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Crunchy Caramel Popcorn recipe

November 9, 2009 by

I love food and I love to cook and even bake sometimes. I want to get back into sharing these fun things with you so here is my re-introduction of Foodtalk.

Crunchy Caramel Popcorn is easy! The process takes a little while but it only requires a handful of ingredients.

9-10 cups of popped popcorn, no butter/salt microwaved is fine
¾ stick of butter
¾ cup of brown sugar
Pinch of salt
½ tsp vanilla
1 cup rough chopped nuts-peanuts, cashews, almonds, whatever you enjoy (optional)

Preheat oven to 300˚ degrees. Liberally grease/butter a cookie sheet, set aside.

In a LARGE, preferably wide bowl add popcorn and nuts, set aside.

Over medium heat in a saucepan melt butter, sugar, salt and vanilla, bring to a boil (about 2-3 minutes). Stir constantly to prevent burning. Drizzle 1/3 of caramel sauce all over popcorn and using a silicone spatula quickly stir/toss to coat, stir from the bottom up to pick up any sugar that fell to the bottom. Continue this process till all caramel is gone. If your bowl is not big enough try to work in smaller batches.

Spread popcorn and nut mixture on cookie sheet and place in oven. Every 10-15 minutes remove pan and stir popcorn again from the bottom up. Be sure to completely remove pan from oven or you risk dropping popcorn on the bottom of your oven and burnt popcorn doesn’t smell good. Total baking time is 55-60 minutes to achieve optimal crunchiness.

When popcorn has finished baking remove from pan and spread on sheets of waxed paper to cool. Caramel popcorn is ready to eat in a short 10 minutes when nuts have completely cooled. Sealed in airtight containers your popcorn should last……um I have no clue, it only lasts about 2 days here.

The recipe sounds tedious but it’s really simple and the sugar syrup cleans up super easy. I recommend a silicone spatula because the caramel comes off very easy. When I say you need a big bowl to mix I mean the biggest bowl you can find. Here is the picture of the bowl I use, it has about a 16-17” diameter but isn’t really deep. If you can’t get your hands on a wide bowl go for deep like a pasta pot. This just makes it easy to really get under the popcorn and get everything coated well.

Enjoy and let me know how it turns out for you!




Attune Foods Wellness Bar Evaluation

October 1, 2009 by

We are on our way to IZEAFest and while I know we are going to have a blast the thought of eating out for the next 4 days and trying to squeeze in some healthy stuff is stressing me out.

A healthy digestive system is important for overall well-being. If we aren’t getting the nutrition we need from the food we eat then we aren’t going to thrive. Stress, medications, poor diet and other environmental factors generally put our health at risk. Attune bars help balance the good bacteria called probiotics by providing up to 5 times the amount of live active cultures than regular yogurt in the convienence of an on-the-go bar.
The probiotics story begins with intestinal bacteria, which are a community of good and bad bacteria that live in the digestive system. We all have naturally occurring bacterial communities in our digestive systems. They help:

• Protect the body from harmful bacteria.
• Exercise the immune system to ensure it is ready to react to harmful bacteria.
• Strengthen the intestinal wall so it acts as a defensive barrier.
• Digest fiber in the diet, so we can absorb the nutrients from the foods we eat.

These digestive bacteria are essential to overall wellbeing. Probiotics act as a helper to these friendly bacteria, and that help can keep the digestive system functioning well.
While they aren’t meant to replace all the food in your diet they are a great addition to maintain that balance needed for overall health. Attune probiotic chocolate bars, available in seven delicious chocolate flavors (such as Dark Chocolate, Mint Chocolate and Blueberry Vanilla), have 100 or fewer calories and contain three of the most clinically supported probiotic strains for digestive health and immunity (more important than ever) plus calcium and fiber. Attune probiotic wellness bars are a delicious way to enjoy the health benefits probiotics can provide. Each Attune wellness bar is packed with probiotics that help rebalance your digestive system, so your whole body can work better.

• Attune probiotics are proven to survive in the digestive tract, where they can provide optimal health benefits.
• The probiotics in Attune have been clinically tested to support a healthy digestive system and a strong immune system.*
• Attune wellness bars also include prebiotics, which support healthy digestive function and work in harmony with probiotics.




Edwards frozen desserts wants you to INDULGE

September 28, 2009 by


In the hustle and bustle of everyday life women often do not take time to treat themselves. Those little indulgences are what help us clear our heads, regroup and jump back into reality with a renewed energy. My indulgences are a solid hour of nonsense reality TV, pedicures, midnight snacks (more like 9PM when the kids are in bed) and shopping with no one rushing me.
The makers of Edwards® frozen desserts are hosting the “Simple Indulgences Spa Sweepstakes” on EdwardsBaking.com through October 9, 2009. Sign-up to receive a coupon for $1.00 off one package of Edwards® Singles Á La Modes desserts PLUS enter for a chance to WIN one of 10 $500 SpaFinder.com gift cards to treat yourself to a relaxing spa experience.


I got the chance to sample some of Edwards frozen desserts this weekend. Their Hot Fudge Brownie with Creamy ice Cream was my decadent indulgence of the week. A super moist brownie with creamy fudge and melty vanilla ice cream was a much needed finish to a stress filled week. From start to finish you can start enjoying your yummy dessert in about 2 minutes. Not a chocolate lover, their Hot Apple Crisp with Cream Ice Cream looks equally divine. Well worth the less than $2 cost (cost may vary) for 2 desserts once you use the coupon.

Indulgences don’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. Simplicity is the best way to unwind. Try to squeeze in some of these affordable and effortless ideas into your lifestyle.

  • Turn your back on technology, this means phones, computers, television and radio. We all need a time-out.
  • Hit the road. Take a walk or run or even a drive if you know of some beautiful countryside to look at instead of traffic signals and gridlock.
  • Let nature take its course. Visit the farmers market or florist and splurge on a bouquet of flowers for yourself. Have a backyard garden? Get in there and prune and trim and cherish the fruits of your labor.

Whatever you do to indulge do it without guilt and without consequence. A special thanks to Edwards for letting me indulge.




Eating Right Kids at Safeway

September 24, 2009 by


Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Safeway, Inc. have teamed up to create a better-for-you line of food products for children, uniting flavor and nutrition with the iconic Looney Tunes characters.

Thanks to Team Mom and Safeway, Inc I was recently asked to review a lunchbag full of Eating Right Kids foods that included a a microwave ravioli meal, juice box, fruit cup and chewy bar. Juice isn’t something we often have in the house so Shaun was thrilled to have a “treat” and he really liked the fruit and chocolate chewy bar. The fruit cup went to Shae as a snack, she ate everything but left behind the cherry pieces until I told her what they were then she tilted her head back and sucked them down quickly. The raviolis weren’t very popular in this house, probably because we just don’t eat prepared foods like that. They weren’t bad just not something my kids are used to.

Eating Right isn’t new to us. We normally buy the waffles, carrots, bagged spinach and cereal bars. The kids Wheatgrain waffles actually contain 3 grams of fiber per serving with just 4.5 grams of fat, coupled with milk and fresh fruit it makes a great healthy breakfast. My kids and Rob like peanut butter on their waffles so that just gives them a great protein and healthy fat boost for a great start to the day.

Convenience foods don’t have to be full of trans fats, salt and excess calories. Safeway, Inc along with Eating Right and Eating Right Kids are helping families make affordable smart choices that taste good. With over 60 items to choose from just in the kids line there are definitely going to be things that every family enjoys.




P.F. Changs New Kids Menu Recapitulation

September 4, 2009 by

Long gone are the days of regular date nights and not just for us but for most busy moms and dads out there. We’ve learned to adapt to the shortage of time and do the things we really love. Rob and I love to eat yummy food! One of our favorite spots if P.F. Changs China Bistro. We settle in at the bar, order a drink and 3 starters to share; chicken lettuce cups, crispy green beens and either the big bowl of wonton soup, crab wontons or dumplings. We do this because everything is so good we have a hard time deciding on one meal each. On the few occasions we have gotten meals we love Mongolian Beef.

We have always kept P.F. Changs to ourselves; it wasn’t always a kid-friendly place. This has recently changed. P.F. Changs China Bistro has introduced a kid’s menu where all the kids’ meals are less than $5, designed with a child’s palate in mind and include all the fresh and delicious ingredients as the regular menu.

 
The new menu includes:

 

  • Kid’s Chicken served with honey or sweet and sour dipping sauce

Kid’s Lo Mein, egg noodles stir-fried with chicken

  • Kid’s Chicken Fried Rice- without the veggies
  • Baby Buddha’s Feast, carrots, snap peas and broccoli steamed or stir-fried

Along with the above meals your child also gets a take home kids cup.

On a recent random Saturday night Sabreena went out with her girlfriends so we decided to do the unthinkable; take Shaun and Shae to our sanctuary. It was still early enough that the wait was manageable but if we had waited any longer the kids would’ve become restless. We were seated and quickly greeted by our server who was friendly and talked to the kids like they were guests too. We ordered Baby Buddha’s Feast for Shae and Kid’s Lo Mein for Shaun and let them share. We also shared some of our rice and entrée and appetizer (just one) with them too. They really enjoyed almost everything they tried. P.F. Changs even offers cute shot glass size desserts for $2. The kids each got one while Rob and I split the Banana Spring Rolls (another luscious decadent favorite of ours).

While P.F. Changs may not seem like the family friendly eatery from the outside the atmosphere is relaxed the staff is friendly and food is yummy yummy yummy.

LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! readers have a special giveaway from P.F. Changs China Bistro. Win a $100 gift card to treat your entire family to a fabulous dinner. Take a peek at their menu and tell me what you or your children would like to order.

EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry above and please be sure your email in in your comment, attached to you blogger dashboard or easily seen on your website/blog. I will not search through About Me/Contact Me links.

  • Subscribe to LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! RSS Feed, see sidebar
  • Leave a relevant comment on a non-giveaway  Article; let me know where to find your comment
  • Enter any other Giveaway for an extra entry for each one entered
  • StumbleUpon LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too!
  • Fave LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! on Technorati
  • Grab the LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! button or add us to your blogroll, leave site link
  • Follow Mom and Dad and P.F. Changs on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway DAILY for an additional entry each day, copy and paste this message: enjoy a night out with a great meal from @PFChangs, win a $100 GC @lkwhtmomfound…and Dad too! http://bit.ly/qjrGt
  • Become a fan of LookWhatMomFound and P.F. Changs China Bistro on Facebook
  • Blog about this giveaway with link to LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! and P.F. Changs for 3 extra entries

Your entries must follow the rules or they won’t be eligible for prizes. This contest ends 11:59 pm, Friday, September 25, 2009. Winners will be announced and emailed and will have 48 hours to claim prize. This contest is open to US residents.

 




Pillsbury Simply…Cookies Recapitulation

August 27, 2009 by

Who doesn’t like cookies? I can tell you we DO. Pillsbury brings cookies to our house on a pretty regular basis. Don’t get me wrong I have some fabulous cookie recipes and love to bake but sometimes I crave a good ole’ Pillsbury chocolate chip cookies. Plus the bonus is very little cleanup and cookies are ready so much quicker than when made from scratch.

Pillsbury is our go to for Cresent rolls, Grands biscuits (I prefer flaky) and our Christmas morning tradition, Grand’s cinnamon rolls. We have these every Christmas morning, they bake while we open gifts and the kids munch inbetween wrap ripping. I trust everything we buy from Pillsbury will be delicious and have that home-made feel. With 130 years under their belt they have to be doing something right!


I recently had the opportunity to try Pillsbury new simply…Cookies. YUM! Plus no trans fat, no high fructose corn syrup and no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.. This means real chocolate, real vanilla, real sugar, real peanut butter and real milk; a real cookie just like I would bake myself. I got my cookies along with a cookie jar (which I’m actually using as a sugar jar) and an awesome heavy duty huge capacity reusable cloth bag.

Print a coupon for $1.25 off simply…Cookies right here! Enjoy them tonight!

My great friends at My Blog Spark have teamed up with Pillsbury to bring a tasty giveaway to LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! readers. Win a coupon for FREE simply…TM refrigerated cookies as well as a prize pack that includes the cookie jar and really really great canvas grocery tote. Visit Pillsbury and tell me which of the many yummy treats is your family’s favorite.
EXTRA ENTRIES:
To receive these extra opportunities for entries, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry above and please be sure your email in your comment, attached to you blogger dashboard or easily seen on your website/blog. We will not search through About Me/Contact Me links.

  • Subscribe to LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! via email
  • Fave this blog on Technorati
  • Follow this blog
  • Stumble Upon this BLOG not post
  • Enter any other current Giveaway for an extra entry for each one entered
  • Leave a relevant comment on a non-giveaway Article; let me know where to find your comment
  • Follow Mom and Dad on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway DAILY for an additional entry each day, copy and paste this message: Do you love cookies? win Pillsbury simply…cookies prize pack Pillsbury simply…Cookies plus other goodies giveaway WIN @lkwhtmomfound …Dad too http://tinyurl.com/mlxka2
  • Become a fan of LookWhatMomFound on Facebook
  • Blog about this contest with links to LookWhatMomFound…and Dad too! and Pillsbury for 3 extra entries

Your entries must follow the rules or they won’t be eligible for prizes. This contest ends 11:59 pm, Tuesday, September 15, 2009. Winners will be chosen using Random.org then announced and emailed . Winners will have 48 hours to claim prize. This contest is open to US residents only.




Let the Little Chefs in the Kitchen

July 6, 2009 by

Cooking with kids can be fun and easy as long as you give them tasks and tools appropriate for their age. Aprons are a good start. Shae inherited an apron from Sabreena and also has a gorgeous retro apron from OvertheTopAprons.com. She wears both of them as she works hard in her play kitchen mixing and baking and serving up yummy plates of pineapple and asparagus on bread. If you want to venture into the real kitchen try some kid size cookware or fun recipes to let the kids help for real.

Kids Central Kitchen offers natural, whole grain baking mixes for today’s active kids and their families! Also enjoy a fun and colorful selection of children’s cooking utensils, baking pans, mixing bowls, cookie cutters, sprinkles, chef hats, aprons, party favors, baking gift sets and other fun baking supplies like mixes that are easy to make! NO trans fats, NO hydrogenated oils, NO high fructose corn syrup and NO artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. Even low fat, low cholesterol and vegan recipes are available. Simple ingredients make simply delicious wholesome snacks for your family!
FamilyFun Recipes has a great collection of not just recipes but tips for picky eaters and great snack ideas. Teach the little ones to measure milk, wash veggies and spread peanut butter. Have problems with meal planning? Use the Month of Meals schedule and the printable shopping list for no fuss no stress meals.

 

The Cookie Cutter Shop has a HUGE selection of fun cookie cutters for every holiday or occasion imaginable. Roll out a simple sugar cookie dough and let the kids have at it with fun shapes and colored sprinkles. They can say they made them all by themselves.
Get your kids involved. Studies show that kids who cook as a family are less likely to have an eating disorder later in life, more likely to have healthy eating habits and grow up with stronger bonds to their parents.

 




Attune Bars for Good Health

June 22, 2009 by

In my search for new products for my sisters I was turned on to Attune Bars. It’s a new “health” food then benefits not only pregnant woman but anyone. Our healthy digestive system is important for overall well-being. If we aren’t getting the nutrition we need from the food we eat then we aren’t going to thrive. Stress, medications, poor diet and other environmental factors generally put our health at risk. Attune bars help balance the good bacteria called probiotics by providing up to 5 times the amount of live active cultures than regular yogurt in the convienence of an on-the-go bar.

The probiotics story begins with intestinal bacteria, which are a community of good and bad bacteria that live in the digestive system. We all have naturally occurring bacterial communities in our digestive systems. They help:

  • Protect the body from harmful bacteria.
  • Exercise the immune system to ensure it is ready to react to harmful bacteria.
  • Strengthen the intestinal wall so it acts as a defensive barrier.
  • Digest fiber in the diet, so we can absorb the nutrients from the foods we eat.

These digestive bacteria are essential to overall wellbeing. Probiotics act as a helper to these friendly bacteria, and that help can keep the digestive system functioning well.


Attune probiotic chocolate bars, available in seven delicious chocolate flavors (such as Dark Chocolate, Mint Chocolate and Blueberry Vanilla), have 100 or fewer calories and contain three of the most clinically supported probiotic strains for digestive health and immunity (more important than ever) plus calcium and fiber. Attune probiotic wellness bars are a delicious way to enjoy the health benefits probiotics can provide. Each Attune wellness bar is packed with probiotics that help rebalance your digestive system, so your whole body can work better.

  • Attune probiotics are proven to survive in the digestive tract, where they can provide optimal health benefits.
  • The probiotics in Attune have been clinically tested to support a healthy digestive system and a strong immune system.*
  • Attune wellness bars also include prebiotics, which support healthy digestive function and work in harmony with probiotics.

Sabreena have tried a couple bars so far and they are pretty tasty. She enjoys the granola bars and I like the Almond Milk Chocolate best. Attune bars are an easy and delicious way to maintain a healthy balance of good and bad.




How to Dine Green

May 29, 2009 by

A lot of us are incorporating organic and local foods into our diets as a way to improve health, boost local economics, save a few pennies and practice environmental responsibility. We prepare our meals with fresher produce, grass-fed meats and whole wheat grains that can easily be picked up at grocery stores, farmers markets and health food stores but what happens when you want to enjoy a meal outside the home.

The Green Restaurant Association is a national non-profit organization that provides a convenient, cost effective way for restaurants, manufacturers, distributors and consumers to become for environmentally responsible about the food we consume. Restaurants can undergo simple tasks and changes to green their establishments, from switching to local food sources to implementing a successful recycling program. GRA is there to help every step of the way by offering environmental consulting, public relations and Green Restaurant Certification.

GRA also offers a service for us consumers. Do you want to want to know where to DineGreen? Do you want to encourage your favorite local diner to apply some eco-conscious effort to their menu? Use tools available to search out a new place to dine or get your old standby to make the switch.

Whether you’re the owner, chef or customer don’t you want to feel better knowing that meal you enjoyed had a lower impact on our natural and non-renewable resources? The Green Restaurant Association is available to help at every level and are the experts in helping restaurants become more environmentally sustainable.




Winner Chosen…Oh So Sweet Treats Giveaway

May 27, 2009 by

judybrittle said…
6/13 tweet
http://twitter.com/kewpiedoll04/status/2158787318

June 13, 2009 6:58 PM

Oh So Sweet Treats is an online bakery for all your sweet tooth desires; cupcakes, brownies, cookies, cakes, sweat breads including gluten free goodies. Started by teacher and baker Ebony Richardson Jackson, Oh So Sweet Treats was born out of her love of sweets and experimenting with new things. Using only top-notch ingredients and offering first class customer service keeps people coming back for more and trying out the unique flavor combinations. Some of May’s cupcakes of the month include Irish Cream Dream and Champagne Wishes.

“I bake because I love it and I share because my treats make people happy! I bake everything from scratch and mix in love along the way”

Oh So Sweet Treats has a behind the scenes star also Meg Huggins Rubin is the PR mastermind and Ebony’s number one fan. Surrounding herself with supportive and encouraging people helps Ebony stay focused on what’s important, yummy decadent desserts. Currently operating only as a mail-order company the future holds great things for this dynamic duo so don’t be surprised to see big things soon. Being active in their community and offering awesome party packages I’m sure everyone would love a place to gather and drool at all the lip-smacking goodness in person. Till then, let your fingers do the walking on over to Oh So Sweet Treats yummy selection of goodies, there is something to please anyone including gluten free products for those with wheat/gluten allergies and intolerances.


Oh So Sweet Treats is helping me celebrate Father’s Day a little differently this year because doesn’t everyone one deserve a little treat, even the dads. Win a gift basket of cookies, brownies and breads from Oh So Sweet Treats. Don’t the Blonde Bombshells with nuts look delish!

Visit Oh So Sweet Treats and tell me what treat (brownie, cookie, bread) that special dad in your life would love to try!

EXTRA ENTRIES: To receive these extra chances to win, you must fulfill the first REQUIRED entry above and please be sure I have a way to contact you.
• Follow me and Oh So Sweet Treats on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway daily for an additional entry each day, copy and paste this message:
@OhSoSweetTreats goodie gift basket giveaway @lkwhtmomfound
https://lookwhatmomfound.com/2009/05/oh-so-sweets-treats-giveaway.html
• Grab my LookWhatMomFound button or add LookWhatMomFound to your blogroll, leave site link
• Follow this blog
• Become a fan of LookWhatMomFound on Facebook
• Leave a relevant comment on a Review or Article, let me know where to find your comment.
• Blog about this giveaway with link to LookWhatMomFound and Oh So Sweet Treats, for 3 extra entries
• Subscribe to LookWhatMomFound via email, see sidebar

Your entries must follow the rules or they won’t be eligible for prizes. This contest ends 11:59 pm, Saturday, June 13, 2009. Winners will be announced on this post and emailed and have 48 hours to claim prize. This contest is open to US residents only.




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