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I’m an Auntie Anne’s Pretzel Pro!

May 7, 2013 By 3 Comments

Recently, I had the honor of attending Auntie Anne’s Pretzel Academy, to learn all about the pretzel experience. I was more than happy to stand in for Bridgette, especially since pretzel tasting was involved. And, while I have always loved the sweet cinnamon sugar pretzel sticks that Auntie Anne’s has to offer, I will admit that I did not know a lot about the company.

 

 

Founded by Anne Beiler, Auntie Anne’s started as a stand in a farmer’s market where they were raising money to help counsel families in need.  And, as they say the rest is history!  Following Anne’s motto: ”Give, to Get Back, to Give Again” the company continues to grow and partner with great causes, such as Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

 

While in Lancaster, PA, home of Auntie Anne’s, I learned all about the pretzel making process and what makes their pretzels stand above the rest. From the special dough, which is shipped directly to the franchise stores, to the variety of pretzels offerings, Auntie Anne’s is like no other. They serve only the freshest pretzels, which are guaranteed to be fresh out of the oven, within 30 minutes of serving them.  And, this can be seen by how fast they are growing as they are now the world’s largest hand-rolled soft chain with more than 1,330 stores in more than 25 countries and 46 states!

I did learn the pretzel making process and now know that it is no easy task. The dough must take time to rise and then is hand rolled into that special shape we all know and love. I also was taught how to roll a pretzel from Anne herself, which was just a little intimidating! (brag moment) But, I must have learned well, since I won the pretzel rolling contest!

The best thing that I learned, is that I have a new favorite pretzel, which is the Almond Pretzel with caramel sauce! Super yummy!! Be sure to follow Auntie Anne’s on Facebook and Twitter, and keep checking back here on Experimental Mommy to keep up to date on all things pretzel.

This post was written by Renee of What Mommies Need.  Auntie Anne’s covered travel expenses for this trip but all opinions remain 100% honest.

Lysol’s Power & Free Cleans Without the Harsh Bleach Smell {Giveaway}

May 1, 2013 By
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Lysol. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Sweepstakes Rules

April showers not only bring May flowers in my neck of the woods. As Spring arrives, my calendar blooms with activity. The week is full of meetings, blog events, and dance recitals while the weekends bring birthday parties, weddings and graduations leaving very little time for cleaning.

Last weekend, we hosted family and friends in my home to celebrate the First Communion of my oldest daughter.  As usual, my schedule got away from me and I started cleaning at the last possible second. Thankfully, I was armed with Lysol Power & Free Multipurpose Spray to review.

I have been a long time fan of the Lysol brand, so I was anxious to try the new spray. A multi-purpose cleaner can certainly save me time and money by only having one bottle in the cabinet to grab and go. But, it needs to be effective to make it worth it!

“The LYSOL® Power & Free™ Multi-Purpose Cleaner is a powerful cleaner without the harshness of bleach, and can be used on many surfaces throughout the home. The hydrogen peroxide formula releases thousands of micro bubbles that penetrate to dissolve grease and soap scum.

  • Kills 99.9% of viruses & bacteria (when used as directed)
  • Use this product to clean household areas, kitchen, and bathroom.
  • No harsh chemical residue.
  • No gloves, masks, or protective eye wear needed.
  • Available in two fresh scents: Citrus Sparkle Zest and Oxygen Splash.”

 

I started cleaning the sink before tackling the shower. As a microbiology major, I was thrilled to see that the Lysol Power & Free spray is effective against the dreaded Rotavirus WA! With the cleaning power, I was surprised that the scent did not overpower me (bleach gives me an instant headache). The smell was fresh and light.

Next, I grabbed the same bottle and wiped down my kitchen table followed by the kitchen counter tops. I was impressed at how easily the dirt and grease were removed with minimal scrubbing.

Because the cleaner uses hydrogen peroxide instead of bleach, the product is safe to use around kids and pets…no rinsing needed.

Lysol® Power & Free uses the cleaning power of a hydrogen peroxide formula for a powerful clean with no bleach harshness! This helps ensure you don’t have to make sacrifices while cleaning, such as opening all the windows or ushering the kids and pets out of the room. Lysol® Power & Free will help you break free from your ordinary cleaning routine- it’s a powerful clean that’s family friendly! Find out more on Lysol’s Facebook Page!

What do you love about a clean home? One of my readers will win a bottle of Lysol® Power & Free Multi Purpose cleaner to try in their own home! Comment below to be entered to win!

 

Take Your Tastebuds on a Krispy Kreme Staycation! {Giveaway}

April 25, 2013 By 66 Comments

Here in New Orleans, we really only have two seasons: winter and summer.  Temperatures are climbing and I am starting to crave all things Summer!  From flip flops to swimsuits, tank tops to cool iced tea, this is MY season.

Many people long for the sweet and tart flavors that only citrus can provide during the Summer months and with two new sun-kissed and handpicked Key Lime treats, Krispy Kreme can provide the taste you are longing for.   You can head to your local Krispy Kreme to take your tastebuds on a staycation by trying one of the two varieties in stores now:

  • Key Lime Cake: Key lime cake doughnut topped with key lime cream cheese icing and a KREME™ dollop.
  • Key Lime Cheesecake:  Filled with key lime cheesecake, topped with key lime cream cheese icing and graham cracker crust crumbles.

To celebrate the new offerings, you can enter to win one of Krispy Kreme’s fun Key Lime Staycation Prize Packs worth over $350 now through May 18th.  There will be one winner at each participating US shop! The prize pack includes:

One free Krispy Kreme iced beverage a week for a year; one free dozen doughnuts; flip flops; sunscreen; Krispy Kreme Staycation postcards; key lime scented air freshener- redeemable for one free doughnut; Krispy Kreme Staycation beach towel; beach ball; nail file; and a Krispy Kreme Staycation “Do Not Disturb” sign. 

To enter, visit a participating Krispy Kreme, fill out a Key Lime Staycation Giveaway entry form before May 18th or until entry forms run out.  See complete rules and entry details at Key Lime Staycation.

OR…

Win one of the Krispy Kreme Key Lime Staycation Prize Packs right here on Experimental Mommy!  Enter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post is the opinion of the Experimental Mommy.  No compensation or product was received to facilitate this review.  All opinions are 100% mine.

Claim Your Taste (and 15 Minutes of Fame) at Wendy’s!

April 25, 2013 By Leave a Comment
This post is written by the Experimental Mommy.  While this is sponsored content, all opinions remain 100% mine.

Now that I am working outside of the home again, a fast lunch is a necessity.  I am lucky to have a Wendy’s close to my place of business which has a super fast drive through.  With Wendy’s Right Price Right Size Menu, I can customize my own “Tasty Trio” to fit my mood and appetite.

To spice things up a bit, Wendy’s gave each of their 18 Value Menu items a fun and catchy nickname.  By going to ClaimYourTaste.com, you can select your favorite items and create a combo of your very own.  For example, I love the Chicken Caesar Wrap with a cold Coke followed by a chilly Frosty.  My Tasty Trio is the Fizzy Zippy MMMM!  Catchy, right?  I can totally hear a commercial jingle with that nickname!

It’s time for you to play along!  Watch the video below and then head to ClaimYourTaste.com to create your own Tasty Trio!

Did you do it?  What’s your combo nickname?  Now, you have the opportunity to become a virtual spokesperson for the “Claim Your Taste” game!  Once you have selected your Tasty Trio, your Facebook profile photo will show up online, in place of the Wendy’s face, and will be visible to all of your Facebook friends on Wendy’s Facebook page, wendys.com, custom banner ads, and more!

Now I want a Frosty.  Off to Wendy’s!  Don’t forget to enjoy your taste claims at a nearby Wendy’s and tell us what makes your trio a winner on Twitter using #ClaimYourTaste all year long!

 

 

Breakfast Made Easy with Tyson Fully Cooked Sausage Patties

April 7, 2013 By 7 Comments

As my alarm beeps in the morning, I rub my eyes and gradually lift my head from the pillow.  Brushing my teeth, I begin to make a list of all the things I must accomplish in the next 30 minutes:

Wake kids.  Dress kids.  Dress self.  Brush hair (mine and kids).  Pack lunches.  Check email.  Pack briefcase.  Feed guinea pig.

No matter how many times I go over the list, I always feel like I forgetting something.  So I do it again.  And again.  At this point, every second counts.

Tick. Tock.

OH! Feed the kids!  Rushing to the kitchen, I want to create a hot and hearty breakfast that will get my kids through a busy school morning but I need to do it fast.  So, I was thrilled to learn about the new Tyson Fully Cooked Sausage Patties at Sam’s Club.  Because my youngest loves sausage in her red beans, on a biscuit, in links….in short, she has never met a sausage she didn’t like, I took her on a sampling opportunity at Sam’s Club this weekend.

We love to shop at Sam’s because there is always so much to see (and taste)!  But this time, we headed straight to the frozen food section to find the Tyson cooking demonstration.  As our luck would have it, the Sam’s employee was just setting up so we had a moment to chat with her as she prepared the samples.  She admitted that she has purchased several bags of the patties herself!

In seconds, she microwaved several sausage patties, toasted an English Muffin and assembled the breakfast sandwich with a slice of American cheese.  It looked delicious as the cheese began to melt!  As my daughter took her first (of many) samples, a long line began to form behind us.  Many people were eager to try the new product and everyone was pleased with what they tasted (and the price was great, too).

After seeing how easy and time-friendly this hot breakfast would be to make my daughters on a hectic school morning, I couldn’t resist purchasing a bag for myself.  The next day, I decided to modify the sandwich just a bit to fit my daughter’s appetite. Instead of microwaving, I tried browning them on the stovetop which came out great.  I quickly scrambled some eggs, added shredding cheddar cheese and served with sliced oranges.

Feel free to take a look at my entire path to purchase shopping experience in my Google + story and make sure you don’t miss any new Tyson products and news by following them on Twitter and Facebook!

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias®  and Tyson #cbias #SocialFabric.

Fill Your Basket with Hershey’s This Easter

March 24, 2013 By 4 Comments

In just seven days, the Easter Bunny will come hoppin’ down the bunny trail!  Are you ready?  Fortunately, my Easter Bunny sent us a custom basket filled with some of the new seasonal products from Hershey’s!  Chocolate delivered to my door?  Yes, please.

My bunny was generous!  A beautiful pink basket filled with Easter grass and lots of treats.  Personally, I went straight for the Cadbury Creme Mini Eggs which are individually wrapped and contain a egg-like creamy fondant filling.  The kids dove into the chocolate peanut butter Reese’s Mini Reester Bunnies which are too adorable to pass up.  For the hubby, the bunny knew he is a kid at heart when it comes to Twizzlers.

Has your bunny topped off the baskets in your home?  If you need some creative inspiration, head to Celebrate with Hershey’s and check out seasonal recipes, crafts and themed basket ideas.  My daughters are very creative and would love the Little Artist’s Basket!  What a great idea to fuel their imaginations with art supplies such as markers, colored pencils, glitter paint, stickers and craft paper.

What will the bunny put in your basket?  I’m still looking for more ideas, so leave me some inspiration in the comments below!

This post is the opinion of the Experimental Mommy.  While a sample was received to facilitate this review, all opinions remain 100% mine.

It’s Time to Geek Out and Celebrate Pi Day! #MCPiDay

March 14, 2013 By 9 Comments

Math and Science Geeks UNITE! Today is National Pi Day! The day we celebrate that little mathematical constant than wreaked havoc on my grade in Physics, Calculus and many a science lab report.

π (better known as Pi)= 3.14159265359

Naturally, we celebrate National Pi Day on 3/14 (the first three digits of Pi).  I know you are thinking to yourself, “So, we are celebrating a number?  Come on, this has to be some sort of Internet scam.”  However, according to Wikipedia, the United States House of Representatives supported the designation of Pi Day in 2009.  At least they could agree on something, right?

The question remains, “How do we celebrate Pi Day?”  In heading over to Pinterest to find possible Pi Party ideas, I came across this:

Source: yfrog.com via Jodi on Pinterest

GENIUS.  So, π=Pie!  Any day that includes dessert is my kind of holiday!  As much as I am excited about my new found love for Pi Day, the reality is that I am a Mom who works outside the home and has little time for tasty homemade pies.  Walking down the grocery aisle, I had a an epiphany similar to the discovery of Pi….Marie Callender’s frozen pies!

Marie Callender’s offers a wide variety of dessert options such as coconut cream pie, key lime pie, peppermint pie and even a chocolate satin pie.  But knowing I had to face the kids when I returned home, I opted for their favorite Apple Pie.  After preheating the oven to 400 degrees, placing the pie in the oven and baking for 55 minutes, the house smelled divine.  Finally, the girls helped to crumble the cinnamon topping and we baked for an additional 10 minutes. This pie looks anything but frozen and could totally pass for homemade.

My girls are a bit young to understand the significance of Pi Day, but they sure were excited about eating pie! If you want to join me in celebrating Pi Day, print this $1.50 off a Marie Callender’s frozen pie at take it to any national retailer (expires March 31, 2013).  Need more inspiration?  Check out the Marie Callender’s blog for more tips on celebrating the most delicious mathematical number!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Sweet Birthdays with 1-800-Bakery.com

March 12, 2013 By Leave a Comment

The beginning of every year is a hectic time in my home.  Both of my girls plus my husband have birthdays in the first three months of the year which means this house is in complete party mode for several weeks in a row.  As soon as the Christmas tree is down, this Mama starts party planning and after several years of experience, I would like to say I have this process down to a Science.

The first two of three parties went off without a hitch, but about three days prior to the final party, I remembered that I had forgotten to order a cake.  I thought, “Wouldn’t it be nice if I had a bakery on speed dial?”  And then I realized…..I do!  The online store, 1-800-Bakery.com, delivers fresh baked goodies right to your doorstep (expedited overnight delivery is available for those “oh my gosh, I forgot a cake” moments).

Because my first experience with 1-800-Bakery.com was a positive one, I was thrilled to have an 8″ Red Velvet cake delivered.  The red velvet cake is a mild chocolate layer cake in a beautiful scarlet hue.  It is iced and generously filled with a sweet cream cheese frosting and red cake crumbs adorn the sides of the cake.

Upon receiving the package, the cake was well wrapped to ensure that it arrived not only fresh but in tact as well.  The cake was beautifully decorated and my birthday kids could not wait to dive in.  I was pleased to see that the bakery is not stingy with the icing (cream cheese frosting is the best part)!  The first bite was heavenly which was quickly followed by many, many more bites.

The Red Velvet Cake made the perfect birthday cake but would also be great for an Anniversary or perhaps Mother’s Day.  Not a fan of red velvet?  1-800-Bakery.com has a ton of great options including cookie cakes, pastries, and cake pops to name a few.

This post is the opinion of the Experimental Mommy.  While a sample was received to facilitate this review, all opinions remain 100% mine.

Griddle Melts from IHOP #GriddleMelts {Giveaway}

March 10, 2013 By 147 Comments

I am sure many Moms can sympathize when I say that my kids are picky eaters.  When we try a new restaurant, we try to play it safe and order something that seems pretty generic for the kids.  But ultimately, they will find something that doesn’t quite look/taste/feel/smell right and turn up their noses.  As a parent, I am totally frustrated.

However, one restaurant that my kids will clean their plates without fail is IHOP which has made our visits quite frequent (especially on Fridays during Lent…pancakes are meat-free!).  I love that the kids menu includes calorie counts and the adult menu includes a “Light and Fit” section which my hubby loves.

During tonight’s IHOP visit, my family and I were on a mission.  We were tasked to try a brand new menu item…Griddle Melts.  When we entered the lobby, we saw the signage for the new item and I will admit that they looked mighty tasty.  A bit about the three savory Griddle Melts:

  • Spinach, Roasted Pepper & Cheese
    Sautéed spinach in a fluffy egg omelet topped with roasted red peppers, onions, melted Provolone, Parmesan and Pepper Jack cheeses on grilled artisan sourdough bread.  Served with your choice of hash browns, French fries or seasonal fruit.
  • Western
    Smoked ham and sautéed peppers and onions in a classic omelet, topped with sliced ham, melted American cheese and served on grilled artisan sourdough bread.  Served with your choice of hash browns, French fries or seasonal fruit.
  • Ham & Egg Melt
    Sliced ham and melted Swiss and American cheeses over a fluffy egg omelet served on grilled artisan sourdough bread.  Served with your choice of hash browns, French fries or seasonal fruit.

After taking a minute to decide, we went with the Ham and Egg Melt (I am a sucker for grilled ham).  I was pleased to see that you could order a half size sandwich plus a side for just $4.99 which was honestly enough food for me.  When the Griddle Melt came out of the kitchen, it smelled great!  The cheese was melted and begging me to dive in.  YUM!

Next time you are looking for a tasty breakfast any time of the day, head to IHOP and try one of the new Griddle Melts.  Your tummy will thank you!  Mouth watering?  Enter to win a $25 IHOP gift card below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post is the opinion of the Experimental Mommy.  While a gift card was received to facilitate this review, all opinions remain 100% mine.

Make an Edible Easter Basket in 6 Easy Steps {Tutorial}

March 6, 2013 By 11 Comments

Looking for a cute Easter basket to make for your child’s teacher, friends or family? After Easter we always end up having a ton of baskets left over and I never know what to do with all of them. This is a precious idea that I found at Beth-A-Palooza….an edible basket!  It is adorable and once you eat the candy you won’t have to store another basket.

What You Need:

  • Four “Russell Stovers type candy”
  • One sheet of pastel cardstock
  • Hot glue gun
  • Scissors
  • Pastel ribbon

 

How to Make It:

1.  Cut the base out of cardstock. Since not all candies are the same size, I found that if I lay the candy out on the cardstock as shown below you will get the appropriate size.

2.  Glue the cardstock to the bottom of the four pieces of chocolate. I found that the low temp setting on my glue gun worked best, otherwise the wrapper started to melt.

3.  After the four sides are secure to the cardstock, you will hot glue each of the candies together. Pinch the end edges of the candies together to form a ‘box.’ Because the glue is so hot, I found that using the oven mitt to pinch helped with the heat.

4.  It’s time to cut the basket handle!  The handle can be as long or short as you want and you can decorate it anyway you would like. After I cut my handle, I braided three pastel ribbons and glued them to the handle. You can also add a bow or other decorations for a personal touch.

5.  Attach the handle to the basket. The best way to attach the handle is to pull back the ‘flap’ on the candy wrapper and place the handle down as far as it will go. Glue the flap to the handle and the handle to the wrapper. This will help give your basket extra support.

6.  The final step is to fill your basket with some Easter grass and your favorite candy!

What would you put in the basket?

This post was written by Beth of Experimental Mommy.
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