Being Thankful with Merci Chocolates: Giveaway and Review

This year I have a little more to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. I recently went back to work after 6 years of being home with our last born and so the relief of having some extra money coming in and insurance kicking in is quite reassuring for us coming from a single self employed income of all those years. We've also moved to a much smaller home that I am not able to host our families for Holidays so less cooking & baking for me and it makes me a little sad too. Because of my busy working mom status I was worried about Thanksgiving and not being able to well, have one because I am working every night this week including Thanksgiving (the joys of retail). Thankfully we were invited for dinner at my Sister in Law's once I get off work. So we'll be enjoying some nice family time this Thursday. Merci family and Merci Chocolates!

Please share with me what you are most thankful for this Thanksgiving year and be entered to win!

We were sent a beautiful autumn amber colored glass candy dish and a box of Merci Chocolates! They have many different flavors to choose from.

Also, please check out the fun new Merci Chocolate Facebook App, the Thank-You-Maker! You can send a friend a meaningful thank you, and in return receive a Buy One Get One Free BOGO coupon!

Show your thankfulness of this giveaway and follow along with Merci Chocolates on Twitter and Facebook!

Mmm!

Enter below for a chance to win this great prize!

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*Disclosure* I wrote this review and or giveaway for "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" about Merci Chocolates. The product(s) in this review were provided to me free of cost for the purpose of conducting my review and or giveaway. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This giveaway is provided by the company. Product info and stock images if any are provided by PR or Co.

Cans Get You Cooking: Ocean Spray: Cranberry Orange Sauce

This is a sponsored post on behalf of the Cans Get You Cooking program.

Of course this month's Can Get You Cooking is about cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving! Personally I love the whole berry cranberry sauce, canned or homemade it doesn't matter to me. Canned is a time saver and below I have a recipe I've doctored up using Ocean Spray Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce. It's perfect for your turkey dinner and leftover sandwiches.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Cranberry Orange Sauce

1 14 oz. can Ocean Spray Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

Juice and zest of two fresh oranges

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp allspice

Combine cranberry sauce, orange zest, juice and sugar in a medium saucepan. Over medium heat, heat on low-medium heat until it just comes to a boil. Let simmer for about 10 minutes. Allow to cool and place in the fridge until chilled through and ready to serve. This should thicken a little once cooled.

This is what I love best, cold leftover Thanksgiving turkey breast and cold cranberry sauce on a warm homemade roll! YUM!

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*Disclosure* I wrote this review and or giveaway for "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" about Cans Get You Cooking. The product(s) in this review were provided to me free of cost for the purpose of conducting my review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Product info and stock images if any are provided by PR or Co.

Lovable Labels Black Friday/Cyber Monday Deals!!

Lovable Labels is your #1 source for durable personalized labels, tags, safety products and much more. By recognizing the unique personality in every child, Lovable Labels inspires children to take better care of their belongings. Their durable products withstand the dishwasher, microwave, washer, dryer, and the greatest test - your child! I've reviewed Lovable Labels a few times before and just love them!


*Disclosure* I wrote this review and or giveaway for "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" about Lovable Labels. The product(s) in this review were provided to me free of cost for the purpose of conducting my review, watch my Instagram for this product review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Product info and stock images if any are provided by PR or Co.

Farm Rich Products #Giveaway and Review

 Farm Rich makes a variety of wholesome snacks for busy families on the go. Mozzarella Sticks are America's #1 cheese stick, and other favorites include Mozzarella Bites and Meatballs.

This fall, they've introduced three new products: Toasted Ravioli, Crispy Dill Pickles and Chili Cheese Bites. Toasted Ravioli makes a quick and easy family dinner with real Mozzarella, Parmesan, Asiago and Romano cheeses. Crispy Dill Pickles are inspired by a Southern favorite, and the new Chili Cheese Bites have smooth cheddar cheese and a mild chili sauce in a crispy corn chip coating.

Follow along with Farm Rich on Facebook and Twitter. Find Farm Rich near you with their store locator! 

I fried up the Crispy Dill Pickles for an after school treat and they loved it!

One dinner we had was just appetizers, I also fried up some Farm Rich Toasted Ravioli and  Jalapeno Peppers. My family loved this sort of dinner, it was a fun change. 

They loved them!

Enter below for a chance to win a coupon for a free Farm Rich product!

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*Disclosure* I wrote this review and or giveaway for "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" about Farm Rich. The product(s) in this review were provided to me free of cost for the purpose of conducting my review and or giveaway. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This giveaway is provided by the company. Product info and stock images if any are provided by PR or Co.

Dr. Praeger’s Sensible Foods: New Harvest Season Veggie Pancakes

This year, the first day of Hannukah coincides with Thanksgiving Day – the first and only time this will happen. This rare occurrence has inspired Dr. Praeger’s Sensible Foods to celebrate with the launch of three new seasonally inspired veggie pancakes: Roasted Corn, Root Vegetable and Zucchini & Carrot. 

Each All Natural, Kosher Certified pancake incorporates the finest, recognizable ingredients with an assortment of harvest flavors, making them a convenient option for customers looking to create tasty and sensible holiday dishes.

Root Vegetable Pancake: 

Like a “better-for-you” cranberry stuffing in the shape of a pancake, this variety features a mix of beets, cranberries, and quinoa with rutabaga, potatoes, celery and sweet potatoes. (Vegan / Gluten-Free)

Roasted Corn Cakes: 

By combining roasted corn with roasted garlic, leeks, cilantro and chipotle, these cakes add a nutritious and delicious zing to a traditional holiday vegetable side. (Vegetarian)

Zucchini & Carrot Pancakes: 

Featuring two harvest favorites, this variety delivers the ultimate taste of fall in a convenient to prepare pancake! (Vegetarian / Gluten-Free)

The new pancakes have an SRP of $4.99 per box of six, individually wrapped patties. These seasonal varieties will be available starting November at Whole Foods stores in all regions.

In addition to these new products, Dr. Praeger’s offers a broad assortment of veggie burgers, veggie pancakes, fish sticks, and an entire line-up just for kids. With no artificial flavors or colors, and low saturated fat and cholesterol, Dr. Praeger’s Sensible Foods products appeal to a wide range of consumers – from those looking for a sensible meat alternative to those looking for a healthier snack options.

Please check them out on Facebook and Twitter!

ABOUT: 

Dr. Praeger’s Sensible Foods was founded in 1994 by two practicing cardiac surgeons. The doctors set out on a simple mission – to help people see nutritious food in a tasty new way. Today it is a family owned and operated company that has grown into a leader in the All Natural, Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free, and Kosher frozen food categories.

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We were sent all three varieties of these Harvest Veggie Pancakes for review. I enjoyed them alongside my lunches, I love veggies so I liked these. They're so flavorful and even smell just as good baking (yes, please bake them as directed, I burnt mine in the skillet lol). The kiddos didn't really care much for them but that's ok, I'll enjoy them. They are very soft in the centers so I suppose it was a texture issue for them. 

oops, I pan fried these ones, I recommend baking them as I did below.

front to back: Root Vegetable Pancake, Zucchini and Carrot Pancake and then Roasted Corn Cake

*Disclosure* I wrote this review and or giveaway for "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" about Dr. Praeger’s Sensible Foods. The product(s) in this review were provided to me free of cost for the purpose of conducting my review and or giveaway. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This giveaway is provided by the company. Product info and stock images if any are provided by PR or Co.

Big G Cereal Cereal Lovers Week: Recipe Ideas: French toast

Even though National Cereal Lovers Week (#CerealLoversWeek) has past (What do they mean? It's always cereal lovers week in our house!), celebrate with several star-studded celebrity chefs to take cereal out of the breakfast bowl and into bold and unexpected new places.

Gather ideas for having fun in the kitchen by watching celebrity chefs Justin Warner, Amanda Freitag, Elizabeth Falkner, Nate Appleman, Dale Talde and Harold Dieterle create unique cereal-centric creations. 

Fun recipes such as Cocoa Puffs® Carbonara, Fizzy Trix®, Cinnamon Toast Crunch® French Toast, Golden Grahams® “Fried” Chicken with Hot Honey Drizzle and Corn Chex® Chilaquiles can be found here: www.hellocereallovers.com/recipe/

look at this fun box!

I was sent a fun Cereal Creativity Kit to create or make these fun recipes! Well, I decided to  make the cereal coated french toast using cereals we like (or gluten free so I can have some too). I used different cereals and bread in the recipe but still made it the same way. I was thinking of frying the french toast (because we love our french toast fried) but I was worried the coating would fall off so I just put them on the griddle/pan. My family and I loved them, coating them like that made them extra special. Think up a recipe using your favorite cereals and try it this weekend!

my gluten free vanilla chex coated french toast brinner

Cinnamon Toast Crunch® French Toast
Original recipe created by Dale Talde
(*for this recipe, I used Reeses Puffs cereal with sliced french bread and GF Vanilla Chex with GF bread)

4 slices of challah bread* (day old is best), crusts removed and toasted
2 cups Cinnamon Toast Crunch® cereal*, separated
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 eggs
Butter

Step 1
Spread 1 cup of Cinnamon Toast Crunch on baking sheet and toast lightly (about 200 degrees). Meanwhile in a food processor, pulverize 1 cup Cinnamon Toast Crunch into a powder and set aside; Combine cream and milk, add toasted cereal and let soak until milk is tan colored. Strain out cereal with a mesh strainer. Mix in eggs

Step 2
Soak challah toast in milk/egg mixture. Coat with Cinnamon Toast Crunch powder. Melt butter on a hot griddle or pan

Step 3
Cook the French toast on each side until slightly golden, then remove and place on oven-safe dish. Sprinkle top of French Toast with more Cinnamon Toast Crunch powder and bake at 350° for 3 or 4 minutes.

the family's Reeses Puffs coated french toast

my GF french toast ready to cook

the family's reeses puff french toast on the griddle

*Disclosure* I wrote this review and or giveaway for "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" about Big G Cereal. The product(s) in this review were provided to me free of cost for the purpose of conducting my review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Product info and stock images if any are provided by PR or Co.

Hello Cereal Lovers Back To School Recipes: Cereal Almond Brittle

 

Hello Cereal Lovers! With Big G cereals, you can get creative with breakfast and snacks to help fuel your little learners and yourself during the school days. But don't think that cereal has to be just for eating as a bowl of cereal, because it can make some tasty treats too! Think about these goodies you could make:

Back-to-School Breakfast Fondue

Gluten Free Chex® School Fuel

Fruit and Nut Snack Bars

Baked Cereal Honey Snack Mix

Easy Berry Pancakes + Wheaties

I was sent a creative Big G Cereal back to school pack along with cereals and recipe cards. I decided to make their recipe for Cereal Almond Brittle as an afternoon treat. Oh wow, this smelled soooo yummy baking away!

Follow along with Hello Cereal Lovers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

Cereal Almond Brittle
from General Mills

2 cups Cheerios® cereal
2 cups Cinnamon Toast Crunch® cereal
2 cups oats
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup real maple or maple-flavored syrup

Heat oven to 300°F. Line 1 large (17x14-inch) cookie sheet or 2 (15x10x1-inch) pans with foil; spray foil with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix both cereals, the oats and almonds; set aside.

In 1-quart saucepan, heat butter, brown sugar and syrup over medium heat, stirring frequently, until butter is melted and mixture boils. Pour over cereal mixture; stir until well coated. Spread mixture evenly on cookie sheet with rubber spatula until about 1/2 inch thick.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until almonds are golden brown. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. Break into pieces with fingers. Store in tightly covered container.

Expert Tips
The secret is not to stir the mixture the whole time it is baking and cooling. A sheet of brittle will form that can be broken into serving size pieces.

I packaged this brittle up for an after school treat for my kiddos. On each adorable line printed paper bag, I wrote silly little jokes on them. "Why didn't the teddy bear want any dessert? Because he was already stuffed!" heeeheee

The glitter smelly pens are pretty awesome too, they really smell like fruits and write so nice! The kids thought these were so cute and loved the brittle too.

*Disclosure* I wrote this review and or giveaway for "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" about Big G Cereal . The product(s) in this review were provided to me free of cost for the purpose of conducting my review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Product info and stock images if any are provided by PR or Co.

Melt Organic Spread: Review

Melt® Organic is a line of luscious, all-natural spreads for butter lovers seeking a healthier alternative.  Melt is made from the perfect blend of the healthiest fruit- and plant-based organic oils: virgin coconut, flaxseed, hi-oleic sunflower, palm fruit, and canola. Melt spreads bake and melt just like butter, but with half the saturated fat and fewer calories. Each variety is certified organic, kosher and non-GMO and made with Fair Trade Fair For Life certified virgin coconut oil and Rainforest Alliance certified palm fruit oil. Melt Organic spreads are lactose free or dairy free, soy free, trans-fat free, and gluten free. 

I was sent a great little package for my review which included coupons to try Melt, a flexible cutting board and Melt spreader. I have reviewed Melt to share with you before and now they offer Melt Honey flavor, a healthy butter for your muffins or biscuits. Or try their Rich and Creamy regular flavor for all your cooking and baking needs!  I have been enjoying Melt in place of butter for all of my daily uses. I love the flavor of it. Next time you see Melt in your store, pick one up and try it!

Find a store near you!

scrambled eggs cooked in a little Melt

when you're gluten free, you can't use the gluten toaster. so i just use the broiler to make toast. 

Breakfast: ham & cheese scrambled eggs in Melt with my gluten free roll toasted with Honey Melt, it makes a perfect butter substitute.

*Disclosure* I wrote this review and or giveaway for "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" about Melt Organic Spread . The product(s) in this review were provided to me free of cost for the purpose of conducting my review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Product info and stock images if any are provided by PR or Co.

Cans Get You Cooking in October: Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie, Gluten Free

This is a sponsored post on behalf of the Cans Get You Cooking program.

This is my favorite time of year for canned goods! I use CARNATION® Evaporated Milk for lots of things throughout the year such as breakfast casserole for Christmas morning, cake fillings, quiches and casseroles. I always have it on hand in my pantry. But first off it's PUMPKIN PIE time!! My absolute fave time of the year! I used a favorite simple no fail recipe from Libby's in a gluten free pie crust (linked below). 

let's make it pretty...

all dressed and ready to impress! 

Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie, Gluten Free
from very best baking

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
1 9-inch deep-dish pie shell crust, unbaked (gluten free crust recipe)

MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

POUR into pie shell.

BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50* minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate (I like mine cold). Top with whipped cream before serving.
*Because I used a gluten free crust which doesn't brown so quickly, I baked mine about 15 extra minutes.


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I'm doing my Cans Get You Cooking shopping at Albertsons. 

(they are not affiliated with this program)

*Disclosure* I wrote this review and or giveaway for "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" about Cans Get You Cooking. The product(s) in this review were provided to me free of cost for the purpose of conducting my review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Product info and stock images if any are provided by PR or Co.