Social Fabric

Candy Apple Dump Cake {Fall Recipe}

November 6, 2017 by Danielle

This candy apple dump cake is perfect for last-minute desserts that bake while you’re eating dinner or for potlucks with friends and family.

One of my favorite fall pastimes to do before Halloween is apple picking with the family. Something about the cool crisp air, the delicious juicy apples right off the tree, and the smiles on my kids faces when they pick that first apple off.

But it doesn’t end at the orchard! Then you get to go home and bake yummy goodies with all the apples you managed not to eat on the drive back home.

When deciding what to bake with the apples we picked in Boston on our trip back a few years ago I knew I wanted to incorporate Halloween and the fun of the season. Since I had just recently stopped by Smart and Final for our Halloween candy stash I decided to incorporate the delicious Nestle goodies I picked up in this Candy Apple Dump Cake.

Once I got home it was time to start baking. Now, this candy apple dump cake is literally what the name alludes to. Chopped up candy, apples, cake, and butter all dumped into the pan, stirred up, and baked! So simple yet so delicious.

Since I purchased a few extra bags of candy to bake with I decided to chop up my favorite Nestle crunch bars and Nestle chocolate bars to add to the mix. The combo of the apples and chocolate reminded me of our favorite candy apples.

And the kids had a great time unwrapping the chocolate (one for you, one for me…).

Candy Apple Dump Cake

3 apples, 2 diced & 1 grated
1 cup Nestle chocolate, diced (I used Nestle Crunch and Nestle chocolate bars)
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 package cake mix
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Add apples and chocolate to a 9×9 pan. Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice. Pour cake mix over apples. Drizzle melted butter over mixture.

Stir ingredients in the pan and smooth top.

Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until top is golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

Add a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of melted Nestle Crunch bar for an added bonus!

How easy is that? Perfect for last-minute desserts that bake while you’re eating dinner or for potlucks with friends and family. And you can make this with just about any fruit! So depending on the season, pick out your favorite fruit and enjoy.

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Filed Under: Desserts, In the Kitchen, Recipes Tagged With: apple, apple picking, apples, Candy Apple, Candy Apple Dump Cake, Dump Cake, Nestlé®, Smart & Final, Smart and Final, Social Fabric

Easy To Make Roasted Red Pepper Chicken and Linguine with White Wine Sauce

May 6, 2014 by Danielle

The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or older. I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This #InspireMyDinner shop featuring Roasted Red Pepper Chicken and Linguine with White Wine Sauce has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for #CollectiveBias and its advertiser.

Date nights are an important part of my relationship with my husband. They allow us to reconnect, chat about life, and spend time together without the kids. Whether we’re heading out for a night on the town or settling in at home for an easy to make meal together, the time we spend during date night helps us rekindle that spark.

Since we’ve finally decided we need to expand and are starting to look for potential houses to move into we’ve been on a tighter budget than normal. That means more meals at home… including date night meals. But that doesn’t mean I have to make some elaborate dish that takes hours to make. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Date Night, Dinner, In the Kitchen, Parenting, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: chicken, Pasta, Social Fabric

Finding Me Time with Walmart’s Lowest Price Unlimited Plans

February 17, 2014 by Danielle

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This #FamilyMobile shop featuring Walmart Best Plans has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for #CollectiveBias and its advertiser.

Tax time is a huge deal in our home. Since I am self employed I need to figure out all of my expenses, income, write offs, etc on top of what my husband makes and it’s pretty time consuming. With all the work put into filing our taxes, we do still get a small return back to spend on something fun. And since we’re working on lowering our monthly expenses, that something fun will be the lowest priced unlimited plans at Walmart.

When all’s finally said and done – after we file our taxes and figure out how to lower our monthly expenses – I finally get me time again to do the things I love. That me time is something I desperately need with two small kids at home. Time to enjoy my favorite hobbies without worrying about bills, taxes, and going over our monthly budget.

Social Fabric is Like a Lasagna Recipe #LuvSoFab14

January 29, 2014 by Danielle

Sometimes it takes a while to find out where you belong. What you want to do when you grow up, who your friends are, how you better yourself on so many different levels. And I think I’ve finally succeeded on figuring these out with the help of Social Fabric and Collective Bias.

Friends, community, support. These are the words that come to mind when I think of Social Fabric and what the SoFab community has done for me.

Now I have the chance to finally meet the SoFab family I’ve come to love in person at SoFabCon’14 in Arkansas this May. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Dinner, Life, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: #LuvSoFab14, #SoFabCon14, Collective Bias, Dinner, lasagna, Pasta, Social Fabric, SoFabCon14 Contest

Holiday Appetizers: SeaPak Spring Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce

December 3, 2013 by Danielle

I made this delicious spicy peanut sauce as part of a compensated social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and SeaPak. All opinions are my own.

It is officially December and I’m in holiday planning mode. That means seeking out the best holiday appetizers and desserts for our annual get-togethers and events. This weekend will kick off the celebrations with my daughter’s 3rd birthday. Not only are we feeding a large crowd, we’re also entertaining them as well.

When I decided on the party food I wanted to serve at her birthday party, I went with simple, delicious, and crowd-pleasing. Luckily these spring rolls are just that. By making a spicy peanut sauce to pair with the chili sauce included in the packaging, I can make a store bought appetizer more homemade. And everyone loves options, right? Since I can prepare the dip ahead of time I can spend more time with my guests. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Appetizers & Sides, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: appetizers, Dinner Party Recipes, dips, Easy Meal Ideas, Healthy Quick Dinners, Holiday Appetizers, Peanut Sauce, sauces, SeaPak, SeaPak Shrimp Spring Rolls, Social Fabric, Spring Rolls, Thai

Explore Under The Sea with Ariel and The Little Mermaid Party Ideas

September 4, 2013 by Danielle

The best part about Disney movies is the bonding time I get when watching them with my kids. With the upcoming release of The Little Mermaid Collector’s Edition BluRay/DVD on October 1st, I thought I’d treat my daughter to an impromptu Little Mermaid viewing party with her friends after naptime as part of a sponsored post for Collective Bias®.

We don’t yet own the DVD but I was able to dust off a VHS tape that my husband brought over from his parents house. And since my daughter had never seen the movie before we figured we should get some toys so she can play along as the movie plays.

While she played a bit with her new The Little Mermaid Story Gift Set I picked up from Walmart I set up the rest of the party around her. You can see more from my adventures at Walmart shopping for this awesome toy here in my The Little Mermaid G+ Album.
[Read more…]

Filed Under: Disney, DIsney Movies, gifts, Kids Parties, Party Ideas, Uncategorized Tagged With: Ariel, Collective Bias, disney, Disney Princesses, Disney Walmart, Flounder Toy, Sebastian Toy, Social Fabric, The Little Mermaid, Toys

Enjoy Summer Fun With A Root Beer Float Party

June 27, 2013 by Danielle

It’s the summer. And we all know what that means – party time! If you’re looking for a great way to celebrate summer and try out all of those tasty ice cream recipes you are seeing consider hosting a root beer float party.

With warm days and cool nights the weekends of summer are perfect for enjoying the classic root beer float and the gorgeous weather summer brings. Since my mom is in town visiting we hosted a root beer float party and invited her and our other extended family members down to enjoy the fun. And I couldn’t wait to use the adorable ice cream cone cups I picked up at a local discount store.

A Healthy Take on Summer Barbecue

Most barbecues are filled with tasty goodies but these summer favorites might not always be the best choice health wise. So I changed up my menu a bit and made a few healthier dishes to sub for our party favorites.

In an effort to stick with my goal of staying healthy and losing weight I made a few minor changes to our barbecue menu.

Our lighter fare items consisted of:

97% Fat Free Hot Dogs
Turkey Bacon Burgers with Lite Cheddar
Watermelon Feta Salad – recipe here
Mixed Greens Salad with Homemade Italian Dressing
Corn on the Cob

The turkey bacon burgers were simply pre-made turkey burgers from the store with turkey bacon and light cheddar cheese on top. Super simple but very tasty! And less fat than a beef patty. I’m pretty sure I turned my mom into a turkey burger convert!

With most summer barbecues we find ourselves faced with heavy, filling sides like potato salad, macaroni salad, and pasta salad so I decided to lighten things up and served this delicious watermelon feta salad instead. Not only are watermelons in season right now, they’re sooo good paired with feta and basil!

Now the mixed greens, hot dogs and corn on the cob were easy additions that rounded out the meal. We served some veggies with a yogurt ranch dip that we picked up at Walmart to munch on before our meal. No need for heavy appetizers because we were saving room for dessert!

Root Beer Float Bar

After our delicious meal it was time for dessert! And what better to serve on a hot summer day than a root beer float bar with all of the ingredients and toppings set out for the guests to serve themselves.

Our root beer float bar included:

Vanilla Ice Cream
Root Beer
Whipped Cream
Cherries
Straws/Spoons/Cups
Root Beer Float Cupcakes – recipe here

With the combination of vanilla ice cream and a creamy root beer we had the highest quality ingredients for the perfect root beer float. The guests loved them! And you can easily add more great ice cream toppings to your table to put your floats over the top.

Since it was a root beer float party I couldn’t resist making cute little root beer float cupcakes to go along with the root beer float bar. They just fit the theme perfectly.

Root Beer Float Party Ideas

Root beer float parties are the perfect way to celebrate many summer occasions. If you’re looking for an interesting spin on 4th of July or Labor Day or simply have a birthday to share, guests love being taken back to their childhood with this favorite.

I was able to easily put together this party with the help of the fabulous inexpensive decor found at various retailers. A checkered tablecloth, some pinwheels, and other barbecue decor helped set the stage for our party and create a gorgeous spread.

By including a mix of plastic and glass cups for our floats I was able to safely serve the kids as well as the adults without worrying about anything breaking. And I couldn’t wait to try out the ice cream cone glass cups I found a few years back! They fit the theme perfectly.

Lighter Option with Half The Fat

If you’re watching your weight or trying to cut back on your soda consumption like I am you don’t have to forego the root beer float! With reduced calorie soda and lower fat ice cream varieties you can enjoy a lower calorie and lower fat option that fits your plan.

And if you choose to serve the lighter fare menu I outlined above there’ll be no need to worry about your waistline at your next get together!

Many classic flavors of summer can easily be created in a healthier, more figure friendly way. You just have to be a bit creative and try out new recipes!

Another great flavor combo for your party would be the classic taste of a 50/50 bar in your glass. It’s super simple. Just grab some orange soda, vanilla ice cream and your favorite cup. Pour the orange soda over the ice cream and stick your straw right in. Mmmm!

Top your floats off with some tasty ice cream toppings and you’ll have one heck of a sweet treat.

What favorite summer recipe would you like to lighten up?

Filed Under: Family Parties, In the Kitchen, Kids Parties, Party Ideas, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: A&W, A&W root beer, flavors for ice cream, Ice, ice cream recipes, ice cream sprinkles, Kids Parties, light ice cream, recipes for ice cream, root beer float, root beer floats, Social Fabric

The Ultimate First Street Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich Recipe

May 11, 2013 by Danielle

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Smart & Final.

Mother’s Day is all about mom’s favorite things, right? And I know that my mom – and mother in law – loves sweets. Since it’s been so warm lately I knew she’d appreciate something cool if she were down here (don’t worry mom, we can make these again!).

So when I headed out to Smart & Final to pick up some ingredients for an awesome dessert to serve on Mother’s Day, I knew that First Street ice cream would be the perfect base for any dish.

I thought bringing my husband along with me as we shopped would be a bad idea but he inspired this dish when he asked if he could pick up some chocolate chip cookies too. Genius!! Why not make ice cream sandwiches?

The Perfect Stylish Gifts for Mom From Sears

May 6, 2013 by Danielle

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This content has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Sears.

I headed out to Sears on Friday because I was in desperate need for not one but three Mother’s Day gifts. No, not for myself, but for my mom, my mother in law, and my step mom.

That’s a lot of women to shop for! But luckily I was already able to peruse the searsStyle Mother’s Day Gift Guide online in anticipation of my shop so I made a list of the items I thought each woman might love.

Healthy Breakfast Ideas for Kids with Jennie-O #JennieO4kids #Cbias

January 14, 2013 by Danielle

One thing I am passionate about is trying to instill good eating habits in my children as they grow older. Offering healthy alternatives, choosing the best meals for my children, and overall choosing to educate them on how they can make better choices themselves.

Don’t get me wrong… they’ll probably choose a french fry over veggies any day but give them the choice of an apple and a french fry and it could go 50/50.

And I’m not saying I’m perfect. We do eat out about once a week at either a restaurant or fast food place and the children do consume greasy, fatty foods that are horribly bad for them but oh-so-good. But we do spend the majority of our meals at our dining room table. Together as family enjoying the food before us.

Most meals are actually prepared together. Because I find importance in getting the kids involved with tasks they can do for their age. Once they start to get involved they become much more interested in the foods they’re eating. And you’d be surprised at how many new things my kids have tried simply because they’ve helped prepare the dish.

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