When one of my kids are a little under the weather that is enough to change our day plans. J woke up with an upset stomach which of course led to him getting sick. Obviously it had to be something he ate or stuck in his mouth.
For dinner, I had to think of something I could make with the things I had here at home. Since J was starting to want everything that his Sister and Brothers were eating I had to think of something he could eat with us.
I got it, my Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup! Out comes the old crock pot! Usually I'd use boneless, skinless chicken but since I'm out I'll just use the chicken thighs I bought in bulk that we normally use to barbecue. I put 2 packages in with 4 cups of water. I seasoned the chicken and water with garlic powder and seasoned salt. I let that cook for a couple of hours then I chopped up some potatoes (we like the red ones), peeled and chopped up some carrots, chopped up 2 tomatoes, chopped up a jalapeno (just for spice), chopped a piece of red onion, and I dropped in some frozen corn. I'll let that cook for another couple of hours, basically until it's just about time to eat. By then the chicken falls right off the bone and I'm able to shred it easily with a fork. I take out the bones and the skin and mix the soup up and cover it. Meanwhile I shred some cheese and get out bowls. I put it all together by spooning some soup into a bowl, dropping some shredded cheese on top, grabbing a handful of tortilla chips, crushing them in my hands as I drop them on top of the cheese. Now some of my kids will also ask for some hot sauce to put on top of it also and if I happen to have avocado I'll slice that into chunks and put a little on top also. Oh, before I give anyone soup because I used the chicken with skin on it I also skim the top of soup to get out any fat from the skin out.
My kids will eat 2 bowls of this soup, I usually make this when the weather is cold, it warms us right up!
Just a Mom making a meal we can all eat even if one of us is a little sick!!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
Chili
After a weekend of basically not cooking it was time to get back in the kitchen. The kids wanted to have chili cheese dogs and since we ended up not barbecuing all weekend we are going to have them today!
We usually eat beans once or twice a week. I cook them in all different ways to go with different meals. I buy the big bags of them at Costco. I'd say just within the last year I started using a crock pot. Now I wish I would've started using one long ago! I love it!!!
For the amount of beans I cook I start it in the morning. For these chili beans I'm just going to use pinto beans, I will usually fill up one of those Glad rectangle 64 oz./ 8 cup plastic containers 3/4's the way. I pour them out on the counter (this part the kids like to help me with), spread them out and look for any little rocks or bad beans (I learned this process from watching my Grandma do it when I was little). Once we're done with that we put them back in the plastic container and run water over them, we swish them around with our hands to clean them, then drain the water and repeat once more. Meanwhile I turn on the crock pot to high, put maybe 4 cups of water in. I put some garlic powder, salt, pepper, and a little of chicken bouillon. Once the beans are cleaned the kids dump them in. If I have fresh tomatoes I'll chop up 2-3 of them along with 2-3 jalapenos, some red onion, fresh garlic and stick that in there. If I don't have the fresh items I always make sure to have cans of diced tomatoes with chiles. When they're on sale I make sure to buy them, I can always find something to put them in. If I have to use those I'll put 2 of the 15-16 oz. cans in. I'll just leave that alone for most of the day. Now maybe when they have about an hour or two left if I have linquica, ground turkey, or any other type of sausage or meat I'll cook it on the stove, drain any oil and put that in there too.
The nice thing about using the crock pot, the house doesn't get hot (especially on these hot summer days), I don't have to keep checking on them, and because they cook so slow they always seem so tender when they're done, besides the fact they never burn and they are hot whenever you're ready to eat them.
I like cooking a lot of them because whatever is left over my Husband will take some to work just send some shredded cheese, and, tortilla chips, the kids will eat them with breakfast or lunch. And then if there's still some left over (which is very rare) I can scramble some eggs, mix them together, and make breakfast burritos for both the kids and Hubby. Depending on what type of sausage or meat you use there is usually no fat, you get a lot of protein, antioxidants from the tomatoes, and fiber besides any other benefits from the jalapenos, garlic, and onion you put in there.
Now, our hot dogs and polish sausages are on, I just need to shred some cheese and my family is ready to eat!!
Hope your Monday dinner is yummy!!
Just a Moms way to make a popular summer meal a little healthier!!!
We usually eat beans once or twice a week. I cook them in all different ways to go with different meals. I buy the big bags of them at Costco. I'd say just within the last year I started using a crock pot. Now I wish I would've started using one long ago! I love it!!!
For the amount of beans I cook I start it in the morning. For these chili beans I'm just going to use pinto beans, I will usually fill up one of those Glad rectangle 64 oz./ 8 cup plastic containers 3/4's the way. I pour them out on the counter (this part the kids like to help me with), spread them out and look for any little rocks or bad beans (I learned this process from watching my Grandma do it when I was little). Once we're done with that we put them back in the plastic container and run water over them, we swish them around with our hands to clean them, then drain the water and repeat once more. Meanwhile I turn on the crock pot to high, put maybe 4 cups of water in. I put some garlic powder, salt, pepper, and a little of chicken bouillon. Once the beans are cleaned the kids dump them in. If I have fresh tomatoes I'll chop up 2-3 of them along with 2-3 jalapenos, some red onion, fresh garlic and stick that in there. If I don't have the fresh items I always make sure to have cans of diced tomatoes with chiles. When they're on sale I make sure to buy them, I can always find something to put them in. If I have to use those I'll put 2 of the 15-16 oz. cans in. I'll just leave that alone for most of the day. Now maybe when they have about an hour or two left if I have linquica, ground turkey, or any other type of sausage or meat I'll cook it on the stove, drain any oil and put that in there too.
The nice thing about using the crock pot, the house doesn't get hot (especially on these hot summer days), I don't have to keep checking on them, and because they cook so slow they always seem so tender when they're done, besides the fact they never burn and they are hot whenever you're ready to eat them.
I like cooking a lot of them because whatever is left over my Husband will take some to work just send some shredded cheese, and, tortilla chips, the kids will eat them with breakfast or lunch. And then if there's still some left over (which is very rare) I can scramble some eggs, mix them together, and make breakfast burritos for both the kids and Hubby. Depending on what type of sausage or meat you use there is usually no fat, you get a lot of protein, antioxidants from the tomatoes, and fiber besides any other benefits from the jalapenos, garlic, and onion you put in there.
Now, our hot dogs and polish sausages are on, I just need to shred some cheese and my family is ready to eat!!
Hope your Monday dinner is yummy!!
Just a Moms way to make a popular summer meal a little healthier!!!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Saturday-lazy day
On weekends, especially Saturday's I try to make it pretty easy going. By the time we hit the end of the week I'm ready for a break from the kitchen. Friday nights we usually to take n' bake pizza. First, it's way cheaper than the places that do it all for you. Second, I don't know why but it seems less greasy than others. I like the fact that it comes with it's own tray to cook it on so the crust comes out crisp and nothing's better than having straight out of the oven pizza!!!
For the weekends I plan a menu to go along with the weather, to go along whatever we have planned, and in case we end up doing something completely different I always have something "just in case".
This weekend is a special weekend because it's my birthday weekend so I was thinking of simple things to have through out the day for them. Anything that makes them feel like a party they really enjoy (let's face it, with 6 of us that's enough to start the party with anyway). And at the same time it gives me a chance to take a breather from the cooking duties.
Mom Jr. and I headed out early this morning to Costco, we bought a veggie plate that consists of cut up broccoli, grape tomatoes, baby carrots, and snap peas with a lowfat pepper ranch dip, we also got Veggie straws-they're made of potato, spinach, and tomato-no trans-fat and no preservatives, and a package of hummus - the new dip Mom Jr. and I are very much into. For fruit we had out fresh peaches from Grandmas trees, grapes, blueberries, black berries, watermelon and apples. I knew with all that they would be happy to be able to choose any of them at anytime and I would be fine with them snacking on that throughout the day. As for dinner Daddy is going to barbecue hot dogs (which are turkey or chicken dogs) and polish sausages. The good thing about Saturday, we are definitely not in a rush to follow a schedule. I think the kids actually like going off their normal schedule too.
Here's to your weekend, make it feel like a party, watch your kids swim or run in the sprinklers as they giggle loudly (there's nothing that will make us parents smile bigger than seeing our children have fun!!) all the time feeling great about what they consuming throughout the day!!
Just a Moms great snack day!!!
For the weekends I plan a menu to go along with the weather, to go along whatever we have planned, and in case we end up doing something completely different I always have something "just in case".
This weekend is a special weekend because it's my birthday weekend so I was thinking of simple things to have through out the day for them. Anything that makes them feel like a party they really enjoy (let's face it, with 6 of us that's enough to start the party with anyway). And at the same time it gives me a chance to take a breather from the cooking duties.
Mom Jr. and I headed out early this morning to Costco, we bought a veggie plate that consists of cut up broccoli, grape tomatoes, baby carrots, and snap peas with a lowfat pepper ranch dip, we also got Veggie straws-they're made of potato, spinach, and tomato-no trans-fat and no preservatives, and a package of hummus - the new dip Mom Jr. and I are very much into. For fruit we had out fresh peaches from Grandmas trees, grapes, blueberries, black berries, watermelon and apples. I knew with all that they would be happy to be able to choose any of them at anytime and I would be fine with them snacking on that throughout the day. As for dinner Daddy is going to barbecue hot dogs (which are turkey or chicken dogs) and polish sausages. The good thing about Saturday, we are definitely not in a rush to follow a schedule. I think the kids actually like going off their normal schedule too.
Here's to your weekend, make it feel like a party, watch your kids swim or run in the sprinklers as they giggle loudly (there's nothing that will make us parents smile bigger than seeing our children have fun!!) all the time feeling great about what they consuming throughout the day!!
Just a Moms great snack day!!!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
My salmon meal
My kids like a variety of fish. Ever since they were old enough to start trying different types of food I made sure their first experiences were of items they wouldn't ask for first after they've tried kid-friendly food (that's what I call food that is popular with kids).
I've heard it takes at least 10 times of trying something to really know if you like it. Every time one of my kids would say they didn't like something I'd throw out that statement to them. We've rarely made it to the 10th try of something and still had one of them say they didn't like it.
Tonight we are having Cajun salmon, brown rice, zucchini, and garlic bread (you know the kind from Costco that has pieces of garlic baked in it so we don't even have to put anything on it).
This use to be our "Thursday" meal until we started having soccer practice and dance on that night. Now that it is summer we have been able to go back to having it.
I usually start by putting the rice on first since it takes 50 minutes to cook. While the rice is cooking I start to prepare the salmon. I know salmon does not take that long to cook so I cook it on medium/low on the stove top. I have a long skillet that fits on two burners. For the six of us I like buying the salmon from Costco. It's a long piece and fits perfect on my skillet. I drizzle a little bit of olive oil on the skillet along with a little bit of butter. I also put some Cajun sauce on the skillet. At this time I turn the burners on low just enough to warm the skillet. I rinse off the salmon then I sprinkle (California style) garlic powder, black pepper, just a pinch of salt, and if I have it I will put creole seasoning on it too. Before I put it on the skillet I squeeze juice from a piece of lemon on it. By this time the rice has about 30-40 minutes left before it's done. I put the salmon on the skillet, seasoned side down. I repeat seasonings and lemon juice to the top part of the salmon and I drizzle some of the Cajun sauce on it too. I cover it with a long piece of foil and put the temp up to medium/low. I cook it for as long as the rice has left flipping it half way through. For the vegetable I usually switch between asparagus and corn or zucchini and corn. Today I'm doing zucchini which I'll steam with a little butter and pepper. Some of the kids like to put thin slices of mozzarella cheese on their zucchini. For J if I have it I'll give him a little bit of avocado (his favorite).
For me, I enjoy a nice glass of red wine such as a Cabernet or even a Zinfandel with this meal. A great way to end the day. I always look forward to this meal!
I've heard it takes at least 10 times of trying something to really know if you like it. Every time one of my kids would say they didn't like something I'd throw out that statement to them. We've rarely made it to the 10th try of something and still had one of them say they didn't like it.
Tonight we are having Cajun salmon, brown rice, zucchini, and garlic bread (you know the kind from Costco that has pieces of garlic baked in it so we don't even have to put anything on it).
This use to be our "Thursday" meal until we started having soccer practice and dance on that night. Now that it is summer we have been able to go back to having it.
I usually start by putting the rice on first since it takes 50 minutes to cook. While the rice is cooking I start to prepare the salmon. I know salmon does not take that long to cook so I cook it on medium/low on the stove top. I have a long skillet that fits on two burners. For the six of us I like buying the salmon from Costco. It's a long piece and fits perfect on my skillet. I drizzle a little bit of olive oil on the skillet along with a little bit of butter. I also put some Cajun sauce on the skillet. At this time I turn the burners on low just enough to warm the skillet. I rinse off the salmon then I sprinkle (California style) garlic powder, black pepper, just a pinch of salt, and if I have it I will put creole seasoning on it too. Before I put it on the skillet I squeeze juice from a piece of lemon on it. By this time the rice has about 30-40 minutes left before it's done. I put the salmon on the skillet, seasoned side down. I repeat seasonings and lemon juice to the top part of the salmon and I drizzle some of the Cajun sauce on it too. I cover it with a long piece of foil and put the temp up to medium/low. I cook it for as long as the rice has left flipping it half way through. For the vegetable I usually switch between asparagus and corn or zucchini and corn. Today I'm doing zucchini which I'll steam with a little butter and pepper. Some of the kids like to put thin slices of mozzarella cheese on their zucchini. For J if I have it I'll give him a little bit of avocado (his favorite).
For me, I enjoy a nice glass of red wine such as a Cabernet or even a Zinfandel with this meal. A great way to end the day. I always look forward to this meal!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Wednesday's meal with secret veggies
I must start off and say I really do try to make my meals as healthy as possible and sometimes I have to give a little to add a lot more.
When Mom Jr. and Jr. were little they had no problem eating spaghetti. I would slice the noodles up small, stick them in their high chairs and let them have add it. Yes, they'd look like they took a bath in it by the time they were done, but they ate it and were happy they fed themselves (by the way I actually got to eat while it was still warm back then too!).
Fast forward to the present, Mom Jr., Jr., and even once in a while D will say they don't like something that they use to not have a problem eating. One of these items for Mom Jr. and Jr. was spaghetti, they said "it's too saucy" or "I don't like the meat".
So I started changing to different types of pasta and eventually I had to add more pasta as my growing children would eat more even if they complained off and on. I would give them some pasta, salad, and a piece of bread. The more pasta I added I still only stuck to one jar of chunky veggie sauce. I started adding chopped red onion, chopped garlic, maybe some chopped mushrooms, and sometimes corn to the sauce as it was mixing with the meat. If they saw it they would either try to pick it out or use the vegetable as an excuse to say that's why they didn't like it. Okay, so here's my give a little- I stopped using ground turkey breast all the time and would switch off and use sausage instead. Although while I am cooking up the sausage (and here's my add a lot more) I would add some fresh diced tomato, chopped red onion, chopped garlic, shredded and chopped carrots, and chopped mushrooms. Then I would add the sauce and let that simmer as I cooked the pasta. When I put it all together with a little shredded Parmesan on top they would end up eating it all up and I wouldn't hear not one complaint from them. Now I do switch back to ground turkey breast when I can get it on sale and I think one of the reasons they didn't like it was because it's texture just wasn't juicy like any other meat but as I've noticed if I cook it with tomatos it tends to soften up. Of course when I also switch from the same type of pasta noodle as well as switch off with the meat they always seem to think it's something new and great!! Works for me!! I not only got them to continue to eat spaghetti just with different noodles each time but I added more vegetables to their meal besides the veggies they're already eating with their salad!!
Yup, that's dinner tonight!!
Just a Mom trying to keep it healthy!!
When Mom Jr. and Jr. were little they had no problem eating spaghetti. I would slice the noodles up small, stick them in their high chairs and let them have add it. Yes, they'd look like they took a bath in it by the time they were done, but they ate it and were happy they fed themselves (by the way I actually got to eat while it was still warm back then too!).
Fast forward to the present, Mom Jr., Jr., and even once in a while D will say they don't like something that they use to not have a problem eating. One of these items for Mom Jr. and Jr. was spaghetti, they said "it's too saucy" or "I don't like the meat".
So I started changing to different types of pasta and eventually I had to add more pasta as my growing children would eat more even if they complained off and on. I would give them some pasta, salad, and a piece of bread. The more pasta I added I still only stuck to one jar of chunky veggie sauce. I started adding chopped red onion, chopped garlic, maybe some chopped mushrooms, and sometimes corn to the sauce as it was mixing with the meat. If they saw it they would either try to pick it out or use the vegetable as an excuse to say that's why they didn't like it. Okay, so here's my give a little- I stopped using ground turkey breast all the time and would switch off and use sausage instead. Although while I am cooking up the sausage (and here's my add a lot more) I would add some fresh diced tomato, chopped red onion, chopped garlic, shredded and chopped carrots, and chopped mushrooms. Then I would add the sauce and let that simmer as I cooked the pasta. When I put it all together with a little shredded Parmesan on top they would end up eating it all up and I wouldn't hear not one complaint from them. Now I do switch back to ground turkey breast when I can get it on sale and I think one of the reasons they didn't like it was because it's texture just wasn't juicy like any other meat but as I've noticed if I cook it with tomatos it tends to soften up. Of course when I also switch from the same type of pasta noodle as well as switch off with the meat they always seem to think it's something new and great!! Works for me!! I not only got them to continue to eat spaghetti just with different noodles each time but I added more vegetables to their meal besides the veggies they're already eating with their salad!!
Yup, that's dinner tonight!!
Just a Mom trying to keep it healthy!!
Monday, July 13, 2009
Scheduling
Being a Mom of 4 I had got into a routine when it came to eating. Once they were eating regular food their schedule became breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner. It's worked really well and still does for the most part although now that they are getting bigger I have come to notice they are asking for a little more or if something is left out such as grapes, veggies, or other sliced fruit they will make their way passed it and eat some until there's nothing left. Honestly I really shouldn't care so much about them eating fruits and veggies but if I allow them to eat it all they would and well, the cost comes into play especially when there's 4 of them!
I have always tried to make sure they ate healthy items versus boxed, canned, or frozen meals. The positive side to that is they like a lot of different things and they really aren't that picky (don't get me wrong I do make each child's plate a little different from the other one). The down side is I just can't run into the store grab a can of spaghettios or a frozen meal and have them eat it.
I make a weekly menu depending on what my schedule is like for each day that week. For lunch I make sure they have a variety of sandwich options (specifically during school as they always take their lunch).
With the way things are with economy I really have to watch what I buy especially because we live on one income.
Hopefully some of these recipes will help you out too.
Mom of 4
I have always tried to make sure they ate healthy items versus boxed, canned, or frozen meals. The positive side to that is they like a lot of different things and they really aren't that picky (don't get me wrong I do make each child's plate a little different from the other one). The down side is I just can't run into the store grab a can of spaghettios or a frozen meal and have them eat it.
I make a weekly menu depending on what my schedule is like for each day that week. For lunch I make sure they have a variety of sandwich options (specifically during school as they always take their lunch).
With the way things are with economy I really have to watch what I buy especially because we live on one income.
Hopefully some of these recipes will help you out too.
Mom of 4
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Introduction
So this is my introduction to another blog I am starting. I started thinking about something else I could share with other parents besides my daily life blog. I thought about some of the parents I know who have picky eaters and some discussions we've had of different ways to incorporate veggies in our childrens meals without them actually know they are eating them. Or meals that are quick, healthy, and easy when us parents are rushing between activities.
I, myself, think my children eat pretty healthy eaters. My children aren't allowed to have soda on a daily basis, the juice they have has to be actual juice and not this 5% or 10% juice drinks. Their snacks consist of fruit, veggies, fruit juice popsicles, yogurt, and cheese sticks. I must admit I have become less strict on my little one J's diet compared to the rest. I don't know if it's just because he's the last which makes him a little bit more spoiled than the rest. I must say it's not just by me either it's by all us!
Anyway, please feel free to dip in and try some of my recipes as well as some of my Mom friends recipes. One thing to note, I am not someone who uses exact measurements of this or that. Hey, I'm a Mom on the go usually therefore who has time to measure anything.....everything is done by what I think is a good amount for my family's appetite and sometimes that's not even right, I'll be left with no leftovers!!!
Good luck with your amounts and I hope you enjoy it all!!
Mommy meals with her childrens approval
I, myself, think my children eat pretty healthy eaters. My children aren't allowed to have soda on a daily basis, the juice they have has to be actual juice and not this 5% or 10% juice drinks. Their snacks consist of fruit, veggies, fruit juice popsicles, yogurt, and cheese sticks. I must admit I have become less strict on my little one J's diet compared to the rest. I don't know if it's just because he's the last which makes him a little bit more spoiled than the rest. I must say it's not just by me either it's by all us!
Anyway, please feel free to dip in and try some of my recipes as well as some of my Mom friends recipes. One thing to note, I am not someone who uses exact measurements of this or that. Hey, I'm a Mom on the go usually therefore who has time to measure anything.....everything is done by what I think is a good amount for my family's appetite and sometimes that's not even right, I'll be left with no leftovers!!!
Good luck with your amounts and I hope you enjoy it all!!
Mommy meals with her childrens approval
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