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- Once the coffee is brewed in the carafe, you have to drink the 4 cups pretty quickly to enjoy it hot. I drink about 2 and by the time I get to the other 2, the coffee is cold. I mean, I am able to drink it iced but if it is brewed hot, I would like it hot.
- The water tank is large and holds 90 ounces, but it seems like we are filling it ALL the time and with every cup we brew. The minimum amount of water is really a larger amount than expected but really its more of a nuisance than an issue. The issue I see is the water tank itself. The brewer has to be against the wall for it not to tip and spill everywhere. It is not very secure.
- 1 pound turkey sausage
- 1/3 cup Sabra pizza hummus
- 1/2 cup button mushrooms, diced
- 3/4 cup turkey pepperoni slices, chopped
- 3/4 cup black olives, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasonings
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced
- Sabra Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip
- Pizza Sauce
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large bowl, add the turkey sausage and the hummus and mix well.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well with hands.
- Use 1 1/2 Tablespoons and form into 40 balls.
- Spray the sausage balls with olive-oil spray.
- Place balls on a baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden.
- Serve with pizza sauce for dipping as well as Sabra Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip
Quick and Hot Coffee with the Touch Brewer {Review+ Giveaway}
December 14th, 2015
Every time I say I am going to lay off of coffee it is short-lived. I enjoy coffee in so many ways that my husband cannot probably keep track. Some days I like drip coffee while other days I want an iced coffee. Sometimes I like to pour espresso over my ice cream or even add some coconut whipped topping in a HOT cup of coffee for dessert. You get me? I like coffee not only for its amazing caffeinated personality, but because it tastes SO GOOD!
One of the things that my husband and I cannot really come to terms is enjoying a pot of flavored or coffee blends like a Christmas blend or hazelnut coffee. He is a purist for sure but like I said, I like my coffee so many ways that I tend to not drink the flavored ones until I am out on my own. A pot of hot coffee is usually our standard in the mornings with either local dark roast or a fair-trade coffee we have enjoyed for years.
Things have changed and there are no differences because on certain days we can have our own choices. Since Thanksgiving, we have been enjoying a Touch T526B brewer that brews individual coffee or even a 26-ounce carafe for the coffee lover staying at home. While we are all too familiar with the Keurig, my husband keeps that at the office for his enjoyment so we have solely been a espresso-brewing or drip coffee brewing home for some time.
It was nice to have a brewer that has a lot of options for us to make. The Touch brewer makes 8 cup sizes: 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 oz. and 26-ounces in a carafe. We all know it is easy to have different size coffee cups at home or the travel mug holds more than the 8-ounce portion. We definitely loved the different portions available and how hot the coffee brews in each cup. I especially loved the carafe.
The brewer comes with the supercharger (the red insert in the brewer) to brew a bigger and stronger cup of coffee. It packs up to 18g of coffee compared to regular 12g K-Cup® portion packs but it also fits generic K-cups the Touch brewers own Touch XBold Cup™ and XLarge Cup. Even though I did not receive those cups, they do boast a much bolder cup of coffee than regular K-cups. It packs up to 15 grams of coffee as opposed to 12 grams in the typical K-cup.
I am not going to tell my husband but this is MY brewer. Yes, I am laughing over here because I now get to brew what I want even when he is at home. I was able to buy some generic hazelnut coffee cups from Wegmans and have brewed them in the Touch brewer with no issues. Ten-ounces later, I was a happy mother.
We also had a chance to sample LA Coffee Cups that came in three different strengths. They ranged from 3.0 to 7.0 in coffee boldness and while the 3.0 should have been a lighter roast it was still a bold flavor so imagine 7.o being a darker roast but very bold and strong in flavor. My husband and I enjoyed each cup.
My other favorite accessory is the Refill Jumbo Cup. The red supercharger that holds the K-cups in place is removed and in its place goes the Refill Jumbo cup. I can fill any ground coffee into this cup and it brews 40 grams of my favorite coffee-making 30-ounces or 4 cups of coffee. Not only that but it brews in 3 minutes as well!
While I have listed my pros with this brewer there are a few small cons:
Besides those things, we really like the brewer and we will continue trying out various cups and drinks for our every day pleasure.
Have someone you know would like this? Do you have a family member addicted to coffee? This is the brewer for them! Enter below for a chance to win the same brewer for yourself or a family member.
Disclosure: I received a brewer to review and one to give away to a reader. All opinions are my own. Brewer will be mailed by company at the end of the giveaway.
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A Season of Giving #GiveHeifer #LBCGives
December 8th, 2015Christmas time is such an important time of year because there are so many messages coming across to all people. As a mother of three, I am really trying to teach my girls about the basics of giving to others. While I think it is important to give throughout the year, Christmas tends to be the month to give special gifts. As I get older, I grow less interested in needing or wanting more things. I thank God for his provisions and in that I try to teach my girls that we have enough. In a time where entitlement is growing stronger and stronger, teaching my girls the opposite will be a challenge.
Every year I learn a little more about the needs of others in our community and around the world. Growing up my grandmother would read about missionaries around the world serving. She would send funds through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. It is amazing what impacts us the most when it is impressed and taught at a young age. The same I want to share with my children so they will not grow up to be thinking of only themselves.
This year I learned about Heifer International through Latina Bloggers Connect, where their mission is to help communities to end world hunger and poverty and to care for the Earth. Heifer International empowers families to turn hunger and poverty into hope and prosperity by helping communities and delivering sustainable agriculture and commerce to areas with a long history of poverty.
It all starts with the gift of a sheep or a goat or a flock of geese. The animals that are gifted provide communities with food and reliable income, as agricultural products such as milk, eggs and honey can be traded or sold at market. When many families gain a new sustainable income brings new opportunities for building schools, creating agricultural cooperatives, forming community savings and funding small businesses. I know there are many of you that like supporting small businesses so what a great way to support small businesses that are actually trying to make sustainable income for families with very little.
Passing on the Gift is Heifer International’s core model which means families share the training they receive, and pass on the first female offspring of their livestock to another family. This extends the impact of the original gift, allowing a once impoverished family to become donors and full participants in improving their communities. The goal of every Heifer project is to help families achieve self-reliance. We do this by providing them the tools they need to sustain themselves, and it’s thanks to the generosity of donors like you.
I received a beautiful scarf hand-crafted by a women’s group living near Cusco,Peru where they used traditional Peruvian patterns. In this way, Heifer strives to preserve the heritage and history of rural farmers while also providing resources and training to help improve their own lives.
I also received a second one to Pass of the Gift, an extra scarf to give to someone. I love the concept and I wonder how much my life would be different if I was in these people’s situations. In a sense we are left with a legacy to create more for ourselves, but through God’s strength and wisdom left by our parents. I am thankful for that and pray that as you read this you may be blessed to help others in some way whether it is through Heifer International or through some other outlet.
Check out Heifer International’s Holiday Catalog for ideas to give to others this season or even throughout your year.
Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. We learned what Heifer International is all about and simply wanted to share it with you. We received scarves in order to share the gift with others to share how others can do the same.
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Adore: Christmas Songs of Worship by Chris Tomlin +Giveaway
December 2nd, 2015
One of my favorite things during the Christmas season is listening to all the Christmas music. I am not a fan of hearing music earlier than December because I want to keep music special during the month. Radios start blaring music before hand but I refrain until it is time. Does it get monotonous? Christmas music can for sure get really monotonous but I only think it is because people start listening to it earlier than they should.
When it comes to listening to Christmas music, I like mixing it up. Since we sing carols and hymns throughout the month at our church, I then vary listening to mainstream Christmas songs or even unique artists from around the world. I also love hearing carols, hymns and even original content produced by well-known worship leaders or Christian singers and songwriters.
Since the music CAN get monotonous, I think it is important to have new music to keep the spirit and real spirit of Christmas alive in our every day. During Advent season, I love sharing with my family the truth of Christmas which is Christ coming to us in the form of a baby. Away in the Manger has more meaning when we know it was God who sent his only Son in human flesh to live among us. What a message of hope! He came to show us that he loves us and knows our hearts and our lives.
One of the new albums out this season that I enjoyed hearing is Chris Tomlin’s new CD called Adore, which was released October 23rd. What an appropriate title because it every song there is a focus to worship and adore Christ. What a great way to celebrate the season. I also enjoyed playing this album in the car so that my girls could recognize classic Christmas songs mixed with original Christmas songs perfect for every day worship. There are also new arrangements and medley for favorites that were easily recognizable.
I like playing music throughout the day and what a great album to keep a worshipful environment in everyday life. Listed below are the titles in the Adore album including special guest performances from Lauren Daigle, All Sons & Daughters, Crowder, and more.
WANT TO WIN YOUR OWN COPY? ENTER BELOW FOR A CHANCE. GIVEAWAY OPEN TO READERS IN THE US & CANADA.
Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.
Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.
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The Art of Gift Giving with GIANT Food Stores + Giveaway
December 1st, 2015Disclosure: This is a sponsored post with GIANT Food Stores. All opinions are my own as our my photos. Giveaway has been provided by the sponsor.
I loved going outside today because it was finally colder than any other day since fall began. It only promises that winter is just around the corner with some snowy weather. Now that Thanksgiving is over, I can concentrate on planning for Christmas with our little family this year. I am slowly getting used to the fact that Christmas will not exactly be the same every year since both our extended families live in Texas.
This year we will not be able to travel until after Christmas so now is the time for us to establish our own traditions for the years we are not able to travel during the holidays. Here are a two things I plan on doing with our little family:
Baking, Cooking and Giving
One of the things my sister and I learned from my mother was the art of baking. Every Christmas, we would choose several cookie and biscotti recipes and bake up a storm. We had our favorite recipes from my grandmother’s kitchen as well as new recipes we found in magazines over the years. Even now, at age 36, I love using the same recipes and have called my mother to make these same recipes.
Some of these recipes include Snickerdoodles, Peanut Butter Blossoms, Double Chocolate Biscotti, Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti, and more. Once we baked them, we divided them in holiday tins and gifted them to our neighbors, friends, family, and even co-workers. It was so fun to see people faces when they received homemade goodies.
In addition to this my mom loved making cheese balls and even included one with the cookie tins, but other times, people would get a platter of crackers with my mom’s special cheese ball.
Fruit and Food Baskets
I find it easier to give food gifts over the holidays because it is fun and tasty. I love to include items that friends would not otherwise receive during the year to make the gift a memorable and tasty one at that. Growing up, my mom would include an array of fresh fruit, with jams and cookies, and maybe some assorted nuts. We would then give these to our most treasured friends like our pastor and his family.
Finding the Best Products for Gift Giving
Since I have purposed to do something different this year, I know that GIANT Food Stores will have all that I need to make my baking needs a success. I am all too familiar with their OWN Brands that have proven to be successful in my kitchen. Their products have helped me save money as they are the same quality as name brand products.
When making my food baskets for friends, I am excited to use their Simply Enjoy product line which includes teas, chocolates, crackers, cookies to make for an exciting gift. Their array of products allow me to make my gift as fancy as I want it, by creating a theme for each basket. This line also allows me to create baskets for friends who are foodies and cooks alike. I like that there are different jams and oils to create a food basket for the creative cook.
Did you know depending on the season GIANT Food Stores has unique products focusing on a flavor? For the winter season, they are selling peppermint products from Peppermint Whoopie Pie Mix and Peppermint Chocolate Bark to Peppermint Chocolate Sandwich Cookies. You don’t even need to focus on food because GIANT also offers peppermint products like candles, sanitizers, body wash and more for a more unique basket.
I am glad that I will be able to my shopping for my baskets and baking needs where I know what is available to me. So thankful and hopefully you can find inspiration for more unique gift giving this season to all your loved ones and neighbors.
Want a chance to try some of GIANT ‘s OWN Brand products or even their Peppermint products? Enter below for a chance to win ONE of TWO gift cards GIANT has provided me to TWO of you. Enter below.
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Baked Turkey Sausage Pizza Bites
November 30th, 2015Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Sabra Dipping Co. As a Sabra Tastemaker I was asked to create recipes using their product. All opinions and creations are my own.
Hopefully everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving holiday with family around delicious foods. Sometimes I am amazed that we are in the holiday season already. When this season comes around it makes me realize how quickly this year has flown by. Several things I like to do during the holiday season is baking, cooking, and inviting folks over. Even though it is a busy season we really like to sit back and relax with friends.
No matter how busy we get, my husband and I really make it a point to talk through who we want to have over for a meal or even for a special event like watching a football game or a holiday parade. Now that we have small kids we try to have other families over with young kids so that our girls will have other kids to play with. On other occasions we have other families over with no kids because we want to get to know them better.
Some past successes we have had when throwing a low-key get together or tailgating party is just making an assortment of appetizers for dinner. Sometimes it is easier to have a guests bring a variety of appetizers instead of doing a traditional potluck because the menu is focused on dips or bite-sized delights.
We have a few gatherings happening in the next couple of weeks and I am really excited to make different appetizers like these turkey sausage pizza bites. While they look like meatballs, these are great dipped into pizza sauce and ranch dip. I am a big pizza lover and while it would be easier to order pizzas for a tailgating party or gathering, these sausage pizza bites really do the trick without the carb overload.
When it comes to turkey, we all know that it tends to be drier than regular meat. I like to use to because it is a leaner meat. I try to surprise my husband ever so often using turkey because he does not care for the leaner taste. I decided to use turkey sausage and used Sabra pizza hummus to bring moisture to the meat. The Sabra pizza hummus is a newer flavor that Sabra released this summer and is so tasty! It does not have any artificial flavors to make it taste like pizza but the spices it has makes it just like it.
Baking these bites are great without a big mess, cooking on the stove. Not only are these flavorful but they are pretty too. Place them in a bowl or dip each of them in some Sabra Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip or pizza sauce and have them ready for your guests. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Instructions
