I’ve found the perfect way to stay hydrated and energized during a blogging conference, trade show or any event where you need to keep your star-power bright.

You’re going to want one of these, especially before all the spring-time travel begins! This is the best water bottle ever!

My good pals over at Dexas International know me soooo well. They know that I’m always on the go… or just playing catch-up with my crazy life.

Drinking lots of water is the name of the game (as we all know), but having something healthy to eat when you are on the verge of your next meal is just as important (that’s when we make bad choices… or at least I do).

Dexas has the answer: The Snack-DuO water bottle… the only bottle that has two side-by-side chambers: one to hold whatever you like to drink, and another to hold a snack.

And, before I continue, because this is important, the Snack-DuO is made of Tritan™ copolyester, a BPA and BPS-free plastic. No bisphenols in this high impact-resistant bottle! Good to know, especially because there’s so much talk about the risk of using plastic water bottles that aren’t BPA free!

Do you workout or go to the gym? I really try (key word: try) to work out everyday. I know that after a workout I need to eat something… especially something healthy. Before I work out, I fill the snack-side of the Snack-DuO with protein bar bites, trail mix or almonds. Okay, sometimes I fill it with M&M’s, but that’s only sometimes.

The bottle is watertight and holds 12 ounces of liquid. The snack chamber holds 1½ cups of your fave snack, which is more than a serving size of most healthy snacks. Love that the Snack-DuO is also dishwasher safe.

The Snack-DuO is great for commuting… or for making sure the kids have a healthy snack before their after-school activities!

Now… doesn’t this sound like the best water bottle ever? Order your Snack DuO here!

Leftovers don’t bother me… I always look at it like this: “Well, dinner is half-way made, I just need to figure out the rest.”

What DOES make Mama a little high strung is having just a little bit left of something. Too little to feed everyone, too much to throw away.

So… 2 cups of leftover cooked elbow macaroni became a terrific after school snack in the guise of these cute Bacon Crusted Mac and Cheese Cups.

It helps that I always have cheese in the fridge  and that I had leftover panko (Japanese breadcrumbs from a recipe I made last week. You can use regular breadcrumbs, too.

No, leftovers don’t bother me… it’s just that with the crowd at my table, we rarely have them!

Bacon Crusted Mac and Cheese Cups

prep: 15 minutes
cook: 10 to 15 minutes

you’ll need…
2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon flour
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup milk
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
3 strips cooked bacon, chopped or crumbled

let’s get to it…
Move oven rack to the center of oven. Spray 6 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Heat oven to 425°F.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet. Add panko and stir over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes or just until panko begins to brown. Remove from heat and stir in chopped bacon; set aside.
Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over moderate heat; whisk in the flour and salt and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cook 3 to 5 minutes, whisking constantly until thickened. Add the cheese and continue to whisk until melted. Remove from heat. Add beaten egg to sauce and whisk until blended; stir in cooked macaroni.
Spoon Mac and Cheese evenly into muffin cups. Top each with a little panko-bacon mixture.
Bake for 10 minutes or until panko is golden brown. Cool 5 to 7 minutes or until set. Carefully lift out with a spatula and serve.