Good Goes in...Soup with Panera Bread

Getting out and shopping during the holiday season is a little bit hectic right now. Maybe because there are 12 days left until Christmas! WOW! Luckily, I have chosen to avoid the evening crowds and shop a little earlier in the day besides I have been working on plenty of homemade edible gifts for my family and friends. But it's always nice to get out and do some retail shopping and peruse the stores with my favorite little helper. With all the window shopping that Elena and I had done, we made a pit stop to one of my favorite lunch spots, Panera Bread.

                           
The extra bonus to our lunch visit was due to the awesome opportunity to review Panera's new line of soups. I knew it would make for a nice mommy and Elena lunch outing instead of our typical lunch routine at home. Elena kept herself entertained with her new favorite MUM crackers and slowly munched away while I was able to enjoy my lunch.

One of my absolute favorite comfort meals is tomato soup and grilled cheese. So when I saw the sign for the Big Kid Grilled Cheese (with Gruyere, Vermont White Cheddar, organic sliced American cheese and Applewood-Smoked Bacon, grilled on All-Natural White Miche) - all of my favorite kinds of cheeses plus meat candy. Heck YES! I couldn't resist the Vegetarian Creamy Tomato soup to pair my sandwich. The delicious soup was filled with vine-ripened pear tomatoes pureed with fresh cream with hints of red pepper & oregano, topped with their crunchy Asiago croutons. I loved the salty bite that Asiago croutons gave when paired with the velvety indulgent tomato soup. Plus, the little kid in me had to dip my "Big Kid grilled cheese" in my tomato soup. What a perfect pair to enjoy for any meal.

Did you know that Panera Bread has partnered up with Feeding America? Panera Bread has been donating unsold bread and baked goods to local organizations for 25 years, and in 2010 they wanted to do more by opening Panera Cares community cafes that gave local communities the opportunity to share in the responsibility of of helping others out and raising awareness of food insecurity. How amazing is that? If you are interested in learning more or helping out you can easily make a donation at any of the Panera Cares Community Breadboxes by the registers the next time you visit. Your contribution might become the next hot meal of hot soup and a big helping hand to those in need.

The best way to end my meal was this spectacular red velvet crinkle cookie. I have only enjoyed red velvet cake or red velvet cupcake but never in the form of a cookie. It's a soft brownie-like cookie that is similar to the red velvet cake with a hint of chocolate and has cream cheese chips garnished with powdered sugar. Such an ahhh-mazing way to end your meal for only an additional 99 cents when you order a lunch combo!

What another fun and exciting day for Elena and me.

Disclaimer: As part of the DailyBuzz Food Tastemaker Program, I received a gift card to Panera Bread to sample their soups. All photography and opinions are my own.

DIY Nestle Toll House Birthday Sugar Cookie Bouquets

Birthdays are little reminders to enjoy something sweet and simple. I saw an episode on the RHBH where one of the housewives threw an over-the-top lavish birthday party. The crazy mad tea party was like a bad episode of Bridezilla combined with My Super Sweet 16. I do not think I will ever reach that crazy birthday madness status because I could never afford a birthday party like that. Maybe in my wildest dreams, but coming back to reality and my SAHM wallet, just the simple act of birthday love and appreciation is the best gift you share with someone.

Buying gifts for birthdays are never my favorite task to deal with either. You never know what kids like most days because there are plenty of characters that they love from tv: Dora the Explorer, Sponge Bob, Blues Clues, Caillou, and Sesame Street to just name a few. I have 6 (soon to be 7) nieces and nephews all ranging from ages 1 to 7 and sometimes it's next to impossible to please them with the correct character. These kids are always changing their minds!

Funny story, my nephews are so technological advanced that when I would call them they would ask to "Facetime" with me. At the time, I didn't have an Iphone as I do now. Try explaining to a 4 year old and 5 year old that my phone didn't have that "Facetime" feature was like speaking a foreign language. I was simply told "well, I only want to Facetime to talk to you, so bye!" Tough cookies for me.

So what speaks the most to kids. Cookies do. Cute birthday decorated sugar cookies make them go weak in the knees. Cookies on sticks are the best thing ever because they make the kids happy. The moment my nieces and nephews saw these cookies, their eyes lit up and I had them like butter in my hand. Who needs Sesame Street when you got cookies. I was happy enough that they let me take pictures of them with the cookies before they gobbled them up. These super cute DIY Nestle Toll House Birthday Sugar Cookie Bouquets are easy to put together and kids would go crazy for them. It's an inexpensive gift to tell them you care and love them. Make one for that special kid in your life.

Sweet and simple.

DIY Nestle Toll House Birthday Sugar Cookie Bouquets
Items Needed:
Nestle Toll House Birthday Sugar cookies
Lollipop sticks or wood skewers
Treat bags with ties or saran wrap
Desired container like glass canning jars, small candy buckets, Chinese Takeout Favor Boxes, coffee mugs, or clay pots
Shredded colored paper, Easter basket grass, or tissue paper
Decorative items like cupcake wrappers, stickers, ribbons, and extra goodies
Optional: Floral Styrofoam

Preparation:

Place the cookies on the baking sheet. Insert the lollipop sticks or wood skewers in the middle of the cookie. Bake the cookies according to the packaging directions. Allow the cookies to cool completely.

Cover the cookies with treat bags and ties. Use desired container and fill it two-thirds full with the shredded color paper. Arrange the cookies inside the container. Optional, you can add the floral Styrofoam to the bottom of the container so the cookies can stick. Add the decorative elements like ribbon, stickers or additional goodies into the container.

These would be perfect as table centerpieces for birthday parties, a birthday gift (tuck in a gift card to their fave place or sneak in a toy) or fantastic as party favors for the kids.

This post is brought to you by Nestle Toll House Birthday Sugar Cookies. Bake some birthday love.

Disclosure: As part of the DailyBuzz Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received a stipend to taste Nestle Toll House Birthday Sugar Cookies. All opinions expressed are my own.