12/18/15

Giveaway! Sweet Holiday Cookie Gift Ideas #SpreadCookieJoy #MyKrusteaz

Disclosure: I received product at no charge in exchange for my honest review.
This year is the first time I've ever tried Krusteaz cookie mixes. They sent me a big package of five different cookie mixes, plus goodies like a tote bag, apron, cookie cutters, decorating pen, Ball mason jar, and even some recipe ideas. I donned my new apron and headed off to the kitchen with my tote bag full of baking gear.
My goal was to come up with as many different cookie gifts as I could with my cookie mixes. I started with the Oatmeal Scotchie cookie mix. They are really easy to make and come with butterscotch chips already in the mix. I only needed to add one egg and one stick of butter to the cookie mix for perfect cookies.
I made about two dozen cookies from the Krusteaz mix and put a coffee-glaze drizzle on half of them to make the Jolty Scotchies recipe from the idea on the box. They are SO delicious! Krusteaz also offers other stir-in ideas on the box so I can make them different every time.
Next, I used the Shortbread Cookie Mix to make Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies. I added one stick of butter to the cookie mix and the raspberry jam after they cooled. The Krusteaz box says it will make about 3 dozen shortbread cookies, but I used larger cookie balls to make them thicker because I love shortbread so I got about 2 dozen.
The Shortbread mix felt dry when I first started working it, but I used my hands to knead it well and the dough came together beautifully. I used a wooden cookie press to make the raspberry jam indentations after they came out of the oven. They are simply beautiful and very tasty!
The Butter Vanilla Sugar Cookie Mix is perfect for making traditional decorated Christmas cookies. If you need a gift idea for someone who loves to bake, you could create a cookie gift basket with a box of Krusteaz Butter Vanilla Sugar Cookie mix, a set of mini cookie cutters, and an icing decorating pen!
The Krusteaz sugar cookie mix is wonderfully easy to work with for making Christmas cookies. I rolled out my cookie dough with loose flour on a piece of parchment paper. The mini cookie cutters come in 12 different shapes, plus I used my own circle cutters to make some larger snowman cookies.
Then I used the icing pen and some sprinkles to decorate them. They are light and crispy! I always include some traditional cookies in my gifts that I give to my neighbors each year. I like to give baked goods as gifts because I know they will be enjoyed and I love to bake!
The Krusteaz Gingerbread Cookie smells wonderful. Another wonderful cookie gift idea is to put the cookie mix into a Ball Mason Jar, like the one Krusteaz sent to me, and make a little recipe tag that tells how to create the cookies. Attach it with some string and put a bow on top for the perfect gift. The Ball Mason Jar is also the perfect size to store all 12 of the mini cookie cutters, so that would be another clever gift idea!
I noticed the Gingerbread Cake recipe on the back of the box, so I decided to make little gingerbread cakes with my eight-loaf pan. I got eight delightfully fluffy cakes from one box. I dusted each one with sifted powdered sugar and they are ready for gift-giving!
The Krusteaz Snickerdoodle Cookie Mix is my husband's favorite. On the box was a recipe idea to make Cocoa Snickerdoodles by adding a bit of cocoa to the included cinnamon sugar packet, so that's what I made from the cookie mix. I am so thrilled with the Krusteaz cookie mixes and my holiday cookies have never looked more festive! I even picked up some of their bread mixes at the grocery store to try them out too.
I found some glass bowls with lids that are perfect for gift-giving and bought some holiday-printed wax paper to put in the bottom of each bowl. Using the lid of each bowl as a guide, I cut the wax paper just a bit bigger than the lid, then set them in the bottom of each bowl. I filled the bowls with the cookies and cakes, sealed the lids tight, and gave them to my neighbors and to my mail carrier. They were so happy and everyone raved about the holiday treats!
Visit www.krusteaz.com to find out how you can Spread Cookie Joy this holiday season! They have tons of great ideas for using their cookie mixes to make delicious treats. For even more great food ideas, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Click HERE for a money-saving coupon! Don't forget to enter to win a Krusteaz Cookie Joy Package below!

Win a Krusteaz Cookie Joy Package!
One winner will win ALL of the following:
  • Two boxes each of the following mixes: Shortbread, Gingerbread, Snickerdoodle, Butter Vanilla Sugar and Oatmeal Scotchie
  • Fun holiday baking items like an apron, tote bag, cookie cutters, frosting decorating pen and a mason jar (for gifting and storage!)
  • Holiday cookie recipe ideas for inspiration
To enter, just fill in the giveaway form below. Giveaway is open to US residents ages 18 and up. Giveaway ends on 12/30/2015. Good luck and Merry Christmas!

Enter my other giveaways HERE.
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12/17/15

Freely Subscription Box Curated by DUCK DYNASTY's Korie & Sadie Robertson

Disclosure: I received product at no charge in exchange for my honest review.
I love subscription boxes because every month is a total surprise. It's so much fun to unpack the box and see all the gifts inside! The Freely Subscription Box is for Christian women. It's filled with both spiritual products and active lifestyle products. The December box, shown here, features products hand-picked by Duck Dynasty’s Korie and Sadie Robertson.
I opened my box and was delighted at the attention to the box itself. It features a Bible verse inside the lid and all the gifts were wrapped up together in tissue paper. It's perfect for gift-giving since it comes pre-wrapped.
Inside I found "Strong and Kind; and other important character traits your child needs to succeed, with stories and wisdom from Willie Robertson. I'm excited to delve into the book and enjoy it over the holiday season!
I also found a beautiful hardbound journal. On the front it reads "Being kind makes you feel happy" quoted by Sadie Robertson. It features a sparkling purple elastic wrap to keep it tightly closed. Inside the book, I found lined pages that each have a Bible verse at the bottom. I'm inspired to write!
Next, I discovered the Scripture Shareables - Share Courage box of 32 cards in a carrying case. On each glossy cardstock card is a Bible verse that inspires us to courage. These cards are perfect for tucking into lunchboxes and holiday gift cards, or leave one on the dinner table each night!
I also discovered a big textured magnet in the Freely box. It says "Being perfect isn't as important as being real." That's a great reminder! I'm going to put it on the front of my refrigerator so that I see it every day.
Inside the December box was also one of the most unique necklaces I've ever seen. The pendant, which looks like a big diamond, is made out of wood. It's the Sadie Robertson "Live Original" necklace from YouWood.
The last item in my Freely box was a delicious Dark Chocolate Cherry and Sea Salt snack bar from This Bar Saves Lives. Honestly, any subscription box for women should have chocolate inside! It's the perfect healthy snack to eat while I read my new book!
I think the Freely monthly subscription box is fantastic! It's only $35 per month and shipping is free. Freely believes in giving back, so $5 from every box subscription each month is donated to The A21 Campaign, a non-profit fighting against human trafficking. Each monthly box is curated by a different featured celebrity. You can send a one-time Freely Box for any occasion, try their 3-month subscription for just $99, or sign up for a whole year!

12/15/15

Weekly Giveaway Linky - Wednesday Wealth (December 16-22)


Everyone loves winning a prize!
If you're hosting a giveaway, link it up below to drive more entrants to your site.
If you'd like to enter the giveaways, just click on them to visit the giveaway!
Thanks for stopping by today!

Acer Chromebook R11 Review #tech

Disclosure: I received product at no charge in exchange for my honest review.
If you're looking for an affordable mobile computing option for your family, I highly recommend the Acer Chromebook R11. I've been using it for the past week and I am absolutely thrilled with it. Since I already use Chrome on my home computer, setting up the Acer Chromebook R11 was simple -- all I had to do was sign into my account and all my bookmarks were there!
It's under 12 inches wide, which makes it easy to take wherever I go, and since it's lightweight, it's a much better option than my big laptop. The Acer Chromebook R11 is now my official travel computer! The keyboard is big enough that I don't feel all scrunched up like when I use a tablet.
The Acer Chromebook R11 is also pretty thin. I used to lug my backpack around to travel with my other laptop, but this fits nicely into a small totebag and makes being mobile much simpler. It has a nice big touchpad right in front of the keyboard too!
The most wonderful thing about the Acer Chromebook R11 is the versatility. The screen half connects to the keyboard half with full flexibility to go from a laptop computer to a flat tablet. I can use it at any angle that is comfortable for me, depending on where I'm using it and what I'm doing with it.
I love using it as a tablet when I'm scrolling through my social media, especially when I'm lounging in my recliner. If I'm sitting at a table watching movies or videos, I like to set it up like a tent, but if I'm watching a movie in my lap or on my bed, I like to use it as a stand.
The Acer Chromebook R11 runs on Chrome OS, which I've been using for years and love it. Here are the full specs on the computer: Intel Celeron N3150 Quad-core 1.60 GHz, 11.6" HD (1366 x 768) 16:9 IPS, Intel HD Graphics with Shared Memory, 2 GB, DDR3L SDRAM, 32 GB Flash Memory.
It comes with a touchscreen, a webcam, and a microphone too. It will run up to 10 hours on a charge! Since my husband is the more technical one of the two of us, I also asked his opinion of the Acer Chromebook R11 and he says this is definitely one of the better ones he's seen.
The Acer Chromebook R11 is an excellent computer and a great value. If you want an affordable computer for yourself or your kids this holiday season, I absolutely recommend this one! Visit Acer at us.acer.com to see all their products and get your holiday shopping done today. Follow them on Twitter too!

12/14/15

Giveaway! $25 Barnes and Noble Gift Card #BearyMerryHoliday #GiveawayHop

It's time for
A Beary Merry Holiday
Giveaway Hop!

Hosted by LeahSay's Views
December 15-January 1
Enter to win a
$25 Barnes and Noble Gift Card!
Giveaway open to US residents, ages 18+
Giveaway ends 1/1/2016
Enter on the giveaway form below.
Good luck!

Enter my other giveaways HERE.
Follow me on Facebook HERE.

Philips Norelco Shaver 9700 for Tech-Savvy Guys

Disclosure: I received product at no charge in exchange for my honest review. 
The Philips Norelco Shaver 9700 is the perfect shaver for the tech-savvy guy. I received one for review and my husband was thrilled to try it out for me. I unpacked the box (below) to show you everything that came in the box:
Inside the zipper pouch (which is perfect for traveling with the shaver) was the shaver base and the triple shaver head. In the box, there was also a trimmer head, an electrical cord for charging, and a SmartClean base with a cleaning cartridge.
The Philips Norelco Shaver 9700 features contour detect technology, which means the heads contour in eight directions. As he shaves, the head rotates around all the curves of his face to make sure he doesn't miss any sections of hair as he shaves, and the blades tilt to remove up to 20% more hair in a single pass.
The lift-and-cut, v-track precision blade system cuts hair up to 30% closer and gives him a very smooth shave (which I love). There are three speed settings and the front of the shaver has a digital user interface with motion sensor. Since it is a wet-dry shaver, he can even use it in the shower!
The SmartClick heads snap off to allow him to easily change switch between the triple head shaver and the trimmer blade. It has lithium-ion power which gives him 50 shaving minutes (which is about 17 shaves) after just an hour of charging.
The Philips Norelco 9700 is easy to use and even easier to clean. My husband always complained about the shavers that come with all those little cleaning brushes and oils. This one comes with the SmartClean base that takes care of everything.
To use it, he just sets the shaver into the base to clean hair, foam and gel off the blades. The cleaning cartridge is filled with an alcohol-free, skin-friendly cleaning formula. As it cleans, it also lubricates the blades to reduce friction and keep the blades in top condition.
When it's done cleaning, it even dries the shaver. The SmartClean base also charges the shaver! My husband and I are both very impressed with the Philips Norelco Shaver 9700. He loves how easy it is to use (and clean) and I love the super smoothness of his face!
The Philips Norelco Shaver 9700 is the perfect holiday gift idea for the tech-savvy guy. Give one to your husband and one to each of your teenage sons. Visit www.philips.com for more information and to place your order for the holidays! Be sure to follow them at @PhilipsNorelco too!