Dinner with the Shivers

Are You a Meal Planner?

2013-04-09T12:01:00.001-04:00

Unlike a lot of people who shop on the weekends, we do our grocery run on Tuesdays. We take time to compare the weeks sale ads to the coupons and our calendar. This way we have a plan for the week, and we avoid the crowds of people. Also, having a plan helps us stick to the list of foods and combat the urge for those tasty treats on display at the store! Here in Ohio, the sun is finally back, and the weather is warming, which means more grilled dinners. So, here are a few meals we will be making this week. We try to mix new recipes with favorites, so new posts will come with those recipes as well. Hope this gives you a few ideas too.

What are you having for dinner this week? Are you a planner, or a day-by-day cook? Comment below and share your dinner ideas with us!

Our dinner plans this week:

(Click titles to view recipes)

Barbecue Chicken Re-do

Grilled Backyard Burgers

Soy Pork Lo Mein

Mesquite Chicken Pasta

Peeps Cake Mix Cookie Cups

2013-04-03T22:08:00.000-04:00

Hello! After a long healing, my arm is finally better, and we are ready to continue the blog project! Over the last several months we have been cooking, and are anxious to share with you our fun discoveries, new recipes, and ways we've found to improve the kitchen to get dinner on the table. For now, lets just start with something fun:

These treats are so cute, and incredibly easy to make. We wanted something more stable than a cupcake, so this is a cookie. Have you tried cake mix cookies yet? Basically, take any box cake mix, add 1 egg and 1 stick of butter or margarine, and mix. What results is a dough that you can use for all kinds of cookies. For these cute bunny treats, we added sprinkles in the mix, and honestly, I cant give you an exact measurement- I took the sprinkles away from the kids after they had poured A LOT in! Vary the amount depending on whether you are added chocolate chips, raisins, nuts, sprinkles, or anything else you might try. It's just fun to bite into what looks like a sugar cookie and find the rainbow of colors. Using an ice cream scoop, make dough balls and drop one in each muffin cup, then when the cookies are almost done, use the back of a spoon to indent the tops of each one. The icing goes in the dent, and holds the bunny upright. If you have already eaten all your peeps, add a cookie, more sprinkles, or your choice of topping. These are a tasty as they are cute, so we will be making them again and again!

Peeps Cake Mix Cookie Cups

1 box yellow cake mix (we use Duncan Hines because it is dairy free)
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter or margarine (1 stick)
1/4 cup (roughly) sprinkles
1 can vanilla frosting (16 oz)
2 packages peeps (24 total)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, or stand mixer, combine cake mix, eggs, and softened butter. Mix the ingredients, pouring in sprinkles, until a smooth dough forms. Refrigerate the dough for 15-20 minutes to make it easier to scoop. Add liners to cupcake pans, then fill with one dough ball 2/3 full. Bake 10-11 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately press the tops with the back of a spoon to form an indent. Let the cookie cups cool.

Fill an icing bag (or Ziploc bag) with the icing and snip off the end. Pipe a dollop of icing into the indent of each cookie cup. Add a peeps bunny, or other topping of your choice.

Enjoy! These are so flexible, they make great treats for any occasion.

2012-06-15T13:56:00.000-04:00

Hello all, the blog is on temporary hiatus while my broken arm heals. Best wishes and hope to be back blogging later this summer.

Top 10 Dinner Ideas for Cinco De Mayo

2012-05-05T05:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Cinco De Mayo! Today as many take day to honor the Mexican culture and heritage, we share our top ten recipes for Cinco De Mayo. Put simply, Cinco De Mayo means 5th of May. There is much more history to the day, which you can find here. As we take a moment to share a bit of history with our kids, we also share a look back at some of our favorite recipes. These range from simple to complex, so if you are looking for a fun dinner idea, start your search here. We started our food journey with simple taco night, so that we can make a top ten list at all is pretty amazing. Pick one, or several, and have an enjoyable holiday!

Top Ten Dinner with the Shivers Mexican Meals

10. Tilapia Tostada

9. Mexican Egg Rolls

8. Huevos Rancheros

7. Grilled Chicken Enchiladas

6. Flounder Fajitas

5. Shredded Chicken Tacos

4: Carnitas

3. Taco Burgers

2. Mexican Dry Rub Pork Chops

And the number one most requested Mexican recipe from us...

1. Taco Casserole

Enjoy, and have a wonderful Cinco De Mayo!

Brazilian Pulled Beef

2012-05-04T14:00:00.000-04:00

We're back with more new recipes! Life can sometimes get in the way of blogging :-) This is a recipe originating from the country of Brazil. We chose a pulled beef dish that combines the ease of slow cooking with the simple preparation of rice. The beef is briefly sauteed on the stove, then covered in broth and slow simmered until it starts to fall apart. This becomes the main ingredient for a mix of peppers, tomatoes, and spices that spills over a pile of dressed up rice. Now traditionally this type of rice dish would include beans, but they would be left on the plates in our home, so we replace that tradition with corn. You may also try mixing in black beans if that's your style. This is a great recipe to double for a crowd, and leftovers can be piled in tortillas or added in soups. It is a recipe we will cook again and again, and even the kids enjoy the mixture of flavors.

The recipe:

Brazilian Pulled Beef

1 1/3 lb Beef skirt steak (or flank or other flat steak)
4 cloves garlic
1 yellow onion
1 red bell pepper
2 1/2 cups beef broth
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp canned diced tomatoes in their juice
2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Slice the steak into large chunks to fit into your chosen saute pan. Heat the 1 Tbsp olive oil in a saute pan on medium high. Add the beef and brown on all sides. Add the broth and reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer 1 1/2-2 hours or until the meat is tender enough to pull apart. The exact timing depends on the size of your original chunks. Remove the beef from the remaining broth and set aside a few minutes to cool. Shred the beef with two forks.

Dice the onion and bell pepper. Peel and crush the garlic. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil on medium high in the saute pan. Add onions and bell pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes until tender, then add the garlic. Season with the cumin, salt, and pepper. Return the beef to the pan with the onions and peppers. Stir in the Worcestershire and diced tomatoes. Add a spoonful of the beef broth if you need more liquid. Simmer another 10 minutes on low heat.

Cook rice according to package directions. In a separate saute pan add remaining oil, cooked rice, thawed corn, and 1 Tbsp diced tomatoes with juice. (This is where you would add beans if your family will eat them) Season with seasoned salt and a dash of cumin and saute until well mixed and corn is cooked. Pile beef mixture on top of rice and serve.

Enjoy!

How to Boil an Egg

2012-04-07T18:22:00.000-04:00

Yes, we admit, this is the first hard boiled egg made in the Shivers house. I made it to 30 years old without ever having to boil an egg myself. Of course I had seen my mom make hard boiled eggs a few times, and even helped pick the shells off a time or two, but no one in our home eats deviled eggs, so it has never part of our menu. Personally, I like the hard boiled egg white portion, but would toss the yellow middles. Our son cannot eat eggs by themselves (although eggs baked into a cake or meatloaf don't bother him) and our daughter has an all out love affair with the scrambled version, so until this week I hadn't even attempted hard boiling an egg. Thanks to a preschool assignment to bring in eggs for dying (we decorate plastic ones at home for allergy reasons) I now had a reason to try. Turns out there are literally thousands of opinions about boiling eggs on the internet, but the end goal is a shell that pops off, and a yellow not gray interior. Boiling time, ice/water/vinegar bath for the eggs post boil, and peeling method are the subject of far to many sites to recount. Wow. And here I thought it was just an egg. Here's what we ended up doing:

How to Hard Boil an Egg

Place the eggs in a saucepan, or larger pot, depending on the amount. We needed 3 eggs for school so I boiled 4 (one to break open and make sure it was cooked correctly). Fill the pan with water until it covers the eggs with roughly an inch on top.

Put the pan on the stove and turn the heat to high. Watch the water! Once it starts to boil, take it off. Not just a little bubble here or there, a real boil like this:

Set a timer, toss a lid on the pan, and leave it alone for 10 minutes. When the timer dings, carefully move the eggs to a bowl of cold water (ice is optional, but we used cold water from the sink and it worked fine.

Set the timer for 5 minutes this time, and leave the eggs alone to cool. When it dings, you have options! Peel and eat the eggs right away, peel and slice for recipes, or color the shells. If you open the egg and the middle is gray, it cooked too long. The inside should look like this:

Our remaining three eggs took a trip to preschool, and returned speckled in time for dinner atop a nest of hash browns.

Happy Easter to you! We would love to hear about your Easter traditions and celebrations!

Note- instructions adapted with help from Its Fitting, thanks!

Travel and Local Food

2012-04-07T05:27:00.006-04:00

For us, one of the highlights of going on trips is trying local cuisine. We love to find places that have been featured for their food, and smaller eateries serving food specific to that area. On this particular trip so much of the food was provided on the ship, we only had limited time to explore. Stop 3 on our cruise was the port in Freeport, Bahamas. This was our favorite of the stops, and we loved having time to explore, talk to people, and eat. The After Deck is a great bar and grill located at the Port Lucaya Marketplace. It is friendly and welcoming from the outside, and the hostess greets you as you come to the porch. We chose to sit outside because it was a beautiful day, and it was quite comfortable with just enough shade and roomy tables (compared to the ship!). We are so grateful to our patient waitress as our kids spilled water all over right after she had brought us drinks. (They are habitual spillers) She suggested we simply move one table over, and we are thankful for their easygoing attitude. The food was wonderful! Arriving mid morning, we hoped to eat brunch style, selecting items from both the breakfast and lunch menu. We ordered conch fritters, a gyro, and a breakfast pita. The kids ordered eggs with bacon, and the other wanted chicken with fries. There was not a crumb left, each of us loved every bite! That is a true rarity in our family, that none of the four of us leave anything behind at a restaurant for taste reasons.

The outdoor area of the restaurant is welcoming, and the indoor seating is quite and well spaced for the size of the restaurant.

What is a conch fritter anyway? The conch is a shellfish. It comes from the iconic large shells we used to hold to our ears to "hear" the ocean when we were kids. The mollusk inside is chopped, breaded, fried, and served with a smooth slightly spicy dipping sauce. They are crispy on the outside with a soft filling. The taste is not fishy, more mild, but unique. The fritters at the After Deck were well cooked, and looked as good as they tasted.

The rest of our meal were simple items, things that sounded good at the moment something we weren't eating on the ship. We expected the conch to be the highlight and the rest to be fine, but were truly pleased to find that every dish was wonderful. The food here is unassuming. Both the gyro and egg pita came wrapped in paper, which served to help keep everything in, and juices from dripping on us. The gyro was delicious, and the eggs were scrambled just right. I prefer not too fluffy, and this was perfect. The combination of cheese spread on the warm pita and the eggs is something we would love to eat again. This is one we will try making at home!

We stopped by this restaurant for just a quick bite, and found it to be the best part of our island stop. The staff seem to genuinely care about what they are serving, were friendly to both us and our kids, and the food came out in a timely manner. I neglected to get the name of the woman attending to our table, but much appreciated her patience with our mess, and attentiveness to refill drinks and keep the food and check coming before kids got antsy. This is a great place to eat, relax, and watch the marketplace shoppers. If we get the opportunity to return to Freeport someday, we will be back for additional meals. Anyone traveling to the Bahamas would do well to stop for a bite to eat at the After Deck, you will not be disappointed.

~Note: We were not paid for reviewing this restaurant, and did not tell them we were writing about it until after the meal. It was just a nice place, and we loved it, so we want to share!

There is Far More to Dinner than the Food

2012-04-07T04:33:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Part 2 of our travel food week! We spent an amazing vacation aboard the Carnival Pride ship, and had such an interesting week of meals. The dinner inspirations are in the last post, which you view by clicking here. On a cruise there is so much more to the food than just the restaurant dinners. Literally 24 hours a day food is available, and included in your trip price. From restaurant meals three times a day to the buffet for every meal, you have options of where you want to eat. At night you can get pizza and ice cream at any hour, and a limited selection of other foods as well. Room service is free of charge for most items, and there are various cafes or food stands throughout the week and ship for specialty items such as sushi and pastries. Basically there is always an opportunity to eat! Today is all about the highlights that don't revolve around dinner.

The Normandie Restaurant, main dining room

The waitstaff:

The people serving on this ship are some of the nicest, most friendly, most caring people you will meet. Our waitstaff knew our names by day 2 (and hopefully not just because our kids had an annoying penchant for spilling) and they made a great effort to make our trip fun. Each table is served by a head waiter and two assistants. From leading in birthday song for three in our group and an anniversary serenade, to nightly song and dance routines, these people really added to the enjoyment of our time aboard.

The waitstaff invited the kids to join in their dance routine, a fun moment!

The extras:

Food is about flavor, for sure. But its those little extras that come along with the food that can add real highlight to a meal. For kids especially, these are the touches that made their dinner special. I've never seen napkins so cleverly folded into the shapes of ships and even a duck, kids menus became frogs, and birds, and even straw wrappers took on fun heart shapes. We came home to plain napkins determined to find new little ways to add flair to our own meals.

Napkin folding to resemble the boat

Behind the scenes:

Our days at sea included opportunities for those interested to get even closer to the food aboard. The specialty steak house gave cooking demonstrations highlighting their menu and giving guests the recipes to bring home. These will certainly be popping up on our blog in the coming weeks. Just watching the speed, efficiency, and skill of the preparation is so interesting, let alone the taste tests! The demo we attended included crab cakes, beef stroganoff, and cheesecake with berry sauce.

Crab cake with corn salsa, please excuse the odd pink lighting of the area

Your loyal blogger with my grandma and one of the demo chefs

And finally, the best part, we got to tour the main kitchen aboard the ship. After a briefing of the routines and how much food is served each day (details will be updated when I located that darn scrap of paper I wrote on!) we walked through to view each area. For those traveling with food allergies, note there is a separate chef preparing the special needs meals, and they do work to eliminate cross contamination. We had a few issues getting our sons food right because his allergies are varied but they have system and make a big effort to accommodate everyone. Serving 2000+ people on a ship for a week is a tremendous feat, and while I will never have soup pots as big, their systematic approach will hopefully inspire better organization in my own kitchen.

These kitchens are remarkably efficient for their size and quantity of food prepared

On the kitchen tour

Imagine if each plate just needs one slice of roasted pepper, still cooking thousands!

My brother-in-law and the weeks menu, now that's planning!

The soup area, huge!

Dessert plates prepped and ready

Have any of you reading this been on a cruise? Please comment and share your best/worst food experiences!

Food aboard the "Fun Ship"

2012-04-07T03:42:00.000-04:00

We're home! Thanks to the great generosity of my grandparents, we've been gone on a family trip. Beginning from Baltimore, we took a cruise stopping in Florida and two islands of the Bahamas. While we did not do any cooking, we definitely did more than our share of eating! There were so many different kinds of food to try on the trip. Some we fell in love with, others we did not want more than a single bite of. Our favorites you will see reflected as inspiration in upcoming meals, so check back over the next several weeks. Today though, we hope to inspire culinary ideas of your own with our photo tour of food on the "fun ship" Carnival Pride. Off we go!

Starters:

Every evening the meal began with an appetizer course. This varied from fruit to frog legs, seafood to soups. Each person could choose from the everyday options (routine items like Caesar salad and fruit cocktail) or challenge their tastes with new foods. Our kids learned they love kiwi while we tested our taste buds with something different every night. One particular favorite was the chilled fruit soup, which came with a nugget of diced fruit surrounded by a broth of cream and fruit with herbs. Of course things get a lit chaotic with an 18 person family going to dinner every night, so here are the starters we managed to get a picture of.

This is the tropical fruit plate, dressed with lime juice and tequila. The tequila was not enough to taste, but the combination of flavors was refreshing.

Sweet and Sour Shrimp with rice noodles

Prosciutto Ruffles, Cheese and Melon, a nice light starter

Crab Cake with apple relish

Frog Legs roasted in Garlic Butter sauce with mini buns and a squeeze of lemon, the best sauce of the cruise!

Smoked Chicken Quesadilla with mild guacamole, cilantro salsa, and greens. A must try at home

Main Entrees:

This is the course we struggled with the most, finding dishes were hit or miss with flavor. However, here are a few of our favorites.

Chicken a' la Grecque, Broiled chicken with tomato sauce, olive oil and basil oil. This was really good!

Marinated Prime Rib with an Au Jus sauce

Bacon Mac & Cheese with Grilled Chicken, a favorite of everyone

Chateaubriand with sauce Bearnaise, Grilled beef shoulder, served with peas, raisins and cranberries

Grilled Jumbo Tiger Shrimps with Cauliflower

Dessert Course:

The desserts featured comfort classics like chocolate melting cake and ice cream, a few traditional dishes (creme brulee', tiramisu, and apple pie) and couple interesting twists. Admittedly our dairy allergic child had Jello every single night, so a less dairy heavy menu would have been nice. However, here are a few of the more unique dishes we enjoyed.

Amaretto Cake, an almond flavored chocolate cake dense in flavor but with the best chocolate curls on top

Baked Alaska-This with the lightest, most interesting dessert. Its a vanilla cake with ice cream and baked Meringue

Grand Marnier with Souffle' with Orange Vanilla Sauce, I could have used less sauce, but it does inspire me to try making souffle.

Enjoy, and hope you found our food journey inspires a new idea for your own dinner!

Good morning!

2012-03-24T09:24:00.000-04:00

Hello and good morning Dinner with the Shivers readers! Just a quick note to say we are not purposely ignoring the blog. There will be a distinctly tropical flare to the posts coming very very soon...

Until then, there are literally hundreds of recipes on here, so happy browsing!

Enjoy!
~ The Shivers Family

Mini Clover Brownie Marshmallow Bites

2012-03-17T15:56:00.000-04:00

Flashback Friday is our chance to recook some favorites from the blog. This week in honor of St. Patrick's Day we updated our version of mini marshmallow brownies. These are the perfect treat for kids and adults alike, giving each person a little bit of chocolate topped with a puffy marshmallow covering, and the crunch of sprinkles. You feel like you are getting a decadent dessert, but the size means you control the portion. I love how the marshmallows puff up like little clover bumps and hold all the sprinkles inside. When cooled, the marshmallows loose their stickiness and does not easy squash, so this dessert travels well for events, and stays soft for a few days when covered. These are so good, I challenge you to eat just one (or two)!

Here's the flashback link to our brownie cupcakes with strawberry marshmallow topping.

The recipe:

Mini Clover Marshmallow Brownie Bites

2 cups sugar

1 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 cup margarine, softened

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cups dairy free chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Stir to mix. Add eggs, 1/2 cup butter, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Add 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips. Stir until combined.

Insert muffin liners to fill two 24 cup mini muffin tins. Using a mini ice cream scoop, fill each liner 3/4 full. Bake 17 minutes until they are almost done. Add 3-4 mini marshmallows to the top, gently pushing down so they will stay. Bake another 2-3 minutes or until marshmallows are puffy. Remove from the oven, and sprinkle with green sugar immediately. Let cool and enjoy!

Wild Card Wednesday: Oven Fried Shrimp

2012-03-17T00:16:00.001-04:00

Shrimp just sounded good. We didn't have a great plan for it, they were just calling us. This is how recipes usually happen here. We love a good friend shrimp dinner, but very rarely order that entree or make it at home. As much as I like the light flavors of shrimp, I don't want the grease that comes from frying in oil. So this recipe is a lighter take on fried shrimp that still gives a crunchy exterior. Leaving the tails on gives a convenient handle for dipping. However, our kids balked at the tails and preferred theirs with that bit removed. These are quick to make, and would make a great party food with various dipping sauces.

The recipe:

Oven Fried Shrimp

1 lb raw shrimp (we chose medium 36-40 size frozen and deveined)
1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 egg
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Foil and lightly grease a baking sheet.

Peel the shrimp but leave the tails on. Slice along the back of each (already deveined) shrimp but do not cut all the way through. Lightly push on the shrimp so the meat opens. This opens the shrimp for breading, and helps them stand up when cooked. In a shallow bowl beat the egg. In a separate bowl combine Italian seasoning and bread crumbs. Peel, crush, and mince the garlic. Add garlic and olive oil to the bread crumb mixture. Mix with a fork until oil and spices are spread throughout the breading. Hold a shrimp by the tail and dip it in the egg mix to coat. Next dip it in the bread crumb mix and lightly pat to help it stick. Place the completed shrimp on its side on a baking sheet. Repeat this process for each shrimp.

Bake the shrimp on its side 6 minutes. Remove from the oven, flip the shrimp and drizzle with a little extra olive oil. Bake another 3-4 minutes until the shrimp is cooked through.

Place shrimp on plates with standing up. Serve with heated marinara sauce, or your favorite dip.

Enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday: The Pantry Avalanche

2012-03-10T18:16:00.000-05:00

Today is not about the finished food, its about the kitchen itself~

Wow, what a big project we accidentally took on! It all started with a cup. When I put a cup in the cabinet, two more fell out. Then three more and the bucket of lids. Then I got irritated and a bunch more cups were "helped" out of the cabinet. That's when we knew today was the day to reorganize the kitchen. Obviously you may have just re-stacked the cup cabinet, but for anyone who has been to our house you know, these big projects are provoked by little incidents like the cup avalanche. Our house stays busy, so it was time to make cooking, and grocery planning more efficient. For us that all starts with the pantry. After tossing about half the unused and outgrown cups in the recycling bin, other things in the pantry started falling in the recycling can. One tidy cabinet was great motivation, so we started by emptying the pantry (admittedly far more peacefully than the cabinet). We are appalled and embarrassed that our lack of organization resulted in our kitchen looking like this:

Can you even believe all that (plus the bigger items you cant see on the floor) was shoved in the pantry? Crazy! But you know how it goes, putting groceries away quickly while kids run around you, putting half used pasta boxes back in, etc. After 4 years of living with the pantry, that's just what had happened. So all that came out of this pantry:

A clean surface meant we could really step back and think about what would work in the pantry. We needed a safe way for the kids to grab breakfast foods (the had been climbing on the trash can), a quick prep system for daily school lunch packing, and a way to make sense of the plethora baking supplies. A small investment in baskets, Tupperware, and hanging shelves can make all the difference. Here's what we came up with. Hopefully you get a few ideas for your space!

Breakfast:

The 7 boxes of cereal went to 4, and those are now in sealed clear containers for easy picking and restocking. For overslept or hectic mornings, quick grab breakfast items are grouped together.

Lunch:

The bread used to be squished between the soda, juice, and reusable shopping bags. Now thanks to a hanging shelf we double the bread space by going up instead of across the shelf. No more squished sandwiches! It only takes a couple of minutes when we bring the groceries home to toss crackers, pretzels, dried fruit, etc in snack size bags. This way we can just grab a baggie from each basket and toss it in the lunch box. Grouping items means we eliminated shelves of boxes, and can see when we are low on items easily.

Baking:

I do a lot of baking! After searching for cookie cutters, losing cupcake liners, and digging for icing tips, we opted for a Tupperware container. This way I pull down the box and have everything at hand. Cupcake liners, tips, icing bags, and the specialty cutters fit neatly in the box, and there is a separate box for the mass (100+) plastic cookie cutters.

And one more for the kids:

They have a bucket on the bottom shelf that has all their pint sized cooking utensils, and now their own hook at their level for their aprons. Our little chefs love being able to help!

We are now avalanche free! Boxes, bags, and bulky packaging is now replaced by groups of food in tidy containers. The kids love being able to find their snacks easily, while I love that packing morning lunch only takes a fraction of the time it used to. What does your pantry look like, or your cabinets? Please comment with your best tips for organizing these busy kitchen corners!

Menu Monday: Pizza Monkey Bread

2012-03-10T17:22:00.001-05:00

Pizza Monkey Bread- kids version

Menu Monday is our time each week to post recipes and ideas inspired by cookbooks, bloggers, family, and friends. Today's inspiration is based on a classic, monkey bread. Many, many people make a great monkey bread for breakfast, and we did our own version last year. Click here for that recipe: Cinnamon Raisin Monkey Bread. That got us wondering, what else could you do with chopped bread? Our kids' answer? Pizza!

Pizza Monkey Bread- adult version

There are two breads in this recipe. This is so the more expensive soy cheese version could be customized (add mushrooms, no sausage) for the kids and we could add extra spices and meats to our own. This recipe is unlike a regular pizza which has layers of crust, sauce, and toppings. Instead the dough pieces rise with the toppings and are all swirled together so every bite has that great crust and toppings, and is held together by the cheese. The great thing about this recipe is that you can make it quick and simple, or take a little more time and add a lot more flavor. Today we are giving you the quick simple plan, because that's the way this week is going so far.

The recipe:

Pizza Style Monkey Bread

4 tubes biscuit dough

2 cups quartered pepperoni slices

1 lb sausage

1/2 cup mushroom slices

3 cups marinara sauce of choice

1 1/2 cups shredded soy mozzarella cheese

2 tsp granulated garlic

1 tsp dried Italian seasoning

1/2 cup soy Parmesan cheese

3 Tbsp olive oil

Note: this recipe makes 2 medium size monkey breads.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Open all cans of biscuit dough. Cut each biscuit in quarters (we use kitchen shears and it goes very quickly). Combine the dough pieces in a bowl. Drizzle on 2 Tbsp olive oil and use your hands to mix until all the pieces are coated. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Mix again until each pieces are coated in seasoning. Cook the sausage in a skillet on medium high until browned, breaking it apart as you cook it. Drain on a paper towel. Chop the pepperoni and mushrooms. Shred the mozzarella cheese.

Now you are ready to assemble! Lightly coat 2 bundt pans with cooking spray. Add 1/4 of the dough pieces to the bottom of one bundt pan. Top with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese on top. Add 1/4 of the dough pieces. Again add toppings. Sprinkle 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Finish with a 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and 1/2 Tbsp olive oil on top. Repeat this process for the second bundt pan, customizing toppings for your family. Bake the bundt pans together 15-18 minutes until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted on top. While the pizzas are baking, simmer marinara sauce on medium heat until warmed. Remove the bread from the oven, spoon warm marinara on top, and serve with the remaining marinara for dipping.

Enjoy!

Sweet Sunday: 4 Ingredient Dairy Free Reese Cups

2012-03-07T15:50:00.000-05:00

Oh goodness, this is so simple, and so good, and so completely addictive! Reese's peanut butter cups are a easily our favorite candy, at least for the adults in our house. Since our son is dairy allergic, he has no idea the goodness that is the creamy peanut butter and chocolate combination, until now. These are dairy free, and remarkably close to the real thing. Actually, I think I prefer them to the real thing. These little treasures are coated on the outside with dairy free chocolate, and filled inside with a smooth peanut butter and sugar combination. There is a difference, and that is in the firmness. One thing I find annoying is how candy melts all over your hands while you are trying to eat it, so these are made more sturdy. Its still chocolate, so it will melt eventually, but it has a thick chocolate outside that tastes great, and holds its shape without squishing. The kids went crazy for these treats, and would have finished the whole bowl if we set it low enough. These could be made bigger, and into all different shapes, but we made them in the mini muffin tins, ending up with 48 which is more than enough to share!

The recipe:

4 Ingredient Dairy Free Reese Cups

2 sticks margarine or soy butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3 3/4 cups sifted powder sugar
12 oz bag dairy free chocolate chips

In a medium saute pan, heat margarine on medium high heat until melted. While that is melting, start melting the chocolate in a double boiler. When the butter is melted, add the peanut butter and stir to combine. Add the powdered sugar and use a silicone spatula to work out any lumps until a smooth fudge like ball forms. Continue stirring the chocolate until melted and smooth. It should be shiny, just be careful not to burn it.

Fill mini muffin tins with paper liners. Spoon chocolate in the bottom of each liner. We used roughly 1 1/2 tsp of chocolate, but it just needs to completely cover the bottom. Using a mini ice cream scoop, add 1 dollop of peanut butter mix to each muffin cup. 1 mini ice cream scoop equals roughly 1 tablespoon. Carefully push the peanut butter mixture into the muffin cup to flatten the top. This will spread the chocolate up the sides. Spoon another teaspoon of chocolate on top and use a butter knife or small spatula to smooth out the chocolate. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to harden. Once firm, pop the muffin cups out of the pan and serve.

*I like reese cups cold, so we stored these in the fridge, but they would be ok to sit out on the counter too.

Enjoy!

Sweet Sunday: Chocolate Banana Muffins

2012-02-26T23:54:00.000-05:00

Today is part breakfast, part dessert. We are unable to do pre-made muffins because of food allergies, so whenever I take the time in the morning to make real muffins from scratch everyone is excited. These are made with dairy free chocolate chips, and softened with bananas. One batch makes 24 regular muffins, or 48 mini muffins, so there are plenty for multiple breakfasts or to share. These are sweet enough the kids were thrilled, but not so sweet that it is relegated to the dessert line. Store extras in an airtight container and they are just as great warmed up the next day too. We hope you like our sweet breakfast treat!

The recipe:

Chocolate Banana Muffins

2 bananas, chopped
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup soy milk
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
4 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup dairy free chocolate chips
2 Tbsp butter or margarine

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl chop bananas and smash them up unto chunks. Add, eggs, oil, sugar, lemon juice, milk, and vanilla. Add the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Mix 2 minutes until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spray muffin tins or insert paper liners. Using an ice cream scoop, divide batter among muffin cups. Bake 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean. Melt margarine or butter and brush on the tops. We added just a sprinkle of powdered sugar too.

Enjoy!

Flashback Friday: Hearty Chicken Soup

2012-02-24T23:56:00.000-05:00

Flashback Friday is our day to make something again, whether its for a better photo, to improve the recipe, or just because we loved it when we first made it. This has been a week of sickness around our home, so we opted to remake the ultimate comfort food, chicken soup. The chicken is slow simmered while we gradually add vegetable, herbs, and finally noodles. Basically I start the chicken and just toss things in as I chop them. Its not a difficult dish, but it has that heartwarming, cozy feel to all of us. This is one of the few soups our kids really love, although oddly they sip all the broth from the bottom before eating anything. Traditional soup is a combination of chicken, broth, carrots, celery, and noodles. We add a few more ingredients, changing the flavor a bit but not straying too far from the traditional model. So next time you need something for a cold winter's day, try this version of chicken soup!

The recipe:

Hearty Chicken Soup

1 1/4 lb boneless chicken breast

5 cups chicken broth

4 cloves garlic

1/2 yellow onion

1 large stalk celery

2-3 large carrots

3/4 cup sliced mushrooms

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 bag wide egg noodles

Salt and pepper to taste

Chop chicken into small chunks. Heat oil in a skillet on medium high. Peel and mince the garlic, and finely chop the onion. Add the garlic and onion to the oil and cook 1 minute. Add the chicken and cook until just opaque on all sides. Add the chicken broth and reduce to a simmer. Let that simmer while you chop the rest of the ingredients.

Slice the carrots into circles. Finely dice the celery (this is my families least favorite ingredient of the dish, so I make it the smallest). Rough chop any large slices of mushroom. Add the carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Stir in the herbs. Continue to simmer until chicken just starts to fall apart. Add the noodles. Pour in more broth if necessary. You just need enough to cover the noodles. Cook another 10-12 minutes or until noodles are tender. Serve.

Enjoy!

Wild Card Wednesday: Braided Philly Cheese Steak

2012-02-17T09:41:00.001-05:00

Wild Card Wednesday this week is our nod to valentines day. Instead of fixing something fancy and gourmet, this year we thought to do food we simply love. Sometimes the most down to earth ingredients bring back fond memories, and this meal had us thinking back to many fun times. Our kids adore braided bread, in our house known as "Tangled" bread (after the braiding scene in the Disney movie). So we took their favorite bread and combined it with on of our favorite dinners, cheese steak. And of course you cant have valentines without hearts. The cheese steak is cooked while the dough is rising, then each heart is rolled out, stuffed, and braided closed. Please do not be dissuaded from trying this dinner, it really is simple enough for the kids to help. The braid can just as easily be shaped into a circle, left long and straight, or used in any other letter, number or shape you prefer. I see more fun braided shaped dinners coming in our future. Try it, the process is a fun family/couples activity, and the end result tastes wonderful.

The recipe:

Braided Philly Cheese Steak

For the steak:

1 1/2 lb boneless sirloin steak
2 cups shredded soy (or regular) mozzarella cheese
1 onion
2 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted
2 tsp seasoned salt
2 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp pepper

For the dough:

1 1/2 tsp Fast-rising yeast
3/4 cup warm water
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp olive oil

Place steaks in the freezer for 1 hour prior to cooking. To slice, they need to be solid but not frozen all the way through. Once they've been in the freezer at least 30 minutes, start the bread dough.

In a large bowl, combine warm water and yeast. Stir to dissolve, and let it sit 5 minutes. Check to make sure the yeast "woke up", that it made bubbles, then add salt and sugar. Stir in flour, and transfer the dough to a floured surface to knead. Knead the dough 4-5 minutes, until smooth. Drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil to coat the outsides. Cover and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour to rise. We wrap the top of the bowl, then flip the bowl on top of the dough on our flattop stove.

While the dough is rising, get the steaks from the freezer. Lay them out on a cutting board and use a very sharp knife to slice as thinly as possible on the diagonal through the steaks. You want an almost chipped effect. Transfer all the steak slices to a bowl. Heat a griddle or large flat pan to 375 degrees. In a small bowl combine seasoned salt, garlic, and pepper. stir to combine the spices. Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil on the griddle. Add the steak pieces and season with the spice mix. Cook 4-5 minutes or until steak is no longer pink. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of slicing. Remove from the griddle and set aside.

Thinly slice an onion. Heat a pan on medium high and add 1 Tbsp olive oil. Saute the onion 5-7 minutes until golden brown and tender. Season with salt and pepper.

After an hour, remove the risen dough from its warm spot. It should look like this:

Cut the dough in half, roll out one half into a long rectangle. Brush the bottom with melted butter/margarine and sprinkle with garlic and parsley. Flip the dough rectangle over and spread the steak down the middle. Top with onions, cheese, and any other desired toppings. Using a pizza cutter (or small knife) cut slits roughly 1 inch apart down both sides of the dough. They do not have to be perfectly spaced or completely even. The braiding with fix that. The dish should look like this:

Starting at one end, cross one piece of dough over the toppings and gently press onto the other side. Cross one piece from the other side, and continue crossing along the dough until you run out of dough. Place the whole "loaf" on a large baking sheet and shape it into a heart, cross the ends at the bottom to form the point. Brush the top with melted butter or margarine. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday: Eating Out with Allergies

2012-02-16T13:14:00.001-05:00

Once people find out we have a child with allergies, one of the most frequent questions we get is about eating out. So tonight we wanted to take a minute to discus food allergies and restaurants. Over the last 5 years we've tried many many places and found certain restaurants very helpful, while others are to be outright avoided. But tonight we found a jewel, a restaurant that doesn't just make adjustments for food allergies, they ask right up front. P.F. Chang's is a Chinese bistro with both Asian and American influences. For more information about the restaurant, click here.

We had avoided this place in the past as our kids were not picky eaters, but did not venture out of their comfort food much either. However, what we found at PF Chang's is a place we will return many many times. Before ordering drinks, the server asked if anyone at the table had any allergies. No one in any other restaurant asks this first, most not at all! With our drinks, the server brought a menu listing all the milk-free options in the restaurant. Not just one or two dishes, this packet was a full eight pages listing any drink, appetizer, soup, salad, entree, dessert, or kids menu item that could be made without containing milk. After ordering the kids sweet and sour chicken with rice, she informed us the chefs would make his meal in a separate place, using completely separate utensils and ingredients from the others. As a family who has had to guess at some many places what items on a menu would have dairy or not, this was such a relief. We've been places where the staff literally scraped cheese off a burger and flipped it over before re-delivering it to our table, so to find a restaurant where they make a great effort to cater toward food allergies is a big step forward. Menus are provided for the major food allergies. The kids were also activity filled menus, crayons, and Wikki Stix, and even chop sticks to try. The Wikki Stix alone kept both kids and adults thoroughly entertained until food arrived!

The menu pricing varies, with more expensive gourmet items and moderate options. Each of us found dinner options (Sweet & Sour chicken, Lo Mein combos, Fried Rice, and Egg drop soup) that were budget friendly, very tasty, and fun for the kids to eat. PF Chang's is now on our list of go-to restaurants, and we highly recommend it to anyone who has allergies. What a great eat out night! Tomorrow we are back with our fun take on braids, so until then, enjoy!

** PF Chang's had no idea we were blogging about their restaurant. We got no perks or rewards for mentioning our experience on the blog. **

Menu Monday Sausage Baked Ziti

2012-02-16T09:32:00.001-05:00

Today's Menu Monday is our pick from a restaurant's menu. Every time I go in Fazoli's, I get the same thing. For the kids, they will vary their options, but I always end up with the baked ziti. Haven't tried it? Well, its worth a trip, and I love that the portion is big enough curious nibblers (our daughter) can taste test too. Or, here's an idea, make it at home! Tonight we show you our version of the Fazoli's Cheesy Baked Ziti. This is easily done dairy free, but can be made with milk based cheese if that's your style. The ziti holds on to the sauce, so each bite has that great marinara flavor to go along with the hearty chunky sausage. By baking the cheese on the dish, it gets a great outside crust while still keeping a creamy inside. Kids love noodles, so its a win for them, but still dressed up a little for the adults too!

The recipe:

Sausage Baked Ziti

1 lb Italian sausage
1 lb ziti pasta
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (we use soy mozzarella, and shred it ourselves)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (optional for dairy free versions)
3 cups marinara sauce (recipe below)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In large pot, bring water to a boil. Salt the water and cook ziti until tender but still slightly firm. Drain and set aside.

Heat the oil in a saute pan on medium high heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until golden brown. Add the sausage and break it apart as it browns. Turn down the heat a bit, closer to medium and leave the sausage in bigger chunks. For this recipe you dont want tiny pieces, so the chunks need longer to cook without burning the outsides. Drain the excess grease off the meat once it is fully cooked.

In a large bowl combine ziti, sausage, and marinara sauce. This is the time to add any extras such as peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Toss to coat. Add 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and 1 cup mozzarella. Stir to mix. For a bit of extra spice add 1 tsp red pepper flakes. For the kids we make a separate portion without the spice. Transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish. We used a deep pie dish and mini loaf pans for the kids. A regular 9x13 dish would also be fine. Top with the remaining parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Bake 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and starting to brown on top.

Here's the recipe for the marinara:

Homemade Marinara

1 can whole peeled tomatoes

4 Tbsp canned tomato paste

1 tsp sugar

2 1/2 Tbsp fresh basil

2 1/2 tsp fresh chopped oregano

4 cloves minced garlic

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper.

In a food processor, combine tomatoes and blend until smooth. Chop and mince basil, oregano, and garlic. Add to food processor along with sugar, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth. This makes about 3 cups.

Enjoy!

Sunday Sweets: Strawberry Chocolate Cupcakes

2012-02-13T23:49:00.001-05:00

This week's Sunday Sweets are all about Valentines day. For the first time this year, our kids are of differing opinions about this holiday. Our daughter loves all things pink and sparkles, so she's going to have great week, while our son says he is staying away from all that "lovey kissy stuff". One thing they do agree on though, is a love of cupcakes! Strawberry cupcakes are always a hit around here, and in honor of the holiday, we added a bit of chocolate to make it special. These are soft and moist inside, with a sweetness from the chocolate and a holiday worthy pile of icing to top it off. The icing has a sweet but not overly sugary strawberry flavor with a Reese's peanut butter heart simply because it is our favorite candy. Note- everything eaten by our son must be dairy free, so the cupcakes and icing are made with soy instead of milk. However, for his cake the Reese's cup is replaced with a pile of dairy free chocolate chips. So enjoy your day, and stop for a bit of sweetness!

The recipe:

Strawberry Chocolate Cupcakes

1/2 cup (1 stick margarine), softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla (if you use the soy milk flavored with vanilla, you can skip it here)
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup soy milk
8 ounce bag frozen strawberries, thawed and pureed
1/2 cup dairy free chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, add butter and sugar. Mix until creamy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add baking powder and flour and continue beating until mixed well. Stir in the milk and pureed strawberries. Mix in the chocolate chips.

Add cupcake liners to pans or spray pans with nonstick cooking spray and lightly coat with flour. Divide mixture among the cupcakes. Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick in the middle comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool. We chose the store's strawberry icing tonight for purely time reasons, and will share a homemade version soon. The idea, though, is spread icing starting around the outside edge and circling until you reach the middle. Top with your favorite chocolate or fruity treat and that's it!

This recipe makes roughly one dozen cupcakes, or one layer cake.

Enjoy!

Flash Back Friday: Double Baked Bacon Potato Skins

2012-02-13T16:06:00.002-05:00

Flash Back Friday is our chance to enjoy one of the hundreds of recipes from our own site. Yep, we do actually fix a few recipes over again! At times this day will be for recipes we messed up, other times its for ones we loved. Today's recipe is one we've made a couple of times, tweaking it each time until I think we finally got it right. The outside of the potato is crisp and salty, while the inside is soft and cheesy with the chewy bacon bits adding even more flavor. You could also substitute beef or sausage for the bacon if that's more your style. Its not difficult to make, but tastes great.

Two notes on this recipe:
1- to those who came to the Superbowl party, these were my aim, but I got distracted. That's how we get twice baked potatoes instead of potato skins!
2- Be careful what pan you use, a baking sheet will warp in the oven on 450!

The recipe:

Double Baked Bacon Potato Skins

1 lb center cut bacon
6 medium baking potatoes
3-4 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 cup soy shredded cheddar style cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup medium chunky salsa
3 Tbsp garlic salt with parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Wash each potato thoroughly, scrubbing skins. Lightly rub each potato with olive oil and place directly on the rack. Bake one hour, or until the potatoes are cooked through and are slightly soft to touch. Remove and set aside to cool.

While the potatoes are cooking, heat a saute pan on medium high. Chop the bacon slices and add them to the pan. Fry until just crisp, being careful not to overcook the bacon. Drain on a paper towel.

When the potatoes are cool to touch, cut each in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to remove the inner potato, being careful not to break the skins. Sprinkle garlic salt on the outside, and place on a roasting pan.

Increase the heat on the oven to 450 degrees. Bake the potatoes skin side up for 10 minutes, flip and bake skins down another 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven sprinkle the insides with bacon, cheese, and pepper. Bake another 3-4 minutes until cheese melts. Top with salsa and green onions. Serve.

This makes 12 potato skins.

Enjoy!

Wild Card Wednesday: Italian Shredded Beef & Gnocchi

2012-02-13T13:21:00.001-05:00

Wild Card Wednesday is our day of the week to share something new, which can mean an amazing dinner or a rough night. Today we share a dinner that just melts in your mouth. The meat is beyond tender, and the seasoning adds just the right flavor to compliment the gnocchi without overwhelming it. This is just so very good! Now, of course you can make your own gnocchi, and good luck with that. Maybe someday we will try it ourselves. But for us the process of making it was not worth the time invested when the grocery carries a tasty version that does not contain dairy. Gnocchi is essentially a nugget of potato. It comes from a cooked mashed potato, that is formed into the gnocchi shape and then quick boiled to finish. We opted for the frozen gnocchi, and it came out tasting remarkably close to pasta! If you haven't tried a gnocchi dish, this is a great starter as it combines the classic Italian beef with the potato so get the feel of comfort food with the taste of a classy dish. We had plenty for dinner and quite a bit of leftovers too. Even the kids loved this one, and would gladly eat it over and over.

The recipe:

Italian Shredded Beef with Gnocchi

2 lbs beef chuck roast
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter or margarine
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup beef broth
1 1/2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 banana pepper, diced
1/2 tsp salt
1 bag (1 1/2 lb) frozen potato gnocchi
1/4 cup finely shredded soy or dairy mozzarella

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

In an iron skillet, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil on medium high heat. Add the chuck roast and cook it 5 minutes. Flip the roast and cook it on the other side 5 minutes, then flip on the sides. Once it it is browned on each side remove from heat. Add broth, garlic, seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook in the oven 4-5 hours until it falls apart with a fork Remove a from the oven and set aside to cool. Shred the meat and return it to the pan to keep warm.

Boil 2 quarts water. Once boiling, salt the water. Add gnocchi to boiling water and cook according to package direcions. Drain and set aside. Heat 1 tbsp oil with 1 Tbsp margarine in a saute pan. Add the gnocchi and saute until coated with the margarine/oil mix and golden brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss gnocchi with the shredded beef. Add a sprinkle of finely shredded mozzarella cheese on top.

Enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday: Eating out with kids

2012-02-09T00:10:00.001-05:00

Eat out night is something we look forward to each week. The kids like picking a special drink and trying to convince us to go to their favorite places. We like not having a sink full of dishes for a night. So as we step back, tonight we share a few of our tips for eating out with kids. Now of course we have been that loud family that leaves early from a dinner because their kids are losing their mind, we aren't perfect. But there are a few ways that make dining out with kids more affordable, fun, and even tasty.

Consider your regular dinner time. You want to arrive at the restaurant the time you would normally be prepping dinner, not when you serve it. The earlier the better to avoid crowds and cranky hungry kids.
Find out when your local restaurants have kids night. Many restaurants offer one night a week when kids eat free. Several even add activities such as face painters or balloon animals. There are many websites available listing these deals, so here are just a few:

Never go empty handed. Even though its your kids favorite place and you go all the time, that doesn't guarantee the experience will be identical. Our kids love the menus they can color on, but last time we went out, the place happened to run out. Always have paper, a few crayons/pens, and a backup plan. For us that meant last Sunday's bulletin became origami projects (no paper airplanes!) and word games. Other nights its as simple as a small yo-yo and action figure in my purse.
Bring food. Sounds crazy to bring food in a restaurant, right? Depending on the popularity of the restaurant and the food you order, there are times when the wait for food is too long for kids. There is the option of appetizers, although most are not overly healthy options and will likely spoil a child's appetite before dinner arrives. Instead we take a small snack, meaning a handful of crackers, a few fruity snacks, or something similar. Yes, parents tend to think of this when the diaper bag is still around, but even at 6 our son can get hungry when a restaurant is moving extra slow. The little snack saves you money and keeps them from filling up before dinner.
While you are still at home, why not take just a minute and check out the restaurant's menu? So many restaurants have their menus online now, you can find out ahead of time which options will be best for your kids while they are playing at home instead of trying to tackle that kind of decision making in a distracting busy restaurant. You can even get an idea of your own order, and for a few places call ahead and cut out the wait entirely.
Everyone to the bathroom right after drinks come out. This way even if they don't have to go, they get a chance to try, and their hands are washed before dinner. No more getting up and spending 5 minutes in the restroom while your food gets cold. The added bonus for smaller kids is the chance to get out of their seat and move around a bit while their food is cooking.
Finally, if your child has allergies, ask ask ask questions. The menu may say pasta with marinara sauce, but when it arrives with that pretty sprinkle of cheese on top our kid is none to happy about waiting while a new plate is made for him. Then check the food to ensure an entirely new plate was made and not just scraped off the old one. Another example- the kids burger, some places that means burger + cheese+ pickle, other places that just means a meat patty on a bun. There is nothing fun about comforting a kid who has pickle juice on her bun because that detail was not on the menu. We don't have overly picky eaters, but all kids have preferences.

These are just things we've learned from eating out. Hopefully they help create more enjoyable mealtimes for you as well. We look forward to hearing how everyone else tackles restaurants with kids. So tell us, what helps your family have an enjoyable eat out night?

Menu Monday: Sausage Potato Stew

2012-02-08T17:46:00.002-05:00

Mondays are for menu items, and for us that means going to the stash of cookbooks, blogs, and the bucket of recipes. Yes, there is an actual bucket in our cabinet filled with scraps, wrappers, napkins, post its, and all manner of "recipe cards". These are notes from family, recipes from the newspaper, print outs of online sources, and bits of inspirational paper. It is from that bucket that we derive this recipe. Sausage Potato Stew is a combination of smoked sausage links, potatoes, green beans, onion, and a savory broth. The kids turn their heads at soup that is smooth, so they were happy to see all the ingredients, and that they could pick through to find their favorites. This is also a comfort food from my own childhood, as my mom often made this stew and we would fish through the pot ladling extra of our favorite parts. We tweaked this dish a bit, but a big thanks to my mom for sharing one of my favorite cold weather foods with us! This will warm you up on a winter day, and filled up even the picky eaters in our house.

* Sorry Mom, we did tweak it a bit, but the basics come from you!*

The recipe:

Sausage Potato Stew

1 lb smoked sausage links
4 potatoes peeled cubed
2 cans green beans, drained
1 package onion soup mix
4 cups beef broth
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Slice the sausage into 1/2" rounds. Heat the oil in a stockpot on medium high heat. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds just until golden brown. Add the sausage pieces and cook 5 minutes until slightly crisped on both sides. Drain off any accumulated grease.

Peel and cube potatoes. Add them to the pot along with the broth. Bring to a boil, add onion soup mix and the green beans. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender.

A chunky bread is great with this stew. We use it for soaking up any extra broth. Enjoy!