Fall is Back in Town!

I’m so glad it’s finally fall you guys.  And I’m secretly hoping they do an early release of the Starbucks Christmas drinks this year like they did for the Pumpkin Spice Latte.  I want my Eggnog Latte in an Uncle Eddie Moose Mug….Yeah baby!

I’m wearing a scarf today for the first time in ages.  It feels weird….but good.  I miss that extra layer that flows down and hides my muffin top.  I feel like my life is getting crazier and crazier.  I’ve got a couple of wedding booked (I’m so excited!) and my fall photo sessions are almost fully booked!  I love taking photos and can’t wait to make special memories for these families.

All my fall TV show favorites are back on!  Holla!  I got my weekly dose of The Goldbergs and The Blacklist.  If you aren’t watching these two…get on that honey.  Also, we watched a new show called Scorpion last night that was really good too!

The Goldbergs

JEFF GARLIN, WENDI MCLENDON-COVEY, GEORGE SEGAL, TROY GENTILE, HAYLEY ORRANTIA, SEAN GIAMBRONE
 

Terence and I were playing with some of the iPad updates and this picture booth was one of them.  Connor was laughing so hard watching his face morph into distorted photos.

Here is me and Ter-Bear

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We also got to meet baby Carlisle last weekend.  She’s my “future daughter in law” in case you didn’t know 😉  Adam and Christa are some of our best friends and it’s been a joy watching them get engaged, married, and now with a new baby!  They are going to rock this parenting thing!

She’s so beautiful!

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I’ve been putting out fall décor here and there….I don’t do a whole lot of fall, but this is what I have so far. (Oh yeah….we found a scorpion in our BED and the bug man is at our house right now going through every nook and cranny so I don’t have the heeby jeebies every time I go to sleep at night)

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Connor drawing pumpkins.  His sort of looks like Shrek! ha ha!  These Crayola Twistable Crayons are “da bomb”.  I highly recommend!

So how’s your fall going so far???

Twinkie Tiramisu #TwinkieCookBook #MC

“I wrote this review while participating in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on
behalf of Twinkies. I received samples and a promotional item to thank me for
participating.”D7K_1472

Twinkies are BACK and in a big way!  I was devastated when I heard the news that Twinkies were going to disappear a while ago and I’m so excited they are back on the shelves.  I’ve had Twinkies my entire life, they were a part of my childhood.  There is something nostalgic and magical about a Twinkie.  They perfect combo of short bread and cream stuffing….please never leave my life again Twinkies!

To welcome the comeback of Twinkies there’s going to be a Twinkies Cookbook.  I know right?  I mean this is going to be the most awesome cookbook EVER!

If you would like to submit a recipe to the Twinkie Cookbook go HERE  before July 31st.

I decided to whip up a little Twinkie treat in my kitchen and you know what this “Java Mama” loves??? ESPRESSO!

So I decided to make a “Twinkie Tiramisu” and OMG y’all it is so good you have to make this.  It’s super easy and guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser.

Let me walk you through how to make a Twinkie Tiramisu:
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Above are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe.

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You will need 14 Twinkies total for the tiramisu.
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This is like building a casserole. Layer the Twinkie halves, drizzle on espresso, spread mascarpone/whipped cream mixture, layer another 7 Twinkie halves, drizzle espresso, and then spread the remainder of the cream mixture over top. Then dust with cocoa powder.

twinkie tiramisu

Twinkie Tiramisu

Ingredients:

14 Twinkies
Cocoa powder (for dusting)

Directions:

Slice Twinkies in half long ways, straight through the cream filling. Set aside.

Espresso Syrup Ingredients:

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 1/3 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

2/3 cup brewed espresso coffee, cooled

1/4 cup Italian Brandy (optional)

Directions:

Combine water and sugar in small saucepan. Bring to a simmer to dissolve sugar, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, let cool and add in coffee (and the optional brandy). Set aside.

Mascarpone Filling Ingredients:

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1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 pound mascarpone cheese, softened at room temperature

Directions:

Whip cream, sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Fold in softened mascarpone cheese until well blended. Set aside.

Assembly Instructions:

Place a layer of 7 Twinkies (14 halves) into the bottom of a 9×13″ baking dish or cake pan. Drizzle with half the espresso syrup. Spread half the mascarpone filling over this layer. Repeat with remaining 7 Twinkies, syrup and filling. Smooth top with spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Remove wrap and sprinkle with cocoa powder just before serving. 

Doesn’t this just look soooooooo GOOD!

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I’m so excited Twinkies are back and I hope you’ll consider submitting your recipe to the Twinkie Cook Book too.  I can’t wait to read a copy myself.

Follow along with the latest on Twinkies and Hostess Snacks on Facebook & Twitter

SAY CHEESE!!!! #MC #HavartiParty

“I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Arla Dofino. I received product samples to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.”

Last weekend our neighbors came over and her daughter and Connor just love to play together.  While they played Savannah & I sampled some yummy cheese while we drank our Moscato 🙂

Sometimes you just need to have some Mommy time while the kids play.  I LOVE cheese….like seriously I could eat it every day….all day and never get tired of eating cheese.

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Arla Dofino has some great Havarti cheeses.  So, I made a plate of cheese and crackers for Savannah and I to try.  We tried the Arla Dofino Creamy Havarti, Dill Havarti, and Hickory Smoked Havarti.

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Served with crackers it makes a great snack.  We talked and pretty much ate half that plate of cheese.

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My favorite was the dill flavor.  It’s so fresh and I think it would be great in dip or in mashed potatoes. YUM.

Savannah loved the Hickory Smoked Havarti.

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The kiddos pretty much went with the plain creamy Havarti.  They both love cheese- of course they are 4 & 5 year olds!!!

See all that yummy dill going through the cheese???  Soooooo good!

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We had a great playdate and wine and cheese sampling thanks to Arla Dofino Cheeses.  I can’t wait until we can do this again sometime.

Check out more about these yummy cheeses on Facebook & Pinterest

Seventh Generation Toxin Freedom Fighters #MC #FightToxins

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Seventh Generation. I received a promotional item and product samples as a thank you for participating #MC 

I’m a neat freak.  In case you didn’t know I’m a little OCD about cleanliness and growing up my sister would jokingly call me “Miss Cleany”.  Keeping my home clean and germ free is on the top of my list of priorities these days.  With Connor in school around all sorts of germs and kids he picks up a lot of nasty stuff.  He is also constantly putting his hands in his mouth, which drives me NUTS!  I do the best I can to make our home a clean and germ free environment, but I also want it to be non-toxic.  I don’t want my baby breathing in things I know nothing about.  It seems like everyone around me has cancer these days.  It’s sad, but true.  We don’t know what truly causes it….but we can do things to help stay healthy.  Driving home from work in the summer I always see the “Ozone level orange limit outdoor activity” alert on the freeway.  I know living in a metro area we don’t have the cleanest air either.

So what can I do?  I can do the best I can to make the environment we live in clean and non-toxic. That’s why I’m so excited about the Toxin-Freedom Fighters!  With the help of Seventh Generation products I’m keeping my home clean and don’t have to worry about what crazy chemicals we are breathing in because the plant-based products are all natural, without all the icky stuff.fsdg
Did you know than 80,000 chemicals available in the United States have never been fully tested for their toxic effects on our health and environment.  Scientists have linked exposure to toxic chemicals to many health risks, such as Cancer, Alzheimer’s, learning disabilities, asthma, birth defects, and various reproductive problems. The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) was passed in 1976, and unlike other major environmental laws, has never been updated. As it currently stands, tens of thousands of potentially harmful chemicals continue to be used in the marketplace since the 1970’s without proper testing and without disclosure by the companies that produce them.

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You can become a Toxin Freedom Fighter by signing Seventh Generation’s petition to urge Congress to reevaluate the Toxic Substances Control Act for the first time since 1976.D7K_7529 Capturefg

Help Seventh Generation reach its goal of collecting 100,000 Signatures by April 24th by signing the petition for chemical reform and urging your friends and family to do the same!