightly, but evenly, spread on butter or margarine

Step 10. Bake the bread pieces approximately 5 minutes or until evenly browned. (The longer the bread is toasted, the better it will hold up against the moisture of the bruschetta topping.)

Step 11. Serve the tomato mixture warm or cold next to freshly toasted wheat bread pieces

I think this particular wheat bread works well for this recipe because it is thick and has more body than more airy type breads. To turn this recipe into a meal, you can also serve the tomato mixture on top of pasta, rice, or a salad.

Review: Original Kellogg's Cinnabon Snack Bars

I remember when I tasted my first Cinnabon cinnamon bun well over a decade ago. It was sinfully delicious, especially when it was still warm. So how could I possibly turn down a chance to try the new Kellogg's Cinnabon Snack Bars?

As usual, my children were more than willing to help me review these snack bars. These Original Cinnabon Bars, which are cinnamon-filled and topped with icing, come six to a box.


What I thought about these Kellogg's snack bars:

1) My first thought when I initially saw them was that they were pretty small. Then I tasted them and realized these snack bars, like the original Cinnabons, were quite sweet and a little would go a long way.

2) They did taste good warm. I heated mine for a little longer than the recommended 3 seconds in the microwave because I like my icing a little melted.

3) I think these would make a tasty dessert served warm with a little vanilla ice cream on top.

4) All 3 of my children loved these bars and they (in the words of my husband) "inhaled them."

5) My 5yr old son said that his favorite part was the icing.


Since these snack bars are so sweet, I think we would buy them as treats more than a regular snack. I will definitely try cutting each bar in half, warming them, and then serving them with a scoop of ice cream on top. That would be an easy, but tasty dessert that would likely be a crowd-pleaser.

If you'd like to give these a try, you should be able to find Kellogg's Cinnabon Snack Bars in most places where Kellogg's products are sold.

Thank you to Kellogg's for providing us with a review product free of charge and thank you to Mom Central for inviting us to be part of the Kellogg's Cinnabon Blog Tour.