Summer is here and if your kids are like ours – it gets boring day after day all summer long.  Once school ends and summer sets in you have to work at keeping kids entertained and contained all summer long.  Do you ever feel like the activity director instead of the mom?

After a week or two of summer the new wears off “summer break” for the best of moms and standbys like TV, movies, and video games become a default for quiet time.  Let’s break out of that this summer and have a little fun while engaging their minds and bodies. For the next 100 days your children will be home so let’s start planning for a great summer today!

1.  Start with 100 recipes, yes, every dinner you will make this summer. Decide “What’s for dinner?” now and save time and effort later. Just by selecting meal plans for each dinner this summer you can eliminate a lot of stress and get mealtime organized. Pick a day each week to go to the store and purchase the ingredients you need for the meals you have selected. I found that 7 am on Monday morning gets my week off to a great start and I save time at the grocery because there’s no one there!

2.  Next I find that coming up with a “flexible routine” is helpful to keep your summer flowing smoothly. Designate a day for a weekly activity and stick with it. Boredom is easily overcome by expectation!

3.  Pick a day each week to go to the library, this will not only stimulate their reading, it will entertain them for an hour or two each. Kids love to know what’s happening next and it gives them something to look forward to.

4.  Pick another day of the week that you can set aside for a trip to the pool or a park. Take a picnic lunch and make a day of it. Consider allowing older children to invite a friend. They will enjoy even the simplest of activities with a friend.

5.  Perhaps you will want to add a day just for having a friend over or playing in the neighborhood. This may sound simple but trust me, when kids have a schedule they respond better.

6.  Weekly ideas may also include a “fun day” with a trip to the zoo, a movie, or an amusement park. Check your local sites and events and find fun things your kids will enjoy.

7.  Cleaning day is another day you will want to add to your calendar. Cleaning day is a great way to feel like you are actually accomplishing something this summer. It keeps you from getting frustrated and feeling overwhelmed. Staying ahead of the mess that comes with a houseful of kids is good for the whole family. Be sure to include kids of all ages in this activity. Remember that teamwork is an important principle to learn for families, too; working together for a common goal.

8.  Be sure to include the children in the planning. They enjoy planning and knowing that everyday will offer them something new to do.

Remember, fail to plan – plan to fail. Start today and enjoy your summer!

-Sheri

This was my moment of truth…while my husband grilled the shish kabobs Monday evening, I gave him the ribs and said, “Would you brown these on all sides and then take them off?  They don’t have to be done just grilled a little on every side!”  I had no idea what compelled me to do this…but it turned out to be a very good idea!

I refrigerated the ribs Monday night, no extra preparation for Tuesday’s dinner, and at noon on Tuesday I placed them in the crock pot.  I didn’t add water but I drizzled about 1/3 c. barbeque sauce over them (not covering them, just adding a little flavor).  I also wrapped 2 sweet potatoes in foil and placed them on one side of the crock pot.  Then I buttered and wrapped a couple ears of fresh sweet corn in foil and placed them on top.   Let’s just say I spent less than 5 minutes on this little activity!

After about 5 hours on low/med heat, we ate the most delicious meal!  I figured out the cost at about $2.75 per person.  It was the best meal, and I didn’t work very hard.  My sweet husband was so impressed with his previously browned ribs and the great meal we’d made with so little effort and practically no clean up.

When you grill… maximize the space on your grilling surface.  Double the recipe or make two meals instead of one!  Cook smart and eat well!

Now that you are a little more familiar with St. Patrick’s Day, it’s time to plan a fun holiday dinner.  Most children don’t enjoy a hearty Corned Beef and Cabbage dinner so I chose some quick and easy Reuben Sandwiches.  Our four year old daughter loved Rueben’s, so never assume they’re too young to eat this sweet and savory sandwich.  Add one of these sides,  a green 7 up Salad or Irish Potato Soup and you’ve got a meal!

For the Rueben Sandwiches start with this list of ingredients:

Toast the bread and lightly butter, then stack corned beef and cheese on bottom slice.  Place in the broiler until cheese melts.  Remove from broiler and top with sauerkraut and Mayo/mustard spread above – add top toasted slice of rye and serve.

Even the Irish wouldn’t end a meal without some tasty dessert.  I found this recipe for St. Patrick’s Day.    It’s very easy to make and your children will enjoy helping make it.  Apple and Barley Pudding is very good and fun to make.

Remember to include the St. Pat’s trivia into your dinner time conversation.  You may have fun getting out a map or a globe and figuring out just where Ireland is located or how far it is from your city.  Google Maps offers you a glimpse of the terrain.  Learning is fun and why not take advantage of this St. Patrick’s Day opportunity to learn a little more as a family tonight!

-Sheri

Celebrate every holiday with your children to teach them!  President’s Day is a perfect example.  A family discussion about the Presidents, past and present, may encourage your child in a number of ways…perhaps as a leader, or to grow their interest in politics or history.  Try it…you may have fun!

Try a President’s Day Quiz.  You can find them online …here’s a  link for a very easy quiz to get you started!   You can pick out a question or two that’s age appropriate for your kids.  Start a day or two ahead and get them thinking.

You may even want them to choose a menu for the celebration and have them do some presidential research!  When our children were young we went to the library and found a cookbook about the Presidents’ favorite foods and recipes.  We would choose a president and then find his favorite meals.  We learned that even though George Washington is said to have chopped down a cherry tree, he didn’t do it for the pie.  Martha baked cakes, not pies, and George preferred Ice Cream.

Kids of all ages love to learn and where better to learn than your kitchen.

I was born on Dwight D. Eisenhower’s birthday, so I chose him this year.  As I was looking through various websites about President Eisenhower, I found that Pancakes were one of his favorite foods.  What an easy dinner in honor of our 34th President.  Your children will love having Pancakes for dinner.  Eisenhower was an unsung hero, Five Star General that led us to victory in World War II.

Pick another president if you like, there’s about 44 to choose from and so much to learn.  This doesn’t have to be hard to be lots of fun!

After years of searching – I believe this is the best Sugar Cookie Recipe!  Sugar Cookies are not to be taken lightly – especially at Christmas.  You will want to save this recipe for every holiday cut out…Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween, or birthdays.

The secret to a good Sugar Cookie Recipe is structure on the outside and soft on the inside.  Lots of cookies taste good that fall apart when you’re decorating – but this recipe handles well when icing and decorating and it also stores well in the freezer so that you can decorate as you go.  While sugar cookies can be iced and then frozen, I recommend icing them just a day or two before serving.  I also find that icing a frozen cookie is easier – so I remove them from the freezer a few at a time, icing and decorating them before they thaw completely.

If you’ve never tried making Iced/Decorated Sugar Cookies for the holidays this is the one to try.  With only six ingredients that most of us keep on hand and three simple steps you will please everyone on your Christmas list this year!

I will be posting pictures of this years decorated cookies and more tips for making Sugar Cookies!

The study also showed that children that eat regular family meals eat more fruits and vegetables.  With so many working parents, many children often return from a day at school to an empty house and head for the fridge.  They snack in an unsupervised environment – often sitting while watching television or playing video games.

This is just one more reason to use MealEssence.com.  MealEssence.com helps busy parents plan meals so that everyday dinner is served.  Using MealEssence can actually involve your children more in the daily food choices.  Planning is teaching your child that food matters and nutrition is important not an afterthought.

Since our family began using Mealessence.com we have practically eliminated snack foods.  We eat healthy nutritious meals that don’t require lots of snacking.  Additionally we are able to add healthy snack foods to our shopping list and avoid impulse purchases which may lead to unhealthy eating.

Start this year off right – make a decision to eat regular family dinners.  Plan 5 meals this week,  Monday – Friday, plan to eat dinner at the table with your family!

For more information about childhood obesity and family meals check out this article, http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/do-it-yourself/sns-health-family-kids-doc-dinners-obesity,0,6221559.story

Not always a wise woman, but wiser than I was before making 23 soups, stews, and chilies in the last three weeks.  While making some hardy pots of goodness this month I have gleaned some “wisdom!”

Read on, hear my case for making soups, stews, and chilis in the weeks ahead!

1. Soups, stews, and chili are very easy to make.  You can successfully make most recipes without  a lot of cooking skills.  It’s pretty hard to mess up a soup!
2. Soups, stews, and chili are usually quick to make.  Most don’t take more than 30 minutes to make.  Even the stews don’t take long to prepare – they just require longer cook time.
3. Soups, stews, and chili are usually made with broth.  Broth is an essential ingredient in many and a great staple to keep on hand.  This includes bouillon granules that can easily be turned into hot broth.
4. Soups, stews, and chili are meals in and of themselves.  With just a slice of bread or some cheese and crackers – you really don’t need more sides.
5. Soups, stews, and chili are healthy dinner offerings.  Using fresh vegetables, grains, legumes, and seasoning you can actually make a hearty meal that’s under 500 calories.  That’s a lot less than most meals at most restaurants and a lot less than most eat at dinner.
6. Soups, stews, and chili are extremely filling and warm you up on a cold winters day.  As a matter of fact, I think that January becomes warmer with a pot of soup on the stove as well as the warm meal it provided.
7. Soups, stews, and chili are relatively inexpensive to make.  Most of them cost less than $10 per meal (8-12 servings).
8. Soups, stews, and chili are wonderful leftovers.  Almost every day we had plenty of leftovers and even froze large amounts for future meals.

Now,  winter is far from over and February is coming with more cool temperatures.  If you didn’t try some of the featured recipes, there’s still time to go to the Soups, stews, and chili category of recipes at MealEssence.com and try one of our delicous recipes.

Save time and money, eat healthier and tastier meals and try out line up of soups, stews, and chili’s!

This weeks line up includes Taco Soup, Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup, and a wonderful Italian Sausage Soup.  These soups are full of healthy ingredients that warm you up inside and out.  They are also very easy to make and a quick meal at the end of a long day.

I’m also including a Chicken Gumbo recipe that is prepared in the crock pot.  Chicken Gumbo is so easy to make and a delicious one dish meal.  If you put it in the crock pot first thing in the morning you will return home to the smell of a wonderful meal.

Soups are so easy to make and often very inexpensive to make.  Most of these soup recipes make 10-12 servings with plenty of leftovers that can be frozen for next week or lunches.    I like to serve them with a crusty bread and you can find that at MealEssence.com as well!

Throughout this month we will be featuring Soups, Stews and Chilis.  You can follow MealEssence on facebook or twitter for a daily update and a featured recipe. We have many more recipes to feature before the spring thaw…so be sure to plan one this week for your family.  Try something new – change up dinner!

Here are a few ideas that will jump start your holidays…plan today, save tomorrow!

1. Never turn down help – if someone offers to help or bring something to a party or gathering, let them!  This is VERY important, if you find receiving help difficult practice saying, “Thank you, that would be wonderful!”
2. Delegate jobs to your children, like setting the table or helping with clean up.  Consider making it a “December job”…letting them know that you need extra help this month.  Ask them to think of something they would like to do to help you find more time to shop, wrap, and prepare for Christmas!
3. Be selective in cleaning – don’t attempt to clean every room of your house before company arrives, focus on the public areas and pick up the rest.  You can catch up in January when it’s too cold to go out and you’re out of cash.
4. Simplify Christmas card mailings by making it a family activity – print labels off the computer and have everyone pitch in.  Parents can add a note and sign the cards and children can add the labels and the stamps.
5. Pick up some extra gifts early and wrap them now.  If you need a hostess gift or a gift for an unexpected visitor you’ll have it on hand and won’t have to run out at the last minute, spend more, and stress out all along the way!
6. Coop with a friend to get your shopping done.  You can watch her children one day while she shops and she can do the same another day!
7. Make lists.  This is a time and money saver.  Lists for shopping for food, gifts, etc.  You will eliminate impulse purchases as well as trips back to the store avoiding  holiday traffic and crowded stores!  Lists also help you see what needs done and what you have accomplished.
8. Bake early.  If you have holiday baking to do then set aside an hour after dinner each night to make one or two items.  At the end of the week you will have lots of holiday goodies.  If you want to give food gifts to friends and family then organize a family activity where everyone pitches in.
9. Make tree decorating a party for your family.  Turn on the Christmas music, pop the popcorn, and make it fun for all.
10. Wrap as you go.  If you shop, then wrap immediately.  You won’t loose gifts and you won’t have to worry about someone finding them.
11. Use your crock pot!  You can save a lot of time just by having the crock pot do the work.  A few minutes in the morning can save you time and money throughout this season!
12. Cook one week and double the recipes.  Freeze the extra recipe and pull it out on busy days when you don’t have time to cook!
13. Finish your decorating.  Don’t start and stop – get it done!  This will help with your stress and kick off the holiday fun.  We all breath a sigh of relief when the decorating is finished!
14. Simplify where needed.  Remember to keep the holiday in perspective when you set expectations for yourself and others.

Enjoy the season!

-Sheri

I don’t know about you but I never eat pumpkin till fall?  It just makes no sense to me but as the air begins to cool there is nothing better than the smell of homemade pumpkin bread baking in the oven!  YUM!

So I’m headed to the store to buy some canned pumpkin so I can officially kick off the first day of  fall.  I may make some extra for a friend or stash some in the freezer for a rainy day.

MealEssence has the best Pumpkin Bread recipe, I got it from a friend that used to bake it fresh and bring it over warm.  It’s called Janet’s Pumpkin Bread and it is full of great pumpkin flavor as well as a little nutmeg and cinnamon.  Some recipes use allspice in their pumpkin bread but it’s just too spicy for me.   This is the perfect blend of spice and pumpkin and tastes delicious!

Saturday, September 22, 2012 is the first day of fall; enjoy the season and enjoy some warm pumpkin bread.

-Sheri