Family — Page 14

Chef Boyardeelicious Party – & HUGE Contest Too!

For men, the phrase that sends their stress level rising is – “Honey, we need to talk…” – For many women, it’s, “Mom, what’s for dinner? I’m staaaaaarving!” Followed by whines of, “But I don’t like that!” in response to any dinnertime suggestion you come up with. Ah, motherhood. One food that will put a smile on just about any kids face is Chef Boyardee. So, Chef Boyardee came up with some fun new recipes to help you put a great meal on the table that will please everyone by featuring some of their products that are already family favorites. Save time, money, and stress – Make it Chef Boyardeelicious!

Family Dinnertime Favorites

You know I’m a big fan of sorta-homemade cooking. I love to cook and bake and create in the kitchen – But I have way more enthusiasm than I do cooking skills, lol. So recipes that feature simple ingredients, that are easy to prepare – but still let me look and feel like I made a home-cooked meal are totally my style! That’s why I love the new recipes from Chef Boyardee – they totally fit my style of cooking, and so far, my family has loved them all. And don’t think that because these recipes start with a canned pasta that they can’t be healthy – With the addition of some veggies, and using the whole grain versions of these great pastas, they make a great balanced meal. Our very favorite is the Taco-Roni!

Chef Boyardee Taco-Roni – Love it!

We made a few changes to the original recipe – used Doritos instead of tortilla chips, since that’s what I had on hand, used diced tomatos with green chilies instead of regular, and added a few more veggies {chopped onions, peppers, and olives}. The kids asked for seconds – which is pretty rare around here!

“Chef Boyardee Beefaroni combined with tomatoes, black beans and corn, topped with cheese and crunchy tortilla chips for a taco-inspired dish, try Chef Boyardee Taco-Roni tonight!”

You can find the rest of the great recipe ideas on their site too – Cheeseburger-Roni, Chili-Roni, Pepperoni Spaghetti Bake {another kid favorite!}, and Ravioli Lasagna {a sneaky way to get the kids to eat spinach!}.

Chef Boyardeelicious Party Time!

We received a super fun package of supplies, so that we could try out a bunch of the new Chef Boyardee recipes at a rockin’ in-home party. I love any excuse for a party, and love to share great new products with my friends – so this was very cool. We got some awesome baking dishes that I used to make a couple of the recipes I found on the Chef Boyardee site, and coupons so we could stock up on a TON of different varieties. {I have a super adorable photo of Abby and I in our Chef Boyardee aprons too, that I’ll post this weekend, along with a couple more recipes we came up with! Stay tuned…} I already have a house full, with me, my Mister, and Abby – Plus my brother and my nephews, and Grandma! But we invited over one of my best girlfriends and her family too – to see what recipes were favorites. I tried to get creative with the products, and come up with recipes not on the site. We made deep fried raviolis as appetizers, Beef-a-Roni on a Bun {think sloppy joe}, and mac ‘n cheese biscuit cups. I’ll get the recipes written up to show you soon!

Enter to WIN!!!!

Ready to put your kitchen creativity to the test, and see what Chef Boyardee recipes you can come up with? They’re running a super cool contest on Facebook – and you can win big!

Enter the Make it Boyardeelicious Recipe Contest on the Chef Boyardee Facebook page for a chance to win a grand prize of free groceries for a year!
Now through March 11, 2012, you can submit an original recipe that uses Chef Boyardee as an ingredient. Simply upload a photo of the recipe, and share why your family loves it.
Each week, a winner will be chosen based on creativity, all-family appeal, ease of preparation, and palatable appeal by an expert panel of judges. {One of the earlier week winners is a new favorite of mine too – Braided Spaghetti Loaf!}
The weekly winner receives a $500 prize as well as $75 in Chef coupons. If you don’t win in one week, you can re-enter again the next week!
Each of the top ten finalists from all the accumulated weeks will have the chance to win the grand prize of free groceries for a year. The winner will be chosen based on a combined score of taste points and voting.
The voting period lasts March 26-April 8, 2012. Voters get entered into a daily sweepstakes for the chance to win $100. Share it on Facebook and get an extra sweepstakes entry.

So even if your not a creative cooking genius – you still have some awesome chances to win! Make sure to check out the other winning recipes {mmmm, they look goooood!}, enter your own, and then come back and vote to be entered for more prizes. Love it, right?

{Disclaimer: I wrote this review while participating in a In Home Party campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Chef Boyardee and received product samples to facilitate my party and review, and a promotional item to thank me for participating.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on March 7, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 4 Comments

How to Get Background Checks & References for Child Care Providers

One of the first things that I worried about, when I found out that I was going to become a mom, was childcare. In my city, like many others – it’s tough to find quality childcare that’s affordable. It’s scary enough leaving your new baby with a stranger – when you add in all the other worries like, “Is the facility safe? What are their qualifications? How do I know if there have been problems there??” – it can be really stressful.

Smart Solution: Care.com

I ended up losing my job while on Maternity leave, so I avoided the final decision of where to take Abby while I was at work. But before that – I had spent months visiting everything from small in-home daycares, to giant facilities. There were so many choices – but there were so many things to consider! I was honestly overwhelmed, and terrified of putting her in the wrong hands. So when I heard about Care.com this week, I knew it was a Smart Mom Solution that I had to share with you guys.

A little more about Care.com:

Find and select the best care possible, including child care, special needs care, tutoring, senior care, pet care, housekeeping and more. Detailed profiles, background checks, and references for hundreds of thousands of mom-reviewed providers who are seeking to share their services. Click Here to learn more.

What do you think?

How did you decide on childcare the first time? Did you find a great option on the first try, or was it more trial and error? Have you used a site like Care.org to find reputable helpers for your own busy mom life? It’s totally worth checking out – it takes less than one minute to sign up, then you get access to the site, and can browse around and check it out. We’re thinking of having Abby in daycare one or two days a week soon, so she has a chance to play with other kids more often – So I am totally loving the help that this site provides!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on March 7, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 5 Comments

Kids Change Everything! – #FriendsWithKids

Friends with Kids

I got an email about this movie this morning – and it looks SO good! How is it that I had never even heard of this? I just watched the trailer – and it looks so super funny. I figured, if I hadn’t heard of it – Maybe you hadn’t either? And since it comes to theaters this Friday, March 9th – I don’t want you to miss it!

How it all gets started…

Friends With Kids is a daring and poignant ensemble comedy about a close-knit circle of friends at that moment in life when children arrive and everything changes. The last two singles in the group observe the effect that kids have had on their friends’ relationships and wonder if there’s a better way. They decide to have a kid together – and date other people. {Admit it – you wonder if maybe that isn’t such a bad idea, lol.}

Where it gets funny…

Jennifer Westfeldt wrote, directed, and stars in the romantic comedy Friends
with Kids. She plays Julie, a Manhattanite whose biological clock is about to run out, so she convinces her longtime platonic best friend, Jason (Adam Scott) to father a child with her. They seem to have a much easier time juggling the responsibilities of new parenthood without the complication of being in a relationship with each other, which is in contrast to the two couples they are closest to. As their friends’ marriages implode, Julie and Jason’s happy equilibrium topples over as well when he falls for a hot young artist (Megan Fox) and she begins dating a successful businessman (Edward Burns).

The Happy Ending…

There are big laughs and unexpected emotional truths as this unconventional
‘experiment’ leads everyone in the group to question the nature of friendship, family and, finally, true love.

Learn More:

Friends With Kids stars some of my FAVORITE people – Adam Scott (“Parks and Recreation”), Jennifer Westfeldt, Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Chris O’Dowd, Megan Fox and Edward Burns.
Written and directed by Jennifer Westfeldt (Kissing Jessica Stein).
Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions will release Friends With Kids on
March 9, 2012.

Posted by Meagan Paullin on March 7, 2012 Filed Under: Fun Stuff | No Comments

Tips & Tools for Better Brushing – Win the Twooth Timer!

“You don’t have to brush your teeth – just the ones you want to keep.” – Author Unknown

I’m pretty lucky – Abby LOVES brushing her teeth. She sneaks into all of the bathrooms in the house to steal people’s toothbrushes, and then proudly comes to show us as she brushes her “teef” with our own brush. While I don’t appreciate the expense of constantly buying new toothbrushes for everyone, I do totally appreciate that she is off to a great start in keeping those tiny toddler teeth healthy. But while she can’t wait to brush each morning and night – The boys in my house used to be the total opposite! Like every mom, I try to avoid fighting, nagging, whining, or complaining in my house – so when we have a challenge, I try to come up with a solution to make the task fun. And that’s where the Twooth Timer comes to the rescue!

“Using Twooth Timer twice a day, Helps your kids fight tooth decay!”

The Twooth Timer is exactly what it sounds like it would be – A super fun timer to encourage your kids to brush their teeth longer. Experts recommend brushing for at least 2 minutes – but the average kiddo only brushes for around 30 seconds – Yikes! And, tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood ailment – 5 times more common even than asthma. Clearly, we could all use a few tools to help kids do a better job in brushing, right?

twooth® timer

Tips and Tools for Better Brushing

We used to have quite a bit of trouble with oral health care in this house – The boys {5 and 8 years old} went to their yearly check-ups last year, and both had quite a few cavities. They never wanted to brush their teeth – I had to remind them a million times each morning and night, and couldn’t seem to get them to add it to their regular routine on their own. But, we got a little more creative, and at their last check-up they both got a big thumbs up for no new cavities! I’ll share a few of the tips and tools that work best for our family –

Use a reminder – We have a big white board in the hall that lists each thing that the kids need to do in the morning before school, and then again in the evening before bed. They get to check off each day that they complete everything – and 5 check marks during the week gets them a fun reward on the weekend! Sure, it’s a bit of bribery, but it’s worked wonders in keeping them on task.
Get fun supplies – Let the kids help you shop for brushing supplies. They’ll be much more excited to brush with a cool super hero toothbrush that they choose themselves. Get a fun toothpaste – We use the Xlear Spry Tooth Gel in Strawberry Banana – And try those cool character-themed floss picks too. There are a lot of fun choices you can check out – They might cost a little more than a store brand product, but if they can save you money on dentist bills, they’re well worth it!
Get the Twooth Timer! – When it’s time to brush, the kids simply turn the timer to the big number 2, and get to brushing. At our house, they like to “race” – They brush as fast as they can for the full two minutes, making sure that they get every single tooth before the timer goes off. I love that they can go brush their teeth on their own, and I know that they’ll do a great job, since they always brush until the Twooth Timer tells them to stop. They think it’s super fun – I think it’s super effective!

Check out the Twooth Timer online

Available on their site – Only $10.99 for the Twooth Timer, and check out their other fun products too!

Follow them on Twitter – @TwoothTimer, and get their exclusive coupon on Facebook to save 25% off!

Enter to Win Your Own Twooth Timer!

Use the easy peasy Rafflecopter form below to enter to win – And, if you’re feeling lucky today, check out my huge list of new giveaways in the sidebar. The more you enter, the more chances that you have to win!

Have fun and Good luck!

[Read more…]

Posted by Meagan Paullin on February 13, 2012 Filed Under: Giveaways | 15 Comments

Caregiver for Your Parents? This Tip Can Save a Life!

Are you a caregiver?

It’s hard for me to accept sometimes that my parents are getting older. I still picture them like they were when I was a kid. Plus, if THEY’RE getting older, that means I am too, which I have been having a hard time with since I turned 30. When the heck did I turn into an adult?? But – As our parents get older, you start thinking about how you’ll take care of them as they age. What if something happens to them? What if they get sick? Usually it falls to us, the daughters, to be the caregivers.

My Parents

My mom is still mostly healthy – She’s super active, works at a pretty physical job, is an amazing gardener, loves to dance. And her and I live together, which means I know she’s taken care of. But my father has had a lot of health problems. He broke his hip a year ago, and still has a lot of trouble getting around. He also recently moved to Seattle, on the other side of the state, so my brothers and I can’t stop in to check on him like we used to. I worry about him a lot, and hate that he’s so far away.

Help in an Emergency

We had gotten him set up with a medical emergency reporting system when we first moved him to his new house – Just in case. Like I said, he has a hard time getting around, and is known to fall and have a tough time getting to the phone. He thought it was a silly idea, and didn’t want to get it – I explained to him that it wasn’t even for HIM, it was for me, so I wouldn’t worry quite as much. All I can say is THANK GOODNESS he agreed – Two weeks ago he got incredibly sick. So sick he couldn’t get out of bed, couldn’t call anyone. But – his Medical Alert system is right next to the bed, so he was able to get an ambulance. He ended up needing emergency surgery. The surgeon said that the doctor he had here in town had missed some major problems for over a year now – if he hadn’t had this surgery, he could have died!

Protect Your Family

I am now such a big believer in these medical alert systems, and recommend them to anyone who has an older family member, friend, or loved one that has trouble getting around. It gives you piece of mind, and it can be a lifesaver for them. There are a ton of options out there to check out, and the cost is really not at all as high as I had expected.

What do you think?

Have you ever used any type of Medical Alert for your family? Do you have a close call story like this too? Share your stories or advice in the comments, to help others who are reading this find the best solution for their families too.

Posted by Meagan Paullin on February 12, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 1 Comment

3 Ways Walmart Can Help You Eat Healthy on a Budget

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walmart for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

At first, that headline feels a little bit surprising, right? I mean – We all love Walmart, but you don’t usually associate it with healthy living. But that’s about to change – Walmart is rolling out a huge campaign to help children have access to better foods, help busy moms learn how to shop for healthier family meals, and have brought in Dr. Ro, one of America’s top nutritionists, to share easy steps that every family can take to eat healthier on a budget!

walmart

3 Ways Walmart is Helping Families Live Healthier

Walmart is giving away $9.5 million in grants to great organizations around the country that work to ensure families get access to healthier and more affordable food choices. This funding will help to support nutrition education programs, provide classes on learning to shop for healthier foods on a budget, and even provide live cooking demonstrations at local stores around the country – How cool is that?
The addition of Dr. Ro will help Walmart share easy to follow tips that can help moms learn which foods in their local Walmart are the best to feed to feed their families, and how to find the best value. I can’t wait to learn some of her great tips on healthy living!
Not every community has a health foods store – But almost everyone lives close enough to a Walmart store to visit and shop regularly! By educating families about healthier choices, and making them easy and accessible to shop for – Walmart can really make an impact on the diets of thousands of American families!

Shopping Matters Tour!

As you can see in the video, Walmart is working to busy moms the basics of how to find the best nutrition at the best prices in their own local stores. They’re also using all of that grant money I mentioned to fund amazing programs across the country – Like Action for Healthy Kids, a group that works to get healthier foods into schools nationwide. The $1.5 million grant from Walmart will bring better foods and nutrition education to 400 schools, which will impact over 160,000 children!

How these changes can help you

In our family, I’m always trying to guide us towards cleaner, greener, healthier lives. I’ve noticed over the past year that our diet and exercise habits have gone down hill quite a bit – The Mister was laid off and has been out of work for almost a year, I’m so busy running this site and all of my other projects I don’t always have time to plan for healthier meals, and I have a toddler now who can keep things running pretty crazy around here. I love that Walmart is using their enormous power as one of the biggest grocery retailers to encourage a movement towards better nutrition! Walmart reaches so many families, that they’re education programs can make a big difference in helping other busy moms like me shop for great foods to serve to their families.

What do you think?

I love hearing what you guys think about things – What do you think about the grants that Walmart will be sharing in communities across the country? Which one of the organizations listed are your favorite? Are you excited to see things like live cooking demonstrations or shopping education tours in your own local store? What else should Walmart do to help encourage and enable moms to prepare great meals for their kids? Share in the comments!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on February 8, 2012 Filed Under: Deals and Coupon Codes, Busy Mom Solution | No Comments

My Bacon Interview with Burger King Chef Koch!

Who Loves Bacon?

In my house, we are total bacon junkies. We believe every single dish can be improved by the addition of bacon. I recently got the opportunity to submit my questions about all things bacon to the Bacon Master himself – John Koch, the Executive Chef and Director, Product Innovation for Culinary Research and Development for Burger King restaurants {imagine trying to fit that title on your business cards, lol} – and was glad to see that he agrees with our family – There’s really nothing you CAN’T improve with a bit of bacon!

Check out my exclusive interview with Chef Kock…

“Porkchops and bacon, my two favorite animals.” – Homer Simpson

John Koch’s career is filled with experience in nearly every restaurant segment in the industry. From family dining to fine dining, with bar & grill, micro brewery, casual dining and chef/owner roles along the way, John has a clear and real understanding of who eats what, where they eat it, and why.

My own Favorite Bacon Recipe

In the video interview, Chef Kock mentions Bacon Jam – and he’s right, that stuff is so dang good. Here’s my favorite bacon recipe, including the uh-MAY-zing bacon jam…

Mmmmm…. Breakfast with Skillet Bacon Jam!!

What’s your favorite bacon recipe?

I’d love to hear how your family uses bacon – Is it simply a perfect breakfast food on it’s own? Do you have any unique recipes or ways that you add it to your meals? If you’ve got a great recipe, link it up in the comments! You guys always have the best ideas.