Baby Shower for Lucas {and a giveaway!}

Entertaining is in my genes and for my close family and friends, they know how I love creating a huge spread for the various parties I host. When my friend Suzanne announced she was adding on to their family and expecting a boy, I couldn’t have been more thrilled for them! As the days grew closer to her due date, I help co-host a small baby shower for her and was in charge of the shower menu.

I wanted to create a menu that was easy, flavorful and stress free as possible. And because it was fall, a menu highlighting seasonal flavors was a great idea. I thought about it for a few weeks and finally nailed down a menu I felt good about. There would be something for everyone, including the attending guests that were either gluten free and/or vegetarian. It also had to appeal to both adults and kids. So with all that in mind, my menu included the following:

Roasted Vegetable & Italian Sausage Flatbread – I topped a Garlic & Onion Flatbread with roasted bell peppers, red onion, mushrooms, Italian sausage, zesty pizza sauce, and mozzarella cheese.

Chicken, Spinach & Butternut Pasta Bake (GF) – I combined GF pasta with sauteed chicken breast, garlic, spinach and a homemade butternut squash pasta sauce, topped with shredded Italian cheeses.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Cupcakes/Chocolate Pumpkin Cinnamon Cupcakes – I stirred in a bit of pumpkin puree into both the Cinnamon Swirl and Chocolate Swirl Crumb Cake mixes for a seasonal spin.

Some additional dishes on the menu included a Harvest Salad, made with spring mix greens, dried cherries, toasted pecans, chopped veggies and a blackberry orange vinaigrette… GF Snickerdoodle cookies (store bought),,, and a veggie/fruit/cheese/nut platter of fresh broccoli florets, baby carrots, sliced peaches, green grapes, assorted cheeses (harvarti, aged cheddar & white cheddar), nuts (spiced cashews, almonds, pecans), and gluten free crackers.

Overall, it was a great spread and the party was a success! Much of the success was to using these Krusteaz Flatbread Mixes. They are extremely easy to use and fool proof for even those who may hesitate working with yeast. There’s only 4 things needed to make these flatbread and half of them are already perfectly packaged for you. You’ll need the boxed mix, the included packet of yeast, some water and a touch of vegetable oil. After mixing everything up in a bowl, it;’s just a matter of waiting 10 minutes for it to be ready for forming, topping and baking. However these flatbreads are delicious without any toppings as all… and are flavorful as is.

To continue the fun and bringing it home to you, I’m hosting a giveaway of Krusteaz Flatbread Mixes that I used for the menu above. The giveaway includes Krusteaz mixes: Italian Herb Flatbread (1), Whole Wheat Flatbread (1), Garlic & Onion Flatbread (1), plus recipe cards and Krusteaz Kitchen Accessories: a branded apron, kitchen timer and a handy pizza cutter! To get in on the fun, simply comment with your favorite flatbread flavor and topping combo. For more chances to win, follow Krusteaz on the social media platforms and leave a comment for each:
*Follow Krusteaz on Twitter
*Like Krusteaz on Facebook
*Follow Krusteaz on Pinterest
*Follow Krusteaz on Instagram

A winner will be chosen and announced on Friday, October 3rd… so think of those flatbread flavors and topping combos to comment with for your chance to win!

If you’re looking for some delicious inspiration, check out the delicious flatbread recipe ideas from Jen of Hostess with the Mostess with this link to free printables and some Back to School Activities!

Family Friendly Flatbread Tacos
Game Day Turnovers
Thai Chicken Flatbread
Pear & Gorgonzola Flatbread
Grilled BBQ Chicken Flatbread

Made It, Ate It, Loved It – Flatbread Back to School Party

I’m also giving away a sampler of Bacon Jam! The Bacon Jams are a tasty way to enjoy BACON! The Bacon Jams are the perfect addictive blend of savory and sweet. The Bacon Jams come in many unique flavors including All Original, Black Pepper, and Red Chile & Garlic. Our wide variety of flavor profiles ensure the ability to include bacon into any situation breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, and even dessert. The convenient packaging and naturally long shelf life of The Bacon Jams make them great to keep around the house ready to go for your immediate bacon needs. We use quality ingredients and a passion of cooking to make this fantastic product. We know you will love The Bacon Jams! Winner will also be announced on October 3, 2014 so good luck!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.