Posts filed under ‘South Shore’
MommaJam on 95.9 WATD-FM: Homemade Pretzels & Kids and Money
This week on MommaJam on 95.9 WATD-FM, we talked about making pretzels at home (fun!) and teaching kids about money.
Homemade Pretzels
Making homemade pretzels is the best cooking craft ever! Go online to find a recipe you like - there are many different variations – but essentially you make a dough from yeast, water, flour, and brown sugar. Let the dough rise an hour and then make your pretzels.
This baking craft is very tactile and it’s done in stages so kids can help mix the dough, go play for an hour, then come back and make the strings to twist into shapes. The final step before baking is to dunk the uncooked pretzel in a baking powder and water solution. Put the shape on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes.
Brush melted butter on top of the cooked pretzels and sprinkle cinnamon sugar or Kosher salt on top. Eat warm! So good!
Kids and Money
Last week, I talked with HarborOne U in Mansfield, Mass. about its free kids and money class called, Piggy Bankers. It’s a 4 week class that teaches kids ages 4 and older about money. The class is done in conjunction with Self Help Inc./Coordinated Family & Community Engagement.
It’s a great idea and I like how they break down the 4 week classes into topics such as saving money and the cost of grocery story items. At the end of the session, parents can open a bank account for their kids and receive 5 dollars to put into the account.
In classes for older kids, HarborOne U talks about jobs kids can get after school, how coupons work and much more.
HarborOne U also has tips for parents opening bank accounts for kids: Look for accounts that have no fees and pay an interest rate. And, look for banks that offer a cash incentive for opening the account. Smart sense (cents)!
HarborOne U offers lessons for special, small groups such as Boys and Girls Scouts or families in a neighborhood. Call Maureen Wilkinson at 508-895-1347 on these types of programs and upcoming Piggy Bankers. Or, go to: HarborOneU.com.
The next MommaJam LIVE is Thursday, March 22, 2012 at 7:10 a.m. ET.
You can like MommaJam on Facebook and follow on Twitter. Write in to tell us what you want to hear!
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MommaJam on 95.9 WATD-FM: 5 Tips for Simplicity
Tune in as Morning Show hosts Rob Hakala and Lisa Azizian talk with MommaJam about ways to keep it simple.
1. Adopt the less is more mantra for kids.
2. Check out the book Simplicity Parenting – it’s a great guide for raising calm kids.
3. Plan a simple dinner. This week on FOOD TUESDAY, I’ve included a review of Artichoke Pasta Sauce and Tuscan Vegetable Soup from Pastene. Both are super easy, super simple to prepare. Reheat and serve right out of the jar.
4. Take a quiet moment at Coffee Break Cafe in Quincy. Each month, the cafe features a drink flavor of the month. January was Red Velvet, which was so popular, they kept it for February (ties in nicely with Valentine’s Day). There are three Coffee Break Cafe locations in Quincy with one at Wollaston Beach. At the downtown Qunicy location, Big Joe hosts story time with kids every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Go to CoffeeBreakCafe.net for more information.
5. For Simple Style, check out L’Oreal’s new eye shadow make up that helps moms to look glamorous in two seconds. Love this make up! The line is called HiP Studio Secrets, Professional Metallic Duos – two great colors in one pack. You can get them at Target for about $6 each in a huge range of color selections: Gilded, Magnetic, Shocked, Electrified, Energized and Charged. Perfect for moms!
The next MommaJam in Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012 at 7:10 a.m. ET.
You can like MommaJam on Facebook and follow on Twitter. Write in to tell us what you want to hear!
Get MommaJam on the go with iTunes.
Imaginations Soar: Birthday Gift Ideas for Kids
Laughing Giraffe Books has introduced a Kid’s Birthday Club. Sign up and you will receive a coupon for 10 percent off any order during your child’s birthday month and a free felt birthday hat to be included with that order.
Laughing Giraffe Books’ gift collections are perfect birthday gifts. They are fun, educational, and designed to inspire a lifelong love of reading. From the stories to the game and finally the prize, each gift collection guides young readers through a unique reading experience. And, every collection arrives beautifully gift wrapped with free shipping. More than 80 themed collections to choose from.
Go to LaughingGiraffeBooks.com to enroll and browse the book collections. Happy reading!
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MommaJam on 95.9 WATD-FM: Food, Fashion, Fun!
CLICK TO HEAR INSTANT REPLAY
Tune in to get the instant replay of MommaJam on 95.9 WATD-FM on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011.
During the segment, we talk about cyber shopping, plus Food, Fashion and Fun:
- How do moms avoid getting busted by kids when cyber shopping for the holidays?
- The new FOOD TUESDAY feature on MommaJam, which covers meal planning, recipes and trends in cooking. Check out the recipe for home made ricotta and more!
- Rockport’s fabulous Lorraine Rain Boots that Miss Piggy will adore. Read the review…
- The Muppets Movie, a great family flick with laughs and tears
Enjoy! Tune in for the next MommaJam segment on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012, when we talk about Getting Organized in 2012.
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Teach Kids the “Art” of Giving: 5 Artistic Activities for the Weekend
‘Tis the season for giving and teaching children how wonderful it is to give gifts. Here are 5 simple activities kids can do to make sentimental gifts for family and friends this weekend:
1. Take and Print Goofy Digital Photographs. What kids doesn’t like to take silly pictures! Capture giggly moments to share with those you love. Rummage through the closet for old frames you’ve tucked away or make them from cardboard as part of the activity. You can also buy inexpensive frames at Michael’s, Walgreens and Home Goods.
2. Make Christmas Tree Ornaments. We just unpacked homemade 3-year-old paper ornaments that my now 8-year-old made, and they are so cute and a reminder of his passion back then: cars. Have kids draw, color and paint their favorite image, food, activity, movie and more on paper. Cut out the image. Poke a hole on top with a hole-puncher and thread with yarn to make a hanger. Grandparents love these time-type capsule gifts.
3. Bake Holiday Cookies and Wrap Them in Gorgeous, Glittery Tissue Paper. Everyone loves homemade butter cookies covered in frosting and sprinkles. Decorate tissue paper with glue and glitter for extra pizzazz and shine! Wrap cookies in tissue paper and you have a gorgeous gift. 
4. Pinch Polymer Clay into a Pot. Buy clay that you bake at a craft store like Michael’s. The colors are vibrant and abundant. Kids can make pinch and coil pots, beads for bracelets, or anything else their imagination cooks up.
5. Send a “Happy Holidays” Video. With just about every smart phone equipped with video, it’s easy to film your kids singing a cheerful carol to grandparents or long distance friends. Make up new lyrics and sing away. Email with a personalized video message.
Happy holidays!
Food Tuesday: Gypsy Juice Spices up the Holidays
Looking for new flavors to spice up your holiday cooking? Try Gypsy Juice, a versatile spicy sauce that makes all types of foods come alive. We’ve been kid testing Gypsy Juice at dinner time, and the kids love it! So far, we’ve tried it with roasted chicken, pork tenderloin, steak tips and taco beef, and it’s delicious. Gypsy Juice adds kick to meals without making you run for the faucet.
Gypsy Juice with Tacos
When making tacos, add 1 to 2 teaspoons papkika and 1 to 2 teaspoons of chili powder to 1 pound of sauteed (cooked through) ground beef. Then, mix in 1 tablespoon of Gypsy Juice. Add in more of these 3 spices, depending on your preference for heat. You can also serve Gypsy Juice at the table and add it directly to tacos.
Seafood and Meats
Add Gypsy Juice to seafood, beef, chicken and pork marinades for vibrant flavor. Or, try pulled pork on a warmed corn tortilla with a dash of lime and Gypsy Juice. The hot sauce is also scrumptious with steamed clams.
Great Holiday Gift Ideas for the Spicy Food Lover on Your List
You can order Gypsy Juice online at DrHot.net for $5.99 per bottle, plus shipping, or $55 for a case. The sauce is a great holiday gift, especially for anyone who likes spicy food. Even kids would enjoy it as a stocking stuffer.
Gypsy Juice was created by Lisa Lamme, owner of the Gypsy Kitchen in Qunicy, Mass. You can buy the sauce at her store, which is a great little eclectic find in downtown historic Quincy. She also sells delicious wine and artisan cheeses and has recurring wine tasting events at the store. Go to GypsyKitchenQunicy.com for more information, recipes and more.
Lamme has also written a cookbook called, The Gypsy Kitchen Cookbook, featuring easy-to-make recipes that teach you how to add pizzazz to your cooking with spices, rubs and other flavorful ingredients right in your pantry. A special $19.99 Gift Pack features The Gypsy Kitchen Cookbook and 1 bottle of Gypsy Juice. The Gypsy Kitchen Cookbook is also available online at Amazon, at Barnes and Noble stores and at the namesake store at 1241 Hancock Street, Quincy, Mass.
CLICK ARROW TO PLAY AUDIO MommaJam on 95.9 WATD-FM: Emergency Kits and Coping with No Power
CLICK THE ARROW TO HEAR THE INSTANT REPLAY FROM NOV. 3, 2011
On this week’s MommaJam on 95.9 WATD-FM, Rob Hakala, Lisa Azizian and I talk about the aftermath of Hurricane Halloween, a quirky, yet severely damaging snow storm that pummeled the Northeast on Saturday, Oct. 29 and left millions without power and heat for days. In fact, more than 100,000 families in Connecticut still don’t have power 8 days after the storm.
Get Ready for the Next Storm
During the segment, we talk about the importance of an emergency kit in the event of a black out. Here’s a short list of items to include in a plastic bin that’s stored someplace you can easily get to in the dark or with a flashlight you might have lying around in the main quarters of your house. If don’t opt for a hotel or friend’s house, you’ll need supplies to get through the long, dark and very cold nights while waiting for power.
These tips are helpful for moms in any area, especially the south during topical hurricane season or earthquake prone west coast.
1. Battery Operated Tea Lights. These are great to line the hallways or bathroom counters at night. The small, but bright lights can also serve as a night light for kids who are afraid of the dark or spooked by the mere fact that the power is out and unavailable with the flick of a switch. Buy tea lights with a long battery life, since you don’t know how long the power will be out (see above Connecticut story). Amazon has a pack of 20 tea lights for $20 with long lasting lithium batteries built-in.
2. Ground Coffee and Powdered Milk. If you have a propane or gas stove top, you are in luck! Make sure you have GROUND coffee in your kit because you can’t grind whole beans without electricity. These little things mean a lot when your frustrated and chilled, so think ahead to ensure a few comforts that will get you through the day. Hot chocolate mix and juice boxes are essential for the kids. Also pack rice milk or other non-dairy drinkable items, as needed.
3. Percolator or Bodum Coffee Press. Again, coffee is key in the morning for most folks, so if you have a propane or gas stove you can at least make coffee if you have a stovetop percolator (again, not electric) or a Bodum coffee press, which come in all sorts or gorgeous colors, shapes and styles.
4. Canned Goods and Dried Fruit. At some point, you’ll venture out, but if your entire neighborhood goes black take out pizza might not be an option. Have canned fruit like peaches or dried fruit that you can store and eat at room temperature in the event you don’t have any cooking capabilities. Think about what kids can snack on until help arrives.
5. A Good Bottle of Wine. You need a sense of humor and perhaps a spirit or two to cope in the candlelight.
Don’t forget that basics – flashlights, batteries, candles and matches, plus a battery-operated transistor radio to serve as link to the outside world for current news and weather information.
Others tips: Make sure your home owners insurance is up-to-date after any house renovations. Turn off electronics, lights and other items that were “on” when power went down. Tap into your mom network for moral support.
Tune into the instant replay (click arrow above) and let us know what’s in your emergency kit. The next live MommaJam on 95.9 WATD-FM is Nov. 17, 2011. Listen live on the radio dial or from your computer.
Thanks for listening to MommaJam.
MommaJam on 95.9 WATD-FM: Zuzee for Tween Girls & Toddler Halloween Celebration at Westwinds Bookshop
Get the instant replay of MommaJam on 95.9 WATD-FM with Rob Hakala and Lisa Azizian on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011.
Zuzee, A Safe Creative Online Community for Tweens, Launches This Week
During this segment we talk about the launch of Zuzee, a new web site that lets tween girls, ages 8 – 12, create digital storybooks and photo albums and then share them with friends, all within a safe contained community.
Zuzee is perfect for young girls who love to share all of the fun moments in their lives with lots of pictures.
For the next three months, girls can get a free “All Access Z Pass” for unlimited use of the all cool features. Sign up now to it check out at Zuzee.com.
Toddlers Celebrate Halloween on Oct. 24 at Westwinds Book Shop in Duxbury, Mass.
South Shore parents with toddlers should take advantage of this morning Halloween celebration at Westwinds Book Shop in Duxbury, Mass. The independent book store is hosting a costume party-book reading at 10 a.m.
Little ones will listen to Little Goblins Ten and Five Little Pumpkins and then go trick-or-treating throughout the shops at the Duxbury Marketplace. This kind of activity is great for younger kids because night time drama of the real Halloween can be overwhelming for toddlers – it’s dark, spooky, past their bedtime, a recipe for a meltdown… For more information about this event, visit www.westwindsbookshop.com. Kids in costumes – oh, so cute!
Thanks for listening to MommaJam.
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