Breakfast | Mom Blog | From Dates to Diapers™

Free Pancakes at IHOP

by Christine - From Dates to Diapers on February 28, 2011

My family and I are big fans of pancakes. My sis-in-law told me the other day that she had found a recipe that made scrumptious pancakes that tasted like those you could order at IHOP. I’ll take her word for it… I have only made pancakes completely from scratch maybe once. And I’m okay with that. Don’t get me wrong, I love IHOP pancakes. As long as I don’t have to make them. Depending on who makes them, we will either enjoy pancakes made from Bisquick or those made with Krusteaz. Easy.

I am super excited that IHOP will be offering a free short stack of their famous buttermilk pancakes to each guest tomorrow, from 7 am to 10 pm. Not only am I excited about the free pancakes, but IHOP is asking for donations, in exchange, to support the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals programs.

Each Sacramento area IHOP will collect donations for this program specifically for UC Davis Children’s Hospital. This makes me happy for more than one reason, but largely because Ethan and Zach spent the first few weeks of their lives at that very hospital.

So, go enjoy some free pancakes at IHOP tomorrow, and touch the life of a child while you’re at it!

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Breakfast with Sandra Lee and Pillsbury

by Christine - From Dates to Diapers on April 6, 2010

This morning, over breakfast, I had the chance to chat with Sandra Lee about Pillsbury Rolls and Sunday morning family rituals.

What?! You don’t know who Sandra Lee is? That’s okay, neither did I before last week, but I’m sure glad I had a chance to “meet” her. Let me tell you a bit about her…

sandra-lee_med Sandra is the author of 20 books, with a new book to be released this Fall; she has two highly rated shows on the Food Network, one of which is the multi-Emmy-nominated Semi-Homemade Cooking and the other is Sandra’s Money Saving Meals; Sandra is bubbly, down-to-earth and all about making the preparing of food less time consuming and affordable. Sandra Lee’s trademark 70/30 Semi-Homemade philosophy combines 70% ready-made products with 30% fresh, giving moms, like moi, the confidence to create food that looks and tastes great from scratch.

Here’s what we talked about this morning::

Tips and Tricks for a Perfect Sunday Brunch

Tablescapes spruce up any table, taking it from bland to beautiful!
Place food on pedestals by inverting a glass and placing a plate or platter on top.
Sandra is all about saving time and energy by using smart, but effective shortcuts.

Recipes

Sandra gave us step-by-step instructions on creating some amazing recipes. The two that sound so yummy I may have to run to the store this morning and pick up the ingredients are::

Chocolate Raspberry Cream Cinnamon Rolls Sandra says these are “decadently divine,” and I would have to say that they certainly look so! They would be extra special for a breakfast in bed, or a more lavish breakfast idea for Mother’s Day (hint, hint, dads!)

Upside-Down Cinnamon Apple Coffee Cake This delicious sticky bun coffee cake would be perfect for any brunch, but could also make a beautiful dessert.

Now, you know about my recent obsession with food, so I’d love to hear about any ideas you may have to incorporate the Pillsbury cinnamon roll into a creation of your own. Maybe we’ll even try it, so I can post it here!

I could certainly use some tips on becoming a more creative cook, so I was happy to get some advice from Sandra when one of the other bloggers asked about this very thing. Sandra says that using what you have forces you to be creative. I love that she believes that “recipes are just blueprints for what’s possible.” I guess I just need to let my imagination (and palette) run wild!

We also talked about spending time together as a family. While she and her family spend quality time in the kitchen, preparing fabulous dishes, Sandra says, “it’s not so much about what you’re doing; it’s about spending the time together.” I couldn’t agree more!

Be on the lookout this summer for new sweet rolls from Pillsbury.

Oh, and and then this fall Sandra is relaunching Semi-Homemade and is moving from a 70/30 philosophy to a 30/70 philosophy — 30% store bought to 70% fresh!

My “conversation” with Sandra was made possible by a webinar, sponsored by Pillsbury.

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Feed your family and fuel it forward – Help Quaker stamp out hunger!

by Christine - From Dates to Diapers on February 12, 2009

We all know how important a healthy breakfast is, right? I grew up eating Quaker oats, and still love, love, love them! Mom would make pots of oatmeal in the mornings for breakfast… my favorite, especially on a cold winter day, like today. But, even oatmeal raisin cookies were (and still are) one of my favorites, and a warm bowl of oatmeal is the perfect afternoon snack.

Quaker has created a very cool 25 Bloggers, 25 Days contest. This is such a HUGE event and I am so excited to be one of these 25 bloggers! Each blogger has been assigned a specific day to share this with you, and mine is today. The kicker — The blogger who can get most the most votes with valid photo links, will win $5000 donation to their local hunger charity!!

My part of the contest starts at 9:00am CST, today, and will go for 24hrs. This is where you come in. Not only will you be helping me win a huge donation for my local hunger charity, you are showing your support for Quaker Oats, who is trying to encourage everyone to eat a hearty breakfast and live a healthier lifestyle in 2009!

HOW TO SUBMIT
.

1) Visit Start with Substance and read the rules.
2) Join Facebook. I’m sorry but you have to join but you can meet some wonderful people and organizations through it! You can even friend me if you want!
3) Once you’re a member of Facebook, go to the Quaker Oats Facebook page and become a fan. This is towards the right of the page.
4) Further down below the “become a fan” you will see The Quaker man where you will download his face.
5) Download it, print it, take a photo of you or a family member(s) with the Quaker man you just printed out.
6) Upload your picture to the Quaker Facebook page and then you need to grab the link for your photo.
7) Come back here to this post and leave the URL to your picture in my comments. NOTE: This is the only way they can track how many submissions have come from my blog so it’s very important to come back and give me the URL to the photo!

I realize this is a lot to do but it’s for a great cause. If you get stuck and need a little help, please feel free to email me at fromdatestodiapers@gmail.com and put Quaker in the subject.

You can also take the UPC’s from your Quaker products and enter them on the same page. For every one entered, they have to dish out some food to a food bank charity! So please take the time to do that. I also encourage you to comment on the Facebook page, even if you are not entering.

Quick Recap

I have 24hrs to get the most submissions (valid photo links in my comments) in order to win the $5000 donation to my local hunger charity, so I can’t stress enough how important it is for YOU to be involved. It’s such a large amount of money that could really help a ton of hungry people. This starts for me when the post is published at 9am CST, February 12th thru 9am CST, February 13th. Entries will only be valid during those times. Only one comment, per email address, per person.

SOMETHING FOR YOU

Quaker has given me 2 coupons, each for $1 off any Quaker Oats products, to give to one of you. I am also going to give the winner a $25 Amazon gift certificate. And remember, Quaker is throwing in a case of oatmeal for my local food bank! WOOT!

I will choose from the comments below to win the coupons and gift certificate. There will be 1 winner. I’ll even give you extra entries if you stumble, twitter, and/or blog about this, so be sure to leave the links in additional comments!!

***Disclaimer: The Quaker Man logo must remain in intact and may not be modified in any manner. Readers must use the exact download of the image, and all entries need to be wholesome in nature. No nudity, defamation, obscene language or inappropriate, rude behavior in the photograph submitted will be accepted. Compliance with these rules is subject to the sole discretion of The Quaker Oats Company;The photo or video must be taken in the reader’s home with their family member(s) or feature just themselves. All submissions are subject to the Facebook Terms and Conditions.

This entire event ends on Feb.13th so do what you can to support!

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Breakfast is important!

by Christine - From Dates to Diapers on November 7, 2008

My 30 days experiment is coming to an end. I am not, however, going to give up eating a protein-rich breakfast. I cannot tell you how much better I feel, how much more energetic I am throughout the day, and how my mood has been changed for the better, just because I made sure to include that egg in my breakfast menu.

What about the kiddos? Just like us, your kids need a protein-rich breakfast. Research shows that kids who eat breakfast do better in school, are more likely to participate in physical activities, and tend to eat healthier overall. So, tomorrow morning when you are making yourself that protein-rich breakfast, fill up your kids with a healthy breakfast!

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German Pancakes, Dutch Babies, or Pannkaka

November 6, 2008

Tweet We made German Pancakes for the first time the other day. I really wish I had come across this recipe before now… Katja has informed me that these are called pannkaka in Sweden, and pannukakku in Finland. La Mama Naturale says they are best with lemon and powdered sugar. And, Melanie calls them Dutch [...]

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Take-Along Breakfast Special

November 3, 2008

Tweet Breakfast doesn’t have to be . . . well, breakfast! I made these Take-Alongs for a quick and easy lunch today, on english muffins. These make for a great on-the-go meal! here’s what you need: 4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped 1/4 cup (1 oz.) shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese 2 1/2 tablespoons bacon-and-tomato-flavored French dressing 4 [...]

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Easy French Toast

October 18, 2008

Tweet This French Toast is so easy to make that even the kiddos can do it! 8 slices of bread – I like to use thick “french toast” bread5 eggs2 tablespoons milk1 teaspoon cinnamon Makes 8 pieces Bon Apetit!

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Folgers’ Wake-Up Call

October 17, 2008

Tweet Since I’ve been talking a lot about breakfast lately, and have also been blogging a bit about breast cancer awareness, I wanted to tell you about Folgers’ partnership with the National Breast Cancer Foundation. This month, Folgers is supporting breast cancer research and education for underserved women, with its limited edition Pink Can, which [...]

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My Breakfast Casserole

October 16, 2008

Tweet After I had one of my babies (I can’t remember which one – there are too many) one of our friends brought us a casserole like the one I made here. I couldn’t find the recipe any where, but this is about as close as one can come to creating that fantastic breakfast. I [...]

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Mom’s Quiche

October 14, 2008

Tweet This quiche is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner… You could even make it the night before and enjoy a leisurely breakfast! It’s a huge family hit! 6 – 8 eggs, beaten well with ¼ cup of half and half.3 handfuls of sliced mushrooms, and ½ diced onion, sauteed in 3T butter.1 pound of [...]

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Need A Reason to Eat Eggs?

October 11, 2008

Tweet As you know, I will begin my Breakfast Challenge on Monday. I’m hoping you’ll be joining me. If so, let me know, because we can help keep each other on track. You know, eggs really are a great choice when it comes to affordable and nutritious foods… They truly are incredible! Eggs even play [...]

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My Breakfast Challenge

October 10, 2008

Tweet Often mornings are so chaotic around our house that I forget to eat breakfast. The kiddos never miss breakfast, but there is always something more important for me to do. I know, eating breakfast is pretty important. In fact, it is the most important meal… Starting the morning with a nutritious breakfast is always [...]

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