Cinnamon Chocolate Wine Latte

Thanks to Collective Bias & ChocolatRouge, this recipe for a Cinnamon Chocolate Wine Latte is sure to keep you warm on cold winter days! The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or over.

When the weather turns cold, I love to indulge in some hot drinks to combat the chill in the air. This year all of my hot drinks have to be sans alcohol (pregnant lady here), so my husband happily obliged and was the official tester of this recipe :)

This drink is a fun (and adult!) take on an everyday latte. I picked up a bottle of ChocolateRouge Wine at our local grocery store and thought it would go well with a little milk and cinnamon.  And (according to my husband), it sure was! ChocolatRouge is a red wine with chocolate added, so the cinnamon complemented it nicely. I found the wine with other dessert wines and there was even a coupon attached to the bottle for $1 off - love that!

This would be a great drink to serve in a slow cooker at a holiday party so all your guests can enjoy throughout the event. And you could also pick up some extra ChocolateRouge to serve chilled by itself. 

Cinnamon Chocolate Wine Latte

1 part whole milk

1 part chocolate wine (i.e. ChocolatRouge Wine)

Pinch of ground cinnamon

Whipped cream (optional)

In a small sauce pan, heat milk on medium high heat until steaming hot. Pour into coffee mug or desired glass. Add chocolate wine and pinch cinnamon to the milk and stir. Top with whipped cream and sprinkling of cinnamon, if desired. Enjoy!

I can't wait to try some of this after the baby is born in April :) Until then, go out and make this Cinnamon Chocolate Wine Latte for yourself and let me know what you think!

To find more great recipes using ChocolatRouge visit their website and follow them on Facebook!

Looking for some other hot (adult) drinks? These are some of my favorites!

Chicago World's Fair Exhibit at The Field Museum

Over Thanksgiving, we went and visited my sister who lives in Chicago. While we were there, we had the opportunity to visit The Field Museum and specifically, Chicago World's Fair Exhibit that recently opened. I was really interested to go because I had never been to the Field Museum before and didn't really know anything about the Chicago World's Fair. 

To help in your visit to the museum, there is a The Field Museum Tours mobile app you can download to tell you about the different displays & exhibits. All you have to do is scan the QR code on the display and info will pop up to tell you more about what you're looking at. 

One of the first things in the Chicago World's Fair exhibit is this accounting ledger. You'll notice a green QR code in the corner of the glass. 

I hit the green 'Discover' button on the app, scanned the code and this is what popped up:

As some of you know, I am a CPA, so I found this display so interesting. The accounting ledger was so large and contained so much information in it. It helped keep track of the expenses for the 200 buildings that were built for the Fair. Makes me appreciate having computers to keep track of all of this stuff nowadays! 

Another neat exhibit, were these 'stuffed' animals that were displayed during the Chicago World's Fair. It's amazing how well they are preserved even after 100+ years. 

One of the most interesting facts I learned from the exhibit are the foods that were introduced at the fair. Wrigley's Juicy Fruit chewing gum, Cracker Jack, and Shredded Wheat all made their debut at the Chicago World's Fair. I had no idea those products have been around for so long!

Another cool aspect of the exhibit were some of the interactive displays they have. The table above gave you a chance to 'play music' using instruments that were on display from other cultures within the exhibit. 

The exhibit also featured large screens with images from the Fair projected onto them that were semi-animated (kind of like a GIF). It was a really neat way to feel like you were stepping back to the Fair in 1893. 

As you can see there are a wide array of items on display in the exhibit and it helps illustrate how diverse the Fair was. From Peruvian Mummies to musical instruments from around the world to plant artifacts, the Chicago World's Fair brought such a wide range of items together in one place for patrons to view and learn about.

I was so sad to learn that most all of the buildings that were built for the Chicago World's were destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire. But they were able to save lots of the artifacts and pieces from the Fair and this is where The Field Museum grew from. 

The Field Museum is still learning more each day about the items that were displayed during the Fair and working on preserving the artifacts so they will be around for years to come. 

I had a great time at the exhibit and learned so much about the Fair. The displays really helped take you back in time and get a sense of what the Fair was all about. 

If you're in the Chicago area, I encourage you to visit The Field Museum & the Chicago Worlds' Fair exhibit. You will not be disappointed. And don't forget to download the The Field Museum Tours mobile app before you go. 

And there's even this great view of the city from the north side of the museum! So pretty (and you can't even tell how cold it was!)

I was selected for this opportunity by Clever Girls Collective, however all content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Peppermint Bark Brownies and a Giveaway!

These Peppermint Bark Brownies are the perfect Holiday treat and are brought to you by PAM Cooking Spray.  

I think it goes without saying that the holidays are one of the busiest (if not the busiest!) times of the year. No matter what you do to try and plan and get things checked off your list early, it still seems to be busy. And we don't even have kids yet - I can't imagine how busy it's going to be next year with a baby!

So I'm always looking for ways that will make the holidays less stressful. You know I love to bake things, especially during the holidays, but don't want to spend a lot of time cleaning. This is where PAM Cooking Spray comes in. I used PAM Baking Spray when I made these Peppermint Bark Brownies and they turned out perfect. No brownie mess sticking to the pan!

If you're a fan of peppermint and chocolate, you're going to love these brownies. I am obsessed with peppermint. I love peppermint ice cream, peppermint hot chocolate, and of course peppermint bark. So these brownies are some of my favorites. And the best part is they're not hard to make at all.

Peppermint Bark Brownies

Ingredients

1 box of your favorite brownie mix, prepared as directed

1 package Wilton Candy Melts, peppermint flavor

4 candy canes, crushed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 by 13 inch pan using Pam Baking Spray. Pour prepared brownie mix into pan and spread evenly. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out cleanly. 

2. Remove brownies from oven and top with candy melts. Place back into over for 2-3 minutes. Then, using an offset spatula or knife, spread the melted chocolate evenly over the brownies. Sprinkle crushed candy cane over melted chocolate pressing in lightly. Allow brownies to cool completely. Cut with a sharp knife and store in an airtight container.

Now, you have a chance to make your holidays a little less "sticky" with a prize pack (valued at $50!) from PAM Cooking Spray. The winner will receive:

• Full size sample of Pam
• Le Creuset pie dish

To enter, leave a comment below telling me the first thing you would make in your pie dish if you win.

Sweepstakes Terms and Conditions 
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW. INTERNET ACCESS AND VALID E-MAIL ADDRESSES ARE REQUIRED TO ENTER.
Promotion Description:
By participating in a Sweepstakes on The Pink Flour (“Blog”), each entrant unconditionally accepts and agrees to comply with and abide by these Official Rules and the decisions of Massive Sway (“Sponsor”), which shall be final and binding in all respects. Sponsor is responsible for the collection, submission or processing of Entries and the overall administration of the giveaway. Entrants should look solely to Sponsor with any questions, comments or problems related to the Sweepstakes.
Promotion begins at the time the blog post announcing the Sweepstakes is published on the Blog and ends midnight PST on December 11, 2013.

Eligibility:
Open to legal residents of the U.S. who are physically located in the U.S. or the District of Columbia who are not a minor (as defined by state of primary residence) usually a minimum of 18 yrs. old. Sponsor and parents, affiliates, sales representatives, advertising and promotion agencies, clients and each of their respective members, officers, directors, employees and contractors (including participating bloggers) (collectively, the “Promotion Entities”), and members of their immediate families and/or persons living in the same household as such persons, are ineligible to enter the Sweepstakes or win a prize. Void in all jurisdictions other than the U.S.
Entry:
Leave a comment on the Blog post to enter for a chance to win. Facebook comments will not be counted as a valid entry.
Winner Selection:
The winners of the Sweepstakes will be selected in a random drawing by Blog from among all eligible Entries received throughout the Promotion Period using the selection tool indicated on The Pink Flour. The random drawing will be conducted by Sponsor or its designated representatives, whose decisions are final. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible Entries received. Winner will be notified by email at the email address provided in the Entry Information after the random drawing. Potential winner must accept a prize by email as directed by Sponsor within 48 hours of notification. Any winner notification not responded to or returned as undeliverable may result in prize forfeiture. No substitution or transfer of a prize is permitted except by Sponsor.
Prizes:
The prize for this Sweepstakes is a kit with an approximate retail value (“ARV”) of $50, including:

• Full sized varieties of PAM Cooking Spray
• Le Creuset Pie Dish

Only one prize per person and per household will be awarded. Prizes cannot be transferred, redeemed for cash or substituted by winner. Sponsor reserves the right in its sole and absolute discretion to award a substitute prize of equal or greater value if a prize described in these Official Rules is unavailable or cannot be awarded, in whole or in part, for any reason. The ARV of the prize represents Sponsor’s good faith determination. That determination is final and binding and cannot be appealed. If the actual value of the prize turns out to be less than the stated ARV, the difference will not be awarded in cash. Sponsor makes no representation or warranty concerning the appearance, safety or performance of any prize awarded. Restrictions, conditions, and limitations may apply. Sponsor will not replace any lost or stolen prize items. Prize will only be awarded and/or delivered to addresses within the US Only. All federal, state and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prizewinner. Failure to comply with the Official Rules will result in forfeiture of the prize.
Privacy: 
All entrants acknowledge that if they are chosen as a winner, certain of their personally identifying information may be disclosed to third parties at least as required by law, including, without limitation, names and mailing addresses on a winner’s list. All personal information submitted as part of the Sweepstakes may be shared by and between the Promotion Entities, and each of the Promotion Entities will use such information in accordance with their respective independent online privacy policies.
Limitation of Liability:
Sponsor is not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by website users or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Sweepstakes or by any technical or human error, which may occur in the processing of submissions in the Sweepstakes. Sponsor assumes no responsibility for any misdirected or lost mail, or any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay of operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, Entries. Sponsor is not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of email or players on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website or combination thereof, including injury or damage to entrant’s or any other person’s computer related to or resulting from participating in the Sweepstakes. If, for any reason, the Sweepstakes is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of Sponsor which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of the Sweepstakes, then Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Sweepstakes. In such event, Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, perform the random drawing from among all eligible Entries received prior to or after such cancellation, suspension, or modification.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of PAM Cooking Spray.

For more information, visit http://www.pamcookingspray.com.

Lime Tuna Tacos with Chipotle Cream Sauce

Thanks to Collective Bias and Land O'Lakes Saute Express Saute Stater I had a quick dinner on the table in 30 minutes with this Garlic & Herb Chicken with Smashed Potatoes.  - See more at: http://www.thepinkflour.com/#sthash.zEYnI0cl.dpuf

Thanks to Collective Bias and Land O'Lakes Saute Express Saute Stater I had a quick dinner on the table in 30 minutes with this Garlic & Herb Chicken with Smashed Potatoes.  - See more at: http://www.thepinkflour.com/#sthash.zEYnI0cl.dpuf

Thanks to Collective Bias and Land O'Lakes Saute Express Saute Stater I had a quick dinner on the table in 30 minutes with this Garlic & Herb Chicken with Smashed Potatoes.  - See more at: http://www.thepinkflour.com/#sthash.zEYnI0cl.dpuf

Thanks to Collective Bias, I made these healthy Lime Tuna Tacos with a Chipotle Cream Sauce with the help of Ocean Naturals Skipjack Tuna.

I love tuna - give me seared ahi tuna, a good spicy tuna roll, or even just some tuna fish on crackers and I'm a happy camper. In high school, I use to bring those packs of tuna with crackers for lunch. I vividly remember people complaining about how it smelled, but it didn't phase me. I thought it was such a yummy and healthy lunch.

Since I can't have raw tuna right now since I'm pregnant, I'm limited to canned tuna (in moderation, of course), so I was excited to try this new tuna from Ocean Naturals. Ocean Naturals prides itself on tasting good, being good for you and good for the planet - all things I love. You can even find out where your tuna came from by entering in the code from your can on their website.

If you're not new around here, you've probably noticed I like to make weeknight dinners that are quick on prep, but don't sacrifice taste. These tacos are no exception! The chipotle cream sauce is my new favorite and I even lightened it up by using Greek yogurt.

Lime Tuna Tacos with a Chipotle Cream Sauce

Yields -4 servings

2 cans tuna (I used Ocean Naturals Skip Jack Tuna), drained

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 glove garlic, pressed 

1 lime, sliced into quarters

1 6oz. container of plain Greek yogurt

1 small can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

2 avocados, pitted and sliced

Shredded cabbage

Corn Tortillas

1. For chipotle sauce, chop up one chiptole pepper into tiny pieces. Next, in a small bowl, combine greek yogurt, pepper & 2 teaspoons of adobo sauce from chiptole can until thoroughly mixed. Set aside.

2. In a medium skillet, saute the olive oil and garlic over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, then add the tuna and squeeze in lime juice from half a lime. Stir, breaking up any large chunks of tuna and heat for 3-5 minutes until hot.

3. To assemble tacos, spoon into tortilla tuna, then top with cabbage, avocado slices and chipotle sauce. If desired, serve with slices of limes that can be squeezed onto the taco.Enjoy!

If you want to win some Ocean Naturals tuna to try it for yourself, head over to their Facebook page and enter their giveaway.

And don't forget to enter the giveaway I currently have going on for a $50 Minted gift certificate - only a few more days to enter!

Find some more healthy and fresh ways to enjoy Ocean Naturals tuna below-

$50 Minted.com Giveaway

This post is brought to your courtesy of Minted.com to help you find the perfect holiday photo card!

Can you believe that Christmas is only 50 days away? I know I can't. Seems like just yesterday it was summer! 

Since it never seems to early to start thinking about the holidays, I'm sharing with you an easy way to get a jump on your holiday cards. Minted.com has some beautiful and unique holiday photo cards. I already have a few of my favorites picked out. 

I love the idea of an ornament card. Seems like you always get more cards than you know what to do with and this is a great way to help display them.

This card is a great alternative to the typical Christmas letter. Makes it quick and easy for people to catch up on the on goings of your family!

I love the added touch of sparkle this card has, but don't worry it's not real glitter so it won't get all over the place :)

Don't want to be limited to just one photo for your card? Minted has lots of options for multiple photo cards including this cute, square card. 

To really get you started on your holiday cards, Minted has been kind enough to giveaway $50 to one of The Pink Flour's lucky readers, so you can buy your favorite photo card! The giveaway is open until Monday, November 11 at midnight and there are lots of ways to enter! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Loaded Caramel Apples with Halloween Punch

Thanks to Collective Bias I created these easy Loaded Caramel Apples and Halloween Punch that are perfect for a Halloween party. 

I love red apples. Give me a Gala, a Fuji, or a Red Delicious apple any day of the week. But green apples - not so much. They're too tart for me. But dip a Granny Smith apple in caramel and I'm there. There's something about a green apple covered in something sweet that I just love.
 Growing up, my grandma would make us caramel apples and I just loved them.  I figured there were difficult to make, so never attempted them myself. When I finally made them a few years ago, I was amazed at how easy they were.

So here is my easy recipe for delicious caramel apples and yummy Halloween punch. These are such a fun treat!

Loaded Caramel Apples

5 wooden sticks

5 Granny Smith Apples, washed and thoroughly dried

1 package caramel bits or sqaures

2 Tbsp water

Candy of your choice (I used the Twix, Snickers, M&M's & Peanut M&M's)

1. Remove the stems from the apples and then insert the wooden stick into each apple. 

2. Chop up or crush the candy into your desired size (I chopped up the Snickers & Twix and crushed the Peanut M&M's), set asside. 

3. In a microwave safe bowl, heat the caramel and water for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove from microwave and stir to ensure it is thoroughly melted. 

4. Dip each apple into the caramel, spooning the caramel over the apple to cover completely. Let the excess drip off and scrap the bottom of the apple to remove any excess. Then, sprinkle with candy pieces. Set on wax paper and let set in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Halloween Punch

Mix 1 part Hawaiian Fruit Punch & 1 part 7Up in a glass filled with ice. Stir and serve.

Click HERE for a coupon to save on Mars candy,

Quick Garlic & Herb Chicken with Smashed Potatoes

Thanks to Collective Bias and Land O'Lakes Saute Express Saute Stater I had a quick dinner on the table in 30 minutes with this Garlic & Herb Chicken with Smashed Potatoes. 

I'm always looking for easy ways to get dinner on the table during the week.  Especially with the fatigue from being pregnant I don't have the energy (or patience!) to spend a long time making dinner after coming home from a long day of work.

So when I heard about these new Land O’Lakes Sauté Express® Sauté Starters, I knew I had to try them and see if they made things as quick and easy as they claimed. I made a quick stop by Walmart on my way home from work and picked up the Garlic & Herb Sauté Express Sauté Starters, along with some chicken and potatoes.

Sauté Express Sauté Starters are seasoned butter & olive oil that make cooking up your favorite dish so easy. All you have to do is melt the little packets and then sauté your food in it and it comes out cooked and full of flavor.

Garlic & Herb Chicken with Smashed Potatoes

1 package Garlic & Herb Sauté Express Sauté Starters
1 lb. uncooked chicken breast tenders
24 oz. baby dutch yellow potatoes

For the chicken
1. In a large skillet, melt two packets of the Garlic & Herb Sauté Express Sauté Starters over medium high heat. Once melted, place chicken in skillet and cook for 5-7. Turn chicken and sauté for another 5 minutes or until thoroughly cooked.

For the potatoes
1. Fill a medium sized pot with enough water to submerge the potatoes in. Bring pot to a boil and then add potatoes. Reduce heat to medium high and cook for approximately 10 or until potatoes are fork tender.

2. Drain the potatoes into a colander. Next place the potatoes (be careful as they will be hot), onto a cookies sheet or large work surface. Using the smooth side of a meat tenderizer, smash down each potato.

3. In the same pot you used to cook the potatoes, melt two packets of Garlic & Herb Sauté Express Starters over medium high heat. Place smashed potatoes into pot and cook on each side for 5 minutes.

Looking for some other quick dinners for the week? Follow Land O'Lakes on Twitter & Instagram for some great ideas.

Biscoff Cake Roll

I first heard about Biscoff Spread a few years ago, but I never got around to trying it until a few months ago. I was pretty skeptical and didn't want to believe all the hype - but i have to say this stuff is to die for. It is a similar consistency to peanut butter, but it's made from Biscoff cookies. And I didn't even realize that it is made with all natural ingredients and free of genetically modified ingredients.

Biscoff Spread can be enjoyed on toast or with apple slices or with just a spoon :) I decided to use Biscoff Spread in my frosting and as a drizzle for this chocolate roll cake. I couldn't believe how light and fluffy the frosting turned out. And the drizzle was a great way to infuse a little more Biscoff taste.

Biscoff Chocolate Cake Roll

Ingredients
For the cake:
1 chocolate cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup strong coffee, cooled
Cocoa powder
For the frosting:
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup Biscoff Spread
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar
3-4 Tbsp milk
For the drizzle:
1/4 cup Biscoff Spread
1 cup powdered sugar
3 Tbsp milk
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a jelly roll (10x15”) pan with parchment paper and spray with baking spray. Using a stand mixer (or a hand mixer), combine the chocolate cake mix, oil, eggs and coffee. Spread cake batter into prepared pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
2. While the cake is baking, lay out a clean dish towel on your kitchen counter. Sprinkle it with coco powder. When cake is done baking, immediately turn the cake over onto the dish towel and remove the parchment paper. Working from the short side, fold the dish towel over the end of the cake. Roll the cake up into the dish towel. Allow to cool for 1-2 hours.
3. For the frosting, in a stand mixer, beat together the butter and Biscoff Spread until fully combined. Add the vanilla extract and beat until incorporated. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Then, continue beating for 5-7 minutes until frosting is light and fluffy. Unroll the cooled cake and then spread the frosting over the entire cake. Using the dish towel to help you, roll the cake back up tightly. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
4. For the drizzle, whisk together the Biscoff Spread, powdered sugar and milk until fully combined. Drizzle over the chilled cake and then, slice and enjoy!

Want to win a year's supply of Biscoff Spread and other yummy goodies from Lotus Bakeries? Head over to the Biscoff Spread the Love Challenge and pick your favorite photo for a chance to win. Go to the Biscoff Spread the Love Contest site or their Facebook Page for all the details. You can find Biscoff on Pinterest too - they have boards filled with fun ideas!

Biscoff Spread is a sweet, creamy spread made with Biscoff Cookies. Try this delicious European alternative to peanut butter or chocolate spread. Vote for the best photo in Biscoff’s “Spread the Love” contest and you could win a year’s supply of Biscoff products!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Biscoff. The opinions and text are all mine.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Biscoff.  The opinions and text are all mine.

Cool off with Fruttare Fruit Bars - Sponsored

If you've been reading The Pink Flour for any length of time, you've noticed I have a strong affinity for all things sweet. Although, I know this isn't the best stuff to be eating all of the time, I try to have it moderation. That's where Fruttare frozen fruit bars come in - they're a frozen fruit bar that are heavy on real fruit flavor, but light on the calories. 

I picked up two boxes of the Fruttare frozen fruit bars at my local Walmart. They had a few flavors to choose from including strawberry, black cherry, lime, mango, strawberry & milk, and coconut & milk. I decided to go with the mango and strawberry & milk.