Month: September 2012

Tailgating Tuesdays: Tailgate Ajar

Tailgating Tuesdays: Tailgate Ajar

momonthegoinholytoledo

When tailgating preparation is key! Prep food prior to tailgating, and one of my favorite allies when it comes to preparation is the Mason jar.  What does preparation mean?

It means:

  • Cut veggies (onions and mushrooms for burgers or sliders),

  • Have patties formed ahead of time and seasoned then placed between wax paper so they do not stick together.
  • Have cheese sliced, placed between wax paper, and ready to go
  • Eggs mixed and ready… just shake and pour onto griddle (yes, you can have eggs and bacon wraps thanks to the little griddle…make certain eggs are kept in the cooler with ice and used within a couple hours)
  • Have salad layered into a Mason jar then simply flip upside-down onto your plate…I know what you are thinking, salad and tailgating do not mix but wait….

Here is a great example of a Tailgating friendly salad recipe that even the men will enjoy……

Spicy Buffalo & Blue Cheese Salad

What you will need:

  • ¼ head of lettuce
  • ½ a tomato washed and sliced
  • ½ a cucumber washed and sliced, then quartered, the smaller the better
  • ½ a green pepper washed and sliced into small pieces
  • ¼ cup shredded cheese (any kind)
  • 10 Wheat Thin Spicy Buffalo crackers broken into small pieces
  • 2 tablespoons Bolthouse Blue Cheese dressing (or your favorite blue cheese dressing)

Makes one Mason jar or two serving

Directions:

  • Place lettuce in the bottom of the Mason Jar
  • Add tomatoes to jar
  • Add cucumbers to jar
  • Add green peppers to jar
  • Add  cheese 
  • Add Wheat Thin Spicy Buffalo crackers on top
  • Pack your favorite Blue Cheese dressing (Bolthouse has an amazing Greek yogurt blue cheese dressing I like and it is less fat) and add prior to eating.

Preparation is not limited to the main course, don’t forget about dessert! Here are a few yummy recipes that can be made before you leave your home and enjoyed while tailgating.

S’more Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in mason jars

What you will need:

  • 2 graham crackers
  • One package/ two Reese’s Peanut Butter cups
  • 4 tablespoons of Fluff

Makes one Mason Jar or 2 serving sizes

Directions:

  • Breakup a graham cracker into bite size pieces and place in bottom of Mason jar
  • Add 2 tablespoons of Marshmallow Fluff
  • Breakup one Reese’s cup into pieces and place on top of the Fluff
  • Breakup a graham crackers into bite size pieces and place on top of Reese’s cup
  • Add 2 more tablespoons of Fluff
  • hen place the other Reese’s cup on top!

What you will need:

  • 2 Premade angel food cakes or any individual dessert cups
  • 8 medium strawberries washed and quartered
  • 4 tablespoons Stonyfield French Vanilla yogurt

Will make one Mason jar or two servings

Directions:

  • Add one cake cup to bottom of Mason jar
  • Add 2 tablespoons of yogurt
  • Add half the strawberries
  • Place second cake cup on top of strawberries
  • Add 2 tablespoons of yogurt on topAdd remaining strawberries

Enjoy!

But wait! There is something missing from the Strawberry Stonyfield Shortcakes, chocolate!

Follow the above directions but simply add one Kashi Chocolate Soft-Baked Square to the top.

Neon Tiki Tribe Party (vlog) and GIVEAWAY

Neon Tiki Tribe Party (vlog) and GIVEAWAY

momonthegoinholytoledo

Here are some pictures from our event…

 

GIVEAWAY

Once lucky follower will win…(a $30 value)

  • The Neon Tiki Tribe getting to know the characters sheet.
  • Neon Tiki Tribe: Tiki Beach Battle! (Dyslexic Friendly)
  • Neon Tiki Tribe: Dog Rescue Mission! (Dyslexic Friendly)
  • Neon Tiki Tribe: Bullies: Playground Push-Around (Dyslexic Friendly)
  • Three coupons for 25% off The Neon Tiki Tribe store
  • And one cool pair of Neon Tiki Tribe glasses

 

To enter the giveaway you will need to:

  1. Like Mom on the go in Holy Toledo facebook page
  2. Like The Neon Tiki Tribe facebook page
  3. Follow Mom on the go in Holy Toledo

Once you have done all 3 post a comment stating so and please feel free to share your enthusiasm.

Winner will be selected Sept 16th.

 By publishing this post, I received free products as part of a promotional program with MomSelect. All opinions are my own

Calling all Mom Bloggers (with kids K-5)

Calling all Mom Bloggers (with kids K-5)

momonthegoinholytoledo

K5 Learning has an online reading and math program for kindergarten to grade 5 students.  I’ve been given a 6 week free trial to test and write a review of their program.  If you are a blogger, you may want to check out their  open invitation to write an online learning review of their program.

K5 includes 4 reading and math programs! Check it out today!

Earn Money for Local Schools at Meijer and Pinterest Contest!

Earn Money for Local Schools at Meijer and Pinterest Contest!

momonthegoinholytoledo

Meijer and Produce for Kids are teaming up to host the second annual Healthy Schools, Healthy Minds campaign. Now through September 29th, local shoppers can contribute to this cause and support your local schools by adding produce to their Meijer shopping lists. During the campaign, participating fresh fruit and vegetable suppliers will make a donation based on consumption of their fresh produce items to DonorsChoose.org, which will support local classroom projects.

 

Shoppers/Moms, be on the lookout for the Produce for Kids display unit, featuring characters from popular Sprout shows, LazyTown™ and Noodle and Doodle, in the produce section of your local Meijer store. The more items you add to your shopping lists, the more local classrooms will benefit! My kiddos had a wonderful time selecting produce to place in our cart today.

 

Meijer is also featuring the Ideal Meals™ program from Produce for Kids in the produce department. Ideal Meals cards provide 12 quick, easy, and healthy chef-created/dietitian-approved complete meal solutions for breakfast, lunch, dinner and desserts. I let each of my kiddos select one Ideal Meals card.  The toddler took her time selecting the perfect card.

Then it was off to see the fish…

 

Also, Produce for Kids just launched a fun and exciting contest on Pinterest. Be sure to check it out! The full Pinterest contest rules can be found here: http://www.produceforkids.com/sweepstakes/fall2012/family/index.html

I put the following recipe on my grocery list from Ideal Meals….

Slow Cooker Veggie Lasagna

Serves 8

Preparation Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 5 hours

Ingredients:

·   2 Tbsp. olive oil

·   2 cups mushrooms, chopped

·   1 cup green bell pepper, seeded, chopped

·   1 large onion, finely chopped

·   3 cups spinach, loosely packed, chopped

·   1 lb. 2% cottage cheese

·   2 cups (plus ½ cup) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

·   ¼ tsp. salt

·   26 oz. jarred low sodium pasta sauce

·   2 large zucchini, sliced, ¼-inch thick rounds

·   8 oz. no-boil whole wheat lasagna noodles

 

Directions:

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat; add mushrooms, peppers, onions and spinach. Cook 5 minutes, or until water evaporates. Season with salt and pepper. 2. In mixing bowl, mix cottage cheese, 2 cups mozzarella cheese and salt. Divide into 2 portions. 3. Grease slow cooker. Cover bottom with ⅓ of sauce and assemble as follows: single layer noodles, ⅓ of cooked vegetables, single layer zucchini, 1 portion of cottage cheese mixture, single layer of noodles. Repeat layering once in same order. Add layer of remaining sauce, cooked vegetables and zucchini. 4. Sprinkle ½ cup mozzarella cheese on top. 5. Cook on low for 5 hours or until noodles and zucchini are tender.

 

Nutrition Information:

Slow Cooker Veggie Lasagna: Calories 490, Fat 16.32g, Protein 31.17g, Carbohydrate 50.81g, Fiber 4.64g, Cholesterol 51mg, Sodium 379mg, Calcium 614mg, Vitamin A 2696 IU, Vitamin C 39.07mg, Iron 2.88mg

Calling ALL Moms… (Video clip)

Calling ALL Moms… (Video clip)

momonthegoinholytoledo

Hey moms, do you have a second? I know… I know, you are busy… you have dishes to do, laundry to fold, kids to pick up, diapers to change, homework to check….so maybe you can relate to the following clip…

 

 

Who’s with us? Isn’t it time you took timeout for the person who makes time for everyone else? For the person who makes sure everyone gets everywhere on time? For the person who is always putting her own needs on the backburner? Want a show full of mommy substance that won’t waste your time?

Tailgating Tuesdays: Products Review (video clip)

Tailgating Tuesdays: Products Review (video clip)

momonthegoinholytoledo

As promised, it is the first Tuesday in September and Tailgating Tuesdays is commencing. What is Tailgating Tuesdays? Every Tuesday in the month of September will include tailgating topics such as tailgating tips, product reviews, recipes, and yes, even a giveaway! So be sure to check out what tailgating topics are in store each and every Tuesday this month.

For the first installation of Tailgating Tuesdays I am providing reviews on some of the best tailgating products around. I had originally planned on providing these product reviews on a couple local news channels but thanks to the political conferences the tailgating segment got bumped, I was total bummer. But also a little relieved, the first segment would have been recorded on my daughter’s first day of school so I am glad I did not have to miss such a monumental day (after all, you only get 12 of those and of those 12 I am pretty sure you can only get away with holding their hand, dropping them off and giving them kisses and hugs until maybe 4th grade, if I am lucky). So, without further ado, the products review…..

 

 

I am not sure if you noticed but I did record this with a toddler and preschooler in the room.  They both adlibbed a few comments in the background but I hope my points were received clearly.

Also, with regard to the giveaway, I will be giving away four out of the five items discussed in the review. What item would you be interested in winning?

Now it is your turn to share. Have you ever tailgated before a game?  If not, would you tailgate with your family? What is your favorite sport to tailgate? Do you have a favorite item or products that you use tailgating?

Nature Scavenger Hunt & Kashi Banana Chocolate Chip Soft n’ Chewy Bars Review

Nature Scavenger Hunt & Kashi Banana Chocolate Chip Soft n’ Chewy Bars Review

momonthegoinholytoledo

Since we have a long weekend thanks to Labor Day we decided to make the most of it and spend as much time together as a family as possible. Today we visited our local park, we went on a Nature Scavenger Hunt, and enjoyed delicious Kashi soft n’ chewy bars.

I came across an awesome blog, How to Nest For Less, it has so many fabulous ideas for the home, for kids’ arts & craft projects, and much more. I highly recommend this blog but I must warn you it will suck you in.  So grab refreshment and get comfortable.

While perusing How to Nest For Less I came across this wonderful Nature Scavenger Hunt. I adore this Nature Scavenger hunt because it contains items that are easy to locate practically anywhere outside. It is also perfect for the age range of my kiddos (2-6 years old).  I like the fact that it only contains a dozen items to locate as opposed to others that have a slew of items. Lastly I like that it includes color, shape, and touch categories too!

So prior to leaving for the park I printed off the Scavenger Hunts and the name tags for the children’s bags. To print off Scavenger Hunt click here.

To print name tags click here.

 

 

 

Included in their bags were, one Kashi Banana Chocolate Chip soft n’ chewy bar as well as a marker to cross off items as they locate them.

We had such a wonderful time on the Nature Scavenger hunt. We looked high and low to locate all the items on the list. The kiddos even enjoyed getting a closer look with their magnifying glass.

 

Then it was snack time. And I must say, I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious the Kashi Banana Chocolate Chip soft n’ chewy bar was, it was… well, soft, chewy and yummy! In fact, our toddler asked for more and our first grader asked me if she could have them in her school lunches, please!

Thank you Kashi you have successfully satisfied our toddler’s, our picky eater’s needs. You have done the impossible!

I adored the taste of the bar, it was like a warm, comforting embrace on a cool rainy fall morning. It reminded me of childhood, when my mom would bake fresh banana bread, it was more than a food, it took me back to a memory, it was an experience. As a mom I am a huge fan of Kashi Banana Chocolate Chip soft n’ chewy bars because of the nutritional content. The Kashi Banana Chocolate Chip soft n’ chewy bars include:

  • ½ serving of fruit (from apples and bananas)
  • ½ serving vegetable (from pumpkin)
  • 7 whole grains
  • 4 grams of fiber
  • Naturally Sweetened

 

 I feel like I am a good mother when I give my children Kashi.

 Another reason why I, as a mom, am a proud supporter of Kashi foods….read on…the following is taken from Kashi website….

Today, only 1% of U.S. cropland is organic and around 70% of packaged foods contain GMOs (genetically modified organisms). At Kashi, we want to do our part in creating a more balanced food system. We’re still small at heart, but big enough now to make a meaningful impact.

Kashi’s Non-GMO Project Verified Product Commitment.

Our commitment: By the end of 2015 over half our food will be Non-GMO Project Verified.* But we won’t stop there. We’ll continue to increase the use of organic and Non-GMO ingredients where possible while making sure to continue to provide the positive nutrition you expect from us.*based on pounds

 Why 2015? There simply aren’t enough non-GMO and organic ingredients, and it takes time to partner with farmers to convert conventional farms. Once we obtain these ingredients, we need to make sure the nutrition and taste of the food is consistent with the high quality you expect from us.

We had such a wonderful afternoon in the park together as a family. We enjoyed the outdoors, the sounds, colors, and creatures of nature; they paired nicely with our delicious Kashi snack experience.

So, how are you spending your long weekend?  Have you ever tried any Kashi brand foods? Do you have a favorite Kashi food/product?

Paying it forward…care to participate?

Paying it forward…care to participate?

momonthegoinholytoledo

I am sure many of you are familiar with the expression “pay it forward”.  The Warner Brothers film based on the novel Pay it Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde’s clearly outlines the meaning and I am sure you have all had a chance to view the film.  But, in case you have been busy raising children over the past decade or so, and you still have Pay it Forward on your list of movies to see once your children go off to college I will elaborate.

Paying it forward, plain and simple, means having a good deed be repaid by simply doing a similar good deed onto others. Remember the Liberty Mutual commercial?

 

 

This is where you come in…

With the holidays rapidly approaching I can’t help but think of the many families whose lives have been turned up-side-down with unemployment, foreclosures, and even hunger. As a parent, I know my heart would be aching if I could not provide a roof, food, or clothing for my children and the additional pressures of the holidays would be monumental.  This is where I think we can come together and help.  

Many of you who have purchased products from an individual who owns a home business knows that there are often incentives for the host/hostess of parties. Thus, what if those incentives could be Christmas gifts for those families less fortunate…those families who are currently living in a shelter…those families that cannot afford to get their children breakfast let alone a storybook or toy?

I have teamed up with an Usborne Books & More consultant and am having an Eshow now through Dec. You can simply click here and start shopping for some pretty amazing books and more! Perhaps you have a kiddo whose birthday is coming up? Usborne Books & More make great birthday presents, life event gifts (new big brother or sister), holiday gifts, and even great ways to start a conversation with your child on various topics. Also, books are a great birthday party gift, in fact, I like to have at least a pile of books ready to go for that birthday party I might have totally forgotten about…you now,  that starts in an hour, (come on, like you haven’t been in that situation before?).

I will also have a button on the side of my blog for easy access as the holidays approach. Please do consider ordering through Usborne Books & More and you will not only be getting great products/gift but you will also be participating in paying it forward.

Do you have a home business? Would you be interested in posting a link on this blog, for free?