October 2, 2014
Kong – King of the Apes, Coming to Netflix in 2016!
Parents get ready! A new animation is coming to Netflix in 2016: Kong – King of the Apes an original series for kids from Avi Arad!
October 2, 2014
The @IdiotsGuide to Slow Cooker Cooking #review
With fall on our doorstep (I am teary as we say goodbye to our beautiful summer months!) out comes my slow cooker and my determination to master the art of slow cooking. When I first bought my slow cooker (I had to have one because my Dad has one) it literally sat in the cupboards for a year and a half without being used and just collecting dust. Why? I had no idea what to do with it! Sounds silly right but it seemed like a lot of work when I could cook it all on the stove one time. I can now say 100% that I was wrong – it is God sent!
The Idiot’s Guide to Slow Cooker Cooking arrived on my door step last week and I was super stoked to hop right in and take advantage of all the delicious recipes. The Idiot’s Guide has been revamped and now in full colour, beautiful photography and a gorgeous cover page while still staying true to it’s roots and allowing readers to learn new things in an easy way. I love how much work went into revamping the guides – they are beautiful!
The Idiot’s Guide to Slow Cooker Cooking contains over 120 recipes ranging from breakfast, dessert, meals broken down by protein source to breads (yes breads!). Start off with the basics on a slow cooker (trust me this is a must if you are still learning how to use your machine properly!) and then dive into the amazing recipes . My favourite ones? The top one has to be a Philly cheese steak sandwich as I would never have even thought to prepare something like this in my slow cooker. I have only ever really used it for chilli’s and soup before! This is followed closely by a creamy broccoli cheese soup, sloppy joes and tri tip beef stroganoff – aren’t these names making you hungry right now?!
Each recipe comes with details on how many servings it will yield, serving size along with the length of time to cook the meal in your slow cooker. Each page also has helpful tips on making variations or how to perfect that recipe. The pictures are large and mouth watering with easy to follow instructions (a must have in a recipe book for me!). With it’s smaller size and soft cover format it is the perfect book to hide away in the kitchen and whip out when you need to make that perfect meal. A slow cooker is the perfect solution for busy families with limited time to still prepare a healthy meal at home!
Check out the Idiot’s Guide – As Easy As It Gets boutique and receive a 30% discount for a limited time!
Do you have a special go to slow cooker recipe that you love?
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
October 2, 2014
Eye Wonder Sharks from DK Canada #review
Do you have a little one in your home who loves sharks? We have two huge shark fans – so big we aren’t allowed to plan vacations during Shark Week otherwise they may miss an episode which just can not happen. I have to admit that these beautiful creatures hold a special place in my heart as well for many reasons. We love to discover new facts, learn about new sharks and their habits.
The Eye Wonder series is a precursor to the Eyewitness series and is specially designed for the 5+ crowd. The book comes in hardcover format (perfect for young kids who are not always as gentle as they could be) with large, beautiful photographs. The photographs and accompanying easy to read vocabulary made it the perfect book for us to read together as a family. We could easily open the book, pick out a photo and learn all about that shark in easy to use terms. I fell in love with the big, bold and bright photographs that truly showcase the beauty of sharks.
We were able to learn about a great variety of sharks from big to small as well as some odd looking ones we never knew about before. We looked at their teeth, eating habits, gills and so much more. I even learned some new stuff (Mom even sat down with the book after the kids went to bed so that I could read more too – love books like that!). As if Eye Wonder Sharks couldn’t get any better -at the end of the book they include eight pages of activities for your child to really dive in and enhance the complete learning experience. A win-win for us!
This book was such a hit that our eldest took the book to school and has kept it there for his friends and him to read during their breaks! That is when you know a book has done it’s job – it has engaged and sparked their curiosity to learn!
Check out the DK Canada Back to School boutique for more exciting Eye Wonder series as well as great workbooks to get your child back in the swing of things. The boutique is also offering a 30% off discount for a limited time so make sure to get in on that discount before it is gone!
Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
September 29, 2014
Buried Beneath the Words by Betel Arnold #review
Words are powerful. They have the power to empower an individual but they can also do so much damage. Betel Arnold explores these words in her book, Buried Beneath the Words.
About Buried Beneath the Words
Words are everywhere. Accusing, blaming and degrading words are the worst. After hearing these words too many times we begin to feel the weight of them threatening to crush the very life out of us. Betel shares her true life story about the different ways someone can end up buried beneath the weight of negative words. Betel shares a Christian course for how God’s words can revive us. By putting the advice given within these pages into practice you will experience an awakening of the real you – the you that has been buried way too long.
My Thoughts
This book arrived at an important time in my life. I too feel the constant weight of words on my shoulders – I find it hard to let go of the things that have been said to me in the past or are currently being said. I hold on to them and let them eat away at me. Those words even have the power to shatter my self confidence.
Betel tells her own personal stories – many of which I think all of us can relate to as we have been through similar events in our lives. She also uses her novel to help us work through these moments by writing down memories, words and phrases that have hurt us. I loved this part as it is one thing to read a novel and try to understand what the author is telling you to do and another to actually work through her teachings.
Betel shares many scripture passages throughout the novel. I found them comforting and eye opening. Most I had never learned before and have saved them to my desk top to come back to when I am feeling hurt or alone. My favourite passage she shared:
You can find more reviews on the Litfuse blog tour here. You can purchase a copy of her book here.
Rating: 5/5
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
September 29, 2014
Breakfast Muffins #recipe
Breakfast is the busiest time of the day in our home as we try to get everyone up, fed and ready to head out the door. Since breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day we don’t want to miss out! This simple to prepare and bake recipe has quickly become a favourite in our home. The bonus? It also doubles as the perfect snack on the go!
Ingredients
- One cup of shredded zucchini
- One cup of shredded carrot
- One cup of finely cut red peppers
- Six extra large eggs
- Twelve muffin liners
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350F.
- Shred your zucchini and carrots and set aside in a bowl. Finely cut up your red peppers and place in the bowl.
- Crack six extra large eggs, add about a tbs of water and mix together.
- Slowly pour the eggs on top of the vegetables. Mix the egg mixture in well so that the vegetables are evenly spread out.
- Place one muffin liner into each muffin hole in the baking tray. I prefer using the liners to make for an easier clean up. Using a spoon pour the mixture into the muffin liners. Ensure that each muffin is roughly the same level.
- Place in your oven and allow to cook for 15-20 minutes – because of varying oven times check the muffins out at the fifteen minute mark. If the egg is cooked remove them from the oven. If not allow the extra couple of minutes to ensure that the egg is cooked.
You can store the extras in your fridge and warm them up for when you are hungry. Do you have a go to breakfast recipe for busy mornings?
