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No Chopping, No Problem!
Last week I shared our April recipe of the month – Coleslaw Pasta Salad. It is a unique salad recipe because it does not have any chopping, so a knife is not needed. This week I would like to share some other Spend Smart. Eat Smart. recipes that do not need a knife to prepare. Since I have already shared a salad, I have chosen recipes from other categories below.
Coleslaw Pasta Salad
Welcome to April! Today is April Fools’ Day and, though I am not very good at coming up with tricks for today, my children played a pretty good one on their dad last year. They made him a tall glass of juice, except it was not juice, it was Jell-O. So, when he tried to take a drink, the juice was stuck in the glass. This does not really have anything to do with our April recipe of the month, Coleslaw Pasta Salad, except that I have been thinking a lot about different ways to involve my children in making meals and snacks at home.
What’s for Dinner at the Hoover Home
Last week Christine started off the month of March sharing about one of her favorite recipes, Scrambled Egg Skillet. As we go through this month, we are each going to share what dinner looks like in our homes and some recipes we are enjoying right now.
Peanut Butter Banana Oat Bites
Our February recipe of the month is currently one of my favorite Spend Smart. Eat Smart. recipes – Peanut Butter Banana Oat Bites. This recipe combines peanut butter, mashed banana, an egg, a little sugar, vanilla, baking powder, oats, and dried fruit or chocolate chips to make a tasty breakfast, snack, or dessert. Peanut Butter Banana Oat Bites were very popular in my home when the days were super cold in January.
Minestrone Soup
Welcome to December! December is usually a very busy month for me. At work we tend to have some bigger meetings and deadlines. My children have music concerts, indoor sports, and parties to attend. My husband and I have our own social events to add in. Most importantly, we have a very special birthday in December – our youngest turns 8 this year. Just thinking about all this makes me want to forget about planning and making meals.
Back to Baked Oatmeal
Earlier this month when I was writing my blog about Pumpkin Oatmeal, I got to thinking about our Baked Oatmeal Muffins recipe. It had been a while since I made this recipe and even longer since I mentioned it on the blog. Almost seven years ago, I wrote about some small changes we made to this recipe to make it an easier breakfast for busy mornings. Looking back to ten years ago, I shared my family’s origin story for this recipe.
Pumpkin Oatmeal
Our October recipe of the month is bringing a seasonal favorite, pumpkin, to breakfast. Pumpkin Oatmeal is easy to make and ready to eat in only five minutes. All you need to do is combine the ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl, heat in the microwave until the oats are soft (about three minutes), and serve. You can adjust the amounts of the ingredients up or down based on how many people you are making breakfast for.
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins
Today I would like to introduce you to one of my family’s all-time favorite recipes – Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins. We eat these muffins for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack time. Skip to the bottom of this blog for the link to the recipe. Read the middle section if you would like my story of this recipe.
Spaghetti Squash
I always look forward to this time of year. As the summer break from school winds down, I like to take some time off work and simply enjoy the end of summer with my children. Sometimes we go on adventures, but a lot of the time we just relax around home. And, to be honest, I do not cook much. This means I am probably not going to make our August recipe of the month – Spaghetti Squash – until this fall.
Guacamole
Have you ever made homemade guacamole? I had not until I first made our July recipe of the month. I assumed I could not make it as well as a restaurant or the tubs of guacamole I bought from the store. I was both right and wrong. This recipe is certainly not as good as my favorite restaurant guacamole, but it is better than the tubs of guacamole from the store. The first time I made it, I liked it so much that I ate half of it for lunch one day and the other half the next day.
What Fruits and Veggies do You Like?
This past year, we have been asking people about their favorite seasonal produce. We are going to continue sharing this month, starting with my family. I decided to ask my three children what fruits and veggies they like to eat in the summertime. We are very lucky to have a small garden at our home and access to larger gardens at grandpa’s and grandma’s homes, which you will see reflected in their answers below.
Cucumber Salsa
Our June recipe of the month is Cucumber Salsa. Jody shared this recipe with me after she tried something similar at a party. This recipe is perfect for June because cucumbers are in season and plentiful. To make this recipe you combine chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and peppers with a homemade dressing made from sour cream, lemon juice, lime juice, and some seasonings. This salsa is best when eaten right away.
