tasty baked potato soup & light wheat rolls

After a long day (or morning) of shopping you'll want to end the day with some yummy comfort food. Today's food for thought friday features a baked potato soup recipe I made on Monday--it was super tasty--and a yummy recipe for homemade wheat rolls.

Baked Potato Soup
2 T butter
1 c finely chopped onion
4 T flour
3 (14.5-oz) cans chicken broth
4 large or 8 medium baking potatoes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp dried basil
Dash of Tabasco sauce
1 tsp garlic salt
2 c half & half

Garnishes
Grated cheese, sour cream, green onions, crumbled bacon

Melt butter in 2-quart saucepan on medium heat. Add onion and saute for 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over onions and cook about 5 minutes, stirring often. Gradually add chicken broth. Add potatoes, salt, white and black pepper, basil, Tabasco and garlic salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in half & half; heat through. Serve with garnishes. Serves about 8.


Light Wheat Rolls
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 3/4 c warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1/2 c white sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 c butter, melted and cooled
1 egg, beaten
2 1/4 c whole wheat flour
2 1/2 c all-purpose flour

1/4 cup butter, melted

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Mix sugar, salt, 1/4 cup melted butter, egg, and whole wheat flour into yeast mixture. Stir in all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough pulls away from sides of the bowl.

Turn dough out onto a well floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place dough in bowl and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough, cover and let rise in warm place until doubled again, about 30 minutes. Grease 2 dozen muffin cups. Punch down dough and divide into two equal portions. Roll each into a 6x14 inch rectangle, and cut rectangle into twelve 7x1 inch strips. Roll strips up into spirals and place into muffin cups. Brush tops with melted butter. Let rise uncovered in a warm place 40 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and brush again with melted butter.

"Shopping is better than sex. If you're not satisfied after shopping you can make an exchange for something you really like." ~Adrienne Gusoff

georgie tees BFCM sale!

Today's that's hot! thursday is short and sweet. First, Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you're enjoying the smell of roasted turkey already and wearing your elastic-waist pants.

Second, here's our contribution to the Black Friday & Cyber Monday (BFCM) craziness... we have a special BFCM code for the biggest discount ever offered and here are the details:

Use code HOLIDAY08* in the Comments section when checking out at georgietees.com and receive

25% off and
$5 Priority Mail shipping!
Plus, spend $50 and receive a free gift with purchase!

This offer is good Friday, November 28th through Monday, December 1st (midnight) and is only good while supplies last. We're just trying to do our part to help boost the economy! --Emily

* Discount reflected once order is processed. Offer good on in-stock items only and while supplies last. Additional charge for Express Mail shipping.

let the shopping begin!

Or rather, let it begin Thursday evening at midnight! The day after Thanksgiving, more commonly known as Black Friday, is the day my sister gets up at 4am to hit the stores. The earliest I have set my alarm is 6am--nothing has even been important enough to get up before then! The Monday following Black Friday has unofficially (maybe officially by now!) been named Cyber Monday. It is quite possibly the biggest online shopping day of the year and shoppers will find deals and steals at numerous online retailers.

We've put together this post linking you to a few sites listing the latest and greatest online coupon codes for your Black Friday to Cyber Monday shopping experince!

*NOTE: Check freshly baked tomorrow for our fantastic promotion (25% off and $5 Priority Mail shipping, anyone?), complete with special coupon code, good from November 28 through December 1, 2008 midnight. It's the best deal we've ever offered our customers, so don't miss out!

• ShoppingByMail.com: This blog has a great Black Friday Roundup post. I love that they offer a little more detail than just a promo code and percentage--and the list is quite extensive!
• BlackFriday.info: The site name tells it all; it is "the official site for all of the 2008 Black Friday ads." As it gets closer to Black Friday, 2008, the site will have sale information along with Black Friday ad scans.
• CyberMonday.com: Another one where the name is rather fitting! CyberMonday.com brings you special offers from hundreds of merchants during the holidays and throughout the year. On Cyber Monday the site will have hourly specials and exclusives from numerous online retailers. You can get sneak peeks of the hourly deals by signing up for email alerts.
• Moms Buzz: Though I don't have a specific link for you right now, I do know Moms Buzz will be doing a Cyber Monday post listing special deals from a wonderful selection of stores and boutiques, many of which won't be listed on sites like BlackFriday.info and CyberMonday.com.
• Black Friday 2008: Black Friday ads by store; features online and offline specials.
• MomFinds.com: Scroll down for their Black Friday Shopping Tips post. Great info and links to other sites with steals and deals.
  

I'm sure there are more blogs and sites out there interested in bringing you great deals so if you know of one or two, please comment and include a link so other online shoppers can do their part to boost the economy. ;) Happy shopping! --Emily

georgie tees listed on MomDot!

We are big fans of MomDot so we were super excited to hear georgie tees is now listed on their Pregnancy & Baby page! Yay!

MomDot is a mom blog listing site that is run by mommy bloggers Trisha, Alicia, and Bridgette. They run weekly contests, reviews on awesome (and not-so-awesome) products for family and kids, and anecdotes about their lives. More importantly they feature bloggers and mom boutiques, giving them an avenue to get their name out there and assisting in Google links. (We'll take all the help we can get!) At MomDot you can list your blog for free and talk to them about doing an interview about you.

We've featured MomDot a few times on our blog. You can read our original MomDot post and our posts about their Blog Party and Christmas of Dreams contest. At MomDot it's blogging--and partying--24/7! --Emily

PitchEngine: social media releases at their best

When I first learned of PitchEngine--again, another great find via Twitter--I knew it was a cool PR concept but I didn't fully understand it. I had a couple questions. One, what exactly is social media; and two, what makes PitchEngine so nifty? Today's mompreneur monday will hopefully answer those questions and introduce you to the PitchEngine phenomenon.

Wikipedia defines social media as "primarily Internet- and mobile-based tools for sharing and discussing information. ... The term most often refers to activities that integrate technology, telecommunications and social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio. This interaction ... depends on the varied perspectives and 'building' of shared meaning among communities, as people share their stories and experiences." The term "social media" is exactly what it says--media shared via social groups and networks. (Wikipedia actually has quite an in-depth page on social media and it's worth a few minutes of your time to learn more about the ins and outs of this fairly new type of media.) Now for question two... why all the hype about PitchEngine?

PitchEngine is an online tool that helps PR professionals, brands and agencies to share digital, social media releases with media contacts for free. Their PitchEngine SMR (social media release) eliminates the need for those often time-consuming (often left out) extras like email attachments, Word docs, and image CDs. And because PitchEngine believes "the conversation is as important as the message," they're committed to connecting PR and media in innovative ways.

The result? The social media world is abuzz with the PitchEngine phenomenon. And how could it not be? PitchEngine has made it super simple to create and share your company's press releases with your media contacts...for FREE! There are only three steps to the process:

1. Create: Create your account, upload logos, boilerplates and contact info.
2. Build: Build a media release by adding images, video and networking links.
3. Share: Share your SMR with your media contacts for free!

Want to see how it all works? PitchEngine has a great video tutorial to help you get SMR feet wet--and I promise you're going to want to get them wet. If you want to get the word out about new products, new distributors or any other newsworthy item, PitchEngine has offered you a fantastic--and affordable--way to do it.

Social media isn't going away any time soon and it's sure to give traditional media a run for its money. When it does you can bet PitchEngine will be keeping pace. --Emily

roasted cranberry chicken & pumpkin sandwich cake

A good friend of mine gave me a subscription to Better Homes & Gardens for my birthday and I am loving the yummy recipes I find inside each month. I had to share two of my latest favorites, their Roasted Cranberry Chicken and Pumpkin Sandwich Cake. Both are perfect for the Thanksgiving holiday. Let me know what you think!

Roasted Cranberry Chicken
8 small chicken thighs (2 to 2-1/4 lb.), skinned
3/4 c low-calorie cranberry juice
3/4 c fresh cranberries
2 sprigs fresh thyme
4 tsp packed brown sugar
Fresh thyme leaves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat extra-large ovenproof skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper on chicken. In hot skillet cook chicken meaty sides down for 5 minutes, turning once until well-browned on both sides. Transfer skillet to oven. Roast uncovered for 20 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink (180 degrees).

Meanwhile, in saucepan combine juice, berries, thyme sprigs, brown sugar and 1/4 tsp salt. Bring to boiling. Simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes until slightly thickened. Discard thyme sprigs. Serve chicken with sauce and sprinkle with thyme leaves. Makes 4 servings.


Pumpkin Sandwich Cake
3/4 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 c granulated sugar
3/4 c canned pumpkin
1/2 c whipping cream
1/2 of an 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c powdered sugar
1 Recipe Chocolate Cream Icing, below
Pumpkin pie spice

Chocolate Cream Icing
1/2 c whipping cream
1 c bittersweet or semisweet chocolate pieces

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease bottoms and sides of two 8x1-1/2-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with waxed paper; lightly flour pans. In bowl combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a second bowl beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until thick, about 5 minutes. Beat in pumpkin. Add flour mixture; beat just until combined. Spread cake batter in prepared pans. Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near centers come out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 10 minutes; remove and cool thoroughly.

For filling, in a chilled mixing bowl beat whipping cream to soft peaks; set aside. In a second mixing bowl beat cream cheese until smooth; beat in powdered sugar. Fold in whipped cream. To assemble, place one cake layer on serving platter. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over bottom cake layer. Top with second cake layer. Refrigerate while preparing Chocolate Cream Icing.

To make icing bring whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and pour over chocolate pieces in medium bowl (do not stir). Let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Cool 15 minutes.

If Chocolate Cream icing is too thin, cover and chill 30 minutes until of spreading consistency. Too thick, add a teaspoon of milk or cream. Spread over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle lightly with pumpkin pie spice. Chill cake at least 1 hour before serving. Store cake, loosely covered, in refrigerator. Makes 8 servings.

"To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven." ~Johannes A. Gaertner

excellent Etsy find: milk lush

Today's excellent Etsy find is more of a super scrumptious Etsy find. milk lush has some of the most luscious baby quilts and play pads I have ever seen.

Want to spoil your little one this holiday season? Shop milk lush. This mom-owned business is based in British Columbia, Canada and is one mom's answer to the growing demand for non-toxic baby accessories. All milk lush products are hand-made in Canada using non-toxic materials sourced from distributors who sustain environmentally conscious manufacturing processes.

milk lush’s most popular and well-known product is myPad, a phthalate-free play mat. This "play n splat" mat is double sided, washable, wipeable, waterproof and perfectly sized at 27"x27". It's perfect for home and travel; simply roll it up and go!

I'm thinking the signature everyday blanket, myQuilt, is just as cool as the myPad. It is triple layered with one side a collection of gorgeous fabrics, the middle lined with batting and the back made with super soft chocolate brown minky. At approximately 23"x32" and with stroller/baby carrier tabs at the top, you've got hands-free bundling no matter where you are!

I ask you, how can it not be an excellent Etsy find with a name like milk lush? Every baby deserves to be spoiled, so spoil away, but hurry because shipping takes a week!

* Special offer: Buy 2 items, save 20%! (Just convo milk lush before purchase).

RetailMeNot.com: coupons, coupons and more coupons!

Though I'm not a frequent coupon user I am a frequent coupon code user. Yes, there's a difference...at least to me. Coupons are those little things you have to clip from the newspaper ads whereas coupon codes you can simply enter in a tiny little box at checkout. (Can you tell I do most of my shopping online?!?)

Today's that's hot! thursday is brought to you by my good friend Jen, who just introduced me to RetailMeNot.com. This site has coupon codes for more than 20,000 stores--yes, 20,000! You can search RetailMeNot.com by a store's website address or keyword. Or just browse the homepage for the most popular stores and coupon codes. The process is pretty simple but if you're a bit wary of using RetailMeNot.com, they have a nice little video tutorial you can watch.

I thought I was a pro when it came to using online coupon codes but apparently I have much to learn. That's okay; when it comes to online shopping I'm happy to practice until I'm perfect! --Emily

do you believe in Santa Claus?

It really is a wonderful web wednesday because without the web I may never have heard about Macy's "Yes, Virginia Letter" campaign to raise $1 million for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. I found out about Macy's wonderful holiday fundraising from one of my favorite blogs, A Mom in Red High Heels. She posted about the Santa letters on Tuesday and when it showed up in my blog reader I just had to click!

On the Yes, Virginia Letter page you can read Virginia's original letter to the editor and the editor's reply--one of my all-time favorite responses to one of the most important questions ever asked! You can also hear what the stars have to say about the spirit of Christmas and the belief in Santa Claus. But the real reason for the season can be found in Macy's efforts--and yours--to raise $1 million for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

How cam you help? All you need to do is write your own letter addressed to Santa Claus, place a stamp on it and take it to the special Santa letterbox located inside all Macy's stores. For every letter dropped in the letterbox, Macy's will donate $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Believe Meter (pictured above) will measure just how much we truly believe in the spirit of the holiday season. It will move based on the amount of letters received and any events where the holiday spirit has shined brightly.

Don't worry about your family's letters making it to the North Pole--Macy’s will mail them for you. If you're looking for something fun and meaningful to do with your children this holiday season, get together, write a few letters and help grant a wish. It's just one way to help remember the true reason for the season. --Emily

holiday dieting? really?

Apparently you can diet during the holidays, although it's probably more correct to say "keep from gaining 20 pounds" rather than "diet." What's the secret other than avoiding that fourth helping of buttery mashed potatoes and third slice of pumpkin pie? For take it off tuesday I bring you this great article from WebMD with some helpful hints for handling those holiday temptations--and I'm not talking about post-Thanksgiving-Day sales.

In "Top 10 Holiday Diet Tips of All Time," WebMD consulted diet gurus across the country and consolidated their advice into a list of 10 recommendations for keeping off those unwanted (are they ever wanted?!?!) extra pounds that tend to creep up on our thighs starting October 21st and ending January 2nd. Here's the list in short form. You'll definitely want to read the entire article for the "why" behind each one of these tips.

1. Trim back the trimmings. (Seconds on the salad not the stuffing.)
   
2. Wear snug clothes and keep one hand busy. (Does playing Wii count?)
3. Chew gum. (I use this trick at night when I get the late-night munchies.)
   
4. Be a food snob. (But what if I really like Grandma's homemade rolls?)
5. No skipping meals. (Like that's an option!)
   
6. Check it out. (Sipping and socializing--totally doable!)
   
7. Add fun and games. (Okay, playing Wii does count if it's Wii Fit!)
8. Alternate alcohol with nonalcoholic beverages. (As long as I have a Diet Coke in hand, I'm good to go.)
   
9. Skip the appetizers. (La la la...not listening to this one...la la la.)
   
10. Limit the variety. (Variety is the spice of life but it could also sabotage your diet.)
    

These tips seem to be pretty common sense; it's following them that's the hard part. As I get older I'm learning I gain weight more easily and have to work twice a hard to lose it, so there's some serious incentive to avoiding even a second helping of stuffing!

Do you have any tips or tricks to help you survive the non-stop holiday buffet? We'd love to hear them!

"Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence." ~Erma Bombeck

win a Singer Curvy!

Some of you may not know but I also write for Polliwogged.com, which is part of the ZRecs network. Polliwogged is a blog geared towards expectant and new parents and is chock full of product reviews, how-tos, fabulous deals and now a holiday gift guide!

Check out Polliwogged's 2008 Holiday Gift Guide, which offers you a list of our favorite gifts for babies and new parents this holiday season. Read the full post and get some great gift ideas for babies, moms, and dads. Plus you can find out how to win one of two Singer Curvy sewing machines! (It's not that hard to enter, promise!)

So visit Polliwogged, get inspired for your holiday shopping and enter the Singer Curvy giveaway. It could very well be a very merry Christmas this year! --Emily

women and SBA loans: an insider's perspective

Though the article I'm referencing was originally posted in May, I still felt it a timely piece for today's mompreneur monday. Many of us women business owners worry about finances, and when things get tight we wonder what the best option is for our business: bootstrap, find an investor or partner, or apply for loan. And lately we wonder this a lot...

If you're as unfamiliar with the world of SBA loans as I am, welcome to Women and SBA Loans 101. Weekend Entrepreneur, a blog tied to Entrepreneur.com, interviewed Sue Malone, President of Strategies for Small Business. Malone is a champion of the small business and has funded 22,000 of them:

I understand women and their needs, and that is why I am the largest SBA provider to women in the nation, including all of the lending programs by SBA–24 percent of all SBA loans are to women.

In "An Insider Talks about Women and SBA Loans" Malone gives her thoughts on:

• the current trend away from traditional financing through local banks
• the amount generally financed, fees and interest rates
• biggest challenges that entrepreneurs have when it comes to getting a loan
• the types of business they can and cannot fund
• her mantra, recent breakthrough and even her role model

Weekend Entrepreneur's interview with Malone is a great way to get your feet wet in the world of SBA loans, and you might find you like it enough to go waist deep in some new financing for your company. SBA loans aren't for everyone, but if you read this article at least you'll know if one might be right for you.

You can read "An Insider Talks about Women and SBA Loans" on the Weekend Entrepreneur blog. If any of you have insight/advice/experience with SBA loans, please share. Many of us would love to learn more. Or tell us what works for you in keeping your business in business. We'd love to know! --Emily