cooking - Stuff Parents Need

Let the Journey Begin: Reynolds Real Moms!!!

April 8, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 9 Comments

I wanted to take a moment to send out a huge and very heartfelt thanks to all of you who read this blog. I know many of you took the time to vote for me for the Reynolds Real Moms contest, and your support really meant the world.

It also really made a difference, because here’s what just got posted on the Reynolds Facebook page this afternoon!

What an honor it is to be part of this campaign. And it is all thanks to you!!! We are going to have so much fun learning great new tips and tricks this year. I can’t wait!!!

Here are the other winners. Definitely take a moment to follow their blogs, as they are not-to-miss!

Utokia from She’s Got Flavor

Karen from 365 Days of Slow Cooking

Emily from Clever Housewife

Whitney and Ahsley from Shanty 2 Chic

Let the journey begin!

9 Blogs You Should Be Reading

April 2, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 4 Comments

The Reynolds Real Moms Finalist competition is now over, and we will be getting word any day now about who will be moving on. Before that happens, though, I want to take a moment to highlight the other 9 blogs represented in the competition. The women behind these blogs are all extraordinary. They are gifted writers, talented photographers, and skilled networkers. And yeah, they are also all real moms. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading their blogs over the past few months, and want to suggest that you check them out for yourself!

Here’s the list of great blogs in the order that the picture above was snapped, left to right (skipping Stuff Parents Need, because if you are reading this, then you clearly already know about my site!)

365 Days of Slow Cooking

I hope you enjoy these blogs as much as I have. Are there any blogs you are currently loving? Please share!

Final Week for Reynolds Real Moms! I Need Your Vote Today! (Giveaway Reminder)

March 27, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

Hi friends,

What a fun road it has been! I have had a blast working on the Reynolds Real Moms campaign and sharing lots of great tips and tricks that get me in and out of my kitchen FAST. I don’t want the journey to end, and that’s where you come in! Today (Wednesday) is THE LAST DAY for voting! Please take a moment and head over to the Reynolds Real Moms Facebook app and vote for me, Tiffany Merritt (bottom row, second from the left in the blue top). The voting button is on the left side of the screen once you are on my specific page. A thousand thank yous! I can’t do it without your support!

Here’s my final tip for you today, and it is a REALLY good one! Take a minute to see why you might need to change the way you store cheese in your home. I have, and I can really taste the difference!

Also remember that I’m currently hosting a giveaway for a 6 MONTH SUPPLY OF REYNOLDS PRODUCTS!!! Don’t miss out on it!

And if you are just tuning in to this whole project, here’s a recap of my tips and recipe ideas:

Baking Cookies with Parchment Paper

How to Cook a Whole Chicken

Baking Cups as Snack Holders

Meat, Potatoes and Dessert in 90 Seconds

Slow Cooker Liners are a Game-Changer!

Kid-Friendly Comfort Foods with No Cleanup

Customized Veggie Foil Packets

Perfect Pork Chops and Oven Rice

I am a Reynolds Real Moms finalist, and as such have received complimentary products. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. If I win this competition, there will be more opportunities for me to spread the Reynolds love (and offer Reynolds prizes!) to my readers. Will you take a moment today to vote for me? Thank you!

Baking Cookies with Parchment Paper (Voting Day! Giveaway!)

March 20, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 137 Comments

It’s voting day for the Reynolds Real Moms campaign! We’re in the home stretch…just two more weeks! Please take a moment to vote for me. It takes just a few seconds and it can change my life, just like Reynolds products have already done! In case you are new here, I’m Tiffany and can be found on the bottom row, second from the left.

Are you using parchment paper when you bake cookies? Its ok…I wasn’t either, until just a few months ago. But now I will NEVER EVER EVER EVER bake cookies without Reynolds Parchment Paper. Yes, it really does make that big of a difference in the baking process, as well as during clean up. Let me show you all the ways parchment paper will rock your chocolate chip world!

Are you thinking to yourself, “Looks cool, but I don’t even own any parchment paper!” No worries, friends. I’ve got you covered. Here’s a parchment paper coupon that will save you a buck. You’re welcome! 🙂

Many of you know that I already gave away a 6 month supply of Reynolds products. Well guess what? Reynolds said, “Let’s do it again!” That means one more person is going to

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a 6 month supply of Reynolds products, including foil, parchment paper, baking cups, slow cooker liners, oven bags, bake ware pans, freezer paper and pan lining paper. Oh heck yes!!!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

Baking Cups Aren’t Just for Cupcakes! (Time to Vote!)

March 13, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 14 Comments

It’s week 4 of the Reynolds Real Moms competition! I can’t win this thing without your help! Could you take a quick moment to vote for me on the Reynolds Facebook page? Just click on my face (bottom row, second from the left…I’m Tiffany!) and then click the orange button on the left side of the screen. This won’t work on mobile devices, unfortunately. Thank you SO much!

A few weeks ago, I was preparing for Darah to have one of her closest friends from school over for their first play date. Her mom was coming over, as well, which meant that I got to have a play date, too! I knew I wanted to do something special, so I bought ingredients to make some delicious cupcakes that the girls could decorate as an art activity before we ~~devoured~~ enjoyed them.

And then this happened:

The day before our playdate I had a serious run-in with my food-processor blade. It was a “4 stitches needed” kind of run-in. Cooking can be dangerous, friends! Anyway, I was told that I couldn’t get this hand wet AT ALL for 48 hours. That meant that cooking would be pretty close to impossible. At the same time, I was also dealing with this:

This little monkey decided to cut 3 teeth at the same time. This was her second outfit of the day, soaked with drool after only 45 minutes. She wanted to be snuggled and cuddled ALL. DAY. LONG. So as the play date hour drew near, I had to face facts: there would be no cupcakes. But I was having a tough time letting go of the idea of using those cute Reynolds Baking Cups. Time for plan B!

I got out my muffin tin and filled them with two different types of baking cups.

Then I headed to the pantry and the fridge to gather all the snacks I could find. I was really surprised by just how many things I found that could be fun in a muffin tin once I started digging. Here’s what I put in the baking cups:

I had a nice variety of fruits and nuts and sweets and even veggie puffs. Not only did the girls enjoy this, but the moms snacked on it, too!

I was even able to use the foil lined baking cups to hold hummus. It worked wonderfully as the dip bowl. These two items were gone in a flash!

The girls had a fantastic time playing with each other upstairs in Darah’s room. In fact, they ONLY came downstairs to get more snacks. At one point, Darah asked if she could take one of the baking cups back upstairs to save a trip. I managed to snap a shot before this little fairy flew off with her treasure!

Despite not being able to cook a single thing, I still managed to put together something special and fun thanks to my Reynolds Baking Cups. Who said entertaining had to be hard? Give this idea a try the next time you have company. I bet it will be a hit!

I am a Reynolds Real Moms finalist, and as such, have received complimentary products. All thoughts, opinions, and hand gashes shown here are strictly my own! If you enjoyed this post would you take a moment to vote for me (voting happens every Wednesday!). Just click on my face (bottom row, second from the left) and then click on the “vote for me!” button on the left side. I’d also be grateful for you sharing this post (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc.). Thank you!

And don’t forget about the giveaway for the 6 month supply of Reynolds products! Find the link over on the sidebar and get yourself entered!

Meat, Potatoes and a Dessert Made in 90 Seconds with Reynolds Aluminum Foil!

March 9, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 13 Comments

I’ve got a 90 second video to share with you. It may not make you laugh as much as Charlie Bit My Finger, but it will still give you some really good ideas for ways you can make a meat and potatoes type of meal almost effortlessly. And cleanup is a non-issue! Gotta love that! Check it out!

And here’s a breakdown of each recipe in case you want to try any of them out!

Super Simple Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes

Ingredients:

8 Baking Potatoes*
Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil
Toppings of your choice

1. Scrub all of your potatoes so they are nice and clean!

2. Poke each potato 4-6 times with a fork. This helps the steam escape the inside of the potato.

3. Wrap each potato with aluminum foil. This traps that steam that escapes and creates the perfect cooking environment!

4. Set your slow cooker to high for 3 1/2 hours or so. Your potatoes will stay warm inside the aluminum foil for quite a while if they are done before the rest of dinner.

5. Add the toppings of your choice to your perfectly cooked baked potatoes. And enjoy not having to clean your slow cooker.

*I like to make a large batch of baked potatoes at one time to eat throughout the week, but you could also do just enough for one meal.

Crazy Easy Baked Ham

Ingredients:

7 Pound Bone-in Ham (cooking time will vary by weight…see instructions)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup yellow mustard
Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil
Meat thermometer

1. Preheat your oven to 325.

2. Line a baking dish with Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil.

3. In a medium sized bowl, mix together brown sugar and mustard until a smooth sauce is formed.

4. Add your ham to the baking dish, flat side down.

5. Cover the ham with the brown sugar and mustard sauce.

6. Place another sheet of Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil on top, sealing the bottom layer of foil and the top layer of foil together to create a pouch in which the ham will cook.

7. The ham needs to be cooked for roughly 25 minutes per pound. If you have a 7 pound ham that means it will need 3 hours to cook. Ham only needs to reach 145 degrees to be considered fully cooked. A meat thermometer is very helpful here to make sure you have cooked your ham enough, but not too much!

Baked Apples

Ingredients:

4 apples (Fuji or Galas are my favorites)
4 tablespoons brown sugar*
4 large marshmallows
Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil

1. Preheat the oven to 325.

2. Core each apple, making sure that the bottom of the apple remains intact.

3. Peel one to two rings of the apple skin away from the top of the apple.

4. Add roughly half a tablespoon to the inside of each apple.

5. Next, add one large marshmallow to the inside of each apple.

6. Add the remaining half tablespoon of brown sugar on top of each apple.

7. Wrap each apple in aluminum foil. Place inside a baking dish and bake for 45 minutes.

The apple is yummy on its own, or fantastic served sliced over ice cream!

*As a variation, add a bit of cinnamon to your brown sugar!

For more fantastic (really and truly!) tips from other Reynolds Real Moms, check out the Reynolds Facebook page. Dinner is about to get so much easier at your house!

I’m a Reynolds Real Moms finalist. As such I have received complimentary products. This meal was my creation. I hope you enjoyed it!