Saucy Mama Review and Giveaway

So the last few days we have established the fact that we really enjoy cooking around here, while I myself like to cook everything traditionally with no spice or any additives my husband is the complete opposite and we sometimes have to cook each other’s meats and such differently but when I came across Saucy Mama from Barhyte Specialty Foods, Inc I knew that my husband would really enjoy the sauces, mustards and marinades the they offered and when we got the chance to review several of their products I was just as excited as he was!

About Saucy Mama and Barhyte Specialty Foods, Inc (Taken From Website):

Two Centuries of Tradition

Inventiveness like Mom’s is a family heritage. Way back in the eighteenth century, Jacobus Barhyte, a Southern German immigrant and pioneer settler of Yaddo, – now known as Saratoga Springs, New York – created our original Sweet ‘n Sour Mustard Sauce. This original recipe was passed down through the generations and even traveled west over the Oregon Trail. Back then, Jacobus’s name was spelled “Barheyt,” but when he enlisted in the American Forces for the Saratoga Campaign of 1777, General Gates’s secretary recorded the name as “Barhyte.” Patriotic pride has kept us using that spelling ever since.

Jan and Susan (Mom) Barhyte first publicly shared our mustards in the late 1970s on the table at our Swift & Martin Station Deli in Pendleton, Oregon. These mustards were made from recipes developed by both sides of the family over generations, including a few recipes from Mom’s father. Customers liked the unique and flavorful mustards so much that they began requesting some to take home.

Our mustard sales grew so fast that it became a family business. In 1984, we moved our mustard operation closer to the mustard fields of the Willamette Valley and added new mustards and a variety of delicious condiments. But the sunshine and community of our hometown Pendleton drew us back in 1994. Our family has been making our savory collection of foods there ever since.

Made the Way Only Mom Can Make Them

It takes a real stickler in the kitchen to make products this consistently tasty. And that’s mom. She won’t rest until every family member declares her latest taste sensation the most delicious sauce, marinade, cocktail onion, olive, or mustard they’ve ever tasted. And even then she’ll try to make it better.

Today, Barhyte has a large and loyal following throughout the U.S. and Canada. Customers love our unique flavors and the way they enhance foods without overpowering them. They know they can trust mom to use the finest, freshest ingredients and leave out all those additives and fillers with names you can’t pronounce.

Saucy Mama® recently remodeled her kitchen. Stop by and take a look the next time you're in Pendleton!

Our Thoughts:

We were sent several of Saucy Mama’s products to review a few weeks ago and I must say we have really had a blast testing them all out and using them to create our own special recipes that we can all agree on (I know crazy right) but these sauces and marinades are just that good that you can’t turn them down!

The first product we were sent that we tried was the Saucy Mama's® Raspberry Vinaigrette and it quickly became my favorite salad topper for some reason it really makes the flavors of all the veggies just pop and gives it such a unique flavor that I just can’t get enough of! “Bug” likes to use it as a dip for his broccoli and cauliflower heads for a nice snack. Chad has managed to talk me and “Bug” out of some of the Raspberry Vinaigrette and marinated a couple of chicken breast in it for lunch one day and he said it was really good!

Next we tried the Saucy Mama's® Chipotle Mustard, now I always eat mustard on my hamburgers but I’ve never tried anything but just plain ol’ yellow mustard but I decided to give the Chipotle Mustard a shot on some hamburgers we had a couple weeks ago and boy am I ever glad I did! It really gave my burger a perfect blend of spicy and a very nice smoky taste that I’ve never tried before so I’m giving this mustard two thumbs way up!

We also received a bottle of Saucy Mama's® Parmesan Garlic Marinade and we decided to marinate some boneless chicken breast in this marinade and then bake it in the oven for around 35-45 minuets and the chicken turned out delicious! I’m going to have to compare it to some high class Italian restaurants, it was so good! We served it with steamed veggies and angle hair pasta and it was a huge hit with all of us, “Bug” even asked for seconds and he don’t really eat meat at all so that was huge!

We got to try a bottle of Saucy Mama's® Cracked Pepper Marinade, it says it’s good on steak but I decided to marinate some boneless pork chops overnight in this marinade and then bake them for dinner the next evening and they turned out really well, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with this marinade but it really brought out the flavor of the pork chops, but it’s a good thing I left one out of the marinade for “Bug” because it did give them a little bite of spice that I knew he wouldn’t like.

Next we tried the Saucy Mama's® Champagne & Honey Mustard and my favorite way to eat this mustard over all the ways we tried is with dipping pretzels, but my husband likes to eat it on his ham sandwiches.

We also go a bottle of Saucy Mama's® Smoky Garlic Mustard and this is also an awesome dipping mustard and I like to us it as a dip for my chicken nuggets and fresh veggies :0)! Chad, has also been eating it on his toast??? I’m just not so sure about that one so I’m going to leave that one all up to him, but he wanted me to mention that LOL!

Next we gave the Saucy Mama's® Lime Chipotle Marinade a try and as soon as it came out of the box we knew we would be using it the next time we grilled salmon! Just something about salmon and lime that made us say YUM! So we marinade our Salmon for right around 25 minuets before putting them on the smoker and this marinade along with the wood chips in the smoker gave the salmon a flavor that we had never experienced before and it was delicious! I can’t wait to try this marinade on some trout later on!

The last product we reviewed was the Saucy Mama's® Sweet Onion Marinade and we used this marinade as a marinade for some stir-fry meat and it really gave the taste of the stir-fry a very unique taste that was to my surprise very delicious, now this was one of my husbands little experiments that actually turned out pretty good and I would defiantly use it again on the stir-fry meat before adding the veggies and such.

Bottom Line:

We have used these marinades and mustards quite a bit over the last few weeks and to be quite honest with you it’s really made me change my mind about using marinades and different things on my food and I guess you can say it gave my taste buds an extreme taste to be a bit more adventurous with the foods we eat regularly and to change it up a bit.

If you love lots of flavor and a unique twist to your daily meals you should check out the selection of products from the Saucy Mama line from Barhyte Specialty Foods, Inc and even if you don’t like to use products on your meats you should just give them a try I bet you will change your mind :0), I know I sure did!!

Saucy Mama has made a lasting impact on the way we cook and I think we will be keeping her here in our kitchen from now on!! Thank you Saucy Mama for giving my taste buds a new life!!

Buy It:
To purchase any of the Saucy Mama products mentioned above and many others visit their website!

Win It:
Barhyte Specialty Foods, Inc has offered one of my readers a package of 6 Saucy Mama products (products included varies and may and may not be the ones I received)!

Mandatory Entry: Visit Barhyte Specialty Foods, Inc and tell me another product that your taste buds would love to try! Please remember to leave your e-mail address if it’s not visible in your profile.

Want or need extra entries? Check out how to grab em’ below! (Mandatory Entry must be complete for these to count)

1. Become a public follower of my blog (current follower count too)

2. Follow me on twitter @sgrant2005 and tweet this giveaway (can be done daily)

3. Subscribe to my feed via a reader

4. Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post and to Barhyte Specialty Foods, Inc be sure to leave me a link (5 extra)

5. Follow Saucy Mama on Twitter

6. “Like” Saucy Mama on Facebook

Giveaway ends Oct. 06 @ midnight CST. Winner will be chosen at random, using random.org and contacted by e-mail and has 48 hrs to respond before a new winner is chosen.

This review is based strictly my opinion. Others may have a different opinion with the product listed above. I did receive the Saucy Mama products mentioned above complementary for this review. No monetary compensation was received.

Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce Winners!

Here are the lucky winners of the Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce:

Comment #50 CathyB


Comment #45 deb126

Congrats to you both, I’ve sent you both e-mails :0)! Be sure to check out all the awesome giveaways going on right now on the right side bar and many are low entry :0) GOOD LUCK!!!

George Foreman Cleaning Solutions Review and Giveaway

My husband loves to grill and has a huge outdoor smoker and for when the weather doesn’t want to corporate we have a large George Forman grill, now as far a cleaning the grills after he uses them my husband it pretty good about cleaning the outdoor smoker/grill before and after use but the George Forman grill he kind of sets aside and expects me to do it and to be honest I hate cleaning it! I find that its messier to clean then a pan of baked on lasagna or blueberry cobbler so there is usually some debate over who is going to clean the grill…that was until we discovered George Forman Cleaning Solutions Grills and More! When I was given the opportunity to do a review on the George Foreman Cleaning Solutions Grills and More concentrate, I was thrilled and hoped that it put the end to the grill cleaning debate!

About George Foreman Cleaning Solutions (Taken From Website):

Our Green Formula
Cleansing action penetrates and dissolves grease, oils and dirt.
Solution lifts and suspends soils, allowing easier and faster removal of dirt and grime.
Leaves no residue allowing for a cleaner surface and a cleaner living environment.

Our Products:
Do not contain phosphates, enzymes or petroleum distillates.
Do not contain Citric solvents (de-limonene).
Do not contain volatile organic compounds (VOC's).
Non-reactive, they do not have toxic reactions with bleach or ammonia.
Tested to be biodegradable, non-hazardous and non-toxic.
Won't harm metals, rubber, fabrics, plastics, Plexiglas, Teflon or vinyl.
Designed to offer multiple applications thereby saving time & money.
Tough enough to clean any appliance, safe enough to have a child clean a kitchen.
Tough enough to get out grass stains, gentle enough to wash silk and nylons.
Tough enough to take out pet mistakes from rugs, gentle enough to clean carpet.
Strong enough to remove cooking grease, gentle enough to clean expensive china.


My Thoughts:

I was sent 32oz concentrate and a 32oz trigger spray bottle of the George Foreman Cleaning Solutions Grills & More to review and I could not have been happier to see this arrive, the first thing I did when it arrived was hand it straight to Chad and told him no more excuses :0) and since then cleaning the grill has be made a whole lot easier!

Not only is this formula great for the grill, but I’ve used it on almost all of our kitchen appliances to keep them nice and clean and it sure had made cleaning them a lot easier and I don’t have to use as much elbow grease as I did before on the tougher messes.

To learn more about George Forman Cleaning Solutions Grills & More visit this link!

Bottom Line:

I really like my George Forman Cleaning Solutions Grills & More cleaner I was sent and I find it very convenient that you can buy it in a concentrate so that all you have to do is mix it in your favorite spray bottle and your ready to go again.

My husband has even used this on his outdoor grill/smoker and says it’s the best cleaner he has ever used for cleaning his grills! I have to agree that it is the best products I’ve found so far to clean the rest of our kitchen appliances, I’ve used it on the stove/oven, microwave and toaster oven and it worked like magic!

Buy It:
To purchase George Foreman Cleaning Solutions visit their website!

Win It:
George Foreman Cleaning Solution has offered one of my readers the same package I received that included a 32oz concentrate and a 32oz trigger spray bottle of the George Foreman Cleaning Solutions Grills & More!

Mandatory Entry: Join the George Foreman Cleaning Solutions Fan Club on Facebook (per sponsors request)! Please remember to leave your e-mail address if it’s not visible in your profile.

Want or need extra entries? Check out how to grab em’ below! (Mandatory Entry must be complete for these to count)

1. Become a public follower of my blog (current follower count too)

2. Follow me on twitter @sgrant2005 and tweet this giveaway (can be done daily)

3. Subscribe to my feed via a reader

4. Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post and to George Foreman Cleaning Solutions be sure to leave me a link (5 extra)

5. Add this giveaway to a linky or forum (2 extra per linky/forum unlimited)

Giveaway ends Oct 05, 2010 @ midnight CST. Winner will be chosen at random, using random.org and contacted by e-mail and has 48 hrs to respond before a new winner is chosen.

This review is based strictly my opinion. Others may have a different opinion with the product listed above. I did receive the 32oz concentrate and a 32oz trigger spray bottle of the George Foreman Cleaning Solutions Grills & More mentioned above complementary for this review. No monetary compensation was received.

Mistura Beauty Solutions Review and Giveaway

I know you all know by now I’m big on beauty and make-up products, and the only thing that makes them better is when they give me a quick and flawless finish on those mornings when I need it the most and don’t have the time to spend working on my make-up to make it look just right so if I have a product that can do most of it in one easy step of course I’m on board! When I came across Mistura Beauty Solutions and seen the products that they have to offer I was very excited to be able to host a review and giveaway right her on The Cartoon Lovin’ Mama!

About Mistura Beauty Solutions (Taken From Website):

Launched in March 2008, Canada-based Mistura Beauty quickly shot to fame in the United States with features in magazines like Star, OK!, InStyle, Ladies Home Journal and Elle and as major sponsors for the gifting suites at the 2009 Golden Globe Awards®, The Sundance Film Festival® and The Academy Awards®. Already used by celebrities both in Canada and the US, Mistura is quickly becoming a household name and taking the cosmetics world by storm.

Created and designed by Canadian entrepreneur Andi Marcus in 2007, Mistura’s incredible 6-in-1 Beauty Solution® has been market tested with an over 99.9% accuracy rate on thousands of women. The fragrance-free, hypo-allergenic formula is 100% guaranteed and boasts one of the lowest return rates in the industry. Formulated to give customers a completely airbrushed finish in under one minute*, the 6-in-1 Beauty Solution replaces 6 separate makeup application steps and provides users with an instant glow and natural looking coverage. Mistura is easy to use, spill-proof, long lasting and will work with your skin tones throughout the year to guarantee a perfect unified finish no matter the season.

Mistura® is proud to employ the services of the Y’s Owl Maclure Co-Operative Centre for all their e-commerce and retail shipments. Y’s Owl is also Mistura’s quality control center and manages distribution of Mistura products worldwide; providing thousands of customers with perfectly packaged Beauty Solutions®.

All products manufactured for Mistura are done in accordance with Good Manufacturing Procedure (GMP). Mistura follows the recommendations of the FDA and our facilities are set in accordance with CTFA Quality Assurance Guidelines. We perform temperature and stability tests on all new formulations and we never test our products on animals. Mistura is a proud member of CEW the CCTFA, WNO, WBN, GS1 Canada and a proud supporter of The Ottawa Hospital Foundation, The Royal Ottawa Hospital, Ashbury College and varying national cancer initiatives.


My Thoughts:

I was sent the Mistura Travel Mini® to review that includes: 1/8th ounce jar of our luscious Luminada® illuminating moisturizer, a mini clamshell of the 6-in-1 Beauty Solution® and a baby Kabuki travel brush. I could not wait to get started using these products the very next day and that is exactly what I did!

First off let me start by saying I’m in love with the baby Kabuki travel brush its so soft and it allows me to apply the 6-in-1 Beauty Solution with a flawless finish and it just makes it all so smooth….so yeah I’m lovin’ this brush!!

The first product I tried of course was the Mistura’s Luminada™ Illuminating Moisturizer Infused with Vitamin E and Green Tea and I was totally amazed at how smooth this moisturizer went on and the glow it left on my face within only a few days. I wore it both before bed and under the 6-in-1 Beauty Solution and I have to say I’m very pleased with the results I’ve gotten from using this moisturizer, my face has not had this beautiful glow since I was pregnant with “Bug”! I also love that I can wear this moisturizer without it causing me to break out or cause my skin to be greasy!

I will admit that I was a little hesitant to use the 6-in-1 Beauty Solution because it looks to be awful dark and with my light skin I was afraid it would make my face look funny but I sucked it up and used it anyways it’s for the review right? Well, I used it and I absolutely love it!!!! I’m so glad I went ahead and tried it because using this 6-in-1 Beauty Solution elements at least 4 of the steps and products I would normally use and it gives my face such a warm glow and believe it or not it’s not to dark it looks wonderful! I love this simple solution to all my time crunching needs and I even use this when I’m not in a rush because I love the glow it gives to my face. Not only is it super easy to apply but it comes off super easy so no more harsh chemicals and soaps on my face to remove my make-up. I love the way it covers up blemishes and the red that sometimes shows up on my face on really hot days! All the way around this is the IT product for me!

Bottom Line:

I’m loving all the products I was sent to review and I will continue to buy them in the future and speaking of that I need to get shopping because I’m pretty sure after this morning I’m out….anyways, I can’t say enough good things about these products, they do exactly what they say they will do.

If you looking for an all natural look and less time doing your make-up I really think you should check out Mistura Beauty’s 6-in-1 Beauty Solution I think your going to love it!

Buy It:
To purchase Mistura Beauty Solution Products visit their website!

Win It:
Mistura Beauty Solutions has offered one of my readers The Ultimate 6-in-1 Beauty Solution® that includes: one powder compact of Mistura’s 6-in-1 Beauty Solution®, one eye and lip applicator, Luminada™ Illuminating Moisturizer, Vitamin E Lip Treatment, a luxury retractable brush and a luxury drawstring pouch. (Valued at $73.99)!!!

Mandatory Entry: Visit Mistrua Beauty Solutions and tell me something you learnt or what product you are most wanting to try! Please remember to leave your e-mail address if it’s not visible in your profile.

Want or need extra entries? Check out how to grab em’ below! (Mandatory Entry must be complete for these to count)

1. Become a public follower of my blog (current follower count too)

2. Follow me on twitter @sgrant2005 and tweet this giveaway (can be done daily)

3. Subscribe to my feed via a reader

4. Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post and to Mistura Beauty Solution be sure to leave me a link (5 extra)

5. Follow Mistura on Twitter

6. “Like” Mistura on Facebook
7. Add this giveaway to any linky or forum (2 extra per linky or forum, unlimited)

Giveaway ends Oct 5, 2010 @ midnight CST. Winner will be chosen at random, using random.org and contacted by e-mail and has 48 hrs to respond before a new winner is chosen.

This review is based strictly my opinion. Others may have a different opinion with the product listed above. I did receive the sample products mentioned above complementary for this review. No monetary compensation was received.

Playstation Move, Yes Please!!!

This post brought to you by PlayStation(R) Move. All opinions are 100% mine.

I’m sure you all have heard about all the new gaming systems available today but some of you may be thinking why should we buy the newest gaming system when in just a few months we will just have to upgrade again right? Well that was my thoughts exactly, before I heard about the new PlayStation(R)MOVE.

I have learned a lot about the new Playstaion Move the last couple of weeks and I think that it would make a perfect edition to our family. We like to have family nights where we either rent a family friendly movie or play games either on a gaming system or the traditional board and card games, and I think the new Playstation Move would really make that special night a week just a little bit more special. After checking out the games offered on Playstation Move I’m pretty sure we could find one or two that the whole family would be thrilled to set down, stand up, jump around and play, to me the best part is all the cool accessories that you can get with the Playstation Move to really put the action right in your own hands.

And just between you and me, I think the Playstation Move would be perfect for my husband and I a night in date night, since we both enjoy gaming, and we can not only have fun but can have a little rivalry going from date night to date night so it will keep it interesting. I’m also thinking that this could make a wonderful quick and fun workout routine for me and the little man to do together so that not only does he get up moving instead of setting like a knot on a log watching TV all day but we get to have fun together!

After checking out the games offered on the Playstation Move I’m really wanting to get my hands on the Get Fit with Mel B  for myself but I’ve also got my eye on the EyePet for the little man I think he would really enjoy it, and of course for my husband I think he would really enjoy the Sports Champions since he likes sports so much! So I’m pretty sure that they have a game for everyone!

Ok now the best part!! So by now your really wanting to get your hands on the Playstation Move right? I know I am and right now you can bring motion gaming exclusively to your existing PlayStation®3 for only $99 with the MOVE bundle package! How awesome is that, you don’t even have to buy a gaming system if you already own a PlayStation®3!!! 

Winners for Giveaways Ending Sept 21!

Congrats to all of today’s winners! You have all be e-mailed and please remember to reply to me within 48hrs to claim your prize.

Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal (3 winners) comment #39 clynsg, comment #59 Rebecca and comment #88 Smati

Pink Digital Photo Keychain comment #38 faithfullyfrugal

Precious Moments 4- Piece Crib Set comment #45 Kimberly

Once again congrats to each of you and be sure to check your e-mail! I also want to give a huge thank you to everyone who entered these giveaways and hello to all of my new followers :0) don’t forget to check out the other giveaways going on right now in my right sidebar, you never know your name may be in the next winners post :0)

Festive Fall Table Runner Craft

Since fall is just right around the corner I have started to decorate our home in celebration of fall and I realized that I didn’t have any fall décor at all, so I decided instead of spending lots of money to buy fall décor why not just sit down in my thinking chair and come up with some fun décor craft that I could spruce up my home and share with you guys?

Well I started in the living room yesterday and to tell the truth my coffee table was a little bare ok it didn’t have anything at all on it so I decided to make a festive fall table runner to add a little fall to my table and I’m amazed at how well it turned out so I decided to share it with you.

What you will need:

Felt fabric by the yard in your color choice (I only got a yard since my table is fairly small and I used white)

Fall colored fake leaves (I bought a couple bunches of leaves from Wal-Mart Floral Dept and cut the off the stem)

Fall themed buttons/ beads ( I went to Dollar Tree and scored these little pumpkin fall fillers to use)

Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Scissors

Fabric Pen

Heavy paper or cardboard

What you will do:

1. Measure your table and cut your felt to the right length and width that suits you. (I made mine 51” x 13” )

2. Cut your half circle out of your heavy paper or card board ( I used a file folder at a 6” half circle)

3. Trace you half circle down each side of your pre-cut runner and then cut them out to make your runner.

4. Arrange your leaves in your desired pattern and use the hot glue to glue them down and add the decorative beads or whatever you decided on to accent the leaves.

And this is what I ended up with isn’t it cute?

I’m so proud of the way it turned out and I will be making these for each of the seasons and holidays now that I have it figured out I think it will be super easy to make for Christmas, Halloween, Easter and ect.

I finished off my fall coffee table by adding some fall themed flowers (yes they are fake) to a vase with some acorn decorations (also from Dollar Tree):

I hope if you decide to make this table runner you will have the same amazing results I had.