Monday, August 25, 2008

I've been tagged!

I was tagged a couple of days ago by Thunderclouds and a Furrowed Brow and here are the "rules":

* Share 7 facts about yourself on your Blog, some random, some weird.

*Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.

*Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their Blog.


My 7 facts:

1. I love eating Feta cheese crumbles straight out of the container.

2. I won the Spelling Bee in 8th grade.

3. I love reality TV shows, especially Survivor and The Apprentice.

4. Black olives are among my least favorite foods, but I love liver and onions.

5. I love trying new recipes, especially crockpot ones!

6. Our dog is named Lit'l Ann from the book "Where the Red Fern Grows."

7. I collect the old Nancy Drew books.



The 7 people I am tagging are:

doodlerooskie

2sistersandme

Terra Garden

Centsible Mommy

Good & Crazy People

Baseballs & Bows

Life's Sweet Passions

Monday, August 18, 2008

Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce Review




Country Bob's contacted me and asked me if I would be interested in trying their All-Purpose Sauce and reviewing it for them. Since I have tried Country Bob's All-Purpose Sauce in the past and absolutely loved it, I jumped at the chance to "officially" review this great product!


For those of you who have never heard of Country Bob's, here is a brief history taken from their website:

"In 1968 Country Bob perfected the sauce of his dreams. After years of giving the sauce to friends and family he began to sell it in 1977. The reaction was overwhelming just as it is today. Almost everyone who tries Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce becomes a lifelong user. And why not, it is the perfect complement to practically any meal set on your table.

It was actually October of 1982 when Country Bob, Inc. became the company, which remains today. Bob Edson, Terry Edson, Al Malekovic and Reed Malekovic formed a corporation with equal ownership. Since that time Country Bob's distribution has magnified regionally in all directions from our corporate office located in Centralia, Illinois. Even with the tremendous growth we have not forgotten where we came from, continuing in our relentless pursuit of product excellence. "

"It would be nice if we could claim responsibility for the success of the company, however, credit must be given where credit is due. Proverbs 16:3 says, "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." We have placed true ownership of Country Bob, Inc. in the hands of God. "Christ is our CEO" and He is an Awesome Boss!"

When my family had used Country Bob's in the past, we had never tried it in an actual recipe. The only way that we had used it was a dipping sauce for steak and pork chops. Until receiving my review bottles and the accompanying recipe brochure I really had never thought of other uses for the sauce.

According to their website:

"Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce is in a class by itself. It is more than a steak sauce, because of its unique flavor and the variety of uses. You can grill, cook, and marinate with it, or put it in your soups, stews, baked beans, and your other favorite dishes. Experience the Taste!
Use our All Purpose Sauce on:

•Steak
•Chicken
•Barbeque
•Fries
•Hamburger
•Fish"


Their website also lists tons of recipes to use the sauce in. I chose to prepare the Country Bob's Meatloaf. It is basically the same meatloaf recipe that I normally use, but instead of using ketchup you use Country Bob's All-Purpose Sauce. The sauce added a great, unique flavor to what is normally a somewhat bland meatloaf. The flavor was great!

I also see that on the website that Country Bob's has expanded their line of products to include Spicy All-Purpose Sauce, Seasoning Salt, and Barbeque Sauce. They say that Country Bob's Spicy Hot can also be used in the meatloaf which I bet would give it an incredible taste as well! I think for my children though the original Country Bob's sauce is probably better suited to their palates but the Spicy version is definitely one that I would love to try. I bet the barbeque sauce is excellent as well!

They said in the quote above that most who try the sauce will become lifelong users and I can attest that this is true in our case! Before I reviewed the product we were already loyal users but after reading the materials that came with it and reading the website I found so many more uses than I ever imagined! We will definitely be using more Country Bob's All-Purpose Sauce in the future!

For those wondering where to buy the product, it is available at most Wal-mart SuperCenters. You can input your zip code at http://countrybobs.com/locator/ to find the store nearest you.

ALSO, just for visiting their website you can get a free bottle of Country Bob's All-Purpose Sauce of your own to try!

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Soap Nuts




During the Bloggy Carnival I was lucky enough to win a sample of an interesting product called Soap Nuts.


Here is the information about them from : http://www.laundrytree.com/


"Did you know that there’s a FRUIT you can throw in your wash that will get your laundry clean? It’s true! Soapnuts are the fruit of a tree (Sapindus Mukorossi), found primarily in India, Indonesia, and Nepal. They are harvested, de-seeded, and then dried in the sun — and that’s it — the soapnuts are ready for you to use in your wash!


How do soapnuts work?

The outer shell of the soapnut contains saponin, a natural substance known for its ability to cleanse and wash. (That’s what makes them so GREAT for cleaning your laundry!) In fact, soapnuts have been used to clean all kinds of fabric for centuries, but they are just recently gaining popularity in the Americas and Europe as a natural alternative to modern chemical detergents.


Soap nuts are an amazing, 100% natural cleaning product.They are organically grown and are chemical-free, and they are incredibly gentle on clothes AND skin. They are especially great for those with sensitive skin — including babies and those that suffer from allergies, eczema, and psoriasis! They’re totally biodegradeable, so they’re better for the environment than regular detergent, and they’re antimicrobial, so they’re even good for septic and greywater systems!"



I thought that this would be a great product as my oldest son has very sensitive skin. All you do is put 3-4 in a reusable bag and throw it in the washing machine. I put in 4 and was able to get 3 loads out of them before they got crumbly. So, I was able to try 6 loads of laundry using this product and as far as I can tell they worked well to clean our clothes. The only thing that I didn't really like is that the Saponin (the natural soap compound in soapnuts) is only released in higher temperature water and I usually wash almost everything in cold water in order to conserve. I do admit that I only washed darks with them because I was a little nervous about putting them in with my whites.


I also do like scent in my laundry and I see that they offer some Essential Oils and Fragrant Oils that can be used in conjunction with the Soap Nuts. There are some interesting ones listed that I would love to try like Energy, Ocean Breeze, Baby Powder, Citrus Mist and Plumeria! Definitely an interesting product!






 
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