Phoenix.Family.Fun.
Here at Ties & Tutus we want to wish you ALL a very HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY! We hope you all take a moment and remember what this holiday stands for and think about all of those brave men and women who are currently serving our country. On that note, let’s celebrate!
3. White Chocolate Dipped Strawberries with Blue Sugar
4. Raspberry Lemonade with Colored Sugar Rimmed Glasses
6. Trendy Red and Blue Nails
I am so excited to share this recipe with you because it was sent to us from one of our very loyal fans. It’s kid tested and mother approved — and no, we’re not talking about Kix here, we’re talking chicken enchiladas.
Now that my son is eating more table foods I’m forced to get back into a cooking routine. Prior to his arrival last year I was quite proud of my skills in the kitchen, I would meal plan (in case you missed the meal plan printable, click here to get it now) and cook most nights. I fully admit I slacked in that department this since my bundle of joy arrived. Well, I’m back and I decided today was the perfect day to share some of my favorite cooking secrets. Now, I fully admit I’m by no means a chef, but I’ve shared these two tips with a few friends and looked at me like I just cured cancer. It’s not that cool people, I promise, but it will save you some time and some clean-up, which we can all appreciate. Without further ado, here we go…
1. Lay a wooden spoon over a pot of boiling water to prevent your pot from boiling over. Simple and oh so smart.
2. Rather than keeping a stinky grease jar under the sink (ah hum, mom, I’m talking to you…), soak up excess grease with a piece of bread then throw it in the trash. I usually use an end of the loaf because who uses that anyway?
I told you they were helpful, now go try it out and let me know what you think.
As a mom, I know we are always looking for easy and healthy snacks for our kids. My son is 10-months-old now and loves yogurt and he loves to feed himself. All of you parents out there can imagine what happens when a 10-month-old baby tries to feed himself yogurt. It’s not pretty. He’s also a lover of those freeze-dried yogurt melts that taste like astronaut food, so I figured there had to be a way to make frozen yogurt melts out of Greek yogurt. Little did I know it would be this easy!
I hosted my very first Origami Owl party this weekend and it was SO much fun. (For those of you who missed the original post, click here to read all about it.) It was so much fun watching everyone decide on the perfect lockets, charms, chains, plates and dangles. Now, as much as we all loved the jewelry, we all know food is equally as important. Five of my guests are in a weight-loss challenge so I needed to find healthy, easy and delicious food. I decided to serve light appetizers (with a kabob theme) and here’s what was on the menu:
Cucumber and Hummus Bites:
1. Slice cucumber into 3/4″ pieces.
2. Top with a spoonful of your favorite hummus.
3. Garnish with Paprika or sesame seeds.
Caprese Kabobs:
1. Place one boconccini and one cherry tomato on a fresh basil leaf.
2. Skewer all with a toothpick.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Antipasto Kabobs:
1. Skewer one slice of pepperoni, one cherry tomato, one boconccini ball and a slice of salami on a toothpick.
Fruit Kabobs:
1. Skewer a strawberry, raspberry, pineapple chunk, honeydew chunk, three blueberries and two grapes on a kabob stick. Could not be easier.
Brownies:
The brownie mix from Fresh & Easy is delicious! I’m not much of a baker, but it’s hard to mess these up. Yum!
What are some of your favorite appetizers recipes?
Do you meal plan? It really takes about 5 minutes to do and saves me a boatload of headache during the week. Now that I’m a mom, I no longer just run to the grocery store to pick up the ingredients for tonight’s dinner. No, grocery shopping has now turned into an ordeal and I despise every second of it. If I’m going to make the trip, it better be worth my while. Meal planning definitely helps me stay organized and get everything I need for the week’s meals in one trip. I’ve seen other meal planners that have a ton of details including planning for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Like most of you moms out there, I don’t have time to plan for breakfast or lunch. Heck, I’m lucky if I scarf down a piece of toast in the morning. I wanted something simple and something I would actually use, so here it is:
I’ve printed a number of these and stacked them in the pantry. Each week I pull out a fresh one and slap it on my refrigerator. No more coming home from a busy day and asking, “What’s for dinner?”
Another idea I love is to print this version and place it in a 8×10 frame. With a dry erase marker, it instantly becomes a reusable menu board. Prop it up on your counter or hang it on a wall. Voila!
Click on the link below for your free printable menu:
This recipe could not be more simple. It’s perfect for those nights when you have a late meeting or you’re running between baseball games and dance class. Who doesn’t like ramen noodles?
It’s Sunday. In my book, the only way to start a Sunday is to gather the family around the table and eat a delicious breakfast together. Our weeks are so busy with meetings, little league games, parties, errands and so on, it’s nice to be able to slow down and enjoy the company of your own family at least once a week. One of my favorite dishes is this cheesy hash brown breakfast casserole. Now, if you read the “About Nora” section to the right —-> you will see that I am an admitted picky eater. When I say something is good, trust me. It’s good. You need to add this to your Sunday morning feast, it will be a hit with young and old alike. I’ve also been known to make this dish for potlucks, parties and guests. It’s a hit every.single.time.
If you try this recipe, come back and leave a comment. I’d love to hear what you think! Click on the Title of this post for the recipe.
This recipe could not be more simple, and it was a complete HIT at our Christmas Eve party. You’re going to thank me, I swear. Just click on the title to find the recipe.
A little bit of chicken goes a long way in this recipe, so I use the leftovers for buffalo chicken nachos or salad. Yum!
email nora@tiesandtutus.com for more information
an animal lover. passionate. crafty. sarcastic. happy. a picky eater. OCD. chatty. giving. a lover of reality TV. an educator. organized. not a fan of flying. a DIYer. a picture taking maniac. attempting to become a runner. a Justin Timberlake fanatic. learning to cook. addicted to celebrity gossip. trendy - I think? a sun worshiper. grossed out by dirty sinks. an internet junkie. a shopper. a daughter. a sister. a wife. a mommy. a friend. a blogger.
always in need of a pedicure. sarcastic. fun-loving. extroverted. never happy unless music is on. obsessed with movies. more obsessed with books. always losing that last ten pounds...or twenty...
a dreamer. a worrier. addicted to diet coke. a woman who hates cleaning as much as a mess. a high-school sweetheart. a daughter. a sister. a wife. a mommy. a friend. a blogger.
