Simplest BBQ dinner ever!

Things are crazy, you’re busy, the kids have afterschool activities…. Need a quick and really easy dinner idea? Try this slow-cooker BBQ recipe you can throw together in under 5 minutes in the morning.  You’ll need:

• Your slowcooker  (crockpot)
• A bag of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (you can find these individually frozen in a bag in the freezer section of the grocery store, and they’re quite economical).
• A bottle of honey or hickory BBQ sauce  (get a good one!)
• Optional:  a half cup of dark beer

Place as many of the chicken thighs as you need inside the slow cooker- (I use 1-2 per person, depending on age).  If you are using the beer, mix a 1/2 cup of so of the beer with the BBQ sauce beforehand.  Pour the sauce over the chicken thighs, making sure all pieces are covered.

Turn the slow cooker on low, for up to 8 hours.  Don’t add additional liquid, as the chicken will produce its own liquid as it cooks, and very little liquid escapes during slowcooking.  The meat will be tender and tasty.  Serve with a side of rice and a salad, and you have an easy, quick, and inexpensive dinner that even small kids will eat, especially since the meat is super tender and there is no skin and no bones!

Rethinking Seasonal Produce

Lately I’ve been thinking about how to cut the cost of groceries.  Most sources on time management will tell you to make a meal plan for the week, list everything you’ll need for the menu, and go to the grocery store to buy it all.  The problem with that is you may not be capitalizing on the weekly sales and seasonal fluctuations in the market price of produce.  So I’ve taken another approach.  Perhaps it is not quite as efficient as the first method; but I think it’s more economical and probably is healthier since I’m often getting locally grown and in-season produce. 

When going to the grocery store, I have started to pay attention (for me, that means making a mental note of the price) of various produce items.  For instance, back in the fall, I was sucked in by a beautiful seasonal display of winter squash- spaghetti squash, acorn, and butternut.  I bought a couple at $1.50 a lb.  The next week, in the same grocery store, the price had dropped to 48 cents/lb.  That’s a more than 66% price drop!  These are especially good to stock up on, because they have a long shelf life, so I bought several more.  This week’s sale produce dictated the week’s menu, which included butternut squash bisque; spaghetti squash with olive oil and parmesan; and roasted acorn squash. 

Yes, my kids like strawberries in the dead of winter and asparagus in the heat of summer.  Hey, they’re great on the grill!  But for true economy, paying attention to the seasonal produce and taking advantage of market fluctuations can make a big difference in the grocery bill!  In the fall, when apples were on sale, we bought apples.  In the summer, when yellow squash and tomatoes were coming in from local farms, that’s what we had for dinner.  Check local farmer’s markets; produce markets; and other grocery store fliers.  You’ll get the tastiest and least expensive food when you aim for seasonally appropriate food.

Short on Time? Use these Cooking Tips

Eliminatingparentingstress.com put together a number of tips that parents can use to reduce the amount of time spent preparing meals. Something that I found different about their tips: they concentrated on tips that both saved time and were nutritious for the family. They specifically asked parents to avoid fast food saying that it can “mess up your families nutritional balance”. My favorite tip:

Prepare things ahead of time that just need to be re-heated: There are many meals that can be cooked when busy parents have free time, then they can be frozen and reheated when they need to be used. This includes different types of stews, soups and pasta meals. Meat can also be frozen, such as meatballs, so they can simply be reheated for an easy meal of spaghetti and meatballs when necessary.

Best After School Snacks

Almost all kids want a snack after school. The trick to teaching them how to choose the healthy snacks is to give them a wide variety of healthy choices. Directorym.com had this suggestion of what to put on the counter:

Snack Tray on the Counter: Whole grain cereal, whole grain crackers, nuts, seeds, peanut butter, cheese buns, whole wheat rolls, apples, bananas, mandarin oranges.

Upside-Down Pizza

This simple recipe from Parenting.com is perfect for kids to help out with. Even the little ones can have fun sprinkling cheese and measuring the ingredients. And everyone loves pizza for dinner!

1⁄2 lb sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1⁄2 lb ground turkey
1 Tbs olive oil
1 (28-oz) jar tomato sauce
1 tsp dried basil
Cooking spray
2 cups shredded low-fat mozzarella
1 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crust
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large skillet, sauté sausage and ground turkey in olive oil until well browned. Break sausage into small pieces.

2. Pour sauce over meat, and stir in basil. Simmer 5 minutes.

3. Coat a deep 9-inch pie dish with cooking spray. Pour half the meat mixture into the pan. Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese. Add remaining meat mixture and top with the rest of the cheese.

4. Place crust on top of the filling, and crimp edges. Cut a few slashes in the middle and bake for 30 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Simple Fruit Dessert

Want a quick, tasty dessert tonight?  Try a fruit salad!  No, not your grandma’s, the kind that incorporated a can of fruit cocktail in heavy syrup. 

Grab whatever tasty fruit is in season- berries, apples, pears, oranges, bananas, kiwis, mangos, etc. 

Wash, (peel if necessary), and slice or chop- I often use slices or spears rather than chopping into chunks.  It makes it easier for the kids to eat and gives a nice mixed texture. 

Squeeze a little lime juice and drizzle honey over the top of the fruit, stirring together.  Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon or nutmeg, or add toasted chopped nuts.  Serve in individual bowls for a quick, healthy dessert!  And for a touch of fun, a dollop of whipped cream.

Economizing on Groceries

For many families with kids, grocery shopping eats a huge chuck of change each week.  Of that weekly bill, a large portion goes to meat.  This source of protein and vitamins is one of the most expensive components of most meals.  So you’re not ready to go vegetarian?  Here’s a couple of tips for cutting the cost while still incorporating meat into the menu.

• Buy less expensive cuts.  Use the crockpot to slow cook and tenderize.
• Learn how to braise meat.  It’s pretty simple- pop a chunk of meat (a pork or beef roast) into the oven at a high temperature; cook for a short period.  Lower the temperature and cover the dish and cook for a longer period, depending on the meat- it makes for moist and tender meats.  This works for inexpensive roasts and is great to add inexpensive root veggies like potatoes and carrots.
• Incorporate meat into larger dishes, rather than making it the main attraction.  Stir fry chicken breasts and cut into slices- add to a salad or stir fry veggies.  Toss chicken or shrimp into pasta with alfredo sauce.  Pan fry a few fish filets, break into pieces, and make fish tacos.  Make regional specialties like shrimp and grits; chicken and dumplings; gumbo; green chile and pork stew. 

Create a Menu Plan for a Whole Month

My husband and I have traditionally planned our groceries week by week. It allows us to check for sales and great deals on local produce. So when I read this article at momadvice.com I was a bit doubtful, last November I gave her list a try and when it worked out we had saved a bunch of money. The only place I had difficulty with was lunch… Leftovers are a staple for taking to work, and some of these recipes were too good for leftovers!

The cost to buy the supplies and everything needed for lunches & breakfast came in at approximately $200.

Quick Easter Treats!

Easter is on the way, and many moms will need to come up with an easy and fast treat for school parties or Easter goodies- try Easter Peeps Cupcakes!  All you need are frosted cupcakes (your own or courtesy of the local bakery), green sprinkles, pretzel sticks, and peeps!  Frost the cupcakes, sprinkle on the green sprinkles (for grass), and use the pretzel sticks like anchors- insert half into the bottom of the peep, and the other half into the top of the cupcake.  Simple and fun! 

-Hint- don’t do this the night before- the cupcake’s moisture can make the pretzel get too soft and fall apart.

From Field to Table

With all the media attention on fresh, local food, here’s a great idea for getting your kids involved.  Try a local pick-your-own, or U-Pick farm.  These are found all over the country, and kids absolutely love it.  I grew up on a farm, but my three boys are suburbanites, so the chance to get their hands dirty is always a great spring activity for them, especially when it involves food, another of their favorites.  We’ve picked raspberries in California and Northern New Mexico, peaches and blueberries in Florida, strawberries in Louisiana, and more.  Most U-Pick farms are family friendly and don’t frown on eating while you pick.  In fact, if the raspberry farms were really concerned with making money, they would have weighed the boys on their way in and again on the way out!  Most will have baskets to pick in, and some even supply little red wagons for carrying what you pick.  (or tired kids!) 

To find a local farm in your area, visit www.pickyourown.org , which lists u-pick farms by state.

Travel Snacks

Spring break is upon us, and many families will be taking a vacation, even if it is relatively close to home.  Long rides in the car with kids can result in multiple fast-food drive thru’s, (plus the accompanying squished trash in the floor of the backseat), never-ending discussion of they want to eat, and the always popular, “how much further?” 

To keep down the cost, hassle, and junk the kids consume, I make them a snack pack before we leave.  For each child, I put in several healthy snacks plus a napkin or two in a paper lunch bag.  Great options include cheese sticks, raisins, crackers, fruit in a ziplock, and other easy to handle snacks.  When the first child starts asking for snacks, I pass out the brown bags.  They don’t all have to eat the same thing, and they can pick and choose what they want, plus the brown bag makes a handy trash bag.  The only other thing I need is a small cooler with juice boxes or water on gel ice packs, and we’re set for a road trip!

April Fools!

Looking for something fun and unexpected for your little ones?  Try an April Fool’s trick.  Tell them tonight they can have dessert first- make turkey meatloaf muffins for dinner, with mashed potatoes.  Using a little food coloring, color the potatoes and frost the muffins.  Then for dessert, make a mock grilled cheese sandwich- using frozen store bought pound cake (the Sara Lee type that comes in a loaf) slice it like bread, toast briefly in a skillet, and slather orange colored canned frosting between the cake slices to look like melted cheese.  Your kids will be in for a tasty surprise!

Tips for Cooking with Children

Bright Eyes Learning has put together a list of tips on cooking with your children. From fun ideas to try, to rules you need to set before getting started - making sure that you’re prepared will make this a fun kid oriented activity.

Store plates in a low cupboard so your child can help set the table.

Keep napkins and silverware in drawers they can reach.

Keep anything sharp up and back out of reach of children.

For any job that a child is not ready to do just tell them it is your turn (you may want to tell them why).

So What’s For Dinner?

Dinner is often the most exciting meal of the day. Breakfast fuels up our engines to get us going in the morning. Lunch is there to hold us over and dinner, well dinner is what it’s all about! Dinner is the time everyone convenes around the table and discusses how his or her day went. We’re glad to be home from work or happy that the kids will be in bed soon so we can get a little “me time”. And who cares if the dinner dishes sit until the morning? No big deal. Take the stress out of this wondrous daily event with a little organization and planning. A friend once told me to know what you are going to make for dinner by noon that day, even if you’re going to eat out or get food delivered. Great advice. Some Moms (or Dads) are very organized and have a weekly or even monthly menu planned out. If you’re not wired that way, just try the daily method. When you go to the supermarket, stock up on meat sales and freeze it when you get home. That way you always have a main dish on hand. It’s also wise to stock up on cans of fruits and veggies as side dishes and dinner rolls are easy and fast to make. Or you can just skip the extra carbs. Find out when everyone is going to be home for dinner and then subtract the cooking time of the item that takes the longest. Plan to start dinner then. Don’t forget the extra time it takes for the oven to preheat or a pot of water to boil. And if you are craving carbs, they take time to prep and bake as well. Know all of these things well in advance of dinner time. Have one of the kids set the table, serve it all up, and bon appetit!

Don’t Pay For What You Can Do Yourself

A lot of people needlessly pay “professionals” to do things they could do themselves for free. In today’s shaky economy, wasting money in this way is foolish and impractical. When you come across a situation in life that you think you need to call someone to “fix” for you, do a little research to see if it’s something you would feel comfortable doing yourself. Examples of things you can do yourself at no cost are haircuts and color, housecleaning, oil changes, yard work and landscaping, pest extermination, minor home repairs and improvements, and home decorating. You can also commit to learn valuable skills that can help you cut costs like sewing, light carpentry, cooking, baking, auto care, and computer repair. If you don’t have these skills and have no desire or time to learn them, ask around to see if any of your friends or family members do possess them. Offer to do a favor for him or her in exchange for them helping you out. While it’s great to trust yourself to do some things on your own, there are certain situations where a professional should be contacted. Plumbing, electrical, HVAC, medical problems, etc are all best left to the experts.

How To Form A Mommy Co-op

Imagine how wonderful it would be if a group of trustworthy Mommies got together and decided to help each other. One could watch the others’ kids while the rest did some shopping. They would return the favor by picking up her groceries while they were out. Or they could come up with a carpool schedule so everyone wouldn’t have to drive to school every single day. Sound good to you? Here’s how to set up a Mommy co-op:

1. Bounce the idea off of some of your closest friends or neighbors. Have those interested commit to the co-op and set up an e-mail account or group chat room to communicate with each other.

2. Come up with a list of chores or favors you’d like your co-op to help each other with. Choose a leader and use a voting system to make decisions.

3. Have a common calendar with everyone’s availability each month. Have each person express how they would like to contribute to the group. (Example: I’ll take the kids to school every day if someone runs errands for me, etc.)

4. Try to have a monthly meeting to make sure everyone is getting what she wants out of the co-op. Adjust accordingly.

5. Keep the co-op rather small so it can be managed successfully. Consider charging a small monthly due to cover gas expenses for Moms who contribute car-related favors.

No need to go it alone…let a Mommy co-op make your life easier!

Clean Veggies with Vinegar

Ever buy some fresh veg at the grocery store and take it home to find it has a strange waxy residue? Those left over pesticides and preservative sprays are great for the appearance for the veggie, but probably not good for your insides. Use this tip from HandyTipsAndHints.com for cleaning your veggies without buying an expensive veggie cleaner:

A simple yet effective way of rinsing pesticides off your veggies is soak them in a tub of water with white vinegar for five minutes.

Hot Dog Fingers

Creating creepy foods isn’t just for Halloween. If you have young boys, these tasty treats from Parenting.com can be served up at any time. Another favorite - Worms in Dirt Cupcakes - just use a “dirt” colored frosting and add on gummy worm pieces.

1. Cut hot dogs in half, widthwise, and then lengthwise into quarters.
2. Open a package of crescent-roll dough and roll until very thin. Cut the dough into strips, and wrap around each piece of hot dog, leaving a little bit of the tip uncovered. Bake as directed.

Be a VIP at a Restaurant

Getting great service at a restaurant doesn’t depend on how well known or how wealthy you are. According to Will Schwalbe at The Blog of Tim Ferriss, being treated like a VIP depends on how you treat the staff and chefs at a restaurant. Some of his tips are straight forward (afterall who doesn’t like to be complimented?) but others are a bit more subtle like the tip below. Can’t wait to impress your friends/clients with star treatment? Give these hints a try!

Ask the waiter to ask the chef two questions: First, What does everyone order, and Second, what does almost no one order but the chef thinks everyone should. Then order them both. Chefs want to show off their popular dishes, but often have an item on the menu they are really proud of, and really want people to try. I first did this at The Slanted Door in San Francisco. A cook actually came out to say hello because he thought it was so unusual.

Weight Watchers: Low Budget Impact

I’ve never been successful on prepackaged diet products. It’s not the flavor, the ease of accessibility or the limited options. It’s just that they all seem to cost so much money and well, running or walking (if I have the time!) is free. Then I read this article at BlissfullyDomestic.com on how WeightWatchers was actually easy on the budget:

I’ve been a little surprised at the impact - or lack thereof - of Weight Watchers on our grocery budget. I thought I’d spend more on produce and “special” low calorie foods. But that hasn’t really been the case. I do buy a lot of produce, but not much more than I used to. I buy a few things that I didn’t used to - particularly Laughing Cow Light Cheese and rice cakes - but I’m just using the money that I used to spend on chocolate and cookies. It doesn’t cost more. I do keep some Weight Watchers Smart Ones frozen dinners in the freezer for times when I don’t want to eat what I’ve made for the rest of the family (like hot dogs), but again, that cost is mostly canceled out by the food I didn’t eat. (Especially because I buy frozen dinners on sale with coupons.

Stress Free Meal Planning

We busy moms want to make all parts of meal time stress free - preparation, sit down time and cleanup. But how many times have we looked at reducing the stress that goes into planning those meals? OrganizedFamilies.com put together a list of tips on how you can reduce the stress of meal planning. My favorite - get the kids involved so that they can participate in the cooking and have something to look forward to.

* Double recipes that freeze well.

* Plan quick meals or use leftovers for busy nights. Save roasts for Sunday dinners.

* Be flexible. If something comes up, you can switch meals.

* Scan the grocery flyers for specials.

* Prepare a dinner menu for 5 or 7 days and post the menu to refer to during the week.

*After you have made menus for several weeks, recycle menu plans.

Planning Ahead for Dinner

It can be exhausting to hear the constant question–what’s for dinner? To help ease that a little preparation can go a long way. Planning ahead for your meals for the week can make your job as head chef of the household run much more smoothly.

If you’ve never visited a meal preparation place, then you can really fill up your freezer quickly with very little effort at all. These fantastic places allow you to either prep a bunch of meals yourself or order online and simply pick them up. All of the prep work and clean up is done for you, you walk away with a basket full of meals that you can easily pull out of the freezer and throw in the oven. These are well worth the money and take the stress off of you!

When you do cook, make extra and you will be surprised at how quickly your freezer fills up. If you make meatloaf, make an extra and freeze it. If you make spaghetti sauce, throw some extra in the freezer and it will come in handy in a bind. Prepping a little extra of whatever you’re cooking that evening can make your mealtime frenzy much easier to navigate through.

Shop ahead whenever possible. If you’re buying ground beef, buy it in larger quantities and freeze smaller portions in individual bags. This can then be used for meatballs, taco meat, or hamburgers. Get a larger package of chicken breasts and freeze these as individual portions. These can then be pulled out of the freezer and thrown into a casserole or simply grilled. Buying in larger quantities will also ensure tht you don’t have to run to the store as often.

With a little bit of preparation and a fair amount of planning ahead, you can make mealtime easy and enjoyable for the whole family. Never have to struggle to answer the question “what’s for dinner?” again.

Staying Home with Your Children

I always knew I wanted to be home with my children. I knew it would be a lot of work, but I had no idea. I hear this sentiment echoed amongst many other stay at home moms I know. So what should you expecte if you plan to stay home with your children? I’ve heard it said before and it’s so true that being a stay at home mom is the most challenging job you will ever love. It’s the greatest thing I’ve ever done in my life, but it’s also important to keep a few things in mind.

*Balance is key. You can’t possibly get it all done and you shouldn’t put that expectation on yourself. It’s been said a million times but making a list and prioritizing everything on it can work wonders. The baby may not nap as long as you need her to, feeding may take longer than anticipated–there will be unexpected circumstances that can put a damper in your most well meaning plans.

*Keep the baby interested and stimulated. Whether you join a mom’s group, have playdates, or take a class with baby, ensuring that the baby has social interaction is key. This is not only an essential part of baby’s development, but will help you to get out a bit too. It’s a great thing for everyone, so start slow and pick an activity that sounds like a good  match for both of you.

*Try to break your day into blocks. There’s the morning feeding and then (hopefully) nap, think of what you want to accomplish during that ahead of time. Then there’s lunch and the afternoon block, and then the evening routine. Determining when you will fit in meals, naps, bath, reading, and playtime can make the day run smoothly. This schedule will certainly not always run the way you want it to, but it gives you a guideline to work towards. Structure is good for both of you, but just don’t get carried away because you can box yourself in if you’re not careful. It’s a fine line and you will find the best patterns for you and baby.

*Do whatever prep work you can the night before or on a chosen day of the week. If you find yourself struggling to get everything done, then designate the evening to do certain activities. Washing bottles, taking a shower, and even throwing in a load of laundry can easily be done while the baby sleeps at night. it also helps to designate a day of week to cook up some meals to freeze or do your grocery shopping so that it doesn’t build up and weigh you down each and every day.

Being a stay at home mom is the greatest gift and most wonderful job in the world! With some preparation, planning, and a lot of patience you can enjoy being with that little baby each and every day.

You Can Dine Out with Your Kids!

Remember those days back before you had children, when you and your husband could enjoy a nice meal at a fancy restaurant? Well it’s not too early to reclaim your right to eat out.
Sure, you may not be able to eat at your favorite 5 star restaurant right away, but with these tips fom good-parenting.net you can start small and work your way up. Here’s tip number one to get you started:

Choose a very family-friendly, healthy fast food place such as Wendy’s so your child can be exposed to what it’s like to eat out, away from the comfort of their own home. Whether or not Wendy’s is healthy is debatable, but the trick here is to introduce dining away from home at a restaurant you feel comfortable with when your child gets a little out of hand.

When Your Corkscrew is AWOL

It’s been a rough day, but the kids are in bed now and you’re ready to relax with a nice glass of wine. Except the corkscrew can’t be found. You’ve looked high and low, and apart from ripping out the drawers (which would wake the kids) you’re ready to give up. Don’t give up - try this handy tip from Wired’s How-To-Wiki on how you can get that cork out. Here’s what you’ll need:

2″ (or longer) Screw
Screwdriver
Regular Claw Hammer

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