It's Brunch Time with Velveeta®-Salsa Brunch Bake + {a giveaway}

This post is sponsored by Lunchbox. All opinions are my own.

So as some of you may already know, I'm not exactly a morning person. By that I mean, I'm a bit like Anna (from Frozen) on coronation day or worse... I'm groggy, don't really know what's going on, and definitely don't feel like cooking a complicated breakfast recipe first thing in the morning. So when hubby surprised me with plans to have friends over for brunch this weekend, I wasn't sure what was on the menu but knew I had to come up with a quick, delicious recipe pronto.

I panicked, jumped online, and found the Kraft Food Hub. In a hurry, with my mind racing I began browsing through all the delicious meal ideas and found this VELVEETA®-Salsa Brunch Bake recipe and knew this was the dish to serve at our impromptu brunch.

Cheesy egg goodness with a large dose of salsa, peppers, onions - the perfect mixture of wholesome ingredients to leave you feeling full and happy. What else could brunch guests ask for?

After only 20 minutes of prep time, I placed this tasty looking dish in the oven for 40 minutes. This left me with just the right amount of time to put myself together and get the kitchen cleaned up. Hubby was so surprised when he came downstairs and noticed my hair was done, my make up was on, and brunch was baking in the oven. I felt a bit like the perfect homemaker waiting patiently for my friends to arrive, which happens pretty much... uhhhhhmmm, never. It made for a peaceful and relaxed morning, which was a great way to start our day.

As my friends arrived, I pulled this beauty out of the oven and I'm not going to lie - I was overjoyed! I've never claimed to be an ultimate chef but this dish fooled my friends into thinking I am. Are you in a panic trying to find something to serve up to your friends for brunch as well? Maybe you are trying to find something different to make for a family breakfast gathering or possibly looking for a recipe to satisfy your breakfast for dinner craving? This recipe is the answer...

Velveeta®-Salsa Brunch Bake Ingredients: 1pkg. breakfast pork sausage 1 onion, chopped 1 red and 1 green pepper, chopped 1/2 cup TACO BELL® Thick & Chunky Salsa 3/4lb. (12 oz.) VELVEETA®, cut into 1/4-inch cubes, divided 1 doz. eggs1/3 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Cook sausage, onions and peppers in large skillet on medium heat 6 to 8 min. or until sausage is done, stirring occasionally. Drain; return to skillet. Stir in salsa and half the VELVEETA; spread onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Whisk eggs and sour cream until well blended; pour over sausage mixture. Top with remaining VEVLEETA. Bake for 40 min. or until center is set. Enjoy!

Are you looking for new recipes to try? Head on over to The Kraft Foods Hub to find recipes everyone will love! Plus, watch the game day finger food video for tips on how to make a delicious mac n' cheese treat! Don't forget to scroll down the page to create a collection of your favorite Kraft Recipes and be entered for a chance to win a $100, $250, or a $1,000 Walmart gift card!

Simply create an eCard with your favorite top-Pinned Kraft Foods recipes, fill out the entry form, and then share your card! It's that easy to get your name in the pool to win big!

Also, don't miss your chance to enter to win 1 of 5 Walmart gift cards on my blog! Use the giveaway form below for your chance to win:

Kraft Foods Hub January

DIY Party Favor Punchbox!

I'm huge into party planning, as you may already know, so when I decided to hand out prizes to my "Big Game" Party winners at my party, I knew I had to come up with a creative way to give out party favors in style. Then it came to me, a punchbox is the perfect way to give the "winners" of my game something special. Not sure what a punchbox is? Think of it as the brain child of a piñata and a standard goodie bag - the most fun ever for little kids or adults that have had a few after watching the football game and getting silly!

Making a punchbox is easy - you'll need a cardboard box, a great precision knife like this set I was given from +DIY Lifestyle Magazine, some tissue paper, red solo cups, and prizes! I decided to include Crunch Bars, Ring Pops (as championship rings for "The Big Game"), and gift cards as the real prize! Now let's get down to the fun, making this little punchbox!

Begin by tracing the top of the cup on the inside of the box, to make the guidelines for where to cut with your precision knife. Once you have traced the right amount of cups for guests attending the party - go ahead and use the knife to cut your holes.




Cover holes with tissue paper, strategically place the prizes inside the cup, tape cups and tissue paper to box once you have placed everything in it's spot.

Make sure everything is secure, flip your box over and decorate if you would like, it's that easy!

Have you ever seen a punchbox at any events you've attended? If you decide to make one for your party, I'd love to see it!

Drink Your Greens: A Collection of The Best Green Smoothie Recipes + The Green Machine - My Weight Loss Weapon Smoothie Recipe

As you all know (I've been bragging about it for a while now), I lost 20lbs in 2014... and I'm continuing on my weight loss journey in 2015. One thing I will continue to do this year is drink my greens! If I'm in a hurry I drink Evolution Fresh (learn more about these pre-made green juices) but most of the time I blend my own smoothies - I love mixing new flavors and trying new blends! So when Foodie asked me to create a collection of smoothies to share with my readers, I was all over the task!

You'll be astounded by how much spinach you can add into your smoothies without even being able to taste it... If you have never tried a green smoothie before, take my word for it - today should be the day you sip your greens AND once you try one, you'll quickly realize that green smoothies will change your life. I won't claim that drinking my greens is the reason I lost the weight I've lost but eating healthy plays a huge part in weight loss so obviously all of the spinach included in my smoothies didn't hurt!

Now before I share my collection, I wanted to create something super special for you guys. I've shared other smoothie recipes before, but I wanted to share one of the many smoothie blends I've been making since I started losing lbs! I named this little beauty "The Green Machine", because it's packed full of ingredients that help your body feel refreshed... and because let's be honest, it gets your digestive system going! I like to think of this smoothie as my weight loss weapon and if you drink one of these every morning I guarantee you'll lose weight too! So if you are looking to shed some lbs, whip up The Green Machine in your blender right now, and let me know what you think of this super nutrient rich blend!

The Green Machine Ingredients: 1 banana 1 cup mixed frozen fruit blend 1 cup rhubarb 2 1/2 cups (or more) spinach 1 cup almond milk 1/2 cup frozen cherries Combine Ingredients in blender, blend together on high speed, & Enjoy!

Now that I've shared my recipe, be sure to add it to your Foodie Collection and then check out the rest of these awesome green smoothie recipes in my collection! Grab a big ol' bag of spinach, a huge handful of kale, and your blender and let's get things mixing!

Check out Drink Your Greens: A Collection of The Best Green Smoothie Recipes
by Lauren Paints at Foodie.com

If you haven't become a member of foodie yet, now is the time to try it out! Check out my smoothie collection and sign up for a profile of your own!

Printables for The Big Game

I shared how I plan on celebrating The Big Game here and told you that I made printables for you to use to make your party epic as well!

You can find all the printables I used to decorate water bottles, cupcakes, and more here:

- Water Bottle Wraps - Hut, Hut, Hike -

- Water Bottle Wraps - Are You Ready for Some Football? -

- Water Bottle Wraps - Blue Chevron -




- Water Bottle Wraps - Green Striped Football -





- Football Place Setting / Menu Cards -

- Party Favor "Good Game Dude" -

- First Down, Drinks Down Game Placemat -

- Flags and Pennants for The Big Game -

If you decide to use these printables in copy or plan to post them on your blog, please be sure to link back to me! I can't wait to see how you use these cute little printables and hope that you have a blast on game day! 

Sweet Treats for Valentine's Day: Gluten Free Cookie Sandwiches with Peanut Butter Filling

Valentine's Day has to be one of my absolute favorite holidays, my hubby on the other hand thinks it's a cheesy holiday so this year I'm trying to get him more in the spirit by giving him treats that I know he will love. I'm going to be leaving little surprises for him around the house and just trying to set the vibe for the most romantic holiday! They say you win a man's heart by pleasing his stomach, so of course I treated my man to something tasty this week.

I know I'm dieting, but my sweetheart is one of those lucky people that can eat whatever they want and not gain a pound. That means I spoil him with sweets regularly so this time I really had to make something extra special and I must say I absolutely outdid myself, I made him the most delicious cookie sandwiches on the planet!

I'll note: My filling didn't turn out as planned, it was a bit runny and I ran out of confectioners sugar(noted in my recipe)... But the good news about my "mishap" is that the runny filling makes the treat that much more delicious, gooey peanut butter filling on a M&M cookie sandwich, the perfect treat to surprise your Valentine! I'm also happy to say that the recipe is pretty easy to make as well! I love a quick recipe that tastes beyond delicious and this one won't disappoint... so grab your apron and oven mitts and get mixing!

Gluten-Free Valentine's Day M&M Cookie Sandwiches with Peanut Butter Filling M&M Cookies: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup butter, melted 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 cup brown sugar 1 egg 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1+ cup Valentine's M&M’s Peanut Butter Filling: 1/2 container Cool Whip 1/2 cup Peanut Butter 1/2 container Yoplait 100 Greek Yogurt (I used a full container and it was very liquidy so I suggest 1/2) 1 tbsp Vanilla extract 2 1/2 cups Confectioners Sugar Cookie Sandwich Recipes: In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, granulated sugar and salt. In a different bowl, mix together the melted butter and brown sugar. Mix until well combined, then mix in the egg and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture and mix just until combined; do not over mix. Fold M&Ms into dough. Preheat oven to 325F/165C. Line pans with foil or parchment paper and cut shapes using cookie cutter. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cookies begin to brown at the edges and the center is still soft. Let cookies cool for a few hours, then prepare filling. Peanut Butter Filling: In a mixing bowl, combine cool whip, yogurt, and vanilla extract with a mixer. Add confectioners sugar into the mixture in small amounts at a time. Add in peanut butter and mix completely. Allow the filling to thicken in the fridge or add additional confectioners sugar to the mixture. Apply a thick layer of filling/frosting to one heart cookie bottom and place another cookie on top. Enjoy!

Are you as jazzed for Valentine's Day as I am? What fun activities and tasty treats do you have planned for your sweets? I'd love to hear all about your plans for V-day below!