Homemade Shake and Bake for Perfectly Cheesy Chicken Tenders

August 27, 2013 by

Homemade Shake and Bake with Cheese

Does your family have a favorite meal they love eating over and over? My family’s favorite meal is cheesy chicken tenders. They can’t get enough of them! And my favorite way to prepare them is by using my own homemade shake and bake mix. Less mess, less fuss, and a happy family!

Plus I can have dinner done in 30 minutes when I use chicken tenders instead of chicken breasts. Definitely a plus when I’m rushing to get everything done in the evening.

You can easily turn these into chicken nuggets by cutting the tenders up into 1″ pieces and throwing them in the bag. The best part? Nuggets bake up even faster than tenders! You can even pan fry them. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Dinner, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized

Lunch Box Letters – Notes from Mom Printables

August 23, 2013 by

Lunch Box Letters - Notes from Mom Printables

As your packing your child’s school lunch the one thing you want your child to know is that you’re preparing it with love. And what better way to share your love with your child than with lunch box letters?

A few simple words of encouragement for an upcoming math test or simply a note to say I love you, kids love this little touch even if they turn their noses up at it in front of you. And what child needs less support? That’s right, none. So enjoy these printables and write a few encouraging words of your own to let your kids know you’re thinking of them even when they’re in school.

Simply click on the photo below to download these Notes from Mom Printables! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Crafts/DIY, In the Kitchen, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Simply Delicious Pizza Balls

August 22, 2013 by

I really love pizza. And no matter what I do I can’t stop thinking about it when I’m watching what I eat. So instead of being tempted to order a pizza from my favorite pizza place I try and make it at home more often than not.

So I needed to change things around. Step it up a bit. And I was taken back to a meal that my mom made for us growing up. I had some pizza dough from Trader Joe’s in the fridge so I figured I’d try to wing it and hope for the best.

Well my attempt not only turned out good… it turned out better than I remembered! I was so excited to share this meal with the kids and my husband and was super happy to find out that their reaction was very pleased.

My son even asked me to make them again the next day. And he was going to help 🙂 This is now on our monthly rotation as either dinner or lunch and the kids always helps add the toppings and roll up the pizza dough into balls.

Simply Delicious Pizza Balls [Read more…]

Filed Under: Dinner, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,

My Favorite Thing: Thumbs Up Wine Finder App

August 21, 2013 by

Thumbs Up Wine Finder App My Favorite Thing

Oh wine! Glorious wine! You are always center stage at any mom’s night in I host and the mamas are always appreciative. Especially when I host the My Favorite Things mom’s night in event I have every few months.

And this month, front and center, was wine. Because my favorite thing this month is the awesome wine app that helps you shop for wine whether you’re at home or in the store! The Thumbs Up Wine Finder app is pretty darn awesome and I was so excited when I chatted with the folks behind the app to find that they wanted to gift a few app codes to my guests as my favorite thing.

An added bonus? They sent us wine to enjoy at the party!  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Life, Mom's Night Out, Parenting, Party Ideas, Reviews, Technology, Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,

Easy Black Forest Cake

August 18, 2013 by

Easy Black Forest Cake

Last night I invited my friends over for a My Favorite Things party. It’s an awesome excuse to get together and hang out but it’s also an awesome time to try out new recipes and share! So I decided to try my hands at a new-to-me combination… boxed cake mix and pie filling! This easy black forest cake needed 3 things… boxed Devil’s Food cake mix prepared as directed on the box, a can of cherry pie filling, and some whipped cream to top it.

Not only was this recipe easy, it was delicious too! And I’m pretty sure I’ll be trying out a few more combinations of cake and pie filling very, very soon. Spiced cake and apple pie filling anyone?

If you are heading to a get together or need a quick dessert to make that’ll have everyone asking how you did it, try this one out! And come back to let me know what everyone thought. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Desserts, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,

5 Reasons to Drink Water For Kids

August 18, 2013 by

This article is sponsored by Nestlé® Pure Life® Purified Water

Growing up I always heard that if I drink enough water my skin would stay clear. So I drank water like crazy. Vanity will get you everywhere when you’re talking to a teenager, right?

As the mom of two young kids I’m constantly worrying if my children drinking enough water. From their constant requests for juice or milk to the fact that everywhere we go they have the option to choose sugary drinks over water I just hope that I’m doing the best I can when I push water first. Keeping kids hydrated is important.

My daughter is awesome at choosing water. She has no problem taking her bottle of water with her everywhere and drinking it when thirsty throughout the day. However my son prefers milk and always chooses it over water. So I’ve begun researching the importance of hydration.

What I’ve found has reaffirmed my belief that water should be their first choice in drink. And I really hope that as they grow up they’ll realize just how great water really is. And not just because it leaves you with fabulous skin.

5 Reasons to Drink Water For Kids

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Health & Wellness, Parenting, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , ,

DIY Candy Corn Candles Perfect for a Halloween Centerpiece

August 14, 2013 by

DIY Candy Corn Candles

One of my favorite times of the year is coming up! Halloween time! I am so excited for Fall to be right around the corner and Halloween to be here. So much so that I busted out my craft supplies and made these awesome DIY Candy Corn Candles in anticipation of my fall tablescape.

Since these candles are oh-so-simple to make and pair perfectly with this cute orange candle holder I just scored at Target for $4 I figured why not get this up and posted now in case anyone else is as crazy as me about Halloween and Fall decor.

And how great do these look with my Halloween centerpiece? [Read more…]

Filed Under: Crafts/DIY, Halloween, Holidays, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Fun and Educational Apps for Kids from PBS Kids

August 14, 2013 by

Educational Apps for Kids

With both of my kids attending an in-home preschool I’ve found that I’m looking for ways to motivate them to learn through play. And since they’re starting to love playing games on their father’s iPad I’m always in search of great apps that are both fun and educational.

Luckily PBS Kids has a wide selection of apps for kids of all ages that range in a number of topics. From math, to music, to language, the PBS Kids apps are my go-to apps for learning fun with the kids.

Here are a few we recently downloaded thanks to PBS Kids and are loving: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Education, Reviews, Technology, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,

Teen Beach Movie Inspired End of Summer Party Ideas + Mocktail Recipe

August 10, 2013 by

End of Summer Party Ideas

Summer is coming to an end and the final days need to be cherished before a new school year arrives. And with the the arrival of Teen Beach Movie on shelves now, we’ve come up with a few great ways to celebrate those last few days with your friends. These end of summer party ideas are perfect for making lasting memories in the last few days.

So blow up a few beach balls, grab that swimsuit one more time, and have your kids call up their friends. Let them celebrate a little longer before they’re stuck with homework piled up to their ears and text books weighing them down. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Entertainment, Family Parties, Uncategorized

Orange and Plum Turnovers with Filo Dough

August 9, 2013 by

Orange and Plum Turnovers

I’m always up for a challenge. So when my good friend Amanda of The Frugal Greenish Mama asked if I had any plum recipes to share – and I didn’t – I thought I’d better get on the ball! I had never baked with plums before and honestly never thought of it. Plums in our house were for eating, not baking. And they never seemed to last long enough to need an alternative.

Everywhere I read seemed to suggest cooking the plums with some sort of combination of spices and sugar first and then stuffing it in whatever you choose to make. Since I like easy I decided to use the filo dough I purchased the week before in an attempt to use two ingredients I’d never tackled in the kitchen. Yup… that’s right. I’ve never used filo dough either!

The results? Super tasty! I’m so glad I had leftover filling I could jar up and use again because this was delicious. Flaky, with a hint of sweetness, and the perfect combination of orange and plum flavor. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Breakfast, Desserts, In the Kitchen, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , ,


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