Cutcaster Giveaway

CONGRATS TO KATHERINE F., AMY S., & WENDY W!

Remember the review I gave the other day?  Well I've been given the go-ahead to offer a great giveaway!  Cutcaster Images is offering three readers of The Ever After an account preloaded with 16 credits each!  I'm very excited for the winners to test out the site for themselves!  I'm sure you'll find a million and one uses for the images.

Buy It:

You can set up your own account with credits, check out the packages they offer.

Win It:

Cutcaster Images is offering three accounts with 16 credits each! You can enter to win by doing one or more of the following; just be sure to leave a separate comment for each way that you enter. Drawing ends at 12:01 AM on Friday October 14. I’ll draw the winner, via random.org, on Friday, October 14. I will send an email to the winner & you will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen. Please be sure to read the rules!

Use the Rafflecopter form below. If you don't see it - click on the title of this post. Otherwise email me at tarah716[at]ymail.com for instructions on how to enter.

Dinner's New Sidekick

CONGRATS JENNIFER F!

Dinner duty usually falls on my shoulders, Jason is fine just hunting around the kitchen for something to eat so if I want a meal, I have to plan it.  As Dayne gets older and eats more food with us I know that dinner is going to have to be something we plan and sit down for.  We really need to set a good example for him plus I keep reading that dinner time is a great time for the family to reconnect after being apart all day.

You want the meal to be healthy and balanced, but somethings just thinking about the main dish is enough to melt your brain, much less coming up with a side dish or two.  Sandridge Food Corporation has heard that call and answered with an amazing line of products.

 

Sandridge Food Corporation specializes in fresh refrigerated deli salads, sides, soups, sauces and specialty dishes. Their fresh, never frozen, products are created by culinary experts and designed to please the taste enthusiast.

It's not easy satisfying a dining public whose culinary tastes are constantly changing. The skilled chefs at Sandridge Food Corporation embrace the challenge. Their kitchens specialize in meeting the shifting demands of the dining public with fresh, hand-prepared foods for all budgets and tastes, from simple to sophisticated.

From their biggest crowd-pleasers to their latest internationally inspired recipes, one ingredient never changes: their commitment to providing superior quality, great taste, wide variety and outstanding value.

Their list of Recognitions and Awards will astound you! This year already Sandridge was acknowledged by Smart Business magazine for its forward thinking, great tasting products and innovative food safety solutions.  Last year they took the Category Captain Award for their deli category from Progressive Grocer magazine.  In 2010 & 2009 they were the recipient of a Category Colonel Award in the fresh soup category from Refrigerated & Frozen Foods Retailer magazine.

Sandridge sent me two of their Retail Grab-N-Go lines, their Progressive Grocer Editors' Pick 2010 Award Winning Café Style Fresh Soup & their Fresh & Delicious salads.  Since autumn has settled in nicely in Michigan already the soups arrived at the perfect time.  I have to admit I loved being able to grab one on my way out the door to work for lunch, it's a great addition to my standard sandwich.  I was able to try the Broccoli & Cheese Soup, Chili with Beans Soup, Chicken Noodle Soup and the Cream of Potato Soup with Bacon.

Unlike other soups, be it retail or from a restaurant, skimp out on the good stuff in soups.  You get the broccoli stems and a handful of florets in the soups, or they hold back on the veggies or other goodies you WANT in your soup.  I was pleased to see broccoli florets, chunks of chicken, veggies and cubes of potato.  I wasn't shifting the soup around to look for them. 

All the soups had zero trans fat in them, the chili wowed me when I found out it was dairy free, gluten free, high in fiber AND had no added preservatives!  These are soups you can feel good about feeding your family & yourself.   They're a great & easy way to add to any meal.

Sandridge's Fresh & Delicious salads amazed me as well.  I was lucky enough to be able to try them all!  The best part in my opinion are these salads pull double duty.  You can eat them as a side dish to any meal or add them to the main dish as a ready to go stir in!  Check out Sandridge's suggested recipes!  When I tasted the Chili Lime Corn Salsa I thought how perfect this would be as a mix in for goulash!  I browned some ground beef, added stewed tomatoes and a jar of marinara sauce then added the package of Chili Lime Corn Salsa in.  I received rave reviews!  It was all thanks to the wonderful mixture of flavors Sandridge had already put together!

Like their soups, the Fresh & Delicious salads are free of trans fat with the added bonus of also being dairy free.  Their Pacific Coast Slaw is gluten free.  Their Chili Lime Corn Salsa is gluten free and vegan!  Their other vegan friendly salads are the Four Bean, Mediterranean Couscous, Curried Chickepea & Couscous, and the Ginger & Fruit Barley salad.  All of the salads in this line are under 200 calories as well per serving!

I hope you think of Sandridge for your upcoming Thanksgiving meal, they can help with the sides with their Seasonal Grab-n-Go line, leaving you to focus on the important things, like family!

Buy:

Sandridge retail line is available in the fresh refrigerated foods section at a variety of grocery stores and delis throughout the United States. To find a location near you that sells their retail products, please contact them.

Win:

Sandridge is giving away a giftbag to one luck winner!

• A coupon for a Free Grandma’s or 1st & Main Deli salad.
• Sandridge drawstring bag
• Sandridge coffee mug or water bottle
• Notepad
• Pocket-size hand sanitizer 

You can enter to win by doing one or more of the following; just be sure to leave a separate comment for each way that you enter. Drawing ends at 12:01 AM on Friday October 14.  I’ll draw the winner, via random.org, on Friday, October 14.  I will send an email to the winner & you will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen.  Please be sure to read the rules!

Use the Rafflecopter form below.  If you don't see it - click on the title of this post.  Otherwise email me at tarah716[at]ymail.com for instructions on how to enter.

Mama

Jason, Dayne & I were chilling out in the living room last night. Jason perched in his usual throne of the recliner, I was sitting on the floor, leaning against the couch and Dayne was banging his hand on every toy he could find. I picked up a book and called him over to me in hopes of starting the calming down ritual before bed.

At the sound of his name he pivoted around and started crawling towards me babbling "mama mama mama". My heart stopped and I glanced over at Jason who was now on the edge of his seat staring at Dayne with his jaw open as well.

"He did just say..."

"Yeah...he did...that was mama" he confirmed

I have to admit my heart swelled up as he sat grinning at me, slamming his hand on his book I had put down.

"Say it again, say mama!" I prompted.

He puffed out his cheeks and then blew raspberries and spit everywhere.

"Mama" I tried again

"yahyahyahyah"

"Maaaaa maaaaa" I drew out

Jibberish.

Jason scoped Dayne up and rested him on his lap.

"Dada?" he looked hopeful

Dayne grinned at Jason and patted his chest as if to say "That's you."

Does Dayne know that mama means me? Do I care? He said "mama" clear as day as he was making his way over to me. I'll take it.

Things I Love

Hey Readers of The Ever After, my mommy let me write this post today, she wanted to know what things I'm loving lately. I know, I'm super advanced. Just ask my mom, she'll be sure to tell you.

Nuk bottles.  My mom has another line of bottles that neither of us is too thrilled with.  We still use them but it's a gamble every time if it's going to leak all over us.  These bottles have never leaked and they have an airflow system and the orthondontic nipple promotes healthy teeth formation. 

My exersaucer.  I LOVE jumping and this bounces when my parents unlock the legs!  If you pull on those dangly toys music happens!  I love to squeal along with it.  There is plenty to chew on as well, the little turtle is my favorite.  I love that the toys can come off the exersaucer so when I'm playing on the ground I can take my toys with me. 

Since I've been sleeping through the night, that means no diaper changes until I get up.  For a while there I would wake up crying because my diaper had leaked!  Not very comfortable at 2 in the morning!  I'm so glad my mom found these diapers, since we've been using them no more leaks overnight!  I think mom & dad are happy they found them too because we're all back to sleeping through the night...for now.

This mesh teether thing is pretty awesome.  My mom & dad put frozen fruits inside for me to gnaw on when I want to chew.  My second tooth is right below the surface and chewing on something cold sure feels good on the gums!  My favorite is frozen banana and frozen grapes.  My grandma put a frozen raspberry in it once.  It was great but it made a mess!

What do you mean what is that?  It's a TOY!  It's my favorite toy, of course I have confiscated it from our cat and claimed it as my own.  It's her crinkle bag, it sounds like a giant plastic bag when you grab it.  I could be crawling behind the chair again like my mom & dad don't like me doing, all I have to hear is the crinkle of this toy and I'm backing out in a hurry!  It makes me laugh when I slap it like a drum and hear the crinkle over & over.  I'm sure our cat doesn't mind sharing....right?

 
I love my drum!  I don't have to hit it very hard to make music and light up so it keeps me entertained for a while.  I can learn my ABC's, 123's, follow the leader and 'freestyle'.  I love making it light up!  Maybe this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship with drums!

My mobile - it's one of my favorite things to help me unwind.  I love to watch it as I drift off to sleep.

I hope that helped other moms with ideas for their kids.  What do your kids like to play with?  I'm told I need to write a letter to Santa to request things for Christmas.

Dayne

Cutcaster Images

Dear Jason,

For Christmas I would like the following:

Your Loving Wife,

Tarah

Do you think he'll understand?  It's like back when I was a young kid and would cut up the toy catalog, pasting the pictures on my list to Santa so he would be sure to know exactly what I wanted.  I wasn't taking any chances with this ultra important letter.

Cutcaster Images understands the importance of quality & quantity.  They manage to merge the two seamlessly on their easy to navigate website.  What is Cutcaster Images?  It's this amazing site loaded with high quality pictures.  Why should this interest you?  Oh I was hoping you'd ask!

Business owners, you find yourself sending out advertisements but don't have the budget and/or time for a photo shoot?    Look no further than Cutcaster Images to provide the look you're going for.  Simply type in a few keywords into the search engine and sit back while the site pulls up the images that would work best for you.

Teachers - looking for some great artwork for your classroom?  Cutcaster Images also provides vector illustrations.  These are great for adding some seasonal fun to the room!  You will be able to use this image forever once you purchase it!  Great for reuse year after year!

Bloggers - Do you need some great images, pictures or even backgrounds for your site? Cutcaster Images has something for you too.  These would be great bases for follow buttons don't you think?

Homeowners - I was very excited to see some of the images Cutcaster Images offers because I want to use them as artwork!  I'm in love with the pricing and that it's an easy and inexpensive way to switch artwork out with the seasons or as I feel the area needs a change.  I'm planning on buying this image to use above the mantel in a frame for Christmas this year.

Are you an photographer or artist yourself?  Check out how you can sell your images on Cutcaster as well!  How would you use it?

Round One

I decided to finally try my hand at making baby food last night. I received two baby food books at my showers that had a lot of great ideas. I flipped through one and found a recipe that seemed simple enough. I grabbed the ingredients that I needed from the store as I did errands that day.

When Dayne went down for a small cat nap I took over the kitchen. Cauliflower, tomatoes, butter & cheddar cheese. Simple enough.

I pile my stuff near by and start reading the directions. I chop up the head of cauliflower so I'm left with just the florets. I measure out the butter. I grate a block of cheddar cheese and then I read and re-read the tomato direction. Peel and remove the seeds from the tomato? PEEL it? I stared at the tomato, trying to figure out the best way to do this.

I cut it in half and tried to peel the skin off that way, it didn't work so well. I stared at the tomatoes, scratching my head when I decided the interwebz would hold the answer. I wasn't disappointed either, a quick search told me to put the tomatoes in boiling water for 5-8 minutes. After I pulled them out and sliced them in half, the skin practically melted off. Careful, it's a hot job!!

After I finished burning my fingers peeling the skin off the tomato, I roughly chopped them and added them to the pan with the butter. Meanwhile I had the cauliflower in the steamer. I cooked the tomatoes until they were pretty mushy then added the cheddar cheese, stirring until it was melted in with the tomatoes.

The book said to blend all the ingredients together so I threw it all in the blender and turned it on. Yeah...didn't work so well as you seasoned baby food pros already guessed. It blended everything perfectly on the bottom but there was no way to get the stuff sitting on top down to the blades at the bottom.

I dragged out our food processor and shoved everything in that bowl, which promptly minced everything perfectly. I left it a bit lumpy since the point of this food was to introduce a thicker, bumpier texture to Dayne. I tasted it as I started packaging them up to freeze. I would eat this! It would make a pretty good side dish vs a mashed potato actually.

Jason walked into the kitchen and he started laughing.

"Using every item out of our storage to make his food huh?"

The kitchen was a disaster zone but I had fresh food for Dayne! And maybe a side dish for us someday.

Dayne seemed to enjoy it too, he ate half of a container after his nightly bottle!

So if you're going to attempt home made baby food, make sure you have a food processor of some sort. Blenders don't cut it!

The Sneakiest Chef Ingredients

I saw this article on Rachael Ray's website and had to share. Do you have any secrets not mentioned here?

CHERRY COLA ON STEAK AND PORK
We use cherry cola to cook the filling in two of our bao (steamed buns). It sweetens and tenderizes the meat at the same time. All the cool kids should be cooking with soda!
—Eddie Huang, BaoHaus, New York City

KETCHUP ON VEGETABLES
We love to use Heinz ketchup to batter our Manchurian-style cauliflower before frying it. People wonder what that sweet and tangy taste is, and they're usually shocked when we reveal the secret.
—Suvir Saran, Dévi, New York City

POP ROCKS CANDY ON FOIE GRAS
I coat slices of foie gras in Pop Rocks for a hit of texture—and for the juxtaposition between a 25-cent candy and a $40 piece of foie gras.
—Graham Elliot, Graham Elliot restaurant, Chicago

COCOA POWDER IN PASTA SAUCE
Our tomato-based broth for pasta doesn't take long to make, but the cocoa powder we sneak in gives it a complex, meaty taste, and tricks your tongue into thinking it's been slow-cooked for a long time.
—Ana Sortun, Oleana, Cambridge, MA

SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK FOR FRENCH TOAST
I mix sweetened condensed milk with beaten eggs, then soak bread in it for the most decadent french toast.
—Michael Cressotti, The Mermaid Inn, New York City

FUNYUNS ON FISH
I encrust fish fillets with Funyuns (wasabi flavored are the best, if you can still find them!). They're horrible for you, but really stinking good used as breading on roasted halibut. People know they recognize the flavor, but it gives them complete brain confusion.
—Tim Love, Lonesome Dove Western Bistro, Fort Worth, TX

POPCHIPS ON SANDWICHES
Sea Salt & Vinegar Popchips are a great, totally unexpected sandwich add-on. I smash them up and scatter them on top to give the fillings more crunch. It's especially good with tuna fish.
—Jeff Mason, Pal's Take Away, San Francisco

GROUND WHITE RICE IN SOUPS
We grind long-grain rice in the spice grinder, then add it to soups. It cooks quickly, but tastes creamy and rich. It works with carolina gold or jasmine rice, too.
—Andrea Reusing, Lantern, Chapel Hill, NC

OLD BAY ON PORK
Old Bay Seasoning is a recognizable flavor when it's on seafood (we do use it on crabs), but I'll also add it to brining liquid for pork. It's a nice—but unexpected—flavor booster.
—Andrew Little, Sheppard Mansion, Hanover, PA

RANCH SEASONING ON CHICKEN
I love Hidden Valley Ranch packets. My mom has been using them for years to make her macaroni, bacon and broccoli salad—her go-to picnic dish—and she inspired me. I am not ashamed to admit that I find many, many uses for them: I sprinkle them on potatoes for potato salad, and we even use them to brine chicken for my take on a popular fast food chain's chicken sandwich.
—Kevin Gillespie

ANIMAL CRACKERS IN MOLE SAUCE
Believe it or not, I use crushed animal crackers in a Mexican chocolate sauce for our glazed pork chop dish. I love how they help thicken the mole and add a hint of sweetness. When people see a recipe with animal crackers in it, I think they are more inclined to try it out!
—Julian Medina, Yerba Buena, New York City

CHEETOS ON CHICKEN CUTLETS
When I run out of ingredients, I've been known to improvise. One night I had run out of panko breadcrumbs when making chicken katsu and used crushed-up Cheetos instead. It was a hit.
—Eddie Huang

CORNFLAKES AS BREADING
I sometimes prefer cornflakes to breadcrumbs for frying foods like tofu because the cereal already has a flavor of its own, which adds another dimension to the dish. Cornflakes also stay nicely puffed in the fryer.
—Amanda Cohen, Dirt Candy, New York City

COFFEE ON MEAT
One of my shortcuts to braising chicken or beef is adding coffee into the cooking liquid. It lends a smoky, roasted flavor.
—Michael Solomonov, Zahav, Philadelphia, PA

FRENCH'S MUSTARD ON RABBIT LEGS
French's mustard is one of our secret ingredients. We've used it to make a more flavorful egg wash for coating our crispy rabbit legs. First we dredge them in flour, then in the mustardy beaten eggs.
—Jon Shook, Animal and Son of a Gun, Los Angeles

CHEEZ-ITS IN RISOTTO
I once took a road trip to Wisconsin and afterward created a dish utilizing everything I had been eating in the car. The trip inspired me to garnish my risotto with Cheez-Its, along with Wisconsin apples, onions braised in Pabst Blue Ribbon and powdered bacon bits.
—Graham Elliot

	Condiment Addiction: SRIRACHA CHILI SAUCE IN MARINADES: We use a little in our homemade kimchi, and also in aioli and marinades to give them a garlicky-spicy profile. It gives dishes that "what's going on there?" flavor. —Chris Hastings, Hot and Hot Fish Club, Birmingham, AL ON WINGS: We mix it with a bit of lime juice, a splash of honey and cilantro, and toss it over the wings. It gives you a nice punch. —Michael Symon, B Spot Burgers, Cleveland IN MEATBALLS: In our lamb and beef meatballs, it adds the perfect amount of heat, along with great depth of flavor. It works on any meat. —Harrison Keevil, Brookville Restaurant, Charlottesville, VA
	Champion Mayonnaise: DUKE'S FOR POTATOES: We just can't nail a homemade mayonnaise recipe that tastes as good or is as stable. Homemade mayos can break when heated, and our Southernstyle potato salad needs to be mixed hot. —Kevin Gillespie, Woodfire Grill, Atlanta FOR SALADS: We make our own mayonnaise, but on salads where we want Southern flavors, we add a tablespoon of Duke's to our own. It has a really recognizable flavor—I think it's the best mayonnaise, hands down. —Billy Allin, Cakes & Ale, Decatur, GA
	Cheese Crutch: VELVEETA FOR QUESO: One of my favorite comfort foods is queso, a Tex-Mex dish that calls for Velveeta. I'll use that, and if I don't have it, I'll use Kraft Singles. —Lauren Kiino, Il Cane Rosso, San Francisco IN THE SLOW COOKER: I really have a soft spot for Velveeta. At home I'll put it in my slow cooker with Rotel tomatoes and serve it with potato chips—something I would never, ever do in my restaurant. —Jonathan Justus, Justus Drugstore, Smithville, MO FOR MAC AND CHEESE: I use it in my restaurant mac and cheese—it's so creamy—but we don't say that on the menu description. —Ron Eyester, Rosebud, Atlanta