Tag Archives: Party

How to Party Like an Irish Girl Even If You’re Not

How to Party Like an Irish Girl Even If You're Not | St. Patrick's Day Recipes for Real People | Sisterhood of the Sensible MomsYou might think with names like “Williams” and “Dymowski”, we are firmly in the “If You’re Not” category.

Erin: But you would be WRONG!

Ellen: I come from a line of Kennedys. Not THE Kennedys because I would not be here whiling away the hours with you people. I would be counting my Benjamins while pahkin my cah in the yahd.

Erin: And I have got your Dwyer, O’Neill, Rankin, and Sheehan roots right here. I’m green all over and then some. Even my Dymowski comes with a side of pure Irish grandmother AND I went to Ireland on my honeymoon AND I have a red-haired daughter. I am in the club. In fact, make me president.

st.patrick's day collage

Funny hats and unflattering shades of green just scream great times, am I right?

Ellen: Someone get Erin a crown of clover, but the bottom line is, you can trust us for all things Luck o’ the Irish. And not to start on a negative note, but sometimes it’s just as helpful to know what not to do.

 We do NOT condone celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in this fashion.

rainbow waffle

Pinterest Source

Erin: Save your energy for something really important like that Breaking Bad Netflix all-nighter marathon. Pinterest may have lured you into one honey of a leprechaun trap with this one, but there is no pot o’ gold for you at the end of this rainbow. It’s just woe that lies ahead.

Ellen: There’s a reason I do not make any waffles ever. Waffle irons are too hard to clean, and life is too short for nylon bristles and heartache.

Erin: I might stick it out if the mess was contained to the waffle iron, but this looks like a gift that keeps on giving. Think batter blobs on the counter, sink, floor, brother, sister, cat. I’m out of digits from counting all the ways this mess could multiply.

Ellen: And that’s just one of the great mysteries of waffles. How can waffles be so fluffy and delicious when the batter hardens to the consistency of concrete?

Erin: Um, you are ignoring the technicolor elephant in the room. There are SIX different bags of batter!

Ellen: In neon colors no less.

Erin: These bags beg obvious questions. How do you keep the batter from running all over the place once you snip the ends off of those bags? Is regular food dye really gonna make that cerulean blue color? On a scale of 1 to 10, just how crazy do you have to be to think this is a great idea?

Ellen: And exactly how many people are you planning to feed? That looks about enough batter to make two waffles.

Erin: By the time I made enough to feed my crew, they would be elbow- deep in a box of Lucky Charms, and I would be up to my elbows with a kitchen to clean. I feel like I need to call back 2013’s favorite meme and scream:

46983705

 

But here are some things that are TOTALLY worth your time!

St. Patrick’s Day recipes for real people.

 

For Fit Irish Girls

This smoothie will start your day off on the right foot. You will feel so much better about that extra helping of corned beef and cabbage if you make this your breakfast or lunch on the big day.

The Perfect Green Smoothie

Click here for the recipe!

 

 For Traditional Irish Girls

Nothing says St. Paddy’s Day like a piece of Irish soda bread. This recipe from Erin’s mom is a crowd-pleaser.

Irish soda Bread

Click here for the recipe!

 

 For Fun-loving Irish Girls  

This will certainly hit the spot for anybody craving a wee bit o’ whiskey to toast the day! And if you indulge a little too much, refer to the green smoothie mentioned above.

whiskey sour slush

Click here for the recipe!

So don your best green, sing a limerick or two, and make one of these recipes! You’ll be sure to have your best St. Paddy’s Day yet!

How to Party Like an Irish Girl Even If You're Not | St. Patrick's Day Recipes for Real People | Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

-Erin and Ellen

 

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Easy Last Minute Super Bowl Party!

If you are reading this right now, you, like us have not thought about Sunday’s festivities until this very moment. With homework and travel teams and field trips and snow days and having to clothe and feed people EVERY SINGLE DAY while the Polar Vortex numbs your brain, things like the Super Bowl can be forgotten.

But we love watching football and we love hanging with our families, so the Super Bowl is a perfect time to do both. This menu is a procrastinator’s dream because it is quick, easy, and expandable so you’re set whether you invite the whole neighborhood over or just need to feed your own fun-sized crew.

But this is not just any game, it’s a SUPER game and that calls for something super special. We found this awesome Ballot Sheet that will keep everyone engaged in the pigskin party. With categories like “Numbers of Sacks” snuggled up with “Does Bruno Mars Wear a Fedora?” there is something for everyone. Print them out for the whole gang.

If you’re feeling even more ambitious because you saved so much time using our recipes, you can print out these free Super Bowl Bingo Cards. They really are worth the effort of  loading the printer with paper. And if you still haven’t run out of ink (this must mean you DON’T live in Ellen’s house), check out these fun Rate The Commercials Signs.

Okay, time’s ticking away. This an easy Super Bowl party, but it’s not a miracle. Let’s just get to the grub, shall we?

Easy Last Minute Super Bowl Party

 

So first the APPETIZERS . . .

Lazy Girl’s Black Bean Cream Cheese Dip

You know what? Be a hero and make a double batch from the start.

This dip has four ingredients: cream cheese, black beans, salsa, and shredded cheese. The most involved step is draining the black beans. We have found it ups the appeal to use gourmet salsa, but really that’s like saying the red convertible made the Homecoming Queen even more popular. This dip is always the first to go. Just make sure you buy enough tortilla chips because people have been known to clean the dish out with a spoon. Or their tongues. And no one wants to see that.

Full printable recipe

 

Ellen’s Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ellen makes this all of the time, but there is still no picture because it goes too quickly! The secret to the scrumptious-ness of this dip is cooking the chicken in the crock pot the day before or earlier in the day. You MUST cook the chicken this way to get raves; if you just use plain shredded chicken, we can’t be responsible for the yawns you will incite.

And now the recipe is even better. Ellen use to recommend a baking step, but that step has been punted. Now, we do EVERY step in the crock pot. Maybe “lazy” should be in the title of this recipe, too.

Full printable recipe

 

On to the MAIN COURSE . . .

All right, so everyone is wowed by the appetizers. Time to kick the laziness up a notch.

Erin: How did we go from “easy” to “lazy”?

Ellen: Truth in advertising?

Erin: Let’s call it what it really is–SMART.

Ellen: Whatever. Let’s just get to it.

The Smartest Crock Pot Pulled Pork

Lazy or smart? Poe-tay-toe, Pu-tah-toe.

There will be no printable recipe , because you’re a smartie and we believe in you.

Three ingredients: 5 – 8 pound pork tenderloin, package of dry onion soup mix, and one 16.9 oz bottle of Coke.

Throw it in the crock pot and let cook for at least 7 hours. Shred the meat with a fork.

You can do it!

Ellen: Alright, we may be lazy, but we can’t throw health completely to the wind. Gotta have some veggies.

Erin: See! That’s smart!! Seriously, we should drop the lazy.

Ellen: Easy, lazy, smart . . . once again, whatever. Although this menu is starting to sound more like a conflicted valedictorian.

 

Crispy Colorful Vinaigrette Coleslaw

Best Cole Slaw EVER!

This coleslaw is the best, because it doesn’t have a drippy, creamy dressing. It perfectly tops the pulled pork on a bun or takes the heat away from the Buffalo Chicken Dip. The recipe calls for some chopping of vegetables, but if you want a lazier smarter version, you can just dump a bag of shredded cabbage, a bag of broccoli slaw, and a bag of shredded carrots in the bowl and call it a day.

Full printable recipe

 

Some Kind Of Awesome Creamy Chicken Salsa Soup

This is the definition of crowd pleaser.

This is the definition of crowd-pleaser.

Another option play would be this fabulous soup. If you’re already cooking the chicken for the buffalo dip, why not just double it? Even if you don’t want to serve this at the game, you can have dinner ready for Monday because as we mentioned before, the feeding NEVER ends. Now that we think about it, maybe you really should save this soup for the next day because it is SO good people will never leave your house.

Full printable recipe

 

Can’t forget about DESSERT . . .

Oreo and Peanut Butter Brownie Bites

Oreo and Peanut Butter Brownie BitesYou can whip these up in minutes to be declared the MVP of all time of all Super Bowl parties. Yes, they are that good. Brownie mix, Oreos, and peanut butter: three ingredients that make your taste buds go boom!

Full printable recipe

 

 

May the Odds Ever Be in the Favor of the Team You Want to Win!

(Our teams are out of it so we can be generous like that.)

 

-Ellen and Erin

 

 

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10 Great Things to Remember About 2013

With the dawning of 2014, we realize once again just how quickly time flies when you are riding the jet plane of fun known as parenthood.  Looking in the rear view mirror, we are gratified that much of it was more than good, it was great. But lest we forget, we are recording for Auld Lang Syne:

10 Great Things to Remember About 2013

1. We Partied Like Rock Stars

Well, that might be overstating it a bit, but we did have a darn good time every time we got together. Whether we were climbing mountains, kayaking down rivers, or squiring our girls to the theater, we really did know how to get our fun on. And we can throw a party like nobody’s business. But, we just miiiiiight be over baby showers at this point. Don’t hold it against us.

Taste Testers

Taste Testers

But it wasn’t all fun and games. . .

2. We Gained Some Perspective

Blogging really does encourage us to slow down and appreciate our kids, ourselves, and our friends. Whether we were learning from the mouths of babes after a neighborhood fire, watching teens helping a friend with autism, or realizing that this whole Mom gig works much better when you rustle up a posse, we expanded our points of view. This helped us greatly come to grips with some of the thornier aspects of our lives.

 

3. We Called a Truce

We have a love/hate relationship with kids’ sports. We love the exercise and discipline, but we kinda hate the driving and the sideline politics.  A fresh outlook gave us just the attitude adjustment needed to bury the hatchet with organized sports after some small travel team fiascoes. We were able to focus on all the positive things sports bring into our lives.

That's right, baby! A healthy diet of soccer's gonna make you a star!

Penalty! Illegal use of hands . . . and gums.

 

4. We Were Published!

We were so excited to be a part of the anthology, You Have Lipstick on Your Teeth. We got the thrill of seeing our names in print–in a for real book–and scored the cyber honor of our own Amazon authors’ pages. Here is Ellen’s and here is Erin’s.  But what really made our hearts happy was meeting many of our co-authors and even going to our very first book signing! And then there was a second book signing! With cupcakes.

Want to know about the penguin? Come to a book signing.

Beware the penguin. Respect The Sisterhood.

5. We Were a BlogHer Humor Voice of the Year!

We were beyond stoked when were chosen as a BlogHer Humor Voice of the Year for The Sensible Sisterhood Summer Camp. We just felt acknowledged. We even made a video so everyone could recognize us. (Good thing we had name tags.)

Imagine our level of metaphorical apoplexy when we ended up within teacup toasting distance with the Queen . . . Queen Latifah, that is. Our takeaway from the conference? Bloggers need to stop giving the blog juice away for free.

Queen Latifah and the Sisterhood

6. We skirmished in the Mommy Wars–Sort of

Judging women’s adequate appreciation of motherhood is a plague upon the internet. But instead of choosing sides, we picked humor because, well, to quote our own piece: “Kids can be narcissistic Napoleonic assholes.” We might not have been as playful when  Ellen took a writer and mother to task for “pinkwashing” Harry Potter. Let’s all just be sensible, m’kay?

Mommy Wars You Are Not Cherishing Correctly

7. We Read A Ton!

Almost nothing brings us as much joy as a good book.  Our families, Cheez-its, and Sour Patch Kids are pretty great too, but books, well, we girls have no words. Who are we kidding? We’re nothing if not verbose and here are all of the book lists we made to prove it:

book stacksisterhoodguide

5 Books We are Thankful For

5 Books For the Carpool Line

Better Books for the Botttom of Your Beach Bag

Mo’ Better Books for the Bottom of Your Beach Bag

10 Books for Your Teens and Tweens Summer Reading List

More Summer Books for your Tweens

Books by Our Blogger Friends

10 Books for Your Summer Reading List

8. We Discovered Blogging is Better by the Pool

This was the year Ellen’s family put in a pool. They saved and they planned ahead and it should have been been completed by the beginning of May. Should have been. Mother Nature didn’t understand that we wanted our water fun with a side of sun, NOT in the form of endless rain. (Are you now singing Purple Rain in your head? No? You are now.)

Track the progress from us trying to pass off the excavation as a “fun summer camp activity” to the “Ghetto Chic Stage” it was forever stuck in, to the big reveal. It even served as our blogging office. Bring a cooler full of drinks and food and Ellen might even unlock the gate for you.

Pool Fun

9. We Sent Up a Flare For the Teen Years

By February, we will have five teenagers between the two of us. Before you start passing around a collection plate to pay for our Sour Patch Kids and chocolate therapy, listen to this: it’s not so bad on this side of the border. Sure, teens can remind you an awful lot of  their tyrant two year old selves (it’s amazing how much they are alike). But they can also be sweet and funny and generous when they let their true spirits seep out from under the cloud of Axe and angst they tote around. And yes, the teen years can be scary, but we believe firmly that duct tape, kisses, and prayers really do help.

prayer

10. We Got By With a Little Help From Our Friends

We had fantastic fun imagining how great our lives would be if we could just rent a Sister Wife. Actually that is not entirely true because we know the joys of Sisterly help. Don’t go signing us up for a reality show (unless of course, you have actual connections because we have some ideas for you). We’re talking about the all mom/all kid Big Love Camping Trip we take every year with our three other friends. No really, it’s fun.

Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

Our Sisterhood is what it’s all about.

We also doled out some helpful advice. We don’t do this from a pedestal of judgment, but rather from the trenches in the spirit of “We Step in the Doo So You Don’t Have To.” We gave helicopter parents, hand-wringing parents of adolescents, and perfect toddler parents a nudge to the ribs because we believe we’re all in this parenting thing together and we all can learn and lean on one another.

But one of our greatest joys was meeting the friends inside of our computer. Lines were blurred and blogging friends became real life friends. True friends, no matter where they live, make life more rich and joyous.

Here’s to another great year full of friendship, love, and good enough parenting!

Happy New Year from Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

(Ellen promises not to toast you with this monstrosity.)

-Ellen and Erin

 

 

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Feeling Holiday Stress? #TalkEarly and The Sisterhood are Here to the Rescue!

Holiday Stress- #TalkEarly and The Sisterhood are Here to the Rescue

On Dasher and Dancer, it’s party time again!

Holiday cookie swap? We’re firing up the ol’ oven and rattling our cookie sheets.

Seasonal Open House? We’ve got a wheel of brie and some phyllo dough at the ready.

Ice Skating/Hot Cocoa/Gingerbread House-Making Extravaganza. Sharpen our skates, break out the marshmallows, and hit up the ATM for extra money for the dentist.

Elf on the Shelf Holiday Hoedown? Yikes! PASS!

Twitter party? We’ve got an open social media management tool and we’re not afraid to use it.

Sisterhood say what?

Twitter parties may not be your usual holiday fare, but this one hosted by The Century Council and The Motherhood was as welcomed as a peppermint stick in your mocha latte. You can check out some of the takeaways and impressions in the graphic below.

Twitter-Party-Word-Cloud-2

By far the most important takeaway was the realization that for EVERYONE the holidays are packed with love and memorable moments but also stress. And plenty of it. All of that merry-making and memory-crafting means less time doing other things that frankly don’t stop needing to be done just because it’s December. Sock Bag O’ Shame, we’re looking at you!

It’s a point of fact–the more stressed you are, the less efficient you’ll be.  And less efficient doesn’t  always look like a  gas guzzling car, it looks like a hot mess with a little too many miles of road under her eyes, if you know what we mean. It’s most definitely NOT the look you want to be sporting at the office Christmas party–doesn’t really go well with your blow-out and Tory Burches.

None of the good stuff, most importantly your family creating memories with a loving, sane mother, will get done until you find your holiday zen. To which we have a great and sensible solution—a time diary. We all think we have no time. Here’s one way to find your stolen hour. You can even use it to learn to knit. Just stick to scarves and sweaters, PLEASE.

Think of the amount of time you spend on Pinterest or on the phone with someone you don’t even like or even matching socks. We guarantee, if you write down your day hour by hour, you will rediscover a little time for you. Time that you can spend at the gym, the mall, Starbucks, or hunkered down with a good book—whatever YOU want as long as it re-energizes you and keeps you steaming ahead through the season.

zenfo

We’re wondering why it takes them over an hour to figure out tha heels were a bad idea. We usually realize it in the shoe store.

 

So Christmas is coming early to you all this year, because to demonstrate our great time diary idea, we thought we would give you. . .

A Day in the Life of Erin

6:00 am: Rise and SHINE!

Ellen: Oh, sweet Cheez-its! Do not start this off all peppy, Pollyanna.

Erin: It’s only peppy for about 5 minutes and then I have to get 5 kids to school. I could be in the army for all I get done before 8am.

6:05 am: Wake teen #1

6:10 am: Wake teen #2

6:15 am: Mediate teen argument over bathroom

6:20 am: Sign permission slip/check/birthright over to teens who forgot to show me the slip the night/week/month before

6:30 am: Mediate teen argument over bathroom/Say good morning to Boy #3 and Boy #4 who rise and shine like their Momma

6:40 am: Wake tween who hates mornings

6:45 am: Mediate teen argument over bathroom

6:50 am: Feed teens/ Remind them to make their lunches/Wake tween who hates mornings . . . again/Put Boy #4 in timeout for bodyslamming the cat

7:00 am: Mediate teen argument over bathroom/ Wake tween who hates mornings . . . Again/ Take Boy #4 out of timeout because I forgot about him

7:10 am: Wave goodbye to teens/ Wake tween who hates mornings . . . AGAIN/ tell Boy #3 and #4 to get dressed

7:20 am: Wake tween who hates mornings . . . (Help me)/ tell Boy #4 to get dressed

7:30 am: Wake tween who hates mornings . . . (HELP ME)/ tell Boy  #4 to get dressed

7:40 am: Wake tween who hates mornings . . . WTH?/ tell Boy #4 to get dressed/ Give Boy #3 Cookies for Breakfast and tell him he’s my favorite because he is dressed, ready, AND has made lunches for his slacker brothers

7:45 am: Forcibly remove tween from bed/ Help Boy #4 get dressed

7:45 am-8:00 am: It’s a blur

8:05 am: Carpool to school

8:20 am: Home again drooling into my Diet Coke and Frosted Mini-Wheats

Ellen: I need a cookie for surviving reading that.

Erin: I’m dripping in sweat. And then it begins. . .

9:00 am: Phone call #1 from hubby: Can you pick up the dry cleaning? Shop for the office party?

9:15 am: Phone call #2 from long lost high school classmate: We haven’t talked in 15 years, but can you find the address of that guy who used to be my best friend?

9:30 am: Phone call #3 from school: Can you come in an hour early TODAY? We changed the day for mass.

9:45 am: Phone call #4 from friend: I’m starting a new business and want to go over the entire plan with you right now . . .

10:00 am: Phone call #5 from another friend: OMGeeeee, can you believe this? . . .

10:30 am: Shower

10:32 am: Ellen calls

Erin: You ALWAYS call during my shower. No matter what time I take it. I’m pretty sure I lose minutes of my life EVERY day looking for the hidden cameras.

Ellen: Melodramatic much? But you are missing the forest for the trees. WHAT do I tell you every time you get out of the shower to answer the phone?

Erin: That just because the phone rings, doesn’t mean I have to pick it up?

Ellen: You do listen to me! Just because someone invites you down a rabbit hole does not mean you have to tumble down it. If you want that hour, but really, if you NEED that hour, don’t let any summoning ringtone draw you away from it.

Erin: Noted. But pot, this kettle is calling you black.

Ellen: I know. Mine is even worse because it’s a silent Siren song: social media. I solemnly vow to put my money where my mouth is and record my time down the Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest/Instagram rabbit hole. I’ll probably find enough time to go to Starbucks, practice yoga, AND knit you a scarf.

 

Now go find your own hour and tell us what you’re going to do with it!

This post is part of our paid partnership with The Century Council’s #TalkEarly to your kids about alcohol campaign, but all opinions and time diaries are our own. We want you to find healthy ways to manage your stress because sighing, “It’s been a hard day, Mommy needs her wine,” could send the wrong message to your kids. Alcohol can be part of responsible celebrations, but it shouldn’t be the answer to stress.

-Ellen and Erin

 

 

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Canned Pumpkin Underachievers Unite!

If you have a stockpile of pumpkins laying around, you COULD rock on with your bad self making your own puree. Organic! Sustainable gardening! Living off the land! We can practically smell your virtue from here.

But don’t break out the old knife and scooper yet. Because, come a little closer, THERE IS A COMPANY THAT DOES ALL OF THE PUREEING WORK FOR YOU. And we swear on a pile of Martha Stewart Living magazines, we can’t tell the difference between fresh pumpkin slop and canned. Don’t you ‘tsk tsk’ at us. We have both traveled the treacherous path of home pureeing and you know what it got us? Not fame and fortune or even rave compliments, that is for sure. It got us slimy and tired and picking seeds out of our hair.

Pumpkin Guts

Libby, save us from pumpkin guts!

With The Great Pumpkin as our witness, we will never again raise anything but a can opener to wow our family and friends. From appetizers to dessert, canned pumpkin recipes are not only adequate, they are fabulous!

Canned Pumpkin Underachievers Unite! - Recipes For Real People

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

A great way to start any day, these cupcakes, er muffins, are nutritious-ish too!

Mini Pumpkin Sage Balls

It’s an appetizer! It’s pumpkin! It deserves to be in your belly right now. These savory little yummies are great on their own or dipped in some Honey Dijon dressing. Either way, this is one of those recipes that impresses. Keep it to yourself just how easy they are to make.

Pumpkin Chili

How do you follow up pumpkin appetizers? With more pumpkin of course! This chili is hearty, flavorful, and on the mild side. Great for the whole family.

 

Pumpkin Pie Cake

Sure, pumpkin pie is good. We are big fans, but a good crust takes some time and attention. This cake is all the fantastic without any of the fuss. It not only uses canned pumpkin, it uses boxed cake mix, too. It doesn’t get much simpler than that. This cake is so good, Ellen has been known to make it in August and the only reaction she gets is “Hooray!”

 

 

Or you could just use your canned pumpkin to make yourself the best loved one in all the land . . .

Erin's Aunt makes each kid their own pie for Thanksgiving dinner

Erin’s Aunt makes each kid their own pie for Thanksgiving dinner

And we’re not knocking that. At. All.

In fact, we feel like the Wonder Twins: Underachievers Unite! Form of Pumpkin Awesomeness!

See all of our yummy recipes here.

 

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The Lazy Girl Tailgating Party Plan

Fall is in the air and you know what that means?

Erin: My tailbone is permanently glued to my carpooling driver’s seat?

Ellen: No! Well yes, but what I was thinking of was FOOTBALL!

Erin: And that makes me think of tailgating.

Ellen: Gone are my college days where that word meant a keg and a bag of donuts.

Erin: I’m sorry to see those days of tight skin gone, but I am happy that we’ve entered the age of more refined parking lot soirees. And pure yumminess. Did the donuts always seem stale to you?

Ellen: I think stale was the best case scenario for those pastries. But let’s not forget, you don’t have to be eating out of the back of a minivan to enjoy this menu.

Erin: These eats are perfect for your living room too . . . even if you’re watching soccer.

Ellen: So whether you’re tailgating, couchgating, or just need dinner, tuck in for some deliciousness.

The Lazy Girl Tailgating Party Plan Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

So first the APPETIZERS . . .

Lazy Girl’s Black Bean Cream Cheese Dip

You know what? Be a hero and make a double batch from the start.

This dip has four ingredients: cream cheese, black beans, salsa, and shredded cheese. The most involved step is draining the black beans. We have found it ups the appeal to use gourmet salsa, but really that’s like saying the red convertible made the Homecoming Queen even more popular. This dip is always the first to go. Just make sure you buy enough tortilla chips because people have been known to clean the dish out with a spoon. Or their tongue. And no one wants to see that.

Full printable recipe

 

Ellen’s Buffalo Chicken Dip

I make this all of the time, but there is still no picture because it goes too quickly! The secret to the scrumptious-ness of this dip is cooking the chicken in the crock pot the day before or earlier in the day. You MUST cook the chicken this way to get raves; if you just use plain shredded chicken, I can’t be responsible for the yawns you will incite.

And now the recipe is even better. I use to recommend a baking step, but that step has been punted. Now, I do EVERY step in the crock pot. Maybe “lazy” should be in the title of this recipe, too.

Full printable recipe

 

On to the MAIN COURSE . . .

Alright, so everyone is wowed by the appetizers. Time to kick the laziness up a notch.

Erin: Still lobbying to switch from “lazy” to “smart.”

Ellen: Oy! Well, since this is a new “recipe” we’re sharing, I’ll humor you.

The Smartest Crock Pot Pulled Pork

Lazy or smart? Potato, Pu-tah-toe.

There will be no printable recipe , because you’re a smartie and we believe in you.

Three ingredients: 5 – 8 pound pork tenderloin, package of dry onion soup mix, and one 16.9 oz bottle of Coke.

Throw it in the crock pot and let cook for at least 7 hours. Shred the meat with a fork.

You can do it!

Ellen: Alright, we may be lazy, but we can’t throw health completely to the wind. Gotta have some veggies.

Erin: See! That’s smart!! Seriously, we should drop the lazy.

Ellen: How about we call this recipe “Switzerland” and just go with the title it already has?

 

Crispy Colorful Vinaigrette Coleslaw

Best Cole Slaw EVER!

This cole slaw is the best, because it doesn’t have a drippy, creamy dressing. It perfectly tops the pulled pork on a bun or takes the heat away from the Buffalo Chicken Dip. The recipe calls for some chopping of vegetables, but if you want a lazier smarter version, you can just dump a bag of shredded cabbage, a bag of broccoli slaw, and a bag of shredded carrots in the bowl and call it a day.

Full printable recipe

 

Can’t forget about DESSERT . . .

Oreo and Peanut Butter Brownie Bites

Oreo and Peanut Butter Brownie BitesYou can whip these up in minutes to be declared the MVP of all time of all tailgating parties . . . or couchgating Sundays. Yes, they are that good. Brownie mix, Oreos, and peanut butter: three ingredients that make your taste buds go boom!

Full printable recipe

 

And a little LIBATION to wash it all down. . .

Ed’s Whiskey Sour Slush

whiske slush

You’ll have everybody cheering for YOU after you show up with this delicious drink to share. Erin’s dad keeps AT LEAST one batch in the freezer at all times and our friends clamor for it constantly. It’s a breeze to put together, but because it’s a slush, you need at least 12 hours to really get your chill on. Make it the night before the big game and you’re not just golden but the belle of the ball, if you will. Get it?

Full printable recipe

With these recipes, you’ll have a party fit for the back of a minivan, a last minute neighborhood get-together, or a Sunday in the living room with your family. Less time spent worrying about what you’re going to serve means more time to practice your cheerleading moves. Go, Team!

-Ellen and Erin

 

 

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Facebook Follow-Up Friday #17

Because Facebook doesn’t show all of our followers all of the awesomeness all of the time we have . . .

Facebook Follow-Up Friday Poop and Party Edition

 

One of the most entertaining things about writing a weekly wrap-up is seeing how the Facebook updates and blog posts shake down and flow together. We love to find a common thread for these follow-ups but we never go into a week planning a theme; we just have to look in the rear view mirror and see what happened. You know, like when you swerve to miss a chipmunk and you look back praying there isn’t a bloody mess? Well anyway, for this week the common thread is seriously “Poop and Party.” See if you agree.

Happenings on Facebook

Posting this graphic:

Buying Toilet Paper

Click here to see the comments.

Led to this discussion:

I put up a funny graphic about toilet paper this morning. A reader commented about some people using cloth squares instead because of the fear of the chemicals in toilet paper.
I must get your opinions:
How do you feel about reusable toilet paper?

I’m sharing a link to an article that is very balanced about the pros and cons. Family Cloths: Reusable Toilet Wipes, Gross or Great? Discuss.

Click here to see the hilarious discussion. Things like “Hell NO!” may have been muttered more than once. Even many fans of cloth diapers couldn’t get on board with this. We were wondering who had enough time in their lives to wash, dry, and snap back together this Etsy roll. Our toilet paper spindles are left empty enough of the time as it is.

Source: etsy.com via Sisterhood on Pinterest

 

So  you see the poop, but where’s the party?

Finding the Funny!

The party is going on at Finding the Funny! There’s still time to link up your own humorous post or just scroll around for something to brighten your day. You know what brightened Ellen’s day? Avoiding this disaster:

The Toddler Weapons of Mass Destruction

 

But what’s a party without gifts?

Well how about a chance to win a Custom Facebook Cover made by the fabulous graphic designer Sara at Cormier Creative? That would give your blog or even your personal Facebook page a boost.

 

Cormier Creative Giveaway

Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter. (And be sure to visit Sara at Cormier Creative!) Giveaway ends on Sunday, June 16 at midnight.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If it’s a party, you need cake!

Try Ellen’s Nutella Pound Cake. You will not be disappointed.

 

This is Where We Put the “And” in “Poop and Party”

We laid it out there in our new post: We Hate Baby Shower Games.

We Hate Baby Shower Games - Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

We even introduced a few more games of our own. Let’s us know if you think they are kaka or crazy good.

 

We’ve Found Bloggers to Love Who See the Humor in Poop Too

Science of Parenthood is our new blog crush. Created by Norine and Jessica, their tagline says it all – “Because raising kids defies all reason, logic and most of the laws of the universe.” Go check them out. There  are more illustrations where this one came from. They have a whole The Scoop On … Poop (And Other Potty-Related Things) Pinterest board.

Ending on a Party Note

partyboob

 

While you’re checking people out on the party scene, we recommend you follow us, too. You can squeeze it in before going to the store for more toilet paper.

Facebook-Like2

In fact, you can follow us in all of these places.


Follow Me on Pinterest

Follow @SensibleMoms on Twitter

Want our blog posts delivered directly to your inbox? Follow us on Bloglovin. We highly recommend it.

 

-Ellen and Erin

 

 

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We Hate Baby Shower Games

Yes, the usually perky, always ready for some fun Sensible Moms is throwing it down: We hate baby shower games.

Erin: Just to be clear, we did not say we hate the actual baby showers.

Ellen: We enjoy the sweet celebrations of new life and new motherhood. And the cake. Baby shower cakes are always good.

Erin: But most of all, we especially enjoy seeing another sucker, I mean newbie, accepted into the fold.

Ellen: But the games, oh, the games! I was so grateful that my best friend and I made a pact that there would be NO games at ANY of our showers of ANY kind – not bridal, nor baby, nor communal. There are just so boring, pointless, and more often than not, humiliating.

Erin: Communal? I don’t want to know. But in my experience, I hate them because they are a time suck. Opening the gazillion presents takes forever, then you want to add on games? Ain’t nobody got time for that.

Ellen: Now I’m feeling a little harsh. Maybe Baby Shower Bingo is okay? You know, where you circle baby items received on a bingo card? That game trudges along during the present opening.

Erin: No mercy. I was recently at a shower where the cards were BLANK! You had to fill in your own items. If you hadn’t had a baby in the past 6 years, you were hard pressed to guess what was coming out of those boxes. I didn’t know what some of that stuff was. But my mother rocked it. She filled in her card AFTER the presents were opened. She won.

Ellen: Love. That. Your mother has inspired me anew to zing some games. Let’s get on it.

We Hate Baby Shower Games - Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

1. My Water Broke!

So for this little gem, you cryogenically suspend plastic babies in ice cube trays. Okay you’re just freezing them, but this game needs all the promotion sizzle it can get because basically you’re watching ice melt. Fun. You put a little creeper cube in each party guest’s beverage and when she sees the baby free floating in her drink she hollers, “My Water Broke!” Like we said, fun.

 

Erin: My family was able to up the fun on this! So at the same shower where my mom was bamboozling the bingo, my aunt was sucking on her ice cube like a mad woman to free her baby first. It was perversely hilarious! She would not be beaten.

Ellen: For the love of plastic fetuses, you come by your competitive nature honestly.

2. How Big Is That Belly?

Everyone has to take a guess at how big around the guest of honor is. Seriously. Then of course, she has to be measured to see who wins.

Erin: Perhaps the inspiration for this game came from a cattle auction? I’ve seen it classed up even further where instead of using a tape measure – because , you know, you want to save the mother-to-be the embarrassment of having her digits announced – you guess her girth in sheets of toilet paper.

Ellen: The mark of a truly fantastic shower game is to work toilet paper into it. But the entertainment value of this game comes from it’s follow-up game: Pregnant Woman Shanks The Guest Implying She Is Bigger Than A Hippo.

3. What’s The Poop?

This game is also known as “Dirty Diaper.” You take a stack of newborn diapers, smear a different food substance that resembles crap on each one, and then pass them around for the victims to guess what they are. Some versions have you melting different types of candy bars, but true dookie veterans use things like tapioca pudding and Dijon mustard. If you’ve done newborn diaper duty, you know it does NOT look like chocolate.

Ellen: I was forced to play the version that had things like mustard and pureed peas on them. We were given toothpicks to sample the fares as they passed by to help us in our identification. Gives a new layer of disgusting to double dipping.

Erin: I will see your double dipping and raise you licking! When I looked this game up to see if it was for real, the instructions said to pass around the candy encrusted poop slings and have everyone lick them. Lick. Them.

Ellen: This game is no good. It also brings back bad memories. I call bullshiz on anyone who has kids and claims not to have come at least close to getting poop in her mouth. We don’t have to talk about it, but let’s not deny it.

Erin: This game should come with a counselor in the corner.

We could go on, but we’d rather suggest some new games of our own. Seriously, if it’s okay to ask guests to lick a communal melted Hershey bar you’re parading around as poop, these should be acceptable.

More Awkward Baby Shower Games

1. How Dilated Is She?

The lucky guest who finds the sterile surgical gloves under her luncheon plate gets to check!

2. Canned Ham or Pregnant Feet?

Take a picture of a gelatinous hunk of pork and one of the guest of honor’s feet, attach them to a poster board and have guests guess! To up the fun, have guests vote by dropping sausage links into their chosen ballot box.

3. Scoop the Litter Box

We all should know that a pregnant woman is freed from cat doodie duty for the health of the baby. If your guest of honor has a cat, this game is a gift as well as just plain good old fashioned fun. Everyone gets a shot at scooping the box. One lucky winner walks away with a purse sized Bath & Body Works hand sanitizer in her scooper!

Feel free to use any of these for your own party because we were thinking of taking this show on the road anyway. Maybe we should go into business like the Menarche R’Us people – Awkward Baby Shower Games R’Us?

-Erin and Ellen

 

 

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Facebook Follow-up Friday #4

Because Facebook doesn’t show all of our followers all of the awesomeness all of the time we have . . .

 

We Let Our Sensible Show:

We love it when we can be helpful and make your lives easier. Here we show you how to prevent a common kitchen mishap. Don’t say we never gave you anything.

foil border

foil comments

Recipe We Shared:

Italian Sausage  and Tortellini Soup

Erin could probably live on a liquid diet this time of year, but this one is another favorite. This soup is so good for filling bellies, fighting the chill, and feeding a crowd. Erin’s family descended en masse this past weekend, and this soup fed the thundering herd with style and substance. Yay for sisters! And cousins!  And this soup!

 

People Loved:

kiss me

 

Posts To Catch Up On:

Sisterhood Party Pride

Oh, we love to party here in The Sisterhood! Check out Ellen’s awesome cakes and Erin’s memories of parties past! There might be pandas and leprechauns in this post, but you’ll never know unless you read it.

Water Slide Sisterhood of the Sensible Moms

March Finding the Funny – 1o Reasons Being the Kid of a Mom Who Blog Rocks

We are helping to host Finding the Funny this month, and it’s not too late to link up your post. Don’t want to link? No problem, there’s plenty of funny to go around and you can just add these to your reading list. There are also some awesome ecards to just pile on the funny and the fabulous-ness! Your funny bone will never know what hit it.

Can You Fill My Mom Shoes? Please?

Ellen shows off her killer style and Mom-tastic ways. Can you fill her shoes? Plus there is a ketchup bottle dancing in Prada. It’s hard to explain, just check it out

Walking the Road Together: What to Say When You Don’t Know What to Say

A break from our usual light-hearted fare, but worth a read. Two years later, Erin recounts a neighborhood tragedy and the lessons learned. A moving account of friendship and hope.

 

Funny Photo

Our mid-Atlantic “Snowquester” was a complete bust and EVERYONE loved this photo skewering the non-event.

cancel school 

And Can We Get a “Woot” That It’s Actually Friday?

tuesday

Like what you see here? Our Facebook page is even more fun! Check it out!

 

 

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