Slow Cooker Ratatouille Recipe

slow cooker ratatouille recipe

We’ve been growing eggplant in our garden this year for the first time and I cannot believe how well it’s doing! So much so that I’m starting to exhaust my resources with what to do with eggplant. I mean you can only make so much eggplant parm. So this week I went to my favorite slow cooker ratatouille recipe. Easy, simple, and tastes amazing!

I gotta say though, the one reason why I hadn’t shared this recipe on the blog yet was because I can never get a good photo of this ratatouille. Seriously. I can’t. So if the photos don’t look as appetizing as some of my other dishes, don’t be scared away! This truly is a delicious vegetarian dish that I love.

And if you have any other eggplant recipes to suggest please send them my way! I’ll be needing them. [Read more…]

Craft Stick Snowman Ornament

craft stick snowman ornament 3

My kids love to craft. And sometimes they ask to make random things. This past week I had a day with just my daughter and asked her what she wanted to do. Her answer? She wanted to make snowmen. In September. In 80 degree weather.

Being the awesome mom that I am (i.e. hoarder of all craft supplies) I dug into my collection of random crap supplies and we created the perfect craft stick snowman ornament. She made one and so did I.

Even though it’s not technically Winter – I mean we just arrived into Fall – we had a great time crafting together and created some pretty cute snowmen. I’m sure grandma will appreciate them! [Read more…]

Makeover Your Leftovers with Tamale Pie

Tamale Pie verticalSo I was listening to satellite radio the other day and a cooking show came on – I am usually tuned into the Stars station on Sirius – and they mentioned tamale pie. Of course it was the day after I served a taco bar for dinner so I was thinking of all of the leftovers I had in the fridge.

Since I didn’t have anything planned for dinner for the next night I figured I’d try my hand at my own take on a tamale pie. And OMG… it was so delicious! The smells coming from my kitchen had my mouth watering.

And if you can wait long enough (from the picture above you can tell I DIDN’T wait long enough) the dish looks beautiful when you take it out of the pan. And it’s even better the next day! So grab your leftovers and get recreating! I love making over leftovers.

The best part is that this can be made with any mexican style leftovers you may have including chicken ropa vieja and salsa chicken[Read more…]

Simple Low-Fat Pumpkin Spice Cake with Apple Cider Glaze

Low-Fat Pumpkin Spice Cake with Apple Cider Glaze

Ah… Fall is in the air! Today I walked outside and felt the cool breeze on my face and immediately knew that it was finally time. Finally time for pumpkin! Now sure I’ve already had my #PSL from Starbucks and have been sipping on pumpkin spice coffee from my Keurig, but it’s finally cool enough to actually enjoy the slightest hint that Fall is here.

This simple and easy to make low-fat pumpkin spice cake is moist, delicious, and a crowd pleaser. Topped with a yummy apple cider glaze it’s sweetness hits my craving for dessert without making me feel as if I’ve gone overboard. Paired with a nice cup of coffee it could easily be a breakfast treat or great for a brunch. Or you can save it as the perfect Fall dessert to serve to guests.

Just like any boxed cake recipe, I’m sure that this would taste delicious with other cake flavors as well. I’m thinking Devils Food for the next one! Maybe with mini chocolate chips sprinkled in the mix? [Read more…]

Ways to Explain Healthy Eating to Kids

Explain Healthy Eating to Kids

As many of my readers know, I’ve been trying to work on my weight for a long time. And that means watching what I eat, “dieting” with programs, and leading a healthy lifestyle. Since having my daughter that has brought up a lot of questions including one that has me questioning how to explain healthy eating to kids. Or the lack thereof.

Since being on Nutrisystem for 5 months my daughter now asks me, “Is that special?” whenever she sees me eating or drinking something. And I don’t want her to think that I can only eat or drink special things. I want her to know that because I didn’t eat that healthy when I was younger and made poor choices, I’m now making up for it in an attempt to get to a healthy weight. And that since she already eats healthy and is active she doesn’t need the “special” food that mommy eats.

But how in the world do I tell her that? She’s 2! And she sees me get on the scale every day checking in with myself. So much so that she’s decided to jump along with me and weighs herself as well. [Read more…]

The Perfect Party Pleaser – Marble Bundt Cake

Marble Bundt Cake

There’s nothing better than a moist, delicious cake to celebrate the birthday of a loved one! And this cake is my husband’s favorite. His birthday has already come and gone and this recipe has been sitting here waiting to be shared since April. Yeah, I know.. I’m a bit behind.

But I figured now was a good time to share this delicious recipe and maybe make a few alterations as we head into Fall. I’m thinking a little swirl of pumpkin instead of the chocolate would be a nice addition. And maybe a maple cream cheese icing? Mmmm…

If you’re looking for the perfect marble bundt cake for a party or just want to enjoy some delicious dessert, try this recipe. You won’t be disappointed! But don’t go easy in greasing your pan or else you might have to turn this cake into a trifle. [Read more…]

10 Amazingly Delicious Cherry Recipes

10 Amazingly Delicious Cherry Recipes

I know Fall is coming and pumpkins will soon take over the world but my mind is still on cherries. Sweet, red, delicious cherries. And what better than to use cherries in the kitchen.

Here are some amazingly delicious cherry recipes perfect for celebrating the last few hot days of summer we have. You’d be surprised to find that you can achieve the same results with canned cherries instead of fresh. [Read more…]

Explore Under The Sea with Ariel and The Little Mermaid Party Ideas

The best part about Disney movies is the bonding time I get when watching them with my kids. With the upcoming release of The Little Mermaid Collector’s Edition BluRay/DVD on October 1st, I thought I’d treat my daughter to an impromptu Little Mermaid viewing party with her friends after naptime as part of a sponsored post for Collective Bias®.

The Little Mermaid Party Ideas Instagram #DisneyPrincessPlay #shop

We don’t yet own the DVD but I was able to dust off a VHS tape that my husband brought over from his parents house. And since my daughter had never seen the movie before we figured we should get some toys so she can play along as the movie plays.

While she played a bit with her new The Little Mermaid Story Gift Set I picked up from Walmart I set up the rest of the party around her. You can see more from my adventures at Walmart shopping for this awesome toy here in my The Little Mermaid G+ Album.
[Read more…]

Do I Need Mortgage Insurance?

Information for this post is sourced from Genworth Financial in partnership with the SheHeard Influencer Network.

Mortgage Insurance

For the past few weeks my husband and I have been touring model homes in the area. We’re weighing the pros and cons of purchasing a new house to give us the room we desperately need for our family or building up on our current home.

Now when my husband purchased the house we live in now he didn’t know much about the home buying process and kind of went with the flow. And I knew less than him. So when I found out there’s something called mortgage insurance I knew I should research more about the financing involved in purchasing a home. Especially if we were going to purchase a new home together.

After reading 3 Insurance Policies Everyone Should Have I figured I’d research other insurance options out there. [Read more…]

Preparing for Kindergarten with Preschoolers

This post on preparing for kindergarten is sponsored by Gymboree.

Preparing for Kindergaten with Preschoolers

With two kids in preschool and one who’s going to start kindergarten next year we’ve started to think long and hard about how we’re preparing for kindergarten.

From crafts to worksheets to exploring our city and different areas of town, we’re pinning down all of the great ways to enjoy our kids and help them learn the fundamentals they’ll need to take with them to kindergarten.

Over the next year we’re going to ramp up our lesson plans and use the excitement of play and exploration to help ready our kids for grade school.  And, of course, a back to school photo session with Tessa of Grin & Share It Photography is a must for us to document the momentous year ahead of us.

Here’s how we’re preparing for kindergarten with our preschoolers! [Read more…]



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