Happy Friday, all!

Whoo – it’s been a busy week! Since having Lincoln I’ve cut way back on freelance work, but when an opportunity arose to partner with one of my very favorite grocery stores, HyVee (with whom I had my first job at the age of 14 – grocery sackers unite!) I jumped at the chance. This week we filmed a few recipe videos featuring pretty much my favorite ingredient ever, which will be released in December. I can’t wait to share the videos, plus some new recipes next month. Here’s a behind the scenes look at filming!

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Since I was out this week I got a taste of what life is like for parents who work away from home. It is no joke! The amount of planning and prep that goes into making sure I had everything Lincoln might need during the day took some serious thought. I nearly needed a clipboard and whistle to get my dang game plan together!

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Linc was in good hands, spending one day with Grammy and the other with my sister-in-law, nephew, and niece. Finn and Lincoln are BFFs. Cute Overload.

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I’m looking forward to spending the day back at home with my boy then hunkering down at home this weekend. We got some freezing sleet and gasp, SNOW, yesterday plus I have a bunch of work to catch up on. A cozy fire and homemade stew (see below!) should help weave in some fun. : )

Wherever you are and whatever you do have a wonderful weekend, and in the meantime please enjoy my favorite finds from around the web in this week’s Friday Favorites!

Click the light blue links to be taken to the original source.

Favorite sip: Apple Cider Champagne Sangria. Apple cider? Check. Champagne? Gotta have it. Sangria? Heck yes! This drink has my name written all over it!

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Favorite cute: Theo & Beau. Ok, Finn and Lincoln are cute together but this little boy and his pup, who take daily naps together in matching positions, are pretty much tearing my heart to shreds. You have got to see these pictures!

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Favorite twist: Whipped Bourbon Bacon Sweet Potatoes. All the things!! Seriously, I don’t think I could ever go back to eating regular mashed potatoes after tasting the lusciousness that is whipped sweet potatoes with bourbon, bacon, and browned butter.

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Favorite cozy: Daube Provençale (French Beef Stew with Red Wine). See “some fun” from above. ; ) Truthfully I hate beef pot roast (ate one too many as a kid,) but beef stew? I am all over that ‘ish. This version looks mouthwatering.

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Favorite cozy: Natasha Sweatshirt. The prop stylist on the video shoot was wearing this adorable sweatshirt this week, and I fell in love. The front is a lightly quilted and kind of shimmery. So cute, and a step up from wearing “just a sweatshirt”.

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Favorite slice: Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie. I emailed my Mom the minute I spied this pie to inform her I’d be bringing it to Thanksgiving this year. Hello – bourbon + chocolate? Yes!

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Favorite side: Cabernet Cranberry and Blueberry Sauce. I loooove the idea of spiking regular cranberry sauce with both cabernet and blueberries. This is a must-try recipe.

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Favorite splurge: Pizza Nachos. Wait ’til you see the drizzly cheese step. Mmm…

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Favorite idea: Work for Hire. I am a firm believer in kids learning how to do chores from the get go – it serves them so well in life. I really like this “work for hire” idea as a way for them to earn money doing tasks that are a bit above and beyond everyday duties.

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Favorite dinner: Black Bean and Butternut Enchilada Skillet. Satisfies my current craving for all things butternut squash, and it’s made in just one skillet. Brilliant!

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Favorite giveaway: Keurig Platinum Brewing System + Lipton Tea K-Cups Giveaway! You guys know how much I love my Keurig – I use it every single day. When Lipton Tea approached me to try some of their new K-Cups, including a rich black tea, smooth green tea, and brew-over -ice sweet tea, plus send over a new Keurig to try them with I said sure, but let’s give the Keurig to a reader. Lipton agreed…then threw in another one for good measure!

Call me crazy, but one of the barriers to drinking tea in the past for me has been the actual tea bag. It’s kind of a drag waiting for it to steep then squeezing it out and throwing it in the trash, inevitably leaving a dribble of tea water on the counter in the process. C’mon, tea! These K-Cups are really delicious, and brew in what, 20 seconds? Love it!

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As I mentioned, Lipton Tea is giving away 2 Keurig Platinum Brewing Systems, each coming with:

  • 1 pack Lipton K-Cups SOOTHE Tea
  • 1 pack Pack Lipton K-Cups INDULGE Tea
  • 1 pack Lipton K-Cups REFRESH Tea

Enter to win a Keurig Platinum Brewing System + Lipton Tea K-Cups prize pack  by using the voting widget below. Click the “+1″ button then click “Enter”. Earn an extra entry by liking the Iowa Girl Eats Official Facebook Page by 11:59pm central time on Tuesday, November 26. Good luck!

*** PLEASE NOTE: the voting widget below may take up to a minute to load and may not work in Internet Explorer. The winner will be chosen randomly via Random.org and will be contacted directly via email. ***

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