Tag Archives: vegetarian recipes

Making Cheap Family Meals: Getting Organic for Less

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Do you buy your apples organic? A recent screening from the U.S. Department of Agriculture found pesticide residue in 98% of apples, the highest rate of all the produce it examined. The numbers are shocking! To us, it’s clear: organic is healthier, safer, and overall better for us, our families, and the environment. While we would prefer to feed our little ones apple slices that aren’t contaminated with pesticide residue, organic isn’t exactly the thriftiest option. However, there are ways to get organic for cheaper. You can still make cheap family meals with organic ingredients. All it takes is a little bit of  brain power and prioritizing to make organic fit into your budget-friendly family meal plan.

  • Shop seasonal: Shopping seasonally will give you the most bang for your buck when it comes to organic, and you can often find seasonal ingredients on sale, too!
  • Go for the off-brand: Both regular and all-organic supermarkets frequently provide organic versions of big-name organic products. When you’re at a supermarket, pick the store brand over big-name organic products.

  • Shop at farmer’s markets: Most of your buys will be cheaper and fresher at the farmer’s markets. If you don’t see a sign that says organic, be sure to ask. Most farmers at the markets are making the transition into organic farming, but haven’t earned the necessary funds to get officially certified. Just because they’re not considered organic by the USDA, doesn’t mean that they’re not farming using organic, sustainable, and healthy practices. The best thing about farmer’s markets? You can haggle! Try to land a deal with the farmer for misshapen produce, or for bulk purchases. With a little bit of swindling, you could land yourself a deal.
  • Buying clubs: A buying club is a great way to get the organic food you want for cheap. Buying-club members purchase food and other organic products in bulk and then split the stash. In a buying club, you may be able to get 30 percent to 40 percent off the retail price.
  • Grow it yourself: We may not all have a green thumb, but growing small herbs, fruits, and veggies could give you a little bunch of produce for a fraction of the retail price. Best of all? It’s right in your backyard! If you’re a beginner, try growing a small indoor garden with plants like spinach, carrot, kale, basil, and rosemary, which will give you plants all year round.

Know what you should and shouldn’t buy organic: You don’t have to buy everything organic, necessarily. Plants with a husk or thick rind often go unpolluted by pesticides because of their thicker skin. Produce that usually goes pesticide-free includes avocado, pineapples, cantaloupe, kiwi, watermelon, grapefruit, and onions.

If you’re trying to keep your meals cheap but healthy, keep these tips in mind! When you buy organic you’ll taste and feel the difference, while feeling better about the meals that you’re serving your family.

Healthy Family Dinners That You Can Make Ahead

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It can be tough cooking an entire meal every single night. The grocery list, grocery shopping, the cooking, the serving the cleaning, we’re getting exhausted just thinking about it! Instead of suffering through the dinnertime chaos, always have make-ahead meals waiting in your fridge. If you think that all easy dinner ideas have to be unhealthy, think again. You can make healthy family dinners that can be popped out of your freezer and be prepared in no time. Here are some ideas for make-ahead, healthy family dinners that will wow the whole family:

  • Vegetarian chili: Vegitarian chili is a great meal that freezes suprisingly well. Add edamame for an added boost of protein and some reduced fat cheddar cheese for taste. The calorie count should clock in at only about 345 calories if you’re using white kidney beans and edamame.
  • Spanish chicken and Rice: Chicken is a great source of lean protein and some brown rice with spices will provide plentiful amounts of fiber. Cooked chicken will last anywhere from 4 to six months, depending on how it’s packaged. Package in an air-tight ZipLock back for maximum freshness. Slightly undercook the rice you want to put in the freezer, then thaw it in boiling water when you’re ready to eat.
  • Black bean chili: Unlike vegetarian chili, this chili is made in a slow-cooker and uses black beans as its base. Include mushrooms and chipotles to create a fuller flavor. Serve with cilantro, reduced-fat sour-cream, and a tiny bit of cheese. This stew will last about 2 months in the freezer.
  • Ravioli soup: Frozen ravioli can be whipped up into a dilectible soup in under 20 minutes. All it takes is some garlic, bell peppers, red pepper, tomatoes, vegitable broth  and a bit of basil to make a ravioli soup that packages well. Soups and stews generally hold for about 2-3 months. This soup, in particular, gives you about 60% of your daily value of vitamin C and you’ll get tons of antioxidants from the tomatoes.
  • Sweet potato tart: Sweet potato tarts are a great dinner, providing us with tons of vitamin A. To prep for the freezer, wrap your sweet potato tart tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Do not thaw your sweet potato tart when you’re ready to start eating! Instead, throw it right in the oven with a foil cover, so you don’t lose too much moisture. Remove the cover after about 15 minutes then heat for the remaining time (about 5 minutes, give or take) on 350 degrees.
  • Sausage, Mushroom, and Spinach Lasagna: Next time you want to make a nice, make-ahead meal, prepare a healthy lasagna full of vegetables and some hearty sausage for flavor. A balanced dish in itself, a sausage, mushroom, and spinach lasagna is perfect to have for lunch during the week. This lasagna will last a month or two. Try not to store your lasagna in aluminum foil as the metallic taste sometimes sticks. Instead, use greaseproof baking paper. When you’re done baking, lift the paper and pop the food in plastic, freezer-friendly bags.
  • Frijoles Negros with Rice: Turn the Mexican staple of refried beans and long grain brown rice into a healthy make-ahead meal. All you need to pick up at the grocery store is some whole wheat tortillas and cheese and have yourself a Mexican night. Black beans are great for sugar regulation, digestion, and cardiovascular health.

You can use healthy make-ahead meals to make dinnertime easier than ever. Just remember to seal your foods correctly, date your freezer bags, and defrost correctly and you’ll have great freezer meals ready-to-go.

 

Tips for Cooking Quick Easy Recipes for Dinner

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Seven percent of Americans say they never cook and 30% say they only cook three times a week. One thing is certain: we don’t cook as much as we could. Why? Cooking is intimidating and time consuming! Learning how to cook, takes a bit of time and patience — two things that working moms and dads may not have a whole lot of. That’s why it’s important to pick quick easy recipes for dinner to practice cooking. Quick and easy recipes give you the perfect opportunity to practice the basics of cooking. Here are some quick easy recipes for dinner that can help you basic cooking techniques.

Blanching

If you’re cooking dinner several nights a week and you want to add some healthy side dishes to your dinner, you gotta learn how to blanch like a pro. Blanching is a tactic used to preserve color and texture of the vegetable or prepare veggies for freezing and it’s often said to be the healthiest way to cook vegetables because they don’t lose too many nutrients when blanched. It’s important to know how to blanch if you’re making healthy kitchen sides like broccoli salad. To blanch, make sure you cut your broccoli into uniform pieces so that they evenly cook. Add salt to a pan of boiling water and make sure that your using ample amounts of water (you may need a deep pot if you’re blanching a large number of veggies). After about 30 seconds, test for doneness and after about 1-2 minutes the blanching should be complete. Dunk your blanched veggies in ice water to stop cooking. To complete your broccoli salad, toss with crumbled bacon, onion, craisins, and a bit of cheddar cheese. Stir well so that cheese melts. Broccoli salad is a great green side and pairs well with grilled chicken for a complete easy dinner that only takes about 20 minutes to prepare. You can use the blanching technique for other salads, crudite, sushi, stir fries, spring rolls, or simply eat blanched veggies on their own, making for an easy side that’s ready in an instant.

Cooking Rice

Cooking rice may be a breeze, but few people know that cooking brown rice requires different techniques. Brown rice takes a little more water and time than regular rice. However, if you want to serve the healthier option of brown rice with some lemon shrimp, you have to learn how to cook this versatile side to perfection. To make brown rice, first measure out a cup and keep in mind that long-grain may need a little extra water. Rinse rice until water runs clear, add 2 1/4 cups of water, then bring the water to a simmer. Cover tightly and turn the heat to low until the rice has cooked for about 45 minutes. Make sure there’s no more water in the pot, and serve! All you have to do to make a complete meal is sauté some shrimp with lemon, butter, and garlic, then mix the sauté in with your brown rice. Now, that’s an easy dinner.

Sautéing

Sautéed mushrooms make great additions to your burger or frittata, but they’re especially handy if you want to make a creamy, wild mushroom sauce with browned mushrooms. However, you have to know how to sauté before you make this easy dish. Though mushrooms are easy to make after you have the technique down, many people end up boiling their mushrooms instead of sautéing them. Mushrooms aren’t supposed to be slimy. To make perfectly sautéed mushrooms, first get your pan hot and don’t be shy with the oil. You have to have heat to get your browning. Layer all of your mushrooms evenly on the pan and let them cook without provocation. When they look a bit brown on the cooking side, flip them over until the other side is completely brown. Most importantly, don’t salt until the end–it draws water out of the mushrooms. Just sauté minced garlic and onion (with your newly found sautéing techniques) and add mushroom stock, cream, and a bit of cheese to make an undeniably delicious wild mushroom sauce that can be served over pasta. This whole dish only takes about 30 minutes to make.

Next time you feel a little bit intimidated by the kitchen, just keep these key tips in mind to make dinners with sautéed mushrooms, brown rice, or blanched vegetables. You can use these techniques for countless ingredients, so feel free to show off your new culinary skills.

Preparing Easy Family Dinners Using Base Sauces

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Studies show that Americans are now working longer than anyone else in the industrialized world. After a long, hard day at work, the last thing we want to do is cook a gourmet meal for our family. However, you don’t need a feat of magic to get dinner on the table in a flash. Dinner can be whipped up with little effort if you have a basic sauce to work with. That’s why you should always have basic sauces at hand (or in the freezer), so that you can make an easy family dinner in a flash.

Sauce-Based Easy Family Dinners

You don’t necessarily have to know how to saute, bake, and blanch to make a great dinner that the whole family can enjoy. Just pick a meat or veggie (depending on your personal tastes) and whip up and store one of these sauces as a base for the entire meal:

  • Spaghetti Sauce: Spaghetti sauce can be used on spaghetti, with meatballs, or as a base for Italian-style soups. Whether you buy a spaghetti sauce at the store, or make it from scratch, always have this basic sauce in your pantry or in your freezer so that you can whip up a delicious Italian meal in an instant.
  • Alfredo sauce: Alfredo sauce is another flavorful Italian sauce that goes great on just about everything, from pasta to cooked spinach. All it takes is butter, garlic, milk, and parmesan cheese. Add a half a package of cream cheese for an extra, cheesy kick.
  • Gravy: This southern staple can add some sustenance to a dinner that needs a little pizazz. Gravy is great for everything from biscuits to fried chicken. Add a dash of cayenne powder or ground chili to give gravy a little bit of a kick if your prefer spicier dishes. Luckily, gravy is one of the easiest sauces to make with minimal ingredients and cook time.
  • Creamy white wine sauce: Simply pick up chicken breasts or some scallops, boil pasta, and pour a white wine sauce over your dishes for a meal to die for. Heavy whipping cream, white wine, flour, salt, and parsley are all it takes to make a heavier sauce. This sauce only takes about 10 minutes to prepare, making it perfect for an easy family dinner.
  • Peanut sauce: Great for spring rolls, salad, dipping, pasta or noodles, or stir fries, peanut sauce is versatile and delicious. If you feel like doing something a little different this dinner, whip up a peanut sauce for a Thai-style feast.

Next time you’re exhausted after a big day, just grab one of your pre-made sauces and add to some pasta or a stir fry.  You’ll have dinner on the table in minutes. Just remember to defrost that morning, and your family dinner will be almost complete.

Budget Family Meals: 10 Meals for $10

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Our salaries and rent are set, however, when it comes to food, studies show that we have a huge amount of decisions to make. Brian Wansink, the director of the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University estimates we make 227 decisions about what to eat every day. These decisions include questions like, “Should we have leftovers tonight or just order takeout?” and “Should I buy the expensive, imported cocoa for the cake or the off-brand?” Research shows that these seemingly infinitesimal decisions add up. “The average American household spent $3,778 on groceries in 2009, and another $2,736 in restaurants and bars,” according to a study by Bundle.com. The truth is, we could do better. While we might use coupons or resist urges to eat out more than once a week, we could still save more. If you are looking for a challenge, try making satisfying dinners for only $10 a pop. You never know, it could be easier than you think. We’ve already thought of 10 meals for $10 and under that could kick off your budget family meals challenge:

  1. Fresh Lemon Trout with Couscous: For only $9.74, this meal is both satisfying and delectable. Trout provides an amazing amount of healthy, omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke and help reduce symptoms of hypertension and depression, according to WebMD.
  2. Mexican Night: Try hosting a Mexican night, cooking rice and beans with guacamole and salsa, which can easily come in at less than $10. Don’t be surprised if $10 is enough to give you a good hunk of leftovers, too!
  3. Macaroni with Sausage and Bacon: You can’t go wrong with this American classic, and for $2 a serving, the price is right.
  4. Chicken lettuce wraps with Peanut sauce: For anyone who likes Asian-inspired cuisine, chicken lettuce wraps are a healthy option. Season 1 lb of chicken tenders with chicken broth, soy sauce, lemon, ginger, and green onions and wrap in a large lettuce leaf for a crispy, filling dinner. Don’t forget the peanut sauce, which you can make out of peanut butter, chicken broth, lemon, brown sugar, and garlic. All of this will only cost you about $2.46 per serving.
  5. Spicy Shredded Beef: Art Ginsberg of MrFood.com recommends slow cooking beef, seasoned with tomato sauce, chili powder, onion, and garlic, then serving it on rice or on a roll to make a meal that only costs about $2.40 a serving.
  6. Lentil soup: While we may not think of soups as conventional meals, lentils are extremely filling and make for a hearty dinner. You can take this classic soup and for only $6 for 4 servings. Lentils provide you and your family with an incredible amount of fiber, iron, and vitamin C.
  7. Quesadillas: No one can turn down a quesadilla and at only $9.57 for four servings, we’re starting to crave some warm, spicy cheese over a buttered and browned tortilla. Add salad, refried beans, and fajita-style chicken, all for under $10.
  8. Spinach Salad with Chicken and White beans: Bagged spinach is one of the most affordable, healthy foods out there, at only $3 for a huge bag. Just add grilled chicken breast, a simple vinaigrette (combining olive oil with salt and pepper from the pantry) and a can of white beans, all for $9.03.
  9. Spanish Chickpea Stew: Celebrity chef Jose Andres presented a meal for NPR’s “How Low Can You Go” family dinner challenge that brings a little bit of Spanish flavor to the table for only $9.71. Use dried chickpeas, which are cheaper than canned and taste better, too. Simmer your chickpeas (hydrated overnight) with saffron, paprika, spinach, ground cumin, olive oil, and garlic, and make a “bread paste” to give the stew some texture.
  10. Frittata: While a frittata may sound a little fancy, you can easily make this open omelet with all of your leftovers in the fridge. You can do the same with a quiche Lorraine, which CNN notes as a great “recession recipe.” At $10 for 8 servings, a veggie quiche or frittata will give you plenty of food for less.

So, how low can you go? Just do two $10 dinners a week and you could save thousands of dollars over the course of the year. Keep your eyes peeled for budget grocery list ingredients at the grocery store and you’ll have a bit of savings for a rainy day.

 

From Something to Nothing: Avoiding Waste with Quick Family Recipes

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Each year, Americans spend about 5 billion dollars on food we don’t even eat. There’s something wrong with this picture! While we all try to live within our means, no one can deny that they’ve thrown out a perfectly salvageable product because it was a little wilted or the family just didn’t like it. You may have bought that package of expensive, organic turkey bacon for the kids, only to find that they wanted the regular bacon. Now what? Instead of just tossing a product in the trash, find ways to make it yummy by cooking it in a different way, or mixing it in with other things. Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Bacon: Slightly aged bacon or bacon alternatives that don’t suit the palette of your family can be whipped up into a vast assortment of dishes. If your kids don’t like the taste of your new turkey bacon, simply coat the bacon in brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and walnuts. Preheat the oven and pop in your bacon, laying on a cookie sheet, with the walnuts. When you’re done, you’ll have candied walnuts and brown sugar bacon that makes any brand of bacon taste superb. You can also make bacon bits, crushing slightly overcooked bacon in a paper towel with a rolling pin. Bacon bits go great with baked potatoes or even casseroles.
  • Chicken: Day old cooked chicken is perfect for classic recipes like chicken salad, chicken pot pie, or chicken casserole. If you family doesn’t particularly take to the chicken you whipped up a few nights back, don’t just throw out the leftovers! Make it into a chicken pot pie. First, use the chicken carcass to make a chicken broth for your pot pie. Then grab your leftover chicken, an onion, peas, carrots, and even a potato and mushrooms and make a chicken pot pie to remember.
  • Bread: Bread goes stale in a flash and nine times out of ten we throw old bread right into the trash. Instead of tossing it out, make bread pudding, pulverize the bread to make breading for chicken or mac ‘n’ cheese, or make your own croutons. Six slices of old bread can be made into bread pudding, combined with eggs, milk, raisins, cinnamon, butter, and vanilla. If you only have a few slices of leftover bread,  cut them up into cubes and season with olive oil, salt, black pepper, dried herbs, and garlic powder. Then bake cubes until crunchy for your very own, homemade croutons!
  • Leafy Greens: You may have bought that huge container of spinach or lettuce only to find that no one in the family is reaching for the greens. We commend you on a healthy buy, but now your lovely greens are going to waste. Don’t toss ‘em in the trash. Instead, make an old-fashioned wilted lettuce salad with your day-old lettuce or make spinach artichoke dip with that old spinach. Everyone in the family will love these two options.

Next time you have an item that turned out to be an impulse buy, and no one in the family likes it, or that’s just wasting away in the fridge, get up and do something with it! There are plenty of quick family recipes out there that can help you turn nothing into something.

Quick Meal Recipes for Steak

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To the diehard meat-lovers out there, it doesn’t get much better then a nice, hearty steak. While lately red meat has been getting a pretty bad rap, beef provides us with protein, B12, selenium, and zinc. Just a four ounce cut of beef can give you about 50% of your daily, required B12, a vitamin needed to convert dangerous chemicals, like homocysteine, into benign molecules. Steak is also a great source of iron, which can prevent an iron deficiency anemia, according to Ohio State University. Additionally, steak doesn’t have to be cooked as long as chicken or other meats and you can serve it with a bit of pink and get it out and on a plate in a jiffy (while raw chicken is both unsanitary and not terribly appetizing). Here are some steak family meal recipes that you can whip up in a hot second, armed with just a skillet and a healthy appetite:

The Filet

The filet comes from the rear of the cow and, while it’s low in fat, it doesn’t get exercised all that much making for a lean and tender cut. So why is the filet so expensive? Well, this cut comprises a very small part of the cow, making it a bit pricier.

Steak Diane

Whip up a filet by making yourself the classic steak dish, Steak Diane. Throw steak in a pan until medium-rare, blend a can of black bean soup (or whatever soup you prefer), transfer steaks to a cutting board, heat up the soup as a sauce, and voila! Steak Diane in under 15 minutes. Trust us, it’s just as easy as it sounds!

The Strip

The strip generally has a layer of fat that separates the bone from the steak. The fat shrinks while its cooking and gives us an extremely flavorful and tender steak.

Strip Steaks with Peppercorn Sauce

It’s time to bust out the skillet once more to make this speedy steak. Cut strip steaks about 1 inch thick for speedier cooking and brown until about medium rare (4-5 minutes). Make an easy peppercorn sauce on the side and add some asparagus, onions, and a buttered roll and you have yourself a meal.

Rib Eye

The ribeye differs from the rest of the bunch as it generally has the most marbling because it’s cut from the fattest part of the cow.  Similarly to the strip steak, this fat shrinks at higher temperatures, releasing flavor into the steak.

Steak and Onion Sandwiches with Horseradish and Mayonnaise

A ribeye takes about 2 minutes per side to achieve the perfect medium rare. Mix mayo and horseradish in a small bowl and spread the mixture onto ciabatta rolls (or whatever bread you prefer). Throw your rib eye cuts into the roll and top it all off with onions and arugula for the perfect steak sandwich.

Top Sirloin

Sirloins may have a bit more fat than a filet but they are generally less tender because of more muscle movement. This is the biggest part of the cow so, unlike filets, its less pricey.

Steak Salad

All it takes is boneless, top loin steak and some shallots to make a great steak salad. Serve on a bed of iceberg lettuce or seasoned cucumbers for a refreshing treat that works especially well in the summer months.

There’s no denying it, steaks are delicious. With all these unique cuts and recipes to choose from, you can have a different steak each time you have a hankering for beef.

Making Healthy Family Recipes Out of Not-So-Healthy Favorites

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We all love burgers, casseroles, and warm apple pie, but are these the healthiest options to feed your family? Maybe not. Luckily, there are plenty of ways that you can take old recipes from fatty to healthy by simply tweaking a few ingredients. Feed your family the nutrients they want and need by slightly changing your family recipes to make them healthy. You and your family will both look and feel healthy when they’re chowin’ down some wonderfully delicious healthy meal ideas for families.

Healthy Family Recipes

  • Lean Burgers: “Burgers can be part of a heart-healthy diet,” says Penn State University researcher Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD. “The key is portion control — and the use of lean beef.” When you’re making your burger, use lean beef, poultry, or even bison. Lean beef in particular is rich in essential nutrients, including protein, zinc, B-12, selenium, phosphorus, niacin, and iron. Top your lean burger with lettuce, tomato, and a whole grain bun.
  • Not-So-Fried Chicken: Make fried chicken healthy by baking the chicken, rather than slathering in flour, then deep-frying in fatty oil. Instead, use whole grain breadcrumbs and make a breaded chicken. Hold the gravy and accompany your chicken with green beans.
  • Low-Fat Casserole: Add pureed winter squash to your favorite casserole recipe to displace some carbohydrates with a veggie that’s high in fiber, beta-carotene, and B vitamins. Spinach also goes great in plenty of casseroles. Try to substitute creamed soups and cheese with low-fat soups and low fat cheese to minimize the calorie count.
  • Sliming-Down Spaghetti and Meatballs: Making spaghetti and meatballs healthy is a breeze. Use turkey to make meatballs and substitute white spaghetti with whole grain for a brand new take on this classic dish. Skip the garlic bread and serve salad with Italian dressing as an appetizer.
  • Healthy Chili: Make a healthy version of your favorite chili dish using black beans, canned tomatoes, and chili. At only 30 minutes prep time, chili is the perfect dish for the working mom or dad. Additionally, black beans are high in fiber, folate, and antioxidants.

See? Making old recipes healthy isn’t as hard as you thought. If you want to make more of your recipes healthier, just substitute unhealthy ingredients with healthier ingredients or substitute unhealthy side dishes with healthier ones. For example, you can substitute bacon for turkey bacon, white bread for whole grains, and eggs for egg whites. Simply use less of the bad stuff, add some more veggies into your meals, and you’ll be on your way to serving your family healthy family recipes in no time.

Easy Family Meals for Big Families or Family Events

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average family size is around three people. However, that doesn’t mean that you, in particular have a small family! For those with bigger families, it may be difficult to find recipes or meals that are easy to make for a group of hungry youngins’. Luckily we have plenty of strategies and easy meals up our sleeves that are a cinch to whip up for a hungry morass. These recipes could be perfect for family events, birthday parties, or simply weekday meals for the larger than average family.

Easy Family Meals Ideas

  • Sticky Pork: Place pork in a crock pot, then cook on low for an entire day. About thirty minutes before serving, shred the port in the crock pot, then turn the slow cooker on high and add water and cornstarch to thicken the mixture. This combination makes a thick, sticky, meaty sauce that everyone enjoys. Pour the meat sauce over rice and serve with some veggies for a wonderful, complete meal.
  • Pasta: Pasta dishes are a godsend when you’re cooking for a bigger number of people. You can serve Italian sausage, veggies, and fiber all in one meal, and pretty easily, too! Try opening up the casings of Italian sausage (which you can buy in bulk at the butcher counter), browning the meat, and throwing in pasta sauce for some added, hearty flavor. Add some frozen peas for a little green, and a side salad with olive oil vinaigrette.
  • Lime Chicken: Spicy lime chicken can be made in the crock pot with ease. Just take about six boneless chicken breasts and marinate them in onion, garlic, parsley, oil, lime juice, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Then, grill them and serve with fresh veggies and rice. That’s it! Everyone will have plenty to eat and the grill does the bulk of the work for you.
  • Pizza: Make your own pizza with tomato sauce, mushrooms, bell peppers, and a pound of sausage. A 16 inch pizza will serve about 6 people, so you can make two and save the leftovers by wrapping eat piece in aluminum foil and popping them in the freezer. Eat your pizza slices within two months. They aren’t as good as fresh-out-of-the-oven slices, but they save you time when you’re feeding the masses!
  • Chicken Pot Pie: One way to save a buck is to use meat as a side rather than a main dish. For example, you could make chicken pot pie with leftover chicken pieces. All you need is chicken broth, some pastry dough, peas, egg, and carrots, to make a delicious chicken pot pie out of inexpensive ingredients.

Having a bigger family may be a challenge during dinner time, but with these tips, you can feed plenty and make it look like a breeze.

Fast Easy Dinners: The Dos and Don’ts of Crock Pot Cookin’

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We all love our crock pots. Slow cookers have been making life easier on moms and dads everywhere since the 1970s. All you have to do is throw in a bunch of ingredients then the crock pot does all the work for you, right? Well, not always. While slow cookers and crock pots make our lives a whole lot easier when we’re trying to make fast, easy family meals, they’re not completely foolproof. Make sure you follow these Dos and Don’ts when you’re whipping up an easy crock pot recipe:

Dos:

  • Cut dense veggies, like carrots, into comparable sizes (about 1 inch chunks for the denser vegetables) so they cook at a similar rate. You can make sure denser veggies like carrots and potatoes cook all the way through by layering them at the bottom of a crock pot, then adding all of the other ingredients. Add tender veggies or other ingredients towards the end to avoid overcooking, curdling, or mushiness.
  • Before you put your meat in the slow cooking, trim off as much fat as you possibly can to prevent the fat from seeping into your sauce. Fat will eventually rise to the top of your soup or sauce and you’ll have to take it out with a ladle or spoon if you don’t trim diligently in the beginning.
  • Brown meat before putting it into your slow cooker to ensure food safety.
  • When making soups or stews, you can pick up extra fatty oil at the end of the process by taking a brown paper bag and dabbing off the oils. The brown bag will attract oil particles and reduce the amount of calories in your soup.
  • Some dry herbs and spices lose their flavor when cooked for too long. If possible, add them when the soup, sauce, or roast has about two more hours to cook.  If you’re using fresh herbs, you can often add them first — they will retain their flavor better than dry herbs.
  • If you want your rice or pasta to be top notch, cook it separately before the meal is ready. Then, serve the roast, stew, or soup with your starch of choice when everyone’s ready to eat.

Don’ts:

  • Don’t put frozen food directly in the slow cooker. Fresh veggies will retain their flavor and texture much better than frozen. If you do like to use canned or frozen veggies, add them to the slow cooker at the end of the cooking time, just long enough to heat them through.
  • Don’t add too much liquid to your crock pot. Adding too much liquid may distort the shape of the ingredients, distill the flavors, or even make your concoction boil right over.
  • Don’t lift the lid! If you do, you’ll lower the temperature inside your slow cooker and it won’t be done in the allotted time.
  • Don’t choose huge cuts of meat and cram ‘em in. Huge cuts of meat won’t cook all the way through and will likely need a longer cooking time, which could throw off your entire recipe.

While crock pots make our lives a whole heck of a lot easier, there’s no foolproof solution to even the easiest dinnertime meals. Make sure you learn the crock pot basics and you’ll be serving up dinner by simply turning off the crock pot and scooping up whatever yummy concoction you’ve assembled.