What's HOT this week at 24/7 MOMS

101 Recipes for Microwave Mug Cakes, By Stacey Miller

"It's not gourmet cooking. That's why I love it. Anyone can make a microwave mug cake." So says Stacey J. Miller, author of the recently-published "101 Recipes for Microwave Mug Cakes: Single-Serving Snacks in Less Than 10 Minutes" (BPT Press, October 2009). "Microwave mug cakes provide a perfect baking opportunity for parents and their kids , and all family members, to enjoy the sweet products of their brief 'labor' -- if you can call baking a microwave mug cake 'labor.' Personally, I call it 10 minutes of creative fun!"

Miller didn't invent the microwave mug cake, she quickly admits. But she may be its biggest fan. She came across the treat when the recipe "went viral" on the Web, and friends from coast to coast emailed her the recipe. She was charmed. "If there's a quicker, less expensive, simpler, and more foolproof way to get instant gratification in the kitchen, I can't imagine what it would be," Miller offers. "Plus, there are no leftovers, which is something that attracted me. You don't have to support the local coffee/doughnut shop. And it's the parent/kids//educators/caretakers bonding activity. Even beginning cooks, or those who disdain (or feel inadequate to accomplish) most kinds of baking, will soon feel comfortable creating microwave mug cakes. The recipes are simple, require almost no equipment or special skills, and the results are delicious!"

Easy Lunchboxes

KELLY LESTER is the owner, creator, and mom behind Easylunchboxes.com. During the last two decades she has been an entrepreneur, wife, and mother of three. She is also an actress and singer.

Easylunchboxes.com was born out of Kelly’s innate ability to do things efficiently while on a shoestring budget, and her desire to send her daughters to school with simple, healthy food, with little to no extra packaging or ingredients. Her past struggle with weight control inspires her to teach and model healthy eating habits for her children, and has fueled her dedication to always send them off to school with a great lunch. Kelly's healthy lifestyle was recently featured on MOM TRENDS.

Kelly combined her self taught business-savvy with her natural inclination to think “what would other parents want?” — to develop the perfect lunchbox system. She is thrilled and proud to share her Easylunchboxes and lunch bags with other families who will benefit by their simple design, great price, and amazing functionality. Additionally, by promoting the waste-free lunch movement, EasyLunchboxes.com is helping the planet one lunch box at a time.
Kelly has been married to actor Loren Lester since 1988. They live in Woodland Hills, CA with their three daughters, Jenny, Lily, & Julia, and their dog, Albany.

Pepperidge Farms

In 2008, Pepperidge Farm created an unprecedented cookie craze when it brought Australia’s favorite cookie, Tim Tam, to the U.S. for a limited time. Americans immediately understood why this iconic and delectable chocolatey ‘biscuit’ made by bakers at Arnott’s, a sister company of Pepperidge Farm, has been so loved by Aussies for more than 40 years… The number one chocolate biscuit in Australia, Tim Tam cookies are truly irresistible! Beneath a smooth layer of heavenly chocolate fudge, between two layers of crispy biscuits, a mouthwatering layer of chocolate crème awaits.

In late 2009, Pepperidge Farm announced that Tim Tam cookies will return for a limited time each year between the months of October and March, so here is your chance to enjoy them before they leave our store shelves until the fall!

Pamela’s Products

When we think of bakeries we dream of the delicious treats of childhood, of cakes and frosting, cookies and pies...

but for me it was awful tasting allergy cookies and heavy whole grain breads. My grandparents started one of the first health food stores (and bakery) in San Francisco. Growing up in the Health Food Industry, I was given the “weird” food to take to school by way of heavy, nutty breads and small, dry health food cookies or with carob instead of chocolate. No one wanted to trade food with me!

I spent my summers in my family’s bakery, packing rice and soy cookies for people with special dietary needs. Although these dry, tasteless cookies were in high demand, they were not particularly appetizing. At a young age, I could relate to those who had to eat these “weird” foods. I imagined life with food allergies and without the joys a great chocolate chip cookie. I pondered my own enjoyment of cookies and food and contemplated what life would be like if I all I could eat were the rice and soy cookies I packed everyday. I suggested making the wheat-free and gluten-free cookies taste better, but I was told that “the allergy people were fine and happy to have something”. Back then the Health Food Industry was much less interested in taste. Health food was known to be dry, hard, and crumbly but always nutritious.

In 1988, after college I left the family business to start my own independent company founded on the premise that wheat-free and gluten-free foods can taste great and that everyone should have food delicious enough to celebrate. My company, Pamela’s Products, continues to lead the industry with award winning decadent and delicious gluten-free foods.

Much has changed since those days; Health Food, is now called Natural Food and most people are concerned about nutrition and taste equally. Although my company is part of the Natural Food Industry I have always strived for something better, something different. I have always insisted on eye catching, brightly colored labels instead of the dreary packaging of the day, I was the first to use real butter when everyone else was using oil, and today I lead the pack by insisting on the finest ingredients such as imported European Dark Chocolate and true crystallized ginger for my most delectable treats.

Pamela’s Products has had a far reaching impact on the gluten-free food market and the Natural Food industry. I love what I do and everyone I’ve met along the way. I continue to take pleasure in finding new flavor combinations and creating tasty new products to celebrate with friends. I
hope you enjoy my products too!

~Pamela

eInvite

eInvite.com is a leading online retailer of invitations, announcements and personalized stationery. The company offers a wide selection of thousands of high quality products —from sleek and modern to classic and traditional— provided at a variety of price points and supplied by only the best designers and manufacturers. When coupled with our patented online proofing system and top-notch customer service that ensures a seamless ordering process for even the most harried consumers. From wedding stationery and party invitations to birth announcements and thank you notes, eInvite.com is a one-stop shop for all of your fine paper needs.

Sticky Fingers Cooking “Thank You Bites.”

Sticky Fingers Cooking is specifically designed to gets kids and families together and involved in healthful cooking. Thank You Bites are a subscription recipe service. Each month up to 3 nutritious, yummy and fun recipes arrive in the mail, addressed to the child. The recipe includes a shopping list (with pictures so it’s kid-friendly for those not reading yet) as well as a break-down of adult steps and kid steps so families can prepare the food together.

This is a winter activity panacea because not only is it a perfect “anytime activity” and cost effective, but it can even help with those daily tasks – such as making dinner - that seem to get pushed aside during busy work and school days. And what’s more, there are no lines, coupons, or any other aggravation associated with it.

Plus, the activity itself is one that keeps on giving because it’s a special piece of mail for the child each month, but better yet, it helps kids learn an appreciation for good nutrition, slow flood, and flavors well beyond chicken nuggets and tacos. The company, Sticky Fingers Cooking, is focused exclusively on giving kids the tools to understand food, from nutrition, to flavor to local sourcing to vegan cooking. The Thank You Bites recipes are divine (how about bison dark chocolate chili?!) and they encourage family togetherness, health, as well as important cognitive, motor and collaboration skills that every child needs.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Slow Cooker Cooking, 2nd Edition
More than 300 sumptuous recipes--from an award-winning author and chef. In this revised and expanded edition, award-winning author and chef Ellen Brown gives you all they need to know to make party appetizers such as spicy cheese fondue, easy classics such as Coq au Vin, vegetarian specialties such as slow-cooked black beans, and cobblers and puddings for dessert. Each chapter offers a great mix of easy, intermediate, and complex recipes.

Flame Disk

Sologear is the maker behind the all-new FlameDisk®. Like a lot of successful companies, we got started with an initial idea, a few smart (or maybe crazy) guys and a lot of passion. The company was started in 2005 by Chad Sorenson, Tom Bush, Mark Schweiger and Dave Franchino to develop a new heat source for existing grills that offered a new level of simplicity, ease-of-use and safety – all the while being more ecofriendly!

The first FlameDisk® was born in Chad's garage and we went through over 500 designs before landing on the final design that mimics the same heat output as charcoal, but allows you to start grilling immediately and easily.

Being a Madison-based company, we test marketed the product in Wisconsin in 2008 with great success and received many rave reviews on the product. People loved how accessible grilling could be made to everyone, even those that don't grill that often or even never at all.
Since those early days, Sologear is growing up to consist of a devoted staff that stands behind this product we've worked so hard to develop. We've built a new factory right here in Wisconsin, and we're proud to introduce a new consumer product that is entirely built in the U.S.A.
Oh, and we also love to grill. We take time almost daily to grill out on FlameDisks® to ensure the product is being built to the highest quality possible. There's also a hidden benefit... delicious grilled food for lunch!