T-fal OptiGrill Review and Giveaway!

Since we moved to our new house, we have no outdoor grill. We have the hookups outside the kitchen but we have had so many other expenses and things to buy, the grill has been put on the back burner. Yes, pun intended.

This whole summer, we have not grilled out once. I am relegated to frying up our steaks. I don't mind that too much but grilled steaks, burgers, hot dogs and chicken are so much better on a grill. I am sure that one day we will go find a grill but not anytime soon.

Luckily, I received a T-fal OptiGrill indoor grill to review and my need for an outdoor grill is no more. Why grill outside when you can grill in your kitchen and be in an air-conditioned room? Right? I prefer staying indoors because it is hot out there. And if I am going to cook, I don't want to be outside with bugs and heat!

The t-fal OptiGrill is a revolutionary indoor grill that features a cooking sensor to ensure a perfectly cooked meal every time by automatically adapting to the thickness of your food and delivery perfect doneness from rare to well-done to create a nutritious and delicious meal. Here are the specs for the product:

Product Specs
* High Performance : 1800 W
* Sensor cooking automatically adapts to the thickness of foods
* 6 Automatic cooking programs
* Frozen Food function to defrost and cook all types of food
* Manual cooking function for grilling fruits and vegetables or personal recipes
* Die-cast aluminum plates with non-stick coating
* Extra large removable drip tray
* Angled plates for easy fat release
* Easy to clean – dishwasher safe removable plates and drip tray
* Brushed stainless steel housing
Width 365 mm x Depth 345 mm x Height 180 mm
Weight : 5,2 kg
Size of plates : 32×22 cm

When I read about the sensors the grill has, I was not sure they would work. But I was wrong. This grill is unlike any of the other indoor grills I have owned. First of all, it is quite large. You can cook up at least 4 burgers on the grill. I can fit 2 to 3 steaks or chicken pieces on the grill as well. The handy grease catch tray catches any fat that runs off your food. The more fat that runs off, the healthier your meals. That is one of the pluses of these indoor grills. Unlike frying, the grease and fat slide away.

The grill is easy to set up. Once plugged in, you turn it on and choose your settings. It is easy because the grill shows buttons for chicken, fish, sandwiches, meats etc. You can also cook up frozen food by pushing the frozen food button. Of all the settings, this is the one I wasn't sure would work. So I tried it on a frozen steak.

The grill preheats pretty fast. In 5 minutes, it is ready to go. Because the T-fal OptiGrill works on a sensor, it has a sensor guide that shows you what doneness your meat is at. I also was not sure if this was going to work but I gave it a go. I placed a frozen steak on the grill and then closed it up.

What I loved about the OptiGrill is that the sensor will change colors to tell you the doneness of the meat. It goes from blur to green to yellow to orange to red. It also beeps to let you know when it passes another level of doneness. All I had to do is to put on the meat and I could do other things. I could hear the beeping in the other room so I did not have to watch the grill consistently like I used to do with my other grills.

I tested several cuts of meat and the cooking was consistent on all the cuts. I love that I can put on frozen meat and have it cooked perfectly. There are so many times that I forget to take out meats from the freezer only to not be able to cook them because they are still frozen. With the OptiGrill, I no longer have to worry.

I also loved the grill marks it left on my steaks. This is without any added oil to the OptiGrill. It was like grilling outside. The best part? My steak was perfectly cooked to medium-well, just like I wanted it. I couldn't believe it. The amazing this is that now I never have to worry about poking and prodding my meat to see if it is ready. It takes the guesswork out of cooking. I love that!!

Clean up is easy as well. Just push a button to release the grill plates. Hand wash or put into the dishwasher. How easy is that? This is the perfect grill for any busy person. I love it because I can now grill indoors because I do not have an outdoor grill. During winter, this grill will be invaluable because I can make grilled steaks, chicken or burgers without having to be outside!

The best part is the sensor that makes cooking easy and perfect every time. I loved my T-fal OptiGrill. The T-Fal OptiGrill retails for $179.99 and can be found at mass retailers and online as well. It is worth the money. You can be assured to never overcook your meats again. Plus, it can cook sandwiches and fish.

If you want to win a T-fal OptiGrill then enter below on the Rafflecopter widget. Trust me, you want to win this grill!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Rules: One entry per person per day. Once a winner is drawn I will contact them and the winner will have 48 hours to reply back before I draw a new winner. Giveaway is open to US residents only who are 18 years of age or older.

Disclosure: I received a sample product for review purposes. No other compensation was given and the opinions in this post are solely mine and are based on my experience with the product. Sponsors are responsible for shipping prizes unless otherwise stated. I am not responsible if sponsors do not fulfill prize. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of any prizes.

Weeknights with Manwich!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Manwich for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

There are days when I don't want to cook or want to cook something easy. That is when I reach for Manwich. Manwich makes Easy Weeknight Meals. But Manwich is not only about sandwiches. I found a new way to use Manwich.

The other day I noticed I had some homemade pizza dough in the freezer. I took it out to thaw and when hubby saw it, he was excited because he loves his pizza. I told him that would be dinner that night. I had all the fixings so I figured I could make a pizza and a salad and we would have a great dinner.

When I started making the pizza, I realized I had no pizza sauce. I had no canned tomatoes or jarred pasta sauce either. I panicked because I did not have anything else for dinner and hubby likes his pizza with sauce. I dug around the pantry and all I could find was a jar of Manwich. I figured, why not?

Manwich is a sweet and tangy sauce that pairs well with almost everything. I knew there was no way he would figure out that I used Manwich sauce in the pizza. So I quickly opened a can and used it as the sauce in my pizza. I put on the cheese and tomatoes and put it in the oven.

The outcome was wonderful. The Manwich gave my pizza a robust flavor that I do not get with regular tomato sauce. It paired well with my cheese. And hubby had no idea that it was Manwich.

I love Manwich for quick meals but also because it is free of artificial ingredients. I know when I make Manwiches my hubby will be happy and I just saved myself a lot of time and energy! I also know that Manwich can be used in different ways to make tasty meals. Check out the Manwich Recipes for more yummy ideas. 

LUBRIDERM® Daily Moisture with sunscreen and LUBRIDERM® Daily Moisture with Shea and Calming Lavender Jasmine Lotion Giveaway!!

I have another wonderful LUBRIDERM® giveaway for you all! If you read my blog, you know that this is one of my favorite lotions. It is one of the only brands I actually buy. It has been great this summer. With sun and heat, my skin gets dry and I have needed the extra help!

Now it is time for Back to School and, soon, Fall. It is important to make sure that your kids go back to school with the proper skin care as well. "The most common skin problem during the transition months from summer to fall is dry skin. This dry skin can be white spots on the face or sun-exposed areas due to dry skin that didn't tan at the same speed as the rest of the skin. This problem can especially be found in children 7-12 years old and if left untreated, it can lead to uneven skin tone and rashes," says LUBRIDERM® Hispanic Dermatologist, Dr. Maria Patricia Rivas.

Dr. Rivas is correct. During this time, my skin gets the worst because I am going from warm to cold. In winter, my skin is already conditioned to the cool weather but this time of the year, it is important to stay moisturized. My hubby uses the LUBRIDERM® Daily Moisture with sunscreen. I love the LUBRIDERM® Daily Moisture with Shea and Calming Lavender Jasmine. I love the smell and the lavender soothes me.

The lotion goes on smoothly and it does not leave our skin greasy. It also feels good going on especially when our skin is super dry. I also like that it does not irritate my skin. It is also fragrance free and that is a plus for hubby. My favorite thing about the LUBRIDERM® Daily Moisture is that it has sunscreen. I use sunscreen already but now I have some extra added protection.

LUBRIDERM® features a variety of lotions perfect for each family member. With a simple skincare routine, you and your family can achieve healthier-looking skin this back to school season. Use a lotion with broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection, such as the LUBRIDERM® Daily Moisture with SPF 15 Lotion, to protect yourself and your family from sun damage.

I love LUBRIDERM® and now one of my lucky readers can win some LUBRIDERM® products! All you need to do is enter on the Rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Rules: One entry per person per day. Once a winner is drawn I will contact them and the winner will have 48 hours to reply back before I draw a new winner. Giveaway is open to US residents only who are 18 years of age or older.

Disclosure: I received a sample product for review purposes. No other compensation was given and the opinions in this post are solely mine and are based on my experience with the product. Sponsors are responsible for shipping prizes unless otherwise stated. I am not responsible if sponsors do not fulfill prize. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of any prizes.

TRESemme and Walmart amp up your style this VMA season! #ampupyourstyle

This post was sponsored by Global Influence

When I have an event to attend or a party to go, I have to amp up my style. This includes actually wearing makeup and fixing up my hair. After shampooing and conditioning, I usually have to use product to get my hair to behave. I love straightening my hair when I go out because it looks good. To get my normally wavy and frizzy hair to behave, I need something that will tame it.

This VMA season TRESemme has teamed up with Walmart to make sure your hair looks salon gorgeous. Check out some of the great styles you can recreate with TRESemme. With five red-carpet ready looks including pumped up volume, pumped up pony, rock n roll waves, super sleek, and shine like a star, you can look like a rock star any day.

Check out the easy to follow videos for a detailed tutorial on how to get these glamorous and great looks! I personally love the Super Sleek look. Although I know that my hair would look great with the Rock N Roll waves as well.

So remember to head over to TRESemme VMA and check out how you can look great anytime!

Häagen-Dazs Gelato Review and Giveaway!

When we lived in Santa Fe, I used to work downtown on the plaza. I shared an office with my friend Kathy. During the winter, it was the best office because it was the warmest office in our old building. During the summer, it was super hot.

Kathy and I used to walk around the plaza during lunch. On our breaks, we would head out and get a little snack. One place we would always go to was a little place called ECCO. It sold gelato. Now, I was never a huge gelato fan until ECCO. I realized that gelato was better than ice cream.

Hubby was not as open as me to gelato. So we stuck with ice cream. Every once in while, I would buy some gelato but he never touched it. He loved his ice cream. The other day I received a few samples of Häagen-Dazs gelato to review.

I placed it in the freezer and started trying them, one by one. I also stopped buying ice cream because I had so much gelato. Hubby had no choice to try it and he loved it.

I loved it as well. The Häagen-Dazs gelato is almost as good as the gelato at ECCO. It is creamy and rich. The flavors are awesome. I received chocolate, tiramisu, pistachio, caramelized banana chip and pomegranate swirl.

My favorites were the pistachio and caramelized banana chip. Hubby's favorites were the pomegranate swirl and tiramisu. The pistachio was creamy and nutty. It was amazing. I loved the caramelized banana chip because it had chunks of chocolate chips and the banana flavor was so good! I literally ate my gelato from the container. It's the best way.

The chocolate was so good as well. The pomegranate swirl was light and refreshing. This, surprisingly, was my hubby's favorite flavor. The tiramisu tasted exactly like tiramisu. I could not believe it. All the flavors were delicious and made a great summer snack. Häagen-Dazs gelato is a perfect treat for the summer. I am sure we will be eating Häagen-Dazs year-round as well. Häagen-Dazs gelato is our new favorite treat.

If you would like to try some of these great new Häagen-Dazs flavors, then you can enter to win a variety of Häagen-Dazs gelato for your summer!! Just enter on the Rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Rules: One entry per person per day. Once a winner is drawn I will contact them and the winner will have 48 hours to reply back before I draw a new winner. Giveaway is open to US residents only who are 18 years of age or older.

Disclosure: I received a sample product for review purposes. No other compensation was given and the opinions in this post are solely mine and are based on my experience with the product. Sponsors are responsible for shipping prizes unless otherwise stated. I am not responsible if sponsors do not fulfill prize. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of any prizes.

Old Spice for a winning Combo - Head to Toe! #Combos4Success

This post was made possible by Double Duty Divas and Old Spice. I was compensated for my participation in this campaign, but all opinions are 100% mine.

Old Spice recently conducted a poll of 18-35 year old men to inquire about some of their most cherished combinations. Favorite beer accompaniment? Favorite combination of food if you were stranded on a deserted island? Best combo if you want to relive your childhood? Here are the results:

Well, I am no man but I totally agree on the Pizza and Beer! I am not quite sure if I would want to eat bacon and eggs on a deserted island though. I think I would prefer Steak and potatoes if I was stuck on a deserted island. Some of my favorite combos are wine and cheese, bread and butter and the Avengers! And I never used a water gun on a trampoline although I am willing to try that one day! I also think that the combo of Old Spice deodorant + body wash + shampoo is a great as well.

The Old Spice anti-perspirant and deodorant, body wash + 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner combo results in a manly, amazing, irresistible freshness from head to toe. In the new ad campaign, Old Spice uses a Manroid (half-man, half-robot) to show that Old Spice will leave you so fresh smelling that women will swoon after one whiff. It is a cute campaign that made me giggle.


Make sure to watch the other videos available on the Old Spice You Tube channel! I know I like the smell of Old Spice and so does hubby. The combo of the Old Spice anti-perspirant and deodorant, body wash + 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner will leave any man smelling fresh and confident!

Use Old Spice if you want to be covered head to toe!  Click here to get some great coupons for Old Spice products. These coupons will help you get started on the road to freshness! You can follow Old Spice on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Tell me what are some of your favorite combos!

El Yucatero #SauceOn Twitter Party! Come join us!

Photo credit: I Run For Wine

Do you love a good Twitter Party?  You know we do and we're excited to host a party that is going to make us all want to get our sauce on!  On Thursday, September 04, from 1-2 pm ET, please join us for the #SauceOn Twitter Party where we'll be discussing hot sauce recipes, your favorite hot sauce flavors, and giving you a chance to win prizes!

As a wanna-be foodie, I love trying new foods. I have recently discovered a love of hot sauce. I like spicy food but never cooked it because my husband did not like it. But we have changed our mind. One product I want to try is the El Yucateco hot sauce. With a variety of flavors, these sauces give me choices! I especially want to try the El Yucateco Green Chile Habanero Sauce and Jalapeno Sauce. Yum! I love that I can add the sauces to the meals I make or allow my family and guests to choose the flavors they want. 

Please join us for the #SauceOn Twitter party where we will talk recipes, food, spicy dishes and more. See you there!

Join me and RSVP for the #SauceOn Twitter Party on SoFabChats!

DATE: Thursday, September 04

TIME:  1:00 - 2:00 pm ET

PRIZES: 5 - (1) $100 Visa Gift Cards

EARLY BIRD PRIZE: 1 - $50 Visa Gift Card

HOSTS: @SmashBravoTeam, @MamaXXI, @Candypo, @carogonza, @tsue1136

RULES: #SauceOn Twitter Party Official Rules

RSVP & PARTY GRID: #SauceOn Twitter Party Page

Join bilingual #SauceOn Twitter Party 9/4 1pm ET. Wake up those taste buds! Prizes $550! Rules http://t.co/XZ5c1udesj​ #shop
— Carolyn Gonzalez (@carogonza) August 26, 2014

How To Participate In A Twitter Party on SoFabChats!

TIP:  How to join a Twitter Party - sign in! Before party starts, click on the green “Sign In On Twitter” bar at the top of the page!

TIP: Who to follow at a Twitter Party? Follow the Party Team by clicking on the Twitter handle links on the RSVP page!

TIP: Want to win Twitter Party prizes? RSVP by clicking on RSVP button before you join the party, follow everyone on the Party Team, and tweet with the party hashtag during the party to be eligible!

TIP: How to win the Early Bird prize? Watch for chance to share a tweet when you RSVP for chance to win!

TIP: Special deals and brand coupons? Keep that option checked when you RSVP for the party!  

TIP: New to Twitter parties? Watch your column and Party Team tweet columns - they are slower paced and easier to follow!

TIP: Where to find Twitter Parties? Check out the SoFabChats Twitter Party Calendar to find more fun parties to attend!

Find more helpful Twitter Party Tips on SoFabChats!

Hope to see you all there!!

First look at #AntMan

I love Paul Rudd. He is one of my favorite actors. He is hilarious and weird and I love that. I also love superhero movies and anything Marvel! I don't know too much about Ant Man but I am all over this when it comes out!!

Here is the first pic of Paul Rudd in the movie. I cannot wait to see him in his superhero suit!

Here is a little info about Ant Man:
Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, con-man Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.

Beauty Products Giveaway!

I have another wonderful giveaway for my readers. This one includes products from Dove, Caress, Pond's and Suave.

I recently received the following products and I loved the,. I am a huge Suave fan. I use the shampoo and conditioner but now Suave has body lotion. I new Suave Moroccan Infusion body lotion is great. It left my skin soft and smooth. It is non-greasy and worked well on my alligator skin!

The Dove Pure Care Dry Oil is great for my hair during summer. Now that we have moved back to a place where it is hot and humid, my hair has gone nuts. It is frizzy and dry. The Dry Oil is great because I can put it on my damp hair and then dry it. It leaves it so much smoother than it would be without it.

My favorite product though is the Pond's Exfoliating Renewal Wet Cleansing Towelettes. I love these. It is my favorite new product. The wipes have a great citrus scent. They are ridges so when I wipe my face, they exfoliate as well. My skin gets clean and feels smooth and fresh. I am definitely buying more of these when mine run out. I use another brand of facial towelettes and these will replace those!

If you want to win a variety of these products then enter below on the Rafflecopter widget. I know you readers love these beauty giveaways so enter!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway



Rules: One entry per person per day. Once a winner is drawn I will contact them and the winner will have 48 hours to reply back before I draw a new winner. Giveaway is open to US residents only who are 18 years of age or older.

Disclosure: I received a sample product for review purposes. No other compensation was given and the opinions in this post are solely mine and are based on my experience with the product. Sponsors are responsible for shipping prizes unless otherwise stated. I am not responsible if sponsors do not fulfill prize. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of any prizes.

Open Your Coconuts Easily! Coco Jack Review!

If you follow my other blog, you know I am a huge fan of coconut water. Fresh coconut water. When I go visit my family in Costa Rica, I always make sure I get a Pipa Fria (cold coconut). This past June, I had them almost every day.

It's virtually impossible to have Pipa Fria here in the states. When I lived in Miami, I would get them every so often. At our last house, they were nowhere to be found. I searched every grocery store and nothing. Then we moved and things changed.

The other day at Harris-Teeter, I was walking around the produce section and there they were, a shelf full of coconuts waiting for me to buy them! I was so excited. The problem though is trying to open them up. It is virtually impossible without a machete.

Luckily, I was offered a Coco Jack to review and it solved my problem. What is the Coco Jack you ask. Well Coco Jack is an ingenious tool created to open coconuts. How great is that. My set came with 1 Coco Jack,1 Coco Mallet,1 Coco Scoop Tool, 1 Coco Mat and 1 Coco Sack. I had everything I needed to open up my coconut. The Coco Jack and scoop are 100% stainless steel. The Coco Jack has a shock absorbing grip as well.

It is so easy to use and anyone can do. You have to be a little careful but I did it without my hubby so if I can do it, it is easy.

Place the coconut on the mat so it won't slip.

Place the Coco Jack on the top side of the coconut.

Give it a few good whacks. 

Viola! It cuts into the coconut and the top comes off easily!

It is ready to drink! 

Now scoop out the goodness!

Yummy!

I had seen the Coco Jack on the The Chew the other day. Now I have one and it is great. It was so easy to use and I love my Coco Jack. Now that I can find coconuts to drink, I will be using this all the time. I am also going to get one for my mom because when I visit her, this will be easier than a machete. And much safer as well. 

If you want fresh coconut, you need to look into the Coco Jack. It is a great tool to have in your house anytime! Visit the site for more information. You can also follow Coco Jack on Twitter and Facebook.