5-hour ENERGY® “Yummification” video contest winners! #Sponsored

This is a sponsored post. I will receive promotional items from 5-hour ENERGY® for my participation in this promotion.
All views expressed are the honest opinion of Just Say I Told You So.

If you're like the average person, you hit a point in the day when your energy takes a dive. Some people can push through it. Others have become best buds with a guy named Joe (as in coffee). And some people drink 5-Hour ENERGY®.

5-Hour ENERGY® recently hosted the Yummification video contest... and the winners have been announced!

Tim Merlau from Los Angeles, CA snagged the 1st place prize ($50,000 bucks) with his Pomelimelade recipe. 

I'm sure the drink is good... but Tim's winning video is GREAT! Click here to check it out.

Here are the 2nd and 3rd place winning recipes:

2nd place winner - Mark Golembeski
Los Angeles, CA

3rd place winner - Zac Heorn
Lugoff, SC

Looks like Los Angeles is home to a few mixologists! LOL

You can pick up 5-Hour ENERGY® drinks at most convenient stores... and you can make up your own delicious recipes!

Visit the 5-Hour ENERGY® website. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest too!

Delicious Holiday Recipes from Safeway!

No compensation was received for this post.

I don't know about you, but one of my favorite things about the holidays is the food! I love serving up delicious food, but I also get bored with food pretty easily. So I'm always on the look out for new and exciting recipes! 

 

Although Thanksgiving and Christmas are now in the rear view there is still one important holiday coming real soon... NEW YEAR'S! 

 

What's on your New Year's menu?

 

No clue, huh?  Well it's your lucky day because I have some meal ideas for you! Courtesy of my friends at Safeway/Vons.

 

Let's start with the main course... Cocktails!

Hot Gingered Pear-Wine Cider

3 cups canned unsweetened pear nectar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon minced crystallized ginger

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup dry Diablo Creek Sauvignon Blanc

Lemon slices (optional)

Serves 5 / Prep Time: 3 Minutes / Cook Time: 7 Minutes / Ready In: 10 Minutes

1. In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart pan over medium-high heat, mix pear nectar, sugar, ginger, lemon juice, and wine. Cook, uncovered, until hot, about 7 minutes. (Or heat in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart microwave-safe container in a microwave oven at full (100%) power until hot, about 7 minutes.)
2. Pour cider into mugs or heat-proof glasses, and garnish each with a lemon slice. 

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Now onto the second most important part of any good holiday meal... Dessert!

Pumpkin Truffle Pound Cake w/Browned Butter Icing

Cake  

2/3 cup (from 14-oz can) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated) 

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz) 

3 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour 

2 tsp. baking powder 

1 tsp. baking soda 

4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice 

1/4 tsp. salt 

1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened 

1 cup granulated sugar 

1/2 cup packed brown sugar 

6 eggs 

1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix) 

Icing  

1/4 cup butter (do not use margarine) 

1 cup powdered sugar 

1 tsp. vanilla 

1 to 2 tbsp. milk

Instructions

Prep Time: 25 min

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 12-cup fluted tube cake pan with shortening; lightly flour (or spray with baking spray with flour). In 1-quart saucepan, heat condensed milk and chocolate chips over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat; set aside.
2. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt until blended; set aside.
3. In large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups butter, the granulated sugar and brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed about 2 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. On low speed, beat in flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with pumpkin until well blended (batter will be thick).
4. Spoon 2/3 of batter (about 5 cups) into pan, bringing batter up about 1 inch on tube and on outside edge of pan. Stir chocolate mixture; spoon into center of batter, being careful not to touch sides of pan. Spoon remaining cake batter (about 2 cups) over filling; smooth top.
5. Bake 55 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean and center of crack is dry to touch. Cool cake in pan 15 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
6. Place cooled cake on serving plate. In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1/4 cup butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Pour browned butter into medium bowl; stir in powdered sugar, vanilla and milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until spreadable (mixture will thicken as it cools). Let stand 1 to 2 minutes or until slightly cool; stir. Drizzle over cake.

These delicious recipes are just the tip of the iceberg! For more delicious holiday inspired recipes visit Safeway's Recipes & Tips. You're sure to find just the right dish for you and your family!

  

No compensation was received for this post. Recipes provided by Safeway. 

All views expressed are the honest opinion of Just Say I Told You So.

eMeals update - *WARNING* awesome recipes inside

I've been an eMeals blogger for several months now and I have to tell you that I'm LOVIN' it! I love to cook, so I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I especially like serving up something new, because let's face it eating the same old stuff is just plain old BORING! And I don't get bored easily.

Here are a few of the recent meals that I've cooked up since becoming an eMeals blogger:

Coconut Vegetable Curry

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup Thai red curry paste
2 (13.5oz) cans coconut milk, divided
1 Tbsp honey or agave
1 small red pepper, diced
2 carrots, sliced diagonally
2 cups mushrooms sliced
1 cup broccoli
2 cups napa cabbage (sliced)
1/2 cup peanuts (coarsely chopped)

Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion; saute about 8 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, curry paste, and 1 cup coconut milk, whisking until smooth. Add remaining coconut milk,; bring to a boil. Add honey, red pepper, carrots, mushrooms and broccoli; simmer for 5 minutes. Add cabbage; season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, uncovered, 5-6 minutes longer. Serve over rice.

Comments: This smelled so delicious! I added extra curry paste, omitted the cabbage and the mushrooms, and added potatoes (for more texture). A little salt is strongly suggested.
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Lentil Soup w/ Fusilli

1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2" piece fresh ginger, peeled & grated
1 cup french lentils, rinsed & drained
6 oz tomato paste
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cup water
1 tsp dried rosemary
8oz fusilli
3 cups of spinach
1/2 tsp salt

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger; cook 1 min. Add lentils, tomato paste, broth, water and rosemary. Bring to a oil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, on medium heat about 20 min. Bring soup back to a boil; add pasta and cook for 5 minutes or until pasta is al dente.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Comments: My soup wound up a stoup, as a result of adding too much pasta. Although I ruined the consistency (at least according to the directions), it was delicious and very hearty. My family loved it.  Great topped with parmesan.
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Miso Vegetable Soup

Package dried rice sticks
7 cups water
1 large turnip (not greens), diced
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1" piece ginger, pelled and thinly sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced diagnolly
1/3 lb snow peas
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp white miso
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp soy sauce

Remove 1/3 package rice sticks and place in large bowl; cover with hot water. Let stand 10-15 minutes; drain and set aside. Bring 7 cups water to a boil in large saucepan; add turnip, shallot, garlic and ginger. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes. Add carrots and snow peas; simmer another 2-3 minutes. Combine miso and 1/2 cup water. Slowly add to soup stirring well. Toss drained rice sticks with soy sauce; add to soup. Cook for an additional 1 min. Remove ginger before serving.

Comments: This is my favorite recipe thus far. Easy peasy and tasty too! I've made this one twice and it was a hit both times. I followed the recipe exactly... perfecto!

I received a free vegetarian meal plan from eMeals. All items purchased to prepare the above-mentioned meals were paid for by me. All views expressed are the honest opinion of Just Say I Told You So!

Review & Recipe: Taco Soup w/Lawry's Taco Seasoning

 We are now officially in Autumn, which means the air is getting chilly, so it's time to start making hearty comfort foods.

Lawry's has a huge line of seasonings and flavor packets to meet all your cooking needs. One of my personal favorites is Lawry's Taco seasoning. It has everything you need for authentic taco flavor, in one little packet! But taco seasoning is not just for tacos...check this out:

Taco Soup

2 cans of whole Black Beans (undrained)
2 cans of Pinto Beans (undrained)
2 cans of Diced Tomatoes w/Green Chilies
1 can of Whole Kernel Corn (drained)
1 pack of Lawry's Taco Seasoning
1 pack of dry Ranch salad dressing mix
1/2 small onion (diced)
1 fresh jalapeno (diced)
1 lb ground beef or turkey (optional)
2 diced green onions
1 cup grated Cheddar Cheese
fresh cilantro leaves
sour cream (optional)

In a large stock pot, combine black beans, pinto beans, corn, taco seasoning, and dry ranch dressing. Bring to a low boil. Add onions, jalapenos, and a few cilantro leaves.  If you decide to use ground beef or turkey, cook in a separate skillet, and drain all the fat off the meat before adding it to the soup pot.  Allow the soup to simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes.  To serve, garnish with green onions, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and cilantro.

Vegetarian Taco Soup

This is a quick and easy recipe, for any day of the week.  It's packed with flavor and full of fiber too. Your family is guaranteed to love it!

Visit Lawry's website for more recipe ideas that you can make for your family. You can also check them out of Facebook.

I received a free sample of Lawry's Taco seasoning mix through Bzz Agent. I was not required to write a positive review. The views expressed are the opinions of Just Say I Told You So!