Avaline Wine Review

 

Recently I was shopping at my local Target when I came across Avaline wine. What caught my eye was the bottle. It was very simple but elegant. I also liked the little tagline on the front that read "Pairs well with: The warmth of the sun and the company of your best friend."

I decided to do some quick research on it and discovered a couple of things. First off, its organic. Made from organic grapes. It also contains no added sugars or artificial colors. Second, the faces behind this wine are actress Cameron Diaz and founder of beauty brands Versed and Merit, Katherine Power. I decided to purchase a bottle of their Rose' to see what it was all about. 

I really enjoyed it! It is dry with just a slight sweetness without the bitterness. Clean and crisp is how I would describe it. It is perfect for sipping, while nibbling on cheese and fruit. You can join their online wine club or purchase single bottles online. You can also find Avaline at places like Target, Whole Foods and Total Wine & More. I will definitely be checking out some of their other wine varieties in the near future. 

Restaurant Review: Oak Tree Station

This past fall my family moved to Vancouver, Washington. Vancouver is located just north of the Columbia River and the border of Portland Oregon. Literally 7 miles from downtown Portland. So I am excited about all of the new dining destinations I will get to explore as Portland is known for having some great restaurants and I have already found a few gems in Vancouver. For those of you who don't know food trucks are also very popular in the Pacific Northwest. These food trucks offer a variety of delicious and diverse food options, that are affordable. If you have not ventured your way into all that food trucks have to offer don't turn your nose down on them. You can find some gourmet options made from some of the best chefs who have opted to use food trucks to serve up their food because of the convenience and affordability compared to running a restaurant. In Portland specifically there are over 300 food trucks to feast from. While Vancouver hasn't reached its Portland potential, there are quite a few mobile options in the area. I recently visited Oak Tree Station, a food cart park located in Camas, Washington just east of Vancouver. 

With over 20 food carts nestled in a 7000 sq ft park and situated under a 100 year old oak tree, it is the perfect place to enjoy some grub. 

They even have an indoor seating area with communal tables, perfect for escaping the PNW rain that is so common. I snapped just a few of the options available at this food truck destination. 

Everything from sushi , barbecue, sandwiches, Thai, Middle Eastern, vegetarian, Vietnamese, Mexican, seafood, GF and more is available at this park. If you have a hard time deciding, I would opt on going on a Thursday. They call it Tasting Thursdays and the different food trucks offer $5.00 small plates so you can feast from multiple carts. It was not a Thursday when we ventured our way out there so we decided on Vietnamese and seafood for our lunch. 

I enjoyed a Bahn Mi. The bread was perfectly crunchy and the fillings were plentiful and tasty. 

While my mom opted on trying a lobster roll from another cart. It was buttery and they did not skimp on the lobster. 

I am really excited to head back on a Thursday and try some of the other food options.  They are open from 11am daily until close. With different trucks setting their own closing hours. They also have a tap room that closes at 9pm or later. 

Oak Tree Station

5900 NW Friberg Strunk St, Camas, WA 98607

Restaurant Review- (Road Trip Edition) Grassa

 

My family just got back from a road trip up the Pacific Northwest. We are actually planning to move to Washington, and we were checking out different areas in the state. We stopped in Vancouver which is located right above Portland Oregon on the other side of the Columbia River. While there we visited a couple of food stops and found this really great place that makes yummy, handcrafted pasta dishes, Grassa. Grassa actually has four other locations in Oregon, a casual place where you order at the counter. Don't be fooled though, the food here is fresh and delicious. Aside from several pasta dishes to choose from, they also make a few Italian appetizers and crafted cocktails that I unfortunately did not get the opportunity to try. That's okay though I definitely plan on coming back. 

This was the Burrata, fried bread with lemon jelly, pistachios, local cherries, burrata and basil. This was amazing, a perfect shared plate. The creamy burrata was complimented by the tart cherries and sweet lemon jam. 

I ordered the Pork Belly Mac & Cheese and was so glad I did. The mac and cheese was creamy and cheesy and the addition of the barbecued pork belly, jalapenos and corn bread crumbles took it to another level. 

Chris had the Chicken Parm Cannelloni. The cannelloni were stuffed with chicken and topped with a spicy marinara and a whipped ricotta cheese. 

Penelope ordered the Campanelle which contained blistered cherry tomatoes, black olives, olive oil and herbs and a baked feta topped with some pepperoncini's. 

All our pasta dishes were cooked perfectly al dente and did not lack any flavor. I am so ready to go back and try some of the other things on the menu. Who knows, we may just end up in the Vancouver area. Stay tuned...

Grassa 

780 Waterfront Way 

Vancouver, WA 98660

360-360-4687

Taste of Home Special Delivery Subscription Box

 

If you are a foodie and love kitchen related things than you have to check out out Taste of Home's Special Delivery subscription box. This quarterly subscription box delivers curated cooking products and recipes straight to your door. So far I have received two boxes and have been very pleased with the contents of each box. I am going to share my last box with you, the fall box. 

The fall box was filled with 5 kitchen items, a Budget-Friendly Cookbook and a handful of recipe cards. First of all I love the cookbook you receive in each box, it is always a different theme,  but filled with recipes that look delicious and are easy to make. I am a cookbook collector so I love getting a new cookbook to try out some recipes and to display on my shelf. 

The items that were sent in this box were premium gadgets and multi-purpose tools. Like this Kitchen Innovations 3-In-1 Slotted Turner (center). This spatula flips food, has a silicone edge for scraping on one side and a serrated edge on the other that cuts through foods. It is really convenient and well made. 

The Joie Steamer Basket (right) is a collapsible colander that fits easily into your kitchen drawer. It is made of silicone and the perfect size for straining veggies. 

The Zulay Premium Apple Corer (bottom left) not only cores apples, but you can also use on pears, bell peppers, even cupcakes! It is made of sturdy stainless steel and doubles as a pitter and seed remover. This is a tool I was excited about receiving because it is something I would never think of buying but is great to have on hand. 

The Kitchen Innovations Silicone Lid (top left) can be used as a bowl cover, a splatter guard, a saucepan lid and for reheating in the microwave. It has a functional raised handle but takes up little space in your drawer. 

The Honey Dipper & Spreader (center) I thought was so cute. It is s small spoon perfect for dipping, drizzling and spreading honey. Made out of beechwood, it can also be used for glazing and icing. 

The Zulay Parchment Sheets (left) are small parchment squares perfect for baking cookies, wrapping homemade treats and as liners. I have a burger press and these are perfect for separating burgers and making sure they don't stick in the press. 

I love receiving surprises in the mail especially when they are things I will definitely use. You can currently get your first Special Delivery box on sale for only $29.95 plus Free Shipping. You can purchase just one box or sign up for the quarterly subscription where you will receive a box each season. I am currently anticipating my winter box. 

Go check it out!

Temecula Crumbl Cookies Grand Reopening!

 

Have you heard of Crumbl cookies? They are one of the fastest growing cookie companies with over 800 stores all over the United States, and if for some reason they don't have a location where you live...well guess what, they also deliver. So what is so great about Crumbl? The cookies of course! With a weekly rotating menu they have so many delicious creations to try. Their cookies are thick, chewy and baked in store so you get fresh cookies every time. This week's cookie menu includes their Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunk, Guava Cake, Monster, New York Cheesecake, Cookies & Cream Milkshake and Brown Sugar Cinnamon. All served to you in their famous pink box. 

One of my favorite cookie flavors at Crumbl is their Sea Salt Toffee, salty, sweet, chewy with a crunch, it can't be beat. I was bummed when I went by the Temecula location to find out that it was closed but I just found out why. It is under new ownership and preparing to reopen this Friday, September 29. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held when doors open at 8am, and the first 100 people in line will get a FREE Crumbl t-shirt! Plus, there will be music hosted and provided by 102.5 The Vine starting from 10am to 2pm. The celebration will continue on Saturday from 1-4pm with a live DJ and a fun prize wheel where customers can win free Crumbl merch! If you live in the area be sure to stop in and join the festivities and get yourself some tasty cookies! The Temecula Crumbl location is located at 31867 Rancho California Rd. If you are not in the area, no worries! Stop in to your local Crumbl and this weekend and enjoy some cookies too! 

New! Kraft Mayo Buffalo Style Dressing Review

 

As a member of Influenster I recently got to try Kraft's New Mayo Buffalo Style Dressing and let me tell ya, this stuff is really good! It's creamy, zesty, tangy and spicy and makes a really good wrap. 

I tried it on a sun dried tomato wrap filled with turkey, blue cheese crumbles, lettuce and tomato and it was everything. If you have yet to try this new mayo from Kraft I would definitely give it a try. You can find it at your local grocery store. You won't be disappointed! 

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or PR company representing them. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by  anyone.

Mode Chocolate Review

Are you a chocolate lover? If so, then I have something to share with you! It's really tasty chocolate that's healthier for  you. Made without all the extra sugar, all natural ingredients and sweetened with monk fruit. 

Mode Chocolate  is a better option for those with a sweet tooth. These tasty chocolate bars come in both milk and dark chocolate. the dark chocolate option contains only 1g of sugar and is only 3 net carbs while the milk chocolate option contains 4g of sugar and only 4 net carbs. This is just a teeny amount compared to some other popular chocolate bars. I have to admit I was a little worried about whether or not I would like the taste of this chocolate but I did! It is creamy and taste like...well, really good chocolate. They are also about the size of a Hershey's bar so you are getting the same size snack in a better for your version.  Chris is a chocolate fiend so I knew in order to seal the deal with this chocolate I had to get his stamp of approval. His thoughts, that's really good, do you have any more? Unfortunatly I was only sent one bar of each flavor to review however, you can purchase Mode Chocolate bars online in 5, 10 and 20 packs. They even have a subscription option so you never run out of chocolate. If you practice a low carb lifestyle or are looking for healthier options for yummy treats, than give Mode Chocolate a taste! Visit their website for a chance to win a years supply of chocolate! 

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or PR company representing them. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by  anyone.