Welcome to Day 1 of our Holiday Survival Guide 2009 sponsored by some of the most awesomely generous brands we know and have reviewed throughout the year, who have graciously agreed to provide some really cool stuff for Her, Him, the Grandparents...okay, isn't it time we ALL put the WIN back into the winter holidays and made re-gifting a rule?!?
Seriously, I've got some really great stuff to share with you.
Raising 4 kids (did I mention, we've got two teenagers in the house, this year?) my husband, Garth [not his real name] and I are trying (really hard) to remember to take back the holidays and keep it as stress free as...well...you know,.
We've got a little something for everyone and giving away some pretty cool stuff, too:
DAY 1: HOLIDAY BAKING - Pumpkin Lattice Tart Food Channel Recipe and Holiday Gift Pack from Pampered ChefDAY 2: WARM HOLIDAY FUZZIES - Love, Hugs, Peace and All Things Jonas Brothers with Build-A-Bear
DAY 3: CHILDREN'S BOOKS - Going Digital with Disney
DAY 4: HOLIDAYS LONG DISTANCE - Keep in Touch with Skype and Buddy Cam
DAY 5: QUIET HOLIDAY TIME - Grandpa Read's Quiet Time Tales
DAY 6: FAMILY GAME NIGHT - Playing the "I'm Bored" Games with HABA
DAY 7: MORE FUN TIME - Xbox 360 for When You're Home for the Holidays
Just so you know -- my picks, product features and blog posts (as always) are advertorial free. No one is paying me, to talk about their product. It's just some really nice stuff that I thought you guys would like, too.
Let's get started, okay -- you've heard of Pampered Chef, right?
In my opinion (I'm pretty sure my kids will back me up on this one!) baking is THE BEST part of the holidays!
Then again, we're hosting Thanksgiving this year and time is of the essence (especially, since I'm scheduled to work the day before and all) here's a tasty alternative to the traditional Thanksgiving pumpkin pie, courtesy of my friends at The Food Channel.
Why try? This dessert will please the traditionalists who insist on having pumpkin pie, while appealing to those who’d like to try something just a little bit different.
Foodie Byte: Just like a classic pumpkin pie, a generous dollop of whipped cream really tops off this tart nicely.
Wine Pairing: Tawny Port. Try a 10- or 20-year-old tawny port with the rich notes of hazelnut. That’s what makes the Tawny Port ideal for this dessert tart . . . or for your favorite pumpkin pie! For more about wine pairings, see Wineexperience.com.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 9-inch refrigerated pie dough discs
- 1 cup pumpkin puree, canned, unsweetened
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 egg, large, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons sanding sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
PREPARATION:
- Preheat oven to 425ºF.
- Roll out 1 pie dough disc on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thick. Press crust into tart pan and prick bottom several times with a fork.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Allow to cool.
- Combine pumpkin, cream, egg, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt until completely blended. Pour into cooled tart shell.
- To make lattice -- roll out remaining dough disc 1/8-inch thick. Using a pastry wheel or knife, cut ten 3/4-inch wide strips (the number of strips required will vary depending on your spacing). Weave strips on top of pumpkin filling.
- Sprinkle with sanding sugar and cinnamon.
- Bake tart for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350ºF and bake an additional 30 to 35 minutes or until filling is set.
- Allow tart to completely cool before serving.
[salivating]
Aaaand, if pies aren't your thing, or you sometimes only have enough time to bake something in 2 steps, or less [raises hand] Pampered Chef sent me this great holiday baking gift set including:
Cookie Press ($29.50) Measuring Cup Set ($15.00) Adjustable Measuring Spoons ($8.00) and Medium Scoop ($13.00) to create one pretty cool holiday baking set!
Want one?
Our very good friends at Pampered Chef (who, in my humble opinion, happen to make the most awesome deep covered baking dish, EVUH!) are offering to send one (1) of our beloved readers a holiday baking gift set to make your holidays smell, in a good way!
Because, we roll like that!
FIND IT HERE: http://www.pamperedchef.com
GET IT HERE: To enter, leave a comment below, letting us know what your favorite Pampered Chef product is (I love their deep covered baking dish; I can cook dinner in the microwave in about 30 minutes) along with a valid email address on this post by 10:00 a.m. on Monday, November 30th and you're automatically entered to win. One (1) winner will be picked (via random.org) and announced via email and posted on My Prizey Giveaways Page!
'CAWSE WE LOVE TO SHARE & SOME EXTRA CHANCES TO WIN, TOO:
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You can take a look at all of our fantastic picks, as they are added each day, Thanksgiving Week (November 23rd - November 29th) by visiting our Holiday Survival Guide 2009 page.
Good luck and, you know, wake me when New Years ends!
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