Bringing the Magic of Christmas to Life with Portable North Pole

Disclosure: I received complementary Portable North Pole products in exchange for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Aka, we keeps it real 


This probably won’t come as a shock to you, but my 4 year old kinda has a thing for Christmas. Around, this time of year the first thing he does when he wakes up in the morning is search  of Elfernutter, his personal Elf on the Shelf and moves the little removable tree on his felt “Countdown to Christmas” calendar ever closer to December 25^th. This is also the time of year when he asks about “Santa” and whether or not he will be getting that special toy he wanted. Yep, that good ol’ Christmas spirit is really flowing through our household in full force this year. It’s flowing so much, in fact that I would be hard pressed to make this holiday season even more special than it already has been. But the good people at Portable North Pole have accepted that challenge and kicked up the magic a few more notches

                         

What is Portable North Pole?

PNP is a magical console allows Santa Claus himself to creates personalized messages  via phone call, letter or video.  You can choose from multiple scenarios where Santa and his elves will address your child by name, as he gives them a personal tour of his facilities at the North Pole. The climax of the video occurs when Santa determines whether he/she is on the nice/naughty list (parents decide this). He does do by pulling their personal book, inserting it into a machine that projects pictures that are entered by the parent. While navigating the site, not only was I surprised at the ease of use, I was also impressed by the lengths they take to ensure the experience is as intimate and unique as possible for your child. For example, based on the descriptions I provided for the pictures that I uploaded, Santa was able to confidently tell my son he knew his age, that he played sports and that he recently had a new addition to the family. My wife and I couldn't help but look at each other and smile as we watched his eyes light up while watching his video.

My son was relieved to find out he was on the nice list

The prices for the various service range from as little as FREE to $7.99, depending on what you want to do. No matter what you decide  spend, I can practically guarantee that the experience will be priceless for your little one as it was for mine!

Here are some additional cool points:

•   PNP is mostly for young children who still believe in Santa and the magic of Christmas but even adults can join in on the Christmas magic with customizable videos for those 18+

•   PNP donates 5% of all online sales to a Children’s Hospital close to the buyer’s location. PNP currently collaborates with over 40 regional Children’s Hospitals in the U.S.  

•       The most popular PNP product is by far the personalized video message…but Santa and his elves offer a whole host of other personalized products, too, like the newly update iOS and Droid apps.

   
Here is a price list of some of PNP's most popular offers:

•   Portable North Pole’s standard Santa’s Video, Retail: Free-A FREE personalized video message from Santa Claus filled with magic and exciting discoveries for your loved ones.
• Premium Video, Retail: $3.99- Premium videos includes almost 6 minutes of personalized video message from Santa Claus, features 3 additional photos and more personal details, a clip of Santa's riding on his sleigh and even a personalized Christmas carol!
• Portable North Pole’s Mobile App, Retail: $3.99 for iOS and Android; $4.99 HD app for iPad and iPad mini- Portable North Pole offers iOS and Android users anapplication to create Christmas magic on their mobile devices. The newly updated PNP app includes: credit to create and access premium videos, call from Santa himself, an Advent Calendar game, Christmas Radar, Countdown game and access to a PNP account to synchronize with your online content.
• Santa Sprint: PNP Adventure, $2.99- This unique Christmas adventure game, for iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod), provides hours of fun for the whole family. Guided by the voice of Santa, kids can help him get ready for Christmas and unlock exclusive video stories as they complete the different levels.(In App purchase $1.99 for coin doubler; $0.99 for 10 “second chance” bundle)
• Portable North Pole’s Santa’s Phone Call, Retail $3.99 for one call or $6.99 for three calls- Santa has a very important message for your loved one! He will pick up the phone and call directly to deliver his personalized message. Santa’s call will last approximately two minutes and you can choose between 14 message options.

So, what are you waiting for? Check out their website at www.portablenorthpole.com to see how Santa can add a little Christmas magic in your home.

Connect with PNP:

·        Facebook: www.facebook.com/PNPSANTA

·       Twitter: @PNPSanta and @PNPElf

·        Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/pnpsanta/

·         You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/user/PNPSanta

Go Gluten Free with this Choco-Peanut Butter Cookie Holiday Recipe

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and its client.

Of the many things that I loved about the holidays growing up, one of my favorites was my mom’s delicious baking. I would sit and help her make her recipes from scratch, often helping myself to licks of batter and bits of cookie dough when I thought she wasn’t looking.  I remember pacing the oven, minutes feeling like an eternity while I eagerly awaited for those gooey, golden-brown disk to be transported from the cookie sheet, dunked in a tall glass of milk and finally, into my mouth.

Now that I am a parent, I have the privilege of  baking sweet treats for my family for the holidays, just like my mom used to do for me so many years ago. However, our tradition was briefly endangered due to the recent birth of our 2^nd baby boy. At 5 months, my wife is still nursing and has been forced into a diet free of gluten in order to appease his volatile stomach, or else face the risk of never sleeping due to a gassy, cranky baby. Not wanting to leave her out of our holiday festivities, I took a basic peanut butter cookie recipe and created an appetizing, gluten-free alternative that everyone can enjoy. I took a trip to my local Price Chopper to pick up the ingredients I needed and so began our experiment. 

Great deals can be found every week with the #HolidayAdvantEdge

 I have to admit that I was doubtful as to whether or not they would be a suitable replacement for our traditional holiday sweet treats, but my uncertainties were immediately put to rest after one bite. They were amazing! Additionally, because there are less ingredients than most cookie recipes with gluten, they were easy to make. Like, ridiculously easy. Don't believe me? Well, check it out for yourself!

Gluten Free Christmas Choco-Peanut Butter Cookies

1 Cup Peanut butter

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Egg

Betty Crocker Rich and Creamy Milk Chocolate Frosting

Holiday Sprinkles

1.  In a medium mixing bowl, combine peanut butter, brown sugar and egg.
2. Mix all ingredients until they are well blended.
3. Shape dough into round balls and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using a fork, gently flatten dough
4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes at 350 F
5. Let cool on a wire rack 10 minutes
6. Decorate with Betty Crocker Frosting and holiday sprinkles

What did I tell you? Was that easy, or what!

It just goes to show you: With a little creativity and some #HolidayAdvantEdge with Price Chopper, you can create some amazing sweet treats that will ensure everyone is included during the holidays!

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Two Holiday Recipes with Price Chopper

Disclosure: I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and its client.


The holidays mean so much to so many different people. It's a time for traditions, both old and new. It's a time for love, family and reflection of all of the positive things in life. It is also a time for food. For most us, it wouldn't be a holiday if we weren't coming together with our loved ones for the preparation and/or consuming of an amazing meal.

In the spirit of this, I have two great Holiday Recipes that I am excited to share with you. To make them, I visited my local Price Chopper and picked up some of the freshest and high quality ingredients.

 The first recipe is a Portuguese kale soup. I discovered this soup for the first time when I ordered it from a local restaurant. My wife and I liked it so much, we decided to try it on our own from scratch and had so much fun figuring it out. What I love about this recipe is it's simplicity as well as it's versatility. Virtually all of the ingredients are interchangeable and can be altered based on your preference. Either way, this recipe is sure to keep you and your family warm during those frightfully cold holiday nights.


Recipe #1: Portuguese Kale Soup
Makes 6-8 servings

Here's what you'll need:

2 tablespoons of  extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 medium potatoes (peeled and diced)
2 medium onions, chopped
4 to 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound kale (chopped, preferably fresh but frozen works fine)
Salt and pepper
1 (12-15-ounce) can of red kidney beans
1 can diced tomatoes

1 cup of salsa

2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
1 pound diced chorizo or kielbasa

2 Knorr Chicken Flavored Bouillon Cubes

1 quart of water  

To create the broth: Boil water in large pot and add two Knorr Bouillon Cubes

Heat oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add potatoes, onions and garlic, cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add garlic, bay leaves, and kale to the pot. Cover pot and wilt greens 2-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add kidney beans, salsa, tomatoes, chorizo (or kielbasa), and  pour ingredients into the  pot of broth and bring to a full boil. Reduce heat back to medium and cook 5 to 10 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.

If you prefer a spicier taste, add pepper flakes or hot sauce to the pot and/or individual serving

The second recipe is a family tradition that we like to call Holiday Pancake Skewers. This particular recipe is kid-friendly because it is easy, healthy, as well as really fun to make. My son and I enjoyed the process from start to finish, as we make messes and memories that will not be wiped away so easily.


Recipe #2: Mini Holiday Pancake Skewers
Makes approx 10 skewers

2 Cups of Bisquick Pancake and Baking Mix
1 Egg
1 1/4 Cups of milk
3 Bananas (Or pancake friendly fruit of your choice)
1 pkg of Blueberries (Or pancake friendly fruit of your choice)
1 Tablespoon of Vanilla Extract
A few sprinkles of cinnamon
Red and Green food coloring 
Approx 20-30 mini skewers (You can cut the pointy ends when working with smaller children) 
1 Can of cooking spray

and most importantly...

1 mischievous assistant!

Instructions:
Using a medium mixing bowl you can easily follow the recipe for pancakes that can be found on the side of the Bisquick box.

First pour in 2 cups of Bisquick mix, then add 1 1/4 cup milk and 1 egg.

Add a few sprinkles, about a teaspoon, of cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract.

Stir until smooth

Place half of batter into an additional bowl (This step will allow you to make two colors of pancakes)

Place 2-3 drops of red food coloring in one bowl, then stir; do the same with the second bowl, only this time, use the green food coloring

Dice one banana into small pieces

Distribute and gently stir 1/4 cup blueberries and 1/2 of the diced bananas each bowl.

Preheat your pan at about medium heat, then apply cooking spray

Pour tiny, silver dollar sized drops of your green and/or red batter into pan. Flip after about a couple of minutes, or until you see bubbles rise. Repeat this step until all batter is used.

While cooking, take two remaining bananas and slice into small circles placing aside for skewers. 

 

When placing mini pancakes and fruit on the skewer you could use the following patten: Pancake, banana, blueberry, pancake, banana blueberry on each individual skewer  or allow your little one to create their own fun pattern until all pancakes have been used

Serve with a side of  maple syrup, jam or all by itself!

With all of this great food, whether it's with family or entertaining guests, I have a feeling that this holiday will be one of the most memorable yet!

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