My $2 Find!

I was doing my usual shopping in Walmart this weekend and stumbled upon this gadget. I have seen it a few times before but didn't bother with it. It is a sandwich sealer and decruster. It is a frugal way to make your own 'UnCrustables' at home. You just start off with your 2 slices of bread, add your filling in the center (I used peanut butter and apricot preserves) and then your press the sandwich cutter down over your sandwich. You end up with a crust-less and sealed sandwich. It worked great! Glad I finally broke down and bought one. You can find them hanging in random places. I found mine on the aisle with the coffee. My only recommendation is to not over-fill your bread.

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. 

Wordless Wednesday | The home school student

Del Monte Fruit Cups for back-to-school {Giveaway}

**Closed** Winner is Elizabeth~ Congratulations!

Del Monte Foods has come out with their newest Fruit Cup® varieties that are packed at the peak of ripeness featuring Fall’s favorite fruits: Diced Pears in extra light syrup with Vanilla & Spice and Diced Apples & Pears in extra light syrup with Caramel. Each cup contains a full serving of all-natural fruit, is an excellent source of vitamin C, and contains no high fructose corn syrup. These are absolutely perfect for my daughters to take in their lunchboxes and even in their gym bag as a portable, healthy snack before they have volleyball practice. It makes me feel good to know they are getting an extra serving of fruit in their daily intake. Both flavors are so delicious! I really love the diced apples and pears in caramel flavor. It is so subtle yet you feel like you are having a treat.

Right now, Del Monte has a fun game on their Facebook page called "Flavor Boom". After you play the game (trust me, it's fun!) You can get a $1.00 off coupon, which can be used towards a two-pack of the new Fruit Cup® varieties.

Giveaway: One Momfiles reader will win a gift pack that includes the 2 new Del Monte Fruit Cup® varieties as well as a money saving coupon for $1.00 select Del Monte products. Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on September 27, 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 will receive products samples for review purposes. All thoughts/opinions are completely my own.

The latest from my kitchen

Lately I have been battling the dinner cooking blues. As usual, I feel like I have run out of ideas. I have been following a couple bloggers that have been meal-planning in advance and I decided to give it a try. For me, I can only do one week at a time (maybe even 4 days). I am a 2-3 times a week grocery shopper because I like everything to be as fresh as possible. I won't say that I have been overly successful in the meal-planning department. I feel like I can't stay on track because my taste or mood might change according to my schedule. One great thing is I have been cooking a lot of meatless meals. I am a HUGE veggie lover. I don't think there are too many vegetables I don't love.  In recent weeks I decided to cook meals without meat and without alerting the family ahead of time. To my surprise they all (even the hubby) love NOT eating any meat. Whaaaattt???!!!! We have all decided that we will have 3-4 meatless meals each week. Today I threw together a fabulous veggie stir-fry served with Jasmine rice and kimchi.

It was so delicious and even the kids agreed that adding any meat, chicken or even shellfish would have spoiled it. I love Asian cuisine so I am really happy that the family loved it as much as they did. 

Last weekend I made a Caribbean style fish dish (Escovitch) that got rave reviews from the family. This dish starts off with seasoned and fried fish that is then topped with a vinegar and citrus based sauce that also contains onions, fresh tomatoes, scallions and hot pepper. This dish can be served with boiled plantains & cassava or just plain rice or grits. 

I am just so happy that my family is all on board with having more meatless meals. I think it will make menu planning a little bit easier and maybe I will actually stick to it! 

What are your favorite meatless meals? Do you meal plan? 

Progresso Light Crème Soup prize pack giveaway

**CLOSED** Winner is freddie~ Congratulations!

Craving rich and creamy flavors, but don’t want to splurge on calories? With two new creamy flavors, Progresso® Light soups are giving those who are managing their weight a new reason to celebrate! At 100 calories per serving, now you can indulge in warm, creamy soups like Light Creamy Potato with Bacon and Cheese* and Light Chicken Pot Pie Style* without feeling guilty. Packed with indulgent, satisfying flavor, these two new Light creamy soups are the perfect way to make thoughtful eating decisions without sacrificing incredible taste.

I have to say that I really love the Light Chicken Pot Pie Style the best. It is perfect for a fast and satisfying lunch I can feel good about. My 16 year old loves the Light Creamy Potato with Bacon and Cheese. I will have to keep some of these in my pantry for those late game nights and for after school on days that they want more than a normal snack.

~These two new Progresso Light creamy soups are joining the lineup of more than 40 flavorful soups that are 100 calories or less per serving
~These Weight Watchers® endorsed soups have 100 calories and a 2 PointsPlus® value per serving
~The Creamy Potato with Bacon & Cheese variety boasts pieces of potato with savory bacon and rich cheese flavor
~The Chicken Pot Pie Style variety exudes a home-style essence with cuts of white-meat chicken, hearty potatoes and classic vegetables

*Light Chicken Pot Pie Style: At least 33% fewer calories than regular ready-to-serve soups. Light Creamy Potato with Bacon & Cheese: 50% fewer calories than the leading potato, cheese, and bacon ready-to serve soup. See nutrition information for sodium content.

 You can grab a money saving coupon on your next purchase of Progresso soups here.

Giveaway:
One lucky Momfiles reader will win a great prize pack including:
(2) Cans of Progresso® Light creamy soup
(1) Soup mug
(1) Lunch tote
(1) Water bottle

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Contest is open to US Residents only and will end on September 26, 2012. 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!

Disclosure: The coupons, information, and gift packs have been provided by Progresso® through MyBlogSpark.