Tomato & Spinach Pasta Toss

Prep Time: 5 min. | Total Time: 20 min. | Makes: 6 servings, 1 cup each.

What You Need
2 cups rotini pasta, uncooked
1/2 lb. Italian sausage
1 pkg. (6 oz.) baby spinach leaves
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese with a Touch of PHILADELPHIA
2 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

Make It
COOK pasta as directed on package.
MEANWHILE, crumble sausage into large deep skillet; cook on medium-high heat 10 to 12 min. or
until done, stirring occasionally. Drain; return sausage to skillet. Add spinach and tomatoes; cook 2 min.
or until spinach is wilted, stirring occasionally.
DRAIN pasta. Add to sausage mixture with cheeses; mix lightly.

Tomato-Basil Queso Fundido

Prep Time: 10 min. | Cook Time: 16 min. | Total Time: 26 min. | Makes: 16 servings.

What You Need
2 Tbsp. KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing
3 cups cherry tomatoes
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
3 cups KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese with a Touch of PHILADELPHIA
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
16 flour tortillas (8 inch), warmed

Make It
Heat dressing in skillet on medium heat. Add tomatoes, onions, garlic and red pepper; cook
and stir 8 to 10 min. or until heated through.
Top with cheese; cover. Cook 5 min. or until cheese is melted.
Sprinkle with basil. Serve with tortillas.

The Betty 10: #10 {Cookie Cocktails - Gingerbread, Macaroon, & Snickerdoodle}

Betty Crocker's been doing some food trend spotting and we are sharing ten of those red hot trends with our readers:


10. Mixology MashUp

Cookies Meet Cocktails.  We’re loving the idea of borrowing inspiration from the hottest restaurants and creating new flavors all our own. Especially when it comes to remixing classic cocktails using fresh flavors in food as your muse. These Cookie Cocktails are the perfect way to serve up some holiday spirit.  Cheers!

Gingerbread Cookie Cocktail  

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Start to Finish: 1 Hour 10 Minutes

Gingerbread Simple Syrup

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons mild-flavor molasses
1-inch piece fresh gingerroot, peeled, sliced
2 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon whole cloves

Gingerbread Cookie Cocktail

Orange wedge
Brown sugar
1 oz Gingerbread Simple Syrup (2 tablespoons)
1 oz vanilla vodka (2 tablespoons)
1 oz half-and-half (2 tablespoons)
1/2 oz coffee liqueur (1 tablespoon)

1. To make Gingerbread Simple Syrup, mix sugar, water, molasses, gingerroot, cinnamon sticks and cloves in 1-quart saucepan. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; set aside 1 hour to cool. Strain syrup into glass jar; discard spices. Cover jar, and refrigerate until needed. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

2. To prepare cocktail, moisten rim of chilled martini glass with orange wedge. Sprinkle brown sugar onto small plate, and dip moistened rim into the sugar to coat lightly. Fill cocktail shaker with ice. Add 1 ounce gingerbread simple syrup, vodka, half-and-half and coffee liqueur; cover and shake. Strain into martini glass.

1 cocktail (1/2 cup)

Tip: If you can't find mild-flavor molasses you can use full-flavor molasses but reduce the amount by 1 tablespoon.

Coconut Macaroon Cookie Cocktail

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Start to Finish: 1 Hour 10 Minutes

Simple Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Coconut Macaroon Cookie Cocktail

1 oz Simple Syrup (2 tablespoons)
1 oz light coconut rum (2 tablespoons)
1 oz half-and-half (2 tablespoons)
1/2 oz white crème de cacao (1 tablespoon)
Toasted shredded coconut

1. To make Simple Syrup, mix sugar and water in 1-quart saucepan. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; set aside 1 hour to cool. Pour syrup into glass jar. Cover jar, and refrigerate until needed. Makes 1 1/4 cups.

2. To prepare cocktail, fill cocktail shaker with ice. Add 1 ounce simple syrup, coconut rum, half-and-half and crème de cacao; cover and shake. Strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with toasted coconut.

1 cocktail (1/2 cup)

Snickerdoodle Cookie Cocktail

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Start to Finish: 1 Hour 10 Minutes

Cinnamon Simple Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 cinnamon sticks
Snickerdoodle Cookie Cocktail
1 oz Cinnamon Simple Syrup (2 tablespoons)
1 oz vanilla vodka (2 tablespoons)
1 oz half-and-half (2 tablespoons)
1/2 oz white crème de cacao (1 tablespoon)
Cinnamon-sugar

1. To make Cinnamon Simple Syrup, mix sugar, water and cinnamon sticks in 1-quart saucepan. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; set aside 1 hour to cool. Discard cinnamon sticks. Pour syrup into glass jar. Cover jar, and refrigerate until needed. Makes 1 1/4 cups.

2. To prepare cocktail, fill cocktail shaker with ice. Add 1 ounce cinnamon simple syrup, vodka, half-and-half and creme de cacao; cover and shake. Strain into cocktail glass. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.

1 cocktail (1/2 cup)

Tip: You can purchase cinnamon-sugar or to make your own combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

Tip: To toast coconut, sprinkle coconut in ungreased heavy skillet. Cook over medium-low heat 6 to 14 minutes, stirring frequently until browning begins, then stirring constantly until golden brown.

5 Holiday “Mocktail” Recipes

With the holidays come the arrival of holiday parties and family get-togethers.  However, you don’t want the teens, designated drivers, & Expectant Moms to miss out on all the fun. Why not add a tropical flair to a holiday cocktail party or New Year’s Day brunch with some festive and fruity “mocktails”?

These tasty non-alcoholic drinks are perfect for everyone at your festive holiday party, and they’re Healthy Living recipes to boot. For the most part, these drinks rely on simple ingredients you may already have around the house. Even better—they won’t take much time to prepare – perfect if you have little ones running around or food in the oven.

These colorful “mocktails” will liven up any party or turn a regular evening into a cause for celebration.

Razzmopolitan
Peachy Iced Tea Sangria
Citrus Margarita Cooler
Mock Mimosa
Strawberry Kiwi Mock Margarita

For more “mocktail” ideas, be sure to check out these additional Kraft recipes too.

The Betty 10: #9 {Retro Recipes}

Betty Crocker's been doing some food trend spotting and we are sharing ten of those red hot trends with our readers:


9. Retro Rewind
  
Get Back to Great.  It feels like everyone has retro fever this year, as swinging ‘60’s style continues to pop up on TVs, radios and runways.  And now the old-school new wave is invading our kitchens as well.  Create a decidedly vintage spread for your holiday shindig with fun and festive appetizers that have a little retro flair. They’re a blast from the past that will bring back the memories, and the recipe requests. 

Three Cheese Fondue

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Start to Finish: 30 Minutes

Creating the Perfect Cheese Tray

Kraft passed along 5 cheese tray tips that I thought might come in handy during all the holiday celebrating.  I've also added a couple of my own tips to the list.

I haven't tried the new CRACKER BARREL Cheese Cubes and CRACKER BARREL Cheese trays, but I'm definitely going to keep my eyes out for them.  Let me know if any of you readers get a chance to try them.

The Betty 10: #8 {Gluten Free Fudge Crinkles}

Betty Crocker's been doing some food trend spotting and we are sharing ten of those red hot trends with our readers:


8. Alternative Diets Go Mainstream

Hold the Gluten. Embrace the Vegan and be mindful of the Food Allergies. Alternative diets are becoming a way of life for many – maybe even you! However, it can still be difficult to find great-tasting foods that are allowed for this group. My own 16 year old son has an allergy to dairy, eggs, & nuts so I'm all for this trend taking over. Help everyone feel welcome at your celebrations this year by baking up tasty versions of classic holiday treats with Betty Crocker's recipe for Gluten Free Fudge Crinkles.

 Gluten Free Fudge Crinkles

Prep Time: 45 Minutes

Start to Finish: 1 Hour 5 Minutes

1 box (15 oz) Betty Crocker® Gluten Free devil's food cake mix
1 box (4-serving size) gluten free chocolate instant pudding and pie filling mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg (or egg replacer)
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon gluten free vanilla extract
Sugar

1. Heat oven to 350° F. In large bowl, mix dry cake mix and dry pudding mix. Add melted butter, egg, water and vanilla; stir until soft dough forms.

2. Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls; roll in sugar. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls about 2 inches apart; flatten slightly.

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 20 minutes. Store tightly covered.

36 cookies

Cooking Gluten Free or for someone with Food Allergies? Always read labels to make sure each recipe ingredient is free of the items in questions. Products and ingredient sources can change.

Did you win?

Custom Superstructs Kit winner is #13 freddie
Klutz Prize Pack winner is #37 AutumH
Tandem Space Hopper winner is #21 schuler5
Lalaloopsy Doll winner is #243 Sugar Dipes
Chuggington Train Playset winner is #28 Laura G

The Betty 10: #7 {Reindeer Feed}

Betty Crocker's been doing some food trend spotting and we are sharing ten of those red hot trends with our readers:


7. Kids in the Kitchen


Connect While You Cook. The culinary craze has hit home, and everyone wants in on the kitchen action – even the youngest members of your family. Introduce the kiddos to the world of spoons and spatulas, as well as the time-honored tradition of baking cookies for Santa. Go a step further and get the whole family involved by making this super-simple recipe for a snack mix we like to call Reindeer Feed. We’re sure Blitzen and the rest of the crew will love it.

Reindeer Feed
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Start to Finish: 30 Minutes

The Betty 10: #6 {Sweet Swirl Marshmallows }

Betty Crocker's been doing some food trend spotting and we are sharing ten of those red hot trends with our readers:


6. Food for a Cause

Feed the Soul. This season spread the holiday spirit beyond your kitchen and into the homes of those less fortunate. An easy way to give back at the holidays is to organize a bake sale for a local charitable organization, just like they do in Betty Crocker’s Kitchen each year! Add a little cheer to the regular mix of bake sale items with this recipe for Sweet Swirl Marshmallows. They’ll be a best seller!

Sweet Swirl Marshmallows 
Prep Time: 1 Hour
Start to Finish: 5 Hours

Undone Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Busy running around doing last minute holiday prep?  Here's a simple dish that can work as a side or the main entree.

Prep Time: 15 min. | Total Time: 40 min. | Makes: 7 servings, 1 cup each.

Craze Alert: Whomp! Charmz (+ a Giveaway)

Did your kids join that whole Silly Bandz™craze this past year?  You know, those shaped rubber bands the kids all were wearing in multiples up and down their arms?  My 9 year old daughter certainly did, she collected around 25 and my 12 year old son has at least a dozen himself.  In fact, even my 16 year old son wore a couple at one point.  That fad seems to have died down a tad, but there is a new little collectible out that gives those Bandz an updated look.

Me & Goji Custom Granola Cereals

Looking for the perfect hostess gift or a stocking stuffer for hubby?  Check out Me & Goji.  You can design cereals from 60+ all-natural ingredients, name your mix, and even upload a picture to the label. 

The Betty 10: #5 {Salted Chocolate Almond Fudge}

Betty Crocker's been doing some food trend spotting and we are sharing ten of those red hot trends with our readers:


5. Gifts to DIY For

Wrap Up Some Creativity. Homemade and straight from the heart is the in thing for the creative- (and wallet-) minded gift-giving crowd. Give your holidays the personal touch by whipping up Salted Chocolate Almond Fudge for everyone on your list. The sweet and salty flavors in this recipe turn traditional fudge into an even more extraordinary gift that everyone will adore. 

Salted Chocolate Almond Fudge
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Start to Finish: 2 Hours 30 Minutes 

Dork Diaries by Rachel Renée Russell

If you are still on the hunt for some stocking stuffer ideas for a tween girl, you'll want to check out the Dork Diaries.  They are written by Rachel Renée Russell and have been aptly touted as the female answer to Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  The Dork Diaries series chronicles the "not-so-fabulous life" of 8th grader Nikki Maxwell. 

Soft Clothing: For All Children

"Soft Clothing for All Children introduces tagless, flat seamed, soft brushed and bio-washed cotton clothing for both boy & girl children ages 4-12. The entire clothing line from jeans to dresses addresses the unique sensory needs of many children without sacrificing personal style and self-expression."

The Best Gift I Ever Gave

SWAGG is a free mobile app (download here) that lets you shop smarter using your mobile phone. Buy, send or swap SWAGG GIFTS and organize your old school plastic gift cards.  For every download of the app between now and Dec. 31, 2010, SWAGG will donate $1 to Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) , up to $125,000.

Clever Girls Collective and SWAGG are sending a pair of movie fans to the Sundance Film Festival! Download the SWAGG app and then visit the Ultimate SWAGG Getaway Sweepstakes site to enter to win a trip for two to the Sundance Film Festival. Entry deadline is January 3, 2011, 11:59pm, PST.

Much thanks to SWAGG for sponsoring the post I've written below:

The Best Gift I Ever Gave

My Grandmother on my mom's side of the family (AKA Nana) was an avid writer for most of her adult life.  Everyone in our family knew of her writing in general speaking, but she never actually let anyone read any of it with the rare exception of my grandfather (AKA Poppops) and a few publishers. 

The Betty 10: #4 {Dog Treats}

Betty Crocker's been doing some food trend spotting and we are sharing ten of those red hot trends with our readers:


4. Spot at the Table

  

Pets Are Part of the Family. With more and more “pet parents” making dog food from scratch, man’s best friend has been promoted to a bona fide member of the family. Get your furry friend’s tail wagging with this recipe for Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Puppy Treats. It’s simple, and made with pet-friendly ingredients. You’ll surely get Spot’s approval, and maybe he’ll even steer clear of the dessert table.

Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Puppy Treats

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Start to Finish: 1 Hour 35 Minutes

One Million Free Cups of Yoplait Original Yogurt

Recent findings by the Institute of Medicine indicate that many people get their daily calcium from supplements as well as foods, including yogurt.  On the heels of this news, Yoplait® recently announced a product innovation that will make it easier for women to add more calcium to their diet. Now, newly reformulated and great tasting Yoplait Original yogurt has two times the calcium of the leading yogurt with 50 percent of the Daily Value in every cup (500mg).

In celebration of its commitment to calcium, Yoplait is giving away one million free cups of Yoplait Original yogurt. Yoplait lovers everywhere can visit Yoplait’s Facebook page to sign up to receive a free cup of Yoplait Original yogurt and make a personal commitment to meeting recommended calcium requirements, each day.

My kids have yogurt in their fresh smoothies we make nearly every morning.  I prefer to have my yogurt with some granola sprinkled on top.  How do you get your daily calcium? 

The Unexpected Christmas Time Visitor: A Found Dog Story

Last night we had a very special Christmas visitor, a four legged one with a cold wet nose.  We were all standing around the kitchen counter as I finished making risotto with ham, when we heard scratching.  It sounded like a dog at the back glass doors.  Hubby turned to look first thinking the same thing I was, "who on earth let the dog out" when he saw it was clearly not our dog.  This scratching dog was a sweet but very cold looking beagle much bigger than the tiny yorkie maltese mix that we own and love.

Quick & Easy "BLT" Breakfast Bake

Prep Time: 15 min. | Total Time: 7 hours 15 min. (incl. refrigerating) | Makes: 8 servings.

What You Need
8 slices bread
1-1/2 cups KRAFT Shredded Three Cheese with a Touch of PHILADELPHIA
4 green onions, chopped, divided
7 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, cooked, drained and chopped
2 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
6 eggs
3 cups milk
1 Tbsp. GREY POUPON Dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Make It
Arrange half of the bread slices on work surface. Sprinkle with half each of the cheese and onions;
sprinkle with bacon. Top with remaining bread slices. Cut each sandwich in half, crosswise. Arrange
sandwich halves, overlapping, alternating with tomato slices, in greased 13x9-inch baking dish.
Beat eggs, milk, mustard and Worcestershire sauce with wire whisk until well blended; pour over
ingredients in baking dish. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Remove cover from baking dish; sprinkle casserole with remaining 3/4 cup
cheese and remaining green onions. Bake 50 min. to 1 hour or until center is set. Remove from oven.
Let stand 10 min. before cutting into pieces to serve.

Gear Tie - The Reusable Rubber Twist Tie

Here's a stocking stuffer with the potential to organize, the Gear Tie.  Available in lengths spanning from 3 inches all the way to 32, you'd be hard pressed not to find a 1000 different uses for these reusable ties.

You can wrangle cords, yoga mats, garden hoses, snow skis, ice skates, or even bend and twist them into a cool stand for your phone, ereader, or ipad.  Give some to the kids for their gear, some to Daddy for his, and stuff a few in your own stocking too.

The Betty 10: #3 {Beer and Bacon Pancakes}

Betty Crocker's been doing some food trend spotting and we are sharing ten of those red hot trends with our readers:


3. Man Up, Eat Up

Beer. Bacon. Good. Beer and bacon for breakfast? Oh yes, say the manly men. And some women. With craft brewing at an all-time high, and the never-ending popularity of bacon, why not combine the two?  This recipe for Mancakes covers all your basic manly food groups: beer, bacon, and pancakes. It’s the best way to serve up dude food for breakfast.

Beer and Bacon Mancakes
Prep Time: 55 Minutes
Start to Finish: 1 Hour 10 Minutes

The more you Limit, The more they Love?

Like most parents, hubby & I set limitations and restrictions for our children.  They span a host of areas including bedtimes, homework rules, and even foods. 

Pop Tarts are a limited food around our home and we reserve them for weekends only.  It was my hope that by limiting them it would make better breakfast choices a touch easier for the kids.  In actuality, I must admit I've observed them become an exotic treasure that they'll surely gobble up daily once they head off to college.  Few things can topple the reign of the Pop Tart and total devastation hits when we are out of them on a Pop Tart day.

Two weeks ago we suffered a "Mommy Fail" in our home when Sunday hit and it was discovered that there were not enough Pop Tarts to go around.  The twins flipped, Declan in particular.  One hates to reward a tantrum, but hubby decided (with my consent) to treat the boys to donuts an even rarer special treat.  Calm was restored and Pop Tarts were restocked for next weekend.

This weekend, Declan woke up early.  We poured him his milk sippy and prepared to make him a plate of breakfast nibbles that would include a pop tart but he stopped us in our tracks.  He wouldn't allow hubby to enter the pantry and kept repeating that we didn't have any. "Sissy ate them all, Sissy ate them all ... let's go get donuts!"  He pulled on hubby's hand and tried to lead him to his keys.

It seems as awesome as Pop Tarts are, Donuts are even better.  Perhaps I need to start limiting carrots, humus, and oatmeal?

Send Gifts via Email or Facebook via First Data eGift Cards

Christmas is right around the corner which means it might be time to stop searching for the perfect physical gifts and turn to gift cards.  When I give gift cards I like to pair them with little items to add to the effect, past examples of my gift card pairings of mine have included:

Winners:

The Little Tikes Marketplace Giveaway Winner is #469 lilbabypug!

The Hershey Candy Filled Stocking Winner is #23 twinmomoftwins!

The Betty 10: #2 {Indian Spiced Mini Donut Muffins}

Betty Crocker's been doing some food trend spotting and we are sharing ten of those red hot trends with our readers:


2. Street Eats and Tweets

Meals Go Mobile. Street food is all the rage, exploding from the coasts to the heartland and even on to reality TV this year. Food truck fans use Twitter to make sure they can find these restaurants-on-wheels and get their hands on the cutting-edge flavors they create. Betty Crocker's recipe for Indian Spiced Mini Donut Muffins, inspired by a Minneapolis food truck, is the perfect find.

Indian Spiced Mini Donut Muffins

Prep Time: 15 Minutes Start to Finish: 40 Minutes

The Betty 10: #1 {Cupcake Poppers}

Betty Crocker may have been around a long time, but she clearly still prides herself on keeping up with the latest trends.  From the DIY craze to the rise of beer and bacon, the food trends that made Betty Crocker's red hot list are each very different, but have one thing in common – they’ll get you excited about food.

I just loved this list and can't wait to try some of these ideas myself!  Today, let's start with #1 ...

1. Bright Colors, Playful Food

Food Is Fun Again. Food is more fun than ever, as Betty Crocker's favorite foodie bloggers and boutique bakeries have shown. Think bright pops of color, cake on a stick, and all sorts of creative new takes on traditional baked goods; even whoopie pies have been reinvented with fresh, fun flavors. Add some play value to your holiday menu with our recipe for colorful, mini Cupcake Poppers that will bring out the kid in you! 

Dinosaur Train: DINOSAURS IN THE SNOW

An all new episode of the hit CG-animated preschool series, DINOSAUR TRAIN™, premiered on December 6th on PBS KIDS®, where the series ranks in the top 5 children’s programs among kids ages 2 to 5.  And if you are wondering why I am telling you about this "after the fact", it's because you are not to late to catch it.  Encore presentations of “Dinosaurs in the Snow;” “Cretaceous Conifers” will broadcast again on December 12, 20, and 24 (check local listings).

In “Big Stomping Dinosaur Feet;” “Hornucopia,” Daphne, a Daspletosaurus shows Buddy how to make stomping a fun dance instead of a temper tantrum. At the Big Pond, Tank introduces the Pteranodon family to his friend, Stacie Styracosaurus, a fellow Ceratopsian with a crown of elaborate horns on her head.              

Mexican-Style Lasagna

Have you tried the new Kraft Shredded Cheeses with a touch of Philidaelphia?  They've added a tad of Philadelphia Cream Cheese to make it creamier.  I tried some on a pizza when visiting Kraft kitchen and really liked it.  It melts so nicely, in fact I've bought some a couple times since to use in my lasagna recipe.
 
It comes in five varieties, including Mozzarella, Three Cheese, Mexican Style Four Cheese, Italian Five Cheese and Triple Cheddar.  They were out of Mozzarella on my last store visit so I bought the Mexican variety.  I think I'm going to use it this weekend in a Mexican Lasagna.  Here's a simple looking recipe I found:

3 Things the Twins taught me today

1. Twins believe in equality.  They will stop at nothing to get it.  Declan spilled water on his shirt and I went to change it.  His brother asked to have his changed too.  I told him no because it wasn't wet, so he went back downstairs, spilled water all over it and his pants, and returned to show me it now was wet and needed to be changed as did the pants. 
2. Always ask questions of a toddler bearing gifts.  Cormac came up to me and offered me some chips.  I took 2 without asking questions and ate them.  5 minutes later I discover a bag of chips spilled on the rather dirty kitchen floor.  I'm guessing I should not have eaten the chips.
3. Naptime rocks!  It is my favorite time of the day and I'm not even the one getting a nap.  This is a lesson I learn daily.  Oh how sad I will be when the nap is retired.

A Dozen Giveaway Winners

Announcing the winners of the following giveaways:

Creativity for Kids Activity Kits - #6 bukaeyes & #56 Dana
Star Wars Millennium Falcon 3-D Book - #21 GabbyLowe, #106 Deb, & #81S Denton
Disney's Hannah Montana Forever DVD - #24 Nicole C. & #8 Becca Ann
The Robot Book - #94 justicecw , #34 Mel4Him , #15 ape2016, #38 hendy, & #99 Dawn
  

Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving

How exciting, it's holiday party season again!  Time to celebrate the holiday season with friends, co-workers, & family.  I know I'll be clinking glasses with my family in a toast to another blessed year both personally and professionally, but not without a designated sober driver.

The fact is, last year, more than 250 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday periods.

Sneak Peak (& Taste) of New Cinnamon Burst Cheerios

This winter, Cheerios will be introducing the new Cinnamon Burst Cheerios cereal.  Big fans of General Mills Cheerios and Cinnamon lovers in general, our household was delighted to try a box before it officially hits store shelves.  General Mills via MyBlogSpark even sent along a new Flip Video Camera with the cereal so we could share our full reactions firsthand with everyone.  The little 2 minutes video below is a must see, I promise!

Exclusive Cookie Ball Recipes: OREO Cappuccino, S'More Pops, Peanut Butter Cup, Chocolate-Orange, and CHIPS AHOY Toffee

I hope you'll agree that being one of a limited group of Kraft Delicious Byte Blogger's has certainly had some yummy perks recently.  The latest bonus?  Kraft Foods has created five original Cookie Ball recipes just for us to share with our readers!

These five recipes include Easy OREO Cappuccino Cookie Balls, S'Mores Cookie Ball Pops, NUTTER BUTTER Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Balls, Chocolate-Orange Cookie Balls, & CHIPS AHOY! Toffee Cookie Balls.

Fantasia/Fantasia 2000 on Blu-ray & DVD

A 2-Movie Collection Special Edition of Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 -- the magical, animated musical masterpiece and the contemporary classic inspired by it -- are now available for a limited time only on Blu-ray High Definition and DVD. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has opened the Disney vault to present these two films that broke the boundaries of imagination in the highest quality possible.

The Fantasia and Fantasia 2000: 2-Movie Collection Special Edition is available in a 4-disc Blu-ray Combo Pack and a 2-Disc DVD.

Franklin AnyBook Reader: Record any book in any voice for any child

Have you heard of the Franklin AnyBook Reader?  The AnyBook Reader is a device that allows parents, grandparents, uncles, siblings, or virtually anyone to record themselves reading books.  The book isn't limited to certain books sold to work specifically with the device, it can be absolutely any book of your choosing.

The Franklin AnyBook Reader device is shaped like a fat pen or pencil which houses a recording device with mini speaker playback capabilities.  It runs on 2 AAA batteries.  We found recording a book for a child is easy.  In fact, my 9 year old daughter was able to do it without help after very brief instructions.

Here's the basics:

Disney's Guilty Party Wii Video Game (Giveaway)

A 2010 Holiday Gift Guide Pick from "And Twins make 5!" 

(Updated on 12/7 to add giveaway!)

Another gift guide must for this age group is a video game or two.  We play our share of video games in this household of 7, so a game must be dubbed as pretty darn cool to make our holiday guide and I'm happy to report that Disney's Guilty Party is "that" cool.

This is the perfect game for a family to play together.  "It's a mystery party game, exclusively for the Wii™ console.  Friends and family play as the savvy sleuths of the world-famous Dickens Detective Agency to investigate a series of mysteries and identify the guilty party."

Dymo Organizational Gifts for Dad & Mom

A 2010 Holiday Gift Guide Pick from "And Twins make 5!"

We had the chance to check out two great gift ideas perfect for mom or dad from Dymo, the CardScan Executive and the Dymo LabelManager 260P.

Baby Einstein world of colors discovery kit

Disney's Baby Einstein recently unveiled Baby Einstein Discovery Kits, an innovative new interactive experience to help parents introduce babies to the beautiful music, nature and animals for which the company’s products are known. The first six Discovery Kits are now available for purchase. Each kit features a DVD, a music CD and a picture book or Discovery Cards, each element complementing the others. The new kits give parents another way to interact with their babies by extending the moving picture and music experience of the DVDs to other areas of a baby’s day through the CDs and book or cards which feature the same music and images experienced in the DVD.

Under $20 Husky Tool Sets @ Home Depot (Giveaway)

Is Santa bringing the kids any electronic toys that need batteries loaded into their screw-secured battery panels?  How about toys that require some assembly?  Make sure the designated assembly person (hubby) opens this gift first!  This $9.88 Husky 13pc PowerTek Precision Screwdriver Set will pay for itself within minutes.

Arc-A-Teks Building Toy Review & Giveaway

Did you catch our review & giveaway of WABA Fun's Custom Superstructs?  If not, you'll want to head over to that post and check those out, but not before you see their brand new line called Arc-A-Teks.

Disney's The Sorcerer's Apprentice on Blu-ray and DVD

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment and Jerry Bruckheimer Films recently released The Sorcerer’s Apprentice on DVD and Blu-ray.  Last Night, I watched a copy provided by Disney along with hubby and some of our kids.