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Sipping is Believing with Dunkin’ Donuts New Espresso Lineup!

(All posts may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

I recently had the opportunity to attend a VIP event at a local Dunkin’ Donuts here in the Tampa Bay area to check out the new Espresso beverage lineup. As someone who is a huge Dunkin’ Donuts Coffee fan, I was excited to attend this event and to learn about the new espresso drink program that Dunkin’ has recently unveiled.

Dunkin’ wants to challenge Espresso drinkers that Sipping is Believing with their new beverage led strategy, and they are committed to keep America running not only on coffee, but they are now determined to become the destination for the best lattes, cappuccinos, Americanos, macchiatos and more.

Now you may not realize this, but Dunkin’ Donuts has had Espresso drinks on their menu since around 2003. While most older folks will prefer Dunkin’ for their regular coffee, it seems that the millennial generation loves a good hot or iced espresso drink such as a macchiato, cappuccino and latte. 

Dunkin’ Donuts invested $100 million dollars in this new espresso-drink program. This money was spent towards new “state of the art” espresso machines as well as training the staff and enabling them to make the great-tasting espresso drinks. The brand is determined to be known for these great-tasting espresso drinks. They even launched two new espresso drinks to its menu for the first time, serving new Iced Cappuccino and Iced Americano. The Iced Cappuccino is brewed with freshly ground espresso beans and then blended with milk and served over ice for a refreshing, frothy and bold iced beverage. The Iced Americano blends a double shot of Dunkin’s espresso with water for a refreshing, espresso-forward cup. 

I was amazed at the detail that goes into the making of the latte. The girl behind the counter that made my latte new exactly what she was doing and you could tell that she had received excellent training! I love how beautiful it looks! And, boy was it delicious!

Now through December 30, you can enjoy an Espresso break every afternoon! Enjoy a medium sized Dunkin’ latte or cappuccino for only $2 from 2PM-6PM! Now that is one sweet deal!

Experience the Rescue, Rehab & Release Efforts at Clearwater Marine Aquarium + Tampa Bay Resident Special!

Disclosure: I was provided with complimentary tickets and a tour to Clearwater Marine Aquarium in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Please see my disclosure policy)

I often feel that living here in the Tampa Bay area of Florida, we sometimes take for granted the most remarkable attractions that we have right in our back yard. One such example for my family and I is Clearwater Marine Aquarium. I cannot believe that we have never visited this remarkable facility until this past Saturday.

Many of you may be familiar with Clearwater Marine Aquarium as it has been made famous by Winter the Dolphin. She is the bottlenose dolphin with a prosthetic tale, and her story and experience have been portrayed in The Dolphin Tale and Dolphin Tale 2 movies. Winter, along with her dolphin friend Hope live at Clearwater Marine Aquarium where they, along with many other animals are taken care of by volunteers, trainers and staff.

During our visit to Clearwater Marine Aquarium, we were given a personal tour by Allie. Allie is one of the many volunteers who give of themselves to help in the rescue, rehab and rehabilitation efforts which is the Aquarium’s number one mission. Once you step into the Aquarium, you can see why it is so easy to immerse yourself into the world of marine life rescue!

Our tour started with a stop by the animal hospital. We were able to see right into the area where animals are brought when they are sick. They have an actual surgical suite and triage where the sick animals are brought to receive treatment from the trained veterinary staff. The care given to these animals truly is remarkable! In the window, were little containers with items that they had pulled from turtles. Many turtles are brought here because they have swallowed huge fishing lines. The veterinary staff is able to remove them and to rehab the turtles. The picture below portrays just some of the reasons why animals are brought to Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Look at the wall of Sea Turtles that the Aquarium has brought back to rehabilitation!

From here, we moved along and saw the kitchen where they prepare the food for the animals. They have huge freezers filled with food, and staff are there very early every morning to prepare healthy and delicious meals for the animals. Some of the animals will eat pounds of fish each day! One of the fun facts that I learned on our tour…they feed Jell-O to the dolphins, otters and pelicans to help them with their fluid intake. How cute is that?

We loved meeting Thelma and Louise two Nurse Sharks on our tour. Did you know that Nurse Sharks are actually bottom dwellers? This means that you will more than likely find them “resting” on the bottom of the ocean floor during the day since they are nocturnal animals. Nurse sharks can grow to be as long as 13 feet and weigh as much as 330 pounds! Wow!

Of course no trip to Clearwater Marine Aquarium is complete without seeing Winter and Hope! It was hard for me to get a good picture in the lighting, but here is Winter playing! You can see where her tail is cut off. In the photo below you can see Winter’s prosthetic that attaches to her tail. This has greatly helped to aid in her rehabilitation! If you have not seen the Dolphin Tale and Dolphin Tale 2 movies, they are a must! These movies will tell you the story of how Winter was hurt and brought to the aquarium for rehabilitation. Since our trip on Saturday, my boys have watched both movies twice!

We also got to meet pelicans Ricky, Tyndall, Skylar and Matthew. Pelicans are such beautiful creatures!

The aquarium is in the middle of a huge renovation! If you visit right now, you will see that they are in the process of giving Winter a new home! There will be a new rescued dolphin complex, dolphin observation window and much more! You can see more details of the expansion HERE.

As you walk around the aquarium, you can’t help but feel the love that the everyone has not only for Winter, but for all of the animals as well. If you have never visited Clearwater Marine Aquarium, I highly suggest that you plan a trip in the very near future to see what their mission of rescue, rehab and release is all about! You will not be disappointed!

I want to send a huge thank you to Allie and the staff at Clearwater Marine Aquarium for making our trip so enjoyable! They also gifted our family with 2 huge bags of stuffed animals, books, mugs and other goodies that we have been loving! Thank you!

Tampa residents, I have one sweet deal for you! Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) is showing appreciation for their Tampa Bay neighbors! 

To show appreciation for local residents, CMA is featuring a special admission offer for the month of September. This offer applies to residents of Pinellas, Hillsborough, Hernando, Citrus, Manatee and Pasco counties. Click HERE for more details. 

  • $14.99 – Adults
  • $9.99 – Kids 12 and under
  • FREE – Children 2 and under

In addition, September 22-23 and 29-30 CMA is celebrating with Hopetember. YOU can give hope to the community with the RCS Pinellas Food Drive benefiting people and pets. Bring a non-perishable canned food item, or canned or dry dog or cat food to benefit RCS Pinellas and receive discounted general admission.

Discounted admission for Hopetember:

  • $12.99 – Adults/Seniors
  • $9.99 – Kids 12 and under
  • FREE – Children 2 and under

This is a great time to visit CMA if you have never done so! My boys are already asking me when we are going back!

Be sure to follow CMA on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on all of the latest news and promotional offers!

Make Back to School Fun with PJ Masks!

Disclosure: I was provided with the products in the post to facilitate my review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.  Please see my disclosure policy)

Hip Hip Hooray! The kids are finally back in school and we are adjusting to our new schedule! I don’t know about you, but those first few weeks of school are tiring! It can be challenging getting everyone up early, packing lunches, making sure homework is done, etc… Thanks to the folks at Entertainment One for supplying my son Brady with some PJ Masks goodies, so that I could brighten his mood with cupcakes, a t-shirt, backpack and other goodies when he arrived home from school!

PJ Masks offers products for back to school or any time of the year, including clothing and backpacks from Accessory Innovations and Happy Threads Apparel. Isn’t the shirt and backpack adorable that Brady is wearing in the picture above? I love the bright, vibrant colors! Be sure to check out retailers like Amazon and Kohl’s for the best selection of these products. They also offer items like this PJ Masks Sticker Activity Box that you can find at your local Party City. These would be great party favors if your little one wants a PJ Masks party! 

The PJ Masks cupcakes that I made were so easy to create!  Thanks to the PJ Masks cupcake decorating kit that was included in our box of goodies, it made decorating them a breeze! The PJ Masks cupcake decorating kit includes cupcake liners, decorative coins and sprinkles. You can find this cupcake decorating kit at your local Walmart.

After I made the cupcakes and let them cool, I frosted them and placed the sprinkles on top. Then, I added on some of the decorative PJ Masks coins included in the kit. This was so easy! What a great way to decorate if you have a an upcoming PJ Masks birthday party. My son Brady loved his cupcakes and he felt like a superhero!

In addition to the products that we were sent, PJ Masks has added several new products to their lineup this season including: Good2Grow Juice, a new assortment of PJ Masks toys from Just Play, Catboy and Gekko lace-free, multi-colored LED light-up sneakers from SG Companies, new book titles from Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, and electronic learning aids from VTech. These products will be wonderful gift ideas for the upcoming holiday season as well!

Sprouts is Now Open in Palm Harbor! #NewKaleInTown

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written through a partnership with Sprouts Farmers Market.  Please see my disclosure policy) 

I am thrilled to share with you that Sprouts Farmers Market is now open in Palm Harbor! This is the 4th Florida store to be added to the market. Sprouts currently has 277 stores nationwide and they are growing at a rate of 30 new stores each year! Sprouts sets themselves apart from the other healthier option stores as they offer healthy living at prices we can all afford. I love that!

Tuesday night, I had the opportunity to visit the new location for their Friends & Family Night and a behind-the-scenes blog tour. I have been anticipating this day for months, so to attend the grand opening festivities was such a pleasure! After our tour of the store we were given some time to shop and browse. I have heard so many wonderful things about Sprouts, so experiencing it first-hand was so much fun!

If you live near Palm Harbor, FL, I highly recommend that you head over to the new location. There are great deals to be had in every department. I especially loved the produce selection and bargains! Pineapples are $0.98, Limes 5 for $1, Mangos 2 for $1, Sweet Potatoes $0.88 lb, Green Peppers $0.88 each and more! I also love that Sprouts offers items for every lifestyle. Whether you eat organic, gluten free, vegan, dairy free, etc…Sprouts offers quality products that we all can afford. In addition, Sprouts also offers mobile coupons so be sure to download their mobile app to take advantage of even more savings! My favorite way to save at Sprouts is Double Ad Wednesday. Because the weekly ad prices run from Wednesday to Wednesday, you can save even more in the middle of the week when the ads overlap. Two ads on one day means double the deals! I love this feature!

As we walked around the store, I was immediately drawn to the selection and quality of products offered. The bulk selections are also amazing! And, did you know that Sprouts offers an open sample policy? If you want to try a product tell a team member and they will let you taste it! Sprouts stores contain around 18,000 products, 90 percent of which are natural or organic. The store also offers more than 2,000 Sprouts Brand items. From everyday staples to innovative specialty items, Sprouts Brand products meet strict quality standards while delivering exceptional value, unique flavor profiles and quality customers can trust.


I love that the produce section is right in the center of the store. Sprouts’ produce prices are on average 20 to 25 percent below other supermarkets. The quality is also amazing! The pineapple and mangos that I purchased were the juiciest that I have ever eaten. So delicious!

Refrigerated and baked goods. They have a wide selection of gluten free items which I love! Just search for the orange tag to distinguish gluten free items from the others. Brilliant!

Personal care and supplements for every member of the family. Sprouts offers a Vitamin Extravaganza promotion several times a year so be on the lookout for upcoming dates. This sale offers customers a 25 percent savings off all vitamins, supplements and health and body care items! 

Refrigerated and Dairy Items

Bulk Spices. So clever! You can buy as little or as much of these spices as you need. What a great way to try new spices without purchasing the entire bottle!

Meats Galore! Steak, Seafood, Chicken and More.

Refrigerated Goods and Bagged Snacks

Local Finds

Coffee Heaven! I can’t wait to try the delicious flavors!

Overall, I am thrilled with the options that Sprouts offers their customers. The selection and pricing of organic, gluten free and specialty items is amazing. I can’t wait to go back and try more of the Sprouts brand products as I have heard remarkable things about them! I have never tried Kombucha (can you believe it?) and Sprouts offers a wide variety in a huge assortment of flavors. I will have to let you know how I like it!

You can stay up-to-date on all of the latest Sprouts promotions and news by following them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. And, don’t forget to download the Sprouts mobile app to save even more!

Stay tuned as I will be sharing a recipe on the blog for Grilled Chicken Thighs With Tropical Salsa and Jasmine Rice. I purchased all of the ingredients at Sprouts and fed my family of four for under $10!

Valspar Championship 2017 Recap

Disclosure: I attended a VIP Blogger luncheon and received tickets to this event for free in exchange for my honest opinion. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Even though I am not a golfer, I live in a house filled with guys who love to watch the sport. Each year when the Valspar Championship comes to beautiful Innisbrook Resort, they set aside one day to attend. Not only did my guys attend the event this year, but I was privileged to attend a #FoodieFriday blogging event during Championship Week.

This was actually my first time at Innisbrook Resort, and I was enamored with just how beautiful and big everything is. The buildings and golf course are in impecable shape and that is due in part to the remarkable and knowledgeable staff that Innisbrook boasts.

When we arrived at Inverness Hall, we were greeted by Matt Owen, Lauren Smith, Jomary Jiminez and Jessica Fox. These gracious folks either work with Innisbrook or are with the PR team that assists Innisbrook with their events. They hosted us throughout the afternoon and were so kind and professional to each of us.

We started our afternoon by heading to the new Grape and Grain Emporium for a Meet and Greet and Cooking Demo with celebrity chef Ming Tsai. When we arrived, he was cooking up Red Roast Duck Potstickers. Yum! Chef Tsai is so friendly and down-to-earth. He took the time to speak with each of us and take photos.

I am so very impressed with Chef Ming Tsai’s heart. He spoke with us in depth of how he has partnered with Family Reach, an organization that is a financial lifeline for those families fighting cancer as an Executive Chef Ambassador. Did you know that cancer is the number one reason for bankruptcy in the United States? I had no idea. For over two decades, Family Reach has been helping families with cancer manage the overwhelming financial and emotional barriers of the disease. Working in close collaboration with a network of more than 200 hospitals and cancer centers nationwide, Family Reach provides immediate financial assistance, education and outreach to qualified families in need. This is such a wonderful organization and I love what they do! You can see more about Family Reach and what they do to bless others HERE.

After we finished with Chef Tsai, we walked around to observe the tournament for a few minutes before heading over to the Market Salamander Grille for lunch. I love all of the cute touches to detail in every area of the property during the tournament! When we arrived at the Market Salamander Grille, we were greeted by Innisbrook Golf & Spa Resort’s new chef, Executive Chef Thomas McKinney-Stehr.

Oh my goodness, Chef prepared quite the spread for us! Everything from Blackberry bourbon fizz, Colossal onion rings, Tuscan risotto fritters, chicken quesadillas, Carolina pork flatbread, Margherita flatbread, Bacon wrapped jumbo shrimp, Chicken wings and Kona crusted grilled lollipop lamb champs. The food was beyond amazing! One of the things that I love about Innisbrook Resort is that their restaurants are open to the public. Come and enjoy a delicious brunch, lunch or dinner anytime! I noticed that they have lots of wonderful activities for the family and Easter Brunch or Dinner for Easter weekend April 14-16, so you may want to check that out! I can’t wait for hubby and I to go back for a date night or brunch!

At the end of our lunch we were greeted by American businesswoman and CEO of Salamander Hotels and Resorts, Sheila Johnson. What a distinguished lady and businesswoman! I am so thankful for the amazing opportunity to attend this event and to network with some amazing influencers from our area! Innisbrook is truly a remarkable place and I am looking forward to returning! Thank you to the wonderful folks at Innisbrook for their amazing hospitality to us!

On Saturday, my husband and son Drew went back to the Valspar Championship for the day. They look forward to this every year and had a blast! They followed around many of the players on the course and had great father/son time! The Valspar Championship is definitely an event that you need to put on your calendar for next year! In the meantime, be sure to head on over to Innisbrook Resort to check out their delicious restaurants! 

Stay up-to-date on events and promotional opportunities by following both venues on their social media platforms.

You can follow the Valspar Championship on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

You can follow Innisbrook Resort on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

A Berry-licious Weekend With #FLStrawberry! #SundaySupper

Disclosure: I was provided with a media trip from #FLStrawberry and #SundaySupper. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Please see my disclosure policy)

Photo Credit

I recently had the amazing opportunity along with other Sunday Supper tastemakers and social media influencers to attend a Berry-licious weekend at the Guy Harvey Outpost, A Tradewind Islands Resort on beautiful St. Pete Beach, FL. The weekend was packed full of learning about the gorgeous and tasty Florida Strawberry!

I was super excited on our drive over to Plant City, Florida to the Florida Strawberry Grower’s Association as I knew that we were going to be learning about all things Florida Strawberry! Our drive over was so much fun too, and it was a great time to chat and meet the other bloggers and influencers.

When we arrived at the Florida Strawberry Grower’s Association, we were greeted by Strawberry Sue and her amazing staff. They had the most adorable spread of drinks and refreshments for us! It was nice to relax for awhile  and to meet everyone and learn about what responsibilities they have at the Florida Strawberry Grower’s Association.

After our time of refreshments it was back to the bus and on the to the Strawberry Fields (Strawberry Station) in Plant City! I must say that I felt like a giddy high school girl out in the glorious Strawberry fields! Let me just tell you, Florida Strawberries are unlike anything that you have ever seen or eaten before. To eat a big plump juicy Florida Strawberry right from the plant is unbelievable! These gorgeous red gems are so sweet and juicy! Look at the size of the strawberry that I found! I was so excited to have found it and I gobbled down every bite!

While at the Florida Strawberry Fields, Mark Harrell, Strawberry Sue’s husband, shared with us about his Strawberry fields and how the process of growing Florida Strawberries works. It is an amazing process! The weather is a huge factor in how the strawberries grow and the crop that is produced. And, a little trivia for you. Did you know that the average strawberry has around 200 seeds? Amazing!

After our time at Strawberry Station it was on to Grimes Produce Company. It is here where we learned about how the gorgeous Florida Strawberry is packaged and refrigerated before it is sent to your local grocery store. The Florida Strawberry is actually picked right on the fields and placed into special clamshell packaging. I find this fascinating! They are then rushed to Grimes Produce Company where they are cooled and sent to the grocey store. The strawberries are usually sent from the cooling company directly to the store on the same day.

After a delicious lunch at Old Towne Pizzeria in Plant City, it was on to my favorite part of the day! We headed to the University of Florida Research and Education Center where Dr. Vance Whitaker explained in great detail to us about the science and research that goes behind the Florida Strawberry. There is so much more to the Florida Strawberry than just what you see on the strawberry fields. Since 2009, Dr. Whitaker has lead the strawberry breeding program at the University of Florida. He explained to us about strawberry breeding and how selection is enhanced by the genetic characterization of traits. I will never look at a Florida Strawberry the same way again. It was all so intriguing and very eye-opening to say the least.

After our visit to the University of Florida Research and Education Center, we headed back to the bus and it was time to head on to Tampa for our berry-licious dinner at Oggi Restaurant. Along the way, we had to make a stop at Goodson Farms. This is a locally renowned produce market that offers fresh produce, desserts and sandwiches. I picked up a jar of fresh strawberry salsa and jam as well as a bottle of strawberry syrup. We were told that that have the best Strawberry Shortcake in the area so Strawberry Sue ordered one for everyone! They were huge! The base was a moist shortcake that was piled high with Florida Strawberries, Whipped Cream and delicious vanilla ice cream. Yum!

Our day ended with a delicious dinner at Oggi in Tampa. If you are local to the Tampa Bay area, I highly recommend it! The food was absolutely amazing and the staff was so courteous and caring. Becuase of our large group, we were served family style with a menu that was prepared just for us! Our meal started off with the most delicious appetizers that include Strawberry Caprese Salad, a Mozzarella Wheel with Arugala and of courses, delicious Florida strawberries! For the entrees, we had Pistachio Crusted Chicken cutlets, Chicken Parmesan with spaghetti, a yummy chicken dish with blood oranges and potatoes, Chicken with Balsamic Berry reduction, delicious homemade meatballs with pasta and Rigatoni with mushroom cream sauce. There was also dessert! Yummy grilled pineapple with a special cream and Cannolis. The entire meal at Oggi’s was superb and I can’t wait to take my hubby back for a date night! It has the cutest atmosphere that reminds me of being in the heart of Italy!

After the delicious meal, we headed back to the Guy Harvey Outpost and called it a day. When I arrived back to my room, I found the most decadent Chocolate and Candy covered strawberries waiting for me in the refrigerator. Oh yes, I had one and it was amazing! It was then time to get some beauty rest for our next day which was sure to be filled with more food, fun and learning about the Florida Strawberry.

Sunday morning we headed over to the conference room at Tradewinds Resort for a day of learning sessions. Chef Aaron from RumFish Grill showed us how to make a Key West Shrimp and Strawberry Ceviche. Oh. my. word. This bite of food was the most delicious thing that I put in my mouth all weekend! In fact, I have not stopped thinking about this delectable dish and can’t wait to try and make it at home!

After our cooking session with Chef Aaron it was on to a berry-filled lunch at Bermuda’s. There were so many delicious choices! We started the meal with a fresh watermelon, strawberry and feta salad that was to die for! I could eat it over and over again. So fresh and light yet so fulfilling to the palate. I then had a yummy Grilled Chicken sandwich on gluten free bread. There was a side of strawberry basil compote and sweet potato fries! Delicious! Dessert was Strawberry Zabaglione, but I was too full to eat it!

The afternoon was filled with RumFish Grill mixologist, Anthony teaching us a few tips and tricks and a Photograph and Instagram session with Jeremiah Khokar. It was then time for a fun Facebook LIVE with Strawberry Sue. I thoroughly enjoyed this time with her as she showed us how make the cutest Football Strawberries for game day! I am definitely making them with my boys for the Super Bowl this weekend!

We ended our fun day with a gorgeous sunset and Strawberry S’mores at the beach. It was then time to head over to RumFish Grill for our LIVE #SundaySupper Twitter party. I had such a great time with the fellow Sunday Supper Tastemakers and it was a blast tweeting live!

After our Twitter party, it was time for dinner at RumFish Grill. This restaurant is gorgeous! It features a huge fish aquarium that takes up the entire back wall! It makes for a fun atmosphere while dining! My dinner was the most amazing shrimp and grits I have ever eaten. So creamy and delicious. It was seriously to die for and I ate every bite! I was way too full for the dessert which was of course, HUGE Strawberry Cobblers made with fresh Florida Strawberries.

I am so thankful for the amazing opportunity that I had to be with my fellow Sunday Supper Tastemakers and to learn about the amazing and oh-so delicious Florida Strawberry. I will never forget this special weekend and the wonderful friendships that were made. I also gained so much knowledge from each of the special people that I met and I will treasure that forever!

Would you like to visit the Florida Strawberry fields? See how you can win a trip for you and your family HERE.

#IdahoPotatoCutsClass With Famous Idaho Potatoes & #SundaySupper! (+ Roasted Garlic and Chive Au Gratin Idaho Potatoes)

Disclosure: I was invited to the Famous Idaho Potatoes VIP event and provided with promotional items. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Please see my disclosure policy)

I recently had the amazing opportunity to attend a VIP Blogger event -#IdahoPotatoCutsClass at the Epicurean Hotel Autograph Collection in Tampa with Famous Idaho Potatoes and #SundaySupper. I cannot begin to tell you the knowledge that I gained at this event and the royal treatment that we were given as social media influencers was beyond amazing!

 

One of the first things on the agenda was to learn proper knife cutting techniques from Chef Christopher Koetke. We were given Beautiful Boos Cutting Boards and chef knives from WÜSTHOF to practice with. What better way to learn than with these state-of-the-art items. I have to tell you, proper kitchen tools make all the difference in the world when you are in the kitchen. I have always heard remarkable things about both the Boos and WÜSTHOF brands, but when you use these items in person and see the results that you get while using them, you will be so amazed! AND, we got to keep the items!

When you are using a Cutting Board, make sure to always add a damp paper towel underneath to keep it steady and from slipping. This also ensures that your knife will not get away from you.

Chef Chris then taught us how to correctly dice, chop and slice. You will want to practice correct form when using your chef’s knife so that there are no accidents in the kitchen. One of the key things that I learned, “Remember that your chef’s knife is like an extension of your hand.”

Chef Dave Woolley prepared some amazing dishes for us to try! On the menu was Idaho® Potato Scalloped Au Gratin, Roasted Idaho® Potato Fingerling Salad, Idaho® Potato Risotto, and Buffalo Hasselback Idaho® Potato. If you would like to try these delicious recipes for yourself you can see them HERE. I actually made the Roasted Garlic and Chive Au Gratin Idaho® Potatoes tonight for dinner (pictured below) and they turned out Amazing! These are definitely going on my Thanksgiving Menu this year!

One of my favorite things at the end of the day was the #Hashed Competition. We were able to put to practice all of the knowledge that we learned during the day. We were placed in teams of 3-5 people and had to make a Idaho® Potato Salad Recipe with secret ingredients from the pantry. So much fun! I was teamed up with Wanda from My Sweet Zepol and Christina from Go Epicurista. We opted to make a Sexy Cuban Idaho Potato Salad and it Won First Place! Our prize was tickets to next year’s Food and Wine Conference and $100 Gift card!

I cannot begin to tell you how much fun that this day was for me. I made new friendships and walked away with tons of knowledge that will not only help me in the kitchen but also as a blogger!

(Photo Credit: My Sweet Zepol Instagram)