Pumpkin Caramel Flan

Smooth and silky pumpkin caramel flan is one decadent dessert that is easily made in your slow cooker!

You all know how much I love my slow cooker. I rave about it all the time! I use mine year round, because I think it's perfect in the colder months for warm comfort food dishes, but it's also great during the summer so that you don't have to heat your whole kitchen up while cooking!

With all that said, you can imagine how thrilled I am to be a part of my friend Sarah Olson's Blog Tour for her brand new cookbook, "The Magical Slow Cooker: Recipes for Busy Moms." I pretty sure she wrote this book just for me! OK, I know that's not true, but she wrote this book for busy moms, and that's definitely me. Sarah created her blog, The Magical Slow Cooker, in January 2103, and her cookbook was just published this March. 

Stonyfield OP Organic Protein Smoothies #StonyfieldBlogger

As a busy mom with two very active teenage sons, some mornings are very crunched for time. I typically make sure they are taken care of first, then worry about myself. That being said, I don't always have time for breakfast. I know, I know...it's the most important meal of the day! But with crazy schedules, and the fact that I'm not very hungry in the morning, I need something for my first meal of the day that's healthy and nutritious, gives me energy, but isn't heavy.

That's where the the new Stonyfield OP Organic Protein Smoothies come in. These smoothies are thick and creamy, satisfying, and give me the boost I need in the morning. Since I'm not really hungry until late morning, these smoothies are perfect for my tummy. I'm drinking my meal instead of eating it!

Ziploc® Brand Vacuum Sealer System Review #Sponsored

I am participating in a Vibrant Influencer Network campaign for the Ziploc® Brand Vacuum Sealer System. I am receiving a fee for posting, however, as always the opinions expressed in this post are my own. I am in no way affiliated with the Ziploc Vacuum Sealer System team and do not earn a commission or percent of sales.

I was recently sent the Ziploc® Brand Vacuum Sealer System to review as part of a campaign with the Vibrant Influencer Network. I received the machine itself along with a variety of vacuum sealing bags, rolls and containers. I was like a little kid on Christmas morning opening up that box of goodies!

I couldn't wait to try out the system and see for myself how amazing it was. I've been wanting one for years! You see, I love to buy things in bulk. From meats to veggies and fruits and even nuts, I knew this would a valuable tool in my kitchen.

Clean Up your Kitchen Messes with Viva® Vantage!

A special thanks to Viva® Vantage and Walmart for sponsoring this post and helping me clean up my messes!

Since I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, whether it be cooking for my family or developing new recipes for the blog, I tend to make a mess. Yes, I admit it, I can be a messy cook at times! 

After all that cooking and baking, there is the daunting task of clean up. Washing the dishes isn't the only thing to be done. The counters need to be cleaned and even the floor needs a little TLC if anything has spilled. Lucky for me I recently discovered Viva® Vantage Paper Towels at Walmart and they are the perfect tool for the job!

Gorton’s Wicked Good Seafood Review

Not too long ago I was sent a Blogger review goodie bag from Gorton's Seafood. Inside the cutest little Fish Fillet bag were several items including free product coupons; a Gorton's Seafood keychain; a Gorton's Fisherman USB drive; recipe cards and some beautiful post cards. My kids love Gorton's products and were just as excited to see these goodies as I was!

When I went shopping I picked up our favorite fish sandwich fillets, as well as some popcorn shrimp and the Southwest Tortilla fish fillets. I've never tried those before and they looked so good!

My youngest is a bit picky and likes to stick to the traditional fish fillets and shrimp, so that's what he had. My oldest and I both had the shrimp and the Southwest Tortilla fillets and they were delicious! I will definitely be buying them again soon.

Gorton's was kind enough to let me have a giveaway for my readers, which I did a few weeks ago on my Chef Next Door Facebook page. The lucky winner will be receiving coupons, a Gorton's keychain, recipe cards and post cards!

Be sure to visit gortons.com to get coupons, find recipes  and explore products! 

You can also connect with Gorton's on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Disclaimer: I received these products from Gorton's Seafood for review at no charge but was not monetarily compensated for this review. All opinions, as always, are my own.