Friday, May 17, 2013

Blackberries & BlackBerry Z10 Pinterest Collection ~ Two Things I'm Loving This Spring


Technology
2nd in a series of 3 posts on the New BlackBerry Z10



I've discovered there's not one but two things to love about Spring this year. The first is blackberries, one of my all-time favorite berries since I had my first taste at three years old. This season these bundles of anti-oxidant loaded fruits are indeed the biggest, juiciest and sweetest ever. Then there is the new BlackBerry Z10 from Verizon Wireless, the first smartphone I've ever owned by that brand. Granted the latter isn't edible, but just the same it's equally as sweet. Even better you can enjoy it year-round, not only now but in Summer, Fall and Winter too.


Ripe Blackberries, Ready to Eat, Image by MommyBlogExpert.com
BlackBerry Z10 Flanked by Blackberries, Image by MommyBlogExpert.com
In my last post on the latest BlackBerry generation my 17 year-old son raved that this phone is all about the gestures. Now I'm going to give you the Mom perspective about this sleek piece of brilliant technology -- that's just about as thin as the latest iPhone -- the first BlackBerry 10 smartphone to ever run on the ultra fast Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network.

I'm both a mom who loves baking blackberry pies and a busy mommy blogger and social media strategist specializing in marketing to moms, dads, kids and family collectively. Life with four kids (triplets + 1, now teenagers) born within a year -- and the fact that I receive upwards of 1500 emails a day for my business -- mean that it would be an understatement to say that things are often a bit hectic around here.

Slice of Hot Blackberry Pie, Image by MommyBlogExpert.com
With that kind of crazy busyness, I love that the BlackBerry Z10 allows me to manage both a busy family and my busy work life from a single device simply by switching between two profiles with the push of a button. A tool like that, for sure, is essential to keeping my head above water at all times. Come to think of it I don't know a mom who isn't busy raising her family while simultaneously juggling everything else that life throws at her.


High Calorie Blackberries & Ice Cream, Image by MommyBlogExpert.com
Low Calorie Fresh Blackberries, Image by MommyBlogExpert.com
No Calorie BlackBerry Z10, Image by MommyBlogExpert.com
So if you love blackberries as much as I do -- no matter how many or how few calories they have -- I invite you to follow my Everything Delicious Blackberry Pinterest page.



The device comes in white (like the one I received for this review) and black and carries a list price of $599.99. Right now, though you can get the BlackBerry Z10 for just $199.99 with a two year Verizon contract commitment.

Other MommyBlogExpert Verizon Wireless Smartphone Reviews you might like
Nokia Lumia 822 Windows Smartphone
HTC Droid DNA Android Smartphone

Fresh Spring Berries Platter, Image by MommyBlogExpert.com
FTC Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I disclose that I am a Verizon Wireless Brand Ambassador serving as a member of the Verizon AIC Blogger Team and that I received the BlackBerry Z10 featured to facilitate this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Homemade Cheesecake & Cheese Blintzes for Jewish Holiday of Shavuot May 14-16


Celebrations



Just finished making homemade Cheese Cake Torte from the 1950s vintage Betty Crocker Cookbook my parents gave to me and The Governor's Wife's Cheese Blintzes from Jewish Cooking in America by Joan Nathan.


Cheese Cake, Image by MommyBlogExpert.com
Governor's Wife's Cheese Blintzes, Image by MommyBlogExpert.com
Now I'm finally ready to celebrate Shavuot, also known as Festival of Weeks and a celebration of the first harvest, when Jews mark the time that G-d gave the Ten Commandments to Moses and the People.


To Everyone Else Celebrating

Hag Sameach
Happy Holiday!


FTC Disclosure: I did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this particular post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Tilapia Fiesta Easy Recipe Gorton's Fish

Good Food


The challenge for this post was to create a healthy new dish using one of the twenty at 200 or less calorie store-bought products made by this national seafood company. With so much to choose from it was a hard choice.


Me at Gorton's BlogHer 2012 Booth in NYC


Today I'm sharing the story of my work as a mom brand ambassador for Gorton's Seafood.  I love creating new recipes for the brands I work with because it gets me to look at consumer food products in a whole new light. A case in point is Gorton's, a brand my family has been enjoying for years because they offer so many different healthy and kosher items in their lineup of fish products that can be found in the frozen section at the supermarket. Up until now, though, we have only been eating their ready to cook offerings straight out of the box, either baked, fried or microwaved.


Gorton's Booth at BlogHer

MBE partnered with Gorton's Seafood, post contains affiliate links



Fresh fish is great but more time consuming


Frozen Fish Selection in Store Freezer
So many Gorton's fish choices


My family likes many of the different Gorton's Talapia selections so for the challenge I chose to try their new Talapia Skillet Crisp crunchy breaded fish filets -- which is less than 200 calories per serving -- as the base and inspiration for dreaming up something new and tasty for my kids and hubbie to enjoy. If anyone will give me their unfettered and honest opinions about my cooking adventures, it's these five critics!


Image by MommyBlogExpert.com


Here's the verdict after I made the colorful and very healthy dish you see pictured above for my 17 year-old son to try. 

"This is really good and crunchy," he said. "It's hard to believe that you didn't add any oil."

I'll take that as a compliment to the cook and the green light to share this family-tested recipe with MommyBlogExpert's loyal readers.



Skillet Crisp before cooking looks bland, Image by MommyBlogExpert.com

To launch the creative cooking process I visited Gorton's Recipe Gallery where I searched and found their Skillet Crisp Tilapia with Citrus Salsa recipe. This does sound really good and I'll probably make it in the future. However, it did inspire me to create my own new original recipe Skillet Crisp Tilapia Fish Mexican Fiesta which can be easily made in just 20 minutes. Here's how you can make it at home, too.


Skillet Crisp Tilapia Fish
Mexican Fiesta Recipe



Image by MommyBlogExpert.com


Serves 4
20 minutes preparation time

1 box Gortons Breaded Tilapia Frozen Fish
2 diced tomatoes
1/8 c. coarsely chopped red onion for salsa
1 T. finely chopped red onion for guacamole
1/8 c. chopped yellow onion
2 ripe avocados
1 t. garlic powder
Tortilla chips
1 fresh lemon
Salt & Pepper





1. Follow the directions on the Gorton's box to cook the fish in a non-stick skillet for about 10 minutes on each side. You will be amazed at how crispy and brown it gets without having to add oil to your frying pan.

Before frying...
Image by MommyBlogExpert.com

And after frying...
Image by MommyBlogExpert.com


2. While the fish is frying, prepare the fresh salsa by mixing the tomatoes, red onion, and yellow onions, the juice of half a lemon, and salt & pepper to taste. Set aside.

3. To make the guacamole, carefully cut the avocados in half lengthwise and gently scoop out each avocado half. Set aside empty avocado shells. Mash avocado in bowl and then add 1 T. chopped red onion, juice of half lemon, garlic powder and salt & pepper to taste. Set aside.

4. Transfer each crispy brown cooked tilapia fillet to a plate with spatula. Fill each avocado shell bowl with salsa and place beside the fish. Then add a generous spoonful of guacamole directly on top of the fish. Top with a thinly sliced piece of lemon for added color and add a handful of tortilla chips.

5. Serve hot and let your Fiesta Party begin!

Keep reading because immediately below you'll learn how you can enter to Win the loaded Gorton's Seafood Gift Basket I'm giving away. 


Gorton's Seafood 
Gift Basket 
GIVEAWAY

$50 Approximate value
Ends 6/15/13


Image by MommyBlogExpert.com

Prize Package Includes
  • 5 Gorton's Seafood coupons good on your choice of products
  • Gorton's Chef Apron
  • 2 Gorton's Heavy Duty Oven Mits
  • 1 Gorton's Spatula


HOW TO ENTER

Just leave a comment(s) below this post and you're entered. Contest ends June 15, 2013 at 12 midnite PST and is open to legal residents of the U.S. only. One winner will receive the gift basket prize package described and pictured above. Winner will be selected at random from all entries and will be notified via email and must respond within 48 hours to claim their prize. 

Required (Mandatory) Entry
Simply leave a comment below this blogpost saying why you'd like to win this prize. Don't forget to include your email address, Facebook and/or Twitter contact info in the comment section so the winner can be contacted.

Optional Extra Entries 
Earn extra entries to win for doing one or more of the easy options listed below. Just be sure to return to MommyBlogExpert (MBE) to leave an additional comment after each individual extra action you do to confirm so we can record all your additional chances to win.

1. Follow MBE on Twitter 
2. Like MBE on Facebook
3. Follow MBE on Pinterest
4. Subscribe to MommyBlogExpert

***Bonus Entries***
You can earn even MORE chances to win each time you TWEET the message below, up to 3 times each day. Don't forget to return to leave a comment on this post with the direct link right after every Tweet you do so you'll receive an entry for each of your RTs.

Tweet to copy and paste:

I entered to WIN Gorton's Seafood Challenge Giveaway - You can too until 6/15 http://tinyurl.com/d2s6dt4

We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program that allows our site to earn a bit of compensation (at no extra cost to consumers) for including referral links within our posts to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.



FTC Disclosure: This is a compensated post and I received products to facilitate this review. In addition Gorton's Seafood is providing the prize package and shipping for this giveaway. However, thoughts in this blogpost are my own. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.