Over The Top Mommy

Month: July 2017

Despicable Me 3 Inspired Unicorn Bait Recipe

This post was sponsored by Bounty. All opinions are 100% my own. 

I absolutely adore all things Despicable Me and was overjoyed about the release of the latest film in the series, Despicable Me 3, now in theaters! Have you seen it yet? (It’s really cute.)bounty-napkins-fun-prints-unicorn-baitIn honor of the latest film release, Bounty has introduced limited-edition Bounty with new Despicable Me 3 prints paper towels and quilted napkins. They are so cute, you’ll want to stock up your cupboard with a plethora of them. Bounty paper towels and napkins make clean-up quick and fun!, especially now with the new Despicable Me 3 prints. My daughter and I tend to get a little messy in the kitchen together whenever we cook, bake, or make anything, so these durable paper towels really help us clean as we go. Making messes together is half the fun though, right? unicorn-bait-recipe-blue-meltsOne of my (many) favorite parts about Despicable Me 3 is Agnes’ infatuation with unicorns. At the mere mention of the word “unicorn” she practically implodes! She’s beyond adorable when she talks about how they’re “just so fluffy”. We feel the exact same way about unicorns. I think people are drawn to unicorns because everything associated with them seems so happy and colorful. unicorn-bait-recipe-rainbow-candiesAfter seeing Despicable Me 3 in theaters, we were inspired to to spend an afternoon together, whipping up a batch of delicious “Unicorn Bait”. unicorn-bait-recipe-pink-and-blue-meltsBounty with new Despicable Me 3 prints are in stores just in time for Summer break with the kids and all the messy activities that come along with it! It was fairly simple to make this recipe and we only used 3 ingredients. (please see below for the exact recipe.)unicorn-bait-recipe-pink-meltsSince I love the color pink and my daughter loves the color blue, we used both colors in the popcorn coating, mixing together to even get bits that looked marbled. I was happy to have Bounty paper towels nearby to help with our sticky fingers after all of the mixing of colored candy melts and popcorn. unicorn-bait-finishedunicorn-bait-recipe-titleTo make this recipe, you only need these few ingredients:

  • 2-3 bags Microwave popcorn, popped and cooled
  • 1 bag pink candy melts
  • 1 bag blue candy melts
  • 1 bag brightly colored chocolate candiesunicorn-bait-ingredients

Unicorn Bait Preparation

  • For the unicorn bait, we made one batch of “pink” popcorn, and one batch of “blue” popcorn before combining together in a big bowl. Lay wax paper on a flat surface ahead of time. Prepare the pink candy melts by placing in a microwave-safe bowl and cooking for 30 seconds. Remove and stir. Microwave for 30 more seconds, remove, add a tiny bit of vegetable oil, and stir until smooth. Spoon over (or just pour) the popcorn in a bowl and use your hands to mix together well. Place pink popcorn onto the wax paper to cool and prepare the blue candy melts, repeating the steps to coat the popcorn.
  • When you have both popcorn colors prepared, layer them in a large bowl, alternating pink popcorn and blue popcorn. Mix together while the melts are slightly wet still so you get the marbling effect.
  • Finally, add the brightly colored candies to the mixture. You can add extra ones to the top for a finishing touch.unicorn-bait-marbling

Serve your unicorn bait in small snack cups or by the handful, on one of Bounty’s colorful napkins featuring the new Despicable Me 3 prints.unicorn-bait-snack-on-a-minion-napkinNot only is unicorn bait scrumptious, but legend has it that you can also leave some out in a small pile, to capture your very own unicorn! You just have to believe! unicorn-bait-recipe-ready-with-bountyAfter you make this sweet treat, keep the celebration going and be sure to check out Despicable Me 3 in theaters now! It’s rated PG and fun for the whole family.

 

Authentic, Fresh and Delicious Dining at Angelina’s Pizzeria Napoletana

I was invited to dine at Angelina’s Pizzeria in order to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own. 

We recently had the opportunity to dine at Angelina’s Pizzeria Napoletana in Dana Point (they also have a location in Irvine) and had such a wonderful experience as a family. The location we visited is across from the beach and is light & bright with windows all around.angelinas-pizzeria-menusAngelina’s menu offers:

  • Antipasti (appetizers),
  • Insalate (salads)
  • Le rosse pizza (red pizza)
  • Le bianche pizza (white pizza)
  • Primi (first)
  • Panuozzi (sandwiches)
  • Dolci (dessert)
  • Bevande (drinks)

There are also offerings on the Happy Hour menu, which you can order from in the restaurant.angelinas-bruschetta

We started off with an order of Bruschetta Del Giorno. It was so fresh and light. We also ordered a Pizzetta Pancetta E Patate, which is a flatbread topped with pancetta potatoes and rosemary. Mmm! angelinas-pizzetta-pancetta

Our salads were so colorful and delicious. The Golosa is made with chopped romaine hearts, red onion, tri-colored bell peppers, artichoke hearts, pumpkin seeds, fontina cheese and chef’s refreshing mustard lemon dressing. The Dall’orto is made with local organic greens, avocado, red onion, lemon vinaigrette and Grana Padana cheese. Both of these salads are a must-try, in my opinion.angelinas-pizzeria-saladsPenne Al Sugo Con Polpette, is a dish made with penne pasta, San Marzano DOP pomodoro sauce, Napoletana-style meatballs, fresh basil and extra virgin olive oil. This came highly recommended, specifically the meatballs, which are made with a “secret recipe” and we devoured the entire thing. It was amazing!angelinas-pizzeria-penneFor me, dessert time is my favorite part of any meal! If it were an acceptable custom in the U.S., I’d eat dessert first. We shared a Chocolate Tartufo which was beyond decadent. angelinas-pizzeria-chocolate-tartufoI also had my very own COCOAccino, which is Angelina’s signature dessert coffee. It’s cappuccino served in a Nutella rimmed coffee cup. It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before and I was literally licking my cup! (which was acceptable in this case.)angelinas-pizzeria-cocoaccinoangelinas-pizzeria-top-of-cocoaccinoWhat stood out most to me the most about Angelina’s food were the fresh ingredients in each of the items. Just as important was the level of service, which was so tailored and personal. There is nothing better than finding a family dining destination where you can actually taste the passion behind the food.angelinas-pizzeria-oven This is what you’ll find when you dine at Angelina’s. Whether you stop by the Irvine or the Dana Point location, you’re going to experience a wonderful meal that will have you visiting again soon. To learn more or view Angelina’s full menu, go here.

Yogurtland’s Newest Scratch-made Delicious Flavors for Summer

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. 

This summer, yogurt lovers can pack up their picnic baskets and head to Yogurtland to enjoy five new scratch-made flavors that are reminiscent of family outings and warm summer nights.

These new promotional flavors, available from June 5 to August 6, explore the tastes of summer and are inspired by summer experiences, and the fresh fruits and desserts that are associated with them. These new flavors join Yogurtland’s more than 200 other handcrafted, gourmet flavors that are made at Yogurtland’s very own dairy with mastery and care, and with one thing in mind – delighting guests to the last spoonful.

The five mouth-watering flavors are:

Home Grown Watermelon Sorbet – Starting June 5, this delicious sorbet will have Yogurtland lovers quenching summer heat with the season’s favorite fruit. Combining everything there is to love about watermelon, sweet, fresh, and fruity, this flavor offers a refreshing experience on a hot summer day.yogurtland-watermelon-sorbetSun Kissed Strawberry Shortcake – Inspired by summer’s favorite dessert, this flavor blends the deliciousness of real California strawberries with real sweet shortbread cookie. In each spoonful, the fruity, juicy strawberry taste is followed by notes of cake and whipped cream for a complete dessert sensation.yogurtland-sunkisssed-strawberry-shortcakeSweet n’ Smooth Peaches and Cream Gelato–  This combination of fruity tartness and creamy gelato makes for the perfect summer treat. Inspired by some of the delicious treats individuals crave on a summer day, this flavor fills each spoonful with real Freestone peach taste.yogurtland-peaches-and-creamLarger Than Life Mud Pie – Chocolate fanatics rejoice, this ‘larger than life’ flavor layers rich chocolate, tasty coffee, and delectable chocolate cookies. The perfect balance of each layer comes through to create a decadent mud pie taste for all to enjoy.yogurtland-larger-than-life-mud-piePicnic Favorite Apricot Mango Tart– No picnic is complete without juicy summer fruits. The subtle balance between sweet and tart, this flavor combines two fruit favorites, sweet apricots and juicy mangos. This delicious flavor is available starting July 17.yogurtland-summer-spoonsYogurtland is also introducing two new collectible spoons, one featuring a red watermelon wedge and the other a slice of mud pie. Yogurtland is collaborating with the Watermelon Board to highlight the use of the juice of U.S-grown watermelons in this along-awaited flavor. To top off these delicious flavors, Yogurtland is introducing gummi butterflies as the perfect topping. So what are you waiting for? Get to your closest Yogurtland and try these new flavors while they’re around through August 6.

Images are property of Yogurtland. 

 

DIY Outdoor Movie Night + Bambi Snack Mix Recipe

I received promotional products from Walt Disney Studios in order to facilitate this post. All opinions are 100% my own. 

Summer is here and we decided to celebrate by throwing an outdoor movie night for a few friends and family. I couldn’t think of a better way to do so than by showing one of Disney’s all-time classic films, “Bambi”, which joined Walt Disney’s Signature Collection at the end of May, in honor of its 75th anniversary.diy-outdoor-movie-night-plus-bambi-snack-mix-recipeI loved this movie as a child and was so excited to introduce my daughter and my nieces and nephews to it also.bambi-coverThe Signature Collection release, now available at retailers, contains a variety of new bonus material including:

  • Recordings of Walt Disney discussing the challenges and triumphs during the production of “Bambi;”
  • Deleted scenes and characters;
  • Dtories and effects that “Bambi” had on the Studio, other films and artists;
  • and much, much more

Additionally, the Digital HD release includes an exclusive, heartfelt feature on the incredible artist, Tyrus Wong, who inspired the film’s soft watercolor backgrounds and beautiful palette. Here’s a sneak peek:
In our home, movies always call for snacks, which is why we whipped up a batch of “Bambi Snack Mix” for our guests to enjoy while watching “Bambi” at our outdoor movie. (Please see bottom of this post for snack recipe.)bambi-snack-mix-inside-bagI was delighted to received an amazing bundle of goodies in the mail from Disney to host my outdoor movie night. My bundle contained an AAXA P300 Pico/Micro LED Projector, an Ion Audio Tailgater Portable Bluetooth PA Speaker System with Microphone, an Apple Lightning Digital AV Adapter for iPhone, and a copy of Disney’s “Bambi” on Blu-Ray. I couldn’t wait to get started.set-up-your-own-outdoor-movieSetting up your own outdoor isn’t difficult. I promise. You can choose to project your movie onto on a light colored wall or garage, use a white sheet as a makeshift screen, or even purchase an inexpensive, portable movie screen. We opted for a wall to project ours onto.

The projector we received to use for our movie was a P300 Pico mini projector. It’s small and pretty lightweight. It also produces the most clear, beautiful projections, with high resolution and vivid colors. This projector has the capability to show movies, as well as photos and videos and pairs up with your phone or mobile device or laptop. It’s tiny but mighty and can be set up almost anywhere.bambi-home-movie-projectorAlthough the mini projector already has sound coming out of it, pairing it with the Ion Tailgater speaker system really amplified the sound, to make it even louder for the outdoors. This portable sounds system includes speakers, an amplifier, audio inputs, and wireless Bluetooth technology, all in one durable cabinet that has handles for easy transport and allows you to enjoy your music whenever and wherever you want. . (It also works with iPad, iPhone, iPod, Android devices and more.)diy-movie-setupFor our outdoor movie, I streamed the digital copy of “Bambi” on my phone by using the digital code inside the DVD on the Disney Movies Anytime app. (Do you have this app yet?) Since my laptop doesn’t have the capability to run an internal DVD, I just streamed the movie on my phone with Apple Lightning Digital AV Adapter and my phone hooked directly up to the projector. It was much easier than setting up a laptop anyway. bambi-digital-copyWhenever we have a party or a get-together, we like to do something thematic. Hosting an outdoor movie doesn’t have to be complicated and you can get away with just serving simple snacks like popcorn and drinks. We decided to whip up a batch of “Bambi’s Favorite Snack Mix” which is just a few goodies mixed in with popcorn and served in these adorable Bambi bags that my daughter created out of simple brown lunch bags we had in our cupboard.bambi-outdoor-movie-with-bagbambi-snack-mix-recipe-textTo make your own batch of “Bambi Snack Mix”, here are the ingredients you’ll need:

  • microwave popcorn, 4-6 bags, popped and cooled
  • pretzel sticks or small pretzels, 1 bag
  • chocolate chips or chocolate candies, 1 bag
  • small marshmallows, 1 bag bambi-snack-mix-ingredientsbambi-snack-mix-ingredients-mixed-together

It’s so simple to make, you just combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. After ours was mixed together, I just filled up each Bambi snack bags with the mix and set out on a table for guests to grab before we started our outdoor movie.bambi-snack-mix-ready-for-guestsTo recreate these Bambi snack bags, you’ll just need brown paper lunch bags, a black marker, scissors, a glue stick, and a cotton ball for each one.make-a-bambi-snack-bagbambi-snack-back-supplies Here’s a short time-lapse video showing how my daughter made a Bambi snack bag.

We had so much fun hosting our very first “Movie Under the Stars” and watching Disney’s “Bambi”. I can’t wait to host our next outdoor movie party. Have you hosted an outdoor movie party before? Tell me what you watched and share some of the details of your outdoor movie party with me in the comments.

Sneak peak film footage is property of Disney. 

Armstrong Garden Centers Offer Free Kids Class Series in July

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own . 

Armstrong Garden Centers will debut its kids class series in July at select stores. The new, interactive sessions will engage the minds of children while helping them learn about critters that are important to gardens. Open to all ages, but ideal for kids grades kindergarten through third grade, topics include wiggly worms, bold butterflies and beautiful birds.

The July kids class series will only take place at Armstrong’s Carlsbad, La Cañada, La Habra, Temecula, Thousand Oaks and Torrance store locations. All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.armstrong-kids-classesArmstrong Garden Centers July kids class series schedule is as follows:

  • Wednesday, July 12 at 10:00 a.m. – Wiggly Worms – Learn why worms are important to the soil and how they help plants grow. Kids in attendance will get to meet these wiggly creatures in a hands-on setting and take a worm home, too.
  • Wednesday, July 19 at 10:00 a.m. – Bold Butterflies – This class will allow children to learn about the life cycle of butterflies and how they help flowers bloom. Each child in attendance will make a butterfly feeder to take home and enjoy.
  • Wednesday, July 26 at 10:00 a.m. – Beautiful Birds – Gardens provide food and habitat for birds and birds help gardens grow. Kids attending this class will learn how along with planting a sunflower seed to take home.

California gardeners of all skill levels are invited to attend Armstrong’s community classes in July. Each workshop will encourage attendees to nurture their green thumbs with a wide range of topics to get ready for summer.Watering-gardenAdditional scheduled events for the first full month of summer include:

  • Saturday, July 15 at 9:00 a.m. – Healthy Plants: Fertilizing & Water – Different soils and plants have different nutrient requirements to stay in balance. Learn simple techniques to ensure that you have healthy and beautiful blooms and foliage all summer long. No registration required for this free class. Class not available at the Irvine Outlet location.
  • Saturday, July 22 at 9:00 a.m. – Growing Citrus in the Home Garden – Participants will learn tips to grow bounteous crops of juicy citrus fruit and hear advice from Armstrong’s experts. The Pasadena and La Habra locations will host a tropical fruit tree class during this time. Class not available at the Irvine Outlet.
  • Saturday, July 29 at 9:00 a.m. – Colorful, Flowering Water-wise Plants – Waterwise gardens can be full of colorful flowers. Armstrong’s experts will show attendees perennials and shrubs that provide blooms and beauty all year-long.Class not available at the Irvine Outlet.armstrong-garden-centers-flower

Each class is instructed by a nursery professional who will offer timely gardening advice and hands-on demonstrations.FreeGardenTalks Armstrong Garden Centers also offers free garden talks from its team of experts for local gardening clubs, homeowners associations and other community groups. For more information or to register for a class, please visit their here.

Images are property of Armstrong Garden Centers.