For those of you out there planning on donning your baker’s hat for Pi Day, you may want to fully indulge in the holiday and serve your pies in this Pi Dish ($24.95) that features the pi symbol in the center and is trimmed with the first few dozen digits of the ratio. This is definitely a dish that no mathematically-inclined baker could pass up.

If you want to be a complete rebel and still enjoy Pi Day, bake some cookies! But don’t forget to use this extremely awesome Pi Cookie Cutter ($12.95). You could also create some really great pie embellishments or even pocket pies with the Pi Cookie Cutter; the possibilities here are virtually endless!

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Fresh Apple Sweet Rolls

Apples and cinnamon have long been a match made in heaven and both of these fabulous ingredients make a delightfully sweet, decadent and delicious apple sweet roll breakfast for two.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Makes: 2 servings

You will need:

• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened
• 1 tablespoon whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh apple
• 2 Pillsbury Grands! frozen cinnamon rolls with icing (from 17.5oz. bag)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 (6oz.) custard cups with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix butter, cream and brown sugar; spoon into custard cups. Top with chopped apple. Place 1 frozen cinnamon roll in each cup; place cups on cookie sheet.

2. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and rolls are no longer doughy. Immediately run sharp knife around edge of each cup; turn each upside down and onto serving plate. Slowly lift cup from biscuit, releasing biscuit onto plate. Spread any remaining apple mixture in cups over rolls. Divide 1 icing packet between hot rolls, drizzling evenly over rolls. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Taste-of-the-Islands Breakfast Rolls

These breakfast rolls are full of tropical flavors that will mentally transport anyone to a beach with an exotic drink in hand.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Makes: 5 rolls

You will need:

• 1 to 3 teaspoons CRISCO all-vegetable shortening
• 1 can (17.5oz.) Pillsbury Grands! Flaky Supreme refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing (5 rolls)
• 1/2 cup Smucker’s pineapple ice cream topping, drained
• 1/2 cup Fisher dry roasted macadamia nuts, chopped

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheets with shortening.

2. Unroll cinnamon roll dough, cinnamon side up. Set icing aside. Spoon pineapple topping evenly over cinnamon rolls. Sprinkle nuts over pineapple topping.

3. Reroll dough into pinwheel shape; separate into 5 rolld. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

4. Bake 20 to 23 minutes or until golden brown.

5. Pour icing into small bowl; stir in rum. Spread icing on rolls; spinkle with coconut. Place on serving platter; garnish with pineapple rings and mint.

Blueberry-Banana-Granola French Toast

Granola bars add a unique crunch and texture to this anything-but-ordinary french toast.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Makes: 8 servings

You will need:

• 1 can (12.4oz.) Pillsbury refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing
• 8 Nature Valley banana nut crunchy granola bars (4 pouches from 8.9oz. box), crushed (1 1/2 cups)
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup fat-free skim milk
• 1 can (14oz.) Eagle Brand fat free sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
• 3 medium bananas, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 bag (10oz.) Cascadian Farm organic frozen blueberries, thawed
• 1 aerosol can (7oz.) fat-free whipped cream topping

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. (325°F for dark pan). Spray 13×9-inch pan or 12×2-inch round cake pan with CRISCO butter flavor or original no-stick cooking spray. Separate dough into 8 rolls; set icing aside. Cut each roll into quarters; arrange evenly in pan. Sprinkle 3/4 cup of the crushed granola bars evenly over dough pieces.

2. In large food processor or 5-cup blender, place eggs, milk and condensed milk; cover and process 1 minute. Add bananas; cover and process 1 minute. Pour egg mixture over dough in pan. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup crushed granola bars.

3. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and set in center. Spoon and spread reserved icing over warm rolls. Cool 15 minutes before serving.

4. To serve, spoon baked french toast into shallow bowls or cut into 8 servings. Top each serving with 3 tablespoons blueberries; garnish with 2 tablespoons whipped cream topping.

Orange-Coconut Breakfast Rolls

With just a few, simple ingredients added to Pillsbury refrigerated cinnamon rolls, you will flip over these orange-coconut breakfast rolls.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Makes: 8 rolls

You will need:

• 1 teaspoon CRISCO pure canola oil
• 3/4 to 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1 can (12.4oz.) Pillsbury refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing (8 rolls)
• 8 tablespoons Smucker’s sweet orange marmalade
• 1/4 cup Fisher Chef’s Naturals natural sliced almonds
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400°F (375°F for dark pan). Grease 9-inch round cake pan with canola oil or spray with Crisco Original No-Stick cooking spray.

2. Place coconut in shallow dish. Separate dough into 8 rolls; set icing aside. Roll each cinnamon roll in coconut; press coconut onto all sides of roll to coat generously. Place rolls, cinnamon topping sides up, in pan.

3. Make well in each roll, using back of spoon. Fill each well with 1 tablespoon marmalade; sprinkle with almonds.

4. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir almond extract into icing. Carefully spread icing on warm rolls. Serve warm.

Cinnamon French Toast Bake

This french toast bake looks so decadent and so delicious, I can barely stand it! Definitely a recipe with the makings of becoming a traditional family favorite.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Makes: 12 servings

You will need:
French Toast Bake:

• 1/4 cup Land O’Lakes butter, melted
• 2 cans (12.4oz. each) Pillsbury refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing
• 6 Eggland’s Best eggs
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup Fisher Chef’s Naturals chopped pecans
• 1 cup maple syrup

Garnish:

• icing from cinnamon rolls
• powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup maple syrup, if desired

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Pour melted butter into ungreased 13×9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish. Separate both cans of dough into 16 rolls; set icing aside. Cut each roll into 8 pieces; place pieces over butter in dish.

2. In medium bowl, beat eggs. Beat in cream, cinnamon and vanilla until well blended; gently pour over roll pieces. Sprinkle with pecans; drizzle with 1 cup syrup.

3. Bake 20 to 28 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 15 minutes. Meanwhile, remove covers from icing; microwave on medium (50%) 10 to 15 seconds or until thin enough to drizzle.

4. Drizzle icing over top; sprinkle with powdered sugar. If desired, spoon syrup from dish over individual servings. Serve with the additional 1/2 cup maple syrup.

Peanut Butter Banana Sweet Rolls

These may look like your ordinary, refrigerated cinnamon rolls, but the topping developed by television cooking host Sandra Lee, is absolutely exquisite.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Makes: 8 servings (1 roll and 2 tablespoons banana mixture each)

You will need:

• 1 can (12.4oz.) Pillsbury refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup peanut butter

Directions:
1. Bake cinnamon rolls as directed on package.

2. In medium bowl, mash banana with a fork. Stir in peanut butter and reserved icing until blended to create a peanut butter dipping sauce. If misture is too thick, stir in water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it reaches desired consistency. Spread on warm rolls.

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Before Yoplait’s Fiber One yogurt even hit shelves, it had already received Lisa Lillien, also known as Hungry Girl’s seal of approval. In fact, it is the first nationally-distributed yogurt to receive this seal of approval. In every 4oz of this yogurt is 5 grams of fiber (20% of the recommended daily value each and every single one of us need daily,) is a great source of calcium and vitamins A and D and is just 50 calories.

In the past, we have also had the opportunity to share with you coupons for Yoplait’s Fiber One yogurt–one for $1 off of a 4-pack of yogurt, and another for a free 4-pack of yogurt. Needless to say, this yogurt rocks and I am so excited to be able to share even more Fiber One yogurt love with all of you out there!

At a recent Fiber One yogurt tasting event, Lisa Lillien chatted with consumers about this tasty snack. Thanks to Yoplait, we have the opportunity to share a video with you from this recent tasting event so you can see what other folks think of Fiber One yogurt and also a downloadable $1 off Fiber One yogurt coupon!

Yoplait’s Fiber One yogurt comes in four flavors–strawberry, vanilla, peach and key lime pie, so you will definitely be able to find a flavor that you will absolutely love. Enjoy!

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Valentine Cookie Pops

Image Credit: Pillsbury

Prep Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Makes: 20 cookie pops

You will need:

• 1 package (18oz) Pillsbury Ready To Bake! refrigerated sugar cookies
• 20 flat wooden sticks with round ends
• 1 1/4 cups vanilla creamy ready-to-spread frosting
• Assorted small candies, or candy decors or nonpareils (optional)
• 10 yards red curling ribbon

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cookie dough pieces 2 inches apart. Into side of each piece of dough, insert wooden stick 1 inch, overlapping wooden sticks as necessary.

2. Bake 12 to 16 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.

3. Spread frosting on one side of each cookie; decorate with candies. Tie 18 inches of red ribbon into bow around each stick next to cookie.

Chocolate-Dipped Heart Cookies

Image Credit: Pillsbury

Prep Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour
Makes: 2 dozen cookies

You will need:

• 1 roll (16.5oz) Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookies
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon shortening
• Colored sugar

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Remove half of cookie dough from wrapper; refrigerate remaining dough until needed. Sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of the flour onto work surface; coat sides of half of dough with flour. With rolling pin, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness, adding additional flour as needed to prevent sticking.

2. With floured 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out hearts. Gently brush excess flour from hearts; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Repeat with remaining half of dough.

3. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

4. In 1-quart saucepan, heat chocolate chips and shortening over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Dip half of each cookie into melted chocolate, allowing excess chocolate to drip off; place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugar.

Chocolate Linzer Hearts

Image Credit: Betty Crocker

Prep Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Makes: 3 dozen cookies

You will need:

• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and ground
• 1/2 ounce semisweet baking chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 1/2 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup raspberry jam
• 1 ounce semisweet baking chocolate, melted

Directions:

1. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, or mix with spoon. Beat in vanilla and eggs until smooth. Add remaining ingredients except jam and melted chocolate. Beat until well blended. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour (dough will be sticky.)

2. Heat oven to 375°F. Roll one-fourth of dough at a time between pieces of waxed paper until 1/8 inch thick. (Keep remaining dough refrigerated until ready to roll.) Cut with 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter. Cut small heart shape from center of half of the 2-inch hearts if desired.

3. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Spread about 1/2 teaspoon raspberry jam on bottom of whole heart cookies; top with cutout heart cookie. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Let stand until chocolate is firm.

Heart Sandwich Cookies

Image Credit: Betty Crocker

Prep Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Makes: 3 dozen sandwich cookies

You will Need:

For cookies:
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup Gold Medal all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon red edible glitter

For cinnamon filling:
• 1/4 cup red cinnamon candies
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. In medium bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter, granulated sugar and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Beat in milk and vanilla, scraping bowl frequently, until well mixed. On low speed, beat in flour and baking powder until well mixed, scraping bowl frequently.

2. Shape dough into 2 equal halves; wrap in plastic wrap. Flatted each to 1/2-inch thickness. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

3. Heat oven to 400°F. On generously floured surface, roll out 1 half of dough 1/8 inch thick. Cut with small (2-inch) heart-shaped cookie cutter. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cookies 1 inch apart. Sprinkle glitter on cookies. Bake 5 to 8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Repeat with remaining half of dough, except do not sprinkle with glitter. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat candies and water to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until candies are melted. Remove from heat. Using wire whisk, stir in butter and powdered sugar, 1/3 cup at a time, until smooth.

5. Spread or pipe heaping teaspoon filling in center of flat side of each undecorated cookie. Press decorated cookie over filling; press firmly to secure.

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Oysters:

Oysters are the classic and cliche aphrodisiacs who get a lot of attention for their mouth feel, especially when swallowed raw and whole. Another reason why they are so synonymous with gettin’ it on is because of their resemblance to female genitalia. Oysters are very high in protein and rich in zinc and iron–nutrients that help in the transport of oxygen and stimulate the metabolism.

Chocolate:

Chocolate isn’t known for its connection to Valentine’s Day for nothing, so the next time your honey brings you a chocolate-filled heart, know that chocolate is actually a flavorful source of quick energy and has been known to elevate people’s moods due to it containing theobromine and caffeine–two related alkaloid stimulants. Chocolate is also rich in phenylethylamine, a compound that has effects similar to amphetamine.

Avocado:

Avocados are sodium and cholesterol-free, they are nutritious, creamy and mild to taste. The curves of an avocado perfectly mimic the curve’s of a woman’s body and is filled with good fats and has a wonderful buttery texture.

Ginger:

Before we had the modern medicine in over-the-counter pain relievers like Midol and Pamprin, ginger was used to help relieve menstrual cramps and many people still use ginger root to soothe the stomach. Ginger acts as a stimulant and is known to relax the smooth muscles of the uterus and intestines.

Bananas:

Yes, this is very, very obvious–it is impossible to look at a banana without taking note of its obvious phallic shape. Bananas are rich in potassium and B vitamins, which are two necessary components for sex-hormone production.

Artichokes:

Artichokes are one of the oldest-known foods filled with antioxidants. Prickly to touch, if you can make it to the center, its delectable heart reveals itself and you can feast on its delicately meaty substance. Yes, another pretty obvious conclusion as to why this is an aphrodisiac.

Honey:

Honey is sticky, sweet and golden. The look, taste and texture of honey makes it alluring and mysterious.

Pine Nuts:

Pine nuts are full of zinc, a key mineral in maintaining male potency. They have been used to stimulate the libido since Medieval Times. They contain good fats and have an extremely velvety texture.

Vanilla:

Vanilla has been said to increase feelings of lust, being very seductive. Some studies have shown that vanilla can raise levels of catecholamines, or the adrenaline, in the blood.

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It may come as a shock to most of you out there, but I do not have a washer in my apartment; and yes, I live in an apartment. I do not own my own home, I do not live in a condominium, townhouse, or any of the other cutesy names people give to apartments to make them seem not so apartment-like. It’s just a quaint, two-bedroom place that suits me and my partner pretty well for the time being. We used to have access to a washer, which was located in the basement and no, it wasn’t too scary of a place to venture into. However, it broke more than a year ago and the landlord has adapted this ‘Oh, you need access to a washer? People still use those things?’ type of mentality. Now, factor this into the fact that my partner is a full-time musician who is always gone and I’m a full-time blogger, freelance writer and complete and utter social media addict and you’ll get a good grasp on how often laundry gets done around here. If your head is still in the clouds, I’ll spell it out for you: not very often at all.

I had no intention of actually going through the two laundry baskets that were sitting in the bedroom waiting to be put away today. No intention at all. We recently tried to clean our bedroom once and for all, since it has become more of a dumping ground than anything else that we trudge through every night to get to our bed. This did not work, since the partner’s version of cleaning is more like taking every article of dirty clothing in the house and shoving it in both of our closets and to put away those aforementioned two laundry baskets of clothes, I would need to go through the closets resulting in even more a mess and even more dirty laundry to tend to. However, I got a very late start this morning. The alarm clock went off and I immediately assumed the position of ‘I am not getting out of this bed regardless of how much stuff I need to get done today or how much you pay me.’ So after waking up, getting the coffee, putting a blog post up and chatting with folks on Twitter and Facebook, I ventured up to the bathroom to shower and then I couldn’t find any clothes. No clean clothes anywhere. Except for the clothes that were sitting in the laundry baskets, and so, I was forced to take them all out, fold them all into piles on the bed, and lastly, start cleaning out the closets. Notice I said start cleaning out the closets. I cannot predict when the bedroom will be a room we can walk through effortlessly without tripping over a pile of clothes and falling into another pile.

As you can tell by the look on my face, it was not a happy Friday thus far, but I am so, so relieved that some of the insane work it is going to take to get that bedroom whipped into shape is done and because there are still clothes on the bed waiting to be put away, I’m suspecting more of that work will be completed later today.

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I recently had the opportunity to try 15 out of the 40 new flavors of Progresso Light and 100 calorie soups, thanks to Progresso and their new Souper You Debut contest, and MyBlogSpark. They are so delicious and like I mentioned in the full-length review of Progresso Light soups, I have recently been going through a great deal of physical pain because of my crowded, impacted wisdom teeth that I have not been able to get pulled and having Periodontal Disease, which also attributes to that major cheek-swelling you can’t help but notice in the above picture, so needless to say, soup is one of the major items on my extremely limited list of food items my mouth has been able to handle lately.

Progresso, you couldn’t have come at a better time.

We are also giving away a Progresso Prize Pack which consists of 2 cans of Progresso Light and 100 calorie soups, a Progresso mug (which you see in the above picture,) and a digital jump rope that keeps track of jumps and calories burned over time. Enter for your chance to win! The giveaway ends February 10th at 11:59PM EST.

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At the start of every new year, most of the women I know and connect with regularly openly talk about how their New Year’s resolution is to lose weight and/or to eat healthier. These are some great resolutions, especially the eating healthy one because while losing weight is a perk for a great deal of women, I whole-heartedly believe that crash dieting and the diet industry as a whole is a multi-billion dollar business for a reason, so if you do truly want to lose weight, it should be for purely health reasons, which is why eating healthy and choosing foods that will nourish you instead of just fill you is really important.

Now that we are more than a month into the new year, (by the way, can you believe that? I know I can’t!) a lot of women have been reporting on their progress with their New Year’s resolutions and if they have been able to stick to what they had planned before January 1st. I have noticed that a lot of women are increasingly strong-willed this year in the commitments they have made to themselves, nearly everyone I’ve checked up on who I had read on their blogs had made a New Year’s resolution has been sticking to it pretty phenomenally. So, for those of you who made the resolution to eat healthier and who are still on the fast-track to healthy eating, I have something really great to share with you!

I am a big, big, big fan of soup. I have been not-so blessed in the teeth department, having been diagnosed with Periodontal Disease and rapid tooth decay a few years ago after my wisdom teeth had started to push their way in. Because I am a professional blogger and also a freelance writer and web designer and developer who works from home, I have a very modest monthly income. I can pretty much cover my expenses month-to-month and that’s about it. That, coupled with the fact that I also live with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and major depressive disorder, (which I have blogged about here before,) makes it impossible for me to hold a job outside of the home, it isn’t a possibility for me to go out and get a part time job to help pay dental bills. Needless to say, this causes me a great deal of excruciating physical pain where for days at a time, I am unable to open my mouth wide enough to get most foods in it. That is when soup saves my life and the sanity I would not have after getting insanely frustrated with how big bite-sized food is.

Progresso has always been a great source of delicious and nutritious soup and they have made it even healthier than before by offering an entire product line of light soups that are all 100 calories or less! It is officially super easy to get a great and satisfying meal in your belly and help manage your weight at the same time. To celebrate their line of light soups, Progresso has launched the Souper You Debut–a contest where you can enter for the chance to win a full makeover in New York City!

To enter the Progresso Souper You Debut contest, all you have to do is go to www.Progresso.com/SouperYou and submit an essay (200 characters or less) telling Progresso why you love Progresso Light or 100 calorie soups and why you would like a full makeover. You will also need to submit a photo of yourself that visually reinforces the theme of your essay. Three grand prize winners will be awarded a trip for two to New York City from May 21st-23rd and includes roundtrip airfare, a two-night stay in a NYC hotel, a full makeover, a $1000 wardrobe shopping spree and personal consultation at a New York department store. Pretty fabulous if you ask me!

Review & Giveaway

To get the good word out about new Progresso Light and 100 calorie soups, I had the opportunity to try them out for myself and thanks to Progresso and MyBlogSpark, received 15 cans of Progresso Light and 100 calorie soups in a variety of different flavors, along with a Progresso soup mug and a digital jump rope that keeps track of jumps and calories burned to help you start working out more, in addition to utilizing soup to help manage your weight.

The variety of soups I received is absolutely insane; I was completely blown away by the amount of different flavors offered and there is definitely something for everyone’s specific tastes. My partner, who usually despises soup and will not eat it regardless of what you bribe him with, loved the Italian-Style Meatball with Penne and I cannot get enough of the Chicken and Dumpling. I love, love, love the Progresso soup mug and now refuse to eat my soup out of anything else. It has a great little thumb indentation at the top of the handle to make carrying it from the kitchen to my computer desk very comfortable.

And we want to share the Progresso love!

Because Progresso is awesome like that and MyBlogSpark is always all about extending the opportunity to try awesome products to others, we have the opportunity to give one lucky Woman Tribune reader 2 cans of Progresso Light soup, a Progresso soup mug and a digital jump rope.

Enter for a chance to win this Progresso Prize Pack!

To win the Progresso Prize Pack, all you have to do is visit ProgressoSoup.com and tell us what flavor of Progresso Light soup you would love to try. [REQUIRED]

Additional Entries: [Leave a separate comment for each additional entry.]

• Tell us what steps you take to manage your weight.
• Subscribe to Woman Tribune
• Follow Woman Tribune on Twitter
• Become a fan of Woman Tribune on Facebook
• Subscribe to our videos on YouTube
• Tweet about this giveaway. Feel free to use the following tweet or write your own: [Can be done once per day.]
  

  Win 2 cans of Progresso Light soup, soup mug and digital jump rope from @WomanTribune: http://tinyurl.com/yf24hmk #giveaway

• Blog about this giveaway. [2 entries, so leave 2 comments.]

This giveaway ends Wednesday, February 10th at 11:59PM EST. This giveaway is open to all US residents over the age of 18. The winner will be contacted by email and has 48 hours to respond with their necessary information. If no action is taken, another winner will be picked.

Full Contest Disclaimer

Disclosure: I was given the opportunity to spread the word about Progresso’s Souper You Debut and new line of Light and 100 calorie soups from Progresso and MyBlogSpark. For this post, I received the factual information, 15 cans of Progresso Light and 100 calorie soup, a Progresso soup mug and digital jump rope from Progresso and MyBlogSpark. They have also provided me with the opportunity to give away two cans of Progresso soup, soup mug and digital jump rope to one lucky Woman Tribune reader. All opinions throughout this post are 100% mine.

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As we have mentioned quite a few times before on Woman Tribune, Alice is an amazing web service (and iPhone app!) that will help you take and keep stock of all the household products you use and need on a daily basis. It gives you a super easy and convenient way to order new household items and have them shipped directly to your house, and Alice will also alert you to let you know when something is running low that you may not have noticed. Gone are the mornings when you realize you’re out of shampoo and walk into work with a mop on your head. Typically, an Alice user eliminates the chore of going to the store for these much-needed items, saying them 30 minutes per week. Of course that’s according to Alice, because I’ve experienced shopping trips that last much, much more than 30 months and that is more than once a week; but nevertheless, you are pretty much guaranteed to save a half hour of time usually spent in the store when working with Alice.

Because Alice is the awesome household friend that just keeps giving, they are asking What would you do with more time? Your answer could very well give you $250 extra dollars to use on Alice.com and save a pretty penny on your household items.

To enter this contest, all you have to do is submite your story detailing what you would do with 30 extra minutes a week. Would you play with the kids, make an extra special dinner for the husband, take a bike ride or a yoga class, or maybe even take a nap? Whatever it is, Alice wants to hear about it. You can also submit a video, for no other reason than to accurately portray your desperation for $250.

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Image Credit: Kraft

You will need:

• 3 tbsp. creamy peanut butter
• 3 celery stalks (6 inch)
• 12 Barnum’s animal crackers
• 1 Honey Maid honey graham cracker, crushed (about 1/4 cup crumbs)

1. Spread peanut butter evenly into hollow parts of celery stalks.

2. Stand 4 of the animal crackers in the peanut butter in each stalk.

3. Sprinkle evenly with graham crumbs to resemble dirt.

If your child has peanut allergies, substitute Philadelphia strawberry light cream cheese spread instead of peanut butter and there you have it, a healthy and fun snack.

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As a child, I was horribly allergic to a number of laundry detergents. Every laundry detergent my parents would switch to would end up causing the same reaction with my skin–I would break out in horrendous rashes that would itch like crazy so I’d of course scratch, being a child who didn’t know better, which would then result in more irritation and even bleeding and scarring. It was not a pretty picture in the least. Coming from a family who all have their own skin issues, it wasn’t really a surprise to find out that I had (and still have) very sensitive skin and cannot come into contact with most conventional laundry detergents.

Back in the day, you couldn’t find eco detergents; they just weren’t readily available, but luckily, enough people have hopped on the green wagon for companies to pay attention and to start offering more eco detergent options.

Every year in the US alone, more than 25,000 children have accidents involving chlorine bleach and the fragrances and ammonia in conventional detergents trigger allergies, asthma and severely irritate sensitive skin, just like mine! Eco detergents, of course, also help out our environments. Typical laundry detergents contain phosphates and they usually end up in our rives and lakes, causing harm to aquatic life which is really sad and unnecessary.

Try These Eco Detergents:

Method Baby Laundry Detergent: Coconut oil-based, biodegradable soap; triple concentrate means you need less. — $12.99/32 loads

Maggie’s Soap Nuts: Made from dried fruit nuts of the Chinese Soapberry tree; biodegradable, hypoallergenic; natural fabric softener. — $9.99/36 loads

Seventh Generation 2x Liquid Laundry Detergent: Concentrated and biodegradable liquid; Kosher certified; not tested on animals; available in Blue Eucalyptus & Lavender, White Flower & Bergamot Citrus and Free & Clear (unscented). — $30/pack of two 50oz bottles

Mrs. Meyers’ Clean Day Baby Blossom Dryer Sheets: Vegetable-based softener, biodegradable paper sheets — $12/80 sheets

Try This Eco Laundry Tip:

Instead of fabric softener, use half a cup of baking soda or white vinegar in the rinse cycle. You can also use a half a cup of baking soda (plus detergent) in the wash to brighten and whiten your clothes; works especially well for all those really old and ratty t-shirts and night shirts you refuse to throw away; this way you can give them some new life.

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You will need:

• 2/3 cup Bisquick Heart Smart mix
• 1/2 cup grated reduced-fat Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
• 1/4 cup fat-free egg product
• 3 tablespoons 40% vegetable oil spread, melted

1. Heat oven to 450°F. Line cookie sheet with foil; spray with cooking spray.

2. In 1-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag, stir together Bisquick® mix, cheese, salt and paprika. Dip half the chicken strips into egg product; place in bag of Bisquick mixture. Seal bag; shake to coat. Place chicken on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken. Drizzle vegetable oil spread over chicken.

3. Bake 12 to 14 minutes, turning after 6 minutes with pancake turner, until no longer pink in center.

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Over thirty years ago, St. Jude’s Ranch for Children thought up a great idea, the Recycled Card Program, as a way to thank their donors by turning the previous year’s holiday cards into new cards for the upcoming season. The children at St. Jude’s participate in making new cards by removing the front portion of the old cards and attaching a new back made of recycled paper. These cards are then sold with proceeds going back to the Ranch.

This is an awesome way not only to help a worthwhile cause, but also to get rid of the holiday cards you keep around because Miss. Manners says it’s the nice thing to do, regardless of the fact you’ll most likely never pull them out of storage again.

Donate Your Old Holiday Cards To…

St. Jude’s Ranch for Children
Recycled Card Program
100 St. Jude’s Street
Boulder City, NV 89005

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Quiltcreator.com is a really awesome website that lets you design your very own, unique quilt, bedspread or infant quilt for pretty much the same price or cheaper than most quilts you would buy at a mall or specialty shop while also giving you the deep down feeling of pure delight in knowing that the quilt you just bought is your one-of-a-kind creation. We have pretty harsh winters here in Pennsylvania, so I have been on the lookout for quilts and decorative bedspreads for my bed that truly reflected my own personal tastes, and as someone who has thoroughly looked for these types of products, I can tell you in completely certainty that most of the designs and colors that I have come across, are pretty downright ugly or do not flatter my personal tastes in the least. That is precisely why I was so interested in this company. Just by visiting www.quiltcreator.com, you will go through five very simple steps to create your own cozy quilt, bedspread or infant quilt masterpiece–You will pick a swatch, embroidery, the reverse side of your quilt or bedspread and even get to create accompanying pillow shams that match your creation perfectly and will look stunning in your bedroom, and finally, you can review your work before adding it to your cart.

Now sure, with Quiltcreator.com, you won’t be actually quilting by yourself, but in all honesty, very few people know what they’re doing when it comes to actually creating an entire quilt and not just designing one. My great-grandmother had begun to teach me how to quilt many years ago, but she died quit a few years ago and no one else in my family knows how to do it. With this website, you have complete control over a huge variety of colors, patterns and color choices, I was really surprised with the vast amount of choices as well as the amount of color-use in the creating process. When you pick a fabric, you get to then specify specific colors for all of the intricate parts of that pattern, which I thought was really unique and it truly gives you the power to mix and match in ways that I never before saw on any kind of customization or personalization of a product before. The end product of your quilt, bedspread or infant quilt is a gorgeous handcrafted, 100% cotton overfilled with 250g of cotton (the standard is usually only 170g of cotton) and the cotton used is All Natural cotton and one of very, very few companies that are allowed to carry the All Natural Cotton Inc. logo, so you know that they are a quality company with an absolutely high-end, quality product. They are also a company doing their part for the environment by giving 1% of their proceeds to 1% for the Planet, so they’re definitely a company you can feel good about buying from.

This is one of those perfect and timeless gifts for the holidays or especially if you know anything expecting a baby soon–a one-of-kind infant quilt for you or your friend’s new baby is one of those gifts that will be cherished for many, many years.

I had a ton of fun creating my own queen size bedspread, you can see my creation below:

So let your creativity run wild and have fun creating your very own quilt, bedspread and infant quilts with Quiltcreator.com! As a special holiday season bonus, Quiltcreator is also giving a 10% discount on all orders just by using promo code 104You.

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Getting in the Christmas spirit:

If your child has recently moved into a dorm or new home, their space may be lacking in festiveness. Filling it is last on their minds when they have other living costs to manage. While most kids aren’t worried about putting up a Christmas tree or stringing lights; these simple things will provide a feeling of home and comfort. So, let’s start with the tree. If they do not have one, that’s a good first choice. You can find trees at most retailers such as Walmart and Lowes. They supply the choice of both pre-lit and non, assorted colors and sizes ranging from 32″ to 6.5′ for $40 and under. Keep in mind that if the tree is not pre-lit, it would be polite to provide lights as well.

Now once the tree is taken care of, either by you or if they have one, they may need ornaments. These can be purchased and/or handed down. If you have some extra ornaments you don’t mind letting go of, perhaps a childhood favorite, considering giving those first. This will provide a nice personal touch. If you would prefer to purchase ornaments you can find them in all ranges of shops from second-hand stores, mall shops and retail stores. Most single ornaments can range from $1-$10 depending on location and style. You can also find sets of balls or other assortments for under $20 at most stores. If you are crafty, another option is handmade ornaments. However, if you are not crafty, but still wish to provide something a little more “put together,” a wonderful option is a cookie cutter. Just simple take a holiday shaped cutter, tie a piece of ribbon to the top and it becomes an instant ornament!

Aside from the tree and lights, most all other decorations range under $20 as well. These can range from wall hangings, window clings and table decorations. The options are many and easy to find at most stores and shops. In all cases, whether with ornaments, table top or other decorations, try to keep things mid-size and non-breakable. Since you don’t know where they may be placed or the kind of condition they may be kept in, delicate things may not be practical.

Gadgets and Gizmos

Most college kids want that new iPod or game system this year, and can leave a nasty mark in the budget. Fortunately, there are second-hand electronics stores like GameStop. These places can become your best friend this holiday season. These locations offer gently-used games, game systems and accessories for less than what you might find at other retailers. The amount differs depending on how new the product is from release, but you have the comfort of knowing that they will not sell anything that isn’t playable or usable, and you can always ask to look at it before purchasing. They also offer trade in discounts as well as new products if you prefer. While GameStop and places like it do not offer some items, like iPods, you can find MP3 players for the fraction of the cost that are very similar in function, such as the Samsung S3 4GB MP3 and Video Player ($69.99) as well as the SanDisk Sansa Fuze 4GB MP3 Player ($59.99).

If they are asking for a digital camera, electronic stores offer a wide range of styles and prices ranging from 3.1 megapixel camera for $42.99 to 9.0 megapixel camera for $69.99. Most websites are offering special holiday pricing, including shipping deals to make it to you in time for Christmas. Stores will usually offer insurance on the product for a small additional fee. Ask if they offer it on the particular product if they do not suggest it at the time of purchase. This is always a good idea for higher-end items in case of it breaking or malfunctioning.

Household Items

There are a lot of items that a college kid may need for their new space as far as appliances and household accessories go, but it’s important to remember what they will get use out of and the size of the space it is fitting in. Keeping in mind small and practical, some good choices here can include bedding sets, small appliances and other kitchen or bathroom items. If you do not know specifics about room size, stick with items that are universal and will go with something they might already have, such as Mainstays 200-thread count sheet sets, 3-piece towel sets or Simply Basic 12-piece Sampler Bath and Body Care Set. These products can be found in an assortment of colors, scents and size choices.

If you know they have a larger space to accommodate some smaller appliances or furniture, choice items would be items like coffee pots, blenders and small tables or chairs. The smaller items will tend to cost less and also take up less space. Depending on the individual, these gift ideas can include GE 5-cup digital coffee maker, Parsons end table or student desk, chair and lamp value bundle. Again, these and similar products come in a wide choice of colors and sizes.

Hopefully we’ve helped you add a few things to your shopping list and kept a few less worry lines off your brow. No matter what the budget or who the individual, try to keep in mind that it’s not totally impossible! Remember these simple pointers before making any purchase, practical, long term and fun, and when all else fails, gift cards! They may seem impersonal, but it’s a great way to show them you were thinking of them and also give them the freedom to get exactly what they want.

And remember, Have a safe and happy holiday season!

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Walmart has put together an awesome site to help you through getting through the holidays in one piece without breaking your budget. The cost of food has continued to rise throughout the past few months and with the holidays right around the corner, you can be sure that people are spending more than they can really afford to put together their holiday feasts. Luckily, Walmart has put together a shopping list that will let you get everything you need for your Christmas and New Year’s Eve dinners for a jaw-dropping price.

Co-star of the Food Network’s new series, Chefs vs. City, Chef Aarón Sánchez has created a spin on traditional holiday meals for Christmas and New Year’s Eve, including Ham with Mango Jalapeno Glaze, Chipotle Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean & Mushroom Picadillo, Coquito Egg Nog, Blue Cheese Stuffed Rolls and Dulce de Leche Sauce for Pumpkin Pie; these recipes are sure to create memorable holiday memories for you and your family. Be sure to check out Walmart’s Holiday Meals website for recipes from Chef Aarón Sánchez and more ideas for holiday entertaining.

Walmart’s Christmas Dinner for 8 for as Low as $30

Your Christmas feast for 8 for as low as $30 at Walmart starts with key, family-favorite ingredients, including:

• One 10-pound spiral cut half-ham
• Three 8-ounce cans Del Monte Green Beans
• One 10-pound bag of Russet potatoes
• One 12-count package of Sara Lee dinner rolls
• One 10 inch Pumpkin Pie

This is an incredible amount of food to buy for as low as just $30, especially since that is less than $4 per person; less than you’ll pay for most fast food!

Walmart’s New Year’s Eve Dinner for 10 for as Low as $40

Your New Year’s Ever feast for 10 for as low at $40 at Walmart starts with these festive and delicious ingredients, including:

• Shrimp Tray (5 servings)
• Vegetable Tray (10 servings)
• Hillshire Farms Little Smokies (8 servings)
• Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (6 servings)
• Land O’ Lakes Egg Nog (8 servings)
• Red Velvet Cake

The holidays are such a great time for spending time and making new memories with your family; it is also a great time to reflect on memories you hold dear from past years or even when you were a child and that in itself costs nothing! But because the holidays have warped into such a consumer-ridden holiday, this year more and more families are looking for ways to save money without sacrificing the quality of the meals they are feeding their families.

My biggest money-saving tip for this holiday season would definitely be to shop with coupons, the holidays are a great time to spot some really awesome deals in your newspaper or weekly coupon magazines because a lot of companies are hoping you’re shopping closer to the holidays to get what you need for the big day. So look for coupons and shop on sale! Also, be sure to find out if your local grocery store has a store card because I’ve found that if you consistently use your grocery store card, you will accumulate so many points, but there are also a lot of deals going on company-to-company that you don’t know about. Every time I go shopping and use my grocery card, I find out I save between $15 and $20 a trip and every little bit you save helps a ton!

Giveaway

Thanks to Mom Central, we have the opportunity to pass on the Walmart holiday meals love to two lucky people who will win a $30 Walmart gift card.

To win a $30 Walmart gift card, share one of your favorite holiday money-saving tips! [REQUIRED]

For extra entries:
Make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry.

• Share your favorite holiday memory, doesn’t matter if it’s a memory from the last holiday season or when you were 5. Whatever memory you still look back on and smile, share it with us!
• Subscribe to Woman Tribune
• Follow Woman Tribune on Twitter
• Become a fan of Woman Tribune on Facebook
• Tweet about this giveaway (once daily)–Feel free to copy and paste the following tweet or make up your own:
  

  Share your favorite holiday money-saving tip & win a $30 Walmart gift card from @WomanTribune! http://tinyurl.com/ykc4ml2 Ends 12/22

• Blog about this giveaway with a link back to this post as well as a link to Walmart’s Holiday Meals website and leave 2 comments for 2 entries with a link back to your post.
• Vote for Woman Tribune in the Appletiser Blog Awards (you must register first, so for this you will also get 2 entries so leave 2 comments.)

This contest ends Tuesday, December 22nd at 11:59PM EST. This giveaway is open to all US residents over the age of 18. The winner will be contacted by email and has 48 hours to respond with their necessary information. If no action is taken, another winner will be picked.

Contest Disclaimer

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Walmart. In addition, I received a Walmart gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate and two to offer as a giveaway.

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Just in time for the holiday season, Glade his introduced two new scents to their Fragrance Collection–pomegranate & cranberries and fresh pine & cedar, both will get you, your family and especially your home in the mood for the holiday season.

Both limited edition scents are available as 3-wick soy-based candles and also as reed diffusers.

You can also purchase the pomegranate and cranberries scented products on Amazon: 3-wick soy-based candle / reed diffuser

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Whenever you mention to a friend a completely out there flavor of soda you’ve heard about, seen or recently tried, most often, they will ask you ‘Hey, that has to be Jones soda, right?’ Well they have brought out yet another flavor that came out just in time for Thanksgiving and is remaining on the scene for the rest of the holiday season–Tofurky and Gravy Jones Soda .

I received a bottle of Tofurky and Gravy soda, along with a hilarious turkey hat that was a huge hit with my youngest stepdaughter who insisted on wearing it from the moment she even heard about a hat shaped like a turkey; it was also enjoyed immensely by my entire family when my partner put it on as we walked into the house for Thanksgiving dinner. A few weeks later and the turkey hat is still a huge hit with whoever comes over and sees it. Now, onto the soda…

Tofurky and Gravy Jones Soda is perhaps the most disgusting soda I have ever had in my possession. Now granted, I did not try it–because I gagged from merely the smell of it when my partner opened the bottle and tried it. We have also had our two friends who recently moved in next door to us try it and they reported that as soon as you got past the first two or three sips, the aftertaste of it really does taste exactly like turkey and gravy.

So while it wasn’t a big hit with me or my family, it sure did make a great conversation piece for a little while!

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It is very difficult to get kids to eat most healthy food. Sure, you can make it and place it in front of them, but there is definitely a universal kid’s yum factor chart to take into consideration and more often than not, your healthy and balanced meal you’ve just prepared isn’t even going to rank. Most kids are insanely picky eaters; my stepdaughters live in the land of McDonald’s and whenever they are with us, we hear about how awesome McDonald’s is. I have the very strong belief that McDonald’s was created by a group of people who stayed up at night thinking about how to make the lives of parents of young children as hard as possible. Sure, it’s convenient and also unhealthy and they not only made incredibly unhealthy foods fun, but some of their establishments exude fun and excitement because they had to go and put an entire playground in the place.

So when you get your family together at the table for dinner, it has become a feat unto itself to prepare something that everyone will eat, or at least take a few bites of before they tell you there’s no way they’re eating it.

Pasta a big dinner staple in my house. Firstly, it’s cheap, which is a must when you live in the economic climate that so many of us do. Secondly, it’s delicious–pair it with some of your family’s favorite sauces and you’ve got a meal that will start to be requested. But pasta isn’t always healthy; a great deal of traditional white pastas are not packed with nutritional value. Ronzoni Smart Taste, however, is the smart and healthy way to eat pasta with an entire line of different pastas that will satisfy even the pickiest of eaters in your family.

Check out this insanely cute video Ronzoni Smart Taste put together to show just how far some moms will go to get their kids to eat healthy:

I had the opportunity to try Ronzoni Smart Taste spaghetti, thanks to Mom Central and as far as I could tell, I couldn’t taste a difference between their pasta and other traditional white pastas, which was actually a good thing because it went over very well! Plus, it’s the same taste your children are used to but Ronzoni Smart Taste pastas are packed with more fiber and calcium and they’re cholesterol-free, making it a great and healthy dinner choice!

If you’re sick of boring pastas and don’t know what to do with it to make it an exciting meal, check out the Ronzoni Smart Taste Meal Center, full of great recipes to try next time you’re having a pasta night!

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Ronzoni Pasta and received a sample of Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta to facilitate my review and a $20 thank-you gift certificate.

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Chocolate Cherry Snowballs

Tender tea cookies are enhanced with pretty specks of candied cherries and a delightful chocolate drizzle.

Total Time: 2 hours 5 min
Makes: About 4 dozen cookies

You will need:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (8oz) candied cherries, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 400°F. In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in almond extract. In medium bowl, mix flour and salt. On low speed, beat flour mixture into butter mixture until well blended. Stir in cherries.

2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. On ungreased cookie sheet, place balls 2 inches apart.

3. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges just begin to brown. Cool slightly. Measure 1/2 cup powdered sugar into small bowl. Roll each cookie in powdered sugar. Place on cooling rack to cool completely.

4. Place chocolate chips in small resealable freezer plastic bag. Microwave on high 45 to 60 seconds, turning bag over every 20 seconds. Squeeze bag until chips are melted and smooth. Cut small tip off one corner of bag, and drizzle over cooled cookies. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes until chocolate hardens before storing.

Candy Cane Cookies

Hooked on traditional holiday baking? It’s a twist to make these fun peppermint cookies!

Total Time: 6 hours
Makes: 4 1/2 dozen cookies

You will need:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 egg
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red food color
• 2 tablespoons finely crushed peppermint candies
• 2 tablespoons sugar

1. Stir together 1 cup sugar, the butter, milk, vanilla, peppermint extract and egg in large bowl. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Divide dough in half. Stir food color into 1 half. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

2. Heat oven to 375ºF.

3. Stir together peppermint candy and 2 tablespoons sugar, set aside.

4. For each candy cane, shape 1 rounded teaspoon dough from each half into 4-inch rope by rolling back and forth on floured surface. Place 1 red and white rope side by side; press together lightly and twist. Place on ungreased cooking sheet; curve top of cookie down to form handle of cane.

5. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until set and very light brown. Immediately sprinkle candy mixture over cookies. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Pecan Shortbread Trees

Butter, flour and sugar come together to create rich, delicate cookies.

Total Time: 1 hour 15 min
Makes: 32 cookies

You will need:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 5 drops green food color
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
• 32 pecan halves
• 3/4 cup white vanilla baking chips
• granulated sugar if desired
• 32 yellow decorating stars, if desired

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Spray or lightly grease 2 large cookie sheets. In large bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and food color. On low speed, beat in flour just until mixed. Stir in chopped pecans.

2. Divide dough into 4 equal parts; shape each into ball. Place 2 balls on each cookie sheet, on opposite ends. With rolling pin or floured fingers, gently flatten and shape each ball into 6-inch circle. With large knife, divide and cut each round into 8 wedges, slightly separating each cut with knife. Poke tops of wedges with fork, and place 1 pecan half in middle of each outer edge to make tree trunk.

3. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until firm but not brown. While still warm, cut into wedges again. Cool completely on cookie sheets, about 30 minutes.

4. Place cooled tree wedges on cooking racks or waxed paper. Place baking chips in small resealable freezer plastic bag. Microwave on high 40 to 60 seconds, turning bag over after 30 seconds. Squeeze bag gently until chips are melted and smooth. Cut small tip off one corner of bag, and drizzle side to side over wedges to make tree garland. Sprinkle with sugar, top each tree with star.

Gingerbread Cutouts

Bring a tempting aroma and goodness into your kitchen with hard-to-pass classic gingerbread cookies.

Total Time: 2 hours 40 min
Makes: 10 dozen cookies

You will need:

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 3 tablespoons molasses
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons water or milk
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• currants or assorted candies, if desired
• colored sugar or additional sugar, if desired

1. Beat granulated sugar, butter and molasses in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon, until well mixed. Beat in egg and water until blended. Stir in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, cardamom and cloves. Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour or until firm.

2. Heat oven to 350°F. Roll 1/3 of dough at a time on floured surface to 1/8inch thickness. (Keep remaining dough refrigerated until ready to roll.) Cut with floured 2 1/2inch gingerbread boy or girl cooking cutters. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate with currants or candies. Sprinkle with colored sugar.

3. Bake 6 to 7 minutes or until set. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack; cool.

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Having a table especially for the children for any holiday meal is a great idea. Kids won’t be very interested in the grown up conversation happening at the main table and it also gives children a great opportunity to bond with the other children in their families. But even with a table especially for the kids, they are likely to get bored, which is why it is always a great idea to put some activities on their table.

Here is some great kids table inspiration. I love that the tablecloth is just a sheet of butcher paper that can be drawn on and I especially love the drawn placemats! Put some crayons in a few cups or small pot holders and let the kids go to town on the placemats while they eat their holiday dinner. Cleanup will be a breeze, too!

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I just recently met Alice, a wbesite that will help you take and keep stock of all the household products you use and need on a daily basis. Alice will remember the products you have in your household from bathroom and daily care needs, kitchen and pantry items and items your kids expect to be in the house at all times, even if you’re running behind on your weekly shopping.

And that is where Alice comes in…

Alice will notice when you are running low and remind you to re-order items you need. Alice will also give you coupons, saving you a bundle of money every time you shop and will also alert you to free samples of products you may love, depending on the items that are already in your house. Best of all, you can set it up where you can order the items you need right on Alice.com and get your items shipping automatically whenever you need them.

Setting up an account is super easy! First, just choose the amount of people living in your home and their ages.

Then, choose the types of products that you buy regularly.

Then, all you have to do is add your products and Alice will take care of the rest!

And don’t forget to stay signed up for regular emails from Alice, because she will be sending you some great coupons and free samples!

Alice.com is a life-saving resource for busy women everywhere and will keep all of your household items in check so you never run out again and you will be saving a whole lot of money! What could be better than that?

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Placetile Designs did not start out as a budding business that women flocked to in order to get the perfect place cards or table accessories; they were actually created by Kristin Bowen for her wedding where her guests were actually stealing each other’s place cards. And the reason why they were able to steal each other’s place cards and not feel weird about bringing them home and using them with someone else’s name written on them is because these place cards are erasable ceramic place cards! Of course she didn’t know it at first, but her elegant and resourceful wedding table accessory turned into a great business with a ton of practical placetiles to suit any woman’s lifestyle!

Of course, I have a holiday-track mind, with Thanksgiving just a little over a week away and Christmas a little over a month away and for the holidays, Placetile Designs has a whole slew of great products for the holidays that will look great on your table, but be warned, you may have your guests begging to take their placetiles home.

I really, really love Placetile Designs and their prices are incredibly reasonable, especially since you will get a ton of use out of them. They are a definite must-have for holiday meals, dinner parties that you’ll hold all year ’round, baby and bridal showers and they are also a great, fashionable touch for weddings.

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Dried gourds can be purchased from gourd farms, or any other type of farm may also carry them. Your local supermarkets will also carry them, but hurry, because they tend to disappear right after Thanksgiving!

You will need:

• 9-to-15-inch bottle gourd, dried
• Pencil
• Paper
• Craft saw
• Drill and 3/8-inch bit
• 4 sturdy twigs
• Waxed twine
• Upholstery needle

How To:

1. Loosen dried gourd seeds by slapping the gourd with your palm. Draw the shape of a window opening on paper, and cut it out, trace it onto the gourd’s surface four times.

2. Use a craft saw to cut along tracings. Shake out gourd seeds. Drill a hole beneath each opening, and find twigs that will fit snugly inside them; insert twigs. Drill two holes, one on either side of the gourd’s neck. Thread twine through holes with an upholstery needle; loop over tree branch.

3. Hang feeder under some sort of shelter, so that the seeds stay dry and don’t become moldy. You may also like to drill two holes on the base of the gourd to encourage water drainage.

When you’re done, just fill the gourd with different bird foods like black-oil sunflower seeds, suet, peanuts, cracked corn, peanut butter, thistle, fruit and shelled sunflower seeds.

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Butternut Squash Soup

Who doesn’t love soup when it’s cold outside? It’s just about the best thing when you’re sitting in the house, watching the leaves fall from the trees in your backyard knowing that winter is well on its way and butternut squash soup is one of the best to treat yourself with during the winter months.

You will need:

• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1 butternut squash (2lb), peeled, cubed
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
• 4 chicken bouillon cubes
• 1 package (8oz) cream cheese, cubed

1. In 10-inch skillet, melt butter over medium head. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender.

2. In 3-to-4 quart slow cooker, mix onion and remaining ingredients except cream cheese.

3. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours.

4. In blender or food processor, place on-third to one-half of mixture at a time. Cover; blend on high speed until smooth. Return mixture to slow cooker. Stir in cream cheese. Cover; cook on Low heat setting about 30 minutes longer or until cheese is melted, stirring with wire whisk until smooth.

Turkey and Butternut Squash Ragout

This dish has some really spectacular flavor and is also low in fat, so you’re not going to feel guilty after digging into this. It’s also a good idea to make this after Thanksgiving (so save the recipe somewhere safe or come back to this post!) because you’ll probably have some leftover turkey thighs.

You will need:

• 2 turkey thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds) skin removed
• 1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds) peeled, seeded and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (3 cups)
• 1 medium onion, cut in half and sliced
• 1 can (16 ounces) baked beans, undrained
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings, undrained
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. Spray 3-to-4quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Mix all ingredients except parsley in cooker.

2. Cover and cook on Low heat setting 7 to 8 hours.

3. Place turkey on cutting board. Remove meat from bones; discard bones. Return turkey to cooker. Just before serving, sprinkle with parsley.

Orange Pork Tenderloin with Butternut Squash

The mere presentation of this dish is incredible; it looks so delicious and makes a great dinner.

You will need:

• 3 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces (6 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pork tenderloin (2 pounds)
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1. Arrange squash around edge in 3-to-4-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt. Place pork in slow cooker (it will overlap squash slightly). Mix marmalade and garlic; spread evenly over pork.

2. Cover and cook on low heat setting 7 to 8 hours.

3. Remove pork from cooker; place on cutting board. Cut pork into slices; serve with squash.

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