DAILY RECIPE: Frito Salad

1 large can beans (Ranch style)
1 Lettuce
2 Tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped onion
Fritos
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Toss washed and trimmed lettuce with chopped onion. Slice tomatoes. Add to salad. Drain and rinse beans. Add and toss fritos and beans alternately until well mixed. Top with cheese and add your favorite dressing (ranch, italian).

ARTICLE: After school activities

Whether you are a working mother and need your children occupied in the afternoon or your own children are asking for them, after school classes and activities are an important part of motherhood. Choosing the right ones can sometimes be a little tricky. Keep this in mind:

• Always make sure your child enjoys the after school activity. School means enough pressure for them and they don´t need to stretch it out into the afternoon.
• If you are choosing more than one activity, make sure at least one is one that involves exercising (dancing, soccer, gymnastics, track)
• Encourage your child to make new friends in the activity.
• If the activity is making your child too tired or sacrificing lots of homework time, drop it.
• If you have more than one child with lots of activities and you´re staring to feel like a cab driver, have each child choose only one activity.
• Make sure you meet the activity´s instructor and talk to him or her about what they´ll be doing during the class.
• If the activity involves exercise, be ready with a water bottle afterwards.
• Keep a small bag in your car with an extra change of clothes in case of an emergency to and from the activity.
• Most of all, keep in mind that the after school activity should bring a positive influence to your child.

TIP OF THE DAY

Use Cheetos as croutons in cream of carrot soup. The taste is great and it will make your children gobble it down!

DAILY RECIPE: Crunchy Chicken

3 cooked boneless chicken breasts, cut in half
1 stick butter
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
40 Ritz crackers

Place cooked chicken in baking pan. Mix chicken soup and sour cream and pour over chicken. Dot with butter. Crumble Ritz crackers on top. Place in 350°F oven for 20 minutes.

TIP OF THE DAY

Are you on a tight budget? Write down on a small pad the amount of everything you spend, from groceries to a piece of gum. This will help you keep track of where the money is going and hopefully where you can cut off a few cents!

ARTICLE: First Day of School Jitters

Children get a little anxious about going back to school. This anxiety increases if your child is starting a new school or if it´s his or her very first time going. Try calming and reassuring your child that everything will be ok and that feeling this way is common. Here are a few tips:

• Set aside school clothes or uniforms a few days before and comment on how exciting it will be to wear that on the first day.
• Have your child go to bed extra early the night before and read a good school story. (For example: Franklin goes to school)
• Take your child to the supermarket with you and pick out first week´s lunches.
• Talk about your own first days of school and share stories on how you felt nervous, too.
• Take a picture of your child before walking out the door with backpack and name tag ready: this will make the day exciting and nerves will tend to fade.
• If possible, have both mother and father take the child to school on the very first day.
• Prepare a small treat (chocolate bar, pencil, stickers) to take to your child when you pick him or her up from school.
• Try to be there to pick them up on time or as early as possible. They´ll be ready to talk about their day and will want you to be there as soon as they come out.
• Most of all reassure your child that you are there for him or her and that everyone has to go through the first day of school.

GOOD LUCK and the best for BACK TO SCHOOL 2009!

ACTIVITY: Homemade play dough

Playing with dough is always fun. But what about starting the fun a little earlier? Try making the dough from scratch. Mix 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup salt in a small bowl. Add 1/4 cup water and stir. Knead in a drop of food coloring, and you´re ready to play! Let your children help with the mixing and kneading.

TIP OF THE DAY

If you speak a foreign language, or at least know some words in another language, try using it at home from your baby´s first months. Children will become familiar with it and when they do study it, it will be much easier for them.

DAILY RECIPE: Busy Day Cheesecake

2 pkg. cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. lemon juice

graham cracker crust

Beat all ingredients together and pour into a graham cracker crust. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes or until set. Chill and serve or top with your favorite fruit topping when cool.

TIP OF THE DAY

Pack non-sugared breakfast cereal, such as Cheerios in small zip-loc bags and drop in your purse. Hand them to your child to snack on when on the go.