Holidays Archives - Page 7 of 25 - mamachallenge | Real Solutions for Real Parents

Santa’s Cookie Ideas

December 13, 2016 By Autumn Rose Reo Leave a Comment

Cookies for Santa is a time-honored tradition, but what happens when the big guy gets tired of eating about a trillion of them in one night? So mix it up Christmas Eve with these Santa Cookie Ideas.

Chocolate chip? Peanut Butter? Sugar? Oatmeal?

What does Santa get under the tree at your house?

With more than 132 million homes to visit on Christmas Eve, that’s a lot of cookies to eat. So give Santa a little something different with a few new Santa Cookie Ideas.

1. Up the ante on that chocolate chip cookie with the quintessential Dallas recipe for the Neiman Marcus Cookie.

2. Looking for something the kids can make? Make your own little Frostys with Nutter Butters, candy and fruit snacks with these Snowman Cookies.

Brown Eyed Baker (http://www.browneyedbaker.com/nutter-butter-snowmen)

3. Does Santa have an allergy or need a pick me up for his late night? Go with No Cook, Gluten-Free Energy Balls.

4. Consider yourself a traditionalist but no time to make those beautiful sugar cookies? La Madeleine has beautiful cookie options in their Holiday French Market.

5. Santa’s not the only one doing the work – don’t leave out the reindeer or the elves. Make snacks for them too with this easy Reindeer Mix.

Everyday Best (http://everydaybest.com/reindeer-food-recipe-and-free-printable/)

6. Sometimes it’s more than just the cookies. Teach kids to be the sweet ones by showing their gratitude with a thank you note with eggnog for a nice way to say thank you to Santa.

Don’t miss this #mamachallenge moment:

Holiday Hot Picks Gift Ideas 2016

December 7, 2016 By Autumn Rose Reo 22 Comments

Still working on starting finishing your holiday gift list? We’ve made it a #joyworthgiving with these Holiday Hot Picks Gift Ideas for Everyone at JCPenney.

MamaChallenge.com is thrilled to partner with JCPenney for this fun holiday collaboration. This post includes affiliate links.

Bucket list #9…CHECK!

I’ve dreamed for a long, long time to have my “Oprah moment” by sharing with the world my “favorite things,” then flooding folks with presents and announcing “you get a card, you get a car, and you get a car!”

While I wasn’t giving away automobiles this weekend, I did, along with Rebekah of A Blissful Nest (beautiful home design/style blog), give away presents and unveil our Hot Holiday Picks at a special party inside JCPenney at Stonebriar Centre. We had your gift list covered for everyone from your spouse, kids, girlfriends, white elephant gift exchange, and of course, a few for you to stuff in your own stocking, too!

One of picks to make the holidays sweeter was this fun “All the Jingle Ladies” top I sported from the JCPenney Ugly Christmas Sweater collection. Bling, bells and an added scarf make this one of my favorite holiday hot picks FOR ME!

Together we revealed each of our favorite gift recommendations for finding amazing gifts at JCPenney at any price point! Paired with some of the great incentives and promotions offers both online and instore like Customer Appreciation Days and JCPenney Bonus Cash, JCPenney is making the holidays a #JoyWorthGiving!

For many of us, busy schedules and the added holiday stress, have really taken the joy out of the season of giving, making it really hard to find “that special thing to show you care.” JCPenney has made it much easier to be able to get just the right thing with “Gifts Under $15, $20, $50 and more” price points so you can stay in budget, while making your gift count and organizing things just for her, him or anyone. And for me, that’s exactly what the holidays are supposed to be – joyful and giving!

So finally, here are my Holiday Hot Picks – all under $25! And many of these ideas could be used for anyone (since I’d love any of these things under the tree with my name on it!)

HOLIDAY HOT PICK: For the Teacher / Hostess Gift

There’s nothing like a soft, blanket to wrap yourself in with a good book and a cup of cocoa during the holidays to make the world seem perfect! This Velvet Plush Throw from JCPenney Home™ (available in prints and solids) is the perfect gift for a teacher, a hostess, gift, your aunt, your girlfriend – actually everyone will love this. And your wallet will love it even more at this price (I’ve spotted this from $9.99 – $11.99!)

HOLIDAY HOT PICK: For the Tweens / Teens

I want this and so does my husband, so to say it’s for the Tweens/Teens just gives us an excuse! Everyone will want in on the action to upgrade that smartphone to a virtual reality! With several models available instore and online starting at just $14.99, this gift idea has been flying off the racks. But you can still get your hands on the Merge 360 Vr Headset as your tween/teen gets jetted to a far away dimension – from the comfort of your living room! (I gave this away to one of our lucky guests at our Stonebriar Holiday Hot Picks Party!)

HOLIDAY HOT PICK: For the Music Lover or Traveler

Do you have loved one that loves music or travels? Keep them connected without all the wires. These Wireless Headphones with microphone will make listening to music or watching movies on the plane way easier, more personalized (with pink, blue and black options) and much more comfortable. And with such an affordable price, you can get a pair for everyone!

HOLIDAY HOT PICK: For the Techie

For under $30 and plug-and-play magic, your giftee can get caught up on all their favorite shows and find some new favorite movies with the ROKU Express Streaming Media Player 3700. It doesn’t get much easier to be access 350,000+ paid or free movies and TV episodes with no installation! This is a great gift idea for someone on a budget, who doesn’t want to mess with a cable bill, like a college student or a first-time apartment owner!

HOLIDAY HOT PICK: White Elephant Exchange

No one should be without a Slow Cooker. One of my #mamachallenge must-haves to get food on the table with little to no work, the slow cooker is always a favorite for anyone who basically likes to eat! And for those that really love to cook, they will always appreciate a slow cooker to make some great dishes! There are several options for different size slow cookers at JCPenney, but this deal for the Cooks Slow Cooker at ~~$12.99~~ now $9.99 make it too good to pass up!

HOLIDAY HOT PICK: For Him

My hubs likes to keep it easy and light, so it doesn’t get much better than this Dockers Leather Magnetic Money Clip Front Pocket Wallet. Equipped with both a clip for cash and a few places to slide his ID, credit cards, and a few business cards, this is a staple item that any man of any age will appreciate! And with a nice presentation and a nice price of $11.99, you can’t go wrong!

HOLIDAY HOT PICK: For Her / For You

From his wallet to yours, any woman with a smartphone will LOVE this! A huge hot list item apparently on everyone’s list (I’ve seen it sell out and restock a few times), the Liz Claiborne® Phone Charging Wallet comes with a built-in charging bank and in several colors and styles. You’ll (or the lucky lady who gets this gift) be able to charge your phone, keep your lipgloss and other essentials handy, all while looking accessorized on-the-run!

…And I couldn’t resist sharing this incredible find that is a huge #mamachallenge find: Elf on the Shelf Helper!

Forget trying to be creative and come up with fun new settings for your Elf on the Shelf. The ones you find online might give you a chuckle, but who has time to put together all that!?! The pressure is gone with The Elf on the Shelf® Scout Elves at Play Book – full of 10 props and 100+ how-tos to make it a cinch to keep the spirit of Christmas alive with just a few minutes to spare!

Running late on holiday time? No problem! You can run in store to catch many of these gifts or click online at JCP.com and with affordble 2-day shipping and even a 1-day express option, you can get your gifts all under in the tree or in the mail with time to spare!

And that’s just another way JCPenney is making the holidays a #JoyWorthGiving!

Yule Love the Holidays with La Madeleine

December 4, 2016 By Autumn Rose Reo 1 Comment

The holidays are the reason to make enjoying moments together a priority so yule love La Madeleine’s new Holiday French Market and brunch offerings. Sing along at#Falalalalalamadeleine.

I’m so proud to be a La Madeleine Holiday Ambassador to celebrate the joy of the season with you.

I’m a gal that loves everything about brunch.

So of course brunch during the holidays is my jam (pun intended.)

I can remember when I was pregnant with my first son, every Saturday I would get up and me and the big belly would waddle into La Madeleine and I would order a creamy florentine quiche (with the best crust), fresh fruit, a glass of milk and sit next to the crackling fireplace so I can just spend a little time with him (and do some baby planning.)

It’s still one of those traditions with him I’ll cherish always.

Now, thankfully that I can partake in a true brunch experience, La Madeleine has added several new things just in time for the holidays to make it easier to make those special moments happen – even if you don’t have the time!

Catered or Take and Bake Country French Brunch

I love to make brunch casseroles but unfortunately, if you didn’t have the time to go to the grocery store, throw one together the night before and let it sit, it ain’t happening. With La Madeleine’s new Egg and Cheese Croissant Bake, you can choose sausage and bacon or spinach and either take it home ready to cook or order online and pick it up hot five hours later. You can also add a cheesy potato gratin casserole, freshly-baked mini croissants – butter, chocolate, almond, chocolate almond and blackberry cream cheese, and even a fresh-cut Fruit Salade if you have a big impression to make.

Catered sizes available for groups of 10, 20 and 30. Delivered hot and ready to serve in chafing dishes with serving utensils.
Take Home and Bake sizes available for groups of 4-6 and 8-10.

And who can forget crepes? That’s just one of the many reasons to go to La Madeleine. A thin pancake filled with everything and anything, crepes in the U.S. are considered almost a delicacies, although in French reality, they are much more common over the pond. Either way, many of us here, don’t try to master the crepe, but with the help of La Madeleine’s Executive Chef Susan Dederen, we share what it takes to take on the crepe. (And it’s not near as hard as any of us think it is!)

Holiday French Market

But for most of us this season, the holidays are a month-long season of events, activities, and special moments that in reality get crunched with all the other stresses of our life. So to make holiday gift giving and to make the days a little brighter (and sweeter), the Holiday French Market was built. Inside each La cafe, you’ll find box sets featuring the world-famous tomato basil soupe already packaged perfectly for gift giving, along with bundled decorated Christmas Tree cookies, the legendary Linzer cookies, macaroons, macarons, fruit tartes and so much more!

This year we are featuring three takes on the traditional French Creme Brulee – Creme Brulee Cheesecake, Mini Gingerbread Creme Brulee Tarts and new individual Caramel Creme Brulee cups. C’est magnifique!

And don’t worry, if you were looking for those seasonal flavors too, you’ll find peppermint mocha, gingerbread, and cranberry orange in the Viennoiserie cases (now I’m getting fancy.)

Bûche de Noël or The Yule Log

But the most famous French tradition at the holidays is definitely, the Bûche de Noël or The Yule Log. If you ever had it, you know that the moist vanilla sponge cake, chocolate mousse, and ganache, is a reason worth celebrating the holidays. If you haven’t, you’re in for a treat. But it’s not just the taste, there’s a lot more behind the story.

Join me with Alex of Eat Style Dallas on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016 at 10:15 am on Mamachallenge’s Facebook to learn how to master the Bûche de Noël. We’ll be sharing this and much more (including gift cards from La Madeleine) to make this online holiday even more sweet!

Christmas at the Anatole

December 3, 2016 By Autumn Rose Reo 2 Comments

There’s tons to do in Dallas and Fort Worth during the holidays. One of our mamachallenge favorites is indoor fun for everyone at the Christmas at the Hilton Anatole. Thanks to the Anatole for the opportunity to experience this holiday spectacular!

Our family enjoys our staycations at the Hilton Anatole and when we went we loved Sparkle! at the Anatole. This year we are excited to visit Geppetto’s Marionette Theater featuring Winter Wonderland again. The hotel lights up with lots of fun and with other fun at activities for their Christmas at the Anatole!

Breakfast with Santa (and Mrs. Claus) is a big way to make Christmas magic. This special morning includes a big delicious breakfast buffet, storytelling with Santa Claus, fun on the Santa slides, gingerbread cookie decorating in the Gingerbread House, parking and a super scavenger hung with face painting, hot cocoa station and more. Breakfast with Santa is open to both hotel guests and the public, but seating is limited for purchasing the tickets without a hotel package.

Starting at $189, the Breakfast with Santa Package includes:

Guest room
Breakfast With Santa for up to two adults & two kids at 9 AM
Self-parking
Christmas At The Anatole Weekend Activities
- Holiday movie night at 7:30pm on day of arrival with kids popcorn bar
- Gift bag per child given at breakfast with Santa
- Breakfast With Santa Experience (Activities Include: breakfast with Santa, holiday scavenger hunt, face painting, Gingerbread Bakeshop cookie-making, stories at Rudolph’s Reindeer Barn, Snapshack photo opps, letters to Santa and more!)

*Photos with Santa are available from 11am – 1pm. Photo packages start from $25 and can be paid for directly to the photographer.

*Late checkout at 2 p.m. is included.

After you filled your belly and Santa has checked your list (twice), pair your morning with an afternoon adventure to Geppetto’s Marionette Theater featuring a Winter Wonderland. More than 60 hand-carved marionettes will take you on a magical experience as you meet the Winter Wizard, North Pole dancing elves and other toys from Santa’s workshop. My 4 year old and 7 year old love the theatre and I love seeing their faces light it when “it begins to snow.” Get your tickets for the show times in advance here.

Crazy kids loved Winter Wonderland at Geppeto’s Workshop in the Hilton Anatole! Their favorite part included Elsa, Ice Ice Baby and of course when it snowed! Just part of the fun at the #ChristmasattheAnatole weekend! Win yours now at MAMACHALLENGE.com! #Christmas #mamachallenge #Dallas #win

A photo posted by MamaChallenge.com | Autumn Reo (@autumnreo) on Nov 28, 2015 at 2:23pm PST

There are only a few more weeks left for Christmas at the Anatole activities, so make sure you buy your tickets today!

Easy Italian: Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse

November 2, 2016 By Autumn Rose Reo 11 Comments

Think the drive-through is the only way you’re going to put food on the table? Healthy and quick meals are possible with help from Michael Angelo’s. Paired with this Hazelnut Chocolate Mousse and this pairing will soon be your new go-to every day that ends in Y.

All ideas, recipes, & opinions are entirely my own however, this is a sponsored post on behalf of Michael Angelo’s™.

Want to know the last time I made dinner for my family from scratch?

Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I spent hours slaving away in the kitchen, but last night I was able to serve a made-from-scratch meal made with real ingredients with no preservatives or artificial ingredients. All with a little help from Michael Angelo’s Signature Line.

With our busy work schedules, kids’ practices, and the other stuff that comes up, it doesn’t matter how planned out I was hoping dinner was going to be, it just doesn’t happen. So I always pick up a Michael Angelo’s meal (find yours here) and have it ready for those days it just “ain’t gonna happen.” And with choices like eggplant parmesan, shrimp scampi, and lasagna, everyone looks forward to mama’s “Italian night” even if the mama they’re really talking to is Michael Angelo’s mama, Sara. All I do is put it in the oven and get ready for everyone to say “smells good, mama,” and viola.

When I do have a few minutes to spare while the Michael Angelo’s cooks, I go the extra mile and make this creamy hazelnut chocolate mousse. It’s the kids’ favorite, but during the week I never have time to make it. But when all I have to do is wait for the timer to go off, I grab just five ingredients to create this rich, smooth and sinful dolce that no one can resist and pairs perfectly with any of Michael Angelo’s selection including:

Michael Angelo’s Eggplant Parmesan with eggplant, tomato sauce and lots of cheese: mozzarella, parmigiano reggiano and recorino romano.
Michael Angelo’s Shrimp Scampi with plump, tender shrimp with lemon butter, garlic, tomatoes and parsley.
Michael Angelo’s Lasagna layered with beef, robust tomatoes, herbs and cheese – oh glorious cheese

Like the Michael Angelo’s meals, the hazelnut chocolate mousse is super easy and oh so good. Just like Italy, the desserts are actually not complicated, but totally full of flavor. The twist of hazelnut (another Italian staple) tastes just makes you think it took a long time to make and when you really want to seal the deal, you throw in a little whipped cream and shaved chocolate to make the ooohs and ahhhs even longer.

Chocolate Hazelnut Mousse

Author: Autumn Reo of mamachallenge.com

Print Recipe

Description

Think the drive-through is the only way you’re going to put food on the table? Healthy and quick meals are possible with help from Michael Angelo’s. Paired with this Hazelnut Chocolate Mousse and this pairing will soon be your new go-to every day that ends in Y.

Ingredients

Scale

4 large eggs yolks
4 tablespoons sugar
2 cups heavy cream
¼ cup hazelnut spread
2 cups bittersweet chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

In a saucepan, whisk together eggs, ½ the sugar, and ¾ cup heavy cream.
Cook over a medium-low heat, stirring approximately 3-4 minutes, but don’t allow to boil.
Remove from heat, whisk in melted chocolate, hazelnut spread, and vanilla,
Strain into bowl and chill.
With an electric mixer, beat remaining 1 ¼ cups heavy cream and the remaining sugar.
Whip until still peaks form.
Stir in 1/3 of whipped chocolate into cooled custard mixture, then fold in the rest with a rubber spatula.
Spoon into dishes, chill, covered for at least one hour.

Notes

Optional: Add whipped cream and shaved chocolate, but it’s totally good just the way it is.

This is a no fuss, no mess, no time dessert that everyone will love served with your favorite Michael Angelo’s Signature Line dish.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Michael Angelo’s. The opinions and text are all mine.

The Story of Three Breads

October 27, 2016 By Autumn Rose Reo 22 Comments

Henry James said, “A tradition is kept alive only by having something added to it.” Learn what we added to our Dia de los Muertos tradition with our Story of Three Breads.

Thanks to General Mills for sponsoring this post and reminding why traditions continue to mean so much, year after year.

Putting out pumpkins the first day of fall.

Eating your aunt’s casserole on Thanksgiving, even when you don’t like it.

Making tamales on Christmas eve.

For many of us, that’s exactly what traditions are…things you do because you’ve always done them and they are just “what you do.”

This year I vowed to start a new tradition and observe Dia de los Muertos. It’s a beautiful Mexican tradition that I’ve always appreciated because it recognized loved ones lost with colorful, creative expressions rather than the dismal ones that are normally observed for those that have departed.

A few years ago I was even fortunate enough to be in Mexico during Dia de los Muertos and it was absolutely breathtaking. The celebration, the honor, the beautiful altars, and the open invitation to recognize and remember those that have died…it was truly a moving experience that I wanted to bring home with me.

When my grandmother passed away it was that much more important that as a family, especially my young children, could remember her passing as a joyful occasion instead of the one that reminded them of all the time that mama was sad.

So out came the cookbook, the flour, the anise and the enthusiasm as the kids and I began to make the pan de muerto, the traditional bread made for Dia de los Muertos. The tradition is to make the bread and then leave it at the altar so that the people that have passed can keep it with them as they pass over into the next world. I didn’t have much time to make it, but I was intent to make it happen especially because it wouldn’t be hard to make…

The kids and I worked together to roll out the dough, add the spices, and even add a little something extra from them we had picked up at Walmart: Trix from Taylor and Cinnamon Toast Crunch from Jackson. It was their way of giving something of them to go with grandma. In my head, the cereal was a symbol of them individually; Jackson, my little rainbow that has brought so much happiness, and Taylor Rose, my sweet little lady who gives every part of my life a lot more spice.

Unfortunately, things didn’t turn out so well.

Somewhat frustrated and now even more determined, I headed to the kitchen to knock out a bread. This time I worked the dough, rolled it out and looked over the recipe, over and over and over again, reading through every step, time and time again. I was sure I knew what I was doing. I was sure this round was going to be a winner.

After two bad outcomes, I was no longer determined, I felt defeated.

All I could hear were the thoughts in my head, “You can’t do this.”

“You don’t know how.”

“Why are you even trying?”

“What’s the point?”

“You aren’t good enough.”

Those are the ones that always get me. They sink into my head and take over, making it impossible to take on new challenges or overcome the old ones.

The tears started to fill my eyes as I worked to keep in the emotions. But there wasn’t any point…the waterfall of sadness took over as I realized that it wasn’t that I wasn’t good enough…it was that whenever I had heard that voice, the one of pure negativity and demise, I had called my grandma. She was voice that always knew what to say, how to say it, and to either give me the hug or the kick in the pants I needed to “get it together.”

At that moment I understood what I needed to happen.

I took a deep breath and I began to roll out the dough to make the pan de muerto.

However, this time I didn’t read a recipe. I didn’t get upset. I didn’t get motivated about how I was going to show that I could do it despite the times before.

I just enjoyed it. I enjoyed thinking about moments as I kid, rolling out the dough for rolls and cookies with my grandma…just as I had done with my kids. I thought about the times we spent together, the good ones and the bad, and how she was such a big part of my life…it was a walk down memory lane and for a moment she was there with me as I continued to make the pan de muerto.

I did give a little blessing as I put the bread in the oven and thought to myself, as she would have asked me, “I gave it my best.”

When the timer went off, I opened the oven to be greeted with the smell of anise and cinnamon.

And also with a beautiful pan de muerto, golden and perfect.

I couldn’t have been more pleased…I actually felt like a little girl that had done something right and was waiting for my grandma to say, “you done good.”

While I know I can’t pick up the phone anymore to hear her say the words, I know she there with me that day. And she will continue to be with me, forever, and in my heart for the rest of my life…

Now this is what a tradition is all about.

Add your something special to your family traditions with Big G Cereals like Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Lucky Charms, Trix and Cocoa Puffs. Remember, it’s the little things that always make a difference.