White Chocolate Popcorn {Party Favors}

August 30, 2014November 14, 2015 Kim

Having your guests have a little something to take home at the end of a party is a fun thing to do. I, of course, like for it to be something edible. Everyone likes food right? If they are friends with me, the answer to that is yes. Because seriously, who wants to hang out with someone who doesn’t like to eat? Don’t answer that. You people out there who just “forget to eat”…I have issues with you. I’m kidding. Sort of.

For my sister’s baby shower, I made white chocolate popcorn with pink, green, and white M&M candies.

It looked cute bagged up, and it tastes good. We placed a framed sign on the table with the favors that said ‘Ready to pop’. My cousin made it and it was very cute (it was also done in pink and green), but somehow I didn’t get a picture. That’s the downside to hosting a party, it’s hard to get as many pics!

The popcorn was tied with pink and white curling ribbon and I found little strollers, pacifiers and baby blocks at a dollar store (The Dollar Tree), so we tied those to each bag. It’s similar to the Birthday Cake Batter Popcorn party favors I did for my daughter’s 10th bday party.

White Chocolate Candy Popcorn

*The amounts are going to vary depending on how much you want to make. We made 25 favor bags, and I am guessing it was about 2 cups per bag, maybe a little more. The recipe is for one ‘batch’ and I doubled it.

12 cups popped popcorn (1/2 cup unpopped kernels)

1 (24 oz) package of white almond bark or white chocolate chips, melted

*sea salt (optional)

desired candy or sprinkles

In a large bowl, pour the melted chocolate or almond bark over the prepared popcorn.
Stir to mix.
Spread chocolate covered popcorn out on wax paper.
*Sprinkle with sea salt if desired (this is not needed if using salted microwave popcorn. I used plain popcorn from my air popper) You can also skip the salt all together, but I like the sweet-salty combo.
Add candy to popcorn BEFORE CHOCOLATE HARDENS. Lightly press candy down onto the popcorn. (You can mix the candy in with the chocolate, but then it gets covered in white chocolate so it’s not as pretty. I like to add it on the tops, you just have to work quickly before the chocolate hardens.)
Once chocolate/bark is set, break apart and place in bags.

This simple recipe can be adapted to pretty much any party or theme. Just change up the candy used, add sprinkles, etc. I don’t recommend making it more than 24 hours in advance because the chocolate coating causes the popcorn to get soft…it’s still good however!

If looking for a good party punch, you can check out this post.

If looking for more baby shower ideas, you can check out my .

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Kid Friendly Salad

August 27, 2014November 14, 2015 Kim

Am I the only mom in a constant struggle to get more veggies into my kids? I feel like it’s a never ending battle. My kids are SO picky. I heard a mom say the other day that her child would eat anything put in front of him…brussel sprouts, broccoli, just whatever. Well, I have had no such luck with any of my three children. My middle child is better about trying new things than my other two, but there is still no lovefest with vegetables going on around here. That’s why I try to be a little creative at getting them to eat more. Especially greens.

My family, and this includes myself, prefer raw vegetables over cooked. This means that we eat a lot of salads. However, my kids’ version of a salad is generally iceburg lettuce, cucumbers and carrots. And cheese. My oldest will drown everything in cheese if I let her.

I decided to change things up one night. I put the things I knew they liked in a salad on a plate, but I also placed some different things on there too. (I also had a few other things in separate dishes, like cheese, mandarin oranges, raisins.) I let them prepare their own salads. They thought it was very odd that I had chicken and potatoes and boiled eggs on the plate, but I told them to just give it a try. I didn’t force the issue or make them choose everything. The plate looked so pretty, I sent a picture to my sister. She responded with “are those chicken nuggets?” Why yes, yes they are. I knew I had to start things off with things they already liked. Grilled or boiled chicken would not have gotten a good response, but I’m working up to that!

My kids devoured their salads! They were much more adventurous when preparing their own salads than had I done it for them. My son wouldn’t eat the potatoes or eggs, but even he did better than I expected. Next time, I’m adding even more variety and see how it goes.

Are your kids good veggie eaters? If not, how do you get them to eat more or try new things? I’m open to suggestions…my 6 year old is my pickiest kid yet! {Of course, he did actually try something new the other night…he put hamburgers in gravy on a bun and called it a crabby patty! But hey, at least he ate it. First time ever eating any kind of hamburger!)

By the way, chicken nuggets and potatoes are actually really good in a salad 🙂

Back to School with Balance Bar – #GIVEAWAY {#sponsored}

August 25, 2014November 14, 2015 Kim

My kids went back to school today. Mind. Blown. This has been the fastest summer EVER. I just can’t believe school is back in session, sports have started back up and before you know, BAM, it’ll be Christmas. Let the panic attack begin. Just kidding, no time to panic. It’s time to meal plan, break out the crock pot, makes lists, and get super-mom organized…and lucky for us, is trying to help with that!

Balance Bar, along with parenting expert and Mom blogger Jenny Ingram, from , have some awesome suggestions for surviving ‘back to school’.

For example:

· Keep Smart Snacks within Reach. Back to school isn’t only exhausting for kids. Moms and dads get worn down too so smart snacking is important. Pack a supply of nutritious snacks to have in your purse for when you’re running errands or going from school to practice. are perfect for keeping your on-the-go snacks organized and always handy. Fill them with grapes, almonds, carrot sticks and for a healthy snack sure to satisfy both busy moms and kids until dinner!

· The (digital) calendar is key.To make sure no one misses an activity, homework deadline or playdate, color code each kid in your calendar so you know exactly who is doing what and where and when. The app – is free and great for organizing your upcoming activities and goes everywhere you do since it’s on your phone.

· Pack bags within your bag. If you’re like me, you have a huge bag. It’s great for storing lots of things, but it can be hard to find anything if you’re not organized. Keeping a mini bag that holds chapstick, hand sanitizer and other items frequently used items in a brightly colored small bag that stands out can help with that. The can even double as an organizational bag that’s stylish too!

· Miniature First Aid Kits. It’s helpful to have some first-aid basics in your bag for everyday incidents that are bound to happen. Jenny’s homemade first aid kit includes Band-aids, Neosporin, Kleenex and wipes, and says the wipes are much more effective than napkins at cleaning up whatever messes my kids have.

· Be prepared for homework. With after-school activities, keep homework supplies in your car and bag so your children can do their work while you’re waiting for soccer/volleyball/etc practice. Keep rulers, pencils, pencil sharpeners, scissors, calculators and a clip board in the car to make sure you’re prepped for any homework assignments.

· Label everything. With 3 kids, and all the supplies and gear that come with them, labeling is important. are great for lunchboxes, backpacks, jackets, shoes, sporting equipment and anything else. It also helps avoid lost items in the school coat closet.

· Pack healthy school lunches efficiently. Trying to accommodate everyone’s lunch needs is hard. Jenny suggests making their sandwiches and then let them choose 3 snacks for themselves. In your pantry, have mom-approved snacks (like Mixed Berry Balance bar bars) in three drawers and every kid is allowed to choose 1 item from each drawer to add to their lunch.

· Transitioning summer bedtimes. Late nights are not going to work once school starts, so gradually transition kids’ sleep schedules. 4-5 days before school starts, move their bedtimes up 10-30 minutes. It’s a slow process but really helps to ensure they’re rested and ready for the first day. Since school has already begun for my kids, it’s important to stick to a nighttime routine and consistent bedtime. I know my kids are going to be worn out by the end of the week!

The Back to School Survival Kit contains these Balance Bare bars. They are made with fruits and nuts, are non-GMO, and Gluten/soy/dairy free. The best part…they taste good! The Sea Salt Caramel Nut tastes almost like a candy bar. It’s my favorite, followed closely by the Sweet and Spicy Nut. I love the hint of spiciness in with the sweet, and it’s a unique flavor idea. However, I also like the Mixed Berry Nut. I’ve been throwing them in my gym bag for after a workout, my daughter has had them as a snack before volleyball, and they are great for curbing my late afternoon ‘Iwanttoeateverything’ phase that hits me around 3:00pm.

The GIVEAWAY consists of your very own Back to School Survival Kit. (The one pictured above is missing a couple of bars. We got hungry before I could take pictures!) The kit contains –

a variety of ,
,
the i-pouch,
a stylus that is also a functioning pen,
and a notepad for all those reminders that will be coming up!

To win, just enter via the rafflecopter form. Shipping only available to US addresses.

I received the above pictured kit to facilitate this post. Both kits and information are provided by Balance Bar. No other compensation was received. All opinions expressed regarding product are my own.

Quick and Easy Lemon Brownies {3 ingredients}

August 22, 2014November 14, 2015 Kim

Summer may be coming to an end, but we can hang on for just a little bit longer with these quick and easy and deliciously lemon-y (totally a word, right?) brownies. With just 3 ingredients, you can have these lemon brownies, and add a couple more ingredients to make the simple glaze that really takes them to the next level.

These brownies are an adaptation of my Chocolate Pudding Dump Cake. I had every intention of making the chocolate version, when I realized I had lemon cake mix in the cabinet. I decided to try a lemon version, and was very pleasantly surprised.

The glaze is made of confectioners sugar, fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. It tastes fresh and fabulous.

Quick and Easy Lemon Brownies

1 box lemon cake mix

1 box vanilla instant pudding (small box) *lemon would probably be even better!

1 1/2 cups milk

Glaze:

1 cup confectioners sugar (or more if you want more glaze)

zest of one lemon

lemon juice – enough to reach desired glaze consistency

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Spray a 9 x 13 pan with nonstick cooking spray
whisk together pudding mix and milk in large mixing bowl
add dry cake mix to pudding mixture, stir until combined
spread mix into pan *Batter will be very thick
bake for approx 30 mins or until center is done and edges are lightly browned
if using glaze – combine sugar, zest and lemon juice; pour over warm cake

The longer the brownies sit, the more the glaze soaks in – just depends on how you like them! You could also skip the glaze and dust the cooled brownies with powdered sugar. The fresh lemon juice and zest in the glaze gives them a really bright, lemon flavor however.

Now I’m thinking of all kinds of variations 🙂

This recipe was featured at:

and at !

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Easy Pumpkin Beer Bread, National Bratwurst Day & a GIVEAWAY {#sponsored}

August 16, 2014November 14, 2015 Kim

So you may be asking yourself what in the world do Pumpkin Beer Bread and National Bratwurst Day have in common? Well, the answer would be this…

This mix plus your favorite beer (or other carbonated beverage) can make a delicious bread AND it can be used to make , which would be a fabulous way to celebrate National Bratwurst Day, which is TODAY! Y’all know how I love my food holidays 🙂

Beer, brats, cheese…sounds like a pretty good way to celebrate to me. However, did you know that the Fall seasonal beers are already in stores?! (As are Halloween decorations!) As much as I am bummed about my favorite season coming to an end, I have to admit the Fall beers, and the thought of pumpkin recipes got me a little excited. Excited enough that I just had to make Pumpkin Spiced Beer Bread!

It was so easy, and my house smelled amazing. I just added pumpkin beer, some spices and cinnamon chips to the Krusteaz Beer Bread mix and voila…a preview of Fall heaven. Buttered.

Awesome x 10

Pumpkin Spiced Beer Bread

1 package Krusteaz Beer Bread mix

12 oz. Pumpkin Beer (or carbonated beverage of choice)

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon dried (optional, could also use fresh orange zest)

1/4 cup cinnamon chips

2 tablespoons melted butter

raw sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Stir together bread mix, spices and beer until just combined.
Fold in cinnamon chips.
Spread in a sprayed loaf pan (see Krusteaz box for size options and baking times).
Top with melted butter and sprinkle with raw sugar (if desired).
Bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean. For my dish, it was about 45 minutes.

Now, onto the GIVEAWAY! The lovely folks at Krusteaz are offering one reader the following prize pack-

One box of Krusteaz Beer Bread mix and Three FREE product coupons (and they have a lot of products to choose from!) US residents only please. Enter via the rafflecopter form.

I received the prize pack pictured above, no other compensation was received. Prizes are provided by Krusteaz. All opinions are my own.

Sparkling Pineapple-Lime Punch {and Baby Shower Beverages}

August 14, 2014November 14, 2015 Kim

Anyone who knows me knows that my sister is having her first baby very soon *squeal* and they also know that I recently gave her a baby shower. The colors for the shower were white, pink and green. As I was perusing Pinterest for ideas, I saw this punch recipe. The vivid green caught my attention and I thought it would look good on the beverage table with the pink lemonade we were serving.

A couple of things….first, those are mint leaves! For a baby shower, I probably should have removed the leaves, or really muddled them better. It kinda looks like my ducks are swimming in some very realistic pond water. (However, it gave me the idea that this punch would be awesome at Halloween. Take out the fruit and ducks, add in some creepy frogs/eyeballs etc…perfect!)

Other than the floating mint leaves/lily pads (haha) the punch was a pretty color and the best part – it was very good! Several people commented on it (and no one said it looked like pond water – except my middle child…which comes as no surprise to me. Who said honesty is the best policy? Oh yeah, that was me. *sigh*) It reminded me a little of a mojito, and you could easily add in some rum to make an adult, non-baby-on-board, beverage!

So – pretty color, tastes great, and EASY to make – that makes it a keeper in my book!

Sparkling Pineapple-Lime Punch

1 bunch fresh mint, stems removed

2 packs Kool-Aid Lemon-Lime Flavor Unsweetened Drink Mix

2 qt. (8 cups) pineapple juice, chilled

1 (2 L) bottle of carbonated lemon-lime soda, chilled (7-Up, Sprite, etc)

1 lemon, cut lengthwise in half, then sliced crosswise (I just quartered mine…oops)

1 lime, sliced

Muddle mint with the dry Kool-Aid. This can be done in the punch bowl or in a separate bowl using anything with a flat bottom or with a wooden spoon.
Once mint and Kool Aid are muddled together, pour in the chilled pineapple juice. Stir until Kool Aid is dissolved.
Add lemon, lime and 2 L soda just before serving.

Note: I made an ice ring with about a half quart of the pineapple juice, along with some whole mint leaves. This is optional, but helps keep the punch cold without watering it down.

Recipe Source:

The green punch, aka ‘green juice’ as my sister referred to it, was served in a punch bowl I’ve had forevah. The pink lemonade, with slices of lime, was served in a glass drink dispenser that I picked up at TJ Maxx or Marshall’s relatively cheap. A tip about the the drink dispensers with the spout at the bottom – they either have to sit on the edge of the table/counter or they need to be on some type of stand. An inverted cake plate works great if your dispenser doesn’t come with a stand! We also had water bottles available…

The labels were a free printable from . We just cut them out and used packing tape to tape them on. The tape also helps keep them from ripping. If your water bottles are going to be in ice, or are cold and going to ‘sweat’, you may want to consider laminating them first. Ain’t nobody got time fo’ dat.

* Pinterest Board if interested*

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Life made easier w/Walmart.com and P&G – Gift card GIVEAWAY {#sponsored}

August 11, 2014November 14, 2015 Kim

There are five people living in my house. That’s a lot of toilet paper. As well as paper towels, soap, laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent…the list goes on and on. Needless to say, I like to buy in bulk. However, as many of you know, shopping with kids isn’t the most convenient thing. When I take all three to the store, it’s “mom, mama, mama, mom, MOMMY!” As if that isn’t distracting enough, when I go to stock up on items, like – because a 4 pack will last about a day in my house, or the , because I have a lot of messes to clean up, well…then the cart is full and Mr. Three actually has.to.walk. So then I have three kids, pulling me in three different directions, and only succeeding at making me want to pull my hair out. SO…. how does make my life easier?

Yes m’am. Household items, in bulk, delivered to my doorstep!! No hauling kids around the store, no buying popcorn chicken to keep Mr. Three quiet, no extra items getting thrown into my cart…just order online (they even have a ) and have it delivered! If you spend over $50, shipping is FREE. You can also have items shipped free to your nearest Walmart store for pick-up with the Site to Store option. (Which is great to keep in mind for Christmas, which is barely more than 4 months away. You’re welcome for that reminder!) Shopping and ordering is easy and convenient. I had all my items delivered to my house, and they all came within the estimated time frame. All of the items did not ship together, so items came on different days, but that wasn’t a problem for me. I was just thankful for the convenience, and will definitely be doing this again!

Not only does it make life easier to have items delivered, but check out these products – These are so easy to use! No measuring, just throw one in the washing machine. The is also great to have because not only do I have 3 children, I also have 2 dogs. My floors stay a mess from one or the other! And for all of you new moms or soon-to-be new moms (yes, I’m lookin’ at you little sister!), they have , , plus many more that can be delivered directly to you!

Thank you Walmart.com for making this busy mom’s life a little easier!

GIVEAWAY TIME!!

P&G; is providing one Makin’ it Mo’Betta reader with a $25 Walmart gift card! Gift cards can be used in-store and online at Walmart.com. Complete the rafflecopter form to enter, US residents only.

I received a Walmart Giftcard to facilitate this review. The Walmart gift cards and information have been provided by P&G.;

Homemade Chocolate Frosty – no ice cream maker! {#TruMoo #ad}

August 4, 2014November 14, 2015 Kim

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

Don’t you hate when you get all excited about a recipe and then you realize it takes a special appliance or ingredients that you don’t have? That’s how I felt when I first saw a DIY frosty recipe floating around on Pinterest. I clicked over just to find out it required an ice cream maker. Now, I have an ice cream maker and I love it…but it’s one of those that requires ice and salt and needs to be monitored while churning, etc. Ain’t nobody got time for that. I break that out for special occasions. THIS recipe is different. No ice cream maker needed! And it uses common ingredients that you may already have in your fridge/pantry.

It’s thick and creamy and taste just like a Frosty from Wendy’s! But guess what…this one is made with light whipped topping, fat free sweetened condensed milk, unsweetened cocoa, and lowfat 1% TruMoo Chocolate Milk! Just blend the ingredients together and stick in the freezer for 30 mins to an hour, stir and enjoy!

My kids are so excited that I can make these at home, and I am excited that they are getting more milk in their diet (my 11 and 13 year old girls are not drinking enough milk these days). TruMoo Milk contains no artificial growth hormones, no high fructose corn syrup and contains 8 essential nutrients. (See )

This one was in the freezer for a full hour and was nice and thick and spoon worthy! If you take it out sooner, you can use a straw…just depends on your preference!

Homemade Chocolate Frosty

1 container of whipped topping (8 oz); frozen
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup (8 oz) chocolate milk (I used 1% TruMoo)

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Pour into freezer safe container and freeze for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from freezer and stir. Makes 2 servings.

Recipe source:

It’s easy and delicious. The leftover condensed milk can be stored in the fridge so you can make this again and again 🙂 We’ve already made it a couple of times!

If you are not a chocolate fan, that’s okay, because TruMoo also comes in Strawberry and Vanilla flavors. You can make your own special frosty drinks with whichever flavor you like best. .

*GIVEAWAY*
Would you like to try TruMoo too? All you have to do is leave me a comment answering the question “What TruMoo flavor are you most excited to try?” For an additional entry, like and leave a separate comment telling me you did so. I will be choosing 2 people to receive 2 FREE vouchers for TruMoo products. (US only please) Giveaway ends 8/14 (midnight, EST), winner will be contacted via email and will have 48 hours to confirm win.

Restaurant Style Salsa

August 4, 2014November 14, 2015 Kim

I love salsa…but not the thick chunky stuff. I like restaurant style salsa and have found a quick and easy recipe that is SO good and SO easy. Which, for those of you that have been here before, know is my M-O. I don’t do complicated.

I always use my food processor, but I’m sure you could make it in smaller batches in a blender or bullet.

I’ve made this with red and white onion, I’ve also made it with and without fresh jalapeno (not pictured above). I also left the lime juice out of the ingredient pic. When I use the Rotel with Lime Juice and Cilantro I will reduce the amount of lime juice called for in the recipe. It’s easy to tweak the recipe to get it exactly how you like it.

Restaurant Style Salsa

1 can (28 oz) Whole Peeled Tomatoes (with juice)
2 cans (10 oz) Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies *I like to use one can Rotel Original and one can Rotel Diced Tomatoes with Lime Juice and Cilantro
1/2 cup cilantro (or to taste)

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 whole jalapeno, sliced and seeds removed if desired

1/2 to 1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
juice of 1/2 fresh lime

Add all of the ingredients into the bowl of a large food processor (or process smaller quantities and add together in large bowl). Pulse until desired consistency is reached. Refrigerate for an hour for best flavor.

I like to chill the salsa and give the flavors time to hang out together, then taste to determine if additional salt or seasoning is needed.

Recipe Source:

Then I like to consume large quantities of salsa with Multigrain Tortilla Chips from Sam’s Club. Totally justified since I’m eating all those veggies. Right? Right. *wink*

If you are lucky enough to have an abundance of fresh veggies right now, you might want to check out this Jalapeno Salsa also. Not as easy to make, but very good and a great way to use your garden bounty.

This recipe was featured at !
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I may be linking up at any of the following – (Monday) , , , , , (Tuesday) , , , ,,, , , (Wednesday) , , , , ,, , (Thursday) ,, , (Friday) , , , , , ,, , ,, , (Saturday) ,