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Easter Eats: Cheesy Corn Bake from 3 Stacks Smoke & Tap House {Recipe}

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For our family, Easter lunch/dinner looks a lot like a lighter version of Thanksgiving: a big piece of meat with all the same kind of fixings like mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, we’ll you get the picture.


So to change it up for this year, we opted for BBQ. Good ole barbecue. While Dallas-Fort Worth has tons of amazing places to enjoy BBQ cooking at its best, the hubs wants to make it himself. However, I’m in charge of the fixings. And it’s just not BBQ if I can’t get at least a few bites of this Cheesy Corn Bake from 3 Stacks Smoke House in Frisco. There’s just something about this golden goodness that screams “I need to eat this NOW.” 

Perhaps it’s the cream corn. 
Perhaps it’s the cornbread mix. 
Perhaps it’s that one stick of butter and cheese. 
Whatever it is, it’s good. 


And while Trace “The Rib Whisperer” Arnold of 3 Stacks Smoke & Tap House isn’t giving out all his secrets for tasty BBQ, he did share this recipe and his tips to make it perfect. And now I’m sharing it with you! 

CHEESY CORN BAKE
Trace “The Rib Whisperer” Arnold of 3 Stacks Smoke & Tap House

Ingredients
1 can of undrained whole kernel corn
1 can of cream corn
8 oz. of sour cream
2 well beaten eggs
1 box of Jiffy cornbread mix
1 stick of melted butter (not too hot, avoid clarifying the butter)
1/2 cup finely diced fresh jalapeño peppers
Instructions
Place mixture in a well-oiled 9×13 pan and bake for 55-60 minutes at 350 degrees.

Variations
  • Top with fresh grated cheddar or blended cheese.
  • Substitute jalapeños for green chilies. Cayenne pepper is also a great substitution for heat.
  • Add red bell pepper for a holiday flair.
  • Add brown Panco bread crumbs and top for a crunchy texture.
  • Light sour cream will reduce calories.
  • Cream cheese can be substituted for sour for a richer blend.
  • Fresh corn can be used in place of canned.
  • Plain yellow cornbread mix can replace Jiffy if you want to eliminate the sweet flavor of the Jiffy.
After this, you might be making this Easter side at Memorial Day, July 4th and Thanksgiving, too! Plus if you get a chance to visit 3 Stacks, I highly suggest you also try the fried dill pickle cheese fries – they’ll make every day better! 

Hoppy Easter! 









Beautify You at BEAUTY LIVE This Weekend at Galleria Dallas

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Even if it doesn’t look like I wear it, I love makeup. 

I mean my favorite “holiday” after Christmas growing up was Clinique Bonus time. Now as an adult, I’m not just on the lookout for a new favorite lipgloss, but now I’m looking at wrinkle reducer, eye brightener, primer and all those other things that sound more like painting a house than applying makeup. So like any good student, I need to get some schooling from time to time. So a few weeks ago I went to Nordstrom’s Trend Show and this weekend I’m hitting up BEAUTY LIVE at Galleria Dallas, April 12 & 13!  

It’s all beauty, all the time with two days of nothing by sessions, freebies, demos and more. While the event is free, tickets are only $20 for each sessions for reserved seating and that includes a gift bag and a $20 gift card!
Expert Sessions throughout Beauty Live include:

SATURDAY, APRIL 13:
11am – Expert Beauty Panel featuring Courtney Kerr of Bravo’s Courtney Loves Dallas, Galleria Fashion Stylist Holly Quartaro and a panel of experts 


12pm – TONI&GUY Presents: Hair Meets Wardrobe 
1pm – Courtney’s Favorite Things
Courtney Kerr, star of Bravo TV’s Courtney Loves Dallas, talk show host of KTXD’s The Broadcast and fashion blogger, has hand-picked her all-time favorite beauty and skin care products and she is sharing the love! Join us to find out what’s in Courtney’s make up bag, and you could go home with one of the dozens of products she is giving away.

2pm – Macy’s Presents Spring 2014 ‘Must Haves’

3pm – BELK presents Spring Beauty Panel hosted by In Style Magazine.

4pm – Tata Harper, founder of Tata Harper Skincare Presented by Nordstrom Spa

5pm – Sephora Presents Re(Marc)able Beauty featuring Marc Jacobs’ newest beauty trends
6pm – MAC 


SUNDAY, APRIL 13: 

3pm – LUSH Fresh Handmade Beauty

4pm – Westin Galleria Dallas and The Second Floor Bistro-Bar Present SuperFoods

In addition to the expert sessions, Beauty Live showcases all the top trends in beauty with dozens of events and activities.  Tour the many how-to Beauty Stops stationed throughout Galleria Dallas for simple secrets and top techniques for a more gorgeous you. Guests will enjoy free hands-on makeover opportunities throughout the center.

And of course while you are there, go check out the new Belk…just know this is going to be a weekend you’re gonna buy stuff. 
Have fun and I’ll see you there! 









Win $500 Gift Card! Belk Opens its Texas Flagship Store at Galleria Dallas TODAY #BelkDallas

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Last week Dallas was invited to celebrate a 126-year tradition that now makes its home in Dallas with the first Belk flagship location in Texas!  


The 180,000 sq. ft. store that once housed Saks Fifth Avenue, rolled out the red carpet with a pre-opening event gala full of giveaways, southern hospitality, tons of great fashion and even a celebrity-hosted runway show with Nashville star Hayden Panettiere. 



Benefiting Susan G. Komen, the night’s activities began with a beautiful entrance that greeted guests as they rolled up to valet, showing that Belk was definitely prepared to make a impression. 


Considering I had been to a few Belk stores around DFW, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but after mentally “pinning” about four handbags I was lusting over, including the Calvin Klein color block “Celene-like” bag one below, I figured I was in for a treat (and my wallet for a possible problem.) 


I found many of my favorite brands including Michael Kors, Kate Spade, Lauren by Ralph Lauren, Free People Nanette Lepore, Laura Mercier and many more with tons of options for all ages and styles. 

This Wednesday, April 9, 2014  marks the official grand opening of the new Belk at Galleria Dallas with lots fun including a gift card giveaway for the first 800 customers (and cards up to $500!)  

But if you can’t make it to Belk on Wednesday, make plans to enjoy several of their grand opening events including Shoes & Champagne on April 10, April 12 & 13 at Beauty LIVE event and even a Girls’ Night Out with Cynthia Rowley on April 17! 


I have a feeling that Belk will soon become your favorite go-to store for your modern southern style. (If you sign up on their website you also get a 20% discount!) 

Check out more style with Belk at @BelkDallasGalleria on Facebook, @Belk on Twitter and @MyBelk on Instagram and Pinterest! 



Final Four Fun for the Family in Dallas

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Our family may be close to the action of the big game over at Jerry’s World, but there’s a lot more happening at Final Four than just a game that the whole family can get excited about. Here’s a couple of big things you can do with the kids to celebrate (even if you can’t afford the tickets to AT&T Stadium. 


Dribble
Sunday, April 6
11:30 – Dribble begin
FREE

 Kids (18 and under) are invited to dribble through downtown Dallas from Dallas City Hall Plaza to Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center on Sunday morning and will receive a free commemorative Final Four basketball, t-shirt, and an entry into Bracket Town!
To register: https://2014ncaamffd.theregistrationsystem.com/en/1824

Bracket Town
Friday Noon – 8pm/Saturday, 10am – 7pm/Sunday, Noon – 8pm/ Monday, Noon – 7pm
Kay Bailey Hutchinson Center – Halls A-D
Tickets: $10 for adults and $5 for kids. Free for kids 2 and under. 

 The ultimate Final Four fun fest, KBHC turns into 350,000 sq ft of family-friendly activities. You’ll have a chance to meet legendary coaches, former athletes and a free concert by Fifth Harmony. Get more info on the website.



AT&T Block Party, Coke Zero Countdown Concert and Capital One JamFest
All weekend
Free

A free concert with Tim McGraw and Bruce Springsteen doesn’t need much explaining, but might be something fun to do if you have older kids. With so much going on I wouldn’t suggest a stroller child, but this event might be fun as an experience with the big ones. Get the full line of these activities on the website. 










Put Some Color in Your Life with the COLOR FUN FEST 5K, April 19 in McKinney

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I hate to run. 

A lot. 

But it sure does help to burn calories.


However, I still need something to get me excited enough to move my hiney. Thankfully, runs are getting creative so people like me that don’t like to run still want to get involved and enjoy the fun.
In the words of Julia Roberts: Well then color me happy!
The COLOR FUN FEST 5K comes to North Dallas/McKinney on April 19, 2014. Both a day and night  5k color run featuring finish-line festivals, the goal of the Color Run is to combine fun and fitness while helping local charities!
COLOR FUN FEST 5K is an EPIC color fun run that heightens positive emotions by combining a5k fun run with the energy of electronic dance music, all while coloring the crowd with thousands of pounds of vibrant colored powder. The event is family-friendly, and features a post-run celebration with DJ entertainment.

The charities the run benefits Free Arts for Abused Children, a nonprofit organization that gives children that have suffered adversity a chance to express themselves through art. Another nonprofit that benefits from this event is a new startup charity called Flight for Cystic Fibrosis that gives children with CF a chance to feel alive by experiencing the incredible feeling of skydiving through wind tunnels and jumps. The mission of this program is to show these kids how to overcome fears and feel hope, bonding families and encouraging healthy living, which is vitally necessary for a person with Cystic Fibrosis.

And this run is one the whole family can get involved in including kids/parents, couples, groups of friends, fitness gurus, dance enthusiasts, runners, joggers, walkers, bloggers, couch potatoes, the young, the old, and basically everyone and anyone that likes to have fun!

Would you like to have some color fun?
Win a pair of registrations for the Color Run ($35 per registration/ $70 total)

Color Run Fest 5K North Dallas/McKinney
April 19, 2014
First wave of runners at 9 – 11 am, second wave at 9 – 11 pm
Myers Park and Event Center
7117 County Road 166
McKinney, TX 75071



Calling All Budget Superheroes: Just Between Friends Dallas Starts Thursday in Mesquite

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Disclaimer: I’m working with Just Between Friends Dallas in Mesquite to promote their upcoming sale, March 20-23. I’m a huge fan of cute yet inexpensive clothes for my kids and I know you probably are, too! #JBFDallas #Mesquite #Spon

Mama Challenge:
Dressing your babies in cute clothes that won’t break your bank! 


We all gotta have ’em…Clothes. 

 Actually we don’t HAVE to have them, but it’s kinda of an expectation. And for most moms, we like our kid’s clothes to reflect our style and show off how adorable they are. And it doesn’t hurt that they keep them warm or cool for the weather, too. 

 But keeping up with kids’ ever-changing growth spurts makes it really hard and expensive to keep those closets up-to-date. Or an older sister or a bestie whose kids are exactly one season in front of your kids and you get everything of her kids passed on each season. 

 No such luck? Me neither. 

However, the next best thing is having Just Between Friends. Hence the name, the JBF franchise is one that I’ve relied on for both my kids to keep us stocked up on everything from clothes, shoes, toys and more. Last month I visited the JBF in Fort Worth, but I still was looking for more great finds for my kids and my friends’ recent additions, so Dallas here we come. 

 I hope you’ll join me there as I scout out the Mesquite Rodeo Hall for the best finds for boys and girls, ages newborn – 5. And I’m even going to get a sneak peek so you can see what I’m finding so you too get hurry on over to load up for spring, summer and fall. 


One of my tips is that you should always look for 1-2 seasons at least to make sure you are getting the most out of your JBF experience. I have some dresses I bought for my daughter and while they don’t fit today, at the prices I’m getting clothes at from JBF, it’s worth it to hang in the closet for a few months! 

Hours:
Wednesday, March 19:
noon: 15 hour presale
1:00 pm: 10 hour presale
2:00 pm: 5 hour presale
3:00 pm: consignor presale (+1 guest)
5:00 pm: Prime Time Shopping Sale ($10 admission per person)
7:00 pm: First time parent & teacher presale
10:00 pm: CLOSE


Thursday, March 20:
10 am-6 pm: OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
$3 admission fee (Thursday only)

6:30 pm- 7:30 pm: Second Drop Off
(no clothing, shoes or car seats accepted at second drop off)

Friday, March 21:
10 am-6 pm: OPEN TO THE PUBLIC


Saturday, March 22:
10 am-6 pm: OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
6:30- 8:00 pm: 1/2 Price Presale (15 & 10 hour volunteers only)


Sunday, March 23:
noon-6pm: OPEN TO THE PUBLIC- HALF PRICE SALE

 Make sure to follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook tomorrow to see what I find! 

 Just Between Friends Dallas 
March 20-23, 2014
Mesquite Rodeo Exhibit Hall
1700 Rodeo Drive, Mesquite, TX 75149
www.twitter.com/JBFDallas
www.facebook.com/JBFDallas
Website







Jammin’ at Bluegrass Heritage Festival, March 7 & 8 in Arlington {Giveaway}

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This last weekend might have kicked off the spring festival season in North Texas, but Mother Nature only gave us half the weekend before she sent us back in doors to retreat from freezing temps AGAIN. However, the show must go on and so will festivals here in DFW. One of the fun ones that will happen (since it takes place indoors) is the Bluegrass Heritage Festival, March 7 & 8. A family-friendly festival for bluegrass fans, this event features some of the best names in bluegrass for a two-day weekend that’s a must-do for those who enjoy listening, jamming, and foot-tapping to the melodious magic that bluegrass brings.


Featuring Blue Highway, Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice, The Special Consensus, Honi Deaton & Dream, The Purple Hulls, East Mountain, The Herrins, Bluefield Express, and more.


The music will begin at 6 pm on Friday and will continue all day Saturday. Enjoy two days of bluegrass fun with great music, workshops, and jamming under the oak trees! All workshops are included in your festival ticket – no extra charge for workshops!

NOW YOU CAN WIN 2 TICKETS TO THE BLUEGRASS HERITAGE FESTIVAL! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


BLUEGRASS HERITAGE FESTIVAL

Friday & Saturday March 7-8 2014
South Oaks Baptist Church

5925 U. S. Highway 287, Arlington, Texas 76017
(214) 918-0010
$20-50
http://www.bluegrassheritage.org

Save Calories and Money with Houlihan’s Low-Calorie Cali-Cali Menu

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Disclaimer: Compensation was provided by Houlihan’s via MomTrends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Houlihan’s or MomTrends. 

When comes to dining out, I’m the kinda girl that wants to try everything. For me food is an experience so anytime I find a place that allows me to try a few different things without blowing my calorie count for a month or costing me my paycheck, I’m a fan.  And if you have scallops on your menu, well then you already just made my short list! 

A recent trip to Houlihan’s not only hit all my requirements for good food and good experience, but when I stumbled upon “I <3 Mondays” special, it was a little like the lottery. After a bad case of the Mondays, I began to smile with the idea of a choice of soup AND a dessert for only $3 with the purchase of my entree. However, the smile wasn’t stopping there. 

While I was treating myself to a Monday night dining out experience, I still wanted to try to eat healthy, especially if I was going to have dessert, too! Sliding into the rich wood seats and dark interiors, the weight of the day continued to lift, especially when my waitress greeted me. With Houlihan’s new lighter “Going Back to Cali-Cali” menu options (with items less than 590 calories), I had several delicious options including a very apropos X-Rated Moscato Martini with Skyy Infusions Moscato Grape Vodka, premium X-Rated Fusion Liqueur infused with organic blood orange juice, house sour and fresh cranberry juice and at 140 calories I was doing a little dance.


Now on to the rest of the meal. Considering I wasn’t the only one dining, I opted for something that we couldn’t resist with the Chicken and Avocado Eggrolls (a Houlihan’s staff favorite!) Served with sour cream and salsa, they were the perfect bite we needed to keep us steady for our next courses: salads, entrees and a dessert.

Round 2:

 Sampling from the salad menu, I couldn’t resist the idea of goat cheese, so I selected the White Tuscan Bean Salad.



And who can go wrong with tortilla soup? Houlihan’s definitely doesn’t with a homemade tortilla recipe full of flavor and fixins.


Next course:

 Still looking to be reasonable for a Monday meal, we ordered the Lemon & Herb Grilled Chicken (550 calories) with Tuscan white beans, organic kale-spinach-chard blend, roasted artichokes, tomatoes, herbed broth. It was perfectly tender, flavorful, colorful and packed with all kinds of good stuff. The combination of spinach with the artichokes was just the right pairing for the grilled chicken.


And for our other entree? It was hard to pass up the Georges Bank Scallops, but a long-time hankering for Ahi Tuna was in order with napa cabbage, iceburg and spinach with cashews, banana chips, carrots, scallions, cilantro, crispy wontons, banana-ginger vinaigrette. This was a whole new twist on ahi tuna salad with the unique contrast of tender fish, the sweetness of bananas and the crunch of crispy wontons, carrots and dried banana chips. 


And finally:

 There was dessert. 

As part of the lighter fare menu, the Key Lime Mousse layered with crystallized graham cracker crust and whipped cream made that smile of mine even bigger! The key lime flavor was sweet, but not too much to enjoy until the last drop. 

And we may have enjoyed a fried donuts with apple cobbler dip, too! (It was only $3, right?) And with the nutritional facts online you can always check on what you’re eating!


WIN
 Make sure you come in for the limited time lower calorie fare menu. While you’re there, you’ll see there’s several more reasons you’ll be coming back to Houlihan’s. And this $50 gift card will give you your first experience on me! 


 About Houlihans
Established in 1972, Houlihan’s is a progressive concept that bridges the gap between fine dining and what people have come to expect from casual dining, priding itself on style and quality. Houlihan’s offers guests a design-forward atmosphere featuring a curated indie music soundtrack, an eclectic menu designed for modern lifestyles, and an energetic scene. Houlihan’s crafts dishes made from scratch with assertive flavors and offers creative, diverse cocktails and wine selections, with many of its locations garnering ‘best happy hour’ awards from local media outlets. Currently, 83 Houlihan’s restaurants operate throughout the country, 52 of which are franchised. Houlihan’s is owned by Houlihan’s Restaurants, Inc. of Leawood, Kansas, which developed and owns several restaurant concepts comprising of approximately 100 locations coast-to-coast, including Devon Seafood Grill and J. Gilbert’s Wood-Fired Steaks. For more information, please visit www.houlihans.com or find Houlihan’s on Facebook at www.facebook.com/houlihans.



Spring Greening: North Texas Irish Festival, Feb. 28 – Mar 2 {Giveaway}

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The largest celebration of culture in Southwest goes to the dogs as its 32nd year showcases all things Irish, including dogs, dancing, dining and more in Dallas’s Fair Park for the North Texas Irish Festival.

NTIF


From “Erin Go Bragh!”, a traditional Irish saying meaning “Ireland Forever,” to “Erin Go Bark!”, the theme of this year’s festival, this phrase reflects one of its most-loved traditions as it celebrates the role of the “Celtic canines” in this beloved dog- and family-friendly festival.

A young visitor is taught the ancient sport of archery in the NTIF Celtic Village. Photo: Bud Mallar


Whether your dog is Irish, Celtic, or just a friendly mutt, he or she is welcome to accompany you and your family to enjoy the music, culture, fun and food. New for this year, the festival now has a bigger paw print – er, footprint – with the addition of a pet pavilion in the Grand Place, dedicated to dogs and other friendly pets — lots to get your tail wagging. Attendees can search for a new pet in the largest gathering of animal rescue groups in North Texas. Last year alone, almost 100 animals found new homes through the festival.

Thank goodness dogs love music, because the heart of this festival, an all-volunteer effort produced by the Southwest Celtic Music Association (SCMA), is a celebration of music that will have you tapping your toes and paws. The North Texas Irish Festival features top Irish musicians, dancers and storytellers from around the world and a variety of cultural presentations on 13 stages at Fair Park. The festival also hosts activities for the kids, an Irish cooking stage, storytelling, arts/crafts and much more for the family.

The “First Texas ‘Ceili” (pronounced “kay-lee” and meaning “gathering” in Gaelic) was held in 1983 at a local Oak Lawn pub and has grown into the largest celebration of Irish culture in the Southwest as the 32nd Annual North Texas Irish Festival, presented by the Southwest Celtic Music Association, a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to providing music and dance scholarships and supporting other major Celtic cultural events in DFW.

NORTH TEXAS IRISH FESTIVAL
Feb. 28 – Mar. 2, 2014
Gates open on Friday evening, Feb. 28, at 6 p.m.
Hours are 6 to 11 p.m. on Friday; 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 1; and 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 2.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.ntif.org.

  • Admission is FREE on Friday from 6 to 7 p.m.; $10 after (50% off coupons online at www.ntif.org).
  • Children 11 and under are FREE when accompanied by adult family member.
  • Seniors over 65 or current military members (with valid military ID) receive $5 off all gate prices.
  • Dogs are allowed in on a short leash with a $1 requested donation to animal rescue groups supported by the festival. Leprechauns (in full ceremonial dress and carrying pot of gold) are FREE.
  • A one-day ticket is $20 on Saturday and $15 on Sunday at the gate, while a two-day ticket is $25 and a weekend pass is $30. Discount tickets for all three days will be available at area Tom Thumb stores in February.

Parking is available in and around Fair Park, or attendees can take the DART Green Line (take the Green Line and save some green!) to the front entrance of Fair Park and the North Texas Irish Festival. Detailed directions and parking tips are available at www.ntif.org. The public can call 972-943-4616 or visit www.ntif.org for more information or to volunteer to work at the festival.

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