Betty Crocker Baker´s Challenge Gluten Free Recipe Contest Deadline 6/30!

Don't forget to submit your entry to the Betty Crocker Baker´s Challenge Gluten Free Recipe Contest which ends tomorrow.   For more information, just watch the video below and good luck!






Disclosure:  Video was provided by Betty Crocker via MyBlogSpark.

Pirate Brands Smart Puffs Oven Baked Gluten Free Puffs Are Amazing

 

This is not a review post based on a product trial offer rather it's just one I wanted to share with others as we love it!  It's oven baked and all natural!  No preservatives, gluten and trans fat free!  We've been on a slow path towards eating healthier and my girls love Cheetos but after reading some of the healthy books such as Vintage Remedies, it's been opening my eyes to preservatives and additives.


Here is the book if interested as my giveaway for Vintage Remedies already ended.  It's an excellent resource for those wanting to get back to a natural way to eat.

My daughters and I embarked on a mission to Earth Fare and they had samples out of the Smart Puffs and much to my surprise, the girls loved them and so do I!  We ran out and tried to buy another brand but it left a weird after taste.  The Smart Puffs are addicting as the real Wisconsin cheddar is amazingly good.

They are part of the Pirate Brands of food and to date, we've tried the Smart Puffs and the Pirate's Booty Aged White Cheddar.

The first ingredient is corn meal ... no processed, refined flour  .. just corn meal and I can actually pronounce every ingredient on the label which doesn't contain much.

The Pirate Story:

The Pirate Brands story began in 1987 in Sea Cliff, NY with our founder, Robert. Robert, a snack industry renegade and father of two, scoured the high-seas for a tasty treasure that would inspire people to live a little healthier and have fun while doing it. That's when Robert discovered the cheesy rice and corn puffs we know today as, Pirate's Booty.

Thanks to Robert and his tasty treasure, no longer do you have to eat "cheese" puffs dusted with neon orange powder with incomprehensible ingredients. When you buy Pirate Brands products, you are getting wholesome goodness without the guilt.

Check them out here and on Facebook.

Slow Down and Savor Alouette® Cheese Review & Four Recipe/Coupons Booklets to First Four Responders

I think I recall seeing a brand of cheese called Alouette® but never really paid much attention to it until I had the opportunity to try it from SheSpeaks.com.  I received two coupons to try two varieties of Alouette®  to slow down and savour.

If you are not familiar with Alouette® brand of cheese, here is more information:

• Soft Spreadable - fresh and natural ingredients that provide a creamy, flavorful cheese
• Sundried Tomato & Basil
• Garlic & Herbs
• Savory Vegetable
• Spinach Artichoke
• Light Garlic & Herbs
• Alouette® Crème de Brie® - Ultra-creamy, spreadable cheeses, there's no rind to remove.
• Fine Herbs
• Original
• Alouette® Baby Brie® - Rich, double crème Brie, has a soft, creamy center with mild flavor, and silky white rind, all characteristic of a fine Brie.
• Original
• Garlic & Herbs
• Original Wedge
• Hickory Smoked Wedge
• Alouette® Crème Fraîche - All-natural, kosher cultured cream product is a culinary alternative to heavy cream and sour cream.
• Alouette® Elégante® - Multi-layered, flavorful spreadable cheese blend.
• Roasted Garlic & Pesto
• Roasted Red Peppers & Olive Tapenade
• Sundried Tomatoes & Garlic
• Alouette® Crumbles - gluten free
• Feta
• Feta Garlic & Herb
• Goat Cheese
• Blue Cheese
• Gorgonzola Cheese
• Feta Mediterranean
• Goat Cheese Provencal

I used my two coupons to try the Sun Dried Tomato & Basil and the Spinach Artichoke spreadable cheeses. 

Although I didn't really care for the Sun Dried Tomato & Basil, I LOVED the Spinach Artichoke spreadable cheese.  I loved it so much, it was gone in one day..oops!

If you need ideas on how to use the various products, Alouette® has a great site for recipes.  The options are endless on picking the right one and I choose the Alouette® Mediterranean Pizza to showcase:

• Category: Entrees
• Makes: 4
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Product: Alouette® Soft Spreadable Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. (6.5 oz.) Alouette Garlic & Herbs, or Alouette Spinach Artichoke, or Alouette Peppercorn Parmesan Spreadable Cheese
• 1 10"-12" ready to use pizza crust
• 1 can (12 oz.) of artichoke hearts, drained and sliced.
• 1 jar (7 oz.) of roasted red peppers, drained and julienned
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spread Alouette Cheese on pizza crust.
3. Top with sliced artichokes and roasted red peppers. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
4. Bake 18-20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
5. Cut into 8 wedges and serve.

Special promotion here on Baby Brie Wedges HERE.

I have FOUR booklets of recipes and three $1.00 coupons attached to each booklet to giveaway.

The first four people interested, can have them.  Please leave a comment if you would like to experience this great tasting cheese!

Gluten Free Betty Crocker® Fruit-Flavored Snacks Gift Pack Review & Giveaway WINNER

CONGRATULATIONS!

Jinxy and Me!

An e-mail has been sent!  Please respond within 48 hours to close out this giveaway.

Thanks to all those that entered!

With more and more health concerns emerging about gluten-free products, Betty Crocker has answered the demand to offer great choices at affordable prices.  Not only are they answering the demand to add a variety of products to their line up of gluten-free, they have partnered with Celiac Disease Foundation (CDF) to further generate awareness for celiac disease.

Celiac disease, a chronic inherited digestive disorder, can cause damage to the small intestine. It is estimated that one in 133 Americans suffer from celiac disease – 3 million adults and children are living undiagnosed with this autoimmune disorder that is managed by following a gluten-free diet.

Gluten is the natural protein found in wheat, barley and rye.  It is harmful to persons with celiac disease because when they eat gluten, their immune system is triggered and it begins to attack the small intestine. This results in damage to the villi which make up the lining of the small intestine. Villi are necessary for the absorption of nutrients, and over time the damage to the villi can lead to malnutrition.

Celiac disease is a multi-system, multi-symptom autoimmune disorder that affects adults as well as children. Currently, there is no cure for celiac disease, only the lifelong adherence to a gluten-free diet.

To learn more about General Mill's support for celiac disease and all the gluten-free products available, go to GeneralMills.com.

I received from MyBlogSpark a great Simple Joys pack to enjoy with my children.  It included some of the great items I played as a child with my sisters.  The yo-yo lights up and my two year old grabbed it up and said "my yo-yo" and made every attempt to make it go up and down without luck. I was able to see that I still have it when it comes to yo-yo's!

My six year old loves the classsic frisbee so that was a hit but we'll have to wait until tomorrow to try it out in the yard.  It was a pretty color which she also liked.

My six year old never heard of Pick 'em Up Sticks so it was fun teaching her that game as you can see in the picture above, she enjoyed it. 

My 21 year old, yes, I said 21 and my two year old both loved the fruit snacks!  A special bonus was not only did we get Box Tops for Education but there were bonus Box Tops on one of the boxes!

Each snack is made with real fruit and is less than 100 calories.  What a great, healthy treat!  These make great lunch time snacks or before dinner snacks.  One of the snacks, Create a Bug introduces an interesting way to spark kid's attention.  They get to put together a bug out of the different parts.  I'm not how sure it will go over with the girly-girls (like myself) but I have to predict the boys will LOVE it!  They get to play with what looks like bugs, create the bugs using their imagination and finally, they get to eat them!  A boy's dream!

I absolutely love the items I receive from MyBlogSpark since I've been fortunate to try out two prize packs that include fun for my children and now it's your turn!

The Giveaway: 

Your own prize pack of Betty Crocker Variety Pack of Fruit Roll Ups, Betty Crocker Create a Bug Fruit Snacks, a frisbee, a yo-yo and pick up sticks in a handy, wooden carrying box.

1. Leave a comment on one of your memories from playing any of these games and follow my blog.

Extra Entries (leave a comment for each activity completed):

1. Subscribe to my blog.
2. Follow me on Twitter.
3. Blog about the giveaway.
4. Tweet about the giveaway.
5. Leave a comment on another blog and come back here to leave a comment that you did.

Giveaway ends October 25, 2009 at 10:00 pm.

Winner chose by random.org.

Thanks and good luck!