Friday, May 31, 2013

Creamy Fruit Salad

We made a bowl of fruit salad the other day, it was yummy!  In the Philippines, I used to use Nestle cream in a can and  condensed milk but in here, I have different ingredients.  The recipe is below:


  • 1 cream cheese
  • 1 tab of  cool whip
  • 2 cans of  tropical fruit cocktail (with papaya and pineapple)
  • 2 cans of  American fruit cocktail (with peaches, cherry, pear, and  grapes.
  • 1 can of mandarin oranges.   
Direction:
  • Open the can of  fruits and drain thoroughly.
  • Combine the  cool whip and cream cheese.  
  • Add the  drained  fruits to the  cream mixture.  
  • Chill for about an hour.  


How do you prepare your fruit salad?

Thursday, May 30, 2013

The Better Way to Buy Eyewear

Before I renewed my driver's license, I planned to visit the eye doctor to get a new pair of eyeglasses but  I never get to do that as  my schedule did not permit  me.   I still have my old  eye glasses  which  gives me  migraine whenever  I   wear it for a long period of time.  That's one reason why I seldom wear it, I only wear it   when I have to go somewhere and it requires me to see better in far  distance.  Anyway, I was looking at the selection of eyeglasses at Coastal.com and found two  designs that I really liked.  The first one is the Armani Exchange Havana Violet which is on sale for $99.99 and the second one is a Vera Wang 176 v Tabac which is  $148.



Coastal.com also carries contact lenses and sun glasses.  Their website is very easy to navigate and the selection is huge.  I am thinking of getting me a pair since they are offering a pair for FREE for first time  customers.  What I like about their website is that, it's not too complicated to  order one unlike other website which  I  find very  complicated.  They have   uploaded images  that you can take a look at how the  specific eyewear that you want  looks like when  being worn.  They also have videos that  illustrates  how to order  the right fit, style, and frame  for your eyes.  I think that  Coastal .com is a better way to buy eyewear as they have  a step by step guide at their website.

Yummy Baked Eggplant

I  bought an Italian eggplant  a couple of days ago at Walmart and I was planning to  fry it but then I changed my mind.  I thought  of  experimenting in the kitchen so I chopped the eggplant,  sauteed some ground beef and I have a left over longanissa (Filipino sausage links).  I layered them in a pan.. sauteed ground beef,  chopped  eggplant,  longanisa, more ground beef and then  I topped it off with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
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I baked it for thirty minutes and it was yummy!

Monday, May 27, 2013

Wraptastic

I would like to thank Hampton Direct for sending me two products to review, first is the WaxVac that I posted at  my iShoppe blog then the other one is the Wraptastic below.   I love this kitchen wrap dispenser because it is  very fast and easy to use when it comes to  cutting your  plastic wrap, or aluminum foil.  I am planning to  buy two more of this because I want each of my kitchen wraps to have a dispenser.  I also love the fact that the size of the dispenser is perfect to store inside the kitchen drawer.  
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Even my husband said "This dispenser rocks!"
The price is so affordable especially if you get it now.  It only cost $10.99 for their special price plus you will get an additional one for FREE, all you have to do is to pay the shipping and handling for the extra one.  I  highly recommend this  Wraptastic dispenser, it's very effective, you just need to  pull, press, and wrap!

Disclaimer:  The product/s mentioned above was provided to me for FREE in exchange of my honest review.  No monetary  compensation was received in facilitating the review.

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Talenti Gelato and Sorbetto

I received three free coupons of Talenti Gelato and Sorbetto for  review.   A pint of this  ice cream cost $4.79 at Walmart which I think Is a bit high for an ice cream but, if you taste it, you would say "It's worth money you paid for!"

I am not really into ice cream but I liked their Caribbean Coconut, my daughter loved it!  My husband thought that the Caribbean Coconut is too sweet which I find very unlikely of him because he has a sweet tooth.  However, he liked the Sea Salt Caramel one.  I was looking for the pistachio flavored one but it wasn't available at the store.
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So if you are looking for a  a good  ice cream to serve when you are entertaining guests, I highly recommend Talenti Gelato & Sorbeto.  It cost a little more but it is truly good!

Disclaimer:  I received the  free coupon to try and  review the product.  No Monetary  compensation  is receive in facilitating the review.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Roast Beef Sandwich



Roast beef is one of my husband's favorite dish.  Every time we go out and dine, pot roast sandwich is what he always orders.  Just like last Saturday, we went out and eat  and he  ordered pot roast sandwich again.  Then before  leaving this morning going to work, he hinted that he is craving  for  some pot roast.  So you can guess  what I am making for dinner  right now, a  Pot Roast!  What I like about making pot roast is  when we have left over, I always make my husband a pot roast sandwich the next today and he just loves it!

I am sure that he will be excited to learn about the Arby’s KING’S HAWAIIAN roast beef sandwich.  Arby's has partnered with King Hawaiian brand  to introduce two irresistible  new sandwich in their menu.  For a limited time, they are introducing the King's Hawaiian Roast Beef and King's Hawaiian RoAast Beef and Swiss.  If you want to  experience  taste of Roast Beef Paradise, then Roast Beef-atopia (that's what they cal their Hawaiian Roast Beef Sandwiches) should be the one to try when you crave for  something  tasty and exciting for your hungry tummy.  Below is what you can  expect to get from two sandwiches:
  1. Arby's KING'S HAWAIIAN Roast Beef - comes with  fresh slice of roast beef, piled high on a soft and slightly sweet KING'S Hawaiian Bun.
  2. Arby's KING'sHAWAIIAN  Roast Beef and Swiss sandwich has the same  extra helping  of roast beef and  KING's HAWAIIAN bun, topped with Swiss cheese, crunchy pickles, and creamy Dijon spread.
Aside from the  new sandwiches, Arby's  is also sponsoring the Arby’s Hawaiian Getaway Sweepstakes as a celebration of  their unique partnership.  The Grand prize will give you a chance to surf in paradise,  a round trip for two  with four nights stay in Honolulu, Hawaii.  You will also get a premium group  lesson at one of the  island's premiere surf schools, the Hawaiian Fire.  The sweepstakes  started on April 29 and will end on May 26.  To enter the sweepstakes, check out the full details at www.ArbysKingsHawaiian.com.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Healthy Steps

I'd like to thank the Sales Coordinator of Jokari.com and MyHealthySteps.com for sending me some   useful and handy  kitchen utensils  for review.  I received four items which you will see in the following sets of photos below.  What I love about the packaging of Healthy Steps is the fact that at the back, they include  a recipe.  I am not a very good cook and I rely on looking  for recipes online, having these recipes in hand is  a plus.
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Cheese Grater - My little princess  loves cooking, she  started showing interest in cooking ever since she was 3 or four years old.  She love watching Giada at Home, the Italian-American TV host  that my daughter  admire so much.  She   used to tell me that she wishes she has a cheese grater since she likes cooking with cheese (her specialty is  cheesy omelette).  She was very excited when I showed her this.

It has a clear and easy to read bin and a stainless steel medium grate.  This would help you control portions for the cheese.  You can buy this in amazon for $6.99.  
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Melon Pro - for those who are particular with my blogs, you know that my kids love fruits and veggies.  I used to use the ice cream scoop to make  water melon and cantaloupe balls  but I still had to cut it because  they are  huge for my little eaters' mouth.  With the Melon Pro, prep time is sped up and the kids don't have to wait extra time.  In fact, they  volunteer to do this  for me because they love their new kitchen helper.  You can buy this at amazon for $6.95.
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Cereal Scoop -  This helps determine the right portion of cereal  that you want to eat.  This is design to fit in a box which is really nice.  I am not very fond of eating cereal but my husband and two kids does.  They love  Cheerios, Mini Wheat, and Raisin Bran.  I only like the Kashi with nuts in it.  You can buy this  in amazon for $5.41.

Fish Tongs - do you ever get frustrated when you are cooking fish and  whenever you have to turn it, it gets messed up?  I always do,  so having this fish tongs is just perfect.  Me and my daughter love fish so I cook fish once in a while if I find the kind that I like in the store.  This fish tong makes preparing delicate  fish an easy task.  Below is the grilled Swai fish fillets that  we had for dinner  a couple of days ago.  You can buy this at amazon for $7.99.
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Thank you again Healthy Steps for sending me the above products!

Disclaimer:  Products that are mentioned above was received for  FREE in exchange of a Fair Review. NO monetary compensation was received in  facilitating this review.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Mother's Day Lunch

After attending the noontime mass at the church on Mother's Day, we proceeded to the mall because Ms. Burrito wanted to buy a gift for her teacher at "Things Remembered".   We did not have a plan to have lunch at a Chinese Restaurant but  because it took for the" store a long time to have the  gift that engraved the  dedication,   we got stuck at the mall  and decided to eat there.  
We did a little shopping after we ate because the  water globe  isn't done  yet
We were suppose to go to the cemetery  to visit my MIL's grave but we ran out of time so we just went home afterwards.

Glass Straws from GlassDharma

Have you ever used the glass straws?  This is my first time having  them at home, thanks to DharmaGlass for giving me a chance to own not only one but four different styles, so each of us at home has one to use when we feel like sipping our ice tea or juice a little fancier.

You might think that it would be hard to clean it but don't worry because when you buy it, the cleaning brush comes with it.  Each size of straw has specific brush for easy cleaning.  .   These glass straws are  sustainable, durable, and reusable.  It is suitable for hot and cold drinks and it is a dishwasher safe.
I think that creating glass straws  is brilliant as it would eliminate the use of  plastic straws which  would eventually end up in the landfills and ocean. GlassDharma  offer a 100% satisfaction and lifetime guarantee against breakage.  You might want to check them out and buy some for your entertainment at home.  As you can see in the photos above, my guests are enjoying their refreshments using  the glass straws.  Ms. Burrito love  to use while enjoying her  iced tea while Mr. Burrito   enjoy sipping his milk using the glass straws.  They both chose the  ones with decorative  dots, they said that me and  their Dad can use the plain ones lol.  Thanks again GlassDharma.

Disclaimer:  Products mentioned above was received for FREE in exchange of a Fair review.  NO monetary compensation was received in facilitating the review.

Monday, May 13, 2013

The Gro Project

If you like gardening like I do, you would like The Gro Project by Miracle Gro.  The Project Gro aims to show  gardener wannabes that  doing a project  in your garden is not that hard.  You just have to find some   fun garden projects to do like the ones that you can see at The Gro Project and  you will have a  fun time to do it.   I have been  a fan-user of Miracle-Gro products for my garden and it always gives me a  good harvest  every year.    Last year alone, I  canned so many tomatoes and freeze so many  vegetable from my garden,.  It's nice to have them all year long especially during Winter times.  


Doing a project in the garden is so much fun.  You just have to get some inspiration and ideas and you will have a  relaxing  time  working at your garden.  Below are just some of the photos I took out from my  garden, plants, and produce.
If you are not sure what kind of  product to use, you can start with the LiquaFeed All Purpose Plant Food Advance Starter Kit or Shake n' Feed All Purpose Plant Food ti use in your garden.  This year, I  am planning to  use the Moisture Control Potting Mix for my indoor plants.  If you would like to see some  fun gardening projects, follow Miracle Gro in Pinterest and share your own  gardening experience.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Lentil Crackers and Chips

I received another  FREE healthy snacks and these  came from Mediterranean Snacks Food company.  These chips and crackers are made of Lentils.  I love  cooking lentils during Easter time.  Lentils reminds me of the mung beans that we always cook in the Philippines.  Snacking is not really my thing but  sometimes, I  neglect to  eat my breakfast so a healthy snack such as this  is a great option for me.  

The crackers has three flavors, parmesan garlic, sea salt, and  cracked pepper.  I like the Cracked pepper the most.  For the  baked lentil chips, there are five different flavors which includes Cracked pepper, fiery tomato, parmesan garlic, rosemary and sea salt.  I like   them except the  parmesan garlic, it maybe because I am not fond of anything that is garlic flavored but it's not bad.
I would like to try their HummuZ crisps so I might look for it in the store.  Meanwhile, you can  buy  their products via amazon.com or at alice.com.  You can also check out their website  through the link below and  use their online coupon  if you decide to give it a try.
To get in touch with  Mediterranean Snack Food Company, you can visit and like them at Facebook or follow them in Twitter So folks if you want to feel good about snacking again and  not to  feel guilty, try out  Mediterranean Snacks, they are healthy and delicious!  It has a good source of fiber, gluten-free, and 70% less fat than regular potato chips.  

Disclaimer:  Products  were received for FREE  for review purposes.  No monetary compensation was involve in facilitating the review.  

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Comfort and Harmony




One of the many  things that  I miss having a  baby  is the special  bonding that a mom and baby have during   nursing time or breastfeeding.  I breastfed both of my children until they were two years old.  You will probably  raise your eyebrows because that's a very long time but I  enjoyed it as much as my kids enjoyed it.  I believe that  breastfeeding  helped my kids in growing up healthy. 


 I did not know  back then that there is a    nursing pillow that you can buy.  I have recently seen the Mombo from   Comfort & Harmony on Facebook when  I was flipping through  pages.  Mombo is a nursing pillow that will bring you and your baby closer together.  It has a unique Firm2Soft which is designed for better nursing support and positioning.  It also features the soothing vibration for lounging so  you'll have  extra comfort when nursing your baby.


Comfort and Harmony does not only  provide nursing pillows but also  products  such as  swing, bouncers, rockers, seat covers, and more.  You can buy their  products at Toys R Us and Babies R Us.  To get  connected with the company and get updated with their latest  innovations, please follow Comfort & Harmony on Twitter or like their Facebook book through the link I have provided above.  

Here  is a photo of me and my son when he was just a month old.  He is now 6 years old, a healthy and fine young boy.  Sometimes, when I  tell my kids  about our bonding when they were babies, they would always give me hugs and kisses!

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

FunBites makes it Fun to Eat!

I have two children who are totally opposite when it comes to eating habits.  My daughter can eat just about anything  especially  fruits and veggies but my son is a bit picky.  The way the food looks  helps  ignite my son's appetite to certain foods.  He eats every bite of his sandwich whenever I  cut it with our dinosaur-shaped  sandwich cutter.  Now that I have this  FunBites cutter,  he doesn't have any problem  eating the veggies and fruits I serve.  
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Children are very particular  with things but if you find the right  and  fun way for them to eat  their food, they would surely enjoy it.  FunBites  is brilliant to create this  fun shapes to slice your  fruits, veggies  cheese, and dessert.  It really helps to  entice the kids taste buds.   Below is the said that my daughter brought for her lunch at school.  She said that her classmates  likes them as well.
You can either  buy the Cube it or Luv it  style.  Below are some photos I  copied from their website just to show you  how creative you can be in preparing your children's  foods using FunBites.  You can buy their products at amazon or go to  to their website through the link I have provided above, you can enjoy a free shipping, just use the  Springfun promo code upon check out.
Kids will love itBuy 2 FunBites cutters and save 23%
Like FunBites at Facebook if you want to get in touch with them or visit the website though the link above to purchase  their product.  Thank you once again FunBites!
Disclaimer:  Product mentioned above was provided for me for FREE in exchange of my fair review.  No monetary compensation is involve in facilitating this review.  

How to make your kitchen Buyer-Friendly

When most people are looking to buy a house, one of the most important rooms will be the kitchen. It’s a room that people will use every day to cook and socialize in, so it needs to look good. An outdated kitchen can put people off an entire house, so if you’re thinking about selling up in the near future, make sure your kitchen looks its best with our useful tips.

Brass Decorative Pull Handle 102mmOne of the main reasons prospective buyers give for a kitchen looking dated is old-fashioned cabinets and cupboards. It can be expensive to shell out for a whole new fitted kitchen, though, so instead of doing this, think about ways you can revamp your existing cupboards. One way to do this can be to repaint them, or if they’re already painted, to sand them down to reveal the natural wood underneath for a shabby chic look. Replacing tired handles with new, long-lasting iron handles can also be a good way to make a kitchen cupboard set look more impressive.

The flooring can also make a big difference. If you have tiles, make sure the grouting is immaculate. A cheap way to clean grouting is with a bicarbonate of soda solution on a toothbrush to lift out the dirt and leave it looking spotless and good as new. If your flooring is wooden, give it a new coat of varnish which can subtly change the colour and keep it looking fresh.

New blinds can completely change the ambiance of a room. Curtains aren’t ideal for kitchens, and tend to make them look old-fashioned. Instead, a pull-down blind in a vibrant statement colour or some classic Venetian blinds can give your kitchen the update it needs. You want to let the sunlight stream in during the day but not be too blinding, so consider having your blinds pulled down part of the way when prospective buyers visit so they can see the blinds without having to squint.

If your kitchen is prone to clutter, invest in some pretty storage boxes. All those unused gadgets you promised yourself you’d use should be stashed away in case you feel the need to make your own bread or ice cream again in the future, but they shouldn’t be on display when buyers are looking round.

A myth that lots of people fall for is that the smell of freshly baked bread will make buyers fall in love with a house. Well, don’t take your breadmaker out of storage just yet, because buyers don’t really fall for that trick. Instead, keep your kitchen smelling fresh with some lightly scented herbs. Don’t cook anything with a strong smell on the morning of the viewing, as the overpowering air freshener will be a total giveaway! As long as you keep it looking tidy, up to date and inviting, your buyers should be able to look past any minor wear and tear from every day life.

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Brother's-All-Natural

Here's another healthy and great-tasting snack that I  recently tried from Brothers-All-Natural.  They sent me several samples of fruit crisps.  I received 20 individual packs of  fruit crisp  which includes strawberries, banana, strawberries and bananas,  mandarin orange segments, fuji apples, raspberries  blackberries, and blueberries, and many more.  My favorites are the Fuji apples, pineapple chunk, and Asian Pear Fruit.  My least favorite is the mandarin orange segments although I love fresh  mandarin oranges.
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This is a healthy snack for your little ones and for you as well.  The packaging comes in the  regular  pouches and  the Disney character  design.  I am sure that your kids would be inspired to eat this fruit snack.   I love the idea of freezing the and drying as you will get to enjoy  the fruit that you like even if they are out of season.  I am not very fond of  chips for snack but I love  fruits so this  fruit crisps are perfect for me.    My daughter love oatmeal for breakfast and  she likes this.
Dtp28cdtjcwks2c3b3pdhrdrqkeny0le I  Brothers-All-Natural provide this coupon code, SPICEUP10, which will give you  10% off any purchase at brothersallnatural.com.  The code has no expiration date.  If you want to get in touch with Brothers-All-Natural, like them in .Facebook or follow them on Pinterest.  Thank you so much Brothers-All-Natural for  allowing me to work with you.

Disclaimer:  Products were given for free for review purposes.  No monetary compensation was received in facilitating this review.  

Natural Eucalyptus Mulch

I took a break from writing my online tasks when my children arrived from school.  We  tilled our garden and planted some vegetable seedlings.  I did not have the spinach and lettuce seeds  so we still have to go to the store and buy some.  My flowers are starting to come up and  return to life again.  I would like to add some  mulch in one of my flower beds because  the  three bags I added last year seems to be vanishing or maybe it got incorporated in the dirt  because I did not use a landscaping netting or tarp.

If you live in Florida and would like  a mulch that would block the growth of weeds from your  garden, Scotts Florida Select Natural Eucalyptus Mulch can help you  eliminate that problem.  Scotts Florida Select Mulch  is a great sustainable gardening product that you can use.  Using Florida Select Mulch will  help your garden  to have a healthy growth free from weeds coming  up from your flower beds.  This would also  lessen  your use of water during the extreme heat of the sun as the mulch  blocks the  heat hence your ground won't be so dry.

Having a garden is not that hard, you just need to have the  basic gardening supplies such as:
  1. Pots
  2. Gardening soil
  3. Seedling
  4. Rake
  5. Shovel
  6.  mulch that you like.

For the non-Florida gardeners, Scotts Nature Scapes mulch is a great option for their  landscaping needs  this Spring.  The Scott's Nature Scape Mulch comes in three different colors which includes  Classic Black, Sierra Red, and Deep Forest Brown.  They are all natural  forest products that  comes in a variety of texture.  

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Pancit Canton with Veggies and Boiled Eggs

This is the last two  packs out of the two dozens that we bought the last time we went to the Asian store.  My daughter and husband loves this pancit canton.  I always jazz it up with veggies  and eggs to make it more appealing for my eaters.
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Bon Appetit!

This blog does not focus on food only but also include different kinds of spices that affects our lives. So hang in here and explore the world of fun with us. Please bear in mind that little bit of this and a little dash of that makes a Sumptuous Life!