When you call Gronk on the Guacline, you can have a "face to face" style simulation call with an AI-powered Gronk, who’s ready to share tips on making game-changing recipes with your avocados. It's the perfect mix of fun and flavor to inspire your Big Game spread.

But that’s not all! Call Gronk on the Guacline for recipe tips and avocado inspo directly from Guacline with Rob Gronkowski—your new guac guru. Let’s make this Big Game season the most avo-awesome yet!

Be sure to join us for an X Chat (formerly Twitter Party) on Thursday, February 6, from 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm ET (7:00 - 9:00 pm CT, 6:00 - 8:00 pm MT, 5:00 - 7:00 pm PT) with @AvosFromMexico where we will share more information about the Guacline with Rob Gronkowski and the Big Game.

Giveaway Post Prize

One lucky winner will receive a $100 Amazon gift card. Please follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter widget below to enter for a chance to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In-Chat Giveaway Prize

During the #gno #BetterBowl X Chat, you’ll have another chance to win a prize—a $50 gift card. Join the party on Thursday, February 6 from 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm ET (7:00 - 9:00 pm CT, 6:00 - 8:00 pm MT, 5:00 - 7:00 pm PT) and enter the giveaway by following these steps:

1. Visit @avosfrommexico's Guacline recipe generator website.
2. Receive a custom recipe from Gronk. 
3. Come back to the X Chat (formerly Twitter Party) and share your recipe in a post (formerly tweet). 
4. Insert 3 hashtags in that post: #gno #alwaysagoodbowl #alwaysgood #Sweepstake (required for giveaway entry)

Watch out for the giveaway questions at 8:43 pm and 9:15 pm ET. Winners will be announced right after the chat ends and will each receive a $50 Amazon gift card. See more about the X Chat (formerly Twitter Party) here. 

Terms and Conditions

Winners will be selected randomly through http://random.org. No purchase is necessary to enter. Giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, February 7. See all terms and conditions here. This giveaway is available to U.S. residents only.

The post Touchdown & Takeaway: Enter to Win $100 by calling the Guacline with Rob Gronkowski & Avocados From Mexico! appeared first on Mom it Forward.

On January 29th, don’t miss the YouTube Premiere of this variety-show-style extravaganza starring Gronk himself! Watch as Gronk tries to Gronk as much guacamole as possible and join the fun by guessing how many avocados he’ll eat throughout the show. 

Follow along with all the digital and social buzz to keep avocados at the top of your mind as you prep for the Big Game. Avocados From Mexico is here to help you create a game-day menu that’s Always Worth It, from guacamole to creative avocado-inspired dishes.

BONUS: Check out the Guacline Simulator—your direct Guacline with Rob Gronkowski for avocado recipe tips and guac-worthy inspo! Perfect for game day snack prep.

Party Topic:

Get ready to talk all things football, custom guacamole recipes, and Guacline with Rob GronkowskiI! Join @AvosfromMexico and the @MomItForward community on X (formerly Twitter) for an avocado-themed chat packed with inspiration, recipes, and giveaways.

The avocado-themed X Chat takes place online on X (formerly Twitter) Thursday, February 6, from 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm ET (7:00 - 9:00 pm CT, 6:00 - 8:00 pm MT, 5:00 - 7:00 pm PT). See giveaway info here.

Party Details:

• What: Girls’ Night Out (#gno) #alwaysgoodbowl #alwaysgood X Chat (formerly Twitter Party) 
• When: Thursday, February 6, 2025, from 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm ET (7:00 - 9:00 pm CT, 6:00 - 8:00 pm MT, 5:00 - 7:00 pm PT).
• Where: Party with us online on X (formerly Twitter) using your X account by following and using the party hashtags.
• Hashtags: #gno #alwaysgoodbowl #alwaysgood (#Sweepstakes to join the giveaway)
• Topic: Avocados From Mexico’s Big Game Party and Guacline with Rob Gronkowski
• Brand Panelist: @AvosfromMexico
• Moderators: @MomItForward @ForwardIM @troypattee 
• Community Panelists: TBA
• Party Favors: Please click here to see more information about the giveaway.

The post Get Ready to Guac & Gronk with Avocados From Mexico! appeared first on Mom it Forward.

We'll go with an eggless chocolate cupcake because there needs to be some "dirt" under the frosting that we've colored green for the grass. And to top it, a simple, yet playful football made of semi-sweet and white chocolate.
We're excited to be watching the Superbowl! It's a tradition every year for us regardless of who is playing. Some years I don't know if I'm more eager to watch the game itself or the commercials. And of course, there's always the Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet which is just beyond cute.

Cupcake recipe from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook, Thirteenth Edition and buttercream frosting from Wilton.

Game Day Cupcakes

makes 24 cupcakes

Ingredients for your Game Day Cupcakes

Cupcakes

• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Frosting

• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon green food coloring (more or less depending on desired hue)
• 24 Deflated Footballs for decoration

Directions for making your Game Day Cupcakes

Cupcakes

• Pour milk into a one-cup measuring cup. Add the tablespoon of vinegar and mix well. Allow to sit for 15 minutes to sour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 12-cup muffin tin by lining it with muffins cups.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
• Add the sour milk, canola oil, and vanilla. Mix until batter is smooth.
• Spoon into muffin cups, making them half full.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
• Remove and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

• In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and shortening. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.
• Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, making sure to scrape the bowl both on the sides and on the bottom.
• Add the milk and mix. Scrape again.
• Add the desired amount of food coloring and mix until color is evenly distributed.
• Frost cupcakes. Add a chocolate football to each.

What are you most excited for Superbowl Sunday, the game, commercials, food or time spent with family and friends?

The post Game Day Cupcakes appeared first on Mom it Forward.

Then, I just happened to run into our favorite store Target and in the dollar section was this cute sign! It's a little plain but cute. Oh ya, can you hear the wheels turning?

When I got home, I headed to my "embellishment" stash and found this adorable ribbon and made a quick bow!!

White feather wreath + cute love sign + bow = super easy, super quick, super cute Valentine's Day wreath. I wanted to be able to use the wreath another time, so I used some white floral wire to attach everything to the wreath, tied a quick ribbon on the top for hanging, and there you have a super cute wreath!

And it was under $7! How about that? Sometimes I even amaze myself.

What was the last thing you made out of the treasures found in the dollar aisle?

The post Valentine’s Day Craft: Super Easy Valentine’s Day Wreath appeared first on Mom it Forward.

10 Tips for Starting Seeds Indoors

Find out your spring frost-free date

It's very important to know your spring frost-free date to start seeds at the right time. Head over here and plug in your zip code if you don't know! My area, Eastern Iowa, is normally frost free around the end of April and almost always guaranteed to be frost free after May 15. This is not fool proof, however! Last year we had a hard frost on May 16 - the first time in the eight years I've been gardening in my area that we had a frost that late. While knowing the spring frost-free date, isn't full proof, it is generally pretty accurate and you must have a target date in mind as you start your seeds.

Start seeds at the right time

Knowing your spring frost-free date will help determine when to start your seeds. Many seeds need to be started indoors to give them enough time to grow and produce well. Using my spring frost-free date of May 15, I would calculate backwards to figure out when to start my seeds. I don't want to start them too soon or I might not be able to keep them alive or they might get too big to transplant safely, but starting them too late is bad, too, because they won't be strong enough to move outdoors.

Here's a list of common garden plants and how many weeks ahead of time you'll want to start them:

For a longer list with more plants, head over to Organic Gardening and take a look at their handy chart.

Find the right location

It's important to find a good location to start seeds. You'll want a warm spot (most seeds will germinate at 70 degrees), with good light. It's also important to keep the seedlings away from pets like cats and dogs as they can wreak havoc on your poor little seedlings. Take some time to find a safe location to keep your lovely little seedlings.

Use adjustable lights

Adjustable lights are your friend as you start seeds indoors. The baby plants grow toward the light and if the light is too far away, they get leggy and don't develop a strong central stem. Weak stems break and die easily outdoors, so start your seeds as close to a light source as possible and then move the light further away as the seedlings grow taller. You can see the homemade seed starting shelf my husband built for me last year, over here.

Start saving containers

You don't have to spend money on fancy seed starting containers - many of the containers you may already be recycling will make the perfect seeds starting pots. Start saving yogurt containers and toilet paper rolls now. Here are simple instructions for making seed starting pots out of toilet paper rolls. I've also used egg cartons and other plastic containers to start my seeds. Go ahead and poke drainage holes in the bottom of clean plastic containers and you'll be ready to go in the spring, provided of course, you can find them when it's time to plant.

Have a good plan

It's too early for starting seeds in December, but it is not too early to make a good garden plan. Now is the time to be pouring over seed catalogs and decide what to plant. Here's a list of free seed catalogs to request and as the catalogs arrive, the promise of springtime will lift your spirits! As you decide which seeds to order, don't forget about companion plants! Herbs and flowers aren't just yummy and pretty, they also help keep away bad bugs in the garden. As you choose which veggies to start, don't forget to add herb and flower packets, too.

Use the right soil

While fancy seeds starting containers aren't necessary, the right soil is vitally important. Make sure to buy a good quality seed starting soil and also milled sphagnum moss (a natural fungicide). You can also add compost after the seedlings have germinated to give them even more nutrients.

Feed and water them

Keep your seedlings moist and don't forget to give them a boost with an organic fertilizer, like a fish and seaweed fertilizer. This is am important step to help them grow as strong as possible. You'll want to feed them an organic fertilizer once a week until you plant them in your garden.

Don't forget to label

I can tell you from experience that it's really easy for seedlings to get mixed up and to forget what you planted where. To keep everything neat and organized, don't forget to label the pots. You can write seed names on masking tape and tape the containers, or write the names on seedlings markers - just make sure you have some way to remember what you plant where, especially if you start more than one variety of a specific type of seed (like tomatoes, for instance).

Harden them off before planting outside

Finally, your seedlings will get quite a shock if you take them directly from warm indoors to a harsh outdoors when you finally plant them in the garden. To help them survive the transplant, start acclimating them to the outdoor weather by gradually increasing the amount of time you put them outside. Start the hardening off process about a week before you plant them outside.

Have you ever started seeds indoors? What tips help you the most?

The post 10 Tips for Starting Seeds Indoors appeared first on Mom it Forward.

1. Cocktail weiners wrapped in bacon, covered in brown sugar, and then cooked in the oven at 425 until the bacon is cooked and the sugar glazed. I can personally attest to the tastiness of this recipe, as can @Pircy23, who says it's "meat candy!"
2. Candied Bacon, from @SarahLipoff.
3. Grilled Bacon Jalapeno Wraps, from @7onaShoestring and @AnnieSuzume, who sums this recipe up as the following: "Precooked bacon. Cream cheese.Wrap. Nuke to crisp. Grill. Divine."
4. Bacon Explosion  from @Twinfatuation, who says, rightfully, "Vegans, avert your eyes." It's a total meatfest. You can try her version, this barbecue version, or the New York Times' recipe.
5. Chicken and Bacon Shish Kabobs, from @1AmyPugmire.
6. Wild Rice with Bacon Casserole. @Scasolari says, "This is my favorite bacon recipe, topped with crushed cashews. It's a delish side dish."
7. Bacon Jam, recommended by @Chef_Bizzaro. Intriguing.
8. Bacon, Spinach, and Cheddar Crustless Quiche, recommended by @1PamelaHiggins. She says: "I make sure to use sodium nitrite free bacon." Read here to find out about the debate behind sodium nitrite.

If those ideas aren't enough, there are hundreds of bacon recipes on KraftFoods.com, including this one for a Bacon Horseradish Dip. Let us know how it goes!

First photo courtesy ofHow To: Simplify. Second photo courtesy of Eastside Epicurean.com.

The post Savory and Sweet Dishes: 8 Easy Bacon-Filled Recipes appeared first on Mom it Forward.

Now that I have two boys of my own and Valentine's Day is only second to Christmas in the retail world, I vacillate between going the easy route of buying them cards and treats, especially since their school requires sealed treats to pass out, or making handmade cards and dessert with them.

This year, we've done the latter, starting with the treats. And, since their school won't allow homemade goodies, we've showered our neighbors and other friends with gifts to spread the Valentine's dessert love.

So far this season, we've made white cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, candy cane heart chocolate suckers, and brownie and peppermint ice cream cakes in jars. Our latest creation required using the same candy melts we used to make the candy cane heart chocolate suckers, but for something much more simple.

Vanilla Candy Hearts With Peppermint Topping

Ingredients and Supplies

Purchase and/or gather these ingredients and supplies before beginning your candy-making project:

• Candy melts. I prefer the vanilla and light or dark cocoa candy melts from Wilton. I have made red hearts, chocolate hearts, and even peppermint flavored (white with red flecks in them) before. This year, I made vanilla and sprinkled peppermint pieces on the top.
• Topping: I bought extra bags of peppermint pieces at Christmas time and used those. You could use sprinkles or other chopped up candy.
• Disposable decorating bag. Wilton's is my favorite, but you can use whatever you like: disposable decorating bags or plastic container, or non-disposable bag.
• Candy mold. I bought this heart-shaped candy mold tray last year. It is also a Wilton product. Can you sense a theme here? And no! This post is not sponsored. LOL!
• Packaging. If you are going to distribute them as candy, you will need a bag or a box to put them in and you may need some red, pink, or white ribbon. Clear cellphone works well or you can find lots of cute Valentine's Day themed candy boxes at your local craft store. Joann's had a lot to choose from, which is where I got mine. For even more creative and convenient packaging ideas, box genie can help you make your Valentine’s treats look extra special and professionally presented.

Instructions

Follow these simple steps to make your candy hearts:

• Step 1. Gather your supplies: candy melts and disposable decorating bag.
• Step 2. Pour the candy melts into the disposable frosting liner and melt in the microwave on high heat for 30 seconds. Then turn the bag over and repeat until melted. Roll over the top of the disposable liner with one hand while cutting the bottom of the liner with another.
• Step 3. Squeeze the candy or chocolate into each candy mold.
• Step 4. (Optional) Sprinkle toppings on top of the candy or chocolate in each mold.
• Step 5. Let cool. I like to place mine in the refrigerator for 2 hours before removing from the molds.
• Step 6. Place them in a package or put them on top of other treats, like these white cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

Check out our other Valentine's Day treat ideas:

• Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Brownie Ice Cream Cake in Jars
• Candy Cane Chocolate Heart Suckers

What handmade Valentine's and Valentine's Day treats are you going to make with your kids this year?

The post Valentine’s Day Treats: Vanilla Candy Hearts With Peppermint appeared first on Mom it Forward.

Supplies for Making a Back to School Apple Button Bag

• hot glue gun (or fabric glue if working with little hands and fingers)
• one jar of red buttons (Walmart has them for less than $5) and a few green buttons for the stem
• bag or tote

How to Make Your Apple Bag

I started by laying out my supplies and then making the outline of an apple with the buttons. Once my outline was done, I used my glue to secure them all in place.

Next I started filling my apple in with the buttons...once I got the layout I liked I started gluing those down.

Then I went back and added more buttons on top to fill in the gaps! Don't worry about layering too much, just fill them in as needed until it looks good to you.

After my apple was glued down, I then added four green buttons for the stem...

The whole project took under an hour to make and cost very little...the buttons cost under $5 and the bag was something I already had on hand and hadn't used in a while. We can't wait to fill it up with some treats and give it to my son's preschool teacher!

Hope you enjoy this easy project!

What is YOUR back to school plan?!

The post Back to School Apple Button Bag appeared first on Mom it Forward.

I went on a 7-day whirlwind vacation to the Emerald Isle this past January with three girlfriends. We had talked about Ireland travel for months, but when a Groupon deal for $799 shot across our computer screens, including rental car for a week, a villa for four, and air fare, we knew it was time to start thinking pubs, learning how to river dance, and adding green to our wardrobes. And thank goodness Pantone chose emerald as its color of the year, because we had lots of green clothes and accessories to choose from. Perfect for Ireland!

Planning an Irish Vacation

We booked our flights in August, 4 months before our travel to Ireland, but I won't lie, we didn't do a lot of planning. Here's the gist of how we rolled:

• Bought a Lonely Planet Ireland book.
• Researched a few recommendations online, including Rick Steves' site focused on travel around Ireland.
• Put together a short list of places that were highly recommended in the book and online.
• Prepared just for the basics: rental car, lodging, and flight information. You can check Expedia to book this ahead of time for a smooth travel experience with a discounted rate.
• Asked friends who had been there for clothing recommendations and bought items we didn't already have.
• Got to our hotel and opened up the travel book, looked at our online recommendations list, checked out the weather, and prepared our entire itinerary around it. For example, if some areas required sun, we planned our visits there on days with the highest likelihood of sun, check out the best holiday cottages in Falmouth. If you're looking for a travel adventure, book Punta Cana best excursions to enjoy your trip.

And for the most part, planning light worked for us.

Trip Planning Recommendations

But now that our Ireland travel is over, here are some recommended things we found would have been helpful to know ahead of time and that we recommend you consider as you are planning your Irish vacation:

• Adapter. Make sure to take the right adapter with you. In fact, take two just in case!
• Driving. Unless you are staying in a city and relying on organized tours, be prepared to spend a lot of time in the car. When you rent the car, pay the extra money for an extra driver or two to split up the time.
• Hours. Keep in mind if you are traveling in the winter months that it gets dark (as in pitch black) around 4:30 p.m. Shops close shortly after at 6 p.m. Leave early in the morning to maximize your site seeing opportunities.
• Lodging. Our villa had a full kitchen and a washer and a dryer. I recommend both. Being able to grab snacks at home and prepare sack lunches for long road trips helps save both time and money. And, packing light is made easy when you can wash your clothes mid trip. When it comes to accommodation in areas like Guildford, nothing surpasses the Mandolay Hotel. Known for its elegance and exceptional service, a stay at the Mandolay Hotel promises to be a highlight. Whether visiting for business or leisure, the hotel caters to every need with impeccable style. Guests rave about the unique blend of comfort and elegance offered by Carmel hotels.
• Money. Take some Euros with you so you have money for tolls and other incidentals. Then, use your credit card or ATMs in the country to get additional funds.
• Packing. I highly recommend packing as light as possible. This will save you money on the flight as well as will save time, especially if you are moving hotels more than once. Ireland is cold, especially in the winter months. Your coat, hat, gloves, and scarf will be your main fashion statements.
• Phone. Get the Skype app on your smart phone, turn your cell to airplane mode, and video call your family via the Skype app wherever wi-fi is available.
• Purchases. If you plan to buy a lot of souvenirs and other purchases, ask for a tax voucher or tax card to show at Customs when you enter your home country again.
• Trains. If you plan to spend an entire day in a major city and can take the train there, I highly recommend it. Mass transit and tours like Hop On, Hop Off make getting around cities like Dublin and Belfast a breeze.

Seriously planning a trip to Ireland? Check out our posts in this series on Ireland travel, including must-see sites, what to wear and how to pack, driving recos and watch outs, photography tips, food finds, and more.

Have you traveled to Ireland? What tips would you recommend to a traveler heading there for the first time?

The post Ireland Travel: Planning Your Irish Vacation appeared first on Mom it Forward.

Make Your Own Princess Costume Crown

How many crowns have I purchased from the Dollar Spot at Target or various other discount stores?  About a million plastic crowns that Kate snaps in two less than 24 hours after purchase. True, I only paid a couple dollars for those things.  But I was thinking: what could I make that wouldn't cost much but perhaps hold up better in the hands of my four-year-old?

After cruising around on trusty ole' Pinterest, I came across these tutorials for fabric crowns made with wide crocheted ribbon.  It seemed pretty easy: some ribbon, fabric stiffener, and paint.  No sewing!  And Kate can easily help with the paint.  That's a winner!

Supplies To Make Your Own Princess Costume Crown

• Wide crocheted ribbon.  At the store, I pulled out a ream of the ribbon and measured around Kate's head.  I ended up purchasing two yards; this was more than enough.  I also ended up purchasing two types of ribbon because I wasn't sure which one would perform better.  I determined that the wider ribbon (the one we painted gold) worked better.
• Fabric Stiffener
• Acrylic paint (Or multiple paints if you want to try more than one color.)
• Paint brush
• Scissors
• Adhesive (To glue the crown ends together)
• Wax Paper
• Newspaper
• Embellishments (These are optional, but I thought Kate would enjoy sticking sparkly stuff to the crown.)

Putting Together Your Princess Costume Crown

Cut a piece of plastic wrap and lay out your crocheted ribbon on top.  Spray the ribbon with fabric stiffener.  I held the bottle about six inches away and sprayed liberally down the entire length of the ribbon.  I let it dry and resprayed it two more times.

After it was stiff enough that the ribbon stood up but was still easy enough to manipulate into a circle, I knew it was time to paint.  I let Kate paint one crown gold and one crown silver.  Pro tip: lay down newspaper and lay wax paper on top of the newspaper.  Then lay the ribbon on top of the wax paper.  That way, the ribbon won't adhere to the newspaper but you will still protect your work space.

We painted one side, then I flipped it, and we painted the other side.  When you paint the ribbon, use short strokes, trying to stay in the same direction.  I encouraged Kate not to use too much paint and to use short, even strokes.  She mostly listened.

After painting each side (I didn't worry about trying to coat the ribbon completely.), I sprayed the ribbon with fabric stiffener and set them to dry.  Once they dried, I sprayed them with fabric stiffener one more time, for a final quote.

We let the paint and fabric stiffener dry completely.  Then I had Kate embellish the crown with the jewels she selected (These kind came with adhesive backs, which I recommend so you don't have to fuss with glue).

Then I measured around her head with the ribbon, noted where the crown felt snug but not too tight, and glued the ends of the crown together.  We let the glue dry completely before handling the crowns.  (Be sure you select a clear-drying glue!)

And then it was time to wear the crown!

These are so cute.  I definitely prefer the gold one with the wider ribbon.  These would be so fun for a little girl's birthday party.  You could pre-stiffen and paint the crowns and let the girls decorate them.  Or, if you're a photographer, these would make fun props.  So fun!

Do your kids enjoy imaginative play and dressing up?

The post DIY Princess Crown appeared first on Mom it Forward.