I made breadcrumb coated baked chicken breasts for supper tonight (soooo yummy and nutritious!) But instead of using prepared breadcrumbs (which can be pricey), I made my own crumb mixture out of the last of the box of wheat crackers from my kitchen cabinet.

Making your own crumb mixtures to use in recipes such as meatloaf or baked chicken is so easy! And it can save money, help use up those last little bits of leftover odds and ends, and really enhance the flavor of your foods.

Click here for 10 of my favorite EASY and QUICK bread crumb substitutions!  

Parenting 101 in the Candy Aisle

The other day I was at the grocery store and I saw a classic mom “no-no”.  It’s one of those things all moms (and dads) know that we’re not supposed to do, but we’ve all been there and done that. (Or if we haven't actually done it, we've seriously thought about doing it!)  Yes, I'm talking about candy aisle bribery.

 

Here’s what happened…  Mom and her daughter were waiting in line to pay for their groceries.  Mom began a short conversation with the woman in front of her.  The daughter (who was probably about 4-years-old) immediately started to whine and yank on Mom’s coat.  Mom ignored the coat-pulling, so the daughter asked,  “Can I have candy?”, “Can I have candy?”, “Can I have candy?”…   (She was VERY persistent!)  Mom shushed the girl and kept talking to her friend.  

This little girl was not going to be deterred from her mission of getting Mom’s attention, so she upped her game.  And her volume.  She started to yell, “I WANT CANDY!!!!”, while stomping her little foot.  ( If you’re old enough to remember  the original “Williy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” movie… think Veruca Salt.)  

Mom said, “No!” and turned back to her adult conversation.  I think this is what pushed the little darling over the edge.  Now, the daughter used not only her words to get attention, but also her fists.  She started hitting Mom in the legs. She pummeled her mother over and over again with her tiny fists, until Mom picked up her daughter, held her in her arms and spoke quietly to her. 

This was the beginning of the mother’s fatal mistake.

Click to find out why this was a mistake and how you can avoid making the same mistake!

Helping Children Deal with Tragedy (The Oklahoma Tornado)

Once again, our nation has been rocked by tragedy. This time, it is the result of a natural disaster, rather than human violence. And once again, children are seeing images of death, destruction and loss in the media. The images and news of the tornado’s damage on television, the computer, newspapers and magazines can deeply affect our children, even if they live thousands of miles away from Oklahoma. This tragedy has the potential to be particularly scary for children because many of the victims were children, who were attending school at the time that the tornado hit.

Children, like all of us, can be deeply affected by tragedy. It is especially frightening for children to know that other kids were hurt or killed while they were in school, a place that is supposed to be safe. So, what can we do to help children cope with these feelings of fear and confusion?


Click here for tips to help children cope with tragedy.

Nature is Good For Children

“Nature is good for children.”

That’s the first line from an article on the webpage  childrenandnature.org .  It’s such a simple statement, but it says so much.

Nature IS good for children. (For all of us, really.) It’s actually more than just “good”. It’s essential. Studies show that people who interact with nature on a regular basis have a better quality of life. Being exposed to nature can reduce stress, depression, anxiety and feelings of anger. Patients who have experienced injuries or surgery heal faster when they are placed in a natural environment (which is why many hospitals have gardens and outdoor courtyards). Children who are regularly exposed to nature have increased cognitive functioning and better social interactions.

The connection to nature is important for so many reasons. Unfortunately, many children don’t have the opportunity to play outdoors on a regular basis so they don’t get the opportunity to make this connection. But we can invite nature indoors, so that it can nurture children wherever they are. 

Click here for 20 nature activities to do with children... both indoors and outside.

Smoothie Recipes for Kids

Well, apparently here in Wisconsin, we’ve gone from winter to summer with only a couple days of spring in between. Hot days like these just beg for delicious frozen desserts. When my kids were little, I would cool them down with a delicious frozen smoothie. (My college-age daughters still love them!)

The cool thing about smoothies is that you can pretty much put anything in a blender, add ice, and it turns cold and delicious. I’ve provided a few recipes to start you off, but feel free to add or substitute ingredients. You can also sneak things like tofu, wheat germ or flax seed into your smoothies.

Click Here for Recipes

  

Panini Recipes

I recently got a Panini maker for my birthday. (Thanks, Mom and Dad!) I have been having so much fun experimenting with different Panini recipes. I love the fact that you can put just about anything into the sandwich, and it turns out warm and yummy.

By the way, did you know that in Italy, they use the word “panino” to refer to any sandwich, other than those made with sliced bread. Usually, these sandwiches would be on a baguette or roll. “Panini” is the plural of “panino”. In the United States, people call any grilled, pressed sandwich a “Panini”. Just a little history of the word… I thought it was interesting.

Click Here For Recipes

Cleaning With Essential Oils

 Spring is finally here, and it's time for some spring cleaning!  Although I am not a big fan of doing the actual cleaning work, I do appreciate a clean house.  Especially after spending a long winter with five pets and closed up windows!

 I really don't like using a lot of harsh chemicals, so this year I"m cleaning with essential oils and other natural products.  I haven't gone so far as to make my own laundry detergent and dish soap yet, but I'll let you know if I try that in the future.  For now, I'll share a few cleaning tips I've learned:

Click here to read more...