t fal optigrill

T-fal OptiGrill Review

Posted on by Mandy

If anyone knows me well, they know that cooking is not my strong point.  I can bake all day long, but when it comes to cooking meals, I’m all about quick and easy.  I’m getting better, but I always welcome any help in this area I can get.  That’s why when I was offered the T-fal OptiGrill to review, which promised to be convenient and easy to use, I knew I had to check it out.

t-fal optigrill
The T-fal OptiGrill is an indoor grill with Precision Grilling Technology.  This means it actually senses the quantity, thickness, and temperature of your items and grills them to your preference every time.  It also cooks items that are frozen.  This was a huge selling point for me, because just as sure as I figure out what to make for dinner, more often than not, I’ve forgotten to defrost first.

Just select one of the preset cooking programs and start grilling:
–Burgers
–Poultry
–Sandwiches/Paninis
–Sausage/Pork
–Red Meat
–Fish/Seafood
–Manual – perfect for vegetables

MY EXPERIENCE

Right out of the box, I had to admire how fancy the T-fal OptiGrill grill looked.  What can I say?  All of those cool-looking buttons really impressed me!

t fal optigrill

My husband grills the best steaks and chicken ever, so I twisted his arm into marinating some so we could give this a try.  I’m kidding.  I didn’t really have to twist his arm.  He loves to cook.  Grilling meat on the T-fal OptiGrill is as simple as selecting what you are cooking, pushing a button, and waiting until it’s cooked to your desired preference.  The grill actually gives three beeps as it reaches each cooking stage (rare, medium, well done).

optigrill

The grill has an illuminated display which also lets you know how your cooking is progressing.  Here is a picture of when we first started the grill in the pre-heat stage.  I thought this was a smart idea, especially if you step away for a moment and miss the beeping sound.

So how did our chicken and steaks turn out?

grilled chicken

grilled steak

They tasted amazing!  I was really impressed that they were both so juicy.  The excess grease just slid right off into a basin that comes with the grill and the plates on the grill even remove for super easy cleanup!  Amazing!  If you’re a klutz in the kitchen like me, you really can’t go wrong with the T-fal OptiGrill.   This would also make the perfect wedding or Christmas gift, for sure.

CONNECT SOCIALLY

Stay in touch and get more information on the T-fal OptiGrill here:

https://www.facebook.com/Optigrill
www.twitter.com/tfaloptigrill
www.youtube.com/optigrill
https://plus.google.com/u/0/100373006917375787518/about
www.pinterest.com/optigrill

I was sent the T-fal OptiGrill in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own and no other compensation was received.

Tips For Surviving the Cold & Flu Season

Posted on by Mandy

sick

Now that the holidays are upon us, you’ll probably be out and about more and that means you will probably be around more people.  This also means you may be around more sick people, exposing yourself to colds and flu.  I work around children everyday, so I make sure I wash my hands often during the day and have Kleenex and hand sanitizer readily available on my desk.  The last thing I want is for any of my students or myself to miss school and work due to illness.

Facts & Tips For Colds & Flu

1. 96% of school nurses agree that when a child comes to school sick, other children tend to catch his or her virus.

2. The Center for Disease Control recommends facial tissues as one of the key strategies to minimize cold and flu viruses.

3. Every year, the U.S. alone reports more than one billion colds and 35 – 50 million flu cases.

4. Boost your immune system with Vitamin D – enjoying a little sunshine can help.

5. To help reduce your fever, put wet towels around your shoulders instead of your forehead.

6. Avoid using humidifiers when you’re sick – they can actually spread the flu germs.

7. Not all liquids hydrate equally – stick to water, herbal tea and fruit juice when you’re sick.

8. All colds are contagious, regardless of mucus color.

Don’t wait until you or a family member are down for the count due to sickness.  Go ahead and stock up now on cold and flu essentials, like Kleenex tissues so you won’t be left scrambling for what you need when you really need it the most.

Visit Kleenex online where you can find additional tips and advice to prepare your homes for what’s ahead, and useful information to help you avoid the last minute trips to the store so that you can care for their family when someone gets sick.

I am participating in a sponsored campaign for Kleenex.  All opinions are my own.

How To Plan The Perfect Children’s Party

Posted on by Mandy

There’s no doubt about it – planning a children’s party is stressful. If you find yourself more likely to reach for the paracetamol instead of a party popper at a gathering frequented by kids – this guide is for you. Here are three easy ways to ensure your children’s party goes off with a bang instead of banging headache!

Send the invites yourself

Talk to your child and try to get an idea of how many people they’d like to come. If that number is so large you fear for the well-being of your home, talk them down to a more reasonable number or move the venue to a public attraction like a cinema or soft play area.

Only take on what you know you can handle. After you’ve decided on the number, create some snazzy invites and get them sent out. Greetings Island has a great selection of free templates you can edit and print off.

Send out the invitations yourself. If you rely on your child, they may forget to invite certain friends or get the time and dates wrong. Put it all on the invite so you don’t have to worry.

Decorations and party bags

Make your house look the part! You don’t want the children to be bored before they’ve even got through the door. Cover your house with balloons, banners and any other vibrant colors you can get your hands on. Party bags are a great way to put smiles on your guests’ faces. Websites like Hawkins Bazaar will do most of the hard work for you by filling each party bag with sweets and toys to keep them entertained. This will alleviate some of the stress and give you more time to prepare the food, presents and activities.

Plan activities and games

You may be noticing a trend here. Plan, plan and plan some more. Before the day comes, sit down with your child and figure out what they’d like to do – It’s their party after all! Try to incorporate their needs without jumping through too many hoops.

Think of games that are appropriate for the age range of children attending. Pass the parcel and hide and seek always go down well with younger children. If the group is a litter older, they might be more interested in playing sports.

Make a list of activities for the day but don’t freak out if you get behind schedule. You may have to cut some games due to time or lack of interest. Go with the flow!

 

This is a sponsored post.  All opinions are my own.