Why My Dog Likes to #DineWithCesar

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser, MARS Incorporated. All opinions are mine alone. #DineWithCesar #TreatWithCesar #CollectiveBias

This is Lucy. My 9-year-old Maltese dog that always looks like a puppy. She's a bit of a diva ... she likes really soft blankets, she believes she is the protector of the house, she loves to sit on laps and be petted ... and she's VERY picky about her food and treats.

 

Let's just say that this dog has the life. 

Lucy lived with me for five years until I started graduate school. With working full-time, going to graduate school, and everything in between, it was just too much to have a dog. She temporarily moved in with my parents for a couple of years until life slowed down a bit. During this time, my mom started to feed Lucy CESAR®'s wet dog food. When she moved back in with me, my mom made sure that I kept up with feeding her the wet food as well.

Lucy LOVES the different flavors of the CESAR® wet dog food and it's so handy to buy at Wal-Mart in the CESAR®  Pate Mixed Variety Pack. Mealtime is as important for Lucy as it is for me. She knows when it's time to eat at night and she is not going to settle for anything less than delicious food. 

We all know that our pets are part of our families, so it's just as important that we feed them with healthy, comfort foods as we do ourselves. 

CESAR® lets you feed your dog like family, but keep them healthy at the same time. 

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It wasn't until recently that I knew that CESAR® had dry food with Meat-First Recipes that you can buy at Wal-Mart. Lucy is currently loving the CESAR® Dry Filet Mignon with spring vegetables flavor. The first time she tried it she LOVED it.

You would have thought I was going to take the bowl of dog food from her as quickly as she ate it!

How do you get your dog to be part of the meal time with family? You let them choose which meal they want! 

How to Make Your Dog Take Part in Family Mealtime: 

1. Set out different selections of CESAR® wet dog food 
2. Let your dog sniff each one 
3. Once they sniff them all and look at you, pick the one they sniffed last 
4. Bon appetit! 

On days that I feed Lucy the wet food for a healthy dog meal, I use the dry dog food as a treat. This is a great way to show a little love with to your pet. 

Lucy may be my little diva dog, but she has good taste when it comes to her food. She may not know how easy it is to pick up at Wal-Mart, but I appreciate that her tastes are really convenient for my weekly shopping trips!

Learn more about why your dog should #DineWithCesar and #TreatWithCesar!

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Valentine's Day Brownies + GIVEAWAY

It's almost Valentine's Day! If you're like me, you care less about the romantic part and more about the "Gal"-entines in your life and baking something sweet! Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a lovely, romantic evening with my guy, but a forced one, eh. 

So here's recipe for Red Velvet Brownies and a FUN giveaway at the bottom of the post! 

Red Velvet Brownies with Whipped Frosting 

(If you want to make it for an 8x8 pan, just half the recipe)

Red Velvet Brownie Mix

• 6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 2 oz red food coloring 
• 4 tsp pure vanilla extract, divided 
• 1 cup (16 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature 
• 3 cups granulated sugar 
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature 
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. In a bowl, mix the cocoa powder, red food coloring, and 2 tsp vanilla until it's a smooth paste. 
3. Beat butter and sugar in a stand mixer until fluffy. 
4. Next, add one egg at a time until the mixture is completely mixed. 
5. Stir in 2 tsp of vanilla. 
6. Add the cocoa powder, red food coloring, and 2 tsp vanilla mixture to the butter and sugar in the stand mixer. 
7. Once mixed, add the flour and sugar in small batches. 
8. Begin to mix until combined, but make sure not to over mix. 
9. Pour the mixture into an 18"x12" sheet cake pan that has been previously sprayed with baking spray. 
10. Bake for 18-22 minutes.

Whipped Frosting 

• 5 Tablespoons Flour
• 1 cup Milk
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 cup Butter
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar (not Powdered Sugar!)

Instructions

In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. You want it to be very thick, thicker than cake mix, more like a brownie mix is. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. (If I'm in a hurry, I place the saucepan over ice in the sink for about 10 minutes or so until the mixture cools.) It must be completely cool before you use it in the next step. Stir in vanilla.

While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. You don't want any sugar graininess left. Then add the completely cooled milk/flour/vanilla mixture and beat the living daylights out of it. If it looks separated, you haven't beaten it enough! Beat it until it all combines and resembles whipped cream.

Once you have the whipped frosting, add it to the top of your red velvet brownies and cut into pieces. 

VALENTINE'S DAY GIVEAWAY!!

Because I LOVE you all - I wanted to giveaway all of the things I LOVE the most. 

- Some products from Philosophy's Fresh Cream line 

- A pair of fuzzy socks 

- A heart box filled with Kit-Kats 

Now, this giveaway is sponsored by ME. So that's why it's a bit random, but still a fun giveaway! However, I am a #BeautyBeliever ambassador for Philosophy. I love them enough to give away their products because I want everyone else to love them as much as I do!

Entering is easy. 
1) Leave a comment about what you love most about Valentine's Day 
2) Subscribe to my blog via email (see the right sidebar on how to subscribe) 
3) Visit my profile on Philosophy's #BeautyBeliever tab on Facebook. 

OR, do all three! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Foil Pack Fiesta Chicken Dinner

This is one of the EASIEST dinners you can pre-make and throw in the oven when you're ready. 

I've been making this Taco Chicken Foil Wrap recipe since college. 

That's over 10 years of loving this recipe.

It also takes very few ingredients, which is great for your budget.

Cut up a couple of red potatoes. I like to do around two small/medium potatoes per foil pouch.

Try to slice them as evenly as possible.

I don't have a mandolin slicer but it would make it even quicker!

I use chicken tender strips, but I've also used chicken breasts. It's mostly whatever I have on hand, or whatever is on sale. Top the chickn of your choice with salt & pepper and taco seasonsing. 

Next, top with salsa of your choice. I used a jarred salsa because it was easy. 

Ah, the easiest dinner in the world. 

Top wth cheese and then wrap up in foil. 

I couldn't show you how I wrapped it because, well, I only have two hands and couldn't snap and wrap. 

After it's baked, you unwrap, add to plate, add extra cheese if you want, and top with sour cream! 

It really couldn't be easier. 

Foil Pack Fiesta Chicken Dinner

Ingredients:

4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)

4 teaspoons taco seasoning mix

2 cups potatoes, thinly sliced and peeled

1 cup shredded cheese

1⁄2 cup salsa

1⁄4 cup sour cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Using four large sheets of aluminum foil; place 1/2 cup of potatoes on center of each sheet.

Layer one chicken breasts (or three chicken tenders) on top of each foil sheet with potatoes

Sprinkle taco seasoning mix evenly over chicken

Next, layer 2 tablespoons of salsa and on 1/4 cup of cheese on top of chicken

Bring up sides of foil. Double fold top and ends to seal each packet, leaving room for heat to circulate inside.

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Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove the packets from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Be careful once opening as steam will be hot.

Top with any additional cheese and sour cream!

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Book of the Month Review

 

 
New Year's Resolutions aren't really my thing. Only because when I put too much pressure on myself to follow some self-made guideline usually it ends ups in stressed out for no reason. What I did commit to myself were to do things that I enjoyed more. 

One of those things is reading. Usually I am a fan of the library, but lately, I've been enjoying the Book of the Month club. It's so fun because you get to choose one book a month that is shipped to you. It's basically the smartest present you can gift yourself.  

The first of every month you can pick a new book. And, since today is February 1, it's time to pick a new book! 

You can read a quick summary of each book to decide which one is right for you. February's selection includes: 

Behind Her Eyes: 

This novel isn’t just a who-dun-it. This novel is a what-the-f*ck-even-got-dun.

The Possessions: 

"The Possessions channels many forms: it’s a mystery, a romance, a ghost story, and an erotically-charged thriller."

I *think* this month I am going to pick "Behind Her Eyes" but now I'm not so sure... because I'm also into "The Possessions." 

BOTM gives you until the 6th to decide so I can keep going back and forth until then. Then they ship it to you for free. Which one to pick??

Usually, BOTM (Book of the Month) is 3-months for $44.97, but with my referral, you can try BOTM for a 1-month membership for $5.  OR, you can you can try a 3-month membership for $9.99 a month + a free tote bag. 

I mean, for $5 for one month, it's something to try! 

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