Looking to try a new vegetable this summer? I just learned how to cook tatsoi. This summer we spotted tatsoi at our local market. My girls were interested in it and I want to encourage them to try new things. I took their lead. Always up for a food challenge--by that I mean ...read more
Nothing says the season of joy is here like spending time in the kitchen with family. Last week I took on a Classic Christmas Sugar Cookie playdate. While the girls amused themselves with coloring, I whipped up my grandmother's sugar cookie recipe. It's the perfect way to ...read more
We blinked and in rolled the holiday weekend. Our spring schedule is pretty intense and all of my intentions of cooking healthy, well thought-out meals every day of the week get pushed back (waaaay back). We are determined to get back on track, and, in order to do so, I recently ...read more
I love a good salty savory snack. Pretzels are my favorite way to crunch away hunger pangs. I do love my Pretzel Crisps, but I also love baking my own. We've written about pretzels a lot over the years and are rounding up our best pretzel recipes. Related: Celebrate Oktoberfest ...read more
Wondering about the Instant Pot craze that everyone seems to be talking about? We sure are! That's why we recently caught up with cookbook author Daniel Shumski to get the skinny on this modern-day techno marvel that makes cooking as easy as 1, 2, 3! Learn all there is to know ...read more
Happy Waffle Iron Day! You ARE celebrating, right? If you're old-school like me, you've probably only ever made waffles in your waffle iron, but oh, OH there is so much more you can waffle! Have you hopped on this trend yet? There are even whole cookbooks and websites devoted ...read more
Grill season is here! Yippee! Time to head outside and create meals that you can make entirely on the BBQ. From grilled meats to corn on the cob, garlic bread to a grilled cesar salad, summer is the time to explore all the wonderful benefits of barbecuing. Equally as important, ...read more
Strawberry season has arrived. Those big, plump, juicy red delights are sweeter (and cheaper!) than ever. My kids eat strawberries all day, everyday, and I love incorporating them into my daily smoothies and salads... and in cocktail and champagne glasses! We're taking the ...read more
Skinnytaste Fast and Slow by Gina Homolka with Heather K. Jones, R.D. is now available wherever books are sold! Check out this exclusive interview about prepping healthy meals for your family. What are your secrets for cooking Skinnytaste Fast and Slow healthy meals for ...read more
Do you think the groundhog will see his shadow today—or is spring coming sooner than expected? Well, regardless of what Punxsutawney Phil does or does not see today, the fact is: we still have a month and a half left of the woe-some winter. Cold, windy, snowy, brutal, and ...read more
Peanut butter. Love it or hate it (and I find that people usually fall into one boat or the other!), you can't deny that it's a convenient option. Creamy, crunchy, or whipped, it's got texture, flavor, and, best of all, protein! Paired with its BFF jelly or its other pal, ...read more
Thanksgiving may be over, but fresh cranberries are still in season. Relatively inexpensive, these ruby gems are a delicious and festive addition to the holiday season. Plus, they are healthy too - cranberries are low in calories and low on the glycemic index,loaded with ...read more
As the weather gets cool and crisp, the cold weather drinks in our house ramp up - mugs of hot chocolate, spiced apple cider, and tea start to appear to warm up hands and bellies. While I often make tea and hot chocolate in single servings, our apple cider usually comes from ...read more
It's National Pizza Month! An easy one to celebrate in our house. While takeout pizza might be a staple in your house on Friday nights or after a late sports practice, making pizza at home with your kids has lots of benefits. Here are six reasons you should plan a DIY pizza night ...read more
It's National Pizza Month and you don't have to twist my arm to celebrate this one. Because I am inundated with delicious options for this classic dish all year round, I wanted to see if I could make my own pizza without having to go through Seamless. One of the easiest ways to ...read more
Sometimes kids are picky eaters. It can make you absolutely bonkers. During the busy school year, you don't have as much time to cater to those individual needs. That's why I love food from Three Bridges. Their pastas and sauces are made with simple, honest, and better-for-you ...read more
Getting the dinner on the table every night at a reasonable hour isn't always easy. In an ideal world, every night I would pour myself a glass of wine, turn on some music, and leisurely enjoy chopping, simmering, and sauteing up something delicious dinner while my children play ...read more
I am an official brand ambassador for Mini Babybel® in 2016. While I receive compensation for participation as a brand advocate, opinions are my own. I've always been a cheese lover. It's been a weakness since I was a kid. Now as an adult, it's important to me that I still get ...read more
Does this sound familiar: You're out running errands or picking up a child from a playdate or afterschool practice and you drive by it - that store that you need that thing from! Except...you can't remember exactly what that thing was. Or you remember one of the items, but not ...read more
Interview with Elizabeth LaBan Momtrends: What inspired you to write your first adult novel The Restaurant Critic’s Wife? Elizabeth: For years I thought about writing fiction, but it was so intimidating to consider writing an actual novel. When my husband and I lived in New ...read more
Tis the season to come inside, warm up from the cold and open a tasty bottle of red. This holiday you don't have to wait for a fancy party invite to pour yourself a glass. Skinnygirl® Cocktails make tasty, well-priced reds that are reason enough to celebrate. Skinnygirl® ...read more
'Tis the season for holiday parties and since we are all about sharing this special time with the kiddos, we are hosting a Handmade Holiday Party. Instilling in children that every gift doesn't have to be bought at the store is an important life lesson that will turn them into ...read more
Cookbooks are my guilty pleasure. I like to display them in my kitchen, give them as gifts, and even read them from cover to cover for some much needed culinary inspiration. With the holidays knocking on our doors, now is the best time to check out the new releases from some of ...read more
Last week Stop & Shop hosted a blogging event to help busy moms prepare for the holidays. Their food expert Andrea Astrachan was there to inspire moms to creatively prepare for the season that can drain our energy and wallets. The moms in our group made chocolate dipped ...read more
It's 40 degrees in NYC--time for soup! We've been apple picking with the kids 2x this fall. Which means we've got bags and bags of apples and need some new recipes. I wanted to incorporate vegetables to turn the soup into a main course. I started digging through recipes ...read more
I am now one of the believers. I made my first slow cooker (aka crock pot) meal on Sunday. It all came together thanks to a blogger event a month ago. I met the lovely folks from Hamilton Beach doing a display cooking demo. I told them I was fascinated by the slow cooking mania ...read more
We love any excuse to reinforce healthy eating habits. Now that there's a whole day devoted to oatmeal, we thought we would create a fun way to dig in. Kids (and grownups!) love to customize their food and providing several options makes choosing things an active way to train ...read more
Toast is cool again. Not just boring bread and butter, we're talking healthy toast that's topped with super foods. Chef Amie Valpone from Thehealthyapple.com shows inspired ways to stack your toast for breakfast, lunch, snacks or desserts. Lots of kid-friendly ideas too! ...read more
Have you settled into your new routines or are you still struggling to find ways to get things done, but keep it all fun? (Sorry for the rhyme.) Here are some great products and ideas that your kids will love, will keep you sane, and might even make the Pinterest boards. Of ...read more
When does preparing a drink qualify as cooking? When it results is something as delightful as this White Sangria. This past week we were visiting friends in the Hamptons. When the kids were napping, the adults enjoyed an outdoor lunch of charcuterie and a pitcher of sangria. ...read more
This soft shell crab recipe is a family classic. Growing up in Maryland means I have a love of seafood. We used to scoop soft shell crabs out of the Severn River (around the full moon) and my mom would fry them up in a pan. The recipe is easy and can be whipped up in a jiffy. ...read more
Summer is here and the time is right for getting into the holiday spirit with some red, white, and blue! We put together this patriotic party for adults and kids using the traditional colors with a twist. Let's talk table settings. I'm not one for big centerpieces at parties ...read more
Emily Franklin is the mother of four kids ages 9 and under. That she manages to cook dinner most nights is a feat in my eyes. That she cooks with passion, humor and wisdom--well she must be a force of nature. Oh and did I mention she also writes book? Emily's latest is called ...read more
Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and we're making it sweet for kids and adults alike! We're celebrating with an easy yet adorable heart-shaped baking craft that kids will love and a pink cocktail for adults sure to make this fun holiday a little sweeter! Throwing a ...read more
Whether you need an idea for a holiday gift exchange or your book club, consider a cookies and coffee holiday party. It's a breeze to put together, and you can experiment with new colors and themes. While I do love the traditional colors of the holiday season, it's nice to switch ...read more
With 30 million green-beancasseroles set to appear on Thanksgiving tables next week, I'm writing to suggest a story for MomTrends on a fun holiday survey: "New York is ranked #20 in the U.S. for love of green-beancasserole, according to the Del Monte GreenBean Index." To ...read more
(Compensation was provided by Safeway, Vons, Randalls and Tom Thumb stores via ModeMedia. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Safeway, Vons, Randalls and Tom Thumb stores.) While Mr. Tom Turkey, the main ...read more
Today ladies, we join the nation in celebrating the cappuccino. That delicious, foamy cup of caffeine that starts our day and warms our bellies. Did you know that the cappuccino dates back to the Viennese coffee houses of the 1700s, known then as a "Kapuziner"? If you want to ...read more
If you’re looking for some entertaining ideas for the upcoming holidays, we’ve got you covered. Moms know it’s best to start planning early. Be prepared for that unexpected guest or finicky eater by taking the time now to plan an extraordinary gathering in your home. From ...read more
How do we get hot, homemade meals on the table even when schedules are hectic and days are demanding? We rely on our Crock-Pot, of course! Have a favorite slow-cooker recipe? You can submit your slow-cooker recipe video to CrockStars.com for a chance to win $5,000 in the Ultimate ...read more
With the kids back in school, moms now have a little more time to be creative when it comes to meal planning and preparation. The harvest of fall fruits and vegetables enables us to experiment with our regular go-to dishes by adding some different flavors and textures. To help ...read more
Cooking is the perfect way to spend quality time with your kids, teach them valuable life skills and end up with a delicious reward at the end! This weekend, my boys and I tried out Foodstirs, a monthly subscription box delivered to your doorstep. One of the best ways to teach ...read more
You planned and stocked up on all of the back-to-school essentials (if not be sure to check out our complete back-to-school guide), and now it's time to think about lunch! we love healthy and different options for our kids that will fill up their bellies to avoid a sugar crash! ...read more
With sweet summer corn from the fields and plump juicy tomatoes fresh off the vine, there’s no better time than the summer for creating a host of delicious recipes. Using the freshest, local ingredients is the first step in creating an unforgettable meal for your family. You ...read more
With the warm weather coming, it's time to turn on the oven and fire up the grill for some homemade meals and desserts. Cooking for the kids has never been easier when it comes to the superb quality of new cookbooks available today. Why not test your culinary chops by ...read more
Studies have shown the health benefits of eating family dinner together, but work schedules and sport practices, long commutes and extracurriculars can make the reality of family dinners a challenge. Here are four tips and tricks for making family dinners work. Image courtesy ...read more
With the New Year comes a slew of diet books claiming to help you drop the weight. Savvy moms know making a change in how you approach your overall health is the best way to slim your figure. If you are looking to alter your diet, start by using fresh, local ingredients in your ...read more
One of the biggest struggles parents often face is getting their kids to eat more fruits and vegetables. As part of National Nutrition Month, I'm sharing 10 tips and tricks I use to get my three boys to eat more of the good stuff. I want to hear your ideas too! Leave them in the ...read more
We are excited for the new season that is also sure to bring parties and festivities. One food we are excited to learn more about is cooking with maple syrup. Not only for our morning pancakes, maple syrup is a great way to enhance recipes to enjoying cocktails. One of our ...read more
Now that the colder weather has arrived, its time to dust off the pots and pans and prepare your family a flavorful home cooked meal. With the bounty of seasonal fruits and vegetables available like apples, butternut squash, and kale, the possibilities are endless. All it ...read more
