Anyone who has been following this blog for awhile knows that I am one busy mom! Believe me, I wish I didn't have so much on my proverbial plate at times but as a full-time educator and mother to two teenage sons it's inevitable that I often have a packed weekly schedule. As a result, I'm always looking for ways to make my life easier, especially when it comes to preparing my family's meals! That is why I'm so excited to finally be able to tell you about Perdue Farms direct-to-consumer boxes! The Perdue Farms Family Bundle contains all of the products that my family loves no matter what meal of the day it is. I especially love the convenience of receiving these foods right at home and how easy they are for me to prepare for my guys to enjoy. When my younger son comes home from school hungry from a long day of classes and activities he loves to eat Perdue ® Panko Breaded Dino Nuggets. They are fully cooked and made from 100% all natural chicken breast with no preservatives, no … [Read more...]
What Are You Passionate About? #JOURNEYTOÄAH #HäagenDazs @HaagenDazs_US #Ad
It might seem like a simple question but some people actually have a hard time pinpointing the exact thing that they truly feel passionate about. Passion is something that drives each and every one of us from within and it can mean the difference between being ordinary or being extraordinary. Although it is a process to grow an idea from its early stages to its full bloom and glory, it is definitely worthwhile in the end. The reason for this is that our true happiness will arise from the journey we take to transform our passion into a truly driving force. In my case, I have always prided myself on being authentic and staying true to my core values and belief system. Family and education have always been important to me so I have made both the focal points of my life. Anyone who knows me is aware that my roles as mother and educator are an integral part of who I am and that I pour my whole self into doing both to the best of … [Read more...]
Simple Dinner Solutions For Working Moms! #BalanceYourPlate @Stouffers #Ad
*This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with Stouffer's and WeAllGrow Latina. All opinions are 100% my own. Everyone wants to eat better, but sometimes we need a little inspiration and simple solutions to choose from to make it a reality more often. This is especially true for working moms like me who love preparing delicious meals for their families but just don't have the time to spend hours in the kitchen preparing elaborate recipes. Recently, I have learned about the Balance Your Plate program which is designed to educate everyone about ways to put together nutritious meals that incorporate both frozen and fresh foods. This is such a big help when it comes to finding that balance between our busy lives and making sure we are eating healthy. Research shows that Americans are only meeting MyPlate recommendations for vegetables, fruit, proteins, dairy and grains seven days out of 365. This is of great concern to me … [Read more...]
Domino’s Digital Insiders Day #DPZDigitalInsiders @dominos #ad
I recently had the opportunity to visit the Domino's World Resource Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan and I am excited to tell you about all I learned during my two days there. I have loved Domino's pizza for years and was thrilled to learn just how dynamic of a company they truly are. Domino's Pizza started as a single store back in 1960 and today they are recognized as the world leader in pizza delivery. Back in 1960, Tom Monaghan and brother, James, purchase "DomiNick's," a pizza store in Ypsilanti, Mich. Monaghan borrowed $500 to buy the store. In 1961 James trades his half of the business to Tom for a Volkswagen Beetle. Then in 1965, Tom, the sole owner of the company, renames the business "Domino's Pizza, Inc." The first Domino's Pizza franchise store opens in Ypsilanti, Michigan in 1967. From the very beginning, Domino's has been dedicated to providing their customers with the best service, quality products and delivery excellence. … [Read more...]
Make French Press Coffee Right At Home! @Folgers #Folgers #Ad
There's just something about making a hot cup of coffee right at home that makes it taste all that much better. I love it when the delicious aroma of my Folgers Coffeehouse Blend permeates through the whole house. Not to mention the fact that it also saves me a ton of money since I'm not purchasing my coffee at expensive coffee shops. Recently, I have been experimenting with different ways to prepare my morning coffee and I stumbled upon the French Press. A French Press is a brewing apparatus that extracts coffee from the grounds through a process where you "bloom" or steep your coffee in boiling water. It is a favorite among coffee aficionados because it has a strong, true coffee flavor since the coffee to water ratio is higher in every cup. Most Hispanic households love to drink their coffee strong so I immediately knew that preparing my coffee this way would immediately catapult me back to my childhood in Spain. … [Read more...]
Let Your Star Shine With Honey Bunches Of Oats! #HBOestodo @HBOatsLatino #Ad
*This is a compensated campaign in collaboration with Honey Bunches of Oats and WeAllGrow Latina. All opinions are 100% my own. Ever since I started dating my husband, he has loved Honey Bunches of Oats. As a matter of fact, not only is it his favorite cereal, but he doesn't want to share it with anyone else in the house. Unfortunately for him, our boys love it too so they are constantly trying to come up with sneaky ways to slip the box past him when they eat it in the morning. When I heard that Honey Bunches of Oats created a microsite to recognize their fans and give them the opportunity to star in their own ad, I knew my guys were perfect for it! If you have never tasted Honey Bunches of Oats, you have no idea the deliciousness that you are missing out on. Imagine tantalizing your palate with a multitude of flavors and textures that include crispy flakes and mouthwatering clusters of crunchy oats that are sprinkled with the sweet … [Read more...]
Feed Their Hunger After School! #tysonfoods #jimmydean #saraleedesserts #Ad
*This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Tyson Foods, Inc. All opinions are entirely my own. Back to School is finally upon us here in New York City and there is a whirlwind of preparations that are taking place in our home to make sure the school year goes off without a hitch. Believe it or not, meal planning is a huge part of our planning because I teach full-time and my boys come home from school starving every day. It's not that they don't eat lunch at school but, for some reason, they work up quite an appetite acquiring all that knowledge! So one of the things that we prepare for in advance is having the perfect snacks and foods that can easily be prepared once our boys get home in the afternoon. Of course, sticking to our grocery budget is always a consideration but we also want to make sure that we buy foods that our sons really like. Our youngest can be quite the picky eater so it's important that we take his … [Read more...]
Chicken Fajita Penne @ragusauce #Ad
I had the fortune of growing up in a culturally diverse household. My father is from Spain and my mother is Italian so my siblings and I got to experience the best of both worlds when it came to cooking and culinary delights. We learned early on about the importance of family and heritage and the role that food played in instilling those values and bringing us closer together. Ragu Pasta Sauce was a delicious part of all of my Mom's recipes and it has become a staple in my own home as well. I'm loving the new Ragu Thick & Hearty Homestyle sauce! It's their thickest sauce ever and you can tell this right away because it wraps completely around every pasta dish. The reason the flavors in these new Ragu sauces are so bold and tasty is that they simmer, chop, and peel their ingredients using a unique blend of herbs. Imagine a flavorful mix of basil, fennel, oregano and black pepper with no artificial … [Read more...]
Piña Colada Popsicles
A few weeks ago, my husband and I had the opportunity to go away for the weekend without the kids for the first time in over ten years. Although we really missed our boys while we were away, having this time together made us realize how important it is to set time aside whenever possible to bond as a couple. Since we can't always get away, I started thinking about ways we could do this right at home. This doesn't mean that we can't enjoy some adult treats after the kids go to bed. It's summer vacation here in New York City so what better way to cool off after a long, hot day than by enjoying some Piña Colada popsicles. These are strictly for adults as the recipe does include rum. PIÑA COLADA POPSICLES This recipe will make 12 piña colada pops: INGREDIENTS 2 cups pineapple juice 2 cups cream of coconut 1/4 cup rum (or coconut rum) Optional- maraschino cherries DIRECTIONS 1. In a large pitcher, add the pineapple … [Read more...]
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Recipe And Other Easy Morning Hacks! @JIF #Ad
As a New York City public school teacher, I take my responsibility to educate young people very seriously. It's a tough and rewarding job and I do it with pride. Unfortunately, being a full-time career woman is very demanding and it is extremely difficult to juggle working and being a mother. As a result, mornings definitely don't always go off without a hitch in our home. I've tried to perfect some morning hacks, over the years, to make our mornings easier. Since I know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and that children who eat breakfast daily perform better academically, that was the first area where I wanted to improve our morning routine. Let's be honest, I don't have a lot of time to prepare breakfast every morning with our hectic schedule so I had to get creative to make sure my boys eat something wholesome that doesn't take a lot of time to prepare. This is where my morning … [Read more...]
