Simply Sweet Home

Recipes, Decor, Crafts, Product Reviews, Giveaways and more.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Pumpkin Bread

Fall weather is finally in the air around our house!  It really makes me crave the tastes of fall and all those great Thanksgiving classics!

Today I'm sharing a little taste of fall. I made a little tray of fall goodies for my husband to carry to work last week, and the Pumpkin Bread was a very popular treat. Hope you enjoy!


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Thursday, October 27, 2011

Friday Favorites - Week 87



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Welcome to Friday Favorites! We had such a wonderful party last week! I had the hardest time deciding which posts to feature! If you missed last week's party or you didn't get a chance to do any hopping, please check out week 86 (after you link up for this week, of course).


Don't forget to check out all the blogiversary giveaways in the sidebar, especially the giveaway from Curly Q Designs. I just posted it this week, and it doesn't have a lot of entries yet! Also, the giveaway from Sew Chatty closes in a few days and still has less than a hundred entries!

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Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Sunkist S'alternative and Lemon Seafood Paella

This post brought to you by Sunkist S’alternative. All opinions are 100% mine.

sunkist
What's your sodium style? Even if you don't regularly salt your foods, your foods could still contain hidden salts, especially if you eat a lot of processed foods or restaurant meals.  Take the Sunkist Sodium Quiz on Facebook to find out where you are on the sodium scale.  Are you a Serial Salt Offender or a Sodium Smarty?

I'm in the middle.  I don't use a lot of salt, but I do love my salty snacks and processed foods. I took the quiz and found that I'm a "Mover, Not a Salt Shaker."

When you take the quiz, you can also find tips on how to cut the salt. Some tips include avoiding processed,  precooked, and deli meats and replacing the salt with the Sunkist S'alternative.

Sunkist S’alternative is using fresh-squeezed Sunkist® lemons as a healthy sodium-free alternative to salt. Using Sunkist lemons as an alternative to salt can help reduce sodium, increase potassium and enhance the flavor of recipes.


Here's an example of a healthy, delicious meal that you can make using the Sunkist S'alternative.

Recipe for Sunkist® Lemon Seafood Paella:


Ingredients:
1- 32 oz can low sodium vegetable broth
1 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 lb. of firm, fresh pieces of whitefish such as tilapia, bass, halibut and swordfish, cut into 16-21 pieces
1 lb. or 16-21 mussels, cleaned and de-bearded
1 lb. or 16-21 medium sized clams, rinsed
cup chopped fresh parsley
3 Sunkist® lemons, zest and juice
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1  cup minced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 cups uncooked short-grain rice such as Valencian, Arborio, or Calrose
1 cup frozen green peas
1  8oz jar of sliced, roasted red peppers


Directions:
• To prepare broth, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.


• To prepare paella, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large paella pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish pieces to pan and sauté 1 minute. Remove fish from pan, reserve and keep warm. Add onion to pan and sauté 5 minutes. Add the lemon zest, garlic and crushed red pepper and cook 5 minutes. Add rice and cook 1 minute longer, stirring constantly. Stir in broth, bring to a low boil and cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

• Stir in the peas and red pepper slices. Add mussels and clams to pan, nestling them into rice mixture. Cook 5 minutes or until shells open; discard any unopened shells. Stir in the reserved fish and chopped parsley and cook 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in lemon juice and check for seasoning. Cover with a towel and let stand 10 minutes before stirring.  Makes 8 servings.
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Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Blogiversary Giveaway #6: Curly Q Design


It's time for another blogiversary giveaway! Today's giveaway is from Curly Q Design, an etsy shop that offers handmade, custom gifts for all ages!

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Monday, October 24, 2011

Hostess Inspired Cupcakes


My husband loves chocolate Hostess Cupcakes.  As a kid I was always partial the yellow orange-flavored ones myself, but now I've grown to love the chocolate too.  A few weeks ago I found this recipe on The Brown Eyes Have It.  And I just had to try it out!

These were very delicious! And they tasted quite similar to the Hostess ones, maybe even better! You should definitely give them a try!

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Sunday, October 23, 2011

Jewelry for Mom & Baby: Julian & Co.


As you make plans for Christmas and holiday gift giving, please consider my awesome sponsor, Julian & Co.  They offer incredible heirloom quality jewelry for moms, dads, and children.

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Friday, October 21, 2011

Blogiversary Giveaway #5: Ploctopia


Today's blogiversary giveaway is from a super yummy sweet shop called Ploctopia.

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Thursday, October 20, 2011

Friday Favorites: Week 86

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Happy Friday! Thanks for stopping by for to link up! I hope some of you linky participants are entering this month's blogiversary giveaways.  Right now the giveaways from Everyday Lettering and Sew Chatty have less than 50 entries. 

Also, the Freschetta giveaway and the Ramen giveaway will end on Friday, so this is your last chance to enter those two!  And there's only a few days left to go for the Harvest Halloween Giveaway

So please check those out and enter to win!

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Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Blogiversary Giveaway #4: Sew Chatty


Out next blogiversary giveaway is from Sew Chatty. Sew Chatty is a cute Etsy shop featuring items for home, baby, and fun!

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Monday, October 17, 2011

Fun Halloween Sweets


Photo Credit: Taste of Home

Can you believe that Halloween is just a couple of weeks away? Whew...how time flies! Today I've got an array of fun sweets and treats to help inspire your creativity this Halloween!

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Saturday, October 15, 2011

Express Business Suits & Makeover Sweepstakes

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Express for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.


EXPRESS

Business suits are a great fashion option this fall and all year round.  I love business suits because they look nice, and yet you can still be fairly comfortable when you wear them.  

Suits are also very versatile, and you can wear them to a number of events and occasions.  Of course, you typically think of business suits for work and job interviews.  But they're also great for conferences and networking events, as well as luncheons, and even church.

Express has a lovely selection of business suits available for men and women that are very sleek and stylish.
One of my favorite suits on their site is the Luster Tweed suit.  Not only does it fit in very well with my own personal style, but it's also very stylish for fall! And I just love the colors!

Another thing I love about Express is that it's a one stop shop. The pants, jackets, and coordinating tops are all laid out for you, for fast and easy shopping.  And you can also purchase jewelry and accessories to compete your ensemble at Express.

EXPRESS
Express is currently running a sweepstakes for $500 suiting makeover.  The prize includes: 
  • Round trip airfare for 2 to New York City
  • Hotel accommodations and transportation in New York
  • Makeover with an America’s Next Top Model
  • Express shopping spree with one of America’s Next Top Model All Stars
  • $500 Express GiftCard
To enter the Express sweepstakes just go by and like their facebook page.  Then click "Model Makeover" for details on how you can get more entries when you invite your friends to the giveaway. 

EXPRESS
Do you wear business suits? Where do you wear them? What do you think of the suits at Express? Please share with us in the comments!

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Friday, October 14, 2011

10 Holiday Planning Tips

I've been scrambling around doing some last minute Halloween decorating, which reminds me how much easier the holidays are when you organize and plan ahead.  So today I'm posting some holiday planning tips.

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Harvest Halloween Giveaway Hop



If you're a regular visitory to my blog, you probably know that I'm participating in A Harvest Halloween Blog Tour, hosted by Savey Spender.

I've had so much fun highlighting our great sponsors over the last few weeks, and I'm so excited to say that the giveaway is finally here!

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Thursday, October 13, 2011

Friday Favorites - Week 85

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Hey guys! Thanks for stopping by for the party! Hope you're all having a good week!

While you're here please sign up for my current giveaways! The blogiversary giveaway from Little Miss Missy Boutique ends in just a few days! I've also added a new Breast Cancer Awareness giveaway from Freschetta. And my newest blogiversary giveaway is from Everyday Lettering.

Also, come back on Friday to enter my Harvest Halloween giveaway, featuring 4 fabulous etsy shops!

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T.G.I. Friday's Entrees for One

This post brought to you by T.G.I. FRiDAY'S. All opinions are 100% mine.




Entrées For One

My husband and I love T.GI. Fridays.  We only eat at the restaurant every now and then because it's a pretty long drive to get there.  But luckily we can buy their in-store products anytime we want.  My husband's favorite is the Buffalo Wings, so we get those a lot.

But T.GI. Friday's also has a line of dips, drink mixes, and packaged snacks, and I recently learned that they have a brand new line of Entree's for One.




Entrées For One


T.G.I. FRiDAY’S “Entrées for One” is a new line of 9 entrees inspired by the bold and fun flavors of T.G.I. Friday's.  The new line includes everything from Cajun-Style Chicken Alfredo to Prime Rib Stroganoff, and Grilled Chicken Mac & Cheese. Don't these sound delicious?

We recently purchased the Sizzling Chicken Fajitas.  My husband likes anything spicy, and he loves fajitas, so there was no question as to which entree we'd choose.  

For the hubby, this entree is full of flavor and great tasting ingredients. My husband loved the taste of the white meat chicken, the onions and peppers, and he was pleased with the size of the pieces (similar to those served in restaurants). And he was impressed that the tortillas were actually included in the package.

And for me, the wife and cook, I loved that it's quick and easy to make! So it's a win-win!





Entrées For One



Please go by and check out T.G.I. Friday's Freezer on Facebook and vote for your favorite freezer in their Fun Freezer contest.

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Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Pumpkin Wall Hanging


During the summer I shared a couple of projects made with embroidery hoops.  And here's another! This Pumpkin Wall Hanging is very easy and very budget friendly!

I made with it with a couple of sheets from scrapbook kit that I got at the Dollar Tree and (believe it or not) the fabric from an old shirt.

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Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Blogiversary Giveaway #3: Everyday Lettering


Our next giveaway is from Everyday Lettering, your place for custom word and name art, made from photographs of everyday things.

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Monday, October 10, 2011

Orange Dream Parfaits



Since orange is the quintessential fall and Halloween color, it seemed like the perfect week for me to share these Orange Dream Parfaits.  Previously I've shared my Orange Dream Pie, one of my husband's favorite desserts.  This is basically that same recipe in parfait form, and it's super delicious!


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Sunday, October 9, 2011

Harvest Halloween Sponsor #4: Posh Props


The Harvest Halloween Blog Hop is just days away! I hope you'll all stop by on October 14 and enter this fabulous giveaway I've got in store for you!

Today I'm highlighting my 4th and final sponsor for this event.  It's an adorable Etsy shop called Posh Props.

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Saturday, October 8, 2011

Freschetta Proud to Support Pink Program and Giveaway

As many of you know October is National Breast Cancer awareness month, and many companies are getting on board to support this cause.  Freschetta is joining the effort with their Proud to Support Pink Program.

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Friday, October 7, 2011

Blogiversary Giveaway #2: Ramen to the Rescue Cookbook (with Review)


I've always loved Ramen noodles.  I can't tell you how many packages I've eaten of these over the years. Let's just say, it's a lot!  Today I'm sharing a new book that shows you new, creative recipes that you can make with Ramen.  It's called Ramen to the Rescue.

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Thursday, October 6, 2011

Friday Favorites - Week 84


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Happy Friday! Thanks for stopping by to link up with me. Before we get to the party, I want to remind everyone that I'm celebrating my blogiversary this month with a series of giveaways.  The first one was posted earlier this week.  Here's the link to it: Blogiversary Giveaway #1: $35 GC to Little Miss Missy Boutique.

The second one will also be up on Friday.  It's for the new Ramen to the Rescue cookbook, and there will be 5 winners! Woohoo!

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Bulbs. Dig. Drop. Done. And Win a $5,000 Yard Makeover

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bulbs. Dig, Drop, Done.. All opinions are 100% mine.
I love flowers! When I was a kid my favorite color was yellow, so of course my favorite flower was daffodils (or buttercups as we call them around here).  When I was very little, my brother used to put me in our red wagon and he'd pull it over to where the buttercups were growing, and we'd pick a few for our mom.

Today they are still my favorite flower. Any time I see them in bloom in someone's yard or on the roadside, I'm wishing I could run over and pick a few. They're just so bright and colorful, and they have this simple beauty and charm that I love.


I've never planted my own daffodils because I'm not a very skilled gardener. But now that I've browsed through Bulbs. Dig. Drop. Done.  I see that they are actually quite to easy they are to plant.

This site has all sorts of information, planting charts, and tips to help you grow the most beautiful flower beds in the neighborhood.  And the site also features three women. Each has her entertaining and inspirational videos on planting your bulbs.  My favorite of the three is Marcy the Supermom.

Even though I'm not yet a mom, as a housewife who loves to do fun and creative things. I can really relate to Marcy. Plus, she's got a fun and quirky personality, and as I watched the videos I laughed, thinking, "this could be in five or ten years."

After you check out the tips here, you can also head over to Curbside Chaos. They've got a really cool garden guru tool that can help you decide when to plant your bulbs in just a few clicks.  You simply click the location on the map where you are located, click the month in wish you want your flowers to bloom, and then choose which flower you want to plant, and it gives you a full report and instructions. Here's an example:



In an effort to get women excited about the simple beauty of flower bulbs, Dig. Drop. Done. is giving away a $5,000 yard makeover plus a visit from Taniya Nayak (@TaniyaNayak on Twitter), who will give you tips to update your garden!  All you have to do is submit a photo of your yard. Please visit www.digdropdone.com to learn more.

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Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Free Halloween Printables

Halloween Party Printables from Party Planning Center

My Free Fall Printables post was my most viewed post last month, so for this month I've got some Halloween printables for you. As always you'll find links to the sources where you can download these beneath the photos. Happy Downloading!

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Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Blogiversary Giveaway #1 - Little Miss Missy Boutique


I'm really excited to bring you some great giveaways this month in honor of 4 years of blogging! 

Our first giveaway is from Little Miss Missy Boutique. This shop is owned by Missy, a wife and mom from Utah, and it offers Fine Art for Baby, Children, Teen, Adults, Parties, Weddings, Holidays, Custom design and DIY Printables.

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Monday, October 3, 2011

Buffalo Chicken & Potato Casserole


This week I've got a super yummy recipe to share! I call it "comfort food with a kick." This Buffalo Chicken Potato Casserole is perfect for an at-home, family meal. And it would also be great for football parties and potlucks.

I first made this  several months ago, and we LOVED it! I finally got around to making it again a couple of weeks ago, and I definitely want it to be a more "regularly scheduled" meal in our house. Hope you enjoy!

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Sunday, October 2, 2011

Harvest Halloween Sponsor #3: Peach Tea Couture


Our next Harvest Halloween sponsor is definitely a sponsor for all seasons! Peach Tea Couture offers adorable, personalized onesies, t-shirts, and printable party supplies.

The owner of the shop, Abbe, a fellow Alabama native (smile), calls her shop, "a little slice of heaven right here on the web. Everything here is very stylish—very Southern."


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