Giveaway from Shabby Apple!

Are you familiar with Shabby Apple?  I've seen their products all over the web, and was so excited when I was given the opportunity to offer y'all a giveaway!  I was familiar with the cute line of women's dresses, but they also have the most adorable little girls dresses!

SO.CUTE!!  

And, since it seems like half of the bloggers out there are preggars, they have super cute maternity dresses too!

Show off that baby bump this Valentine's Day ;)

Not only do they offer clothing, but vintage jewelry and other cool accessories too.

So....what am I giving away today?

'The Duchess'

You will feel like royalty when wearing this vintage style black cameo necklace with a gold metal setting!  (It is suspended from a 24” long chain.  A $52 value!)

How can this be yours?!  Two ways - enter my giveaway, or order NOW :)  Shabby Apple is graciously offering a 10% off coupon code to all Mo'Betta readers.  Just use the code "lightofmine10off" before February 9, 2012!  

To enter the giveaway for the pictured cameo-

*MANDATORY* as in, you have to do it to qualify :)

"Like" Mo'Betta AND Shabby Apple on FACEBOOK.  Come back here and leave a comment that you did both. (leave a comment on either/both walls for extra entries!)

For extra entries - the more you do, the better your chances!

*Follow Mo'Betta via email, Twitter, Pinterest, GFC, Networked Blogs (all buttons in right side bar) - extra entry for each

*Like Shabby Apple on Twitter

*Spread the word about the giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, Google+, Blog (2 extra entries for each way!)

The fine print - 

Contest winners must have a US shipping address.  No exchanges on winning piece of jewelry.

GIVEAWAY ENDS FEB.14, 2012 at midnight (EST)

Semi Homemade Chocolate Frosting!

I made homemade frosting for the first time last year.  It was delish and I decided I would never use canned frosting again.  Well.  I was wrong.  Sometimes frosting from the can is a quickie way to 'get er done', as was the case not too long ago.  So, after doing a little research, I found a way to "spruce up" your traditional canned frosting to make it a little.....mo'betta ;)

* add 1/2 t. instant coffee granules (or more if you want to taste the coffee) to 1 t. hot water.  Let cool.

*Put can of chocolate frosting in a mixing bowl

*Add 1 T. dark chocolate syrup

*Add cooled coffee to frosting & syrup

*Mix with electric mixer until mixed together, light and fluffy

Voila! Semi-homemade chocolate frosting, and no one will be the wiser.

I'm linking this post with Eat at Home for Ingredient Spotlight: coffee

Friday Fun Finds

As a member of Influenster, I occasionally get sent cool products to try and review.  These goodies were from the Holiday VoxBox.  I love Larabar and buy them on a regular basis.  Same with the Mentos gum.  I like the Coconut Scrub Softsoap, and the NYC Liquid Lip Shine, but the product that really surprised me was the imPRESS Press On Manicure!  These nails go on in a matter of minutes, and actually STAY ON.  For like DAYS.  I had mine on for 5 days before I took them off (b/c I'm not used to having any length on my nails!).  I didn't have to reapply them at all.  I was amazed that a press on nail would have that kind of staying power.  Especially since I was in and out of boxes, packing up Christmas, etc.  I was not gentle on them!  I wasn't crazy about the particular design I received, but they have lots to choose from, so the next time I need a quickie mani - for a party, wedding, whatever...I'm going to get some more of these nails!

Another great find for the kids (and me!)

photo

Ocean Spray Fruit Snacks

I'm usually not a fan of fruit snacks, but these are awesome.  They have a great soft texture, not plastic-y like some others.  The kids and I really liked them.  Unfortunately, I haven't found them in my local grocery stores yet.  I was able to try them as a member of Pssst (a General Mills Network) where I occasionally receive information and free products from General Mills.

And while we're on the subject of food (when am I not on that subject!)

I found this at Target.  My kids loved it. 

Nutritional stats - no saturated fat, 3 g of fiber, 8 g of sugar

stats from our beloved Cinnamon Toast Crunch. 

and this little gadget.  How cool is that?  Now I can make my own 'Uncrustables' (that Miss Two loves so much), but make them on whole wheat bread with low sugar jelly and natural peanut butter with no hydrogenated oils :)

I love trying new stuff!  Hope everyone has a great weekend!

More giveaways coming up next week .... the winner of the Purex & Jockey giveaway was Laurie from Lulu & Daisy!

Meyer Lemon Sugar Cookies

Meyer Lemon Sugar Cookies from Danica's Daily

1 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 tbsp. grated lemon peel
1/4 cup freshly squeeze lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar *I didn't have any so I omitted 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Combine 3/4 cup sugar and all the remaining ingredients until combine.  If dough is not firm enough, chill 1 hour.

2. Place the 1/4 cup remaining sugar on a plate and set aside.  Form the cookies into 1 inch balls, roll each in sugar and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

3.  Bake at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Cool 2 minutes and remove from cookie sheet.

Makes approximately 40 cookies, 1 points+ each (per original website)

Verdict? These had a great lemon flavor! I am in love with Meyer lemons right now.  However, my cookies didn't turn out like the ones in the original post (in appearance), and mine were a little dry.  I'm not sure if it was because I used Smart Balance and not real butter or what.  However, it didn't stop me from eating them. ALL.  The past 2 days have held cooking successes so I'll be sharing those ASAP :D

By the way, Stephanie from A Pocket Full of Buttons was the winner of the General Mills Cereal Prize Pack. Thanks to everyone who entered! More giveaways coming up very soon!

Wordless Wednesday - I wanna be a super model

Now, whenever a camera is around (which is ALL the time), my 3 year old strikes a pose....like he's been a super model all his life.  It's a trip...

Easy Caramel Sticky Buns

My middle daughter got to have her sleepover this past weekend, after we had to cancel it last weekend due to my kidney stone drama.  My daughter was a little upset with me when I sat out carrots and celery sticks with dip, instead of potato chips.  (However, the girls ate an entire bowl of carrot sticks!)  So, I figured I would redeem myself by serving these the next morning...

They look pretty impressive right?!

Oh.so.easy!  I bought the reduced-fat cinnamon buns and then sorta followed these directions from Pillsbury. I say sort of, b/c I emailed the recipe to myself, it went to my spam folder so I couldn't find it, so then I had to do it from memory b/c I was too lazy to look it up again.  I got the butter and brown sugar quantities right, but not the corn syrup.  Oh well, they didn't need all that corn syrup anyway!  I used 2 t. instead of 2 T.  They still tasted completely fattening yummers.  They were super sweet, buttery and delicious.  Thank goodness they were divided among 5 people.  I also had mandarin oranges to go with it, so I could feel like I was at least giving them a little something healthy to go along with their sugar buzz.  I'm sure their parents were wondering why they couldn't sit still during church.  oopsies.

Easy Caramel Sticky Buns adapted from Pillsbury, inspired by Plain Chicken

1/4

 cup butter or margarine

1/4

 cup packed brown sugar

2

 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/4

 cup chopped pecans  *I omitted b/c the girls didn't want   them.  Would be awesome with pecans or walnuts!

1         can reduced-fat cinnamon rolls

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 375°F. In ungreased 8-inch round pan, place 1/4 cup butter; heat in oven 3 to 4 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir in brown sugar and corn syrup until well blended. Sprinkle with pecans.Arrange cinnamon rolls, sides touching, over topping in pan.Bake as directed on roll package or until golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; turn upside down onto heatproof serving plate. Let pan remain 1 minute so caramel can drizzle over rolls. Serve warm. *Optional - drizzle icing from cinnamon roll package over rolls before serving.I'm linking up today with It's a Blog Party, All the Small Stuff, 33 Shades of Green, Blessed with Grace, From Mess Hall to Bistro, iBlog4me, Giggles, Glitz & Glam , Eat at Home - ingredient spotlight canned biscuits/rolls/etc

Bubble Up Pizza

You've probably seen these casseroles floating around for a while - Bubble Up Pizza, Bubble Up Enchiladas, etc.  I decided to give it a try since it was so simple to throw together, and totally kid-friendly!  With the girls involved in so many activities in the evenings, I need meals that are quick and easy to get on the table.  This is one we had when the hubs wasn't home, since this is definitely not a low carb meal. (for a low carb pizza casserole, you could try this one)

(my original picture, I've added some newer ones!)

Bubble Up Pizza 

from Plain Chicken

2 cans (12oz) golden layer buttermilk biscuits (Pillsbury Grands! Jr)

1 jar (15oz) pizza sauce  *I used this easy homemade sauce

2 cups mozzarella cheese

your favorite pizza toppings - cooked sausage, turkey pepperoni, peppers, mushrooms *we had mini turkey pepperoni and Canadian bacon

cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cut biscuits into quarters and place in medium bowl.  Toss biscuits with pizza sauce.  Add pizza topping and half of the cheese.  Toss until well blended.  Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.  Pour biscuit mixture into pan and top with remaining cheese.  Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes, or until biscuits are done.

Verdict?  The kids loved this! I thought it was pretty good too, just not very calorie friendly.  I think I'm going to try it with rolls (like frozen Rhodes rolls) next time and see how that goes.  It would be less fat than the biscuits.  I'll let ya know!  I mixed everything up before basketball practice, then baked it when we got home, so I had a hot meal on the table in about 30 minutes!  We had a salad to go with it.  Quick and easy!

I'm linking up today with Everything Under the Moon, Homemaker on a Dime, Delightfully Dowling, A Southern Fairytale, Skip to my Lou, The Girl Creative, Making the World Cuter, Mom's Crazy Cooking, Eat at Home - ingredient spotlight, canned biscuits/rolls/etc

Doctor's Orders

The doctor said I was to push fluids....

source

Uhmmm.....okay.  I'm on it.

Have a great weekend!  Here's to this one being better than the last one!

Perfectly Chocolate Birthday Cake

CAKE!  You knew it was coming.  Resolutions my a*s.  Miss Two turned NINE!!  I can't believe it.  And bless her heart, her party was scheduled on the day I had the lovely kidney stone debacle.  Even though her party has been rescheduled for this weekend, we still had her cake (I couldn't bear to cancel her party and stick her cake in the freezer!)  So, now she gets to pick out cupcakes or something too.  Anyway - I went with the Hershey's 'Perfectly Chocolate' Chocolate cake.

She wanted a snowman cake!

Ingredients

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY®'S Cocoa Powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water with a heaping teaspoon of instant coffee added

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water/coffee (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

There is also a 'Perfectly Chocolate' Frosting, but she wanted white icing - so I just went with the canned stuff (I had been suffering you know. I needed all the shortcuts I could get!)  The girls decorated the cake all by themselves!  My only complaint was the cake was so moist, it almost fell apart coming out of the pan, and when I put icing on it.  Otherwise, the taste is yummy and my birthday girl was very happy with it.

Wordless Wednesday - How I handle stress

My kids know me so well.  They brought me this after my kidney stone attack.

TJ Maxx - gotta love it

Justice jackets (for my girls) = 10 bucks

K-cups = 8 bucks

Vera Bradley purse = 17 bucks

stress relief and euphoria felt after finding great bargains = priceless!

Kidney stone vs labor pain

I know, strange topic to see on my blog.  However, I had the lovely experience (sarcasm) this weekend of a kidney stone 'attack'.  I can only call it an attack since it suddenly woke me up at 5 AM and proceeded to put me in the worst pain I've ever had since being in labor with my first child.  So, yes, I can now say that kidney stone pain does in fact, equate to labor pain.  Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that only MEN should be allowed to have kidney stones!!!  Why should women have to experience both?!  So.not.fair.  At least with labor pain, you can get an epidural - which I highly recommend.  Anywho, thought I'd share that little bit of drama going on in the Mo'Betta house.  I'll keep you posted (like it or not) b/c I'm afraid  it's not over. *sigh*  Check out this YouTube video for a little kidney stone humor :)

On a brighter note, you may have noticed I am giving away free stuff!  And I have more to come!!  No, I'm not going to become a 'giveaway' blog, but I don't want to strictly be a food blog either.  However, chocolate food is my reason for living, so don't worry, there will be plenty more recipes!  Current giveaways happening right now are:  General Mills Cereal Prize Pack and a Jockey Sports Bra with full size Purex Crystals fabric softener (which smells awesome!)  So please go enter if you haven't already!

Purex & Jockey Giveaway!

I told you here that there would be lots of fun stuff coming up from Purex!  This one comes at a perfect time to assist with my New Year's resolutions...to exercise more, clean more, and do a better job sticking to a budget.  I was sent an awesome Jockey Sports Bra AND my favorite scent of Purex Crystals Fabric Softener and the best part is I get to offer the same to YOU!

Read more about the cool Jockey Tech Terry Performance Bra and Purex Crystals HERE.  You can also review my previous post on Purex Crystals here.

Why a giveaway with a sports bra and fabric softener?  Purex Crystals do not contain OIL (yes, most liquid softeners do!) so it can be safely used with your athletic wear, like Jockey, without interfering with the sweat wicking properties. Cool, huh?!  (get it. 'cool'.  'sweat wicking'.  Yes, I think I'm clever.)  Not to mention, Purex Crystals have a great scent that lasts - so your laundry always smells fresh and clean.  Even your gym clothes!

The Jockey Tech Terry Performance Bra is a sports bra with breathable side mesh panels, a hidden key pocket, sweat wicking properties, and of course, the good quality and durability Jockey is known for.  Mine came in black and kept everything....uhm....in its place. Comfortably ;)

To enter this giveaway for a full-size bottle of Purex Crystals and a Jockey Tech Terry Performance Bra:

**follow me on FACEBOOK and leave a comment on my Facebook wall telling me one of your New Year's Resolutions. (or just say hey, whatever).  Leave me a comment on this post telling me you did this!
MANDATORY ENTRY**

For extra entries -
*Follow Mo'Betta via email, GFC, Networked Blogs, Twitter &/or Pinterest - Just let me know how you follow and you will get an extra entry for each way. (all found in right side column)
*Like Purex on Facebook (and an extra entry if you leave a comment on their wall)
*Follow Purex on Twitter & tweet abt giveaway (button at bottom of post)
*Post about giveaway on Facebook (button at bottom of post)
*Stumble (button at top right)
*Blog about giveaway (worth 3 extra entries)

Giveaway ENDS 1/25/12 (midnight EST)


Disclaimer - I received the sports bra and fabric softener as a member of Purex Insiders for review.  No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

New Purex Ultrapacks Laundry Detergent

I am about to make your laundry chore just a little bit easier!  I don't know about you, but anything that can make any of my chores faster and easier is good.to.me.  As a Purex Insider, I was given the opportunity to try the brand new Purex UltraPacks laundry detergent - which will be officially launched in February 2012 - and tell about my experience with them.  

First - what are they?  Well, they are convenient pre-dosed liquid detergent packs that you throw in your washing machine prior to putting your clothes in.  They are safe for all machines, even my high-efficiency front loader.  Just add the pack to your drum, throw the clothes in, and wash.  No more measuring, and dealing with heavy, bulky detergent containers.  (If you are like me, with loads and loads of laundry to do every week, you buy detergent in bulk - leading to very large and cumbersome containers.  Not to mention having to find a place to store said large container.)  So, these little packets eliminate all that.

This is what they look like.  You only need one per load, and each pack contains 2x concentrated liquid detergent.  They dissolve quickly in water, leave no residue behind, even in cold water!

Purex UltraPacks come in two scents - Mountain Breeze, and Free & Clear.  I have been using them in the place of my regular Purex liquid detergent, and haven't noticed a difference.  My clothes are still just as clean and fresh as before.  (I am using the Mountain Breeze for everyone except for my son - he still uses the Free & Clear detergent for his super sensitive skin)  The only difference is I can just toss this in without trying to see the little lines on the measuring cup, I don't have to worry about spillage, and it takes abt 2 seconds!

And if you want your clothes to really smell fabulous - use the Purex Crystals Fabric Softener!

The one in the yellow bottle is my favorite, and it was gone for a while...but it's BACK!  I blogged about  Purex Crystals HERE if you're interested.

So stay tuned....Purex has several things planned for 2012 and I for one, welcome all products that not only save me time, but MONEY!  I'll have more information, reviews and hopefully some giveaways coming up soon!

(Speaking of GIVEAWAYS, I have a cereal prize pack giveaway going on right now. Go HERE to enter!)

Disclaimer - Purex provided a free sample of their UltraPacks laundry detergent to facilitate my review.  All opinions are 100% my own!

New General Mills Cereal and a Giveaway!

We love cereal in the Mo'Betta house. I mean L-O-V-E.  Mr. Three eats a bowl every morning for breakfast...even if I have made something else, he will still eat a bowl of cereal first!  I enjoy it for snack or for a quick breakfast and it's generally a life saver for a quick breakfast before school for the kids.  So, when I was given the opportunity to try a new cereal from General Mills, of course I jumped on it.  My kids love General Mills Cinnamon Toast Crunch, so they were eager to try the new Frosted Toast Crunch.  When I saw the word "frosted" I was concerned about the sugar content, but was pleased to see it was 9 grams per serving.  (I mainly buy cereals that are less than 10 grams per serving.)  It also has 11 grams of whole grains per serving, and a good source of calcium.

I received this fun package in the mail -

My kids love the bowl and spoon - the bowl looks like milk is "spilling" out of it and the spoon actually looks like a tongue sticking out when you are using it! Gross! Which, of course, is why the kids love it! I had a picture of Miss Two with it, and deleted it by accident.  Not enough caffeine that day.

And on to the GIVEAWAY!!  You can receive the same prize package pictured above, so your family can try Frosted Toast Crunch too!

To enter - 

(Mandatory entry) Follow Mo'Betta via Facebook, Twitter, or subscribe via email (all options are on the right side of blog)

**ENTRY FOR EACH OPTION**

Only one is mandatory

You do NOT have to leave a separate comment for each thing. You're welcome :)

(I'm not including GFC b/c I've heard they are doing away with it!)

(Optional Entries - each optional entry is worth 2 entries!)

1- Tweet abt giveaway - include hashtag #MyBlogSpark

2 - Post about giveaway on Facebook

3 - +1 this on Google + (don't ask me what that means, I still don't understand it)

(buttons are at bottom of post)

4 - Follow me on Pinterest (button on right)

5 - Blog about giveaway 

again - you can leave these in one comment if desired

**Make sure I have an email to contact you if you are a winner - either leave it with your comment or make sure it is linked to your profile.

GIVEAWAY WILL END 01/24/12 (midnight, EST)

"Disclosure: Frosted Toast Crunch, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark."

ghetto tacos

This quick and easy dinner idea came from the kids.  They rarely buy their lunch at school, but I noticed they always wanted to buy on "fiesta taco" days .  I asked them to describe these fiesta tacos, thinking this was something I could fix for them at home.  They said it's taco meat with cheese on top and a bag of Doritos. uhm, okay...is that it?  They said yes, then said "oh, you can get some lettuce if you want it".  I thought, 'how ghetto'....hence, ghetto tacos were born!  Don't ask.

If you follow me on Facebook, you know when I purchased the Doritos, b/c I swear they were like crack.  I couldn't stop eating them.  I felt gross, and remembered why I don't buy them anymore.  I have no will power.  Anyway, I went ahead and fixed this dinner before I could shove all the Doritos down my throat.

Taco meat made with lean ground meat (90/10) and taco seasoning; fiesta blend cheese; lettuce; Rotel tomato and green chile sauce; plain yogurt (in the place of sour cream) & of course, Doritos.

My kids thought it was great.

Mr. Three is showing off his orange fingers.  Turns out, he really likes Doritos too.

Definitely not a gourmet meal, but if you are looking for something kid friendly and fast - this fits the bill.  My girls did inform me that they usually choose Baked Doritos - that they were a healthier option.  Don't you hate when your kids are right, and they throw something you've taught them back in your face?!  Go clean your room.

I'm linking up with these folks today....

Easy Weeknight Dinner - Chicken BBQ & Slaw Sammie

First, I should say I find the term "sammies" quite annoying, yet I use it frequently.  Thank you Rachel Ray.  This is an easy meal if you own a crock pot aka slow cooker.  If you don't own one, I suggest you go buy one immediately!  You can find them very reasonably priced and they can be a lifesaver for preparing meals when life is super busy.  Which is pretty much always.

We love barbecue - shredded pork barbecue loaded with a vinegar based sauce.  It's a Southern thang.  However, pork bbq isn't the healthiest thing, and I don't even know how to prepare it at home.  This however, is a tasty alternative, and made with boneless, skinless chicken - it's a healthier alternative. 

All you need is  - 

your choice of chicken - I used boneless/skinless breasts (2 lbs)

your choice of barbecue sauce - I like a vinegar based sauce like Uncle Yammy's or George's

Place your chicken in the crockpot  - can be fresh or frozen.  Dump the sauce all over the chicken - I used a whole bottle for 2 lbs.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  (You can cook it in under 4 hours on high if not frozen, but I usually just set it on low for 6 hours.)  It's not going to dry out due to the sauce and you are going to shred it, so the time is dependent upon your cooker, how much chicken you are preparing, if it was frozen, etc.  Just make sure it is cooked long enough.  No raw chicken :P

Once done, just take a fork and shred up your chicken.

We like to eat ours on a bun with slaw.  Most recently I made Oil and Vinegar Slaw by Rachel Ray.

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar *I used Splenda
• 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil, eyeball it *I used olive oil
• 1 sack, 16 ounces, shredded cabbage mix for slaw salads
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Mix vinegar and Splenda. Add oil. Add cabbage to dressing and season with salt and pepper. Toss with fingers to combine. Adjust seasoning. Let stand 20 minutes. Re-toss and serve.

This slaw had a good flavor, but I'm not sure the purpose of the oil.  I think I could have left it out and been fine.  I prefer a vinegar based slaw over a mayo based, so it just depends on what floats your boat.

Cinnamon Spice Applesauce Oatmeal

I had a bunch of apples (actually, it was more like a bushel), so I made

Super Easy Apple Butter in the Crockpot

Which led to

Baked Apple Cider Donuts

This chicken salad

and this Apple Cheddar Bread

photo cred

I also made these.  For the kids, of course ;)

Apple "Nachos".  Never even blogged about them.  They are apple slices, caramel drizzled over the top, and then chocolate chips, marshmallows, and white chocolate M&M's.  My kids thought I was the best.  (got the idea from Pinterest!)

And then I made cinnamon spice applesauce in the crockpot.  And didn't take a single picture!  That's very unusual around here.  I think I have some left in the freezer, but who wants to see frozen applesauce?  So anyways, I made it, it was easy and it was delicious.  (and I should mention I don't even LIKE applesauce!)  

Crockpot Cinnamon Spice Applesauce

12-18 peeled and sliced apples (enough to fill your crockpot)

1/3 cup brown sugar *may want a little more or less depending on the sweetness of your apples

1/4 cup orange juice

1 T. cinnamon

1/2 T. pumpkin pie spice

Put your apples in the crockpot (I sprayed mine with Pam just to be on the safe side...I don't think it was necessary).  Add all the other ingredients and carefully mix.  Let cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for about 4.  Just check after a few hours, give them a good stir, and they should break up pretty easily.  Your house will smell heavenly and you can either blend the applesauce for a super smooth consistency, or leave as is for a few lumps.  Which is what I did.  

Then I proceeded to put it in my morning oatmeal - which was supposed to be the point of this entire post anyways! oops.

homemade applesauce, old fashioned oats (cooked in the microwave for 3 mins!) and some walnuts - now that's a big bowl of comfort to start your mornings out right!

Linking up today with Blue Cricket Design, Lady Behind the Curtain, This Chick Cooks, Ginger Snap Crafts

Brussels Sprouts with a Balsamic Vinegar Reduction...say what?!

Wow. It's a new year. 2012...sounds like something from a science fiction movie - yet here we are.  I truly can't believe it!  Not only is it a new year, but Christmas break is over and my kids are back at school.  Time to get back into a routine...one that really needs to include the gym and starvation healthy eating!  So how did I start off my new year?!  Not with black eyed peas...sorry Dad.  (It's a tradition with my parents to have black eyes on New Year's.)  Supposed to bring luck for the new year...it brings on my gag reflex.  Nope, I decided to try a new veggie...one you have NEVER seen on Mo'Betta before.  This is a first - first time buying, first time trying and definitely first time cooking.

Brussels Sprouts! Yikes!

I know, I can't believe it either.  Nor could the rest of my family when I put them on the table.  They were all "what's that?" "ewww, gross!" "I don't like brussel sprouts" (b/c kids always know when they don't like something, even before they try it.)

First let me say...if you are not a vegetable fan (which, sadly, I am not) you should ONE - roast your veggies and TWO - pour a balsamic vinegar reduction all over them.  Makes pretty much anything edible.

A couple of food bloggers out there, much healthier than I, have blogged about the cute little brussels sprouts.   (They look like mini cabbages, and kind of smell that way too.) And my interest was peaked.  I knew I should try this little veggie.  Maybe it was delicious.  However, since my mom stated she was not crazy about brussels and she LOVES vegetables, I knew the chances of me falling in love with the sprouts was pretty slim.  But - I was not discouraged.  Especially after seeing this post from Pioneer Woman.  She made these veggies look and sound delish.  I bought a bag from Sam's club and cooked those babies up.

The verdict?  Not terrible. Not delicious either, but not terrible.  And the balsamic vinegar reduction was good enough to pour on just about anything.  Definitely made these babies mo'betta!

The kids didn't eat them, but did give them a try (except for Mr. Three of course).  The hubs ate them, which was very surprising, and said they were "okay".  But it was an okay as in 'not bad'; not okay as in it 'kinda sucks'.  I think.

Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar Reduction slightly adapted from Pioneer Woman

• 3 pounds Brussels Sprouts
• 1/2 cup Olive Oil
• Salt And Pepper
• 1 cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Dried Cranberries (omitted)

Preparation Instructions

Trim/clean Brussels sprouts, then cut them in half if desired (or you can leave them whole). Arrange on two baking sheets and toss with olive oil. Sprinkle with plenty of salt and pepper and roast at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until brown.

Combine balsamic vinegar and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and reduce until very thick, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Drizzle the balsamic reduction over the roasted sprouts, then sprinkle on dried cranberries. Toss and serve immediately.

**I made a third of this recipe.  Just 1 pound of brussels was a plenty for us ;)  I think I have found a new New Year's tradition for us...we must try a brand new vegetable.  Hopefully that will encourage us to try lots of other veggies throughout the year!

So what do you think? Yes or No to the brussels?

I'm linking this recipe up with the following linkys - It's a Blog Party, All the Small Stuff , 33 Shades of Green,  Blessed With Grace, From Mess Hall to Bistro