Giveaway: Disney on Ice Dream Big Golden 1 Center Sacramento CA #Ad #DisneyonIce

Disclosure: This is a giveaway post. I was not paid or provided tickets.

Disney Princesses Create Their Own Happily Ever After When

DISNEY ON ICE presents DREAM BIG

Skates Into Sacramento, November 2–5, 2017

Believing is just the beginning when dreamers throughout Sacramento witness the empowering tales of Disney’s most courageous leading ladies told through artistic skating and acrobatics in Disney On Ice presents Dream Big. Audiences are invited to join eight Disney Princesses – Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Tiana, Jasmine, Aurora and Snow White – as they embark on incredible adventures, determined to make their dreams come true. In addition, experience the sisterly love that has captivated millions as Disney’s Frozen is brought to life on the icy stage. Disney On Ice presents Dream Big is playing the Golden 1 Center from November 2^nd – 5^th.

Audiences will be transported to a world where imaginations soar and anything can happen. Through enchanted pixie-dust, Tinker Bell takes audiences on a journey of beloved Disney tales. Make a splash with the fearless dreamer Ariel as she yearns to explore life above the waves. Watch Rapunzel, Cinderella and Belle as they learn about the power to make their own magic. Travel to the wintry world of Arendelle with sisters Anna and Elsa and the hilarious snowman Olaf from Disney’s Frozen as they learn that true love is the greatest magic of all. Be there to discover a whole new world with the daring Jasmine, and join Snow White, Aurora and Tiana as they remind you that strength and kindness go hand-in-hand. High-flying jumps, daring acrobatics, breathtaking skating and lovable Disney friends make Disney On Ice presents Dream Big an experience your family will never forget!

WHEN: Thursday, November 2 – Sunday, November 5

• Thursday, Nov. 2 7:00 PM
• Friday, Nov. 3 7:00 PM
• Saturday, Nov. 4 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM & 7:00 PM
• Sunday, Nov. 5 12:00 PM & 4:00 PM

WHERE:          Golden 1 Center – 500 David J Stern Walk, Sacramento, CA 95814

My family recently visited the Golden 1 Center for the first time last month for a different event. It was easy to find and park. We used a parking app recommended by Golden 1 to pre-purchase a parking spot. The arena is huge and the food was great!

We are hosting a GIVEAWAY for 4-pack of tickets to opening night on Thurs, Nov. 2nd at 7pm, Golden 1 Center. Giveaway ends Thursday Oct. 26th 2017 and winner has 48 hours to confirm winning. Tickets will be held at Will Call at Golden 1 Center.

Enter in the Rafflecopter Form Below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 *Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts Oct. 20,2017 and ends on Oct. 26, 2017 at 12:01 am PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize.

Pumpkin Banana Bread

It's that time of year again, time for me to start pulling out all my favorite pumpkin flavored recipes. I'm also inspired to try some new recipes this year too, like this super yummy Pumpkin Banana Bread. You might be like me and think that sounds like sort of a funky combination, pumpkin and bananas together. But trust me, it's delicious! The bananas give it such a great flavor, and add so much moistness to the bread.

This recipe makes two loaves, perfect for giving one to a friend or neighbor. Or you can freeze the other for use at a later date. It's definitely nice to know you have something this delicious in your freezer to enjoy with tea or coffee when you want it.

This bread can also be made without the walnuts in it too. I actually only made one of the loaves with walnuts, and the other without. My grandchildren aren't very fond of nuts added to baked goods, and I wanted them to enjoy this treat too.

Fall is my favorite season and here in Nevada the temperatures have already dropped a lot. I needed a jacket this morning on my walk around the neighborhood. It's fun to see how so many people here get into the Halloween spirit with all their decorations on the houses and porches.

I hope you give this Pumpkin Banana Bread a try. It's sure to become a favorite like it has for me. My family loves it!

Recipe for Pumpkin Banana Bread

Ingredients:

2 sticks butter, melted
2 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
5 ripe bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts (if using)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two loaf pans with non-stick baking spray and set aside.

Place softened butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl. With an electric mixer, cream together until well combined. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add canned pumpkin and mix together. Add in flour, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix until combined. Stir in mashed bananas, vanilla extract, and walnuts, if using.

Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans. Bake in the oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Check for doneness by using a knife or long wooden skewer.  

Makes 2 loaves.

This recipe is inspired by the wonderful Pizzazzerie Entertain In Style Blog.

Post by Patricia

Sea-Band for Mamas and More Review #MomsMeet #ad

 *I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com), 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 honest opinion on my blog. The opinions posted are my own.

When I was pregnant with my son I suffered with severe morning sickness, well all day sickness until I discovered Sea-Band. I did not want to take any medications for the nausea and vomiting but could not figure out a natural way to help me. After some online research my husband went to the store and came back with Sea-Band. I try to look for natural remedies for health ailments and I thought its only a blue bracelet won't cause any harm to try them. Sea-Bands are acupressure bands that fit around your wrist just like a sweat band-with a pressure stud sewn inside. 

At first it felt a little tight like I needed to pull it a bit to make it fit with pressure but not much. After wearing it for a day I did not see too much relief but I think I was so focused on if it felt like they were working that stressing about it was not helping with nausea. The next day I wore them all day and did feel a lot less nauseated. I would put them on as soon as I woke up because I wanted to avoid any feeling of being sick to my stomach. For the remainder of my pregnancy they were my accessory to motherhood, my baby blue bracelets. 

I had significantly fewer headaches while I was using them too. I think it was due to the acupressure benefits of the bracelets. My son is 7 now but I still have those little blue bracelets for road trips and headaches.

Recently I saw a co-worker wearing them and asked her if they were Sea-Bands. She started to rave about how amazing they are for nauseousness just like I do anytime I see another fellow Sea-Band believer!

• Sea-Band is a knitted elasticated wrist band, which operates by applying pressure on the Nei Kuan acupressure point on each wrist by means of a plastic stud. The bands can be worn on each wrist whenever you feel nauseous.
• Recommended by midwives and pregnant women around the world, the Sea-Band Mama! acupressure wrist band provides a natural choice for effective morning sickness relief.
• Scienti c studies have proved that one of the most effective drug-free treatments is Acupressure on the P6 (Nei- Kuan) point between the two central tendons near the wrist.
• For Instructions on positioning the Sea-Band Mama! bands, please see this page: sea-band.com/mama/sea-band.
• Recently, JAMA (Journal of American Medical Association) recommended acupressure and Ginger as solutions to relieve morning sickness. An Italian study has also found that morning sickness was reduced in 70% of women who used Sea-Band acupressure bands.

Sea-Band Mama has some products on the market that I would like to try next time I need to cure nausea for pregnancy or may even be worth a try for my headaches. The Essential Oils Rollette contains Lime, Spearmint and Ginger that can be beneficial aromatherapy for nausea. You can buy Sea-Band products at Target, Walgreens, CVS and Walmart.

Since I do suffer from migraine headaches I like to wear my Sea-Bands when I feel like I maybe getting a headache, it can help stop them from becoming too intense. Early in the week I was wearing them as I cleaned up after my son was playing super heroes and reading a book in the living room. They come in many colors but I still love my light baby blue ones.

Almost Fall Apple Cream Torte

One of the best things about fall is the abundance of delicious apple recipes that I love finding and making. Of course, I love baking and cooking with pumpkins this time of year too, but there is just something about apple desserts that I find cozy and comforting.

I've never gone apple picking, but judging by all the pics on Instagram I've been seeing, there are a lot of people that do. It's definitely something I want to do one of these days, and preferably in a beautiful orchard with a plaid blanket and gorgeous picnic, and wine, and... ok, so not everything on Instagram is the way it appears, but dang, they make it look so good!

Anyway, back to this delicious Apple Cream Torte that I found in the September issue of Sunset Magazine. A cream torte is like a cross between a cake, a custard, and a Dutch baby, according to the magazine, and I completely agree with them. It's absolutely more custardy than a regular cake, and that's one of my favorite things about it.

The recipe calls for 3-4 thinly sliced apples, and I went with four and think that's the perfect amount for this torte. I love, love, love how the slices of apples bake on top of each other for this gorgeous effect you see when you slice into it. You can use a variety of different apples like Cameo, Fuji, or Gala, and I used Gala just because they are so easy to find. But next time I make this torte I'll try a different kind to see if it makes a difference in taste.

I made this for dessert for my family one night and they all loved it. The recipe is a keeper for sure, and one that I'll be sure to make again and again. If you wanted you could add a little crème fraiche or whipped cream on top, but I thought it was perfect without it.

Recipe for Apple Cream Torte

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. (3 or 4) tender sweet apples, such as Cameo, Fuji, or Gala 

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon table salt

powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and generously flour a 9-inch spring form pan. Shake out excess flour and set aside.

Using a paring knife or sharp corer, core apples from stem down through seeds and base to remove in one cylinder. Peel apples and slice crosswise into 1/4-inch rings. Set apples aside.

In a large bowl, using a mixer with whisk attachment, beat eggs and granulated sugar on high speed until pale and slightly thickened , 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and add cream and vanilla. Beat about 30 seconds more to blend. Add flour, baking powder, and salt and blend on low speed until evenly combined.

Add apples (including any uneven end pieces) to batter and stir gently with a spatula to coat, separating slices. Pour mixture into prepared pan and arrange apples flat.

Bake cake until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into center of cake (rather than an apple piece) comes out clean, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let cake cool on a rack 20 minutes, then run a slender knife between edge of cake and pan. Remove pan rim and cool cake at least 10 minutes more.

Serve warm or at room temperature, dusting with powdered sugar.

-Post by Patricia

I made this last year and it was so delicious that I thought I would share it again.



Rainbow Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Here in Nevada, the kids have already finished their second week of the new school year. My granddaughter Ashley started kindergarten and has surprised us all by how much she loves it. She is such a mama's girl that we thought she would have a hard time adjusting to being gone all day but thank goodness she loves it!

So I thought I would bake her and her two brothers some cookies last week for a yummy afterschool snack. I love being the kind of grandmother who bakes treats, and hopefully they will remember this from their childhoods. I never had a grandmother, so I'm trying to give them what I wished I'd had. Maybe it's a stereotype, a sweet baking granny, but I don't care. It makes me happy, and it makes them happy too.

Since we love chocolate chip cookies, I thought I would take it up a notch and made them with added M&Ms. Yum, right??

I've made these before and discovered the trick to making them look so good is to press a few M&Ms into each cookie right as they come out of the oven. They stick to the cookies but don't melt.

This recipe comes from one of my all-time favorite cookbooks, Sally's Baking Addiction. Oh how I love Sally, she is just such an amazing baker and blogger. The great thing about her recipes are that they are all fairly easy to make and taste delicious.

And I'm super excited to get her new book, Sally's Cookie Addiction, when it comes out next month. I love making cookies for friends and family during the holidays, so I can't wait for this book to arrive on my doorstep.

So let's get on to this recipe for these yummy cookies. Just remember that you do have to let the dough chill for at least 2 hours before you can bake the cookies. I simply made the dough in the morning and them pulled it out of the refrigerator in the afternoon, about an hour before the kids got home from school.

And yes, they were very happy to come home from school to warm cookies and a cold glass of milk. I made lots of good grandma points that day!


Recipe for Rainbow Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup plain M&Ms (but I actually ended up using a little more than a cup)

Directions:

Whisk the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until no sugar lumps remain. Whisk in the egg, then the egg yolk, followed by the vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together with a large spoon or rubber spatula. Fold in the chocolate chips and M&Ms. Cover the dough and chill for at least 2 hours (or up to 3 days).

Take the dough out of the refrigerator and allow to soften slightly at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Roll the dough into balls, about 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie. If the dough is crumbly, the warmth of your hands will help it come together in a ball. Roll the cookie dough balls to be taller rather than wide. Place 8 balls of dough 3 inches apart onto each cookie sheet.

Bake each batch for 11-12 minutes. The cookies will look very soft and under baked. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days.  

Makes 16 large cookies.