Recipes made by Smart & Final Smarties using La Romanella Products

I am a member of Smart & Final's Smarties.  Right now,  there are 80 members in this group.  Recently, several of us were asked to share a recipe with our readers using La Romanella products from Smart & Final.  This is so easy for us to do because there are so many products in this line!  I posted my recipe last week along with a couple other Smarties.  I wanted to share with you their recipe.

My friend Sara Hawkins of SavingForSomeday made a delicious recipe: Spinach Stuffed Shells.  She also included a dessert recipe that sounds divine: Roasted Stone Fruit with Honey-Blood Orange Ricotta Creme.  Her pictures make you want to be invited for dinner.


My other friend is also named Sara!  You can imagine my husband's confusion when I'm talking about Sara!!  It's always, " Which Sara!"  Well, her blog is SuperSavingSense.  Her blog is all about saving MONEY!!!  So she created a dish that would taste great, be easy to make with kids and cost conscience.  She whipped up Grilled Chicken Pasta with Asparagus.  I just love Asparagus!


Please, check out their recipes; they are fantastic.  


Just as a reminder....


Smart & Final is giving away a fabulous trip for two to Sonoma Wine Country.  Have you checked it out yet?  Well, you still have a chance if you haven't.  The contest is open until March 8, 2011.  You have to be 21 in enter but I don't believe that's a problem for my readers!!  What a wonderful getaway!  You could go with your honey and have a very romantic time.  Another idea is to take a girl friend along.  Anyways, click here to enter and GOOD LUCK!!  I would be thrilled if one of my readers won!

Smart & Final's La Romanella Facebook Contest

Have a FABULOUS day and make it GREAT!

Smart & Final La Romanella Products, Giveway, and Recipe

Smart & Final has a wonderful product line:

Here are a few products from La Romanella:

Mediterranean Inspired Cooking
using La Romanella Products
sold at Smart & Final

Smart & Final is having a wonderful Giveaway!



They are promoting their La Romanella products by having an amazing contest/giveaway on Facebook.  Enter here for your chance to win a trip for two to Sonoma Wine Country!

Smart & Final sent me a box full of their La Romanella products and asked me if I would like to share a Mediterranean inspired recipe with my friends & followers.  Well, of course, I said "yes."   It's really wonderful  when a company is asking you to try out their products and cook a nice meal for the ones you love!  Smart & Final also gave me a $25 gift certificate to buy any additional items for my dinner.  Right now they are having a fabulous deal:  Buy a bottle of Turning Leaf Wine for $5.99 and get a package of selective varieties (16 ounces) La Romanella Pasta Free!  I sure did take advantage of this promotion! (Promotion good through 2/22)

First, I had to investigate what would make a recipe Mediterranean.  I checked out this website to get my answers.  I was surprised by the wide range of countries that actually made up the Mediterranean area.  Mediterranean cuisine is defined by the preparation of food in three regions: North African (particularly Morocco), eastern Mediterranean (Egypt, Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey), and southern Europe (Italy, France, and Spain).  As you can see, I could go in many different directions with the recipes!  

I browsed the internet to find the perfect recipe that was considered Mediterranean that my husband would enjoy.  There are so many to choose from so go and explore!  I picked a few recipes that I felt would be easy to prepare with the wonderful ingredients from the La Romanella line.  I asked my husband to pick from them.  His choice:
 

Penne Pasta with Blue Cheese and Mushrooms (I modified this recipe to our liking)

  1 package of La Romanella Penne Pasta

    1 Medium onion - finely chopped

    2 Clove of garlic - finely chopped

    1 Teaspoon of dried tarragon

    1lb. Of mushrooms - sliced

    1 Cup of vegetable or chicken stock

    8ozs. Of good blue cheese - Gorgonzola       

    1 Bunch of flat leaf parsley

    La Romanella  extra virgin olive oil

    La Romanella Parmesan to sprinkle

    Salt and black pepper to taste

    10 Cherry tomatoes: cut lengthwise

    1 sweet red pepper

Method

First fry the onions, mushrooms, red pepper and tomatoes in some of the olive oil in a non stick fry pan - on a good heat - making sure they are well browned. This takes about 10 minutes.  

Turn down the heat and add the garlic - cook for five minutes stirring as you go.

Now add the stock and tarragon and reduce until sticky. About 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile you can cook the pasta in plenty of salted boiling water for about 8-9 minutes.

Crumble the blue cheese into the sauce - add half the parsley and salt and pepper to taste, giving it a good stir.

Drain the pasta, return to the pan and add the sauce - mix well.

Spoon onto 4 dinner plates. 

Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and the rest of the parsley.

This was an easy recipe to make.  Although, I really did make a big mess in the kitchen while making it! 


P.S. My husband loved it!  Worth the mess I made in the kitchen.

Please, go check out Smart & Final's La Romanella line; they have so many great products.

Disclaimer:  I was compensated for my time from Collective Bias.  All of my opinions are truly mine.  I will always share my honest opinions.  

Creating a Pseudonym for Your Creativity

I love that the author is unknown.  She was just creating,  not worried that her name would not be associated with the quote.

I'm trying not to find myself  but relax enough to let whatever creativity flows within me and out to whatever I am doing.

Would I be more relaxed if I didn't place my name on everything  I created?  Would I take more risk?  Would it be easier to create?  Would I be more daring?

Sometimes when I make something I find all the reasons I shouldn't give my gift or sell my items. Finding everything that is wrong with an item, I feel I want to remain anonymous.

I love the idea of being unknown at times.  I'm going to have to invent myself a pseudonym and see if creating is easier when there is less pressure on me.  It may be more liberating and allow me to be more creative and be less critical.

Do you believe you would be more creative if no one knew it was you who created it?

Recent Sewing Projects

It has been forever since I shared with you what I've been sewing.  When I first started this blog, it was supposed to be about sewing and I feel a bit of guilt that I haven't even really talked about sewing.  So here are a few things that I've sewn lately...

I loved playing with Paper Dolls when I was little.

I guess I really never outgrew this stage!

I saw a lot of Red & White Flower Prints in Hawaii
and this reminded me of my trip.

I made this when it was really cold outside and I needed
to make something that reminded me that Sunny Days
are ahead.

I have made several of these bags and love them.  It's a book
bag that can be used for everything.  I use it for traveling
all the time...

... and it's reversible!

I'm thinking of adding these items to my Steer Crazee Etsy Shop.  What do you think?

My Biggest Accomplishment This Year: No Cell Phone while Driving

I wish every blog post could be funny but life just isn't always about being funny; we have many responsibilities that should be taken very seriously and this is one of them.

I made a pledge to myself, husband, family and friends:  

I pledge not to use my cell phone while driving.

I turn my phone off so I can't even hear it ring.  At first, I left the phone on and just looked to see who was calling.  Well, I was just fooling myself into believing this was enough.  If the phone rang, I was distracted enough to have no time to react to sudden change in traffic conditions.   Now I just turn off my phone. 

I had made this decision not to talk or text because recently someone who was on the phone almost hit me and it would have been a very serious car accident.  I was so angry at this woman who barely missed me and was not aware of the traffic.  What was she talking about that was more important than our lives?  I knew I had not one conversation on my phone while driving that was worth endangering someone's life.  So I made the decision right at that moment to stop using my phone while driving.  Honestly, I feel much better about myself now that I'm not part of the problem anymore.  It's a proven fact that texting or talking while driving is dangerous and yet more people than not still carry on down this dangerous path thinking it won't happen to them or that they are in control. Please just check out the many videos on YouTube about texting or talking on cell phones while driving and you will see plenty of the people who thought the same thing.  Anyone of them would love to have back that second before they picked up the cell phone while driving to prevent an accident but unfortunately, there is no "do-over" in this situation.   

Are you part of the problem?  All of us can make plenty of excuses why we need to use the phone in the car.  But they are just that: excuses.  Don't fool youself with your excuses of why you need to be on that cell phone while driving.   How many conversations have you had while driving that were truly urgent enough to put other people in danger...?  

When I made my pledge, I thought it would be great to get others to pledge too.   So I went on Twitter and Facebook and offered the first person who took this pledge a free steering wheel cover from my Etsy's store.  Guess how many pledged?  Sadly, not one person.  I twitted a few more days about it and again no one took the pledge.  Well, the good news is no one lied and said they would and really weren't planning to take this seriouly.  But I'm really upset to think that all my friends and family didn't take it.  I realize it's an inconvience not to chat/text while driving but driving is our only responsibility while in the driver's seat.  How would you feel if a loved one was injured by a driver who was on a cell phone?  

If nothing I am writing touches you in a way that makes you want to take this pledge please watch this.....

Winner of Smart & Final's Coffee Giveaway (#MyAmbianceMoment)

I want to say Thank You to all those wonderful people who left me coffee lovin' comments.  My heart is warmed by all of you supporting me on my very first giveaway!  

Congratulations to Jodi Rall, you are the winner!

I will be sending you an email, letting you know you have won. Please email me back within two days with your shipping information at learningtosow@gmail.com.

Again, thank you all for helping me spread the word about Smart & Final's new coffee line Ambiance.   

I hope you are having an "Ambiance Moment"!

A Great Giveaway: UPS Giveaway

My friend, Sara, from SavingForSomeday is having a giveaway for an UPS American Express Gift Card for $10.00.  

Have you ever used Whrrl?  Do you like Social Media, there are many addicts out there!  If you never used Whrrl, here's your chance to try a new media and win!

Please, check it out and I hope you win!!

P.S.  You have a chance every time you visit UPS and Whrrl about it!  The giveaway ends April 2oth...so start sending your packages out by UPS Stores.  Check out the way to do it & the rules: SavingforSomeday



Other Places to go for Giveaway!!!

Here's a few more places you can go to leave comments for a chance to win Smart & Finals Ambiance coffee basket and $150.00 Gift Certificate....

http://www.shuggilippo.com/2011/01/sponsored-giveaway-myambiancemoment.html

http://savingforsomeday.com/my-ambiance-moment-ambiance-coffee-and-a-smart-final-150-gift-card-giveaway/

http://www.supersavingsense.com/2011/01/ambiance-coffee-150-smart-final-gift.html

Wow!!! Now that's a lot of places you can go to win....Please start leaving some coffee lovin' comments to these lovely women!

And of course, enter mine to win too!

Cafe Au Lait...Smart & Final....Ambiance French Vanilla

It's not to late.....


You can still win some awesome coffee....Smart & Final Ambiance


Plus, added bonus....


$150.00 Gift Certificate to Smart & Final...


Have you tried Smart & Final's new coffee, Ambiance, yet???


If not, YOU need too!


Today, I was fortunate, my coffee maker broke (truly it was one step in the grave already)...but no worries...I drove to Macy's and bought this beautiful, sleek looking, muti-function coffee machine:   Cuisinart Brew Central 14 Cup Programmable Coffeemaker!

So, now I'm totally set:  Great coffee and a Great Machine....I hope I have company soon to show off!


This is the first thing I made:

Ambiance French Vanilla Cafe Au Lait

Now, It's your turn...share with me...what's your great coffee moment?


Here's the details to enter my giveaway:

• Only one comment per post, please.


• Leave an email address or a way for me to reach you in case you win!


• Giveaway runs from January 19th to midnight February 4,2011.Your comment will be placed in big bowl and on February 5 a random person will pick a winner from the bowl.




Disclosure:  Collective Bias compensated me for my time, but all opinions are my own.

GREAT COFFEE GIVEAWAY!

I have been trying Smart & Final's new coffee, Ambiance, for the past month.  Ambiance comes in six varieties and if you want to see what I think of each one, please check out it out here.  Now, if you check it out, please no laughing!  I shared it with my co-workers and they teased me for the rest of my shift!  Apparently, it was very entertaining to them.  I am lucky to have a chance to offer you a wonderful giveaway.  One lucky reader will get a basket of all six varieties of coffee along with a $150 gift certificate to Smart & Final.  All you have to do for today's chance is watch one of my videos and tell me how I did as a reviewer of Ambiance coffee.  Just for fun, I found some interesting facts about coffee that I thought would be cool to share:


Coffee & Health


Q: Can caffeine kill you?
A: Health experts say if you were to drink 80 to 100 cups real fast and all at once, it might do the trick. This is not advisable to try at home! So technically, coffee is not going to kill you. You just may be up all night.


Q: Can coffee be good for you?
A: Coffee actually contains important anti-oxidants, which is the way most Americans get their daily fix. Coffee can be beneficial at about 1-2 cups per day. If you can’t handle that amount of caffeine, well you can try black tea instead. If that doesn’t suit you, you can find anti-oxidants in beans, bananas, or corn.


Q: Can caffeine boost the female sex drive?
A: Actually, this study was done on rats and it worked! But, for humans it is not necessarily true. Some people who are not used to drinking coffee may find themselves more excited than usual. I don’t know if it will lead you to this exact issue. You won’t find someone offering a cup of coffee in a bar.

Q: Does coffee relive pain?
A: A small study had shown that 2 cups of coffee alleviated the pain of post-gym muscle pain. Take into consideration that this research was done on those who were not regular coffee drinkers. Those of you who are big drinkers, you may be immune.

Q: Can coffee keep you up at night?
A: Of course, why do you think so many are hooked on coffee? Health experts say you shouldn’t drink coffee up to 6 hours before you plan to retire.


Q: Does Decaf have caffeine?
A: Decaf coffee has an extremely small amount. It would take about 5-7 cups to get the same amount of caffeine in 1 cup of coffee.


Q: How are coffee beans made decaffeinated?
A: The way the caffeine is removed is by steaming the beans until the dissolved caffeine rises to the surface, then an organic solvent is used to wash the caffeine off. The organic solvent is called methylene chloride.

Q: What makes coffee so bitter?
A: It is amazing to find that it is actually the anti-oxidants that make coffee bitter. It is not the caffeine.


Q: What makes a great tasting coffee?
A: It is all in the roasting and brewing. At 400º degrees of the roasting process, the beans begin to release its oil. This oil strengthens the flavor. And as for brewing; it depends on the coffee. But, the longer coffee grounds steep, the more caffeine content you will have. A cup of regular coffee often has more caffeine then a cup of espresso or cappuccino, and the darker the roast the most likely the more caffeine.


I found these fun facts at stumblerz.  If you need to know more fun facts check them out. 


Here's the rules to my giveaway:

Only one comment per post about this fabulous coffee/GC giveaway.  Every time I post about coffee, you can enter for another chance.



Leave an email address or a way for me to reach you in case you win!


Giveaway runs from January 19th to midnight February 4, 2011.Your comment will be placed in a big bowl and on February 5 a random person will be picked a winner from the bowl.

P.S. A great deal right now at Smart & Final: Buy Ambiance coffee and get a dozen of their brand eggs free!

Recipe for Making a Cafe Au Lait using Ambiance Kona Style Coffee from Smart & Final

Yesterday, I made a video on how to make a specialty coffee drink, Cafe Au Lait, using Ambiance new coffee.  I used Ambiance Kona Style coffee but it really doesn't matter which variety you use.  I change the type of coffee I use all the time so I'm never bored with the taste. 

Well, this really isn't a pretty picture of me! But the coffee drink is geat!



Smart & Final released their new coffee line, Ambiance.  There are six varieties: 

House Blend : A medium to dark roast

Kona Style: A medium Roast  

French Vanilla: A medium Roast

Hazelnut

French Roast: A dark roast

Gourmet Supreme: A mild to medium roast

My favorite coffee from Ambiance is the French Vanilla.  A very close second is the Kona Style. 

Which coffee do you think you'd like to try?

Leave me a comment for a chance to win all six coffees and $150 gift certificate to Smart & Final.

Every time I write a post about coffee, leave me a comment; it is your chance to win! So start leaving me some coffee lovin’ comments…I will put your name in twice if you tweet about my giveaway with the #MyAmbianceMoment included!

The rules:

• Only one comment per post, please.

• Leave an email address or a way for me to reach you in case you win!

• Giveaway runs from January 19th to midnight February 4, 2011.Your comment will be placed in a big bowl and on February 5 a random person will be picked a winner from the bowl.

• Contest ends February 4, 2011 @ Midnight.

P.S.  A great deal right now at Smart & Final:  Buy Ambiance coffee and get a dozen of their brand eggs free! 

Disclosure:  Collective Bias compensated me for my time, but all opinions are my own.

The Six Varieties of Ambiance Coffee from Smart & Final

Smart & Final's new coffee line, Ambiance, has six varieties: 

House Blend

French Roast

Gourmet Supreme

French Vanilla

Hazelnut

Kona Style

I have tried all six styles.  Does anyone know which is my favorite?  If you guessed the French Vanilla you'd be right!

Which do you think you would like best and why?

Leave me a comment for a chance to win all six coffees and $150 gift certificate to Smart & Final.

Every time I write a post about coffee, leave me a comment; it is your chance to win! So start leaving me some coffee lovin’ comments…I will put your name in twice if you tweet about my giveaway with the #MyAmbianceMoment included!

The rules:

• Only one comment per post, please.


• Leave an email address or a way for me to reach you in case you win!


• Giveaway runs from January 19th to midnight February 4,2011.Your comment will be placed in big bowl and on February 5 a random person will pick a winner from the bowl.




Disclosure:  Collective Bias compensated me for my time, but all opinions are my own.

Ambiance Coffee Giveaway From Smart & Final

I have been lucky enough to be selected to share with my readers a new brand of coffee, Ambiance from Smart & Final. How lucky am I! I have been drinking coffee every morning for….well, I can’t remember when I started. So I had no problem agreeing to try a new brand.

I was sent six packages of Ambiance coffee to try in order to give an honest opinion. Wow, that’s a lot of coffee to try out in just a few weeks, but I felt like I was up for the challenge.


Let me share with you why you want to stay tuned into my review. I'm giving away a basketful of Ambiance coffee to one of my new coffee groupies! And, if that’s not enough (it would be for me!) there is also a WONDERFUL FABULOUS GIGANTIC $150 gift certificate to Smart & Final. NOW, I got your attention! Money always does!

Here’s the deal….

From January 19th through February 4th, I’ll be posting about my experience drinking Ambiance coffee. I will be posting some videos of what I think of each coffee and I’ll be sharing with you some recipes using brewed coffee and my opinions. Finally, I’ll be sharing some witty coffee facts that you might not know.


Every time I write a post about coffee, leave me a comment; it's your chance to win! So it's up to you how many chances you want to give yourself; it’s like the lotto, the more you play, the more chances to win! So start leaving me some coffee lovin’ comments…because it begins right now!

The rules:


•Only one comment per post, please.


• Leave an email address or a way for me to reach you in case you win!


• Contest ends February 4, 2011 @ Midnight.Your comments will be placed in big bowl and on February 5th a random person will pick a winner from the bowl.
  
P.S.  A great deal right now at Smart & Final:  Buy Ambiance coffee and get a dozen of their brand eggs free! 

Disclosure:  Collective Bias compensated me for my time, but all opinions are my own.

Honoring Christina Taylor Greene

Our nation suffered a tragedy this weekend when a man shot into a crowd and killed six people and wounded several more.  One person who died was Christina Taylor Greene, a nine year old girl.  She was a very special person who already had developed a keen sense for wanting to help make our world a better place.  Wow, at nine years old.  She had already been on her way to her goal by being a member of student council in her school.  People (kids) who run for this job do so because they want to see positive change in their environment and believe they can make a difference.  She lived her very short life with purpose.  To honor her, I propose that we make sure that we live our lives with purpose.  We need to make sure that our days matter.

None of us know when our last day of life will be.  It's truly a mystery to all of us.  Most everyone goes through their day mundanely.  What if you knew today was it for you, that you had no tomorrows; what would you do today?  Well, most of  us  take today for granted.  What I'm proposing is that you make today a purposeful day.

I'm not saying to do something big, like run for office;  what I am saying is take all those small things in our day and make them matter.

I honor Christina by going through my closet and donating cloths I know someone else could use.  I honor her by truly taking in my surroundings while walking.  I don't want to take for granted the beautiful day that we had.  I honor her by remembering those people who honored me with their special gifts, such as a smile.

Give purpose and meaning to what you are doing.  Take a few minutes today to remember what you did.  If you can't think of anything you did with purpose and meaning, then make sure that tomorrow you live  it with  these two important qualities that make life worth living.

#Canyoutopthis Winner!!!

Wow!!!  This badge says it all!

Can you tell I was excited to win????  OH YES, I AM!

Becca (Our crazy boys) had a contest. 

The theme was "Can You Top This" from Elmers. 

What you had to do was create a masterpiece using  Elmer's Tri-Fold Display board. 

This is my masterpiece:

I bet you're asking, "What did she win?"

Well,  I won....

$100.00 Gift Certificate to Wal Mart.

Everyone could use that! 

Thanks Becca and  Elmers.

P.S. If you are interested in making this table runner, click here!

Cooking with Smart & Final's New Coffee line: Ambiance

Coffee Marinated Sirloin Steak

I'm trying a new coffee brand from Smart & Final, Ambiance, that is being released to the public this January.  One of their new flavors I'm trying is French Roast.  It is a dark roast coffee which really isn't my thing but my husband likes it.  He travels often so I needed to find another way to use this coffee.  I didn't want the coffee to go stale so I decided to try a new recipe that uses brewed coffee in a marinade. Here's the  recipe I'm trying: Coffee Marinated Sirloin Steak, where the marinade adds creaminess to the steak.  An added bonus – the coffee’s acidity tenderizes the meat as well.

 I'm trying it tomorrow night.  Since I work during the day, I plan to make the marinade tonight and have my husband add the steak in the afternoon.  When I looked through the ingredient list, I was pleasantly surprised because the ingredients (except for the steak)  can be found in most households so this would also make a great cost-saving recipe!  The only ingredient that you may not have on hand is fresh ginger.  When I was running errands today, I stopped at the grocery store and purchased it.  Ginger is very inexpensive, the cost for two inches was just 33 cents!

I have been looking for recipes using coffee and the site where I found this recipe is: http://www.brewed-coffee.com/coffee/coffee-marinated-sirloin/.  The recipe was originally posted in The Canadian Press.

So, without further chatter from me, here's the recipe:

 Coffee Marinated Sirloin

Start to finish: 1 1/2 hours (20 minutes active)

Servings: 4

1 1/2 cups cold coffee
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons honey
1/2-inch chunk fresh ginger
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Four 8-ounce bottom sirloin steaks (or other tender, broiler-friendly cut)
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

In a blender or food processor, combine the coffee, pepper flakes, peanut butter, honey and ginger. Puree until smooth, then taste and season with salt and pepper.

Pour half of the marinade in a baking dish. Set the steaks in the baking dish, then pour the remaining marinade over them. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

When ready to cook, preheat the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the steak, in batches if necessary, and sear until lightly browned, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Transfer the steaks to the prepared baking sheet. For medium-rare, broil for 7 to 8 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer inserted at the thickest part of the steak reads 135 F.

Let the steaks rest for 10 minutes before serving.