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Give Mom a break with Michael Angelo’s Gourmet Foods! Giveaway!

May 5, 2010 By 244 Comments

Each Sunday, my husband and I sit down and make a meal plan for the upcoming week before heading to the grocery store.  Lately, it seems like it has become the same old menu week in and week out.  We are both growing desperate for a different meal that is still convenient and easy (not to mention yummy!).  I was delighted that Michael Angelo’s asked me to sample their frozen gourmet meals and quickly added it to my shopping list for the week.  About Michael Angelo’s:

michaelangelos“Michael Angelo’s wants to provide your family with the most delicious and nutritious meals possible. That’s why we only use the finest, high quality ingredients: 100% premium meats – fresh, never frozen; authentic Italian cheeses made using Old World methods, 100% durum wheat semolina pasta, fresh herbs and spices; fresh vegetables and specially selected, vine-ripened tomatoes.

We make our meals from scratch every day, hand assembling each dinner and inspecting it for quality, just before we ship them out to your local supermarket. This made-to-order process ensures you the freshest food and an outstanding homemade taste only an Italian mother could duplicate.  We will never include artificial colors, artificial flavors, fillers, chemical preservatives or other unnatural additives in our foods.”

After checking out the selection of Michael Angelo’s entrees at my local grocery store (the Chicken Toscana and Four Cheese Lasagna caught my eye), I decided on the Shrimp Scampi.  This dish includes all natural shrimp, linguini pasta, lemon butter garlic sauce and diced tomatoes.  Five minutes in the microwave seemed like forever once the smell of Italian spices filled my kitchen.  This dish is definitely aromatic and the taste did not disappoint!  The pasta was tender and the shrimp were delicious.  So relax, take a break from the kitchen and let Michael Angelo’s serve dinner tonight!

GIVEAWAY

michaelangeloWant to try the Michael Angelo’s selections for yourself?  I have three coupons for FREE Entrees as well as a Michael Angelo’s oven mit and apron for one lucky reader!

How to enter:

1. Visit Michael Angelo’s and tell me which product you will try first!

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog and Michael Angelo’s (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog on Facebook.

5. Place my blog banner on your sidebar.

6. Subscribe to my Feed.

7.  Visit the Family Table and sign up to receive coupons for Michael Angelo’s products!

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on May 20th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This product review is the opinion of the Experimental Mommy. Other may have a different experience with the product. I was not compensated for this review other than a complimentary product provided by Michael Angelo’s. All opinions are 100% mine.
Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: , ,

“Return the Love” with Western Union! $50 giveaway!

May 5, 2010 By 1,943 Comments

Do you have the Mom that has everything?  I mean, you are her child….what more could she ask for, right?!? LOL!  Have you ever thought of sending Mom on a shopping spree?  How fun would it be to give Mom cash and allow her to buy the gift she has been admiring?  It’s easy to send money to 370,000 locations around the globe with Western Union!

westernunionThis Mother’s Day, “Return the Love” your Mom has given you by honoring her on the Western Union website!  A group on Flickr has been created in order for Western Union fans can share those precious photos of Mom.  Each week, Western Union will choose one picture to be featured on their Webpage!  From the press release:

“Western Union’s ‘Return the Love’ campaign reminds us that mom showered us with countless acts of love throughout our lives, and Mother’s Day is the perfect time to return the sentiment by giving her a gift she really wants,” said Stewart A. Stockdale, President, The Americas and EVP, Global Key Accounts and Global Cards, Western Union. “Cash is a practical gift-giving idea, it’s a quick and easy alternative.

My Mommy

My Mommy

Also, Western Union and Grammy-award winning recording artist Wyclef Jean, and “Queen of Latin Pop” Paulina Rubio, “Return the Love” with special performances and appearances at the Billboard Latin Music Conference & Awards and a concert honoring military moms.”

GIVEAWAY

Western Union wants to help you celebrate Mother’s Day by giving away FIVE $50 Western Union cards which can be used anywhere!

How to enter:

1. Tell me how you would spend your $50 Western Union card!

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog and Western Union (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and @WesternUnion on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog and Western Union on Facebook.

5. Place my blog banner on your sidebar.

6. Subscribe to my Feed.

7.  Upload a picture to Western Union’s Flickr group and let me know you did!

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on May 21st. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This product review is the opinion of the Experimental Mommy. Other may have a different experience with the product. I was not compensated for this review other than a $50 gift card provided by Western Union. All opinions are 100% mine.


Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: ,

Break the Cycle with U by Kotex!

May 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

As a Mom of two daughters, I strive to keep the lines of communication open even though they are only ages 2 and 5.  I want them to feel comfortable talking to me about anything and trust that I will always be honest.  I am hoping that if they feel comfortable talking to me about  fights with their friends, difficult decisions at school or just how they are feeling that when the time is right, they will come to me with questions about the “birds and the bees.”

 I can remember having questions for my Mom and I chose to write my questions down so I wouldn’t have to ask embarrassing questions face to face.  My Mom quietly answered the questions essay-style and let me digest the info on my own before asking to talk to me. 

ubykotex2

 The first time I had to buy feminine products at the store was mortifying.  I searched for a female cashier and I don’t think I ever looked her in the eye.  Kotex feels like it is time to stop the cycle, “Talking openly about many intimate health issues is no longer taboo. In fact, it’s encouraged, leading to increased awareness and better health care for people everywhere. So why is it that society and the media still can’t get it together when it comes to women’s issues below the waist? Sadly, this secrecy and shame about all things related to vaginal health have a negative impact on a woman’s body image, self-esteem and overall health.”

 U by Kotex, a new line of feminine hygiene products, has been developed to help girls feel less embarrassed and more confident about their bodies.  Visit Walmart to learn more about the U by Kotex line, get some free samples and download a fun Daily Journal iPhone or iTouch application that lets you take pictures, add play lists and geo-target your location for each entry.

 “I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Kotex and received products necessary to facilitate my candid review. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Filed Under: Promotions Tagged With: ,

Wordless Wednesday

May 4, 2010 By 22 Comments
Could my two girls be ANY different?!? LOL!

Could my two girls be ANY different?!? LOL!

Filed Under: Wordless Wednesday Tagged With:

Family Day Out with Nestle: Giveaway!

May 4, 2010 By 424 Comments

nestlemothersday2What’s your idea of a perfect Mother’s Day?  For me, it would begin by sleeping past 7am!  Following breakfast in bed, I would love to spend time with my two daughters and husband at the park (maybe even a picnic lunch) and topped off with an ice cream cone.  Quality time with my family to just relax would be wonderful!

nestlemothersdayNestle wants to help you make this a Mother’s Day to Remember!  Simply visit Nestle Family and enter to win $8,000 towards a family vacation and $2,000 towards a spa day to pamper Mom.  Now THAT is a day to remember for sure!  In addition, you can win some great prizes from Nestle right here at Experimental Mommy.  Your prize pack will include:

A Shutterfly $29.99 giftcard, Carnation Instant Breakfast Essentials, Glowelle (30-day supply), Juicy Juice, Dreyer’s/Edy’s ice cream, Toll House, Nesquik, Cranberry Raisinets, Stouffer’s, Nestle Pure Life, Wonka Exceptionals, Wonka Sploshberries and several recipe cards featuring recipes from meals.com!

How to enter:

1. Tell me your idea of the perfect Mother’s Day!

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog and Nestle Family (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and @NestleUSA on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog on Facebook.

5. Place my blog banner on your sidebar.

6. Subscribe to my Feed.

7.  Enter the Nestle Mother’s Day to Remember contest and let me know you did!

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on May 19th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This product review is the opinion of the Experimental Mommy. Other may have a different experience with the product. I was not compensated for this review other than a product sample provided by Nestle. All opinions are 100% mine.
Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: , ,

Domino Sugar Great American Bake Sale Giveaway!

May 3, 2010 By 466 Comments

Did you know nearly there are nearly 17 million children in America who are at risk for hunger?  When I look at my own two children who I often have to tell, “that’s enough” when it comes to goodies from the pantry, it is mind-boggling.  I cannot imagine my children coming home from school and being hungry and having to tell them we had nothing to eat.  Can you?

Nothing better than a chocolate chip cookie!

Nothing better than a chocolate chip cookie!

I am so glad to be able to share with you information about the Great American Bake Sale! For the third year in a row, Domino Sugar/C&H Sugar is the sponsor for Share our Strength’s® Great American Bake Sale to help fight childhood hunger. Great American Bake Sale raises money to fight childhood hunger across the U.S. by encouraging people to host bake sales in their communities.  Once the yummy treats have been eaten and the money has been counted, you simply donate the profits to help Share our Strength provide millions of meals and snacks to America’s children.

bakesale

The Great American Bake Sale website makes planning your bake sale as easy as pie (no pun intended) by offering recipes, tips for planning your sale,  and even signs and tags to promote your goodies!  All you have to do is register with Share Our Strength, plan your sale, and send in your donation.  This would make a great community service activity for a school group, scout project, or church event.

GIVEAWAY

Domino has generously offered one reader a $20 gift card to be used towards supplies for your own bake sale.  Take a look in your pantry and think about how lucky you are to be able to put food on the table for your family.  I am sure it will inspire some of you to take on this fun and worthwhile project!

How to enter:

1. Visit the Great American Bake Sale website and tell me one recipe you would love to try.

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog and the Great American Bake Sale (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and @DominoSugar on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog and Domino Sugar on Facebook.

5. Place my blog banner on your sidebar.

6. Subscribe to my Feed.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on May 18th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This product review is the opinion of the Experimental Mommy. Other may have a different experience with the product. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are 100% mine.
Filed Under: Giveaways

Cook up a Kikko de Mayo Fiesta with Kikkoman! Giveaway!

May 3, 2010 By 180 Comments

ponzuFajitas. Tacos. Burritos. Bean dip. Quesadillas. I LOVE Mexican Food! As a little girl, I remember my Grandmother making tacos for my birthday because I put in that special request. While I love Mexican food, if it’s not in a box, I can’t cook it (and sometimes I even ruin the boxed kits). However, in the past months, I have had the opportunity to work with Kikkoman and learned how to cook an incredibly yummy turkey. So now, they have asked me to help them celebrate Kikko de Mayo by using their products in traditional Mexican recipes. You heard right….I have been challenged to use Japanese ingredients in Mexican dishes. Impossible?

No way. Not when I am armed with Ponzu!

“Ponzu, a citrus seasoned dressing and sauce, is packed with citrus flavors and is the perfect ingredient to complement a variety of Mexican dishes such as carne asada, fajitas and even salsa that the entire family will love!”

I tried the Shrimp Fajita recipe found on the Kikkoman website because it looked like something I might actually be able to accomplish in the kitchen.

Ingredients (Yield: Serves 6) 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled

and deveined 1 clove garlic, minced 1 small onion, thinly sliced 1 green bell pepper, sliced 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 cup lightly packed cilantro 1/2 cup Kikkoman Lime Ponzu 1/3 cup lime juice 12 flour tortillas, warmed

Instructions

Stir together shrimp, garlic, Ponzu and lime juice, let stand at room temperature 20 minutes. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and green peppers to the skillet saute for 3 minutes, add shrimp and cook until shrimp turn pink, toss in cilantro. Serve with tortillas.

kikkomanThe recipe was incredibly easy and absolutely delicious!  For a busy Mom who works outside the home, this dish was easily prepared in a minimal amount of time, but also was healthy for my family.  This recipe was not only tasty but fit within my calorie goal for the day as well.  The dish did not taste particularly Asian, but was so packed with flavor that I cannot wait to make it again!  In fact, I am looking for more ways to use my new best friend…Kikkoman Lime Ponzu!

GIVEAWAY

Want to join in the fun and create your own Kikko de Mayo Fiesta? You can download a coupon for a FREE bottle of Ponzu with any Kikkoman purchase!  Want more?  Kikkoman has generously donated a giveaway of Kikkoman product to one lucky reader!

How to enter:

1. Visit Kikkoman and tell me which recipe you would love to try.

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog and Stride Rite (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog on Facebook.

5. Place my blog banner on your sidebar.

6. Subscribe to my Feed.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on May 17th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This product review is the opinion of the Experimental Mommy. Other may have a different experience with the product. I was not compensated for this review other than a product sample provided by Kikkoman. All opinions are 100% mine.
Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: , , ,

Stride Rite and Robeez are “Giving Back to Moms!” GIVEAWAY

May 3, 2010 By 264 Comments

stride rite logoI always knew my Mom sacrificed a lot for my brother and I, but I never quite understood the responsibilities of a Mom until I had my own children.  Stride Rite and Robeez understand the hard work that goes into being a Mom and have decided to hold a “Giving Back to Moms” contest on their Facebook pages starting today through May 10th!  Simply visit Stride Rite’s Facebook page and Robeez Facebook page and tell them why they you or someone you know is a super mom and include a picture to illustrate their answer.

GIVEAWAY!

And because my readers are obviously SuperMoms themselves, Stride Rite has given me a $40 Stride Rite gift card to give away to one lucky reader!

How to enter:

1. Visit Stride Rite and tell me how you would spend your gift card!

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog and Stride Rite (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and @StrideRite on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog, Stride Rite and Robeez on Facebook.

5. Place my blog banner on your sidebar.

6. Subscribe to my Feed.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on May 9th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This product review is the opinion of the Experimental Mommy. Other may have a different experience with the product. I was not compensated for this review other than a product sample provided by Stride Rite. All opinions are 100% mine.
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BOOMbidz: Competitive Shopping

May 3, 2010 By 3 Comments

As a Mom of two daughters, I find that we spend way more money than we should on new clothes, shoes, accessories and entertainment.  Over the last year or so, I have begun to use online auction sites such as eBay to see if I can snag a great deal on things we need, and I have to say….it’s addicting (especially if you have a competitive spirit!).  There is just nothing like knowing you got a fabulous price on an item you would have paid much more for in a retail store.  Do you love competitive shopping?  Have you heard of BOOMbidz?

boombidzlogo

About BoomBidz penny auctions:

“BOOMbidz is a new and innovative approach to online auctions. In order to bid, participants must first purchase BOOMbidz. The price of the auction item is increased by only one penny with each bid placed. By using this unique auction model, bidders can come away with brand new quality products at amazing prices.”

I took a tour of this competitive shopping site and found the whole process intriguing.  Basically, you purchase bids as part of a BOOM pack (each bid can be purchased for $0.75).  The smallest BOOM pack you can buy is 25 bids for $18.75.  Next, you peruse the penny auctions to see what peaks your interest.  For example, I found an auction for a $50 Target gift card currently sitting at only $0.08!  When you decide a product is worth your bid, you take a bid from your Boom pack ($0.75), and place it on the product which will raise the cost of the product by one cent.  So, if I placed my $0.75 bid on the $50 Target gift card, the price of the card would be raised to $0.09.  If no one else bids and I am the LAST bidder, I would win the Target card!  I would then pay my 9 cents (plus shipping) for the $50 Target card!  What an incredible deal!

Does this sound like fun to you?  Check out the penny auction tips and start bidding!

The post was sponsored by BOOMbidz, but all opinions are 100% mine.
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Bake me a Wish: Mother’s Day Monday GIVEAWAY!

May 2, 2010 By 305 Comments

With Mother’s Day just a few short days away, I am sure you have been searching for the perfect gift for your Mom.  While I am sure your Mom would love another toaster, homemade pot holder or picture frame, try to think outside the box this year….think inside the oven!  Bake Me a Wish, an online company offering gourmet gift cakes, asked me to participate in a Mother’s Day Monday giveaway!

After having worked with Bake Me a Wish in the past, I knew I would love the opportunity to try another one of their decadent creations.  Just to refresh your memory, a little about Bake Me a Wish:

bakemeawish“Bake Me a Wish! is the premium nationwide service for delivery of gourmet birthday cakes. Our cakes are made with only the finest, freshest ingredients by an award-winning family run New York bakery that also supplies pastries to some of Manhattan’s most elite restaurants.

Through careful cost control and air-tight delivery systems, we are also happy to be able to bring you our fine cakes at an extremely affordable price. Now, whether it’s your son in college, your trusted associate, your old friend, or your granddaughter across the country, you will always have a simple and wonderful way to remember them on that important day of the year.”

mothersdaymondayIn honor of Mothers everywhere, Bake Me a Wish has come up with some special gift ideas that really take the cake!  I had the opportunity to try the new Chocolate Truffle Lava Cakes which were unbelievable.  For just $39.95, your Mom will receive four lava cakes which, after heating in the microwave, are little round slices of heaven.  The warm chocolate cake is taken to a whole new level when the rich chocolate liquid spills out of the center! Divine!  The cakes arrived perfectly packaged and can be boxed with a card you can personalize online.

Need more incentive to buy?  This year, Bake Me a Wish will donate 5% of each Mother’s Day order to Rosie’s Broadway Kids!

Is your mouth watering yet?  Want to have your cake and eat it, too?  You are in luck!  There are many ways to win your very own Mother’s Day creation from Bake Me a Wish!

You can win your choice of Mother’s Day cakes right here at Experimental Mommy, and you can win a cake on each one of the participating Mother’s Day Monday blogs (The Thrifty and Chic Mom, Eighty MPH Mom, Parenting Squad, Cool Baby Kid, The Classy Mommy, Potamus Prefers and Shop with me Mama)!

How to enter:

1. Visit Bake Me a Wish and tell me which product you would choose if you won!

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog and Bake Me a Wish (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and @BakeMeaWish on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway using #mothersdaymonday. Every time you tweet you get an additional entry! Unlimited! (You must have over 50 Twitter followers to qualify for unlimited entries!)

3. Subscribe to my blog.

4. Become a Fan of The Not-So-Blog and Bake Me a Wish on Facebook.

5. Place my blog banner on your sidebar.

6. Subscribe to my Feed.

7.  Subscribe to Bake Me a Wish’s newsletter!

8.  Purchase a cake from Bake Me a Wish and receive an extra entry.

BONUS GIVEAWAY!!  BONUS GIVEAWAY!!

Bake Me a Wish is feeling generous and will be giving away TWO additional BONUS cakes during the Mother’s Day Monday promotion!  Win a cake by entering directly on the Facebook page of Bake Me a Wish by telling them your best story about your mom and cake!  Or if you have been blogging for at least one year, blog about the contest and paste your link on the Bake Me a Wish blog post on Monday, May 3rd.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on May 8th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This product review is the opinion of the Experimental Mommy. Other may have a different experience with the product. I was not compensated for this review other than a product sample provided by Bake Me a Wish. All opinions are 100% mine.
Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: , , ,
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