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Roasted Vegetables and Kielbasa
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! If you’re anything like me, you probably have a bit of a mess in your refrigerator with bits of this and that leftover from holiday gatherings and meals. This month’s recipe is the perfect way to use what is left in your vegetable drawer to make a tasty meal.
Spend Smart. Eat Smart. with Family – Holiday Edition
This week I am continuing our family interviews with a conversation I had with my mother-in-law, Jan. She and my father-in-law, Dean, have been taste testers for many Spend Smart. Eat Smart. recipes over the years. They are also excellent home cooks and a joyful part of our family. Here is what Jan shared with me:
Rooting for Turnips! Embracing a New Favorite in Our Kitchen
When my husband and I were newly married, I was working late one evening and asked him to prepare the Sloppy Joes recipe on Spend Smart. Eat Smart. The recipe calls for an onion and my husband, thinking he was grabbing an onion from the produce drawer in the fridge, chopped up a turnip and added it to the meat and vegetable mixture. To both of our surprise, it was actually really good! We had a good laugh that he couldn’t distinguish a turnip from an onion, and I realized that I could become more adventurous with turnips than simply roasting them.
Spend Smart. Eat Smart. with Family – Holiday Edition
Over the next few weeks Christine, Justine, Katy and I are going to share the interviews we did with a few of our family members about the holidays. We hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoyed talking with our family members. Today I’m going to share with you the interview I did with my 11-year-old daughter Paige. She likes to bake and be creative in the kitchen. I think you’ll notice a theme to her answers😊
Spicy Stuffed Potatoes
My children love it when I make baked potato bar for supper. I am not sure why, but I think it has something to do with the fact that they have all of the ingredients out on the counter, and they get to choose what they want to make their own creation. Our November recipe of the month, Spicy Stuffed Potatoes, is perfect for your own baked potato bar.
MyPlate Series – Jody
The past two weeks Christine and Katy have shared how they use MyPlate at home when thinking about meals and snacks. Today it’s my turn!
MyPlate Series – Christine
We’re kicking off a series of blogs about MyPlate this week. MyPlate is a simple guide to help us think about food groups at meals and snacks. A few of us Spend Smart. Eat Smart. blog authors will share how we use the MyPlate ideas at home.
Salsa Verde Chicken
Occasionally a recipe comes along that is so simple and tasty I wonder; how did I never make this before? Salsa Verde Chicken is just that. It is a dump-and-go slow cooker recipe that is delicious, easy and flexible. And would you believe you only need five ingredients to make it?
Sweet Snacks for Sweet Moments
Recently a friend of mine welcomed their third baby. When my husband and I brought our oldest home from the hospital six years ago, we had several friends and family drop off meals and snacks as we transitioned to becoming new parents. Not having to worry about meal planning those first few weeks was so helpful as we navigated sleepless nights and new routines. With my friend bringing home their third, figuring out what to feed their two older children could have been quite the chore!
Try Something New
I do not eat a lot of dried fruit besides dried cranberries mixed into recipes or stirred into oatmeal. It has never been a food I am interested in eating. I think the problem is that I do not like raisins and so I have told myself I do not like other dried fruit. It might be time for me to branch out and try something new.
Granola
This summer I’m enjoying yogurt parfaits for breakfast. My favorite combination is vanilla yogurt, granola, and a fresh, chopped peach. Our Spend Smart. Eat Smart. granola recipe works great in my parfaits. Here are a few things I like about this recipe:
I Need Energy (Drinks)!
Recently my 14-year-old son asked me to buy him energy drinks to give him an extra boost of energy for school and football practice. This didn’t surprise me since nearly one-third of teens aged 12-17 regularly consume energy drinks. These beverages promise enhanced focus and athletic performance, making them appealing to teens facing the challenges of school and extracurricular activities.
