Ultimate Party Meatball Review

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is food, food, food!

Thanks to Mom Central I got a chance to review a great meatball recipe. Heinz Chili Sauce and Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce added to meatballs! Yep, I was a little shocked too! But it is really easy and really good!

Here is the recipe, straight from the The Ultimate Party Meatballs website:

• 1 14-ounce can Ocean Spray® Jellied Cranberry Sauce
• 1 12-ounce bottle Heinz® Chili Sauce
• 1 2-pound bag frozen, pre-cooked, cocktail-size meatballs

Combine sauces in a large saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth. Add meatballs. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until meatballs are heated through, stirring occasionally.

Makes 30 appetizer servings.

Slow cooker Preparation: Place meatballs in a slow cooker. Combine sauces and pour over meatballs. Cover and cook 4 hours on HIGH.

I made this and took it to a gathering of our church small group. It was a hit. I watched people keep going back for more! It is crazy to me how these two flavors can come together and taste so wonderful! There are some other recipes on this site that look to be just as yummy and easy!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Heinz and Ocean Spray and received the ingredients necessary to facilitate my review. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Green Works Review

Thanks to Mom Central I got a chance to try out Green Works new natural laundry detergent and stain remover.

I have a 3 year old boy and a 4 month old. So needless to say we have a lot of stains going on in our house! My first impression when I opened the laundry detergent was wow what a great scent! I was really excited that my clothes were going to smell like that and naturally to boot.

Over the years I have had to switch detergents from time to time because of sensetive skin. My oldest son seems to have inherited this problem. So, I finally broke down and we use the "Free of everything" detergent. So far we have had no problems using the Green Works detergent.

I was really anxious to see how the stain remover worked. We use a lot of stain remover and if I could use some that was natural and better for us and the environment that would be great!

For the most part it worked great. There were a couple of really good 3 year old boy stains that I had to back to my old faithful but other than that it did a great job.

If you would like to find out more visit Green Works.

"I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Clorox Green Works and received a bottle of Green Works Natural Detergent and Stain Remover to facilitate my review and a $20 thank-you gift certificate."

Blog troubles, fixed

Wow, I have had some blogger problems for the last few days. Have not been able to see my blog. So, I am hopefully about to bombard you with posts! I am very happy that I was able to (accidentally) find the code that was causing it to hang and remove it.

Around here we are rushing around and trying to stay in the Christmas Spirit despite the busyness and the fact that my Granny is still in the hospital and the outlook is not really good.

I am still trying to get my house in some kind of order from when where we moved our bedrooms upstairs. I am also planning on moving the coffee table out of the den. Brad made it and I love it, who knows, in his next life he may design furniture. Anyway, it is really big, just like I wanted and with a wild boy and one who may be just as wild we need the space. So, looking forward to getting that done as well!

Anyway about to post some reviews as well as a giveaway! Stay Tuned!!!

The very behind Thanksgiving post

I know that it is Christmas time and I am very behind. I still have Hunter's birthday post to do as well!

We had a great Thanksgiving weekend. On Thursday we started at Brad's parents for a wonderful breakfast. Brad's Mom makes some garlic cheese grits that are so yummy!!! We also have Honey Baked Ham and I have decided that I could eat a whole one by myself in a couple of days.

That afternoon we ate at my Mom's brother's house. It was a great gathering and John Loyd's first Sadler event. I am certain that he was never put down!

Hunter go to play football outside with the big boys - he was in heaven!  The rest of the weekend he needed to "huddle up" when playing football at home.

For all of my life after eating with my Mom's family on Thanksgiving we would then go and eat with my Dad's family. This year that changed. We ate with my Dad's family on Friday. This made such a huge difference in my Turkey Day stress level! I will say that by Saturday I was exhausted but not as stressed!!!

Unfortunately, my Granny (94) was put in the hospital on Monday before Thanksgiving so she was not there. And she deteriorated very quickly while she was there. Now the prognosis is that she will probably die in a about a week. It makes me so sad but I don't want her to suffer. It just seems so odd that I talked to her the Saturday after Thanksgiving had a good conversation and told her I would see her Friday and when I got to her this past weekend she did not know who I was. I love you Granny!

Okay, stay tuned, I have some more giveaways coming and some more reviews. Also some Christmas shopping talk. Did you know that there is a green study that says shopping on-line will help improve your carbon footprint???? I did not know that. Go me!

Have a great day!

Bobby Flay and A Giveaway

That is right a giveaway just in time for Christmas! Find out how to register for a $25 American Express card at the end of the post. Be sure and read the post and follow the links to enter the Hellmann's free food for a year giveaway!

Thanks to Mom Select, I found out about this great site: Hellmann's Real Holiday Helpings. This site has several great things to offer!

There are some great looking recipes that don't have a lot of ingredients and look pretty easy to make. Hellman's and Best Foods have teamed up with world renown chef Bobby Flay to create some holiday dishes. I know for certain I will be trying the artichoke dip!

Also while you are on the site be sure to register to win FREE GROCERIES FOR A YEAR! Who couldn't use that!!!

There is also a matching game on the site and 3 of the top scorers per day wins a $50 grocery card. I will say that the game got a little frustrating for me, even the though the clock never slowed down, the cards were very slow to turn at times, but still I had fun playing! Hope my score is a winner!!!!

There are also videos of Bobby Flay creating some holiday dishes that will wow your family and guests. My one suggestion is be sure you have a little extra time when heading to the site because there are quiet a few things to see and do.

Now for the Nap Time giveaway. Mom Central sent me a $25 American Express Card for participating in this blog tour and in the spirit of giving, want one of my readers to have one too! So for those of you in the United States that would like a chance to win...

... leave a comment on this post of something that makes the holiday's "real" for you.
....if you would like an extra entry blog about this giveaway and leave the link in your comment.

Good Luck! Will accept entries until midnight (CST) Saturday, Dec. 19th, I will be choosing a winner Sunday the 20th.

Busy and behind

Over the next few days expect several posts!

December is such a busy month for me, of course there is the Christmas holiday which we celebrate ALOT and Hunter's birthday is at the beginning of the month. Soooo, I am just a little stressed.

We have had one of Hunter's parties and we are having another tomorrow night. I know that I am making myself crazy by doing this but it is easier than making everyone travel.

So, bear with me and get me some appetite suppressants (I eat more when I stress) look for a giveaway post this weekend!!!!

Winner for Nature Valley

Sorry it took me so long to get to this, the winner of the Nature Valley Prize pack is Nessa!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

1

Timestamp: 2009-11-29 19:27:23 UTC

Congrats Nessa!

Gobble Gobble Ho Ho Ho

I really don't remember when Thanksgiving and Christmas melded together. I know several people who already have their decorations up and honestly I kind of wish mine were up. I have definitely been Christmas shopping for over a month.

Was it always like this for our parents? Or has Thanksgiving and Christmas been getting closer every year. Seriously, I am thinking soon that Christmas will come before Thanksgiving!

So, if you want to know what to get me, I will never turn down a pair of UGG Classic Tall boots! I know, not practical but I do like them!!!

Do you have your shopping finished?

A little ride on the hay...

A few weeks ago we had a hayride at my Dad's. Hunter had a lot of excitement about it the days before but by the time it was time to go he was less than enthusiastic. It was in the middle of nap time (with no nap) that we left out, I think that had a lot to do with. He did enjoy himself but he was not overly bubbly about the whole thing and did fall asleep.

John Loyd slept through most of his first hay ride. I am sure if he could vocalize his thoughts they would have been, "what in the world is a 3 month old baby doing on a hay ride????"





It was a wonderful day trip as we had to come back home that evening. Maybe for our next family outing we can look at outer banks vacation rentals. I am sure it is gorgeous there and that may have to wait until the kids are a little older. For now a day trip here and there is sufficient!

Let the eating begin...

Well I guess yesterday officially started the Thankgiving/Christmas season for the Brandt's. We went to Hunter's preschool to share Thanksgiving Feast with him. Here are a few photos...


I do love this time of year for what it represents but I have to admit that I do love the food! So, it is time to find a good fat burner because it time to bring on the casseroles and the HAM!

I am going to try to make a couple of pies for Thanksgiving. Also we are changing things a little this year, usually we eat 3 times on Thanksgiving but this year we are pushing one back to Friday. I am so glad. It gets a little overwhelming on Thursday and makes it less enjoyable.

Hope everyone has a very Thankful week next week!!!

Fruit Loops and Apple Jacks with Fiber Review

Thanks to MomCentral we got to the new Fruit Loops and Apple Jacks with added fiber. We also got a box of Fruit Loops without Fiber so we could compare them. I am not even sure how to say this other than "what fiber?" There was no taste difference.

As a Mom, it is hard for me to get through just he day to day chores, okay I don't always get through them. Then you add trying to make sure your kids are eating right and getting the right amount of vitamins, minerals, fiber, etc., it can be overwhelming. Well when fiber taste like this that is one thing I can mark off my list!

Hunter loves the way they taste and asked for them by name. I keep thinking about that commercial where the women keep coming by and taking more samples "trying to taste the fiber."

If you would like to read more about Kellogg's and Fiber go HERE.


"I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Kellogg’s and received boxes of Froot Loops and Apple Jacks and a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate."

Nature Valley Review and Giveaway

Thanks to MyBlogSpark we got a chance to try Nature Valley's Granola Nut Clusters and we loved them! I was not surprised that my husband liked them but I must say that I was surprised that I liked them...

We have always been a big fan of the Nature Valley granola bars so I new that they would be quality products but I am not a big fan of nuts. Well I have had my hand in the Clusters bag as much as anyone! There are 4 great flavors, Nut Lovers, Honey Roasted Peanuts, Roasted Almonds, and my favorite - Roasted Cashews.

What a great after school snack for Hunter. He really likes them and they are good for him, what more can a Mom ask for!

Plus these would be great to have around for your holiday parties! I promise your guests will be happy!!!

MyBlogSpark is giving a prize pack away to one of my readers! You get 4 bags of Nut Clusters to try and backpack, water bottle and binoculars for your nature adventures.

To enter just leave a comment about your favorite thing about nature, this is only open to US residents. Good luck and tell your friends to come enter! I will pick a winner one week from today, Wednesday, November 25th.

Spaghetti anyone?

A quick funny. As I mentioned earlier, we met with our Life Group after church. We had an Italian potluck and I took spaghetti. Let me say that it is the norm for me to take more food than necessary. It is a trait that I acquired from my Dad and well I just error on the side of too much, many times way too much!

So Sunday morning I needed to cook my noodles. I had already prepared the sauce and meatballs. My plan was cook the noodles and then add the sauce and meatballs to the noodles and let everything warm before we went to church. This way, once we got to church nothing would have to be re-heated it would have to be kept warm.

I started the water and asked Brad to put the pasta into the pot after it got a little warmer and I jumped in the shower. Brad did as I asked. From the time I was in the shower until I checked the noodles I got busy dressing the boys. By the time I checked the noodles they were pretty much a mess. Some were mushy, some were hard and there may have been a couple of noodles that were actually al dente.

Part of the problem was that I had enough pasta to feed the entire church! When I poured them out they filled the entire sink! Seriously, I had more that 5 times the amount of noodles I actually needed. So, Brad ran to the store and got more noodles.

We cooked the noodles, put he cold sauce and meatballs in the pot with them and ran out the door. Everything got heated up during Sunday school but do to all the stirring required to get ALL the spaghetti heated my lovely meatballs were no longer balls! Also, we have had spaghetti for lunch and supper 3 times since and I am still going to have to throw some out! When will I learn???

Whose kid is that?

This morning, Brad and I substituted in Hunter's Sunday class. We quickly found out that teaching a class that Hunter is in is not a very good idea! He was a stinker throughout most of the class. It did not take much for him to pout and cross his arms. At one point he even got up and sat at a different table from the rest of the kids.

I wonder what it is that makes kids act differently around their parents than they do other adults?

After class we ate with our Life Group and then came home and spent some wonderful time outside. It was sooo warm! Brad washed the cars and one point Hunter was running around without a shirt.

I have so much to do in the house but I just had to take advantage of the nice weather. I should be taking advantage of a free web directory to help promote my blog but I am just too lazy!!!