Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Summer Camp Deals- Made by Girls Technology Camp from Digital Media Academy #ad

* I am participating in a USFamilyGuide blogger campaign and this is a sponsored post #ad








I never knew how many options were available for summer camps until this week. My son is only 5 and I was not thinking about summer camps at his age until his teachers said he needs some group setting learning before he starts kindergarten in the fall. I found music, science, art, math and reading camps for his age. I was thrilled that there programs out there for your children's needs. I have not selected a camp yet since I am searching for the right camp for him and a good deal. I do have a deal to share with you for a camp in California I have learned about. They just started Made By Girls, classes geared at empowering girls in technology. 





Founded at Stanford University, Digital Media Academy is ranked as one of the ten best summer camps in the world.

Digital Media Academy is also proud to introduce Made by Girls, a new program dedicated to empowering girls and closing the gender gap in the tech industry.

Give your teen a pre-collegiate experience or build a child's confidence through project-based learning. Learn at some of the most prestigous colleges and universities throughout the U.S. and Canada. 

Save $75 off summer camps at Digital Media Academy with code TECHSUMMER. Sign up for multiple weeks and save big! Campers save $125 for each additional course they register for. Register by May 31 to #CreateTheNext best-selling app this summer!

Kids and teens learn computer programming, app development, 3D modeling, robotics, graphic design, filmmaking, and much more. DMA summer camps are one or multiple week experiences taught by industry experts and tech professionals. Campers get hands-on experience creating projects using the latest hardware and software from Apple, Canon, Adobe, and more. 


The DMA Experience from Digital Media Academy on Vimeo.


Questions? Call 1(866)656-3342 to speak with a Guest Service Representative or email info@digitalmediaacademy.org and mention the US Family Guide Special Offer

#CreateTheNext this summer at Digital Media Academy!









Laura
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Hallmark Put Your Heart to Paper Mother’s Day Greeting Cards Giveaway #lovehallmark




Hallmark Greeting Cards are by far my favorite present to give and get for all occasions. Having a card from a loved one to look at many years after receiving can take you back to the happy moment of first reading it. Mother's Day cards are very important not just to me as a Mom but as once being the kid giving them. I know how special it made me feel to give my Mom a card and have her read it. I love getting cards from my son over the years to see him grow in the cards by what he "writes" and the type of cards he picks. I treasure them with all my heart and have a special box in my closet for them.


The Hallmark Mother's Day cards I received for my review are adorable! They included new designs from the Signature and Shoebox collections. I had a few favorites including the Giraffe and Wonder Woman cards. The giraffe card almost made me cry because giraffes are a big deal in our house. Every year for my son's birthday he gets a stuffed animal giraffe, with the size of the giraffe getting bigger each year. I love how Hallmark has so many unique options for cards. There is one out there for all the Moms you have in your life.





The Wonder Woman card is beyond cool! What Mom wouldn't love to use the "lasso of truth" on her kids or super human powers to take on all we do. I feel like sometimes I need to be Wonder Woman to function since I am a Mom, work full time and a blogger. I can't wait to see what card my son will pick out for me to open on Mother's Day.

I am hosting a giveaway for Hallmark Mother’s Day greeting cards 5 pack for one lucky reader.
Enter in the rafflecopter form below and have a Happy Mother's Day.



a Rafflecopter giveaway




*Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts April 29, 2015 and ends on May 3, 2015 at 12:01 am EST. Winner will be emailed and has 24 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize. I was sent a product to review for this post.


Laura
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Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Recipe For Strawberry Cake From Martha Stewart's Cakes Book


This is another cake recipe from the new Martha Stewart's Cakes book. With all the strawberries that are now available at grocery stores and farmer's markets, this recipe is a real winner for strawberry lovers.

It's easy to make, and moist and delicious inside. Keep a close eye on the baking time, as you don't want it to bake too long and end up too dry.

We put some whipped cream on each slice, and it was a delicious, mid-week dessert that pleased the whole family. The recipe was quite easy too.










I've talked about the Martha Stewart's Cakes book before when I made the Carrot Tea Cake recipe.

I have to say that this book really is a keeper, and one that I can see using for many, many years to come. It has virtually all the cake recipes that a baker would ever need, and many of the recipes are actually very easy.

I know Martha Stewart recipes can be intimidating, but the recipes in this book are not. I love the book for it's simplicity and the down-right delicious cakes that run from every day coffeecakes, to special occasion birthday cakes.


Recipe for Strawberry Cake

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter , room temperature, plus more for pie dish
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and halved

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-inch ceramic or tin pie plate. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low, mix in egg, milk, and vanilla.

Reduce speed to low, gradually add flour mixture. Transfer batter to prepared pie plate. Arrange strawberries on top of batter, cut sides down, and as close together as possible. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar over berries.

Bake cake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees, and continue to bake until cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 60 minutes more. Transfer pie plate to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 6 servings.

Enjoy!!
I posted this last April, and it's so yummy and easy that I wasted to share it with everyone again.

Patricia
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Wednesday, April 22, 2015

FLASH GIVEAWAY: Discover the Dinosaurs Exhibit Family 4 Pack Tickets Sacramento CA

My son loves Dinosaurs! At 5 years old he finds them fascinating, creepy and cool. I had no idea that a super cool exhibit was on its way to Sacramento until I saw a commercial for it. The Discover the Dinosaurs Exhibit is coming to Sacramento CA on April 25 and 26th at Cal Expo. 

Some info about the traveling exhibit:

Discover the Dinosaurs is for the entire family, and especially kids, to explore the mystery of pre-historic life in an environment of learning, discovery, and fun. Discover the Dinosaurs is a unique hands on exhibit that consists of up to 40 moving and replica museum quality dinosaurs that gives you the opportunity to actually get close and touch the dinosaurs! Beyond the exhibit, additional fun activities are available for kids of all ages, which make spending the day with the dinosaurs a great experience for the entire family.



GIVEAWAY:

2 Winners will receive Family 4-Packs of Exhibit Plus tickets with wristbands for all of the rides/inflatables. Tickets will be delivered via email from sponsor.

Easy Entry for this Giveaway on of two ways:

Tweet the following:

Tweet: RT to Win: FLASH #GIVEAWAY Win Family 4pk Tickets @DiscoverTheDino #Sacramento Apr 25-26 http://bit.ly/1yRuglf  @FrugalFamTree

Share this photo on your Facebook Wall


*Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts April 22, 2015 and ends on April 23, 2015 at 9pm PST. Winner will be tweeted or facebook messaged that they won and has until 10am on 4/24/2015 to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions in this post are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize. 



Laura
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Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Cowboy Quiche From The Pioneer Woman Cooks



I have to say that I haven't made very many quiches. I made a few attempts many years ago, but I don't remember being very impressed by them.

But that's before I discovered Ree Drummond's The Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook, and her recipe for Cowboy Quiche.

Ree says she's made this for years, and will keep on making it till the day she dies, because it really is that good. I think she calls it a cowboy quiche so the men in her life won't think it's sissy food.

It really is delicious, and I love that you can put in whatever veggies you have on hand. I used broccoli, but you could use asparagus, mushrooms, or bell peppers, too. Or you can completely leave out the veggies altogether, but I thought the broccoli tasted great.








The recipe calls for two onions, but I only used one onion instead of two. One of my kids isn't a big onion lover, and she was going to be eating this, and I thought two onions might be a bit much for her.

I also used a super easy pie crust recipe instead of the one used in the book. It came out just great, and took just a few minutes to put together and bake.

Recipe for Cowboy Quiche

Ingredients:

For quiche crust:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons milk

For the quiche:
8 slices bacon, fried until chewy
2 yellow onions, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
8 eggs
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
salt and black pepper to taste
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

To make crust, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place all ingredients in pie plate. Stir together with a fork until blended. Pat mixture into bottom and up the sides of the pan. Poke holes in bottom and sides of crust. Bake for 15 minutes in oven, or until crust is golden brown.

To make the quiche, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Chop up the cooked bacon into bite-sized pieces. In a heavy skillet, over medium heat, fry the onions in the butter until deep, golden brown, about 12-15 minutes.
Mix the eggs, cream, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the bacon, onions and cheese. Add 1 cup of veggies (if you choose to use any). Stir to combine.
Pour the filling into the pie shell, cover lightly with aluminum foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to set for 10 minutes.

Serves about 8.

Quiche always seems so spring like to me, and I originally posted this last April.  


Patricia
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Friday, April 17, 2015

Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup


Soup really is one of my favorite things to cook, and a dinner of soup and sandwiches, or soup and a good bread is my idea of a tasty meal. Soup also means there will be leftovers, either enough for another meal, or a couple of lunches during the week.

My daughter Samantha has made this delicious soup many times, so last night I thought I would give it a try and share it with everyone here. This soup is made in the slow cooker, which I love because it makes this recipe so easy. And because it cooks for a few hours, the flavors have a chance to really blend together to be delicious.

Any kind of chicken soup is a favorite for my family, and this hearty soup is one that will appeal to both the kids and the grown-ups. Using a rotisserie chicken saves even more time and adds so much flavor.


Recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups water
  • 1 14-ounce can chicken broth
  • 1 10.75-ounce can of Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
  • 3/4 cup wild rice, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 cups shredded chicken (from a Rotisserie chicken)

  • Directions:
    1. Combine water, broth, condensed soup, uncooked rice, thyme, and pepper in a slow cooker.
    2. Cover the slow cooker and cook on the low setting for 7.5-8 hours or 3.5-4 hours on the high setting.
    3. Stir in chicken before serving.
    Makes 6-8 servings.


    Patricia
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    Tuesday, April 14, 2015

    Wild Blueberry Bruschetta Recipe #wildblueberryside #momsmeet

    *I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agree to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of this product.




    Blueberries have to be my favorite fruit. When I was a kid it was grapes but as an adult I realize that blueberries are much tastier and full of nutrients. Wyman's Frozen Wild Blueberries are my favorite to buy because of the intense flavor and more nutrient value per serving than other blueberries. I like to buy frozen fruit since I do not want to lose any fruit going bad by not eating it fast enough. Plus frozen fruit is the best to use when making smoothies, which we do almost daily.

    Here are some great facts about the difference in Wild Blueberries vs regular blueberries:

    Wild Blueberries are wildly different from the regular blueberries you normally find in the produce section. Don’t be fooled by their size—they pack more into their tiny blue bodies than any other blueberry on the planet!

    • Wild Blueberries have a more intense flavor than regular blueberries. Wild Blueberry plants are more genetically diverse with thousands of interlocking plants spreading and interlocking naturally across fields over thousands of years. That diversity is what gives Wild Blueberries their complex and delicious flavor—an extraordinary mix of tart and sweet.

    • Wild Blueberries have two times the antioxidant capacity of the larger cultivated blueberries. A growing body of research shows the potential health benefits of Wild Blueberries including gut health, diabetes, cancer, and brain health.

    • 99% of the Wild Blueberry crop is frozen fresh at harvest, which locks in their nutrition and taste.

     • Wild Blueberries are called “Wild” because they are not planted— they have occurred naturally in barrens and fields in Maine and Eastern Canada for 10,000 years.

    • The retail price for a 15-ounce bag of Wild Blueberries starts at $3.59. A 3-pound bag retails for about $10.


    I have put Wild Blueberries in smoothies, salads, sauces, muffins and this time I was trying to think of something a little different. I love Bruschetta as an appetizer so I thought I would try making a Wild Blueberry Bruschetta to serve at our next get together. It turned out delicious!!







    Wild Blueberry Bruschetta Recipe:

    1 bag  Wyman's of Maine Wild Blueberries 15oz
    2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    2 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
    2 finely chopped Fresh Basil leaves
    1 Baguette French Bread
    6 oz. of Mozzarella Cheese





    Directions:

    Place frozen berries in bowl on counter to defrost. In separate bowl stir together balsamic vinegar, olive oil and basil. Slice baguette and cheese. Stir defrosted blueberries into vinaigrette. Serve bread slices topped with cheese and Wild Blueberry vinaigrette. Enjoy!






    If you want to learn more about Wild Blueberries and find more delicious recipes you can visit the website for the Wild Blueberry Association of North America as well as visit their Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

    Laura






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    Friday, April 10, 2015

    Northern CA Summer Camp Deals: Digital Media Academy Soccer & Technology #ad

    * I am participating in a USFamilyGuide blogger campaign and this is a sponsored post #ad



    Summer is just around the corner and it is time to start planning for where to send your child for a well rounded adventure. If you are one of our many Northern California readers I have a great deal to share with you for Digital Media Academy Soccer and Technology. This sounds like a fun program that combines sports and technology for camp.

    Founded at Stanford University, Digital Media Academy is ranked as one of the ten best summer camps in the world.

    Digital Media Academy's Soccer & Technology summer camps combine athletics and tech learning in one dynamic camp. 

    Save over $350 off Digital Media Academy Soccer & Tech Camps at @SantaClaraUniv REGISTER BY PHONE by 4/30 

    Limited time offer - Only 10 seats available in each camp

    ***In order to receive a $365 savings, you must call 866-656-3342 and mention "USFG Soccer Discount" to register by April 30, 2015*** 



    The DMA Experience from Digital Media Academy on Vimeo.






    Choose from Adventures in Soccer & Game Design for Boys or Adventures in Soccer, Photography & Graphic Design for Girls. Students develop real-world tech skills while sharpening their soccer skills as they train with Santa Clara University's Division I soccer program*.

    Students spend the mornings on the field and receive training from some of the best college soccer players in the world.In the afternoon, students head to the studio classroom, where they discover the fundamentals concepts of photography or game design. 

    Give your child a pre-collegiate experience and build their confidence through project-based learning. Campers get hands-on experience creating projects using the latest hardware and software from Apple, Canon, Adobe, and more.




    This $365 savings is a limited time offer! With only 10 seats available for each course, this savings will not last long. Camps are filling fast, register early to save $365 off Soccer & Technology summer camps and stay off the wait list. 

    *Students must bring their own soccer gear, including a soccer ball and all required soccer equipment (shin guards, athletic clothing with no pockets, socks, cleats, and water bottle).

    MUST CALL 1(866)656-3342 and mention "USFG Soccer Discount" to register by April 30, 2015. 

    Questions? Email a Guest Service Representative at info@digitalmediaacademy.org and mention "USFG Soccer Discount."

    Limited time offer - Only 10 seats available in each camp

    ***In order to receive a $365 savings, you must call 866-656-3342 and mention "USFG Soccer Discount" to register by April 30, 2015***




    Laura
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    GB Travel Safe Sweepstakes #GBTravelSafe #ad

    I participated in a Blog Blast Activation on behalf of Influence Central for GB. I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation. #ad




    Spring is here and summer just around the corner my family and I are pondering the places we want to travel this summer before my little guy starts school in the Fall. I want to get in a few travel adventures before we are in a set schedule. Keeping my son safe while we travel is top priority, next is snacks, entertainment and his stuffed animal giraffe.

    I did a lot of research on car seats before my son was born for the latest safety features. Now 5 years later my son is in his big boy seat and there are even more advanced infant car seats.  The GB Asana35 AP Car Seat is one of the latest in car seat advancements with the unique FirmFit system helps protect baby head, neck and spine. You can enter to win the GB Asana35 AP Car Seat in the GB Travel Safe Sweepstakes. I entered many great giveaways when I was pregnant with my son, won a few too. They can be fun to enter and you get to learn a little about products on the available.




       To enter the GB Travel Safe Sweepstakes and win the Grand, Second, or Third Prizes, Sweepstakesants must gain points throughout the duration of the timeframe of the Sweepstakes. Points are awarded by performing tasks found within the entry widget on the Sweepstakes website (http://gbtravelsafe.com), which consists of pre-scripted Tweets, watching a short video on the GB Asana35 AP, visiting the Asana35 AP product page on BabiesRUs.com, and pinning images from Pinterest.

    o   If you have a Babies “R” Us registry, you can gain extra points by adding the GB Asana35 AP and providing us with your registry number!

    o   Performing these entry tasks will also enter participants to win weekly $50 or $100 Babies “R” Us gift cards through the GB Travel Safe Sweepstakes.


    GB Travel Safe Sweepstakes


    Laura
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    Thursday, April 9, 2015

    Spring Asparagus Pizza Recipe


    One of the things I enjoy about spring is when all the delicious asparagus comes to the grocery stores and farmer's markets. When I was growing up, we rarely had asparagus on our table. I think it was because my Mom only knew of one way to serve it, and that was with hollandaise sauce, which she thought of as 'fancy'.

    So I'm happy that I get to use asparagus when and how ever I want, and this pizza was a last minute meal that turned out to be something I will definitely make again soon.
     

    I'm a big fan of homemade pizza and I use a pizza dough recipe that is super simple. Because it is so easy, that lets me put together a pizza in very little time, and usually with the ingredients I have on hand.

    This is how this pizza came together yesterday, I had the asparagus, red onion, and mushrooms in the fridge already, and I have to say, it tasted pretty fabulous!!

    Normally, I make my pizza round, but I made this one rectangular so that the asparagus could lay on it and look nice. It did made the dough thicker for this pizza, but that turned out to be part of what made it taste so good.

    I used a white pizza sauce from a jar to make it super easy.


    Recipe for Spring Asparagus Pizza

    Ingredients:

    1/3 pound fresh asparagus, washed and ends trimmed
    1/2 red onion, sliced thin
    3-4 large white mushrooms, sliced
    3/4 cup white pizza sauce
    1-1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese
    1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

    For dough:

     2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
    1 package all purpose yeast
    1 cup warm water
    2 Tablespoons olive oil
    1 teaspoon white sugar
    1 teaspoon salt

    Directions:

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
     In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour, salt, and oil. Stir until smooth. Let dough rest 5 minutes.
    Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a large rectangle. Sprinkle with extra flour if the dough is sticky. Transfer crust onto a lightly greased pizza pan.
    Spread a medium layer of pizza sauce on dough, then sprinkle on Italian seasoning.  Lay on red onion, mushrooms, and asparagus. Top with cheese.
    Cook in the oven for 20-22 minutes.

    Serves 5.
    Patricia
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    Thursday, April 2, 2015

    Vanilla Easter Cupcakes


    I wanted to make something yummy for my grandchildren the other day, and since Easter is only a few days away, I thought cupcakes would be a good idea. The kids were thrilled with these, not just by their taste, but how festive they look, too.

    These cupcakes are vanilla, and one of my favorite, basic recipes that I turn to over and over again. The buttercream frosting is a favorite too, sweet and creamy. I tinted the frosting with food coloring in pink and green, and the M&M's are Easter Pastel.

    I love being the kind of grandmother who makes treats for her grandchildren. It makes me far happier than it makes them, I think, because they have no sense of time passing and I do. They just know that it's a great afternoon because Nana made treats, but I know this is a day I will remember, and a day that I hope they will.



    Recipe for Vanilla Easter Cupcakes

    Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

  • 1/4 tsp. salt

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 1 whole egg plus 1 egg white, at room temperature

  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

  • 1/2 cup milk

  • Preheat an oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper or foil liners.

    In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the sugar and butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add the egg and egg white one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk in 2 additions, beating until just combined; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat just until no traces of flour remain, about 30 seconds; do not overbeat.

    Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full. Bake until the cupcakes are lightly golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely before frosting.

    Buttercream Frosting Ingredients:

  • 3 cups confectioners’ sugar

  • 8 Tbs. (1 sticks) unsalted butter

  • 2 1/2 Tbs. milk, plus more, if needed

  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

  • 1/8 tsp. salt

  • Food colorings
  •  
    Directions:
     
    Have all the ingredients at room temperature.

    In the bowl of an electric mixer, or using a hand mixer, combine the confectioners sugar, butter, the 2 1/2 Tbs. milk, the vanilla and salt and beat on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

    If the frosting is dry, add more milk, 1 tsp. at a time, until it is creamy but still holds peaks. Tint with food coloring as desired, and frost and decorate cupcakes.
     
    Makes 12 cupcakes.
     

    Patricia
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