The other weekend we decided to have our yard sale from moving (we waited since we now have a driveway/yard lol), so yes we packed and moved all our junk with us. At the last minute I decided to add to the chaos and bake some treats to help make some money, and help spread the word of my blog, right? I made 2 batches of chocolate chip cookies and a batch of cinnamon rolls, from my favorite recipes. There is something good about this house, the stove cooks my food wonderfully, and makes it smell so good (must be the smaller home?), and even making the cinnamon roll dough it wasn't as wet as when I made it at the other house, it was beautiful! Plus, see in my collage, I can now roll out my dough on my counter, no more using my stove top! lol
I love these cinnamon rolls, and have been making them since I found them. As for the yard sale, it didn't go so great, our St. is up quite a few other streets. Not the best location for yard sales. Oh well. I did sell 2 packs of cinnamon rolls to a lady, I hope she enjoyed them! I sold lots of baggies of cookies too.
Rolls: ½ cup warm water 2 tablespoons active dry yeast 2 tablespoons sugar 3 ½ ounce package instant vanilla pudding (made into pudding) ½ cup butter, melted 2 eggs 1 teaspoon salt 6+ cups flour
Filling: 1 cup butter, softened to room temperature 2 cups brown sugar 4 teaspoons cinnamon
Frosting: 8 ounces cream cheese ½ cup butter, softened to room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 cups confectioner’s sugar 2-3 tablespoons milk dash if cinnamon
In a small bowl combine water, yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside. In large bowl, take pudding mix and prepare according to package directions. Add butter, eggs and salt. Mix well. Then add yeast mixture. Blend. Gradually add flour; knead until smooth. Do not over flour the dough! It should be very soft but not sticky. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled. Then roll out on floured board to 34 X 21 inches in size. Take 1 cup soft butter and spread over surface. In bowl, mix 2 cups brown sugar and 4 teaspoons cinnamon. Sprinkle over the top. Roll up very tightly. With knife put a notch every 1 1/2 inches. Cut with thread or serrated knife. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Cover and let rise until double again. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove when they start to turn golden (don’t over bake). Frost warm rolls with cream cheese frosting (combine butter and cream cheese and mix well, then add vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, mix again, then add milk for desired consistency). Makes about 24 very large rolls.
*Freezable Recipe: After shaping the rolls and placing them on the baking sheet, cover with lightly greased saran wrap and a layer of tin foil. Store in the freezer. The night before you want to serve them take out the rolls and put them in the refrigerator. Let them thaw in the refrigerator. Take them out about 8-9 hours after being in the refrigerator and let them rise until doubled. Bake according to the recipe. (If you have less time, you can take the rolls out of the freezer and let them come to room temperature on the counter – about 4 hours, then let rise until doubled).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix powder until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown.
Two big names in good-for-pizza -- Rustic Crust, known for its organic, gluten-free, and all natural pizza crusts, sauce and frozen flatbread pizzas, and American Flatbread Company, famous for its wood-fired flatbreads -- have joined forces. In addition to producing its own pizza crusts -- its motto is "Crust you can Trust" -- Rustic Crust is now baking American Flatbread Frozen Pizza in wood-fired ovens.
Rustic Crust uses traditional, Old World baking methods, forming each crust by hand, and allowing the dough to rise slowly, double proofing it for maximum flavor. The unbleached flour provides a slightly richer color, while hand forming each crust produces the distinctive, rustic texture also found in artisan breads. American Flatbread's pizza is crafted from scratch and par-baked in a wood fired earthen oven and comes in several varieties, with cheese and veggie toppings or plain cheese and herb - just heat and serve!
We were given the chance to review these two products, but unfortunately American Flatbread is not available in CA so I could not review it. I did find Rustic Crust available at Windmill Farms which isn't too far from us (it's a natural grocery store, like Henry's if you know them). They had 1 rack of the ready made crusts with some sauce. So that's all I had to choose from. I would've preferred a frozen flatbread instead I think. They had 3 flavors to choose from, sourdough, whole wheat and cheesy herb. Not big selection, and that's after the kid went and got 2 more of their stock to refill.
I decided to make a Hawaiian style pizza for lunch with the Cheesy Herb flavor Rustic Crust. Pineapple, ham, garlic, mozzarella, sauce and Italian seasoning. The crust did not look appealing, the cheese was hard and plastic-like and the dough/crust was a little hard like a disc but did smell good. It wasn't very big, what 12" but fed all 5 of us for lunch. The kids liked it, I still wasn't crazy about the crust, it was sort of dense and nothing like a traditional pizza crust (you can see it in my collage). About an hour after eating it, 2/5 of us had tummy aches. I probably would not buy the ready made crusts again, but I'd like to try their frozen flatbread variety (even the flavor combinations of those sound good!). I think they were $3.99 each for the ready made crusts.
I wrote this review for "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" about Rustic Crust. I received free product coupons for this review. All opinions for this review are that of myself & family. Product info & stock images provided by PR.
Wow, 11 winners for my Tropicana juice giveaway! I am pretty amazed that not one person was picked twice from 153 comments! Sure makes it easy for me! Here we go...
The first number drawn is #114 Amyd and you win the Grand Prize of the $10 Bloomingdale's gift card + 3 Tropicana juice coupons for free product!
My other 10 winners who will receive a coupon for Free Tropicana juice are:
#99 Jennifer Neal
#94 Chisum's Crew
#92 Mishia
#77 Jaime
#127 Chrystal
#144 Pamela S
#88 Amber01sw
#137 annemarie562000
#104 wendy
#119 OneDayItWillBeAlright
Congrats to you all! I will be emailing you all in a bit, so keep an eye out and please reply soon! Thanks!
I have not forgotten! Here is my review from my earlier CSN Stores post. Since this kitchen here does not really have a spot for a trash can, I needed something slim to fit in the only place that would work. Searching CSN Stores online, I found this trash can and knew it would be great! Some friends of ours has a touchless can as well and I thought it was the coolest thing ever! I wanted one too. So that is what I choose from CSN Stores.com. Theitouchless 13 Gallon Stainless Steel Touchless Trashcan . If you are one always after someone getting the trash thrown away, this will help (the kids) make it fun! We are liking this! I made a video of the kiddies demonstrating how fun it is to use.
It opens for you automatically when your hands or feet are occupied. It provides a germ-free, odor free trash can. It keeps your hands clean when cooking. It prevents contamination. It just makes sense! The Touchless Trashcan uses patented motion detecting infrared technology. Place hand or debris about 6 inches away from the infrared sensor near the lid. It will open instantly when you approach and will close automatically after debris has been released and hands have been moved away. Features:
•New iTouchless AI Smart-Chip IITM enables the Touchless Trash Can to know exactly when you want to open and close the lid •New "Eagle Eye" Infrared Sensor creates a 100% hands-free operation •Removable top cover for easy cleaning •Fits standard 10, 14, 16 gallon garbage bags •Specially designed garbage bag retainer ring tightly holds the edges of the bag to prevent it from spilling •Manual open/close buttons and power switch •Uses 4 D-sized Alkaline batteries (not included) •Low energy-consuming •Height with lid opening: 35.25" •Capacity: 49 liter (13 gallons) •Material: Stainless steel •Finish: Brushed silver •Weight: 12.00 lbs. •Overall Dimensions: 27.25" H x 10.5" W x 14.5" D I just love CSN Stores free speedy shipping! I ordered this on a Wednesday and it arrived the very next Monday via FedEx!
I wrote this review for "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" about CSN Stores. I received a free giftcode to use towards my purchase for this review. All opinions for this review are that of myself & family. Product info & stock images provided by PR or Co. Thank you SO much CSN Stores!
Stouffer's Let's Fix Dinner Challenge has families wanting to make a commitment to sit down at the table and have dinner together. Enjoy eachother, enjoy good food.
Some ways to help, Stouffer's has sent us a box of 52 fun questions to use at the table for great dinner conversations, and a cute book discussing all the fun ways family dinner time can be fun. As a family we already sit down at the table every night for dinner. Adding in these fun questions will help us sit longer and chat and not want to rush off to play. The little ones enjoyed the book with it's funny dinner ideas such as wearing your pants on your head!
Stouffer's wants to help families get closer through regular family dinners, but without reliable housing it can be impossible. That’s why they’ll donate 100 percent of the net proceeds of each book purchased to Habitat for Humanity.
(This is a must before any extra entries will be accepted!) 1. All you have to do is tell me, do you all sit down together every night for dinner? What can more dinners together do for your family?
Earn up to 6 extra entries by showing some "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" bloggie ♥ with these rules*! -Please post yourself a separate comment for each, letting me know which ones you do. Thanks!
2. (+2 bonus entries) Follow me on Twitter here and Tweet about this giveaway using my Tweet button above this post or use @MommyImHungry and this URL in your Tweet. 3. (+2 bonus entries) New here? Please tell me how you found my blog today!
4. (+2 bonus entries) Visit here often? Please tell me what you like most about my blog!
This Giveaway ends: 11:59 pm pst, Wednesday, August 12, 2010. Please read the fine print: - Open to USA - Please leave your email! - Winner(s) will be notified by email & announced on my Blog & Twitter soon after - I will choose my winner(s) using Random.org - Important! Please read about my giveaway rules HERE*
I wrote this review for "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" about Stouffer's. I received free product to keep for this review. All opinions for this review are that of myself & family. Product info & stock images provided by PR or Co.
John Besh is a New Orleans-based chef and owner of six acclaimed restaurants (August, Besh Steak, Lüke, La Provence, American Sector, and Domenica) which all celebrates the bounty and traditions of the region. His recently publish cookbook is My New Orleans: The CookBook, one that took him 5 years to write.
He also recently teamed up with Propane Education & Research Council to share his safe grilling tips and a recipe which features fresh, easily accessible ingredients that kids and adults will both love to make and eat. The recipe, Brick Grilled Chicken and Blackberry Barbeque Tortilla Wraps, as well as a safe grilling checklist and list of family cooking suggestions, can all be found at usepropane.com. He says it's a family favorite of his, so I've bookmarked it to make sometime! It looks and sounds great!
An Introduction to My New Orleans from John : Dear Friends,
This book is the story of a dreamy, starry-eyed boy brought up in the shadows of New Orleans, surrounded by cypress knees and tupelo trees, good dinners and great friends. My life has been dramatically shaped by our multicultural heritage. Everything that I cook and eat, see and smell, reminds me of where I come from and more or less dictates where I’m going.
I grew up in Slidell, Louisiana, across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans. My childhood revolved around the lake, and I spent many hours shrimping in its waters and fishing along its shores. I learned to cook from my mom and my grandmother, and from the men I hunted with, who held that if you hunt it and kill it, a boy like me had better know how to clean it and cook it. Ours was a house of great food–we celebrated everything from births to deaths around great food. My ideas of New Orleans’s cooking come directly from the New Orleans table. My cooking draws on decades of learning and mastering cooking techniques that I felt certain would help me years down the road. I restlessly search my mind’s catalog of everything I’ve ever tasted or cooked, so that when I see a tomato at its ripest state, my mind runs through literally thousands of preparations that could work for this here tomato. Some people may look up in the sky and notice a mallard duck, but I see a slow-roasted duckling with lots of hearty herbs, cooked down in a gravy and served over rice.
My goal in launching Restaurant August in 2001 was to have a world-class place that could compete with the great restaurants of New Orleans. But Katrina, of course, changed everything. When the aftermath of that devastating storm threatened our fishermen and farmers, our shrimpers and oystermen, it seemed urgent to help preserve and protect our unique culinary heritage, its local ingredients, and its authentic culture.
After Katrina, being from New Orleans became the focus of my identity. The truth is I am from here and I cook from here–our ingredients and our traditions. I believe our city is a true national treasure: We have one of the few native urban cultures–and cuisines—that still thrives in this country. I cook New Orleans food my way, revering each ingredient as it reaches the ripeness of its season, which is how My New Orleans: The Cookbook unfolds, from Crawfish to Reveillon. No other place on earth is like New Orleans. Welcome to the flavors of my home.
John
(sorry video is cut off to the right, may open in a new window)
I was fortunate enough to be given the chance to review and receive an autographed copy of John Besh’s award-winning cookbook, My New Orleans: The Cookbook. This is one hefty book! It's huge and weighs like 6 lbs! It's a beautiful hardcover with 348 matte print pages and wonderful photographs. It's full of 200 of his favorite recipes and stories (16 chapters full!) from his hometown Louisiana. As I was flipping through his recipes trying to decide what to make (Hmm, red beans and rice? King Cake? and oohh but what? Beignets!!) Beignets have been on my to-make-bake list forever now, never had one before but I've heard about them! Now was my chance. Plus his beautiful photograph of the table setting next to the recipe enticed me even more.
This recipe is pretty easy, it just needs chill time (if you take the long way, as I did) and rise time. I planned it out to fry these after dinner for dessert when Mr. would be home to enjoy them as well. Well, from looking at my photos you can see how puffy mine grew once fried (maybe mine didn't need an hour to rise). That's ok, they tasted SO wonderful! Wow, I think I liked them even better than a doughnut! The light crispy outside and the inside this pillowy softness and just the right amount of sweetness. YUM! We all enjoyed them. Why did I wait so long to make Beignets? They were so easy to make (ok I cheated and used my Kitchen Aid mixer a little). I found the recipe online if you'd like to try these.
If you love Louisiana cooking or would love to try it at home, you will want to check this book out! Or better yet, enter to win a copy here!!
Beignets by John Besh, My New Orleans: The Cookbook from Epicurious
•1 cup lukewarm milk, about 110°F •1/2 cup granulated sugar •1 package dry yeast •4 cups all-purpose flour •1/2 cup melted butter •1/2 teaspoon salt •1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract •4–6 cups canola oil •1 cup powdered sugar
1. Pour the warm milk into a large bowl. Mix 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar, the yeast, and a heaping tablespoon of the flour into the milk, mixing with a whisk, until both the sugar and the yeast have dissolved.
2. Once bubbles have developed on the surface of the milk and it begins to foam, whisk in the butter, salt, and vanilla. Add the remaining flour and sugar, folding them into the wet ingredients with a large rubber spatula. Knead the dough by hand in the bowl for about 5 minutes, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 6–8 hours.
3. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll out on a floured surface to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Cut into 2-inch squares, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and allow the beignets to rise for about an hour.
4. Heat the oil in a large deep skillet over high heat until it reaches 350°F. Use a candy thermometer to check temperature. Fry the beignets in small batches in the hot oil, turning them every 30 seconds or so with tongs, until golden brown all over. Use tongs to remove beignets from the oil and drain on paper towels. Put the powdered sugar into a fine-mesh strainer and dust the warm beignets generously with the sugar.
These are ready to fry!
Do you see that light crispy outside, and the soft pillowy inside? Oooohh yum!
One "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" reader will win their own copy of My New Orleans: The Cookbook by John Besh!
(This is a must before any extra entries will be accepted!) 1. All you have to do is tell me what you're favorite southern food is or something southern you've never had but want to try!
Earn up to 6 extra entries by showing some "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" bloggie ♥ with these rules*! -Please post yourself a separate comment for each, letting me know which ones you do. Thanks!
2. (+2 bonus entries) Follow me on Twitter here and Tweet about this giveaway using my Tweet button above this post or use @MommyImHungry and this URL in your Tweet. 3. (+2 bonus entries) New here? Please tell me how you found my blog today!
4. (+2 bonus entries) Visit here often? Please tell me what you like most about my blog!
This Giveaway ends: 11:59 pm pst, Wednesday, August 11, 2010. Please read the fine print: - Open to USA - Please leave your email! - Winner(s) will be notified by email & announced on my Blog & Twitter soon after - I will choose my winner(s) using Random.org - Important! Please read about my giveaway rules HERE*
I wrote this review for "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" about My New Orleans: The Cookbook. I received free product to keep for this review. All opinions for this review are that of myself & family. Product info & stock images provided by PR.
Over the 4th of July weekend, I found this recipe to use on the steaks for our potluck at the races and fair.
Wow it sure smelled great mixing up and from the reviews I was excited to try it. I let the steaks marinade all that day and I grilled them later that evening. Sliced them up family serving style and everyone LOVED it!! WOW, one cut of meat I used was like butter! The steaks were awesome, the guys chowed down on them.
I have since used this marinade a couple more times at home. It's got it all in there, no need for that steak sauce!
1/3 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup olive oil 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder 3 tablespoons dried basil 1 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes 1 teaspoon ground white pepper 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce 1 teaspoon dried minced garlic
Place the soy sauce, olive oil, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, basil, parsley, and pepper in a blender. Add hot pepper sauce and garlic, if desired. Blend on high speed for 30 seconds until thoroughly mixed. Pour marinade over desired type of meat. Cover, and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Cook meat as desired.
Everyone diggin in! No steak was leftover!
I made my baked beans for the potluck too, had to keep them going in the truck with a generator. lol
I was given the chance to review a cool little 1.5" Digital photo key chain and keyring with stand from WholesaleKeychain. I chose mine in silver and they were even kind enough to engrave the back for me! I had them engrave Pieces of my Heart on it. Shipping was pretty fast and I was so excited to hook it up and start playing with it. It comes with it's own little USB cord software too, so all you do is just plug it in, let it charge and you are ready to choose your photos to add! The key chain also has features to choose how fast each photo shows, a clock with the date, a back light with a timer, auto shut off, plus a little stand to hold the key chain for your desk or table! We all had fun taking turn looking at the photos I downloaded. This would be great for the Grandparents who like to show off the grand-kids, to use as an instant portfolio for your artwork, photography or whatever!
(click to see) plus a sneak peek at our back splash tile that needs to go up
Features include: -1.5 inch LCD display; -16 MB internal memory which can store 100 pictures; -Auto / manual picture slide show, slide time adjustable. -Manual switch between picture and time display -Time display including date, week, hours, minutes and seconds. -Time manual adjustable or sync with computer via software. -Picture format: JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF; -Picture size automatically cut by software. -Input / output picture via photo View software included -Built-in rechargeable battery -Charged / data downloaded via 5 pins USB cable
They have a large selection of digital key chains to choose from, click here to check them out and order one for yourself! They offer all kinds of key chains besides these digital ones too, so browse around and see what you like!
Check out my quick little video I made:
I wrote this review for "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" about Digital Photo Keychains from WholesaleKeychain. I received free product to keep for this review. All opinions for this review are that of myself & family. Product info provided by PR or Co.