Chewy Fruit Bars made with Musselman’s Applesauce–YUM!!

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Just like most moms, it seems like my kids are always hungry and that I’m always hearing “Mom, can I have a snack?”

I try very hard to always have nutritious and quick snacks on hand, which is why I love Musselman’s individual packages of applesauce.  Whether as a quick snack or part of a nutritious lunch, they are always happily received by my kids.  Musselman’s applesauce packs are also a great snack to take along with you on your summer adventures, whether hiking, heading to the beach or sitting at a Little League game.

I also love to bake homemade snacks for my kids and was thrilled to get recipes that feature Musselman’s applesauce as part of a gift pack.  I decided to try out the Chewy Fruit Bars and enlisted the help of my four year old.  A few messes with the flour later :) and we had our bars in the oven.  The recipe was easy to follow, the smells coming from the kitchen were super yummy and the warm Chewy Fruit Bars were a big hit!

The recipe for the Musselman’s Chewy Fruit Bars is as follows:

2/3 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 baking soda

1 cup quick cooking oats, uncooked

4 (4 oz) cups of Musselman’s Cinnamon Apple Sauce

1 cup raisins (optional)

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In large mixer bowl beat butter to soften.  Add brown sugar and vanilla.  Beat until light and fluffy  Blend in flour, cinnamon and baking soda, mixing well. Stir in oats.  Press 2/3 of mixture into 13X9 baking pan lightly sprayed with cooking spray. In medium bow, combine cinnamon apple sauce, raisins and walnuts (if using).  Spoon evenly over dough in pan. Crumble remaining dough over top and bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown.  Cool Completely.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Cut into bars.

*True confession time: There was no way we were waiting until these cooled before we ate them.  They were very yummy warm and my kids loved them. I wrapped up what was left and saved them for the next morning.  They didn’t even last until lunch!

Would you like to win a Musselman’s prize pack and try out this and other Musselman recipes for  yourself?

To enter leave a comment letting me know what is your favorite item to bake?

Contest ends Wednesday, May 23rd at midnight.  Good luck and thanks for reading NEPA MOM!

Note: I was provided samples of Mussleman’s products to facilitate my review but my opinions are always my own.

 

 

Dr. Seuss Storytime at Books a Million

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Tomorrow, May 19th at 10 a.m., Books a Million will be holding a Dr. Seuss Storytime to kick-off their 2012 Summer Reading Program. Each participant in the Summer Reading Program will get a FREE Dr. Suess Insulated Lunch Bag (while quantities last).

Click here for a listing of participating BAM stores.

Giveaway! Win a Gift Card to Posh!

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Electric City Restaurant Week comes to a close tomorrow.  Have you had a chance to check out any of the great restaurants participating?

Modeled after New York City’s Restaurant Week, Electric City Restaurant Week will be held from May 4th- May 18th, where participating restaurants throughout the Scranton area offer a three-course prixe-fixe meal for under $32, not including tax & gratuity.

Many local restaurants, such as POSH, Carl Von Luger,Kelly’s Pub and Eatery and more are participating in this event and are offering specials for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Click here for a full listing of participating restaurants.

To celebrate a great week of culinary delights we have one final restaurant gift card giveaway.  One lucky NEPA MOM reader will win a $10 gift card to Posh, a hot new restaurant in downtown Scranton.  I have had the pleasure of eating at Posh and it is truly great.

To enter just leave a comment telling me if this will be your first time at Posh or have you been there before…

Contest ends Friday, May 18th at midnight so act fast if you want to enter!

Thanks for reading NEPA MOM!

 

The Vemayca Giveaway winners are…

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The winners of the Vemayca Cosmetic Bags are:

amy says:

Ok shared on my facebook page….

Mary Zahorsky says:

This bag looks fabulous, please enter me in the contest

Please send me an email at nepamom@hotmail.com to claim your prize.

Not the winner?  You can still get a great deal on this great bag by using the  special promo code NEPA35 to get 35% off.  To purchase visit www.vemayca.com .

Thank you for reading NEPA MOM!

Recalls Plus Review

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Recently I was given the opportunity by SheSpeaks to check out the new downloadable app Recalls Plus and boy was I impressed.  This app allows busy moms and dads to stay on top of important recalls without having to go searching for them.  It’s easy, and when you are a busy parent, easy is what you need!

The app keeps you up to date on current recalls on items that you add to your “Watch List”, which you can customized by entering individual products, products from a preset checklist or food allergens.  You can also set it up so that they email you the alerts as they occur, so you can rest assured you never miss an important recall, which is very important when keeping our children safe and free from harm.

Just this week Recalls Plus notified me of the Kolcraft Bassinet recall, and while the bassinet I am currently using for my child is a different brand I was able to let a friend know about the recall to make sure that her baby was safe and not using the recalled item.

Recalls Plus is currently available on Facebook, iPhone, andAndroid so it is easy for you to find and easy for you to use.  Recall information is always at your fingertips.

About Recalls Plus:

Recalls Plus is a newly launched app that helps busy parents to proactively monitor recalls on their kids’ strollers, cribs, toys, formula, and other items for greater safety and peace of mind. The app is created by SAP, a market leader in software applications whose vision is to help the world run better.

Our diverse team consists of parents and others who are focused and passionate about parenting issues — working around the clock to make sure we don’t miss catching a recall on kid’s products or food with undeclared allergens. Recalls Plus is designed and built for busy parents like you so you can focus on the important things in your life.

Recalls Plus is created by SAP—a market leader in enterprise application software, who’s vision is to help the world run better. Recalls Plus marks the first consumer-facing app developed by SAP – and more apps are on the way!

Mother’s Day Giveaway! Vemayca Cosmetic Bag

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Last year I had the opportunity to attend the great blog conference Reviewers Retreat, which was held at Great Wolf Lodge in the Pocono’s.  One of the perks of attending conferences is you get to connect with business  and try out new products.  One of my favorite products that I received during the retreat is still something that I use daily~even a year later.

That product is a Vermayca cosmetic bag! I truly love this bag.  The outside is soft, almost a velvet and the inside is a soft pearl, removable liner.  Now the fact that it is removable is important because this bag is completely machine washable!  You no longer have to worry about make up spills and messy make up because if you do have a spill all  you have to do is remove the liner and throw it in the washer.  And because the liner is replaceable, if you happen to tear the inside you can replace just the liner, not the entire bag.

Veronica, the owner of Vermayca, has graciously donated two bags for a NEPA MOM giveaway!  In addition, she has offer all NEPA MOM readers a special promo code if you wish to purchase on for your friends or family(or yourself).  To purchase visit www.vemayca.com and use promo code NEPA35 to get 35% off your purchase!

To win is easy!

1. Just leave a comment telling me you want to be entered to win this bag.

2.Share this giveaway with your friends via email, facebook, twitter or plain ole word of mouth.  Just make sure to come back here and tell me how you told your friends.

That’s it!  Giveaway ends Wednesday, May 16th at 9 p.m. Good luck and thanks for reading NEPA MOM!

Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive

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The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive will be held on Saturday, May 12, 2012.  On this day you can help Stamp Out Hunger in your neighborhood by collecting a bag of non-perishable food items and leaving them by your mailbox for your letter carrier to collect.

Suggestion donation items include  canned meats, fish, soup, bottled juice, vegetables, pasta, cereal and rice that do not require refrigeration. Please do not include items that have expired or are in glass containers.

Thanks for helping to Stamp Out Hunger in your community!

First Friday Art Auction

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Tonight, May 11th, the First Friday Art Auction will take place at the Scranton Cultural Center from 6-9 p.m.

There will be music, wine, hors d’oeuvres, a wine pull, silent auction and, of course great local art!

Proceeds from the art auction will benefit the non-profit, volunteer-driven First Friday Scranton organization and will help support our monthly art walks and local artistic initiatives. Please come and support those who have so generously donated their art and maybe you could be going home with a beautiful work of art from a talented local artist!

Sounds like a GREAT time!

 

 

Cinemark Summer Movie Clubhouse

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Cinemark has released their Summer Movie Clubhouse schedule.  Moves are $1 apiece or 10 shows for $5 if purchased in advance.  All movies are at 10 a.m. and are suitable for children.

The schedule is as follows:

June 13, Happy Feet 2 (PG)

June 20, Rio (G)

June 27, Kung Fu Panda 2 (PG)

July 4, Despicable Me (PG)

July 11, Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2 (PG)

July 18, Dolphin Tale (PG)

July 25, Puss in Boots (PG)

August 1, Winnie the Pooh (G)

August 8, Yogi Bear (PG)

August 15, Charlotte’s Web (G)

Click here for a coupon for snacks at the Concession Stand.

Click here to find a participating Cinemark location near you.

Kids Bowl Free Program-Great Summer Activity

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Have you signed up yet for the Kids Bowl FREE program.? Register for this program by clicking here for Valley Bowling Lanes in Carbondale and here for Idle Hour Bowling in Scranton.

Kids Bowl Free allows your family to bowl 2 Games FREE everyday all summer. Plus, there is a family pass option where parents, grandparents, older children that don’t qualify for the Kids Bowl Free passes and babysitters can join in the fun and get the same great 2 FREE Game offer every day.

Sounds like a great time, make sure to sign up now!

How the program works….

  1. All of the participating bowling centers are listed at Kids Bowl Free
  2. Select a bowling center near you.
  3. Register directly on the bowling center page (The registration is valid only at the bowling center where you register and cannot be used at any other bowling center unless otherwise noted.)
  4. Once you register, you will have the opportunity to purchase the family pass. The Family Pass was created to allow for adult family members to enjoy bowling throughout the summer as well. The Family Pass starts from $24.95 and includes 2 GAMES PER PERSON PER DAY. The Family Pass covers up to 4 adult family members. You may have 1, 2, 3, or 4 adults on the family pass.

Head over here to get started at Kids Bowl Free