Pert Plus & Infusium 23 for back-to-school {Giveaway}

Closed- Winner is Heather! Congratulations!

Back-to-school is in full swing and we are super busy around here! Both girls have their regular school schedules, volleyball and their extra curricular activities. Thinking about their hair seems to be an added stress these days. It is essential that they girls have the right products to keep them looking their best. Infusium 23’s Repair & Renew collection offers just a little more luxury to their usual haircare routine. This three-step system provides protection from daily elements and styling, leaving hair healthy, shiny and damage-free all year long. Repair & Renew Shampoo thoroughly cleanses to remove residue and buildup while nourishing from root to tip. Repair & Renew Conditioner seriously hydrates stressed locks, providing softness, manageability and shine. Repair & Renew Leave-In Treatment restores healthy texture and strengthens hair against future damage.These products work so well on both of my daughters' biracial hair. They have both been happy with how soft their hair has been since using the 3-step collection. I even tried a little of the leave-in treatment my 4 year old son's hair and it made a huge difference. His hair is less poofy and looks a lot smoother.

Now back-to-school is not only for the kids, but parents too! I am always ripping and running all over the place and have to do my best to manage my time. This is why I love Pert Plus 2-in-1. I am a wash-n-go kind of lady so this 2-in-1 works well for me. It gives me just the right amount of moisture and does not leave any residue. It's great for daily use and is safe for color-treated hair. I love the way it leaves my hair smelling. Pert Plus comes in 5 varieties so you can find one to suit your hair care needs. You just can't beat getting the job done in one easy step! 

How would you like to win some of the products featured here? One lucky Momfiles will win a Pert Plus and Infusium 23 gift pack. Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on September 20, 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 product samples for review and all thoughts/opinions are completely my own.

Honey Soy Plum Chicken

I recently purchased a Kindle version of The Pioneer Woman's cookbook. I have tried a couple of her dessert recipes before and loved them. I found a recipe for Honey Soy Plum Chicken and it sounded amazing. I admit that when I read the quantity of some of the ingredients I was a bit stunned. I did choose to modify some things and wanted to share my version as well as the original, of The Pioneer Woman's recipe.

Ingredients:

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
3 cups red wine
3 bay leaves
1 13 oz. jar plum preserves (I used a apricot instead)
1 cup honey (I used 3/4 cup)
1 20 oz. bottle low sodium soy sauce (I used 10 oz and still think it was too much)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 plums, pitted and chopped, plus 1 plum, pitted and thinly sliced (Will use half the plums next time)
12 ounces egg noodles
3 green onions, sliced

Instructions:

~Put the chicken thighs in a large bowl. Pour in 2 cups of the red wine. Add the bay leaves, toss to coat, and marinate for 1 hour in the fridge. (Next time I plan to add some slices of fresh ginger for more Asian flair)
~In a separate bowl, add the plum preserves, honey and soy sauce, whisk to combine and set aside.
~Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the wine, then brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. (I recommend draining excess oil from pan after browning) 
~Reduce the heat to medium-low, then add the garlic. Stir it around in the bottom of the pan for a couple of minutes to release the flavor.
~Add the remaining cup of wine (I will use a half cup next time), chopped plums and honey plum soy mixture. (I added a few shakes of red pepper flakes for some heat)
~Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the chicken is falling off the bone. (I skimmed some of the excess fat off the top)
~Serve chicken and sauce over cooked noodles and sprinkle with green onions. (I plan to try it with Jasmine rice next time)

The dish was delicious and I do plan to make it again with the modifications that I noted. My husband also recommended that this meal should be cooked when nobody is home. He said he and the kids were circling around the kitchen like vultures because of the tantalizing aroma! It took a long time to get it all done. I will say that this was a very impressive, rich and fancy dish. If you like sweet and salty with an Asian twist, this is for you! Let me know if you try it out.

IHOP Simple & Fit Menu #breakfastlove {$50 GC Giveaway} CLOSED

**Contest closed** The winner is kionna. Congratulations!

My family recently visited our local IHOP restaurant to check out the newest offerings on the SIMPLE & FIT menu. They have expanded their under-600-calorie SIMPLE & FIT menu to include some wholesome items like whole wheat pancakes, waffles and crepes. Mmm, my family loves all things pancakes, waffles and crepes! 

The new offerings will include: 

Super Fruit Oatmeal – A bowl of freshly-made toasted Quaker Oats, lightly sweetened with cinnamon sugar, and topped with a blend of five dried super fruits, including blueberries, dark cherries, cranberries, raisins and golden raisins. (290 Calories) 
 Super Fruit Oatmeal with Almonds and Walnuts – A bowl of freshly-made toasted Quaker Oats, lightly sweetened with cinnamon sugar, and topped with almonds, walnuts and a blend of five dried super fruits, including blueberries, dark cherries, cranberries, raisins and golden raisins. (330 calories) 
 Banana and Brown Sugar Oatmeal– A bowl of freshly made toasted Quaker Oats topped with fresh banana slices and served with brown sugar and milk. (260 calories) 
 Whole Wheat Pancakes Combo – Two Whole Wheat Pancakes topped with lightly sweetened blueberries and powdered sugar served with egg substitute and two strips of turkey bacon (460 calories) 
 Kid’s Whole Wheat Pancake Combo – One Whole Wheat Pancake topped with lightly sweetened blueberries and powdered sugar served with egg substitute and one strip of turkey bacon (230 calories) 
 Whole Wheat Waffle Combo – A Whole Wheat Waffle topped with lightly sweetened blueberries and powdered sugar served with egg substitute and two strips of turkey bacon (510 calories) 
 Whole Wheat Crepes – Two Whole Wheat Crepes filled with sweet cream cheese and topped with lightly sweetened blueberries and powdered sugar (380 calories) Whole Wheat Crepes with Blueberries are also offered as a combination (800 calories).

We tried out the Whole Wheat Pancake combo, Whole Wheat French Toast combo, Banana and Brown Sugar Oatmeal and the Spinach & Mushroom omelet.  Everything was delicious and very satisfying! The whole wheat pancakes were so fluffy and hearty and were just as amazing as the original variety. My son really enjoyed the banana and brown sugar oatmeal. His bowl was left spotless! We were very please with the lower calorie options and did not feel robbed of quality, taste or portion size. We will be making another trip soon to try some of the other items. I have crepes on the brain!

Wouldn't you just love to try out some of the new SIMPLE & FIT menu items? One lucky Momfiles reader will win a $50 IHOP gift card. It is so easy to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Contest is open to US Residents only and will end on Sept, 18, 2012. One winner will be selected at random and will be contacted via email to claim prize. Be sure to follow contest rules accordingly. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

I received IHOP gift cards to facilitate my review. All thoughts/opinions are 100% my own as always.

Dollar General/Procter & Gamble "Every Day Heroes"

Giveaway Closed. Winner is eclairre, congratulations!

Throughout the month of September, Dollar General® is teaming up with Procter & Gamble® to celebrate schools and honor teachers during its year-long “Every Day Heroes” campaign. Now, you can honor schools in your community. Dollar General is offering the opportunity to win money for your school through its “Write to Win” sweepstakes. Customers ages 21 and over may visit the Dollar General site to submit a brief essay about why their school deserves to win. Three essays will be selected and the winning schools mentioned in those essays will win $10,000 each. I have many friends in the education field who would love a chance to win $10,000! I urge you to participate or pass along the word to anyone you know who would like a chance to win for a great cause.

Procter & Gamble is providing a prize pack for one lucky Momfiles reader to win. This prize includes a sample of Tide PODS, Prilosec OTC, Cascade Action Pacs, Ultra Downy Scope Outlast mouthwash, a Dollar General cosmetic bag and a Dollar General reusable sandwich container. Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on September 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. Good luck!

 Procter & Gamble is providing me with a prize pack as well as one for the winner. No other compensation was received. All thoughts/opinions are 100% my own.

Wordless Wednesday

When the boy is with his dad, all is well in the world... until they both get hungry at least!