Category: Kids

EASY and FAST Pandemic Meals

Burgers, Kids, Pantry Raid, Pasta, Perfect Side Dish..., Pork, Seafood, Thrifty Meals, Weekly Meal Plans

Here are a few meals I have made over the last few days. Hope they inspire you to cook at home!

Bacon Burger with a runny egg on top!
Spaghetti and Meatballs but this time I just used frozen meatballs. No shame in that at all! Plus one of my favorites, mozzarella bruschetta. I sliced an Italian loaf of bread in medium sized pieces and slathered on olive oil on each piece and topped with a slice of fresh mozzarella. I put that in the oven on the second rack halfway through the pasta baking. It about 8-10. The oven was at 350.
I chopped up 3 tomatoes, some fresh basil, and mixed it with a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of balsamic glaze with a bit of salt and pepper. Topped the cheese toast with the tomato mixture and topped with more balsamic drizzle and basil.
Jambalaya- I made this for the hubby for his lunch. I sliced one chicken thigh and cooked it in a cast iron pan. Then I added 2 pieces of sliced Andouille sausages until they were heated through. Lastly I added the shrimp and cooked it for about 2 minutes per side. Then I added the meat to a cooked box of Jambalaya Rice mix. Pretty easy to throw together. I had a few bites to taste test 😉
Becca’s favorite- Shake and Bake Pork Chops. I always try to have a box in my pantry. Always a classic!

Naan Pizza Party

Kids, Pizzas, Flatbreads, Toasts

Evening guys! So the girls really love making homemade pizza. Pizza on anything… English Muffins, pizza dough, and any type of flat breads. I usually try to have a container of pizza sauce and their favorite ingredients in the fridge and pantry at all time. Black olives, mushrooms, and mozzarella cheese. Becca loves fresh mozzarella, while Katie loves the shredded stuff. They also loves crumbled bacon on their pizza, but they hate pepperoni. They think it is too spicy. Whatever… Mama loves making pizza, too, so I may buy some pepperoni or salami to keep in the fridge drawer just for me. I baked the pizza at 400 for about 15 minutes.

Here are some tips on making homemade pizza…
1. Make sure you brush the dough with olive oil before topping. Extra flavor!
2. Don’t overload with ingredients, but don’t be stingy. Unless you just want cheese. Cheese it up!
3. Get a pizza stone and heat it while you are assembling your pizza. For stronger dough like naan, if you want crispy crusts, cook directly on the rack. Doughy pizzas/flat breads can be made on the pizza stone or baking pan.
4. Naan Pizzas are your own personal pizza. I cut mine in 4 pieces for easier eating. Also, if you make a different kinds, people can share easily!

Mine has black olives, roasted red peppers, mushrooms, and artichokes.  The other 2 belong to the kiddos. They ate almost every bite! Success!

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Cream Cheese Berry Hand-Pies

Breakfast and Brunch, Kids, Sweet Treats

I made these yummy little hand pies yesterday. Becca and I really love them, but I made enough to share with my neighbor. I made one with just raspberries, a few with both, and the rest with blueberries.

I rolled out the pie crusts and cut them in 4 pieces each (8 all together). On each small pie crust, I spread a little cream cheese to cover almost the entire piece. You need a little blank space around the edges so you can pinch them together.

For the berry filling, I mixed together the following in a bowl- 1 pint blueberries, 1/2 pint raspberries. 1/4 cup of white sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, a few about a teaspoon of cinnamon, a splash of vanilla, and a pinch of salt. I also would normal add a splash of lemon juice or orange juice, but I had none 😦  I used 1 heaping tablespoon per hand pie, closed them up and pinched the edges together with my fingers then a fork. I also brushed each pie with a some egg wash.

I baked them at 400 for about 15 minutes. I did them in 2 batches. There will be some leakage from the berries and possibly cream cheese, but that is fine.  They taste really great with a cup of coffee!

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