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Mahi Mahi – The Catch of the Day!

June 13, 2010 12 Comments
Believe it or not, I’m not real big on seafood!  It just wasn’t something we ate a lot in our home growing up (except for Captain D’s! lol.)  But in the past few years, I have grown more open to it.  But still my favorites remain shrimp or just a simple white filet.  But Mr. Simply Sweet Home grew up in Mobile, right near the gulf, so he’s just the opposite of me! He loves seafood, and he’s probably tried just about everything.  In fact he tells me the fried catfish sold in resturants “up here” is not real seafood.
One of his favorite restaurant “down there” is Wintzell’s Oyster House.  (If you ever take a trip to Gulf Shores or Mobile, you should definitely check it out. They not only have great food, but they have fun sayings written all over the wall, which you can read while you wait for your food.  They also have other locations in Alabama, one in Mississippi, and one coming to Pensacola, Florida soon.) 
Anyway, my husband always gets a platter of oysters for an appetizer and Mahi Mahi for his meal.  Mahi Mahi is very similar to tilapia.  It’s also known as dolphin-fish, but don’t worry!  I’m happy to report that it has nothing to do with the dolphins (which are mammals),  that we typically think of when we hear dolphin.  
Several months ago  I was looking at the fish in the store, and I just happened to run across some fresh mahi mahi. Admittedly mine looks nothing like the stuff at Wintzell’s.  They put all kinds of stuff on top of it. (I’ve only seen it a couple of times, so I can’t remember what).  But hubby likes mine too (as he should, since he’s the one that told me how I should make it when I had no idea). And even I, the “non-seafood lover” like it!  So that should be a good endorsement! 
This post was featured for the People’s Choice Award at Tuesday Tastes.

Recipe for Mahi Mahi:
Ingredients:
Mahi Mahi filets (I always eat one, but most people would probably want 2.)
Italian Dressing
Lemon Pepper Seasoning
Directions:  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Dip filets in Italian Dressing.  Top with additional dressing if necessary. (After dipping, I always take any dressing left in the bowl and pour it on top of the filets.  Place on baking sheet.  (I usually line mine with tin foil for easy cleaning.) Spinkle with lemon peper seasoning. Bake for 20 minutes or until done.

Crazy Daisy Button

-Jerri
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I’m posting a link to this post on the following sites:
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday is hosted by Blessed With Grace.
Delicious Dishes is hosted by It’s a Blog Party
Tuesday Tastes is hosted by Crazy Jayz Place
Homemaker Mondays is hosted by 11th Heaven’s Homemade Haven.
Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Balancing Beauty & Bedlam.
Works for Me Wednesday is hosted by We Are THAT Family
Tip Me Tuesday is hosted by Tip Junkie
Tackle it Tuesday is hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom
Sharing Ideas Wednesday is hosted by The Trendy Treehouse
Friday Food is hosted by Mom Trends
Friday Foodie is hosted by Designs by Gollum
Finer Things Friday is hosted by Amy’s Finer Things
I’m Lovin It Fridays is hosted by Tidy Mom
Show off Your Stuff Thursday is hosted by Fireflies and Jellybeans

Filed Under: casseroles and quick meals, Recipe of the Week

Friday Favorites – Week 16

June 10, 2010 10 Comments

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It’s week 16 of Friday Favorites!  This week I have a couple of fun craft tutorials and some sweet summer treats to share with you.  Hope you enjoy them!
Don’t forget that you can get an extra entry in all my giveaways just for linking up!  I have a few posted this week, including a $30 Kroger giftcard! You can find links to all my giveaways at the top of the blog.
Also, if anyone’s interested in guest posting on Simply Sweet Home, please send me an email.  Sometimes I have things going on that keep me from posting as much as I’d like, and it would be great to fill the void with a guest post every now and then. I had planned on doing a special post about this, but I thought I’d let my Friday participants have the first chance to volunteer.
Now on with the party! If you’re featured this week, please grab my “featured” button!

If you’re looking for ideas for a healthy treat this summer, you could try this Strawberry Granola Parfait fromWith a Grateful Prayer and a Thankful Heart.
I just love this Kid’s Art Folder from Just Sew Sassy. Go check out the great tutorial!
Here’s a cute summer cupcake idea! Heather from Twin Dragonfly Designs made these Pink Lemonade Cupcakes.  Yum!

 
I’ve seen some lovely individual silhouette wall hangings and even pillows in the last few months. Now here’s a project for the whole family (literally). This Silhouette Art idea is from Cannary Family.

And another yummy treat for the summer! Learn how to make your own watermelon cookies at Amanda’s Cooking.

Join the party by linking up your post below! Please leave a link to your actual post rather than your blog so that we can easily find your post. And please help me advertise this event by including a link to my blog in your posts. Thanks for stopping in this week!

-Jerri

Filed Under: Friday Favorites

Venus Ribbon Review/Giveaway

June 8, 2010 61 Comments
Here’s another fun giveaway for all you crafty chicks! Venus Ribbon offers a variety of fashionable ribbons for all your crafting projects.  Their stock includes ribbons of all colors, patterns, styles, and motifs.  These include polka dots, stripes, animal prints, sports themes, patriotic, checkered, plaid, solid colors, and more!  If you’re thinking ahead for the holidays, they even have ribbons for Christmas, Halloween, and Valentines.
I received a 10 yard spool of ribbon in the pattern of my choice.  I chose the reversible hot pink and white polka dot ribbon.  I was impressed with the quality of the fabric and its vibrant colors. I plan to use this ribbon on at least one fashion project, which will be a pair of flip flops.  And I’ll also be using this for other craft projects and possibly for some fancy gift ribbons.
I would definitely recommend this ribbon to anyone who makes hairbows or likes to add ribbons and bows to children’s fashions.  It would also be ideal for home decor and craft projects or your homemade gifts.  Here are just a few of the fun patterns available.  Be sure to check out Venus Ribbon for more cute and colorful ribbons for your projects!



One of my readers will win a 10 yrd spool of ribbon in their favorite style.  To enter, please visit Venus Ribbon  and leave a comment on this post with your favorite pattern and what you would make with the ribbon.


Giveaway Closed. Winner: Birdie of Birdie Says.

 

-Jerri

Full Disclosure:  I was not paid for this post. For hosting this giveaway, I received a free spool of ribbon.  The giveaway prize is provided by Venus Ribbon. The opinions here are mine.

Filed Under: crafts, Giveaways, product review, Sponsors

Sour Cream Pound Cake

June 7, 2010 18 Comments
As some of you know, my husband only has two or three desserts that he really loves.  He’ll try other things that I bake, but for the most part, he only gets excited about his faves.  So when I bake something new, I usually have to bake one of his favorites too, or I’ll look for new variations on his favorites to make.
I recently tried this sour cream pound cake for his birthday.  This is a “doctored” cake mix recipe, which I always love!  And I have to say, it was one of the best pound cakes I’ve had!  It’s very moist and has a great taste and consistently!  I added chocolate frosting, but any frosting would be good, and this would be wonderful as a plain cake as well.
Don’t forget the Sweet Thursday Pie & Cake event is June 24!  Send me an email with a link to your post if you’d like to be featured!
Recipe for Sour Cream Pound Cake:
Ingredients:

1 18 1/4 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350° and lightly grease and flour a 13×9 pan. Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl and blend on low speed of mixer for 1 minute. Scrape down sides with spatula. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat an additional 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown and tests done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack and frost as desired.  Serve as is, or frost with your favorite icing.

-Jerri

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I’m posting a link to this post on the following sites:
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday is hosted by Blessed With Grace.
Delicious Dishes is hosted by It’s a Blog Party
Tuesday Tastes is hosted by Crazy Jayz Place
Homemaker Mondays is hosted by 11th Heaven’s Homemade Haven.
Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Balancing Beauty & Bedlam.
Works for Me Wednesday is hosted by We Are THAT Family
Tip Me Tuesday is hosted by Tip Junkie
Tackle it Tuesday is hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom
Sharing Ideas Wednesday is hosted by The Trendy Treehouse
Friday Food is hosted by Mom Trends
Friday Foodie is hosted by Designs by Gollum
Finer Things Friday is hosted by Amy’s Finer Things
I’m Lovin It Fridays is hosted by Tidy Mom
Show off Your Stuff Thursday is hosted by Fireflies and Jellybeans

Filed Under: desserts, Recipe of the Week

Feed America with the Pound For Pound Challenge. Plus $30 Kroger Giveaway!

June 4, 2010 126 Comments
The Kroger Co. Family of Stores, General Mills, NBC’s hit television show “The Biggest Loser” and other key sponsors are partnering to donate up to $1,080,000 to Feeding America this year.
Want to help? It’s easy! Just visit Pound for Pound Challenge to make your pledge to lose weight. Through June 30, 2010, the Pound For Pound Challenge will donate 14 cents to feeding America. That’s enough to deliver one pound of groceries to a local food bank!
I was excited to find out about this program because my husband just started a weight loss program. He is vowing to lose 60 pounds! So I was happy to send him over to the Pound for Pound Challenge to make a pledge!  You should go make a pledge too.  It only takes a minute, and it’s for a great cause!
As the official supplier of the Biggest Loser Ranch and a partner of the Pound for Pound Challenge, the Kroger Family of Stores wants to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. At the Pound for Pound Challenge website, you can find tools and information to help you with your weight loss goals, and you can learn about many of the products that have been featured on the program, “The Biggest Loser.” These include great foods like Yoplait Yogurt and Smoothies, Total cereal, and Multigrain Cheerios. These products are available at your local Kroger Family of Stores and can help you stick to your weight management plan.

To help you to try these General Mills products and get a start on your weight management goals,  Kroger and General Mills are offering one Simply Sweet Home reader a $30 gift card to the Kroger Family of Stores. 

Giveaway Closed. Congrats to our winner, Leigh at One Day at a Time!

-Jerri

Full Disclosure: For hosting this giveaway and passing along this information, I was given a $30 Kroger giftcard. This information and giveaway are provided by the Kroger Family of Stores and General Mills through MyBlogspark.

Filed Under: Giveaways, health, Sponsors

Friday Favorites – Week 15

June 3, 2010 12 Comments

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Greetings! And thanks for stopping in for Friday Favorites!  This week I’m changing it up a little and featuring some of our cupcakes from last week’s Sweet Thursday event.  And then next week’s Friday Favorites post will include posts linked up from last week’s and this week’s FF event.  So if you linked up a post here last Friday, you may still see it here next week.
Also, for linking up this week, you are eligible for an extra entry in my Sense daily moisturizer giveaway and my Yoohoo & Friends giveaway! 

Now let’s check out this week’s featured posts!  If you’re featured, I welcome you to take my “featured” button for your blog.

I just love bees! (At least the bees found in baking and craft projects!)  Aren’t these the cutest?  These Lemon Honey Cupcakes are from glitter to gumdrops. (We also had some more equally delicious looking cupcakes linked up from here, so you’ll definitely want to go by and check them out) 
I always get excited when I see the phrase “Tres Leches.”  These yummy looking Tres Leches Cupcakes came to us from Little Bit of Everything.
 Wouldn’t you love to have these cupcakes at your picnics this summer?  Liz from Hoosier Homemade linked up a post which included these and several of her most recent cupcakes.  If you haven’t been to Liz’s place, it is a must see! Each week she bakes up the cutest cupcakes, and she also hosts Cupcake Tuesday each week!
I finally tried pumpkin pie for the first time last year, and since then I’ve been interested in trying som new pumpkin recipes.  These yummy looking Pumpkin Cupcakes are from Full Circle.

Another cupcake I’d like to try!  We usually see these around St. Patrick’s Day, but when something looks as good as this, it seems silly to only eat them in March.  These Chocolate Guiness Cupcakes are from Siggy Spice.

Let’s get the party started!  Link up your favorite posts below!  Please link up your actual post (not your blog) and include a link back to my blog somewhere in your post.

 -Jerri

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I’m posting a link to this post on the following sites:
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday is hosted by Blessed With Grace.
Tuesday Tastes is hosted by Crazy Jayz Place
Homemaker Mondays is hosted by 11th Heaven’s Homemade Haven.
Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Balancing Beauty & Bedlam.
Works for Me Wednesday is hosted by We Are THAT Family
Tip Me Tuesday is hosted by Tip Junkie
Tackle it Tuesday is hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom
Sharing Ideas Wednesday is hosted by The Trendy Treehouse
Friday Food is hosted by Mom Trends
Friday Foodie is hosted by Designs by Gollum
Finer Things Friday is hosted by Amy’s Finer Things
I’m Lovin It Fridays is hosted by Tidy Mom
Show off Your Stuff Thursday is hosted by Fireflies and Jellybeans


Filed Under: cupcakes, Friday Favorites

Yoohoo & Friends Feature & Giveaway

June 1, 2010 32 Comments
I am pleased to introduce you to Aurora’s Yoohoo & Friends!  This adorable children’s program and line of plush toys are based on animals from around the world, many of which are endangered.
Yoohoo & Friends have a new interactive world on the web.   At the website, visitors can learn about the many animals that Yoohoo & Friends are based on, as well as play games, send e-cards, download wallpapers, calendars and coloring sheets.  They can also adopt and raise YooHoo & Friends.  It requires no activation code and is targeted to children 5 to 12 years old.
Currently there are over 100 different items in the Yoohoo & Friends line.  You can buy their plush toys, keychains, and more online at http://shop.auroragift.com/ or you can check to see if they are available in your area.  And as you can see below, they even have graduation Yoohoos!
I received 2 Yoohoo & Friends toys:  Lora the Scarlet Macaw and Shooga the Sugar Glider.  These little guys are just adorable!  They are very soft and feature bright colors, big tales, and big, bright eyes! And they make cute noises.  Oddly enough, both the cartoon and the toys themselves remind me of Shirt Tales from the 80’s.  (Love them!) These toys are sure to be loved by children and collector’s alike!
One Simply Sweet Home reader will win a 5 inch plush Yoohoo & Friends Toy that makes a noise when you squeeze it. 


Giveaway Closed.  Congrats to our winner, Candice of Penny Pinching Pixie!
Disclosure: Product samples and giveaway prizes are provided by Aurora.  The opinions expressed here are my own.  If you’d like to have your product featured on Simply Sweet Home, please see my PR Page for details.
Filed Under: Giveaways, product review, Sponsors

Ranch Pasta Skillet

May 30, 2010 15 Comments
I normally like to bake things in the oven, but when it’s nearly a hundred degrees outside, I’d prefer not to heat the oven to 350 for an hour! So for the summer time, skillet meals come in handy!
I’ve taken my ranch chicken recipe and converted it into a rice casserole before, and I had been wondering how it would be to do the same thing using noodles, sort of like chicken helper.  So I threw some things together and voila!
It turned out pretty good.  My husband’s only complaint was that it was a little salty.  So if you decide to make this, you should probably use reduced sodium soup, and you could also adjust the other ingredients to suit your taste (less seasoning, more water or milk, etc.)  But all in all, this was a great quick meal!
Recipe for Ranch Pasta Skillet:
Ingredients:
2-3 cups egg noodles (or pasta of choice)
2 cans chicken breast (or about 3 chicken breasts shredded)
2 cups milk
3/4 cups water (use broth from chicken)
1 – 1 oz. packet of ranch salad dressing mix
1 can cream of chicken soup
Directions:  Spray skillet with cooking spray.  Place canned soup in skillet, along with about half the dressing mix.  Mix well.  Then add chicken. (If using the chicken broth from the canned chicken, no need to drain.  Just add the broth along with the chicken.)  Mix well.  Add uncooked pasta, milk, remaining dressing mix, and water (if you didn’t use broth). Stir together.  Heat to boiling.  When it starts to bubble, reduce heat to medium, and cover, stirring occasionally.  Cook for about 10 minutes. Let stand for a couple of minutes before serving so the sauce can thicken.

-Jerri

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I’m posting a link to this post on the following sites:
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday is hosted by Blessed With Grace.
Tuesday Tastes is hosted by Crazy Jayz Place
Homemaker Mondays is hosted by 11th Heaven’s Homemade Haven.
Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Balancing Beauty & Bedlam.
Works for Me Wednesday is hosted by We Are THAT Family
Tip Me Tuesday is hosted by Tip Junkie
Tackle it Tuesday is hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom
Sharing Ideas Wednesday is hosted by The Trendy Treehouse
Friday Food is hosted by Mom Trends
Friday Foodie is hosted by Designs by Gollum
Finer Things Friday is hosted by Amy’s Finer Things
I’m Lovin It Fridays is hosted by Tidy Mom
Show off Your Stuff Thursday is hosted by Fireflies and Jellybeans

Filed Under: casseroles and quick meals, Recipe of the Week

Friday Favorites – Week 14

May 27, 2010 8 Comments

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Happy Friday! And I hope you all have a great Memorial Day Weekend!  To say thanks for coming by and linking up this week, I’m giving you a chance to get an extra entry in my Sense Daytime Emulsion Giveaway! This is a really great prize, and I hope you all decide to enter! 
Don’t forget to go by and check out all of this week’s featured posts!  And if you’re featured this week, please grab my “featured” button for your blog.  If you need help with this, just send me an email and I’ll be happy to assist you!
Enjoy the party!
 If you’re tired of baby dolls falling out of their blankets, you should check out this No Slip Baby Blanket tutorial from The Little Appleseed.  Isn’t this adorable?
The Moody Fashionista had a pink/green polka dot themed party.  Here’s one of her refreshment tables.  If you like party planning, you should definitely check out the rest of her post.  She has some great decor ideas (and even another great food table).  And all the photos are just fabulous! 

I loved the blues and greens used in this Rose Topiary from Life in My PJs. I would love to make one of these for our house!

This Live, Laugh, Love sign is also from Life in my PJs.  Isn’t it cute?  It also happens to be a fairly easy and very affordable project! (My favorite kind!)

This photo comes from a fabulous home tour at Remodelaholic.  It’s actually a guest post from The DIY Show Off.  The whole tour was great but I especially loved this monogrammed mirror and the decorated table and baskets here.  Very nice!
Another home tour! Inspired Interiors features beautiful tours each week.  A couple of week’s ago this 18th century French Chateau was linked up.  I was just amazed by the photos of this place, and I told my husband that I thought I had found his dream home!
I can’t wait to see what you’ve been blogging about this week.  Link up your post below! Please enter the direct link to your post, and don’t forget to include a link back to my blog! Thanks!
-Jerri

Filed Under: Friday Favorites

Sweet Thursday: Cupcakes & Muffins

May 26, 2010 14 Comments

sweet Thursday
 

Welcome to this month’s Sweet Thursday Event!  This month our theme is Cupcakes & Muffins, and as usual we have some scrumptious delights for you to feast your eyes upon! (By the way, if you’re on a diet, I must warn you not to go any farther, because you will be tempted by this post!!)

Thanks to everyone who submitted their goodies this month! Also, as a special treat, I’ve included a couple of previous entries from some cupcake posts I did last year, along with links to the original round-up posts, so if you like to look at cupcakes, be sure to check them out!

Link Up:  At the end of this post I’ve included a linky for you.  If you have a cupcake or muffin themed post, I invite you to link it up below.  New and older posts are welcome!

Next Month’s Event:  The June event theme will be Pies & Cakes.  The date will be June 24 (post will actually be up late Wed night on the 23rd).  If you’d like to be featured in the post, please email your submission to me by Tuesday, June 22.  Or come by after the post is up, to leave your link.  For submission guidelines and info on future events, please see my Sweet Thursday Event Page.

Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes from from glitter to gumdrops
Mini Root Beer Float Cupcakes from Gourmet Mom on the Go

Buttermilk Oatmeal Muffins from Recipes for Moms

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes from Nancy Creative
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins from A Little Bit of Everything

Orange Blueberry Muffins with Pecan Crumble My Sweet and Savory

Jello Cupcakes from Recipe Sharing

Coconut Cupcakes from Millie’s Place
Muffins in Disguise from My Sweet and Savory

PB&J Cupcakes from Life in a Peanut Shell.
This cupcake was included in  Last Year’s Sweet Thursday Cupcake Round-up
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Wedding Cupcakes from Consumed by Cake.
This cake was included in a Wedding/Shower Cupcake post I put together last year.
Banana Cupcakes w/ Streusel Topping from Simply Sweet Home
If you didn’t get a chance to send in a submission, never fear!  You can share your cupcakes and muffins with us by linking up below!!

-Jerri

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I’m posting a link to this post on the following sites:
Cupcake Tuesday is hosted by Hoosier Homemade
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday is hosted by Blessed With Grace.
Tuesday Tastes is hosted by Crazy Jayz Place
Homemaker Mondays is hosted by 11th Heaven’s Homemade Haven.
Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Balancing Beauty & Bedlam.
Works for Me Wednesday is hosted by We Are THAT Family
Tip Me Tuesday is hosted by Tip Junkie
Tackle it Tuesday is hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom
Sharing Ideas Wednesday is hosted by The Trendy Treehouse
Friday Food is hosted by Mom Trends
Friday Foodie is hosted by Designs by Gollum
Finer Things Friday is hosted by Amy’s Finer Things
I’m Lovin It Fridays is hosted by Tidy Mom
Show off Your Stuff Thursday is hosted by Fireflies and Jellybeans

Filed Under: cupcakes, Sweet Thursday
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