Unlock the last video in the Bruegger's Bagels #BehindtheTaste Series ($25 GC Giveaway)

Earlier this year I talked about the Behind the Taste video series from Bruegger's Bagels. These videos take you behind-the-scenes to showcase the authentic approach the bakery takes when selecting and creating its bagels, cream cheese and smoked salmon. April 1st marks the final video to be unlocked and this one discusses their Sun-dried tomato spread (YUM). If you haven't eaten at Bruegger's Bagels, you are truly missing out! We go there at least once a month and are never disappointed in the superior quality of the food and the very personal touches their staff adds to your experience. Who wouldn't want to dine in a place that?

Here is a little recap of the videos, but you don't want to miss out on coupon opportunities so be sure to go to the Behind the Taste site for the full experience.

Behind the Taste Launch

Authentic Bagels

Cream Cheese

Smoked Salmon

Sundried Tomato Spread

As you can see, Bruegger's takes great pride to find the best ingredients for their bagels, cream cheese and other menu items. Be sure to check out the Behind the Taste website and follow Bruegger's on Facebook and Twitter for product promotions and updates.

Giveaway: Two lucky Mom Files readers will each win a $25 Bruegger's gift card! Enter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I was compensated for my time to share this post and host a reader giveaway. All opinions are my own as always. 

The Best Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Today I woke up thinking about baking something. I haven't baked any treats in almost a month and thought I would surprise my family with some cupcakes. My hubby is a big fan of yellow cake with chocolate frosting so I went with that. I usually make a chocolate buttercream frosting that we all love, but I really wanted cream cheese frosting. I make plain cream cheese frosting most of the time, but what about a chocolate cream cheese frosting? I searched recipes online and couldn't believe how many variations I found. I looked at about ten recipes and my head started spinning. I closed up my laptop and decided to try making it based off of how I make plain cream cheese frosting. The end result was a rich, creamy, slightly tart and sweet chocolately explosion!

Instead of using salted butter like I usually do, I use unsalted. I also added some pure almond extract as well as pure vanilla. I think the hint of almond flavor really makes it extra special. See the complete recipe below.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
1 8 ounce pack of cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
3 1/2 confectioners sugar
1/2 cup minus 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp pure almond extract
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 tbsp cold whole milk or cream

Directions:
Cream butter and cream cheese together in large mixer bowl. Blend in almond and vanilla extract. Slowly add confectioners sugar and cocoa. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the consistency desired. You can spread it on cakes or cupcakes or pipe it like I did. It's so easy and is better than anything store bought.

Enjoy and please let me know if you try this recipe. Thanks for reading!

Get Bouncy, Long-Lasting Curls with KISS InstaWave #AsSeenOnTV

Have you ever seen a new product advertised on TV and the infomercial made you want to order it right away? That's how I feel often, but I am also very skeptical. Some things seem a little too good to be true, and I have had my share of "As seen on TV" purchases that sit beneath a pile of unused gadgets and other foolishness. I have had my eye on the KISS Instawave Automatic Curler for some time and my husband would look at me like I was crazy. He knows my dilemma with finding styling tools to curl my hair and he wasn't convinced it would work for me. You see, I have very silky hair. It's so silky that it slides out of curling irons and often times will either not curl, or curls fall out pretty quickly.

I received the KISS Instawave automatic curler to test out for myself **HAPPY DANCE** I finally get to see if this styling tool will actually work on my hair. I tried it on freshly washed/dried hair and it was a bit of a challenge. It was sliding too much and I needed some practice to master how to really use the thing. Honestly, it's super simple to use. I think it comes down to remembering which direction you need your hair curled and also I find that second day-old hair curls much better.

I gave it a whirl (pun intended) and I absolutely loved how gorgeous my curls came out! I had some sections slide a little bit, but it did not really mess the curls up too badly. The kicker for me is that my curls actually last! I do not have to re-curl the next day and I love how shiny my hair looks as well. Also, I do not use any product to curl with. My husband saw me and was very impressed with how beautiful my curls were. The photo just doesn't show enough detail on how nicely defined the curls were.

A quick demo of the @kissproducts #InstaWave in action! #beauty #hair #review #ad #kissinstawave #instabeauty

A video posted by Shelly (@momfiles) on Mar 30, 2015 at 9:15am PDT

Details about the KISS Instawave:

Salon-Quality, Long-Lasting Curls – Fast and Tangle-Free

It’s quick and easy to get salon-quality curls with the revolutionary new Instawave by KISS. Just push the button to style any type of hair effortlessly.

Instawave Features:

• Fully automatic, tangle-free curler
• Innovative design lets you curl from any position using either hand
• Curl Dial makes it simple to switch between left and right curl directions
• Ceramic Ionic Technology protects hair for healthy, shiny results
• Two heat settings with maximum temperature of 420° F
• Auto shutoff after 90 minutes for added safety
• Patent Pending
• SRP: $59.99 

You can purchase the Instawave at KISSInstaWave.com or at retailers including: Target, Ulta.com and Amazon.com. It's a fabulous styling tool and I highly recommend it if you are currently looking for something great to curl your hair. It is now my most favorite beauty must-have! 

I received a complimentary item for review purposes and all opinions are 100% my own as always. 

Prom nails made easy with KISS Salon Acrylic French Nails #Prom2015

I am absolutely filled with emotion these days with all of the upcoming events leading up to my senior daughter's big day; Graduation. Of course the months before she does graduate are packed with back-to-back events. One of the biggest and most memorable will be her Senior Prom. We already ordered her dress and have started looking around for the perfect shoes and accessories. Since our budget is limited to allow her to partake in additional senior events, we are going the DIY route for certain things. I will be doing her make-up and hair as well as her nails. Of course on prom day, the hours seem to feel like minutes and time goes by way too quickly. One shortcut we will take is by using KISS Salon Acrylic French Nails for the perfect 'manicure' in minutes. No worries about nail polish drying or trying to get into the nail salon on what will be one of the busiest days of the year.

KISS makes life so much easier and you get the exact look you want with minimal effort or skill level. And for the price of only $7.99, it is a very smart choice! These French nails come on 6 varieties: Halo Effect, Sugar Rush, Alter Ego, Dry Spell, Simple Life and Pet Peeve. The lengths are either short or medium and the thickness of the white part varies.

Details:
Acrylic-infused nails deliver a flawless French manicure that costs less than a salon.

Acrylic-infused technology delivers a flawless French manicure that’s 10X stronger than other brands. The easy-to-apply nails go on with a seamless cuticle line so they look natural, and have a perfect French smile line that’s consistent on every nail!

Brie has tried these nails in the past and loved them. They really do look like you went to the salon and spent a lot. The best part is you don't have to be worried about chipping your polish or breaking a nail. These are the perfect solution to having beautiful nails for prom. As a mom, I'm very pleased with the price!

KISS Nails are available at Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Rite Aid, Kmart and other retailers. See all of the products available at KISSusa and follow them on Facebook and Twitter to learn about the latest products.

I received products samples in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own as always. 

Fresh & Natural Make-up Looks for Moms from Susan Posnick Cosmetics

Spring is here and this is the time when I treat myself to a couple new items for my make-up bag. I am a minimalist for the most part when it comes to daytime make-up. I don’t believe in looking too “made up” unless I’m stepping out for the evening or going somewhere others will see me. Susan Posnick cosmetics seem to really fit the look I am aiming for; clean and polished. I have been using the Colorflo mineral foundation and blush, as well as the ColorCoated mascara and ColorEssentials Lipstick. I am currently into nude lip color and Susan Posnick’s ColorEssential Lipstick in Dubai (SRP $21) has become my go-to favorite. I wear it over my lip balm and find that it never dries my lips out the way some other premium brands can. It has a light sheen with a creamy finish.

The ColorCoated mascara (SRP $24) gives my eyelashes enough fullness for a brighter bolder look, while keeping them looking natural and soft. This is very important to me since I don’t care for that false lashes look in the daytime hours when I’m in Mom-mode.  I love how easy it is to remove at night and leaves little to no residue behind. I have not experienced any flaking, so this product would be great for contact lens wearers.

You can order Susan Posnick Cosmetics online and be sure to follow on Facebook and Twitter for product promotions and updates.

I received product samples for review purposes. All opinions are my own as always.