Throw a Block Party - Easy Dinner Recipes and Dinner Ideas For Family Fun

Block parties are a phenomenal way to celebrate summer with family and friends. With the rising cost of gas and travel many people are staying home for vacations ("staycations") and throwing a block party is a great way to get together and celebrate without traveling way. We have some easy dinner recipes to help create your feast and some ideas to make it happen.
1) Get everyone involved early. Notify people in advance of the event by putting save the date invitations in their mailboxes, then follow up in person so they know they are welcome.
2) Divvy up the tasks to make life easier. Have every family bring their own meat to grill, and assign most people to bring a dish to share. Those not bringing a dish can bring buns, condiments, desserts, ice and beverages. Get a headcount early so people know how much to bring.
3) Ask everyone to bring their own plates so there isn't a huge amount of waste at the end of the party and you can be green.
4) Put out sunscreen and bug spray to keep burns and pesky bugs at bay.
5) Assign someone to bring tables and folding chairs, but suggest to guests that they bring lawn chairs too.
6) Stock up on disposable cups.
7) Bring squirt guns, frisbees, balls, hula hoops and other games for the kids to all share.
8) Bring a CD player and some music to set the mood.
9) Have a watermelon eating contest and give out amazing prizes.
10) After dark you can project a movie against the side of someones house and all gather around to watch. Make popcorn to share.
11) Think about making homemade ice cream. Nothing puts people in a better mood faster. The young ones may have never seen it made and the older ones can share great memories of homemade ice cream from their youth.
12) Assign, or hire some teens to help out with the young ones. Make sure no one gets trampled and everyone has a good time.
Some easy dinner recipes to add to your party:
New Oreleans Flank Steak
This recipe multiplies easily to fit a crowd!
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 Tb Red wine vinegar
2 Tsp Light brown sugar
2 Tsp Creole or Cajun Seasoning
2 Tsp Terriyaki Sauce - reduced sodium
1 Tsp Oregano - dried
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/4 Tsp Cracked black pepper
1 1/4 lb Flank steak
Instructions
In a large zip top plastic bag, combine all the ingredients except the steak. Seal the bag to shake to combine the ingredients well. Add the flank steak, seal and shake bag again to coat steak well with marinade.
Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Preheat broiler, or grill, and grill the steak for 5 to 7 minutes per side for medium or cook to your desired doneness. Let the steak stand 10 minutes before slicing crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices.
Honey Mustard Chicken
Simple but delicious. Kids will enjoy it a lot. Use broiler if grill is not available.
Serves 6
Ingredients
5 Tb Honey
5 Tb Dijon mustard
4 1/2 lb Chicken thighs and drumsticks
Instructions
Mix honey and mustard together in a small bowl. Put chicken in resealable plastic bag or plastic dish with lid, and pour or brush marinade over chicken. Make sure chicken is covered with marinade. Marinate in refrigerator for at least one hour, but not more than 24 hours. It's best to marinate overnight.
Grill the chicken on a preheated grill for about 8 to 9 minutes per side, baste chicken with marinade until chicken is cooked through and lightly browned. Serve chicken warm or cold.
Chipotle Mashed Potatoes
Chipotle chilies, lime, and cilantro transform everyday mashed potatoes into a mouth watering experience. Prep time is 2 minutes, and cook time is 8 minutes.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 C Milk
2 3/4 C Mashed potatoes - frozen
1 Can Chipotles en adobo, minced
1/4 C Cilantro, chopped
1 Tb Lime juice - fresh
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/4 Tsp Black pepper, freshly ground
Instructions
In a medium saucepan, heat milk over medium heat. Add frozen potatoes; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; add chilies and the rest of the ingredients. Stir until well combined.
Easy Three Bean Salad
Great accompaniment to any meal. Will stay in the refrigerator for up to one week in a tight lidded container.
Serves 8
Ingredients
1 Can Kidney beans - 15 oz, rinsed and drained
1 Can Black beans - 15 oz, drained and rinsed
1 Can Chickpeas - 15 oz, drained and rinsed
1/2 C Parsley - fresh, chopped
1/4 C Olive oil
1/4 C Balsamic vinegar
Instructions
Combine all ingredients and toss. Cover and chill.
Julie Languille
Easy Dinner Recipes, Menus and Meal Planning for Busy Families
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Backyard Camp Out - Easy Dinner Recipes and Dinner Ideas For Family Fun

When the kids are little or time or money is short, try a backyard camp out for an easy recipe for great family fun. All you need are some willing campers, a tent, some bedding and a spirit of adventure.
Step 1) Acquire a tent. Hopefully there's one in the garage and you can find it. If not, you can ask your friends if you can borrow one, or you can go to the local thrift store and see if you can score a bargain. Alternately you can hit the discount stores, tents should be in the sporting goods section and shouldn't cost a lot of money.
Step 2) Gather supplies. We need sleeping bags or bedding and pillows for each camper. We need at least one flashlight and hopefully a battery operated lantern to light our tent. Some cards and games might be fun too.
Step 3) Find a flat and dry area of your yard and pitch your tent. This can be the funniest part of this whole procedure. Generally, modern tents come with folded stakes that unfold and stamp into each other. These poles are threaded into channels sown on the outside of the tent, then the ends are held in place in the ground with stakes. There is usually a rain shield that covers the whole assembly in case of, you guessed it, rain. If your tent is older, you're on your own for assembly.
Step 4) Food and drink are critical to the success of this mission. Plan to cook your meal outside. See the easy recipe ideas below.
Step 5) Light the grill or BBQ fire and play some games with the kids. Lawn darts, the non-lethal kind are good, as is frisbee.
Step 6) Cook dinner and eat. Plan some dessert too. Roast marshmallows over the fire or grill some peaches and drizzle with maple syrup then top with ice cream.
Step 7) Play games with the kids after dinner. Tell stories. When it gets dark, tell scary stories passing around the flashlight. Fortunately, if it get's too scary, the house is nearby.
Step 8) This is the hard part, get comfortable, go to sleep and stay our in the tent until morning. Take the flashlight if you need to make an indoor privy visit. And the good news about backyard camping is that if it gets too uncomfortable, you can always go inside and go to bed. The best part is the time together, not the snoring in the tent part.
Smoked Cheddar Stuffed Hamburgers
A different kind of burger that everyone will enjoy.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 lb Ground beef
1/2 Tb Garlic and herb seasoning - salt free
4 ea Smoked Cheddar Cheese , cut into 4 1 inch chunks
1 Tb Olive oil
4 ea Hamburger buns
Instructions
In a large bowl combine the beef and garlic seasoning until mixed. Shape into four patties about 1 inch thick. Press a chunk of cheese into the center of each of the patties, make sure it is well covered with meat. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, or prepare outside grill. Cook the burgers on the skillet or grill about 4 to 6 minutes per side for medium to medium well done. Serve on buns.
Grilled Sweet Potatoes and Scallions
Great on the grill beside your favorite grilled dish!
Serves 4
Ingredients
3 C Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick slices
3 Tb Olive oil
1 Tsp Thyme, dried
1/4 Tsp Cayenne
2 Tb Butter
2 Scallions, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Heat grill to medium. Toss sweet potatoes with oil, thyme, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Grill potatoes until tender, 20 to 30 minutes, turning frequently. Re-add potatoes to the bowl. Add butter, and break potatoes into large pieces with a fork. Toss with scallions. Serve.
Grilled Corn
Let your kids shuck the corn. Mine love to!
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 ea Cob of corn, shucked
Butter, melted (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Start the grill, then shuck the corn. Grill corn, turning occasionally. When some kernels are a bit charred, 5 to 15 minutes, corn is done. Brush on melted butter. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.
Julie Languille
Mom, step-mom, foster mom and adoptive mom and owner of Dinners In A Flash
Easy Dinner Recipes, Menus and Meal Planning for Busy Families
For more information Click Here!

Easy Sides Save Dinner

Day after day you are responsible for feeding lots of mouths, your own included! I have no doubt you get pretty tired of trying to keep things healthy, interesting, and easy. There are some things you can do to lighten your load. We've all heard, "work smarter, not harder". That is what these tactics are all about!
First, consider roasted veggies. This is such an easy solution for everyday dinners and maybe even some special occasions. It is very simple to wash, cut, and assemble this dish. Simply choose three to four veggies you and your family like. A couple examples include: sweet potatoes, green beans, carrots, or potato, carrot, zucchini. You of course can come up with your own!
Take these veggies and cut them so that they are a similar size. Then simply drizzle some olive oil on them, sprinkle a couple tablespoons of your favorite dry dressing mix, and stir until equally covered. Place in a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees until all the veggies are tender. Done. A tasty, filling, and healthy side dish that can go with just about anything!
Another easy side dish idea is very common sense and will leave you saying "why didn't I think of that!?" The solution is so simple, make double or triple! Not everyone will like tuna casserole leftovers. However, most people don't complain about leftover mashed potatoes!
Let's say Monday night your sides are mashed potatoes and a side salad. You are already taking the time to prepare these items so why not double it and have sides ready for Wednesday night's baked chicken? In other words, make sure you can get two or three nights sides from one prep time, one dirty dish, and one push of energy. You can always spice things up with the leftovers by adding a few things here or there. Maybe you add some avocado to the salad, or some cheese to the mashed potatoes.
Either way, the point is still the same: conserve energy, time, and thought by making multiple night's servings.
A final step is to skip the idea of sides and do "one-bowl" meals. You can use either of these "side" dishes listed above and complete this idea. For example, add some shrimp with the vegetables when tossing in the oil and seasoning. Bake all together for a delicious dinner. Or consider a lovely seared steak on top of your salad.
Keep it simple. Keep is smart. And above all, keep it healthy. Your family will thank you, and you will have more time and energy to enjoy life with them. Happy eating!
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Picnic at the Beach - Easy Dinner Recipes and Dinner Ideas For Family Fun

What could be better than a picnic at the beach for a family dinner outing? Sand in your toes, the roar of the ocean a walk on the beach, and a roaring fire to gather around. If you aren't lucky enough to live near the ocean, a lake, pond, creek or fountain will do. Or simply put blankets down in the back yard. A few easy dinner recipes for a picnic at the beach then later when it gets dark you can do some star gazing.
What you need:
1) A place to go. Choose a local beach, preferably with fire pits or BBQs. One with a bit of shelter from the wind is ideal. It will keep the sand out of your food later.
2) Fire - a fire ring, BBQ, or create your own. You can bring a small portable BBQ or dig a pit and line it with stones. If you are making your own fire pit it is great to involve the whole faily in the digging, the hunt for stones and the search for firewood. It is a good idea to bring a grill to set on top of stones on your firepit. And i always bring some backup firewood in case the search for wood turns up less than an adequate supply.
3) Seating - a picnic bench, folding chairs or a huge old quilt or blanket are wonderful to sit on fireside. Bring several so as the day gets cooler you can all be near the fire and you can switch side s as the wind direction changes to avoid getting smoke on your eyes.
4) Games - It is a great idea to bring some games or toys to occupy the troops until dinner time. A bucket and shovel are classic beach toys and the basis of any good sand castle. It's really amazing how the sand itself is entertaining for kids to play with. It's like at Christmas when all the little kids love to play in the boxes and wrapping; take them to the beach and they love the sand. Of course later they'll have it in every crevice, but that's a price well worth paying for a good afternoon at the beach. Beach balls are another good choice as are Frisbees. Bring another bucket if you've got a shell collector. They'll spend hours combing the beach for treasures. You can make a game of collecting sea shells and sea glass and have a craft day later where you turn your treasures into a craft such as decorated picture frames.
5) Camera - Since we may be making some decorated picture frames later with our collected shells, we may as well bring the camera and capture some sun and sand logged goofiness on film. I love a shot from the end of the day when everyone ir pink and sandy, tired and happy.
6) Safety - Be sure to have the safety discussion with kids early on. Depending on how many you have with you and what their ages are, there rules may vary, but each child should clearly know whether they are allowed in the water, and if so how deep. (To the knees? To the Belly button?) And if we are wandering the beach looking for shells, lets choose marker to show how far it is safe to go and whether you need to have someone come with you.
7) Drying off - Bring loads of towels, preferably big beach towels. Bring more than you think you'll need because someone always gets cold and wet when it is later in the day and beginning to get chilly.
8) Warm clothes - be sure to bring jackets for every one. Once the day turns cooler it is easy to get chilled. Bring something soft in case we're gotten any sunburn.
9) Sunscreen - I hate to have to cut a great outing short because we didn't plan well enough for sun exposure. Be sure it is water proof, plentiful and it is reapplied as needed.
10) Drinks! Be sure to have plenty of bottles of water on hand and well as fruit drinks for the kids and whatever the adults would like. Why not go with a beach theme and have some mai tais on the beach. They needn't even be alcoholic to taste good, although a little rum add good flaover. Buy mai tai mix, orange juice, mango juice, pineapple juice and rum if desired and go to town. It's extra point if you bring cute glasses (non breakable of course) and super extra credit for those little umbrellas.
11) Food! I bet you thought we never get there, but you know the food is the highlight of the day. Today we're doing shrimp boil in foil; succulent tender shrimp, sweet summer corn and spicy sausage all grilled together in a foil packet. The are make ahead and kept in the cooler to pop on the fire when we're ready. Also bring a loaf or garlic bread, all buttered and sliced and wrapped in foil to warm on the grill. For appetizers I like to do little smokey sausage links. Give everyone a weiner roasting stick or fashion them yourselves from coat hangers, spear a little smoky sausage and heat over the fire until sizzling. Careful though, they're hot! Bring more than you think you'll need because appetites get big with all that sun and activity. I'm convinced it makes the food taste better too! For dessert, it's got to be s'mores. Bring marshmallows, roasting sticks, chocolate bars and graham crackers. Again bring more than you think you need to account marshmallows dropped in the sand, burnt like torches and hearty appetites!
Grilled Shrimp "Boil" in Foil
A shrimp boil is a traditional southern dish where shrimp, shellfish, sausage and corn are boiled together with Old Bay seasoning. This has all the good flavor, but is faster and easier to prepare in foil packets.
Serves 4
1 1/2 lb Shrimp - medium - peeled and deveined
1 lb Mussels
1 lb Clams
1/2 lb Kielbasa, sliced
2 Cobs of of corn, shucked
2 Tb Butter
1/4 C Water
1/4 C White wine
1 Tsp Old Bay seasoning
Instructions
Preheat grill to medium high heat. Cut the corn into 1 inch rounds. Tear off 4 large sheets of foil and fold in half to double. Divide seafood, corn and sausage evenly among the packets, dot with butter, sprinkle on Old Bay, and 1 TB of both wine and water. Fold up with double folds to secure well. Grill packets about 10 minutes turning once until puffed. Empty each packet carefully into a bowl to serve.
Julie Languille
Mom, step-mom, foster mom and adoptive mom and owner of Dinners In A Flash
Easy Dinner Recipes, Menus and Meal Planning for Busy Families
For more information Click Here!

Ski Trip Tips: After-Ski Meal Preparations Made Easy

It's one of the biggest dilemmas you'll encounter when embarking on a ski trip with your family: What to eat for dinner after a day of skiing. Dining out would be the best answer. But eating in restaurants can be quite expensive. And if it's peak season, you'll have to deal with long queues and last minute reservation woes.
This leaves you with one option: Cooking.
But who has energy to whip out a gourmet dinner after a day on the slopes?
If someone in your family has food allergies, then you probably don't have much choice but to make a bee line to the kitchen.
However, preparing meals after a day on the slopes don't have to be a Herculean feat. You, after all, are on a ski vacation to relax and enjoy the winter holidays.
So how do you cook up a delicious dinner for the family without rushing? Here are a few tips:
Keep it simple. You don't have to prepare an elaborate condo cuisine to feed your famished family. Burgers, sandwiches and quick-and-easy pastas may be enough to whet their appetites and keep them satisfied until tomorrow's breakfast.
TIP: Check out easy "condo cuisine" meals you can cook in less than an hour online.
Plan ahead. Before leaving home and flying to your ski vacation destination, plan out your dinners, and get all ingredients measured and bagged separately. This can cut cooking time in half. But;
Don't overplan. There's a big chance that you won't be eating in the condo for the most part of your vacation.
Shop on the first day of your ski getaway. Better yet, stock the fridge before hitting slopes. This ensures that you have everything ready before you hit the kitchen.
Prepare slow-cook meals. If you're driving and you still have enough room to spare, bring a crockpot. Check out slow-cook recipes online and get everything ready in the morning. Flip the switch and leave for your day on the slopes. After last run, you'll have dinner waiting for you.
Consider pre-cooking. Pre-cooking and freezing can be a good alternative to slow-cooking, if you can't bring your crockpot with you.
Make snacks or appetizers part of your menu. Give your family something to munch on while they wait for dinner. Whether it's biscuits, trail mix or cookies and hot cocoa, make sure your entrees are not too heavy to get them too full before dinner time, or they'll be skipping the meal you have prepared.
Through smart planning and preparations, cooking your own meals during a ski trip will be a breeze.
Tours de Sport is the best place for ski vacation and destinations. We offer a wide variety of ski vacation packages that you will surely enjoy at an affordable and cost-effective rates.
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Three Easy and Delicious Camping Meals

Camping is a favorite summertime activity for everyone who loves the outdoors. Sometimes preparing all of the equipment and packing all of the gear leaves little time to prepare the food. Often times this means a lot of hot dogs and sandwiches. Here are three easy and delicious meals that you can prepare ahead of time and will make this summer's camping trip a hit with the whole family.
1. Tin Foil Dinners: A favorite among boy scouts, the tin foil dinner is a classic camping dinner that is easy and delicious. Start with baby carrots, potatoes cut into 1" squares, onions, and green beans. Place a generous portion of vegetables on a large square of heavy duty aluminum foil. Add one hamburger patty, salt, pepper, seasoning and wrap the tin foil up securely. These meals will keep for a couple of days in a cooler and when you're ready to eat just throw them in the fire or on the grill. Cook until hamburger is brown throughout and enjoy. These simple dinners are amazingly flavorful and filling. You can even let the kids choose their favorite ingredients ahead of time and make sure everyone gets exactly what they want. The best part of tin foil dinners is that you can eat them right out of the foil and then throw it away when finished. Easy to make and easy to clean up.
2. Tin Foil Pizza Sandwiches: The even easier relative of the classic tin foil dinner. Who doesn't love pizza and what better place to enjoy your favorite pie than the camp ground. Just order your favorite pizza, let it cool, take two pieces and place the cheese sides together, crust side out. Take your pizza sandwich, wrap in tin foil, and you're done. Throw in the fire or on the grill and heat until the cheese melts. No utensils or plates necessary, what could be easier than that.
3. First Night Fish: My personal favorite, and perfect for anyone who loves salmon. Take one large salmon fillet and lay skin side down on a piece of heavy duty tin foil. Make sure the foil is large enough to wrap around the fillet completely. Spread butter over the top of the salmon, sprinkle with lemon pepper, dill, and lemon juice. Wrap the whole thing up and pack. You can then cook the salmon at medium heat on your grill until done. Goes great with a can of green beans and rolls. This meal is best served on the first night; the salmon fillet will take up some space in your cooler and won't keep well for more than a couple of days. The skin will stick to the tin foil when finished making this another easy to clean up meal.
Preparation is key to any successful camping trip. Make sure that you are prepared by planning all of your equipment and meals ahead of time. By making your meals at home you will save time and hassle at the camp site. These meals are not only delicious and easy to prepare, they are also very easy to clean up. The tin foil contains the mess and allows you to just throw out the trash when finished. So dazzle the whole family this summer with a new menu of delicious meals.
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Nascar Tailgating - Easy Dinner Recipes and Dinner Ideas For Family Fun

Everybody loves Nascar racing, it's a great family sport enjoyed by fans of all ages. Why not pack up the family and some easy dinner recipes for tailgating and enjoy some great family time together. Don't forget to wear the colors of your favorite driver. Here are some great tailgating recipe ideas you can use at Nascar, or at a football game or any other party where you have access to a grill. The flavors here are big and bold, but the recipes are easy. Purists might go early and get those deep red rings from low and slow cooking of ribs or brisket. Those are divine, but a lengthy time commitment. Here are some easier recipes that can be finished in a flash. That might help save on beer consumption. Or it might not. (grin)
Bacon and Cheddar Bratwurst
This is a great grilled meal for father's day or a tailgate party where flavors are big and diet is a four letter word. Yummy though!!!
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 Bratwursts
1/4 lb Cheddar cheese, sliced in strips
4 Slices of bacon
4 Hot dog buns
Bratwurst condiments - mustard - sauerkraut - minced onion
Instructions
Soak toothpicks in water for 30 minutes.
Preheat BBQ or grill for indirect cooking.
Slice the brats lengthwise but not completely through to make a pocket to hold the cheese. Stuff brats with cheese and wrap with bacon. Secure with a toothpick.
Grill brats, cheese side up, over indirect heat for 20 minutes until hot throughout and bacon is crisp.
Serve in buns, toasted (optional) with condiments on the side.
Shrimp Kabobs with Pineapple
Easy to put together and so fun and colorful. Great flavor and kids love them.
Serves 4
Ingredients
Cooking spray
Metal or wooden skewers
1 1/4 lb Large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/4 C Pineapple - fresh or canned in juice, cubed
1 Red onion -large, cut into 2 inch chunks
2 Tb Hoisin sauce
3/4 C Chicken or vegetable stock - low sodium
1/4 C Dark rum
2 Tsp Cornstarch
Instructions
Soak skewers in water if wooden. Turn on outside grill to medium high heat, and if using a stove top griddle spray with cooking spray and preheat over medium high heat. Prepare skewers by alternating shrimp, pineapple, and onion. After the skewers are assembled brush all sides with hoisin sauce. Place the skewers on the grill or pan and cook about 5 minutes, turning frequently. Shrimp should be bright pink and cooked through. In a small saucepan whisk together the broth, rum and cornstarch. Set the pan over medium high heat and simmer until sauce thickens about 3 minutes. Stir frequently. Drizzle the sauce over the skewers just before serving or put sauce on table for dipping.
Easy Three Bean Salad
Great accompaniment to any meal. Will stay in the refrigerator for up to one week in a tight lidded container.
Serves 8
Ingredients
1 Can Kidney beans - 15 oz, rinsed and drained
1 Can Black beans - 15 oz, drained and rinsed
1 Can Chickpeas - 15 oz, drained and rinsed
1/2 C Parsley - fresh, chopped
1/4 C Olive oil
1/4 C Balsamic vinegar
Instructions
Combine all ingredients and toss. Cover and chill.
Julie Languille
Mom, step-mom, foster mom and adoptive mom and owner of Dinners In A Flash [http://www.dinnersinaflash.com]
Easy Dinner Recipes, Menus and Meal Planning for Busy Families
For more information Click Here!

7 Cheap Easy Dinners and Recipes

Grocery's are a huge part of most families monthly expenses. In most households the grocery bill is the second highest bill other than the rent or the mortgage. Here are delicious quick easy recipes for a weeks worth of meals for about $50.00. A great way to save more money is to shop grocery sales and cater your meals around them. Save even more by grocery shopping with a list and using coupons.
Monday: American Chop Suey 1 box of pasta $1.00, 1 26.5 oz Can of Hunts tomato sauce in a can $1.00, 1 lb of ground turkey 2.00, 1 8 oz bag of fresh Parmesan cheese 2.50 Boil pasta and drain, cook and drain ground turkey, add tomato sauce and pasta to cooked ground turkey and heat through serve topped lightly with Parmesan cheese. Total Cost $6.50
Tuesday: 6lb bag of Tyson boneless skinless chicken breasts individual packaged approx 24 6 meals cost ($14.00 at BJ's) Costs $2.40 per meal (3 meals for next week) 1 can of cream of chicken soup $1.69, 1 box of bagged brown rice 6 packets in it Cost $.50 (Cost $3.00 you will have bags left over for next week) favorite 1 lb bag of frozen veggies $1.50(you can save move by using can or ripened veggies I just prefer frozen) Place Chicken in a 13x9 pan and cover with cream of chicken soup mixture made to cans directions Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 1 hour. Serve chicken over rice with sauce and veggies on the side. Total Cost $6.09
Wednesday: 1 chicken Caesar salad 1 head of your favorite lettuce Costs $2.00, 1 cucumber Cost $.50, 2 tomatoes costs $2.00, 1 bottle of favorite salad dressing Cost $1.50 4 chicken breasts $2.40 1 carrot (salad will make 2 meals) Rip half a head of lettuce leaves in put into 4 individual bowls use 1/2 a cucumber, 1 tomato, shred 1 carrot and place in bowls top each bowl with 1 grilled and sliced chicken breast topped lightly with shredded Parmesan cheese Total Cost $8.40
Thursday: Sloppy Joes 1lb of ground beef Costs $2.50, 1 26.5 oz can of Hunts tomato sauce garlic and onion Costs $1.00, 1 6 or 8 pack of Hamburger rolls $1.89 Cook and drain ground beef add tomato sauce and heat thoroughly serve in hamburger rolls with salad Total Cost $5.39
Friday: 1 1 1/2 -2lb London broil cost $4.00, 1 5lb bag of potatoes Cost $3.00 use 5-7, 1 can of Campbell's mushroom and garlic cream soup cost $1.69, use 8 carrots from lunch. Mix soup as per direction plus 1/4 can of water place beef, quarter potatoes and carrots, pour soup over top of all ingredients in baking pan and bake for 60-90 minutes until beef starts to fall apart. Don't let it dry out cover with foil if needed. Total Cost $8.69
Saturday: 1 1lb canned ham cost $3.00, 5-7 potatoes, 1 1lb bag of frozen broccoli Cost $1.50 (you can save move by using can or ripened veggies I just prefer frozen), 1 can of cream of cheddar soup Cost 1.79, chunk ham and place in baking dish quarter potatoes, add frozen broccoli and top with cheddar soup mixed per instructions on can add a quarter can more water if needed bake at 350 degrees for about an hour until potatoes are soft, lightly sprinkle with any leftover Parmesan cheese. Total Cost $6.29
Sunday: 4 boneless chicken breast Cost $2.40, grilled with barbecue sauce Cost $1.29, 1 zucchini Cost $1.00, 5-7 potatoes, 1 green pepper costs $1.00, 4 ears of fresh corn on the cob Cost $2.00,1 bag of brown rice Cost $.50. Grill veggies and serve over the cooked brown rice with grilled chicken. Total Cost $8.19
I know these days people are trying to make every penny count. Hopefully these recipes will help stretch your dollar. I work at home and this is one way we have cut our grocery bill by just eating simple home cooked food.
Laurie Karras
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One-Dish Dinners Take a Bite Out of Daily Dinner Prep Stress

For many of us, this is the busiest, most hectic, and stressful time of year. Halloween is over, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas are on the horizon. We have gifts to purchase and wrap, parties to host and attend, travel plans, work deadlines, and church activities on top of our normal everyday activities and duties.
In order to make the season enjoyable and reduce the amount of stress that I feel as a mother of two young children, I always look for quick and easy dinner time meals that will taste good and satisfy my family, while keeping my workload to a minimum. One of the best solutions that I have found is to look for recipes that have only a few easy- to-find ingredients, that can be made hours (or days ahead of time.) One dish meals (not necessarily traditional casserole recipes) are easy and have been my saving grace in that they are less complicated to make and serve. Not only is preparation more simplified, but getting a one dish meal from the oven to the table is much easier, as well. A delicious meat and pasta dish served with a lovely green salad is all everyone needs on a busy weeknight.
This pasta pronto, one-dish wonder, that I found in the December 2011 edition of Cuisine at Home is sure to delight children and adults, alike. The pasta cooks right in the sauce, so the pasta takes on additional deep rich flavors while the sauce thickens from the starchiness of the pasta. In this type of dish, Cuisine at Home recommends using short-shaped pasta like penne, because they cook more evenly, and starting with a bold-flavored sauce. A richer more flavorful sauce can stand up to the additional liquid that needs to be added to cook the pasta.
One Dish Sausage & Penne Ragu

• 12 oz. bulk Italian sausage
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 cup diced yellow bell pepper
• 3/4 cup diced onion
• 2 Tbs. each minced garlic and tomato paste
• 2 tsp. each dried oregano and dried basil
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 cup dry red wine, divided
• 1- 28oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1tsp. sugar
• 1 cup water
• 8 oz. dry penne pasta
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 lb. fresh mozzarella, sliced
• chopped fresh basil

Brown sausage in a large saute pan in oil over medium-high heat, 5 minutes. Add bell pepper and onion, cooking until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, oregano, dried basil, and pepper flakes; saute until fragrant, 1 minute.
Deglaze pan with 1/4 cup wine, increase heat to high and cook until liquid nearly evaporates. Stir in tomatoes and sugar, simmer until thickened, 5-8 minutes. Stir in water and remaining 3/4 cup wine, then add pasta. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender and sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Preheat broiler with rack 6" from the element.
Divide pasta among 6 individual oven safe dishes, like the Fiestaware 4 1/2" diameter ramekins and arrange on a baking sheet. Top each dish with cheese; broil until cheese is bubbly, 2-3 minutes. Garnish each serving with fresh basil and enjoy!
Sarah is the modern day renaissance woman. Living and teaching in Japan and also fluent in Spanish, Sarah has been exposed to cultures across the globe. She has a degree in Marketing, but most of all, Sarah is a mom to a growing family and uses the kitchen as the central hub of gatherings with family and friends. She's a writer for http://www.myamericankitchen.com and frequently writes a daily blog.
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Family Dinners After Divorce

Divorce can be such a difficult time for everyone, especially children. It's confusing for children to transition from having easy access to both parents to rarely seeing them in the same place at the same time.
Scheduling family dinners on a regular basis after the separation or divorce can ease the confusion for children. My ex and I did this when we got divorced over 20 years ago and the kids have actually thanked us many times since for making the effort.
We actually started the family dinners as a way to ease the kids (and maybe us) into the separation, but they continued long after we had moved on and into new relationships. Every Thursday, my ex would pick up groceries and come over after work for dinner. Even as the kids got older and more involved socially, they rarely skipped the Thursday family dinners.
The great thing about the family dinners was that they allowed the kids to feel connected as a family even though we were no longer living together. They also diminished the conflict they felt when their dad and I moved into new relationships. They could see that we were okay with the new situation so they felt more comfortable with it. They knew that there was no need for them to guard what they said to each of us because they could see that we were open with each other.
In addition to the weekly family dinners, we also spent holidays, the children's birthdays, and special occasions together (along with our new significant others).
Parental team work is especially important as children move through their teenage years. When our children were teens, their dad and I drew on the good working relationship that we maintained through our family dinners and special occasions. We were able to present a united front for the children and guide them through challenging issues as they arose.
My children are now grown, with families of their own. The interesting thing is that I've recently learned that those family dinners so many years ago were not only good for our children, but made a positive impression on their friends, some of whom are now facing their own divorces. Having seen the family dinner work so well for our family, they want to follow a similar path.
Try it in your family!
Mary A. Wollard, JD, is an attorney, mediator, and arbitrator with over 20 years experience in solving the legal issues of divorce, parenting (custody), marital property and support. In addition to helping families through mediation and arbitration, Ms. Wollard provides parenting coordination and decision-making services to families when on-going conflict prevents them from fully implementing their parenting plan after divorce. Visit http://www.cofamilysolutions.com/downloads.htm for free downloadable worksheets you can use to organize your family's transition.
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Easy and Affordable Rehearsal Dinner Ideas

It is customary to have a dinner for your bridal party and immediate family following the wedding rehearsal. While sometimes rehearsal dinners are as lavish as the wedding reception, they definitely don't have to be a big production. Check out these easy and affordable rehearsal dinner ideas.
There is a lot of wedding advice out there on how to save money on your reception, but less attention is paid to the rehearsal dinner. The great news is that you really can have a very affordable party that everyone will enjoy. Start by choosing your location. The best ones are free. You could reserve a pavilion in a local park, have it in your parents' backyard, or use a private room in a family style restaurant. There is no need to spend extra money for a party site that charges a room rental fee.
Then there is the food to consider. You truly do not need to have fancy food at your pre-wedding dinner. There are really two main reasons why people have rehearsal dinners. The first is to show hospitality to your wedding party and out-of-town guests, and the second is to allow the bride and groom's sides of the family to get to know one another a little bit. A casual gathering will definitely serve these purposes. You could have a cook out in the park, get barbeque from a local place, have a pasta buffet, or even just order pizzas. As long as you have plenty to eat and drink, everyone will be happy.
Another way to make your pre-wedding dinner easy and affordable is to choose inexpensive decorations. You really do not need to hire a florist to create grand centerpieces, rent custom table linens, or anything of the sort. A simple way to make the dinner tables pretty is with potted flowering plants. Stick with whatever is in season to keep the cost low. Flowers like potted geraniums, pansies, or mums are perfect. You can pop them in baskets or cover them with pretty fabric to hide the plastic pots they come in. For about $5 a table, you will have great colorful centerpieces. As for the tablecloths, if you are having the dinner at a restaurant, just use whatever they provide. No one will give it a second thought.
People get so crazy about weddings sometimes that they forget that it is not necessary to go overboard with entertainment and "wow" moments. This helpful wedding advice definitely pertains to the rehearsal dinner as well. Think of it like a big family holiday dinner, only with more people. You wouldn't feel like you had to hire a band for Thanksgiving, would you? The same applies to your pre-wedding party. The entertainment is conversation and eating, just like at Thanksgiving. People will have plenty to talk about, especially with a wedding coming up the next day. You provide the food and drinks, and let the rest take care of itself.
A laid back rehearsal dinner is the perfect way to set the stage for your ceremony and reception the next day. Your families will have more fun at the wedding after getting to know one another a little the night before. So go ahead and plan a rehearsal dinner that is easy and inexpensive. You will have plenty of time to torture yourself and spend a fortune over planning the wedding itself!
Laura is interested in wedding advice [http://greatweddingplanningideas.com/expertadvice.html] and planning and wedding trends including jewelry,receptions and gifts. Visit us today at Silverland Jewelry for the most beautiful selection of wedding jewelry you will find anywhere.
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Stocking the Kitchen For Convenient and Healthy Family Meals

A well-stocked kitchen can make the decision between cooking a healthy meal at home or running out for fast food or take-out. Here are some staples for the pantry that should always be on the grocery list and in your kitchen, so preparing snacks and planning meals is simple and convenient.
For the Refrigerator
Pre-cooked chicken and meats - already grilled or steamed. Ready to add to pasta, salads, stews, stir frys, and fajitas.
Pre-cut vegetables and fruits - found in the fresh produce section of supermarket. Veggies are perfect for stir frys and pastas. Fruits are ready for snacking, salads or smoothies.
Shredded cheeses - found in the cheese or deli section of supermarket. Great way to save time when making your favorite Italian and Mexican dishes.
Fresh dips and salsas - found in cheese and meat sections of supermarket. Can spice up sandwiches, raw vegetables, crackers, pasta, and baked potatoes. Store in freezer or refrigerator for last minute get-togethers, meals and snacks.
Pizza and bread dough - found in the freezer or refrigerator section of supermarket. Let each family member create their own meal with lots of healthy topping options.
Dairy Products
Choose pasteurized, whole milk and dairy products for those under 5 years old. Some pediatricians say to cut back on whole milk products as young as 3 years old, and introduce low and skim milk options. Be sure to check dates on packages to be sure you're getting the freshest and longest lasting.
Yogurt - particularly plain yogurt which you can add your own fruit and purees. For those under one year, be sure the yogurt is made from whole milk and active cultures. Soy yogurt is an option for those who are lactose intolerant. Plain yogurt is also a good base for salad dressings, smoothies, sauces and a healthy alternative to sour cream for topping baked potatoes, and Mexican foods.
Milk - you may have a few different types of milk (whole, low fat and non-fat) for family members based on age and diet. Soy and rice milk are also good alternatives, especially for those with allergies and lactose intolerance. Have on hand for drinking, making smoothies and baking.
Cheeses - soft cream cheese makes great dips and spreads for all ages. Adding calcium to your family's diet is as easy as sprinkling fresh parmesan over pastas and vegetables. Cheddar cheese is always welcome for sandwiches and homemade macaroni and cheese. Cottage, ricotta and goat cheeses can be part of a healthy meal or snack. Pre-shredded and grated cheeses are very convenient for Italian and Mexican favorites.
Eggs - eggs can make all kinds of quick meals by themselves - omelets, egg salad, frittatas and quiches. Some kids think "breakfast for dinner" is a fun family meal. Choose cage free and organic for the least exposure to harmful bacteria.
For the Freezer
Fresh is usually best for taste and nutrients, however frozen can be convenient stand-by. Frozen items such as peas and blueberries make convenient finger foods for older babies and toddlers. Frozen poultry, meats and fish will create all kinds of meals.
Don't forget to use the freezer for left-overs and storage to create your own convenient "frozen dinners". Your baby's purees, as well as sauces and broths store beautifully in ice cube trays and zip top bags.
For the Pantry
Dried Foods
Bread, grains and pastas are good sources of carbohydrates that can be the basis for a quick and healthy meal. Some dried beans and legumes require more cooking time and preparation but are economical and healthy.
Pasta - this can be any shape or size, so you're ready to make spaghetti, lasagna, macaroni and cheese, udon, and soups. Best choices are egg-less noodles for those under 12 months and wheat semolina for those over 12 months.
Dried Grains - these include couscous, quinoa, polenta and risotto. These make good side dishes to meats and fish dishes as well as appropriate main dish with steamed vegetables or stews. A good staple for Indian and Mediterranean dishes.
Beans and legumes - these include lentils, red kidney beans, garbanzo beans, black beans, and white beans. You're prepared for healthy dips such as hummus and black bean, as well as side dishes, soups and salads.
Breads - including pita, multi-grain, lavosh, bagels, and tortillas. Different breads allow for various stuffings. Create healthy pizzas, burritos, wraps, sandwiches and more.
Rice - infant rice for first meals and to mix in with vegetable and fruit purees. Brown rice makes a good and healthy companion for Asian stir fry, and Mexican dishes.
Dried fruits - these are great healthy snacks alone, as well as good mix-ins for yogurt, granola, oatmeal, and cottage cheese.
Breakfast cereals - these include muesli, granola, low sugar cereals, oat bran, wheat germ, and oatmeal. It's also easy to make your own cereal mix by simply combining your favorite grains such as rolled oats, toasted wheat germ, and oat bran with dried fruit.
Canned and Jarred Foods
Some canned foods are high in fat, sodium and sugar, but many are also high in nutritional value. Check the labels to identify those with the least additives. These include: light tuna in water, organic natural nut butters, all-fruit spread, beans, and tomatoes. Be sure to thoroughly rinse canned beans and vegetables to eliminate extra sodium and oils. Remember low sodium broths and stocks for poaching and boiling meats and vegetables, as well as creating your own soups.
Condiments and Spices
A good supply of bottled sauces, condiments, oils, herbs and spices will allow for lots of creativity. Ingredients such as naturally brewed soy sauce, mustards, ketchup, salad dressings, tomato paste, and Worcheshire give flavor to many dishes as well as create many dips and sandwich spread options.
Use healthy oils such as olive and canola for cooking and baking as well as preparing dressings and marinades. Vinegars such as balsamic are also a good way to add flavor. Remember to refrigerate after opening.
Herbs and spices are best when fresh, but even dried can wake-up a boring food. If possible buy whole herbs and grind them yourself (a clean coffee grinder works well) for maximum flavor.
Lisa Barnes is the owner of Petit Appetit, a cooking service devoted to the health and nutrition of infants and toddlers. She is the author of the iParenting award winning cookbooks, Petit Appetit: Eat, Drink and Be Merry and The Petit Appetit Cookbook and teaches cooking classes to parents in Northern California, who want to provide fresh, healthy, organic foods to their family. For information and to sign up for a free newsletter
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The Importance and Benefits of Family Dinners

Of all the meals in a day, perhaps dinner is the only time most modern families can really eat together. Everyone's rushing in the morning so the family members won't have time to even chat for a bit over breakfast. How about during lunchtime? Well, for practical reasons, most, if not all, members have their midday meal at work or at school. So that leaves dinner or supper as the only mealtime that would have mom, dad, and kids at the table all at the same time (assuming that either parent isn't doing overtime work or the kids are not out with their friends).
Since dinnertime is the only time of the day when all of you reconnect as a family, make every effort to eat dinner together every single day. There are multiple benefits your family can get by doing this. Here are just a few of them:
Quality time together - After spending the day working or studying and doing other everyday things, the best time to get a break from it all is in the evening. Spending time together at home is the most practical way you can bond as a family, not to mention that it's also the safest since you're right in your own abode. Whatever everyone is doing, make sure they drop it once dinner is served so everyone's present at the table.
Healthier food - We have to admit that oftentimes, when we're rushing, we usually just grab the nearest available food in the fridge or at drive-throughs, and much of this stuff is unhealthy. By cooking for dinner, you can choose the freshest and healthiest ingredients so you can prepare nutritious food for the family. Go for healthy recipes that make use of nutritious ingredients instead of processed stuff.
Lower stress levels - Being out all day means experiencing fatigue at different levels. The stress brought about by work can certainly be debilitating. Because of this, many would just turn on the TV or lie in bed when they get home. No one's stopping you from doing this. However, don't forget that you're not alone in your house. You can't just sleep or TV-view away stress knowing that you have a family waiting to be reconnected to. When you have dinner together, especially if you decide to prepare food as a family, you can exchange stories and how your day went, which can easily lower or even get rid of your stress.
These are just some of the many benefits you can gain by having dinner together as a family. Make sure you'll find ways to make it happen daily.
Cook healthy dinner for your family by getting healthy recipes on FoodPlus site.
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A Quick, Easy and Healthy Dinner: Pasta With Shrimp and Garlic

Weeknights can be a hectic time but take-out dinners and processed meals can wreak havoc on your wallet and your waistline! This delicious and healthy pasta dish can be on the table in under 20 minutes. The secret to this dish is to use frozen cooked and peeled shrimp, easily available in most grocery stores. Just thaw, toss with garlic, olive oil, butter and fresh parsley and you've got a fast shrimp scampi recipe in no time. A healthy combination of lean protein, complex carbohydrates, nutrient-rich fresh herbs and a small amount of good fat makes this an energy-boosting meal for students, athletes and busy professionals. With two growing teenage boys in my house, this is one of our "go to" dinner recipes that really delivers on those crazy busy school nights between sports and homework. Add a green salad and you're done!
Ingredients:
1 pound (1 box or package) of pasta (spaghetti, fettuccini or linguini)
1 pound (1 bag) of frozen shrimp, cooked and peeled. Medium or large shrimp work well.
2 cloves of garlic, sliced thin or minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons salted butter
A handful of fresh Italian Parsley, rough chopped
1 cup frozen peas (optional)
Salt and fresh ground pepper
Directions:
1. Put a large pot of water on to boil. (at least 4 quarts of water per pound of pasta)
2. Put the frozen shrimp in a colander and run lukewarm water over them to thaw. It just takes a few minutes. Remove the tails and place the shrimp on a towel to dry.
3. When the water is at a rolling boil, add a heaping tablespoon of salt and drop in the pasta. Stir gently as the pasta softens until it is below the waterline and moving on its own. Set the timer to the time recommended on the package and stir every couple minutes to keep the pasta from sticking.
4. While the pasta is cooking, add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons of butter and the garlic to a cold saucepan. Turn the heat to medium-high and sauté gently until the garlic is fragrant, about a minute or two. Don't let the garlic brown or burn or it will be bitter. Add the thawed, cooked shrimp and half of the fresh parsley. Season lightly with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Toss gently to coat the shrimp and turn the heat to low. You want to warm the shrimp through being careful not to cook them. (they are already cooked and any additional cooking with make them tough.)
5. About a minute before the pasta is ready, reserve a 1/2 cup or so of the starchy pasta water and set aside.
6. If adding frozen peas, add them now. The frozen peas will slow the cooking process down so you'll need to taste test your pasta for doneness. You may need to add an additional minute or two to the cooking time. By the time the pasta is done, the peas will be bright green and perfectly cooked.
7. When the pasta is al dente, cooked but still firm to the bite, drain it, along with the peas, into a colander. Put the hot pasta back in the hot pot - off the heat or on low - and add the shrimp. Scrape the saucepan with a rubber spatula to get all the herb, garlic and buttery deliciousness out of the pan. Toss together with the pasta until well coated. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water if it seems a bit dry. Add the last tablespoon of butter to create a silky smooth texture, toss in the remaining parsley, mix thoroughly and serve immediately.
As for the cheese... Italians generally do not add cheese to seafood dishes because the flavor is so delicate. However, if your family likes it that way, by all means add it!
Buon appetito!
Christine Coughlan is the author, designer and publisher of http://www.MyFavoritePastaRecipes.com, your one-stop resource for pasta recipes, ideas, how-to and more! You'll find simple step-by-step recipes with beautiful images, helpful how-to videos, drool-worthy culinary tours, timely seasonal inspiration and much more. Quick and easy one-dish dinner ideas, classic pasta and sauce combinations, rich and satisfying lasagnas, even an in depth video series on how to make fresh pasta by hand that will keep you coming back for more. To keep things flowing smoothly in your kitchen, look for her handy tips and timing techniques. From gathering your ingredients to garnishing your plate, you'll look like a seasoned pro. To check out more great pasta recipes, visit today!
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Quick and Easy Dinner Ideas - When Mr Crock Met Mrs Pot

With the arrival of the fall season, also comes the arrival of back to school time and busy fall schedules which can sometimes mean that you do not have enough time in the day to put a hot, healthy meal on the table for your family. Luckily, there are some quick and easy dinner ideas that can be prepared in your crock pot that will ease your stress level when you walk into the door after a long day of work or school and enter a room full of aromatic smells wafting throughout the house. Crock pots have been around for decades and they are one of the least used cooking items today, but you are missing out if you do not take advantage of this incredible appliance. Taking a few minutes in the morning will mean that you will provide a delicious dinner that your whole family will love.
Cooking something in a crock pot does not mean that it has to be a smooshy type of casserole. Crock pot recipes have really grown in the last decade to produce some really delicious meals for your family. For a savory feast, throw in boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but into strips. Mix the chicken with a combination of 1 can of cream of mushroom soup, 1 can of cranberry sauce and a packet of dry onion soup mix. Simply switch the knob to low and simmer in the crock pot all day. Serve over rice and you have a delicious meal that literally took a mere minute to prepare. You can also throw a whole roast into the crock pot for a delicious pot roast meal. First, add carrots, celery, potatoes and onions to the bottom of the crock pot. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Add a bit of water and some beef seasoning to the crock pot and you will have a delicious pot roast dinner when you walk into the door that evening. Get an extra big roast and you will have enough leftovers to make French dips the following night so you will have two meals out of your way for the week.
Quick and easy dinner ideas are a great way to insure that your family eats a well rounded and hot meal every night without having to go through the drive through for greasy burgers and fries. A crock pot meal will allow you to eat at home around the table where you can truly be a family and talk about your day.
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The Family Table - Some More Tasty, Easy Recipes for Busy Moms!

Here are a few more delicious, easy main dishes for all you busy moms out there! Let's bring back our family table dinners, and bring our families closer at the same time. What could be better?
POLISH SAUSAGE & POTATOES
Potatoes - 5 or 6 medium to large
Onion - 1 medium, chopped
Carrots - 4 or 5 peeled, sliced
16 oz pkg. smoked or polish sausage, sliced in ½ "slices
1 C. cheese, grated, your choice of kind (I've used American & Cheddar & Colby/Cheddar mix
Seasoning salt - (I use "Soul Seasoning", but use the kind you like best!)
Pepper to taste
Vegetable oil to cover bottom of pan (need less in a non-stick pan)
Wash potatoes thoroughly. Cut up your potatoes into 1" squares, leave skin on. Chop up your onion. Peel and slice the carrots (1/4 " slices or so) thinly. Put vegetable oil in large, deep skillet and heat slightly; now add veggies. Add seasoning salt and pepper. Now fry all that up in a pan together till potatoes and carrots are done. Keep a lid on it and it will cook much faster. Now add your polish sausage, and put the lid on and let it all get hot for 5 more minutes. Now mix it up, and add grated cheese. Put the lid on a couple more minutes till the cheese melts down through it all. Now eat it. Yum yum!
This Casserole is Not a Side Dish! It Makes a Great Main Dish!
GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE
1 ½ lbs ground beef, browned with 1 medium chopped onion, and drained
2 t. garlic powder
Salt & pepper to taste
4 cans (any style) green beans, drained
2 cans cream mushroom soup
½ can milk
1 cup grated cheese (your choice, we like cheddar)
1 can French fried onions (or you could substitute buttered cracker crumbs)
Mix mushroom soup and milk in mixing bowl. Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Now add in the green beans and ground beef, mixing all together gently. Pour into 9 X 13 pan. Cook at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Now add the grated cheese to cover top and put the French fried onions on top of that, crumbled all over. Cook another 10 minutes.
Serve with hot garlic bread.
Yum!
***If you want you can add a little can of drained mushrooms to the mixture. I don't because my hubby doesn't like mushrooms.****
Quick Deep Dish Pizza! OR...Who Wants to Wait on Yeast to Rise?
QUICK DEEP DISH PIZZA
Pepperoni, 1 pkg
Grated cheese, cheddar & mozzarella, lots
1 ½ - 2 lbs ground beef
1 med chopped onion
Black olives, sliced
16 oz. can tomato sauce (maybe 2, depends on how big a pizza you are making)
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 T. Oregano or pizza spices
Salt & pepper to taste
Canned cheapo biscuits (2 cans do a 9 x 13 pan pretty well)
Mushrooms, fresh or canned, & sliced
Green bell pepper, chopped
Roll each biscuit out with a roller pin or smooth glass to about ¼ " (more or less!). Or your hands! Better yet, your little ones would enjoy flattening them out with their (clean, washed of course) hands! It's a good idea to let them sit out for a few minutes to get warmed up; they will stay in place better (the biscuits, not the kids). As you get each one rolled out, place them to form a crust in the bottom of a 13 X 9 pan; spray bottom of pan with cooking spray first so it won't stick. It doesn't have to be perfect; just cover the bottom, more or less. (If you don't have canned biscuits, I have mixed up Bisquick biscuits and flattened it out in the bottom. Little flakier, though, but still good!) Brown your hamburger & onion & bell pepper in a skillet, and drain.
Now mix up your pizza sauce. Use the tomato sauce, garlic powder, oregano, salt & pepper. You'll want a good flavorful sauce (it needs to be a bit stronger-tasting than spaghetti sauce so you can still taste it with all the toppings on it). We like a lot of sauce; after all, this is an eat-with-a-fork pizza.! If you want less, use less and save the rest in the fridge. Spoon it over the biscuits. Make sure there is plenty. Nothing is worse than dry pizza. Now start with the toppings.
Do the hamburger/onion/bell pepper mixture, then the pepperoni, then the mushrooms, then the olives & then the cheese/cheeses. If there are other ingredients your family enjoys, add 'em! This part is also fun for the kids to help with! The more they are partakers with what goes on in the kitchen, the more they feel invested in family dinner time. Cook at 400 degrees until crust is good and brown on bottom, and not gooey. If you use a clear Pyrex pan, you can look at the bottom and see if they're brown. If not, take a fork and dig down & see if the crust is fluffy. You definitely don't want the biscuits ooey-gooey! Takes around 20-30 minutes.
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6 Tips for Making Easy Dinner Recipes

Do you have the skills to help you transition from drive through mentality to preparing full family dinners? Yes, I laughed at this concept too. The whole idea that I could have the time or energy to make dinner for my family every day is laughable. Then I started implementing these tips and our family life actually changed. I would like to share with you how to make easy dinner recipes work for you on a daily basis.
Tip #1: Get a calendar. This is an organizing tool that works for everyone I know and it's so simple you're going to just say, "Stacy, come on. Do you think we're simpletons?". Not at all. But when you're writing down all of your activities for the day, note what days are going to be crunches and which look not so bad. If Tuesday looks horrid, buy a rotisserie chicken, some great rolls, a bag of Caesar salad and you've got chicken sandwiches in a flash. You'll only go through half the chicken and when Wednesday hits, you have the makings of a great pasta. Your calendar can be your best friend so map out your week in advance and write on each day what dinner is going to be.
Tip #2: Post a shopping list inside your pantry door. This will help you remember the odd items that come up (saran wrap gets me all the time) plus as you're doing your meal planning at the beginning of the week you can easily populate the items you need to make those dinners.
Tip #3: Consolidate. One grocery trip per week period. Don't make life harder than it is. When in doubt, refer to Tip #2 and be diligent with that.
Tip #4: Get everyone else involved. I have two children so they get to pick one meal every two weeks. My daughter picks one week and then my son the next. I find a day that looks good and ask for their choice ahead of time. They get excited to for having dinner at home because it's their choice and I don't have to force anyone to eat anything.
Tip #5: Get tech-y. Subscribe to blogs or websites that have great recipes emailed right to you each week. I have been fortunate enough to subscribe to a program that helps me out tremendously. Not only does it have a huge library of recipes to pick from, but it helps me put the recipes onto a list and then even makes a grocery list for me. I don't know how I ever lived without it. There are quite a few of these sites out there, but the one I use can be found here.
Tip #6: Be flexible. We're not perfect and even the best laid plans sometimes fall apart. An occasional Pizza picked up in desperation is o.k.. We also have scramble nights when the plan has deteriorated and we get to just pick anything from the pantry we want - from a bowl of cereal to left over steak. We're all great with those evenings because we know that tomorrow we'll get back on the program.
I have a career, own a second business, have two children who are both heavily involved in sports and regularly volunteer for local, national and international service projects. Super-Mom I am not, but I have found some invaluable tools that have helped me stay sane (well most days at least). Taking the stress out of my life is a major priority and I hope you can join me in making dinner easy and delicious again.
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Family Dinners Essential to Communication

You've heard the research. You know that establishing the habit of sitting down together for dinner as a family is critical to building and maintaining healthy communication with your children. But then you look at your calendar and wonder how in the world you can make time to squeeze in a family dinner every night.
First of all, as long as your family sits down together for dinner a majority of the time, it's not necessary to do it every single night. However, if you find yourself unable to make time for a family dinner once or twice a week, you may need to take a hard look at your family's schedule and see what activities can be eliminated or cut back. Once your calendar is clear and you're ready to establish the habit of dining together, you need some survival strategies in order to plan, prepare and clean up after family dinners.
The easiest way to gather your family around the dinner table is to involve them in meal planning and preparation. Children as young as three years old can assist with menu planning. Young children can also help tear lettuce for salads, set the table and other non-dangerous tasks. Older children can help with cutting up vegetables and cooking the meal. Children are far more likely to eat food they have helped to plan and prepare.
You'll also need to develop a file of quick and easy meal ideas. Busy work nights are not the time to try out that new gourmet recipe. Browse the internet for quick and easy recipes or subscribe to one of the many quick cooking magazines that are available on newsstands. There are also hundreds of books with thousands of quick cooking recipes. Studies have shown that most families eat the same 10 to 20 recipes on a cyclical basis. So, once you've established 10 good, quick recipes that your family enjoys don't worry too much about needing to serve something new every night.
Occasionally, long hours at work or traffic tie ups might mean that you simply can't cook a meal. Planning ahead for those events can help you avoid the drive-through trap. For example, keep a few high quality frozen pizzas and bagged salad greens for a quick meal. Or stop at the grocery store and pick up a rotisserie chicken and some side dishes. Regardless of what you serve, be sure you eat your meal on real plates with real silverware. If you call ahead, your children can have the table set by the time you arrive home.
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Easy Dinner Recipes and Dinner Ideas For Family Fun - Go Geocaching

Geocaching is like hunting for hidden treasure, only the true treasure is the experience of the hunt. Go online and look up the location of a geocache in your area, then pack a picnic dinner of easy dinner recipes, grab your GPS and head off for a family adventure. The online websites will tell you the location of the cahe. Use your GPS and track the location. Open the cache when you find it and you'll never know what you'll find. There should be a log book to write in and tell who you are and when you found the cache. Sometimes there are trinkets. You may take one if you leave one behind.
Read the logbook and see who has found the cache before you. Look at the contents of the cache. You are allowed to take one thing if you leave something. Never take the cache itself. Sometimes items are left in the cache with a tracking bug on them to track where the item should go. Sometimes there are instructions or requests to move the trinket further along on its journey.
Geocaching will have you tramping through forests, walking through fields and literally going who knows where. You can even plant a cache of your own and monitor it to see who uses it. It's really an adventure. And it is an activity that is appropriate for all ages. Give it a try. You never know what you'll find.
For some easy dinner recipes for this outing I am suggesting either panini or wraps. Both are high portable and easy to keep cool until time to eat. In the pacific northwest, geocahes tend to be located in state parks, beaches and other locations which also have the advantage of having great picnicking facilities. Those are very handy to have with the family along. Also they have BBQ pits, so by packing in some charcoal, or with a quick run to the car, we can toast our panini over the grill to render them soft, warm and oozing with cheesy goodness, plus we can finish off with a toasted marshmallow, always a summertime favorite. The panini are good cold too, in case your adventure does not bring you close to a convenient grill.
Enjoy!
What to bring:
1) Instructions and location coordinates printed out from the internet.
2) Good walking shoes. Make sure everybody has good durable walking or hiking shoes.
3) Sunscreen - you never know what weather you'll run into.
4) GPS - you won't get far without this!
5) Bug spray - if is needed at the time of year in your area.
6) Water for everyone.
7) Snacks for keeping energy up while searching.
8) A cooler to keep dinner cold.
An Easy Dinner Recipe from Dinners In A Flash
Turkey Panini with Brie and Toasted Pecans
This is SO good, you'll love it!
Serves 4
Ingredients
3 Tb Butter
1 1/3 C Pecan pieces
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Loaf of focaccia bread, cut into quarters then halved horizontally
1/3 C Mayonnaise
3/4 lb Deli sliced turkey breast
3/4 lb Brie cheese
Instructions
Preheat a panini press (or a large skillet or grill pan with olive oil). If you are planning to take the panini on a picnic, you can skip this step, wrap the sanwiches in foil, keep them cool and toast them on a grill later.
In a skillet over medium heat, cook pecans in butter, stirring often, until golden, crisp, and fragrant - about 5 minutes. Salt and pepper generously. Drain on paper towels.
Spread focaccia with mayonnaise. Top with turkey, then slices of brie, dividing evenly between the sandwiches. Top with pecans and bread tops. Toast in the panini press or pan fry on both sides, pressing down until cheese is melted and sandwich is golden and crispy.
Note: Panini are great picnic foods. Wrap them in foil, keep cool until ready to grill then grill them directly on the grill in their foil packets. Delicious!
For other great easy dinner recipes and dinner ideas visit dinners in a flash dot com.
Julie Languille
Dinners In A Flash
Easy Dinner Recipes, Dinner Ideas and Dinner Planning
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10 Easy Chicken Recipes the Family Will Love

Looking for ways to put dinner on the table with a bit of creativity but without the hassle and hectic prep time? I learned years ago that just because I was responsible for making dinners in my household, it didn't mean I was able or interested in prepping a time consuming hot meal five nights a week. If you have the same hectic lifestyle most families have today, these tips and recipes should help you feed your family, stay within budget, and actually enjoy what you cook!
All recipes here start with cooked chicken, and will feed four (with average appetites). Doesn't matter if it's white or dark meat. It doesn't even matter how much chicken you use - you know your family's appetites better than anyone!
I know - most of you are saying, "Cooked chicken? You just told me I didn't have to spend a bunch of prep time making these meals!"
Right! What I do is either buy one of those precooked rotisserie chickens (I love the ones at Costco because they are only $4.99 and absolutely delicious!), or I buy a 3 - 4 pound Purdue roasting chicken when they are on sale (of course, any decent chicken will do) and cook it over a weekend.
Then I cut off all the meat and place it in individual quart size freezer bags to be used later on. Forgot to take some out to defrost in the morning? No problem - just throw a bag in the microwave to defrost while you get the other ingredients together.
Now, here's the beauty of what I do: I teach you how to pair ingredients to put a meal together. I don't outline ingredients you need to measure.
1. Add your cooked chicken to steamed rice (I use the boil in the bag brown rice variety, and make two bags at a time) and one can of cream of chicken soup. Stir well. Spray a baking dish with Pam and add this mixture. Top with slices of cheddar cheese. Microwave on high just until cheese begins to bubble - remember, everything else is already cooked.
2. Add chicken to a large bag of Green Giant Steamers. Wait until one minute before they are done, and add the chicken then. I like the broccoli and cheese and the roasted potatoes with garlic and peppers, but anything works.
3. Add the chicken to some Mac and Cheese! Personally, I prefer the precooked side dishes you can find in the refrigerated section. (I had enough of the boxed variety back in college, thank you!) Add a cut up fresh tomato or a can of diced tomatoes.
4. Add chicken to a can of chili with or without beans, and serve over baked potatoes.
5. Make open faced chicken sandwiches: slice a loaf of French bread into thick slices. Top with chicken, cover with a can of chicken gravy. I also make instant mashed potatoes! (Don't laugh... my family loves instant mashed potatoes, and if you haven't tried the new ones that have come out lately, you should!)
6. Chicken omelets are great! Packed with protein, and easy to make. Add feta cheese, tomatoes, or even a can of sliced white potatoes!
7. Make a yummy chicken salad by tossing the chicken with greens, and adding dried cranberries, walnuts, sesame seeds, blue cheese crumbles, and apple slices.
8. Make your own chicken pot pie! Mix the chicken with canned chicken gravy and a can of cream of chicken soup. Add a can of peas and carrots, and a can of diced white potatoes. Pour into pie dish. Top with premade pie crust. Follow directions for baking the pie crust - this is your most critical ingredient. Usually plan on 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.
9. Chicken flatbread! Buy the premade pizza or flatbread, and top with chicken, pizza sauce or diced tomatoes, and your choice of cheese. Add black olives, minced garlic, or anything you really like on your pizza and flatbreads. Follow directions on the flatbread package to cook.
10. Chicken and pasta is delicious, filling, and you can't go wrong with any age group with this one. I like to use either penne or rigatoni, but it really doesn't matter. Mix the pasta with olive oil, a little lemon, some minced garlic, salt and pepper, capers and whatever other seasonings your family really likes. Toss well. This can even be served as a cold pasta salad, too.
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