Gingerbread Pop-Tarts Video and $100 Visa Gift Card Giveaway

This is a compensated review by BlogHer and Pop-Tarts®.

Here is a fun little video we made for Gingerbread Pop-Tarts. Enjoy!

What is on your Christmas list this year? Answer this question and you will be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card from BlogHer! Giveaway runs 12/13-12/25/10.

Go to the BlogHer.com round-up page for more recipes and 9 more chances to win.

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) Read the official rules for alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

For official rules, please click here.

Gingerbread Pop-Tarts Ice Cream Pie 12/13-12/25

This is a compensated review by BlogHer and Pop-Tarts®.

This is one of my favorite desserts made even better by adding a Gingerbread Pop-Tarts crust. This is a dessert that will please everyone at your table. Enjoy!

Gingerbread Pop-Tarts Ice Cream Pie (Makes 2 pies)

What you will need:

(2) 8" Pie tins

8 Gingerbread Pop-Tarts

(2) 1/2 gallons of ice cream (I usually put chocolate on the bottom and a different flavor on top)

1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup whipping cream (not whipped)

To make crust:

Put Gingerbread Pop-Tarts in a food processor and process the Pop-Tarts until they are very fine crumbs. Divide equally into (2) 8" pie tins and press the crumbs firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the tin. You can leave it like that or you can bake the crusts in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. This will make the crust more cookie-like. Like pie crusts cool completely before filling with ice cream.

To fill the pies:

Spoon 1/2 the container of chocolate ice cream in each cooled pie crust. You might need to let the ice cream sit on the counter 5 minutes or so until it is soft before you scoop it into the crust. Put pies into the freezer to harden.

While pies are in the freezer make your chocolate sauce by putting your chocolate chips and whipping cream in a heavy sauce pan. Melt the chocolate until smooth and then let mixture cool to room temp.

Take pies out of the freezer and drizzle chocolate sauce over the 1st ice cream layer. Place back into the freezer to harden chocolate sauce.

When sauce is hardened, remove pies from freezer and spoon 2nd flavor of ice cream on top. I used a seasonal Gingersnap ice cream that was delicious! I like to mound the ice cream more in the center so that it is kind of "dome" like. Drizzle top with remaining chocolate sauce. Place in freezer to harden.

When hardened you can put it in a large Ziplock freezer bag to store. Your second pie can keep really well in the freezer until you need it. (if it lasts that long)

What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Answer this question and you will be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card from BlogHer! Giveaway runs 12/13-12/25/10.

Go to the BlogHer.com round-up page for more recipes and 9 more chances to win.

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) Read the official rules for alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

For official rules, please click here.

How to Avoid Holiday Food Traps! Ends 12/28/10

This is sponsored content from BlogHer and The Laughing Cow.

'Tis the season of family parties, office parties and church parties. Parties with friends and lots and lots of awesome food! Here are some tips on how to go to the parties but stay in control of your eating.

Just like in everyday day life, it all comes down to planning and preparation. For example:

Before the party or event:

*Eat a small, healthy snack (like Laughing Cow Cheese) to keep from being so hungry at the party that you want to eat everything in sight.

*Drink water before the party to make you feel more full.

*Set a limit of how many appetizers you will eat and stick to it! Choose whatever you want to eat, but stick to your limit.

*You may want to consider bringing a healthy option to share with others at the party. Maybe something like this:

Fruit for Dessert Fruit Dip

1 container of fat free or light whipped topping, thawed
2 containers of fat free or light raspberry yogurt

Just mix together and serve with fresh fruit.

At the party:

*Use a small plate at the buffet. Fill up on fruits and vegetables.

*Limit alcohol. There are lots of calories in those drinks, but they can also hinder your judgment. Drink club soda or water instead.

*Don't waste your calories on "okay" tasting food. Eat smaller portions of what really satisfies you.

*Make the focus on other people and great conversation instead of just the food. Speaking as a "foodie" this is difficult for me!

I hope these tip can help you over these next few weeks that will be full of temptation! Most importantly....Have a great holiday and enjoy your friends and family!

What tip do you have to avoid overeating during the holidays? Leave a comment and you will be entered to win a $150 Visa gift card! Please keep your comments G-rated as any profanity or offensive content will automatically disqualify you from sweepstakes entry.
Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) Read the official rules for alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.

You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

Visit The Daily Tip hub to read health tips each day and for weekly chances to win $100 at the “Play For Laughs” game and for 17 other chances to win a $150 Visa Gift Card.

For official rules click here.

Dr. Oetker Ristorante Quattro Formaggi Pizza

I was recently sent some samples of Dr. Oetker Ristorante Quattro Formaggi Pizza to try. I was glad to have this pizza all to myself. Lucky for me, my husband and kids don't have a taste for Blue Cheese. I, for one, love the stuff! This pizza was delicious. I love the thin, crispy crust and the cheese was delicious. The four cheeses are: Mozzerella, Edam, Emmental and Blue Cheese. The blue cheese especially was so creamy. It gave a very grown up and gourmet feel to this pizza. I look forward to trying the other varieties such as: Spinaci, Mozzarella, Pomodori, Funghi, Vegetale, Speciale and Generosa. You can find these pizzas in your grocer's freezer section.

Game Stop Giveaway!

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme

TodaysMama (link to: http://bit.ly/tmwishlist) and GameStop (link to: http://bit.ly/gamestop10) are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What is your holiday wish for your family? That everyone will feel grateful for all the blessings they have.

2. What is your Christmas morning tradition? Johnny Mathis CD in the CD player when the kids come down the stairs. We open one present at a time.

3. If you could ask Santa for one, completely decadent wish for yourself, what would it be? A mac book

4. How do you make the holidays special without spending any money? Lots of baking for the neighbors and friends.

5. What games did you play with your family growing up? Uno, Rook and Racko

6. What holiday tradition have you carried on from your own childhood? THe Johnny Mathis and Carpenters Christmas Music

7. Where would you go for a Christmas-away-from-home trip? I would go to my parents house in Utah.

8. Check out GameStop (link to: http://bit.ly/gamestop10) and tell us, what are the three top items on your GameStop Wish List this year? Wii, Wii fit, DS games

Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts.....Take One!

This is a compensated review by BlogHer and Pop-Tarts®.

We had so much fun making this video for Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts. Hope you like it!



What is your favorite flavor of Pop-Tarts? Answer this question and you will be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card from BlogHer!

For extra entries, you can:

· Tweet about this post with a link to it (and put your tweet URL in a separate comment below)

· Blog about this post with a link to it (and put your blog post URL in a separate comment below)

Go to the BlogHer.com round-up page for more videos and 9 more chances to win.

For official rules, please click here.

Ghirardelli Review, Recipes and $100 Visa Gift Card Giveaway!

This is a sponsored review by BlogHer and Ghirardelli.

It was an average, everyday Wednesday. Not too hot. Not too cold. Work went fine. Nothing too exciting, when a knock came at my door.

I opened the door and saw a huge box that was covered in some cool, outer space looking silver wrap. I picked up the heavy box when it struck me what this box might contain. I remembered that I had been selected to do a review for Ghirardelli and that I would be receiving some samples! Oh boy!

So I ripped open the box and was thrilled with what I found inside:

*10 bags of All Natural Chocolate Chips (two each): white, milk, semi-sweet, mini semi-sweet and 60% cocoa
*12 All Natural Baking Bars (2 each): white, milk, semi-sweet, 60% cocoa, 70% cocoa and unsweetened
*2 canisters of Cocoa Powder: Natural Unsweetened and Sweet Ground Chocolate
*1 large bag of Peppermint Bark Squares
*1 large bag of Chocolate Caramel Squares
*1 WONDERFUL Ghirardelli Chocolate Cookbook

Talk about a baker's ultimate dream come true! Now there is just one problem.....what do I make first??

I decided to try a recipe from the Ghirardelli Chocolate Cookbook. WOW! What a beautiful book. It gave the history of the company, the different types of chocolate, how to melt them and a whole bunch of interesting facts about chocolate.

I decided that I wanted to try the Buttery Breakfast Scones with Chocolate Chunks. How could you go wrong with that? What a wonderful way to start out the day. These were like warm, buttery and cakey chocolate chip cookies that would be wonderful with coffee or hot chocolate.

Look at those wonderful chocolate chunks!

And I wouldn't be "me" if I didn't drizzle a little bit of extra melted chocolate on top. I'm not too proud to admit that I have a drizzling problem. :)

Next, I decided to make my own recipe of Chocolate Covered Caramel and Coconut Pretzel Rods. I used the 60% cocoa to cover the pretzels and it gave it such a distinct and exotic taste. This ain't your everyday chocolate! I thought these would make great gifts to give away during the holidays.

Here is how I made them:

Chocolate Covered Caramel and Coconut Pretzel Rods

Things to get:
Pretzel rods
Sweetened coconut
Ghirardelli Chocolate Chips (whatever kind you like. I used 60% cocoa.)
Ghirardelli White Chocolate Chips (optional)
Caramel ingredients (You can make your own using the recipe below or melt pre-wrapped caramels for convenience.)

1. Make a batch of caramel or melt your pre-wrapped caramels over low heat.

Homemade Caramel
1c. Karo syrup
1c. Brown sugar
1c. White sugar
1 stick of butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk


Put first 5 ingredients in a large sauce pan over medium heat and stir until melted and combined. Bring to a boil and stir for five minutes. Be careful to keep stirring so that it doesn't start to burn on the bottom of the pan. Take caramel off the burner after 5 minutes.

2. Put the hot caramel in a deep container. I used my Pyrex 4 cup measuring cup.

3. Prepare a couple cookie sheets lined with buttered wax paper.

4. Dip pretzel rod in caramel, about 3/4 of the way and let it drip off any excess caramel. Then lay the rod on the cookie sheet.

5. Repeat with remaining pretzels.

6. Put cookie sheets in the fridge to help set up caramel.

7. Once caramel is set, lift up each pretzel rod off the wax paper and mold caramel around the rod since it will puddle on the sides as it cools.

8. Roll caramel covered pretzel roll in shredded coconut and gently press coconut into the caramel.
9. Prepare the cookie sheets again with new pieces of wax paper. No butter required for this step.

10. Melt chocolate in the microwave or double boiler and place melted chocolate in a deep container like a tall cup. Dip caramel and coconut covered pretzel rods in melted chocolate. At this point, you can also roll the rods in chopped and toasted almonds or pecans.

11. Place chocolate covered pretzel rods on cookie sheets and place in fridge to set up for at least 15 minutes.

12. In a zip lock baggie, melt the Ghirardelli white chocolate chips in the microwave 20 seconds at a time. When completely melted, cut a tiny hole in the corner and drizzle the chocolate on the rods.

13. Place back into the fridge to set up.


Aren't they pretty?
I had so much fun baking and trying to come up with all the different ways I could use my Ghirardelli chocolate jackpot. I just love to work with quality chocolate that melts perfectly and Ghirardelli did not disappoint. I would without hesitation, recommend that you use Ghirardelli chocolate for all your holiday baking. Be sure to check out their website for information about Ghirardelli chocolate and browse the amazing recipes!

What would you make if a big box of Ghirardelli chocolate landed on your doorstep? Let me know in a comment and you will be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card from BlogHer!

For more recipes and more chances to win go to the Ghirardelli and BlogHer round-up page.

For official rules click here.