Cheesy Jalapeno Beer Bread

Let's face it, the title already has you salivating.

How about now? (I'm evil, I know.) Don't worry, I'm still nice enough to share.

You'll need:

2 2/3 C. all purpose flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. dried dill

1 bottle beer

1/4 heaping C. chopped jalapeno (jarred or fresh) - this can be adjusted to personal preference. I like mine a bit more on the spicy side

1/2 heaping C. shredded cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish

1.4 C. melted butter

nonstick cooking spray

in a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients (first 7) with a wooden spoon.

Add diced jalapenos & shredded cheddar.

Pour in beer & stir until just moist.

Using a rubber spatula, scrape dough from bowl & place in a loaf pan thoroughly coated with cooking spray. You'll need to carefully even out the dough with the spatula.

Pour about 1/2 of the melted butter over top. Place in a preheated 375 degree oven & bake for 45-50 minutes.

See all the jalapeno's & cheese?!

Pour the remaining melted butter over loaf & top with shredded cheddar (as little or as much as you like.) Place pan under broiler for a few minutes until cheese just begins to brown.

Like this.

Carefully trace the outline of the pan with a sharp knife, in order to free your loaf from underneath the broiled cheese. Because if you're anything like me, you put a lot on!

Enjoy!

I'm a "Vixen" for COVERGIRL blastflipsticks

If there is one area I'm super confident in when applying make-up, it would be on my lips. All the others, well, let's just say I'm learning. But lipstick (& the occasional lip liner) I have mastered. In my perspective anyways. But let's face it, there's only so much you can do with lip color. Which is why I've been blending numerous lipsticks & glosses for a while now. I've been wanting to get more, but I only have so much room in my cosmetics bag.

Well, thanks to BzzAgent, my dilemma is solved. I recently took part in the COVERGIRL blastflipstick BzzCampaign & I couldn't be happier! I received 3 blastflipsticks:

I did a 50/50 blend of bright pink & gold to get the perfect shade.

I prefer more of the gold shimmer with a slight touch of the deep brown. (That way you have more of a neutral shade & can easily play up the eyes.)

I loved every combination with the burgundy & pearl pink I came up with. My favorite so far!

Each blastflipstick is equipped with 2 complimentary colors, (a creamy color & a shimmery shade.) 13 duos with at least 3 different shades in each one. As you can tell, the possibilities for color combinations are endless! You definitely get your $8.49 (suggested retail) worth.

Head on over to COVERGIRL to see all 13 of the blastflipstick shades. Whisper & Tease are on my "must have" list. What's on yours?

*available at most groceries, drug stores & major retailers.

**Disclaimer: I received this product from BzzAgent & am simply sharing my opinion which may vary from yours. I was not compensated for this review.

Global Green USA Green School Makeover Competition Presented by Pureology

How would you like to give your child's school (or a school close to your heart) a green makeover? Sounds great, doesn't it? Well, I have got some news for you! Influenster has teamed up with Pureology for the Global Green School Makeover Competition Presented by Pureology.

Think big such as flooring from sustainable or recycled materials, or think small like energy efficient lighting & recycling programs. Anything can make a difference in offsetting miscellaneous costs so that the school can have a bigger budget for educational tools & supplies. (That's why I entered my daughters school.)

"When green upgrades are made to a school, water and energy costs can be reduced by as much as 40%. These savings can be channeled back into resources that directly benefit students, such as textbooks, computers and other essentials."

Between now & March 31, 2013 you can submit your entry (you'll need a few pictures also) through Pureology. You can also view ideas for your school & see what last years winning school did with their $75,000. Yes, that's right, the winning school will receive $75,000 & technical assistance to see all plans through to completion. What are you waiting for? Make a difference today!

TriCalm: Review & Giveaway!

What do you do when you have an itch? Grab some sort of cream to make it stop. A sunburn? Yes, there's a cream for that too. Bug bites? Cream. Burn? Cream. Any other type of skin ailment? You guessed it, cream. Now let me ask you this, do you have enough room to store all of those different creams? I'm sure you would love to just have one product that works for it all. You would, wouldn't you?

Well I have great news for you. You can! But there's just one thing, it's not  cream. It's a gel. (Fooled you didn't I?)

"TriCalm offers powerful relief for burning, itching and stinging caused by rashes, hives, sunburn, allergic reactions, bug bites, poison ivy and other skin ailments. A steroid-free anti-itch gel, TriCalm works on contact to help alleviate discomfort associated with minor skin irritations."

I can't attest to it all (I'm sure by the end of summer I'll be able to), but TriCalm works miracles on pesky itches & burns. (I couldn't find my burn cream one night & I haven't even bothered looking for it since.)

Another (major) plus, although TriCalm is a gel, it dries quickly with no residue. With most anti-itch creams they tend to leave behind a greasiness. Of course you try to wash some of it off, then you need to apply more cream. It's a never-ending cycle!

Safe on kids & adults, safe for daily use (if need be) & safe to use outdoors in sunlight. TriCalm is perfect for my family (& my medicine cupboard).

Wondering if it would be perfect for you (or your family) too? Well here's your chance to try it. Moms Meet will send 2 winners of our rafflecopter giveaway a full size tube (2 oz.) of TriCalm Anti-itch Gel.

The giveaway will conclude at 12:00 a.m. est on Friday 1/11/13. Winners will be announced via rafflecopter in a separate blog post which will be published no later than 9:00 a.m. est on Friday 1/11/13. Winners will also be notified via emails & announced on the Smith and Blessings facebook page. Winners will have 24 hours to submit shipping information which will then be passed directly to Moms Meet for product distribution. If 24 hours has lapsed a new winner will be picked & will then have 24 hours to submit information. Giveaway open to U.S. residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

But why stop there? Head on over to TriCalm & submit your information for a free sample.

Moms Meet is an online resource that empowers moms to come together in an informal setting and talk about the latest on raising healthy families and living green. Moms Meet offers exciting opportunities for Mom Ambassadors and their groups to sample the latest healthy, green products. Sign up today!

***Disclaimer: I am blogging about this product without compensation from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agreed to review this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product. 

Softcup: Move Over Tampons!

Fair warning, it might get a bit personal here. And judging from the word "tampon" used in the title, you can tell what kind of "personal" I'm referring to.

Now that you've been warned, let's talk about menstrual cycles. I wasn't one to be blessed with 4 days of moderate flow. Well, technically I was, just with 3 extra days of heavy flow as well. Which basically means nonstop trips to the bathroom at least every 2 hours. That can really mess up your day. Not to mention your outfit if for some reason you don't make it in time.

So you can imagine my excitement when I was selected by Moms Meet to try Softcup Disposables. (After hearing "12 hour protection" I was definitely interested in giving it a shot.) Followed by a bit of apprehension since I was completely clueless to it all.

Softcup was easy to insert, although it did take me a couple attempts the first time. (Proper insertion is key to prevent unnecessary leakage.) I couldn't feel a thing (which means I did it right) & wasn't restricted from any activities because of it. Oh yeah, no constant trips to the bathroom either. (That one took a bit of getting used to.) Therefore leaving me free to be a busy SAHM without worry. At least worry from leaking.

THE FACTS:

•Softcup is a greener, simpler alternative to tampons and pads that can be worn for up to 12 hours

•A flexible cup that’s worn internally around your cervix, Softcup works

by collecting rather than absorbing menstrual flow. Because of its

special design, one size fits almost all women.

•  You won’t feel Softcup while you’re wearing it, and can enjoy

any activity, including swimming, sports, sleeping and mess-free

intercourse. Softcup is not linked to Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) and

does not cause dryness or irritation. It’s hypo-allergenic and latex-free.

•Softcup is made from non-absorbent, non-irritating medical grade material that has been used for more than 10 years in the healthcare industry and in medical devices such as baby bottle nipples and catheters. It contains no latex, silicone or dioxins. It is BPA-free and contains no residual fibers, bleach, pesticides, carcinogens or PCBS. There are no strings and no wings.

Be your own judge. Head on over to Softcup to learn more & check out the video tutorials. There are also sections just for teens & just for parents. And while we're at it, let's not forget social media such as facebook & twitter. 

Moms Meet is an online resource that empowers moms to come together in an informal setting and talk about the latest on raising healthy families and living green. Moms Meet offers exciting opportunities for Mom Ambassadors and their groups to sample the latest healthy, green products. Sign up today!

***Disclaimer: I am blogging about this product without compensation from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agreed to review this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product. 

Thank You for the Makeover

As you can see, there's been a few lot of changes here! And I love them!

Most of the credit (what, I had a few ideas) goes to a friend. Who I suppose will remain nameless unless she tells me otherwise. Which in that case I suppose there will be some editing in the future. But that being said, I'd like to tell her...

Happy New Year 2013 - German Potato Salad

I've adapted to the Pork & Kraut tradition (for luck) on New Year's. But I like mine more...flavorful. I'm a bit partial to a whole different texture too. So here's my version.

Beer and Brown Sugar Kielbasa & Sauerkraut (courtesy of Brown Eyed Baker) on a whole wheat bun. (*NOTE: This is so good! It literally melts in your mouth. Extra toppings like yellow mustard, diced red onion & sweet pickle relish make it taste amazing.) Along with a side of my German Potato Salad. But who says it should all be limited to New Year's Day? Definitely not me since I make these dishes all year long.

Now, about that German Potato Salad...

You'll need:

•about 6-7 good size potatoes peeled, diced & cooked through (enough for a side of mashed potatoes)

•1/2-3/4 package pepper bacon, chopped

•1 large onion, diced

•1/3 C. white vinegar

•1/4 C. sugar

•1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

•1 small bunch green onions, chopped

•salt & pepper (not pictured)

In the same pot you cooked your potatoes in, add your chopped bacon. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

When bacon begins to crisp a bit, add diced onion. Cook until onions become translucent.

In a small bowl, thoroughly mix the vinegar, sugar & Dijon mustard.

Add to the bacon mixture & bring to a boil.

Add potatoes & stir together thoroughly until heated.

Just before serving, add green onions, salt & pepper.

Give it a good stir & Enjoy!