Product Review Monday: King Arthur Flour Review and GIVEAWAY!! **CLOSED**

King Arthur Flour is America’s oldest flour company and is 100% employee-owned. Their flours never include any unnecessary chemicals (like bleach or bromate). In addition to selling a selection of flours in supermarkets nationwide, they also offer hundreds of baking ingredients, mixes, and tools at kingarthurflour.com. 

Their website is loaded with resources – from more than 1,200 free recipes online, to their Baker’s Hotline, to various on-site and traveling education programs.

I was given the opportunity to try two great products from King Arthur!

K.A.F. Kids Chocolate Chipper Muffin Mix:  I love that King Arthur makes a line of mixes to get kids excited about cooking. The Chocolate Chipper Muffin Mix allows you and you child(ren) to bake 6 delicious muffins.  The directions are illustrated and simple so it was easy for my 4-year-old, Bella,  to follow along. 


Results: These muffins were VERY tasty. I brought one to work in the morning and I could not wait to get home to have another one because I was craving more all day long.  My daughter and husband also really enjoyed them. My son decided to give up chocolate for Lent so he was not able to give his review. Bella gave these a big thumbs up and since Jackson abstained from voting, I will give a big thumbs up for him!

Pros: I really appreciated the fact that it only made 6 muffins. It is the perfect size mix for a family of 4! Plus, only having to fill 6 muffin cups was much less intimidating for my daughter. The muffin mix contains no artificial preservatives, each muffin has 4g of protein, and they are DELICIOUS!
Cons: None!

King Arthur Unbleached White Whole Wheat Flour: The second product I reviewed was King Arthur's Whole Wheat Flour. This flour is nutritionally equivalent to traditional whole wheat flour but lighter in color and flavor. I have been trying to find ways to incorporate healthy foods into my children's diets. Since they tend to be picky eaters, this is a great way to "sneak" some nutrition into their food.

I tried out a mint brownie recipe supplied by King Arthur (minus the chocolate drizzle). The color of the flour is darker than your typical white flour, but I doubt that it would change the color of any final baking outcomes.  I used it as an ingredient and also used it with my shortening to help prevent the brownies from sticking to the pan. The flour performed perfectly for both purposes.

Results: The brownies were fantastic! I took them to a social gathering and received many compliments. No one was able to tell that the flour was whole wheat, proving that you can bake with a nutritionally-based product without sacrificing taste.  The brownies received two thumbs up from my kids (my son's decision to give up chocolate for Lent was very short lived) and I received many compliments from others who consumed them. This recipe was awesome and is definitely going in my file. The whole wheat flour will also be replacing my white flour from now on!

Pros: Healthier than regular while flour, tastes the same, performs well, contains fiber and protein

Cons: None!

TWO THUMBS WAY UP for King Arthur Flour!

Buy it here: You can buy King Arthur Flour products in your local grocery store or online.

Win it here: King Arthur Flour is offering the same two amazing products (K.A.F.Chocolate Chipper Muffin Mix & White Whole Wheat Flour) featured in this post to one lucky winner!

**Please read the rules**

This is open to US  residents only. You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT!

Mandatory Entry: Go to King Arthur Flour's recipe link and tell me what recipe you are most likely to try.

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry. For example, if you blog about this contest, leave 3 separate comments!

1. Follow my blog (publicly)

2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription (2 entries)

3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog

4. Blog about this contest (with a link to my blog) and post a link to your blog (3 entries)

5. Follow me and King Arthur Flour on twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.

6. Enter another one of my contests. Enter as many as you like, but this method is only worth 1 entry regardless of how many you enter.

7. Buy something from King Arthur Flour's website between now and the end of this giveaway closing date (10 EXTRA ENTRIES)

8. Become a fan of King Arthur Flour on Facebook.

The winner will be selected on 3/10  via random.org and will be emailed.The winner will have 48 hours to respond.

I was provide with the mentioned products. The views expressed here are my own (and my children's). No other compensation was received. 

b.happybags Shopping Bag Review and GIVEAWAY! 4 WINNERS!!! **CLOSED**

Like many Americans, I am trying hard to "go green" to help save our wonderful planet. Reusable shopping bags are an easy way to reduce waste.  I have purchased many of the 99 cent bags from the grocery store. However, the environment is not spared trash when you have to constantly throw away poorly made reusable shopping bags after they tear!

B.happybags has a goal to assist in reducing the wasteful use of disposable bags by creating chic, sturdy, and fun reusable bags. I received two "Tess" shopping bags to review.  These are really attractive. I was actually excited to go shopping with them. The woman at the checkout even commented on how adorable these bags were! The price ($15-$16) a bag is more than reasonable as these hold far more than the cheap versions available in the stores and they will last a LOT longer!

The details: 
- Measure 15 X 12 X 8
- Made in America (Arizona)!!
- Machine washable
- Soft-sided with heavy poly-webbing handles
- Interior seams are bound with grosgrain binding



These bags are very large. They are so tough, I was able to fit all of this in one bag without worrying about it breaking:

Just to give you an idea of how big it is:

I also like that they are cotton so you can easily fold them up and put them in your purse. This means no more forgetting to bring your reusable bags (something that has happened to me countless times!)

b.happybags offer a wide range of patterns for their shopping bags. In addition, they have other environmentally friendly products such as wine bags, yoga bags and dry cleaning bags! They even offer customizable bags!  This is the best reusable bag I have owned to date and I would highly recommend purchasing one, or more, today! 

Buy it here: b. happybags is offering Cake Mom readers a 10% discount! Just enter CakeMom (case sensitive) and you can receive 10% off until 5/1/10!!

Win it here:  b. happybags is giving away  2 bags each to 4 lucky winners!!!!!

Mandatory Entry: Go to b. happybags and choose your favorite pattern(s). Choose up to 2 of your favorite patterns and choose wisely because these will be the ones you will receive if you win!

**Please read the rules**
This is open to US residents only. You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT!

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry. For example, if you blog about this contest, leave 3 separate comments!
1. Follow my blog (publicly)
2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription (2 entries)
3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog
4. Blog about this contest (with a link to my blog) and post a link to your blog (3 entries)
5. Follow me on twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.
6. Enter another one of my contests. Enter as many as you like, but this method is only worth 1 entry regardless of how many you enter.
7. Buy something from b. happybags between now and the end of this contest (10 EXTRA ENTRIES!) Don't forget to use the 10% off coupon code!

The winners will be selected on 3/9 via random.org and will be emailed.

I was provide with the mentioned product. The views expressed here are my own. No other compensation was received. 

Marshmallow Fondant Recipe

I will be making a marshmallow fondant (MMF) cake next week for a baby shower, so I decided I would share the classic MMF recipe with you!  Fondant takes a lot of practice and I have a LONG way to go until I perfect my fondant decorating. As you probably know, practice makes perfect. I will focus some of my technique/terminology posts this month on fondant and hopefully inspire some of you to give this icing a try!

Marshmallow Fondant
Ingredients
16 oz white marshmallows
2 Tbsp water
8 cups powdered sugar (though you will not use all of it)

Instructions
1. Melt the marshmallows and water in a double boiler or melt in the microwave.
2. Place half the sugar in a bowl and make a well in the middle.
3. Add remaining sugar slowly using a kneading method. Add sugar by the tablespoon as you are kneading until the mixture is no longer sticky. (I use my KitchenAid mixer for this last step and it works well).

Vitalicious Sampler Review

I have two competing missions in  my life right now. First, I want to improve my baking skills and create a great baking and food related blog. Second, I want to get my kids to eat healthier. This has been quite the challenge, but Vitalicious offers a product line that allows this to be possible.

Vitalicious is a company dedicated to providing low calorie and delicious snacks using only natural ingredients. Their products contain no additive or preservatives, but fear not because their products are well packed with flavor!

Each 100 calorie snack contains whole grains, 5g-6g of fiber, 3g-4g of protein, and 15 vitamins and minerals! 

I had the opportunity to review the Super Sampler Pack.  The sampler is awesome! Check out the great assortment of low fat goodies:

(4) Deep and Velvety VitaBrownies

(2) of each of the following VitaTops (muffin tops):

Chocolate Mint, Bananna Nut, Triple Chocolate Chunk, Deep Chocolate, Fudgy Peanut Butter Chip, Golden Corn, CranBran, AppleBerry, RaisinBran, BlueBran.

 All products in this sampler are 100 calories each!

Review:The muffin tops and brownies were both delicious. You have to keep the products frozen, but you can easily put the VitaTops in the toaster to heat them up to a perfect temperature. I have been taking one with me to work every day and my son likes them so much that he has been packing one in his lunch box daily. I have not had one yet that I have not liked. They are very flavorful and you do not get the impression that these are low fat from eating them. I really like the wide assortment. There are some options if you are craving sweets and there are "grown-up" options such as the CranBran if you are not in the mood for sweets.  The brownies are good also. They are cake-like and filling.

Rating: My kids like to help with food reviews and both of them gave these goodies thumbs up. I agree and I feel much better offering them a healthier snack option!

Buy it here: You can buy Vitalicious products on their website.  They offer much more than just the sampler, but I would recommend a sampler so you can find your favorites! You can also find Vitalicious products on Amazon.com:

Technique/Terminology Thursday: Classic Cupcake Decorating

Getting this swirled look with your frosting is a cinch!

1. Using the 1M Wilton tip, start on the outside of your cupcake and begin to swirl around the outside of your cupcake. You will want to hold your bag at a 90 degree angle. (My 1M tip was mysteriously missing so I had to use tip 32).

2. Keep squeezing as you continue to bring the icing around the cupcake until you reach the center and release.

3. For a great finish, make a very small swirl on the top with the same tip.


What are you waiting for? Get in your kitchen and start making some cupcakes!

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday - Wilton II Final

This is my final cake for my Wilton II course. I put the names of my kids on it because I knew it would make their day.

Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil Review and GIVEAWAY!! **CLOSED**

Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil  1 Quart Review and Giveaway

Tropical Traditions Gold Label Coconut Oil contains not only the highest levels of antioxidants, but it is also made with the best coconuts from each harvest. As an added bonus, the product is organic!

Research has shown that there are many beneficial effects of coconut oil to include positive effects on cholesterol, aging, weight loss and some research even supports anti-cancer effects. More information on research claims can be found here.

I have never tried coconut oil before, so I was very excited to try it out. I found the following fudge recipe on allrecipes.com:

Made-In-Minutes No-Cook Fudge

1cup virgin coconut oil, room temperature
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup honey

Directions
- Lightly grease 8x8 inch baking dish.
- Pour the coconut oil into a bowl, and sift in the cocoa, stirring to blend evenly. Stir in the honey, and mix until smooth. Spread mixture into prepared dish, and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Cut into 1 inch squares.

Results:
Before the fudge hardened I could tell that the coconut was going to be way to potent for me so I added some marshmallows. I might also recommend that you add some almonds to this fudge which would  make it taste like an Almond Joy. This recipe would be good if you LOVE coconut. If you are ambivalent about coconut, I would not recommend this recipe as the coconut taste is very powerful.

Review: Although you can use this product for baking, I think I would recommend keeping it for cooking. The recipe I tried had very few ingredients and the coconut was a bit too powerful for me. However, I think that this product would work quite nicely as a frying or cooking oil rather than a main ingredient in baking. My guess is that it would give a nice hint of coconut flavor to things like shrimp, chicken, etc. I am not going to give up on this yet, I am just going to work it into my meals rather than my desserts.

Buy it here: Tropical Traditions also has a Referral Program, so if you place an order with them as a first-time customer, please select “Referred by a friend” and in the box that says “How did you hear of us?” enter my sponsor ID number 5891254. By telling Tropical Traditions that I referred you, you will receive a complimentary copy of the book Virgin Coconut Oil: How it has changed people’s lives and how it can change yours! by Brian and Marianita Shilhavy with your first order! This book is filled with testimonies and research showing how healthy coconut oil is, and it also includes over 85 recipes showing how one can incorporate coconut into their diet.
You'll be directed to the Order Form at the Tropical Traditions/Healthy Buyers Club website.  If you choose not to purchase a membership to the Healthy Buyers Club, please order under the heading “Retail Sale Items”. This will enable you to purchase less than case amounts of any of the individual items without a membership.

Win it here: Tropical Traditions is offering one lucky winner 1 quart of their coconut oil!

Mandatory Entry: Subscribe to Tropical Traditions newsletter Already a subscriber? That's okay too, just say so.


**Please read the rules**
This is open to US and Canadian residents only. You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT!

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry. For example, if you blog about this contest, leave 3 separate comments!
1. Browse through the recipes listed on their Free Coconut Recipe website and tell me what one you would love to try.
2. Follow my blog (publicly)
3. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription (2 entries)
4. Grab my button and post a link to your blog
5. Blog about this contest (with a link to my blog) and post a link to your blog (3 entries)
6. Follow me on twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.
7. Enter the Holey Donut contest using my blog as the referral.This option must be done by 2/28.
8. Buy something from Tropical Traditions using the referral information listed above (10 EXTRA ENTRIES plus you will get the free book!)

The winner will be selected on 3/5 via random.org and will be emailed.

I was provide with the mentioned product. The views expressed here are my own. No other compensation was received. 

Product Review Monday Part Deux: Pamela's Products Chocolate Cake Mix

This week's Product Review Monday is two part because I was lucky enough to review two fantastic product lines at the same time! 

Pamela's Products is a company dedicated to creating delicious products that are wheat and gluten free. The company offers a wide range of products from cookies to baking mixes.

What is gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in grains. Gluten intolerance is thought to affect 1 out of every 300 people. The effects of this can be very serious and can lead to chronic and even fatal conditions. Luckily, there are many companies such as Pamela's Products who offer yummy gluten-free options to our favorite indulgences!

Product review:
I had the pleasure to review Pamela's Products decadent chocolate cake mix. The chocolate was very rich and enjoyable. The cupcakes baked up beautifully and evenly and came out very moist and delicious. You would never know that this is gluten or wheat free by tasting it.  If you are gluten intolerant, then Pamela's Products will be your new best friend. I would even highly recommend this cake mix even if you have no problem with gluten. My husband told me that I need to scrap my other cake mixes and buy this one from now on. He said, and I quote "You have made a lot of cakes over the past year, but this taste is the most memorable". It does not get much better than that!

Rating: My kids are the ones who rate edible goodies and they gave these cupcakes 2 thumbs up!  I could not agree more.

Buy it here: 

Pamela's Products are available in natural food stores such as PCC Natural Markets, Sprouts, Wegman's, Whole Foods, and more, as well as many grocery stores such as Fred Meyer, Kroger, Publix, Safeway and Winn Dixie, throughout the United States, Canada and other countries.

 Or, you can buy Pamela's Products on Amazon.com!

 

I was provided with a product sample in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received and the opinions expressed are my own (and my family's).

Product Review Monday: Sweet Treats Party Boutique

Sweet Treats Party Boutique was born when three sisters decided to combine their passion for fashion with their love of cupcakes. Their shop is  featured on Etsy and their goal is to offer unique product and hope to create interest and excitement in everyday baking. Their products are perfect for creating super swank cupcakes that would definitely be the talk of the party.

I was given baking cups, sprinkles, cupcake toppers and cupcake wrapper from their couture line.

The products: 
Baking cups: The baking cups were very sturdy and well formed. When placed in the pan, the cups nicely keep their form without force. I have used some really cheap cups before. You know, the ones that pop back up when you try to push them into place in the pan. These are definitely not your standard cheap baking cups and I am so happy that they sent me so many because I don't think I can ever return to crappy cups again!
They retail for $4 for 50 cups on their Etsy shop which I think is well worth it!

Sprinkles: The sprinkles were a great color combo, came in an adorable container and tasted great. What more can you ask for?! Price tag: $3.75

Cupcake Toppers: These were adorable! This is when I realized that details are important to Sweet Treats. I am a very crafty person, but I don't think I could make these nearly as well as they are made. The card stock is sturdy, has a nice metallic yet matted finish and the rhinestone jewel is just adorable. The construction is strong and I had no concerns about these coming apart. The cost is $12 for 12. This is reasonable as they are obviously hand made and made well.

Wrappers: These were great as well. They were made of a flexible and wrinkle-proof paper. They were easy to assemble and added elegance to my finished cupcakes. Wrappers range in price from $7-$12 for 12.

The results: Gorgeous!

Pros: There are fantastic options for color coordination and they offer very unique and elegant designs. As mentioned, the products are very well made.
Cons: Although I do think the price is reasonable given the quality of the products, I would not be able to bake with a full set of products very often or in large quantities because of the cost. However, I would definitely recommend splurging on the full set for special occasions or buying elements to decorate your every day cupcakes. 

Rating: 
Star rating system: 1=run away screaming, 2=pass,  3= OK but wait for a good coupon, 4= definitely buy, 5=stop what you are doing right now and buy!

My rating: 4 

Buy it here: You can purchase any of these great items and browse through their other great cupcake products on their Etsy shop.  
 
I was provided with the above stated products for the purpose of this post. No other compensation was provided and the views expressed are all mine.

P.S. My daughter even got in on the decorating action with these! She loved the extra decorations (and I am sure you can see by her face that she also loved the chocolate frosting!)

 

Bakeless Sunday: Let's Talk About Stress

Sunday is the one day that I blog about things other than baking.

I have been having a very difficult time with my health recently. It all started a couple of months ago when I started getting this very strange and recurrent metallic taste in my mouth. I went to my Primary Care Physician (PCP) and he said I have acid reflux. I said he was full of you-know-what and went to an Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist because I recently had my tonsils removed and I thought maybe the weird taste was a result of the surgery. He confirmed that I had terrible acid reflux and my PCP was, in fact, not full of you-know-what after all. It was hard to believe because I was asymptomatic aside from the strange taste.  I was scheduled for an upper GI scope. It took 3 months to get the appointment and over these three months I started getting really sick to my stomach. I could go up to 5 consecutive days with consistent nausea. (May I also add that my stupid ENT told me that maybe there was a brain tumor causing the metallic taste. Needless to say, I have not been back to him since).

So, I had the scope last week and it turns out that all my symptoms are due to a BLEEDING ULCER! Yuck!

 
Cause: stress
Remedy: reduce my stress
Likelihood of that happening: have pigs started flying yet?

I am a worrier. I always have been and I probably always will be. But, since I really don't want to have surgery and would rather this be handled with some medicine and meditation, I am going to make an honest effort to calm down.  I am a licensed therapist. I know how to manage stress. I teach it all the time.

Now I must practice what I preach and tune in to my Zen-like inner self. Wish me luck!

Celebrating Mardi Gras: Rhythm and Blues review and GIVEAWAY **CLOSED**

Mardi Gras may be over, but since this was Mardi Gras week on Cake Mom, what better way to end it than by having a giveaway!

 "Rhythm and Blues", the newest release from Putumayo World Music, celebrates the classic R&B that originated in New Orleans.  The classic sounds on this album are performed by first generation legends as well as rising stars of today's retro R&B revival.

The Playlist:
1. Lavelle White  - I've Never Found a Man to Love
2. James Hunter - 'Til Your Fool Comes Home
3. Cracked Ice - Sweet Feeling
4. The Quantic Soul Orchestra featuring Kabir - Who knows
5. The Emotions - My Honey and Me
6. Same Moore, Keb' Mo' and Angie Stone - Wang Dang Doodle
7. Catherine Russell - Put Me Down Easy
8. Ruthie Foster - 'Cuz I'm Here
9. Snooks Eaglin - A Mother's Love
10. Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights
11. Rockie Charles - Before I Find the Right Girl for Me
12. Irma Thomas with Henry Butler - River is Waiting


The minute I listed to "Rhythm and Blues",  I was mentally taken right back to Bourbon Street. The sounds are are fresh and fun. My body did not stop swaying the whole time I was listening and I could literally picture myself in a nightclub listening to these amazing artists. The voices were soothing and the instrumental blend was nothing short of outstanding. The artists' passion for this soulful music was evident in every song. If you are a fan of rhythm and blues, I would highly recommend adding this CD to your music collection. If you are not a fan, you just may be after listening!


Win it here: Putumayo World Music was nice enough to offer one of my lucky readers a copy of this incredible CD!

**Please read the rules**
This is open to US addressed only! You must complete the mandated entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT!

Mandatory entry: 
 Tell me if you have ever been to New Orleans. If you have, what was your favorite part?

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry
1.  Go to PutumayoWorld Music  to sample some of the songs and tell me which one is your favorite!
2.  Follow my blog (publicly)
3. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription (2 entries)
4. Grab my button and post a link to your blog 
5. Blog about this contest (with a link to my blog) and post a link to your blog (3 entries)
6. Follow me on twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.
7.  Enter the Holey Donut contest using my blog as the referral


One winner will be selected on 3/1 via random.org and will be emailed.

I will be provided with the above mentioned CD in order to provide the review. The views expressed here are my own. No other compensation was received.

Technique/Terminology Thursday: Transfering an image to your cake

This week I made a cookie cake for Mardi Gras (see the Almost Wordless Wednesday post).  In order to make a perfectly symmetrical mask, I needed to transfer the pattern to the cake. The process for doing this is actually quite easy.


What you will need: Piping gel, parchment paper, pattern of your choice, disposable decorating bags

Directions:
1. Cut a small bit off the tip of a disposable bag.

2. Insert a small amount of piping gel in the bag.

3. Place the parchment paper on top of the pattern (you will not want to trace letters as the image will reverse on your cake). I got my pattern right off of the internet. 

4. Trace the outline of the pattern with the piping gel. Don't worry if it is not perfect.

5. Once you are finished tracing, carefully flip the parchment paper over onto your cake (or cookie in this case).
6. Rub gently and then remove the parchment paper. The piping gel will remain on your cake and you can now use this outline to guide your decorating. (It is hard to see in the picture, but I am following the glossy gel line).

By the way, the piping gel is tasteless (in case you were wondering). 

Celebrating Mardi Gras (Almost Wordless Wednesday)

Tired of eating cakes, I opted for a cookie cake to celebrate Fat Tuesday. The colors were much more vibrant in real life.

Celebrating Mardi Gras: Community Coffee Company Review

Community Coffee Company: Mardi Gras Gift Set

This Product Review Monday, I am going to take a break from baking products because it is Mardi Gras week! I can't think of a better way to start off Mardi Gras week than by reviewing a Mardi Gras inspired product from a company that started in Louisiana! Plus, the coffee is cake flavored!!!

The company: Community Coffee Company  began selling coffee in 1919 in Louisiana.  Today, Community® coffee can be found in grocery and convenience stores, offices, hotels and some of the best restaurants throughout the South. It is also available worldwide through CommunityCoffee.com. Community Coffee Company is the largest family owned and operated retail coffee brand in America.


The review: I was provided with the limited edition Mardi Gras gift set which came with a 12 oz bag of Carnival Cake coffee, a Mardi Gras travel tumbler, and Mardi Gras beads! I love the vibrant colors on the coffee tumbler. It immediately replaced my boring black to-go coffee mug. I really like that it has a screw on lid so there are fewer chances for accidents! The only downfall is it is not dishwasher safe.


The Carnival Cake coffee was a delicious blend of vanilla and cinnamon. I usually take my coffee with french vanilla creamer, but since this was a flavored blend I decided to try regular creamer. The taste was good and semisweet. The flavor by itself was not potent enough for me so I decided to add my french vanilla creamer to it after all. This was the key! The flavor of the coffee mixed with the french vanilla was outstanding. It actually became one of the best cups of coffee I have had in awhile! I guess the lesson learned is to use the same cream and sugar mix despite having a flavored coffee.  This blend would also make a really nice after-dinner coffee. The flavor is just sweet enough that that it tastes like a treat! 


I am not sure if it was the flavored coffee of the festive mug, but I do feel that this product captured the fun of Mardi Gras!

Connect with Community Coffee Company: Facebook – www.facebook.com/communitycoffeecompany

Twitter – www.twitter.com/communitycoffee username @communitycoffee

Buy it here: You can find the limited edition Mardi Gras gift set as well as their classic coffee products at the Community Coffee Company website.

I received the Mardi Gras gift set in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received and the views expressed here are my own.

The Supermarket Smarty Review and GIVEAWAY!! **CLOSED**

The Supermarket Smarty

Being a wannabe baker, one of the things I struggle with is organization. I have been trying more complicated recipes lately and I cannot tell you how many times I get home from the grocery store, start baking, and then realize I forgot to buy an ingredient. I have also learned that going to the store without a list is a terrible idea. I have gone to the grocery store to only buy milk and have come home with 10 things, but forgot the milk.

I was sent a Supermarket Smarty  to try with the hopes that this product would finally help me get my act together. The Supermarket Smarty is a very cool product. The features include:

• Easy dry erase surface
• Menu planner
• Coupon pocket
• Magnifying lens (to help read fine print)
• Magnet clip/pen holder (that attaches to a wall or refrigerator)
• Retractable and refillable dry erase marker 

There are a lot of great things about this product. I love that I can keep this on the fridge. As soon as I realize we are out of something, I can easily put it on the list without having to find a piece of scrap paper that I would just lose before making my weekly trip to the store. I also really like the coupon holder. Usually, I put my list and coupons in an envelope and these very easily get lost and torn in my purse. It is great to be able to keep everything I need for my shopping trip in one easy package. Plus, it is sturdy and I truly believe that this will last a very long time. The marker is also great. I LOVE that it is retractable instead of capped (that's right, I also have a tendency to lose caps for pens and markers). I think that this product was made for someone like me. The only thing I would have liked to see is a small eraser placed at the end of the pen so I could remove items on the Smarty as I placed them in my cart.

The Supermarket Smarty will be hanging on my fridge and accompanying me on shopping trips for a VERY LONG time!

Buy it here: You can purchase this at the Supermarket Smarty website for $12.99.

Win it here: One lucky reader is going to win their own Supermarket Smarty!

**Please read the rules**
This is open to US residents only. You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. If one entry counts more than once, leave the appropriate number of comments. For example, if you blog about the contest make sure to leave 3 comments. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT!

Mandatory Entry: Visit the Supermarket Smarty website and tell me why you need this product!

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry.
1. Follow my blog (publicly)
2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription (2 entries)
3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog
4. Blog about this contest (with a link to my blog) and post a link to your blog (3 entries)
5. Follow me on twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.
6. Enter the Holey Donut contest using my blog as the referral.


The winner will be selected on 2/21 and will be emailed.

I received the above mentioned product in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received and the views expressed here are my own. 

Fairytale Brownie Review and GIVEAWAY!! **CLOSED**

FAIRYTALE BROWNIES

I was thrilled when I was given the chance to review a box of 3" square brownies from Fairytale Brownies. The brownies looked amazing on their website, but nothing could prepare me for the amazing taste I got to experience!

The company: Fairytale Brownies was founded in 1992 using a secret family brownie recipe. The brownies are made from scratch using high quality ingredients and their products are certified kosher!

My first thought when I was received a box was "wow, this company really cares about their product". Each brownie is individually wrapped and placed neatly in a decorative box. You can tell that the employees attend to details. It seemed as though this box was made just for me instead of mass produced on some assembly line, the impression you can get from many other companies.

My son was the first to dive into the box and he chose the Original brownie. He was kind enough to give me a few bites before devouring the rest. Tasting this brownie is truly an experience. They are truly incredible and hands down the most decadent, rich and delicious brownie I have ever tasted. If you like fudge brownies, then these babies are for you. The brownies are generously sized, each one being two servings.

Check out these amazing flavors: Original*, Walnut, Peanut Butter, Caramel, Toffee Crunch, Cream Cheese, Pecan, Mint Chocolate, Chocolate Chip*, Espresso Nib, White Chocolate, and Raspberry Swirl*
* my top three picks!

In addition to a great flavor selection, they offer many event/holiday gift sets so bookmark their site for all your gift giving needs!


Buy it now: You can experience these amazing brownies for yourself at Brownies.com. As a bonus, you can get free shipping and handling until 02/28/10 using the priority code: MOMBLOG at checkout!

Win it: One very luck reader is going to win a box of these amazing brownies in a St. Patrick's Day themed box!

**Please read the rules**
This is open to US residents only. You must complete the mandated entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT!
Mandatory entry:  Go to Fairy Tale Brownies and tell me which set of brownies you would be most likely to buy someone as a gift (or which set you would like to receive as a gift).

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry
1. Follow my blog (publicly)
2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription (2 entries)
3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog
4. Blog about this contest (with a link to my blog) and post a link to your blog (3 entries)
5. Follow me on twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.
6. Buy something from Fairy Tale Brownies between the posting date and closing date of this post, don't forget to use the discount code listed above (10 EXTRA ENTRIES!!!)
7. Enter the Holey Donuts contest using Cake Mom as a referral

One winner will be selected on 2/21 via random.org and will be emailed.

The above mentioned product was received for review purposes. The views expressed are entirely my own (and my children's).

Technique/Terminology Thursday - Getting that Polished Look

This tip comes from a reader of this blog,  Grandma2Selena. Please visit her blog sometime which focuses on her experiences raising her adorable granddaughter!

Getting that polished look with your frosting:
After dirty icing your cake,  use the Wilton cake icer decorating tip (tip 789) to place the right amount of icing on the cake. Please see the Wilton website for a nice picture tutorial of this method.

After this, dip your metal decorating spatula in water. Shake the water off and then spread the frosting evenly. This gives your cake the perfect finish (just make sure the spatula is not too wet). I tried this technique this weekend and it worked great! I will use it from now on as getting the icing nice and thick and even has been a struggle of mine.


Thanks again, Grandma2Selena! Since I am very well aware that many of my readers may have FAR more experience with decorating than me, I would gladly welcome any techniques/ideas from you ladies (and men). If you would like to have a tip or technique featured on my Thursday posts, please email me at jamielz@verizon.net. If you have a blog, I will be glad to also post a link!

Carolina Pad Review and GIVEAWAY **CLOSED**

Carolina Pad Hot Chocolate Collection

I have admired Carolina Pad's awesome office supply collections for some time. I LOVE to organize things. The problem is, it often takes me awhile to figure out an organization plan that works for various things in the life. Carolina Pad products are known for being well-made yet fashionable. These products have been seen on 90210, Glee, and Desperate Housewives (you can't get much trendier than that)!
 
When I was given the opportunity to review the Hot Chocolate collection, I decided to see how these products would work for all my readers who are bakers and wannabe bakers. Let me tell you, if you think a bit outside the box, these products work great to help you keep your kitchen organized. Whether you bake for fun or for profit, you can find a way to use these products to simplify your kitchen!

Here are the products I received:
13 pocket folder
File folders
5 decorative tab dividers
26 pocket folder
8 pocket folder
Binder clips
Paper clips

These products are very well made. Every single item was made sturdy and I don't think I will see wear and tear on these things for a very long time. The laminated coating make them perfect for the kitchen (trust me, icing ruins paper products that are not coated). The color blends are also wonderful and very pleasing to the eye.

Here are some ways that I used these fantastic products to help organize my baking:

I used the 8 pocket folder to help keep together upcoming cakes I will be making. I can place a picture, the recipes, and information all in one pocket.

I used the tab dividers to help better organize my "portfolio". Using the tabs, I can separate sheet cakes from tiered, fondant from buttercream, etc. for easy organization!

I really like using recipe pages instead of cards when I bake, so the 13 pocket folder is perfect for keeping these neatly organized.

Here are some thoughts for the professional baker:

Use the file folder to keep client files.
Use the 26 pocket folder (which is nicely divided into 2 sections) for receipt organization. The first half can organize your profits, while the last half can help you keep track of costs. You will be grateful for this come tax time!
Use a binder clip to keep a small stack of business cards in your purse.
Use the 13 pocket folder for forms such as order forms, blank receipts, advertising fliers, etc.

Buy it here: You can purchase Carolina Products here. You can save 10% off online purchases using code: Tax_Relief.  You can also connect with Carolina Pad on Twitter and Facebook

Win it here: Carolina Pad would like to offer one lucky reader a set of products like the one reviewed above!

Mandatory Entry:  Visit Carolina Pad's website and tell me what collection you like the MOST and what you would organize if you won the prize pack.  Please note: if you have won a prize package from Caroline Pad within the last 90 days, you are not eligible for this giveaway.

**Please read the rules**
This is open to US and Canadian addresses only.  You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. If an method counts as several entries, please leave a comment for each bonus entry. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT!

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry
1. Follow my blog (publicly)
2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription (2 entries)
3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog (2 entries)
4. Blog about this contest (with a link to my blog) and post a link to your blog (3 entries)
5. Follow me and Carolina Pad on twitter AND tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.
6. Enter the Holey Donut contest using my blog as the referral.
7. Buy something from Carolina Pad online between the date this contest was posted and the closing date (10 extra entries!)

Winner will be selected on 2/28  via random.org and will be emailed.

I was provide with the mentioned products. The views expressed here are my own. No other compensation was received.

Product Review Monday: Curious Chef Measure and Prep Kit

Curious Chef is a company that creates "kid-sized" cooking and baking utensils. The minute I saw their website, I knew their products were perfect for my household.

I was provided with the 17 Piece Measure and Prep Kit to review. The minute the package arrived in the mail, my daughter went ballistic. She hugged the box for about 20 minutes and then finally allowed me to open it so we could see the contents.

The set includes:
Large Poly Spoon
3-piece Prep Bowl Set & Lids
6-piece Measuring Cup Set
6-piece Measuring Spoon Set
Kitchen Timer

Bella could not wait to use her very own set of baking tools so went right to work and baked a cake. She insisted on using every last tool in the kit, even though the boxed cake mix certainly did not call for it.  It was a total hit with her and she has already claimed this set as her own and I must say I am a bit jealous because she now has nicer measuring cups than I do!

The kit was great not only in content but in quality. All contents were very sturdy and are made like real baking tools, not cheap toys. I really liked how the measuring spoons and cups had both the numerical measurement and they were also color coded. My daughter could easily pick out the right color and it gave me a chance to try to help her with her numbers as well. The timer was also a huge hit with both of my kids and they both insisted on timing everything for the rest of the evening!

Curious Chef has a lot of great products. If you have kids, you need to consider buying something from this company (think Easter basket). The quality is great and the price is right!

Rating:
Star rating system: 1=run away screaming, 2=pass,  3= OK but wait for a good coupon, 4= definitely buy, 5=stop what you are doing right now and buy!


My rating: 4.5
Bella's rating: Thumbs up



Get it here: Curious Chef 

I received the above named product in order to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own (and my daughter's). No other compensation was received. 

Bakeless Sunday: Check Out These Fun T-shirts

Bakeless Sunday is the one day a week I blog about something other than baking. 

Crazy Dog T-shirts and Nacho Mama Tees offer good quality, affordable, and hilarious t-shirts. Product selection includes witty, and sometimes even taboo, t-shirts representing American pop culture.  I am not sure where else you can get hangover t-shirts, 80's t-shirts, novelty t-shirts, and oh yeah, they have a selection of David Hasselhoff and Chuck Norris shirts!

I was able to review two shirts, one from each site. I am a HUGE fan of "The Office" so choosing the "Dunder Mifflin" shirt was a no-brainer.  There were so many great and funny shirts to choose from, that I had a hard time deciding on the second. And then I saw it....THE TRUFFLE SHUFFLE!  As a child of the 80's I just had to have this one! (If you do not know what this is, you need to seriously stop reading and go to the movie store right now and rent "The Goonies")

Not only are the shirts fun, they are also very soft and comfortable. The prices are amazing as well. They have a selection of tees for $9 and the rest are all under $20. Both sites also offer a daily t-shirt special for only $6.99! Plus, if you enter "CDTEN" at checkout on Crazy Dog T-shirts, you can get an extra 10% off!

These shirts will definitely make you, and everyone else around you, smile. These would also make great gifts for college students, twenty-somethings, and anyone with a sense of humor and love of popular culture. 

I received the above mentioned shirts for the purpose of this review. The views expressed are my own and no other compensation was received.

Lucky Leaf review and GIVEAWAY FOR 10 WINNERS!!!! **CLOSED**

 WILTON HEART SHAPED PAN GIVEAWAY SPONSORED BY LUCKY LEAF

I almost fell over when Lucky Leaf told me they were going to not only provide me with a sample of their delicious Premium Pie Filling to sample, but they were also going to send me a heart shaped measuring spoons and a Wilton heart shaped pan and giveaway the same pan to 10 of my lucky readers!

Lucky Leaf got their start by selling fresh applesauce, but soon began making  ready-to-use pie filling when American women became busy with more than just housewife duties! Today, they offer a wide selection of ready-to-use pie fillings including Premium Cherry, Apple, Blueberry, Lemon, Red Raspberry, Lite, and Crème.


I was also provided with a Sweetheart Cherry Cake recipe, so I got right to work making my Valentine's Day cake! The recipe involved mixing the filling right in the batter, something I have never tried.  So I baked and I decorated and here is how it looked:

It tasted DELICIOUS!!! I have used pie filling on occasion for cake filling, but Lucky Leaf's taste far exceeds the taste of the other fillings I have purchased. I decided to use chocolate frosting because, well, who doesn't like chocolate covered cherries! The cherries tasted so fresh and flavorful. Other canned filling sometimes has an artificial taste to it, but not this one. This is one of my favorite cake recipes to date.  I can now say that I will be a life long customer of Lucky Leaf!

If you are a baker, or wannabe baker like me, then you should definitely have this product in you pantry.

Bonus contest: Lucky Leaf is asking that my readers consider participating in their Better Homes and Gardens Recipe Contest - The Lucky Leaf Blue Ribbon Recipe Challenge. The winner will win $1000 and over $50 in Lucky Leaf products by submitting their original recipe using at least one full can of Lucky Leaf Pie Filling! For more details and a chance to win, please visit here.

  
Win it here: Lucky Leaf is offering 10 lucky readers a Wilton heart shaped pan like the one I received above!!!!

Mandatory Entry: Browse through the recipes on their site listed and tell me what you would love to make with a can of Ready-to-Eat Pie Filling.

**Please read the rules**
This is open to US residents only. You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT!

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry
1. Enter the Lucky Leaf Blue Ribbon Recipe Challenge and tell me the name of the recipe you submitted (2 entries)
2. Follow my blog (publically)
3. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription (2 entries)
4. Grab my button and post a link to your blog (2 entries)
5. Blog about this contest (with a link to my blog) and post a link to your blog (3 entries)
6. Follow me on twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.
7. Enter the Holey Donut contest using my blog as the referral.

All 10 winners will be selected on 2/17 via random.org and will be emailed.

I was provide with the mentioned product. The views expressed here are my own. No other compensation was received.

Technique/Terminology Thursday: Making Frosting "Fur"

I have had quite a few comments and requests asking how the "fur" was made on the Sesame Street cupcakes posted last week. I will try my best to spell it out for you.

- Use Wilton tip 233 (grass/hair tip) and medium consistency icing
-  Beginning with the outside of the cupcake, place the tip on the cake, squeeze slightly and pull toward the edge of the cupcake and then stop squeezing.

 

- After going around the outside completely, move in a bit toward the center and repeat all the way around.

- Do this over and over until you reach the center.

 

Not too hard, right?

 

Enstrom's Almond Toffee Review and GIVEAWAY!! ENDED

 Toffee has always been one of those treats that I could take or leave without batting an eye. Most of the toffee I have eaten in my life has been thin, dry, and lacking in flavor. This is not true of Enstrom's Milk Chocolate Almond Toffee which I had the pleasure of reviewing. Enstrom's has a nice selection of toffee products, gourmet chocolate, and also offers sugar free options!

Their toffee comes nicely packaged and it is very fresh! After tasting this toffee, I realized that I have probably never had a fresh product before which is why I was never really sold on it. The freshness can also be preserved by storing in in the refrigerator.  There is a delightful blend of flavors in the sample I was provided. The milk chocolate sweetens the taste without making it overwhelmingly sweet. It was just the right consistency and I really enjoyed how the toffee was perfectly crunchy while the milk chocolate literally melted in my mouth. The product was great and I am not sure that I will ever think of toffee as a "so-so" treat ever again!

Get it here: Enstrom's

Win it here: Enstrom's was nice enough to offer one of my lucky readers a 16oz box of their Milk Chocolate Almond Toffee

**Please read the rules**
This is open to US residents only. You must complete the mandated entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT!

Mandatory entry:  Go to Enstrom's website and tell me which of their products you would love to receive for Valentine's Day!

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry
1. Follow my blog (publically)
2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription (2 entries)
3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog (2 entries)
4. Blog about this contest (with a link to my blog) and post a link to your blog (3 entries)
5. Follow me on twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.
6. Buy a product from Enstrom's online between this posting date and the contest closing date (10 EXTRA ENTRIES!!!)

One winner will be selected on 2/14 via random.org and will be emailed.

I will be provided with a product sample for posting this blog. The views expressed here are my own. No other compensation was received. 

Wordless Wednesday

This was my very first attempt at cake decorating. I was so proud of it when I made it, but now looking at it I can see that it is a real mess. I will say that I made this with no classes under my belt and no experience with fondant. This was for my son's 6th birthday.

HELP! Bavarian Cream Recipe Needed

I am making a cake for my father-in-law this weekend and my in-laws like Bavarian cream filling. I tried a recipe once and it did not turn out at all. Does anyone have a good recipe? If worse comes to worse I can just put some vanilla pudding in the middle, but I would like to at least try Bavarian cream and have it turn out once! If you are willing to share but would rather not post in the comment, please email me at jamielz@verizon.net. Thanks in advance!!
P.S. The cake will be a football field since it is also Super Bowl Sunday. I will post the picture next week!