This recipe is very fast and very easy. I give it a 2 on the easiness rating scale because you really cannot mess this up and it has tons of flavor. It tastes great the next day too, so save some leftovers. Unfortunately, it was not toddler approved, too flavorful I think. Easiness Rating Scale 1= your 2 year old could make this without your help, 5= some effort involved, but you can totally do this Ingredients: Serves 4
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You can serve this with or without a salad. It is very filling! My hubby loved it and asked if we could have it again soon. Unfortunately, my toddler was too picky for all these flavors. She had a PBJ instead.
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I know you are probably thinking, I thought this chick was supposed to be all about moderation? Menu planning is the definition of "perfectionist mom syndrome" and exactly what we're trying to avoid here! Agreed. I too used to cringe at the idea of it because it seemed so daunting and frankly just obnoxious. So what changed my mind? ATTEMPT # 1 I tried the menu planning thing and followed a blog by this self described OCD perfectionist (my first mistake). I tried it for one week thinking, maybe it really would be life changing. Nope, it was not. The recipes included 1,000 ingredients, some of which were impossible to find in the store, and I spent about twice as much money at the grocery store buying all the stuff. Plus, when something "came up" one night or I just didn't want to cook, I felt like I was wasting the food and money. There was no flexibility. It was just too much. Major FAIL. ATTEMPT # 2 So next, I decided to try the make-ahead freezer meals. At this time, I was still working full time so I thought this would be a fantastic way to be ready for meals all week! I picked the recipes and made the lists, bought all the items.....and spent ALL. DAY. SUNDAY. putting the meals together in baking dishes and large zip lock baggies. But it was going to be so worth it, right? WRONG again. The first few recipes were kind of gross and then a couple of nights, I forgot to defrost the meals beforehand, so we ended up getting take out instead. Before I knew it, the meals had frost all over them and were looking less and less appetizing. Eww. We ended up throwing the rest out. Big time FAIL. ATTEMPT # 3 Lastly, I tried pre-assembled meals that you order ahead and they get delivered to your door. They are not cheap, but I thought, I'm already throwing money away, so it's worth a shot if we at least eat it. This was definitely a better option than the previous attempts, but there were still issues. The foods were very flavorful and rich. I enjoyed them at first, but then started to get tired of the rich meals, like cranberry and butter crusted bacon on pork chops. It's delicious for one night, but too much for every night of the week and I found myself packing on some pounds. Plus, you still have to read the directions and cook it, and often times it took 30 minutes or more. Ugh. And meals were wasted when we decided to go out. It just wasn't the answer either. Another FAIL. So finally, I decided to try the menu planning again, but this time with more....MODERATION. I decided to make some changes: 1) Choose easier meals with fewer ingredients 2) Allow for a "Left Overs" night 3) Only included ONE new recipe in my menu each week, all the others I should know by heart so that I can keep it simple 4) Include one night that is either a grill night (maybe your husband will handle that night?) Or, a night where you pop in a store-bought frozen pizza or lasagna Why did these 4 things make all the difference?
How do you make it work?
The menu planning takes me about 15 minutes. I usually do it on a Sunday and then I get the groceries done within 30-45 minutes. It has saved my sanity and we are actually using all the food I buy instead of wasting so much. We have saved more money doing it this way as well and it has now gotten to the point where I have enough recipes that I feel comfortable with, that occasionally I can just hit the grocery store without a list because maybe that week, I'm not going to try any new recipes at all because it's going to be a busy week. Does all of that make sense? Do you feel like this is do-able? If you try it out, I want to hear from you! What are your thoughts? These turkey burgers are packed with flavor and both hubby and toddler approved. My husband actually said he loved them and that I should add them to my blog! So here we go... I give these burgers a 1 on the easiness rating scale because they only have 4 basic ingredients and there's no prep work or planning ahead. You can make these from start to finish in 15 minutes, always a plus. Easiness Rating Scale 1= your 2 year old could make this without your help, 5= some effort involved, but you can totally do this Serves 3-4 Ingredients:
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I served these patties without buns, but they are delicious with a bun as well (your choice). I included a side salad. My toddler enjoyed hers with some ketchup (of course). Please ignore the crazy post pigtails hair! Hope you will ENJOY this one!
This recipe is ridiculously easy, I give it a 1 on the easiness rating scale because there is basically only one step. Also, it is awesome for feeding a crowd, simply double or triple the recipe. Everyone will love it and you will love how easy it is! I serve this with a side salad and corn on the cob. Easiness Rating Scale 1= your 2 year old could make this without your help, 5= some effort involved, but you can totally do this. Serves: 3-4 Ingredients:
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My husband and toddler are both big fans of this recipe and I love it because it's so easy. I put the shredded chicken on my toddler's plate and she goes crazy for it. It is definitely a winner! ENJOY!
This recipe is crazy easy and it tastes AH-MAZING! And you deserve it! It seriously will make you happy. I will include the pitcher recipe as well. I have to give credit to my dad for this one. His creation! Ingredients:
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This recipe is super easy, I give it a 4 on the easiness rating scale because you do have to boil noodles. This meal is great for kids too, a little messy, but delicious. I served this meal with a side salad. Easiness Rating Scale 1= your 2 year old could make this without your help, 5= some effort involved, but you can totally do this Ingredients: Serves 4
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Remember, you can put this together early (like the night before or during nap time) and keep it in fridge until you are ready to bake. You can also freeze it and use later. This recipe is super easy, I give it a 3 on the easiness rating scale because there are multiple steps, albeit easy steps. The best part was that it was a hit with both the hubby and my picky toddler. Total win! I served this meal with a side salad and corn on the cob. And if you really want to get happy, check out my Get Happy Margarita recipe too. Easiness Rating Scale 1= your 2 year old could make this without your help, 5= some effort involved, but you can totally do this Ingredients: Serves 2-3 o 1 taco seasoning packet, any brand (I go with the low sodium kind) o 1 bag of multigrain Tostito scoops o 2 Large Chicken breasts (I use organic chicken, because meat is the one place that I try to go organic whenever possible, but pick your battles) o 1 small can of salsa (pick the spiciness level, I used mild because I knew the hubby could spice it up later and my toddler won’t eat it if it’s too spicy) o 1/2 cup of shredded cheese Optional Ingredients for Toppings: o Plain Greek Yogurt (or sour cream if you don’t mind the calories) o Avocado Mashed or diced o Fresh Salsa o Hot Sauce (My hubby and I prefer Cholula, MMmmm) Steps: 1. Put chicken breasts in crock pot (I recommend using a crock pot liner for easy clean up) and sprinkle one packet of taco seasoning over chicken, and cover with salsa. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hrs or high 4-6 hrs. 2. When chicken is fully cooked, use two forks to shred chicken. 3. Cover baking sheet with foil for easy clean up and spray baking sheet with oil, place Tostitos scoops on it 4. Use a fork to stuff each Tostito scoop with some shredded chicken 5. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top, don’t worry about it getting on the baking sheet if you covered it in foil, easy clean up. 6. Bake at 350 for 5 minutes or until cheese has melted 7. Add desired toppings and enjoy! Toddler Approved!!! And by the way, skip the bibs for dinner. They are just one more thing to clean up. Let your toddler be messy, just breathe. Bath time is coming…
If you’re looking for an expert chef recipe website, this is not the place. However, if you are a no-nonsense-in—the-kitchen, love a great crock pot recipe kind of person, you will love this. I guarantee no slaving away in the kitchen and spending hours in the grocery store. My recipes involve few ingredients and I try to keep them healthy enough so that we are not packing on the pounds, but hey… everything in moderation right?
I will also be talking a little about weekly menu planning. Don’t roll your eyes just yet… I swear, my menu planning is not neurotic and you won’t spend your entire Sunday in the kitchen making a thousand meals to freeze. You will not be labeling Tupperware or sifting flour…ever. You can trust me to keep it simple. I always include a “leftovers night” on the menu and generally only attempt one new recipe a week. Now you can exhale right? We can do this! |