Monday, August 27, 2012

10,000 Facebook Fan GIVEAWAY!!!! #Giveaway

This time last year, I was celebrating 3,000 Facebook Fans with a giveaway!  That means, we have gained more than 7,000 Facebook fans in 1 year!  Can you believe it?!  I think it's amazing!  I want to thank each and every one of you for for all of your support, "likes," comments, shares, and so much more!

To kick of the Celebration, we recently got a MAKEOVER!!!!!!!  I couldn't think of a better time to "dress up" the site!  I'm so excited to be sharing it with 10,000 of you!

To celebrate YOU, my facebook fans, MANY businesses that support "A Busy Mom's Slow Cooker Adventures" have come together to offer you PRIZES!!!!!  It's easy to enter!

RULE #1:  You HAVE to be A Busy Mom's Slow Cooker Adventures Facebook fan!
RULE #2: Please be honest and do all of the required entries.  They involve liking or visiting our vendors pages.  They were very generous to donate these items and we want to show our appreciation!

You do NOT have to do ALL of the steps on the Rafflecopter Widget below.  The first 26 are required because our vendors were generous enough to donate items, so we can be generous enough to like/visit their pages.  All of the steps after that are OPTIONAL and will say "optional" in front of them.  Don't try to like all the facebook pages in one day, or facebook will think you are spamming and block you from liking/commenting for a few days! Spread out your entries over a few days. :)

*You must be a U.S. Resident 18+ to enter this giveaway.  The widget will close on it's own at 12:01 a.m. EST on September 25, 2012.  Winners will be randomly chosen through Rafflecopter.  Winners will be announced on the blog withing 24 hours of the closing of this contest.  It will be the winners' responsibility to claim their prize from each vendor.  Some people may win multiple prizes.  Pleaes note that some of these prizes are "local" while others can ship anywhere.  Good luck!

PLEASE visit/"like" each of the websites and/or facebook pages of each of these businesses.  It was incredibly generous of them to to donate to our giveaway!

Prize #1
Embroidered Onesie and Bib "Lunch is on me"
(onesie size can be chosen by winner)



Prize #2
One-Month Family Pass (Valued at $60.00)



1 dozen Gourmet Cupcakes



Prize#4
$25 Gift Certificate



Prize #5
2 Free Candles (a $26 retail value)




Prize #6
$25 Gift Certificate



Prize #7
Invitation Kit with Matching Cupcake Liners and Toppers



Prize #8
Thermal Tote



Prize #9

Zipper Pouch



Prize #10
12 Month Personalized Photo Calendar




Prize #11
Free 30 minute Studio Photo Session
with 8x10 and 4x5 Accordian Album




Prize #12
Twitter Handle @MedID559
MedID Card is a 2GB credit card-sized retractable flash drive with a proprietary software program to keep track of your health records. This is great for parents to access to the info without having to worry about lost little pieces of paper, have for their kids when it comes to filling out medical forms for school, if you have your kids stay with relatives with you are away from them, or just for the piece of mind



Prize #13
Stacy Kraus, Thirty-One
$20 Gift Certificate



Prize #14
Cinch-It-Up Themal Tote in aqua cirlce spirals, a small rossette clip in black, a dark denim Key Fob and a black paisley parade nail file



Prizes #15 & 16
2 Bundle Packs of KidLoks to 2 Separate Winners!
Bundle Packs include: Daddy, Mommy, Brother, Sister, Baby and three hooks (oak) to be used with KidLok bands.  $15 value + FREE SHIPPING!
KidLok is a childproofing safety device that is easy to install and requires no tools, no screws and will not damage your cabinets or doors.



Prize #17
Twitter: @dimplesbbqsauce
Dimples Prize Pack



Prize #18
Distressed Menu ChalkBoard



Prize #19
1 Personalized Blanket



Prize #20
Crayon Roll
(fabric pattern may be different than pictured)


Prize #21
Cupcake Bouquet



Prize #22
$100 Voucher for a Full Weekend Service Stay
*No other discounts apply



Prize #23
1 Grapeseed Oil


Prize #24
Lunch Tote



Prize #25
Cinch It Up Thermal Tote



Prizes #26 & 27
2- $25 Restaurant.com Gift Cards to 2 separate winners!


Prize #28
Twitter: @Metrodetroitmom
$25 Gift Card or $25 worth of AdSpace on metrodetroitmommy.com to one of our Vendors who share this giveaway!



Prize #29
Kindermusik Kit ($45 Value)
Two Home CDs, Two Literature BooksHome Activity Book, Instrument and Sturdy Storage/ Carry Bag


Prize #30
Standard Cleaning (within 25 minutes of 48092)






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Back to School GIVEAWAY!



It's back-to-school time!!!!   (I know, I'm in denial too!)  Who's ready for a GIVEAWAY?!!!
As we busily send our kids off to school for an exciting new year, we want to provide you with a fun giveaway to help make the start of your "school year" terrific!

Prizes Include:
20 Whole Coupon Inserts
Envelope of Free Product Coupons
$22 To Spend at Re-Pac Bags
Crock Pot Recipes Cookbook with Tongs & Ladle
Expandable Coupon Holder
$10 Chick-fil-A Gift Card


To enter the giveaway, please "Like" their Facebook pages from the rafflecopter form below.  Giveaway ends Friday, 8/31/12.



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Sunday, August 26, 2012

We're getting a makeover!

In the past year, I've gained roughly 7,000 fans over on facebook, I'm published in over 15 of The Patch every Sunday,  I've co-hosted Networking Squared twice, attended a Kenmore Blogger Summit in Chicago and the list goes on!  It's all incredibly exciting!  I'm so blessed!

To celebrate, A Busy Mom's Slow Cooker Adventures has a new logo and a new look!  Please pardon the "dust" while we get things JUST RIGHT!  If things aren't looking right to you, you don't need glasses!  LOL!  We'll get things all lined back up and looking nice and pretty!  Don't you worry!  All the quirks will be worth it in the end!

Thank you for helping me accomplish ALL of this!  Without you, and GOD, none of this would be possible!!!!


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The Oogieloves in the BIG Balloon Adventure #RatedGGG: GIVEAWAY!

Kenn Viselman, the creator of The Oogieloves in the BIG Balloon Adventure (due out “Oogust” 29th) believes in the The Power of Mom. So much so he and his team have been traveling around the country engaging bloggers in conversations about what constitutes quality G-rated entertainment. Other than a few wildlife documentaries and a re-release in a popular children’s movie in 3-D, Hollywood has completely ignored the youngest moviegoer. The best they give us for our kids – animated PG films – are loaded with aggression and bloodshed.

Moms: You have the power to change what Hollywood pushes on your children. In fact, there is no voice more powerful than yours. You control the home, the family budget and your child’s welfare. Aren’t you tired of watching moms die in the first ten minutes of so many animated movies? Aren’t you tired of seeing your children confused by the aggression towards their beloved movie characters? There’s no place for such violence in a children’s movie. Enough is enough.

It’s this “enough is enough” attitude that got Kenn Viselman, the marketing genius who introduced us to Teletubbies, Thomas the Tank EngineNoddy and Eloise, mad as h*ll. The end result: The Oogieloves in the BIG Balloon Adventure, a film that reinvents the movie-going experience. This film – basically a movie and a live show rolled into one - is the first-of-its-kind interactive family musical that encourages the audience to get out of their seats, dance, and sing. Visual and auditory cues invite the audience to “move” the action along, allowing parents and kids to interact not only with the characters, but also with one another.

The story follows the Oogieloves - Goobie, Zoozie and Toofie - as they prepare for a surprise birthday party for their friend, Schluufy. When their guardian, J. Edgar, loses the last five magical balloons in all of Lovelyloveville, the Oogieloves take action. Along the way, they meet Rosalie Rosebud (Toni Braxton), Dottie Rounder (Cloris Leachman), Lola and Lero Sombrero (Jaime Pressly and Christopher Lloyd), Milky Marvin (Chazz Palminteri), and Bobby Wobbly (Cary Elwes). The movie opens in theaters “Oogust” 29th.

On Opening Day, every child will be given a glow in the dark wand!  It will help the movie become more of a family musical event, rather than just a plain ole' movie!  Ella got one at the premier and it was UBER fun!!

To find movie times and theatres near you showing The Oogieloves in the BIG Balloon Adventure, please visit http://www.fandango.com/theoogielovesinthebigballoonadventure_130726/movietimes?date=8/29/2012
THEATERS will be added on an ongoing basis through next week. IF you don't see a theater near you, please feel free to email Jeanne at Jeanmuch@aol.com, tweet and facebook it. The more noise our army of supporters makes, the more our voices will be heard. (You can also ask your movie theatre's general manager as it's very possible that theater MAY be showing it but just didn't post it yet.)

I'm honored to be able to giveaway 1 Oogieloves Kids Prize Pack to one of my loyal followers!  It is a $150 value!  Please enter through Rafflecopter below.  The winner will be chosen on September 2 at 12:01 a.m. EST.  You must do all on Rafflecopter to be entered to win the prize!




 More info can be found at www.oogielovesinfo.com.  Be sure to check out the educational Parent Guide at www.oogieloves.comThere is no force greater than The Power of Mom. Kenn hopes and believes a “mom army” of blogging supporters can be a game changer.


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*Disclaimer: I am not being compensated in any way for this blog post.  All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. Print Friendly and PDF

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Oh, WOW!  A Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar with Vegetables in it, so I can sneak those into my kids?!!!!  YES!!!!!  These were delicious!!!  They are made with Oatmeal Flour (which is simply ground up oats,) so these are really healthy!  Yes, they have a bit of sugar in them, but really, a very small amount in comparison to what you'll be putting in your mouth.

I adapted Chocolate Covered Katie's Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe as the base batter for this and then doctored it up!  When you start with something excellent to begin with, you end up with something excellent!  

I cannot wait for you to try these!  Ready?!  Set?! BAKE!!!!

P.S.  I'm posting this post from my iPad for the first time EVER!  It was not easy, but I "think" I've done it.  If things aren't lined up, or look "off," I apologize in advance!

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars


Ingredients:
2 1/3 cup oat flour (throw some oats in a food processor and grind them into a powder)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. milk
3/4-1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions: (I used a 7 Quart Crock for this, but a 4 Quart or greater would be fine)
To make your oat flour, place your oats in a food processor and grind them into a powder.


Next in a bowl, place all of your dry ingredients.
 Mix them up.
 Now, add the zucchini, vanilla and vegetable oil.

 Start to mix it up and then add your milk, 1 Tbsp. at a time.  You don't want the batter to be too thin. If you feel it's thin enough after 1 Tbsp. stop there.  If not, add another.
 Pour the batter into your crock that is sprayed really well with non-stick cooking spray.
Cook on LOW for about 2 hours, with paper towel underneath the lid to absorb condensation, or until the edges are browned and the middle no longer looks "soupy."  It will continue to cook once you turn it off.  Let it cool completely before trying to cut and remove your "bars!"
Enjoy!







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Tuesday, August 21, 2012

"The Best Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie" Non-Slow-Cooker Recipe


Last week, we celebrated 3 birthdays! That makes for A LOT of sweet treats!  I made frosted brownies for Ella's friend Ava and special cupcakes for my husband within 2 days.  By day 3, I wasn't ready for another super unhealthy treat.  LOL!  For some reason, I had it stuck in my head that I wanted to make a giant chocolate chip cookie. I figured MAYBE there would be a recipe for a healthy chocolate chip cookie somewhere!

I turned to my favorite "sweet-treat" blogger, Chocolate Covered Katie. She never lets me down!  When I went to make Gavin's homemade healthy birthday cake, I used her Chocolate Frosting Shots recipe for the chocolate frosting on Gavin's Monkey Cake for his first birthday.
Katie, has a recipe for "The Best Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies" on her site that I decided to try my hand at for my giant cookie!  She has graciously given me permission to post the recipe here for you!

So, here it is, with my method since I made a giant cookie and did not use nuts.  I  also doubled every ingredient in this recipe for my cookie.  I cooked mine on the small Pampered Chef round pizza stone.


  • 2/3 cup plus 1/2 cup oat flour (140g) (you just put oatmeal into a food processor and process it into dust!)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 4 tbsp brown sugar or brown coconut sugar or Sucanat (I used brown sugar)
  • 4 tbsp xylitol or white sugar or evaporated cane juice (I used white sugar)
  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup chopped macadamia nuts or sub another nut (I omitted the nuts)
  • 3 tbsp to 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I did not measure these.....just poured them in until it looked like enough!)
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil (I used vegetable)
  • 3-5 tbsp milk of choice, as needed (I ended up using too much and adding more flour, so as you're mixing, add the milk SLOWLY 1 Tbsp. at a time and wait for it to work it's way through your batter.  You don't want your batter to be runny so that it will stay put on your stone!)
Preheat oven to 380 degrees. Combine all dry ingredients and mix very well. Add wet, and form into a big ball. Now make little balls from the big one. For soft cookies, refrigerate until cold (otherwise, just bake right away). Bake 7 minutes, or until they’ve spread out and look just a little undercooked. Remove from oven when they’re still a little undercooked, then it’s important to let cookies cool at least 10 minutes before trying to remove from tray, as they’ll continue to cook while cooling. For soft cookies, store in a lidded plastic container. For crispy cookies, store in a lidded glass container.

I spooned my batter onto my pizza stone and spread it out in a circle, leaving about an inch around the sides.

Since I made one giant cookie, I had no idea how long this was going to need to cook for.  I started with 18 minutes and added 5 minutes each time from there.  I ended up cooking this giant cookie for about 30 minutes.
I waited for it to cool and then frosted it for our birthday celebration!  It was DELICIOUS!!!!  Everyone had seconds....leaving only 5 slices left (which I gave to our neighbors!)  I really hope you try this cookie(s)!  I think your kids will love them!  Thanks Chocolate Covered Katie!




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Sunday, August 19, 2012

Hawaiian Spare Ribs

YUUUUUMMMMMYYYYYY!!!!  This recipe started with my first-ever homemade barbecue sauce!  Need I continue?!!!!!!!  The sauce was delicious, so I knew the ribs would be too!  I was right!  These were a total hit!  My husband actually missed out on these, but our dinner guests (Miss Colleen and Ava) enjoyed them with the kids and me!  We had ours with some corn on the cob and instant mashed potatoes, with sour cream and fresh garlic chives mixed in.  DEEEE-lish!!!!

It doesn't take time to make the sauce, and TRUST me, it's worth it!!!!

Here's the one thing I would change for next time.  I would actually prop my ribs up on some crumpled up tinfoil on the bottom so that they are up out of the grease a bit.  They'll just be easier to pull out as well.

I hope you enjoy these as much as we did!

P.S.  You can use any kind of ribs in this recipe.  These are what were on sale when I was at the meat market!


Hawaiian Spare Ribs

Ingredients: (I used a 6 Quart Crock)
3.5 lbs. Spare Ribs (you can use any kind of ribs though)
2 Tbsp. Onion, minced
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 cup Ketchup
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. ginger
3/4 cup chopped pineapple
2 Tbsp. Corn Starch

Directions:
First, if you've never cut a fresh pineapple before, it can be scary!  Have no fear, I will help you!  I don't know that this is the exact "right" way, but it's my way and it works well!
Start by chopping off the top and bottom so you have nice flat surfaces on both ends.


Now, you are going to take a knife and trim the "skin" with the spikes off of the sides, strip by strip until you've made it all the way around.


There is a hard core in the middle of the pineapple, which you will now cut around.  I just start with one side and make a parallel cut.  I then do the same to the other side.  This gives me two "half moon" pieces.  I then trim the two smaller sides off.  Here's what it looks like.

Time to make your homemade barbecue sauce (you're going to be so impressed with yourself!)
In a saucepan, add the onion, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, dry mustard, ginger and chopped pineapple.

Stir it up and cook it on medium heat for about 5 mins, or until bubbly.
Stir in your corn starch and it will thicken right up!
(Pardon my  mess, LOL!)

I cut my spare ribs into about 3 rib pieces, but you can cut yours anyway you like.  Mine fit best in my crock this way.
So, place half of your ribs into your crock.
Pour half of your barbecue sauce over the top.
Repeat this process with the rest of your ribs and the rest of your barbecue sauce.
(If you needed to do 3 layers, you would just pour 1/3 of your sauce at a time.....or make more sauce if you're making more than just 3.5 lbs. of ribs)
Cook on LOW for 7-9 hours or on HIGH for 3.5-4.5 hours.
ENJOY!

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