Ultimate Blog Party 2010 and 2 cookbook giveaway!

##Click #UBP13 for the NEWEST party! I'm cracking up that my 2010 party is racking up hits on my blog. Stop in at the new party to enter to win $50 at Amazon! 

Come on in and join the Ultimate Blog Party, EVER sponsored by 5 Minutes For Moms.com

Last year this was one of my first things I did when I started blogging. It was a great way to quickly find blogger friends! I"m so excited to find even more new friends this year! I can't wait to be apart of  The Ultimate Blog Party LIVE — 9-11pm EST, Friday, April 9th, 2010 and The #UBP10 on Twitter — 10-11pm Eastern, Monday, April 12th, 2010 and The UBP IRL live stream featuring CHRIS MANN!!! — 6pm Eastern, April 14th, 2010.

SO HELLO and WELCOME to my blog if you are hopping in from the #UBP10 (use this if you are on twitter).  I've had my blog for years but didn't really start using it until March 09.  

I have a wonderful hubby, 3 tweens/teens that I homeschool and I love meeting new peeps online! My twin teens just started driving soooo let's just say my blood pressure has increased a lot the past year! Click to read about keeping your kids safe on FACEBOOK.

I love reading, watching movies, watching CHUCK with my teens (oh yes we love him), cooking, blogging recipes, and finding fun local wines to share with my hubby. We also have an adorable kitty, Aslan, who snuck in our home during our CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE and has never left.


I love SUSHI and COFFEE! I also love taking photographs.  I love playing around with the photos, too! See my kids were all given moustaches in our Family Easter Photo at church.  The kitty loves having his picture taken too (and wearing bows).

I try and blog and review every day items.  Feel free to join in any of my current giveaways!  Please follow me when you stop in and leave a comment here.  I love reading your comments and I will come follow and comment back!  

**I'M OFFERING 2 cookbooks for 2 random post/new followers that come in from the #UBP10.  So make sure you comment and follow me to be entered to win! Here is the cookbook!  Leave your comment at this link or here with this post! Either way you will be entered to win!

Click and read this post which is about keeping kids safe on Facebook.

Giveaway Links:

*3 copies of The Autism Book Giveaway 

*Tropical Traditions Coconut Flour Giveaway

*Big Green Alligator Music CD Giveaway

To participate during Party Week April 9-16 2010

• Read and comment on the #UBP10 party post to be entered in the draw for prizes!  (Oh sorry I didn't mention that you can win prizes???)
• Go to their site and add your blog url and or facebook link and or twitter link into the MckLinky for the party post! This is how people will come visit your blog and how you will find peeps to visit!
• It is recommended to be eligible for prizes, that you visit and comment on at least 20 of the links! C'mon don't miss out visit as many as you can! I already have a plan of attack. I'm going to work on the ODD numbers first and then go backwards and hit the EVEN numbers.  I'm so excited to find new bloggers!  Be kind and leave a comment on ever blog you click on! We all need some comment love!
• MOST IMPORTANT is to HAVE FUN!!!! 
• THANKS TO Janice and Susan (twins of UBP- I have twins too so I love seeing them as adults work so closely together!)Thanks to for Pam and Erica and all the behind the scene workers!

IF my blog gets pulled I'd be happy with any prize! I love random fun prizes!  In case you can't decide I'd be thrilled with any of these:

(For me!) 1) INTL 2 – Win a custom Wordpress blog by Uniquehorn Designs.
Visit Our Fan Page: Uniquehorn Designs
(For my daughter #3!) 2) USC 60 – For one winner a $200 gift certificate for any Wall Slicks  Visit Our Fan Page: Wall Slicks


(For hubby) 3)  USC 44 – $20 Gift Certificate to Amazon.com.
 Visit Our Fan Page: Tara’s View of the World
(For daughter #1) 4) USC 8 – $55 E-Gift Card for Amazon.com Gift code  Visit Our Fan Page: Kelly’s Lucky You


 (For daugher #2) 5) 65 – Three winners will win a copy of “Fantastic Mr. Fox” on dvd
Follow here: Stacey_Says


(For HOUSEHOLD) 6) 96 – A laundry prize pack from Mrs. Meyer’s! Visit Our Fan Page: Mama’s Laundry Talk


(For our big anniversary!!!) 7) 39 -Be My Guest certificate ($250 value) for one lucky winner, (2 night stay for a family of four) at any Hilton Garden Inn.
Provided by: Hilton Garden Inn
Follow here: bloggin2noggin

700 Recipes Cookbook- Win to celebrate the Ultimate Blog Party 2010

How would you like to win a 700 recipe cookbook??? 

My friends and I put together a cookbook for our Church.  I'm wanting to give away a 2 copies of this book for the #UBP10!  You can also purchase them through me for $20, this includes shipping.  This cookbook includes a lot of fun drinks, appetizers, quick meals, salads, soups and much much more!

ENTER:  

By participating in the #UBP10 and leaving a comment  here or  here.

That simple! Join in the fun!

Facebook is your child's online playground.. are you watching?

Yes, it's true. Now there is ONE MORE thing we, as parents, have to have “the talk” about. Technology has brought many wonderful things into our lives. We have monitors that let us watch our babies while they sleep. We can TIVO our kids favorite shows while they are studying. We are only a phone or a text message away at any time. However, with all the great things technology has offered us, it has also introduced some potential downsides as well.

A new Kinsey Report shows that the average America youngster spends every waking minute online, other than the time they are in school.  How can a parent monitor a worldwide playground?  One way is to be on that same playground!


With more than 400 million users, Facebook is social force unlike anything parents have faced before. It’s just as important as parents to understand what goes on in this playground as it is to watch out for our kids in the neighborhood park.
 
The Facebook Playground puts children on a very public worldwide stage and understanding the pleasures and risks will help you monitor as well as participate in this area of your children’s lives.


I’m proud to be among a few Influential Moms to have been selected by Supreme Social Media for the Pre-Launch of their newest product Facebook® Guide for Parents.   I hope you will hurry up to grab your own copy as I did.


To grab your own copy by clicking here FACEBOOK GUIDE FOR PARENTS


Facebook® Guide for Parents, written by Supreme Social Media, is a step by step 100+ page guidebook and 12 short videos focusing on using Facebook as another window into your children's life, friends, attitudes and online actions.  Parents will be able to use the guidebook or follow the short and easy videos to learn quickly the how-to’s of setting up their profile, securing it with privacy settings, tips on how to handle cyber-bullies along with strategies for being on Facebook without being in their kids’ faces about it. 

In this Guidebook and Videos Parents will be surprised to learn: 

• Easily overlooked privacy setting traps
• Tips on what to do to about cyber-bullying
• Dos and don’ts of interacting with your child on Facebook
• Find out how strangers see your child’s page
• Learn how joining groups and fanning pages can affect your child’s privacy

Facebook® Guide for Parents is a guidebook with visual instructions on privacy, safety, friending, cyber bullying and much more. No fuss. No muss. Just simple and to the point step-by-step instructions with screen shots and video tutorials!  Teach your kids to be savvy and safe Facebook users!

Facebook® Guide for Parents is a perfect step-by-step that will show you how to start a conversation with your kids about online safety and privacy. 

Get Own your copy now at a pre-launch price! Facebook Guide for Parents; And share this information with your friends, family and colleagues, they will thank you for it. This would be a great guide for Libraries, public and schools, to have on hand, too.

Are your kids on Facebook, now? If yes or no share why and how is that going? How do you handle being on facebook and having young kids be your friend? Are you a teacher? A youth leader? A church friend?


To keeping our children safe online!

I was selected as an Influential Moms by Supreme Social Media for the Pre-Launch of their newest product Facebook® Guide for Parents. and given a digital copy to review. I've also signed up to be an affiliate for the company. Thank you!

Quick and Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars! No baking required!

Please do not be mad at me for sharing this peanut butter recipe with you.  It is so addicting and very very very quick and easy to make!  If you love peanut butter and chocolate you will go nuts over this.  When finished these have the taste of Reese's Peanut butter cups.  They taste even better because this recipe leaves out all the preservatives.

Thanks to my friend Kristi (click to see one of her other Guest Chef recipes that I love to make), for this addicting recipe.  About once a year my kids ask for these. I end up making about 4 batches of these over a course of a month to share with friends.

No Bake Peanut Butter and Chocolate Bars

Bottom layer:

1 stick butter, very soft

1 1/2 c. peanut butter

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

1 3/4 c. powdered sugar

Mix all together in a bowl.  Press into a 9 X 13 pan.  You can press the mixture into individual muffin tins or liners.

Top layer:

1 stick of butter

1 c. semi sweet chocolate chips

Melt together in microwave or stove top while making the bottom later.  Pour on top of bottom later and refrigerate.  They are also good frozen. 

Pictures:

Bottom layer

Top Layer

Both layers

Pure goodness!

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Children's Big Green Alligator Music Review

Silly songs for your children can either be fun or annoying! I say this because over the years we've listened to a lot of kids music. It isn't fun being trapped in a car for a long trip and have annoying music playing. We have found many favorites that we listen to and recommend to others or purchase for others as gifts!

I'm happy to report that I love the Big Green Alligator CD. Lisa Weyerhaeuser created these stories into songs over a 15 year period while on long road trips.  The music is a combination of Folk and Pop. Not only does she know what songs kids like but what songs parents like too!  Her voice is very smooth and caring.  As an adult, I was drawn into listening, too!

I shared the music with a two year old who loved the quick beat songs as well as the slower paced songs.  She kept asking to see "Silly Bob" which is tract number 2.  I also played the CD for our Preschool three and four year olds. They had fun getting up and dancing to The Big Green Alligator and Silly Bob.  I personally loved Carry The Flame, My Little Brother, and Goodnight Sleep Tight.

The really cool thing about this CD, too, is that Lisa has dedicated a portion of the sales to Teen Mother Choices International, a unique program that utilizes volunteers from local area churches to help provide teen mothers with a support system. You can read more about them here, Teen Mother Choices International.

I  love the bright colors of the album cover.  Big Green Alligator and Silly Bob with his corn are on the cover. I appreciate having the words to the CD, too.

 (OVER) GIVEAWAY

 One copy of CD. US only. Leave email at least once.

ENTER- To enter click here, BIG GREEN ALLIGATOR, and listen to the tract. Come back and tell me a song you like.  This has to be done to enter the giveaway.

BONUS ENTRIES- (Do all, none or one! Up to you)

1) Fan my blog using Google Friend Connect, Networked Blogs or Fan Susieqtpies Scraps of Life (Right side bar) 1 entry each- only or new friends all count!

2) Follow my blog feed (right side bar) 5 entries

3) Follow me, @susieqtpies on twitter 1 entry

4) Blog the giveaway 5 entries

5) Put my button (left side bar) on your blog, 5 entries

6) Tweet daily -2 entries each, unlimited "Music Giveaway Big Green Alligator http://bit.ly/cqnc47 Super fun and silly"

7) Enter my Tropical Traditions Coconut Flour Giveaway  http://bit.ly/bmVaUF 5 entries

 

8) Leave comments on any  of my other blog post. 2 entries each and unlimited. Come back here and leave in comments were you posted your comments.

9) Check out La-La Lisa's website and come back here and tell me something you learned. 5 entries

Giveaway ENDS APRIL 19th, 2011

 
Thanks to The Adams Group for the review copy of the CD and a copy for the giveaway.  Thanks to The Product Review Place for the contact with PR.

Cinnamon Rolls with Tropical Traditions Coconut Flour

Tropical Traditions organic coconut flour is fiber from the coconut meat after most of the oil has been extracted to make Virgin Coconut Oil. It is certified organic, unsweetened, and has not been treated with sulfites.

 Tropical Traditions organic coconut flour is high in dietary fiber and protein, and is gluten-free. It has more fiber than gluten-based grains. Tropical Traditions organic coconut flour can be added to standard wheat-based recipes to add extra fiber, by substituting 10-30% of the grain-based flour with our coconut flour. Some recipes, such as muffins and quick breads, can be accomplished with 100% Tropical Traditions organic coconut flour and therefore be 100% gluten-free! (See some free recipes below.) Since organic coconut flour contains natural sugar from the coconut meat, baked goods need less sugar added. The organic coconut flour has a mildly sweet coconut taste!

Tropical Traditions organic coconut flour also contains over 19% non-gluten protein! Therefore, it makes an excellent addition to shakes and smoothies where fiber and protein are needed. Or simply dissolve a spoonful in water as a high-fiber drink with a coconut flavor! This organic coconut flour is very versatile and very tasty. Sprinkle it over your favorite dishes to add a wonderful coconut flavor, use it as a thickener in soups and sauces - the possibilities are endless! 

__________________________________________

 I used the coconut flour in a traditional cinnamon roll recipe(click for recipe and instructions).  No one noticed and it didn't change the taste or texture of the cinnamon roll.  I've never baked gluten free or even partial so I'm not familiar enough to know if it changes the texture or taste of the recipe. This recipe calls for 3 1/2-4 cups of flour. I used 2 cups of flour and 2 cups of coconut flour.  Next time I'm going to try and only use the coconut flour. 

I have a few more recipes that I will post soon.  Do you use coconut flour? What is your experience? If you want to win a a bag enter below!  Thanks to Tropical Traditions for supplying me with a bag to test recipes and a bag for the winner of my giveaway!


More Coconut Oil and Flour Recipes!
*Soft Pretzel Recipe
*Peanut Butter Sweet Bread
*Banana Bread

___________________________________

(OVER)GIVEAWAY-ends April 18th

One 2.2# bag of Tropical Traditions Coconut Flour

U.S. and Canada Only

ENTRY (required or all entries invalid) Go check out the Tropical Traditions website and come back here and tell me something about their site not mentioned in my post. Make sure you leave your email address at least once so I can contact you if you win!

BONUS Entries (do all, none or one! Up to you)

1) Fan my blog using Google Friend Connect, Networked Blogs or Fan Susieqtpies Scraps of Life (Right side bar) 1 entry each- only or new friends all count!

2) Check out Tropical Traditions Referral Program. My special offer to you is that you can get a free copy copy of their Virgin Coconut Oil book. Please use this as your sponsor User ID number 515396 to qualify.  If you sign up for this come back and comment. 10 entries

3) Follow @TropTraditions and me, @susieqtpies on twitter 1 entry each 

4) Go to Tropical Traditions and sign up for their email newsletter, click here, NEWSLETTER. 5 entries

5) Blog the giveaway 5 entries

6) Put my button (left side bar) on your blog

7) Tweet daily -2 entries each, unlimited

"Tropical Traditions Coconut Flour Giveaway and Cinnamon Roll Recipe http://bit.ly/bmVaUF  "

 
8) Place an order with Tropical Traditions.  Please use this as your sponsor User ID number 515396. If you order  come back and comment. 10 entries

9) Leave comments on any  of my other blog post. 2 entries each and unlimited. Come back here and leave in comments were you posted your comments. 

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Italian Sausages & Peppers

Italian Sausages & Peppers pg. 25 (click to go to a printable version)

• 2 lbs Johnsonville Italian sausage Sweet Basil & Hot Sausage links
• 1 green pepper, sliced into strips
• 1 onion, sliced and separated into rings
• 26 oz jar Francesco Rinaldi spaghetti sauce

Layer sausages, pepper and onion in slow cooker.  Pour in sauce; stir to coat ingredients well.  Cover and cook on low setting for 6 hours.  Serves 6.

**My variations on the recipe
1) Instead of green, I used red, orange and yellow peppers. This gave the dish a yummy natural sweet taste.

2) I sliced the onions in strips instead of rings. I felt this would be best to fit on the buns.

3) I didn't layer, I just dumped it all in the crock pot and then covered with sauce.

4) I was running short on time so I cooked it on HIGH for 4 hours. It was perfect.