Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Hallmark Christmas Collectibles

Shh.  I know Halloween isn't tomorrow.  And you all know I hate rushing my seasons one on top of the other.  But I got the coolest package in the mail from Hallmark, and I couldn't wait to share it anymore.  I love Christmas, and when I was in New York in August and saw all the awesomeness that Hallmark had in store this year, I drooled.  Possibly literally.  I swear there is something for everyone - and quite a few things for me!

Hallmark is known for their collectible ornaments, and they have not disappointed with the ornaments they're featuring this year.  Every year, we purchase one ornament that is the "family" ornament for the year as a memory and keepsake.  Looking at the trees Hallmark had decorated, it was hard to decide what type of ornament best fit us this year.  Was it the Merida ornament from the movie Brave that we all watched together and loved?  Was it the Imperial Storm Trooper Lego ornament - so up Mister Man's alley?  Or the Scooby-Doo or Avengers or Spider-Man?  After all, Little Miss is dressing as Spider-Man for Halloween tomorrow!  There are even Twilight and NFL ornaments (except I'm still waiting for my Minnesota Vikings AP ornament), as well as Peanuts and an ornament with space for a photo and recordable message that was oh so cool.

My personal favorite (and don't tell anyone, but it almost "fell" off the tree into my purse that day), however, was the countdown clock.  It is shaped like an old-fashioned radio and the knob turns to count down the days to Christmas beginning on December 1.  The coolest part though is that it is "reindeer radio" and has little updates on what's going on.  I can't wait to break this out come December 1, and I know it will be a favorite of the wee ones, too.  It does require 3 AAA batteries, but I have plenty of those around the house.  For $24.95, I'm one happy camper.

The Hallmark Countdown Clock ornament and Merida ornament from the movie Brave

Hallmark has also created a whole line of recordable storybooks, and they've continued to expand not just the books but the creativity surrounding how they're marketed.  We also do one Christmas book a year for each of the wee ones that we will save forever and send with them when they grow up and move out.  I still have all of the books from when I was growing up that Santa left me, and the memories sparked each time I pick them up to read them give me a warm glow.

This year, the recordable storybooks come in even more flavors.  I received the new version Santa Claus Is Coming to Town that features music in addition to the audio story.  I love that you can listen to the pre-recorded voice or record the story yourself so that your children can hear you read it to them anytime you want.  The storybooks range from $19.95-$29.95.  This one is a $29.95 version.

Hallmark Recordable Storybook Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

I love the creative drawings and new text that is part of the stories.  The pages are nice and thick, and the book is built to last - including the ability to change out the batteries when your child has listened to it too many times!  This is a children's book, but I am confident that my seven year old Little Miss will love listening to it and reading it.

Inside of Santa Claus Is coming to Town from Hallmark

As I said, the storybook collection has expanded from what it originally was.  There were other types of recordable storybooks that I fell in love with that I wasn't sent, and I have to tell you about them, too.  There are two fascinating new concepts - well, new to me at least.  The first is the Interactive Story Buddies.  They are stuffed animals - a bunny, bear, dog, etc., even Scooby-Doo! - who are activated when certain phrases from the book are read aloud.  They will bark or sing or talk in a way that makes sense with the book.  It is incredibly cool.  These books also come with a read-along CD and more for $34.95.  There are seven Interactive Buddies available now (my favorite is Bell the Husky Pup).

Brand new is the Be a Part of the Story, which allows children to chat with the main character of the story as they read the books.  They can have conversations and answer questions that the child has to answer for the story to continue moving.  This is such a novel and neat way to get children interested in reading and understanding the magic of books.  Each of these is $24.95, with three titles available this year.  When we saw them, they were just in prototype still, but A Day at Fairy Grandmother's was very very cool.  I may have to go out and buy this one myself!

And of course Hallmark has cards for every occasion.  While I tend to do primarily photo cards now, there are still some cards that I send or make for Christmas that I want to personalize and hand write long messages.  I'm such a fan of receiving and sending "real" mail - and my friends get such a kick out of it when they receive something from me.  It's a great tradition to maintain.  (And yes, Hallmark now does photo cards, too, from magnetic cards to ornament cards to more traditional cards - did you know that?)  There are also fun cards from the Santa's Secret 'Stache card to an origami star that turns into an ornament, as well as cards that are interactive, just like the storybooks.  I love the recordable wish list card, although I'm glad the wee ones haven't seen that one yet.  I can only imagine how many times they'd change what they recorded there!  And yes, Justin Bieber fans, there are more Justin Bieber Christmas cards than I could possibly count.  I love the handmade cards, especially since I used to make my own Christmas cards (yes, this was long before children), and I appreciate all the time and talent that goes into designing and creating them.  Hallmark's cards range from $1.99 to $7.99, depending on the card and what it does.


So what are your plans to create Christmas memories?

In the interest of full disclosure, I received the products shown above from Hallmark for review purposes.  I was not provided with any additional compensation.  As always, all opinions expressed remain my own.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Gluten Free Pear And Ginger Crisp For Two

I am sensitive to those with food issues.  Witness my irritation with the allergen free trick or treat that wasn't.  Little Miss also has a dairy allergy, and we have plenty of friends with issues eating everything from strawberries to soy to corn to eggs and more, but gluten is by far the biggest issue.  Fortunately, there are plenty of companies that provide all sorts of gluten free alternatives, and Udi's is one of our favorites.

Why is Udi's one of our favorites?  In addition to having all sorts of yummy goodness that brings them up to the top of our list already, Udi's does a fantastic job of labeling their allergens.  They clearly label the front of their products with gluten free, dairy free, soy free, etc. as applicable so that anyone with a food sensitivity can quickly see which items are and are not going to work.

Fun for me, Udi's sent me some product recently to create desserts that are gluten free.  I know how left out Little Miss often feels, and some of our best friends have the same issues because of their allergy issues.  I love that Udi's has great options for sweet treats from their brownie bites to muffin tops to snickerdoodles and more.  They make great desserts on their own or crumbled up over yogurt or fruit or ice cream (or coconut milk ice cream in our case!).  The challenge from Udi's, however, was to create a dessert using these items.

I had a few ideas that I thought would be a ton of fun, and Little Miss loved having these special treats just for her... even though Mister Man snuck some of the yumminess for himself because the treats are overall good, not just "gluten free" good.  Creating a version of "haystacks" with granola, chocolate, coconut flakes and flax seeds was fun and tasty.  I also made a version of bread pudding - Mister Man's favorite dessert since he discovered it a year ago - using the Udi's cinnamon raisin bread.  That brought a huge smile to her face.

In the end, I chose to use the gluten free vanilla granola for this challenge to make a special dessert just for Little Miss and I. I  loved that this was something that was a small enough portion just for the two of us, although it could definitely be doubled to make pear and ginger crisp for more people.  It was awesome.

Gluten free pear ginger crisp ready to eat


I enjoy cooking from scratch, but I loved using the granola for this recipe because it already has most of the ingredients that I would use to make a crisp, but I know they're gluten free.  And more importantly, the granola has certified gluten free oats, wildflower honey, canola oil, almonds, and vanilla extract - and nothing else - which makes me happy to use it.  The granola has a great crunch to it that makes an idea topping for a crisp.

The Udi's gluten free vanilla granola is ideal to make a pear ginger crisp

Gluten Free Pear Ginger Crisp

Ingredients:
2 ripe pears, but just barely ripe
1 t ginger
2 t corn starch
1/4 c plus 2 t brown sugar, divided
1 1/2 t lemon juice
1/2 c Udi's gluten free vanilla granola
1/2 t nutmeg
2 T mayonnaise
pinch salt

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Wash the pears well.  You want them to be just ripe, as they'll get mushy after cooking if they're too ripe.  Don't peel them, just cut them into bite size pieces, removing the seeds as you normally would.

pears ready to mix for gluten free pear ginger crisp

Place them into a small bowl, and 2 t brown sugar, the lemon juice, the freshly grated ginger, and the corn starch (or arrowroot if you have an issue with corn).  Mix this until the pears are evenly coats, then place them into two large ramekins.

Pears ready for topping for gluten free pear ginger crisp

In the same small bowl (because I'm all about reusing where I can and having fewer dishes, if possible) that is now empty, add the granola, the freshly grated nutmeg, the rest of the brown sugar, the salt, and the mayonnaise.  A word on mayonnaise for those of you wrinkling your noses.  It is a surprisingly good choice that is GFCF alternative for a fat that adds a really nice tang without overpowering the dish.  Just trust me on this one.  Mix the topping until it is thoroughly combined and slightly crumbly.

Mayonnaise is a surprise ingredient for the gluten free pear ginger crisp

Carefully place half the topping over each pear-filled ramekin.  Gently press the topping down, then place them in the oven.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, until the topping is nicely browned and the pears are soft.

Gluten free pear ginger crisp ready to head for the oven

So what dessert would you make with Udi's gluten free options?

In the interest of full disclosure, I was provided with free Udi's product to create desserts that are gluten free for Halloween and fall.  I received no other compensation, and all opinions are my own.

Friday, October 26, 2012

Stop Zombie Mouth This Halloween

I love Halloween.  Well, I love most of Halloween.  I love the sunny, crisp fall afternoons, and I love the creativity of the costumes.  The excitement of children is palpable, and the giggling is infectious.  I love the feeling of comaraderie amongst the neighbors as we troop from house to house.  But I don't love the candy.

I hate all the candy, to be honest.  We come home with tons of candy, the majority of which we can't or don't eat.  Little Miss has a diary allergy which cuts out a huge portion of the candy we collect.  We all avoid HFCS and food dyes wherever we can, which cuts out the majority of the rest.  Mister Man get to keep his Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.  A few neighbors hand out fruit strips or peanut packs, and one neighbor cooks hot dogs for everyone.  That and bags of pretzels are usually what we have at the end of the night.

Even the fruit strips and peanut butter cups aren't unlimited.  I don't want the wee ones eating that much sugar.  It isn't good for their overall health, and it really isn't good for their teeth.  Knock on wood, neither of them has a cavity yet, and I'd like to keep it that way.

Plants vs Zombies cartoon

This year, American Dental Association (ADA) and PopCap Games are partnering to help people provide an alternative to candy for trick or treating.  Anyone who wants to give out copies of PopCap Games' Plant vs. Zombies can download free game coupons that can be redeemed for the full game for either Macs or PCs.  Now that's sweet, right?

Coupon to Stop Zombie Mouth

The codes can be redeemed at Stop Zombie Mouth starting October 30 and until November 10.  The hit game normally retails for $19.95, and I can't wait to see the faces of the kids - especially the middle school trick or treaters - when they see what we're giving out this year!

In the interest of full disclosure, I received #StopZombieMouth cards to give out at Halloween next week.  I was not provided with any additional compensation.  As always, all opinions expressed remain my own.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Free Ringling Bros. Tickets For Halloween

I love Halloween and some of the fun things you see that didn't exist even a few years ago.  I know there will be not only trick or treating for kids at our local shopping center this weekend, but they'll have trick or treating and a costume contest for dogs.  And that's just one new event.

Last year, I participated in the free ticket campaign to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Circus by handing out tickets and clown noses to trick or treaters at our house.  It was a blast, and I loved seeing the faces of the kids - and their parents - as they received the tickets and noses.  This year, the new tradition continues with five new houses.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents Dragons invites you to Trick or Treat for a FREE Ticket to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey presents Dragons! Simply visit one of the 5 Halloween Ringling Treat Houses during their Ringling Treat hour:

House 1 – Bronzeville/Chicago, 4655 S. King Dr. – 3pm – 4pm
House 2 – Aurora, 1140 Symphony Dr. – 4pm – 5pm
House 3 – Crystal Lake, 66 Barrow Dr. – 4pm – 5pm
House 4 – Oak Park, 300 Forest Avenue – 5pm – 6pm
House 5 – Clarendon Hills, 124 Arthur Ave. – 5pm – 6pm

Parents who visit a Ringling Treat House with children between the ages of 2 and 12 will receive one voucher for a FREE Kid’s Ticket for each child present. Voucher is redeemable for a ticket to any Monday – Friday performance of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey presents Dragons at Allstate Arena and United Center. Voucher must be redeemed for Kid’s Ticket at the arena box office. Additional tickets and adjoining seats may be purchased at that time. Trick-or-Ringling Treating is available on Oct. 31 until the end of the hour noted or until 100 FREE Kids’ Vouchers are distributed at each house, whichever occurs first.

So go - trick or treat for your ticket!

In the interest of full disclosure, I am a Feld Family Ambassador.  As such, I am receiving complimentary tickets to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Circus as part of my outreach.  I am not otherwise compensated.  As always, all opinions expressed remain my own.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Don't Get Your Undies In A Twist!

My husband is picky about his underwear.  Most of the time.  We joke about it because I feel like he goes through it like water, and he can't figure out how I get mine to last as long as I do.  When I told him he had a chance to upgrade his drawers with MaLo Underwear, he agreed readily - as long as I promised not to photograph him wearing it.  The man has his pride.

Why was he so happy right now?  Unfortunately, his underwear drawer was starting to look a little sparse.  He's a fan of boxer briefs, and apparently the elastic has given out on the majority of what he had owned.
#MaLoUnderwear to the rescue of a nearly empty drawer

He was down to a few of his "oldie but goodies" - which is part of where our teasing comes in.  There are three pairs of underwear that he's owned since I've known him (or at least, it feels like he has) that just never seem to give up the ghost, so they stick around.  They've been relegated to "backup" status when I haven't been as on top of laundry as I need to be, but he still has them.  And I hate them.  They are the old fashioned boxers, and they are cotton, but not the soft cotton.  There's no stretch or give to them.  And... they're ugly.

The boxers #MaLoUnderwear will be replacing

When the MaLo underwear arrived, I was slightly entertained by the package.  Instead of the usual shrink-wrapped plastic, they came in a resealable bag like they had to be kept fresh.  I thought it was clever.  The image of David on the front of the package wearing the underwear didn't hurt either!
Recloseable seal on #MaLoUnderwear

My husband was happy when his new underwear arrived, too.  Men's fashion isn't really his thing. He likes to keep things fairly conservative.  While MaLo comes in all sorts of fun patterns, the package we were sent was perfect for him with black and grey unpatterned boxer briefs.

Husband holding up 3 pairs of #MaLoUnderwear boxer briefs

Wearing them took a little getting used to.  The legs of these boxer briefs are much shorter than the pairs I had been buying him previously.  While they weren't too short, they were noticeably different from what he normally wore, so he had a tendency to want to adjust himself to ensure everyone was staying where they were supposed to.  Once he got used to the new cut and fit, he was fine.

His favorite part was the band of the boxer briefs.  He was used to a simple layer of elastic around the boxer briefs.  While that is effective, it isn't the most comfortable all the time.  The band around the MaLo is just as soft as the rest of it, and it's thicker, too - which I'm hoping means that we don't have to do a replacement job as quickly.  Maybe this time, his underwear will last as long as mine!
3 pairs of conservative #MaLoUnderwear boxer briefs

So yeah, I might have thought it was a little odd that Mario Lopez would choose to put his name on underwear.  But you know?  I think he made a good choice.  I'll be hopping into Kmart the next time I need to replace more of my husband's boxer briefs because I think we have a new winner in the clubhouse thanks to #MaLoUnderwear!

Interested?  The MaLo Facebook page is currently running a contest for a chance to meet Mario Lopez himself and $75 in MaLo product.  Just take a photo of your man before and after MaLo and briefly describe your makeover.  Include your name and state, and the best makeover story and likes of it wins!  See the Facebook page for complete rules and information.

In the interest of full disclosure, I am a member of the Collective Bias Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and MaLo, and all opinions remain my own.  #CBias #SocialFabric

Monday, October 15, 2012

Shutterfly Holiday Card Giveaway

Shutterfly has their holiday cards up already.  That's crazy, right?  Well, maybe not so much.

Last week, the wee ones and I had a playdate at the park with a friend when there was no school on Columbus Day.  While there, I ran into a friend who went to the park purely to take photos of her kids for her Christmas pictures.  Apparently it isn't too early to start thinking about it.

Me?  I have a bad habit of not getting my cards out until just before Christmas even though I have the best of intentions of doing them the week after Thanksgiving.  Life just gets insanely busy then, so maybe this is the solution instead.

I have yet to figure out what photos I want on my card this year - although I know this one of Little Miss in her holiday dress will go on it, as I promised back in July.

Little Miss with no front teeth for Christmas

I love the options that Shutterfly provides simply because there are so many options out there.  Whether you want a flat holiday card or a folded religious Christmas card, there is something perfect.  I've used Shutterfly for the past several years, and the cards are always a nice heavy card stock with great printing quality.

While I prefer folded cards, there are plenty of options that are flat cards on photo paper, as well.  Those cards start at $0.40 apiece for quantities over 225, while a 5x7 photo card might be $0.85 apiece for 50 cards.

My favorite "new" feature is that many of the cards offer either a "what we did this year" type list on the front of the card or a text area inside the card where you can input a (short) holiday letter instead of printing and sending another note with the card.  My favorite has to be Our Top Ten, but there are several others that allow you to quickly share what you've been up to.

Shutterfly holiday card with top ten of 2012

Because I can never decide on just one photo - and it's rare that both the wee ones are behaving in the same photo - I tend to go for cards with multiple photo options.  If you remember last year's holiday card, I gave up on the behaving part in the end and went with a goofy photo, but it worked.  Framed Wishes (shown below) is really close to the card I chose last year.  I still love it, but I probably need to get a little more creative.

Shutterfly holiday card Framed Wishes

My brain always seems to be spinning with one activity or child or another, so I seem to be drawn to the holiday cards that have different sizes and layouts of photos, with everything not in a neat little line.  Very Merry Moments fits that perfectly, although because I have so many Jewish friends, I typically choose a card that doesn't blatantly mention Christmas.

Shutterfly holiday card Very Merry Moments

Instead, I think I've narrowed my selection down to Peace Cheer Monogram holiday card.  I'm not usually a big plaid person, but I love it in this case.  And I think the colors will go beautifully with Little Miss's red dress - which she's since outgrown by the way.  Now I just have to figure out what other photos to put in there.  One down, five to go, right?

Shutterfly holiday Card Peace Cheer Monogram holiday card

Have I inspired you to start thinking about your holiday cards yet?  Go check out the Shutterfly special offers to see what discounts you can get.  Better yet - if you're ready, I have a code to give away for $50 off your Shutterfly order (excluding shipping, can not combine with any other promotions).  First of all, let me stress that you must follow all the rules. If you do not follow the rules, your entry will not count!

This contest is open until Monday October 29 at 7pm CST. I must have a valid way to reach you, so leave me your email address in your comment or be sure your profile has your email address visible. No duplicate comments will count. This giveaway is open to US residents age 18 and older. Winners will be selected via random.org and must respond within 24 hours of being notified by me or I will select a new winner.

Mandatory Entry: Tell me - when do you start your holiday cards?  Or do you not do holiday cards?

Bonus Entries (leave a comment for each entry - if you put it all in one comment, I'll count it as one entry):
1) Earn one additional entry for following me on Twitter, then tweeting this contest with the following tweet: "It's only October, but @Shutterfly has holiday cards read.  Win $50 off your order via @honestandtruly. http://bit.ly/WqrJIk" (leave a link to your tweet as your comment and make sure you do all the steps!)
2) Earn one additional entry by following this review blog publicly via Google Friend Connect.
3) Earn one additional entry by following my “regular” blog Honest & Truly! publicly via Google Friend Connect.
4) Earn one additional entry by liking Honest & Truly! on Facebook. (Yay, it's legal again, so long as you know you have to leave a comment here to enter and that simply liking me isn't the entry, along with acknowledging the fact that Facebook has nothing to do with this giveaway whatsoever.
5) Earn an additional entry by putting me in your Google Plus circle. Am I already in your G+ circle? No problem - just leave a comment letting me know that you've added me or already have me there.

Good luck!

In the interest of full disclosure, I will receive a discount for my holiday cards as part of this campaign for Shutterfly.  As always, all opinions expressed remain my own.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Circus Chicago Ticket Giveaway

It's not even Halloween, and already a friend of mine asked if I am working with Feld Entertainment on promoting the annual Chicago visit of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Circus to both Allstate Arena and the United Center. The good news?  Yes, I am.  And yes, she has already bought her circus tickets with the discount I have to share.

Dragons logo for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus

This year's big top features the show Dragons, one I know Mister Man will be excited to see.  The show celebrates the Year of the Dragon, and brings together mystic dragon lore and authentic circus feats.  The show will once again start at Allstate Arena before moving to the United Center.  One new thing this year?  The Allstate Arena joins the United Center in offering free parking in the official lots, making this year even more of a treat than ever.

The shows at Allstate Arena run:
Thursday November 1 at 7pm - $12 tickets for opening night!
Friday November 2 at 10:30am and 7pm
Saturdays November 3 and 10 at 11:30am, 3:30pm, and 7:30pm
Sundays November 4 and 11 at 1pm and 5pm - special Spanish language concert after the 5pm show and tickets are $5 more
Wednesday through Friday November 7-9 at 7pm

The shows at the United Center are:
Wednesday November 14 at 7pm - $12 opening night tickets
Thursday and Friday November 15 and 16 at 10:30am and 7pm
Friday November 23 and Saturdays November 17 and 24 at 11:30am, 3:30pm, and 7:30pm
Sundays November 18 and 25 at 1pm and 5pm - special Spanish language concert after the 5pm show and tickets are $5 more
Tuesday November 20 at 7pm
Wednesday November 21 at 2pm and 7pm

The show is fun for all ages, with a free all-access preshow for 90 minutes before the start of the performance.  All ticket holders are invited to the arena floor for the Power Party where you can meet your favorite performers and animals.

Tickets range from $13 to $90 for the Circus Celebrity tickets (where you and your family are actually a part of the circus and which sell out quickly!), but I have a 40% discount code for weekday shows and 20% off all weekend shows.  Simply enter the promo code MOM when you order your tickets. (Fine print: Weekday is defined as any show Monday through Thursday or Friday matinee, not including holidays such as the day after Thanksgiving. Discount does not apply to Circus Celebrity, Front Row, or VIP seats. No double discounts. Service charges, handling, and facility fees may apply.)

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus discounts information

So are you ready to head off to the big top?  I have a family pack of tickets to give away for your choice of shows: at Allstate Arena on Thursday, November 1 at 7pm or Friday, November 2 at 10:30am or at United Center on Wednesday November 14 at 7pm.  First of all, let me stress that you must follow all the rules. If you do not follow the rules, your entry will not count!

This contest is open until Thursday October 25 at 7pm CST. I must have a valid way to reach you, so leave me your email address in your comment or be sure your profile has your email address visible. No duplicate comments will count. This giveaway is open to US residents age 18 and older. Winners will be selected via random.org and must respond within 24 hours of being notified by me or I will select a new winner.

Mandatory Entry: Tell me - what is your favorite circus act?

Bonus Entries (leave a comment for each entry - if you put it all in one comment, I'll count it as one entry):
1) Earn one additional entry for following me on Twitter, then tweeting this contest with the following tweet: "Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® is coming to Chicago.  Win tickets via @honestandtruly. http://bit.ly/W7STUf #ChiRingling" (leave a link to your tweet as your comment and make sure you do all the steps!)
2) Earn one additional entry by following this review blog publicly via Google Friend Connect.
3) Earn one additional entry by following my “regular” blog Honest & Truly! publicly via Google Friend Connect.
4) Earn one additional entry by liking Honest & Truly! on Facebook. (Yay, it's legal again, so long as you know you have to leave a comment here to enter and that simply liking me isn't the entry, along with acknowledging the fact that Facebook has nothing to do with this giveaway whatsoever.
5) Earn an additional entry by putting me in your Google Plus circle. Am I already in your G+ circle? No problem - just leave a comment letting me know that you've added me or already have me there.

Good luck!

In the interest of full disclosure, I am a Feld Family Ambassador.  As such, I am receiving complimentary tickets to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Circus as part of my outreach.  I am not otherwise compensated.  As always, all opinions expressed remain my own.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Dominick's International: Tomato Soup

If you know anything about me - anything at all! - you'll know that I love to cook and bake.  The more I can do at home, controlling what I put into my dishes and what my family eats, the happier we all are.  When given the opportunity to participate in a culinary challenge with Dominick's, highlighting some of the new international foods they are now carrying, I jumped all over it.

I took a deep breath and crossed my fingers as I read what my two mystery ingredients would be.  I got Dell' Alpe extra virgin olive oil and Dell' Alpe imported canned pear tomatoes.  To say I was happy that I got ingredients that go together is putting it mildly.  But... they almost go too well together.  I use tomatoes and olive oil constantly.

I thought and thought and tried to come up with something creative.  Something unique.  And then I remembered that when we went to Medieval Times, Mister Man enjoyed tomato soup for the first time in his life.  Bingo - I need to foster that enjoyment of tomatoes in a healthy and yummy form.

So I decided to make a simple tomato soup that really features the Dell' Alpe tomatoes.  And it was awesome.  Serve it up with a little bread, and everyone was thrilled.

Bowl of tomato soup made with Dell' Alpe extra virgin olive oil and pear tomatoes

Tomato Soup featuring Dell' Alpe evoo and Dell' Alpe pear tomatoes

Ingredients:
1 white onion
2 T Dell' Alpe extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic
2 T flour
3 cups chicken broth (or vegetable to make it vegan)
1 28 ounce can Dell' Alpe imported canned pear tomatoes
1 T tomato paste
2 T sugar*
salt and pepper to taste
10-15 fresh basil leaves

*Depending on your tomatoes and tomato paste, you may need to adjust this a little to get to the taste you want, usually just a little more sugar.

Directions:
Preheat a large pot.  Chop your onion while it's heating.  Once it's fully heated, add the olive oil, then add the onion.  Cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not browned.

Chop your onion into even size pieces for sauteeing

As the onion is cooking, prepare your garlic.  To help keep it from burning, you don't want to cut it up.  Instead, smash it with the flat of your knife.  Once you smash it hard, you can just pluck the peel off, easy peasy.  Add the garlic to the onion once the onion is pretty much done.  You just want the garlic to get fragrant.  Go ahead and add the flour, stirring to ensure that it is evenly coating the onions and garlic, and let it cook for two minutes.

Add the chicken stock and canned tomatoes to the onion and garlic mixture.  Make sure you're using good tomatoes, like the Dell' Alpe imported canned pear tomatoes, because they will be the focus of your soup.

Can of pear tomatoes

How do you know you have good tomatoes?  Seriously, take a look at how gorgeous these tomatoes are!

Dell' Alpe pear tomato on a spoon


Add the tomato paste and sugar, as well as 1 t of salt and maybe 1/2 t of pepper.  Turn the heat down so that it is just simmering.  You don't want this to boil.  Cover your pot and cook it for 30-40 minutes at a simmer so that everything starts to break down.

After that 30-40 minutes, puree your soup.  If you have an immersion blender, you're set.  If not, buy one but use your regular blender in the interim.  If blending in a blender, blend in batches and don't fill the container more than one-third full.  Use a kitchen towel and hold the top on, as blending hot liquids will create pressure that could force the top off.  Keeping it fairly empty and holding the top on helps a ton.  Or ... that immersion blender means you can do it all at once and in the same pot so no extra dishes.  Puree it completely.

Using an immersion blender to puree tomato soup

Serve it immediately.  Chiffonade the basil and use it as a garnish or add some shredded Parmesan for an extra flavor boost.  The wee ones weren't interested in these accouterments, but I'd definitely go for them.  This will keep in the fridge for a few days, and it tastes better the second day once all the flavors have had a chance to meld.

Interested in making this Dell' Alpe highlighted soup?  Or exploring other international options Dominick's now carries?  I have a $50 Dominick's gift card to give away.

This one?  Super easy to enter.  You must tweet what your favorite international ingredient or dish is, using @Dominicks and @honestandtruly in the tweet along with the hashtag #DominicksIntl.  The only caveat is that you can't use the Twitter handles or hashtag as the first word in your tweet (e.g., "@honestandtruly @Dominick's I love..." doesn't work; "Hey @honestandtruly and @Dominicks" does work).

Tweet by Sunday October 7 at 7pm Central, and I'll choose a winner from eligible entries at that time.  You do need to be a US resident and 18 years of age or older.  Only one tweet per person is eligible.  You will need to provide me with your contact information within 24 hours so that you can be sent the gift card if you are chosen by random.org or another winner will be chosen.

Good luck!

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a gift card to purchase ingredients for my dish.  I was not provided with any additional compensation.  As always, all opinions expressed remain my own.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

2Toots: A Restaurant I Can Feel Good About Enjoying

I wrote a few weeks ago about Mister Man and I eating at 2Toots Train Whistle Cafe in Bartlett.  He keeps asking me when we get to go back.  And we'll be back soon because it's somewhere that I can feel good about eating.  Yes, it's hamburgers and other diner food, but it isn't pull out the overly processed frozen food from the back and who knows what's in it, and that's why I like it.

Basket with burger and fries at the 2Toots train whistle cafe in bartlett

The beef in the hamburgers is Bill Kurtis's Tall Grass Beef, which is 100% grass fed, 100% prairie raised beef that is given no hormones.  Not only do I feel better about that, but there are nutrition benefits from this beef, too.  There is up to 1.5 times more protein in the leaner grass fed beef, and it has more Vitamin E, omega 3s, and CLAs - all of which help our bodies work properly.  The hot dogs are also from Bill Kurtis's farm and are preservative and gluten free and have no added nitrites or nitrates - something we try to avoid in our house.  They even offer gluten free buns now, making life easier for those with dietary restrictions.  And if that isn't enough, if you have further dietary issues, you are welcome to bring in your own food without being saddled with fees for it.  Provided it fits, they'll even deliver your outside food on their train, just like all the other food.

So no, this isn't something we're going to eat every day, but when we eat out, I love that we have an option with a restaurant that holds itself to the same standards I do in our house.  Even the milk is Horizon's organic milk in both chocolate and vanilla.  I still smile when I think about Mister Man not wanting to get the chocolate milk because his experience with restaurant chocolate milk is that it's too sweet and tastes funny.  I barely managed to convince him to try the chocolate milk at 2Toots, but when he did, he loved it.

Sign to remind you to sign up for the 2Toots Train Whistle Cafe birthday club

We signed ourselves (ok, Mister Man and Little Miss) up for the birthday club, which means that we'll get a card in the mail before their birthdays for a free kids meal and cupcake.  With Mister Man's birthday only a little more than a week away, I know he's anxious to go back... since I hear him ask me about it almost every day.  I love restaurants that help me celebrate with my child.

The cupcakes come with train whistles atop them.  I've been to other restaurants that have the same type of whistle.  I learned the hard way.  My rule: in the restaurant, you may blow it once and once only.  Outside the restaurant you may play with it until we get to the car, at which point it is mine, and no you may not have it back.  It's a shame that it's a waste.  At 2Toots, it gets better because apparently I'm not the only parent thinking this way.  You can save up those whistles and trade them in for other prizes.  I love it!

List of items you can exchange whistles for at 2Toots cafe

The whole feel of the restaurant is one where they are parents who've been there with their kids.  More proof of that?  They have a fundraising program for schools where 10% of profits go back to the school during a special event you can sign up for.  We do dine and share events (as we call them) at our school periodically, and it's always fun to try somewhere new and eat with friends and family.

The restaurant is all about fun, and I applaud 2Toots Train Whistle Cafe for that.  The seating at the tracks keeps the kids occupied, although I will admit that next time I will choose a seat that doesn't have a television near it as we didn't need that distraction.  There is an old-fashioned ride on horse for a quarter if the train tracks and food isn't enough, but the food came quickly and it was delicious - and filling.

No wonder Mister Man keeps asking when we get to go back!

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a gift card from 2Toots for participating in this campaign.  That said, all opinions remain my own.