Easy Peasy Dinner Time !

Since Thomas gets bored of eating the same old recipes again and again (who wouldn't?!) I am constantly wracking my brain to come up with new and fun recipes to expand his palate. At this point in the game he is a toddler and can eat anything that us adults are having. Which makes life way more easy and fun!

Also in the recent past few months I have been on a mission to cook more for myself as well! I would like to prove to myself that my cooking skills don't suck! (Verdict says... They don't! I really am a good cook!) :) Although, after a long day of chasing around a toddler sometimes my brain is mush and cooking is the last thing I want to do for myself! But, thank you to my AWESOME pinning skills ;) I have come across a winning recipe for not only me but for Thomas too! To top it off all you need are 8 simple ingredients which most of you have in your household anyway! 

Pasta Carbonara!

Ingredients:

1. 8 ounces Spaghetti
2. 2 large eggs
3. 3/4 cup grated parm cheese
4. 4 slices bacon (when cooking for Thomas I use Turkey bacon)
5. 4 cloves garlic, minced
6. Kosher salt
7. Black pepper to taste (optional)
8. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (I do not use this ingredient) 

What I did:

1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta according to box instructions. Feel free to use whatever kind of pasta tickles your fancy! Make sure you reserve a 1/2 cup of the boiling salted water!!
2. In a small bowl whisk together the eggs and the cheese. Just set it aside for later :)
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until brown and crispy 6-8 minutes. Side note: I chop up the bacon prior to the skillet. It cooks faster and is easier for Thomas to eat that way! After the bacon is cooked add the garlic to it for about 1 minute.
4. Reserve the excess fat (When I use turkey bacon there really isn't fat so I just set the skillet aside until its time to add the pasta to it.
5. Stir in the pasta and the egg mixture. Toss to combine. Season with the salt and pepper to taste. Add the reserved pasta water one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. 

There you have it! A simple and yummy mommy/baby meal! SO VERY YUMMY!! 

XOXO,

D

My Most Favorite Baby Proofing Products, EVER!

A couple of weeks ago my girlfriend approached me asking me my opinion on what baby proofing supplies she should bring into her household. When it comes to baby proofing there are so many products on the market that all do the same thing it can truly make your head spin! Some parents do not mind screwing gates into their walls and other families simply prefer not to. I was so excited to be able to help her out and give her my opinion on what products I love that have worked well for me in all the households that I have nannied for. Again, this is all my own opinion and throughout the ten years I have been in this business I have found these products to be nothing less than fabulous! 

For starters, clear view stove knob covers. I have used them in countless households and they grow with your children. They are the best things ever! They are super easy for adults to open and close. They come in a five pack or ten pack.

Product can be found here.

The second of my favorites is a multi-purpose strap. I use these to lock toilet seats, fridge/freezer doors, and you can also use it to lock your oven. They do make oven locks separately however, more often than not oven locks do not work well for every oven out there. These multi-purpose straps DO work! Very well I may add! They come in all different size packs so you can pick and choose where you want to put them and how many you would like in your pack. 

Product can be found here.

Third on the list is foam bumpers for your living room coffee table. You can find these in different colors. They work really well when they are APPLIED CORRECTLY. They come with stickies but I have found that they do not work as well. You will need to use 3M double sided tape in order for these bumpers to be applied well. Once they are applied they work wonderfully!

Product can be found here.

The fourth product on my awesome list is by far one of my top most favorite baby proofing item out there! They are cabinet locks made by Kiscords! These cabinet locks are a BIG NO BRAINER! By far, the easiest locks for adults and children can never figure them out. Unless they are 5 or 6. But, by then there is not a huge demand for baby proofing (I would hope!) ;) I use these cabinet locks for Thomas and they work wonders in the household (Kitchen & Bathrooms). They come in black and white! I am a huge fan of amazon prime. These cabinet locks are not a prime item so they will take a little longer to ship than all the other items on this list. 

Product can be found here.

Number five on the list is outlet safety covers. These are AWESOME! They only "downside" to these (which for me is NOT a downside) is that you will need to replace all of the outlet covers in your home. However, I do not put a price on the safety of a child and this outlet cover no child will be able to stick their fingers into. I have used different outlet covers throughout my career and these by far are the BIG WINNERS! They come with the proper screws too! 

Product can be found here.

The sixth product on my list is, door knob covers for your bathroom, bedroom, office doors and of course basement/man cave door! Just really any door in your house. They come in black and white so you can match them to your doors to the best of your ability. I have used these in many households as well and they have always worked well! Easy use for adults and for children they just spin in circles as they try to figure them out. :) 

Product can be found here.

Lastly on my list is a safety gate! These are pricey but work AWESOME! It is made by First Years and it is called the "Everywhere Gate." This gate will last you forever and will grow with you and your family. It works with easy pressure mounting so you can take it with you when you travel or just to switch rooms with your child! Bonus, the gate is see through so your child can see you from the next room if you're in the kitchen. There is no need to screw into your walls or to get new hardware for your home. 

Product can be found here.

That completes my list of my most favorite baby proofing products, EVER!! Again, I am not a certified baby proofer however, I have found that these products have worked miracles for me endless times over the years. I have found comfort and a peace of mind when using each and every one of these products! All of these products on my list can be found off of Amazon Prime except the Kiscords Cabinet locks are not a prime item. Yet, well worth the standard shipping ;)

XOXO,

D

** ALL images found from Amazon.