We are gearing up to have a fun family style Halloween at home this year, so we’ve been planning dinner, snacks, and drink options. In our house, we all like to cook, so no matter the season, refrigerator space is always in short supply. I cleaned out all the condiments and leftovers I could, but that didn’t free up much space for drinks. I recently received an invitation from Newair to try a to try out a new appliance from them that solved this problem. They sent me a complimentary 16 bottle free-standing wine cooler fridge which will save valuable refrigerator space now and throughout the busy holiday season coming up. If you’ve every thought you couldn’t possibly squeeze one more thing into your fridge, read on for details.
It may surprise some, but I’ve made it to my 50s and never explored wines. Sure, I’ve had the occasional glass of celebratory wine but never cared enough to explore the many nuances that come with being a wine drinker. With several spring celebrations on the horizon, filled with family and friends who adore wine, I felt it was time I started learning about wine as a beginner, especially since I’d been given three bottles of wine to try. If you are a novice wine drinker, or just like learning more about wines, read on.
Learning About Wine for Spring Celebrations!
As I was adding this book review to my editorial planner, I thought, "It’s not very often there’s a weekday in the name of a book title, so I should honor that by posting on that day!" Happy Wednesday, dear readers, I’m excited to share a refreshing Champagne Bowler recipe from Wednesday Night Wine-Down by Jennifer Newens with you today.
Midweek Sipping Ideas Ahead!
My mailbox brings an assortment of products, letters and parcels that my family and I look forward to opening. Books hold a special place in my heart and I always open them first. Nothing beats that new book smell I say to my daughters and thankfully, they agree.
This week I'm sharing another ARC book courtesy of Zondervan media. This free book was sent to me to read and share my thoughts with you, which are 100% my own.
About the book: Bread & Wine - A love letter to life around the table with recipes.
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Courtesy: Zondervan Media |
"As a follow up to her two bestselling books, Bittersweet and Cold Tangerines, author and blogger Shauna Niequist returns with the perfect read for those who love food and value the community and connection of family and friends around the table.
Bread & Wine is a collection of essays about family relationships, friendships, and the meals that bring us together. This mix of Anne Lamott and Barefoot Contessa is a funny, honest, and vulnerable spiritual memoir.
Bread & Wine is a celebration of food shared, reminding readers of the joy found in a life around the table. It’s about the ways God teaches and nourishes people as they nourish the people around them.
It’s about hunger, both physical and otherwise, and the connections between the two. With wonderful recipes included, from Bacon-Wrapped Dates to Mango Chicken Curry to Blueberry Crisp, readers will be able to recreate the comforting and satisfying meals that come to life in Bread & Wine."
About the Author: Shauna Niequist:
Shauna grew up in Barrington, Illinois, and then studied English and French Literature at Westmont College in Santa Barbara.
I hope you found this review helpful. Do you belong to a book or cooking club? Please share your views in comments.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation should you purchase this book via my links.
Quick and Tasty Cheese and Cracker Snacks for Fall Hosting
If you’ve been around a while, you know I love hosting informal get-togethers, and in my opinion, this time of year reigns supreme when it comes to hosting. Whether it's a bonfire and cookout, or a fun game or card night, you’ve got to have quick and fun snacks, and I’ve got just the thing today, thanks to Crackerology.
Serve up Smiles with Quick Snack Kits
February means love is in the Air #Giveaway
Valentine's Day is a happy day for most of us; because we get to share our love and appreciation for the special people in our lives. That's why I've teamed up with a great group of bloggers to bring you the Love is in the Air giveaway event full of fabulous Valentine's Day gifts for the whole family, sponsored by some of our favorite companies!
Shopular: Founded in 2012, Shopular is well on it's way to becoming the world’s leading mobile shopping community. To put it simply, Shopular delivers the best deals from your favorite retailers right to your phone, saving you time and money. This innovative app is able to intelligently combine cell tower, Wi-Fi and GPS signals to tell when you're at your favorite retailers. Then, you'll automatically get an alert with the latest deals and coupons available. That means NO work for you. You simply go shopping at your favorite mall or shop and the best coupon and deal will pop up on your phone. Over 2 million people are already using Shopular, so make your Valentine's Day shopping a breeze and download their free app today! It's available for Apple and Android users. Shopular wants to make sure you're able to get that special someone a new ring, necklace, or watch this Valentine's Day, so they have generously sponsored a $500 Zales gift card for this giveaway!
V/NO Alcohol Removed Wine: Calling all people who love wine, but need to limit their alcohol consumption - we're excited to introduce you to a new wine made especially for you! V/NO is a delicious beverage for moms, dads, families and friends to enjoy with an alcohol content less than .5%, half the calories and sugar of traditional wine, no added sugars or chemicals, and it comes in an appropriate serving size for health conscious consumers. V/NO Red, White, and Rosé are premium dealcoholized wines made in Napa Valley, California. Using traditional wine methods, the fruit is crushed, fermented and aged in stainless steel, and just prior to bottling, the alcohol is gently removed by cold filtration, leaving less than 0.5% alcohol. V/NO captures the health benefits of wine and is packaged in a unique and convenient 187ml bottle that doubles as a serving glass. V/NO is a more fun and tasty choice as an everyday beverage to pair with your food for lunch or dinner, with virtually no alcohol. No more need for another boring water, soda, tea or juice - opt for V/NO instead! You can purchase V/NO exclusively through their website. Use code LoveVINOwine to save $5 off each case (case = 12 flutes) through March 31st, 2015. Be sure to connect with V/NO on Facebook and Twitter.
I See Me!: Are you looking for the highest quality, most personalized children's books available? Look no further than I See Me! Since opening in 2000, the mission of I See Me! books is to increase self esteem in children through personalized books that celebrate the uniqueness of each child. The goal of their books is to show each child how absolutely unique and special he or she is, to teach the child how to spell his or her name, and to build vocabulary skills. I See Me! books have become popular among celebrities including Courteney Cox, Brooke Shields and Jessica Alba. This Valentine's Day, show your little one just how much he or she is loved with the Who Loves You, Baby personalized board from bestselling author and illustrator Nina Laden and I See Me!. Your child’s name and photo are featured on the cover and inside this high quality board book and the thick, durable pages will stand up to repeated readings and are just right for little hands to hold. As an added personal touch, this book also includes the child's birth date and a printed dedication from the sender. It's available for $29.99 on the I See Me! website.
Step2: The Step2 Company, headquartered in Streetsboro, Ohio, is the largest American manufacturer of preschool and toddler toys and the world's largest rotational molder of plastics. They strive to be the leading innovator of children's products that build imaginations and enrich the family's celebration of childhood. Step2 products are made to last and will hold up despite the beating that children tend to give everything they come in contact with. Their toys are colorful, fun, and encourage imaginative play. Your smallest Sweetheart(s) will have a blast in the Sweetheart Playhouse, now in a white & pink color palette! The Sweetheart Playhouse resembles a charming gingerbread-style cottage. Children will enjoy its colorful design and large interior. Several toddlers can fit inside this durable playhouse for backyard fun. An outside grill allows children to flex their creativity and imagination flipping burgers. Toy electronic phone and working doorbell will enable kids to play house and have a fun clubhouse experience.
Personalization Mall: PersonalizationMall.com was founded in 1998 with a goal of making personalized gift buying quick and easy. Their revolutionary preview technology takes the guess work out of personalization, by allowing you to see what your gift will look like, personalized with your details, before you buy it! Nothing Says, "You're special" like personalized gifts! It shows you went out of your way to find a unique gift and to personalize it to make it theirs alone! The personalized gift is the one that gets passed around at the party, for everyone to see! It makes you feel good to give, and it's even more special to receive! At PersonalizationMall.com, the gifts are as unique as the person receiving it! The majority of the designs have been created by their team of talented artists, and are available exclusively on the Personalization Mall website. Personalization Mall is giving one lucky couple his and her bathrobes, in your choice of size and color (black, ivory, or pink) with personalization included!
Win it!
V/NO, I See Me!, Shopular, and Personalization Mall!
Disclosure: This giveaway is hosted by Thrifty Nifty Mommy and Viva Veltoro, and generously sponsored by the participating brands. Thrifty Nifty Mommy, Viva Veltoro, and the participating blogs are not responsible for prize fulfillment. Please contact thriftyniftymommy(at)yahoo.com with questions about this giveaway. One winner will be randomly selected using the Giveaway Tools random selector and notified via email. Once notified, the winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or Google. Void where prohibited.
Confession, I’ve gone all my adult life and never tried Sangria until last weekend. Crazy as it sounds; I am not much of a wine drinker, so passing on the Sangria wasn’t hard. But, I kept hearing from friends how wonderful Sangria is, so when an opportunity to try Eppa’s SupraFruta Sangria free of charge came along, I decided to go for it. Adding this Sangria to our Memorial Day weekend was a wonderful decision I must say!
About Eppa SupraFruta Sangria:
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Source |
Crafted in beautiful Mendocino California, Eppa SupraFruta
Sangria is a blend of organic, antioxidant rich superfruit juices and wine made
from organically grown grapes. That
sounds healthy and good doesn’t it?
My husband and I couldn’t wait to try these. As a Red Wine drinker, my husband was
intrigued by the Eppa Red which has Pomegranate, Blueberry, Blood orange and
Acai juices.
I wanted to try the Eppa White which contains Mangosteen,
Peach, Mango and Mediterranean Blood Orange juices.
After chilling the Sangria’s over night as per the bottles
instructions we poured a small serving of each and took turns sipping.
The Eppa Red was a little tart for my taste, but my husband
true to form, loved the tart citrusy taste of it.
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Chilled Red Eppa Sangria |
The Eppa White was sweet and delightfully fruity!
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Chilled White Eppa Sangria We both loved the aroma and the taste is a cross between the
best fruit juice you’ve ever tasted and a nice white wine. I would serve this
anytime! For more drink ideas, visit my Drinks tab here. In comments please share if you are a Sangria drinker and if
so, do you prefer Red or White wine types?
Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or
services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my
blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and
believe will be a good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with
the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning
the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
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Chill drinks easily: NewAir Anniversary Series limited edition 100 Can beverage Fridge
If you’ve followed
my blog or socials for the last couple of years, you’ll recognize the NewAir
name because I’ve reviewed several of their products. From a portable heater that’s
perfect for taking the chill out of a guest room, a space saving wine fridge, to their
popular counter top clear ice maker, I’ve had a
wonderful experience with this brand. I was delighted recently when I was asked
to become an NewAir Ambassador and help them celebrate their 20th anniversary
by reviewing the NewAir Anniversary Series limited edition 100 Can
beverage Fridge which helps chill drinks easily.
Meet the newest NewAir Fridge!
Bon Appetit Parchment Meals Review
Bon Appetit Beef in Wine Sauce |
We give this meal an A +++!
The Chicken Florentine, while very good, didn’t get quite the same rave reviews.
Bon Appetit Chicken Florentine |
Update: 6-22-12
I'm adding a link to Bon Appetit's store locator so you can find these in your area.
Bon Appetit Parchment meals store locator
I found mine at Walmart. :-)
Top Six Blog Posts of 2024 Show You Love Variety
Happy New Year dear readers! Since it’s the seventh day of the month, I’m sure you are getting tired of hearing that, but I would be remiss in my blogging duties if I didn’t extend well wishes here- the hub of all I do online. Now I can dive into today’s topic, my top six blog posts of 2024.
You Love Variety!
Hallmark Fabulous Friends collection giveaway
- Home décor shopping - (Hello, Pottery Barn!)
- Decorating - (Do you move her pillows when you visit? She needs this one, too!)
- Being crafty - (The attention to detail will have them admiring this pillow.)
- Journal keepers - (Look at witty me, pointing out the obvious!)
- Students or teachers - (They are processing tons of information all day; help them get it down in style.)
- Organizers or list makers - (Raises and waggles hand fervently!) I do so LOVE a good list and a game plan! Oh, and the doodling I would do while talking on the phone? Yes!
- Gardening - (Got a deadheading friend? A digger of dirt? Then her hands deserve this soothing and fragrant hand soap!)
- Cooking - (Hello garlic and herbs, I’m looking at you and your tasty, yet odorific selves!)
- New mom - (She is going to be washing her hands a lot, like, all day and night! She’ll appreciate the little hug for her hands.)
- Wear green - (Fashionistas tend to decorate their homes and offices in colors they wear and this shade of green is on trend this fall.)
- Shares quotes and memes - (I see you, Instagram friends, smiling because I notice your efforts!)
- Drinks wine - (Again, I must point out the obvious gift recipient, for continuity in my witty post!)
- The hostess with the mostest - (Her face popped in your mind when you read hostess, because she is the best at tailgates, parties and last minute anythings. Send her this card and watch her shine!)
- Realtors - (I can’t think of a better card for a realtor to leave on the kitchen counter with thanks for working with her, can you?)
- Techies - (Make that one friend who does EVERYTHING via her phone put it down and ponder the beauty of old school cool when you send her this card in the mail with a stamp!)
Preserving family traditions with Sunday dinners like Chicken Cacciatore with veggies
- 2 cups dried pasta of choice (I used Farfalle)
- 4 medium to large boneless chicken breasts
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- ½ cup red wine
- 2 cups fresh zucchini, squash, cauliflower chopped (use 2 bags frozen veggies if you don’t have fresh)
- ½ to 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- ½ yellow or white onion
- 2 14.5 oz. cans Hunts Diced Basil, Garlic & Oregano Tomatoes (use juice)
- 1 19 oz. can Progresso reduced sodium creamy tomato with Basil soup
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 sprig Rosemary
- Grated Parmesan cheese to garnish
- Salt and pepper to taste
Heat your garage and other small spaces with a portable heater
We are almost to the end of the coldest month of the year for most of the United States, but that doesn’t mean the freezing temps are behind us. If your garage functions as a workshop for projects and storage like ours does, you may be in need of a portable heater to help warm up that space. I’ve got a great space saving, portable heater from NewAir to share with you today.
Heat your Garage Easily and Affordably!
How to lower the humidity in your home in late summer with a portable AC Unit
Here in the south, humidity starts rising in late March or early April and doesn’t abate until late October, early November. That means for the better part of a year, southerners, or anybody in a high humidity area are seeking ways to lower the humidity in our homes in late summer. I was thrilled when I received the opportunity to try a Newair Compact Portable Air Conditioner and dehumidifier because our AC unit needed some help in certain areas of our home. Read on to learn my thoughts on it.