Tryazon and Just Jan's JAMboree

This weekend, I hosted a Just Jan's Jam JAMboree with Tryazon. My party preparation began with looking over some suggested recipes and then making some modifications based on personal preferences. The best part about Just Jan's Jam is that the fruit spreads are all natural and very versatile. They are somewhat nontraditional flavors, including Kadota Fig and Lemon Curd, which were the fruit spreads I used for the recipes. My first recipe was Just Jan's Signature Meyer Lemon Bars. They were so easy to make and were definitely a crowd favorite! These would be a great bar to take to a spring or summer picnic or barbecue.

Crust: 1/4 lb. unsalted butter (room temp.) 1/4 c. golden brown sugar semi-firmly packed 1 c. all purpose flour Pinch of salt Cream the butter and brown sugar together until light and whipped. Combine the salt with the flour and add to the brown sugar and butter mixture. Press into a floured 8x8 baking pan. Bake the crust at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Allow to cool. In a medium sized bowl, whisk 3/4 jar of Just Jan's Meyer Lemon Curd with 1/4 c of all purpose flour. Once the crust is cool, spread the curd over the top and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar once cool. That's it...and they're sooooo good! Next, I decided to smoke chicken hind quarters to be topped with Just Jan's Kadota Fig Jam. I brined the chicken overnight using the Kikkoman brine recipe on the internet. I rinsed the chicken and threw it on the smoker for 4 1/2 hours.

Once the chicken was 165 degrees internally, I brought it in to be bathed in Just Jan's goodness. I simply emptied the jar into a bowl, heated it in the microwave for 1 minute and slathered it on. It added a delightful sweetness to the smoked chicken. My JAMboree was a huge success. My family and friends did not realize that jam was so versatile. I gave away the samples so everyone could savor the delicious, all-natural flavors of Just Jan's fruit spreads!

Fruity Fun with Vibrant Color: A Sensory Experience with Mr. Sketch Washable Markers

I remember using Mr. Sketch Markers at school as a child. My teacher always used Mr. Sketch Markers as a treat or a reward. I remember thinking the scents were fun, but I loved the colors. My favorite was always the cotton candy scent, that isno longer part of the new Mr. Sketch markers.

Now Mr. Sketch Markers are washable and offer a chisel point for three line widths. My kids ranked their favorites and had so much fun being creative. I love that Mr. Sketch feeds their imagination. They are truly sensory markers, activating fun and creativity through sight and smell! This post was sponsored by Mr. Sketch® as part of a sampling activation for Crowdtap. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.

Convience and Care with Tide PODS

I am a full-time high school English and ESL teacher and a full-time grad, so I am all about any kind of convenience product that is going to save me time. As they say, time is money. Thanks to Tide and Crowdtap, I have found my newest convenience to save me time without skimping on care. Tide PODS are so simple to use; I simply toss in two PODS in my washer, turn on the cold water, and add my sorted laundry. That's it. No measuring, no mess, no fuss. I can walk away knowing my clothes are going to be clean and fresh and I spent virtually no time at all ensuring that.

If you haven't tried TIDE PODS, you really are missing out on a great convenience and great care.