Family * Travel * Food

#EBPlateDate "Brinner" Party

On Saturday evening, our family had a group of friends and family members over for an Eggland’s Best Plate Date “Brinner” Party. Our guests were all curious as to what kind of party this would be. Would you guess that there were tons of Eggland’s Best Eggs involved? I was thrilled to get to work with Eggland’s Best on the Plate Date campaign highlighting great ways to prepare eggs for busy families. You would not believe the vast ways you can cook an egg! I decided to stick with some kid-friendly recipes that are simple and tasty.

Our menu included: Deviled eggs (can't be a party without them!), Southwestern Egg Scramble (recipe below), French toast on honey wheat and Chicago Italian bread and blueberry crumb cake (after all, you have to eat your fruit)
I proudly wore my Eggland's Best apron :-) I would of posted photos of my guests but they preferred not to be in them. That, and my husband takes lousy photos!

LinkI went through dozens of eggs to prepare all of my dishes. I really love the cage-free brown eggs. They have become my new favorite! I made this Southwestern Egg Scramble from a recipe off of the EB site but I tweaked it a bit. Here is what you need:
10 Eggland's Best Eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
10 ounces cottage cheese, drained
1/2 lb shredded monterey jack cheese
1/2 lb shredded pepper jack cheese
2 scallions thinly sliced


Preheat oven to 400F
Spray a 13 X 9 casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside (I used pure butter).
In a medium bowl, blend flour, salt and baking powder together. Set aside.
Beat eggs thoroughly. Slowly add in flour mixture, beating well until all ingredients are incorporated.
Stir in melted butter, scallions, cottage cheese and jack & pepper jack cheeses and blend well.

Pour into baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350 and bake for an additional 35-40 minutes, or until browned. (I had to adjust my oven about 10 degrees lower than suggested)
Remove from oven and cool slightly. Cut into squares and serve.

I think that this dish was a big hit! Everyone loved it and they said it tasted like quiche. The kids all said it made them think of mac 'n cheese without the macaroni! This will be made at my next breakfast/brunch gathering for sure!

Our next favorite dish was the deviled eggs. I used the used the EB Hard-cooked, peeled eggs for the very first time. They came 6 to a bag. I opened the bag and was surprised that there was no eggyness... you know that lovely aroma you get when you boil eggs? Yep, none of that!

Even when I sliced them in half there was no eggy smell. I tell you what, this is a great convenience for when time is not on your side. No boiling, timing, peeling, cooling or heating up your kitchen. You can't beat that! I made my deviled eggs pretty much traditional with a little twist~ I used mayo, freshly cracked pepper, hot pepper sauce, sweet pickle relish, a little honey mustard sauce and a little bit of milk for a smoother consistency. I topped some off with freshly sliced scallion and left some without. I lightly sprinkled some smoky Paprika as a finishing touch. Simple and delicious!
Everyone had such a great time chatting and catching up as well as talking about Eggland's Best Eggs. Thanks to the generosity of Eggland's Best, each guest received a coupon for a FREE dozen eggs. I have a feeling I might have converted all my guests into EB fans. I loved hosting this fun party and I want to say THANK YOU so much to Eggland's Best for making it possible by providing product coupons, cooking utensils and a gift card to help with the extras.

Be sure to check out Eggland's Best on Facebook & Twitter!

Shelly, Mom Files
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Eggland's Best Giveaway {Closed}

Winner is #181 Donald~ Congratulations!

It's no secret that my family loves Eggland's Best eggs. We are self-proclaimed egg snobs and will only buy the Eggland's Best brand. I know it sounds crazy but I have never seen such clean eggs. I am not talking about the shell, but the actual egg. They even taste clean! Knowing that they are high in Vitamin D, B12 and E as well as a good source of Omega 3 and Lutein make then even better. Oh and they have 25% less saturated fat than regular eggs! I was offered some eggs from a family member recently for free and the first question I asked was "Are they Eggland's Best?" I found out they were not, so I politely passed on them.

We are going to be hosting an Eggland's Best "Plate Date Brinner Party" tomorrow evening. We will prepare some dishes to share with our guests that incorporate eggs of course! I will be posting details of the party next week along with recipes and photos. Be sure to check back! *Edited* Post is up!

Our friends at Eggland's Best have provided an awesome EB gift pack filled with goodies for one lucky Momfiles reader to win. The gift pack will include: an Apron, Spatula, Whisk, Ramekins, 60 minute timer, Plush egg, Eco bag and 3 coupons for FREE Eggland's Best Eggs!

To enter: Tell us your favorite way to eat eggs.

For extra entries:
~Share a kid-friendly egg recipe (3 entries)
~"like" Eggland's Best and Momfiles on Facebook
~Mention this giveaway on Facebook and leave a link
~Follow Eggland's Best and Momfiles on Twitter
~Tweet this giveaway (once daily) and leave a link to your Tweet:
Enter to win an @EgglandsBest gift pack from @momfiles http://tinyurl.com/3vf28cs #giveaway #food
~Follow Momfiles via Google Friend Connect
~ Leave a comment on my #EBPlateDate Brinner Party post (2 entries)

This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on September 7, 2011 at 9:00 pm EST. One winner will will be chosen at random and contacted via email. Please leave your email address in your comment if you do not have a Blogger Profile. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Items might differ from image. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received products as well as a gift card for working on the "Plate Date" campaign. All opinions are 100% mine as always.
Shelly, Mom Files
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Nerds make my day!

I was driving Chardie and Brie to school this morning like I always do. Wednesdays are my favorite because they have late start. This means a little extra sleep and a more relaxed morning. Even before the girls get in the car they start up with all sorts of chatter, jokes and foolishness. Of course being the awesome mom I am, I fully participate in the shenanigans! I laugh myself almost to tears most mornings. This morning the topic was science classes. Chardie had to double up on sciences since she could not fit Biology in her schedule freshman year. So this means both Chardie and Brie take Biology, same teacher but different periods. Brie told Chardie she wishes they could have been in the same class so that they could work on projects together. This is where I intervened. I told them that I know their projects would be the best of the best because of how much they put into every part of it... research, proper grammar, neatness... They both agreed and then made a confession. They said that when they do projects with other students they redo a lot of it. Brie says she saves all the work in her thumb drive and offers to print the project out for the group. What she really does is fix everything that was wrong or correct typos. Both girls admitted that if it was up to them that they would do the whole project themselves so they can get an excellent grade. I tell you what, those girls amaze and inspire me. They care so much about their school work and strive to be the best. Makes me proud. Makes me want to do even better. Most people think I am nuts for driving the kids to school and picking them up since the bus stop is right in front of our house. It costs me a small fortune in gas each week. I don't care. What I get out of our morning conversations in the car is priceless!
Shelly, Mom Files
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The Random Question Meme

I was catching up to reading blogs and came across this post of 20 random things from my girl Kristin so I figured why not... I'm lazy anyway ;) She got the post idea from here. (Like Kristin did, a couple question were edited to make sense)

1. When showering, do you start the water and then get in, or get in then start the water? I start the water and then get in.

2. Have you ever showered with someone of the opposite sex? Um yeah!! Isn't it the green thing to do?

3. Were you ever been forced to shower with one of your siblings? Yes *evil glare*

4. Have you ever dropped your soap on your foot? Yes, I'm clumsy like that.

5. How old do people say you look? I get anywhere from 18-20 something. I don't argue with that!

6. How old do you act? My daughters tell me I act like a child most of the time. I agree. I think I act like I am in my 20's since I don't feel as old as I am. I do however know when to act my age ;)

7. What’s the last song you sang? Party Rock. I blame it on the teenagers.

8. Have you recently become a member of anything? Yes, a couple Facebook Groups.

9. What are your plans for next weekend? I am hosting a dinner party and we will see what else happens.

10. Do you kiss with your eyes open or closed? Both!

11. Whats the sexiest thing about Sarah Palin? She is pretty and that is about it. I think once she opens her mouth all sexiness goes out the door.

12. Who’s the sexiest famous woman alive? Halle Berry.

13. Who’s the sexiest famous man alive? George Clooney

14. Does your family have a crazy uncle? Of course! Don't we all?

15. Have you ever smuggled something into another country? No.

16. Do you live in a city with a good sports team? According to the local people, Yes. I personally don't care.

17. What is the most unusual thing you are obsessed with? I can't stand dirty car windows or any dirty glass surfaces. I have cleaned other people's car windows because it bothered me that much.

18. How do feel about the Goth people? They are people and are entitled to being who they are!

19. Can you fix or your significant other your own car? Hell no.

20. Would you want to kill Casey Anthony yourself if you were guaranteed to get away with it? No way. Not my style...I'm way too pretty to be violent. Now you mess with my kids....

Feel free to participate and let me know if you do :)
Shelly, Mom Files
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Eco Nuts™ Review & Giveaway

**Contest Closed** Winner is #40 T42vek20- Congratulations! I received a bottle of Eco Nuts™ Natural Laundry Soap to try out. I was pretty amazed that 4 ounce bottle I received can wash 24 loads of laundry or 48 in HE machines. I thought to myself that it could not be true. How can anything that looks like watery maple syrup and smells like the earth clean your clothing? I had to learn more... Eco Nuts™ is made from Soap Nuts. What on earth are Soap Nuts you ask? Eco Nuts™ are completely sustainable dried fruit shells that come from the Sapindus mukorossi tree (also called the Soap Berry or Soap Nut Tree) in Nepal, India and Indonesia. The ones they harvest come from high up in the Himalayas and are the highest quality "soap nut" on the market. These fruit shells have been used in India and China for centuries, and are now gaining popularity in America and Europe as a renewable, biodegradable and organic alternative to chemical detergents and expensive “Green” laundry soaps.

Eco Nuts™ contain saponin, a natural cleaner that works as a surfactant, breaking the surface tension of the water to penetrate the fibers of your clothing, lifting stains from the fabric and leaving dirt suspended in the water that is rinsed away.

Eco Nuts™ are gentle on both clothes and skin, making them ideal for those with sensitive skin, eczema, allergies and psoriasis. Because they are so mild, they are perfect for baby clothes and cloth diapers. All-Natural Eco Nuts™ are also great for septic and grey water systems. But don’t expect these shells to foam up like commercial soaps, which have artificial foaming agents. Foam simply does not represent cleaning power.
As you can see, there is no suds or foam when using Eco Nuts™
After testing this product on a few loads I found that it really worked. One capful washes a regular load. I sniffed the first load I did of towels and they smelled like.... well, like nothing. Just like clean laundry with no fragrance. Everything came out soft and free of stains. I am so amazed how well this products worked and love the fact that you can get so many loads out of such a small bottle.

Eco Nuts™ Are:
• Biodegradable
• Hypoallergenic
• Perfect for Sensitive Skin, Allergies, Eczema, Psoriasis
• Nut Allergy Safe!
• 100% Natural and Free From Manmade Chemicals
• Beneficial For Septic and Gray Water Systems
• Sustainable
• Fragrance Free
• Reusable
• Vegan Friendly, Vegan Approved
• Certified Organic By EcoCert and USDA at the Source
Link
How would you like to win a bottle to try out for yourself? One LinkMomfiles winner will receive one 4 ounce bottle of Eco Nuts™ Natural Laundry Soap.

Just leave a comment telling us why you want to win this product.
For extra entries:
~ Follow Eco Nuts™ and Momfiles on Twitter
~ Tweet this giveaway once daily and leave a link:
Win a bottle of @EcoNuts Natural Laundry Soap @momfiles http://tinyurl.com/3enygoc #green #laundry #giveaway
~ "Like" Eco Nuts™ and Momfiles on Facebook
~ Mention this giveaway on Facebook and leave a link

This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on August 31, 2011 at 9:00 pm EST. One winner will be chosen at random and contacted via email. Please leave your email address in your comment if you do not have a Blogger Profile. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received a product sample to review and all opinions are 100% mine as always.

Shelly, Mom Files
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School is back in session!

I was up bright and early this morning to take the girls to school. Chardie was the first one off since she has an early bird class. She was ready and very excited to start her junior year.

I came back home and did a few things for about 30 minutes and then I was back in the car going back to the same school to take Brie. I am giving her up to 2 weeks to get acclimated with her new school scene and then she will get dropped off with Chardie. I am not doing all that extra driving if I don't need to!

I leave you with this classic video that parents all over the place are thinking in their heads ;)


Happy Back-to-school!
Shelly, Mom Files
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Freshie!

Here is our high school freshman dressed and ready to start her first day at her new school!
You can't see it but her bands on her braces are in her school colors...orange and blue.

We attended the freshman parent breakfast and it looks like Brie is going to have an amazing year.

Shelly, Mom Files
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Lately...

It has been so hectic around here. I have been all over the place making sure that everyone gets to where they need to be and doing the last minute appointments before school starts back on Monday. Brie starts tomorrow for "Fresh Start" day. It's the day where only the freshman class will be there so that they can get all the basics of their new school. I have been so caught up in getting things done that it hit me... my baby girl is in high school. My. Baby. Girl. :*(

She is so excited and is not nervous at all. I still pass by the middle school every day and get so emotional! We will attend the freshman parent breakfast tomorrow morning. Of course we have been there and done that but you still do it all over again for each of the kids. The girls have been picking out outfits and accessories and of course changing their mind a thousand times! They are both ready for the next chapter in their lives and we can't wait to see what amazing things they do this year. Funny thing, Chardie has been a bit emotional lately. She said that she came to the realization that she is going to be turning 18 next year and she will no longer be a kid. It made her a little sad because she is in no rush to be an adult. I am in no rush for that either! I will post photos of their first day :-)
Shelly, Mom Files
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Celebrate Coca-Cola’s 125th anniversary {Giveaway}

**Contest Closed**
Winner is #137 RILEKAT~ Congratulations!

Can you believe summer is winding down? It is often difficult finding ways to keep the kids entertained before back-to-school hits, especially with the outrageous heat we all have been dealing with. Coca-Cola wants to help make sure you enjoy every moment with Coca-Cola’s 125 Years of Summer Fun initiative.

To celebrate Coca-Cola’s 125th anniversary, they’ve created a summer-long program, available through My Coke Rewards. It’s designed to create summer fun for families by offering a variety of rewards through an interactive summer treasure map. By entering codes, found on 15 different Coca-Cola brands on My Coke Rewards, you gain points that can later be spent on prizes including: sweepstakes, instant win prizes, supporting a good cause, donating to your child’s school and much more!

You can register to become a My Coke Rewards member by logging on here and follow the prompts for new member registration. I am wondering why on earth I am only now registering! It took me all of maybe 2 minutes.

To help get you and your family through the last stretch of Summer, Coca-Cola is providing a Summer fun prize pack ($50 value) for one lucky Momfiles reader.
The prize pack includes: a Coca-Cola tote, sunglasses, a sports bottle, a sunblock kit, an LED lamp (for nights when you’re just not ready to go inside), a football, a frisbee and a reversible ball.










Mandatory entry: Sign up for My Coke Rewards and tell us what your favorite Coca-Cola beverage is.

For extra entries you can do any of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each entry to count.

~ "like" My Coke Rewards , Coca-Cola and Momfiles on Facebook
~ Share this giveaway on FB and leave a link to your post
~ Follow My Coke Rewards , Coca-Cola and Momfiles on Twitter
~ Tweet this giveaway (once daily) and leave a link to your Tweet:
Want to spend a day at the park but missing the essentials? @Cocacola has the answer! Enter http://tinyurl.com/3vfhg5m @momfiles #CokeSummer

This giveaway is open to US & Canada Residents only and will end on August 24, 2011 at 9:00 pm EST. One winner will be chosen at random and contacted via email. Please leave your email address in your comment if you do not have a Blogger Profile. Good luck!

Disclosure: The prize was provided by The Coca-Cola Company but The Coca-Cola Company is not a sponsor, administrator, or involved in any other way with this giveaway. All opinions expressed in the post are my own and not those of The Coca-Cola Company

Shelly, Mom Files
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Update on the girls

Last week was a busy week. The girls completed volleyball tryouts and they both made the team. Chardie will be on Varsity and Brie will play JV and will also get to join in on Varsity practice as well as get a little play time if they need her. They are both pretty happy and are excited about the season. They also picked up their schedules and got all the classes they needed. Remember in past posts how happy I was to finally have both girls in one place so I don't have to be scattered around all over town? Well they will be going to the same school and will playing the same sport except their schedules are very different. One has early bird and the other doesn't. One will have early dismissal second semester and the other one doesn't. So, you know what this means.... yep, scattered around again. We came up with a solution for mornings though. I will take them at the 2 different times for a couple weeks until Brie becomes comfortable with her new school and then she will get dropped off early with her sister. She will be able to go to the library at that time. It still freaks me out that both my girls are in high school! As far as afternoons go I still have about 4 months before that happens. I am looking forward to the girls going back to school in a week so I can focus more on teaching little Will his school lessons at home.

Has school started back in your city yet? Are you prepared?
Shelly, Mom Files
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Orbeez Review

I recently received an Orbeez Light-up Star Lamp to review. This toy came with packets of these itty bitty pellets called Orbeez that come in a variety of colors. When you soak them in water for 3 hours or overnight they grow into cool gel-like balls. With the Orbeez Light-up Lamp you choose 3 colors (must include clear as one) and once you "grow" your Orbeez, you drain them and fill them in the star container.

Once the star is filled you screw on the light-up cap and turn it onto the base (requires 3 AAA batteries not included). Now you just flip the switch and watch the Orbeez light up and change colors. It is such a cute item and I think any girl would like this. Although my daughters are teenagers this still appeals to them. Come to think of it, I am 37 and I want one for my desk!

Orbeez items can be purchased at Amazon.com, Kmart, Walmart, Target and ToysRUs (online and in stores for some major retailers)

Check Orbeez out on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube

Shelly, Mom Files
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These are amazing!

I received these Orchard Bars from Liberty Orchards to try out. Whenever I read certain things like: all-natural, good source of protein, high in Omega 3, rich in antioxidants, 60% organic ingredients, gluten-free, no trans fats, low sodium, no cholesterol, vegan, non-GMO, no preservatives.... I get a little scared that it is not going to taste good at all.

The back of the label listed some of the ingredients and then it ends with~ "And the best part? You won't believe how good they taste!" I had to see for myself. I tried the Pineapple, Coconut & Macadamia variety. I am not lying when I tell you it is the BEST energy bar I have EVER tasted! The texture, the sweetness, the REAL taste of the ingredients and the fact that it is actually good for you really took me by surprise! If you are interested in trying them out for yourself you can order them here. You can even get FREE gift wrapping!

Shelly, Mom Files
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New Carmex flavors and a giveaway!

Contest Closed
Winner is #81 Shelly~ Congratulations!

I am so excited about the latest Carmex Blog Squad kit. I received a super cute picnic blanket with the famous Carmex logo, a stick of Moisture Plus Hydrating Lip Balm and two new flavors of Carmex click sticks~ Lime Twist and Vanilla.


I am both a lime and vanilla girl and as always these new lip balms did not disappoint! They both have a subtle flavor and make your lips super soft. They contain 15 SPF sunscreen and of course that awesome Carmex tingle that we all love! I can't decide which one I like better! These premium lip balms contain 3 additional moisturizers not found in the original line. They are available at Walgreens, Walmart and CVS.



Check out this super cute Carmex picnic blanket. It is portable and comes with a small zippered pouch attached with a carrying handle. Perfect for stashing a tube or stick of Carmex :-) It has vinyl underneath so moisture won't mess your blanket up. It folds back neatly and stays intact with Velcro. It is perfect to keep in the trunk of your car.

Link
Our friends at Carmex are providing one gift pack just like the one I received for one lucky Momfiles reader. Just let us know which new flavor of Carmex you would like to try as well as what your favorite Carmex products are.

For extra entries you can do any of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each entry to count.

~ "like" Carmex and Momfiles on Facebook
~ Share this giveaway on FB and leave a link to your post
~ Follow Carmex and Momfiles on Twitter
~ Tweet this giveaway (once daily) and leave a link to your Tweet:
Enter to win a @CarmexLipBalm prize pack @momfiles http://tinyurl.com/44tn799 #giveaway

This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on August 19, 2011 at 9:00 pm EST. One winner will be chosen at random and contacted via email. Please leave your email address in your comment if you do not have a Blogger Profile. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received products samples for review. All opinions are 100% mine as always.

Shelly, Mom Files
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