Duncan Hines Carrot Cake

Thank goodness for ready to bake goodies in the grocery. I was craving for a different type of cake and I found a Carrot Cake from Duncan Hines brand. This is actually my first attempt to bake a carrot cake and I thought, this will be another wasted baking experiment. I was wrong! This is now my favorite cake. Not too sweet and so yummy! The steps are easy to follow and please take it from me, this carrot cake is truly moist and tastes delicious.

My husband likes it too and since I bought 2 packs, carrot cake will be on our table on Noche Buena.

Find this brand in the grocery store in your area. I can't recall the price but, I think I bought it on sale, 2 for $7.  A bit pricey compared to other ready to bake cakes in the grocery store but, you will never regret the taste of this carrot cake.

Try it and let me know okay? Enjoy the holiday!

Midnight Snacks: Cheesecake and Marshmallow

It is now 1 AM and I am still wide awake and craving for a cheesecake and this yummy marshmallow dip into a chocolate ganache. I know it is past midnight and I should not supposed to eat but, sometimes I have to break that "rule" and satisfy my cravings. Oh yeah, with a hot coffee and cream ... I have my feet lay on the ottoman ... such a relaxing moment. Let's chow (*v*) .

I bet you will be heading to your kitchen after you read my post, LOL.Why not right? You should not sleep with a growling stomach so; go ahead and satisfy your cravings. Be warn though .... don't do it often. Love your body and stay healthy. Have a good time savoring the "yumminess" of your snacks. 

Perky Jerky: The Tastiest Jerky Ever

Few weeks ago, my husband bought a beef jerky and he told me that it was the best jerky he ever had for a long time. Nothing left for me to attest his claim (wink) so; I emailed the company if they could send me a sample of their products in exchange of an honest review. I got a positive response and got these in a package (check the photo below):

I was indeed lucky to have these free samples. My husband opened the package and started snacking on his favorite flavor, the beef jerky. It is very tender and truly delicious. It is marinade with 7 ingredients which includes Guarana. This plant is native in the Amazon basin but, common in Brazil. As a dietary supplement, guarana is an effective stimulant in fact; the seed contains twice the concentration of caffeine found in coffee beans. No wonder that my husband loves the taste and the flavor of beef perky Jerky.

I tasted the 2 amazing Perky Jerky products and I am thrilled to tell you that I love it. Perky Jerky has been Americas most talked about jerky! Their products, the ultra-premium beef jerky and the ultra-premium turkey jerky has so far the best tasting jerky’s I have ever tasted! Perky Jerky is proven to be low in fat, carbohydrates, calories and are made in all natural ingredients. I am very pleased to know that Perky Jerky does not contain MSG, nitrites and preservatives. Based on what I know, the product is marinade with several ingredients and includes a stimulant plant. I did a little bit of research about the plant which I mentioned above and found out that this plant has caffeine which as we all know is an effective stimulant. To be honest, this Guarana plant ingredient is nothing to be scared of in fact; this ingredient is commonly found in energy drinks! The food will actually serve as an energy source. It is rich in protein and taste absolutely wonderful so; you cannot really go wrong with that!

The Ultra-Premium Turkey Jerky is made from turkey breast. It is also marinade in all natural ingredients such as organic Worcestershire sauce, organic evaporated cane syrup, lemon juice and more. This is very tender, savory and tasty but does not over power you with a peppery taste. It also provides essential protein, and is non-fattening which actually suits my new healthy diet. I would definitely recommend this product to anyone.

WEBSITE : PERKYJERKY

LIKE them in : Facebook
FOLLOW them in : Twitter
Call them at : 888-343-6113 between 9am-4pm (MST)
Email them at : info@perkyjerky.com

Wellsley Farms : Cheesecake Sampler

Yummylicious right? If you are conscious of the calorie breakdown, here is the truth: 52% fat, 44% carbs, and 4% protein. If you are reluctant to eat a slice of this good looking cheesecake, it's up to you. I ordered the 14 slices of cheesecake sampler because I craved for it. Sometimes, I need to satisfy my cravings you know.

We shop and pick our groceries at BJ's Wholesale Club twice a week. Wellsley Farms products are BJ's upscale, private-label line of fresh foods which includes a full selection of dairy products, produce and fresh heat-and-eat meals. I am a big fan of Wellsley Farms Products and cheesecake is just one of them.

Honestly, I can eat this for more than a week and I can't get enough of it. Between chocoalate coated cake and cheesecake, I pick the latter (wink). Do you have BJ's Wholesale Club in your area? Sign up for a membership and don't forget to check out this cheesecake sampler. Enjoy a hearty cheesecake snack! 

Restaurant Giftcards

Hello friends. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. Are you all set for Thanksgiving Dinner tomorrow? Don't forget the turkey and some stuffing (wink). This year has been good to us and I thank God for His blessings of Good Health to all members of my family here and back home. Having good health flows down happiness, contentment, and all the good blessings of life. Speaking of blessings, I got these restaurant gift cards from the rewards points I got from my bank card. We dine out once or twice a week so; these gift cards are great savings from our pocket.

When your bank has rewards and points given to you for every transactions you made such as paying the bills; grocery and gas charges; you should take advantage for that. Sign up and you will earn points which you can exchange for cash, gift cards and other freebies. Good luck and enjoy shopping!

A Glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and Prosciutto Cravings

The other day, I was feeling so sad ... hormone thing you know. When I checked the fridge, all of a sudden I craved for prosciutto, cheese and fruits. I kind' a like my cravings because I don't usually eat cheese for snacks. Oh, I love prosciutto and I can eat a quarter of a pound just snacking on it. If you love prosciutto but hate the price, I suggest you visit BJ's store. Their price is half from your neighborhood grocery store.

We have stocks of good wines in the house. We are not drinkers but, few bottles of red and white wines are not bad for after meals right? 

I felt good after a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and snacking these delicious foodies. According to my friend this wine  is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties in fact, one of his favorites. Well, a glass of wine is enough for me and this can last me a week you kinow (winky-wink). 

Do you like wine? Do you prefer red or white wine? A glass of wine is good for the body you know but, drink moderately. Thanks for stopping by.

Comfort Zone® with D.A.P.® for Dogs

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Comfort Zone® products. All opinions are 100% mine.

I received a product from Comfort Zone® with D.A.P.® about few weeks ago and I use it for our adorable cat Mimi. Prior to using it, I read all the information written on the box because I was curious on how it works.

I heard about pheromone way back in my biology class in college so; this word is no stranger to me. Pheromones are chemicals capable of acting outside the body of the secreting subject to impact the behavior of the receiving subject.

It has different kinds such as alarm pheromones, food trail pheromones, and many more that affects the behavior of the subject when triggered in fact, some vertebrates and plants communicate by using pheromones.

In connection to the product that I received, using Comfort Zone® with D.A.P.® helps reduced the stress related behavior in dogs by mimicking their natural pheromones. It also helps the dogs calm and comfortable in their environment. Comfort Zone® with Feliway® is 95% effective at reducing the annoying scratching and urine markings for cats. Mimi evidently was relaxed the whole time after using it. Comfort Zone® with D.A.P.® also helps reduced excessive chewing and barking, destructive digging, and house soiling for dogs.

At night, Mimi was fast asleep so soundly which was really good. Unlike before, she was just roaming inside the house scratching and it really measured my patience at the highest level. But, I love her so; thank goodness for Comfort Zone® with D.A.P.®, her restlessness was reduced.

Would you like to check out this product? Like the page of Comfort Zone® with D.A.P.® at Facebook today and find out what other users say about this product.

Craving for Concord Grapes

I blame it on hormone change again LOL. I may be laughing but, it is true.PMS to perimenopause perhaps (oh no) and into menopause ( got a long way to go I hope ) , hormonal ups and downs can wreak havoc on a woman's life. Once or twice a month, I have migraines due to stress and fatigue but wait, how can it be? I stay at home, got no kids that take my time ... house is not that big to maintain... I seldom blog, as you can see updates are only few ... what's there to be stressed about? I leave my questions to my family doctor. "Amy, there are other reasons", you probably said this right now (wink) and you are right.

Well for now, my favorite fruit is Concord grapes. It satisfies my cravings and my migraine would disappear. Weird huh or it might not be. I only see the concord grapes in the produce section when fall season comes. It might be a seasonal fruit. See the picture above? It is different from the usual grapes that we have in the market all year round.

This type of grapes is used as table grapes, wine grapes and juice grapes. It is also used to make grape jelly, grape juice, grape-flavored soft drinks, and candy. Interesting! The Concord grape is dark blue (see the photos).  It is covered with a lighter-coloured "bloom" that can be easily rubbed off.

This type of grapes is called slip-skin variety because the skin is easily separated from the fruit. Most grapes that we buy in the produce section, we eat the whole fruit right? But with concord grapes, I only eat the juicy, sweet and aromatic fruit ... the skin, nope! I think I will head to the grocery's produce section now ... I am craving for concord grapes at this time. See yah! Thanks for stopping by.

Breakfast at the Restaurant in IKEA Home Store

It's been a while since we last visited IKEA Home Store. I miss dining in their restaurant before we head to shopping. My husband and I usually go there to unwind, eat and have a little shopping. That's always the plan but, we end up shopping for more and eat less LOL. IKEA has this FREE breakfast freebies on certain days and sometimes, we were able to avail it. The picture below is usually the free breakfast plate ... good food huh?

This is hubby's plate, biscuits and gravy. IKEA coffee is one of my favorites. Since we are members of IKEA Family Club, we can avail and enjoy free coffee or hot tea every time we visit the restaurant! Become a member today, it is FREE!

I usually do not take photos with people but, I just want to show you one section of the restaurant. The Industrial ceiling is cool huh?

The croissant is not my favorite but, it was good. Croissant is a buttery flaky viennoiserie bread roll which is named for its well-known crescent shape. Do you like it?

I love having breakfast in IKEA. Weekdays are the best time to shop in IKEA and early morning because the crowd is tolerable. We plan to go there next week and buy some accessories for the bathroom and living room. Thanks for stopping by. Check out my post tomorrow. Stay happy.

Fall Inspiration by Gardenieres

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

I was checking on the Website of Gardenieres today and I was viewing the video of Teena Spindler, the West Coast Gardeniere. I was impressed by their experiment on apples to see which one works best according to the climate; and I love their farm which was humongous. The farm is solar and wind powered; and totally green.

This is the video that I was talking about. I like the project about the hay bells garden on which they added with some organic products and fertilizers. It was really cool because it gives me an idea on how to make a garden with limited soil.

I have a backyard garden and my problem is the type of soil that we have here in Florida. We have a sandy type soil and so; I use the product of Miracle Gro Garden Soil for flowers and vegetables. It is specially formulated for annuals, perennials, and vegetables. Without it, my gardening will never become successful. It improves the moisture of the existing soil and therefore build the strong roots.

Miracle Gro is a great helper in my gardening.  In fact, my vegetable garden has more vegies now than before. How about you? If you have a garden and wanted to share your ideas, please check out Miracle-Gro Facebook page.

Appetizing Snacks for the Week

I just want to share the photos of snacks that keeps me busy lastweek. I wanted to make BIKO but, I saw how to make LATIK in youtube video. That sweetness is all I need for the steamed MALAGKIT. I sprinkled with some nuts and boy, I was a happy camper.

While visiting Missouri and actually able to shop in an Amish Store, I was looking for macaroni salad. I bought a tiny pack but, when I tasted the food, it was not as delicious as the photo below. Last Tuesday, hubby and I went to WalMart just to buy the Amish Macaroni Salad. The taste is sweet but, not overpowering. Check it out at WalMart and this yummy macaroni salad can be found near the Deli area.

These are home baked cinnammon rolls. It is so easy to prepare and the brand is Pillsbury.

If you check out the frozen aile in any grocery stores, you can buy these yummy cheese sticks. Eat it while it is hot because it could turn into gummy when it is cold (wink)!

These snacks simply fills my growling tummy. What's yours? Share it here. I love to read it. Thanks for stopping by.

Lots of Chocolates and Pretzels

My husband is excited to check the mail for the last two weeks. You know why? It is because of these big boxes full of yummy foodies. The products of Newman's Own Organics and Ashers arrived on the same day. My husband knew that there are chocolates in it. When the company is generous, I can tell that their business is doing great. I am so impressed by the amount of products sent by these companies.

Here's my husband trying to open the box of Ashers. There are two boxes of chocolates and pretzels inside the styrofoam with ice packs.

This is for me because I like pretzels covered with chocolates.

And this box is for my husband who loves chocolates and cherries combined.

After the "taste test" hehehe, I will review their products. Check it out next week guys. Newman's Own Organics will give free products to the lucky reader here so; watch out for it. Thanks for stopping by.

Halloween Candy Treats Tray

Would you like to set up your candy treats tray into the mood for Halloween? Check out the picture below. I took this photo from a friend's Halloween Party. Once I tried to pick up the candy, it will mock with annoying laughters. It has sensors and battery operated . It was cool specially when I was caught off guard trying to get some chocolates. The light in the house was set in dim mood that adds the thrill effects.

Do you have a Halloween cool candy tray ideas? I would love to see them. Have a fun Halloween Party this year. 

Teaser: How To Win 4 Packs of Goodies

Plenty isn't it? Would you believe that I got all these for FREE? That is true! A box of goodies arrived yeaterday and the advertiser offered me a chance to choose 4 products and give it away for free. I am not done tasting yet.

I am not done tasting yet but, once I am finish, I have to write a Review and Giveaway info in one.

Make  sure that you join the giveaway soon. Any particular goodies you want?

Asian Buffet

I love to travel and one activity that is very important for me is checking out fine dining and buffet restaurants in the area. If I am not that hungry, I usually prefer fine dining. That is not the case when I am famished. I don't want to wait a long queue to be seated plus, waiting time for the order to serve on the table usually 15 minutes or more. My grumpy tummy would be complaining by then so; buffet is good.

All these photos were taken in a Chinese Restaurant in Singing River Mall in Mississippi. I told you I love to travel and yep, been there.

Just last week, when hubby and I traveled to the Midwest, I was so hungry and was craving for steamed rice. The only place to buy a good steamed rice is Asian Restaurant. We stop at Chattanooga Tennessee and bought myself a take out Chinese foodies. That food really fills me up until the next day.

Last Monday while we were driving home, I was craving again for steamed rice and spring rolls. Thank goodness for a Korean restaurant, I was able to buy the food.

I can't live without rice in a day I guess. Check out these desserts. I love cheesecake and brownies. They are so good and when I ate desserts, I always order coffee with cream. Such a delightful meal for me.

How about you? Do you prefer fine dining or buffet? If you happen to pass by in Biloxi, Mississippi, you should check out the buffet in their casinos. OMG! Very festive, affordable and yummy!

IKEA's Choklad Mork: Dark Chocolate

I admit, I am not a fan of chocolates. That's a good thing right? I just don't like sweets. I can eat a few tiny M&M's but, not really the whole big bar. Of course, I crave for chocolates but, once in a blue moon. I like munching the dark chocolate which we all know; it reduces the possibility of a heart attack especially when consumed regularly in small amounts.The semi-sweet chocolate is a dark chocolate with a low sugar content and that's the reason why I like it better. Aside from that, I also like the bitter-sweet chocolate which is a chocolate liquor. This type of chocolate has less sugar and more liquor. As I have said, I am not a fan of chocolates but, these two are my preference. Oh, and I also like white chocolate.If you like to shop in IKEA and familiar with the food display, you probably recognize this dark chocolate. This is really good and one of my favorites. Check it out in IKEA home furnishing store.

Home Cooked Meals Are Always Good

Every other afternoon when hubby and I feel like eating ribs, we are grilling and feasting food in our backyard. Having to fix dinner at home is more fun. When we live in Mississippi, we dine out every day especially breakfast and dinner. I was working on a graveyard shift so; before we hit home, we had our breakfast at Satisfaction Buffet at Hardrock casino and hotel or at The Buffet in Isle Casino and Hotel or at the Beau Rivage.

Food is always great and don't get me wrong, less than $13 for two is not bad spending. The buffet in the casinos in Biloxi Mississippi is affordable. I sleep all day and would wake up for lunch. Usually, my father-in-law would treat us for a fine dining or to a Chinese restaurant. Most of the people in that Chinese Restaurant knew us and would always direct us to our favorite area. We go home and I would go back to sleep and woke up for dinner time. Casinos are like 10 minutes away and their buffets have tons of selections to be festive so; that was our life.

At 10 PM, I go to my workplace which is also a casino. Food is free and we have our own cook so; we can request for hot meals. Though I was eating a lot, I maintain below 100 lbs. Anyway, we enjoyed our kitchen and we love to cook. We baked our foods and grilled baby back ribs a lot. Home cooked meals are always good and no worries coz we do workout (*-*). This is my entry for this week's Yummy Sunday.

Good Places to Dine

I woke up craving for yummy foodies. For two days hubby and I just lounging at home watching TV, grilling at the backyard, doing gardening and facebooking. Oh yeah, social media is just a good place to snoop some interesting stories about friends and of course, we knew that people snooped us too. Well, I downloaded pictures of food most of the time so; people might think I eat a lot! LOL, whatever (*-*) Anyway, here is a picture of good food from Panera Bread: sandwich and soup.

The second photo is one of my favorites in Ruby Tuesday. This is Chicken Trio which is basically tender all-natural chicken breasts done in three ways: fresco, bella, and mango salsa as toppings and served over rice pilaf as one of the sides.

The last photo is super quenching Strawberry Mango Limonata at Olive Garden. I guess today, we need to dine out and watch a movie.

Try these when you visit Panera Bread, Ruby Tuesday and Olive Garden, you will enjoy your meal definitely. See yah and thanks for stopping by.

Malware Warning: Ad Served Thru IZEA Media is the Culprit

If you are dealing with this RED BOX right now, you should be alarmed. Don't panic! The first thing that you should do is find the source. Did you install a new code in your blog? Did you accept comments containing malicious links? Did you add a link into your bloglist? Rewind your activities for the last 24 hours. That's what I did!

Last Friday 9-21-2012 3 AM, I spent hours figuring it out. In my case, I deleted all the links in my bloglist; delete all the ads; change theme and told all my friends to delete my link on their blogs for they too will get a warning sign soon if they keep my link. That's terrible for me huh? When I did all these, the RED BOX of Shame is still showing and it was getting worst.

Early morning, I tried asking few people for their services and I was willing to pay them. No answer! It seemed that I have to deal it on my own. I was frustrated. I am not even a computer savvy!

Finally at 5:10 PM, I saw the announcement by IZEA and came to realized that an ad served thru IZEA Media is the culprit. I felt bad because I spent hours deleting important links and they didn't do anything to inform their publishers.

It was just an announcement! Publishers are looking for answers on what to do next to eradicate the red box sign. If you read the timeline, most of us came there to inform them and hoping IZEA will give a hint on what steps to counter the problem. No Sir!

I was thankful that some publishers are sharing inputs on what initial steps to do. I followed their advice. When I checked on my Webmasters-Tools, there's 5 URL's showing a malware warning. I can't believe it! What else should I delete?

I keep coming back to the site for more update. After doing all these steps, I went back on the thread looking for some more input on what to do.

Carri said about Webmasters Tools at 7:32 PM.

I was so thankful for the input provided by Victor Salazar and Beeb Ashcroft. They are the ones who really answered the questions on my mind. The problem became worst that night. When I Google search my blog, there goes the sign: This site may harm your computer! I was hopeless. I spent the whole night trying to figure out. I sleep at 7 AM on Saturday 9-22-2012.

I woke up at 1PM that day and the first thing I did was check my blog. It was a nightmare! My blog was blacklisted! I was frustrated and I made a comment on the thread again at about 4:47PM.

The article written by Victor saves my day! At 6:44, the elusive REQUEST to REVIEW button showed up, filled out and submitted. The Waiting Game has begun. Bloggers are the ones helping one another and I shared the steps that I did. At 8:35PM, Carrie summarized all the inputs provided by the bloggers specifically by the post written by Victor Salazar.

At 11:48 PM, Google must have reviewed my blog. The 5 URL's flagged by Google were gone with the message: GOOGLE HAS NOT DETECTED ANY MALWARE ON THIS SITE. That was a big relief!

Sept 23, 2012 at 1:23 AM, GOOGLE finally CLEARED my site and the RED WARNING OF SHAME is gone for good. Whewww... What an ordeal don't you think?