Cooking With Mommy

 Originally written 12/17/22 7:07pm 12/20/22 11:08pm I almost passed up this opportunity! I mentioned in my other (one of my other) blog posts that "life" kept happening! As it usually does! I just happen to go back & review my invitations (on this platform for brands, yada) & Thistle stood out to me. I told my daughter that I didn't want to start something that I couldn't finish. I'm all ready to my limit with brands, trying to figure out what direction I want to go in with several of them. I don't know what it was, Thistle was really intriguing to me. I can't remember if it was the day of (12/14) or the day after (12/15) my surgery, I received an email from Thistle. The VERY company that I had looked at again not too long ago! 8:28pm - On paper, we are a match made in heaven! Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Plant Forward, Organic (whenever possible), environmentally sustainable, sustainable sourcing, in addition to local sourcing!!! Like, this is ALL me...

Hello Love Muffins!   Long Time no See! Or so that's what it feels like to me! I was supposed to be back a little while ago but ...life! Since the last time I was here, I've added some newness to my life. I have MORE Brands that I'm working with now. I'm not sure if I ever told you all that I was a MAJOR workaholic many years ago. If not, it was bad. I went from never having a job for 18 years to having 3 jobs (simultaneously) by the time I was 20/21 (I think 20). Why is that significant? Because I have a really hard time turning down opportunities when it comes to brand deals (which doesn't work the way you think it does!)  Anyway! Let me tell you about these Deals that are going on Right Now!  *You know those viral videos of the Moms with the big houses/kitchens refilling the fridge or doing the pantry makeover? 9 times out of 10 those containers and bins are from  Smart Design ! Well, if you're trying to get organized before your Holiday Guests arrive; you ca...

10/21/22      8:59pm  Heeeey! Hello! I miss you guys! It has been so much going on! I have been trying to figure out what to do with this blog, and how to approach it. I definitely don't want to shut it down forever (I have to admit, at one point, I was beyond tempted!)      So, the reason why I'm here is actually related to my last post, which was WAY back in MARCH!!! I have seriously been in withdrawal! I haven't had a Kate Farms Nutrition Shake in FOREVER (or so that's how it feels). Why you ask? Money! (I keep it real on ALL of my platforms! I never want anyone to think my/our situation is better than it seems; I never want anyone to think that I'm dwelling on our shortcomings for attention or sympathy! Absolutely NOT!) Anyway, I was blessed enough to be able to get more & I am ridiculously excited & happy! My only issue is what am I going to do next month (in a couple weeks) when I have my surgery. The logical answer is for me to be a res...

 3/23/22 1:30pm *Kate Farms offers shakes and formulas for kids and adults that taste good and can also be fed by a feeding tube. They have a wide variety of products that may help support the nutritional needs of those with gastrointestinal issues, food allergies, weight gain or maintenance issues, and other conditions like diabetes or during dialysis. Kate Farms also provides a meal replacement nutrition shake for overall health and maintenance. (you can find this information and more on their website) 3/14/22 3:53pm Very similar to the mushroom coffee, I saw an ad; with this particular company I shared the ad on my story (Instagram) and they reached out to me. I will have to say I/we had SO MANY issues in the beginning, I truly was less than 2 secs from giving up. I tend to have what I call “the rule of 3” - if you try 3xs and it doesn’t happen after those 3xs, whatever the situation is, it’s usually not meant to happen. I had already hit that 3rd time, ...

3/12/22 4:33pm I uploaded a new blog post on WordPress today for the first time in forever! I will update you guys as well. Yes, I have officially lost my mind and I'm bringing back both blogs. Of course this is one is predominantly food, so you guys know what it is. Like I mentioned on my other blog, the style of the posts will NOT be the same! I stressed myself out WAY too much in the past. I really want to avoid the same mistakes.  I have some "Brand Deal" type situations going on so the posts that pertain to food will live here. I will have situations that will overlap. Again, I did mention this to my other audience, please feel free to read 📖 my other blog as well. If one is enough (I understand) and the other has food related content, I will link that particular post. This is a reintroduction post. I have 3 definite ideas for this blog. In the meantime, please give my newest post on my other site a read to get caught up a little bit. I will be getting my ducks 🦆 ...

#CookingWithMommy #Dinner was really good! I asked on a poll, what should I make? #HotWings or #ChickenFried #Cauliflower. The vote went to hot wings but The Lil Chef chose something different to eat for dinner so I made the chicken fried cauliflower for myself. I questioned on one of my blog posts... "Can you make #CauliflowerBites with or from frozen cauliflower? Well the answer is, YES! I had leftovers from my last cauliflower adventure and I froze it. The #MashedPotatoes & #Corn were also frozen. I let the cauliflower semi-thaw so it would hold its shape and tada. I'm not used to using eggs to batter things but after the last time, it needs it. I got my #FriedChicken fix without having to be bothered with the chicken . It's time for me to make new chicken batter so there's a distinct possibility that they will not taste the same the next time. (not in a bad way though) I ate before 6pm, the ☀ is shining, and the food was good (as always). Today was a good d...

I decided to try baking the eggrolls this time because frying them turned into a burnt disaster! Again, I know what I did wrong this time as well. Were these a disaster? No, but there was a ton of room for improvement. I followed the recipe for the filling last time (which I will not do again). The recipe is fine, it just didn't work for me. I used all of the ingredients that they said I needed but I put them together my own way. I did not measure, just to taste. In addition to baked egg rolls, we had Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry (I added shrimp to it, for me). First, I doubled the sauce because I thought the noodles would have soaked up the extra liquid, especially because I had twice what the recipe called for. Secondly, The Lil Chef overcooked the noodles (no worries, she is still learning).  It's ok because I LOVE extra sauce on almost everything! And, the stir-fry turned out really really good. When I make it again, I'll still double the sauce but only add the "...

This was my post/review on Instagram for those of you who are not on Instagram. 3/10/18 #CookingWithMommy #Breakfast  - OK so literally like yesterday or something I put up the post with the  #Brandless   #MapleSyrup  and I said that I haven't been able to find what I was looking for as far as  #Pancakes  right? Right! Like no BS... These pancakes 🥞 taste like REAL pancakes! These are not gritty, thin, flimsy, mushy, bland or just downright weird. Can you tell we've tried 10 billion types of  #GF   pancakes /mixes? I actually ate like all of my pancakes before I touched my 🥓. The Lil Chef made no noise which meant it was good! I am beyond impressed! I used  #SoDelicious   #AlmondMilk  with cashews and  #CoconutOil  for the milk and oil part. I also used coconut oil for "fry" them in. I'm happy 😊, I don't feel sick to my stomach and that's a really big thing for me! Thank you Brandless! https://www.instagra...

Everything started off so promising. I actually don't know where the exact problem was because... I made an egg roll in a spring wrapper before and it worked. There are a few things that I feel like I could have done differently but it's too late now. We're going to try again tomorrow but we're baking them! You live and you learn. Please don't be discouraged. Homemade egg rolls are the best. We made a fairly large batch in January, I believe and they were great! That time I used Rp Pasta's (they've recently changed their name to Taste Republic)  lasagna sheets. I got that hack from Pinterest.  If I EVER try that again, I might roll it out a little thinner and wider. I'm not giving up on my Egg rolls yet!  I'll be back with updates tomorrow on the 🥞, (I'm too tired to get into the details right now. I do have a post up on Instagram under the user name cooking.with_mommy if you want to see my review)  Baked Egg rolls and catch you guys up on some...

Hello 👋🏾, how are you guys? I'm trying to put my foot in the door 🚪 . I'm trying to ease back into this "blogger situation. I will start with a Company that is new to me. (This blog post like ALL the others are NOT sponsored... Though that would be nice. 😏) I saw the ad for this company several times on various social media sites and really never paid it any attention... Because I don't care for ads. The ad that caught my attention included the fact that for every however much they donate a meal 🍴. I personally like companies that care about the world 🗺, whether it's recycling ♻ (that's a huge plus ➕ for me), donating food 🍲, water, clothes, etc. Another big plus for me was the fact that everything is Organic. I do not on any level agree with GMOs. In addition to those awesome stats...... (which took me forever to believe) EVERYTHING IS ONLY $3!!!! Please tell me where are yo...

Slow Cooker Parmesan Garlic Herb Chicken Prep time 10 mins Cook time 6 hours Total time 6 hours 10 mins Slow Cooker Parmesan Garlic Herb Chicken is such an easy meal that is packed with amazing flavor! The potatoes cook to tender perfection in garlic, parmesan, and fresh herbs and the chicken is perfectly juicy. This makes a great meal in one! Author:  Alyssa Serves:  4-6 Ingredients 2 Tablespoons butter (vegan) 2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs, can also use boneless thighs or boneless chicken breasts 2 pounds baby red potatoes, quartered (whatever potatoes you have) 4 garlic cloves, minced (jarred, minced garlic, in olive oil, if you don't have fresh garlic) ½ cup grated parmesan cheese (pecorino or vegan) 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (dried if you don't have fresh)  1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped  1 tablespoon oregano, finely chopped I would use Italian seasoning ⅓ cup olive oil  salt and pep...

This post will be short and sweet! I just found out about a Gluten Free Expo online on Instagram. Of course, this month's theme is for Celiac Disease Awareness. If you are new to the Gluten Free Thing and/or looking for brands outside of your norm then check out  http://www.glutenawayexpo.com/ This Expo pretty much has all of the same sponsors as all the "regular" Expos. Maybe you want to browse the website to see if you want to attend an actual Expo. I told you short and sweet and to the point!

I've been eyeballing this recipe on Pinterest for years! I think I'll finally make it! TOTAL TIME:  Prep/Total Time: 30 min. MAKES:  4 servings Ingredients 3 cups fresh baby spinach 1-3/4 cups sliced fresh mushrooms 3 green onions, sliced 2 tablespoons chopped pecans (I'll leave the pecans out) 1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each) 1/2 teaspoon rotisserie chicken seasoning (season however you like) 2 slices reduced-fat provolone cheese, halved (vegan cheese shreds or slices) I would add onions  Directions In a large skillet, saute the spinach, mushrooms, onions and pecans  (onions)  in oil until mushrooms are tender. Set aside and keep warm. Sprinkle chicken with seasoning. Place chicken on greased grill rack. Grill covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 170°. I would probably saute the chicken and then bake th...

I found this recipe on Pinterest, it was so different to me, I had to share it with you guys. I like chowders and I really like salmon but never have I ever heard of putting them together. let's see how we can make this completely allergy free!... SALMON CHOWDER Author:  Linda Etherton Recipe type:  Soup INGREDIENTS 1 Tablespoon oil (I would use olive oil) 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 cups chicken broth (organic, gluten free, yeast free) 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced (I might use presliced carrots) 1 large gold potato, peeled and diced 1 cup coconut milk (or any other unsweetened vegan milk) 12 ounces boneless, skinless salmon, cut into bite size pieces (I would more than likely precook this to speed up the process) ½ teaspoon dried dill weed salt and pepper to taste (kosher salt and other seasonings to taste)  INSTRUCTIONS In the bottom of a large sau...

When I started this post several weeks ago, I was going to try the traditional and vegan versions of Homemade Mayo. The Salad Dressing (like mayonnaise) that I have been using for I can't tell you how many years has changed their formula and now I absolutely HATE it! I am a sandwich freak so this is not a good thing and NO salad dressing, mayo, and mayonnaise are not the same thing and they are not created equally.  I am no longer going to try the traditional version of this recipe. I am technically allergic to eggs but in certain situations, I can tolerate them.  I tried Chosen Foods Mayo made with Avocado oil. The Mayo was organic, gluten free, soy free, cage free eggs, etc. Healthy. I barely took a taste and was sick for the entire day. When I do have a reaction to eggs it's violent. I had to take it back. I suppose the normal kind that I get is so processed, it's not enough pure eggs in it to make me sick. Who knows! I will still do a clean revision and someone fe...