Chocolate Delight

Looking for a yummy dessert but not wanting to bake?  Here is my recipe for my no-bake Chocolate Delight!  I hope your family enjoys this as much as mine does.

Chocolate Delight

graham crackers
8oz cream cheese
1c powdered sugar
cool whip
2 chocolate pudding
3 c milk
Cake pan

Put a pack of graham crackers in a Ziploc baggie and then break it up into crumbs. After you have crumbled up all the graham crackers, pour them into the bottom of the cake pan (cover the bottom).
In a mixing bowl mix the chocolate pudding, milk, powdered sugar, and cream cheese. Mix until there are no lumps and then pour over the graham cracker crumbs. Then get the tub of cool whip and put it on top of the filling. 

*Optional*
Crumble up some more graham crackers and sprinkle on top (not a lot).

What delicious no-bake dessert recipes do you have?

~ Jennifer

From Our Kitchen to Yours: Soups

Some dishes vary from family to family.  Two dishes that we noticed differ are potato soup and chili.  Here are recipes from the kitchens of our very own admins:

Kellie's Chili for the Picky Eater

1 Lb hamburger
2 Tbsp chili powder
Can of tomato juice 

Brown hamburger 
Add hamburger, can of tomato juice, and chili powder
Heat to a boil
Let simmer for approximately 20 mins
We serve ours over spaghetti and then eat it after its been refrigerated and reheated by itself! Day old chili is the BEST!! And I am not one for leftovers :)

Kate's Chili

1 lb of stew meat
1 medium yellow onion
1 poblano chili 
1/2 head of garlic
1 can of dark beer
1 can of diced tomatoes
3 tbsp. of tomato paste
1 can of crushed tomatoes
1 cube of beef bouillon 
1 cup of water
1 can of kidney beans
3 tbsp of ketchup
2 tsp. of dry mustard
1 tbsp. of turmeric
4 tbs. of chili powder
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper

1. Cut a head of garlic in half. Coat the garlic and poblano in olive oil and salt and pepper. Wrap both in aluminum foil and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until roasted.
2. Brown stew meat in pot. Dice up onion and add. Cook until translucent. 
3.Peel the skin and seed the chili, dice, and add to the pot as well. 
4. Squeeze out the roasted garlic from the head into the pot.
5. Add one can of beer while scrapping the bits of meat from the bottom of the pot. At this time, add the remainder of the ingredients.
6.Cook for 3 hours on low heat. Be sure to remove the bay leaves from the chili before serving.

Kristy's Potato Soup

6 slices of bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 pounds (about 5 large) russet potatoes 
3 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
1 stick butter
2 2/3 cups milk
1/2 tsp pepper 
3/4 cup shredded cheese

Cook bacon until crisp. Set aside. 
Peel, rinse, and cut potatoes into thirds
Boil potatoes until soft with 2 tsp salt
Drain and return to pot
Mash, add sour cream and butter and stir until melted
Add milk, pepper, and salt and bring soup to a simmer
Garnish with cheese and bacon

Kellie's Potato Soup for the Picky Eater

3 lbs of potatoes
Can of half and half
Stick of butter
Tbsp of pepper (heaping)
Tbsp of salt (heaping)
Half an onion (optional!) 
2 Cups of Water

Peel potatoes and cut into bite sized chunks
Boil until potatoes can easily be pierced with fork
Drain potatoes 
Add can of half and half (can substitute with milk if you'd prefer), water, salt, pepper, onions, and stick of butter. 
Heat to a boil
Let simmer till onions are completely cooked and butter is melted
Serve!

We hope enjoy our our variations of these two classic soups!  Bon appétit!  

~ The Mommy's Place Admins

Featured Business Owner: Lauren Walker

Making your own products has become more and more popular over the past few years.  With the job market struggling, people are trying to get more creative with what they have.  Lauren Walker, mother of two, makes her living as a stay at home mom while also running two small businesses by making and selling her own makeup, and using duct tape quite creatively to make flowers, wallets, purses, and more.

Makeup Your Face was started about a month ago.  After seeing the outrageous cost of some makeup products, Lauren decided to make her own.  She also vows to wearing her own all mineral and vegan friendly products every day.  Although she may not always wear a face full, she suggests always wearing eyeliner and mascara to help brighten up your eyes.

If you want to try your hand at making your own creamy eye shadow, Lauren tells us a simple way how...
"You can use your loose eye shadow or if you have pressed eye shadow, break it up. You can even mix the colors together to form new colors. Put the powder in a new jar and mix with either concealer or a liquid eye primer. You can even use lotion!  Those old lipsticks you have lying around or tube you just bought but didn't care for the color can also be of great use. If you don't like the color, melt them down and mix to create something new!"

In addition to making her own makeup, Lauren also makes items using duct tape.  Duck Tape Skills began after her husband of 5 years asked her to make a wallet for him (out of duct tape of course).  She had some left over tape so instead of discarding it,  she began playing around and made a few flowers with them.  Before you know it, she was making purses, earrings, wallets, and more!  She has since added magnets, lanyards, and key chains to her line up too.
What brought out attention to Lauren is how creative she got with what she had, duct tape and used makeup.  We wish her the best in her business adventures!

If you are interested in buying any of Lauren's products (or just simply curious to see them for yourself), you can find her online at:

Makeup Your Face: 
https://www.facebook.com/muyf1
http://www.storenvy.com/muyf1

Duck Tape Skill: 
https://www.facebook.com/ducktapeskills

http://www.ducktapeskills.moonfruit.com/

*Thank you to Lauren Walker, owner, for taking the time to give us a little insight to her businesses. 


Do you have any tricks for making your own makeup?


~Kellie

Crock Pot Recipes

Being a parent means you need to learn how to manage your time well.  Especially with dinner.  There are some days we are too busy to think about dinner, and we end up eating fast food.  Cooking with your crock pot can help manage your kitchen time a little better.  Here are two crock pot recipes from my kitchen that are simple to make:

Pork Chops Smothered in Cream of Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

4 pork chops

Oil

3 cans of cream of mushroom soup

Salt, pepper, and any additional seasonings you would like to add (like garlic or onion powder)

Directions:

Season then fry your pork chop in a skillet.  Once fully cooked put them in the crock pot on low and put 3 cans of cream of mushroom soup in with the chops. I use 3 cans for 4 chops.  Cook for 4-6 hours.  The soup will make a nice gravy for you chops.

Katelyn's Chili

Ingredients:

1 lb. of ground beef

1 packet of chili seasoning

2 cans of kidney beans

1/2 jar of salsa

Directions:

Cook 1 lb of ground beef, drain the grease off.  Add a packet of chili seasoning.  Pour in your kidney beans.  I use dark kidney beans but if you prefer light that's fine.  Add a half of a jar of salsa.  Let it simmer on low for 4 hours.

What's your favorite crock pot recipe?

~ Katelyn

Advice on Relationships: Trust, Romance, and Everlasting Love

Let's face it, relationships are just not what they used to be.  The divorce rate is higher than ever, and many people are choosing to live a single lifestyle.  Some people even have the tendency to end a relationship without giving it the time to fix it.  Here are a few pointers on how to help rebuild your relationship, whether it be from lack of trust, romance issues, communication issues, or you are just looking to improve on an already great bond:

• COMMUNICATE!  What good is it to try to fix or improve a relationship if you aren't willing to talk?  Share your feelings and most of all, listen to your partner.  Be honest with what you are saying.  Lies only create more lies.  No relationship can be built on lies, but rather trust.  Being able to communicate with your partner will help you get through conflict better.
• Sexuality is a beautiful thing.  Stay intimate with your partner.  Let's be honest, no matter how much you love your partner for what's on the inside, it's what is on the outside that most likely caught your attention first.  A physical relationship is important to a healthy life together.  Try to touch each other daily (whether it's sexual or not).  Skin to skin contact stimulates the senses and makes us feel closer.
• Be understanding.  We are all human.  You can never expect something from someone that you are not willing to do yourself.  As much as you may think your partner is Superman (or Superwoman), they are still human, and they have feelings just like you do.
• Be aware of your partners emotions.  When you are with a person for a while, you can notice when something isn't right.  Communicate with them.  
• For better or for worse really means for worse or for worser (new word?).  There are times in every relationship when times get tough.  But what makes you stronger is knowing how to deal with tough times.  Financial issues, health problems, trust issues....these happen to almost everyone.  It's human nature.  Be patient, and never jump into a conversation angry.  United you stand, but divided you may fall.
• Create goals together.  Plan for a lifetime together.  Set goals for your future, work towards them together, and celebrate when you achieve them.
• Stress happens.  Deal with it.  Everyone gets stressed, so if you think life is against you right now, imagine how your partner feels.  They may notice the changes in you, and it could be making them feel the same way (or worse) for seeing you like that.
• Trust can be rebuilt.  I'm not going to say everyone cheats, because that's a lie.  But people do make mistakes.  Some mistakes can not be fixed, but sometimes, people do fall.  And they need help getting back up.  If trust has been broken, it can be earned back.  Evaluate your specific position and ask yourself, "Is this worth throwing everything away for?".  If it can be fixed, then it will take time.  You must be understanding, work together, be able to forgive and accept a genuine apology.  

If it's a love worth fighting for, then it's a love worth taking the time to fix.  For more information about rebuilding trust, visit:

http://www.truthaboutdeception.com/recovery-and-repair/rebuilding-trust.html

~ Tina

Car Seat Safety

Photo taken from the U.S. Department of Transportation

As we all know, car seats are one of the most important items you purchase for your child.  But some may not know how important.  Here are a few tips to remember when it comes to car seat safety:  

Make sure to read the manual that your car seat comes with. 

NEVER buy a used car seat without knowing specific details first.  If you are planning on buying a used car seat, make sure that it's never been in a car wreck and that the straps have never been washed. 

Know when the expiration date is.  Yes, car seats have an expiration date.  Most manufacturers recommend buying a new car seat after 6-10 years.

Your newborn must be in the rear-facing position.  When installing your seat make sure that your baby's seat is semi-reclined no more than 45 degrees, so baby's head stays in contact with the seat.  If you are having trouble installing your baby's car seat, take it to your local fire or police department and they will properly install if for you.

 
Make sure that the buckled harness straps that keep your baby properly positioned fit snuggly.  It is supposed to be tight to where you cannot pinch it.  The shoulder straps should be at or below your rear-facing baby's shoulders.  The chest clip should be at armpit level.  You should use either the car's seat belt or latch system.  Do NOT use both at the same time.  Use a top tether if both car and seat are equipped.  Tethers limit the forward motion of child's head in a crash. If correctly done, your car seat should not move more than one inch side to side or front to back. 

For your child's best possible protection, keep your baby rear facing for as long as possible!  Check your child's seat for the height or weight limit.  The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) now recommends parent's to keep their babies rear-facing up until the child's second birthday.  For some states, the law for front facing is 12 months and 20 pounds.  It is proven that rear-facing until the age of two is 500% safer.  If your child is over the age of two, and/or over the height/weight requirement of a rear facing car seat, they should remain in a five point harness for as long as possible.  If you feel that your child is ready to be moved to a booster seat, make sure to ask yourself these questions to see if they fit that category:

• Does your child exceed the car seat's height or weight limits?
• Are your child's shoulders above the car seat's top harness slots?
• Are the top of your child's ears above the top of the car seat?
• Is your child at least 4 years old AND 40 pounds?

If so, you may safely transition them to a high back booster seat.  Most laws require your child to remain in a booster seat until age 7 and under and who weigh less than 80 pounds. 

Not all states have the same laws, so if you want to find out about yours, visit your local DMV in person or online, or visit one of these sites:

http://www.aap.org

http://www.safekids.org/
http://www.dot.gov/

~ Kristy

Summer Cooking

Summer is almost here!  That means everyone will be outside enjoying the weather!  When it comes to cooking during the summer, it's all about simplicity.  Who wants to be insides cooking all day?  Not me!  Looking for a simple summer time recipe?  Look no further!  Here are two of our favorite summer side dishes:

Corn, Avocado & Tomato Salad, Photo from http://familyfun.go.com

Corn, Avocado, & Tomato Salad

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 1/2 cups of fresh corn (about 5 ears)
1 1/2 cups diced avocado (1/2 inch pieces)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup finely diced red onion1. 


1. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, line juice, cilantro, salt and pepper.
2. Add the corn, avocado, tomatoes, and onion and toss to mix.  
*Serve at room temperature.  Serves 4-6.


Sunflower Slaw
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 package of oriental flavor ramen noodles
1 bag (16 ounces) of cole slaw mix
1/2 cup of dry roasted sunflower kernels
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion


1. In a large bowl, stir together sugar, oil, vinegar, and 1tsp. of seasoning from ramen noodles.  Discard remaining seasoning.
2. Coarsely crumble unprepared ramen noodles into dressing in bowl.  Add slaw, sunflower kernels, and onion.  Toss until well combined and coated in dressing.  
*Makes about 4 1/2 cups.  Serves 6.






~ Kate and Tina

Summer Safety Tips

With summer approaching, that means fun times at the pool, lake, beach, or water park.  Do you know how to protect your family this summer?  

Drowning:  Although great fun for the kids, water can be dangerous. Nearly 1000 kids die each year by drowning, which makes it the second leading cause of accidental death for ages 5-24.  Kids need constant supervision when around all types of water, even a wading pool. Young children can drown in as little as 2 inches of water!  It is best to start your kids in a swimming lesson with qualified instructors.  Never assume even a kid who has had swim lessons isn't at risk of drowning. It is best to keep weak swimmers and young swimmers within arms distance. 

Make sure you are using a coast guard approved floatation devices. There are lots of different styles to choose from.  Make sure you choose the best one for your child.  If you are going to be riding in a boat, make sure you get one that is approved for boat riding. Unfortunately, the stylish swimsuits with the built in floatation device is not approved for riding in a boat. Also, the wing floaties are not effective against drowning, they are just there for a little extra help. 
Pool Rules:  It is important to make sure your kids have and follow pool rules.  Public pools may have a set of rules already in place, make sure your kids read and understand them.  If you have your own pool, make up a set of rules and consequences for not following the rules.  Remind them why you have rules and what could happen if something did happen.  Supervision is needed at all times, even if your kids have taken swim lessons and are wearing life vests.  There should be appropriate safety equipment at all pools.  Even when it is not swim season, pools can pose a threat.  Make sure your kids know that pools with covers can be extremely dangerous.  Make sure your kids know that covered pools cannot be walked on.  If someone walks on a covered pool or accidentally fall into a covered pool, they can drown fast from being trapped in the pool. 
Lake, Ponds, and Beaches:  Lakes, ponds, and beaches can be very dangerous for children.  They need to be supervised at all times. Sometimes you cannot tell when it gets deeper and it can drop really fast without you knowing.  It is very smart to make sure your kids wear foot protection since you do not know what is in the water. Never let children get too far out due to boats and being far away from help.  If you at the beach, teach your children about being aware of sea animals.  At the beach, or in a strong current, teach your kids to swim parallel to the shore or to just tread water until you can get someone's attention for help.  

Water Safety:  When you are swimming outside, beware of bad weather and teach your child to get out of the water when they see lightning and to let adults know.  Water illnesses can be extremely bad.  Make sure to take lots of bathroom breaks and drink lots of water so they don't get dehydrated.  Make sure to have a swim diaper on your child, if you have a child who is not potty trained.  Leaky diapers can spread bad germs throughout the pool and as we all know it is hard to keep our mouth close 100% of the time in the water.  Other swimmers can get severe diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and dehydration from swallowed water. 
Skin Protection:  Swimming can be fun for the whole family and is great exercise. Sometimes we get caught up in having so much fun and forget to put on one of the most important things, SUN SCREEN.  Sun exposure is a great source of vitamin D but it doesn't take much time in the sun for most people to get too much sun.  The sun's UV rays can cause skin damage, eye damage, or even skin cancer. 
A sunburn means your skin's melanin is less than the amount of UV exposure that it can protect against. Unprotected sun exposure is even more dangerous to kids with moles, very fair skin, or a family history of skin cancer (ex. melanoma).  One of the biggest mistakes is parents think since there is an overcast that their child doesn't need sunscreen.  UV rays can travel through clouds and reflect off of sand, water, concrete, etc.  Sunscreen should be at least SPF 30 and applied every few hours, even with high number SPF sunscreens.  Make sure your sunscreen protects against UVA and UVB rays, and never buy sunscreen that contains PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid), chemical-free block is best.  Apply sunscreen at least 15 minutes before sun exposure and make sure all areas are protected. Never assume that darker skin color means the child can not be affected by the sun's harmful rays.  It is not advised to put sunscreen on kids under 6months of age.  Appropriate clothing such as sunglasses, hats with wide brims, or even a long sleeve swimsuits are best.  Umbrellas or any type of shade is a must when out in the sun, all kids need a place to get away from the sun.  If your child does develop a sun burn, apply aloe on all areas and give them an anti-inflammatory (ex. ibuprofen).  If your child gets a severe sunburn and blisters develop, do not pop the blisters and call the doctor.  Keep your child in the shade until the sunburn is gone.

Make sure you and your family are safe this summer, but most of all, have fun!  

Happy swimming!

~ JulieGail

Still Working...

Hey everyone, just wanting to let you all know that this blog is still a work in progress, and we're hoping to get it up and running soon!!


As for now, join us on our Mommy's Place Facebook page :) 


See you there!! 


-Mommy's Place Admins

Welcome!

I would like to welcome everyone to the new Mommy's Place blog!  This page is still a work in progress, but we hope you can take time to look around at what we have so far!.  We have started collecting crafts, recipes, articles, and tips that we have found very useful.  We hope you enjoy this blog.  Please feel free to follow our blog so you can get updates from us.

Thank you!

~ The Mommy's Place Admins