Monthly Archives: December 2011

The Incredible Cupcake Craze + a $25 Gift Card #Giveaway {Ends 12/31}

Contests, Food and Drink, Giveaways, , ,
Photo source: YaiSirichai

Cakes and pies used to get all the attention, but that’s rapidly changing with a trend towards choosing cupcakes instead. Cupcakes make it easy to give each person a serving of dessert and avoid the mess involved with cutting and serving a cake or pie. Most of all, they’re simply tasty and fun.

Cupcake Party Time

When it’s party time, cupcakes make a good choice for dessert. They are easier to transport than traditional cakes and can also prove easier to ice and decorate. This is an especially important point when letting kids in on the fun of preparing them. Cupcakes are also a hit with sometimes finicky children. For example, when preparing cupcakes for a school party, you can make a variety flavors. Having a selection of choices means there’s a cupcake to please just about everyone.

Family Time

Cupcakes aren’t just for fun times at school. They also provide fun for the whole family. A tasty cupcake can brighten up the day when served as an after-school snack or after-dinner dessert. You can also add to the joy of a birthday or holiday party at home with themed cupcakes. Families can even visit a cupcake bakery for a fun time out together, as can busy couples interested in a unique date-night activity.

Healthy Ingredients

Best of all is the fact that cupcakes don’t have to be unhealthy.  Applesauce or yogurt makes a good substitute for oil and butter, and reduced-fat icing makes for a healthier dessert. You may also add fresh fruit as a topping to reduce the amount of icing used and to take the place of candy and other less healthy toppings. Adding nuts, shredded vegetables and fruits to the batter may also increase its health value without hurting taste.

Enter to win a $25 Amazon.com Gift Card!

Do you have a favorite cupcake flavor?  Cupcake recipe? A favorite cupcake memory?
Share one or all with us in the comments below to be entered to win a $25 Amazon.com gift card!

Entries accepted through 11:59pm December 31st.  The gift card will be emailed to the winner upon claiming the prize.

Entries accepted through 11:59pm December 31st.  Open to U.S. residents, 18+.  No P.O. Boxes.

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post.  I was not compensated for any portion of this post.

Alicia Hagan, Editor

ALDI Award-Winning Wine Review

Food and Drink, New posts, , ,

ALDI wine review

I didn’t know much about ALDI until recently.  ALDI and Mom Central Consulting offered me the opportunity to shop at a local ALDI to purchase wine from their line-up of award-winning international exclusive wines, and other treats.   While I didn’t find the manager of our local ALDI store very helpful when we asked questions about the wine selection, we have enjoyed the wine very  much.  My husband said that when he asked the manager which wines he would recommend, he said “Well, I’m not actually much of a wine drinker so I can’t help you there” and he walked off.   It seems to me that the manager should have had some training on the wines and could have spoken in a more positive and encouraging tone.  Also, the shelves we all out of whack with wines in the wrong place and manyo f the wines were even turned the wrong way so you couldn’t see the label.  I hate to gripe though, so I’m moving on now.  That situation doesn’t affect my decision to return to ALDI to buy wine again in the future honestly.

ALDI’s wine prices are great with award-winning wines starting at just $5.99 and going up to just about $10.  Great prices, huh?

For a recent get together we enjoyed two award-winning 85 point wines from ALDO’s: Sunshine Bay’s Sauvignon Blanc ($6.99) and Chaza Moscato ($4.99) paired with assorted cheeses, vegetables, onion dip, sausage balls, and fruit.

We’ve already planned a trip back to ALDI to pick up more wine for our Christmas Eve and Day meals.

About ALDI:

Known for its premium exclusive brands, ALDI offers more than 1,400 of the most frequently purchased grocery items for up to 50 percent less than traditional supermarkets. Customers can get all the holiday essentials for less, including everything from wines and appetizers to main courses, side dishes and desserts, making holiday meals and family gatherings warm and memorable. During the holiday season, ALDI stores also carry an additional line-up of more than 100 seasonal items at unbeatable prices.

Connect with ALDI:

ALDI Website

ALDI Smartphone App

Disclosure: “I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of ALDI and received a gift certificate to facilitate my review.”

Alicia Hagan, Editor

Win a Keurig Coffee Maker at the ‘Home for the Holidays’ #KmartChat 12/21 7-8:30pm CT / 8-9:30 EST

Twitter Parties,

Kmart Twitter PartySpecial Countdown to Christmas #KmartChat & Sweepstakes this Sunday!Christmas is this weekend! What are you most looking forward to?  Join us for #KmartChat on Wednesday at 7pmCT and share your home for the holidays stories. Follow @Kmart and@KmartDeals and tweet with us from 7pm-8:30pm CT using the hashtag #SearsChat to participate.

Our host @Kmart and our co-hosts @StacieInAtlanta, @Crissy, @MommyInsider and @JollyMom will be drawing winners for the following prizes:

WHO TO FOLLOW

@Kmart AND @KmartDeals

and co-hosts @StacieinAtlanta, @crissy, @jollymom, and @mommyinsider

WHERE

Twitter with the hashtag #KmartChat

WHEN

Wednesday, December 21st from 7-8:30 CT  /  8-9:30 EST

PRIZES

To Enter for a Chance to Win:

  • Have an active Twitter account.
  • Follow the official @Kmart and @KmartDeals Twitter accounts
  • Tweet “Join me @Kmart & @KmartDeals for #KmartChat – Wed 12/21 from 7-8:30pm CT talking about Home for the Holidays- Details/Prizes: http://bit.ly/ujTSyE
  • Post the link to your tweet in the comments below
  • During the Twitter Party, send a Tweet (containing only appropriate, family-friendly content as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion) that includes the #KmartChat hashtag.

Official Rules & RSVP for the #KmartChat SWEEPSTAKES

Kmart has engaged me to help promote and host this party.

Alicia Hagan, Editor

Optimize and Analyze your Blog or Website

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Image source: jscreationzs

With the changing landscape of the Internet, it’s more important than ever for a business to properly manage its web presence and optimize their website. This cannot be any more true than for a small business owner. As the Internet continues to expand exponentially every year, it is easy for a business to become lost in the shuffle of Google and other search engines. In order to maintain a presence in search engines and a strong foothold in the business world, it is a necessity to perform proper analysis of your website or blog regularly.

Successful business owners looking for web traffic analysis know that Omniture is one of the finest companies working in this field today. Offering a full range of products, Omniture.com goes above and beyond when it comes to web-based marketing and analysis. The company focuses on social networking and overall Internet usage, while utilizing the ever-growing market of mobile communications and video. This creates a unique experience not only for the customer but anyone interacting with an online channel. Highlighting an extensive suite of tools with professional service, Omniture is among the most experienced companies today.

One of the major attributes driving this company is its sheer understanding of advanced metrics directed specifically with a business’s ultimate goals in mind. Using a platform of performance-minded optimization, it can find the best options and draw precise conclusions from the information. This insight ultimately means that a company’s business model is perfected and the online presence is maximized. Without a doubt, this driving force has made Omniture.com a presence enterprises can count on even in the most volatile market conditions. This definitive online strategy has proven invaluable and will be an asset to any business going forward as the Internet and mobile world continues to develop.


Join me at the #HolidayQuest Twitter Party Tuesday 12/20 from 9-10pm EST for $1000 Gift Card #Giveaways and Fun Holiday Chat!

New posts, Nissan HolidayQuest, Twitter Parties,

Nissan has some fun things planned during the Holiday Quest campaign I’m participating in including a Twitter party December 20th during which myself and seven other great bloggers (listed below) will be participating in and giving away amazing prizes!

Follow me during my Holiday Quest on twitter at @mommyinsider and @atlantamoms and by following the hashtag #HolidayQuest, @NissanQuest and @NissanNews.

WHERE: On Twitter using hashtag #HolidayQuest

WHEN: Tuesday, December 20th from 8-9pm CT / 9-10pm EST

WHO TO FOLLOW:

@NissanQuest
@NissanNews
@MommyInsider, @stacieinatlanta, @sheisdallas, @milehighmamas, @detroitmommies,  @hightechdad, @courtneymiami, and @digitaldads

PRIZES:

(5) $1000 Gift Cards

OFFICIAL RULES AND RSVP:

http://twtvite.com/holidayquest

Connect with Nissan Quest:

Disclosure: Nissan provided a loan of the Nissan Quest for this program, a gift card for my family as we use the vehicle, and a contribution to a charity of my choice in my community.  

Alicia Hagan, Editor