Pepperidge Farm: Feeding Families for 75 Years

Crunchy, smiling Goldfish crackers. Elegant and decadent Milano cookies. Golden, flaky Puff Pastry. Classically simple Herb Seasoned Stuffing. Delicately sweet Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread.

Few brands have a larger portfolio than Pepperidge Farm, which is known and loved for its many products touching the lives of families across the globe. It all began with a humble loaf of bread, which Pepperidge Farm founder Margaret Rudkin baked in her rural Connecticut kitchen. Created in 1937 to address her son’s allergy to common preservatives, Margaret’s simple recipe is the origin of a flourishing business celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.

Pepperidge Farm’s heritage is rich and very much alive today as the company—founded on a mother’s love for her son—continues Margaret’s mission to deliver the very best products (from wholesome fresh bakery items to must-have snacks), many of which are staples in American homes today. 

Here are some fun facts about the company:

• On August 15, 1937, the first “official” loaf of Pepperidge Farm all natural, whole grain bread was sold in a store for 25 cents.
• By September 27, 1939, one million loaves of Pepperidge Farm bread had been sold.
• Pepperidge Farm® Goldfish crackers were originally made and marketed in Switzerland as “Goldfish Tiny Crackers” before being brought to the U.S. by Margaret Rudkin in 1962.
• The first flavors introduced stateside were Lightly Salted (Original), Cheese, Barbecue, Pizza, and Smoky.
• The late Julia Child used to love to serve Goldfish crackers as an appetizer before dinner.
• Pepperidge Farm is committed to accelerating snacking and baking advancements in the future as evidenced by the 34,000-sqare-foot Innovation Center opening this fall at the company’s headquarters in Norwalk, CT
• Annually, the brand produces about 558 million Milano® cookies—enough to cross the United States more than 7 times—and bakes approximately 206 million loaves of bread 
• Today, Pepperidge Farm employs more than 5,000 people and operates plants in nine towns

• Each year, Pepperidge Farm uses about 390 million pounds of flour



 

Jingos! crackers– Featuring bold flavor and a snappy crunch, these brand new snack crackers are available in three varieties: zesty Lime & Sweet Chili, savory Parmesan Garlic, and smoky Fiesta Cheddar

Milano Slices and Milano Melts – The iconic Milano cookie family expands with open-faced Milano Slices in Salted Pretzel – a temptingly crunchy combination of sweet and salty flavors – and Milano Melts Vanilla Crème – a crispy, chocolaty cookie with a velvety filling

Goldfish – Everyone loves Goldfish® crackers – tasty, fun wholesome treats. The Snack That Smiles Back ®

Pepperidge Farm products are a staple in our home.  It seems like every time we go to the grocery store we come back with at least a few Pepperidge Farm items.  It's a brand we love and trust.  I recently got to try a few of their new products and let me tell you about them......

I loooooved these Milano Melts.  I'm a chocoholic and these definitely hit the spot for me!

 The Salted Pretzel Milano slices were to die for!

We also tried some Jingos!  Can I just say how much I love saying that word?  My favorite were the Fiesta Cheddar.  These would be great if you are throwing a party or a get together.

And we cannot forget about the most important staple to any two year old on planet Earth.

GOLDFISH.

Connor's favorite thing ever.

He's crazy for them and we can't leave home without it.

Thank you Pepperidge Farm for all the yummy quality products you've made for us over the past 75 years.  We thank you for feeding our families and keeping our bellies full!

This review was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own.http://www.pepperidgefarm.com/

Pogo Poppit!

I love playing games online.  My favorite site is actually one a co-worker introduced me to years ago called Pogo.  We would play on our lunch breaks or down time.  Pogo has a variety of different games for everyone.

Some of my favorite Pogo games are Lottso, Tri-Peaks solitaire, and Poppit! 

When playing Poppit! you try to release "prizes" by popping groups of 2 or more balloons of the same color.  Pop a group of 8 or more balloons to earn a SUPER-POP bonus! A SUPER-POP awards you with more tokens.

I love playing this game and it's a way to take my mind of things and let my brain relax.  It's kind of addicting too!  I can sit there and play....before you know it my lunch break is up :-(

I've really enjoyed playing Pogo games over the years.  I've been a member since 2002.  It's a great way to play games with friends and also make new ones.  It's the modern day version of board and card games and it's so much fun! 

As a mom who works a full time job and also runs a household it's nice to have a little "me" time every now and then.  I like to take my mind off of things and watch TV or play a fun game like the ones on Pogo.  You can even play Pogo games with Facebook friends and share on Facebook through your wall and news feeds.

Also- I enjoy the Club Pogo subscription.  This allows you to play 40+ exclusive games, earn game badges & ranks, and play without advertisements.

Would you like to try a Pogo.com game like Poppit!?

Below is a Poppit! game for you all to try :

Race against the clock and pop as many balloons as you can. To play the Poppit!™ Sprint puzzle game, all you have to do is pop groups of two or more balloons of the same color in one minute. Fast pops of three or more balloons of the same color increase your multiplier and score.
Play the full version of this puzzle game for free* on Pogo.com. Once you register, you will also be able to save your high scores, tokens, and be able to enter daily for a chance to win prizes**. Join Pogo now and play over 100 free* online games!
*Internet connection and EA account required. Must be 13+ to create an EA account.
**NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Eligibility restrictions apply. See Official Rules for details and alternative means of entry.
It's addicting....I told you so!



I was compensated for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Country Crock "Swamp Thing" Goodness!

This post is sponsored by Country Crock. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

We’ve used Country Crock in our house for as long as I can remember.  My Mom used it growing up and I still use it to cook with today.  It’s rich, creamy texture just can’t be beat.  I love to bake and cook, and almost every recipe calls for some sort of butter.  What I don't like is how fatty it is.  There are lots of alternatives out there on the market today.

Country Crock is a good choice because it contains 70% less saturated fat and 30% fewer calories than butter, 0g trans fat, and is RD approved.  Not only does it have less fat than butter , it tastes great too!

I don't like HARD butter either.  I mean have you ever tried to butter your bread with regular ole butter?  My bread doesn't do so good.  Country Crock is so rich and creamy, spreads on nicely, and comes in all sorts of different varieties.  The cinnamon and honey spreads are delicious for breakfast! 

Here is a recipe I like to use Country Crock with & it's one your kids will love to eat too!

Broccoli Swamp

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Nutrition Information per serving: Calories 230, Calories From Fat 100, Saturated Fat 4g, Trans Fat 0g, Total Fat 11g, Cholesterol 240mg, Sodium 410mg, Total Carbohydrate 12g, Sugars 5g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Protein 19g, Vitamin A 30%, Vitamin C 170%, Calcium 35%, Iron 10%

RECIPE

2 tbsp. Country Crock Spread

1 large bunch broccoli, about 1 1/2 pds., divided into florets
3 Tbsp. water
1 clove garlic-finely chopped
5 large eggs
1/2 cup fat-free half and half

1/4 cup low-fat Swiss cheese,shredded

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

Assorted fresh herbs (tarragon,

basil, chives, rosemary, etc.)
DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°

Spray 9-inch pie pan with no-stick cooking spray.

On the stove top melt Country Crock® Spread in a pan.

Add broccoli and cook for 2 minutes, then add water and

garlic and cook, covered for 5-7 minutes until broccoli is

bright green but firm.

Remove from heat. Set aside 1/3 of the broccoli florets for

garnish and finely chop remaining 2/3.

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and half and half. Stir

in cheese and mix well. Stir in the chopped broccoli,

salt, nutmeg and pepper. Pour into pie pan and bake

for about 35-40 minutes until a knife inserted in center

comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Insert

fresh herbs and reserved broccoli fl orets into the sides of
your “swamp.”

YUMMY & FUN!!!

Find this recipe HERE

I'm a Mom of a 2 year old and I'm always looking for healthy things to feed Connor.  Vegetables are one of the hardest things to feed your child.  We try to make eating fun for him so he'll be enthusiastic about what is on his plate.  We turn eating into a game of sorts and feed each other :-) 

Adding a little Country Crock on top of your veggies makes them tasty as well!     In fact  8 out of 10 kids think veggies with Country Crock are delicious!

The Crock Country Chronicle is a great place to find quick and simple tips and recipes to help make serving veggies fun.  It has some of the CUTEST ways you can transform the veggies on your child's plate into something imaginative and fun! 

Whether you like to bake, or just like a good baked potato every now and then I recommend the yummy, creamy goodness that is Country Crock!  You can find a lot more recipes on Country Crock's website HERE.  Happy cooking and baking everyone!

Are you looking for quick and simple tips and recipes to make serving veggies more fun? Download the free Clare Crespo Cookbook here for fun and whimsical recipes your family is sure to love!

You can also visit:

Country Crock’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/countrycrock
Country Crock’s Twitter page: https://twitter.com/#!/countrycrock

Cass Shapewear Winner!

The winner of the Cass Shapewear is :

CAITLIN

Email me @ beckylbranch@gmail.com with your info :-)

Sweet Cheeks Bumbo Cover Giveaway!

Laura has the cutest Bumbo covers in her Etsy store

SWEET CHEEKS BUMBO COVERS

Her Bumbo covers come in an array of beautiful fabrics, there is so much to choose from!  Sweet Cheeks Seat Covers offer the perfect solution to the non-breathable rubbery material that sticks to your baby’s delicate skin when you sit them in the Bumbo infant chair.

The Bumbo covers are professionally sewn with surged seams, made with machine washable materials, fit snugly over the Bumbo infant chair and will work with the Bumbo Play Tray.  All cover includes the following...

* Minky Dot Armrest

* 2 matching ribbon loopy tags for attaching link toys

* 8 X 5 parent friendly back pocket made to hold pacifiers,teethers, toys....etc

* Monogramming is available. Please see our shop for our monogram listing.

Sweet Cheeks can also can make matching security blankies and nursing pillow covers.   All covers can be made to order, meaning you can change them to your liking.  You can change the minky color or ribbon loopy color, or even add more loopy tags. You may also send your own fabric, so you can match it to other items in your nursery!

TO ENTER

* Go to Sweet Cheeks Etsy site and tell me what cover you would like to win & leave a comment

* Extra entry for liking their Facebook page & leave a comment

* Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter & leave a comment

  $1 from every seat cover sold goes to Gwinnett County Children’s shelter in Gwinnett County

Giveaway Ends: Friday, July 8 2011

Cass Shapewear Giveaway

We all know how pregnancy totally changes our bodies.  After having my c-section I have bumps & lumps I never had before.  My body has morphed into something different.  I have to say that a lot of the time I am insecure about how I look in a tighter shirt because my muffin top is totally pouring over my pants. 

I have been wearing my contour top with built in bra from Cass Luxury Shapewear for a few weeks now and I LOVE it!  It makes me look and feel 10 pounds lighter and it's holds all my jiggles and bits together.  It has made such a difference in how I dress and feel in my clothing.  I think every woman needs some shapewear in her life to give that extra boost of confidence!  This is AMAZING stuff ya'll....I've tried all sorts of shapewear, but Cass Shapewear is by far my favorite!  The material is made well and it holds up better than any product I've tried. 

They make all different kinds of shapewear :

 Booty lifters

 Shapewear under your dresses

I'm giving away (1)

 CONTOUR SCOOP TANK WITH BUILT-IN BRA

Retail value : $86.00

TO ENTER:

1.  Go to Cass Luxury Shapewear website & tell me what your favorite item is

2.  Like Cass Luxury Shapewear on Facebook

3.  Follow Cass Luxury Shapewear on Twitter

4.  Tweet about this giveaway & leave a comment

Giveaway Ends : Friday, July 1, 2011

$100 Babies R Us Giveaway from BlogHer

BabyOrajel_Apr11_Review_007

Teething is so much fun! Not.

Connor is my first child, so I have never experienced the teething process until these last few months. He started cutting his first tooth over Christmas. He had been fussier than normal and I was sure he was teething; but, nothing could be seen. I was visiting my family in Arkansas and my mom noticed he had a little bit of white peeking through his gums. Sure enough, it was the beginning of a tooth! FINALLY we saw it and I was so excited! But, how do we cure his pain?

Beginning mid-March, Connor’s top two teeth started coming in. It was during this time that we had the opportunity to try the new Baby Orajel® Naturals . Boy, am I appreciative. First, I’m glad that I get to give my baby a natural product. I feel more comfortable with natural products, especially when giving them to such a young person. Second, the taste and smell are very appealing. It kind of reminds me of a cross between toothpaste and licorice. Connor enjoys it; in fact, he tries to suck any residual remnants off my fingers

As parents, we try to do whatever we can to alleviate the pain. I mean it has to hurt getting teeth through those new little gums, right? I give it to Connor throughout the day and especially before bed. It has helped tremendously with his fussiness and helps him sleep more peacefully. I honestly don’t know what we would do without it. It provides instant pain relief, is natural, tastes good, and has been such a blessing to both Connor and his Mom & Dad!

 Showing our new pearly white :)

When it comes to teething, how do you naturally soothe your baby?

Share your soothing tips for a chance to win a $100 gift card to Babies “R” Us, courtesy of BlogHer.

No duplicate comments. 

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

 
 a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post 
 b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post 
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
 d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.   

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.  Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.  You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. 

• BlogHer.com Round-up Page: Visit the Exclusive Offers section
• Rules: Visit the Official Rules
• Sponsor: Visit the Official site
 

Giveaway runs May 16^th – June 16^th

Rules:

Nora Jones...Featuring

I recently had the opportunity to listen and review the new Nora Jones CD "...Featuring"

The 18 songs on the album include duets with such legends as Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, and Dolly Parton, and with 21st Century icons from OutKast to the Foo Fighters.

The tracks on …Featuring span her entire career, from one of her earliest recording sessions (a version of Roxy Music’s “More Than This” with guitarist Charlie Hunter in 2001) to her most recent performance, a song called “Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John” that she cut with Belle and Sebastian, which will also appear on their new album. “It's so exciting and flattering and fun when I get asked to sing with somebody that I admire,” says Jones. “It takes you a little bit out of your comfort zone when you're doing something with another artist. You don't know what to expect—it's kind of like being a little kid and having a play date.” Also included are recordings by some of Jones’s own bands and side projects (The Little Willies and El Madmo), and performances with artists that she’s toured with including M. Ward, Sasha Dobson, and Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. Songs on …Featuring range from classics recorded by Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Joni Mitchell, and Roy Orbison to new material by such wide-ranging innovators as Ryan Adams and Q-Tip.

I personally really enjoy Nora Jones music and I was excited to get this CD! I love her soulful and sultry voice with jazz influence all throughout the album. I think her music is warm and inviting and my husband I enjoy turning on music and just relaxing in the living room....and this album was perfect to unwind to at the end of the day.

There were MANY great tracks on the CD, but my favorite track was "Baby It's Cold Outside" featuring Willie Nelson. I love this song, and with Christmas right around the corner I was in the mood to hear it. Nora's version with Willie Nelson was excellent!


...Featuring Track Listing:

1. Love Me – The Little Willies
2. Virginia Moon – The Foo Fighters featuring Norah Jones
3. Turn Them – Sean Bones featuring Norah Jones
4. Baby It's Cold Outside – Willie Nelson featuring Norah Jones
5. Bull Rider – Norah Jones and Sasha Dobson
6. Ruler Of My Heart – Dirty Dozen Brass Band featuring Norah Jones
7. The Best Part – El Madmo
8. Take Off Your Cool – OutKast featuring Norah Jones
9. Life Is Better – Q-Tip featuring Norah Jones
10. Soon The New Day – Talib Kweli featuring Norah Jones
11. Little Lou, Prophet Jack, Ugly John – Belle & Sebastian featuring Norah Jones
12. Here We Go Again – Ray Charles featuring Norah Jones
13. Loretta – Norah Jones featuring Gillian Welch and David Rawlings
14. Dear John – Ryan Adams featuring Norah Jones
15. Creepin' In – Norah Jones featuring Dolly Parton
16. Court & Spark – Herbie Hancock featuring Norah Jones
17. More Than This – Charlie Hunter featuring Norah Jones
18. Blue Bayou – Norah Jones featuring M. Ward

Nora's new album is set to release on November 16th, 2010

ORDER HERE

It would be a great stocking stuffer or gift for someone this holiday season!!!

Tommee Tippee Travel Bottle Warmer Review

We received a Tommee Tippee travel bottle warmer to review last week. Our family is always on the go so I thought this would come in quite handy!

I'll show you how it works:

1. Poor your hot water in
2. Screw thermos lid on

READY TO TRAVEL....
3. Here we are at my in-laws house ready to warm up the bottle

4. Press center button & poor hot water into the lid

(Notice how the water pours out slowly through the opening to prevent splash)

5. Warm bottle

The water stayed VERY hot! The thermos was high quality and I loved how the water didn't dump out, it gently streamed through the opening. I would recommend this if you travel a lot or if you are going on a trip this would be a great thing to have.

Some of the things I would change:

(1) It would be nice if the cup used to warm the bottle fit in a car cup holder, since this is after all a travel bottle warmer.

(2) A lid for the bottle warmer cup would also be nice to prevent splashes and spilling while traveling.

PRODUCT INFO:
•No electricity needed! Great for travel or daycare
•Thermal flask keeps water warm
•Either use warm water to heat up bottles or jars in warming carafe or use warm water to make up fresh feeds
•BPA and Phthalate free

All in all you could tell it was a high quality product and bottom line it did the job VERY well!

Thanks Tommee Tippee for another great baby product!!!

Simply Bags

Simply Bags sent me this lovely red velvet bag with my name on it! They have the cutest embroidered tote bags! I am going to use this one around Christmas time because it's the perfect color and it's velvet. They have lots of other selections including diaper bags, tote bags and insulated lunch bags. Go check out their site HERE

That's my name!
So cute :)