Okay, I can't believe this 2 ingredient fruit dip is  a whole blog post, either, but let's face it - we moms always need simple and easy recipes for potlucks, unexpected pop-in visitors and bring-a-dish gatherings.  Here's a little something for your bring-along-food recipe arsenal.  This  simple 2 ingredient fruit dip is quick and easy to make last minute and goes great with fruit platters.  

My family usually eats fruits nice and naked but if you're looking for some 'bling' to dress up your mid-day snack, this is tasty and fun to make with young kids.  Fair warning: it is v-e-r-y sweet.  It's a pretty simple recipe that they can follow all by themselves while you prepare the fruit.  And if you have some food dye in the pantry... you know what I'm getting at.  And if you happen to have some mini-chocolate chips, sprinkle some on top as a garnish.

Simply combine the 8 oz. cream cheese packet and the 7 oz. jar of marshmallow creme in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer.   I don't recommend trying to mix by hand - it comes out clumpy and tastes uneven, the electric mixer is key.
​*Optional: add food coloring.  

Yup.  That's it.  My recipe page ain't called "Simple Recipes" for nothin...

Here is a super simple, tasty, and nutritious snack recipe - peanut butter oatmeal bites.  My kids refer to it as "bird food".   They're easy to make and pack for day trips (tip: taste best cold so keep them cool when traveling) or mid-day snacking during study days.  No baking involved and a fun 'cooking' activity to do with little ones.  It requires minimal prep and clean-up (YAY!)  If you're very busy and want to just get it done, you can make them yourself in under 15 minutes (not counting the chill time) and store in the fridge overnight, ready for the next day.  Large Family Tip:  you can double/triple the recipe and store any extras in an airtight tupperware and chill - will stay fresh and tasty for days!  ​ I don't recommend freezing them - my kids say the peanut butter gets too hard to bite down on and the oatmeal bits taste yucky when frozen.

Ingredients:
2/3 cup of peanut butter
1 cup of old-fashion oats
1 1/2 Tbsp of honey
1/4 cup of chocolate chips (the mini chips work best)
1/4 cup of flax seed

Set aside a 1/8 cup of the old-fashion oats and a small handful of the chocolate chips.

Mom Confession:  I don't use exact measurements for this recipe.  I just "eyeball"  whatever I want more or less of in the mix and add the ingredients accordingly.

my absolute favorite.  We like to eat a bowlful (or two) for lunch and then finish off the rest of the pot for dinner.  You can keep it vegan-friendly by using tofu (so tasty!) or you can add meats and shrimp.  
*When the kids want to cook this with me, I say a little prayer (I know y'all feel me) and I opt to use a large pot, instead of the crockpot, and we have an impromptu cooking lesson.  It's messier, louder, takes longer, and I am plenty tired by the end of it but I never regret it.

Large Family Portions for the Ingredients.  Halve the recipe for a family of 4.
Ingredients:
2 cups of chopped carrots
2 cups of chopped potatoes
1 cup of frozen chopped spinach
2 cups of chopped onions
1 block of firm tofu
2 cups of baby shrimp unchopped or you can use larger shrimp, chopped
*When I am running low on shrimp, I use a classic Korean meal ingredient: Spam.  Chopped chicken, pork and beef are also good add-ins.  Cut the meats into small pieces, otherwise they can cook a little on the "tough" side.

Chop everything up the night before and place in the fridge (spinach stays in the freezer).  Soak the tofu and potatoes in water overnight so they don't dry out or brown.  

In the morning, toss everything into an extra-large crockpot along with plenty of water and the entire box of curry bars (*reminder: halve the recipe if you're feeding fewer bellies).  Set the crockpot to high setting at 7:00 am and you've got lunch and dinner set for the day!  You are now free to run errands, do school, play with the baby, clean the house, and carry on all the other countless tasks we mamas do every day!

This sea vegetable is super low calorie, tasty, and chock full of good minerals.  Roasted seaweed is a great stand-alone snack for anytime.  If you like chips, pretzels, or anything salty and crispy, roasted seaweed (aka laver or "gim", in Korean) is an awesome substitute - no preservatives, fully organic, vegan, and gluten-free).  It is waaaay healthier than many of the salty foods you find in the snack aisle and it's only 5 calories per sheet!  It's also a great side for meals served with rice.  Growing up, I had this every day as part of dinner and often with breakfast and lunch, too.   My kids love it!

The health benefits are undeniable (keep reading for a listing).  And you don't have to make it from scratch!  (although you can - when I was little, my mom and I used to roast our own on the weekends).   My Simple Recipes blog page is all about simplicity and ease, not about reinventing the cooking wheel...  You can get them fully prepared and roasted in large sheets (about 6"x8") and cut them down to small squares or you can buy them pre-cut in snack size packs.  Pack them in the diaper bag for an easy on-the-road snack or use them to wrap rice in  during meals - fair warning, they can be crumbly...  A simple Korean meal for my family would include rice wrapped in roasted seaweed squares, a side vegetable (or kim-chee) and fish or chicken.  Simple.  Nutritious.  Filling.  Delicious.

Top health benefits of roasted seaweed:
1.  High in potassium - helps to lower blood pressure, and lowers risk of stroke and heart disease.
2.  Vitamin B12 - supports healthy nervous system and brain function.
3.  Iodine - this mineral is essential for proper thyroid function and good metabolism.
4.  Low-calorie and low fat food to support healthy weight and lifestyle.

You can find it in the international foods aisle in many supermarkets or on amazon.  

This post contains an affiliate link.  Click on the pic if you'd like to learn more.

Soooo.... out of all the unfinished blog drafts sitting in my bin covering various topics, half of them fit under the category "Mom Guilt".  Yeah.  

My relationship with Mom Guilt is prickly and complicated.  Some days, it is a dear friend dishing out some tough love and on other days it is an enemy ready to pounce.  If I allow it to, Mom Guilt will set up camp in my thoughts and defeat me daily, sabotaging the good work I am trying to do.  On the other hand, it can also convict me and spur me to make real changes for the better.  I experience both types of guilt quite regularly.   I welcome it because the flip side of the guilt coin is shiny with resolve and hope, and 'hope' leads to positivity, growth, greater focus, and action in the right direction.  The tricky part is knowing when and how to swing that mighty mom guilt hammer to help build up a better MomMe, instead of to tear myself down.  

For better or for worse, in my tired mommy brain, all of my mommy transgressions (of which there are m-a-n-y) are tabbed under each child's name, catalogued by subject, archived by year, and notarized by a Certified Mom Guilt Notary Public (aka my mother).  My Mom Guilt is vast, expansive and comprehensive in scope.  And much like a persistent tic, any number of my past Mom Guilt infractions will creep up on me when I am otherwise having a winning day, to ruinous consequences.  

Mom Guilt  has a way of distorting my good judgment and turning a perfectly reasonable and harmless activity such as  making a solo run to Starbucks into an exercise in mom anxiety as I try to tear myself away from my crying baby and kids who beg to go with me or ask me to stay home.   Sometimes I ease my guilt by bringing home treats or skip the Starbucks run altogether.  

You may be nodding your head, knowingly, as you read this post.  I have read articles written by moms who declare freedom from mom guilt and wonder how they do it.  I think it helps to have a good friend, therapist, or parenting blog who can put a fresh and healthy perspective on things.  We all need to get out of our own heads sometimes, especially if we're harboring negative thoughts.  Mom Guilt Monday posts are my way of working through some of the guilt and to reflect on the significance or silliness of some of the stuff I feel guilty about as a mom.

How are you, today?  Is your Mom Guilt being a  friend nudging you in the right direction or is Mom Guilt being a mean girl getting all up in your grill, trying to tear you down?  A good way to tell the difference: If the guilt makes you hang your head, crank at your family, and drive you to throw your hands up in defeat, it's not your friend.  If the guilt drives you to think up a solution or action plan to solve or erase whatever's troubling you, then that's the good kind.  Use that one to better yourself and share some tips with this mama through the comments below!  Have an awesome guilt-free day, mama!

When new moms-to-be learn that I am a mother of 6, they inevitably ask me if I have any tips or advice for them. In my head, I answer, "YES! LOTS!" But rather than share what I really think may be helpful, I chicken out. I just smile, congratulate them and ask the universally scripted questions and give the always-given answers about pregnancy, genders, and nursery decor. My justification for chickening out is that I don't know if they are truly sincere about wanting advice or are they simply wanting to have a light conversation about their impending joyful event. The truth is, 20+ years into my marriage and 6 kids on, I have a lot to share but I don't know how to go about it so I'm writing this post. If you are pregnant for the first time or recently joined the motherhood journey, this is for you, sweet mama.
1. TAKE THE EPIDURAL. Technically, this would be sound advice for a new 'mom-to-be' and apply to a hospital delivery, if that's your plan. "Take the epidural." Those wereDr. Mom's very first words when I dropped by the hospital to visit her and her sweet new baby boy. Our due dates were three weeks apart and throughout our pregnancies we shared, in great detail, everything about birthing that we could divine from the countless parenting books we poured over. In the end, we both opted for the epidural and we've never regretted it. As a mother of six, after baby #1, I went into the delivery room a little wiser, a little busier, and a whole lot more tired. Are my babies at home doing okay with the sitter? Did I leave good instructions? What important things did I forget to do in my sleep deprived, mom-brain state? Did I pack my newborn's going-home outfit and the car seat? Oh no, I forgot to fold the laundry! I haven't had a good night's sleep in months... The epidural allowed me to rest, relax, and reset for the big game coming up in the labor and delivery room and was invaluable in my birthing experience and recovery. Trust me, it still hurts and you get the full birthing experience in spades, from the contractions, birthing, and to the recovery. In addition, my babies came into the world healthy and were not negatively impacted by the epidural. Ain't no shame in your birthing game whichever way you get that baby out, mama. The birthing books suggested scented candles, lotions and oils, light reading materials, a journal, easy-listening playlist, dry crackers, and a birthing ball as essentials for the big day. I prescribed to this and stuffed many of those items in my first hospital "go-bag". I used none of them. Just sayin...
2. YOU NEED MORE SLEEP. No amount of pre-baby prep, research or rest can prepare a new mom for the insanely small amount of sleep she is going to have to survive on for the next 6 to 18 months. You know you're tired and should nap but there's a hundred more important things that need your attention when the baby's asleep. Sorry, but no. Make sleep a priority on your to-do list and watch everything else fall into place a whole lot faster and with more ease. I often hear people say, "get rested up now because once the baby arrives..." That is useless advice because sleep, like food, is something you need daily. It's not like we could stockpile hours of sleep today and use those extra hours months from now. The chronic lack of sleep is going to hurt, and make you feel out of sorts. Symptoms of chronic lack of sleep include: forgetfulness, poor judgment, exhaustion, chronic crankiness, depression, impatience, and over-eating, to name a few. The negative effects that stem from chronic lack of sleep will create a multitude of problems in your marriage, self-image, work, and even caring for your precious new little one. However, good sleep has the potential to solve or avoid many of those problems and create greater levels of happiness and productivity within yourself and your home. Try to catch a nap when the baby naps. And when your husband is spending time with the baby, drop that full laundry basket like a bad habit and take a nap, instead. And if possible, when a friend or relative drops by to help, actually let them help while you take a nap - don't play hostess or attempt to be superwoman. There is time for all of that later, girlfriend. Sleep - it's one of the very best activities you can do as a new mom.
3. IT'S OK TO SUPPLEMENT. Breast milk, formula, breast/bottle, or a combination are all excellent ways to feed a baby. Too often, we moms shame one another or even punish ourselves(!) for the choices we make on how we feed and nourish our babies. I was a bottle fed baby and I turned out kinda amazing and so did countless other adults walking around on the planet. The same can be said for people who were breastfed. Formula is not fast food or arsenic in a can, so get a grip and stop shaming other moms (or yourself) for trying to feed their babies. Let's not find reasons to divide this sacred sisterhood of ours but rather celebrate the worthy work we are all doing as mothers by feeding our babies to the best of our abilities with a common goal - to grow our babies into healthy, vibrant, happy little humans.
4. LOSE THE WEIGHT. As a mom of 6, I don't say those three words flippantly. I am not advocating self-unaccpetance or trying to put pressure on a new mom to attain impossible standards. You don't have to drop the 25 or 90 pounds in the first three months but have a plan and set small doable goals to gradually move towards freedom from the excess weight and obtain a fit and healthy you. I am going to be very honest here - people will tell you that you look great (and new moms always do so they are absolutely right) but once the months pass and the glow of new motherhood fades, if you don't drop those pounds, you are going to feel bad about yourself and a day will come when you wonder, "what happened to me?" When that day comes, have a good answer for yourself: "self-care is not a selfish pursuit nor a frivolous one. It is worthy and so is your health." The hard journey back to a lighter, fitter, healthier version of yourself helps to erase sluggishness, low self-esteem, and other negative effects perpetuated by keeping the extra pounds. Just remember, it's called "baby weight", not "forever weight." There's no reason to carry all that around and feel bad about yourself. Pro Mom Tip: when my little ones were around 6 months old, I would strap them onto my back, and walk (gently, of course) on the treadmill while my older kids did schoolwork or played in the yard. Sometimes we'd go for walks as a family but that took more work and scheduling on my part and that didn't fit in well with our daily lessons. The treadmill was convenient and I could do it most days. Planks, push-ups and leg-lifts take only minutes but are very effective and you don't have to spend time out of your busy schedule changing into and out of workout clothes.
5. BREASTFEEDING HURTS. It does, girlfriend. I have read countless articles by professionals that say breastfeeding NEVER HURTS if you do it right. Take it from a homeschooling mom of 6 and her many girlfriends who nursed their babies - breastfeeding in the beginning stages hurts. The first few days, no pain. But once your baby gets stronger and you nurse more frequently and for longer periods, you will run into the "ow factor". The good news is that it's only for a short time and there are simple and easy things you can do to minimize the pain and discomfort. A good latch (a wide open mouth like a suction around the areola instead of pursed lips clamped onto the base of the nipple - if your baby is attached onto the nipple like it's a straw, then that's gonna hurt badly and reap poor feeding results so gently break the suction with your finger and try again for a wider mouth opening. Think "chug", not "sip".) Also, there are many creams and ointments available for new nursing moms. You won't need them for the entire time that you nurse your baby, only in the beginning until your breasts adjust. After a short transition period, you'll ease into a beautiful nursing experience with your little one. Sometimes, a baby has a physical impediment in their mouth that may prevent proper nursing - check with your pediatrician and/or a lactation consultant if your baby seems to be struggling to latch naturally.
6. STOP CRITICIZING DAD. He's not your assistant or an employee. It's not his job to hit parenting goals and meet parental performance standards set by you. He's going to do things very differently, not necessarily 'worse' than you or 'inferior' to your ways. Just 'different'. He's dad. Let him Dad. Let him do his awesome dad thing. Be generous with your gratitude and compliments when he's doing great in his new parenting role and be very frugal with the criticism. Take a deep breath, sister, and bite that sharp tongue and use it sparingly when criticizing the love of your life. He's probably doing better than you think he is - let him keep going. Don't harsh on his dad flow.
7. YOU REALLY DON'T NEED ALL THAT STUFF IN YOUR DIAPER BAG. Here's a general rule to follow when packing for a typical day out: *If your diaper bag weighs more than your baby, it's time to re-assess the essentials* ​When Baby #2 arrived, I admittedly panicked at the prospect of being a mother of 2. I felt that I had not quite gotten the hang of one baby and now I was in charge of 2... my overly compensated diaper bag reflected my anxieties as I packed less for a day at the park and more for a total catastrophic zombie apocalypse. Less is more when it comes to packing your diaper bag. Pro Mom Tip: get the travel size everything; toss the wet bag (unless you're actually going somewhere "wet" - unless you like to have an extra thing to have to wash, dry, and have to remember to place back into the diaper bag, later... too many steps) and instead, use large ziplock baggies or recycle plastic shopping bags - "toss it" and "forget it"; limit the toys (too much bulk) and pack a lip gloss for yourself that stays in the bag at all times (you are still a hottie, after all.)
Pro Mom Tip: I use these bag organizers for my diaper bags as well as my regular bags to keep organized. Click this affiliate link to amazon if you want to learn more.

8. YOU AND YOUR SPOUSE ARE GOING TO FIGHT MORE. It's going to happen so just remember to fight fair. Keep your words clean, and don't hit below the belt by saying or doing something you can't take back when all the dust settles. When a baby enters a relationship for the very first time, he's not the only one who has to grow up. Mom and dad are going to be forced to grow, stretch, and learn to forgive all sorts of new stuff that never came up before the arrival of a precious little one. The couples with a faster learning curve will stay together longer and share greater joy and prosperity within their family.
9. BABIES AREN'T GALLONS OF MILK, THEY DON'T SPOIL - LOVE THEM HARD. You can never love on a baby "too much" but sadly, it's possible to love on them too little. If anyone tells you not to spoil your baby, smile, and tell them to back the hella up while you love on your baby.
10. BABIES ARE SIMPLE. MOTHERHOOD IS NOT. Before I had babies and kids of my own, I loved everyone else's little ones with ease. It was so effortlessly fun and easy to love on them and play with them and see their quirks as adorable. Then, I had my first baby and things became complicated as I took my place in the motherhood journey. I instantly felt a vulnerability and huge responsibility as a new mom in charge of protecting and raising my own child. I would often overthink every decision and plan until it all became unfun and purely exercises in efficiency and safety. Don't complicate things or second guess all your moves because there are many excellent ways to be a good mom and you're probably making many good choices every single day for your baby. Overthink less and enjoy yourself more.
​11. YOU WILL FEEL LIKE A FAILURE. All the good moms do. Keep going, mama. You are doing amazing and your fails yesterday have no place in your mom game today. Keep a clear head and remember that if you learn from your failures, they will contribute towards your successes. Don't beat yourself up over it - take away something valuable that you can pass along to your future self, like, tomorrow.
12. SEX WILL TAKE EFFORT. Easing back into the swing of things in the sex department will take time for a new mom as you heal and recover physically. That's totally normal. But also, juggling many new responsibilities such as breastfeeding, caring for your new baby, significant sleep loss, and returning to work as a working mom, can be overwhelming mentally and emotionally and kinda suck the fun out of sex for a while. Don't worry, once you start getting better sleep and start feeling more like yourself, everything gets easier and familiar again, including sex.
13. WELCOME TO THE SISTERHOOD. If you haven't heard it yet today, let me be the first to say it, "Welcome to the sisterhood. You are doing amazing and your little one is lucky to have you for a mom. Keep swimming and thanks for taking precious time out of your day to read this. I hope it helps you."

What you'll need:
Boiled eggs (cooled - they don't have to be refrigerated)
Betty Crocker's Bold Gel food dye (regular food dye works, too, but if you want bold, vivid colors, use the bold gels)
Vinegar
Hot tap water

Gently roll the cooled eggs on a hard flat surface to create the web-like cracks.  Do not peel the eggs.  Set aside.
Mix together one teaspoon of vinegar and one teaspoon of gel dye.
Add 1/2 cup of hot tap water to the gel/vinegar mixture.
Place an egg in each dye mixture.
Large Family Mom Tip:  If you are making many eggs at once with lots of kids, you can use larger bowls to do multiple eggs of each color at a time.  Just remember to adjust the recipe accordingly.  
Let the cracked eggs sit in the dye for 2-3 hours.
Paper towel dry the eggs and then gently peel off the shell.
Rinse and then dry.  
Beautiful Baby Dragon Eggs!

A delicious chocolate pudding cake recipe that is simple to make alongside little ones. It's a family favorite to take along when we visit with friends. ProMom Tip: it's pudding so if you're taking it for a ride, make sure to chill it first and that the ride is nice and cool.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup chopped pecans (this makes a great add-in but we usually opt out because of food allergies)
8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened
1 cup of powdered sugar
8 oz. container of frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided
(2) 3.5 oz. packages of instant chocolate pudding (banana pudding is a nice substitute)
4 cups of milk (whole milk is best but 2% works, too)
A dump truck load of sprinkles (courtesy of my kindergartner). We are partial to rainbow, unless it's a holiday: red and green for Christmas, pink and red for Valentines Day, green for St. Patty's Day, red/white/blue for Independence Day, black and orange for Halloween (candy eyeballs are also fun) and of course, pastels for Easter!

In a bowl, combine the flour, butter and pecans (optional). Mix well and then press into the bottom of an ungreased 13"x9" baking pan (don't press it too firmly, otherwise the crust will bake very hard). Bake at 350 for 15 minutes and allow to cool fully. In another bowl, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar and one cup whipped topping; spread over baked layer. Whisk together the dry pudding mixes and milk per the package directions and make this the next layer. Cover and chill for a couple of hours(I usually set it overnight). Spread with remaining whipped topping and as my kids like to say when sprinkling the sprinkles, "MAKE IT RAIN!"

Cover and chill overnight and cut into tiny squares so the kids feel like they’re indulging in multiple sweet treats (another a ProMom Tip!)

This easy to bake dinner favorite is delicious and so unbelievably simple to make!   I actually feel  guilty that I don't work harder to make this meal.  

Ingredients:
28 oz. Bottle of Sweet Baby Ray's Award-Winning Barbecue Sauce 
16-20 Chicken drumsticks

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees.  

Remove the skin from the chicken drumsticks.   Rinse the skinned chicken in cold water and pat them dry, one by one and set aside.  Squirt 1/2 the bottle of barbecue sauce into a large Ziploc bag.  Place the drumsticks into the Ziploc bag.  Seal it tight and gently shake and massage the bag of chicken until all the drumsticks are covered in sauce.  Then arrange the drumsticks on a lined 17" x 12" baking pan and sprinkle with a little pepper and 1/2 the bottle remainder of bbq sauce.  Cover loosely with aluminum foil.  Slide them into the oven for 1 hour.  Flip at the 30 min. mark and squirt on the remainder of the bbq sauce bottle and slide back into the oven for final 30 minutes with the aluminum foil over top to keep the chicken from drying out.  After one hour, remove from the oven.  To thicken the tasty sauce, let cool for 10 minutes before serving and have plenty of baby wipes on hand for small sets of sticky hands around your family dinner table!  Enjoy!

There are lots of great recipes out there to make your own delicious barbecue sauce but I prefer to keep this the ultimate easy chicken recipe so I stuck with our family favorite ready-made sauce.