November 25th, 2013
Thanksgiving is almost upon us and everyone is planning, preparing, and traveling for this wonderful time of year. It is where traditions are experienced and delicious home-cooked meals are made by loving family reminding us how thankful we are to be to have what we have.
The past two weeks I have been enjoying a delicious product that has been a tradition with the Burgers’ Smokehouse. Since the 1950’s , the company has been known for their gourmet-quality, authentic-cured and smoked meat and poultry items as well as other specialty items. They ship nationwide and make for pretty popular during the holidays.
I received a nice package of bacon and ribs from the Smokehouse that was well-received by everyone in the house, and by everyone, I mean my husband, mainly. 🙂 Like any man, he is a bacon-lover when it comes to breakfast. We were given a variety pack of Hickory-Smoked bacon to taste and boy did it come at a great time. We had run out of bacon. For that matter, we had been testing out different brands in the last couple of months so we out Burgers’ Smokehouse bacon to the test.
The strips of bacon cooked really nicely and were a nice thickness. They went well with our morning breakfast along with some other meals during the weeks.
Another part of our package were the 2 slabs of baby back ribs. One was a seasoned package with BBQ sauce and the other just a cured and smoked slab. They already come prepared and cooked so all I needed to do was heat them up in the oven for a meal. It was quick, simple and the family was happy.
The package arrived well packed with dry ice and was easy to transfer from fridge to freezer. There are going to be a lot of BLT sandwiches in our future. I look forward trying out their burgers as well as their sausage. Instead of sending your loved one a fruit basket this year, why not send them some bacon? No one is going to complain about that one.
If you check out Burgers’ Smokehouse on Facebook, you might get a chance to win a gift card to sample some of their products. Right now they have free shipping on every item using our normal UPS delivery in the Contiguous U.S. 48.
I received a sampler of goodies from Burgers’ Smokehouse. All opinions are my own.
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November 24th, 2013
The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free
I like jewelry like any other girl but when it comes to working out and tracking calories, who wants to be wearing a bulky pedometer when you can use a lightweight and elegant monitor.
When I opened the package I took out the items and put them together to make this nice watch-looking monitor. The monitor requires to download the Misfit app on iTunes in order to sync all the data it collects. While I do not have an iPhone or iPad the app will be available for Android after the New Year. I cannot wait to use it for myself.
Have someone who would like this for Christmas? Here are a few more attractive features.
Misfit Shine
- The world’s most elegant activity monitor
- 4 stunning colors
- No charging required
- Water resistant to 50m
- Measures steps, Calories burned, activity level
- approximate 30-day history
- programmable
- watch
The sports band is nice and comfortable. I wore it around the house for several days and I really liked the feel.
Shine is exclusively available in additional colors at Best Buy including Silver, Black, Champagne and Topaz.
Shine Features: •Activity Tracking, •Steps, •Activities: Swimming, Biking, Tennis, etc., •Sleep, •Calories, •Clock, •Waterproof, •Extra Accessories (includes Magnet clip), •Leather Bands, •Sport band, •Necklace
Shine is a gorgeous device that will empower people to be more proactive about their personal health.
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November 22nd, 2013
This is a sponsored post in partnership with Target. All opinions are my own.
Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Target.
Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Target.
Thanksgiving is almost upon us and it is hard to really think that another year is almost upon us. It is hard sometimes, but it also means another year away from family. It has been 5 almost 6 years since I have been away from Texas and family and every year is different. The food remains the same but the company changes.
We have been in Philly for over a year now and as we continue to get to know more people mu husband and I talk about establishing traditions with our little family. Since we seem to be settling our roots in a new place might as well establish traditions right?
When I lived at home with my family we talked about sharing our Thanksgiving not only with family but with friends. Friends with no family or family that live far away. Now that I am married I feel the same way. I really enjoy cooking and sometimes cooking for 2 adults and 2 small children makes for lots of leftovers. Not that that is a bad thing but somehow I miss sharing the fellowship over good food.
This year we are preparing to have friends over to relax and have dinner. As we continue to get to know them more, we establish traditions of sharing our holidays with others especially with yummy foods.
I plan to make the same delicious turkey recipe from Bon Appetit because once you find a recipe you gotta keep it, don’t you think? I also have a great cranberry sauce with oranges that makes a great addition. I look forward using my Threshold Cambridge Dinnerware set I bought at Target. It is perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas too! Who could ask for anything more?
There are so many sets of beautiful dinnerware to help celebrate a holiday such as Thanksgiving and as I am thankful for teaming up with Target to share the lovely items for entertaining.
How do you celebrate Thanksgiving? Is it nice and relaxing with football and pizza or is it full of entertaining and setting up all the nice dinnerware for folks? #MyKindOfHoliday
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November 21st, 2013
This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with Latina Bloggers Connect and Cacique
Growing up in a bi-lingual home has always meant a lot to me. Being a new mom and establishing a bi-lingual home has been a challenge. I always thought it was going to be easy but seeing that I have grown up in the US for all my life, English is my first language no matter what anyone says.
In my home, I grew up speaking Spanish in the house and speaking English when we were outside the home. Since I have a Mexican mother and a Chilean father, the accents that come with each of those countries never really crossed paths with me. I have always been told I sound like I come from Puerto Rico, Argentina, or some other Latin-American country. It has been funny.
Since I have parents with two different cultures, I find it exciting and wonder how I will be able to pass this life I learned to my little ones. We sing English and Spanish songs and while I hear English spoken more, since my husband is Anglo, I occasionally hear a Spanish word from my 2-year old. I love it!
What does this have to do with food? Well I love cooking cuisine from both countries and I have to say it might be a quick draw at the recipes I know how to prepare from both countries. Cheese always seems to be the most important ingredient in Mexican food than in Chilean food so it sometimes is easier and quicker to prepare. For vegetarians, Mexican food is, in my opinion, the best option for your lives. 🙂
We enjoy breakfast in our home and sometimes it just gets plain boring with the same meals every morning. My husband and I usually alternate giving each other to the title of Breakfast Queen or King because sometimes we alternate making some NEW breakfast dish other than the regular eggs or oatmeal morning.
One morning I decided to use my empanada (turnover) dough to make a open-faced muffin version. I was going breakfast queen so I had to make something tasty, you know? I scrambled eggs, black beans with onions, peppers and some spices and placed them inside the dough in the muffin cups. I then grated some cheese on top and served with salsa. YUM! I always think it is key when adding the cheese. The dough came out nicely cooked with a great crunch and the filling was tasty and very filling.
I was recently introduced to the Auténtico Cheese Society by Cacique. I am VERY familiar with Cacique cheese because they make my authentic meals even more authentic with their line of Hispanic cheeses. If you like Mexican food you probably have NOT tasted the right cheese for the meals the restaurant serves but I think it makes or breaks a dish for me. Don’t serve me American white cheese because I will hurt you! Ha! I will give that “authentic” Mexican restaurant a bad review. Anyway….
If you like quesadillas then this brand has the cheese for those perfect quesadilla or enchiladas. Right now there is a fun giveaway on Cacique’s Facebook where you could win a coupon or other item to try this product. Even better the first 20,000 members who sign up to the Auténtico Cheese Society will receive a welcome package with $5 in coupons!
Being part of the Auténtico Cheese Society also means the following:
● Every month, 125 members will be randomly selected to win a free cheese coupon
● Monthly members-only newsletter highlights product attributes, usage ideas and recipes for the Cheese of the Month
Serve these muffins with a side of fruit salad and you have a great brunch option for Thanksgiving Day. I even have a few Mexican recipes where you could use queso fresco or cotija cheese for enchiladas. Yum. I am hungry now. Enjoy!
Breakfast Empanada Muffins
by Noelle Kelly
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients (10 muffins (2-4 servings))
- A package of Goya empanada dough discs ( found in the freezer section and comes in 10 dough discs)
- 5 eggs
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 bell pepper (poblano, yellow or red)
- 1/2 red onion
- 1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
- 1/2 cup cooked black beans, drained
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup Cacique Manchego Cheese, shredded (divided)
Instructions
Grease a muffin pan and place one dough disc in each muffin cup. Pat the dough in even folding some of the sides. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, crack the eggs and scramble until combined. Add water, salt and pepper and set aside.
In a non-stick pan, heat olive oil, saute’ the onions, peppers, mushrooms for 7 minutes on medium heat and then add egg mixture and cook for 5-7 minutes. Add the black beans and and oregano and cook for another 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup cheese and mix.
Place 1-2 Tbsp egg mixture in each muffin cup and top with more cheese.
Bake for 20-22 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve with salsa.
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November 20th, 2013
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Maestro Dobel Tequila.
Introducing: Maestro Dobel Tequila.
There is bad tequila, there is good tequila, and then there is Dobel: the first multi-aged clear tequila ever distilled. Named after its founder and famed tequila maestro Domingo Beckmann Legoretta, each bottle of Dobel is a blend of Reposado, Añejo and Extra-Añejo tequila, made from 100% blue agave grown on the Dobel estate. The liquid is then double-distilled, matured in Hungarian EUROPEAN White Oak barrels, and filtered for exceptional smoothness and clarity. Its sophisticatedly smooth taste is matched only by its aesthetics; as a modern twist on a vintage apothecary style bottle, the glass is embossed with the family’s estate, labeled in a sleek silver and black color scheme, and signed by both Señor Dobel and the Master Blender.
Do you like entertaining like I do? We do not imbibe all the time when we have guests over but we like preparing drinks. In fact, I think my hubby enjoys mixing them. We had guests over in the mid-summer and he was SO excited to make his own margaritas. He bought the tequila and all the ingredients except we thought we had enough limes. All we had was bottled lime juice which was NOT an option.
The same goes with good tequila. I know when I get cheap tequila by getting an awful headache so who needs a headache especially on the holidays?
Like seasonal margaritas? ‘Tis the season for persimmons, so why not try this persimmon margarita? We made these last year and they were so delicious, different but delicious.
What about some watermelon margaritas? I have some frozen watermelon where this might just be perfect!
Watermelon Margaritas
3 cups of watermelon chunks
1 cup pineapple juice
1 lime, juiced
1 cup tequila
1 cup triple sec
ice and cocktail shaker
Blend the watermelon, seeds and all. Sieve the pulp and keep the watermelon juice. Add the rest of the ingredients and place in a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour over ice and garnish with a lime wedge. Yummy results!
Forgo the shots, the schnapps, and the impending hangover! Pour Dobel straight over ice and revel in supreme taste and a newfound confidence. The black credit card may no longer impress, but the girl you have your eye on will want to know what you’re drinking on ice, poured from that sleek bottle drawing her eye from across the bar. You’re welcome, and cheers.
For more recipes using Dobel tequila check out the link.
To learn more about Dobel check out their Facebook page.
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