D.I.Y. Smarty Phone Valentines With Free Printable + Hershey's Conversation Candies

The following DIY Smarty Phone Valentines content has been sponsored by the Hershey Company. All photos contained below are copyright Momma Told Me Blog 2016. #HSYMessageOfLove

Momma Told Me: You're sweeter than kisses.


We've already established that my family has a history of saying 'I love you' though Hershey's Kisses chocolates. Whether it was my grandparents sending seasonal Hershey's Kisses clear across the country or my father and I pushing bedtime limits with an after dinner game of Chockers (the official Hershey's Kisses Checkers game,) I grew up with these little chocolate drops unwrapping a message of love. So it's absolutely delightful to me that this year, for Valentine's Day, Hershey's has released new Conversation Candies in Hershey's Kisses and Reese's Cups, exclusive to Target stores nationwide.

The limited edition Hershey's Kisses Conversation Candies feature an array of heart flecked pink, purple, and blue foil wrapped Milk Chocolate Kisses with sweet little messages printed on the bottom of the wrapper. There are at least 10 unique messages, I've counted, and they range from fun and flirty 'Let's Kiss' and "XOXO" to simply "BFF." Hershey's Conversation Kisses bring home the fun of traditional Valentine's conversation hearts without the chalky aftertaste; who doesn't love to enjoy a melt-in-your-mouth Hershey's Kisses?

Of course my father, who has always maintained the only way chocolate can be made butter is with peanut butter, is a Reese's Peanut Butter Cups fan- so I have plenty of Reese's Conversation Cups on hand for Valentine's Day too. Unlike the Conversation Kisses, these special edition cups, also exclusively available at Target, have fun heart messages printed ON them- so you can unwrap a surprise with every cup. The wrappers also have the perfect writing space on top for a "To and From" label- they're literally ready to pass out this Valentine's Day. Really, what could be better than chocolate WITH conversation messages?

Okay, there is something, maybe- I DID hit the personal lab and create something extra special for all of you, my Valentine's- too bad the delicious Hershey's chocolates don't transfer through the screen to your printer too! Inspired by our previous Nerd Love Hershey's Valentine's Basket theme, and D.I.Y Robot Box of Chocolates, I kept the techy love alive with some adorable printable Valentine's Day wrappers that transform a couple Reese's Conversation Cups and 2 Conversation Kisses into a sassy Smarty Phone Valentine! These are easy to make in seconds with the FREE Printable wrappers, featured below, and a little bit of colored yarn. You truly can spread the #HSYMessageofLove in no time!

Obviously I still had my teenager (I can't believe I'm calling her a teen now!) niece in mind when I made these colorful and playful Smarty Phone Valentine's, complete with delicious Hershey's Conversation Kisses earbuds. Because, what teenager or tween ISN'T plugged into their smartphone these days? Of course these fun Hershey's Conversation candies are sure to spark a few fun conversations between classmates or co-workers this holiday. Just be sure to remind them there's no warranty on those earbuds should one get eaten!

My favorite thing about holidays, such as Valentine's Day is sharing the love and fun with friends and family. Pleasing tweens and teens can be tough- they never seem to want anything anyone else has. Go ahead and print out our Smarty Phone Valentine's Wrappers and let them have their say with hand picked Hershey's Conversation Candies from Target, each and every Smarty Phone is guaranteed to be unique! As for me, I'll be passing some of these Smarty Phones out to my league-mates next week at the alley! Be sure to get the FREE Smarty Phone wrapper printable and grab your Conversation Candies from Target. Now tell me, who in your life gets a Valentine every year? Are you a traditional cupid who only shares the day with your other half, or do you like to spread the love around with family and friends?

 For more #HSYMessageOfLove information, including recipes, visit CelebratewithHerhseys.com.

What Daughter Says: It's hard to out-sweet these kisses when they're made of delicious Hershey's Milk Chocolate!

Building Moments Around Meals With #NutrishForCats + Maple Salmon Recipe #MC

I participated in an Influencer Activation Program on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Nutrish for Cats. I received a sample of #NutrishForCats to facilitate this review and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

Momma Told Me: Feed to fuel, not to feel

I do not have human kids yet, but I am not without children. It is no secret that my love for my pets goes beyond household companion- we share a bond that transcends words to a complex communication of nuzzles and nudges. Truffles, the cat, is our 'oldest,' child but easily the most babied. Even at 5 years she still has the wonderment of a kitten, and the magical disposition of being a runt gives her a miniature cat appeal every guest can't help but fall in love with themselves. And every morning I awake to a nose on my face, a swat at my feel, or a tail in my mouth. If I sleep in especially late (past breakfast) I know I will owe some one-on-one time with the dangly things and noisemakers Truffles so loves to play with.

 

TOKhe unfortunate reality, for most pet parents, is that the lives of felines an canines do not match the expectancy of ourselves, as humans. Because of this regular veterinarian checkups, an active lifestyle, and healthy diet are key to enjoying every single purr and woof our furry friends have to offer. My discretion over what went in Truffles mouth did not stop after the midnight bottle feedings of her kitten-hood. We live in a small condo, and she is an indoor cat, so there are constantly lifestyle challenges for us to work around.

Indoor cats, especially, can be prone to weight issues and joint problems due to poor diet and lack of appetite. Pet parents often assume that a cat's lazy nature is due to aging; when in fact it is most often in part due to a nutrient lacking diet and lack of engagement. Cats by nature, will be more active at night, so try to take advantage of special bonding and play times just before you go to bed, or right after you wake, when cats will be most active. Focusing on feeding your cat a meal that is high in protein (it should be the number 1 ingredient, in fact,) and offers essential amino acids and vitamins like Taurine and Vitamin B. Not only will a nutrient rich cat food help aid digestion for more productive metabolism, but it can improve vision and hart health over the life of your pet.

There are a lot of pet food brands on the market, and most veterinarians will often have a pricey in house brand they are contracted to plug (Blue Diamond pays vets and breeders alike to promote their brands.) If you are going to choose a pet food based on the suggestion of a professional, consider asking if they have any affiliation first, then read some labels of your own. Finding a food that supports your cat's health is important, but you also want a food they will love to eat. That's why Rachael Ray has rolled her 'simple recipes' concept into 6 wholesome varieties of #NutrishForCats dry and wet food.

The Nutrish range of premium cat food aims to remove preservatives and fillers from everyday meals, replacing them with real chicken and salmon as the primary ingredient. There are a lot of things in commercials and pamphlets about this food, but I have my own favorite details. First and foremost, the flavorful recipes, like Real Salmon and Brown Rice or Ocean Fish and Chicken Catch-iatore, are inspired by simply good, real, human meals. I can look at the ingredients (beet pulp, brown rice, yeast) and make an inspired meal of my own that would be equally healthy for me to eat. In fact, I did! Scroll to the bottom of the post to see my Rachael Ray inspired Smoky Maple-Glazed Salmon.

The Nutrish for cats range of dry foods offer extremely easy to chew and eat small kernels that allow Truffles to better digest her food, and (yes) feel like she is eating more. I can even put half a serving with some brown rice and (unseasoned) salmon for a special meal we can enjoy together. She may not know what is in the food she's eating, but she knows her Momma is the bringer of delicious, and we craft countless memories and moments from that. I simply enjoy knowing I am doing my best to keep her adorable face in my bed for as many mornings as I can.

Try out the Rachael Ray #NutrishForCats range today with exclusive money saving coupons!

What Daughter Says: Feel and Fuel at the same time with smart meal decisions for you and your cat.

Want to win an assortment of #NutrishForCats Wet and Dry food? Enter the Rafflecopter Below!
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Rachael Ray's Smoky Maple-Glazed Salmon

**Click here to be taken to a printable page for this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown or white rice
• 1 bundle watercress or upland cress (2 cups), stemmed and coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
• 4 medium to large carrots or multi-colored farmer's market carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon all-natural liquid smoke
• 1/2 cup dark amber maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 4 salmon fillets, skin removed (8 ounces each)
• 2 teaspoons Old Bay seafood seasoning
• 2 cups frozen sweet peas
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup chives, chopped

Directions:

1.) Prepare the brown or white rice, according to the package directions. When the rice is done, fluff with a fork and combine with the watercress leaves.

2.) When the rice has been cooking for 5 minutes, pre-heat the broiler and heat a skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon EVOO, a turn of the pan. Add the carrots to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Sauté to tender-crisp, 6-7 minutes.

3.) Meanwhile, in a small pot, bring the liquid smoke, maple syrup and vinegar to a boil and reduce over high heat, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

4.) Season the salmon with salt, pepper and Old Bay seafood seasoning. Heat the remaining tablespoon EVOO, a turn of the pan, in a large, ovensafe, nonstick skillet and cook the salmon top-side down, 3-4 minutes. Flip and pour the maple syrup glaze over the top of the fish and place under the broiler for 3 minutes to caramelize the glaze.

5.) Add the peas to the carrots and heat through while the fish is under the broiler. Add the butter and chives to the veggies. When the butter has melted, turn off the heat.
Serve the salmon with the peas and carrots and rice with watercress alongside.

Summer Health: The Eyes Have It- Or Do They? #MC

I wrote this review while participating in an Influencer campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. and received a promotional item from Mom Central to thank me for participating.

Momma Told Me: If you're going out, protect yourself!


I have had vision troubles since early grade-school. No matter how many carrots I scarfed, and there were a lot, my eyes decided they wanted something more fashionable than my face. So Momma trounced right into the local mega warehouse store and promptly bought the most Harry-Potter esque frames she could find (long before Hogwarts existed, mind you.) From there on out my eyes and I had a tumultuous relationship. Partly because I am so discerning and such a perfectionist (I squint with even the slightest bit of clarity inconsistency,) and partly because I never cared to go the extra mile to take care of my eyes. After all, they sit in my head, there's not much more too it, right?

While you may let your lashes and lids do all the heavy lifting in the eye care department the truth is our sight and eyes can tell us a lot about our overall health. You may recall, a year and a half back, I was diagnosed pre-diabetic and learned I had consumed enough sugar, over a long enough time, to impact the clarity of my vision. I was lucky enough that the sharpness returned shortly after a dramatic diet change, and my retinas showed no signs of permanent blood vessel damage. The optometrist, however, did ask me an odd question,

"Do you wear sunglasses at all when you are outside?"

I thought it was an odd query, given my complexion most often matches a vampire, and my primary optical aid of choice is a pair of glasses. While I own a prescription pair of sunglasses it's not always convenient to pull them out and put my primary pair away safely. And it's not exactly like I'm just sitting outside staring into the sun, when I am out and about.

It turns out that many of the same facts and concerns that apply to UV Rays and skincare apply to your eyes as well. As a fair skinned gal I knew all too well that I can easily burn much quicker on an overcast day, then in the brightest direct light. What I didn't know was that those same rays can reflect off water, grass, and numerous other surfaces an absorb right through my retinas. Talk about scary all that ultraviolet radiation bouncing around inside my eyes! I already know my farsighted vision is nearing nearsighted (not good) and I'm not legally safe to do, well anything, without corrective vision, so I was even more alarmed to hear my optometrist tell me that UV damage is hard to measure and in most cases permanent. Effects may include a loss in clarity of vision or even cataracts, and are even more pronounced in younger, developing eyes.

While it was a terrifying visit, it was also an eye opening one. I learned that there are ways to limit the absorption of UV-A and UV-B rays into the retina through supplemental accessories like wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses, and even UV Blocking contact lenses. While the UV blocking lens technology is pretty revolutionary, conclusive testing as far as the impact and long term benefits have not yet been done. Regardless, contacts such as Acuvue Moist Astigmatism 1-Day with Lacreon have been tested to filter up to 83% of UV-A and 97% of UV-B rays. And, when paired with monitored sun exposure and a hat, that leaves me feeling a lot more confident that I am truly looking out for my eyes.

Whether you have perfect vision, or wear coke bottle glasses, protecting your eyes from the sun is important all year round. Take the time to talk to your optometrist about possible early damage screening and visit this Fast Facts For Your Health roundup of eye care tips to learn more. Keep in mind that preventative care and protection is always better when stacked, do not rely on one method of UV protection alone. Sunglasses have different levels of UV blocking capabilities, an some UV rays will always get past; so limit your direct exposure to refracted rays with proper headgear when outside for more then 30 minutes at a time.

Do you consider UV protection for your eyes always, or only when your eyes are bothered by the sun?

What Daughter Says: We often remember sunblock and sunglasses, but we seldom consider these things when the sun isn't a nuisance.

Lay's Do Us A Flavor Wants To Know, What's Your Favorite Dish? #Sponsored #MC

I participated in an Ambassador Activation on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Lay’s. I received a promotional item to thank me for participating.

Momma Told Me: Let the ingredients guide you.

When it comes to food, some of my favorite dishes aren't made in fast food corporate meetings, or family dining restaurants. They often don't have official recipes, relying on a pinch of this and a handful of that, and were more often than not stumbled upon by sheer accident. Two styles of dishes especially known for this format are those labeled as 'meatloaf' or 'casserole.' By nature, these two dishes are literally defined by the almost haphazard collection of leftover or on hand ingredients. That's precisely how 'Momma's Casserole' was defined at my childhood dining table. The ingredients were always changing, but, somehow, it still had that signature flavor, and hint of love, that made it so special.

When I was 14, my parents got divorced and I took it upon myself to prepare dinner for my father, after school, several days a week. Since I did not do the grocery shopping, and I had limited kitchen skills, this often meant melting down my favorite ingredients into what my father called a 'goulash.' A favorite Friday night version included cream cheese, a dash of Sriracha, and a helping portion of peanut butter simmered over thin slices of chicken breast. Momma would have never let this recipe fly as 'healthy' cooking in her kitchen, but it was just the comfort food needed for a teenage daughter and father living on their own. With several warm memories of this 'Peanut Chicken,' I have since developed the recipe with more of a Thai twist over coconut milk rice, for my own family.

Of course, recipe or not, one of my favorite things about cooking is actually being in the kitchen with the ingredients. Like many, when I find a tried and true recipe, I often work to add my own twist to favorite dishes over time. Some of my favorite recipes have, naturally, been featured here on the blog. There's no shortness of sweets with dishes like Lemon Meringue Pie with Blackberry Compote, Red Velvet Cheesecake, and Potato Chip Brownies (taken from my Potato Chip Recipe Series.) More recently I used a crispy chicken helper to coat some chicken strips and re-invent traditional Sushi in my Crispy Chili Lime Chicken Sushi! For even more of my favorite recipes, and savory photos, check out Momma's Recipes Tab, above!

Of course, surprisingly good flavor inspiration can come from a variety of places, and nobody knows this like Lay's. With their Original, Wavy, and Kettle Cooked chip varieties sold worldwide in dozens of mouthwatering flavors, they're once again on the hunt for the next best thing in a foil bag. Their fan favorite Do Us A Flavor contest challenges fans to submit their unique 'must have' chip flavor, for a chance to see it made into a real chip. Last year's three American finalists, Chicken and Waffles, Sriracha, and Cheesy Garlic Bread saw their flavors made into real distributed chips, and this year the competition is back with a $1 Million grand prize (See Rules). The grand prize winner from last year is enjoying their crunchy success with a permanent addition to the Lay's lineup- Cheesy Garlic Bread, sold nationwide!

 So, Lay's and I want to know- What's your most flavorful dish? Maybe it's your grandma's recipe for Coffee Strudel; hey, sweet and salty works for chips too! Perhaps you have a sorority pizza combination from your college days you'd love to share with the world. No flavor is too big, no recipe too obscure for the Do Us A Flavor competition. So now through April 5, 2014, be sure to log on to the Do Us A Flavor platform and submit your nominations for the next great chip flavor; Lay's just might decide to make your snacking dreams come true. Feeling a little uninspired? Browse the gallery of submitted flavors and vote on them in the Flavor Showdown; just don't do it hungry, you've been warned!

Do you have a favorite accidental recipe?

 What Daughter Says: Great ingredients inspire great flavors, sometimes all you need is a little inspiration to create a new favorite recipe.

Lay's, Do Us A Flavor And, Make Honey Sriracha Chicken Chips! #Sponsored #MC

I participated in an Ambassador Activation on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Lay’s. I received a promotional item to thank me for participating.

Momma Told Me: Make life flavorful.

Much like Willy Wonka's Secret Gobstopper Machine and flavored wallpaper, I often fancied myself a whimsical food creator with the capability to recreate the world's most beloved flavors in new and exciting ways. Of course, these were childhood dreams and every child also knows, thanks to Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, that too much good food can be a bad thing. I still remember when I was 4, one of the first to pick up on the 'Ranch' trend, and ordering ranch dressing to dip all of my french fries in. MY grandfather, who put ketchup on everything from his scrambled eggs to a bologna sandwich would sit, mortified across from me in a restaurant, and furrow his brow in disgust. Yes, taste is just that, a matter of taste. But there are some flavors so powerful, so timelessly magical, they are meant to be together.  And, once again, the makers of Lay's potato chips have answered their fan's calling for a new and unique flavor.

Remember how I shared the Chicken and Waffles chips from last year's Do Us A Flavor semi-finals? Now an International sensation, the Lay's Do Us A Flavor competition runs in several countries each year, and is something fans literally mark their calendar's for. Last year's three American finalists, Chicken and Waffles, Sriracha, and Cheesy Garlic Bread saw their flavors made into real distributed chips, and this year the competition is back with a $1 Million grand prize (See Rules). In fact, we keep a bag of last year's finalist on hand for snacking; it's packed with authentic garlic flavor and rich mozzarella Parmesan goodness! Whether you're looking to fight your way to the top of the flavor show-downs, or simply looking for a little culinary inspiration, the Do Us A Flavor website is full of fun and interactive activities.

This year Lay's has offered contestants the chance to choose from 3 different chip bases (Wavy, Kettle Cooked, and Original), and has enhanced their flavor creator with custom ingredient labels and colorful bag options. You can quite literally create your dream chip and send it out into the U.S.  arena for fans to voice off on, and possibly see your flavor made into a regular Lay's chip flavor! I've tried some pretty strange potato chip flavors in my time including Ketchup, Pickle, Sweet Corn, Garlic Shrimp, and more- but last years semi-finalists had me inspired enough to create 5 potato chip infused recipes! If you love potato chips like I do, check out our Peanut Butter And Jelly Potato Chip Thumbprint Cookies, or Potato Chip Baked Onion Rings.

Chips help bring our family together around the TV for movie nights, and at sporting events to cheer each-other on; so it's natural I've been inspired to submit our family favorite recipe as a flavor suggestion. Traditionally crunchy, deliciously spicy, and playfully sweet and tangy, Sriracha Chicken Tenders are a simple 4 ingredient recipe that puts smiles on faces every time I make it. Now, I know last year had a finalist featuring Sriracha sauce, so it's certainly a popular ingredient, but perhaps the blend of sweet and spicy can make it all the way? Try out our family's recipe for this simple finger food tonight and let us know if you think it'd make a great chip. Not your favorite flavors? Sweet or spicy, what would you like to see turned into Lay's next great flavor?

What Daughter Says: Keep life exciting with new flavors and textures in your favorite foods.

#ShareWhatsGood For A Chance At $5k, + Special Welch's Moments Inside #MC

***I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Welch's. I received product samples to facilitate my review, and a promotional item as a thank you for participating. All photos below are copyright Momma Told Me Blog 2013.

Momma Told Me: A smile is the most important thing you'll ever wear.

Not too far away- Okay, years back, amidst the flurry of my childhood, Momma and I ruled the kitchen together. I remember the first time I discovered Bagel Bites, somewhere around 1995- I didn't stop singing that darn jingle for months. And, just when I was certain mom would ban the word 'pizza' from our home, all-together, she surprised me with a stroke of culinary genius. With a firm hand on her hip, floral print maxi dress, and a look of determination, she smacked the frozen food box on the counter and looked intently in my eyes, "We can make these! And we can make them any way we want to- and they'll be much better!" she declared.

I was a bit afraid, and a bit excited, all at once. Momma's culinary creations were usually hit or miss- and I didn't want to have to choke down any more misses with a pained grin. But, as it turns out, this tale marked the beginning of a weekly tradition Momma and I kept for several summers. We'd begin our week with a trip to the local bagel shop, then stock up on ingredients during the mid-week grocery trips. And every Friday would be Bagel Pizza lunch day- a magical event of olive fingers and sassy saucing that still brings a smile to my face today. These were kitchen table moments elevated only by the slow sipping of ice cold grape juice; Welch's a staple in our household.

So, it's no surprise that Welch's has recently launched a #ShareWhatsGood campaign and photo contest to help capture and share those very treasured kitchen table moments. Of course, 'what's good' doesn't have to happen around the kitchen table, Welch's knows these moments can happen on the go, and with friends too. So, in addition to the exciting Share What's Good contest, they've worked tirelessly to bring you a collection of recipes and family activities to spark your next 'what's good' moment. Log on to Welch's Share What's Good page today to find out how to get entered to win $5000! Our family jumped at the chance to create some of our own special moments with a little Welch's inspiration.

Armed with Welch's 100% Grape Juice, we created some instant memories, and I even got to 'steal' come precious family time without them noticing! In fact, we used the Grape Fortune Cookie recipe fround on the Welch's website to create the header photo for this post, my very first entry into the #ShareWhat'sGood contest. I'd made fortune cookies years ago, but was inspired by the thought of adding a touch of grape juice to enhance the cookie's flavor. This was the most hands on project, and Sabrina (11) quickly became engulfed in the task of rolling out the 'dough,' and learning how to fold the hot cookies. This time, however, writing the fortunes was left to me; imagine Sabrina's delight when she pulled a cartoon mustache out of her first one!

Because part of 'what's good' to our family is classic comforts, filled with childhood memories, we immediately wanted to make Welch's Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookie Sammies. With a simple recipe, that includes a bagged sugar cookie base, even the most amateur of home bakers can pull this one off. Not intended for the faint of heart, or those with white carpeting, these peanut butter cookies wedged a hefty helping of Welch's Concord Grape Jelly between them for a new twist on a classic childhood favorite. Both Jay and Sabrina gulped these down with a tall glass of milk. Not only were these creations perfectly messy, but the jam smeared smiled of my loved ones made for yet another 'what's good' moment. Honestly, anytime the family comes together in the kitchen, it's magical.

I was further browsing the Welch's website last week when I came across yet another, simple, Welch's twist on a classic treat. Ever since our Fortune Cookie endeavor Sabrina (11) had been requesting Welch's juice after school. I decided I would surprise her with a Purple Cow Float- Okay, a what? That's right, chilled grape juice poured directly over 2 heaping scoops of vanilla bean ice cream for a creamy, yet slightly tangy, float that is free of carbonation mishaps, and resembles a Purple Cow. This got giggles right from the get go, as purple beverages, let alone desserts aren't very common! With a hesitant sip, Sabrina nodded in approval, a frothy smile clinging to her upper lip, 'That's good! What's in it?' Here she was thinking I'd crafted some fancy new drink, and I'd only used two ingredients. Two simple ingredients for yet another What's Good moment.

Log onto the Share What's Good website, or follow the brand on their official Facebook page for more great family time inspiration, and delicious Welch's recipes. Entering the contest is as simple as adding the #ShareWhatsGood hashtag to your photo upload on Twitter or Instagram, and be sure to follow @Welchs on both channels to stay on top of all the adorable submissions. For me, the small moments are often the best, and they're the easiest to overlook. Spend some time to pause and reflect on the 'what's good' moments of your life this week, then remember to open your eyes- the list of moments should always be growing! What is one of your favorite 'What's good' moments?

What Daughter Says: Share what's good in your life, and brighten someone else's day. Smile's are contagious.