I don't know about you, but I'm a pasta lover - all the way. Me and pasta are best friends. (Okay, you grammar Nazis - don't correct me!) Well, all right. Pasta and I are best friends. Is that better? ☺ The problem is, I really shouldn't eat pasta, not since I began eating a low-carb eating plan (Trim Healthy Mama). And one of my daughters cannot eat gluten, so that makes pasta almost out of the question for her. Sure, there are other gluten-free alternatives, but they definitely are not insulin-friendly or for those who are trying to lose weight. Even my favorite Dreamfields Pasta? Well, their company has changed their tune, and it is no longer being promoted as a low-glycemic pasta. Rats. After learning about the changes with Dreamfields Pasta and realizing my daughter needed to eat gluten-free, I began to look into other options. Someone on Facebook mentioned spiral slicers, and that piqued my interest. Well, when I start researching something, I learn all kinds of things! ☺ I've learned that there are several types of spiral slicers, whose purpose is to slice vegetables into pasta strands for those who cannot eat pasta or are looking for healthier options. There are the cone spiral slicers, like the Brieftons Spiral Slicer, below - and I get to give one away this week! Click on the Rafflecopter entry form below, or if you are reading this in your email, please click over to the post to enter or click on the link below that says "a Rafflecopter giveaway.” You'll also commonly find what I call the "tabletop" style and the "covered pot" style of veggie spiral slicers. Each type has their advantages and disadvantages. I've personally used two types of spiral slicers so far: the Brieftons "cone" Spiral Slicer, and another brand's "covered pot" style of spiral slicer. Since I'm giving away one of Brieftons' "cone" type of spiral slicer, I'm mainly going to let you know how well this product works. The Brieftons Spiral Slicer is inexpensive (under $13) and easy to use. It is small and takes up very little room in a kitchen drawer or cupboard. Nice! The Brieftons Spiral Slicer, like other cone-style spiral slicers, is used much like a pencil sharpener, where the veggie is the "pencil", and the slicer is the "sharpener". After washing off your veggies or fruits such as carrots, potatoes, turnips, rutabagas, zucchinis, cucumbers, large radishes, apples, squash, pears, etc., peel off the skin if necessary or desired. Straight and firm vegetables and fruits work best with this type of spiral slicer. Use one hand to hold the spiral slicer's stainless steel handles. Use the other hand to carefully insert your veggie into the spiral slicer's "cone", making sure that the vegetable stays straight in the middle of the cone. Twist it in with moderate pressure to create long strands of the vegetable or fruit. When the size of the vegetable or fruit becomes shorter, use the provided "end cap" to attach to the end of the vegetable. This will help you to process the whole vegetable - or most of it. Oh, and the Brieftons Spiral Slicer has two different julienne sizes on it: 1/16" x 3/32" (2 x 3 mm) and 1/8" x 3/16" (3.5 x 5 mm). These sizes aren't marked on the cones themselves, but by glancing at the spacing between the blades on each side, it's evident which side is which. If you're more of a visual learner, you may watch the video, below, on how to use the Brieftons Spiral Slicer: For best results when using the Brieftons Spiral Slicer:
Note: If you are left handed, you can still use the Brieftons Spiral Slicer the following way:
This video, below, demonstrates how to clean the cone-types of spiral slicers:
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| Let's give away one brand new Brieftons Spiral Slicer! Entrants must be 18 years or older; only U.S. residents are eligible to enter this giveaway. |
Silicone baking mats replace the need for parchment paper, wax paper, oil, or grease!
However, when I received this BakeItFun Silicone Baking Mat, I realized that this new product was going to be a lot more fun to use! It's a standard half size baking sheet size, which is great, about 1/2" narrower in width than the Silpat. It fits my rimmed baking sheets better. This is a USA Half Size Baking Mat - 16-1/2" x 11" (280x420mm).
See the "ruler edge" on all four sides of the baking mat? I really like the measurement guides on all four sides because they make the mat so versatile. Nice for rolling out dough to the correct measurements! I also think the "cookie placement" circles on the sheet itself are a great option. I'll be using this for years to come.
Make French fries with no oils! There's no need to turn the fries or potato wedges half way through the baking time, because they evenly brown on both sides. Best of all, the crispy browned outside edge of the fries or wedges stay where they're supposed to, without being left behind on your pans. If you're eating the Trim Healthy Mama way, this will be perfect for E meals! |
Do you have other ideas for using silicone baking mats? If so, I'd love to be able to share them here with future readers, so please leave a comment below, and I'll add it to my list! Thanks. ☺
Helpful tips on using silicone baking mats:
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Note: Ingredients and some products often use affiliate links to Amazon, but obviously you should shop for the best price and try to keep your dollars local when you can. Please note that there are affiliate and referral links on this page. If you click on them and make a purchase, I might make a tiny commission. I only recommend products I use personally. Your support is very much appreciated and helps keep this free resource up and running!
What could go wrong when Mommy leaves the house for an evening out with her friends...and leaves the children with Daddy?
What's the worst thing that ever happened with your children when you left home for a getaway evening with friends or family while your husband was watching the children?
Ha!
I'm trying to think of anything horrific that ever happened when my dear husband, Elmer, stayed home with the girls when they were young.
Hmm...I do remember a Sunday School teacher telling me once that Elmer would be a great father to the girls if I passed away or was too ill to care for them - except that their clothes would be mismatched and definitely not color-coordinated. ☺
I thought that was funny, and we had a good laugh about that. She pointed this out to me after I'd been away on a Sunday morning due to a reading curriculum conference I'd attended out of town.
IF you haven't seen Moms' Night Out yet, starring Sarah Drew, Sean Astin, Patricia Heaton, and Trace Adkins, you are in for a big laugh! This is the kind of story where you can basically figure out some of the plot, knowing that Daddy is going to have a disaster on his hands in taking care of the kiddos at home by himself, but there are some great twists and turns in Moms' Night Out that we all thought were quite funny.
And yes, even Elmer laughed a good, hearty laugh or two when we watched this together. ☺ He's the greatest guy, to go to the theater and watch Moms' Night Out with his wife and two daughters on Mother's Day. Awwwww...!!!
I'm giving away one DVD copy of Moms' Night Out, even though I wish I could select more than one winner! Moms' Night Out is rated PG for some mild thematic elements and some action. I think you're going to love this movie if you haven't seen it! The DVD/BlueRay version of Moms' Night Out is available September 2nd, so if you don't win the giveaway here, you may look for it in your local stores and online. Do you find it hard to find other movies and DVDs appropriate for children and families? Take a look at my reviews of other family-friendly movies and DVDS! |
Enter to win your own copy of the new "Moms' Night Out" DVD!
Entrants must be 18 years or older; only U.S. residents are eligible to enter this giveaway. |
Disclosure: Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.
Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.
Back in the day, we used tuna cans that had the bottom edge removed and smoothed so there were no sharp edges. They needed to be heavily greased before each use, or eggs would stick to them quite badly. If they weren't washed and dried quickly, they were prone to rust.
These days, I prefer to use nonstick egg rings like theseSunsella Silicone Egg Rings. They are nonstick, and easy to use. Here's how to make a beautifully round egg perfect for your next "Egg O'Muffin"! ☺
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Alternative uses for egg rings:
How to use egg rings for beautiful breakfast sandwiches:
Round fried eggs are great for breakfast sandwiches, but how about some alternative uses for your egg rings? The Sunsella Silicone Egg Rings are made from high quality 100% food grade, BPA-free silicone. Their 4-inch size is great for making perfectly round mini pancakes. |
Serving a brunch for guests? How about serving these cute individual frittatas or mini-omelettes? Other ideas for your egg rings:
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Got any other great ideas for "egg ring recipes"? Let me know, and I'll share them here with you all!
This post was originally published on http://www.JoyInOurJourney.com. If you see this posted elsewhere, it has been illegally scraped, and I'd love it if you would let me know. Thanks!
Hi! I'm Julieanne!
You'll find me in the kitchen
trying new Trim Healthy Mama recipes, loving God, and carrying out that love as I bless my husband and teen daughters.
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