Sparkle

Here you'll find delicious recipes for any occasion. The perfect recipe is just minutes away!

BROWSE POSTS:

Pulled Pork Salad

I have been eating lots and lots of salads lately in my quest to lose weight.  It seems to be working, since I have lots 15 pounds since June, but I have found I need variety in my salads. I mean I love spinach, but not 7 days a week!  So when I had the chance to review some of the wide variety of salad greens from Organic Girl I figured it was a perfect fit for me.

Organic Girl Salad Greens

Organic Girl has many, many different types of greens, that are all organic, wholesome and tasty.  Variety does more than just make salads more interesting, it also means you get a wide variety of nutrients in your diet.

Back to School Shopping with JCPenney

My daughters are always excited to go back to school shopping, but my 14 year old son Robert hasn’t been that enthusiastic in the past. But since he keeps growing he is the one who really needs new clothes!  With high school starting this year he has become more interested in how he looks, and wants to put his best foot forward. So this year he took along a personal fashion consultant on his back to school shopping trip to JCPenney, his 17 year old sister. She was happy to pick out clothes and help him find ones that are trendy and in style.

IMAG0500

Back to School with Coupons.com

This is a Fashionista Event Opportunity provided in conjunction with Coupons.com.

I am right in the middle of all my back to school shopping. I have two daughters who have college classes starting next week, so it is really time to get organized and buy the texts and supplies they need.  And let me tell you, college is expensive!  My 17 year old is only taking one class, but when you add in all the extra fees and textbooks it adds up fast.  So I am looking for anyway to save money on school expenses, which is why I love the discount site coupons.com.  They organize all the Back to School Deals in one easy to find place, so I don’t have to search all over for coupon codes and sales.

The big thing my 17 year old needed for college was some supplies for her laptop.  So when I went to the coupons.com site I noticed there was a special section of deals at Best Buy just for college students.

So I clicked on the link and was able to access some great deals for her.  They have deals on iPad cases, Jambox speakers, a wireless mouse and more.

Nature’s Flavors Natural Colors Food Coloring Review

One of the fun things about baking cookies and cakes is using frosting and decorations to make brightly colored creations.  But some of the dyes used in those creations are not very natural at all, but are full of chemical additives. So for those who want to try to use only natural colors in their cooking and baking Nature’s Flavors has developed high quality food colors that are natural, vegan, gluten free and chemical free.  I recently had the chance to review their set of natural food colors, and I found they worked well and gave me bright, vibrant colors.

Natural Food Coloring from Nature's FlavorsSome people are sensitive to food dyes, and other people just want to eliminate as many chemicals as possible from their diet.  But with these food colorings chemical free doesn’t have to mean boring!

The dyes are liquids that came in small 2 oz bottles.  The colors I received were Cherry Red, Blue, Honeydew Green, Yellow and Pumpkin.  You can mix the colors to create almost any shade in the rainbow.  The food coloring is designed to be used in items that will not be baked, since heating could cause color changes in some dyes.  But it is perfect for frosting, puddings or non-baked desserts.

Sonicare PowerUp Toothbrush – Power Up Your Smile

I am a member of the Collective Bias  Social Fabric Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and their client.

I went to the dentist a few weeks ago for my semi-annual cleaning, and the dental hygienist was not happy with the state of my teeth!  She told me I have to do a better job, especially on my front teeth, and she had all kinds of scary statistics about gum disease to share with me. So when I heard about the Philips Sonicare PowerUp toothbrush I decided I should give it a try, and see if a battery operated toothbrush gives me better results.

Sonicare PowerUp vs. Manual Toothbrush

Quick Chicken Snack for Hungry Teens

I am a member of the Collective Bias Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and their client.

Now that my kids are teens they are always on the go, going to sports practices, scout meetings and part-time jobs.  So I am always looking for quick ways they can get an easy meal.  A quick chicken snack can be just the pick me up they need to keep going with their busy schedules.

Another thing I find with my teens is that we frequently end up with extra kids at meal time!  And let me tell you, those teenage guests always have big appetites, just like my kids.  This week is the start of exam week at the high school, which means only a half day of school for the kids with morning exams. My 17 year old is homeschooled, so she doesn’t have to take the exams, but many of her friends do.  She invited a friend over for the afternoon yesterday after his exams ended, and we made wraps out of Tyson Chicken Fries to feed the hungry teenagers.

Quick and Easy Chicken Fry Wraps

Good Hands for the Good Life

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

It is easy to get overwhelmed by fear and doubt, because it seems like bad things can happen at any time.  But good things happen all the time too, and it is important to recognize that and not let the bad predominate.  Watching TV news or reading websites can give you the wrong perspective, since they tend to focus on the bad and sensational, not the simple everyday good that occurs.  This video from Allstate expresses that idea very well, check it out.

Wholly Guacamole and Jennie-O Turkey Review and Giveaway

Jennie-O Turkey Jalepeno Burgers

I have noticed recently that most of the (non-dessert) recipes I post seem to be spicy and involve chili peppers of some kind!  This is because I enjoy spicy food and like to stay away from bland and boring tastes.  So it is no surprise that I wanted to review the new Turkey Jalapeno burgers from Jennie-O!

Turkey burgers make a wonderful alternative to hamburgers, especially with grilling season coming up. 

Professional Skin Care Review

Professional Skin Care SystemWhen it comes to my beauty products I am kind of lazy; I want to look good but I am not willing to spend a lot of time or money.  Sure going to the spa every few weeks for a facial would be fun, but not practical for me.  So an at home skin care system like this Professional Skin Care System by ToiletTree Products is perfect for me.  It is designed to provide a rejuvenating spa experience at home, and polish away and exfoliate dry, dull skin. And it is very reasonably priced, since it is much cheaper than most competing products.

Recycling Electronics Products at Best Buy

Old Electronics that need to be recycledDo you have bunch of old electronic devices laying around the house?  I know I do, including old cell phones, the camera I dropped in the ocean last summer, and an old VCR that hasn’t worked in years.  In the past getting rid of these things has been difficult.  Many of them are not supposed to be thrown in the garbage, and contain recyclable parts.  Now Best Buy is making it easy for consumers, because every Best Buy location in Puerto Rico and the U.S. is offering free electronics recycling.

Bob Evans Breakfast Bakes Review – New Breakfast Ideas

image001I am always looking for quick and simple breakfast ideas.  I like a hot breakfast, and have eggs most mornings, either fried eggs, or an egg sandwich or burrito.  But on days when I am in a hurry and have to get going quickly I need a solution that doesn’t take much effort on my part.  So I was glad when I was asked to try out the new Breakfast Bakes from Bob Evans.

Footminders Orthotics Review – Relieve Foot Pain

I have bad feet, and unfortunately I seem to have passed them along to my children. My 16 year old daughter recently started working a fast food job, and she has found that standing on her feet for long and boring 6 hour shifts results in sore feet! So when I had the chance to review some orthotic insoles from Footminders she insisted that I let her have them, so she could get better arch support.

+ More