It took me awhile, but I finally put together some blog candy to celebrate my 10,000 hits! I'm going to give some lucky stamper the following: Two packages of American Crafts alphabet stickers, one pack of Marcella K rub on stitches, two packs of Heidi Grace adhesive wood elements, seven sets of Clear Stamps from Studio G, two dollar wood block stamps from Michael's, 12 tiny 2 1/2" square envelopes, a level II Stampin' Up! Hostess set called Deer Friends, and I'm sure there are a few little goodies I forgot to mention!
But, I'm going to make you work for it! As a mom of a busy 10 month old, I'm trying to squeeze everything (stamping, playing with baby, errands, dishes, computer, taking a walk, etc.) into my day, and finding it hard. I am looking for easy but healthy dinners to cook for my family! Of course, the yummier the better! Even better if it doesn't feel like you are eating healthy! Please leave a comment with your favorite easy and healthy dinner idea, and even the recipe or link to it if you are feeling very helpful! I will choose a random entry to win this blog candy on September 12th!
I thought I'd leave you with a card today, too! This was a trial run for a Unity Swap I'm hosting. I improved on this one much before deciding on my final swap card. I'll post that one someday, after all the swaps have been mailed out! Sorry the stem is so pale... my stamp pad needed to be re-inked, but I didn't realize it until I had already stamped it!!
Remember, please leave a comment with a healthy and yummy dinner recipe for me, so you will be included in the drawing for all this blog candy! Thanks!
29 comments:
Hello Jessica, I am a busy mom myself I have a 4yr old and a 2yr old plus one on the way so you can imagine how busy my day is. I have the simplest fast meal that my family loves and you can prepare it into between srcapbooking and family with easy. Campbell's Cheesy Chicken & Rice Casserole I found it one night on a can of cream of chicken and it has veggies , meat , and I pop some 30 min dinner rolls in the oven to complete the meal. I tell you this if I can cook it anyone can.
Terria :)
I don't have any kids, but I'm a busy student who doesn't know how to cook at all. I like to make those frozen skillet dinners, they are so easy! I like the Birds Eye ones best, they seem healthier than the others. You can add and extra bag of frozen veggies to make it even healthier.
Congrats on the blog hits!!! Love the card...especially the polka dots effect! I love food and I don't think healthy food are yummy!!! hahha...just kidding. We love tofu so we try to eat it with everything. Our favorite is tofu salad. Buy the softest tofu pack you can find from the Asian market. Add spinach, bacon (don't have too!) or any other greens you prefer and use oriental dressing on them. It sounds odd but it's so good!!
One thing we are trying to do is eat more fish, so I thought I'd share a fishy tip. :) When you make salmon, zest and juice an orange; season the salmon with salt, pepper, basil (fresh is best), and the orange zest and finally juice. Baking this at 400 is my favorite way to prepare it, but it really could be grilled or pan-seared, too. YUM! Another tip is to make use of those Ziploc steam bags. They are perfect for quickly and easily steaming broccoli, zucchini, squash, carrots, potatoes, even fruit!
Please don't consider me for the prize (that doesn't seem fair, as I own a store!)... I just wanted to share a few "recipes"!! ;)
Oh NO!!! A recipe...Ugggg...I used to rely on so many but have not really cooked in a while, LOL. Hmmmm... I don't know if this will be good for a 10 month old, but, it is one of my fast and yummy favorites.
To a slow cooker, add
2 small cans of tomato paste
1 can of water
5 T honey
1 T wheat free tamari (soy sauce)
1-2 shake of garlic granules (depends on how much garlic you like, I don't like much at all, so 2 shakes is plenty for me)
1/4 C lemon juice
Stir up a bit. Add
2-3 pound grass fed beef strips (grass fed is much healthier)
Let simmer in slow cooker, te longer the better. 4-8 hours depending on the setting.
Serve with Home make steak fries ( baking potatoes cut in large wedges and shaken in a zip lock bag with some olive oil, salt, pepper and paprika. Melt some ghee (butter) on the baking dish, when melted spread potatoes on sheet and cook for 1/2 hour at 400, turn and cook until finished.
Serve with a bed or romaine lettuce, some precut broccoli heads and carrots. Yummm....
OH, I got so caught up in the recipe I forgot to thank you for commenting on my blog :) So...
Thank you, LOL
Jess- Congrats on your 10,000 hits! Your blog is fun to visit and your cards are always so cool! I am a busy mom of 4 and I am addicted to my crockpot! One of our favorite recipes is Garlic Lime chicken. Here's the recipe;
1 lb 4 oz pkg boneless, skinless chick thighs (or breasts)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (2 limes)
1 1/2 cups chick broth
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1/2 tsp dried tyme leaves
1/4 tsp pepper
2 Tbs butter or margarine
1 cup uncooked instant rice
combine everything but rice in crock pot , cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. During last 15 minutes of cooking, stir in rice. Makes 6 servings
Crockpot meals are great for Hip Hop Thursdays!!
Hmmm I don't know about healthy but it's super easy and my guys love it.
Put half a bag of frozen meatballs in a crock pot with a jar of spaghetti sauce- cook on low for about 2 hours. Serve on soft rolls with either mozarella (sp?!) or provolone cheese.
Teenagers LOVE these.
And congrats on 10K hits!
This is a great idea! I must admit that I don't cook at all. I have a digestive disease and I don't really eat much. Maybe I'll get some ideas of healthy things to cook by checking back to see what I might make. My DH would be thrilled if I cooked something. Most of the time dinner at my house is sandwiches or cereal. I know it is really sad! My friends laugh if I ever cook- they jokingly call me Betty Crocker!
Hi Jessica! My healthy, yummy and super easy recipe would be my soy baked chicken. Baked chicken is a healthier choice right? Before baking, marinate it with lots of sweet soy sauce and black pepper. Bake and eat! YUM!
Congrats on your super hits!
bunnybx at gmail . com
Shrimp Scorpio for adults - put a layer of shrimp in the bottom of a baking dish, cover with tomato sauce and sprinkle with feta cheese and bake. Serve over rice. My kids won't eat it tho - for them I like make-your-own pizzas with store-bought pizza dough. Takes 10 minutes to make and they eat them because they made them!
My kids will hardly eat anything healthy, but here's one their favs:
Cheeseburger Casserole
Brown 1 lb of ground beef
2 Cups of elbow macaroni, boiled and drained
8 slices of crispy bacon
1 can of condensed tomato soup, not diluted
1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Combine all in a pan, heat until cheese is melted. Serve!
Hey Jess!! 10,000 hits - way to go. A quick and very easy dinner that my son and I enjoy while Dad is working is pancakes!! Bisquick actually has pre-measured shake n' pour bottles that make 6-8 pancakes. Just add water!! As an added healthy treat, I put in a handful of fresh blueberries!
I love to cook and am always happy to share recipes. As a mom of 3 with a husband who works a rotating shift, meal prep time can be chaotic/non-existent so here are a couple recipes that have gotten me through.
Neighbor's Skillet Dish
-lean ground beef
-diced onion (as much/little as you like)
-2 or 3 red potatoes diced (w/skin)
-1 can tomatoes (15oz.? normal size!)
-salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
-additional spices as desired
(oregano/basil for Italian, oregano/cumin/chili powder for Mexican)
Brown ground beef in skillet then drain. Add rest of ingredients, cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Pasta Salad
-12 oz. pkg pasta such as bowtie
-2 cups cut up broccoli
-1 cup sliced carrots
-1 or 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
-1 can black olives, cut in half (optional)
-sun-dried tomato vinaigrette salad dressing (I use Kraft)
-1/3 cup parmesan cheese
-lite mayo (optional)
Cook pasta according to pkg for al dente (firm). With 3 minutes remaining add broccoli and carrots to the water. Drain all in colander and run cold water over to cool. Pour into a large bowl and add tomatoes, olive, and cheese stirring to combine. Squirt salad dressing over the top and stir/toss to coat. If you prefer a creamy-style pasta salad add about a 1/2 cup lite mayo.
My kids all eat both recipes.
Oh--I just found your blog last night and have enjoyed looking around. I am a complete newbie to the online stamping world!
Enjoy your little one! Tasha
Congrats on all of the hits on your blog! I have been enjoying reading your blog as I have a 5 month old boy and working in stamping has been a challenge... but it's all good :o))
Here is a recipe I use a lot because it is easy and I love Italian food.
Spicy Penne Bake
Ingredients:
12 oz. penne or rotini pasta (3 cups), uncooked
1 lb. spicy Italian sausage (you can also use mild)
2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) Hunts Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic and Oregano, undrained
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
2 packages (8 oz. each) Mozzarella cheese, divided
Directions:
1. Cook pasta, according to package directions. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Meanwhile brown sausage in a large deep skillet or saucepan over medium high heat. Drain. Stir in tomatoes and tomato sauce; bring to a boil. reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 8 minutes.
3 Drain pasta; return to same pot. Add meat mixture; toss well. Add three cups of the cheese; toss again. Spray a 13x9 (or bigger) baking dish with cooking spray. Pour pasta mixture into dish; top with remaining cup of cheese. Bake in preheated 350º oven for 20 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.
Great blog candy...I think the Deer Friends stamp set it so cute. Congrats again!!!
Enjoy your little boy...they grow so fast.
Have a great day!
Jennie
Okay...our family's fav recipe would have to be this:
(sorry it is another pasta recipe-but trust me...I have run in, from a hectic day and made this)
1-pkg frozen meat/cheese filled pasta
1 can of tomato sauce
1-8 oz mozzerella
1 cup parmesan cheese
Bring water to boil. Add a pinch of salt and the pasta. Cook for 8 minutes. Then layer pasta, sauce,mozerella cheese and parmesan cheese. Then begin again until all ingredients are used. Bake in a 350 oven for 10 minutes or until cheese melts.
Serve with french bread and a salad.
Wah-lah! You are done. A great meal in less than 30 minutes. The pre-packaged salads make is so easy.
Hi! I have 4 daughters 3, 7, 10 and 12, so know how busy life can get!
My fave dish for healthy eating and fastness is pasta.
While you are boiling pasta, chop onions, mushrooms, garlic, peppers and add sweetcorn and anything else you fancy, like brocolli and stir it all togethr with chopped plum tomatoes or a simple passata or other type of tomato sauce. Add herbs and pepper, even chilli flakes if you are feeling brave! Sausage if youa re not vegetarian or Quorn sausage if you are, grate chees on the top! Voila, thats it. Takes 15 mins.
Sally x
What a great list of recipes! I am going to try some of these. Okay my family's favorite fast & fairly healthy dish is chicken burritos. I usually keep canned chicken on hand or you can cook your own.
2 11oz cans cooked chicken (I buy them at Aldi or Sam's)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 pkg 10" flour tortillas
Shredded cheddar cheese
Heat the chicken, tomatoes, and seasoning in a skillet until most of the liquid is gone. Spoon the mixture in the center of a tortilla, add cheese, roll tortilla and place on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with Pam. Bake at 400 degrees until the tortillas are a little crispy and the cheese is melted. Serve with rice and a salad!!
Hi Jessica! Congrats on reaching the big 10k! One of my favorite quick and easy things to make is Pita Pizzas. I use whole wheat pita bread, spread with some spaghetti sauce then top with veggies and a little shredded cheese. Pop it in the oven for 15 minutes and you're good. Yum! Portion control and you get more veggies in your day too!
Hey, congrats on 10,000 hits! A great super easy meal is wraps. Using wheat flatout wraps, deli meat, condiments, and some chips and veggies to go with it. So easy and quick and they taste great.
Ok these are really healthy & I grew up in CA so I love them >"<
I will give you two easy and healthy dishes
Pasta Pomadoro
Angel hair pasta
diced tomatoes
chopped garlic
butter
1. cook pasta, since its angel hair past it will only take a few minutes
2. Saute garlic with the butter (a few tbl spoons) to infuse the butter with the garlic, then add in your tomatoes
3. Strain noodles
4. Pour tomato and butter over noodles, toss and you are done. If you wanted to add a protein I suggest shrimp or tofu
Stir Fry
favorite veggies (tomatoes, zuchini, squash, celery, carrots, potatoes)
brown rice (or white rice...cannot be instant)
1. If you are using potatoes you need to start those first since they will take the longest.
2. Start cooking your brown or white rice
3. Add all of your vegetables, cook with olive oil or butter or a combination of 1/2 and 1/2 of both
4. I can only get my kids to eat this if I use kielbasa/polish sausage with it, so if you use this add it in with the potatoes
5. When your veggies are done serve over your rice, I add soy sauce over mine.
These are both really easy and taste good too!
Great Blog
Thanks for sharing.
KK
Wow! Lots of visitors to your blog - that's awesome! I have a ton of recipes that I use as a "go to" for busy days. A lot of them include pasta since my family is half Italian and are die hard pasta lovers! LOL! These are not really recipes but more of "throw togethers"! LOL!
Pasta with sun-dried tomato sauce and sausage. I use wheat pasta (Barilla's is great - not cardboardish!) and Jimmy Dean 50% less fat sausage. I usually fry the sausage (drain it too!) and put half back in the freezer to have on hand when I'm really short on time! While my pasta is boiling and the meat is done I simply let the sauce heat up in the pan with my meat. Put it all together and have a salad on the side or, better/easier yet, slice tomatoes and cucumbers and pour Italian dressing and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese - yuummy! My other one is a crockpot concoction! Put your boneless chicken in a crockpot, cover with alfredo sauce, pour in frozen veggies, sprinkle some garlic salt and let cook for about 5-6 hours on low. Boil your noodle choice and then just combine it all! Voila - chicken alfredo! Yuummyy!! One more idea, well a recipe book anyway, Pampered Chef has a great book called "29 Minutes till dinner" - great recipes in there that my 15 year old daughter likes to make!
Have fun!!
Your post about the school books is so funny -- then think how you'll sell them in a yard sale 5 years from now for a quarter!!
Not sure if this is "healthy" but it is an easy dish and I've made it for Bunko before. (You can feed a lot on it -- or freeze what you don't use)
Shredded Italian Beef
Shoulder or Chuck beef roast (3-4 lbs)
2 pkgs Italian Seasoning (Good Seasons – in salad dressing aisle)
1 cap cider vinegar
½ cup water
2 beef boullion cubes
Put all ingredients in crockpot.
Cook 10-12 hours until tender.
Remove beef, shred.
Return to liquid in pot, turn to warm or low heat.
Krista
Congrats on 10K hits! I'm all about quick, healthy and tasty dinners. Two ideas to share: 1) on the weekend, make a big batch of buttermilk pancakes and freeze them in meal size batches. Then anytime, you can heat them up, add some scrambled eggs and cut up fruit. The kids love having breakfast for dinner! 2) I use the "Grill Mates" marinade mixes a lot. Our fave is Zesty Herb. All you do is add a little water, oil and vinegar. Toss in some chicken breasts for about 30 minutes and then grill them.... delicious! Nuke a bag of broccoli and serve it with applesauce and you've got a complete, easy, kid-friendly dinner!
Hi Jessica-
Congrats on all the hits...you have a wonderful blog. Here's a quick and healthy favorite of my dh and I - we make it at least once a week when we are to tired to really cook - it's vegetarian, but you could cut up leftover meat, reheat that and add some protein that way too. Here it is...
Bean Burritos
In a skillet, heat 1 can of refried beans.
While the beans are heating up, slice 6-7 leaves of lettuce (or as much as you want), slice 1/2 of an avocado(if you have them), dice 1 tomato, dice 1/4 onion. Open up some shredded cheese and a jar of salsa. Once the beans are heated through and everything is sliced, your done! Woohoo!
We usually buffet line it...spread everything out on the countertop.....take a soft flour tortilla, spread on some beans on it and add the toppings of your choice. Wrap it up and eat. Um, yea, we'll eat it over the sink sometimes, but I don't have kids to watch at the same time! It usually takes about 10 -15 minutes to prepare and all those veggies are so good.
Cheers,
Katie
Yummy blog candy! Congrats on your hits! I don't cook but here is a something fast and easy:
ENGLISH MUFFIN PIZZA
1 jar pizza sauce
6 English muffins
1 pkg. shredded cheese
1 sm. stick pepperoni or topping of your choice
Cut English muffins in half. Spread pizza sauce over the tops. Cover with cheese, add your favorite toppings. Bake in 350 oven for 5-10 minutes. Then enjoy!!!
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