Kerrygold Cheese Easter Giveaway

Thanks to Andrea's World for having this great giveaway for Kerrygold Cheese AND BUTTER!!

Kerrygold is an Irish company that still makes their dairy the old fashioned way, with free roaming, grass fed cows. I always wondered if that really made a difference, and after trying the amazing butters and cheeses from Kerrygold, I can say it absolutely makes all the difference.

Lavash Pinwheels Recipe

Now that warmer weather is upon us, a lot of us will be starting to spend our weekends outdoors. My family loves to be outside doing things. We spend many weekends visiting state parks, and camping.

Because of our fondness for camping and all things outdoors, we love food that can be made ahead, stores well, and travels easily. Most people would say, "SANDWICH!", but not us. Oh no. We require much more delicious than your standard run of the mill PB&J or ham and cheese.

Enter: Lavash Pinwheels.

Image courtesy of Jennie-O

If you are searching for some great Easter recipes and menu ideas, I have quite a few for you, thanks to Jennie-O, I was looking for some inspiration beyond the traditional Easter dinner, I found this incredible picture with ALL RECIPES on Jennie-O for an Easter brunch! Can you say candied bacon? Check out all the menu ideas HERE and let me know your favorites in the comments!

A Love Letter to Jelly Beans.

The Jelly Bean. A staple ingredient to the Easter basket for decades, but often over looked and easily forgotten. Usually overly sweet and practically flavorless, it's easy to see how these shiny little candy jewels are often left to float down to the bottom of the basket until all the "good candy" is gone, only to make their way to the surface to be gobbled up indiscriminately or thrown away without a second thought. Recent years have brought us new and exciting jelly beans in the flavors of popular candies, and we have also seen the rise of the gourmet jelly bean.

If you are unfamiliar, gourmet jelly beans are basically the same as their average counterparts in both size and shape, but where they differ is in the flavors. These aren't your standard six flavor six color beans, there are a wide variety of colors and flavors. There are a few different companies that have their hand in the gourmet jelly bean jar, but in my eyes none can compare to Gimbal's.

There are 41 flavors of Gimbal's Gourmet Jelly Beans. 41 rich, vibrant flavors that explode in your mouth. Tangerine, key lime, perfectly pear and pomegranate are just a few of the fruity flavors. Then you have tiramisu, roasted marshmallow, java, and ice cream cake as a few of the more "adventurous" flavors. Those are just scratching the surface! What sets Gimbal's jelly beans apart from the other gourmet beans out there, is the fact that they use real fruit juice to make their beans. So you aren't tasting chemicals that some scientist in a lab decided tastes like a red delicious apple, you are tasting actual red delicious apple. That perfectly pear, came from a perfect pear.

I honestly and truly love jelly beans. I eat them all year, though Easter time brings the candy flavors so my bean eating picks up quite a bit, I always return to Gimbal's as my constant jelly bean supplier. My kids would think they were cheated if the didn't have Gimbal's in their Easter baskets. Mostly because mommy doesn't share her beans very well, and it's their only chance to have some.

That last line, was not a joke. I will hide in a closet so that I don't have to share.

Trifles are so easy to make and look elegant on your table.  This decadent dessert is always a hit at my family gatherings.  

Items needed:
1 box Fudge Brownie Mix
1 (5-ounce) box Chocolate Pudding & Pie Filling
3 cups Cool Whip

6 Heath Candy Bars

Bake brownies according to package directions, let cool completely and crumble, set aside. Make chocolate pudding according to package directions, then place in fridge to firm up. Combine pudding with 1 cup cool whip, stir together and set aside. Crush heath bars into small pieces, reserve 1 tablespoon of bars and set aside. Spread ½ of crumbled brownies in the bottom of a trifle. Layer with ½ of chocolate mixture. Layer with ½ of heath bar. Layer with 1 cup cool whip. Repeat process. Top with remaining 1 tablespoon heath bar. Place in fridge to chill.

Amelia Bedelia and Ovation Brands Reading Prize Package

Disclaimer, I was provided with products in exchange for my honest opinions. Your views may differ from mine!

Ovation Brands, which includes Old Country Buffet, Ryan's and other well loved buffets across America is hosting fun family nights all through spring, featuring Amelia Bedelia! This is one of my favorite book series ever! I am delighted to see Ovation Brands promote reading to children.

From March 17th through May 12th, children are invited to participate in educational, fun group activities that celebrate everything from words and science to cooking, the seasons, and more, with emphasis on education through play!

Upcoming events include:

March 17 “St. Patrick’s Day” brings kids along on a magical four-leaf clover hunt with prizes, candies, and free dinner coupons for those that collect the most clovers. Extra clovers will be given to kids who show up wearing green.

March 24 “Let’s Run for Office!” teaches kids the basics about election time and how to campaign by making slogans, buttons, and campaign promises before holding their own mini election.

March 31 “Spring Selfie” is a great social media photo-booth-style experience the whole family can take part in. Frames, decorations, and more!

Check out Ovation Brands for a full listing!

These events are wildly popular and we have attended quite a few with the children recently and look forward to trying a new location for the Amelia Bedelia series and widening our nets!

These Amelia Bedelia books I received today are so much fun and my daughter adores them as they are stories she can relate to and have fun with and explore.

Enter to Win!!

Ovation Brands would like to give one of our readers a head start with spring reading with an Amelia prize pack all of your own!

To be in with a chance of winning just enter the rafflecopter, below! Giveaway ends on March 23rd, good luck!

Note: Participating bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment, thank you!

The Greek Gods Yogurt Giveaway

Who wants to win some yummy yogurt? Thanks to our friends at Kathy's Savings for this fantastic giveaway!

Welcome to The Greek Gods Yogurt Giveaway

I write about cheese.

Cheese. Who doesn't like cheese? Whether it's on a sandwich or a by itself, a nice rich cheese just has a way of making you happy. I prefer my cheese as an accompaniment to fruit, or on a charcuterie platter. I like to be able to taste the cheese in it's pure form, unobstructed by other flavors. Having lived in Germany for majority of my childhood, I developed a taste for cheeses made in the old world style. The cattle are grass fed and the cheeses are aged to absolute perfection. I have always had to pay out the nose to get that quality here in the United States.

Photo courtesy of Kerrygold

Then I discovered Kerrygold Cheeses. Kerrygold is an Irish cheese maker who stays true to the old style of cheese making. The cattle are grass fed, which imparts a rich, unctuous flavor to their cheese. They also produce butter that is so creamy and delicious you will become addicted to toast. The best thing about Kerrygold is that the price won't leave you stuck with rubbery Swiss on your ham sandwich, you will be able to have a creamy, nutty Swiss from Ireland. Pair your wine with a nice Dubliner, with it's slightly hard texture and sharp, sweet flavors you will find it to be a delightful eating cheese. Blarney Castle has a softer texture and is creamy and mild, and goes wonderfully with fruit. Then there's cheddar... Ugh. I adore a good sharp cheddar, and Kerrygold does not disappoint. The reserve cheddar is rich, full bodied, sharp, and smooth. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Shamrock Rice Krispies

I love these cute Shamrock Rice Krispies treats. It is a festive way to celebrate St, Patrick's Day! Kids will love these in their lunchbox. Adults will devour them.

Nutri Ninja Auto-iQ Pro Compact System

All the Ninja products are great! I have the Coffee Bar! Here is your chance to win the Nutri Ninja Auto-iQ Pro Compact System.

ninja

The Nutri Ninja Auto-iQ Pro Compact System is a nutrient & vitamin extraction and high performance all in one machine. The next generation Auto-IQ Smooth Boost Technology takes drink customization to a whole new level and features 1200-watt motor base.

Includes:

Two 24-ounce Nutri Ninja Tritan Cups with two Sip & Seal Lids
24-ounce stainless steel Nutri Ninja Cup
40-ounce blend & prep bowl with dough/chopping blade, 48-ounce XL multi-serve Nutri Ninja
30 recipe inspiration guide
Additional attachment available is the first-ever coffee & spice grinder blender attachment

You can purchase the Nutri Ninja Auto-iQ Pro Compact System on the Ninja website for $160. You can also check out some of their incredible other products.

If you have been following The Biggest Loser you know they have partnered with Jennie-O to make delicious low-calorie meals with the contestants. I am a big fan of the show and Jennie-O.

The recipe featured on the show last night is made with Jennie-O Turkey breakfast sausage. Making a delicious and healthy meal can be challenging. But, I have a great recipe for you to try.

Turkey Breakfast Sausage Chilaquiles is packed with flavor and on 200 calories. Take a look at this recipe by clicking HERE. Created in collaboration with Biggest Loser RD Cheryl Forberg, the recipe puts a tasty, low-cal spin on a favorite south-of-the-border dish.

Thanks to Jennie-O for providing me product coupons .

Celebrate Valentine's Day With Neuhaus Chocolates

If you are buying that gift for your loved one this Valentine's Day, nothing says, "I love you" more than chocolate! Neuhaus Chocolates sent me a 3-D heart shaped box with 28 pieces of decadent chocolates from their Valentine's Day collection. These are, by far the best chocolates I have ever tasted.

Neuhaus Chocolates are luxury chocolates. Neuhaus has an online boutique , as well as stores that you can purchase these fine Belgium chocolates. Neuhaus Chocolates are one of the few companies still manufacturing these luxury chocolate creations in Belgium.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

These are perfect for the class parties or gatherings. Easy to make, Drop in a treat bag or on a serving tray and they are ready to servve!

Items needed:

If you are needing a treat for your child's classroom or for any family gathering this Valentine's day, these Valentine M&M Cookie Bars are perfect.

Items needed:

2 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour

½ teaspoon Baking Soda

½ teaspoon Salt

2 sticks Unsalted Butter (softened)

½ cup Sugar

1 cup Light Brown Sugar

1 large Egg, plus 1 large Egg Yolk

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 cup M&M’s, plus additional

2/3 cup M&M’s (for topping)

Non-Stick Cooking Spray

Spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray, set aside. In a large mixing cup, combine all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt, stir together with a fork. Sift into a mixing bowl. Place butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat butter while slowly adding sugar. Beat in light brown sugar. Beat in egg and egg yolk. Beat in vanilla extract. Stir in 1 cup M&M’s and blend together with your hands, then press evenly into pan. Sprinkle the additional 2/3 cup M&M’s on top. Bake in a preheated oven at 325 degrees on the 3rd rack for 24 minutes. Remove, let cool completely and cut into bars.

Looking for more Valentine's Day treats? Check out the Valentine's Day Cake Pops HERE.

Save A Lot Game Changing Switch

Reviewz & Newz is ready to make the game change? Are you? Two readers will win a $25 Gift Card!

Save a Lot is the place to get all of your necessities for the Big Game! Go ahead and make the switch! You won't be sad that you did.

Crock Pot Crab Stew

Baby, it's cold outside and there is nothing better than to have a bowl of this delicious crab stew. This recipe could not be any easier and best of all, you use your crock pot!

Items needed:

2 to 3 (8-ounce) containers refrigerated Claw Crab Meat**
5 (10-ounce) cans Cream of Celery Soup
3 (12-ounce) cans Evaporated Milk
1 (quart) Half & Half
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (cubed)
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Run fingers through crab meat and pull out any pieces of shell. Combine all ingredients in a 6-quart crockpot and stir together. Cook on low heat for 4 hours. Skim froth from the top of stew and stir. Serve with crackers.
**Claw Crab Meat can be found in the refrigerator section of the grocery store. Use 2 to 3 containers, depending on how much you like in your stew.

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Reindeer Cake Pops

On Dasher, on Dancer, you know the song, now we have all of the reindeer in a cake pop. These cake pops are sure to please the kids and adults at your holiday party or gathering. .

1 (18.25-ounce) Box Duncan Hines Chocolate Cake Mix

2/3 cup Cream Cheese Frosting

1 bag Vanilla Candy Wafers

2 (14-ounce) bags Milk Chocolate Candy Melts or Wafers

Vegetable Oil

Mini Pretzels (broken into 2cm sections)

Eyeball Sprinkles

Red M&M’s

Black Food Coloring

Lollipop Sticks

Treat bags

Large piece of Styrofoam 

Foil

Double Boiler

Lay out a couple of ungreased pans, set aside. Cover a large piece of Styrofoam with foil, set aside. Prepare and bake cake according to package directions. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Break apart cake and place in a large bowl, then crumble completely. Stir in frosting, then blend together with hands until you have the texture of play-doh. Melt a small amount of vanilla candy wafers in a small bowl, set aside. Roll cake into an oval shape. Dip tip of lollipop stick into melted candy, then insert a little ways into the ball. Lay flat on pan. Repeat until all dough is used. *You will need to melt your vanilla candy wafers every so often to continue use. Place in fridge for 1 hour. While cake balls are chilling, break pretzels into 2cm sections, set aside. Just before removing from fridge, melt 1 bag of milk chocolate candy wafers along with 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a double boiler. Remove 5 cake pops at a time from the fridge. Carefully, remove from pan and dip most of cake pop in the melted candy. Use a spoon to drizzle the candy coating near the stick. Tap cake pop on the side of the pan so excess will drip off, then use your finger to smooth out the back. Place in styrofoam. Melt candy wafers as needed to continue use. Pour leftover melted candy in a bowl and save. Let cake pops sit for several hours to set. Reheat leftover hardened candy in bowl and use to seal any cracks in coating with the tip of your finger. Place back in styrofoam to harden. Melt leftover candy, then dip one end of the pretzels in it. Place on each side of the head making sure to hold for a few seconds until set. Dab a small amount of melted candy on back of eyeball sprinkles, then place on face and hold for a few seconds. Dab a small amount of melted candy on back of red M&M’s and place on face for a nose holding for a few seconds. Using a thin paint brush, dip in black food coloring, then paint a mouth. Let sit for a few hours. Place a treat bag over each cake pop and tie with ribbon.

*You will need 3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil for each bag of Chocolate Candy Wafers

Thanksgiving on a Budget

How do you feed a large family for Thanksgiving on a budget? I am going to tell you what I do, and it works for my family. First I look at my local Bi-Lo grocery ad for the week. Then I look for available coupons to save even more. At Bi-Lo, your coupons are doubled! Check out the coupon policy here.

Image courtesy of Bi-Lo

My favorite deal this week using coupons is the Mrs. Smith's Pie. It is on sale, buy one, get one free. You can find a printable coupon for fifty cents off a Mrs. Smith's Pie. You can print most coupons twice. So, with this deal, you pay:

3.49 for one pie
Use a fifty cent off Mrs. Smith's Pie coupon
Bi-Lo doubles that coupon.
Your final cost is $2.49 for a pie regularly priced at 6.99

That is a savings of $4.50. I don't know about you, but I like saving money on items I will use for my Thanksgiving dinner. Here is another deal of how I save money using coupons and my Bi-Lo Bonus Card.
Buy 4 Campbell's soup for 80 cents each=$3.20
Use a 40 cents off four cans of Campbell's Soup printable coupon along with your Bi-Lo Bonus Card
Total : $2.40or 60 cents per can of soup for all those casseroles we make for Thanksgiving.

Using my Bi-Lo BonusCard I not only save money, I earn fuelperks. You can learn more about Fuelperks here.

Bi-Lo has everyday NEW low prices in place for the items you buy the most. This week's ad has tons of deals for the items you need for a Thanksgiving feast. Through November 26. 2015 they will price match any advertised Grade A frozen turkey price, including Butterball(while supplies last). Bring the competitor's ad with a lower priced Grade A Frozen Turkey.

What are you waiting for? Check out your local Bi-Lo ad online, check out the available coupons and maximize your savings. You can have a Thanksgiving dinner your family will not forget and you can do it all on a budget.

Also, there are fantastic recipes from Chef Curtis Stone both online and in store. I picked these two recipes up in my local store and I must say, this Bourbon Pecan Pie will be on my Thanksgiving dinner table

Photo courtesy of Bi-Lo

Hold on, that is not all! One of my lucky readers will win a $50 Bi-Lo Gift card by entering the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or forfeit the prize.

Cooking up Fall

Click on the photo below for some wonderful recipes from Kraft. How does Chocolate Stuffed French Toast Baked Brunch sound to you? Get the recipe below.

This post is sponsored by Lunchbox.

Looking for some adult fun this Halloween? Look for The Divining Rod wines in stores now. Pick up a few bottles for a nice treat for your guests at your Halloween party.

“From water, comes wine” – never has this been more true than with The Divining Rod wines. By giving life to countless vineyards across California, Marc Mondavi quite literally “turns water into wine.” He possesses the grape growing and winemaking skills and knowledge that come from growing up in the Napa Valley, as a key member of America’s foremost wine family. But Marc’s “sixth sense” for water divining (also called water witching or dowsing) and connection with the land, put him on another level of winemaking. That’s why we say that his Divining Rod wines are more than natural, they’re supernatural. History Established in the 1940’s by Italian immigrants Cesare and Rosa Mondavi, C. Mondavi & Family remains a family-owned business which has thrived for generations to produce fine wines for a variety of occasions and consumers. Built on a foundation of family values, hard work and European winemaking traditions, the winery offers a portfolio of wines for special occasions and everyday gatherings of family and friends. Day-to-day operations are handled by co-proprietors Marc Mondavi and Peter Mondavi Jr., both sons of legendary Napa Valley wine icon Peter Mondavi Sr., who serves as the company’s president and CEO. The family is now proudly welcoming members of the fourth generation to the business, continuing a legacy started 70 years ago and setting a foundation for generations to come. Marc Mondavi started The Divining Rod label in 2012 in honor of his ability to locate underground water sources and establish vineyards. The first new brand from C. Mondavi & Family in over 60 years, The Divining Rod has secured its place in a long line of fine wines created by this iconic family.

I love the history behind these wines. Now, when I go in the store to pick my next bottle of The Divining Wines, I know the story behind the wine.

Current Wine Releases
2010 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% "a little magic" (Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Malbec) SRP: $17.99
2011 Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay 95% Chardonnay and 5% "a little magic" (Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier) SRP: $17.99

Winemaker Our winemaker and water witch Marc Mondavi begins by giving life to vineyards by using his copper divining rods to locate underground water. This water is harnessed to nourish vineyards and create ideal conditions for vines to thrive. Marc then puts on his winemaker hat to create beautiful expressions of his special vineyards. Our wines are specifically made to highlight the beautiful fruit given to us by nature. Marc prefers to showcase the fruit of the vine, rather than the telltale signs of heavy-handed wine making. This is what sets The Divining Rod wines apart from the rest. I like the fruit of the wine, rather than the signs and TASTE of heavy-handed wine making.

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