This lemon herb rub from Cooking Light is always a classic. I have used this rub recipe before to make brick chicken, where you butterfly a whole chicken and use bricks wrapped in foil to press it down to the grill for a crisp skin. This time, I tried to make things a little easier on myself by using leg quarters instead. The herb rub works well in both scenarios.

Lemon Herb Grilled Chicken

1 (5 lb) roasting chicken or leg quarters
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
3 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp salt
½ tsp fresh ground pepper

1. Prepare your chicken:

If using a whole chicken, remove and discard giblets and neck. Rinse chicken with cold water, and pat dry. Trim excess fat. Place chicken, breast side down, on a cutting surface. Cut chicken in half lengthwise along backbone (do not cut through breastbone). Turn chicken over. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat.

If using leg quarters, rinse chicken with cold water, and pat dry. Trim excess fat. Using your fingers, loosen the skin from the meat.

2. Combine parsley, thyme, juice, salt, and pepper; rub mixture under loosened skin and over chicken. Gently press skin to secure. Place chicken in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes.

3. Preheat grill to medium heat.

4. Place chicken, skin side up, on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 30 minutes (for leg quarters) to 55 minutes (for a whole chicken) or until a thermometer inserted into meaty part of thigh registers 180°. Remove chicken from grill; cover and let stand 10 minutes. Remove and discard the skin.

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With 33% of 4th grade public school students reading at or below the “Basic” level, it’s never too early to start working with your little one on letters and learning the alphabet.* Of course, there’s always the old standby ABCs song—which is a great way for your child to learn the alphabet—but  how else can you expose your child to letters in a fun and engaging way? Here are nine toys that we recommend to help your little one not only learn the alphabet but also start to visually identify letters and their correlating sounds.

Tag Junior Interactive Letter Factory Flash Cards, $10.99

LeapFrog Fridge Phonics Magnetic Alphabet, $15.88

Melissa & Doug Alphabet Art Puzzle, $14.99

Fun with ABC’s Magnetic Letters, $5.34

Munchkin Bath Letters and Numbers, $6.99

The Learning Journey Match It! Alphabet Memory, $9.99

Dr. Seuss’s ABC by Dr. Seuss, $6.04

Melissa & Doug ABC Blocks, $13.19

LeapFrog Lettersaurus, $19.99

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I’m not one to spend the time giving myself a crazy manicure à la Zooey Deschanel. I think they’re awesome—I just don’t have that kind of time on my hands. But I do like to try out the newest color trends. I’ve been scouring the web looking for the hottest nail color trends for spring. Here are my fav five:

Lime Green

L’Oreal Colour Riche Nail New Money, $5.99

Shiny Metallics

OPI The World Is Not Enough, $8

Lavender

Butter London Molly Coddled, $15

Aqua

Essie Go Overboard, $8

Milky White

NARS Versailles Champagne Gold, $19

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Olivia and I first had these coconut bars at her “best friend’s” birthday party. (Yes, she has a best friend- two actually, and she will tell anyone who will listen that “Addy and Bridget are my best friends.”)

Addy’s mom made these coconut bars for dessert, and I was in heaven! They remind me of the Neapolitan-colored coconut ice candy I used to eat as a kid, only these are all-natural and a lot healthier. Each bar is around 100 calories.

Coconut Bars
From Chocolate-Covered Katie 

Makes 12-14 bars

2 cups shredded coconut (unsweetened)
½ cup agave or pure maple syrup
4 tbsp virgin coconut oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Pour into a small casserole dish (I used an 8×8 inch) and refrigerate for an hour before cutting. If you are in a hurry, you can also put them in the freezer for 15 minutes to set before cutting. Bars can be stored in the fridge or freezer for a couple of weeks.

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The other day I was watching a new special on E! called Blinging Up Baby, all about how ridiculous celebs can be when in comes to their offspring. One of the segments was about over-the-top  babymoons and while I’m not likely to drop the celeb standard $17,000 a night, I do like the idea of a little getaway before baby arrives.

My husband and I have been talking about going somewhere for a long weekend for a while, but now that the clock is really ticking, we have kicked our planning into gear. So I have been researching babymoon ideas that aren’t crazy expensive and are doable for a long weekend. Here are my top five picks:

1. New York, New York
New York City is a great option for city lovers.  There are amazing museums, excellent and diverse food options, theatre, shopping, and no shortage of luxury hotels to choose from. And a bonus if you go see a show: expectant moms get access to a special bathroom during intermission in many theatres, so no waiting in line!

2. Miami, Florida
Sure, Miami is known for its nightlife (which moms-to-be obviously cannot partake in), but it also has stunning beaches, fabulous restaurants, and some of the best shopping in the world. Soak up some sun on South Beach with a virgin daquiri and just relax!

3. Stowe, Vermont
A seemingly random selection, but this town, and specifically the Topnotch Resort and Spa, kept showing up in my research as a sought after spot for moms-to-be. With beautiful views and maternity spa treatments, it doesn’t take long to figure out why it makes so many travel lists.

4. Scottsdale, Arizona
Another spot that kept cropping up in my research, Scottsdale is home to some of the country’s best spa resorts.  The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa has a “Bundle of Joy” package for expectant mamas and they even have a 24-hour “cravings chef”!

5. Amelia Island, Florida
I had never heard of Amelia Island before looking up babymoon ideas, but this destination appeared on several of the lists I came across. Off the coast of Florida, just a stone’s throw away from Georgia, this island has beautiful beaches and ample southern hospitality. Both the Ritz Carlton-Amelia Island and the Elizabeth Pointe Lodge came highly recommended through my research.

So what about you—did you go on a babymoon? Share your suggestions!

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Since this little human I am growing has left me utterly exhausted recently, I haven’t been doing much adventurous cooking or trying many new recipes. Now that I’m in my second trimester, both my energy and my cooking are making a comeback.

I recently tried this Spring Vegetable Penne from the most recent issue of Cooking Light and LOVED it. The lemon cream sauce is both comforting and bright at the same time, and the veggies are perfect in it.  The only thing I might do differently next time is grill the asparagus for some extra flavor (and just because I can, since it’s finally nice out).

Spring Vegetable Pasta with a Lemon Cream Sauce

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
¾ cup chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
1 (4 oz) package presliced mushrooms
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
½ cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
½ cup half-and-half
¾ cup frozen green peas
3 tbsp shaved Parmesan cheese, divided
½ tsp grated lemon rind
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
8 oz uncooked penne (I used vegetable pasta, hence the reddish color)
1 pound (1 in) diagonally cut asparagus

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add onion and mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add thyme and garlic; sauté 1 minute.

2. Sprinkle mushroom mixture evenly with flour; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

3. Stir in broth and half-and-half; cook 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add peas, 2 tablespoons cheese, rind, and next 3 ingredients (through pepper); cook 1 minute or until peas are thoroughly heated.

4. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. During the last 3 minutes of cooking, add asparagus to pot; drain.

5. Add pasta mixture to mushroom mixture; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon cheese.

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I grew up eating pimento cheese sandwiches (on white bread, no crust, cut into quarter triangles … naturally). They were a staple at every wedding my grandmother catered, and because I loved being her sous chef, I got to sample them—a lot.

It wasn’t until recently that I realized that pimento cheese is a distinctly Southern snack and that I’ve never actually made it. I don’t have my grandmother’s recipe (which I intend to get from my dad ASAP), so I looked up a half dozen recipes before trying out this concoction. The recipe I followed most closely was this one, which is based on my fav store-bought pimento cheese, Palmetto.

While I think it turned out delicious, I would probably cut back on the cream cheese just a bit next time because I thought it was just a tad overpowering, so that’s how I have written the recipe below. Also, the jalapeño can be increased or decreased depending on how much heat you like.

Jalapeño Pimento Cheese

6 oz low-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise
2 tbsp diced pimentos
1 roasted jalapeño, seeded and diced
1½ tbsp grated vidalia onion
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.

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I admit it, I haven’t been my usual blogging self lately. I’m normally good about posting three times a week and following my editorial content calendar, which I put a lot of time and thought into. But recently, I’ve been too exhausted to finish a sentence let alone type one. My exhaustion is due in part to work ramping up a bit, but it’s mostly because this mom machine is busy baking a new baby. Yep, baby number two will be here in a little over six months!

We are so excited to add another layer of crazy to our home, and Olivia is thrilled that she’s going to be a big sister. She’s already been practicing her lullabies on her baby dolls, though her baby burping skills still need a bit of work—it looks less like burping and more like beating the crap out of her baby dolls!

Anyway, please just bear with me for a little bit longer as I drag my feet into the second trimester and get back to my normal self (rather than my current self who is usually asleep on the couch by 8:30 p.m.). I’ve already started filling in my editorial calendar with fun new posts and recipes to share!

This weekend, I am planning on making some healthy coconut bars that we recently had at a birthday party for Olivia’s little friend. They were a huge hit with both the little ones and their parents, so be sure to stay tuned for that recipe. I’m also going to try recreating this delicious spicy black bean hummus I just had—fingers crossed that turns out share-worthy.

In the meantime, thanks so much for your patience and for reading. I can’t wait to share this next adventure with you guys!

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A few months ago, I started seeing these boxes showing up in the mail room at work. Then, within a matter of days, a couple of my friends posted pictures of them on Facebook. I was intrigued, so I decided to Google what the heck a “Nature Box” was.

Photo via Naturebox.com

Picture healthy, all natural snacks delivered right to your home or office each month—everything from granola to raspberry bars to pretzel bites—and you have Nature Box. I decided to give it a try because I figured I could use some healthier snack options at work. As it turns out, my entire family wanted in on the goods! And I have no problem with my daughter snacking on any of it because I know it’s made of natural, healthy good stuff.

The boxes start at $19.95 a month, which is the size I signed up for. In my first box, I got Lemon Meringue Waffles, Italian Pretzel Bites, Raspberry Bars, Taj Mahal Snack Mix, and Banana Bread Granola. I was expecting almost sample sizes of each item, but I actually got full-sized packages (about the size you’d expect if you bought the same items at Trader Joe’s). There wasn’t anything we didn’t like in the box, and my husband especially loved the Taj Mahal Snack Mix. The Raspberry Bars (kind of like Fig Newtons) were my fav.

If you’re trying to eat low carb, this might not be your best option. But if you’re just looking for quick, easy, healthy snacks for you and/or your family, then I would give Nature Box a shot. It is actually not a bad deal considering what you get in each box. I know my family will be eagerly awaiting our May box!

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I originally posted this last year, but since I know so many parents are starting to think about those end-of-year gifts, I thought it was a good time to re-post. Cheers!

It’s that time of year again when children’s eyes glaze over in class, teachers are fervently counting down to the last day of school, and parents are scrambling to throw together cute teacher gifts. Since my mom is a teacher, I know just how much those little tokens are truly appreciated. To help out those of you who are currently racking your brains for brilliant ideas, I’ve pulled together some of my favorite gifts that I’ve put into my “when Olivia is in school” file.

Apple Cupcakes
From make and takes
Slap on some red frosting, a green gumdrop leaf and a pretzel stem, and you’re good to go!

Summer Tote Bag
From The Lovely Cupboard
Help your child’s teacher really relax this summer with a tote bag full of fun magazines, a beach towel, sunglasses, flip flops. . . all the necessities for soaking up rays at the pool or beach!

Bucket of Hugs
From Little Pumpkin Grace
Pick up some cute containers in the Dollar Spot at Target, fill them with Hershey’s Hugs, and attach cute little tags. Done and Done!

Potted Plant
From Giggles Galore
A cute idea, with or without the additional gift card. If you don’t want to bother with the hand painted ruler, you can just spray paint the entire pot with chalkboard paint.

Strawberry Pickin’
From eighteen25
I LOVE this because it’s just so stinking adorable. Fill a strawberry crate with assorted strawberry goodies (soaps, candies, candles, fresh strawberries) and add the little sign. Perfect for summer!

Thirst for Knowledge
From Tatertots & Jello
You can find these plastic straw cups for pretty cheap at TJ Maxx and Marshalls. Have your child write a personal note to his or her teacher and put the note along with a gift card to Tropical Smoothie, Jamba Juice, etc. inside. You could even include some of those single serving lemonade packets.

Wise Owl
From Lisa Storms
This is definitely for the crafty mama. Fill this little owl bag with homemade cookies, candies, whatever you want. So sweet!

Apple Rice Krispie Treats
From Gourmet Mom On the Go
Use a package of Jell-O for coloring, Tootsie Roll Minis for stems, and a #68 icing tip (or other leaf tip) for the leaves. Package these four to a box and tie with green ribbon or yarn!

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