Blog POP! Spring Fling- OREO Robin's Egg Nest Recipe + $75 Amazon GC Giveaway

Momma Told Me: Spring has sprung.

Spring arrived here in Southern California a month ago- right about the time the pollen began coating my car top in a thick yellow-green haze, and the temperatures broke 90F. With it being Easter weekend, the kids are all out on break, and the roads and stores are quite abuzz with the excitement of reconnecting and relaxing. Everywhere I go I am asked, "Big plans for this weekend?" Living on the beach, and in such a pristine climate, it's expected Southern Californians celebrate big. However, this year my father's visiting his family on the East Coast, and my nieces and nephews are up in Oregon. With Jay working (most likely a 12 hour shift) this is going to be one relaxing holiday.

Big Easter plans, or not, one of my favorite things about Spring is the chance to play with colorful ingredients and playful recipes. When I first made OREO truffles, a few years back for the holidays, I knew the recipe was simple and versatile enough to be applied to more creative seasonal creations. I've seen baseballs, pumpkins, shortcake stuffed, birthday cake, Easter bunny OREO Truffles, and more! But what I really wanted to try was a new twist on the classic (Chow Mein) Peanut Butter Nests. So I present to you- OREO Robin's Egg Nests!

OREO Robin's Egg Nests

****Click here for the printable OREO Robin's Egg Nests recipe

Ingredients:

8oz Softened Cream Cheese

1 Package of OREO Cookies (I used mint for the theme)

1 Bag (8oz) Wilton Chocolate Melts, White

1 Bag (8oz) Wilton Chocolate Melts, Blue

1 TBS Coconut Oil

12oz White Chocolate Chips

1/4 C Peanut Butter (Creamy or Stone Ground)

2 Cans (10oz) Chow Mein Noodles

1 TBS Coconut Oil 

1/2 C Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

1/4 TBS Coconut Oil

Toothbrush + Paper Towel for Speckling

1. Prepare your OREO Truffle (egg) base by first pulverizing your OREO cookies until you have 3 C finely ground crumbs. Combine your softened cream cheese and OREO crumbs together in a large bowl, until even and well combined. Shape into 1" oblong balls and set on a lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the remainder of the recipe.

2. Microwave white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl on Medium-High heat for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir thoroughly. Add coconut oil and microwave and additional 15-20 seconds. Remove and stir until mixture is even. Add peanut butter and combine until well blended.

3. Add Chow Mein noodles to chocolate mixture and toss until evenly coated. Drop in generous clumps (about 2 TBS) onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Create a little nook in the center of each clump to serve as the center of your nest. Place the tray into the refrigerator for 15 minutes, or freezer for 5 to help set.

4. Melt Wilton melts according to package directions, beginning with white and adding a few pieces of blue until desired color is achieved. Add coconut oil and stir until slightly thinner. Drop chilled eggs into chocolate mixture one at a time, on a dipper or fork. Allow excess chocolate to drain momentarily to evenly coat the egg. Place each egg on a slatted cookie rack with parchment paper below and allow them to set. If desired, place dipped eggs in the freezer for 5-10 MINS to aid in setting.

5. Microwave semi-sweet chocolate chips for 1 MIN at Medium-High heat. Remove and stir in coconut oil until smooth and even. Dip the head of the toothbrush in the chocolate and tip the neck of the brush gently on the side of the bowl to remove any clumps of chocolate. With the head just lightly coated in chocolate roughly flick the brush over the OREO egg truffles, in a quick downward motion to spray them with a light speckling of chocolate. If you have any areas where chocolate clumps or falls heavy, gently daub the speckles with a dry paper towel. Allow to set, and enjoy!

If you're not big into peanut butter you can substitute the peanut butter for butterscotch morsels- but the texture of your nests will be less creamy. Mint isn't exactly the ideal pairing for a peanut butter base, but I thought the Mint OREO truffles fit the Robin's Egg theme well- and not everybody will eat this treat all at once. Regardless, they sure look adorable on a Spring brunch table setting!

What Daughter Says: Easter Sunday signals the confirmed arrival of Spring!

As a part of Blog POP! Spring Fling we're offering one lucky reader (International entries welcome) a $75 Amazon gift card! Enter below then hop along to the other great giveaways on the LINKY!

Blog POP! Spring Fling: EggDrop Blind Toy Subscription Boxes Giveaway 4/7

We received the following product or service complimentary in hopes we would share our genuine experiences here on the blog. All photos contained below are copyright Momma Told Me Blog 2016.

Momma Told Me: The best things are worth waiting on.

I spent the first 11 years of my life growing up in a condominium complex. I recall it as rather large, and there were only 2 central mailbox hubs for residents to retrieve their mail from. It seemed as though our mailbox was located precisely halfway through the complex, exactly 7 rows of buildings (I know, I counted every single day.) Momma hated the walk and found this aspect of shared wall living quite inconvenient. Some days she'd refuse to get the mail at all, "We'll grab both days tomorrow, it's not worth the walk," she'd say. But for me, the mail was magical.

Modern snail mail may have lost a little bit of it's sparkle for today's generation, but there was a time when I skipped ahead just to get to that tiny little metal cube. Momma always bought me these wonderful books with enchanting titles like "100 Free Things For Kids To Send Away For," or "Mail For Kids Under $1" and all you had to do was fill out a PPRAE, or postage paid return addressed envelope, and send it away to the addresses inside and get wonderful surprises in the mail back. Many of the times it was as small as a Smokey the Bear sticker, a coloring book, or a plastic boomerang, but the act of anticipating the mail's arrival, and the surprises inside, was simply the best. Never mind how easy it was for Momma to get me to practice my handwriting AND math skills when filling out all of these stamped envelopes on my own!

Today's generation is still very much obsessed with surprise and anticipation- but they practice their excitement while watching others open boxes and eggs online. EggDrop was inspired by youth's obsession with surprise, or 'blind' packs and the ever so popular Surprise Egg phenomenon. However, it is NOT a service where you get surprises inside eggs (despite some of the graphics on the website and the title of the plan itself.) I'll admit there was a bit of sadness in my heart when I opened our first box and realized that all of the surprises where immediately visible to the recipient.

However, the contents of the box, itself, is a surprise- and many of the items inside are 'blind packs' or pre-packaged (often collectible) toys that contain random characters or pieces from a larger branded line of toys. For example, Shopkins and Squinkies, or Marvel Miniatures. These lines of toys come in easy to tear foil pouches containing 1-3 mini toy characters inside. If your child is big on collecting things- this is the service for you. Though, again, I have to say I was a bit bummed the initial surprise was busted as soon as the top of the box flipped open- I was genuinely expecting each toy/surprise to come in their own compartment, or even egg. (Which would be really cool for kids to enjoy the box over several days, and double the surprise of the items inside.)

Having said this, there's no denying the awesome inside and the value for the price. We're talking name brand, in demand cartoon characters starting at just $19.99 a month (or less if you buy a year in advance) for 6 random items, or $29.99 a month for a more custom selection. We easily pay $3-$5 or more for each of the items included in our EggDrop, in a retail store- so the price is a deal. And, I have to say, it does bring the magic of the 'snail' mailbox back again!

February's EggDrop box included 1 Minion Silicone Slap Bracelet (which I so desperately tried to haggle off the girls for my collection, unsuccessfully, then discovered I could only find it on sale online for $8!) 1 Big Hero 6 Dog Tag (which was immediately put on with excitement, just like the slap bracelet,) 1 Pocket POP! Frozen themed character (We got Anna and Elsa, but I hear Olaf was in the mix too,) 1 Marvel Superheroes Blind Bag, 1 Squinkies Blind Bag, and 1 Shopkins Blind Bag. I really loved that there was a mix of 'boys' and 'girls' themed toys (if you're into gender labeling,) and that even the less girly toys were exciting to the 4 year old and 8 year old girls who un-boxed them. I have to admit, the dog tag was a complete surprise and turned out to be just the coolest thing for the kids (who knew?) I think we might have to subscribe to EggDrop and use the surprises inside as behavior incentives each month. Only new rule- I get to pick my favorite surprise out first!

What Daughter Says: EggDrop makes snail mail fun for kids again.

A big thanks to EggDrop for donating 2 EggDrop Classic Boxes to our daycare group, and for providing one lucky reader with 2 EggDrop Classic Boxes of their own! Enter the giveaway below then hop along on the giveaway LINKY to enter for more amazing prizes!

Blog POP! Culer SOLO Flash-Evaporative Cooler Giveaway~ 4/6

Momma Told Me: You're just blowing hot air.

Living in Southern California the Summer weather comes early and stays late- Recently I've been jumping into the car and flipping on the A/C only to enjoy a blast of extra hot air. I assure you, nothing is wrong with my air conditioning- it simply has been that hot, and tipping the 100s at the height of the afternoon. Where we live, in fact, most buildings built after 1980 have central air. Unfortunately, we do not live in one of those buildings. Starting the cooling process early in the morning, at sunrise, is crucial to keeping air flow and circulation. Unfortunately, I can't leave my house wide open when I go out to run errands, and by the time I get the box fans in the windows upon return I'm doing little more than blowing hot air.

Fans can work great, but they can also be an exercise in futility, and not everyone can afford the power or invest in a bulky and expensive air conditioner. I know our HOA does not permit 'window' units that hang out of the exterior of the unit, so our cooling options are very limited.  When looking into cooling you typically pay per square foot, so cooling a home with independent appliances is usually impractical for the modern family budget. It's also not cost effective, or eco-friendly, to cool a large home or space when there is only 1 room occupied. Even worse, previous investments in costly stand alone air conditioners have proved a failure with expensive parts failure and bad warranties. Last Summer Momma Told Me to stop blowing hot air and invest in a more affordable cooling option; and evaporative cooler like the Culer Solo CS10.

Evaporative Coolers such as the Culer Solo CS10 are not right for everyone, but their optimal performance range (climates over 90F and humidity less than 30%) is ideal for our Southern California condo. Since I work out of the house, it's typically only me occupying a single room at any given time and the immediate area coverage of units like the Culer Solo CS10 is just right. Not only does this space age, compact, air cooler have a discreet water basin to draw in moisture and cool outgoing air up to 22 degrees, but it's easy to operate as well. With 3 distinct air speeds, a directional air port, and easy to transport handle I've been able to keep my surroundings equally cool with minimal fuss.

One of the reasons I especially like air cooler devices like the Culer Solo CS10 is the low energy output that allows the device to operate unattended for hours at a time with it's 1 gallon base. Up to 10 hours of cooling time on a full tank, to be exact. And, at 10.3lbs empty, it's also lightweight enough for me to envision moving it from the office to the master bedroom at night! If your climate meets the optimal settings for an evaporative cooler investing in one for each main room is often more affordable in operation and initial costs than a larger air conditioning unit. The CS10 consumes less than 60 watts and includes an optional car adapter for use on the go. I'd also consider it much safer than freon and chemical containing refrigerant devices.

I'll admit, I was fairly skeptical at first- and the Culer does make a fair amount of noise (about the same whir as our bounce house blower (not that that's a typical point of reference for the average consumer.) Let's just say it's a nice white noise that is not loudly obnoxious but I do turn the TV up when using it. As far as cooling- the impact of this device can be felt immediately from my frequent vantage point 8-10' away on the couch. We usually keep the cooling feature on and the fan on medium- rarely finding the need to put it on high. I feel very refreshed- and have even gotten a blanket, or turned it off after a few hours during a hot afternoon.

It will not cool a large living room, or necessarily an entire room- though I do feel the change in ambient temperature on other areas of the room the impact is intended to be directional, with the closest impact being in the most immediate area. And, because it is using active, fine, moisture to cool the air, there is some humidity on surfaces within a close1-2' radius. This is not enough to be a concern and evaporates quickly.

In all, for the energy consumption, size, and cost, I consider the Culer a great investment for evaporative cooling climates. Let's face it, I could buy a dozen box fans for $200, but they simply won't do much when they're just blowing hot air. If your home or office is in need of a controlled cooling option consider looking into the affordable and impressively stylish option of modern evaporative coolers such as the Culer SOLO CS10.

How do you keep your home cool during the Summer?

What Daughter Says: Consider the right cooling solutions for your home and stop blowing hot air.

As a part of the Blog POP! Spring Fling event one Momma Told Me reader will win a Culer SOLO CS10 Flash-Evaporative Cooler of their own! Enter below then check out the event giveaway LINKY for more great giveaways!

Culer SOLO CS10 Evaporative Cooler

Blog POP Christmas Wishes LINKY

 It's that time again-

Kicking off December 4th, and running through December 7th (giveaways running through December 21st) is Blog POP!'s annual Christmas Wishes giveaway event. Don't celebrate a Winter holiday? No worries, this event is still for you- whether you're celebrating the first snowfall, some extra time to gather with your family over Winter Break, or simply the return of ugly sweaters, we have a prize to tempt you. All 10 unique Blog POP! blogs will be bringing a minimum of one exciting $40+ value giveaway each day for three days. Visit one of the hosting blogs to follow along with the Giveaway LINKY, and be sure to enter daily to maximize your chances.

Blog POP! Consists of:

1. Momma Told Me

2. Way 2 Goodlife

3. Being MVP

4. Modly Chic 

5. Still Blonde After All these Years

6. Dad of Divas

7. Keenly Kristin

8. Daddy Mojo

9. Andrea's World Reviews

10. Makobi Scribe

THE FINE PRINT: All entrants must be 18 years of age or older. Please read each giveaway 's directions carefully as entry methods differ, and giveaways may be open to different world areas. Please make sure you leave a way (valid email address in form or comment) with your entries to be contacted if you win. Please note that Momma Told Me, Blog POP! or the Blog POP! bloggers are not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. We have represented each sponsor with the expectation they will fulfill their prize and in a timely manner we will contact the sponsor regarding your prize(s). The sponsors, in most cases, are shipping their items to you directly and prizes will likely not arrive in time for the holidays due to event and giveaway timing. We will make every effort to assist you obtaining your prize should concerns arise after winner's notification. If there is an issue with a sponsor please notify the blog owner no sooner than 14 days from prize notification and no more than 6 weeks, for assistance, after that we may be unable to assist you.

Blog POP!: Bears For Humanity: 100% Organic Certified, U.S.A. Made, Buy One Give One Teddy Bears

We received a Bears For Humanity sample, and donation on our behalf, in exchange for our honest thoughts here. All photos contained below are copyright Momma Told Me Blog 2015.

Momma Told Me: Imagine. If every time you did something for yourself, someone else was helped too.


What's in a teddy bear?

I like to think something magical.

A teddy bear is so much more than a toy- it's your child's first friend, a symbol of love, the most important guest at a tea party, something passed down from generation to generation, and for thousands of children passing through tough times, a symbol of comfort and hope. A teddy bear is a familiar face, a gentle hug, and a reminder that someone is loved, no matter who or where they are.

I recently had a talk with a girlfriend of mine about childhood toys and long lost memories. I could almost see the vivid picture she painted of her mother's attic, and long lost friends. A rocking horse her grandfather made for her, a slinky she'd watched crawl down her front porch steps hundreds of times, and a faded old teddy bear missing his left eye. She'd had an ordinary childhood, as ordinary goes; 2 parents, gifts on Christmas morning, and a dog in the backyard. "I out grew most of my toys by 10, I'd rather spend my time outside or with my friends than playing with trinkets and things," she explained, "But that silly little bear," she'd paused as though she were drinking warm memories, "I kept that bear on my bed until the day I went off to college. I don't think I ever outgrew it."

What followed was a long talk about the value of 'things,' and the way in which we, as humans, find comfort in such material objects. The conversation ended with a declarative statement, "Every child should have a teddy bear," to which I whole-heartedly agree. And that, my friends, is just one of the core beliefs behind the beautiful handcrafted teddies at Bears For Humanity. In fact, the founder believe so strongly in the purity of a teddy bear as a comforting and iconic childhood symbol that they're committed the brand to product teddy bears only made from 100% organic materials. A Bear as wholesome and naturally cuddle-worthy as your child.

But that's far from all, Bears For Humanity will also donate an equal bear, for every bear purchased, to one of 5 amazing charities, Semper Fi, Toys For Tots, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, One Simple Wish, or Save The Children. When you buy one of these adorable classically designed teddy bears you get to choose the charity which receives your bear donation! One bear for you or your loved one, and one to a child desperately in need of a huggable best friend. And each an every bear is currently made by loving hands of employees located here in my home state, California- providing jobs to, in most cases mothers, who so desperately need them!

Bears For Humanity are unlike any teddy bear you'd pull off the shelf in the toy store. Not only are their 100% certified organic materials safe for your child to cuddle and grow with, their feature beautiful detailing from tufted fur and jointed arms and legs, to that classic pinched teddy bear face. Choose from 16" Premium Bears in 5 beautiful colors or 7" Baby Bears, as well as adorable accessories such as shirts and bow ties! Doesn't Sammie just look dapper in his red tie? We simply cannot sing enough praise for this socially conscious toy brand; we've even donated our Blue Sweetie Baby Bear to our local Toys For Tots to help emphasize the message  and spirit of giving with our little ones! If you're still shopping for a gift that goes beyond smiles today, to a lasting gift tomorrow, check out and support Bears For Humanity this holiday season.

What Daughter Says: The only thing better than hugging a teddy bear is knowing someone else is hugging one too.

 

Blog POP! Christmas Wishes: Jackpot Candles Giveaway 12/20

***I received the following product in hopes I would share my honest opinion with my readers. Regardless, all thoughts are my own, and all images are copyright Momma Told Me Blog 2015.

Momma Told Me: Don't judge the cereal by it's prize.

How do you make a product people already love and use stand out as a brand in a sea of equally colorful and engaging products? Why, you put something equally exciting, a bonus we'll call it, inside the product to delight consumers long after the point of purchase. Kellogg's was the first to do this, in 1945, when the inserted a pin back button, promotional item, into the boxes of their Pep cereal. Of course the creator of Cracker Jack, a German immigrant named Fritz, was truly the first to incentivize product consumption with this method in 1912. Regardless, today's consumers are just as thrilled to enjoy products which promise the immediate satisfaction of a trusted brand and product with the delayed reward of a hidden incentive. And so the industry, of candles with jewelry inside, has become quite popular in recent years.

It's not a little known secret that there are many brands using wax to he trinkets and jewelry as motivation to buy their products. But not all that is original or 'first' is the best at what it does. I especially love it when a new craze or trend is saturated in the marketplace, represented by multiple sellers and brands. Not only does this breed competition, which is good for prices, but creativity, which means forward movement on concepts. For yeas now I have bought candles with jewelry inside as gifts for family members for birthdays and holidays.

In the beginning I heard about how exciting the experience was, how high quality the candles were, and how gorgeous the jewelry was- however, the 'jewelry' pieces were rings, and most often did not fit the actual recipient.

Jackpot Candles has fixed that problem by offering a range of different jewelry surprises in their wax based products, from rings and necklaces to even earrings. This way you can feel most confident your recipient will be able to wear the piece found inside their gift. Even more exciting is the opportunity to order select fragrances and products in certain jewelry sizes- these products will come with a simple numeric 'size' sticker on the bottom, so you can gift the ones you love something that is guaranteed to fit. Of course the item inside will still be a surprise! This is especially great when you want to gift to multiple people- it's easy to keep track of who is supposed to get what!

Jackpot Candles have  not only taken some of the improbabilities out of ordering mystery candle gifts, they have dedicated their brand to 100% soy, hand poured, quality products made exclusively in the USA. Many similar operations have moved overseas, so I am happy to continue to support a USA based business.

Every December I head online and order 2-3 pieces of mystery candle gifts in my cousin's size. I first gave her a jewelry candle gift 3 years ago for Christmas and she still has not stopped raving about how she loves them the most. Her only complaint? She is impatient and seldom wants to wait for a candle to burn half-way down to discover her gift inside. Jackpot Candles' wax tarts are the perfect solution, and a great gift for a flame free home. Be sure to check out the wax tart selections for recipients with pets and kids afoot!

Earlier this year I had the chance to explore the range of vivid fragrances in the Jackpot Candles collection and fell in love with the playful juicy Watermelon tart fragrance and the rich, fresh baked, Blueberry Muffin aroma. Now that the holidays are here I am enjoying the refreshing peppermint infused fragrance of their Jack Frost variety. I'll admit, I tend to be impatient, but the anticipation of the 16oz candle burning made me feel a little like a kid again! It truly is just like Christmas morning! Jackpot candle jewelry is assured to value between $15-$5000. While I did not find a $5000 trinket in any of my pieces, I did enjoy the tracking code on each piece, where I could easily look up the appraised value, and composition of, my piece online.

In all, Jackpot Candles is one of the more affordable brands offering this jewelry in wax gift trend, and I've found the quality of the products, and variety of fragrances, at the top of my list. I would love to see them expand into a candle-of-the-month plan, or even soap and fragrance beads, but the brand is fairly new and still growing. Lastly, something that seems to be sorely missing in this genre of gifts is an unscented line of wax candles with jewelry inside- I know several people with fragrance allergies who would love the ambiance and experience of a Jackpot Candle but cannot enjoy them quite yet. If you are not scent challenged, however, I highly suggest picking up a few of these gorgeous candle gifts while they have your desired sizing in stock before the true holiday shopping madness sets in!

What Daughter Says: With unique, sized, jewelry in a quality soy wax candle product, there's not disappointment from start to finish.

One Momma Told Me reader will win a Jackpot Candles prize pack including a Candle and Tart Pack in the fragrances of their choice. Continue hopping along to all of the wonderful Blog POP! Christmas Wishes giveaways on the complete LINKY, below.