Blog
The Perfect Summer Treat
With summer in full swing, my kids enjoy having a cold treat when we get home from a walk or the pool. If it were up to my oldest, who is 5, she would love to have popsicles or ice cream cones every day. As a compromise, we make Frozen Pudding Sandwiches to keep in the freezer when we want a frozen treat. The combination of peanut butter and pudding is tasty and filling.
What Paige Makes
My 10-year-old daughter Paige loves to be creative in the kitchen. Baking and making sweet treats are her favorite things to do. When we have chocolate chips, it’s a given that she will be melting it and dipping whatever fruit we have in it! She also likes to use chocolate chips in Energy Bites and on Frozen Yogurt Bark. Yes, she gets her love of chocolate from her mom😊. With the warm summer days here, she also likes to make Berry Banana Popsicles for a cool treat. This is a simple recipe that she can make all by herself. It allows her to practice reading a recipe, safe knife skills and measuring ingredients. You can watch Paige make these in our How to Make Berry Banana Popsicles video and then make them yourself for a refreshing summer treat!
Peach Cobbler
Welcome to June! Summer is here and all of us at Spend Smart. Eat Smart. are looking forward to summer foods. This month we are going to focus on some tasty summer desserts. First up today is Peach Cobbler.
Taking Over the Kitchen
Last week Katy shared about how she includes her young children in the kitchen. My children are a little bit older and it has been fun to watch their skills and interest improve in the kitchen. Here are some of the things all three of my children help with in the kitchen:
Making (Messy!) Memories
I have fond memories of cooking and baking with my mom as a child. Some of my favorite kitchen memories include baking muffins and cookies, and making homemade beach plum jelly with fruit we would handpick from the beach. Being one of four kids, spending time with my mom in the kitchen allowed for quality one on one time, and now that I have children of my own, I see just how valuable that time can be.
Have a Happy National Walnut Day!
Sometimes in the mornings when I drive my children to school the radio announcer will tell us what we can celebrate that day. It may be a well-known holiday or something smaller. For example, today, May 13th, is International Hummus Day, National Crouton Day, and National Fruit Cocktail Day. We call it, ‘the day of the day’ and we get pretty excited about it.
Pizza Made Easy
Whenever I get asked what my favorite foods are, pizza is at the top of my list with tacos being a close second. There are so many options for pizza that I could write it into my meal plan several times in one week and not get tired of eating it. When I have a hankering for a slice (or two!), especially for lunch, Pizza Boats are a quick way for me to satisfy that craving.
The microwave is singing!
Occasionally I need recipes that require minimal time, effort, and equipment. I love cooking and making big meals for my family. But with both of our kids in activities during the week, sometimes a meal or a snack that can be made in the microwave is the way to go. My kids enjoy that our microwave is low enough in our pantry for them to help. My preschooler can practice her numbers by helping me use it for cooking, and when the timer ends it sings a little jingle which my toddler loves to dance to. Using the microwave throughout the day is a win for everyone at my house!
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.
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.
Scrambled Egg Skillet
Justine often writes our recipe blogs because she is so heavily involved in developing recipes for our website. But this month I get to write the recipe blog because this recipe is one that I have loved for a long time. I hope you’ll indulge me and let me share the story of what inspired this recipe.
Stock Multi-Purpose Spices
Are you tired of the same old salt-and-pepper flavor combo for your meals? If you want to spice things up a notch, stocking your kitchen with a few basic, versatile spices can save you money and precious pantry space.
