#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨
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Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Review: Fuel Thermos

January 6, 2017 · Narrative

Cool, sleek, and best of all … effective. This Trudeau Fuel Thermoses are exactly what your lunchbox needs.

Untitled

The thermoses of today are most definitely not the thermoses we grew up with. The thermoses I remember from my childhood were big and bulky and rarely kept the food warm. I am still somewhat nostalgic for them, and mostly the characters that were emblazoned on them, but I never used them for my own kids because they weren’t very effective.

Enter Trudeau thermoses. Which are most definitely NOT the thermoses of our youth.

Super sleek and stylish, they are easy to open and close, particularly for little hands. The one I use doesn’t have a cup inside the lid, like for soup, but they are available in the product line.

But the REAL question is … do they work?

I’m happy to report that they do.

Come December, all the cute little lunches are gone by the wayside and I’m in a heavy rotation of preparing ham sandwiches and pb&j on the daily. I am desperately seeking new inspiration (and motivation!), and so is my kid.

Enter the thermos.

I used them sporadically for Nick when he was younger, but not as often because they really didn’t do the job of keeping the food warm. And, well, really, who wants cold chicken noodle soup or nuggets?

No one, that’s who.

…

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Recipe: Silver Dollar Pancakes

January 14, 2016 · Breakfast, Narrative

Untitled

I have no problem admitting it.

I don’t like pancakes.

Never have (with the exception of one particular diner’s version, Broadway Diner in Summit).

Although I do make them for my kids fairly often.

Recently though, things shifted.

I was making a new recipe for the kids on a Breakfast for Dinner night.

I love Breakfast for Dinner, and so do Nick and Maddie. I can totally be a short order cook and make everyone something completely different, exactly how they like it, and still be done within thirty minutes.

Who can’t get behind THAT?

But when it comes to pancakes, it gets a little bit more challenging.

Nick always wants banana pancakes.

And Madeline wants chocolate chip.

And I mostly hate making two separate batches.

(And combining the two doesn’t fly with them, I tried)

So every so often, I try out a new recipe in the hopes that I will find one that they both like.

THIS IS THAT.

With the magical addition of sour cream, you are rewarded with the most lightest, fluffiest pancakes every to hit your fork.

And they remind me a bit of the diner pancakes that I love.

I make these in the silver dollar (smaller) size and the kids gobble them up.

One batch makes (roughly) twenty small pancakes, which is enough for the two of them for two breakfasts.

I usually make them on the weekends, so I have enough pancakes for one or two weekday mornings too.

Because although she likes to sleep AS LATE AS POSSIBLE, Madeline likes to have a “nice” breakfast in the morning.

Which usually equates to grabbing a granola bar or one of these muffins (a house favorite in regular rotation) or these as she dashes out the door for the bus.

But, sometimes, if I’m lucky, and she knows there are pancakes … she moves just a little faster.

So, winning.

Whether you have pancake lovers in your house or not, give this version a try. If they can convert me, there’s hope for everyone.

Hungry for more pancake recipes?
These Rainbow pancakes just make me happy.
These Blueberry Banana pancakes were (mostly) kid-approved, and super quick to make.
Buttermilk Pancakes are the perfect thing to make when you have a little buttermilk to use up (I always do!).
I haven’t made these Pumpkin Spice Pancakes in FOREVER, but they are totally worth making.

…

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Recipe: Blueberry Banana Pancakes {and a Giveaway}

February 21, 2014 · Ad-Free, Narrative

This post is sponsored by the US Highbush Blueberry Council in connection with the Mom It Forward Blogger Network.

Blueberry Banana Pancakes

When it comes to fruit, Madeline loves it just as much as she loves chocolate.

And that’s saying a lot.

And both kids?

Adore pancakes.

All day, every day, although they are a wee bit particular about which kinds.

With the ridiculous amount of snow days and weather delays that the kids have had over the past few weeks, one good thing has come out of it. Pancakes for breakfast on weekday mornings!

Some days chocolate chip, some days banana, and, most recently, Blueberry Banana pancakes featuring US Highbush blueberries. Pancakes are a total comfort food, no doubt, and this version is subtly sweetened with fresh blueberries and super ripe bananas. You know those bananas that are languishing on your kitchen counter that are too ripe to eat? Perfect for this recipe. The bananas keep the pancakes nice and moist, and the blueberries give it a delicious pop every time you bite into one. A quick recipe to make, using mostly ingredients you already have on hand, it’s perfect for lazy weekends, and snow day weekdays (and they freeze well too!).

To celebrate all things blueberry, the US Highbush Blueberry Council has generously offered to give one lucky Sweetnicks reader a $75 VISA gift card.

To enter this giveaway, you must complete ALL of the following, and leave a comment on this post verifying that you did so:

  • Follow @blueberry411
  • Like the Blueberry Facebook page
  • Pin any recipe from the US Highbush Blueberry Council website with the hashtag #littlechanges.

This giveaway ends at 11:59 pm on March 5, 2014, and one winner will be chosen using random.org. Good luck!

…

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛

Pinterest

#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨

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