Mommy Hates Cooking

Bigelow Herbal Tea Facts

2013-05-24T02:52:19Z

Did you know that herbal tea really isn’t tea? It’s true! Did you also know that in some countries they do not even allow you to use the phrase ‘herbal tea’ because it isn’t tea…it’s herbs.

There are only 3 main types of tea and that includes black tea, oolong tea, and green tea. Outside of that…it’s not tea!

Tea comes from a plant called genus camellia and the species sinensis. Try pronouncing that one!

This past week I had the honor of meeting the owners of Bigelow Tea along with their daughter who has now taken over the main portion of the company. Now, I am filled with a lot of knowledge about tea along with a whole new appreciation for it!

We learned about all the varieties of tea; however, specifically I wanted to share with you a few little tidbits on herbal tea.

The blend of herbs and spices in Bigelow Herbal varieties is hand selected from the finest herbs around! Literally though herbal tea is simply that it’s herbs with a spice blend that can be beneficial in different ways.

Each one has a natural effect for you, for instance the mixes of chamomile & mint help to relax you, which is why the Sweet Dreams tea is perfect right before bed. Bigelow offers a variety of herbal teas that range from a natural spice to a little spice mixed with fruit! I love to purchase the assorted variety so that I can pick and choose which one I want depending on my mood!

While we were being educated on tea, we did a tea tasting and I have to say…WOW! We tried several different brands of tea but all the same type. For instance we tried a variety of brands Chamomile Herbal Tea and hands down every time Bigelow came out on top. There was no question or competition…Bigelow Tea is really just that good!

That’s even more reason why they rule the market with their Chamomile Herbal Variety, truly no other tea can compare to the formula they use.

The taste of Bigelow teas is spot on, it is not too bitter or too sweet, and it is the perfect blend. After tasting all of the different types of tea, I think I need to do the same tea testing party with my friends. Truly, you would be amazed!

Their entire family is involved in the whole process from start to finish of tea making and producing.

Did you know that even today David & Eunice Bigelow are the only two people that make Constant Comment? That is their first and most popular tea…and the owners of the company are still making it themselves. How many large companies still do that today? Very few if any!

Bigelow Tea Company is produced right here in the USA, their entire company is still run from the USA! They also are one of the most environmentally friendly companies around!

They practice the SustainabiliTea program and they are a zero waste to landfill company. This means that the foils that they use for their teas are even reused. They are also heavily involved in land preservation and currently own over 347+ Acres in order to prevent it from being future real estate developments.

After visiting with the Bigelow’s and spending a day with them, we all truly felt like part of the family. I have never known a large company to reach out in such a way to connect with their consumers.

Now, I will never see tea the same way again plus I’m likely going to be tea loyal for life. Of course, I always have been to Bigelow. I love my beautiful blend of herbs and spices and to know that I am drinking the best quality without paying a high price makes it even more wonderful.

I kept thinking to myself, no wonder I have friends that do not care for tea…they are drinking the wrong brand of tea, that’s the problem!

I have so much more to share about tea but today it’s time…as soon as you get off today, kick up your feet, relax your worries away with a nice, warm Bigelow Chamomile Tea.

Let us know, how do you take your tea?

Be sure and follow along on Twitter at #AmericasTea and Facebook. Also, check out all these great tea ideas in this Summer E-Guide!

Happy Sipping!

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Grilled Margherita Pizza

2013-05-14T01:09:20Z

Do you love a good pizza? So do I! For me, I love to make pizza from scratch. I know exactly what goes in it, plus I can easily make them gluten free which is exactly what I do!

When we made this pizza, I was inspired by this recipe for Quick Pizza Margherita on Cooking Light. On another note, is it Margherita or Margarita? They say Margherita on their post, so I went with that…but I always thought Margarita? Who knows? Or maybe that’s just the difference in the pizza and the drink and spell check just does not like it!

Back to this pizza! I decided to do this recipe, but I used the Basic Grilled Pizza technique and grilled it! It ended up being a delicious treat that did not last long! We even made 2 of them and still both were gone quickly!

I have been on a limited dairy diet since my daughter was born but have been introducing small amounts back into my diet. So, in saying that, I went light on the cheese but seriously…it was like heaven.

I miss dairy…and cheese!

Grilled Margherita Pizza

Ingredients:

1 Prepared Pizza Crust or Gluten Free Crust
2 Roma Tomatoes, Thinly Sliced
1/2 Cup Thinly Sliced Fresh Basil
1 Cup Italian Shredded Cheese
1 Cup Marinara Sauce

Directions:

After you have prepared your pizza dough, roll it out and form the crust.

At this point, we used a 9 inch cast iron skillet and spread the dough in the skillet. Based on reviews, you can also use tin foil and roll it out into a circle as well as a cast iron griddle, or pizza pan.

Next, place the pizza on the grill keeping it at medium heat. Let this grill for about 5-8 minutes, watch it closely to be sure it does not burn.

Remove the pizza from the grill and flip it over so that the uncooked side is facing down and the cooked side is up.

Build the pizza by layering the sauce, tomatoes, basil, and cheese.

Now, place the pizza back on the grill for 5-8 minutes to cook the bottom of the pizza.

Remove and serve!

Inspired By: Cooking Light

Enjoy!

Are you looking for some additional Memorial Day Meals? Check out last years Memorial Day Recipes Line Up!

Disclosure: I’m a a blog partner with Cooking Light; however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Have you visited our Products list? Be sure and check out Mommy Hates Cooking Products and Services.

Need more recipe ideas? Check out the Recipe Index by Mommy Hates Cooking.

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Strawberry Chocolate Cake

2013-05-14T01:07:26Z

You know those days when you just really want a cake? A very big chocolate cake all to yourself?

Well, I had one of those days recently! I also had a carton of heavy whipping cream in my fridge and a whole lot of strawberries.

Then, I opened the pantry and the box of chocolate cake mix just jumped right off the shelf. No joke…it was speaking to me.

What could be better than chocolate cake, miles of whipped cream, and strawberries? Nothing, friends. Nothing. It did not matter if it was not the most beautiful cake, it was delicious.

So delicious that I stuck the cake in the fridge and left a fork in it. I grazed it for 2 days along with my husband and it was gone.

That is why I don’t bake cakes often or sweets…I can eat them. All by myself!

I learned something while I made this cake…you can never have enough whipped cream. Slather that cake with lots of whipped cream, you will have plenty so just keep on slathering…you’ll thank me later. Your waist line? It may not thank me, but you will. That’s what fitness blogs are for, and I’m a food blog. So, I can talk about slathering whipped cream!

Do you want a slice? Make some and I’ll come share it with you! I also shaved some dark chocolate to top it with too.

I’m not a cake decorator, remember? So, I cover up my whipped cream with beautiful red strawberries and shaved chocolate. That makes all things pretty friends.

This cake isn’t meant to be perfectly smoothed, it’s meant to be perfectly full of whipped cream, chocolate, and strawberries…then eaten!

Strawberry Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

1 Box Chocolate Cake Mix or Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Mix
1 Lb Sliced Strawberries
1 Bar Baker's Chocolate, Shaved
Whipped Cream:
1 Pint Heavy Whipping Cream
8 Tbsp Powdered Sugar
1/2 Tsp Vanilla

Directions:

Prepare the box mix cake as according to the package to make 2 round cakes.

While these are baking, combine the whipped cream ingredients and then using a whisk and stand mixer whip these on high until well formed.

Once the cakes are done, place one cake on the cake plate and then top with a heavy layer of whipping cream.

Place the second cake on top of it where the smooth side is face up.

Coat the entire cake with a heavy layer of whipped cream.

Decorate with the strawberries in a design or pattern that you prefer.

Then, sprinkle shaved chocolate over the entire cake.

Ready to share a slice?

I didn’t think so…enjoy that cake all buy yourself!

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Need more recipe ideas? Check out the Recipe Index by Mommy Hates Cooking.

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Make Bake Create Featuring Homemade Menu Planner

2013-05-20T22:54:23Z

I have been so inspired by the links on the Make Bake Create party! I even used several for gifts for Mother’s Day and Teacher’s Appreciation Week. Today, I’m going to share with you something I made a few weeks ago!

If you are late to the party, no worries, every Wednesday come and link up your favorite projects from the week. This could be any food, recipes, crafts or DIY! Since there are 5 hosts… your link will be seen on 5 blogs at once.

Your hosts are Rachel from Bubbly Nature Creations, Sarah from Hope In Every Season, Kristy from Mommy Hates Cooking, Brandi from The Creative Princess and Vanessa from The Rookie Seamstress.

We would love for you to follow us on Google+!

Bubbly Nature Creations

Hope In Every Season

Mommy Hates Cooking

The Creative Princess

The Rookie Seamstress

As we entered into both Mother’s Day and Teacher’s Appreciation week, one of the themes for our teachers was ‘food’ or ‘kitchen’. I thought a great way to show a passion that I have would be to create these simple menu planners! My best friend made me something similar several years ago, so I switched it up just a bit to make these cute planners!

What do you need?

All you need is a frame and erasable marker! That’s it! Then, all you do is print off a menu planner on any type of scrapbook paper you would like to insert into your frame. I used an 8×10 frame and then cut the paper down to fit after I printed it.

I simply attached a marker and printable gift tag to it and an inexpensive gift was made! These are such a great way to get personal and really put your own touch on the gift.

I even made this more simple for you! Find the FREE Printable Menu Planner template HERE! Now, all you need to do is print it on your favorite paper and you are all set!

Now are you ready to get crafty? Be sure and link up some of your favorite projects!

Be sure to follow our Make Bake Create Party Pin Board where we will be pinning the projects linked up here!

Disclaimer and things to keep in mind:

* You may link up any DIY/ recipe/ food type post.

* You may link as many links as you want.

* Be sure to include The Make Bake Create button or text link to in your linked post; this is recommended to be featured!

* By linking up you are agreeing that the photos are yours or that you have permission to use them, that we may use those photos to feature your project on a blog post, Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter with a link back to your blog of course.

(We may also occasionally MAKE YOUR PROJECT OURSELVES- with a link back to your recipe or tutorial, this gets more exposure for you… and potentially lots of traffic!)

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By: Make Bake Create Party #8! Link Up YOUR Projects Here! - Bubbly Nature Creations by Make Bake Create Party #8! Link Up YOUR Projects Here! - Bubbly Nature Creations http://bubblynaturecreations.com/2013/05/make-bake-create-party-8-link-up-your-projects-here.html

The Best of Make Bake Create

2013-05-13T22:36:56Z

Have you been joining us in our Make Bake Create Party? Guess what? I’ll be sharing with you more about these cute Menu Planners this evening, but first I had to share some of my favorites that have been linked up!

Do you have a favorite?

I have to say, I have been so inspired by these post. I have been a crafting crazy woman over the last few gift giving holidays like Mother’s Day! I’m now gearing up for Father’s Day, so I’d love to see some of your projects for Father’s Day on the next few link ups!

Today though, I wanted to share my top 5!

Citrus Salt Soak (I made this for both the moms and teachers in our life. It was a hit!)

Bananas Foster Waffles from Cooking with Curls

Outdoor Spring Bench from Artsy VaVa

Body Butter by Homespun with Love

Blueberry Banana Bread by Hickory Trail

Are you inspired yet? I know I am!

I could take one of everything!

Now, I’m heading off on a jet plane to South Carolina to visit the Bigelow Tea Plantation! Don’t despair though, I’ll be back this evening sharing more on those cute menu planners plus another link up for this week’s blog party!

Happy Tuesday!

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Need more recipe ideas? Check out the Recipe Index by Mommy Hates Cooking.

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Menu Plan Monday

2013-05-18T00:32:39Z

This is going to be a fun week! I’m heading off to South Carolina to visit the Bigelow Tea Plantation!

That means, I’m not cooking much at all! So, I’m making this week’s menu fairly easy and loading up on easy meals for my husband and son.

I’ll be sharing with you on Friday all about the trip!

Monday-

Toni’s Tangy Meatballs

Tuesday-

Tangy Meatball Subs

Wednesday-

Spaghetti & Tangy Meatballs

Thursday-

Slow Cooker Orange Roast

Friday-

Pepperoni Pizza Night

Saturday-

Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken

Sunday-

Grilled Rosemary Steaks

Enjoy!

Have you visited our Products list? Be sure and check out Mommy Hates Cooking Products and Services.

Need more recipe ideas? Check out the Recipe Index by Mommy Hates Cooking.

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Grilled Romaine Chicken Salad

2013-05-18T00:31:55Z

I have professed my love in the past for Tyson Grilled & Ready Chicken! Now, I’ll say from the start it’s rare that I like a pre-cooked frozen meat at all, but I LOVE this chicken. I am an awesome menu planner but for lunches, it’s usually just me so I like something simple. The Tyson Grilled & Ready Chicken Breast Strips make the perfect addition to my lunch salads or even pinwheels!

On top of that it makes a great addition to dinners too, like in this Grilled & Ready Chicken Stir Fry!

I am so excited to share this recipe because it’s not only light and easy but it’s perfect for the summer months! I was shown in a cooking class that I took a while back how to grill romaine lettuce for a salad, it’s perfect and so tasty.

I decided to take what I learned and incorporate it in with the Tyson Grilled & Ready Chicken.

If you are anything like me, grilling during the day with the kids especially and infant can sometimes be difficult. Well, this grilled romaine just takes less than 3 minutes to grill! So, while my son is outside playing and the baby is content in her swing or asleep I can throw some romaine on the gas grill.

The first step is cutting the romaine in half. Basically, one store bought romaine lettuce makes 2 salad servings when cut in 1/2 lengthwise. Then, I like to put mine in a bag with olive oil and garlic then shake the bag up to coat it.

Once it’s well coated you simply place on medium heat on the grill cut side down for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, then flip and do the same.

Then, it’s all about the toppings and the Tyson Grilled & Ready Chicken! I get my protein and a healthy grilled tasting lunch in less than 5 minutes!

Now, after that 5 minutes you will have this healthy dish just in time for your toddler to start crying for a nap and the baby to start crying because she’s hungry! Sound familiar?

Maybe later on during your day you’ll be able to sit back, prop your legs up, and enjoy it. We can always hope, right?

Now on that note, I know what I’ll be whipping up for lunch today! I just love this. Love. Love. Love! This could easily be swapped with some fajita style Tyson Grilled & Ready for a fiesta style salad too.

Grilled Romaine Chicken Salad

Serving Size: 2

Ingredients:

1 Head of Romaine Lettuce
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tsp Sea Salt
1 Clove Crushed Garlic
1 Cup Tyson Grilled & Ready Chicken Breast Strips
1 Tomato, Diced
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Vinaigrette Dressing
Salad Toppings (Bacon Bits, Croutons, Egg)

Directions:

Begin by cutting the romaine lettuce in 1/2 lengthwise.

Place it in a Ziploc bag with the olive oil, sea salt, and garlic.

Then, shake it up to coat it well.

Place it on the grill on medium heat cut side down for 30 seconds - 1 minute. Then, flip and leave on the grill for 1 minute.

Place on a serving plate and then get your toppings ready.

Heat the chicken according to the instructions on the package.

Top the salad with the chicken, tomato, cheese, dressing and your choice of additional salad toppings.

Cut and serve.

Now are you ready to try this? You should, now! It’s wonderful!

Check out more great recipes on Twitter at @ClubTysonLive or on their Website and Facebook!

Happy Eating!

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By: Jayna by Jayna http://www.behindthestudio.com
By: Patricia Cook by Patricia Cook http://PopcornandPearls

Building a Garden Herb Box

2013-05-16T23:46:27Z

I feel like this picture should be a ‘caption this’, don’t you think? It completely cracks me up!

We have been doing a lot in our garden over the last week. We even had some green onions that we used for dinner in a recipe, they were delicious!

I noticed I also have herbs sprouting in our planters. That’s my favorite part!

My husband and son love to work in the garden together. My son says that he’s my husband’s best buddy and he calls it their garden. I love it…melts my heart!

My son helped him plant some more green beans this week and squash. We planted spaghetti squash and I sure hope we did it right and that it works! I seem to be buying them weekly lately!

This week my husband also built me an additional garden box using some scrap wood we had for herbs. I bought a TON of herbs and ran out of room for them. We are going to show you the start of our garden box and how we made it.

My husband also said to note that if you do not feel comfortable using a saw to cut the wood yourself for the box, stores such as Lowes will typically cut the wood for you. Easy Peasy!

So in a nutshell, all you do is use the drill to put nails in the ends where the wood meets to build your box!

We will flip this around and fasten it to the deck once it’s painted, then it’s time to plant!

I am planning to paint it this week and decorate it because it needs to be cute, right?

Next week, I’ll be taking a break from gardening to share with you about my trip to South Carolina and visit to the Bigelow Tea Plantation. So, that means in TWO weeks I’ll be sharing with you the final product of how our herb box turned out.

We will also share a tip plus an update on how our garden is coming along.

Let us know, do you have some gardening tips? Share them with us! Also, keep us posted on how your garden is coming along!

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By: Tina by Tina http://www.mommyskitchen.net

Grilled Honey Dijon Chicken

2013-04-30T01:20:39Z

It’s time! Grilling time that is! One thing I love to grill is chicken, but it is often hard for me to find the perfect blends of seasonings to make my chicken extra juicy and not dry!

Recently, I have enjoyed making this Grilled Honey Dijon Chicken. It is beyond simple to make and with a few short minutes on the grill, dinner is served.

I serve this using a split chicken fryer; however, it can be served with any part of the chicken that you prefer. I would say I typically prefer whatever part is on sale. Yes…I know that just doesn’t sound right.

When I make this chicken, I simply dip the chicken in flour then coat it with the honey mixture. I usually prep mine by placing it in a foil lined dish so that it’s ready to place on the grill.

Looks yummy, right? It was!

Grilled Honey Dijon Chicken

Ingredients:

1 Split Fryer Chicken (or you can use wings, breast, drumsticks, or thighs)
1 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Honey
1/2 Cup Honey Dijon Mustard

Directions:

In a shallow dish add the flour, then in a separate shallow dish mix together the honey and mustard.

Dip each piece of chicken in the flour, and then coat with the honey mixture.

Grill on medium heat until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165* or to your preference.

Enjoy!

Have you visited our Products list? Be sure and check out Mommy Hates Cooking Products and Services.

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By: Kristy Still by Kristy Still http://www.mommyhatescooking.com
By: Kelly @ Texas Type A Mom by Kelly @ Texas Type A Mom http://www.texastypeamom.com

Apple Oatmeal Muffins

2013-05-15T02:12:53Z

Do you ever wake up thinking that something in particular sounds so good that you just may have to make it? Well, it happens to me ALL the time!

There was a time before this website that I was happy to open a box and pop a store bought item in the toaster or microwave and quickly make breakfast. Now…don’t get me wrong on occasion that still happens, but since learning how easy it is to make just about anything I want from scratch that’s my method of choice!

This particular morning I had some apples I needed to use up before they went bad, so I decided to add those to these delicious oatmeal muffins.

A friend of mine, Tara from Organized SAHM, told me this great way to ‘bake’ apples quickly. Simply put them in a plastic dish (peeled and cored) along with cinnamon and just about a tbsp of water in the microwave for 5 minutes with a plate over them. Then, let them cool for 2 minutes…guess what? It worked! I was all over it after that!

Now, it’s time for some apple goodness for breakfast…or all day!

Oh and to note, I did use gluten free all purpose flour to make these; however, they will work with either gluten free or gluten filled. Eat up!

Apple Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups Flour or Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Rolled Oats or Certified Gluten Free Oats
1/2 Cup White Sugar
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Egg
3/4 Cup Sugar Free Vanilla Creamer
1/3 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Baked and Sliced Apples (see shortcut in post, use about 2 apples to make 1 cup)
1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400*.

Combine the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt in a large mixer.

Then, beat in the egg in and stir in creamer, applesauce, and vanilla. Once this is well mixed add in the apples and cinnamon.

Spray a regular muffin pan with non stick baking spray. These pans can also be lined with paper baking cups if wanted. They will make 12 regular size muffins.

Bake these at 400* for 18-20 minutes.

Let cool and top with additional cinnamon if desired.

Enjoy!

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Oh these sound great. I will be making them. Maybe today? by Maleesa

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