Whether preparing a family dinner or a party feast, professional chefs and home cooks alike are always looking for unique and simple ways to spice up their dishes. Char Crust ® dry-rub seasonings consist of premium herb blends, spices and other natural ingredients that can be simply rubbed onto the surface of uncooked meat or fish, or sprinkled over raw vegetables then broiled, baked, grilled, pan-seared, roasted, or sautéed.

• Roasted Garlic Peppercorn features the robust flavor of roasted garlic and onions with the zing of peppercorns and a hint of Worcestershire and lavender. Its versatility has made it a best seller. It complements steaks, lamb, seafood, pork, poultry, and potatoes.

• Ginger Teriyaki is a balance of sweet teriyaki, fragrant ginger, plus a tingly touch of wasabi that lends a new dimension and creates a modern teriyaki interpretation. It complements chicken, fish, and steak.

• Amazin’ Cajun is a spicy-sweet blend of piquant cayenne pepper, onion, garlic, oregano and a mélange of other Mardi Gras flavors. It brings the sublime heat of New Orleans to catfish, chicken, shrimp, and even “dirty” rice.

• All American Barbecue takes the best flavors of American barbecue and blends them into a tangy-sweet, slightly spicy rub. It has rich molasses from Memphis, tangy tomato from Kansas City, mustard, pepper and vinegar from the Carolinas, plus a wisp of smoke from Texas.

My Thoughts

My wife hates to touch “raw meat”! For some reason she explains that it’s just gross. So…I was more than happy to step in and provide some “manly” feedback regarding the delicious dry rubs presented by Char Crust. I’m not a big oven cooker so I decided to test this product on the grill using two different types of red meat. Since I love to grill, this was a no-brainer. And …unlike my wife…I have no problem rubbing my meat with a great spice!

First…let’s talk burgers. I topped two freshly ground patties with the Ginger Teriyaki rub and two patties with the Amazin’ Cajun rub. I must admit the Cajun rub looked a little dark when I applied it to the meat, but all my fears disappeared after I grilled them to perfection and dug in. They were wonderful!

The Ginger Teriyaki was just as good. The burgers all had a slight crust that “sealed in the juice” …coupled with a ton of flavor. Two thumbs up!

Next, I opened the packages of All American Bar-b-que rub and the Garlic Peppercorn rub. I used these two flavors on a few marbled pieces of tri-tip steak.

After sizzling on the grill for approximately 40 minutes, these steaks were absolutely delicious. The All American rub was sweet and tangy at the same time. The garlic peppercorn rub had just the right balance of both flavors sealed into the steak.

I can honestly say that Char Crust Rubs are a new favorite addition to my collection of “special seasonings and rubs” that I pull out when I want to impress my dinner guests! Just in time for the summer grilling season!

Highly recommended!

“The” IE Daddy

The End Result

GIVEAWAY

One (1) Reader will One set of Char Crust Rub Seasonings

(Roasted Garlic Peppercorn, Ginger Teriyaki, Amazin’ Cajun,All American Barbecue)

This is only open to my readers that do at least two of the following:

• Friend me on Facebook

• Follow me on Twitter

• Friend me on Google Friend Connect

If you are not at least two of those…then get on over there and do it then come back and enter.

Mandatory Entries:

1. Tell me what ways you follow the IE Mommy – Needs to be at least two of the ones mentioned above –
   (1 entry PER WAY YOU FOLLOW)
   
2. TWITTER - Follow the IE Mommy and Tweet: RT – I Want to WIN the  Char Crust Dry Rub Seasonings Giveaway @iemommy #giveaway http://www.theiemommy.com/2012/05/15/char-crust-giveaway (*First tweet is Mandatory)
3. “Like” Char Crust on Facebook and leave a comment that you did.
   

EXTRA ENTRIES:

1. TWITTER - Follow the IE Mommy and Tweet: RT – I Want to WIN the  Char Crust Dry Rub Seasonings Giveaway @iemommy #giveaway http://www.theiemommy.com/2012/05/15/char-crust-giveaway (One Entry, per tweet, per day)
2. Enter one of my other contests… or leave a comment on another post. = 1 entry per contest and/or post
3. Leave a comment about this giveaway on your Facebook wall. Leave the link in the comment section.
4. Post this giveaway on your blog or website. Leave me the link in the comment section.
   

Contest Ends – May 25th

There’s no denying the importance of a relationship between a dad and his daughter. Girls gain a sense of self-worth from their fathers. From little girl to young woman – a dad can make all the difference in how a girl sees herself, the world around her and the man she’ll eventually choose to be her husband. While understanding the importance of establishing and growing that relationship, many dads are overwhelmed when it comes to actually finding the time and creating ways to “date” their daughters and help them become the strong, confident young women they want them to be.

88 Great Daddy-Daughter Dates: Fun, Easy, & Creative Ways to Build  Memories Together (Paperback ISBN: 978-0-8007-2033-9, 192 pages, March 2012, $10.99) offers dads a wide variety of fun ideas for spending quality
time with their special girl. Authors Rob and Joanna Teigen offer help and encouragement to dads who want to make that all important difference in their daughter’s life.

Each date tells dad what to grab (any needed supplies), where to go, and how to grow together while having a blast and making great memories. Also included are Scripture and questions for each date to get the conversation flowing. From bird-watching and making paper airplanes to bowling and photo scavenger hunts, there’s something for every dad and every girl ages 6-12.

She’ll be your daughter for life. But she’ll only be your little girl for awhile. Make the most of this special time with the help of 88 Great Daddy-Daughter Dates.

My Thoughts

As a father of identical twin girls, I was excited to review the book “88 Great Daddy-Daughter Dates” by Rob & Joanna Teigen. The book is organized into 88 simple, fun, and easy “episodes” of memory making moments!
As I have watched my daughters grow (they are now eight and a half) I must admit that I’m always thinking of creative ways to spend quality time with them…and this book really hit a sweet spot for me. It’s filled with a variety of indoor, outdoor, seasonal, and holiday themed activities for any Daddy-Daughter combos you can create.

The introduction includes a list of The “Top 10 Tips” For Having A Successful Date with your daughter. My personal favorites from this list include “put the smartphone away”, “being flexible”, and “having fun”.
As I continued thru some of the dates listed in the book I was proud of myself because my daughters and I have actually lived through many date ideas outlined in the book. For example, a few months ago we carved a cucumber shark (Date # and it was the talk of the town at our house!

On another day we spent a few hours outside on our concrete patio drawing family portraits with colored chalk! Fun!!

I also recently tied in Date # 11 – “Treasure Hunt” with St. Patrick’s day. That Leprechaun left a pile of quarters buried in the back yard and they found them in record time! Shhh…our secret!

One of my favorites is Date # 54 – “Garage Sale”…with a little twist!
Plan a normal garage sale but consider challenging your daughter (based on her age) to sell lemonade or cold drinks during the garage sale. I did this with my daughters and I even promised them I would match their earnings from any sales they accumulated during the garage sale. What a mistake that was for me! They made $52 bucks selling lemonade! Ouch! I had fork over another 52 bucks to match it. That was an expensive date for me…but well worth it! We took a portion of the money they made and planned another fun date!

The last 10 dates in the book are labeled Extreme Dates. My girls and I created a days worth of wonderful memories at a local theme park (Date # 82) I’m not sure which one of them looks more like Goofy, but the smiles on their face say it all for me! We had a blast!

I have a “Putt-Putt” day (Date # 3)scheduled with my girls in the near future and I’m really looking forward to golfing with someone who plays at my level…even if it is miniature golf.

Overall…I really enjoyed this book. It’s a simple navigational tool to give you a ton of great ways to spend quality time with your daughter.

Daddies are so important in the lives of their daughters! Young girls really need quality time with their dads…especially when they’re up against the pressures of the world and so many outside influences. Before you know it, they’ll be all grown up and talking about getting married. Why not grab a copy of “88 Great Daddy-Daughter Dates” and start building a lifetime of memories today? I challenge you to do it now…not tomorrow or next week. Do it now! Remember…it won’t be this way for long! And besides…this book makes it a no-brainer. Hurry…time is ticking…!

The IE Daddy

“Available March 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Gevalia Kaffe is much more than your average `cup of joe.´ It´s a Swedish-style break from the usual coffee grind. Perfected by the Swedes´ passion for quality coffee for more than 150 years, Gevalia is an exquisitely rich smooth coffee experience that is never bitter. Gevalia isn´t just coffee, it´s `Kaffe´ to savor

• The Swedes know a thing or two about coffee. They know quality coffee should be savored and enjoyed. They also know you deserve a more unique/special coffee experience than what you can pick up on every street corner.
• Gevalia is a luxurious departure from the everyday, an escape from the routine cup of coffee. Whether it´s a morning ritual made just for you, or the finishing touch at a dinner party, it brings the taste of Swedish-style luxury into your home.
• In Sweden, where the citizens drink more coffee than almost anywhere else in the world, Gevalia is their preferred brand.
  • In fact, Gevalia enjoys the honor of being an official coffee of the Swedish Royal Court.

Gevalia, now available at Safeway, brings unexpected Swedish-style luxury and rich, never bitter taste to the Safeway grocery aisle.

• Gevalia has been refining the art of luxurious coffee since 1853 and has a deep history of finding and blending the finest Arabica coffee beans from locations around the world.
• Gevalia is expertly made with carefully selected beans, ground extra fine, to produce a rich coffee experience.
• Previously available online only, Gevalia is now offering its top-ten varieties in U.S. coffee supermarket aisles nationwide in 10 varieties, including roast and ground, whole bean, flavored and decaffeinated varieties:
  • Gevalia Traditional Roast (ground and whole bean):
    Gevalia Traditional Roast provides a perfectly balanced taste every time. Our most beloved blend – made of choice, mountain-grown Arabica beans – this coffee has a distinctive body and flavor with a lighter intensity. (Medium Roast).
  • Gevalia House Blend:
    A Gevalia favorite, House Blend is a robust yet never bitter coffee. This roast has a captivating aroma that is only matched by its exceptional flavor. (Medium/Dark Roast).
  • Gevalia House Blend Decaf :
    Delivering the same rich, never bitter flavor, House Blend Decaf has the same robust taste without all the caffeine. (Medium/Dark Roast).
  • Gevalia French Roast (ground and whole bean):
    Gevalia French Roast is a coffee of impressive richness and dimension, expertly crafted from prized Arabica beans grown in Colombia and Brazil. Hints of aromatic smoke give this dark-roasted French Roast blend an intense, yet uniquely satisfying flavor. (Dark Roast).
  • Gevalia Colombia:
    Grown high in the Colombian Andes, these beans produce a rich, bright and well-bodied Colombian coffee. This single origin classic is world-renowned, which is why we have sourced these beans for decades. (Medium Roast).
  • Gevalia Espresso Roast:
    Gevalia Espresso Roast is made of premium, mountain-grown Arabica beans from East Africa and Central and South America. This roast is bold and full-bodied with a hint of caramel undertones. (Dark Roast).
  • Gevalia Vanilla:
    This rich blend with vanilla flavor notes is crafted from choice mountain-grown Arabica beans, then roasted for exceptional body and flavor. Gevalia Vanilla is a flavorful and balanced experience with a heavenly aroma.
  • Gevalia Chocolate Mocha:
    Gevalia Chocolate Mocha allows you to indulge your passion for decadent flavor. Rich, velvety chocolate flavor is blended with mountain-grown Arabica beans for a sweetly satisfying experience.

With its Swedish heritage and rich, never bitter taste, Gevalia is a premium coffee unlike any other.

My Thoughts

I recently had an opportunity to try Gevalia Coffee. I had to admit that I was initially skeptical as I had previously tried Gevalia a few years ago and had not been impressed. Also, I had recently joined the stampede to a Keurig Coffee maker and I knew that the Gevalia coffee would not come in a K Cup. However, I had just purchased a new K Cup, (a device that allows the use of any coffee in the Keurig machine), so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to try both the coffee and the new device.

I received two bags of Gevalia Coffee to try; a French Roast and a House Blend. My surprises started as soon as I opened the box. The bright yellow bag that each coffee was packaged in was a welcome departure from the normally muted, earth tones of most coffee packages. It just seems like yellow is a perfect color to start the day with!

I decided to first try the French Roast as I prefer a darker coffee. As soon as I cut open the bag, a wonderful, rich coffee aroma exploded from the bag. The aroma was reminiscent of freshly roasted beans or a freshly plunged pot of French Press coffee. After several sips I was hooked. The coffee was full of rich flavor without the burnt after-taste that is found in many dark roasts. Also missing was any bitterness, which was surprising, as I anticipated that it would take a few tries to get the accurate amount of grounds for the new K Cup. I was also amazed at how well the coffee ‘stood up’ to being exposed to air while sitting in my cup. Sips taken 10 minutes after the coffee was brewed were just as enjoyable, (albeit a little cooler,) as the first few sips. Also, the coffee had a very subtle after-taste. Really, the only thing that was not a pleasant surprise about this coffee, and I’m not sure if this is good or bad, was its “thin texture”. Because of the bold flavor, I anticipated almost a “syrupy” texture to the coffee. Instead, the coffee was actually somewhat watery. I later used the French Roast in a commercial coffee maker. Using the drip method, this coffee was again a “perfect cup”…full of flavor, not bitter with a very slow “flavor decay”.

The “House Blend” did not provide as much surprise, possibly because my expectations had already been raised. The House Blend was a nice cup of coffee, well balanced, low acidity and a mild flavor. As previously mentioned, my preference is a darker roast with a strong flavor, but the House Blend would do very nicely for a change of pace.

So, Gevalia has changed my mind. I was pleasantly satisfied with the entire experience and I will certainly be keeping Gevalia in my coffee rotation in the future.

Todd
The IE Daddy

GIVEAWAY

One (1) Reader will Win Gevalia Coffee Prize Pack

• (1) sample of the House Blend from Gevalia Kaffe
• (1) sample of the French Roast Blend from Gevalia Kaffe
• A Gevalia Kaffe branded coffee mug

This is only open to my readers that do at least two of the following:

• Friend me on Facebook

• Follow me on Twitter

• Friend me on Google Friend Connect

If you are not at least two of those…then get on over there and do it then come back and enter.

Mandatory Entries:

1. Tell me what ways you follow the IE Mommy – Needs to be at least two of the ones mentioned above –
   (1 entry PER WAY YOU FOLLOW)
   
2. TWITTER - Follow the IE Mommy and and Tweet: RT – Enter to WIN a Gevalia Coffee Prize Pack @iemommy #MyBlogSpark #giveaway http://www.theiemommy.com/2012/02/24/gevalia-coffee-review (*First tweet is Mandatory)
3. Like Gevalia on Facebook and leave them a comment. Leave the link to your comment here

EXTRA ENTRIES:

1. TWITTER - Follow the IE Mommy and and Tweet: RT – Enter to WIN a Gevalia Coffee Prize Pack @iemommy #MyBlogSpark #giveaway http://www.theiemommy.com/2012/02/24/gevalia-coffee-review (One Entry, per tweet, per day)
2. Enter one of my other contests… or leave a comment on another post. = 1 entry per contest and/or post
3. Leave a comment about this giveaway on your Facebook wall. Leave the link in the comment section.
4. Post this giveaway on your blog or website. Leave me the link in the comment section.
   

Contest Ends: March 4th

*Product, prize pack, information, and giveaway have all been provided by Kraft Foods through MyBlogSpark

closed

Raisels are awesome! I have always put regular raisins in the “so-so” snack category. They’re not something I ever craved as a kid or an adult. Raisels has changed that forever! I recently received four sour flavors of Raisels including lemon, orange, apple and peach. I really enjoyed the taste of every flavor but I must say the peach was my favorite.

I was so excited about this new twist on boring raisins, I took a few packs of Raisels to work and shared them with my co-workers. It was entertaining to watch eight different people try the Raisels for the first time. Everyone enjoyed them, but a few people made some twisted faces when the sour flavor hit their taste buds like a bolt of lightning. Based on the feedback I received from my co-workers, the “older” crowd (that’s over 50 in this scenario – sorry if I offend anyone) loved the flavor of Raisels but felt they were too sour. They’re not really that sour. Everyone else, including me, devoured the snack packs in record time.

These fruity snacks are a great alternative to candy or traditional sweets. I can eat them all day straight out of the box but I also got a little creative. I took these sour snacks up another notch and added some sour apple Raisels to a butterscotch/apple cookie recipe. YUMMY!! Give it a try…you’ll love it!

I have to admit…Raisels has transformed the way I think about eating raisins. Once you experience the “Sour Power”, you’ll throw out those other raisins without even feeling guilty.

Are you searching for a healthier alternative to candy? The National Raisin Company has come up with the answer with Raisels. Raisels are the first 100% real fruit snack that actually tastes like candy. 100% Vitamin C, real dried fruit golden raisins, less added sugar than sweetened dried cranberries! – make Raisels a great alternative to cookies, candy and sugary fruit snacks.

Raisels are:

• 100% US RDA for Vitamin C
• Rich in Antioxidants
• Fat Free
• Cholesterol Free
• No High Fructose Corn Syrup or Artificial Sweeteners
• No Sodium
• Kosher Certified by the Orthodox Union

GIVEAWAY

One (1) Reader will WIN Raisels!

Open to U.S. Residents Only

Mandatory Entries (3):

• Follow the IE Mommy on Twitter and Tweet: RT Win the Raisels Giveaway @iemommy http://www.theiemommy.com/2011/03/02/raisels-review/ (You must tweet one for it to count)
• Follow Raisels on Twitter – Tell them the IE Mommy Sent you!
• Follow Raisels on Facebook – Tell them the IE Mommy sent you!
  

Extra Entries (3):

• Follow on Google Friends Connect
• Follow the IE Mommy on Facebook
• Tweet the Above Tweet Daily for Extra Entries!

Contest Ends: March 12th

It’s here!! I know I have been waiting for it…ProtectionGuy Radio…Finally put a voice to the wisdom. Join the Professor as he explains one of the threats of the season.

ProtectionGuy Radio!