Category Archives: Food and Drink

California Wine Club – Review, Giveaway, and Discount Code!

Food and Drink, New posts, , ,

The California Wine ClubI received my second shipment (read about our first shipment here) of wine from California Wine Club’s Premier Club a few days ago and my husband and I have really enjoyed the wines.  The wines we received were from Castaro Cellars and were Pinot Noir and Guwerztraminer.  All the wines we have received from California Wine Club have been award-winning wines.  This is a great help for the fact that when you are in the store, there’s no way to tell if the bottle you’re buying is going to be a great bottle of wine or not.

I know the rule of red wines with red meat and white wines with white meat but no one ever told me just how many white and red wines there are, all with different bouquets and finishes.   Being a member of California Wine Club’s Premier Club and having wine delivered to your door every month, takes away the awkward 5 minutes of standing in the wine isle staring at the ‘wall o’ wine’ and having no idea where to start.

California Wine Club’s most popular club, the Premier Club, features two bottles of award-winning wine from California’s best “mom & pop” wineries. No membership fees, cancel anytime and all wines are 100% guaranteed.

With each monthly wine delivery, members get California Wine Club’s full color Uncorked newsletter showcasing information about the winery.  I love being able to be able to read and learn about the wine I received and the family owned wineries that I may have overlooked when staring at the ‘wall o’ wine’ at the store.  I like the idea of supporting “mom & pop” wineries and reading the newsletter allows me to feel more in-touch with the people involved in the making of the wine.

If you are intimidated by selecting wine like I am, you will benefit from California Wine Club’s Premier Wine Club.  You will be so pleased when you get your monthly shipment of award-winning wines.  You are literally opening your eyes to a world of wine that you wouldn’t have known about otherwise.

I am looking forward to our next shipment of wine, California Wine Club’s holiday wines.  I am sure we will enjoy the wine with family during get togethers and holiday meals!

The App

Get a little extra help in deciding which wine to choose while at the grocery store or a restaurant by downloading California Wine Club’s Food and Wine Pairing Wheel app.  The app makes it simple to find and choose wines based on the meal you are preparing or choosing.  Who knows… maybe you’ll even look like a wine expert while you’re dining with friends!

Connect with California Wine Club:

DISCOUNT CODE & GET AN EXTRA BOTTLE OF WINE!

1. Use code mommyinsider to get 10% off every gift order you place.    A California Wine Club Premier Club membership makes a fabulous holiday gift!

2. If you would like to try The California Wine Club, you can use the same promo code and not only will you get 10% off your first month, but you will also get an extra bottle of wine in your first month’s shipment just for being a The Mommy Insider reader!   There is no obligation to stay past the first month.

GIVEAWAY!

Win a one month membership to California Wine Club’s Premier Club! 

Mandatory Entry:

1. Go to California Wine Club’s Facebook page or follow Follow California Wine Club on Twitter and mention that The Mommy Insider sent you!

If you are not on Facebook, just do the following mandatory entry and let us know that you are not on Facebook, in your comment below.

2. Then leave a comment below telling me which you did and why you’d like to win.

2 extra entries:

  • Like The Mommy Insider on Facebook
  • Follow @mommyinsider on Twitter
  • Subscribe to my email newsletter or RSS  feed
  • Tweet about this contest (up to 4 times per day). Your Tweet MUST include the name of the item being given away, my Twitter handle (@mommyinsider), the word giveaway, and a link to this post.
    Example tweet:
    “I entered to win a 1 month California Wine Club membership from @mommyinsider and @cawineclub!  Enter here: http://wp.me/plszx-2AT  #Giveaway”

3 extra entries:

  • Blog about this giveaway as a separate blog post on your own blog
  • Add a comment to any non-giveaway posts on this site (must be relevant to the post you are commenting on).  Tell me in the comments below what post you commented on.

*****
Contest Rules
This contest is open to U.S. residents 21 and older. Utah residents are excluded from this contest. No P.O. Boxes.
Entries accepted through 11:59pm EST December 8th.
The winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email.  Winner must respond within 24 hours or a new winner will be chosen.
One IP address per household.
*****

Disclosure: I was offered a three month subscription to California Wine Club for review purposes.  My opinions are 100% my own and are not influenced in any way.  I write only about products and services that I have used and enjoy, unless otherwise stated.  You can read my full Disclosure Policy here.

 Alicia Hagan, Editor

How to Get Your Kids Involved in Preparing Holiday Meals, with Ragu Sauces!

Food and Drink, New posts, ,

Sharing time in the kitchen is a highlight of holiday meals.   Here are a few ideas to get your kids involved in holiday meal preparation using Ragu pizza and pasta sauces!

Ragu pizza and pasta sauces

  • Pizza Bites are an appetizer kids can help make!
    Divide four hamburger buns in half and lay cut side up on a baking sheet.
    Spread two tablespoons of Ragu Quick Traditional Pizza Sauce on each portion.
    Top with a slice of Provolone cheese.
    Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until bubbly.
    Cool slightly and cut each into fourths.
  • Why not try kid-friendly macaroni-and-cheese as a side dish this holiday?
    For a nutritious seasonal twist, cook and coarsely mash a butternut squash.
    Combine squash with 3 cups of cooked macaroni and a jar of Ragu Cheesy Double Cheddar Sauce.
    Top with 1 cup bread crumbs combined with 2 T.
    Parmesan and bake in a 350 degree oven until golden.
  • Let your children make breadsticks!
    Thaw ready made bread dough.
    Roll in melted butter and a little garlic powder and bake.
    Serve hot with Chunky Ragu Mama’s Special Garden Sauce.
  • Malfatti, Italian spinach-cheese balls – Your kids will love helping with this recipe!
    Cook enough frozen chopped spinach to yield one cup.
    Squeeze in a potato ricer until thoroughly drained.
    Combine with 1-1/2 cups ricotta cheese, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup Parmesan, 1 cup bread crumbs, 1 t. basil, and one garlic clove, pressed. Combine.
    Chill for 1 hour.
    Bring a large pot of water to simmering.
    On a heavily floured surface, roll mixture into walnut-sized balls.
    Drop into the water and simmer 3-5 minutes until they float.
    Lift out with a slotted spoon.
    Serve with Ragu Old World Style Marinara sauce.
  • Make a Santa Pizza!
    Spread Ragu Old World Homemade Style Pizza Sauce on a pre-made pizza crust.
    Arrange grated mozzarella to form Santa’s hair and beard.
    Leave some red showing for his hat and his rosy cheeks.
    Use sliced green olives or pepperoni to make his eyes and nose, and other toppings as desired.

Kids enjoy time experimenting in the kitchen with their parents while preparing holiday meals!

Share your favorite recipe that kids can participate in, in the comments below!

Connect with Ragu

Read my previous Ragu “Moms The Word on Dinner” posts here:

Disclosure: This is part of a campaign for which I am an Ambassador for the Ragú® Mom’s the Word on Dinner Program. Visit www.facebook.com/ragusauce to join the conversation.
Alicia Hagan, Editor

Win a $200 AmEx Gift Card + How to Make Leftovers Delicious! #Giveaway {Contest has ended}

Brand Ambassador, Contests, Food and Drink, Giveaways, ,

I am an Ambassador in the Ragú® Mom’s the Word on Dinner Program and this week we are discussing leftovers!   What busy parent doesn’t love leftovers?  They are quick and easy to prepare when you’re on the run, after a long night out at sports practices, or when you’re too tired to cook a meal.

If we have leftover chicken, sausage, and/or shrimp, we mix them together in a pot of Ragu sauce and serve it over pasta, rice, or barley and wahlah!, we have a Jambalaya!  Here is a great recipe for Jambalaya.  The best thing about this recipe is that you probably have all of the ingredients in your kitchen already!  My favorite Ragu recipe to date has to be the Chicken Fajita Grilled Pizza with Ragu Pasta Sauce that I made in September.  That was delicious but there’s we never have enough pizza left for leftovers.

Ragu Moms the Word on Dinner

 

Win a $200 American Express Gift Card! {This contest has ended}

To win tell me your favorite leftover tip or what your favorite leftover meal is (what recipe always leaves you with great leftovers?) in the comments below.

To earn extra entries, after you have left a comment, do any or all of the following.
Make sure you leave a separate comment entry for each extra thing you do.
DO NOT leave your email address within the comment!

Get two extra entries (each) for doing each or all of the following:

  • Subscribe to The Mommy Insider (and verify the subscription) and leave a separate comment telling me that you subscribed. If you are already a subscriber, leave a comment telling me that you are a subscriber.
  • Follow @mommyinsider and Tweet this giveaway using the blue Tweet button at the top or bottom of this post. Then leave a comment with a link to the Tweet.  Tweet up to once every 8 hours.
  • Like The Mommy Insider Facebook page.  If you are already a fan of our page, tell me in the comments below.
  • Blog about this giveaway on your own blog and put a link to the blog post in the comments below.  Do not copy and paste the first two paragraphs!
  • Follow Ragu on Twitter
  • “Like” Ragu on their Facebook Fan Page
  • Comment on the Leftover discussion on Ragu Mom’s The Word On Dinner Facebook page.
Entries accepted through 11:59pm November 15th.  Open to U.S. residents, 18+.  No P.O. Boxes.

Disclosure: This is part of a campaign where I am an Ambassador in the Ragú® Mom’s the Word on Dinner Program. Visit www.facebook.com/ragusauce to join the conversation.

Alicia Hagan, Editor

Choosing and Preparing Healthy After-School Snacks

Age 5-7, Age 7-10, Ages 10-13, Food and Drink, Health, New posts, Parenting Articles,

Here’s a scenario that used to happen every weekday until recently when I changed a few things:

My 12-year-old son gets off the bus, drags himself, his backpack and his trumpet inside, then he practically runs to the kitchen, opens the cabinet door and refrigerator doors almost simultaneously and pulls out the filtered water (I’m lucky he loves water, I know!) and a Kashi cereal bar and grabs a handful of grapes. Then he collapses into a chair and starts eating like he hasn’t eaten in days.  Sounds familiar doesn’t it?  He’s starving by the time he gets home from school!

Healthy After School Snacks Make Healthy Kids

Since many kids are eating their lunch at school quite early, it’s no wonder they come home hungry.  My 5-year-old eats lunch at 10:56 in the morning so I don’t blame her for coming home from school hungry.   But you don’t want them eating too much which may ruin their appetite for dinner, especially if your normal dinner time is within just an hour or so of them coming home from school. Consider your child’s own schedule and adjust accordingly. Remember, just because another parent sets snack time at 3:30 doesn’t mean you have to as well. Talk to your child and watch their behavior to find a time that is right for them.

Have your snacks ready and cut up for your kids to grab when they come in from school.  When my 5-year-old gets home from school and wants a snack, she’s often too tired child to want to cut up or fix her snack- she just wants to grab what she can quickly, have a seat at her little table and chow down.

Tip: Have the snacks visible in the fridge or on the table for easy access. Make sure your child knows what he or she is permitted to eat as a snack, so they don’t try to sneak in something that is bad for them. Offer a few alternatives so they feel they have a say in the matter, as well.

Choose healthy snacks that aren’t too filling, but will stave off the after-school munchies until a proper dinner can be served.  My 5-year-old is pretty good about choosing a healthy snack but my 12-year-old; not so much.  That’s why the first tip is an important for me.

Tip: Cut up carrots, celery, broccoli and cauliflower can be arranged with some low-fat dip. Apples, oranges, bananas and other fresh fruit can be set out, or cut up a fresh bowl of fruit salad for your kids to grab. Trail mix, assorted nuts, whole-grain pretzels and cereals, peanut butter and sugar-free jelly sandwiches, and a variety of crackers and cheeses are also excellent choices. And remember, stick to healthy drink options, such as low-fat milk or water. Kids do not need sugary sodas and juices to drink, especially on a daily basis. For a fun change, offer sparkling flavored water in a variety of flavors that your kids will enjoy.

Finally, talk to your kids about what they enjoy as a snack, and offer them different ideas for snack foods. When kids feel involved in their choices, they are more likely to pick what is best for them. A healthy snack makes for healthy kids, so take the time to find out what they like!

 

Oh, and one more tip.  Always have your kids wash their hands before eating their afterschool snack!

Here’s to yummy, stress-free, afterschool snacks!

Here are a few great snack ideas that you can prepare while your kids are in school and have ready for them when they get home:

 

 

Alicia Hagan, Editor

Get a FREE Redbox Rental Tonight Only with the Purchase of Totino’s Pizza Rolls and Party Pizzas! – {Contest Closed}

Contests, Food and Drink, Giveaways, New posts, , ,

This contest has ended.  Congratulations Katie B.!

Is it too cold to Trick or Treat in your town tonight?

If you are staying in tonight instead of braving the cold weather to trick or treat then jump in the car, run to the grocery store, buy a couple of Totino’s Party Pizzas and and Pizza Rolls get a free one-day Redbox DVD rental!  Serve a convenient meal that your whole family will love and still have plenty of time to sink into the couch to watch the latest movie rental from redbox.  Dont’t forget to answer the door for the trick or treaters!

Totino's Party Pizza and Pizza Rolls

Look for specially-marked packages of Totino’s Pizza Rolls and Party Pizzas to stock up on everything you need for a fun Halloween night at home. Purchase 4 Totino’s Party Pizzas or 2 Totino’s 40 count Pizza Rolls to receive a free one-day redbox DVD promo code that can be redeemed at the following:

    • Rolls
    • Pizza

With more than 27,800 locations, and available nationally at Walmart, there´s always a redbox kiosk nearby! Find the closest redbox kiosk by checking redbox.com/locations.

Connect with Totino’s and Redbox:

TOTINO’S AND REDBOX GIVEAWAY! – This contest has ended.  Congratulations Katie B.!

We are giving a lucky reader a prize package containing: 

  • 2 VIP Totino’s coupons
  • Free one-day redbox DVD promo code
  • 2 pizza slice plates
  • 1 popcorn bucket
  • 1 pizza cutter
To enter to win, leave a comment below telling me how would you use your prize package.  For example…  a fun night with the family or you’d let the kids have friends over to hang out and enjoy pizza and a movie.

Earn extra entries by following The Mommy Insider (@mommyinsider) on Twitter and Facebook (1 extra entry each), follow Totino’s Facebook (1 extra entry), follow Redbox on Twitter, blog about this giveaway on your own blog (in your own words) then include the link to your blog post in the comments below, Tweet about this giveaway once up to every 8 hours (include the text #Giveaway, @mommyinsider, and @redboxtweet in your Tweet) – (3 extra entries each), then tell us what you did in the comments below.
Contest entries accepted through 11:59 EST November 10th, open to U.S. residents ages 18+, and no P.O. Boxes.

 

 

Disclosure:  This post is sponsored by Totino’s through MyBlogSpark.

 

Alicia Hagan, Editor