Olde Westport Spice and Trading Co review

Being a part of the US Family Guide Mom bloggers gives me the chance to try all kinds of things to write reviews on. My most recent and favorite one is the Olde Westport Spice and Trading Co spices that were sent to me.

They have mixes that make various dishes easier. Takes the guess work out of what spices to use together. 
The first one I used was the Championship Chili Spice Blend. Its gluten free and had a great chili recipe on the back. It had a mild flavor when you compare it to normal Texas chili spice. 

Definitely has a strong chili pepper flavor though. I loved how bold it was. It's a great family meal that won my children's approval. I did prefer mine with hot sauce though. 

Olde Bill's Favorite Chili

You will need: 
2 lbs of lean ground beef (or turkey) 
15 ounce can tomato sauce
1 can of water
1 package of Chili seasoning
16 can of beans, drained and rinsed (red, black or pinto work best)

In a saucepan, brown the ground beef, drain well. Stir in tomato sauce, water and seasoning pack. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring often. Lower heat, cover, simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans. Simmer an additional 10 minutes or until heated through. Add salt to taste. 
I also added bell pepper, onions, chopped tomatoes and green onions. 

Three Rivers Chili Verde had an excellent recipe that complimented a plate of rice to the fullest. It was amazing. Creamy, tangy and new. The kids weren't a fan, but I'd love to make this again for guests. It's quick and easy too. You can serve it with rice, pasta or even a baked potato. 

Easy Creamy Green Chili Chicken Soup

What you need:
1 (26 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 (11 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
2 (13 oz) cans cooked chicken breast meat, drained
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk (1 1/2 cups 2% milk)
2 (4 oz) cans diced green chili peppers (1 cup)
1 package Olde Westport Chili Verde Mix

Add all ingredients into a heavy saucepan, stir until smooth. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, lower heat, cover, simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

I modified this recipe just a bit by adding diced tomatoes. 

They also sent me the Garlic Shake and the Mesquite seasoning. I made some pan fried pork chops.

They were delicious! Each kind was flavorful. The garlic shake was the perfect blend for a casserole I made too. 

I mixed it with the chicken first. 

Definitely worth checking out if you're a foodie looking for a perfect mix. 

Label your personal belongings!

School has begun for most of the country. Backpack toting, lunchbox carrying, pencil box using kids are settling in to class to crank up the old thinker. As parents, we put quite a bit of money into preparing them for school. Buying them supplies and clothing to assist them in their educational adventure. 
We have to make sure our investments last though. One way to do that is to label our child's belongings.

Having a name and number on things let's everyone else who might come in contact with it, know who the owner is.

Whether your child is in band, athletics, or just the regular school routine, there are things they have to bring in on a regular basis.

Label those bags and equipment! Label Daddy has so many packages to choose from as well types of labels to fit your needs. 

"Save 20% on Label Daddy labels! Label Daddy is the number one solution for labeling your belongings! Remember to label all clothing, sports equipment, electronics, and other personal belongings your kids bring to school, camp, sports leagues, day care, vacation, and other places. Label Daddy labels keep them from getting lost or mixed up with others. 

These labels are super durable peel-and-stick washable labels -- they're washer/dryer safe, microwave safe, dishwasher safe and UV resistant! Label Daddy labels are also fun and attractive. You design your own labels! Pick from tons of colors, sizes and logos, including Disney and Marvel characters, MLB, NBA, and NHL team logos, other sport and fun logos, and more. Their exclusive laminated coating gives labels an extra layer of protection and is a must for camp! These labels are made in the USA and shipped directly to you worldwide.

Save 20% on your entire Label Daddy order - this is the best discount available anywhere. Use code USFAMILY20 at checkout. http://www.usfamily20.labeldaddy.com"

Hammermill laser printer paper review

I received some Hammermill laser print office paper via Shoplet.com.

Hammermill laser paper is definitely different than the normal Target brand printer paper we get. It's softer like silk and shows brighter when held in comparison.

The print jobs I tested it with were brighter. It also seemed quicker and smoother. 

As a bonus, they sent a stuffed zebra toy that my daughter has taken prisoner and refuses to return. I also have this lovely coffee mug that changes scenery when it heats up. Sharks anyone? I love it! I had to hide it away as I refuse to share it with my roommate. 

So don't hesitate to check out the amazing variety of office supplies that Shoplet has to offer. They also have cleaning supplies, medical supplies, and office furniture. 

Breakfast is the most important meal?

I hear that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. My children see this repeated on their tv shows quite often. So why is this considered a "breakfast" by government standards?

Schools included in the program get to provide free breakfasts to children. According to the school my boys are in, you get 3-4 free items on your plate. In order for them to get this free plate, they have to have a fruit or juice with it. Anything past that, you pay for. So if I wanted to add cereal and milk, its at least .50 extra. Not a lot, but for a 5 year old, how do you think they handle the money? Or have to memorize a pin to access their account. Fortunately for my kids, they are light eaters in the morning after waking up. But by 9-ish, they are ready to start eating. At school, they won't eat lunch until 11:15. 
For each child that participates, the government reimburses the school so much money. 
My kids are in Kindergarten. I can see this being okay for their age group. Especially as so many kids seem to be obese even at that age. But what about the older kids? So far as I could tell, this amount was for everyone. Do they hold all ages to the same amounts of food? If that's the case, what is lunch like? Thankfully, I make my children's lunches. But still. And then, what if they are super active? They will burn through this meal like a comet entering the atmosphere. So who sets the limits? Who decides how much is enough? I didn't see anything that explained what I wanted to know on the fact sheet posted to the government website that I linked above. I will make sure that I continue packing hefty snacks and lunches for my boys. They have a very high metabolism like me. 
The lunch program looks to be the same only they provide just a slight bit more than breakfast. But there is the problem of whether a school is submitting fraudulent applications to boost their funding. Or if the school your child is in is following the guidelines set out by Michelle Obama, chances are good your child will opt out of eating anything at all.

Why? Well, look at the things approved for the menu. Are they things you make at home or eat on a regular basis? Is your child a picky eater? If a kid doesn't like something, they won't eat. Not until they are starving and they have absolutely no choice. I approve of someone taking action in making things healthier and trying to help in the fight against child obesity. What I don't approve of is going to such lengths that the above lunches are considered "enough" to satisfy a child old enough to tweet it. 

As parents, its our responsibility to make sure that our children are taken care of. We might drop them into the hands of others for 7+ hours while we make a living or otherwise handle life, but at the end of the day its our job to care for them. We are to provide them the best in life. So make sure your child is eating the appropriate amount. The government may set standards, but those standards don't fit the needs of every individual. We know our kids. We know their needs. Let's keep them on the healthy living track that we know they need.