9/24/12- Meals for Others
Lately I feel like I have been making lots of meals for others. After some unfortunate happenings in our lives through the past couple years, we were blessed with so many people that cared for us and showed their support by making meals for us. So now, whenever I get the chance I return the favor. Of course not to only the ones that made meals for us, but to anyone that I hear of that I feel could use this gesture. I also make meals for others to show my appreciation for something (i.e. I made a meal for a friend that watched our kids for us one evening). Below are some tips I use when preparing meals for others:
- Prepare something that could be kid-friendly if the family has kids. This can mean anything from leaving certain spices out to leaving a sauce separately so the child can eat with the parents.
- Prepare a well-balanced meal. I always include a bag of salad or some kind of veggie with the main dish.
- Serve meal in container that does not need returned. When I see the large Ziploc containers on sale I always buy them because I know I will use them. The large black ones can even go right in the oven which is convenient. It's nice for the recipient not to have to worry about returning the containers when finished. Especially if they are receiving many meals then they don't have to worry about what goes to whom.
- Write out directions on how to bake on top of main dish. I do this and include a "or freeze within 2 days" option. You never know if they will be able to eat the meal that evening.
- If someone could use multiple meals, consider setting up a sign up for others to join in. Two that I have seen used before are Meal Train and Take Them a Meal. Both are user friendly and can be sent via email or FaceBook for multiple participants to sign up.
- Find out, if you aren't sure of, any allergies before making the meal.
Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff-
I made this for a family of 5, so I made more than it called for. I used about 1.5 lbs of stew meat, a whole onion, and added a can of beef broth. I also added a packet of Lipton Onion Soup Mix for more flavor. I prepared this main dish and sent separately from noodles. I also sent cooked carrots, and brownies. This meal simply needed warmed, no cooking required. I have made this meal for my family numerous times so knew it would be a hit!
Beef and Bean Burritos-
- 1 lb ground turkey (I always use turkey when cooking for others. It is healthier and that is what I serve my own family.)
- 1 packet of taco seasoning mix
- Can of black beans (can use refried but the recipient does not like refried)
- 4-6 Burrito shells
- 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
- Shredded lettuce and tomato for toppings.
Spaghetti Bake-
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1/2 lb ground sausage
- 1 lb whole wheat spaghetti (any spaghetti will work, but again I try to steer towards the healthy alternative)
- 1 large jar of spaghetti sauce
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Another option to send a family in need is a gift card to a restaurant that you know does take out. Who in your circle of friends, family, or church members could use a meal? :)
5/13/12- We had a cook out the other weekend with some twin family friends. There were going to be a lot (12!) of kids here, so I wanted to make something that would be fun for the kids. I had seen on the internet these Cupcake Cones and decided to give them a try. I was surprised at how EASY they were to make!
 |
| First, I made the cupcake batter. I put the cupcake papers in my tins and added batter to make each cup 2/3 full. Then, I put the cones upside down in each batter cup. I baked to whatever time and temp the box said to do for cupcakes. |
 |
| I then picked each up and set it right side up. I let them cool completely, maybe an hour or so. I put a dab of frosting under each cone and then stuck it to the platter I would be presenting on. This helped the cupcakes to not be top heavy and fall over. |
 |
| I then frosted and decorated them. I used the Betty Crocker cupcake frosting that squirts out of the can. I thought this was easier than spreading it on with a knife. However, one can of frosting only frosted 6 cupcake cones. I made plenty, so I used 3 containers of the frosting (Paul even had to go buy us another one mid-making). Ella helped me decorate them with different sprinkles. It was so much fun to make something that she could help me with! |
 |
| Ella enjoying one of our creations! :) |
4/26/12- It's been a while since I have posted a recipe, but the Chicken and Biscuits I made last night was definitely blog worthy! :) I read different recipes and reviews along with making my own variations and came up with this:
- Chicken thighs- I used 6 all natural, boneless, skinless, thighs. I trimmed them well.
- 2 cans of cream of celery soup
- 2 cups chicken broth
- small onion, chopped
- minced garlic
- 3/4 bag of mixed frozen vegetables
- 3 tubes of refrigerated Pillsbury biscuit dough (they come in a pack of 4)
2/8/12- On Superbowl Sunday, I made a couple snacks to have during the game. The first was Bruschetta. It was amazing! I normally do not follow recipes exactly (I usually add my own flare...whether it be mixing up the ingredients a bit or adding more or less of an ingredient), but this one I did. It was fantastic!
I also made Jalapeno Popper Dip. This is a recipe that I got from a friend a while ago and a snack that I make often. It is not in any way healthy, but it is delicious and always gets rave reviews! The recipe is simple: 1 jar of jalapeno peppers, diced (you can use fresh, but it makes the dip about 10x's spicier!); 1 can of diced chilies (don't drain if you want more spice); 2 blocks of cream cheese, softened; 1 cup of mayo, 1/2 cup (or more;) of shredded parmesan cheese. Mix all ingredients besides the parmesan cheese. Spread in bottom of baking dish (any size), sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Bake at 375 for about 35-40 minutes. Serve with bread or crackers.
2/5/12- Paul makes two meal choices...ever. He makes either grilled cheese or his famous stir fry. This week he made his chicken stir fry one evening. It was fantastic. The recipe is simple: fry 3 chicken breasts, cubed, in olive oil. Add whatever veggies you want (he adds baby corn, broccoli, carrot chips, hot peppers, one onion, and snow peas). Cook in a wok until chicken is cooked through and veggies are still firm. Add soy sauce and House of Tsang Szechuan Spicy Stir Fry Sauce (this sauce is found with the oriental foods in the grocery and really makes the meal!) to taste. He made Minute Maid whole grain brown rice and placed the stir fry on top of the rice. To top it off, he added some La Choy rice noodles to the top. The meal was delish!
For my lunches this week, I really tried to make them healthy (and meatless). One day I made a pesto tomato wrap. It was great! I laid out a whole grain tortilla, and spread some basil pesto on it. I then added two pieces of white American cheese, about 4 thin slices of tomato, halved, some shredded lettuce, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. This was my favorite lunch of the week! P.S. I would really like to start making my own basil pesto...anyone have a good recipe for this??
I really can't even remember what else we ate this week...is that bad? ;)
Some of our favorites on the shopping list were:
- Dannon Pure Yogurt. It only has 9 all natural ingredients in it. It is strawberry flavor. All 5 of us love it! If you don't purchase all natural yogurt, take a look at your yogurt ingredient list. I'm willing to bet it has a lot more than 9!
- Natural Cheetos. These are white cheddar flavor. They are a serious weakness of mine and my girl's. We all love them. They are found in the organic section of the grocery. You, too, will be hooked if you try them!
- Almond milk. I have been drinking Almond milk about half the time versus dairy milk. Ella doesn't like it much, but I am trying to get her to drink it part of the time too. It has all of the wonderful health benefits of almonds, and is not dairy. If you aren't in to drinking full cups of it, it is especially good with coffee or in cereal.
- Mrs. T's Pierogies. I'm sure everyone has had these a time or two. Although they are not the most healthy thing (I could not find them made with whole wheat pasta), they are convenient and my kids love them. I just gave them to H&H for the first time this week. They were in Heaven. I'm talking, both fists on tray, shoveling in mouth as fast as they could. The kids had pierogies twice this week. Simple. Quick. Convenient. Every mom needs that sometimes.
- The last thing is not anything new in our home. They are Ella's Kitchen squeezable baby foods. These are SO convenient. They are a mixture of organic, all natural fruits and veggies. You literally unscrew the top off and your baby (or toddler) squeeze the product in their mouth. H&H love them and Ella eats them too. They are one of the only ways I can get Ella to eat veggies. They are a bit pricey ($1.32 per pouch on sale) but you are paying for the convenience. We take these everywhere with us....the Zoo, COSI, the mall, play dates, etc. And to top it off, what a clever name they are called! There are other squeezable pouches out there for sale too. One that we buy frequently are the Applesauce ones shown below.
1/29/12- I started the week off by making this Black Bean Vegetable Soup. I did make mine in the crock pot. The only change I made is that I about tripled the amount of chili powder it called for. My husband loves spicy things, and nothing can ever be too spicy for him. I knew he wouldn't be extremely keen on a no-meat soup anyways, so I still tried to please him :) Note: He still said it wasn't spicy enough! I thought the soup was good for a pretty healthy meal. Paul thought it was a bit bland...so if you aren't watching calories, try adding some crackers or sour cream for a bit of added goodness.
I also made spaghetti and meatballs this week. This is generally a not very healthy meal, but it is easy and I had everything on hand so I went with it anyways. The couple things I do to make health conscious spaghetti and meatballs is: use whole wheat pasta, turkey versus beef for the meatballs, and measure out portion sizes. This meal definitely had Paul, Ella, and H&H's approval!
One night this week Paul was out for a work dinner. I made this salad for myself that consisted of spinach leaves, tomatoes, a couple cranberries, a few croutons, and dressing. I now measure out my dressing. I used to NEVER do this. If you know me well, you know that I normally order extra dressing at dinner. This salad was awesome and as you can tell, the 2tbsp of dressing was still a lot!
Paul and I were really craving pizza this week since we have not had it in a while. We ordered Papa John's thin crust with fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, and onions. While I don't know exactly how healthy or not healthy this was, it had to have been better than our usual thicker crust, pepperoni, banana peppers, and extra cheese pick! It was fantastic!
1/21/12- I have decided to make a couple changes to this page. You probably noticed that now the most recent posts will be first on the list. This just makes it easier for you to not have to scroll all the way down to see if I have updated my menu. Also, I am going to post our meals at the end of the week. That way I can post photos of them. Who doesn't want pictures of food?! That being said, My next post will be next Saturday or Sunday with what we ate, tips, recipes, and photos. I will leave you with this until then...
My brother is a phenomenal cook. He loves gourmet, delicious, somewhat-exotic food. He cooked us this recipe of lamb chops last night with red skinned mashed potatoes and asparagus. It was very good. Paul or I had never had lamb before. But when Ryan offers to make something, you take him up on it and will not be disappointed. He said the only variation he made is that he added about a half cup of red wine to the reduction sauce.
The asparagus was pan fried with EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), and a dash of pepper. I added a sprinkle of parmesan cheese at the end. It was fab!
1/15/12- Ok, I am late again. Not as late though..so I'd say I'm making progress.
Sunday my mom made a crock pot of soup to have ready when we got home from church. It's an easy, quick soup to make called chicken tortellini. The recipe is as follows: Fill crock pot about half full with soup broth, or make your own base to fill that much. Add 3 cooked shredded chicken breasts, one can of diced tomatoes with seasonings (she uses Hunts, but I'm sure it would be easy enough to do chopped fresh tomatoes with italian seasonings), 1 tbsp minced garlic. You can cook all of this one hour or leave it on all day. About a half hour before you want to eat, add 2 bags of frozen tortellini. Wait until the tortellini are all big and puffy and viola, it's done!
Monday evening I wasn't feeling too hot. I don't know what was going on with me. So, Paul made dinner....mac and cheese and chicken fingers. This is considered gourmet for him. Kind of kidding here, kind of not ;)
Tuesday we had a busy day taking the girls to the doctor and then we have gymnastics. We picked up Ella at her friend's house and grabbed Greek food on the way home. YUM!
Wednesday we will have the talapia and rice that we were going to have last week and never ended up eating.
Thursday I have a friend coming in to visit from out of town. I plan to use up my other flatbread crusts that I have and re-create a couple of those that I had last week. Hopefully she enjoys them!
Friday is still TBD, Saturday is TBD
This whole weekly menu thing may be better done at the end of the week! We'll see how the next week goes and I'll make the determination.
Tips I do at the beginning of the week to make meals easier:
- Cook and shred chicken breasts. If a recipe calls for this, I do it beforehand because it's a pain in the butt doing it along with making the meal. For example, if I needed chicken for the soup I made I could use half for that and half for chicken salad for lunches that week. Or if I was making chicken enchiladas, I could use half for that and then half for shredded chicken sandwiches or shredded BBQ chicken salad the next night. I always use fresh, all natural chicken (never canned...yuck).
- Clean and break apart or cut up lots of lettuce. This makes it easier and more convenient to eat salads during the week. Who wants to clean and cut up lettuce each time you want a salad? Not me! Hence, a reason not to eat salads and we don't want that ;)
- Boil lots of eggs. All of the protein Ella gets is from eggs, and sometimes beans. So, we do a lot of egg-eating around here. Ella eats hard boiled eggs for lunch often, as now do H&H. I have egg salad once and a while or just one hard boiled egg for a snack.
- Clean and cut up any fruits or veggies that I want eaten that week. Some usuals are celery, carrots, strawberries, and grapes. Again, they are more likely to get eaten if they are ready to go!
1/8/12- Yes, I am already late with this post on the new page. I had some technical difficulties that I needed to get figured out :) Anyways, I am really going to try to post this on each Sunday or Monday evening BEFORE the week of meals starts.
Sunday was girl's night. This month we did flatbreads and salad. The flatbread idea was AMAZING!...hmmm, I wonder who had that idea ;) There were so many good flatbreads...buffalo chicken, tomato mozzarella, sundried tomato and goat cheese (love me some goat cheese), pear and gorgonzola (replica of the Juliet from our fav Wine Bistro restaurant).
Monday was not my personal choice. Paul and been dying (as in asking for about three weeks now) for Steak-Umm sandwiches. Yes, they do still make those. We had a box of them in the freezer for a few months now. So, trying to follow my diet I made myself a variation of the fake-meat sandwich. Paul had a big fat hoagie bun with lots of meat, sauteed onion and peppers, and cheese. He also finished off a bag of tater-tots from a while back. I made myself one piece of whole wheat toast, one piece of meat, and lots of veggies on top. No tots for me!
Tuesday I made homemade chicken noodle soup. I try to make a soup each week. Well, ok, every other week. Soups work good for our family because I then have them for lunch leftovers. Soups on Tuesdays are great because Ella has gymnastics and it's a great eat-it-when-you-want-it meal. I use a traditional recipe: chicken broth, shredded chicken (much better IMO than chunked), lots of carrots, celery, and onion. Oh, and whole wheat pasta. Add some parsley and viola!
Wednesday Paul had more soup. I was sick of it already since I had it for lunch that day too, so I had a salad. My salad toppings consisted of sliced almonds, tomatoes, cranberries, and some viniagrette.
Thursday Paul had a work dinner so I was on my own. I bought a serving of the ever-fresh (at least I hope so) sushi from Kroger. It was delish!
Friday my family will be in town. We plan to do Chinese or pizza. I'll probably have a small portion of either of those and then have lots of veggies and hommos for a filler-up.
Saturday my family will still be in town. I have plans with some friends coming in from out of town for dinner. Mom said they will have "munchies" since I won't be home. I'm assuming they will have lots of yummy (bad) foods like buffalo chicken dip, pizza something or other (rolls, bread, who knows), and lots of things with cheese.
Sunday...TBD. I have some talapia in the freezer that I may take out. We will have some veggies with that.
Some favorites from my shopping list this past week:
- Veggie straws - Ella and the twins love these as much as Paul and I do.
- Sliced almonds - LOVE these alone or on salad
- Organic milk - We all drink this now. I used to only give organic to Ella but it just tastes SO MUCH BETTER and I can't resist!
- Hommos - with pita, veggies, anything!
I have decided to add a new page to my blog. For the new year, I have been on this major health kick to transform the way I eat. I am shopping different and buying, and not buying, things that I normally would or wouldn't. I used to buy a lot of fruits and veggies, but mainly for my kids. I would buy healthy foods each time I went to the store, but would regularly pick up that bag of Cheetos and a frozen pizza to go along with. I am not following any particular diet, just revamping the way I shop and plan our meals.
I am going to post each Sunday or Monday evening with what's on our dinner menu for the week. Sometimes I'll add in recipes that I love or new ones that I'm going to try. I'll include food products that we love and ones that we don't like so much. I'll also add in new things that I am making and feeding my kids.
Enjoy this new page!
