MOM CONFESSIONALS

Being Chinese doesn’t necessarily mean you are Chinese. No time is that more clearer to me than when it comes to Chinese holiday traditions. I am fortunate enough that my husband’s family is firmly routed in traditional Chinese practices and have embraced each year with more and more enthusiasm. Especially now, with children of my own, I want them to grow up proud of their heritage and love these traditions as much as I do. As much as I’ve learned over the years with my husband’s family I am still learning.

This year I have had to actually dig behind the meaning of many of the rituals I perform yearly as this American-born Chinese girl is hosting a Chinese New Year Party for my daughter’s class. It’s a little ironic, but I am appreciating this opportunity to more than just the motions and really understand the meaning behind some of these, sometimes quirky rituals. Even if I don’t believe in ghosts and spirits, I can’t help but be enamored with the richness, beauty and history of each routine.

For instance, cleaning the house prior to Chinese New Year prepares the house for good luck. Anything broken, considered clutter, etc should be thrown out. This would be our version of spring cleaning. This could come in quite handy when the kids are older. Perhaps inspire them to ward off bad luck and invite more good luck, so clean real good kids!

I love shopping for Chinese New Year decoration. Banners adorned with Chinese calligraphy, chun lian, are hung throughout the house to usher in prosperity in the new year. I love to find one elaborate piece for the front door and I’ve taken to adorning smaller ones on my kid’s doors. For my daughter’s classroom, I’ve adorned it with signage and a couple of marionette dragons, the symbol of the upcoming New Year.

I didn’t know this before, but any cutting during Chinese New Year is considered unlucky. Thank goodness I cut my hair earlier this week. You always want to look your best for the New Year, unfortunately my nails fell short on that part, but I can’t do anything about that until after. New red clothing is usually the order for the New Year but a more modern take is simply wearing red underwear. I guess this New York girl can swing that. Definitely avoid wearing white and black. Duly noted!

Chinese New Year is typically an ongoing celebration for the first 15 days of the Lunar New Year. The eve of Chinese New Year is typically celebrated with a family dinner of fish – the chinese word yu sounds like another chinese word yu that means more or surplus, and dumplings — which symbolize wealth because of their shape, similar to the ancient gold & silver ingots. For my daughter’s class party, I’m serving up pan-fried dumplings and spring rolls.

One of my favorite dishes served is Nian Gao. My aunt use to make it from scratch, similar to another familiar dim sum dish, Law Bot Goe, but sweeter. When dipped in egg and pan-fried it is a delicious treat. I’m sure there is some significance to this treat but regardless, I’ve come to look forward to this dish every New Year.

Another favorite holiday tradition I’m looking forward to introducing to my kids is watching the parade. Filled with fireworks and lion dances, it never ceases me just how beautiful it is to watch. This year I am excited to take my kids for their first exposure to this wonderful celebration. Luckily in New Year we are not short of this timeless celebration.  The fireworks tradition began with the legend of Nian, a ferocious monster that was afraid of the color red and loud noises. It is believed the noisy fireworks and firecrackers scared the monster. Now, it is believed the more fireworks and noise there are, the more luck there will be in the New Year.  While fireworks have become illegal in New York, we have found other ways to make a loud bang.  My daughter’s class will be popping their way through the New Year with some Throw Poppers.

The kids aren’t quite old enough to embrace the holiday tradition of receiving red envelopes but my husband and I have eagerly embraced being the “adults” in this giving ritual. Each year we have fun shopping for the perfect red envelopes to give our gifts in. I can even admit, each year you can see we’ve grown a little. First year were Sanrio inspired red envelopes, following year more Sanrio, finally evolving to cartoonish drawings and calligraphy of the symbolic year. Eventually we’ll evolve to more grown up red envelopes as if anyone cares. We’re a little sad this year that we have to refrain from this tradition, as we are in mourning for the passing of the matriarch of the family.

Yes each year I’m learning a little more.

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Is it me or is this holiday season particularly chaotic?!  There seems to be not enough time for anything these days and yet… I still need a good party to celebrate the holidays!

This season I’ve picked up some fabulous tips from some seasoned party planners, Debi Lilly and Jane Buckingham, to pull together a Holiday Soiree for the books — in a pinch and on a dime!  I have to say I was incredibly impressed with the results!

Debi Lilly had recently introduced me to her line of new affordable products and decorations for Safeway and I went GaGa over them!  The nearest Safeway is a bit of a trek for me, but no more than a trip to Stew Leonard’s is and we do that trip all the time!  Totally worth it if you’ve got grocery shopping still to do after all it’s a one stop shop.  I know what you’re thinking… don’t grocery store decorations usually classify as kitchy?  Well when Debi Lilly stamps her name to it, you know you’re in for a quality, stylish product.  I mean really, finding mercury glass in your grocery store?  Amazing!

First things first, use what you’re already got! Look at all the decorations you already have and see if you can recreate or take a twist on things!  Although my only set of cloth dinner napkins have seen better days and already have made their appearance, maybe one too many times at my parties, I whipped out my new cordless Panasonic 360° Freestyle Iron and lickity split I was ironing out all the creases and wrinkles and using them as decorative accents under my dish display.

Revamp your traditional glassware by customizing each glass with debi lilly design™ Double Faced Satin Ribbon in Taupe.   Taking that cue, I filled my glass bowls with unused ornaments and tied a ribbon around it just like the photo.

Finding ready to heat food items saves loads of time and are amazingly delicious too!  We got a chance to sample their baby maryland crab cakes , and scrumptiously addicting bumbleberry tarts.

With a few easy to make changes, they don’t have to look like something straight out of a freezer box.  Don’t just defrost and put out.  Debi Lilly makes presentation the focus and just elegantly displaying them on a plate with some garnish really makes it look like a world class dish.

Running around like a maniac with not enough time to cook.  The fabulous people at Panasonic and Jane Buckinghan showed some great dishes that are real crowd pleases to make in something as simple as their Fuzzy Logic Rice Cooker!  I know you can’t imagine much more than rice being made, but we made …. You can set aside, and push the button at just the right time, or even pre-set the timer up to 24 hours in advance for a perfectly cooked dish!  Time schedule needs to be more flexible?  They’ve got you covered with a stay warm feature that doesn’t dry out your meal!

If you’re looking to redo your kitchen and plan on doing lots of entertaining, I’d recommend checking out the new Samsung Dual Oven Range.  Operating as a single cavity convection range or a double oven with independent temperature control when needed, with 5 burners and a warming compartment, you have the flexibility to create and entire holiday menu or just a small meal without wasting electricity.

A final spin around the room with my cordless Panasonic 360 Freestyle Iron, I iron out wrinkles in my curtains and table cloths on the fly.  It even let me vertically steam cloth too!  Great for steaming out my holiday dress in a pinch too.  Everything was picture perfect!

For some great inspiration, follow Debi Lilly on Pinterest, my new obsession.  Want to follow me too? You’ll see me pinning loads on my next project for the new year — finishing my basement and creating my dream laundry room… I know, how domesticated of me…  To shop Debi Lilly’s new collection for safeway and check out more tips for the holidays, visit at: http://www.safeway.com/ShopStores/Debi-Lilly

For all those last minute jams you might get into before the party, check out Jane Buckingham’s new book, The Modern Girls Guide to Sticky Situations.

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Designed around Sesame Workshop’s “Healthy Habits for Life” initiative which helps young children establish an early foundation of healthy habits, Sesame Street: Ready, Set, Grover! reinforces that message through game play. Kids will join their favorite Sesame Street characters like Elmo and Abby, playing through a serious of challenges laid out by Grover.  The game promotes physical activity, good nutrition, personal hygiene by exercising hand-eye coordination as well as their imaginations.  As I’m teaching my daughter how to brush her teeth properly and cover her mouth when sneezing, I appreciate the fun reinforcement from some of her favorite Sesame Street friends.  The game also teaches other critical skills such as counting, shape and color identification, classification, and listening comprehension which we can never get enough of.

Sesame Street: Ready, Set, Grover! for Nintendo DS comes with a FREE Grover jumbo-click stylus designed for smaller hands and a handy wrist strap.  Rated EC for Early Childhood and available nationwide, games like these help make embracing video games so much easier.  Ever since she’s gotten a DS it’s been a struggle to find games that aren’t just about play but learning too.  You can always count on Sesame Street to bring that component to the table.  On long road trips, I am perfectly okay with my daughter playing her Nintendo DS as long as she’s learning something.  Ready… Get Set… Get Ready, Set, Grover!

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We love Frito Lays!  While I’ve always considered it my sinful indulgence (and my family’s as well)  I’ve learned that they have an abundance of healthy options including their new Naturally Delicious Mix multi-pack sack of chips!  Frito Lays New Naturally Delicious Mix multi-pack contains 22 single-serve bags of snacks, including Lay’s Classic and Sour Cream and Onion potato chips, Rold Gold Tiny Twists pretzels, and SunChips Garden Salsa and Harvest Cheddar multigrain snacks – giving both moms and kids multiple delicious options!  These products are made without any artificial or synthetic ingredients, artificial flavors or artificial preservatives, and contain no monosodium glutamate (MSG).  So munch away!

Frito Lays wanted to share some great tips for an after school snack!  We all know whole grains are important, but how do you convince kids to eat them when they prefer white bread and pasta? It’s easy: Add them to their snacks! Frito-Lay offers great options for snacks containing whole grains your kids are sure to enjoy.  SunChips multigrain snacks, one of my favorite snacks period, pack a punch with 18 grams of whole grains per serving. Portion out a serving into a reusable container for your kids’ lunch boxes or throw them into a 1-oz bag for easy on-the-go snacking!

Fruit is always a go-to snack, but it’s not always the first choice for kids. Make snacks fun by mixing and matching colorful fruits and vegetables.  Pack fruits and vegetables that represent your kids’ favorite sports teams colors, like plums and bananas for the Yankee (Go Yankees!) fan, green grapes and cantaloupe for Packers’ fans.  Love this idea — Create a rainbow mix dip with red cherry tomatoes, orange carrots, yellow pineapple, green celery, blue blueberries, indigo grapes and purple plums. Cut each fruit and veggie into bite-size pieces, and serve the dip alongside SunChips to pair whole grains with other vitamins and nutrition!

With school starting during the hottest time of the year, it’s essential that kids stay hydrated. Dips paired with fruits and vegetables, which have high water content, are a delicious and easy way to boost hydration and nutrition (watermelon is 92% water!*).   Make fruit even more appealing by serving it on top of non-fat Greek yogurt. Not only will your kids love dipping, they’ll be getting calcium and protein in the snack as well.  For chips, take the nutrient factor up a notch with healthier dipping choices such as Sabra hummus (yum!) and homemade salsa, you child might find their next addiction.

GIVEAWAY: ONE (1) lucky reader will win a set of eco-friendly reusable snack wraps for lunch packs and Frito Lays new Naturally Delicious Mix multi-pack sack of chips as well as an insulated lunch tote for mom!  To ENTER, from now until October 1st 2011 you MUST subscribe to Mom Confessionals.  For additional entries – 1st Option – If you follow me on twitter @momconfessional and re-tweet this giveaway (I would love to go back to school with Frito Lays and @momconfessional’s #Giveaway! http://wp.me/pLvfH-17r) – 2nd Option – If you “like” us on Facebook and share the giveaway with your friends. DON’T FORGET to visit this FORM and leave a separate entry for each action. Giveaway only open to those with U.S. addresses and must be 18 years or older. Giveaway ends on October 1st 2011 at 11:59 EST. A winner will be selected randomly by Random.org and notified by e-mail.

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Any way to sneak in some veggies into my child’s diet is awesome in my book!  When we discovered Revolution Food’s Organic Mashups I was giddy with Glee!  My kids are already huge fans of fruit pouches.  They are particularly amazing just to throw into your purse, diaper bag and school bag.  Revolution Food’s has a huge line of Organic Fruit Mashups but with their recent addition of Fruit & Veggies Mashups, its a quick healthy way to get your daily fruits and veggies without the fuss!  You would never be able to tell veggies were included, they taste that good! They’ve made this mom’s job a helluv a lot easier. I particularly love, in light of recent headline new that they always have No Transfats, No High Fructose Corn Syrup, and No Artificial Ingredients!  It’s a no brainer for Back to School!

Available in 3 Yummy flavors -  Beetbox Berry, Carroty Chop and Blueberry Blitz – in packages of 4, these fruit & veggie pouches with kid-safe, resealable caps are available at grocery stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com.

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The other evening I was invited to attend an intimate dinner at an exclusive underground restaurant called Sotto Terra hosted by Food Network chef George Duran and Supermarket Guru Phillip Lempert.  We were promised a delicious Italian 4-course meal and scintillating conversation on the latest food trends with other foodies.  I was salivating at the thought of this meal and it was long due for a date night with my husband.  He doesn’t often partake in my Blogger perks but he was definitely interested in this one.

Even more exciting was that I was allowed to offer this same amazing experience to one of my readers and their guest.  My excitement was palpable.  I was tweeting away, getting my friends to share and spread the news.  When it was time to draw the winner, I was pleasantly surprised to see the entrant and winner (out of 119 entries) was none other than my children’s pediatrician and his wife (who is a loyal Mom Confessionals reader)!

When I congratulated my winner and gave her the details, I promised it was going to be an amazing night and they could acknowledge my husband and I or simply enjoy the meal between the two of them.  I myself couldn’t wait for what promised to be a delicious meal.  You see, life’s been a little rough these days for my family.  My mother was recently diagnosed with cancer and I was desperately trying to study for my NCLEX, it was hard to find a balance between being supportive to the woman who gave me life and studying for an exam that would change the course of our future for my family.  On Monday of this past week, I took my exam and the night before this dinner, I found out that I had passed — I was now and RN!  My entire family had worked, supported me in my pursuit and it had finally paid off!  A huge weight had lifted off my shoulders and finally allowed me to fully focus on my mother and her needs.  I felt this dinner was going to be our brief moment to celebrate.  My husband was excited.  It’s not often that we take the time out sans children to just enjoy each other.  I think we both really needed this.

The night of this exclusive dinner at Sotto Terra came.  Despite the 4 hour chaos of trying to finding my sister at JFK after her plane landed but was not heard from, who flew home to be with our mother.  I got home a half hour before I had to leave for dinner.  I got dressed as quick as I could, let the kids reintroduce themselves to their Aunt who they hadn’t seen in months.  I found my cleanest pressed pants and fancy top, put on a little make up even remembering to put on my earrings for a little sparkle.  I was suppose to pick up my husband at 5:00pm but as I was running late, he graciously told me he would simply meet me downtown, allowing me not to have to detour through midtown and its traffic knowing being late is one of my biggest pet peeves.  I got into the city and parked by 5:50pm.  I couldn’t believe that I made it on time but couldn’t wait to get this dinner started.

I already knew this dinner was going to be hosted in a private brownstone and was thrilled to greet my guests right at the front door.  We ooohed and aaaaahed at the decorations and set up.  The wife was so excited to meet chef George Duran.  I obviously hadn’t done my research on him, but knowing he was from the Food Network was all the validation I needed.  I was sure we were in for a treat.  I even drank a glass of sangria for the first time in years.  I am typically not a drinker but this was a night of celebration.  I sat and chatted with my guests and my husband.  They told me how excited they were for this dinner.  How they had gotten a sitter to watch their 4 children and he even left his practice early to make this dinner his wife was so eager for.  She was a huge George Duran fan.  She couldn’t believe that he was actually here with us!

We noshed on delicious endive salad bites.  The mood in the air was light and cheerful.  Moments later we descended down into the dining area.  More oooohs and aaaaahs erupted.  Lots of pictures were taken.  For those who know me, I’m not an adventurous eater.  I love my basics and usually will never veer off my favorites but this was an experience and I was going for it.  I didn’t snub one dish.  I drank up the Watermelon and Cucumber Gazpacho shots.  Chowed down on the Strawberry Arugula Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette.  Devoured the Herbed Cheesy Garlic Bread.  I was a little disappointed that the main course was simply Lasagna but I was sure that we were in for a treat at the hands of chef George Duran.  When it came out, it was nothing spectacular, it was good, I wasn’t wowed like I was with the other dishes but it was good.  I cleansed my palate on a Mojito Granita shot, there seemed to be a lot of alcohol consumption on my part, well a lot for someone who never drinks.  I obsessed over the Razzleberry Pie a la mode and then the bomb dropped.

Our entire meal was a SHAM!  We were unwilling participants in a bait-and-switch for Marie Callender’s new frozen three cheese lasagna and there were cameras watching our reactions.  I’ve got a sense of humor so I was okay with it and I had been enjoying myself up until that point, but I could tell that the rest of the participants were not.  Everyone feigned weak shock and faked approval of the frozen meal.  My guests were eager to leave all of a sudden and refused to sign the release.  I felt awful!  The conversation had fallen to an awkward silence as our hosts tried to fill in the empty air.  When suggested we move the conversation back upstairs, everyone took themselves upstairs and out the door, include myself, my husband and our guests.  I must have been still somewhat hopeful when my guest asked me so is Sotto Terra real or not?  I said I thought it still might be a project that chef George and Phil were working on.  I realize how stupid and gullible I must have sounded later.

The first thing out of my husband’s mouth was waste of time and I was reduced to tears.  Not only had I been duped but now my husband was mad at me and my guests/pediatrician must of thought of me terribly.  Its even crossed my mind that I may need to find a new pediatrician, I was that embarrassed.  My only comfort was as we left, his wife said to me, Thank God he at least cooked the rest of the meal.  But that also hinted at the major disappointment.

Always trying to think positive, I still felt I learned a lot that night.  I learned about Community Supported Agriculture – CSA’s and how to be an informed consumer of seafood through an iPhone app called Seafood Watch.  But I was gently reminded this morning that this was an example of PR agencies undervaluing bloggers and their lack of care for my online reputation.  I was set up to promote this event to my readers and as such, when I’m excited I love to share.  I put my name out there based on the information I received from them and got burned in a big way.  If only I had took the time to check my twitter feed while taking my mom to Sloan Kettering and picking my sister up from the airport, I might have caught the warnings but I had to be offline to put my family first.

I want to deeply apologize to my winner and her husband, my children’s beloved pediatrician.  They were expecting an amazing meal and a true experience at the hands of famous Food Network chef they were fans of and were left with a really foul taste in their mouths.  I too was completely surprised and I promise you, had I known, I would not have encouraged you to sacrifice your valuable time and money only to be tricked.  I am profoundly embarrassed and hope that you will accept my sincerest apologies.

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There’s nothing I love to do more than having friends over for a get together.   To celebrate the “perfect pairing” of summertime and spending time with friends, a group of blogger friends and I got to enjoy another perfect pairing – delicious chips and dip.  I was thrilled to host this gathering at my house and what a fun afternoon it was!  4 Adults and 6 kids.  There’s nothing better than the sound of children’s laughter throughout the house and there was tons of that!  We set up the bouncy house and water tables and let the fun begin while the mom’s watched from the window, basking in the chill of air conditioning and EATING!

Boy did we eat!  On the menu from my end was Giada De Laurentiis’ Linguine with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Olives and Lemon and her Caprese Burgers  as well as my 4-year old’s favorite Nitrate-Free Applegate Hotdogs.  To compliment, I had Frito Lays classic potato chips on hand and Fritos Scoops for my guacamole and spinach dip.  Kimberly from Foodie City Mom brought two versions of her famous Mango Peach Salsa, one with a kick!   Lauren of Health, Happiness & Hamstrings and Lisa of New York Chica brought a little Latin flare with their Taco Salad Dip and Seven Layer Dips.  Very similar and yet so different!  While noshing, we talked blogging, family and life.  Having seen some of these ladies many times over at various events, we’ve never really had the opportunity to sit down and just chat.  This was such a nice change of pace.  Hours later, we were so stuffed!

This summer, when you’re planning your perfect pairing, you can search for dip recipes and inspiration on the Frito-Lay website: http://www.fritolay.com/recipes/  And check out Frito-Lay’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/fritolay to view cooking webisodes straight from Frito-Lay’s own Flavor Kitchen.  Did you know, Frito-Lay’s snack chips contain less sodium than most people think.  For example, a one-ounce serving of Tostitos tortilla chips has less sodium than a cup of plain yogurt.  Not all chips are created equal! When entertaining, look for chips made with simple ingredients, like Lay’s Classic potato chips, made with potatoes, healthier oil and salt, and Tostitos Scoops! tortilla chips, made with corn, healthier oils and salt.  Use your favorite chips as a vehicle to scoop up extra nutrition by pairing them with healthier dips, like bean dip or veggie filled salsa.

Thanks to TheMotherhood and Frito Lays for showing us that chips and dip aren’t the only perfect pairing, so are friends and bloggers!

Holy Moly Guacamole

• 3 Large Avocados
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• Lemon Zest
• Juice of ½ a lime
• salt to taste

In a bowl, cut and pit the 3 avocados.  Pour in lemon juice, lime juice and lemon zest.  Mash the entire bowl’s content to the consistency of your choice.  Sprinkle salt to taste.

Spinach Dip

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
• 1 (1.8 ounce) package dry leek soup mix or vegetable soup mix
• 1 (4 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
• 1/2 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, dry leek soup mix, water chestnuts and chopped spinach. Chill in the refrigerator 6 hours, or overnight.

GIVEAWAY: ONE (1) very lucky reader will win (3) Frito-Lays Coupons worth up to $3.99 each, to recreate their very own perfect pairing!  To ENTER, from now until August 31st 2011,  you have 3 ways to enter for a total of (3) THREE entries – 1st Option – Subscribe to Mom Confessionals (new subscribers only)  – 2nd Option – If you follow me on twitter @momconfessional and re-tweet this giveaway (I just entered @momconfessional’s Frito Lays #Giveaway! http://wp.me/pLvfH-12d) – 3rd Option – If you “like” us on Facebook and share the giveaway with your friends. DON’T FORGET to visit this FORM and leave a separate entry for each action. Giveaway only open to those with U.S. addresses and must be 18 years or older. Giveaway ends on August 31st 2011 at 11:59 EST. A winner will be selected randomly by Random.org and notified by e-mail.

{ disclosure:  This is a sponsored post brought to you by TheMotherhood and the Lay’s brand. }

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Our ♥ of Target knows no bounds.  It’s part necessity and part obsession.  Over the years Target has had some amazing collaborations and we’re always excited to see who they team up with next.  This time they have teamed up with our favorite (and gorgeous) Food Network Chef, Giada De Laurentiis to launch Giada De Laurentiis for Target collection.

My girl and I were recently invited to Target Studios where we were introduced to Giada herself and her amazing line of products. As a TV/culinary personality, she is loveable and in person, exactly the same.  We were all ears listening to her as she took us through her new line of cookware and tools.  Some of the stand out items include the revolutionary 7″ inch Mezzaluna Knife for a ridiculously priced, only $20.79.  This knife is one of a kind and created by Giada.  Providing a great multi-function chopping ability it is also pairs with a professional chef secret, the rocking motion of a Mezzaluna.  It’s my must-have item which I have been hunting for at every Target I come across for weeks now — SOLD OUT!  Another new favorite has to be her Stainless Steel Pasta Scoop.  There will be no more draining of pasta.  Now I can safely scoop my pasta out and save that salted water for seasoning or refreshing pasta.

It’s one thing to slap your name on a piece of clothing or physical item but when it comes to food, it had better taste good too.  Giada,  with her strong Italian heritage, made sure her specialty food items would be something she could proudly serve her family.  Now while I claim not to be a connoisseur, I can be a bit of an Italian food snob.  I just most restaurants by their eggplant parmigiana (there is none better than Rosa’s Pizzeria in Maspeth, NY) or their marinara sauce.  I have recently forsaken all bottled tomato sauces for my own easy homemade sauces.  I was never able to pinpoint what about bottled tomato sauces that I didn’t like, but after hearing about her sauces I clearly understood my taste-buds missed freshness.  Giada’s Tomato Sauces are nothing short of amazing.  She spent the time with Target to source the best tomatoes she could find and not only create sauces that her family would be proud of but made sure they got to our table as fresh as possible.  At price points of $2.49 – $4, they can’t be beat!  I think I might be able to stop slaving over a stove making my own sauce at these prices.

Because it was Giada, I was willing to shed my inhibitions and do something I have never done before… eat olives.  Okay, so they weren’t whole.  But surprisingly, I couldn’t get enough of her  linguine with sun-dried tomatoes, olives and lemon.  While I could distinctly taste them in the dish, it wasn’t overwhelming and easier to digest than I expected.  In fact, I have now served it at two gatherings to date and it’s been a hit with everyone including the babies.

I was even prouder watching my girl eat her first burger.  Eating burgers aren’t like eating french fries.  I could never figure out when chicken nuggets go out the door and hamburger happy meals would be a considered option.  We’ve tried for many years, offering her time and time again, a burger.  Alas it was the pretty lady and her cocktail sized caprese burgers that made all the difference.  To this day she asks for the pretty lady’s mini burgers because no ordinary burger will do.

At our recent 4th of July soiree, there were caprese burgers and linguine with sun-dried tomatoes, olives and lemon for everyone.  What amazed me was how quick (in under 10 minutes) and easy these two dishes were to make,  I looked like a culinary genius! I took little credit for the menu and everyone thanked Giada.  Giada De Laurentiis for Target sauces, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Genovese Pesto are new staples in our house!

To recreate the magic:

Giada’s Linguine with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Olives and Lemon

• 1 pound linguine pasta
• 1 cup or 6oz jar of GDL for Target Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup (4 ounces) medium green olives, pitted
• 1 packed cup of fresh basil leaves
• 1 garlic clove (or more if you like)
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice or juice from 1 large lemon
• zest of 1 large lemon
• ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Cook pasta according to directions on the box for al dente.  Scoop and set aside pasta with GDL Stainless Steel Pasta Scoop.

In a food processor, combine sun-dried tomatoes, olives, basil, garlic, oil, lemon juice and lemon zest.  Pulse until blended but still chunky.

Add the tomato mixture and parmesan cheese to the pasta and toss well until pasta is coated.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Giada’s Caprese Burgers

• 2½ pounds of ground sirloin beef
• ¾ cup or 1 jar of GDL for Target Genovese Pesto
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 (7 to 8 ounce) ball fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into 8 – ¼ inch thick slices, patted dry with paper towels (freeze the mozzarella to make cutting easier)
• ½ cup mayonaise
• 8 large fresh basil leaves
• extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
• 8- 3 inch square pieces of tomator or plain foccaccia bread, halved or 8 hamburger buns, halved
• 4 medium tomatoes, sliced into ¼ inch thick rounds, to yield 16 slices

In a large bowl, combine beef, pesto, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Form the mixture into 8 – 4″ diameter patties, approximately ¾” thick.

Grill for 5 minutes and flip.  Cook for an additional 3 minutes.

Place a slice of mozzarella cheese on top and continue to cook through and the cheese is slightly melted.  Allow the burger to rest for 5 minutes.

Drizzle the cut side of the bread with olive oil and grill until lightly toasted.  Spread the mayonnaise over the bottom halves of the grilled bread.  Place the burgers on top and add 2 tomato slices and basil leaf.

Add the top halves of the bread and serve.

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At the launch of the Samsung LCD Refrigerator with apps, Vanessa Williams and Tim Baxter, president of the Consumer Business Division, Samsung Electronics America, check the weather in Greece hours before Williams boards a plane to Athens. Tuesday, June 21, 2011 in New York. Photo by Samsung.

Samsung Electronics  just launched their first-of-its-kind LCD Refrigerator with apps.  We were on hand as Vanessa Williams, star of Desperate Housewives, introduced use to it’s full functionality.

“I’m a busy working mom with four kids and I juggle a lot on a daily basis.  With so much going on, it’s important for me to stay as organized and connected as possible,” said Vanessa Williams.  “What I really like about Samsung’s refrigerator is that all of the apps I need are loaded into one LCD screen.  Whether I want to leave a note, check the weather, or figure out what’s for dinner, this fridge organizes it all for me.”

Welcome to the Jetson’s Era, Samsung’s refrigerator includes apps and features that are all created to help today’s busy families on a gorgeous 8″ screen.

Features include:

• Hundreds of delicious recipes from Epicurious, to help make dinner and entertaining easier and more interesting.  Just check off a list of available ingredients and Epicurious will put together a list of possible recipes.  Missing a few things for your favorite dish, just add the missing ingredients to your shopping list.
• Easy-to-use organizational tools, via Google Calendar, to keep track of all of the activities of the house
• Check out the weather before you head out with Weatherbug.  Will it be snow boots or galoshes today?
• A convenient notepad application for leaving notes and keeping in touch with family
• A new way to add enjoyment, ambience, and your favorite personalized music and comedy to the kitchen with Pandora®
• Family photos at your fingertips with Picasa Web Albums
• The latest updates AP News to keep connected with the world outside

We’re particularly in love with all the Google integrations.  There’s nothing I hate more than programs that can’t work together.   Now that I’ve finally got my iPhone working with Google’s Gmail, calendar and contacts seamlessly, the integration makes it all the more appealing. 

Samsung’s LCD Refrigerator with apps brings convenience right where mom needs it the most, the kitchen.  According to research conducted by Samsung, 59% of consumers consider the kitchen the center of family life and activity, us included.  While 42% use their refrigerators to post things like notes, phone numbers, schedules and appointments.  The other 58% must own stainless steels ones like we do and want to stick things all over, but can’t!  It can be quite frustrating.  To this day, our family still doesn’t have a place to leave notes for one another, grocery lists, etc.,  So often these messages get lost.  The refrigerator is stationary and can provide a central point of organization for the home.

Samsung’s long history of leadership and innovation is also reflected in other food storage and organizational features  incorporated into the refrigerator, including the Twin Cooling Plus System® which helps keeps fruits and vegetables fresher longer by using separate cooling systems in the fridge and freezer to maintain ideal humidity; a FlexZone™  counter-height drawer with four temperature controls and flexible divider to house various food items and is also the perfect height for kids to grab and get their favorite snacks; and special insulation technology resulting in an extra 4 cu. ft. of storage space versus conventional refrigerators.  The husband was particularly keen on the door alarm which alerts when the door is left ajar — gotta protect his food!  Oh the Jetson’s would be proud!

The Samsung LCD Refrigerator with apps is available at national retailers including Lowe’s and Best Buy for an MSRP starting at $3,499.99 for the 4-Door French Door model (RF4289) and $2,699.99 for the Side-by-Side model (RSG309).

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I have been struggling to find ways to get healthy snacks into my kids.  With my easy going infant, it’s not much of a problem.  He loves fruit but his sister… is another story.  She has some sort of secret power to detect anything healthy and will snub it without even a try.  Alas, I think I’ve figured out her weakness, not just to pretty ladies… but her favorite characters.  Brushing her teeth now is a cinch with her Disney Princesses Bubble Gum Toothpaste. Now the Disney Princesses and other favorite characters have teamed up with Brother’s All Natural Freeze Dried Fruit Crisps.   She’s a sucker for anything with the Princesses on it.  Ever so slyly, I just happen to leave a package on the table and watched as she spotted Snow White and shouted “Princess Princess!”  I was a little naughty, I snatched the package out of her hand and told her it wasn’t for her.  I know my daughter and the more she couldn’t have it, the more she wanted it.  She wasn’t to beat me at my own game.  “But I want it!”  I couldn’t help myself… “You won’t like it, it’s fruit.  You don’t like fruit.”  Her response on cue, “But I like fruit!”  Jackpot!  I pretended to succumb to her pouty mouth and handed over the fruit crisps in a dramatic defeat watching as she devoured the crisps. Ever so dramatically, she looked at me and said, “Yummy mom!”

Brother’s Fruit Crisps are available online at Amazon.com in bulk (24-pack) for around $23.00.  You can subscribe and save an additional 15% with scheduled deliveries.  Other characters include Mickey & Friends, Toy Story and Cars.

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