Shakin & Bakin Foodie Blog

Fall is finally here! Along with Fall comes cooler temperatures, family gatherings and the holidays. Every season I like to stock up on my baking essentials and that includes Pure Vanilla Extract from Nielsen-Massey. If you have never used their Pure Vanilla Extract...I highly recommend it along with all of the pure extracts that they have to offer.

Pure Vanilla Extract is something I use a lot of! Almost every day...I am making something that utilizes that ingredient and I ONLY use the best in my recipes. Their vanilla extract can be used in various bread, cookies, cake, cupcakes, pies, tarts and beverage recipes. For example, check out their recipe for Gourmet Peppermint Hot Cocoa below. It makes 6 servings.
Gourmet Peppermint Hot Cocoa Recipe

⅓ cup unsweetened quality cocoa powder (Dutch processed)
1½ cups powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
4 cups whole milk
2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
½ teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Peppermint Extract
¼ teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Chocolate Extract

In a medium saucepan, combine cocoa powder, sugar and salt. Place over medium-low heat and gradually whisk in milk and half-and-half until combined. Stirring occasionally, heat to desired temperature, being careful not to let the mixture boil. Stir in pure vanilla, peppermint and chocolate extracts. Before serving, top with a Vanilla Bean Marshmallow. For an extra blast of peppermint, drop a peppermint candy in the bottom of each mug before serving.
Just recently I decided to whip up some pumpkin bread and I used the Pure Vanilla Extract from Nielsen-Massey in my recipe. This vanilla is a pure vanilla extract and I find that a little bit goes a long way. It's not that imitation garbage you find in various retail stores. Nope...this stuff is pure and absolutely delicious!  Once my pumpkin bread had cooled...I used the Pure Vanilla Extract to whip up a delicious vanilla glaze and drizzled that over-the-top. Oh my gosh...delicious!

If you use the imitation vanilla or the stuff you find at your local "buck store"....trust me, it doesn't even COMPARE with the quality and taste of the vanilla extracts from Nielsen-Massey.
Here are a few ideas for the upcoming holiday season.

* Give a DIY hot cocoa kit to a friend or loved one. Write your recipe on festive cardstock, stack cocoa powder, sugar and salt in a jar and pack in a basket with Nielsen-Massey Vanilla, Chocolate and Peppermint Extracts.

* Instead of using traditional toppings like marshmallows, try crumbled cookies, raspberries or a cherry on top of a steaming cup of hot cocoa. Stir in a cinnamon stick for an irresistible blend of sugar and spice.

* Invite friends and family over for a casual hot chocolate bar party. Set out mismatched mugs of various sizes, along with several types of hot cocoa, toppings and whipped cream. Use peppermint sticks for stirrers and have guests vote for their favorite concoction.

You can find additional recipes and product information about the Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract and the other extracts that the company has to offer by visiting their site online.

Disclosure: Shelly H. received a complimentary bottle of Pure Vanilla Extract to use in her review. No monetary compensation was received. Regardless, her thoughts, words and opinion are 100% her own.

My name is Shelly and I am a coffee addict along with my husband Sam and my mother Carol. All three of us will admit to you that we can't get through a single day without enjoying our coffee! With that said, the three of us enjoy different coffees and at different times of the day. This means that it's import that we have a single serve brewer so that everyone gets the coffee that they prefer and at the time of day that they prefer it!

For the past few years we've exclusively have owned a name brand single coffee brewer and I have to admit to you up front...the OPUS Dial-A-Brew Single Serve Brewer from iCoffee is our new best friend! That's right...we got rid of our "famous" coffee maker and now only use this one! It's a state of the art machine that brews the perfect cup of hot coffee, hot tea or hot cocoa each and every time!
The OPUS brewer features SpinBrew spinning jets technology for a noticeable smoother tasting coffee plus the exclusive Dial-A-Brew control to customize the strength and size from 4 ounces up to 12 ounces in size. The OPUS has a 75 ounce water reservoir, removable drip tray for easy cleaning, energy-saver feature and automatic shut-off. It's the industry's only 2 step SafetyLock system to protect consumers.
On top of those cool features one of the things I absolutely love about it is the large LED display screen. I can easily see it and I don't have to put my glasses on. Second, I LOVE that SpinBrew Technology which is their patent-pending needle that uses jets to spin, steam and stir inside every K-compatible cup, creating a mini french press life effect that virtually eliminates any bitter or acidic aftertaste. This technology ensures beverages will always taste rich and impossibly smooth. No other K-Cup brewer can do that!

If you love a certain brand of coffee or don't want the expense of always buying K-Cups you can use their exclusive iCup Reusable which is the only reusable coffee filter that works with the SpinBrew needle in the OPUS brewer. This means you can buy any ground coffee that you would like and use it in this machine with the iCup Reusable!
I received a complimentary OPUS Dial-A-Brew Single Serve Brewer from iCoffee to review for all of you. Ever since it arrived at my front door, I've been using it numerous times every day. Along with the brewer I got a 6-pack sampler of coffee and a iCup Reusable. This brewer comes with a really nice instructional manual to help you get started if you are new to using a single cup brewer. Matter of fact, this is the easiest to operate single brewer that I've ever owned!!!
I read over my instructional manual, set up the brewer and within 10 minutes of taking it out of the box...I was ready to brew my first cup of coffee from the OPUS Single Serve Brewer. You simple fill up your water reservoir, set your dial for the ounces you need, pop in your K-Cup of choice and the machine will let you know when it's ready to brew. Within a minute...you will have a delicious coffee waiting for you to enjoy sitting in your cup!

My coffee was brewed to perfection and I mean perfection! There was no grounds floating around in my cup...I had the perfect amount brewed for the size of cup I was using, it was HOT and better yet, there was no bitter after-taste. Smooth and delicious!!! In addition to using it to make coffee...we've been using it to brew hot tea and hot cocoa too! Any of the K-cups you find out in the retail marketplace can be used with this coffee brewer or like I previous stated above...get yourself the reusable K-cup and use whatever ground coffee that you prefer.
Over the past 4 years or so I've owned several different models of Keurig machines, a Tassimo and now this OPUS Dial-A-Brew Single Serve Brewer. Out of all of the machines that I've owned I can honestly 100% tell you that this brewer is the BEST one that I've ever used!!!

You can learn more about iCoffee by visiting their site online. If you are looking to buy a single serve brewer I highly recommend the OPUS Dial-A-Brew! Looking to buy? Use their store locator on their site to find a retailer near you or buy online.

Giveaway: One lucky winner is going to win an OPUS Single Serve Coffee Brewer from iCoffee! I guarantee you will love this machine! See below on how you can enter!

Giveaway Details: This giveaway is open to residents of the USA ONLY who are age 18 and over. Please read the Terms of Service and Disclaimer Policy before entering. This giveaway will close on September 19th, 2015 at midnight EST time. The prize will be fulfilled by the sponsor mentioned in this blog post and will be shipped by the sponsor directly to the confirmed winner after it has closed/ended.


Disclaimer: Shelly has personally reviewed the product listed above. Shelly has not received any monetary compensation for her review. Shelly did receive a free product to try out so she could evaluate and use it for her review. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ. The Shakin N Bakin Blog is not responsible for delivery/shipping of giveaway items won from this blog nor are we responsible for mis-use or injury caused by items won from this Blog. Content on this blog is copyrighted, all rights reserved. We reserve the right to legally pursue anyone who violates our rights and/or steals our copyrighted material.

Summer is finally here! If you’re looking for a cool, delicious treat on a hot day, or a fun activity to do with the kids, look no further than NO-CHURN ICE CREAM: Over 100 Simply Delicious No-Machine Frozen Treats; a mouthwatering collection of easy recipes for ice creams, sorbets, and gelatos - no ice cream machine necessary!

Crafted by culinary powerhouse Leslie Bilderback (author of the bestselling Mug Cakes), inside you'll find recipes for all the basic flavors, plus more complex and exciting flavors such as Pineapple-Peppercorn and Sweet Potato Marshmallow Swirl. All you need is a freezer, a whisk, a freezable container and a sweet tooth!

Title: No-Churn Ice Cream
Author: Leslie Bilderback
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 978-1-250-05438-8
Cover Price: $22.99

My Thoughts: I have to admit...we are ice cream junkies here at our home. We actually own 2 different ice cream making machines. With that said, there are days when I don't have a lot of time to whip up a quick frozen treat for my family. When I saw the title of this cookbook...I knew I had to review it for all of you.

There are 168 pages in this cookbook with over 100 simple & delicious no-machine needed frozen treats. Many have color photographs that accompany the recipe. There are recipes for the classics, add-ins, warm-weather ice creams, cold-weather ice creams, gelatos, sorbets, sherbets, other frozen desserts and there are several recipes for various toppings. Yup...something for everyone!!!

One of my family's favorites is a good batch of homemade chocolate ice cream. Every time I've made it in the past I've had to drag out my electric ice cream machine, assemble together a bunch of ingredients and then about 1 1/2 hours later we had our ice cream. Well...on page 16 in the cookbook the author shows you how to make classic chocolate ice cream without a machine! You only need 8 standard ingredients to make it. Oh my...impressive!
Further in the book you will find this recipe for homemade Rosebud Ice Cream. Yes...rosebud ice cream! That is definitely on my must-try list! I love how every recipe includes ingredients that I am familiar with, step-by-step instructions, variations and tips to help guide you through the preparation process. Anyone can make these recipes! I just love this book and I look forward to try many of the recipes throughout the summer season!

Purchasing Info: You can buy this book in paperback form or for Kindle from Amazon.com.

Giveaway: One lucky winner is going to win a print copy of No-Churn Ice Cream by Leslie Bilderback. The book will be shipped to the winner after the giveaway concludes.

Giveaway Details: This giveaway is open to residents of the USA ONLY who are age 18 and over. Please read the Terms of Service and Disclaimer Policy before entering. This giveaway will close on June 3rd, 2015 at midnight EST time.



Disclaimer: Shelly H. has personally reviewed the product listed above. Shelly has not received any monetary compensation for her review. Shelly did receive a free product to try out so she could evaluate and use it for her review. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ. The Shakin N Bakin Blog is not responsible for delivery/shipping of giveaway items won from this blog nor are we responsible for mis-use or injury caused by items won from this Blog. Content on this blog is copyrighted, all rights reserved. We reserve the right to legally pursue anyone who violates our rights and/or steals our copyrighted material.

These days, consumers want to know the story behind their coffee. Where did the beans come from? Who grew them? How were they grown? Or you can choose beans from Café de Colombia and rest assured knowing that you will enjoy authentically-delicious coffee with every cup.
Colombian coffee grows in one of the best climates in the world, on the slopes of the Andes Mountains that cross the country from south to north. Year-round, the beans are harvested for optimal freshness by more than 500,000 proud families who live in over 50% of Colombia’s towns. We believe the more you know about the DNA of your coffee, the more you will enjoy its flavor.

Enter the Bean Bang Theory, an online destination designed to educate coffee lovers worldwide about the quality of Colombian coffee while celebrating its long history and dedication to sustainability. I spent some time on TheBeanBangTheory.com web site over the weekend and I learned quite a bit about where authentic Colombian coffee comes from, how it's harvest and how it finally ends up in my coffee cup. Very interesting and I invite you to visit their site to learn more about it.
I was sent an entire coffee making kit which included: 1 bag 100% Whole Bean Colombian Coffee, a Bodum French Press 3 Cup Coffee Maker, a Coffee Mug and Apron so that I could have a pure coffee experience compliments of TheBeanBangTheory.com.

To start things off, I opened up my bag of Cafe Colombia Narino & Cauca Whole Bean Coffee. Oh my gosh, as soon as you open that bag you smell fresh coffee beans! I love that it comes in a resealable bag too! This is a medium acidity coffee with a high body flavor.
I've never used a French Press Coffee Maker before so I did have to read the little booklet that comes in the package to learn about it. I thought it would be complicated but surprisingly, it's not! I used my coffee bean grinder and ground up my beans. You will coarse grounds when using a French Press Coffee Maker. I then measured out the amount that I needed, placed the grounds into the French Press Coffee Maker, added my hot water and waited for 3-4 minutes before I pressed out some freshly brewed coffee. I was really surprised that no grounds leaked into the coffee, so that speaks to the high quality of this Bodum French Press Coffee Maker.
After I was done brewing the 3 cups of coffee, my mother and I filled up our mugs and headed out onto the porch to enjoy our coffee outdoors. We like medium-bodied coffees and this one was delicious! You can NOT get a fresher cup of 100% authentic Colombian coffee other than this! By using the French Press Coffee Maker, you really get a nice strong cup of coffee that tastes delicious!
Giveaway: One lucky winner is going to win a bag of whole bean coffee, a Bodum French Press Coffee Maker, a branded coffee mug and a branded apron from TheBeanBangTheory.com. Retail Value of this Coffee Kit is $70.00.

Giveaway Details: This giveaway is open to residents of the USA ONLY who are age 18 and over. Please read the Terms of Service and Disclaimer Policy before entering. You must be a PUBLIC FOLLOWER of this Blog to have your entries count in my giveaways. (Follow via Google Friend Connect) All non-blog followers will have their entries disqualified after the giveaway closes. This giveaway will close on May 13th, 2015 at midnight EST time.




Disclaimer: Shelly H. has personally reviewed the product listed above. Shelly has not received any monetary compensation for her review. Shelly did receive a free product to try out so she could evaluate and use it for her review. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ. The Shakin N Bakin Blog is not responsible for delivery/shipping of giveaway items won from this blog nor are we responsible for mis-use or injury caused by items won from this Blog. Content on this blog is copyrighted, all rights reserved. We reserve the right to legally pursue anyone who violates our rights and/or steals our copyrighted material.

This spring, join Nielsen-Massey Vanillas as they raise a toast to the return of warmer weather with a refreshing, fruity cocktail recipe. Whether at a Mother’s Day brunch, an outdoor dinner party or a graduation celebration, spring cocktails are a delicious way to bring the gathering together. Last week I publish the Nielsen-Massey Lemon Lime Raspberry Twist Cocktail recipe and you can grab that recipe HERE.

Today, I am sharing with all of you my thoughts on the Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract which I used to whip up a quick and easy batch of homemade banana muffins. One of the things that I love about this extract is that it's a PURE vanilla extract and not some cheap imitation one that you usually find in your retail stores. Because it's pure, it has a really nice taste and texture to it and often times I can use less of it when I am making various recipes.

Last week I forgot that it was my hubby's turn to bring a bake good into the office to share with his office staff. Every day they all take turns bringing in a homemade treat which is shared with everyone who works there. So, at the last minute I turned to a trusty old cheater recipe to make some muffins.

Banana Muffins

Quick & Easy Banana Muffins Recipe

1 box of yellow or white cake mix
3/4 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract
3 very ripe bananas (peeled & mashed)
ingredients called for on the cake mix box
paper muffin cup liners

Follow the directions on the back of the cake mix box and mix up your cake batter. Stir in the pure vanilla extract and the mashed bananas. Blend everything together until it's mixed well. Fill the paper muffin cups 3/4 of the way full with the batter.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 10-12 minutes or until done. Remove and let cool on a wire rack. Store muffins in an airtight container.

Hubby took the banana muffins into work and everyone raved and raved about them. No one could believe they were made from a cheater recipe using a boxed cake mix. I believe that was because I used the Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract.
Over the past 2 weeks since receiving the Pure Vanilla Extract for review, I've used it four times in various recipes and achieved excellent results! I've used it in my vanilla bean homemade ice cream recipe, the banana muffins recipe, a muddy buddies snack mix recipe and in a ginger pineapple pork recipe. This is my "go-to" pure vanilla extract!!!

You can learn more about this product and the other products that Nielsen-Massey has to offer by visiting their site. I also encourage you to browse through their recipe section to pick up some great baking and cooking ideas.

Giveaway: One lucky winner is going to win a 2 fl. oz. bottled of Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract.

Giveaway Details: This giveaway is open to residents of the USA ONLY who are age 18 and over. Please read the Terms of Service and Disclaimer Policy before entering. You must be a PUBLIC FOLLOWER of this Blog to have your entries count in my giveaways. (Follow via Google Friend Connect) All non-blog followers will have their entries disqualified after the giveaway closes. This giveaway will close on May 12th, 2015 at midnight EST time.



Disclaimer: Shelly H. has personally reviewed the product listed above. Shelly has not received any monetary compensation for her review. Shelly did receive a free product to try out so she could evaluate and use it for her review. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ. The Shakin N Bakin Blog is not responsible for delivery/shipping of giveaway items won from this blog nor are we responsible for mis-use or injury caused by items won from this Blog. Content on this blog is copyrighted, all rights reserved. We reserve the right to legally pursue anyone who violates our rights and/or steals our copyrighted material.

Have you all heard the news? Gorton's has a brand new line of Smart & Crunchy Fish Sticks and Fillets. They've reinvented their iconic Fish Stick, to create the Fish Stick 2.0. The new Smart & Crunchy Fish Sticks and Fillets are made from 100% Alaska Pollock and are never fried, so they have 50% less fat than Gorton’s regular breaded Fish Sticks and Fillets. And, thanks to a seasoned panko crumb, they have the same great taste and crunch you and your family have come to love from Gorton's. All new Smart & Crunchy Fish Sticks offer a mealtime solution that you can feel great about serving and your family will truly enjoy.

Gorton's is spreading the news with their all new Smart & Crunchy Tour across America. Check out the #GortonsTour stops on their website, smartandcrunchy.com and while you are there, check out their delicious recipes too!
Recently we were sent a Gorton's Pack so that we could do a review for all of you. We received some free product coupons, an adult apron, a child's apron and an adorable plush fish stick toy which my little grand daughter quickly snagged up!
We headed to the grocery store and picked up a box of the Gorton's Crunchy Butterfly Shrimp and a large bag of the Gorton's Battered Fish Fillets. Our local grocery store didn't have the new Smart & Crunchy products in yet...so this is why I selected these particular two products to review for all of you.

One of the things I love about the Gorton's Fish & Seafood products is the simple fact that you can make them straight out of the box, no additional ingredients are needed and in less than 30 minutes lunch or dinner is on the table. If you like to get creative, you can use their products in a wide variety of recipes and you can grab those recipes directly from the Gorton's web site.
Since the princess is taking swimming lessons after school during the week we need to have quick & easy dinners during the week. I decided to make the Crunchy Butterfly Shrimp and the Battered Fish Fillets for dinner the other night and they were a big hit! I served some Harvard beets, french fries and fresh garden salads right along with the fish & seafood products and it was a dinner that my entire family enjoyed!
We simply opened up the packages and placed the shrimps and fish fillets in a glass baking dish and baked them in our oven at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or less. (baking time depends on the product). They came out of the oven perfectly browned and were crunchy. There was nothing soggy about them at all and they had a very nice flavor and texture.

Next week we are going to try out the Gorton's Fish Tacos recipe that you can find on their web site. They look totally delicious!!! Plus, visit the Gorton's site for some printable money-saving coupons that you can take to your local store!

Sweepstakes: Enter the Gorton's Smart & Crunchy Sweepstakes for a chance to win 1 in 4 ultimate family vacations! See their website for additional information and to enter the Sweepstakes.
Giveaway: One lucky winner is going to win two full-value product coupons, an adult-size apron, a child-size apron and a Smarty Crunchman plush toy. (note: photo shows multiple coupons but you will ONLY receive (2) in your prize package. Thank you Gorton's!

Giveaway Details: This giveaway is open to residents of the USA ONLY who are age 18 and over. Please read the Terms of Service and Disclaimer Policy before entering. You must be a PUBLIC FOLLOWER of this Blog to have your entries count in my giveaways. (Follow via Google Friend Connect) All non-blog followers will have their entries disqualified after the giveaway closes. This giveaway will close on April 17th, 2015 at midnight EST time.




Disclaimer: Shelly Hill has personally reviewed the product listed above. Shelly has not received any monetary compensation for her review. Shelly did receive a free product to try out so she could evaluate and use it for her review. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ. The Shakin N Bakin Blog is not responsible for delivery/shipping of giveaway items won from this blog nor are we responsible for mis-use or injury caused by items won from this Blog. Content on this blog is copyrighted, all rights reserved. We reserve the right to legally pursue anyone who violates our rights and/or steals our copyrighted material.

Organic India’s Tulsi Peppermint, Tulsi Red Chai Masala, and Tulsi Ginger are spicy, sweet, and festive flavors that are caffeine-free and delicious hot or cold. These teas combine fantastic flavor with the healing energy of Holy Basil.

My name is Sherrie and I’m a recovering coffee addict. I used to drink at least four cups on weekdays and six on weekends. Switching to tea wasn’t easy at first, but now I prefer tea to coffee any time of day. I can drink an herbal blend as my morning cup sometimes and still feel an energy spike. On other days, a cup of green or a hearty breakfast blend does the trick without upsetting my stomach the way coffee did. Another bonus of making the switch was variety. While there are dozens of coffee flavors on the market, the number of tea blends blows coffee away. I can go fruity, spicy, strong, or mild on a whim. I suppose that means I’ve become a tea addict. That isn’t a bad thing. There are worse addictions.
My current brand of choice is Organic India. This global company produces a line of Tulsi teas that help heal my body with every cup. Tulsi is also known as Holy Basil and full of antioxidants. It’s an adaptogenic herb known for supporting the immune system with a focus on where each body needs it most. Tulsi is also reported to have stress-relieving and energizing properties. I’m not a medical professional, but I do notice a difference when I miss my Tulsi tea for a few days.

Organic India offers 20 flavors of Tulsi teas and have a few that are perfect for the holiday season. Tulsi Peppermint, Tulsi Red Chai Masala, and Tulsi Ginger are spicy, sweet, and festive flavors that are caffeine-free and delicious hot or cold. Organic India sent me one of each along with a box of my beloved India Breakfast. While peppermint and ginger teas are delicious on their own, the addition of organic Tulsi to the mix makes them more appealing to those who may not like stronger flavors. It also makes it easier to blend the two for the afternoon pick-me-up or to chase away the chill. I had this blend as a post-workout drink with a little unflavored protein powder and it was bliss. The Reds Chai Masala is a new favorite. Instead of a black tea base, Organic India uses Rooibos tea with traditional Chai spices to create a naturally caffeine-free chai that I can drink any time of day without fear of it keeping me up all night. I drink this one both black and with a little milk and sweetener as Chai is traditionally served. It makes a fantastic after dinner drink.
Pick up a few boxes for yourself or as gifts this holiday season. At $5.99 each with free shipping on orders over $25, you could knock out a chink of your holiday shopping at once. It seems there’s a sale in progress and some varieties are just $4.79 per box. In addition to teas, Organic India offers Teeccino Herbal Coffee, supplements, and organic ghee. All of Organic India’s products are USDA certified organic and Non-GMO Project verified. This is a company that believes in its mission. They use 100% recycled paper for tea boxes and unbleached fiber tea bags and works with family farmers in Northern India to provide sustainable communities.

Organic India wants to share a Holiday Collection with one lucky reader; enter today for your chance. The winner will receive two boxes of Original Tulsi, and one box each of Peppermint, Chai Masala, and Ginger Tulsi teas. Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to put on some ginger peppermint tea. It’s cold out there.

Giveaway: One lucky winner is going to win 5 boxes of delicious tea: 1 Peppermint, 1 Chai Masala, 1 Ginger and 2 of Original Tulsi from Organic India.

Giveaway Details: This giveaway is open to residents of the USA ONLY who are age 18 and over. Please read the Terms of Service and Disclaimer Policy before entering. You must be a PUBLIC FOLLOWER of this Blog to have your entries count in my giveaways. (Follow via Google Friend Connect) All non-blog followers will have their entries disqualified after the giveaway closes. This giveaway will close on December 11th, 2014 at midnight EST time.


Disclaimer: Sherrie Thompson has personally reviewed the product listed above. Sherrie has not received any monetary compensation for her review. Sherrie did receive a free product to try out so she could evaluate and use it for her review. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ. The Shakin N Bakin Blog is not responsible for delivery/shipping of giveaway items won from this blog nor are we responsible for mis-use or injury caused by items won from this Blog. Content on this blog is copyrighted, all rights reserved. We reserve the right to legally pursue anyone who violates our rights and/or steals our copyrighted material.

It is hard to believe but the holiday baking season is almost here! Every year my mother, my daughter and myself get together for 2-3 days straight and work together to get all of our holiday baking done. We will make & bake dozens of holiday cookies, brownies, homemade breads, cupcakes, cakes and all kinds of other tasty treats!

When it comes to baking the perfect holiday cookies you always need an excellent baking sheet. Right? Right!
Let me introduce you to the Mrs. Fields Cool Bake Baking Sheet from the Love Cooking Company. I have owned tons of different baking sheets and cookie sheets over the years and I have to admit, this one is the best one that I have ever owned!

This baking sheet is heat resistant up to 425 degrees F. It has a fabulous non-stick coating so your cookies will slide off with ease. It is dishwasher safe making clean-up a snap! What makes this baking sheet super cool is that it eliminates the extra step of removing each cookie and placing it on a cooling rack to cool.
It is a 2-part sheet with the cooling sheet placed on top of the traditional baking sheet. The cooling sheet has built-in handles on each side so that you can easily lift it off of the bottom sheet with ease. Having this 2-piece system eliminates the one step but even better is the fact that my cookies seem to bake more evenly and are chewier than ever! I am getting even browning on the bottom too!

I am in-love with this Mrs. Fields Cool Bake Baking Sheet...so much so that I want to purchase a few of them and toss out all of my old cookie sheets! Plus, it is versatile and you can use it as a crispier sheet in the oven when you make your french fries, onion rings and tator tots too!

Head on over to the Love Cooking Company and take a look around. You can buy this product and many other Mrs. Fields products on Amazon.com.

Giveaway: One lucky winner is going to win a Mrs. Fields Cool Bake Baking Sheet from the Love Cooking Company.

Giveaway Details: This giveaway is open to residents of the USA ONLY who are age 18 and over. Please read the Terms of Service and Disclaimer Policy before entering. You must be a PUBLIC FOLLOWER of this Blog to have your entries count in my giveaways. (Follow via Google Friend Connect) All non-blog followers will have their entries disqualified after the giveaway closes. This giveaway will close on November 30th, 2014 at midnight EST time.



Disclaimer: Shelly Hill has personally reviewed the product listed above. Shelly has not received any monetary compensation for her review. Shelly did receive a free product to try out so she could evaluate and use it for her review. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ. The Shakin N Bakin Blog is not responsible for delivery/shipping of giveaway items won from this blog nor are we responsible for mis-use or injury caused by items won from this Blog. Content on this blog is copyrighted, all rights reserved. We reserve the right to legally pursue anyone who violates our rights and/or steals our copyrighted material.

The Arctic Chill Ice Ball Maker is one of those products you never think you need but you do! Once you own a set of these ice ball makers you will find that you use them over and over again. You can make plain ice balls with them or let your creativity fly.

I was asked to do a review by Rizzi at Arctic Chill on this really cool product. Since receiving it we have used it twice and my daughter used it once during their recent Halloween party. Since I do a lot of entertaining around the holidays, I know I will be getting a lot of use out of them when I whip up some of our favorite holiday punches and cocktails.

By making your own ice balls quickly & easily you can keep your cold beverages for hours! These spheres (balls) keep your drinks cold up to 10 times longer than traditional ice cubes. How cool is that? Super Cool! Plus...you will be saving money when you don't have to buy numerous bags of ice!
Product Features:

* 2.5 inch ice spheres keeps fine whiskey chilled and looks fab in cocktails!
* Quick release, non-stick silicone molds. Remove your ice spheres with ease!
* High quality BPA Free, FDA approved, nonporous silicone molds!
* Easy to clean just pop it in the dishwasher!
* Backed by a lifetime guarantee.

Recently my daughter hosted a Halloween party over at her home and she came over and borrowed the Arctic Chill Ice Ball Maker from me. They made their own ice balls and froze gummy worms and gummy spiders inside their spheres and then dropped the ice spheres into their punch bowl. She said everyone loved it (she forgot to take photos!).
Right after their party I had a few people over for cocktails and dinner and we made the ice spheres for our punch bowl. They are really easy to use and each silicone sphere comes in 2 pieces. You put the two halves together...fill them up with liquid (we used water) and place them into your freezer. Ours were frozen solid in less than 6 hours. When you are ready for them...take them out and separate the two halves with your fingers. It is really easy to do and it doesn't take any muscle at all. Pop out your ice balls and drop them into your favorite beverages. Super easy and they look super cute, much cuter than traditional ice cubes!

Like I said, once you have a set...you will find that you will use them over and over again. I consider them to be eco-friendly because I don't have to run out and buy bagged ice! Furthermore, you can use flavored beverages to make your ice spheres. When we host our Christmas Eve party we are going to pour punch in them and make punch flavored ice spheres and then toss them into our punch bowl. This will keep our punch from becoming watered down plus...it will keep it nice and cold!
Regarding clean-up...they are made out of silicone so I just rinsed them with a little soapy water and then clean water...towel dry and they are ready to go for the next time. You can purchase the iceball maker from Amazon.com.

Giveaway: One lucky winner is going to win an Arctic Chill Ice Ball Maker. Value $19.95.

Giveaway Details: This giveaway is open to residents of the USA ONLY who are age 18 and over. Please read the Terms of Service and Disclaimer Policy before entering. You must be a PUBLIC FOLLOWER of this Blog to have your entries count in my giveaways. (Follow via Google Friend Connect) All non-blog followers will have their entries disqualified after the giveaway closes. This giveaway will close on November 28th, 2014 at midnight EST time.




Disclaimer: Shelly Hill has personally reviewed the product listed above. Shelly has not received any monetary compensation for her review. Shelly did receive a free product to try out so she could evaluate and use it for her review. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ. The Shakin N Bakin Blog is not responsible for delivery/shipping of giveaway items won from this blog nor are we responsible for mis-use or injury caused by items won from this Blog. Content on this blog is copyrighted, all rights reserved. We reserve the right to legally pursue anyone who violates our rights and/or steals our copyrighted material.

When the kids get home from school or my husband gets home from work...they are immediately hungry and looking for a snack to hold them over until dinner. When I buy snacks for this purpose I need them to be quick-to-make and easy-to-prepare.

Well, that is exactly what you get with the SUPERPRETZEL Bavarian Soft Pretzel Rolls and Bavarian Sticks found on your grocer's freezer section. They are done in the Old World style and made with premium ingredients. The restaurant style soft pretzel sticks and rolls are versatile, fully baked, and ready from the microwave in seconds. They’re the perfect side to any soup, salad, entree or enjoy them as a snack.
We received a complimentary bag of the new Bavarian Soft Pretzel Rolls and Sticks to review for all of you. One of the things I immediately love is that they are packaged in a bag and there are multiple servings in each bag! Great for families!

Next, it only takes a couple of minutes to heat them up in your microwave so that side of bread or snack is ready within minutes. If you have children at home who are not old enough to cook on the stove, these are ideal for them when they are old enough to at least use the microwave.

Pretzel Sticks with Guacamole = Delicious!

We have been enjoying the Bavarian Pretzel Rolls and Sticks primarily as our bread side with lunches and dinners but...we have also been using them during snack time with a little bit of honey butter and fruit jam. We also like dipping the Bavarian Pretzel Sticks in some Guacamole...totally delicious! They are perfect alone or with your favorite condiments.

Regarding the flavor...delish! You would never know that they came out of the freezer and were heated up in your microwave oven. They have a really nice dough texture too them...not crunchy nor soggy like some bread products can be. We had perfect results with both them as we made them. We highly recommend them to you!
Giveaway: One lucky winner is going to win 3 VIP coupon vouchers to pick up 3 FREE SUPERPRETZEL products at your local store! Yay!!!

Giveaway Details: This giveaway is open to residents of the USA ONLY who are age 18 and over. Please read the Terms of Service and Disclaimer Policy before entering. You must be a PUBLIC FOLLOWER of this Blog to have your entries count in my giveaways. (Follow via Google Friend Connect) All non-blog followers will have their entries disqualified after the giveaway closes. This giveaway will close on November 19th, 2014 at midnight EST time.




Disclaimer: Shelly Hill has personally reviewed the product listed above. Shelly has not received any monetary compensation for her review. Shelly did receive a free product to try out so she could evaluate and use it for her review. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ. The Shakin N Bakin Blog is not responsible for delivery/shipping of giveaway items won from this blog nor are we responsible for mis-use or injury caused by items won from this Blog. Content on this blog is copyrighted, all rights reserved. We reserve the right to legally pursue anyone who violates our rights and/or steals our copyrighted material.

It is hard to believe but the holiday shopping season is almost upon us. For many of us, we have already started our shopping and kicking it into high gear. For me personally, I am hoping to be completely done with my shopping before December even arrives.

When I shop for holiday gifts, I really put a lot of thought and effort into the gifts that I choose. I like to look for unique gifts that have some time of meaning for me or the gift recipient. Purchasing a gift that also benefits others is an added bonus!

World Vision just released their 2014 holiday gift catalog. More than 250 items, ranging in price from $10 to $39,000, are available online and in the print catalog to help improve quality of life for women, children and families in the U.S. and around the world.  You can buy handcrafted gifts that are perfect for this upcoming holiday gift-giving season.

Prosperity Cinnamon: Know a friend or family member who loves to bake? Each beautifully-carved cinnamon bark box contains 3 oz. of cinnamon and bears a common Asian character for prosperity. Vietnam's renowned sweet cinnamon is a renewable resource collected from the Cassia tree, sold to benefit generations of hard-working families. $85
Fair-Trade Coffee Set: For the coffee lover, this 12 oz. coffee set is blended by OneCup.org, using delicious flavors from Ethiopia, Sumatra, and Costa Rica, and is delivered in a gift bag of African fabric hand-sewn by local women. $65
Hand-Carved Serving Spoons: A perfect gift for holiday entertaining, each beautiful set of two hand-carved olivewood serving spoons is delivered in a gift bag of African fabric hand-sewn by local women. The serving spoons are made to benefit orphans of the Kamba tribe in Kenya. $65

For my review I received a complimentary set of the Hand-Carved Serving Spoons to check out for all of you. Each set comes packaged in a beautiful African drawstring bag for storage & gift-giving presentation.

The hand-carved serving spoons are made out of beautiful olivewood that is super smooth and beautiful to look at. These spoons are not dishwasher safe, so you will need to hand wash them and towel dry them to keep them looking beautiful.

They are very generously sized and I love the slender handles on each serving spoon. They fit comfortably into your hands, well-balanced and light-weight. You can use them for serving salad, pastas, mashed potatoes, veggies and all kinds of different things. You can use them every day or for special occasions, that is entirely up to you. These serving spoons are beautiful, extremely well-made and would make a great holiday gift!

Head on over to World Vision and take a look at all of their products that they offer. While buying your holiday gifts, you will be helping out others who are in need.
Giveaway: One lucky winner is going to win a Hand-Carved Serving Spoons set from World Vision. Value $65.00.

Giveaway Details: This giveaway is open to residents of the USA ONLY who are age 18 and over. Please read the Terms of Service and Disclaimer Policy before entering. You must be a PUBLIC FOLLOWER of this Blog to have your entries count in my giveaways. (Follow via Google Friend Connect) All non-blog followers will have their entries disqualified after the giveaway closes. This giveaway will close on October 13th, 2014 at midnight EST time.



Disclaimer: Shelly Hill has personally reviewed the product listed above. Shelly has not received any monetary compensation for her review. Shelly did receive a free product to try out so she could evaluate and use it for her review. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ. The Shakin N Bakin Blog is not responsible for delivery/shipping of giveaway items won from this blog nor are we responsible for mis-use or injury caused by items won from this Blog. Content on this blog is copyrighted, all rights reserved. We reserve the right to legally pursue anyone who violates our rights and/or steals our copyrighted material.

We have been huge fans of the SuperPretzel soft pretzels and pretzeldogs for several years now. They are always on our shopping list and I keep a few boxes in my freezer for handy family snacks. I love that each member in the family can get out what they want, microwave it within minutes and I basically don't have to get my kitchen messy when it comes to snack time.

With that said, SuperPretzel is more than just snacks! You can use their products as delicious appetizers when hosting parties or at family events. They are easy-to-prepare and are fun to make!

Just recently I was introduced to the new SuperPretzel SoftStix and although I have heard about them, we didn't get to try them until now. We were sent 3 boxes of SuperPretzel SoftStix to try out for all of you and my family couldn't decide which variety to make first...they all looked good!

We received one box of the Nacho, Cheddar and Buffalo SuperPretzel SoftStix in each flavor. We finally decided to make the Cheddar first and let me tell you, they didn't last long! You will keep them frozen and then either bake them in the oven or in the microwave. It only takes a few minutes in the oven and a minute in your microwave. One 9 oz. box was enough to fill up 3 hungry kids!
A few days later we made the Nacho flavor and those were my husband's favorites out of the three that we received. He would of devoured the entire box if I would of left him! He loved the soft SuperPretzel dough and the melted cheese filling.

Now personally, I wasn't crazy about the Buffalo flavor but hubby loved them! They were his second favorite flavor but my future son-in-law stated those were his favorite out of the three varieties that we tried. Those two guys tore up that plate of SoftStix while watching football last weekend and within minutes, they were gone.

One of the things I love about these SuperPretzel SoftStix is the fact that they are made with Kraft Cheddar Cheese. Kraft happens to be our preferred brand so that makes us pretty happy about that! The cheese filling is yummy good, especially when you eat them as soon as they come out of the oven!

Head on over to their web site to learn more and while you are there you can print out some money-saving coupons!

Giveaway: One lucky winner is going to win 3 SuperPretzel SoftStix coupons to take to their local store to pick up 3 boxes in any of the three flavors that I mentioned above! Yay!

Giveaway Details: This giveaway is open to residents of the USA ONLY who are age 18 and over. Please read the Terms of Service and Disclaimer Policy before entering. You must be a PUBLIC FOLLOWER of this Blog to have your entries count in my giveaways. (Follow via Google Friend Connect) All non-blog followers will have their entries disqualified after the giveaway closes. This giveaway will close on February 12th, 2013 at midnight EST time.



Disclaimer: Shelly Hill has personally reviewed the product listed above. Shelly has not received any monetary compensation for her review. Shelly did receive a free product to try out so she could evaluate and use it for her review. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ. The Shakin N Bakin Blog is not responsible for delivery/shipping of giveaway items won from this blog nor are we responsible for mis-use or injury caused by items won from this Blog. Content on this blog is copyrighted, all rights reserved. We reserve the right to legally pursue anyone who violates our rights and/or steals our copyrighted material.

It is the holiday season and I have been really busy baking up some delicious holiday goodies for my family to enjoy! During this time of the year I am always baking a variety of delicious cakes, pies, cookies, homemade breads and various other holiday desserts!

The great folks over at Eggland's Best contacted me and asked me to come up with an original holiday dessert recipe that utilized their Eggland's Best Eggs. I was up for the challenge and decided to make one of my family's favorite recipes that I created about two years ago.

About Eggland's Best Eggs: Eggland’s Best eggs are higher in vitamins & nutrients, and lower in saturated fat compared to ordinary eggs.

Compared to ordinary eggs, Eggland’s Best eggs contain:

* 10 times more Vitamin E
* 4 times more Vitamin D
* More than double the Omega-3
* 25% less saturated fat
* 3 times more Vitamin B12
* 38% more lutein

Eggland’s Best eggs also have 175mg of cholesterol, are gluten-free, and have zero trans fats. By using high-quality ingredients, like Eggland’s Best eggs, you and your guests are getting better taste, less saturated fat, and more vitamins. Indulge in some delicious desserts this holiday season, and use a more nutritious egg with Eggland’s Best.

For the recipe challenge I decided to make my homemade graham cracker cake with a holiday twist! For this recipe you will need to pick up a bag of Andes Mints to use in the recipe along with the rest of the ingredients listed below. You can bake the cake in any size cake pan that you would like, although I like baking mine in a 9" by 13" pan so that I can easily cut it into squares once it is done.

Chocolate Mint Graham Cracker Cake Recipe

3 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large Eggland's Best Eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
(2) 3 oz. bag Andes Chocolate Mints
1 tub frozen whipped topping
nonstick baking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray baking pan with nonstick baking spray; set aside.

In a small bowl beat the egg whites with an electric beater until stiff. Fold the stiff egg whites into the cake batter bowl using a rubber spatula until well blended. Remove the wrappers from the Andes Chocolate Mints and break them into small pieces. You will need 8 of these individually wrapped candies. Stir the chopped pieces into the cake batter until blended.

Pour batter into your prepared baking pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Remove and let cool. Once cool, cut into squares.

To Print Recipe: Click on the share button at the bottom of this post. A new window will open up with options, find the PRINT button and click on print. The recipe will load into the window and you can print it out. Enjoy!

Giveaway Details: This giveaway is open to residents of the USA ONLY who are age 18 and over. Please read the Terms of Service and Disclaimer Policy before entering. You must be a PUBLIC FOLLOWER of this Blog to have your entries count in my giveaways. (Follow via Google Friend Connect) All non-blog followers will have their entries disqualified after the giveaway closes. This giveaway will close on January 10th, 2014 at midnight EST time.




Disclaimer: Shelly Hill has personally reviewed the product listed above. Shelly has not received any monetary compensation for her review. Shelly did receive a free product to try out so she could evaluate and use it for her review. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ. The Shakin N Bakin Blog is not responsible for delivery/shipping of giveaway items won from this blog nor are we responsible for mis-use or injury caused by items won from this Blog. Content on this blog is copyrighted, all rights reserved. We reserve the right to legally pursue anyone who violates our rights and/or steals our copyrighted material.