New Peanut Butter Cheerios, For A Limited Time! #LMDConnector

Peanut butter is one of those foods that brings me back in time, back to my childhood.  For as far back as I can remember, I've always loved peanut butter.  In cookies, on toasted English muffins and even straight out of the jar with a spoon, it's one of my favourite comfort foods.  My favourite peanut butter meal of all time is a toasted peanut butter & banana sandwich.  At least once a week I bring one to work with me for breakfast.



My favourite quick breakfast ~ a toasted peanut butter and banana sandwich! Yum!

As a #LMDConnector, I am privy to news of new and limited time only General Mills products.  When I heard that General Mills Peanut Butter Cheerios was hitting store shelves March 4, I couldn't have been more excited and I couldn't wait to be one of the first people to try them!  I was thrilled to receive a couple of boxes of Peanut Butter Cheerios in the mail, along with handy food containers that will be put to good use!  I was sure that I would love the cereal, but I decided to use Big-A for my first taste-test.  Big-A will eat anything you put in front of him...except for cereal.  And it drives me CRAZY!

On busy weekday mornings, I would love it if I could put a bowl of cereal in front of him each and eveyr day while I'm preparing lunches, getting his backpack together, and getting myself ready for work.  But life is never that easy, is it?  Usual requests from Big-A are boiled eggs & toast or oatmeal with cinnamon.  I am more than happy to make him a healthy breakfast, as I know how important it is for children to start their day with a healthy meal.  But on the craziest of mornings, I really do wish he would eat a bowl of cereal.

As usual, Big-A was less than thrilled to be sitting in front of a bowl of cereal on the morning of the taste-test.  But he gave them a try, and here are the results:

After a few bites, he loved them!  And I am happy to say that I haven't had to battle with him to eat them on busy weekday mornings.  He still requests his usual eggs or oatmeal, but I know that I have a cereal option that he'll eat on the really crazy mornings.  As soon as I opened the cereal box I was instantly hit with the delicious aroma of peanut butter.  And the peanut butter flavour tastes real, not artificial as it does in many other cereals.

As I mentioned earlier, Peanut Butter Cheerios will hit store shelves March 4, but they will only be available for a limited time.  If peanut allergies are not a concern for you or your family, make sure to give them a try!

Make sure to check out the Life Made Delicious website for product information, meal tips and delicious recipes using your favourite General Mills products.  And don't forget to "like" the Life Made Delicious - General Mills Canada Facebook page for coupons, contests and product information.

I am participating in the Life Made Delicious Ambassador Program by Mom Central Canada on behalf of

General Mills.  I received compensation as a thank you for participating and for sharing my honest opinion.

As with every post that I write, the opinions on this blog are my own.

Easy Meal Ideas With New Cavendish From The Farm Homestyle PEI Potatoes!

I love talking food, and I especially love talking Canadian-made food.  I'm a huge supporter of buying Canadian meat, dairy and produce whenever I can.  Which is why I was thrilled to hear that I was one of a group of "foodie" bloggers chosen to promote new Cavendish From The Farm frozen potatoes!  These quality frozen, homestyle potatoes come from the rich red soil of PEI farms.  Available in Wedges, Straight Cut and Rustic Reds, the skin has been left on and they're prepared with 100% canola oil and sea salt for a superior taste.  Check out the website at http://www.cavendishfarms.com/grocery-ca-products-from-the-farm.aspx for information on Cavendish Farms, and their awesome products.

If you've read my blog recipes in the past, you'll know that I love healthy, delicious, fast meals, especially during the busy work week.  Now I'm not talking about takeout, soup & sandwiches, or the odd night that we eat cereal for dinner.  I'm talking about good, homemade meals that you can make in a flash, with little preparation required.  And I knew that Cavendish From The Farm potatoes would be a perfect addition to a quick family dinner.

While shopping at my local grocery store, I found all three types of Cavendish From The Farm potatoes available.  I chose Rustic Reds because I love the taste red skinned potatoes.  I was impressed with the nutritional ingredients, with the fat and sodium being much lower than in comparable frozen potatoes.

New #CavendishFromTheFarm frozen potatoes!

Deciding what to add the Rustic Reds to was easy - drumsticks and veggies on the side.  Although I love roasting large cuts of meat and grilling steaks on the BBQ, I also love serving less expensive cuts of meat like drum sticks and chicken thighs.  I purchased a package of 8 chicken drumsticks for $7.00, a great deal!  Preparation was quick and easy, and the meal was delish!


Spicy Buttermilk Chicken Drumsticks

Ingredients:
1 pkg (8-10) fresh chicken drumsticks (skin on or skinless, your choice)
2 cups milk
3 tbsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 bag Cavendish From The Farm potatoes

Directions:
1.  Prepare the buttermilk by adding 3 tbsp white vinegar to 2 cups milk.  Let sit for 5 minutes to sour and curdle.
2.  Place fresh drumsticks in a large Ziplock bag, add salt, pepper, paprika and chili powder.
3.  Pour buttermilk over the seasoned chicken, squeeze the air out the the bag and seal.  Mix the drumsticks around in the buttermilk to coat.  Place the bag in the refrigerator for no less than 30 minutes.  You can prepare this in the morning and leave them to soak all day.
4.  Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.  Remove the drumsticks from the bag and shake off any excess liquid.  Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Roast in the oven for approximately 45 minutes (or until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees).
5.  Halfway through cooking the drumsticks, place a bag of Cavendish potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Roast in the oven until the drumsticks are cooked.
6.  Serve with steamed vegetables or salad, enjoy!


And the results?  The meal was delicious!  The chicken drumsticks were juicy and the the boys gobbled up the potatoes instantly.  What I love about these potatoes is that they really are a blank canvas.  They can be served as is, or drizzled with olive oil and herbs for a perfect side dish.  And I will definitely be using these Rustic Reds for my Almost Famous Roasted Potato Salad!

Have all ingredients ready to go for a successful quick meal!

Get creative with different herbs or spices to flavour meats.

Chicken drumsticks marinating in spicy buttermilk!

Chop and wash veggies ahead.

I love red-skinned potatoes.  And this preparation can't get any easier!

Marinated chicken drumsticks ready for roasting.

So good!

A delicous, complete meal perfect for a busy family on the go or a lazy Saturday night.

It is possible to serve quick, healthy, delicious meals for your family without spending hours in the kitchen. Look for meals with just a little prep required, that cook without supervision. Get creative with flavours, using dried or fresh herbs, spices and homemade marinades, in order to keep simple meals interesting. And give Cavendish From The Farm frozen potatoes a try - you will be quick to add them to your weekly mealplan!

 

 

I am participating in the From The Farm blog tour by Mom Central Canada on behalf of Cavendish.  I received compensation as a thank you for participating and sharing my honest opinion.  As with every post that I write, the opinions on this blog are my own.

Kinder® Spreading Joy With New Barbie™ & Hot Wheels™ Toys And A Contest You'll Want To Win!

Kinder® Surprise chocolate eggs are awesome on their own, with the original new 2013 toy collection giving kids a lot to smile about!  They have now outdone themselves with a new line of toys guaranteed to bring smiles and cheers of joy to any home.  What's better than Barbie™ and Hot Wheels™ toys?  According to my boys and my nieces, there really isn't much that compares!

 

Another exciting announcement from Kinder® is the contest they are running on their Facebook page.  It started January 10, and running for four weeks the generous group at Kinder® are giving away 40 Kinder® Barbie™ Hot Wheels™ prizepacks.  By simply becoming a fan of Kinder® Canada's Facebook page and following the instructions given, you will have the chance to win a pack of 24 Kinder® Surprise eggs, including Barbie™ Hot Wheels™ toys!  It's that easy!

 



When I first opened the box of Barbie™ Hot Wheels™ Kinder® Surprise eggs (one of the many perks of being a #KINDERMom!), my boys went crazy for the Hot Wheels eggs!  And being the only female of the household, I felt a twinge of excitement at the thought of opening a Barbie toy!  I had to place limits on the numer of eggs the boys ate each week (as I do with all treats), but we have had fun with them.  Each time that I placed the foil-wrapped egg in front of Big-A, he would shake it as if he could tell that there was a car inside!  Lil-J is always more interested in gobbling up the chocolate.  We quickly realized that the eggs containing Barbie™ & Hot Wheels™ toys are orange (the regular eggs are yellow) and that became another fun part of opening the eggs.




Lil-J chomping on chocolate, not too concerned with the toy just yet!

A sweet brother moment, checking out the Kinder® loot!



Lil-J putting stickers on his Hot Wheels car!

 

A rare moment - both boys got Hot Wheels cars!

 

What a kid!

The boys have had loads of fun with their Hot Wheels cars, and have a little competition going on who can find the most colours!  They have also enjoyed sharing the Barbie eggs with their cousins - three girls.

Make sure to follow Kinder® Canada's Facebook page for a chance to win a prize pack, and keep an eye out for future contests. 

I’m part of the KINDER® Mom program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group.

As with every post that I write, the opinions on this blog are my own.