ShopRite Represents In The Big Apple

I'm a city girl, so when I found out the Potluck bloggers would be attending the Food Network Wine and Food Festival in New York City, I was thrilled to the moon and back. This will be my first visit to NYC and I'm so excited I can barely stand it. People, I am FREAKING OUT...but mostly about what to wear. I don't think all the fabulously inappropriate shoes I had planned on taking will fit in my suitcase. What's a girl to do? Because, seriously, I have a couple of different events to go to, the hotel has a fitness center, and I'm hoping to get some sightseeing in too. All of which require different footwear.

Shoe packing issues aside, it'll be a great time. I'll be working at the ShopRite booth at the Grand Tasting on Saturday, so if you're in the area, please stop by and say hi! You'll have a chance to sample all sorts of great food and drink, as well as learn more about ShopRite, Potluck, and all us bloggers.

In the evening, we're attending Patron Tequila's The Art Of The Taco presented by Creekstone Farms and hosted by Bobby Flay. Ohmigod, Bobby Flay!

Stay tuned for photos and maybe even some video next week and please say a quick prayer for my camera, which has decided to pick THIS week to behave badly.

The Talk

My sister-in-law recently gave birth to her second child in July, and since then, my kids have been asking a lot of detailed questions about where babies come from.

Johnny was just over two when his sister was born and we used the vague statement, "There is a baby in Mommy's tummy," with him and he was happy with that.

We've always tried to follow the recommendation of giving kids just enough information. So when my sister-in-law had her first baby in 2008 and Johnny asked how the baby would come out, I said, "When the baby is ready to be born, your aunt will go to the hospital."

He was happy with that for awhile, but pretty soon he wanted to know WHERE the baby comes out. So I said the birth canal and when he wanted to know what that was, I said, "It's sort of like a tunnel," and he was happy with that.

But now he wants to know where exactly the birth canal is. If you know me in real life, you know I'm not shy, I don't get embarrassed easily and I have a thing about using the correct words and phrases for body parts and functions. But for some reason, when he asks questions these days, I find myself changing the subject. I'm just not sure how to give him the information he needs. And since his sister is 4 and also wants to know, how to keep it age appropriate for both of them. And--probably the biggest thing--how to impart to them that they don't need to educate every kid they know about the process of childbirth. Not that there is anything wrong with them talking about it, but I think that's something parents should decide when they want to discuss it.

So tell me what you think. How did you handle it with your kids? Did you use videos or books or what? Would it be better to maybe start with how animals are born? And how did they respond to their new found knowledge?

ShopRite Imported Specialty Pasta Makes Me Happy

Frequently, when people find out I am a food blogger for ShopRite, they are not familiar with the store. That's because while ShopRite has long been a fixture in states such as New Jersey, the store has only expanded into Maryland within the past couple of years. There are currently ten stores, the stores in White Oak and Timonium being brand new.

As the main grocery shopper for my family of four, my ideal grocery store offers great prices, superior quality and a wide selection. If I can get all three at the same store, my heart is yours. In the two years that I've been buying groceries at ShopRite and in the year I've been a Potluck blogger, I've been more than pleased with the store. Who has time to go running all over the place to multiple stores?

Speaking of prices and quality, it's also important that a store have great store brand items (or private label, if you prefer). These items are usually cheaper than the corresponding name brands, but let's face it, at some places they just don't measure up. I learned the hard way not to buy canned tuna at one particular chain.

As a Potluck blogger, I receive private label products to try out. Sometimes it's cooking oil or canned goods. My last box was filled with pasta.

I love pasta. Pasta is easy. Pasta is filling. Pasta is versatile. Pasta lasts forever in my pantry.

This particular pasta is premium imported specialty pasta from Italy. We've eaten three bags of it so far. I made cold pasta salad with the pennoni. We had crockpot macaroni and cheese with the trotolle. The meal pictured here, Beef Stroganoff with Peas and Dill, was made with radiatore. We have four bags left. The possibilities are endless.

If you've never been in a ShopRite store before, it's time you head straight over and check out the private label products. You'll save money and make delicious food!

The stores in Timonium and White Oak also offer something I've never heard of before: an on-site registered dietitian, who is available for free consults, who can help you learn to shop and cook healthy! Visit the ShopRite website to find a location near you.

Beef Stroganoff with Peas and Dill

1 package ShopRite Speciality Imported radiatore
1 to 1 1/2 pounds top round, sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
2 cups frozen peas
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon ketchup
1-1/2 teaspoons dill weed
1 teaspoon reduced-sodium beef bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. (I usually use my crockpot to cook the meat in a little bit of reduced sodium broth. It makes the meat nice and tender and also saves me time. In place of the 3/4 cup water, I use the cooking liquid from the crockpot.)

Add mushrooms; cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the water, ketchup, dill, bouillon and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil. Add the peas. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes, or until peas are cooked through.

Stir in sour cream; heat through (do not boil). Drain pasta; serve with beef mixture.

Earthquakes, Hurricanes and The Beach

Every summer, we go to the beach and on the last night there, we eat at a family restaurant in Bethany Beach. Every year, I plan on taking a family picture on the beach on that night. Mostly because we're all dressed in something nicer than sun hats and bathing suits. My intention is to use the family photo for the Christmas card.

One of these days I'll quit trying because it hasn't worked out yet. The past couple of years, it was raining. And this year, although the weather was gorgeous, it didn't happen because we got kicked out of Ocean City a night early. But I did get the above photo, and another one that Maureen doesn't look as squinty in. There's a guy in the background, but a friend said she can edit him out. I wonder if she can edit the picture of me so it looks like I have Lacey Schwimmer's abs?

So anyway, there was an earthquake. The kids were in the water and didn't notice it, but I was sitting in the sand. Bizarre. When we returned home, a bunch of drawers were hanging open and there was brick dust everywhere.

And then there was the hurricane. A few days before it hit, I went running on the beach in the evening. The wind ended up whipping around so fiercely, I felt like the skin on the back of my legs had been exfoliated beyond all recognition. Luckily, we only had to leave one day early. I felt bad for the people who had just arrived.

At home, the hurricane damaged the butterfly bush and dumped water into the basement. I shoved everything from the wet area to a dry area and it's still a mess. Who wants to come over and help me clean it up?

Johnny started first grade last week and told me on the second day, "Mom, there is no playtime in the morning at first grade. You go in and get right to work." And when I tried to kiss him goodbye in front of his friends one day, he pushed me away and told me it was disgusting. Apparently a high five or fist bump is okay, or even a hug, but I'm to keep my yucky kisses to myself. He also turned seven on Friday. Where did the time go? He's missing four teeth. Bobbing for apples at a recent birthday party was unsuccessful.

Maureen has been very angry that Johnny got to start school before she did. She has another week to wait. She's also very anxious to start REAL school and has been telling everyone she's going to kindergarten, neglecting to mention that she means in a year. My mom bought her a Princess costume for Halloween, which is a huge relief to me because she's stopped asking to be Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer and I don't have to find reindeer antlers in October. Although, now that I think about it, Walmart seems to put Christmas stuff out in June, so maybe it wouldn't be that hard.

Speaking of Christmas, any overachievers out there finished shopping yet?

Now that we're getting back into the swing of school and homework and sports, I'm hoping I'll have more to blog about. And as always, pop over to Potluck, where I'm talking about stirfry sauces, marinades and pasta!