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No More Leftovers, It’s a Brand New Meal Now!
Meatloaf, roasted chicken, spaghetti & sauce…these are all common dinners in my home.  I may serve meatloaf on Monday but will have enough remaining to serve it again.  No problem for me, but I’ve been blessed with both a husband and 5 year old who might as well roll their eyes when I suggest we’re having the dreaded word LEFTOVERS!
So let’s start with that meatloaf.  How can you switch it up to keep it from being just a leftover dish?  Serve it as a meatloaf sandwich or dice it up and throw it into a pot of tomato sauce and treat it like meatballs.  What are your ideas?
Fellow bloggers Kim Tracy Prince, Whitney Moss and Renee Moss chatted as part of Ragú®  Mom’s the Word, on this Recycle, Reuse, Reinvent episode!  Renee’s reuse …

Marble Jar App is Encouraging a Successful Dinnertime
There’s no reason to reinvent the wheel! Marble Jar by WinWinApps came to the rescue last month when I had “had it up to here” with our morning routine.   It worked, with a few tweaks made along the way! (See below on How It Works Best For Me.)
Dinnertime Challenge Jar

Now, the next challenge is dinnertime!  Help me now! Did you ever think a phone could be the missing component to successful kid dinners?  I sure didn’t.  We’ve all realized the motivational power a smart phone has with children.  I know I’m not alone threatening with, “If you continue this behavior, you cannot play on my iPhone for the rest of the day!”  It’s like taking away dessert for a week!
The challenge with dinnertime with my daughter is trifold.

Finishing her meal within a reasonable amount …

Ragu© Mom’s the Word Talks about Grocery Shopping with Kids! Do you?
I did it yesterday. I sort of hated it. Alright, it wasn’t the worst thing in the world, but I prefer to keep the occurrences to a minimum.  What did I do? I went grocery shopping with my 5 month and 5 year old.  It could have been much more of a nightmare than it was!  But, it could have been way easier if the girls where home with Nana.
Grocery shopping with children certainly has its pluses and minuses.  I utilize my 5 year old to grab a lemon, box of pasta or entertain the baby who is strapped into her carseat locked into the cart. But, her help, while very much appreciated, isn’t exactly what I need what I want to get through a big list. The “I’m tired Mom. When are we going to be done?” whining …

Coca-Cola’s Family Game Night – We’re up for it! Are you? w/giveaway
Weekend nights are the best, especially Fridays when we have family night.  We eat as a family and then play as a family.  We enjoy classic board games, Old Maid or a game invented by my near 5 year old, Isabella, as we sit in the family room having fun.   Isabella loves these nights – although we need a few more lessons on not being a sore loser!
MyCokeRewards.com/Family Provides Tips for Families Fun
I’ve recently teamed up with Coca-Cola and their passion for family fun!  Through MyCokeRewards.com/Family you can access fun ways to game, play and snack together as a family.  Their suggestions are great!  I especially loved the snack tip of freezing gummies or small pieces of fruit into your ice cubes. How much fun would your kids have seeing what appears …

eBay Photo Taking Guidelines to Help You be a Successful Seller
Our eBay 5 Item Challenge continues!  We have ransacked out closets and identified at least 5 still new or gently used items that are ready to find new homes!  Now what do we do?
At eBay on Location in Orlando I had the opportunity to listen to eBay legend Griff explain what to and not to do when photographing your items to sell.  He has seen it all.  He showed us examples of big time photo disasters where clothing items were poorly photographed.  Wrinkled shirts and button downs that looked blue but were supposed to be green according to the description were some of his examples.  It was a great reminder that even if you are a novice with a basic digital camera, there are important guidelines to follow to increase your chance for a successful eBay sale.
eBay Photo Taking Guidelines

Take pictures …

Ways to Make After School Snacks Healthier!
After school snacks can get junky and repetitive.  Just as fast as our morning goes, we’re awaiting our kids at the bus stop before half the laundry gets done.  Exhausted, yet wired, kids are ready for the afternoon.  Hours of soccer, ballet and gymnastics cram our days and my daughter is always STARVING from the moment she sets her book bag down!
Bags of chips, chocolate filled granola bars and sugary cookies are often what kids want.  As Smart Mamas we need to remember nutrition is still important, even after a long day at school.
Making Better Choices
Here’s a chart provided as part of my involvement with the Hormel Extended Family Blogger program to help Smart Mamas think of healthier snack options.

Instead of…
Try this…

Sugery-sweetened beverages
Soda

100% Fruit Juice
Fat-free or 1% milk
Low sodium vegetable juice
Water with sugar-free flavoring

 Full calorie chips & crackers

Unsalted sunflower seeds

iPhone App Marble Jar May Be the Solution to a Crazy Morning
Motivating children to follow directions is a tough one.  I learned as a teacher the value of positive reinforcement – rewarding children for positive behavior rather than focusing on the negative.  As a Smart Mama I try to remember this strategy when my near 5 year old drives me bonkers completing her morning routine – you may remember my whining about how it takes her 10 years to complete a meal!  My “Way to go Isabella!” when she finishes her breakfast within 20 minutes doesn’t always cut it.  She needs something more than that.
This Morning was the Icing on the Cake
We had an especially rough morning today – breakfast was half eaten and I inadvertently sent her to school with dirty teeth.  I need something to motivate her to SIT and EAT her breakfast, NOT PLAY …

Balancing the Dinner Budget – Ragu Mom’s the Word on Dinner Asks Moms
An on-the-budget dinner isn’t always so easy.  We’ve all done those last minute recipes where we spend an arm and a leg buying the ingredients at full price because our pantry was empty.  I’ve learned, the hard way I might add, the importance of stocking up.  I’m not saying 30 jars of olives and 50 bottles of mayo.  I think taking advantage of the buy 1 get 1 free promotions for items that can help make easy dinners is a Smart Mama strategy.
Stocking Your Pantry
My pantry is typically stocked with these 5 essentials for easy, yummy meals:

Pasta
Sauce
Canned soup
Canned veggies
Broth

With 1, 2 and even all 5, I can create something fast that will be enjoyed and won’t stress me out to make! 

eBay is the online marketplace to sell your clothes! It’s the store you’ve always wanted that is simply waiting for you to add your inventory!

The eBay 5 Item Challenge
I’ve challenged you to enter your closet and pull out 5 items that can make you some money.  Our closets are typically full – full of items we rarely wear.  If you’re anything like me, there are maybe 5-6 shirts you tend to put on and maybe a 1/2 dozen pants.  The rest, well to be honest, is taking up space.  Pull out what you don’t need and get them into the hands of someone who does!

eBay On Location has provided an abundance of information to empower you and me to be profitable eBay Smart Mamas! I am here with the eBay Parent Panel learning exactly how to make it possible!
Right now I’m sitting in a session titled Listing Makeover! I just learned how photo size, clothing measurements and more can the difference between a sale and no sale.
The Smart Mama ebay Challenge
My challenge last month invited you to search through closets looking for those shirts, pants, dresses and more that you just don’t or never did wear. These gently used clothing items are ready to be freed from your closet to allow you to make some dollars – which of course you could then buy yourself some thing new (wink, wink!) Have you gone through your closet? What have you found?
Taking Questions!
Smart Mama’s using ebay …

Fresh local produce is something a Smart Mama LOVES!  I’m sure you all agree!  Whether you’re at a local farmer’s market, partake in a farm-share or have a great produce department at your grocery store, the freshness of good produce is something we all want for our families.

My near 5 year old has developed a recent fascination with red peppers.  I need to jump on this before the fascination turns to disgust like asparagus did last month.  (I’m sure I’m not the only mother dealing with a stubborn eater!)  This locally grown veggie is great at summertime.  It’s perfect for grilling, adding to kabobs and including in salads.

As we transition from summertime schedules to the school routine, I continue to look for recipes that are not only are healthy and easy to make, but they must be yummy too. During a recent trip to Publix Isabella had a blast …

Thank you to Fooz Kids for providing me with an All-In-One pack to review. The opinions I’ve expressed here are solely my own and represent my honest viewpoint.
It’s not often that you find a keeper.  I’ve come across one that is most certainly a keeper for all parents, especially as we’re gearing up for Back to School 2011!
Whether you are a mother of 1 or 6+, we all wish we could be at our children’s side 24/7.  We wish we could always be there as they’re flipping through channels or playing a game online.  We want to know that they are safe and not viewing inappropriate content.  How can this be done?  As there are no mom clones, we need to instead be Smart Mamas who incorporate excellent tools and resources to help our smart parenting.

Dinnertime doesn’t always have to be disastrous.  Finding ways to encourage a positive dining experience is pretty much every Smart Mama’s dream.  If adding a seatbelt to your preschool/elementary aged child’s chair would be appropriate, I bet half of you would use it no time.  Or if every child was so excited to try the new vegetable you have placed on the plate, I am certain you might find a few speechless moms.

Together, we have all “been there, done that,” in attempting

Elbows, elbows off the table; this is not a horses table! Ever hear that one?  Ha. I can’t even count with all the fingers and toes in the world the times my mother recited that to me.  Ok, so fast forward a few years and here I am, reciting the darn chant to my 4 year old (my 2 month old is allowed to do what she wants at this point!)
Elbows on table, eating with your mouth full, playing with your food…table manners are important, or are they?

My opportunity as a Hormel Extended Family Blogger is inspiring a little Iron Chef for Smarty Pants Mamas this week!  Let’s try using an ingredient that is often a pantry staple.  It’s used “as-is.”  It’s used in appetizers, entrees and more.  Think of ways you have or could use it.
So, this week I put before you…. Hormel® Chili with Beans!

Yummy! How can you use it?
Here’s my favorite way (compliments of my step-mother-in-law) of using it in a quick and easy appetizer!

It’s always a crowd pleaser and a staple anytime the guys are watching the game! Many variations can be found of this dip.  Maybe you have your own.
Mexi-Melt of Beans
Ingredients

1 can of Hormel® Chili with Beans (without beans if you prefer)
1 box of cream cheese
1 package of shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 325, or have microwave ready.  In an oven-safe/microwave-safe medium …

Hitting the grill this summer?  We love to grill!  Burger, dogs, chicken, pork…you name it!
Now through August 5th you can enter The Elevate The Everyday™ Summer Dining Sweepstakes by Hormel Foods to win one of 3 great prizes!

13 winners will be selected and you could be the Grand Prize winner, enjoying a $500 value outdoor grill for your backyard dining this summer!  Other prizes include,
First Prize: Two Grills ($200 value each)
Second Prize: Ten Summer Grilling Coupon Prize Packs ($45 value each)
To enter, head over to http://www.Facebook.com/HFRecipes and LIKE the page.  Click the Summer Dining tab and complete the entry form!  You can access the official rules from there!
Stick around Facebook.com/HFRecipes for loads of summertime recipes and more!
Disclosure: I am currently a member of the Hormel Foods Extended Blogger Program and this post is part of my involvement in …

It’s the 1st day of summer!!! Woo Hoo!  Actually, summer means heat, ridiculous humidity and 100% chance of afternoon thunderstorms in South Florida!  That aside, there are summertime food treats that we all love 100 degree heat and all!  Popsicles, watermelon, sherbet, corn on the cob, burgers & dogs….Yes, I’m getting hungry.  As Ragú’s Mom’s the Word series continues, let’s keep up the conversation about dinnertime!  Although the dinnertime setting maybe different (more outdoor dining) the story is still the same…getting kids to eat a quality meal!
How are you incorporating some summertime foods with dinner?  Do your kids enjoy them?  Is it easier to conive your preschooler to eat salad with the ambiance of the outdoors and threats of no upcoming beach day if she doesn’t have a bite?  Remember the Mom’s the Word conversation with Kim Tracy Prince …

I like things simple.  I like things that work, get the job done and won’t take ten years to figure out how to use.  I spend countless hours in front of the computer, writing posts, finding recipes, playing on Facebook or uploading the latest pictures of my newborn.  I need, because I don’t have time for the alternative, to know that my computer is running at its best speed and doesn’t have any hidden quirks waiting to destroy my day!
If you too are spending time reading this post, you are probably also a Smart Mama who relies on her computer for everything like me!  And, like a Smart Mama, time is of the essence.  You don’t have time for the 20 minutes it takes your PC to start up when your kids are screaming and dinner hasn’t been started.  You need a housekeeper for the computer (maybe even one for …

You know those frantic last weeks before your baby’s due date.  Like those days when you are going crazy trying to get it all done because you know that the moment the baby arrives, life will do a complete 180.  You attempt to get the nursery done, last minute home remodeling and even more important, spending quality time with your children who may quickly begin to experience a bit of jealousy as your attention is shared with their new sibling.
I just experienced this.  We recently welcomed the birth of my daughter Cecilia!  My older daughter, Isabella, who couldn’t be more overjoyed with her new little sister, certainly has appreciated the special occasions we have spent together before and after the baby’s birth.  A few weeks ago, Isabella and I sat down together to look through her baby photos and unpack boxes of her baby clothes that she would soon be …

Have you spotted Smarty Pants Mama on the screen at http:///www.Facebook.com/ragusauce? Be sure to visit the Mom’s the Word on Dinner app to see me share my insights on these videos:

Is your dinner online of offline?
What are your go-to veggies?
What was your funniest dinnertime moment?

Simply Join the Conversation and scroll through the 9 videos available!  Which is your favorite?  Which one relates to you & your family the most?  Leave a comment here or there to share your own insights!  Let’s use this time to share stories and tips with moms just like us!
Disclosure:  This post & videos were created in connection with my appointment as an Ambassador in Ragú® Mom’s the Word on Dinner Program.
 

My daughter is a riot, who can drive me a little bonkers at times.  Dinnertime is always an event.  I’m sure you all can relate.  This event can be productive, humorous or in reality, more often than not, frustrating!
Let’s think about those more humorous times.  You know, the ones where you mumble, “I can’t believe she just said that!” or “I can’t believe he just did that!” which have you red and laughing as you try to maintain order at dinner!
I recently sat down with moms Mindy Roberts (http://www.themommyblog.net) and Vicki Howell (http://www.VickieHowell.com) to converse about our funniest dinnertime moment.

This Ragú® Mom’s the Word on Dinner episode is also available for you to watch at Facebook.com/RaguSauce!  Be sure to visit Mom’s the Word on Dinner and “Join the Conversation” by posting your funniest moment!  I’m sure there are …

Peas. Carrots. Broccoli. Corn. Sometimes Cauliflower. Red pepper when cooked.
That would be the huge assortment of vegetables that my 4 ½ year old will eat without much protest.  Dare I introduce anything new, it would certainly be a fight.  You see my daughter is in that stage where “I don’t like it,” is stated BEFORE she even tries it.  I don’t understand.  “How do you know you don’t like it if you haven’t even tried it?”  All along I’m thinking if someone offered me beef tongue for dinner I would respond just like her!  She’s in ways nervous to try something new and prefers her “comfort” veggies.  Better that than nothing.  Right?  I’m still not trying beef tongue though!
In a recent conversation with moms Kim Tracy Prince and Daphne Brogdon as part of Ragú’s Mom’s the Word on Dinner, I was quickly reassured that I am …

I love trying new recipes.  Most of you have learned that about me.  I especially like recipes that are not only yummy, but fairly easy to follow.
On a recent trip to Publix, my local supermarket, I used my SmartPhone, to find a recipe for pork that I found on sale.  (You also know I love to buy things on sale!)  Now, I do use my phone a lot when I shop.  I have several recipe apps that are great resources when I’m trying to figure out what on earth to make for dinner that week.  The app I used on this visit was a little more unique than the standard recipe databases.  This recipe collection, Hormel EZCook made my “what can I do with this pork” dilemma end in seconds.

This web-based application, accessed at http://m.hormelEZcook.com showed me a list of Hormel …

TV on? Phone within reach?  One eye on your Facebook feed?  Do you twitch when you hear the chirp on your smart phone that a text has arrived?
As a mom, is your dinnertime online?  Are you still “attached” to the online world while you dine with your family? That’s what Ragú® Mom’s the Word on Dinner is asking moms today!
We all know what the “Super Mom” answer is…, “Of course not.  I would never allow my family to watch television during dinnertime and all phones are shut down and not accessible.”
Ha. Ha.  I know the truth!  Even Smart Mamas face a BIG challenge when we sit for dinner and the ding-ding on our phone is heard letting you know that text has come in, maybe one you’ve been expecting all night.  What do you do? Do you ignore it until all the peas and carrots are …

What does hockey have to do with diapers?  Diapers and ice hockey typically don’t go hand in hand until now!  This month the NHL has teamed up with Huggies and Every Little Bottom with Hockey for Huggies. Throughout February, the 30 National Hockey League (NHL) teams will host diaper drives at their arenas during a designated home game!  The diapers collected will be distributed to local social service agencies and will be covering baby bottoms in no time!
Just recently Grey’s Anatomy star, Ellen Pompeo, shared her support of Hockey for Huggies!  See the YouTube clip: Ellen Pompeo Promoting Hockey for Huggies!
What can you, the very Smart Mama, do to support “Hockey for Huggies?”

Attend your local team’s designated game with a pack of diapers in hand!

o   To see the dates and times of diaper drives check out: 

12 Days of Diapers!

Win a $200 Amazon gift card or other great prize!  Giveaway ends tomorrow, December 17th!!
Please be sure to participate in 12 Days of Diapers today! Simply make a diaper donation to a participating Every Little Bottom diaper bank, or other local organization to enter!
See more details at: http://smartypantsmama.com/2010/12/smart-cause-12-days-of-diapers-support-a-mom-in-need-wgiveaway/
As an official Blog Ambassador I am a selected social media partner for the Huggies Every Little Bottom campaign. I am compensated for my time as a consultant to the program. However, the content and thoughts shared in this post are my own.