Selefina Spices

Complimentary samples of the spices were provided so that I could try them and share my expierence.

I love to bake and cook, to experiment with flavors. I have a spice rack that I registered for when I got married, it has been refreshed many times over because I love being able to have the variety of spice close by when cooking. Of course, I also have a pantry that holds the other spices that we use (and refills for some that we use a lot of). When I consider how many spices I have in my pantry, I am always surprised when a recipe calls for a new spice. Of course, when I buy it, then I try to think of or find other uses for the spice.

I recently had the opportunity to try some samples from Selefina spices. (You can order samples from Selefina for only $.75 each and shipping is free with 5 samples.) I recieved several to try in order to share about my experience.

I first tried the cinnnamon and nutmeg from the samples. I was making homemade macaroni and cheese for my daughter and I like to add a little bit of the earthen flavors when I make it. So, in addition to ground mustard, I use a touch of nutmeg and cinnamon. The flavors were good and the grind was even. The pouch format made them easy to measure - unlike a jar, I could stick the measuring spoon down in to grab the spice I needed.

The weather was chilly the other week, so the next thing I tried was the recipe for the Hot Chocolate Infused with Cardamom and Rose. The recipe was easy and the aroma was awesome. The presentation with the rose petals was also pretty and felt a little fancy. I have only had cardamom as a component in the filing for Skool Bread (Norwegian dessert), so it was nice to have another option for use. The rose petals gave off a nice floral aroma, as I drank the hot chocolate. Next time though, I would likely filter out the rose petals before drinking, as the texture of them in my mouth was a little strange. You can find the recipe on their website - Hot Chocolate Infused with Cardamom and Rose. You can even add the samples for the spices you need right to your cart with a single click on the recipe page.

Next, on another coolish day, I thought I would give the Golden Turmeric Milk recipe a try. I'm not sure what I expected, I had heard great things about turmeric's benefits but had never tried it. The recipe called for black pepper, which seemed odd but worked out well in the overall flavor. I will say that although I liked the flavor overall, after I added additional hot milk to rewarm the drink after I got distracted and it cooled, I actually liked the drink a lot better. You can find their recipe for Golden Turmeric Milk on the website as well. Interestingly enough, on this page, scroll to the bottom to add the spice samples needed for the recipe to your cart.

The samples all came in the reasealable pouches. I like the convenience of this and assume that from a shelf life perspective that this helps extend shelf life and ensure that the spices aren't exposed to too much light. I assume as well that the pouches are a lower cost / less waste option. The challenge is, I have no good way to store and organize the pouches. I could probably get a bin that would be the right width and simply place them alphabetical in there (that's how my spice rack is organized). Alternatively, since they also have glass jar sizes, I could go with those and use the pouches as refills. A win-win situation and I only have to thumb through when I need to refill a jar.

Overall, I have been very satisfied with the freshness and consistency of the spices that I have tried. They have good aroma and deliver the flavors I expect from the spices. I look forward to trying more of their options as I look to restock spices as I run out. I have found their website to be very informative. They offer several recipes featuring the spices. On the page for each spice, they offer a good amount of information about the spice, tips, usage and more. In addition, they have some primers which help you learn more about the spice - it's history, forms, use, and more. They seem to be working on expanding their spice offerings and their primers.

No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. Complimentary samples of the spices were provided for my family and I to try, so that I could share my experience.

Eight Weeks

8 Weeks! For (over) 8 weeks, I have made an effort and taken a walk. It didn't matter the weather, I found a window with less rain or snow or put on an extra layer, and I found time to fit in a walk of at least 30 minutes every day. On nice days, it typically stretches to 45 or 50 minutes, but my official 'target' was to make time for at least 30 minutes. As a result, I have also managed to hit my daily step goal every day (but one where there was a tornado that touched down in town and we had to spend the last hour of the night in the basement and I missed my goal by 100 steps) for those same 8 weeks. One auto goal management, it adds around 10 to 20 steps most days but does add more if I have really exceeded my goal. Now that I have made it 8 weeks, I would like to continue to fit in a walk everyday. I would like the streak to be much longer. Some days when I walk, I find myself wishing I was done before I have even 10 minutes in; some days, I walk very leisurely; some days, I walk as if on a mission to beat my pace. My VivoFit tried to prevent from success with the screen display failing (checked by replacing the batteries a couple of times in case one of the sets was old) and then Amazon's lead time for a new Garmin was 2 weeks because they were focused on essential shipments. I learned to 'count' the pressing of the button to start and stop my workout and to get the VivoFit to sync. Fortunately, my replacement shipped sooner than expected. I actually upgraded my device and really enjoy some of the added features, like getting my messages on my watch.

8 Weeks! It has been 8 weeks since the kids last went to school in the classroom. It has been 8 weeks since the last sports practice or event. They seem to be adapting to at home learning but certainly miss the social aspects of school. They have found time most days to fit in a workout. My son has tried to mix up long toss, pitching, and hitting (off the tee, bp or live pitching). Yesterday was the senior's last day of school for the year. To celebrate, they organized a parade and drove their cars through most neighborhoods in town. It was awesome to watch and cheer them on. It made me tear up a bit to think about the things they were missing out on. Our school is hoping that by postponing prom, graduation and baccalaureate, that they will be able to do them in person...but still have a back up plan in place. At the same time, it was impressive to see them driving through with signs and tin cans, mortar boards and decorations on their cars. And, the support in the community - there were families at the end of their drives and roads, with noisemakers, signs or simply a wave to acknowledge the completion of the kids' senior year. I hope that they add this as a new tradition, and based on posts I have read, others feel the same way. The birthday parades too! We have one lining up outside our house right now. They are such fun. Love the gatherings but what another great way to acknowledge and help the birthday boy or girl celebrate.

8 Weeks! For 8 weeks, I have been trying new recipes and dishes. I hit the jackpot earlier this week when we were enjoying chicken and rice bowls for dinner...my son said that he thought that the bowls that night were even better than Chipotle! Boom! Mission accomplished. My goal is that home made versions of our favorite dishes are just a touch better than we eat out. Don't get me wrong, I love to eat out but for years have been doing my best to recreate family eating out favorites at home. I started using the 'Copycat' cookbooks but for many of the dishes I have been able to find my own way. I have had to reinvent a few when favorite ingredients become unavailable. We have enjoyed very good bread - it's not the same as some of the bread loaves we pick up at the store but it is very good. We have enjoyed several iterations of donuts. I found a good 30 minute donut recipe but an even better glazed yeast donut recipe. We have enjoyed homemade pizza and burgers on the grill. We have also done our part by ordering in from the local places that are just trying to get through this crazy time. We have bought beer from a couple of different local craft brewers that we love. We found out that outdoor dining can open next Friday and indoor the week after. We have already talked about where to go when outdoor dining is open.

8 Weeks! For 8 weeks, we have had some unusual weather and fortunately, some beautiful sunny days. We have had crazy rain. A tornado touched down in town and a couple very close to here. We had snow in March, snow in April and yesterday and today - even snow in May! We have really appreciated the sunny days and the warmer days, where we could get outside and get some fresh air. The flowers and the trees have been in full bloom welcoming spring. We have had some beautiful sunrises and sunsets.

8 Weeks! For 8 weeks, we have used technology in new ways. We have used Skype and Zoom and MSTeams for game nights and girls night; we have used them for classes and for homework help; we have used them to interview for jobs and for coaching sessions. I had a dream last night that I had started a new job. The details were vague - I parked near the building on the street, the dress was business casual with jeans appropriate, and there was snow on my car when I left at the end of the day (coincidental with yesterday's weather I hope and not a sign that it is still months away). I had only gotten the offer the Friday before I started, hadn't told my family and when I came home, I realized I didn't even know what the offer had been and was trying to find the details. I was excited and elated. I was glad to know that I would be on an employer sponsored medical insurance and saving for retirement again. I hope it was a sign that good news would be coming soon. I found out last week that I didn't get one role that I thought I had a pretty good shot at (it was down to 2, so I knew it was at least 50-50). When it comes to reading, I have stuck with the old-fashioned paper book format. I have been reading through a stack of books that I have bedside that I picked up at book sales and just never got around to reading. This weekend though, I started a brand new book by James Russell Lingerfelt, Young Vines. I will share more about the book when I am done reading. I previously read his other two books, you can find those reviews here (Alabama Irish) and here (The Mason Jar).

Over the last 8 weeks, I have become better at ordering my groceries for pick up and last week managed to pick up from three stores in the same day that I placed the order (long story - was trying to catch some deals and so I ordered from more than one store last week - haven't done that in a while). I have tried new brands and learned that there are some brands that I would skip in the future and others that might be worth trying again. Online ordering isn't as bad when you are getting it the same day but I will have to determine if the fees are worth the effort saved (and the extra effort to order). The out of stocks are fewer but have shifted categories.

Last weekend, as the StayAtHome order shifted to StaySafeOhio, we decided to have a socially distant bonfire with friends. It was a nice relaxing evening and a great chance to catch up in person. It was just one other family and we were outside the whole time. They brought their own chairs and own drinks. It was a dose of what we needed. My son finally got his braces off this week too. He was scheduled to get them off a month ago but when the StayAtHome order went into effect, his orthodontist was among the places that had to close.

As I wrap up this post, I think the cats have had enough of us being home - they look chill here but they just want us to get back to it. My one cat comes and sits on my night stand next to my alarm clock in the morning meowing at me to wake up and feed her but I think she may also secretly be hoping that it will go off and it will mean we are all back to normal schedules and she can have peace to sleep all day.

As the Week Winds Down

It has been a good week. Following the productive weekend, I feel like we accomplished some good things this week. I think in part it may have been helped by the updating of the models for COVID19. I don't know where you all live but here in Ohio we were significantly under the model and the updates lowered the expected peaks significantly and brought the peak in a few days. I am starting to believe (not just hope) that we will have a return to normal following the current stay at home order expiration.

Of course, Ohio weather has been typically weird weather. We have had some gorgeous days, where we could get outside in short sleeves and enjoy the sights of spring. We had a couple of tornadoes touch down within a few miles of our house. We had that gorgeous super moon, of course it was partially obstructed but we got some cool pictures when it wasn't obstructed. We had flurries and sleet yesterday and then this morning, we woke to a covering of snow.

I have learned, when we are home we bake. We have always been bakers but in 'normal' schedule time we are generally limited in frequency and often I do most of it. During the break, my son has been doing a good amount of the baking. I had to add flour, butter and eggs to my next order to make sure that we can continue to bake. We have made 2 batches of biscotti, 3 batches of cookies, a batch of macarons (trying all-purpose flour in lieu of almond flour), a batch of beignets and two batches of bread. The kids would like to give another try to an alternate recipe that uses all-purpose flour for macarons.

We also cook. Again, not that we don't do a lot of cooking when we are not on a stay at home order but we seem to be on the go enough that we have a lot of quick fix meals rather than longer prep meals. Over the past couple of weeks, we have made homemade macaroni and cheese and a childhood favorite chicken in gravy over biscuits (and they were homemade biscuits). We have also tried knock off versions of restaurant favorite dishes. Homemade pizza has been a staple of our weekly menu.

Tonight, we celebrate our 21st Anniversary. Normally, we would have planned a dinner out as a couple or with the family. Or, if the timing worked out, we might have even planned a getaway as a couple or a family (Niagara Falls area is one of our favorite getaways). We are getting carry-out pizza from a local place and a growler of beer from the local craft brewery. Supporting local and celebrating us.

I definitely miss people. As much as I am a homebody, I also love being with people and being social. I want to host a game night or sit with friends watching kids sports and visiting or go to trivia with friends or just visit around a bonfire. During this time, it is nice to catch up with friends on the phone or via chat - but it is not the same as in person interactions. I find great joy in crossing paths with others when I am out for a walk. Sure, I cross the street or walk on the edge of the road to allow appropriate space but just waving to the walkers, the runners and the cars that drive by gives me that sense of connection with others. It was nice to visit at a distance with the owners at the craft brewery as I picked up the growler - hearing about their dog and his peculiarities.

The other night, I woke up in the middle of the night. I was thinking about what I had to do the next day and became a little disheartened that we really have gotten to the point where the next day is the same as the last and the next. Even with looking forward to our anniversary and Easter, there still isn't much different. We still don't have 'plans' or get to see family and friends. I am excited for the Easter dinner that I will make and the little bit I have pulled together for the kid's baskets, yet without being able to share it with family, it seems less than it should be. Knowing that this social distancing and stay at home order is really having an impact is the shining light that continues to give me hope and helps me to keep moving forward.

How are you holding up?

Lucy Leid's Gather Around the Amish Table

A complimentary review copy was provided to me.

It's no secret, I love to spend time in the kitchen. Whether baking or cooking, it is a time that I really enjoy. Spending the time in the kitchen with my kids makes it even better. When I was given the opportunity to check out and do a review of Gather Around the Amish Table, I was happy to try out some new recipes. Especially because I have dined at local restaurants that feature Amish food and I know that I enjoy the home-style goodness of the dishes I have tried, from main courses to sides to desserts. The cookbook was authored by Lucy Leid, who is Amish.

When we received the cookbook, my son started perusing it right away and marked several recipes for us to try. I love the little stories that were shared with several of the recipes - some talked about specific memories around the recipe or a story around the source of the recipe. Stories and anecdotes about the food help create a connection and pique interest in trying the recipe.

One recipe that we tried was the Onion Rings. I have made a lot of breaded sides, but I'm not sure that I have ever made a battered side. I was surprised at how easy it was and how delicious it turned out. They were great fresh from the frying pan and the leftovers were equally tasty warmed in the oven the next night for dinner. This recipe is definitely a keeper and one that makes us want to fry other veggies.

Another recipe that we tried was the Chewy Molasses Cookies. Warning - the recipe says it makes 6 dozen cookies, which didn't sound that big to me, but they must be huge cookies! I cut the recipe in half and it barely fit in the bowl of my stand mixer.

I don't do raisins, so I left those out. I quickly learned that because of the directions to plump them in water that they were more than just a mix in. I wound up adding some oatmeal to give the cookies more body. Next time, I will still use oatmeal as my alternate to raisins, but will 'plump' it versus just mixing in. The cookies weren't pretty because of my modifications, but they were very delicious and were soft as promised. Can't wait to try them again.

We have not been disappointed in any of the recipes that we have made. Based on our experience, we will definitely be spending the next few months working our way through a number of the other recipes that we have marked in the cook book. There are several recipes that based on our flavor preferences we aren't likely to try, but I've never found a single cook book where every recipe appealed.

If you are a fan of homemade style food, I recommend that you check out Gather Around the Amish Table.

About the book:
Gather Around the Amish Table (MennoMedia, September 2015)

Straight from Amish kitchens to yours, this cookbook offers favorite family recipes and charming stories from Amish and Mennonite cooks.

Bake the pecan rolls that taste best after an ice-skating party, or try the hoagies that a community sold to help an Amish family with hospital bills. Discover the cocoa cupcakes with instructions to "stir by hand" that one young cook took literally, or whip up the whoopie pies that one Amish woman took to market in her horse and buggy.

These cherished recipes speak of comforting traditions, lively communities, and strong Christian faith. Gather your family around the table to sample the nourishing fare and trademark charm of the plain people. In the words of one cookbook contributor: "Bake someone happy!"

Purchase a copy here.

About the author:

Lucy Leid is an Old Order Mennonite wife, mother, and cook in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Learn more about the book and read other reviews on the Blog Tour Landing Page.


No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. A complimentary review copy was provided to me.

Cook'n Recipe Organizer - review and giveaway

I received a complimentary copy as a participant in the Tryazon Cook'n Recipe Exchange Party back in October. I had previously had an older version. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

I love to cook and to bake. I love to find and try new recipes. One of my biggest challenges was always organization. I have a recipe box that is partially populated with cards. I have a recipe accordion file that is full of some recipes that I got from my family at one of my wedding showers, plus some others that I have added. I have two write your own cookbooks - one that maxed out on space (you could add refills and I did until the rings could hold no more) and a second one that is not quite full but is set up to hold a combination of papers you write directly on and some pockets to hold recipe cards. I also have a folder that contains hundreds of recipes that I have clipped from newspapers, magazines and even printed from the internet over the years that I had wanted to try. Once I tried them, I would either transfer them to a recipe card or a cookbook or throw them out if we didn't like them. (This was all before Pinterest of course, now I just Pin them and try them later. My organization there is a whole other issue.)

Having my recipes was great, but with so many places, it could be hard to locate the recipe that I was looking for, although I became an expert on location of some of the most used recipes. In addition, sharing with friends and family required either typing it up to share or writing it out on a note card. Then, a few years ago, I discovered the wonder that is Cook'n Recipe Organizer.

There are a number of features that I love about Cook'n. The first is that I can easily enter my own recipes. Not only can I type them up, if I am able to find a recipe online, I can use the features in Cook'n to capture recipes from the internet. In my experience, most of them over clean but sometimes you have to do a little bit of cleanup to align the ingredient name. One of the improvements that was made in the most recent version is that you can capture from almost any site now...it used to be limited to a handful of sites. I often will do a quick search to see if I can find a similar recipe, as a means of expediting the load of the recipe. There is also functionality that let's you scan or capture a photo of a recipe and import it to your cookbook. You can customize your chapters, to organize in a way that makes sense to you and change them as you go. I started with just a dessert category, but have since split it out to put cookies into their own chapter. I love the flexibility.

The program is able to calculate the nutrition per serving and uses values from the preferred or designated brand for the ingredients. Can't find your favorite? You can add you own ingredients and brands, allowing you to base your calculations on the ingredients and brands that you use. This is a nice feature in my opinion. For my favorites, I have entered the details from the nutrition label on the package and made that brand my preferred brand for the ingredient.

Once you have a recipe saved, it is also easy to scale your recipe. There is functionality to help you with menu planning and will even generate a grocery list. Plan your menu by dragging and dropping the recipes onto the weekly plan. Then, click on the grocery list and it will generate based on the recipes. Clean up the list to remove on hand ingredients and you are ready to go.

With the newest version, you can now Sync your recipes to your mobile devices. I really like this functionality, because now, I can take the iPad to the kitchen and easily access my recipes where I am, without having to print or walk back and forth to my computer while I am baking and cooking. It is also nice because with it on my phone, I can quickly reference a recipe...whether I am at the store and found a great deal and want to update my meal plan or I am talking to a friend and want to share it with them. Speaking of sharing, quick share buttons that allow you to e-mail, post to Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Google+ are available on your recipes. You can also use the embed in website button to get an HTML version complete with formatting for the theme. You can share links to your recipe as well.

There are several available cookbooks that you can buy and download into the software. This is a great way to find new recipes and increase your database. Just the other week, there was an offer from Rhodes bread in the Sunday coupon flyer to download their cookbook to Cook'n. Most of the other cookbooks are available for a nominal cost.

The newest version also features a Live Recipe feed, that provides a picture and link to several recently used recipes. It includes the most captured recipe from the last 24 hours and last 7 days, giving you the perfect opportunity to find some popular recipes. You can even customize the feed to easily follow your favorite sites and see the recently added recipes.

The search functionality in the software allows you to search a particular cookbook or chapter, all of Cook'n or even the internet. Search by key words to find ingredients you have on hand, focus on recipe names only and even search based on ratings. It really has worked well for me when looking for recipes.

I really can't say enough good things about the software. I simply love it.

I think it makes a great gift for family or friends that love to cook. This weekend, Cook'n is offering a great special on the software. You can get it for only $20, the regular retail price is $80...that is 75% off! Here is the link to this amazing offer. After this weekend, you can still save on your purchase, go to http://www.dvo.com/ to place your order and simply use the following code at checkout to save 50%: mb-busymom.

You can learn more about Tryazon by visiting them on Facebook or following them on Twitter or Pinterest.

Giveaway!

In addition, I have the opportunity through my participation the Tryazon party to giveaway one complimentary copy to one A Busy Mom of Two reader.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway will remain open through December 10th. Winners will be selected through Rafflecopter. The winner will have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

I received a complimentary copy as a participant in the Tryazon Cook'n Recipe Exchange Party back in October. I had previously had an older version. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. The discount code and the giveaway copy are compliments of Cook'n.

Planning for Thanksgiving

*information for this post was in part supplied by Hormel Foods through their Hormel Extended Family Blogger program. No compensation was received for this post.

Are you the host for Thanksgiving? When I am planning for an event, I love to be able to get as much done ahead of time as possible.

For the past 8 years, I have done a traditional turkey dinner for my daughter's birthday and the realization quickly set in that with only one oven, the only way to pull it off is to work ahead. For me, this starts with roasting my turkey the night before the event. Once roasted, I can let it cool before carving. This is great because it reabsorbs much of the cooking broth in the process, resulting in moist turkey. Plus, I can get the turkey cleaned and the carcass thrown out and get the kitchen cleaned up. I place the turkey into a 9x13 (or a little larger) glass pan, add a small amount of broth, cover tightly with aluminum in set in my refrigerator. The next day, I put it in the oven with my other dishes and cook it for about 30 - 45 minutes to cook it through. I also gather the remaining broth and set in the refrigerator to use to make gravy the next day.

I also like to prep my side dishes. The first I always do is next day mashed potatoes. I boil the potatoes and mash them with some added ingredients, like cream cheese, and put in another glass pan. The potatoes take about 45 - 60 minutes to cook the next day. I also do my sweet potatoes, because I do a mashed sweet potato casserole. They take about 45 minutes to cook the next day. I also prepare my stuffing, although I suppose since it never sees the turkey it is technically dressing. I usually use a few pieces of the carved turkey and a little of the cooking broth in the preparation of my stuffing...which I can only do if I prepare the turkey the day ahead.

I also do all of my cutting and chopping for my fruit salad and vegetable tray. Then, the day of, I can quickly set out the vegetables and have plenty at the ready for refilling the tray. I assemble the fruit salad day of, in order to keep things fresh.

I typically prepare my vegetable dishes the day of the event and put them in the oven along side the other dishes that are cooking. I like to do a broccoli and cauliflower dish, but this year I think I am going to try the Bacon and Green Bean Casserole Deluxe featured on the Hormel site.

It is much like the traditional one, with a kick of bacon bits - after all, everything is better with bacon. We don't do mushroom soup, so I will swap in cream of celery or onion to give it a good creamy texture. Best thing is, you can make this one the day ahead and then simply warm and serve.

This year our celebration will just be the immediate family, so we are trying out the Jennie-O Oven Ready Turkey Breast. I must say, I am intrigued by this one, it "goes straight from your freezer to your oven". I am so used to thawing. It comes in an oven ready back and you simply pull out of your freezer, remove from the outer bag and put it in your oven in a roasting pan. I will have to let you know how it goes. I also will not be prepping the sides, because I will not need a full casserole of mashed potatoes and can just make up a small pan day of.

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are mine or those of my family. I am completing this post as a participant in the Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger program. Hormel Foods provided some product and some of the information and images for this post.

When I Fall in Love by Susan May Warren

No compensation was received for this post. A complimentary review copy of the book was provided for the purpose of sharing a review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

As I have mentioned before, I really love the chance to continue the story of the characters that I meet in novels. I think that is one of the reasons why I really enjoy reading book series by authors like Susan May Warren. Susan has a whole series of stories around the Christiansen family - in each book, she focuses on one or two of the family members, but the others are also part of the story (which makes sense since they are all in the same family). It is so nice to have a continuation of the previous story, even if only in the background of the main story.

I was excited to see that When I Fall in Love, the third book in the Christiansen family series was available for review. For me, it is the second one that I have read and it did not disappoint. (I still need to find a copy of the first one to read.) This book was focused primarily on Grace Christiansen, but also spent a good amount of time with the story of Casper.

The story in many ways was about learning to live. It was about having faith and allowing yourself to be open to the path that God has for you. After catering her older brother's wedding, Grace is given a trip to Hawaii for a cooking school by her family. Her sister Eden, suggests that she can learn to cook Hawaiian food and then help cater her wedding later that year. Grace is reluctant to go, but ultimately makes the trip. A bad flight is almost enough to cause her to hole up in her room or simply head back home, but for Max, a former teammate of her brother Owen, he won't let that happen. Won't allow her not to pursue her dream, because in his mind 'everyone who gets to have dreams should reach for them.' The irony being that he is so good at encouraging her to pursue his dreams, when he won't allow himself to dream. In exploring Hawaii and learning to cook with Max, Grace learns a lot about herself and when he leaves, learns about her relationship with God that leaves her with a deepened faith.

It was a very good story and well written. The characters are well developed, through both their personal reflection and the observations made by those around them. As was the case with the last book that I read by Susan May Warren, I found myself becoming attached to the characters and cheering them on from my seat. I really enjoyed the story and can not wait for the next installment in the Christiansen family series.

About the book:

Hawaii was the last place Grace Christiansen ever imagined she'd vacation, much less fall in love. But when her family surprises her with a cooking retreat in paradise, she is pulled-or maybe yanked-away from her predictable, safe life and thrown headfirst into the adventure of a lifetime.

Max Sharpe may make his living on the ice as a pro hockey player, but he feels most at home in the kitchen. Which is why he lives for the three-week culinary vacation he takes each year in Hawaii. Upon being paired with Grace for a cooking competition, Max finds himself drawn to her passion, confidence, and perseverance. But just when Grace dares to dream of a future beyond her hometown, Max pulls away.

Wrestling with personal demons, Max fights against opening his heart to a love he knows he should never hope for. And as his secrets unfold, Grace is torn between the safe path in front of her and what her heart truly desires. If love means sacrificing her ideal happily ever after, Grace's faith will face its toughest test yet.

Purchase a copy here.

About the author:

Susan May Warren is the bestselling, RITA Award-winning author of more than forty novels whose compelling plots and unforgettable characters have won acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. She served with her husband and four children as a missionary in Russia for eight years before she and her family returned home to the States. She now writes full-time as her husband runs a lodge on Lake Superior in northern Minnesota, where many of her books are set. She and her family enjoy hiking, canoeing, and being involved in their local church. Several of her critically acclaimed novels have been ECPA and CBA bestsellers, were chosen as Top Picks by Romantic Times, and have won the RWA's Inspirational Reader's Choice contest and the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year award. Five of her books have been Christy Award finalists. In addition to her writing, Susan loves to teach and speak at women's events about God's amazing grace in our lives. She also runs a writing community for authors.

Find Susan online: website, My Book Therapy, Twitter, Facebook

Read more reviews and learn more about the book at the book tour landing page.

No compensation was received for this post. A complimentary review copy of the book was provided for the purpose of sharing a review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

T-fal Stainless Steel Cookware with Thermospot review #CookingPlanit

As you may know, I have been using a new set of T-fal Stainless Steel with Thermospot cookware for the past few weeks, as a participant in the Cooking Planit T-fal Cookware giveaway promotion. (You can enter to win your own 12-pc set - find the giveaway here.)

(my handles are black plastic, not red silicone)

Growing up, my mom had a set of cookware that was stainless steel and it was what I was most familiar with, but back when my husband and I were registering for our wedding, we had selected a hard anodized cookware set. I had chosen the set based on the feedback of a friend, who considered herself a bit of a home-gourmet. I loved to cook and figured that it was the right set for me. I have generally liked the set, but with it being anodized aluminum, I started to notice that the bottoms of the pans were discoloring with use and was frustrated by the skillets not being non-stick. I found the cookware to be heavy and the handles were always getting hot (I had handle covers, but didn't use them like I should).

I have really enjoyed trying out the T-fal Stainless Steel with Thermospot cookware. I like that the pans are oven safe to 350F (the ones with the plastic handles), the skillets are non-stick and feature Thermospot - which indicates when the pan is "preheated to the optimal temperature", and the pans have a built in measuring guide.

I also really like that the handles are plastic covered, so that they are easier (cooler) to handle than my old pans. They are also lighter than my old set of pans, which makes it easier to lift the pans to slide out the food or to drain.

This combination of features (lightweight, non-stick surface and plastic covered handles) allowed my son to make his own scrambled eggs the other day, while I watched closely over him to make sure he didn't hurt himself, burn the food or drop it on the floor when transferring to a plate.

I have also found that the set has the right combination of pans to fit most of my dinner preparation needs. Whether I am making hot dogs and corn on the cob or making my Cincinnati chili with pasta, chili and beans, there seems to be a pan that will fit my needs.

I like the steam vents that are built into the glass lids. It allows me to keep my food covered while cooking and (at least so far) prevents it from boiling over. I also really like that the lids are glass, so I can see inside. My old cookware had solid lids, which meant more lid lifting during cooking (and they got hot too).

The cookware has been easy to clean. I continue to clean it by hand, but the pans are dishwasher safe (I'm assuming that the non-stick is not).

I am happy with my new set of pans and have already cleared out my old pans to make room in my cupboard for the new cookware. I would recommend the cookware based on my experience with them.


No compensation was received for this post. As a participant in the Cooking Planit T-fal Giveaway, I was provided with a set of pans to use and share my experience with my readers. All opinions expressed are entirely my own or that of my family.

Parmesan-Crusted Tilapia, Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan and Twice-Baked Potatoes - Cooking Planit review

Tonight for dinner, we tried out some new recipes. Not only did we try new recipes, I tried this really cool website/app called Cooking Planit. You may recall that a few months ago that I shared about Cooking Planit and you may recall that soon I will be hosting a T-Fal Cookware giveaway courtesy of Cooking Planit (the full list of participating blogs is located below, so you can check it out and enter to win on several blogs). Tonight though, I want to share with you about my experience with Cooking Planit.

What is Cooking Planit?

Cooking Planit has a website featuring many recipes and meals (the photography is great and makes me want to try a lot of the recipes). Cooking Planit is also available as a free app for your iPad or iPhone, so you can plan on the run - who hasn't been at the store trying to make an adjustment to the meal plan because there is a great deal on something. Think of Cooking Planit as your very own Personal Kitchen Assistant! Cooking Planit is an app perfect for a home cook at any skill level. Cooking Planit walks you through the whole cooking process and keeps you on track so dinner get’s on the table on time!

• Simplified Meal Planning - choose 'pre-set' meals or choose a few recipes that you want to try.
• Build your menu and it will put together your shopping list.
• Guided Cooking Steps, it even helps align all of your dishes so that they finish at the same time (I know I could use that when I host a Thanksgiving or other group meal)
• Cloud Sync – Sync your account across the web, your iPhone and iPad

I started by setting up an account on Cooking Planit's website and then downloaded the app for the iPhone and the iPad.

As I sat on my sofa watching TV one evening, I was browsing through the pre-set meals on the iPad. I bookmarked a couple of the meals as I scanned and then switched over to scanning and marking some of the recipes. I decided that to really check it out Cooking Planit and all it has to offer, I wanted to go with my own custom meal.

So, yesterday, as I was planning my menu for the week, I sat down at my computer and did some additional searches, bookmarking more recipes. Then, I looked over the recipes that I had bookmarked to decide what would go best together and what was different than what we normally ate. I decided on Parmesan-Crusted Tilapia, Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan and Twice-Baked Potatoes.

After building the meal and saving it, I decided to check out one of the features of Cooking Planit - I created my shopping list for my meal.

I love that I was able to create and save my meal on my computer and then access my account from my phone to create a portable shopping list. After the grocery list is generated, you can add additional items to your list, indicating section of the store and get a complete grocery list. In addition, you can mark off the items that you have and update the list to only show those that you don't have. I did that and then also used the check boxes to mark the groceries as I moved through the store.

Fast forward to tonight, it was time to prepare my dinner. I pulled the app up on my iPad and set it upon the easel in the kitchen. I then selected my meal on the app and it pulled up on the screen, ready to go.

Once on my screen, it gave me a list of ingredients and tools that were needed, some information about prepping and cook time (mine was actually shorter...I cheated and microwaved the potatoes to prep them and used ready bacon!). I really like how it lists out the ingredient and tools. The ingredients are the total amount needed for all of the recipes and the tools let you know what type of equipment (measuring spoons, slotted spoon, baking sheet), appliances (oven and stove top), and supplies will be used (paper towels). When you select start, the app asks how many servings you would like to prepare - 2, 4 or 6. Of course, if you choose an alternate number of servings the ingredients you had seen on the first page are no longer what you need. Never fear though, because the next page will tell you the ingredients you need to gather for prepping and the quantities for each recipe. Then, it steps you through the preparation of your recipes, so that they all finish at the same time.

On each step, it lets you know what ingredients you will need and what to do. You can either swipe you finger to advance pages or put it on audio controls, allowing you to use your voice to flip the pages. As you step through, you have the option to see the next few steps - I found that looking ahead gave me perspective of what was coming and allowed me to adjust where I needed (you know for the microwave or the ready bacon). When you get to a step where there is time until you start the next step, it suggests things such as clean up a little or (my favorite) enjoy a glass of wine or your favorite beverage. When there are cooking or sauteing steps, when you advance the page, it automatically starts a little timer that will pop up on the screen when it is complete and have you check that the item is done - if it is, you dismiss the timer, if not, you can select adjust and it will run a timer for a few additional minutes.

Everything made its way into the oven and soon it was dinner time:

My family very much so enjoyed the meal that I had prepared. It was full of flavor and yet, part of the beauty, to me, was the simplicity of the meal. There were few ingredients, but they paired well.

I'm ready to build another meal and try out even more of the recipes that Cooking Planit has to offer.

You can sign up for Cooking Planit on their website or you can down load their app at iTunes. There are both free and paid versions of the app, so you can try it risk free and then upgrade for even more features.

Don't forget to check out the matrix of bloggers participating in the giveaway and be sure to come back tomorrow, when my giveaway goes live!

Here is the matrix of participating blogs and information on when they go live:

THE COOKING PLANIT AND T-FAL 2013 GIVEAWAY
Start	End	Flight 1	Flight 2
8/19/13	8/25/13	Baby Boomster	Mrs. Schwartz’s Kitchen
8/20/13	8/26/13	CopyKat Recipes	Daily Dish Recipes
8/21/13	8/27/13	Lisa Cooking	Lark’s Country Heart
8/22/13	8/28/13	ME Redone	Hot Eats and Cool Reads
8/23/13	8/29/13	Mother Would Know	The Two Bite Club
8/24/13	8/30/13	Sophistishe	Citron Limette
8/25/13	8/31/13	Kitchen Concoctions	Cupcakes and Kale Chips
8/26/13	9/1/13	I Can Cook That	Leave a Happy Plate
8/27/13	9/2/13	Peaches & Cake	i love my disorganized life
8/28/13	9/3/13	Diddles & Dumplings	Yates Yummies
8/29/13	9/4/13	basilmomma	Cooking With Libby
8/30/13	9/5/13	Persnickety Plates	Creole Contessa
8/31/13	9/6/13	Ancestral Chef	Bite Sized Blog
9/1/13	9/7/13	The Staten Island Family	Mamal Diane
9/2/13	9/8/13	Food Fash	Recipes For My Boys
9/3/13	9/9/13	The Wicked Noodle	Hungry Little Girl
9/4/13	9/10/13	Unorganized Mommy of 3	The Tasty Fork
9/5/13	9/11/13	Yi Reservation	Dixie Chik Cooks
9/6/13	9/12/13	Chicago Foodie Sisters	The Fountain Avenue Kitchen
9/7/13	9/13/13	Cooking from a SAHM	FoodThoughtsOfaChefWannabe
9/8/13	9/14/13	Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen	Rants from My Crazy Kitchen
9/9/13	9/15/13	What Jew Wanna Eat	Sumptuous Spoonfuls
9/10/13	9/16/13	The Mama Report	A Busy Mom of Two
9/11/13	9/17/13	Culicurious	Huppie Mama
9/12/13	9/18/13	Three Diets. One Dinner.	Spice’s Bites

No compensation was received for this post. As a participant in the Cooking Planit T-fal Giveaway, I was provided with a set of pans to use and share my experience with my readers. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

Cooking Planit T-fal Giveaway #CookingPlanit

50 BLOGGERS ARE GIVING AWAY 50 SETS OF T-FAL COOKWARE OVER THE NEXT 30 DAYS!

I am excited to share this giveaway with all of my readers. I am partnering with Cooking Planit and joining 49 other bloggers in giving away a 12-piece set of T-fal Cookware. You can watch for my giveaway to go live on September 10th, but in the meantime, you really should check out all of the participating blogs and enter for a chance to win. You can only win once, but your odds will certainly be better the more that you enter. That's 50 chances to win.

Here is the matrix of participating blogs and information on when they go live:

THE COOKING PLANIT AND T-FAL 2013 GIVEAWAY
Start	End	Flight 1	Flight 2
8/19/13	8/25/13	Baby Boomster	Mrs. Schwartz’s Kitchen
8/20/13	8/26/13	CopyKat Recipes	Daily Dish Recipes
8/21/13	8/27/13	Lisa Cooking	Lark’s Country Heart
8/22/13	8/28/13	ME Redone	Hot Eats and Cool Reads
8/23/13	8/29/13	Mother Would Know	The Two Bite Club
8/24/13	8/30/13	Sophistishe	Citron Limette
8/25/13	8/31/13	Kitchen Concoctions	Cupcakes and Kale Chips
8/26/13	9/1/13	I Can Cook That	Leave a Happy Plate
8/27/13	9/2/13	Peaches & Cake	i love my disorganized life
8/28/13	9/3/13	Diddles & Dumplings	Yates Yummies
8/29/13	9/4/13	basilmomma	Cooking With Libby
8/30/13	9/5/13	Persnickety Plates	Creole Contessa
8/31/13	9/6/13	Ancestral Chef	Bite Sized Blog
9/1/13	9/7/13	The Staten Island Family	Mamal Diane
9/2/13	9/8/13	Food Fash	Recipes For My Boys
9/3/13	9/9/13	The Wicked Noodle	Hungry Little Girl
9/4/13	9/10/13	Unorganized Mommy of 3	The Tasty Fork
9/5/13	9/11/13	Yi Reservation	Dixie Chik Cooks
9/6/13	9/12/13	Chicago Foodie Sisters	The Fountain Avenue Kitchen
9/7/13	9/13/13	Cooking from a SAHM	FoodThoughtsOfaChefWannabe
9/8/13	9/14/13	Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen	Rants from My Crazy Kitchen
9/9/13	9/15/13	What Jew Wanna Eat	Sumptuous Spoonfuls
9/10/13	9/16/13	The Mama Report	A Busy Mom of Two
9/11/13	9/17/13	Culicurious	Huppie Mama
9/12/13	9/18/13	Three Diets. One Dinner.	Spice’s Bites

Stay tuned for further details on how to enter and to learn more about my experience using the T-fal cookware set and the CookingPlanit app. The app is a really neat recipe and meal planning tool that you can test online and/or download the free version HERE. Or you may go to the Apple store and simply search “Cooking Planit.”

DETAILS: Contests open to US only. Limit one-winner per household/per family from the 50 blogs participating in the promotion. If an individual is the winner of more than one giveaway, they will receive only one set of cookware and an alternate winner will be chosen for the other set(s).

No compensation was received for this post. As a participant in the Cooking Planit T-fal Giveaway, I was provided with a set of pans to use and share my experience with my readers. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

Cooking Planit - Spices Giveaway!

I mentioned last week that I would be participating in the Cooking Planit Spice Giveaway. Guess what! My turn has finally arrived.

Now, you have a chance to win an awesome spice set, sponsored by the great people at Cooking Planit, that includes 26 of the most commonly used spices, with a retail value of over $100!

Don't forget, after you enter here, check out the grid below and find the other 50 participating bloggers and enter to win on their site too. Remember to check back each day - there will be two new giveaways starting across the blogosphere each day.

What's included in the spice set?

Top 26 Spices Every Kitchen Should:


Photo by Emily Wilson

• Ground Cumin
• Basil
• Saigon Cinnamon
• Bay Leaves
• Smoked Paprika
• Thyme
• Garlic Powder
• Mediterranean Oregano
• Onion Powder
• Rosemary
• Nutmeg Powder
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Coriander Powder
• Cayenne Pepper
• Ground Cloves
• Chinese Five Spice
• Turmeric
• Curry Powder
• Yellow Mustard
• Pennsylvania Pepper
• Cardamon Powder
• Cajun Seasoning
• Allspice Powder
• Hill Country Chili Powder
• Ginger Root Powder
• Manzanillo Mexico Seasoning

Have you checked out Cooking Planit yet? Available for your iPhone/iPad for access on the go or in the kitchen, they also have a website. They feature recipes for dishes, and for full meals. The recipes show you the ingredients and the tools needed to recreate the dish in your home. The recipes include both prep and cooking directions. Making a meal? They even help you time things, so that it all finishes at once. Use the website or app to select dishes and build a grocery list.

The photography is amazing, it makes your mouth water.

Want to see for yourself? Check out this recipe for Crispy Chicken with Lemon-Caper Sauce. I think that this will hit the menu plan soon!

Giveaway!
Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter to win! (don't forget to check out the other giveaways!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Below is a matrix of participating blogs:

2013 GIVEAWAY PARTICIPANTS:
	Start	Stop	Flight 1	Flight 2
1	3/6/13	3/12/13	Sophistishe	Field and Feast
2	3/7/13	3/13/13	The Wicked Noodle	The Cooking Planit Blog
3	3/8/13	3/14/13	The Aliso Kitchen	Slow Down & Savor
4	3/9/13	3/15/13	Chicago Foodie Sisters	Jessiker Bakes
5	3/10/13	3/16/13	My Happily Ever After the End	The Food Yenta
6	3/11/13	3/17/13	Notes from Maggie’s Farm	Food Fash
7	3/12/13	3/18/13	My Kitchen Addictions	What Jew Wanna Eat
8	3/13/13	3/19/13	Bite Sized Blog	Nicole’s Nickels
9	3/14/13	3/20/13	A Busy Mom of Two	Food Squeeze
10	3/15/13	3/21/13	Kasey’s Kitchen	Kitchen Concoctions
11	3/16/13	3/22/13	Daily Ups & Pounds	Lisa Cooking
12	3/17/13	3/23/13	Ditch the Box	Huppie Mama
13	3/18/13	3/24/13	Hungry Hutch	Food Fetish
14	3/19/13	3/25/13	Cook the Blog	Three Diets. One Dinner
15	3/20/13	3/26/13	Sugarfoot Eats	Gear Live
16	3/21/13	3/27/13	CopyKat Recipes	The Mouthy Housewives
17	3/22/13	3/28/13	Burnt Apple	The Butterfly Mom
18	3/23/13	3/29/13	The Mama Report	Ancestral Chef
19	3/24/13	3/30/13	A Food Centric Life	We Like To Cook!
20	3/25/13	3/31/13	Dixie Chik Cooks	Baby Boomster
21	3/26/13	4/1/13	Unorganized Mommy of 3	Much Ado About Fooding
22	3/27/13	4/2/13	Better with Butter	The Primlani Kitichen
23	3/28/13	4/3/13	Mother Would Know	California Country Gal
24	3/29/13	4/4/13	Yi Reservation	NY Foodgasm
25	3/30/13	4/5/13	ME Redone	Creative Cullinary

Don’t want to wait, you can buy your own custom spice set from Spices Inc.


No compensation was received for this post. Cooking Planit has provided information for this post and will be providing the Spice set for the giveaway. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.