Scheduling-Do you need it?

Being a blogger, this past holiday season you might have been gifted a brand new DSLR camera or other fancy piece of blogging equipment.  If you did, that's fantastic!!  What about insurance though?  Your new equipment is automatically covered under your homeowner's or renter's policy, but have you heard of Scheduling? 

When my dad bought me a brand new DSLR for my blog a few months ago, the first thing both my parents suggested was to schedule it on the insurance policy.  Insurance has always been a foreign language to me, but both of my parents worked in the industry so they've kinda got the inside scoop.  I called my local Allstate agent to make sure I understood before sharing with y'all.

While your new equipment is covered under your home owners/renters policy if your, lets use camera as an example, is stolen you'll have to pay a deductible before you'll get a check for the camera.  You'll also have to provide receipts to establish the value and its not covered against breakage.  Now I don't know about you but a $500 deductible would seriously eat in to my blog fund.  Also if I happened to, knock on wood, drop the darn thing it wouldn't be covered.  Which it being close to Seven's massive 25 pounds is a serious possibility.

Here's where scheduling saves the day and gives me huge piece of mind.  If you schedule your equipment on your insurance its covered against theft and breakage (ie, if you dropped it).  If either of these things happen, you won't have to pay a deductible in order to get a check to replace your camera.  You also won't have to provide receipts to establish the value of the item because you have to provide those when you schedule it.  So there won't be a huge time gap from when you make a claim to when you get your check to replace your equipment.

Scheduling each piece of equipment will add charges on top of your regular insurance.  For example, my Nikon D7100 and lens is scheduled for about $45 a year.  For me that's a no brainer expense because without that insurance I couldn't afford to replace my fancy camera.  Your scheduling costs will vary depending on the cost of the item you're insuring.

Let me say I'm not an insurance agent, I just have some in the family that give me the inside scoop.  Ask your local insurance agent about scheduling your fancy blogging equipment today.  You'll feel much better after you do!!

Disney On Ice Let's Celebrate at AllState Arena Jan 22nd

Are you a big fan of all things Disney?  We kinda are at my house so I was excited to see an offer to attend Disney On Ice's Let's Celebrate in exchange for some promotion.  Even though I'm not a little girl anymore, I still love Disney movies.  There just isn't anything like them even today.

If you've got a Disney fan at your house, here are all the details about Disney on Ice being in the Chicago area the next two weeks!

Allstate Arena in Rosemont Jan 22 - Jan 26 & United Center in Chicago Jan 29 - Feb 9 

It's one colossal party on ice, with all your favorite Disney friends! Join Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse as they celebrate a Very Merry Unbirthday Party with Alice and the Mad Hatter; Mardi Gras with Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen; a Royal Valentine's Day Ball with the Disney Princesses; a Hawaiian luau with Lilo & Stitch; a winter wonderland with Woody, Jessie and Buzz Lightyear; a Halloween haunt with the Disney Villains and more in a magical medley of holidays, celebrations and festivals from around the globe.  Come join the party when this spectacular ice show visits your hometown!

Parking is FREE in all official arena parking lots. Visit official arena websites for more information.

Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL. Jan 22 - Jan 26, 2014
United Center in Chicago, IL. Jan 29 - Feb 9, 2014

Save 40% on all weekday shows and Save 20% on all weekend shows using code MOM. Get Your Tickets Now- http://www.ticketmaster.com/promo/2q2yrx

Weekday is defined as any show Monday through Thursday or Friday matinee, not including holidays. Discount does not apply to Front Row or VIP seats. No double discounts. Service charges, handling, and facility fees may apply.

*I was provided tickets in exchange for a sponsored post.  All opinions are my own.*

Turducken - A Mythical Meat Makes Celebrations Easy

Being a food blogger, I've had a lot of crazy foods like snails and alligator.  Wait, I had those way before I morphed into a food blogger.  Needless to say I'm not one to shy away from trying something new if its food.  That brings us to today's post!  Turducken, that mythical meat treat, is for some the holy grail of meats.  While I'd heard of Turduckens before and even seen a frozen one, I'd never actually had one.  So when The Original Turducken asked if I'd like one for my holiday celebrations, I didn't hesitate to say yes!

Then I kind of panicked because they asked me to pick one up locally instead of sending me one.  I had no idea where to buy one as I hadn't seen one just sitting out in the meat case before.  Luckily the company was nice enough to track down that the Shop N Save in Des Plaines had Turduckens in stock.  I called to make sure they would save me one.  The manager didn't even know turduckens were real, let alone that his store carried them!!  He actually told me he thought they were a myth.  :)  I had a brief moment of panic when picking it up because once again no one knew what I was talking about.

If you've never heard of Turducken let me tell you a little about it.  A turducken is a turkey that's stuffed with a duck and chicken breasts that are stuffed with stuffing.  That's a lot of stuffing in things for one piece of meat!  Except for the legs and wings on the turkey, each bird is completely deboned so what you're getting is one solid hunk of meat.  So there's a lot less waste with a turducken than your typical Thanksgiving turkey because you aren't wasting all that space with bones. 

Since a turducken is solid, you've got to prep and cook it a little differently.  The Original Turducken site told me it would take about 5 days to defrost my bird (mine actually took about 4).  They also recommended cooking it at the extremely low temperature of 220 degrees for about 10 hours straight.  Only bonus to this slow cooking method is that there is no need to baste your bird. 

Last Sunday I got up at about 7 am to start roasting my turducken.  It's super easy to do because you just need to put it in the pan.  The turducken comes trussed up and pre-spiced, while they recommended covering it for the first 2-4 hours I didn't go that route.  I probably would have if I'd used the regular oven, but I always roast turkeys and chickens in my 1940's Westinghouse electric oven.  This baby is a lifesaver!  I've previously roasted turkeys in it and they've alway come out juicy, gorgeous and no fuss.  For some reason (I am not science minded) birds roasted in this baby never get overly brown like they are apt to do in a regular oven.

After popping my turducken in the roaster, I went back to bed as there was no reason to stay up because at such a low temp I didn't need to baste the bird.  Fast forward about 9 hours later.....that last degree to reach 165 is absolute torture!  I cheated a bit and cranked up the roaster to about 325 to make it go a bit quicker at the end.  I was surprised to see hardly any grease or juices in the bottom of the roasting pan.  I mean there was literally less than half a cup to make gravy with!  I improvised with spices and chicken broth, but this is something to keep in mind when making your turducken.

To go with our fancy turducken I made a simple quinoa and amaranth stuffing with mushrooms and spinach, mashed potatoes, salad and brownies.  Our feast was ready, the family assembled and eager to sample this mythical bird!

Turducken is unlike anything I've had before!  It's like a turkey mostly, but also tastes like bird meatloaf.  There are so many flavors in there from all three birds and the stuffing.  I kept hearing it tastes like liver (I have no idea where that came from) but to me it just tasted like turkey. 

In closing let me say this, if you've ever been squeamish or unsure about roasting a turkey for a holiday meal I'd definitely recommend going with a Turducken.  It's a breeze to cook, I mean what else can you toss in the oven right after opening besides a tray of frozen lasagna or a frozen pizza, and will definitely impress your guests.  From now on Turducken is going to be my go to meal if I'm looking to treat and impress my guests!

Holidays - The Love/Hate Relationship

If you've noticed its been pretty quiet over here at Rosie Discovers, at least on the blog front.  I didn't intend to take a blogging hiatus this holiday season but with the baking, family time and two unexpected deaths it just happened.

But things are getting back to normal I swear!  We're starting tonight with a post about Turducken, that mythical meat treat, which isn't easy to find.  Plus an entire slew of things that are raring to go!

To keep up on all the latest Rosie Discovers happenings plus photos of Rosie and Seven, make sure to follow us on our social media channels: Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!  I'm always sharing what we're up to or what Rosie and Seven have gotten into.

#ShareJoy this Holiday Season with Starbucks

One thing I need in copious amounts during the holiday season is coffee.  I typically spend the 3-4 days leading up to Christmas Eve frantically baking.  This year was no different in that regard, but I had Starbucks new Holiday Blend to keep me going.  While I do love the holidays, they're crazy busy at our house.  We're responsible for the majority of the desserts and cookies at family gatherings, which don't get me wrong is great as you might have noticed that I love to bake.  However, it's hard to schedule everything out when you have one oven and limited fridge space and everything you decided to make that year is something new.  Let's be honest, every year I make new and over the top desserts for the holidays.  :)

Yet to get all this done I need coffee!  Having a cup of coffee forces me to take a break while refueling for more baking.  Starbucks sent me their retooled Holiday Blend coffee to make this all possible.  This year's blend consists of Latin American and Indonesian coffees which give you an herbal and maple-y cup of joe.  Perfect to go with all those cookies and other sweets!  They also sent some super cute holiday mugs to make things more festive around here.  I especially love that they are squat and round because my coffee stays warmer a lot longer.

Not only did this awesome package come right before the holidays, Starbucks also sent along an extra bag for me to share with one lucky reader!  If you need some holiday pick me up after your celebrations, use the rafflecopter form below to enter.  Contest open to 18+ US only.  Leave a comment below letting me know how your family celebrates the holidays!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Essex Inn Chicago Field Trip Package - A Review

Tuesday night I had the opportunity to head downtown for an overnight stay at the Essex Inn and check out their Chicago Field Trip Package!  I've probably never told you, but when I was a teenager living in Louisville I volunteered at the Louisville Science Center for about 6 years.  I did everything from run the gift shop, to giving science demonstrations to training new volunteens.  It was a blast!  So I'm always thrilled to hit up one of the big museums downtown.  This made the offer of a free night at the Essex + Field tickets a no-brainer decision!!

Flash to Tuesday night, Susie caught a stomach bug and couldn't go with me.  The Aunt couldn't go as her yoga teacher was moving (lame excuse) but luckily my new BF was available.  So down to the city we headed.  I didn't leave as early as I'd have liked, but traffic wasn't awful heading down.  The Essex Inn is located at 800 S Michigan Avenue which is just a couple blocks from the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium or across the street from Grant Park.  My package included free parking, which rocked as parking can be an arm and a leg in downtown Chicago.

Checking in was a breeze!  The staff only required a form of ID and a credit card to get my room ready.  The Essex has 15 floors including a rooftop pool if you're so inclined during your stay.  They also have smoking and non-smoking rooms.  Not that I smoke, but I thought all hotels were smoke-free?  So if you're a smoker and visiting the Chicago area, this is the hotel for you.

My room was fairly nice.  Since Susie had planned on going with me, I had a room with two double beds.  I quite like the orange decor, but as you know we're partial to orange.  Also in the room was a working mini-fridge and a safe for your valuables.  I was concerned the room wouldn't be warm with a wall of windows, but it was toasty all night long. 

My bf ended up with a work emergency and had to leave shortly after we got some dinner.  Once again, I was all alone at the Essex.  But that's okay because sometimes you just need to relax and recharge alone.  I woke up to an absolutely gorgeous view of the Field museum!  I'm sure some of y'all saw it on my social media channels.

While breakfast wasn't included with my stay, Brasserie by LM is attached to the hotel and the front desk gave me 15% off my breakfast.  I had some pretty darn good pancakes with blueberries and coffee. 

Then it was time to hit the Field!  The Essex Inn provides morning shuttle service to the museum complex or you can choose to walk the 7 blocks if you're feeling ambitious.  As it's winter and was kinda windy Wednesday morning, I opted for the shuttle.  It was a quick trip and they dropped us off right at the Field's doors. 

As always the Field is a wonderful experience in and of itself.  Seeing Sue is mind-blowing every single time!  For me the Ancient Egyptian exhibit brings back memories of museum lock-ins during my volunteen years.  All the cool kids chose to spend the night in the mummies tomb at the Louisville Science Center.  Not that we did a lot of sleeping during those lock-ins!  I'm kinda sad the museum has since been remodeled and the mummies tomb is no longer something visitors can experience. 

Being so close to the holidays, the Field actually wasn't that crowded and I was able to wander around and take some photos of things that caught my eye.  Then it was back to the Essex to pick up my bag before heading home.  Another cool thing about the Essex is that they'll watch your bags after you've checked out but still want to enjoy the city.

All in all the Essex Inn is in a fantastic location for those wanting a great escape from everyday life.

My Carmex Is Whimsical

There are certain things a woman does not wish to go without.  In winter especially, the cold in Chicagoland is biting and changes rapidly.  So, when we got new carmex moisture plus, I was thrilled!  Finally, a new Carmex that may just solve any appearances of the dreaded chapped lips of winter cold.

Let's be honest, we can't always have perfect lips on our own.   It doesn't help when the ultra fabulous Miss Rosie wants to go outside at this very moment.  So, when you have the opportunity to protect your lips with a swipe of this Carmex, well there are no downsides.

My favorite design in their newest collection is Whimsical.  Fortuitously, I took their quiz and I got whimsical as my design.  I would was glad to see that my style was obvious to others, although I tend to love more bold colors.  Of course, while I love the four styles of their limited edition moisture plus collection, I'd love to see one that reflected my love for Fantasy with an out of this world design and flavor to match!

So, why not try your luck and enter to win your own set of Carmex!  They are giving away a set of their Limited Edition Moisture Plus because when you want to find your favorite lip balm from your purse, let's be honest you carry more one flavor, you want to be able to see it easily for a style that compliments your own!  Now, you can find that lip balm with ease because with a case like these you'll always love it!

This is going to be a flash giveaway!  To enter leave a comment below telling us why you need some Whimsical in your life by 11 pm CMT Thursday December 19th, 2013.  Make sure you leave a way to contact you as I need to submit a winner tonight.  Contest open to 18+ residents of the Continental US.