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Real Solutions for Real Parents by Autumn Rose Reo

Garlic and Herb Stuffed Mushrooms

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The holidays may bring opportunities for fancy dinners and cocktail parties, but it’s the impromptu moments that sometimes mean the most like these easy Garlic and Herb Stuffed Mushrooms.

During the holidays, you always be prepared with a shortlist of simple and quick go-to recipes like these mushrooms stuffed with Boursin® cheese to earn you the reputation as the holiday hostess with the mostess – even if you didn’t put forth much effort!

Basil-Mushrooms

I love that the holidays remind us to spending together. It’s so easy all year long to let everything get in the way, but at least between rolling out the first big orange pumpkin until the Big Ball drops on January 1, we try to make time to say hello, catch up and give that much-needed hug.


Wine

While you can’t always be ready with a fridge full of perfect appetizers ready to go, having a few staples around will make your guests think you’ve been slaving away for hours before they showed up! Check out the Walmart deli and produce areas for meats and cheeses like Boursin® to create a cheese plate and these Garlic and Herb Stuffed Mushrooms (that have less than five ingredients) paired with a good wine for a beautiful and delicious presentation to be proud to your own! 

ingredients

The feature of the Garlic and Herb stuffed mushrooms is creamy Boursin®  cheese. Seasoned with garlic and fine herbs wrapped in its signature foil, it’s hard not to devour this rich, but airy cheese before it’s stuffed into the mushrooms (just remember to buy two – one to nibble, one to use for the recipe.)

mushrooms

Because there’s already the great flavor of herbs and garlic, the cheese doesn’t need anything extra added to the filling. However, I added a few leaves of fresh basil chopped finely to just add a little more color to the mixture, but in a fix, you don’t have to worry about herbs. Lastly, topped with shredded Parmesan cheese and baked in the oven, you’ll have a sinfully decadent bite-sized app in just about 25-30 minutes.

Now just be ready for the rich smell of garlic that will take over your kitchen…it’s heavenly! 

boursin-cheese

For another quick app that will wow your gifts, make sure you always have veggies, breads and crackers around, especially during the holidays. You can present a serious spread by just pan frying a few slices of bread with butter then spreading a little Boursin®  Monterey Jack & Spicy Pepper Cheese Dip on the top.

Boursin-Dip

Or for a little healthier spin, stuff some of the creamy spread in celery sticks. Two apps in about two minutes (okay, maybe five), you’re ready to enjoy a little time to catch up with you eat up! 

Mushroom-Bite

You can try other recipes with Boursin® on its holiday resource www.boursinpartytricks.com.

Pinterest-Boursin

 

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Garlic and Herb Stuffed Mushrooms

  • Author: Autumn Reo of mamachallenge.com
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 25
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
Print Recipe

Description

A quick and easy yet impressive appetizer perfect for last-minute hospitality.

Ingredients

Scale
  • Cooking Spray
  • 1 package whole mushrooms (white or portobellos)
  • 1 package Boursin® cheese
  • 2–3 basil leaves, chopped finely (optional)
  • 2 tablespoon parmesan cheese, shredded

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Spray pan with cooking spray.
  3. Remove mushrooms steps from the caps. Chop stems finely.
  4. Combine chopped mushrooms, chopped basil and Boursin® cheese in a bowl until filly blended.
  5. Add mixture to mushroom caps until full and rounded.
  6. Place all the mushrooms in pan and then sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
  7. Bake mushrooms for 25-30 minutes until golden.
  8. When done, remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes and serve!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 10
  • Calories: 97
  • Sugar: 0
  • Sodium: 158
  • Fat: 8
  • Saturated Fat: 5
  • Unsaturated Fat: 2
  • Trans Fat: 0
  • Carbohydrates: 1
  • Protein: 6
  • Cholesterol: 25

Scents of the Holidays: Apple Cinnamon Cheer™ Cake

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GladeHolidayMood #Collective Bias #Ad

Depending on what time of the year you come to my house, there’s a delicious smell that takes you over as soon as you open the door.

At the holidays it’s the absolute best with aromas of fresh baked cookies right out of the oven or hot, simmering apple cider.


Apple-Cinnamon-Cake-#GladeHolidayMood

Unfortunately, I’m not normally hard at work in the kitchen, although I want you to think so.

However, there’s nothing better at this time of the year and to give you that warm and fuzzy feeling than a smell that reminds you of good memories with friends and family.

According to a recent study, the connection between the amygdala, which process emotions, and your olfactory glands will spark nostalgic experiences.

Remember when you hosted the cookie exchange with all your girlfriends and you bit into the best cookie ever?

Or the year you all spent hours making the gingerbread house, but ran out of the candy before you were done with the roof?

Then there was the time you spent hours decorating the tree to the sounds of Michael Buble until after midnight in your sweats?

While this time of the year is also the busiest with work, decorating the house for the holidays, and Christmas shopping and of course, Christmas cooking, you don’t need to be so entrenched that you don’t spend time enjoying the point of the season, spending it with loved ones.

So when someone drops by or you want to at least LOOK like you’ve been slaving for hours over the stove, here’s a super recipe that smells like Christmas, looks like Christmas and even tastes like Christmas. For me Christmas smells like a mix of juicy apples, spicy cinnamon and hints of vanilla.

Don’t you just wish you could taste it?

You can!

Slice-Apple-Cinnamon-Cake#GladeHolidayMood

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Apple Cinnamon Cheer™ Cake

Print Recipe

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup apples (one kind or various), peeled, cored and diced
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup sugar + 1 Tablespoon
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • 1 cup pecans

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Sprinkle the baking soda and 1 Tbsp. sugar over the apples and set aside.
  3. In a bowl, thoroughly blend the two sugars together.
  4. Next, add the cinnamon, cloves, flour and pecans to make the sugar mixture.
  5. Then stir in the eggs, vanilla, and butter.
  6. Pour into a greased 13 X 9 pan and bake for 40 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
  7. Serve with vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce or by itself.

Apple-Cinnamon-Cheer-Cake#GladeHolidayMood#Cbias#Ad

With Glade’s® Limited Edition Winter Collection, you can celebrate the season with these holiday fragrances that I found at Kroger. For my Apple Cinnamon Cheer™ Cake, I was inspired by Glade’s® Apple Cinnamon Cheer. Finally, with this recipe you can actually taste what Apple Cinnamon Cheer™ tastes like.

GladeAppleCinnamonCheer-#GladHolidayMood#CBias#Sp

Available as candles, wax melts, premium aerosols and PlugIns®, you can have your winter fragrance how you want it, any way you want it throughout the season.

Glade-Apple-Cinnamon-Cheer-Display-#GladHolidayMood#CBias#Sp

Sparkling Spruce™

Feel the snow crunch under your boots as you join your friends for the tree lighting in the town square. Hints of frosty pine and evergreen fragrance fill the air, along with a wonderful sense of anticipation.

Hints of: Green Pine Needle, Spruce, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Cedar Leaf, and Patchouli.

Merry Citrus Melody

The annual holiday pageant offers one of the season’s many highlights. Gather with friends and family to sing songs of good cheer and share the most cherished music of the season.

Hints of: Mandarin, Aldehyde Snowflakes, Clove, Golden Amber, Frankincense, and Myrrh.

Apple Cinnamon Cheer™

Fill your cup with holiday cheer! Cinnamon-kissed hot apple cider warms you, body and soul, as you take an exhilarating sled ride across new-fallen snow.

Hints of: Apple Cider, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Clove, Vanilla, Cream and Woods.

Frosted Cookie Party™

Delightfully decorated treats are the order of the day at the yearly cookie exchange. The air is rich with wholesome baked aromas, along with laughter and cheerful conversations with your closest friends.

Hints of: Vanilla Bean, Whipped Icing, Toasted Marshmallow, Layered Cake and Spice.

Gingerbread Jingle™

If there’s ever a time to indulge, it’s at the holiday bake sale. Everyone’s brought wonderful recipes of baked family favorites, and the sweet scent of gingerbread greets you at every turn.

Hints of:  Candied Ginger, Nutmeg, Black Cardamom, Cinnamon, Marzipan, Hazelnut, Brown Sugar, Gingerbread and Warm Molasses.

Mocha & Chestnuts

The sights and sounds of the holiday market treat your senses to pure holiday magic. Take a stroll through snow-blanketed booths filled with handcrafted toys, fresh roasted chestnuts and chocolate creations.

Hints of:  Mocha, Cardamom, Buttermilk, Caramel Toffee, Almond, Nutmeg, Gingerbread, Powdered Sugar, Vanilla, Cinnamon and Bread Pudding.

Hot Cocoa & Mint

A spin around the local ice rink becomes an afternoon of frosty family fun. And the perfect way to finish it off? Warm up to a mug of rich, hot cocoa with a delightful hint of mint.

Hints;  Peppermint, Crisp Spearmint, Cocoa, Pine, Marshmallow, Dark Chocolate, Coconut, Sugar and Candy Cane.

Under the Mistletoe

One of the sweetest sensations of the season—snuggling up closely with your sweetheart. Steal a kiss under the mistletoe, as the scent of fresh berries treats you to an unforgettable holiday memory.

Hints of:  Sugared Strawberries, Cherry, Pink Grapefruit, Cranberry, Raspberry and Garland Greens.

Apple-Cinnamon-Cheer-Cake #GladeHolidayMood#Cbias#Ad

What Glade® Winter Collection fragrance sounds perfect for your holiday?

Merry Christmas with Robert Earl Keen

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For more there’s nothing more classic Christmas than Robert Earl Keen. Celebrate Christmas his way with this mamachallenge.com exclusive and get your tickets to a “Countdown to Christmas” in Fort Worth, Dec. 30 at Bass Performance Hall. 

“Carve the turkey turn the ballgame on

Make margaritas when the eggnog’s gone

Send somebody to the Quik Pak Store…


We need some icing and extension cords…” 

Growing up this song describes my family Christmas to a tee I heard it the first time, but more so it would be the first of many R.E.K. lyrics that would become our anthems growing up in small town Texas. As I look back at those big memorable moments in my life, Robert Earl Keen is often the soundtrack. 

So when asked if I would like to talk with the Texas singer/songwriter to chat about his upcoming show at Bass Performance Hall featuring my favorite Christmas song, “I kinda fanned out. A LOT. You have no idea how big of a dork I acted. 

But after I gained my composure and a few minutes into chatting with Robert Earl Keen (always by his full name because it never sounds right saying it any other way), like his songs, I’m calmed and collected, and brought to my happy place. 

REK yellow jacket close up 2

(PC: Robert Earl Keen)

That and that just listening to hi say anything reminded me of all the stories he shares before he belts into one of his own songs…The same stories that have connected him to audiences for decades. Except this time, was my own moment…

And like you’d hope and expect, everything about him is just what I thought: a good ole boy that’s thankful each time he heads to the stage to do what he loves, his way. A man, I would find out, spends his life pretty normal in Kerrville, Texas where he describes it as a lot like “Leave it to Beaver.”  Except quite possibly the way he actually spends his Christmas. 

REK

“I’m known for my making homemade personalized pizzas on Christmas Eve,” he shared when asked how close his Christmas is to the song that was released in 1994. “Everyone comes over and I spend hours making 20 or so pizzas for all my friends and family,” he continued. “Then on Christmas Day we eat Lasagne.”

While I didn’t expect the Italian twist, REKs own personal Christmas tradition encapsulates his own way of authentic, “real way” of sharing much like the recent $55M fundraiser he played in this September “Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Harvey Relief” with George Strait, Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton, Lyle Lovett and tons of celebrities taking donations over the phone or as the headliner on October 21 for Deep From The Heart Concert at Texas A&M University hosted by former living U.S. Presidents performing alongside Alabama, Cassadee Pope, Lady Gaga and more.

Yes, it was as perfect as it gets,” he shared. “The music was just stellar.” 

But as star-studded as that evening was, it’s the less than red-carpeted evenings I had to know more about. 

“So Robert Earl Keen, is “Merry Christmas from the Family” real or is it just a fun song that all the words came together to make it a hit?” I bravely asked finally. 

He took a deep breath and began his story in only the way REK could, began to share how the “Christmas song,” a song that would become the impetus for the Christmas production many years later, came to be. 

“Right before Christmas, to amuse myself, I just wrote about Christmas just off hand, with these words of my experiences in Houston growing up that I had in the back of my head,” he began. And in 20 minutes, it was done, so I just put it in my back pocket. Then one day I was sharing some music to production guy and it wasn’t going great. Then the guy asked ‘Well, is that all you got?’ I was pretty frustrated so I just started to play it…and he said ‘That’s the best song you have here.’ And that was  the tipping point.”

REK yellow jacket band 2017Final 1

(PC: Robert Earl Keen)

While “Merry Christmas from the Family” is one of REKs most popular songs so much so that he actually had to put a “Linen Rule” on when he plays it, “Coming Home” stands as his own possible favorite (as well as mine.) But when it comes to Christmas tunes, he shared “O Holy Night” is one of his all time favorites as well as “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” 

And the Town this Santa is coming to is what Keen calls ‘his favorite city in Texas’ – Fort Worth.”

And the Town this Santa is coming to is what Keen calls “his favorite city in Texas,” Fort Worth, for his one-night performance of the “Fam-O-Lee Back to the Country Jamboree.” The show is described as it “brings visions of sugar plums, elves and maybe a cow or two while families bond with those closest to them at what is sure to become a favorite, non-stop laughing, holiday tradition!”

But honestly, Robert Earl Keen has long been a holiday tradition for many of us for a long-time now. 

See the show: 

Robert Earl Keen’s Countdown to Christmas

Dec. 30 at 7:30 pm

Bass Performance Hall

Fort Worth, Texas

Buy Tickets

 

 

 

New Year’s Eve Events for the Family in DFW

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Ready to ring in 2018? Say hello to another year with the entire family with these New Year’s Eve Events for the Family in DFW.

While your younger years may have had you seeking for the wildest ways to ring in the New Year, once you have kids, your plans normally keep you at home. However, these NYE events in DFW will give you the opportunity to say hello 2018 with fun activities for the whole family. 

New Year’s Eve Events for the Family 2017

Happy Noon Year’s Eve – Dallas

Dallas Arboretum

Don’t want to have them stay up until midnight? Celebrate at the Rory Meyers Adventure Garden as they ring in Noon Year’s Eve! Enjoy learning science, making crafts and listening to fun music. Don’t’ miss the celebratory ball drop at noon!

New Year's Eve Events for the Family in DFW

Photo Credit: Dallas Arboretum

AT&T Streaming Lights at Reunion Tower – Dallas

300 Reunion Blvd. East
Watch in awe as the most iconic building in the Dallas skyline lights up with 360 degrees of fireworks at 11:59 p.m. to ring in the new year. They say the best viewing is from the west side of the Trinity, along the levees and Trinity Overlook Park or Trinity Groves. This is a perfect night out with the kids for a minimal cost. Get the details.

NYE 2018: A Celebration of the Centuries – Dallas

Medieval Times

Take your kids back in time to celebrate the coming new year Medieval style. Enjoy a four course feast during your two hour tournament along with tickets to the museum of torture, party favors, music and dancing plus a countdown to midnight. Get the details.

Photo Credit: Medieval Times

Out With a Bang Hike – Fort Worth

Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge

Get away from the world and take the kids on a peaceful hike out into nature as a naturalist teaches you about habitats during the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge’s “Out with a Bang” hike happening from 1-2:30 p.m. Get the details.

 

Countdown to Noon – Frisco

Sci-Tech Discovery Center

If you are in the north Dallas area and your kids are intrigued by science countdown to Noon Year’s Eve with them at the Sci-Tech Discovery Center. Expect: science experiments, balloon twisters, face painting, explosive stage shows and the ball drop at noon! Get the details.

New Year's Eve Events for the Family in DFW

Photo Credit: SciTech Discovery Center Facebook

Turn Back Time, The Ball Drops at Nine – Plano

Legacy Church

In Plano, you can spend a family friendly evening from 6-9 p.m. at Legacy Church’s Turn Back Time. Enjoy a variety show, a dance group, dinner & dessert, kids crafts, a sparkling juice toast and a gift for every family. Then make it home way before all the revelers and get the kids into bed on time! Get the details.

 

Dave & Buster’s New Year’s Eve Family Event

Several locations

Take the kids to an event designed for families to hang and have fun together as they celebrate the new year. Visit from 5-8 p.m. Buy a package that includes a buffet, unlimited sodas and power cards for the games!

 

New Year’s Eve 2018 at Topgolf

Several locations

Spend the evening out with the older kids at Topgolf! You can reserve your own bay with unlimited game play from 9-1 a.m. and even enjoy a champagne toast (if you are over 21)! I highly recommend purchasing the package that includes the prime rib dinner buffet. Get the details.

New Year's Eve Events for the Family in DFW

(Photo: Topgolf)

Strikz Family Fun Party & NYE Bash

Several locations

Celebrate with your kids at one of the  parties offered at Strikz. The Family Fun Party from 5-8 p.m. or the NYE Bash from 9-1 a.m. Either way, enjoy bowling, video games, laser tag, heavy hor d’oeuvres and unlimited soda! Get the details.

 

Make Ahead Holiday Brunch Ideas

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Make Christmas memorable and don’t miss it making brunch when you can do it before! Here are our Make Ahead Holiday Brunch Ideas!

I love the feeling of waking up on Christmas Day with your loved ones and enjoying the fun of opening gifts in your PJs.

While you want the morning to be memorable, no one wants to get stuck in the kitchen creating the perfect Christmas breakfast.

So here’s a few tried and true make-ahead recipes I shared on Good Morning Texas that will make your any holiday morning easy, memorable and mouth-watering.

Make Ahead Holiday Brunch Ideas

Make Ahead Christmas Morning Casserole

Mini Spinach Quiches

Junior League of Arlington’s The Night Before Christmas Coffee Cake

Easy Mocha Punch

For more information about the Junior League of Arlington’s Holiday Magic, visit http://www.jlarlington.org. 


Christmas Eve Emergency Kit

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Christmas Eve is full of sweet dreams for the kids, but Santa’s elves (i.e. the parents) have lots of work to do. Keep the work going all night with this Christmas Eve Emergency Kit.

Thanks to Mirum for keeping us all going this holiday season and this sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

It was the best of times…

It was the worst of times. 


Yep, it’s the holidays for moms and dads. 

You want so much to make the best holiday memories for your family but it takes so much work. So many days, so many hours and so much patience, all in efforts to create the perfect Christmas.

And Christmas Eve, that’s like the grand production and you only get one shot to do it right. You get the kids to bed in their special matching Christmas Pjs, and then go right to work doing Santa’s work building, opening, wrapping and everything to get it all right before the sun rises…along with the kids. 

ChristmasEveSurvivalKit

It’s a LOOOOOONG night with lots of stress. And without a doubt you’ll run out of something. Batteries, tape, whatever…and you always realized it about 2 am in the morning. So this year I put together a real stocking full of what the nubs REALLY needs to make it through the Christmas Eve. 

Christmas Eve Survival Guide

To make it through a real long night like Christmas Eve, you need snacks and you need to take a break. Slim Jim makes it easy to keep going all night long without a mess and lots of taste. A quick trip to Walmart I picked up a box of Slim Jim, along with all the other goodies in these cutest Santa stocking. 

ChristmasEveSurvivalKit

Christmas Eve Survival Guide 

Aspirin 

Christmas Eve can be a hard night reading all the fine print on those instructions. 

Antacid

Christmas Eve dinner (and all those cookies) may be rough later so prepare for the worst, hope for the best.

Slim Jim Original Smoked Snack Sticks, 26 ct. at Walmart 

You can’t ever go wrong with Slim Jim for a snack in one hand, no mess, and all the taste. 

Tape 

Murphy’s Law says you always run out of tape when you get ready for wrap. So get the multipack and get ready to roll.

Gift Tags 

Every tried to wrap all the gifts and forget to tag them as you go? That’s why you tag them and not with the leftover masking tape. 

Batteries

Never included and always needed. So get ’em in every size and plenty of them. 

Multi-purpose Swiss Army Knife 

Need a screwdriver? Need scissors, need to open a package. This baby helps you do it all.  

Super Glue 

Something always breaks so get ready for glue. 

Energy Drink 

It’s gonna be a long night and sometimes you need more than coffee. 

Heat / Cool Flask

Whether it’s coffee or a little something special in your eggnog, this container makes it easy to keep it cold, hot, and handy.

Christmas Eve Survival Guide

Make Your Own Virtual Stocking 

SlimJim_Holiday2017_Social_Site_01_v2

Ready to make your own? Slim Jim is making it even easier to get Stuff’d with Make your Own Virtual Stocking. Take a Slim Jim Bold Break by clicking on the site and design yours for a chance to win a Slim Jim prize pack when you share your creation on social. 

ChristmasEveSurvivalKit

Did you see how cute mine is? Yes, my moniker is Slaybelle.

ChristmasEveSurvivalKit

 

What would you put in your stocking? 

Christmas Eve Emergency Kit

How to Win at Holiday Meal Planning

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No time to plan that picture-perfect holiday meal? No problem. Win at holiday meal planning in just a few steps. 

Thank you to Barefoot Wine and Thermoserv for helping us put together the perfect holiday for this imperfect parent and this sponsored post. 

If you’re anything like me, you just started putting up the ghosts and goblins and now you’re hosting the family holiday meal at your house tomorrow. (True story.) 

But instead of screaming like a mad woman (although oventing is always allowed), there are a few quick tips you can put to work that still make you look like you’ve been planning for months. 


Quick Tips to Win at Holiday Meal Planning 

1. Ditch the Standard Decor.

This year throw out the gourds on the table and go with something you already have like candles and other pieces you can find around the house. If you choose a few items that are monotone like silver or gold, paired together always look upscale. For our theme this year, we used a few rustic pieces like burlap and white candles blended with golds and roses to make the table pop and the only thing I bought was some fresh flowers at the grocery store. Done in a way that could make JoJo proud. 

Holiday Meal Planning

2. Play up the Placards. 

Mitigate all the wrong people sitting at the table next to each other with table assignments. But you don’t have to spend hours to make cute little individualized pieces, let the kids make it their own craft (delegation is key) or go with class with thank you notes.

Write individual thank you note including why you are thankful for each person coming to dinner and address the envelope with their name. Place on the each seat and tada – table settings. Last minute drop in? You can just quickly write out another one and add it to the their seat. My favorite part is that you’ve added a special note that makes that person feel good and keeps the holidays on the true meaning of friends and family, not spending hours decorating. 

Holiday-Meal-Planning

3. Streamline the Spirits. 

I love having options, especially when it comes to wine, but it does get complicated when you take your menu and your guests into consideration. So instead of trying to pick the right red, white or something else for those that don’t drink wine, go with one signature cocktail and call it done.

I always serve sangria at Thanksgiving and we’ve never had complaints! Plus it looks very festive and can be made in advance so you can concentrate on other dinner making. My new sangria recipe includes fruit and rose. Rose you say? Yep, it’s not just for summer, fall in love with rose and this sangria recipe made with Barefoot Wine Rose that’s not only totally holiday perfect and all year ’round! (And at less than $10 a bottle makes it real easy to keep costs affordable.) 

Rose Sangria

Rosé Sangria

Ingredients 

1 bottle Barefoot Rosé still wine 

2 ½ ounces dark rum 

6 ¼ ounces each of pomegranate, white cranberry and orange juice 

3 ¾ ounces maple syrup

Fresh red pear, green pear and orange cut into thin slices 

Directions 

Place prepared fruit into large pitcher. Pour in all liquid ingredients and stir briefly. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Serve over ice and top with fruit. Done. 

4. Cut the China.

This one was a hard one for me because I LOVE beautiful china and glassware pieces. I’ve collected so many pieces over the years, however, I also am anxious the whole meal it’s going to get broken and then when the meal is over, immediately have to handwash them since they aren’t dishwasher safe. It’s just not worth it! But I’m not suggesting to break out the paper plates either. ThermoServ creates a melamine dinnerware called the Chef’s Collection Classic Series that can be incorporate into your table setting without the worry. Made with 100% Melamine, so it’s scratch and impact resistant (kids!). It;s also restaurant quality and BPA free with no fillers. I used my four place settings with plastic chargers and the table looked first-class without all the glass:) 

Holiday Meal Planning

Holiday Meal Planning

5. Go with Comfort. 

Doesn’t it seem assign that you wear some of the nicest clothes you own to eat greasy food and then lounge watching TV? So don’t.

It may have been your tradition, but at our holiday meal yoga pants and Pjs are our required attire. Everyone comes with a chipper disposition and no one gets their best clothes dirty. Besides who wants to watch the Cowboys in their heels and hose. We already bought ours holiday pjs at Target, so we’ll stay in them all day. Besides, they’re soft and make for comfy wear all day! 

Now cheers and enjoy! 

Holiday Meal Planning

Last-Minute Gift Idea: Seasonings Greetings

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Disclaimer

Show your appreciation for that special someone with a little help from Zoës Kitchen and this free printable “Seasonings Greetings” from mamachallenge.com. #delivergoodness

Christmas came quick this year (as it seems to do the older you get), so are working to get your last gifts together? Don’t worry you can still do something thoughtful, but still doesn’t take much time or money to put it together? 


For me there are many people that make my world happen. From the mail man, the UPS guy, the dry cleaning lady and the gal at the gym, these people all help me make it through any given day. And although I try to say thank you, sometimes a thank you in the from of a small token of appreciation goes a lot farther. 

SeasonsGreetingsZoes

This holiday I was excited to partner with one of my favorite new restaurants, Zoës Kitchen to share how to #delivergoodness the season for their “Selfless Giving” campaign. By coupling their seasoning mix appropriate called “Spice of Life,” a $25 gift card Zoës Kitchen gift card along with this free printable from mamachallenge I had an easy gift that said “THANK YOU!” and Season(ings) Greetings! 

zoes-tag

Known for healthy and innovative menu items for every palate, Zoës Kitchen, is one of our favorite family g0-tos. And with 165 locations in 14 states (including several in the Dallas/Fort Worth area), it’s makes it easy for anyone to find a location nearby.  

Zoes-Family-Meals3-MamaChallenge

While you could make your own seasoning mix for this holiday homemade gift, Zoës Kitchen’s “Spice of Life” can make everything taste that much better. I often use this on a quick way to season veggies or roast a chicken and the kids keep coming back for more. Plus – it’s already bottled and ready for giving when you pick it up at Zoës Kitchen.

zoes-logo

For me, I wanted to #delivergoodness to those people who make a big difference in my life and thank you just doesn’t begin to say how much I appreciate them. Here’s how I shared my three of my “Seasonings Greetings” gifts: 

Coworker: Working with this coworker for 10 years, she’s not just someone I work with, she’s a friend that has shared birthdays, deaths, births, weddings and more. However, on a daily basis, she’s the one that reminds me when I forgot that action item, prints off an extra agenda when I’m running late, and continues to make me look good, when you have one of “those” mornings. 

Neighbor: Oh, this neighbor is also one of my best friends, but she was a neighbor first. She always there to borrow the sugar from, watch the kids in a last-minute pickle, and opens her home for the holidays. I can only aspire to be the hostess with the mostess like her! 

School Secretary: I wonder if anyone talks to their school secretary as much as I do. But for every time I need to pick up the kids early, drop them off late or ask them what I missed in the school newsletter, she always answers the phone with a smile. And just think, I bet I’m not the only one. With more than 600 kids at our scho0l, I bet she does the same thing for a lot of other parents. 

Here’s the printable available to be printed in small 3.5 X 5 in. size (4 per page), 9 per page, or you can “save as” to download in your own smaller size to be printed with your Seasonings Greetings gift. 

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{Download 3.5 X 5 in. printable PDF}

 

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{Download 3.5 X 5 in. printable PDF}

 

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{Download high resolution 1200 pixel image png}

Seasonings Greetings to You!

Zoes-Gift-Card

Five Ways to Save Money on Online Shopping

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The holidays don’t come cheap, so here are five ways to save money on online shopping!

During the holidays doesn’t it just feel like money just takes wings and flies south for the winter? From buying food for parties to all of the random gift exchanges, my checking account is being pulled in multiple directions. So until we cash in on the Texas Mega Millions, here are my top 5 ways you can find the best deals for your holiday gifts without breaking the bank or a sweat.


snagshout

Snagshout // website

A new social deal site that offers deep discounts (30-90%) to consumers in exchange for honest reviews on Amazon products. You read that right. You’re being paid (in the form of coupons) to give your opinion. To purchase an item on Snagshout, customers are given a promo code to purchase the item directly from the brand’s amazon listing.

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Ebates // website

Surely by now, you’ve heard me talk about Ebates, seen the commercial or maybe even read about here. Well, in case you missed it, here’s the 411. Ebates pays members up to seven percent cash back every time they shop and provides them with amazing Amazon deals. The membership is free and every quarter, they will send your money straight to your house or your PayPal account. 

 Slick Deals

Slickdeals // website

Despite the somewhat creepy name, Slickdeals uses consumer-generated, rating and comments to help them find the the best deals and then displays those deals on the website’s front page for quick and easy access. No more filtering and sorting through pages of products, Slickdeals make it easy to find the right coupons based on category and save up to 50 percent on Amazon purchases.

CamelCamelCamel // website

This free Amazon price tracker shows the price and sale rank history for more than 18 million Amazon products, making it super easy to review the item’s past performance. Once the prices drop, CamelCamelCamel alerts customers via email, Twitter and smoke signal (kidding) helping them determine the right time to spend and save. I don’t know about you, but I’m all about Big Brother CamelCamelCamel price watching.

Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime // website

Last but certainly not least is Amazon Prime. Members receive free two-day shipping on eligible purchases, unlimited streaming of popular movies and television shows, ad-free access to more than a million songs and hundreds of playlists, one Kindle per month from more than 800,000 titles, storage in Amazon Cloud Drive and a patridge in a pear tree. And all of this for only $99/year. Sure that mean like a large one-time purchase, but it pays for itself in shipping costs alone. You can try out the membership in a free 30-day trial to see if you like it, but make sure you cancel it before the trial period is over or they will charge your card for the entire membership.

If you’re a heavy duty Amazon shopper like me, than these website will make your holiday shopping a piece of Christmas fruit cake. So until we find out what resort our money is vacationing at, hopefully these sites will make the holidays a little easier. No one likes a Scrooge after all.

What Kind of Christmas Are You? {Quiz}

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I love Christmas decorations.

I mean REALLY love them. I actually have a room that I store them and love the moment I can put them up and coordinate my wrapping paper for Christmas. 

So are you the type who starts putting up their decorations as soon as the turkey leftovers are put in the refrigerator or do you become Martha Stewart and meticulously place each item around your house over the course of a week? 


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No matter what kind of Christmas are you, At Home has all the supplies, from Christmas trees to stockings to nutcrackers, you need to transform your home into the holiday scene of your choice. Plus, they have a fun quiz on their website that will help you narrow down your personal holiday decor style. This quiz will reveal if you choose a traditional Christmas style, Vintage Christmas, Regal Christmas, Nautical Christmas, a Peppermint Jazz-themed Christmas or if you should turn your home into a Winter Wonderland.

TAKE THE QUIZ

To start, we have to take a virtual tour of your home. First stop – your dining room. Table setting is everything! It will be the centerpiece of your home as family and friends gather around to share in holiday feast that you, no doubt, have slaved over for hours. It will be the focal point of pictures as the ham, prime rib or lamb is sliced. Glasses and glasses of wine will be consumed at this table followed by countless slices of pie. This is where the magic happens. So, let your table start your holiday decor theme. You can wrap the table in gold, gold or more gold or keep it traditional with light touches of red, white and green. Whatever you choose, your table setting will set the tone for your whole house. And who knows, it may even go viral if you post it on Pinterest.

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Next, we’ll venture into the family room/den/whatever you call the main area where your family hangs out. After ornaments, stockings are probably my favorite part of Christmas decorations. They represent my family – new additions, life transitions and everything in between. Stocking are special pieces of fabric that hang from the mantle and remind us what’s really important during the holidays seasons.

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The most important thing to remember when determining what kind of decor you choose is all the visitors you will have during the holidays. And no, I don’t mean your dear Aunt Sally who smears on the lipstick before slobbering your cheek. No, I’m talking about that jolly guy with rosy cheeks and a cloud-like beard. Will you leave him milk & cookies on a festive red-and-white plate or maybe you’ll DIY the setting and wrap it in burlap or place in a white and gold sparkly cup. 

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Finally, let’s go outside, what object will greet your guests this holiday season? I don’t want any ghosts of Christmas pasts or Krampuses entering my home, so I will always find something festive that will put my visitors in the best mood as soon as they get to the porch. You can keep it simple and place a nice wreath on the door or make it colorful and fun with a festive elf or singing Santa – just add a little touch of holiday cheer.

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Now walk a little bit further and turn around. What do you see? That’s right, your house! Because at the end of the day, it’s not just a house, but your home. It’s your personal piece of property where memories are made year round. So it really doesn’t matter if you pay an interior designer to decorate your home or if a Charlie Brown-like Christmas tree provides the perfect bit of holiday cheer.

At home is where holidays are made. 

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