Eden Fantasys - Review with Giveaway

Warning: Adults only Review. Readers discretion advised.

Intimacy is an important part of any couples relationship. Valentine's Day will be here soon, a perfect time to consider purchasing from Eden Fantasys. I was recently approached by Eden Fantasys for a review and giveaway. Being the g-rated writer I am, I was very hesitant to bring such a topic to my blog. I hope to not offend any of my readers. I must tell you that after browsing at Eden Fantasys, I was impressed that there are wonderful products besides "adults items". They offer a nice assortment of lingerie, from beautiful to sexy. They have a wonderful selection of bath salts and aromatherapy candles.

EdenFantasys
Shopping you can trust, a welcoming community and a wealth of inspiring resources.

We celebrate the fact that sexuality can be expressed in many ways. Our community members and contributors live all over the world. We're happily monogamous and joyfully polyamorous. We're plump, thin, college students, parents, retirees, couples, and singles. We welcome everyone, with the goal of helping each person find a unique path toward sexual fulfillment. No matter who you are, you'll fit right in with our community.

 Courtesy of Eden Fantasys I received a gift card to choose an item to experience the browsing, the selections and the ordering process. Looking for more tame items I was drawn to the bath salts. I am considering Treasure of the Sea or the Chemistry Bubble bath Set. The Aromatherapy Candle assortment is fabulous. There are wonderful oils and lotions for massages too.

I placed my order and I like the $5.95 flat shipping fee. All of the shipping charges are shown to choose different methods if you prefer your items faster. The checkout process was simple and you can even pay using PayPal. You can create an account to track your orders too. Your package will come in discreet packaging. I never once felt I was being pressured to buy a certain item and if you care to browse further for promos and specials it is all just a click away on the top menu bar. Yes the "adult items" are a large part of Eden Fantasys but I was not uncomfortable browsing. The website is created in good taste and you can easily search for something you are wanting to browse to avoid objects you prefer not to see. Whichever level of intimacy you and your loved one share, feel comfortable shopping at Eden Fantasys. Whether you like the sexy stuff or the tame products there is something for everyone at Eden Fantasys.

You can also visit the Eden Cafe which is the Eden Fantasys blog for more intense discussions and ideas. (Adults Only!)

Here is your chance to win. Eden Fantasys is providing a $25.00 gift card to one lucky reader.

Mandatory Entry (First entry)
--Visit Eden Fantasys Sensual Love category  (must be 21 or over to visit) and tell me what item has your interest. (Please keep the comments G-rated).
--Include your email address (if not public in a profile) so I can contact you if you win.

Additional optional entries: Eligible after completing mandatory entry above: You can do any or all of the following for one entry each. Please leave a separate comment for each that you have done.

--Follow my blog (see the left side bar to sign up) Already a follower, just leave a comment saying that you are a follower.

--Subscribe to my blog ( see the left side bar to sign up) Current subscribers are eligible too.

--Follow me on Twitter

--Tweet about this giveaway and leave a link to your tweet (Can tweet once daily).

--Follow Eden Fantasys on Twitter.

--Fan Eden Fantasys on Facebook.

--Post my button on your blog and leave a link to your blog.

--FOR 5 EXTRA ENTRIES - Blog about this giveaway, with a link to my blog. Come back and leave the link to your blog post. Post FIVE separate comments that you've blogged about this.

Giveaway ends on January 8th at 11:59 PM Pacific time. Open to US addresses only. No PO Boxes. Winner will be chosen by random.org and contacted by email. Please respond in 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen. To be fair to everyone, comments not meeting requirements will be deleted.

Many thanks to Nicole and Eden Fantasys for providing the review gift card and giveaway product.

Disclosure: I received a gratis gift card for this review. No monetary compensation was offered or accepted for this post. The opinions above are my own. Others experience may vary.

Lots of Lucky Winners to Announce!

Hi everyone. I hope your holidays were filled with happiness and good tidings.

Here are a few lucky winners to announce for:

Cook in the Kitchen
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
55 Timestamp: 2009-12-28 17:40:15 UTC

55 jamielz said... Follow your blog


J Winterbower Glass Marble
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
233 Timestamp: 2009-12-28 17:44:57 UTC

233 afineday said... I just started following jwglassart on twitter as @afineday

Ecostore gift Certificate
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
280 Timestamp: 2009-12-28 17:52:45 UTC

280 ZESTYWONDERLAND said... FOLLOW ECO STORE ON TWITTER !

Xtrema Skillet
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
504 Timestamp: 2009-12-28 17:56:52 UTC

504 Tylerpants said... I would love the 9 Pc 2 Qt. Retro Tea Set!

Congratulations to the winners. I have sent a notification email to each one. Stay Tuned everyone the products are trickling in for reviews and giveaways. It looks to be a fun New Year.

Merry Christmas to All!

To all my readers, whether you have been with me for a while or are just passing by,
To all of my fabulous sponsors who support my blog and provide all the wonderful products to review and share,
To all my blogging friends I have met along the journey,
To my family for understanding how personal my blog is to me and providing the support to my endeavor,
To the person I just can not please,
To the people happy to be here,
To everyone,

I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.

Just for Fun - The 12 days of Christmas Recipes

I thought this would be a fun search. The 12 days of Christmas in my version as recipes. Okay so some of it is a bit of a stretch. It was a lot of tantilizing work to compile my list. Enjoy.

1st day - A Partridge in a pear tree. Here are some pear recipes. From Technicolor Kitchen - Pear Fritters. From Food O' Del Mundo - Blushing Pears. From eating/sf Poached Pear and Brown Butter Tart.

2nd day - Two Turtle Doves. Here are Turtle recipes. From The Other side of 50 - Mini Turtle Brownie Bites and Mini Turtle Cheesecakes.

3rd day - Three French Hens. From Closet Cooking - Pumpkin Pie French Toast. From Of Chocolate and Mangos - Garlic Game Hens.

4th day -  Four Calling Birds. From Joy of Baking - Hummingbird Cake Recipe. From a Baked Creation - Hummingbird Cupcakes.

5th day - Five Golden Rings. From The Food Channel - Guinness Beer Battered Onion Rings. From Foodie with family - Golden Crunchy Pickled Onions.

6th day - Six Geese a laying - From PigPig's Corner - Gooseberries and Blueberries Turnovers. From Gourmet Traveller - Eggs En Cocotte.

7th day - Seven Swans a Swimming - From Whisk a food blog -Peppermint cream ring swans.

8th day - Eight Maids a Milking - From La Cuisine d Helene - Caramilk Fudge. From Rosa's Yummy Yums - Buttermilk Honey Bread.

9th day - Nine Ladies Dancing - (to me Ladies dancing means chocolate) From Babbo NYC Ladies Kisses.

10th day - Ten Lords a Leaping -  (my men leap to bacon) From the Nourish Network - Candied Bacon. From Not Quite Nigella - Bacon Jam.

11th day - Eleven Pipers Piping - From Smells Like Home - Piping hot Sausage and Lentil Soup. From The Quirky Kitchen - Piping Hot Banana Bread Oatmeal.

12th day - Twelve Drummers Drumming - From Big Oven - Honey Mustard Drumsticks. From Oprah - Adam Perry Lang's Sticky Drumsticks.

There you have it. That was a lot of fun to put together. It also made me pretty hungry.

Last Minute Gift Idea - Absolutely Chocolate Cookbook

I am doing my Happy Chocolate dance here. This time it is a little different. I am looking at a wonderful cookbook called Absolutely Chocolate Irresistible Excuses to Indulge from the editors of Fine Cooking.
Chocolate is a treat consumed by people around the world. Cooking or baking with chocolate has a lot to think about. Nowadays there are so many varieties of chocolates to consider as well as exotic or favorite ingredient pairing.

Absolutely Chocolate contains information on chocolate production, choosing the right chocolate for baking, and many more tips. To help you create there are 125 delicious recipes for wonderful chocolate goodness. You will find recipes for layer cakes, pies, muffins, cookies, brownies and of course candies.

First off this book is beautiful. The color photos are visually tantilizing. The colors for the fonts used is different and pleasing to the eye. It speaks of chocolate richness to me. I quickly became drawn in to the scrumptious recipe offerings. Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Dried Cherries and Pecans, yes please. Chocolate Orange biscotti, yes please. Kahlua Fudge Bites...are you kidding me? These are a must make for me. My very favorite cake recipe is the Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes. This recipe makes chocolate biscuits topped with a fresh sugared strawberries and fresh whipped cream. Sounds incredible to me. Do you like cheesecake? Here is One 2 Try - Triple Chocolate Cheesecake. So decadent, perfect for a holiday dinner. I could go on and on with the fabulous recipes included in Absolutely Chocolate. My only wish for this cookbook... you could have included a scratch and sniff page. LOL. The enticing photos and recipes have given me a super strong, get out of my way, chocolate craving.

If there is a chocolate fanatic in your circle of aquaintances, consider Absolutely Chocolate Irresistible Excuses to Indulge. You can purchase a copy at Taunton Press currently on sale for 25% off making the price $22.46. Take advantage of the free shipping on everything! The free shipping offer applies to standard U.S. shipping only. Offer valid until midnight EST on Thursday, December 24, 2009.

8 1/4 x 10 1/4 Hardcover in.
304 pages, with 130 photographs
Published 2009
ISBN 978-1-60085-133-9

You can never have too much chocolate.

Many thanks to Janel and Taunton Press for providing the review copy.

Disclosure: I received a gratis copy for this review. No monetary compensation was offered or accepted for this post. The opinions above are my own. Others experience may vary.

Winners - Maria's Papacorn and Kallari Chocolate

Here are the lucky winners for:

Maria's Papacorn
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
23 Timestamp: 2009-12-23 15:13:28 UTC

23 throuthehaze said... follower

Kallari Chocolate
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
199 Timestamp: 2009-12-23 15:21:00 UTC

199 Kelly (kibbles)said... Follow your blog on GFC.

Congrats to both winners. I have sent a notification email. Thank you all for entering.

Last Minute Gift Idea - Sublime Recycled Cooler Review with Giveaway

Have you been green this year? I am making a resolution to be greener and more environmentally friendly this coming year. I already recycle as much as possible. I use filter pitchers so I do not have to buy individual bottled waters. If I do buy bottled waters I am happy to know they can be recycled into something very useful. Introducing from Sublime - a 12 can recycled cooler.

About Sublime:
Sublime, meaning elevated thinking and awe inspiring, celebrates our part in protecting the planet. Combining leading design with the latest in forward-thinking recycling technology, sublime designs and manufactures premium, eco-friendly products for a variety of uses, including coolers, reusable water bottles, fitness and yoga accessories as well as anti-fatigue home and play comfort mats.

The recycled coolers are made from PET. Polyethylene terephthalate, a thermal plastic polyester resin made from post recycled plastic water and soda bottles. By using PET more bottles are kept out of the landfills.

The Sublime 12 can recycled cooler I received looks pretty snazzy. I like the green and grey color. It also comes in black. It has lots of pockets for carrying utensils, napkins etc. The inside is very insulated to keep your cans cold. The liner is PVC, lead and toxic free. I like the molded bottom feature for stability. What is super fantastic about the Sublime recycled coolers is the amount of bottles kept out of landfills. For this 12 can cooler it has kept 15 bottles from waste. The larger coolers save even more. The Sublime 36 can recycled cooler saves 29 bottles! Think of all those bottles that each cooler keeps from the trash. Ingenious.

Check out the features of the Sublime Recycled Cooler:

Fabric is made from next generation cyclepet post-consumer recycled pet fabric.
Premium weave 100 recycled webbing.
Superior cooling high density recycled closed cell foam with eva bottoms.
Interior seamless liner is environmetally friendly - pvc free, lead free, azo free and toxic free.
Front zippered pocket compartment with cooler lining.
Top opening features premium sbs zippers with micro pulls.
Top carry handle.
Adjustable padded shoulder strap.
Dual side pockets with expandable micro mesh and integrated shoulder straps.
Size 9.0000 x 11.0000 x 6.5000.
Linear Inches 26.5000.
Warranty 1 Year.

Sublime Coolers would make a perfect gift for everyone. Use as a lunchbag to carry your own lunch, saving money. Remember to pack lunch in reusable containers to save on waste products. Use it as a cooler for your outings and get togethers. The drinks will stay cold. Remember to recycle the cans or bottles too.

Sublime Coolers can be purchased at ebags and Amazon. Give the gift of being green.

Here is your chance to win! Sublime is offering to one lucky reader a 12 can recycled cooler.

Mandatory Entry (First entry)
--Visit Sublime products on Amazon and tell me what other product you would like to own.
--Include your email address (if not public in a profile) so I can contact you if you win.

Additional optional entries: Eligible after completing mandatory entry above: You can do any or all of the following for one entry each. Please leave a separate comment for each that you have done.

--Follow my blog (see the left side bar to sign up) Already a follower, just leave a comment saying that you are a follower.

--Subscribe to my blog ( see the left side bar to sign up) Current subscribers are eligible too.

--Follow me on Twitter

--Tweet about this giveaway and leave a link to your tweet (Can tweet once daily).

--Post my button on your blog and leave a link to your blog.

--FOR 5 EXTRA ENTRIES - Blog about this giveaway, with a link to my blog. Come back and leave the link to your blog post. Post FIVE separate comments that you've blogged about this.

Giveaway ends on January 3rd at 11:59 PM Pacific time. Open to US addresses only. No PO Boxes. Winner will be chosen by random.org and contacted by email. Please respond in 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen. To be fair to everyone, comments not meeting requirements will be deleted.

Many thanks to Debra, and Philip from Sublime for providing the review sample and giveaway product.

Disclosure: I received a gratis sample for this review. No monetary compensation was offered or accepted for this post. The opinions above are my own. Others experience may vary.

Last Minute Gift Idea - Dam Good Sweet Cookbook

Oh my goodness. I have a cookbook to feature that is sure to get your mouth watering. Dam Good Sweet by David Guas and food writer Raquel Pelzel. This debut cookbook by New Orleans - bread pastry Chef David Guas has been chosen as one of the best dessert books of 2009 by Food & Wine.

New Orleans shares its wonderful pastries and sweets so beautifully presented by David.

Beignets to peanut brittle to bananas Foster! Now you can recreate the to-die-for sweets -- pralines, heavenly hash, and, of course, pecan pie -- that are synonymous with New Orleans. Just a taste of what awaits you...

•Sweet Potato Tart Tatin
•Calas Fried Rice Fritters
•Lemon Icebox Pie
•Cafe au Lait Cème Brûlée
•The GAP's Fried Apple Pie
•Mahatma Rice Pudding
•Cane Syrup Ice Cream
•Black & Blue Crumble
•Red Velvet Cake and more

The beautiful photos are stunning. The chapter descriptions drew me right in. Starting with Old School N'awlins, here you will find Beignets, Eclairs, and famous King Cake. In Crust and Crmub there is a divine recipe for Black and Blue Crumble made with blackberries an blueberries. The cake selection is incredible. You can make a Southern specialty Red Velvet cake or try the Sweet Corn Cake with Root Beer Syrup. I am going to make that one! I can not wait to make the TAG's PB Brownies. Peanut butter and deep chocolate, sounds so decadent and delightful. I stopped at the Banana Pudding and instantly had a craving for it. This banana pudding is made with banana liquer, banana flavoring and real bananas, topped with vanilla wafer crumble. No fair making something sound so delicious. Pudding made the old fashioned way, easy enough for me to attempt. A New Orleans specialty is Lagniappes (pronounced LAN-yap) is a little something extra you get at the end of a meal, as a gift from the host of chef. Here you will find decadent treats of Pralines, Spiced Pecans and salted Caramels.

I really enjoyed going through Dam Good Sweets cover to cover. I liked reading the little tidbits about the recipes and the wonderful stories intertwined in the book. I wanted this gem of a cookbook to last longer. I hope David and Raquel continue writing cookbooks. Dam Good Sweet is a real treasure.

You can purchase Dam Good Sweet direct from Taunton Press. It is currently on sale for 25% off making the price $18.75 PLUS for 48 hours only Taunton Press is offering Free Shipping! The free shipping offer applies to standard U.S. shipping only. Offer valid until midnight EST on Thursday, December 24, 2009. Shop the sale, with over 900 books available including many cookbooks there must be a title you want.

I am going back to my copy of Dam Good Sweet to drool more.

Hardcover
176 pages, with 45 photographs
Published 2009
ISBN 978-1-60085-118-6

Many thanks to Janel and Taunton Press for providing the review copy.

Disclosure: I received a gratis copy for this review. No monetary compensation was offered or accepted for this post. The opinions above are my own. Others experience may vary.

Winners- Community Coffee

Here are the winners for the Community Coffee Holiday Duos giveaway.

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
188 172 Timestamp: 2009-12-22 15:01:10 UTC

188 barbara.montyj
172 Aisling

Congratulations to both winners. I have sent a notification email. Thank you to all who entered. If you did not win, place your order for the delicious coffees at Community Coffee.

Happy Holidays!

Mission Tortillas - Review

Here on the West Coast we use tortillas almost as much as bread. Maybe even more. I am a long time consumer of Mission Tortillas. My family likes to make soft tacos, burritos, breakfast burritos and chicken wraps. Mission makes a nice variety of tortillas in corn, flour, and whole grains. Mission also produces healthy tortilla options of Life Balance, low carb, and fat free. Each is equally delicious.

I recently had the opportunity to sample Mission Life Balance Plus Whole Wheat Totillas. The life balance tortillas contain 23 vitamins & minerals including DHA Omega-3 and antioxidants. It is great to have all the nutrition added in the tortilla but for my family it is all about the taste. We loved them. The whole wheat flavor adds an almost nutty flavor. The texture is the same as any other Mission tortilla and if I did not tell my family they were eating something good for them they would never suspect a thing. The Life Balance Whole Wheat tortillas are just plain delicious. I love the recipe posted on the back of the package too. Buffalo Chicken tacos. Mmmmmm this would make a great dinner. Add a small green salad and we are good to go.

Buffalo Chicken TacosServes: 6

PrepTime (min): 30
CookTime (min): 16
Type: Appetizer and Party Food
Prep Tool: Grill, Mixing Bowl, Knife, Microwave
Helpful Info: Easy, Entertaining

Recipe Ingredients:
•6 each Mission® Life Balance Whole Wheat Tortillas

•1 package Taco Seasoning Mix

•Non-Stick Cooking Spray to coat

•3/4 cup Water

•1 pound boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts

•1 each Avocado

•1/2 cup Fat Free Ranch Dressing

•2 ounces Blue Cheese crumbled

•3/4 cup Carrots shredded

•1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro chopped

•Dashes Cayenne Pepper Hot Sauce

Recipe Instructions:
1. Combine non-stick cooking spray, taco seasoning, and water to make marinade in small bowl.

2. Place chicken in plastic bag and add marinade. Marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

3. Mash avocado and mix with ranch dressing.

4. Remove chicken from marinade and grill over medium heat. Cook chicken about 8 minutes per side.

5. Warm Mission® Tortillas.

6. Slice chicken and serve wrapped in warm tortillas with hot sauce, blue cheese, carrots, cilantro and avocado ranch dressing.

Hints:

1. To add even more textural punch, add chopped red pepper, chopped tomato and leafy green lettuce to the tacos.

We are also big fans of the Mission Flour Tortillas. One of my favorites - I like to cut them in triangles and fry them, sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar and enjoy. It makes a nice sweet crispy treat.

There is usually not a single day the I do not have tortillas in my kitchen. They are so versatile. Try Mission Tortillas today. They taste great and are fun to eat.

Many thanks to Lauren and Mission for providing the review samples.

Disclosure: I received gratis samples for this review. No monetary compensation was offered or accepted for this post. The opinions above are my own. Others experience may vary.

FoldTuk Kitchenware Review with Giveaway

This is a reprint of a post I featured a while back. The great folks at FoldTuk have provided another chance for my readers to win! Please read the story then enter for your chance to win below!

 It is amazing how many baking pans I have accumulated over the years. They sure take up a lot of space. A new product is on the market that helps save precious kitchen cupboard space. FoldTuk Kitchenware - Bakeware. The design of FoldTuk is pretty smart. They are made of an innovative compound material called Ceramber™. They are collapsible to save space. The seal is airtight for food storage. You can use FoldTuk in the microwave and the oven up to 500F degrees. You can freeze your food in the FoldTuk bakeware then pop it right in the oven with no thawing time. If you have leftovers you can store them in the same FoldTuk by collapsing one ring of the container. This is so smart.

I received the 6 cup Rectangle FoldTuk for this review. It looks pretty cool. It is clear for easy viewing of the contents inside. The size of it when flat is about 1 and 1/2 inches tall with the lid. Expand the dish and it almost 3 inches tall with 6 cups capacity. It seems very sturdy and stable. I used my FoldTuk in the microwave for heating vegetables and in the oven for heating a chicken rice casserole. I had no issues with the bakeware. It is dishwasher safe too. My only concern is there is a lot of care and handling tips that come with FoldTuk. There are a lot of don'ts on the list. It kind of scared me to try it with such a list of dont's. I am glad I did! Now I wish there was a larger size.

FoldTuk can be ordered direct from the website. It comes in a variety of sizes and colors. The prices start at $15.99 to $80.00 for the roaster. Check out FoldTuk Kitchenware and Bakeware. Save space, save time, save your leftovers all in one. For my readers here is a special discount code for 20% off all orders good through January 1st, 2010. Use code "one2try".

Here is your chance to win!  Courtesy of Foldtuk - One lucky reader will win a 6 cup Rectangle FoldTuk.

Mandatory Entry (First entry)
--Visit FoldTuk and tell me which product you would like in your kitchen.
--Include your email address (if not public in a profile) so I can contact you if you win.

Additional entries: Eligible after completing mandatory entry above: You can do any or all of the following for one entry each. Please leave a separate comment for each that you have done.
--Follow my blog (see the left side bar to sign up) Already a follower, just leave a comment saying that you are a follower.

--Subscribe to my blog ( see the left side bar to sign up) Current subscribers are eligible too.

--Follow me on Twitter

--Tweet about this giveaway and leave a link to your tweet (Can tweet once daily).

--Post my button on your blog and leave a link to your blog.

--Follow FoldTuk on Twitter

--Fan FoldTuk on Facebook.

--FOR 5 EXTRA ENTRIES - Blog about this giveaway, with a link to my blog AND FoldTuk. Come back and leave the link to your blog post. Post FIVE separate comments that you've blogged about this.

Giveaway ends on December 31st at 11:59 PM Pacific time. Open to US addresses only. No PO Boxes. Winner will be chosen by random.org and contacted by email. Please respond in 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen. To be fair to everyone, comments not meeting requirements will be deleted.

Many thanks to Jamie of FoldTuk for providing the review sample and giveaway product.

Disclosure: I received a gratis sample for this review. No monetary compensation was offered or accepted. The opinions above are my own. Others experience may vary.

Last Minute Gift Idea - Cake Keeper Cakes Cookbook

Do you have someone in your family that loves to bake? Maybe you have a wannabe baker with a collection of cookbooks. Here is one to add - Cake Keeper Cakes by Lauren Chattman. This lovely cookbook contains 100 simple recipes for bundt cakes, pound cakes, snacking cakes and many more extraodinary baked treats.

Lauren Chattman the author is a former pastry Chef and has authored ten cookbooks. Her recipes have appeared in many publications.

After baking and eating cake every day for almost a year, I'm excited to share the results in Cake Keeper Cakes, a collection of 100 recipes for unadorned cakes, moist and luscious, but simple to make and keep on hand for everyday eating.

Courtesy of Taunton Press, I received a review copy of Cake Keeper Cakes. I love this book. Starting off in the Snacking Cakes, I first want to make the Chocolate Gingerbread. Mmmm that sounds festive. Cocoa and molasses plus ginger mixed together for a gingerbread treat. I can't wait to make this. Here is one for the summer when fresh strawberries are back in season - Fresh Strawberry cake with White Chocolate chips. Made in an 8 inch square pan this sounds like a perfect summer treat cake. Jumping to the round cakes recipe here is an interesting one - Apple and Cheddar cheese cake. The cheese adds a tangy flavor to the apple cake. I think this would be great for a brunch. Another fruit cake - Pear Cake with Sea Salt Caramel Sauce. Decadent. I wonder what it was like to taste all these fine cakes over the year to find just the right recipes to include?

I came to a screaching stop in my recipe browsing at Walnut-Whiskey Pound Cake with Whiskey Glaze. I am going to the store for ingredients right away for this one. Not for the kiddies. Sour cream, walnuts, vanilla and whiskey go in with other ingredients to make the cake then the glaze is made with more whiskey with confectioners sugar. Can you eat and drive after this cake? It sounds so good. Definitely a keeper for me.

With 100 recipes to select from, a spectacular cake is just a few ingredients away. I have many pages bookmarked to try. What a delightful task to undertake...making cakes.

Cake Keeper Cakes can be ordered directly from Taunton Press and is currently on sale until 12/30 at 25% off. The price comes to $13.46 with the discount. Check your local bookseller for stock at retail.

Mmmmmm cake.

Paperback
8 x 8 in.
176 pages, with 40 color photographs
Published 2009

ISBN 978-1-60085-120-9

Product #071269

Many thanks to Janel of Taunton Press for providing the review copy.

Disclosure: I received a gratis copy for this review. No monetary compensation was offered or accepted for this post. The opinions above are my own. Others experience may vary.

Suck UK - Design Review

Interesting name. Even more interesting products! Suck UK has the coolest fun gadgets and useful items. It is all about design. Suck UK is a London based store and they do ship internationally.

The Story so Far:
For a decade now SUCK UK have been producing unique, quirky and expertly designed furniture, lighting, interior products and accessories. Setting themselves apart from the crowd with simple yet original designs and a cheeky sense of humour, Suck UK's mission is to keep churning out fresh products, cherry picking young design talent and expanding a brand that’s already at the top of it’s game.

Design is mostly by Sam and Jude or selected by them from some of the best designers around the world.


I was introduced to Suck UK by a magazine article I had read. Curious I went to the website to browse. I have always wished I had one of those modern design homes made from an old factory (it's a dream of mine) and the products at Suck UK reflect my interest in modern design. I found so many cute trinkets and very useful items. From mugs to coasters, to mirrors, clocks, lights and furniture. All the products are quirky, fun and very imaginative. I had a ball browsing the different categories.

Take a look at the Slide Light. Use actual slides to create an eye catching colorful light.

The Glow Brick is a light bulb encased in resin that glows in the dark. Too Cool.

My eye is on the MyCuppa Coffee mug but it was out of stock. I am anxiously awaiting its return for my order. I am thrilled to tell you about 2 other products Suck UK sent me for this review. Staying with the mug theme (my mug collection is an obsession), I chose the Pop Art Mug. What is really cool about the Pop Art mug is the design is the actual lyrics of famous songs in vivid bright colors. The best part is when you are choosing the pop art style you get to listen to the song. Go ahead try it! Click on one of the mugs at the bottom and it opens a new window to play the song. Each mug is a different song. I chose Marvin Gaye - What's Going On. A classic song. This mug is awesome. I find myself singing the song while using the mug for my morning coffee. I think that is a perfect way to start the day.

Now I needed a coaster to put my Pop Art mug on. Enter Splat Stan! Splat Stan is a coaster made of silicone rubber in the shape of a man being squished by your coffee mug. Oh my goodness it makes me chuckle everytime to put my mug on Stan. Morbid maybe, but I think it is so clever. The coaster is protecting my desk too. See... useful and fun.

Take your time browsing Suck UK. The more I did the more I wanted. You can order from Suck UK here in the United States. The prices are in their currency and you will need to use a currency converter to see your actual cost. The shipping is calculated when the address is filled out. The prices on my Splat Stan and Pop Art Mug £7.50 came to $10.74 US. Very reasonable for such great designs. It may be too late to order for Christmas for overseas delivery, but if you are looking for a unique gift idea or you have some Christmas money to spend, take a look at Suck UK. Interesting name, even more interesting products!

Many thanks to Nicki and Suck UK for providing the review samples.

Disclosure: I received gratis samples for this review. No monetary compensation was offered or accepted for this post. The opinions above are my own. Others experience may vary.

Winners - Amy's Soups

The winners have been chosen for the Amy's Soups giveaway:

1st prize - 3 soups and a tote bag.
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
155 Timestamp: 2009-12-20 21:08:55 UTC

155 ale_d_o_l said... Blog foll
aleoliver72


5 runners up - Amy's Free Product coupon.
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
133 230 102 175 245
Timestamp: 2009-12-20 21:10:33 UTC

133 For Their Future
230 JC
102 rubynreba
175 Crystal
245 Angela

I have sent notification emails to all the winners. Please reply within 48 hours. Thank you everyone for participating.

Last Minute Gift Idea - Dyson DC31 Handheld Vacuum

Here is a fantastic gift idea. A handheld Dyson DC31 vacuum. The Dyson company has created a handheld that doesn't lose suction. It looks very futuristic and modern. Like something out of a science fiction movie. Once you see the power it has it will be your go to handheld vacuum for easy quick cleanups.

Check out these features:

Dual Power Mode - lets you choose 10 minutes of run time at high constant suction or 6 minutes at even higher 70% more suction.

Dyson Digital Motor - Smaller, lighter and more powerful than conventional motors. No carbon brushes, no carbon dust.

Hygienic and quick to empty - Just press the button and empty the dirt. Minimizes risk of contact with dirt.

Lightweight and ergonomic – Only 2.9 lbs with balanced weight distribution for easy handling.

Energy Star rating for the Battery Charging system.

I have never owned a Dyson and I am thrilled to be offered the opportunity to review little powerhouse courtesy of Dyson. I am amazed with the DC31. My first impression is wow! This looks very stylish. The feel of the DC31 is very well balanced and easy to hold. I charged it up. It charges pretty quickly, up to 3 times faster than other handhelds. Off I went to see what I could clean. It is so powerful. I tried both power settings and really could tell the difference. I love the combination accessory tool that lets you pick up large debris but also converts to a brush attachment. Very convenient. This may sound disgusting but I like the clear canister to see the dirt you are finding. It makes you re-think a clean home! Bonus to the canister - you can see when it needs emptying. I worked my way around the crevices of my home to get the hidden corner dirt. My Dyson DC31 did a fantastic job. I got all those little hidden dust bunnies. They are no match for me armed with my DC31. A bit of fun here - because of the futuristic style of the DC31 I found myself making space movie noises as I was zapping the dirt! LOL. (My hubby says I am a geek, in the nicest way of course.) I had plenty of power and if the battery goes low there is a LED indicator that flashes to let me know it is almost out. All done, I connected it to the charger for the next time. Fast and handy for any quick clean up job. I have been looking for dirt just so I can use it again.

The Dyson DC31 is available at most major retailers and Dyson.com at the manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $219.99. It comes with a 2 year warranty on parts and labor.

A vacuum for Christmas? You bet. The DC31 would make a great gift for the garage junkie too. Consider the Dyson DC31 as a much needed and probably well used holiday gift. Who wants a tie anyway?

Many thanks to Valerie and Dyson for providing the review sample.

Disclosure: I received a gratis sample for this review. No monetary compensation was offered or accepted for this post. The opinions above are my own. Others experience may vary.

Last Minute Gift Idea - Flirty Aprons

This just in! Flirty Aprons is offering 15% off you entire order placed on our website. Use coupon code of APRON15. The coupon code is only valid through December 31st so take advantage quickly.

PLUS If you order by December 21st, your apron is GUARANTEED to arrive before Christmas!

You will love the styles and they make a perfect gift. I have a Flirty Apron of my own. The beautiful one pictured above. It matches my blog colors! It is very comfortable, durable and super cute. Any Flirty Apron would make the cook in your family very happy.

Order your Flirty Apron today.

Disclosure:  No monetary compensation was offered or accepted for this post. The opinions above are my own. Others experience may vary.

Making Holiday Egg Nog? Try Safe Eggs

I was provided information about a new egg product on the market. It sounds interesting so I thought I would share it. Safe Eggs. Safe Eggs from Davidson's are pasteurized eggs.

How do they do it: Davidson's Safest Choice® is the leader in pasteurized shell eggs! Using a revolutionary patented technology, National Pasteurized Eggs, Inc. produces Davidson's Safest Choice® Pasteurized Shell Eggs and distributes them across the nation. This process kills Salmonella bacteria and viruses like Avian influenza. Yet our eggs look, cook and taste just like other shell eggs.

During the Holidays, we know families come together to celebrate with their favorite seasonal foods—eggnog, homemade ice cream, cookies, and cakes (sometimes sampling the batter!). Many of these recipes (as well as other favorites, such as caesar salad, hollandaise and béarnaise sauces, poached and over easy eggs) call for raw or undercooked eggs which can make you sick because they can contain Salmonella – yuck! But when it comes to cooking or baking with raw or undercooked eggs: Never fear, Safe Eggs are here!

Safest Choice Eggs are pasteurized (kind of like milk) so they’re safer to eat than regular eggs. Safe Eggs have the same nutritional value, look the same and of course, taste the same – but they don’t carry the same risk as regular eggs. This is especially important for the pregnant women and young children in your family!

Safe Eggs are definitely the best choice to keep your kitchen safe from cross contamination. The best part is that you can still please any guest with your dishes—Safe Eggs are all-natural, kosher and vegetarian. When it comes to making the best egg-based foods this holiday season… everyone should simply choose Safe Eggs!

I loved all the recipes available on the Safe Eggs Website. They are having a Safe Eggs Recipe contest with awesome prizes to be won. Enter quickly as the contest ends on December 31st.

I have not been able to try Safe Eggs yet as the stores are not local to my area. When I make a day trip I will get to one of the stores and purchase some to try. You may find them in locations by you. If you Fan Safe Eggs on Facebook there is a coupon available for $1.00 off Safe Eggs.

Safe Eggs are definitely One 2 Try.

Disclosure: No monetary compensation was offered or accepted for this post. The opinions above are my own. Others experience may vary

A Few Winners to Announce!

Here are a few lucky winners to announce for:

Mighty Leaf Tea
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
192 Timestamp: 2009-12-19 15:09:58 UTC

192 Tylerpants said... I also subscribe to the Mighty Tea Leaf newsletter!

Honey wafers
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
77 Timestamp: 2009-12-19 15:15:33 UTC

77 Jennifer T. said... I'd love to try the chocolate filled wafers.


Sony Music Final Day
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
48 Timestamp: 2009-12-19 15:19:03 UTC

48 nightowl said... Cupid

Comgrats to the winners. I have sent each one a notification email. Please reply within 48 hours. Thank you everyone for entering.