Mom & Daughter Makeovers in Hollywood

Beauty

Thank you Zyrtec for the mother and daughter makeovers today at Siren Studios in Hollywood, California. 

My daughter and I after our makeovers, MommyBlogExpert.com

Stay tuned for the full story in a few days on our #AllergyFace experience as well as our Gilt #raidthewarehouse finds.

FTC Disclosure: My daughter and I were hosted by Zyrtec for this event which included a makeover, early access to the Gilt warehouse sale and goody bags. However I did not receive any payment for this post and opinions here 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.

Recycling Phones Aids Domestic Violence Victims Campaign Lead by Verizon Wireless #VZWBuzz

Community

If you have a collection of cell phones laying around or even just that phone you just retired when you upgraded recently which you just don't know what to do with, consider this. It's been just about a year since I last wrote about Verizon Wireless' ongoing campaign called Hopeline where they collect used cell and smartphones in support of victims of domestic violence.

The statistics are enough to shock us all into action: statistically 1 in 4 women, 1 in 7 men and 3 million children are impacted by domestic violence in some shape or form. 

If you still need convincing that this is a worthy cause that matters which you can easily participate in, watch this moving YouTube featuring pro football player William Gay who lost his own mother to domestic violence. He's sharing his story with the hope that it will shed light on this troubling issue which affects many more people in our own communities than the average person realizes. 





How You Can Help HopeLine

You can help reach their goal of 1 million phone donations by the end of 2015. There are several ways you can easily donate old cell phones and accessories. 

• In addition to organizing your own HopeLine mobile phone donation drive, you can drop any phone off in-person at your neighborhood Verizon Wireless store or mail it in with a pre-paid postage label. 
• Remember always to erase your device's data and disconnect your phone service prior to donating. More information on how to donate your old phone is available here.

About HopeLine
Verizon has a longstanding commitment to domestic violence awareness and prevention, which has been a main philanthropic focus since 2001 through the HopeLine program. People can take action to help support this cause by donating old and used phones at Verizon stores nationwide or by mailing them in using a free postage-paid envelope that you can request.

Image from Verizon Wireless

FTC Disclosure: I disclose I am a Verizon Wireless Lifestyle Blogger #VZWBuzz brand ambassador and receive products for review and other perks. However I did not receive any payment for this post and opinions here 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.

Easy Wild Blueberry Hand Pie Recipe Rustic Natural Made With Puff Pastry

Good Food

My #WildBlueberrySide

I have such fond memories of a summer spent road tripping with my four kids for 3 weeks picking every kind of berry imaginable in Oregon, Washington State, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Alberta, Canada. All of us especially loved the wild blueberries and huckleberries we discovered when we ventured off the beaten path into the woods. 

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In fact, on that trip a few years back I brought a hot plate, large canning pot and mason jars along in the trunk of our SUV and each evening at our roadside motel cleaned and canned the day's pickings while my kids relaxed and watched TV. By the time we arrived home, we had dozens of jars of canned fresh berries to enjoy all through winter.

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Wild blueberries are indeed a blessing from nature, they taste delicious and they are rich with anti-oxidants so they are really good for you and your kids to snack on right off the bushes. The taste is definitely unique: a cross between nutty, tart and sweet. Lucky for us all that these are also widely available in the frozen section of many markets year round -- when buying them just be sure the label says "Wild Bluberries" so you know you're getting the real thing.

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Not only are the wild blueberry types more natural and never genetically modified, they are smaller, more flavorful and richer tasting than their domesticated common blueberry cousins that are plentiful in the produce department during spring and early summer.

My own teens raved about the homemade Wild Blueberry Hand Pies I baked this afternoon while they did their homework. I hope you'll give this easy, yummy and original recipe I've created a try. If your family is anything like mine, I'm betting they'll disappear in no time.

Recipe

Wild Blueberry Hand Pies

Time to Make: 1 hour
Makes 16 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 package frozen puff pastry dough
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup flour + extra flour for rolling out
• 1/4 t. cinnamon
• 1 Bag 16 oz frozen Wild Blueberries (approx 3 cups)
• 1 egg white
• 1 T. sanding sugar
• Pan spray

Directions

Pre-Heat Oven to 400 degrees

1. Open puff pastry dough and thaw for 30 minutes on counter following package directions

2. While dough is thawing, prepare hand pie filling by stirring dry ingredients together in medium bowl including sugar, flour and cinnamon

3. Next add frozen wild blueberries to dry mixture and gently toss with hands until well coated, set aside

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4. Using a rolling pill on floured cutting board to prevent sticking, roll puff pastry to approximately 1/16" thick

5. With a 3-1/2 inch biscuit cutter or a small bowl of that diameter, cut out dough circles and carefully transfer with a bit of space in between to a foil-covered cookie sheet that has been slightly greased with pan spray

6. Place a teaspoon full of the wild blueberry mixture onto half of each circle of dough, then dip your finger into water and gently dampen the circumference of each hand pie before folding into a half circle

7. Use a fork to seal the edges of each hand pie together and then use the fork again to lightly prick the top of each so air can escape during baking

8. Separate an egg and mix the white only with about 1 T. water then using a pastry brush paint onto each hand pie and sprinkle with sanding sugar to garnish

9. Transfer baking sheet to oven and bake for 15-18 minutes or until lightly brown, being careful to watch so pastry does not get too dark

10. Cool slightly, serve warm and enjoy!

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About Wild Blueberries

The Wild Blueberry Association of North America is a trade association of growers and processors of Wild Blueberries from Maine and Canada that is dedicated to bringing this power berry's health story and unique wild advantages to consumers and the trade worldwide. You can always find Wild Blueberries in the wild, but you can find them in the frozen fruit section of your local grocery store, too. Just make sure the package says “wild”. By the way, 99% of the Wild Blueberry crop is frozen fresh at harvest, locking in their nutrition and taste. A well-known retail brand to look for is Wyman’s Wild Blueberries. The retail prize for a 15-ounce bag of Wild Blueberries starts at $3.59 while 3-pound bags retail for about $10 each. To find a retailer near you, visit wildblueberries.com. Learn more by following Wild Blueberries on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

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FTC Disclosure: I received products free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer to facilitate this post. However opinions here are my own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of this product. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's home page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.