Wordless Wednesday Ham and Potatoes Sarladaise For Dinner

Ham and Potatoes Sarladaise for Dinner. Click for Recipe Link.

Cravings by Chrissy Teigen 5qt Stainless Steel Saute Pan with Lid Review

We received this product free to facilitate this review and also posted this review on Target as well.

The Cravings by Chrissy Teigen 5qt Stainless Steel Saute Pan with Lid is a gorgeous pan that will become a favorite in your kitchen. It is polished stainless steel which makes it very attractive. It has lovely champagne gold accented stainless handles on both the lid and pot that are corrosion and wear resistant. These are riveted to the pot and lid for extra security. These distinctive touches give it, and other pots in this collection, a certain charm that is unique in my kitchen. I love how stunning it looks on my stovetop.

Bottom of pan has the Cravings by Chrissy Teigen logo stamped into it.

Five quarts is a wonderful size to cook all sorts of food. This is a versatile pan that you can use to sear, sauté, deep-fry, braise, etc. It has a great weight and depth to it as well. I love its clear glass lid that I can view through while I am cooking. The handles stay cool to the touch for safe and easy handling. I can pull off the lid to stir the food or take the pan off the burner straight to the table without hot pads and without getting burned. After Thanksgiving I had a lot of turkey that I decided to make into Turkey Tetrazzini, one pot style. I used this pan to make it in. I found that this is the perfect pan to use for one pot meals, especially for my family of 6.

Turkey Tetrazzini in the pan.

It has an aluminum core which ensures great heat conduction and it cooked everything evenly. It comes with use and care instructions and a delicious looking recipe that I cannot wait to try. In the instructions it says it is dishwasher safe, but hand wash is recommended. The pan has a nonstick coating that will not react with foods so it is tremendously easy to clean. I did notice that it had burn marks on the bottom of the pan after I cleaned it, but in the instructions it gives ways to combat this as well as to maintain luster. It also has a limited lifetime warranty.

Burn/scorch marks from cooking in the pan. These will shine up with the recommended additional methods of cleaning.

I think this pot will become my go-to cookware. It is a lovely addition to my kitchen. I highly recommend it!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Good Fast Eats Cookbook Review

I received this book free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

“Good Fast Eats” Summary:
Ready to eat in just under an hour, these recipes are healthy, delicious, and easy to make! With recipes like Eggs in Purgatory, Moo Shu Pork, and Cajun Spiced Cod, you won’t have to spend a fortune or a lot of time cooking or cleaning up. Your family will love these fresh one-pot meals perfectly balanced with amazing ingredients and spices. Cooking has never been easier or more satisfying!

About The Author:
Amy Flanigan is a food blogger at bellyfull.net, recipe developer, video maker, mommy, dog owner, baseball fan, lover of cookies, and constantly craving pie. She has been featured on Huffington Post, Calphalon (a cookware producer), Babble.com, BlogHer, Macy’s Culinary Council, Skinny Mom, and HerLife Magazine.

Our Thoughts:
The Good Fast Eats Cookbook has a great layout! It starts out with an introduction about why Amy wrote the book and some tips that help get food on the table without the fuss. It then gives a list of things needed to have on hand to make the recipes from within this book in the Stock Up section. After this it has the recipes in these categories: Chicken, Pork, Beef, Seafood, Meatless, Soup, and Sweets. Each recipe has a title, a description, serving size, preparation time, cook time, total time, ingredients, and directions. Each recipe comes with a mouthwatering photograph of the finished dish. At the end there are Cooking Measurement Equivalents, Metric Measurement Equivalents, an Index, Acknowledgements, and a bit About the Author.

This cookbook is great to have on hand when you need homemade dinner in a pinch. Most of these one-pot/pan/dish meals only take 15-30 minutes to complete. The recipes are hearty, comforting foods and delicious desserts that satisfy. The Beef Stroganoff looks very similar to my recipe. I am looking forward to trying the Sweet and Spicy Chicken Black Bean Enchiladas, Kielbasa and Cabbage Skillet, Greek Meatball Pockets with Tzatziki, Cranberry-Almond Chocolate Bark, & Ricotta Blintzes. All the recipes sound so yummy!

BUY IT

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this cookbook for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

MyFreezeEasy 5-Day Make One Freeze One Challenge

MyFreezeEasy is having a 5-Day Make One Freeze One Challenge!!

Here's How the Challenge Works 

• Step 1 - Pick Your Meal Plan
• Step 2 - Go Shopping (MyFreezEasy Gives you the Shopping List!)
• Step 3 - Make One Meal, Freeze One Meal with MyFreezEasy Next Week
• Step 4 - Enjoy Your Freezer Full of Food!
• STARTS MONDAY, OCTOBER 24th!!!

Here is a video that explains it in more detail...

JOIN NOW, BEFORE MONDAY! IT'S FREE!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I wrote this blog post because I thought you might be interested in knowing this information and taking part of this challenge. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any compensation for doing this post. Affiliate links can be found in this post. Thank you for your support of this blog!

MyFreezEasy MyFreezEasy.com Freezer Meal Plan Membership Review

My family had the privilege of trying the MyFreezEasy.com Freezer Meal Plan Membership from MyFreezEasy for this review to use in conjunction with our own homeschool curriculum and family/farm life. This is a Homeschool Review Crew Review. All opinions expressed are my own or those of my family. Affiliate links are in this post. Thanks for supporting this blog.

Erin Chase, $5 Dinner Mom, is the brains behind $5 Dinners, $5 Meal Plan, Grocery Budget Makeover, FreezEasy, and now MyFreezEasy. She puts out a free weekly email newsletter that I subscribe to where she shares recipes, tips and tricks for getting the grocery budget under control. I have loved these valuable emails and delicious recipes throughout the months. I also follow her blog where she posts recipes, coupon matchups and deals, printable coupons, and more to help save you and I money. Her Grocery Budget Makeover I cannot really vouch for myself as I have not taken this 10-week course, but from reviews I have read it sounds like it really works in cutting your grocery spending in half. FreezEasy is her freezer cooking meal plans that will help you prepare 10 delicious meals to load into your freezer in under an hour. MyFreezEasy is new. It is similar to Basic FreezEasy, but gives you even more control to personalize the plan.

The MyFreezEasy Premium Annual Membership gives you access to the online program and website for a whole year. Each month members have access to all eight meal plans to download: Traditional, Gluten-Free, Slow Cooker, Clean Eats, 20 Meals, All Chicken, All Ground Beef, All Pork Chops. The majority of the months meal plans have 5 recipes that have been hand-picked by Erin for that month. With these plans you make two of of each meal to freeze so that you get a total of 10 meals. These premade meal plans are all set for only 4 servings...so if you need more or less it is wonderful that MyFreezEasy Premium plan has the opportunity to Build Your Own Meal Plans unlike the Basic FreezEasy that only lets you purchase premade ones.



Along with the freezer cooking plan downloads you get a number of bonuses. First, you can also get a overview of the program by going to the How MyFreezEasy Works Resources and Instructions page which includes a how-to PDF, a Favorite Side Dish Recipes E-Cookbook to download, and a link to the Freezer Cooking Workshop videos to get you started. You can also download printable labels for each meal plan (that she recommends be printed on Avery #6874 sticker paper). Each month, they release highlights & tips videos for all 8 new meal plans, along with 1 assembly instruction video for the Traditional Plan in the Video Library. These assist with the production of making the freezer meals.

From the Build Your Own Meal Plans area you could select the recipe by three different aspects on this page: Type of Protein, Cooking Method, and Dietary Preferences. In each of these search categories they have the recipes further narrowed down. In Type of Protein you could pick from Chicken Recipes, Ground Beef Recipes, Other Beef Recipes, Pork Chop Recipes, Other Pork Recipes, Seafood Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes. In Cooking Method you could pick from Slow Cooker Recipes, Dutch Oven or Saucepan Recipes, Baked Recipes, Skillet Recipes, Grill Recipes, and One Dish Meals. In Dietary Preferences you could pick from My Favorites, Gluten-Free Recipes, Dairy Free Recipes, Gluten Dairy Soy-Free Recipes, Paleo/Whole30 Recipes, and Top 8 Allergy Free Recipes.

MyFreezEasy: 1. Search Categories, 2. Select Your Recipes, 3. Print/Download Your Meal Plan

Once you select one of these categories you can pick from the recipes listed in that certain one. You can click on each recipe title to see a popup of the actual recipe and also choose the serving size (2, 4, 6,or 8) in the drop down menu. You can then either drag and drop 5 recipes you want to prepare in the drop box or add them to it with the + sign from the popup of the recipe. You can go back to the main menu and select a different category as well for more recipes. You can also clear the whole drop box list or drag the recipes you don't want out of the box one by one. After you have selected 5 recipes total for the My FreezEasy Recipes drop box with the correct serving size you can hit the Review and Print button. This will take you to another page to see the 5 that you picked for one final look over before you press Print My Meal Plan and Print Labels (which actually downloads 2 separate printable PDF files onto your computer). You can also select Email which emails you the Complete Shopping List by Recipe with handy check boxes beside each item to take with you to the grocery store.

Each meal plan PDF for 5 recipes is laid out for easy instruction. Each one has the Recipes, Shopping Lists (Complete Shopping List by Recipe, Complete Shopping List by Store Section/Category, Freezer Meal Prep Day Shopping List by Recipe, and Freezer Meal Prep Day Shopping List by Store Section/Category), and Assembly of Meals (Assembly Prep Instructions and Meal Assembly Instructions).

Each recipe is laid out well. At the top of each recipe you have the title, yield, active time, cook time, and a small summary. Then it goes into Ingredients for Single Meal, Cooking Directions for Single Meal, Assembly Prep Directions for 2 Meals. Under that there is Freeze & Thaw Instructions, Special Notes, Dairy-Free Modifications, and Gluten-Free Modifications for each recipe.

How We Used This and Our Thoughts:

We received the MyFreezEasy Premium Annual Membership which gives us access to the online program and website for a whole year! We started the membership back in September and also got access to October's meals this month so far. I made two of each of the 5 meals that I chose for September for the freezer so far. We have access to each month's meal plans as they become available every month. These were easily customized and I really loved that fact.

Freezer Meals -1 that we made for dinner that same night.

Having a family of 6 I couldn't really just go with the premade meal plans because they were all set for only 4 servings. So, I opted to make my own freezer cooking meal plan from the available recipes in the Build Your Own Meal Plans area. For September I made a list of 5 recipes that sounded good to me at the time: Baked Honey Mustard Pork Chops, Ranch Chicken & Baby Potato Bake, Roasted Cod with Pesto, Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos with Mango Avocado Salsa, and Slow Cooker Taco Soup.

I had a few problems with MyFreezEasy...

1. When I went to change the serving size to 6 I think things got a little jumbled. The canned ingredients didn't really convert well and so when the ingredients lists were read, we had things like: 3/4 x 1 15 oz. can(s) black beans...of which I thought was quite awkward and to me really didn't make sense. Also some of the ingredients in the different sections had different amounts, for example, Slow Cooker Taco Soup for 6 says 1/2 cup(s) beef broth in the Ingredients for Single Meal, but for the Freeze & Thaw Instructions it says 2 cups beef broth. This is inconsistent and quite confusing.
2. The My Favorites online didn't seem to work for me. I couldn't add any recipes to it by dragging and dropping them into that section and when I hearted them from the popup recipe they didn't seem to go to that section either.
3. After I baked the Ranch Chicken & Baby Potato Bake I noticed that the potatoes in the dish didn't taste right. From what I am told certain ingredients including raw potatoes need to be blanched before freezing so they maintain their integrity and correct texture. The recipe never mentions blanching and so instead, the potatoes turned out gritty and watery...inedible in my family's opinion. The Ranch Chicken & Baby Potato Bake also took me the longest to prepare for the freezer because of all the chopping of chicken and potatoes (because I couldn't find "baby potatoes"). It also said to get bacon crumbles and I couldn't find these so I made actual bacon and crumbled it myself. This recipe took the longest and was a big disappointment, so I will not be making it again.

Roasted Cod with Pesto (top) and Slow Cooker Taco Soup (bottom)

All in all most the recipes that I prepared and tried were really good. I especially loved the Roasted Cod with Pesto (we made this recipe the same night we put the ingredients for all the recipes together) and the Slow Cooker Taco Soup. These didn't take me long to prepare for the freezer and they were delicious and easy to cook. I am excited to still try the Baked Honey Mustard Pork Chops and the Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos with Mango Avocado Salsa of which were both also very easy to put together for the freezer. I am also excited to try even more meals in the months to come.

The MyFreezEasy MyFreezEasy.com Freezer Meal Plan Membership is well worth the investment in my opinion. Even with its quirks it definitely takes the edge off of finding something delicious for dinner and getting a meal thrown into the oven/crock pot/skillet/grill etc. quickly. The freezer meal prep doesn't take too long either and you can get 10 meals prepared in an hour although I do admit that it took me longer. I highly recommend this to busy parents everywhere.

BUY IT
Basic Monthly is $7 a month. Basic Annual is $77 per year with 1 month free. Premium Monthly is $10 a month. Premium Annual is $95 per Year with 2+ Months Free!! Get Started!

Follow Them on Social Media:
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/freezeasy
Instagram:  http://www.instagram.com/freezeasy
Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/5dollardinners/freezeasy 
Hashtags: #hsreviews #freezeasy #freezermeals #5dollardinners #freezercooking 

Read other TOS Crew reviews for MyFreezEasy MyFreezEasy.com Freezer Meal Plan Membership...

Schwan's Home Delivery Service Review

This review is sponsored by Schwan's through USFG.

Schwan's Home Delivery Service is a great convenience for saving time when meals at home need to be faster than homemade and healthier than fast food. On their website they have a great selection of whole meals, entrees, desserts, appetizers, sides, and drinks. They have items you can pick from that are especially great for people with special dietary needs including: gluten free, vegetarian, sugar free, heart healthy, low calorie, and low sodium. The food is delivered right to your home by refrigerated truck and it is so very easy to order the food online.

I received a $25 gift certificate to Schwan's to pick something out online. I wanted to pick out something that might feed my whole family of 6 and that my whole family might enjoy. I also wanted something semi-healthy. I selected the Home Style Chicken Bake, Pineapple Orange Juice, and Golden Fruit Blend. I was a little disappointed that they did not offer more organic items. There are only 4 organic items and they are all fruits and vegetables. I ended up going a little over the $25 with my order subtotal being $28.97 and the delivery fee being $1.75. I ordered my items and picked the date and time for it to be delivered.

My Schwan's driver, Harold, and his truck.

On the date and time I selected, the Schwan's driver from my area drove up to my drive in his refrigerated truck and knocked on my door. He introduced himself as Harold and was very friendly and punctual. When he got my order out of his truck he also handed me a current Schwan's catalog so that I could order again at my leisure without needing to look online. When he handed me the items I had ordered he let me know briefly about each one and what he likes to do with them at his home.  He also said I could peruse the back of his truck to see if there was anything more I wanted before he left. I politely declined his offer and told him it was nice of him to ask. He even posed for me with his truck so I could have a picture for my review.

Schwan's Home Style Chicken Bake, Pineapple Orange Juice, and Golden Fruit Blend in packages.

The Home Style Chicken Bake said it served 5 and although it wouldn't feed my complete family I figured that I could supplement with something else to go with it or make it on a day my whole family were not all home for dinner. I guess I could have picked the Six Cheese Tortellini which serves 9, but I was in the mood for a pot pie of sorts. The Home Style Chicken Bake was delicious and so easy to make! This meal has to be kept frozen until cooked and eaten. It can be cooked in a conventional oven or micro-baked (a combination of microwave and oven). It has no preservatives and has a gravy that is made from scratch with fresh frozen vegetables. When I opened up the one I received part of the flaky pastry crust that topped the gravy, chicken, and veggies was broken a little bit which probably happened in transit. I didn't really care about the presentation as much as the taste though. After I cooked it in the oven I tasted it and it was delicious! The combination of the white chicken meat, russet potatoes, sweet peas & carrots in chicken gravy topped with the pastry crust was so good. If you like pot pie you will love this even better!

The Pineapple Orange flavored juice beverage comes in a package of six 8 fl oz cartons that each make 1/2 gallon of juice when the concentrate is mixed with water. Although this is thirst quenching it is not the healthiest juice. It does have high fructose corn syrup and sugar as the very first ingredients with preservatives and dyes. The flavor of the drink is too sweet for my taste, but my kids loved it. I am not sure how they made the pineapple flavor since pineapple juice or concentrate isn't listed as one of the ingredients...just natural and artificial flavors (whatever that means). I did like the combination of pineapple flavor (however they made it) with the orange and apple juice concentrates, but once I put some ice in it and a bit more water I liked it a whole lot more. It contains only 15% real fruit juice, but every 8 fl oz serving provides 100% of the daily value of Vitamin C. Next time I think I will buy their 100% Orange Juice fortified with Calcium that has no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. It is a much healthier choice, although also more expensive, go figure!

The Golden Fruit Blend is all natural 100% Grade-A cut chunks of pineapple and mango with thick-sliced peaches and strawberries. It is delicious and my favorite fruit blend, but I wish that it was organic. It has 6 - 3/4 cup servings in a 2 lb. resealable bag, Serves 6. This great as a snack, with yogurt, or put in a smoothie! My kids ate this up because they love frozen fruit...they hardly left any for me (see the small cup of it below). At least it is good for them and better for them than other snacks.

Schwan's Home Style Chicken Bake, Pineapple Orange Juice, and Golden Fruit Blend prepared.

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When you sign up to Schwan's Rewards you can also earn points worth 5%  back from every purchase to be used on a future order!

My Readers Save $ On Your First Order at Schwan's Home Service!
$5 off $25 Order - Coupon Code: JULIEN2
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DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this complimentary $25 for Schwan's as part of my participation in The US Family Guide Blogging program. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. No other compensation was received. 

Schwan's Home Service Savings Offer

US Family Guide provided me with this promotional offer information to share with my readers. I am getting a $25 Gift Card for posting this information.

For over 60 years, Schwan's Home Service has provided superior frozen foods with convenient home delivery. Our foods are flash frozen at the peak of freshness and flavor. Choose from USDA Choice meats, wild-caught seafood, flavorful skillet meals, Grade A fruits and vegetables, plus our heritage ice cream, distinctive desserts and much more.

We offer delicious foods to satisfy everyone, including family members with special dietary needs including:

- No gluten ingredients
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- No sugar added
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- Low calorie
- Low sodium choices

Schwan's offers weekly specials, coupons, online hot deals and new customer special offers. Join the Schwan's Rewards program and earn 5% back on every online purchase, to be used on a future order.

100% Guarantee! Love It or Return It! If you're unsatisfied one of our products - for any reason - we will gladly replace it or provide a refund.

My Readers Save $ On Your First Order at Schwan's Home Service!
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$15 off $75 Order - Coupon Code: JULIEN15
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DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about the Schwan's Home Service I am getting a $25 Gift Card for posting this information. Thanks to USFamilyGuide.com for providing me this promotion information and free GC. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.

Kroger Skillet Meals Review #GotItFree

We received coupons for free product to facilitate this review.

There are so many days that we are just super busy and after it's all said and done we only have minutes to make a meal for our family. Enter Kroger Skillet Meals, which are easy to make meals that are ready in just ten minutes! They contain at least two servings per bag and contain 20 grams or more of protein! These are found at all Kroger Family Stores (including Fred Meyer, Baker's, City Market, Dillons, Food4Less, King Soopers, Smith’s, PayLess, etc.) and come in the frozen section of the store. These come in a variety of authentic Italian flavors including NEW Tuscan-Style Penne, Sausage Rigatoni, Penne with Grilled Chicken and many more! They also are available in delicious NEW Asian and Mexican varieties like Shrimp Lo Mein or Chicken Fajitas. You can create a complete meal when you add your favorite sides to go with it, such as Kroger Garlic Bread, and Fresh Selections Salad Kits.

Because I am a member of BzzAgent I received word of the BzzCampaign for the Kroger Skillet Meals. I received a free coupon for one Kroger Skillet Meal, a Kroger Garlic Bread, and a Fresh Selections Salad Kit to facilitate this review. We went to our local Fred Meyer to get this. We got the Tuscan-Style Penne. It was very yummy, but with a family of 6 the pasta meal just wasn't too practical unless you also made something else to go with it. We loved the pasta with garlic sauce, asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, and big chunks of chicken. It was easy to prepare and fast. Just place it in a skillet and simmer together. This meal was very yummy, but it was gone too quick. One bag only really is supposed to make 2 servings. I was wanting more because it was so good.

We also got the garlic bread and salad kit to go with it. The bread and the salad were a good pairing and went well with the meal. The garlic bread is also easy to make, just pop it in the oven bag and all for a bit to warm it up. I love garlic bread, but this was not as garlicky or crunchy as I would have liked. I usually over garlic my dishes because I love garlic. Maybe if I would have taken it out of the bag and let it brown in the oven a bit more it would have been better. You have to admit the convenience of not having to wash another pan is nice though. We picked the Field Greens salad because, from looking, it had the most dark leafy veggies in the mix. This Fresh Selections Salad had romaine lettuce, endive, carrots, and radicchio. As salads go it was just OK, but it did give the plate a lovely garnished look.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received coupons for free product to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Weight Watchers Smart Ones Fajitas Meals Review

We received 3 Weight Watchers Smart Ones Fajitas Meals free to facilitate this review.

The Smart Ones Weight Watcher meals have the PointsPlus values right on the packaging so it is easy to know what to watch for. With the PointsPlus program you are encouraged to use those points wisely by maximizing your point allowance. By eating more foods rich in protein and fiber like whole grains and lean meats you will feel full faster and still have all the healthy benefits of a nutritious meal. You are also encouraged to eat more fruit and non starchy veggies. These are low in calories and high in nutrients.

The Principals of Weight Watchers: 

1. Portion control so you can eat the foods you love.
2. Don't skip breakfast! It will start your day out right and manage hunger.
3. Eat a variety of protein rich foods.
4. Whole grains, fruits, and non starchy veggies can help you stay full longer.
5. Choose smarter snack and dessert choices.
6. Have support and knowledge at your fingertips.

I received 3 different Weight Watchers Smart Ones Fajitas: Chicken, Steak and Portobello Mushroom. I wasn't sure how to prepare the Portobello Mushroom one because it had a blank box with a sticker on the side that said what it was and the ingredients, but not the other information. I looked at the other two boxes and they had the exact same preparation on them, so I figured I would also follow these instructions for the Portobello Mushroom ones. These are microwaved meals and the directions were very easy to follow. You even cook the tortillas for 25 seconds to get them warm and yummy to wrap the meat and veggies in. One of these is supposed to be a portion controlled meal. If I just ate one of these meals I would not feel full. I cooked all of them and shared them each with my husband so that I could taste them side by side and see which I liked the best. All of these I think need more tortillas with them because I ran out of tortillas and had to eat the rest with a fork. These were also all very drippy, bring napkins.

The Weight Watchers Smart Ones Chicken Fajitas were the best tasting in my opinion. I loved the grilled chicken flavor. These have grilled white meat chicken with seasoned peppers & onions and a side of rice and beans. Two tortillas are included. This one has 290 calories, 5g fat, 5g fiber, and 16g protein. It is a 7 PointsPlus value.

The Weight Watchers Smart Ones Portobello Mushroom Fajitas turned out too runny in my opinion and weren't cooked all the way through. The juices didn't get properly soaked up in the mix. I zapped them in the microwave for a minute longer and then the veggies, mushrooms rice and beans looked better. The mix was a little tasteless and could have used some extra spices. These have Portobello mushrooms, bell peppers. onions, black beans and corn served with rice and beans. Two tortillas are included. This one has 300 calories, 5g fat, 7g fiber, and 10g of protein. It is a 7 PointsPlus value.

The Weight Watchers Smart Ones Steak Fajitas were really yummy, but I would have liked more steak with the meal. These have beef steak with seasoned peppers & onions and a side of rice and beans. Two tortillas are included. This one has 300 calories, 7g fat, 5g fiber, and 16g of protein. It is a 8 PointsPlus value.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product for free to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Little House Living Meal Planning Made Simple eBook

I recently have been reading a blog called Little House Living. This blog has all kinds of helpful information about country living, homesteading, meal planning, food storage, gardening, canning and preserving, stockpiling, saving money, etc. They also have a couple of things that will make your life easier and more organized. One is an eBook called Meal Planning Made Simple that has calendars, charts, worksheets, and lists to help you with your own meal planning journey. It is ONLY $3.99 with code MEALPLAN! The other item is called the Homesteader’s Home Management Binder and is ONLY $6.99. It is an abundant supply of pages of calendars, checklists, worksheets, logs, lists, etc. to help you with basic household organization, cleaning, cooking/baking, gardening, grocery shopping, money management, etc.

Click here to visit Little House Living to learn more about these helpful products.

I have been enjoying learning and planning my own "Little House" move. As most of you know who have been reading my blog I am planning on moving to a small farm house with my family that has a little over 5 acres. We have already made some preparations and are planning some big changes in the next year or so. One of those changes besides the move itself will be how I organize and plan everything. I plan on incorporating more homemade cooking/baking, gardening, canning and preserving, and other farm living skills in my family life. We already have been making some income renting out our pasture for horses, but since we still haven't moved into our farm house we are still paying for 2 properties. We also have some meat rabbits and we are planning on owning chickens for eggs and possibly some milk goats.

My husband and I have a lot of work ahead of us. We have started gutting the front house so that we can totally make it our own. My husband has his very own CNC router so he can make all kinds of ornamental custom woodwork for the house and we are deciding the look and feel we would like for our kitchen, bathroom and the rest of the house. I am excited for when we will be able to move in.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I wrote this blog post because I thought you might be interested in knowing this information and taking part of this deal. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any compensation for doing this post. Affiliate links can be found in this post. Thank you for your support of this blog!

“Cook Once, Eat Twice” Winter Facebook Sweepstakes from Real Food Moms

“Cook Once, Eat Twice” Winter Sweepstakes is live. Enter your chance to get a personal nutrition consultation with Real Food Mom Tracee as well as other great prizes. Go here to enter: http://on.fb.me/VslvWd

With kids these days constantly on the go, and us parents shuffling around right with them, wouldn’t it be nice to have some help getting a healthy meal or two on the table?  Their Winter “Cook Once, Eat Twice” ebook is designed just for that.

To celebrate the launch, they want to help a few moms out there kick start the new year with an awesome Winter Sweepstakes!  They’ve gathered up some really cool prizes from a few of their favorite partners, and all you need to do to enter is “like” their Facebook page (if you haven’t already) and enter your name and email address.  That simple! 

If you’re a real go-getter, they’ll give you another entry if you choose to follow them on Twitter @RealFoodMoms and tweet the following:  “I just entered to win a #CookOnceEatTwice prize package from @RealFoodMoms, and you can too http://on.fb.me/VslvWd”

GRAND PRIZE: “COOK ONCE, EAT TWICE” PRIZE PACKAGE

Selection of eco-friendly kitchen utensils from Island Bamboo

Personal nutrition coaching session from Real Food Mom, Tracee

Free copy of the “Cook Once, Eat Twice” ebook

FIRST PRIZE:

8 boxes of Cook Simple meal kits from Healthy Pantry

Personal nutrition coaching session from Real Food Mom, Tracee

Free copy of the “Cook Once, Eat Twice” ebook

SECOND PRIZE:

Personal nutrition coaching session from Real Food Mom, Tracee

Free copy of the “Cook Once, Eat Twice” ebook

See official rules here:

http://www.realfoodmoms.com/real-food-moms-sweepstakes-legal-documentation-official-rules/

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Real Food Moms for sending me this promotion information  to post on my blog. The above information was given to me by their outreach coordinator and was basically just cut and pasted into this post. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any compensation for doing this post, although I did enter the sweepstakes myself.

eMeals Meal Plans 15% Off Offer For the New Year

eMeals, the online leader in meal planning, offers weekly meal plans that offer families a way to save money on their grocery bill. eMeals can help you get organized in the New Year.

eMeals offers over 50 delicious meal plans and corresponding grocery lists every week based on food style preferences, family size and the current sales at selected grocery stores. Dinner menu plans include classic family meals, low-fat, portion control, low-carb, gluten-free, vegetarian, clean eating, paleo, and the natural and organic plan. For more information, please visit www.emeals.com.

Join us in our effort to promote a healthy lifestyle in 2013. We have created some content that is available for you to repurpose on your blog as you extend our tips for eating healthy, saving money, losing weight, and getting organized in the New Year.

Get 15% off the leading meal planning system @eMeals with coupon code "2013"

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about www.emeals.com I am getting a FREE three month online trial subscription to eMeals AND I will be entered to win an iPad. Thanks to USFamilyGuide.com for providing me this promotion information and free product. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.

Real Food Moms & Simple Food For Busy Families Review and Giveaway

Real Food Moms is a great website and blog that is all about nutrition and helping parents make easier, tastier and healthier meals for their families in less time. Parents have a lot on their plates these days, but usually those plates don't involve healthy food. People are spending less time in the kitchen and more eating out. Usually the fast food choices to meet our busy schedules aren't the healthiest in the world. Real Food Moms helps break the unhealthy food cycle and bring good food to your table.

I know I have very little time for meal planning, shopping, food preparation or worrying about what to feed my extremely busy family. I admit that I have a hard time with planning things ahead of time and time management. I am a major procrastinator and usually have a mountain of things to get done on my to do list. This is why I love this website! Most of the recipes that are on this website take less that 15 minutes of prep time. Real Food Moms also shares essential tools, reference charts, time-saving tips and cooking tricks you will need to make your life easier in the kitchen.

Join and Follow Them
They have an app you can download for your convenience on your iPhone. An internet radio show called Family Food Experts that airs every Wednesday at 6:00 PM (EST) on www.W4WN.com (replay on Tuesdays at 9am) The Realfoodmoms.com will co-host every 3rd Wednesday of the month. Each week they'll talk about Healthy Meal Ideas. Join their Twitter chat every Tuesday at 2pm EST #famfoodexperts There will be a weekly giveaway too! Enter on Facebook or Twitter through www.familyfoodexperts.com. Follow them on Pinterest. They also have a forum that you can join to get support and quick answers to your questions. You can also get the Summer Issue of their Cook Once Eat Twice Menu Planner for Free by subscribing!

I received a book written by the Real Food Mom Founders called Simple Food for Busy Families to also review for free. This book is packed with good information. I love how it is laid out. This is my new go to book for helping me put healthier meals together. While this book is not really a cookbook (there are recipes in this book, just not a lot of them), it is a quick reference guide to many things essential for putting meals together. It takes on a whole foods approach to nutrition and tells us how to stray away from the Standard American Diet (SAD). I loved the chapter Seasonality: Eating in Harmony with Nature and learning the benefits to doing so. I loved reading and learning about the different herbs and spices, vegetables, grains and beans, and how to mix and match everything for tasty healthful meals. I really need to execute and administer the daily routine suggestions that they have in this book. I already love to make crust-less quiche and couscous and have incorporated them into my diet. I think I after reading this book I am well on my way to making better choices to put on the table.

Buy It
You can purchase their Pantry Makeover Kit to help you organize and makeover your pantry for $14.95! You can also purchase Books by the Real Food Mom Founders; Great Expectations: Best Food for Your Baby and Toddler From First Foods to Meals Your Child Will Love for $9.36 and Simple Food for Busy Families, The Whole Life Nutrition Approach for $14.24.

WIN IT
Prize: Win the Simple Food for Busy Families Book

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Real Food Mom for sending me product for free to review and letting me giveaway one for free also. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust Review and Giveaway

With our recent acquisition of a property with 5 and a half acres, two houses, a large barn, a lean-to, and a shed we have been busy. Not only are we still homeschooling our children and doing all the parenting duties one has when becoming a parent, but we are also fixing up the new property and structures so we can move in. The structures on the gorgeous land were all built in the 1920's so they definitely need a lot of TLC. I will get into this more in the upcoming weeks with more posts and some pictures.

With our busy schedules we have had little time to do home cooked meals. Thankfully I received a kit from MyBlogSpark with a:

• VIP coupon for New Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust with Whole Grain
• $10 gift card (for your favorite ingredients)
• Baking sheet
• Oven mitt
• Pizza cutter

This kit was just the thing I needed to make a healthy home cooked meal for my family and still have time to get everything else done that I needed to do. The Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust is super convenient and takes only minutes to make. As an added bonus the Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust has 16 grams of whole grain per serving. It was the perfect way to be creative in the kitchen and create a culinary masterpiece on the canvas of dough. The pizza possibilities are fully customizable with endless choices of toppings.

We did tomato sauce and mozzarella topped with spinach, fresh basil leaves, green pepper, tomatoes, mushrooms, artichokes, olives, ground turkey and bacon. The crust turned out so delicious we ate it all up. I am definitely buying this again!

The canister is much like other Pillsbury dough products in how you just pop it open. The dough then unrolls easily onto a rectangular baking sheet. You can then flatten it out more to a thinner crust or leave it for a thicker crust. Follow the step by step instructions on the canister and voilà: fresh, hot and delicious pizza cooked at home in your own kitchen.

Connect with Pillsbury:

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter

BUY IT
Download a printable coupon for $1.25 off one package of New Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust with Whole Grain: http://bit.ly/PCwWG today! Find it in your local grocery refrigerated section along with other Pillsbury dough products. I found it in my local Safeway store.

WIN IT
Prize: Win a Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust Kit

• VIP coupon for New Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust with Whole Grain
• $10 gift card (for your favorite ingredients)
• Baking sheet
• Oven mitt
• Pizza cutter

I am trying out Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers! 

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: The product, gift pack, information, and additional sample have been provided by Pillsbury through MyBlogSpark. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My "Brave" Experience

June 22nd Disney/Pixar's Brave opened in theaters across the country. I went to see it with my husband and my boys on July 1st in theaters. I kinda wished Disney/Pixar didn't put out so many trailers for the film as I felt as though I had seen most of it. But the high spirited flaming red-haired lass, Merida, was my favorite of course along with her triplet wee devil brothers and her horse Angus. Her mother Queen Elinor was also another one of my faves because of her role in the whole movie.

Here I am sitting in front of the movie poster at the theater with my free Brave Kid's Reusable Meal Bag my kids got me at Subway :) These are free with purchase of Subway Fresh Fit For Kids Meal. You can collect all 6. You can also possibly win free tickets to Brave with entry code that comes inside the bag. These are available while supplies last and only while the promotion is going on so hurry and get yours soon! I have the 'Merida and the Highlands' one so far.

I loved Merida's archery! I would love to be able to shoot arrows like that, especially while riding a horse! My oldest son Delbin got a trainer bow at the Pacific Northwest Sportsmen’s Show back in February and my husband just got him arrows and some bales of hay to practice on.

I've put this doll on my daughter's wishlist! This doll is by Tollytots and is of Merida with Angus. So cute!! I love horses! I also love their other dolls and they make other Merida ones too.

Also, look at this neat Brave - Aim For Your Dreams Disney Gift Card. You can get cool Disney gear with it at Disney Theme Parks and stores.

You can also download Brave Family Activity Sheets here.

Anyway, if you haven't seen Brave it is definitely worth watching. I enjoyed the movie very much. Have you seen it yet?

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I wrote this blog post because I thought you might be interested in knowing this information and taking part of these deals and opportunities. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any compensation for doing this post.

Food on the Table - Easy Meal Planning - FREE

Food on the Table is an awesome Meal Planning Service that is based on sales of well known grocery store chains to help you make your grocery lists, save money and come up with meals from their recipes. They have Safeway, Fred Myer, Albertsons, QFC, Save-A-Lot, and Whole Foods on their list of stores they work with.

Since I am shopping more frequently at Safeway now because of Safeway's Just For U savings program I am excited to use this also!

Use promo code: SPRINGFREE and you will get this Free For Life!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I wrote this blog post because I thought you might be interested in knowing this information and taking part of this deal because I also have signed up for it. I thought I would share the savings. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any compensation for doing this post.

Creative Slow-Cooker Meals: Use Two Slow Cookers for Tasty and Easy Dinners [Spiral-Bound] by Cheryl Moeller FWCT Book Review

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!




You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Cheryl Moeller

and the book:

Creative Slow-Cooker Meals:
Use Two Slow Cookers for
Tasty and Easy Dinners [Spiral-Bound]

Harvest House Publishers; Spi edition (February 1, 2012)

***Special thanks to Karri James, Marketing Assistant, Harvest House Publishers for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Cheryl Moeller is a seasoned mother and a standup comic. She is also a syndicated columnist with her own blog (www.momlaughs.blogspot.com) and contributes monthly to several online parent websites. Cheryl has coauthored two books on marriage with her husband and has written for www.mops.org and Marriage Partnership. Cheryl does comedy for parenting classes, MOPS groups, wedding or baby showers, church retreats, women’s conferences, and those in line at the grocery store.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

From the celebrated coauthor of The Marriage Miracle comes a new kind of cookbook and a new attitude toward planning meals. With an eye toward the whole menu, not just part of it, columnist Cheryl Moeller teaches cooks to use two crockpots to easily create healthy, homemade dinners.

Don’t worry about your dinner being reduced to a mushy stew. Each of the more than 200 recipes has been taste-tested at Cheryl’s table. Join the Moeller family as you dig into:

• Harvest-time Halibut Chowder
• Salmon and Gingered Carrots
• Mediterranean Rice Pilaf
• Indian Chicken Curry
• Apricot-Pistachio Bread
• Shrimp Creole
• Rhubarb Crisp

... and many more! Perfect for the frazzled mom who never has enough time in the day, Creative Slow-Cooker Meals gives readers more time around the table with delicious, healthy, frugal, and easy meals!

Product Details:

List Price: $14.99

Spiral-bound: 272 pages

Publisher: Harvest House Publishers; Spi edition (February 1, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0736944915

ISBN-13: 978-0736944915

AND NOW...THE FIFTH CHAPTER (click on pages to enlarge):