Roasted Chicken & Sundried Tomato Manicotti Burritos

Ingredients:
Two roasted chicken breasts (I used the rotisserie chicken they had), shredded
One jar of sundried tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup green bell pepper
1/3 cup red bell pepper
1/3 cup onion
One box manicotti
Two eggs
15 oz. Ricotta cheese
1/3 cup fresh basil
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups Italian blend shredded cheese
1 jar of New Ragu Old World Style pasta sauce

Directions:
Boil manicotti per package directions.
Preheat oven to 350.
Mix together chicken, half of sundried tomatoes, eggs, ricotta, salt, and basil.
Heat small amount of oil in skillet and place peppers and onions in. Cook until just shy of being soft. Add Ragu sauce and rest of sundried tomatoes. Simmer.
Spread a 1/3 cup of sauce along bottom of 13×9 pan.
Open manicotti shells in half.
Spread with a good amount of mixture.
Fold over like a burrito. Place in pan.
Repeat until all shells are filled, and all in pan. Cover with remainder of sauce.
Add Italian blend cheese.
Add Parmesan cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake and additional 5-10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and melted.

This is recipe was an idea I had when I was presented with the challenge of coming up with my own recipe using Ragu Old World Style pasta sauce. I have to say, it was delicious!

Brandi Best is the mom to 5 monkeys. She is the Founder of So.Me. Bloggers Network and Life with 5 monkies.

Now on top of the seating “issues” there is also the matter of actually ordering the food in a timely manner and making sure the order is right. I advice if you are going to a restaurant that you go to often, ask for a copy of the menu so that you can decide on the way there what everyone wants. Once you have managed to sit down, gotten every one’s order straight, be sure to really add on the charm and ask sweetly if the kids food can be brought out early so that they will have more time to eat. We all know that the parents will be done and waiting on the kids before the night is over if you don’t!

Now comes the bill. But if you have been really smart, then you have picked a night where kids eat free. Who ever came up with that deserves a huge kiss. Right on the smacker. Our kids are ages 4 up to 10, so we are still in the kids meal zone. Mainly. Our 10 year old has some nights when she wants to pretend to be grown up. Make sure you have read the guidelines carefully. This can save you even more. Some restaurants give you so many free kids per paying adult. Usually it is two. So we can go out, and only pay for one kid and the husband and myself. I can’t tell you how many times though that I have been brought the bill and only had one of the kids taken off. I will let the waitress know, ask her if they changed their policy, point out on the menu what it says, and then ask for her to speak with the manager about correcting it. Don’t be nutso about it. Just be normal and nice.

Dessert is another matter entirely. One on which I can only say…decide ahead if there will be any and hold to it. We rarely get dessert out. It is just too expensive. Especially when I can stop and pick up a carton of ice cream and voila dessert!

Dinner out with the kids is a special treat, and even though you don’t want to spend an arm and a leg for the whole family to go out, you can still swing it. You just have to be creative with timing and be flexible when ordering off the menu. Enjoy your time out. Enjoy not having to clean up the french fries off the floor or washing the dishes.

This story hit me on two levels. One as a twin mom. And two as a twin mom who is friends with another twin mom whom lost one of her twin daughters to cancer last year. I thought about little Piper and wondered if she felt a little of what the girl in the story felt. Even at 3. Even though the circumstances were completely different. Then I thought about my own twins. And I sat there wondering how a parent could lump their twins together into one single entity.

While I often think of my boys as “the twins”, I also know that they are completely different individuals. While they may be from the same egg, and share everything except a birth mark, they have their own likes and dislikes. This book has given me the solid objective to make sure that while I am raising twins, I also raise individuals. So in the end, I am raising individual multiples. Two little boys who have similar tastes in food and fun, but who have remarkably different tastes in attitude and snuggle time. And you know what…that is perfectly fine with me. I like my individual twins a little more than my “twinners”!

Brandi Best is mom to 5. She is the Founder of So.Me. Bloggers Network and Life with 5 monkies.

We are kicking So.Me. off with a bang on August 1st! How?! With a massive load of giveaways! That’s how.

Can you tell I am excited?

So.Me. is like one of my children and I am all excited to show her off to the world. I started this process a couple of months ago for the actual website. Me brain had been ticking in this direction since before Donnie (my husband, and you can read more of that story on Life with 5 monkies) got sick. I put it all on hold and now I am going at it with a bang. I think though that it wasn’t the right time then for reasons other than Donnie being sick. First off, I don’t think I would have the wonderful team that I have. Farrah Ritter is a reader of my “other” site and we connected when I asked for guest posters there. Then we realized that she lives in the general area that we are planning on moving to shortly. It was kismet. Plus she is a mom to twin boys as I am. Hers are a bit younger, but hey, I’m still sticking with kismet and I can’t wait to get to South Carolina so we can meet face to face. I might actually start stalking her. But shhh. Don’t tell her that! (You can learn all about Farrah on her site The Three Under.)  Then through Farrah I met Ashley Capps. Ashley and I have hit it off splendidly. She is full of wonderful ideas and has been the perfect addition to my team. (Find out more about Ashley on her site Freckleberry Finds.) See it all worked out like it was suppose to. I mean we have a team that actually likes working together, helping each other, and we can learn from each other.

I wanted to come out with a bang in the blog network world, and we have are. We are holding a launch party that will have 12 main giveaways. 1 giveaway each hour. For 12 hours. Ashley, Farrah, and myself will also be on chat throughout the day. And who knows what surprises lie in wait there! Think of us as the Lucky Charms leprechaun. If you catch us you might get a charm! LOL Some of the partners for the launch include

Restaurant.com-$100 gc
SavingsAngel.com-Three month subscription to the site
Mom Blogging for Dummies
$55 EdenFantasys gift code
$50 GNC gift code
Sara Theisen Designs-50 cards plus blank envelopes – custom set of birth announcements, birthday invitations OR personalized stationery.

Bover Bags-Bag from Bover Bags (exact bag TBA)

Sugar and Spice Studios-Elephant mobile

and more to be announced later! You can keep up to date on the partners and products that will be given away during the launch. Too find out more about the companies who are proudly partnering for the launch please visit the So.Me. Partners page.

I have to say that I was disappointed when I had a good look around SavingsAngel.com. Why? not because the site wasn’t what I was hoping for. Oh it surpassed my expectations! But because they unfortunately are lacking an angel for ShopRite and Acme (so if you are good at the ShopRite or Acme match-ups to save money, then apply to work with them!). You will find price/coupon match-ups for CVS, Rite-Aid, HEB, Albertson’s, Aldi, Family Dollar, Walgreen’s, Kmart, Walmart, Target, meijer, and many many more. You can see the whole list by visiting the site.

The way SavingsAngel.com works is really simple. You sign up for a membership. The cost for a membership is $20 a month. When you have your membership, you then go through SavingsAngel Academy. This teaches you how to best use the site to get the most out of it. Once you have gotten your wings, then you are set to make your grocery list and see what others are saving. I loved that in the CVS section there were so many freebies listed that I actually shopped at CVS for more than my medicine! Same with Walgreen’s.

Experts agree… the best way to save money on your grocery bills is to match a really great coupon with a really great store sale. The hard part is making that happen. That’s where SavingsAngel simply shines!

Check out this video:

SavingsAngel is also on Facebook and Twitter.

It may sound like I am bashing the whole marketing aspect of blogging, but I am not. I mean take my blog for instance. I started as a way to connect with other moms of twins, moms with a larger than typical family, and just to meet people and read their stories. It evolved over time into me actually making a little money on the side for advertising. Being able to host a giveaway here and there. And now it is primarily reviews and giveaways. I do so much writing about this company and that company that it often overshadows why I started writing. I still get some family and personal posts in there, but I will be the first to admit, I do get burnt out on writing about products and just have to take a step back. Re-evaluate, and ask myself if I am still enjoying the writing process. If I can honestly tell myself that “yes, I am enjoying it” then I will continue. If the day ever comes where I say “I can’t write another word or I’ll die” comes, then I will step back and stop. I don’t need PR Blackouts for that. I don’t need a bloggyland wide time-out for it. And I think most of the blogs I read feel the same way. But I am getting off topic aren’t I?!

When it comes to marketing in the blog world, it is hard to really break in and land the big deals. For the women who can write a pitch letter like it ain’t no body’s business, it is one thing. But for me, I struggle with it. Which is where the blog conferences come in to play a little. I was lucky enough to be able to attend Bloggy Bootcamp in Baltimore earlier this year, and I learned a lot. I came home full of ideas. I was going to do this and that. I was going to start raking in the dough because I am NOT doing anything else for free. Of course that didn’t last! It takes all I can do to write the posts I need to write, take of the kids, and be wife/mom/myself all in one day. So I decided that I would just do what had been working for me so far. I don’t need the big deals. I want the big deals. But I don’t need the big deals. I am more focused on building a relationship with the PR reps I work with now, so that when I need something later (say a sponsor for the Tuesday Blog Party) I know I can count on them. Again, I am rambling.

Blog conferences like Bloggy Bootcamp that are small and intimate with less that 200 people attending are an easy way for the casual blogger to get in and get to put faces with some of the blogs they adore. I mean I got to meet Jill from Scary Mommy after all! Plus Kat from Mama Kat’s Losin It, Tiff from SITS, and soooo many others. It was a blast. It was a weekend away from the kids. It was a weekend to devour being me without being mom. Which I loved. Bloggy Bootcamp also offered a way to really ask questions from the ladies who are making it in the bloggy marketing industry (and yes, it is an industry). But then on the other side you have BlogHer. BlogHer is a genre of blogging conference all on its own. I saw someone tweet that 2400 people attended! Now my questions there…How do you really get to meet anyone? How do you stand out to the companies that are getting bombarded with bloggers trying to connect with them? Here is my conundrum with BlogHer, I REALLY wanted to attend. I couldn’t. But now after knowing that 2400 other bloggers/company reps were there I am not sure I would have gotten as much from it.

Another thing with blog conferences is the expense! Good lord, they can get costly. I know my meager finances are not able to cover it. I would have to have a sponsor or two or three to cover the cost of the conference. Then if you are lucky enough to get sponsored for a conference where you can really mix and mingle with company reps, you want to make sure you stand out. Business cards that are memorable. A personality that will get remembered (for the right reasons!). And trying to be professional. So here is my question for the bloggers out there…. Are the conferences worth it to you and your blog audience or is it a waste of pitching time and blogging time?

Brandi Best is the owner/writer at Life with 5 monkies. She is also the founder of So.Me.

But really, how do they get the amazing sponsorships and reviews? Connections? Yes and no. It is really all in the pitch. Companies read pitch after pitch after pitch. And not just from bloggers. They receive pitches from non-profits, ad sales, and so many different groups that you wouldn’t even believe. So how do you get picked above the others. You want your pitch to be simple, to the point, and give plenty of information. Don’t drone on about how little Johnny Appleseed is going to just love the product and how it would be just perfect for him to have for his birthday.

For starters, don’t use a generic sample pitch letter that you found on another site! I refuse to use a mass form pitch letter, except in cases like a sponsorship request or special event. If you are wanting to work with a company on a review, simply tell the truth. Talk to them. Not at them. When writing your pitch letter, be sure to introduce yourself. Let the company know a little about you and where you write so they can get a feel for your style. Now don’t go and write 3 paragraphs about what makes you the best reviewer for that product! 2 or 3 lines is plenty.

Then let the company know the products that interest you, and why. Let them know who will be testing the product, and be sure to let them in on how you will be reviewing it. If you have a unique approach for something then be sure to highlight that. Companies, and their reps, want someone to review their products who are going to really test it. If you plan on just opening the box, looking at it, and then writing a replica of the press release for the product, what good are you to them? But if you really show you are capable of reviewing it in a new perspective, odds are, they won’t care what your stats are.

End the pitch on a high note by thanking the company or rep for their time. I mean hey, if they took the time to read your pitch, and even if they say no thanks, you can be courteous enough to say thanks for your time. I know these are simple steps. Not detailed step by step instructions. But if I did that then you would have a generic pitch letter to copy, and you wouldn’t get didly squat. I know I don’t host HUGE giveaways on here, but you know what, the companies I work with come back time after time. Why? Because I am honest in my reviews, I am honest in my pitches, and I truly feel blessed to get the smallest item. And I will write about a $5 gift card with the same enthusiasm as $100 gift basket.

Now writing a pitch letter for a specialized event is a little different. I will draft a form letter that highlights what the event is about, include a sample of the button made for the event, and highlight how I will show off that company during the event (free ad space, special tweets, posts on facebook), and the exact dates of the event. I find this way, I know I am offering all the companies the same thing. BUT I also add in before I email the company things like the product(s) I am interested in, why I think it fits in the event, and a little about the “idea” behind the event. That makes even the most form letter a lot more personal to that company. Another pitch letter that I have a form for is for sponsorship requests. Now here is the kicker here. I have never really pitched companies for sponsorship until recently. I just started a few months ago. As of yet I haven’t landed a sponsorship for a conference, but I am not crying over split milk just yet.

Lastly, be sure to have made a media kit. It should be attached to EVERY SINGLE pitch letter you send out. Why? Because it saves the sponsors a lot of wasted emails back and forth asking questions about your stats, and your site.

Now, I ask you fellow reviewers and bloggers…What are your pitch letter writing tips?

Brandi Best is the owner/writer at Life with 5 monkies. She is also the founder of So.Me.

Media kits are great for saving time when it comes to a big campaign you may be working on. The company will want to know who you reach and how you reach them. So instead of having to answer a ton of questions about your stats, audience, and services just attach your media kit to the email. Make sure to note in the pitch that your media kit is included. Things to absolutely include in your media kit are:

• Your current stats: UVM’s, Pageloads, Google followers, Twitter followers, Facebook Likes/friends, Email subscribers
• Your objective: What you strive to provide with your blog, a little about you and your family
• What products you are available to review and who will be reviewing them
• Advertising rates and options: ad size, text link, posts, ect.
• Any unique services you offer to companies

I also have a page on mine that features the companies I have worked with in the past. It is purely an ego boost for me, and to show the companies some of the other companies who trusted me to promote their brand. Be clear when you are writing your policies on whether you charge for a product review or not. I think mine is pretty clear, but I still actually have companies who automatically think that I charge.

If you are pitching a smaller company, and want to just throw a feeler out there, you can get away without sending the media kit. Especially if you are just after a giveaway and review. But if you want a lasting relationship with a company, make sure they have your media kit on file so that they can reference it for future promotions.

Another reason to have a media kit, is if you are trying to get a sponsor for a blog event. When pitching for sponsorship ALWAYS include your media kit.

They are simple to make. You can use Google docs, Word, or whatever program you want, just make sure it is going to be able to be opened universally. Which is why I use Google docs. Try to make yours stand out a little from the crowd by doing something fun. If there is any piece of advice I can offer at all, be sure to have fun! Whether making a media kit, a pitch letter, or debating the ups and downs of the blogging world. Just have fun doing it!

Brandi Best is mom to 5 monkeys. You can find more of her writings on her blog Life with 5 monkies and here on So.Me.

Rolls

2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened
2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Directions:
1.Heat oven to 375°F. Grease 13×9-inch pan. In small bowl, mix filling ingredients.

2. If using crescent rolls: Unroll 1 can of the dough into 1 large rectangle; press into 13×7-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal. Spread filling over rectangle. If using dough sheets: Unroll 1 can of the dough; press into 13×7-inch rectangle. Spread filling over rectangle.

3. If using crescent rolls: Unroll second can of dough; press into 13×7-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal. If using dough sheets: Unroll second can of dough; press into 13×7-inch rectangle.

4. Place over filling; press dough onto filling. Cut stacked dough into 8 (13-inch) strips. Twist each strip 5 or 6 times, pressing extra filling into rolls. Shape each into a coil; place in pan.

5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from pan; place on cooling rack.

6. In small bowl, stir glaze ingredients, adding enough milk for desired drizzling consistency; drizzle over warm rolls. Serve warm.

Brandi Best is mom to 5 monkeys. You can find more of her writings on her website Life with 5 monkies.