She Scribes

Pandigital - Sharing Special Memories

2009-12-09T13:43:00.005-05:00

I have to preface my review by saying if you are a review blogger PLEASE make sure to tell your spouse if you are reviewing something, otherwise they might do away with a review product before you are finished with it. Thus is the case with my digital photo frame from Pandigital. Not only did I want to take video to show my readers what it looked like but I also wanted to use the video for a Hallmark Digital Studio that I reviewed a few days ago.

Sadly there will be no actual images or video of my Pandigital photo frame. It's currently buried in the basement with all our other "non-holiday" things that we put in storage boxes so we could up up our holiday decorations.

I'm sure you must be wondering why I just didn't go down in the basement to retrieve it. Well that's easier said then done. Here is a photo of about 1/3 of the storage containers we brought up with Christmas decorations. Non-holiday things were removed and put in these boxes and brought down to the basement. It would take forever to figure out which box it's in. Since we don't undecorate until after Christmas I figured it was best to do the review without the actual photo or video rather then hold off a few more weeks.

There are many digital photo frames on the market these days. I'm sure many of my readers either own one themselves or might be in the market to purchase a digital photo frame.

The one we have is an 8" Pandigital photo frame with Pantouch technology. Unlike standard digital photo frames the Pandigital with Pantouch gives you the ability to change pictures or settings just by touching the sides of the display screen. It's similar to an iPhone where all you need to do is swipe your finger across the screen rather then press buttons or flip switches.

The frame appears to be larger then it actually is. That is because the outer frame is very large. The frame comes in a dark brown color. It's rather plain but the Pandigital Pantouch frame also comes with different mats so you can change the look of the frame to match your home or office interior.

If you have a Pandigital Pantouch digital photo frame you'll never have a need for another. That is because this frame holds a whopping 6,400 photos with it's included 1 GB internal memory. WOW! I have tons of pictures but there is no way I could even scratch the surface of THAT MANY pictures. The Pandigital Pantouch frame also plays music and videos. Music and Videos will take up more space on your memory, but with 1 GB of memory included with the frame it can still hold more music, videos and photos then the average person will ever have a need for.

Unlike other digital photo frames the Pandigital Pantouch frame comes complete with a remove control. You have the ability to change settings on the frame from the comfort of your couch. The remote allows you to also rotate and zoom in on photos displayed on the frame.

I got such a kick out of the remote. It's tiny! It's a little longer then a business card and very flat. It's actually something I would be afraid of loosing down the side of the chair. I would recommend keeping the remote in a safe place when not in use.

Uploading the photos to the Pandigital Pantouch frame was very easy. I am a "technologically challenged" person some times and I had no problem what so ever uploading photos to use on the frame. One thing I realized is that the frame plays them in sequence that they were loaded on the frame. It's no big deal. I just happen to like the photos to display randomly because I like not knowing what image will pop up next.

I have to be honest and say I haven't used the music or video options yet. I don't have any video footage that I think it "worthy" to be displayed on the frame as of yet. I was thinking that the next time one of my kids have a class show or event I could make sure to get a decent video so I can try and upload it to the frame and see how well the video works.

I also haven't tried the music feature. I WANT to, I just haven't had a chance. There is music on the Hallmark Digital Studio holiday video I made which is ideal for the frame. I just don't have the frame handy to upload it and see for myself.

The quality of the photos depends on the quality of the camera that took them. Older images that we have scanned on to the computer and not as good as digital pictures. But that is fine with me. The images also look great on the frame. They are not distorted in any way and you don't have to worry about parts of the photo being cut out of the picture to fit the frame.

There is a handy calendar, clock and alarm feature too. I have never seen another frame that offers those features.

I'm also pleased that the frame allows you various display options. The piece in the back allows you to display the frame vertical or horizontal. There is even holes in the back of the frame which would allow you to hang it on the wall. I'm actually considering doing that. I think it would look pretty cool hanging on the wall instead of on top of the bookcase.

Other interesting features include a headphone jack and WiFi capabilities.

Overall I'm giving the Pandigital Pantouch Digital Photo Frame a two thumbs up, 10++ and 5 stars. I honestly don't have any complaints about the frame whatsoever, maybe with the exception of my kids finger prints on the frame. They liked to play with it and they end up getting fingers prints all over it. This is only a minor inconvenience and has nothing to do with the frame it's self.

Another great product offered by Pandigital is the Personal Touch Scanner. It's a very small photo scanner that scans images up to 5" x 7" which can be uploaded on to your photo frame.

I love the size of the scanner. We borrowed a traditional scanner from my husband's job many months ago and the scanner was HUGE. We used to have a flat bed scanner years ago and it was just too big for the desk. There was no room for that, the printer and the computer so we got rid of the scanner and ended up getting and all in one printer, scanner, copier instead.

As it was with the Pandigital Pantouch Digital Frame the Pandigital Personal Touch Scanner was a piece of cake to set up. You can scan a photo right into your computer (or a memory card) in as little as 1-2-3. The quality of the photos is great too. They look as good as the original.

Unlike other scanners the Pandigital Personal Touch Scanner is actually a lot quicker to scan then other scanners we have used in the past. You can scan more photos in less time then other scanners.

The scanner was easy to set up too. There was no waiting for tons of software to download and all that other mumbo jumbo. Like the frame the scanner was pretty much ready to go out of the box for the most part.

There were other "goodies" in the box I haven't used yet such as a roller cleaner, sensor cleaner and a couple of other "technical" things I'll leave to my computer tech husband to take care of. LOL.

Both products are sold at many retail locations including Sears, Kohls and Costco. They are both sold on the Pandigital web site (www.Pandigital.net) and are both currently on sale for the holidays. The digital frame is on sale on their site for $99.99 and the scanner is on sale for $97.49. They are A LOT cheaper from the Pandigital site then at Sears or Kohls (I couldn't find them on the Costco web site, not sure of in store prices).

To learn more about Pandigital products please visit www.Pandigital.net. Either product would make a great holiday gift for someone special.

*We received both the digital frame and the scanner free to do this review. There was no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.

Holiday Treats & Gifts at Denny's

2009-12-09T12:32:00.003-05:00

Oh how I WISH we had a Denny's near by. We used to have a Denny's about 40 minutes north of here but they closed down. Now it's a Japanese restaurant. There is another Denny's about an hour north of here, but that is too far to travel.

I love Denny's. The food is usually pretty good and the prices are affordable. My favorite Denny's meal is Moon Over My Hammy. It's been years since I ate at Denny's so I'm not even sure if it's still on their menu. It was like a grilled ham and cheese sandwich.

Did you know that Denny's has seasonal inspired treats available for the holidays? Two new offerings include...

A holiday peppermint beverage. These holiday beverages are bursting with the flavors of the season. Thick, creamy hand-dipped chocolate or vanilla milkshakes topped with whipped cream, blended with peppermint and dotted white chocolate sprinkles are a treat all by themselves and double the fun when coupled with any menu item. A selection of soothing hot and cold drinks will relax even the busy last-minute shopper. OH! These sound so good.

Another interesting Denny's offering is America’s first-ever breakfast appetizer called Pancake Puppies (pictured above). Denny’s Pancake Puppies are all about peppermint and the perfect alternative snack for Santa! These round, bite-sized pancakes are filled with peppermint white chocolate sprinkles, rolled in powdered sugar and served with warm syrup for dipping. This holiday finger food is really fun to share and makes a great portable treat.

I'm seriously jealous of anyone who lives near a Denny's restaurant because I am dying to try the Pancake Puppies. They sound amazing.

Also available at Denny's are holiday gift ideas. Yes, GIFTS!

Denny's is offering a $5 gift card for every $25 gift card that is purchased. It's almost like getting two gifts in one. You can keep the $5 gift card for yourself or giveaway away to someone else. Gift card are a great "one size fits all" type of gift. You can purchase Denny's gift cards at any Denny's restaurant. Denny's gift cards are also available at Walmart and CVS.

Another great gift idea from Denny's are pies. Denny's is selling a selection of holiday pies that would make a great hostess gift or to serve at your next holiday gathering. They have apple pie, pecan pie and pumpkin pies available. Prices range from $7 - $10. That is not a bad price at all.

For more information please visit your nearest Denny's restaurant or you can visit them online at www.Dennys.com. There is a store locator on the web site too.

*I was not compensated in any way for this post. I posted this for the benefit and enjoyment of my readers.

Ozone Socks - Funky and Fashionable Foot Wear

2009-12-09T11:33:00.005-05:00

Can you believe on my daughter's holiday wish list, among the iPod Nano and Northface Denali jacket my daughter had SOCKS? Seriously...SOCKS! When do kids ever want things like socks as gifts?

My daughter doesn't want any old sock. She wants knee high socks in funky colors and designs.

Apparently what they say is true..."Everything old is new again". I used to wear knee highs all the time growing up. Mine were boring compared to some of the socks available on the market these days. In fact I was lucky if my mom purchased me socks in any other color except white. My mom felt that white socks were more practical because they went with anything. Oh how I dreamed of a pair of pink or purple socks...

My daughter was at a sleep over one night a couple of months ago. Her friend has these groovy knee high socks. My daughter asked to try them and has been in love with knee high socks ever since.

Judging by the MULTIPLE pictures my daughter and her friends took at that sleep over I take it that socks with fun colorful designs and patterns are so "in" right now.

Oddly enough I haven't see these kinds of socks readily available. I did find a few locally but not as many as I would have hoped to see.

Ozone Socks (http://www.ozonesocks.com/) is a great source for these fun and fashionable socks. They carry socks for women, children and men. I was surprised to see men's socks in such wild designs on their web site. My husband said he wouldn't be caught dead in socks that had designs all over them. Then again my husband is pretty boring when it comes to fashion (he only wears things that are brown or navy blue). What does he know about fashion. LOL!

One of my personal favorites is the one with the snake. I know many people find snakes totally creepy but I think it's pretty cool how the snake coils around the sock. The buckle sock is very interesting too.

Ozone Socks does carry regular socks with no designs on them. The even offer plain socks in a wide variety of hard to find colors too like orange and green.

Ozone Socks has an interesting program where you can buy just one sock to replace any socks that might have ended up on the Bermuda Triangle of socks - the dryer. Or you can buy singles and mix and match to create you own whimsical fashion style.

They also have a fun Sock-of-the-Month Club. For $100 you ge 13 pairs of socks (include shipping). The club includes knee highs, regular socks and even socks that go OVER your knee. I would have to say that a membership to the Sock-of-the-Month Club would make an interesting gift. It's unique yet practical at the same time because every one needs socks.

We have a couple of socks from Ozone Socks and I am impressed with the quality. They are not "cheap" socks. They wash well and hold up week after week of wearing them. Consider Ozone Socks as "gourmet" socks, meaning they are quality made and not your "run of the mill" sock.

The only downside I can think of is that they are not cheap. The socks will cost you from around $10 a pair to upwards of $32 for the kind that go over the knee.

To learn more about Ozone Socks visit them online at http://www.ozonesocks.com/.

*We received a couple of pairs of Ozone Socks free to do this review. There was no other compensation. The opinons expressed are my own.

Darn Those Rice Krispies Ads!

2009-12-09T10:18:00.004-05:00

There are so few things I dread about the holiday season. I certainly don't look forward to the crowds and the frantic rush to find the "perfect gift" for everyone on your shopping list. These are minor compared to one thing I worry about the most... the ads for the holiday Rice Krispies treats! I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. You see the full page ads in all their glory in many popular magazines this time of year. Ooey gooey totally yummy marshmallow Rich Krispies treats made into fun holiday shapes like candy cane, snowmen and my worst nightmare - the Christmas tree!

You see years ago I finally gave in to my kids who were begging me to make some holiday shaped Rice Krispies treats. Being the cool mom that I am (LOL) I decided to surprise my kids one day with all the fixings to make Rice Krispies treats to resemble Christmas Trees. I thought it would be fun to decorate them with candy ornaments. At least that is what I thought.

Have you ever tried to make the marshmallow treats? Good golly! It's like attack of the marshmallow!

I thought it would be fun to mold the sticky sweetness into the shape of a Christmas Tree (cone shaped) so that they were three dimensional. I never realized just how incredibly sticky marshmallow can be. There was marshmallow EVERY WHERE! It was like it was rapidly multiplying and taking over our home. The kids thought it was fun, me...not so much. Removing marshmallow from the nooks and crannies of the coffee maker, stove and my personal "favorite " (said with a bit of sarcasm) the carpet!

That was the first, last and only time I attempted to make those tasty bricks of marshmallow and Rice Krispies.

I have NOTHING against Rice Krispies or Rice Krispies treats at all. I love them! I could eat those all day, providing someone else made them for me. I do buy the pre-made ones in the store but they don't compare to the homemade kind.

There is a company that makes Rice Krispies treats, but takes them to a whole new level. They are called Milk & Krunchies (www.MilkandKrunchies.com). Their treats are made with Toffee, Peanut Butter and they even have a PB&J version! My beloved crispy treats made with toffee and peanut butter? Oh I so HAD to try them!

I was pleasantly surprised when the Milk and Krunchies treats arrived. There were A LOT bigger then I thought they would be. I suppose I COULD have shared them? HA! No way. These were treats I had to keep hidden from the kiddies.

I honestly can't tell you wish one I loved more, the Toffee Krunchie or the Peanut Butter Krunchie. Both were out of this world delicious.

The Toffee Krunchie is called DJ AM's Toffee Mix Crispy Treat. It's topped with chocolate and little bits of sweet toffee. I seriously was left craving MORE!

The Peanut Butter Crispy Treat is topped with chocolate and swirls of peanut butter giving it that Reeces Peanut Butter type taste to it. If Reeses Peanut Buttercups was a food group I would nosh on those all day! I LOVE chocolate and peanut butter together. So it goes without saying that I loved the Peanut Butter Crispy Treat from Milk and Krunchies.

You can purchase the Krunchies at various locations in California and also one shop in New York. If you not live in CA or NY don't despair, you can purchase Milk and Krunchies products online at http://milkandkrunchies.foodoro.com/store. A half dozen of any flavor will run you about $20. Gift sets and even a special holiday set is also available (mixed flavors too).

Each individually packaged treat would make a great stocking stuffer or toss one in your lunch box on your way to work. Of course you can indulge in them at home too with a nice tall glass of cold milk, tea or any other favorite beverage.

To learn more about Milk and Krunchies visit www.MilkandKrunchies.com.

If you are interested in attempting to make home made holiday Rice Krispies treats you should check out the Rice Krispies online at www.RiceKrispies.com. There are holiday treat recipes on top and along the left side bar. Feel free to send some my way if you make any. LOL! I LOVE Rice Krispies treats...it's just that the melted marshmallow doesn't love me.

*I received two samples of Milk & Krunchies free to do this review. There was no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.

Celebrate the Season with Wine Coutry Soda

2009-12-09T07:15:00.003-05:00

I'm not much of a wine drinker, although I do enjoy an occasional glass of wine with dinner whenever we eat out at some place "fancy". I do have an impressive wine collection, even though I don't really drink wine at home. I'm saving my wine for celebrations and for when my cousin comes to visit (nothing goes better with girl talk then a glass of wine or two).

My kids are the number one reason why I don't drink much wine. Growing up we have taught our kids how drugs, alcohol and smoking are bad for you. They took it all to heart and heaven forbid if I order a glass of wine at dinner with my kids present. They will give me such grief over it. LOL!

My daughter also won the school's essay contest for the D.A.R.E program (Drug & Alcohol Resistance Program). She was able to read her essay in front of the entire school and local dignitaries. We keep telling her that she can never drink, smoke or do drugs because they will strip her of her metal (LOL). My son just recently wrote his D.A.R.E essay (I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he wins!) which was all about alcohol abuse.

So what can you do if you are in the mood for a little vino but you don't want to indulge in the real thing? Vignette Wine Country Soda is the perfect solution!

Wine Country Soda (http://www.winecountrysoda.com)/ offers a Vignette that is part wine country magic, part soda pop pleasure, Vignette is a truly new and uniquely refreshing soft drink. Naturally sweetened with the juice of California varietal wine grapes, this fizzy beverage is simply delicious.

Vignette Wine Country Soda is currently available in Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Rosé varieties.

Some interesting facts about the Wine Country Soda.

- It's all natural
- There is no added sugar
- It's non-alcoholic
- There is no high fructose corn syrup
- Contains 50% Varietal juice
- There are no added colors
- It's caffeine free
- It's bee gently pasteurized
- It's lightly carbonated
- It contains no preservatives

When I learned about Vignette Wine Country Soda I knew I just had to try it for myself.

The bottles are an ideal size for one person, or you could easily pour two people a glass of the "soda" if you want to be a bit more "classy" about it.

I was expecting the drinks to be more like "soda" with a lot of fizz and effervescence. I didn't find that to be the case. It did have that tongue ticking feel to it like you would get with something that has been carbonated, but I would not classify this as a true soda by any means.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Vignette Wine Country Sodas really did resemble their alcoholic counterparts. The sodas had all the fruity flavor as real wine but it was 100% non-alcoholic. I found the soda to be very refreshing and tasty.

You can drink it at room temperature but the sodas are a million times better chilled.

I just had to see what my kids thought if they saw me drinking the Vignette Wine Country Soda. One night at dinner I poured some into a plastic tumbler with a college football logo on it (classy huh?) because we don't have wine glasses or any kind of a fancy glass. OH! You should have seen my kids. They were rolling their eyes and giving me such dirty looks. They were also more then happy to quote statistics about alcohol.

Playing along with me on the joke was my husband. My husband has NEVER tasted alcohol before. He had a friend die from drinking and driving and he's honestly never saw the appeal. At his friend's wedding his friend said NOT to give him a gift but rather he would consider it a gift if my husband would take a sip of champagne when they did the toast at the reception. He never got that "gift". My husband refused to give in.

At dinner when I was sipping on the Vignette Wine Country Soda my husband reached over and took the glass from me and took a mouthful of the soda. OH! You should have seen the look on my kid's faces. If only I thought to have the camera ready. They almost fell out of their chairs. Of course we had to let them in on the joke. They were NOT happy with us. LOL! After I let them try some for themselves they were not mad at us anymore.

The Vignette Wine Country Soda has the look and taste of fine wine without the cost or the alcohol.

This holiday season as you are celebrating with friends and family, or when you are toasting to the new year, you might want to consider picking up some Vignette Wine Country Soda in place of other alcoholic beverages. Not only is it a healthier alternative but it's also a SAFER alternative. You wouldn't have to worry about your guests drinking and driving.

Vignette Wine Country Soda is available at many retail locations across the country as well as online at http://www.winecountrysoda.com/.

*I received a couple of samples for free to do this review. There was no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.

DXG-125 All-Weather, All-Terrain HD Camcorder Review

2009-12-09T07:15:00.000-05:00

Buried some where deep in our basement storage room is the very first video camera my husband I and owned. We used it to video tape our daughter's first smile, first words and her first steps. The video camera is huge and heavy that my husband had to rest it on his shoulder when he used it. It always reminded me of those cameras you see on movie sets. The video camera even takes VHS tapes! Ha! Remember THOSE?

Fast forward 12 years. Video cameras have come a long way. Now they are about the size of your hand, can fit in your pocket and you can upload and view your videos in the matter of minutes just by connecting it into your computer.

For me the new video cameras available on the market these days are the "greatest thing since sliced bread". Although I still prefer taking photos with my camera, having a video camera on hand is still a marvelous thing.

I have a couple of pocket size video cameras. One I used frequently, another I let my kids have. I now have a new video camera which in my opinion leaves the other cameras in it's dust.

The DXG-125 All-Weather, All-Terrain HD Camcorder is a "must have" for those who enjoy having the ability to shoot video on a moments notice. This amazing pocket sized camera has quickly become my favorite video camera.

This mighty little video camera is ideal for any terrain and is made to handle all weather conditions. This camera was designed with sports and outdoor enthusiast in mind. It features a durable rubber hand grip makes it easy to securely hold and protects the camcorder against bumps and drops when out on excursions, while the included carabiner and compass keep you on track during adventures. It even features a splash-proof exterior which lets you rinse off the DXG-125V if it falls in a muddy puddle along the trail or in the snow when getting off a chair lift. You can not submerge it. It's not made for filming underwater.

The DXG-125V has a nice 2-inch LCD display and it able to capture HD video (720 P) as well as take still images.

One of my favorite features is that it's also an MP3 player. Now I have a camera, video camera and MP3 player all wrapped up in one neat little package.

I took my other favorite video camera (prior to receiving the DXG-125V) and the DXG-125V with us when we went to see the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall in New York City a few weeks ago.

Here is a video done with my other favorite camera.

And here is a video done using the DXG-125V. Notice the difference?

The other camera is more "grainy" and the images are a lot darker. The DXG-125V camera's video footage is clearer and not grainy. It is also not as dark.

Here is a video I shot outside. It was dark outside except for the street lights, cars and lights from the buildings. I'm rather impressed with how well this came out.

I can be a bit "technologically challenged" at times but I was able to figure out the DXG-125V pretty much immediately. My husband showed me how to take still shots but other then that I figured it all out on my own.

I love being able to upload videos instantly to my computer, or watch them on the camera it's self.

I keep the DXG-125V in my pocket book all the time. You just never know when you might need to take video, capture an image or if just want to listen to some music while waiting at a doctor's appointment.

The DXG-125V is from the DXG Digital Camera Company (www.DXGUSA.com). There they offer video cameras to suit every one's life styles and even fashion sense.

DXG Digital Camera Company offers an underwater video camera which looks cool, but my favorites are the fashionable ones. They offer digital cameras with fun designs and patterns on them which make them resemble purses rather then cameras. This is thier Soho 720 HD Camcorder done in blue argyle.

Their Riviera 720p HD Camcorder even comes with a matching purse size camera bag. How cool is this? This camera is available in pink, white and black.

Of course DXG Digital Camera Company offers more traditional styled cameras too.

Whether you are in the market for a new video camera, or you are looking for one as a gift, you should check out the great selection of cameras available at DXG Digital Camera Company, www.DXGUSA.com.

*I received the DXG-125V camera free to do this review. There was no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.

Win a $25 Gift Card to Coleman from She Scribes!

2009-12-09T02:06:00.011-05:00

When I was younger I used to LOVE going camping with my cousins who live in Pennsylvania. We didn't REALLY "rough it" because we usually stayed at places (camp grounds) that had bathrooms and showers. But we did sleep in a tent and cook our food over an open fire or a portable gas stove. My aunt is a great campfire cook and made the most delicious potato and onion "packet" out of aluminum foil over the open flame. YUMMY!

One name is synonymous with camping and outdoor equipment is Coleman (www.Coleman.com). Even as a young girl when brands didn't mean anything to me I just automatically thought of camping and the outdoors whenever I saw something with the words Coleman on it.

Coleman does offer an extensive amount of gear and equipment for the novice camper to the serious outdoor enthusiast. From coolers to cordless appliances and from storage to sleeping bags, Coleman has got you covered.

Even if you don't hike up into the woods to go camping under the stars Coleman has products that anyone can use. I'm especially keen on some of the cookware and serving sets they offer on the Coleman web site. They also have a huge section of dog toys and pet beds (my dog would LOVE those!). My son is especially interested in the binoculars and this cool zipper pull that is part thermometer and part compass.

Did you know that Coleman is having a really cool Twitter contest? Everyday for 50 days (WOW!) Coleman is giving one lucky person a $25 gift card. That means you have multiple chances of winning a $25 Coleman gift card. That would make a great gift or use it yourself.

To enter all all you need to do is follow Coleman on Twitter (CLICK HERE) and then Tweet the answer to the following question.

"What would you buy this holiday season from Coleman.com and why?"

Please include @ColemanCampfire in your Tweet so that Coleman can see it, otherwise it won't qualify.

For example I could tweet "If I won $25 to Coleman I would buy a new bed for my dog because his is old. @ColemanCampfire"

Easy peasy, right?

Entries are limited to one per person/Twitter account per day (note that the Twitter contest is open to US residents only). The official rules are located HERE.
But wait, it gets better! One lucky She Scribes reader will also win a $25 Coleman gift card. Thanks Coleman!

To enter please visit the Coleman web site (www.Coleman.com), look around and then come back here and comment on what you would spend the $25 gift card on. Don't worry, if you are the winner you can certainly change your mind.

For extra entries you can do any or all of the following, just be sure to leave a separate comment for each that you have done.

- Blog about the Coleman giveaway and please link back to BOTH this post and Coleman (www.Coleman.com). Please provide the URL of the post.

- Subscribe and/or Follow She Scribes. Both options are found about 1/2 way down on the right side bar. I really want to reach my goal of 600+ subscribers and 800+ followers before the end of the year.

- Follow Coleman on Twitter (CLICK HERE).

- Tweet about THIS giveaway on Twitter and please include @She_Scribes in the post so I may see it too.

- Promote this giveaway in other ways (Stumble Upon, Digg, Technorati...). Just be sure to tell me what you did and if possible provide a URL or name.

This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on December 16, 2009 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be selected from all eligible entries using a random number generator. The winner will be contacted by e-mail and will have three days to reply with a name and mailing address (no PO Boxes) or a new winner will be chosen.

Don't forget to check out the other great giveaways currently available on the right side bar under "Win It".

*I was not compensated in any way for this post. I posted this for the benefit and enjoyment of my readers. The opinions expressed are my own.

Hellman's Make the Holidays Tastier (GIVEAWAY!)

2009-12-09T01:17:00.007-05:00

Have you heard about the Hellman's Real Holiday Helpings web site? If not you are missing out on not only some wonderful recipes but also a chance to win FREE groceries for a year, win daily prizes and get some great money saving coupons.

The Hellman's Real Holiday Helpings web site is found here,

http://www.hellmanns.com/promotions/holidayhelpings/

I LOVE the videos from Bobby Flay. I was watching them earlier today and they left me drooling for me. I LOVE his recipe for the Turkey Cuban Sandwich. What a unique way to use left over holiday turkey.

He has a recipe for a Caramelized Onion Dip that I am going to try and bring with me the next time my family gets together around the end of the year. It looks amazing!

I love that Bobby Flay's videos feature children. Many children love to help out in the kitchen and the recipes featured on the Hellman's Holiday Helpings web site are kid friendly. The recipes might not appeal to all children, but most children can at least help you out in the kitchen making these mouth watering recipes. I think it would be extra special to have your children help you to create your family's holiday meal.

The recipes that are featured are easy to do and don't require a lot of ingredients. Not only do you get to see Bobby Flay in action but you can also print out the recipes as well.

There are dozens of recipes also found on the site including such tasty offerings as...

- Sweet Potato Green Onion Fritters with Cranberry Cinnamon Dipping Sauce (say it with me now...YUMMY!)

- Monterrey Turkey Pizza

- Tuscan Glazed Chicken

- Hot Italian Toasts

- Stuffing Muffins

- Pumpkin Spice Cake

And much, much more!

Try your luck with the matching game to be eligible to win prizes. I got up several levels but the higher you go the more images you have to match and the less time you have to do it.

You can even join their Facebook page where you will find exclusive behind the scenes interviews with Bobby Flay, recipes, videos, news, coupons and more. You can CLICK HERE to become a fan on Facebook.

Check out the site when you can. You won't be disappointed.

http://www.hellmanns.com/promotions/holidayhelpings.

I have a $25 American Express gift card that I can give to one lucky She Scribes reader. Perhaps you can use the gift card to buy the ingredients to make some of the tasty recipes found on the Hellman's Holiday Helpings web site?

To enter please visit the Hellman's Holiday Helpings web site,

http://www.hellmanns.com/promotions/holidayhelpings, look around and then come back here and comment on your favorite recipe featured on the site that you would love to make. It will be hard to choose just one.

For extra entries you can do any or all of the following. Just be sure to leave a separate comment for each that you have done.

- Blog about the Hellman's Holiday Helpings web site and please link back to BOTH this post and the Hellman's Holiday Helpings web site, http://www.hellmanns.com/promotions/holidayhelpings.

Please provide the URL of the post.

- Subscribe and/or Follow She Scribes. I'd love to reach my goal of 600 subscribers and 800 followers by the end of 2009. Both options are found about 1/2 way down on the right side bar.

- Tweet about the Hellman's Holiday Helpings web site and/or this giveaway and please include @She_Scribes in the tweet so I can see it too. Please limit it to three tweets per day.

- Promote this giveaway in other ways (Digg, Stumble Upon, Technorati...). Just be sure to tell me what you did and if possible provide a URL or name.

This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on December 16, 2009 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random using a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winner will be contacted by e-mail and will have three days to reply with a name and mailing address (no PO Box) or a new winner will be chosen.

Don't forget to check out the other great giveaways currently available on the right side bar under "Win It".

*I received a $25 AMEX gift card in conjunction with this promotion from BSM Media. There was no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.

Great Gift Ideas from Westin Hotels

2009-12-08T17:12:00.006-05:00

I'm a bit embarrassed to say that the last hotel my family stayed in was about 5 years ago and it was one of those creepy and gross CHEAP hotels. We figured there was no point in spending a lot of money for a hotel room that we would barely be in. We were out from morning to night and only used the hotel to shower and sleep.

That hotel was a far cry from my youngers years when my father made sure we stayed in the finest hotels that my family could afford.

I would love to spend a weekend at a luxury hotel, just to see what it's like. Luxury hotels have changed a lot since I stayed at them when I was a child. Back then a luxury hotel offered you a nicer quality shampoo and better towels. These days when it comes to luxury hotels the sky is the limit.

I would LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! to spend a weekend at a luxury hotel in New York City, some place like of the Westin Hotels and Resorts. When it comes to luxury, Westin (http://www.westin.com/) is the way to go.

First of all the Westin Hotels & Resorts has the most incredible bed (so I've heard). They are like sleeping on a cloud with their 250 count sheets and five ultra plush pillows. It's known by many as the "Heavenly Bed".

In the bathrooms you will find spa like bath and body products such as White Tea Aloe and Chamomile Lavender.

Did you know you can BUY these luxuries at the Westin Store web site (http://www.westin.com/store)? From ultra soft slippers to the Heavenly Westin Bed, everything they offer at Westin Hotels & Resorts is found at the Westin Store web site.

For the record if you are interested in the bed including the mattress, sheets, pillows and more be prepared to shell out upwards to $3,200. WOW... I REALLY need to see for myself what is so special about the Heavenly Bed.

If you are looking to spoil yourself with some spa like luxuries, or would love to give someone spa quality gifts, you should check out the Westin Store web site. There you can purchase all the bath and body products that they offer their guests. I have a couple of the Westin bath and body products, but SHHHH! Don't tell my family. I keep them hidden. These are too good to share. LOL!

The White Tea Aloe Body Wash is SO GOOD! I don't even have to use it. Just smelling it relaxes me. The scent has an aromatherapy quality to it. Just breathing it in, either from the bottle or when you are in the shower, just puts you at ease and relaxes you.

You don't need much of the body wash. Just a little squirt, about the size of a quarter, will give you a good wash. Oh! I just smells so good when you use it in a warm shower.

I also have the Chamomile and Lavender body oil. This will last me a long time. Just a little squirt is more then enough to cover my legs, arms and the rest of my body. I smell the Chamomile more so then the Lavender. To be honest is has a "clean" scent. That is what I think of when I use it, that it smells "clean". Like how you should smell after stepping out of the shower.

I like that it doesn't take too long to absorb into the skin. There is nothing worst then having greasy skin or having to wait for it to absorb so you can get dressed.

The Westin Store carries A LOT of products including soaps, shampoo, bath salts, massage oils, towels, curtains, sheets, robes, slippers, candles, clothing, and even pet products.

A great gift idea for someone who travels a lot, or someone who appreciates comfort, is the Westin Heavenly Travel Blanket.

My father and step-mother travel a lot across the country and overseas. I know from personal experience as well as listening to them talk that airplanes can sometimes get chilly. Lugging around a big blanket isn't practical but the Westin Heavenly Travel Blanket folds up into a nice, compact size and can easily fit inside a travel tote. The great thing about the Westin Heavenly Travel Blanket is it folds up into a pillow! It's BOTH a blanket or a pillow, depending on your needs.

The blanket opens up to be 50" x 72" and when folded it's 14" x 24".

I can tell you first hand that the blanket/pillow is oh-so-soft! I have the Westin Heavenly Travel Blanket. I keep it in my living room for those nights when it's a bit chilly and I want to snuggle up in something soft. I have also taken it in the car when we visit the grandparents. My kids have used it as a blanket (they draped it across both their laps) and they have fought tooth and nail over who gets to use it as a pillow. LOL! I seriously need to get another one before another bloody battle breaks out in the backseat over who gets to use it as a pillow.

I'm thinking about getting a couple for my father and step-mom. These would be ideal for them to have with them on their many travels. Having your own pillow is more sanitary then "renting" an airline pillow too.

To check out all the other luxurious products availabe at Westin Store visit www.Westin.com/Store.

To learn more about Westin Hotels & Resorts visit www.Westin.com.

*I received a couple of bath products & the travel blanket free to do this review. There was no other compensation. The opinons expressed are my own.

Bentley's Popcorn - Helping Homeless Pets in a Sweet Way

2009-12-08T16:22:00.005-05:00

Many of my regular readers know that I have a soft spot in my heart for anything that pertains to animals. I appreciate charities and organizations that support efforts to care for homeless pets and that helps to find "forever homes" for these special animals.

Bentley's Popcorn is one of those wonderful companies that are doing what they can to help homeless animals.

Here is a little background on Bentley's Popcorn.
Bentley's Popcorn (www.BentleysPopcorn.com) is a family own, family run company based out of Atlanta, Ga and produces luxury snacks for people worldwide. All of their products are rich in taste and family tradition. Their story is as a unique as the product's taste.

When sisters Jackie and Katharine were young, ten and eight respectively, they fell in love with an adorable nine week old wire-haired Fox Terrier. They fell head over heels in love and knew they just had to have this puppy. Their parents were not keen on the idea of another dog, so the girls secretly put their money together and brought the puppy, which they named Bentley.

Bentley fit right in as a playful, lovable addition to their home. One of Bentley's favorite treats was their family recipe for caramel popcorn. Whenever he heard the sound of kernels popping, and the sweet smell of caramel, he was always the first in the kitchen. After much encouragement from family and friends, they decided to share our family tradition on a larger scale. It was only natural that their product carry the name of its biggest fan, Bentley.

It took over three years perfecting the recipe so that the kettle roasted kernels deliver a unique, robust, creamy, rich and delicious flavor. They also only use the finest ingredients.

I was lucky enough to sample some of Bentley's Popcorn. OH MY!!!! (yes, it deserves multiple exclamation points!). Specifically the Toffee Caramel Popcorn. If you love Toffee or Caramel then you will flip for the Toffee Caramel Popcorn. I honestly can't tell what it tastes more like, but I'm leaning more towards Toffee.

I love that the popcorn pieces are big and fluffy. There is nothing I hate more then broken little popcorn crumbs.

I love it when some of the popcorn pieces stuck together. That means that you'll get an extra crunch of Toffee.

The popcorn is very sweet. I like that it's sold in individual serving packages to keep you from eating too much at a time. Because it's very sweet if you eat too much you are asking for a tummy ache.

Bentley's Toffee Caramel popcorn is 180 calories per bag and contains 9 grams of fat. The fat grams are a bit higher then other popcorn but the Bentley's Toffee Caramel popcorn contains only 25 mg of Cholesterol and 120 mg of sodium, which I don't think is bad at all.

My whole family LOVED the popcorn. My kids took some to school with them for lunch and both told me the same story - that their friends were all over it! Both of my kids asked me for TWO bags for lunch the following day so that they could have one and let their friends devour the other bag.

The popcorn does contain milk and soy and it made on equipment that handles peanuts, so you would need to take that into consideration.

Also available at Bentley's Popcorn is Butter Pecan (I bet that one is amazing!) and Cinnamon Almond (yummy!).

To learn more about Bentley's Popcorn you can visit them online at www.BentleysPopcorn.com.

In addition to creating luxury snacks filled with rich taste and tradition, Bentley's wanted to do something for all the pets that are not as fortunate enough to find a forever home. Thus Bentley's Buddies, a program that allows Bentley's Popcorn to help homeless pets find new homes, was established. A portion of every purchase is contributed to The Homeless Pets Foundation to help Bentley's Buddies find the care and love they deserve. To read more about Bentley's Buddies visit their web site, www.BentleysPopcorn.com.

*We received samples of the Toffee Caramle popcorn free to do this review. There was no other compensation. The opinionsn expressed are my own and that of my family.

Corel Digital Studio - Review & Giveaway ($99 value!)

2009-12-08T14:25:00.005-05:00

I'm a freelance photographer. Writing and photography are two passions of mine. My dream is to one day own a professional quality camera with all the "bells and whistles" so I can take amazing distance and close up shots, as well as action shots.

Because photography is a passion of mine it goes without saying that I have A LOT of pictures. Many are in photo albums (pre-digital camera days) where as the rest is scattered among computers, CD's and external hard drives. I hate just having pictures just sit there and not be enjoyed or appreciated by family and friends. I love to share photos as often as I can.

I enjoy playing around with photos. I love to do fun and creative things with them. Whether it be turning them from color into black and white or adding word bubbles and and other fun elements, I enjoy "tweaking" photos to see what I can come up with.

I have a home business where I work with photos and graphics. I would like to think that I'm pretty good when it comes to playing around with images to get them to be exactly what I need for a project.

For years I have worked with an ancient version of Corel's Paint Shop Pro (PSP7). I'm not 100% proficient in it, as I know I have a lot to learn. But I can do some really amazing things with the program when it comes to pictures and graphics. It's fun to play around with the various features to enhance the images, distort them or change them all together.

Corel (http://www.corel.com/) is known for it's photo editing software that is used by both novices and professionals alike. One product that is especially fun to use is Corel's Digital Studio 2010 software. I love this program! It's such a blast to play around with it and see what I can create with my photos. It's so easy to use that even my kids know how to use it.

You can do so much with the Digital Studio 2010. I'll break it down for you with brief explanations.

- Organize your photos and videos - Digital Studio 2010 helps you to sort and organize all your photo and video files so that you can find them easily when you need them. I enjoyed seeing larger images then what I would see normally on the computer. I also like that it gave you a "sampling" of images found in each folder. So many times I am looking for a specific image but I don't remember which folder it's in. With the Corel Digital Studio 2010 I was able to see several images from each folder so I had a better idea as to which folder I should look at to find the image I was searching for.

- "Tweak" your photos - With Digital Studio 2010 you have the ability to tweak your photos to your heart's desire. You can crop, rotate, resize, change colors, add special effects and so much more. This is a lot like working with Paint Shop Pro. I love having control over my photos so I can make corrections when necessary and "jazz" them up a bit if I am working with a lackluster photo. I enjoy playing around with all the special effects to see what I can come up with.

- Create projects - This is really a fun feature. You can quickly and easily create fun projects such as cards, calendars and photo books using the Digital Studio 2010. Even better you can purchase your completed project right from the software. To give you an example I created this Christmas card (below) on Digital Studio 2010. If I wanted to purchase the cards to give out to family and friends I can do so in a matter of a few clicks on the software. An individual card costs $1.49. I'm not sure if there are discounts for larger orders. I didn't carry through with my purchase.

- Create slide shows with your photos - With Digital Studio 2010 you can easily create video slide shows of your images quickly and easily. It's just a matter of selecting the photos you want to use and dragging them to the location in the video you want to place them. You are able to re-arrange photos at any time, add music and you can even add a voice over. It's a really fun and easy way to create videos from your pictures.

- Video editing - You can even use Digital Studio 2010 to edit existing videos that you take with your video camera. In all honesty I have not mastered this feature yet. I am still playing around with it. I know you can take still photos from videos which is great if there is one shot you especially want as photo. This would be great for action shots, like capturing someone jumping in mid air.

- Share your creations online with family and friends. The work that you do on Digital Studio can be forwarded to your Flick account, YouTube account, mobile phone, Facebook, e-mail, save on your computer or burn on a disc. It can all be done with just the click of a button.

Digital Studio 2010 is so easy to use. My daughter even took pictures of her friends and herself and turned them into a fun collage on Digital Studio 2010.

The "pros" of Digital Studio 2010 is that you can do A LOT with photos and videos quickly and easily. It's also great to be able to create your own photo books, calendars and cards. I also think it's great that you can share things so easily with your friends and family with just the click of a button.

The "cons" are, in my case anyway, that it slowed down my computer. My computer is several years old. I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not. It would be best to check the system requirements to make sure that your computer is up to par with what is needed to run this program efficiently. I originally had it on my lap top but had to remove it and re-install it on my desk top where it worked much better and faster.

If you are like me and enjoy taking pictures, tweaking them and sharing them with family and friends then you'll enjoy Corel's Digital Studio 2010.

To learn more about the Digital Studio 2010 program CLICK HERE.

Or you can visit http://www.corel.com/ and look up Digital Studio 2010. There is even a FREE trial version that you can download if you are interested in learning more about it's features.

Thanks to Corel I have FIVE copies of Digital Studio 2010 to giveaway to five lucky She Scribes readers. Thanks Corel!

To enter please visit Corel at http://www.corel.com/. Look around and the come back here and tell me about another Corel product that looks interesting and you would love to try.

For extra entries you can do any or all of the following. Just be sure to leave a separate comment for each that you have done.

- Blog about this review/giveaway and please link back to both this post and Corel (http://www.corel.com/). Please provide the URL of the post.

- Subscribe and/or Follow She Scribes. Both options are found about 1/2 way down on the right side bar. Please consider subscribing or following. I would love to reach my goal by the end of the year.

- Tweet about this on Twitter and please include @She_Scribes in the tweet so I may see it too. Please limit it to 3 tweets per day. Thank you!

- Promote this review/giveaway in other ways (Digg, Stumble Upon, Technorati...). Just be sure to tell me what you did and is possible provide a link or name.

This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on December 15, 2009 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winners will be chosen at random from all eligible entries using a random number generator. The winners will be contacted by e-mail and will have three days to reply with a name and mailing address or a new winner will be chosen.

Don't forget to check out the other great giveaways currently available on the right side bar under "Win It".

*I received a copy of Digital Studio 2010 from Corel free to do this review. There was no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.

WARNING: Rambling Post Ahead

2009-12-08T12:44:00.007-05:00

I'm sorry. I know I have plenty of reviews and giveaways to tend to. I just need a moment to rant and vent about things. Feel free to skip over this post and hold off for the good stuff that I'll be posting after I get this off my chest.

I am so upset right now over my husband's job and insurance. It's amazing how in a matter of months you can go from living a nice, comfortable, happy-go-lucky life to being in constant turmoil, totally stressed out, having a hard time sleeping and on the verge of tears.

Prior to my husband's job being outsourced we had a good life. I've been a stay at home mom for 12+ years now. We were never rich but we got by and lived comfortably within our means. We rarely ate out or ordered in. We almost never went to movies but rather rented movies to watch at home as a family. We both drive used cars. We made sacrifices for me to be there for the kids 24/7 but that was fine. Our lives were great. Everyone was happy. My husband's job was also terrific. If I was feeling sick his boss would let him come home early to take care of me. If one of my kids had a party or event at school his boss would let him take the day off and not charge him for it (vacation or sick day). His job was flexible, his pay was wonderful and everything was great.

Then the bomb dropped...

My husband's job was outsourced which meant his entire team got laid off. Except my husband. The outsourcing company hired him on. That causes problems between my husband and his co-workers because they were upset that he had a job and they didn't. This was just the beginning of the little snowball that has no turned into a colossal avalanche.

With my husband's new job came new headaches. His pay was cut by $20,000/year. That is a HUGE deal for a family that got by OK. Figure that's about $1,500 LESS per month then we had before (give or take). That is A LOT of money. We lived below our means to begin with. We have no other corners to cut. We are at the bare minimum of everything.

I have been looking for a job, so as my husband. I need to get a job to supplement the loss of income. Easier said then done when you haven't worked in 12+ years, you are 41 (fast approaching 42), obese and never finished her Bachelor's Degree. I can't find anything. I need something that is flexible so that I can be home with the kids on snow days, school vacations and when they are sick. Needless to say jobs like that pretty much don't exist. We don't have anyone to help watch the kids or put them on/off the bus. So one of us has to be here for them.

I have been looking for freelance writing jobs but even they are impossible to find.

My husband has been looking for a job too. He has one received one call and been on one interview and he didn't get that job because he was missing one qualification (certification) they were specifically looking for.

We've been living off my husband's severance pay for the past few weeks and putting his current pay into savings. The end of December the severance runs out and we have to live off his current pay.

Then there is the issue of insurance. OH DEAR LORD the insurance!!!

COBRA sucks (pardon my choice of words). Ever since day one there is been no communication between COBRA and our current insurance company. We were suppose to pay our share of the insurance via a bill we were to receive. We never got a bill but what we did get was several medical bills ($$$$) coming to use as "Payment Due" because the insurance company never paid them. Depending on which rep you spoke to that day it was either because the current insurance company thought we had other insurance (we didn't) or because they insurance company said we didn't have insurance because the premium wasn't paid (can't pay a bill if we never got one!). After a life time on the phone and going back and forth between a dozen people my husband paid the bill online and we were told everything would be OK (FYI...2 days AFTER the payment was due and the insurance was cancelled the bill arrived!).

It's been a back and forth thing pretty much every week. We have insurance, we don't have insurance, we have insurance, we don't have insurance. Some medical bills get paid, some come to us looking for payment because the insurance company never paid them. We went from having no outstanding debt to getting all these unpaid insurance bills.

Tylenol anyone?

So officially we have to switch over to the outsourcing company's insurance as of midnight on Thursday (this coming Thursday). My husband was reading over all the paperwork to make sure everything was OK and decided to do a few phone calls just to be on the safe side (he's a pro at dealing with insurance companies now...he's logged in HOURS of phone calls back and forth with them).

We can barely afford insurance as it is. Remember my husband's salary was cut considerably. We finally realized there is no way to afford insurance for all of us so we looked into the state insurance. Because of my husband's salary we meet the criteria for state insurance. So we'll be able to put the kids under state insurance as of January. We still can't afford insurance for the two of us, but at least we know the kids will be OK.

WRONG!

Come to find out that the dentist our kids have been going to for 10+ years now does not take state insurance. That's bad enough but the Orthodontist (same practice) doesn't take the state insurance either. Our daughter has braces. She's had braces for over four years now. We've paid OUT OF POCKET close to $10,000 for all the work she had to have done (braces, two different palette extenders, teeth pulling....). Now we find out that the Orthodontist won't take state insurance which means we'll have to find another Orthodontist. But we already have $10,000 worth of money from our own pocket invested in her mouth with the current Orthodontist. There is NO WAY we can afford to pay a new Orthodontist that kind of money. We don't have that money at all.

We CAN opt for an insurance that the dentist office will accept, which means the kids can stay with their dentist, but, that insurance DOESN'T cover any kind of Ortho. AND we'd have to put the kids back on the company's insurance if we went that route. So that would mean if we opted to do that the kids could stay with their beloved dentist, but we'd have to pay to cover all of us under the insurance, which we can't afford, and the kids couldn't go under the state insurance. And either option DOESN'T cover Ortho. which means we'll have to pay an arm & a leg to another Orthodontist to finish out her braces. For the record she FINALLY gets her top braces removed after 4+ years this Thursday, but she still has bottom braces and she needs some kind of a bar and a retainer. All of which would have been covered by all the money we have already paid.

A few months ago we didn't have a care in the world. Fast forward to present time and my husband and I are dealing with daily headaches, loss of sleep, totally stressed out... even our son is feeling the effects. He went from doing "OK" at school to failing just about all his tests and he's very moody and withdrawn. We KNOW my husband's job and all the stress and pressure we are under is trickling down to the kids.

It's horrible that this all happens around Christmas. Our kids have iPod Nanos, Nintendo Games, Northface Jackets and other $$$ on their wish list and here I am buy SOCKS for my daughter and giving them as a gift. Yeah, they are the knee-highs that she likes in the funky colors and designs, but none the less I have to give our daughter $5 worth of socks as a gift instead of the jacket she wants. In years past we have done our best to get most of the things on their wish list (within reason of course). This year they have ONE gift each that was on their wish list. The rest are just fillers and fluff we picked up so that they had something to open up Christmas morning. It's not their fault everything is crumbling around them. We are trying to make their holiday as "normal" as ever. I DID win some money as part of a contest, but that money now has to go towards paying bills and grocery shopping instead of what I intended it for, gifts and taking my family to New York City to see the tree at Rockefeller Center.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not UNGRATEFUL in any way. I am grateful that my husband at least has a job. I am grateful for all the wonderful and amazing opportunites that my family has been blessed to experience (like the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall). I am grateful that my family has it's health and for the time being a roof over their heads and food in their tummies.

Maybe Ebenezer Scrooge was so unhappy around Christmas because his job sucked and his insurance was horrible. If that is the case we can totally relate to him.

Bah Humbug...

Thanks for letting me vent. We'll return to our regularly scheduled blogging after a few short commercial breaks (and after I down a pint of Häagen-Dazs peppermint ice cream).

Oh Fudge! And other yummy things.

2009-12-08T08:41:00.014-05:00

I can't believe it's already December 8th and I haven't made one yummy recipe as of yet that I normally do this time of year. I can't bake to save my life, but I can certainly "fluff it" and give the illusion that I know how to bake. Ha Ha.

This time of year I love to make my holiday fudge wreath. It's a little something I whipped up a few years ago and it went over so well that I try and do it each year. Mind you this is my recipe that I have adapted to suit my needs. You can play around with it too to see what else you can come up with.

Kimberly's Holiday Fudge Wreath (you can make it YOUR Holiday Fudge Wreath too!)

Ingredients:

- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup (5 fl.-oz. can) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
- 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 2 cups of NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* Some fudge recipes suggest 1/4th of teaspoon of salt. I omit the salt. You can include it if you want. Also some people like to toss in nuts and marshmallows. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. It depends on what I have on hand.

Directions:

- Line a big round pan with foil. Also line a small coffee can or something small and round with foil. You'll see why in a moment.

- Combine all the ingredients except the vanilla extract into a saucepan. Warm over lowest possible heat, stirring until melted and smooth. Remove the saucepan from the heat and mix in the vanilla extract. If you want to add nuts or marshmallows you can do it at this time as well.

- Place the small coffee can or other small round object that you wrapped in foil into the center of the big round pan. Try and make sure it's perfectly centered.

- Pour the fudge mix into the round pan and around the coffee pot/can (soup cans work too). You might need some one's help so the can in the middle doesn't slip. Essentially you are going to make a right shape.

- Put the fudge into the fridge for a few hours to set.

When the fudge is set I like to make up a frosting to go on top. I like to make a cream cheese frosting but you can use whatever frosting you like best. Here is the recipe for the one that I make.

Ingredients:

- 1 pkg. (8 oz.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup (about 1/2 a stick) butter or margarine, softened
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar (about 4 cups), sifted

Directions:

- Beat all the ingredients EXCEPT the powdered sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until well blended. Then gradually add the powered sugar a little at a time, making sure it's well blended before adding more.

At this point I often add about a teaspoon of peppermint extra to give the frosting a minty taste. You can do that if you want or leave it "as is". You can also add the teaspoon of peppermint extract to the fudge when you add the vanilla extract INSTEAD of adding it to the frosting if you want a chocolate mint brownie. I have done it both ways. I find that I add it to the frosting more often that way people who don't like mint can scrape off the frosting and still enjoy the brownie.

After everything is mixed add a few drops of green food coloring to give the frosting a green color. Next frost the round fudge ring with the green frosting. You can give it little "peaks" if you want. It doesn't have to be smooth. It's suppose to look like a wreath.

After the frosting is on you can decorate your wreath if you wish. You can use gum drops, red and green M&M's, sprinkles, licorice or fruit roll ups as a "ribbon"... however you see fit.

Ta da...you've just made a fudge wreath!

The one pictured is NOT one that I made. For the life of me I can't find a picture of one. I know there is a couple of pictures from the first one I made about 5+ years ago, but I can't find them. The one pictured is from the Oprah.com web site. Mine sort of look like that, but with green frosting. You can make it without the frosting as you can see from the above picture. It's totally up to you.

There are lots of great recipes found on the Internet to make your holidays "sweeter". One great resource is the Nestle's Carnation Evaporated Milk web site,

www.TheCookingMilk.com.

There you will find an interactive Online Virtual Kitchen, lots of yummy recipes, tips and tools to help create an easy, financially smart and stress-free holiday season. You can even get a FREE “Holiday Houseful” Recipe Guide featuring the perfect recipe for every entertaining occasion this holiday season, including everything from Brunches and Potlucks, to Game Day and Appetizers and even Leftovers! You can either send away for a FREE printed booklet or you can download it right from the site (you need Adobe to read a .PDF file).

I also have some great tips for you from best-selling author, Pam Anderson, food columnist for USA Weekend, Better Homes and Gardens Magazine and author of the cook book series The Perfect Recipe.

I asked Pam about what are some of her favorite quick and easy holiday recipes. This is her reply.

I love my tomato soup recipe. It's like a good little black dress, elegant enough as a holiday first course yet casual enough for a kids lunch with grilled cheese. You can make it vegetarian as well as change the herbs and spices for a completely different flavor. For quick casual lunch skip pureeing it in a blender. Here's the recipe:

Creamy Tomato Soup with Italian Flavors

Makes 10 cups serving 8 to 10

Ingredients:

- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasonings (or 2 tablespoons curry powder for a completely different look and feel)
- 2 cans (28 ounces each) crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 can (12 ounces) Carnation evaporated milk
- Salt and ground black pepper

Directions:

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Add onion; sauté until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in Italian seasonings; cook until fragrant, less than a minute. Add tomatoes and baking soda, then chicken broth; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, to blend flavors, about 10 minutes.

Working in batches, pour soup into a blender; puree, making sure to vent blender by removing pop-out center, and draping a kitchen towel over the top, until creamy smooth, 30 seconds to a minute. Return soup to pot, stir in milk, and heat to simmer, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. (Can be refrigerated up to 3 days; return to simmer) Ladle into bowls and serve.

I also asked Pam about what we can do in when faced with unexpected guests and what items are important to have in the pantry this season?

This is Pam's response...

Clearly this soup is a pantry dish--onion, oil, spices, canned crushed tomatoes, chicken or vegetable broth, and Carnation evaporated milk (which, by the way, gives the soup the richness and creaminess of heavy cream without extra fat and calories.)

Other things I'd keep on hand--roasted nuts, big olives and a few nice bottles of wine (and other interesting nonalcoholic drink options), seasonal teas and cookies so that it's easy to welcome friends and family to your home on a moment's notices.

And of course, we still have to eat throughout the holiday, so keep basics like pasta, canned beans, olive oil, vinegars, Parmesan cheese, and cooked lean sausages for quick soups and pasta dishes.

One other thing I try to keep around are hearty vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli. If you're making pasta, you can cook them in the boiling water before adding the pasta and drizzle them with vinaigrette or your favorite salad dressing. They last a lot longer in the vegetable bin than salad greens and it's a nice change from the same old salad!

Finally I asked Pam how you, my readers, can stay stress-free this season in spite of all the holiday cooking and chaos?

I think we're all different and we each have different stress points. I've asked my readers to complete the following phrase--"This holiday season I will (or will not) ..." and it's incredible the things people have written. If we take a little time to verbalize what we really want this month--I will not over eat, I will not use my credit card, I will play with my kids more--we have a better chance of staying stress-free and content rather than getting swept up into the holiday chaos. Also your readers should visit www.TheCookingMilk.com (I'm there to welcome them) and order a copy of Full of Flavor--Your Guide to Catering to a Holiday Houseful. It's filled with recipes for brunch, cocktail parties, potlucks, and game day gatherings. There are even recipes for using up holiday leftovers.

Thanks Pam for answering those few questions for me. To learn more about Pam you can CLICK HERE to visit her Amazon page where you can see some of her books and read her blog.

Don't forget to check out the Nestle's Carnation Evaporated Milk web site at www.TheCookingMilk.com for more great recipes and to download or order your FREE guide.

*I was not compensated in any way for this post, except for two coupons for free Carnation Milk. There was no other compensation. I did this post for the benefit and enjoyment of my readers.

Amazing Holiday Recipes, Part II & Useful Tips

2009-12-07T14:03:00.005-05:00

I have so many yummy recipes to share with my readers that I had to split them up into two different e-mails. I also have some great tips to share with you which were provided by food-loving, registered dietitian Deanna Segrave-Daly who will be cooking for 50 this Christmas including a lactose-intolerant/vegetarian mother, a vegetarian sister and a cousin on a gluten-free diet. WOW! That's a lot of cooking.

Food plays such a big role in the season’s festivities, yet planning a holiday menu or enjoying traditional holiday dishes can get tricky when you and/or guests have dietary restrictions. Here are some simple yet tasty tips to satisfy everyone.

Kids with Food Restrictions:

If possible, ask the host ahead of time for the menu so you and your child can create an “eating game plan.”

Have the kids help make some of the dishes – you’ll get an extra hand in the kitchen and they’ll be more likely to eat the end result!

If age appropriate (and the child is willing to wear,) design a fun name tag sticker stating the food restriction or allergy (i.e. “no gluten for me.”)

In addition to the above holiday recipe ideas, try out these kid-friendly treats:

Lactose-free:

- Whip up Mint Chocolate Chip Pudding – a winner for all ages!

Gluten-free:
For a “drinkable” desert, make apple pie smoothies (blend Real Goodness™ milk, applesauce and cinnamon.)

Vegetarian (Lacto-Ovo):
Serve a sure-fire kid favorite - Creamy Baked Macaroni & Cheese (include a dash of nutmeg for a holiday twist!)

Click on the recipe to be taken to the page where you can learn how to make these yummy treats.

Kicking off the New Year with a new you.

Losing Weight the Healthy Way:
Rethink Your Drink – Start by analyzing what’s in your daily cup. Empty calorie beverages, such as regular soda and sweetened iced teas often take place of simple H20 – what your body craves. Cut your consumption in half and you’ll slash a lot of calories. Carry a refillable water bottle or have a permanent glass at your office desk. Besides water, choose nutrient-rich beverages such as milk or 100% fruit/vegetable juice to get more bang for your calorie buck.

NOTE: If you are lactose intolerant, there is a new 100% lactose free milk – Real Goodness™ - that tastes just like regular milk.

Wake Up Right:

There’s too much riding on your morning nosh not to make it better, especially if you’re a breakfast skipper. Studies show that regular breakfast eaters are less likely to be overweight1. Pair peanut butter toast with a smoothie (mix equal parts milk, yogurt and fruit.) Grab last night’s leftover veggie pizza. Even a banana with a skinny latte is better than an empty stomach.

Portion Your Plate:

Each time you eat, mentally divide your plate into three sections: ½ vegetables & fruit, ¼ whole grains and ¼ protein. By consciously categorizing your meals, you get more nutrients like fiber, antioxidants and minerals while controlling servings. Roast vegetables for a rich, sweeter taste. Experiment with different grains such as couscous and quinoa. Add extra fruit to your dessert choice.

Power Up with Protein:

A collection of research suggests that including more high-quality protein – within a calorie controlled diet paired with exercise – could play an important role in managing a healthy body weight2. Experts believe that protein also gives the feeling of satiety, so by staying fuller longer, you may consume fewer calories. Choose high-quality protein from lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs and low-fat dairy. Round out your intake with plant-based sources like beans, legumes, nuts and nut butters. Bottom line: keep protein in balance with fat and carbohydrates – remember that portioned plate!

Keep It Sweet:

Satisfy your sweet tooth The American Heart Association recently issued daily sugar limits for adults: 6 teaspoons for women and 9 teaspoons for men. Use your allocated sugar “budget” to enhance flavors of nutrient-rich foods as in sweetened whole grain cereal or low fat chocolate milk. Buy fresh fruit in-season and eat ripe for natural sweetness. Try a sugar substitute when weaning off other sugary indulgences.

1 www.breakfastresearchinstitute.org

2 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Supplement: Protein Summit 2007: Exploring the Impact of High-Quality Protein and Optimal Health. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: 2008; 87:155S-158S.

As promised in my last post here are two more delicious recipes you can try this holiday season (or any time of year!).

Sweet Crepes with Apple Raisin filling (Pictured at the top of this post).

Active Prep: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep: 1 hour
Makes: 8 to 10 (9-inch) Crepes and 10 (½- cup) servings apple filling
One Serving = 1 crepe and ½ cup apple filling

Ingredients:
Crepes

- 1 cup Real Goodness™ Lactose Free 2% milk
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 slice lemon peel

Apple filling:

- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into thin half moons
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1.5 ounce box of raisins

Directions:
For the crepes

1. In a large bowl, WHISK all ingredients (milk through butter) vigorously until all ingredients are combined and batter appears smooth. Add lemon peel, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
2. Gently STIR the batter and PREHEAT a crepe pan or large skillet over low-medium heat.
3. MELT a small amount of butter (about 1 tsp) in the pan.
4. LIFT the pan off the heat and add 3 tablespoons of batter while tilting and swirling the pan until it is evenly covered with the batter.
5. COOK for 1 minute or until edges are lightly browned and top of crepe appears dry. Gently FLIP the crepe upside down and cook the other side for about 30 seconds more.
6. TRANSFER the cooked crepe to a plate and repeat with remaining batter.
7. TOP each crepe with ½ cup apple and raisin filling and fold over. SERVE warm.

For the apple filling:

1. In a small bowl COMBINE flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg
2. HEAT a large saucepan on medium heat and melt butter.
3. ADD the apples, vanilla, lemon juice and sugar spice mixture.
4. MIX well, STIRRING every few minutes for about 10 minutes.
5. ADD in raisins and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. Apples should be soft when pierced with a fork.

Nutrition Facts (per serving):
172 Calories; 4g Fat; 2g Saturated Fat; 56mg Cholesterol; 57mg Sodium; 30g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 4g Protein

New Year’s Evening Celebration: This recipe is festive, yet fulfills another meal plan option - vegetarian.

Vegetable Lasagna Rolls with Creamy Basil Sauce

Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Active Cook Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Cook Time: 20 minutes
Makes: 9 (2-filled rolls) Servings

Basil Sauce:

- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- 2 shallots, minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cups Real Goodness, 2% Lactose Free Milk
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 bunch fresh basil leaves (6 to 7 leaves), cut in chiffonade

Ingredients:

- 9 Lasagna sheets, cooked according to package directions
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- ½ red bell pepper, chopped
- 3 scallions, whites and greens sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 10 ounce package whole white button mushrooms, chopped
- 10 ounce package frozen spinach, defrosted and drained
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ cup plain 0% fat Greek yogurt

Directions:

1. PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees.
2. CUT each cooked lasagna sheet in half and set aside.
3. In a large sauté pan, HEAT canola oil on medium-high heat and COOK bell pepper for 2 minutes, ADD scallions, garlic and mushrooms and continue to COOK until vegetables are soft and liquid has evaporated. REMOVE from heat.
4. ADD spinach, beaten egg, oregano, dill weed, salt and pepper to mushroom mixture, COMBINE well.
5. In a small bowl COMBINE cornstarch and yogurt; FOLD into spinach mixture.
6. Using one-half lasagna sheet at a time, SCOOP a spoonful of the vegetable mixture into one end of the lasagna sheet and roll up.
7. PLACE in greased baking dish seam side down and continue with remaining lasagna sheets and vegetable mixture (place each roll side by side).

Prepare the Sauce:

1. In a medium saucepan, HEAT canola oil over low-medium heat. COOK shallots until soft. ADD cornstarch and MIX with wooden spoon (being careful not to scorch).
2. Slowly POUR milk into cornstarch, WHISKING continuously until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.
3. REMOVE from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and fresh basil.
4. POUR sauce over lasagna rolls and BAKE uncovered for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Nutrition Facts:
159 Calories; 5 grams Fat; 1 grams Saturated Fat; 28mg Cholesterol; 75mg Sodium; 23 grams Carbohydrate; 4 grams Dietary Fiber; 10 grams Protein

For more great recipes or to learn more about Real Goodness visit www.RealGoodness.com.

*I was not compensated in any way for this post. I posted this for the benefit and enjoyment of my readers.

Amazing Holiday Recipes, Part I.

2009-12-07T12:41:00.004-05:00

Warning: Do not read this post if you are hungry. LOL!

I have some totally amazing, mouth watering holiday recipes to share with my She Scribes readers. These come to you compliments of Valio Real Goodness milk, made for people who are lactose intolerant. Now wait! Before you dismiss these recipes as being "blah" because they are not made with "real milk", I ask that you check them out for yourself before making that assumption.

Being lactose intolerant is no fun. I have lactose intolerance issues. I can eat cheese for the most part but drinking a glass of milk will upset my stomach horribly. I can also only tolerate ice cream in small quantities and very little cream (a couple of spoonfuls of Cool Whip can ruin my day...LOL).

Roughly one out of every 10 people suffers from lactose intolerance, or approximately 30-50 million people. That's A LOT of people! Asians have the highest number of intolerant people where Caucasians have the least amount.

Even if you or no one in your family suffers from lactose intolerance issues it doesn't mean that you cannot enjoy these tasty recipes.

Because I have so many yummy recipes to share with my readers I'll break the post up into two parts.

Hanukkah: This recipe is unique and answers the demand for lactose free kosher recipes.

Challah Apple Bread Pudding with Milk-Honey Sauce

Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Makes: 10 (1-cup) servings

Ingredients:

- 5 cups cubed Challah bread
- 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
- ½ cup golden raisins
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups Real Goodness, 0% Lactose Free Milk
- 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
- ¼ cup pecan halves (optional)

Milk-Honey Sauce

Ingredients:

- 1 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup Real Goodness, 0% Lactose Free Milk

Directions:

1. PREHEAT oven to 325 degrees.
2. COMBINE all ingredients (bread through butter) in a large mixing bowl.
3. TOSS ingredients to coat well and let mixture stand 10 minutes.
4. COAT a 9 x 9 x 2 baking dish with cooking spray, toss bread mixture and POUR into the baking dish. TOP with pecans if desired.
5. BAKE for 45 minutes or until set.

Meanwhile, prepare the Milk-Honey Sauce:

1. MELT butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk in honey and milk.
2. SIMMER until syrupy, WHISKING constantly; 5 minutes.
3. DRIZZLE honey sauce evenly over top of pudding according to taste. (You may not need to use all of the sauce.)

Nutrition Facts, Bread Pudding, no Sauce:
231 Calories; 7 grams Fat; 2 grams Saturated Fat; 79mg Cholesterol; 119mg Sodium; 39 grams Carbohydrate; 3 grams Dietary Fiber; 6 grams Protein

Nutrition Facts for ¼ cup Milk-Honey Sauce:
206 Calories; 4 grams Fat; 2 grams Saturated Fat; 12mg Cholesterol; 41mg Sodium; 47 grams Carbohydrate; 0 grams Dietary Fiber; 1 gram Protein

Christmas Party: Traditional, yet not tasted by many lactose intolerant individuals. What better time than the holidays to bring back joyous memories and recipes, such as Eggnog, to share with your family.

Real Goodness™ Eggnog

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Chill Time: 2 hours
Makes: 7 (2/3-cup) Servings

Ingredients:

- 4 eggs, yolks separated
- ½ cup sugar + 2 teaspoons
- 3 cups Real Goodness™, 2% Lactose Free Milk
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 ounces rum (optional)

Directions:

1. Using a mixer or whisk BEAT the egg yolks. Slowly BEAT in the sugar and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, COMBINE milk and cinnamon. HEAT on low-medium heat until milk is steaming, but NOT boiling.
3. Slowly LADLE half of the steaming milk into the beaten eggs, WHISK continuously as you slowly ADD the milk.
4. POUR the mixture back into the saucepan and RETURN to low-medium heat, constantly STIRRING with a wooden spoon until the mixture begins to thicken, about 6 to 7 minutes. Do not boil or the mixture will separate.
5. REMOVE from heat and let cool. WHISK in nutmeg, vanilla and rum. CHILL for 2 hours.
6. BEAT egg whites with two teaspoons of sugar until soft peaks form.
7. FOLD egg whites into chilled eggnog – combine well.
8. SERVE chilled with a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg on top.

Nutrition Facts:
158 Calories; 3 grams Fat; 1.5 grams Saturated Fat; 128mg Cholesterol; 26mg Sodium; 0 grams Dietary Fiber; 9 grams Protein

Mint Chocolate Chip Pudding

Prep: 5 minutes
Makes: 4 (½ -cup) servings

Ingredients:

- 1 box instant fat free, sugar free vanilla pudding mix
- 2 cups Real Goodness™ Lactose Free 2% milk
- 1 teaspoon mint extract
- Fresh mint leaves for garnish
- 1/2 cup dark mini chocolate chips, chilled

Directions:

1. Prepare vanilla pudding according to package directions
2. Mix in mint extract and chocolate chips*
3. Pour evenly into 4 small glasses and top with mint leaves

*This dessert is best served immediately. However, pudding may be made in advance and refrigerated. Mix in chilled chocolate chips just before servings.

Nutrition Facts (per serving):
86 Calories; 2g Fat; 1g Saturated Fat; 10mg Cholesterol; 497mg Sodium; 14g Carbohydrate; 0 g Dietary Fiber; 4g Protein

Hot Chocolate — Turbo Style! (Pictured at the top of this post).
Serves 1

Ingredients:

- 1 cup Real Goodness™ 2% lactose free milk
- 1 cinnamon stick
- teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons water
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Dark chocolate, as a garnish

Directions:

1. Heat the Real Goodness™ and the cinnamon stick until just simmering. In a mug, combine the cocoa powder, sugar, and water and stir to make a paste.
2. Remove the cinnamon stick from the Real Goodness™.
3. Pour the Real Goodness™ into the mug and stir to mix well.
4. Add the vanilla extract and stir. Sprinkle with grated dark chocolate if desired.

Mrs. Morris’ Mixed Berry Cobbler

Ingredients:

- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ tablespoon salt
- ¾ cup Real Goodness™ 2% lactose free milk
- cups strawberries (hulled & halved), blackberries (whole), and blueberries (whole), or any combination
- 1 tablespoon flour
- ¼ to ½ cup sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over berries and toss gently with ¼ to ½ cup sugar depending upon the fruit’s sweetness.
2. Place butter in 8-inch square or 9-inch round baking dish. Set in oven to melt.
3. Whisk together flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in small bowl. Add the Real Goodness™; whisk until just incorporated into dry ingredients. When butter has melted, remove pan from oven.
4. Pour batter into pan, without stirring it into butter, then arrange berries over batter.
5. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon sugar. Bake until batter browns, about 40 to 50 minutes.

Kid and Finger Friendly: Simple yet tasty, these favorites can not be enjoyed by all.

“Creamy Milk” and Cookies

Prep: 5 minutes
Makes: 4 (½ -cup pudding and 2 cookie) servings

Ingredients:

- 1 package instant fat free, sugar free vanilla pudding mix
- 2 cups Real Goodness™ Lactose Free 0% milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 small chocolate chip cookies

Directions:

1. Prepare pudding according to package directions using Valio Lactose Free 0% milk. STIR in vanilla extract.
2. Pour ¼ cup pudding into a dessert cup, place one cookie on top, and then add additional ¼ cup pudding ending with a cookie on top. REPEAT with remaining pudding and cookies.

Nutrition Facts (per serving):
178 Calories; 5g Fat; 2g Saturated Fat; 3mg Cholesterol; 564mg Sodium; 28g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 6g Protein

Ali’s Awesome Double Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

- 1 stick butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 bags of semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Melt butter in saucepan on low heat (or in a large microwaveable bowl at 50% power), then add 1 bag of chocolate chips and continue to heat until chocolate is melted.
3. Combine with other wet ingredients, then add flour, salt, and baking powder and stir until incorporated. Stir in second bag of chocolate chips. Scoop on to cookie sheets in 2-tablespoon heaps, pressing to flatten slightly.
4. Bake for about 8 minutes or until the cookies no longer look wet on top. Pour yourself a glass of Real Goodness.

I have more recipes which I will share in another post. Recipes for Vegetable Lasagna Rolls with a Creamy Basil Sauce and Sweet Crepes with Apple Raisin Filling. Yummy!

I'm sure these recipes can be adapted to include regular milk for those who are not lactose intolerant too.

For more information about Read Goodness visit www.RealGoodness.com.

*I was not compensated in any way for this post. I posted this for the benefit of my readers.

Help Support Ronald McDonald House of New York

2009-12-07T11:50:00.007-05:00

I'm hoping that my She Scribes readers and followers could be so kind as to vote for Ronald McDonald House to win a special giveaway.

Chase Bank has committed to donating $5million dollars to local charities throughout the US based on the feedback from users of Facebook. The Ronald McDonald House of New York has been nominated to be considered for this great donation.

The Ronald McDonald House would very much appreciate any support which you could provide. All you have to do is vote! The deadline is December 11th.

This is a tremendous opportunity for the House to gain additional funds in order to keep the house full with families and continue it’s great work in the New York City metro area. The Ronald McDonald House of New York is a facility that provides children with cancer and their families with physical shelter and emotional support while they undergo treatment. Since its founding, nearly than 25,000 families have stayed at the Ronald McDonald House of New York.

To vote please go to this Facebook page,
http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/1132843

You can also tweet about it on Twitter, which would be GREATLY appreciated. Towards the bottom of the above Facebook page you'll see the option to "Tweet This". Ideally you can post about it on your Facebook wall too.

Thank you in advance for your help with this very worthy cause.

For more information about the Ronald McDonald House please visit http://www.rmdh.org.

*I was not compensated in any way for this post. I posted this for the benefit of my readers and because it's a very worth while cause.

Curious George - A Very Monkey Christmas (Review & Giveaway)

2009-12-07T10:49:00.009-05:00

When I was a little girl I loved to read Curious George books. Never did I imagine back then (a hundred years ago... ha ha) that Curious George would be turned into a TV series. I adore George! He's so adorable.

Did you know that Curious George has a Christmas special? It's airing on PBS. You'll have to check your local listings for channel and air times but the movie, Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas will be airing on December 18, 19, 20 and Christmas day. I originally aired on November 25th and a second time on December 6th.

I have not seen the movie as of yet. Here is a brief description of the movie.

George and The Man with The Yellow Hat are having a very merry time counting down the days until Christmas. There's only one puzzle: neither of them can figure out what to give the other for a present. The Man is having trouble reading George's wish list and George doesn't have a clue about what to get for The Man who has everything. Will they be able to find the answers before Christmas morning?

It sounds cute. I love holiday movies. The more the merrier! I'll be sure to bookmark this the next time it airs.

Check out the movie trailer (below). Those reading this via e-mail or RSS will have to visit the site to see the movie trailer video.

There is also a soundtrack available featuring music from the movie. The soundtrack includes...

- Curious George Theme Song (Featuring Dr. John)
- Christmas With a Monkey
- Christmas Medley
- Our Christmas Monkey (aka Betsy's Song)
- Christmas Tree Shopping
- Something as Special as You (aka The Gift Song)
- Curious George Holiday Main Title Theme
- Jingle Bells
- Perfect Gift/Tomato Man
- Deck the Halls
- 12 Days of Christmas
- This is The One
- Christmas With a Monkey (reprise)

The soundtrack is nice. It's a good mixture of songs that are sung and just straight out musical pieces. Children will recognize the classics as Jingle Bells, Deck the Halls and the 12 Days of Christmas.

Sometimes children's music can be a bit too "sugary sweet" for adults to listen to. I didn't find that the case with this CD. The music was very enjoyable. I can easily pop this into my CD player and play it while I am working at home just as much as I would my other holiday music CD's.

It's a short CD. Some of the songs are just over a minute long in length (maybe a wee bit longer). A perfect length for children since their attention spans don't last too long either.

Here is a cute (short) music video from the movie too. Again, if you are reading this via e-mail or RSS you will have to visit the site to see the video.

The Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas movie soundtrack is available at many major retail locations including Amazon, iTunes, Barnes & Noble, Walmart and Target.

I have a copy of the Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas soundtrack to give to one lucky She Scribes reader.

To enter please leave me a comment on what your favorite holiday song is and who sings it. Mine would be "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" sung by Andy Williams. What is YOUR favorite holiday song?

For extra entries you can do any or all of the following. Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each that you have done.

- Subscribe and/or Follow She Scribes. I'm trying to reach my goal of 600+ subscribers before the end of the year. I would love it if you could help me reach my goal. Both options are found about 1/2 down on the right side bar.

- Blog about this review/giveaway and please link back to this post. Please provide the URL of the post so I can see it too.

- Tweet about this review/giveaway on Twitter. Please include @She_Scribes in the link so I can see it too. Please limit to 3 tweets per day. Thanks.

- Promote this review/giveaway in other ways (Digg, Stumble Upon, Technorati...). Please be sure to tell me what you did and if possible provide a URL or name.

This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on December 14, 2009 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random from all eligible entries using a random number generator. The winner will be contacted by e-mail and will have three days to reply with a name and mailing address (no PO Boxes please) or a new winner will be chosen.

Don't forget to check out the other great giveaways currently available on the right side bar under "Win It".

*I received a copy of the soundtrack free to do this review as part of the Family Review Network for Denon Records who supplied the CD for both the review and the giveaway. There was no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.

Save Money & Help Make Christmas Merrier for a Child in Need

2009-12-07T09:50:00.006-05:00

A few months ago I did a review on a very sweet toy called Shamba the Lamb from the online store Rosie Hippo. You can CLICK HERE to read that review. It's such a sweet little plush. She still sits on top of my kids desk, watching over them as they do their homework.

Rosie Hippo (www.RosieHippo.com) offers unique, natural, organic handcrafted toys from around the world. Some of their toys come from Bali, Egypt, England, Germany, Greece, Mexico, Nepal, Russia, the United States and many other countries. It's a delightful eclectic mix of toys from around the world.

Rosie Hippo has toys for every age range and offers toys that are helpful for pretend play, puzzles, Toddler toys, dolls, outdoor fun and everything else you can think of.

On their web site you can find many toys under $15.00 which would make ideal gifts this holiday season. Because their toys come from around the world you'll be sure to find something special and unique for the child you are buying for.

Rosie Hippo is offering a special 20% off discount for She Scribes readers. If you decide to make a purchase at Rosie Hippo enter in the discount code SHESCRIBES20 to get 20% off your order.

This year if you make a purchase of $100 or more Rosie Hippo will donate a new toy to a wonderful NYC organization this holiday season, RoomtoGrow.org. Their mission is to enrich the lives of babies born into poverty throughout their critical first three years of development.

Now not only can you save 20% off your order but if you order $100 or more a brand new toy will be donated to children in need thanks to your purchase.

For more information about Rosie Hippo please visit
www.RosieHippo.com.

For more information about Room to Grow visit www.RoomtoGrow.org.

*I was not compensated in any way for this post. I posted this for the benefit of my readers and to help support a great organization (Room to Grow).

My Kid's New Holiday Favorite - "Christmas is Creepy" by Fred.

2009-12-07T07:11:00.000-05:00

Are you familiar with Fred? If you have a 'tween chances are you know who Fred is. Fred is a YouTube sensation. He makes these very silly videos and posts them on YouTube. He even made an appearance in an episode of one of our family's favorite shoes, iCarly.

Fred has a new music video for the Christmas season called "Christmas is Creepy". This song follows "Christmas Cash" as the second single off Fred's "It's Hackin' Christmas", which is available for download on iTunes and for purchase from FredChristmas.com and Justice stores.

Fred also has available on his web site (www.FredChristmas.com) an exclusive Hackin' Fan Pack for only $14.99 (+ S&H), featuring the It's Hackin' Christmas CD, a "Christmas Cash" DVD with behind-the-scenes footage, a poster autographed by Fred's creator, Lucas Cruikshank, and a FRED sticker. My kids are begging me to get this for them. They LOVE Fred. I think his skits are cute. I don't totally understand them all the time. Guess because I'm "old" (ha ha).

Above is Fred's video for his song "Christmas is Creepy". I have had to play this about a dozen times for my kids. Now I have the song stuck in my head! LOL! It's a cute video. I love the claymation characters (Rudolph and Frosty) found around the 2 minute mark.

I guess Fred has a point. It is sort of creepy when you think about Santa, a "stranger", coming into your house at night. LOL!

If you have 'tweens or teens you might want to let them see the above video. It's silly but the kids LOVE it. But we warned. After you've heard the song about a dozen times it will start to play over and over in your head. Ha ha.

*I was not compensated for this post. I posted this for the enjoyment of my readers.

Trouble the Dog - Be Tough!

2009-12-06T18:54:00.006-05:00

If there is one thing I totally have a soft spot for it's plush animals. If my mom was still alive she could testify about how much I loved and valued my stuffed animals. They were such a source of comfort and friendship to me when I was growing up. I took them everywhere with me. Even spending summers in PA with my cousins I had to take along half of my stuffed animal collection. They helped me not to feel home sick for my family.

As it is with a real pet, plush animals can provide a sense of comfort when we need it the most. Little children are usually the ones who get attached to a specific plush toy because it helps them to feel safe and provides them with comfort and security. My son has a plush cat name "Bear". Bear was his best friend growing up. Bear went everywhere with us. I was terrified that we would loose Bear or something would happen to him and our son would be miserable without him. Even though my son is older now Bear sits proudly on his headboard and watches over him at night when he sleeps.

After experiencing some rough times a young girl name Kendra Duncan decided that she wanted to help bring comfort to other children (and adults) who were experiencing hard times. Perhaps they just needed a friend, a hug or something that could help bring them hope. After some initial drawings Kendra came up with the idea of Trouble the Dog. With the help of her beloved aunt Sheila they brought to life the story of Trouble the Dog.

Trouble the Dog has a mission... to help make people feel better.

Here's Trouble is a sweet book about Trouble the Dog. I am in love with the illustrations. They are the cutest I have ever seen. I absolutely adore the drawings. Here are a few from the book.

How sweet are these!

Here's Trouble is about Trouble the Dog and how he learned to care for himself on the mean streets of the city after his owners abandoned Trouble and his siblings. Trouble never gave up hope that he would find an owner some day. Thankfully his wish came true...and then some! I won't giveaway the story. You'll have to read it for yourself.

One day Sheila and Kendra would love to see Trouble made into a television cartoon to teach children all over the world to be resilient and to have hope during tough times.

To date, Trouble is in the hands of over 3,500 children in locations as far away as Iraq and Mali, Africa. In addition, Trouble has donated over $16,000 to charities working with children and animals in need such as St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Children’s Miracle Network, CancerCare, the SPCA of TN, NEADS (Dogs for Deaf and Disabled Americans) the Northeast Animal Shelter and the Mosby Foundation to name just a few.

Sheila was so kind as to send me a Trouble to see for myself just how special he truly is. I must say that he is incredibly soft. He feels like he's made with chenille! He's so snuggly and a delight to hug and snuggle with. I can see why Trouble brings so much comfort to BOTH children and adults alike. Yes, I said ADULTS! Even adults find Trouble a joy to have in their lives. I was privileged to read a testimonial from an elderly lady who was beyond thrilled to have Trouble in her life and how much he's helped her through some rough spots. Even Maria Shriver, the First Lady of California (Arnold Schwarzenegger's wife and member of the Kennedy Clan) praised the work of Kendra and Sheila and the Trouble Says Be Tough program.

If you are looking for an extra special gift for someone this holiday season, whether it be a child or perhaps an adult going through some rough times, you should consider giving them their own Trouble the Dog. Even after the holidays are over, Trouble would still make a great gift.

To learn more about Trouble the Dog and the Trouble Says Be Tough program please visit their official web site at http://www.troublesaysbetough.com/. While you are there check out the beautiful gallery and check out all the beautiful dogs that were rescued and found their "Forever Homes" thanks to the Trouble Says Be Tough program.

A special thank you to Sheila and Kendra from our special Trouble. My whole family adores him and my children fight over who gets to sleep with Trouble each night. It got so bad we had to assign them every other night. And I will admit that I have snuggled with Trouble on a few occasions myself as well as at night when I went to be. Even adults can appreciate the benefits of snuggling something cute and cuddly. LOL!

*We received Trouble & an e-book version of Trouble free to do this review. There was no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.

Creative Crafts Using GUM!

2009-12-06T17:03:00.004-05:00

As a mom I'm always on the look out for fun and creative things I can do with my children. I grew up doing crafts. I used to belong to both Girl Scouts and 4H. Both organizations had me engaging in a lot of fun crafts. I even won awards at the local county fair for my sewing box and an apron I made.

If there is one thing my kids love it's gum. Gum is like the "forbidden fruit". My daughter has braces and is not allowed to have gum. My son would eat an entire pack in a day if we let him. Normally I don't bring gum into the house but I will on occasion, especially if it's sugar free and I hold on to it to make sure the kids don't use an entire pack in a day.

We have an assortment of the "5" gum from Wrigley. My daughter raves about the "blue one" (Cobalt, peppermint flavor). Her friends chew "5" at school and have given her a piece from time to time. She also loves "the pink one" (Zing, bubble gum flavor).

Other "5" flavors include...

- Rain (Spearmint)
- Flare (Cinnamon)
- Elixir (Berry)
- Lush (Tropical)
- Solstice (Warm & Cool Winter flavor)

What I like about this gum is that it packs a "punch" of flavor. It's also very fragrant. Even before you open the piece of gum up you can smell the flavor scent.

The "5" gum comes in sticks wrapped in shiny foil-like wrappers. The wrappers are in the same color as the gum. For example Flare (Cinnamon) is red, Lush (Tropical) is orange and so forth.

My kids and I sat down to think of something creative we could do. We ended up taking the wrappers from the "5" gum and using it like wrapping paper and we wrapped the gum box with the foil wrapper. We then used other color wrappers to create decorations for the boxes. When we were done we had interesting ornaments to hang on our tree.

Here is a picture of one of the ornaments we made. There is another one that has glitter on it and it's drying on the dining room table. There is glitter everywhere! LOL!

We also got a bit more creative and created a sled out of a box of "5" gum wrapped in the gum wrappers. We added candy canes to the bottom and used gum pieces (still wrapped in foil) for the sides and a seat. The only problem we had is that we didn't want to put glue on the gum. We ended up using tape. The tape is not really seen but the flash from the camera really made it stand out. So please disregard the tape that you see. When you see it in person it's not really as noticeable.

My kids even tried to figure out how to make gum people to sit on the sled but we have yet to figure out a creative way to do that.

Who knew you could do creative things with gum. Thankfully the "5" gum by Wrigley offers a variety of pretty foiled wrappers for us to pay around with.

For more information about the "5" gum you can visit the Wrigley's web site at www.Wrigley.com.

*I received some gum samples free to do this review. There was no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.

Secrets of a Christmas Box - Review & Giveaway

2009-12-06T11:49:00.011-05:00

I am proud to say that this review come courtesy of my dear husband. I received a beautiful book called "Secrets of a Christmas Box" to do a review on. My husband saw the book on the coffee table and picked it up and right away started to read it. I have to preface this by saying my husband is NOT much of a book reader. He rarely reads books and when he does it's usually something Football related. I was pleasantly surprised to see him reading the Secrets of a Christmas Box book.

The "Secrets of a Christmas Box" was written by Steven Hornby who is a multi-award winning animator. He has been bringing stories to life for over 15 years in visual effects and animated movies. It took his three years to write this story and it was released just this past September 2009. Steven initially planned the book to be a screenplay but after spending several years having the story running around in his head, he decided to turned it into a children’s novel instead.

The following is my husband's review of "Secrets of a Christmas Box".

One of my favorite things about decorating the house for Christmas every year is removing all the Christmas ornaments from their boxes. Some were passed down to me from my Mother and some are from my childhood as well as my wife’s. Some of the ornaments belong to our children. Most of these ornaments come with a special story that I love telling every year as the ornaments are being hung on the tree.

Have you ever wondered if the ornaments themselves have their own stories, families, or even their own thoughts?

The "Secrets of a Christmas Box" is a story about the secret world of ornaments. Ornaments that come to life when everyone else is asleep. Ornaments that live their lives in the safety of the family Christmas tree every year. The ornaments enjoy the Christmas season with dancing and enjoying each others company while their owners sleep. When their owners are awake the ornaments change to a solid state and hang from the tree without a sound or movement. They ornaments enjoy watching the family enjoying the traditions of Christmas.

The "Secrets of a Christmas Box" is a story of friendship between ornaments Larry, his girlfriend Debbie, Larry’s best friend Tinsel and a newcomer to the Christmas tree, Splint. The story is about Larry's brother Terrence who never made to back to the tree one Christmas. Not willing to accept that ornaments come and go every year on the Christmas tree, Larry decides he will leave the safety of the tree and go against the laws of the Tree-Lord to search for his brother. Along with Debbie, Splint and Tinsel, they set out on their search for Larry’s brother, but end up finding so much more.

The "Secrets of a Christmas Box" became a journey of the unknown as well as excitement, fear, trust and the discovering a secret that would shock them all. It then became a race against time to get back to the Christmas tree to warn the other ornaments of the secret that they found out. Would they make it back before it was too late?

Not being a big reader myself, I could not put down the "Secrets of a Christmas Box". I found the characters very engaging as they went out on their journey. I found myself cheering for Larry, Debbie, Splint and Tinsel as they marched across the house and I felt bad when they found out the deep secret of the Christmas tree. I was even on pins and needles with anticipation to see if they made it back to the tree in time to warn the others as to what was happening.

The next time you are hanging those special ornaments on your Christmas tree and telling their stories, think that maybe those same ornaments might have their own stories to tell.

A very special thank you to my dear husband for his review. Not it's my turn to read the story, which I plan on doing right away so I can enjoy it while we still have our own tree filled with ornaments up for all to enjoy.

"Secrets of a Christmas Box" is sold at most retail book locations both online and offline including Barnes & Nobles, Amazon and Borders.

The book contains a few pencil drawings and I would say it is geared more towards older children and 'tweens, although my husband enjoyed the book. He's just a big kid anyway. LOL!

To learn more about the story and the author you can visit the official web site at http://www.secretsofachristmasbox.com/. You can also become a fan of Steven and the "Secrets of a Christmas Box" on Facebook by CLICKING HERE.

The author would love to give two lucky She Scribes readers a Limited Edition gift sack of the "Secrets of a Christmas Box". This special set includes a numbered and signed copy of the book, limited edition stickers, balloons, postcards, and pencils. Thank you Steven!

If you want to read more from my husband you can visit him at Lone Star Struck (CLICK HERE).

To enter please leave me a comment and describe a special ornament that hangs from your tree and the special story behind it.

For extra entries you can do any or all of the following. Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each that you have done.

- Visit the official web site, www.SecretsofaChristmasBox.com and comment on something interesting you learned about the book or the author. I will give you TWO extra entries if you do this.

- Blog about this review/giveaway and please link back to this post. Please provide the URL of your post.

- Subscribe and/or follow She Scribes. Both options are found 1/2 way down on the right side bar. Please help me to reach 600 subscribers by the end of 2009. That would be awesome and I would appreciate that very much.

- Follow Steven on Twitter (Click Here).

- Tweet about this review/giveaway on Twitter. Please be sure to include @She_Scribes in the tweet so I may see it too.

- Promote this review/giveaway in other ways (Digg, Technorati, Stumble Upon...). Just be sure to tell me what you did and if possible provide a URL or name.

This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on December 12, 2009 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winners will be chosen at random from all eligible entries using a random number generator. The winners will be contacted by e-mail and will have three days to reply with a name and mailing address (no PO Boxes) or a new winner will be chosen.

Don't forget to check out the other great giveaways currently available on the right side bar under "Win It".

*I received a copy of this book free to do this review. There was no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my husband's.

Awesome $5.00 and Under Magazine Deals from Amazon

2009-12-06T10:45:00.007-05:00

Our friends over at It's All Free Online (www.Itsallfreeonline.com) has done it again. They found some amazing magazine deals over at Amazon (www.Amazon.com). They are offering great magazines for $5.00 or less per year!

Here are the current $5.00 deals. Just click on the title to be taken directly to that page on Amazon.

Marie Claire (2-year) – $5
Redbook (2-year) – $5
Maxim (1-year) – $5
Coastal Living (1-year) – $5
Fast Company (1-year) – $4.97
Inc. (1-year) – $4.97
Disney Family Fun (1-year) – $4.95

WOW! I give Disney's Family Fun a 10++++ and 5+++++ stars! I LOVE that magazine! I have been subscribing to it for about 12 years AND I kept all the issues too (they are all in my bookcase). That magazine has the greatest recipes, craft ideas, great ideas to do as a family or with your kids and so much more. That is by far my most favorite magazine.

Family Fun does say $9.95 per year when you go to the page but if you read just below the price there is a box that says $5.00 will be deducted during check out, so that brings the price to $4.95.

Redbook is great too. The deal is actually $10.00, but you get a TWO YEAR subscription, so it works out to $5.00 per year (that is why it's listed in the $5.00 deals).

Magazines make great holiday gifts. And for $5.00 less per year you can afford to give several subscriptions to family and friends this year, maybe even yourself.

Thanks It's All Free Online! I appreciate you sharing this information with your blog subscribers/readers.

You should all check out It's All Free Online (www.Itsallfreeonline.com). They have a lot of amazing freebies, huge discounts and more great goodies. Check out the FREE make up deal from Elf and the 66% off at Omaha Steaks that they found.

*I was not compensated in any way for this post. I posted this for the benefit of my readers.

Cherish Special Holiday Memories With Hallmark

2009-12-05T23:57:00.005-05:00

Have you ever noticed that Hallmark has a special way of touching people's hearts, especially during the holiday season? Whether it's one of their commercials that brings a tear to your eye or a holiday special that makes your heart smile, Hallmark has a special way of touching people's lives.

Hallmark is known to offer delightful gifts for the holiday season, most especially their amazing collection of ornaments. Every year we buy our children a new ornament for the Christmas tree from our local Hallmark store. It's a tradition that started with me and my mom when I was a little girl and it has carried over to my own children.

This year Hallmark introduces a new holiday gift idea that is certainly going to be the most cherished family possession for years to come. It's a the classic story of The Night Before Christmas but with a twist. The story book is recordable. That means you, your children or even Grandpa can read the story of The Night Before Christmas and have it recorded. Then when you go and turn the pages of the story book you can hear Grandpa (or who ever did the recording) read the story of The Night Before Christmas to you. Some how the book knows when you turn the page so you can read along with the person who recorded the story.

I have to say that I was blown away by the recordable book. What a wonderful idea! Currently the book is recorded in my voice but I'm going to ask my Grandfather (my children's great-grandfather), to read the story so we can record it in his voice. That way many years from now when my Grandfather has passed on we'll still have a very special keepsake to remember him by. It gives me chills to think about having my own Great-Grandfather's voice reading me the classic story. I hope it has the same effect on my children some day.

Recording yourself reading the book is very easy. It's important to find a quiet spot in the house because the book will pick up background sounds too (like the dog barking, which happened to me).

Make sure you speak in a wee bit louder then normal voice and speak clearly. You don't have to rush either. Just take your time and read like you normally would.

A great bonus feature of the book is that the recording will not be lost when you replace the batteries. That means years from now the recording will remain in tact, even if you have had to change the batteries several times.

Don't worry the recording is not permanent. You can erase the recording and do it over again.

The book it's self is beautiful. The illustrations are timeless and classic. This is not a "cutsie" type of book. The illustrations look like the books I had when I was little (40+ years ago). The illustrations are beautiful.

The Recordable Storybook is the same size as a regular book so you could easily keep it in your bookcase if you want.

This book is available in most Hallmark Crown stores, but hurry because I'm sure they are flying off the shelves. It retails for $29.95 and is well worth every penny. This would make a great gift for anyone. I think it would be sweet to have children read the story and record it and give the book to their grandparents, or have the grandparents read and record the story to give to their grandchildren. If you have a spouse in the military or gone on long absences it would be a sweet gesture to have them read and record the story so that the children have something special to listen to each night.

Another special holiday gift available at Hallmark Crown stores is the Hallmark Digital Scrapbook.

The Digital Scrapbook is available in Holiday, Family, Friend, Baby Boy or Girl and Love. We have the holiday Digital Scrapbook.

The Digital Scrapbook is so easy that even my 10 year old can do it. When you purchase the Digital Scrapbook from the Hallmark Crown store you get a USB Flash Drive inside the box. All you need to do is insert the USB Flash Drive into your computer, click on the Hallmark icon and then you are taken to the Smilebox web site (www.Smilebox.com). There you can upload your favorite photos (up to 50). There are lovely holiday templates to accommodate any picture (both vertical and horizontal). All you need to do is select which template you want, drag the picture over that you want to place on the template and you are done. You can zoom in and out and even make the images go in black & white or color. Once you are happy with the design you click "next" and you can do the same thing for another picture (up to 50 pictures). IT'S THAT EASY!

My favorite feature about the Digital Scrapbook is the music. You can add one of the pre-loaded holiday tunes (Jingle Bells, Silent Night...) or use your own music. What makes this an extra special feature is that if you have a digital photo frame you can transfer the completed digital scrapbook over to your digital photo frame and it can play the music along with the pictures. Imagine how lovely that would be on display during a holiday gathering? You can have your family's favorite holiday photos on display while lovely music plays in the background.

You can even share the completed scrapbook online (e-mail, blog, social networking) or transfer it to a DVD and watch it on your TV.

The Digital Scrapbook will make a great gift. I'm still working on one for my Father and Step-Mother. I have been digging through tons of pictures trying to find holiday pictures of my children from over the years. I want to upload them to the Digital Scrapbook and transfer them over to a digital photo frame that I am giving them for Christmas. They are going to flip when they see it. I don't know who will be more excited, them or me when I see the look on their faces when they turn the frame on and see the Digital Scrapbook play for them.

The Digital Scrapbook is available at Hallmark Crown stores and retails for $19.95.

I have to say that I am truly impressed with both of these gift ideas from Hallmark. Hallmark has come up with innovative and creative ways to capture holiday memories that families can cherish for a life time.

To learn more about these and other Hallmark products please visit http://www.hallmark.com/. The book is found in the "Gift" section and the Digital Scrapbook is found under "Memory Keeping".

Above is a sample template found on the Digital Scrapbook program.

*I received both products free to do this review. There was no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.

What's for Dinner? Win a Coupon for a FREE Cook's Ham!

2009-12-04T19:44:00.011-05:00

What are your plans for the holiday? Do you like to go all out and cook a huge meal for your family?

On Christmas Eve my family and I like to go out to a nice restaurant and have dinner. We rarely go out to eat so it's a treat for us to eat out. We like to get dressed up and arrive at the restaurant early so we can beat the crowds. I'm amazed at just how many people eat out on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve used to be spent with my husband's family including all his siblings (he's the youngest of six), their spouses and all the kids. There would be A LOT of people trying to have a sit down dinner.

I believe it's an Italian tradition but my mother in law would make up every kind of seafood you could imagine...Lobster, Crab, Shrimp, Scallops, Fish and even Eel. She would also have to make non-seafood thing for those in the family who didn't like seafood. Usually that meant a great big roast beef.

My mother in law passed away six years ago and the family fell apart and hasn't been together on Christmas Eve since. Oh how I miss all that food on Christmas Eve!

We try and get together with my family after Christmas. My mom and my stepmother used to love to make Ham, especially spiral cut ham. I LOVE spiral cut ham. I love how perfect the slices are and how you can save the left overs for sandwiches. I especially love the ham when it's been glazed with with fruit. I LOVE how sweet and juicy it makes the ham taste.

Here is a great recipe for a Fruit Sauce Glaze.

Fruit Sauce

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons butter
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 small McIntosh or other cooking apples, peeled, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
1 small navel orange, peeled, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

Preparation

Remove and discard glaze packet from ham or reserve for another use. Prepare and heat ham according to package directions, uncovering and spooning the Fruit Sauce over the ham when 30 minutes of the time remains. If desired, spoon sauce in pan over ham again after 15 minutes.

Fruit Sauce: Place sugar, butter, cinnamon, orange juice and lemon juice in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium. Add apples and oranges. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Carve ham just before serving. Top each serving with some of the reserved Fruit Sauce from bottom of pan.

My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Did you know that there are amazing recipes on the Cook's Ham web site? Check them out at http://www.cooksham.com/recipes.

The current featured recipe is how to make a Christmas tree out of Tortillas with ham. It's pretty cool looking don't you think?

Check out some of the recipes you'll find on the Cook's Ham web site,

Baked Stuffed Sweet Potatoes With Apricot
Cherry Sauce for Ham Steaks
Cornmeal Pancakes With Ham Steak
Baked Spiral Sliced Ham with Sugar & Spice Pecan Rub
Pomegranate Ginger-Glazed Ham
Plum-Glazed Ham
Raisin Chutney-Glazed Ham
Vanilla Scented Sweet Potatoes
Yukon Gold Potatoes and Ham
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

They also have recipes for Holiday Ham and for Ham left overs. Not that there are many left overs. LOL.

One of my favorite features on the Cook's Ham web site are the dozens of video "How To's" they offer their site visitors. They have videos ranging from how to choose the right ham to recipes you can use during the holidays and from carving tips to activities for your kids. The videos are not just ham related. Some of them are just like podcasts where there is only audio and no video.

I found the tips, videos and podcasts to be very helpful. I actually have a Cook's Ham that I am going to make on Christmas day. I have been looking for the "perfect ham" for a few weeks now. Our local store really hasn't had many to choose from but now that the holidays are here they have dozens of hams at any given time. After looking them all over I found a massive ham that looks as close to "perfect" as I have ever seen. It's a "half-ham" which means it could feed 15-20 people. HA! No way! It will be feeding four - me and my family! LOL! All the left over ham will be used for other dinners, sandwiches and anything else I can think of.

Our ham is HUGE and I was shocked at how inexpensive it was. It cost $23 and change. Not bad at all considering how many more meals we can get from it. I've already bookmarked a few recipes on the Cook's Ham web site which I want to try and make with our left over ham.

Our Christmas dinner will consist of our ham, carrots & turnips, mashed potatoes, garlic knots, green bean casserole, and either a cake or an apple pie. Mmmm... I cannot wait! I'm salivating just thinking about it.

Guess what? You guessed it! I have a coupon to award one lucky She Scribes reader for a FREE Cook's Ham valued up to $30! I have a massive ham that cost me only $23+ so I can only imagine how huge a $30 ham could be.

To enter please visit the Cook's Ham web site (www.CooksHam.com). Look around then come back here and comment on a tip you learned from one of the Cook's Ham TV audio or video clips
http://www.cooksham.com/hamTV.

For extra entries you can do any or all of the following. Just be sure to leave a separate comment for each that you have done.

- Sign up for the Cook's Ham newsletter. It's found on the home page to the left side of the screen by the hand with the string tied around the finger.

- Blog about this great giveaway and please link back to both this post and Cooks Ham (www.CooksHam.com). Please provide the URL of the post.

- Subscribe and/or follow She Scribes. I "heart" my subscribers & followers. Both options are found about 1/2 way down on the right side bar.

- Tweet about this blog post on Twitter. Please include @She_Scribes in the tweet so I may see it too. Please limit it to three tweets per day. Thanks!

- Promote this blog post in other ways (Stumble Upon, Digg, Kirsty...). Just be sure to tell me what you did and if possible provide the URL of the post or your name.

This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on December 11, 2009 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random using a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winner will be contacted by e-mail and will have three days to reply with a name and mailing address (no PO Boxes please) or a new winner will be chosen.

Don't forget to check out the other great giveaways currently available on the right side bar under "Win It".

*I received a coupon for a free ham in exchange for this giveaway post. There was no other compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.