Pumpkin Spice Beer Bread

I turned 34 yesterday. Whoa. I have no idea how I got here. It sort of feels like when you get in the car and, before you know it, you've arrived at your destination with no recollection of the drive. Well, kind of, anyway.

I certainly remember the majority of the milestones and landmarks that have led to this day. Reflecting on them is one of my favorite parts of celebrating a birthday, in fact. But still, I feel like it wasn't that long ago since my friends threw me a birthday celebration in their college apartment where I wore a pink boa and drank things that I'd probably use to unclog a drain these days.

My friend actually posted this to Facebook yesterday after I'd already written this post.
Perfect timing!

We drove up to Gainesville just a week ago for our annual visit and, sitting in an old college bar surrounded by sticky tables, half-filled plastic cups of cheap beer and, for lack of a better word, babies, I was quickly reminded that over 10 years has definitely elapsed! On the bright side, I had a conversation with a nice kid that went something like this:

Kid: {While bouncing quarters into cups of lukewarm beer.} Your boyfriend is awesome!

Me: Oh, my husband? Thanks!

Kid: {Giving quizzical look.} Your husband? {Like I said, my alien. Or my

Me: Yeah, we're married...

Kid: :: blank, confused stare ::

Me: Oh... we're "old!"

Kid: :: eyes widen :: Like, how old are we talking?

Me: I'm about to turn 34. He's 33.

Kid: Wait, what??? Noooo... no way. I would never have guessed. Really?

Me: {Not sure if that's good or bad} Haha, um, thanks.. Yep. We met here when we were students. We've been together for 11 years. Married for 6. Have a baby. You know... old.

Kid: {mind. blown.} OMG, That's CRAZY. Well, you guys are awesome.

Me: You can still have fun when you're in your 30's, you know.

Kid: ::: attention already shifted to next drinking game :::

Oh, man.

It is a nutty, twisty, exhilarating thing, this life. Every year I am struck with pure amazement when I think about how many wonderful people I've crossed paths with, how many things I've learned and all that I've accomplished in a mere 365 days.

And let's not forget all the fantastic things I've cooked and eaten. {And sipped!}

This Pumpkin Spice Beer Bread is such an appropriate thing to celebrate this occasion. First, it reflects my autumn{ish} birth date with the warm fall flavors of pumpkin spice. It represents my love of baking and sharing, since this recipe makes one loaf to keep and one to give away. And since I'm reminiscing about the college years, there's even a glug or two of beer in the recipe.

Though there's beer in the recipe, it's really more like a traditional pumpkin bread and less like a beer bread. I think the seasonal beer I chose {Leinenkugel's Harvest Patch Shandy} gave it just the right amount of fall flavor, but you could choose any type of beer you enjoy. I'd also love to try this with some toasted pecans on top, or maybe some mini chocolate chips added to the batter. I mean, you can't go wrong with chocolate...

So let's clink glasses {or loaves?} because I can't imagine having more to celebrate than the gift of another year!

Pumpkin Spice Beer Bread
Barely adapted from Southern Living
Makes two large loaves or 4 small loaves

2 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
2/3 cup pumpkin or seasonal beer {I used Leinenkugel's Harvest Patch Shandy. IT'S SO GOOD.}
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup honey
4 large eggs
1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare to 9x5 inch loaf pans by buttering or spraying with non-stick cooking spray. {You may also make 4 mini loaves if you prefer.}

2. In a stand mixer {or in a large bowl by hand} beat together sugar, canola oil, beer, vanilla and honey until well-combined.

3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add pumpkin and mix until fully incorporated.

4. In another bowl, whisk together flours, salt, baking soda, baking powder and pumpkin spice. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, mixing until just incorporated.

5. Divide batter evenly between prepared loaf pans {or mini loaf pans}, filling them 3/4 of the way. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes*, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. {Note: If the top begins to brown to much, you can lightly place a sheet of aluminum foil on top to prevent over-browning.}

Cool bread in pans on a wire rack 15-20 minutes before attemping to remove from pan. I prefer waiting until it's cool enough to handle to ensure that it doesn't crumble to pieces.

*For mini-loaves, decrease bake time to about 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean.

For Glaze {Optional}
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons beer
Sprinkle of pumpkin spice {scant 1/8 teaspoon}

Mix all ingredients together until smooth. Drizzle over cooled bread if desired.

Orca Bean, Kale & Pumpkin Crostini | Bob's Red Mill + Stonyfield Organic

The end of September signals the beginning of the craziest time of year for me. While Mother Nature slows down and goes into hibernation mode for the winter, I go into hyper-drive.  In my family, we get about 30 seconds to enjoy the newness of fall before we propel ourselves into 4 birthdays all within the last 2 weeks of the month, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and a partridge in a pear tree. It happens in the blink of an eye, and I feel like once we reach this point, I don't have a spare second to breathe again until the second week of January or so.

Don't call me, I'll call you. 

This year, I also have my baby's 1st birthday {gasp!!} thrown into the mix, and though I've promised myself that I will not go overboard {shyeah... right.}, there is lots of planning and organizing in the works. Because babies only turn 1 once, and freakin' Pinterest. 

But the madness doesn't have to infiltrate all parts of my life. In fact, I like to pretend that fall is all snuggly and lazy and sweaters and pumpkins. {As opposed to humid and hectic and sweltering.} In my imagination, the leaves are turning colors and I can pull out some comfy boots and cook warm, hearty comfort foods like soups and stews. 

Though it isn't "Soup"tember in real life, I still like the idea of switching gears and using some of the ingredients that we tend to bust out in the autumn season. Like butternut squash and apples and beans. 

Have you ever seen beans like these? They're called Orca Beans and I'm sort of in love with them. They remind me of, well, an orca whale. Or a cow. Or a dalmatian. All animals that I find adorable.

Not only are beans hearty, fiber-filled and great for using in robust fall meals, but these particular beans are also en vogue with the colors of the season! Though it's still a little early, these black and white beauties put me in a festive mood, so I broke out the canned pumpkin and put together some snacks that would look great on a fall or Halloween buffet.

Don't you just love a crostini? Crispy bread, slathered with a creamy concoction and topped with savory bits. Here, Bob's Red Mill Orca Beans are the star, simply dressed with sauteed onions, garlic and kale confetti. A smear of pumpkin ricotta spread gets a tart zing from Stonyfield Greek yogurt and acts as both a glue and a festive contrast for the beans.

Let's slow down for a snack break together and munch on some of these tasty bites!

Disclosure:  I have an ongoing partnership with Stonyfield as a member of their Clean Plate Club and received this product for review. As always, the opinions here are all my own!

Orca Bean, Kale & Pumpkin Crostini

Makes about a dozen

1/2 cup pumpkin puree 

1/4 cup Stonyfield plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill Orca Beans, cooked according to package directions

1/2 a small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced or grated

1 cup finely chopped kale, or your favorite greens

12 pieces of toasted French bread, or favorite bread

1. In a medium skillet, heat a few teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add onion to the pan and cook until softened and translucent, about 4-6 minutes. 

2. Add garlic and cook for another minute or so. Add kale and cook until wilted down, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in cooked beans, season with a sprinkle of salt, and allow the beans to heat through.

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together pumpkin, Greek yogurt, ricotta cheese and salt. Spread a heaping tablespoon onto each slice of toasted bread.

4. Scoop a heaping tablespoon of the bean mixture onto each piece of bread.

Serve while still warm or at room temperature.

Easy Smoked Ham, Broccoli & Cheese Pastry | Boar's Head

'Tis the season for starting to think about holiday gatherings. I love the anticipation of planning get togethers to celebrate all the upcoming fun that fall and winter has in store. But that excitement? It fizzles out real fast when I make things too complicated {which, sadly, is often the case}.

Party planning means adding yet another task to the ever-growing list that begins to form as soon as the first fall leaves start to change colors. Getting too elaborate can lead to frustration and exhaustion, especially during the holiday months that are already packed to the brim with events and activities. So I have a little rule to help maintain sanity when it comes to soiree strategizing: Keep menu planning simple.

This is NOT the time to attempt a souffle or finally try your hand at macarons in hopes of impressing guests. No way, Jose. This is a time to stick to guaranteed, fool-proof recipes made with ingredients that you know will be winners.

My friends at Boar's Head have their own set of rules when it comes to crafting the best flavors in their products. That's part of the reason why their SmokeMaster™ Black Forest Ham tastes so darn good. They stick to their "Smoke House Rules", like starting with the best smoke {using imported German beechwood, in this case} and practicing time-honored tradition to get the best results. In other words, they overdo it so you don't have to.

That's a delightful pile-o-ham right there.

Their rules and my rules came together to make an appetizer that, well... rules. Easy Smoked Ham, Broccoli & Cheese Pastry. Key word: EASY.

Filled with the rich taste of Boar's Head SmokeMaster™ Beechwood Smoked Black Forest Ham, fresh broccoli and gooey cheese, this flaky pastry makes a great appetizer to throw together for any celebration. Using just 5 ingredients, no one will know that it took hardly any effort at all. Mix and match with different combinations of veggies and cheese to see which you like best with the smooth, smoky flavor of the ham.

Stick to my number one rule and keep it simple so you can actually enjoy the party this year!

What are some of the things you practice in your kitchen or cooking that have made their way onto your "Smoke House Rules?" Enter Boar's Head's Smoke House Rules Sweepstakes and you could win a gift card to stock up on smoky goodness for your dishes!

Easy Smoked Ham, Broccoli & Cheese Pastry
Makes 2 pastries, or 12 servings

3/4 cup Boar's Head SmokeMaster™  Black Forest Ham, chopped
1 cup grated cheese {I used Colby-Jack but you can use your favorite}
1 cup broccoli florets, cut into small pieces
1 package puff pastry, thawed to package directions
1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1. Preheat oven to 400 degress. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. In a bowl, toss together ham, cheese, and broccoli. Set aside.

3. Roll out puff pastry sheet to approximately 12x10 inches.* Cut in half length wise, and place one piece on the prepared baking sheet.

4. Brush on about 2 tablespoons of dijon mustard. Place half of the filling onto the center of the puff pastry. Top with the other rectangle and crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Make a few small slits in the top to let steam escape.

Repeat with second piece of puff pastry, if using.

5. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until puffed and golden. Remove from oven when fully baked and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

*Most puff pastry comes with two sheets. I went ahead and used them both, yielding 2 pastries that can each be sliced into 6 pieces {or 12 servings}. If you only want to use one puff pastry sheet, halve the recipe.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Coconut Curry Veggie Flatbread | Silk Coconutmilk

You guys, it's back. Football!!!

Hello, game day! Goodbye husband's attention span.

For 17 weeks, Monday nights will be sacred for sports fans everywhere. But you know what probably won't be? Keeping the diet in check.

You know what I'm talking about: Nachos. Potato skins. Mozzarella sticks. Chicken wings. Greasy bar food galore.

I'm here to give you good news -- you don't have to bench Meatless Mondays just because it's a season for snacking. I know your favorite pizza place may be on speed dial, but before you call {or text or tweet or send an emoji or whatever the heck you do nowadays to get a pizza delivered} give this recipe a try:

Coconut Curry Veggie Flatbread

Can you believe this version of a fan favorite contains no meat or cheese, but still has plenty of flavor? The creamy red curry base for this flatbread is made with Silk Coconutmilk , and makes a fantastic glue for the slew of veggies that get piled on and baked to perfection.

It's a Monday night bite you won't regret on Tuesday, and a brand new way to look at game day dishes!

This is one time in your life where you can have your cake {or, you know, flatbread} and eat it, too.

Check out Silk's website for more plant-based tailgate ideas and take the #MeatlessMondayNight challenge!

Coconut Curry Veggie Flatbread 

For Coconut Curry Sauce:
1/2 cup Silk Unsweetened Coconutmilk
1 heaping tablespoon red curry paste {found in the Asian food section of the grocery store}
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 pieces of naan bread
1/2 cup broccoli florets, chopped into small pieces
1 small zucchini, cut into half moons
A few slices of sweet onion, very thinly sliced
1/4 cup shredded carrot
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup crushed salted peanuts or cashews

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking pan with foil. Place naan bread on baking pan and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, spoon red curry paste into a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Slowly whisk coconutmilk into paste until fully incorporated. Bring to a simmer.

3. Combine the water and cornstarch in a measuring cup and whisk until completely smooth. Pour into coconutmilk mixture and whisk until thickened and smooth, about 1 or 2 minutes. Set aside and cool slightly.

4. Divide coconut curry sauce between the two flatbreads, spreading into a thin layer as you would pizza sauce. {You may want to reserve a few tablespoons for garnishing, if desired.} Top with broccoli, zucchini, onion and carrot.

5. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the flatbread begins to brown around the edges and the vegetables are tender-crisp.

6. Remove from oven and drizzle with reserved coconut curry sauce. Garnish with cilantro, green onion and nuts, if desired.

This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

Hawaiian Style Turkey Sloppy Joes

Most days, I wake up with an idea of how the day should go. You'd think I'd know better by now. But nope. It is with blind optimism that I enter each day with a "plan", though over and over again I am reminded that life is a chaotic, unpredictable thing. I can't even blame this entirely on having a child because some of the things that throw the day off track have nothing to do with him. {Though most of them do. I think I'll keep him anyway.}

This week has been no different. But let's pretend that things went perfectly, okay? Let's pretend that I posted this recipe yesterday as I had intended. Let's pretend that my A/C didn't shut down and turn my house into a sweat box. Let's pretend that the maintenance man didn't have to stop by TWICE to fix it, and then tell me that there was a good chance the utility closet may flood.

Let's also imagine that I, being a responsible and logical renter, heeded the warning issued to me upon moving in and maintained said closet free of anything important, because it isn't a storage closet after all. That I hadn't stuffed the closet full with Christmas decor {that never went up last year since I'd just had a baby and all} and that I most certainly did NOT use it as a place to store my photography backgrounds.

Because if I did do any of that, it would mean that I'd be forced to haul all that junk out in the evening hours when I was so tired I could curl up and snooze IN the utility closet without batting an eye, putting myself in the precarious position of potentially drowning in the flood that never actually happened. I thank the maintenance man for being cautious just the same.

We're still pretending here, so let's just imagine that all those Sterilite boxes of Christmas stuff weren't piled in a corner in my living room, beckoning to my 9 month old to scale them like Mount Kilimanjaro. Because that means that, in moving things out of his reach, I wouldn't have accidentally dropped one of the boxes -- the one filled with GLASS ornaments, of course -- creating hundreds of red and gold shards of glass that needed vacuuming. Oh well, we had too many anyway.

Can we also pretend that I didn't wake up with a pounding headache that wouldn't quit? And that I actually got the recipe I planned to share cooked, photographed and posted? Not that my child screamed incessantly while I stood at the stove because he didn't feel like being penned up in his Pack 'n Play, or that I accidentally flung pineapple pieces all over the floor. Whatever. I got it done and that's what counts.

Since we're assuming all went smoothly, that would mean that I was able to publish the post while the baby napped and then got to sit down and eat something healthy. Not that the moment I sat at the computer, I was roused by a crash that made me think my child had turned into a pole vaulter and sprung himself over the side of his crib. Or that that I stress-ate mini Oreos that I bought for a baking project. Because that was not part of the plan. {On a positive note, I discovered that adrenaline gives me the ability to sprint at Usain Bolt-like speeds. Good to know.}

Life. Is. Sloppy. But it's also delightful. Much like these:

Truth be told we probably eat some version of a sloppy joe at least once a week. It's quick to prepare and you can add anything you want to it -- the perfect refrigerator clean out kind of meal. Sometimes I cook it up Cuban picadillo style. Other times I make it with an Asian flair. At times, it's Greek.

But today... today we're giving it a "Hawaiian" twist, because it's Friday and I need to pretend I'm on on island sipping a Mai Tai. Who's with me?

A little sweet, a little savory and a touch of smoky thrown in for good measure, it's the balance that you crave in your life. Or at the very least, in your mouth. And as it turns out, it's a fantastic thing to dig into this weekend while you enjoy the return of college football. We win.

Let's make peace with "messy" and dig in!

Hawaiian Style Turkey Sloppy Joes

1 small yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup diced pineapple, fresh or frozen
1 pound ground turkey meat

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 cup ketchup
1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 large clove garlic, minced or grated
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup water
2 green onions, chopped (divided)
4 Sweet burger buns, such as King's Hawaiian

1. Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and pineapple and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Scoot the onion and pineapple mixture over to one side of the pan and add the ground turkey meat to the empty side. Cook, breaking up the meat, until no longer pink {I like to use a potato masher for this job}. Stir everything together.

3. Sprinkle the mixture with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and ground ginger and mix to combine.

4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together ketchup, tamari or soy sauce, sesame oil and garlic. In Pour into ground turkey mixture and stir to coat. Cook for about a minute or two.

5. {Use the same bowl for this step and save yourself some dishwashing} Whisk together corn starch with about 1/4 cup water until there are no lumps. Pour into the skillet and stir throughout the mixture -- this will thicken up the sauce. {Note: If it gets too thick, add a little more water to get desired consistency.}

6. Add 1 chopped green onion and cook for another minute or so. Scoop onto sweet Hawaiian burger buns and garnish with extra green onion if desired.

Serve while hot and messy, with lots of napkins! :)

How to Host a Box Top Bash + PB&J Granola Parfaits

Last week I shared a post about the Box Tops for Education program and the amazing ways that Box Tops are contributing to schools around the country. But let's be realistic -- sometimes you need a little motivation to get excited about pitching in!

The truth is that there are countless ways you can make Box Top collecting enjoyable {and even enticing!} for anyone and everyone who wants to participate. Even busy parents!

I've yet to meet a mama who doesn't enjoy a good "girl's night out" with her friends. The start of a new school year is the perfect excuse for a gathering to celebrate surviving another summer the milestone of the kiddos heading back to the classroom. So I was thinking... why not do a little good while you have a little fun by hosting a Box Top Bash?

The idea is quite simple, really. Make some tasty treats with your favorite General Mills Box Tops products, invite your gal pals to do the same, summon everyone for a "potluck"-style gathering and collect the Box Tops that were used in making all the delightful dishes you share! You can theme the party around a specific holiday or theme, make it an evening affair or even mix it up with a Box Top brunch! Have a group that's into friendly competition? How about awarding a small prize to the dish made with the most Box Top items?

If the ladies in your life aren't into cooking, you could sweeten the deal by providing noshy bites and hosting a party with a twist. For example, my girlfriends have had Bunco nights where we each pitch in a few bucks and the champion takes the pot of winnings. You could easily "Bunco for Box Tops" where, instead of chipping in cash, each player brings a certain number of Box Tops! Winner takes all for their kid's school -- not to mention bragging rights with the girls AND with the teacher! {Maybe just keep the gambling part under wraps. Wink, wink!}

The best part about collecting Box Tops is that you can get your whole community involved. Invite your neighborhood, church, sports teams and, of course, schools to participate with their own Box Top parties. Not sure how to get started? Here are just a few ideas:

Give to get! You've heard of a bake sale... why not a Box Tops Bake Sale? Following the same idea, invite community members to "pay" for baked goods in Box Tops and get some sweet treats in return!

Make it a competition. Nothing gets kids {and adults} more excited than a friendly rivalry! Classroom competitions are always a popular way to get kids involved in a challenge... especially when the winner gets an ice cream party!

Raffle off a prize. Ask local businesses for exciting donations that will draw interest. Turn in Box Tops for raffle tickets and hold a drawing for a lucky winner.

Mark your progress creatively. Kids are often visual, and goal setting can be abstract unless there's a mental image of the ultimate objective. Print out a picture of what the school intends to purchase with Box Top money and set out a big container or bulletin board where kids can see their contributions accumulate!

Make it EASY.  The truth is, as much as parents want to help, busy schedules and constant obligations can make participating a chore. Teachers can facilitate parent involvement by providing labeled zip-top bags with a clip or magnet that can be placed in prominent place in the house {i.e. the fridge?} and adding "collection days" to the classroom newsletter or calendar as a friendly reminder. I've also seen teachers give a self-addressed, stamped envelope to anyone who is willing to collect and send in Box Tops. It doesn't have to stop with classroom parents -- family and friends who live anywhere can take part with this clever collection method. Easy peasy!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Since brunch seems to be such a thing these days, I decided to whip up a simple recipe that could easily be made ahead: PB&J Granola Parfaits. Just a bit of yogurt, a dollop of jam, some crushed peanut butter granola bars and some blueberries are all you need for adorable brunch bites. The "recipe" is also easy to scale for larger groups.

These dainty little darlings are surely worthy of a few Box Tops, and your friends will feel great about pitching in for a good cause!

PB&J Granola Parfaits

1 package Nature's Valley Peanut Butter Granola Bars
1 cup plain Greek yogurt {or your favorite kind}
1/4 cup strawberry jelly or jam*
1/4 cup fresh {or frozen, thawed} blueberries**

1. With a rolling pin or meat tenderizer, smash the granola bars into bits. {I did this right in their packaging for less cleanup!} Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, gently fold in strawberry jelly so that it maintains a swirled effect. Spoon evenly among 4 small ramekins.

3. Divide the crumbled granola bars among each of the servings. Top each with a few blueberries.

Serve immediately. If refrigerating for later use, add granola pieces just before serving so they maintain their crunch.

*You may substitute for your favorite flavor.
** Any fruit will do!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of General Mills®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Prep for School: Box Tops for Education!

Take a deep breath. Do you smell that? Freshly sharpened pencils, brand new shoes and school bus exhaust. {I was going to add in chalk dust but now it's dry erase marker. Yuck. I didn't say all the smells were good ones!}

The excitement of back-to-school time is in the air! 

Whether you are hoarding tissues in your glove compartment because you can't believe your baby is growing up, or you're doing a happy dance in celebration of the fact that the long {looooong} days of summer have finally come to an end, there's no denying that it's time to pack those book bags and send kids on their way.

In my pre-food blogger life, I was an elementary school teacher. And let me tell you, as happy as I was to meet new students and start with a fresh slate every year, it could also be pretty stressful.

My teacher-y days! I'm all official holding a file folder.

Not only was there lesson planning, establishing rules and procedures and setting expectations, but there was also keeping track of supplies and inventory of classroom necessities. Many necessities that I payed for out of my own pocket! 

In districts across the U.S., there is a serious need for help in covering the costs of educating thousands of children, let alone providing them with any of the extras that make learning fun. Many teachers take it upon themselves to dig into their pockets and shell out some of their own earnings to contribute to the learning environment of their classrooms and their schools. You may not believe it, but there were times my students clamored over who got to use "the good eraser" or worked harder just to earn a sticker or a small prize, often times because they didn't have very much at home.

Whether my school was able to reimburse me or not, I always made sure to have everything I needed for the kind of classroom that felt welcoming to my students. Now that I have a kiddo of my own, I'm even more invested in finding ways to help schools meet their needs and provide them with a helping hand. Luckily, programs like Box Tops for Education create ways to involve schools and communities in being part of the solution!

I'm embarrassed to say so, but I'm a total Box Tops for Education rookie. I mean, I've clipped a box top or two. But even though more than 80,000 K-8 schools participate, I never really knew a whole lot about the program until recently.

Did you know that each box top is worth 10 cents? And, while a dime may not seem like a whole lot to you, multiplied times all the families in a school, they can sure add up quickly!

In honor of my newfound knowledge, I went on a shopping excursion at my local Walmart to pick up some General Mills products {currently offering bonus Box Tops!} for creative recipe inspiration. My cart companion was a little grumpy and quite shocked when I told him that we were actually helping a school earn money by grocery shopping!

"Say whaaaat, mama?"

The classic Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios and Nature's Valley Granola Bars called to me... I must've been in a breakfasty state of mind!

They sure did cheer up Cole, too...

"Hey look! BONUS Box Tops!"

It almost seems too good to be true that many of the items we buy on a weekly or monthly basis -- pantry staples, treats, and ingredients for some of our favorite recipes -- come with the added perk of earning money for schools. It's a two for one, really! And the only extra step that it requires from you is a few seconds with a pair of scissors before you toss that box into the recycling bin. {Which, by the way, can totally be delegated to one of the kids as part of their responsibilities!}

That tiny bit of effort can grow into one BIG contribution for a school {up to $20,000 per year, in fact!} when everyone bands together and participates, which is pretty cool if you ask me. New books. Manipulatives. Computers. Playground equipment. School activities and parties. The possibilities are endless! And so is the gratitude from the folks who work hard to make school a place kids want to be. {Take it from me. Teachers are so grateful for helpers!}

I have a super fun post coming up very soon about how to get your family, friends and community involved in collecting Box Tops... while having a blast doing so! Keep an eye out for what Cole and I whipped up in the kitchen with one of our purchases!

Do you collect Box Tops for your school?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of General Mills®. The opinions and text are all mine.