Wewalka Baking Party and Review #Tryazon #wewalkaparty

As a participant in the Tryazon Wewalka Party, I received an Wewalka party pack which included a coupons to try the product at the party and to share with my guests. All opinions expressed are my own.

Pizza is a staple at our house. We have it on a variety of crusts. We do open face quesadilla pizzas on tortillas, we use leftover buns and bagels to make pizzas, we use bread dough, dough mixes and homemade dough. We top them with all sorts of toppings - simple to complex, sweet and savory. We enjoy it at any meal and as a snack too. So, when I got the opportunity to try Wewalka European Bakery Style Dough, I was excited.

The party pack included an apron and an oven mitt for me and some insulated bags, magnetic shopping lists, Wewalka pens and measuring spoons and coupons for product to share with guests. (not all pictured)

I spent a couple of evenings studying the website and finding inspiration and recipes to try at our party. I wound printing out a recipe for shrimp flatbread, a buffalo chicken calzone, a chocolate cherry cheesecake pizza, jalapeno popper puffs, bread sticks and a prosciutto pizza. I made up my grocery list and headed off to find my ingredients and the dough. My store carried four varieties of their dough - Puff Pastry, Flatbread, Classic Pizza and Bistro Pizza. I decided to grab a couple of each to try at the party, using the recipes I found or improvising with other pizzas we enjoy.

Before the guests arrived, I started with prep work and even got a couple of the things in the oven. I wanted the guests to see and work with the product, but with basketball on in the background and plans to play poker, I knew attention would be divided and I would have to prepare to ensure we got to also try more product than we prepped during the party. Plus, you can only have so much in the oven at a time and I only have three baking stones.

I love that the dough comes on parchment paper and is refrigerated, so when you are ready to bake you can simply unroll, top and bake. The packaging is great too, as it is a flat sleeve and can easily stack on the side of my refrigerator, making them easy to access. As I opened the packaging to make the first recipe, I noticed this small valve on the inside. I assumed it had something to do with minimizing moisture build-up on the dough, but to be sure I looked it up on the website and learned that the valve is part of their packaging because they "use real, live baker’s yeast which needs to slowly release carbon dioxide, so we’ve added specialized valves to the packaging. Our yeast ensures your pastries and pizzas always rise up and bake to perfection." (I like it, great way to ensure the freshness and deliver performance of the product). Baking on the parchment paper sure made clean-up easy, which was especially good for the party, since we only had three stones and one pan that we were using.

Buffalo Pizza:
Started with a traditional pizza crust, used ranch dressing to cover the dough, added chicken that had been mixed with buffalo sauce, then added onions and shredded colby jack cheese and baked according to the package.

 Margherita Pizza:

Shrimp Flatbread:

Buffalo Chicken Calzone:

Jalepeno Popper Puffs:

Margherita and Cheese Flatbread:
Started by unrolling a flatbread and scoring it to create two halves. Added pizza sauce as a base to each side. Added fresh mozzarella slices on one side and shredded Italian cheese on the other. Baked it according to the package directions. Then, added fresh sliced tomatoes and fresh basil. Returned it to the oven for 5 minutes, then drizzled with balsamic.

The traditional margherita pizza and the half margherita/half cheese flatbread were delicious. I think that margherita pizza is one of my favorites, there is just something about the fresh tomatoes and the drizzle of balsamic that is so tasty. We wound up making a buffalo chicken pizza in addition to the calzone. The jalapeño poppers, which we left the bacon out of, were delicious, but I would make them smaller next time - everyone was cutting them in half to enjoy anyway. The shrimp flatbread was tasty, but compared to the other offerings, just wasn't as popular. Everyone loved the chocolate cheesecake pizza, it was super rich though and so we had a good amount left over (not a bad thing at all - meant we got to enjoy some the next day).

Chocolate Cheesecake Pizza:

I liked the flavor of the product, but found that based on the timing on the directions and/or on the packaging for those that we improvised, that the pizza and flat breads did not bake up as much as I prefer. I don't mind a soft crust and it works fine for a lightly topped flatbread, but it made it difficult to plate up the chocolate cheesecake pizza and the calzone was also difficult to cut and plate for sharing. I found that extending the cooking time helped it cook up a little more. Also, those items that I tucked in the oven to reheat also crisped up nice directly on the stone.

The ease of use of the Wewalka pizza and flatbread products is tremendous. As a busy mom, I could feasibly make and bake a (nearly) homemade pizza for my family in about 20 minutes including prep, which is important on those nights with games and practices that leave little time for dinner. The dough being rolled up with the parchment paper not only makes it easy to use, but makes clean-up a breeze - another time saver on a busy night.

The puff pastry feels like a very versatile product to me, one that can be used for both sweet and savory dishes and the fact that it is fresh and not frozen makes it an easy go to for dinners or dessert. I look forward to trying more of the puff pastry recipes, since we wound up only trying the jalepeno poppers at the party.

There are so many more recipes that I look forward to trying, you can peruse them yourself here. You can find a local store that carries the Wewalka line, using their store locator here.

The guests and my family all enjoyed the opportunity to participate in the Wewalka Baking Party through Tryazon.

As a participant in the Tryazon Wewalka Party, I received an Wewalka party pack which included a coupons to try the product at the party and to share with my guests. All opinions expressed are my own.

Rediscovering Quesadillas

*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.

We have a new favorite, quick and easy meal or snack at my house - Quesadillas. They are so simple to make from whatever you have on hand. I am completely surprised by families sudden enthusiasm for quesadillas. When they were little, my kids would always turn their nose up at the option of quesadillas when we went out for Mexican. The good news is that they ate Mexican food and didn't just ask for the hot dog or chicken nuggets.

Anyway, back to the quesadilla explosion. It all started one day with leftovers. We had grilled some chicken the night before and had some leftover. Most of the chicken was eaten as a topping for salad, but there was a small amount left and my husband asked for a quesadilla. We took the leftover chicken and chopped it up, placing it on one tortilla in a small skillet and then added peppers, onions and cheese and warmed it up to melt the cheese. Since that day, they have become a go to request for a leftover or grab what you want type meal.

I generally have some tortillas on hand because soft tacos are a popular go to menu option, but lately I have had to add tortillas (Chi Chi's tortillas are our go to brand) to my 'pantry' shopping and make sure that I have an extra pack on hand, so that we don't run out.

I think my favorite part is how versatile a quesadilla can be. You can chose to have no meat or whatever meat you have on hand (typically leftovers) - chicken, ground meat, sausage, pepperoni. You can use any type of cheese - cheddar, mozzarella, goat. You can add a variety of vegetables - onions, hot peppers, bell peppers, squash. You can serve it with any number of dips - sour cream, salsa, queso, ranch, pizza sauce. Essentially, you can make it your own and everyone can have their own variety with ease.

My small skillet is the perfect size to fit a soft taco shell. It's non-stick and the quesadilla only takes a few minutes to warm over a medium heat. I also like that it is easy for the kids to make their own too. It may just be a phase, but for now quesadillas are a quick, easy snack or meal option for our family.

What is your go to snack? How do you repurpose leftovers?

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 samples for my family to try. I also receive thought starters, information and photos that can be used in a post.

CiCi's Drink Up Summer Promotion & $5 Buffets in July! *

*No compensation was received for this post. A complimentary gift card and information about the promotion was provided. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

Yesterday was just one of those days. I hadn't planned anything specific for dinner...I should know better than to not plan out my menu for the week...so I sent my husband a text asking, what should we have for dinner. He sent back a suggestion that felt a little 'eh' about, so I said so.

Then, he suggested CiCi's Pizza. I had been planning to suggest that for this weekend knowing that they were running their $5 Buffet special and because I wanted to get new pictures of the kids - the picture studio we use is next door to our CiCi's. I told him that we could do that, if he could convince the kids that we were going to do pictures before dinner. They agreed, so I made a picture appointment and our dinner plans were set.

After the picture session, where the kids did better a job than usual of cooperating and getting through the session quickly, we headed next door to CiCi's. The line was out the door. Peeking in, we could see that the tables were mostly full and each time they cleared one, there was someone waiting to sit down. I wasn't completely surprised, they offer a good variety of pizzas on their buffet to appeal to everyone in the family, and in July, they are offering their buffet for just $5 a person (kids are cheaper - only $2.99, but that is the regular price). It was a reasonable night out, our total bill for the night was under $20. Not bad for a family dinner out that everyone enjoys.

I don't have Instagram, but if you do you will want to check out CiCi's Drink Up Summer Promotion that is running right now.

CiCi’s is giving fans the chance to win VIP vacations, grab instant-win prizes and get lucky with an Instagram contest.

Guests can visit their local CiCi’s for details on how to win one of four all-inclusive VIP vacations, one-day passes to SeaWorld or Busch Gardens or $25 in CiCi’s gift cards. The contest runs through Sept. 1.

In addition, throughout July, CiCi’s Pizza is offering its endless pizza, pasta, soup, salad and dessert buffet for just $5 at participating restaurants.

No compensation was received for this post. A complimentary gift card and information about the promotion was provided. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

Little Caesars Fresh Dough - a giveaway

When it comes to pizza, the dough really can make or break a pizza. My husband is such a big fan of the dough, that there are actually times where he will order a pizza with double dough. I have to say that I have heard of double cheese and double meat, but double dough really caught me off guard the first time that I heard him order it.

Speaking of dough, have you seen the newest campaign from Little Caesars? I must admit that I rather enjoy their quirky commercials.

When it comes to quality, Little Caesars is serious! Seriously, we make fresh dough every day in each store!



If you are ready to give it a try, you can find your local Little Caesars location here!

Want to see more? You can find Little Caesars on Facebook and on Twitter

Giveaway!
Courtesy of Little Caesars, one A Busy Mom of Two reader will win a $10 Gift Card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway will remain open through February 18th. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. One winner will be selected through Rafflecopter. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

No compensation was received for this post. Little Caesars provided my family with a $5 gift card, as well as the information for this post and the gift card for the giveaway. All opinions expressed are entirely my own or that of my family.

DiGiorno Deal

A week or so ago, there was a coupon on Coupons.com for Buy 2 Get 1 Free DiGiorno Pizza deal (it was still available the other day). I printed it off, knowing that I was in the midst of defrosting my freezer and soon would be ready to stock up.

I went to Walmart and combined it with the iBotta coupon and got a great deal on pizzas.

6 - DiGiorno pizzas @ $4.98

-$4.98 DiGiorno B2G1 IP
-$4.98 DiGiorno B2G1 IP

Total $19.92 OOP

-$1 iBotta coupon

= $3.15 each net cost for the pizza.

Now, I purchased in two separate transactions, because I noticed that iBotta tends to bring back variations on the same offers. Unfortunately, their variation on this one was for a traditional crust, which I didn't buy or I could have gotten an additional $1 back.

Little Caesars - HOT-N-READY PIZZA-N-WINGS and a Giveaway

I don't know about you, but sometimes when life gets busy like it does as we prep for the holidays, I am thankful for the opportunity to take a break from cooking and pick something up for dinner. With the $5 HOT-N-READY Large Pepperoni Pizza and the $6 HOT-N-READY Caesar Wings, Little Caesars is one place that this can be easily done. Of course, I would have to add in an order of their Crazy Bread, because I simply can't resist it.

Have you seen their new commercials? I enjoy the quirkiness of their commercials.

Picking up a large, HOT-N-READY pizza from Little Caesars is so easy, why even a mime can do it! No calling, no waiting, just a large, pepperoni pizza, fresh out of the oven, whenever you walk in! And don't forget to add a delicious order of our HOT-N-READY Caesar Wings!

Mime


Then, there is this commercial too:

Stargazer


Learn more about Little Caesars on their site or find a store near you here.

Join up with Little Caesars on Facebook and Twitter.

Giveaway!

Courtesy of Little Caesars, I have the opportunity to give away to 1 (one) A Busy Mom of Two reader a $10 Gift Card to Little Caesars. You could try both their $5 HOT-N-READY Large Pepperoni Pizza and the $6 HOT-N-READY Caesar Wings, for only $1 with this gift card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway will remain open through December 26th. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. One winner will be selected through Rafflecopter. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

No compensation was received for this post. Little Caesars provided my family with a $5 gift card, as well as the information for this post and the gift card for the giveaway. All opinions expressed are entirely my own or that of my family.

DiGiorno House Party

As a participant on HouseParty, I have signed up for a chance to host a number of parties, and occasionally, I'm one of the lucky ones selected to host a party. Recently, I was selected to host a DiGiorno HouseParty.

A few weeks ago, our party pack arrived. It included rally beads for the guests, a football shaped hot pad, a pizza cutter, some stickers to allow the guests to proclaim why they believe that DiGiorno is better than Delivery and of course, product coupons. They all came in this really cute pizza box, like you get with delivery. There were free pizza coupons for us to use in hosting the party and some $4 coupons to share with the guests.

When we headed to the store the other day to pick up some pizzas, I was amazed by the varieties they offered. Not only did they have different types of toppings, they also had different varieties of crust. I have never had DiGiorno before, so I was excited to try all of the varieties. We selected a thin crust, a rising crust, a stuffed crust, an ultimate toppings, a supreme pizza and a chicken pizza. I was excited to find a supreme pizza with no mushrooms. As a non-mushroom eater, it is always frustrating to me when my only choices seem to be cheese, pepperoni or meat. It is nice to be able to have more toppings on a frozen pizza, just like a fresh one.

We had everyone over last night for pizza and games (although, we never got around to games, we were too busy just visiting). We had bagel chips and cut vegetables with dip, salads, cheese ball, nuts and M&Ms for munching with our pizza and then we had brownie ice cream sundaes for dessert. We started with two pizzas, the supreme and the rising crust cheese. With only one oven, I figured two at a time would be my limit. We selected the cheese for the kids and the supreme for the adults. Then, as the evening progressed we put in different varieties.

Compared to the lackluster delivery available locally, these pizzas definitely had the edge. The sauce was flavorful. The dough was chewy, but not too chewy. The toppings were flavorful, although (much like delivery) there wasn't always enough of some of the toppings. There was a good variety, so you could choose the pizza that fits your taste.

Everyone tried many of the varieties, but there definitely were favorites. For me, the supreme was my favorite. Again, I love to have toppings on my pizza but do not like mushrooms. It was very flavorful with a tasty sauce, some peppers, onions and pepperoni. I also liked that it was a thin crust, which is my favorite style of crust. I know that one of my guests really enjoyed the Spicy Chicken. I didn't have that one (it was the 4th pizza I made and I was starting to get very full), but did have a piece of chicken that had fallen off and it definitely had a good flavor. The one family indicated that they normally bought the stuffed crust pizza and were excited to try the other varieties as well and also enjoyed that there was a supreme pizza choice with no mushrooms.

As I shared the coupons with the guests at the end of the evening, ever being on the look out for a deal, I made sure to mention that one of our local grocery stores had them all on sale for $4.88 this week. With the coupons I was sharing, that meant that they could get a pizza for just $0.88 - which is much cheaper than delivery too.

Of course, I didn't think to grab my camera during the party, so there are no pictures of the pizza party itself to share.

I received no compensation for this post. As a participant in the DiGiorno HouseParty, I received stuff to share with my guests as well as coupons for free pizza and $4 coupons to share with guests.

Cheeseburger Pizza

In the wintertime, I have a tendency to want to make a lot of warm, comfort foods, but if I make those everyday, they have a tendency to get boring. So sometimes, you have to mix it up. One recipe that let's me mix it up, and reminds me of the tastes of summer is Cheeseburger Pizza.

Cheeseburger Pizza
3/4# lean ground beef, browned and drained
1 large bread shell
1/2 c Ketchup
Mustard
2 c shredded sharp cheddar
onion rings

Place bread shell on baking sheet. Spread ketchup on shell and then add mustard in a criss-cross fashion. Top with beef, cheese and onion rings.

Bake in a preheated oven at 425 for 12-15 minutes, until cheese is melted and onion rings browned.

I typically have browned ground beef in my freezer and since this uses a store purchased pizza shell, this is also a meal that can be put together in no time.

For more quick winter meals, check out Life As Mom Ultimate Recipe Swap.

For more recipes, check out the Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap.

Free Lunch - Domino's 4/29

There seems to be no end to the free and cheap food lately.

Tomorrow only (4/29), from 11 am - 2 pm, Domino's is offering free Bread Bowl Pasta. Offer is for carry-out at participating locations on select varieties (so maybe not all 5 flavors are available). I called my local store and they are participating in this event. The told me that I could call ahead or walk in and order.

There are five varieties and they normally are $5.99 each ($4.99 if you skip the bread).

To find a location near you, you can check here. The selection of Bread Bowl Pastas are also shown on this front page. As always, call your location to confirm they are participating.

For dessert on Wednesday night, don't forget to stop over at Baskin Robbins.