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Food

Food is more than just something you put in your mouth to your fuel your body. Food is an adventure, a shared experience with someone you love, it’s traveling to a distant part of the world and it brings people together.

In our family are foodies. I come from a long line of foodies. We were taught to try everything and I’ve raised my daughters to try everything twice.

Here I will review different restaurants, share recipes and try foods that you may otherwise have never heard of or known about. My goal is to share all the good we discover and give my readers, and my family, exposure to different kinds of cuisines and tastes.

Food is something that connects all humans. We all need it. We all love it. The more we understand the foods of different cultures, the more we can understand it’s people and the world can always use a little more human understanding.

live mas, taco bell

What does it mean to live mas? It means to live more. Live bigger. Live brighter. Live in the moment.  Life is too short for waiting to have your adventure until tomorrow, until you have more money saved, the perfect house, the perfect mate or until you are thinner. You shouldn’t live your life on a reward system; living is the reward. Live it now. In short, carpe diem.

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french toast, french toast recipe, french toast recipes, Home is where the heart is, Kings Hawaiian

I love long lazy summer weekends almost as much as I love homemade french toast. You know the ones where you don’t have to be anywhere or do anything in particular? The weekends when everything is easy and slow; the kids sleep in, no one has to be anywhere or do anything. Worries just float away. Weekends with no obligation are my favorite kind. Those are the weekends that you file away in your mind as the best weekends of your life.

Of course, our summer has been filled with constant running since the last day of school. In the past 4 weeks, we have been someplace else other than our home for 3 of those weeks. I’m vacationed out. In fact, I have been spending a lot of time dreaming of my own bed. Me, the insomniac, dreaming of sleeping in is quite funny.

It got me to thinking of one of my favorite weekends ever. The girls were 2 and 4 and it was before my husband lost his job and we started the 3 years of commuter hell. It was a Saturday, just like many other Saturday mornings in our home. The girls slept in until about 10 am (of all the things I miss about them getting older, I miss them sleeping in the most). The Big Guy and I slept until we woke up on our own. You remember those days? Waking up on your own is such a luxury these days.

We both woke up at about 9 am. He made coffee and we enjoyed it on the deck in our pajamas, as the warm late May sun washed over us. I remember his smile as we joked about our girls still sleeping. It felt like we shared a special secret that no one else in the world knew. Then one by one, two tiny beautiful angels emerged from the sliding doors, simultaneously rubbing the sleep out of their eyes and shielding themselves from the suns bright good morning greeting.

We greeted them with big smiles, we know that we are blessed, and to see that the two halves of us could make two such incredible wholes makes our hearts happy. Gabi clamored onto my lap, nearly knocking my sweet, warm coffee to the ground, as her sister did the same to the Big Guy. Soon they were stretched out like cats basking in the sun. All of us, in our pajamas, on a warm summer morning just being.

Everyone got hungry and the Big Guy decided that the occasion demanded French toast and bacon with fresh strawberries. As I cleaned and cut fruit, as the smell of bacon wafted through the kitchen from the oven, the Big Guy and the girls made the French toast.

It’s a very simple French Toast recipe but it bears the most amazing French toast and is our absolute favorite.

Ingredients
• 4 (1-inch) thick slices King’s Hawaiian Bread
• 4 large brown eggs
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• Butter for frying
• Pecan Praline syrup

Preparation
1. Slice bread crosswise so that each slice is about 1-inch thick. Set aside.
2. In a shallow mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, vanilla and cinnamon.
3. Quickly dip slices (do not soak) in egg mixture and cook until golden brown on both sides.
4. Keep egg mixture stirred and spices well blended.
5. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with warm pecan praline syrup.
6. Top with fresh strawberries and a side of crisp bacon.
7. Enjoy.

After we ate, we spent the rest of the day hanging out at our home just the four of us; doing nothing but it meant absolutely everything. I think of this day often, especially on those hectic days when we barely have a moment to kiss each other good morning or ask one another how our day is going. Soon our lives will be back to normal. We finally sold our home and will soon be buying a new one. I can’t wait for another day spent doing nothing with the three people that I love most in this world.

What food reminds you of a special moment in your life?

This is our favorite french toast recipe. What is your favorite dish to share with your family? Comment below and you’ll be entered to win a $200 Grocery gift card King’s Hawaiian.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Kings Hawaiian. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Sweepstakes Rules.

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Lipton Tea and Honey, beach bag, must haves, vacation tips

Beach bag, must haves, Lipton Tea and Honey

As many of you know, I’ve spent the better part of this month on vacation. I know it sounds heavenly, right? Yes, I’ve had about 7 days of awesome but 21 days of melting in the sun by the pool, at Disney World and in Chicago. That’s a lot for a Mommy who blogs and is used to spending her days in the house, under the cloak of central air and room darkening blinds. Mama doesn’t like to sweat, especially not profusely in the Florida death ray sun.

Not to mention that I had to make sure that my girls survived the heat and sun. Have you seen my kids? They are blonde, with fair skin and blue eyes. Thank you German husband and recessive genes for giving me beautiful children who I’m constantly afraid will be burnt to a crisp. I look like their nanny.

Lipton Tea and Honey, beach bag, must haves, vacation tips

Obviously, my main concern during the summer is trying to protect them from being scorched by the sun or withered by its heat. While on vacation, all my girls wanted to do was go swimming, lounge by the pool and ride every single ride we could possibly fit in, all in 100-degree weather. Of course, they want to do the things that will most likely cause their untimely melting.

So every morning, I had to pack a bag. Some may call it a beach bag. I like to think of it more as a survival bag for my girls and myself. It was pretty simple, filled with what I consider the essentials of vacationing bags, especially when you are going to be in the sun and on the run all day long.

Sunscreen SPF 50, Sunscreen for the face, Sunscreen lip balm ( What can I say, I like my kids medium and not well-done.)

Water to drink(But Mommy can not live on water alone…well, I could but how boring would that be?)

Cheez-its(Come on I have kids, at least we’ve graduated from Goldfish and Cheerios)

Bobby pins and rubber bands(Have you seen little girl long hair after a day at the pool? It’s about 7000 times worse than bedhead.)

Sunglasses(Because Mommy is creeping up on 40 and doesn’t want to help those crows feet sneak up.)

I.D. (just in case Mommy needed a cocktail) cash (in case the girls needed an ice cream) and my room key(in case we all needed a nap).

Towels

Extra clothing(Kids+heat+pool=accident waiting to happen.)

iPhone ( Because it goes everywhere I go. If I ever unplug completely there may be some sort of involuntary institution stay involved).

Rain Panchos (Because it rains a freaking lot in Florida).

Lipton Tea and Honey packets to give us a little variety from just water, without the calories of soda. It only has 5 calories because it’s sweetened with real honey. (I loved the rich taste of Iced Black Tea with Lemon because I am old school and my mama is from the south but my husband loved the Mango Pineapple and the girls liked the Blackberry pomegranate. The packets were so convenient, I just opened the packet and poured it into my water bottle, shook it all up and voila, I had tea.)

These were my essentials for our “ by the pool, on vacation” beach bag, what’s in yours?

Tell me how you add flavor to your life or what your beach bag essentials are and the first three people to comment on my blog will win a sample of Lipton Tea & Honey to try for themselves!

For an extra entry to win the Lipton Tea & Honey kit share this sweepstakes with your friends on Twitter and Facebook by clicking the buttons below. Learn more about the amazing Lipton Tea & Honey Flavors on their Facebook page

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Lipton Tea. The opinions and text are all mine. Official sweepstakes rules.

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wine, fashion, shit wine drinkers say

Wine, Fashion Haul Friday, Fashion Friday, Fashionable drinks

Wine & Fashion go together like Love and Marriage

Wine Drinkers and Winners ~First, I’d like to say thank you to all of you who entered the Karen Kane $100 Gift Certificate giveaway. It was a great success and the winner is Anna Pry! Congratulations Anna! There is so many beuatiful pieces to choose from, I’m sure the hardest part will be trying to decide which one to use your gift certificate on.

If you didn’t win, I am sorry but remember Karen Kane has extended a 25% discount for all of The TRUTH about Motherhood readers; good from January 13, 2012 to February 13,2012. Just use the promo code TRUTHFULMOMMY! You know you want to.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

I have been sick all week and, as such, have not had a chance to get my fashion on. Sure, I could have just  pulled an amazing outfit off  of Polyvore.com or Pinterest but I like to have hands on experience with the pieces before I tell you to love them. So, in lieu of fashion this week, I am sharing with you something that is always in fashion..WINE and the Shit Wine Drinkers Say. Besides, when you are holding a glass of wine in your hand, don’t people just look infinitely cooler? I think it’s the wine goggles. This video is Soooooooooo Good!

Shit Wine Drinkers Say

I think we should all pass this post around #wineparty tonight so that everyone can get a good chuckle. I promise, “Not that I’m a wine snob” but this video is spot on.

Wine is always in Fashion

*Remember, here at The TRUTH about Motherhood I love my wine but I don’t advocate dangerous behaviors such as texting while driving ,texting while drinking, driving while drinking, dressing little girls like hookers, or playing with rabid dogs. So be cool, stay in school, drink your wine after the kids go to bed and not while driving.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

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Thanksgiving recipes, How to make sweet potato casserole, sweet potato casserole, sweet potatoes, Holiday recipes, turkey recipes, Thanksgiving, how to roast the perfect turkey

Ever wonder how to roast the perfect turkey? I had no idea how to cook a turkey the first year I hosted Thanksgiving. I just knew  I wanted all of my family together in one place. If that meant that I had to learn how to roast the perfect turkey, so be it. I’d do it. That’s how I learned how to roast a turkey.

I did a lot of research online and on Pinterest before I dove deep into this recipe. I wanted to prepare the best tasting, most moist turkey that ever graced a Thanksgiving tablescape and I did a pretty good job on my first year. By year two, I had all the kinks worked out and there’s been no turning back since.

This turkey recipe is very easy and has worked better than beautifully for me for the past 7 years. I am not a domestic diva but there are a few things that I can really cook so well that it will knock the taste right outta your mouth..turkey is one of those things. So, I want to share with you all my secret of how to roast the perfect turkey. Thanksgiving is my holiday our entire family, both sides come to our house because the Big Guy and I absolutely know how to roast the perfect turkey. I know people deep fry, rotisserie and all sorts of creative ideas but when it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, I like my turkey traditional. Today I will share with you what I’ve perfected as the sure-fire way of how to roast the perfect turkey.

Easy tips on how to roast a turkey perfectly every time

  1. Learning how to roast the perfect turkey starts with selecting the right turkey for your family. To calculate how much turkey you will need, I use the rule that allows for 1 pound of turkey for every adult and 3/4 pounds for every child that you will be feeding. You will have leftovers and there will be no fighting over portions. Everyone will have their fair share of the tryptophan high that Thanksgiving brings us all.
  2. Start with preheating the oven to 400 degrees.
  3. Remove turkey from bag. We have found that buying a non-frozen fresh turkey works the best. It eliminates the headache of thawing. We found this out the hard way when we had our turkey thawing in our game room fridge and little people playing under the bar cabinets, accidentally knocked the plug out of the wall. ( I know so dangerous, please hold all judgment.) Keep in mind that a partially frozen turkey will take longer to cook.
  4. If you need help deciding between fresh or frozen here are a few facts:
    • Fresh turkeys need no thawing and are ready to cook. Winning! This is my favorite tip on how to roast the perfect turkey.
    • Fresh Butterball turkeys are all natural.
    • Frozen turkeys can be purchased weeks in advance but require several days of thawing before roasting. A quick rule of thumb is to allow 1 day for every 4 pounds of turkey. We normally get about a 26-pound turkey. Yes, it takes forever to defrost in the refrigerator but it is less likely to give you salmonella than trying to defrost in cold water overnight. The water needs to be cold and changed every 30 minutes to prevent bacteria from growing. If you are not going with a fresh turkey, please defrost using the refrigerator.
  5. Remove all the innards. Do not forget the neck-bone and giblets, sometimes if you have a frozen turkey the neck-bone and giblets try to stay inside. Just remember, every turkey comes with the neck-bone and giblets inside so if you don’t find them. LOOK HARDER they are most likely still frozen inside.
  6. Drain juices and pat dry with clean paper towels. I like to rinse it once before I pat it dry.
  7. Place turkey lifter across the full length of a flat rack in a shallow roasting pan, 2 to 2 1/2 inches deep. Keep in mind that a dark roasting pan cooks the turkey faster than a shiny one.
  8. Tuck wings back to hold the neck skin in place. Doing so will help stabilize the turkey in the pan and when carving. Place thawed or fresh turkey, breast up, on the turkey lifter. Raise one loop over wings and breast, and the other loop over drumsticks. Rest loops on turkey, not over the edge of the pan during roasting.
  9. *Next, this is important.* I place my hand between the skin and turkey itself. Then, gently lift on the skin. This separates the skin intact without removing it from the turkey. ( I fully realize that this is about as gross as pulling out the guts from a pumpkin but I enjoy that too:) Then take pats of butter and place inside the space between the turkey and skin. While the turkey cooks the butter flavor will seep into the turkey.
  10. This step is essential to ensuring moistness and a key factor in how to roast the perfect turkey, massage turkey skin with vegetable/olive oil ( I prefer olive oil) to prevent the skin from drying and locking in the juices, keeping your turkey moist.
  11. Melt about a cup of butter ( unsalted preferably) and pour over the turkey while massaging it into the turkey. Then shower the turkey with salt and pepper. Massage again. ( This turkey is very relaxed by the time he goes into the oven.)
  12. I do not stuff my turkey with stuffing. I do however quarter 2 lemons and 3 oranges and place inside the turkey along with some rosemary and thyme. There are a variety of things you can add inside your turkey for flavoring but oranges, lemons, rosemary and thyme are what I use. I keep it simple.
  13. Turn oven down to 325 degrees for cooking. To cook the perfect turkey we preheat to 400 degrees because once you put the turkey in the oven, it seals in the juices an then immediately turn the oven down 325 degrees for cooking. If this is your first time, I don’t suggest waiting until turkey is in the oven before turning down temperature because there is a big possibility that you will forget and burn the outside of your turkey while the inside is still frozen.
  14. Insert oven-safe meat thermometer deep into the lower part of the thigh muscle but not touching the bone. When the thigh is up to temperature and if the turkey is stuffed, move thermometer to center of stuffing. Stuffing should be 165 degrees when done.

READ ALSO: How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole

Thanksgiving recipes, How to make sweet potato casserole, sweet potato casserole, sweet potatoes, Holiday recipes, turkey recipes, Thanksgiving, how to roast the perfect turkey

15. I do not stuff my bird with stuffing when roasting, it slows down the cooking process. I fear if I did, I’d have to title this post How to get Salmonella rather than How to roast the perfect turkey.

16. Place your turkey with a loosely tented piece of lightweight foil atop the breast and top of drumsticks to prevent overcooking in the pre-heated oven at 325 degrees. If you place your dark roasting lid on the turkey it will speed up the roasting process. I prefer to cook my turkey slowly. Think of that lid as Pitocin for your turkey, it will speed up the process but it might not give you the best results. The turkey may be drier than it would have been otherwise.

17. I check the turkey about every hour and baste it in its juices. This helps keep the skin moist and helps to brown the turkey. Yes, I do realize that I am obsessed with keeping my turkey moist. Have you ever had dry turkey? It’s almost impossible to eat and I don’t want to choke to death on Thanksgiving.

18. Use the roasting schedule below as a guide and start checking for doneness about 30 minutes before the end of recommended cooking times.

19. When the turkey is about 2/3 done, uncover the turkey to allow for the skin to cook to a beautiful golden brown. This is the perfect time to start preparing those final side dishes like the recipe for those delicious stuffed sweet potatoes I found on Lady and the Blog.

20. Your turkey is done when the meat thermometer reaches the following temperatures:

180 degrees deep in the thigh. At this temperature, juices should be clear, not reddish pink when thigh muscle is pierced deeply.

165 degrees in the center of the stuffing, if the turkey is stuffed.

21. Lift roasted turkey onto a platter with turkey lifter and discard lifter.

22. Before removing stuffing and carving, let your turkey stand 15 minutes to allow juices to set. Garnish as you like, I use citrus and cranberries. This is how to roast the perfect turkey.

READ ALSO: Thanksgiving Recipes for the Perfect Holiday Dinner

How to roast the perfect turkey every time

Net Weight (lb.)Unstuffed (hrs.)Stuffed (hrs.)
4½ to 72 to 2½2¼ to 2¾
7 to 92½ to 32¾ to 3½
9 to 183 to 3½3¾ to 4½
18 to 223½ to 44½ to 5
22 to 244 to 4½5 to 5½
24 to 304½ to 55½ to 6¼

I know there are many ways to roast the perfect turkey but this is what has worked for me for many Thanksgivings. How do you roast your perfect turkey? What are your favorite Thanksgiving sides? What are your must haves at Thanksgiving? Stay tuned, I will be sharing a few of my favorite sides over the next week. How to roast the perfect turkey is the key to how to have a perfect Thanksgiving with your loved ones.

Thanksgiving recipes, How to make sweet potato casserole, sweet potato casserole, sweet potatoes, Holiday recipes, turkey recipes, Thanksgiving

How to Roast a Turkey to perfection

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