Monkey Bread is probably my favorite recipe to develop. I’m in love with it, because you can take it in so many different directions… different flavored breads, different toppings, different fillings, etc. I love a recipe that has endless possibilities, and Monkey Bread definitely fits the bill. Plus, it’s like the ultimate comfort food, right? It is literally a pile of ooey, gooey, aromatic, freshly baked and warm carbohydrates that you pull apart with your fingers, which makes licking your fingers an absolute requirement. Does life get any better than that??

Why, yes. YES IT DOES! Because, okay, let’s face it. The ooey-est, gooey-est desserts are always the messiest, right? Always! No matter how careful I am, I always manage to make a gigantic sticky mess in my oven.

Usually, it’s because I think I can double the recipe when I can’t. Anyone else have this problem? I’ll fill my bundt pan with the dough and filling, and then I think “why, that’s only halfway full. I bet I could double this and it would be just fine…” Invariably… it turns out that I can’t double the recipe after all. And, instead, there’s an overflow of sticky sweet goodness in the oven (which does not smell good at all!). Oh, and now I have an oven to clean. Lovely. Who has time to clean an oven when there’s Monkey Bread to be eaten??

Good news. It looks like LG heard about my little problem. So they came up with a rockin’ new oven that will have the oven clean in minutes, not hours– and with no smelly or harsh chemicals! All you need is water!
It’s called the LG’s EasyClean™ Double Oven Range, and its sole purpose for existing is to make it possible for us to eat our favorite sticky, messy recipes and still have a clean kitchen!! Pretty impressive, right? It provides a quick and convenient way to clean your oven, while still being able to use the conventional self-clean method. Three simple steps take from your “ick” to clean in a matter of minutes: spray the inside of the oven with water, press the EasyClean button, and in just 20 minutes you can wipe away any residual bits of grime! Pretty impressive right??

Learn more about EasyClean Double Oven Range here!   And now that we don’t have to worry about cleaning up after ourselves, is anyone else so in the mood for Monkey Bread??  

Now it’s your turn to tell me – what is YOUR favorite recipe that leaves your oven messy? Let me know in the comments for your chance to win your own LG EasyClean™ Double Oven Range!

Rolo Stuffed Monkey Bread

Carrot Cake Monkey Bread

Pumpkin Monkey Bread

Red Velvet Monkey Bread

Easy Cinnabon Monkey Bread

Sweepstakes Rules:
No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winner  will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 5/22/13 – 7/15/13.

The post Monkey Bread and a Clean Oven appeared first on Something Swanky.

If you’re still a little behind on Dad Day prep (like I am!!), here’s a little something to help you get started…

Lots and lots of great bloggers have teamed up to bring you a giveaway to put a little extra cash in your pockets so you can buy that perfect gift for the perfect Dad in your life. Enter to win either $25, $50, or $200 cash sent by PayPal by simply clicking through the form below– all you have to do is follow your favorite bloggers and you’re in the drawing!

The post The 2013 Father’s Day Man Cave Filler {Cash Giveaway} appeared first on Something Swanky.

One of the many things that we are loving about our new home is the YARD! Our last apartment was tiny. Tiny and on the third floor of a building with a large, wrap-around parking lot. In other words: there was very little space for stretching your legs. Plus, we were there for all of the winter months. So even if we had wanted to wander the parking lot, it was a little too cold and rainy for that. Now that spring has sprung and we have a yard, we’re a pretty happy crew in this house. Emma loves being outside! And it has been so much fun to just let her let loose in the yard. We’re even planning on getting her a tricycle for her birthday next month, but shhhh! It’s going to be a big surprise!

Until then, our favorite use for the yard is definitely having picnics! A month or two ago, Emma saw a Daniel the Tiger episode that involved picnicking and now she asks for one almost daily. At first, Chris and I were just obliging her. But now it’s something we really look forward to doing a few times a week as a family! It’s so nice to take a few minutes to leave the phone and the laptop inside, and enjoy a meal with my two favorite people in the grass. Kettle Brand Chips has challenged bloggers to find their “Perfect Picnic Pairing” flavors for summertime using real ingredients that pair well with Kettle Brand Chips. I decided to combine two of my favorite treats (brownies and caramel covered potato chip fudge) to create a super yummy dessert using Kettle Brand Sea Salt Potato Chips! These chips only have three ingredients: potatoes, oil, and sea salt. Using simple, real ingredients like these chips will always create the best tasting desserts! When you open a bag of Kettle Brand Chips, you know you are always getting a quality product. The folks at Kettle Brand Chips pride themselves on always using real ingredients and cooking their chips in small batches to ensure a superior tasting chip. They only use the finest all-natural, non-GMO ingredients with no trans fats, no MSG, no artificial colors or flavors, and no list of ingredients you can’t even pronounce! That’s how they’ve done it for 30 years, and that’s how they’ll keep doing it!

Learn more about Kettle Brand’s all-natural promise on their site!

We’re giving away a $100 Visa Gift Card to one lucky reader! To enter for your chance to win, leave a comment answering the question, “What do you include in your picnic basket?”

Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the 
following unique term in your tweet message: “”#SweepstakesEntry”"; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post”
c) Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 5/20 – 7/3.
Be sure to visit the Kettle Brand Chips brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!

The post Chocolate Caramel Covered Potato Chip Brownies: the Perfect Picnic Pairing with Kettle Brand Chips appeared first on Something Swanky.

Apparently, my weekend got away from me just a bit… so Skinny MONDAY it is!

As always, thanks for reading these Skinny Saturday posts. It means the world to me to have found so much support from so many people as I endeavor to lose weight (ugh… and documenting my efforts) while continuing dessert blogging.

This week was…. informative for me. My Mother’s Day gift was a little heart rate monitor that you wear strapped to your arm 23 hours a day. It tracks your sleep, the calories you burn, and the number of steps you take in a day. Here’s what I’ve learned about health habits this week:

Some days, I burn a LOT more calories than I ever thought I did by just doing normal stuff, like shopping, going to the park, etc. Like… almost 4,000 calories! Which means I should be eating way more calories on those days than the standard 1200 cals most calorie counters advise me to eat. And it also means (in my opinion) that I shouldn’t feel guilty about not getting in a “real” workout on those days. When I saw my calories burned count for this particular day (it was like 3958 cals), a light bulb clicked. And it made me realize that no wonder I was starving on some days more than others. It’s not because I’m a pig! It’s because I’m burning calories. And 1200 calories is NOT enough to sustain me on a 4,000 calories burned day. That’s a set up for failure if I ever saw one!

The other side of that story is: I also learned that I do not burn almost 4,000 calories every day. The day after I saw that initial reading, I thought– oh! I can practically eat whatever I want! I have at least 2,000 calories I can eat, for sure! And I didn’t check my monitor almost the whole day. At the end of the day, I realized that I had barely broken the 2,000 calories burned mark.

Which leads me to my next lesson learned: I need a 1,000 calorie deficit to lose an average of 2 lbs per week (my long-standing goal). So there actually are many days that I need to stay close to 1,200 calories. I had been thinking that as long as I came under the calories burned amount, I’d still lose weight. But if I’m eating nearly all of my calories, and just barely staying under, I’ll only maintain. Which sounds obvious in writing, but it really took seeing the numbers and doing the math for it to actually click in my mind.

Anyway. Overall, I’m loving my Mother’s Day gift! And there’s nothing like a little bit (or a lot) of knowledge to make you feel just a little bit more empowered and motivated!

When I first started these Skinny Saturday posts, I made a personal commitment to not include any “professional” (brand work) posts in the series. I wanted to make sure that these posts were just about me, and that I wasn’t writing them for anyone else or under any sort of a deadline.

But today I’m breaking my rule a little bit. I had the opportunity to try out some clothing from a fitness wear brand, and I just thought this post would be the perfect time to tell you all about them, because I. am. smitten.

And I figured, why not?? We’re all here to talk about getting skinny and working out anyway, right!? Now we’re just talking about getting skinny and looking cute while working out . Have you heard of Albion Fit yet? I’ve been seeing reviews for them all over the place, and I was really excited to have a chance to try some of their stuff out for myself!

Albion Fit offers beautiful, comfortable, high performance fitness and swimwear for active women!  I need a company like this in my life, because I seriously cannot be trusted to find nice-looking workout clothes on my own. Proof here.

I L-O-V-E these Optimum Capris. They’re fitting in all the right places (read: slimming), but they don’t pinch ANYWHERE. And they’re definitely not too tight around my waist. I felt like they hit exactly the perfect spot, actually. I don’t have to worry about holding my pants up when I bend over, but they don’t come up over my stomach (which makes me feel claustrophobic).

I managed to find a little bravery inside of me and also ordered the Blousy  Swimsuit. Yes. I. did.

And it’s the most comfortable suit I’ve ever tried on. It’s maybe the first one I’ve worn as an adult that doesn’t have me worrying about bending over or… you know. Too much unwanted skin showing. But at the same time, it’s very chic (uh, yeah.I just said chic. My sister is doubled over laughing somewhere right now), and flattering. I think my husband actually summed it up best when he said, “if they have that in other colors, you should buy one of each!”

Thanks, hon

But, because I know not all of you will feel quite the same way as my husband does about seeing me in a swim suit, I’m going to show it off on the model instead. We’re all ok with that, right?

The best part of this post (maybe even better than the recipe?! …wait, did I just say that out loud?) is that Albion Fit is giving away $100 worth of women’s Albion Fit  fitness and swim wear to YOU! Simply use the rafflecopter below to enter to win!

This week I wanted to make a really fabulous skinny recipe to go along with my Albion Fit review and giveaway. And since so many of you love BTS cakes, I went for a Skinny BTS cake.

Here’s the thing. In all honesty… No. It does not taste just like a normal BTS cake. The sugar free cake mix really changes the flavor of the cake, and there’s not much you can really do about that. However, sugar free doesn’t bother me. And I still thought this cake was pretty great. Especially if you’re watching what you eat and limiting your sugar– this is a real treat!

You still get all the fundamental components of a BTS cake, but with some key substitutions. So, the chocolate cake is still cake. But it’s made using a sugar free cake mix and diet coke (don’t use club soda instead). The sweetened condensed milk is replaced by Boston Cream Pie yogurt and almond milk, which fills the holes and moistens the cake (my favorite part)! And it’s topped with Cool Whip free and about a tablespoon of Heath bits, with a small drizzle of caramel sauce (which covers more than you might think!). Enjoy!

Connect with Albion Fit:

Facebook | Twitter | Website

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195 calories per serving.

• Next weigh in: May 25
• Weight Loss: 0 lbs

The post Skinny Saturday: Skinny BTS Cake & Albion Fit {giveaway} appeared first on Something Swanky.

Don’t miss a bite! Connect with Something Swanky:

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Did you know it’s Food Allergy Awareness Week?

I didn’t. In fact, I didn’t even know FAAW was even a thing. Turns out that it is. And it’s a big thing. Every 3 minutes, a food allergy reaction sends someone to the emergency room. Food allergies are also responsible for over 300,000 abulatory-care visits a year for young children!

Here are some other lesser-known facts regarding food allergies:

• Teenagers and young adults with food allergies are at the highest risk of fatal food-induced anaphylaxis.
• Individuals with food allergies who also have asthma may be at increased risk for severe/fatal food allergy reactions.
• Food allergies affect children and adults of all races and ethnicity.
• A food allergy can begin at any age.
• Your risk of having food allergies is higher if you have a parent who suffers from any type of allergic disease (asthma, eczema, food allergies, or environmental allergies such as hay fever).
• Children with food allergy are 2-4 times more likely to have other related conditions such as asthma and other allergies, compared with children who do not have food allergies.
• Food allergies may be a trigger for or associated with other allergic conditions, such as atopic dermatitis and eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases.
• There is no cure for food allergies. Strict avoidance of food allergens and early recognition and management of allergic reactions to food are important measures to prevent serious health consequences.

We’ve been blessed so far to not have any major food allergies or sensitivities in our family. But there’s at least one peanut allergy and one gluten intolerance in Emma’s preschool class, and I’ve been able to see how those conditions have really affected those kids lives already! We’re expected to be on alert just because our child is in the class with children who have allergies. Absolutely no peanut butter is allowed in the room and the play dough needs to be homemade.

Not that I mind, I’m just saying that these allergies and intolerances reach more than just those who suffer from them. We all need to be aware of the foods that can trigger an attack– especially those of us with young children. Be aware when other children visit your home, or when you send your kids to school, or when you’re eating a picnic at the park around other families. Always exercise caution when it comes to giving food to a child who is not your own!

And familiarize yourself with these allergens:

One of my contributors and personal friends, Megan, has been thrown head first into the deep end of parenting a child with a serious food allergy condition. I encourage you to read all about her experience so far. I think you’ll find hers is an enlightening and inspirational story, just as I have!

In honor of Food Allergy Awareness Week, Megan asked me to come up with a dessert sans at least one of the top 8 allergens. I decided that fish and shell fish weren’t super applicable here , and went for something a little tougher– dairy.

I actually suffer from a mild case of dairy intolerance, so I like to use Almond Milk where I can! This is a perfect recipe for using Almond Milk– maybe even better than regular milk, because you can buy Vanilla flavored Almond Milk.

I also added a swirl of this dairy free Homemade Chocolate Syrup, just because that’s how I like to get my frappuccinos at Starbucks! Enjoy!

Learn more about and connect with Food Allergy Research & Education here:

Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest | Website | UFAN

Don’t miss a bite! Connect with Something Swanky:

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Notes about this recipe:

• Check out this recipe to see how to use a mason jar with a standard blender to create a single-serve blender.
• Optional (but yummy): whip up a batch of this chocolate syrup and pour a little inside your glass before filling with the frappuccino!

Milkshakes from Friends:

• Biscoff Cookie Dough Milkshake from Kitchen Meets Girl
• Coconut Macaroon Cake batter Milkshake from Crazy For Crust
• Copy Cat Shamrock Shake by No. 2 Pencil

Starbucks Cinnamon Bread

Starbucks Pumpkin Pound Cake

The post Starbucks Vanilla Bean Frappuccino {dairy free} appeared first on Something Swanky.

But without all of the preservatives and artificial stuff.

 My baby is turning 3 years old in a couple of weeks! So far, we’ve bought a Rapunzel dress, a Sleeping Beauty dress, a Snow White Dress, and a Belle dress. And matching shoes for all. Plus a miniature Ariel and Eric (the wedding set!). Never mind that we already have an Ariel, we didn’t have an Eric, and he only comes in a pair.

And all of that is just for her California party, on her actual birthday.

Oh, that’s right my friends.

There are TWO parties. We’re having another one here in Virginia with my family and her friends before we take off for California! So she’s also getting an adorable pink tricycle. And, of course, a purple princess helmet. And a purple princess bell to go on the trike. And a big box full of goldfish crackers.

But let me tell you what the real kicker is: my husband’s 30th birthday is 11 days after hers (with Father’s day mixed somewhere in there), and I still have NO clue what I’m going to do for him. I don’t have any ideas for the gifts, for the celebration… nada.

Worst wife award. Right here.

I’m wondering if he’d accept a pitcher full of homemade chocolate syrup in lieu of birthday gifts?

I was really, really wow’d by this chocolate syrup recipe! There are a lot of recipes out there, but I ended up going with this one from Sugar Bananas. I loved the simplicity of the recipe– you really can whip it up in a flash! And it seriously tastes like the real deal. Like, really really.

Chocolate from Friends:

• The Best Chocolate Cupcakes from Crazy For Crust
• Everything But The Kitchen Sink Brownies from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen
• Triple Chocolate Scones from Inside BruCrew Life

Don’t miss a bite! Connect with Something Swanky:

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Homemade Nesquik

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

The post Homemade Chocolate Syrup appeared first on Something Swanky.

It’s time to come really clean with you guys and tell you a little bit about my “professional” training:

I majored in Sociology (not photography, not journalism, and nothing culinary). My idea of a really nice camera was the itty-bitty Canon Power Shot my husband and I bought for our first anniversary. I had never heard the word “midtones” until about 6 months ago. I didn’t know that the best natural light is in the shade until about 5 months ago. And I couldn’t find my way around Photoshop or any other editing program if my life depended on it.

Which is why I love Picmonkey so much. Because despite all of my inadequacies in photography, Picmonkey is the online photo editing program that can make up the difference for my inexperience with a camera and editing software! As long as I can style a decent set and shoot sometime during daylight hours (although some hours will always be better than others), I can still make out with a pretty good looking photo without pulling my hair out trying to use some complicated program.

If you’re a pro photog and could Photoshop these in your sleep, more power to ya! Color me impressed!But if you’re like me, a novice photographer who doesn’t have the time to take on a fancy pants editing program that costs your first born child, Picmonkey is for you. And this tutorial is for YOU!

Disclaimer: Results will vary depending on the original state of your photo. No amount of editing can fix a truly awful, horrible, no good photo. Always shoot in natural light, use a tripod if available, and use the highest quality camera you can get your hands on. I can only recommend this method for up-close food and product photography, as that is my only experience.

After uploading your photo into Picmonkey.com…

Step 1: Re-size the image for web use. I size the image down to 585px wide to fit the width of my post area. This makes it a lot easier to work with (otherwise editing may be sluggish) and makes for better quality edits .

Step 2: Auto-adjust the Exposure. I know some people cringe at the term “auto-adjust.” But hey. That’s me. I need all the auto-adjusting I can get. I’ve found that there are some elements of editing that simply cannot be auto-adjusted, but fortunately, exposure is not one of them. As long as you follow the next two steps, auto-fixing the exposure seems to work just fine.

The post 4 Simple Tips to Edit Food Photos using Picmonkey.com appeared first on Something Swanky.

I thought yesterday was a wonderful Mother’s Day, and I hope all of you were able to connect with your loved ones and celebrate Moms everywhere!

Earlier this month, Fair Trade sent me a box of really lovely Fair Trade products to sample as a part of their “Moms Make a World of Difference” campaign. It was packed to the brim with organic goodies produced in an eco-friendly way.

So what is Fair Trade USA and what does it have to do with Moms? Fair Trade USA is a non-profit organization seeks to empower family farmers and workers (MOMS included!) around the world using a market based approach that helps farmers get a fair price for their harvest, facilitating safe working conditions and wages for workers.

They encourage farmers to transition to organic agriculture as it benefits both the farmer and, of course, the consumer.

“Moms are the backbone of farming families, and with Fair Trade these women are empowered to emerge as leaders within their communities. They now serve as board members of cooperatives, lead workers’ committees and are making strides to improve education opportunities for their children. When you buy Fair Trade you’re helping ensure that moms get safe working conditions, protection from hazardous chemicals, and paid maternity leave.” –FairtradeUSA.org

Celebrate moms, women, and small businesses by buying Fair Trade!

And if you’re wondering… my very favorite treat in the box was this amazing Alter Eco Dark Quinoa Chocolate Bar. LIFE. CHANGING!

Connect with Fair Trade USA:

Facebook | Twitter | Website | You Tube

The post Fair Trade | Moms Make A World of Difference appeared first on Something Swanky.

Monster Cookies are, by far, one of my favorite treats of all time. My Grandma made them for every family event for as long as I can remember, and the nostalgia adds tremendously to the taste of these cookies for me.

Last year I went a little crazy post Monster Cookie recipes. Starting with the original recipe, of course.

Followed by Monster Cookie Magic Bars,

Monster Cookie Dough Cupcakes,

Monster Cookie Dough Dip (the original recipe),

Nutella Monster Cookies (a personal favorite),

Monster Cookie Dough Mouse Pie,

and Monster Cookie Dough Ice Cream.

Seriously. 2012 was all about the Monster Cookies in a BIG way. And since 2013 is rapidly becoming the year of Reese’s, it seems incredibly apropo to combine the two into one, great Reese’s Monster Cookie recipe! I have a feeling you are going to loooooove these cookies.

Cookies from Friends:

• Triple Chocolate Oreo Cookies by Crazy For Crust
• Banana Split Cake Mix Cookies by Taste and Tell
• Reese’s Chocolate Potato Chip Cookies by The Domestic Rebel

100 Way to Eat a Reese’s

Biscoff White Chocolate Monster Cookies

The post Reese’s Monster Cookies appeared first on Something Swanky.

Hello! Happy Mother’s Day weekend!

Due to poor planning and the holiday, I don’t have a Skinny Recipe for today. But I have a really fabulous one in the works, and it’ll actually come with a great giveaway too! So be sure to come back next Saturday for all of that

Today, I just wanted to pop in and let you know how my week has gone. Which is… okay.

It’s been great in that I’ve met my one, solitary goal every single day: work out and eat breakfast first thing in the morning. That has happened, so I feel good there. I’m really trying to develop a habit of waking up early to fit in my work out. One of you left me a comment last week that really stuck with me, because it put into words EXACTLY what I’m trying to accomplish with this small goal…

Which is… to make exercise and eating breakfast so routine that I don’t have to think about it. I don’t want to have to waste my brain power on working so hard to get to the gym and eating a decent breakfast. If I can make that an automatic behavior, I can focus on the more challenging parts of weight loss– like afternoon cravings and late night snacking. Serious brain power needed there.

This week was not so great, however, in terms of actual weight loss. I actually am on the incline, which is not super pleasant . But…. I’m going to keep plugging away! The only other option is to give up, right? And I can’t do that. So, I’ll just keep trying. And maybe one of these days, I’ll be able to say “Hey! Something is working! I’m doing it right!”

Until then, I just want to say thanks to those of you who read these posts. Thank you so much for your support. Can you believe I haven’t had a single negative comment? I think it’s amazing that I haven’t had one person leave a comment saying, “Hey! Stop making so many desserts fat-so!” I was totally preparing myself for that, and it’s been a relief to not see it (yet)!

Make sure you come back next week! I’ll have a recipe and a giveaway you are NOT going to want to miss!

• Weight Loss: 0
• Next Weigh In: May 25

Is this your first week at Skinny Saturday? Read the first post here.

See all of the Skinny Saturday posts here.

The post Skinny Saturday Report appeared first on Something Swanky.