Monday, November 1, 2010

E: It’s Shake N’ Bake… & a Giveaway

Hello! I hope you had a fantastic Halloween. After a birthday brunch for my Dad at Charleston’s Cafe:

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I got in some exercise & housework and then got ready for our Halloween/football party. The nice people at Shake N’ Bake supplied Mandi & I with a box of Shake N’ Bake’s new buffalo flavored seasoning mix, football plates, and a stipend to help us put together an awesome party (disclaimer: we received all of these items for free).

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According to the people at Shake N’ Bake, the buffalo flavoring mix is “an easy, two-step snacking solution that turns bland chicken into a spicy, low-fat alternative to Buffalo wings.”  Mandi & I had never made Shake N’ Bake before and we were excited to give it a go. A few action shots (yes, I am a cheese ball ;)):

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And the final product:

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Served with Ranch for dipping:

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This was easy to make! I adjusted the cooking temperatures from what was suggested by the box, but otherwise followed the directions. Since I don’t eat meat, I didn’t sample the goods. However, everyone agreed the chicken was really good- light, but spicy! A great, healthier alternative to wings.

Alongside the chicken, we served up some tasty eats with a Halloween theme.Fruit & Ghost Poop (aka- my cool whip dip. Mix 1 container cool whip with 1 single serving container fruit yogurt):

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Vegetables with Mandi’s fiery witches dip (aka Greek yogurt & light sour cream mixed with a coastal seasoning blend from the Charleston Spice & Tea Exchange):

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Witch’s fingers (I got this idea from a party Janetha went to, pizza dough topped with a little olive oil and spices and a pepperoni “finger nail”. For a vegetarian version- use almonds instead of pepperoni. The fingers were served with marinara):

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And last, but certainly not least, Mandi made up beautiful spider web brownies based on a recipe from Lick the Bowl Good:

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It was a delicious spread:

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We had a great night with our husbands. Aside from eating, we also gave out tons and tons of candy:

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Want to win your own Shake N’ Bake party kit including:

  • A sample of NEW Shake ‘N Bake Crispy Buffalo
  • Football-themed serving plates
  • A tip sheet that includes tips on how to host the perfect football party
  • A $50 American Express gift card to outfit the rest of your party

Leave a comment below by Friday, November 5 at 7:00 AM telling us about your best/favorite Halloween costume. You DO NOT need to have a blog to enter. The winner will be chosen at random.

54 comments:

Heather said...

The first year we started dating Jay went as a Nascar fan. Complete with the beer hat and stonewashed jeans. It was the 1st time most of my friends had met him and it was hilarious!

madeleine said...

SO MANY AWESOME COSTUMES!! But my parent's always say one of their favorites was when I went as a gumball machine. Basically I had a million (it felt like!) colorful balloons pinned to me and then had a gumball machine made out of poster board that I wore. Everything looks delicious! Happy Halloween!

CaSaundraLeigh said...

I knew your party would be loaded with good food--super cute cake too!
I've never tried Shake n Bake either--that buffalo flavor sounds good though! My favorite was probably this year's pirate costumer :-)

brandi said...

How fun! I love that football plate :)

my favorite costume had to be dressing up as Mary Catherine Gallagher from SNL/superstar one year. It was awesome! I got all my clothes from the thrift store and wore my own glasses. It was fun :)

Topher said...

Mine was definitely this year's when I went as a Grumpy the care bear in full effect. THanks for the giveaway.


Chris

zekks at yahoo dot com

Heather @ Get Healthy with Heather said...

I can't really say this is my best halloween costume, but last night I was trying to recall what I dressed up as a kid and can really only remember this one... probabaly because it was pretty rad.

My mom made huge crayon costumes for my entire family (6 of us) on year and we all went as different colors. It was fun :)

I wish I could remember more though!

Mami2jcn said...

My daughter was Snow White this year and she looked so adorable!

mami2jcn at gmail dot com

Bridget said...

You two put on such a great Halloween spread!

Hmm, the best costume I ever had was probably the care bear costume my mom made me when I was like 3 :) It's since been handed down to practically ALL of my cousins. Although I did a pretty good trashy Britney Spears a few years ago ;)

Pining for Pinterest said...

That food looks amazing!! I will have to try some of that Shake N Bake!! Have a great week :)

Mary said...

My favorite is dentist :D

Danielle C. said...

I always had the worst Halloween costumes, though I think I made a good hobo in Kindergarten.

Stephanie @cookinfanatic said...

You two are awesome, what a great spread of party food!
Favorite costume when I was little was when I dressed up as a ballerina... thought I was soooo cool haha :)

Christina said...

lots of great food! my favorite costume (and most annoying to wear) was from 5th grade - i was a bunch of grapes. my mom put me in a purple turtlneck and pants and then pinned a TON of purple balloons all over my body. it was crazy.

Biz said...

Erica - what a fun day! I haven't thought of Shake N Bake for years!

My favorite costume for myself was being a hobo - I dressed like that for six years in a row - my Mom would put Vaseline on my face and coffee grounds on it to make it look like a beard!

When Hannah was 3, I dressed her up like a Christmas tree - with a light up star headband and battery operated lights - she looked so cute!

Veggies, Cake & Cocktails said...

I don't think I've ever made or eaten Shake N' Bake. However, I really want to try the buffalo flavor after seeing it here. I'm going to be on the look out for it in my grocery store.

Ashley said...

My favorite costume was this past Halloween. I went a Jessica from True Blood and my boyfriend went as Eric.

hewella1 at gmail dot com

Suburban prep said...

We went as a green and yellow M&M one year. It was actually to a party when we were first dating.
msgb245 at gmail dot com

Joy said...

My favorite of my costumes was when I went as a panda bear! I was warm and that is always my first priority ;-) yup even as a kid! Last night's toasty bunny was a winner too!

Lauren said...

I love buffalo chicken! I haven't had shake and bake in years, but it was one of my favorites whe ni was a kid.

I don't really "do" Halloween. Yeah, I'm lame.

Janetha @ meals + moves said...

I love all of your fun, festive SPOOKY food! So cute and clever. I also love your fruit dip.. OMG I could just eat it by the spoonful. My favorite halloween costume was my viking one.. but my skeleton one was actually really fun! It was awesome to be scary.

Hope you two have a great week!

Jenna said...

My favorite costume from when I was little was a Blue m&m!

Pound said...

my fav halloween costume? raggedy ann and andy from last year - my twins were 1.5yrs old and it was hilarious!

Corey @ the runners cookie said...

Sadly I've never really had an awesome halloween costume! I don't really get into it anymore. When I was little I used to go with the generic Disney Princess costumes, or just a plain old witch (quite the contrast, I know!) Maybe next year I'll think of something good...

hbobier said...

You look so excited to be making the Shake N’ Bake. So excited. Haha.

And I love your web cake...delish!

Jenny said...

My favorite (prob bc its the only one I could get my bf to do) was Dog the Bounty Hunter and Beth (his wife). I also met a really good version of the Geico gecko that led me to meet a new friend last year which I love.

The Halloween/football spread looks great - that's about the same thing we did this weekend! Luckily, Clemson and orange halloween treats go great together :)

Elaine said...

I was a pink power ranger once.

www.clothedmuch.com

Julie said...

i NEED to win this giveaway. deej would flip a s-ball if we got football themed plates!

hahahaha i know you're shake n bakin in that picture! i love it :) glad the partay went super fun and i love your ghost poop hahahahaha

my best costume was when i was skeeter valentine for my senior halloween party!

Nichola said...

When I was four, my grandmother and I spent a week putting together the best princess costume ever. It is one of my fondest memories.

Angelalovesfood said...

best costume was when I dressed up as a raisin. I stuffed myself in a black trash bag and stuffed it with newspaper, and painted my cereal box to reseble sunmaid raisins. Next time I'm going as a grape!

Britt said...

Happy Birthday to your dad! I haven't had any stellar costumes lately... but I had a killer homemade Rainbow Bright costume when I was in kindergarten!

Stephanie in Suburbia said...

I LOVE this spread, you're amazing! What a fun party!

fittingbackin said...

Great pictures! I'm all for a healthier alternative to wings - yum! Great giveaway!! Favorite halloween costume is probably cheesy... but I love a ladybug. I think there is nothing cuter than a ladybug child or pup. It was one of my first costumes and i'll never forget it! (it and little red riding hood that is - heart!)

Naomi(Onefitfoodie) said...

FUN PARTY!! i am opting out of hte shake and bake giveaway but LOVE what you served! :) so SPOOOOKY

Lauren said...

Awww, Happy Birthday to your adorable dad! :)

Amy's Blah, Blah, Blogging said...

My favorite Halloween costume this year, had to be the middle aged guy in a huge whoopee cushion costume. All the kids were hollering, "Can I sit on you?!?!" He was like, "Uh...no." Hilarious.

Cherloo said...

Favorite costume ever was Jasmine when I was 6 years old still living in Panama!! I looked adorable!!

MizFit said...

OH
EM
GEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Shake and back so so so reminds me of my childhood!!!

I wanna win this.

hmm.
My fave was the year I insisted (I think I was 5?) on dressing as Peter Pan and giving out Peter Pan brand peanut butter sandwiches.

my mom thought I was nuts.
but she made em.
and I passed them out door to door.

see? hence the moniker MISFIT :)

RhodeyGirl said...

What a fun little party!!! Love it!

The Blonde Duck said...

It's shake and bake and I helped!

Quay Po Cooks said...

What great pic of you and your Dad! Now that you mentioned Shake n Bake, I must go look for it in the supermarkets here. wish me luck:D

Melissa @ For the Love of Health said...

great contest!
hmmmm- I would say Snow White. My mom made amazing costumes when I was a kid!

Natalie said...

didn't get around to reading blogs so i'm a day late but your halloween spread sounds and looks delish!

my best costume ever might've been when my husband and i went as the beckhams...except he went as victoria and i went as david! kinda creepy but ppl loved it!

Kerr said...

your spread looks great!

My best halloween costume was a jack in the box when I was little.

Krista said...

I got that Shake n Bake, too! Just the mix, though b/c we have no time to throw a party of any kind. Although it was a tad spicy for the kids, we all loved it!

You 2 put an amazing bunch of eats together. YUM!!!

Beth @ DiningAndDishing said...

I was Ginger spice on year. I painted my own Union Jack dress and Union Jack platform shoes. Complete with a red wig, I was pretty proud of how it all came together!!

Amanda said...

My boyfriend and I went as Bill and Sookie from True Blood last year, I was so comfortable and would definitely do it again!

Mel said...

My hubby and I went as sandy and danny from grease and it was pretty cute! We were the "bad" Sandy and Danny and wore leather. haha

Lori said...

My favorite costume was when my daughter was Pippi Longstocking. We mixed and matched a bunch of things in her closet, sprayed her hair red and I braided it with pipe cleaners in so the braids would stick straight out. Not only was it really cute, it was easy and the only thing we had to buy was some crazy socks and hair dye!

Tina Marie Frawley said...

When I was little, my mom would cut two holes in a white sheet and off we went with the matching pillow case to hold the candy. I never won any prizes or contests...but I could count on a new set of sheets every year!

I did dress Buck (my lab) up as a pirate when he was a puppy. He had a favorite stuffed parrot he would carry around in his mouth...it worked well. I'll have to find a picture.

Kerstin said...

What cute pictures of you two! And such a fun giveaway. I love Halloween and can't just pick one costume so I'll pick a food related one instead - my friend and I went as the Doublemint Twins one year and handed out gum - so fun!

Lindsay said...

I actually didn't dress up for Halloween until a couple years ago. I went as Mary Ann and my boyfriend went as Gilligan. It was so fun!

erica said...

Looks like you had some fabulous foods for halloween. Those finger breadsticks are so much fun.

In elementary school my mum made me the "sister bear" costume from the bersteinbears books. I was completely obsessed.

xo

Nicole Sword said...

That spread looked delicious! My favorite halloween costume was probably from last year. My husband and I dressed up as Jon & Kate plus 8. My hubby wore an Ed Hardy shirt, jeans, spiked his hair, and even made clip-on fake diamond earrings. I wore the Kate wig, a jean skirt w/high heels and a shirt. The best part was that my husband made the 8 kids out of cardboard and attached a string to them so they could hang from my neck. They were basically life sized kids hanging from my neck like a necklace!

allthingsnew said...

My daughter's Halloween costume this year was the best! She wore a shark costume that was made for a dog...can't get better than that...or worse :)

stephanierosenhahn at yahoo dot com