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Top Five Places to Get King Cake in New Orleans

January 5, 2011 By 5 Comments

If you are not from New Orleans, January 6th might just be an ordinary day, or perhaps you know it as the Epiphany or King’s Day.  But for us New Orleanians, January 6th marks the start of something spectacular….CARNIVAL!  The parades, floats, marching bands, traditions and throws are all great fun, but my favorite part of Carnival is the KING CAKE!

King Cake BabyKing’s Day (January 6th) is celebrated as the date the gift-bearing kings visited the baby Jesus. The King Cake is baked in honor of the three kings and the baby (plastic, porcelain or gold) placed inside the cake symbolizes the baby Jesus. Originally, these oval cakes were a simple ring of dough with a small amount of decoration. Today’s King Cakes are much more festive! After the rich Danish dough is braided and baked, the “baby” is inserted. The top of the ring or oval cake is then covered with delicious sugar toppings in the traditional Mardi Gras colors: purple, green and gold.

In New Orleans, King Cake parties are held throughout the Carnival Season (generally on Friday). The person who receives the slice of cake with the baby inside is asked to continue the festivities by hosting the next King Cake party.

If you are looking to be a part of this NOLA tradition, I thought I would help you find some of the BEST places to buy King Cake (and I should know because over the course of my 36 years, I have tasted a LOT of King Cake!).

5.  Tastee Donuts:  While MacKenzie’s Bakery no longer exists in NOLA, Tastee’s bought their King Cake recipe and now offers the traditional MacKenzie’s King Cake.  This is the only kind of King Cake my Grandmother used to buy when I was little, so this particular recipe brings back memories!

4.  Gambino’s:  While Gambino’s is known for their Doberche Cakes, they make a mean King Cake, too! These King Cakes can be stuffed with cream cheese, pecan praline, raspberry, peach, pineapple, blueberry, strawberry, lemon, apple, cherry or chocolate brownie!  I recommend the cream cheese!  Gambino’s offers some great packages to give out-of-towners a real Carnival experience.

3. Haydel’s:  In September, Haydel’s created a World’s Record for the largest King Cake ever made… it actually circled the New Orleans SuperDome! This Carnival, they are celebrating by offering the World Record King Cake Care Package which includes one large Traditional or Filled King Cake plus Haydel’s own Mambo Beat Mardi Gras Magazine, a king cake history scroll, one pack of Haydel’s Coffee and Chicory, Haydel’s Specialty Bead Pack, this year’s handcrafted Porcelain Collectible (while supplies last), Mardi Gras CD, Mardi Gras poster and a World Record Edition Mardi Gras cup.  Follow Haydel’s on Twitter so you don’t miss any special deals!

sucre king cake

Sucre King Cake...sooo pretty!

3. (tie) Mandeville Bake Shop (Krummel’s):  Not on the Southshore?  No problem!  Try out this Northshore favorite!

2.  Randazzo’s:  Making King Cakes since 1965, Randazzo’s is the favorite of many locals.  The line remains out of the door, through the parking lot and down the street which means they are doing something right! From now through Mardi Gras Eve (known as Lundi Gras), you can have a King Cake shipped just about anywhere!

1.  Sucre:  Even though I was born and raised in New Orleans, I was just introduced to the Sucre King Cake last year for a product review.  This is by far the prettiest King Cake I have ever seen….and the tastiest.  For only $20, you can own a slice of heaven! I absolutely cannot wait to get one this year.  In fact, I loved it so much, I shipped a few of these to friends last year so I wouldn’t be the only one to love Sucre!

Happy King’s Day!  Where are you going to get your King Cake?

Where is the BEST place to get a King Cake?

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Filed Under: My So-Called Life Tagged With: , , ,

Get Snacking with Tyson Any’Tizers: Review and Giveaway

January 5, 2011 By

Recently our beloved New Orleans Saints were playing on Sunday, and our dear friends invited us over.  They’d do the adult food, and I could bring the kid food…for six kids age 8 and under.  Yikes!

When I was asked to review Tyson Any’Tizers recently, I jumped at the chance.  I have seen them in the freezer case before but have never bought them.  I came home with a bag of New Chicken Quesa-Dippers and a bag of Buffalo-Style Chicken.  So, when the short-notice invite to watch football came up, I grabbed them and went!  The Taco Seasoned Chicken Quesa-Dippers were easy to heat up in the oven and were ready in just a few minutes.  The bag includes salsa that defrosts easily for those who want it.  The Buffalo Chicken went into the microwave and was ready in no time.  We made the kids’ plates and watched them go!

Chowing Down!

All 6 kids devoured the Tyson goodies and everyone agreed they were delicious.  The Taco-Seasoned Chicken Quesa-Dippers were satisfying and tasted like they came from an authentic Mexican restaurant.  I liked the Buffalo Wings!  The boys in the group liked how they had just enough spice.  I liked how the chicken was all-white meat and the pieces were big and satisfying.  We fed ALL SIX kids with the two bags of Tyson and had leftovers!   I will definitely pick these up again to keep on hand for something quick, easy, and delicious for the kids, or the adults!   There are lots of different varieties to choose from….definitely something for everyone!

GIVEAWAY

How would you like some Tyson Any’Tizers for your freezer?  One winner will win two coupons for FREE Tyson Any’tizers Quesa Dippers!

How to Enter (mandatory entry):

1.  Check out all the varieties of Tyson Any’tizers!  Which one do you want to try?

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog and Tyson (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.

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

This review is Jennifer’s opinion of the Experimental Mommy.  Others may have a differing opinion of the product.  I received a sample product to facilitate this review, however no monetary compensation was received.  All opinions remain 100% mine.
Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: , ,

WHOMP! CHARMZ for Silly Banz: Review and Giveaway

January 4, 2011 By

whomp charmzAs a Mom of two girls, I am no stranger to Silly Banz.  In fact, we had to get a special storage case for these “must have” bracelets.  While there are many shapes to the Banz, wouldn’t is be cool if you could put your own spin on them?  Enter WHOMP! CHARMZ.

Think of them as accessories for your accessories!  These charms easily attach to your Banz (or earphones, necklaces, shoelaces, etc.) to create an endless number of possibilities!  The CHARMZ come in Pond Pals, Manic Monkeys, Chomp Dogs, Sassy Kitties and Bleeps & Bots.  Each set of charms contains eight pieces in various colors.

silly banz whomp charmz

Santa brought the WHOMP! CHARMZ to my oldest daughter in her stocking.  She squealed with delight and immediately ran to get her Banz.  Before long, we was wearing the Sassy Kitties (her favorite).  She did need a little help attaching the charms to her bracelets, but I think with practice she will be able to do it independently.  The pieces are small and are recommended for ages six and over.  I definitely see us purchasing these as birthday gifts for her friends in the near future!

If you are looking for WHOMP! CHARMZ, you can find them at Claire’s, Toys R Us, and Justice.  Each pack runs about $5.99.

GIVEAWAY

Do you have a Banz addict in your home?  One reader will win FIVE packs on WHOMP! CHARMZ.

How to enter (mandatory entry):

1.  Check out the WHOMP! CHARMZ sets. Which item is your favorite?

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog and WHOMP! CHARMZ (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and @WhompCharmz 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 WHOMP! CHARMZ on Facebook.

5. Place my blog banner on your sidebar.

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

This review is the opinion of the Experimental Mommy.  Others may have a differing opinion of the product.  I received a sample product to facilitate this review, however no monetary compensation was received.  All opinions remain 100% mine.
Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: , , , ,

Join me for an #Expo Twitter Party on January 18th!

January 4, 2011 By 1 Comment

While last year I did a great job at losing some weight, unfortunately I also did a great job putting it back on. I am happy to report that I am back on the bandwagon and will be weighing in at Weight Watchers on Saturday. As I write this post, I am getting my inspiration from the premiere of The Biggest Loser. If you have similar goals, I thought you might be interested in joining me and the Double Duty Divas for an #Expo Twitter Party. Details are below! Hope to see you there!

What: Join the Double Duty Divas for an Expo Twitter Party during The Biggest Loser to celebrate their new Biggest Loser Expo Boards which can easily help track your exercise and meals for your weight loss goals.

When: Tuesday, January 18, 2010; 8-10 p.m. EST

Where: Hashtag #Expo on Twitter

How: Follow @DoubleDutyDivas @CoolBabyKid @BridgetteLA and @expomarkers

Prizes: Expo White Boards & Markers including the Biggest Loser Boards

RSVP: While it is not necessary to RSVP, additional winners will be chosen from the RSVP list so why not add your name to the list and join us? You must be present to win.

Filed Under: Promotions Tagged With: , , ,

Wordless Wednesday: Is it Midnight Yet, Mom?

January 4, 2011 By 26 Comments
almost midnight

I can't believe my two year old made it till midnight (barely) on New Year's Eve! Happy 2011!

Filed Under: Wordless Wednesday Tagged With:

Puppy Pursuit by Melissa and Doug: Review and Giveaway

January 3, 2011 By

I have two daughters, ages 3 and 6 (almost).  They love to play together, for which I am extremely thankful.  However, it is very hard to find a game that both of them are capable of playing.  We have many games and pretend play by Melissa and Doug and they are huge hits especially the wooden food sets, but I had no idea that Melissa and Doug had childrens games as well.

I was happy to try out the game, Puppy Pursuit by Melissa and Doug with my two daughters.  A little about the game:

pretend play toys“With only 6 stuffed puppies and 60 paw print cards, this box contains ten active games to encourage the development of memory, patterning, sequencing, color recognition and matching skills. Puppy Hunt, Jumping Puppies and Paw Pickers are just three of the engaging canine activities children will be begging to play! Instructions include variations on many of the games to extend the fun.”

When I took the game out of the box, both of my daughters were so excited to see real stuffed puppies!  Any game with stuffed animals is a bonus, right?!?  Immediately, I knew that this was a different kind of board game.  After reading the instructions, I realized that there are several games to choose from at various ability levels.  This is a great feature because I was able to select a game that both my 3 and 6 year olds could play together.  In Puppy Hunt, each child selected one puppy (they all have different colored collars) among the six to hunt.  With their eyes closed, I hid all six puppies and they went off to find their assigned dog.  To make this game a bit harder, you can make it like a scavenger hunt by including the paw print cards as clues.

Photobucket

Both girls thoroughly enjoyed this game and I loved that they could both play and achieve the goals.  It also was great that we could make the game harder to engage my oldest daughter.  This game can be purchased directly for $29.99.

GIVEAWAY

Are you children fans of Melissa and Doug games?  One reader will win their choice of Puppy Pursuit, Monster Bowling, or Sandwich Stacking Games!

How to enter (mandatory entry):

1.  Check out the pretend play toys at Melissa and Doug.  Which item is your favorite?

Additional entries:

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

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and @MelissaAndDoug 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 Melissa and Doug on Facebook.

5. Place my blog banner on your sidebar.

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

This review is the opinion of the Experimental Mommy.  Others may have a differing opinion of the product.  I received a sample product to facilitate this review, however no monetary compensation was received.  All opinions remain 100% mine.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER:
Anyone who has won a Melissa & Doug Giveaway during the past 12 months is not eligible for this giveaway.

Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: , , ,

Fresh Produce Clothing: Review and Giveaway

January 1, 2011 By

Since becoming a Mom, I have noticed that I buy for myself less and less.  Every time we venture to the mall, we stop at Old Navy, Gymboree and Gap Kids and check out the sale racks for my two girls.  I rarely head to my old favorite stores and my wardrobe is showing it!  So, I was thrilled when I was offered a new outfit from Fresh Produce for review.

Because I work in a lab full time, I am fortunate enough to not have to wear business clothing on a daily basis.  Jeans and tees are totally appropriate which is good….and bad.  Sometimes I get bored wearing the same look over and over, so I was happy to hear that Fresh Produce Clothing believes in comfort, style and COLOR!  A little about this women’s clothing company:

“Now in its third decade, Fresh Produce continues to be primarily Made in the USA and has grown into a $50 million company with one of the most original, refreshing and captivating casual, resort and sportswear lines in America. Known and loved by women ages 6 months to 60-plus for lush colors, year-round sensibility, simply inspired design and coastal comfort, Fresh Produce continues to delight customers around the globe. Fresh Produce can be found in Nordstrom, Walt Disney resorts and stores, and over 800 specialty boutiques and resort retailers.”

Fresh Produce ClothingI was sent the Stretch Broadcloth Safari Roll up Pant in South Beach Blue (which looks like navy).  The first thing I noticed was that the pants felt soft to the touch, not stiff at all.  They are pant length, but can be rolled to capri length easily which looked great with flats.  The drawstring waist made it easy to adjust the fit (especially after a big Christmas meal!).  The pant was extremely comfortable and fit true to size. The pants can be purchased for $72.

To complete the outfit, I was sent the Got Soul Top in Seagull Gray.  The scoopneck line was flattering and the 3/4 length sleeves allow me to wear this in both warm and cold weather (which is quite common here in New Orleans!).  The color was more metallic than I expected it to be, but was pretty with the navy pant.  The shirt can be purchased for $39.

I really liked the look and feel of this outfit.  It was casual, but looked put together at the same time which would make for a great work outfit for me.  If you haven’t treated yourself in awhile, check out Fresh Produce Clothing!

GIVEAWAY

In case you haven’t purchased anything for yourself this holiday season, Fresh Produce Clothing would like to spoil one reader with the Feel Good Jersey Jacket (ARV $49)!

How to enter (mandatory entry):

1.  Check out the clothing line at Fresh Produce.  Which item (other than the jacket) is your favorite?

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog and Fresh Produce Clothing (10 extra entries).

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and @FreshProduceNow 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 Fresh Produce on Facebook.

5. Place my blog banner on your sidebar.

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

This review is the opinion of the Experimental Mommy.  Others may have a differing opinion of the product.  I received a sample product to facilitate this review, however no monetary compensation was received.  All opinions remain 100% mine.
Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: , , , ,
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