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New Summer Menu Items at SONIC Drive-In

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Who’s hungry?  This July, SONIC Drive-In is launching some new menu items to coincide with National Hot Dog month.   They will be debuting a few new premium beef hot dog varieties, an homage to the American culinary classic.  The new hot dogs (starting at $1.99) join SONIC’s regular stable of premium beef hot dogs (The Chicago Dog, The All-American Dog, The New York Dog, The Chili Cheese Coney) and make for an ideal summer picnic or tailgate pickup.

New Limited Time Offers at SONIC

Beginning in July for a limited time, the SONIC menu will feature a trio of new items custom-made for the summer season:

Wholly Guacamole® Dog – A grilled premium beef hot dog topped with Wholly Guacamole brand guacamole, pepper jack cheese, tomatoes, jalapeños, onion and finished with zesty cheese sauce in a warm, poppy seed bun.

Fritos® Chili Cheese Coney – A grilled premium beef hot dog topped with warm chili, chili cheese Fritos, shredded cheddar cheese, onion and mustard in a warm bun.

Island Breeze Slush – An icy, tropical blend of piña colada slush and real fruit. Available in your choice of strawberry or pineapple.

Our Take:  Hubby tried the Fritos chili cheese coney dog (requested no onions) and loved it.  “The proportion of cheese to chili to dog was great and the chips added a nice crunch to each bite.”  It smelled delicious and my husband said it was really filling combined with the fries and drink meal.  My son and I tried the strawberry Island Breeze Slush and it was GOOD!  My son didn’t get as much of the pina colada slush in his size small, he said it was mostly strawberry and “super good.”  I had a medium size and a great blend of both flavors, plus there were delicious pieces of fruit in mine.  The pina colada made it really tropical and reminded me of an island drink, perfect for summer time!

I tried the Wholly Guacamole dog and found it to be too big of a bite.  In my opinion, I would like it with the cheddar cheese sauce, jalepenos,  and guacamole only.  It would be a nice balance of flavors.  But, the pepper jack, tomatoes, and onion in addition to more cheese, guac, and the peppers are really just too much for one little hotdog, where the dog gets lost in the shuffle.  On the flip-side, all those ingredients on the guac dog may make for a great dip for tortilla chips!

Now it’s your turn to go try them out!

We were sent similar prizing to facilitate this review.

Dessert Recipe: Banana Cream Trifle Cups #KingsHawaiian

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Each of the five of us in our family has a sweet tooth. Okay, we have sweet teeth. We love our sweets, mama loves her chocolate, and we probably take in more than the average daily requirement. Wait, there is no daily requirement?! Well there should be!

We don’t have dessert every night, but when we do the kids look forward to it. They usually ask first thing in the morning, “is today a dessert day?” So they’re whole day is focused around that special treat that needs to satisfy their sweet tooth. I’m working with the King’s Hawaiian brand and I came up with a great dessert recipe to share with all my readers!

I love eating angel food cake. It’s light and airy and has just the right amount of sweetness. King’s Hawaiian sweet rolls are similar in texture, lightness, and sweetness, so I thought I’d make a trifle and substituting King’s Hawaiian for the angel food cake.

Banana Cream Trifle Cups

Makes 8 Cups

8 King’s Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

8 clear 9 oz. plastic cups or glasses

4 bananas

1 3.4 oz. pkg banana cream pudding mix

2 cups milk

1 box mini Nilla Wafers

Cool Whip

–Whisk pudding mix with milk until smooth per box directions. Place in fridge to set.

–Cube each King’s Hawaiian sweet roll into approx. 8 squares. Slice bananas thinly.

–Layer the cup with 4 cubes of King’s Hawaiian, 4 banana slices, 1 tbsp pudding, and 5 mini Nilla wafers. Repeat, but omit the second layer of Nilla Wafers. Dollop a tbsp of Cool Whip and top with 1 mini Nilla Wafer. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

This recipe can be adapted to make strawberry trifles by replacing the fruit and using strawberry yogurt instead of the pudding.  Any way you layer it, it’s quick, it’s easy, it’s scrumptious!

This is one of my new favorite recipes to share with friends and family. What is your favorite dish to share with the family? Comment in the widget below and you’ll be entered to win a $200 Grocery gift card King’s Hawaiian.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Kings Hawaiian. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Sweepstakes Rules.

Cost Plus World Market : Pack for a Beach and Park Picnic

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Right now we’re in two places, home and on the ball field, that’s how the beginning of summer has started for us due to All-Star baseball.  When we’re not in those two places, you can be sure we’ve packed the car and we are on our way to the beach.  At least 2-3 times a month the beach is our second home.  With food for a picnic, our beach chairs, umbrella, and skim and boogie boards we’re set for the day from fog burn-off to sunset!

I’m all for plopping right down into the sand on a towel or blanket, but Cost Plus World Market has these great beach chairs that are comfortable, come in great patterns, and work great for beach, park, or back yard!I love the Parnavi pattern and the color on the chairs, I grabbed an umbrella in a contrasting color to go with them!  The butterfly melamine plates and insulated tumblers work well for picnicking and truly for everyday when you have kids.  Cost Plus World Market is a fun escape from the normal.  When I head there, I feel like I’m getting a taste of so many different cultures as well as having a unique selection of items you won’t find anywhere else.  I love their practical selections but also their toys, jewelry, and clothing make fabulous gifts year-round.

Seasonal sales, kids’ items, cocktail partyware, and their eclectic candy selection put smiles on the faces of the whole family.

One day, I’d love to own a beach house, here’s where I’d start decorating…

Sweepstakes/Promotion

Right now, Cost Plus World Market is offering  the Buy and Fly in store promotion. When you make a $20 or more purchase in the store you will receive a 15% off coupon (look for it on your receipt) for Southwest Airlines to purchase a flight anywhere Southwest Airlines flies!

Bonus, they were offering an additional $10 off each beach chair on the day we shopped (I found out via Twitter)!  Make sure you sign up for discounts, deals, and promotions, via social media and submit your email at checkout, follow on Twitter, @WorldMarket and Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/worldmarket.

This shop has been compensated by Cost Plus World Market, but all my opinions are my own.

New Baby Cargo Strollers Great for Travel

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Baby Cargo is a new line of baby gear that takes its key inspiration from iconic architecture, fashion and interior design. The global creative team behind the Baby Cargo brand is dedicated to bringing parents fresh and relevant designs that break the traditional mold.  Baby Cargo is the perfect fit for parents who want their baby gear to fit into their existing home and lifestyle.

The Lightweight Umbrella Stroller Series is built on a sleek black matte, rust free aluminum frame and incorporates the highest quality of hand selected, soft durable textiles in fashionable and unexpected color ways designed to compliment your home and personal style.

Series 100 Lightweight “Cargo” Stroller

●       Trendsetting color ways: Army/Taffy, Steel/ Sky, Sun/Night

●       Two interior side zipper pockets

●       Tailored “Cargo” back pocket with drawstring detail

●       Perfect second stroller for travel and city moms-on-the-go

●       Weighs 12.4 lbs., 42” tall

●       For 6 months, up to 50 lbs

Series 200 Lightweight Stroller

●       Natural color tones: Ocean/Stone, Smoke/Mirror, Pomegranate/Cherry

●       Large “clutch” pocket with interior magnetic closure

●       Adjustable multi-position back and leg rests

●       Canopy window

●       Weighs 14 lbs., 42” tall

●       For birth and up

Series 300 Lightweight Stroller

●       Natural color on color tones: Blacktop, Eclipse, Simply Taupe

●       Tailored, luxury design

●       Padded seat and guards

●       Large “sleek” elongated back pocket with two pleats

●       Adjustable multi- position back and leg rests

●       15.8 lbs., 42.5” tall

●       Canopy window

Baby Cargo’s Ultra Lightweight Series is made for travel and all designed to weigh under 15 pounds. The 100, 200 and 300 strollers include specially engineered wheels for a smoother ride and a shoulder strap for carrying. They are easy to fold and super compact.  Even though I don’t have a little one anymore, I know my readers do and if you’re traveling this summer, check out Baby Cargo Strollers available at Diapers.com!

Island Inspired Cocktail Recipes

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I have fond memories of our trip to Lana’i back in February.  Sipping cocktails by the pool was one of the most relaxing moments of our vacation.  This summer, whether you are Lanai-bound or just daydreaming about your recent island vacation, why not stir things up with island-inspired cocktails. From fruity to refreshing, Four Seasons Resorts Lanai offers up a collection of breezy and stylish, summer cocktails guaranteed to make a splash at your next fete.  Beverage Manager Jeremy Sidman, who is the mastermind behind the resort’s robust beverage program, recommends his top three favorites to transport you back to paradise…one sip at a time.

Sofia Sangria 

  • 2 oz Sofia Rose
  • .75 oz Combier Liqueur D’orange
  • .5 oz Guava Puree
  • Splash Pineapple Juice and Cranberry Juice
  • 1 wedge each, lemon, lime and orange

Method:  Squeeze fruits and drop into glass. Add juices, puree and liquors to mixing glass with ice. Shake and pour into wine glass. 

Blush 

  • 1 oz Square One Organic Cucumber Vodka
  • .5 oz RealLime Juice
  • .5 oz Simple Syrup
  • 3 oz Patrick Bottex Bugey-Cerdon “La Ceuille” Sparkling Rose

Method: Add lime, simple and vodka to mixing glass with ice. Shake and strain over ice into highball. Top with sparkling rose and stir to combine. 

Garnish: Thin cucumber wheels floating in glass.

 The VeeV Life 

  • 1.5 oz VeeV Acai Spirit
  • .75 oz Aperol Liqueur
  • .5 oz Calamansi Puree
  • 7 -Up

Method: Add puree and liquors to mixing glass with ice. Shake and strain over ice into highball. Top with 7up, stir to combine. 

Garnish: Thin orange wheels floating in glass and thyme sprig. 

For additional recipes like these Island Inspired Cocktail Recipes, be sure to visit Four Seasons Resorts Lanai’s   Facebook page and follow the Aloha Friday Cocktail post. Cheers!

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