Ma Whats For Dinner?» Mommyville

Tasty Tidbit – Sneaky Sugar

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 11:00:56 +0000

Know what this is?

Sugar!

How about this

Sugar! Well it’s treacle, which is pretty much just as much sugar as the one we know…

Just because it says it’s Sugar Free doesn’t mean it is.

Just because you don’t see the word sugar on the list of ingredients doesn’t mean it isn’t there…

In many different forms!

Here are just some of the ways sugar rears it’s ugly head.

Dextrose

Fructose

Lactose

Maltose

Sucrose

Cane juice crystals

Cane sugar

Caramel

Carob syrup

Dextran

Galactose

Glucose

Maltodextrin

Malt Syrup

Treacle

Sorbitol

and the more obvious…

Corn syrup

Honey

Maple syrup

Molasses

and everyone’s favorite

High fructose corn syrup

Keep an eye out!

Don’t forget…Tomorrow is the last day to get in your Cinderella inspired recipes to win this gorgeous doll for your Princess…

Leave your recipe here in the comments or here…

or check it out here

Cinderella Contest

Tasty Tidbit – Stinky Onion and Garlic Hands?

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 11:00:56 +0000

You know how your hands can be a bit ripe after chopping lots of garlic and onions?

If you have ever tried to clean them afterwards you know that it’s super hard to get them smelling fresh again.

Here is a great way to get them clean.

Run them under some cold water and rub your hands with something made out of stainless steel.

Viola, fresh as a daisy.

They even make soap shaped stainless steel these days!

Hmmm, maybe a good Valentine’s gift for the cook in your life?

Just saying…

Tasty Tidbit – Salt

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 11:00:25 +0000

New guidelines just announced say that Americans need to cut their salt intake.

Wow, that’s a news flash.

But they say that Americans over the age of 51 and all African-Americans should limit their salt intake to 1/2 a teaspoon daily.

That is not a lot of salt!

Being salt conscious is super important…

but have you ever added too much salt to a dish like soup or stew?

Want to make it less salty?

Here’s how…

Peel a potato, cut it into large chunks and toss it into the stew the last 10 minutes of cooking. This will pull out some of the salt from your soup. Remove the potato and serve.

Voila!

Tasty Tidbit – Salsa

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 11:00:01 +0000

Did you add a bit too much jalapeno to that salsa?

Did you add 4 Tablespoons of tobasco instead of 4 teaspoons?

Did your 4-year-old’s eyes just pop out of his head?

Want to tame it down?

Try adding a couple drops of vanilla extract and a teaspoon of salt.

Should bring it down a few notches and make it good for everyone to enjoy.

Happy Holidays to All!

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 13:04:56 +0000

Happy Holidays to all…

And to all a good night.

All of us here at Ma What’s For Dinner

Wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season.

We’ll be taking a break til the New Year…

But don’t fret…

We’ll be back in action soon!

Enjoy this time with your family!

Tasty Tidbits – Holiday Tips

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:00:56 +0000

Just a few suggestions for this crazy time of year. It can be super overwhelming. Send us your suggestions. We’d love to hear what you do to keep sane over the holidays.

First off you’ll want to prepare for your holiday party. Good tips to keep things running smoothly are to get as much ready as you can before the big day. Nobody wants to be slaving away in the kitchen while everyone else is having fun gathering round the tree…

Here’s a few tips for the days leading up to the holidays…

1) Plan your menu at least a week in advance so you can make your grocery list and check it twice.
2) Who wants to hit the store this busy time of year? Send the hubs and the kids to the market to gather your supplies – be sure to include a very very detailed list….If I don’t mine comes home with everything under the sun.
3) Try some dishes that you can assemble in advance then toss in the oven just before dinner.
4) Set the table and the bar the night before, just one more thing off your list.

Handy ideas to have up your sleeves when the guests arrive to keep everything running smoothly…

1) How about an ice breaking game to get everyone in the holiday spirit. Sometimes when young cousins, or even grown adults don’t see each other a lot it can be a bit overwhelming come party time.
2) Have some crafts and coloring on hand to keep the kids entertained while you’re getting dinner ready and the adults are enjoying cocktails
3) Have plenty of kid friendly appetizers on hand, pigs in a blanket, cheese and crackers, fruit and crudite with dip.
4) Finally for a holiday party I always have a few extra gifts on hand…candles, trains, toy cars, a doll, picture frames, so nobody gets overlooked.

Poison Apple Juice?

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:49:56 +0000

Are they kidding me?

Arsenic in the apple juice?

courtesy entertainmentdesktop.com

How could the FDA allow higher arsenic levels in the juice…

Than in drinking water?

And these levels are based on a full grown adult.

Not a child!

I’ve read the Consumer Reports test.

It appears that

Motts

Walgreens

and Welch’s Grape Juice

are the biggest concerns.

So what’s a parent to do?

What’s a country to do?

I’ll tell you one thing…

I’m not buying anymore til they figure all this out.

But what am I supposed to think about all of the juice they’ve already had??

What are you going to do?

Will you still drink it?

Will you give it to your kids?

Binky Fairy – Part Three

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:28:11 +0000

As you know,

Super Coop turned 3 last week.

And in the grand Fitzpatrick tradition.

It was time to say goodbye to the bink via the Binky Fairy.

After quite a few tears…

Coop has held up like a champ.

Here he is proudly displaying his gift from the Binky Fairy.

Not familiar with the Binky Fairy?

Check out how we roll…

Bye Bye Binkies!

On each Fitzpatrick boys 3rd birthday the fateful day arrives.

The day the Binky Fairy comes to town.

Now it’s a simple enough idea. By three years old you’ve had your binky long enough and it’s time to send it off to another deserving little boy or girl who doesn’t have a binky.

We start prepping the story long enough in advance that everyone is well versed and knows what is expected of them.

Doesn’t mean it goes off without a hitch though…

So first the brave little three year old must gather up said binks…

Now you must gather up balloons left over from the joyous birthday celebration of the day…and attach all binkies to the end.

Now be brave young warrior and offer up your binkies to the Binky Fairy in a sacrifice of great importance.

See the Binky Fairy lives in the land of Stufftakorkenett when she oversees the production of the rare Binky Tree.

The Binky Tree needs brave little boys and girls to surrender their own binkies to be planted in vast valleys where they grow into Binky Tree orchards.

There the Binky Fairy watches over them to protect them from the dreaded monster…Chuzetollup

Chuzetollup never rests and is constantly on the prowl looking for binkies and toys to chew all up.

If the Binky Fairy is successful, and success only comes from the strength of little boys and girls who don’t cry without their binkies, then the Binky Trees can grow big and strong by morning.

And when the tree is grown it flowers into wonderful toys that will be returned by the Binky Fairy as a thank you to the foot of brave children’s beds.

So be strong young warriors and surrender the binks. Make the sacrifice and good fortune will be yours…

What brave boys they were….

I think I’d rather have my binky.

Happy Birthday Super Coop!

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:00:27 +0000

Three years ago today…

We rushed to Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles.

We were well over a month away from our due date.

But something seemed very wrong.

Luckily after yet another emergency C-Section…

Cooper arrived and completed Team Fitz.

And after a few days in the NICU he came home on Thanksgiving day.

He is truly a blessing.

So happy happy 3rd birthday…

To the funniest…

sweetest…

biggest troublemaking…

best snuggling…

most all around awesome…

3 year old ever!

You make every day brighter, Cooper.

I love you!

Happy birthday, Super Coop!

Tasty Tidbit – Boil Over!

Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:00:11 +0000

Want to keep your pasta pot from boiling over?

Here’s an easy way to get a handle on it…

Place a wooden spoon on top of the pot.

Viola.

No overflow!