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:

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*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. 

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.  

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.

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.

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***