5 Piece Variety Box of Gourmet Granola Snacks Giveaway - The World's Best Granola EVER!

For those of you who missed my prior blog post about my New Found Love for Gourmet Granola Snacks Click Here to read my "spiritual" review about my undying love for such a great, tasty product.

I have had the chance to try many of their unique and life altering flavors (you will never be the same after sampling this truly Gourmet Granola).

Check out my other post for the flavor details of the PB & J, Rocky Road, and Buckeye Granola.

But let me describe Pumpkin Spice Granola right now...A Holiday Memory in a Bag...Spicy, Crunchy, Nutty...Fulfilling.

How about Carrot Cake Granola...This isn't your Grandma's Carrot Cake.  This Granola is a large piece of art work itself to look at.  Yes I said large...The pieces of Granola from Gourmet Granola Snacks are huge and satisfying.  The beautiful orange specks of carrot mixed throughout this Granola is truly something special to savor.

So do I have you drooling????  Do you want to win your own "Mouth Party"???

Here is your chance - thanks to the generosity of Gourmet Granola Snacks.  One qualified person will win...5 Piece Variety Box of Gourmet Granola Snacks value $29.75.

Open to US residents only age 18 or over. You must complete the Mandatory Entry to be eligible. This giveaway Ends 02/12/11 at 11:59pm MST. Please leave a separate comment with your email address for each entry that you complete.


*** Mandatory Entry - Please head over to Facebook and "like" Granola Snacks  - make sure to let me know what your Facebook name is so I can confirm the "like" status if you are the winner.

Bonus Entries:

Check out Granola Snacks store and take your time looking around. Come back here to Fishful Thinking and let me know what product you would love to try or have tried!

Follow Fishful Thinking Blog on Google Connect (one the right side of my blog).

Write up your own post about this giveaway along with live links to Fishful Thinking Blog and post it on your blog (leave link)

Tweet about the Giveaway: You can copy and paste the following Tweet over on Twitter once per day. Remember to let me know you tweeted.

Copy and Paste Tweet:

U can #win 5 Piece Variety Box of Gourmet Granola Snacks $29.75 on @busch0218 blog! http://t.co/ow7lKIy Ends 02/12 1159pm MST #giveaways

Please leave a separate comment with email for each entry that you complete -PLEASE!

Happy List thanks to Coffee-mate

Well the main part of my Happy List this week is Thanks to my trip from Coffee-mate!


View from the airplane over the Rocky Mountains.


It was such an awesome trip and the weather was perfect.  Check out the view from our room!

We wined and dined and enjoyed being a couple again.   It is amazing how you sometimes can forget what it is like to be a couple again with out children in tow (but we couldn't wait to get home to their smiling faces).



Free Breakfast Buffet at the hotel.


I learned so much about Nestle Coffee-mate and how much they actually care about their consumers - what a great change of pace for a large cooperation.

Arrived home late Saturday to find an awesome box from Granola Snacks on my door step - need I say more about that.

Helped Dylan complete his 100th day of School shirt with 100 gummy candies (his idea).  It turned out great so can't wait to send him to school wearing it on Wends.

And last but not least - My Gooseberry Cookbook arrived which features one my my recipes!!!

***Only complaint my "lovely" 2 month old HP computer is acting up again - so I am wondering if they company is going to want it shipped back once again for repairs :(

Very Vanilla Coffee-mate Rice Pudding Recipe

What a great few days away from my busy life to enjoy LA thanks to Nestle Coffee-mate.  I met some fellow Brew Crew Members and shared my love of Coffee-mate.

It motivated me to share one my recipes that I created with the help of Coffee-mate's liquid French Vanilla Creamer. 

This Very Vanilla Rice Pudding is rich, creamy and full of  floral goodness from the vanilla beans and the Coffee-mate French Vanilla.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup Coffee-mate French Vanilla liquid creamer
5 1/3 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1 cup long grain white rice
2 fresh vanilla beans

Directions:

Add Coffee-mate French Vanilla Liquid, milk, and sugar into a large pot.

Cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally.

While waiting for the mixture to boil - cut the vanilla beans open and scrape out the vanilla bean seeds (I like to call it vanilla caviar).  Add the "caviar" and the split open beans into the pot.

Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low.

Continue to cook, stirring occasionally for approximately 25 to 30 minutes, until the rice is cook through.

When rice is cooked, carefully pour the mixture into a glass bowl (leaving in vanilla beans - so they can continue to release there flavor goodness).

Place plastic wrap directly onto the top of the hot rice pudding - it will stop the "skin" from forming on the top.

Place in a refrigerator and stir every 30 minutes while it cools so it does not clump.

Enjoy this decedent dessert or rich breakfast treat plain or with a sprinkling of cinnamon nutmeg sugar.  The vanilla bean seeds add such eye appeal and flavor.  It is amazing how that just 2/3 of a cup of the Coffee-mate French Vanilla can enhance and intensify the vanilla flavor to a whole different level.

How do you enjoy your Coffee-mate??

Aunt Lizzies Gingerbread Recipe - Old Fashioned Gingerbread Cake

Back around Christmas time I shared a recipe that my husband's mother, Marge had shared along with photos of the great cookbook she had made for me to pass along family recipes. 

My husband requested one of the recipes the other day, which in turn made me crave it....so I had to make Aunt Lizzies Gingerbread.  Let me explain some things about this Gingerbread....

Before I met my husband when I  heard the word Gingerbread, I thought cookies.  I never realized that Gingerbread actually is cake like, and not a cookie at all.

Aunt Lizzies Gingerbread is actually a recipe from my husband's father's aunt (did I confuse anyone?).  This recipe is not overly sweet, moist but dense, great spice flavor but not over powering.  It has the perfect balance for a beautiful Old-Fashioned dessert.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 cup Shortening - Crisco
2 Eggs
2 1/2 cups All-purpose Flour
dash of Salt
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup Dark Corn Syrup
1 cup Boiling Water ****has to be boiling****

Directions:

 Cream sugar and shortening together.

Add eggs and beat.

Add flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.

Add dark corn syrup.

Beat well.

Last add in the boiling water and mix until well incorporated.

Grease a 9 x 13 pan.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes - until tests done with a toothpick.

Cool completely and serve with a dollop of Cool Whip.

Or if you are like my youngest son - just sit back and enjoy the beaters.

Donation to Pantene Beautiful Lengths=New Haircut for my Trip to LA thanks to Coffeemate in less than 12 hours :)

Well yesterday was my BIG day.  I went to a new salon and had 10 inches of my hair cut off. 

I am donating it to Pantene Beautiful Lengths. 

At first I was going to donate to Locks of Love, which don't get me wrong is an awesome organization...but I decided to search for some place that just donates to women with cancer...and I found Pantene Beautiful Lengths.

Part of the reason I decided to donate is I am a Cervical Cancer Survivor and wanted to make a difference in a cancer patients life.  To make them feel beautiful as they battle the beast known as cancer.  And this month is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.  I had my local paper attend my haircut so they could report on my donation and the importance of getting a pap to help detect changes before it has the opportunity to turn into full blown cancer.

I feel so empowered!!

Now if the Weather here would just cooperate so I can make my flight to LA in the EARLY morning for my trip of a lifetime thanks to Coffee-mate!  We are in a Winter Weather Advisory -with up to 5 inches of snow expected :( . They have changed our flight to a different airport as of tonight - that hopefully will have the ability to get us flown out during the storm.  Which now means the boys have to be at daycare around 3:45am - Yes I said A.M.  Wow!  Early morning here...then an hour drive to the new airport...then on our way to LA!!!!

So everyone say a prayer that the weather works so I take this much needed trip - plus when I get back I will blog all about it!!

OH!  Everyone keep an eye out for a great new giveaway very soon thanks to Granola Snacks.  It will be for a huge helping of 5 of their delicous 9oz bags of granola

Stayed tuned for my Info.....

My new found love - Granola Snacks.

In early December 2010 I was fortunate enough to find a Giveaway to enter through Fab Find Foodie.  It was for a product called Granola Snacks.  But this isn't your Mom's granola....This is Gourmet Granola.  I wasn't lucky enough to win the giveaway, but I started following Gourmet Granola Snacks on Facebook.

Guess What?  When you follow through Facebook you stand the chance of winning free Granola Snacks and learning fun trivia fact, surveys, and excellent recipes.  

Well through Facebook I was a winner and Gourmet Granola Snacks sent me three different flavors of their Granola to sample and review on my blog.  It was so neat.  They contacted me and told me the granola would be one it's way shortly - as they make it in small batches so the product is always fresh.  Wow!  A company who is concerned about the over all taste and freshness for the consumer.  An Old Fashioned Attitude with a Modern Flavor Twist - I couldn't ask for anything more.

Yes, TRUST ME!  This Granola is Gourmet and a Spiritual moment with each and every bite.

As you can see, we (yes, I shared with my family) had the chance to try Rockie Road, PB & J, and Buckeye.

First of all - I was amazed at the large pieces of Granola that filled each and every bag. 

The Granola had the perfect texture of crunchy, but chewy and soft.  My husband and Keegan (son in the above picture) favorite was the PB&J.  It is packed full of Cranberries, Golden Raisins and Virginia Peanuts.

I think my favorite was the Buckeye. It is full of rich Peanut Butter slathered with Milk Chocolate. They use only the finest and purest Chocolate, Peanut Butter, local Honey, fresh Oats, and Millet and toss in heaping scoops of roasted Walnuts and Peanuts.
 So are your drooling yet?

The Rocky Road will help with any chocolaty, sweet craving you are having.  It is the Perfect dessert!  The 60% Cacao Chocolate is the star.  Each chunk is sprinkled with Marshmallows and crunchy Almonds that are coated with the embellishing Chocolate.  Well after sharing all of these mouth watering descriptions - I think I am going to have to go see if we have any left.

I can't wait to get my hands on some of their other flavors like - Carrot Cake, Kalua Luau, Pumpkin Spice, Carmel Nut, and Seasonal Candy Cane.

Which one would you like to try? If you head over to Facebook - make sure to tell them Fishful Thinking sent you.  Have a Great Weekend Everyone.