My PB + J

Coffee House Quality at Home with Gevalia #cupofkaffe #cbias

Mornings for us have gotten a lot busier. It seems like I am finding less time for the day-to-day routines that I used to be able to do without a problem. I blame that on my tight schedule. With having to run errands, pick up the house, prepare dinner before I leave for work and still take care of the kids I am finding it hard for myself to even get breakfast down. Thankfully I was just introduced to Gevalia single serve coffee cups for my Keurig to help me get my morning started so I can make it through my packed daily routines. 




    • I am usually not one that enjoys straight coffee. I enjoy my roast bold, with a little sweetener and a splash of milk. I’ve found that most of the k-cup varieties are not strong enough and if they are they tend to be too bitter and have an off taste. The bright yellow packaging told me to hold out hope. 


    • When I brewed my first cup of Gevalia I was hesitant so I had my Mom go first. She enjoyed it and said it was perfect for her especially since she drinks her coffee black. I still can’t go black so I first added in some caramel syrup into my glass and hit brew for a medium sized cup. I finished off my glass with a splash of milk. The first sip was amazing, it tasted so closely to my double shot that I am used to ordering at my local coffee shop. The roast could have been a little more bold but the finish was rich and not bitter whatsoever! Score! I think after having our Keurig for the past few months I’ve finally found a k-cup that offers what it states. Gevalia has hit the ball out of the park by offering a traditional roast coffee that is easy to use at home yet tastes like a coffee shop. I did notice when I was shopping at Walmart that they only offered the medium roast but other retailers offer different roasts. I can’t wait to try out the different varieties. To see my entire shopping trip head on over here.

    Bring the taste of a coffee shop into the comforts of your own home! Find Gevalia on:

    Coupons  |  Facebook   |  Twitter   |  Website 

    Disclaimer: 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 Kraft Foods #CupOfKaffe #cbias #SocialFabric

    Bringing Sexy Back…It’s Justin Timberweek!

    Breathe in…breathe out…It’s here! It’s Justin Timberweek! The last six years have been the longest for us JT fans. Whether your a full fledged JT fan or a closest fan you understand very well how long the past six have been without a new track from the hilariously sexy Justin Timberlake. I can remember where I was for every album drop. The first crazy experience was making my Mom take my sister and I to pick-up No Strings Attached, running through Target only to see that most of the displays were empty. I was so crushed, mad at the moment that my parents made me go to school vs. waiting outside of Target for the store to open. Luckily for everyone involved we found a display with some CD’s left. The cellophane was ripped off so fast and soon we were listening to Bye, Bye, Bye in our GMC Safari.  Justin and I have grown-up together, secretly the boy of my dreams, shh…don’t tell my husband. My high school days were filled with N’Sync, I was never really a BackStreet Boys fan, because hello, they didn’t have Justin. When Justin branched off I couldn’t have been happier, his voice was sexier, soulful and more confident, the collaborations were also amazing. Back in ’02 when Justified dropped I was in the same predicament as my awkward high school days, this time I could drive but I had a lame midterm in my anthropology class. While I was answering questions on human evolution all I could do was think about Cry Me a River, coincidence, maybe. I couldn’t wait to finish that exam for a class I didn’t need so I could get my hands on the CD. Why does this keep happening to me? You would think that after 1997 I would have learned my lesson. I finished that damn exam and made my way through campus to my car but instead I was greeted by my boyfriend (now hubby) who was blaring Like I Love You. He got out of his class early to bring me the CD, seriously, a total keeper…

    That CD was by far my favorite but then Future Sex / Love Sounds dropped. He just gets better and better with age. Each song has a memory, My Love, played over and over as I was planning our wedding invites. Damn Girl still makes me giggle as I sing along and who can ever get over the infamous 2009 SNL holiday skit of Dick in a Box. I still laugh just thinking about that skit. Justin should be a resident SNL or Jimmy Fallon guest. The shows are just so much better with him, meaning they’re actually funny and memorable.

    I think I have been pretty clear that I am obsessed. When I heard Suit & Tie for the first time I wanted to cry, I know, way extreme but overjoyed that he finally and I mean finally gave his fans another album. After seeing his performance on The Grammy’s I sent a text my friend and told her that we had to go to the concert, we agreed and didn’t care how much money it would cost because it’s a bucket list item. Two weeks ago the tickets went on presale and we were trying to figure out how we were going to get tickets and then with the luck of the JT fairies (also known as my aunt & uncle) we now have tickets to the July 28th show. July cannot get here any sooner but before that concert happens the CD needs to be released. Thanks to Jimmy Fallon for dubbing this week as Justin Timberweek I have gotten ahead of the game after learning the hard way for the past CD releases and have ordered my copy of the 20/20 Experience from Walmart.com for just $7! I think that price is a little crazy! iTunes has the pre-order price listed as $10.99. Don’t wait too long to take advantage of this great price because it’s only valid for one-week, the price is valid online and in-stores!

    With the excitement of Justin Timberweek well underway I decided to throw a mini pre-release party where I invited a few friends over. I baked cupcakes, cake pops, had JT’s fav ice cream and had chilled bubbly awaiting. I also gave each friend a Walmart GC so they could order the CD for themselves.

    The spread was simple. I wanted to go crazy, but JT’s fav’s would have my caloric intake out of control for a month. I opted for a dessert spread because a girl loves a good bite of something sweet all washed down with some sparkly bubbly. Plus, I figured it was simple and sleek like the 20/20 experience. 
    I baked vanilla cupcakes but with a hidden surprise in the middle of the cupcake, a caramello chocolate square. This is JT’s favorite candy, well, according to the all-knowing Internet anyhow. I went for gold sparkle sugar and vanilla buttercream. All topped off with a fondant cupcake topper I designed with the first CD single, Suit & Tie.  
    Fresh white tulips added a touch of class plus it looked nice on the black table cloth. 

    I also wanted to add some ice cream. JT’s fav, again according to the Internet is Graeter’s, which also happens to be my hubby’s fav. I opted for the toffee chocolate chip to compliment the cupcake. 

    Since JT makes all us girls feel like a girl again I wanted to bake cake pops because there is just something magical about them. I went with vanilla cake, black candy coating and gold sprinkles to tie the theme together. I searched and searched for the box with all my CD cases in them to have on display but in the madness also known as our third car garage you will just have to trust my obsession. 
    Justin is an icon, a household name and honestly the one musician that will stand out always for my generation. I cannot wait for Tuesday to get here so I can introduce my kids to Justin, even though they’ve already heard Suit & Tie on repeat. Brayden totally appreciates it, Payton will one day…

    Are you just as excited as I am for the new album? What’s your fav JT song or memory? 
    Stay connected to JT on Facebook  and Twitter 
    Visit Walmart on Facebook or Twitter for more info on the release! 

    Disclaimer: 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 #JT2020  #cbias #SocialFabric. Regardless, all opinions are my own.

    brother & sisterly love

    The love they have for one another is a magical thing. Their personalities compliment one another, they run to one another when the other one cries or is placed on a timeout. They play well together. The eldest explains when he is doing something wrong or when she is irritated it always begins with a “Budddd-yyyyy!” When she wakes in the morning it’s usually from hearing him talking and she immediately wants to run to him, usually shutting the door in my face so she gets to hear “SISSY!” first. They play in his crib, the laugh, they play peekaboo, they push each other on their cars, each teaching one another on daily basis. She is the first to exclaim, “buddy pooped…again!” She knows when to duck from his already straight shot of an arm. He watches every move she makes and wants everything she has. They both have a major sweet tooth, but love their veggies the same. I pray that their love never fades, I pray that they don’t go through the typical brother/sister feuding, I know that is wishful thinking but one can hope. These two beautiful blue-eyed children are my life. I cannot imagine  a day without them and I am pretty sure they couldn’t go a day without one another either. The bond that siblings share is such a wonderful thing to witness. I am blessed that they call me mom. 

    Banana Chocolate Chip Bakery Muffins

    I have two completely opposite breakfast lovers in this house. Payton could survive off of eggs (cooked anyway) but Brayden will not touch an egg in any form, disguised or not. I rotate between pancakes and waffles paired with handfuls of fresh fruit and hard boiled eggs most of the time. Last week I wanted to mix it up and decided to try out a recipe for bakery muffins. Most muffin recipes leave flat tops which is always a disappointment. I have been on the search for the perfect muffin recipe and I found it here. You can switch it up however you like as long as you keep the wet/dry ingredients the same. For these muffins I added in one smashed banana and I decreased the milk to a half cup and increased the oil to one cup. The crisp top, the tender crumb, the silky chocolate and subtle hint of banana will impress a muffin novice. Add to a basket for a neighbor, drop off to a friend or serve for breakfast throughout the week.

    What if your favorite muffin variety? 

    homestyle chicken noodle soup {recipe}

    We’ve been hit hard by the cold & flu this year. The hubby and kids have been sick twice in less than a month and I have (luckily) escaped the second round. The one request I have gotten is for my chicken noodle soup. Not just by my kids but from my best friend too! This recipe takes some time, you have to allow at least two hours for the rich stock to simmer and then about another hour once the stock has finished. It’s been a go-to Sunday meal for those dreary days, pair with freshly baked muffins or with organic saltines to dip. You cannot go wrong with a large pot of this homestyle chicken noodle soup! Give some to a neighbor, enjoy for lunch all week or freeze portions for an easy weeknight meal. 
    Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
    For the stock:
    1 whole chicken, rinsed and cleaned
    3 whole carrots, cut into thirds
    3 celery ribs, cut into thirds
    1 turnip, peeled and cubed 
    1 onion, cut into quarters 
    3 TB peppercorns
    1 TB salt
    a few sprigs of fresh Thyme (I use about 4-5)
    2 bay leaves
    For the soup:
    1 onion, chopped
    15-20 baby carrots, chopped 
    3 celery ribs, cut lengthwise and then chopped 
    3 garlic cloves 
    4 Thyme sprigs
    2 bay leaves
    shredded chicken
    egg noodles 
    fresh parsley, a handful chopped
    salt and pepper to taste 
    Directions for Stock:
    Place the chicken and vegetables in a large stockpot over medium heat. Pour in only enough cold water to cover (about 8 cups). Add in the thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns, and allow it to slowly come to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and gently simmer for two hours, partially covered, until the chicken is done. As it cooks, skim any impurities that rise to the surface; add a little more water if necessary to keep the chicken covered while simmering.

    Carefully remove the chicken to a cutting board. When its cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones; hand-shred the meat. 
    Carefully strain the stock through a fine sieve into another pot to remove the vegetable solids. Use the stock immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to one week or freeze.

    Directions for Soup:

    Place a soup pot over medium heat and coat with the oil. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme and bay leaf. Cook and stir for about 6 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but not browned. Pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Add the noodles and simmer for 15 minutes until tender. Fold in the chicken, and continue to simmer for another couple of minutes to heat through; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.