Last-Minute Daddy’s Day Ideas + Giveaway!

Like Mother’s Day this year, this Father’s Day couldn’t have come at a worse time. Really. Heavy planning is already underway for the four-year old’s birthday bonanza (much more to come), family begins arriving Friday and then it’s the big day. Since I’d already used the Pinterest Father’s Day candy card idea for his birthday last month, I was going to have to expand my horizons. Luckily a few good emails came across that not only saved me some time, money and even made me look like a superstar.
 

FOODIE DAD: 
“Peanut-butter-and-chocolate-everything bouquet” from Edible Arrangements 
Actually called the Peanut Butter Chocolate Daisy®, this little-bit-of-heaven made everyone in the family happy – including Dad.  With a little bit of everything, this yummy treat featured fresh banana slices hand dipped in peanut butter and rich chocolate, crisp Granny Smith apple wedges, some dipped in smooth peanut butter and some in rich chocolate, grapes, juicy pineapple stars, fresh strawberries and chocolate dipped strawberries and retails for around $49 for the regular size. (If you’ve never had chocolate-covered bananas from Edible Arrangements, you don’t know what you’re missing.)



While one of my go-to baby arrival gifts, normally, I wouldn’t think of dad + Edible Arrangements.  However, after digging online I found out there’s a whole sports collection, perfect for those sports fans with a hankering for chocolate (and in our case PB, too!) And right now there’s even a special on their NASCAR collection for 15% off, but only until the end of the month (or supplies last). Best of all, starting June 14 they are mobile, so you can make your delivery from your mobile phone! (While this may not be the ideal way to get my family to eat their fruit, it did make me feel better than a plate of chocolate chip cookies.) 


See below for a special giveaway from Edible Arrangements! 


TECHNO DAD:
Label Interactive’s Game Table FREE App 
Probably already one of your favorite apps on your Iphone, Game Table is excited to announce that this Father’s Day they will debut their free #1 ITunes downloadable app Game Table Free now for Ipad. If FREE didn’t grab you, then the fact that for every 10,000 downloads, Label Interactive will donate $1,000 to the Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation, up to $10,000 should. Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation provides college scholarships and educational counseling to military children who have lost a parent in combat or accident. So give dad a few hours to himself to play  the app in peace and quiet. That means this little gift doesn’t cost you anything but a smile and few clicks on the Apple. 



ADVENTURE DAD: 
Flight Lessons by Let’sGoFlying.com
While time is not on our side for royal treatment this weekend, I’d still like to give Dad something special to remember. Since my hubby is a big historical nut, I’ve found all kinds of interactive battle experiences he could do…out of state. However, I know there has to be something he could do close to home and for only a few hours at a time…and there is! The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s Let’sGoFlying.com  is an online resource for learning how to fly and a database of flight schools. Best of all, they offer really affordable introductory flights for only $99. So Dad get’s the equivalent of what it costs for me to get a massage and turns into Tom Cruise for an afternoon…Seems like a win-win for all of us (as long as I can find the flight suit and the Ray-Bans.) 




Hopefully this gives you a few ideas for Dad’s Day without banging your head or breaking the bank. And to all you Dads out there, especially mine – HAPPY FATHER’S DAY! 


And to make it even sweeter, we have a great giveaway from EDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS ($69 value)!




a Rafflecopter giveawayDisclaimer: I was provided an Edible Arrangement for purposes of this review, however, all the views included here are my own.

Wholly Moly! Making Healthy & Quick Dinners Possible with Dips?

If you’ve spent anytime following me, you know I like to eat.

Unfortunately, while cooking sounds like it could be fun, time seems to get in the way for my battle to make a meal that’s healthy, quick (like 20 minutes quick) and of course, tasty. So when I got an invitation to attend a cooking class hosted by Wholly Guacamole to get some tips on “dinner dilemmas,” I was quick to RSVP since I need all the help I can get. However, while I am a fan of all things made with guacamole or salsa, I was intrigued to learn how I could make that spread for a week’s worth of dinner hearing the complaints of empty stomachs.


The 20-count mom class seemed to be ready to learn any new ideas about getting healthy and  quick meals on the table for their family. And after an afternoon of learning basic cooking skills, a few test recipes for appetizers, entrees and even a few cocktails, I was quite surprised on all the different uses of “salsa.” I mean, really, a drink? Yes, we actually made two including a cocovado using Wholly Guacamole and coconuts and placing a dollop of Mango Wholly Salsa before pouring champagne. (At this point I became a believer since cooking started with a cocktail!)



Throughout the afternoon, I learned other great recipes including apps like Island Mango Shrimp and my personal favorite, roasted tomato, goat cheese and feta bruschetta. Besides being fun to say 10 times, the combo of goat cheese, feta and a little balsamic glaze made it hard to just eat one (so I ate like three.) We also gave dinner staples like chicken breast and meatloaf a makeover with a few new ingredients. However, it was the vanilla ice cream topped with warm Pineapple Wholly Salsa that really sank the deal…it was so good I ate it before I ate my lunch!


After the cooking class, I was full, happy and empowered to take this “mama challenge” and try it on my most cynical critics – my family.  So equipped with one of each of the products, I went home to make dinner for my family. Ready to make something new and not to be wasteful, I was going to incorporate my salsas into as many meals as possible.  

The first night: The most obvious use would be Mexican food and since I already had fajitas thawed, there wasn’t much I could do. However, I used the pico and guacamole mix to create cute little appetizer cups that included a perfect bite of everything you eat in a fajita all in a baked chip. While not that original, it was very tasty. When my husband asked for a little more heat, we pulled out the Hot Salsa. Good Dinner. Happy Family.

The next night I worked to expand the menu and decided to conquer pork tenderloin paired with the Pineapple Wholly Salsa, mashed potatoes and broccoli. It took about 10 minutes to prepare everything and about an hour to cook. My husband even complimented me on the presentation on this one. Again, Good Dinner. Happy Family.


While I could go through a list of all the great things I made, I think it’s obvious that Wholly Guacamole and Salsa line is a lot more than just dip. Don’t believe me, then take your own challenge. Go to their Facebook or webpage for a good coupon you can use today and get cooking.

While there’s another reason why they call it “Wholly,” after this challenge I know why I call it “Holy Wholly Guacamole.” And hopefully your family will too. 

Disclaimer: I was a special guest of Wholly Guacamole and received products to sample these recipes. However, the comments here are all my own.