#GetYourBettyOn by Baking with Betty Crocker This Season! {Holiday Baking Prize Pack Giveaway}

Now that the holiday season is here, it's easy to say that there are a large number of people who are focusing on appreciating loved ones and spending more time with family.

But with the weekends filled with gift exchanges and various gatherings (and all of the accompanying cleaning), when does that leave for quality time with your children if they typically spend their weekdays in school?

In the kitchen, of course! Spending time baking with kids can be one of the most fun and rewarding experiences (not to mention that the end result is usually pretty tasty, too!) and I don't think that I've ever met a child that doesn't love rolling up their sleeves and helping out as assistant chef.

Need a little more inspiration? Then check out the Kids' Cookie Corner from Betty Crocker!

We all know that Betty Crocker offers products, recipes, how-to's and more for everyday as well as special occasions, but this season they're all about sharing the memories of baking cookies with kids. Therefore, their helpful online Kids' Cookie Corner is the perfect place to go to find all sorts of delicious ideas as well as their Top 10 Cookies for Kids with short, inspirational videos on each.

My kids and I have had a blast looking through the short, fun videos showing how to make such delectable morsels like these Cookie Wreaths...

...and these absolutely adorable Melting Snowmen (which, incidentally, are fantastic for any Frozen fans, since we all know Olaf's memorable line about "some people are worth melting for," right?).

As if we weren't inspired enough to start baking, the arrival of a Betty Crocker Prize Pack had us pretty much giddy to head into the kitchen!

Although the decision-making on which cookies we were going to make was the most difficult part, in the end the girls and I opted to try Betty Crocker's twist on the classic blossom cookie with the Holiday Blossom Cookies.

Their short, 18-second video on the Kids' Cookie Corner showed just how quick and awesome these were going to be to make and, as an added bonus for me, the whole process was absolutely simple when using Betty Crocker mixes. Let's bake!

Holiday Blossom Cookies

Ingredients

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ sugar cookie mix or any flavor
Ingredients called for on cookie mix pouch
2 tablespoons colored sugar
36 Hershey's® Kisses® Brand chocolates, (any variety) unwrapped

Directions

Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, make dough as directed on pouch.

Shape dough into 36 (1-inch) balls; roll in colored sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Immediately press 1 chocolate candy in center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely, about 20 minutes. Store cookies in tightly covered container.

Oh my word, these were beyond easy to make and the results are delicious! I do suggest not pressing the Hershey's Kisses immediately into the cookies, as they do start to melt a bit... and we found that the Hugs definitely melted more than the Kisses. So apparently white chocolate melts quicker and easier than milk chocolate?

But the results were still YUM! Who doesn't love a candy-topped cookie? My young bakers were definitely proud of themselves for doing such a great job putting these together and they have had no problem sampling these tasty treats!

This holiday season, carve out a little extra time to spend with the children in your life by grabbing a Betty Crocker cookie mix and heading over to the Kids' Cookie Corner to decide which of their delectable recipes you would like to try first. Mmm!

To find out more about all things Betty Crocker, be sure to visit BettyCrocker.com and connect with them on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

And, thanks to their generosity, one person will be heading into the kitchen in style to whip up their own batches of cookie goodness as well, because...

One lucky person will win a Betty Crocker Holiday Prize Pack*!

*Prize Pack contains: Kitchen tablet stand, Betty Crocker Mixing Spoon, Betty Crocker Oven Mitt, "Get Your Betty On" Apron, Gingerbread Cookie Cutter, Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix, Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix, Betty Crocker Whipped Vanilla Frosting, and Betty Crocker Holiday Recipe Booklet 2014 – feat. The Top 10 Cookie Decorating Ideas of 2014.

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A big thank you to Betty Crocker for providing a Prize Pack for me as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.

Cooking Up Something Special with The Lakeside Collection {Gift Basket Review & Giveaway}

When it comes to gift giving for the holidays, it's pretty obvious that we'd all like to opt for the very best. We don't go purposely looking for a scratchy set of towels, a chipped tea pot or a cheap, flimsy toy, right?

However, money doesn't grow on trees (unfortunately) and it's impossible to simply ignore your budget, no matter how much you'd like to give your family, friends, coworkers, teachers and more a lavish, luxurious present.

Where's the happy medium? It can be found in the wide variety, exceptional quality and distinctive styling offered at affordable prices from The Lakeside Collection.

Offering the finest selection of merchandise at the lowest prices around, The Lakeside Collection has something for everyone on your holiday shopping list (and more)! From fabulous home furnishings to stylish and comfortable apparel and accessories to fantastic toys for kids of all ages, there is no shortage of great gifts that are sure to wow your lucky recipients.

However, at the same time that The Lakeside Collection offers their customers a world of style and value with topnotch customer service and satisfaction, their outstanding prices cannot be ignored. It is no wonder that their tagline The best things in life don't have to cost a fortune fits so perfectly!

But, wait. There's more!

As well as offering great products at low, low prices, The Lakeside Collection makes gifting even easier by showing all sorts of unique ways to turn "regular" items into awesome holiday gift baskets — just look at these cool creative gift basket ideas!

Know a couple that adores spending time in the great outdoors? The Lakeside Collection shows you how to put together an amazing gift pack for the Outdoorsy Couple! Or how about adorable presents for the Pet Lover? There are also fashionable items for the Fashionista and much more!

I have to admit, as much as I adore the idea of giving someone a gift basket personalized perfectly for them, the idea that I could put items together and have it turn out as spectacular as these was making me feel doubtful.

It was time to see if I could take The Lakeside Collection's advice and, by following their instructions, handcraft my own great Cook Up Something Special gift!

As I opened the large box from The Lakeside Collection, I was pleased to see each of the individual items safely and securely wrapped to protect them from damage. No one wants to place an order and worry that pieces will arrive broken!

After opening and unwrapping each product, I was already impressed with the variety and overall mix that was suggested for this gift basket from the Curious Cook line at The Lakeside Collection.

As I laid each item out and began following the directions from The Lakeside Collection to stack them together, I quickly found that creating my own gift basket wasn't nearly as difficult or time consuming as I had thought.

By using the Set of 3 Handled Bakers and Terry Kitchen Towels as my base, it wasn't more than a minute or two before I had them colorfully tucked in together...

...and the remainder of the products filled in as well.

In less than five minutes I stepped back and found that the resulting gift basket was pretty darn great!

What chef wouldn't love the style, quality and practical uses (not to mention the yummy tastes!) that would come from this collection? As for the gift-giver, I love the pride that I can feel knowing that I gave someone a handcrafted, long-lasting, extremely creative and fun gift!

Whereas ordering a premade gift basket similar to this one would cost well into hundreds of dollars, the total cost for all of the items from The Lakeside Collection is just under $75. While this isn't a low-cost gift, it is definitely a value if you are looking for a fantastic option that is sure to wow and, of course, could easily be customized to be more or less expensive if you choose.

Be sure to head over to The Lakeside Collection to see the huge number of products that they have to offer at incredibly reasonable prices so that you can start putting together your own custom gift baskets this holiday season (don't forget to check out their collection of gift basket ideas for inspiration). As well as connecting with them at Lakeside.com (they also offer great catalog options), you can find them on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

And, thanks to their generosity, one person will get to see just how fun it is to put together an amazing gift basket with their own hands as well, because...

One lucky person will win ALL of the items needed to make their own 
Cooking Up Something Special gift basket 
from The Lakeside Collection (total ARV $75)*!

*Items include Set of 3 Handled Bakers, Cut and Serve Spatula, 10-pc Terry Kitchen Towel Set, Fruit Crisp Giftable Breakfast Delights, Bread Dipping Gourmet 4-Compartment Seasoning Jar, The Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook, Stainless Steel Cup-Size Measuring Spoons and 5-Pc. Bread Dipping Gourmet Kitchen Gift Set.

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A big thank you to The Lakeside Collection for providing Cooking Up Something Special gift basket items for me to review as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.

Add Flavor To Your Meat or Meatless Meals with McCormick Skillet Sauces {#MCSkilletSauce}

When my youngest child started school full time this year, multiple friends of mine lamented that I would now be "living the dream." Something about the idea of having both kids in school all day made everyone (myself included) think that there would be oodles of extra time in my day and never again would I have to rush or stress.

Right. Reality check, please?

Instead, I find that my to-do list never gets shorter, the house is still in constant need of cleaning and, as usual, I am far from being on top of things when it comes to having dinner on the table. Why is it so difficult to come up with quick homemade dinner ideas that the whole family will love that aren't the same things over and over and over again?

Fortunately, I was recently introduced to a great new shortcut that any busy parent can appreciate, the tasty and convenient McCormick® Skillet Sauces.

Available in seven different varieties, McCormick Skillet Sauces are a completely new range of recipe sauces packed full of flavor that help you to create a home cooked, fresh tasting, family meal in no time. Options include:

• Fajita with Roasted Chili, Garlic & Lime Skillet Sauce
• Fire Roasted Garlic Chili Skillet Sauce
• Sesame Chicken Stir-Fry Skillet Sauce
• Sicilian Chicken with Tomato, Basil & Garlic Skillet Sauce
• Smoky Applewood BBQ Chicken with Bacon Skillet Sauce
• Sweet & Smoky Sloppy Joes Skillet Sauce
• Taco with Chipotle & Garlic Skillet Sauce

While McCormick Skillet Sauce packets come with a custom recipe right on the back, they are completely customizable depending on what other ingredients you have handy, what dietary restrictions your family may have or simply what meal your mood dictates. Instead of spending time seasoning the various aspects of your dish, just open one of these up and it provides all of the delicious flavor you need!

As a vegetarian, I was initially skeptical that any of the McCormick Skillet Sauces wouldn't contain meat. However, one visit to McCormick's website, where they offer ingredients and flavor tips of these packets, and I was thrilled to find just the opposite! In fact, out of the seven sauces, only the Smoky Applewood BBQ Chicken with Bacon Skillet Sauce contains bacon and the rest don't actually have any meat in them at all.

Well, heck! If these can ease my dinnertime dilemmas, then it was time to head to Walmart to pick some up and give them a try!

Although it took a bit of searching (and the help of a few different Walmart employees), we eventually found the McCormick Skillet Sauces in the aisle with other boxed mixes and cooking packets (e.g. stuffing, gravy, etc).

After looking them over and getting all sorts of dinner ideas, I decided to start with the Sesame Chicken Stir-Fry Skillet Sauce and Taco with Chipotle & Garlic Skillet Sauce packets first.

Unsurprisingly, Big Sister E asked when we would have stir fry for dinner (one of her favorites), so it wasn't long before I was reaching for the Sesame Chicken Stir-Fry Skillet Sauce. Of course most households would use chicken or another protein, but I opted for our favorite standby, tofu.

However, as it doesn't have a great deal of flavor on its own, I started by letting the tofu marinate in a bit of the McCormick Skillet Sauce in hopes that it would give it the extra sweet tastiness that it needs.

After the tofu had sat long enough, it took a turn in my skillet for a few minutes before being joined by the vegetables (a mix of frozen and fresh). Once everything was cooked through, I mixed in the rest of the Skillet Sauce and voilà!

Yum! This tofu & veggie stir fry turned out perfect as a side dish or, as I had let a pot of rice simmer while I was cooking, the two together easily became the main dish.

Ready to make cooking a delicious meal faster and easier around your house as well? You can find out much more about these great new Skillet Sauces (and find tasty recipes) by visiting McCormick.com and by connecting with them on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

Then head to your nearest Walmart to pick up these packets to see just how easy it is to flavor your entire dish!

I’m participating in the McCormick’s Skillet Sauce® blogger campaign and received compensation as part of the program.

Encourage Your Family to Eat More Veggies with Birds Eye and Melissa d’Arabian! {#ILikeVeggies}

My kids just eat TOO MANY vegetables, how can I get them to stop? Said no parent, ever.

In a perfect world, broccoli would taste like chocolate and kids would beg for just a little more cauliflower with dinner... but alas, that's not the case. Instead, parents from coast to coast spend meal after meal trying all sorts of methods of encouraging, pleading, hiding and more in order to get their offspring to consume their veggies.

In fact, did you know that 9 out of 10 people in the United States do not get the proper amount of vegetables (according to The State Of The Plate report)? That means that it is far more than just kids that need the extra reminder to eat up!

While my kids are actually pretty good veggie eaters, I'm still loving that Birds Eye has helped make the whole process easier by partnering with Melissa d'Arabian, celebrity chef, mom of four, and host of FoodNetwork.com's web series The Picky Eaters Project, to make a difference and help moms with the dinnertime dilemma!

Everyone knows it can be tough to get a balanced meal on the table every day and Birds Eye frozen vegetables help by providing nutritious, tasty veggies that kids love. Together, Birds Eye and Melissa are combining their expertise in getting children to eat more veggies while promoting the Step Up To The Plate project.

Step Up To The Plate is Birds Eye's long-term commitment to reshaping kids' veggie perceptions and getting children to like veggies for life and I'm all for it! I have long made vegetables an integral part of our meals and, combined with modeling how much I love them, my girls have nearly always accepted vegetables without whining or complaining.

In fact, when I was browsing Melissa's videos (she's got a great collection of recipes and suggestions), I found that I was already partaking in most of the tips that she listed:

• Introduce new foods slowly, pairing them on the table with familiar flavors.

• Mix up the vegetable types that you serve and the flavors in your recipes.

• Look for alternative vegetable occasions, including breakfast. Veggies aren't just for dinner!

• Get picky eaters excited to eat healthier foods by by involving them in the meal preparation.

• Fresh or frozen, it is important to incorporate veggies into every meal.

I often let my kids pick the Birds Eye vegetables that they would like from the store as well as which ones they want with dinner and that has never failed to make them excited to chow down!

I love the time-saving easy convenience of the Steamfresh line!

You've really got to check out the full collection of videos, but I especially love this one and the way that Melissa not only gives great tips but that her recipe for Pan-Sauteed Orange Chicken with Broccoli looks quick, easy and delicious!


I also really like Melissa's video on incorporating veggies in with breakfast (whether breakfast is in the morning or your family is having breakfast for dinner), as that is the meal in which we typically have the least vegetables (if any).

I'm now on a mission to get these two more excited about having any one of the delicious Birds Eye veggies mixed in with our breakfast dishes!

In the meantime, we've not only been including vegetables in our usual recipes and sides, but we've been trying out some of Birds Eye's suggestions as well. I let my girls be in charge of selecting which of their recipes they wanted to have for dinner and, sure enough, they were happy to dig right in to their Veggie Stuffed Pizza Pockets!

These handy little pockets are filled with veggies and cheese (and can be dipped in marinara, which we found was just the right accompaniment) and my kids had a blast helping with the mixing, stuffing and folding.

Even though we initially weren't sure how the flavor combination of these would turn out, they really are extremely tasty!

With so many vegetable blends offered year round at affordable prices, Birds Eye makes it easy for parents everywhere to make veggies more commonplace on their table. They have something for every taste bud... plus more!

Be sure to head over to BirdsEye.com to find out more about their tasty products, browse their large selection of recipes, see how to fill half the plate with veggies in fun and simple ways and much more. You can also connect with Birds Eye on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest to continue the conversation even further.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Baking From Scratch Without the Work: Immaculate Baking Dry Baking Mixes {Review}

If there were an extra 30 or so hours in the day, it would seem much easier to get more things done, wouldn't it? I'd like to think that my books would be read, household chores would be done, naps would be taken, meals made from scratch would be on the table with time to spare...

Unfortunately, with only 24 hours each and every day, we all just do what we can to try to accomplish our goals and cross items off of our to-do list. For me, priority takes precedence and, if somehow there is time left to still put a homemade dish together, then that's a good day.

Fortunately, I've now been introduced to a brand that makes it possible for me to get much of my baking done faster, easier and more conveniently than before. Results that taste like they're made from scratch yet only take the time of a boxed mix? They're available from Immaculate Baking!

Immaculate Baking is best known for its delicious refrigerated baking dough and colorful American folk art packaging. With a fun variety of products, consumers know that Immaculate Baking goodies (Ready-to-Bake cookies, biscuits, scones, cinnamon rolls, crescent roll doughs and many more) are only made with high-quality organic and natural ingredients.

New to the collection, Immaculate Baking has recently launched a line of dry baking mixes with the same promises and non-GMO commitment of its refrigerated cookie origins: Using only wholesome, simple, delicious ingredients, and offering baking options ranging from all natural, organic and gluten free!

Essentially, Immaculate Baking's eight new dry baking mixes use the same ingredients you would use if you were to bake cookies, cakes, and brownies from scratch! The end result is a delicious plate of treats that have 0g trans fat and do not contain artificial preservatives or high fructose corn syrup. And did I mention the deliciousness?

These mixes really couldn't be much easier and are perfect to make as-is or to incorporate into any number of creative and tasty recipes (Immaculate Baking even has yummy recipe ideas for inspiration, if necessary).

As I found myself with no time to spare before one of our many summer playdates, I was more than happy to only have to grab a box of Immaculate Baking Gluten Free Double Chocolate Cookie Mix, a little oil and two eggs to whip up some homemade cookies (with the added bonus of these being gluten free, so no worries about having something that all of our guests could enjoy)!

Whereas cookies from scratch would have taken a great deal more measuring and mixing, it was hardly more than a minute or two before I popped these into my oven and let the heat do the rest.

Without a doubt, these cookies were extremely easy and convenient and received multiple rave reviews about how delectable they were! I loved being able to have a treat that tasted as if it was made from scratch but didn't require the work or the time!

I am thrilled having been introduced to Immaculate Baking and their new Scratch Baking Mixes and can't wait to incorporate more of them into my kitchen in the future! From the All Natural Brownies to the All Natural Yellow Cake, these delicious, simple, wholesome mixes are perfect for every day as well as special occasions. YUM!

Look for the new Immaculate Baking Dry Baking Mixes in the baking aisle at Target and be sure to visit ImmaculateBaking.com (and connect with them on Facebook) to find out more about their full collection of products.

Disclosure: The information and prize pack have been provided by Immaculate Baking through Platefull Co-Op.

Delicious Marinating and Grilling with Holland House Cooking Wine {Summer Grilling Kit Giveaway!}

While summer is surely a great time of year in terms of playing outdoors, swimming, barbeques and more, it somehow seems to be more hectic when it comes to meal planning. Considering the number of hours that we spend on-the-go, it is no wonder that there aren't many left to browse recipes or devote to cooking... resulting in dishes that may end up more bland or boring than usual.

However, at the height of the summer grilling season, a cook's best strategy is to seek out the freshest ingredients and infuse them with delicious flavor. One way to do just that in a quick, easy and delectable way is to reach for a product that is known for transforming any dish from ordinary to extraordinary: Holland House Cooking Wine.

Since 1887, Holland House has been making wines specially formulated for cooking. By using premium quality wine stock to create a perfectly balanced taste and aroma, each of their cooking wines has its own rich, robust flavor that lasts.

From Red to White, Marsala to Sherry and several in between, there's a bottle of Holland House Cooking Wine to pair perfectly with every menu. It is no wonder that chefs of all skill levels choose Holland House to add a refined depth to their sauces, marinades, glazes, and sautés!

Reading to fire up the grill and try one of Holland House's delicious recipes? Holland House Sherry Cooking Wine adds a subtle, sweet background flavor to this spicy, Mexican seasoned marinade that your family and/or guests are sure to love!

Grilled Chipotle Skirt Steak

Marinade time: 8-24 hours
Cook time: 8-15 hours
Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 cup Holland House Sherry Cooking Wine
1 cup unseasoned tomato puree or crushed tomatoes (not tomato sauce)
3-4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (canned)
4 large cloves of garlic
½ small yellow onion
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. vegetable or olive oil
2 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. salt
1 lb skirt or flank steak (lean, boneless, skinless chicken breasts are delicious as well)

Directions

In a blender container, combine sherry cooking wine and remaining ingredients except meat. Cover and run on high until smooth.

Trim steak of any visible fat. Place steak in a non-metallic baking dish or sealable plastic bag. Add marinade; turn meat to coat (as flank steak is thicker than skirt steak, score flank steak with a sharp knife so the meat absorbs more marinade). Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight, turning meat one or more times while marinating.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Drain meat and discard marinade. Grill skirt steak about 6 minutes over direct heat with cover closed. Turn meat; grill with cover closed 2 minutes more or until cooked as desired. Flank steak will take longer to cook.

Slice steak into thin strips across the grain. Serve with warm corn tortillas, if desired.

Here are even more great marinade and grilling tips from Holland House!

Marinate your meat. Marinating is a great way to add flavor and save money by tenderizing tougher, cheaper cuts of meat. A well-prepared marinade can help an amateur on the grill prepare food that tastes like it was prepared by an experienced grill master!

Select your marinade elements. Marinades vary from recipe to recipe, but they all generally contain three basic components – oils, acids and seasonings. Oils lock in the natural flavor and prevent vegetables from drying out, while acids allow flavors to be absorbed. Seasonings provide the unique flavor. Garlic, ginger and herbs are the most common marinade seasonings.

Keep an eye on the time. As a general rule, the longer food is left to marinate, the more flavorsome it will become. Small or tender cuts, such as lamb and beef fillets, chicken breasts and seafood, require shorter marinating times (usually two to four hours).

Larger or tougher cuts such as leg, rump or shoulder will need longer (usually four to six hours). Never marinate in aluminum, cast iron or copper, as these metals will react with the acids and salts, resulting in off flavor.

Use the right tools. When grilling, always use tongs to turn the meat. A fork should never be used as it will punch holes in the meat and allow the natural juices to escape, causing the meat to lose flavor and become chewy.

Don’t rush it. Meat will tell you when it’s ready to flip. If the meat is still hanging onto the grill, it’s not ready to flip. Once a good sear is established, it will release on its own.

Want even more tips? Check out Holland House’s marinade and grilling cooking video!

For more information, tips, recipes and to see their full collection of delicious products, be sure to visit HollandHouseFlavors.com. You can also check out Holland House on Facebook and Pinterest for even more great ideas and mouthwatering meals!

Plus, thanks to their generosity, one person will be even more prepared to celebrate grilling season as well, because...

One lucky person will win a Holland House Summer Grilling Kit*!

*Kit contains a portable cooler filled with grilling tools and Holland House Cooking Wine products - total ARV $100!

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A big thank you to Holland House for providing a Summer Grilling Kit for me as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.

Seize the Holidays with the Krusteaz Virtual Holiday Baking Event and Facebook Contest {#KrusteazHolidays}

When it comes to holiday baking, I love how there is no one right way to do it.

Want to pull together one batch of sugar cookies and decorate them to look like wreaths and trees? Perfect. Want to spend seven hours in the kitchen with your extended family to get batches and batches of 18 different types of cookies made in assembly-line fashion? More power to you.

(If you fall into the second category, feel free to send an extra batch my way.)

This holiday season, however, it is even easier to "Seize the Holidays" and enjoy homemade goodies of all kinds thanks to Krusteaz.

Delighting families for generations, Krusteaz began back in 1932 with an easy-to-make pie crust and has since expanded to include pancakes, biscuits, muffins, brownies, breads, desserts and much more.

Whether you reach for one of their classic favorites or one of the new additions to their product line, you can be confident that they have included only the finest and freshest ingredients and that the result will be a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

But this year Krusteaz is not only providing delectable mixes to make your holiday baking easy and delicious, they are helping all home bakers get into the spirit by hosting a Virtual Holiday Baking Event this Saturday, December 14th from 1:00 - 3:00pm EST.

Krusteaz has teamed up with Weelicious blogger and cookbook author, Catherine McCord, as she serves up some delicious baking and gifting ideas live from her kitchen. Catherine will be baking her favorite Krusteaz creations, sharing recipes, tips and holiday gifting ideas featuring homemade goodies, and more!

But this isn't a view-only event, Krusteaz is encouraging everyone, whether expert or novice bakers, to join in as well! You'll be able to tune in, invite friends over, ask questions, share ideas (via Twitter using the hashtag #KrusteazHolidays), and get into the holiday spirit during this fun event — you can even share photos and videos of your own baking party right on the Krusteaz Facebook page!

Want to see how a simple box mix can be used to create your own signature holiday treats? Or need tips on how you can make baking a family affair by encouraging kids to get into the baking mix? Then head over to Krusteaz Seize the Holidays now to find out more and to register for this free and fun online event!

As well as their unique Virtual Baking Event, Krusteaz is also celebrating the season with their Krusteaz "Seize the What If" Facebook Contest.

To enter, simply select your favorite Krusteaz product, add in three original ingredients and name your unique recipe. All of the submissions are eligible to receive a coupon for free product (yum!), and 10 finalists will be selected to win a year's supply of Krusteaz products.

As for the grand prize winner, that lucky person will win a kitchen oven makeover that includes a stainless steel double oven and a year's supply of Krusteaz products!

This tasty contest ends on December 31st, so decide on your favorite Krusteaz product and three ingredients and head over and enter!

While we've long been fans of Krusteaz around here, I was especially excited to make our holidays a little extra flavorful thanks to the great collection of "Seize the Holidays" items that they sent over.

I'm looking forward to baking along with Catherine during the Virtual Event by using such a yummy variety of Krusteaz products (Molten Deep Dish Cookies, Honey Cornbread, Lemon Bars and more!) and have already been browsing the great selection of recipes in her book, Weelicious, One Family, One Meal.

I also love the Krusteaz "Pancake in a Jar" gift idea that they included, and just how easy it is to layer in Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake mix, add in mix-ins (e.g. Craisins, Reese's Pieces, graham crackers), and end up with a colorful and creative gift.

And while I couldn't wait to try out some of the Krusteaz products that were new to our household (Molten Deep Dish Sugar Cookies with Chocolate Centers... mmmmmmm), I knew that I had to provide my family with a little holiday baking preview with one of our most favorites, Cinnamon Crumb Cake.

There is no quicker way to bring a smile to my kids' (and my husband's) faces and the sound of quickened feet coming down the stairs than with the aroma of this delicious mix. We opt to make it into 12 muffins instead of one cake and they are consistently a favorite time and time again.

With everything from classic cookies to Pumpkin Spice Muffin Mix, there's a Krusteaz mix for everything. Whether you're like me and follow the recipe or you're more of a creative baker — it's very easy to take any Krusteaz mix and whip up your own creation — the end result is something that will always wow family and friends.

Be sure to head over to Krusteaz.com to find out more about all of their incredible products, while also connecting with them on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Also, don't forget to mark your calendar for December 14th from 1:00 - 3:00pm EST for the Krusteaz Virtual Holiday Baking Event and to go enter the Krusteaz "Seize the What If" Facebook Contest for a chance to win some amazing prizes!

Other than the information and Krusteaz products pictured above, I was not compensated or enticed to do this post in any way. This post is solely my honest opinion about this company and these products.

Power, Speed and Versatility with the Ninja Ultima Blender {Review}

Although I would never deny that my husband is a kindhearted, intelligent human being, his skills in the kitchen... well, mirror mine.

In that neither of us really have any.

If it comes from a box or requires a post of boiling water, we're all over that. But anything more complicated? Well, it better have a step-by-step recipe and instructions to go with it.

While I've gotten a bit more adventurous over the years in trying new ingredients and attempting to use appliances other than just the stove top, he is more of a traditionalist, sticking to what he knows and the if it ain't broke mentality of thinking.

Except when it comes to blenders. I've never known a man who loves his smoothies more than my husband and, therefore, one that has burnt through as many blenders as he has. Whether it's from trying to chop too much ice or running the motor for too long or simply just because we tried to save a few pennies and buy yet another cheap model, our blender has always been the one appliance that you turn on... and cross your fingers.

Until one of the most powerful blenders available on the market arrived and changed our blending, crushing, chopping, mixing, processing life for good. It's time to make room in your kitchen for the Ninja Ultima Blender.

Providing professional performance and endless possibilities, the Ninja Ultima Blender is capable of going from gentle blending to total crushing in a matter of seconds and offers the utmost in versatility due to its power, speed and technology.

But could it impress my blending master husband while still being simple enough for me to use?

Right away I was happy to see that Ninja not only made the setup quick and easy, but that all of the detachable parts of the Ultima are dishwasher-safe and crafted of 100% BPA-free plastic.

The convenience of being able to stick just about anything into the dishwasher is a necessity for me and, even better, this blender allows me to choose between the extra-large, 72-ounce multi-tasking pitcher or three 16-ounce single serve cups (that even come with Sip & Seal to-go lids).

No more running out of space when whipping up large items and no need to use the full blender and then have to transfer my beverage when I'm just blending for me!

As well as the size, the Ninja Ultima Blender doesn't skimp when it comes to power, speed and settings. I love that just by looking at this machine that it is clear that it can just about do it all!

Although I don't claim to be an expert in the blender category, after having checked around, I'm even more impressed with the groundbreaking, patent pending Dual-Stage Blending Technology that the Ultima includes and that it is supported by 1500 watts and 2.5 peak horsepower (ahem, the same horsepower as a Vitamix blender, which we all knows costs the same amount as my first car).

But it is the combination of blade speed and power that allows a blender to truly perform, and this appliance contains not one, but two sets of blades that stand up to everything that come their way. Up above, the Total Crushing Blades rotate at 5,000 RPM and are able to crush whole fruits, vegetables, seeds, ice and more.

At the same time, the bottom High Speed Cyclonic Blades rotate independently at 24,000 RPM to liquefy ingredients into a silky smooth consistency in a matter of seconds. The result is that you simply choose from the expansive range of Pro Variable Speed settings so that your concoction blends to perfection.

From blending perfectly smooth soups and beverages, grinding meats, chopping herbs, pulverizing whole fruits and vegetables, emulsifying dips and mixing cake batters, the Ninja Ultima Blender hasn't once let us down.

While I'm not a smoothie connoisseur like my husband, I have loved the extremely smooth, grit-free consistency that the Ultima provides, because who likes trying to drink a chunky drink?

I've been trying out our own tried-and-true recipes as well as those from Ninja and they've all been receiving two thumbs up... not to mention that I've come to appreciate the way that the 72-ounce pitcher (that's nine cups!) locks onto the motor base for safety and that the lid then locks on as well (and includes a pour spout to eliminate messes).

Sauces, soups, snack bars, frozen drinks, appetizers, entrees... whatever you have planned for your menu in the upcoming holiday months, the Ninja Ultima Blender can eliminate much of time and hassle that cooking involves. Not to mention the inspiration you can find at NinjaRecipes.com and the restaurant-quality results!

With an MSRP starting at $199.99, the Ninja Ultima Blender isn't a small purchase by any means. But considering how much we have put into cheap blenders in the past, knowing that we won't have to replace this one at any point does make the cost seem much more reasonable.

Not to mention that if you were considering saving up for the power and durability of a Vitamix, that the Ultima can provide the exact same for about one third the cost. That alone makes the thrifty side of me extremely pleased!

To find out much more about this and all of Ninja's incredible products, visit them at NinjaKitchen.com and connect with them on Facebook and Twitter.

Other than the Ninja Ultima Blender that I was provided in order to facilitate my review, I was not compensated or enticed to do this post in any way. This review is solely my honest opinion about this product.