Marie Callender's Comforts from Home

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Marie Callender's. The opinions and text are all mine.

Being a military family, we can't plant our roots in one place and call it home.  We move every few years and our home becomes wherever the military takes us.  Thankfully, we're able to bring the Comforts from Home where ever we live and the USO helps us do that.

Most American's have probably heard of the USO, but many don't really understand what the organization does for military service members and their families.  Millions of times each year at hundreds of locations around the world, the USO lifts the spirits of America's troops and their families. (from the USO website)

Personally, my family has been able to utilize the services of the USO the most here in Germany.  While my husband has used the USO in several airports across the world and on military bases while deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, it wasn't until we were stationed in Germany that we were able to experience all the USO has to offer as a family.

Twice a week, our local USO located on USAG Bavaria - Grafenwoehr, Germany, USO Grafenwoehr, offers "Dinner for Soldiers", a program that provides a free, home cooked meal to military service members and their families.  My family attends these dinners 3-4 times a month, most weeks actually.  The USO provides us a much-needed break from our busy life by preparing us a meal and giving us a bit of comfort from home.

This week, I wanted to share one of my favorite comforts from home by baking the soldiers & families my Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars!

Over 140 people attended "Dinner for Soldiers" and were able to enjoy a variety of sandwiches including oven-roasted turkey breast and succulent honey ham paired with sharp cheddar cheese. These sandwiches were placed upon fresh-cut bread from the German bakery with various toppings for selection. USO Grafenwoehr volunteers prepared homemade cheesecake and salsa with a variety of chips, topped off with my cookie bars!

A big THANK YOU to the awesome USO volunteers who made the dinner happen!

Not only were single soldiers able to enjoy a home cooked meal, but families and friends did as well.  The USO does an amazing job at providing an inviting, warm place for everyone in the USAG Grafenwoehr community to enjoy.   For our family, home is at the USO.

And as recently as this month, the USO Rome in conjunction with the The Chaplain's Office of the US Army Europe provided my husband and I a once in a lifetime all-expenses paid opportunity to attend a life changing spiritual resiliency pilgrimage throughout Rome and the Vatican.  Without the support of the USO, this opportunity would not have been possible.

To learn more about this USO sponsored journey, read my blog post here!

Want to Support the USO?

Purchase Participating Marie Callender's Products
This fall, Marie Callender's is gearing up to re-launch the Comforts from Home Project by bringing the comforts of home to those who protect America's homes every day: the brave men and women of the U.S. Military.  Additionally, Marie's is teaming up with the USO to support USO Operation Celebration™, a program that shares a bit of home with our troops and helps them celebrate the holidays year round.

Every time you enter a code from specially-marked packages of Marie Callender's meals or desserts, Marie Callender's will make a donation to the USO to support USO Operation Celebration™. Visit Submit a photo on Facebook to learn more about how you can join Marie Callender's in helping to bring a little bit of home sweet home to our U.S. service men and women overseas.

Post a Photo to the Food Network's Facebook Contest Page
Additionally, Marie Calender's wants to know what your comforts from home are.   Submit a photo on Facebook in support of the USO, using hashtag #comfortsfromhome and show us what home means to you.  Is it a tradition? A family activities?  Favorite meal or recipe?  For each photo received, $1.00 will be donated to the USO! Also, your photo could be featured on air for the following shows:

• Kitchen Crashers on DIYNetwork & HGTV - Airing 11/9 and 11/14
• Hello/Goodbye on Travel Channel - Airing 11/10
• Guy's Grocery Games on Food Network & Cooking Channel -- Airing 12/14 and 12/19

Two simple ways you can support the USO and provide people like me the chance to enjoy comforts from home!

Visit www.ComfortsfromHome.com to join Marie Callender's in helping to bring a little bit of home sweet home to our U.S. service men and women overseas.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Marie Callender's. The opinions and text are all mine.

Comments submitted may be displayed on other websites owned by the sponsoring brand.