An Opera Singer in the Kitchen

School's Out for the Summer #verizonfios

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:26:00 +0000

Disclosure: Information shared on behalf of Verizon FiOS and is not sponsored.

School’s out for summer, and for kids across the region, their eagerly awaited and well-earned summer break has begun. For parents, their mission is to find activities to keep their kids busy and to avoid those dreaded whiney words, “I’m bored.” In a pinch, parents can turn to Verizon’s FiOS TV to keep youngsters entertained and engaged, especially handy for rainy days, last-minute play-dates or summer camp sick days!

Even though we LIMIT television viewing in OUR home these channels DO come in VERY handy for us. We actually tuned in to the TODDLER music channel and KIDZ music channel for variety.

Julianne recognizes music and starts dancing. These stations were a rainy day life saver these past 2 days.

Kids Zone:

Verizon FiOS’ On Demand service includes a Kid Zone folder

This folder includes free Video-On-Demand content from popular channels like ABC Family, Boomerang, Cartoon Network, Disney and Nickelodeon and free movies from Disney Family Movies

· This folder also includes a collection of the newest movie releases for kids and special programming features like Superman Unbound

· The Kids Zone folder is perfect for rainy days or relaxation time after an active afternoon!

Music Choice:

FiOS TV has 2 Music Choice channels that kids can tune into to hear their favorite songs:

Kidz Only! (Ch. 1826): includes songs from the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus and Miranda Cosgrove

Toddler Tunes (Ch. 1827): includes favorite lullabies and sing-a-longs

· You can use the music channels to host a play-date karaoke session or dance party!

Also, with the FiOS Mobile app available for the iPad, Xbox 360, and now, Android devices like the Samsung Galaxy tablet, kids can stream live channels right to their devices in the home, including favorites like ABC Family, Boomerang, Cartoon Network, Disney, Disney Jr., Disney XD, Nickelodeon, Nick Teen, Nick Toons and Sprout.

Do you have Verizon FiOS and if so, do you enjoy it as much as we do?

MorningStar Farms Spicy Black Bean Burger with Roasted Tri-Color Pepper Spread + Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I continue my journey with MorningStar Farms this week by presenting you my own version of a delicious black bean burger for all your grilling pleasure.

This weekend, June 22nd-23rd, MorningStar Farms is making a stop at the Manayunk Arts Festival and serving their own spin of Chef Mitch Prensky's veggie burger slider as part of their "Feel Good Grilling" Tour. They have hit the open road to show America what feel-good grilling is all about and to serve up delicious, better-for-you burgers.

Who is Chef Mitch Prensky? He owns the restaurant called Supper which serves seasonal farm-direct American cuisine located in the Bella Vista neighborhood of Philadelphia. I cannot to know about the restaurant as I will be visiting on Thursday. :-)

MorningStar wants to see how you get your grilling on by posting your pictures of veggie goodness on Instagram and Twitter.

Tag your Instagram pics with #FeelGoodGrilling to show @morningstarfarms what you’re grilling
Tweet using #FeelGoodGrilling to let @MorningStrFarms know what you love about our burgers

Here is my recipe of a veggie burger with my own twist. This recipe can be used with the Spicy Black Bean patty or the Mediterranean Chickpea Patty. Here is what this baby looks like because you will definitely want more than ONE burger.

Spicy Black Bean with Roasted Tri-Color Pepper Spread

by Noelle Kelly

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients (4 burgers)

Roasted Tri-Color Pepper Spread

1/2 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 large yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 large poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt
crushed black pepper
3 ounces feta, crumbled

4 Hamburger buns

4 slices tomato slices (optional)

romaine lettuce leaves (optional)

4 MorningStar Farms Spicy Black Bean Patties, thawed

Instructions

In a large non-stick skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add peppers and saute for 5-7 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add onions and fry mixture for 10 minutes until peppers appear blackened. Add minced garlic and remove from stove. Add pepper mixture to a food processor and pulse. Place blended pepper mixture and stir in the crumbled feta, kosher salt and black pepper to taste.

Grill thawed black bean patties on non-stick pan with 2 Tablespoons oil and cook for 5 minutes on one side and flip. Cook on the opposite side for another 5 minutes.

Toast hamburger buns on skillet.

Assembly

Place black bean patty on bottom of hamburger. Add 2 Tablespoons of pepper spread and add one slice of tomato and fresh lettuce.

I enjoyed one without fresh veggies and one with and they were both delicious.

How about another grilling giveaway?

MorningStar Farms will send one person a lovely “Feel Good Grilling” gift package that includes product coupons and recipe booklet and some backyard BBQ essentials.

â��Feel Good Grillingâ�� gift package that includes product coupons and recipe booklet and some backyard BBQ essentials.

Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad with Capers and Raisins

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:13:00 +0000

For 100 years, Hellmann’s has brought together the best ingredients - such as oil, vinegar and now cage-free eggs – to help bring out the best meals and moments to America’s tables. To celebrate its 100^th birthday, Hellmann’s is teaming up with celebrity chef Mario Batali to showcase how decades of delicious meals start with real, quality ingredients.

I was excited when I was asked to recreate one of chef Batali's recipes. Could I do it? I felt like I was on Chopped but in my own home!

As I perused through the recipes I felt like I could take on the challenge by foregoing the dessert and going with a lunch or light dinner recipe like his Chicken Pasta Salad with Green Olives and Raisins. I love working with dessert recipes but I knew I would do better choosing something savory especially since I needed to make dinner. :-)

Chef Batali's twist on the recipe was using Hellmann's mayonnaise as the sauce by adding orange juice. That definitely sounded intriguing but what was I going to use.

The recipe definitely looked like it was a creamy pasta salad but not overwhelming and perfect for a picnic. The ingredients used in his recipes were everyday ingredients and ingredients I always have on hand so I knew our family would love this recipe. Here is my twist:

Instead of using orange juice to mix in to the mayo, I added a can of green chiles and half an avocado. Since I had the avocado, I decreased the mayo portion. Instead of green olives, I used capers and instead of bow-tie pasta, I used penne pasta.

All in all this recipe was a winner! My husband was impressed that our dinner salad was ready for dinner since I am usually getting dishes ready RIGHT at dinner time. We have melt downs like you see in the picture. Poor baby is teething AND she has a cold. Whew.

Glad I have this recipe as a QUICK go-to meal.

Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad with Capers and Raisins

by Noelle Kelly

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients (8 servings)

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 red onion, sliced into half moons
1/2 cup capers
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup pine nuts
3/4 cup Hellmann’s® Mayonnaise Dressing with Olive Oil
1/2 avocado, pitted and peeled
1-3.5 ounce can of green chiles
Fresh Parsley, chopped

Instructions

Cook pasta according to the package instructions. Set aside to cool.

Add oil, chicken, and onions to a hot pan. Cook until chicken is cooked through and onions are softened. Add capers and raisins and cook enough to heat. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl combine: Hellmann’s®, avocado, and green chiles and blend in an immersion blender or food processor to create a dressing.

Add dressing to cooled pasta and toss to coat. Then add chicken, raisins, capers and onions to pasta.Sprinkle fresh parsley on top.

Visit Facebook to check out Hellmann's contest app page. Participate if you can and enter YOUR version of chef Mario Batali's recipes to have a chance to win a trip to NYC Contest ends 9/1/13.

Disclosure: I was compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.

The Pampered Chef Catalog Show for Spring / Summer 2013 + Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 11:30:00 +0000

Have you ever hosted a Pampered Chef Party? Well, I am hosting my first one and I am so excited to share some fun and great pieces for the spring / summer catalog.

Click on image to take you to catalog

We have an APP for That! Pampered Chef now has a free APP available for Apple Devices!!! Check it out, you can view the catalog, check prices and see full information about our products.

I would be honored if you choose me as your consultant when you set up your account: Amy Shalongo #007984

BBQ Pizza Pan

We personally got a new grill so I wanted to show you a few grilling pans and accessories.

We cannot wait to grill pizza on the grill so we plan on buying this pizza grill. Can anyone tell the difference between an oven-baked pizza and a grill pizza? I bet it is a lot different. The benefit also is that you aren't heating up the house !! Pampered Chef even has Beer Barbecue sauces and a great line of rubs /sauces and spices, (great host gifts when you are traveling visiting friends this summer!)

BBQ Flexible Basket

S'mores for a crowd - how smart !!

How about the BBQ Flexible Basket? You can cook anything from kebabs to whole fish without losing any food. Can you say a lot of grilled food? I do not think we will get enough of it. Any of these would be SUPER ideal for your dads out there for Father's Day.

Cool & Serve Square Tray

The Cool and Serve Tray looks quite exciting to take to ANY party. This tray has two cooling inserts that allow foods to stay cool and fresh for 4-6 hours. No need to worry about those deviled eggs!

Tip from our consultant -Amy. Watching your cholesterol but miss those deviled eggs - fill with hummus !!

All White Ceramic Cookware

I REALLY like Pampered Chef's new line of all white ceramic cookware. It just looks so clean and neat and it looks like it would make all your food stand out beautifully. It's easy -release cookware meant for medium heat cooking . The stainless and non-stick have a LIFE TIME WARRANTY - Know anyone getting married ? Pampered Chef does Bridal showers and registries!

Stoneware Round Covered Baker — Cranberry

There is also a new line of stoneware that comes in my favorite color: DEEP red. This round covered baker is great for any cobbler or baked dish. There is also a mini baker, a deep-dish pie plate, and a rectangular baker too. The most popular is the Deep covered baker . Microwave and oven safe.

Stoneware Single Servings Pan

You know all those recipes out in the blogosphere for single serving desserts? Well here is a single servings pan that can be used in the oven or in the microwave. It has a non-stick seasoning that builds over time. Each well holds up to 1 cup. Love these!

Pineapple Wedger

We have been grilling pineapple and BOY does this make for an easy and skinny dessert, but sometimes just thinking about coring a pineapple is painful. I love this cutting tool. I am planning on getting this and the mango cutter too!

Amy's Pineapple wedger tip- Rock it side to side when going down the fruit - make's it easy!

How about you? What summer tool, dish or appliance do you see joining your kitchen or patio?

Would you like to win an pineapple wedger?

Take a gander at the catalog and see what you can purchase for your husband or father for Father's Day, then go and look for something else for yourself cause there is a special going for the month of June.

Spend $60 ( before shipping and tax ) or more and you can get this Quick-Stir Pitcher. It holds 2-quarts and it can be used for hot or cold beverages. The exclusive plunger helps mix the drink that has settled. Amy will also send you an amazing file of recipes for your pitcher.

Increase your chances of winning the pineapple wedger by making a purchase on Pampered Chef. You could get both the pitcher and wedger with your order so GO SHOPPING! Have fun!

Click HERE to go shopping! Use the link or use my name (Noelle Kelly) as your host to get credit for the giveaway!

Another GREAT special - FREE Starter kit rebate-- Give the business a try for 30 days, Earn cash , products , and cook up some fun with friends this summer.

Minimal investment - no risk big rewards. Contact our consultant - Amy and read her story, -www.pamperedchef.biz/amys. Qualified referrals rewarded,

BOOK THE COOK or BE THE COOK !

Pampered Chef Pineapple Wedger

Grilled Tuna Tacos with Swiss Chard Slaw

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 21:02:00 +0000

This has already been a tough week cause my little family are all sick! Yes. The baby has a cough and cold and the toddler has a sore throat as does my husband. Whew. I think it is all this weather changing over the past 2 weeks. It has been cool, HOT, and then rainy. I just wish it would make its mind.

Hopefully everyone well get over it quickly and be done with being sick for the summer. Wishful thinking? We'll see. :-)

Despite the mayhem and fussy kiddos, I have been trying to get dinner on the table. QUICK dinners people. I have some frozen microwave dinners but I cannot muster making them or to even use the microwave. I am such a fresh foods type of person ya know?

Last night I quickly made these tacos within 30 minutes. You know what saved me? I had fish that I had grilled two days ago. Yes, the day I thought I was going to make tacos we had pizza instead so I had to make fish tacos sometime. It was a rainy day and the husband and I did not feel like fish at all! Go figure.

I used the frozen tuna chunks from Trader Joe's. This is the second time I have used the tuna chunks and I was so happy. They do not taste strange but taste delicious!

When it came to a slaw I decided to try something new in the slaw department. I decided not the use cabbage and instead use a whole bunch of Swiss chard. YUM! I massaged the leaves to make them easier to eat in the tacos. Massage you say? I like massaging my veggies like kale to make salads. How about adding different greens in your meal?

We loved this change especially since there was some delicious sweet mango and ripe avocado.

Would you try this? It is so in-season so you should! Enjoy!

Grilled Tuna Tacos with Swiss Chard Slaw

by Noelle Kelly

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients (4 servings)

Grilled Fish

1 pound fresh or frozen yellowfin tuna, cut in chunks
2 teaspoons cajun seasonings (like Tony Chachere's)
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Swiss Chard Slaw

4 cups Swiss chard, chopped
1/2 yellow pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 avocado, diced
1 mango, pit removed, fruit chopped
juice of 1 lime
juice of 1/2 an orange
1 Tablespoon olive oil
white pepper
kosher salt

16 corn tortillas

Instructions

Grilled Fish

In a large non-stick pan, add olive oil. Dry fish with a paper towel and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning. Add fish to the pan and cook for 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the slaw.

Swiss Chard Slaw

Place Swiss chard in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, lime juice, and orange juice. Massage the chard with hands to soften leaves. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Assembly

Each person gets 4 corn tortillas. Divide fish between 4 people. Add 1-2 Tbsp of slaw and enjoy!

Day Trip into Philly with Babies

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 15:24:00 +0000

Want to know what we did this weekend? It has been a bit since I shared a weekend since a lot of posts have been focused on reviews and giveaways. :-) We had debated going to New Jersey this weekend for a fun event but I decided it would be nice to have my husband plan on something that looked exciting to him for our whole family. I generally do not like to dictate what we are going to do during our weekends but I tend to ahead most of the time in order to have something planned.

This weekend Ryan found a free event at the Kimmel Center called Organ Day. Did you know that the largest concert hall organ is housed in the Kimmel Center? Yes. It was really fantastic.

We invited another family to join us on our adventure and boy was it an adventure. It was our family of four and the other family had three kids as well. We took the train into the city and walked a few blocks on Broad street to listen to some of the program. Here is what was going on that day:

It was hosted by Michael Barone

Noon: Official Start and Welcome

12:20pm: American Guild of Organists Members’ Recital

American Guild of Organists Members will present a variety of organ repertoire. The Recital will feature Tim Evers, Patrick Kreeger, Aaron Patterson, Clair Rozier, Kathleen Scheide and Leah Martin, and Parker Kitterman

2:30 - 3pm: Break

3pm - 4pm: Organ and Ensemble: Chamber Music

Experience exciting collaborations! During this hour the organ musicians are joined by a variety of ensemble musicians including strings and the New City Brass Ensemble.

4pm - 5pm: Opera and Organ: Featuring Opera Philadelphia

Opera Philadelphia will present a program of arias and ensembles in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the births of two operatic titans: Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) and Richard Wagner (1813-1883). The talented singers from Opera Philadelphia will perform selections highlighting both composers' masterworks.

____________________________________________________________

We arrived at 2:15pm so we caught a bit of the recital. We then took advantage of the break and got something small to munch on and came back at 4pm for the Opera and Organ portion of the concert.

In the lobby of the hall was a French street organ playing that kept Julianne and other kids quite entranced.

This was featured as a come and go event but there were complaints from people that it was too much of a distraction. It was not QUITE a family-friendly event but we hoped with our kids being exposed to music that they would be good. There were a few issues, like a diaper blow-out and a fussy toddler who did not want to sleep but all in all it was a GREAT experience.

There was a flash mob singing experience as well. We knew about it but I unfortunately did not get a chance to bring my sheet music since I was holding a baby. I still stood up and sand "watermelon" and the the tune. I knew the tune and that is what counted. It was beautiful seeing people in the crowd sing "Va, pensiero" from Nabucco. Ryan was singing from the other end with Julianne in the Ergo carrier and I was singing or humming holding my 4 month old. Oh yes, it was real nice.

After the concert was over we walked for 15 minutes to Percy Street Restaurant known for their BBQ. Ryan heard about them on Guy Fieri's Diner's, Drive-ins, and Dives show so he called ahead and found out there was plenty of space for 4 adults and 5 kids. Whew!

We ordered the family-style experience with all the sides they have to offer. The only complaint is that the sides were small for 4 people. We had to ask for more. The meat sampler was ample though and we went home with chicken. The experience and food were delicious but by this time our kids were starting to melt down. I'm tired of having to eat so quickly as to prevent from having kids being needy. I guess it always happens at mealtimes right?

Ryan's beer was so good too! I have kept it in mind for the next time. We took pecan pie to go and that was tasty too.

By the end of it we walked for 30 minutes to the train station with one baby in the Ergo and another in our stroller. Despite being so tired and cranky our toddler refused to sleep in her comfy stroller. Sigh. We finally got home at 10pm and we all zonked out. It was a fun yet tiring day but Ryan and I decided we were not going to let having 2 kids stop us from doing activities.

Don't let it stop you either cause in the end I know we are exposing our kids to fun times.

Now how about baking some cookies to recover?

What did you do this weekend?

Beyond Meat Review + Giveaway {Calling all Meat-Free Eaters!}

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 19:20:00 +0000

Interested in trying a new "chicken" substitute made from plants? It has 18 grams of protein per serving and truly looks, tastes and chews like chicken!

I know there are a lot of meat substitutes out in the grocery stores but this one is different in that it is free of yucky stuff: cholesterol-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, meat-free, egg-free, GMO-free, hormone-free, antibiotic-free and guilt free!

I like reading the company's mission and what they have accomplished since 2009. Beyond Meat has created the first plant protein that looks, feels, tastes, and acts like meat without any of the bad ingredients.

Here is a sample of the ingredients in the Southwest Chicken:

Water, soy protein isolate*, pea protein isolate, amaranth, chicken flavor [vegan] (maltodextrin, yeast extract, salt, natural flavoring, sunflower oil), expeller-pressed canola oil*, soy fiber*, carrot fiber, contains 0.5% or less of: white vinegar, salt, lime juice concentrate, garlic, black pepper, chili powder, onion, sugar, cumin, coriander seed, sodium alginate, dipotassium phosphate, titanium dioxide (color), calcium sulfate, oregano, paprika, red and green pepper powder, cayenne pepper.

Who does not like trying new plant products that have great protein. There are many vegan and vegetarian products starting to use the pea protein isolate.

I had a chance to try all the company's flavors:

I got to taste the grilled in several recipes and while I liked it, I could not eat it anymore because the soy protein affected the baby I am breastfeeding. I happened to confirm this with other soy products that are even GMO-free.

Even though I could not continue taste-testing the two other flavors I know they are tasty.

Imagine the countless of recipes you can try and sub for a plant protein? Check out Beyond Meat's recipe section for ideas. I added the grilled "chicken" to pizza and it was tasty!

These products are currently available in Whole Foods but will be rolling out nationally in July.

Are there TWO people who want to try this? Do the following:

Leave a comment letting me know which "Chicken" style intrigues you the most and what recipe you would make.

2. Leave your email address.

This is open to US readers.

Disclaimer: I received samples of the product to taste test. Opinions are completely my own and was given two coupons for free product to have people sample.

I got my Sverve on, do you?

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Are you a mom blogger and looking to attract new readers and connect with brands and marketers? Then Sverve is the solution for you!

Sverve is like Pinterest where it allows you to pin ideas but it is all about building a PLATFORM. Since I spend a lot of my time sharing my content over Facebook and Twitter I have increased my chances of connecting with brands and marketers. Perfect!

When I signed up, I chose FIVE areas of expertise and then people give me credit by endorsing those areas that help build my score. Not only that, but I also have been able to discover great mom bloggers. There are SO many out there and they are an inspiration.

Once this score is built and continues being built through endorsement then campaigns become readily available. I have already become involved with two campaigns.

When you start signing up with campaigns there are opportunities to work in the form of reviews, giveaways, promotions, affiliate programs, and more!

Here is an example:

I receive $2 for every mom blogger that signs through my banners after adding your blog URL and areas of influence. It is a quick set-up so what are you waiting for?

Secret Recipe Club: Cheesy Quinoa Pilaf with Swiss Chard

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 04:00:00 +0000

I love being a part of The Secret Recipe Club cause every month I get to discover new recipes and new bloggers who like baking and cooking.

This past weekend we visited an area Farmer's Market where I bought fresh green lettuce and swiss chard. OH my the swiss chard was gorgeous I simply had to buy it even though I did not know what I was going to do with it yet.

This month I was assigned to IlonasKitchen and one I learned is that she keeps as busy as I do! She loves to bake and workout and she features a lot of delicious and healthy recipes. It was REAL hard to choose between dessert or a main dish so I decided to feature a savory dish.

I decided to make her recipe for Cheesy Quinoa Pilaf with Spinach which totally called my name out cause anything with quinoa sells me. I knew that I was going to make this for myself because my husband does not like this grain. He thinks they look like little spaceships and he certainly does not like the flavor. :-)

Did you know that quinoa is a complete protein and a super healthy for you. This is a SUPER quick and easy lunch or side dish that will sell ANYONE on this grain. I made my husband taste it and though he did not prefer it he said it tasted pretty good.

It tasted out of this world good!

Instead of the spinach I added the fresh swiss chard from the Farmer's Market and I added red onion for more flavor. I cut the amount of cheese as well. Wow, this had SO much flavor and it tasted real gourmet.

Thanks IlonasKitchen for featuring a great recipe and I might end up making that Couscous with Swiss Chard, Raisins, chicken, and Feta this week. Yum!
.

Cheesy Quinoa Pilaf with Swiss Chard

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients (2 servings)

1 cup quinoa, uncooked
3 Tablespoons olive oil
6 Tablespoons pine nuts
1 small red onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups fresh swiss chard leaves, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Rinse the quinoa. Place quinoa in a medium pot and add 2 1/2 cups water. Boil for 20 minutes until the quinoa has popped or water has evaporated. Leave it on the side after cooking.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, stir in the pine nuts, and cook until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the red onions and garlic, and cook until the garlic and red onions softens, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the quinoa and swiss chard; cook and stir until the quinoa is hot, and the swiss chard has wilted. Stir in the lemon juice, and all but a pinch of the cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted. Serve sprinkled with the remaining cheese.

Polder's Old World Market: Handmade Kitchen Utensils Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Fri, 31 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Love supporting family-owned businesses? This company has a beautiful Etsy shop you need to visit.

This absolutely gorgeous set of 4 handmade wooden kitchen spoons comes from Polder's Old World Market. The Polder Family makes these gorgeous utensils from fallen hardwood trees on their farm in Northeast Tennessee. This lovely set is made from Wild Cherry wood and shined to perfection with olive oil. Completely natural, safe, and beautiful for your kitchen!

The set comes beautifully gift wrapped as a nice present for yourself or share the handmade love with a special someone.

Along with handmade wooden kitchen utensils, you'll find Gardening, Home Furnishings, and even homemade candles in the Polder's Old World Market on Etsy.

These utensils are made to be a safe and natural alternative to plastic cookware and are uniquely crafted to last a lifetime... or two!

To learn more about the Polder's Old World Market and their handmade kitchen utensils, read a complete review on So Easy Being Green.

Polder's Old World Market wants to giveaway the beautiful set pictured below!

This giveaway is open to US residents, 18+ only.
The giveaway will end at 11:59 pm EST on Sunday, June 16th, 2013.
To enter, please use the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received no compensation for sharing this post. The participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill prize obligations.

GrooveBook: How to get your phone pictures printed

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Thu, 30 May 2013 16:44:00 +0000

I find myself feeling like I am missing out on cool apps by not having an iPhone but I usually I forget about it and move on. Little by little these apps for iPhone are coming out for Android phones so I get excited. One of the exciting apps is called the GrooveBook app.

Do you ever wonder or have time to download your photos to Picasa, Flikr or in stores? I certainly do not have time to do it and I forget I have hundreds of photos on my phone that I do not have printed. These are almost forgotten memories that I could be placing in baby books and sharing with family

So, what is a GrooveBook? It is a photo book with pictures printed from your phone camera pictures! Here
is what you do:

Here is what my photo book looked like:

I loved it!! Now I have memory books to make for my children! Julianne loves to look at pictures so this will be fun for her to look at as well. The books are ALWAYS free but the monthly subscription is $2.99. Even if you do not upload photos a month your card will be charged.

You can only upload photos from your smartphone and you can upload anything from 40-100 photos each month. The app will remind you by enail when you need to upload each month. You can even order multiples books for friends and family for an additional $2.99. Learn more in the FAQ section.

Anyone else think think this is a good deal? Want to try one for free? Simply enter the code below OPERAGROOVE and try the book and see if you like it. I am certainly convinced!

App for iPhone

App for Android phones

Learn more about GrooveBook.

Disclosure: This is an affiliate program in conjunction with Sverve. I received a sample for me to try. My opinions are my own.

Chick-fil-A NEW Premium Salads + Giveaway {5 winners} #FreshMade

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Wed, 29 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Disclosure: Campaign through Mom It Forward. I was not compensated for event but a party was held for friends. Opinions are all my own.

If you have not gone to Chick-Fil-A in a while you are missing something HUGE. They just came out with 3 amazing new salads replacing the ones they had before on their menu. I know many of us are not too keen on change but this is a really nice change.

A few weeks ago I found out that I was going to be able to taste these great salads at my local Chick-fil-A and that I was to coordinate a lovely salad tasting party and invite friends of mine to join me. How exciting was that? Who was I to invite? Would everyone come?

I got in touch with the Chick-fil-A in Lionville which has an Exton address located in Pennsylvania. Maria was the marketing director and boy was she fun to work with! I knew most of the people I knew had small children and trying to coordinate a party at a specific time was going to be a challenge. I posed such challenge to Maria and she told me to tell her how many kids would be coming. Sigh. This was going to be great!

May 17th came around and 9 guests plus 3 kiddos came in tow. We arrived to a lovely table all so nicely decorated. There were stuffed cows awaiting at each spot with gift cards and nutritional information about the new menu items. Balloons decorated the area and the staff were waiting to serve us.

We all got a chance to chat and meet each other (since my friends come from different circles) and Maria started explaining what was going to happen. We were all going to receive FULL salad portions of each new salad. We were not obligated to finish each salad but we also had the option to take the rest home.

The salads came out fresh with hot chicken placed on top. We first received the New Grilled Market Salad with guess what? Grilled Chicken. These were the rest of the ingredients:

A fresh bed of chopped romaine lettuce and baby greens, T
Topped with shredded red cabbage and carrots,
Crumbled blue cheese
A mix of red and green apples, strawberries and blueberries.
Served with Harvest Nut Granola, Roasted Nut Blend and Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette (or guest’s choice of dressing).
The salad has 180 calories, 4 grams of fat and includes two servings of vegetables and one serving of fruit.

Remember the croutons and sunflower seeds? Yes, those do not exist anymore. Now each salad comes witch specific crunchy additions. The Apple Cider Vinaigrette was perfect for this salad. My favorite part of this salad was all the delicious fruit, especially the huge blueberries. Not one ingredient stuck out.

The second salad that was brought out to us was the New Asian Salad with Crispy Chicken. YUM! Here are the rest of the ingredients:

A fresh bed of chopped romaine lettuce and baby greens
Topped with shredded red and green cabbage
Carrots and mandarin orange segments
Served with Honey Thai Almonds, Chinese Garlic & Ginger Wontons and Honey Sesame dressing (or guest’s choice of dressing). The salad has 330 calories and 13 grams of fat.

I believe this was my favorite salad! There was so many crunchy toppings on this salad and the dressing was a perfect compliment. Sesame oil is definitely one of my favorite oils for salad dressings.

The last salad introduced to us was the New Cobb Salad. I usually order a Cobb salad when I go out to eat. I like seeing the variety so when I saw all the delicious ingredients in this salad I was happy to see unique items.

Chick-fil-A Nuggets, sliced
Fresh bed of chopped romaine lettuce and baby greens
Topped with shredded red cabbage and carrots
Roasted corn kernels, a blend of shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses
Crumbled bacon, diced eggs and grape tomatoes.
Served with Charred Tomato Crispy Red Bell Peppers and Avocado Lime Ranch dressing (or guest’s choice of dressing). The salad is 430 calories and contains 39 grams of protein.

The dressing was very thick and tasty but I believe with all the ingredients already in the salad I would choose to go with the apple cider. Don't get me wrong. The Avocado Lime Ranch was tasty but I would choose the grilled chicken and use the Ranch.

Now the beauty of these salads is that they are practically customizable. You can substitute either salads with any dressing or ingredient or you could ask to leave out certain ingredients. I have already been told though that some of my friends, who went out the following week for salads, that their salads were not customized the way they asked, like leaving out the mandarin oranges from the Asian salad.

Each restaurant is a franchise and although it is stated that the salads can be changed it depends on each restaurant. My local Chick-fil-A would do ANYTHING to make the customer happy. They train each employee to make the customer happy so if someone does not want the oranges or cabbage, it will be left out. I am sure that if anyone had an issue that a manager would make things work. Each place makes 10 salads at once. Five to keep up front and five in the back.

We got to see the preparation area and it was wonderful to see what they will do to prepare salads according to customer's dietary restrictions.

What was the greatest thing to end the party? The cookie sundae! If you did not know, Chick-fil-A has a great list of desserts and among them was the fudgy and dense brownie, but now that was replaced with their chocolate chunk cookie. Instead of the brownie sundae now there is the chocolate chunk sundae.. Score!

Not only have menu items changed but the look and feel on the menu board has changed as well. It is brighter with a white background making menu items pop out. Each menu item has the calorie count and the nutritional content is provided for each customer upon request.

It is nice to see that Chick-fil-A has no fear bringing in new changes. These changes are for the best and hopefully it will bring new people especially because of these fabulous salads.

Want to read one of my friend's experience?
Read her post here:
Kitchen Table

Want more info? Check out this cool video!

Want a chance to try these salads? Thanks to Chick-fil-A , FIVE readers will have a chance to win a Promotional card to try these salads in June and July. How great is that?

Chick-fil-A "Try a New Salad each Month" Gift Card ($22 value)

Want another way to win? Check out this AWESOME Instagram Contest. Work it!

Grilling is Fun for Father {Giveaway}

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Sat, 25 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions expressed here are my own. This is not affiliated with, nor sponsored by Opera Singer in the Kitchen. Opera Singer in the Kitchen is not responsible for prize fulfillment.

I don't know about you but it is already grill season and we do not have a grill yet! I keep hearing my husband talk about tell me how great it would be to have one and yada yada. How about some grilled corn or steaks? Yes, we want some grill food ASAP.

As we walked around our neighborhood we kept smelling delicious food being grilled and we thought we needed to get one real soon. My only hope is that my husband will be able to keep up with it and the responsibility of keeping it clean. I definitely do not want to be stuck cleaning it and grilling all the time.

Will we be getting a grill soon? Well, we'll see!

Here is a chance to enter for a chance to win a grill for your loved one just in time for Father's Day. I entered and so should you! Here is the info:

The retail value is about $1,100

Prize includes:

Weber Genesis S-310 Grill

Weber Grill Cover

Cuisinart Grill Tools

Assorted Grill Swag(skewers (100-pack), cedar planks, grilling basket, 5 lb. bag of mesquite wood chunks, 5 lb. bag of cherry wood chunks, and 12in. grilling thermometer)

The giveaway ends June 7^th at 11:59 pm PST.

http://promos.ldproducts.com/grill-giveaway/

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. The Contest is void where prohibited by law. Only legal residents of the United States who are 18 years of age or older at the time of entry are eligible to enter. See the official rules before entering.

This giveaway is sponsored by LD Products. LD Products is a leading provider of discount printer ink and toner for virtually every inkjet or laser printer on the market. They carry a full line of printer inkjet cartridges, inkjet refill kits, laser toner, fax toner and countless other printer supplies that allow you to save money, without sacrificing quality.

Spring Cleaning turns into Summer Cleaning {Organizing}

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Springs and summers bring about many activities among families but for ours it means exciting garage sales and time for spring and summer cleaning. Since we moved to the area back in August it is amazing to realize how much stuff we brought with us from Michigan. We had a lot of people help us move into our place and the stuff kept coming. I believe we had one person say, "WOW, this is a lot of stuff for a couple with one baby!"

Well, this is easy to say but after getting married and bringing stuff from each other's lives, plus things we both have accumulated over the past few years, it piles up! You know what I mean? Even though we really enjoy finding great deals at garage sales especially with having babies, we realized that we have to continue to clean.

Even though cleaning usually happens during the spring to start the summer free and clean, we will continue organizing and putting things into order.

Photo from HERE

Now that we know that we are going to be permanent in the area it is time to clear the boxes we have in the basement plus some other stuff. We continuously talk about making sure we do not accumulate STUFF but only keep the items we really need.

I look over to the shelves that my husband has built to keep our DVDs and cleaning items and I try to count the amount of times we have touched our DVDs in the last 6 months. I can count the times on my hands! I also think of the CDs that we have. Most of them have been uploaded to our computer players so the CDs are not of use as much. They would if the computer crashed but other than that they are gathering dust.

Do you find this happening? Since we have Netflix, Amazon Prime for streaming videos and cable, why do we need actual videos. We will definitely be taking a GOOD look at the DVDs that we have not watched in the last year and see what we really do not need.

Unfortunately we will not be able to hold a garage sale where we live but we will manage with plenty of ideas.Here's to a productive summer!

How do you get rid of your unwanted goods?

"Sneak Some Veggies" Spelt Lasagna

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I love being able to focus on making meals now that I FEEL like I am getting a hang of having two babies in our household. I thought I would never feel like cooking again, but I have been inspired to make quick 30- minute or hour meals the last few weeks.

A huge confession to all moms out there but I am not a great meal planner. I get all these emails giving me ideas but I never use them because in reality I need to be inspired.

My husband asked me how I came up with this recipe and well I have to say that this time I was inspired by another website. I really enjoy visiting and reading Lauryn's website called Vintage Mom. She is part of the social group I belong to here in Philly and have recently been able to spend some time with her.

As I read her recipe for her Fresh Vegetable and Pork Lasagna, I felt like I needed to make a version of it. Many know that I was vegan before my first daughter was born so I really focused not eating a lot of dairy. After I became pregnant I could not muster following the vegan diet and started incorporating dairy in the form of cheese, sour cream, and ricotta. Lately though I just have not been able to do it anymore.

I have always been lactose-intolerant but I have been able to do just cheese in moderation. I had been staying away from making lasagna because despite all the cheese and ricotta or cottage cheese, I knew I would have a hard time with my tummy.

In comes my version. The beauty of this recipe is that I got to SNEAK my favorite vegetables: squash! My husband does not like it but I believe I won him with the recipe since he could not taste it. (Or else he was being nice. LOL)

My toddler even loved it and she also got a dose of veggies too! I left out the eggs, ricotta, cottage cheese and only used a cup of mozzarella. It gave it the perfect amount to bring this dish together. It was not dry at all and I believe that where the veggies came in.

Enjoy!

"Sneak Some Veggies" Spelt Lasagna

by Noelle Kelly

Prep Time: 20-25 min

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients (4 servings)

8-ounce box Vitaspelt Organic Whole Grain Spelt Lasagne
1/2 pound lean ground beef
2 small onions, diced
1 large zucchini, shredded
1 yellow squash, shredded
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons Italian Seasonings
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup part-skim milk mozzarella, shredded

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil and saute' onions. Add ground beef, garlic, and Italian seasonings after 5 minutes and cook for 10-12 minutes.

Meanwhile, boil pasta according to box directions. Drain and semi-cool. Add the marinara and shredded veggies to the meat and cook for another 5 minutes.

Using a 9x9 glass dish, add 1/4 cup of the meat sauce to the dish, and add 2 1/2 lasagna strips. Add another 1/4 cup sauce and sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheese.

Repeat the process twice and end with some sauce and cheese. Bake for 30 minutes and serve.

MorningStar Farms Mediterranean Chickpea Burgers + Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Wed, 22 May 2013 18:25:00 +0000

Disclosure: I was given the same goodie bag and was not compensated. This review is soley my opinion.

I have a mid-week giveaway for you! I was recently contacted to try MorningStar Farms newest veggie burgers called Mediterranean Chickpea Burger. It has 70 percent less fat than regular ground beef and 110 calories and a good source of protein, making it a great addition to summer eating.

I have not tried grilling it yet but I made it as a burger with no buns. I used the patties as the bun and filled the middle with tomatoes, olives and a little mustard. It was scrumptious! I also had a nice green salad on the side too.

MorningStar Farms wants someone to get a chance to try this new veggie burger so they will be sending someone with a nice goodie bag.

Do you like chickpeas? I really like them alot and this burger certainly tasted very delicious. There were pieces of bean within the patty that wasn't a turnoff. Consider trying this new product during a family BBQ or GRILL night. It is nice to have a veggie alternative for guests too!

So here is what ONE person will win:

· MorningStar Farms coupon

· Greek-inspired grilling apron

· Mediterranean hummus cookbook

· Chickpea tote bag

Â· MorningStar Farms coupon Â· Greek-inspired grilling apron Â· Mediterranean hummus cookbook Â· Chickpea tote bag

Rod Stewart New Album Review #TimeWithRod

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:00:00 +0000

As you know I am a musician and have been for a long time. I love listening to new music and new artists all the time. I have my husband ask me what type of music such and such artist on my Pandora station all the time. I can also be pretty random with my music interests and choices.

When I got a chance to review Rod Stewart I thought I would take a chance and listen. I listened to some of his previous albums so I could have a better perspective of his current album. Here are the titles of his songs to his current CD:

Time Track Listing:

1. She Makes Me Happy

2. Can’t Stop Me Now

3. It’s Over

4. Brighton Beach

5. Beautiful Morning

6. Live The Life

7. Finest Woman

8. Time

9. Picture In A Frame

10. Sexual Religion

11. Make Love To Me Tonight

12. Pure Love

I had a real hard time getting into his music. Rod Stewart has a unique voice and while he is a rock star his same style comes across in this album even after 20 years! If you love his music then you will enjoy this new album. He has spent four decades being a rock star, three being a parent, and has a new album's worth of rollicking stories to tell. Time is his first album of new material in almost 20 years.

Eleven of the twelve songs on the CD were written and produced by Rod Stewart which was released on May 7th. In addition to this new CD, Stewart will embark on the European leg of his Live the Life tour on June 1st, while American dates with Steve Winwood will kick off October 17th.

Do you know someone who is a big fan of Rod Stewart's music? But it off iTunes or Amazon.

Disclosure: I participated in this campaign for One2One Network. I received a free copy of the CD to facilitate my review. All opinions stated are my own

Spicy Seafood and Veggie Penne Pasta + West Elm Store Opening

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Tue, 21 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Last week I was given the opportunity to see a preview of the new West Elm store opening at the King of Prussia Mall and I have to say that I had heard of the store before but I had never been to one before. I was really glad I was able to attend because I have a new favorite store I want to visit when I go to the mall.

The store reminded me a bit of a sophisticated Pier One and Anthropologie thrown into one and made more elegant. I was first drawn to the kitchen area where I refrained from buying fun summer bowls and dishware.

The silverware with twig handles really caught my attention as well as the food products. Since the summer is almost here the focus and display was arranged for a cook-out. The fish rub caught my eye, so I decided to purchase it.

There was also some yummy food being passed around as people shopped and viewed the newest collection. I loved the color schemes in the store. It made me want to sit and stare and decide what I wanted to purchase the next time I came around.

As soon as I got home, I thought of ways to use my purchase of the evening.

I made a seafood dinner last night using the fish rub that was so delicious. It really did not heat up the kitchen too much and it made for a quick weekday dinner. I used sea bass and large scallops for my meal and tossed with penne pasta. Luckily the baby was asleep and my husband had taken our sleep-deprived toddler for a walk while I finished dinner.

The fish rub was definitely a unique flavor. I loved it and was happy that I did not have to add too many more spices to the meal to amp up the flavor. The rub had lots of spices including cardamon and coriander! What a combination but it all worked out. It was a bit spicy but it had the perfect bite. Our toddler skipped the pasta and enjoyed the fish tremendously! She kept asking for "MOORE." This is always a good sign.

I look forward trying other food items from West Elm Market as well as some kitchenware soon!

Spicy Seafood and Veggie Penne Pasta

by Noelle Kelly

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients (2 servings)

Fish mix

6 ounces of large scallops or 6 Large scallops
12 ounces sea bass, cut in 1-inch cubes or 4 large fillets
4 teaspoons Staurt & Co. Flatbush Fish Rub
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Veggie mix

1 red onion, sliced
4 red radishes, julienned
2 tomatoes, diced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced

2 cups penne pasta, cooked

Instructions

Heat a cast iron skillet with 2 Tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.

In a medium bowl mix the lemon juice with the scallops and sea bass. Add the fish rub and mix well. If you do not have the rub, add a little crushed coriander, cardamon, sumac, garlic powder, mustard powder, kosher salt, and cayenne pepper.

Add the fish to the cast iron and cook for 5-7 minutes. Remove from pan and add 1 more Tablespoon of olive oil.

Meanwhile cook the penne pasta.

Add the veggie mix and saute' for 10-15 minutes. Add the fish and basil and finish cooking for 5 more minutes. Add the penne pasta to the fish and veggie mixture.

A Saturday in Lancaster, PA

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I am finishing the last set of posts from a trip our family took a few weekends back. When I look back I smile and thank God for the area we live around. We have so many great towns in our near vicinity we have already started talking about all we want to do this summer! If you are looking for ideas for your family this summer, continue reading how much fun our little family had.

We had a whole Saturday to visit three sites starting with The Amish Village which houses an authentic Amish farmhouse. We had a 25-minute tour of the inside of the home. We learned a lot of the way the Amish people live, wear and farm.

We explored the area and enjoyed watching our toddler waving and petting the animals in the farmhouse. They even had a nice playground in the shape of a barn.

There were all sorts of animals and a garden to really show what Amish living is all about. There is also a nice picnic area where you can eat along with a shop and market to purchase food and crafts. We almost bought a bonnet for both our girls. :-)

We next got to enjoy the lovely The Choo Choo Barn –Traintown, U.S.A.® – located in Strasburg, PA, features more than 150 animations and 22 operating trains, this 1,700 square foot handcrafted, work-of-art is packed with small-scale local landmarks and detailed scenes from Lancaster County.

It kept our toddler engaged especially while in her stroller. We were really floored by the way this whole display is cleaned. There was especially a fun scene that showed an fire truck pull to a house on fire and put the fire out. It was very entertaining!

We ended our afternoon by stopping at the Strasburg Rail Road. Even though our day had started around 10am, our babies were managing pretty well. We really tried to minimize the use of our strollers so we could get a lot done which made for happy babies. We have made it a point to try to travel as much with our children despite their young ages which is why our toddler loves being outdoors. That being said, the Strasburg Rail Road offers a lot of kid-friendly activities.

There is a pint-sized miniature steam train and a pump car too! We especially enjoyed the 45-minute train ride. There was a vintage baseball game happening on a stop the train made but we skipped it since our kiddos were getting tired.

There are options to ride First-Class, Coach, Open-Air, and Dining Car on the train so next time we hope to try the Dining Car. We really loved riding the train with the windows open. Right now there is a summer special called the Summer Pass that provides unlimited rides on Coach and the Fun Extras plus more! Valid May 25 through September 2. Thomas the Train will also be around starting June 15th through the 23rd along with some times in September and November.

We really enjoyed the weekend especially since it was a perfect sunny weekend. We hope to return soon to take another train ride. There is also so much more in the area in addition to these sites.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored media trip. All of my thoughts and opinions are based on my own personal experience.

----SoftFlex™ Natural Nurser™ and Bottle Brush ---- {Baby Product Review}

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Wed, 15 May 2013 18:00:00 +0000

Can you believe my little one is 3 months old today? It is pretty crazy to me how quickly time has flown by. When I received the Nurser Set I knew I could try getting my little one on a bottle in case the daddy needed to feed her.

We started our oldest on a bottle when she was a month and half old so I started later with the baby.

She has not embraced the bottle too well even with the previous ones I had. She is definitely a little more finicky than my oldest. She finally took this nurser and consumed the pumped milk but it took her a bit and she fussed. We will continue to try.

I definitely liked the shape of the nipple, which was definitely different to other brands. It was very easy to clean with the bottle brush. The bottle brush also came with a nipple cleaner but I have not been able to open the opposite end to reveal the nipple brush. We'll see how it comes apart.

The Bottle Brush can be purchased at Kohls

The Natural Nurser set can be purchased on Buy Baby Direct and K-Mart

Follow Nuby on Facebook and Twitter

Discovering New Music #SeHablaMusica

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Wed, 15 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Target.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in partnership with Target. However, all opinions are my own.

When I was asked this week how I discovered music I did not know where to start. The Latin culture has been a part of me since infancy despite living in the states. I grew up speaking Spanish at home and English when I was out of the house. As I was growing up I always liked music because my mother had introduced it to us at an early age. Did you know that Latin music was not a big part of our lives? I mean my sister and I sang duets in Spanish but they were mostly Spanish Christian songs.

When did it all change?

College.

Yes, I became part of my Spanish club in college and headed up a talent competition. I knew I always liked Latin music. Every time we would visit our family in Mexico, I would hear the dance music blaring and I could not help but think of how I could and when I could dance. Ha! That did not quite happen until later.

Back to the talent competition. I headed up a merengue and salsa number and hired a dance teacher so that the 6 couples dancing in the group could convince the judges we had talent. We won in our category that year! Woohoo!

After that it all just stayed under wraps until I discovered Zumba. Oh yes. I loved aerobics and movement classes but after a while that all grew very monotonous. Zumba allowed me to discover new music while I worked out. So let me continue to say that I have been slightly obsessed with Zumba and the music that comes with it. I am not a club attender but I love to dance so why not do it while exercising and making a little of a fool of myself. Ha!

Every time I would attend a class and hear a song I would ask the instructor to share the artist so that I could compile my own list. I would add it into YouTube, Pandora, iTunes, and/or Playlist until I could find the artist. I have now been doing this for almost 9 years with the hope that one day I will become an instructor with a crazy compilation of music.

My favorite way, though, of finding new music is listening to my Zumba playlist on Pandora. I am constantly placing "thumbs up" on the songs I like so then I can work on making separate playlists. It is pure madness but this is what I do.

How does this work with an opera singer who performs with certain genres and styles? Well the Latin culture is spreading within the opera world. I was not able to attend while I was in Houston but a NEW opera has been making headway into the opera scene. I have two opera friends who have been making a name for themselves in the world's very first mariachi opera. Is that not amazing? You have to watch this clip:

It is quite exciting to listen to Latin music in our daily lives because it educates and it also makes people move at the same time.

Who are some of my favorite Latin artists? I like Shakira and Pitbull at the moment.

What about you? How about telling me for a chance to win a gift card?

Giveaway

To celebrate Latin music, Target has also graciously offered one of my readers a $25 Gift card. Please follow the instructions to enter to win.

$25 Target Gift Card

Bird-In-Hand Family Inn and Restaurant {Review}

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Tue, 14 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Disclosure: This is a sponsored media trip. All of my thoughts and opinions are based on my own personal experience.

Two weekends ago our family was invited to visit the Lancaster area. We stayed in the Bird-in-Hand Family Inn and Restaurant for one night. After a while day of visiting area attractions we were looking forward relaxing with our kiddos and resting.

After we dropped our belongings in the room we decided to continue to take advantage of the sunshine. The front desk personnel were very friendly and showed us all the activities available to the guests. Well what immediately caught my attention? The petting zoo!

Julianne was so excited to see goats, chickens, rabbits, and even a llama. The inn provided us with some food for the children to feed the animals. It was real exciting to see how entertained my girl was. It was also relieving to see some hand sanitizer too!

Ryan was happy to be showing her the ropes too! In addition to the petting zoo the Inn also includes the following:

Complimentary 2-Hour Amish Farmland Tour
Fitness room
Game room
Indoor pools/hot tub
Outdoor pools
Picnic pavilion
Tennis & basketball courts

We did not get a chance to do the 2-hour tour but it was great to know we could keep it in mind.

The view around the inn was very pleasant. There was a nice pond and walking trail that was nice. There were lots of people walking. We wished we had bread to feed the ducks that were around.

After that some of the moms sat around as the spouses played with the kids. The playground was very big and it also included swings for both toddlers and grown kiddos. The only thing that was not too safe were the slides. They were geared more to older kids.

How about the food? Bird-In-Hand also boasts a great restaurant and Smorgasbord offering Amish favorites. What was the verdict? Both of us could definitely skip the Smorgasbord. It tasted more like any other country buffet. We wondered how it would be to order off the menu. At least the cherry crisp was a nice finish to our meal. ;-) Baby girl had a roll! Not.

What about the Inn? Here are the amenities:

125 clean comfortable Guest Rooms
Family Suites & King Rooms
Complimentary Wireless Internet
Complimentary Tour of the Amish Farmlands
Two Heated Indoor Pools
Hot Tub
Outdoor Pool with unique walk-in entrance
Lighted Tennis Courts
Playground & Game Room
2 18-Hole Miniature Golf courses (fee to play)

We were not able to visit a lot of these because, well we had little ones and bed time was calling our names but it was nice that we were able to enjoy what the outdoors provided.

The rooms were nice and it seemed like they had been renovated. The inn provided us with a crib that was perfect for our family. The beds, well. Let me just say that it was not our best night's rest. We could feel the coils in our beds and we woke up sore. Perhaps we got a fluke room.

After our night's rest we woke up early to head home and enjoyed a nice breakfast buffet. There was a variety of food that filled us and we definitely enjoyed it a lot more.

All-in-all, the Bird-In-Hand Family Inn is a very family-friendly place. There is lots to do in the area and there is a lot to see. If your family gets to visit make sure to try all the nice amenities.

Bird-In-Hand Family Inn

2740 Old Philadelphia Pike

Bird-in-Hand, PA 17505

800-537-2535

Bird-In Hand Restaurant and Inn on Facebook

Bird-In-Hand Restaurant and Inn on Twitter

Michael Bublé Album Review

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Mon, 13 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Disclosure: I participated in this campaign for One2One Network. I received a free copy of the album to facilitate my review. By posting, I am eligible for incentives. All opinions stated are my own.

It has been a while since I have done a music review. After all I am a singer but I do not review just opera or classical. In fact, I listen to a VARIETY of music genres. I was really happy to get to preview Michael Bublé's new CD that was released on April 23rd. I have been a long-time fan of his voice and albums so I was real interested to hear new music.

After I heard the entire album I was a bit amused. It took me a bit to register every track because well, the album mixes different styles. Bublé takes several popular standards and gives it his own interpretation. I immediately loved Come Dance With Me. Bublé has such a relaxed style that makes you want to sing along or even dance anywhere!

Even though Bublé has three tracks with a contributing artist, I simply enjoyed Something Stupid. I have heard that track performed by different artists but it never gets old. It is nice to hear Reese Witherspoon sing again. If anyone has seen Walk the Line, Reese Witherspoon performed all her songs and it was so refreshing to see and hear an actress do her own singing. Obviously Bublé likes her singing too!

There are four original songs on this album that were co-written by Bublé and of the four my favorite is It's a Beautiful Day. In general I really like when Bublé sings really upbeat songs with full orchestra. It is his best work which leads me to say that this album is not my MOST favorite. I like his 2005 album It's Time and 2009 album Crazy Love the best. Somehow the standards on those albums caught my attention a lot more that on this album. It really does not strike a chord with me.

That said, that is just my opinion. I told my sister-in-law, who is a big Bublé fan, to give me her opinion because sometimes others feel differently.

Go and listen to the album and give your opinion of this popular crooner. He has sold out shows he will be performing starting at the end of June. You gotta love him!

Media Links:

Links To Buy Album:

To Be Loved Track Listing:

1. "You Make Me Feel So Young"

2. "It's a Beautiful Day"

3. "To Love Somebody"

4. "Who's Lovin You"

5. "Something Stupid" (featuring Reese Witherspoon)

6. "Come Dance with Me"

7. "Close Your Eyes"

8. "After All" (featuring Bryan Adams)

9. "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You" (with Naturally 7)

10. "To Be Loved"

11. "You've Got a Friend in Me"

12. "Nevertheless (I'm in Love with You)" (featuring The Puppini Sisters)

13. "I Got It Easy"

14. "Young at Heart"

ION Audio Giveaway {Film 2D Scanner}

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Thu, 09 May 2013 13:55:00 +0000

Do you have negatives from long ago that you wish you could have on an SD card or on your present hard drive but did not know how to transfer? How about slides? We are talking old school material before digital photography became popular. Check out what this scanner can do for all those lost pictures you have in photo albums or pictures never printed.

The Film 2 SD Scanner transfers your images directly onto an SD card so you can enjoy your old pictures with the latest technology. One of the great features is that you don't even need a computer, you can load them onto an SD card to view on digital picture frames, televisions, mobile phones, computers, and other portable devices. Make sure to check out The Review Wire's full review on the Film 2 SD Scanner.

Features:

High-resolution 5MP scanner and large color LCD
Scans color and black & white 35mm slides and film negatives
Transfers your slides and negatives directly onto the included SD card
Allows viewing of pictures on your iPad®, digital frames, TVs with SD, and more
Includes adjustable Rapid Slide Feeder (fits 1.1 to 3.0mm)
Works with SD and SDHC cards up to 8GB
No computer needed; optional USB connection for Mac and PC
Automatic exposure and color balance controls
Video output for viewing on an external video monitor

ION Audio Giveaway

2 Winner's will each receive a Film 2 SD Scanner from ION Audio {RV $152.97 each} See form for Entry Details. Open to U.S. You must be 18 years old to enter to win. Ends 5.24.13 INSERT GIVEAWAY FORM

Disclaimer: An email address is required to enter. The winner will be chosen randomly through Giveaway Tools and contacted via email. A reply to the winning email is required within 48 hours before a new winner is chosen. One person entering per household please. U.S. only. This giveaway ends at 11:59 PM EST on May 24, 2013.

This event is sponsored by ION Audio and hosted by The Review Wire. Opera Singer in the Kitchen is not responsible for prize fulfillment. I was not provided with product for this review. I was provided a link on the form in exchange for helping to promote. Companies and bloggers, if you would like to participate in group giveaway events like this one, sign up to be emailed about future events hosted by The Review Wire.

Entry -Form

Mother's Day at Longwood Gardens

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Tue, 07 May 2013 13:41:00 +0000

Photo from website

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. In exchange for posting, I was given a membership by Longwood Gardens. As always, my thoughts and opinions are my own.

Do you need ideas for Mother's Day? How about going to Longwood Gardens with your family? The flowers will be in full bloom and there are plenty of paths to meander through the gardens.

There will a beautiful concert on Saturday from 12-3pm which will be repeated on Sunday which will be held in the Conservatory.

Photo from website

Even though the forecast does not look promising for outside walking it could always change. There is a chance of 40% of showers on Saturday and 20% on Sunday but who has let rain stop anyone?

The special music will be a flutist and violinist and will be indoors so the rain should not prevent anyone from bringing their mothers.

Photo from website

What else could intrigue you to bring your mother to Longwood Gardens? Well there will be a fantastic Mother's Day Buffet from 10am to 5pm on both Saturday and Sunday.

If you are interested here is the info for the buffet:

Buy tickets online or by calling 610-388-1000 (additional fees apply for phone orders).

$60 Ages 12+

$49 Members ages 12+

$32 Ages 5–11

$26 Members ages 5–11

$5 Ages 1–4

Free for infants

Tickets limited. Sell out likely.

Prices include Gardens admission. Alcoholic beverages not included.

Photo from website
Tickets

Please note that timed tickets are required for admission to the Gardens. Buy tickets online or by calling 610-388-1000 (additional fees apply for phone orders). Tickets limited.

Even if you and your family are not able to make it to the gardens how about gifting your mom with a year membership so she can enjoy the grounds anytime?

Check out the website for more info on how to purchase a gift membership.