Mom Files: party

Extra Crispy Chicken Wings from your oven (Recipe)

With football and basketball season in full force, we reach for our game food favorites. One thing that we must have for the Superbowl or NBA Finals is chicken wings. We love them cooked almost any way, but absolutely can't resist a crispy fried wing. The problem is, I do not like to fry. I fry *maybe* three times a year. I just don't like the house, our furniture or my hair smelling like fried food. I have been baking wings in the oven for years and finally found a way to make them so crisp, you would think they were deep-fried. The secret is Dijon mustard.

I take my washed and dried chicken wings and season them with my favorite spices and seasonings, except for salt. I add a couple tablespoons of Dijon mustard (this is why I don't add salt) and toss the wings to coat evenly. I spray non-stick cooking spray on a broiler pan/drip pan and lay my wings out in an even layer. I put them in my preheated oven on 375 and use the convection setting. I let them get very brown and crisp. It takes about 35 minutes. If you don't have a convection oven, you may need to flip wings over once for even browning. The end result is perfectly crispy chicken wings. My family enjoys them and I like the fact that I can cook a lot of them at one time. Enjoy!

Throw a party, New York Style #thethingtobring

The holiday season is officially here and this means lots of gatherings and parties! I received a fabulous hostess set from New York Style snacks to get me ready for entertaining this holiday season. Did you know they have a brand new look? I think it is so festive and fun! They also came out with some delicious varieties in their Sweet Swirls line; Cinnabon and Chocolate. They are incredibly delicious! They have the perfect balance of crunch, crispiness and sweetness. I do like that they are not too sweet.

Let's not get started on how much I love the Pita Chips. I may or may not have eaten an entire bag by myself in under 24 hours. I'll never tell!

New York Style snacks are so versatile since you can eat them as is or create your own recipes with virtually any variety. I had to bring something to my son's class family feast last week and decided to make something with some NY Style snacks. I went with the Garlic Parmesan Panetini and the Roasted Garlic Bagel Crisps. I came up with a very simple idea that looked quite festive. A simple smear of plain cream cheese on each crisp, topped off with a super thin slice of English cucumber and a few dried cranberries. It was a big hit! You got the salty and savory garlic and cheese flavor from the base and the sweet and creamy textures from the toppings. It was a perfect combination!

The parents at the family feast loved this simple appetizer and want to make them for their next gathering. The possibilities for toppings or dips are endless! If you take a peek on the New York Style website, you can find a lot of recipe ideas to try.

Be sure to connect with New York Style on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest and Instagram for product updates, recipes and more! Happy Entertaining!

Have a #SweetHalloween with Crest and Oral-B

This post was created in partnership with Crest & Oral-B as part of the #SweetHalloween Program.
It's that time of year again... Halloween! Many families have already been to parties, carnivals and trick-or-treat events. Of course the candy is overflowing and kids (parents, too) are indulging. We went to a trick-or trunk event at my daughter's school and we came home with tons of candy. Can you imagine Halloween without candy? Check out this super quick and cute video of how these kids react to the Halloween "treats" they are given.

I know I would never deprive my children of candy at Halloween, within reason. With all of the sugary confections that they partake in, Crest Pro-Health has a great line of oral care products to keep our teeth clean and healthy. Check out the goodies I received from Crest and Oral-B.

You can click here for some great money saving coupons towards Crest products.

I wish you all a very safe and #SweetHalloween :)

My favorite tip when baking brownies

My family loves when I bake brownies and can't ever seem to wait for them to cool down before hacking into the pan! This usually leads to uneven pieces, lots of crumbs and a big mess. For many years I have baked my brownies (both homemade and from a box mix) in muffin pans. I just spray the pans lightly with non-stick spray and bake them for about 10 minutes less than I would in a traditional pan. The pop out of the pan easily and you have those perfect chewy edges all the way around!

I like to make these to stash in lunchboxes and they are great for taking to banquets, potluck gatherings or bakes sales. I have even topped them with a mini swirl of homemade cream cheese frosting and stuck a few M&M's in my daughter's school colors right in the center. They are always a big hit!

I received Disney Channel “Teen Beach Movie” products in exchange for a post about the film. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Teen Beach Movie premieres on July 19 at 8:00 ET/PT.

Disney Channel’s "Teen Beach Movie" is a breezy surf-rock musical comedy that’s sure to get you and your family dancing and singing & makes the perfect flick for a family movie night! "Teen Beach Movie" follows teen surfing sweethearts Brady and McKenzie who together ride the last wave of summer, one that mysteriously takes them into a classic beach party movie, “Wet Side Story.” There, it's surfers versus bikers for control of the beach hangout…and everyone spontaneously breaks into song and dance. Now, Brady and McKenzie must try to return to present day, but their lives may be changed forever when they inadvertently alter the movie's romantic storyline when handsome surfer Tanner falls for McKenzie and biker girl Lela starts swooning for Brady.

Some of the cast includes:
· Ross Lynch, star of Disney Channel’s Austin & Ally & Hollywood Records’ R5
· Maia Mitchell, star of ABC Family’s The Fosters (executive produced by Jennifer Lopez) and guest star on Disney Channel’s Jessie
· Grace Phipps, star of ABC Family’s The Nine Lives of Chloe King and the CW’s Vampire Diaries
· Garrett Clayton, guest star of Disney Channel’s Shake It Up and NBC’s Days of our Lives

This movie is geared toward kids, tweens (ages 6-14) and their families, "Teen Beach Movie" is a breezy surf-rock musical comedy that also comes with a message for kids and tweens about the importance of believing in yourself and following your true destiny.

· Disney Channel brings back "Family Movie Night” with “Teen Beach Movie.” Kids, parents and grandparents will be engaged by the story, music, dancing and retro fashion, and will have fun watching the movie’s modern twist on classics such as "Gidget," "Beach Blanket Bingo," "Grease," and "West Side Story."

· "Teen Beach Movie" is part of the blockbuster Disney Channel Original Movie franchise that has produced TV's #1 movie among Tweens ages 9-14 for the past 11 years (2002-12) and the #1 cable TV movie in Total Viewers for the past 6 years (2007-2012).

· The soundtrack features 12 songs influenced by surf rock, Motown R&B, rockabilly and pop.

· "Teen Beach Movie" is filled with great storytelling and entertainment. It also has a meaningful plot that showcases positive themes like self-expression, friendship and youth empowerment.

My teenage daughters are excited about tuning in to watch the movie premiere. I really think it will be a fun movie to watch with the family.

To learn more about Teen Beach Movie, visit http://DisneyChannel.com/TeenBeachMovie and be sure to follow @DisneyChannelPR on Twitter and Instagram, and TeenBeachMovie on Pinterest using #TeenBeachMovie.

Best Deviled Eggs Recipe

I have posted my deviled eggs on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter numerous times before. Several people have asked for my recipe so I thought I would share it. It is so easy!

I start with my hard boiled eggs and separate my yolks from the whites. I smash them up and add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, sweet relish, freshly cracked black pepper and sriracha. After I mix it all up, I add a tiny bit of milk to make the filling creamier. Next, I add my filling into a sandwich bag and snip off one end to make a piping bag. This makes your deviled eggs look prettier instead of scooping the filling with a spoon. I top them off with thinly sliced scallions and a sprinkle of smoked paprika. I sometimes top them with mulit-colored slivers of bell peppers or even a small squeeze of sriracha. Deviled eggs are always a crowd pleaser and a must-have for parties and cookouts.

Wordless Wednesday | Prom 2013

My oldest daughter went to her senior prom a couple weeks ago. She looked like a princess!

I received some fabulous UNREAL candy to share with friends and family at a house party I was asked to throw. It turned out that only one person could show up because it was a super busy weekend for those I invited. There were so many activities going on in my city ( fall break for college students, The State Fair, fall-related festivals and some had to work) so I decided to take my party to the streets. The streets? Yes, I packed up my candy bags and took them up to my daughters' high school for their annual "Trick or Trunk" event that helps raise funds and collect food to donate to the community.

I figured it was a great way to share the UNREAL candy and talk about it with a lot more people. What is UNREAL candy you ask? It is candy made with only REAL ingredients. Nothing artificial. Check out this video with some famous faces and see for yourself...

The taste? YUM. I. Am. Hooked. I can't believe that UNREAL candies were better than the leading brands. You can taste the ingredients and they were less sugary. My family agreed and prefer them too. I was shocked. Not my sweet candy loving children!!

I went to the high school armed with loads of UNREAL candy bags to hand out. I was a but nervous and was unsure of how well it would go over. Telling a bunch of teenagers and their parents that they should UNJUNK and GETREAL was going to raise some eyebrows. It's Halloween after all!

I chatted with so many people in small groups and they were stunned that candy that is made without fake ingredients can possibly taste good. As I walked around throughout the grounds I kept getting stopped by smiling faces. They were so pleased with how delicious the candy was and wanted to know where to find them. I told them CVS, Staples, Kroger and so many more retailers carry them for the same cost as a traditional candy bar.

My oldest daughter even said that one of the student activities leaders (a teacher) was inquiring about possibly selling UNREAL candy for fundraising! How cool is that? Not a bad idea to swap out the fake, sugary stuff with the real deal at the SAME cost! I am so happy that everyone enjoyed the candy and got to learn about the UNREAL movement. It made me think, shouldn't all candy be real? I sure hope they start making treat sizes for my kids' lunch boxes. They would love that!

Check out UNREAL on the web, Facebook and Twitter. Have you tried UNREAL candy yet? What did you think?

I received free products to share and was compensated for my time. All thoughts/opinions are completely my own.

I had the great pleasure of receiving a lovely assortment of the new Arbor Mist Frozen Wine Cocktails to try out. Of course I had to do my part and try all 3 varieties to be sure I gave an accurate review. It was a tough job but someone had to do it! I received the Blackberry Merlot, Strawberry White Zinfandel and White Pear Pinot Grigio flavors. I have never tried any of the frozen wine beverages before and honestly, I wasn't sure if it would be something I would like. In my mind I figured it would be too icy for me.

I put the pouches in the freezer and left them in there for the recommended 5 hours. First up was the Blackberry Merlot. I tore the top off the pouch and squeezed it into my wine glass. It was not super icy like I thought it would be. It was very smooth which is more of my thing. I took my first sip out of my straw. I loved the flavor. It was so refreshing and everything I hoped it would be! I had my husband taste it because he is the picky one. Guess who had me open another pouch? Yep, he loved it too!

Since he took a few sips from my glass, I felt like I did not have the full serving *ahem* so I opened up a pouch of the White Pear Pinot Grigio. I normally don't drink white wine so I had no idea what it would taste like. I LOVED this one even more! The texture was perfect and it is my new favorite. The next evening I tried the Strawberry White Zinfandel. It was good but I much prefer the first two. I really love having a frozen cocktail that doesn't require breaking out the blender and having multiple ingredients. You can beat the 'freeze, tear and squeeze' method!

I can totally see having a cooler of these at a cookout or gathering and it would be awesome for a girl's night in! I will be purchasing these in the future and highly recommend them. If you have tried them, what do you think? If you plan to try them in the future, I would love to hear your thoughts!

Check out Arbor Mist on the web, Facebook and Twitter. *You must be 21 or over.

I received products samples for review from SheSpeaks. All thoughts/opinions are always my own.

Come join the "On the Go with D.O." Twitter Party

I wanted to invite you all to participate in the "On the Go with D.O." Twitter party that I will be co-hosting next week. If you are not familiar with D.O. (David Oliver), you should check out this post. You can also take a peek at the video below.

Here are the details of the Twitter Party:

Date and Time: Tuesday July 3rd from 7pm-8pm *NO RSVP
Name: One the Go with D.O. Twitter Party
Hosts: Shelly @momfiles; Tree @amotherofpearl; Piera @JollyMom **Choosing prizing and winners
Special Guest: David Oliver will be joining the party to Tweet along with fans and answer questions! Twitter handle @doliversub13
Also, My Coke Rewards will be joining the party to Retweet questions and reply to fans @MyCokeRewards
Hashtag: #DOFieldDay

There will be 5 Activity prize packs to give away valued at $100!

Please stop by if you can and feel free to spread the word. See you there!

My favorite girls | Friends for life

I was looking at an old photo of my daughters along with their friend, Haley. Chardie and Haley met in kindergarten and became best friends from day one. Although Haley and Chardie are in the same grade, Brie took a liking to Haley and joined in on the friendship. After all these years they still get together for sleepovers, outings and parties. Haley is referred to as being my third daughter. I love her as if she was my own! When Haley comes to the house, I enjoy making them my "world famous" grilled cheese sandwiches and baking cookies. It has been a tradition for many years and all three girls look forward to it.

Chardie and Haley were in kindergarten and Brie was still at home with me! This was taken at their end of kindergarten school trip to a local park. How adorable are those sweet faces?!

Here are the girls are all grown up. Chardie and Haley are finishing off Junior year and will become Seniors next school year. Brie will be a Sophomore next school year. *sniff*

All three girls have made us so proud. They are all very high academic achievers and have such outstanding manners and a love for the community. We couldn't ask for better daughters! It has been a joy watching the three of them grow up together. It is wonderful to have lifelong friends that become a part of your family.

Do you or your children have any of the same friends since early childhood?

Farewell One Life To Live

Well, we said our final goodbyes last night. We watched the last episode of One Life To Live on Soapnet. It did not end as we would have thought but that's the soaps for ya. I admit that I had some tears roll down my face. Not from sad scenes but just the memories. I can't believe how much the show was a part of my life for so many years.

We all wore black for the occasion. Pictured from left to right- Brie, Haley, Shelly and Chardie.

Of course we had to have our snacks that included pizza, chocolate, candies, ice cream, popcorn and soda. I think that it will really hit us next week when we go to tune into Soapnet only to realize our show will no longer be in that time slot.

{Giveaway} A New Spin on the Cookie Exchange: Host a Chex Party Mix-Change!

**Contest Closed** Winner is #56 paschadudley~ Congratulations!

The holiday season is upon us and this means we are attending parties and indulging in goodies and treats. Some of you might be attending a cookie-exchange party. They are a lot of fun and you end up with so many wonderful homemade cookies. The downside of cookies is the whole baking part. Chex Party Mix is changing the way we look at traditional baking with the Chex Party Mix-Change. You can skip the whole baking process and whip up yummy batches Chex Mix snacks in 15 minutes! I received a gift pack from MyBlogSpark that contained 2 boxes of Chex cereal, 5 recipe cards, 10 take-out containers and a $20 gift card to purchase items to make some yummy Chex Party Mix.

We made 2 varieties. We love sweets in my house so we went with the Muddy Buddies and Lemon Buddies. They were so easy to make and required very few ingredients. Lemon Buddies have become my new favorite and I highly recommend you try it for yourself. I will give you fair warning that they are addicting! Here is the recipe:

Lemon Buddies
9 cups Rice Chex® cereal
1 1/4 cups white vanilla baking chips
1/4 cup butter or margarine
4 teaspoons grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups powdered sugar

1. Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.
2. In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chips, butter, lemon peel and juice uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.
3. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; gently shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool. Store in airtight container.

We decided that we will send in these Chex treats to the girls' teachers to get them through mid-terms before the Christmas break. I know they will love it! There are so many recipes that range from salty to sweet and even gluten-free. You can even tweak recipes and make them your very own!

We are giving away one Chex Party Mix-Change gift pack to one lucky Momfiles reader. The gift pack includes (pictured below): 2 boxes of Chex cereal to create Chex Party Mix recipes, 5 featured Chex Party Mix recipes, 10 takeout containers and a $20 gift card to purchase recipe ingredients and decorating supplies.

To enter- *Mandatory: What Chex Party Mix recipe do you want to try? Have you ever made Chex Party Mix before?

For additional entries you can do all or any of the following. Be sure to leave a separate comment per entry method.

~ "like" Chex and Momfiles on Facebook (please do not write on the Chex Mix wall but you can write on the Momfiles wall to let us know you entered)

~ Follow Momfiles on Twitter

~ Tweet this giveaway (once daily) and leave your tweet link:

Win a #ChexPartyMixChange gift pack @momfiles http://tinyurl.com/d8l87xn #MyBlogSpark

Giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end at 9:00 pm EST on December 10, 2011. One winner will be chosen at random and contacted via email. Be sure to leave your email address if you do not have a Blogger profile. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes.

Disclosure: The Chex Party Mix-Change product, information, and giveaway have been provided by Chex through MyBlogSpark

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