You know how every once in a while you stumble on something simple that makes life a little better? For me that "something" is a recently re-discovered delicacy: the frozen banana. To be honest I've always been a bit indifferent when it comes to bananas. Sure, I'd power one down as a poor excuse for a breakfast when running out the door, but my general attitude towards them could pretty much be summed up as "meh". It's amazing the difference a little time in the freezer can make. … [Read more...]
Making Less-Mess Cookies for Santa
I can't believe it's already Christmas Eve tomorrow. I used to be one of those people that complained about the decorating and music starting too early and dragging out the season. Now that I have kids I want it to last sooo much longer. It really is nothing less than magic getting to experience how much they love it all.Today I'm over at momtastic sharing part one of our Christmas Eve tradition, making less-mess cookies for Santa. Part two is the gourmet grilled cheese bar and tomato … [Read more...]
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup + Gourmet Grilled Cheese Bar = New Christmas Eve Tradition
Last year I posted on our newly formed Christmas Eve tradition a few days after the fact. This year I thought I'd post it before the 24th in case you want to get in on the fun... This year was the first time we hosted Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners at our house. Now that C is old enough to understand the whole Santa Clause thing, it was really important to the hubs and I that we celebrate at our home. We wanted to experience C coming down the stairs to see his living room … [Read more...]
Handmade Halloween: Ghost Jell-O Treats
If you've been paying close attention, then you probably already know where I derived the inspiration for these ghostly goodies. Remember these cloud parfaits? As soon as I saw them I knew I wanted to put my own spin on them and try to make Halloween ghosts. The problem was the photo, like too many Pinterest finds, was a dead end (looks like it was originally pinned from a password protected site). The description on the pin said something along the lines of "Jell-O + whipped cream" … [Read more...]
Summer Vacation Treats
We're in kind of a weird spot right now. I feel a big rush to simultaneously get ready for school and take advantage of what's left of summer. Just in case you're feeling the same, in between all the back-to-school stuff, I'll be peppering in a few final summer fun posts too. Today I thought I'd share two special treats we indulged in during our recent trip to the lake. Have you heard of ebelskivers? They're these light and airy pancake pockets filled with anything you … [Read more...]
Kid Snack: Polenta Pizzas
A few of you have written me recently asking for some tot-friendly recipes so I thought I'd share one of our favorites. I'm certainly no Rachael Ray but, like most moms, I do have a few go-to meals and snacks. I'm hoping that if I share mine with you then you'll reciprocate in the comments. That way we'll all have a new bag of tricks for meal time! Head over to momtastic for the mini-tutorial on these mini-pizzas. We love them because they're simple and lightening fast. My … [Read more...]
Party DIY: Make Custom Colored Donuts
Today I have another short tutorial from S's recent 1st birthday bash. I decided to keep it to two homemade elements for the party - her paint chip birthday banner and some custom colored donuts. Why donuts instead of more traditional party treats like cake or cupcakes? The party was at 10:15 in the morning (we were working around naps) so I thought it would be fun to do something a little more breakfast-y. In fairness, I guess I should say these are "semi-homemade". In an effort … [Read more...]
The “Rabbit Diet” – A Nutritious and Fun New Lunch System for Your Kids
photo via Meet the Dubiens Happy St. Patrick's Day! If you haven't already, be sure to check out my free printables for a limerick treasure hunt and a shamrock temporary tattoo or sticker. For more St. Patty's Day fun, try imitating this yummy creation from Meet the Dubiens. This is only the latest in a long line of awe-inspiring lunches that Jill has created as part of her Fun Food Friday series - I highly recommend you go check them out.And while we're on … [Read more...]
Winner Winner Chicken Dinner
First the winner - congrats to Aubrey, the official winner of MPMK's very first giveaway! Enjoy your $35 CSN gift code and come back to let us know what you got. Thank you to everyone who participated and made MPMK's first giveaway such a success. Now on to the chicken dinner. Not one, but two, of my friends have welcomed beautiful baby boys into the world in the last 2 weeks. So this weekend the hubs and I made a triple batch of our favorite freeze and eat food, Salsa Verde … [Read more...]