Triple Decker Citrus Popsicles

1 cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice (from 2 to 3 blood oranges)
1 cup freshly squeezed tangerine juice (from 3 to 4 large tangerines)
1 cup freshly squeezed white grapefruit juice (from 1 to 2 grapefruit)
About 1/4 to 1/2 cup superfine sugar (see Notes)
1 to 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Taste the blood orange juice. Add 2 tbsp. sugar and 1 tsp. lemon juice and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Taste again to see if it has the right sweetness and tartness for you, bearing in mind that, when frozen, the juice will taste more subdued; add up to 1 tbsp. sugar and 1 tsp. lemon juice if needed. Repeat with tangerine and grapefruit juices, using the same range of sugar and lemon juice for each. Fill each of 8 popsicle molds (see Notes) 1/3 full with blood orange juice and freeze, making sure they're level and upright, until firm to the touch, about 45 minutes. Fill each mold 1/3 more with tangerine juice and freeze just until firm to the touch, another 45 minutes. Carefully insert sticks, leaving 1 1/2 to 2 inches of each sticking out. Freeze until sticks feel solidly anchored, about 45 minutes. Fill each mold to top with grapefruit juice, cover, and freeze 2 hours or overnight. To unmold, run warm water over the individual molds just until popsicles release from sides, 5 to 15 seconds

source : My Recipes

Memorial Day : God Bless Those That Served

This weekend Praise God for all he has done for us, remember those who were so important to us and take a step back and contemplate the true meaning of Memorial Day and all those that served

Fun and Cheap Date Ideas

I am the mother of 5 teens that are all starting to date. With them all going to school they have little to no money. They do have allowances but they only go so far so when they want to go on dates they have to be creative. Mom and Dads and couples who don't want to break the bank to have fun need to be creative as well. Here are some ideas that I shared with my teens you may want to try as well:

• Parks are great place to hang out and have fun. A fun to go is in the evening when not as many kids are present Race to the swings, see who can swing the highest, go down the slide just have fun.
• Cook together start by planning on what you will be cooking. shop for the ingredients. The grocery store can be as fun as well. Cooking together means working together and gives you both an idea of if you can get along together or not.
• Go to festivals, farmer markets, or in our area there is always something going on that cost little to nothing to hang out, have fun, and check something new out.
• Go camping, now with my teens we go camping as a family and they are not allowed in each others tent. Build a bonfire, roast hotdogs and marshmallows, look at the stars, make wishes and yes have fun.
• Become an artist play with sidewalk chalk and create drawings. This can be done most anywhere because it washes off with water.
  
  Whatever you decide to do remember having fun doesn't have to cost alot of money.

Bikini Kitchen Booty Butter review and giveaway

Recently I had the opportunity to try the Bikini Kitchen Booty Butter and found it a rewarding experience. Bikini Kitchen Booty Butter is for moms like me who do not have the time to tan. It works quick and leaves a lovely tan. The fake bake, orange skin is no longer needed because now there is the natural glow that Bikini Kitchen Booty Butter gives. Best of all booty butter is made of all natural ingredients that are found on the islands of Hawaii. The special Hawaiian Kukui Nut Oil helps to speed up the tanning process allowing moms who are limited on time to take a quick break to sit out in the sun and quickly get a glow. The booty butter has no offensive order either like some brands do. Booty Butter contains Kona Coffee extract which gives off a mouth watering aroma. For those of you that are like me and have dry skin Bikini Kitchen Booty Butter contains macadamia nut oil, light mineral oil and aloe vera that will help moisturize the skin.

If you want to try Bikini Kitchen booty butter you can purchase it at their website at
http://www.bikinikitchen.com

One of Annies Home readers will win their own bottle of booty butter. Simply visit the website and let me know something that I did not share with you. Check out the healthy sun tips.

Extra Entries:

• follow my blog
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Giveaway starts now and ends June 12, 2010. Good Luck Email must be in comment or on blog r entries will not count.

Food 4 Thought Friday

Breakfast Who will you be thinking mostly about this Memorial Day?

Lunch What are your Memorial Day traditions?

Dinner How many graves do you usually visit on Memorial Day?

Midnight Snack What is one thing you hope to remembered for?

Recipe of the Week (instead of your recipe for life, what is it just for this week?)

Answers:

Breakfast: there are many that I miss that I will be thinking about on this day but I will also focus on those that I know served and are away at this time or did not come back home

Lunch: Our traditions have changed since we moved but we will attend a memorial day service at church and our church picnic

Dinner: Where we live we will not see any graves of our loved ones we visit family cemetery 1 to 2 times a year

Midnight Snack: the way that I loved my family enough that I tried to do all that I could

Recipe: take time to smile life goes all to fast

Frugal Friday

One thing that I love about Summer time is all the great rummage sales. I especially love it when the rummage sales are part of a town wide celebration where the town has many rummage sales in it. This is very cool because save time, save gas, save money and make great buys. That is what I call frugal. I am not sure if you have town wide rummage sales in your area but if you do then you may just want to check them out.

Five Question Friday

1. Is there something you've always wanted to try but just can't muster up the courage to actually do yet?

Yes there is I would love to speak in public leading a class of mothers one day. However, right now I stay behind the stage and just help where I can.

2. If you had $100 handed to you in cash without your significant other knowing about it, what would you spend it on?

While I would love to use it for some back yard goodies I would probably get to store and buy groceries and things for the teen

3. What was your favorite piece of playground equipment as a child?

the merry go round for sure

4. Do you prefer a sweet or hearty breakfast?

sweet hearty fills me up and I dont feel real good after it

5. Are you a Neat Freak or a Messy Bessy?

can I say an between? The teens are a bit messy so not everything is neat but I love to be neat and it drives me crazy when their is a mess

Friday 5

1.In the past month, what was your biggest OOPS?
2.In the past month, what inspired you to let out your most heartfelt WHEW?
3.In the past month, what caused you to say, “HUH?”
4.In the past month, what influenced the most ZZZZZZZZs?
5.In the past month, what was most GRRRRRRRRR-worthy?

Answers:
1. my biggest oops was staying at after prom with my seniors chaperoning was fun but it took me forever to get over it

2. to find out that my sons passport came in for his mission trip that was a big relief

3. not understanding how my girls are changing and growing up sometimes I need to sit back and ponder

4. same as number 1

5. dont remember having an exact moment like that I probably did but looking back I cant remember any

play here

Aloha Friday:

Wow this week has definetly went very fast and once again it is Friday. Friday is the day to participate in Aloha Friday hosted by the blog An Island Life where bloggers join together to participate in an easy meme styled after the way fridays are seen in Hawaii. Hawaii is seen as a day of relaxation to get ready for the weekend in Hawaii so bloggers participate in Aloha Friday by asking simple questions that require simple answers.

This Memorial Day will find us remembering with others and having a great time at a church picnic. There will be burgers and hotdogs cooked along with all the fixings and the best part in my opinion wonderful desserts. So my question for Aloha Friday is:

Will you be doing anything to celebrate Memorial Day?

5 Minute SouthWest Layer Salad

Found this recipe in a Kraft newsletter that I receive and though wow perfect recipe for me sounds great and I love the 5 minute aspect. I may have 5 minutes to spare but not much more summers for us are very busy.

6 cups torn romaine lettuce
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained, rinsed
1 can (11 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 cup TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
1/2 cup KRAFT Natural Three Cheese Crumbles
1/2 cup KRAFT Ranch Dressing
1 cup broken tortilla chips

PLACE lettuce on serving platter or in bottom of glass serving bowl.
COVER with layers of beans, corn, salsa and cheese.
DRIZZLE with dressing; sprinkle with chips

Energizer Ultimate Photo Contest & Ultimate Lithium Batteries giveaway

Photo Contest:
Are you an aspiring photographer? Are you planning on taking a little time off this summer to enjoy yourself? Whether it be a vacation or a staycation Energizer wants you to take lots of great pictures. Choose just the right one and enter into the Energizer Ultimate Photo Contest. This is the third year that Energizer is sponsoring the Ultimate Photo Contest where the grand prize is National Geographic Expedition for two to the Greek Isles as well as having your photograph appear in an Energizer Ultimate Lithium ad in the National Geographic. Wow what a dream come true a great vacation as well as having your picture appear in a popular magazine. The Energizer welcomes all participants no matter the skill level. You can enter at www.energizer.com/lithium. Whatever your skill level look for that perfect shot to Get a "Shot" at Greatness. The winner of the third annual Energizer Ultimate Photo Contest will have their picture featured in the December issue of the National Geographic magazine in an Energizer Ad for Ultimate Lithium batteries. The winner will also receive a trip of a life time to the Greek Isles.
There are six thematic categories including animals/wildlife, nature, travel, people/cultures, weather and action/energy. Entries are being accepted at www.nationalgographic.com/lithium through June 30, 2010. After June 30, 2010 the pictures will be reviewed and two finalists in each category will be selected. Americans will be able to vote on their favorite starting August 17 by going online and voting for their favorite. The voting will end September 15, 2010 and winners will be announced November 4.
Finalists will be selected for each of the category based on following criteria:

• extent to which photo captures the essence of the theme selected (25 percent);
• impact and creativity (50 percent);
• composition, clarity and technical quality (25 percent).

Each of the Category Winners will receive a prize pack comprised of an EPIC Action Video Cam, a Nikon COOLPIX L110 digital camera, a Litepanels Micro® camera light, an Energizer® Ultimate® Lithium 1AA Handheld flashlight, an Energizer® Ultimate® Lithium Headlight, an assortment of Energizer® Ultimate Lithium batteries and two books from the National Geographic Collection: “Journeys of a Lifetime” and “National Geographic: The Image Collection.”
The Grand Prize Winner will receive all of the items listed above as well as a National Geographic Expedition for two to the Greek Isles, accompanied by a National Geographic expert.

Energizer Ultimate Lithium Batteries
Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries are the world's longest lasting AA and AAA batteries in high tech devices. The batteries last up to 8x longer in digital cameras and up to 2x longer in flash units as well as lasting longer in portable GPS units, LED flashlights and handheld games. I am not sure about you but I love a product that does its job better and saves me time These great batteries also have a storage life of 15 years as well as perform well in extreme temperatures from -40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Win one of Annie's Home readers will have the opportunity to try the great Lithium batteries by winning two 4-packs of AA and one 4-pack of AAA Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries ($33 value)

To enter giveaway tell me about one of your favorite photos

Extra Entries:

• follow my blog
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• tweet this giveaway as many times as you like with 1 entry per tweet (leave link in comment)
• blog about this giveaway linking to my blog (10 entries)
• Enter any of my other giveaways (1 entry per contest entered)

Giveaway starts now and ends June 11, 2010. Good Luck. Email must be in comment or on blog or entries will not count.


I received 2 packs of batteries and a $10 gift card free of charge as a thank you for spreading the word about the contest.

Instant Contest Win A Kraft Mac & Cheese

Take your chance spin the wheel and you may win a free box of Kraft Mac n Cheese. Simply visit the Kraft website here http://www.kraftbrands.com/macandcheese/pages/default.aspx

Claritin Bzzz Report and printable coupon link

Does your children suffer from allergies? I can tell you that my teens all did and a few of them still do. It seems to be a curse in this family to have asthma and allergies. Me, my siblings, my children, my nieces and nephews and even my little Princess has at times suffered from allergies. One thing that we have found to be useful is Claritin. Recently we were able to try Children's Claritin out when we were sent a package from Bzzagent. They worked for our family and if your children are suffering with allergies you may want to them as well. They are available over the counter nearly everywhere that they sell medications.

There is a printable coupon by following this link http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?tqnm=ze1qcrt99074124&bt=vi&o=60790&c=SP&p=YZ5EaFDc

Tomato Cucumber and Onion Salad

TOMATO CUCUMBER AND ONION SALAD

2 tbsp. oil
1 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. parsley
Peel and chop 2 cucumbers
2 med. tomatoes (diced)
1 onion diced

Combine first 6 ingredients in a jar. Shake well. Pour mixture over vegetables. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

Cucumber Mellon Sushi

Here's an idea the next time you host a barbecue and need an easy appetizer try this Cucumber Melon Sushi:

Cut cantaloupe into 16 cubes, about 1 inch each. Use a vegetable peeler to slice 16 long strips of cucumber. Wrap strips around melon cubes and insert a toothpick. Stir together 6 ounces plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons orange-juice concentrate, and a teaspoon of chopped cilantro for a dipping sauce.

Source: Parents online

Chilly Twist Cup review and Giveaway

Chilly Twist Cups

It's going to get hot out there and we all need to be prepared. One of the cool things that I found recently to not only stay cool but have a bit of fun are the chilly twist cups. If you do not know what chilly twist cups allow me to tell you all about them.

Chilly Twist cups are wonderful cups that contain a base that can be frozen in the freezer and then twist back on to keep your drink chilled. Do you hate when the ice melts before the drink is gone? With the Chilly Twist cup this will not happen again. The base of the Chilly Twist cup twist off to be placed in the freezer and is taken out twist back on and keeps your drink nice and cool to help beat the summer heat. Your last drink will now be cooler than the first and your ice will not melt as easily.


Variety is something that is very possible with the large assortment of colors of the Chilly Twist cup. Not only is there alot of colors of the cups but when you consider the bases that can be interchangable that makes the variety of color even greater. This will be great to I.D. your cup and as my children always liked to do they can create their cup and know that it is theres. The cup is considered indestructable by the company and I can say that it is a hard plastic that seems to keep its shape nicely. Choose not to use the base you can still use the chilly twist cup and when you are ready to store them in the cabinet they stack nicely on each other. I tell you these cups are wonderful for the kids in the pool and to take outside because they do not break easily.

Want One?
Buy: You can purchase the Chilly Twist Cups at their website located at http://www.chillytwist.com/

Win : two (2) of Annies Home readers will win a Chilly Twist cup of their own.

To enter giveway: visit the Chilly Twist website and let me know something that I did not share with you as well as what color of cup you would choose.

Extra Entries:

• follow my blog


• subscribe to my blog


• follow my blog on twitter


• tweet about the giveaway (1 entry per tweet as many as 1 per hour)


• enter another giveaway (2 entries)


• share with me a summer tip to stay cool

Giveaway starts now and ends June 11, 2010. Good Luck Email must be in comment or on blog profile or you can not win.

we received a chilly twist cup to review for this post the thoughts and opinions are my own

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1 3/4 cups granola cereal
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans


Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, mix butter, peanut butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla with spoon. Stir in remaining ingredients. On ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are light golden brown (do not overbake). Cool 3 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack

Source Betty Crocker

Grilled Ham and Cheese Waffle Sandwich

Lunch around our house alot of times in the summer time becomes a meal that can easily become boring. Creativity makes lunch a bit more exciting and that is why I like this recipe I found on the My Recipes website

Grilled Ham and Cheese Waffle Sandwich


8 frozen toaster waffles
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (optional)
1/2 pound sliced deli ham
1/4 pound Cheddar, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Place 4 of the waffles on a work surface. Spread one side of each with the mustard (if using). Top with the ham, cheese, and the remaining waffles. Spread the top of each sandwich with 1/2 tablespoon of the butter. Melt the remaining butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place the sandwiches in the skillet, buttered-side up. Cook, pressing occasionally with the back of a spatula, until the cheese melts and the waffles are golden, 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

Thankful to All Who Gave All

hosted by women taking a stand

Today as I think about all that I am thankful for my thoughts go back to my childhood and Memorial day when I was a kid. I was lucky enough to grow up in a neighborhood and small town that taught many values. We grew up to respect our elders, taught to respect the flag and respected those that gave all. From the stories my parents told me and the veterans that would group together at hardware stores I learned a lot. I learned that all though we may not have known each and every soldier that did not come back home to their family that they were part of our family because we were Americans. As I grew up I came to realize this even more when I saw boys my children age sign up to head to the military and saw some not return back home. How their parents grieved, the city grieved, the entire area grieved because they gave all. So today I tip my hat and salute those that protected our freedoms and came home to demonstrate to us care and support of our country and for those that gave all and their families they left to early in life I say Thank You.

Tropical pizza

My teens have been keeping the pizza man busy as of late. They also love to make their own pizza so when I found this great recipe on Parents online site I thought I would share it with them and all of you.

1 large whole-wheat or regular Boboli pizza crust (14 ounces)
1 cup pineapple mango chipotle salsa (such as Pace)
1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 green pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 red pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced


Heat oven to 450°F Place pizza crust on a large baking sheet. Spread 2/3 cup of the salsa over the crust. Sprinkle the cheeses over the salsa. Spoon remaining 1/3 cup salsa over cheese; scatter pepper and onion over the top. Bake at 450° or 10 to 12 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Allow to cool slightly. Cut into 8 slices.

Easy Potato Salad Recipe

hosted by Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Easy Potato Salad

•3 pounds potatoes, cooked, peeled, and cubed
•1 large green bell pepper, chopped
•1 medium onion, chopped
•1 to 2 tsp onion salt, to taste
•1/2 teaspoon celery seed
•pepper, to taste
•1/3 cup cider vinegar
•1 cup mayonnaise

In a large bowl, combine potatoes, green pepper, and onion. Blend remaining ingredients; add to vegetables. Mix well to combine flavors. Cover and refrigerate. Chill potato salad thoroughly before serving.

Whats Going On The Left SIde of the House.

hosted by a Southern Daydreamer

Well the yard looks a bit bigger on one side of the yard. The shrubry that was on one side of the yard has been trimmed back allowing us to see our neighbors trailor and leaving the yard to be a bit more open. This next week I will be planting flowers, bushes and yes the kids will get a pool as well. I will post pictures when I have all that done as well. So til then....

Sand Gone giveaway

Where I live I am not surrounded by the ocean but rather ponds, lakes and a river. All of which have sandy bottoms just like the beach. Have you ever come out of water and the minute you are out walked through the sand which quickly clung to your dripping wet body then Sand Gone is for you. Sand Gone a product that is brand new on the market. It is an amazing dry powder that when applied to sandy parts of your body removes the sand leaving your skin soft and smooth. This is what any beach goer needs whether the water where you swim is the ocean, pond, lake or river. Sand Gone was founded by a housewife and mother from Florida Tiffany Smith. Sand Gone is non toxic, non tale, easy to apply and use, has a great smell, feels good and is inexpensive product that does a great job each and every use.

Tiffany wants to give one of Annie's Home readers their own Sand Gone. To enter contest visit the Sand Gone website and let me know something that I did not share with you.

Extra Entries:

• follow my blog
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• follow my blog on twitter
• tweet about the giveaway (1 entry per tweet up to 1 per hour)
• blog, share on giveaway site, face book etc... (5 entries each) tell me in comment what you did

Giveaway starts now and ends June 10, 2010. Good Luck. Email must be in comment or on blog profile or your entry will not count

Pillow Pet review and giveaway

Pillow Pets are the cutest most softest toy/pillow I have ever seen. The soft and cuddly stuffed animals and pillows in one place the "fun" in "functional". How great is that. Perhaps you are one of the super individuals that have completed spring cleaning. I can tell you that as a mom of 6 spring cleaning takes a bit longer and I seem to do a bit of spring cleaning every day. One place that I know always needs a good cleaning in the spring is my kids rooms. From toddler stage to teen the kids room always needs a bit of freshening up. The Pillow Pet was first thought up during the spring cleaning of a child's room. Jennifer Telfer, a mom of two from San Diego who was tired of picking up the ton of stuffed animals lying around her children's rooms. When asked how she came up with the concept of the pillow pet Telfer answered:

“My single goal was to put some functionality into stuffed animals, which took up space and seemed to multiply by the week, Pillow Pets combine the utility of a pillow with the playfulness of a stuffed animal.”

The Pillow Pets are made of ultra soft chenille. I could sit here all day long and just pet the pillow pet it is so soft. The pillow pet goes from animal to pillow with the help of a strap that closes underneath. We own a mini van and my granddaughter loves to take a nap on the floor if we park to just sight see. The wonderful Pillow Pet is the perfect thing to keep her content and also allow her to take a nap whenever she is tired. The pillow pets are available in jungle animals, farm critters, and sea creatures with 20 different animals to choose from. we are partial to the frog pillow. The pillow pet is also available at a wonderful price just under $20 at $19.95 and if you purchase more than one they go down to $15.95 each. Don't worry the clean up easy as well with a simple wash in the washer. Among the pets available from Pillow Pets are:

My thoughts: our pillow pet is shared between my granddaughter and my 18 year old son. They both loved our frog. I loved the softness of the pillow pet. The construction and ease of going from pillow to pet are what I would call great.

Buy: you can purchase a pillow pet from their website located at
http://www.getpillowpets.com/Default.asp?bhcp=1

Win: one of Annies Home readers will thier choice of pillow pet.

To enter giveaway go to the Pillow Pet website and let me know which one of the fun pets is your favorite.

Extra Entries:

• follow my blog
• subscribe to my blog
• follow my blog on twitter
• tweet about the giveaway (1 tweet up to once an hour each tweet is an entry)
• comment on any other post on my blog

Giveaway starts now and will run through June 10, 2010 Good Luck. Email must be in comment or on blog profile.

We recieved a Pillow Pet as part of the review. The thoughts and opinions are those of mine alone

Three Wild Girls

hosted by 5 minutes for special needs

I have so much trouble getting a picture of three girls. When they are together they are too busy chatting and having fun to stay still. Guess thats what cousins are all about. I can remember me and my cousins we were very close as well. I know that my hubby was close to his cousins as well. One small thing that makes the world sweeter are cousins

SouthWest Sloppy Joes

Snackpicks.com is featuring many great recipes for memorial day and grilling on their site. This sandwich sounds like one my teens will love.

1 onion, sliced medium
2 Rice Krispies® cups
1/8 minced garlic teaspoon
2 chili powder teaspoons
1 salt teaspoon
1/8 pepper teaspoon
1 sugar teaspoon
1/2 sliced, pitted ripe olives cup
1 (6 oz.) tomato paste can
1 can (16 oz.) whole peeled tomatoes, drained
8 hamburger buns

In large fry pan, cook ground beef and onion until meat is browned, stirring frequently. Drain off excess drippings. Add remaining ingredients except buns. Stir to combine, cutting

Wordfilled Wednesday

hosted this week at the blog Forever His

Not only are my teens embarking on new paths of life but I feel that we all walk new paths through life. The best part is that this walk can be with our Lord and therefore we are never alone. To me knowing I can trust in my lord and walk with him daily is more to me than riches and gold.

Winning Wednesday weekly list of winners

every Wednesday I will list winners thus the weekly post will be winning Wednesday

Winner of bright feet slippers a great giveaway
mandala said...
Following BrightFeet On Twitter (@mandalarctic)


Winner of Gilberts Gourmet Goodies which you all seemed to love
GabbyLowe said...
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1058178598
posted on FB #4

Winner of Crazy Dog Tee that saw lots of great entries Thank You!!!
daer0n said...
I follow your blog

Winner of the Stinky Dorm Kit from Fresh Wave another great giveaway was:
FDP 4 Life said...
signed up for the fresh wave newsletter

Winner of the Alphabet Photography framed art a giveaway that was a Joy to host
Susan Margaret said...
I entered the sjaaks-organic-chocolates-giveaway
ENTRY 1

Winner of the Slimperfect swimwear giveaway a great giveaway which will help everyone look grea
Tylerpants said...
I'm a subscriber

all winners have been notified and have 2 days to respond.

Tips for Grilling Perfect Steak

June will find another birthday for my hubby. What does he want to do? Grill out of course. He loves to grill steak and the bigger the steak the more he loves it. While browsing grilling ideas I found a great article on Womans Day online

The first tip was to oil it. I never really thought about it but sounds like a great idea. Use canola or olive oil to coat the steak before seasoning. The thought behind this is to get a juicier steak and perfect charring.

Second tip they warn about over seasoning. A steak that is well marbled only requires salt and pepper to brigh out the perfect flavor

A hot grill is best for cooking steaks. The heat allows the perfect charred outside and juicy inside.
The tip about flipping it suprised me. Flipping steak too often can mess up the charring of the meat and get rid of most of the seasoning. Dragging steak when flipping also can remove seasoning. When flipping they advise to pick up in a straight motion and place back in same smooth way.

The last was a tip I do all the time since a blogger advised me quite a ways back. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before cutting. This allows the juice of the steak to make its rounds and create a tender steak.

A Place To Sit And LIsten

Its summer time and whats better than a place to rest and some music. Remember these? Good old cassettes. Some of my favorite old music

shared on the blog MomStart

Spice Up Veggies With this Dip

Kraft has lots of great grilling summer recipes available on their website where I found this recipe. You may just want to check them out as well.

Philadelphia Tuscan Dip

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

2 Tbsp. BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream

1/2 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped black olives

1/4 cup finely chopped red onions

MIX cream cheese and sour cream in medium bowl until well blended. ADD remaining ingredients; mix well. REFRIGERATE 1 hour. Serve with assorted NABISCO Crackers or cut-up fresh vegetables. Kraft Kitchens TipsVariation Prepare using PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese and BREAKSTONE'S Reduced Fat or KNUDSEN Light Sour Cream.


How to Hydrate Sun-Dried TomatoesPlace tomatoes in small bowl; pour boiling water over tomatoes to cover. Let stand 5 to 10 min. to soften tomatoes. Drain; pat dry.nutritional information per serving

In Other Words

hosted this week by Tami at The Next Step

“Our view of the Holy Spirit is too small.
The Holy Spirit is the One who changes the church,
but we have to remember that the Holy Spirit lives in us.
It is individual people living Spirit-filled lives
that will change the church.”

To me this speaks of how the Holy Spirit is alive in the church but it is the action of the people that allow the Holy Spirit to move or not. All too often it is the small select group that is willing to work the bible school, Sunday school, and other activities. Whether this is because others are not willing to help or that a select group has captured the corner on taking care of church activities. If we allow the Holy Spirit to work with in us he will be able to work with in the church and their is always enough work for all who want to work. It is through the Holy Spirit that we will be able to change the church. Without it our best intentions are never good enough

My happy Princess

I may of shared this picture before but I wanted a great picture of my little princess and this one shows her smiling and happy. So of course nana loves it. No better picture in my opinion for Ruby Tuesday than a smiling pic with dad sporting a red striped shirt.

Picnic Bean Casserole

Picnic Bean Casserole

2 (15 ounce) cans pork and beans
1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can lima or butter beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

In a large bowl, combine the beans, onion, brown sugar and ketchup. Transfer to a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with bacon. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour. Uncover; bake 30 minutes longer

Mocka Chocolate Trifle

1 (18.25-ounce) package light devil's food cake mix
1 1/3 cups water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
Cooking spray
3 cups cold fat-free milk
1 (5.9-ounce) package chocolate instant pudding mix
1/2 cup Kahlúa (coffee-flavored liqueur) or 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
1 (8-ounce) carton frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
1/2 cup chopped reduced-fat chocolate toffee crisp bars (about 4 bars) (such as Hershey's Sweet Escapes)

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Spoon batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Combine milk and pudding mix in a medium bowl; prepare according to package directions.
Tear half of cake into pieces; place in a 3-quart bowl or trifle dish. Pour half of Kahlúa over cake pieces; top with half of pudding, whipped topping, and chocolate bars. Repeat procedure with remaining cake, Kahlúa, pudding, whipped topping, and chocolate bars. Cover; chill at least 4 hours

Source : My Recipes

Civil War Fried Chicken

One thing our family loves to do is to visit reenactment of the civil war eras. This is fun for the whole family to see the encampments, those dressed in period style clothing and the mock battles. Today, I share a recipe that reminds me of that

Civil War Fried Chicken

1 (2 1/2 lb.) frying chicken
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp. water
Fat for frying (2/3 vegetable shortening, 1/3 butter)

Cut chicken into serving pieces. Wash well, and pat dry. Combine flour, salt and pepper. Roll each chicken piece in flour mixture, coating well. Beat eggs with the 2 tablespoons of water. Roll each floured piece in the egg mixture and then again in the flour mixture.
Heat about 1 inch of fat in a heavy iron skillet or an electric frying pan. When fat is smoking hot, lay in the chicken pieces (do not crowd). Cover and cook 15 minutes, or until it is golden brown on one side. Turn chicken; cover and cook until the chicken is a deep brown on the underside, about 15 minutes. Remove cover. Cook about 5 minutes until the chicken is a deep rich brown on one side; turn and fry uncovered for another 5 minutes or until other side is brown.

Remove chicken from skillet and place on brown paper to drain. Cool slightly before serving.

Pink Fluff salad

Pink Cottage Cheese Fluff Salad

1 lg. can crushed pineapple
1 sm. cottage cheese
1 (5 oz.) carton Cool Whip
1 pkg. raspberry Jello
1 c. chopped walnuts
Coconut (if desired)

Heat and cook slightly the pineapple (do not boil). Add 1 box Jello to hot pineapple and stir until dissolved and then discontinue cooking. Place in refrigerator. When cold and syrup add cottage cheese. Add Cool Whip and mix together. Mix in walnuts and coconut. Pour into a bowl and place in the refrigerator to set.

Angel Food Cake with Strawberry Mousse

1 package Angel Food Cake Mix
2 packages Strawberry Mousse Mix or Chocolate Mousse
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
Optional - Daisy Confection Candies or candies of your choice
Fresh Strawberries or fruit of your choice for garnish if desired

Prepare and bake Angel Food Cake according to package directions, using a10 inch tube pan.
Remove from oven when baked and invert onto wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
With a serrated knife, about 2 inches down from top, gently cut top with knife and turn cake as you cut through. Carefully scoop out insides of cake carefully, put scooped out cake insides in medium sized bowl. Leave about 1/4 inch on bottom and sides to hold the strawberry mousse.
Prepare Strawberry Mousse . Mix together approx. half of mixture and 1 cup sliced strawberries in bowl, folding gently to mix. Pour into hollowed out cake. Cover with Top of cake that was set aside. With remaining Strawberry Mousse frost your cake using a large spatula. Place cake in refrigerator until set about 1 - 2 hours.

To garnish - Place Sugar Candy Daisies, Candy Hearts or Chocolate Candies like Smarties or Gummy Worms randomly on cake, covering top and sides.
Optional - Place fresh whole strawberries, raspberries or blueberries randomly on top of cake for a nice added touch.

Cooking Tips:A Fabulous Dessert in Jello Recipes:
With leftover cake pieces that you scooped out makes one great favorite in Jello Recipes.Pick a Jello flavor of your choice and make according to package directions. Place in refrigerator to partially set. Fold in Whipped Cream that has been whipped and mix gently until well combined. Fold in Cake pieces until covered. Add fresh fruit if desired, strawberries or blueberries are great. Place in refrigerator and let set for at least 1 hour. Serve this dessert recipe for a midnight snack or a delightful dessert for your table!

recipe found here