The men in my life are addicted to game apps. Whenever we go anywhere, you often find my boys happily playing away on their tablets while my husband plays Candy Crush on his phone. Most of the time I am happy that they are all preoccupied, especially when I am shopping and don't want them harassing me and asking me if I am finished yet. Other times, I ask them to turn off all of their electronic devices so we could enjoy some quality time. During these times that we turn off and shut down, one of the easiest ways to keep their attention is to bribe them with delicious sweets or treats. We don't often eat candy or other sugary things but, once in a while, I do like to let them all indulge. After all, eating some candy from time to time is something we all relished in when we were kids. My husband never actually outgrew this stage and he is always trying to sneak sweets, even when the kids are not around! Recently, I had an idea of creating a Candy Soda Crush Mix that … [Read more...]
Fourth Of July No Bake Cookie Dough Balls
This afternoon, my Aunt called me to ask what time she should be here Saturday for our annual Fourth of July barbecue. I've been getting ready for this weekend this whole week trying to plan and prepare easy foods that I know the whole family will love. The key is making sure that making these foods doesn't take up a lot of my time because we just started summer vacation here in New York City and the last thing I want to do is spend a lot of time in the hot kitchen. The kids usually spend the entire day running around with the water guns and throwing water balloons at each other so they often don't even stop to grab a bite to eat. However, as soon as they see dessert come out, they flock to it like bees to honey. I've come up with some fun dessert ideas to celebrate Independence Day this year and one of them is for Fourth of July No Bake Cookie Dough Balls. I'm pretty sure all the kids are going to love them because they are easy to carry around and eat … [Read more...]
Red, White And Blue Fruit Skewers Recipe
It's hard to believe that this weekend is already the Fourth of July! We just finished school this last Friday in New York City and it is wonderful to be on vacation. Our family is getting together this weekend to celebrate Independence Day and I am already planning some of the foods that I will prepare and serve when everyone gets together. The name of the game is easy to make and tastes good since I don't want to have to spend too much time in the kitchen. Since all of the men in the family work in produce, I decided to make fruit the center of many of the dishes that we will enjoy. This red, white and blue fruit skewers recipe is perfect for celebrating the Fourth and making sure everyone enjoys some fresh fruit! Red, White and Blue Fruit Skewers Ingredients - 1 pint of fresh blueberries 1 pint of fresh raspberries 2-3 apples diced wooden shish kabob skewers Directions - 1. Rinse your fruit and set aside. 2. Slide one piece of fruit onto the wooden … [Read more...]
Lemon Buttercream Cupcake Recipe
If your family is like our family, we have a lot of birthdays during the summer months and all of the kids love cupcakes so they often ask for them in lieu of having a birthday cake. Over the years, my Sister in Law has gotten very creative with her cupcake recipe ideas and, not to be outdone by her, I have been looking for unique cupcake recipes to dazzle the entire family with for these events. However, my Sister in Law is still a better baker than me by far and her cake pops are to die for! The next birthdays that we will be celebrating will be those of my teenage cousins which fall in the month of July. To commemorate this joyous occasion, I will be making Lemon Buttercream Cupcakes and I am really excited to see what the rest of the family and our friends think about them. In the meantime, I wanted to share the recipe with all of you so you could impress your loved ones this summer! LEMON BUTTERCREAM CUPCAKES This recipe makes 12 cupcakes Total Baking Time: … [Read more...]
Cool Off This Summer With Homemade Ice Pops!
When I was a kid, I remember visiting my grandmother and taking my bike to the park to spend all day outdoors with my friends. Throughout the day, we would get hot and thirsty from playing "Red Light, Green Light, 123," "British Bulldog," and Freeze Tag. To cool off, we would visit one of the neighbors who made homemade ices and buy one each for only a quarter. I have such fond memories of sitting on the edge of the curb with my buddies enjoying these cool and refreshing ices. Now that I'm a mom, I want to prepare some of the treats that I enjoyed during my childhood with my own sons so I am always on the lookout for ways that I could replicate them right here at home. I'm a teacher so I have summers off and I greatly enjoy spending time with my boys and also enjoying cool desserts when we get overheated during our warm weather outings and adventures. One of the ways that we get refreshed after a long, hot day here in New York City is by enjoying some homemade ice … [Read more...]
Lemon Parfait Recipe #MyGoodEnergy #TeamPremier #Giveaway @PremierProtein #Ad
Now that Memorial Day weekend is behind us, I feel like the summer season is on the horizon. It's so exciting to think about long, summer days enjoying some refreshing beverages along with my favorite desserts. Being a teacher affords me the luxury of having summers off with both of my boys. As a result, I like to spend every minute with them and not slaving away in the kitchen. Many of the recipes that I prepare during the summer are quick and easy so I don't have to worry about taking valuable quality time away from my family. Premier Protein® offers a great-tasting shake packed with 30 grams of protein that come in 3 delicious flavors (Chocolate, Vanilla and Strawberries & Cream) and have 1 gram of sugar and 160 calories. The drinks are designed to fit an on-the-go, healthy lifestyle. This is perfect for our family because we love to take road trips and also enjoy our snacks while we are being active. I love the Premier Protein® shakes because they can be … [Read more...]
Memorial Day Patriotic Felt Craft
This weekend is Memorial Day and, while many are looking forward to having a long holiday weekend, the real purpose of this day is to remember all of the men and women who died serving our country in its armed forces. It is their sacrifices that allow us to enjoy the freedom that we have as citizens of this great country. What better way to spend some quality time with the family than by doing some arts and crafts together? The possibilities with these cute, no sew felt patriotic decorations are endless! Attach a magnet to adorn your refrigerator. Affix to a frame to add patriotism to your favorite photo. Wear as a pin. Attach to a gift box in place of a bow. Plant sticks, or even at your patriotic party table! Materials: Hot Glue Felt Buttons Skewer Sticks Scissors Directions: To make the blue (or red) circles: Cut four, 2" circles out of felt. Fold circle in half and half again and glue together at the seam. Hold for a minute to let the hot glue … [Read more...]
Smoked Salmon Cucumber Breakfast Toast Recipe
As I'm getting older, I'm changing many of my eating habits and going back to my culinary roots in a small fishing town in Spain. I can still recall waiting for my grandfather to return from fishing all morning with a fresh catch that my grandmother would prepare for the family to enjoy. There is just something about the taste of fresh fish and seafood that teases the palate. Not to mention that eating fish is healthier for us and our overall wellness. I've always been a huge fan of smoked salmon because its taste has always appealed to me. Unfortunately, as a Working Mom, I don't always have a lot of time to plan or prepare elaborate recipes so I'm constantly on the lookout of easy recipes that I can prepare and enjoy in a flash. Imagine my surprise when I realized that I could enjoy Smoked Salmon and cucumber on toast as a breakfast treat. This is a great way to start your day full of protein and wholesome goodness. Wait until you see how easy it is to make … [Read more...]
Make Pasta Alfredo In 20 Minutes!
I am a huge pasta fan and you will find it on the dinner menu many nights at our home. Unfortunately, as I'm getting older, I have noticed that I have less of a tolerance for pasta that contains red sauce. It must be due to its acidity from the tomatoes but, although I greatly enjoy eating it, it comes back to haunt me later on. Due to this, I have begun to replace tomato sauce with Alfredo sauce in many of my favorite pastas. The following Alfredo recipe is delicious with the addition of vegetables such as chopped asparagus or broccoli. The sauce also functions deliciously as a foundation for white pizza. 20 MINUTE PASTA ALFREDO RECIPE: Makes: 8 servings prepared in 20 minutes Ingredients: 1 (16 oz) package of your favorite pasta 1 cup heavy cream 1⁄2 cup butter 1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1 teaspoon salt 1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder Directions: Boil water in … [Read more...]
Homemade Meatloaf And Ketchup Recipe
When I was growing up, there were certain recipes that my mother would prepare regularly that she had learned how to cook from her own mother, my grandmother. Many times, my sister and I would come home from school and sit with her in the kitchen telling her about our day as we helped her prepare dinner. One of her favorite recipes was for homemade meatloaf and I was always intrigued by how she mixed all the ingredients together in a large bowl and kneaded her hands throughout the mixture to blend them all together. These are the recipes that I prepare in my own home for my children. Not only do they remind me of happy times during my childhood, but they also help me to carry on family traditions with my boys. They also will often descend upon me in the kitchen to tell me all about how their day went at school. The best part is that they love meatloaf as much as I did when I was a kid and will usually clean their plates when I serve it to them. Hopefully your family will … [Read more...]
