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Real Solutions for Real Parents by Autumn Rose Reo

Top 10 Must-Haves to Get Your Pumpkin Fix

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Fall (or autumn as I prefer to call it), is definitely upon us.

At least the calendar says so.
While here in Texas Mother Nature is taking her time to give us a little fall weather, the grocery stores have definitely served up a thousand ways for you to taste the official flavor of fall, pumpkin.

Probably one of the most pinned or hashtagged items on social media right now, pumpkin has replaced apple as the official flavor of the season, at least according to BusinessWeek – and I couldn’t be happier.


So if your Starbucks #PumpkinSpiceLatte isn’t enough to keep your tastebuds satiated, here are just a few of the items I picked up this week at Walgreens, Walmart and Tom Thumb.

Top 10 Pumpkin Must-Haves

1. Duncan Hines Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes: Comes with its own pumpkin spice icing!

2. Nestle Coffee Mate Pumpkin Spice: It’s not just for coffee; try this for making your french toast!

3. Kellogg’s Pop Tarts Pumpkin Spice: In less than two minutes you can have a taste of something like pumpkin pie!

4. Jello Instant Pudding Mix Pumpkin Spice: I’m thinking there’s going to be something delicious made with this soon!

5. Yoplait Light Pumpkin Spice Yogurt: Some people love it, some people hate it. You decide

6. Betty Crocker Pumpkin Cookie Mix: Need pumpkin stat? Then cook these up with a cream cheese icing for that almost-homemade cookie smell throughout the house.

7. Krusteaz Pumpkin Pie Bar: I want to eat these now – especially since they have a Gingerbread crust. It’s like heaven in a bar.

8. Pepperidge Farm Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies: How could these be bad? Pumpkin + Cheesecake = happy tastebuds.

9. Kraft Jet-Puffed Pumpkin Spice Marshmallows: Not only are they pumpkin flavored, but pumpkin-shapped too. We use them for s’mores and fell in love.

10. Pumpkin Candy: Every candy has made a version of pumpkin-something shaped or flavored. The highly coveted and posted Pumpkin Spice M&Ms couldn’t even be found, but Hershey’s Kisses and Candy Corn have both turned into pumpkins this season. And if you are looking to find more pumpkin, check out McDonald’s, Einstein Bros., Seattle’s Best and Dunkin Donuts for more pumpkin, drive-thru style.

Join me in all kinds of PUMPKIN FUN on my Pinterest!

Satisfy Your Craving for Pumpkin without the Calories

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Satisfy Your Craving for Pumpkin without the calories! It’s possible with these easy but delicious recipes full of pumpkin flavor, but not pumpkin calories! 

So today to kick off my favorite season, we whipped up two delicious recipes that can help satisfy that pumpkin kick you are on (and everyone else on Facebook and Pinterest) on KTXD The Broadcast this morning. 

Did you see what I forgot to put in that shake? That’s right. The banana. Very fitting for my slip-up! But when you are doing live TV, you just smile and move on! Watch it again and see if you see my reaction when I realize I forgot!

 Did you also see that adorable chalkboard pumpkin on the table with the TV show name on it? My friend Shannon at MilkandCuddles.com made it, and it fit perfectly into the show! THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO USE IT! 

Anyhow, I’ve included the recipes here for the two recipes I made (although they are so super easy you really don’t need them!) 

 PUMPKIN BREAKFAST SHAKE


(Makes 2)

 Ingredients
1 banana
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup milk
4 Tablespoons honey (or 2 Tablespoons brown sugar)
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2-3 cups ice (depending on how thick you want your shake)
whipped cream granola for garnish

 Instructions
Place all ingredients except whipped cream and granola in a blender and blend until smooth.
Top with whipped cream and granola.

 PUMPKIN DIP

 Ingredients
1 tub Cool Whip (Use this version for those watching calories) 
1 box instant vanilla pudding mix
1 can pure pumpkin (not pie filling, the real deal!) 
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (homemade version or use this version.)

Instructions
Mix above ingredients and serve with graham cracker sticks, apple wedges, or ginger snaps (yes, the best gingersnaps I always suggest are these…but fruit is an excellent option for a healthier version.) 

Are you looking for more pumpkin flavors? Then check out my PUMPKIN PINTEREST board for all kinds of yummy things (both healthy and not-so-healthy!) 

Follow the Yellow Brick Road to a Special The Wizard of Oz Anniversary, Sept. 14

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If I could name off my top five movies of all time, The Wizard of Oz has made the list since I was a kid. Now I get the chance to share in a little fun with my munchkins with a special event this Saturday at North East Mall. 




The Simon Kidgits Club at North East Mall invites you to click your heels to celebrate at the free The Wizard of Oz’s 75th Anniversary event this Saturday, Sept. 14 from 1 – 3 p.m. in Center Court. Families can participate in a variety of The Wizard of Oz inspired activities to revel in the charming tradition of the yellow brick road including craft-making, coloring activities, cut-out character photo opportunities and exclusive movie-focused giveaways. Children will also receive a map which leads to various stations that feature viewings of The Wizard of Oz film clips. 

The event surrounds the anniversary of the beloved film with Warner Bros. relaunch of The Wizard of Oz 3D Sept. 20 in IMAX® 3D format and an exclusive one-week engagement in IMAX® theatres across North America.

North East Mall
The Wizard of Oz Anniversary Event
Sept. 14, 1- 3 p.m. 
Free

Click Your Heels (or your flip flops) for Fun, 

Top 5 Fall TV Premieres You Must Watch

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TV Thursday:

I don’t consider myself a TV junkie, but let’s face it I am (have you seen my Mad Men Moms weekly show? Don’t.) However, after all my tasks are done for the day, I relish the thought of one hour, kidless and quiet to immerse myself in whatever drama that my DVR has loaded up for me. 


Thankfully, with the summer coming to a close, that means that the good shows will once again give me a reason to yearn for a motorcycle jacket, become a country singer and take a trip to Atlantic City. Starting this weekend you’ll know where I’ll be. Check out these trailers for my Top 5 picks of season premieres I can’t wait to watch. 

1. Boardwalk Empire – September 8, 2013



2. Sons of Anarchy – September 10, 2013


3. Nashville – September 25, 2013


4. Masters of Sex – September 29, 2013
Because the trailer even makes me blush, you can click on over to see it yourself if you are as curious as I am about this Showtime series premiere. Just make sure there’s no one around because they’ll definitely be asking, “What are YOU watching?” (Yes, this is explicit, but the folks at Showtime let you know that in the title right?) 

5. Downton Abbey – January 2014


Ok, so this one isn’t this fall, but I’m already primed to watch for the January 2014 debut of Season 4. It’s almost worth a visit to see my friends, Will and Kate to see their new addition just to watch the new season a few months in advance of the US. 

What shows are you excited to watch this fall? 


Mama Challenge on TV: Texas Dishes Put to the Pinterest Test on Good Morning Texas 9/3/13 {Recipes}

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Try-it Tuesday:


I’m putting John Wayne and some other Texas-themed Pinterest recipes to test again on WFAA’s Good Morning Texas! if you are coming to MamaChallenge.com for the first time because you saw me on TV, then I’m so excited to have here! I hope you stay a while and enjoy some of my other fun posts including my challenges for the newest fitness fads, local restaurants and cool products. 

Looking for those recipe fixes? then check them out below. While I didn’t come up with these recipes, I have added a few tips to make them even better. (Well except for the Corn Nuggets, they needed a little bit more help!)

John Wayne Casserole 
Source: Adapted from Mississippi Magazine 

Ingredients: 
2 pounds ground beef, cooked and drained 
1 (1.25-ounce) packet taco seasoning 
4 ounces sour cream 
4 ounces mayonnaise 
8 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded and divided 
1 yellow onion, sliced 
2 cups biscuit mix 2 tomatoes, sliced 
1 green bell pepper, sliced 
1 (4-ounce) can sliced jalapeno peppers
Directions: 
1. Heat oven to 325. Brown ground beef and add taco seasoning and water, according to packet instructions; set aside. 
2. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, 4 ounces of cheddar cheese, and half of the onions; set aside. 
3. Stir biscuit mix and water (directions on box) [MamaChallenge Tip: This is about one cup. I couldn’t find any directions on my box of biscuit mix!] to form soft dough. Pat dough on the bottom and one-half-inch up the sides of an 9 x 13 in. greased casserole dish. 
4. Saute remaining onions and bell peppers until slightly tender. 
5. On top of biscuit mix, evenly distribute ingredients in the following order: ground beef, tomato slices, green peppers, onions, jalapeno peppers, sour cream mixture and end with remaining shredded cheese. 
6. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until edges of dough are lightly browned.

Texas Corn Nuggets
Ingredients:
1 (11 ounce) can creamed corn
1 (11 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg white
2 tablespoons milk
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups vegetable oil for deep frying
Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, stir together the creamed corn and drained whole kernel corn. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and coat with vegetable oil or cooking spray. [Mama Challenge Tip: Add about 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs to make the batter less runny.]
2.  Drop spoonfuls of the corn mixture onto the sheet, and freeze until firm, about 3 hours. [Mama Challenge Tip: Don’t use a cookie sheet, use a mini-muffin tin. Otherwise the batter will become a big sheet of corn instead of nuggets.]
3. Heat one inch of oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) in a large deep skillet, or fill a deep-fryer with oil as directed by the manufacturer.
4.  Mix together the cornmeal, flour, egg white, milk, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. [Mama Challenge Tip: Mix the cornmeal, flour, salt and pepper in one bowl to make a dry bath. In another bowl mix the egg white and milk together for a wet bath. Then dip the frozen nuggest in the dry bath, the wet bath and then the dry bath again.] Dip frozen corn nuggets in the batter, and quickly fry in hot oil until golden brown. Remove to paper towels to drain. 
Serve with a chipotle ranch dressing like this recipe or pick up one at the store!

Texas Caviar
Ingredients:
two cans of black beans, rinsed
one can of corn, drained
eight smaller roma tomatoes
half of one onion
half of a pepper
half cup of sour cream
fourth of a cup of mayo
two tablespoons of red wine vinegar
one teaspoon of cumin
one teaspoon of chili powder
half a teaspoon of salt
fourth teaspoon of garlic
black pepper to taste
hot sauce/jalepeño (optional)
Directions: 
1. Chop the onions, peppers and tomatoes in tiny pieces. (think: the same size as the corn and beans.)
mix all the vegetables, beans and corn and place in the fridge.
2. In another bowl mix sour cream, mayo, vinegar, seasonings, and hot sauce until smooth and blended. get the salsa out of the fridge and add the sauce.
3. Stir until it’s all blended.
4. Serve with tortilla chips or other munchies and enjoy!

Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter to get the 
solutions and tips for your mama challenges! 

Pinterest Recipes Put to the Test Featured on Good Morning Texas

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Food Fridays:

I was so privileged to be spotlighted this week on two different shows this week, Good Morning Texas on WFAA and D: The Broadcast on KTXD. We put some great Pinterest Dessert finds to the test with a celebrity tester and then I had another celebrity talk mom tips for creating cool tips for healthy lunches.

A lot of you have asked for the recipes I made on GMT for easy and delicious Texas-themed desserts:

Apple Enchiladas
1 (21 ounce) can apple pie filling (Cherries or peaches can be substituted for apples.)
6 (8 inch) flour tortillas
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butte
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water

1.       Spoon about one heaping quarter cup of pie filling evenly down the center of each tortilla.
2.       Sprinkle with cinnamon; roll up, tucking in edges; and place seam side down in prepared dish.
3.       In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, white sugar, brown sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes.
4.       Pour sauce over enchiladas and let stand 45 minutes.
5.       Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes, or until golden 350 degrees. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Pink Lemonade Pie

Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (one packet)
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter
1. Mix the crumbs, sugar, and butter in a nine inch pie pan or spring form pan.  Mix until the crumbs have absorbed the butter and the mixture is uniform. 
2. Press the crumbs across the bottom of the pan and up the sides. 
3. Bake for ten minutes at 350 degrees. 

Filling
1 8-ounce packet of cream cheese, softened
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup pink lemonade concentrate (not mixed with water)
2 tablespoons lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
red food coloring as desired
1. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until soft.  Add the sweetened condensed milk and beat until smooth.
2. Add the lemonade concentrate and lemon juice and continue beating until smooth.  Color with red food coloring as desired.
3. Poor into the pie shell and place in the freezer while you mix the topping.

Topping
1/3 cup shredded coconut
Several drops of red food coloring
1 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Place the coconut in a small bowl with several drops of food coloring and rub until the coconut turns pink.
2. Whip the cream until stiff, adding the sugar and vanilla in the process.
3. Spoon the cream over the pie filling and garnish with the pink coconut.
4. Freeze the pie until firm.
Margarita Pie
1 cup graham cracker crumbs (12 squares)
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 cup frozen (thawed) margarita mix concentrate
1 pint (2 cups) lime sherbet, softened
1/3 cup frozen (thawed) margarita mix concentrate
3 tablespoons tequila, if desired
2 cups vanilla frozen yogurt, softened
1.       In small bowl, mix cracker crumbs and powdered sugar.
2.       Stir in 1/4 cup margarita mix until crumbly.
3.       Press mixture firmly against bottom and side of 9-inch glass pie plate.
4.       In large bowl, mix sherbet, 1/3 cup margarita mix and the tequila.
5.       Gently swirl in frozen yogurt. Spoon mixture into crust; spread evenly.
6.       Cover; freeze 4 to 6 hours or until firm.

And for some of those great items we featured on the D: The Broadcast, you can find the following: 

Lunchboxes: The Container Store (including that cute Lego box and Lego Man Thermos.
Go Go SqueeZ, squeezable natural fruit: Whole Foods, Walmart and Target (Target even has a great $2/4 special right now.) 

Bolthouse Farms Shakedowns, carrots with seasoning mix: Walmart in Dallas (they are still launching in other areas around the US!)

Sabra, Spongebob Squarepants Hummus: Kroger 

Foodles, healthy, Mickey-shaped snack packs: Walmart

Let’s Get Back to School!







“Cool Tips for Healthy Lunches” on KTXD TVs D: The Broadcast

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Wow Mom Wednesdays:

Going back to school is a hard transition — and so is getting back to the routine of making lunches for the kids. However, did you know it’s possible to make healthy lunches that kids will love to eat and not spend all night making them? Yep, you can with three easy tips and a few examples I shared today with the amazing Pat Smith on KTXD TVs D: The Broadcast today. She’s a mama of five kids with Dallas Cowboys great Emmitt Smith and runs her own busy non-profit for women called Treasure You.

She’s an amazing woman, so I was so excited to share a little time in the spotlight and give her a few tips I think might help you, too!




 Do you have any healthy lunchbox tips to share? 

Also, you can check out my other TV appearances here!

When That Twilight Star Ate My Margarita Soup Pie on TV {Recipe}

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Me Mondays:

Today’s been a big day for the fam. Baby girl turned two, little boy had his first day of kindergarden, daddy enters his last day of law school and oh, yeah, mama was on TV. 



If you missed my segment on WFAA’s Good Morning Texas where I have been lucky to be on a few times, here you go. However I do have to preface a few things for you first. 



  1. The margarita pie is made mostly out of sherbet, frozen yogurt and margarita mix. 
  2. TV studios are hot. Very hot. Especially in August. In Texas. 
  3. Ice cream melts.
And if they fun in watching my pie turn into soup isn’t enough to make you watch it, check out the cutie from Twilight, Vampire Diaries and Nashville (love that show), that makes a sneak appearance at the end to taste the soup…I mean pie. Thankfully, once we were off air, I was able to redeem myself with the apple enchiladas which he at least made me think were tasty (and he swallowed them with a smile.) So I’m good with it. What do you think? 

Make sure you stay close to your TV this week! I’ve some great news for you! 


A Real Mama Challenge: My Baby Girl Turns 2 and Mama Won’t Be There

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Mama Mondays:

Today’s my little girl’s 2nd birthday…unfortunately, I won’t be there to wake her up in the morning since mama will be off early to WFAA Victory Park Studios to share a real “mama challenge” from Good Morning Texas. I actually have spent the weekend trying out the three Pinterest desserts that seem “too good to be true” are really good or really not true. 

And while the moment is bittersweet since I won’t get to see her beautiful eyes open on her special day or take her to her first day of school, at least I know that I’m doing my best to set an example that when life gives you an opportunity, you take it and are thankful for it. 

…And then as long as one of these desserts actually work out, we’ll share a slice together in honor of her special day when I pick her up from school. 


To make it worth it for both of us, if you are in front of a TV at 9 AM on ABC WFAA 8, I’d love for you to tune in to see how these three Texas-themed Pinterest recipes work! 

  • Margarita Pie
  • Pink Lemonade Pie
  • Apple Enchiladas

And of course, I’ll be these babies on Pinterest later, too (if they are good!) 


Introducing Dallas New GoGoSqueeZ Squad Leader, Me!

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Mama Mondays:

I am so excited to start this week with a BIG announcement! 

Recently, I was named a member of GoGo squeeZ Squad for Dallas. I was already a huge fan of the products, but a couple of months ago at Blissdom 2013 I had a chance to get to know the brand and I love ’em! So now as a part of the team, I really couldn’t be more excited and proud to take on this role and help promote the fun, healthy, convenient and playful lifestyle that GGS is all about here in Dallas-Fort Worth! 

(Hey, I loved them so much I even included them in my Gourmet Pancakes segment on Good Morning Texas!) 

If you are mom who packs lunches or a fitness geek, you probably know exactly what GoGo squeeZ is. However, if you don’t, let me just fill you in: 
Happier Healthier families

 GoGo squeeZ is proud to be the leading squeezable, re-sealable, 100% fruit in a pouch. GoGo squeeZ’s products are crafted with high-quality natural ingredients to provide wholesome goodness for sipping, squeezing and enjoying, wherever life takes you.

 What Does it Mean to be a Member of the squeeZ squad

 The squeeZ squad is a team of passionate GoGo lovers that also love being out in their own community. Whether it’s a mom of 4, an adoring aunt, or a former TV producer, our team mission: get GoGo squeeZ to families at work and at play. From field trips to 5k Fun Runs, the squeeZ Squad does it all with a little GoGo. These amazing women (and men) are on the front lines spreading THE playful message.



To get to the core (tee-hee), I will be popping up around the area at events – small and large – to share a little GoGo squeeZ love with you, your family and friends. So if you have an event, activity, party or opportunity you think that is a good place for Go Go squeeZ sampling or gifting, please drop me an email to see if it’s a good match!


 Every Time You Squeeze, We Please! 

GoGo squeez has teamed up with Life is good® Playmakers, a non-profit that heals and strengthens kids whose lives have been deeply impacted by trauma. They work to ensure that all children grow-up feeling safe, loved and joyful. All you have to do is share this video and we’ll donate $1 to Life is good Playmakers!



See why I’m thrilled to be a part of the squad? 

I hope you’ll join me too in living life playfully with Go Go squeeZ!



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