New at IHOP Criss Croissants-- A must-try!

I had the absolute pleasure of sampling the latest menu item from IHOP. The all-new Criss Croissants. Breakfast lovers the world over have long enjoyed the unique taste and texture of the classic French croissant—that delicate, buttery flaky pastry that practically melts in your mouth.  Now, IHOP restaurants introduces a brand new way to savor that treat—by taking that distinctive dough and baking it in a waffle iron so that you have the luscious taste of a croissant with the distinctive criss-crossing of the waffle iron pattern, and voila!  Criss-Croissants!

Oh boy, these are out of this world! Criss Croissants are available in two irresistible flavors: Strawberry Rhubarb and Blackberry Lemonade. I'm a strawberry gal so I knew that was the one I would want to try first. I won't lie, I anticipated that the cream would be too sweet for my liking. To my surprise, it wasn't at all. It was lightly sweet and the fruit was bursting with a sweet and tangy flavor. It was the perfect combination. I had mine paired with the bacon and egg combo and I ate every last bite. My husband tried it too and enjoyed it as well. We noticed that many people sitting around us were ordering the same thing. I don't blame them :)

Strawberry Rhubarb: A warm waffled croissant filled with perfectly sweetened cream cheese, and crowned with a strawberry rhubarb topping.

Blackberry Lemonade: A warm waffled croissant filled with refreshing lemonade cream and topped with sweet blackberries.

Criss Croissants are available as part of a breakfast combo at participating IHOP restaurants through April 5. If you can make it out to IHOP, you must try Criss Croissants. You won't be disappointed! Be sure to check out IHOP on the web and follow on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for promotions and updates.

I received a gift card to try out the latest menu offering in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own as always. 

Holiday menu items at @IHOP now through January 1st

The holiday season has begun, and what better way to start it than by enjoying a terrific meal at your local IHOP restaurant, which has once again introduced special holiday signature pancakes and heart-warming traditional favorites along with a sweet new desert!

Beginning November 3 and extending all the way through January 1, 2015, IHOP restaurants will be the perfect place to get together with friends and family to celebrate the holidays, take a well-deserved and delicious break from holiday shopping and preparations, or just spend time together making new holiday memories.

To capture the magic of the season in a delicious way, IHOP restaurants will be offering guests their version of a season’s greeting with 3 delicious holiday hotcakes:

· New Caramel Bon Bon Pancakes: A sweet treat of buttermilk pancakes layered with dulce de leche cream then topped with a drizzle of caramel sauce and whipped topping.

· New Pumpkin Cheesecake Pancakes: Our most popular seasonal pumpkin pancakes filled with luscious cheesecake bites and topped with creamy whipped topping.

· Raspberry White Chocolate Chip Pancakes - The return of last year’s favorite holiday signature pancake: Buttermilk pancakes filled with sweet white chocolate chips then crowned with raspberry topping, cream cheese icing and whipped topping.

And once again, IHOP restaurants will feature Traditional and Craveable Holiday Dinners & Dessert:

· Classic Ham Dinner: A seasonal favorite made with hickory smoked ham, glazed with sweet caramel sauce and topped with cinnamon apples. Served with sweet potato fries and broccoli.

· Classic Roasted Turkey Dinner: Sliced roasted turkey breast, layered on a bed of stuffing and topped with warm turkey gravy. Served with mashed potatoes, green beans with bacon and a side of lingonberry jam

· Belgian Chocolate Mousse Crepe: Light and fluffy Belgian Chocolate mousse folded into a cool crepe and topped with raspberries, whipped topping and powdered sugar.

“At IHOP, we truly love the holiday season, and what better way to share that love than by creating meals that are sure to make new holiday memories for our guests,” said Marie Grimm, Vice President of Menu Development and Innovation at International House of Pancakes, LLC. “This year, we’re celebrating the season by capturing both the sweet and hearty tastes that make this time of year so special.”

In addition, once again this year, every IHOP restaurant will be decorated with uniquely IHOP branded decorations, including IHOP ornaments and wrapping paper.

For more information or to find an IHOP restaurant near you, please visit www.IHOP.com. Follow IHOP on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram.

Introducing Waffullicious Waffles from IHOP

IHOP restaurants have actually taken a giant step in waffle development with “Waffullicious Waffles”: for the first time, those same great ingredients guests love on top of their waffle are now baked right in, so each bite of a Waffullicious Waffle is filled with the same terrific flavor inside every bite as well as on top.

Waffullicious Waffles come in two distinctive, delicious varieties—one savory and one sweet:

Bac’ n’ Cheddar:  A traditional thick, crispy Belgian waffle with savory chopped hickory bacon and cheddar cheese baked-in, then topped with bacon pieces. This one totally has my name all over it! 

Very Blueberry Cheesecake:  A traditional thick, crispy Belgian waffle with plump blueberries and NY cheesecake pieces baked-in, then topped with cheesecake pieces & blueberries in lightly sweetened syrup. Hmm, maybe a half order of the first variety and a half of this one might be a good savory and sweet combo! 

Waffullicious Waffles will be available in restaurants for a limited time beginning September 8 through November 2, 2014. They can be ordered as a separate menu item, or as a half waffle served with one of IHOP’s famous 2 egg any style made to order combo breakfasts, all served with hash browns:

• Ultimate Bacon & Sausage Combo
• Ham & Eggs Combo
• Bacon & Eggs Combo
• Sausage & Eggs Combo.
• Regular Combo
• Egg Combo

For more information or to find an IHOP restaurant near you, please visit www.IHOP.com.  Follow IHOP on Facebook and Twitter.

Canyon Bakehouse Gluten-Free for back-to-school (Giveaway) #ad

I received some yummy samples to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own as always. 

I have noticed that so many of my friends and family have transitioned to gluten-free foods for a variety of health reasons. I have considered it for my family, but we are big on texture. Gluten-free has tasted like cardboard in the past and that has turned us off. When I did some research on gluten-free Canyon Bakehouse breads, I was drawn in to the fact that they say their breads are soft and have a texture close to traditional breads. I just had to find out for myself. I received a nice assortment of breads for my family to try out including: Cinnamon Raisin, Mountain White, 7-Grain and Cranberry Canyon Crunch Muffins.

I decided to start with the Cinnamon Raisin bread for breakfast. I like my bread toasted so I popped it in on a low setting before I spread a thin layer of butter on it. I took a bite and then another. I was indeed shocked that it had the same texture that I am used to with cinnamon raisin bread. Also, it wasn't overly sweet which is good.

The next one I tried was the 7-Grain bread. I made a sandwich for lunch and decided to try a tiny corner without toasting it. I think I am still too new to gluten-free bread so I toasted it lightly. That did the trick! It tasted like a rich Artisan bread I would buy from a bakery. It was really hearty and filling. I can't believe that this regular bread eater might just be convinced to make the switch! I searched the store locator to see if there were any stores in my area that carry them and to my surprise, I found 4 locations. You can also order baked goods directly from the website. Right now, they have a special if you order "one of everything", you can get $5 off.  They even have a page dedicated to recipes using their products. I think there will be some cinnamon raisin French toast being made in the near future.

At school about 2 students in each classroom have a food allergy. To help parents prepare for the school year, here’s our checklist for staying safe with food allergies:

Tips for Staying Safe at School With Food Allergies

• Keep teachers and staff in the know – Set up a meeting before the first day of school with your child’s teacher, the school nurse and principal to talk about your child’s allergies.
• Provide a list of safe and unsafe foods for your child – Especially with gluten allergies, many people don’t understand what it is or where it can be found. Creating a quick run-down of foods to avoid will eliminate fear or confusion on the school’s part.
• Make an allergy action plan – Provide the school staff with medical information, emergency contact info and a food allergy action plan in case your child has a reaction at school.
• Attitude is everything – Along with school staff, it’s important to talk to your child about the allergy so he/she understands it. If you don’t treat the allergy as something “weird” then they won’t feel embarrassed.

Try these gluten-free breakfast ideas: 

• Cinnamon Raisin bread with almond butter or peanut butter.  Canyon’s Tip: choose all-natural nut butters to avoid harmful trans fats. 
• Mountain White cheese and avocado sandwich.  Canyon’s Tip: Avocados are a great source of healthy fat for energy and keeps the belly full.   
• 7-Grain toast with a slice of turkey. Canyon’s Tip: lunch foods (ie: turkey) make great breakfast foods since they’re low sugar and full of protein.
• Cranberry Canyon Crunch Muffin with a hard-boiled egg.  Canyon’s Tip: hard-boil a bunch of eggs on Sunday for quicker prep each morning.

Do you want to try out Canyon Bakehouse Gluten-free breads for yourself? One Mom Files reader will win an assortment of baked goods including: Cinnamon Raisin, Mountain White, 7-Grain and Cranberry Canyon Crunch Muffins. Enter below: a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on September 11, 2014. Two winners will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Mom files is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. *Prizes may vary.

What Makes Me Great #GreatGrains #ad

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Post Great Grains Cereal for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you ever think to yourself, "Hey self, you're GREAT!"? Well I let way too many years go by without fully embracing my awesomeness. I believe that life really gets so much better when you hit your 40's. I now look in the mirror and love the woman in the reflection. She's warm, compassionate, patient and beautiful. Why did I wait so long to see just how great I am? Even on my less than perfect days, I manage to channel my inner light and it comes out as a smile. Smiling really makes me feel good and can turn any day into a great day!

Great Grains is the cereal that shows the ingredients you put inside can help you feel and look great on the outside. Great Grains surveyed 1,000 women Nationally to ask “what makes you great.” The results were very interesting. A few results that I fell into the same category were: 73 percent of women have reinvented themselves after turning 40. In fact, 80 percent of women love themselves more now than they did 10 years ago, according to a survey by Wakefield Research for Post Great Grains Cereal. 83 percent of women think the greatest obstacle to reaching their full potential is what they think of themselves, rather than what others think of them. Women have learned a lot over the years, but there are some things they wish they’d absorbed just a little bit sooner. Ten years ago, ladies wish they’d known that saying “no” takes courage (40 percent) and people treat you the way you allow them to (40 percent).

About Post Great Grains Cereal :
Post Great Grains brings whole foods from the field to your bowl for a nutritious breakfast you have to see to believe.
• Less processed ingredients like whole grain flakes from actual wheat berries, as well as real fruit and nuts, come together in this tasty and nutritious morning favorite.
• Rather than grinding our wheat into flour and then stamping it into uniform flakes, Great Grains carefully cracks or steams the whole wheat berry, which helps to lock in full flavor and nutrients.
• All of the varieties of Great Grains have at least 30g of whole grains per serving and are a heart healthy way to start the day. 

Great Grains has nutrition you can see!

There are eight varieties of Great Grains cereals including: - Great Grains Digestive Blend Berry Medley - Digestive Blend Vanilla Graham - Protein Blend Honey, Oats & Seeds - Protein Blend Cinnamon Crunch - Cranberry Almond Crunch -Crunchy Pecans -  Raisins, Dates & Pecans and  Banana Nut Crunch. For more information, please visit www.greatgrains.com and Great Grains on Facebook.

Now it's your turn-- What makes YOU great? 

IHOP's New World Scrambles (Review)

Last week I visited my local IHOP to check out the latest World Scrambles menu offerings with my younger daughter. I think everyone else had the same idea to visit IHOP at the exact same time so the restaurant was slammed! I decided to go with the Californian Scramble and my daughter went with the All-American Bacon Scramble.

Each World Scramble is made to order and perfectly paired with golden hash browns and your choice of a warm flour tortilla, toast, or two of IHOP restaurant’s classic buttermilk pancakes. You can also add bacon or sausage for an additional cost. We both when with the famous IHOP pancakes. 

When my entree came, I was a bit overwhelmed by the amount of salsa that was on top of my eggs. You can't really tell from the photo, but there was fresh avocado slices underneath the salsa that made it look like it was way more. The whole combination of the eggs, cheese, salsa and avocado screamed California! My mouth was happy. I did not leave a single bite on my plate. I was very satisfied and really enjoyed the Californian Scramble. 

My daughter kept things simple with the All-American Bacon Scramble. She was pleased with how much bacon was incorporated in the eggs and liked the fresh bite of tomatoes as well. I think she said she would be full for the next three days after she finished her meal! 

Overall, we were very pleased with our meals and recommend you try them, but hurry, they are only available until September 7. For more information or to find an IHOP restaurant near you, please visit www.IHOP.com.  Follow IHOP on Facebook and Twitter.

I received a gift card from IHOP to try out the latest menu offerings. All opinions expressed are my own as always. 

New from IHOP: Scrambles Inspired by Tastes from Around the Globe

The Restaurant Famous for Making Eggs Any Way You Want Them Has Three New Scrambles Inspired by Tastes from Around the Globe

Do you have a taste for adventure, but can’t get away? For a limited time, you need only go as far as your local IHOP® restaurant:  they are bringing exactly that—a taste of adventure— straight to your table with the introduction of their new World Scrambles, which capture the best flavors from destinations both near and far!

Guests at IHOP restaurants have always been able to enjoy a multitude of egg dishes, prepared any way they want them, and now three new savory egg scramble sensations, available now through September 7, give them even more “egg-citing” choices to enjoy:

All-American Bacon Scramble: Fluffy scrambled eggs topped with diced fresh tomatoes, crispy hickory-smoked bacon and shaved white cheddar cheese.

Tuscan Scramble: Eggs scrambled with sweet basil, roasted red peppers, finished with shaved Parmesan cheese, diced tomatoes, and topped with delicious fresh spinach

Californian Scramble: Jack & cheddar cheeses melted into fluffy scrambled eggs topped with our salsa & fresh avocado.

Each World Scramble, a satisfying choice for breakfast, lunch or dinner, is made to order and perfectly paired with golden hash browns and your choice of a warm flour tortilla, toast, or two of IHOP restaurant’s classic buttermilk pancakes.

Guests can also beat the summer heat with refreshing new lemonades, also available until September 7. In addition to a traditional lemonade, IHOP restaurants are now offering a cherry lemonade and a mango lemonade, each garnished with a slice of lemon, and available with free refills. Each ice-cold lemonade pairs well with IHOP’s new dinner salads, sandwiches and other entrees. For more information or to find an IHOP restaurant near you, please visit www.IHOP.com.  Follow IHOP on Facebook and Twitter.

IHOP Summer Signature Pancakes Review

I headed over to IHOP this week to check out the Summer Signature Pancakes. I had the hardest time trying to decide which variety of pancakes I wanted. 

The choices were:
Strawberry Banana Cream Pie Pancakes: Buttermilk pancakes layered with banana cream, topped with glazed strawberries & sliced fresh bananas bring the delicious flavor of everyone’s favorite summertime pie to the breakfast table.

Raspberry Peach Pancakes: Buttermilk pancakes topped with juicy peaches & drizzled with raspberry sauce that pairs two of summer’s most popular fruit flavors.

Blueberry Cannoli Cream Pancakes: Buttermilk pancakes topped with blueberry compote & perfectly sweetened Ricotta captures the essence of this classic Italian dessert.

I finally decided on the Raspberry Peach Pancakes and made it regular combo with 2 eggs, 2 slices of bacon and hash browns. I also had the option of choosing just the pancakes, which comes with 4.

I love the pancakes at IHOP even without toppings so I was so excited to try these. It was love at first bite. The raspberry sauce was perfectly sweet and tart and the peaches were crisp and delicious. These pancakes certainly tasted like summer!  I ate every last bite and almost wished I had ordered the 4 pancakes instead! Of course, the combo items were delicious and both plates were empty. Aside from how satisfied I was with the taste, this entree only cost $5.99! Of course, prices may vary by location.  Impressive for such good quality as well as quantity. I will have to take my husband to try these pancakes next week for his birthday.

If you plan to visit IHOP soon, be sure to check out the Summer pancakes. You won't be disappointed! Stay connected to IHOP on the web, Facebook and Twitter for promotions and updates.

I received a gift card from IHOP to try out the newest menu items in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own as usual. 

Cinnamon Swirl Brioche French Toast & "Morning Toast" Beverages at IHOP for a limited time

Now, IHOP restaurants are bringing guests another delicious choice with the introduction of Cinnamon Swirl Brioche French Toast-- Three slices of thick, rich brioche bread dipped in a lightly-sweetened vanilla batter, grilled to golden perfection, layered with cinnamon roll filling, then topped with cream cheese icing.

Cinnamon Swirl French Toast joins these two current favorites:

·         Bananas Foster Brioche French Toast: Three slices of thick, rich brioche bread dipped in a lightly-sweetened vanilla batter, grilled to golden perfection, topped with a classic New Orleans Foster’s sauce made with sliced bananas caramelized in a buttery brown sugar glaze, then crowned with powdered sugar and whipped topping.

·         Berry-Berry Brioche French Toast: Three slices of thick, rich brioche bread dipped in a lightly-sweetened vanilla batter, grilled to golden perfection, topped with blueberries and glazed strawberries, then crowned with powdered sugar and whipped topping.

Guests may enjoy three slices of Brioche French Toast à la carte, as a delicious indulgent treat, or two slices as part of an IHOP Combo that includes two eggs, done the way they like them, a choice of crispy bacon, pork sausage links or a grilled ham slice, along with IHOP restaurants’ signature golden hash browns.

Guests can also lift a glass to spring with the addition of three new refreshing “Morning Toast” beverages:

·         Mango ’Mosa: Premium orange juice, sparkling lemon-lime soda and tropical mango syrup garnished with an orange wheel.

·         Orange Grapefruit Breeze: Premium orange juice, sparkling lemon-lime soda and grapefruit syrup garnished with an orange wheel.

·         Spicy Tom: Spicy tomato juice served with a lemon wedge and a crispy, hickory smoked bacon strip.

Both Cinnamon Swirl Brioche French Toast and the new Morning Toasts will be available for a limited time, through May 25, 2014.

"All You Can Eat Pancakes" is back for a limited time at IHOP® restaurants

It’s a brand new year, and what better way to celebrate it than to treat yourself to classic Buttermilk pancakes — as many of them as you can eat! Starting January 2, 2014, you’ll want to head to your local IHOP® restaurant because “All You Can Eat Pancakes,” a perennial favorite among guests, is back for a limited time. One of IHOP restaurant’s most popular promotions, this “keep them coming ‘til you say when” stack of our famous Buttermilk Pancakes is available as a main dish or alongside one of our delicious combo orders.

From January 2 through February 9, 2014, guests can order one of IHOP restaurant’s delicious combos featuring eggs any style, crispy hash browns, and a choice of pork sausage links, crisp bacon or ham — all with a plate of two delicious signature Buttermilk Pancakes, or they can order a stack of five Buttermilk pancakes as a main course. Either way, when those pancakes are gone, guests can get an additional serving of two pancakes. And when those are gone…they’ll keep on coming as long as the guest can keep eating them!

 “There are so many ways to enjoy our classic Buttermilk pancakes,” said Natalia Franco, senior vice-president, marketing, International House of Pancakes, LLC. “Now you can have your pancakes the way you always do…and still be able to try a new way of adding butter or discovering a different syrup. Or you can experiment with any combination of our famous syrups to create your own flavor. We know people love our pancakes, and as long as you can keep eating them, we’ll keep serving them!”

As always, guests can also enjoy their favorite items on the regular IHOP menu, featuring a variety of SIMPLE & FIT items, each under 600 calories.

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES, LLC
For over 55 years, International House of Pancakes, LLC has been a leader and expert in all things breakfast and a leader in family dining. The chain is highly competitive in its menu offering, serving 65 different signature, made-to-order breakfast options as well as a range of meals under 600 calories.  Beyond offering “everything you love about breakfast”® IHOP® restaurants have a wide selection of popular lunch and dinner items, as well. IHOP restaurants offer guests an affordable, everyday dining experience with warm and friendly service. As of September, 2013, there were 1,602 IHOP restaurants in 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as in Canada, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, the Philippines and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Under the licensed name IHOP at HOME® consumers can also enjoy a line of premium breakfast products available at leading retailers. IHOP restaurants are franchised and operated by Glendale, Calif.-based International House of Pancakes, LLC and its affiliates. International House of Pancakes, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of DineEquity, Inc. (NYSE: DIN).  For more information or to find an IHOP restaurant near you, please visit www.IHOP.com.  Follow IHOP on Facebook and Twitter.

Big G and Yoplait Giveaway- $25 Publix gift card

Disclosure: The information and prize pack have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Even if it is as simple as a bowl of cereal or a cup of yogurt, you must eat something to start your day the right way. I always keep Yoplait Greek yogurt around as a quick option for busy mornings, which is almost every morning! One thing that I learned from a friend was adding Cheerios to it. It is such a yummy combination and is very satisfying for breakfast and sometimes, even for lunch or a snack.

Check out these great combinations: 

Yoplait Greek Blended Coconut + Banana Nut Cheerios = feels like you’re on the beach!

Yoplait Greek Blended Vanilla + Chocolate Cheerios = tastes like an ice cream twist!

Yoplait Greek Blended Blueberry + Frosted Cheerios = blueberry pie!

Yoplait Greek Blended Pineapple + Fruity Cheerios = tropical taste!

Check out the Big G and Yoplait Savings at Publix: 

Buy any 1 Cheerios (10.9oz or greater), get 1 Free Yoplait Greek or Greek Blended (available 10/26 - 11/15)

Buy 10 Yoplait Greek or Greek 100 for $10 (available 10/24 – 10/30)

BOGO MultiGrain Cheerios and other Cheerios varieties including Apple Cinnamon Cheerios, Banana Nut Cheerios, Chocolate Cheerios, Dulce de Leche Cheerios, Frosted Cheerios, Fruity Cheerios (available 10/24 – 10/30)

Giveaway: One Mom Files winner will win a $25 Publix gift card to stock up on Yoplait Greek and Cheerios!Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on November 13, 2013. One winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email to claim prize.  Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

Publix Breakfast Savings going on now! ($25 GC Giveaway) #myblogspark

**CLOSED**

Winner is Crystal- congratulations! 

Disclosure: The information and prize pack have been provided by Publix® through MyBlogSpark.

The Publix Breakfast Savings Event is going on right now! This is a great opportunity to stock up, especially now that school is in session. 

I was lucky to find Quaker Oatmeal on sale buy one, get one free. I bought 8 boxes since my kids eat it daily. There are some coupons available for some breakfast items to save even more. Check them out here. 

There are many items on sale like Aunt Jemima Pancake Syrup, General Mills Cheerios Cereal, Kellogg's Nutri-Grain bars and more! There are so many convenience items that help make school mornings a little easier. After all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day!

To help you stock up on some breakfast items, one Mom Files reader will win a $25 Publix gift card. Enter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway is open to US Residents only. Giveaway ends on September 20, 2013 and one winner will be selected at random and contacted via email to claim prize. Be sure to follow contest rules stated in Rafflecopter widget. Mom Files is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!