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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!

All I Want for Christmas is White Straight Teeth (Free Braces)

November 27, 2016 By Autumn Rose Reo 2 Comments

Braces and glasses may be part of growing up, but just because you aren’t a kid doesn’t mean you don’t deserve white straight teeth!

Thanks to Texas Association of Orthodontists for this sponsored reminder!

Braces aren’t just for the kids anymore.

Adults are just as likely to either repeat their braces treatment or finally have the opportunity to get braces on their teeth during their 30s or 40s.

But it doesn’t matter how old you are – everyone deserves a beautiful smile with white straight teeth!

Your smile is one of the biggest confidence boosters and something that anyone can see. If an adult is self-conscious about their smile, orthodontic treatment can provide them with the same benefits younger patients enjoy. Less visible orthodontic materials have made adult orthodontic treatment increasingly popular in recent years.

According to a survey by the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), adult patients grew by 14% from 2010 to 2012.

There is also the risk that some malocclusions (bad bites) may get worse if left untreated. If treatment is recommended, there are a number of options available today that make it less noticeable than it was in the past.

Fortunately with today’s technology, the materials orthodontists use to move teeth can be almost imperceptible. As specialists, orthodontists are able to use the full array of “appliances” (the formal name for braces, aligners, etc.) to create a healthy and beautiful smile. These include traditional metal braces with small, sleek brackets and thin wires; ceramic (tooth-colored) braces; braces that go behind the teeth; self-ligating braces, which have a built-in mechanism to hold the wire to the brackets; and clear aligners.

Thankfully, having braces doesn’t have to be a multi-year obligation. The average time between orthodontic appointments is about six weeks, so you miss less time from work and other important commitments and don’t need to be embarrassed about having braces or having a smile they don’t like.

Check out mylifemysmile.org for more info or to seek out an orthodontic specialist in your area.

And if it didn’t get any better, win an orthodontic treatment:

TAO is giving away an Orthodontic treatment to one of my followers! (You need to be located in Dallas/Fort Worth area to qualify!)

All you need to do is enter here:
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That’s it! Giveaway ends December 31 , 2016 at 11:59PM CST. Winner announced January 3, 2017!

4 Keys to Aging Well: Making 36 the Next 26

November 21, 2016 By Autumn Rose Reo Leave a Comment

Looking for the fountain of youth? It’s easier than you think with these 4 keys to aging well that you overlook every day that will take years off your mind and body.

Thank you Douglas Laboratories for this post. I was selected for this opportunity by Douglas Laboratories and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Water. Sleep. Sex.

Three things adults often say they don’t get enough of…but wish they did.

Ironically all three help to keep our mind, body and spirit, in healthy check, but for many of us, don’t make the cut.

So we continue to feel exhausted, age quicker, and look like it, too.

And even though they are all free, we continue to research and investigate the newest (and often much more expensive) technologies to just make us look like we’ve been sleeping, drinking our recommended ounces of water, and had time for a roll in the hay.

I just celebrated my 36 birthday…

It’s taken a few weeks to admit it’s 36 even though I feel like I look 46, but my soul says 26 (and some days, 16.)

But in that moment of realization, I decided to feel proud of 36. I don’t have to settle with “this is what I’ve to do” but “this is what I get to do – so make it worth it – every freaking day.”

It’s not an easy progression to change your mindset, but I did figure out that it’s not that hard to make some BIG differences in life to make you look, feel, and be better – even if you’re 36, 46, 56 and all those treasured landmark dates I can only hope to celebrate in my future birthdays.

So what’s the fountain of youth that makes it all better?

There isn’t one that we’ve found, but we did find five things that can make a really big impact and don’t involve surgery, trips to foreign lands, or much out of your pocket book.

I’ve said it so many times and yet, it somehow has taken decades to understand it’s really THAT important. However, when I was able to learn a few weeks ago that sleep (or lack of it) was one of the biggest reasons I couldn’t lose weight, my desire to hit the pillow became much stronger. And my idea that sleeping less than everyone else was some kind of medal for “I’m doing more than you and can handle” was a load of crap. Sleep, feel good about, and believe me, your body will bless you with positive benefits because you allowed it to do what it’s supposed to do.

We all know this…drink water to be healthy.

Your body needs water to work. Your skin looks better when you’re hydrated. Your system works more efficient when you drink water.

There are all kinds of reasons you should drink water. The question really is how much.

For years it was you need 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water a day. Then there was to drink as many ounces as you weighed…believe me I tried that one and felt like I was running a river through my body. Most recently experts say you should multiply your weight by 2/3 (67%) for the total amount of ounces of water you should drink. And then for 30 minutes of exercise, add 12 ounces.

While the equations are important, ultimately, the most important thing is to drink the stuff – and a lot of it. It makes you look good, feel good, and it’s free.

While I plan not to share too much here, sex is good for your health. Between the endorphins (the feel good, natural mood enhancers) that it produces and the connection it strengthens between you and your mate, sex is good for you to have.

Wonder when you can fit THAT in between the kids, work, and all the other crap when you’re gotta get done? …Well it doesn’t take a long time to produce a positive and lasting benefit (read through the lines here, folks.)

Remember when you were 26 (or maybe younger) and that healthy glow you had? You can still have that – just go spend some alone time with your partner. Plan it if you have to, but the benefits to both of you will happen if you just give as much time as you care to stand in line waiting for your caramel macchiato – and this is much cheaper than your $5 Venti.

You know I’m right there.

Remember when your mama said “take your vitamins”? Remember when this morning you told your kids, “take your vitamins”? Practice what you preach and take it from Mary Poppins – and make that medicine go down.

Confused about all the vitamins, supplements, and other concoctions you should be consuming to make you look like a Disney princess? Then start with the basics.

General Multivitamin

This is going to give you what you need with the minimum daily allowance of the 10 essential nutrients needed for optimal health.Ultra Preventive ® 2 Daily includes important vitamins and minerals plus powerful antioxidant support derived from natural foods like spinach, blueberries, and strawberries.

Probiotics

Thought this was something just for babies and grandmas? Nope, a probiotic really has less to do with age and more to do with keeping your gut healthy.

Studies have shown the importance of “gut health” and it’s just as important as a healthy brain. Probiotics, like the ones that are found in Multi-Probiotic 15 Billion help to support digestive issues, mental health illness, and neurological disorders with over 15 billion beneficial organisms you need for a stronger immune system and gastrointestinal support.

Fish Oil

Most women that have had children have heard about the benefits of fish oil in regards to the development of a child. However, on a very basic level, fish oil supports healthy cholesterol levels, boosts your mood and helps to maintain strong bones, which we all need.

But not all Fish Oil is made the same.

It all can get quite complicated in regards to DNA and science, but with Quell Fish Oil ® with EPA and DHA, studies show it may help to slow the progression of age-related memory loss, may support memory and learning ability including focus and attention, and may support healthy brain function and promote a positive mood and well-being.

So that basically means this fish oil stuff, along with just two other nutritional supplements, and three things you already can get for free, keeps it all in check so you can remember who you are, how old you are, and make sure that your next birthday is even better than your last.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Don’t miss this #mamachallenge moment:

“The Sleep Diet”

Sip into the Season with Dunkin Donuts

November 16, 2016 By Autumn Rose Reo 186 Comments

If September kicks off the #pumpkineverything then November is the month for peppermint…and so many more festive holiday flavors! Sip into the Season with Dunkin Donuts and this special giveaway just for mamachallenge.com readers!

Thanks to Dunkin Donuts for this holiday stocking stuffer!

’Tis the season of joy at Dunkin’ Donuts once again, as the brand rings in the return of the holidays with a delicious lineup of coffees and treats featuring favorite seasonal flavors. This year’s seasonal selection includes new Crème Brulée macchiatos, lattes and coffees, a new Candy Cane Crunch Donut!

Oh jeez just reading that made me hungry and thirsty.

Peppermint Me, Baby!

At the top of Dunkin’s holiday nice list is new Crème Brulée macchiatos, lattes and coffees, featuring the rich and creamy taste of crème brulée with a deep, caramelized sugar finish. Additional coffee choices to keep people dashing through their day include returning holiday classic Peppermint Mocha, combining cool peppermint flavor with rich chocolate; and Salted Caramel, just introduced at the beginning of fall, offering sweet and salty flavor in every delicious sip.

Candy Cane Crazy

To pair perfectly with the holiday beverages, Dunkin’ Donuts debuts its new Candy Cane Crunch Donut! This is a yeast donut with vanilla flavored buttercreme filling, topped with white icing and crushed candy cane pieces. For another sweet holiday treat that is a deluxe take on a classic favorite, the new Boston Kreme Croissant Donut is a glazed croissant donut filled with Bavarian creme and finished with a chocolate icing drizzle. Dunkin’ Donuts’ holiday donuts are also available nationwide through the end of the year at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants.

And there’s More

Additionally, Dunkin’ Donuts is bringing back its popular Sweet Black Pepper Bacon Breakfast Sandwich, a unique combination of sweet and savory featuring egg, a slice of American cheese and four strips of bacon coated in a brown sugar and black pepper seasoning served on a croissant. The Sweet Black Pepper Bacon Breakfast Sandwich is also available as a Wake-Up Wrap®, with ½ egg, a slice of American cheese and two slices of the special seasoned bacon, served on a small flour tortilla. Both are available at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants nationwide now through early 2017.

Now hungry are you?

If you’re slobbering at this point, then we suggest you enter this giveaway for a $50 gift card to Dunkin Donuts.

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Score Big Savings and Rewards with Tom Thumb and Albertsons

November 7, 2016 By Autumn Rose Reo 82 Comments

The grocery store is no longer just a place just for your milk and eggs. Get even more with big savings and rewards from Tom Thumb and Albertsons – especially with the gas rewards program.

This is sponsored by Tom Thumb and Albertsons.

Once upon a time (like just a few years ago), you went to the grocery store, grabbed a cart, put in items you needed for your family, checked out and went home.

That was it.

Now, not only do we have the option to pick up our groceries, but also our medications, hand-rolled sushi, a flower bouquet, your kid’s birthday cake, a hot dinner, and even a cup of coffee.

And that’s just the beginning.

Actually, the start of it, is the Tom Thumb app and Albertsons Just for U® app on your smartphone that not only helps you locate what’s on sale and where it is at, but also all the special promotions to get things for free. (Score.)

On your purchases you can save money with in-store coupons, manufacturer coupons, as well as on the spot coupons that you didn’t plan for, but even more coupons at the register just to acknowledge that you are a valuable customer to Tom Thumb / Albertsons. (Touchdown!)

Wear a Dallas Cowboys shirt on game day and you get 10% off your groceries. (Score again.)

Don’t have the time to do the grocery shopping? Tom Thumb launched its Grocery Delivery service in the area so you can order what you need, when you need it, someone delivers it straight to your door AND YOU STILL GET YOUR REWARD POINTS, special coupons, and offers like you do when you’re in-store. Additionally, Albertsons is partnering with Tom Thumb to offer this service via Albertsons.com as well.

To celebrate the launch and provide customers with additional savings, shoppers placing Tom Thumb grocery delivery orders by December 4 will receive $10 off their first order in addition to FREE delivery by entering the promo code TOM at online checkout. Tom Thumb’s Grocery Delivery service offers one-hour delivery windows and a Shop By History feature that saves all previously purchased items for easy repeat purchasing. (Imagine the sounds of the crowds going wild!)

However, even beyond the grocery shopping experience – in-store or at home – that shows that Tom Thumb / Albertsons really wants to show you what being a MVP really means with a new player in the saving money game – Chevron!

For Tom Thumb customers, the Gas Rewards Program already gives you $.10 cents off your gas at the Tom Thumb gas station every time you spend $100 (up to $1.00 off each month up to 20 gallons?)

Don’t think a dime makes a difference? You’ll be surprised that the points really add up fast and the cost of filling up that mom-mobile is so much easier when it’s a whole dollar off! Just take a look at your Tom Thumb fuel station and you’ll see the line – because it does pay to save!

Now you can do your own little happy dance because you don’t have to wait until the very last minute to fill up your tank because you haven’t had a chance to get to your Tom Thumb gas station…you now have more convenient locations to redeem those Reward points by using them at participating Chevron and Texaco locations!

Tom Thumb and Albertsons shoppers can redeem up to $.20 per gallon in Gas Rewards at participating Chevron and Texaco Stations and up to $1.00 per gallon in Gas Rewards at Tom Thumb and Albertsons gas stations.

Not a Tom Thumb or Albertsons shopper?

That’s crazy!

You’re missing out. Just go back to the top and read this again so you know what you’re missing! Then either download the Tom Thumb app or for Albertsons customers can access the just for U app from (available on iOS and Android) and let the good times roll.

Saving money doesn’t have to be a game – it’s easy for everyone to score big at Tom Thumb or Albertsons – especially with a $50 gift card to pay for your gas and check out what you’ve been missing at your local Tom Thumb or Albertsons store.

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The Sleep Diet

November 4, 2016 By Autumn Rose Reo Leave a Comment

The key to losing weight may not be what you’re eating or your amount of exercise. Sleep and breast milk shows they play a much bigger part in the weight rollercoaster. Check out The Sleep Diet.

Thank you Douglas Laboratories for sponsoring this post. I was selected for this opportunity by Douglas Laboratories and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Ever heard something so many times, but it didn’t make a difference in anything you did? You know – like that moment you tell your kid something and he runs off in the total different direction after you just said don’t?

But then one day, it hits you like a ton of bricks?

News alert: Sleep is important.

Shocker, right?!? (Read the sarcasm here.)

While we all might know it, goodness knows I’ve preached it: from how sleep affects our parenting skills as well as our health. I even went on TV to share tips on how to find the best mattress. While I knew that sleep was important, I wasn’t doing much to get more. Ironically I was working on those posts on about three hours of sleep.

Then I was asked to join a special luncheon presentation by Dr. Penny Kendall-Reed recently in Dallas. She was speaking before several practitioners about “A Neuroendocrine Approach to Metabolic Balance” during the annual American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) Symposium.

Dr. Kendall-Reed is a specialist in metabolic and neuro-endocrine health, and author of the best-selling “The New Naturopathic Diet” and many other works. She travels throughout Canada and the United States lecturing on metabolic and endocrine function, holds health retreats, and appears regularly on television, magazine and radio. Presently, Dr. Kendall-Reed is the director of natural therapies at the Urban Wellness Clinic in Toronto and acts as a Medical Advisor to Douglas Laboratories.

While normally this isn’t type of event I’m known to attend, I was so interested to hear not just the importance of sleep, but the impact it makes in regards to STRESS and WEIGHT.

If there were two words that I know a lot about (like many middle-aged parents), it’s stress and weight.

It’s no secret that I’ve had an ongoing battle to find a healthy weight balance. I’ve tried lots of things and some have been successful for me too. However, after awhile, I’m back to my old routine – not so much eating poorly as much as back to the grind of working non-stop, no exercise, no sleep and basically no routine.

As for sleep in general, I’ve always treated it as a luxury. Something that people did who didn’t have enough to do. Who weren’t working hard enough. And now with my stress load, taking 8 hours in my day to sleep just gets in the way of me getting everything done.

While the title of the presentation may have been a little overwhelming, the facts in Dr. Kendall-Reed’s presentation were clear.

1 hour less of sleep a night reduces melatonin (the hormone that helps regulate our natural clock) and stimulates cortisol (the “stress hormone” that monitors the body’s way of handling fear/stress.)

When you don’t sleep, your leptin levels (the hormone that tells your brain when you’re full and you have enough energy) decrease, making your body THINK, you need more food to get moving.

When you’re tired, you feel hungry because gherlin (a hormone that is released in the stomach that increases your appetite) is released making you feel like you’re hungry even if you don’t.)

So basically, when you don’t sleep, your body can’t do what it’s meant to do: that 7-8 hours your body needs sleep to complete the restorative cycles necessary for good health. And when you don’t sleep, you’re actually forcing your body to work against its own functions, causing you to gain weight.

Great…All this time I thought if I was running myself ragged it meant that I was getting more done…was a total lie.

Of course, there was a lot of information shared by Dr. Kendall-Reed that was fascinating – not just the facts, but also countless case studies. Research she shared showed that increasing sleep with a small modification in diet and the use of nutritional supplements (not prescriptions), were creating positive effects (like weight loss), in people in less than 30 days.

Yep, sleep was helping people to lose weight.

Now I was motivated to get moving on this “sleep diet.

One of the main nutritional supplements used with the “sleep diet,” Sereniten Plus, contains a special blend including Lactium®, an ingredient of natural origin made from milk proteins, first found in breast milk as researchers observed the calming effect on babies who were breastfed. (Once again the power of the female breast prevails!)

With a daily Sereniten Plus, 7-8 hours of sleep, and some slight changes like monitoring wine consumption to one a night, can actually make the LBS come off?

We’ll just have to see. Everyone’s different and of course, that whole sleeping thing is the other part of the equation to making those stress AND weight level decrease.

Bottom line: sleep isn’t something you get to do…it’s something you have to do. And with the help of Sereniten Plus, you might actually relearn the joys of healthy living.

Now this is a diet we all need to jump on.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Taking Time For You

November 3, 2016 By Autumn Rose Reo Leave a Comment

Feel guilty even saying the words? You shouldn’t. Taking time for you isn’t actually about just you, though. Even a moment away can actually make you better for them.

Thanks to Miniluxe for making me remember that taking#minimoment for a little pampering can make all the difference.

Being ON all the time is one of the hardest parts of being a mom.

And I mean that in more ways than one, although I technically have slept 8 hours…in three days. #sendmorecoffee

We’re the backbone of keeping the family moving, morning, noon and night. And then throw in a job (which we all know isn’t a 40 hour gig anymore, but another baby to take care of) and the other stuff like organizations, extracurricular activities, family obligations and more, there’s always something you’re supposed to be doing.

We’re a slave to the calendar and the clock.

Every day is like a marathon race all the time and there’s no breaks for water, snacks, a porta-potty stop, or a finish line.

Well even the best athletes have to stop sometime.

And experience proves that any break in the day, without an appointment time, will indelibly be filled by something else – something that someone else needs you to do for them.

So just like their practices, their tests, their work events, you should be filling that calendar for something for you.

Whatever it is…however long you have – five minutes or five hours…there should be an opportunity for taking time for you.

There I said it.

For me “my time” is getting my nails done.

I used to feel so extravagant about it, but having nice nails and toes is important to me and makes me feel good about me. And of course, it feels really damn good, too.

Once I actually went to get my nails done when I was pregnant and I tipped the lady another $25 just to rub my feet a little bit longer…then I woke up snoring in the chair. #truestory

But it only proves that it was just good for me to be off the grid, with no obligations, no responsibilities and no “mama!” moments.

Going to “get my nails done” whether its’ my hands or my toes, is a ritual experience. I love the process of walking into Miniluxe, having someone greet me with a smile and say, “What can I do for YOU?”

That alone is heaven.

I’m able to enjoy the comfort of my own little space with clean facilities free of toxins with team members that are skilled and friendly; ensure for one hour, I’m happy as I can be.

Of course, the glass of bubbles doesn’t hurt, either.

Then while I just sit there either catching up on my D Mag, chatting with a neighbor, or just closing my eyes, I’m allowed to not do anything.

It’s that moment, when you stop running, take a deep breath, and just be, that you mentally reset. Just like your iPhone when it just won’t work, screen gets stuck and you want to throw it across the room, sometimes all you need to do is hit the reset button and it’s back to normal.

Or at least you were able to take the breather, get back to your best, and get back to the race.

MiniLuxe is one of my favorite spots to take my time-out moment. With beautiful design, amazing customer service, and several options for my natural nail and waxing needs, they are THE example of clean methodologies and clean business. With all the colors you could imagine available and even three gel options and even vegan nail polish, you can feel good not just spending your #minimoments there, but what they are doing for your body too.

There are three MiniLuxe locations in DFW: Uptown Plaza, West Village and the Shops at Legacy – with more coming soon! visit miniluxe.com for more information.

Don’t miss this #mamachallenge moment:

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.