Weekly Kids Meal Subscription Service To Make Life Easier

Thanks to Yumble for sponsoring this post.

As a busy mom, I’m always looking for things that will help save me time (and my sanity). I recently discovered Yumble, a weekly subscription service that delivers prepared, healthy, and delicious kids meals right to your front door. My family has tried the service for two weeks so far and I wanted to share about it because it’s amazing!

Since I’m towards the end of my pregnancy, and my husband has been working a lot of late nights, I chose to get 24 meals a week to feed my two boys dinner almost every night and give myself lunches and dinners as well. This made each meal $6.99 which I thought was comparable to other meal plans I’ve seen. My favorite part is that the meals are already made and kept in the refrigerator so they just have to be heated up in the microwave which is something my boys (ages 9 and 10) can do for themselves. Plus, no cooking means no dishes! Another great feature of Yumble is that the subscriptions let you skip weeks whenever you want to which is great because you can take a week off if you’ll be out of town or simply know you’ll have more time to cook meals yourself during certain weeks.

Each week Yumble gives you the option to select the meals you want delivered. This is great for picky kids who decide they like something one week and don’t like it the next. I thought there was a good variety of meals and liked that they offered a number of healthier kid-favorites and meals that would introduce them to new foods. Lucas, my vegetable avoider, loved the “veggie tots” not realizing they were made with sweet potatoes and cauliflower! I consider that a win!

My favorite meal was the rotini sprinkled with cheese and paired with green beans. Lucas liked the “yes please, mac & cheese” the best and Jacob liked the pizza stackers and pizza pocket the most (no surprise to me that they chose those meals as their favorites!) Yumble meals are intended for children ages twelve months to twelve years so, since my kids are on the older end of that spectrum,  I worried that there might not be enough food for them but each meal was filling (even as meals for me as an adult).

The only thing I would change is in regards to some of their “cold” lunch meals that contained something that should be heated up in my opinion making them meals that could be enjoyed at home but not put in a lunchbox or eaten on-the-go in the car. For example, one of their meals that I loved snacking on for lunch contained sliced cheese and pepperoni with a side of pretzel sticks with honey mustard dip but then had a side of cooked peas and carrots as well. While I guess the peas and carrots could be eaten cold I thought it was a bit odd and I wish the veggie option would have been something else that could be enjoyed cold like maybe cucumber slices or even a dried fruit like apples.

Overall though, I’m absolutely in love with this kid-friendly food delivery service. It’s convenient for families and much more affordable and healthier than going through the drive-thru on busy evenings. It’s also flexible (with the ability to skip weeks or change the number of meals you receive each week) which is important!

Want to try Yumble yourself? They have given me a discount code so you can get 30% off your first two weeks! Just use the code ‘MakingTimeForMommy30’ on their site.

Tips For Hosting A Simple Last-Minute Football Party

This post is sponsored by Tyson Foods, Inc, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Football season is a great excuse to get together with friends and family. When it comes to party time I like to pick simple foods and decor that will let me enjoy the company and the football game instead of being stuck in the kitchen for hours. I thought I’d share some of my tips for hosting simple football watch parties that can be put together at the last-minute.

First, and most importantly, let’s chat food because no party is complete without it. I am all about quick snack and meal options and this is especially necessary when trying to put together a last-minute gathering. Plus, easy food choices mean I can spend more time watching the football game and cheering on my favorite teams!

Simple snacks, like popcorn, chips, and pretzels, can easily be placed in bowls nearby where everyone will be watching the game. Another favorite of football fans everywhere- chicken wings- are an easy option when you choose “heat and serve” ones like Tyson® Any’tizers® Buffalo Style Bone-In Chicken Wings and serve them with celery sticks, ranch, and blue cheese dressing. Not only is this a simple option for the host, but finger foods like chicken wings are easy to eat while watching the game (just don’t forget the napkins!) For dessert, I love serving cookies or brownies in the shape of footballs. A little white icing for laces and it’s a quick themed treat!

When it comes to decorations I keep things simple by buying football themed tableware that I pair with my large variety of football themed decor I keep out from August through February. I also love decorating with my team colors (Chicago blue and orange all the way!!) Having football themed party supplies on hand means that you will be ready to entertain guests whenever the opportunity arises.

Another tip I have for hosting a simple football get-together is to have something for the non-fans to do. Personally, I can’t imagine anyone NOT liking football but I know those people exist lol. Adults who aren’t interested in the game will probably just enjoy chatting with each other but setting out some simple games and crafts for the kiddos is always appreciated. The simplest football craft that can be made with materials on hand are stuffed paper bag footballs. Children can draw two large football shapes on paper bags and then staple the edges together, leaving a small opening to stuff the inside of the football with crumpled newspaper before stapling it closed.

What tips do you have for hosting a last-minute football party? I’d love to hear so chat with me on social media- Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Burger Bar Party Ideas

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MakeYourSummer #MADEFORDOERS #CollectiveBias This post contains affiliate links.

One of the best things about summer is all the grilled food, from burgers to kabobs to corn on the cob. I love celebrating special events with barbeques so I thought it would be fun to put together a burger bar with all my family’s favorite burger toppings. It was a great way to spend a summer evening!

Putting the burger bar together was easy. I headed to Kroger and got pre-shaped burger patties from the meat department, buns, and all the burger toppings that I needed and we didn’t already have. I also bought New Kleenex® Wet Wipes Gentle Clean and VIVA® Vantage® Big Roll Paper Towels for all the messes that were sure to happen (because can anyone eat a burger with all the fixings and NOT have everything fall out the bottom of their bun and drip all over their hand?!)


Burger Bar Toppings

The fixings I included were:

  • Cheeses (Cheddar, Provolone, and Colby jack)
  • Bacon
  • Onion
  • Tomato
  • Lettuce
  • Pickles
  • Pineapple
  • Coleslaw
  • Creamy Mushroom Sauce
  • Guacamole
  • Dressing (I used Caesar but Blue Cheese & Ranch Dressings would be perfect as well)
  • BBQ Sauce
  • Steak Sauce
  • Fresh Tomato Salsa
  • Ketchup
  • Mustard
  • Mayonnaise

Other toppings you could add include onion straws, chipotle mayo, hot sauce, fried green tomatoes, hummus, and more. Maybe even take a poll to see what your guests love on their burgers. That way you can have all their favorites out.

Personally, one of my favorite things is creamy mushroom sauce that a restaurant near me serves on their burgers. It is SO GOOD! I tried to recreate it for my burger bar and, while it’s not exactly the same as the restaurant’s, I thought it was pretty delicious! I love sauteed mushrooms on my steaks and burgers but this sauce is much creamier and more flavorful.

To make the creamy mushroom sauce you need the following:

  • 1/4 cup of Heavy Cream
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons of Worcestershire
  • 1 tablespoon of Garlic
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons of Butter
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • 1 pound of Mushrooms

To make:

  • Heat butter and garlic on medium heat until garlic is translucent
  • Add mushrooms, Worcestershire and cream (in a pinch, if you don’t have cream because SOMEBODY forgot to buy it at the store {wink-wink}, you can use milk with a little flour to thicken it)
  • Stir everything together and cover for about five minutes, stirring occasionally

This creamy mushroom sauce is best served warm which is why it’s the last thing I added to the table before everyone ate.

And remember when I suggested you buy wet wipes from the store? This is why. I always end up with this deliciousness smothered all over my hand after I’ve eaten (and picked up the stray pieces of mushrooms that fell from my burger!)

Thankfully I had grabbed everything I needed at Kroger. I found the Kleenex Wet Wipes in the facial tissues aisle next to boxes of Kleenex tissues and the VIVA® Vantage Paper Towels on the top shelf in the paper towel aisle.

Setting up the burger bar is almost as fun as watching everyone try to eat the messy burgers lol. The Kleenex Wet Wipes are perfect for the messy hands and faces of adults. I like that they don’t contain any harsh chemicals and they come in small packs so I can easily keep them in my kitchen drawer and purse.

I love burger bars because they are a pretty easy party idea that requires minimal fuss once the party has started so you can enjoy more time with family and friends. Plus, clean up is a breeze when you have the right tools!

Once I picked everything up from the table I just used the VIVA® paper towels to wipe up the drips and spills from the cute checkered picnic tablecloth I had used. One swipe was all it took for the paper towel to pick up drips of sauce, salsa and more! BBQ messes are no match for VIVA®.

Do you love to have barbeques in the summer? If so, have you ever put together a burger bar?

Burger Bar Party IdeasVisit the Social Hub for more unique grilling inspiration and also to enter the #MakeYourSummer Sweepstakes for a chance to win a Kroger gift card or a NASCAR experience!

No Purchase Necessary. The #MakeYourSummer #Sweepstakes begins on June 11, 2018 at 12:00:00 AM ET and ends on July 23, 2018 at 11:59:59 PM ET. There are multiple Entry Periods during the Sweepstakes. Legal residents of the 50 US/DC only, 18+. Void where prohibited. By participating, you agree to the Official Rules at https://makeyoursummerrules.pgtb.me/MRsDsl. All shared entries should include: #MakeYourSummer #Sweepstakes. Ends 7/23/18. See rules at https://makeyoursummerrules.pgtb.me/MRsDsl.

12 Things I Want To Do More Of With My Kids In 2018

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of On-Cor. The opinions and text are all mine.

You may have noticed that I didn’t make a New Year’s Resolution post this year. Usually I have a long list of goals that I want to work on throughout the year but this year I decided to keep it simple and really focus on what was important. In years past I had a laundry list of things like “read 10 books” and “save money” and that was great and all (and still things I’d love to do) but this year I have only two things I’m going to focus on- self-care and more family time. For the later, I brainstormed things I wanted to do more of with my kids in 2018 so I thought I’d share them. Obviously, “more family time” is really broad but I figured I’d come up with 12 ideas- one for each month of the year- of what I want to do more of with my boys.

I want to eat dinner together more often. 

We used to eat dinner together every night but it doesn’t happen as often as I’d like it to anymore between sports schedules and work schedules. I’ve found that making easy meals, like On-Cor Frozen meals, is the best way to make this happen because they are ready in just minutes. I’ve stocked up on some of our microwave favorites and hearty entrées, like the Macaroni & Cheese, Penne Pasta & Meatballs with Tomato Sauce and the “Selects” Lasagna with Meat Sauce, so I’m always ready for “one of those” nights I’m too busy to cook.

I want to travel more as a family.

This past year we didn’t go nearly as many places as I would have liked to so I hope to travel more in 2018. Traveling with my family and introducing them to new places is one of my favorite things to do! Hopefully we will visit a handful of places here in the Midwest and take at least one or two longer vacations.

I want to have more family game nights.

We used to have game night pretty much every Friday so I’d love to get back to that now that the holidays are over. We got a number of new games as well so there are plenty to play. Whether we sit in front of the cozy fireplace or play on our back porch in the warmer months, game time is a great way to start the weekend off right.

I want to bake more with my kids.

Lucas baked cookies with Daddy on New Year’s Eve and it made him so happy! Though baking can be very messy I think that it’s something that is worth the mess. (Plus warm cookies out of the oven are one of the best things ever.) I have a new cookbook with kid-friendly recipes that I can’t wait to make with my kids.

I want to spend time together exploring local towns.

When the boys were younger we’d visit a new local place weekly and it was so fun to discover all the things there were to do that were just a short drive away. From going on paddleboats to visiting the zoo to hiking to a hidden waterfall, spending the day together exploring local towns is a fun way to spend the day together (and it’s much more enjoyable than spending the day cleaning!)

I want to spend more time doing puzzles together.

I love puzzles and the boys do as well. We have a big table in our tv room now that’s perfect for puzzles so I hope to always have a puzzle out that we can work on here and there.

I want to go on more family walks.

Walking around with no destination in mind is a nice way to spend an afternoon. Whether we are walking slowly down a bike path on a warm, sunny afternoon or exploring the streets of a little Michigan town on a cold, snowy day, it’s nice to just spend time together walking around and seeing what we find.

I want to spend more time crafting together.

In 2018 I hope to make a lot more crafts together. From decorations to gifts, there is so much that we can make ourselves and I think it would be fun to create things with them.

I want to spend more time playing with my boys, especially when they are playing outside.

Whether it’s playing tag or tossing around a football, I hope to participate in whatever my boys are playing instead of just sitting and watching them play.

I want to spend more time camping.

I’ve camped since I was a little girl and last summer I really came to realize all the amazing benefits of camping. There’s just something about being in nature, away from most of our technology, that creates the perfect atmosphere for quality family time making great memories together.

I want to read more books together.

When the boys were little we read books every day but now that they are older we don’t read together as much. I want to find some good chapter books and read them together, a chapter at a time.

I want to spend more time together talking (and truly listening).

My boys are getting older and I’m realizing that soon enough they are going to prefer talking to friends over their mom. I really want to practice being a better listener, even when they are telling me hour long stories about stuff they’ve watched on YouTube.

There are so many ways to connect as a family and I’m looking forward to a year of rediscovering all of the fun things we have done in the past. What is your favorite thing to do with your family?

If you are busy, but still want to make meal time together a priority this year like I do, you’ll want to check out On-Cor’s line of entrées. On-Cor is just a freezer away for an always easy, always satisfying and always ready solution for “one of those nights.” Their frozen, fully-cooked meals are conveniently packaged and ready to heat and serve so you can spend more time making memories and less time in the kitchen. The multi-serve entrée products feature popular flavors and varieties including Macaroni & Cheese, made with 100% real cheese, which is one of our favorites.

For your next family meal, head to the freezer aisle of Jewel (or check out the store locator at www.on-cor.com) to pick up one of On-Cor’s entrées. You’ll also want to enter the giveaway because it includes a coupon for a free On-Cor entrée!

I’d love to hear what things you love to do with your family and what New Year’s Resolutions you have in the comments below.

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of On-Cor. The opinions and text are all mine.

 

30 Things You Can Do With 30 Minutes Of “Me” Time

This is a sponsored post but all thoughts are my own.

When I started this blog back in 2008, one of it’s main purposes was to give me a creative outlet and a way to make time for myself. I had just become a mom and spent my days alone with my baby so I needed someone to talk to and my blog connected me with other moms, something I so desperately was looking for. Over the years my blog has turned into something more so I started looking for other ways to make time for myself.

Since I’m now a busy mom with two school-aged boys and a business that keeps me busy, my time is limited. Usually my “me” time is confined to 15 minute or half hour time frames. Because of this, I’ve had to come up with a list of things I can do in short periods of time and I wanted to share a month’s worth of those ideas with you all because I know all moms can use a break right about now.

30 things you can do with 30 minutes of “me” time

1) Take a nap

2) Read a magazine

3) Watch your favorite TV show

4) Take a bath

5) Go for a bike ride

6) Paint your nails

7) Write in a journal

8) Walk the aisles of your favorite store

9) Take an uninterrupted shower

10) Call a friend and talk

11) Plan your goals for next year

12) Start a new hobby

13) Dance around to your favorite music

14) Give yourself a facial

15) Color in an adult coloring book

16) Do absolutely nothing….

17) Go for a walk outside

18) Watch the sunrise or sunset

19) Look at pictures and make a photo book

20) Do a quick DIY project (like this one)

21) Work on a puzzle

22) Meditate

23) Read a couple chapters of a book

24) Write a letter or email to a loved one

25) Plant an herb garden or pot of indoor flowers

26) Start planning your next vacation

27) Exercise

28) Watch cute cat videos on YouTube

29) Listen to music

30) Enjoy a delicious snack

Speaking of delicious snacks… Greek Gods Seriously Indulgent yogurt will make you feel like you are enjoying dessert! Made with whole milk and cream, this thick and creamy treat is the best Greek yogurt I’ve ever had. It comes in flavors like tart cherry, lemon and raspberry ginger.

You can find Greek Gods Seriously Indulgent yogurt, in the new 5.3 oz. single serving size, at Walmart. For a limited time save some money with Ibotta! Get $1.50 back on your purchase of 1 Seriously Indulgent Yogurt cup, essentially making this product free. You can redeem up to 2x on the same receipt. There’s also a VUDU movie offer. When you buy 2 yogurt cups you get a $3 movie credit. Just validate your Walmart receipt by uploading it here or texting it to [email protected]. With these two great offers you can try two Seriously Indulgent Yogurt cups for $3, get your $3 back, and then get an addition $3 VUDU credit.

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Greek Gods – Seriously Indulgent Giveaway

What’s your favorite thing to do during your “me” time?

10 Things I’d Rather Do Than Cook Dinner And Wash The Dishes (Giveaway)


Disclosure: This post is sponsored by On-Cor but all thoughts are my own. #CountOnCor #OvenTimeTips

Something you all have probably figured out about me by now is that I’m a fan of easy dinners. I do not like to spend hours in the kitchen and I would literally rather be doing almost anything else than cooking and washing dishes. Because of this, our menu stays pretty simple unless Sinisa is in charge of dinner (so blessed to find a man who actually enjoys cooking). He makes a lot of great meals but they are generally meat & potatoes and I’m more of a pasta girl.

One thing I love that we don’t have often is lasagna. It’s one of my favorite meals but it’s also one of the most time consuming meals that I know how to make. From cooking the noodles to layering the pan full of yumminess, it’s a lot of work! Unfortunately, my busy schedule (and avoidance of cooking complex meals) keeps me from making lasagna as often as I’d like to enjoy it. Thankfully though, there’s a solution and it’s easy – On-Cor’s Lasagna with Meat Sauce. On-Cor does the prep work, so I don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen making dinner! This frozen, fully-cooked multi-serve entrée is conveniently packaged and ready to heat and serve which makes it possible for me to enjoy my favorite meal. I just heat it up in the oven, add a side of fresh salad and breadsticks and dinner is on the table with little fuss. It doesn’t get any easier than that. (Plus, as a bonus, you don’t end up spending your evening scrubbing a pan full of baked on cheese!)

Less time in the kitchen means more time doing other things I enjoy. Here are some of the things I’d rather do than cook complicated dinners and wash dishes…

Cuddle with my kids on the couch – Let’s face it…eventually my boys are going to be “too cool” for mom cuddles and, at 8 and 9, I fear that time will be here sooner rather than later. So if they want to cuddle I am going to drop what I’m doing and cuddle with them. It’s one of my very favorite things to do!

Work on a DIY project or craft – I enjoy working on crafty projects (like this football themed wreath I made) but they can be really time consuming. Making something while dinner cooks in the oven lets me easily multi-task!

Help my boys study for their spelling test – Notice I didn’t say “homework” because I’m helpless when it comes to math…. but I actually enjoy quizzing them to prepare for their spelling tests.

Take some “me time” to read a book – I love to read and have a stack of books just waiting to be read. I’d much rather lose myself in a good romance novel or get some good tips from a parenting book than stand around in my kitchen.

Catch up on that tv series I’ve been watching – I’m a bit of a tv junkie and my DVR is full of shows to watch. I’d love to catch up on the family friendly shows in my queue- like the super hero show my boys and I are enjoying together.

Work on a puzzle together – The boys and I love putting puzzles together. We usually have one out that we work on throughout the week whenever we have a spare minute or two. We could get a lot done while waiting for dinner to cook!

Beat the next level on my smartphone game – I’m not a huge gamer but I do enjoy a good strategy game. When I find one I like, I tend to want to play it often, especially when I am trying to beat a tough level. Spending a few minutes extra doing this in between folding towels is a fun way to spend time.

Read a book to my kids – Since I don’t get much time to read any books for myself, children’s books will have to do! I like to read to my boys and listen to them read to me. They also have to read for 20 minutes each evening as part of their homework so we can do so while dinner is cooking.

Play a game – My family enjoys playing games together and we try to do so every weekend but sometimes life gets in the way and we have to skip a game night. Having 30 or so extra minutes to play a game mid-week is a great stress reliever for me and fun family bonding time for all of us!

Catch up on work so I can go to bed at a decent hour – I love working from home but the downside is that my work seems never-ending. There is always something else I could be doing- whether it’s a post that needs to be written or an email that I need to respond to. Catching up on work while there’s still daylight means that I can go to bed before the clock is telling me it’s the next day already.

What would you do with the time you saved in the kitchen? Would you enjoy a bit of “me” time or spend some extra time with your kids? 

For your next family meal, head to the freezer aisle of Jewel-Osco or check out the store locator at www.on-cor.com to pick up one of On-Cor’s entrées. There are a number of popular flavors and varieties available, like Macaroni & Cheese, Gravy & 6 Salisbury Steaks, and Penne Pasta & Meatballs with Tomato Sauce – all reasonably priced and made with no added MSG- so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time doing other things!

GIVEAWAY! On-Cor is giving away a fun prize package for one lucky winner that includes a coupon for the On-Cor product of your choice along with a bunch of other goodies. Enter to win in the form below. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tips For Easy Snacking On The Go

This post was sponsored by Nabisco as part of an Integrated Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

 

Our family seems to always be on the go. From guitar lessons to gymnastics to baseball games, I sometimes feel like I spend more time in my car than I do at my house. Because of this, we often end up grabbing snacks as we are running out the door. Over the years I’ve discovered ways to make snacking on the go easier for our busy family so I wanted to share those tips with you all!

The most important thing, in my opinion, is to have a variety of snacks for kids to pick from. Some of our favorites are cheddar crackers, grapes, string cheese, raisins, and sliced red peppers. Recently I discovered a new snack called TEDDY SOFT BAKED Filled Snacks that are a hit as well. Kids love them because of their cute teddy bear shape, cookie like taste and soft cake like texture and moms can feel good about giving their kids them because they contain no high fructose corn syrup, no artificial flavors and no artificial colors.

Another tip is to keep snacks in a place where kids can reach them. Having snacks within reach makes it easy for kids to help get ready to leave so it’s not all on mom or dad’s shoulders. While I’m grabbing my purse, phone and sunglasses, the kids are grabbing a snack and water bottle. It might seem like a small thing but it’s one less task I have to remember to do before I head out the door.

I also always keep a stash of shelf-stable snacks in the car or my purse. Having snacks with us means we are ready for a last minute trip to the park or sports practice. They are also great for days when running errands takes a bit longer than I planned. (Mom tip: keep soft snacks stored in a plastic container to avoid them becoming squished at the bottom of your purse.)

How do you make snacking on the go easier? I’d love to hear your tips!

You can find TEDDY SOFT BAKED Filled Snacks in the cracker/cookie aisle at your local Walmart. As a bonus, enter to win Walmart gift cards in the Nabisco Snacktime Sweepstakes below. (Please note: I-C will randomly select 14 winners from all program entries and will facilitate fulfillment of the winning prizes.) Good luck!

Nabisco Snacktime Sweepstakes

The Best Meal Delivery Service In The Chicago Area

Thanks to Chef Inside the Box for sponsoring this post.

As a busy mom, dinner is one of my least favorite tasks. I am lucky because Sinisa enjoys cooking and is really good at it so he often used to make dinner when he’d come home from work. It was perfect because it was one last thing I had to do but, nowadays, that arrival home time has become later and later and I just can’t justify having the boys eat at 9pm every day so it’s back on my to-do list.

When I think about it, I really dislike having to make dinner mainly because it comes right during one of the craziest times of day for us. I often find myself trying to finish up my work day and trying to help the kids get ready to leave for sports while trying to get dinner on the table. Sure I can make meals in the slow cooker but that requires that I think about dinner in the morning and that doesn’t really happen. I don’t usually think about what’s for dinner until it’s actually time to eat and by then using the slow cooker is no longer an option.

Another thing I need? Something easy. As much as I love the thought of making a fancy meal for my family, complicated meals with a lot of steps to follow just aren’t for me. This is sadly why I’m not a huge fan of traditional meal delivery services. Yes, the ingredients are portioned out and ready to go but I still have to spend thirty minutes or so in the kitchen following a recipe.

Then I discovered Chef Inside the Box, a Chicagoland meal delivery service that not only takes the hassle out of planning and grocery shopping, but also handles the tough prep and cook so you can just heat and enjoy! Most Chef Inside meals contain a few extra servings you can eat for lunch the next day so you are saving time there as well. Even better though? All this extra prep they do doesn’t mean it costs extra. In fact, from what I’ve seen, their cost per serving ($6.95) is less than the other services and shipping is free!

Let’s talk meal options. They currently have a small selection but they just started less than a month ago so I’m sure more will be available soon. Right now they only have seven meal options but they don’t require a subscription or commitment so you could just use them during your busiest weeks until the menu grows. They have 10-minute express meals which you only have to heat up in the microwave and then combine (no fresh meal could be simpler!) or regular meals which are ready in about 20 minutes.

Each time you order you are required to pick four meals so I chose two regular meals (Braised Beef Fettuccini & Slow Cooked Turkey Risotto) and two express meals (Seared Bourbon and Sweet Onion Chicken & Seared Prime Rib Stroganoff). All of the meals were delicious! The risotto dish was my favorite and the boys loved the stroganoff the best. I felt the portions were large and each meal fed two adults and two kids along with providing at least three or four more servings for lunches or leftover night.

Overall, I love this service because it’s cheap and makes meal time so easy. With Chef Inside the Box, I no longer dread making dinner! You can learn more about this Chicagoland meal delivery service here.

Best meal delivery service

 

Delicious Chinese From The Freezer

This post was sponsored by Tai Pei and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

I am always on the lookout for ways to make my life easier so I was really excited to go to Chicago last week for a fun blogger event with Tai Pei. The invite said we’d learn some life hacks along with getting the chance to try some of the meal options from their new line of Asian inspired frozen entrees.

Before the event started we had a chance to chat with other bloggers. It was nice to catch up with those who I hadn’t seen in a while and to meet some new people. Every time I think I know all of the Chicago area bloggers I go to events like this and discover I don’t.

We also had a chance to play a homemade game with ping pong balls and empty Tai Pei containers. I love finding new uses for things and thought this was a great game that my boys probably would have enjoyed as well (and I’m sure they could probably have done a better job at getting those balls into the containers, too!)

After a while it was time to eat and I learned we would be sampling three flavors- General Tso’s Spicy Chicken, Beef & Broccoli and Chicken Chow Mein. I like Chinese food but don’t eat it often since takeout tends to be expensive so I was very interested in trying these because I hoped they would be a great replacement. I was pleasantly surprised that they tasted just as good as delivery!

All entrees are made with real, quality ingredients and tasted freshly made. The rice is also flavor-infused so each bite is full of flavor. Speaking of flavor, I liked that the General Tso’s Spicy Chicken had a bit of a kick to it but wasn’t too spicy that my kids wouldn’t be able to eat it. Nothing worse than serving dinner and hearing “it’s too spicy” and having the kiddos refuse to it. I don’t think that will happen with these meals!

Thankfully I left the event with a couple coupons because I headed right to the store and bought a bunch of them. These are perfect for the days I’m busy working (from home in my pajamas- let’s keep it real here lol) and look up to realize that it’s 2pm and I haven’t had lunch yet. I’ve actually made Tai Pei meals the past couple days and am loving how easy they are. I just heat them up for 4-5 minutes and then eat them right out of the container, which means no dirty dishes to wash.

Want to try Tei Pei single serve Asian inspired frozen entrees for yourself? Get a coupon here!

Simplify Meal Preparation With Cooking Kits From Revolution Foods

Thanks to Revolution Foods for sponsoring this post.

When it comes to simplifying life, one of the biggest areas I try to simplify is meal time. I look for recipes that don’t need a lot of ingredients and things that are easy and quick to make. I’ve discovered that if I try to get fancy with mealtime I typically end up running out of time to make the meal and then claiming it’s “breakfast for dinner night” or going through the drive-thru because that’s all we have time for.

A lot of time, simple and easy to prepare also means “not the healthiest” but Revolution Foods challenges that with their line of convenient, healthy solutions for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The dinner meals contain over 40g of whole grains and have no artificial colors or flavors. The culinary flavors help expand kid’s palates and the flavors are a hit among parents and kids alike.

Best of all, these meals are a great solution for busy families because they’ll help you serve a hot, healthy meal in 30 minutes. The speed-scratch cooking kits come in four flavors (Sesame Garlic, Coconut Curry, Smoky Tomato and Fiesta Taco) and contain everything you’ll need to make the meal- just add a protein! The cookbook style cooking instructions are inside the box flap and are easy to follow. Three steps and you’re a dinner hero. First, cook the grain blend. Second, sauté your protein. Once thoroughly cooked, add a punch of flavor with the Hero sauce packet and chef crafted spice blend, Third, spoon into four bowls and serve with a side of your favorite veggies.

The first kit we tried was the Smoky Tomato flavor that we added sausage to. I’m going to be honest- my boys aren’t huge fans of quinoa so I wasn’t sure what they would think of the brown rice and red quinoa blend that was a big part of this meal. Surprisingly though, they liked it. (At one point Lucas was even scooping it into his mouth!) The flavor was great as well. It wasn’t too spicy for the kids but it was flavorful enough that the adults didn’t have to add any seasonings to it. These meals are definitely a hit and something I’m going to keep in my pantry for busy days.

Find Revolution Foods’ Dinner Hero speed-scratch cooking kits near the boxed mac and cheese at your local Jewel-Osco store. Which flavor would you try first?

 

Diet Food That Actually Tastes Good {And Is Delivered Right To You!}

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post but all thoughts are my own.

Years ago a friend was giving away some diet food she didn’t like and I excitedly took it off her hands. I remember taking a couple bites of the first meal and thinking that it was literally one of the worst things I had ever tasted. It was dry and bland and I wondered why anyone would torture themselves with food like that. If that was “diet food” then I wanted nothing to do with it.

Then, this year, I tried Personal Trainer Food and was surprised to find that diet food could actually taste great. Personal Trainer Food is a diet delivery service providing pre-portioned, nutrient-packed frozen meals straight to your door! The food is protein-packed, filled with good carbs, healthy fats and no fillers! You can choose the delivery plan that fits your goals and lifestyle best. From REV! for rapid weight loss to the 14-day 2 meals/day program that gives you the flexibility to make your own breakfasts and some lunches and dinners.

I love that Personal Trainer Food makes life easier. Since the meals are delivered right to my home it saves me time and money at the grocery store. Also, because everything is pre-portioned and stored in the freezer, meal time is simple. It’s as easy as picking out a protein and a veggie, heating them in the microwave according to the time on the packages and dumping them on to a plate.

Best of all though? The food tastes good so you’ll actually want to eat it! There are over 75 restaurant quality menu items which means you have an almost endless variety of meal options. For breakfast I enjoyed the frittata and omelets with maple sausage. My favorite protein items were the meatballs, bacon & cheese chicken sticks and all of the chicken options. Personal Trainer Food even makes vegetables delicious with their line of sauces you can add to them like my favorite, garlic butter sauce.

If you are looking for an easy way to eat healthier, I highly recommend Personal Trainer Food. Now through Friday, 6/9, save 20% Off Any Meal Program + 28 Free Snacks using the code ’20SNACKS’. Learn more about Personal Trainer Food and order here.

How Busy Families Can Make Dinner Time Count

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #KidfreshFavorites #CollectiveBias

One of my favorite traditions from my childhood was sitting down to a family dinner every evening. We’d talk about our day as we ate a meal together. This was always a tradition that I knew I wanted to continue when I grew up but I’ve discovered as a parent that it’s a hard tradition to keep. Between sports, school commitments, work schedules and everything else, finding the time to make dinner and sit down as a family every evening is tough!

The best way I’ve discovered to make this tradition happen for our busy family is to stick to simple meals. With easy meals I spend less time in the kitchen and more time with my kids. My favorite meals are ones that I can just heat up and that’s why I love Kidfresh frozen meals for the boys. They are so convenient and perfect for our busy evenings because they are ready in just minutes! It’s a relief to know that I can still provide my family with quality meals, even when I’m short on time.

Not only are they quick to make, but they are meals that I feel good about giving my boys because they are from a credible brand I trust. Created with the help of a top chef and a pediatric nutritionist, Kidfresh meals are consistent with USDA dietary guidelines for all children and they offer the best in kids nutrition. Kidfresh meals contain no artificial flavors or ingredients and are full of nutrients that growing kids need. They also are full of veggies. Each Kidfresh meal is made with up to ½ cup of hidden vegetables so even the pickiest of kids (like my youngest!) will eat their veggies.

Kidfresh at Kroger

We found our Kidfresh meals and sides at Kroger in the freezer cases near the other single serve dinners. For a limited time at Kroger and Kroger family of stores you can save at least 15% off the everyday retail price at Kroger!

There were a variety of Kidfresh choices available including: Wagon Wheels Mac + Cheese, Spaghetti Loops + Meat Sauce, Muy Cheesy Quesadillas, Super Duper Chicken Nuggets, Mighty Meaty Chicken Meatballs, Fun-Tastic Fish Sticks, Totally Rockin’ Tots and SuperBlastin’ Bites. My boys love all of the Kidfresh meals they’ve tasted so far, especially the Wagon Wheels Mac + Cheese and Mighty Meaty Chicken Meatballs.

To keep the conversation going while the boys are enjoying their Kidfresh meals, and to avoid the typical answers of “fine” and “okay” when asked about their day, I created a conversation starters bucket to keep on the kitchen table. I wrote down about 50 questions on craft sticks that would require more than a “yes” or “no” answer and would hopefully start a conversation.

The questions ranged from silly (“if you could stay up all night, what would you do?) to personal (“what is something you like about yourself?”) and from simple (“what is your favorite book?”) to complicated (“describe your dream home”). The best part is that, as the boys get older, the questions can be changed and new questions can be added so they remain relevant to our family.

I then put them all in a small bucket that I decorated with washi tape and letter stickers that spelled out “family”.

I love how it turned out and am excited to use it for years to come.

How do you make your family dinners count?

Take The OREO Cookies Dunk Challenge

Official rules can be found here: bit.ly/OREOSweepsRules

 

Our family loves OREO cookies so I always make sure to have a package or two in the pantry. It’s one of the only cookies that everyone in our family likes but what is funny is that we all eat them differently. Lucas loves to twist the cookie into two and lick off the white cream filling while Jacob likes to take bites of the cookie so he gets a bit of the cream filling and the chocolate cookie in his mouth together. I love to crumble mine up into pieces as a topping for chocolate pudding so I can slowly enjoy the chocolate treat while Sinisa sticks the whole cookie in his mouth and eats it in one bite.

It’s also fun to dunk our OREO cookies in milk! There are dozens of ways to dunk OREO cookies, including OREO Cookie’s tried-and-true dunking techniques – the Twist & Dunk, the Double Dunk, and the Plunge. Personally, I like to break mine in half before dunking it. Sinisa and the boys prefer to use a larger glass and dunk the cookie in one fell swipe.

OREO cookies wants to see how everyone dunks their cookies and are asking people to visit Walmart to pickup OREO cookies and then post their dunking technique with #OREODunkSweepstakes on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Those that do will be entered to win! 40,000 lucky finalists will have a chance to win one (1) of  five (5) VIP Grand Prize trips to a Celebrity Dunking Event in NYC or Los Angeles, plus $2,000! Learn more here.

 How do you dunk your OREO cookies?

 

Get A Taste of the Mediterranean At Home

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post but all thoughts are my own.

As a busy mom, I am always on the lookout for easy meals. Typically this means we are stuck with quick pasta dishes and chicken, but I’ve recently discovered a new line that lets me add a little bit of Mediterranean flavor into our menu rotation. Wild Garden’s ‘Taste of the Mediterranean’ line features three all natural ten-minute Marinades and three 90-second heat and serve Pilafs.

The Marinades come in three flavors- Shawarma, Turkish and Persian. I love that all of the spices are mixed together and come in a convenient pouch. Just dump, mix with meat and let sit for 10 minutes and then the meat is ready for the grill, skillet or oven. The meat can then be enjoyed as kebabs, put in pita bread as wrap ingredients or used to top your favorite rice.

The Wild Garden website has some recipes and we loosely followed one for wraps. We used the Shawarma marinade to flavor steak and then put them on flatbread with tomatoes, onions and feta cheese. I topped mine with Tzatziki sauce and Sinisa enjoyed his wraps with hummus. We are looking forward to trying the Turkish marinade to make kebabs, one of Sinisa’s favorite foods.

The pilafs are the perfect dinner starter or side for an entree. They come in three varieties- Rice & Lentil, Bulgur and Couscous. These products are sure to become a family pantry favorite because they are so easy to heat in their pouches. I really loved the rice and lentil one. Not only was the flavor great but I like that it has caramelized onions mixed in.

Do you make Mediterranean dishes at home? Which is your favorite?

Easy Lunch Idea For Busy Moms

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #LeanCuisine #CollectiveBias

Now that the holidays are over it’s time to get back to my regular schedule. I spend my days working online, my afternoons and early evenings wearing my “mom” hat and driving the kids to their various activities, and my late evenings doing even more work. In the past I’ve been so busy that I worked right through lunch and that is something that I’ve really been working hard to stop doing. There is no reason that I can’t take thirty minutes out of my day to relax and eat something and it’s taken a conscious effort to take that break every day. (With a blog name like Making Time For Mommy you’d think it would be easier for me, right?!)

If you are as busy as I am, you are probably a fan of quick lunch options. Personally, I tend to gravitate towards frozen meals because they are the easiest to make and I can multitask while they are cooking. I can stick them in the microwave, go throw in a load of laundry and in minutes I have a hot lunch that’s ready to eat.

My favorite frozen meals are Lean Cuisine ones. I love that they have always had such a great variety of meals, whether I’m in the mood for a meat filled dish or craving pasta. They are full of flavor and always taste freshly made. I like that Lean Cuisine offers product options that are non-GMO, gluten-free, and high in protein. Some options are even made with organic ingredients (like the LEAN CUISINE® Marketplace Vermont White Cheddar Mac & Cheese that’s made with organic pasta).

While the Lean Cuisine meals are perfect on their own, I sometimes will make a side dish as well. Some days it’s a salad or fresh fruit, but I also like to make a quick veggie sauté on days I have a bit more time. My zucchini and squash sauté is the perfect side for the Vermont White Cheddar Mac & Cheese.

The best part about this veggie sauté is that it’s super simple and easy to make. I’m not a huge vegetable eater but I’m working on eating more fruits and vegetables and this is a great way to do it. I always make sure to have some zucchini and squash in the fridge because I make this dish at least a couple times a week for lunches and dinners.

Ingredients:

  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 yellow squash
  • 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon of crushed garlic
  • Seasonings to taste (I tend to use pepper, onion powder, season salt and a chicken seasoning mix)

Directions

Slice your zucchini and yellow squash into pieces about 1/2-1 inch thick. (For faster cooking time you can cut the pieces in half lengthwise also to make them smaller.) Add the oil to your pan or pot and let it heat up on the stovetop. Once hot, add your zucchini and squash and then sprinkle on the garlic and seasonings. sauté the vegetables on low to medium heat, stirring often.

Continue cooking your vegetables, stirring every couple minutes, until your zucchini and squash pieces are cooked all the way through. You’ll know they are done when you can easily stick a fork through them.

These vegetables are perfect with the Lean Cuisine white cheddar mac & cheese. The vegetables are savory and a bit crunchy which pair well with the creamy mac & cheese.

My other favorite meal is the LEAN CUISINE® Marketplace Butternut Squash Ravioli that I was excited to discover a few years back. It reminds me of Thanksgiving each time I eat it! When I was at Target this weekend I found that all the Lean Cuisine meals are on sale for only $1.99 (through 1/31) so it’s the perfect time to stock up on them. With their variety of flavorful meals you could try something new every day for weeks.

 What is your favorite lunch to enjoy on busy days?

A Healthier Lunch {Found In The Freezer}

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MyWayToVeg #CollectiveBias

I’ve recently written about my journey to get healthier, from exercising more to drinking more water to making better food choices. I’m working on becoming a healthier version of myself. One thing that I’ve been trying to do is making sure that I eat lunch every day. I used to skip lunch because I was so busy working but I’ve been making a conscious effort to stop and take a moment for myself to eat.

My days may be busy but I’ve found healthier options available at my local Jewel grocery store- MorningStar Farms® Veggie Bowls.

Found in the freezer section, they are a convenient option for lunch because they are easy to heat and eat as-is when I’m in a hurry, which is pretty much every day during this holiday season! I like to take a bit of time out of my day to enjoy a nice hot meal and just sit and relax. Being able to get my veggies in while doing so- nothing is better than that!

These Veggie Bowls are not only for vegetarians—they are for anyone who wants a quick meal with lots of flavor. Their CHIK’N POT PIE Veggie Bowls are filled with 100% vegan chik’n strips and lots of vegetables. They even come with a biscuit! I also liked the Italian Sausage Bake Veggie Bowl, made with Veggie Sausage Crumbles™, that I tried.

To make lunches even better I decorated a special lunch tray for myself. I’m including instructions in case you want to put one together for yourself!

Materials needed:

  • Unfinished wooden tray
  • Paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Stickers (I used foil stickers)

To make:

Paint your wooden tray in any color you’d like. I kept it simple by painting it white.

Once you let the tray dry (I let mine dry overnight) it’s time to decorate it.

I used beautiful gold foil stickers to add some shine to the corners of my tray.

Do you take a break from your busy day to enjoy a hot lunch? If so, have you tried these new Veggie Bowls?

One Pot Italian Dinner

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Barilla® and Johnsonville®. The opinions and text are all mine.

During the fall I love finding easy, hearty dishes for my family. Sinisa recently made this delicious, one pot Italian meal and I just had to share it with you all. Not only is it fantastic because you only use one pot to cook everything, but it’s affordable, too!

Ingredients:

  • 12 oz.  of Barilla Blue Box Penne Pasta, uncooked
  • 3 Johnsonville Mild Italian Sausage Links
  • 1 can of crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup of cream
  • 1/2 an onion, roughly chopped
  • 3 cups of broth (chicken or vegetable)
  • 12 oz. of mushrooms (optional)
  • Seasoning to taste (we used parsley, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning)
  • Cooking oil

Directions:

Get a medium to large sized pot and add enough cooking oil to coat the bottom of the pot.

Cut the Johnsonville Mild Italian Sausage Links into bite size pieces.

Add your onions and sausage to the pot and cook them until meat is thoroughly cooked.

Add crushed tomatoes and broth to the pan.

Then add mushrooms, Barilla Pasta and seasonings.

 Pour cream over the top and then stir well.

Simmer on the stove top for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Your whole family will love this meal and you will love how easy it is on your wallet, costing less than 10 dollars. And cleanup is a snap.

You can find all of the ingredients you need for this meal at your local Kroger store, including the Johnsonville Mild Italian Sausage Links and Barilla Blue Box Pasta.

Pasta dishes are some of my favorite dinners to make, and I always have Barilla Blue Box Pasta, Italy’s #1 brand of pasta, stocked in my pantry. Pasta is perfect for busy nights and those last-minute dinner guests that come over before you can get to the grocery store! There are so many varieties of pasta dishes that you can make and you can personalize the dishes to your family’s likes and dislikes.

When we add meat to our pasta we often choose Johnsonville Mild Italian Sausage Links. They don’t require any additional seasonings which makes them convenient and flavorful additions to any pasta dish. We usually add them to our spaghetti, but Sinisa also likes to put the sausage in some soups he makes as well.

 What are your favorite pasta dishes to make in the fall?


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Hawaiian Pork Sliders

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Smithfield® Marinated Pork. The opinions and text are all mine.

With the nights getting even busier as the school year continues, I’m trying to add more easy recipes to my menu plan. I normally make meals in the crock pot that cook while I work. But sometimes I don’t start thinking about dinner until after I’ve picked the kids up from school, and by then it’s too late to throw something in the slow cooker. Thankfully I’ve discovered the best recipe for nights like that- Hawaiian Pork Sliders!

These sliders can be made with less than 15 minutes of prep time which make them perfect for dinner on busy school nights. They are also a great lunch recipe because you can whip them up quickly before sitting down to watch the football game on Sunday afternoon with your friends and family. I also like that any leftovers can be enjoyed the next day for lunch either as a sandwich or even recreated into Hawaiian Pork Fried Rice. Since I’m really focusing on making sure that I don’t skip lunch it’s always great to have some leftovers in the fridge, and pork is such a versatile ingredient.

To make the sliders I used Smithfield Marinated Sweet Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin. The pork comes already marinated so it didn’t need any additional flavoring or spices added to it which makes busy nights easier. This also helps keep the ingredient list for this recipe low. All you need to create these delicious sliders are four ingredients!

RECIPE

Makes about 8 sandwiches.

Ingredients:

  • Smithfield Marinated Sweet Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin
  • Can of pineapple slices
  • Bottle of honey barbecue sauce
  • Small round rolls

Directions:

Take the pork tenderloin out of the package and slice it into ½ inch thick slices. Lay the slices out onto a foil covered pan and cook the pork in the oven for 30 minutes at 450 degrees F.

While the meat is cooking you can sauté the pineapple in a sauce pan. Start with a hot pan and cook the pineapple slices for one minute on each side.

Once the pineapple and pork are cooked you are ready to assemble your sandwich. Cut a roll in half and on the bottom piece set a couple pieces of pork, a pineapple slice and a drizzle of barbecue sauce, then top with the other half of the roll.

Hope your family enjoys these sweet Hawaiian Pork Sliders!

You can find Smithfield Marinated Fresh Pork products at your local Kroger store in the refrigerated cases of the meat department.

Smithfield Marinated Fresh Pork is made from 100% fresh pork and is packed with protein. Their products are available in Loin Filets, Sirloin, or Tenderloin cuts and a variety of flavors including:

  • Smithfield Roasted Garlic & Herb
  • Smithfield Roasted Garlic & Cracked Black Pepper
  • Smithfield Sweet Teriyaki
  • Smithfield Southwest Style Peppercorn
  • Smithfield Slow Smoked Mesquite

While at the store, we also bought the Smithfield Marinated Roasted Garlic and Herb Pork Tenderloin. I’ll be putting that in the slow cooker tomorrow with some potatoes and carrots so we can come home from sports practice to a hot, home cooked meal.

Need more meal ideas? Visit Smithfield for recipes you can make on busy school nights. Their #RealFlavorRealFast recipe index has a bunch of great ideas including Veggie-Stuffed Pork Loin with Creamy Mustard Sauce and Filet Mignon Pork with Buttery Mushrooms. Those sound delicious and are perfect for busy nights because both can be made in 30 minutes or less. They look so fancy, though, and your family will think you slaved all afternoon in the kitchen! Instead, use that time saved to play a new game with your kids, curl up on the couch with a good book or go out to lunch with your friends. You deserve it, Mom!

What Real Fast recipe do you want to try first?

@SmithfieldBrand

Mini Pumpkin Cake Bites

I’ve been seeing lots of pictures in my Facebook feed of all my friends at the pumpkin patch with their kids and I can’t wait to go pick pumpkins with my boys this year. I thought it would be fun to make some pumpkin mini cakes to celebrate this wonderful time of year (and the fact that fall temps are coming to Chicago this week)!

Ingredients

  • Box Cake Mix (any flavor) and ingredients needed to make the cake
  • Frosting (any flavor)
  • Tootsie Rolls
  • Orange Colored Chocolate Candy Melts

Directions

  • Make your cake mix according to the directions on the box and let cool.
  • Crumble cake mix into a large bowl.
  • Add in one can of frosting and stir together.
  • Form into teaspoon size balls and place on a wax paper covered cookie sheet.
  • Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
  • In a separate bowl, melt candy melts according to the package.
  • Using a fork, dip cake balls into the melted chocolate and place on a cookie sheet.
  • Cut a tootsie roll in half and place on top of the cake ball in the middle.

I chose to use a Funfetti cake mix with Halloween sprinkles for my cake bites but you can make them with any cake mix you’d like. I think a pumpkin flavored cake mix would be fantastic in this recipe.

Candy Corn Haystacks

Butterscotch haystacks are one of my favorite cookies and one I make often because they are so easy to make. These no-bake cookies only need a few ingredients and, while the inclusion of noodles in this cookie may make you question them, they really taste delicious! They are also versatile. I first shared the recipe for them on my blog in 2010 as a Christmas treat idea. Then this past March made them into nests topped with PEEPS for an Easter treat. Now I’m transforming them into the perfect fall treat by adding a Halloween candy staple to them.

Makes 15-20 haystack cookies.

Ingredients

  • 1 package of butterscotch morsels
  • ½ cup smooth peanut butter
  • 1½ packages (18 ounces) crispy chow mein noodles
  • Candy corn

Directions

Melt butterscotch morsels in a microwave-safe bowl in microwave for 30 seconds on high power, then stir. Continue melting for 10-second intervals, stirring after each one, until smooth.

Stir peanut butter into melted butterscotch and thoroughly combine.

Place crispy chow mein noodles into a large bowl and add butterscotch/peanut butter mixture. Combine until all noodles are coated.

Drop a tablespoon of chow mein mixture onto a baking sheet lined with wax paper and repeat with the remaining mixture.

Top each haystack with a few candy corn.

Refrigerate until the haystacks harden, about 30–60 minutes and store in an airtight container or plastic bag.

It’s amazing how the crispy, kind of salty flavor of the chow mein noodles mix with the butterscotch and peanut butter flavors to form one sweet Halloween treat. Hope you all enjoy them!

Mummy Pretzel Sticks

Looking for a super easy snack for Halloween parties? These Mummy Pretzel Sticks take less than 10 minutes to make and can be a fun afternoon activity for children to help with. Kids (and adults!) will love these spooky treats.

Recipe yields 15-20 Mummy Pretzel Sticks

Ingredients

  • Pretzel rods
  • Package of white chocolate candy melts
  • Candy eyes or black icing (found by the sprinkles)
  • White icing (optional)

Melt the white chocolate candy melts according to the directions on the package

Dip the pretzel rods in the white chocolate and lay them on wax paper

Use the icing to pipe zigzag lines across the white chocolate

Add two eyes to each “mummy” using either the candy eyes or dots of black icing

Aren’t these fun?! What’s your favorite Halloween treat?

 

3 Fun Snack Mixes For Kids

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MixMatchMunch #CollectiveBias

I shared last month about the fall harvest snack mix I made that was a big hit with my kids. I wanted to share three more snack mixes that I made, all with flavors that bring back memories. I made an “apple pie” snack mix, “pb&j” snack mix and “banana split” snack mix.

The best part is that all of the snack mixes are super easy to make. You simply take the ingredients and put them in a bowl or plastic bag and then stir or shake them up together to mix them.

They can be packed in lunch boxes, enjoyed as an after school snack or eaten on the go as you head to scouts or sports practice.

The first one I made was a PB&J snack mix. This snack mix is made with only three ingredients and tastes just like a peanut butter and strawberry jelly sandwich.

INGREDIENTS:

  • Pretzel Goldfish® Crackers
  • Dried Strawberries
  • Peanut Butter Morsels

The next one I made tasted just like one of my favorite desserts- apple pie! Again, this mix was made using only three ingredients (with an option of adding more cinnamon flavoring if you’d like).

INGREDIENTS:

  • Baked with Whole Grain Honey Grahams Goldfish Crackers
  • Dried Apple Slices
  • Cinnamon Apple Cereal
  • Sprinkle of Cinnamon (optional)

The last snack mix I made for my boys was their favorite and understandably so! I made them a banana split snack mix complete with chocolate and marshmallows. I win mom of the year over here!

INGREDIENTS:

  • Vanilla Cupcake Grahams Goldfish Crackers
  • Dried Strawberry Slices
  • Banana Chips
  • Mini Marshmallows
  • Chocolate Chips
All three of my snack mixes were made using our favorite cracker brand, Goldfish crackers! I never realized that there were so many varieties to choose from. Since we use Goldfish crackers often for lunches and snacks I chose to buy two of the large variety boxes when I was at Walmart. Luke’s favorites are the Cheddar flavor and the Vanilla Cupcake flavor and Jake loves the Flavor Blasted® Xtreme Pizza and Flavor Blasted® Xtra Cheddar flavors.
Of course, each snack mix was paired with fresh fruit from the produce department. I chose to pair the PB&J snack mix with strawberries, the Apple Pie snack mix with apples, and the Banana Split snack mix with bananas. It’s always nice to enjoy fresh fruit as a snack!

If your family enjoys Goldfish crackers as much as mine does you will want to stock up on Goldfish snacks at Walmart because the bulk boxes are currently on rollback for $5.98 a box. There is also an additional deal in store where you can save $1.00 on any ONE (1) Bolthouse Farms® 10 oz. Baby Carrots or Bolthouse Farms(® 11 oz. juice when you buy any ONE (1) Pepperidge Farm® Goldfish® crackers 30 oz. or larger.

What snack mix would you make with Goldfish crackers?

Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad On A Pita

This post was made possible by iConnect and Litehouse Foods. I was compensated for my participation in this campaign, but all opinions are 100% mine. #SoldinCold

 

Lunch has always been a meal that I tend to skip because I’m so busy working that I forget to eat. I’ve started making “eat lunch” an appointment on my calendar to remind myself to take a break and eat something. Since I only have about 15 minutes or so to eat I try to make things that are easy and quick. Today I chose to make myself a chicken bacon ranch salad wrap for lunch and it was so delicious I had to share it with you all!

Ingredients:

To make:
  • Slice your chicken, onion, tomato and pepper
  • Layer your veggies, bacon and chicken on your pita
  • Sprinkle cheese on top
  • Drizzle with Litehouse dressing 

This lunch was filling and delicious. I love Litehouse’s Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing but had never had any of their ranch dressings before. I love this one flavored with avocados and real bacon. They also have Homestyle Ranch and Jalapeno Ranch flavored dressings. You can find Litehouse products in the refrigerated produce section of your local supermarket.

What is your favorite lunch recipe? I’d love for you to share in the comments below since I can always use more ideas!

Autumn Snack Mix For Happy Snacking

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MixMatchMunch #CollectiveBias

In preparation for back-to-school I decided to come up with some new after school snack ideas. I wanted to make something that we could easily bring with us to afternoon sports and activities. Since Lucas loves Goldfish® crackers so much I wanted to incorporate them into a snack mix and, with fall around the corner, I thought it would be fun to make a fall harvest themed one.

I used two varieties of Goldfish crackers- the Mix (which includes Xtra Cheddar and Pretzel Goldfish crackers) and the Original Cheddar flavor.

Along with Goldfish crackers I included a handful of other items that reminded me of fall. Since apple picking is a favorite Autumn activity I added some dried apples into the mix, along with raisins and dried cranberries. For a sweet touch, I also added in orange, yellow, red and brown chocolate candies and a bit of sprinkles in little leaf shapes. To add an extra crunch I included some plain popcorn in the mix.

To make the snack mix just add each ingredient to your bowl and then stir it together!

Lucas loved the mix I had created and I love that I found a fun snack that he and Jacob can enjoy all year long. There is nothing better than seeing my kids smile with joy over something I’ve created for them!

Another simple snack the kids enjoy is Goldfish crackers paired with fresh fruit. Their favorites are grapes and strawberries and personally I like to pair mine with apple slices. It’s such a simple snack the whole family can enjoy.

Bulk boxes of Goldfish crackers are on rollback now for $5.98 at Walmart! I love that I can buy them in bulk because they are a staple in our house! You can also save $1.00 on any ONE (1) Bolthouse Farms® 10 oz. Baby Carrots or Bolthouse Farms(® 11 oz. juice when you buy any ONE (1) Pepperidge Farm® Goldfish® crackers 30 oz. or larger.

Which Goldfish crackers variety is your favorite?

Easy Dinner Solution & Kid’s Placemat Craft

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FindingDelicious #CollectiveBias

Dinner time is usually rushed during the busy sports seasons of spring and fall so I need to find delicious options that are quick and easy to make. Soup is something both of my boys will eat and something Jacob really loves. My favorite soup brand is Campbell’s because it reminds me of my childhood, and the boys were really excited to see Dory, and her friend Nemo, from Disney Pixar’s Finding Dory on the soup can at our local Target store. The can is full of fun-shaped pasta (sea shell, Dory, and Destiny) in chicken broth. Luke’s favorite snack, Goldfish® crackers, also have our favorite fish characters on their Goldfish® Special Edition! Cheddar Disney Pixar’s Finding Dory Crackers packaging with special edition colors (colors sourced from plants). Together, with some fresh fruit, these make a great kid-friendly meal I can make within minutes.

©Disney/Pixar

To celebrate the new Disney Pixar’s Finding Dory branded packages, the boys and I made fun fish shaped placemats for our table. They are easy to clean so any dribbles of soup or crumbs can be wiped off.

What you’ll need:

  • Clear contact paper
  • Scissors
  • Colored tissue paper
  • Dry erase marker

Directions:

1) Cut the colored tissue paper into small 1-2 inch squares

2) Peel a portion of contact paper from it’s backing and lay it sticky side up you’ll want the exposed piece to be a little bigger than a typically sized placemat. Note: Do not cut the contact paper from it’s roll.

3) Put pieces of tissue paper on the contact paper. Your children can make patterns or put them on randomly and they can overlap. Repeat until the majority of the contact paper piece is covered by tissue paper pieces.

4) Carefully peel the contact paper back more and fold the contact paper over so you are covering the tissue paper with the sticky contact paper you just exposed. Go slowly, smoothing the contact paper as you go so that there are no bumps or air bubbles and that the contact paper matches up with the other piece you put the tissue paper on.

5) Cut the contact paper from the roll like you would wrapping paper

6) Use a dry erase marker to draw a large fish shape on your contact paper

7) Cut out the fish shape you drew

You can find both the special edition Disney/Pixar’s Finding Dory branded Campbell’s soup and the Goldfish® Special Edition! Cheddar Disney Pixar’s Finding Dory Crackers at Target. They had a special display at the end of one of the frozen food aisles.

©Disney/Pixar

What’s your favorite go-to dinner that’s easy to make?

Blueberry Chicken Salad Recipe

I was challenged by Nature’s Harvest bread to come up with a Finding Dory themed sandwich recipe to share with my readers in this sponsored post.

Disney – Pixar’s “Finding Dory” is almost out in theaters! Are your kids as excited as mine? I wanted to add a little Dory fun into our typical chicken salad recipe so Sinisa and I created this amazing blueberry chicken salad recipe. Typically, if chicken salad has fruit in it, it’s either grapes or apples but I figured why not add some blueberries instead to celebrate the movie coming to theaters since Dory is blue! I love the mix of flavors that this sandwich has.

Here’s what you will need to make the sandwiches:

  • Nature’s Harvest Bread
  • 3 Cups of diced chicken
  • 1/2 a red pepper
  • 1 stick of celery
  • 1/2 cup of green onions
  • 1/2 cup of mayonaise
  • 2 tablespoons of greek yogurt
  • 1 cup of blueberries
  • 1/2 cup of pecans
  • Salt and pepper to taste

This chicken salad is easy to make!

1) Mix together all ingredients other than the blueberries (and bread of course)

2) Gently fold in the blueberries

3) Put between two slices of Nature’s Harvest bread

 

Select packages of specially-marked Nature’s Harvest® bread will feature the lovable characters from Disney• Pixar’s “Finding Dory,” which hits theaters this Friday.

 

For kid’s sandwiches you can use a cookie cutter to cut out a fish, whale or seashell from the bread before you put the chicken salad on the bread. Serve with goldfish crackers for a fun lunch!

Want even more Finding Dory fun? Nature’s Harvest® bread is hosting the Make A Splash with Whole Grains Sweepstakes on its Facebook page now through July 7th, where fans can enter for a chance to win weekly prizes, including movie tickets, autographed posters and more. No purchase necessary. See official rules here.

Have you ever added blueberries to your chicken salad? If not, would you try it?

 

Hard Rock Cafe’s World Burger Tour

One of our favorite restaurants to eat at in the Summer is the Hard Rock Cafe in Chicago. I love the outdoor patio and the atmosphere of the restaurant and so does my family! I worked with them a couple years ago to share about a new kid’s program they had and I’m happy to be partnering with Hard Rock Cafe again this year to share about their new World Burger Tour.

This Summer, Hard Rock Cafe locations in North America are celebrating the start of burger season with their Hard Rock World Burger Tour, a menu showcasing international Local Legendary™ Burgers. The limited-time World Burger Tour menu is available through Thursday, June 30, 2016.

Throughout May and June, Hard Rock Cafe menus* will feature the following World Burger Tour offerings:

English Breakfast Burger (London, England) – a Certified Angus Beef® patty topped with sliced ham, a sausage patty, a fried egg, a portobello mushroom, arugula and garlic aioli and served with a side of baked beans.

Java Lava Burger (Seattle, United States) – a Certified Angus Beef patty grilled and dressed in a house-made espresso rub and topped with lava sauce, crunchy java onions, bacon, melted Cheddar cheese and garnished with a fried jalapeño.

Tandoori Chicken Burger (Mumbai, India) – a dark meat chicken patty seasoned with aromatic spices and fresh herbs, topped with mint mayonnaise and served with a side of cucumber

Jamaican Jerk Burger (Montego Bay, Jamaica) – a Certified Angus Beef patty topped with banana pepper rings, mango jalapeño cream cheese and jerk mayonnaise.

ATOMIC! Burger (Las Vegas, United States) – a Certified Angus Beef patty topped with Atomic beer-battered peppers, pepper jack cheese, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, garlic chipotle ketchup and chipotle mayonnaise.

Tango Salsa Burger (Buenos Aires, Argentina) – a Certified Angus Beef patty topped with andouille sausage, Monterey Jack cheese, chips de batata, a fried egg, salsa criolla and garlic aioli.

Greek Burger (Athens, Greece) – a Certified Angus Beef patty topped with arugula, feta cheese and a tomato slice.

Aloha Burger (Honolulu, United States) – a Certified Angus Beef patty topped with Portuguese sausage, Monterey Jack cheese, a grilled pineapple ring with sweet soy glaze, guacamole, pico de gallo, served with Furikake french fries.

This is the burger I’m most looking forward to trying:

Hard Rock Cafe has created cocktails that perfectly complement World Burger Tour offerings. Served in Hard Rock’s iconic mason jars, adult guests can order with the suggested pairing or mix it up with any other burger from the limited-time menu. New cocktails include:

All Jacked Up – created to balance the Jamaican Jerk Burger’s spicy flair, this cocktail features a mix of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, PJ, Orgeat and lime juice, garnished with orange and pineapple wedges and a cherry.

Crisp Sipper – inspired by the Aloha Burger’s sweet and savory taste, this cocktail features a mix of Hendrick’s gin, Monin Cucumber, lemon, orange and raspberry, topped with tonic and garnished with rosemary and thyme.

MelonPalooza – designed to complement the fresh flavors of the Greek Burger, this cocktail features a mix of Midori Melon Liqueur, Malibu Rum, Hard Rock’s house-made sour mix and PJ, garnished with slices of pineapple and strawberry.

Sweet & Fiery – inspired by the ATOMIC! Burger’s spicy flavor, this cocktail features a mix of Absolut Peppar Vodka, Canton Ginger Liquor, Blue Curacao, lemonade and ginger beer, garnished with a red pepper.

Black Cherry Melonade (non-alcoholic) – created to complement the rich espresso of the Java Lava Burger, this mocktail features a mix of Black Cherry Real and Monin Cucumber, topped with ginger beer, garnished with a cucumber slice and a cherry.

This year, Hard Rock is also offering a literal World Burger Tour, a travel package that takes the most adventurous burger enthusiasts on the road (and the skies) to sample offerings from the World Burger Tour menu at Hard Rock Cafe locations in London, Athens, Buenos Aires and Seattle! For more information, you can visit www.worldburgertour.com

More Time To Make Memories

(Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.)

Food is a big part of the holidays and usually what I’m still needing to shop for the couple days before Christmas. Creating delicious meals and party favorites brings joy to many but unfortunately, shopping and preparing foods during the holidays can get hectic and add more stress to an already busy season. I love grocery shopping and sometimes lose myself while walking down the aisles looking for ideas and foods to inspire me but sometimes that leads to me spending too much time in stores which is not something I have an abundance of this time of year.

For over a decade I have enjoyed shopping at Sam’s Club to save time and money around the holidays. I can find a great variety of quality foods and save even more time this year with their new Club Pickup. Their Club Pickup is a free, “personal shopper” service that is focused on making shopping more convenient for members. Club Pickup provides an easy and quick pickup option through seamless ordering online at SamsClub.com from any computer or mobile device. The service is available at all 653 Sam’s Club locations. I love how this is done. In this tech-savvy world we all use apps and online shopping so Club Pickup is something that is very simple to do. I can place the order on my phone while waiting for the kids in the car pick up lane at school. During very hectic times (like this week!) there is also an easy reorder feature as well which is a great tool that lets me order go-to items quickly by creating a list of my past purchases.

One thing about Christmas that rings true is the plentiful parties and meals. Fantastic desserts and treats and great recipes that bring smiles to all.  That is one of the biggest reasons I shop at Sam’s Club around the holidays. I can stock up on all kinds of party favorites and new side dishes that also guarantee I will have leftovers (which is one of my favorite things about hosting).

This year we tried some new side dishes like sweet potatoes with pecan butter and marshmallows. We also bought the staples like scalloped potatoes. Sam’s Club has something for everyone.

The 200% satisfaction guarantee on high-quality produce, meat and baked goods is the number one reason I keep going back and why I am always eager to try new offerings at Sams club.

We also purchased Holiday decor from Sam’s Club including Christmas plates and a festive, fresh wreath for the front door. Being able to check one thing off the to-do list without leaving the couch gives me more time to make memories with my kids.

Fresh Seafood Anytime

Seafood meals are my favorite. Something about seafood reminds me of home and summers spent on the Adriatic Sea riviera. Fish and seafood always sounds great for lunch or dinner. I love going out to seafood restaurants but since I have a busy schedule that’s very rare and only reserved for special occasions. Recently I have discovered Bumble Bee’s SuperFresh® line of products and it has been a life changing culinary experience for me. Now I can serve my family delicious seafood meals on a regular basis- without having to leave home!

Bumble Bee SuperFresh® is a complete line of naturally-seasoned, restaurant quality, “fish-forward” prepared seafood solutions for the home. It raises the bar for what seafood lovers can expect from frozen food! Bumble Bee SuperFresh seafood is no mess, and no fuss; just pure perfection, time after time. Their premium Salmon and Tilapia come with their own parchment paper baking pouch and go from freezer to table in under 25 minutes. High in protein, richly seasoned with pure and simple ingredients that let the fish shine through! I could hardly wait until it was on my plate while I was cooking. The smell that filled the house was amazing and the flavors were beyond words. The biggest reason I fell in love with Bumble Bee SuperFresh line is that Bumble Bee SuperFresh® offers unparalleled quality. The seafood is “fish forward” – with nothing to hide under heavy breading, sauces, or a long list of unpronounceable ingredients.

The meals can be made in less than 30 minutes which is great. I can have lunch ready quickly on my days home from work to have a middle of the day getaway from the honey do list. The new line is frozen fresh and comes with specially made parchment paper envelopes for each fillet so the fish stays juicy while baking quickly. Suddenly I was a top chef.

The first creation I made was the Tilapia with Garlic and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It was so easy to enjoy a delicious Premium Tilapia fillet! Bumble Bee SuperFresh® Tilapia has ground black pepper, fresh garlic, sea salt and extra olive oil – making every flaky bite fantastic! For me it naturally made sense to jazz it up with some salsa and pair it with a side of spanish rice and beans for a tex-mex flavor that would make an amazing lunch.

The next one I tried was Bumble Bee SuperFresh® Salmon with Garden Pesto. Salmon is my favorite fish. I could literally eat salmon every day. Bumble Bee SuperFresh® Salmon with Garden Pesto is richly satisfying with Parmesan cheese, basil, almonds and a touch of garlic. It is so flavorful, made with all natural ingredients and has no preservatives. I paired it with a fresh garden salad with tuscan dressing and cheese tortellini in a light red sauce. The whole meal felt like an upscale dinner I’d eat at a restaurant but was super affordable and quick to prepare in my own home.

A long time ago I had a friend and I told them seafood is awesome, but they disagreed. My response was let me cook you a seafood meal and change your mind. Now I wish I had Bumble Bee SuperFresh® to help. Unfortunately I can not cook for everyone, but I can do something better. I want you to visit the Bumble Bee SuperFresh® website for a coupon so you can try these delicious SuperFresh® products for yourself! Leave a comment below telling me which product you’d try first.

<p><i>I was selected for this opportunity as a member of <a href="http://clvr.li/OHjC82" target="_blank">Clever Girls</a> and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.</i></p>


Feeling At Home With Endless Shrimp

As a boy I loved going to the fish market. Looking at all the varieties of fish and thinking of the great ways to prepare it was almost more fun than eating the fish. No matter what the occasion, shrimp has always been a food I could not turn down. As I have my own kids now I love that I can introduce the world of shrimp and tasty flavors to them. I cherish family time and love going out to dinner so I choose Red Lobster to help me enjoy both tasty seafood and time with my kids trying to get them to fall in love with some of my favorite foods from the sea. Now is a great time to do so as Red Lobster is celebrating the return of endless shrimp.

Endless Shrimp is going on now for a limited time at Red Lobster! At Red Lobster, Endless Shrimp is the number one guest-requested event. Guests don’t have to choose just one sauce or flavor – they can enjoy as much shrimp as they like, any way they like, and can even mix-and-match different preparations. This year, guests can choose two out of five shrimp preparations for their initial order, including NEW! Pineapple Habanero Coconut Bites, featuring a balance of sweet and spicy flavors, and guest favorite Teriyaki Grilled Shrimp. Knowing all this, I got the kids hyped up and issued a challenge (my boys love competition) to see who can taste more flavors. Ok, I win, but in the long term we are all winners at Red Lobster and my kids get a taste of awesome shrimp flavors.

I started my meal by ordering the Sweet Teriyaki grilled shrimp and Pineapple Habanero Coconut Bites. It was an amazing flavor meant for a spicy food lover. The sweet Teriyaki shrimp also comes with wild rice so that enriches the meal.

The next serving of endless shrimp was the Shrimp Linguini Alfredo. It was creamy and delicious and almost too big of a serving for this Dad.

As the night moved forward I ordered delicious Garlic Shrimp Scampi and Hand-Breaded Shrimp with cocktail sauce. So much flavor and even more shrimp. It was a never-ending celebration of shrimp on my plate.

The best way to make Endless Shrimp better is to have a great drink with the meal. Red Lobster serves all sorts of beverages, wines and cocktails. I am a big beer lover so I tend to stick to beer if I’m drinking. This time Red Lobster got my attention with their new beer based cocktails.

 

Red Lobster introduced two new beer-based cocktails that pair perfectly with Endless Shrimp dishes – the Seaside Shandy and Angry Lobster, available exclusively during Endless Shrimp. Crisp and refreshing, the Seaside Shandy features Shock Top Belgian White Ale, Cointreau and fresh citrus. Bold and spicy, the Angry Lobster features Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Cider, tropical fruit juices and a kick of Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey. Both cocktails are served in a beer can-shaped commemorative glass with the Red Lobster logo that patrons can take home with them. Since I am a very busy Dad I took this opportunity to try them both and have a relaxing evening with my family. Both cocktails were good and enhanced my dinner.

As we wrapped dinner up the kids were left wondering what new flavors of shrimp they can order next time. My oldest especially, as he is starting to like some seafood. Red Lobster is always a great destination and it will make you feel like home away from home without taking a vacation. I can not wait to see what new flavors they will come up with next and what exciting new cocktails show up.

 

 

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Fueling Up On Game Day

(Disclosure: This is a sponsored post but all thoughts are my own.)

We made it through another busy football Sunday. We raced out the door this morning at eight, went through the drive thu for some caffeine, and got Jake to his pre-game practice just on time. By the time the game was starting Lucas had found a friend to play with and we had great seats on the sidelines.

Not more than half way through Jacob’s game and Lucas was already hungry. We gave him a choice of apple slices or pretzels to dip in peanut butter and he chose pretzels first but then changed his mind and picked apples- well really, just the center of the apple slices, and then proceeded to hand peanut butter coated leftovers to me.

Once his tummy was full he was back to his game of tag with his friend and Jake’s game was in the final minutes so my focus was back on him. I like watching him play and seeing how much his skills have grown over the past couple years.

Once the game was over we let the kids play on the playground for a few minutes while I got lunch out of the car. The kids had Uncrustables® Sandwiches, Smucker’s® Fruit-Fulls® Blended Fruit, cheese crackers and juice boxes which I bought from Walmart, our “SNACKATION” destination. Everything was easy to grab on our way out the door and eat on the go. The Uncrustables® were frozen when I put them in the bag but by the time lunch rolled around they were ready to eat which was great and the peanut butter gave them the energy they needed.

Within ten minutes we were back in the car and headed to Luke’s game which was at a field across town. I really love it when they are on the same field but that’s not usually the case. After we got there and unloaded the car again I was ready for a nap but it was time for more football.

This is Luke’s first year playing football and our experience at his games are a lot different. There is a lot more confusion on the field and it’s pretty entertaining. Some of the kids even run the wrong direction (Lucas included). While watching Lucas play, I had to also keep an eye on Jacob who stayed busy playing catch with some of the older kids.

At the end of Luke’s game both were exhausted from running around and it was time to eat again. At this time I was very happy I stocked up on their favorites at Walmart because these boys eat a lot. (And yes, I know they are just going to eat even more as they continue to grow!) Once they were fueled up with Smucker’s® snacks they were ready to go conquer the rest of the day.

 

Getting Ready For Game Day

(Disclosure: This is a sponsored post but all thoughts are my own.)

Sundays during the Fall for our family mean one thing- FOOTBALL SEASON! Not only do we love to watch it but my children both play on youth football teams. We love our busy schedule but some days Sundays can get a bit hectic and challenging. There are days when we juggle and everything seems to be done in a time crunch so we spend a lot of time in the car.

Most of our Sunday snacks and lunches are on the go because one kid has a game, then there is a few minutes for them to eat and then the other kid has a game. There is no time for a sit down meal so we rely on easy foods to keep us fueled. Two very helpful allies to us as parents in such times are Walmart and Smuckers.

Walmart is our “SNACKATION” destination for all the busy sport Sundays. Not only do we love their low prices, but it is also convenient. When I went there to pick up extra mouth guards (because the boys chew on them) I stocked up on food for game day.

We like to look for foods we can enjoy either in the car or on the sidelines. Smucker’s® is a great choice for all parents due to their extensive line of products that are both kid approved and made to be enjoyed on the go. From Jif ‘To Go’ Dippers to Smucker’s® Fruit-Fulls® Blended Fruit to Uncrustables® Sandwiches everything is easy to throw in the sports bag for Sunday funday. Add in something to drink, like juice boxes and water, and we are all set for our busy game day.

What snacks do your kids enjoy when you are on the go?

 

Adding Variety To The Lunchbox (Gift Card Giveaway)

(Disclosure: This is a sponsored post but all thoughts are my own.)

Back to school is a special time of year for our family. The boys love making new friends and all of the activities the school year brings. They especially love two times of the school day: recess and lunch.

We spent weeks preparing for the school year and buying everything we needed. Most things were one time purchases but we also have daily costs like lunch. We let the boys get school lunch one time a week and then the rest of the week they pack lunch. As with any purchases, we as a family look to save money and time, and we can do both at Save-A-Lot while getting a variety of delicious choices to fill the lunchbox.

Variety is the spice of life. When it comes to my kid’s lunch boxes they love having plenty of choices. With Save-A-Lot our money gets more juice boxes and yogurts and snacks and every lunch is packed with fun. When my youngest tries to make his own lunch for school he always grabs a million things and it feels great seeing his excitement and joy.

We try to give the kids a balanced lunch and a healthy snack for each one that might not be so nutritious. We want them to enjoy eating it but, at the same time, don’t want to pack it full of junk. Save-A-Lot helps the most here because I know that I can find healthier, affordable options at their stores. I also buy bigger bags and we portion them ourselves to save even more money that way.

Another thing that changes during the school year is breakfast. Kids have less time in the mornings now to lounge around but we still want them to eat something before they leave for the day. In our house, cereal is the king of breakfast (mainly because it’s so easy)! We portion cereal in plastic bags so they can eat it while they are getting ready or in the car if we are in a hurry. Cereal serves as a friendly snack as well so we always make sure to have extra boxes on hand.

School is in session and the kids are falling into routines so the days aren’t so hectic. One thing that helps us feel prepared is to have breakfast and lunch snacks ready to go so we start our day off on the right foot. How do you make school days easier?

GIVEAWAY:

One reader will win a $25 Gift Card to Save-A-Lot

HOW TO ENTER:

Leave a comment on this post sharing a back-to-school tip.

For an extra entry, share this post on social media and leave a second comment.

Giveaway ends 9/19/2015 at 11:59pm CST. Must be 21 or older and a US resident to enter.

Sandwiches Are Cool Again (Gift Card Giveaway)

(Disclosure: Nature’s Harvest® provided me with a gift card and coupons for ingredients so that I could share my thoughts and information about Nature’s Harvest® bread.)

Back to school presents certain challenges. For me, one of the biggest challenges is making the kids school lunches in ways they are always eaten and never boring. Kids get bored with food easily and staying creative can get tough. Luckily I have 2 boys so the easiest creation is a timeless one, the sandwich. Even in today’s times, the sandwich is still king of homemade lunches.

The key ingredient to a great sandwich is not what is in the sandwich, but the bread. My kids love bread so for their sandwiches I have to choose the bread very carefully. As my boys are growing it is important to choose better quality breads and we have discovered a great brand called Nature’s Harvest®Bread . Nature’s Harvest® Bread is Nature’s Gift to your family. Your family gets the wholesome goodness you can feel great about serving them – like oatmeal, stone-ground wheat, honey, grains and seeds- without the high fructose corn syrup you don’t want to give them.

Nature’s Harvest®Bread wants to say “goodbye” to boring school lunches and “hello” to a new and exciting way to lunch!  Nature’s Harvest® Bread is holding its “Nature’s Harvest® Sandwich Art Photo Contest” to encourage moms to have a little whole grain fun with their kids’ lunchboxes.  From now through September 6th, parents can visit the Nature’s Harvest Facebook Page to submit a photo of their sandwich art creations, using Nature’s Harvest® bread, for the chance to win fun prizes!  One grand prize winner will receive a “kitchen crash” from Celebrity Chef Kelsey Nixon, where she’ll cook sandwich-centric meals and provide tips to the winner’s family

My kids tend to like simple sandwiches so I chose a few of their favorite ingredients to make something easy yet flavorful. Both boys like chicken so I chose to go with that for the meat (though turkey probably would have worked as well). Instead of mayo or mustard and cheese I decided to use an herbed cheese spread to give it that creamy taste we all love. The spread is also very kid-friendly so the boys can help make the sandwiches. For a little crunch I added red peppers since Jacob loves them and I thought it would add a little color to the sandwich.

Once the sandwich was made the boys chose their sides and grabbed a juice box and just like that lunch was ready! Nature’s Harvest®Bread has kid approved taste and texture and I love that it’s so good and healthy for them. What do you pack in your kid’s lunch?

GIVEAWAY:

One reader will win a $25 Visa gift card and one (1) coupon, valid for $5.00 off Nature’s Harvest® bread

HOW TO ENTER:

Leave a comment telling me your favorite sandwich filling

For an extra entry, share this posts on a social channel and leave a second comment

Giveaway ends September 20, 2015 at 11:59pm CST. Must be 21 or older and a US resident to enter.

Flavors Of Summer

Thanks to IHOP for providing a gift card to sample their new Summer Stacks.

One of the things on our bucket list this summer was breakfast for dinner so we headed to our local IHOP restaurant to enjoy the special meal. While french toast and bacon are my ideal breakfast meal, Sinisa is all about crepes and the boys love their pancakes. IHOP has something for us all!

This summer, IHOP is inviting guests to savor the flavors of the season by offering three new signature pancakes. The three flavors are perfect for summertime- Blueberry Lemonade, Banana Pudding and Blackberry Peach Cobbler. Since we love to try new things our family ordered one of each.

Blueberry Lemonade: Blueberry pancakes topped with lemonade cream and fresh blueberries.

 

Banana Pudding: Buttermilk pancakes topped with silky banana pudding, sliced fresh bananas, whipped topping, powdered sugar and Nilla® wafers.

Blackberry Peach Cobbler: Buttermilk pancakes topped with juicy blackberries, sweet peaches, crunchy honey oat pecan crumbles and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

The boys loved the Banana Pudding ones the most. My favorite flavor were the Blueberry Lemonade ones. They were the perfect amount of sweet and tangy. The Blackberry Peach Cobbler ones were good as well- I liked the crumble on them, my mom thought the peaches were delicious. and the ice cream on them was a hit with the kids.

Some restaurants offer short stacks of these special pancakes but others, like our local restaurant, serve them as part of a combination plate, with two eggs, hash browns and a choice of crispy bacon, pork sausage links or grilled ham slices.

Want to try one of these new flavors yourself? Hurry because Summer Stacks are available at participating IHOP restaurants only through July 26th.

Pasta Carbonara and Tuna Cake Recipes

This post was sponsored by KRAFT and I was compensated to write it. Regardless, what I have written is my own opinion and experience, and I hope you find it of use.

Dining out at a nice restaurant can be one of the best experiences a family has together but, during the school year and sports season, it can be hard to find the time to dine out with everyone’s hectic schedules. I myself find my own family pressed for time but wish to have a great dinnertime bonding experience over a delicious dinner that was made quickly. I discovered that KRAFT had recipes online that could help me  ‘Twist That Dish’ while saving time and money.

With KRAFT products, many ordinary items that are already in the pantry or the refrigerator can be turned into amazing restaurant quality dinners in just 10 to 15 minutes. When the kids ask for seconds you will know you have won big time. The biggest time saver for me is shopping at Sam’s Club and getting KRAFT products in bulk so at any time I can make many different recipes with a new twist on favorites.

I fell in love with two recipes on the Samsclub.com/kraftrecipes website that when put together create a gourmet dinner worthy of sit down restaurants. I chose PHILADELPHIA Quick Pasta Carbonara and Tuna Cakes.

As with all great dinners a good deal of multitasking is involved but, with recipes provided by KRAFT, everything was simple and easy. I started by mixing the tuna cakes mix. I gathered all the ingredients and mixed them. I did this first because the mix needs to rest in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes.

While the mix was resting I got started on the Pasta recipe. I cooked the pasta according to the instructions on the box of fettuccine noodles I had in my pantry.

Just before the pasta was completely done I got to working on the sauce. The first step was to fry up the bacon. I used Oscar Mayer Bacon with Maple which made the pasta a bit sweeter (which is my trick for the picky kids).

Once the bacon was done, I stirred the rest of the ingredients in the grease as per the recipe provided by KRAFT. The key to this sauce recipe is to make sure the sauce is creamy and consistent and the cheese does not burn.

Once the sauce was ready I added the cooked noodles and the bacon and stirred well.

Once the pasta and the sauce were combined it was time to fry up the tuna cakes. To do this, use a non-stick skillet and an ice cream scoop to make portions. Cook them on both sides until golden brown.

The hardest thing about creating these KRAFT recipes was trying not to eat anything before plating the food.

 Everything turned out amazing and even the kids loved it. I am glad all KRAFT food products needed for these recipes can be purchased in bulk  online and in-club at my local Sam’s Club. I hope you enjoyed these recipes and will check out samsclub.com/kraftrecipes. Which recipe will you try tonight?

Making Breakfast A Habit

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.

Today I jumped out of bed at 4:30am. Most of my mornings don’t start that early but even on the days I get an hour or two more of sleep, mornings are too hectic to sit down and eat breakfast. Luckily I have discovered belVita Bites. A delicious healthy and fulfilling breakfast for someone on the go like me.

A study by NPD Group Inc. found that Americans have an average of just 12 minutes a day for consuming breakfast. That is about half the time we spend on lunch (28 minutes) or dinner (24 minutes). This is the most important meal of the day and so many people don’t eat a quality breakfast like they should.

Eating breakfast sets the tone for the day because it gets our blood sugar up which makes our brain function better the rest of the day. It gets our metabolism going. It reduces cravings later in the day. And it puts us in a better mood.

belVita Bites, paired with fresh fruit and yogurt, are a great way to enjoy a quick breakfast on the go. Each pouch provides: 230 calories, 4g of fiber* and 20g of whole grain. Did you know that dietary fiber from whole grains, as part of an overall healthy diet, helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease? That is a great reason to try them.

To encourage breakfast fans to trade in their spoons in favor of a balanced breakfast, belVita is taking over National Cereal Day (March 7). They have teamed up with Registered Dietitian Keri Gans, Life Coach Christine Hassler, and author of Eat It to Beat It David Zinczenko to provide a few tips for a healthy breakfast and a smooth morning routine. Last Wednesday belVita Breakfast Influencers had a breakfast panel to discuss the changing American breakfast and how nutritious, convenient solutions like belVita can help on-the-go families stay energized all morning long.

For someone like me who is always on the go at early hours of the day this is the obvious better choice of breakfast. It was simpler and tastier and healthier. Here are some of the great tips that they shared:

“Being that people today have no time to cook, they are looking for options with nutrition’s latest buzzwords – protein and fiber. belVita paired with a serving of non-fat yogurt and fruit hits on protein, fiber AND whole grains.”-David Zinczenko, New York Times best-selling author of Eat It to Beat It! and the Nutrition and Wellness Editor at ABC News

“Doing something 40 days in a row moves it from a change to a habit. Making a complete breakfast a habit starts today.” -Christine Hassler, life coach and Author

So lets make better choices and form great habits. Let Belvita be a start to a balanced breakfast and join me tomorrow as I trade in my spoon.

Shrimp Tacos With Mango Salsa Recipe

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Jewel-Osco. The opinions and text are all mine.

Getting started on a meal menu plan is not an easy task. When planning meals for the whole family there are so many things to consider especially when you have little kids. As much as I focus on kid friendly meals there is at least one meal a week that is designed for my soul. This week is no different. I personally love fish and would love to eat it every day, so for this week I chose a simple recipe for shrimp tacos with mango salsa. Most of my shopping is done at Jewel and with the help of Jewel’s new app MyMixx. It helps me to remember everything by creating a grocery list and inspires me with recipes and even sends me paperless receipts.

This is a very easy to make recipe and importantly all the ingredients are available fresh year round. All the ingredients blend perfectly together to make you fall in love with your meal. Shrimp is great because it will keep its texture and stays juicy through the cooking process and it can be flavored in so many ways.

Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa

Ingredients (for 2 people):

  • 1 mango
  • 2 tomatoes chopped
  • 1/2 jalapeno fine diced
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 cucumber chopped
  • 1/2 onion chopped
  • 2 TB sugar
  • 1/2 cup lime juice
  • 20-30 medium size shrimp without the tails

Procedure

In a medium bowl combine the onions, tomatoes, jalapenos and cilantro with a pinch of salt. Mix well and drain.

Once the mix is drained well add the chopped mango pieces.

 Next add the cucumbers, sugar and the lime juice. Mix everything together so you can see all the colors. Chill the salsa before serving.

While the salsa is being chilled, the shrimp can be prepared. Lightly heat up a teaspoon of olive oil and toss the shrimp in a skillet. Season to taste with either a fajita seasoning or a hot sauce. There is no wrong choice. I chose to make today’s meal not spicy.

Once the shrimp is heated through, heat up the tortillas and serve. Place the shrimp on tortillas and top with mango salsa. Add cheese and sour cream if you wish to.

This was a tasty, light meal. Very easy to create and even easier to buy the ingredients. With Jewel’s MyMixx app I save so much time and I get inspired to create awesome meals using only the finest ingredients. The whole family loves the app and we can’t wait to see more recipes and the deals that come out weekly.

Improving Breakfast With BelVita

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.

As the rooster crows, my very hectic day starts (I actually woke up the rooster) and its time for breakfast. Let me tell you- breakfast is the most important meal of the day for me because its gets my energy flowing. It sets the mood and the tone for the day to come. When I do eat the most important thing I want from my breakfast is nutrition that will sustain me and replenish my energy long enough until lunch and sometimes dinner. But honestly, as a foodie I know that great taste is king. Early in the day I will not eat just anything. Great nutrition needs to be key and sometimes every smart person needs a bit of help every now and then, especially when we are on the go because of sports and school and work. I found both great nutrition and sustaining energy combined with great flavors with Belvita. Their breakfast biscuits have always provided great world taste and energized us for the whole day. BelVita Bites Breakfast Biscuits make breakfast easy and fun but also very healthy and nutritious, convenient and delicious.

The new size and packaging makes it fun and easy to have a great breakfast that combined with fresh fruit and some yogurt will make a complete and balanced breakfast. With all the best stuff in it like fiber and whole grain and no high fructose corn syrup, no partially hydrogenated oil and no artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners. Can we say awesome?

Besides being great, BelVita wants to revolutionize your breakfast. It still holds true that most breakfast meals are cereals even at an age everyone is looking for a healthier choice. March 7 is National Cereal Day and BelVita aims to take over and encourage breakfast fans to trade in their spoons in favor of a balanced breakfast.

On March 4th at 11am ET BelVita will be hosting a breakfast panel leading up to National Cereal Day entitled, “The Changing American Breakfast.” Here is all the information:

Twitter Party Details

Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Time: 11:00 AM– 12:00 PM ET

Moderator: @MomCentral

belVita Breakfast Influencers: @ChristinHassler, @Kerigans, and @DaveZinczenko

Topic/Focus: Breakfast has always played an essential role in our diets but times have changed.  As today’s modern family has evolved, consumers’ morning routines and breakfast eating habits have changed as well. A panel of nationally renowned experts will discuss the changing American breakfast and how nutritious, convenient solutions like belVita can help on-the-go families stay energized all morning long

My family is set on trading in our spoons. As a foodie I am excited because I know my day will be better with the tasty BelVita breakfast biscuits and also a healthy nutritious breakfast.


 

Menu Planning With The MyMixx App

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Jewel-Osco. The opinions and text are all mine.

These days life is too hectic. Making time for family dinners is very important, and making great tasting healthy meals is simplified with Jewel’s MyMixx. During Lent I want my boys age 6 and 5 to eat fish and seafood meals often, and the key to them sticking with it in the future is variety and exciting recipes. MyMixx helps with that tremendously. There are easy to make recipes for  appetizers, breakfast, lunch and dinner. and even more. Everything is searchable and the best part is MyMixx creates a shopping list for each recipe selected.

Since Lent season started my personal search of recipes and ideas is more focused on fish and seafood entrees. The biggest benefit to my family is that seafood is healthy if prepared right. MyMixx basically does all the work and then it saves me money by creating coupons I can use the next time at the store. As this is 2015 my kids are very visual and they love seeing their food as we talk about what will be for dinner. They enjoy scrolling through the pictures of the recipes and especially the desserts.

As parents we encourage our boys to at least try new foods that are introduced to them. So in continuing with that spirit I asked both boys to help me choose a recipe for this post in the MyMixx app.

Jake is the older one. He is almost 7. His tastes are developing more and he does understand healthy eating so he chose a recipe that looks and sounds familiar and safe (and therefore edible to a child). Jake chose Fish tacos, a very tasty recipe he saw on the MyMixx app.

My  younger child is the pickiest child ever, and would choose to eat sweets more than anything. With some bribing and guidance he found a recipe that he liked and also insisted on a dessert recipe. He actually just wanted dessert. One exciting part of all this is that he likes cooking and wants to help prepare the recipe so he is excited.

I truly love the MyMixx app. It saves me time and money. It helps me and my family eat better and with great variety. Most importantly though, the MyMixx app helps me to bond with my kids over technology and with cooking. MyMixx is a powerful app to use to create a life of ease in relation to cooking and grocery shopping. We will be making the two recipes above for a special dinner next week.

 

 

Discovering New Recipes With MyMixx And Jewel

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Jewel-Osco. The opinions and text are all mine.

I enjoy cooking and creating tasty memories but during the busy times, between working all day and kids activities, all the magic disappears. Home cooked meals are very important to me because they are the strong glue to a family bond. Also it is economically more sound and it teaches my kids the basic skills for their futures. These days to save time and to find inspiration I turn to Jewel’s app MyMixx because it helps me find recipes.

MyMixx has featured recipes and all sorts of categories, so there is something for everyone. I love that I can browse recipes and instantly create a shopping list and find coupons to save money all at once at Jewel.  There is also a section called What’s Cooking. There you can find articles and recipes and news on healthy living, special diets and organic foods. You can also learn about special food events happening at your local Jewel.

 As a parent I try to cook as healthy as possible, but also think about heart healthy meal plans for myself. Jewel and MyMixx help me with this greatly. With meal plan recipes that can be customized and articles on healthy diets and food replacement Jewel provides an excellent customer experience with MyMixx.

I am most excited about exploring all the different categories of recipes, especially seafood. I grew up off the coast of the Adriatic sea that connects to the Mediterranean to the south so I enjoy freshly grown cooked meals with plenty of variety. With MyMixx it is easy to find tasty recipes and create great feasts even on a busy weeknight. Jewel has a great offering of fresh fish and meats and awesome veggies for an ultimate surf and turf dinner. And lets not forget the breads and sweets baked fresh daily. And now I am already planning my next meal.

Stay tuned for an upcoming post as I will cook and grill and create recipes with MyMixx and post every tasty savory bit. It will be amazing as Lent is starting soon and Fish is in season.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Jewel-Osco. The opinions and text are all mine.

10 New Cookie Recipes To Try

#spon: I’m required to disclose a relationship between our site and Intel. This could include the Intel Corporation providing us w/content, product, access or other forms of payment.

One of my favorite things to do during the holidays is bake cookies with my family. I tend to make the same cookies year after year but this year I wanted to make some new varieties. I headed to Pinterest to see what I could find and wanted to share 10 of my favorites with you all! One of these will be in the oven on Christmas Eve but I’m still deciding on which one I want to bake.

Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies from Sally’s Baking Addiction

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Eggnog Cookies from Cooking Classy

Pecan Snowballs from Southern Bite

No-Bake Peppermint Bark Cookies from The Suburban Soapbox

Strawberry Pinch Cookies from Eating on a Dime

Melting Snowmen Cookies from Better Homes and Gardens

Pecan Pie Cookies from Spend With Pennies

Hot Cocoa Cookies from Glorious Treats

Ultimate Grasshopper Cookies from Your Cup of Cake

Mocha Crinkle Cookies from Cake Whiz

I love being able to bring my tablet into the kitchen and follow recipe directions on it. I used to have to print out the recipe or write it down but now I can skip that step. Some websites even provide quick video tutorials and I can watch them while following the step by step directions as I watch. I like the crisp, clear images and the videos load really fast on my tablet all because of the Intel processor that’s inside of it. In fact, Intel Tablets have 1.9x better web performance than other tablets which means I can spend less time searching the web and more time baking this holiday season!

A Holiday Meal For Under $25

#spon: I’m one of the #SaveALotInsiders and am required to disclose a relationship between our site and Save-A-Lot. This could include Save-A-Lot providing us w/content, product, access or other forms of payment.

Holiday dinners are some of the best meals of the year. They can also be some of the priciest. In an effort to save a bit of money I headed to Save-A-Lot to fill up my cart and create a simple holiday meal for less than $25.

One of the side dishes I love during the holidays is sweet potatoes. They can be made fresh but when I’m short on time I use candied yams that come in a delicious syrup. I add marshmallows on top and then bake until the marshmallows are slightly toasted. It is so easy and everyone loves them!

To complete our holiday meal we had ham and freshly baked rolls. All the ingredients (including half a ham which gave us leftovers for days) was less than $25!

Here was the cost breakdown (prices may vary):

  • Spiral ham: $19.52
  • Rolls: $0.99
  • Candied yams (2 cans): $2.58
  • Marshmallows: $0.99

What is your favorite side dish during the holidays?

For the chance to win a $25 Save-A-Lot gift card, check out the Smart Shopper Sweepstakes on the Save-A-Lot Facebook page: www.facebook.com/SaveALot.

Delicious Selections For Christmas Dinner

(Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.)

For many families, Christmas dinner wouldn’t be complete without ham. In my family this hasn’t always been the case. See, I actually used to believe that I didn’t like ham because I had grown up eating salty ham. Enter HoneyBaked ham with their sweet, crunchy outsides and I discovered a couple years ago that I actually love ham. It just has to be the right kind of ham! I ate leftovers of this ham for days, most of the time just picking pieces out of the bag in the fridge because I couldn’t wait for it to hit my plate.

HoneyBaked Ham has such a great selection of items to complete your Christmas meal, from meat to sides to dessert. With picky eaters and a different taste buds this variety is important. Macaroni and cheese was a big hit with the kids and the adults enjoyed a little of everything.

Once dinner was over it was time for dessert. The kids were so excited to see the dessert tray they got to choose from. There were cookies, chocolate brownies and cheesecake slices.

Which one would you pick?

From now until 1/11/15 you can enter to win a $25,000 HoneyBaked Kitchen Makeover when you buy a Ham and Turkey Breast bundle.

Check out this amazing limited time coupon for $8.00 off any Bone-in Ham and Turkey Breast or Boneless Ham and Turkey Breast from HoneyBaked Ham to help you make your holiday dinner easy and delicious! (This offer is valid only at the following locations: Rolling Meadows, Orland Park, Villa Park, Morton Grove, Naperville, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Plano, Mesquite, Hurst, Lewisville, Houston, Austin, Spring, Clear Lake, Sugar Land, Indianapolis, Ferndale, Grand Rapids, Roseville, Birmingham, Troy, West Bloomfield, Livonia, Flint, Dearborn Heights, Sterling Heights, Taylor, Ann Arbor, Canton Township, Oklahoma City, Pittsburgh, Mechanicsburg, Monroeville, San Antonio, Bellevue, and Lynnwood. For store addresses click here.)

Donate $1.00 to Feeding America during checkout at the register of any HoneyBaked store. $1.00=10 Meals!

Baking Christmas Cookies With Betty Crocker {Prize Pack Giveaway}

Thanks to Betty Crocker for sponsoring this post and giveaway.

One of my favorite holiday traditions is baking Christmas cookies. I still remember all the fun I had in the kitchen when I was growing up and love reminiscing as I bake cookies with my own boys. When I was younger my favorite cookies to make were sugar cookies, corn flake wreaths, and peanut butter chocolate balls. Now that my kids are helping bake they generally are in charge of picking which cookies get made and their choices are chocolate chip cookies and sugar cookies (with lots of frosting and sprinkles!)

This year Betty Crocker sent us some baking supplies and my boys were excited to see their two favorite cookie mixes in the box. Luke decided he wanted to make the chocolate chip cookies and then use the frosting and icing to decorate them. He enjoyed spending time in the kitchen with daddy for some father/son bonding time :)

Betty Crocker wants to encourage you to spend some time in the kitchen with your loved ones this holiday as well! They have created a “kid’s corner” on their website and shared the top 10 cookies for kids. Each recipe also has a short how-to video as well. Tweet your cookie creations with the hashtag #GetYourBettyOn to share them with the folks over at Betty Crocker!

GIVEAWAY:

One person will win a Betty Crocker prize pack that consists of:

  • Kitchen tablet stand
  • Betty Crocker™ Mixing Spoon
  • Betty Crocker™ Oven Mitt
  • “Get Your Betty On” Apron
  • Gingerbread Cookie Cutter
  • Betty Crocker™ Sugar Cookie Mix
  • Betty Crocker™ Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
  • Betty Crocker™ Whipped Vanilla Frosting
  • Betty Crocker™ Holiday Recipe Booklet 2014 – feat. The Top 10 Cookie Decorating Ideas of 2014

HOW TO ENTER:

Comment below with your favorite Christmas cookie

For an extra entry, share this giveaway on a social network and leave the link in the comments

Giveaway ends December 15, 2014 at 11:59pm CST. Must be 21 or older and a US resident to enter.

Easy Thanksgiving Meals With HoneyBaked Ham And Turkey {Giveaway}

(Disclosure: This is a sponsored post but all thoughts are my own.)

Hosting Thanksgiving this year? What if I told you that you could have a delicious Thanksgiving meal cooked and on the table in less than an hour? Now THAT is something to be thankful for because it means you can get out of the kitchen and do more important things like spend time with family and watch football (especially since my Chicago Bears are playing!).

Sinisa headed to our local HoneyBaked Ham store and picked up ham, turkey, five different side dishes, a Pecan pie and a dessert tray. Everything but the turkey was ready to heat up in the packaging they were in which meant less dishes for me to wash. To make things even easier, the ham and turkey came with detailed instructions on how to heat up the meat.

One thing I love about the ham and turkey is that both have a delicious glaze on them. They are also pre-sliced. (Told you this was a super easy meal solution!)

The very best thing about the Thanksgiving meal, as everyone knows, is the leftovers. We had four adults and four children for dinner and we didn’t even eat a quarter of the food we bought. That means I have a week worth of delicious leftovers. Today I made myself a plate of food for lunch but for dinner I’m making turkey sandwiches, one of my favorite ways to use up the leftover turkey.

I’ll share more about the sides and desserts in my next HoneyBaked Ham post so stay tuned!

***

From now until 1/11/15 you can enter to win a $25,000 HoneyBaked Kitchen Makeover when you buy a Ham and Turkey Breast bundle.

Check out this amazing limited time coupon for $8.00 off any Bone-in Ham and Turkey Breast or Boneless Ham and Turkey Breast from HoneyBaked Ham to help you make your holiday dinner easy and delicious! (This offer is valid only at the following locations: Rolling Meadows, Orland Park, Villa Park, Morton Grove, Naperville, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Plano, Mesquite, Hurst, Lewisville, Houston, Austin, Spring, Clear Lake, Sugar Land, Indianapolis, Ferndale, Grand Rapids, Roseville, Birmingham, Troy, West Bloomfield, Livonia, Flint, Dearborn Heights, Sterling Heights, Taylor, Ann Arbor, Canton Township, Oklahoma City, Pittsburgh, Mechanicsburg, Monroeville, San Antonio, Bellevue, and Lynnwood. For store addresses click here.)

HoneyBaked Ham is giving away $500 in Gift Cards to some of your favorite places! You can enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tray Talk: Learn More About Healthy School Lunches

This summer I had the privilege of attending the School Nutrition Association’s National School Lunch Conference on behalf of the SNA. I wrote about everything I learned here. I was amazed by how much school lunches have changed since I was in school. I am happy to partner with them to share this post.

The School Nutrition Association has a great website called Tray Talk that was created for parents to get the facts about school meals. Parents can get answers about the nutritional values of lunches, how school nutrition programs are working to make healthy meals kid-friendly, learn more about how special dietary needs are handled and a variety of other questions.

The site also gives parents ideas of how to get involved. The three simple steps the site suggests include:

  • Review cafeteria menus with your child and encourage them to try new menu items. Prepare new foods – especially fruits and vegetables – at home and your child may be more willing to try these foods at school.
  • Visit the school cafeteria to make your own observations and have lunch. Check with the principal first to make sure that is allowed!
  • Inquire about volunteer opportunities in your school cafeteria.  Some schools request parent volunteers to help usher students through the lunch line and encourage them to eat their fruits and vegetables.  Many school districts have a wellness committee comprised of community volunteers, to help establish district nutrition and physical activity policies.
I also loved reading about the success stories that other schools have shared. It’s fun seeing what other districts are doing to get their children excited about eating healthy meals. I wish they had things like cooking contests, spinach-strawberry salads, and farm tours to see how food was grown when I was younger! Want to learn more? Check out Tray Table on Facebook!

An After-School Snack Kids And Moms Can Share

(Disclosure: I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Arla Dofino. I received product samples to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.)

This has been a busy season so far, with football taking up four to five days a week. Every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday night the boys come home from school, we do a bit of homework, Jacob changes into his practice gear, we grab water and snacks, and then we are out of the house within the hour. Those days are hectic and we don’t get a chance to eat dinner before we leave so we pack snacks to enjoy once we get to the field.

I try to pack healthier options but it’s not always easy do do when we are running out the door. Recently I figured out that if I packed snack ahead of time it was really easy to bring something with so I wasn’t tempted to grab something unhealthy. What’s great about the most recent snack platter we brought to football practice was that it’s portable, easy to put together, and the kids can help!

I headed to my local grocery store, Jewel, and bought a divided plastic container, two varieties of Arla Dofino cheeses, wheat crackers and a pack of mini-peppers. I also bought some bottled water since I’m trying to kick my iced coffee and soda habit.

I cut the peppers and the cheese. The boys helped me take the seeds out of the peppers and then put the cheese and peppers into the container to keep in the fridge. Right before leaving for practice we put the crackers into the container and grabbed a few bottles of water.

While sitting waiting for practice to start we enjoyed eating the snack and chatted about the school day. The boys loved the snack and so did I. I thought it was filling and would get them through practice until we could have dinner at home. No more unhealthy snacks for football practice!

I discovered Havarti cheese a couple months back and it quickly became my favorite variety of cheese. I hadn’t had Gouda cheese in a while but I realized that I liked that as well. I enjoyed the Havarti with the crackers and paired the Gouda with the red peppers. Looking for Arla Dofino cheese near you? Here’s the store locator.

There’s also a sweepstakes going on until 10/4. Like the Arla Dofino Facebook page and enter for your chance to win a semester’s worth of cheese! Find Arla Dofino on Pinterest, too.

Twitter Party Alert: #Manwich #NoPhoneZone 9/18 7pm CST

(Disclosure: I’m being compensated to co-host this Twitter party but thoughts are my own.)

I’m excited to be co-hosting the #Manwich #NoPhoneZone Twitter party promoting phone-free family time around the dinner table. The party is this Thursday, September 19th, at 7pm CST and is hosted by Johanna of Momma Cuisine, along with co-hosts Lisa, Tara, Ben, Trey and I.

We are giving away 5 wonderful Manwich prize packs, each consisting of:

  • Pyrex Saucepan
  • Branded pot holder
  • Electric can opener
  • Branded wooden spoon
  • Branded apron
  • $30 VISA gift card (for grocery purchase)
Check out Johanna’s post to enter to win. Looking forward to chatting with you! :)

Time For Lunch At Applebee’s

What did you have for lunch today? Nothing? Your kid’s leftovers? A sandwich? Do you even remember? Occasionally I have something small or leftovers but normally I have nothing so I was really excited to partner with Applebee’s on a recent campaign. They gave me some gift cards to go out to lunch with my loved ones and have a memorable meal. With over more than 200 lunch combos, ranging in price from $6.99 to $8.99, there was lots to try!

WARNING: Delicious food pictures ahead! May cause your stomach to growl ;)

I loved almost everything I ate. My favorite was the Grilled Shrimp N’ Spinach Salad. Not sure what the dressing was but I thought about this salad for days after I had it and had to go back and get it again when I took my sister out to dinner a week later. Sinisa’s favorite was the Artisan Grilled Chicken Chiabata Sandwich and also the Tortilla Soup.

The prices are so great that if you still have room for dessert you can afford to order it. What would you choose from the great lunch menu at Applebee’s?