Category Archives: Entertaining

Cracker Barrel Copy Cat Recipe – Chocolate Coca-Cola Cake – Video Tutorial

If you love the Chocolate Coca-Cola Cake at Cracker Barrel, you are in luck. You can follow the recipe and video tutorial below to recreate that scrumptious cake in your own kitchen.

Recipe

Cracker Barrel Copy Cat Recipe – Chocolate Coca-Cola Cake – Video Tutorial

Ingredients

  • FOR CAKE:
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup Coca Cola
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • FOR FROSTING:
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup Coca Cola
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/4 cup chocolate syrup
  • 3 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Instructions
  2. In a pot over medium heat, combine oil, cola, and butter. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil.
  3. Add in your sugar and flour, stirring until the batter is smooth.
  4. Put your batter in a separate bowl. Add in your buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, cocoa, and baking soda. Whisk until smooth.
  5. Pour the batter into a greased and floured pan.
  6. Bake at 350 ºF for 30 minutes.
  7. While your cake bakes, prepare your frosting in a separate bowl. Start by beating you butter and cocoa powder with a hand mixer. Add your cola, vanilla, and chocolate syrup. Beat to combine, gradually adding your powdered sugar as you mix.
  8. Remove your cake from the oven and give it a few minutes to cool. Frost your cake and enjoy!
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Tips and Tricks For The Best Kid’s Birthday Parties

Juicy Juice, Kid's Birthday Parties

As the mother of young children, children’s’ birthday parties are big on my mind. If you stress like I do over planning your children’s birthday parties, you are not alone. Kids’ birthday parties can be a finicky feat, but there are plenty of tips and tricks that parents can incorporate to make their kid’s celebration a success and avoid any birthday blunders. Birthday parties can carry expenses that are often overlooked but can quickly add up. In fact, according to the 2018 Juicy Juice Family Occasions Survey, nearly 60% of parents spend up to $500 on each child’s birthday every year.

For parents looking to save some green and avoid any mishaps and misunderstandings, try the following DIY activities (that double as decorations or favors!) and big-batch recipes to help you throw an amazing party without breaking the bank. Perfect for party-goers and parents, incorporate these ideas from Juicy Juice as you plan your next event, or keep the kids refreshed with new, organic offerings.

Check out these ideas below for you next summer birthday party.

 

Backyard Bug Hunt

Cute activities and recipes inspired by the creepy crawlers in your very own backyard.

 

 

Bottle Cap Ladybugs

Magic Firefly Bottle

Juicy Juice Bottle Planter

Juicy Nightcrawler Cup

Juicy Spider Eggs

Bullfrog Fruit Bowl

Outdoor Adventures

Gear up for summer birthdays with these adventurous outdoor activities and refreshing sips and snacks.

 

 

Rainbow Sherbet Punch

Juice Bottle Bird Feeder

DIY Outdoor Summer Slime

Cap Toss Game

Juicy Juice Bubble Blower

Homemade Fruit Juice Gummies

 

Water Works

When it gets hot, count on these aquatic activities and icy snacks to keep cool.

 

 

Juicy Juice Bottle Cap Aquarium

Juice Box Octopus

DIY Sailboat Race

Juicy Juice Sorbet Sandwiches

Cherry and Cream Bomb Pops Juice Pops

 

So, did you find some good ideas? I bet you did, let me know in the comments.


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Filed under Entertaining, Family Fun, Home & Garden, kids

Saint Patrick’s Day Bamboo Cheeseboard Giveaway

March is the time to celebrate the life of St. Patrick, he is the patron saint of Ireland who helped introduce Ireland to Christianity. I don’t have one bit of Irish in me, but they say everyone is Irish on Saint Patrick’s Day.

I love the way my childrens’ school celebrates St. Patrick’s Day. They have a leprechaun that leaves little clues throughout the school. They go all out on this and the custodial staff joins in. They complain about all the little leprechaun footprints they had to clean up and kids design all kinds of leprechaun traps. My son designed a very clever trap last year with a little cage that dropped down. This is something they really look forward to because no one has caught him yet.

My daughter loves to bake Irish Soda Bread as well. How do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Do you have any special traditions? Check out the ideas below if you want to try something new.  It contains some fun ways you can celebrate the Shamrockin-est holiday of all!

 photo shamrock_image_zps1pwdw1k4.png

You might also want to check out the video below from Catholic Central.

About CATHOLIC CENTRAL:
You have questions about the Catholic faith and what it means to be Catholic. We have answers. Using a team of witty writers, appealing hosts, and even some learned theologians, we’ve created shareable, snackable videos that teach the timeless truths and deep history of the Church with humor and heart. Produced in the Family Theater Productions studios on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, CATHOLIC CENTRAL entertains, enlightens and inspires.

Giveaway

Catholic Central is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! Enter for your chance to win a Saint Patrick’s Day Feast Kit! Open to US Residents.

Catholic Central, Giveaway, Cheeseboard

Saint Patrick’s Day Feast Kit Product Details:

  • Bamboo Cheese Board Set
  • Slide-Out Drawer with Four (4) Stainless-Steel Cheese Knives
  • Four (4) Bamboo Wine Coasters
  • Stain and Odor Resistant
  • Naturally Hypoallergenic and Antibacterial
  • Ecofriendly, Sustainable Materials
  • Hand Wash Recommended

Catholic Central, Giveaway, Cheeseboard

Giveaway:

You can enter for your chance to win a Saint Patrick’s Day Feast Kit below. This is sponsored by Catholic Central.

Saint Patrick’s Day Feast Kit Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

The prize will be sent via FedEx or USPS. No P.O. Boxes please. Cannot win if you have won this Catholic Central sponsored St. Patrick’s Day Feast Kit Giveaway on another blog. Enter below for your chance to win using the Rafflecopter widget. Good Luck!

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Filed under Entertaining, Giveaway, Home, Home & Garden

Planning Your Thanksgiving Day Dinner

For many families, Thanksgiving is a time when everyone comes together to enjoy delicious food, drinks and each other’s company. If you are the one hosting this year’s holiday dinner, it is imperative that you plan ahead when creating your Thanksgiving Day menu. Deciding what foods and drinks to serve for the holiday can be a challenge. However, with some good planning you can make it as stress-free as possible.

From Thanksgiving cocktails to delicious food all served in a great atmosphere, there is much to decide for your event. This is why doing some advanced planning is so crucial. Whether your guest list is for an intimate few, or includes numerous family members and friends, ironing out the details ahead of time, will ensure your dinner runs smoothly.

Key Things You Need To Decide

Once you know that you will be hosting Thanksgiving dinner, it is time to start planning. The first thing you need to do, is plan the menu. If your gathering is small, you can serve everything at the table family style. However, if you have a large guest list, a buffet style dinner is a better choice. Buffet style meals make it easy for you as the host, because everyone can help themselves, and you can keep all the food in one place.

Find out ahead of time if any of your guests have special dietary needs or restrictions. If you have guests that are vegan or vegetarians, you will want to make sure you have dishes prepared that they can eat.

When it comes to the drinks, you should make sure you have a good selection for everyone. In terms of cocktails for your dinner, spend some time online researching a variety of cocktail recipes. This will let you know what type of  alcohol and drink mixes you need to purchase.

Also, remember not everyone drinks alcohol,  so purchase a selection of fruit juice, seltzer and soda, This will allow you to whip up some virgin cocktails for those guests who are underage or don’t drink alcohol.  In addition, make sure you have a good supply of wine and beer on hand, so you can cater to all tastes.

If you decide to have a sit down dinner for Thanksgiving, make sure your table is decked out for the occasion.. Having any kind of dinner party requires an eye for detail when it comes to the table décor. Use a good, high-quality table-cloth to protect your table and add a colorful backdrop.

Coordinating napkins and little touches of the season help to make the table look inviting and warm. Set the table ahead of time with your best dishes, crystal and cutlery. Crown your table with a fall themed centerpiece and candles.

If you follow this advice, you will see that planning ahead will let you host a Thanksgiving dinner that will be enjoyed by all, including the stress-free host.

This is a collaborative guest post, the views and ideals expressed do not necessarily represent those of Mommy Ramblings.


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Filed under Entertaining, Holiday, Home & Garden

Get That Party Started with Basic Invite!

Spring is in the air, and on the calendar. I look forward to March because it signifies the end of winter and the start of spring. I love spring because everything is fresh and new, and it leads into my favorite month, summer! When I think of spring and summer, I also think about graduations, weddings, parties and more.

Who doesn’t look forward to a party? Parties are fun, but most would say, the planning can be stressful. There are so many decisions to make, it can sometimes feel overwhelming.  One of the biggest decisions is selecting the invitations. That is why I want to share Basic Invite with you. Basic Invite makes it simple to  order invitations online.

order invitations online

On Basic Invite’s website you can customize your invitations with an almost unlimited choice of colors and see your unique design in an instant preview. They make the iinvitation design process so user-friendly. Once you select the design, you can get to the fun part of playing with over 180 different color options!

kids birthday invitations

Basic Invite gives you the ability to change the color of individual elements as well as, the card itself! The incredible design options are what really sets Basic Invite apart from other online stationery sites. When you are done, you have a card that is exactly the way you want it, right down to the smallest detail.

Mitzvah Invitations

They have all kinds of invitations for occasions like weddings, graduations, Bar & Bat Mitzvahs, Baby Showers, Birthday Parties and more. Whether you are looking for party invitations for kids, elegant wedding invitations, graduation party invitations or baby shower invitations, you will find it all at Basic Invite.

Girls Birthday Invitations

In addition to their extensive selection of invitations, you will find thank you cards, business cards, birth announcements and so much more! Every card on their site is printed on high-quality cardstock of your choice. Basic Invite’s luxe 120lb matte is standard, but they have a wide variety of additional options from shimmer cardstock to double thick.

First Birthday Invitations

Their site makes it easy to design whatever type of invitations, cards or stationary you need. Their inspiration gallery and wording examples will inspire you throughout the design process. You won’t believe how simple it is, to create your own amazing designs! 

Wedding Invitations

Are you one of those people who needs to touch, feel and see something in person, before you know for sure, it is what you want? If so, Basic Invite lets you order a printed sample of your design, so you can see exactly how the finished invitation will look, before you place your final order.

Baptism Invitations

Envelopes don’t have to be boring, because Basic Invite’s envelopes are available in over 40 different colors. These colorful envelopes make your invitations stand out, even before they are opened.  Best of all, there is no licking or need for messy envelope sealers, because every Basic Invite envelope has a peel and seal closure.

Basic Invite’s address capturing service allows you to simply share a link on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any other form of social media to request addresses from your friends and family which are then stored in your customer account.

Remember Basic Invite for the holidays because they offer foil holiday cards in gold, silver and rose gold in flat or raised foil styles. They also offer recipient address printing at no cost on all Christmas card orders.  That can really save time during that busy time of year!

Christening Invitations

Save Now

To make a great thing even better, right now, you can take 15% off your Basic Invite order when you use the coupon code 15FF51 during checkout on their site.

You can connect with Basic Invite on social media through Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter. Share you designs with them the hashtag #BasicInvite. 

So check out their site, and let me know what you think. Don’t forget to take advantage of that 15% savings! That will really help you get your party started!


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Filed under Entertaining, Home & Garden, Life, Sale, Sponsored, Weddings

Daddy’s Home 2 #Giveaway

Are you in the mood for a funny and heartwarming movie? If so, gather the family and pop in Daddy’s Home  2. Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg star in the daddy of all comedies, Daddy’s Home 2. This hysterical movie arrives on  4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™ & DVD on February 20, 2018

Daddy’s Home 2

Daddy’s Home also arrives February 20th on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and both films will be available in a two-movie Blu-ray Double Feature pack.

When it comes to raising their kids, Dusty (Mark Wahlberg) and Brad (Will Ferrell) finally have this co-parenting thing down. That is, until Dusty’s macho dad (Mel Gibson) and Brad’s sweet-natured father (John Lithgow) come to town, throwing the whole family into complete chaos. As old rivalries create new problems, Dusty and Brad’s partnership is put to the ultimate test in this hilarious and heartwarming comedy that gives new meaning to the term ‘blended family.’

We were really excited to watch this comedy because we loved Daddy’s Home. We had the chance to watch it with our kids recently, and we laughed so hard! It was very funny and made for a great movie night at home with the family.

The DADDY’S HOME 2 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack and Blu-ray Combo Pack feature over 45 minutes of bonus content. Go behind the scenes with five featurettes, deleted/ extended/alternate scenes and a hilarious gag reel. Plus, for a limited time only, get a bonus digital copy of the original Daddy’s Home with the 4K Ultra HD & Blu-ray Combo Packs. In addition, the DADDY’S HOME 2 Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD discs boast a Dolby Atmos® soundtrack remixed specifically for the home theater environment to place and move audio anywhere in the room, including overhead and the 4K Ultra HD disc features Dolby Vision™ high dynamic range (HDR), which delivers greater brightness and contrast, as well as a fuller palette of rich colors*.

The Combo Pack includes access to a Digital copy of the film as well as the following:

Blu-Ray:

• Feature film in high-definition
• Bonus Content:
o Making a Sequel
o Look Who’s Back
o Co-Dads: Will & Mark
o The New Dads in Town: Mel & John
o Captain Sully
o Deleted/Extended/Alternate Scenes
o Gag Reel

Blu-Ray includes:

• The Making of Daddy’s Home
• Daddy-Off
• Daddy Daughter Dance
• Halftime Stunt
• Tony Hawk: Skater Double
• Child’s Play
• Hannibal Buress: The Perfect Houseguest
• Blooper – Jeet Kune Do
• Deleted and Extended Scenes

We are having a giveaway for a digital copy of the movie. Enter below for your chance to win.

Paramount Home Media Distribution is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One of our lucky blog readers will win the digital version of Daddy’s Home 2! Thank you to Paramount Home Media Distribution for the review combo pack and for sponsoring this hilarious giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. Open to US residents.

Daddy’s Home 2 Digital Version Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

Enter for your chance to win using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!

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Filed under Entertaining, Giveaway, Movies, Review

Tender & Delicious Pot Roast Cooked In a Tagine

Wow, the weather has taken a serious dip in the Northeast. Tomorrow is going to be absolutely frigid, the morning will feel like 7 below 0 degrees F. The only bright spot is that next week, we should be back to more seasonable temperatures.

When the weather gets colder, I get into the mood to make hearty meals that stick to your ribs and warm you up. I love a good pot roast, beef stew, pasta fagioli and other flavorful stews and soups, on cold winter days.

If you have been following Mommy Ramblings for a while, you will remember my posts about the best way to cook hearty soups and how to make the perfect beef stew. The right cookware, and the way you cook, really make a difference in how your recipes turn out. I love trying new things in the kitchen and, I have always wanted to try cooking in a Tagine.

A Tagine is a cooking vessel that is used to cook food at a low temperature, for a long time. The unique shape of the Tagine lid allows steam to circulate, which works to keep all the ingredients tender and moist. This kind of vessel and cooking method, works so well with dishes like pot roast. The end result is that type of meat that just falls apart so beautifully, and melts in your mouth.

I just finished cooking my second pot roast in my Emile Henry Tagine, and I don’t think I will cook pot roast any other way. There are so many great recipes you can make in a Tagine. My daughter loves cooking chicken tagine. Any type of recipe that you can cook at a low temperature for a long time, will turn out well.

There are many different kinds of Tagines on the market, but I prefer the Emile Henry Tagine. This Tagine is made of their Flame Ceramic and can be used directly on the heat of the stove or in the oven. This is perfect, because I love starting off on the stove cooking my onions and garlic, browning my meat, and then transferring it all to the oven, to cook for several hours.

You can see the video I made the first time I used the Emile Henry Tagine to make pot roast

We love the Emile Henry Tagine so much, which is why you will find it on Mommy Ramblings’ 2017 Holiday Gift Guide. A gift of Emile Henry Cookware, is a gift any cooking enthusiast will treasure. I know, I certainly do! My Emile Henry Cookware and Bakeware are staples in my kitchen, and they make cooking and baking for my family and friends, easier and better than ever.

Giveaway

Emile Henry Set of 2 Burgundy #9 Ramekins Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

Enter for your chance to win using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!

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Filed under Baking, Cooking, Entertaining, Gifts, Giveaway, Holiday Gift Guide, Home & Garden, Kitchen, Review

Baking Up #DisneyKids Preschool Playdate Party Treats-Easy Tutorial

We were chosen to show our #DisneySide in the hosting of a #DisneyKids Preschool Playdate Party. When the big box arrived, the kids were really excited to see what was inside! You can see our unboxing post and video HERE.

Next it was time to plan the snacks. We made Mickey Mouse Dipped OREO cookies and Devils Food Cupcakes with Marshmallow frosting that were decorated to look like Mickey.
#DisneyKidsMickey inspired cookies are a festive and fast to make. Just dip OREO Cookies in melted red candy wafers and then put white chocolate chips on them with the points cut off so they are a flat as possible. This is fast, easy and delicious.

Disney Cookies

Disney Cookies

Disney cookies 3

 

Bake cupcakes and frost, top with 2 mini OREO cookies to look like ears and then decorate with colored sugar, decors or sprinkles for a festive touch.

Disney Cupcakes 1

Disney Cupcakes

Disney cupcakes 3

They were a huge hit!!!

Disney Cupcakes 9

 

 

We received a party package for our participation in hosting this event.


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Filed under Baking, Cooking, Disney, Entertaining, Home & Garden, Parties