How to Prepare a Small, Delightful Thanksgiving Meal

Perhaps you have a small family, and like us, won't be traveling for Thanksgiving.

Perhaps you won't be hosting a large Thanksgiving get together either.

Perhaps you've spent years having a huge family Thanksgiving meal but suddenly, you find yourself without the kids at home and it's just you and your special someone.

How do you go from preparing large meals to smaller ones? Here are some ideas to help get you started.

Consider a Small Ham

Consider a small ham and some baked potatoes. Hams come in all sizes and it's easy to simply slice and freeze any leftovers so you can enjoy them at another meal. Add in some green beans (or even a small version of the favorite green bean casserole) and you have a meal. Finish it with a nice pie or dessert of your choice and you don't have any overwhelming mess to clean up and you're sure to enjoy your extra time with your special someone. Don't forget a nice pineapple glaze on the top of your ham.

Pork Loin

Find a smaller sized pork loin roast and impress your special someone with a nice pork dinner. Be sure to choose some favorite side dishes to go alongside such as mashed garlic and cheesey potatoes, a green salad and some pie for dessert.

Rock Cornish Game Hens

If it's just the two of you why go to the bother of a huge turkey with all of the trimmings? Simply purchase two rock Cornish game hens and roast those. Add in some roasted vegetables and a salad and you've got an instant hit. You won't be spending all of your time in the kitchen this year. Don't forget a favorite pie or dessert dish.

Smaller Turkey

Occasionally you can find a smaller sized turkey. If you don't see one, ask the butcher if they have any smaller turkey's or half turkey's you can purchase. Occasionally they keep these in the back so you need to ask. If you can get either use your crock-pot for a delicious, simple meal that you won't have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen for. Include some mashed potatoes, salad and a veggie of your choice along with a delicious dessert and you have another hit on your hands.

Other tips include cutting back on the number of side dishes served. Simply choose two or three favorite side dishes and stick with those. Consider quick store bought biscuits or make biscuits ahead of time and freeze.

No matter how you plan on celebrating Thanksgiving, I hope it is a warm and wonderful occasion.

Here are some more great ideas for Thanksgiving.

Planning a Frugal Family Feast - Kids Ain't Cheap
http://kidsaintcheap.com Wed, 16 Oct 2013 07:15:27 GMT
No where does it say your family feast has to include a turkey, ham or ”turduckin”. During Christmas, we would traditionally have a large family turkey dinner on Christmas eve after mass. Over the years though the family ...

Thanksgiving Dinner Menu Plan | Premeditated Leftovers
http://premeditatedleftovers.com Thu, 01 Nov 2012 13:00:18 GMT
My Thanksgiving menu is made up of tried and true family favorites.

Weekend Menu Planning: Use a CrockPot (Slow Cooker) to Help ...
http://www.blogher.com Fri, 12 Nov 2010 00:16:49 GMT
Use a slow cooker to pull together your Thanksgiving meal, or use the slow cooker to keep food warm while you move on to another dish.

How to Plan Thanksgiving Dinner - Home Ec 101
http://www.home-ec101.com Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:55:10 GMT
Thanksgiving dinner is a big deal. Learn how many servings you need for your guests and how to break up the chore of planning your Thanksgiving celebration.

Your Guide to Planning Thanksgiving Dinner - iVillage
http://www.ivillage.com Thu, 01 Nov 2012 07:00:00 GMT
Your Step-by-Step Guide to Planning Thanksgiving Dinner.

Thanks for stopping by,
Suzanne

A Home Cooked Meal Is A Great Treat For Your Family

Home cooked meals made from scratch are so much more nutritious than meals prepared from packaged foods. There is nothing better than fresh organic vegetables, freshly picked and fresh meat and potatoes to make a meal a memorable occasion.

A home cooked meal relates to a safe meal for your family, as you know that it is not necessarily full of pesticides, hormones and antibiotics. Much of the meat produced today is fattened at feedlots where the goal is to fatten up the livestock for market where the price is based on the weight of the animal. Enormous amounts of hormones and antibiotics go into these animals, and we end up consuming some portion of them along with the meat. If you buy your meat from a local farmer, and you know how he raises his livestock, you are better off.

The same with the vegetables. The beets, carrots, lettuce, broccoli and such that we have imported from Mexico and South America may have pesticides all over them and even if you scrub them thoroughly you can’t always get all of them off of the plant before you cook it. Once again, if the vegetables are purchased locally, you are better off.

If you can purchase your produce, dairy products and meats from a local, organic farmer, you will be getting food that will be really nourishing to your family with out all of the extra additives. Plus processed food in cans and that which is frozen have many chemicals and additives that cannot be good for us. Try looking up the names of the additives on the labels and you will be shocked.

When meals are prepared from scratch and cooked and seasoned properly, you will have your family waiting for dinner to get on the table, rather than wandering off to other things like so many families do today. They will be salivating to get to the meal, and it will be a great family time.

Home cooked meals mean a warmth and a love for family that cannot be duplicated. There is just something about sitting down together at the dinner table for a family to know that they belong together and it just seems right. The food is good and everyone knows what to expect, and that it is safe from all of the bad stuff that is in a lot of the processed and commercial food nowadays.

A good rule of thumb is to say that if we don’t cook it, we don’t eat it. That certainly rules out a lot of food that, even though it might not take as long to prepare, you can know that it will not be harmful to you or your family.

Of course, most rules are going to broken sometimes. We don't always eat the best that we possibly can, but the idea is to strive for better alternatives.

If everyone in the family works, including mom or mom is very busy on a given day, meals can be put in the slow cooker and allowed to simmer all day, so when everyone gets home, dinner is ready. If everybody pitches in and helps with the dishes, all of the cleanup work gets done in a jiffy.

Striving to have more home cooked meals in a month rather than convenience foods is a great goal. The meals made with love are what your children will remember and feel nostalgic about when they grow older.

Here are some more great things to read about home cooked meals.

Fresh & Healthy Home Cooked Meals For Your Family - Kids Stuff ...
http://kidsstuffworld.com Mon, 12 Aug 2013 22:36:46 GMT
13 Shares Twitter 4 Facebook 6 Google+ 3 Pin It Share 0 StumbleUpon 0 Email -- 13 Shares × After a week of eating on the road, my family is craving some fresh, healthy home cooked meals. So that's what.

Let Me Ask You Something: Why don't you cook more? | The Current ...
http://thecurrent-online.com Mon, 21 Oct 2013 20:04:14 GMT
In an editorial for the New York Times last may, Kristin Wartman examines the deterioration of the home-cooked meal in modern society. She notes that a self-prepared meal is praised as the solution to an array of issues ...

Millennials prefer home cooked dinners over dining out | Publix News
https://blog.publix.com Tue, 08 Oct 2013 13:03:26 GMT
A study by the research firm NPD Group indicates millennials, the second largest generation group, consume two-thirds of their dinners at home. Their motivators for choosing recipes are based on satisfaction and taste, but ...

Show Us Your Favorite Home-Cooked Meal - Lifehacker
http://lifehacker.com Thu, 30 May 2013 19:30:00 GMT
Cooking at home offers financial savings, family time, healthier and tastier options, and a sense of accomplishment. Whether you're a seasoned cook or not, most people have at least one home-cooked dish they're proud of.

Thanks for stopping by,
Suzanne

Pink Kitchen Towels are perfect for celebrating Valentine's Day

Pink kitchen towels are fun way to decorate your home for Valentine's Day. I love decorating for holiday's and Valentine's Day is no exception. A lot of Valentine decor is in the red color theme, but I tend to like pink better.

Images Curtesy of Amazon

When decorating for a holiday, I don't necessarily want everything to have a quote or a saying on it. I pick one key item. For example, I might hang up a wall hanging in our entryway that says 'Happy Valentine's Day'. The rest of the decorating will be in a theme. Hearts, flowers, doilies and definitely a lot of color.

I also like to have useful items as part of my holiday decorating. Rather than a bunch of knick-knacks sitting around, I'll choose functional items to make the home feel more festive.

I've found some great Valentine's Day kitchen towels, as well as a few other towels in these categories.

• Patterned Pink Kitchen Towels
• Solid Pink Kitchen Towels
• Pink Tea Towels for your kitchen

Scroll down to see what I picked out for you today. Or search here to find your own favorite.

Click a Style!

Valentine's Day Kitchen Towels

These are definitely my favorite picks for cute kitchen towels. AND!
There are more CUTE styles in addition to these. Click here if you want to see more.

 

Patterned Pink Kitchen Towels

Fun patterned towels like damask, gingham or polka dot can brighten up your kitchen towards the end of the winter. 

   

Solid Pink Kitchen Towels

Solid pink towels are available in a lot of different colors. I especially love the waffle towels.

 

 

Pink Tea Towels for your Kitchen

Here are a few more decorative kitchen towels to consider.



Have you started planning your Valentine decorations?

July is National Blueberry Month

I had no idea. Where have I been all these summers? Yet, here is the national blueberry month proclamation. At least I hope it's true and not some sort of scam to sell more blueberries.

 

photo credit: La Grande Farmer's Market

So in celebration of this great holiday...hold onto your blueberry baskets...because here we go!

8 Takes on a Blueberry Recipe

So Tasty, So Yummy: Blueberry Banana Bread
sotastysoyummy.blogspot.com

blueberry banana bread, Miss F was an excellent helper when making this bread. For the first time she didn't get flour everywhere when she stirred, so I see that as a major success. She insisted on having a slice straight from ...

Blueberry Pie :: Lynn's Kitchen Adventures
www.lynnskitchenadventures.com

Blueberries are a unique fruit and they are native to North America which makes them perfect for Red, White, and Blue week and perfect for the 4th of July. They are a summertime favorite in our house and are readily.

Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen: Lemon-Blueberry Cobbler Pie
melissassouthernstylekitchen.blogspot.com

Blueberries and lemons...a glorious combination! I don't know about you all, but, I'm often driven to create my dishes based on what's in season or readily available at the market. Today, blueberries, were plentiful at the market ...

Mystery Lovers' Kitchen: Blueberry Cupcakes
www.mysteryloverskitchen.com

(Scroll on down to the sinful blueberry cupcake recipe.) This is just my personal preference. But if you are concerned about pesticides in food, here's the latest dirty dozen from the Environmental Working Group which ...

Top with cinnamon: Whole Wheat Blueberry Scones
topwithcinnamon.blogspot.com

Continuing on the summery blueberry theme, I made blueberry scones! They're like blueberry muffins, but..just..more sconey (?). Oh and guess what? They have cinnamon on top (obvs). If the blueberries and currants aren't ...

Homemade Salad with Blueberry Vinaigrette « Take One Day at a ...
liviafeng.wordpress.com

Here's to healthy eating and to a very healthy meal. I've been trying to eat more homemade meals rather than eating out and I'm trying to choose the healthier alternative when it comes to food. Me and my girl friend made this ...

Blueberry Popsicles, Grilled Radishes, and Pasta Verdura! - Yes
veganfazool.blogspot.com

Blueberry Popsicles, Grilled Radishes, and Pasta Verdura! In keeping up with my CSA, here are my creations of the week: Organic Blueberry-Strawberry Popsicles. 6-8 ice cubes. 1/2 to 3/4 pint of organic blueberries (we got ...

lululu at home / Blueberry Ice Cream Pie
lululuathome.com

No joking. This thing is insane! Insanely addictive. Insanely scrumptious. Insanely easy to make. No special skill is required. Just give enough time to chill the pie. If it simply looks like some ice cream sitting in a crust to you, I'm ...

Yummy! Do you have a favorite blueberry recipe? Leave a comment if you do.

4th of July BBQ

Cooking out on Independence Day is traditional for a lot of families and fun too.  We've never had a big celebration. I don't know why...I guess it's just not a top priority holiday for us.

There have been years when we've went over to one of my husbands friend's house. They have an all day party buffet with grilling and swimming.  Many years in a row we took the kids to the zoo. Now we've switched over to going to the local amusement park.

If you are thinking of cooking out this July Fourth, you might be wondering what kind of food should you serve, or if you should have a theme. Here are some ideas for foods and meals for an Independence Day barbecue.

photo credit: sporkist

Main course

There is nothing wrong with going strictly traditional here - burger, hotdogs, and steaks are fine and uncomplicated. But if you want to get a bit creative, try some of these main course ideas.

* Multi-cultural kabobs - If you want to have a multi-cultural theme, or just celebrate the American melting pot, try grilling kabobs in various flavors.

For an Asian flavor, the kabobs could include chunks of chicken, bell peppers, and onions with a soy sauce or teriyaki marinade/baste. Greek kabobs could have grilled chicken and onion chunks flavored with lemon juice, olive oil, and Greek herbs, and put on the skewer with grape tomatoes and topped with feta cheese.

Make Hawaiian kabobs with chunks of pineapple and ham, served with Macadamia nuts. For Middle Eastern-style kabobs, use garlic and lamb with spices like curry and cumin. Kabobs are a great way to serve multi-cultural flavors in one barbecue.

* Ribs - Barbecued ribs are a traditional American favorite for the Fourth of July. Baste them well with sauce if you like, and serve with grilled corn.

* Pork Barbecue - If you don't want to grill ribs, you can grill a pork roast, then carve it up and serve it with barbecue sauce on buns.

Vegetables

Grilled vegetables are really special. You can grill just about any veggie, but for Independence Day, why not focus on American veggies like potatoes and corn? (While corn is a grain, it is usually served as a vegetable at your average barbecue.)

 

photo credit: woodleywonderworks

Before grilling, toss potato wedges in oil, salt and pepper. Lay them on the grill and cook until they are browned. Corn really does not need any particular flavoring during grilling - just lay shucked ears on the grill and turn them often. Brush with melted butter when done.

Dessert

Apple pie, of course, is traditional American fare, and presenting one at a barbecue will undoubtedly please your guests. There are other creative ideas for desserts, too.

* Dip fruit in melted white chocolate. Then melt more white chocolate and divide it into two portions. Color one portion red and the other blue, then drizzle over the white chocolate-dipped fruit.

* Mix mini marshmallows with blueberries and strawberries for a sweet fruit salad.

* Watermelon served alone makes a great dessert, or you could dress it up a bit by carving it into a basket shape and filling it with fruit.

* Make a fruit pizza using vanilla cookie dough (press into a circular pizza pan, bake and cool), cream cheese icing, and blueberries and strawberries. Drizzle with melted white chocolate.

I love, love, love the pictures of these patriotic fruit pizzas.  Please go visit and take a look.

Red, White, and Blue Pizza Recipe - Guilty or Guilt Free?
www.guiltyorguiltfree.com

I have seen “fruit” pizzas done so many different ways so here is mine to add to your ever growing recipes. I truly hope you love it and I would so love to hear about your rendition of this dessert. Officially, my submission against ...

Patriotic Fruit Pizza Recipe | Taste of Home Recipes
www.tasteofhome.com

Find recipes for Patriotic Fruit Pizza and other Cheese Recipe recipes. Get all the best recipes at Taste of Home. Recipe directions: In a bowl, combine the flour and confectioners' sugar. Cut in butter until mixture begins to hold together.

Yummy Fruit Pizza! | The Frugal Homemaker
thefrugalhomemaker.com

Several of you commented on my ”Summer begins with some red, white, and blue” post that you loved the fruit pizza that I took a picture of on my patriotic table. DSC_1271. I promised in the comments to share the recipe so ...

What kinds of food do you eat on July 4th? Are you in charge of the food or is your husband the grill master on that day?

Thoughts About Menu Planning

Are you addicted to menu planning? I just love it. It's so interesting to see all the different approaches we busy moms use to make a good menu for our families.

 

photo credit: Dinner Series

Menu planning can change through the seasons of your life. I didn't exactly realize this when I was younger. I think I didn't understand the metaphor meant you do things differently because your daily life would be unique overtime. Well, duh?

I've been through seasons of bulk buying, seasons of deal seeking, seasons of relying heavily on the food in my freezer, and seasons of fresh and organic food.

Heck, we even went through a short time when I went to one of those meal assembly places and you come home with enough to stock your freezer for quite a while. At least I knew what was in the food, it wasn't processed and we did eat it.

I think the hardest timeframe for me is when I don't quite realize I'm in a season shift. I've gotten faster at recognizing it. Either we get into an uninspired rut or we start eating out too much.

Enjoy this large collection of menu planning articles.

Chicken Pasta Bake + Monthly Menu Plan | Planning With Kids
planningwithkids.com

Chicken Pasta Bake - easy to make and delicious tasting Chicken Pasta Bake. Makes a big family friendly meal with plenty of left overs.

Menu Plan Sunday 6/17/2012 | Monica's Mom Musing
monicasmommusings.com

Come by and link up for another week of Menu Plan Sunday.

Menu Plan
thehappyhousewife.com

Do you get great deals on groceries but have trouble during those deals into meals? Or maybe you just want to save more money at the grocery store, if so you'll want to check out Savings Nation.

June Menu Plan, Week #3 « Don't Waste the Crumbs!
dontwastethecrumbs.com

Vegetable Pasta Bake. We didn't follow our menu plan as I originally planned last week… actually none of the meals went as planned. First, we ended up not hosting family dinner (with a re-do planned for this week) on ...

Weekly Menu Plan - Real MommaReal Momma
realmomma.com

You're going to love this weekly menu plan and all the free goodies I have to offer on Real Momma, come check it out!

A Little Sunshine on My Plate: menu plan monday
alittlesunshineonmyplate.blogspot.com

menu plan monday. Sunday: Lunch: Hotdogs, chips, fruit. Dinner: At Parents (I'm bringing the salad maybe this strawberry spinach one or this one with peaches?) Monday: Lunch: Kids choice. Dinner: Breakfast for Dinner.

Making Sense of Cents: Sunday Meal Plan
www.makingsenseofcents.com

We have been doing extremely well since I made my food challenge post! We haven't ate out at all (except for some quick & cheap snacks before class and while on the go). BUT I have made dinner EVERY NIGHT! I've spent ...

365 Day Meal Plan: Week 23 Menu — Centsible Life
www.thecentsiblelife.com

Summer is in full swing in our house, with the kids' last day of school last week, and a gap in our activities for the next week or so. Since things are so casual in the summer, meal planning will.

Menu Plan Monday ~ June 4/12 : I'm an Organizing Junkie
orgjunkie.com

Hello beautiful people. How are you? I hope you all had a lovely weekend and are ready for an organized week. How are we going to do that? By planning our menu out of course! Last week was a super yummy one for us.

Live on Less : Budget Friendly Menu Plan
athriftymom.com

Find out how I live on less by the way I plan my weekly menu!

Graceful Homesteading: How Do You Do It?!- Menu Planning and ...
graceful-homesteading.blogspot.com

Generally, I sit down once a week the day before my grocery shopping day and plan out my menu for the next week. I plan breakfast, lunch and dinner and sometimes I will plan snacks as well so that I willhave the fruit or ...

Meal Planning: June 17 - 23
goodcheapeats.com

Summer starts this week! To celebrate, we're going to “cook out” and dine al fresco.

Menu Plan Monday: See What's On The Menu Plan At Our House ...
passionatepennypincher.com

After months off of Menu Plan Monday, I thought I'd try adding it back to my posting schedule because I've got to start making a plan or we'll eat way too many nights out this summer! You may have noticed that I've been ...

Little Farm in the Big City: Menu Plan Monday 6/11
littlefarminthebigcity.blogspot.com

We have a relatively quiet summer planned. No vacation plans, this year. The kids are going to 4-H camp for a week, but hubby and I don't have anything exciting planned. I am so far behind on a few projects I'm enjoying the ...

Menu Plan Monday: Changing My Plan Around | Quick and Easy ...
quickeasycheaphealthy.com

Menu Plan Monday This month's focus in Eating Intentionally* is on Respecting Your Fullness, which means exactly what it sounds like it means. How are you.

More Yummy Strawberry Recipes

I had so many yummy strawberry recipes from the other day that I decided to share some more with all of you.

   

photo credit: grongar

Strawberries Ten Ways — Gourmet Live
live.gourmet.com
"Farmer's markets and supermarkets are filled with big, juicy, ruby red strawberries right now. They are at their peak of flavor, and, happily, at their cheapest. My kids eat about a pound of them a day, but when they get bored of ..."

I think I'm in heaven. Get me a spoon.
Roasted Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream
fromwhichthingsgrow.blogspot.com
"I recently saw that Joy the Baker made a very lovely Roasted Strawberry Buttermilk cake on her blog and I could not get it out of my mind. The inspiration was planted. Roasted strawberries sounded so chic and gorgeous."

photo credit: mjmonty

And here's yet a few more.

Healthy Living Awaits offers up a strawberry blueberry protein smoothie.

"I’ve been really big on smoothies lately, especially protein smoothies. I love to make them on the weekend right before I go exercise. It’s fast, easy, and a good way to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need before you workout. "

The Planted Trees admits being wrong about strawberry spinach salad.

"Every once in a while I'll come across a recipe, read the ingredients, and then think, "Yuck! That sounds disgusting!"  The recipe I'm sharing today is one of those recipes, except it's not disgusting."

Strawberry Cloud Trifle from Not Quite Donna Reed

"I want to share this trifle I have been making for over 20 years now. So easy and always a crowd pleaser. It looks quite elegant too."

 That's it for today. Off to water my own strawberry plants now. It's been very dry so far this spring.

What to Do With Your Summer Strawberries

I've been dreaming of few fresh picked strawberries today. We planted our strawberry plants a bit late this season. We grow some in pots on the deck and the kids just love getting to pick their own. It looks like we're going to be waiting a while longer though. Hmm...farmer's market here we come.

photo credit: La Grande Farmers' Market

This recipe probably wouldn't qualify as quick and easy.

Strawberries and Cream Tart | Savory Simple
savorysimple.net

"I love preparing desserts. There's something so methodical about the process of baking that I find very soothing. Planning, measuring, creaming, layering, decorating… and beautiful vibrant colors to inspire me! I certainly love ..."

I love this picture of the strawberry beds.
The Lost Gardens of Heligan: Strawing the Strawberries
lostgardensofheligan.blogspot.com

"is the tender job of strawing the strawberries. Gently lifting and tucking straw underneath the foliage and the first trusses of fruit to keep them dry and to discourage those armies of slugs that descend on your crop as soon as it ..."

photo credit: libraryrachel

Yummy!

strawberries and cream biscuits | smitten kitchen
smittenkitchen.com

"It's like a strawberry shortcake, stuffed inside a single cake. No wait, it's a strawberry and cream scone, with overripe strawberries that melt, their juices trickling free of their 2-by-1 confines, as they bake. It's a mistake, a terrible, ..."

Beautiful picture of the fruit of the harvest. Fresh jam...yum.
The Vintage Farmhouse: Mmmmmm, Strawberries
www.thevintagefarmhouse.com

"Since I love strawberries, and our sneaky chickens got into our plants and ate all of the strawberries, we decided to take a trip to the strawberry patch! I have not gone to pick strawberries since I was little and I was hoping my ..."

photo credit: JoePhoto

Three other delicious looking strawberry recipes for you.

Chiffon Cake with Strawberries and Cream | Culinary Covers
culinarycovers.com

"Review of the recipe on the cover of Martha Stewart Living June 2012: Chiffon Cake with Strawberries and Cream. Photograph included."

Rice Pudding With Roasted Strawberries - A Beautiful Mess
abeautifulmess.typepad.com

"Rice pudding is one of my favorite snacks! It has been a food obsession of mine for years now. I love how simple it is too; I usually have all the ingredients in my pantry and refrigerator whenever the rice-pudding-craving..."

strawberry coconut gelato | SoupAddict.com
soupaddict.com

"Strawberry Coconut Gelato. The strawberries have been lovely this season, but alas, they're winding down here. For some of you, the season is just starting, and for other lucky ducks, production will continue for some time."

Have you been strawberry picking yet?

How about some fresh baked bread?

Who doesn't love some fresh baked bread? Likely you can't keep it around as your family starts eating it as soon as it is out of the oven. Today, I went in search of some yummy baked goods that we can bless our families with.

 

 photo credit: Dave Pullig

Encyclopedia of Country Living has a no fry donut recipe for us today described as:

"an easy, at-home recipe for doughnuts is the perfect remedy." 

Easy bread is the best bread in my book. Join Money Saving Mom for her English Muffin Bread. She says:

"I’m so glad I tried the recipe. It’s a winner. So easy to make, so frugal, and so good."

 
How about a gluten free option for your pizza night? This Chick Rocks offers up a unique pizza crust that she says:

"These days we do soaked crust and also enjoy trying various grain-free crusts. This recipe for coconut flour pizza crust uses mozzarella, coconut flour, eggs, and either buckwheat or flax seed. You might be a bit skeptical. I was. "

Last up for today is that gooey cross between dessert and bread, but with a twist.  A Little Nosh shares a Chocolate Bread Pudding.

"This recipe was so easy. The hardest part was waiting for it to finish cooking. I made it pretty true to the original recipe, but I think it would be great with some chopped pecans mixed in after you're done soaking the bread, or even a peanut butter sauce drizzled on top. The possibilities are endless."

So, there you are. A unique collection of items to add to your baking regime. Happy baking.

Easy Dinner Ideas for Families on the Go

We've purchased our family pool passes for the season and are planning on spending a lot of evenings at the pool. This means that our dinner on those nights needs to be quick and entail little clean up. I've been giving some thought about how I will compensate for our nights out. Here are the ideas I've rounded up.

 

photo credit: qmnonic

Double the amount I make for dinner - This one I'll do for sure.


When I make dinner,  I'll double the portion when I can. It doesn't take any more time to boil three cups of pasta as it does six, for example. This allows freezing the extra and have a healthy dinner available for busy nights.

Use slow cookers and pressure cookers - I may occasionally do this.

These special pieces of kitchen equipment can be invaluable for the hurried cook. Ironically, the slow cooker can help those who need dinner to be ready quickly. You throw the ingredients in, and the food cooks itself during the day or overnight.

Pressure cookers can also be a life-saver. If you get held up and can't get home in time to start a roast or assemble a soup or stew, a pressure cooker can cook even frozen foods in less than half the time of conventional cooking. Even beef or chicken stock can be made in less than 45 minutes. Pressure cookers are also helpful for those who want to incorporate whole grains and beans into their diets. These foods take a long time on the stove top, but are ready quickly in a pressure cooker.

Plan ahead - I do this as much as possible, but I can see falling off the wagon right in the middle of our busy season.

Take some time each week to plan your meals. Check your grocery store's flyer for specials or look online, and make up a shopping list and meal plan for the week. This can help prevent you getting caught off guard.

Frozen meats - We do this one a lot already.

Keeping a bag of fish fillets in the freezer can be a life-saver on busy nights. Fish cooks quickly whether it's been thawed or not, and it's a versatile food that goes well with many flavors. Frozen chicken tenders are helpful, too - they cook up a lot faster than full chicken breasts.

Eat raw and cold foods - I've already warned the family about this. And, as a bonus, I've stocked up on paper plates and paper cups so that we can dine and dash.

One way to cut down on cooking time is not to cook! Break out the dips (which you can keep on hand) like hummus, salsa, or even just ranch dressing, and put out a plate of raw vegetables, cheeses, pita wedges, corn tortillas, and fruits. Roll up deli meats with cheese and apples, or set out crackers, cream cheese, and sliced veggies.

How do you change up your summer dinner time plans?

Summer Food Safety Tips

The temperatures are finally starting to rise where I live. My kids love to pack up, go to the park and picnic.

Like cold and flu season, there seems to be a food-borne illness season - it's said that food-borne illness is at its peak in the summer months. The warm temperatures of summer are the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive, and the backyard cookout can be another environment that encourages food contamination. Here are some tips on keeping your food safe this summer

photo credit: A. Blight

Cooking on the grill

More than one case of food poisoning has come from meat that's undercooked. In fact, some of the more severe illnesses can result from eating partially raw or rare red meat. Since summer is the season for grilling burgers, make sure you cook the burgers absolutely thoroughly, all the way through, with no pink showing.

Many people grill in the summer when they are not used to grilling or cooking at other times, setting the stage for cooking inaccuracies. Be sure there is no red juice from burgers pierced with a fork. Set burgers on a white platter and let them rest for at least 10 minutes before serving - if any reddish juice ends up on the platter during the rest period, put the burgers back on the grill.

Washing up

Summer is a time for picnics and cookouts, and many times there is no hand-washing facility available at the cooking site. Bring jugs of water and antibacterial soap to the site so that you have these crucial elements available for food preparation and surface clean-up. Any time you handle raw meat, wash thoroughly before handling other foods, especially foods that won't be cooked such as vegetables, fruits, or bread. You should also wash hands before handling utensils and cutting surfaces.

Coolers

When you transport foods like potato salad or burger meat, they need to be kept cold en route. Pack plenty of ice or frozen "ice" blocks/gel packs along with the food. One good idea is to freeze water in used, plastic water bottles and distribute those around the food in the cooler. On the way, keep the cooler in the car where it's air conditioned rather than in the trunk.

Put food away

At home, it's easy to forget foods on the counter. In the summer, it's especially important to put food back into the refrigerator or freezer after using. At cookouts and picnics, have a cooler handy to put leftovers into right away. It's said that food should not be at room temperature or exposed to warm outdoor weather for more than two hours.

Here's to a great summer season!

Things kids can cook with very little help!

I was afraid to start letting my kids help in the kitchen. Here are some things I've found that they can 'cook' with very little help. I like to start with foods that don't need a recipe.

* Scrambled eggs
* Soup or pasta from a can
* Spaghetti
* Grilled cheese
* Grilled peanut butter and jelly
* Mashed potatoes (instant varieties)
* Toaster waffles and pastries
* Anything in a microwavable dish
* Sloppy joes
* No bake cookies
* Chilled pizzas (cream cheese and veggies on pita bread)
* Smoothies (watch fingers near blenders)
* Oatmeal

How do you start cooking with your children?