Nutmeg Nanny

Homemade Chai Vanilla Creamer + {Keurig Giveaway}

nutmegnanny — Fri, 17 May 2013 10:00:50 +0000

I do not go a day without sipping on an iced coffee. Even in the middle of the winter I enjoy a nice cold cup of coffee. Five out of the seven days I normally drink coffee too late and then can't sleep. Please tell me I'm not alone. There has to be another "I drank coffee too late and now I can't sleep" person out there...right?

Now that we have established I'm obsessed with coffee I should note that I'm also obsessed with flavored creamer. However, I hate the store bought stuff. It's always too sweet and the flavors are a bit out of control. I'm a simple girl who likes simple flavors.

This quick and easy homemade creamer is packed full of chai flavor and has just a touch of vanilla bean. It going to blow your mind when you see how easy it is to make this stuff! So, want to know why I'm talking about coffee so much? The awesome folks at Staples asked me to test out a Keurig machine and a pack of K-Cups. I couldn't say no! If have never used a Keurig machine before you need to change that...quickly! Not only is a great for someone like me who only want one cup of coffee but it's great for couples who like different flavors of coffee. I'm a hazelnut fan and my husband is straight up traditional. Another great thing about the Keurig K-cup machines is the choices in coffee, hot chocolate, tea and even apple cider! If there is a flavor you love they have it! Talk about choices! I sampled the Starbucks Sumatra Dark coffee and brewed extra to keep in the fridge. I loved it's bold flavor and it was strong enough for iced coffee. Lucky for you the awesome folks at Staples and Keurig want to give you a chance to win one of these machines too! Just simply enter your information into the PromoSimple widget...it's that simple! This is a $129 value and you are sure to LOVE it! Good luck!

Keurig + K-Cup Giveaway $129 Value

* I was provided a free Keurig machine and a package of K-Cups for this review and giveaway. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

Pan Fried Morel Mushrooms

nutmegnanny — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:00:17 +0000

When I was a kid my dad and I would go out in the woods and forage for wild morel mushrooms. It was my favorite time of the year. Sometimes we would strike it rich and come home with a giant bag full of mushrooms and other times we would come home with only a handful. You never quite know what you will find. If you have never had a morel mushroom they have a wonderful meaty texture and a slightly nutty taste. It's hard for me to describe but it's amazing delicious. It taste completely different than the store bought mushrooms you may be accustomed too. A couple important thing to note is that if you are foraging for your own morels you must make sure you are actually picking morels. There are mushrooms that look a lot a like but are in fact false morels. They are poisoness and obviously not something you want to eat. The easiest way to check if you have a true morel is by making sure the head and stem are connected (one fluid piece) and making sure the inside of the stem is hollow. If you notice the head is not attached or see a cotton substance inside the stem you should steer clear. There is also the option of just going to the store and buying them. Either way. Now, a few more points. Always soak your mushrooms (even the store bought ones!) because bugs love to hid out inside those little spongy caps. The salt water soak will help kill and draw out all the bugs and dirt. Also, never eat morels raw. They have a toxin that must be cooked out. I love my morels lightly coated and cooked in really good butter (I used Kerrygold...love that stuff!) because that is how my dad used to make them. I have had them in fancy cream sauces and even in omelets, but hands down butter pan fried is my favorite.

Spicy Soft-Shell Crab

nutmegnanny — Mon, 13 May 2013 10:00:06 +0000

I first had soft-shelled crab about 6 years ago. My husbands fraternity brother was getting married and the couple had an insane cocktail hour. They had everything you could have ever wanted. There was a tree made from prosciutto. I'm serious. A freaking prosciutto tree. Anyway, after wandering around and looking at table after table of food I noticed my husbands friend had a plate of fried soft shell crab deliciousness. I was intrigued. So I tried a nibble of his, thought to myself "hey that's not bad" and went on my merry way. {I had apparently missed the fresh soft-shell crab that was being pan fried over by the raw bar....again, this was a cocktail hour. What the heck!?}

Fast forward to last Saturday and I find myself obsessed with the idea of trying to make soft-shell crab at home. Obviously I had no idea what I was doing and oddly enough there was not a man making it fresh behind the raw bar in my dining room. Weird...right? So I set off to the interwebs and luckily found this awesome step by step (with pictures...score!) tutorial from Georgia Pellegrini. I explained how to clean the crab in the directions but if you are a visual learner you might want to pop over and take a look at her post. I seasoned my flour with red cayenne pepper and seasoned salt but feel free to play with any seasonings you adore. I think a dash of Old Bay would be a great addition. They fry up quickly and the hint of heat was perfect. If you have never had soft-shell crab I should note that you do eat the whole thing. When you are done eating there should be nothing left on the plate. It seems weird but it's totally delicious. Trust me!

Smothered Burritos

nutmegnanny — Fri, 03 May 2013 10:00:26 +0000

Growing up we used to go to this restaurant called Cisco and Charles. My favorite part about eating there was the HUGE burritos you would get. They were so big the burritos would go over the sides of the plate and the sauce would just barely fit on the plate. It was heaven. Sadly the restaurant caught on the fire and they never re-opened. Then I ended up moving to New York and I haven't really seen the whole "smothered" burrito craze take off around here. Also, can I just say growing up we always called them "wet burritos" but I just couldn't type that. It just sounds dirty...and weird. So I went with smothered. Am I right? {A big giant thank you to Shelia from Eat2Gather for such an amazing recipe!}

Now, lucky for me the totally awesome folks at Tortilla Land send me some of their fresh corn and flour tortillas. A couple years ago I was lucky enough to receive some of their products and they were amazing. {I made delicious Southern style pinto beans} If you have never had fresh tortillas you are missing out on a lot of deliciousness in your life. One of my favorite ways to eat them is hot off the griddle with butter. That's it. Just butter and a warm tortilla. It's more amazing that you think...trust me! I wanted to give you all a chance to taste their amazingness so I'm giving you all a chance to win some fresh tortillas and a fun Tortilla Land prize pack! Just scroll down after the recipe to enter using the PromoSimple widget.

Tortilla Land Giveaway * I was provided free product for this review and giveaway. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

Dairy Free Roasted Strawberry Shake

nutmegnanny — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:00:16 +0000

Today I have two fantastic things for you to feast your eyes upon. First we will be talking about this delicious dairy free roasted strawberry shake. It was so good I didn't even share it with my husband. Sorry babe! Second up is a great $150 Albion Fit gift card giveaway! {Scroll to the bottom, after the recipe, to enter} Now, about this shake. First I roasted the strawberries with a little balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Then I combined it with some So Delicious coconut milk "ice cream" and gave it a whirl in my Vitamix. To thin it out I just used some coconut milk I had sitting in the fridge. Oh. My. Word. I think strawberries are back to being my favorite fruit. Scratch that. Roasted strawberries are my new favorite fruit. Seriously. Can we just start roasting all fruit? It's really that amazing. {So Delicious does not know who I am and I was not paid to mention their product. I just really like it!}

I snapped a few pictures and immediately started downing this shake. I was like a fat kid with cake - I was not going to be stopped. {Did anyone else just think of that chubby kid from the movie Matilda eating that whole chocolate cake?} Can I just say that I'm lucky the pictures turned out because I totally finished it before I even checked. Bad food blogger!

Now, if you're wondering why I'm off making dairy free shakes don't worry. I still have love for cows and all their dairy filled deliciousness. I just really like coconut milk too. So in my attempt to be a little more healthy I have been cutting out a lot of sugars, carbs and some dairy.

Go Long Crew with Thumb Holes

I'm still working on a daily workout routine. I hate the feeling of being lazy but I also hate the feeling of working out. Quite the little problem I have going on...am I right? Luckily for me the awesome folks at Albion Fit sent me some snazzy workout gear and a bathing suit to help me stay motivated. The suit and shirt are both a bit snug but I'm ok with that. It's my motivation to get my ass in gear and lose that weight! As soon as I lose the weight I'm going to start living in my Go Long Crew shirt. I wear it around the house all the time but I fear in public I might look a little like a stuffed sausage. Don't judge me. It's seriously that comfortable.

Show Stopper Bathing Suit

So, want to know how you can get your hands on some of this amazing workout gear? Just enter the giveaway...it's really that simple! Just enter your information via the PromoSimple widget and then I will pick the winner next Tuesday. To enter all you need to do is add your name, email and answer a quick question. There are even some bonus entries as well :)

{The widget might be a little slow to load. Please be patient…thank you!}

$150 Albion Fit Giveaway * I was provided with a shirt and swim suit for review. I received no financial compensation for this post. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

#ILoveAvocados for Cinco de Mayo Sweepstakes

nutmegnanny — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 00:00:47 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Avocado App for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Avocado, Tomato and Bacon Toast recipe

You might not know this but I really loved avocados. I will eat them plain, mashed, warm, cold and even straight out of the shell...or is it skin? This year there is a new Avocado app that helps you not only share your love of avocados it also helps you keep in touch with your significant other. That means my husband is going to be getting endless messages from me...sorry babe :)

{Soon I will have a wedding post...I promise!}

Luckily for you can get in on the fun by downloading the app and entering in the I Love Avocados For Cinco De Mayo sweepstakes! All you need to do is post a photo of you and your significant other celebrating Cinco de Mayo with your favorite dish made with Avocados from Mexico. To enter just just click the access link from the Avocados from Mexico Facebook page. The winners will receive a fun prize too! 1st place: $1000 | 2nd place: $500 | 3rd place: $250

Also I know you want to see some delicious Cinco De Mayo recipes that can be made using delicious avocados. So....here you go!

Quinoa Burgers with Avocado | Butternut Squash & Avocado Tostada | Avocado & Goat Cheese Grilled Cheese | Crispy Avocado Fries

Also make sure to join @Avocado and @guacgrl on May 7th between 3-4pm EST in a #iloveavocados for Cinco de Mayo Twitter party. It's going to be a good time and of course lots of talk about delicious avocados.

Showing off Spicy {Gettin’ Zesty}

nutmegnanny — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:00:07 +0000

Last week I told you all how I'm going to be getting into the kitchen and becoming more "zesty" with my cooking. I'm pretty sure my husband grinned from ear to ear when he read that post. He LOVES anything spicy!

I went out of town right after that post, but didn't want to leave him with no food. I have made several spicy dishes over on SheKnows and I left him with the recipes :) If I was a really good wife I would have made them in advance. We see how that worked out.

So, if things are looking dull and you need a new spicy recipes in your life give one of these a try. I'm pretty sure you will LOVE them!

{Recipes Pictured in this Post}

Mile High Nachos | Sriracha Baked Cauliflower | Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Kraft Italian Dressing only has one goal in mind… tantalizing your tastebuds. And we’re always looking for new ways to help you amp up your zest appeal. Like what you see? Let our Zesty Guy show you even more ways to spread a little zest at getmezesty.com. Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Kraft via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Kraft

Philly Cheesesteak Grilled Cheese

nutmegnanny — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 10:00:05 +0000

There is something utterly delicious about grilled cheese. Whenever I’m not sure what to make for dinner, you can guarantee I’m going to go the grilled cheese route. Seriously, what could be simpler? When the fine folks from Kitchen PLAY and Land O’Lakes asked me to participate in the 30 Days of Grilled Cheese, I could not resist! One of my other favorite sandwiches is a Philly cheesesteak. So I took the two and combined them! This sandwich is STUFFED to the max with roast beef, peppers, onions and lots of cheesy goodness! I used the Land O Lakes^® 4 Cheese Italian Blend because I loved the flavor of the cheese blend and really wanted it to shine between all those layers of fillings. Also, during the month of April, Land O’Lakes will donate $1 to Feeding America every time someone pins or repins a Land O’Lakes recipe on Pinterest. That’s eight meals for a hungry family when you a pin a recipe—and eight more every time anyone else gives it a repin! Let the gift of giving go viral! *Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Land O’Lakes as part of the Kitchen Sidecar series. All opinions given are my own.

Andouille Chili Dogs {Gettin’ Zesty!}

nutmegnanny — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 10:00:48 +0000

Once in awhile you need to add a little zest to your life. I can guarantee you there are several areas of my life I could stand to add a little spice too. So while I would love to just build a new house (you can guarantee it would have one of the hundreds of kitchen I have pinned) that just doesn't seem in the cards. So I have decided I'm going to zest up my life with new food! Now I know andouille is not new. And I know the whole idea of chili dogs are not new either. However, I have never had them together and I really wanted too. So I did! I loved the spice and flavor of the andouille and the quick hot dog chili was simple and delicious. I even used the leftover chili at breakfast. In case you have never tried it, leftover chili topped with a fried egg is a delicious way to start your day. Trust me! It's probably my favorite leftover breakfast. Kraft Italian Dressing only has one goal in mind... tantalizing your tastebuds. And we're always looking for new ways to help you amp up your zest appeal. Like what you see? Let our Zesty Guy show you even more ways to spread a little zest at getmezesty.com. Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Kraft via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Kraft

Sucre Chocolate

nutmegnanny — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 18:00:23 +0000

I have yet to travel down to New Orleans. It's been on my travel "wish list" ever since I was a teenager and heard about all the debauchery it brings during Spring Break. Now that I'm an adult I want to visit it more for the food and history and less for beads and booze. It's amazing how much 15 years can change your attitude on life. Am I right? So that is why when the awesome folks at Sucre in New Orleans asked me if I wanted to sample and offer a giveaway of some of their chocolate I was thrilled! I may not be able to travel to New Orleans but I will eat like I'm there! Plus, I'm not one to turn down free chocolate and I'm definitely not one to turn down really really really good chocolate. I also took a look at their website and I was in sugar heaven! They offer everything from chocolate gift baskets, to macarons {one of my all time favorite sweet treats} to the totally traditional {New Orleans favorite} Sucre King Cake. I really need to make a point to travel down and give them a visit in person. I think I would be in sugar heaven! In case you were wondering how these chocolate tasted I did make the sacrifice and sampled them all :) Even though it was hard to pick a favorite I have to say the peanut butter and jelly chocolate was amazing! Who would have thought such simple flavors combined into a delicious chocolate could create such an amazing treat. So, wanna know whats up for grabs? One lucky reader will win a 15 piece Indulge Chocolate Collection box of chocolate. Trust me. You want this. This is the type of chocolate you hoard all to yourself and don't share with your husband or kids. It's seriously that delicious! To enter, all you need to do is enter you information into the widget below. After you do your mandatory entry you can unlock bonus entries. Feel free to do any or all of the bonus entries. Each one you complete gives you one extra entry in the contest. How simple is that? {The widget might be a little slow to load. Please be patient…thank you!} Sucre Chocolate Giveaway * I was provided a free box of chocolates to sample but was not monetarily compensated for this review. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.