Tap Influence

Target Cartwheel

0 · Sep 23, 2014 ·

It’s no secret that I have a long time crush with Target. It started when I was a little girl, I still remember shopping trips with my Mom that just made my heart sing. When I was about 7 or 8 I remember a purple coat that I found at Target that I thought was the coolest coat I had ever seen. My Mom made my dreams come true and bought the coat as a Christmas present. I thought I was the coolest kid on the block. I think that shopping trip was the beginning of my long time crush! It’s crazy to think how the world has changed since then, shopping isn’t just shopping any more. It’s a full interactive experience that has empowered us as consumers to participate even more in the shopping experience at Target. For example, have you used Target’s new Cartwheel app?

I will have to admit that I was a little slow in adopting the new app. I just wanted to go shopping and I didn’t really have time to play around with an app. Boy was I wrong!

My daughter Haley started her first job this summer and it was a no brainer to apply for a job at our favorite store! She had a ball working at Target! She was constantly coming home asking, “have you seen what’s on Cartwheel this week?” “Mom! All of the kids clothes are 30% off on Cartwheel right now!” or, “Mom, did you know that you can just scan an item and the app will tell you if there is a deal or not?” She was constantly telling me all kinds of Target Cartwheel gems. Of course I had to investigate further.

If you aren’t familiar with Cartwheel, it’s an app that is available for iOS or Android users. It’s packed full of fantastic deals on everything from food, household supplies, clothing, toys, electronics… The list goes on an on. These are deals that are only found in Cartwheel and they can be stacked on top of other coupons or store deals. It’s so cool! For example, a few months ago, Target has these super cute folding chairs that were on sale in the Target circular one week. The price was already reduced but… They also had an additional percentage off within the Cartwheel app. Total score!! I ended up getting 4 chairs for a really good price.

The app is so easy to use. You can either scroll through the deals by department or even by what’s trending or you can just scan an item and see if there are any available deals.

Once you find an item that you would like to add to your list, you click on the item and you can add it to your item list.

You can add up to 14 items to your list at one time. You can even earn more spots by sharing your deals on social media.

I decided I wanted to grab some new storage baskets, they are on sale for 15% off.

I grabbed my basket and then headed to checkout. When I am checking out, I show my special bar code to the cashier and magically the savings just stack-up.

It’s as easy as that. Cartwheel even keeps track of your savings. So far I’ve saved $42.20 and quite frankly, every penny counts. I just love cartwheel!! It’s so easy to use and I always feel like they are extra special deals just for me. Have you used Cartwheel? What are your favorite Cartwheel features?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Target. The opinions and text are all mine.

Almond Pumpkin Bread Pudding Topped with Maple Butter Glaze

1 · Sep 18, 2014 ·

It’s finally here… PUMPKIN SEASON!! Oh my stars, this is truly my favorite season of the year. The chill that’s in the air, the leaves are hinting of change. Starbucks has busted PSL out of the vault. I’m not a coffee drinker, but even I can sense how big that is. Baking season has arrived and with it, all kinds of fabulous new pumpkin recipes. I’ve created the most scrumptious Almond Pumpkin Bread Pudding that your family and friends are going to die over!

This simple bread pudding recipe is a cinch to make and it packs a huge pumpkin wallop. The cool thing is that I make it with SEVEN basic ingredients. Bread, Silk Almond Milk, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, one can of pure pumpkin, honey and topped with slivered almonds. I love baking with the whole family of Silk products. I especially love the flavor that the Vanilla Almond Milk adds to the flavor profile for this dish. Many of you know that I cook quite a bit with Silk. I love that it’s a natural plant based protein rather than animal based. It’s heart healthy with no fat or cholesterol. It’s low in calories, high in vitamins and is GMO free. You can’t beat all of that! You can learn even more about Silk and all of it’s amazing benefits here.

That is why I choose Silk Almond Milk over regular cows milk to make the custard for my Almond Pumpkin Bread Pudding and the glaze that I top it with.

Almond Pumpkin Bread Pudding Recipe

1 loaf of hearty bread (I used a pumpkin struesal bread from Target, but you can use virtually any hearty bread for this recipe.)

3 cups Silk Almond Milk

6 eggs

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 can of pure pumpkin puree

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons slivered almonds

First, you take your hearty bread, like I said before, I used a pumpkin streusal bread but, you can use any bread of your liking. You could use a cinnamon bread, a crusty loaf of French bread or even a hearty wheat. It’s really whatever you like.

Cut the bread into cubes and place in a small baking dish that has been covered in a non-stick cooking spray.

Next, you need to mix your custard in either a mixer or blender. My blender bit the dust this summer, so I opted for my mixerAdd your Silk Almond Milk and eggs.

Your pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin puree.

and your honey and mix until your custard is mixed well.

Pour over your cubed bread and top with slivered almonds.

Cover with foil and place in a 350˚ oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and place back in the oven for an additional 40 minutes or until the top has brown and the pudding has set.

I top mine with a butter maple glaze. Here is the recipe for that…

Butter Maple Glaze Recipe

1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar

1 tablespoon Silk Almond Milk

a SMALL splash of maple and butter extracts

a small pinch of salt

In a small bowl whisk together the Silk Almond Milk and powdered sugar. You want the glaze to be rather thick. Add a few drops of maple extract and butter extract and a pinch of salt. Whisk together well.

You could really use any extracts that you like. Vanilla, Almond or even Rum if you like. Top your warm bread pudding with the glaze and serve.

This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

For more Silk inspiration follow them on Facebook or sign-up for their mailing list. They have great giveaways all the time, plus great coupons and fantastic ideas on how to add more plant protein into your life!

Disclaimer // This post is sponsored by Silk Almond Milk. I have received payment for recipe development along with my post. However, all thoughts, ideas and opinions are my very own.

Filet of Sirloin with Rosemary Butter // Recipe

2 · Aug 28, 2014 · Leave a Comment

Filet of Sirloin with Rosemary Butter Recipe // There are some times in life when there is nothing better than a good steak. Seriously… nothing better!! My love of steak started with my first pregnancy. I couldn’t get enough steak. I wanted it morning, noon and night. I tried all different kinds of recipes and basically every form of steak that you could imagine. You know what I learned… When it comes to a good steak recipe, keep it SIMPLE!

Let the steak shine and take center stage. Recently, I had the opportunity to sample some Certified Angus Beef® brand steaks and boy can those steaks SING!

When you have a good quality steak, you really don’t need anything else other than some salt and pepper and a few simple rules for the grill, maybe a touch of herbs. I found a great recipe on the Certified Angus Beef® brand website for Grilled Ribeye Steak with Classic Steak Butter and put my little spin on it.

First of all, I used a Filet of Sirloin rather than the Ribeye cut and simplified the recipe down to a few basic simple ingredients.

Filet of Sirloin with Rosemary Butter

4 Filet of Sirloin

generous salt and pepper

1/2 stick of unsalted butter at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon of fresh minced rosemary

a pinch of salt

Season the steak generously with salt and pepper. Place on a very hot grill. After 2 minutes, flip the steak over and cook for another 2 minutes. Continue that process until you get to the temperature that you prefer. We like our steak medium rare, so we grilled our steak for a total of 12 minutes, turning it every 2 minutes. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

For the butter, place the room temperature butter in a small bowl with a pinch of salt and the minced rosemary. Stir until completely combined. Place on a sheet of parchment paper and roll butter into a log. Place in freezer for 20 minutes. Once butter is chilled, cut into medallions and place on hot steak and serve.

This quite honestly is my all-time favorite meal. I paired it with smashed fingerling potatoes and some grilled peaches and it was truly divine. We also applied the same recipe and cooking method with some New York Strip Steaks and paired them with the smashed fingerling potatoes and thick slices of beef steak tomatoes topped with salt, pepper and chives. Seriously, this meal is out of this world!

When you have quality meat like the Certified Angus Beef® brand, you know that you are getting quality steaks and pairing them with simple, yet flavorful sides will take your meal or event to a whole new level. To find where you can purchase Certified Angus Beef® brand products visit their site to find a location in your area!

What is your favorite way to serve steak? Looking for more inspiration? Follow the folks at the Certified Angus Beef® brand on Instagram for all kinds of mouth watering ideas!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Certified Angus Beef via Burst Media. The opinions and text are all mine.

Life is Good in the Kitchen When You have the BEST Chicken Salad Recipe

0 · Jul 14, 2014 ·

Chicken Salad Recipe // It has long been said that the kitchen is the heart of the home and I whole heartedly subscribe to that idea. When it comes to house hunting, the very first thing I look at is the kitchen. If it’s not up to muster, I won’t even bother with the rest of the house. It’s truly that important to me. It needs to be spacious, light and very functional. It needs to have a welcoming feeling where friends and family feel natural and at home. I spend 90% of my day in the kitchen, no joke, and through that room I connect with those that I love.

Growing up some of my favorite memories are from the kitchen’s of my Mom and my Grandfather. I have amazing memories of fabulous feasts along with simple memories of sitting with my Grandfather in the morning while he ate his breakfast. He always had olives, cheese and toast for breakfast. The good olives and cheese that were like a foreign language to me. He would always give me a taste and my face would go squiggie with the new sour flavors that my young palette had yet to grow accustomed to.

I have memories of my Mom making some fabulous holiday dinners in tiny kitchens that boggle my mind when I think about it today. How on earth she managed to cook those masterpieces with a tiny oven and hardly any work space just blows me away. I learned so much from her and my Grandfather when it comes to home cooking. They taught be to be fearless!

Together my Mom and Grandfather along with hundreds, if not thousands of hours watching the food network… I feel like I’ve earned a pretty good home cook degree. One of my favorite shows right now is The Kitchen on the Food Network. I TiVo it every week! One of it’s co-hosts is Katie Lee one of my favorite home cooks. Katie has published a couple of cookbooks focused on The Comfort Table. She also has fabulous tips and tricks on how to make comfort food a little easier on the waistline! On top of that she also stars in the LG videos showcasing their products. She is a master of seasonal ingredients and I love learning from her when I watch each episode of The Kitchen.

Now speaking of The Kitchen… Have you seen the kitchen set that Katie gets to work with? Wow, if I could work in a kitchen like that someday, I would be in Heaven! If you haven’t seen it yet… You need to watch an episode and look at this kitchen marvel. First off, the color of the open cabinets is divine, the subway tile, the decorative chalkboards. As far as style is concerned, they nailed it! But did they nail function? Of course! Their kitchen is packed full of aaaamazing LG appliances. Like have you seen the LG Door-in-Door™ Refrigerator?

Brilliant!! It’s like they get me! My kiddos are constantly asking for snacks this summer and rummaging around the fridge. This Door-in-Door™ feature allows you to place approved snacks in the first door and they don’t even have to get their grubby hands inside the main refrigerator. Again, brilliant!

Want a chance to win one of these babies? Visit the LG Door-in-Door™ Facebook page for the Life is Good in the Kitchen, “Caption This” contest for a chance to win a LG Door-in-Door™ Refrigerator of your very own!

One of my favorite recipes that I would love to keep in the LG Door-in-Door™ Refrigerator is my recipe for The BEST chicken salad EVER!!

Seriously beyond good! This is recipe is what makes life good in MY kitchen. It’s one of those summer comfort salads that you can keep stocked in the fridge all summer and your family will LOVE you!

Classic Chicken Salad Recipe

3 large chicken breasts

1 tablespoons dried onion

1 teaspoon salt

2 bay leaves

6 whole all-spice berries

1/2 teaspoon whole cumin

1 1/2 cups of diced celery including the leaves

1 1/2 red grapes – halved

1 large apple – diced

1/2 of a small red onion – diced

1/2 cup cornichion pickles – diced (small dill pickles if you can’t find the cornichion)

2 tablespoons pickle juice

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

salt & pepper

Place chicken, dried onion, salt, bay leaves, all-spice and cumin in a medium sauce pan and cover with water. Place over high heat until it comes to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium high and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through. Remove the chicken from the water and place in a Ziploc bag and refrigerate until the chicken has been thoroughly chilled.

In a large bowl add your diced celery, onion, apple, grapes and pickles. Cut your chicken into small bite-sized pieces and add to the bowl. Add the mayonnaise and pickle juice and combine the mixture thoroughly. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Serve with crackers or make into chicken salad sandwiches with your favorite bread or croissants.

So… what makes life good in your kitchen? Do you have some fun kitchen memories? Or, a favorite recipe? Make sure you head over to the LG Facebook page to enter to win the new LG Door-in-Door™ Refrigerator!

LG Home Appliances are your partner in creating memorable cooking experiences and “Life’s Good” moments in the kitchen.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of LG. The opinions and text are all mine.

Tap Influence

Almond Pumpkin Bread Pudding Recipe

Butter Maple Glaze Recipe

Filet of Sirloin with Rosemary Butter

Classic Chicken Salad Recipe

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