::Honey Bunches of Oats Event Recap:: Voces con Dedicacion #ad

 ::Momma Disclosure:: { This is a compensated post. All statements are my own and my true and honest opinion.}

A couple of weekends ago I helped present my cheesecake recipe made with Honey Bunches of Oats at the Voces con Dedicacion event hosted at our local H-E-B. The event was a family filled, back to school event. There was so much food, music, giveaways and fun games for both adults and kids. It was a great platform to meet local Momma's who like to create fun treats for their kids, and I did! I was very happy to see everyone eating and enjoying my cheesecake as much as my kids and family did. 

Not only was I was one of the guests but also met an incredibly young and talented Texas girl, Ashley Acosta. She is not only talented but also respectful and sweet. Her parents were with her on this Sunday morning and you can see where she gets her good hardworking habits from. Ashley Acosta is local singer and has participated in singing competitions like La Voz Kids! I was very honored to have been a part of this event. 

During the event Honey Bunches of Oats presented Ashley with a $10,000.00 as recognition of talents. She stated that she would use that money to help further her future education and fund her career. It was a great way for Honey Bunches of Oats to give back to local Latino Youth, such an honor to have been in the company of everyone at this event on that day! 

You can visit Honey Bunches of Oats and see more great recipes! 

Visit their Twitter at @HBOatsLatino

Visit their Facebook page @HoneyBunchesLatino

View my recipe here! 

::Honey Bunches of Oats Sweet Treat:: No fuss Cheesecake Recipe #ad

 ::Momma Disclosure:: { This is a compensated post. All statements are my own and my true and honest opinion.}

Our usual afternoon school routine begins with food! As soon as I or my Husband arrive with the kids they rush to the refrigerator for a snack, any snack will do usually. Some days they really crave something sweet. Our usual go to is cereal. Seems pretty basic I know but the kids love it and it's quick and easy, and inexpensive. Today, thanks to my partnership with Honey Bunches of Oats, I am sharing with you a fun, quick and easy snack that you can prepare the night before for that next day after school munchies hour! 

One of my all time favorite desserts is cheesecake! Of course, who doesn't love it. But, I am not a baker or master chef, nor do I feel like I have time to whip it up from scratch but thanks to this no fuss cheesecake recipe I definitely feel very gourmet. For this recipe, my Husband, who is rather and far more resourceful in the kitchen than I, helped me. We pulled together and did some team work, as Team Gomez usually does, even the kids joined in right before bed time. Not without some chaos and tears but all was good at the end of the night and the next morning when our cheesecake was done! 

You will need to prep this sweet treat the night before. It's very simple and far less complicated than it may sound. 

What you need: 

2- 8 oz packages of cream cheese

1/2 cup of Sugar

1/2 tablespoon of vanilla extract

2 large eggs

Pie dish 9-inch

1 box of Honey Bunches of Oats (will only use about 2 cups)

If you have a food processor grind about 1 1/2 cups of Honey Bunches of Oats into semi-fine grains, you can leave it semi-crunchy for texture. You can also use a blender and just use the pulse setting. 

Once you grind the cereal place it in a medium to large bowl so that you can mix with butter. Add about 1/2 a stick of melted butter to it and mix it together, the mixture will be soft but not too soggy. Then, in a 9-inch pie pan press the mixture into the bottom, to create a crust for your cheesecake.  

Set this aside while you work on your filling. 

In another bowl mix, 2 packages of 8 oz cream cheese, 1/2 cup of sugar, 2- large eggs and 1/2 tablespoon of vanilla extract. {You can add sugar and vanilla depending on how sweet you like it.} You can use a high-speed mixer or in my case, I used my food processor to wipe the ingredients together. Once my filling was soft and semi-liquid, I added it to the pie crust already prepared and placed in the oven at 325 degrees for about 40-45 minutes. 

Once the center is firm and set you can take it out. 

Once cooked I set it out to cool for about 20-30 minutes, then placed it in the refrigerator for 4 hours (or overnight) to set. I then added some fruity toppings. I had strawberries available but you can add peaches, blueberries or any other of your choice. I also used some leftover pie crumbs for my topping to add some extra crunch. 

Summer Drinks with Tekeen #TexasMade

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::Momma Disclosure:: This is a compensated post. All statements are my true and honest opinion.  

One of my favorite Latina/Tejana food bloggers is Vianney of Sweet Life, she is one of the sweetest, no pun intended, food bloggers known to Texas. She recently featured a drink on her IG page where she used Tekeen as her blend. So, when Tekeen reached out to me as well about creating drinks with their premium cocktail mixes I was thrilled! Vianney was a great inspiration as I created my drinks. 

Enjoy! 

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When I think of Summer I think of fruity, refreshing drinks and of course classic margaritas! Thanks to Tekeen, I was able to start sampling my Summer drinks early. I decided to make a minimal-alcoholic version and then your full on bring the tequila version. As mentioned in my last post  I have a passion for local and Texas shops. What better than genuinely delicious Texas Made drinks. It's the best way to recover from the upcoming Houston heat. 

I made my version of a berry filled "white wine sangria" with the Tekeen Grapefruit cocktail mix. Think of it as a fruit infused, aqua fresca with a sweet kick. It was super easy. 

I combined (about 1 1/2 cups) of fresh blueberries, raspberries and sliced strawberries with (1 whole lime) lime wedges and mint (to taste, I used about 2 sprigs) to about 2 cups of the grapefruit flavored cocktail in a small receptacle. It's best if you have a large jar with a lid or pitcher with a top that seals. So, that your flavors lock in. I left it in the fridge for about 8 hours to chill and infuse and then served over ice, it created a colorful and refreshing drink. The alcohol in Tekeen is only about 12%, so it's very light and perfect for a relaxing afternoon in your backyard.    

My second drink was a classic, with a spicy kick alternative, a Margarita! Perfect for your upcoming Cinco de Mayo celebrations or just your everyday backyard get-together. 

Also, very simple I mixed about 2-3 cups of the Cucumber Lime-flavored cocktail (but you can also use the Passion Fruit Lime flavor) with about 1/2 cup of tequila (really this is up to you), in a large pitcher and stirred it together. You can also shake it in a drink shaker or blend it with ice for a frostier taste. I preferred it with crushed ice so I crushed about 3 cups of ice in the blender, and then salted my rim and served the mix over ice. I garnished it with lime wedges and mint. It was so good, I cannot lie. As an alternate serving, I also salted my rim with a combination of tajin and regular salt. The combination was so yummy! 

I am a no fuss kind of Momma and these two drinks were simple, quick and easy to put together. These drinks serve about 3-4 people.  

Thank you to Takeen for sponsoring this post for Momma of Dos- Visit their site for all their newest recipes and information. http://tekeen.com/

Meatless Menu for Lent #HolyWeek

I grew up in a Catholic{Christian} family where we celebrated "Holy week" or Semana Santa, during this week we usually didn't eat meat. It started on Ash Wednesday and continued until Good Friday. During this season, we didn't meat on Friday's and then the entire week on Holy week. There are several items that I grew up eating during this season and that I continue to make for my own home.

They are actually some of the staple foods in our home, beans and some type of fish or meat. Very healthy and fresh. This season we haven't been very observant, as we grow in our faith and in our relationship as a family we have learned to create moments of true faith and prayer throughout the year not just during a specific season. While we are not really "practicing" Catholics, we do remain faith-filled and pray often. 

And, truly these foods are just traditional homemade foods in both my Husband's and my home growing up; which both of our momma's have made for us since we were young. We always add new items in this case baked Zuchini tots and create our own twist to these meatless foods, which we love. They are healthy and help us stay away from processed foods on Friday night, which is usually pizza night for the kids or take-out night for us after a long week of work and parent duties. But, these dishes are quick and help us stay away from "bad" foods.  

Last Friday I was off from work and I was able to make three different items for dinner that night:

• Lentil Soup (Recipe to follow)
• Tuna (Recipe to follow)
• And, Zucchini Tots which I found the recipe for on a video on Facebook see below:

:: Lentil Soup Recipe::

First, place 6 to 8 cups of water in a large pot, add a quarter of a small onion, a couple of garlic cloves, about a tablespoon of oil and 2-tablespoons of chicken bouillon (Knorr) and salt to taste to the water. I cover the pot and allow it to boil.

While that boils I cut my veggies; it's like making Pico de Gallo. 

I dice into small pieces; 

• 1/2 of a medium white onion 
• 2 small red tomato 
• About 3 to 4 green serrano or jalapeno peppers (depending on the spice/heat you want)
• And, a small bunch of cilantro finely chopped. 

I set them aside. 

Once the water begins to boil I add a small bag of lentil beans (usually Goya brand) to the boiling water. I let them boil on medium to high heat for about 20 to 25 minutes, the lentil starts cooking similar to beans. They will become soft and tender once ready, you can taste them before you add your veggies for salt and add more if needed at this time.

Once they have boiled and are soft enough I add all my fresh veggies and simmer for about 10 more minutes until the veggies mix and are cooked. Once ready make sure you remove the lid so that the lentils don't over cook. 

When we make them on any other day we add chopped bacon to them, similar to making charro beans. If you are adding bacon make sure to fry the bacon and drain excess oil, before you add it, don't add it raw. It will not cook correctly. 

Personally, when I serve them I squeeze fresh lime juice on them.  

It truly is a very simple after work soup to make for a quick and easy meal. 

::Tuna Recipe::

The tuna recipe is something my Hubby makes and I have learned to recreate for him, also very simple. 

I boil two to three large eggs until they are hard-boiled. While those boil. 

I take a 12-oz can of tuna (of your choice) drain it and place in a large mixing bowl.

I add;

• Chopped celery (1-2 stalks of celery) 
• 1/2 of a small white onion diced (in this case I took a handful from the onion I chopped for the soup and set it aside for the tuna)
• 2-3 green jalapeno peppers, and  mix it all with the tuna. 

To make the tuna creamy, I add;

• About 3 tablespoons of sour cream 
• 2 tablespoons of light mayo 
• About 1 tablespoon of yellow mustard, and mix it with tuna and veggies. 

Once the hard-boiled eggs are cooked, cooled and peeled, I separate the yoke and only chop and use the whites. I mix that into the tuna. 

Done. I serve that with crackers or bread. 

And, because we love spicy food I make sure we have picked jalapenos or serrano pepper on the table when we eat. 

Finally, I also made a fruit salad that morning. It was a lot of food and we even ate some the next afternoon.  Fruit salad was diced watermelon, cucumbers and jicama. Which I added lime juice and Tajin to.

What are some of your meatless meals that you love to make?

::Turkey Tacos:: #miercolesdefoodie

One of my favorite dinners is taco night. For obvious reasons. It's perfect for busy nights, it's an easy, DIY, dinner. I simply create a filling and layout all the toppings. The combinations are endless. Our family loves this dinner and we make them often. 

Last night I made a spicy turkey taco filling. It was fast and easy to prepare. 

::I used the following::

• Ground Turkey about 1lbs. 
• Canned corn
• 1 Medium tomatoe
• 1/4 of a white Onion
• 1 large Jalapeño 

::I did the following::

1. I diced {or chopped into big chunks}all my veggies and drained the canned corn. 
2. I seasoned my met with garlic salt and black pepper and a little of Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper. {season to taste}
3. I then added some Olive Oil to my frying pan and waiting for it to heat on medium. 
4. I added my defrosted Turkey Meat, when it was half cooked I added all my veggies and corn.  I added a bit more seasoning while it was browning. I let it cook on high for about 10 minutes and then cook on medium for about 15 minutes. 

Once my turkey meat is fully cooked and browned and my veggies are tender, it's done!

::Usually our toppings are::

• Sour Cream
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Salsa {homemade or canned}
• Lettuce

And, really anything that you want! 

::Last night my toppings were::

• Avocado
• Sour Cream 
• & Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Taco Night success! 

I also used the leftover meat for my lunch today...nachos which you can find on my Instagram! 

What about you? What is your favorite dinner night for your family?!

Classic Hershey's S'Mores ::Toddler Activity:: #veranohersheys

::Momma Disclosure:: {This is not a compensated post, but I received sample products from Hershey's. They are also providing a Hershey’s S’mores Prize Pack to giveaway to one of my readers. All opinions and content is my true and honest opinion.}

::Additional Momma Disclaimer:: Do not by any means assume that my children have personalities, I have no idea where they get it from. ::insert laugh here::

My children are at the age where they want to help with everything I do {I hear it won't last long} and last month thanks to a visit to the circus they discovered S'mores!  Which is why when I was asked to create this post in honor of Hershey's S'mores I was sure they would be ecstatic! I wasn't wrong!

My kids helped me prepare their new favorite snack; perfect for after school snacking or to help keep two busy toddlers, well busy! We had so much fun preparing and enjoying our delicious snack! The process was so toddler friendly and easy to clean-up it definitely allowed us to enjoy this Summer moment and have a little fun in the process! 

Please note that at the end of this post you too will have TWO opportunities to win your very own Hershey's S'mores Prize pack!

Here is what you will need to create your classic Hershey's S'mores:

• 4-8 graham crackers, broken into halves
• 2-3 Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bars (1.55 oz.), broken into halves
• 4-8 large fluffy marshmallows

Oh yes and Dos {2} adorable helpers, as you can see I had no luck! 

::Directions::
1. Place ½ of Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar on a graham cracker half.
2. Carefully toast marshmallow over grill or campfire (supervise the kids if they’re doing this); place over chocolate.
3. Top with second graham cracker half; gently press together.

And, yes while you can do this activity outdoors, it was a little rainy and hot in Houston today, so we decided to use our S'more to Love kit and prepared our tasty treats with the oven at 350 degrees and in only a couple of minutes our S'mores were done!

And, now for a chance to win your own prize pack to create this amazing snack to enjoy with your family and friends!

Your Prize pack will include:

• Pair of Tongs
• Apron
• S’mores Grill Basket
• Marshmallows
• Graham Crackers
• Hershey’s Milk Chocolate

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About The Hershey Company


The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) is the largest producer of quality chocolate in North America and a global leader in chocolate and sugar confectionery. Headquartered in Hershey, Pa., The Hershey Company has operations throughout the world and approximately 15,000 employees. With revenues of more than $7.1 billion, Hershey offers confectionery products under more than 80 brand names, including such iconic brands as Hershey's, Reese's, Hershey's Kisses, Hershey's Bliss, Hershey's Special Dark, Kit Kat, Twizzlers, Jolly Rancher and Ice Breakers. The company is focused on growing its presence in key international markets such as China, Mexico and Brazil while continuing to build its competitive advantage in the United States and Canada.

For more than 100 years, The Hershey Company has been a leader in making a positive difference in the communities where its employees live, work and do business. Corporate Social Responsibility is an integral part of the company’s global business strategy, which includes goals and priorities focused on fair and ethical business dealings, environmental stewardship, fostering a desirable workplace for employees, and positively impacting society and local communities. Milton Hershey School, established in 1909 by the company's founder and funded by a trust administered by Hershey Trust Company, provides a quality education, housing, and medical care at no cost to children in social and financial need. Students of Milton Hershey School are direct beneficiaries of The Hershey Company's success.

#ad #SummerSauce ::Quick & Easy Summer Meals::

::Momma Disclosure:: I am a member of the Colectiva Latina®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Colectiva Latina and its advertiser.

Summer is here and my children and familia are always hungry! We try to combine healthy with a little bit of our own sabor Latino. Not only are all the Summer vacation and end of school year celebrations about to begin but as a working Momma having quick and easy after school snack solutions is very important!  Which is why I loved the Panko Tyson chicken nuggets; I can combine them with my own sauce recipe to create a great dish that is kid friendly and that my entire family can enjoy! They are a good option and quick to prepare. I personally love them in toasted in the oven. 

This past weekend was Memorial weekend and it was a perfect opportunity to head on over to our local Sam’s Club on West Rd in Houston in collaboration with Social Fabric’s #mycolectiva to purchase our Panko Tyson Chicken Nuggets. The Sam’s Club close to me had a large supply of the Panko Tyson Chicken Nuggets. It was a great opportunity to create my own #SummerSauce . 

One of my favorite Summer ingredients is avocado. So, I decided to create a smooth and creamy avocado dip, a green salsa if you will. We usually eat this with chips or on our tacos so why not try it as a dipping sauce for the tasty white meat chicken nuggets. It’s easy and healthy and if you don’t like spicy food or your children don’t eat spicy food you can leave the jalapenos out. Or you can also chop the jalapenos up and add them afterward. 

For your {Spicy} Summer Avocado dip you will need the following ingredients;

1 Avocado (Save a slice for garnish)

1 slice of onion

1 garlic clove

½ a teaspoon of salt or seasoning of choice (we use chicken bouillon)

1/3 cup of water

1 Jalapeno (Optional)

& a handful of Cilantro (Chop and save some for garnish)
  

It’s so easy!! You add all your ingredients to a blender or food processor and BLEND away until the avocado is smooth. You then  pour your sauce into a serving bowl and add your garnish on top and finished. 

           A delicious and healthy dip for those toasty chicken nuggets for everyone to munch on!