National Donut Day is a perfect excuse to indulge in a favorite treat, the donut. Entenmann's has been an ardent support of the Salvation Army, who established this holiday.
The holiday, held annually on the first Friday of June, was
established by The Salvation Army in 1938 in Chicago to honor the “Donut
Lassies” who served these treats to soldiers during World War I and to
help raise needed funds during the Great Depression. The donuts
became synonymous with The Salvation Army, as well as the American
soldiers who were returning home with the nickname, “doughboys.” This
significant occasion established the donut as a long-standing symbol of
the services The Salvation Army continues to provide. Today, The
Salvation Army continues to provide meals, including donuts, and
numerous other services to clients who visit Salvation Army programs
daily.
Entenmann's
has teamed with Salvation Army to raise funds leading up the the
National Donut Day celebration on June 6, 2014. “We’re very excited to
partner with The Salvation Army for the fourth year in a row and hit the
$100K charitable donation mark with the debut of our newest flavored
Red Velvet donut,” said Maureen Sticco, Director of Entenmann’s
Marketing Services.
“Entenmann’s has been a terrific partner and supporter of our mission
of goodwill and we look forward to making the 2014 National Donut Day
the best one yet,” said Major Ron Busroe, National Community Relations
and Development Secretary for The Salvation Army.
Now through June 30 Entenmann’s Bakery will donate to the
organization $1 for every person who “likes” the Entenmann’s Facebook
page (http://www.facebook.com/entenmanns),
up to $30,000. Entenmann’s Bakery has donated a total of $70,000 to The
Salvation Army through the first three years of the partnership and
plans to hit the $100,000 mark through this year’s donation campaign.
To add to the celebratory fun, select boxes of Entenmann's donuts,
including new Red Velvet, Rich Frosted donuts and, Powdered Bag Donuts,
will feature the National Donut Day Sweepstakes. Entenmann’s will be
rewarding lucky “fans” with ‘Free Donuts for a Year’ and additional
prizes through the sweepstakes link on the Entenmann’s Facebook page
starting on April 21st. All entries must be received by 11:59: p.m. ET
on June 30, 2014. Winners will be randomly selected from all
submissions. Official Rules can be found at www.entenmanns.com.
Snacking is a guilty pleasure. Usually, the crunchy, flavorful snacks
served in a favorite bowl may not be the best nutritional choice. From
too much salt to fat content, the moment of snacking goodness can leave
hours of guilt. Luckily, a company has created a delicious snacking
option without the guilt. The answer is Saffron Road.
Saffron Road, maker of world cuisine products, offers crunchy chickpeas
in convenient snacking packages. The chickpea is a major source of
protein and nutrition. A gluten free, verified non-GMO product, this
crunchy savory snack is a better snacking choice. Saffron Road offers a
variety of flavors of crunchy chickpeas including Korean BBQ, Chiptole Chickpeas, Bombay Spice and Wasabi.
While
these crunchy chickpeas are delicious on their own, these nibbles make
perfect add-ons. Toss a few on a garden salad or add a handful into a
wrap sandwich for extra texture. Just a couple can add flavor and depth
to a traditional dish.
Two favorite flavors in the crunchy chickpea line are Chipotle and
Korean BBQ. The Chiptole flavor has a smokey, spicy quality. The Mexican
inspired flavor works perfectly as a crunchy topping for a taco salad,
an add-in to a burrito, or as an alternative to corn chips. The Korean
BBQ brings the flavors of a Korean dish, bulgogi, to a snack. The flavor
blends soy sauce, pear juice, sesame oil, garlic and red pepper. It is a
sweet and savory combination that brings you wanting more.
Saffron Road products, including the crunchy chickpeas, are available
at a variety of retailers and online. For more information, please
visit the company's website.
When traveling, the perfect vacation photo preserves a memory for a
lifetime. As baggage restrictions become more vigilant, multiple cameras
and lenses to capture a beautiful photo is difficult. Luckily, many
smartphones offer quality pictures. The biggest difficulty was the
inability to have varied lenses. With the iZZi slim, all the lenses are easily assessable to create many picturesque images.
The iZZi Slim is for the
iPhone 5/5s. This case offers quality protection for the iPhone with
enhanced photo lenses. This case is for the avid photographer that wants
portability. It has four interchangeable lenses that easily switch
photo angles. In addition the photo lenses, the case offers easy access
to charging ports and headphones. With a lightweight design, the iZZi
slim fits in a small purse or back pocket for picture taking at a
moments notice.
The
biggest selling point to the iZZi slim is the lenses. The 4 in 1 lens
solution offers a 180 degree fisheye lens, 0.67x wide-angle lens, 2x
telephoto lens, and a macro lens. The varied lenses work for a wide
range of photo opportunities. For the traveler, this device works for
any type of vacation photo. From wide angle scenic landscapes to
delicate close-up nature shots, there is no need to carry a big camera
bag. Whether sitting on the beach capturing a sunset or gazing on a
panoramic city scape, a photo memory is a click away.
As a parent and a blogger, the
iZZi slim is the perfect way to capture all the special kid moments.
From zooming in to then key moment on the school performance to
capturing the finishing line moment, each and every event will be
captured on my iPhone. Plus, in an instant, these memories can be shared
with family, Facebook and Instagram. The ease of use if perfect for the
novice yet offers the performance for the more seasoned photographer.
For the home chef, some dishes are easier to master than others. Meatballs
can be a simple dish that can be difficult to perfect. The downfall to
this dish can be dry, flavorless meatballs. While some home cooks might
have a perfect family tried and true recipe, Chef Fabio Viviani,
spokesperson for Bialetti Cookware, has shared his meatball and sauce recipe.
Cristine Struble
This recipe is fairly simple for the home chef to replicate. With
good ingredients and a little patience, the family will be enjoying a
delicious Italian meal at home. While the recipes and ingredients are key, the right cookware is equally important. Since meatballs need space to cook properly, the Bialetti Aeternum Signature Deep Saute pan is perfect choice.
The Bialetti Aeternum Signature Deep Saute pan is a ceramic nonstick
pan that cleans as easily as it cooks. The pristine white surface allows
the colors of the food to be clearly seen while cooking.
With heavy gauge aluminum, the pan offers superior heat distribution.
From stove-top to oven, the pan offers good versatility for the home
chef.
With the new pan at the ready, it is time to make Chef Fabio's
recipe. Below is his signature meatballs recipe. It's time to gran the
Bialetti Aeternum pan and get cooking. Meatballs
2 lbs. Ground Beef (80/20)
8 oz. Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, grated
16 oz. Panko Bread Crumbs
2 Eggs
4 Cloves Garlic, minced
4 Shallots, minced
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Place all ingredients (except olive oil) in large bowl. Mix
thoroughly by hand until completely combined and the mixture is
uniformly firm. Coat you hands in olive oil, and form into golf ball
size rounds. Drop the meatballs into the heated tomato sauce and add
enough water to allow the sauce to reduce and simmer. Have lid available
if needed to speed cooking. Tomato Sauce
12 Cloves Garlic
16 Tbsp. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 28 oz. Can of Whole Plum Tomatoes (packed only in tomato juice)
Salt and Pepper
Smash the garlic with the back of a knife. Place the garlic and 5
tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until
the garlic is golden brown. Add the tomatoes and generous pinches of
salt and pepper.
Cook over medium-high heat until the sauce is thick and no longer
watery, about 10–15 minutes. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive
oil and turn the heat to high. Stir, crushing the tomatoes with the back
of a wooden spoon. Cook until the oil turns red, then turn off the heat
and add the basil at the very end.
As
summer barbecue season fires up, chefs are carefully crafting the
grilling menus. With any well-prepared meal, the side dishes are as
important as the main event. Homemade biscuits are a great item to serve with a steak, roasted chicken or even a rack of ribs.
All
biscuits are not equal. What sets one biscuit apart from another one?
Personal preference is a big factor. For those who love all things
bacon, the Big Fork Bacon Sausage offers an amazing recipe for biscuits. Try these biscuits at your next barbecue and everyone will be asking you to bring them to the next event.
Bacon Sausage Buttermilk Biscuits
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, cold
1 raw link Big Fork Bacon Sausage, casing removed
1 cup buttermilk, chilled
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and
salt. Using your fingertips, rub butter and sausage into dry ingredients
until mixture looks like crumbs.
2. Pour in the chilled buttermilk. Stir just until the dough comes together. The dough will be very sticky.
3. Oil a baking sheet. Using a medium-small ice cream scoop, portion
out the dough scoop by scoop, giving a little space between scoops for
expansion when they bake.
4. Bake until biscuits are tall and light gold on top, 15 to 20 minutes.
As the kids finish the school year, the anticipation grows for the family
summer vacation. Whether your family is planning an escape to an exotic
locale or a quick local jaunt, packing for the trip can cause
frustration. The question of what to pack and what can be left behind
can cause families to become frazzled.
Here are a few ideas for must have items to pack on your family vacation. Thermos Water Filtration Bottle
Bottled water can be expensive, but filtered water that tastes good
is important. The Thermos Water Filtration Bottle is the inexpensive way
to have filtered water everywhere you go. This bottle features an
innovative gravity-fed filtration method that is certified to meet
strict standards for reducing contaminants such as aesthetic chlorine,
chloramine, atrazine and particulate class V, as well as bad tastes and
odor from water. The Thermos bottles retail around $24.99 at Target. SCOTTVEST Travel Clothing:
Whether it is going to a security check point or exploring a city,
families have a lot of items to carry. The SCOTTVEST is an ingenious
solution to the common problem of carrying life's many gadgets. The
philosophy is simple: keep the gadgets, lose the clutter. SCOTTVEST is a
line of clothing that makes carrying life's many gadgets simple. The
key to these items are the many internal pockets. The design is
streamlined to carry the many devices without creating obvious bulges.
From a chic vest to a heftier jacket, SCOTTVEST has the family covered
for any travel situation.
Ziploc Bags:
Families know how these bags are important for TSA screening, but
there are many other uses too. From keeping items dry (think of your
smart phone at an amusement park water ride) to keeping messy clothes
away from clean ones, these bags have a multitude of uses. Use one bag
to hold a bunch of them. It is a simple item with a variety of uses.
Smartphone or tablet
Long gone are the days of carrying guide books, paper maps and games.
Bring a smartphone or tablet for informative uses and diversions. From
travel apps to movies, these devices have become a part of our every day
lives. Just don't forget the charger.
Compressible Day Pack
From that must have souvenir to a carry all for the day at the park, a
compressible day pack can be useful. Whether your family prefers a
backpack style or a duffel bag, the ability to compress into a small bag
is useful when starting out the vacation. Just try to keep the souvenir
shopping in check.
When
a family gathers around the table to share a meal, memories are made.
Even the casual, weeknight dinner can be filled with great family
moments. With families busy schedules, it can be difficult to spend
hours in front of the stove creating family recipes from scratch. Mama Mancini's brings the old world, family favorite dishes to your table in a convenient way.
Mama Mancini's
Mama Mancini's brings the old world Italian food from their Grandmother's recipes to the family dinner table. Based on the Sunday "scented memory" of frying meatballs, the first recipe created with the Meatballs in Slow Cooked Italian Sauce.
Anyone
who has tried to make meatballs from scratch knows that the process can
be slow, tedious process. Mama Mancini's meatballs are are made from
100% beef, whole fresh eggs, Romano cheese, onion, parsley, a pinch of
salt and pepper and the exact amount of bread crumbs. Formed by hand and
lightly browned, these meatballs are cooked in the Slow Cooked Italian
Sauce, which is pure Italian plum tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, some salt
and pepper and a bay leaf. The cooking takes about three hours.
Since busy families usually don't have an hour, let alone three
hours, to carefully cook meatballs, Mama Mancini's can bring all the
flavor and care to the dinner table in just 20 minutes. These meals can
be cooked on the stove top or in the microwave. In a fraction of the
time, a family can enjoy a delicious meal that will bring everyone back
for more.
The Meatballs in Slow Cooked Italian Sauce becomes a hearty meal when
served with pasta. While a spaghetti is always a good choice, a penne
or even an orecchiette would pair well with the dish. Personally, our
family enjoys this dish with a side salad and a crusty loaf of Italian
bread to soak up all the extra sauce.
Our family enjoys the Mama Mancini's meatballs because it tastes like
some of our favorite restaurant dishes. Meatballs are always a favorite
of the kids. Unfortunately, our schedule doesn't allow the leisurely
time to create meatballs from scratch and eating out continually can be
hard on the budget. With the Mama Mancini's meatballs, our family enjoys
the flavors of traditional Italian cuisine at our family dinner table.
Mama Mancini's offers a variety of heat and serve Italian dishes. The
company offers a variety of meatball dishes, including gluten free
varieties and various meat options. Coming soon, the company will offer
two pasta dishes Orecchiette Pasta with Broccoli and Pork Meatballs and
Mac N' Mamas.
Mama Mancini's can be purchased at a variety of stores including
Whole Foods. To find a retailer near your family, please visit the company website.
Staying
hydrated is important for feeling good and being active. But, plain
boring water can become tiresome. Drinking water enough on a daily basis
can become a tedious chore. Adding flavor to the water can help.
Whether you add some drink mixes, fruit or herbs, mix it up with Contigo Shake and Go Tumblers.
Contigo
Contigo
Shake and Go Tumblers offer an unique "trap door" design that snaps
shut when the straw is removed. The result is a 100% link proof
container that is Eco-friendly. From mixing flavored water to cooling
down the ice coffee, these Eco-friendly tumblers make staying hydrated
easy. Whether enjoying a beverage at home or on the go, you can be
confident that it won't end up on your shirt.
“The
instant success of individually-packaged flavor enhancers and mix-ins
has left on-the-go consumers without the tools they need to really enjoy
them,” said Todd Starr, vice president of marketing and product
development for Contigo. “Disposable water bottles add unnecessary cost
and waste, but to date they have been the best option. Our new Shake
& Go Tumbler finally gives consumers a reusable solution for quickly
and conveniently mixing one of these popular drinks without worry of
making a mess.”
According to a survey conducted by Contigo, a leading producer of
innovative water bottles and travel mugs, almost half of consumers use
mix-in flavors on a weekly basis. The new Shake & Go Tumbler lets
consumers shake-to-mix or shake-to-chill beverages with confidence.
Using the Shake & Go Tumbler is as simple as “Make it. Shake it.
Take it.” Simply fill the container with all the ingredients for
favorite water enhancers, powdered beverage mixes, iced coffees or iced
teas, replace the lid and shake. Once the beverage is “shaken” to
perfection, consumers can simply insert the reusable straw right into
the tumbler and enjoy in seconds.
The Contigo Shake and Go Tumbler
is available in two sizes, 16 oz and 20 oz., and is available in a
variety of colors. The tumbler can be purchased at GoContigo.com or at
national retailers.
It is time to start a water revolution. Make it, shake it, take it.
When a mother receives the tragic news that she has cancer, the whole family
is turned upside down. While the fight against the disease is a
priority, a mother never loses sight of the happiness and well being of
her children.
During the Camp KesemNight at the Museum
fundraiser, I had the opportunity to meet a wonderful family, the
Schmidt family. During our dinner, Annette and Achim Schmidt shared
their family's story her battle with cancer and how Camp Kesem benefited her child.
Mrs.
Schmidt was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010. She is a wife and
mother of four children. Through a cancer support group, she was
introduced to Camp Kesem. The motto of this organization is simple,
Bringing Magic to Families Coping with Cancer.
"We thought it would be a great
thing for our youngest to be around other kids who experience the same
situations and to be able to talk about it and knowing that the others
understand what they mean." She compared this camp to the ladies in the
Cancer Care Group. But as a mom, "I was worried because it was the very
first time that he would be without his family – the first time away
from home."
When it was time for her son to
leave for camp, she was excited but had mixed feelings. Since it was the
first time away from home, Mrs. Schmidt had trepidations but she
understood this time away for her son was beneficial. "The night before
camp he was crying and said that he will miss us. I told him that he
will be having a great time and that every evening we will look at the
moon and greet each other."
When her son returned from camp,
she asked about his experience. "He couldn’t stop telling us how great
it was and about this and that. He told me that he is happy to be home
again but that he missed camp. He was also asking Please, please can I
go again next year? I was so happy for him for what a great time he had
and what a positive impact it had on him."
Mrs Schmidt was equally impressed with the camp counselors and the
program itself. The connections and support from this organization
doesn't end when camp is completed. From the Fall Farm get together to
just asking how life is going, the counselors and program want the
children to feel supported.
"We love Camp Kesem and the
positive impact it brings. I love to tell other families about Camp
Kesem and what it did for our family."
Making
a Mother's Day breakfast is quite a task for dad and the kids. The menu
planning can be difficult. Some dads aren't the household chef. Since
mom deserves more than frozen waffles, a simple, easy to replicate recipe is perfect for dad and the kids to tackle.
When
thinking about a breakfast recipe, classic breakfast items, like 100
percent OJ, is a great ingredients. Did you know that an 8-ounce glass
of 100 percent orange juice
is an excellent source of vitamin C. Plus, OJ is a natural source of
even more vitamins and minerals, such as folate, potassium and thiamin,
and has no added sugar.
Here is a recipe for Fluffy Orange Pancakes that uses orange juice. This recipe will be impress mom and won't overwhelm dad and the kids in the kitchen. Fluffy Orange Oatmeal Pancakes Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups whole milk
½ cup Florida orange juice
½ cup cooked oatmeal
3 eggs, separated
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing
bowl. In small bowl, whisk together the milk, orange juice, oatmeal, egg
yolks and butter; stir to combine. Add orange juice mixture to flour
mixture; stir gently just until combined.
In clean mixing bowl, beat egg whites with mixer until soft peaks
form. Add vanilla extract. Gently fold egg whites into flour mixture,
being careful not to overmix.
Heat large skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Grease bottom
of skillet with small amount of melted butter or vegetable oil. Use
large spoon to drop hockey puck-sized dollops of batter in skillet. Cook
until bubbles start to form on top of the pancake; flip with spatula
and cook 2 more minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from skillet and
keep warm; repeat with remaining batter. Serve immediately.
Serving Suggestion: Cut pancakes in fun shapes with cookie cutters.
For
Chicago area families, the end of the school year starts the hunt for a
summer vacation. With busy sports schedules and an extended school
year, the extended, elaborate family vacation may not be an option.
Traveling a little closer to home can be the perfect long weekend
getaway that is full of family fun.
St. Louis offers a great long weekend getaway for families. Nestled nearby to the popular family attractions like Magic House, St. Louis Zoo
is the Cheshire. The Cheshire embodies the charm and authenticity of a
traditional British inn with the amenities of today in this modern,
luxury boutique hotel. We offer a complimentary Euro-continental
breakfast, free bikes, a pool, a Royal Kids Program with kid-friendly activities.
The
Royal Kids Program is perfect for traveling families. Our Royal Kids
are invited to embark on a hotel-wide treasure hunt during their visit
with Captain Burnaby’s Outstanding Treasure Hunt.
When staying at The Cheshire, you and your little ones will enjoy:
Royal Kids Club back pack with goodies
Cribs for our youngest guests with a cozy blanket
A selection of children’s books
Cheshire coloring sheets and crayons
In-room dining options for the little ones to choose from
Outdoor swimming pool
Forest Park activities nearby
St. Louis Zoo and Science Center discount coupons
After a busy day exploring the city, The Cheshire offers several restaurants to quench your thirst and satisfy your appetite.
The Restaurant is a true blend of the old and new offering a one-of-a-kind upscale dining experience with a seasonally-inspired menu.
Basso
is a gastropub with 32 beers on tap, inventive cocktails, a host of
Italian wines and a small plates Italian menu crafted by James Beard
award-winning chef Patrick Connolly.
The Market
is a casual neighborhood cafe and gourmet market offering an eclectic
and tasty selection of home-made foods, gourmet gifts, boutique wines
and fun finds for foodies.
The Cheshire room rates vary depending on room type and availability. Please visit the hotel's website for more information.
As
families dream about barbeques on the deck, the backyard becomes the
focus of a clean-up. The long winter has taken a toll on the patio, deck
and outdoor furniture. Since everyone would prefer to enjoy the space
with friends rather than cleaning, a few simple ideas can get the
backyard ready quickly.
Over
the winter, a variety of debris probably has gathered outside. Sweeping
with a broom and dust pan can be a pain in your back, literally. Bagup
is a great tool to make quick work of the clean-up. This simple device
eliminates the bending and makes clean-up quick and easy. This
combination broom/Bag-up tool allows the user to quickly and easily
sweep debris into the Bagup and dispose of it. The Bagup uses grocery
bags, too. Plus, Bagup comes in several options for both indoor and
outdoor use. For the pet owners, there is even a pet option. Bagup is
available at hardware stores and Amazon.
Whether
the furniture was stored in the garage or covered outside for the
winter, the furniture needs some attention. Instead of cleaning with
chemical disinfectants, try the power of steam with a HAAN VersaPro BS 20.
Through Turbo Steam Technology, the HAAN kills 99.9% germs, bacteria,
and dust mites. This device offers 100% chemical free cleaning and heats
up quickly. HAAN offers a variety of devices that employ Turbo Steam
Technology. From furniture to the build-up on the deck or patio, the
power of steam from HAAN can make your backyard area sparkle and shine.
These ideas can get your family ready for outdoor entertaining.
While flowers might need to be planted or the grass mowed, these small
tasks can be done quickly for the impromptu gathering. Who's ready to
light up the grill, pour a drink and enjoy the sunshine.
