Where did the ice cream man go?

This morning on my walk, I noticed something odd. Here we are, smack in the middle of summer break, and not a single child was outside playing. We live in an area where there are children galore, yet block after block, in the middle of suburbia, the only evidence of outdoor activity was the occasional bike ditched on a lawn or a stray ball forgotten in the gutter. And since I clearly don’t have a lot of important stuff to think about on these walks, it got me wondering how in the world the ice cream man makes a living anymore.

Now I know times have changed a bit, and these days we live in a more dangerous world, but when I was a kid, which wasn’t that long ago, all of us in the neighborhood would congregate as soon as the sun came up, and continue wreaking whatever havoc we were wreaking that day until well after sundown. Being inside was cruel and unusual punishment, and we would just use that time to plot our next outdoor escapade. Activities ranged from standard to ridiculous. We rode bikes, played tag, climbed trees, built forts…all the usual games.

One of the more ridiculous (and by ridiculous I mean stupid) games we played was called Cars. Cars involved hiding behind something, another car, a fence, or a hedge, whenever we saw a car coming down the street.  We must not have been feeling very creative when we invented this one…but at any rate, we would faithfully dive behind nearby obstructions upon first sight of a car. On one occasion injury ensued, as it often did, when we all dove behind a bush and my friend’s Airwalk-clad foot came down on my eye. Shockingly, I didn’t end up with a black eye, and I’m pretty sure Cars was tabled for the day.

But no matter what we were up to, hearing the ice cream man’s telltale music always made us stop in our tracks. We’d all dash inside, beg our parents for some money, raid our piggybanks if we had to, and hope we could make it back out in time to catch him. My standard purchase was one of two things: a Choco Taco or a Missile Pop.

Two side notes regarding ice cream:

1. If you’ve never had a Choco Taco, stop reading right now, get in your car, and find your nearest convenience store with an ice cream case. Track down the ice cream man if you have to (wherever he may be these days). We recently introduced this culinary delight to Andy’s 90-year old aunt. She was very skeptical upon hearing the description of a chocolate covered ice cream taco, but finally agreed to try a bite of Andy’s, after which she promptly instructed him to go buy her one of her own.

2. When my sister was little, my mom didn’t want to have to buy her ice cream all the time, so she told her that the colorful, singing truck driving up and down the street was just the “music truck,” and that it’s sole purpose was to entertain the masses with Pop Goes the Weasel on repeat. Apparently, my mom got away with this lie story until my sister hit the wise old age of four, when she was tipped off by a neighbor who unknowingly broke the news when he offered to buy her a treat. My mom curses him to this day. (In an unrelated “my-mom-lied-to-her-kids-a-lot-just-for-the-fun-of-it” story, she told me that dragonflies could sew your mouth shut. To this day I am terrified of dragonflies. Thanks Mom.)

Anyway…all this long-winded reminiscing is just to say that the ice cream man used to drive by several times a day, every day of the week. Now I can’t remember when I last heard one, but I can only imagine that it’s because there are no kids outside.  If I were the ice cream man, I wouldn’t waste my time either. I’d just sit in the shade eating my weight in Choco Tacos. (Based on that, I’d better scratch “Ice Cream Man” off my list of professions to try.)

If you made it this far in my ramblings, thank you…your reward is a boozy popsicle.

Mango Mojito Pops

Makes 6

1 1/2 cups chopped mango (2 mangoes)

1 ounce rum (I used Bacardi Superior White)

1 lime, juiced

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons chopped mint

1/2 cup water

Put mangoes, rum, lime juice and sugar into a blender. Run until mixture is completely smooth. (Taste to check sweetness. Add more sugar if desired.) Add mint and water. Pulse until water is just blended into mixture and you can still see flecks of mint.

Pour into popsicle molds and place popsicle sticks into the middle of each. Freeze. Once frozen through, run molds under warm water to release.

Try these for a minty, fresh happy hour on a stick. Or just eat a Choco Taco. Both are fantastic.

You won’t care where the ice cream man is when you have these in your freezer. And when your kids complain that they can’t eat them, just tell them it could be worse…at least they aren’t scared of dragonflies.

Finally!

It’s the time of the season…no, not for love running high, as The Zombies would have you believe. No, it’s the time of the season for nectarines. (But I do love any song that includes the line “Who’s your daddy?” How can you not?)

Let me take you back a couple weeks. We’re wandering somewhat aimlessly through the aisles of the farmer’s market, not really sure what we need or if we even need anything at all. I’m sipping on my enormous cup of coffee and carrying my enormous purse. Both of these items fall into Andy’s “excessive” category for an event such as this. See, he inevitably ends up holding my coffee since he waits outside the hubbub of each stall…that way my hands are free to shop. To his thinking, since he’s “always” the one holding it, perhaps it would be better if I just left it in the car. But to me, coffee and farmer’s markets just go together. It’s part of the experience. Now with my purse, he may be right. (Don’t tell him I said that.) But it usually bumps into people and comes dangerously close to knocking precious produce of its perch. And so far Andy has not volunteered to hold it. Personally, I think a nice brown leather hobo bag suits him just fine.

Back to the point…just as I’m beginning to wonder how much longer this incredibly extended winter season of root vegetables and greens is going to last, I see piles of stone fruit, sweet corn and squash blossoms. My heart sung. My mind starting racing as I imagined all the lovely summery dishes that this bounty would afford. Juicy nectarines and peaches, plump berries, heirloom tomatoes and spicy peppers are here again! As much as I love turnips and kale, I’m more than ready to say goodbye to them until next year. And come to think of it, I don’t even really like kale all that much...

So for the last several weeks, we’ve been buying the sweetest, juiciest nectarines from my favorite vendor at the market. And each time I eat one, I think of how good they would be baked into a fruit crisp paired with a slightly tart fruit like blackberries or plums.

The perfect opportunity to make this crisp came when I was asked to make a recipe for Smart & Final’s weekly shop, this week using Nilla Wafers in a dish. I haven’t had Nilla Wafers in years, and I’ve always just eaten them as they were meant to be…a cookie. But I knew that their sweet vanilla flavor combined with my hatred of all things dough meant that making a cookie crumb crust was the way for me to go on this dish. Nilla Wafers would be perfect for both the crust and topping of my summer fruit crisp.

Being a part of the #SFSmarties has its advantages…because of this shop, I’m finally making a dish that I’ve been thinking about for weeks. And since I already had in mind exactly what I was going to make, I knew that all I really needed were Nilla Wafers and blackberries. This is such a simple recipe and everything else was already on hand in my pantry. (Except for those luscious nectarines that I’d get at the farmer’s market.)

Now I know that technically a crisp does not have a bottom crust, but to me, anything with a crumbly topping and fruit filling qualifies as a crisp, but call it a pie or a tart if you’d rather.

Nectarine-Blackberry Crisps

Makes 6 individual crisps

Crust:

1 1/2 cup Nilla Wafers

3 tablespoons slivered almonds

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

4 large nectarines

1 cup blackberries

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons Amaretto

Topping:

1/2 cup Nilla Wafers

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons slivered almonds

4 tablespoons butter, diced

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

For the crust, combine the wafers, almonds and sugar in food processor. Run until mixture is a fine crumb. Transfer to a bowl and stir in melted butter until well combined. Press about 1/4 cup of the mixture into bottom of each ramekins. Bake on a baking sheet for 10 minutes. Let cool before filling.

For the filling, slice the nectarines into thin slices, then cut in half lengthwise. Combine nectarines, blackberries, sugar, cornstarch and Amaretto in a mixing bowl. Let the fruit macerate while you make the topping.

For the topping, combine wafers, sugar, flour and almonds in food processor. Run until mixture is a fine crumb. Add diced butter and pulse until mixture is crumbly.

To assemble, evenly distribute fruit and juices amongst ramekins, then top with a scant 1/4 cup of topping. Bake on a baking sheet at 350°F for about 35 minutes, until fruit is bubbly and topping is browned.

Let sit at least 10-15 minutes before serving. (Although these are best served warm, I did try one that had sat at room temperature for many hours and it was still just fine.)

Note: With these quantities, this dish could also be made in a 9” pie plate or equivalent size. Baking time may vary slightly.

This crisp turned out even better than I had hoped. The sweet nectarines that I have been gushing over were perfect with the tart blackberries. Hints of vanilla and almond run throughout the dish, but don’t overpower the fruit. The bottom “crust” turned into one with the filling, absorbing all the juices and helping the crisp set up. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this is a quintessential summer dessert. And best of all, no dough is required!

And before I go, I need to announce the winners of the giveaway…JC, Shelley, Pacheco Patty and Theresa are each the winner of a gift card! Thanks to all who entered.

This project has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for #collectivebias. All opinions are my own.

Homemade

Without meaning to, I have become one of those people…the kind of person who when presented with a pre-made convenience item at the store, first gasps at the price tag and then makes the very immodest declaration that I could make it myself at home and the finished product will not only cost less, but will taste much better, thank you very much.

I’ve noticed this behavior on several occasions lately. Not long ago, we were at a winery that sold your usual array of gourmet food items. Those wineries know what they’re doing, don’t they? Pairing people drinking wine all day with pricey pre-packaged treats is marketing genius. We were both eyeing a bottle of Thai dipping sauce/marinade/salad dressing that cost $6.99. Even in my (possibly) less than sober state I knew that whisking together a dipping sauce would not cost me $6.99. C’mon…it’s mostly oil and vinegar! I scoffed and wrote down all the non-chemical sounding ingredients so I could recreate it at home. Most recently we were at Costco, impulse-shopping our little hearts out, when Andy presented me with a vat of tomato-feta dip. I must admit that this one almost made it into the cart, until I came to my senses and realized that there was no way we could eat all that before it went bad. And at the price that Costco sells their feta, it was a no-brainer anyway…I could make five times the amount of dip as we needed it with that much feta. Skimming through the ingredients, I knew this one would be a snap to make, in a much more manageable size.

The funny thing is that what drives me isn’t necessarily the health factor or even the money factor. Sure, both play a part, but I’ve never been particularly adamant about buying organic or natural. But more so lately it definitely crosses my mind when I read over a list of ingredients and have no idea what half of them are. If I can make basically the same thing from scratch, minus all the additives and preservatives, I’m making a difference in our diets without really even meaning to, and that makes me feel good, because I should probably make up for my adoration of heavy cream, butter and salt somehow.

In instances like these, when I see a change in myself, I can usually blame it on my mom. My propensities towards not leaving the house after noon, refusing to buy clothes that cost more than $10 a piece, and scouring the internet for hours to find the best deals on travel can all be attributed to my having some of her genes. But this one? No way…my mom doesn’t cook. She would happily serve pre-made items ‘til the cows came home. She has said herself that if it weren’t for my dad cooking, she would eat frozen pizzas and canned soup for dinner every night. (And yes, I completely believe her.) So since I can’t put this on my mom, I guess I can only blame it on my ever growing desire to push myself to make what I believe to be really good food. At least I hope that’s what I’m doing…

Since I haven’t actually tried the Costco version of this dip, I have no idea if it tastes anything like it, let alone better. But regardless, I think it’s pretty tasty, and so did everyone that tried it. The best thing about it is that you really can throw it together in minutes, and most of these ingredients are things you probably have on hand.

Spicy Tomato-Feta Dip with Grilled Pita Bread

1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped basil, loosely packed
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups feta cheese

pita bread

olive oil

salt and pepper

Put first 9 ingredients into a food processor and run until completely pureed. Add feta cheese and pulse until the mixture is incorporated and no large chunks remain. Taste mixture for seasonings and adjust as needed. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Brush both sides of pita bread lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle one side with salt and pepper. Grill pita bread over high heat until toasted and slightly crispy. Cut each into 8 pieces. (Pita chips can be used as a substitute.)

This dip is a wonderful combination of bold flavors and textures. The chewy crispness of the grilled pita topped with the spicy, salty, tangy feta dip makes a delicious bite. Make a full batch of this…it goes fast.

I almost didn’t make this dish, for fear that it would seem like I was “cheating” by taking my idea from a pre-made product. But then I realized that likely everything I’ve ever made has been made before in some form. After all, I’m not reinventing the wheel here, I’m just trying to make it my own…

Lazy Days

The Fourth of July holiday has come and gone, so this post is a bit belated. But I’ve been quite unplugged for several weeks and let me tell you…I can’t say I hated it. I was on a bit of a blog overload coming into July, and with the exception of a couple posts I needed to do, I’ve mostly stayed away. It’s amazing what not being attached to your computer and smart-phone can do for your state of mind.

So without further ado, our holiday weekend recap:

We were determined to do nothing on our four-day Fourth of July weekend, save for a barbecue or two and lots of lazing around. Turns out, we’re even better at being lazy than I thought. We should go pro…I’m sure ESPN2 must showcase some “sport” of that nature.

By the time five o’clock rolled around on the Thursday prior to the long weekend, we were in vacation mode. As soon as we walked through the door, we headed out to the patio to map out the days ahead. Our map was decidedly small. Definites included a trip to the farmer’s market and a barbecue. Maybes were a trip to the grocery store and Costco, although these were quickly moved to the definite column once we realized the refrigerator was empty. After all, we would need something to eat to give us all the energy we would need to do nothing.

Giddy doesn’t even describe how we felt. The way we were acting, it was as if we were taking a three-week vacation to a tropical island. And don’t quote me here, because I might deny ever having said it when faced with a chance to go to said tropical island, but what we got our on stay-at-home four-day weekend may have been even better.

Each morning started with coffee and breakfast on the patio. The air was so pleasant, the breeze so slight, and the sun streamed through the trees in just the right spot. Something about the way if felt reminded us both of Hawaii. (A much less expensive Hawaii where there are no maids, you cook for yourself, and a miniature dachshund is constantly at your feet.) Next, if we chose to, we’d run our essential errands then sprint back home to sit some more. Patio, eat, nap, patio, eat, sleep, repeat. This was a schedule we could (and did) get very used to.

When I think back on our weekend, I can come up with absolutely nothing extraordinary. Except that it was. Come our last night, I had that same feeling I get on the last day of a trip when we’re on our way to the airport. That knot-in-your-stomach, on-the-verge-of-tears, I-DON’T-WANT-TO-GO feeling. But if I didn’t feel this way, I’d be worried. Because it means that we can turn our own home into an oasis that we never want to leave. It means there is so much love and adoration. It means I wouldn’t rather be anywhere else, except here, with him.

This is a barbecue recipe we made about a month ago. We barbecued most every meal during our long weekend, but taking photos of our food was definitely not on the to-do list. 

Flanken-Style Beef Short Ribs in Asian Marinade

Serves 4

1/4 cup canola oil

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon grated ginger

1 tablespoon sambal oelek (chili paste)

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 scallions, chopped

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 pounds flanken-style beef short ribs, boneless

Whisk first 9 ingredients together. Pour into a zip-top bag and add beef. Marinate at least 5 hours, or overnight.

Grill the beef over medium heat for about 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness.

Note: This marinade would work well for any cut of beef.

During the summer, at the peak of grilling season, we have to push ourselves to eat things other than barbecued beef because let’s face it, not much compares to a perfectly grilled steak seasoned with nothing more than salt and pepper (unless you’re a vegetarian, of course). So even this easy marinade makes us feel like we’ve gone WAY out of the box, although it is still a box of beef. The flavors of the marinade come alive once seared into the beef. A sweetness comes from the brown sugar caramelizing on the grill, there is just the right amount of saltiness, and a little kick of spice to finish it off. Needless to say, we were quite happy with this dish.

Maybe I shouldn’t have written this on a Monday morning. Remembering that glorious weekend has me counting the minutes until the next one. It’s going to be a long week…

And don't forget to enter my Safeway gift card giveaway if you haven't already...it's open through July 17. Click here to go to the giveaway post.

Safeway Gift Card GIVEAWAY! & World’s Longest Picnic Table

It’s official…a few weeks ago I entered into the Guinness Book of World Records AND I made my television debut, all in one day. Well, okay…maybe I’m not personally in the record books, but I did attend the event that broke the record for the world’s longest picnic table. And maybe my television debut was nothing more than about 3 seconds on the local news channel of a very wide shot of us wandering around said picnic table, but let’s not be picky about the details, okay? Let me enjoy my 15 minutes seconds of fame.

Safeway recently held an event to launch a new product line, Open Nature, as well as to break the record for the world’s longest picnic table. I was invited as “Media” (which thrilled me to no end, as seen in photo) to check out the product and take part in the festivities, where Tyler Florence would be doing a cooking demonstration. So on June 18, Andy and I took the short drive up to San Francisco and got ready to taste some food and break some records! Aside from the relentless wind, the day was sunny and gorgeous.

Check out my credentials...

First, let me tell you about this insanely long picnic table. At 305 feet, it broke the previous record by 57 feet. The table was constructed as one continuous length, taking four days to assemble. In keeping with a “green” theme, ten trees were planted for every one used for the construction, and after the picnic, the table would be cut into sections and donated to parks. It really was amazing to see this rambling table, sprawling down the park, slightly undulating with the uneven ground below. (To see a time-lapse video of the table being built, check out the Safeway Facebook page here.)

Now, onto the food…I hadn’t heard of Open Nature prior to this event, but after a briefing, I learned that every product in this line is 100% natural, meaning no artificial ingredients are used and products are minimally processed. In fact, they believe so strongly in their ingredients that they are all printed in a very short list on the front of the products. I’ve got to say that everything we tried (and we tried A LOT) was really good. Hands down, my favorite product is the Open Nature Creamy Peanut Butter. I’ve since bought 3 jars (it’s addictive!) and just want to eat it with a spoon.

We certainly did not cheat ourselves in the eating department at this event. Here’s what was on the menu, and you can believe that we tried each and every single item (including all three desserts!)

Appetizers
Open Nature Smoked Andouille Sausage with Crispy Cabbage Slaw
Grilled Open Nature Spinach Feta Sausage with Pesto Sauce
Open Nature Roasted Red Pepper Sausage Biscuit Sandwiches with Remoulade 

Main Plate 
The Ultimate Open Nature Barbecued Chicken and Ribs
Open Nature Summertime Potato Salad
Garden Fresh Broccoli Bacon Salad with Open Nature Balsamic Dressing
Summer Fresh Watermelon Fruit Salad

Dessert 

Open Nature Ice Cream Parfaits
- Cherry Vanilla with Honey Nut Granola and Peanut Butter
- Vanilla Bean with Fresh Berries and Whipped Cream
- Mint Chip with Shaved Chocolate

As I mentioned, Tyler Florence was doing a cooking demonstration of the chicken, ribs and potato salad dishes. It was fun to watch and hear his tips throughout the cooking process. We even got the chance to say hi!

This potato salad was the big winner. Andy, who is not usually a huge potato salad fan, loved it. We both picked it as our favorite dish of the day. The capers, the dill and the mustard really set it apart from your standard potato salad. 

Photo Credit: Safeway

Open Nature Summertime Potato Salad 
Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence 

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:
2 pounds small Yukon gold potatoes
2 large eggs
Kosher salt for cooking and final seasoning
1/2 bunch sliced scallions, white and green parts (reserving some for garnish)
2 tablespoons drained capers (reserving several for garnish)
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Open Nature Greek Yogurt
1/2 cup Open Nature Sour Cream
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup finely chopped dill pickles with 1/4 cup juice, about 2 pickles
1/2 small red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 bunch dill, chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Directions:
Put potatoes and eggs into a big saucepan of cold salted water. Bring to a simmer. After 12 minutes remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and let cool. Continue cooking the potatoes until a paring knife poked into them goes in without resistance, about 3 minutes longer. Drain the potatoes in a colander and let cool.

Meanwhile, stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, yogurt, mustard, pickles and juice, red onion, remaining scallions and capers, parsley, and lemon juice in a bowl large enough to hold the potatoes.

Peel the cool eggs and grate them into the bowl. Break up the potatoes into rough chunks, add to bowl, and toss to coat with the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle with a little olive oil and garnish with reserved scallions and capers.

Photo Credit: Safeway

The Ultimate Open Nature Barbecued Chicken and Ribs
Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence
Serves: 4 to 6 entrée servings

Open Nature Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast 

Ingredients:
3 pounds Open Nature Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
2-3 tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch each kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 sprigs fresh thyme crushed
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Open Nature Pork Baby Back Ribs 

Ingredients: 
2 slabs Open Nature Pork Baby Back Ribs (about 3 pounds)
Pinch each kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4-6 tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil

Barbecue Sauce 

Ingredients:
2 slices Open Nature Hickory Smoked Bacon
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, rough chopped
3 smashed garlic cloves
2 cups ketchup
1 cup peach preserves
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard or 1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground paprika

To prepare the sauce:
Wrap the bacon around the thyme sprigs and tie with kitchen twine. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the thyme and cook slowly 3 to 4 minutes to render the bacon fat and to give the sauce a smoky taste. Add the onion and garlic, cook slowly without coloring for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, stir, and turn the heat down to low. Cook slowly for 20 minutes to meld the flavors. Once the sauce is done cooking, remove about 1 1/2 cups of the sauce and reserve; the remainder will be used for basting the chicken and ribs.

To prepare the chicken:
Prepare a gas or charcoal barbecue to medium heat. Spray or wipe grilling surface with non-stick spray or olive oil to prevent sticking.

Combine the olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic and thyme, add chicken breast, making sure to coat the chicken well. Arrange the chicken pieces on the grill and cook 3-4 minutes, turn over and finish cooking for 6-8 minutes. Liberally brush with barbecue sauce, coating entirely and cooking for an additional 4-5 minutes. Remove from the grill and serve with reserved sauce.

To prepare the ribs:
Prepare a medium-low heat gas grill, about 250° covered. Spray or wipe grilling surface with non-stick spray or olive oil to prevent sticking.

Put the ribs on a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil. Place ribs onto grill, cook low and slow for 1 1/2 hours. Then baste the ribs with sauce and continue cooking for 30 minutes, basting 2 more times.

For finishing, baste the ribs with additional sauce and grill for several minutes each side, until becoming caramelized. Remove from grill and serve with reserved sauce.

This was a fun event and I’m glad to have had the opportunity to attend!

I can't get enough of that media pass!!!

But wait…the givewaway!!! 

Now here’s the really great part…Safeway has kindly provided me with gift cards to give away to four of my readers! Up for grabs are four $25 Safeway gift cards, good at any Safeway Companies stores (Safeway, Vons, Pavillions, Genuardi's, Dominick's, Carrs, Tom Thumb, Randalls) in the U.S. or Canada. Go check out the Open Nature page here to see what’s new at Safeway. And if you win, I highly recommend the peanut butter! (Winners must have a U.S. or Canada mailing address.)

To enter (leave a separate comment for each; up to three entries per person):
1. Leave a comment below.
2. Go to the Open Nature product page and then come back here and tell me which product tempts you the most.
3. Tweet this giveaway on Twitter, then come back here and let me know you did.

I’ll pick four winners randomly on Monday, July 18, so get your comments in by Sunday, July 17 at 10:00pm PST. Good luck! (If your profile doesn’t link to your contact info, please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win.)

I was invited to this event by Safeway/DEI Worldwide and given complimentary products. As always, all opinions are my own.