Ciate Velvet Manicure Giveaway

I am thrilled to announce Slices of Samantha's very first giveaway!! One lucky winner will receive one Ciate Velvet Manicure Kit in the color Mink Cashmere.  I'll just tell you already that I am jealous.  I have been dying to try anything Ciate and have never gotten a chance to.  Instead, I bought this product to give away to one lucky winner. Who ever wins will surely be rocking perfect holiday nails!

This giveaway is now open, so earn all the entries you can!  All entries must be received by December 4th at 12 A.M. CST, and soon after, one random winner will be announced.

Cranberry Sorbet

So for months and months now, my mind has been set on doing an ombre nail tutorial for my next blog post. I was so excited to get this post up on the site, but every time I did my nails and took photographs specifically for my blog, my nails and polish did not cooperate with my vision.  And when I did my nails just because and not for the blog, they came out perfectly. Ugh, I really don't get it!   So after several attempts of creating this ombre nail tutorial post, I have admitted to myself that maybe nail blogging is not my thing.  And along my path to finally moving past my stubbornness in having to do this nail tutorial, I have gained a new-found respect for nail art bloggers.  It really takes a lot to construct a great post about nails!  But because I am stubborn and was set on doing a nail post, I couldn't totally go with out something nail related... check back on Tuesday at 10 A.M. CST to enter Slices of Samantha's first GIVEAWAY!!!  One lucky reader will be receiving a Ciate Velvet Manicure Kit!

So instead of a nail post today, I bring to you a recipe for cranberry sorbet.  For some unknown reason, I thought that cooking and baking with fresh cranberries was extremely difficult.  After using them in a few recipes now, I couldn't have been more wrong.  Give your upcoming holiday dinners a lift with this sweet & tart sorbet.  Enjoy this cranberry sorbet on its own, or create a champagne float by pouring your favorite champagne over a spoonful of sorbet.

Cranberry Sorbet
makes about 2 quarts

Ingredients
12 ounces of fresh cranberries
1 & 3/4 cups of granulated sugar
2 cups of cranberry juice (white cranberry juice works too)
1 cup of water
1/4 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of light corn syrup
2 teaspoons of lime zest

Directions

1.  Combine the cranberries, sugar, juice, water, and salt in a saucepan.  Heat over high heat, and bring the mixture to a boil.  Once the mixture is boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and simmer the mixture until the cranberries have burst open.

2.  Take the saucepan off the heat, and let the mixture cool for 10 minutes.  Then, in batches, puree the mixture in a blender until smooth. Pour the mixture through a fine, mesh strainer and discard of any pulp or seeds that are left over.  Stir in the light corn syrup and the lime zest.

3.  Cover and refrigerate this mixture overnight.

4.  Follow your ice cream maker's instructions for churning the sorbet.  Then freeze until firm, eat, and enjoy!

20 Free Greeting Cards from Walgreens

Holiday season is fast approaching! Get a jump start on your holiday greeting cards this year with Walgreens' current offer.  Like Walgreens' Facebook page here to get your code that can be redeemed for 20 FREE 5x7 Flat Cards.  Use this code, before December 7th, during your online checkout and get them completely free when you select in-store pick-up.  It turns out to be a savings of $16.99!