This post was sponsored by Princess Cruises. All opinions and experiences outlined are my own.

My love for traveling to the Caribbean is no secret! I have had the pleasure of cruising with Princess Cruises twice now and our family plans on returning, hopefully with our boys soon now that they know what fun we have when we’re away.

Now is the Time to Travel

Recently my heart was just broken for the people of the Caribbean whom I have come to love and respect, when their very homes were hit with category 3, 4, and 5 hurricanes and tropical storms during the 2017 hurricane season. Did you know that NOW is a perfect time to visit the Caribbean, and a Princess Cruises vacation is a great way to experience and enjoy one of the world’s most popular vacation destinations.

Hurricane Relief

Princess Cruises and its parent company Carnival Corporation are working to provide extensive relief to those affected by Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, and Hurricane Maria as part of Carnival Corporation’s pledge to provide up to $10 million dollars in hurricane relief.

Tourism is critical for Caribbean economies, and cruising is a vital part of tourism’s overall economic impact.

The Caribbean is Open for Travel

The Caribbean expands over one million square miles which means most of the islands were not even in the path of the hurricanes this past August and September. 90% of Caribbean ports are fully open for business – including restaurants, shops, beaches and activities!

Zip line through a gorgeous rain forest in Limon, Costa Rica!

Take a once in a lifetime cruise through the Panama Canal.

I was so mesmerized by this whole trip that I had a lot to say about it! Find out all about my experience getting to touch the ACTUAL locks of the Panama Canal!!

Fall in love with the historical streets of Cartagena, Columbia.

Enjoy a day at sea. Do everything. Or do nothing. Bliss!

Love the Caribbean. Support the Caribbean. Cruise the Caribbean.

Princess Cruises and its parent company Carnival Corporation are working to provide extensive relief to those affected by Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, and Hurricane Maria as part of Carnival Corporation’s pledge to provide up to $10 million dollars in hurricane relief.

One of the best ways to support these relief efforts is through tourism. Unfortunately, there are some misconceptions about travel to the area and the state of the islands, when, in reality, the Caribbean is open for travel. You can also help the relief efforts by making a donation. Princess Cruises Community Foundation will be taking donations until 12/31/17.

Click through to see my recipes inspired by my travels with Princess Cruises.

I had the pleasure of traveling recently with some wonderful colleagues. Here’s what they have to say about cruising the Caribbean:

Sandra from A Dash of Sanity – a recipe post (Pain au Chocolate) and experience recap

Erin from Dinners Dishes and Dessert – a Facebook recap video

Jen from Baked by an Introvert – experience recap

Brenda from A Farmgirl Dabbles – a Facebook recap video

April from Mama Loves Food – a recipe post (Mango Pineapple Salsa) and experience recap

Lynn from 365 Days of Baking and More – a Facebook recap video

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If I am asked to bring a dessert to a gathering I try to bring the most basic, simple dessert that is sure to impress. Most of what I do here is smoke and mirrors. Seriously- you can decorate these cupcakes in 15-20 minutes and it looks like you spent all day. That’s why I picked this recipe from McCormick to share with you today.

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I’ve partnered with McCormick to bring you some colorful and fun recipes. It’s going to be a delicious year! First up is this delicious Mint Iced Chocolate Fudge, a classic recipe that everyone will love. We have white chocolate, dark chocolate, peppermint, and sprinkles going on here- what’s not to love?

There’s something about limited edition desserts that make me go crazy. Like lose-my-mind, I-MUST-HAVE-IT crazy. I remember one time as a newly married woman that I stopped by a fast food drive through to pick up a certain mint milkshake for my husband. I was so excited to surprise him! But the surprise was on me because it was March 18th.

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My husband’s favorite dessert is pie- and can you believe that it’s the one thing in the kitchen that I am intimidated to bake?! It’s true! Oh how I get nervous even thinking about being asked to bake a pie. When I do summon up the courage to bake a pie I almost always reach for store-bought pie dough. Can we still be friends?! Actually there is no shame in that but I’m excited to show you really how quick and simple it is to make your own Homemade Pie Crust at home.

When I received the call asking to be a Crisco Pie Partner I just knew I had to accept. I am ready to challenge myself and get past this silly irrational fear of pie crust! Why is pie crust so intimidating? It is only 4 ingredients. FOR THE LOVE OF PIE we can do this!

Having said there are only 4 ingredients (Crisco, flour, salt, and ice water) I know there are plenty of opinions about the best method for making homemade pie crust. This all shortening Classic Crisco Pie Crust is flaky and flavorful and it comes together quickly. I used butter flavored Crisco for this particular batch.

It’s important to keep everything very cold when preparing a homemade pie crust. I put my Crisco in the freezer for 10 minutes before beginning to make this recipe. It is also helpful to chill your mixer bowl or pastry cutter if you are not using a food processor.

The method is pretty straightforward. After mixing your flour and salt together you want to pulse in your cubed, chilled shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some small pea-sized pieces remaining. Sprinkle half the maximum recommended amount of ice-cold water over the flour mixture and pulse 10-12 times (about 10 seconds if using a mixer, or 20 seconds if using a hand-held pastry blender). Test dough for proper moistness by squeezing a marble-sized ball of dough in your hand. If it holds together firmly, do not add any additional water. If the dough crumbles, add more water by the tablespoonful, until the dough is moist enough to form a smooth ball when pressed together.

After chilling the dough for 30 minutes (or up to 2 days) roll dough on a lightly floured surface about 1 inch larger than your pie pan. Transfer the dough to the pie plate by loosely rolling around your rolling pin. Center the rolling pin over the pie plate, and then unroll, easing the dough into the pie plate.

I told you we can do this. The good news is that if you have a pie emergency you can call the Crisco Pie Hotline for holiday pie baking help! During the harried holiday season when pie baking is at its peak, live pie experts are on-call during extended hours, Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET from November 18 – 27, and 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET from December 16 – 23.  Additionally, recorded tips and tricks can be accessed 24 hours a day.

Speaking of winning you’re going to want to keep scrolling to enter to win an In Katrina’s Kitchen $200 Crisco Prize Pack including a Pie Pop Maker and Breville Personal Pie Maker!

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Classic Crisco Pie Crust

Perfectly flaky and flavorful Homemade Pie Crust recipe made with only 4 ingredients- you can do this!

Ingredients

• For a SINGLE CRUST:
• 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup well-chilled Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening
• 3 to 6 tablespoons ice cold water
• For a DOUBLE CRUST:
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup well-chilledCrisco® All-Vegetable Shortening
• 4 to 8 tablespoons ice cold water
• For a DEEP DISH DOUBLE CRUST:
• 2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup well-chilledCrisco® All-Vegetable Shortening
• 6 to 10 tablespoons ice cold water

Instructions

• BLEND flour and salt in medium mixing bowl.
• CUT chilled shortening into 1/2-inch cubes. Cut in chilled shortening cubes into flour mixture, using a pastry blender, in an up and down chopping motion, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some small pea-sized pieces remaining.
• SPRINKLE half the maximum recommended amount of ice cold water over the flour mixture. Using a fork, stir and draw flour from bottom of bowl to the top, distributing moisture evenly into flour. Press chunks down to bottom of bowl with fork. Add more water by the tablespoon, until dough is moist enough to hold together when pressed together.
• SHAPE dough into a ball for single pie crust. Divide dough in two for double crust or double deep dish crust, one ball slightly larger than the other. Flatten ball(s) into 1/2-inch thick round disk(s).
• ROLL dough (larger ball of dough for double crust pie) from center outward with steady pressure on a lightly floured work surface (or between two sheets of wax or parchment paper) into a circle 2-inches wider than pie plate for the bottom crust. Transfer dough to pie plate by loosely rolling around rolling pin. Center the rolling pin over the pie plate, and then unroll, easing dough into pie plate.
• For a SINGLE pie crust, trim edges of dough leaving a 3/4-inch overhang. Fold edge under. Flute dough as desired. Bake according to specific recipe directions.
• For a DOUBLE pie crust, roll larger disk for bottom crust, trimming edges of dough even with outer edge of pie plate. Fill unbaked pie crust according to recipe directions. Roll out smaller dough disk. Transfer dough carefully onto filled pie. Trim edges of dough leaving a 3/4-inch overhang. Fold top edge under bottom crust. Press edges together to seal and flute as desired. Cut slits in top crust or prick with fork to vent steam. Bake according to specific recipe directions.
• Two Methods for Pre-baking Pie Crusts (Cream Pies):
• Pre-baking without weights: Thoroughly prick bottom and sides of unbaked pie dough with fork (50 times) to prevent it from blistering or rising. Bake crust in lower third of oven, at 425°F, 10-12 minutes or until edges and bottom are golden brown.
• Pre-baking with weights: Thoroughly prick bottom and sides of unbaked pie dough with fork (50 times) to prevent it from blistering or rising. Chill or freeze for 30 minutes. Line pie dough snugly with foil or parchment paper. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes. Remove foil and weights. Reduce oven to 350°F. Bake 5-10 minutes or until edges and bottom are golden brown.

Please use the giveaway entry form and leave a comment on this post to be entered. You will have the opportunity to earn bonus entries after you leave a comment. By entering this giveaway you are agreeing to the Official Rules. This giveaway is a sweepstakes. Open to continental USA residents over age 18. Winner(s) will be chosen by random, announced here, and will be contacted by email. Winner(s) must respond within 48 hours to claim the prize. This prize is sponsored by Crisco. I was compensated for my time; all opinions are 100% my own.

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This Giveaway is CLOSED. A winner has been chosen and the prize(s) have been fulfilled.

Pizza for breakfast. You will get hugs. You will get kisses. You will get to bask in the title Best Mom Ever (for about 10 minutes). It’s Back-to-School in our house and my son is NOT a morning person- he just doesn’t have an appetite for breakfast until a few hours after he wakes up. Enter pizza. Win!

The best part about pizza for breakfast is that most of it can be made the night before. Take about 3 minutes to scramble your eggs in the morning, pile it all on top of your crust, and throw it in the oven for 10 minutes. Win!

Another win? Eggland’s Best eggs. Until I really looked into the nutritional information of EB eggs I just thought they were pretty eggs with a cute red stamp. (They are so much more than eye candy!) And the EB Hard-Cooked and Peeled eggs are amazing. Amazing. Confession: I hate boiling eggs and I’m not good at it. I’m a baker. I break eggs open. That’s what I do. I’ve accepted this. Thankfully I can now rest easy whenever I’m asked to bring the deviled eggs.

For my breakfast pizza, I used leftover (untopped) pizza shells from the night before. I topped one with turkey sausage, hash browned potatoes, cheese, scrambled eggs, and reduced-sodium Alfredo sauce. White pepper gravy would be nice also. For the second I swapped the turkey sausage for grilled peppers and onions. I had intended to add a few scallions as well…but it was morning and I hadn’t had my coffee yet.

Print

Pizza Crust Recipe

The best pizza crust recipe from Test Kitchen

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2 medium size crusts

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups water divided
• 2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast 1 envelope
• Pinch of sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil plus extra for brushing dough
• 4 cups bread flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
• vegetable oil or cooking spray, for oiling bowl
• semolina or cornmeal for dusting baking sheet

Instructions

• Dissolve 1 packet of dry active yeast into ¼ cup warm water with a pinch of sugar until foamy.
• Meanwhile pulse (or mix with paddle attachment in your mixer) flour, salt and remaining 1½ cups water to combine. If using a mixer switch to the dough hook. Add yeast mixture until dough forms a rough ball. Let dough rest in the bowl for 2 minutes.
• Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 5 minutes until a smooth round ball forms.
• Transfer to an oiled bowl, covered with a damp cloth until doubled (1 to 1½ hours).
• Preheat oven to 400 F with your pizza stone in the oven.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 2 pizzas. Using hands stretch your dough to roughly 12 inch pizzas.
• Transfer to a baking stone that has been lightly dusted with cornmeal or semolina. Brush dough lightly with olive oil before topping.
• Add desired toppings or bake dough as is to be used later.
• Reduce heat to 350 F and bake for 10-15 minutes (depending on toppings).

This Giveaway is CLOSED. A winner has been chosen and the prize(s) have been fulfilled.

The fine people at Eggland’s Best put together a really nice package for us to get some friends together and have a Plate Date and they are offering a similar package for one of my readers. One winner will be chosen at random (from all valid entries) to receive an Eggland’s Best Plate Date prize pack which includes the following:

2 Free EB Dozen coupons (Any variety- classic, cage-free, or organic)
1 Free EB Hard Cooked and Peeled variety coupon
4 EB ramekins
1 EB apron
1 EB whisk
1 EB spatula<
1 EB egg timer
1 EB eco bag
1 EB plush egg
Plush egg? Yep. It’s cute. **Adorable kiddo not included**

Congratulations to mrsblocko! Please contact me within 48 hours!

*This is a sponsored post. Egglands Best provided me with a similar package and a gift card to help with other groceries/expenses to host the EB Plate Date. All opinions expressed are my own.

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