14 Tips For Budget-Friendly Weeknight Cooking from America’s Test Kitchen and The Motherhood

March 6, 2012 by The Motherhood

In celebration of the release of America’s Test Kitchen’s new cookbook, Simple Weeknight Favorites, Senior Book Editor Suzannah McFerran led a Live Talk in The Motherhood on healthy, tasty, budget-friendly and, most important, easy recipes for weeknight cooking.

“Most of the recipes (from the new cookbook) can be prepared under 30 minutes, all of them are under 45 minutes. The concept was: Dinner on a page, minimal ingredients,” said Suzannah of America’s Test Kitchen.

Suzannah’s Tips for Saving Time in the Kitchen

1.) Jump-start. “Vegetables can be jump-started in the microwave then finished in the oven … same with rice. Here’s an example: Risotto – no tedious stovetop stirring!”

2.) Skillet pastas. “We cook the pastas in the sauce to flavor the pasta and minimize pots.”

3.) Ingredients that play double duty. “Make a marinade for chicken, reserve some for the salad, and then use it to give a final boost of flavor to the chicken at the end. (Important note: reserve BEFORE you marinate!)”

4.) Peel and cut certain veggies ahead of time. “Carrots for sure. Zucchini, onions are fine. Ones to be careful of are the ones that oxidize.”

5.) Go for the thigh. “Chicken thighs are a lot cheaper than breasts and we love to cook with them here. They are also harder to screw up!”

More great ideas from the wonderful bloggers who co-hosted the live event:

6.) Make Beans and Rice a Menu Staple. “Rice and beans is superbly nutritious, easy to make and everyone will eat it. Leftovers can be made into quesadillas, cooked with an egg from breakfast or used as taco or enchilada filling.” (Kate, Kate in the Kitchen)

7.) Short on Time? “In a pinch, I get the organic frozen rice from Trader Joe’s and pop in the microwave for a fluffy, delish side dish.” (Beth, Real Moms Love to Eat)

8.) Introduce Your Tastebuds to Quinoa. “Quinoa is usually found in the grain aisle with rices and is cooked like rice. It is a great backdrop for healthy flavors.” (Kelsey, The Naptime Chef)

9.) The Freezer is Your Friend. “I like to make meals ahead and freeze them – cook [staples like rice and quinoa] until just cooked. That way they aren’t overcooked when you pull them out and thaw them.” Click here for easy, freezer-friendly recipes. (Tricia, Once A Month Mom)

10.) Think Squash. “I love to roast 3 or 4 butternut squashes early in the week with some olive oil and maple syrup. Then I use the cut up squash in all my dishes for the week: soup, risotto, or just as a delicious side.” (Vanessa, Chef Druck Musings)

11.) Get Out the Slow Cooker. “The slow cooker is a wonderful helper for those busy nights. Anytime I know my time will be limited, I’ll set something up to cook in there when there’s still time in the morning. Dinner’s waiting when I get home.” (Julie, Mommie Cooks)

12.) Buy Meat in Bulk. “Pork is an inexpensive meat that tastes great. I buy large value packs of pork cutlets for quick weeknight dinners.” (Vanessa, Chef Druck Musings)

13.) Add Eggs to the Mix. “You can throw anything in with a pot of scrambled eggs (or an omelette) super quick!” (Julie, Mommie Cooks)

14.) Toss in Everything but the Kitchen Sink. “Stir fries are simple, fast and a good way to use up odds and ends of vegetables.” (Kate, Kate in the Kitchen)

To Whet Your Appetite

Three of Suzannah’s top picks from Simple Weeknight Favorites:

Coffee-Rubbed Rib Eye Steaks with Creamy Slaw.
A little sugar speeds up and ensures browning for quick cooking steaks.

Chicken Thighs with Fennel, Orange and Olives
Jump-start roasting of veg in oven, brown chicken on stovetop – then finish in oven so flavors can meld – thighs are cheap and more flavorful – hard to mess up!

Moroccan Fish and Couscous Packets
Flavorful sauce, fish goes on top. No searing or splattering mess in the kitchen for a delicious fast fish dinner!

Other great weeknight options:

One-dish sausage and spinach pasta, by Julie of Mommie Cooks

Roasted chicken and root veggies, by Kim of My Cup of Creativi-tea

Spaghetti primavera, by Beth of Real Moms Love to Eat

Slow cooker recipes you might try:

Slow cooker beef bourguignon, by Vanessa of Chef Druck Musings

Italian beef sandwiches, by Diane Campagna

Taco chicken chili, by JesicaD

And what’s dinner without dessert? For a sweet end to your meal, try out ATK’s Family Baking Book and Blue Ribbon Desserts.

See the Simple Weeknight Favorites recipes on display in the America’s Test Kitchen Facebook gallery, and get a behind-the-scenes peek at America’s Test Kitchen here:

Here’s the full transcript of the Talk with Suzannah from America’s Test Kitchen, the great blogger co-hosts and The Motherhood community.

And here’s a wonderful post from America’s Test Kitchen about the Live Talk, as well! Aren’t they cool?!?

Catch the ZZZ Train: Tips for a Better Night’s Sleep

March 5, 2012 by The Motherhood

Insomnia. Sleep apnea. Night terrors. General anxiety.

Any number of issues can keep you awake at night. If you suspect that you’re having trouble sleeping because of a medical condition, you should talk with your doctor. But if your lack of sleep is thanks to hyperactive kids or a racing mind, keep reading!

Guests from the Bedtime Network and a great group of bloggers shared their best sleep suggestions in The Motherhood today, and we’ve picked our top 10 favorite tips to share with you.

1.) Don’t caffeinate after noon. “Avoid coffee and other caffeinated drinks after 12 in the afternoon. It can take nine hours or more for the body to digest caffeine,” said Lisa Mercurio of the Bedtime Network.

2.) Take advantage of your kids’ natural sleepiness. With the kids asleep, you have more time to relax and unwind before your own bedtime. “I’m always trying to catch the kids when they are at that ‘just right for sleep’ moment!” said Stephanie of Mamma Bear’s World.

3.) If that fails, manufacture some sleepiness. “I used to give my boys milk every night before bed. It was a great way to have an excuse to also sit down and cuddle (can’t run around w/a cup of milk in your hand!)” said Amanda of Parenting by Dummies.

4.) Unplug. “Just remember that when the kids are finally in bed not to use your down time diving into technology, as this can further make you feel that your day has not ended,” said Nyiri Grigorian of the Bedtime Network. “Technology and staying plugged in is one of the major problems with having a smooth transition to sleep. It also deprives us of much needed alone time before bed.”

5.) Clear your mind. “I try to meditate before I go to bed for at least 5-10 minutes,” said Kayla. “It’s hard at first because you keep thinking about things, but come back to the quiet and it starts to get easier!”

6.) Watch what you eat – and drink. “Try to avoid alcohol. It’s not a relaxer. It’s actually a stimulant,” said Lisa of the Bedtime Network. “Also, sleeping on a full stomach leads to a bad night’s sleep.”

7.) Create a bedtime ritual. “I like to turn off the lights, play soft music on Pandora and light candles,” suggested Shannon of Potamus Prefers.

8.) Wind down with the family pet. “One thing that does help me to really relax at night is spending time petting our dog,” said Amanda of Parenting by Dummies. “She’s sooooo soothing when she cuddles up on the floor by my feet!”

9.) Tune into white noise. To drown out irritating nighttime sounds like a snoring partner, “I do have an air purifier next to my side of the bed, and that humming helps out some,” said Stephanie of Goober Monkey.

10.) Sleep elsewhere if you need to. “Sometimes my husband can really snore, and I leave the room. It’s not all the time, but it does help!” said Stephanie of Mamma Bear’s World.

We’ll be putting these tips to use in our own bedtime routines!

What helps you fall asleep at night?

Navigating Hypothyroidism: Update

March 1, 2012 by Cooper

Thank you everyone for your amazing comments, ideas and feedback on my post last week about the (not so) joys of being hypothyroid. I have learned so much in such a short time from all of you. Once again, magic of the internet prevails! Thank you!

This week I’m underway with several of your recommendations and have found some great suggestions through some of the research I’ve been doing, too:

1) Eliminated Gluten. Oh I do miss a warm baguette. But I’m on day five of eating no gluten – and the one big thing I’ve noticed is I’m not itchy! It wasn’t until you guys posted in the comments about gluten last week that I wondered if maybe it was gluten that made me so itchy around mealtime. Isn’t that crazy?

2) Increased thyroid-friendly veggies and cut out most sugar. Loving asparagus, avocado, greens, sauteed spinach, and lean proteins like chicken breast and flank steak. Lots of salads and steamed veggies mostly this week, and hummus and veggies are my “after school” snack of yumminess. My husband was not so wild about the rather dry ground turkey meatloaf, but he’ll get used to it.

3) No coffee or wine (for now!) I thought a little detox would be helpful so green tea is my morning cup of sunshine this week! I do miss my evening vino, but I’ve replaced it with a cup of lovely chamomile tea. I’m definitely sleeping better these days.

4) More water! I’m taking a big, huge glass of water to work every morning (with a slice of lemon in it – makes me feel fancy) and then filling it up through the day. And, yes, I’m constantly going to the ladies room.

5) Exercise. The dog is thrilled, he and I have been taking long walks everyday. Next week I’m thinking “gym” and walks with my pup.

I also bought some new things at the grocery store like almond butter and coconut oil. I keep reading that coconut oil is a super food, metabolic, etc. so why not! I’ll keep you posted if it gives me super powers.

Taking a first step has put a spring in mine and I have all of you to thank.

If you have any gluten-free resources or ideas, let me know and I’ll post them here. Also, any other links you’d like to share link them in the comments and I’ll share in my update next week!

Hugs! It’s a start!

Building Your Blog Community: Part Two

February 28, 2012 by The Motherhood

Are you an established blogger with a community of followers, looking to take the next steps to grow your audience, improve your search results and market your blog to brands? If so, you’re in the right place.

For everyone new to blogging and looking for tips and ideas for getting started, take a look at our post on Building Your Blog Community: Part One – Blogging 101.

A recent live discussion in The Motherhood with a panel of expert bloggers took us through both the basics of blogging and more advanced concepts, including the best SEO (search engine optimization) techniques and how to build relationships with brands and PR firms to monetize your blog.

Vera Sweeney of Lady and the Blog, Melissa Chapman of Married My Sugar Daddy, Nadia Carriere of Child Mode, Audrey McClelland of Mom Generations, Annie Shultz of Mama Dweeb, Victoria Pericon of Veep Veep, Whitney Wingerd of Mommies with Style, and Megan Crume of Sweet Sadie Marie shared their thoughts and experiences when it comes to taking your blog to the next level.

Increasing Your Blog’s Visual Appeal

Great content will bring you a loyal following, but “visually appealing sites keep me on the site longer,” Ronnie noted. They are also more attractive to brands.

Audrey of Mom Generations said, “an easy (and free) way to bump your blog up a bit … add some extra photos/videos to it.” But if you’re looking for a bigger overhaul, “there are many designers out there who can work with pre-created templates (like studiopress.com) – you might want to see about uploading one of those,” suggested Vera of Lady and the Blog.

The group agreed that WordPress is a great blog platform. “WordPress has so many plug-ins; I recommend migrating to it so you can make things look the way you want without having to know so much of that techy stuff,” said Victoria of Veep Veep.

Paying for Photo Rights

When it comes to using photos you find online, the rules are clear: “Just giving credits is not enough. You need to visit sites where people say it is ok to use their picture,” said Charlene of Charlene Chronicles.

Creative Commons on Flickr is a good photo resource, or you can take and use your own. (The photos in this blog post come from Creative Commons. Click the photo to see the source.)

Using SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to Your Advantage

SEO essentially means making your blog post easy to find with a basic Google search. One simple way to improve your SEO is to write your post title and first paragraph with possible search terms in mind. For example, “Instead of ‘Rockin Restaurant’ title it ‘Burger King Kid’s Meal Review,'” said Annie of Mama Dweeb.

“Google has a great tool – keyword search,” said Vera. “And tag everything! I was told that tags are better than categories. The category should be fashion, for example, and then the tags should be more specific – red carpet fashion, Oscar fashion, celebrity Oscar fashion, etc.”

Nadia of Child Mode noted, “Linking is excellent for SEO, as is linking back to previous posts that relate to the one you are working on.”

For more SEO advice, read these posts on SEO techniques from appledaniels.

Growing Blog Traffic

There are existing tools for becoming known in the blogging community. Nadia of Child Mode suggested participating in “memes such as Wordless Wednesday, Food Friday, etc. There are linkys for these, so not only do other bloggers find you, but you can discover others.” And trading link-ups with other bloggers by “participating in blog hops and blog hop giveaways is an awesome way to gain readers,” said Theresa of Faith and Family Reviews.

“I follow as many like-minded bloggers and experts as possible on Twitter and Facebook and try to retweet and share their links as well,” added Melissa of Married My Sugar Daddy. Along those lines, agreed Megan of Sweet Sadie Marie, “Read blogs, comment, become part of a community. They will follow you, they will read you, they will comment.”

It’s best to start by growing your blog organically, but you can also try purchasing Facebook ads to bring in traffic. “You want to make sure that if you use them you have the ad forwarded to a lead capture page to capture the person’s info… this helps with list building in the long run,” suggested appledaniels.

Teaming Up with Other Bloggers

Above all, your best resource when it comes to growing traffic and finding brands to work with is other bloggers.

“Do you team up with like bloggers and tweet one another’s content out?” Vera asked the group. “Or how about Stumble Upon? Pinterest? Ever thought of reaching out to friends to start this up?”

Annie of Mama Dweeb replied, “That is kind of what Triberr is … I have been a part of smaller group – 5-6 people – and we tweet/Facebook/pin stuff on our blogs almost daily. This is such a huge help.”

Vera suggested creating or joining blogging groups to share information, tips and brand contacts to grow your network of PR reps. Janel of A Mom’s Take agreed, “I recommend joining all the networks you can! They can only help!”

Creating a Media Kit

Networking will get you halfway there, but a media kit is your best tool for convincing PR firms and companies that your coverage is valuable – and worth paying for.

Vera keeps her media kit online, while “I send mine at request and send it as a PDF,” said Whitney of Mommies with Style. “Two pages. Stats, rates, previous advertisers and a bio on me/my work.”

If your blog is relatively new, or you don’t have previous advertisers or projects to highlight, “Your media kit could also show off your best work!! It’s about selling yourself – any way you can,” said Vera.

That could also include showing “how connected you are. Good brands and companies don’t just look for #s but influence too,” pointed out Charlene. “So if you have a FB page, include your number of fans AND your number of monthly FB page views when pitching or responding to a pitch.”

Whitney also added that when she first started out and didn’t have stats to share, her media kit instead included “information from my business plan. Plans for the site, an outline of my intentions with the site.”

Connecting with Brands and PR Agencies

“You can absolutely have success working Blogger to Brand! I have worked with several companies directly as well as through their PR team,” said Nadia.

When it comes to connecting with brands, building blog content should come first. When you are confident in your work, Audrey suggested making a list of the companies you would like to work with – “then actively try and connect with them on Twitter or Facebook or through their sites.”

Vera added, “I do searches on Google. Look for press releases and then on the bottom there is ALWAYS a PR contact. I also reach out to friends.”

Theresa cautioned, “The thing is some PR companies are not willing to pay. They want you to post for free. I got tons of pitches when I was posting for free, but once I started sending my rates those emails have slowed down.”

“Know who you are pitching so you can tell them why you are attractive to them as a blogger,” suggested Rachel Blaufeld.

Overcoming Your Geographical Location

If you don’t live near a large metropolitan area, you might not be in many brands’ “event hot spots.” That isn’t necessarily a problem.

You can always “host your own event with a brand that’s local!” suggested Victoria of Veep Veep. Or offer to “work off the press release pics,” as Vera sometimes does.

Melissa pointed out that you can be “JUST as active and engaged in events and communities via social networking – follow hashtags on Twitter for events and join the conversation!”

Charging for Ads and Content

Most established bloggers charge for sponsored brand content. “Make sure you’re not giving everything away for free,” said Audrey. “When a brand/company reaches out, make sure you’re being compensated some way if you enter into an agreement with them.”

When it comes to advertising, “I decided how much to charge based on what other bloggers with my similar traffic/reach were charging,” said Annie of Mama Dweeb. Vera agreed, “Start with a number and if too many people are biting – you are charging too little!”

Making a Profit

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your blogging business won’t be, either.

“I always like to say to people, instead of opening up a coffee shop on Main St, I opened a blog. Takes the same amount of blood, sweat and tears… but it’s incredible!” said Audrey.

It could take months or even years before you start making money on your blog. When you do start getting checks in the mail, the amounts will vary. Theresa of Faith and Family Reviews is “making $500 on good months,” while Janel of A Mom’s Take earns “approximately $800-1,000 a month.” Annie of Mama Dweeb pulls in “as little as $100 on dry months.”

The keys to success will be patience, perseverance and great content. “It definitely takes lots of time and hard work,” said Nadia of Child Mode. “Make sure you are doing something you are truly passionate about. Your readers and brands will notice.”

Building Your Blog Community: Part One – Blogging 101

February 28, 2012 by The Motherhood

Starting a blog isn’t much harder than choosing a blog name and a platform, clicking a few buttons, and starting to write. But if you build it, will anyone come? And what will happen when they get there?

Today in The Motherhood, we had a great talk with an exceptional panel of bloggers who enlightened us on everything from the administrative to the creative, and gave guidance to beginning and longtime bloggers alike on building our blog communities.

Vera Sweeney of Lady and the Blog, Melissa Chapman of Married My Sugar Daddy, Nadia Carriere of Child Mode, Audrey McClelland of Mom Generations, Annie Shultz of Mama Dweeb, Victoria Pericon of Veep Veep, Whitney Wingerd of Mommies with Style, and Megan Crume of Sweet Sadie Marie weighed in on the blogging questions you’ve always wanted answered.

If you build it…

First, of course, you have to build the blog. When asked whether it was more important to have a great looking blog or one with great content, the panelists were unanimous: it’s all about the content. Annie of Mama Dweeb noted, “Content is King! That is what they told me in newspaper class and that applies to blogging.” Even an ugly site with great content draws readers back, though an attractive site may keep them there longer.

How to make that site good looking? Nadia of Child Mode and Whitney of Mommies with Style advise that WordPress and TypePad have lots of easy-to-use templates and themes. Vera of Lady and the Blog recommends “adding more images and videos that are engaging for the readers.” She cautions, though, that it’s never okay to grab images from other websites, even if you credit them. If you use others’ images, you should be prepared to pay for them.

Along with good content and good looks, several panelists emphasized that regular posting is critical. Vera said, “You should carve out time each day. Even on the weekends I sneak over to the computer and get at least one post up.”

After you build the blog itself, it’s time to build relationships. Vera summed it up neatly when she said, “Building relationships is key to any successful business. With blogging, there are three types of relationships that need attention:

-Blogger to Blogger: Start linking to like blogs with similar traffic. Do weekly roundups. Post one another’s badges on your sidebars. Tweet one another’s work. There is strength in numbers.

-Blogger to Brand: Become friendly with reps. Attend events. Work on projects and keep the communication line open. Make them remember you.

-Blogger to Reader: Reply back to comments. Offer something special on your newsletter, interact on your Facebook wall. All these things matter.”

To build relationships with other bloggers, consider joining a blogging group (or a few). As far as building Blogger to Brand relationships, the panel was mixed about whether it was easier to build relationships directly with brands or to go through PR agencies.

What to do to get noticed by brands? Again, the panel emphasized content. Megan of Sweet Sadie Marie said to ask yourself who and what you’re passionate about–that will guide you. Melissa of Married My Sugar Daddy added that “when you’ve got really good content, it’s easier to make brands notice you–and you will feel a lot more confident making those introductions when you’ve got the blog content to back it up.” Vera and several panelists also recommended having a media kit, something you can send to PR reps to showcase your brand relationships and past work.

As you build relationships, especially with bloggers and readers, you’ll build audience. Vera recommends increasing SEO by tagging your posts with keywords and repeating those in the post itself; matching your post title to its first paragraph, and using bullets and headers (which search engines love) throughout your post. Annie adds that it’s wise to think about specific terms readers might be searching for, and using those in your post title in lieu of something more generic.

Another way to grow your audience is the use of Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, and the like to drive traffic to your site. Whitney says she uses “auto-feeds–everything I post goes straight to my Facebook page and Twitter feed–makes it nice and easy and I get a ton of traffic that way. ” For those who are not seeing success from those methods, Victoria of Veep Veep reminds, “Talk with others. If you write but never reply to e-mails or respond to comments or tweets, then they won’t come back.” In other words: engage your audience. Nadia recommends participating in memes such as Wordless Wednesday as a good way to connect with other bloggers and build audience.

…They will come.

Your hard work will pay off, the panelists agreed, but be patient and persistent. Annie said, “There is no such thing as overnight success with blogging. It takes most bloggers at LEAST six months of hard work before they see a dime.”

Several panelists offered their best tips for getting paid. Vera said, “Don’t be afraid to pitch yourself,” and recommended charging for contests, even if it’s only $25. “Something is better than nothing.” Whitney cautioned, “Do NOT work for free with the promise of a later paid gig! There are so many of these ‘offers’ out there. You are worth more.”

As important as it is to know your worth and to be paid, don’t get hung up on earnings and pageviews. As Audrey of Mom Generations wisely observed, “It will come if you keep with it. As soon as I let that piece of it go and started producing content that I loved and was ultra passionate about, doors began to open.”

You can read the full transcript of the Talk here.

Next up we’ll be posting a second part summary of the Building Your Blog Community: Part Two – Advanced Blogging. Look for that post soon! Thanks!