Blogging for Books: Soul Food Love by Alice Randall and Caroline Randall Williams

Soul Food Love is the cookbook you need to own if you want healthy soul food recipes!  This cookbook is inspired by over one hundred years of one family’s cooking traditions of good ole’ soul food.   A mother-daughter team (Alice Randall and her daughter Caroline Randall Williams) transition some of their favorite soul food recipes all while keeping the traditional recipes in mind but creating them into healthier versions that are sure to be a hit in kitchens all over the world.  What they have created is delicious, easy, and simple recipes that are affordable for everyone!

I especially love the kitchen family tree, the family history background, the photo keepsakes, and the introduction to their family history in cooking soul food dating back to the late 1800’s…covering three generations of women that cooked for their family day in and day out.

 Some of my favorite recipes from Soul Food Love are:  Sweet Potato Broth, Carrot Ginger Soup, Steamed Chicken and Broccoli with Basil, Turkey Burgers, Sweet Potato Skewers, Cauliflower Crown, and the Breakfast Casserole.  These recipes all consist of affordable ingredients and simple recipes sure to please even the pickiest of eaters.

I received this cookbook for free courtesy of Blogging For Books in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

They Say Absence Makes the Heart Grow Founder…

I know you have all heard of the saying “absence makes the heart grow fonder.”  Well in my case…this is very true.  I have so much love for my blogging followers and fans and I really do appreciate all the concern and love that has been sent my way.   You all know how to make a girl feel loved!  I’m so fortunate to still have so many followers even in my absence this year.   I truly have missed preparing blog posts for you and I really hope that I will be able to get back at it very soon.   I will be attempting to blog for the next two months on a very irregular basis.  Can you believe that we are so close to the holidays again?!   Time sure does fly by.

Oh…and I have BIG news….

On Saturday, August 20th…my love of soon to be 5 years (our 5-year dating anniversary is on 11-11-2016) popped the BIG question!   Of course….I SAID YES!

I’m so happy to start planning our wedding ceremony and reception for next year.  We have chosen to become Mr. & Mrs. on 11-11-2017.  We have over a year to plan and we are both eager to start planning.   I’ve already ordered our Save the Date cards and we have a wedding cake consultation & cake tasting scheduled at one of my favorite bakeries in Greensboro in early November and then we are meeting with a Photographer later that month.  In the meantime, we are attempting to take our own engagement photos this Fall as soon as the leaves start to change!

I am hoping to include some of the wedding planning in some of my blog posts as I’m new to the engagement club and this will be a totally new experience for me.   We are hoping to have a small intimate ceremony for immediate family and a few close friends and then a BIG reception party to celebrate afterwards!

Our very first date was at Starbucks…so we just had to stop by and get some coffee and celebrate being engaged!

Here’s to life, love, health, and happiness!  I’m a lucky girl..that’s for sure!

Blogging for Books: Instant Happy Journal by Karen Salmansohn

I have loved being a part of the #bloggingforbooks community!  The book I choose for this month’s book of the month is a journal that I’ve been so anxious to get!   It’s called the Instant Happy Journal  by the famous Karen Salmansohn from notsalmon.com and it’s completely going to change my perspective on life.

This bright and colorful journal is all about changing your mindset to think about the positive things in your life-what’s giving you joy, what you are grateful for, and what inspires you.  It helps you focus on what’s really important.

This journal is filled with 365 different “happiness prompters” that include scientific studies, motivational quotes, and thought-provoking questions.   These prompters inspire you to notice the joy and gratitude in your own life on a daily basis.

I love the idea of this journal-it makes you more conscious of your thoughts and feelings and gives you the space you need to jot down what’s on your mind and get those feelings out and onto paper.   It’s so good to let it all out and it helps bring things out into the open so you can focus more on what you can do make your life happier!

There are some seriously great prompters in this journal.  Below are just a few of my favorites:

“You can’t control everything that happens to you-but you can control your attitude and how you deal with things.”

“Sometimes you need some time and space alone-except for the company of a bird and a few trees- to sit quietly and try to figure things out.”  This one prompts you do to do just that go sit outside and take a moment for yourself.

Word of the Day:  Blesson-when you are able to view painful lessons as blessings.  This prompter asks you to write down some of the blessings that you have learned from some of those challenging lessons.  

365 days of amazing prompters like these above in this little bright and bubbly journal.  What an amazing gift this would be for a family member or close friend.  I challenge you to buy your own Instant Happy Journal and go on this journey with me.

You can purchase the book on Amazon here.

I was given the opportunity to review this book courtesy of Blogging For Books.

Christmas Wish List/Holiday Guide 2015

This is my first year doing a Christmas Wish List/Holiday Guide here on the blog.  I just had so many products that I’ve recently been testing and reviewing that I love and I thought I would put together a last minute blog post on those items.  Maybe, just maybe some of the items will help you get some shopping done if you are undecided on what to get your family or friends for Christmas!

All items (except the Mankind wallets) are available on Amazon.com and I will link them up below so you can just simply click on the link if you feel so inclined to make a purchase.   **I do not receive any income from you clicking on the links below.**

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet…or do you wait till Black Friday and shop till your heart is content?  I personally keep away from retail stores on Black Friday if at all possible.  I usually do my shopping online or wait until the last 2 weeks before Christmas to go out and shop like a mad woman!   Nah-I’m not one of those people…people can get so crazy during the shopping season…it makes me laugh and is very entertaining to me!  I like to shop when and only when I know exactly what I’m going for.  I don’t like to shop around all day-I want in and out as fast as humanly possible.

So let’s begin my wish list/holiday guide-or whatever you may call it.

1. Lyceem Large Capacity Hanging Toiletry Bag/Travel Organzier Kit in Tiffany Green
2. Decorative Hand Cast Aluminum Owl Single Wall Hook
3. UTILYZE Rechargeable Electronic Foot File
4. Big Bang Theory Ceramic Coffee Mug
5. Instant Happy Journal by Karen Salmansohn
6. Eco Friendly Quality Artist Colored Pencil Set by Colowlful
7. Alpine Swiss His and Hers Moccasin Slippers in Sabine and Yukon
8. Ipow Colored Pencil Set with Canvas Roll Up Bag
9. VTIN Peashooter Bluetooth Sport Headphones
10. Rose Gold Monogram Necklace and Rose Gold Bangle Bracelet from EZ Creations LTD
11. Bellabeat LEAF Activity Tracker
12. Mankind Wallets

Stay tuned for Part 2 of my Christmas Wish List/Holiday Guide…I’ll be reviewing each product right here on the blog very soon with possibly a few more products to add!  Happy Holidays!

FotoJet: a FREE online art designer for creating collages, photo cards, and more!

  Year after year I anxiously await to get photo cards in the mail during the Christmas season.  I usually end up purchasing mine through Snapfish or Minted, however, they can be expensive and you can’t guarantee that they will turn out just like you want them to.  Today I’m introducing you to a FREE online art designer that you can use to easily make your own photo cards for the holidays.

Have you struggled with being able to afford these costly photo cards in the past?  Well…don’t fret over it now!  There’s a website called FotoJet and it lets you create your own custom collages, photo cards, posters, and more all for FREE!    FotoJet is developed by PearlMountain Technology Co., Ltd, a dedicated graphics software developer founded in 2006.  Click here to see what FotoJet is all about and try it out for yourself.  You can also find FotoJet on Facebook here.

I spent some time this past weekend working on a photo card on FotoJet and I wanted to share my experience with you so you can see how simple it is to make your own photo cards.  FotoJet‘s website is very easy to use.  First you choose a design, then you add your own photos, and share and save your creations.

I also like that they have templates for Facebook covers, Instagram & Facebook posts, and YouTube banners!  A very social media friendly app!  There are so many options to choose from and a ton of templates to use or you can simply create your own.

Here are some of my creations using FotoJet:

*All photos below belong to the owner of this blog-please don’t copy or share without contacting and getting consent first.  Thanks!*

Facebook Cover

Instagram Post

 

Twitter Headers

Fun Photos

Photo Cards

Classic Collage

There are so many options with FotoJet!  Try them out and show me some of your creations by linking them below!

Blogging For Books-Owls: Our Most Enchanting Bird by Matt Sewell

Matt Sewell is a well-known avid ornithologist, a contributor of the website Caught by the River, and the author of the best-selling books Our Garden Birds and Our Songbirds.  His new book Owls:  Our Most Enchanting Bird is quickly becoming very popular as well.  Matt’s pop-art watercolors of the owl species (over 50 species) are just so fascinating and intriguing.   He captures the beauty of the birds in his own illustrations.  The book is filled to the brim with owls-you have four major categories of the species: Woodland Owls, Tropical Owls, Wilderness Owls, and Desert Owls.

Matt not only gives us his beautiful artwork but also gives us valuable information on each species of the most enchanting bird.   A charming book for any nature lover or bird lover!  I personally love birds-especially owls…they are so mysterious-yet compelling!  This book is a perfect coffee table book as most people would pick it up and enjoy it-for it’s not only a book, but a piece of art!

I received this book courtesy of Blogging For Books in exchange for a review.  All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own.  

A Fall Afternoon/Evening with MalloMe Roasting Sticks! #MalloMe

The weather here in NC is so nice in the late summer and early Fall that we still enjoy having cookouts on a regular basis!  We love to spend time outdoors in our own backyard.   A perfect escape from the work week!

I was given the opportunity to test and review these MalloMe Roasting Sticks and they were a perfect addition to our campfire evenings!

A perfect afternoon for testing these roasting sticks out!

Our Yodo Picnic/Camping Blanket came in very handy today!  You can purchase one here.  Review coming up soon for this product.

  

  

 

Even one of our fur-babes enjoyed the marshmallows!

Here’s my review:

The MalloMe Premium Roasting Sticks are perfect for any camping trip or backyard bonfire! We love to roast hot dogs and marshmallows this time of the year. It’s the perfect weather-not too hot, not too cold! This set comes with 5 piece rotating & telescoping fork set along with a canvas travel bag to store them in and they also have rubber tips on the prongs that keep you from getting pricked when you are storing them. They are non-toxic and made of stainless steel. These are unlike most roasting sticks that are online because they are extendable forks (34″ in length) that keep you at a safe distance from any bonfire, campfire, or a backyard fire pit.

They come in a lovely set of popular colors-very appealing to the eye. Everyone you know will want their own set! We used them over the weekend to roast hot dogs for us and our fur-babes and then we decided to roast some marshmallows for dessert. They were the perfect length for using at a campfire…you had enough distance between you and the fire so that you wouldn’t get burned or too hot. The roasting sticks are very easy to clean with just dish soap and water and they store perfectly in the case that was included with the purchase. I highly recommend these roasting sticks to anyone that enjoys outdoor campfires or camping in general. This would definitely be a must-have for any camping trip in our near future!

I received this set for a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

We Love Disney album featuring Ne Yo, Gwen Stefani, Ariana Grande, Tori Kelly and more! #WeLoveDisney

I’m a huge Disney fan and just love anything and everything Disney.  In fact, Noah and I plan on visiting Disney soon…neither one of us have been yet.  We are so very excited to start planning a trip there finally.  Both of us are BIG kids at heart and I can’t wait to experience all the magic that Disney World has to offer!

I was given the opportunity to listen to the new album We Love Disney through the One 2 One Network.  Needless to say I was so very excited!  The album comes out on October 30th!  What a great time of the year for this album to come out…perfect for a stocking stuffer!   I know my niece, Ms. Saniyah would absolutely LOVE this album.

And….there is a Collector’s Box set as well which includes the Limited Edition double vinyl, Standard Edition double vinyl, Limited Edition CD, Standard Edition CD, We Love Disney limited edition, numbered lithographs (4), “The Magic Behind We Love Disney” (DVD), We Love Disney digital deluxe album (Digital Album), We Love Disney Limited Edition T-Shirt (Size Large) including a One-Time Only Design, We Love Disney exclusive tote bag, and a Certificate of Authenticity.

The new We Love Disney album has 13 classic Disney songs that features popular artists from the Pop, Rock, R&B, and country genres like Ne Yo, Gwen Stefani, Ariana Grande, Tori Kelly and more!

Songs on the album include:

Friend Like Me (Aladdin) by NE-YO

Part Of Your World (The Little Merrmaid) by Jessie J

Can You Feel The Love Tonight (The Lion King) by Jason Derulo

Rainbow Connection (The Muppet Movie) by Gwen Stefani

From Zero To Hero (Hercules) by Ariana Grande

In A World Of My Own (Alice In Wonderland) by Jhené Aiko

I Wan’na Be Like You (The Jungle Book) by Fall Out Boy

Colors Of The Wind (Pocahontas) by Tori Kelly

A Spoonful Of Sugar (Mary Poppins) by Kacey Musgraves 

Ev’rbody Wants To Be A Cat (The Aristocats) by Charles Perry

A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes (Cinderella) by Jessie Ware

Let It Go (Frozen) by Lucy Hale & Rascal Flatts 

It’s A Small World by various artists

My favorites are Can You Feel The Love Tonight, Rainbow Connection, I Wan’na Be Like You, Colors Of The Wind, A Spoonful Of Sugar, and Let It Go.  This album has a great mixture of artists and makes the songs come back to life after all these years for me!  Of course, I’m a Disney fan for life so I really enjoyed this album and love the new take on some of my old favorite songs.

Below is a sneak peek of what’s on the album!

You can pre-order your copy on Amazon here or on iTunes here.  

Disclosure:   I participated in the We Love Disney album review program as a member of One2One Network. I was provided an album to review but all opinions are my own.

Pink October #GlamuletPinkOctober

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and today I’m going to introduce you to a company that has a campaign going on called #GlamuletPinkOctober.  The main goal of Pink October is to raise awareness and prevent breast cancer!   Breast cancer is the 2nd deadliest cause of death for women around the world.  Together we can make a difference by supporting companies like Glamulet who donate 50% of their sales to charities that support breast cancer.

Glamulet was launched in 2014 and offers every women a new range of trendy and elegant quality jewelry at an affordable price.  You can create your own bracelet by selecting the charms you like!

The Pink Limited Edition Charms were created to support the Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign and you can see them all here.  My favorite charms are the Bright Pink Paved Crystal charm and the Romantic Pink Rose-Swarovski.

Let’s raise AWARENESS!

You can get the Pink Limited Edition Ribbon Charm Bracelet here.  It’s so lovely!  Be sure to follow Glamulet on social media via Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube!

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Meatloaf Pie

Say what?

Yep…Meatloaf Pie!

You see I had this amazing new Borolux Shatter-Proof Deep Dish Pie Plate to test out and review and after making a few pies in this baby…we decided to venture into using it for more than just pie!

Who doesn’t love meatloaf?   Noah and I are big fans.  We use a very simple recipe (see below)…it’s a old family tradition.   We always serve our meatloaf with some form of potatoes.  Today we baked our potatoes in the oven while we were cooking the meatloaf.  I love easy-peasy dinners…especially when you can throw them all into the oven at the same time!

So above you can see how we sliced the meatloaf just like you would pie.  Therefore, we have Meatloaf Pie.

Meatloaf Pie Recipe

Ingredients:

2 lbs of ground beef

1 large white onion

1 med green pepper (we omitted this ingredient tonight)

1/4 cup of Heinz 57 Sauce

1 cup of breadcrumbs

ketchup-for basting on top of the meatloaf

Instructions:

Dice the onion and green pepper-set aside.  Combine the ground beef, onion, green pepper, Heinz 57 sauce, and breadcrumbs into a large bowl and mix with hands-it’s messy but it’s easier to incorporate your ingredients by hand.

Place in a greased baking dish of your choice (we used our Pie Plate) and put into the oven for 1 hour.   Remove baking dish from the oven and baste the top of the meatloaf with ketchup and place back into the oven for 15-20 minutes.

Slice and enjoy!   Serve up with some potatoes(mashed or baked) and if you like some steamed veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots for a delicious wholesome meal.

Here’s my review of the Pie Plate:  

Whether you are a professional baker or just someone who loves to bake you will love this pie plate. It’s made in the USA and it comes with a lifetime guarantee! Easy to clean-simply load it into your dishwasher as it is dishwasher safe.

Think Apple Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie…all perfect pies for this time of the year. I made a Pear & Almond pie weeks ago and served it up in the pie plate. I also made a Impossible Pumpkin Pie (this pie recipe makes it’s own crust)…delicious!  However, don’t limit using this Pie Plate for just pie…you can use it for a variety of dishes!

The pie plate is the perfect size measuring 7.5 X 1.5 inches and 9″ deep and is great size to serve for a party or holiday event. It has a fluted edge which reminds me of the old pie plates back in the day…very classic and stylish. It’s not like most pie plates you find in the store…it’s heavy and durable.  

I really love this pie plate and plan on gifting it to some of my friends/family for Christmas this year. It’s a perfect gift for someone that is moving into a new home, getting married, or just as a friendly new neighbor gift! Make a pie and gift them the pie plate along with a recipe card with the pie recipe! 

I was given the opportunity to test and review this product for a discount in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

You can purchase the Pie Plate here on Amazon for $19.99…that’s currently $30 cheaper than the list price.