Halloween Cake Pops: Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I have always wanted to make Cake Pops. For as long as I have been baking and making candy, I oddly have not attempted cake pops. I say attempted because these were a bit harder to do than I had expected! A big round of applause from me for the bakers that have perfected these. 

I started out with the idea of making some ghost cake pops for my family and coworkers. (My photo above, we call him the Forkey Cake Pop) My coworkers have been my taste testers for years and always give me good honest feedback. I thought mine turned out too moist, but they all agreed that the cake pops were delicious and better a moist cake than the cake pops being dry. 

I started with a basic box cake mix. I selected Betty Crocker Spice Cake Mix; I bought the super moist one that had pudding in the mix. Now I think it might be why the consistency was off. Next time I will buy a different one for cake pops. It was a delicious cake and the house smelled amazing like pumpkin pie. Follow directions on your cake mix. Mine required eggs, oil and water to be added to the box cake mix. Allow the cake to cool for 30 min to an hour after baking.

When cake is cooled you can begin the process of crumbling the cake. I started with a small container and quickly realized I needed a bigger container. (I yelled "We're gonna need a bigger boat!" my husband rolled his eyes at my ever-present movie references to all life situations LOL) Let me know if you know the movie.

After crumbling the cake into tiny pieces, I added 3 heaping dollops of cream cheese frosting to the cake crumbles. Stir in the frosting to make an even mixture of cake and frosting with a wet sand like consistency. Roll cake into 1 inch size balls. Set in fridge for 4 hours or freezer for 30 minutes. 

I opted to freeze mine for 30 min to get the Cake Pops set for dipping. I prefer to use melting wafers when dipping items for treats since it is easier to use than other chocolates. I purchased a cake pop kit from Amazon for the sticks, bags and twist ties. I also bought Candy eyeballs and Halloween sprinkles at Walmart.

I did say I like to use melting wafers since it is easier BUT that is not to say you still can't ruin them! HA! I accidently burnt the chocolate in the bowl on the right and wanted to share how it can be burned in the difference of a few seconds in the microwave. Follow the instructions for melting on the bag you purchase. Mine did not look melted but if I had stirred them while in wafer form after the set time for melting, I would have realized they were ready. Trial and error are expected when learning to make something new.

I poured out my toppings of eyeballs and Halloween sprinkles onto a plate to be ready to place on the cake pops once dipped in chocolate.

Dip the tip of your cake pop stick into your melted chocolate and insert it about halfway into the cake ball. Dip the cake ball into the chocolate. Remove and gently tap on the side of the bowl to allow excess coating to drip off. I did have some cake balls fall off into the chocolate, but I spooned them out and put them back on the stick.

So, I am going to definitely point out that I forgot a crucial item in my Cake Pop adventure. A cake pop stand to allow the chocolate coating to dry! I improvised with an oatmeal box that I poked holes in with a pencil. If using this method, I suggest removing the oatmeal packets from the box before poking holes with a pencil. How I know this, well again trial and error. HA!!

My first handsome Halloween Cake Pop made with Spice Cake and Cream Cheese frosting. Delicious!

None of my cake pops look the same but I think it made them each more special.

Breakfast Fun: Oven Baked Eggs and Ham in Muffin Tins

 

My son has been learning to cook. We find simple and fun things for him to make as he learns new skills. He seriously makes the BEST breakfast burritos I have ever eaten! He wanted to make something fun, so we decide to make Oven Baked Eggs in Ham in Muffin Tins.

This is simple and easy to do. We use a stainless-steel muffin tin with a quick swipe of oil to keep it from sticking to the bottom. We used ham lunch meat as the base creating a cup like shape to put the egg into. Make sure to get a somewhat thick cut ham like Applegate brand from Walmart. Thinner ham will burn up before the eggs are fully cooked.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Crack one egg per ham cup and season to your liking. Baked eggs will have a similar texture to a hardboiled egg. I recommend cooking them for about 10 to 12 minutes if you want your yolk a bit runny. Add or remove a minute to ensure the yolk is done to your liking. You will know the eggs are done when the whites are thick and set.

These eggs in ham would be a great way to make your own breakfast sandwiches too. Put it between two english muffins add some cheese and you have a hearty breakfast sandwich. 

We served ours with avocado slices and toast.

Gut Health in the Summer with Bio-Kult

 *Disclosure: I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.

The summer is full of fun and sun! Along with that comes BBQ, Fair Food, Amusement Park food and more. This can take a toll on your gut health. I am a person who daily eats a Greek yogurt for all the probiotics in it, but when I am busy on an outing, I don't have it with me. When Moms Meet sent me Bio-Kult I was excited to try it. Finally, I could have my probiotics on the go.

Among my friends and colleagues, I am known as a person who is always heath aware. Reading labels and ingredients is a must for me. I often share my info even when not asked, HAHA! I shared with my coworkers about how excited I was to try Bio-Kult because of the multi strain formula that can work synergistically together to balance your gut, a few of them wanted to try it with me. Bio-Kult has NO artificial colors or flavors, gluten free and NON-GMO. It does contain milk and soy.

I shared some samples with several of my coworkers and asked them to report back to me what they thought of it. We have cute little paper boxes in our stockroom to leave each other positive messages or little items to encourage a cohesive team. I left some Bio-Kult in a few of them.

For myself I noticed a big change of how balanced my gut felt. I felt less bloated, more regular and even a flatter tummy. It definitely can feel like a good cleaning from the inside out! For the first week I took 1 capsule daily. I was amazed at how it was cleaning out my bowels. Not a bathroom emergency style but a more regular bathroom routine. It feels like as your gut is balanced it helps everything feel better including your mind. After 1 week I took 2 a day, one with breakfast and 1 with dinner. I will absolutely be buying more of these and adding them to my daily self-care regime. 

Most of my coworkers reported back feeling less bloated and more regular in their bathroom routine. One person said no more brain fog and felt overall healthier. With sometimes unhealthy food and stress in our daily work lives having an easy-to-use probiotic is important to the overall health of my whole team. One of my coworkers did not like the capsule form so she opened it and added the powder inside to her morning smoothie. Another coworker was headed down to Mexico on vacation, so I told her about the instructions for Bio-Kult while traveling. They recommend taking 1-2 a day the week before vacation and during travel 4 times daily to maintain gut health. 

About Bio-Kult:

"Bio-Kult believes that a healthier, happier quality of life starts with your unique microbiome. Their award-winning range of clinically proven, probiotic strains are specially designed to support your mood, energy, and general health every day. For the last 25 years, Bio-Kult has been at the forefront of developing conversation around the gut and the microbiome. Bio-Kult, is a scientifically developed, advanced multi-strain formulation containing 14 probiotic strains which are proven to survive the high acidity of the stomach. The bacteria in Bio-Kult helps to reestablish and rebalance the gut microflora. Bio-Kult believes that having the confidence to take your everyday health into your own hands is something to be celebrated."

Bio-Kult Original Multi-Strain Formulation is the UK’s number one probiotic supplement, containing 14 unique probiotic strains for digestive and immune support.* 

This product targets the digestive and immune system and has been proven to survive the high acidity of the stomach.*

The capsules can be swallowed whole or broken apart and the contents added to food or drink.

Bio-Kult Original Multi-Strain Formulation has been approved by the Vegetarian Society as a vegetarian product.

It is also non-GMO and gluten free.

This product has been backed by over 30 clinical trials.

A 30-capsule box of Bio-Kult Original Multi-Strain Formulation typically retails for $14.85; a 60-capsule box for $25.50; and a 120-capsule box for $39.95. 

Save 20% on your entire order at bio-kult.com with promo code MOMSMEET20 

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Purchase Bio-Kult Original Multi-Strain Formulation online at bio-kult.com, amazon.com, and walmart.com.

Ubisoft Riders Republic Video Game Review

 *We are UbiStars game reviews and sent a digital copy of this game for review* 

Are you looking for a gift for a gamer on your Holiday List? Trying to find fun ways to connect with family and friends online? I highly recommend the new UbiSoft game Riders Republic. We reviewed it on the PS5. It is also available on the XBOX systems.

Join a massive multiplayer community and participate in an avalanche of diverse activities as you shred the snow, mud and dirt in real time with others! Squad up with your friends and take on downhill races, dominate maps in team vs team competitions, or challenge yourself in PvP modes and Events. If you're up for some insane action, throw yourself into mass races and be the first to cross the finish line.

Join more than 50 PLAYERS SIMULTANEOUSLY live on screen and witness other's biggest wins and worst fails in a living, breathing world! Gather in vibrant social hubs and meet with a wild community of fellow riders.

My husband and son both played and reviewed this game. We had 2 copies so we could fully utilize the online game play. It is a big factor for our family to buy a game if it has online multi player. We are able to game with family and friends. A great way to stay connected and have fun!

My husband's review:

-Very good visual graphics

- Fluid gameplay tricks 

- Innovative multi sport races 

- Online multi player races 

- Populated world environment 

- Popular land marks 

- Fun and silly story lines 

- Daily item shop is nice feature but lacking content 

- Able to earn points towards item shop purchases 

- Fun soundtrack music playlists 

- Character customization nice feature but lacking depth and detail, somewhat basic 

 -Ability to compete in one vs one matches online with friends very fun 

- Level up and reward system helps with replay 

- Realistic environment with random animals wildlife and scale recreation of US national landmarks

My son loves Giraffes so he definitely had to buy the Gigi the Bouncer outfit. The item shop had some good options. He is hoping to buy more in the future and maybe even some crossovers.

He loved how you could ride a bike in a grassy area with jumps and then switch to snowboarding down a mountain. So much game play there is no way to be bored! The replay value on this game is well worth the cost of the game. (I have spotted it on sale at many retailers and the UbiSoft website). His favorite is the hang glider with motor mode.

Mass Race is one of my favorite modes in the game. You have 3 parts of a big race that have different game modes. You can be snowboarding down a mountain then hang gliding over cliffs and end with mountain biking on a course, all while seeing and competing with people in real time. We are a competitive family when it comes to gaming so we had a blast trying to come in first place.

I have always been a fan of games with bike riding, skiing, snowboarding and hang gliding. They are relaxing and casual fun to have gaming. Riders Republic has aced that but then added beautiful true to life scenery and an online community to play with. This game gets a A+ from my family!

Easy Appetizers: Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto Recipes Hummus Dip and Mini Pizzas

 *Disclosure: I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.

With the holidays coming and people staring to have small gatherings new recipes have been on my mind. I wanted to take my normal recipes and add some new flavor profiles. When I had the opportunity to try Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto I knew exactly which recipes I would add it to.

I have always been a fan of Pesto. The flavor is unique and delicious. The Barilla brand is one of my favorites with the rich creamy savory flavor. When you open a jar of it the aroma is amazing. I also like the brand because they are a family company that has been making products since 1877.

Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto is a flavor-packed, versatile, and convenient pantry staple that is a must have for Italian food fans. Imported from Parma, Italy, it’s made with fragrant Italian basil and freshly grated Italian cheese. To preserve the natural color of basil and the fresh aroma of Italian Cheese, Barilla minimizes the handling of ingredients and rapidly prepares their recipe in as little as three hours from the start of ingredient preparation to the tightening of the lid. With Creamy Genovese Pesto, a little goes a long way; one 6.2-ounce jar of pesto mixes well with 16 ounces of pasta. 

I decided to make two different recipes to show the diversity of the Creamy Genovese Pesto. I started with a simple stir in recipe to make Creamy Genovese Pesto Hummus Dip. I love hummus and adding the pesto elevated the flavor into a creamy, cheesy, basil infused flavor that is so delicious. I will continue to make for not just gatherings but a go to snack.

Creamy Genovese Pesto Hummus Dip

-Use your favorite brand of classic plain hummus 10 oz.

-Stir into the hummus 2 oz. of Creamy Genovese Pesto

-Add more Pesto as needed for desired flavor

-Served with baby carrots and sliced sweet peppers

-Add pita chips or other vegetables as needed

Pesto Mini Pizza was also another easy appetizer I decided to make. I purchased ready to cook individual pizza doughs, fresh tomatoes and finely shredded mozzarella. 

Creamy Genovese Pesto Mini Pizza

-Follow the directions for temperature and cook time for the premade dough. 

-Add a spoonful of Creamy Genovese Pesto to the center of the pizza dough and spread evenly.

-Top with finely shredded mozzarella cheese

-Add sliced tomatoes on top of the cheese (you can add olives, onions or meat if preferred)

-Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown dough and melted cheese 

My son was excited to try the pizza. He loved the flavor of the Pesto Pizza. The aroma of pesto filled the house as it cooked and wow it smelled amazing! My son told me it tasted like pizza you would find in a fancy New York restaurant. A very sweet comment coming from my biggest critic. 

These two recipes are easy peasy to make and are delicious. Definitely a good option to make for an appetizer for dinner or even an after school snack. My son has requested the Pesto Pizza to be made again soon. As a Mom that is a win for me!

Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto is available to purchase at Target (SuperTarget), Publix, Stop & Shop (Super Stop & Shop), Meijer, ShopRite, Hy-Vee, Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, and more. To find a store near you, visit momsmeet.link/barillalocate.