Soft Scrub Mold & Mildew Stain Remover {Review & Giveaway}

I received a bottle of one of the newest products from the Soft Scrub family called Soft Scrub Mold & Mildew Stain Remover Gel Cleaner. It is made for tile, grout, showers and bath tubs.

The gel formula is made to cling to surfaces to penetrate and remove though stains without any harsh fumes or overspray. I actually really like how it sprays. It is thick enough to cling but thin enough to spray easily. 

It does not have those harsh bleach fumes like most mold and mildew removing cleaners. This makes for a much more pleasant cleaning experience. I like using the stream spray to pinpoint those small cracks that mildew likes to grow in the bathroom. It leaves behind a bright clean that makes me happy.

Would you like to try this cleaner out for yourself? 3 Momfiles readers will win a coupon each good for one FREE bottle of Soft Scrub cleaner. Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on May 13, 2013. Three winners will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email to claim prize. Please leave a valid email address in the event you are selected as a winner. Please follow giveaway rules or all entries will be disqualified. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

I received a FREE product for review purposes. All opinions are as always, completely my own. 

Lysol Power & Free Multi Purpose Spray Review #spon

I love to clean. I know most people would say that I'm crazy, but I really do enjoy it. I find cleaning to be therapeutic when I have too much on my mind. Being a busy mom of 3, I ALWAYS have too much on my mind! I received a bottle of Lysol Power & Free Multi Purpose Spray to try out in my home. I am a long time Lysol product user and was excited about this particular item. Lysol Power & Free Multi Purpose Spray is a powerful cleaner without the harshness of bleach, and can be used on many surfaces throughout the home.The hydrogen peroxide formula releases thousands of micro bubbles that penetrate to dissolve grease and soap scum. The first place I tested it out on was in my bathroom in the tub. I use very moisturizing products in the shower, so they tend to leave a residue behind. I sprayed some of the Power & Free cleaner on a small area and let it sit for about 30 seconds. It had a very light, mild scent. I was able to wipe the dirt and grime off completely and didn't even have to scrub hard. I ended up cleaning my entire tub quickly without the harsh chemical odor that I am used to with bathroom cleaners.
Here are some product facts about Lysol Power & Free Multi Purpose Spray:

Kills 99.9% of viruses & bacteria.**

Use this product to clean household areas, kitchen, and bathroom.

No harsh chemical residue.

No gloves, masks, or protective eye wear needed.

Available in two fresh scents: Citrus Sparkle Zest and Oxygen Splash.

*On tough grease and soap scum.

**When used as directed.

Kills 99.9% of viruses & bacteria.**

Use this product to clean household areas, kitchen, and bathroom.

No harsh chemical residue.

No gloves, masks, or protective eye wear needed.

Available in two fresh scents: Citrus Sparkle Zest and Oxygen Splash.

*On tough grease and soap scum.

**When used as directed.

• Kills 99.9% of viruses & bacteria.**
• Use this product to clean household areas, kitchen, and bathroom.
• No harsh chemical residue.
• No gloves, masks, or protective eye wear needed.
• Available in two fresh scents: Citrus Sparkle Zest and Oxygen Splash.

I have used Lysol Power & Free Multi Purpose Spray in my bathrooms, kitchen and also to clean down my son's play areas. I feel good about using a product that is safe around my family and kills germs and bacteria in the process. To learn more about  Lysol Power & Free Multi Purpose Spray, visit Lysol and the web and "like" them on Facebook.

*On tough grease and soap scum.

**When used as directed.

*On tough grease and soap scum.

**When used as directed.

Lysol® Power & Free uses the cleaning power of a hydrogen peroxide formula for a powerful clean with no bleach harshness! This helps ensure you don’t have to make sacrifices while cleaning, such as opening all the windows or ushering the kids and pets out of the room. Lysol® Power & Free will help you break free from your ordinary cleaning routine- it’s a powerful clean that’s family friendly!
What do you love about a clean home? One of my readers will win a bottle of Lysol® Power & Free Multi Purpose cleaner to try in their own home! Comment below to be entered to win!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Lysol. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Sweepstakes Rules

Purex plus Fabric Softener w/ Crystals fragrance Review + Giveaway {3 winners}

How many of you love using fabric softener, but often forget to add it in? Purex plus fabric softener with Crystals fragrance is a great solution to that problem. This laundry detergent has the cleaning power you are used to from Purex, with the added freshness and softness of a fabric softener. Let me tell you, this formula is very potent and leaves your clothes super soft and fresh smelling. My husband came to bed last night in a t-shirt I has washed a couple days ago and it smelled like I just pulled it out of the dryer.

Of course, you can count on Purex to always give you more for your money. As a matter of fact, you can save over $45 a year using Purex with Crystals fragrance.  I also love the fact that you can use it in any type of washers including HE machines. You can find Purex plus fabric softener at Walmart, Target, Kroger and other Purex retailers. Stay connected with Purex on Facebook and Twitter.

Do you want to win a coupon to try Purex plus fabric softener with Crystals fragrance for FREE? Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end March 27, 2013. Three winners will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

The Purex brand has provided me with a sample in exchange for a product review. However, all opinions expressed here are my own.

Decadent Glazed Meyer Lemon Pound Cake Recipe

I had a sudden craving last week for a lemony treat. I thought about cookies, cupcakes, drinks and ended up deciding on pound cake. I searched recipes online and came across one by Martha Stewart. I used her recipe as a guide, but I tweaked it a bit. Instead of using standard lemons, I used organic Meyer lemons. I also used whole buttermilk instead of low-fat. I can't make a cake without pure vanilla extract, so I added some to mine. She used unsalted butter, I used salted. I also added some extra zest and vanilla extract to the glaze. The end result was moist, rich, melt-in-your-mouth, lemony goodness. The whole family loved it and I plan to make it again in the near future. I might make them as end-of-the-year gifts for the girls' teachers.

I shared the photos of my yummy cakes on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and received a lot of requests to share the recipe. Check it out below:

What you need:


1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened, plus more for pan
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
3/4 cup whole buttermilk
Zest of 3 Meyer lemons
1/3 cup fresh, organic Meyer lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs

For the Lemon Glaze you will need:
2 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
4-5 tablespoons of Meyer lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Meyer lemon zest


How to make it: 


Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in lower position. Butter and flour two standard size loaf pans or one tube pan.

Zest your lemons before you juice them. In a small bowl, combine buttermilk with Meyer lemon zest and juice. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three parts alternately with the buttermilk mixture in two, beginning and ending with flour; beat just until smooth (do not over mix). The batter will be very fluffy and thick.

Divide batter evenly between pans and smooth tops. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool 15 minutes in pan. Turn out cakes onto a rack; cool completely before glazing.

While cakes are cooling, mix all of the glaze ingredients together. You can start with 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and add more as needed. You don't want your glaze super thin, just runny enough to *glaze* the cakes.
Set rack with cakes over a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Pour glaze over cakes, letting it run down the sides; let dry, about 30 minutes.

The glaze hardens up and the added zest gives it a stronger lemon flavor. I promise you that both loaves won't last long! Let me know if you try this recipe.

I love to iron and that makes ME crazy?

I have been seeing a lot of talk lately on Facebook and Twitter about ironing your clothes. I find is astonishing that a great majority of people don't even own an iron. Some said that they have one, but would have no idea of where to find it. There were a few, very few that religiously iron. I enjoy ironing. Each and every morning, I iron my husband's work clothes (even on jeans day). I can't wrap my mind around the thought of my husband going into work in a wrinkled shirt or trousers. I feel like it is a reflection on the type of housewife that I am. It's my job. Call me old-fashioned, because I am... and rather proud of it too. It's funny that others think I am the crazy one because I do iron! I am thinking they are the crazy ones for walking around with wrinkled clothing on.

About a month ago, my beloved purple Shark professional iron died on me. I was devastated. I only had it for a little over a year and it quit on me. I really didn't want to get a new iron because the one I had was everything I wanted in an iron. I knew I had to get a new one right away because I could not find my back-up iron. Hey, doesn't everyone have a back-up iron? *winks*

I went to Walmart which is where I got the last one and they were completely sold out of the one I wanted. I had to get an iron right away because... because I just had to! I went with a Hamilton Beach which I grunted and groaned about. I did not want that brand but the alternative was going to several other stores and that was not what I felt like doing. It cost me about $30 and you know what? It actually works quite well. I loved my 1600 watt iron and this one is 1500 watt. I don't really see any major difference except the last iron had a larger soleplate.  It has a super long cord and great steam action. It also has the auto shutoff feature if the unit is left on for 15 minutes unattended. It was a great purchase. I really hope it will last me at least a year. I might consider purchasing a second one as a back-up since it was so inexpensive.

Another item I bought was the Faultless Maxx starch in the spray bottle. I usually get the one in the can and I am now trying to figure out why I have been doing that all these years. The Faultless Maxx is awesome and does not spray unevenly like the aerosol cans do. It also has a nice, light fragrance and leaves a crisp finish. I am so happy with my purchases and always looking for ways to make my homemaking more pleasurable. If you are looking to buy a good iron at a decent price, I recommend the Hamilton Beach Professional Iron with the stainless steel plate as well as the Faultless Maxx starch.

P.S.- YOU better not be laughing at me! :)

This is not a sponsored post and I purchased the above items myself. I just wanted to share my thoughts since I loved the items so much.

Soft Scrub Total All Purpose Bath & Kitchen Cleanser Review & Giveaway (3 winners)

If you have been a long time reader, you should know by now that I love to clean! One part of me still relies on the old school favorites like Soft Scrub. While this product has been around for quite some time, there have been some recent improvements that make it even better. NEW Soft Scrub Total All Purpose Bath & Kitchen Cleanser has:

• All-new bottle design
• New cap for improved dispensing
• Improved formula with superior cleaning power

I really do love the bottle design and the ease of dispensing. You can beat a cleanser that can be used all over the house and it is tough on stains, yet gentle to surfaces. The new formula has a lot less residue and makes for easier rinsing. I really love the subtle lemon scent as well. I have used Soft Scrub to clean my stainless steel pots and pans and they are left sparkling! I love the nifty surface guide on the Soft Scrub website that helps you find the right product for all types of surfaces.

Be sure to "like" Soft Scrub on Facebook for product information and tips.

Would you like to try the new Soft Scrub Total All Purpose Bath & Kitchen Cleanser? Three lucky Momfiles readers will win a coupon good for one FREE bottle of Soft Scrub (any variety, up to $3.49)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on March 2, 2013. Three winners will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

Soft Scrub provided a free sample of their Soft Scrub Total All Purpose Bath & Kitchen Cleanser for this post. My participation is voluntary and my opinions, as always, are my own. 

The newest additions that make me love homemakin' even more

Last week, I witnessed something horrific that I hope I never have to go through again. I watched the top heating element in my oven burn and spark from one end to the other. I was devastated. I use my oven almost daily... sometimes even up to 3 times a day. What was I going to do? I have nagged expressed to my husband over the last 3-4 years how much I would love to upgrade my range and have a convection oven. We made plans to do this next year but I had to do something soon. I searched online and looked at dozen of ranges from different stores. I already knew that the option of convection would more than likely not be in my price range. I was so surprised when I found one that was affordable . I went with a Frigidaire Speed-Bake range from Lowe's. I would have loved the smooth top but since I cook in cast iron pots and pans a few times a week, I knew it wouldn't be a good choice. I had to stick with the old school electric coils. I am SO happy with my purchase and since Sunday, I have baked different things a total of 8 times. Hey, I need to get my practice with the convection feature!

I am loving the gorgeous color I have been getting on my sweet baked goods and the less baking time as well. I just roasted a whole chicken today and it was perfectly brown and crust on the outside and moist and juicy on the inside.

Another item I got this week is the Silpain baking mat. I reviewed the Silpat late last year and was excited to see what the Silpain was like. Silpain is different from Silpat because the surface is like a fine mesh that is made specifically for baking doughs and breads. 

I made my Cheese Spinach & Artichoke Crescents on the Silpain and I could see the difference with how nice and crusty the crescents came out.

Of course, there was no sticking so I was very pleased with the results. I am already making a long list of things I want to bake in the very near future. I better make sure to incorporate some low-fat and healthy items with the desserts and pastry ideas I have in my head :)

I just had to share my newest kitchen toys. If you own a convection oven and have any tips you can share, I would greatly appreciate it!

Tide To Go Stain Eraser sure comes in handy!

I received some samples of Tide to Go Stain Erasers a while back to try out. We were heading out to a birthday party last weekend and being the mom I am, I made my little one eat something before we left the house. Of course, it would be 2 minutes before it was time to go when William dropped the last forkful of his lunch on his good shirt. I didn't have much time to iron a new shirt and change him so I remembered I had a Tide to go eraser stashed in my purse.

All I remember is repeating, "Please work, please work, please work!" I opened it up and folded the sides up as directed. As you can see below, I had a bit of an accident because I squeezed too hard and spilled the cleaner down his shirt!  Luckily it worked out just fine. The stain came out and we were out the door, looking sharp!

I gave my husband a couple of these to keep in his wallet for the occasional accidents he has at lunch. I can't tell you how many times he has come home with a stain on his shirt or tie. This is a great item to keep in your purse or wallet especially if you eat on the run.


Product Information: 

Instantly start to remove even tough grease stains while “on the go” with the Tide to Go Stain Eraser, a combination of a powerful cleaning solution that breaks stains down and a micro-fiber pad that lifts and absorbs them.

Available Sizes:
Tide to Go Original 1 ct, 4 ct &16 ct.


Stay connected to Tide on Facebook and Twitter

I received products samples from Tide and all opinions expressed are my own.

Boost your laundry and more with Borax {Review & Giveaway}

If you have been a reader for a while now, you would know how much I love old school methods. I received a box of Borax Detergent Booster and after reading the box alone I asked myself, "Why on earth have I NOT been using this stuff all these years!". I remember always seeing a box in the laundry room growing up, as I'm sure most of you have. I think I always associated Borax with only laundry. Turns out, there are many uses. You can use it to clean garbage disposals and drains, dishwashers, carpets and rugs, toilet bowls and of course, for laundry. It softens hard water so it enables your laundry detergent to do what it's supposed to do... clean your clothes. I added a 1/2 cup of Borax along with my regular detergent to a load of whites. I noticed how much brighter they were and the best part was there was no bleach scent left behind. Borax is 100% natural and I will be replacing my bleach with it for my whites. 

Borax works in all machines as well as with cold water. I still can't believe I have not been using this stuff all this time! You can't ever go wrong with old school, multi-purpose and affordable! 

Check out this video to see how Borax works in your laundry...  

Giveaway: 3 lucky Momfiles readers will win a coupon good for one FREE bottle of Purex Baby detergent. Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on January 19, 2013. Three winners will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

I received products samples for review purposes and was supplied with FREE product coupons to give away. All thoughts/opinions are always my own.

Easy Shrimp & Grits {Recipe}

I made this yummy shrimp and grits dish for dinner last night and it was so good, I thought I would share my recipe. It was very easy and doesn't require a lot of ingredients or time. This was my first time cooking this particular dish and I honestly didn't know what to put in it. We were in Whole Foods (my new favorite store) and picked up a 2-pound bag of peeled and deveined Key West shrimp. I came up with the rest of the ingredients off the top of my head.

What you need:
1-2 pounds of peeled, deveined shrimp rinsed and dried (I used 2 lbs)
1 lemon (I used organic Meyer)
Your favorite dried seasonings (you can see my usual ones here)
Sriracha hot sauce (optional but recommended)
3-4 tbsp pure butter
1 small chopped onion
couple cloves finely minced garlic
fresh, chopped Italian parsley
chopped roma tomatoes
Your favorite brand of grits cooked the way you like it.

What you do:
I like to get my grits started first since they take longer to cook than the shrimp. I cook mine for a minimum of 20 minutes and add some sea salt and a couple tablespoons of pure butter.

Next step is to season your shrimp with what you like. Avoid salt because some seasonings have enough salt in them already.

Heat a large skillet on high heat and add 2 tbsp of your butter. Add your chopped onion and saute for a couple minutes. Now add your shrimp and garlic and cook them for a few minutes. Squeeze in a little sriracha to taste and some lemon juice. Now add the rest of your butter (this helps make a sauce). Last, toss in your Italian parsley and chopped roma tomatoes. Take your shrimp off the stove so your tomatoes don't cook. Serve your shrimp over the grits and enjoy!

This meal took me about 25 minutes to make and my family LOVED it. It cost us about $20 for our family of 5. Not bad considering what a restaurant would charge for this! I think next time I will add some fancy cheese to the grits and maybe even some fresh chopped chives or scallions at the end of cooking.

Let me know if you try this recipe!

Palmolive Fresh Infusions Review

I received a box of the new Palmolive Fresh Infusions dish liquid from Influenster to review. If you aren't signed up with Influenster, you are missing out on great freebies to test out! You don't even have to be a blogger (although I'm sure it helps). I was so excited about the new dish liquids to try out since I am such a cleaning queen. I received all 3 scents-- Lime Basil, Lemon Thyme and Ginger White Tea. So far I used the entire Ginger White Tea and I am half way through the Lemon Thyme. I love the fragrances. They make me think I am using something from a boutique! I really like the tall, slender bottles. They dispense the perfect amount of cleanser without wasting it.

The cleaning power was everything I would expect from Palmolive. Right now only Walmart and Target carry them so if you want to try it out, check for them there. I think the one thing that makes me like this product the most is the fancy look. I have had a few guests over and they all commented about how pretty my dish liquid was. If you have to be stuck in the kitchen cleaning, it might as well look nice and smell pretty! I think any of these would be great in a housewarming gift basket along with pretty kitchen gloves, dish towels and scrubbers.

Can you make a full meal in just 20 minutes? YES, you can!

Do you ever feel like you want to give your family a good home-cooked meal but time is not your friend? Although I cook at least 6 times a week, there are days I am scrambling around trying to figure out what I can cook in a short amount of time. I then remember my go-to, quick fix meal... stewed salmon, green beans and rice. In the time it takes your rice to cook you can have the entire meal cooked and ready to serve.

All you need to make this meal is a can of salmon, a can of stewed tomatoes (or you can use fresh), some sliced onion, garlic and herbs of your choice, a few squeezes of fresh lemon or lime juice, frozen or fresh green beans and any rice you like. All I do is put my rice on to cook first. I then slice up my onion, garlic and herbs and throw them in my pan with a little bit of oil. I then put my can of tomatoes in and a few squeezes of ketchup, lemon juice and some dry seasonings.  While that is cooking a bit, I put my green beans on. In goes my salmon into the tomatoes and I simmer it for a bit and add extra seasonings if needed. By the time the timer for the rice goes off, the entire meal is done. This meal costs me about $8 and my family loves it.

Do you have a favorite go-to meal that is quick and easy?

Make this Thanksgiving Mishap-free with Walmart {$50 GC Giveaway}

**CLOSED**

The winner is Thomas Murphy! Congratulations and thanks to everyone for entering and sharing your Thanksgiving tips! 

Now that we have the month of October behind us, we can now look forward to Thanksgiving. It is my favorite holiday and I almost always host a big dinner for family and friends. Along with the excitement of family time and good food, we sometimes run into mishaps here and there. It seems like no matter how much you plan, make lists or think you have it all together, something goes wrong! I decided to share some of my personal tips to help make your Thanksgiving a bit more Mishap-free.

• Plan ahead! Make a detailed list of your menu in advance so you can have a thorough grocery list made. This way, you can start shopping over the course of a few weeks and stock up on non-perishable items. 
• Don't be a hero. We all want to make the best meals made from scratch but sometimes shortcuts are your best friend! Pick up some cake mix and make it your own. Make your icing from scratch and use a piping bag to make it pretty. Semi-homemade is not bad! 
• Make sure to pick up some seasonal candles and room fragrance sprays. It makes the atmosphere more festive and relaxed.
• Practice a new dish or dessert a few weeks ahead in a smaller amount to see if you like it. I have made things before that failed miserably and there was no do-over.
• Every year I have cooked all my side dishes the day before and packed them up in the refrigerator for the next day. This makes the day of Thanksgiving so much more relaxed and all I have to do is roast my turkey and put my pies in the oven. 
• I love serving dinner on China plates but I have learned that you can buy "fancy" paper plates and disposable utensils and cups that you don't have to wash afterwards! Also be sure to have enough plastic storage bags and aluminum foil for leftovers. 
• Keep wine on hand! I don't think I have to explain that one!

Thanksgiving is all about time with the ones you love and should not be stressful.You can find some great tips and advice at the Thanksgiving Mishaps website to help get you through the holiday. Check out this video from Chef Richard:

 

I am so pleased that Walmart is providing a $50 gift card for one very lucky Momfiles reader to win. With Walmart's low prices and big selection, you can get a whole lot! Enter below...
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on November 18, 2012. One winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Be sure to follow giveaway rules in Rafflecopter. Good luck!

Walmart provided me with a gift card and the giveaway, but the thoughts and tips shared in this post are my own.

Perfect Roasted Potatoes

I discovered these wonderful potatoes that Publix carries called Potato Inspirations. I decided to try them out since they were on sale. They came in a few different varieties, but I decided to go with the Honey Gold. They are smaller than a golf balls. I remembered a recipe I saw Michael Symon make and thought I would try to replicate it. The only difference is he fried his potatoes in bacon fat instead of baking them. Yeah, I didn't have a half gallon of bacon fat laying around so I had to improvise!

Ingredients:
1 bag of Honey Gold Potato Inspiration potatoes or 2 pounds of very small potatoes of your choice.
a few tablespoons of olive oil
dry seasonings of your choice. I used sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, garlic powder, dried parsley, Cajun seasoning and Badia Complete Seasoning which are my staples.

All you do is rinse and boil your potatoes (whole) in salted water until they are starting to get soft, but not cooked all the way, about 9-13 minutes. Drain potatoes and smash each one with just a little bit with the bottom of a cup or small plate. Toss smashed potatoes in olive oil and dry seasoning and roast in a 425 degree preheated oven for about 25 minutes. They come out slightly crisp on the outside and super buttery and creamy on the inside. I baked mine on the Silpat mat so they did not stick or brown unevenly.

What a wonderful side dish this is! I am going to try it next time using two different types of potatoes. I might make them for Thanksgiving too. They are so easy and delicious!

This was NOT a sponsored post :)

Silpat made my homemaker and baking dreams come true! {Review & Giveaway}

**Contest Closed** 

Winner is Sammi~ Congratulations!

For many years, I have watched the Food Network and Cooking Channels and have drooled over admired the professional chefs cooking gadgets. One particular item that always stuck out was the Silpat baking mat. When I got the offer to review one in my little old kitchen, I excitedly jumped at the chance! I really can't explain how giddy I got when I saw this little beauty for the first time.

I immediately started brainstorming ideas and recipes that I could make with my new Silpat Half size mat. After reading up and watching a video about Silpat, I was intrigued by so many things. Silpat is truly non-stick and never requires greasing. You get even baking every time and no burnt cookies on the bottom! You can use it up to 450 degrees baking temperature and it can be used up to 3000 times! That's good news for me since I bake all the time. I am amazed at all you can bake on a Silpat mat! 

I decided to bake up something savory; Cheesy Spinach & Artichoke Crescents. I took one of my favorite dip recipes and paired it with crescent roll dough. I really wanted to see how well the crescent roll dough would do since I find that they always stick to the pan and also either over-brown or brown unevenly. I just had to find out what would happen! 

For my filling I used a half pack of cream cheese, 1/2 pack of frozen spinach (thawed and water squeezed out), 1/2 of a small jar of marinated artichokes finely chopped, 1/4 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/2 tsp garlic powder and a dash or two of red pepper flakes. You could double this recipe if you are making it with two cans of crescent roll dough (I only used one). I just spooned about a tablespoon of the cheese mixture on the crescent roll dough triangles and spread it out a bit. I rolled them up, placed them on my Silpat baking mat and brushed them with a little egg wash. I baked them at 375 for 16 minutes and this is what they turned out like. I have to mention that I normally NEVER bake anything at the temperature a recipe calls for. I always go 10 degrees under. This is the first time in forever I actually went according to the package baking instructions. 

Now here was where the true test came in. Is it possible for a crescent roll to come off of the baking surface without sticking? Not only did it come off easily, I was able to shift the pan and all of them slid to one end! I was able to pluck each one off with my fingers. No spatula needed! 

The bottoms were perfectly and evenly brown. Even the one or two splashes of egg wash came off perfectly. There was nothing stuck to the Silpat and all it took was a rinse to clean it. 

The Silpat baking mat has exceeded my expectations and have made my homemaker and baking dreams come true! I can't wait to bake all kinds of pastries, cookies and even roasted veggies and fish on it! I anticipate it will become my most used kitchen gadget of all time. Be sure to check out Silpat on the web, Facebook,  Twitter and Pinterest. I think this is a great gift to give for a  housewarming, Christmas, birthday, wedding or any occasion for that matter! 

How would you like to experience this amazing item for yourself? One very lucky Momfiles reader will win their very own Half Size Silpat Baking Mat! Enter below: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on October 15, 2012. One winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

I received a free product sample for review purposes. All opinions are completely my own, as always.

Arbor Mist Frozen Wine Cocktails | Moms Need Wine!

I had the great pleasure of receiving a lovely assortment of the new Arbor Mist Frozen Wine Cocktails to try out. Of course I had to do my part and try all 3 varieties to be sure I gave an accurate review. It was a tough job but someone had to do it! I received the Blackberry Merlot, Strawberry White Zinfandel and White Pear Pinot Grigio flavors. I have never tried any of the frozen wine beverages before and honestly, I wasn't sure if it would be something I would like. In my mind I figured it would be too icy for me. 

I put the pouches in the freezer and left them in there for the recommended 5 hours. First up was the Blackberry Merlot. I tore the top off the pouch and squeezed it into my wine glass. It was not super icy like I thought it would be. It was very smooth which is more of my thing. I took my first sip out of my straw. I loved the flavor. It was so refreshing and everything I hoped it would be! I had my husband taste it because he is the picky one. Guess who had me open another pouch? Yep, he loved it too!

Since he took a few sips from my glass, I felt like I did not have the full serving *ahem* so I opened up a pouch of the White Pear Pinot Grigio. I normally don't drink white wine so I had no idea what it would taste like. I LOVED this one even more! The texture was perfect and it is my new favorite. The next evening I tried the Strawberry White Zinfandel. It was good but I much prefer the first two. I really love having a frozen cocktail that doesn't require breaking out the blender and having multiple ingredients. You can beat the 'freeze, tear and squeeze' method!

I can totally see having a cooler of these at a cookout or gathering and it would be awesome for a girl's night in! I will be purchasing these in the future and highly recommend them. If you have tried them, what do you think? If you plan to try them in the future, I would love to hear your thoughts!

Check out Arbor Mist on the web, Facebook and Twitter. *You must be 21 or over.

I received products samples for review from SheSpeaks. All thoughts/opinions are always my own. 

Soft Scrub Total Household Cleaners | Review & Giveaway

If you have been following Momfiles through the blog, Twitter or Facebook, you would know just how much I love household cleaners! I received two bottles of the latest Soft Scrub Total household cleaners to test out in All purpose cleaner with bleach and Total Bath & Bowl. One of the stand-out things I noticed about these products is the unique design of the bottle. You can spray the cleaner even when the bottle is held upside down! I love the fact that each household cleaner is for more than one purpose and you can use it in spray or foam form. I like using a good bleach cleaner for in-between cleaning to get rid of pesky stains. I really love that I can clean my bathroom without having to use multiple products. I wasn't sold at the idea of using the Total Bath & Bowl for the toilet but it worked out very well.

Right now, Soft Scrub is holding a sweepstakes with $3,000 in prizes. One lucky winner wins $1,000 and 50 other winners win $40 each! You can enter here. I entered and it took about 45 seconds.

So how would you like to try out one of the new Soft Scrub Total household cleaning supplies for yourself? I have 3 coupons to give away (1 coupon each for 3 winners) Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on September 22, 2012. One winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

I received products samples for review purposes and was supplied with FREE product coupons to give away. All thoughts/opinions are always my own.