Tag Archives: snacks

Game Time Recipe: Spicy Turkey & Cheese Quesadilla Sliders

Posted on by January 4, 2017
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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #VivaLaMorena #CollectiveBias

Through all my food quirks and passions, have you noticed that I’m a Sliders Girl?

Try these bite-sized, full of flavor Turkey and Cheese Quesadilla Sliders for your next game time or big game party. A perfect party dish. #VivaLaMorena #ad

Yes, that deserves capital letters. There are SO MANY reasons I love bite-sized foods – especially with foods that aren’t usually bite-sized – like hot dogs, pizza, burgers, and QUESADILLAS. (also worthy of capital letters) I don’t even need to get into all the many reasons – because the important one is that bite-sized foods remind me of PARTIES. Parties give me good feelings.

It reminds me of school dances and weddings. Even better, it reminds me of my brother and sister’s Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. True I had my own two years later, but I was way too revved up to eat or remember the food then. For my siblings, the catering company had an entire table devoted to bite-sized foods. Pizza bagels, pigs in a blanket, mini grilled cheese bites, and pretty much anything you would want to fill your stomach with. Ever since then, I seek out the original ideas when I’m being served snacks and appetizers. At our wedding, we had a Mashtini bar! Mashed potatoes in little martini glasses for all!

There were toppings galore! Are you starving yet?

quesadilla

Good if you are. My recipe doesn’t take that long to make. I was at a wedding last year (because it’s newly 2017 and all) and there were mini quesadillas! This made me so excited! I knew I had to try my own hand at them. I’ve been a LA MORENA® fan since I found their products in a little bodega years ago. Since then, I’m excited that my Walmart carries their products.

 

Not only that, you can enter these sweepstakes NOW for a chance to win some amazing prizes!

 

#VivaLaMorenaSweepstakes (NFL Playoffs)

I’m a big LA MORENA® fan, and I have been for awhile now. The company has been providing us with the taste of the authentic Mexican home for over 35 years now! They are a leader in peppers, and I’m learning to get my heat on with them.

Quesadillas are a bit funny to make. They are so easy and quick, once you get the rhythm of them. Generally, you don’t want them too thick, so you put the cheese on only one half of them. I tend to use cheese across the board, but then put the other toppings on only one side. Then you have choices galore! You can use ground turkey or deli turkey. You can use any deli meats. You can use flour tortillas or corn tortillas! You can get your spice and heat from various places. One of my secret ingredients is LA MORENA® Chipotle Peppers in Adobo. I’ll write about it in more detail in my recipe, but remember that a little goes a long way – and that you can use the peppers, just the sauce, or both. You’ll know the tastes of your party:

I tend to start light – focusing on intense and wonderful flavor -and build from there.

Recipe Time:

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If it’s game time or you’re having a big game party, here’s my favorite checklist:

Decorations – banners, streamers, real or inflatable footballs, balloons
Drinks – sodas, juices, seltzers, water, and coolers, buckets, small tubs, ice
Food – finger foods, chips and dips, wings, and of course – quesadilla sliders
Dining – plates, bowls, cups, cutlery, platters, trays, napkins, serving bowls
Seating – enough seats in front of the TV for everyone, folding chairs, lawn
& camping chairs come in handy too! Put out throw rugs, blankets and pillows

What’s your favorite bite-sized snack or appetizer for a game time party?

Weekend Winter Warriors: Tips For Active Playtime With Kids

Posted on by May 8, 2017

Before I became a parent, my adventurous spirit would slow down more during the colder months.

playtime

I’ve always been one for sundresses, sandals, and a road trip. In the winter, I tend to want to burrow on the couch with a book and a bowl of soup. While I think of that as a common thing to do, the kids still need active playtime as much as they do during other times of the year. In fact, it’s even more the case. After a summer of running around, and then a fall of Saturday soccer games – with Des participating just as much on the sidelines – I’ve had to get more creative lately. Scarlet only gets a limited time to play during recess and after school. Des gets plenty of active playtime at school, and even during cold days, but it’s for a limited time as well. Once the weekend hits, they are raring to go! These are some of my favorite times.

Here are my top ten tips and ideas for keeping your kids active all year round! With creativity and spirit, it will keep you active too! #CLIFKid #ad

The school year is fully underway and winter is not far away, but kid playtime is important for their growth all year long. We may have to work harder so that it’s not pushed to the side during the school year, and the winter, but with the combination of school and after-school playtime, and what we do with our weekends, I think our creativity is really paying off!

playtime

Weekends are our TIMES! Whether it’s been soccer games, going to fall/winter fairs and festivals, or looking for moose in Maine at the crack of dawn, we pretty much don’t stop moving until Sunday night comes around, and with a lot of interesting stops along the way. Whether it’s outdoor museums, sleigh riding, river boat rides, apple picking, and more, I love coming up with ideas together. In this age of handheld video games and smartphones, at four and seven, my kids are still experiencing the simple joys of old-fashioned fun. I really hope it lasts! One thing my kids love is the art of playing. Really, truly playing.

The kind that makes the adults feel like kids again!

Tips & Ideas For Active Playtime With Kids During Colder Months:

1 – Follow their lead. I use that same advice in my photography career. Kids will make choices and show you/tell you want they want to play. Showing them you care about them and their interests leads to better playtime all around.

2 – Be silly! Make funny faces, dress up, laugh a lot!

3 – Get on your kids’ level. Sit on the floor with them. Adapt their play higher up, if that’s not possible. Being truly engaged with them will make playtime even better for all of you!

4 – Build a fort! Really, is there anything better than that? This is an activity that definitely includes the parents – helping to use furniture, blankets and pillows to construct castles. It’s time-consuming and more active than you think!

5 – Have a dance party! Kids love music and dancing, and they remind us that we love music and dancing too.

6 – Video games today are different. They were changing when I was a kid into being more active, but the ones today really give me a run for the money! I find it to be a full work-out, but so much fun, to play active video games with kids.

7 – Indoor bouncing. The best indoor places of play around here have trampolines, bounce houses, slides, and more!

8 – Snow fun is endless fun. Whether it’s snow angels, sledding, snow tag, or more, we use a lot of energy!

9 – Create a treasure hunt. This can be tailored for year-round fun, by making clues that refer to the sights of the season – icicles in snowbanks, pinecones in leaf piles, etc.

10 – Keep your kids well fueled with snacks, like CLIF Kid Zbars!

CLIF Kid is dedicated to reclaiming play all year long, and they’re encouraging boys and girls everywhere to get back outside, push their boundaries, and feed their adventures!

It can be difficult to fit playtime in – around all the other activities that the school year brings – but by getting outside and creating/establishing a routine, you’ll be sure your kids are healthy and thriving all year long.

CLIF Kid Zbars are made with organic ingredients, are non-GMO, and have important nutrients for active kids. They have appropriate portion sizes for kids, in flavors that they love. No high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors (or synthetic preservatives).

CLIF Kid® makes nutritious snacks made from organic ingredients. They are specially-crafted for kids’ developing taste buds, and for their active lives – whether after soccer practice, or in between homework sessions!

They are perfect for growing kids! (and adults) Check out this CLIF Kid video!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.