Category: Recipes

Get some great 30 minute recipes and organic food recipes to feed your family on a budget and in a jiff. Karie shares some of her classics and easy recipes for your family.

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Organic Pumpkin Pie Recipe

While these recipes may be a bit out of “season” now as we have moved past Thanksgiving and Christmas pumpkin pie is always a favorite, especially because it is so easy….when not from a can. Plus more likely the pumpkin pie is cheaper with a fresh pumpkin than one out of the can. Plus I shared I made a cake size Swiss roll, well here is that recipe. The Swiss roll may be a bit bitter as it is a Turkish chocolate style recipe, but still sweet and delish!

Pumpkin Pie

1 pumpkin
6 c. water for boiling

2 c. flour (for crust, obviously)
1/2 c. water (for crust)
1 c. shortening
Heat oven to 425*
1 3/4 c. mashed pumpkin
1 3/4 c. milk
2 large eggs
2/3 c. brown sugar
2 T. sugar
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves (be sure to ONLY use a 1/4 tsp or your pie will be very SPICY and the cloves will be overbearing)

Gut the pumpkin and all seeds. Cut into two inch cubes leaving skin on the meat during boiling. The boil time for an average size to a small pumpkin is roughly 25-35 minutes. Remove from water and allow to cool somewhat before removing skin to avoid burning. Once all skin is removed, mash or puree until desired consistency. Allow the mashed pumpkin to be completely cool before adding to pie mixture.

While pumpkin is cooling, mix flour, water, shortening together until dough forms. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Add to pie pan and flute edges. Fluting can be done with fingers, fork, or a spoon.

Mix together sugar and eggs until a creamed consistency, adding in mashed pumpkin. Mix thoroughly slowly adding milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and the cloves. By following these steps your pie will have a smooth consistency allowing all the ingredients to blend well together. Cook for 45-55 minutes using a toothpick to determine if the center is done. The pie will have a rich golden hue as will the crust.



Swiss Cake Roll

Preheat oven to 400*
2 eggs (separate yolks from whites)
3 T. flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 T. warm water (I used day old warm coffee, adds a bitterness and a wonderful rich sweet taste)
1 oz cube of melted Bakers Semi-Sweet baking chocolate (or 2T melted chocolate chips)
Filling:
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 T. confectioners sugar (or 1/4 c. sugar)
May add fresh fruit or flavor or your choice, almond, etc.

I also apologize for the poor picture quality….the cake was being eaten so fast to take when it was at it’s “prettiest.”

Beat together egg yolks and sugar until creamy, slowly adding the chocolate (be sure not too hot or will cook the eggs) and warm water. Then beat until foamy the egg whites, slowly adding in the flour, baking powder mix. Once the eggs and flour, baking powder are completely combined, slowly begin to add in the chocolate mixture. Once completely blended pour into waxed lined baking pan (13X9, buttered or greased then lined with wax paper or freezer paper for best results and lightly greased again). Bake for 12 minutes, remove immediately and place face down on freezer paper (or wax paper) dusted with powdered sugar. Place damp cloth on top to ease cooling time and allow cake to be easily rolled while warm, removing hard or rough edges, unroll after completely cooled and add cream filling.

Beat together sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream until a creamy, comes to a bit of a peak consistency. Do not over beat…filling will be ruined. Slowly spread along inside of cake, roll again and serve dusted with confectioners sugar or topped with drizzled chocolate or fresh fruit.

Enjoy!

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Holiday Traditions

I tweeted and updated my Facebook status on how fabulous this holiday season would be, even after a tumultuous Thanksgiving I knew Christmas would completely drown everything that happened.

For the week leading up to Christmas Big G and I were on a Betty Crocker roll. I think I was channeling her or Martha Stewart for that matter with how many crafts and baking we accomplished together. We started by making these absolutely easy and aromatic Christmas ornaments courtesy of my friend Casey over at Extraordinary Mothers. Look at these beauties, I was so proud of my baby for sticking with the project.

We used some super simple ribbon too. Just a bit of wired ribbon and decorative craft rope and we have insta- ornaments that not only look fantastic and can be dressed up but smell absolutely intoxicating!

Next we did some rolled and cut Gingerbread Man cookies that were just the most tender, sweet, soft delicious cookies you could ever have. We did THREE dozen of those cookies. Look at the boy go! I was so proud he had so much fun…and we chowed on some dough! What good are cookies without cookie dough to nibble on.

So we moved onto more fun cookies and we did some really fun sugar cookies. I decided to use my new Wilton’s Cookie Press that I won from my friend Sandra over at Adventures In Mommyland (you should read…this woman has amazing strength!) and we did fabulous Christmas tree press cookies and some “star” shapes that actually looked more like flowers and we decorated as such.

Finally I made THREE, yes THREE homemade, from scratch, did not buy the shit in a pan from the store, PIES. I know I am a culinary snob…I truly enjoy the insult of being a snob, I pride myself in this delight. I have skills and I am proud to flaunt! HA HA HA. Okay, so enough of me, here is my prize winning pie…well actually it was eaten too fast before I could take a beauty shot, but I do have the original specimen, and I will be posting the recipe for Morsel Monday next week since I have failed to play along with consistent blogging this week. A-Okay by me, enjoying the relaxing time the no pressure of posting. But here is the specimen that I speak of…yes…that is a Pumpkin. An albino (white) pumpkin and what the insides look like after being cooked/mashed. Pretty right? Just imagine the taste. OH EM GEE!

The three wise pies were my infamous and prized beauties that each of my Grandmother’s raved over (yes both Grandmothers asked for the recipe….the women with phenomenal, mad cooking abilities wanted MY recipe!), my aunt’s who both have an insane level of gift in the culinary arts wanted the recipe, and of course my mother…who legitimized my claim of THE PERFECT child cook said my pie was better than the other pie she had that day…or any other day or holiday for that matter. Well of course…mine was made with love…not from an assembly line and stamped with the brand of “Marie Callendar’s.” kthxbai

I then worked on my Turkish chocolate cake. This cake was like no other though, more of a Swiss Roll with wonderful whipped cream inside…again, another recipe I will be sure to post. Super easy, super delish and very decadent. A true dessert cake and delicacy. However, one cake did not roll, so it was a layer cake of sorts, the other did roll, beautifully so I hauled that with us, along with the pecan pie, oh and the divinity. Yes, I made divinity. Which is a true feat to successfully create this confection in winter due to the weather and often cloudy days. You cannot make divinity on a cloudy day…same with fudge…the consistency just isn’t right. But I hauled all these goodies to my Grandmother’s house in Casa Grande for my 31st Christmas Eve celebration with her, with my Grandfather’s passing which was ever so bittersweet a celebration of family nonetheless, my aunt’s who had I many a laughs with, and my uncle who I joined in sarcastic witty banter as we jabbed others and one another.

Needless to say while the gifts were not overly plentiful as some may expect, the love of family, being together, having fun, and the creations of love and joy were shared abound. Those gifts are the gifts that carry no price, can never be replaced, and are felt year round and are remembered for a lifetime.

What were your holiday traditions? Family traditions? Baking fun? Any childhood memories you had that carry on with your present family? Children?

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Egg Nog French Toast and Pancakes Recipe

I decided I needed to get all of these fabulous homemade recipes out of me brain and ready to share with you all and ’tis the season for some FABULOUS cooking and recipes. However, I will never share my secret to the perfect pecan pie….that recipe will probably die with me, I know MANY gluttons who would kill for the recipe.

But for the gluttons in all of us and especially those who pine over the great beverage that is egg nog, this recipe is for you and is a GREAT and easy recipe to be enjoyed by the entire family, especially on Christmas morning.

eggnog pancakes, egg nog
Egg Nog Pancakes & Egg Nog French Toast

For pancakes:

2c. Bisquick or my organic recipe
1 1/2 c. Egg nog
1 egg
1T milk
3t. cinnamon or nutmeg (for extra kick and the taste is DIVINE!)

Lightly beat egg, add eggnog and slowly add and stir in the Bisquick and spice. Mix until a creamy batter is reached. Pour onto medium heat griddle. Recipe should yield 18 pancakes

French Toast:

2 eggs whipped
1/2c Egg Nog
2T milk
2T Cinnamon
1T Splenda or 1.5 tsp Stevia (since the egg nog is rather sweet)
10 slices of bread

Mix together all wet and dry ingredients in bowl. Slowly dip in bread as to coat each side with egg and cinnamon mix, cook over medium heat in pan until a golden brown. Serve with powdered sugar or with butter and syrup. The taste is truly rich and the spices are enhanced by the egg nog.

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Cookup Rice Easily Cuisinart Rice Plus Multi-Cooker

If anyone is the chef of the kingdom in your home this appliance is a winner. I am not a huge fan of “rice” unless of course as a small side with Sashimi. Yes…mmmm….the savory, slippery, luscious taste of sashimi, true raw fish. Not a California Roll, TRUE sushi. I think I was Japanese in another life. Moving on, the Cuisinart however is more than your standard rice cooker. As the name clearly suggests the Cuisinart is a “multi-cooker” which means you can make much more than rice in this fabulous appliance.

While I too am not a fan of crock-pot or slow cooker meals I do have my lazy moments that would make Martha Stewart shudder, for that, I am so sorry Martha. But I do not like to dirty a million pans, my pans are vey nice and I would much rather use them as art than to cook in. So the Cuisinart helps me to cut down on dishes by offering a cook function similar to that of a stove top fry pan.

I was making chili the other night and knew I had to use the Cuisinart Rice Plus Multi-Cooker with Fuzzy Logic Technology. I read a chili recipe in the recipe book that was included with the multi-cooker and the recipe was very similar to mine. A few variations but much similar to mine. So I followed the cooking instructions for the multi-cooker as to not damage the appliance nor ruin my creation.

The function that allows for cooking similar to the cooktop is Quick Cook option and I was able to brown my turkey meat and then I removed the meat and was able to saute my onions with my spices for a truly decadent taste. From there the cooker automatically shuts off based on the Quick Cook option, and I set the option for the slow cook meal of a few hours (you can adjust the time based on volume, etc) and I added my meat and wet ingredients to the cooker, shut the lid and VOILA. The cooker actually did cook my food perfectly, not too hot, not burned and not that burning ring you often see on your ceramic slow cooker, suggesting that maybe the meal got a bit too hot.

In addition to meals like chili, you can make oatmeal, risotto, different variations of rice such as sushi rice, brown rice, you can steam vegetables for wraps, dinners, and even reheat meals that were not prepared in a slow cooker. I even used my Cuisinart Rice Plus Multi-Cooker to make a fabulous Rigatoni pasta dish. (The Cuisinart Rice Plus Multi-Cooker with Fuzzy Logic Technology also has a 3-year limited warranty.)

In all honesty I was completely skeptical. I wondered about the accuracy of the cook, the ability to handle the amount of food I so desired to cook, the cleaning, the ease of use, the electronics, and the name is “rice cooker” I was skeptical that all this appliance could do WAS. COOK. RICE. I was very pleased to find that is does not just do rice alone. So if you are shopping for someone who wants a rice cooker or a crock pot type gift, this appliance is a good all around gift to cover all of those bases.

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Gifts for Her or Him: Cookware.com CSN Stores

cookware.com, csnstores.com, Karie Herring, thefivefish.com, ebelskiver

Christmas should be fun and practical. I for one am not a fan of bad gifts or gifts that can only be used for not so everyday activities or moments in life. I mean if you get me a knit sweater with the ugly Christmas trees I can only wear it during the holidays. Um, negative. Not a good gift.

A good gift should be used for greatness, for everyday maybe, or for a specialty that everyone loves. Well my family loves pancakes. And my husband used to live in California and visit Solvang when they lived on the base in Vandenberg. You have never heard of Solvang? COME ON PEOPLE. Solvang is the Dutch US, if you could ever visit any one place, Solvang is a MUST!

While visiting there he had the taste of Ebelskivers, phonetically ay-bell-skee-vurs. They are round pancakes that are about the size of a silver dollar and are to DIE FOR! Seriously these little puppies can be stuffed with all sorts of goodies like jelly, preserves, cheese, meats, whatever you want to put in them.

CSN Stores, cookware.com

Cookware.com, a CSN Store, allowed me to review their Nordicware International Specialties Danish ebelskiver pan and I was and AM in cookware heaven. The pan has a Teflon, non-stick coating, riveted handled, and retails for $27.99.  I too love ebelskivers and have been requesting an ebelskiver pan for YEARS. Yes, YEARS people and the wonderful staff at Cookware.com, a CSN Store fulfilled my unanswered family gift request for an ebelskiver pan. The day I got it…I planned Brinner. (Breakfast + Dinner = Brinner!)

The use of the pan is simple, like any other pan but the divots in the pan allow for the batter to be poured in about half-way up to allow for rising and you add your fillings before the ebelskiver cooks too much and you have to turn. The batter I used was your standard pancake batter with Bisquick or whatever brand you prefer. I made a sweet cream cheese filling using Neufschatel cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, a few drops of maple syrup and my kids gobbled the perfect, hand sized treats like they were going out of style. I also sprinkled a little powdered sugar on them to really pretty them up.

Needless to say I am happy with my ebelskiver pan and with Cookware.com and CSN. In fact, CSN has over 200+ stores online from Cookware.com to bed linens, to home improvement, baby, you name it, they have a store! In fact you can buy your new dining room furniture from the furniture superstore Dining Rooms Direct. How is that for one stop shopping! They ship anywhere in the US and Canada, have a great return policy and on selected items they have guaranteed delivery by December 24th just in time for your gift to be wrapped from “Santa.”

Check out CSN Stores and find that perfect gift and they have an offering of 100 gifts under $100!

Happy Holidays and big thanks to Cookware.com and CSN Stores.
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Vodka Spaghetti Sauce recipe

If you watched my Mingle on Monday you saw that I had a billow of steam behind me. Some quite literally thought I might torch my kitchen, behold…..the power of the Fish! Okay, so I am kidding, but the steam was much, probably from the fact I had the hood on trying to suck all of that steam away.

So I promised my winning recipe from these lovely items that I share in my Friday post about how I Heart my CSA. If you did not read, go back, gaze upon the fruits of the Earth! Because I ate almost everything in that photo. Not alone! Dear GAWD NO! I had help. Again, the fruits:

thefivefish.com, Karie Herring, recipes, CSA, organic

Okay quite a bit in this photo, but feast your eyes on those BEAUTIFUL organic tomatoes! YUM! And just to the left of those juicy, perfectly delectable tomatoes is a bushel (not a true metric measurement bushel) of Licorice basil. Just absolutely beautiful as well, the smell is intoxicating, and the taste, OH SO SWEET!

My recipe for some Grrrrrreat sauce:

1/2 c. Vodka (any Vodka will do, set aside a little extra for you with a lime and ice)
4 c. diced tomatoes (if you don’t have enough fresh tomatoes……canned works AWESOME!)
1 can tomato paste (I bought organic since it was as cheap as the regular stuff, but again, any type will do!)
1 T. onion power
3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1/4 Purple bell pepper for a bit of zing
2 basil stalks (my stalks are huge and I love Basil, but use it to your liking an taste)
1/2 t. Oregano
1/2 t. Parsley
Salt/pepper to taste
(For a bit more of a biting sauce, add 1 t. crushed red pepper, I pulverized mine so it mixes well, you can do the same with the back of a spoon and a Ziploc bag)

In a large skillet or deep pot, add tomatoes and dry ingredients (onion powder, oregano, parsley, salt/pepper, basil, bell pepper) bring to a low boil. Slowly add vodka and return to a boil. Add in can of tomato paste and stir, reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for as long as your desired taste and thickness (I simmered mine for most of the day), the vodka brings out a very rich taste in the tomatoes. Be sure to add garlic 20 minutes before serving. This allows the sauce to maintain the garlic flavor and taste, otherwise if you are not a garlic fan, add at the beginning with all dry ingredients.

I also like to add sausage to my sauce, Italian sausage, Jimmy Dean Breakfast sausage, or ground beef all works WONDERFULLY!  I also LOVE a sweet Italian ground turkey meat as well. YUM!

thefivefish.com, Karie Herring, recipes, spaghetti, tomato sauce, organic

Remove from heat and serve over spaghetti, angel hair, or any desired pasta. VOILA!

BTW – I think you will find there is LESS sugar and LESS calories in this homemade recipe than a standard jar of sauce. Plus, I think it tastes better. But I am a food snob too!

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Sloppy Joes

The messy, saucy, warm, crumbly, meaty goodness in a warm, fluffy bun. The beloved Sloppy Joe.
Now I am a classy broad of sorts, I love my fish, my filet, my Faux Grois, something you use a knife and fork to eat, but I really love me my Sloppy Joe. This is a meal where I can really dig in and let loose. Last night, was a Sloppy Joe night. I don’t mean the open a can of Manwich type of Sloppy Joe night. I mean the real flavor, the taste, the ultimate mess of a homemade Sloppy Joe that guess what? You can make too! No can. No bullshit. Just open your pantry or your fridge to the loads of condiments in your door. Here are the deets for the easiest, tastiest, Sloppy Joe’s you will ever sink your teeth into…..ergo…..the rest will land in your lap….or like me….on my boobs.
1-2 pounds of ground beef or Turkey (if you are a dieting type person…like moi)
NOW, these ingredients all depend on the amount of meat AND how Sloppy you want that Joe.
1-2 cups of Ketchup
3T – 1/4 c of Yellow Mustard
1/2 – 1 cup of BBQ Sauce if you like that zippety sweet taste in your Joes
1/4 – 1/2 c of brown sugar
2-4T of Vinegar
1/4 c. Diced onions (optional)
1/4 c. Diced Bell pepper (optional)
BUNS (mmmmm…..buns)
  1.  Brown all meat with optional vegetable, while meat is browning mix together the vinegar and brown sugar to dissolve.
  2. Add sugar mixture to ketchup, mustard, and BBQ sauce, mixing throughly so that a smooth creamy consistency is reached.
  3. Drain meat of any fats and liquids and return to pan
  4. Add sauce, stir thoroughly until all meat is coated.
  5. Cook for 2 more minutes
VOILA!
Easy Peasy Pumpkin Pie. Sloppy Joes in a snap. Really who doesn’t love a Sloppy Joe?
My Big G…who doesn’t like anything that doesn’t rhyme or sound like chicken told me this:
“Mom, this is the bestest meal ever. It makes my stomach feel real good! Oh! SO! DELISH!”
I know buddy…..I rock as a lazy chef.
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Top 3 Grilling Tips and Tricks

These following recipes that I LOVE to use in my house. For one….no way you can eff them up…at all. Even if you do…they still taste super scrumptious. So here are some of my Top 3 grilling favorites for cooking:

Grilled Fish
You can use catfish, Mahi Mahi, Cod, Tilapia, and of the fattier fish and preferably a white fish, white fish is great on the grill.
Now while the fish is frozen I melt about 2T of butter (margarine) per fillet in the microwave and pour over the frozen fish. I do rinse the fish first so that the butter will seep into the fish and not bounce off and harden again. I then pour about a half cup of white wine or a chardonnay into the pan where the fish will marinate, a cup of lemon or lime juice. Lemon juice is not as acidic as the lime so it will not cause your fish to cure like when making ceviche. Then I sprinkle my favorite spices. I love a fresh lemon zest, because Arizona has an abundance of citrus here, pepper, garlic, a dash of salt. Whatever your favorite spices and seasonings. Let sit overnight or for at least 6 hours. If your fish is still frozen, A OK, throw it on the grill. Be sure to spray your grill with some cooking spray to prevent sticking. Cook on low to medium and until the fish is flaky. Voila!
Couple with grilled or steamed zucchini and yellow squash, artichokes, asparagus, or a salad and you have a filling and light summer meal.

Feeding an Army: Brisket
I love brisket. I made brisket for the first time this year for Passover/Easter and I was so damn proud of myself!! I indirectly cooked on the grill with some smoking chips to give the meat that smoke flavor and O.M.G!! I usually do not boast about my food…..but when my whole family was mmm’ing and ahhhh’ing and Oh Damn to me….I knew I rocked!

So Brisket comes in two types of cuts, first cut and second cut. I know…..fancy right. Well you want the first cut. The one that comes right off the cow’s shoulder. This has all that great fat and marbling that will make your brisket OH so tender and juicy and mouth watering.
Second cut is just as good, however, smaller sizes, looks a lot more pretty and easier to handle. Usually in 3-5 pound cuts where the first cut is 7 or more pounds and is the whole ball game.

I dig second cut. I cut it in half to fit onto my grill as I have yet to upgrade to a Grand Daddy Grill of all grills. (But if you want me to review one I would be more than happy to! LOL) But I cut the meat in half to fit on my grill. The night before I cook it I dice 4 cloves of garlic, very fine dicing. I rub each side of the meat slabs with kosher salt. Kosher salt is very tasty and so awesome for cooking, it is the rough large grain salt. You can use sea salt as well for another healthy alternative. After salting each side but rubbing the salt in really well I pepper each side of the meat and then I rub in the garlic. I let this sit overnight, you can cover it or leave it exposed to the air in your fridge. Allow at least 3 or more hours to grill your brisket especially if the cut is larger than say 4 pounds.

Heat the grill on high. Make a plate with edges out of foil to cover the bottom rack of your grill and place on grill. Reduce one burner to low and the other to med, this process is called indirect grilling and makes for some really beautiful meat. Place your meat FAT side up to help keep the meat juicy and so you do not cook off all the juice and fat. If you want the smoked taste, place your wood chips on the grill at this time away from the meat and drippings. Here is the hardest part. WALK AWAY. Yup, leave the meat to cook. Every time you open the grill and look at the meat you increase your cook time by 15 minutes!! Flip once during the cook time at least half way through. Your meat will take on that perfect smoked look, where the meat is beginning to look cooked but still burgundy in color. This is BEAUTY at its finest with brisket.

Remove the brisket from your grill. Make sure to use tongs, never, EVER, NEVER use a fork or pronged fork to remove ANY meats from a grill. This drains all your meats of their precious juices. Next let your meat rest. This will allow the meat to contract a little and the blood to re-enter the flesh to keep your brisket slices moist and tasty. After letting the meat rest for about 15 minutes, slice AGAINST the grain in thin slices and serve.
We couple brisket with potato salad, slaw, macaroni and cheese, grilled or steamed fresh veggies, or on a sandwich. You will have leftovers for DAYS, freeze some of the meat for later or invite family over for a feast!!

Dessert on a Dime
Pound cake is probably the easiest dessert to make. The recipe is on the back of any Bisquick box, and everyone loves pound cake. Angel food is another great one! Super Easy Peasy to make too….as long as you have patience or a ready make box from the store for others.

So grab a bag of mixed frozen fruit. I love the huge chunks. Two cups of orange juice and one cup of sugar. Heat the orange juice to almost boiling and slowly add in the sugar and begin to reduce the heat. If your mixture starts to thicken fast….great!! Then it is almost ready. You can also add in some cinnamon or nutmeg for a little extra sweetness. Pour in the frozen fruit, about a cup or so until thoroughly coated. Remove from heat continuing to stir. Drizzle juice over the cake and scoop out a spoonful of fruit. Oh so yummy. Even if your mixture doesn’t thicken…still a great drizzle and sauce for pound or angel food cake.

I hope you all enjoy these few recipes as much as I do. I know I love to cook and “experiment” in my kitchen with different spices, foods, and whatever I got. We try not to waste anything in this house.

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NECCO SweetHearts: Red, White, and YOU!

In honor of the Fourth of July and the American and Foreign Military Troops serving abroad, NECCO, New England Confectionery Company, parent company of our favorite Sweethearts candy (normally seen at Valentine’s) has created a new line to celebrate our wonderful country and the military men and women who serve to protect our country!

For the first time in 140 years NECCO expanded the traditional Valentine candy line and Valentine sentiments to include patriotic sentiments in honor of our troops and military families for their service. These sentiments have great lines like “Proud of U”, “Home Safe”, “Miss You.” Sweethearts, is also sending these great candies in packages for our troops which is in partnership with the United Service Organizations(USO).

I for one was not a fan of Sweethearts Valentine candy because of the flavors, but I can tell you that these new Red, White, and YOU flavors are fantastic and epitomize American summers and stereotypes. I was eating them like they were going out of style. Seriously, and I am not a candy fan. I would eat hard candy like Jolly Ranchers every now and again. The flavors are so yummy! The blue tastes like a rich blueberry pie, the red like a sweet and sticky cherry pie, and I haven’t quite nailed the white, but man are they good!

Not only are they tasty little snacks, but they make great craft and recipe ideas. My favorite was the Red, White, and You Flag Cake! So yummy and perfect for the 4th of July BBQ!

Is that cake not scrumptious looking or not!? I would say so! Click on her to get a closer look at the easy peasy directions and make one of your own.

Remember to stay safe this Fourth of July and try to remember the reason why we celebrate this holiday past all the BBQ’s, fireworks, and fun. Be sure to thank our troops, veterans, soldiers for their service to protect our freedoms!

Happy Fourth of July!!
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Meal Planning Tips and Tricks

Meal time is always the worst part of my day. Any meal. Any time of the day. HORRIBLE!

I have four people who have no idea what they want to eat, stand with the fridge door wide open saying “What do we have to eat” when the fridge is full, and no one can agree on the same thing.

So I have learned to set out a ton of meats, fish, and chicken during the week and basically whip up either favorites, new dishes, a little gourmet, or a little of “Not sure what this is….but it’s freaking good!”

My tips and tricks are with food….I truly hate food. Food and meals are my demons. But here is how we fish survive in the tank when someone else isn’t feeding us (aka takeout):

  • Casseroles. You can’t go wrong with any sort of casserole type dish. Lasagna, enchiladas, anything that you can make in a single dish and toss in the oven. Plus if it is simple to whip up, dinner and clean up are a breeze.
  • Grill. I personally love to grill. The food has a flavor that cannot be replaced. Plus less energy usage. So when I grill I throw my whole meats on the grill FROZEN, this keeps them nice and juicy and you never (ok hardly ever) have to worry about burning or overcooking where the food is so nasty dry. You can grill anything and everything…give it a whirl! Grill lots of extras too! This way you have extras for the week for dinners, lunch, whatever.
  • Menus. I love a menu, this way everyone in the family can participate in what foods they want to eat during the week and makes meal time a breeze. Especially because if dinner is not served at FIVE O’CLOCK SHARP at my house…..demons invade. Seriously its like that moment where Spike from the Gremlins movie takes over the house. YIKES!
  • The Crock Pot can be your friend. I really hate the crock pot because it is ugly and takes up precious storage space. However, I have created many a meals, very tasty ones at that, in my ugly plug her in machine.
  • Forget the rules. Who says you have to have breakfast at breakfast and dinner for dinner. We call it “Brinner.” Who doesn’t love a belgian waffle smothered in fresh fruit, a side of (turkey) bacon, and maybe some scrambled egg whites for dinner or breakfast! Go nuts!
  • Avoid pre-packaged dinner meals. Like the ones where the rice and everything is in it you just add your own meat. HELLO CALORIES!! HELLO CHEESE TO MY ASS! Yeah I made that same “dinner” with brown rice, fresh cheese, frozen broccoli, and chicken. About 400 less calories than the box dinner and everyone wanted and had seconds! Super easy to do as well.
  • Salads. Yes the dreaded greens! But the greens can be fun I have a great taco salad dish that my kids eat because they are involved in the process. Plus if you tell them they can smother it with ranch…they are total game, oh and it has Doritos (I know shame on me).
  • Colors, lots of colors. I tried to have a lot of color in my food. Part of my OCD I think, but I hate when my food looks tan…..all of it. I love vibrant colors and flavors I am a true food whore about that because I have such odd tastes in food.

I would love to hear what your tricks are when making meals, keeping the family happy, trying not to serve the same old “slop” night in and night out, and what helps you save time? I also have lots of yummy recipes for everything from breakfast to dessert that are super easy peasy and totally fool proof! Quite a few are posted on the blog my sister’s and I share and I hope to post some here real soon. Happy Thursday everyone….and stay tuned! I have some great reviews and fun giveaways!!