How many times has your family been hungry and decided at the last minute to order pizza?  And then you wait….and wait….and wait some more.  By the time the pizza arrives, everyone is grouchy, tired and starving.  Sound familiar?

I hate to admit that this has happened in my home on more than one occasion.  Most of the time, it revolves around some sort of holiday or festivity like Halloween, Mardi Gras or Superbowl Sunday.  Instead of gambling on the pizza this year, we decided to get DiGiorno for our annual family get together during the Superbowl.  While our beloved New Orleans Saints were not in the game, we still needed to eat!
I headed to Walmart to get supplies for our party and was amazed at the varieties of DiGiorno available for purchase.  I had no idea that DiGiorno offered more than just pizza!  I purchased 3 of the cheese pizzas (the kids’ favorite) which came with breadsticks and dipping sauce for $5.95!  For the adults, I got the thin crust pepperoni and some supreme rising crust pizza.  And because this is New Orleans, we topped off this SuperBowl party with some King Cake.

To be honest, I was skeptical about frozen pizza for a party.  My kids almost never like frozen pizza, but I had heard good things about DiGoirno so we gave it a go.  As it cooked, the aroma filled the house!  To my surprise, the kids devoured the cheese pizzas.  The breadsticks with marinara dipping sauce was my favorite and I would definitely buy them again.  The adults loved the rising crust pizza which actually tasted like takeout!

For your next party, consider stocking up on DiGiorno Pizza and save yourself the stress (and money) of traditional delivery.  Head to Walmart and look for the DiGiorno Guide to Greatness for a Winning Line Up and great savings, too!

This post is the opinion of Experimental Mommy.  Others may have a differing opinion of the product.  While a sample product and compensation was provided to facilitate this review, all opinions remain 100% mine.

Here in New Orleans, Carnival is in full swing!  Parades are rolling, bands and marching and the food is plentiful as we await the coming of Mardi Gras Day.  Want to bring the Mardi Gras spirit to your part of the world?  Just follow these easy steps and “Laissez Bon Temps Rouler!”

1.  Invite the Revelers:  Gather the crowd and invite your guests to dress in costume or traditional Mardi Gras masks.

2.  Set the Scene:  What’s a party without balloons, streamers and confetti?  The official colors of Mardi Gras are purple, green and gold, so you are going to want to grab these colors for decorations.  I love this Mardi Gras tableware from Party City!

3.  Fun with Food:  New Orleanians know how to eat!  The centerpiece of every party is the food, so start will a traditional menu of jambalaya (try the Zatarain’s mix) or seafood gumbo.  Don’t forget the dessert!  You absolutely HAVE to get a King Cake.  Check out my Top 5 Places to Get an Original New Orleans King Cake.

4.  You’re gonna need some music:  Dance, eat and dance some more!  Check out my favorite New Orleans Party Classics.

5.  Second Line the Night Away!  Don’t know how?  Check out this video and grab a second line hanky.

6.  Throw Me Somethin’, Mista! Send your guests home with Mardi Gras beads so they remember the night forever!

In 2012, Mardi Gras will be on February 21st, so get those invites out now and start planning!

By a show of hands, how many of you pamper yourself each day?  Take 10 minutes of “me” time a day?  5 minutes?  Anyone?  I know as a busy Mom, if going to the bathroom alone doesn’t count (which rarely happens anyway), I never get a chance to do anything for me.  Fortunately, Green Mountain Coffee has come up with a simple, easy way to pamper yourself for a few minutes a day…Cafe Escapes K-Cup Portion Packs!

With four delicious flavors, you are sure to find something you love.  My favorite, the Cafe Escapes Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa, is fa-bu-lous with some homemade marshmallows.  My husband did a double take with the Mocha as he was surprised by such a chocolatey flavor.  The Chai Latte is perfect with breakfast while you can finish the day with Dark Hot Chocolate as it tastes more like dessert!

COUPON CODE

Want to try the Cafe Escapes K-Cup Portion Packs?  Use code AM0016-3583 to receive 15% off your entire order plus free shipping (U.S. Only, no minimum order). Valid through February 29th.

GIVEAWAY

Green Mountain Coffee wants to help you pamper yourself by giving one lucky winner a one year FREE subscription to Birchbox®, an innovative, new way to try beauty products before you buy them.  Birchbox provides its subscribers with monthly deliveries of samples from well-known beauty brands.  Every month you will receive 4-5 hand-picked beauty samples form the best brands around delivered right to your door!

Did you know Birchbox also has awesome how-to videos, articles, and tips from the pros?  Go find the perfect way to pamper yourself now!

How to enter:

1. Tell me which Cafe Escapes K-Cup Portion Pack you can’t wait to try!

Additional entries:

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

2. Follow me (@BridgetteLA) and @CafeEscapes on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway using #YourPerfectCup. 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 and Cafe Escapes on Facebook.

5. Place my blog banner on your sidebar.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on February 24th.  Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

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

In all honesty, the year 2012 has not been kind.  I am more than happy to start over and celebrate the Chinese New Year, which began January 23rd.  Much like my traditional New Year’s Eve celebration, the Chinese New Year begins with a reunion meal including family and friends.  Along with celebrating prosperity, peace, happiness and longevity, family and friends traditionally give red envelopes filled with gifts which symbolize good luck in the coming year (I could certainly use some good luck these days!).

From now through February 6th, you can celebrate the Chinese New Year at P.F. Chang’s China Bistro!  At the close of the meal, you will be given a red envelope with a special gift inside.  But, don’t open it!  Bring it back at your next visit and your server will open it to reveal meal discounts or even a free dessert.

If you are not up for a night on the town, you can enjoy the yumminess of P.F. Chang’s in the comfort of your own home!  The P.F. Chang’s Home Menu offers a wide variety of noodle entrees including Pepper Steak with Chow Fun Noodles, Grilled Chicken Teriyaki with Lo Mein Noodles, Garlic Chicken with Dan Dan Noodles, and Firecracker Shrimp with Yakisoba Noodles.  Tonight, we tried the Firecracker Shrimp and the Grilled Chicken Teriyaki.

The meals are very easy to prepare.  Simply open the bag and place the contents in a skillet. Heat for 10 minutes while stirring or until sauce thickens.  Immediately, the delicious smell filled our home.  In just under 15 minutes, my family and I were gathered around the table eating.  Even my two daughters loved the noodles!  It is important to realize that each bag serves only two, so we prepared two bags for our family of four and did not have any leftovers.

So if you choose to dine in or out, celebrate the Chinese New Year with P.F. Chang’s!  Don’t miss any news or special deals by “liking” P.F. Chang’s on Facebook!

The post is the opinion of the Experimental Mommy.  Others may have a differing opinion of the product.  While a sample and gift card was received to facilitate this review, all opinions remain 100% mine.

I have known my husband since the sixth grade.  Because we have such a history, I have been lucky enough to meet many of his friends and extended family.  I never got the chance to meet one person he still holds close to his heart, his grandmother.  Consequently, she was not fortunate enough to hold her own great-grandchildren.  In 1986, Grandma Joyce passed away from a heart attack at the young age of 59.

Now, heart disease is the leading killer of women claiming the precious lives of 1 in 3 females, more than all forms of cancer combined.  On February 3rd, you can help the American Heart Association raise awareness about the truth of heart disease by participating in the 9th Annual National Wear Red Day.  Need some inspiration?  Check out some of my ideas to help you “Go Red!”

Additionally, if you are in the New Orleans area, consider attending the Go Red for Women Luncheon to be held February 3rd at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside.  The luncheon will encourage women to take charge of their heart health by providing access to health screenings, seminars, and a heart healthy lunch.  Tickets can be purchased for $100.

What do you do to live a heart healthy lifestyle?

This post is the opinion of Experimental Mommy.  No compensation or product was provided for this post.

How many times are you planning a party and you walk on the chip aisle and end up purchasing the same old greasy potato chips?  You get them home only to find the bag is half empty and most of the chips are broken. So this week when you are planning your Superbowl party you don’t have to resort to those same old boring chips.  Why not try Pirate Brands?  About the company:

“Pirate Brands, a leader and manufacturer of all-natural snacks, is located in Sea Cliff, NY and has been creating healthy treasures since 1987.  The company was founded on the belief that you shouldn’t have to “snackrifice” taste and fun for health.  Pirate Brands produces deliciously baked, all-natural, trans fat and gluten free snacks that include Pirate’s Booty, Smart Puffs, Potato Flyers, and Tings.  Pirate Brands’ snacks are free from fryers and ingredients you can’t pronounce, Arrrrrr.”

Score points with the home team this Big Game day by serving a family favorite – Pirate’s Booty!  This year, intercept regular chips with a healthier alternative like Pirate’s Booty, which has half the fat and less calories (130 calories for a one ounce serving) than greasy fried potato chips.  Pirate’s Booty is a deliciously baked, all-natural snack made from puffed rice and corn.  Pirate’s Booty is also trans-fat and gluten free and…fun!

I asked my son if he liked them and he told me more please, so I got my answer!  Once you start eating them you don’t want to put the bag down.  In fact, as I was holding the bag I decided to compare it to the brand we normally buy.   I read the ingredients and needed a dictionary to decipher the words, however when reading the back of Pirate’s Booty I knew each and every ingredient.

According to the Calorie Control Council and Snack Food Association an estimated 30 million pounds of snacks including potato chips, nuts and popcorn will be consumed on Superbowl Sunday.  As you root for your favorite team, you are consuming empty calories without even knowing it. I love that the puffs are now available in half ounce packs with only 65 calories to help you with portion control and stop you from nervous eating when your Team gets behind!  With Pirate’s Booty on your table you can cut your calories without cutting flavor and that’s a TOUCHDOWN in my home!  You can use the store locator feature on the Pirate Brands website or simply purchase any of the varieties online.

GIVEAWAY

One winner will receive one case (12 four-ounce bags) of Pirate’s Booty Aged White Cheddar!

How to enter:

1. Tell me another Pirate Brands product you can’t wait to try!

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog (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 and Pirate Brands on Facebook.

5. Place my blog banner on your sidebar.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on February 15th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This post is the opinion of Beth of Experimental Mommy.  Others may have a differing opinion of the product.  While a sample was received to facilitate this review, all opinions remain 100% honest.

Seven short years ago, my baby girl was placed in my arms.  I fell instantly in love.

Seven short years ago, I looked into her eyes.  I became a Mom.

Seven short years ago, my husband kissed her forehead.  We became a family.

Lily, it is hard to believe that I didn’t know you seven years ago but I honestly cannot remember what life was like without you.  You have made me stronger, braver, and more patient (believe it or not!).

You made me a Mom.  You made us a family.

I love you, forever.

There has been much discussion lately among my family and friends about the economy.  In our circle, we have seen job loss, career change, salary cuts, and other circumstances that have caused many of us to take a long, hard look at what we spend and how we spend it.  Whenever my husband and I start getting our paperwork together for our accountant in order to do our taxes, I start swilling Pepto-Bismol because when we are done, we see where every penny went for the year.  Some of it literally makes me want to throw up.  One of our huge money-suckers is the grocery store.  With 2 growing kids, I was amazed at what we spent each year on food.  I decided to do something about it, and my wallet has never been happier.  Let me share my secrets:

• The first thing I did was start cutting coupons.  It made me feel a little bit like a grandma on a fixed income, but I started noticing that a lot of coupons in the Sunday paper were for things I bought weekly.  I only clip coupons for the things I already buy, but sometimes clip for things we may want to try sometime. Sharing coupons with family and friends is a great way to save even more!  There are several great online coupon websites like Coupon Mom where you can print free coupons as well.  If you think coupons are a waste of time, I beg you to watch just one episode of Extreme Couponing on TLC, then you can decide for yourself if it’s worth your time. And while you’re at it, don’t miss Toddlers and Tiaras.  But I digress……

• Next, I started watching the sales.  Here in Louisiana, our ads come out on Wednesdays and I have to say I’ve become a little obsessed.  I try and plan my menu for the next week based on what’s on sale.  I also look for items on sale that I can also use a coupon.  By doing this, I’ve gotten brownie mixes for as low as a quarter, toothpaste for fifty cents, and shampoo and conditioner for free.  While I am by no means to the level as seen on Extreme Couponing, it all adds up.  I shop at a nationwide chain that price matches, so if an item is at a deep discount somewhere else, I can show them the ad and they will sell it to me for the lower price.  By doing this, I haven’t paid full price for cereal, soft drinks, orange juice, and many other staples in a long time.

• Once I have my list, I stick to it.  I completely stopped impulse purchases altogether, unless it is a sale I missed while looking at the ads.  I also stock up on sale items or items I have coupons for, so it might cost me a little more on that shopping trip but it’s cheaper in the long run.  For instance, last week a local store had whole chickens on sale for 68 cents a pound, so I got three chickens for about nine dollars.  That’s cheep!  (sorry, sorry….couldn’t resist) We’re roasting one tonight!

• Try store brands.  I have a friend who uses almost all store brand items and we tease her to death about it (all in good fun, of course).  I am somewhat of a brand snob when it comes to food, but I decided to try swapping 2-3 items a week for store brands just to see where it mattered and where it didn’t.  Basics like butter, canned tomato sauce or paste, or items that are going into a recipe are usually unnoticeable when you’ve swapped and that will save you money.  Other things, like cereal, ice cream, and bread I won’t bend on.  It’s kind of like Parfums De Couer….if you like Giorgio you’ll love Primo!  Except that Giorgio smells good and Primo makes you smell like a poodle that has just been groomed.  I pay the higher price for what we want rather than something cheaper that will go to waste because no one will eat it.

• Embrace leftovers.  I can still hear my mother telling us when we were little that throwing food away was a sin.  If that’s true then I need to do some major repenting because before my grocery overhaul, we threw away a lot of food.  The problem was, because I wasn’t watching what I was spending, I was over-buying. We would have five open boxes of cereal in the pantry, so they would all get stale before we finished them all.  Now we have 2 open at a time and you know what?  My kids are fine.  They do better with less choices!  Before, I never went to the store with a list or an idea of what we were eating for that week, so many times I came home with items I already had in the house.  Once I discovered I had three spice jars of paprika I got better about checking the pantry, fridge, and freezer BEFORE I went to the store.

• I checked out E-Mealz.  This website charges a small fee to send you weekly menu plans guaranteed so save you big bucks .  They have varying plans to choose from and comprise their menus from a wide range of nationwide chains based on what’s on sale.  I stuck with it for a bit and once I learned the ropes, I kind of trained myself on what to look for and how to shop.  It’s a great resource for working parents who don’t have a lot of time to menu plan.  You simply print out the grocery list and go to the store!

By doing this, I can happily report that my grocery bill has been cut IN HALF since July.  It’s become like a game between my friend and I – who can spend less!  We started doing this at the same time and I crack up at how much of our conversation revolves around what’s on sale and coupons.  But really, having a partner in crime has been helpful and motivating.  I still shop every week, and believe me, we are eating just fine!  I am still cooking our favorites and my children haven’t been deprived of anything they love.  I’m just shopping smarter.   And with the money I save, I can spend it on things that are really important, like electricity, water, and shoes.  

What do y’all do to try and save money on your grocery bill? 

I’d love to hear some new ideas!

This post is the opinion of Jennifer of Experimental Mommy.  No compensation or product was received to facilitate this post.

Today we hosted my daughter’s 7th birthday party (where did the time go?).  I first tasted this recipe at a friend’s New Year’s Eve Party and I was hooked; I had to have the recipe!  It is super easy to make and only took a total of ten minutes…no kidding! Enjoy!

Caramel Cream Cheese Apple Party Dip

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Prep time:	10 minutes
Cook time:	None
Total time:	10 minutes
Allergy:	Tree Nuts
Meal type:	Dessert
Misc:	Serve Cold
Occasion:	Birthday Party
Region:	Worldwide

Ingredients

• 16oz cream cheese (softened)
• 1 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 jars hershey's caramel sauce
• 1 cup walnuts (chopped)
• 32 wedges apples (sliced)

Directions

Step 1		Combine cream cheese and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat until smooth. Layer onto the bottom of a 9x13 glass pan.
Step 2		Pour caramel sauce on top of cream cheese and smooth.
Step 3		Sprinkle walnuts on top of caramel.
Step 4	Line pan with apples slices and serve!

One of my biggest downfalls in cooking is definitely side dishes.  It never seems to fail that I cook a nice meal for my family and 30 minutes before it is time to eat I remember I have nothing to go with the main dish I just prepared.  Alexia Foods has the perfect solution for all of your side dishes.  From their website:

“We love food as much as you. That’s why we make it exactly how you would: all-natural, gourmet-inspired, and absolutely delicious.

OUR BEGINNINGS: At Alexia, our creativity and passion for the highest quality side dishes runs deep in our roots. As a Manhattan chef, Alex always wondered why there weren’t quality side dishes that achieved the same discerning standard as the main entrée. He knew others would agree, and believed he could create distinctive and inspired convenient everyday side dishes that lived up to what he might create in his own Greenpoint kitchen. Alex started by hand selecting the finest all-natural ingredients and producing only small batches making Alexia a hard to find favorite. Whether seasoning his Beauregard Sweets and Yukon Gold Potatoes or baking the perfect artisan Ciabatta and Focaccia breads, Alex always used real ingredients and put quality and taste first.”

Never again will I have to settle for opening a can or cooking a side dish that comes in powder form.  The Alexia products were absolutely fabulous!  I felt like I was dining at a fancy restaurant instead of in my kitchen.  We received the Onion Rings, Sweet Potato Puffs, and Ciabatta Artisan Bread.  Each side item took less than 30 minutes from oven to table.  While we liked all of the products we received, by far the Sweet Potato Puffs were the biggest hit.  My husband and I like them and they were great for the kids, too.

The best part about the Alexia Foods is that everything tastes like it was cooked fresh, you would never imagine that the were from the freezer section!  Alexia has something for everyone from Sweet Potato Fries and Cheddar Bites to Vegetables and Breads.  The website also has several recipes from Tyler Florence for you to try that complement the side dishes.  Also visit their website to download $1 off coupon towards your next purchase and find out where Alexia Foods are available near you.

GIVEAWAY

One winner will receive two coupons for a FREE Alexia Foods product!

How to enter:

1. Tell me which Alexia Food product you can’t wait to try!

Additional entries:

1. Blog about this giveaway and link to The Not-So-Blog (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 and Alexia Foods on Facebook.

5. Place my blog banner on your sidebar.

Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on February 10th. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.

This post is the opinion of Beth of Experimental Mommy.  Others may have a differing opinion of he product.  While a sample was received to facilitate this review, all opinions remain 100% honest.