Win $10,000 in Pillsbury's Easy Frost No-Fuss Frosting Challenge!

If you're tired of messy frosting containers that need refrigeration, you are going to LOVE Pillsbury's new Easy Frost No-Fuss Frosting! Available in a convenient aerosol can with a built-in, five-star applicator tip, No-Fuss Frosting can help you create gorgeous desserts in a flash.

I was given Decadent Chocolate Fudge and Vanilla Dream for review (there's also Velvety Cream Cheese) and my whole family not only loved the taste, but we all had fun icing our cupcakes with the easy, decorative tip.

Here are some tips direct from Pillsbury on getting the best use our of your No-Fuss Frosting:

• One 13.5-oz. can frosts about the same amount as one tub of frosting: one 13x9" cake or 18-24 cupcakes.
  
  
• You may hear a popping sound the first time you use a new can of Pillsbury® Easy Frost™ No-Fuss Frosting.
  
  
• Store and use frosting at room temperature—do not refrigerate.
  
  
• A can of Pillsbury® Easy Frost™ No-Fuss Frosting can last up to 12 months.
  
  
• No need to shake the can to dispense frosting; simply press the nozzle.
  
  
• For best results, wait until your baked goods have cooled before frosting.
  
  
• If you happen to refrigerate Pillsbury® Easy Frost™ No-Fuss Frosting, allow it to come to room temperature before using.
  
  
• Be sure to wash and completely dry the tip after each use. You can remove the tip by twisting counter-clockwise.

The Decadent Chocolate Fudge was my favorite flavor, and the 5-star tip made our cupcakes look like they just came fresh from the bakery:



But even with the easiest, mess-resistant frosting, my teenage son will find a way to make a mess. This was his cupcake just after he decorated it:



And then just a few seconds after holding it up for all to see:



...it fell down the side of our island, leaving the cupcake looking like this:



That cupcake certainly won't be winning any decorating contests! But YOURS could! Pillsbury is hosting an Easy Frost No-Fuss Frosting Challenge where your creation could win you $10,000 and a year's worth of frosting. 4 runners-up will win a gift basket full of Pillsbury baking products and a Flip Video Ultra Digital Video Camera.

Check out this video for a little inspiration:




You can get even more decorating ideas and enter your creation at PillsburyBaking.com. Contests ends February 19, 2010 (see the website for complete rules and details). Good luck!

Winter Fun with Wii! (Giveaway)

Skiing, snowboarding, skating and more...all in your own living room? Wii makes it all possible with the new Family Party: 30 Great Games Winter Fun, releasing in just a couple of days (February 2).



The game is the latest in the top-selling Family Party franchise. Winter Fun delivers hours of family entertainment on Wii where players can choose from over a dozen cute characters dressed head-to-toe in customizable winter outfits, and can participate in up to four player action including multiplayer co-op. Players can get in the spirit of playing all-time favorite winter games and competing and unlocking games and challenges to achieve high scores and win medals. You can also play solo if you prefer.

The colorful, eye-catching graphics alone will pull you into the game, and the fun, action-packed sports will keep you there. Have a look at some of the gorgeous, pre-release stills:









KEY FEATURES:

30 Fun, Addictive Games Optimized for Wii - Players will exercise while playing their favorite winter snow competitions and playground snow games without leaving home.

• Winter Sport Competitions: cross-country ski, figure skate, ice canoe, bobsled, and even snow plow!
  
  
• Playground Snow Games: compete against friends in a snowball fight, snow tube race, and more!
  
  
• Brain Freezing Challenges: test your wit at memory games, help Santa deliver presents and create beautiful star constellations!

Play With Up to 4 Friends – Players do not have to be professional athletes to compete in this game! Winter Fun is entertaining for the whole family with support for up to 4 players in Challenge or Battle Mode and now features multiplayer co-op team events for the first time.

Choose Your Own Friendly Character to Play – Players can play as any family member with over a dozen cute characters dressed from head-to-toe in customizable winter outfits. Even Grandpa and Grandma can play!

Achieve the Highest Score and Win Medals – Players can mix and match games to create their own unique challenges against friends and family to be the best all-around and win gold or establish the highest scores on the leaderboards.

Publisher: D3Publisher

Developer: Tamsoft Corporation

Release Date: February 2, 2010

Platform: Nintendo Wii™

Suggested Retail Price: $19.95

ESRB Rating: “E” for Everyone

As of today, January 31, Winter Fun is available for pre-order on Amazon.com for $19.99. But thanks to Wii and fortyseven communications, one lucky reader of So a Blonde Walks Into a Review will win a copy of the game just as it's hitting the shelves!

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post letting us know what your favorite family winter activity is. Be sure that there is an email address for you that I can find, or your entry will have to be disqualified.

By entering, you automatically agree to all the rules and disclaimers listed here. Please also see my disclosure policy here.

You can receive additional entries by doing one or all of the following (one entry, one time, for each step):

~Twitter with a link to this post. Then leave a separate comment here with your Twitter link.

~Blog about this contest with a link to this post. Then leave a separate comment here with the link to your post.

~Follow this blog. Simply click on "Follow this blog" found near the top of the sidebar to the right (under "The Blonde"). Then, leave a separate comment letting me know you are following.

~Post the button below on your blog and then leave a separate comment here letting me know it's posted and where. Here's the code for the button:



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Deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Saturday, February 6, 2009. Winner will be selected at random using Random.org. Good luck and enjoy the show!

The Perfect Multi-Seasonal Sweater from Lands' End

I've been meaning to post a review of my fabulous Lands' End holiday sweater for some time now, but I think now is actually the best time, as I have found that it's the perfect sweater for transitioning from winter into spring.



I received the Lands' End Women's Regular Original Fine Gauge Argyle Cardigan Sweater in true navy/ivory for review, and while it's kept me warm in the winter, I'm looking forward to wearing it open-buttoned over a white tank in the spring. The colors are perfect to pair with a white tennis skirt or capris for a boaty, breezy spring look.

Best of all, the sweater is on sale for only $34.99 (regularly $69.50), so it's the perfect time to buy!

Here's the description of the sweater from Lands' End:

• 100% Supima® — America's finest cotton
  
• Classic Argyle pattern
  
• Flattering, gently shaped silhouette
  
• Fine Gauge Argyle Cardigan falls to mid hip

This Fine Gauge Argyle Cardigan ensures softness that lasts wash after wash — Guaranteed. Period.® It all comes down to incredibly soft Supima® cotton — America's finest — spun into silky, pill-resistant yarns and knit into our smoothest sweaters that hold their color beautifully.

The classic argyle pattern makes it a sure bet for layering over shirts and tees in any season. Fully fashioned with rib-trim cuffs and bottom. A striped inside placket adds a refined finishing touch. 100% Supima cotton. Machine wash. Imported.

I can attest to the softness guarantee! The sweater definitely retains its shape and softness after washing. You do have to lay it flat to dry after washing, though. All-in-all, I love the sweater for its design, comfort and the high-quality that I've come to expect from Lands' End.

Click here for more details and/or to buy. Spring will be here before we know it!

You're Invited to a Garden Party with Actress Jennie Garth!

The generation of moms who grew up watching Jennie Garth as the beloved Kelly on Beverly Hills 90210 will be happy to know that she is now coming to our rescue as we try to get our kids to eat their veggies!

Jennie is starring in a new NBC digital series entitled "Garden Party," which is sponsored by the makers of Hidden Valley Ranch and is being distributed on iVillage. The series premiered yesterday and features videos, recipes and tips to help families incorporate vegetables into their diets.

"I saw this series as an opportunity to help inspire, educate and motivate families like mine," Garth said in a statement. "I found out that incorporating vegetables into your families' life is not only healthy but can be fun too."

Garden Party celebrates a new vegetable each month. From planting cucumbers at home, to visiting a kid’s cooking school, to taking a tour of a family farm, Jennie infuses her personality and experience as a mom into the series to make the information come alive. Jennie shares her own experience and tips with rich interactive elements including a "Cook and Tell" cookbook, a "What's For Dinner" meal planner and an opportunity for moms to tell their veggie stories.



I had the privilege of speaking to Garth in a conference call yesterday afternoon and am excited to share all of the insider details with you. No pun intended, but I found Jennie to be very down-to-earth, and her friendly, warm personality should really make this series shine.

I asked Jennie if her youthful appearance (she never seems to age!) had anything to do with her diet. She told me that she strongly believes that there is a direct connection to what you put in and on your body to what you get out, and even believes that society's move away from organic foods and products might be linked to increased cancer rates. She added that a colorful diet is vitally important to overall health.

Jennie grew up gardening and always had fresh vegetables available to her, something that she now realizes was a luxury. Her father-in-law (Jennie is married to actor Peter Facinelli) helped her and Peter build a garden at their home, which she says greatly helps her children to make a connection to what they're eating and creates a bonding experience.

"There's something so cool about being able to pick something out of the ground and eat it," she said. "Especially if it tastes good."



As for tips on getting veggies into your children's diets, Jennie said she's not above subterfuge and will hide vegetables in foods if she has to. She often will puree garlic and green and yellow zucchini and mix it into spaghetti sauce. She has also pureed spinach and mixed it into meatloaf.

I plan on trying those tips as well as those found on Garden Party...the broccoli mac and cheese recipe is at the top of my list. Head over to the site today to get ideas for your family.

Happy veggie eating!

I'm a Frigidaire Mom!

I am so excited to announce that, thanks to Mom Central, I have been selected to take part in the Frigidaire Test Drive Moms group! I'm on "Team Dishwasher" and I'll be bringing you posts and vlogs of my brand new Frigidaire dishwasher over the next few months.

Frigidaire introduced more than 250 new appliances in 2009, and all were designed to create more time for moms. In fact, Frigidaire is so confident that their appliances will do just that, that they offer a “More Me-Time Guarantee.” Moms will save a minimum of eight hours a month or their money back. You can't beat that!

With five people in our house, we do a LOT of dishes! And time is something I could definitely use more of, so I am extra excited to start using my dishwasher from Frigidaire's Professional line when it arrives this week. I'll be sure to share with you all the ins and outs of how it runs, how it looks, how it sounds and most importantly, if it saves time!

In the meantime, take a look at how gorgeous this dishwasher is (click photos to enlarge):

Front...



Open...



Interior...



Very sleek. Very modern. Very professional!

Above all, I am most proud to be working with Frigidaire because of their commitment to helping others. You may remember that, last September, Frigidaire teamed with actress and philanthropist Jennifer Garner to create the "Make Time for Change" campaign, which benefits Save the Children.

Today, Frigidaire launched a brand new feature of the campaign with Garner called "Spin & Win." You can log on to www.maketimeforchange.com for a chance to win prizes, including a new time-saving Frigidaire Affinity washer/dryer. Every day that you take a spin, Frigidaire donates $1 to Save the Children as part of their $250,000 commitment to this worthy cause.

Head over today for your chance to win, and stay tuned for my upcoming reviews of my fabulous new Frigidaire dishwasher!

Disclosure Notice: I wrote this review while participating in a Test Drive Campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Frigidaire and received a Frigidaire Dishwasher to facilitate my review.

KODAK Digital Frame Winner

Congratulations to Lissa! Her name was selected at random as the winner of the KODAK D830 Digital Frame giveaway!

Thanks to all who entered and to KODAK and Ketchum for sponsoring this fabulous giveaway!

Be a Part of the Consumer Electronics Show 2010 From Your Own Home!

If you didn't get a chance to attend this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, KODAK has come to your rescue! CES is the largest trade show held for consumer electronics and features products and the companies that create them.

Thanks to KODAK, you can see all the action by watching live streaming panels direct from the Kodak K-Zone on the CES Floor. You can also join the discussion by submitting questions to the panelists via Twitter using the hashtag #kzone.

And as an added bonus, KODAK and Ketchum are offering one lucky reader of So a Blonde Walks Into a Review a KODAK D830 Digital Frame worth more than $135! (details below)



The upcoming panels at CES that you can view from home include:

The M-Suite (Friday, January 8 at 3:00 p.m. PST)

How momtreprenuers and stay at home moms are building successful businesses.

Speakers include: Amanda Robinson (NaturalMommies.com), Sharon Napier (founder, Partners & Napier), Susan Tousi (Kodak), Soleil Moon Frye (actress), and Stacie Haight Connerty (blogger, Thedivinemissmommy.com).

Help, My Mom Friended Me on Facebook (Friday, January 8 at 11:00 a.m. PST)

Kids eight and under will never know what life was like before Google. Learn how technology is changing their lives – and their parent’s lives in the process.

Speakers include: Pam Sherman (author and public speaker known as The Suburban Outlaw), Susan Getgood (Blogwithintegrity.com), Jill Zarin (the Real Housewives of NYC), Linda Sawyer (CEO of Deutch), Christy Matte (editor of the Family Computing Guide, About.com)

Father Knows Best (Friday, January 8 at 5:00 p.m. PST)

It’s time to hear from the dads! Hear from these tech savvy dads on how they use technology with their kids, and the lessons learned.

Speakers include: Michael Ferrara (TechnoDad), Jeff Hayzlett (CMO, Kodak), Fred Fishkin (technology reporter, Bloomberg Radio), Jackson Lynch (WIRED)

To view the live streaming and recorded videos, or for more information, click here.

To enter to win the KODAK D830 Digital Frame, simply leave a comment on this post. Be sure that there is an email address for you that I can find, or your entry will have to be disqualified. By entering, you automatically agree to all the rules and disclaimers listed here. Please also see my disclosure policy here.

You can receive additional entries by doing one or all of the following (one entry for each step):

~Twitter with a link to this post using the hashtag #kzone. Then leave a separate comment here with your Twitter link.

~Blog about this contest with a link to this post. Then leave a separate comment here with the link to your post.

~Follow this blog. Simply click on "Follow this blog" found near the top of the sidebar to the right (under "The Blonde"). Then, leave a separate comment letting me know you are following.

~Post the button below on your blog and then leave a separate comment here letting me know it's posted and where. Here's the code for the button:



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~Add So a Blonde Walks Into a Review to your Technorati Favorites (just click the button below and follow the simple steps). Then, leave a separate comment here letting me know you've added this blog to your favorites:



Deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Thursday, January 14, 2009. Winner will be selected at random using Random.org. Good luck and enjoy the show!

Harlem Globetrotters Prize Pack Winner

Congratulations to MomUnion! Her name was selected at random as the winner of the Harlem Globetrotters Prize Pack giveaway.

Thanks to all who entered and to Coyne PR for sponsoring this fun giveaway!