Category — Reviews

For my daughter’s birthday I ordered some invitations from Lisa over at Dragonfly Designs, and I have to gush just a little bit. They are GORGEOUS and absolutely perfect for my little fairy-loving daughter!

We were having a fairy tea party, and the little flower fairy fit the theme perfectly – and I the curly font that she used!

If you are planning a birthday party for kids – or adults – I urge you to head over to Dragonfly Designs. Actually, if you need invitations for ANY event, head over there! Lisa creates unique invitations for all of life’s events – birthdays, weddings, engagements, showers – you name it! Lisa will work with you to create a fabulous invitation that will have your guests asking where you got it!

Dragonfly Designs Invitations

I recently purchased one of these at Costco, and it is so lovely that I have to share about it!

We are a family of 4, and the only crock pot that we had was a small one that was all one unit – the pot was NOT removable. This Smart Pot was a much needed upgrade for our family!

When I took it out of the box, I was again amazed at the size – and dreaming of all of the things that I would be able to make in it (as opposed to our little one). The first thing that I made was a Corned Beef brisket, and I have to say that I am totally impressed!

I can actually fit a whole roast or brisket, or 2 whole chickens(!) inside of this crock pot – which will be a lifesaver on days when I either have a ton of bags to get out the door or I have to spend the day at the girls school helping out! No more “Eek! It’s 5:00, and I haven’t even thought about dinner!” nights for me!

My favorite feature, though, is the removable pot. Can I just say how much easier it is to clean your crock pot when you don’t have the electrical issue to deal with? WOW! The pot, lid and spoon clean up very easily, and the stainless steel outside looks fabulous sitting on my kitchen counter!

If you are a busy mom who wants to have one less thing to worry about on those days, I highly recommend the SmartPot from Crock-Pot!

Now through March 31, you can get free shipping on a similar model, the Crock-Pot Portable Slow Cooker – Free Shipping!.

The next use will be Tortilla Soup – one of our families favorites! Only now I can make enough to have leftovers…

ABSOLUTELY!!!!

If you live in the western US, you may have seen these at any of the more “health-concious” stores near you and wondered if they are all they claim to be. I can tell you that they are with a resounding YES!!!

These cookies are not your average cookie – they are healthy, and they don’t have any of *those* ingredients inside. Yes, I said they are a HEALTHY cookie.

To top that small feat, they are also delicious! I have not shared them with anyone who didn’t love them – from my 3 year old nephew to his grandma and everyone in between. Some of them are even safe for those choosing a vegan diet.

Thus far we have tried the following flavors:
Banana Flax (personal fav! – limited time though – boo hoo)
Lemon Berry
Double Chocolate Chunk
Oatmeal Raisin
Peanut Butter
Vegan Chocolate Chunk
Caramel Apple (yes, you want these!)
Banana Walnut
Fruit & Nut

My kids (5 & 7 – picky at times) love each & every one of them. If you are rushed in the mornings or are looking for a great “between-meals snack” I highly recommend these fabulous cookies. For those of you that don’t live out west, don’t dispair! Erin Baker’s Breakfast Cookies are also available online!

Visit BBCookies.com to get your family a baker’s sampler to try out! You won’t be sorry.

Did I mention that Erin also makes brownies with the same stringent anti-bad stuff ingredients list? Hmm, brownies, cookies & granola, Oh My!

What are you waiting for?!?!?!?!?

A couple of years ago, I picked up a set of Doughmakers baking pans. They have a “pebble” finish to them that helps in heat circulation and in food release. There is a raised lip around the edges that helps prevent them from warping, and the size is perfect for baking cookies!

This size is my favorite and most often used pan, as it fits my baking stone perfectly. I also use a silicone baking mat on it to further help with easy clean-up. I use it under my glass & corningware pans to provide a barrier between them & my baking stone, and it often gets left in the oven. I have been using it for over 2 years now, and it still looks like brand-new and works wonderfully!’

I highly recommend Doughmakers for cookie sheets!

Doughmakers 14×17.5 Cookie Sheet

review by Jennifer – Cottage Gift Guides