Drive It Home Show in Plano
This Drive It Home show is a show I would suggest to every parent to take their soon to be driving or driving teen to. Menya and I enjoyed cookies and water while watching a hilarious skit. The skit featured a mom and her daughter while practicing to drive. The actresses were all to funny. They mimic what usually goes on when a over protective mother does when she would ride with her teen. All to often we jump to the conclusion that a few hours or weeks of driving time for our teen is enough to pass the test. The point is not to pass the test but to teach your teen how to be a good driver. Driving with your teen in all weather conditions will help ready them when the occasion should arise that they would have to drive in it.
Drive It Home show with Menya
The Allstate Foundation and the National Safety Council are supporters of the Drive It Home show. The National Safety Council brought in some statistics on teen driving that would amaze you. Did you know that teens wreck mostly when pulling out of a parking lot or deciding when to turn in front of a moving car. Judgement calls are the number one over cell phones which I know surprised me. Here’s a pretty interesting fact sheet about teens and driving.
As a parent of three teenagers in Texas I like to know all the facts. Here is a sheet that will help you with that. I can honestly say that I told my teens they wouldn’t drive until they saved their own money for a car and insurance. I found this to be a way to prolong them driving at 16. I also find that if they work for it they will respect it a little more. Let’s face it, teens will be teens. When it comes time to take them for a driving test I am going to be double sure that they have plenty of driving months before getting a license.
This video shows that your teens are watching you! Sometimes we like to think they are not paying attention but they are. We tell them how to drive when we should be showing them how to drive. Talking to them about it and be a good driver yourself so they don’t replicate what your doing as a parent driver.
I hope that if this show comes to your area that you will take the time to go see it. It’s definitely worth it to experience it WITH your teen.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
#RedCarpetReady Daily’s Cocktails & Wholly Guacamole
My daughter and I decided for our #RedCarpetReady night in preparation for the Oscar’s tomorrow night that we would gladly enjoy some Wholly guacamole on our burgers while watching an old Oscar movie ‘Rocky’. It’s just a timeless classic. She invited her friend Jade to join us.
We dug in to the Wholly guacamole and topped it onto our burgers. She and her friend Jade tried the classic and I tried the spicy. Love the heat in that guacamole; definitely a good kick! My daughter’s friend, Jade, has never had a guacamole burger that she could remember and thoroughly enjoyed it. We sided the burgers with chips and Wholly salsa. The Red Pepper Mango is super sweet and not necessarily my favorite. I enjoyed the traditional version of the salsa. The girls loved the Avocado and Spicy Pico salsa.
Now it’s after the movie and we are about to head up and paint my daughter’s room turquoise. Immediately after I plan on having a Daily’s Cocktail in strawberry daiquiri flavor. Love these! They are super inexpensive and easy to just pop into the freezer. Especially on a night where the whole house is on the go they are the perfect end. I might have to save me some extra for Oscar night when the awesome Twitter chat is on going. If you would like to join in follow and tweet to @dailyscocktails and @eatwholly on Twitter using the hashtag #redcarpetready!
Pictures will follow tomorrow morning!
What’s even better is I am giving one of you a chance to win:
• Four Wholly Guacamole and three Wholly Salsa products in a variety of yummy flavors. It will be hard to pick a favorite!
• A $20 Walmart gift card to pick up an assortment of Daily’s Cocktails Pouches (plus whatever you need for your recipe). The recent addition of three new light flavors (Light Pink Lemonade, Light Mango Passion Fruit Daiquiri and Light Margarita) make a total of 13 tempting flavors to choose from!
• Promotional items from both Daily’s and Wholly Guacamole
• Your very own red carpet!
To enter just use the Rafflecopter below! Don’t forget to comment the blog as your first entry to tell me “Which Wholly guacamole do you enjoy and how you would share a Daily’s cocktail?”
*Disclosure: Wholly and Daily’s Cocktails is providing one winner with a cooler gift pack (stuff listed above). I was not reimbursed for writing this post and all opinions expressed here are my own.
Hip Hop Dance Experience Wii Review
Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this post. Please visit Ubi.com to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective. #UbiChamps
This is my review for Hip Hop Dance Experience Wii review.
My daughter, Menya, is the main Wii player in the house. Guess that means she’s the one that likes to move it! (Madagascar pun totally intended) 
When her friends come over they are always playing the Wii. It is very common to hear what sounds like a herd of elephants upstairs and loud music. I have since implemented them playing the Wii downstairs where I am comfortably an ear shot away.
My daughter proceeded to go through every song checking out especially the ones she knows. She’s a hip hop fan and said only hip hop fans would like Hip Hop Dance Experience game. The dance moves are a bit more difficult then other such dance games on the Wii. It will take more time and focus to get the moves down. There just not easy to reenact Which would be the reason why I think this game is rated teen not only for the inappropriate songs but the difficultly of the moves.
I would not suggest this game for teens. I would suggest this game for adults. It would be great at party where you serve up a few daiquiri’s for everyone to enjoy, loosen up, and dance their tales off. Not too much to drink though as I said before the moves are not the easiest around. It would be nice to see more on screen hints. If your a dancer you’ll love this game.
My daughter and her friend loved the front and back views but at first they were confused if it was two people or one. Over all it’s a fun game but lacked on level of easiness for the player. I’d give it 4 stars!
Top Chef Seattle Season Finale #TopChef
Next week we are heading into Part 1 of 2 episodes in the Top Chef Seattle season finale. The strangest thing is all I can think about is Last Chance Kitchen. Who won between Lizzie and Kristen?
Kristen is an extremely creative chef and won a few rounds against some amazing chefs such as Stefan. However, Lizzie has a style of cooking that reminds you of home and Europe all in one. Her spaetzle looked amazing! The winner between the two will compete with Sheldon and Brooke in the final competition. Who do you think won Last Chance Kitchen?
Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Bravo.
From the previews for Part 1 of the season finale it doesn’t look good for Brooke. Tom is consistently asking Brooke to plate the dishes and she’s having trouble getting on board. Tom is expediting for Brooke and Sheldon at the Craft, which is Tom Colicchio’s restaurant, in Los Angeles. This seems to only make the competition tough as Tom is breathing down both their necks to make the perfect dish.
Another preview shows us Brooke and Sheldon cooking for their families. Brooke’s son mentions the bagels are nasty. Kind of funny as my kids will be the first to throw me under the bus with my cooking. I think it has to do with all the new things I make them try when I am trying to perfect them. They are my guinea pigs. Also, they eat so much of my cooking it has to get old.
Sheldon is making a slab of ribs I would love to sink my teeth into. Grilled food is one genre of food I truly enjoy!
Brooke is a talent chef! See marries food well. I would just like to see the underdog make it through to the top. Sheldon has no proper schooling and has worked his way from the bottom to get into the competition. I think that screams something unique. Even one of my favorite dishes so far features a dish created by Bart Vandaele and Sheldon Simeon Green Forest Breakfast Sandwich: Eggs, Cheese, Pancetta, Bacon & Spinach. This is something I could have on a stick for breakfast every morning. The only thing I might add is some syrup or salsa.
Who do you think is going to pull it off in the finale to win Top Chef Seattle? My verdict is Sheldon but if Lizzie comes back in that might be a big toss up. Kristen just dominates and I am not sure if I would like to see her in the finale.
Three of most memorable moments for me in this season is Sheldon and his pine needles, Josh and the birth of baby Georgia, and Brooke’s fear of flying in a helicopter. While I share that same fear I would never let anyone film my freak out! She’s a trooper!
Don’t miss Part 1 of the finale this week on Wednesday or the finale on Wednesday, February 27 @ 10/9c!
Disclosure: I am a Bravo-sponsored blogger. All opinions are my own.
Top Chef Season 10 Episode 14 Kings of Alaska #TopChef
This is my recap in Top Chef Season 10 Episode 14 Kings of Alaska.
I have to say I was disappointed to see Stefan go as he was growing on me after Bart left. I would seriously eat at either of their places as I find their food enticing. With that being said, crunchy pork is normal and the judges need to know that. If they are going to judge cuisine then maybe we need a judge with a European stand point through out the whole season.
The quick fire included for the four chefs needed to whip up a perfectly cooked crab recipe. Brook’s was very simple. Josh went very southern with a crab succotash which did not impress since he was cooking succotash for a succotash snob. Sheldon decided on a miso soup with pine needles which I thought was very creative. Lizzie made a crab frittata which looked wonderful but in the end was said to be overcooked. Everyone is picky about eggs though and the way they like them cooked.
For the elimination challenge, each chef had to whip up some sourdough and make use of salmon. Here is a list below of the dishes that were created.
Sockeye Salmon & Seafood Broth with Mustard Seed Caviar & Dill Sourdough by Brooke Williamson
Citrus & Beet Glazed Salmon Slider with Poppy Seed Butter & Pickles by Elizabeth Binder
Roasted Garlic Sourdough Soup with Sockeye Salmon & Black Olive Croutons by Joshua Valentine
Green Tea & Chive Sourdough with Smoked Salmon & Pea Soup by Sheldon Simeon
To be honest, I think Lizzie’s is something I would serve at home with friends at a BBQ and sounds absolutely delicious! The roasted garlic soup Josh whipped up was knocked down on the amount of garlic. I LOVE garlic so the more the merrier. I also loved how he worked the bread into the croutons which is not a familiar thing in the south to put croutons in your soup. Smoked salmon and pea soup sounds like a wonderful winter meal though I think it might have been poorly executed. Over all I think I would have picked Josh or Lizzie in this elimination not whom the judges picked. Guess you will have to watch the show to find out who was eliminated. If you watched it let me know who you thought should have won.
Here is the episode guide. Don’t forget to catch up before next weeks season finale!
Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Bravo.
Disclosure: I am a Bravo-sponsored blogger. All opinions are my own.
Just Dance 4
Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this post. Please click here to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective. #UbiChamps
My daughter is a HUGE fan of the Just Dance games. When she heard this was on it’s way in the mail she bugged me daily until we received it.
Top Chef Restaurant Wars Recap – Episode 11 #TopChef
This is Top Chef Restaurant Wars Recap for episode 11, season 10. Since Bart has been eliminated I am forced to choose someone to vote for temporally. Stefan has an interesting ego, though I do like the fact that he is from Finland; my heritage I would like to see him execute some Finnish recipes. Fish is a huge part of the cuisine in Finland and that I think he shows those skills when he is working with fish. There are other flavors though that I would like to see him introduce in the upcoming episodes.
Top Chef Restaurant Wars Recap – Picture courtesy of Bravo TV
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Come on judges it is definitely time for Josie to go home! She lacks major time management skills. On top of that, she never takes the blame in situations when she obviously the one that does not stay on task for the team. Besides, she never seems to execute dishes with great flavor while always staying in her comfort zone. Just not impressed by her all the way around. Who really makes a raw turkey? Deep fry that beast if you think you don’t have enough time to cook it! It would have worked wonderfully with the Cajun themed meal they were trying to prepare in that episode.
As a former server and bartender, the Restaurant Wars has to be tough. Setting up the front of the house and back in a day along with trying to serve 100 guests and be hospitable at the same time, WOW! Not something I think I would be able to accomplish. The set up both restaurants at the Georgetown Ballroom which is absolutely gorgeous for a restaurant setting. Going in I was voting for the boys as I thought the concept was something that has never been accomplished before. Urbano is a restaurant concept, if it was executed, that I would definitely go out of my way to try.
Here is the menu for both teams:
Kristen’s Atelier Kwan menu:
First course – Charcuterie: Rabbit, Pickled Turnips & Yellow Beets in Chicken & Rabbit Broth (Lizzie)
Second course – Bouillabaisse: Halibut, Dungeness Crab, Bay Scallops with Shellfish Broth (Josie)
Third course – Beef Bourguignon: Braised Short Rib, Garlic Puree, Mushrooms & Carrots (Kristen)
Fourth course – Baked Bouberes, St. Agur Blue Cheese, Roasted Radish & Stone Fruit Compote (Brook)
Dessert course – Almond Cake Macaron with Coconut Custard & Caramel Buttercream (Kristen)
Sheldon’s Urbano menu:
First course – Kilawen: Yellowtail with Cilantro, Spicy Chili & White Soy Sauces (Stefan)
Second course – Balut: Poached Egg, Duck Confit & Foie Gras Mousse (Josh)
Third course – Miki: Prawns, Tapioca Roll with Achiote (Sheldon)
Fourth course – Adobo: Pork Belly with Mung Bean Puree & Pea Shoots Salad (Sheldon)
Dessert course – Halo-Halo: Coconut Sorbet, Avocado Mousse, Banana & Shredded Coconut (Josh)
Dessert course - Dark Chocolate with Macadamia Nuts, Ginger & Peppermint Oil (Stefan)
Stefan needs to work on his front of house manners. Even if he is not a server being polite to guests is the difference between a person coming to one restaurant or another. The judges need to also understand what he was dealing with when the other guest refused to leave, in which, is completely rude to other guests waiting to be seated.
Josie fails Kristen massively when she again cannot work in a team setting. Josie is suppose to roast the bones for the bouillabaisse but her evil time management skills kick in and she puts it off to the next day. The next day it becomes an issue when Kristen asks Josie when she plans on putting in the gelatin for the bouillabaisse. Kristen’s vision is to insert the broth in a charger and foam up the broth. Josie did not prepare the gelatin forcing Kristen to scratch the idea and make a last minute decision to add cream to the sauce.
Kristen acted with grace while Josie threw yet another chef to the wolves for her mistakes. When is this going to end?
Don’t forget to take a moment and vote in the Last Chance Kitchen to #savechefkuniko or #savechefcj.
Review: Ching’s Everyday Easy Chinese
Title: Ching’s Everyday Easy Chinese
Publisher: Harpercollins
Pages: 240
Goodreads: With her trademark passion and deep appreciation for Chinese cooking, Cooking Channel star Ching-He Huang brings her charm and expertise to an eager audience with this outstanding cookbook. Ching fuses Chinese and Western cultures to create one hundred quick dishes full of natural ingredients and bursting with flavor. More…
My Review: This book is one of my absolute favorites. The recipes are full of flavor and super healthy. No need to buy Chinese take out if you have this book in your arsenal. Majority of the ingredients are easy to find locally. Ching really gives you the authentic flavor with recipes that you can cook in just thirty minutes; great for weeknights!
Review: The French Slow Cooker
Title: The French Slow Cooker
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pages: 240
Goodreads: With a slow cooker, even novices can turn out dishes that taste as though they came straight out of the kitchen of a French grandmère. Provençal vegetable soup. Red-wine braised beef with mushrooms. Chicken with forty cloves of garlic. Even bouillabaisse. The French Slow Cooker makes all of these as simple as setting the timer and walking away. More…
My Review: Scicolone takes the art of French cuisine and implements simplicity. The Garlic Soup, Dijon Style Cornish Hens, Red Wine Braised Pot Roast, and Normandy Pork with Apples are a few dishes that are elegant yet simple to cook in your slow cooker. The history of dishes and regions they reign from are fascinating tidbits through out the book.
Review: Cook Like A Rock Star
Title: Cook Like A Rock Star
Publisher: Crown Publishing Group
Pages: 256
Goodreads:
For Anne Burrell, a classically trained chef and host of Food Network’s Secrets of a Restaurant Chef (where she shares impressive recipes and smart techniques that anyone can master), and Worst Cooks in America (the show that transforms hopeless home cooks), being a rock star in the kitchen means having the confidence and ability to get a great meal on the table without a sweat. In her debut cookbook, she presents 125 rustic yet elegant recipes, all based on accessible ingredients, along with encouraging notes and handy professional tricks that will help you cook more efficiently at home. More…
My Review: What I love most about this book is how the recipes are set up for the reader to follow. Anne’s literary voice is just as strong and witty as it is on her shows. The recipes simply shine with dishes such as Killer Mac & Cheese with Bacon, Maple Pumpkin Bread Pudding and Lemon Curd Tart. Definitely add “Cook Like A Rock Star” to your cookbook library.
