Holiday Baking with Nestlé Toll House and Three Core Trends that will Influence How you Bake this Holiday Season!

Disclosure: I was given Nestlé Toll House products to create some holiday yumminess and for this post--no money exchanged hands.

With the holidays in full swing, there's a lot of baking going on in our home and while the chocolate chip cookie will always be a favorite in our home, I like baking a few different kinds of cookies during the holidays.

I like simple recipes and I have always relied on Nestlé Toll House cookie dough to help me make a variety of cookies. Nestlé makes it easy for me (and you) to bake up a batch of yummy cookies. With the dough already made, I just pull out a few other ingredients like: flavorings, food colors, nuts, candies, fruits, etc and add what I want to the dough, bake and serve them up to my family and friends for a scrumptious snack!

Nestlé, a leader in baking for more than 75 years now, wants to inspire you to bake, so warm up your ovens and join in. Nestlé Toll House and leading pastry chefs from around the country looked at how baking is evolving and identified three core trends that will influence how Americans will bake this holiday season.

Speed Scratch
Beautiful baking creations aren’t just for trained pastry chefs. Today’s bakers can tap into pastry chef creativity and ensure success by leveraging proven baking shortcuts. Premade dough simplifies preparation, lets bakers explore ingredient variety and minimizes inconsistencies.

Farmers Market Inspired Baking
Modern bakers are eager to use ingredients that are in season to bring out the best flavor in their baked treats. With access to farmers markets year round, there are plenty of options for creating desserts with a distinct seasonal flavor.

Whoever came up with "Hot Cocoa" for a cookie flavor is a genius! Oh my word, cannot wait to try these!

Tradition Reinvented
Multicultural families are on the rise and with this demographic makeover in the U.S., home bakers are connecting with their heritage by updating treasured desserts. The memories behind classic recipes are timeless but today’s baker is looking to create new traditions.

Whatever cookies you decide to bake, Nestlé Toll House has you covered! So, go ahead, bring fun back into your kitchen and create a few masterpieces!

You can find Nestlé Toll House products at your local grocery store and Supermarkets across the nation!

Recipes for the Holidays--Using Ice Cream!

We love ice cream here, and even better in recipes! Here are two that you will absolutely want to make this holiday season! Get your taste buds ready!

BERRY COBBLER A LA MODE

Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 bags (12 oz. ea.) frozen mixed berries, thawed
2/3 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® All Purpose Sticks, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup 2% milk
3 cups Breyers® Natural Vanilla Ice Cream


Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375°. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch in large bowl. Add berries and toss to coat. Transfer to 2-quart baking dish or 9-inch cast iron skillet; set aside.

2) Combine flour, 3 tablespoons of the remaining sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Add I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® All Purpose Sticks and toss to coat with flour mixture. Combine by cutting with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in milk until blended. Spoon tablespoonfuls over berries. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

3)Bake 50 to 60 minutes until bubbling in the center and topping is golden. Serve warm with Breyers® Natural Vanilla Ice Cream.

Mint Chocolate Mocktinis

Ingredients:
5 Tbsp. Breyers™ Hot Fudge Ice Cream Sauce
1/2 cup Breyers™ Chocolate Sprinkles
1 cup Breyers® Natural Vanilla Ice Cream
1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp. green gel food coloring
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract

Directions:
1)Squeeze 2 tablespoons Ice Cream Sauce onto plate. Pour Chocolate Sprinkles onto another plate. Dip rim of 2 martini glasses into Ice Cream Sauce, then Chocolate Sprinkles. Squeeze 3 tablespoons Ice Cream Sauce into plastic zip-top bag and snip off small piece from 1 corner. Pipe sauce into glasses starting at bottoms and working up to tops to create swirl patterns; set aside.

2) Process Breyers® Natural Vanilla Ice Cream, milk, food coloring and extract in blender until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve immediately.


Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Unilever, I was sent product coupons-no mney exchanged hands. -Read my disclosure policy here.

Hahn’s Old Fashioned Coffee Cake for your Holidays

Disclosure: I was given the products featured in this post in exchange for a spot in my HGG--no money exchanged hands!

Coffee cake is a staple for many families during the holiday season and Hahn’s coffee cake ranks right up there with the best of the best (My mom's was the best!)

Using all natural fresh ingredients and an old family recipe the tradition continues. Hahn’s offers the original coffee cake as well as best sellers like the Apple Crumb Cake, Mocha Cappuccino Cake and the Can of Crumbs, just the topping of the crumb cakes.

They offer several varieties of crumb cake for online cake delivery.

• Plain Crumb Cake. Made from an old family recipe.
• Bucket of Crumbs. For many people, the best part of crumb cake is the crumbs. The Bucket of Crumbs makes a great gift: it’s unique; it ships well; it has a six-month shelf life (if anyone can make it last that long); the bucket has its own handle, so it’s easy to carry; and it doesn’t need to be gift-wrapped — the bucket has a shiny finish, so it looks like a present even without gift wrapping.

• A Can of Crumbs Three Pack. Sometimes you just can’t carry around a whole bucket of crumbs (though you’d like to!).
• Raspberry-Walnut Crumb Cake. Their rich buttery crumbs on top of a layer of delicious raspberry preserves, a layer of our signature cake base with walnuts added.

Our family was sent a sampler of coffee cakes and "A Bucket of Crumbs", lets just say neither of them lasted very long in our home! All the cakes were rich in flavor and the tops of the cakes had a little crunchy goodness on top of them.

The "Can of Crumbs" I hid in my closet, for myself, until my daughter that is in college called and said she was wanting something sweet! I wrestled with the thought of giving her the rest of my crumbs verses going to buy her something at the store!

But I was a good mom and gave her my "Can of Crumbs"....after I took a couple of more pieces out for myself!

You can purchase some of this yumminess for yourself here at THIS LINK.

Brazi Bites On Shark Tank this Friday Night (11/20/15)

It was the summer of 2009, in Portland, Oregon, where Junea  was having some serious cravings for Pão de Queijo, her country’s most popular snack food.

She did only what a daughter could do and called her mother in Brazil and asked for the family recipe. Her mom was excited to share the family secrets that made “the perfect cheese bread.” Junea and her husband made their first batch in their home kitchen that summer.

But they did encounter a problem--they had a hard time finding the most important ingredient from her family’s recipe, “Minas” cheese, it was not available in the United States! So they spent months trying countless cheeses, hoping to re-create the taste they loved. Finally, one day in the spring of 2010, yes, almost one year later, the most delicious cheese bread they had ever tasted came out of the oven – it was so good that they literally devoured the whole tray in minutes! And thus, Brazi Bites were born!

They were excited to share their creation with everyone, so they signed up for their first local food show. Two days before the show, we stayed up all night rolling thousands of pieces of cheese bread by hand but it simply wasn’t enough. The response was totally overwhelming and they sold out halfway through the show! At that point, they knew they had something special…

Fast forward to today....Their little cheese bread experiment became their passion, and now Brazi Bites can be found in hundreds of stores across the United States! They are as excited as they were the moment that first batch came out of the oven in their home kitchen. One bite and you’ll understand why!

Brazi Bites would make a great addition to your Thanksgiving dinner, holiday parties or Christmas dinners.

Brazi Bites will be on Shark Tank this Friday night (November 20, 2015) at 8PM (CST) and 9PM (EST) so make sure you tune in to see which shark or sharks partner with them.


You can also follow along with Brazi Bites over on their social media sites too: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Disclosure: Most of the information found in this post is from the Brazi website or their social media pages. No money exchanged hands and once I receive product I will be sharing my honest review with you, my favorite readers in the whole world! Read my disclosure policy here.

Bath & Body Works: All Full-Sized Body Lotions Just $3!

Today only (November 14, 2015), you can get all Full-Sized Bath & Body Works Lotions for just $3! Enter coupon code 3FORME at checkout to get this deal.

There is a limit of 15 per person. This sale is valid both in-store and online.

Litiholo Hologram Kit makes for a Cool Christmas Gift!

Holograms are cool – holograms you can make yourself are even cooler! Create your own 3D laser holograms at home or in your classroom with the Litiholo Hologram Kit. No chemicals or advanced degrees required! 

Includes step-by-step instructions to make the hologram process easy, educational and fun! It’s so simple, you could be making your first hologram in about an hour. Best of all, with the Litiholo “Instant Hologram” Film Plates, you spend all your time making holograms, not developing them. 

Purchase your Litiholo Hologram Kit HERE at this link.

Disclosure: I was given the product featured in this HGG-No money exchanged hands

Etch A Sketch, the World’s Famous Drawing Toy, Turns 55 this Year

Etch A Sketch, the World’s Famous Drawing Toy® turns 55 in 2015! All four of our children had one when they were younger and those Etch A Sketch's provided literally hours of entertainment for them!

No batteries, No problem. With the classic Etch A Sketch®, your children can twist and turn to create their masterpieces! Just turn both the horizontal or vertical knobs and watch the magic screen as lines begin to form. It’s easy to draw, all it takes is a steady hand and a creative spark. When finished, just shake it and start the fun all over again.

Etch A Sketch made it into my Holiday Gift Guide this year because I know you (yes, you!) and your little one will love it! It will keep your little one entertained and bring back a lot of memories for you (the adult) while you make memories that your little one will remember for a lifetime!

Etch A Sketch is always portable, the 6.25 x 4.5 inch screen is perfect for home or on the go. Recommended for ages 3 years +.

Purchase an Etch A Sketch HERE at this link.

Disclosure: I was given the product featured in this HGG-No money exchanged hands

Books for your Holiday Gift Guide: The New York Times 'Tis The Season Crosswords

Celebrate the season with The New York Times 'Tis The Season crosswords! Gorgeous and glittering - this book is the perfect gift for the puzzlers on your list. It's packed with 165 of America's favorite crosswords from The New York Times and crossword legend Will Shortz in a beautiful, winter-themed package that's sure to delight puzzlers everywhere.

You can purchase this crossword book here at this link.

Disclosure: I received the book featured in this HGG--no money exchanged hands.

Julep: Jingles Bells Welcome Box, $2.99 Shipped

You can request a new Jingle Bells Welcome Box for FREE to try out a Julep Subscription. Use the code JINGLES.

The box includes smoky-taupe eye liner and a trio of festive polishes.

Shipping is $2.99 or free if you order $10 in extras.

If you Love your box.....

As a JULEP MAVEN SUBSCRIBER, you get first access to trend setting colors and top-rated beauty products every month. If you choose to keep the service, every month you get more than $40 of full-size products for $24.99 per month (prepay for (3) months at a time and save $15).

Disclosure: The links in this post are my affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Books for your Holiday Gift Guide: Miracle on 133rd Street

An urban family’s dilemma becomes a community celebration in this delectable holiday treat from Sonia Manzano, also known as “Maria” on Sesame Street.

It’s Christmas Eve and Mami has bought a delicious roast for a Christmas feast. But, oh no! It’s too big to fit in the oven. Jose and Papa need to find an oven big enough to cook Mami’s roast. As they walk from door to door through their apartment building, no one seems to be in the Christmas spirit. So they head down the street to find someone willing to help, and only when they do, lo and behold, the scent—the itself magical smell—of dinner begins to spread, and holiday cheer manifests in ways most unexpected.....

Purchase this book here at this link.

Disclosure: I received the book featured in this HGG--no money exchanged hands.

Books for your Holiday Gift Guide: A Dog in the Manger and Other Christmas Stories

A Dog in the Manger and Other Christmas Stories is a collection of tales that capture the chaos of the yuletide while also portraying the power of Christmas to shepherd souls of all kinds—young, old, hopeful, lost, content, confused—to confront and redefine faith in the face of spiritual adversity.

It's sure to inspire reflection and retelling, these stories celebrate the miracles of everyday life, showing that strangers can become angels, foes can become good Samaritans, and neighborhoods can become communities of faith. Even the most chaotic incidents bring people closer to themselves, their families, their communities, and to God during the Christmas season.

Purchase this book here at this link.

Disclosure: I received the book featured in this HGG--no money exchanged hands.

The Mill Fudge Factory Fudge is a Must have this Holiday Season

Just in time for the 2015 holiday season, the family-owned and operated Mill Fudge Factory & Ice Cream Café is now offering its delectable line of hand-crafted fudge nationally through its online shop at www.themillfudgefactory.com . The Bristol, NH-based small business, founded by the Munro family in 2006, uses the family's secret Scottish recipe and 100% natural ingredients to create authentic fudge unlike any that can be found on this side of the Atlantic.

The Mill Fudge Factory fudge is available in an assortment of classic and inventive flavors, including Belgian Chocolate, Chocolate Walnut, Natural Peanut Butter, Scottish Whiskey, Pure New Hampshire Maple, Bailey's Irish Cream, Pumpkin Pie and much more.

Our family was sent a sampling of their fudge, my favorite was the Chocolate Walnut! It was rich with flavor and had plenty of nuts in it---just the way I like my fudge!

The Factory also offers an assortment of decadent truffles and toffee. All confections are available in gift baskets and elegant sampler boxes.

Be sure to check out all their holiday gifts HERE at this link.

Disclosure: I was given the product featured in this HGG-No money exchanged hands

Personalized Pillowcase – Just $4.99 – Save $17! (Makes for Great Christmas Gifts)

Personalized Pillowcase – Just $4.99 – Save $17! Use Code: SLUMBER.

S&H Not Included....Standard Shipping: $4.99
New Customers Only. 1 Use Of Code.
Cannot Combine Coupon Codes. Exp. 11-20-2015.

CLICK HERE to buy now

Disclosure: The links in this post are my affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Check these Ugly Christmas Sweaters Out!

UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATERS really do exist, buy yours here at THIS LINK.

This one is actually cute!

Disclosure: The links in this post are my affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Little Tikes Tumble Train (Holiday Gift Guide)

Press the button on the smoke stack to start the Little Tikes Tumble Train. As the train moves along, the track will tumble around everywhere inspiring kids to get up and move to chase after it! The train will randomly reverse directions at times causing the track to roll in unpredictable directions that will capture your child's attention! For quieter play time, the train can be removed from the tracks for use on a flat surface.

Little Tikes is all about getting kids active; keeping their imaginations in motion and this is the one toy that will to both!

Purchase the Little Tikes Tumble Train here at this link.

The Little Tikes Tumble Train made it into my Holiday Gift Guide this year because it is built well and it does exactly what it says it will do--keep your child active!

Disclosure: I was given the product featured in this HGG-No money exchanged hands

Little Tikes Cook ‘n Store Kitchen for your Holiday Gift Guide this year

The Little Tikes Cook ‘n Store Kitchen is a play kitchen set that comes fully assembled and compactly folds up for easy storage! This unique, pink play kitchen has plenty of storage for all of the 32 accessories. Examples of accessories include food, utensils, pots, and more. Kids will love cooking up their imaginations with the pink Cook 'n Store kitchen!

The Little Tikes Cook ‘n Store Kitchen is for 18 months and older.

We got our girls something similar when they were little and it provided hours of fun for them; their brothers even enjoyed 'cooking' on the stove too!

Purchase the Little Tikes Cook ‘n Store Kitchen here at this link.

The Little Tikes Cook ‘n Store Kitchen made it into my Holiday Gift Guide this year because I know, from personal experience, that your little one will receive hours of playtime on it before they outgrow it--truly a great investment.

Disclosure: I was given the product featured in this HGG-No money exchanged hands

Lalaloopsy, Let's Dance - Peanut Big Top (2015 Holiday Gift Guide)

Lalaloopsy were once rag dolls who magically came to life when their very last stitch was sewn. Each doll has her own personality that comes from the fabrics that were used to make her. They live in a fantastical world full of silly surprises.

With your love, and a bit of imagination, the Lalaloopsy magic can go on forever. Peanut Big Top is ready for her best performance yet! Now she can sing and dance with you! Just put on the magical bow (included in the package), and start dancing! She really recognizes your dance moves! When you dance silly, Peanut dances silly! When you dance SUPER silly, Peanut dances SUPER silly! She even plays freeze dance!

Peanut Big Top made it into my Holiday Gift Guide this year because not only is she cute and silly, but because she made my husband dance and act silly when interacting with a certain cute little girl who was delighted to receive Peanut as a gift!

Buy Now here at this link and get $10 off---but hurry for the discount!

Disclosure: I received the product featured in this HGG-No money exchanged hands.

New Star Wars Personalized Books for Kids at Mabel's Labels

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

This holiday season, treat the little Star Wars fan in your life to a unique adventure with a new personalized Star Wars book for kids! In the Mabel's Labels Personalized Book: My Adventures with Star Wars, Princess Leia is being held hostage by Darth Vader and the Imperial Forces. The star of the book helps Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, R2-D2 and C-3PO rescue the beautiful princess and help the Rebel Alliance restore freedom and justice to the Galaxy. 

Discover all the great new products Mabel's Labels has for the holidays. There are all sorts of ways to be merry with Mabel's this year!